Space Pirate
From Wikitroid, the Metroid wiki
| Space Pirate | |
|---|---|
 A Space Pirate as it appears in Metroid Prime. | |
| Featured in | All Metroid games except Metroid and Metroid II: Return of Samus. |
| Homeworld | Pirate Homeworld |
| “ | The feared and mysterious Space Pirates. In truth they are... a subordinate species that naturally follows the orders of a strong master. It is just like how the worker bees follow the queen bee, their hierarchal programming is decided at the genetic level. | „ |
Contents |
[edit] History
- Main Article: History of the Space Pirates
Space Pirates have been present since the early days of the Galactic Federation. They quickly established themselves as a fearsome force, necessiating the formation of the Galactic Federation Police. The Pirates were notorious for attacking and raiding vessels in one second, and disappearing the next. The Pirates would also lay claim to planets, established the now-captured planet as their territory and its natives as their slaves. They were known to be so zealous of their right to rule that they would even refer to themselves as the rightful inhabitants of the planet, taking on the name of the race of the former inhabitants and referring to the true natives as their slaves. The Pirates have been responsible for some of the most disastrous events in Galactic history, such as the Phazon Crisis, and have been responsible for the raids of numerous planets, including Zebes, Bryyo, Norion, Elysia, Tallon IV, Naishii, Jigrad, and K-2L.
[edit] Physiology
Pirate structure varies heavily between games. In the 2D games and manga, they generally have single-toed feet with sharp tips, somewhat like sabatons. The Prime subseries features Pirates with two toes in the front and one in back. Modified Pirates with this foot structure are also seen on Zebes in the manga. Most Pirates possess three-fingered hands. Though they are tall creatures, they tend to possess a hunched posture, and are digitigrades. They are carnivores and possess many sharp teeth, though their exact mouth structure also varies heavily. The manga and Metroid Prime feature them with fish-like mouths, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption feature insectoid mandibles, while other Pirates seen in the manga and Metroid Fusion have beaks instead.
In nearly every appearance, and sometimes within a single title, they possess very different physiologies, with differences in body armor and body structure. This had led to theories that that the Pirates are a collective of multiple species, or tribes, joined under a single organization. However, scans in Metroid Prime, as well as interviews with various creators, do indicate that there is only one species of Pirate, despite their varied forms. The manga also refers to them as a race, and explains that Pirates are genetically modified by Chozo technology in order to become optimized for each planet they're stationed on. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption also touches on this, featuring one basic Pirate type with ten or so configurations, modified in both equipment and body form. It is also suggested that they constantly 'upgrade' themselves, either biologically, technologically, or both, in order to give themselves the advantage in strength and power.
It is stated in the manga that Pirates have high levels of alkaloids in their systems, and that it can be used to track and find them. This may also be a defensive evolutionary attribute, considering that their Homeworld is always showered by Acid Rain.
Pirates appear to be omnivorous. A plate of fish is refered to as a Pirate's lunch in Metroid Prime, while Metroid Prime 3: Corruption indicates that they may have cannibalistic tendencies. On the other hand, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes features a species of plant considered a delicacy by the Pirates.
Pirates may also be warm-blooded, as viewing them with the Thermal Visor will show them with a heat signature, while a cold-blooded creature would be the same color as the surrounding air if viewed through heat-vision. They also tend to favor environments with very dim lighting, which would be impractical for anything cold-blooded.
Interestingly, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is the only game that features their heads completely exposed--every other game's pirates had helmets or masks of some sort. They are seen here to have extra sets of eyes, (in all, numbering three pairs, six total) normally hidden by the Pirate Trooper equipment seen in most games. Statues of heads roughly resembling Metroid Prime 3: Corruption's pirates and with four eyes appear in Zero Mission at the entrance to each Pirate base, possibly serving as the inspiration for this revelation.
[edit] Abilities and Traits
Space Pirates have been seen as being able to cling to ceilings to ambush unwary prey and crawl through spaces where Samus would need to use her Morph Ball. They also seem to move faster than the average human as well as being physically stronger as well. An important trait of the Space Pirates which has led to several problems for them is their avarice of power and technology. They have been known to tamper with their own genome, as well as other creatures, to create stronger versions of the original, evidenced by the use of Phazon to create the Elite Pirates, Phazon Elite, Omega Pirate, and Berserker Knights and Lords. They also experiment with foreign technology. Successful experiments include the Beam Troopers that utilize Samus's beam weaponry (which were weaker than Samus' beams and left them vulnerable to the same beam weapons) and the use of Federation weaponry on the Elite Pirates. Unsuccessful experiments include the attempt to reverse-engineer Samus's Morph Ball ability, which caused several disfigurations.
[edit] Leadership
There is some debate as to whether Ridley, Mother Brain, or High Command is the actual leader of the Space Pirates. According to the manga, Ridley was their leader until Mother Brain took control of the pirates, stating them to be fearful creatures who always needed to be obedient to a master. Herself, Grey Voice, and the reluctant Samus were all designated as Commanders. Samus however, refused.
[edit] Society
Space Pirates, although often vicious and cold hearted, have been known to keep pets, such as gronkats, olbaps, and even Metroids (despite warnings that Metroids are not to be kept as such). This is shown on a Pirate Data scan in Metroid Prime, where they had to dispose of such pets due to Phazon madness. There's also a scannable warning to troops that soldiers caught using containment pods for "recreational uses" will be punished.
The Pirates are merciless to those who break their rules (although they have been known to use other less draconian forms of punishment, such as docking pay, cutting food rations, or assigning them possibly dangerous tasks). There are many posted warnings threatening execution for various reasons, and disloyal militia often end up killed and eaten by their superiors. Several Pirate scans in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes reveal that when a Pirate Commando shows any sign of cowardice they are shot in the back. However, they do appear to allow free speech, as in the Prime games (especially Echoes), there are scannable terminals in which Space Pirates have expressed criticism of High Command or Science Team.
They are fairly tall creatures in comparison to many other sentient organisms, and seem biased against shorter beings, going so far as to attempt to murder a young human slave simply for being too short in the manga. They also tend to zealously support any causes that will strengthen their race and organization, regardless of cost. They are often, however, quick to panic and flee when things go awry.
Space Pirates may have some form of honor code amongst themselves, such as when Samus successfully defends the Theronian Bomb so that it may be dropped on the shield defending the Elysian Leviathan, all the remaining Pirates committed suicide via leaping off the edges of the platform to their doom. This may imply that they either realize that they have failed and that they are retaining their honor by ending their lives, or because they would rather die than face her in combat. Pirate Aerotroopers are notorious for their suicidal dive-bombing attacks, which they all trigger when near death. The Logbook in Echoes states that they do this to prevent capture; "death before dishonor" .
[edit] Technology
Space Pirates have been shown to use various forms of technology. In Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes the Space Pirates are shown to utilize standard mechanical technology. They have been known to steal technology of other races evidenced by scans taken in Prime that refer to stolen Plasma Cannons and the turrets in Corruption that are said to be of Federation design which have been modified. By Corruption the Space Pirates seem to have adopted organic technology as well, as evidenced by their ships that appear to have flesh on and inside of them and the "eyes" that watch Samus within the Space Pirate Boarding Pods on the G.F.S. Olympus. Space Pirates also use genetic tampering to enhance themselves in many ways, especially with Phazon as seen in Prime with the Elite Pirate series and in Corruption with the new Troopers' Hypermode and the Berserker Knights and Lords.
Pirates also tend to favour colored orange and red lights, most notabally on the Pirate Homeworld, where almost every room appears to be bathed in an orange hue. This may imply that they see in the infrared spectrum or the lowest levels of the visible spectrum.
They are also known for their use of other lifeforms as biological weapons (as they desired to use the Metroids for that very purpose), even devoting various resources to obtaining, breeding, & modifying them to serve their purposes.
[edit] Homeworld
- Main Article: Pirate Homeworld
The Space Pirate Homeworld is visited for the first time in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. The planet is plagued by constantly falling Acid Rain, which harms anyone without proper protection. The Space Pirates do not have natural protection from the Acid Rain, since they use the Hazard Shield. The planet is completely composed of Space Pirate machinery, and seemingly lacks any signs of flora or fauna. All traces of nature seem to have been eliminated, and it seems that the planet has become completely mechanized. Once Dark Samus gained control of Phaaze, the planet was the first to be struck with a Leviathan. The spread of corruption on the planet caused all matter on the planet to slowly begin changing into Phazon.
[edit] Super Smash Bros. Brawl
[edit] Trophy
"An enemy of Samus. They land on Tallon IV and use the energy they find there--called Phazon--for brutal experiments on the planet's life-forms. Samus makes for Tallon IV to destroy the experiment facilities. In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, the pirates go to Aether to find Phazon. A war is being waged there, and a race of dark beasts, the Ing, make research difficult."
GCN Metroid Prime GCN Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
[edit] Stickers
- Space Pirate Super Metroid - [Darkness] Attack +13 (Ganondorf)
- Weavel Metroid Prime Hunters - Carry Beam Sword (All)
- Zebes Inhabitant Metroid Fusion - [Arm] Attack + 5 (All)
[edit] Gallery
 A Pirate Aerotrooper as it appears in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. |
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 A Space Pirate as it appears in Metroid Prime. |
 A Pirate Trooper as it appears in Metroid Prime. |
 A Pirate Commando as it appears in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. |
 A Dark Pirate Commando as it appears in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. |
 A Dark Pirate Trooper as it appears in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. |
 An animated Pirate Trooper from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. |
 A Pirate Commando as it appears in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. |
 Several Space Pirate varieties from the Metroid Zero Mission Manga. |
 A Space Pirate as it appears in Metroid Fusion. |
