History Headscratchers / Metroid

*** [[NoOneCouldSurviveThat How long have you]] [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife been on this website]]?

* When fighting Experiment Z-57, Samus already has the gravity suit which gives her normal physics in water and protects her against extreme cold and lava! When Z-57's Core X dip itself into lava, she could've just jumped into the lava and absorb the Core X. Instead, she hanged onto a ledge. Why?

* Zero Mission is "what really happened" in canon, while they kept the original NES Metroid merely as her "official incident report". While I can understand Samus not wanting to discuss more personal matters regarding her past on the planet with the Chozo, how does the rest of it work? "There were no pirates, just random creatures. Kraid was barely my height and Ridley was such a non-threat it was like fighting a mentally handicapped kangaroo. Mother Brain was barely anything. Now pay me."

** She wouldn't say "I'm a friend", she'd say "I'm Samus Aran." And no enemy is dumb enough to pretend to be SAMUS FUCKING ARAN.

* At the beginning of Fusion, the X infect the Power Suit and steal/copy it's abilities. When Samus absorbs one of the Core X into herself, she gets those abilities back. Does that mean that Samus no longer needs her suit to use those abilities? Like can she Speed Boost or Space Jump anytime she wants?

** The times ''Metroid'' was one of Nintendo's "Big Three" were brief and fleeting. ''Metroid'' broke ground by showing untapped potential in platform games and opening the door for more player character experimentation, but novelties aside it didn't wow that much in Japan. The USA was where the biggest impact was, so the sequel was made (even more) with USA in mind, but the third entry ''Super Metroid'', on top of being a TroubledProduction, didn't catch on in the States because ''Videogame/DonkeyKongCountry'' was getting all the attention. The series went dormant (probably for the better) until ''Videogame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble'' proved to be a critical disappointment and the Nintendo 64 put a bunch of Super Nintendo games in bargain bins. A lot of people suddenly realizing ''Super Metroid'' was a great game, combined with Samus in the ''Videogame/SuperSmashBros'' games, got ''Metroid'' back into focus and ''Videogame/MetroidPrime'' sold very well. Nintendo thought they had a real franchise on their hands at that point, but got cold feet about other companies adapting the series, while every ''Metroid'' game after "Prime" failed to sell as well. "MOM" and ''Metroid Prime: Federation Force'' just cemented that a ''Metroid'' franchise was far off, but it never has been too close anyway. The first game and the first ''Metroid Prime'' were the only times ''Metroid'' was close to ''Super Mario Bros'' and ''The Legend Of Zelda''. ''Metroid'' remains an important series akin to ''Videogame/FZero'' (which also bordered on "Big Three" status once), ''Videogame/{{Kirby}}'' (which Nintendo makes a lot more of), ''Videogame/{{MOTHER}}'' (which Nintendo makes a lot less of), ''Videogame/{{Xenoblade}}'', ''Videogame/{{Splatoon}}'', ''Videogame/StarFox'', ''Videogame/NintendoWars'', ''Videogame/{{Pikmin}}'', etc, but ''Pokemon'' it's not, ''Fire Emblem'' it's not, ''Videogame/AnimalCrossing'' it's not. Not yet.

* The ending of ''Zero Mission''. Samus escapes the exploding Space Pirate Mothership in what seems to be a Space Pirate Vessel. How did Samus get back to Federation-controlled space to get a new ship in time for Prime 1/Metroid II without her being shot/bombed to Hell by the Federation Military after appearing on their radar? And broadcasting something to the effect of "I'm a friend, don't shoot." is ''exactly'' what an enemy trying to pull an ISurrenderSuckers attack would broadcast.

** They don't seem ideologically motivated, nor do they ever broadcast ideological based demands. That rules out terrorists. And they seem to have their own uncontested territory in addition to that they take, so insurgents probably isn't it either. Space Pirates simply seem to be a society hostile to the Galactic Federation, albeit that still puts them a little outside simple pirates, even if they do steal things.

** The times ''Metroid'' was one of Nintendo's "Big Three" were brief and fleeting. ''Metroid'' broke ground by showing untapped potential in platform games and opening the door for more player character experimentation, but novelties aside it didn't wow that much in Japan. The USA was where the biggest impact was, so the sequel was made (even more) with USA in mind, but the third entry ''Super Metroid'', on top of being a TroubledProduction, didn't catch on in the States because ''Videogame/DonkeyKongCountry'' was getting all the attention. The series went dormant (probably for the better) until ''Videogame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble'' proved the be a critical disappointment and the Nintendo 64 put a bunch of Super Nintendo games in bargain bins. A lot of people suddenly realizing ''Super Metroid'' was a great game, combined with Samus in the ''Videogame/SuperSmashBros'' games, got ''Metroid'' back into focus and ''Videogame/MetroidPrime'' sold very well. Nintendo thought they had a real franchise on their hands at that point, but got cold feet about other companies adapting the series, while every ''Metroid'' game after "Prime" failed to sell as well. "MOM" and ''Metroid Prime: Federation Force'' just cemented that a ''Metroid'' franchise was far off, but it never has been too close anyway. The first game and the first ''Metroid Prime'' were the only times ''Metroid'' was close to ''Super Mario Bros'' and ''The Legend Of Zelda''. ''Metroid'' remains an important series akin to ''Videogame/FZero''(which also bordered on "Big Three" status once), ''Videogame/{{Kirby}}'' (which Nintendo makes a lot more of), ''Videogame/{{MOTHER}}''(which Nintendo makes a lot less of), ''Videogame/{{Xenoblade}}'', ''Videogame/{{Splatoon}}'', ''Videogame/StarFox'', ''Videogame/NintendoWars'', ''Videogame/{{Pikmin}}'', etc, but ''Pokemon'' it's not, ''Fire Emblem'' it's not, ''Videogame/AnimalCrossing'' it's not. Not yet.

* The times ''Metroid'' was one of Nintendo's "Big Three" were brief and fleeting. ''Metroid'' broke ground by showing untapped potential in platform games and opening the door for more player character experimentation, but novelties aside it didn't wow that much in Japan. The USA was where the biggest impact was, so the sequel was made (even more) with USA in mind, but the third entry ''Super Metroid'', on top of being a TroubledProduction, didn't catch on in the States because ''Videogame/DonkeyKongCountry'' was getting all the attention. The series went dormant(probably for the better) until ''Videogame/DonkeyKongCountry3'' proved the be a critical disappointment and the Nintendo 64 put a bunch of Super Nintendo games in bargain bins. A lot of people suddenly realizing ''Super Metroid'' was a great game, combined with Samus in the ''Videogame/SuperSmashBros'' games, got ''Metroid'' back into focus and ''Videogame/MetroidPrime'' sold very well. Nintendo thought they had a real franchise on their hands at that point, but got cold feet about other companies adapting the series, while every ''Metroid'' game after "Prime" failed to sell as well. "MOM" and ''Metroid Prime Federation Force'' just cemented that a ''Metroid'' franchise was far off, but it never has been too close anyway. The first game and the first ''Metroid Prime'' were the only times ''Metroid'' was close to ''Super Mario Bros'' and ''The Legend Of Zelda''. ''Metroid'' remains an important series akin to ''Videogame/FZero''(which also bordered on "Big Three" status once), ''Videogame/{{Kirby}}''(which Nintendo makes a lot more of), ''Videogame/{{Mother}}''(which Nintendo makes a lot less of), ''Videogame/{{Xenoblade}}'', ''Videogame/{{Splatoon}}'', ''Videogame/StarFox'', ''Videogame/NintendoWars'', ''Videogame/{{Pikmin}}'' etc, but ''Pokemon'' it's not, ''Fire Emblem'' it's not, ''Videogame/AnimalCrossing'' it's not. Not yet.

** [[DarkIsEdgy Edginess]]?

** Because ''StarWars''.

*** Which contradicts Zero Mission and Prime 2 where it didn't add much height(but a lot of bulk). It is even more apparent because the M suit has ''high heels'' while in previous titles it did not.

** Because it made its debut in the same time period as Mario and Zelda on the same console, was a very iconic game, and became at least critically successful if not financially. Though after ''Other M'' its status as one of the "Big 3" is eroding. If ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' is any indication, its replacement is either ''Franchise/{{Pokémon}}'' or ''Franchise/FireEmblem.''

** They attack ships and installations and steal shit. That seems pretty darn piratey.

* Do the Space Pirates do any actual piracy? Most of their goals (and the actions they take to pursue them) are much more political or militant, aimed and destabilizing or outright overthrowing the Galactic Federation, rather than robbing people for profit. This would seem to make them terrorists or insurgents or rebels or invaders or something else along those lines.

** Because Metroid fans desperate for content wouldn't buy FF if there's something else concrete on the horizon. Or less cynically, Ninteno wanted to give AM2R as much time as possible to come out, even if they were planning to shut it down for legal reasons, and they didn't want confusion between the fangame and SR.

** Every piece of in-game exposition I've ever seen (scans, manuals) indicates that the Power Suit is a highly advanced cybernetic device with a few organic components; it is the latter that become infected in the beginning of ''Fusion.'' (The manga came up with some goofy business about how the suit is part of her DNA and manifests itself out of pure energy when she wills it to appear, which [[FanDumb as far as I'm concerned]] smacks entirely too much of a low-budget henshin show.)

*** Samus is part Chozo, and since Samus obtains the X-Ray visor as a Chozo artifact once, one can conclude that Chozo are immune to radiation. Otherwise, the Chozo had made a piece of equipment that's lethal to the user. If Chozo, and thereby Samus, are immune to radiation there's no need for armor that protects against radiation. Alternatively, Samus's suit can't keep radiation out, but its life support system fixes up any damage to Samus's DNA and cellular structure. Phazon might be too powerful a substance for the suit to handle, so it can't fix Samus up in MP3.

* So, the Metroid amiibo, that was released alongside ''Samus Returns'', is compatible with ''Federation Force''. This presumably means that ''Samus Returns'' was already in the works during the making of ''Federation Force''. Why then, did they not ''announce'' the game alongside ''Federation Force'', which would have done a lot to mitigate the game's PR issues and maybe made it more successful?

** For the same reason people consider VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission as canon. In the only other instance of a remake in the Metroid franchise, the new story overwrote the preexisting canon. Why would that change here?

* Why are people discussing VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns as if its canon? They're suggesting stuff like it confirms that the Prime games are canon, and that VideoGame/MetroidPrime4 will acknowledge it. Are you forgetting that this game was a remake to [[VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus an already existing title]]? The two games tell the same story, but in ways that can't possibly overlap. Only one of them can be canon, and I see no reason that Nintendo would de-canonize Metroid II just for some remake.

* Why are people so quick to say that Samus has the DNA of all the X-Viruses she absorbed? It's only stated that the Metroids ''ate'' the X-Virus, not that they obtained their DNA in doing so. It'd be like humans gaining the DNA of every animal and plant they ate. As for the Fusion Suit gaining upgrades back from absorption, that's more because the Core-X's had copied the existing data, which the suit regained, than absorbing the X's DNA. ItJustBugsMe that some tropers think Samus is some horrible chimera of a thousand different creatures when she "only" has human, Metroid, and Chozo DNA.

* Why are people discussing VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns as if its canon? They're suggesting stuff like it confirms that the Prime games are canon, and that VideoGame/MetroidPrime4 will acknowledge it. Are you forgetting that this game was a remake to [[VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus an already existing title]]? The two games tell the same story, but in ways that can't possibly overlap. Only one of them can be canon, and I see no reason that Nintendo would de-canonize Metroid II just for some remake.
* Considering how immature the fanbase acts ([[https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/e3-2015-metroid-prime-federation-force-fan-petition-wants-nintendo-3ds-game-cancelled-1506600 ahem]]), and just the sheer fact that they flip out over nothing, why are they treated like the victims?

* Considering how immature the fanbase acts ([[https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/e3-2015-metroid-prime-federation-force-fan-petition-wants-nintendo-3ds-game-cancelled-1506600 ahem]]), and just the sheer fact that they flip out over nothing, why are they treated like the victims? It genuinely pisses me off.

* Why are people discussing VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns as if its canon? They're suggesting stuff like it confirms that the Prime games are canon, and that VideoGame/MetroidPrime4 will acknowledge it. Are you forgetting that this game was a remake to [[VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus an already existing title]]? The two games tell the same story, but in ways that can't possibly overlap. Only one of them can be canon, and I see no reason that Nintendo would de-canonize Metroid II just for some remake.