Metroid Prime (Creature)

Metroid Prime
Origin	Tallon IV
Debut	Metroid Prime

Metroid Prime is a creature from the Metroid series and the titular enemy of the game, Metroid Prime.

Background

An unusual creature of unknown origins. Its arrival seems to have come around the same time that the Phazon-filled meteorite hit Tallon IV several years prior. The arrival of the Phazon and the creature 'Metroid Prime' marked the decline of Tallon IV and the Chozo's inhabiting the planet. In the crater it continued to fester, becoming continually stronger. The Chozo sought to stop the poisonous Phazon and Metroid Prime by sealing it in the Impact Crater with the Artifact Temple and the Cipher.

As the Chozo continued to decline after this, the Space Pirates arrived and found the Phazon to be useful to their ends. On a mining expedition, they encountered Metroid Prime and were able to make extensive studies of it. They were able to subdue it with cold weather and observed that it shared certain genetic similarities to Metroids, thus they gave it the name 'Metroid Prime'. It eventually wiped out the Space Pirates and assimilated many of their weapons into its bodies. It was not only able to absorb these weapons, but form protective screens to block them as well.

Samus Aran finally encountered Metroid Prime only after collecting the twelve artifacts. She encountered it in its normal form, that being a a large spider-like creature with four legs and two pincers. It was capable of firing energy beams similar to Samus Aran's, but was also weak to the same kind of energy it was firing. After taking enough damage, it would retreat to a deeper cave. Samus continued to track it down until she was able to destroy its armored shell.

A screenshot of the Prime core.

In the deepest part of the crater it transformed into its true form. This form resembled a large floating head with several tentacles. In this form it was largely invulnerable to attack and was capable of vanishing from the normal visual spectrum. In this form it was capable of producing pools of concentrated Phazon. Samus Aran, thanks to her Phazon Suit, was able to use these pools to fire the Phazon Beam, which proved very effective against Metroid Prime. After it had sustained enough damage, it attempted to suck Samus Aran in, but succeeded only in stripping away the Phazon contamination on her Power Suit.

After Samus Aran had left Tallon IV, all that remained of Metroid Prime was a puddle of Phazon. Having absorbed Samus' Phazon suit Metroid Prime rose out of this puddle as Dark Samus.

Trivia

• In Metroid Prime Pinball, it is the boss of the Impact Crater table. Both of its forms must be destroyed in order to beat the game.
• The Chozo refer to Metroid Prime as the great 'Worm'.
• There are some differences between the translations of the North American and European versions of Metroid Prime, particularly concerning the Metroid Prime creature. In the European version, the Space Pirates never encountered (or named) Metroid Prime.
• Two trophies of Metroid Prime, one of each form, appear in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.