Pirate Militia are the weakest Space Pirates in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. They are first encountered by Samus on the G.F.S. Olympus when it is under attack.
Militia are mostly composed of criminals and slaves. Despite this, they obey their superiors surprisingly well. This is attributed to a rumour that disobedient militia often end up as dinner for higher-ranking Pirates. The Pirate Cargo Drone seems to contain a Militia's head, which could be another cruel punishment among Pirates.
Oddly, their scans state that they are not Phazon-enhanced, yet they are capable of entering Hypermode. However, this is somewhat plausible, as seen in the case of the PED Troopers, who do not have any actual Phazon enhancements to their bodies but instead use an external Phazon supply. This could also be true in the case of the Pirate Militia, though the source of this supply is not visible in their armor. Also, while the render of the Pirate Militia (in the gallery) does not contain a single trace of Phazon, their model during gameplay portray them with Phazon-coated bodies (the same is also true of the officially released artwork of the Pirate Troopers).
Samus fighting a Pirate Militia in Cargo Dock A.
Varieties
Several types of Militia exist in Corruption. Despite having armor and shields, Militia are still very weak.
Pirate Militia
The Pirate Militia are feeble when compared to other Space Pirate varieties, and are stated in initial scans to be disposable, proving that they have small worth to High Command.
These standard Militia units are equipped with weaker beam weaponry than their Trooper brethren. They have a retractable energy scythe for close combat. They lack the Phazon enhancements that standard troopers bear, but seem to have been corrupted anyway (possibly because of the Leviathan impacting their Homeworld). They are also without the new Dash-Jet system and EMP grenades. This made them very vulnerable; they could be dispatched simply with a Charged Beam shot.
Compared to other types of Space Pirates, Militias have very little skin or muscle mass, possibly a result from malnutrition.
Their metal limbs, single-bladed scythes, and shoulder rings are reminiscent of the standard Space Pirate type from Prime, as opposed to the more insectoid and clawed troopers of Echoes and Corruption.
Shield Pirate Militia
Shield Pirate Militia are Pirate Militia equipped with the Shield Pirate Trooper's energy shield. The shield protects the user from most small arms fire, but it can be ripped off using the Grapple Lasso or destroyed with Hypermode attacks, which turn the Shield Pirate Militia back into a standard Militia. The Pirate's energy can also be drained using the Grapple Voltage. They also need to lower the shield to shoot their guns, so it is possible for Samus to avoid the attack and quickly shoot the Pirate while it is exposed, before it lifts the shield again.
Samus battling an Armored Militia in the Concourse.
Armored Pirate Militia
The Armored Pirate Militia are Pirate Militia equipped with beam-resistant armor, although the armor is vulnerable to Missile attacks. Militia possess a lesser muscular bulk than that of the standard Pirate Trooper, so little that the standard Trooper armor looks too big for them. Although their armor is said to be beam-proof, in actuality it is only moderately effective against them and can actually be shattered with a few Charge Beam shots, which is useful when fighting them before the Missile Launcher has been obtained or if Samus is low on Missiles.
Logbook entries
Pirate Militia
Morphology: Pirate Militia
Expendable infantry units. Lightly armed and armored.
The pirates have not enhanced all of their fighting forces. They continue to use militia units in battle. These groups are made up of slaves and criminals, and do not receive the Phazon enhancements given to regular army troopers. They are surprising obedient to the upper castes within the pirate military. Rumor has it that disobedient militia members often find themselves as dinner for regular army troopers.
Shield Pirate Militia
Morphology: Shield Pirate Militia
Battle shield deflects attacks, but can be pulled with Grapple Beam.
Some members of the Pirate Militia have been granted use of regular army-trooper equipment. This unit has been given the portable battle shield. Its portability is its weakness, however. Remove it from the pirate's grip to eliminate its primary defense system. The shield is also susceptible to Phazon-based attacks.
Armored Pirate Militia
Morphology: Armored Pirate Militia
Expendable armored infantry units. Susceptible to explosive attacks.
Members of the Armored Pirate Militia have been granted lightweight armorsuits for combat use. While this provides some additional resistance to Beam weapons, they are still vulnerable to explosive attacks. Members of the Armored Pirate Militia are mostly inept soldiers who have yet to die in combat.
Unused Varieties
Non-canon warning: This article or section contains information that may not be considered an official part of the Metroid series in the overall storyline by Nintendo.
In the files of Corruption, 4 unused variants of Militia can be found, each with specialized armor identical to the variants of Pirate Troopers seen in the game.
Advanced Pirate Militia
Advanced Pirate Militia were intended to be Pirate Militia outfitted with a green-colored armor. The armor was to be weak against Missile blasts, but resistant to beam attacks. This would essentially make them a stronger version of the Armored Pirate Militia, which their Logbook entry touches upon; apparently, the Advanced Pirate Militia were comprised of successful members of the Armored Pirate Militia who had received promotions.
Assault Pirate Militia
Assault Pirate Militia were to represent the best of the Pirate Militia. They would have been equipped with sloped, translucent orange, Missile-deflecting armor. Interestingly, their Logbook entry indicates that they would be instated into the official Space Pirate army if they proved themselves worthy.
Unused Logbook entries
Advanced Pirate Militia
The additional armor of the Advanced Pirate Militia increases their resistance to Beam weaponry, but they remain vulnerable to explosive attacks. The Advanced Pirate Militia contains promoted soldiers from the Armored Pirate Militia. Once the pirate military is satisfied with a unit's performance, they will grant them a higher rank. With the promotion comes additional support in the form of an extra layer of ablative armor for combat.
Advanced Shield Militia
The pirates in this militia unit wear an additional layer of ablative armor. Despite the added protection, the armorsuit is still vulnerable to explosive blasts. Their portable battle shield, while resistant to most small-arms fire, is also easily pulled off. Phazon-based attacks can also destroy the shield.
Assault Pirate Militia
The heavy armorsuits of the Assault Pirate Militia provide adequate resistance to most weapon systems. This unit is the most skilled of all the militia forces. If able to prove themselves in combat, the pirate military will grant them admittance into the official army ranks.
Assault Shield Militia
Members of this militia are well equipped. Their heavy armorsuit is resistant to most weapon systems, and their portable battle shield can withstand most small-arms fire. Their shields provide excellent protection, but are easily ripped from their arms. Phazon-based attacks can easily destroy the shield.
Non-canon warning: Non-canonical information ends here.
Locations
- Maintenance Station
- Xenoresearch Lab
- Repair Bay A
- Jousting Field
- Cargo Dock A
- Conduit A
- Flag Bridge Access
- Repair Bay Shaft
- Port Observation Deck
- Lab Access
- Ventilation Shaft
- Proving Grounds Lift
- Hub Access
- Temple Generator
- Conduit C
- Ancient Courtyard
- Transit Station 0203
- Transit Station 1104
- Generator Hall South
- Concourse
- Craneyard
Trivia
- The mechanical-looking bodies of these pirates resemble Ghor's.
- Scans reveal that disobedient Pirate Militias are rumored to end up as "dinner" for higher ranking Pirates. Disturbingly, this implies that the Space Pirates are not at all above cannibalism.
- These groups are stated to be composed of criminals, though all Pirates are technically criminals. This indicates that the Pirates have their own set of rules, not unlike many real-life organized crime groups.
- Pirate Militias are seen using Hyper Mode although their scans mention that Militias do not receive any Phazon enhancements of some sort. This, however, only occurs in higher difficulties.
- A Militia is a military group of armed, ordinary civilians, implying that the Pirate Militias - being composed slaves and criminals, are simply given weapons and forced into combat.
- While not a militiaman, one Space Pirate in the Super Metroid comic was underfed similarly to Pirate Militia.
Gallery
| Biomechanical | |
|---|---|
| Hybrids | Asborean • Chozo Statue • Darkling • Dark Samus • Dark Suit • Light Suit • PED Suit • Samus Aran • Omega Suit |
| Biomechanical | Aurora Unit • Security Robot B.O.X. • Cortex Chamber • Dark Diligence Drone • Dark Ingsmasher • Dark Quad • Fusion Suit • Mother Brain • Nightmare • Quadraxis • SA-X • Space Pirate Boarding Pod |
| Cyborgs | Crash Pillar • Ghor (-G) • Kyratian • Leviathan Battleship • Pirate Militia • Preed (Dark) • Puffer Mine • Ridley (Meta/Omega/Proteus) • Samus Aran • Slench • Space Pirate • Weavel • Zebesian (Cyborg/Super) Large Leviathan-class armed ship • U-ton |
| Food, Nourishment and Sustenance | |
|---|---|
| Plants & Fungi | Blueroot Tree • Fruit • Red Starburst • Sap Sac • Saturnine • Tangle Vine Fruit |
| Species | Geruta • Embers • Kiru Giru • Pirate Militia • Reo • Ripper • Sciser • Scritter • Skree • Space Pirate • Tallon Crab • Torizo • X Parasite • Zoomer |
| Carrion | "Deceased Soldier" • Amok Mommy |
| Liquid | Lava • Phazon |
| Artificial/Misc. | Deca-triticale • Elite Nutrient Mix • Energy • Nutrient-grade biomatter • Synthetic Metroid rations • Wrecked Ship |
| Deceptive | |
|---|---|
| Non-organic | Elephant Bird • Fake acid and lava • Fake tank • Invisible platform • Concealed movement pad • Pit Block • Zebesian Hologram |
| Species | Dark Echo • Mini-Kraid • Fake Ridley • Gripper • Scientist |
| Samus Aran Mimics | Battle Simulation 'Samus Aran' • Dark Samus (Dark Echo) • Samus-G Decoy • SA-X Non-canon: Replicated Samus standard mk-5 prototype • Mecha Samus • Sambot Dangelo (Samus Model Terminator Suit) • Desert Phantom • Samus Tank Integra Super Smash Bros.: NSamus • Copied Power Suit • Ditto Other Media: Sameow |
| Shapeshifters | Biomorph • Gorea • Mimic • Phaz-Ing • X Parasite |
| Gandrayda | Berserker-G • Aerotrooper-G • Swarmbot-G • Rundas-G • Ghor-G • Samus-G • Pirate Militia • NZG41 • Reptilicus-G |