Ice Missile

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Samus attacking with Ice Missiles in Metroid Fusion.

Ice Missiles are a type of Missile used by Samus Aran in the Metroid series. As the name implies, these Missiles strike the enemy with extreme cold, providing a freezing effect when Samus may not have it available for her Beam.

In Metroid Fusion

During the events of Metroid Fusion, the Galactic Federation correctly assumes that because Samus has been infused with Metroid DNA, she has inherited a weakness to cold, and so wouldn't be able to tolerate the use of the Ice Beam in the Fusion Suit. The Federation subsequently supplies Ice Missiles instead, so that the use of a freezing effect in combat is still available. This implies that Missiles are not as closely integrated to Samus' body when compared to Beam weapons. The tips of these missiles are colored orange.

In the game, these are later upgraded to Diffusion Missiles, which augment their freezing range with a charge capability, allowing them to freeze targets in an extremely large area. Their appearance and effect resembles a cross between a Power Bomb and a Super Missile.

Manual

"Use Ice Missiles to freeze enemies for a limited time. Samus can walk on frozen enemies."

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

The effect Ice Missiles create on enemies.

The Ice Missile before it is collected in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

Ice Missiles also feature in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, chronologically making it the first time Samus has used them in the series. While they have the ability to slow down and freeze enemies, these missiles can also be used to create platforms in liquid Fuel Gel and to remove White Blast Shields. Notably, instead of immediately freezing enemies upon contact, the Ice Missiles in Corruption will explode and damage the enemy in a similar way to a normal Missile. During the explosion, ice shards are released, which then compact around the enemy and trap them in an icy 'shell', which slows them down or freezes them. Notably, if the enemy is killed in the initial explosion, the shards will not vanish.
They are obtained after beating Rundas, as with all the abilities gained from the Bounty Hunters having some connection to their powers. In this instance, the Ice Missiles come from the cryokinesis Rundas possesses. Enemies like Warp Hounds and Reptilicus are weak against them, as are Phazon Metroids, who (despite extensive mutation) retain their vulnerability to cold. Strangely, though, these enemies all have a way to avoid the Ice Missile: Warp Hounds and Reptilicus teleport and Phazon Metroids can warp out of local spacetime, which means Samus usually has to find the right opportunity to use the Ice Missile to make sure that it is not dodged.

Inconsistencies

Chronologically, the Ice Missiles are first acquired in Corruption. However, in Metroid Fusion, just before Samus goes to acquire the Ice Missiles, Adam Malkovich tells Samus to "experiment with those new Missiles." The problem with this is that the Ice Missiles are referred to as "new," as if Samus had never used Ice Missiles before. There are a number of explanations for this contradiction.

• Retro Studios was inspired from Metroid Fusion to have Samus acquire Ice Missiles instead of the Ice Beam. This might have been done to avoid the problem of stacking the Ice and Plasma Beam in Corruption since the Orange Doors in Corruption requires high temperature weapons to open.
• The Ice Missile Adam gives to Samus maybe a different Ice Missile than the one held by Rundas.
• Adam Malkovich does not know that Samus acquired Ice Missiles in the past.
• Adam is referring to the Ice Missiles as new in Samus' current mission.