Kihunter

Kihunter
Origin	Unknown
Debut	Super Metroid

The Kihunter is a type of enemy that appears first in Super Metroid and in Metroid Fusion.

Information

A race of insectoid aliens that hail from another galactic system. Although very little is known about these species, they are in fact space pirates like the Zebesians. Unlike their more humanoid counterparts, Kihunters are more insectlike in appearance. As such they possess wings and can secrete acid from their mouth. Due to their natural abilities, they seem not to use any weapons save for the ones they were born with. They used their wings for flying into their opponent. If they lost their wings in battle, they would resort to using the acid from their mouth as a weapon.

The Kihunters provided assistance to the Zebesians after Samus Aran eradicated the pirate forces on Zebes. To what extent the Kihunters assisted the Zebesians in the rebuilding of Zebes is unknown, but they were stationed in areas that the Zebesians were absent from. Most prominently in the caverns in the uppermost areas of Crateria as well as inside the Wrecked Ship. The strongest of the Kihunters helped to defend Tourian and the path leading to Mother Brain.

They appeared in Metroid: Other M as one of the many Space Pirate-based bioweapons bred aboard the Bottle Ship. They appear in the Biosphere and unlike other games, will try to cling to Samus and explode. Their wings can be shot or torn off by Samus in battle. They are also featured in a boss battle where Samus takes on a hive of Kihunters as well as their king. Stronger versions called Super Kihunters, which can drain Samus's energy by grabbing her, appear later in the game.

On board the BSL spacestation, the researchers had managed to somehow capture Kihunters, although they were likely more clones bred from the same sample as the ones in Other M. They were, however, infiltrated by the X Parasite and were easily duplicated by it. The Kihunters behaved in the same manner as they did on Zebes, but after being destroyed the X Parasite was able to reform into a Kihunter.

Larval Form

The larva form of the Kihunter is a small worm-like creature known as a Zero. In Super Metroid, they are found clinging to walls in many areas and are harmless unless Samus bumps into them. They have a high chance of leaving behind Power Bombs when destroyed. They also appear within Metroid Fusion, which reveals the stages of its growth as well as its relation to the Kihunters. These Zeros, which have also been possessed by the X Parasites, making them larger and covered in thorns. Their skin hardens at one point in the game, and they eventually develop into the X versions of Kihunters that Samus battles in the game.

Some Zeros also appear in the Biosphere of Other M. These metamorphose into Kihunters much quicker than those of the previous games and in fact will transform immediately upon being attacked unless Samus attacks them with one of several specific weapons (Bombs, Power Bombs, Plasma Beam or Screw Attack).

Other Appearances

Video Games

• In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Kihunters appear as enemies in Smash Run. They attack with dashes and by spitting acid. Their appearance is accompanied by a trophy. In the Wii U game, Zeros appear on the Pyrosphere stage, where they fall from above and move slowly across the stage. It is possible to pick up and throw them. The Zero has its own trophy in this version, and there is also a trophy for the King Kihunter.

Trivia

• The Super Metroid manual describes them as hailing from another galactic system. This could either mean another system within the same galaxy or another galaxy altogether, which would mean the Metroid universe is not limited to one galaxy like many scifi universes.