Main Docking Bay (SkyTown, Elysia)

Main Docking Bay
The Main Docking Bay, Elysia
Game	Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Planet/Ship	Elysia
Area	SkyTown
Notablefeatures	Landing Beacons, large head statue, abyss, Fuel Pods
Significance	Landing Site, location of Ghor battle, Plasma Beam, Missile Expansion, Databot
Inhabitants	Aerial Repair Drones, Databot, Ghor
Internal name	01_skytown_ghor

The Main Docking Bay is a large circular room in SkyTown, Elysia. It appears in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

Description

The Main Docking Bay is the first place Samus lands on Elysia and like most of SkyTown is highly decorative. A statue of a Chozo head is built overlooking the Docking Bay's main entrance.

As with much of SkyTown, the Main Docking Bay is exposed to the sky. Ships and other vessels are mainly docked here, and so the area has Landing Beacons. A Chozo Artifact symbol is present on the landing pad. Several canisters and Fuel Pods are situated out of the way of the landing pad, presumably for refueling docked ships. A ramp under the statue leads up through a corridor to an observation area, with a large green windowpane that overlooks the landing pad from under the statue.

Role

Samus lands at the Bay

Samus docks her Gunship here at Aurora Unit 242's command, after destroying the Leviathan on Bryyo. Samus travels on from this location to explore the rest of the facility. Samus returns after receiving transmissions from the Chozo biotech computer of an unknown entity damaging the hull of her ship. The attacker is revealed to be Ghor, who has been corrupted by Dark Samus's Phazon. Ghor throws Samus's ship at a Chozo head statue, destroying the jaw and blocking Samus's escape. Fuel Gel from Samus's ship is spilled on the center of the Docking Bay, and Samus must avoid it or freeze it with her Ice Missiles. The Fuel Pods at the sides of the room can be destroyed by Ghor's ramming attack.

“	Just in time. Catch. Don't you feel the power? Soon EVERYTHING will be corrupted! Including YOU!"	„
—Ghor's remarks before the battle

Samus battles the rogue Ghor

After defeating Ghor, he leaves behind the Plasma Beam. This allows Samus to melt the statue's debris that blocks the exit. On leaving the room, Samus notices that the collision with the statue's beak has smashed the green windowpane. Inside a hole in the window is a Missile Expansion.

If 75 - 100% of items are collected by the end of the game, a cut scene shows a helmet-less Samus reminiscing in the Main Docking Bay. At the end of the flashback, Samus removes her Varia Suit and stands on her gunship platform, momentarily looking into the camera and breaking the fourth wall. She then flies away in her ship, followed by Sylux in a mysterious spacecraft.

Connecting rooms

• Main Docking Access (via Blue Door)

Inhabitants

A Chozo bust of Ou-Qua, a key architect in the creation of SkyTown.

• Aerial Repair Drones
• Databot
• Ghor

Items

The Missile Tank.

Plasma Beam

Obtained after defeating Ghor.

Missile Expansion

Can be obtained after acquiring the Plasma Beam. A portion of the glass on the top floor of the balcony area is smashed. Behind a broken panel lies the Expansion. The panel can be melted with the Plasma Beam.

Scans

Fuel pods

"Fuel pod at max capacity. Contents are safely contained but ignitable by strong impacts."

Bust

"GF Database accessed. File ST-413
Chozo bust represents Ou-Qua, a key architect in SkyTown's creation."

Jaw

"Structural integrity at minimum. Severe winds have deteriorated all support structures over time."

Creators

"I am Elysian, descendant of both the Chozo and the First. I am facing the last moments of my life and transferring my memory to the data pod. In a way, our chronicle begins nearly 1500 years ago. That was when our noble creators, the Chozo, began to build that which would become our home. A place of exploration and knowledge, floating in the clouds of planet Elysia, a fitting home for its great Chozo builders. They built many linked, hovering pods; in time they formed a net in the skies across the globe, instruments peering out in all directions, studying the cosmos. We did not exist then, only the Chozo walked these hallowed halls. To the distant stars they looked, and a great many things they discovered - including that which would later spell grim disaster for all."

Plasma Beam

"Plasma Beam"

Gunship

"Gunship has been damaged. Unable to fly in its current state. Autorepair functions initiated."

Meltable Metal

"Scans detect the alloys within this metal are vulnerable to heat. High-temp shots could melt it."

Collapsed jaw

"Structural analysis complete. Interior alloy appears to be highly susceptible to extreme heat."

Development notes

The room's internal name is 01_skytown_ghor, referencing the fight against Ghor that occurs here. The keyword skytown indicates Skytown, Elysia, and the prefix 01 indicates that this is the first of 15 main rooms throughout the planet.

Trivia

• This room is very similar to the Artifact Temple in Metroid Prime - which is also the last room seen in that game. The window, U-shaped corridor, statues, circular design, open-topped layout, destructible obstructions, link to the Chozo Artifacts and having a boss battle are all key similarities.
• There is a Secret World that can be accessed from the Main Docking Bay by jumping on the storage crates along the wall, then a well-timed jump onto a transport drone.

Gallery

Matt Manchester render, eye-level view

Matt Manchester render, overhead view right

Matt Manchester render, overhead view left

Entrance into stairwell

Nathan Purkeypile render, corridor interior

Nathan Purkeypile render, pipes in corridor

Nathan Purkeypile render, decorative lights

Door to Main Docking Access

Ben Sprout wireframe render, Ou-Qua

Samus reflects in the Main Docking Bay.

Samus, without her helmet, stands up.

Samus looks into the camera before leaving.

Room seen on the Map.