Phazon Metroid

Phazon Metroid
Phazon Mine Entry
Featured in	Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Location	Elysia, G.F.S. Valhalla, Pirate Homeworld, Norion, Phaaze
Homeworld	Tallon IV
Attacks	Electrical Discharge, Energy siphoning
Weakness	Ice Missiles, Nova Beam (shot to nucleus with X-Ray Visor), Hyper Beam, Hyper Missiles, Hyper Ball.
Life cycle	Preceded by: Miniroid Followed by: Unknown
Stage	Stage 2: Mature

Phazon Metroids are a strain of mutated Metroids created from exposing the Tallon subspecies to massive amounts of Phazon energy. An infant organism known as a Miniroid can also develop into a Phazon Metroid when it matures. They are only featured in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

Radiations have granted the Phazon Metroid not only a number of unnatural abilities, but also a life cycle that drastically alters its physical appearance beyond its base larval form, making this breed of Metroid the only one capable of such a metamorphosis other than the original larvae from the planet SR388.

It shares several traits with the Metroid Prime creature, specifically the latter's Core Essence.

Biology

Interesting to note is its vaguely humanoid face

At first glance, the Phazon Metroid is similar in appearance to other Metroid larvae: it largely consists of an organic mass of nuclei enclosed in a translucent membrane with two pairs of fangs underneath. Upon closer inspection, the unique physical features of this mutant become evident. There is the presence of a bone-like ridge that extends from the back of the creature all the way to the front which splits their membrane down the middle. Its fangs are longer and more pronounced, almost resembling legs, and it has gained a tiny mouth located on its underside surrounded by a small ring of smaller teeth. The membrane is colored blue and the nuclei within is considerably enlarged; in fact, it has grown to the point of resembling a brain. This expansion seems to have consequently stretched the membrane outward from the back, with the previously mentioned bone structure covering the tip. Interestingly, there is the presence of what appears to be a vague humanoid face on the front of the Phazon Metroid. A pair of eyes, a mouth and nose are visible, however this face is completely motionless and seemingly has no function whatsoever.

If one latches onto Samus, she must go into Morph Ball form and lay a Bomb to get it off. Unlike other breeds of the species, the Phazon Metroid have the strength to carry the Morph Ball into the air, limiting the effects of ill-timed Bombs and increasing their threat level. She can use the Hyper Ball as an alternative to escape their grip and possibly kill them if they remain long enough in close proximity. In addition to their other abilities, they can temporarily warp out of local spacetime, making them intangible. They'll often do this to avoid being frozen by an Ice Missile, since they share the Metroids' weakness to cold; they cannot do so, however, when preparing to fly at a victim. They also cannot turn intangible if Samus shoots at them with her beams, as they travel much quicker than a Missile, and Hypermode can be used to destroy them quickly and effectively. A semi-charged Hyper Beam will destroy a Phazon Metroid instantly. When a Phazon Metroid leeches energy, it does not increase in size like the Tallon Metroids seen in previous Metroid Prime games.

Danny Richardson render

Their membranes have properties similar to Phazite, and cover a weak point that can be targeted with the X-Ray Visor and destroyed with the Nova Beam for a quick kill. Another unnatural trait the creatures possess is the capacity to fire a bolt of phazon energy that resembles an electric arc to engage foes at a distance, making them very dangerous opponents at long-range as well. These bolts can cause a Hypermode failure.

The Phazon Metroids appear mostly in locations filled with Space Pirates and on Phaaze. They can also be spawned by a Metroid Hatcher. The creatures known as Hopping Metroids are most likely a higher form of Phazon Metroids, as they are described as Metroids radically mutated by Phazon.

Phazon Metroids seem to have the capacity to construct hives, as seen on Phaaze where they constantly respawn from transparent openings in the walls identified as Metroid hives in Samus' visor scans.

Life Cycle

Metroids which inhabit an environment that differs from their homeworld of SR388 usually cannot molt beyond the larval phase (as seen on Zebes, Talvania and Tallon IV). However, mutations within Phazon Metroids have allowed them to bypass this restriction and access new stages. In fact, this strain of larva can branch into one of two possible forms, determined by unknown factors. Below are the stages of a Phazon Metroid's life cycle.

Metroid Egg (irradiated with Phazon)

The various data logs found in the Metroid processing laboratory states that exposing Metroid Eggs to Phazon mutates the natural infants developing within, presumably into Miniroids.

A second type of egg, stated to be completely saturated with Phazon, is seen on Phaaze. They are blue in color, more spherical than the oval-shaped eggs from SR388 and are highly inconsistent in size. Miniroids are likely to hatch from these as well.

Miniroid

These infants are simple in appearance. They possess four small pink fangs and a light blue opaque membrane covering their nuclei. Miniroids do not possess any offensive abilities and can be killed with a single shot from any weapon, thus they travel in flocks to increase their chances for survival. Strangely, despite their extreme vulnerability, they do not flee when potential danger is nearby. After an undetermined length of time and amount of sustenance, Miniroids will grow into Phazon Metroids.

Phazon Metroid

Phazon Metroids have high potential as bioweapons, evidenced by the aftermath of the G.F.S Valhalla: these mutants were used during the Space Pirates' attack on the ship where they absorbed the life energy of various Federation soldiers, leaving the latter as dry, lifeless husks. Numerous Phazon Metroids can be seen inhabiting the Valhalla's wreckage long afterwards which suggests the Pirates did not attempt to retrieve them, possibly due to the high risks of being attacked themselves by the dangerous organisms. The Miniroid's scan data suggests that knowledge of the Phazon Metroids' existence became widespread and were thus feared throughout the cosmos. The ability to enter an intangible state is of significant importance, as it laid the foundation to a theory explaining the origin of the bioform known as the Metroid Prime, an entity also capable of phasing through surfaces.

As previously mentioned, unknown factors cause the Phazon Metroid to metamorphose into one of the two following forms below.

Metroid Hatcher

A Hatcher is much larger than its previous stage. It features four tentacles underneath its body used to absorb life energy at long distances and physically strike at close range. Although it can no longer become intangible, its membrane has been replaced with an extremely durable shell comprised of a substance nearly identical to Phazite; this organic shield encloses a beating heart within, an organ presumably formed from the nuclei it once had. A mouth is present on the Metroid Hatcher's front, which periodically opens to birth Phazon Metroids, granting the creature its name.

Hopping Metroid

Named after its only method for locomotion, this mutated Metroid has developed four legs to hop around in its environment. Other than its membrane and nuclei which have moved to the bottom of the Hopping Metroid, the organism's body is entirely covered with an exoskeleton, giving it an insect-like appearance. It attacks by slashing with its two front legs tipped with sharp blades, along with its small mouth on the front which it uses to bite and spit globs of Phazon. The Hopping Metroid can enter a state known as Hypermode that greatly increases its resilience, offensive power and adds a new attack consisting of Phazon shock waves being launched from its legs every time the creature lands from a hop.

Locations

• Zipline Station Delta
• Transit Tube A
• Research Pod Lift
• Xenoresearch A Lift
• Xenoresearch A
• Xenoresearch B Lift
• Xenoresearch B
• Transit Tube B
• Generator B
• Metroid Processing
• Metroid Creche
• Creche Transit
• Phazon Mine Entry
• Repair Bay
• Stairwell
• Port Observation Deck
• Munitions Locker
• Aurora Chamber
• Control Room Access
• Cavern Beta
• Hatcher Tunnel
• Genesis Chamber

Logbook entry

Phazon Metroid

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Temporary scan

Morphology: Phazon Metroid
Can phase out of local timespace. Vulnerable to extreme cold.

Logbook entry

Like all Metroids, great cold can immobilize the Phazon Metroid and leave it vulnerable to attacks. If the creature begins to feed, a concussive blast should be able to knock it away. Heavy exposure to Phazon energy has mutated this strain of Tallon Metroid. Subject can shift its body into a phased state, allowing it to ignore solid matter. The creature can emit bursts of Phazon energy, and will drain the life energy of its prey.

Trivia

• When in the Xenoresearch Labs in SkyTown, and while the Phazon Metroids are still in their containers, one may notice that they have varying "personalities". While some will instantly go into attack position as Samus walks by their tanks, others merely chirp as they sway side to side or even simply ignore Samus.
  • After acquiring the Seeker Missiles, some Metroids can be seen phasing through the walls to attack Samus, but then immediately rushing back.
• The back claws of a Phazon Metroid resemble the tips of the second legs on Metroid Prime's first form, but their overall appearance (their shape and nuclei) shares more similarities with the same creature's core essence, perhaps hinting at the possible connection between Phazon Metroids and Metroid Prime.
• The vague appearance of a humanoid face on the front of the Phazon Metroid is similar to the Metroid Prime's first and second forms having humanoid faces as well.
  • Another trait that Phazon Metroids share with the Metroid Prime's second form is the ability to phase out of the local timespace, becoming invulnerable to all weapons except those of Phazon origin. This same ability is theorized to have allowed an earlier form of Tallon IV's Metroid Prime access to the Impact Crater by phasing through the Chozo Temple's containment barrier. This theory, which further sheds light on the creature's origins, can be found here.
  • The face seen on the Phazon Metroid may be the result of a phenomenon known as Pareidolia.
• Oddly enough, they ignore Space Pirates and vice versa when they're in the same room and attack Samus in tandem, unlike in Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. Most likely they were never scripted to encounter each other during programming, so no exceptional attacks occured.
• Phazon Metroids can possibly survive in space as seen in the Valhalla, in which the predators can be witnessed floating through space; some enter the ship while phasing out of local timespace. The mentioned creatures seen outside out of the ship may, however, be dead Metroids (as they show no movements) and those that enter into the vessel could be from adjacent rooms. However, it does not seem possible that the Metroids could have died outside the ship, as the Valhalla battle was mostly inside the ship and Metroids do not seem to require oxygen to survive. Further proof of this is in Metroid Fusion, where an Omega Metroid was in the hanger bay of the Biologic Space Laboratories research station with a broken door showing the vacuum of space, possibly having the room decompressing.
• Phazon Metroids on Phaaze are shown living within hives from which the creatures are constantly spawned. Also, an incredible amount of corrupted Metroid Eggs are present. The requirements necessary for a Phazon Metroid hive to be created were never revealed.
• They apparently are capable of destroying mechanical drones, as the trailer for the Valhalla level depicted a dispatched drone being swarmed by a flock of Phazon Metroids and latching on.

Gallery

Danny Richardson concept art

A Phazon Metroid

A decorative hologram depicting a Phazon Metroid, seen above the doors leading into the Xenoresearch Labs.

An animated icon of a Phazon Metroid, used to represent save data in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

A Phazon Metroid on the Valhalla.

The Metroid lunging at Samus.