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.

As Adam orders everyone to regroup at the Exam Center of the Biosphere, James is the first one to arrive, even though Lyle was in the area first. As Maurice Favreau repairs the damaged files on a computer, he asks James to hack it if he cannot bypass the security protocols.

James is found dead in the Bioweapon Research Center, with his visor broken.

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.

Evidence
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 Exam Center overlooking the virtual training grounds of the Biosphere, although Lyle had been sent there first, and is seen doing something underneath the computer. When Maurice analyzes it, it is discovered the CPU "self-destructed" and that they will need to reconstruct it. Later, Lyle's body is found and the building explodes.
 * The Deleter is seen moving towards the Bioweapon Research Center, making effort to keep Samus from following him.
 * James' body is discovered in the exact same location where the Deleter went after confronting MB.
 * He is the last member of the 07th Platoon to die (not including Anthony or Adam).
 * They both have a faded "07" on their helmet.

His death immediately follows his second contact with MB in the Bioweapon Research Center; right after Samus leaves, the Deleter thinks MB has no protection, and walks up to her. When the screen goes black, a gunshot is heard. His body is found with the visor destroyed, indicating death by face-trauma. One of the Desbrachian cocoons in the room where his corpse is found is missing, so it can be assumed MB activated it to kill him. However, MB is known to have immense physical strength, leading to the other possibility that she herself killed James.

While the game drops the subplot of the Deleter before it's solved, there is evidence that James is indeed the assassin, leaving the player to figure it out on their own.

Known Acts
The following is a list of known actions that James Pierce took at the Deleter, supported by cutscenes and


 * Destroyed the Exam Center.


 * Killed Maurice with his Freeze Gun.


 * Attacked MB and Samus with the RB176 Ferrocrusher.


 * Killed K.G. Misawa with his Freeze Gun, and followed up by incinerating his body in a pool of lava.


 * Disabled communications between Adam Malkovich and Samus.


 * Led Samus from the Main Elevator to the Bioweapons Research Center.


 * Died.

Speculation
Because of his role as Communications Expert, the all-pervasive electronic interference may have been his own doing in order to keep his teammates from contacting others in times of need or informing others about who the assassin is.

It's known that the Deleter was sent to eliminate all evidence, including witnesses, of the Bottle Ship's connection to the Galactic Federation. When James is first found in the Exam Center, he is working underneath a large mainframe. When accessed, the memory had been fragmented. While this could have been James, it may have also been an automatic function in case of emergency. Instead, James may have been planting explosives from the start in order to wipe out his team in one fell swoop. Unfortunately for him, Samus had arrived early.

How James got enough explosives to destroy the Exam Center shines light on a possibility. As Samus and the 07th Platoon were rushing to the site, they may have completely overlooked Lyle's body, the Demolitions Expert of the team. It would explain why Lyle, the first person sent to Sector 1, wasn't the first to arrive. James may have killed Lyle for his explosives, and tossed his body into the shrubbery so no one would immediately notice it. By coincidence, Little Birdie would find a snack.

Credentials
"James Pierce (communications):

''  104''



Galactic Federation Acedemy, Training Base #6

Federation Central Information Agency, Intelligence Group 2

Galactic Federation, 07th Platoon

ID: 3721-07:74425"

Character log descriptions

 * Beginning
 * "Investigating the BOTTLE SHIP under Adam's command after receiving the distress signal."


 * After Brug Mass
 * "Currently investigating the Control Bridge under Adam's command."


 * After King Kihunter
 * "Currently heading toward the Exam Center in Sector 1 under Adam's command."


 * After first Exam Center cutscene
 * "Currently investigating the Exam Center under Adam's command."


 * After Mystery Creature
 * "Currently investigating the BOTTLE SHIP interior under Adam's command."


 * After Rhedogian battle #2
 * "Currently heading toward the Geothermal Power Plant in Sector 3 under Adam's command."


 * After Main Elevator cutscene
 * "No information available. Details unknown."


 * After return to Bioweapon Research Center
 * "Discovered killed by something in the Bioweapon Research Center."