Impact Crater

Impact Crater
The Impact Crater in Tallon Overworld
Planet	Tallon IV
Environment	Phazon
Sub-Areas	2 Sub-areas: Upper Caves Metroid Prime's Abode
Bosses	Exo and Core of the Metroid Prime
Connected areas	By elevators: Tallon Overworld
Distinctfeatures	Final area explored in the game, lots of Phazon
Map	[1]

The Impact Crater is the area deepest down in Tallon IV's surface and southernmost on the map, southwest of Tallon Overworld and south of Magmoor Caverns. It was where a Leviathan from Phaaze, which brought the Phazon to Tallon IV, crashed. Inside the Impact Crater, Metroid Prime thrives. The Artifact Temple was built above it by the Chozo to contain the Phazon and stop it from spreading, though their efforts only managed to slow the corruption. Samus must obtain all twelve Chozo Artifacts to enter this area. It is likely that the Impact Crater was formed from the husk of the deceased Leviathan.

Areas and main rooms

The Crater consists of only twelve rooms, that can be divided into two areas:

Upper caves

The crater's interior

This area is horizontal and is the site for the elevator to the Tallon Overworld, the Crater Entry Point (which doubles as Save Station), a Missile Station, two Crater Tunnels (A and B) and the Phazon Core.

Metroid Prime's abode

This is the area where Samus fights the Metroid Prime and consists of the Phazon Infusion Chamber, five Subchambers (1 to 5), and the Metroid Prime's Lair.

Fauna and flora

The huge suspended rock that contains the Artifact Temple.

The Crater contains Red Phazon, and only a few lifeforms can survive in it, such as Lumigeks and Fission Metroids. The main lifeform in the area is Metroid Prime, a horribly mutated Metroid.

Trivia

• 40.08.02 is the planetary location of the "massive energy spike" on Tallon IV: Scans of the Spiral Sector detected a massive energy spike emanating from a Wanderer-class planet identified as Tallon IV. Scout reconnaissance was immediately dispatched to the center of the spike, a land mass at heading mark 40.08.02 [...]
• Interestingly, the Impact Crater has twelve rooms, and Samus has to collect the twelve Chozo Artifacts to enter.
• In the New Play Control! and Metroid Prime Trilogy versions of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Phazon-filled rooms of Dark Aether will play the Impact Crater theme instead of the area's regular theme. Among these rooms are the Phazon Pit, Phazon Grounds and Phazon Site.
• Interestingly, the Impact Crater pinball table in Metroid Prime Pinball plays the Phazon Mines theme rather than its own. The Impact Crater theme is used in the Metroid Mania game, however.
• "Evacuate immediately" is present in the Impact Crater sound effects package, suggesting a playable countdown was planned after the defeat of Metroid Prime. The presence of a hole in the wall of the Metroid Prime Lair (which is visible when viewing the room's wireframe) furthers this theory.

Gallery

Concept art of the crater's interior

The Impact Crater as seen on the planet's surface.

Interior, Crater Tunnel A.

Phazon Core

Crater Tunnel B

Phazon Infusion Chamber

Samus battles the Metroid Prime in Subchamber 1.

Metroid Prime Lair

Samus overlooks the ruined Atrifact Temple after the Crater's interior collapses.