K-2L is a planet and Earth colony on which Samus Aran lives at the age of three, along with her parents, Rodney and Virginia Aran. K-2L is an important planet for the Galactic Federation, as it has large reserves of Afloraltite. A Rabbit-Squirrel named Pyonchi lives on this planet, and is the only known native creature. The actual planet is "neighboring" Zebes, according to the Metroid Prime instruction manual.[1]
History[]
While Samus is living on planet K-2L, Ridley and his Space Pirates attack it, destroying the colony and leaving Samus as the only survivor. The Chozo intercept the colony's distress signal and rush over, rescuing Samus just in time. Her mother is killed by Ridley like the rest (by running in front of Samus when Ridley uses his Plasma Breath) while her father sacrifices himself to detonate the Afloraltite reserves the Pirates have stolen. This is the incident that leads to Samus Aran's hatred of Space Pirates, as well as her PTSD regarding Ridley.
Though the location is first referenced in the Super Metroid comic, it has since been mentioned in the manual for Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime comic, as well as depicted in the Child Mode endings of Metroid Fusion (which is also the first source to indicate Ridley's involvement in the raid), Metroid: Volume 1, Metroid: Zero Mission and Metroid: Other M's commercial, "Past is Prologue". K-2L, as well as the raid that orphaned her, is also given a brief mention in the Classic Mode trophy for Samus Aran in Super Smash Bros: Melee, marking its first direct reference in a video game.
It is unknown what happens to the colony after Samus leaves, and whether she has returned to it since the attack that killed her parents. The events of Samus's childhood have never been depicted in detail in any of the Metroid games, aside from the aforementioned Fusion endings and to a lesser extent the events of Chapter 17 in Metroid: Other M, despite their importance in her origin story.
Trivia[]
- The Nintendo Power article covering Blood of the Chozo describes unused story material created by the Nintendo Power Source staffers, including an excerpt referring to a "human settlement" (presumably K-2L) where Samus was orphaned. Captain Thea Aran, Chief Engineer Avram Aran, and Solomon Aran are listed among the casualties of the Space Pirate raid. However, this information should not be regarded as part of the official Metroid canon.
Gallery[]
References[]
| Planets in the Metroid series |
|---|
| FS-176 |
| Bilium | Oormine II | Tallon IV | Twin Tabula | Zebes |
| Alimbic Cluster |
| Alinos | Arcterra |
| Dasha region |
| Aether | Dark Aether |
| Federation Solar System |
| Bryyo | Elysia | Norion |
| Unknown Solar System |
| Pirate Homeworld
a.k.a. Planet SN-883 or Urtraghus ("large booty") |
| Small star |
| Phaaze |
| SR388's solar system |
| SR388 | "SR387" |
| Sun |
| Earth | Jupiter |
| Bermuda System |
| Excelcion | Talvania | Bion |
| Desolan System |
| Tanamaar |
| Extreme Galaxy |
| Outlaw | Maru | Agricultural world | Jatsuk | Ocean world Graveyard planet | Galactic ruins |
| Other Locations |
| 2466 URSA | Bes III | Devon III | Daiban | Demon Planet | Degrade Jamoru | Jasdam | Jigrad | K-2L | Kankei | Liberty | Mondreus Naishii | Nest | RX 338 | Solairon 12 | Tivus | Vho | Viewros | ZDR |