Your personal Tumblr library awaits
Metroid Prime 3 - Blog Posts
Day 29 - "United". Bounty hunters walk away from the battlefield after completing their mission. These guys were the coolest part of Prime 3. Also why is battle damage so fun to do?
I’m probably gonna have nightmares from these designs tonight, took me like an hour just to understand Rundas lol
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.
I’m so glad Seregoss got brought up here. Reminder that he made a cover of Sylux’s theme right away when the Prime 4 trailer came out. Metroid’s fan soundtracks are absolutely amazing. I’ve gotten so many writing ideas from his music.
I’m planning on narrating my Metroid fan stories, similar to @tsproart has done with his own original story, Journey’s Ahead. Because of the vast array of incredible existing tracks, both in game and from fans, I want to edit in some title cards featuring the song name, artist and source. I’ll do this in the video itself, as opposed to the description, as I’m not animating this or anything. All of those amazing people deserve to see their name in some of the scenes I’m proud of, so they can be proud in turn.
Alright, I need to throw some more shit on here because once again, Metroid has an iron god damn grip on my brain.
If there is something I truly wish nintendo would accept for once in their lives, its bringing in some fan talent to work on metroid - much like how sega has brought on fan talent for sonic.
Because jesus fucking christ, there are some music artists out there that make some genuinely good covers and original tracks.
Take for example, Seregoss - This absolute mad lad makes some high energy remixes of metroid alongside his own tracks for some original projects, and they slap SHIT!
Like this S.E.R.R.I.S remix he's made. holy FUCK IT FUCKS HARD.
Or one of my absolute favorites, SynaMax
He does more than just make original tracks, he has straight up gone into the rabbit hole of finding the source of EVERY SINGLE SYNTH INSTRUMENT EVER USED IN THE PRIME TRILOGY.
NOT ONLY THAT, he has made MANY tracks with this library, and even released the information on the sources to the wide web as well as most of the samples that can be used! Now the downside of course is that he hasn't published ALL of these found samples yet, and I really hope he does, cause god dammit
Metroid Prime has such a unique soundscape that no other franchise has ever managed to captured, even with later metroid games as well, and I NEED MORE PEOPLE TO MAKE MUSIC WITH THIS SHIT.
He nails the vibe, so much so that I wish Retro picked him up to make music for Prime 4 cause god damn, it fits REALLY well.
For those aspiring musical artists out there, sincerely take a gander at the sample library of the Prime Trilogy, this shit needs to spread further out on the internet cause it is CRIMINAL that a lot of these samples had nearly become lost media in their own right.
That also leads me into the second portion of this blog, god fucking dammit I just love the Trilogy's music. I could go on, and on, and ON about my favorite tracks in the entire series - from the Chozo Ruins and Overworld of Prime 1, to fucking EVERYTHING in Prime 2 (Yes, Prime 2 is my favorite despite the keyhunting bullshit, and the music is peak to me), and Prime 3's mix of orchestral instruments alongside those classic synths we've come to know and love.
The highest peak of the trilogy if you ask me is Sanctuary Fortress.
No matter what, I always remember the first time reaching that area and hearing that techno-like, harsh yet almost spiritual vibe of the Fortress, and GOD - seeing that skybox on the outline, it always made me wish you could go down there to explore the Luminoth city that was abandoned so long ago, yet remains lit and functional to this day.
Prime 2 if you ask me has the better soundtrack in the trilogy just due to the sheer amount of original tracks, but also torvus bog and the flooded temple area too, its just too god damn good.
God, I really hope Prime 4 keeps to the tradition of god tier music, and reincorporates some of the instrumentals that the trilogy is known for.
To add a little fine detail to this, I like to think that Gandrayda’s whole shapeshifting ability needs a not insignificant amount of sourced energy. She would need to, say, tap into a ship’s power grid and siphon some energy out before transforming.
So imagine that scene aboard the Mothership where she reveals herself to Samus happening soon after a power flicker that cuts the lights out for a second, then it happens again as she leaves. Could be a really interesting tell for when she’s present, having a mini power outage.
Of course, with the PED equipped, that energy can be sourced from the Phazon growing inside of her, making her all the more deadly and capable. There’s no tell any more, no indication that she’s in your midst.
Headcanon that Gandrayda's been employed by the Federation as a spy for a long while; Specifically, to keep tabs on the Space Pirates. She was the one who reported that Mother Brain was responsible for controlling the Metroids, and with her destruction, the Metroids would turn on the Space Pirates, hence why they're used and prioritized a lot less in Prime and Echoes, and have a tendency to turn on their 'owners'.
(As for why we see Metroids feeding on Space Pirates in Zero Mission, it's because Mother Brain is a cruel entity who rules through fear and needs to feed her bioweapons; She doesn't mind disposing of lesser pawns, especially if some of them doubt her authority.)
If Metroid were to have a story adaptation... During the Zero Suit portion of the first game, Samus would find herself cornered at one point by Space Pirates; Only for one of their own to turn on them, shooting them down. Said Space Pirate reveals themselves as the spy the Galactic Federation alluded to, the one who dropped all of this key intel regarding the Space Pirates' Metroid operation.
Gandrayda isn't explicitly identified, not yet; But her wink, the way she calls Samus 'Sammy' and her leitmotif at the end; These hint to that. Plus, maybe she can take the form of an Urtraghus Space Pirate, adding to the implication and to allude to how Gandrayda debuted in Corruption and did take such an appearance there. Maybe the Space Pirates would have a more mixed army pulling from all the species we've seen, or they'd operate separately and in their own sectors, requiring Gandrayda to imitate a Zebesian idk.
The main reason why the Federation didn't notify Samus of Gandrayda is that she wasn't supposed to be on Zebes during the Zero Mission; She was stationed on the Space Pirate Mothership, which was locked in battle with Adam's fleet elsewhere (as shown in the manga). But when Ridley received news of Samus' infiltration of Zebes, he immediately flew the mothership back to that planet; Hence why in-game, he arrives about halfway through. Gandrayda stayed with the Space Pirates she'd infiltrated.
Otherwise, the Federation would've notified Samus of their spy on Zebes; Because they wouldn't want her to accidentally kill such a key asset. Plus they'd explain to Samus that the spy will introduce themselves as Gandrayda, since the Space Pirates don't know about her yet, but may suspect a spy; This is to play it safe so Samus knows she can trust whoever she comes across, because communications with the Federation are cut off on Zebes due to Mother Brain's monitoring and ability to intercept (This required Gandrayda to get off-planet to report intel).
But Gandrayda was supposed to be on the Mothership, which Adam was supposed to destroy after she fled through an escape pod, so none of these instructions were required at the time. So after saving Samus, Gandrayda leaves to maintain her cover, not bothering to elaborate on her exact identity. It's only in a future episode, somewhere between the games and before Corruption, that this Space Pirate spy is elaborated on to be a shapeshifting bounty hunter.
Gandrayda ends up playing a key role in saving the galaxy, acting as a turning point for the Federation's victory, much in the same way Samus herself did; Unlike other hunters like Rundas or Ghor (no offense), Gandrayda and Samus were both responsible for key, specific actions that nobody else could've done. And these actions shifted the tide drastically, changed the playing field definitively.
As a result, Gandrayda considers herself just as much the Hero of Zebes as Samus is to the rest of the galaxy; She can literally be the 'Hero of Zebes' herself by turning into Samus. And this helps drive her one-sided rivalry with Samus, especially since... Gandrayda can't take credit the way Samus does.
Not that Samus tries to; But in the end she's recognizable, she's a unique bounty hunter with iconic armor that anyone can see at a distance. She CAN be stealthy but she's also just as capable at blasting her way through an entire planet. Being well-known helps her career, it creates a bogeyman to terrify the Space Pirates, and a symbol of hope for the galaxy that the Federation can always remember if they're out of all other options.
Gandrayda can't be that; She's best suited as a spy, an infiltrator. Someone people don't notice, someone most of the galaxy, and even the Space Pirates, don't know about; So they can't suspect that someone they know they can trust has actually been impersonated by Gandrayda. She's meant to lurk in the shadows, she doesn't go the big and explosive, glamorous work. Her entire gimmick is being unrecognized, what is she without that?
And this feeds into this deep-down inferiority complex and resentment, including towards Samus. Not that she ever externalized it... Until Corruption, when Dark Samus took control and brought out the worst of Gandrayda through Phazon. That was when she actually revealed herself to the Space Pirates, many of whom still feared Gandrayda as secretly fooling their god into believing she was on their side; Not that they'd ever openly doubt Dark Samus' own evaluation of using Gandrayda. And it turned out they had nothing to worry about, alas... But the fear was in a way a form of recognition, validation even, for Gandrayda. She was otherwise a secret even to most of the Federation military, with only the upper echelons knowing of her.
Part 4, the penultimate week and the last full week of these. Not really much else to say at this point, so I don’t have excuses to dilly dally, right? Let’s dive straight in!
Day 22: Stalk
Scan of Space Pirate Logs
“Project Shadow has yielded significant results. The MSC-MK3 cloaking device has proven to be a highly effective cloaking unit, able to conceal a soldier from a vast range of visible light spectrums. While certain frequencies of light can still detect a cloaked soldier, they are not within a spectrum that most sapient species can see without ocular enhancements. There are two main downsides to the tech, however. Projectiles being fired while cloaked can completely disrupt the cloaking field, as it will attempt to envelope the projectile, causing a system overload which requires a lengthy factory reset in order to continue functioning. For this reason, troopers equipped with the MSC-MK3 should be instructed to only use melee weapons. More significantly, the energy expenditure for cloaking is immense, requiring near constant upkeep in order to function. For this reason, the MSC-MK3 should only be used by internal security for installations with proper energy dispensaries. Science Teams aboard the Research Frigate Siriacus claim that models with superior energy efficiency shall be made available soon, but with the caveat of being too expensive for mass production.”
Day 23: Savage
Scan of Crashed Civilian Ship
“While various burn marks across the hull indicate small arms fire scorching the exterior, the attack that brought down the vessel was an explosion near the engines, causing them to short out before the ship could approach the atmospheric limit. Several deep gouges are visible on the roof of the hull, with a large chunk being cut out. The molten metal around the cuts indicate a heated blade piercing the plating. Given the blood staining the inside of the vessel, the fate of the occupants bears no thinking about.”
Day 24: Taunt
Scan of Gandrayda’s Power Suit Mimicry
“Although Gandrayda’s shapeshifting capabilities can mimic the form of an individual, it has a great deal of trouble copying the functions of said form. While she may be able to mimic the outer coating of an animal to near perfection, the internals are rarely mimicked with any amount of finesses. However, certain functionalities can be replicated, albeit imperfectly. Energy blasts can be created, though strength and range are hampered greatly. Movement can be achieved, though only through patterns she is already accustomed to. Thus, while her mimicry of the Power Suit does have certain marked similarities in function, such as the Power Beam, Grapple Beam, and Double Jump Boots, other abilities remain beyond her ability to mimic. Unfortunately, this is enough to fool most beings without a thorough biometric scan. Do not get distracted by the recreational uses for her shapeshifting abilities.”
Day 25: Clone
Suit Maintenance Record Playback
“Eres attached to suit. Countermeasures active. Containment Measures active.
Isolation between Suit and Wearer… successful. Suit Immobilization… successful. Visor hue warning… successful. Self immolation… failed.
Multiple components of wearer compromised by Eres Consumption. Emergency tissue surgery commencing… successful.
-Fast forward seven hours
Removal of armor plating detected, further insulation of wearer required.
-Fast forward 27 hours
Warning, breach of suit through all layers detected. Eres consumption of wearer imminent and unavoidable. Attempting detonation of suit’s power core… failed.
Eres assault fought back by unknown pathogen. No information available on pathogen.
What we cannot gain… we take.
Eres presence not detected. Severe damage of Power Suit present. Will remain in stasis until further notice.”
Day 26: Haze
Scan of Space Pirate Logs
“It has been a whole cycle since the planet identified as Aether was discovered. Our operations on the planet have been slower and far more cautious after the Amelioration Incident on Talon IV. It has become apparent that biological manipulation via Phazon will instead be putting them under control of a force outside of our current ability to control. However, the extremely potent energy signature of Phazon still makes it an extremely potent energy resource with boundless combat applications. However, the strange nature of this world has lead to many disappearances from scouting and security groups. Those who survive report the sky suddenly growing dark as a Phazon based mist rolls into the area. They have even reported seeing teammates fade out of existence before their eyes. When such events occur, encounters with hostile entities become increasingly common. Until we can discover the nature of this phenomenon, patrols outside of our bases of operations will be heavily restricted. We have already lost eight whole teams to such incidents.”
Day 27: Strike
Scan of Space Pirate Logs
“It appears as though the Galactic Federation has created a special fighting force specifically dedicated to replacing some of their reliance on independent contractors in recent decades. What little information our spies have been able to glean on these soldiers calls this advanced combat element ‘Operation Golem’. These soldiers are far more capable than typical ground troops, utilizing advanced combat exoskeletons with modular weapon hardpoints. These soldiers have already eliminated several of our facilities and outposts with great proficiency. Out of 16 engagements, we count only 1 casualty, occurring only when the team was outnumber 7 to 4 by Metroids. The obvious combat proficiency of this team represents a risk if such technology begins to proliferate in our enemies’ forces. Our spies have identified General Alex Miles as being in charge of Operation Golem. Efforts have begun in order to track him down for assassination.”
Day 28: Vendetta
Space Pirate Revenant logs
“With the command of the God of Death, we go forth, seeking the Hunter clad in metal. She trespasses His domain, challenging His rule over life and its end. Death cannot be stopped. It cannot be halted. To cease the end of living things is to tear the fabric of the universe. To challenge His will is to challenge the rules of nature. As sure as the stars will one day burn out, all things shall perish, save for the God of Death and His chosen. The Hunter challenges the very notion of Death itself. We cannot end her, for that is not our place. Our place is be bring her before Him, so that she maybe shown the futility of struggle against a God, a rule of nature, and a thread in the fabric of reality. He is Death. With each destruction, his thread in the fabric of reality becomes frayed. He can repair this fray, but we must ensure she does not flaunt this desecration to the natural order. We must find the Hunter, for The God of Death commands it.”
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.”
Metroid Prime 4: Ruins looking niiice.