History Franchise / Metroid

* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' series

* HasTwoMommies: In the manga, Samus' two primary caretakers are Old Bird and Gray Voice, two male Chozo who were, respectively, her adoptive grandfather and first mentor.

* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler:The eponymous Super Metroid]] in ''Super Metroid'' just before the BigBad lands the killing blow on Samus.[[spoiler:it is the grown up baby Metroid Samus spared, after all]].
* BioArmor: Samus' power suit appears metal at first glance, but it may actually be organic. In ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'', the X-Parasites, a species that infects and mimics other organisms, is able to infest and then copy Samus' armor. ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' [[spoiler:ends with Samus becoming mostly metroid, and her suit becomes noticeably more organic in appearance.]]
* BiologicalWeaponsSolveEverything: Subverted. The Chozo created the eponymous Metroids as a biological weapon to control the rampant X Parasites on planet SR-388, which could have threatened the entire galaxy if left unchecked. Later, other races discovered the Metroid and the creatures began to spread across the galaxy, proving to be an even worse threat than the X Parasites. Then, when Samus eradicated the Metroid, the X Parasites came back stronger than ever. Further subverted in ''Samus Returns'', as while the Chozo created the Metroids to curb the X Parasite populations, they also seemingly did not intend for them to grow beyond their signature larval stage and could no longer control them. This is what led to them being locked away in a bunch of acid.
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:''Super Metroid'', ''Other M'', and ''Fusion'']].

** Also in ''Fusion'', [[spoiler:both the very first boss (Arachnus) and very last boss (Omega Metroid) are from ''Metroid 2''.]] Those two bosses also have the same basic design. Sharp teeth, huge claws, only susceptible to attacks on its belly. The only real exception is that Arachnus can turn into a spiky ball or shoot fireballs, while Omega Metroid is just big enough to stomp you flat.
* BossArenaRecovery: Avoided in the first game but Zero Mission has the rinkas around Mother Brain occasionally drop health. Notoriously, the boost guardian can destroy all the health dropping pillars in one shot, denying you any recovery in a boss arena that drains your health.

** In ''VideoGame/{{Metroid|1}}'' the final boss, Mother Brain, is a massive brain in a tank, with a laser shooting eye. It's stated that it started off as an organic computer built by the [[BenevolentPrecursors Chozo]], which took command of the SpacePirates.
** In ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'', Mother Brain reappears as the final boss [[spoiler:this time as an "acranial" example, having gained a massive mechanised body.]]
** The Federation created Aurora Units, introduced in ''Metroid Prime Three Corruption'', although the brain part is not as noticeable, as they are much more mechanical than Mother Brain, as is the monster part since they are all affable allies of Samus.

** The Central Units from ''Dread'' are visibly based on Mother Brain especially after their armored shells are destroyed and the brain portions become visible. [[spoiler:Given that they are affiliated with the Mawkin Chozo, it's very likely they are the same modle of AI that Mother Brain herself was]].

** Doors are colored depending on what weapon the player needs to shoot them with to open. ''Return of Samus'' and ''Fusion'' are the exceptions. (''Return of Samus'' only has Missile Doors, which would be red if the game had color)

* DeathIsCheap: Ridley has evaded death every time Samus encounters him, from NeverFoundtheBody, to sneakily flying away while the camera isn't looking (we saw your shadow sneaky), [[WeCanReBuildHim to getting a robo upgrade]]. He never actually dies until ''Super'', but when he does [[spoiler:some TooDumbToLive researchers in ''Other M'' unwittingly CLONE the bastard]]. He even appears as a boss in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'' [[spoiler:FOUR TIMES. As Ridley, as Meta Ridley, and then again for each form in the Great Maze]].
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: Most bosses in the series will explode. Ridley, on the other hand, only gets this treatment once, in ''Zero Mission''. ''Metroid Prime 3'' subverts this with Ridley; fans noticed Omega Ridley's shadow flying away during his "death' cutscene after a mere FIVE YEARS.
* DepthPerplexion: Justified. Samus can shoot through walls, but only if she has the Wave Beam, which explicitly has the ability to penetrate solid matter. All the special beams barring ice could shoot through walls in "Return Of Samus", but everything excepting the wave beam lost this property after that.

** Nothing will stop Samus Aran. And nothing will stop Ridley from trying to take her down. Well, except for his remains being on an exploding planet. Even when [[spoiler:he's cloned, he gets to go after Samus twice before the clone dies.]]

* DestructiveSavior: It seems Samus cannot escape the cold hand of destruction, whether it be a large base or the entire planet. So far, her "kill count" includes Dark Aether, Phaaze, Zebes, [=SR388=] [[spoiler:and ZDR/Tarin]], the third of which wasn't even her fault. Granted, the others were of her own doing, Phaaze because it kept popping out Phazon Leviathans to infect other planets, Dark Aether because it was just '''pure evil incarnate''', and [=SR388=] [[spoiler:and ZDR]] so she could wipe out the X Parasites, but still. Not even space stations are safe, since the Biologic Space Labs orbital station dies with [=SR388=]. And Samus' first order of business on Tallon IV? Blow up the Space Pirate Frigate ''Orpheon''. Doesn't count the five Space Ships/Colonies that blew up with her on board, (although most of those weren't her fault) And her own ship in ''Fusion'''s opening.

* DumbMuscle: The original Japanese strategy guide was also a manga; Samus was depicted as a trigger-happy [[TheDitz ditz]] with far more strength than smarts. Although the humor here is that the reader never knows she is a female at this point, and the strategy guide never reveals it either, just basically saying at the end that you can "meet the true Samus if you beat the game quick enough." in hindsight it's hilarious.

** ''Metroid'' (outside of [[https://metroid.fandom.com/wiki/PlayChoice-10 an obscure arcade machine version]]) and ''Return of Samus'' have no map system whatsoever. ''Super'' was the first to introduce a map, but it only shows the rooms without highlighting any of the doors and paths that connect between them, and also highlights all entered rooms as pink - connections and alternate colors for unique rooms (mainly secret ones) wouldn't come until ''Fusion''.
** In the first game, Samus can only shoot in three directions - left, right, and up - and can't crouch, leaving Bombs as the only way to defeat short enemies. ''Return of Samus'' would introduce crouching to shoot low and aiming downward when in the air, ''Super'' added the ability to aim in the four main diagonal directions, ''Samus Returns'' upgraded the diagonal aim button into one that locks Samus in place and allows for full 360° aiming, and ''Dread'' allows for that same spread of directions while moving.

** Mother Brain in ''Metroid'' and ''Super Metroid'' [[spoiler:and also ''Other M'' via a clone]].

* MeaningfulName: Both "Samus" and "Aran" have long been considered [[UsefulNotes/IrishNames vaguely Irish]] in origin, Samus said to be a variant of Séamus (James)[[note]] A persistent myth seems to be that it's a ''real'' Irish name and the standard female variant of Séamus - it's not, as like English Irish doesn't have a female equivalent to James, or even a diminutive like "Jamie" in use as a woman's name.[[/note]], though eventually the developers revealed it actually comes from [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball Pelé's]] real name, "'''Aran'''tes" and the mistaken impression that his first name was something like "Samus"[[note]]It's actually Edson - his full name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento[[/note]]. That said, "Séamus/James" is an offshoot of "Jacob", meaning "one who supplants/conquers/holds the heel" is actually surprisingly apt. The Aran islands are also three settled islands off the west coast of Ireland, giving you something akin to "She who supplants / isolated locations" (and the island imagery is fitting for such a [[IWorkAlone loner]] [[TheDrifter hero]]).

* OneManArmy: Both the Federation, and Samus [[OneRiotOneRanger all by herself]], staged their own assaults on Zebes in the backstory of Zero Mission. The Federation failed. Samus didn't. [[AWinnerIsYou And it's all]] [[PlayerCharacter thanks to you.]]

* TomatoSurprise: SamusIsAGirl: [[TropeNamer Duh.]] [[LateArrivalSpoiler Nearly everyone]] [[ItWasHisSled knows that]].

* ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus'' (UsefulNotes/GameBoy, 1991): Faced with a potential disaster from the Metroids, the Federation sends Samus to their homeworld of Planet [=SR388=] on a mission to curtail any threat the Metroids may pose by completely exterminating the entire species.

* ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' (Game Boy Advance, 2002): Samus has a life-changing encounter with the mysterious X-Parasites, her life barely saved by a vaccine created from the DNA of their natural predators, the Metroids. Now, the X-Parasites have taken over a space station, joined by a powerful parasite controlling her old suit!
* ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' (UsefulNotes/NintendoWii, 2010): An interquel between ''Super Metroid'' and ''Fusion'', this game sees Samus join forces with old friends from her days as a Federation soldier to investigate a derelict space station, the "Bottle Ship".
* ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' (UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, 2021): The X-Parasites, thought to be eradicated, appear to have survived and now menace the remote planet of ZDR. Thus does Samus depart to finish off the X, while also contending with implacable killing machines known as the E.M.M.I[=s=].

* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' ([=GameCube=], 2004): Samus's travels take her to the planet of Aether, which has split into two diametrically opposed dimensions due to Phazon.
* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters'' ([=DS=], 2006): An interquel between the first two ''Prime'' games, Samus travels to the Alimbic Cluster to investigate a psychic message alluding to a great power hidden among the planets and space stations therein. She's not alone, however, as other bounty hunters have come to claim this power for themselves.
* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' (Wii, 2007)[[/index]]: The Space Pirates are in disarray with their Phazon-harnessing plans failing, a situation worsened by the appearance of Dark Samus, a Phazon-based clone of Samus. Now, with Federation worlds in peril, Samus sets off to cleanse the galaxy of Phazon's taint once and for all.

* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce'' ([=3DS=], 2016)[[/index]]

* WritersCannotDoMath: Rarely shows up in detail since most of the science fiction aspect is reasonably well-thought-out, but becomes '''glaringly''' obvious when it comes to the various destroyed planets. Two of them--[=SR388=] and ZDR--are destroyed, in both cases ''exploding'', once a space station crashes into them. In reality, a space station that was capable of destroying a planet on impact would be too big to orbit said planet in the first place. As for the detonation sequence that destroys Zebes, nothing is ever made of how this was arranged or the resources necessary to do so.

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Metroid1}} Metroid]]'' ([[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]], 1986)

* ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus'' (UsefulNotes/GameBoy, 1991)

* ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' ([[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super NES]], 1994)
* ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' (Game Boy Advance, 2002)
* ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' (UsefulNotes/NintendoWii, 2010)
* ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' (UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, 2021)

* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' ([[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]], 2002)

* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' ([=GameCube=], 2004)
* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters'' ([=DS=], 2006)
* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' (Wii, 2007)[[/index]]

** ''Metroid Prime Remastered'' (UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, 2023; UpdatedRerelease)

** ''Metroid Prime Remastered'' (UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, 2023; [[VideoGameRemake remake]])

[[folder:"Main" ''Metroid'' games]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder:''Metroid Prime'' games]]

* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' (Wii, 2007)
* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' (Wii, 2009; {{compilation rerelease}})
* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce'' ([=3DS=], 2016)
* [[/index]]''VideoGame/MetroidPrime4'' (UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, TBA)[[index]]

* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter 4 Ultimate'' (features both the Varia Suit and Zero Suit as DLC costumes)

** In the Wanpakku manga[=/=]strategy guide for the original game, there's a sequence where Samus comes across a door for the first time, but doesn't know how to open it. She tries saying "OpenSesame!", followed by "Bamble, bomble, bambopp!" and "Pastel, popple, poppinpa!". (Neither of them worked.) The latter two phrases are incantations from MagicalGirl shows (specifically ''Anime/MagicalAngelCreamyMami'' and ''Anime/MagicalIdolPastelYumi'', respectfully).

* EyeOnAStalk: The Zeela, a creature that appears in Kraid's Hdeout in the original ''Metroid'' and ''Metroid: Zero Mission'' and the jungle area of Brinstar in ''Super Metroid'', has two eyes on the end of long stalks.

* SpeedRun: ''Super Metroid'' and the following sequels have their maps designed so that you can solve them in a fraction of the expected solving time by using special techniques like wall jumping, bomb jumping, mock ball, etc. to get key items ahead of time.

** Samus suffered this problem early on. First she had brown hair, then the NES Varia Suit turned it green, and Benjamin Itoh made her a [[DarkSkinnedRedhead Dark Skinned Purple-head]]. It wasn't until Super that she was finally cemented as a blonde. Plus, her various facial features and hairstyle fluctuated. However, once ''Zero Mission'' hit, her appearance seemed to standardize.

''Metroid'' is a series of games produced by Creator/{{Nintendo}} that began in the 1980s, and is best known for being the TropeMaker for the exploratory {{Metroidvania}} genre. They star the armored BountyHunter Samus Aran, with most installments revolving around her interactions with dangerous energy leeches called Metroids and her quest to annihilate the SpacePirates that plague the galaxy and killed both her human birth parents and [[InterspeciesAdoption adoptive bird-like Chozo]] family. Creator/GunpeiYokoi (the mind behind Nintendo's early portable gaming hardware like the UsefulNotes/GameAndWatch and UsefulNotes/GameBoy) and Creator/YoshioSakamoto (who would go on to produce the ''VideoGame/WarioWare'' and ''VideoGame/RhythmHeaven'' series) are often the most credited for the franchise's creation.[[note]]To paraphrase Wiki/TheOtherWiki, the core creative team that birthed the series consisted of Satoru Okada (created the basic concept of the series as being the "anti-''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]''"), Yoshio Sakamoto (character designer who was "forcefully asked to participate" in the creation of the first game, only to become the overseer of the franchise going forward), Makoto Kano (scenario writer), Hiroji Kiyotake (character designer), and Gunpei Yokoi (who headed the R&D1 division and thus served as the producer).[[/note]]

** Mother Brain in ''Metroid'' and ''Super Metroid''.

Though Samus herself has never appeared on television (except in commercials), Mother Brain was featured as the BigBad of the Nintendo-themed animated series ''[[WesternAnimation/CaptainNTheGameMaster Captain N: The Game Master]]''. (Reportedly, the production staff actually ''[[CriticalResearchFailure didn't know about Samus]]''); the comic book adaptation introduced her as the SixthRanger[=/=]TheLancer. A live-action feature film based on the franchise was optioned after ''Metroid Prime'' was successful, with ''John Woo'' of all people rumored to direct, [[WhatCouldHaveBeen but appears to have lapsed]]. By the tail end of TheNewTens, however, some in Hollywood have expressed interest in pulling the film out of DevelopmentHell, including Creator/RondaRousey, [[Film/KongSkullIsland Jordan Vogt-Roberts]], and Creator/BrieLarson. Only time will tell if the movie ever gets made.