Nova Beam

The Nova Beam is a high-frequency beam obtained in the Pirate Homeworld's mining facility. The Nova Beam is designed to be used in combination with the X-Ray Visor: using the X-Ray Visor allows Samus Aran to see through Phazite, and the Nova Beam allows Samus to shoot through it to the weak points concealed beneath. The Nova Beam plays a key role in the battle against Omega Ridley, as Samus Aran must use the Nova Beam to shoot through Omega Ridley's Phazite armor to damage his internal joints. It is the last beam Samus obtains in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. The Nova Beam is similar in function to the Wave Beam from the 2-D games, as they are both able to pass through walls. The shape that the Arm Cannon takes as it stacks the Nova Beam is also very similar to Metroid Prime ' s Arm Cannon when equipped with the Wave Beam.

Description
Some enemies are highly vulnerable to the combination of the X-Ray Visor and the Nova Beam. These enemies include those that use Phazite as armor, such as Phazon Metroids, Metroid Hatchers, Pirate Commandos, and Berserker Knights, which can be killed in one shot. To accomplish this, Samus must first lock onto the enemy with the X-Ray Visor, which will then display a zoomed-in view of the enemy with one or more glowing spots. Aiming at these glowing spots with the Nova Beam will instantly kill the enemy by hitting their head, or possibly their brain, through the armor. This tactic can be especially helpful because all of these enemies are difficult to defeat using conventional methods. A perfect example is the Metroid Hatcher, which normally requires a lengthy battle in which its four tentacles must be ripped off with the Grapple Lasso. Using the X-Ray Visor and the Nova Beam together can kill it in a single shot by shooting directly at its heart. However, this tactic can become impractical on higher difficulties, as the various enemies will enter Hypermode more often and scramble the X-Ray Visor. The Nova Beam's traits also allow it to pierce through a Metroid's membrane and directly hit its nuclei, resulting in a quick kill.

The Nova Beam uses the same technology as the mining systems found throughout the Pirate Mines; it appears the system's mining beams are advanced Nova Beams. Samus' Varia Suit is able to adapt the Pirate technology into a usable, mobile weapon.

The Nova Beam can also unlock all Plasma Beam doors since Corruption uses a beam-stacking system, integrating the Plasma Beam into the Nova Beam. The Nova Beam keeps all the attributes of the beams it replaces, including the Power Beam's high rate of fire and the Plasma Beam's ability to incinerate enemies and weld broken circuit boards. The Arm Cannon takes the same shape as it did for the Wave Beam and the Light Beam (from Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes respectively). Also when Samus charges the Nova Beam, three orbiting spheres of energy surround the shot; a good indicator that the shot is fully charged.

Trivia

 * The Plasma Beam in Metroid: Other M looks very similar to the Nova Beam in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
 * Even when the X-Ray Visor is scrambled from an enemy entering hypermode, it is still possible to use the X-ray-Nova Beam combo to get one hit kills.
 * There is a creature named Nova that is present in the 2-D games and Other M.
 * When charged, the Nova Beam increases in range similar to the Plasma Beam in Metroid Prime.

Gallery
Rayo Nova