Ways Metroid Prime Altered The Mythology Of The Franchise

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home March 24, 2025 67 Views 9 Min Read
Ways Metroid Prime Altered The Mythology Of The Franchise



Summary

  • Metroid Prime revitalized the series with innovative gameplay and deep lore exploration.
  • Dark Samus’ creation in Metroid Prime 2 raised the stakes for the franchise moving forward.
  • Space Pirates’ role in Metroid Prime reshaped their narrative, tying them closer to the series’ direction.

Metroid Prime was the culmination of a six-year absence for the series, as Nintendo tried to bring Samus Aran to the N64, but couldn’t find a suitable adventure for her. And when it was time for Samus to return, it ended up being well worth the wait, as Metroid Prime is still one of the most incredible games ever made and a strong contender for the greatest of all time. This iconic first-person adventure game was also where the Metroid franchise saw some of the biggest shifts in the lore that the series had seen since the beginning, altering the course of this legendary series for years.

collage of 3 metroid prime games

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Metroid Prime spent a lot of time filling out the lore of the series and introducing new pieces of mythology that would have a major impact on every entry in the series moving forward. And thanks to Metroid Prime’s innovative scanning system, uncovering lore made players feel active in its unfolding drama. Whether it was re-examining the origins of Samus Aran or introducing a massive new element, Metroid Prime wasn’t just going to rest on the laurels of the franchise and instead would create one of the most important entries in the series. It would later be remastered for the Nintendo Switch in 2023, making this hugely influential game easy to experience today.

1

The Birth Of Dark Samus

Phazon Creates One Of Samus’ Most Deadly Enemies

During the epic conclusion of Samus’ GameCube debut, she faces off with the eponymous Metroid Prime, a terrifying creature born from the element known as Phazon and the final boss of the game. But despite its defeat, the remnants of the creature absorbed the bounty hunter’s Phazon Suit, giving birth to Dark Samus, a dangerous, lethal doppelganger of the franchise hero that served as the main antagonist of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

Dark Samus makes her first appearance in the secret ending of Metroid Prime, unlocked after completing the game to 100%, but doesn’t become a full-fledged antagonist until Echoes. She is a major part of a continuing trend in the series, as Samus often finds herself staring into a cracked mirror at her visage, her haunting past and uncertain future in a dangerous world always at constant risk of eradication. Dark Samus’ creation would go hand-in-hand with the creation of SA-X in Fusion, as the lead of the Metroid series would find the birth of her deranged counterpart to have a prominent impact on the franchise moving forward.

2

The True Horror Of The Space Pirates

The Space Pirates Conduct Horrific Experiments

After making their debut back in the original game, the Space Pirates have become a constant thorn in the side of Samus Aran, appearing in most major entries in the series. But with Metroid Prime, developer Retro Studios re-examined the Space Pirates and their role in the franchise, tying them directly into both the overall direction of the franchise, but also within the larger framework of Echoes and Hunters.

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Various logs and scans found on the planet Tallon IV reveal that the Space Pirates have graduated from simple raiding and destruction, now venturing deep into the heart of scientific curiosity and dark experimentation. Their exploration of the most nefarious science led to the creation of Meta Ridley, further establishing the Space Pirates as one of the franchise’s most destructive, sinister groups in the franchise. It’s also implied they experimented on themselves, further explaining their more reptilian appearance in Prime and the rest of the games moving forward in the timeline.

3

The History Of The Chozo

The Tragic Downfall Of The Chozo Race

The Super Metroid tie-in comics established a strong link between the Chozo, the race of humanoid avians that adopted Samus Aran after the destruction of her colony, and the Space Pirates, as they were ultimately responsible for their extinction. Metroid Prime further establishes the tragic downfall of the Chozo, as Samus’ trek through Tallon IV leads her to uncover a huge portion of the mythology surrounding them. Previous Metroid games had subtly hinted at their origins, but Prime chronicled the Chozo in the deepest, most layered way that the franchise had seen to that point.

Metroid Prime dedicates a significant chunk of scans and logs to the Chozo, as they become a major part of the game’s background storytelling once Samus lands on Tallon IV. Their brief, limited appearances in Super Metroid and the tie-in comics only scratched the surface, as Prime showcases their history, and rivalry with the Space Pirates and positions them as haunted souls who foresaw their death at the hands of the ominous forces lurking in the cosmos. This expansive look at the Chozo became a key aspect of the franchise moving forward, influencing both Prime sequels and the mainline series for years to come.

4

The Debut Of Phazon Energy

A Dark Energy Force From The Cosmos

Once Samus lands on the planet Tallon IV, mere moments after escaping an explosive confrontation with Meta Ridley on the Space Pirate frigate Orpheon, the ongoing rivalry between the Space Pirates and the Chozo leads to one of Metroid Prime’s most significant additions to the lore in the form of Phazon.

collage of 3 metroid games, both 2d and 3d

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The Space Pirates believed that Phazon, a cosmic energy source with immense power, could lead them to infinite power in the universe, and began using it for all sorts of nefarious purposes. Phazon powers a huge chunk of Metroid Prime’s sprawling mythology, even resulting in the birth of the eponymous final boss and Dark Samus, as this mythic element would go on to play a large role in Echoes, and an even more prominent role in Hunters. Phazon was responsible for giving Samus a lot of trouble during this time, ultimately paving the way for the bounty hunter’s most challenging journey.

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