Chozo - Blog Posts

Told y’all I would voice this! (Comic by @molagboop )

Reblogging cuz it was posted as mature content for some inexplicable reason. It’s fixed now though

So… scope creep, huh?

For those of you who may not know, I do have a rewrite of the Metroid Zero Mission manga, as well as most of the games in the series, in the works. However, the manga rewrite in particular deals with some very heavy and intense topics, topics that need time and care to get right. So uh… yeah, I don’t think that’s coming out before Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, save for some massive delay.

However, there is a story in the works that will meet your eyes, and ears, far sooner. This story is based on a premise and the music works of the YouTuber Seregauss. This is the story of his latest album, Metroid Prime: The Great Hunt.

YouTube

Metroid Prime: The Great Hunt

an album for a concept metroid prime hunters sequel

Taking place after the events of Metroid Dread, this story follows up on some of the loose plot threads left by Dread, Fusion, and Other M, and operates as a sequel to Metroid Prime Hunters.

Far from the homeworlds of the lost Alimbic Civilization, the secret technologies of the Alimbics, left buried for millennia, have been reactivated, spurring on a new hunt for long lost power. Samus Aran, now wrestling with her Metroid powers and distrust in the Galactic Federation and Chozo, must put an end to the anomalous rifts running rampant throughout the Collidus Star System. In her journey, Samus will face deadly wildlife, familiar faces, and sinister new foes, all while uncovering secrets new and old.

This is a story I am very hyped to be working on. Seregauss has a lot of my favorite Metroid covers, and The Great Hunt might be some of his best work yet. In addition, I am privy to some inside information as to artwork and designs which will be implemented into this story. I will be posting some of my own artwork soon, including some artwork of a redesign of the Space Pirate Bounty Hunter, Weavel. Stay tuned, and happy hunting!

“Better to put an idea to the page and draw it badly than never set it free.”

Raven Beak is an individual of science. He's also a sentimental warrior poet who is not immune to superstition. How will his daughter learn to gut her enemies if he doesn't pass down the family heirloom? Also grandma will be disappointed if the sword doesn't go to Raven Beak's first-hatched.

Started late 2023.

Extras:

So… scope creep, huh?

For those of you who may not know, I do have a rewrite of the Metroid Zero Mission manga, as well as most of the games in the series, in the works. However, the manga rewrite in particular deals with some very heavy and intense topics, topics that need time and care to get right. So uh… yeah, I don’t think that’s coming out before Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, save for some massive delay.

However, there is a story in the works that will meet your eyes, and ears, far sooner. This story is based on a premise and the music works of the YouTuber Seregauss. This is the story of his latest album, Metroid Prime: The Great Hunt.

YouTube

Metroid Prime: The Great Hunt

an album for a concept metroid prime hunters sequel

Taking place after the events of Metroid Dread, this story follows up on some of the loose plot threads left by Dread, Fusion, and Other M, and operates as a sequel to Metroid Prime Hunters.

Far from the homeworlds of the lost Alimbic Civilization, the secret technologies of the Alimbics, left buried for millennia, have been reactivated, spurring on a new hunt for long lost power. Samus Aran, now wrestling with her Metroid powers and distrust in the Galactic Federation and Chozo, must put an end to the anomalous rifts running rampant throughout the Collidus Star System. In her journey, Samus will face deadly wildlife, familiar faces, and sinister new foes, all while uncovering secrets new and old.

This is a story I am very hyped to be working on. Seregauss has a lot of my favorite Metroid covers, and The Great Hunt might be some of his best work yet. In addition, I am privy to some inside information as to artwork and designs which will be implemented into this story. I will be posting some of my own artwork soon, including some artwork of a redesign of the Space Pirate Bounty Hunter, Weavel. Stay tuned, and happy hunting!

Haruna, anamahar hasana. Dara esen mir, muk atamis. Ana maril banta dosh sahar.

[Translated from Chozo]

-Live, my tribe. More than that, be yourself. I will try to help.

Happy Trans Day of Visibility to my tribe, anamahar hasana. We have tough times ahead. We’re living in them now. But we must fight. We must protest. And yet, we must never let the gloom poison our sense of self. We are transgender. Never let any voice, inside or out, pry that from your grasp. Hold on to your sense of self.

Oh, to voice a Chozo in one of these videos…

Ok so… things are bad… real bad…

But I’m not going quietly. I am not just gonna curl up and pretend I don’t exist. I may not comment on politics much, but a reminder that I’m here no matter what those fucks on Capitol Hill say is political enough, I guess. My name is Natalie. I am me. I am a woman. No executive order can change that.

For Christmas, I was gifted a homemade trans pride pin by my grandmother, a devout Christian I hadn’t expected to support me but turned out being one of my biggest supporters. I will be wearing that as a fixture of every outfit I wear out of the house from here on out. I hope that sign brings some hope to other trans people in my area, that we aren’t gone, that we are still here. I am still here. It may be dangerous, but it is more dangerous for trans people to become something… other, something that is somewhere else, not a part of life. I will stay here and a part of people’s lives as a trans woman.

I am a Metroid nerd at heart, so I’ll leave you all with some Chozo.

Ana maril sarin, ana maril haruna, hem ana maril sahar mir tar anamahar hasana. Ana bahi turuta. Sabalba, ana maril ulu umauka. Ana man ana.

(I will continue, I will live, and I will help those of my tribe. I truly worry. However, I will not submit. I am me.)

Dim tar Ili Metroid

This is just a short fic I made to flex my voice acting and narrating muscles again. I am transgender, and have been voice training for a good couple of months now. I have bigger plans, but I’d like to do something small before jumping into the really good stuff that I wanna really get right.

To those who do not know, this story utilizes the actual Chozo language! Sparingly, at least. The title, Dim tar Ili Metroid, translates to DNA of the Metroid. Tanumar, is the Chozo word for leader, one which I have taken to using as an official designation of rank. Hasana, as well, is the Chozo word for tribe, which I have used as the actual term of their societal groupings. Has means yes, and ulu means no. Raven Beak’s voice is a doozy to get right, largely due to the large amount of voice modulation. I have dumbed it down to be more in line with some of the effort/chuckling sounds in his boss fight, both for ease of editing and ease of understanding. Lastly, as for the voices themselves, I tried going for an accent based on how Raven Beak and Quiet Robe speak within Metroid Dread, with the rolled R sound, for example.

Hope you all enjoy! Sol ata (thank you)!

Just a sound design concept for Raven Beak’s Hyper Beam I whipped up in CapCut.

I felt the sound of his primary weapon didn’t fit the sheer power its visuals evoked. To that end, I used the buildup noise of the BFG 10,000 from Doom Eternal plus the firing sound of the Focus Rifle from Halo Reach, pitched down to evoke a massive beam. I love the trail off of the Focus Rifle, and it fits the Hyper Beam so damn good.

The world needs a Metroid show where Pyonchi sounds like this

Ok, I need your guys’ opinions on something.

So, Metroid Zero Mission’s manga has several Chozo characters. We all know Grey Voice and Old Bird, but a character that gets very little spotlight is Platinum Chest.

He is quite the old looking Chozo and suffers particularly from the Manga’s art style giving them sagging features that start to no longer resemble a bird. I am basing each of the Chozo’s appearances off of specific birds, a parrot for Grey Voice, a finch for Old Bird, a raven for uh… uh…

Now I’ll put it up to you guys. Which bird should Platinum Chest be based off of?

Why did ZDR explode in Metroid Dread?

From the moment that many defeated Raven Beak and his X clone in Metroid Dread, many have wondered why the planet of ZDR went on a self destruct sequence strong enough to turn the entire planet into a debris cloud. Honestly speaking. I can see two main reasons for this, though they are, admittedly, mostly conjecture.

First option, and the less satisfying, is the accidental option. The exploration throughout Metroid Dread involves not insignificant amounts of redirecting magma and thermal energy from different areas of the planet in order to safely progress through various areas. One such sequence involves the X copy of Experiment Z-57 jamming the entire system, freezing vast swathes of ZDR into an unforgiving tundra. It’s possible that through the rapid back and forth of magma flows and geothermal energy from throughout Artari, Cataris, and elsewhere caused a chain reaction that lead to a complete collapse of the derelict, Mawkin infrastructure, especially without the Central Units to modulate the shifts.

The second, and more motivation driven option, is a plan from Tanumar of the Mawkin himself. Raven Beak isn’t an idiot by any stretch. He was able to contain an X outbreak into Elun in quick enough time to prevent a full scale infestation of the planet. While he is arrogant, self centered, and cruel, he is not without any care for the well being of the universe. While he is willing to subdue the Galaxy by force, I doubt he is willing to allow even a single X parasite to escape ZDR. His plan is to bring order to the Galaxy, after all. It is likely that, once the X were unleashed, Raven Beak got to work on a plan for blowing up the planet. We explore very little of the Itorash within Metroid Dread, so it is possible he had all of the equipment needed for his cloning operation within his ship, so he could escape the planet, destroy it, and carry out his plan. For all we know, that countdown had started the moment Samus entered the Itorash, but only started showing effects once we get our own timer.

Just finished up Metroid Dread. Absolutely loved this game. Raven Beak’s boss fight was extremely fun and challenging. I think I’m gonna make a post tomorrow about why ZDR explodes at the end of the game.

It’s my blog, and I get to nerd out about Metroid fan covers if I want.

Track 10: Power

I swear, I love this track so much. I was never a fan of the original Raven Beak theme. The percussion felt lacking, the vocal element didn’t seem to match the gravity of the situation, and the overall track just seemed discordant and lacking pattern. However, “Power” absolutely improves upon the base track in almost every way I can possibly think of.

The entire album returns a lot of old leitmotifs, from the iconic Brinstar depths, to the chase theme of the SA-X. Most importantly to “Power” is the eerie loop of the Super Metroid save room. It appears elsewhere in the album, but it is actually the first leitmotif within the final track. Its inclusion is brilliant. Raven Beak has been spying on us, lying to us, and manipulating us through the Network Station save rooms. To hear this leitmotif turned sinister is a perfect display of the realization that we were never alone, and NOT in a good way. The track then transitions into Samus’s theme, then Raven Beak’s leitmotif in a monologic fashion, perfect for Raven Beak’s declarations and ordering of Samus to capitulate. The almost vocoded vocal element really excels here as a low hum in a moment of intermission. You can imagine Raven Beak pacing about his thrown room explaining the necessity of his schemes, and his justifications.

Then as the actual battle portion of the song begins, we see that the pace is slower than the original, allowing the Raven Beak leitmotif to really shine and draw itself out. The save room leitmotif is carried over, as well, adding some variety and vigilantly reminding us of how well our enemy knows us. The full vocal rendition of his theme just fits so damn well with his overwhelming power and technology. We actually get a bit of the heroic part of Samus’s theme as well, perhaps to mark a significant set of blows. Then a brief interlude of the darker first half of her theme, no doubt signifying Raven Beak losing one wing and tearing off the other himself. The final act of the song shows a distinct level of desperation on the part of both combatants. We can imagine that they are both running out of resources, and the looming threat of planetary destruction. The finale showcases Samus’s theme and closes very upbeat. However, we all know that victory doesn’t quite happen as Samus anticipated.

Though it does come in the end

This track has given me several ideas for my own rewrite of the Metroid saga. I constantly had the idea of the throne room being heavily damaged throughout the fight, cuz, I mean

Look at that massive beam. There is no way he isn’t at least singing the banners. However, “Power” makes me think more into it as symbolism for Raven Beak dismantling Chozo society and morals in order to fit his own insane agenda and ideals. I could even see the towering Chozo statues tumbling down onto him during the final phase of the fight, as if their likenesses are throwing themselves upon him, begging him to cease this madness, to stop attempting to kill his own daughter. I also imagine both of them losing weaponry and tools throughout the fight as well, further amounting to their desperation as they run out of power bombs, super missiles, miniature suns, and other critical ammunition. I also like to think of Raven Beak using a spear like other Chozo warriors, but being disarmed of it throughout the fight, showing that he is no rightful heir to their legacy. There are so many ideas floating through my head on the matter.

In any case, Sam Dillard did excellent work here. And you should ABSOLUTELY check out the album! The link for it is in the video description.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween has been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. Granted, that may be in part due to my birthday also falling on October, but nevertheless, I still love it. It’s a holiday of pure fun and celebrating the macabre. Alas, I haven’t been feeling it this year. Between politics (blech), quitting my current job, searching for a way forward in life, and a lack of new spooky content, I’ve just not felt drawn into the Halloween spirit. I’m also waist deep into the process of writing for my Metroid rewrite, and have very little to show at the moment. Still, Halloween is calling my name and I must not deny it, plus I really wanna get some more of my ideas out there. So here’s a quick post to at least get the ball rolling on some ideas for a rewritten Metroid Fusion, the game the cemented Metroid in the minds of many as suspenseful and horror adjacent.

1. Waking up

As opposed to the drawn out process of “go to SR-388, get infected, fly off, go comatose and crash into an asteroid field, get taken in and healed by the BSL station, leave the BSL, head BACK to BSL”, I’m simplifying it down. Instead of being called back to the BSL station due to an explosion on board, Samus wakes up on the operating table in the middle of the X-Parasite outbreak, similar in part to Doom 2016’s opening. However, she’s not thrust into action immediately from the onset, having some time to wake up and get a feel for the new/post surgery suit.

2. X-Parasites Science

I want to dive a little deeper into the details of the X-Parasites. Firstly, their scientific nomenclature is Anomalomimus Volans, roughly translating to “Strange Mimic which Flies”. Furthermore, I want to play more into the fact that it is an intelligent hivemind. Perhaps not Gravemind levels of intellect, but still enough to strategize and make complex decisions. However, their mimicry has a catch. They can only repeat phrases they’ve already stated. They can form new sentences, but it is difficult, and strains the limited mental capacity of each individual X.

3. X-Parasite life cycle

There is a variety of different levels of mimicry the X take on in the Metroid games. We have heard of them blending in with their prey, utilize the unaltered bodies of their prey, and even mutate into hideous new forms in order to gain an edge in combat. I have been able to come up with a few stages for a hypothetical Anomalomimus life cycle. First is the amoeboid stage, where we see their multi colored, amorphous forms floating through the air, searching for a creature to consume. This stage is temporary and, without food in time, they will disintegrate and die. Second is the mimic stage, where the X will attempt to blend in and retain its form, assessing the safety and viability of spreading in a given situation. The assessment is not exactly clinical, but it does take into account obvious factors like weaponry and escape routes… and, ya know, Metroids. If their cover is blown, they will react violently, killing all witnesses, and find a safe location to move onto their third stage. This stage can also be used in combat to aid in overwhelming and consuming a resisting population such as the Chozo. Lastly in their standard life cycle is the budding form, where their visage breaks down into amorphous slop as they begin to reproduce more X parasite offspring. I don’t have full details on this, or how the Core X fit into this, but this is where I’m at currently.

4. Scan Logs

Prime time, baby. We doing scan logs. In addition to the typical written logs and notices, I am going to be employing the Doom 2016 style holograms to relay events from the past. While I understand why they are not present in any of the Prime games, I do think they are a tool that make for some interesting storytelling opportunities, (especially in a show or movie, but that’s a discussion for another time). I will try to keep extensive scans sparse as it can be easy to oversaturate the inclusion of logs in a written story when the format already allows a window into how Samus deciphers situations around her.

5. Stakes

I will freely admit to not knowing a great deal about Metroid Fusion’s plot beyond the general outline of things. Some people may then find my reworking to be a bit dishonest in some ways to the source material. With that said, the stakes will be laid out from near the start, and the clock will start ticking. The X parasites have overrun the BSL Station, with near free rein over all of its systems. There are still some guard rails, but it’s only a matter of time until they find a way to send the station toward a well populated planet and spread. Samus, in addition to finding the truth of what was happening on board this station of doom, must ensure the X Parasites can never travel to another star system. If they do, all life in the galaxy is at risk.

6. The SA-X

The SA-X has been an extremely iconic villain due to its stalking behavior and sheer advantage in power over our recovering hero, in addition to being a demented, dark reflection of her. That being said, I think the mutated design for the SA-X feels a bit… uninspired? I simply feel that it just doesn’t add much to the design in its current form. However, the idea of the SA-X mutating is one I’ll keep. Instead of… whatever we have in canon, these mutations will come in the form of the SA-X attempting to keep cohesion with Samus’s spliced DNA and growing more Chozo traits, but deformed and uneven. Half a beak here, a featherless wing there, some mismatched eyes. It will exceptionally uncanny for Samus, given her relationship to both humanity and the Chozo.

7. Neo Ridley

There will be no Neo-Ridley… kind of. I feel like the years have really dulled the effect of having another clone of Ridley, so I will not be including one. Instead, BSL station will house the only other member of Ridley’s species known to the Galactic Federation, an individual named Neo, who provides insight into Ridley’s origins. His copy, Neo-X, will also feature some inspirations from Dread, including a ranged attack of black muck instead of fire, and mutating his wings into additional arms, alongside twisting its head 180°, allowing it to crawl along the walls and high speeds.

Hopefully, this turned out to be an interesting view into how I plan to bring my own spin on Metroid through a different storytelling format. My first project for this rewritten Metroid series is going to be a modified version of the Metroid Zero Mission manga. Stay tuned for updates on that! (If I ever get around to them>.<)

Learning to tuck yourself into a tight ball is not strictly necessary for the Morph Ball, but you will kinda transform into an oblong egg shape if you can’t tuck yourself in enough when the transformation happens.

Nerdy the Artist’s Metroid Fanfic Spotlight part 2!

This is something I’ve been needing to do for a hot minute now. As I said last time, there are so many talented writers, artists, and musicians in the Metroid fanbase. The level of creativity and passion for the series is just astounding. Today we will be taking a look at some of the many fanfictions out there. I’ve read these stories myself and can personally attest that they are well worth your time to read. From the cute and fluffy to the grotesque and violent, these stories have earned their place on my recommendations. Without further adue, let’s start this thing.

1. Mostly Just a Power Suit

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17637701

This story, written by Planet_Bryyo, is short and sweet, diving into a fan favorite but rarely explored character of Weavel from Metroid Prime Hunters. In spite of his fan favorite status among the hunters, up there even with Sylux, you’ll be hard pressed to find many fics featuring him. This story shows off his reaction to being transformed into a Non-Zebesian form during his cybernetic reconstruction. The story also spends a great deal of time focusing on the reactions of other Space Pirates seeing this fallen commander, now a lone wolf who is more machine than… man? Alien terminology, ugh. In any case you can see their reactions to this loose cannon in a bar setting. Side tangent, the idea of a Space Pirate bar is actually really unique. We don’t see much of Space Pirates at rest anywhere, so this is actually a welcome touch.

2. Fallen from the Nest

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/53675155/chapters/135874063

Going all in on Bounty Hunters this spotlight, I suppose. This story, written by PuriKuma, is much longer than Mostly Just a Power Suit, though still digestible. This is part of a larger series that I do recommend, but I’ll stick to talking about this entry for now. Keeping with the Hunters appreciation, this story depicts a shared mission between Samus and Noxus, the Vhozon Bounty Hunter from the same game as Weavel and Sylux. The mission brief is simple; a criminal organization called the Ashlings, lead by the physically imposing Andron, have taken hostages, including a Federation Senator, to barter in exchange for a precious and expensive ore. Samus is to go after the Ashling secret base while Noxus intercepts the hostages so that the criminals are not rewarded for their efforts. However, what gives Samus pause is the identity of one of their members. From there, the story takes plenty of intriguing twists and turns. The ways in which Samus and Noxus play off each other in this story are extremely entertaining and interesting to watch. It also adds a fair bit to the latter’s character which I have yet to see anywhere else, a sarcastic playfulness in his attitude that bounces well off of Samus’s stoicism. He’s able to taunt and poke fun at the emotional core behind the front that Samus puts on. Their interactions alone would be worth a read, but the plots twists and mysteries involved really take this story to the next level. This story, and the series it’s a part of, are an instant classic for me.

3. A Win

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48254998/chapters/121695439

Sometimes, we all just need a reminder that we’re doing good, that we aren’t a burden, that we are worthy, that our actions have helped people. This story, written by orphan_account, is that for Samus Aran. Taking place after the events of Metroid Dread, Samus is in a bit of a slump after feeling like she’s only seen as a threat or a tool for higher powers. To attempt some soul searching, she journeys to one of the few game settings that is left better than when she arrived; Aether. She wanders through a reinvigorated and rehabilitated world, free from the influence of Dark Aether and Space Pirates, seeing how the world has healed in her time away. Granted, I am not too familiar with Metroid Prime 2, so much of the reader’s catharsis is likely lost on me. Still, even as someone who has little prior knowledge of the past of Aether, this story still is a nice, sentimental journey, with an appearance from some old friends.

4. Hatchling

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29039376/chapters/71275923

Now, back to where it all began. This story, written by MetroidReploid, is a retelling of an old tale we all know, the story of Samus Aran losing everything. This retelling focuses more on Samus’s life as a child, going into detail about the life she lives, so that when the Space Pirates take it all away, we understand what exactly she’s losing. There’s also some further fleshing out of Adam here as well. He shows up as a young, bright Federation Officer with a preexisting connection to Virginia Aran, Samus’s mother, a connection which has strained her relationship with Rodney Aran. Unlike the simple housewife we see in the manga, Virginia is portrayed as a working mom, leading a security firm tasked with guarding K2-L. Rodney, by contrast, is a bitter, angry man who takes his public image, and that of his company, very seriously. It’s a story full of a lot of angst, but it does its job fairly well in terms of adding some reason to why things happen and when.

5. “Sammy”

Link:

Now, if you need a break from all the angst and dreariness, SeleneLawfulGood has you covered! This story is a short and sweet fluff story, featuring a young woman named Thae’Lia finding a tired but very attractive woman at a bar named Sammy. I think we all know the twist so I won’t beat around the bush. It’s really cute (and with some mild lemon toward the end but you didn’t hear that from me) and displays a rarely seen aspect of the series; how do the citizens of the Galactic Federation view Samus Aran? We rarely, if ever, see non-combatant intelligent life in any Metroid game, so we don’t really get much of that. It also gives a view into what the life of a Bounty Hunter is like. It’s a very lonely, tiring existence that, while it pays well when you save the Galaxy, like, 5 times, needs an extra aspect to be fulfilling. For Samus, it’s the moral obligation she feels. It’s a very cute read, and if you need something sweet, this’ll do the job. Also, trans Samus solidarity.

6. Let Me Tell You How Much I’ve Come To Hate You

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45854323

Getting back to Space Pirates, doorstopQuiet has delved into an aspect of the series that even Metroid Prime itself largely glosses over; Ridley’s reconstruction into Meta Ridley. In truth, it was largely not his idea. As the highest ranking survivor of Samus’s rampage on Zebes, Ridley got lobbed with the blame for the cataclysm. The only reason he had survived was a great shame for the Cunning God of Death. He played dead. He let himself sink into Norfair’s magma, slowly burning away his flesh, but at least he had some chance to survive. He was crippled, mangled, burnt to a crisp, but at least she would not kill him. Still, High Command’s punishment, their loathing of the failed god, was almost worse. He would not command armies, he would not have the same autonomy he once did. He would become a machine for their empire, reconstructed as a tool. It’s a great short story, filled with colorful language and allusions to his past to hammer home the gravity of how far he’s sunk. There are also plenty of references and quotations from Man on The Internet’s Ridley theme vocal cover, which I do find entertaining. I find this to be an excellent read, and really reimagines Meta Ridley in Metroid Prime as a fallen god, stripped of his authority, and sent after the one who felled him.

7. Independent Contractors

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40993332?view_adult=true

This story, written by ifThen_doWhile, shows off Samus in a post Fusion Federation, one that has grown far more wary of her. They still have need of her, however, and so an agent of the Federation is sent to hire a Samus who has not been returning digital requests for her services. The agent, named Aiden, is sent in with top of the line weaponry in case things go south, alongside surveillance of the Hunter’s activities. Upon finding her, Aiden is in for a big surprise. This story really hammers home how heart poundingly nerve racking it is to approach the Hunter who has destroyed 3 planets, especially when tensions are running hot. Samus is portrayed as pragmatic but quiet, her demeanor easily misinterpreted as callous indifference, a guise she leans into at times. It’s a very good, suspenseful story that I highly recommend.

8. Metroid: No Other

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59261113

This story, written by @dappercritter , is actually my most recent read. What’s this? An actual Tumblr link? For once, yes. I saw the announcement post on Tumblr that it was out and jumped at the opportunity to read it. It’s quite good, but quite long. Don’t let the 1 chapter limit fool you, you might not finish it in 1 sitting. In any case, No Other starts off with something of a trope among fanfictions; Other M as an in-universe film. I still find it amusing. However, as this story follows on after Dread, Adam comments on Samus not taking care of herself properly, not addressing any of the trauma from ZDR, avoiding social events, and generally withdrawing from the world around her, prompted by an increasing distrust of the Federation, and the Galaxy as a whole. We also see that Samus does not seem to trust Adam, both due to his origin as an AI made to spy on her, and increased by Raven Beak’s mimicry of him. It’s an angle I haven’t seen anywhere else and is a welcome change of pace. In any case, Samus further withdraws from Adam and into what she does best; Bounty Hunting. However, shortly after her arrival to planet Ohma-984, a new threat emerges, intent on bringing out her dark side. Without going into spoilers, the antagonist’s design is absolutely badass, and I might actually draw him some time. The action sequences in this story, likewise, are absolutely brutal and well thought out. There’s a lot of noticeable influences from other franchises like Godzilla, Metal Gear Rising, and Doom that feel well at home in this story and don’t take away from it at all though that may be me simply being a fan of those series. DapperCritter mentioned specifically Shin Kamen Rider, though I’m not a fan of that series, so I can’t attest to how prominent the influence is. Regardless, it’s a thought provoking story with plenty of brutal action packed in as well, plus I love the original character designs, which take from canon while tagging on further additions.

Honorable Mention: Kanden Story Pitch

Link: https://www.tumblr.com/sepublic/759167079922417664/kanden-debut-pitch

I’m putting this as an honorable mention as it is meant as an outline for a story, so it may not scratch the same itch for some people as a fully written out story. This outline, by @sepublic is meant for a hypothetical Metroid animated series, similar to the original Clone Wars series (not THE Clone Wars!) by Genndy Tartakovsky. This one off features another under appreciated Bounty Hunter, Kanden, facing off against Samus over a Metroid which could give him true power unrivaled. It’s an excellent read, though, once again, if you’re looking for something more completed/traditional, I can understand if this doesn’t suck you in as well. However, I am currently working on a storyboard of this story. I won’t be animating it in full, but there will be sound effects, music, and voice acting. So uh… stay tuned for that!

As I said at that start, these stories are great, and really show off the passion these writers have for the series. However, there are plenty more out there. In the comments, share some of your favorite Metroid Fanfictions you’ve read. I can always do with expanding my Metroid reading list and I’m sure some of you feel the same way.

The Three Pillars of Chozo Society

There are, arguably, three main pillars of Chozo society, the three aspects of their culture that shape how we view them above all else. The different Hasana and factions take them to different levels, but they remain prevalent throughout the various depictions of this ancient race.

Firstly, Warrior Prowess. The Chozo are skilled combatants. From the proud warriors of the Mawkin to the mystical warlocks of Tallon IV, combat has a spot in every iteration of Chozo identity. The word Metroid, their solution to the galaxy threatening problem of the X Parasites, actually translates to “Ultimate Warrior”. Even the peace loving Thoha created the armor Samus uses, trained her, passed on combat trials to her, and so much more.

Secondly, scientific research retains a critical role throughout our perception of the Chozo. The Thoha were masters of genetic engineering and created Mother Brain, but the Mawkin arguably had them beat in that front. Granted, comparing 2D sprites to a 3 dimensional world is a bit unfair, but ZDR looks a bit more industrialized than Zebes, with several biomechanical central units controlling various systems. Even the technology averse Talon IV Chozo were able to create amazing creations, particularly when the crisis of Phazon took precedence.

Lastly, philosophy/mysticism is something that, while mostly attributed to the Talon IV Chozo, is a pillar of the other depictions of the benevolent species. In Dread, it is stated that the advanced castle of Ferenia was once home to many ceremonies and rituals.

With all of this in mind, I think it’s safe to say that we can name the three groups of Chozo who tie most directly to these subjects. The Thoha were masters of science, and delved into it to expand their lifespans beyond what their bodies should realistically be capable of, and made some of the most powerful artificial organisms the galaxy has ever seen. The Mawkin were masters of warfare, an obsession that consumed their society and leaders. The Talon IV Chozo were the masters of mysticism, unlocking an ability to witness the future from afar, predicting the arrival of the Phazon meteor and of the woman who would ultimately save their doomed world.

Still, these three civilizations fell before various catastrophes, each endemic to a weakness of their particular society, a weakened pillar which an outside force could exploit. The Talon IV Chozo actively stepped away from their scientific advancements in order to pursue a closer relationship with nature. While a noble pursuit, it left them unprepared for the arrival of the Leviathan, which they only barely contained, and only for a time as Phazon would end up leaking through the seemingly impenetrable barrier they had made. The Thoha’s downfall came from their dedication to pacifism. While a noble pursuit, they had delegated all combat duties to others, be it the Mawkin or the Metroids, and ended up weak and feeble when the Space Pirates came to claim their world. The Mawkin ended up being felled by a threat seemingly from within. An X Parasite infected a Mawkin soldier, traveled to ZDR and spread until Raven Beak could only contain it be sealing all other Chozo in Elun with it. Simple security measures and identification equipment could have caught the X before it had a chance to reproduce (Having soldiers equipped with ranged weapons might also have helped but whatever)

Solomon Aran is Samus’ brother of dubious canonicity who disappeared during the attack on K-2L. He didn’t die unlike everyone else, nor did people assume he just got vaporized. It is said he disappeared.

We all say Samus is trans.

S*lomon is Samus’ dead name obviously and she never bothered to correct the Federation records of the incident, because in a way Solomon DID die on K-2L. And also she’s fine with everyone naturally seeing her as just a woman and nothing else (in terms of gender, in terms of species she’s also part-birb but Samus embraces that bit so it all works out).

I think that another big part of Raven Beak’s pitch to Samus is this idea, misplaced as it may be, that the Chozo are the arbiters of morality in the universe. Under their watchful guard, the Galaxy was kept safe, prosperous, and free. They safeguarded species to carve their own path, forge their own destinies, and ascend to the stars on their own terms. We know, from various carvings, that the Mawkin have fought and defeated the Space Pirates in the past. As the Chozo receded, they left this responsibility to the Federation, a system which, in his view, has failed. They need, in effect, the last Chozo to attempt to solve all their problems. Yet, she’s just one woman. Indeed, she can do what many would think impossible. She ended both the Metroid Crisis and the Phazon crisis, defeated the unkillable Ridley, and so much more. Yet, she can’t be everywhere at once. She cannot solve the galaxy’s many injustices. To restore a golden age to the galaxy, the Chozo must return to impose it unto the dysfunctional Federation.

Is this the whole truth? No.

The Chozo were no stranger to crimes against the people they watched over. Hell, Raven Beak is known to execute members of his own Hasana. He himself is so enamored by past glories that he doesn’t see that the Chozo were never perfect. Perhaps they got a head start on the galaxy, achieved space travel a little early, had one or two less extinctions in their evolutionary development, achieved their power ahead of others, but they simply are not perfect. He doesn’t even see the crimes he commits as anything other than necessary steps on the path to a full return of the Chozo dominion. He believes in a return to the days when the Chozo fostered species to pursue their own prosperity and advancement, but he is too ambitious and self righteous to relinquish any of his power. After all,

Hadar sen Olmen.

Power is what will bring the Chozo back to prominence, power is what will dismantle the failed Galactic Federation, power is will eliminate all the threats to the good people of the Galaxy, power is what will see individual races achieve prosperity on their own. Power… is everything.

Hem ili Metroid mar Hadar.

The Project Golem mechs function quite similarly to Samus, even plugging their arm cannons into interfaces to receive data, operate devices, etc. From a Doylist perspective, the developers probably wanted to make a Metroid multiplayer based around Samus’ gameplay; But Samus is only one individual, how does this fit into the canon? So they made some Federation lookalikes to explain it. These mechs still act very Samus to appeal to the Metroid iconography.

From a Watsonian perspective, you know how one of the signs of improving technology is the ability to make it smaller, and more efficient? It could be that the Federation was a little humiliated by having to rely on one bounty hunter the whole time, and attributed a lot of her success to the tech she wore. There’s obviously so much more to what makes Samus such a great warrior than that, but still.

Project Golem was a way to ensure the Federation was prepared for any Space Pirate attack. And if the Aurora Units are any indication, the Federation has already emulated Chozo tech with their own weaker knock-offs before; More quantity to make up for a lack of quality. Because look at how enormous the mechs are, they’re Omega Pirate-sized! Both the Aurora Units and Project Golem were revealed in the Prime series, in two successive games involving an increase in Federation presence within the story and gameplay…

My point is: During the Dread arc, Raven Beak goes on a whole tirade about how the Federation is comprised of weaklings who have to depend on just one Chozo warrior to survive. Imagine how helpless they’d be against an army, surely at this point the Federation has made it clear they’ve given the reins to Samus in general; May as well just get it out of the way, take initiative but who can stop them? It was meant to be… It doesn’t matter that the Federation is trying to be more independent by making their own Samuses, because

The Federation knows it’s weak, that’s why it’s been scrambling so much to imitate its superiors, and pitifully too. Besides, they mistake the technology as the only part of Samus that matters; But Raven Beak knows the person, the Chozo training and philosophy inside, is just as important. Maybe moreso. He has no shortage of Chozo tech to work with, so what Raven Beak lacks, he’ll work with.

Me when my favorite Tumblr users infodump Metroid fanons.

Please, I need more. It sustains me.

(Art by @tsproart )

If you wanna see more nuance on Raven Beak and his internal dialogue and thought processes, I HIGHLY recommend reading The Downfall of Ashkar Behek by Acayl on AO3. I will abstain from any major spoilers, but you get to see how he comes to his headspace he has as the Mawkin Warlord we see in Dread. As the name suggests, you see his fall from moral grace, and his mental instability.

As for my own take on Raven Beak, I believe I’ve said previously that he is good at using fact based reasoning to for his own arguments. In my own retelling of events, he cemented the Thoha’s weakened state by using SR-388 as an example. The Thoha preach peace and coexistence with the universe and all its inhabitants. Yet they created an abomination of a species to solve their crisis on SR-388, and attempted to destroy the entire planet to eliminate the beings born by their own hands, their children, so to speak. He posits that the Thoha have strayed from their roots and their morals, and that they have no standing to hold sway over the Galaxy. It’s an insightful commentary that truly shakes the Thoha Hasana to its core. They fully renounce violence, refuse to kill the last Metroid in their possession due to the moral repugnance of their actions on SR-388, and withdraw from Galactic society and politics. The Metroids have become the great shame of the Thoha.

Left out of Raven Beak’s statements to the Thoha Hasana are his own plans of using the Metroids for his own gain. He conveniently omits the fact that he would not go so far as to commit genocide on the Thoha on SR-388 were it not for the military boon a supply of Metroids would afford him. What the full on massacre afforded him was the benefit of being the only one with the whole story, able to dole out and withhold as much of the truth as he sees fit. The only Thoha to know of his treachery is Quiet Robe. However, he’s not able to tell anyone. He is safely secured on ZDR, constantly monitored, and given no access to communications deemed unnecessary to the purpose Raven Beak has for him.

What he told them was the truth, but he did omit certain details the Thoha would certainly like to know.

Once again, read The Downfall of Ashkar Behek. It has many differences to my own take on him, but it’s so damn good I’ve used it for a fair bit of inspiration.

Sometimes I do have to question the decision to make Samus into the Chozo's personal champion/warrior; I think there's def some questionable moral implications about this. Especially when you find out that the Chozo let Raven Beak donate his DNA into Samus', which is just a whole can of worms; How the heck did this happen, how did they agree to it??? Did Raven Beak threaten them, why did they never tell Samus? Why an interest in Samus? How did Mother Brain think of all this, because I'd be surprised if she just never noticed despite her massive control over Zebes.

It's different not mentioning it was Gray Voice's DNA specifically, because I can see why it wouldn't be deemed relevant by either the Chozo or Samus herself up until the circumstances of that reveal. Samus definitely knew they donated somebody's DNA from that community, and she only knows of Chozo on Zebes, not Tallon IV or SR388.

I could see the Dread arc in a Metroid show being a storyline where Samus is kinda forced to confront her Chozo heritage, her relationship with them, ask these sorts of uncomfortable questions; I think Samus has a problem with seeing herself as only a weapon, a destroyer, which should make her dynamic with Adam compelling in theory because despite being a military commander, he does try to remind Samus that she should have an existence outside of these things. And this plays into his AI reincarnation finding a way for Samus to survive Fusion while still completing her objective. The fact that Adam himself was a military human might play into this, because he might understand firsthand how Samus feels the need to be her role; More on that in a bit…

And after Fusion, after the guilt of the Metroid genocide, and now carrying one's DNA within her, I can see Samus having a lot of questions about what she is, who she's made up of, etc. So in the buildup to the proper Dread storyline, I like to imagine that after Fusion, Samus actually goes to Earth, the ancestral homeworld of humanity, to reconnect with that original side of hers, with Rodney and Virginia's.

Seeing how much humans are used by the Federation as attack dogs (per my own HCs and the series itself) makes Samus wonder if there's more than that, hence Earth. It's a way for her to clear her head from depression and take a damn vacation with Adam, who has his memories again... Maybe Anthony? I think Samus might be in too much of an awkward spot with the Federation to invite Anthony, because that would put him in such an uncomfortable position as a Federation employee himself.

Still, seeing the role that humans play as the Federation's infantry species makes Samus wonder, at some point; Is that why the Chozo chose to adopt me? Obviously they saved me, but they could've just left me at an orphanage, maybe insisted on seeing me through a successful adoption process. But instead, they took me to Zebes, away from my people, and changed me to be more like them. Maybe when I joined the Federation, it was in the hopes of reconnecting with my human side.

It's a bit of irrational, panicked doubt that Samus has the luxury of being able to voice to Adam, who acts as a more objective, rational observer after becoming an AI; He's also reconnecting with his emotions, and we possibly get an arc of him showing Samus his home on Earth and where he came from, if he isn't from another world entirely like Samus herself is.

There's definitely a recurring question: Did I even know my people? Do I know who runs through my veins? The Metroids are a good example of this question, since Samus thought of them as just dangerous animals, and for a brief while as unnatural bioweapons after learning more on SR388 (which helped to justify their extermination in her Mind). But then she meets the Queen and then the Infant, and has her whole world rocked via gradual realization.

So Raven Beak showing up is the perfect time to contribute, when Samus starts to reconsider her relationship with the Chozo, her existence as a weapon. And Raven Beak outright says, Samus was groomed by the Thoha into their weapon because they were cowards.

He says that the Thoha were hypocritical, useless cowards; Despite their supposed devotion to peace, down to making it physically painful to inflict it, they still had plenty of workarounds. The Thoha still saw firsthand how violence was a necessary, natural part of life; Case in point, the X were not about to respond to diplomacy, so the Thoha had to create the greatest bioweapon the galaxy has ever seen. And this bioweapon, despite their attempts, would be weaponized later on by so many others, and cause so much destruction.

They also saw the need for the Mawkin; Despite their hostility and dismissal of their 'warmonger' brethren, the Thoha accepted their help when pushed into a corner. It was Mawkin soldiers who gave their lives sealing away the Metroids, so that SR388 might live. So perhaps, then, it was only justice, blood for blood, that Raven Beak slaughtered the Thoha for the deaths of his soldiers.

(I don't see him as being sincere in terms of 'avenging' his soldiers, because I prefer to write the members of a cause as less sympathetic the higher up the command chain they go; Feels truer to real life imo.)

This is a very uncomfortable position for Samus, she's backed into a corner and cut off from a friend like Adam who would be there to speak reason and back her up; Here, she feels alone. This is nonsense, Samus insists. The Thoha made themselves resistant to violence so as to encourage different methods, another way.

Yes, and those 'different methods' were simply to make others do the violence for them, Raven Beak notes. That's why the Zebesian Thoha groomed Samus into their own Metroid, why they accepted Raven Beak's DNA donation. The Thoha weren't trying to minimize violence; They simply sought to keep their hands clean of the dirty work by manipulating/creating others to do it for them.

But Raven Beak knows, he's figured out there's no difference; At that point, just cut out the middle man, do it yourself! This is why the Mawkin are the loyalists, while the Thoha and other clans are traitors; Only the Mawkin remain the True Chozo. And Samus must join them, because like the Mawkin she knows the simple truth that violence IS a natural, necessary part of life. She's seen how naturally vicious animals can be, engaged in that violence herself.

Other things are also necessary, Samus challenges sarcastically. Do you expect me to increase those tenfold in my routine? Raven Beak dismisses that question; Maybe if the situation calls for it. But in this chaotic state, the galaxy needs violence more than it does diplomacy, and so violence is what Samus must offer.

On Raven Beak's end at least, he WAS interested in Samus' status as a human; The Federation's most widespread infantry species. Especially given his plans to clone an army of Metroids... And then an army of Samuses. In general he was intrigued by the use of bioweapons and chimeras, hence Raven Beak adding to hybrid warrior Samus.

This makes it all the more poetic that Raven Beak would forcibly become a chimera himself, thanks to an X; Fusing with Kraid's DNA, with Kraid and the Space Pirates as a whole also operating on the idea of "We are physically superior, especially in combat, so we deserve to take advantage of that for ourselves and rule. Also Metroids are good bioweapons."

So despite their opposition to one another, the Space Pirates and Mawkin are truly two peas in an X pod, aren't they? Raven Beak 'got his wish' by fusing with the Space Pirates' most physically powerful member, and indeed his kidnapping of Kraid might have something to do with his eugenics and bioweapon plans.

Maybe Samus brings up, that beings like her and the Metroids are just a few examples; But the majority of Thoha options was peace, and Raven Beak's folly is that he only recognizes violent options and their success, while only remembering the failures of peaceful options. But it just goes to show how flashy they are, that the Mawkin are too 'bored' and 'under-stimulated' with the banal work of real peace to glorify it. Maybe Samus says this, or Adam, or even Quiet Robe-X.

Point is; If Old Bird is still alive out there, Samus has a LOT of questions for him and the other Zebesian Thoha when they reunite. That's assuming Raven Beak didn't get to them first, and unlike the game, the Metroid show has them actually appear in-person to add to this chaotic arc for Samus. Maybe this could lead to a respectful disagreement, where Samus decides she HAS to fight and this is necessary; But she understands why the Thoha are averse and feel shame, after their warring past.

Alright this is so great. Honestly, I’m not sure why I had never considered that possibility that Raven Beak already had samples of Metroid biological material and they were simply destroyed during the outbreak. That makes perfect sense. It certainly plugs the hole of “why did the Mawkin return to ZDR without any Metroid samples?” This certainly fits that and makes it much more understandable. Plus it helps the X seems far more intelligent but seeking out and destroying mere genetic material, not even a reproduced Metroid, because they knew the danger it could pose if the Metroids were reproduced. Plus the idea that they had been keeping track of their numbers and the Metroids were inexplicably reproducing makes the Chozo seem more intelligent and adds a layer of Dread to the situation. Having things go wrong is all the more terrifying when you did make failsafes, but those failsafes didn’t stop the problem.

Overall, good stuff here.

I like to think the Thoha Chozo had a very Jurassic Park moment when dealing with the Metroids' rebellion on SR388. Think of it this way; You need a bioweapon that can destroy the X, so you take DNA from a wide variety of other organisms on SR388, and splice them into a perfect chimera. You'll need a lot of these, so you program this creature to undergo mitosis when exposed to beta-rays. That way, your machines only need to create one 'Metroid' from scratch, and then it can be used to spawn the rest.

But here's the thing; After the Metroids devour the X, they start to transform and mutate. Turns out, using the DNA of other creatures has caused additional traits, originally deactivated in the creation process, to emerge thanks to the unique conditions of SR388. This results in them mutating into the Alpha, Gamma, Zeta, and finally Omega stages.

This isn't hopeless though, far from it; Unlike the X, the Metroids aren't natural creatures and can't reproduce on their own. They need beta-rays, and/or the device that spawned the original Metroid. Since SR388 doesn't have any natural source of beta-rays, all you have to do is turn off the devices that emit them, and the original Metroid creator, and there! The Metroid population will always be the same.

From there you just need to destroy them one by one, and luckily the Mawkin have showed up to help; Normally your relationship with them is suspicious to the point of programming Metroids to be hostile towards Mawkin, for fear they would exploit the 'Ultimate Warrior' as a weapon. But instead, the Mawkin seem to have some genuine heart and are helping you handle the threat, and you need all the help you can get.

You accept them and conveniently don't bring up the anti-Mawkin programming, because as far as they can tell this aggression is indistinguishable from how metamorphosis has made the Metroids hostile towards you, their creators. Progress is slow yet tangible, and you keep track of how many Metroids the Mawkin have killed, and compare that number to the Metroids you created and cloned. You reach that number, and can now rest easy.

...Then you hear a report of a Metroid attack, and something definitely isn't right. How is there another Metroid, you killed all of them, you kept track of their numbers and everything! Is there something wrong with the original tally? It's not as if the Mawkin could've been mistaken on whether they killed a Metroid or not... But just in case, you engineer devices that absorb Metroid DNA whenever they die, just to have physical evidence; Otherwise, Metroids disintegrate completely upon death, so there's no physical 'proof' to reassure yourselves with.

The Mawkin keep finding more and more Metroids and now you're baffled. You check the original Metroid creation machine and it hasn't been used since the first and only time; But you take it apart, in case... Someone's been making Metroids behind your back, somehow? But the numbers keep continuing. You take apart all your beta-ray emitters, but there are still more Metroids. Is Raven Beak creating Metroids behind your back? But why let his soldiers die to them?

You scan SR388 for any beta radiation, and then you find a big one deep underground. You send Mawkin soldiers to investigate it, and only one makes it back alive. You thought the Omega was the final stage in the Metroid lifecycle; But somehow, another one emerged. Of the many species whose DNA was used to create the Metroids, one of them relied upon a lone queen to produce offspring. Another was capable of emitting its own beta-rays.

You know how some real-life animals, if there isn't a member of the opposite sex, will adapt by having a few transform into that sex so reproduction can occur? Something similar happened with the Metroids. Without a source of beta-rays, one of their own mutated into a Queen capable of emitting beta-rays within her own body, which she uses to produce eggs that hatch into newborn Metroids. And this Metroid Queen has been filling in the ranks that the Mawkin have attempted to deplete. And now the original number of Metroids that the Thoha cloned has been exceeded.

At this point, the Metroids are too numerous and powerful to defeat. But they haven't ventured to the surface of SR388, being isolated to its caverns; So you opt to seal away the Metroids by filling passageways with poisonous water. In case anyone is foolish enough to try releasing all of them at once, you program these Chozo Seal mechanisms to require a certain amount of Metroid DNA to divert the poison; This way, the Metroid population needs to be lowered to access more. And this acts as a way to gauge if those who come back to destroy the Metroids for good are competent enough to get the job done, and don't just end up releasing all of the creatures onto SR388 in their failed attempt.

That last bit is important, because you and the Mawkin plan to retreat back to ZDR, and gather more weapons, troops, and resources to return to SR388 and properly destroy the Metroids this time; Because now they know about the Queen. Theoretically, the Chozo could just destroy the planet... But they want to minimize destruction, so confronting the Metroids head-on will spare the rest of the ecosystem, as was the intention.

Alas, seeing the continued power and adaptability of the Metroids on display has intrigued Raven Beak; He finds their potential impressive, and has changed his mind. It's been deduced that the source DNA of the Metroids reacted to the environmental stimuli of SR388, the world that evolved and nurtured those organisms. But without the cradle of SR388, the source DNA will not thrive, and will not activate the other suppressed traits; Larval Metroids can't access the rest of their life cycle in any other environment.

ZDR has powerful biomechanical supercomputers called Central Units, which have telepathic abilities that enable them to control machines; Given larval Metroids were designed to respond to Chozo commands, and the use of Chozo DNA in the organic aspect of the Central Units, these AI can be used to control larval Metroids. As long as Metroids of more developed stages aren't present to rally them -the authority of Alphas and beyond will naturally override any Central Unit's- the larval forms will remain obedient.

And while the larval Metroid is just the tip of an iceberg the Thoha had never intended, what they did intend was already incredibly dangerous and powerful in and of itself, being designed to combat the deadly X and the many forms they could assimilate. So Raven Beak wouldn't need his Metroid army to metamorphose beyond their larval stage; The first form was sufficiently powerful, especially with beta-rays to clone their numbers into the thousands, far beyond the original population of SR388.

Raven Beak slaughters all but one of the Thoha, leaving you, Quiet Robe, alive. He brings you back with him and the rest of the Mawkin to ZDR, as well as the Metroid DNA samples his soldiers acquired; A return trip to SR388 is no longer necessary, and Raven Beak is fine with that planet being overrun by Metroids resistant to his control, but otherwise unable to access other worlds. But amidst the chaos, a lone X emerged from hiding while the Metroids were busy fighting the Mawkin, and infected one of the latter. This parasite stowed away, returning to ZDR with the rest of the Chozo.

And without any Metroids on ZDR, it felt safe to reveal itself in Elun and begin infecting the rest of the tribe, resulting in a years-long war and quarantine effort between the Mawkin and X. The Mawkin attempted to clone Metroids using the DNA samples they had, but the X were intelligent and could absorb their victims' memories; They predicted this move, and were able to move quickly enough to destroy all Metroid DNA on ZDR before any of their predators could be cloned. Without any methods to destroy the X short of blowing up the planet itself, all but one of the Mawkin would end up infected -karma- before Raven Beak finally isolated the parasites within Elun, somehow.

There's no DNA samples to create Metroids from, not anymore. And you can't build another Metroid from scratch, not without the DNA of the original SR388 creatures that went into it... But you can definitely build beta-ray emitters. And there are still plenty of Metroid larvae back on SR388 to clone directly, instead of the more roundabout process; So Raven Beak flies the Itorash back to SR388... And finds a bunch of rubble where the planet used to be.

Eventually he puts together that the human warrior he helped Old Bird and Gray Voice hybridize blew up the whole damn planet, finishing what her fellow Thoha started. His plans to conquer the galaxy with Metroids is screwed, they're all extinct with any DNA samples eradicated. That is, until Raven Beak finds out that his "daughter" Samus has Metroid DNA, thanks to the Galactic Federation, and the very X that spawned the Metroids' existence (and yet also delayed Raven Beak's plans by infecting his entire tribe).

And now, after all that effort in creating and then trying to destroy the Metroids, you have to bring them back using the person who helped you destroy them. Or, maybe not... Over your dead body! Which turns out to be literal when an X absorbs your corpse and then helps Samus awaken her Metroid DNA by siccing the remaining EMMIs back on her. How did you even get to this point again???

That… makes an immense amount of sense. Don’t get me wrong, I’m team trans Samus myself (and trans myself), but that little detail does add a not insignificant amount of character and respectability to Adam. I actually showed some Other M stuff to my friends and we all laughed at how bad it is and made some points how things could be improved but this even makes Fusion and Dread better for it.

adam malkovich referring to samus as "lady" as a sign of respect always reads as a touch condescending and belittling until you look at young adult samus and realise she was a 6-months hrt effeminate twink just growing out her crew cut and its highly likely the rest of the force kept misgendering her. for their commander to respect her identity and refer to her as a woman would be a huge acknowledgement of her agency and personhood beyond her martial prowess, and for a girl who has only known war and was raised to be a weapon i would blow up a couple space stations with that guy too

Nerdy the Artist’s Metroid fanfic Spotlight!

I have read a fair few excellently written Metroid fanfics in my short time in this fandom, a lot of which gave me many ideas, as well as possible biases, that I have taken into my own fanfic. Still, with the obscene amount of nsfw fics related to Samus (no shame), finding those engrossing stories with plenty of character development, intrigue, and action is a bit of an annoying task. People have different standards of tagging things, and less tags does not necessarily mean less quality. Use to this, for your convenience, I’m going to be sharing a list of some of my favorite Metroid fanfiction stories, in no particular order.

1. Whispers from Beyond the Veil

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/56266696/chapters/142947040

Whispers from Beyond the Veil, by AlexRussoStuff, is still in its early stages, and brand new at the time of writing it. Currently, there’s only 1 chapter, but it’s a really promising one. If this fic maintains the tone and quality in this chapter, I’m all for it. It is mainly a retelling of Metroid Prime, interspersed with flashbacks from Samus’s childhood. The tone is far more brutal and gruesome than the original game, with more in the way of gore as Samus steps over the ripped apart remains of Space Pirates aboard the Orpheon. I am excited to watch this fic develop.

2. The Downfall of Ashkar Behek

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42231552/chapters/106034202

I was pointed in the direction of this fic by @molagboop due to some amazing artwork by the Chozo specialist himself. The Downfall of Ashkar Behek, by Acayl, is quite long, following much of the past of Raven Beak, known in Chozo as the titular Ashkar Behek. The story is long, detailing his past as a soldier of the Mawkin, including his maiming by Ridley, known to the Chozo as Balan dosh Nabular, translated to English: Bring to Dread. The story covers many bases in the tragedy of his downfall, and you never feel he is truly evil until he is utterly consumed by madness, and his belief in the innate responsibility of the Chozo to shepard the Galaxy. He goes from a relatively basic villain in Dread to a well fleshed out antagonist whose world view we can understand, and perhaps sympathize with. While it is very lengthy, it is a wonderful read if you have the time and patience for it.

3. Metroid S

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4156530/chapters/9378699

This fic is also incomplete (Metroid works slow, I guess), but the story is oozing with mystery and intrigue. Metroid S, written by Suribot, sees Samus Aran arrive on an icy world following a contract for a scientist’s rescue, and a separate, cryptic message telling of a Metroid’s presence in the derelict laboratories within. The plot is hard to sus out, and the mysteries hiding within are captivating. There is also a fair bit of monologues from Samus Aran about her past (did I mention this is in first person?) where we get to here about many past exploits and relationships. I still am itching to get questions answered with the next chapter. I think you’ll find yourself in the same boat.

4. Inheritance

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11560101/chapters/25965126

Remember when I said less tags doesn’t mean less quality? This is what I mean. Inheritance, by Cuofeng, was written before Dread came out, but there are many coincidental story elements that are interesting to compare and contrast between the two. The story itself is absolutely amazing, especially in the first act, but does have some problems in the third. The sense of mistrust and paranoia that the first act gives off is unrivaled, even by S. The story follows a mission set after Fusion where Samus is tasked with helping in the fight against a reinvigorated Space Pirate faction, with eyes on some advanced Chozo technology. This might be my favorite Metroid story, due to its amazing atmosphere, great personality, and shear rule of cool excellence.

I do have one major issue though: Where Morph Ball?

5. This Time

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34383862/chapters/85563343

For those of you looking for something more lowkey and feels-y, This Time, by CuratorOfFluff, is a wonderful short fic centered around Samus’s relationship with Old Bird, who is now living on Earth by himself with Samus’s pet rabbit-squirrel, Pyonchi. The care the two have for each other is just adorable, and you can tell the author had a lot of fun with this little slice of life.

6: A Swift and Howling Darkness

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42723552

A Swift and Howling Darkness, by Noxshade, is a very different kind of story to most, feeling right at home with Metroid Prime’s method of storytelling. This fic is in an epistolary format, meaning it is told by logs and reports, rather than outright narration. The story centers around Samus Aran, fresh off of her horrifying adventure aboard BSL, encountering a distress beacon sent from deep into the undocumented regions of space, codified as being pre-Federation in make. Driven by her innate curiosity. She decides to investigate this unusual call for help into the dark, unknown regions of the galaxy.

7: We Will Evolve

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54081529/chapters/136920130

We Will Evolve, by Thundamoo, comes hot off the heaps of Metroid Dread, using the loose plot thread of the missing Chozo ships during the escape sequence to tell a story of the X outbreak spreading beyond ZDR’s untamed wilds, and into sentient space. The horrifying idea is compounded on by the realization that what we saw of Samus’s Metroid mutations in Dread were the tip of the iceberg. Furthermore, we get to witness the arrival and spread of the X, known by the Chozo and itself as Eres, from the perspective of a civilian, caught up in the galaxy’s nightmares. The secondary protagonist is a joy to follow along, and Samus’s rage is palpable. Once again, this fic is not yet complete, but it is well worth a read thus far.

Honorable Mention: Confronting Adam (animatic)

Link: https://youtu.be/_hrU1tPZ7R8?si=bkvehOrjTVJsfOfr

This is a wonderful project by a YouTuber known as Galactic Gaming, making an animatic out of the fateful interaction between Samus and Adam where Samus brings out the goodness within the AI recreation of her former CO. The voice acting here is great, and the artwork is nice.

Well, these are some of my favs. I might make a new post with some other good ones, but I think these should be at the top of your reading list. If you have any suggestions for me, let me know in reposts or in the comments. Happy reading!

And part 5 to cap things off! I had a lot of fun with these. It’s always great to flesh out things I haven’t given too much thought to before, as well as sharing the things I’ve mulled over for a while. Truly, this has been an awarding effort. I am posting these a night early as I have a fairly busy day tomorrow, so I’m not sure if I’ll have the energy to remember about posting this then. Without further ado, the final set of entries.

Day 29: Neo

Scan of Contained Bioform

“Subject is of the same unknown species as Ridley. However, other than the marked similarities in morphology, there are significant differences between it and the late pirate commander. Fat levels exceed all of Ridley’s previous appearances, and his skin’s color is a more colorful shade of indigo. His eyes also have vertical slit pupils, unlike Ridley’s own eyes. The lack of scars and grafted weapons is also in stark contrast to Ridley’s stories history. All things considered, this is not Ridley.”

Day 30: Victor

Scan of Defeated Mother Brain

“Life signature of Mother Brain indicates several areas of tissue damage. Blood clots and hemorrhaging has already begun to occur. Death is 100% certain. Fluctuations in brain activity are causing random activations in equipment due to interfacing equipment interpreting various power spikes as neuronal action potentials. Such aberrant activity will surely cause catastrophic failures in multiple systems. Immediate departure is advised.”

Day 31: Mission Complete

Mission Debrief Report: Zebes

“Mission completed. Metroid cloning facility on Zebes has been eliminated. However, 2 Space Pirate Research Frigates by the titles of Siriacus and Orpheon has escaped. Several Metroids were captive aboard the Orpheon during its departure for distribution to Pirate cells across Federation controlled space. Recommend efforts be made to track it down before cloning operations can be restarted.

Total confirmed enemy losses: 285 footsoldiers, 1 adult Kridilian, 4 Space Pirate Interceptors, 2 Revenant elite units, 1 Space Pirate Research Frigate, ‘Mother Brain’ ACI central unit, Commander Ridley.

Cleanup teams requested to eliminate remaining Space Pirate presence on and around Zebes.

Personal Notes: Zebes isn’t their’s. Zebes belonged to the last of the Chozo. Please treat it with dignity.”

Maytroid 2024 is here!

I am so excited to get to work on these new prompts. Last year, my entries for each day were fairly sloppy, and I was new to the series, so I was lacking a fair bit of information. Now, I’m armed with more knowledge and am eager to use it.

For those who haven’t seen what I did for Maytroid last year, what I’m going to be doing instead of art is something more writing focused. These little text entries are mostly styled after the scans from the Metroid Prime series. Matter of fact, this new set of prompts actually lends itself much better than last year’s, as I have a lot more leeway to play to my own strengths than last year (I still don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna do with Gorea). These are all canon to my own Metroid AU currently, though as things change in development, these may become out of date. They will give the vibe my stories are going for, but these shouldn’t be held to as the absolute canon for them. I’ll be posting these week by week, around 7 at a time, starting today.

Day 1: Ridley

Transcript of Security Footage

Several individuals in this footage cannot be identified at this time. They shall be identified as Pirate 1, Pirate 2, and Pirate Major.

Ridley: What I want to know… is why he is not in custody.

Pirate Major: I gave them their orders, they knew he was to be brought in alive, and instead they killed him.

Pirate 1: You told us to take care of him! We thought you meant an execution, not milk and cookies!

Pirate Major: Insolent Wretch! You say such things about your orders in front of our Commander?! You know how we handle that sort of insubordination!

Pirate 2: Cool it, we’re already in hot water.

Pirate 1: We’re in hot water because of the life of some winy little nobody that begged for his life with money he didn’t even have.

Ridley: While your insolence is… aggravating… I am willing to forgive this misstep.

Pirate Major: What?

Ridley: He was an insignificant pawn. We can always find another. As I was saying, I am willing to forgive this on one condition. Did he die in pain?

Pirate 2: Yes. He did suffer before he died.

Ridley: What methods or torture did you employ?

Pirate 1: Waterboarding. Works wonders on humans. I always liked how they sound when they cough and gasp for air.

Ridley:Mmmmm… was blood shed before his end?

Pirate 2: Yeah. My partner here has… quite the way with knives.

Ridley: Do tell.

Pirate 1: Slashed his wrists. Those arteries gush lots of blood from humans. And we started pulling teeth when he lied.

Ridley: Delicious. You have escaped capital punishment, but you will still be serving as guards for the Metroid containment units. For further forgiveness, you will need to be more creative with your implements. I find Revine’s death, by your account, to be quite dull. Your are dismissed, unless you wish to enlighten me further.

Day 2: Fiery

Scan of Pipe System in Norfair

“These pipes appear be delivering superheated magma into the Norfair region. Given the proximity to Ridley’s personal quarters, likely explanations include terraforming the area for Ridley’s own comfortability, additional protective measures, or the intentional destruction of Chozo artifacts not deemed useful. The latter is most likely, as the immediate area was once a Chozo burial tomb. It is now completely submerged in magma, disintegrating much of the artifacts within.”

Day 3: Winged

Scan of SA-X Mutations

“This X-Parasite copy has suffered some form of destabilization of its copying abilities. Abnormalities include a malformed, beak like structure around the mouth, several atrophied fingers, several hypertrophied fingers, small patches of feathers, and an extraneous structure protruding from its back resembling a Chozo wing bereft of feathers. These unusual deformities could be the result of DNA infusions during childhood complicating the process of anatomical replication within X-Parasite offspring. This individual seems to suffer great stress from its predicament, but it is unsafe to assume that its combat functionality is greatly hampered. Adaptation is this species’s main trait.”

Day 4: Pirate

Scan of Space Pirate Elite

“Subject is a member of an unknown species known only from individuals working within Ridley’s special operations group, The Revenants. This group acts as Ridley’s personal enforcers and assassins, fanatically worshipping their commander as a literal God of Death. They wield melee weapons personalized to their unique fighting styles. Each weapon is charged with electricity, giving them an additional ranged attack capability. They have operated since before the Galactic Federation, making a name for themselves in fighting Chozo warriors. Their endurance, agility, and strength cannot be overstated, in spite of their gaunt appearance.”

Day 5: Mecha

Scan of automaton codenamed Mecha Ridley

“Subject is a battle ready drone, seemingly created by Ridley’s fanatical special forces, the Revenants. Mecha Ridley is heavily weaponized, as there could be no altar to the God of Death without the ability to take a life. Weapons include flamethrowers, guided munition launchers, and superheated claws. Mecha Ridley’s armor is highly durable, but greatly hampers mobility compared to its inspiration. Additionally, as a cult idol of worship, advanced artificial intelligence was not prioritized during production. Mecha Ridley displays average combat intellect for a war drone. Recommend staying moving and outsmarting the automaton.”

Day 6: Fang

Scan of Rundas’s Necklace

“Rundas appears to have begun collecting Metroid Fangs as trophies since last he was approached. Assuming one fang was taken from each Metroid he has eliminated, he has defeated 15 Metroids in the two months since he was last seen. Unfortunately, his ego has grown with his kill count.”

Day 7: Cunning

Scan of Abandoned Home

“Old Bird and Grey Voice’s abandoned home has been left mostly in tact, minus the usual signs of neglect. However, there appear to be a plethora of traps lain around the home. Various grapple snares have been detected, alongside explosive charges, beam emitters, and microphones. Much of these systems appear to be inert, and once reported directly to Mother Brain. It is clear she anticipated you might return here before confronting her. Given her destruction, several trap systems remain completely dormant. Still, any approach must be made with great caution.”

As Samus learned as a child, dull Chozo claws make for excellent back scratchers. I cannot be convinced otherwise.

And now for part 3! I have finally learned how to collapse text (is that the right word?) so that this will be much less cluttered. I love seeing all the tags in reblogs mulling over the specifics here. It’s always great to see these ideas leaving an impact.

Day 15: Nemesis

System Stress Alert

“Warning: Cortisol at dangerously high levels. Continued use of Power Suit can result in endocrine-

Warning: Stress levels continuing to rise. Please cease use of this Power Suit to avoid systemic-

Warning: Power Suit Emergency shutdown initiated. Due to critically high stress levels, wielding of weapons grade force multipliers has been deemed unsafe for you and anyone in your vicinity. Reactivation can be initiated once stress levels have subsided to stable levels.”

Day 16: Hatchling

Recommendation on Adaptation Procedure on Human Child

“The life readings of the child, Samus Aran, have stabilized for the fourth time. However, according to various shamans, spiritual harmonics remains an issue. This is likely due to her traumatic past before arriving in our care. In spite of being sedated too heavily to dream, and being supplied air filtered for human consumption, she can still, somehow, feel the pain of her past. This is an issue that must be resolved once she leaves sedation. As it stands, this is an area of healing which I can only offer minimal assistance in.

Nevertheless, preparations are being initiated for gene tailoring and conjoining. A problem still remains. Much of the Chozo bloodline on Zebes has become too old and frail to provide samples not liable to produce genetic defects. The only individual on Zebes who is not in too great a state of atrophy is Grey Voice. However, without multiple donors, genetic aberrations are likely to occur unpredictably. Without a second donor, regular genetic tailoring procedures will be required in order to stabilize any potentially hazardous mutations or cancers. To solve this issue will require political discussions with another Hasana.”

Day 17: Proteus

Administrator Command Log of Aurora Unit 059

“System Plugin initiated.

Please input credentials

Response: System Admin Proteus

Administrator Identity Confirmed. All functions available.

Command: Initiate Self Destruct Sequence

Initiating Self Destruct. Alerts placed to all personnel onboard. Evacuation Procedure Underway.

Command: Expedite

Timer reduced to thirty seconds.

Command: Quarantine

All access to exits now blocked without valid confirmation.”

Day 18: Thief

Space Pirate Archeological Report

“We have successfully located and secured one of the three artifacts needed to unlock the seal around the meteorite. The so called ‘Artifact of Study’ appears to be a miniature display of a solar system. Studies have begun on the artifact by science team to discern what its functionality may be in the seal’s mechanism. With sufficient study, we may be able to unlock the seal without locating the other two artifacts. This will be very beneficial to our time table and personnel resources. It took expenditures of 17 teams in order to obtain our first artifact, due to both the physical traps and defenses surrounding the artifact as well as the presence of one or more spectral entities. Regardless of if opening the seal takes study of the first artifact, or capture of the other two, we are closer than ever before to gaining access to the crater.”

Day 19: Sinewy

Combat Scan of Meta Ridley

“Various armor plates have been damaged, revealing fleshy layer beneath. Ridley is still undergoing a healing process from the confrontation on Zebes. Various areas destroyed during the battle have begun to regenerate, such as the eyes, tongue, internal organs, wings, and arms. This regeneration is not fast enough to overcome direct arms fire. Recommend targeting these weak points.”

Day 20: Tail

Scan of Space Pirate Carcass

“Unlike many other corpses on the Orpheon, this does not appear to be the work of Space Pirate bioweapons. The lacerations have severe heat trauma within the wounds. The killing blow dealt to the torso has begun to melt the internal organs through excessive burning. Whatever was in the blade that pierced this individual’s chest was at least 475°F.”

Day 21: Deceptive

Last Words of a Lone Chozo

“To any who may read this message, Mother Brain has betrayed us. Even as the battle raged on Zebes’s surface, she refused to call for aid. Little did we know she was communicating to find some arrangement with the Space Pirate commander, the demon. I have retreated into Norfair, separated from my kin. I have no food or water. I do not expect to live for long. The demon and his minions come for me, aided by the betrayer. Safe havens have become kill houses. Security doors have become open halls. I have no protection, no weapons, no armor. But I will ensure that the world knows this. The Chozo did not sit idle as we were slaughtered. A great betrayal cut us down. The one we relied on turned our own world against us. I am Onyx Vow, and Mother Brain is not one of us.”

Maytroid 2024 is here!

I am so excited to get to work on these new prompts. Last year, my entries for each day were fairly sloppy, and I was new to the series, so I was lacking a fair bit of information. Now, I’m armed with more knowledge and am eager to use it.

For those who haven’t seen what I did for Maytroid last year, what I’m going to be doing instead of art is something more writing focused. These little text entries are mostly styled after the scans from the Metroid Prime series. Matter of fact, this new set of prompts actually lends itself much better than last year’s, as I have a lot more leeway to play to my own strengths than last year (I still don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna do with Gorea). These are all canon to my own Metroid AU currently, though as things change in development, these may become out of date. They will give the vibe my stories are going for, but these shouldn’t be held to as the absolute canon for them. I’ll be posting these week by week, around 7 at a time, starting today.

Day 1: Ridley

Transcript of Security Footage

Several individuals in this footage cannot be identified at this time. They shall be identified as Pirate 1, Pirate 2, and Pirate Major.

Ridley: What I want to know… is why he is not in custody.

Pirate Major: I gave them their orders, they knew he was to be brought in alive, and instead they killed him.

Pirate 1: You told us to take care of him! We thought you meant an execution, not milk and cookies!

Pirate Major: Insolent Wretch! You say such things about your orders in front of our Commander?! You know how we handle that sort of insubordination!

Pirate 2: Cool it, we’re already in hot water.

Pirate 1: We’re in hot water because of the life of some winy little nobody that begged for his life with money he didn’t even have.

Ridley: While your insolence is… aggravating… I am willing to forgive this misstep.

Pirate Major: What?

Ridley: He was an insignificant pawn. We can always find another. As I was saying, I am willing to forgive this on one condition. Did he die in pain?

Pirate 2: Yes. He did suffer before he died.

Ridley: What methods or torture did you employ?

Pirate 1: Waterboarding. Works wonders on humans. I always liked how they sound when they cough and gasp for air.

Ridley:Mmmmm… was blood shed before his end?

Pirate 2: Yeah. My partner here has… quite the way with knives.

Ridley: Do tell.

Pirate 1: Slashed his wrists. Those arteries gush lots of blood from humans. And we started pulling teeth when he lied.

Ridley: Delicious. You have escaped capital punishment, but you will still be serving as guards for the Metroid containment units. For further forgiveness, you will need to be more creative with your implements. I find Revine’s death, by your account, to be quite dull. Your are dismissed, unless you wish to enlighten me further.

Day 2: Fiery

Scan of Pipe System in Norfair

“These pipes appear be delivering superheated magma into the Norfair region. Given the proximity to Ridley’s personal quarters, likely explanations include terraforming the area for Ridley’s own comfortability, additional protective measures, or the intentional destruction of Chozo artifacts not deemed useful. The latter is most likely, as the immediate area was once a Chozo burial tomb. It is now completely submerged in magma, disintegrating much of the artifacts within.”

Day 3: Winged

Scan of SA-X Mutations

“This X-Parasite copy has suffered some form of destabilization of its copying abilities. Abnormalities include a malformed, beak like structure around the mouth, several atrophied fingers, several hypertrophied fingers, small patches of feathers, and an extraneous structure protruding from its back resembling a Chozo wing bereft of feathers. These unusual deformities could be the result of DNA infusions during childhood complicating the process of anatomical replication within X-Parasite offspring. This individual seems to suffer great stress from its predicament, but it is unsafe to assume that its combat functionality is greatly hampered. Adaptation is this species’s main trait.”

Day 4: Pirate

Scan of Space Pirate Elite

“Subject is a member of an unknown species known only from individuals working within Ridley’s special operations group, The Revenants. This group acts as Ridley’s personal enforcers and assassins, fanatically worshipping their commander as a literal God of Death. They wield melee weapons personalized to their unique fighting styles. Each weapon is charged with electricity, giving them an additional ranged attack capability. They have operated since before the Galactic Federation, making a name for themselves in fighting Chozo warriors. Their endurance, agility, and strength cannot be overstated, in spite of their gaunt appearance.”

Day 5: Mecha

Scan of automaton codenamed Mecha Ridley

“Subject is a battle ready drone, seemingly created by Ridley’s fanatical special forces, the Revenants. Mecha Ridley is heavily weaponized, as there could be no altar to the God of Death without the ability to take a life. Weapons include flamethrowers, guided munition launchers, and superheated claws. Mecha Ridley’s armor is highly durable, but greatly hampers mobility compared to its inspiration. Additionally, as a cult idol of worship, advanced artificial intelligence was not prioritized during production. Mecha Ridley displays average combat intellect for a war drone. Recommend staying moving and outsmarting the automaton.”

Day 6: Fang

Scan of Rundas’s Necklace

“Rundas appears to have begun collecting Metroid Fangs as trophies since last he was approached. Assuming one fang was taken from each Metroid he has eliminated, he has defeated 15 Metroids in the two months since he was last seen. Unfortunately, his ego has grown with his kill count.”

Day 7: Cunning

Scan of Abandoned Home

“Old Bird and Grey Voice’s abandoned home has been left mostly in tact, minus the usual signs of neglect. However, there appear to be a plethora of traps lain around the home. Various grapple snares have been detected, alongside explosive charges, beam emitters, and microphones. Much of these systems appear to be inert, and once reported directly to Mother Brain. It is clear she anticipated you might return here before confronting her. Given her destruction, several trap systems remain completely dormant. Still, any approach must be made with great caution.”

It occurs to me now that I can simply reblog this with each week’s update, so I think this will be a good way to go forward. If anyone has any better way to link this back to the other updates, lemme know. Anyways, week 2, here we go!

Day 8: Menace

Confession of Captured Revenant Pirate

“There is no hope for this world. You have been chosen. Kill me, release me, or keep me, it does not matter. The God of Death will descend upon this world, and bring with him our beautiful ends on his violet wings of destruction. His gift to us is the beauty of annihilation, and our swan song will be the cries of pain and the begging for mercy. Blood shall soak the land, decay shall fill the air, and fire shall paint the sky. He has died before, and come back once again. He is the beyond and the end. His promise is simple: Death to Everything. And we shall bask in its glory.”

Day 9: Meta

Scan of Space Pirate log

“Transfer of Commander Ridley has been successful. Smuggling operations, codifying his pseudo-corpse as Geoform-187, successfully transferred him to Frigate Orpheon for resuscitation and enhancements. While the metamorphosis was painful, it was completed to great success, and with equally great haste. One behavioral oddity following his awakening has been an uncharacteristic obsession with his murderer, the Bounty Hunter known as Samus Aran. His obsession with her has bordered on all consuming. While combat simulations targeting her are understandable, the latest advent of troops undergoing mandatory training on human torture techniques has shaken our confidence in his current leadership capabilities. Still, we expect this boiling rage to be reduced to a simmer over time. How long this change shall take remains to be seen.”

Day 10: Armor

Metroid Durability testing log

“This series of tests is to discern the limits of the outer casing around a Metroid. For the sake of testing accuracy and preventing longterm damage reflecting in subsequent experiments, each test has been conducted on a separate specimen. A maximum of five projectiles will be used in each test unless effects of projectiles are detectable.

Test 1: 9mm bullet

Result: No effect detectable. A mild shimmer across the gelatinous surface of the Metroid as each projectile bounced harmlessly off the outer shell. Metroid is healthy and appears to merely be confused by the impact.

Test 2: High Velocity Sniper Round

Result: No effect detectable. The outer layer appears to have rippled from the impacts, but no damage was suffered. Metroid is irritated by the impacts, though not in any serious pain that we can discern.

Test 3: Low Power Plasma Bolt

Result: Mild damage sustained. The area where the bolts made contact appeared to glow for a time from the transferred heat, but damage was reversed within 8 hours. Metroid appeared in pain from impacts. Tests on a further 2 subjects resulted in death from approximately 24 more shots.

Test 4: High Power Plasma Bolt

Result: Serious damage sustained. The area where the bolts made contact glowed, with numerous fissures visible in the membrane. Metroid appeared to be in pain from impacts and subsequent burning effects. Damage was reversed over the course of 26 hours. Tests on a further 2 subjects resulted in death from approximately 9 more shots.

Test 5: Troop grade missile system

Result: Serious damage sustained. Immediate damage and discoloration was less serious than energy based weapons, but compounding attacks lead to rapidly increasing damage. Damage was reversed over the course of 8 hours. Tests on a further 2 subjects resulted in death from 1 and 2 additional missiles respectively.

Test 6: Emplacement grade missile system

Result: Immediate destruction. Metroid was blown apart by detonation. While the efficacy of such an attack against a Metroid is real, the viability of such munitions against a small and agile target is low.

Day 11: Talon

The Edict of Ashkar Behek

“Between your own to hands, you created life in a form this galaxy has never seen. You nurtured it and allowed it to prosper, named it the Ultimate Warrior. However, when this novel form of life sought not to be controlled, you betrayed the values of your Hasana, and of the Chozo. You denounced your creation, sealed it away, and intended to destroy this world and all life upon it, to rid the world of what you birthed. Though your intentions were pure, this is a crime the Chozo will not tolerate. The sentence for you, Golden Claw, is death.”

Day 12: Fierce

Scan of Bioform Kraid

“Given the passage of several years, it was guaranteed that Kraid’s size would increase drastically since the initial invasion of Zebes. His species, the Kridilians, are used by Glaxamore forces as sentinels for important locations during sieges. They are transported in their juvenile stage of life, where they take up much less space. Once on site, they eat any bio forms they come across to accumulate mass as quickly as possible. As an adult, their legs become vestigial structures, reducing movement greatly. Kraid, himself, has been outfitted with various weapons on a rig grafted to his back, in addition to the various biological defenses native to his species. Perhaps most notably, Kridilians gain sentience once they reach adulthood. Kraid is likely to have an exemplary tactical intellect.”

Day 13: Omega

Scan of Pirate Security Log

“Subject 42, codified as Omega Pirate, has been transferred to the Phazon Mine sector known as The Grid, where the bleed through of Phazon through the Chozo shield occurs. While Omega Pirate has been cooperative and forthcoming in all tests and procedures, there are some of us who have our own suspicions about how much of his intellect he is withholding. On numerous occasions, he has been seen looking into the shield as if staring through it. As he does, he has been witnessed gesturing and nodding as if holding a conversation with an entity on the other side of the barrier. While some have dismissed this as Phazon mental degradation and have even celebrated its minimal effects on Omega Pirate, I have silent suspicions that his long staring sessions with the barrier are only the tip of the iceberg.”

Day 14: Relentless

Orders from Commander Ridley

“Tallon IV is now to be put on lockdown. Any vessels entering or leaving Tallon IV’s orbit are to be immediately destroyed. Curfews are to be in place for all non-combat personnel. Any unauthorized access to facilities or systems is to be reported immediately. Ration and payment rewards shall be given to any individual providing information leading to The Hunter’s capture. Capture of The Hunter is preferable to destruction. Any individuals who unnecessarily terminate The Hunter will face summary execution.”

Maytroid 2024 is here!

I am so excited to get to work on these new prompts. Last year, my entries for each day were fairly sloppy, and I was new to the series, so I was lacking a fair bit of information. Now, I’m armed with more knowledge and am eager to use it.

For those who haven’t seen what I did for Maytroid last year, what I’m going to be doing instead of art is something more writing focused. These little text entries are mostly styled after the scans from the Metroid Prime series. Matter of fact, this new set of prompts actually lends itself much better than last year’s, as I have a lot more leeway to play to my own strengths than last year (I still don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna do with Gorea). These are all canon to my own Metroid AU currently, though as things change in development, these may become out of date. They will give the vibe my stories are going for, but these shouldn’t be held to as the absolute canon for them. I’ll be posting these week by week, around 7 at a time, starting today.

Day 1: Ridley

Transcript of Security Footage

Several individuals in this footage cannot be identified at this time. They shall be identified as Pirate 1, Pirate 2, and Pirate Major.

Ridley: What I want to know… is why he is not in custody.

Pirate Major: I gave them their orders, they knew he was to be brought in alive, and instead they killed him.

Pirate 1: You told us to take care of him! We thought you meant an execution, not milk and cookies!

Pirate Major: Insolent Wretch! You say such things about your orders in front of our Commander?! You know how we handle that sort of insubordination!

Pirate 2: Cool it, we’re already in hot water.

Pirate 1: We’re in hot water because of the life of some winy little nobody that begged for his life with money he didn’t even have.

Ridley: While your insolence is… aggravating… I am willing to forgive this misstep.

Pirate Major: What?

Ridley: He was an insignificant pawn. We can always find another. As I was saying, I am willing to forgive this on one condition. Did he die in pain?

Pirate 2: Yes. He did suffer before he died.

Ridley: What methods or torture did you employ?

Pirate 1: Waterboarding. Works wonders on humans. I always liked how they sound when they cough and gasp for air.

Ridley:Mmmmm… was blood shed before his end?

Pirate 2: Yeah. My partner here has… quite the way with knives.

Ridley: Do tell.

Pirate 1: Slashed his wrists. Those arteries gush lots of blood from humans. And we started pulling teeth when he lied.

Ridley: Delicious. You have escaped capital punishment, but you will still be serving as guards for the Metroid containment units. For further forgiveness, you will need to be more creative with your implements. I find Revine’s death, by your account, to be quite dull. Your are dismissed, unless you wish to enlighten me further.

Day 2: Fiery

Scan of Pipe System in Norfair

“These pipes appear be delivering superheated magma into the Norfair region. Given the proximity to Ridley’s personal quarters, likely explanations include terraforming the area for Ridley’s own comfortability, additional protective measures, or the intentional destruction of Chozo artifacts not deemed useful. The latter is most likely, as the immediate area was once a Chozo burial tomb. It is now completely submerged in magma, disintegrating much of the artifacts within.”

Day 3: Winged

Scan of SA-X Mutations

“This X-Parasite copy has suffered some form of destabilization of its copying abilities. Abnormalities include a malformed, beak like structure around the mouth, several atrophied fingers, several hypertrophied fingers, small patches of feathers, and an extraneous structure protruding from its back resembling a Chozo wing bereft of feathers. These unusual deformities could be the result of DNA infusions during childhood complicating the process of anatomical replication within X-Parasite offspring. This individual seems to suffer great stress from its predicament, but it is unsafe to assume that its combat functionality is greatly hampered. Adaptation is this species’s main trait.”

Day 4: Pirate

Scan of Space Pirate Elite

“Subject is a member of an unknown species known only from individuals working within Ridley’s special operations group, The Revenants. This group acts as Ridley’s personal enforcers and assassins, fanatically worshipping their commander as a literal God of Death. They wield melee weapons personalized to their unique fighting styles. Each weapon is charged with electricity, giving them an additional ranged attack capability. They have operated since before the Galactic Federation, making a name for themselves in fighting Chozo warriors. Their endurance, agility, and strength cannot be overstated, in spite of their gaunt appearance.”

Day 5: Mecha

Scan of automaton codenamed Mecha Ridley

“Subject is a battle ready drone, seemingly created by Ridley’s fanatical special forces, the Revenants. Mecha Ridley is heavily weaponized, as there could be no altar to the God of Death without the ability to take a life. Weapons include flamethrowers, guided munition launchers, and superheated claws. Mecha Ridley’s armor is highly durable, but greatly hampers mobility compared to its inspiration. Additionally, as a cult idol of worship, advanced artificial intelligence was not prioritized during production. Mecha Ridley displays average combat intellect for a war drone. Recommend staying moving and outsmarting the automaton.”

Day 6: Fang

Scan of Rundas’s Necklace

“Rundas appears to have begun collecting Metroid Fangs as trophies since last he was approached. Assuming one fang was taken from each Metroid he has eliminated, he has defeated 15 Metroids in the two months since he was last seen. Unfortunately, his ego has grown with his kill count.”

Day 7: Cunning

Scan of Abandoned Home

“Old Bird and Grey Voice’s abandoned home has been left mostly in tact, minus the usual signs of neglect. However, there appear to be a plethora of traps lain around the home. Various grapple snares have been detected, alongside explosive charges, beam emitters, and microphones. Much of these systems appear to be inert, and once reported directly to Mother Brain. It is clear she anticipated you might return here before confronting her. Given her destruction, several trap systems remain completely dormant. Still, any approach must be made with great caution.”

Maytroid 2024 is here!

I am so excited to get to work on these new prompts. Last year, my entries for each day were fairly sloppy, and I was new to the series, so I was lacking a fair bit of information. Now, I’m armed with more knowledge and am eager to use it.

For those who haven’t seen what I did for Maytroid last year, what I’m going to be doing instead of art is something more writing focused. These little text entries are mostly styled after the scans from the Metroid Prime series. Matter of fact, this new set of prompts actually lends itself much better than last year’s, as I have a lot more leeway to play to my own strengths than last year (I still don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna do with Gorea). These are all canon to my own Metroid AU currently, though as things change in development, these may become out of date. They will give the vibe my stories are going for, but these shouldn’t be held to as the absolute canon for them. I’ll be posting these week by week, around 7 at a time, starting today.

Day 1: Ridley

Transcript of Security Footage

Several individuals in this footage cannot be identified at this time. They shall be identified as Pirate 1, Pirate 2, and Pirate Major.

Ridley: What I want to know… is why he is not in custody.

Pirate Major: I gave them their orders, they knew he was to be brought in alive, and instead they killed him.

Pirate 1: You told us to take care of him! We thought you meant an execution, not milk and cookies!

Pirate Major: Insolent Wretch! You say such things about your orders in front of our Commander?! You know how we handle that sort of insubordination!

Pirate 2: Cool it, we’re already in hot water.

Pirate 1: We’re in hot water because of the life of some winy little nobody that begged for his life with money he didn’t even have.

Ridley: While your insolence is… aggravating… I am willing to forgive this misstep.

Pirate Major: What?

Ridley: He was an insignificant pawn. We can always find another. As I was saying, I am willing to forgive this on one condition. Did he die in pain?

Pirate 2: Yes. He did suffer before he died.

Ridley: What methods or torture did you employ?

Pirate 1: Waterboarding. Works wonders on humans. I always liked how they sound when they cough and gasp for air.

Ridley:Mmmmm… was blood shed before his end?

Pirate 2: Yeah. My partner here has… quite the way with knives.

Ridley: Do tell.

Pirate 1: Slashed his wrists. Those arteries gush lots of blood from humans. And we started pulling teeth when he lied.

Ridley: Delicious. You have escaped capital punishment, but you will still be serving as guards for the Metroid containment units. For further forgiveness, you will need to be more creative with your implements. I find Revine’s death, by your account, to be quite dull. Your are dismissed, unless you wish to enlighten me further.

Day 2: Fiery

Scan of Pipe System in Norfair

“These pipes appear be delivering superheated magma into the Norfair region. Given the proximity to Ridley’s personal quarters, likely explanations include terraforming the area for Ridley’s own comfortability, additional protective measures, or the intentional destruction of Chozo artifacts not deemed useful. The latter is most likely, as the immediate area was once a Chozo burial tomb. It is now completely submerged in magma, disintegrating much of the artifacts within.”

Day 3: Winged

Scan of SA-X Mutations

“This X-Parasite copy has suffered some form of destabilization of its copying abilities. Abnormalities include a malformed, beak like structure around the mouth, several atrophied fingers, several hypertrophied fingers, small patches of feathers, and an extraneous structure protruding from its back resembling a Chozo wing bereft of feathers. These unusual deformities could be the result of DNA infusions during childhood complicating the process of anatomical replication within X-Parasite offspring. This individual seems to suffer great stress from its predicament, but it is unsafe to assume that its combat functionality is greatly hampered. Adaptation is this species’s main trait.”

Day 4: Pirate

Scan of Space Pirate Elite

“Subject is a member of an unknown species known only from individuals working within Ridley’s special operations group, The Revenants. This group acts as Ridley’s personal enforcers and assassins, fanatically worshipping their commander as a literal God of Death. They wield melee weapons personalized to their unique fighting styles. Each weapon is charged with electricity, giving them an additional ranged attack capability. They have operated since before the Galactic Federation, making a name for themselves in fighting Chozo warriors. Their endurance, agility, and strength cannot be overstated, in spite of their gaunt appearance.”

Day 5: Mecha

Scan of automaton codenamed Mecha Ridley

“Subject is a battle ready drone, seemingly created by Ridley’s fanatical special forces, the Revenants. Mecha Ridley is heavily weaponized, as there could be no altar to the God of Death without the ability to take a life. Weapons include flamethrowers, guided munition launchers, and superheated claws. Mecha Ridley’s armor is highly durable, but greatly hampers mobility compared to its inspiration. Additionally, as a cult idol of worship, advanced artificial intelligence was not prioritized during production. Mecha Ridley displays average combat intellect for a war drone. Recommend staying moving and outsmarting the automaton.”

Day 6: Fang

Scan of Rundas’s Necklace

“Rundas appears to have begun collecting Metroid Fangs as trophies since last he was approached. Assuming one fang was taken from each Metroid he has eliminated, he has defeated 15 Metroids in the two months since he was last seen. Unfortunately, his ego has grown with his kill count.”

Day 7: Cunning

Scan of Abandoned Home

“Old Bird and Grey Voice’s abandoned home has been left mostly in tact, minus the usual signs of neglect. However, there appear to be a plethora of traps lain around the home. Various grapple snares have been detected, alongside explosive charges, beam emitters, and microphones. Much of these systems appear to be inert, and once reported directly to Mother Brain. It is clear she anticipated you might return here before confronting her. Given her destruction, several trap systems remain completely dormant. Still, any approach must be made with great caution.”