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Wikitroid
For other uses, see Frigate Orpheon (Disambiguation)

Orpheon is a Space Pirate frigate from which Samus receives a distress signal in Metroid Prime. It is the first area explored in the game. The vessel is operated by the Space Pirate Science Team as a transport and research vessel and was key in the transportation of Metroid samples from the fallen base of Zebes to the research facilities on Tallon IV. Other than Metroids, the vessel housed various other bizarre species that the Space Pirates were running tests on, most likely for militaristic purposes; the most notable being the Parasite Queen and reborn Ridley. Phazon could also be found on the frigate. The ship was crippled in orbit due to a fusion core accident (caused by a dying Parasite Queen falling into the Reactor Core). The frigate later crashed into the surface of the planet shortly after Samus defeated the Parasite Queen. Samus would later find the wreckage and have to traverse through it to reach the Phazon Mines.

The Orpheon is where the defeated Ridley was resurrected/rebuilt into Meta Ridley after his defeat on Zebes. It is also where Samus first encounters him (in his new cybernetic-enhanced form) during her escape from the crippled Orpheon. It is unclear exactly why Meta Ridley was still aboard as most of the able-bodied crew had evacuated six hours before Samus' arrival. He may have chosen to stay and guard the ship, or at the time still needed time to recuperate before moving.

Areas and main rooms[]

Samus arrives at Frigate Orpheon

Samus arrives at the Orpheon in her Gunship.

Main section[]

The main area of the frigate, composed of three decks; by name, these are Alpha, Beta and Gamma, serving as the emergency evacuation, biohazard research, and propulsion areas, respectively. Samus lands here and traverses it to reach the Parasite Queen.

Main rooms[]

Lostthosepowerupsagain

Samus stands up after losing her abilities in Connection Elevator to Deck Alpha.

Ventilation system[]

After the reactor core is sent into critical condition, Samus is forced to escape through this area of the ship.

Main rooms[]

Music[]

The theme that plays in the first couple of rooms before the Emergency Evacuation Area is titled Intro Space. The general theme begins when Samus encounters the dead Parasite Queen. Frigate Orpheon Escape plays during the evacuation sequence.

Upon Samus's return to the submerged Frigate, Crash-Ship-MAE plays in the first few tunnels that formerly served as ventilation shafts. The music transitions to Crashed Ship when she enters the Reactor Core.

Data[]

Fall of Zebes

Metroid Prime

Logbook entry

Log 09.992.3 Zebes has fallen. All ground personnel are presumed dead, either killed by the Hunter clad in metal or in the subsequent destruction of the underground facilities. Our research frigates Orpheon, Siriacus and Vol Paragom were in orbit at zero hour and managed to retreat. Frigate Orpheon is now docked at Vortex Outpost. Orpheon's cargo appears to have a 100% survival rate: Metroids are healthy but on restricted feeding schedules due to uncertain supply status. We are ready to begin research on the Metroids and other promising life-forms. Security status remains at Code Blue: no signs of pursuit from the Hunter.

Development notes[]

The orbited Frigate Orpheon region is internally named IntroLevel.

According to Jack Mathews, the technical lead engineer for Prime, the crashed Orpheon was implemented to reuse the area's assets.[2]

Ashley Rochelle worked on the redesign of the Orpheon for Metroid Prime Remastered.[3]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl the Frigate Orpheon stage is based on this area. A Parasite Queen watches from the background and the stage flips occasionally with the power occasionally going out (both similar to its crashed state).

Trivia[]

164page3-4

The Frigate Orpheon as depicted in Metroid Prime comic

  • Three more Parasite Queens are encountered on the Orpheon by Samus (two already dead, one in hibernation, with the fourth being the Reactor Core boss). The first one is encountered in the Emergency Evacuation Area (either killed by the Pirates or succumbed to Phazon poisoning). The second is located in Biohazard Containment (died due to infusion of Phazon Batch 0732.C, it being incompatible with its DNA). The final Queen is found in Biotech Research Area 1, in hibernation. After Samus defeats the Reactor Core Queen, she must return to this room during her escape from the crippled Orpheon, where she witnesses the Queen battling two Space Pirates as it tries to escape its stasis tank. The Pirates manage to subdue it, but are subsequently killed by an explosion caused by the Queen falling. Samus can collect whatever items come out of the two Pirates. Strangely, this third Queen disappears from Biotech Research Area 1, possibly incinerated, crushed, or flung out of the vessel.
  • Before the Reactor Core's meltdown, most of its crew had evacuated the vessel 6 hours before Samus's Gunship arrived due to the escape of two Parasite Queens (the one Samus defeats in the Reactor Core and the one found dead in the Emergency Evacuation Area). It is likely that some if not most of the crew who fled the Orpheon were members of the Space Pirate Science Team. A small number of the frigate's still living crew remained on board, mainly those unable to evacuate (the injured) and possibly those who were either forced (or bravely chose) to remain there (as the Pirates may have also been trying to retake the ship). The injured were likely left behind as they were no longer useful (or beyond help).
Crashed Frigate Screenshot (4)

The derelict Orpheon at Frigate Crash Site.

  • The frigate Samus boards is explicitly stated to have been the Orpheon on a panel in the Storage Cave, Phendrana Drifts.
  • The Frigate is the only location where the hatch of each room can be scanned, telling what room each leads to.
  • In Metroid Prime Remastered, each area has a unique loading screen when a file is selected from the Samus Data Screen. The crashed Frigate is the only sub-area with a different loading screen from its parent area; in this case, a screenshot is shown of Reactor Access (the room right beside the local Save Station) instead of the Landing Site.

See also[]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. ^ http://tcrf.net/Proto:Metroid_Prime
  2. ^ Mathews, Jack (jack_mathews). "The whole idea of the wrecked ship was to reuse the assets from the intro." 18 Sep 2018 3:03 a.m. Tweet. https://twitter.com/jack_mathews/status/1041930817772105733
  3. ^ Ash (AlpacaAsh). "Thank you so much! I’m an environment artist so I made art for the levels (lots of rocks XD). I worked a lot on the very first level, for example. Lots of look development on environment style. Favorite thing I did was the big boy chozo bowling statue (he’s mah boy)." 10 February 2023 11:32 p.m. Tweet. https://twitter.com/AlpacaAsh/status/1624265066232029186
  4. ^ http://tcrf.net/Proto:Metroid_Prime


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