A creature known to the ringleaders on the BOTTLE SHIP as "Little Birdie" is a small organism seen in Metroid: Other M and is the larval stage of Ridley's life cycle. It was genetically cloned from DNA found on Samus' armor prior to the game's events. Not knowing it was spawned by Ridley's DNA, the scientists thought it lacked potential as a bioweapon, and instead began treating it as their pet, giving it its nickname. Some time later it was found playing dead in its cage and escaped after it brutally murdered the unfortunate scientist who discovered it.
Samus Aran first encounters it after she leaves the Breeding Room (the creature's original chamber) in the Biosphere, watching it as it tries to get on top of its favorite fruit. It scurries off after noticing Samus staring at it, but as she turns to walk away, it emerges from the brush and stares at her.
Little Birdie violently devours the Kihunter's honey.
Later, a piercing howl is heard in the Kihunter nest, sending the surrounding Zeros into panic and enraging a swarm of Kihunters into protecting them and attacking Samus. After she defeats the hive, the creature appears and begins feeding on the honey from the broken nest while roaring at Samus as she walks by. She refers to it as a "disgusting beast" due to its parasitic nature of using other creatures' strength to its advantage, and also by the way it greedily consumes the honey.
After Samus battles a previously unknown lizard-like creature, Samus and the 07th Platoon find Lyle KIA, covered in green blood. Samus follows the trail of blood, at the end of which she finds the little birdie leaning against an automotive vehicle. She nudges it, which then causes it to fall over, revealing that it was only a shell that was recently shed. It can be assumed that once little birdie outgrew its "shell" and molted into the lizard-like creature, it targeted and consumed Lyle.
Official data
Page 166.
Nintendo Official Guidebook for Metroid Other M
- Page 166
- "While seemingly marless like an adorable pet, Little Bird is a lethal creature. It turns into a ferocious beast when eating, and inside its mouth hidden by fur grow countless sharp fangs."
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophy
"It may be hard to believe, but this is a younger version of the infamous Space Pirate Ridley. No matter how cute he is, don't think that you can love him and take him home-his next form is lizard-like with a sharp tail, and he has no problem turning his caring owner into a tasty snack!"
Trivia
- Little Birdie demonstrates a high degree of intelligence when it plays dead to lure the Lab Worker into its cage so it can kill him and escape. Later, it "uses" Samus to destroy the Kihunter hive, allowing it to harvest and consume the honey. This indicates that Ridley retains his capacity for critical thought even in his infant stage.
- Little Birdie resembles a Furby.
- As Samus explores the Biosphere, loud piercing screeches can be heard, which initially provoke creatures, such as the Griptian and the Dragotix, to attack Samus. Samus correctly speculates that they belonged to Little Birdie. Whether the creatures were agitated by the screams or were perhaps understanding them as commands to attack Samus is unknown.
- It is unknown whether or not Ridley's clone remembered Samus. Interestingly, his infant form stared fixedly at her in the biosphere, while both his adolescent and adult forms were strongly focused on attacking her. These may all have been instinctive responses however.
- Another body of a Lab Worker is located in the Main Sector, whose clothing is also stained with green blood. However, the corpse is not ragged at all, and Samus quickly concludes that each scientist was killed by a different creature.
- Interestingly, Little Birdie's escape (and murder of the scientist) appeared to have taken place mere moments before the start of MB's rampage, making Little Birdie the first creature on the BOTTLE SHIP to have rebelled and broken loose. Whether the two incidents are somehow related to one another is unknown.
- Little Birdie is the only form of Ridley to not be fought as a boss in any form.
- Ridley's 3-stage evolution resembles that of a Pokémon.
- Official Nintendo Magazine, in their criticism for Other M, referenced the blood of Little Birdie, by commenting that it took "20 frustrating minutes trying to figure out what we were supposed to look at during one scene, only to realize there was a tiny green patch of liquid on the grass".[1]
Gallery
| Diets | |
|---|---|
| Carnivores | Phazon tendril • Ridley • Vorash • Yapping Maw Plants: Bloodflower • Dark Phlogus • Samus Eater • Shrieker • Sporb • Tangle Vine • Tangle Weed • Venom Weed • Zazabi |
| Detritivores | Grizby • Phazon Leech • Parasite (Plated/Ice/Queen) • Sbug |
| Insectivores | Bryyonian Shriekbat • Flickerbat • Gel Ray • Glowing spidervine • Ice Shriekbat |
| Omnivores | Green Kralee • Human • Ice Parasite • Little birdie • Space Pirate |