A Crash Course In Metroid Prime Lore To Get You Ready For Beyond

As the release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond approaches, players might want a reminder of the series’ story. This is true for both newcomers and long-time fans who may have forgotten details since the last game. It’s understandable, considering the last major Metroid title came out 18 years ago, and the most recent spin-off was released 9 years ago.

The Metroid Prime games follow Samus Aran, a brave bounty hunter, as she uncovers a strange energy source called Phazon. This energy is being collected by groups like the Space Pirates, who can’t fully manage its power. Throughout her missions, Samus battles formidable enemies, including Dark Samus, a sinister clone created from Phazon. While each game has its own story, there’s important background information players should know before diving into Metroid Prime 4: Beyond to fully appreciate the experience.

The Prime Series’ Place On The Metroid Timeline

Metroid Prime Technically Takes Place Between Metroid 1 And 2

Fans of the Metroid series know there are many games that aren’t part of the first-person Prime sub-series. So, where do the Prime games fit into the overall Metroid story? It’s actually quite straightforward: all Prime games – including the original trilogy, spin-offs like Hunters and Federation Force, and the upcoming Beyond – take place between the first Metroid game and its sequel, Metroid 2: Return of Samus.

This naturally raises the question: Do you need to play the other Metroid Prime games before starting Beyond? The answer is no, not really. While the Prime games fit into the overall timeline, they aren’t referenced much in the later games. That’s likely why Metroid Prime 4: Beyond seems to take place after Federation Force; you don’t need to play any other games in the series to understand the story.

Phazon Is Extremely Important

Unveiling The Secrets Behind This Powerful Energy Source

The core of the Metroid Prime series is a substance called Phazon. Each game’s story begins when someone – usually the Space Pirates – discovers a source of it on a planet. This highly radioactive, blue material corrupts living things, creating creatures reliant on it for survival. It’s also repeatedly enhanced Samus’s abilities, even changing how the games are played.

Okay, so technically, I remember Samus completely wiping out all the Phazon at the end of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption when she blew up Phaaze, the planet where it all came from. And Federation Force – which came out after Prime 3 – even says there’s no more Phazon around. But honestly, Phazon is such a big deal in the Prime games, I’m fully expecting it to show up somehow in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if they bring it back in some way.

Dark Samus Is The Metroid Prime

The Main Antagonist Of The Trilogy May Return In Beyond

Many people who haven’t played the Metroid Prime games mistakenly believe that the creature Metroid Prime only shows up at the end of the first game and isn’t important afterward, even though it’s in the series title. However, that’s not true at all. Metroid Prime actually returned as Dark Samus, the primary villain in the next two Metroid Prime games.

Metroid Prime was a huge, incredibly intelligent creature that was changed by a dangerous substance called Phazon on the planet Talon IV. After Samus defeated it, a scene after the credits showed that her DNA combined with the creature’s remains, creating a powerful, evil clone called Dark Samus. This clone pursued Samus throughout her later adventures, until Samus finally destroyed it in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Although Dark Samus is gone, she’s likely to reappear in Beyond in some way, especially since she’s become such a popular villain – she even made it into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Ridley Is Still Alive

Metroid Wouldn’t Be Metroid Without The Space Pirates (And Samus’ Nemesis)

The Space Pirates are the villains who appear most often throughout the Metroid series. Although they weren’t as prominent in many of the Metroid Prime games—where Dark Samus took center stage—trailers for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond show they’ll be back. This strongly suggests that Ridley, their most famous member, will also return.

Ridley is Samus Aran’s greatest enemy, serving as a difficult boss in both Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Despite being defeated multiple times, the Space Pirates continually improved him – first with robotic parts, creating Meta Ridley, and later by using a substance called Phazon, resulting in Omega Ridley. Although Samus finally defeated him in Metroid Prime 3, Ridley isn’t truly gone in the Metroid universe, as he reappears in later games like Metroid: Samus Returns and Super Metroid. Therefore, players of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond should be prepared for his return, as this dangerous space dragon could emerge at any time with a new, powerful form.

The Importance Of Aether And Dark Aether

These Parallel Worlds May Have A Part To Play In Future Titles

Generally, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is considered the least essential game in this series of titles. Unlike other Metroid Prime games, it doesn’t heavily feature the struggle between the Galactic Federation and Space Pirates over Phazon. Instead, this sequel is entirely set on the strange planet Aether, and its shadowy twin from another dimension, Dark Aether.

The unexpected creation of Dark Aether was triggered by a creature from the planet Phaaze. This new dimension became home to the Ing, malicious shapeshifters who can take control of other beings. Although Samus defeated their leader, the Emperor Ing, in Metroid Prime 2, the Ing and Dark Aether haven’t been significant in later games. However, there’s still a chance these elements could reappear in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, even if only as a small reference.

Samus Aran Is Not Always Alone

Metroid Prime 3 Introduced Many Other Bounty Hunters

Some players have expressed disappointment with recent previews of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which showed NPCs speaking with voice acting. Many fans expected the game to follow the tradition of previous Metroid Prime titles and remain a largely silent experience, focusing solely on Samus. However, those who played Metroid Prime 3: Corruption will remember that game did include several characters with voiced dialogue, so this new feature won’t be entirely unexpected for them.

In Metroid Prime 3, Samus encounters several characters, including three bounty hunters – Rundas, Gandrayda, and Ghor. Sadly, these allies are taken over by Dark Samus, forcing Samus to fight them. Metroid Prime 3 was the first game in the Prime series to feature characters with voice acting, leading fans to believe we’ll hear more voiced bounty hunters in the upcoming game, Beyond. In fact, it’s been confirmed that one NPC will play a significant role in the sequel.

Sylux First Appeared In Metroid Prime Hunters

The Main Antagonist Of Metroid Prime 4 Was Introduced In A Nintendo DS Spin-Off

You might have seen Sylux in a lot of ads for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, suggesting he’s a major villain. But Sylux isn’t new to the series – Nintendo and Retro Studios have long suggested he’d eventually become a key antagonist.

Sylux first appeared in Metroid Prime Hunters for the Nintendo DS as one of several bounty hunters. During that game, he fought Samus and was briefly taken over by the monster Gorea, but he escaped. He then made a brief, mysterious appearance after the credits of Metroid Prime 3, following Samus in his ship. For over ten years, fans have been anticipating a showdown between Samus and Sylux, and that moment will finally happen in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Federation Force Is Much More Important Than It Seems

This Polarizing Spin-Off Ties Directly Into The Story Of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Metroid Prime: Federation Force is a multiplayer-focused spin-off that initially upset many Metroid fans who were hoping for a traditional single-player adventure. While it wasn’t the Metroid game they expected, Federation Force actually adds important details to the overall story, making it worth checking out, especially for those eager to understand the lore before playing Metroid Prime 4.

The story in Federation Force isn’t crucial, and Samus doesn’t appear until the very end. However, the scene after the credits is really important because it connects directly to the story of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. In that scene, a shadowy figure – revealed to be Sylux – makes a Metroid egg hatch and then steals it. Since Sylux was already shown controlling baby Metroids in a Beyond trailer, this scene will likely have a big impact on the new game. It’s a good idea to either play Federation Force or watch that post-credits scene online before starting Beyond to understand what’s happening.

2025-12-01 02:07