Adam Malkovich

Adam Malkovich in Metroid: Other M
Adam Malkovich
Species	Human
Hair color	Black
Eye color	Blue
Relatives	Ian Malkovich (brother)
Voiced by	Dave Elvin (2010)
Debut	Metroid Fusion (as computer) Metroid: Other M (human self)

Adam Malkovich is a ranking officer in the Galactic Federation and features prominently into the story of Metroid Fusion, despite having died years before the game takes place. Adam was later featured in Metroid: Other M, which told the events leading up to his death.

Background

Life

Adam was a member of the Galactic Federation during Samus Aran's serviece. As her commanding officer, he would often be the one to send her out on missions and relay the orders to her. His keen military knowledge and tactical mind made him an excellent officer, even in situations where he was forced to make difficult choices that risked lives to save others. In particular Samus greatly admired him and considered him to be a surrogate father. Whenever he had finished giving his orders, he would follow up with: "Any objections, lady?" Though it might have sounded disrespectful from anyone else, it was always sincere from Adam, even though he knew Samus never would object.

As Federation officers usually acknowledged orders with a thumbs-up, Samus would playfully acknowledge Adam's orders with a thumbs-down. However, there was tension between the two as well due to the sacrifices Adam made. There was eventually a specific incident in which a cruiser they were in which contained 300 passengers was at threat. In order to save them, Adam had no choice to eject the drive unit which contained his brother Ian. Samus objected fiercely and wanted to find some way to save him, but Adam sternly stuck to his commands, which caused Ian to be lost. Eventually, Samus left the Federation completely to work as a bounty hunter, and he regarded this decision with bitterness.

Other M

Adam in his battle armor.

Years later, Adam received a request to write a report for the Federation about a proposed bioweapons project in which they would clone bioweapons similar to the Space Pirates and Metroids in order to take advantage of the Space Pirates' organization skills. However, Adam objected to his and outlined all the plan's flaws within his report. A small faction of the Federation co-opted his report, however, and they used it for their own ends, to begin working on said project within the Bottle Ship. The events of Metroid: Other M began when Adam arrived at the Bottle Ship commanding the Seventh Platoon, which consisted of Anthony Higgs, Lyle Smithsonian, Maurice Favreau, James Pierce and KG Misawa. Samus arrived shortly after them to respond to a Baby's Cry distress signal.

Adam initially acted cold towards Samus, keeping her in the dark about the mission's purpose and initially refusing her help. But Samus insisted on coming along, and eventually communication was cut off for everyone except for Samus. So Adam coordinated Samus but under his own terms, only allowing her to use most of his weapons whenever he deemed it appropriate to grant permission. Adam was a constant presence and guide during Samus's exploration of the Bottle Ship until he was attacked by what seemed to be The Deleter (a mole planted by his Federation enemies who was most likely Pierce) shortly after allowing Samus to use the Plasma Beam against Ridley.

Adam wound up sneaking off by himself into Sector Zero, which contained massive amounts of cloned Metroids. He watched Samus when she arrived, taking out a baby Metroid for her but then using his gun to temporarily immobilize her. He explained that Samus should hunt down Ridley and MB, for they were more pressing concerns that only a galactic savior such as Samus could handle. Adam, who considered himself barely more than human, left it to himself to handle Sector Zero while sacrificing himself at the same time in order to save Samus. He gave her one last "Any objections, lady?" before he sealed her off from the Metroid lab. She bid farewell to Adam with her usual thumbs-down. Adam then ejected the entire area from the Bottle Ship and went to take on the Metroids while waiting for the self-destruct system to activate, killing them all.

Computer AI

Unknown to Samus (and possibly even Adam himself) was that given his extraordinary leadership, his mind had been copied and uploaded into the Federation archives so that he could continue to serve when his mind would be needed.

Inevitably he would 'meet' Samus Aran again when the X Parasite invaded the BSL Station in Metroid Fusion. Samus had been escorting researchers on SR388 and was infected by the X. Her Gunship was destroyed when she passed out later while in flight. The Federation replaced her ship with a new Gunship, but this one had an on-board AI installed. Though Samus was unaware of it, this AI was actually the mind of Adam Malkovich, presumably chosen due to his familiarity with Samus Aran.

The familiarity was immediately by noticed Samus, though largely on a subconscious level. She even named him Adam based on the similarities, though she saw him as being a much colder, computerized version of her old friend. She eventually came into confict with the computerized Adam when the Federation's ambitions to weaponize the X became apparent. Though Adam initially supported the Federation's plans, when Samus accidentally slipped and called him Adam, he had her explain what she thought the real Adam would do. He then revised Samus's plan and agreed to help her wipe out the X by destroying SR388.

With the SA-X destroyed, the Gunship was then nearly destroyed by an escaped Omega Metroid, but a few passengers he had picked up before (a few creatures Samus had rescued from Zebes) were able operated the Gunship so that it could get to safety and later pick up Samus to get her away from the explosion. Though victorious, Samus and Adam were faced with the judgment from the Federation for their actions, though Adam remained resolute that someone would understand.

The Adam AI returned in Metroid Dread and acted as Samus's guide throughout her mission on ZDR. However, the real Adam only appeared in the very beginning and briefly at the end of the game. While Adam gave Samus instructions at Network Stations, it was ultimately revealed that those messages were actually sent by Raven Beak posing as Adam in order to manipulate Samus. One notable difference was that he referred to Samus by name instead of as 'Lady'. Raven Beak's ideology also leaked into this transmissions, as he talked about Samus needing to become a 'worthy opponent' for him. Samus ultimately attacked the apparent computer at the Network Station in Itorash and discovered that it was an illusion that was made by Raven Beak, who was standing right there. The real Adam AI was only heard once in the ending, when he informed Samus that she would drain the Gunship's power in the condition she was in at the time.

Manga

Adam makes an appearance in the official Manga (which is believed to have been written by Yoshio Sakamoto, the co-creator and scenario writer of the Metroid series). He makes his first appearance at the end of Chapter 3 and makes sporadic appearances in the rest of the series. He is shown as being Samus's superior and is shown first meeting her after one of her first missions for the Federation. He defends her when the inhabitants of K2-L are accused of being unable to defend their selves from the Space Pirates and authorizes her to a short mission to Zebes to warn the Chozo of an impending attack. He also shows concern for Samus after she becomes a bounty hunter and makes moves to protect her wellbeing. He is still alive when last seen in the manga (during the adaptation of Zero Mission), which fits in with the continuity of Other M.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• Within the Super Smash Bros. series, Adam has been represented as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and as a Novice Primary Spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. When fought against in Spirit battles, Adam's Spirit would possess Solide Snake and fight alongside Zero Suit Samus.

Trivia

• It was often thought that Samus and Adam may have been romantically connected and that his death is what compelled her to leave the Federation to be on her own. However, Other M debunks this by showing that Adam died long after Samus became a bounty hunter, and her remarks that she saw him as a father figure destroy most chances that they ever had a romantic relationship.
• In Fusion, there is a secret conversation that can be unlocked by using Shinesparking to return to Sector 4's Navigation Room after opening Level 4 security doors but before obtaining the Diffusion Missiles. In that conversation, Adam congratulated Samus on her Shinespark trick and was joined by a transmission of an unknown Federation official who wanted to reward her for being so impressive by letting her know their plan, only for Adam to dismiss the idea as not being advisable. He then broke the fourth wall by wondering how many players would reach that message. Upon return visits to the room, the Federation official would bring up the plan again, only to be cut off by Adam. Due to the comical nature of the conversations and Adam's fourth wall-breaking comment, the conversation is likely not meant to be canon.
• In Metroid Dread, a bonus image in the Chozo Archives depicts the human Adam in a splash image of important Metroid characters.