History Characters / MetroidXParasites

* EvilOnlyHasToWinOnce: The main threat regarding the X and why the Chozo were so desperate to deal with them that they created a bioweapon almost as powerful; the outbreaks on [=SR388=], the BSL research station, and ZDR were only the ''start'' of what the X wanted. The X are, on a genetic level, predisposed towards propogating their species and ensuring their own survival; they have no other motive, and nothing short of a Metroid can truly hamper them for long, making them a ''living'' GreyGoo scenario. All the X need to more or less completely consume ''everything'' in the universe - and what they intentionally set out to get in the BSL and ZDR - is a form that had memories that would allow the X to spread off-world and throughout the galaxy, and a vehicle they could use to exploit those memories.

* EvilOnlyHasToWinOnce: The main threat regarding the X and why the Chozo were so desperate to deal with them that they created a bioweapon almost as powerful; the outbreaks on SR388, the BSL research station, and ZDR were only the ''start'' of what the X wanted. The X are, on a genetic level, predisposed towards propogating their species and ensuring their own survival; they have no other motive, and nothing short of a Metroid can truly hamper them for long, making them a ''living'' GreyGoo scenario. All the X need to more or less completely consume ''everything'' in the universe - and what they intentionally set out to get in the BSL and ZDR - is a form that had memories that would allow the X to spread off-world and throughout the galaxy, and a vehicle they could use to exploit those memories.

* EvilVersusEvil: They flat out '''hate Metroids''' and will ignore Samus just to attack their natural enemies.

* ArtificialStupidity: Despite the fact that the SA-X is the most powerful enemy in all of ''Fusion'', and despite the X's ability to copy any organic body part, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M98esMR3Q-g it]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JL03zssV5o apparently]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QnBpf88pRI lacks]] a brain. The SA-X has absolutely horrid looping programming, to the point most can be exploited for humor. Power Bombs in particular seem to completely throw its programming into an infinite loop when Samus isn't in a room needing the Power Bomb to advance. This can be exploited in the boss fight with the SA-X. There is a ramp above the recharge station in the room where you must send the space station into [=SR388=]. Continuously charging and shooting SA-X will cause her AI to instinctively charge at you with a Screw Attack in an infinite loop as long as you know what to do.

* HeroicWillpower: Quiet Robe X is entirely benevolent, unlike every other living being that's been infected, as demonstrated at the very end where the X copy sacrifices itself in order to return Samus to normal so that she can fly her ship out of the the self-destructing planet. It is unclear whether this is Quiet Robe's willpower making the X-version an ally of Samus instead of an enemy, or if the duplication process ended up replicating Quiet Robe's affection for Samus.
* TokenHeroicOrc: Quiet Robe's X copy is notably the only purely good X Parasite seen in the entire series thus far, as the copy somehow manages to retain enough of the original's benevolence to sacrifice itself to help Samus in the end.

* ShadowArchetype: To Samus, literally and figuratively. The SA-X is basically if Samus chose [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope jump off the slippery slope]] by killing the baby Metroid rather than spare it, and by doing so ensuring the complete extinction of all Metroids and allowing the X Parasites to cultivate.

* AquaticMook: They are more than up to the task of mimicking aquatic creatures to fight you when you're in the underwater sections of B.S.L. They will also combine Space Pirate DNA with said aquatic mook DNA to make mer-pirates that have no trouble swimming right up to you and taking chunks out of your health.

* BackFromTheDead: They're shown to be capable of assimilating DNA from corpses as well as living creatures. As ''Fusion'' takes place after ''Other M'', [[spoiler:the Space Pirates are all but wiped out, Ridley was killed off for real on Zebes, while his clone and Nightmare were taken down in ''Other M''. The X infected the frozen samples and corpses sent to B.S.L. for study and began mimicking them, bringing them back for another go against Samus. In ''Dread'', the X infest the dead body of Quiet Robe and use his knowledge to reactivate the E.M.M.Is he disabled earlier.]]

* BigBad: They are collectively the main antagonistic force of ''Metroid Fusion''. The SA-X, an X Parasite with Samus' DNA, is the most recurrent and dangerous of their number and caused the explosion that released its brethren around the B.S.L. and causes most of the deliberate damage that Samus has to circumvent.

* NotSoExtinct: Samus seemingly wiped them out when she crashed the B.S.L. station into SR-388. But the plot of ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' is set off when a video transmission from planet ZDR shows a X Parasite still existing, causing the Galactic Federation to send the E.M.M.I. to investigate their mysterious survival. [[spoiler:It is later revealed that when the Mawkin Tribe of Chozo came to [=SR388=] to exterminate the Thoha Tribe, a X Parasite disguised itself as a Mawkin warrior, leading to an outbreak that wiped out everyone but Raven Beak who sealed the X Parasites away in ZDR, allowing them to outlive the original colony in SR-388. Though given how ZDR is [[EarthShatteringKaboom blown to hell]] in typical ''Metroid'' fashion at the end of the game, it's safe to say that they’re gone for good this time.]]

* ShapeshiftingFailure: More intelligent beings like humans [[spoiler:or Chozo]] give the X problems when trying to mimic them, resulting in a blob-zombie loosely resembling the infected. [[spoiler:The more problematic X are the ones that get it right; one infected Mawkin Chozo brought an end to the Mawkin tribe and eventually all of Planet ZDR, and an infected human scientist nearly killed Samus by trying to self-destruct the B.S.L. station. And that's not even getting started on the SA-X.]]

* ThereIsAnother: The X are so destructive that [=SR388=] and the B.S.L. were detonated entirely just to get rid of them before they could spread. The events of ''Dread'' kick off with a video transmission of an X Parasite on Planet ZDR being sent to the Galactic Federation, which causes them to send seven of the E.M.M.I. units, and later Samus, to investigate the planet. [[spoiler:It turns out that the X Parasites had gotten off of [=SR388=] a long time ago, hitching a ride with the Chozo returning home to ZDR. They wiped out the Mawkin tribe and were sealed away by Raven Beak before they could infect him.]]

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Throughout ''Fusion'', Core-X absorb upgrades meant for Samus from Data Rooms, forcing her to absorb those abilities from the X instead. Late in the game, however, it is revealed that [[spoiler:the Federation was actively holding back certain abilities like the Plasma Beam and the Diffusion Missiles so that she wouldn't be able to destroy the SA-X, which they wanted to capture for bioweapons research instead. So by stealing these upgrades and "giving" them to Samus directly, the X make it where she can more easily disobey the Federation's orders and obliterate the X on both the B.S.L. station and [=SR388=].]]

The first results of the X infecting the humans on the B.S.L. station. Found on the Main Deck and the entrance to Sector 1.

A security robot on the B.S.L. with an organic processing core. Its tropes can be found [[Characters/MetroidGalacticFederation here]].

* HeroicWillpower: Quiet Robe X is entirely benevolent, unlike every other living being that's been infected, as demonstrated at the very end where the X copy sacrifices itself in order to return Samus to normal so that she can fly her ship out of the the self-destructing planet. It is unclear whether this is Quiet Robe's willpower making the X-version an ally of Samus instead of an enemy, or if the duplication process ended up replicating Quiet Robe's affection for Samus.

* OurZombiesAreDifferent: Alien bird zombies.

* {{Foil}}: The SA-X is quite literally a copy of Samus, with her darker traits set UpToEleven. That nigh-unstoppable monster, seemingly mute and emotionless, blasting its way through obstacles in an attempt to wipe its target out - now Samus knows how the genocided Metroids of SR-388 felt.

* TokenHeroicOrc: Quiet Robe's X copy also becomes the only purely good X Parasite seen in the entire series thus far, as the copy somehow manages to retain enough of the original's benevolence to sacrifice itself to help Samus in the end.
* UndeathlyPallor: After an X parasite merges with Quiet Robe's dead body, the X version's skin becomes pale and its eyes glow white instead of orange.
* HeroicWillpower: Quiet Robe X is entirely benevolent, unlike every other living being that's been infected, as demonstrated at the very end where the X copy sacrifices itself in order to return Samus to normal so that she can fly her ship out of the the self-destructing planet. It is unclear whether this is Quiet Robe's willpower making it so, or if in the process of copying the host, Quiet Robe-X became as much.

[[folder:Final X Parasite '''(spoilers)'']]

[[folder:Final X Parasite '''(spoilers)''']]

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Despite being described as "evil" by the Chozo, the X act much closer to a typical animal species, always looking for the self-preservation of its kind first and foremost, thus they expand their populations and take down any potential threats to further its chances of survival (some X will even sacrifice themselves to ensure the safety of bigger populations). It's just that the methods it employs to do so are considered horrifyingly destructive and inhumane for any sentient being and, if left unchecked, all universal life would end up in conceivable danger, but because the X is an alien parasitic lifeform akin to a giant virus or bacteria, it just plays by the evolutionary rules and tools it was given. The fact that it might be sapient and capable of emulating a victim's memories and personality, with the latter ability possibly influencing its decision-making process, further muddies things up.

* BoringButPractical: It only has 3 attacks, the Ice Beam, Screw Attack and a rare super missile. However, all of them hit like a truck, are very fast and the SA-X can deploy them in a plethora of adapting patterns, making it all the same an extremely challenging opponent, since your charged beam and screw attack are only effective ways of damaging it. Also true of its Armored Core form, which can only chase you and shoot at you with the Ice Beam. Doesn't do much else, but its hard to hit its vulnerable eye with a missile, and its weapon ''is still the Ice Beam.'' Like all Core-X, the Plasma Beam will produce numerous X for which to regain health and ammo, and as a Beam Core-X it moves at a glacial pace, so if the player can survive for half a minute the challenge amounts to successfully aiming and timing diffusion missiles.

* ClothingAppendage: Its "armor" is integrated into its body.

* NoSell: It has Samus’s fully upgraded armor on top of adding its own X brand modifications, so nothing can even touch it until the final battle with it. Ice Missiles can stun it for a single second but they don't do any damage. Even during the final battle, you can ''only'' hurt it with a fully charged shot of the Wave Beam. You can't feed it missiles like most other bosses, so while if it doesn't need that many attacks to bring it down, charging and aiming all of them while it rains you down with the hardest hitting attacks in the game is very difficult.

* BlankWhiteEyes: As shown by the SA-X and later [[spoiler:Chozo hosts]], a common GlamourFailure of X mimickry is pure white eyes without pupil or sclera.

* AttackAttackAttack: While it has Samus' weapons and dexterity, it's otherwise a completely feral creature. All of its time is spent idly roaming the halls of the station in search of prey, and when it encounters anything objectionable its only strategy is to charge in and start blasting. Usually this is enough, [[spoiler:but two SA-X instances meet their ends when their aggression leads them to pick suicidal fights with metroids.]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ravenbeakx.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here to see the actual X Parasite.]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/20211031_160405.jpg[[/labelnote]]]]
An X which possesses a weakened Raven Beak and combines his biomass with Kraid, creating a monstrous hulking fusion.
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* AlmightyIdiot: The intelligent Raven Beak is reduced to a gibbering mess as he is fused with Kraid and seemingly other bosses as well, due to the X Parasite copying and mimicking all their attributes and memories. The only thing the abomination is able to coordinate is their hatred of Samus.
* BodyHorror: This thing generally looks like Kraid having Raven Beak's head and limbs fused with his brain and jaw, and that's not even getting into the other bosses mixed in with this... thing.
* ClippedWingAngel: Despite possessing Kraid's massive size, Raven Beak X is painfully slow -- only being able to drag itself along the ground towards Samus. This gives her plenty of time to charge up her Hyper Beam, obliterating the X-Parasite's monstrous visage. Additionally, Samus vaporizes it rather than absorb it.
* FlowerMouth: Raven Beak X possesses Kraid's head split down the middle to create a four-petaled flower mouth with Raven Beak's head inside. It's implied that either Experiment No. Z-57 or Drogyga was assimilated as well to allow this, since they have similar mouths.
* FusionDance: Raven Beak X is an amalgamation of the Chozo warrior Raven Beak and Kraid, possessing the latter's massive bulk and head (as a FlowerMouth) and Raven Beak's dark coloration, feathers, scaly avian limbs, and head (as an inner mouth). There also seem to be subtle aspects of other bosses as well, such as the FlowerMouth belonging to either Experiment No. Z-57 or Drogyga and the vestigal arms of the former.
* KickTheSonOfABitch: The X Parasite devours Raven Beak and painfully transforms him into a mindless monstrosity. But since he's a fiendish Chozo who brought death and ruin upon his people for his selfish ambitions, plus indirectly causing the Metroid crisis, he deserves this terrible fate.
* MadnessMantra: The only thing it's capable of uttering besides roars is "Samus" and "Hadar sen olmen" (Chozo for "Power is everything") repeatedly, likely the result of the X Parasite trying to emulate Raven Beak's megalomaniacal character.
* MightyGlacier: ZeroEffortBoss it may be, but if the player doesn't think to hold down the Y button immediately, it can end up getting to Samus and eating her in a single chomp. This means it can survive multiple seconds of continuous Hyper Beam fire, something that nothing else can claim once Samus starts making her way to her ship.
* MonstrosityEqualsWeakness: Compared to the very powerful, skilled and humanoid Raven Beak, Raven Beak X is ''far'' less of a threat than its former self thanks to no longer having powerful Chozo weaponry nor an agile Chozo physique (since it's essentially Raven Beak's head on Kraid's lumbering body), and the fact that Samus has the Hyper Beam to obliterate it.
* NestedMouths: Raven Beak's head is concealed inside of Kraid's maw, which rips in half vertically to become a FlowerMouth.
* PostFinalBoss: The fight with Raven Beak is already a proper FinalBoss battle, with this thing mostly serving as a last hurrah for him, the X, and Kraid (and an opportunity for Samus to test her shiny new Metroid powers).
* PurpleIsPowerful: The X that infects Raven Beak is distinctly purple, and seeing as how it can take a [[WaveMotionGun Hyper Beam]] to the face for more than a few seconds and can swallow Samus whole should it catch up to her, it's definitely powerful.
* SuperToughness: This thing survives getting drilled in the face by the [[WaveMotionGun Hyper Beam]] for a good 5 or 10 seconds. That's 5 or 10 seconds longer than ''literally anything else'' lasts against said Hyper Beam. This likely comes from having Kraid's DNA, as Kraid's skin was extremely tough and nigh-impenetrable.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: To the SA-X's second form. Both are misshapen creatures made up of multiple fused organisms and originally derived from characters wielding Chozo Power Suits, but are also much weaker than their original forms.
* SwallowedWhole: Fail to unleash the Hyper Beam on time, and Raven Beak X will anticlimactically devour Samus.
* ZeroEffortBoss: All the player needs to do is hold down the Y button long enough to defeat Raven Beak X.

[[center: [-[[Characters/{{Metroid}} Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/MetroidSamusAran Samus Aran]] | [[Characters/MetroidTheMetroids Metroids]] ([[Characters/MetroidMetroidPrimeAndDarkSamus Prime]]) | [[Characters/MetroidSpacePirates Space Pirates]] ([[Characters/MetroidMotherBrain Mother Brain]] | [[Characters/MetroidRidley Ridley]]) | '''X Parasites''' | [[Characters/MetroidGalacticFederation Galactic Federation]] | [[Characters/MetroidTheChozo Chozo]] | [[Characters/MetroidBountyHunters Bounty Hunters]] | [[Characters/MetroidOtherAntagonists Other Antagonists]] | [[Characters/MetroidOthers Others]] | [[Characters/MetroidNoncanonicalCharacters Noncanonical Characters]]]]-]

* AllThereInTheManual: Neither ''Fusion'' nor any of its official English guides give this specific Core-X a unique name. It is named in the Japanese soundtrack, which can be literally translated as "Barrier Core-X". Given that "varia" is a mistranslation of "barrier".

* AllThereInTheManual: Neither ''Fusion'' nor any of its official English guides give this specific Core-X a unique name. It is named in the Japanese soundtrack, which can be literally translated as "Barrier Core-X". Given that "varia" is a mistranslation of "barrier", it could be alternatively translated as "Varia Core-X", which is another common FanNickname.

[[center: [-[[Characters/{{Metroid}} Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/MetroidSamusAran Samus Aran]] | [[Characters/MetroidTheMetroids Metroids]] ([[Characters/MetroidMetroidPrimeAndDarkSamus Prime]]) | [[Characters/MetroidSpacePirates Space Pirates]] ([[Characters/MetroidMotherBrain Mother Brain]] | [[Characters/MetroidRidley Ridley]]) | '''X Parasites''' | [[Characters/MetroidGalacticFederation Galactic Federation]] ([[Characters/MetroidAdamMalkovich Adam Malkovich]]) | [[Characters/MetroidTheChozo Chozo]] | [[Characters/MetroidBountyHunters Bounty Hunters]] | [[Characters/MetroidOtherAntagonists Other Antagonists]] | [[Characters/MetroidOthers Others]] | [[Characters/MetroidNoncanonicalCharacters Noncanonical Characters]]]]-]