This article is about an enemy creature in Norfair. For a weapon in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, see Nova Beam.

Sovas^[1] (known as Novas in older games) are strange heat-loving creatures that have fire-retardant hair on their backs. In the Zebes-based Metroid games, they appear primarily in Norfair, and sometimes in Ridley's Lair. In Metroid Fusion, the Sovas return in the form of X Parasites either using them as hosts or mimicking them. The Parasites have modified them with the added ability to drop flames in whichever surface they walk on.

Sova appeared in the Metroid Prime beta demo of Frigate Orpheon in a tank at Biohazard Containment. The scan image survived into the final game's concept art. This predates Other M as the first game to depict it extinguished. This tank is empty in the final game, and can be found near the entrance of the room on the first floor, next to the Parasite.

It is interesting that a drawing of a Sova is present in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. Its presence among other Aetherian creatures is strange, as Aether lacks a super-heated area. However, if the Sova was planned to be included in Echoes, Retro Studios might have retooled the creature to survive in the Agon Wastes or the Torvus Bog, or the Dark Aetherian counterparts of these areas.

Sovas are also present in Metroid: Other M, their first 3-D appearance. The creatures inhabit the Bottle Ship's Pyrosphere, where they were apparently brought by the Galactic Federation to be studied as possible bioweapons. Viewed in three dimensions, Sovas are revealed to be small, insect-like organisms with a sac-like abdomen extending behind their familiar three-eyed head and legs. This abdomen is capable of swelling to considerable size and propelling the Sova at Samus through a sort of natural rocket effect. Sovas can be extinguished with the Ice Beam before they are frozen: without the nimbus of fire emitted from their heads, the creatures cannot charge, although the flames will re-ignite after a few seconds. Interestingly enough, if a Sova is left frozen, it will die shortly.

Official dataEdit

Metroid manualEdit

"Their entire bodies are covered in spiky, fireproof wool and they crawl around the floor. A missile blast will kill them. If using the normal beam, it takes two blasts to kill the blue ones and four blasts to kill the yellow ones."

1986 mangaEdit

"Its whole body is covered with sharp, flame retardant hair. It crawls around the floors and walls. The blue ones take two shots to defeat while the yellow ones take four."

Official Nintendo Player's GuideEdit

"Nova is covered with fireproof wool, and lives in a lava field. It crawls on walls and floors."

Super Metroid Nintendo Player's GuideEdit

"They're much like Geemers but are a little quicker."

TriviaEdit

• While not confirmed, one could assume that the Sovas that produce blue flames are hotter than those that produce yellow/orange flames, despite being weaker. This is due to the fact that a blue flame is hotter than a yellow one. Whether this also means that they are simply older Sovas instead of being a subspecies is unknown.
• Sovas "drink" lava, specifically, for microbes living in it.[1]

Other M concept art reveals that the flames a Sova releases are its feces, and that they are composed of silicon, carbon and gas.[2]

AppearancesEdit

• Metroid (first appearance)
• Super Metroid
• Metroid Fusion
• Metroid Prime (Beta demo and concept art of scan)
• Metroid: Zero Mission
• Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (concept art)
• Metroid: Other M

GalleryEdit

Japanese Metroid guide

Metroid

Captain N: The Game Master: The Happy Zone

1991 The Power Game Calendar

Super Metroid

A Sova-X from Metroid Fusion

Sova concept art in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

Sova concept art from Other M.

Samus combats several Sovas in this officially released screenshot.

Japanese guide

Add a photo to this galleryAdd a photo to this gallery

ReferencesEdit