The COMPLETE Metroid Timeline Explained

The Metroid Timeline Explained

Metroid has long been a beloved series to hardcore Nintendo fans. But with the release of 2021s Dread, which became the highest selling installment, the franchise earned legions of new players. Now, its making a greater push towards the limelight. Nintendo remastered the first Prime and released many older entries through the Switch Online service. While it isnt the most complicated chronology of Nintendos catalog, several games have still been released out of order. And some players may wonder how Samus adventures all fit together. Well, wonder no more. Welcome to MojoPlays, and this is the Metroid timeline explained.


First, a little on the setting. The universe of Metroid features planets full of deadly creatures, but also those of peace like the Earth mining colony, K-2L. This is where protagonist Samus Aran was born, though she sadly didnt get to enjoy it for very long. When she was only three, a group of space pirates, led by the draconic Ridley, attacked the colony, killing Samus parents and leaving her as the sole survivor. She was taken in by the Chozo, a wise, bird-like race, who lived on the planet Zebes. Its here she grew up, infused with their DNA to withstand their home, and trained to become a warrior. With the goal of joining the Galactic Federation, Metroids sovereign government, Samus earned the Chozos advanced power suit and set out to bring justice to the galaxy.


As you might expect, given how much of a badass she is, Samus impressed everyone during her time training and working for the Galactic Federation. But while she was away, her second home was invaded by the Space Pirates with the help of Mother Brain, an AI created by the Chozo who turned on them, causing most of the Chozo to flee. Samus stuck with the Federation for a while, becoming close with several officers, including her commanding one, Adam Malkovich. But after he sacrificed another friend to save innocent lives, Samus left, spending the years becoming a renowned Bounty Hunter, and bringing us to the first game in the series.


The Space Pirates attacked a Galactic research ship and stole a group of the mysterious and dangerous Metroids, organisms that can drain the life force of any creature and mutate to become more powerful. With their forces rebuffed, and with knowledge that the pirates would breed the Metroids into an unstoppable, galaxy-conquering force, the Federation turned to Samus to infiltrate Zebes. She was to kill any Metroid she found, and put an end to Mother Brain. And after taking out the villains generals, the behemoth, Kraid, and the killer of her parents, Ridley, Samus did just that. The NES original ends with Samus escaping Zebes. But the remake, 2004s Zero Mission, added an epilogue and one final challenge for the player. Samus ship was attacked by remaining pirates, crashing back onto the planet, deep within Chozo ruins. Her suit was lost in the process, forcing her to navigate the ruins with caution, as swarms of pirates were lurking about. Making it to the center of these ruins, Samus unlocked a test that earned her a new Power Suit. She then destroyed a robotic recreation of Ridley, and escaped before the rest of the facility was destroyed.


Of course, the destruction of the base on Zebes didnt mean the end of the Space Pirates. The next game chronologically, Metroid Prime, begins with Samus intercepting a distress call from the Pirates themselves. When she reaches their space station, she discovers many of them dead at the hands of a Parasite Queen, which they had been performing experiments on. After a run-in with Ridley, who survived and gave himself some cybernetic upgrades, Samus escaped the station, pursuing her nemesis to the nearby planet, Tallon IV.


While tracking Ridley and contending with the local wildlife, Samus learned a lot about the history of Tallon IV. Around 50 years prior, a group of Chozo had come to the planet and stayed there until the crash of a strange meteor. This meteor brought a creature the Chozo referred to as The Worm, and a poison that infected the planet, bringing death or corruption to everything in its path, including the Chozo. Although the meteor was sealed away, the arrival of the Space Pirates following the events on Zebes made things even worse. They learned to mine and harness the meteors poison, which they called Phazon, for its ability to increase the strength of any creature, including the Metroids they were still trying to amass an army of. Naturally, Samus did what she does best, and put a stop to that. She defeated the now Meta Ridley, reached the meteor, and faced off against The Worm, which was actually a Metroid heavily infused with Phazon to become a nightmarish evolution. While Samus saved the planet and seemingly destroyed the Metroid Prime, its final plan of absorbing part of Samus suit worked, turning it into a dark version of the hero.


Not long after these events, a telepathic message reached the minds of many forces across the universe: "The secret to ultimate power resides in the Alimbic Cluster." So kicks off 2006s Metroid Prime Hunters for the DS. The Federation asks for Samus help once again to venture to this part of the galaxy, once home to a mighty race, to investigate the message. Unfortunately, many other bounty hunters came looking for this ultimate prize, including Sylux, a mysterious figure who hates the Galactic Federation and Samus by proxy. As it would turn out, the message was a trap set by Gorea, a creature that was both sealed away and led to the downfall of the Alimbic race long ago. It manipulated the skill and abilities of the bounty hunters to escape, but it too was eventually defeated by Samus. As wed come to see later, though, Sylux could hold quite the grudge.


Which brings us to Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. Turns out, the Phazon meteor of the first game wasnt an anomaly. Around the same time one struck Tallon IV, another hit the planet Aether. But with this planets unique energy, the effect was quite different. The meteor created an alternate dimension, with a toxic environment and a race of creatures called the Ing, who sought to destroy the world of their counterparts, the Luminoth. Of course, the Space Pirates were drawn to the Phazon, setting up yet another base on Aether. After losing contact with a platoon of marines, the Galactic Federation naturally turned to Samus for answers. Unfortunately, after getting near the planet, Samus ship was damaged by a lightning storm, with no choice but to explore Aethers dangerous surface.


Samus would soon find that the marines were dead, and that the Ing have the terrifying ability to possess dead bodies. After being teased at the end of Metroid Prime, Dark Samus also showed herself, seeking vengeance against the bounty hunter. Samus would later learn of the plight of the Luminoth; on the verge of defeat, they would soon lose their home to the Ing, who had stolen nearly all of the Light of Aether, the planets energy. Samus was able to prevail once again, as she always does, defeating legions of Space Pirates, the Ing, and the dark, twisted copy of herself. Thanks to Samus, Aether knew peace once again. However, a secret ending revealed that Dark Samus wouldnt go down so easily.


Fast forward six months, where Samus and three other bounty hunters, notably none of those seen in the previous Hunters, are called in by the Galactic Federation. Within the fleet hovering above the planet, Norion, theyre given instructions to travel to several supercomputers known as Aurora Units, and destroy a virus uploaded by, who else, the Space Pirates. However, in this game, theyre a bit more vicious in more ways than one. They launch a surprise attack on the planets Federation base, prompting Samus and the others to descend into warfare. While defending, Samus learns of another Phazon meteor, now called a Leviathan Seed, heading towards Norion. Sadly, thats when Dark Samus reveals her demise was greatly exaggerated and that shes the new leader of the pirates. Samus is badly wounded in the conflict, but is able to activate the bases defense systems, destroying the Leviathan Seed, before falling into a month-long coma.


When she comes to, she learns shes been corrupted by Dark Samus Phazon, and that her fellow hunters have gone missing while looking into two other planets that were hit by Phazon meteorites. Someone should really look into those. Samus ends up traveling to each of the planets, corrupted by the Leviathan Seeds. There, she defeats the more powerful Pirates, as well as her corrupted former allies. She saved both planets from corruption, but there was still work to be done.


Samus would then travel to the Pirate Homeworld for the first time, and after taking down its shield, she led an attack with the Federation. She would encounter Ridley once again, now infused with Phazon, making him an even bigger pain. But he too would fall to the famous bounty hunter. Except, even this wasnt the end. While the Federation continued its battle against the Pirates, Samus uncovered and ventured to the planet Phaaze, the source of Phazon. Here, she had her final confrontation with Dark Samus. And although her evil clone put up a mighty fight, Samus is nigh unstoppable. She put an end to Dark Samus, and with the destruction of the planet, all Phazon in existence. While the game had a happy ending, Sylux, having only hatred for Samus and the Federation, was seen tailing Samus in a cliffhanger ending.


The Metroid Prime trilogy closed out strongly, but theres still more story within this era to be told. Although many fans would like to forget it, the 3DS Metroid Prime: Federation Force comes next in the timeline. The multiplayer spin-off follows a group of mech-operating marines who are tasked with going after the ever-surviving Space Pirates, who are building an impressive, highly destructive battleship called the Doomseye as well as sticking with their old standby plan of breeding Metroids. Samus doesnt play a huge role in the game; she gathers intel for the marines and saves them in a few instances. But shes also captured and brainwashed by the Pirates, who use new tech to increase her size and force her to fight the Force. Theyre able to defeat and free her, as well as destroy the Doomseye and steal a Metroid egg for the Galactic Federation to study. However, Sylux makes another brief appearance, breaking into a facility and forcing the egg to hatch.


So far, thats where Syluxs storyline ends. But with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, that will soon change. Not much is known about the plot, but the rival bounty hunter appears to play a big role. The announcement trailer ends with him attacking a Galactic Federation facility and confronting Samus, bringing the Space Pirates and a couple of Metroids with him. It seems the upcoming game will finally give him the spotlight he so clearly craves.


While theres no way to know exactly how Metroid Prime 4s story will go, we do know what happens after it. The timeline goes back to its 2D roots at this point, with the GameBoys Metroid II: Return of Samus and its 3DS remake. The latter version also gives us a bit more information on the Chozo. Ruins of the race can be seen around SR388, the Metroid homeworld and the games setting. And depending on your completion rating, you can unlock some images that tell their story on the planet. Two Chozo tribes arrived at some point, the peaceful and scientific Thoha and the warlike Mawkin. They encountered the X, a parasite that can assimilate and replicate the form of any creature it comes into contact with. To defeat them, these Chozo created the Metroids. And while that certainly worked, their creations soon became a bigger problem. In fear of destruction, the Thoha wanted to seal away the Metroids and blow up the planet. However, Raven Beak, leader of the Mawkin and a very important character later, felt they could still be used. In complete disagreement, he and his warriors demolished the Thoha, leaving only one member alive, Quiet Robe, in order to use his skills later. The Mawkin then abandoned the planet, with plans to regroup and form a plan to take control of the Metroids.


Enter: Samus Aran. The games plot sees her sent to SR388 by the Federation, tasked with destroying the Metroid species once and for all. She does so, even defeating their Queen in the end, but comes across a single remaining egg. When it hatches and the Metroid imprints on her, Samus cant bring herself to kill it, and thus saves it. Ridley, somehow still alive, pops up in the climax in an attempt to steal the baby Metroid. The duo defeat the villain together, though as weve seen many times before, this was not the end of Ridley.


In the next entry, the seminal Super Metroid, Samus leaves the baby with a group of Federation scientists on the nearby planet Ceres. Sadly, the resilient Ridley and a platoon of Space Pirates attacked the colony, killing the scientists and kidnapping the infant. Although Samus attempted to stop them, the planet was destroyed and the Metroid was stolen. Samus chase led her back to Zebes; the Pirate forces had rebuilt their base there, with Mother Brain surviving and leading them once again. Navigating the twisted remains of her once childhood home, Samus defeats Mother Brains forces, including Ridley, who she is finally able to stop for good. She also re-encounters the infant, grown abnormally large through experimentation. Through its love for Samus, it comes to her aid during the final confrontation with Mother Brain, and gives its life to save her. Not only is the one good Metroid in existence lost, but the defeat of Mother Brain triggers a self-destruct of Zebes, with Samus being forced to escape the best home she ever had before its gone forever.


The plot of 2010s Other M picks up directly after this and chronicles the hubris of certain Galactic Federation officials. The final fight against Mother Brain in Super Metroid had left Samus weakened, and her hospital stay at the beginning of Other M would have disastrous consequences. After recovering, Samus received a distress call, which led her to the Bottle Ship space station. Surprisingly, it was also received by Adam Malkovich, the commanding officer of her former platoon. Although there was definitely tension between the two, everyone worked together to solve the mystery of the distress signal. Unfortunately, an unsanctioned group within the Federation had been conducting experiments with the DNA pulled from Samus suit following her time on Zebes. This led to a new group of Metroids being created as well as a clone of Ridley. They had also created a replica of the Mother Brain AI to control the Metroids, which took on the form of Dr. Madeline Bergman. Needless to say, it was a huge mess that Samus had to clean up, and it led to the death of many of her allies, including Adam.


With Ridley and Mother Brain versions 2.0 both put down, Samus took a more low-key job for her next mission. With the Metroids now gone from the planet, 2002s Fusion begins with her escorting a group of scientists through SR388 in order to collect research. However, due to her eradication of the Metroids, the X parasite was able to return. One infected Samus, though the scientists were able to use Metroid DNA, the same from the baby she had once saved, in order to make her immune to the parasite. Afterwards, she was given a new ship with an AI she named Adam, in honor of her fallen comrade.


Although Samus was saved, the doctors who helped her were doomed. The X parasite formed with her suit, becoming the terrifying SA-X, and led the other parasites in an attack on the researchers, none of which survived. Hunted throughout the facility, she would later find that the Galactic Federation was cloning Metroids once again, but this time not through a rogue group. She would also learn that the government hoped to secure the SA-X to use for military purposes. Naturally, Samus wasnt having any of that. In her attempts to destroy the facility, she had aid from the AI given to her by the Federation. After she referred to it as Adam, it adopted the personality of Adam Malkovich, whose consciousness had been uploaded. Together, they formulated a plan to defeat the X, destroying the facility and the planet of SR388 in one fell swoop.


Which brings us to the last game so far in the Metroid chronology: 2021s Dread. After fleeing from SR388 with his Chozo tribe, the violent Raven Beak came to the planet ZDR. Unfortunately for him, one of his warriors had unknowingly been infected by an X parasite, causing not only the deaths of most of his people, but also the planet to be overrun. While dealing with that problem, Samuss destruction of the Metroids caused him to formulate a new plan. He set a trap, sending footage of an X parasite to the Federation. Fearing the prospect of sending actual people to investigate, the government deployed seven E.M.M.I., machines meant for research and data collection but built from incredibly durable material. After contact with them went silent, Samus, being the only person immune to the parasite, was sent to investigate, which is exactly what Raven Beak wanted.


Samus encounters the villain early on, and learns that the E.M.M.I. have been corrupted by him to attack her. Although shes hunted by multiple, formidable opponents, she works to uncover what has happened on ZDR. Answers come when she meets Quiet Robe, the last member of the Thoha tribe and one of the only living Chozo on the planet. He explains to her the downfall led by Raven Beak, as well as his cause for reprogramming the E.M.M.I. to hunt her: the last Metroid DNA flowing through her veins could be used to rebuild the army he desired. Sadly, the peaceful and regretful Chozo is killed shortly after.


After having conquered the remaining E.M.M.I., Samus is eventually confronted by Raven Beak, who has been misleading her by pretending to be Adam for most of the game. We also learn the Chozo DNA within her is from the Mawkin tribe, specifically from Raven Beak himself. The ensuing fight is one of the toughest of her long career; Raven Beak wasnt the leader of the Chozos most powerful warriors for nothing. Yet, if players are up to the challenge, Samus defeats him along with his mutated X form by evolving through her Metroid DNA. In her attempt to escape yet another planet set to self-destruct, Samus absorbs the X-infected Quiet Robe, makes it to safety, and puts another thrilling chapter as the universes most badass bounty hunter behind her.


And that is the Metroid timeline explained! Although Nintendo is set to go backwards next, with Metroid Prime 4, we look forward to each and every adventure Samus Aran goes on, no matter when it happens. But what about you? Are you excited for the return of Prime? Whats your favorite game in the series? Share your Metroid love in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day!