Plated Beetle

Plated Beetle
The Plated Beetle.
Featured in	Metroid Prime
Location	Tallon IV
Attacks	Ramming, Impalement.
Weakness	Large red abdomen.
Reward(s)	Morph Ball

A Plated Beetle looks like a very large Beetle with a large armored head impervous to any weapon. However, its abdomen is totally unprotected and vulnerable. In order to prevent this area from being attacked, the Plated Beetle will attempt to keep its target in front of itself. The first one encountered is the guardian of the Morph Ball, along with a pack of normal Beetles. They appear only in Chozo Ruins and appear frequently after Samus gains the Morph Ball from the first one.

Battle

The first Plated Beetle fought in Ruined Shrine (Chozo Ruins)

The Plated Beetle appears after a large swarm of Beetles. They will ram Samus with their large frontal horns, but this can be evaded with a dash, exposing the creature's weak point to attack. Samus will earn the Morph Ball after she defeats the Plated Beetle.

Later on in the game, it appears as a regular enemy in certain areas which previously held standard Beetles, such as the Main Plaza. They can be killed nearly instantly with the Flamethrower or Wavebuster. It can be killed with one shot of the Plasma Beam after it burns for a few moments. However, its plating is fireproof, so it must be hit from behind. A single charged Wave Beam shot in the same area also does the job quickly and efficiently; it homes in on the Beetle's rear end, eliminating the need for manual accuracy as it dashes. When a single Wave Beam blast strikes the Plated Beetle from behind, the creature spasms as the bolts course around its body, then falls silent and dies discreetly.

Logbook entry

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Trivia

• If killed by a Charge Combo other than Super Missiles, the death animation is much different.

• The Wavebuster will cause it to glow with the Wave Beam's electrical charge and have a seizure.

• When killed with the Plasma Beam, the death animation is also different, showing the creature burn into ashes like most creatures killed by the Plasma Beam. Strangely, the Beetle's plating also burns up, although the plating can deflect the beam on its own and appears fireproof.
• The Plated Beetle's theme was remixed for the Beetle Blast and Shriekbat Shootout minigames in Metroid Prime Pinball.

Gallery

Samus scans a Plated Beetle.

A Plated Beetle appears in the Ruined Shrine.