Chapter 17



Chapter 17 is one of the D-Rockets pre-rendered cutscenes in Metroid: Other M, taking place about halfway through the game. It runs for about 2 minutes and 33 seconds. The cutscene immediately precedes the battle with Ridley's clone, and centers around Samus Aran's reaction to seeing her nemesis alive after supposedly killing him for good during the Raid on Planet Zebes in Super Metroid. Seeing him alive and well in spite of this triggers her posttraumatic stress disorder, and causes her to enter a catatonic state for a short period.

The scene was the subject of extreme controversy among Metroid fans, due to Samus's seemingly uncharacteristic behavior at the sight of Ridley, when she has fought him without issue in at least eight previous battles. It has been one of the most maligned aspects of Other M, and continues to be the source of controversy and mocking nearly a decade after the game's release. See Posttraumatic stress disorder for an analysis of the criticism surrounding the cutscene.

Summary
After entering the Geothermal Power Plant, Samus Aran bumps into Anthony Higgs and enters his line of fire. She momentarily suspects him of being the Deleter, before he shouts at her to move, as he was aiming at a creature behind her. In order to illuminate the room, Samus finds and destroys the magma-eruption port, with her newly authorized Super Missiles.

Once the room is illuminated, she frantically searches the room for the monster, which emerges from below the platform and is revealed to be none other than Ridley. Samus gasps as the clone lands on the platform, and stalks towards her.

Brief glimpses of Samus from Ridley's perspective are interspersed with shots of him stomping towards her. Samus can be heard struggling to breathe as she slowly steps back. The clone roars in her face, and the camera pans into her visor, on which Ridley is reflected, and zooms out to show Samus as her frightened toddler self, who covers her mouth and cries softly. The camera then pans behind Ridley, standing in front of the child Samus, and then pans around to his other side to show the adult Samus again. Samus aims her Arm Cannon at the clone as it roars at her again, but she lowers it and staggers back, seemingly heaving.

Commander Adam Malkovich, who is witnessing the ordeal through Samus's communication link, attempts to get through to Samus to no avail. He orders her to use her Plasma Beam. Samus infamously exclaims "No! It can't be!" Shortly after this, Adam looks to his left and a gunshot is heard, as his communications earpiece is shot off, presumably by the Deleter.

At this point, Anthony screams Samus's name as Ridley grabs her in his talon. In a state of extreme emotional duress, the arm of Samus's Varia Suit begins to dissipate, though she rematerializes it and struggles to escape Ridley's hand. Ridley takes off into the air and drags Samus across the wall, completely disintegrating her Power Suit as she screams. Enraged, Anthony fires his Plasma Gun at Ridley, causing him to lose his grip on Samus. She flips around in the air, quickly rematerializing her Power Suit before she lands face down on the platform.

Anthony taunts Ridley, saying "Hey! Hey, punk! Don't you know how to treat a lady?! Man! You got no style! I think I got to teach you a lesson about subtlety. Come on!" As he begins charging another plasma blast, Samus begs him not to provoke Ridley. Anthony leaps out of the way of Ridley's attack, but is knocked off the platform by his tail. Samus runs after him, but is blocked by Ridley. The apparent death of her friend causes Samus to snap out of her trauma, and she prepares to fight her nemesis. The battle then commences.

Legacy
A Piercing Screech, Ridley's reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, appears to reference Chapter 17. Upon seeing Ridley and being knocked back, Samus's eyes widen in shock as he is reflected in her Visor. However, she appears to recover much faster from her shock than in Chapter 17 and charges at him as the trailer ends.

Ridley's Classic Mode in Ultimate is named "It Can't Be! Space Pirates!", likely a reference to Samus's exclamation in this scene.

Trivia

 * Nintendo of America localization manager (and Other M voice actor) Nate Bihldorf commented on this scene in an interview with Shinesparkers:


 * He also stated his belief that "the scene where he's [Anthony, voiced by Mike McGillicuty in English] calling out Ridley was one of the best in the game."


 * The scene's name originates from the in-game Theater Mode.
 * The scene was first depicted, in parts, in the Action Story trailer.
 * The Story feature of Other M describes Samus as "panic-stricken" in this scene.
 * The music in this scene as Ridley begins to take off with Samus in his clutches, is heard as the background music in the final Japanese commercial for the game.
 * Samus makes a vocalization as she confronts Ridley at the end of this cutscene, which differs between the English and Japanese versions. In the Japanese version, she screams a warrior's cry, while in English it is a softer grunt.