A brittle husk in Transit Tube A.
A brittle husk[1] refers to the remains of a bioform that has been completely siphoned of its energy by a Metroid.
The corpses change into a dull coloring and become "stuck" in whatever position they were in their final moments, leading some to being found in stances that would be impossible if the bioforms were killed by normal means. In most cases, the bodies also shrivel up and enter a state of extreme fragility where a mere touch will result in them crumbling into dust.
Encounters[]
The first chronological encounter with brittle husks occurs in Metroid: Zero Mission, where a Metroid larva outbreak takes place in Tourian. They kill off the Zebesians present, leaving their husks behind. During Tourian's introductory cutscene, a group of Metroids rise from their Zebesian "meal" before one zooms in on the screen. The Zebesian body is seen slowly turning pale as its energy is drained. As for the Zebesian husks shown within rooms, these are merely part of the scenery and thus cannot be directly interacted with; it is therefore unknown if these are the types of corpses that disintegrate when touched.
The highest number of brittle husks in the series are found in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Multiple Pirate Militia bodies drained of their energy are found near the Xenoresearch Labs in Eastern SkyTown, Elysia. One notable corpse crumbles to dust in front of Samus Aran when she opens the door to Transit Tube A (pictured above). The corpses can be scanned to determine the manner of their deaths. If shot or touched, they will disintegrate with an eerie screech.
As a result of the Space Pirate attack on the G.F.S. Valhalla, many of the troops stationed onboard succumbed to Phazon Metroid attacks and are brittle husks. They too can be scanned and shot. One of them (in Hangar A Access) must be disintegrated, since its body blocks a necessary Hand Scanner. When entering the Munitions Locker, another Marine corpse crumbles as the door opens.
The brittle corpse of a Torizo in Tourian.
In Metroid: Samus Returns, several bodies belonging to the Galactic Federation Special Squadron are seen in the background of several rooms in the Surface area of planet SR388. As Samus approaches the lair of the first Metroid, a cutscene shows a Hornoad being ambushed and drained of its life energy by said Metroid. The Hornoad's body becomes dull grey with only its eyes maintaining their orange coloring; like the earlier corpses, it is kept in the background scenery and cannot be interacted with either. During the battle against Proteus Ridley, the baby latches onto him several times to siphon his energy and each time his skin temporarily darkens until he either removes the Metroid through sheer force, or the Metroid willingly detaches itself before his hand can reach him.
In Super Metroid, many brown brittle husks are seen in Tourian, all featured in a seemingly natural reserve section of the Pirate HQ. The husks include a Torizo and several wildlife in the form of Zoomers, Rippers, Skrees and Sidehoppers. Samus eventually comes across a live Blue Sidehopper that is quickly attacked and turned to a husk by a gigantic Metroid; this creature is none other than the baby from SR388 that has grown to an unnatural size. The Metroid does not recognize Samus at first and proceeds to attack her, nearly turning her into the next husk until it realizes who she is and flees out of shame. During the final battle with Mother Brain, the baby siphons her energy and reduces her to a husk, but through unknown means she is able to resuscitate herself. While Mother Brain's colors revert back to normal, her exposed "brain" gains an altered, wounded appearance due to the Metroid attack. With the exception of the Pirate leader, all husks can be interacted with and will collapse into ash when touched or shot at.
In Metroid: Other M, Samus encounters a frozen Gigafraug corpse in a passage in the Cryosphere of the BOTTLE SHIP. Samus notes that it exhibits signs of Metroid predation but she dismisses the possibility since Metroids cannot tolerate cold environments and are extinct, however she later discovers that the ship's scientists have created a new breed of Metroid that is immune to sub-zero temperatures. Later, she finds the corpse of Ridley's clone, having been completely drained of its energy by the BOTTLE SHIP's Queen Metroid; this particular husk would later be seized by the Galactic Federation and disappear from the ship. The two drained bodies can be fully interacted with by Samus and is one of the few cases where the remains will not crumble.
Metroid Fusion features the husk of Ridley's clone from Other M. It was preserved in cryostasis aboard the BSL Station where it shatters after being infected by an X Parasite that later becomes Neo-Ridley, but not before the parasite mimics the dull-colored, drained appearance it had back when the clone was killed by the Queen Metroid.
Scans[]
Transit Tube A[]
"Bioscan complete. Bioform's energy was completely drained. Only a brittle husk remains."
"Scans indicate that the target's death was caused by severe trauma sustained to cranial region."
"Bioform's body has sustained multiple puncture wounds. Phazon detected around these areas."
"Spinal column was severed. Subject paralyzed and unable to defend while being attacked."
"Subject appears to have been trying to force something off of itself at the time of death."
"Bioscan complete. Numerous back wounds indicate the target was fleeing before being attacked."
"Target's cause of death identified to be multiple self-inflicted assault-rifle shots."
"Bioform's skull has sustained multiple fractures from repeated forceful impacts on all sides."
Research Pod Lift[]
"All life-force energy has been siphoned. Scans estimate time of death to be 2.34 hours ago."
"Bioform appears to have been crippled during combat. Unable to reach safety before termination."
"Scans indicate assault-rifle wounds from a friendly unit as the cause of death."
"Severe trauma sustained to all appendages suggests bioform was killed by multiple attackers."
Hangar A Access[]
"Subject has sustained various puncture wounds. Phazon detected around these areas."
"Target appears to have been contained inside this area while trying to escape his attackers."
"This trooper's life energy has been completely drained. Only a brittle husk remains."
Junction A[]
"Scans detect life-support systems of subject's suit malfunctioned. Trooper suffocated to death."
"Subject appears to have been attacked from behind. All life energy was siphoned."
Trivia[]
- Samus can find several scans in the first Metroid Prime that describe Space Pirates performing dissections and analysis of bioforms killed by Metroids. The mere fact that they were able to perform such intensive work on them means that these corpses were of the uncommon type that do not break down when touched.
- Both Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes can have instances of Metroids killing Space Pirates but none of them become brittle husks upon death nor do they lose their normal colors nor do their bodies get stuck in any stances. They merely fall limp on the ground and fade out of existence a few moments later, as is the case when they're killed with Samus' weapons; this is likely to be an intentional decision by the games' developers. Aside from vanishing, it can be assumed in-universe that the corpses become the non-brittle type.
- Being a Metroid hybrid, Dark Samus demonstrates an extreme variant of energy draining that breaks down bioforms to particles and leaves no brittle husk behind.
- While it is usually known that Metroids will not let go of their prey out of their own volition until the latter becomes a husk, Metroid Prime 2 features Tallon Metroids and Dark Tallon Metroids keeping their prey barely alive by only draining them occasionally, preventing them from turning into husks. The last Metroid of SR388 is the only other one of its kind to have willingly prevented itself from finishing off their victims, as previously mentioned with Proteus Ridley and Samus.
- In Metroid Prime 3, there are two corpses of PED soldiers in Aurora Access which despite being killed by Phazon (as revealed when using the Scan Visor), can be shot at with any beam and disintegrate in the same fashion as victims of a Metroid attack. Even if the Scan Visor is not used, players can deduce they were not killed by Metroids by the mere fact that the bodies have maintained their normal coloration instead of turning brown.
- When Mother Brain is defeated for good in Super Metroid with the Hyper Beam, her body reverts once more to a state that is indistinguishable from a husk that was drained by a Metroid and she makes a final pained expression before she collapses into dust.
- While it is known that the victims of a Metroid attack may be stuck in an unusual stance when their last bit of life-energy is drained, such as a Federation Soldier standing on their legs with arms reaching out for help, Super Metroid features an extreme example of this: a brittle husk of a Ripper still floating in the air. In the same room, another dead Ripper can be seen though it seemingly "crashed" headfirst into the ground during its final moments.
Gallery[]
Metroid: Zero Mission[]
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Metroid Prime 3: Corruption[]
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Super Metroid[]
Ridley[]
References[]
- ^ As named by scans of a Pirate in Transit Tube A - "Bioscan complete. Bioform's energy was completely drained. Only a brittle husk remains." - and a Marine in Hangar A Access - "This trooper's life energy has been completely drained. Only a brittle husk remains."