Is Metroid Prime really a Metroid? 

Before you decide to type in the obvious joke of "well its called METROID prime so yeah it is" please take a moment to watch the video since I discuss the origins of the name/title within the game's universe. ALSO do keep in mind that, as I said in the video, this theory is based on the lore of the NTSC version, since I grew up with it and didn't get a chance to play the PAL version much later (with the Trilogy version) Either way, I hope you enjoy the video and thanks for watching

Ether way the metroid prime is still technically the final boss in all three games

Might be a weak reason, but Phazon Metroids in Prime 3 can move through solid matter, so Fission Metroids got through the walls of the impact Crater in the same way!

I feel like Metroid Prime must be a metroid in some capacity since it can SPAWN metroids in the second phase of the battle. There really isn't a way around that that I can think of.

My headcanon is that one of the metroids the pirates brought to the planet was infected with phazon so much that it became a Phazon Metroid, capable of phazing (heh) through walls, escaped their lab and was lured inside the leviathan to become the guardian, only that this metroid decided to eat the core and take its place.

Keep in mind in Prime 3, while exploring Phaaze you can find husks that belonged to other Metroid Primes. Considering Phaaze is full of Phazon Metroids (Tallon IV Metroids heavily corrupted by Phazon) and the fact that the Prime can breed Metroids might allude to the fact that a Metroid Prime is the Phazon Metroid equivalent to a Queen Metroid.

2:33 *insert obligatory "why does everything keep evolving into crabs?" joke here

All I know is Metroid Prime was enjoying a very nice, peaceful life when Samus came and screwed everything up. Clearly Samus is the bad guy, that's a correct theory

Hey! I love your content as I'm huge into the Metroid lore. That being said, I think that the Metroid Prime is absolutely a Metroid. Or, at least it was. Here's why I think that: 1. I'm pretty certain that "the worm" is actually meant to refer to the leviathan seed itself rather than the Metroid Prime. -"born from parasites" Born from Phaaze since Phazon itself could be seen as parasitic in nature. -"nurtured in a poisoned womb" I'm certain that this references the "serpentine womb" found in the room called "genesis chamber" on Phaaze containing the infant Leviathan. Samus needed to destroy both the womb and the infant leviathan in order to reach the sanctum where Dark Samus was waiting. 2. It's theorized that the Metroid Prime merged with either the leviathan phazon core or it's remains at some point to get it's exoskeleton and phazon producing ability. -This theory could be supported by the fact that upon it's defeat, the Metroid Prime rips off Samus's phazon suit and merges with it to later become Dark Samus. -There is almost certainly some sort of connection between the Metroid Prime and the phazon cores since the Metroid Prime is seen hanging in a very similar fashion to the cores on the ceiling of it's lair. They also both produce phazon. (this point supports both your explanation, as well as mine) -The seed on Tallon IV did technically have a guardian, but that guardian was the Metroid Prime itself. It sort of functioned as the core and the guardian at the same time. 3. It's also explained that Metroids were brought to Phaaze by Dark Samus and the space pirates sometime before the events of Metroid Prime 3. Presumably between the events of Prime 2 and 3. -This could explain the husks found on Phaaze that are stated to be indentical to the exoskeleton of the original Metroid Prime. -Another thing to note about the husks is that while they are stated to be identical, they are much smaller than the original. This could imply that they weren't there as long as the Metroid Prime was on Tallon IV, or that they were the result of Metroids merging with leviathans that were not fully grown. The latter could be supported by the location of the husks being the genesis chamber which houses leviathans in a very early stage of their life cycle. 4. In regards to how the Metroid Prime entered the impact crater in the first place: To my knowledge, it's never fully explained. -A possible explanation that I've heard several times is that a particularly mutated Metroid that may have had more phazon exposure than usual became a Phazon Metroid(Similar or identical to the variant seen in Metroid Prime 3) and was able to use it's ability to pass through solid surfaces to reach the impact crater as it searched for more phazon. -The presence of another Metroid in the crater for some time could explain why Fission Metroids are found in the impact crater and are in fact, quite plentiful as well. -It's important to note that the Metroid Prime is capable of spawning Metroids in various forms, including: Standard Tallon Metroids, Hunter Metroids and even Fission Metroids, and does so during the final stage of it's boss fight. This indicates that there is likely at least some connection between the Metroid Prime and those various forms of Metroids. Particularly the Fission Metroids since the "Colour-coded" weaknesses are seen on the Metroid Prime during the first phase of it's bos fight as well. -I don't know whether this supports that theory much or not, but it should be noted that the Chozo's seal did not completely stop the spread of phazon from the impact crater outward. It did howeevr significantly slow it's spread, but phazon was still able to spread outward to other parts of the planet. Anyways, even though I don't agree with the theory, I really enjoyed the video. Cheers!

Don't question Bird Magic

Orpheon: Is Metroid Prime really a Metroid? Me: It's actually Pennywise's ultimate form.

I go by the PAL version since I couldn't beat the game until I was much older. Then I played the Trilogy. My theory is based on the PAL version and by what I've seen in Corruption. The worm is possibly the leviathan core. However, once Space Pirates came to the planet, one of the Metroids escaped from their labs and became a Phazon Metroid. The Phazon Metroid phased through the Chozo seal on the Artifact Temple and infiltrated the Impact Crater. Once inside it absorbed lots of Phazon to become a Hopping Metroid, then it ate the Leviathan's core and all the Phazon within to become Metroid Prime. The Metroid Primes in Phaaze are Phazon Metroids feeding on the Leviathan womb's Phazon and mutated into Primes. For Dark Samus to obtain power, she absorbed the life-force and Phazon from the Metroid Primes in the area, that's why there's only husks by the time Samus arrived.

Me: sees new The Orpheon upload Also me: *insert Metroid fusion Ridley screech

Chozo logs never refer to the creature as Metroid Prime, just as “the worm”. They could be referring to the leviathan itself or even its core. Also the red phazon could either be a result of the core death, or the substances inability to leak further into the planet, becoming highly concentrated.

You said that Metroid Prime is the most powerful being given the Chozo's definition of Metroid being "ultimate warrior". After defeating Metroid Prime, it then views Samus as the this ultimate warrior. Proceeding to steal the Phazon suit from Samus and becoming a corrupted version of her. I find it pretty cool how the game leads up to Metroid Prime being the strongest enemy in the game, only for Metroid Prime to clone Samus by the end of the game.

I can see two theories. 1. Fission Metroids/Metroid Prime were the originals and they were used by the Chozo to create their own Metroids to fight the X on SR388. 2. The Chozo sent in Metroids to deal with the worm, only for it to corrupt them and possibly even absorb their power.

Samus is Metroid just like Link is Zelda.

The lore from the US Gamecube release of Metroid Prime is not canon. The PAL version, and all subsequent releases like Trilogy have different lore that say that the pirates detected a lifeform in the crater but didn't know what it was. The US GC version is an unfinished beta. It has several outright broken things (the music for Flaahgra does not play, and Meta Ridley gets stuck in his charge cycle and never transitions to his "jump" phase, he also becomes invincible to anything but the wavebuster - that fight is SO BROKEN in the NTSC GC release it's not even funny). The lore in that is also an early unfinished version, when they had planned the story to go in a different direction than it ultimately did. I do think they ORIGINALLY intended for it to be a metroid, but plans obviously changed.

It was because the space pirates found a way in the crater without the need of finding the artifacts, you can find the entries for that information in the space pirates bases!

I'll be honest, when I read the title I thought he was saying that the game metroid prime wasn't a metroid game. Oops

This video is amazing! It's great how you just adressed a topic I had been wondering about since I played the game! Greetings from Spain!!

Two of my favorite youtubers uploading for the first time in a while within 30 min of each other this is awesome

10:50 Did the Chozo not create the Metroids? Maybe they used some DNA from the Metroid Prime to create a new Creature like teh normal Metroid. That is why tehy called it the Metroid PRIME and the others simply Metroids. The Metroid Prime could be the Origin from the Metroids, after the Chozo made some Experinces with it. So they are related in some way and the Prime is not only the Source of Phazon, but also of the Metroids.

I remember some Pirate logs that mention Metroid Prime being discovered and at one point stealing and integrating Pirate weapons into its body. It even uses said weaponry in the fight (the missiles it fires, i believe). Not sure how that works out considering the barrier around the Impact Crater, though.

Here's a theory, Metroid Prime was the original metroid, and the Chozo created the more controllable Metroids using it's DNA but modifying it.

Despite the North American and Pal version retcon issues, it's a pretty solid idea. I kinda like it more than just saying a metroid snuck into the impact crater

Metroids were created by the Chozo to combat the X parasites on planet SR388, but they also somehow found their way to Tallon 4. The Metroid Prime doesn’t look like anything from SR388.

Alright hear me out. Let's say the Tallon 4 chozo are one of the oldest colonies, the leviathan lands, Metroid prime is inside. Later on a few Chozo leave Tallon 4 to explore, find Sr 388 and use the Metroid Prime as a blueprint genetically for the metroids. Thus coming full circle, it is the first Metroid. Idk maybe.

Metroid Prime was a fan of the metroids so he took their name and he was just chilling in his crib the whole time then literally everyone in the galaxy had to come bother him >:(

It’s a puddle of Phazon in the form of a Metroid, and then of Samus.

There's one main gripe with this theory I have. Metroid Prime literally can spawn other Metroids in the final phase of the boss fight with it.

I doubt we'll ever know the truth behind what Metroid Prime really was, since the original log entries have been retconned, and the new ones really don't touch on Metroid Prime itself at all. But if we wanted to go with the idea that it WAS a legitimately mutated Metroid, Prime 3 can actually give us a clue as to how it came to be. Namely in their unique mutation: Phazon Metroids. First is their design. We know that they're Tallon Metroids that have been exposed to a LOT of Phazon, so already this is a breed of Metroid that could have originated on Tallon IV. Their physical appearance also appears drastically different than their main Tallon counterpart. Namely, their inner nucleus is far more developed and looks almost like a brain, and their fangs are MUCH longer... almost like they're turning into legs. You could almost view this as the first stage of a Metroid's mutation into a Prime. But more importantly is their unique abilities. Besides enhanced strength and the usual Metroid strappings, they gain one very unique ability: the ability to phase through solid matter for a period of time. This is key. So let's pose this theory: after the Leviathan hits Tallon IV and the core begins to spread its Phazon through the planet, the Space Pirates arrive to do their Space Pirate thing. They discover this Phazon substance, and do what they spend the rest of the game doing: shoving Phazon into anything they can find and seeing what happens. Including the Metroids they brought to Tallon IV to breed. Given the various Pirate Logs and terminal scans providing plenty of examples of their incompetence, along with COPIOUS warnings and punishments for mishandling Metroids, I don't think it'd be a stretch to assume some random Space Pirate happened to lose track of one of the Metroids they were experimenting on. It finds a nice puddle of Phazon somewhere (there's no shortage on the planet anymore, after all), and away from Pirate eyes, it mutates into a Phazon Metroid. This little Metroid wants to consume more Phazon, and as it wanders Tallon IV looking for more, it finds the site of the Impact Crater, and uses its new ability to casually phase right inside, past the Chozo structure built to contain it, and heads into the Leviathan Core to feed on as much Phazon as it can, growing and mutating all the while until it evolves into Metroid Prime, and having consumed so much within the seed, that it effectively becomes the Leviathan's new core. Hence why when Prime dies, the Leviathan dies with it. We also know that the Leviathans use Phazon Corruption to lure a member of the planets' species there to mutate them and turn them into a Guardian for the inner core, so that could have been the Leviathan's intention with this Metroid. But with the Metroid's ability to siphon the life energy of any living being, maybe this backfired on the core, and is what allowed the Metroid to become the Leviathan's new core, and the new source of Phazon. Are there some leaps in logic and holes in this theory? Definitely. But with how vague the game is on the origin of this creature, and the general inconsistencies and retcons regarding its origins, I think that's inevitable with ANY theory.

Really interesting to see you tackle this topic. The Mystery of Metroid Prime, the different impact craters and the husks in the Genesis Chamber on Phaaze still intrigue me till this day. There are still many theories.

In the end as always: Bird magic v:

One big thing that you didn't consider is the fact that in the actual room on Phaaze where you kill the baby leviathan, there are metroids constantly coming at you. Metroids not only exist on phaaze, but exist abundantly.

It's possible that the Chozo visited Phaaze and actually created the first Metroid there to combat the threat of all the monsters that had mutated from the Phazon. Then maybe it backfired and the Metroid itself mutated into Metroid Prime. The Chozo's visit to Phaaze would also explain why Metroid Prime has Chozo armour - could've absorbed it from some Chozo on Phaaze. Phaaze is also described as being sentient, so it's possible that sending the seed to Tallon IV with Metroid Prime inside was a means of revenge to reek havoc among the Chozo.

Final Fantasy VII's spiky hair, emo personality and giant sword will always be iconic to me. Second place being the Team Fortress the 2nd and his giant minigun.

What if the Metroid were Bioengineered in Talon IV, and then the final products were transported to SR388, so when the Leviatan crassehd, there were some metroid DNA samples, wich the worm used to become Metroid Prime

The "Ultimate Warrior" thing is incredibly fascinating. Really enjoyed your video

I've done A LOT of research into the origins of Dark Samus and Metroid Prime. So here's what happened from everything I've gathered: A Leviathan crashed into Tallon IV and the creature inside that's from Prime 3 was "The Worm". Skip to the timeline of Zero Mission/Prime 1, a Tallon IV Metroid, brought by the Space Pirates, escaped. This wasn't logged because escaped Metroids meant death. The Tallon IV Metroid floated around and ate phazon, mutating itself into a Phazon Metroid. Though never appearing in Prime 1, phazon mutations are unique and doesn't guarantee a certain mutation for Metroids. Remember no Fission nor Hunter Metroids exist in Prime 2/3, doesn't mean they couldn't be there. The now Phazon Metroid, with its unique mutated ability to phase through objects, phased into the Impact Crater and feasted on the phazon inside. It evolved into a Metroid Hopper, which looks very similar to a Metroid Prime. Problem with the new mutation is it's now stuck in the Impact Crater with no way to escape. It kept feasting, eventually evolving into Metroid Prime. Prime then found The Worm, ate it, and thus became both the source of phazon and also the Guardian of the Leviathan. Dark Samus was born with Prime's essence fusing with Samus's Phazon Suit. A mix of genetics of phazon, Metroid, female human, and bird magic. Think just like in Metroid Fusion Samus is part female human, part bird people, part Metroid. So yes, Dark Samus would just eat up SA-X. She even tries to free imprisoned Metroids in Prime 2, because she herself is a Metroid. The dead Metroid Primes around Phazon were Metroids. Phazon Metroid evolved into Hopper evolved in Prime. They're not as large as Dark Samus was because they never ate a Worm. The smaller Primes are dead because Dark Samus killed them all. She was power hungry, wanted complete control, and feared competition. Phazon and the Leviathans were hers and hers alone. Now, the biggest problem with using the American version as canon, there's a logbook that originally states the Space Pirates captured Metroid Prime and gave it weapons, then it escaped containment and went inside the Impact Crater, which is literally impossible as nothing could get past the Chozo barrier. If the Worm was Prime, it had to eventually not only escape the Impact Crater but also get back in YEARS later.

Here's an extra tidbit for your theory: It was the Space Pirates who named it Metroid Prime. The Chozo called it 'the Worm.' How it even left the Impact Crater long enough for the Pirates to capture, study and augment it before it escaped and went back is beyond me though. Perhaps the Chozo's containment measures were less effective than they hoped and Metroid Prime could have always left the Leviathan any time it pleased, but stayed because that was where the Phazon was.

i always just thought a metroid evolved to become metroid prime, and took over a crab like creatures body. and then took over samus' "shell" to become dark samus. At the end you even fight the squishy evolved metroid prime squid thing.

With the Metroid Suit in Dread being designed to evoke Dark Samus, I think it’s safe to say Metroid Prime is a Metroid. It likely escaped from a Space Pirate lab, squeezed into the crater somehow and consumed the Leviathan, also absorbing Chozo artifacts present at the crash site which created its weapon systems.

I'm not sure, if anyone will actually read this, but I really appreciate how much effort you guys put into your videos. They are informative, well edited and really nice to watch after an eventful (or boring) day. I just ordered four of your stickers (maybe one day I'll get myself some shirts or hoodies or a bunch of mugs) and I would like to thank you for sticking with us and providing us with wonderful content!

Your one of my favorite creators and is the only reasons I played super metroid, zero mission and fusion, which are now some of my favorite games. Thank you!

It sure doesn’t look like any Metroid I’ve ever seen before.

How do i miss this? RU-vid never notice me and its the video i been waiting for so long, great video by the way, i really enjoy your videos and how you putt your love for the freanchise

YES!!! Yet another new video. Good to see you yet again Orpheon

*insert oh yeah mr krabs meme*

Im not counting um "it" as a metroid the bastard was not made by the chozo

(Coming back to this after Remastered) The main thing that makes this confusing is that Metroids spawn from the walls and floors of the impact crater (and the impact crater also resembles a sort of hive), which, if the crater truly is inaccessible to everything, would imply that either those metroids aren't really metroids, or the metroid prime must be related in some way to the metroids. I think my guess is that the chozo based the bioengineering of the metroids we find on SR388 off of what they gathered from the impact crater on Tallon IV. I also think that even if I'm wrong, this is going to be explained in Prime 4.

Wish Metroid was more popular

Just a quick PAL version tidbit: The "crab" form is an amalgamation of Pirate technology the metroid prime gathered around itself, not its natural exoskeleton. I believe the pirates knew about the creature and attempted to weaponize it, only for it to absorb their tech and become nearly unstoppable. It's also worth mentioning that Prime summons metroids in the 2nd phase.

I thought the version that promptly imploded looked a lot like a Metroid, with orb-brain things and lots of gelatinous tendrils

There are logs that state that the pirates were able to reach metroid prime inside the impact crater and that the creature itself attacked them and assimilated many of their weapons and defenses. They could not defeat it, but instead used/manipulated it for the source of phazon. You can assume that they somehow got in contact of metroids and did similar things. Much like the Gravemind or flood in halo it reaches a point to where the creature can just warp, change and construct itself into anything that it has assimilated or needs to be in the moment to protect itself or deal with a threat. This is further backed up in metroid prime 3 where you encounter Ing-lings as they had already been assimilated from Dark Aether in metroid prime 2 echoes. Also like how a story says an entire species was wiped out it could be true unless the writer makes it so. In mass effect we met Javik last prothean, in halo 4 we met Didact. I am somewhat of a writer so I am very skilled in these things, so when someone says they are the last of their kind I never believe it until I have proof as that can be a false narrative tool. Just because a door is sealed like how the chozo said they sealed it with the temple doesn't mean there wont be cracks in their defenses. The pirates most likely found some way to get to the core as stated in their logs upon finding the creature. I am going to say while I like that all of us fans are reading into this and trying our best to follow and establish proper canon this is one of those things that you are all reading into far too much or just missing the finer details. Also Nintendo themselves doesn't always know what the hell they're doing so I usually look to the fans, but at times even they get confused. One thing I'd like to state is that Ridley can't die, he can be defeated but he can't die. It has been years since I read the thing but somewhere he said that his cells fed on the dead cells of other dead beings. This makes him like Cell from dragonball Z. Making a story is like putting together a working engine and at times requires considerable mental fortitude as well as the ability to think for others and other characters. It literally is layers upon layers upon layers upon layers upon layers of information. Like metroid games where you are the mouse in the maze! I welcome any questions that are story related, but for the time being I have to get back to work.

My personal theory is that phazon, showing its volatility through its impact on space and reality itself, also impacts time itself (relativity and what not). Therefore, if a metroid made its way to Phaaze at any point in time, then Metroid Prime being originally a metroid is more than likely the case.

I should do a full scan run of trilogy then, I’ve only done full scan runs of the ntsc version, I had no idea scans were different. Great video! I absolutely agree with your theory and had similar ideas cooking in my head for years. I always assumed the metroids just kinda showed up into the core when the space pirates did, then realized the space pirates never got into the core. Maybe they just went up to the crater and asked nicely and prime just opened the door for the metroids, much to the disdain of the pirates.

I have a thought. However, it's been ages since I played Metroid Prime, and even then, I didn't have a fantastic grasp of the lore at the time. I never finished Metroid Prime 2, and so, I never got around to playing the third. So this is based just on what I do remember and the information presented in this video. Let me know if there's anything I'm missing that might conflict. That said, I wonder if it's possible you're reversing the order of events. Rather than trying to figure out how the Metroid Prime ended up in the crater after the Metroids were created by the Chozo on SR388, what if the Metroid Prime is the origin of the Metroids were know and love? You stated that the Chozo foresaw the arrival of the meteorite which contained the creature, and they built the facility to keep it there. The Chozo, being the inquisitive, scientific-minded birds we know they are, probably went about studying it, and it is there that they found the answer to their X problem. Upon discovering whatever properties the creature had, I think it's possible they used samples of its DNA, which they then took to their lab on SR388, to create their parasite-hunting weapon, the Metroids. Only this was a version of the ultimate warrior that they could control. The Chozo may have even brought their knowledge back to Talon IV to experiment on the original specimen, to see if they could develop a way to control that too. This manipulation may have resulted in the Prime's ability to spawn the engineered versions of the Metroids. So in this way, the Metroids we know originated on SR388, but it also explains how they, and the Prime, ended up on Talon IV, all wrapped up in a neat, little bow. Unless, of course, I'm missing something big, and you can let me know what that is.

Depending on when they made the Metroid vs the asteroid crashing on Tallon IV. I thought they might have tried using the metroids to fight the Prime at first, and only sealed it after they saw it was not only failing, but the Metroid were mutating inside.

I’ve come back to this channel after a few years and I come to see that this channel still makes underrated, quality content!

What if they sent the Metroid to fight The Worm and then the Metroid took its place from the corruption? Maybe a little far fetch, dunno. Either way awesome video! I didn't know about the corpses in Phaaze because THOSE DAMN BASTARDS KEPT ATTACKING ME! LOL

I know this video is 2 years old but yes, Metroid Prime IS a Metroid. Specifically it's a Metroid that was able to phase through the security of the temple. It then proceeded to feed on so much Phazon that it mutated and evolved into what would become Metroid Prime.

Pirate Data log that was in the NTSC version but removed from all subsequent versions of the game: “Test subject Z-d, hereafter referred to as Metroid Prime, was recently discovered in a cavern by mining crews. It quickly dispatched the miners, but was eventually contained by security units and drones. Once contained, we were able to begin studies upon Metroid Prime. The results have been astonishing. It is genetically similar to Metroids, albeit on a highly evolved level. It displays a limitless capacity for Phazon infusion and shows no Phazon-based degeneration whatsoever. It continues to grow in size, and while it has manifested some psychotic behavior, the cold fields we use to pacify remain effective. Authorization for advanced studies on Metroid Prime have been approved.”

BTW, the beware Switch HD Remaster Prime is amazing. The controls options makes a world of difference. Either play it with a Gamecube controller with the old controls, or motion sensored like Wii Trilogy, and Dual for modern controllers.

So... What if the Metroid Prime was the inspiration FOR the Metroids? thus the name "Prime"? They got the inspiration by studyin' the "Worm" that crash landed, and then created a creature to save 'em from a crisis (The X-parasite)

Since Metroid breaking containment is such a widely used trope in the series, and especially in Metroid Prime, I always figured that the pirates mining so close to the Chozo containment field gave some Metroids a chance to explore beyond what the pirates were aware of. There are many mishaps logged by the pirates, and I think one or two mention Metroids escaping, but not being recovered. With the way Metroids interact with different energies, it could be that a determined Metroid could pass through the Chozo barrier from a forgotten Pirate mineshaft or creature tunnel. I agree with Orpheon’s findings however, that Metroid Prime is not a Metroid. There just are Metroids in the sealed chambers.

My theory as to how metroids got into the impact crater is that they were sealed down there by the Chozo. Metroids may not be native to Tallon IV, but that clearly doesn't mean they can't be on the planet...y'know...since they are So it could be that the Chozo sealed metroids inside hoping they would harvest the energy created by the metroid prime in an attempt to slow down the spread of phazon to give their prophesized savior more time This could have sparked a symbiotic relationship between them, as seen by the fission mutation, which was exclusive to the crater in the original

First of all, I really love your videos. There seems to be so much effort behind them. It is always hard not to stuck with the version of something that amazes you at first glance, so I assume this is what it happened here. The canon version of the story (PAL/JAP) tells that some metroid brought to the planet by the Space Pirates ended evolving thanks to the phazon that was starting to leak through the chozo barrier. That metroid managed to phase through the walls of the leviathan seed. Those cores have the ability to highly mutate lifeforms in order to make them their guardians until the leviathan seed is finally able to consume the planet and become a phazon planet. The guardians thing is explained in Metroid Prime 3, if I recall correctly. Greetings from Spain.

Maybe planet Phaze is the origin of the metroid, and the Chozo used the leviathan worms as a base to engineer the metroids we know today. The new metroids that specifically have an ice weakness and no longer produce toxic radioactive material.

My personal theory is that the force field wasn't completed until after Metroid Prime escaped the Space Pirates. Some of the Chozo Lore found throughout the game was actually written by Chozo Ghosts who hadn't "turned," and they were also the ones who finished the Cradle and got the force field fully operational. This is based on a few facts I've gathered from the Chozo Lore. 1. Some of the Chozo Lore mentions the Space Pirates arriving on Tallon IV, meaning it was written after the Chozo were gone. 2. Lore that mentions Samus states that they didn't know whether they were witnessing past or future events, meaning that the timeline is unclear. They could have been watching her, and other events in real time as ghosts.

Yes yes fantastic theory and I love the video. Your VGM choices are TOP NOTCH

I’ve always considered the Metroid primes to be a subspecies that was native to phase. Like how a bunch of the other species we find in the Metroid series have variations on every planet. So where the regular Metroid metamorphose through omega, the phazon preferred ones transition through prime. And can either become the worm like creatures or the leviathan like creatures, either through phaeton exposure quantities or perhaps a male/female variation. Or just a divergence at a specific point in metamorphosis

With the recent knowledge from Dread, I’d say the Metroid Prime(s) are likely a modification of Metroids made by the Mawkin Tribe. So they are Metroids- just more like big war machine creatures than just a predator of the X Parasite.

Agreed, Prime isn't a member of the Metroid species. There's just a few points that I think should be added due to lore that could answer a few questions or clear up somethings: 1. I believe there is a log book entry/ Pirate data which states that Metroid Prime actually ate the core of the Leviathan on Tallon IV, which would imply IT was supposed to be the infant's guardian, but instead absorbed it's power, likely after being locked away by the Chozo with the Great Temple. 2. Pirate data also says the pirates mined into the Impact Crater and discovered Prime before the game began, and equipped it with weaponry to try and control it. However, Prime was able to escape the Pirates and make its way back to the Crater. To do so, it would have had to break through a lot of Pirate security, and burrow it's way out of the Mines. So it stands to reason that some Fission Metroid escaped too, following Prime's path of destruction back into the Crater.

Whatever it is, if the Chozo wanted it to live, they wouldn’t have created Samus!

Watching this Video got me another couple of Ideas! 1. What if the Chozo of Tallon IV had some Metroids of their own? The Chozo were known to exchange their technology and knowledge with other species, so it wouldn't be too far fetched, to assume, that Chozo of different planets exchanged their creations.Tallon IVs Chozo could've tried to fight the cause of Phazon with their own "ultimate warrior", before sealing the Crater. There's no Chozo Scripts backing that idea up, but it would explain why there's Metroids in the Impact Crater. That would of course mean, that their plan had backfired, just like the creation of metroids had backfired in the first place, as Metroid Prime aka "the worm" learned to control/create them as seen in phase 2 of the battle. Spinning that idea even further (even further from anything backing these ideas up), Metroid Prime could thus be a Metroid absorbing the original "worm" or the "worm" absorbing a metroid - the backfiring would be even worse. Chozo are known for doing things that work against their favor. 2. What if the Chozo didn't create Metroids from scratch, but based it on another creature - the larval form of Metroid Prime. Makes even less sense, no Scripts to back that idea up, but that would make "the worm" the basis of metroids, thus tying it into the family of metroids - and it would be a plausible/causable reason why MP can create/control metroids. As Prime can take on the meaning of "the first", the name "Metroid Prime" would then imply, that it's the "first" metroid. The base larval form of MP could've been a rather harmless, innocent being, with the capability of absorbing energy - unless mutated by Chozo (regular Metroids), or Phazon (Metroid Prime). Both theories are not backed up at all by the games or lore, and they require a lot of assumptions... but they could at least explain why Metroid Prime has a connection to the 'regular metroids', that the Chozo created. Let's see if MP4 will answer some of our questions - or adress none of them.

You kinda glossed over the existence of Hopping Metroids, which just look like smaller versions of Metroid Prime. Now, this may be a bit of a wild idea, but what if a Phazon Metroid not only phased itself inside the Impact Crater, but also somehow "bonded" and became one with a Phazon Core inside the Tallon meteor

metroid is an apex hunter/predator/warrior in chozo culture and the metroid prime does tick off those boxes and it just happens to be able to also create the creature previously called metroids

To me I reckon the Chozo tried using a Metroid to drain the life force of the Phazon leviathan and it end up absorbing its dna through a mutation that occurred due to exposure to Phazon. And to explain why Metroid Prime has a face the Metroid had attacked a Chozo shortly after and also absorbed its dna.

I can’t prove it as I no longer have my original copy, but I remember a log that the pirates talked about an experiment they had that seemed to absorb their technology into itself. They never named it directly and it’s near the fight with the Omega pirate, but I always thought they were teasing Metroid Prime. After it escaped, it simply jellyfished through whatever cracks in the seal the phazon was escaping from. But this tech absorption would explain its armored form as well as its inclination to consume and fuse with the Phazon Suit from Samus.

Given that the MP Trilogy are practically in an alternate timeline, and takes place after the first game, I personally wouldn't use any lore from games more recent than Super Metroid. Going by the Leviathan Infant logbook entry in MP3--especially the final paragraph--I would conclude that: 1) Metroid Prime is a Metroid enthralled by the Tallon IV Leviathan and mutated by its phazon. Its true form is the one you fight in the final phase of the boss fight. 2) The crab-like exoskeleton you first encounter isn't actually a part of the Metroid. The logbook specifically states that the Leviathan leaves behind its armored shell when it dies after enthralling a guardian for the Phazon core. Metroid Prime has simply possessed that shell. 3) This whole thing just reminds me of the Sephiroth/Jenova situation in Final Fantasy VII now. Also, while I'm a PAL-player, I believe my assumption at the time of the original game may have been that the Chozo on Tallon IV had their own Metroid(s) for one reason or another, which (unbeknownst to them) got drawn to the impact crater shortly after the Leviathan arrived. I believe the games are a bit fuzzy (especially with all the logbook revisions) about how much time has passed since Tallon IV was hit, but I do suppose another option is that the Leviathan stayed alive (maybe hibernated) until the Space Pirates arrived and one of their Metroids ended up being the first create to make it past the Chozo's safeguards and come into direct contact with the Leviathan "worm".

In the game manual, it mentions the space pirates did mining for phazon, whos to say they didn't mine into the impact crater and saw all the red phazon and thought "I wonder what this will do the metroids?".

My hypothesis on how the fission metroids entered the impact crater is through one of their most annoying traits in terms of gameplay: they're infinitely respawning. I propose that when the fission metroids are "destroyed" they actually turn into a gaseous form as a defense mechanism, and revert back to a physical form when they've recovered. This also allows them to pass through solid objects. Hence the name "fission metroid" - they break apart and come back together. It may sound like a stretch, but remember, this is the same game where even the dead Chozo can be "killed" - aphysical creatures with physical properties is not unheard of. Heck, in Super Metroid the second main boss is a floating ghostly head who spawns smaller floating ghostly heads until it's defeated.

Heyo I missed ur vids glad ur back :D

What if... The Chozo went to Phaze and made experiments with the phazon using the metroids, but Phaze radiated so much Phazon that the metroids overmutaded, killed the Chozos in Phaze and one of those metroids entered a leviathan meteor and mutaded into the metroid prime?

other idea: The metroid found some phazon, ate it, turned into a phazon metroid, wanted more, entered the leviathan seed, ate a bunch of the phazon and absorbed the energy from the leviathan, became the Metroid Prime, [some blank spot of text about how the Metroid Prime got the exoskeleton, that I don't have an explanation for], and then couldn't leave

I think they may try to retcon metroid prime and phazon into being a failed and abandoned Mawkin experiment that went out of control. Just an idea, but could make an interesting story in prime 4.

Lmao at the Giant Enemy Crab audio in the beginning, classic.

There was a peice of space pirate lore that was for some reason deleted from the trilogy version and in it, the space pirates explained that a mutated metroid escaped its confines. I like to think that somehow the metroid got into the impact crator and found the leviathan then mutated with it via phazon. Which would also explain why fission metroids are there, and why metroid prime can spawn metroids. I cant really find out how the damn metroid would be able to get inside impact crator though

It’s a worm in an apple or a rotting book.

Since Metroid translates to ultimate warrior in Chozo, re reading the titles of Metroid games is very interesting. Ultimate warrior could mean Samus herself. It really fits when re reading Metroid Dread's tilte as Ultimate Warrior Dread. It implies that even Samus isn't safe against the deadly EMMI. Whether the designers intended this is unknown, I think it's Nintendo knew what they were doing.

0:57 Oh God.. may history not repeat itself with Switch.

I speculated the barrier only blocked phazon or anything corrupted by it, hence how someone installed a save station in the impact crater while it still blocked the corruption from spreading.

dude im legit jealous of the Metroid collection you have T-T

The are logs in the game that outright tell you the pirates had contact/experimentation with Metroid Prime. I'd say they found their way into the impact crater and had been experimenting with Metroids before you got there or while you were going through the rest of the game.

Really cool theory. The Metroid Prime in the Levithan seed in Prime 3 was probably your biggest sign of evidence for this theory. It did make me honestly reconsider my interpretation of Metroid Prime. However, I do still believe that Metroid Prime is a Metroid, if for no other reason than it has been shown able to physically recreate Metroid's through its Phazon pools. I don't feel like such an ability would be possible if Metroid Prime wasn't part Metroid. I do like how you mentioned Metroid does mean ultimate warrior in the Chozo language. I did know this factoid before, though reconsidering the name, it does add a level of thematic cohesion to the Metroid Prime series. Arguably this series is where Samus is at her strongest, her prime if you will.

I always just assumed that “sealed” meant humanoids couldn’t enter the impact crater. Baby metroids the size of those in Metroid 2 could probably squirm their way in given how aggressive the creatures are.

Prime on gamecube was my introduction to the Metroid series. I still have my old copy of the game

My head cannon has always been that "the worm" is indeed the leviathan core. However it either corrupted or consumed a metroid from the pirates to take on its more durable form. So for me the reason there are Metroid Prime-like shells on Phaaze is that Dark Samus still is the Metroid Prime, again in another new form that it stole. So my guess is if she is directing phaaze that maybe her genetics are influencing it.

I can't remember which version but one of the versions of metroid prime theres a log entry that states that the metroid prime had killed many of the space pirate science team and fused with some of the weapon systems (hence the missle launcher, chemical missles and sheid generator that shields it from all but the color it's using)