Phazon

Phazon, as coined by the Space Pirates (formerly referred to as the "Great Poison" by the Chozo) is a highly radioactive substance originating from the planet Phaaze, known for its extreme mutagenic and energy producing properties. Though at first glance it seems to be only a radioactive substance, it is also organic and has displayed signs of sentience as well.

Phazon appears throughout the Metroid Prime Trilogy. The substance has been responsible for the near-destruction of two worlds, Tallon IV of the Chozo, and Aether of the Luminoth. In both cases Phazon arrived on the planets via interstellar objects, now known to be Leviathans. On Tallon IV the Phazon devastated and poisoned the ecosystem, eventually destroying the Chozo civilization that existed there. On Aether, the Phazon Meteor struck the planet and split it into two dimensions, driving the planet and its inhabitants into turmoil.

Role
Phazon appears throughout the Prime trilogy and has a differing role in each story.

In Metroid Prime
Phazon first appeared in Metroid Prime. The Space Pirates had detected the planet Tallon IV as a potential energy source due to its massive emissions of radiation emitted from its core that is Phazon. The Pirates discovered the effects of Phazon and began to experiment on local bioforms, killing most, but horribly mutating a small amount of the specimens. They began several programs such as Project Helix and Project Titan to use Phazon to increase the strength of their own Space Pirate troops, and found limited success with the Elite Pirates. However, both projects were foiled by the efforts of Samus Aran. As Samus delved deeper into the Space Pirates' operations, she learned of the meteor that brought forth the Phazon into Tallon IV, corrupting the wildlife. Eventually she reached the Phazon Core within the Impact Crater and faced the most corrupted creature, Metroid Prime. After the creature was seemingly destroyed, the planet was spared from further corruption.

In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
During the events of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, the Space Pirates had once again located another planet bearing the mark of Phazon poisoning -- Aether. The Pirates began operations to mine the substance, but quickly discovered only trace amounts of Phazon on the planet. They then found that the Phazon they had been detecting was located in another dimension. The dimension came to be when a Phazon meteor hit the planet, but due to an unstable energy crisis, the planet was split into two. "Dark Aether" had a poisonous atmosphere and was inhabited by "shadowy creatures" who thwarted the Pirate's efforts to gather Phazon. Later their base was attacked by a mysterious doppelganger of Samus, who stole the Phazon they had been mining. The appearance of the real Samus made matters worse, and the Pirates mission was deemed a disaster.

Samus managed to venture into the Dark world and defeat her doppelganger, Dark Samus, who was spawned from the remains of Metroid Prime. Eventually Samus destroyed Dark Aether and the Phazon along with it, bringing a complete end to the Ing Horde, as well as the Pirates' operations there.

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Phazon's role is arguably most prominent in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, as it is both the primary antagonizing force and the only effective weapon against itself. An entire system of planets had been corrupted by Phazon. Dark Samus, revived from her defeat in Aether's Dark Dimension, launched enormous Phazon seeds called Leviathans into planets. She also corrupted Samus and her fellow Bounty Hunters with Phazon which caused their bodies to begin self-producing Phazon. Using Federation developed technology the hunters could utilise this Phazon to enhance their capabilities when going into a state called Hypermode. It was Samus's mission to eliminate these sources of Phazon, using the Phazon now coursing through her veins. Each seed was protected by a guardian, who defended the core with its life. The Leviathans and their guardians were eventually defeated by Samus after large Pirate resistance.

The Federation, using the paths the Leviathans had made to each planet, triangulated the point of origin and were able to locate the epicenter of the attacks: a planet named Phaaze. Using the Leviathan battleship built by Dark Samus, they opened a wormhole to travel to Phaaze, due to the planet being too far away for conventional space travel. Upon arriving on the surface, Samus reached near-critical levels of Phazon poisoning, causing her to remain in Hypermode indefinitly. Using her Phazon attacks, she defeated Dark Samus and the Aurora Unit, which Dark Samus had corrupted. The destruction of the Aurora Unit caused a planetwide chain reaction, which culminated in the destruction of Phaaze and thus eradicated the origin point of Phazon.

Description
Phazon is a highly radioactive, mutagenic, and semi-sentient substance. . Phazon is also capable of self-replication, making its ability to spread incredibly efficient. Most Phazon is blue in color, except for the much more potent red variation, whose radiation and mutagenic levels far exceed the normal blue Phazon. Red Phazon also has small bluish hued energy spheres that appear on the surface, which act as spawning nests for Fission Metroids. Red magma crystals with low amounts of Phazon energy are found in Magmoor Caverns on Tallon IV. A Pirate logbook showed that the Pirates intended to put them on the market when Phazon operations were complete. There are also Black Phazon Crystals only seen on Phaaze. They were commonly mined by Space Pirates. This suggests that there are unknown types of Phazon elsewhere.

Phazon exists in many forms. It is most commonly seen as a network of blue veins and crystal-like sacs. A more concentrated form of Phazon is known as liquid Phazon, which takes on the traits of a dense gel. Large amounts of Phazon are usually seen with bolts of energy present, appearing as arcs of static electricity. This is probably due to the high amount of unstable radiation and energy the substance is constantly producing. Strangely, in Corruption, Phazon had a slightly different appearance, no longer haivng a vein-like pattern and being a lighter shade of blue. Additionally, Phazon in Corruption does not produce static electricity. The reason for this is unknown.

Phazon also demonstrates a trace amount of sentience. Liquid Phazon, Phazon Grubs, and Phaz-Ing are only a few examples of living, thinking creatures composed entirely of Phazon. Left-over Phazon energy after a Leviathan impact can also manifest itself into Phaazoids, Phazon energy that constantly discharges itself and purposefully attacks Samus. Metroid Prime (and, by extension, Dark Samus) as well as the planet Phaaze itself are all fully sentient creatures completely made up of Phazon and Phazon energy.

Scans of dead troopers on the G.F.S. Valhalla also seem to indicate that Phazon found impaling troopers is absorbing the corpses and turning them into Phazon. Also, dead Reptilicus Hunters frozen by the corrupted Bounty Hunter Rundas's ice powers can be scanned to reveal that the small particles of Phazon are transforming the dead bodies into Phazon as well, indicating that Phazon will seek to absorb lifeforms if they die instead of being mutated, while being mutated or even after being mutated, since Dark Samus was also seen to absorb the dead corrupted Bounty Hunters just like she had been observed to absorb common Phazon. Phazon releases unique energy in the form of Phazon radiation. Exposure to any amount of Phazon radiation can be deadly. Most bioforms in direct contact with Phazon, be it ore or liquid, die within seconds. Even living within an area with high Phazon concentration can be fatal over time. However, bioforms with prolonged Phazon exposure that do not die are horribly mutated. Exposure to Phazon radiation destroys brain cells and cognitive thought in sentient beings, yet it also sees a gain of muscle mass and other beneficial abilities. Phazon exposure, while destroying the mind, makes beings hunger for more Phazon. In turn, corrupted beings also have a natural instinct to protect Phazon and its source. Humans seem to have developed shielding technology to mitigate its effects, as demonstrated by the Galactic Federal PED Troopers and by Samus Aran. Chozo, on the contrary, are especially weak to it, for even their ghosts become insane from Phazon exposure. Humans, especially Samus - who is incidentally augmented with Chozo DNA - have shown a resistance to the mental effects of Phazon. Even when corrupted to the point of being unrecognizable by her ship, Samus still managed to retain her sanity on Phaaze. This demonstrates an extreme resilience to the adverse effects of Phazon. In comparison, the other infected bounty hunters (all whom have received equal care concerning their internal Phazon) had their minds corrupted by their Phazon early into their infection, although it can still be argued that there is another explanation, such as they couldn't expel their excess Phazon during Hyper Mode's "Corrupted" state. It is also worth noting that humans may reject Phazon to a point. Samus demonstrated this once by expelling excess Phazon through regurgitation.

Phazon is also extremely useful as an energy source, as its total energy output far exceeds that of Fuel Gel, one of the Federation's most powerful energy sources.

Phazon, because of the intense radiation it produces and its mutagenic properties, is a deadly toxic substance. Any planet with Phazon corruption left unchecked will "kill" the planet. The planet will slowly turn into pure Phazon, becoming like Phaaze itself.

Interestingly, some creatures that have been augmented by Phazon also seem to have a weakness to any weapon powered by Phazon. This is likely because these particular corrupted organisms become overloaded if too much Phazon is introduced to their systems.

Appearance
Phazon primarily appears throughout the Metroid Prime series as a radiant semisolid or soliquid. The most abundant type of Phazon found within the game takes on a more solid form, appearing as a network of veins or large crystal-like sacs. Less frequently, a purified, concentrated form of Phazon can be found that possesses gel-like traits. The first installment of the series initially revealed two variations of Phazon, a regular blue type and a much rarer, but exponentially more potent red variation.

The blue type is found throughout several locations in Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes as well as a pure form that is solid blue and only appears when fighting Metroid Prime, while the red type is only found in the Impact Crater of the first Metroid Prime. Additionally, some portions of the series, primarily the first game, depict the substance with nearby clouds of what looks like static electricity and small orange, black or blue dots as well as a characteristic chiming noise. The red Phazon may be used to produce the Red Phazite worn by Pirate Commanders in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption as both are very rare. Also, Aurora Unit 313 is colored red at the end of Metroid Prime 3, unlike the rest of planet Phaaze where it is fought, possibly indicating that part or all of the planet's interior is formed by red Phazon, since the Aurora Unit is symbiotically linked to the planet's core. Samus is vulnerable to damage from red Phazon regardless of which Power Suit she is using, whereas different suits have been able to give her protection from the effects of blue Phazon. Black Phazon Crystals have also been found throughout Phaaze. Phaaze possesses entire seas of blue Phazon and continents formed of a previously unknown type of green Phazon, although there is no red Phazon to be seen. Scans of the Red Phazite and Red Phaazoids in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption may also be taken to mean that the Red Phazon is a rare mutation; if this is true, the Leviathan on Tallon IV could be seen as a sort of "Red Leviathan".

Phazon can react with an unknown chemical to produce Phazite, thicker plates of which can only be damaged by concentrated Phazon energy orbs. Thin plates slough off damage, but can be damaged with the Plasma Beam. The Nova Beam passes directly through it.

Phazon Corruption
Many life forms exposed to Phazon radiation expire within seconds. However, some life forms can survive the Phazon exposure, although the price to be paid is horrible mutation of the body and mind. Subjects exposed to Phazon over long periods of time may develop a form of mental breakdown known as Phazon Madness to the Space Pirates, or Phazon Sickness to the Federation. This condition affects the mind, driving the subject to the point of mental instability and a constant hunger for more Phazon. In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the Hunters suffered from Phazon Madness. Life forms that survive Phazon exposure usually gain increased muscle mass and new found abilities, but suffer a decline in cognitive thought (due to brain tissue deterioration) and general lifespan.

Although Phazon is first portrayed solely as a dangerously radioactive destructive substance, Samus, and later the Federation, discovered that the Space Pirates had taken advantage of Phazon's mutagenic properties to create a powerful biologically engineered army of Phazon-enhanced Pirates and other creatures. The Pirates had begun a series of Phazon exposure experiments with native Tallon IV life forms to test Phazon's mutagenic abilities, even managing to infuse sapience in inorganic matter, with the rock-creature Thardus. In further experiments, the Pirates had begun Phazon infusion experiments, injecting subjects with pure Phazon. In Metroid Prime, Samus's ultimate goal was to eradicate the source of the Phazon after stopping further Space Pirate experimentation with Phazon.

The Phazon Suit
The Phazon Suit is obtained by Samus Aran in Metroid Prime after defeating the Omega Pirate in the Phazon Mines. Its uses are to protect Samus from Blue Phazon, and it allows Samus to shoot Liquid Phazon out of her Arm Cannon when in the presence of high concentrations of the substance. Unfortunately, it does not protect Samus from Red Phazon. The Phazon Suit is eventually stolen by the creature Metroid Prime at the end of the game, an act which served as the birth of Dark Samus.

Phazon Enhancement Device
After Samus's discovery of Phazon on Tallon IV and Aether, the Galactic Federation has taken a sudden interest in Phazon and its mutagenic and extreme energy-producing properties. Based on captured Space Pirate technology, the Galactic Federation developed the PED, otherwise known as the Phazon Enhancement Device. The PED was tested on a Galactic Federation Marine Battalion in the Norion System. The suit is worn like a backpack, and users can initiate an energy siphon using a small supply of Phazon carried in a backpack into their armor suits. This allows the user to temporarily enhance the exoskeletal and weapons systems of their armor suits with Phazon energy, drastically enhancing their abilities.

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Samus, Rundas, Ghor and Gandrayda are corrupted with Phazon by Dark Samus. In order to prevent total corruption, the Galactic Federation equipped Samus with PED, allowing her to activate the energy siphon by using the Phazon from within her. This puts Samus into Hypermode, a state in which she becomes equipped with Phazon-enhanced weaponry. Activation, however, requires the injection of one Energy Tank, and staying in Hypermode for too long can lead to Corrupt Hypermode. In Corrupt Hypermode, Samus will be unable to deactivate Hypermode except by either forcibly expelling it with her weapons or waiting until the PED auto-vents itself; if the Phazon meter near the top of the screen is allowed to fill up completely, she will be terminally corrupted and transform into a second Dark Samus. Rundas, Ghor, and Gandrayda were terminally corrupted and all attempted to kill Samus.

This gameplay element plays an important role in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

Phazon Beam
Main articles: Phazon Beam and Hyper Beam (Metroid Prime 3: Corruption)

Metroid Prime
In Metroid Prime, the Phazon Beam is used against the final boss of the game, Metroid Prime. The beam can only be used when Samus is able to absorb high quantities of pure Phazon, and so can only be used during this fight if Samus stands in the pools of liquid Phazon that Metroid Prime secretes. This Beam can be used outside the battle by hacking.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Like in Metroid Prime, Samus can only use the Phazon Beam at the end, during the final Dark Samus match. To use it, Samus must absorb the Phazon Dark Samus expels with her Charge Beam, to fire it back at her. Thus, it isn't an actual Beam as such (but can still be used outside the fight via hacking).

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Samus can enter a state called Hypermode and use the Phazon Beam at will. Hyper Missiles are also available, a Phazon-enhanced variant of the standard missile.

Official website
kreuger displacement: 99.566

atomic weight: 99.75

vacuum potential: 98.996

origin: Unknown

"Our knowledge of Phazon comes exclusively from intercepted communications between rogue Space Pirate research vessels. Intelligence reports indicate that the Space Pirates believe Phazon to be a V-index mutagen with lifelike characteristics. An encrypted video transmission netted and decoded by our internal offices reads:

"This material appears to posses lifelike characteristics, mutating organic life forms strong enough to withstand its poison. These mutations appear promi..."

''The signal was lost in mid-transmission. This find along with Space Pirate interrogation suggests that Phazon is unlike anything the Galactic Federation has encountered before."''

Mike Sneath interview
'ShrineSparkers: ''You were also responsible for the concept of Phazon. How did you come up the look and feel of the substance and how did the name ‘Phazon’ come about? Also, what can you tell us about the ‘Red Phazon’ in the impact crater?

Mike Sneath: ''Todd Keller one day told me that the game story was going to be centred around a posionous substance called Phazon and wanted me to do a concept. All he knew was that he wanted it to be blue. So  I started searching on the internet for micoscopic images of germs, etc. I had found a few images and found some images of some gel like spheres. I took all these images into Photoshop and then experimented with adding various shades of blue.'' "After the concept was done then I went to Maya and I experimented with some different shaders and textures to create the blue Phazon that you see throughout the game. The red if I remember correctly is just the blue Phazon with shader changed to red. I don’t remembr the storyline behind the red Phazon."

Etymology
The name most likely comes from the word "Phase". In Greek mythology, Phaëton, pronounced "fey-a-ton" (in the way Phazon is pronounced "fey-zon"), was the son of the god Helios and traveled the heavens in a burning chariot he was not able to control, and so spread destruction all over planet Earth. This story can be loosely compared to the unruly nature of Phazon and the destructive effects it has on planets.

Trivia

 * Phazon, through its mutagenic properties, was capable in removing the Metroids' greatest weakness: cold temperatures. This can be seen in Fission Metroids and the Metroid Prime. It would take years before the Galactic Federation would successfully reproduce this invulnerability, though without the use of Phazon.
 * In Metroid Prime, once Samus acquires the Phazon Suit, she soon after enters a room with a floor covered in Phazon and with several platforms, and Beam Troopers on them. Should she knock one off a platform, it will die instantly once it touches the Phazon-covered floor, showing how deadly Phazon can be to the unprotected.
 * Metroid Prime Hunters gives no mention of Phazon in the game. However, if Samus scans a War Wasp in game, it reads: "The royal jelly of the War Wasp queen is so highly valued that hives continue to be harvested on Aether in spite of a shocking death toll.", possibly hinting the effect that Phazon has had on the planet. This may also simply refer to the fact that the War Wasps have significant destructive potential.
 * Phazon is similar in a way to Tiberium from Command & Conquer, as they both come from outer space, mutate or kill and reproduce almost as a sentient being. Like Phazon, Tiberium occurs in two forms: A common green variant, and a rare, more lethal blue form.
 * In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, health pickups are no longer "Energy Capsules," but are instead called "Phazon Units" after Samus receives the PED Suit. This could be a reference to the fact that Samus' PED technology uses Phazon, as well as the energy used by Samus' suit for energy, and may in turn absorb Phazon and exchange it for energy which can be stored by Energy Tanks. Also there are a few different colored Phazon units. Purple, Red, Blue, and Yellow/Orange, this might indicate several other types of Phazon.
 * There are two rooms in Corruption, the rooms in question both being located on Bryyo, that contains a pool of Phazon. It is discovered immediately after Samus first experiences Corrupted Hypermode, and another after removing a Bryyonian Golem on the path to the Grapple Swing VIA the X-Ray Visor. Samus can stand in this pool of Phazon and it will heal her as long as she stands in it until all energy tanks are filled. Despite its healing effect, it emits the same hissing noise in other Metroid Prime games that indicates overexposure to Phazon's radiation, wherein those instances the Phazon hurt instead of healed. Two more can be found in the Pirate Homeworld, but one is not usable. The hissing noise may just be a sound produced by the Phazon when something enters it, instead of an indication that it is damaging Samus.
 * In Corruption, in the ending sequence where Samus gives a thumbs up to the player, the Hyper Beam shape is shown on her Arm Cannon with Phazon in it even though all of the substance had apparently been destroyed, following the destruction of Phaaze.
 * Donkey Kong Country Returns, Retro's first game outside of the Metroid universe, features Phazon as a cameo. When in the cave environment (World 4), large, deep-blue crystals and oversized purple mushrooms resembling the Saturnines and Phazon crystals can been seen in the background. Also, when visiting Cranky Kong's huts in the same environment, he can be seen saying "I've been trying to figure out just what they mine in these mines, but I've got nothing." While riding the carts in the various mine cart stages later in the game, some carts have a glowing blue substance with black streaks that appears to emit something that looks similar to small lightning bolts; these characteristics are shared by Phazon.