James Pierce



James Pierce is one of Adam Malkovich's 07th Platoon soldiers in Metroid: Other M. His assignment in the team is communications. Adam orders him to investigate the Control Bridge.

The Deleter
As Other M progresses, it is revealed that the 07th Platoon came with an assassin to kill all witnesses, and destroy all evidence linking Bottle Ship to the Galactic Federation, including his own team. Samus refers to this assassin as the Deleter.

It is believed that James is the Deleter, supported by events throughout Other M. Supporting evidence is as follows:
 * He is the first to arrive at the building overlooking the virtual training grounds of the Biosphere, and is seen doing something underneath the computer. Later, the building explodes.
 * Later in the game, he is seen moving towards Bioweapons Research Center, and tries to keep Samus from following him.
 * James approaches MB only after Samus leaves, believing she no longer has any protection.
 * He is the last member of the 07th Platoon to die (not including Anthony or Adam).

His death immediately follows his second contact with MB in the Bioweapons Research Center. When the screen goes black, a gunshot is heard. His body is found with the visor destroyed, indicating death by face-trauma.

It was never actually confirmed who was the Deleter, as it was never officially said during the game course. However, all the evidence piles up to James as the subject assassin.

Because of his role as Communications Expert, the all-pervasive electronic interference may have been his own doing, to keep his teammates from contacting others in times of need, or to inform others before their death of who the assassin is. It would also explain why only Samus' comms worked.

It may have been that he was setting explosives in the building under the computer to kill his entire team in one fell swoop, or to keep his team from ever finding about anything, so he wouldn't have to kill them. This knowledge is taken with him to the grave, as there is no evidence supporting either possibility. However, it is sure that he was trying to destroy the evidence left behind within the building.