Samus uses her Grapple Lasso to tear the jet pack from a Pirate Aerotrooper, causing it to explode along with the Aerotrooper in the Chozo Observatory.
A jet pack is a technology that allows flight, designed by the Space Pirates.
They are first seen in use by Flying and Aqua Pirates on Tallon IV, and later by the Pirate Aerotroopers on Aether, in the Federation Solar System and on the Pirate Homeworld. Jet packs are worn on the user's back, and through the use of thrusters, propel the wearer through the air. They are sometimes integrated into the armour of the Pirate, and the wearer is able to control the direction and force of the thrust to alter their course.
In Metroid Prime[]
The jet pack first appears in Metroid Prime. They are rather large and bulky, and make up a large amount of the armour of the Flying Pirate class. The jet pack appears to be flame-based. However, the nature of the flame-based thrusters allow the Pirate using it to easily be tracked via thermal-vision technology. The movements of the Flying Pirates is jerky and slightly unresponsive, which suggests that the system is still in early stages.
Aqua Pirates are issued with a Gravity armoursuit jet pack that allows them to fly at normal speeds in an underwater environment, and produces blue thrust. However, the heat-signature flaw of the Flying Pirates is still present in the jet packs of the Aqua Pirates, meaning they can be efficiently tracked by the Thermal Visor.
In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes[]
The jet packs used by the Pirate Aerotroopers deployed on planet Aether is largely similar in function to the ones used by the Flying Pirates on Tallon IV. However, this version appears to be much more crude, which suggests it was cobbled together from the Space Pirate starship like many other systems used by the Pirates on Aether. This version produces a huge amount of smoke, which means it is also probably flame-based.
In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption[]
The jet packs of the Pirate Aerotroopers in Corruption are vastly different from the previous versions. They are more refined and smaller, and are used in concert with Remote Attack Pods, which provides a greater variety of movement and control. However, there is a severe weakness in the design of the jet pack; if it is subjected to large amounts of heat it can be removed by physical stress, which will cause the Pirate operator to fall mid-flight. This can be extremely dangerous to the Pirate if this occurs at a great height. If the jet pack is disengaged in this manner, it will fall to the floor and explode after a few seconds, taking the user along with it if the fall doesn't.
Samus Aran[]
Samus Aran has a set of thrusters designed by the Chozo, present on the back of her Power Suit as two red cylindrical exhaust vents attached to her chest plate.
Trivia[]
Concept art
- Concept art for Metroid Prime shows what appears to be an early design for a Flying Pirate, with a Metroid strapped to its back in place of a jet pack.
- In Prime, if a Flying Pirate is frozen, the jet pack will still be gushing out flames.
| Pirate Aerotroopers | |
|---|---|
| Classes | Flying Pirate • Aqua Pirate • Armored Aerotrooper • Advanced Aerotrooper • Assault Aerotrooper • Dark Pirate Aerotrooper • Aerotrooper-G |
| Equipment | Gel Bomb Rack • Helix Missile Pod • Jet pack • Particle Cannon • Remote Attack Pod • Suicide strike |