Wikitroid
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Wikitroid
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Length 11 meters (36 feet)<ref>''Other M'' hologram image</ref>
 
Length 11 meters (36 feet)<ref>''Other M'' hologram image</ref>
 
|attacks = Ramming, biting, spitting, fire bursts, fire breathing, stomping, charging
 
|attacks = Ramming, biting, spitting, fire bursts, fire breathing, stomping, charging
|weakness = [[Missile]]s, [[Super Missile]]s, [[Bomb]]s, [[Power Bomb]]s, [[Ice Beam]]
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|weakness = [[Missile]]s, [[Super Missile]]s, [[Bomb]]s, [[Power Bomb]]s, [[Ice Beam]], [[Beam Burst]]
 
|cycle = Preceded by: '''[[Omega Metroid]]'''
 
|cycle = Preceded by: '''[[Omega Metroid]]'''
 
|stage = '''Stage 8: Reproductive'''
 
|stage = '''Stage 8: Reproductive'''

Revision as of 10:10, 5 December 2017

This is a featured article.

A Queen Metroid is the largest and most powerful Metroid in the species' standard strain. She is the only individual naturally capable of laying Metroid Eggs, making her solely responsible for the reproduction of the entire species.

Only two Queens have been encountered in the chronology of the Metroid series. The first was the main antagonist and final boss of Metroid II: Return of Samus and Metroid: Samus Returns, although she is not the final boss in the latter. The second Queen, cloned from the previous one's last offspring, appeared near the end of Metroid: Other M, battled by Samus as one of the final bosses.

Though never confirmed in any game in the series, it is commonly believed that a Queen molts from an Omega Metroid, making her the eighth stage in the species' life cycle.

Physiology and Morphology

The overall structure of the Queen is best compared to a massive crocodile. Like the Omega form, the Queen has a cluster of four eyes on each side of the head, bringing it to a total of eight, but her mouth is far more elongated and lined with three rows of razor-sharp teeth. Her neck is extensive, highly flexible and spring-like, allowing her to not only lunge her head at great lengths but also at tremendous speeds. As a result, the Queen can either effectively use her head as a ramming weapon, or bite her targets from a distance. She has two tubular appendages on her rear end, which are likely ovipositors through which she deposits her eggs.

Similar to other Metroid forms, the Queen's main weak point is her translucent membrane containing her nucleus located on her underside. Although the Ice Beam is capable of wounding it, a direct hit is usually impossible due to her quadrupedal posture which prevents any external attacks from reaching her nucleus. The only reliable method to destroy it is to inflict damage from within via the detonation of Bombs and/or Power Bombs, depending on the game. An alternative, but far more resilient weak point is the Queen's head; the manner in which Samus can inflict damage to this region also varies between each encounter.

The Queen Metroid is by far the rarest stage in the Metroid life cycle - very few Metroids are born with the genetic potential to reach this form, and only one has ever been known to exist at a time. A Queen carries the responsibility of ensuring the survival of her species, therefore a Queen fiercely protects her children at all costs, and will cry out in rage if even one of them is killed. In addition, the Queen Metroid from the BOTTLE SHIP will immediately break off the ice that encases any Larva Metroids frozen with Samus' Ice Beam by conducting a minor quake. In addition, it is implied in both Metroid II and Samus Returns that she'll also dispatch Larva Metroids if she needs to protect any unhatched offspring against potential threats to them.

Interestingly, Queen Metroids do not seem to require a mate in order to create descendants, making the creatures parthenogenetic.

History

SR388

The first known Queen Metroid thrived in the deepest confines of the entire cavern complex of SR388, in a ruined royal palace built by the Chozo. This was the final Metroid that Samus Aran destroyed on her mission; she spares the Queen's last surviving Metroid Hatchling and takes it to her Gunship as she leaves the planet.

BOTTLE SHIP

Queen Metroid hologram picnik

Wireframe hologram of the Queen.

During the events of Metroid: Other M, Metroids were cloned from fragments of the baby on Samus' Power Suit and propagated in Sector Zero of the BOTTLE SHIP. The first Metroid quickly matured to a Queen, an event that the scientists never predicted; this insinuates that the Baby from SR388 was an infant queen all along. Madeline Bergman would later explain that MB was the one who developed the first propagated Metroid into this beast, which treated her like its mother. They left the Queen's genetics unaltered, so she would act as a control and produce unaltered Metroids for use in their experiments. She is the organism responsible for the demise of Ridley's clone, as she absorbed the latter's life energy off screen.

The Queen Metroid was stored within Room MW. When Samus first tries to contact Madeline, the scientist panics, believing the former to be an agent sent to silence her, and hits a button which opens the Queen's chamber. When Samus investigates inside, she sees hatched Metroid Eggs, and immediately realizes the presence of the Metroid Queen.

During the battle, the Queen deploys six Metroid larvae and later grows spiked crystalline plating on her head. However, she seems nearly impossible to defeat as she grows a second set of crystalline armor. Samus remembers the tragic deaths of Adam and Anthony and refuses to give up. She then uses Concentration and prepares to fire at the charging Queen, before the ship's emergency brakes throw them onto the ground. Samus takes the opportunity to shoot directly at the Queen's unprotected membrane, seemingly hitting its nuclei, and quickly enters the creature's body through its throat before laying a Power Bomb to obliterate her.

It is eventually revealed that Anthony hit the brakes on the BOTTLE SHIP, thus saving Samus from the Queen's charge.

Battles

Metroid II: Return of Samus

Metroid Queen - Return of Samus

Samus battling the Queen Metroid in Metroid II: Return of Samus.

The Queen Metroid, as stated, is the progenitor of the species and her destruction in Metroid II: Return of Samus halts the production of Metroids. Destroying the Queen requires at least one hundred fifty missiles. Upon Samus's arrival, the Queen will immediately attack with her huge mandibles, which can be dodged simply by a well-timed jump. When the Queen opens her mouth to attack, she can be briefly stunned in place with a Missile, leaving her open for more attacks. The Queen will also periodically launch projectiles from her mouth that track Samus, though they can be destroyed with Missiles or with a Screw Attack. As the Queen gets more damaged, her speed lunge speed increases, not giving enough time for Samus to leap out of the way.

File:Metroid Queen.gif

Queen Metroid artwork from Metroid II: Return of Samus.

There is also a more efficient way to destroy the Queen. After stunning the Queen with a Missile, Samus can instead go into Morph Ball form to enter her mouth, then roll down into her membrane and plant Bombs. While inside the Queen's maw and membrane, Samus will be continuously drained of her energy, requiring her to act fast. Any Bomb that detonates in the vicinity of the nucleus within the membrane will severely damage the Queen and Samus will be spat back out. The Bombs can also be used while inside the mouth, but do considerably less damage. It only takes about ten attacks via this method to destroy the Queen.

Should Samus become low on Energy, there is a small passage below the Queen that leads out of the nest. It can be used as an emergency escape route, though the Queen will have healed all damage when Samus returns. The escape takes Samus back to the room containing the destroyed Chozo Statue.

Once the Queen is destroyed, her corpse disintegrates while Samus' Energy is somehow fully restored. With the Queen dead, Samus has access to the last Metroid Egg and her Gunship.

Metroid: Samus Returns

MSR Queen Metroid gust of wind breath

The Queen Metroid's heavy wind attack.

The Queen battle is improved upon in the remake Metroid: Samus Returns. She now has an armored carapace, additional compound eyes, additional jaw flaps on the sides of her head, and the presence of a long tail in addition to her dorsal tubes. The Queen is a much more formidable foe, with several new attacks including a fire beam that leaves flaming trails, green energy projectiles that remain on the field for some time, stomping on the ground which causes debris to fall from the ceiling, and blowing a heavy gust of wind that negates Missiles and can push Samus toward a flaming trail. The Spider Ball greatly aids in maneuvering around all her breath attacks. The Spider Boost can also be used to stagger the Queen during her breath attacks and cancel her current action, but on any other attack Samus just bounces off.

After the Queen takes enough damage, she will be stunned momentarily before attempting to launch herself at Samus, who can then use the Melee Counter against her and then use the Grapple Beam on her tongue to pull her down. This opens the opportunity to roll inside the Queen's throat and plant bombs or a Power Bomb inside the membrane. Unlike the original, Samus can use the Lightning Armor Aeion Ability to completely negate all damage when traveling into the Queen's body. Three bombardments near the nucleus inside the membrane or four barrages to the mouth will defeat the Queen.

Unlike Return of Samus, the battle takes place on an entirely flat zone instead of the Queen looming over on her platform, and there is no passageway for Samus to escape with.

Metroid: Other M

Queen2

The Queen Metroid in her first full 3D appearance.

The Queen Metroid spawns three waves of Larva Metroids, first releasing one, then two, then finally three. The Metroids must be destroyed with the classic tactic of freezing and shattering them with concussive weapons. If Samus stalls to kill one of the waves, the Queen will quickly produce the next one, and eventually all six Metroids will come into play. When any number of Metroids are encased in ice, the Queen will almost immediately attempt to free them by causing a tiny earthquake.

After all six Metroids are defeated, the Queen grows five bright purple crystals on her neck and begins charging at Samus. She will also periodically breath fire at the bounty huntress, lowering her energy to critical levels if touched. This fire breath also ignores SenseMove's invulnerability. The crystals on her neck can only be damaged by the Super Missiles (while they can be targeted by the Seeker Missile, the extra missiles will just bounce off harmlessly, due to being normal missiles).

Queenie

Gallery Mode

Once the crystals are destroyed, a cutscene will play, where the ship's propulsion system activates and throws both Samus and the Queen Metroid against the floor of the BOTTLE SHIP. This causes the Metroid to land on her side, leaving her membrane and nucleus exposed to Samus' penetrating Plasma Beam. As the Queen struggles to get back up, Samus must damage her sufficiently before the Metroid repositions herself and begins to charge an extremely powerful variant of her fire breath. To avoid this attack, Samus grapples into the Queen's mouth, down her esophagus, and into the Queen's membrane. Samus then allows herself the use of Power Bombs and lays one inside the Queen, causing a massive explosion that obliterates the Metroid's nucleus, instantly killing the Queen and disintegrating her body simultaneously.

If Samus fails to shoot the membrane enough times before the Queen gets up, she will lunge her head and kill the former in a single bite. If Samus fails to grapple the Queen while she charges her fire breath, the focused attack will kill the former instantly. The Queen's insides will quickly drain Samus's energy, as in Metroid II and Samus Returns, therefore she must be quick with the Power Bomb.

Inconsistencies

The Queen in Metroid II is only vulnerable in the head, lunges her head out to bite Samus and fires shrapnel that tracks her as well. Stunning her head when her mouth is open is the only way Samus can access the Queen's insides. The Queen in Other M, however, does not retain any of her attacks from the original encounter, and instead uses several new attacks and defenses, such as throwing her head at Samus without extending the neck, releasing Metroids from her back, growing crystals on her head and neck and breathing fire, none of which she had in Metroid II.

It is thought that the fire breath was possibly gained from absorbing the life energy of Ridley's clone prior to her battle with Samus; this would be another example of a Metroid stealing an ability from its prey, similar to the Baby giving Samus the Hyper Beam from which it had seemingly absorbed from Mother Brain. Alternatively, the Queen's fire breath may simply be an augmented variant of the projectiles spat out by lesser Metroids. It should also be noted that her artwork depicts her extending her neck, indicating that it was considered by the developers to be implemented.

These differences may also be attributed to the Queen being exposed to stimuli that are different from those of SR388 (as seen with other Metroid adaptations throughout the series), or they are simply design, gameplay and artistic changes made by Other M's development team. With the release of Samus Returns, the remake of Metroid II, the Queen was given a head-slam attack without her extending the neck, as well as a flame-based beam attack.

As in Metroid II and Samus Returns, Samus' energy is drained rapidly when she is inside the Queen's membrane. In Other M, however, the aura that is visible whenever Larval Metroids drain her energy in the same game is also present inside the Queen, indicating that Metroids continue to drain energy in their later stages of life. Unlike in Metroid II and Samus Returns however, Bombs cannot harm the Queen. Also, in Other M a single Power Bomb detonating next to the Queen's nucleus instantly kills her and leaves her blood scattered all over the room, while in Samus Returns it takes three Power Bombs to defeat the Queen before she regurgitates Samus and her entire body disintegrates.

Official data

Wutang

Wu-Tang Clan Super Game Boy commercial. [1]

Nintendo Power issue 31

"The leader of the Metroid mutations is a powerful creature with strong armor. You may not have enough Missiles to destroy it."

Metroid: Other M hologram information

"Common name: Queen Metroid
Size: Height 6m / Length 11m
Classification: Final evolution of Metroid with an ovisac."

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Trophy

SSB4UTrophyQueenMetroid

"Have you ever met people who thought Metroid was the name of the game's heroine? Adding Queen to the title would just make it worse. But if you show them what a Queen Metroid REALLY looks like, they won't make that mistake again in a hurry. Metroids are fearsome creatures, and the queen is the nastiest of the lot."

Nintendo of America tweet

"The mother of Metroids is a formidable foe in #Metroid: Samus Returns. Samus will need to think fast to defeat the ferocious Queen Metroid!" [2]

Metroid: Samus Returns Official Guide

Queen Metroid (p. 22)
"The source of all Metroids is easily the deadliest of the bunch. The Queen is massive and hits harder than just about anything else in the game. Add the fact that it resides in a room barely big enough to fit it, and you’re in for one of the toughest fights of the mission."

Trivia

Queen

Super Metroid comic

  • The Queen Metroid encountered by Samus on SR388 had nested in an ancient Chozo structure filled with many containers, giving the area the subtle appearance of a laboratory. This may suggest that not only was Metroid II's Queen the first of her entire species created by the Chozo, but also that the building she inhabited was her birthplace.
    • Chozo Memory 05 in Metroid: Samus Returns shows what is implied to be the very first Metroid in existence, and may be the one that eventually metamorphosed into the Queen.
  • The corpse of Ridley's clone is evidence of Queen Metroids keeping their larval phase's ability to drain life energy. Samus' loss of energy while inside a Queen's mouth, throat and membrane is further proof. For larger prey such as Ridley's clone however, it is unlikely Queen Metroids can swallow them whole, thus leading to the assumption that a Queen merely needs to clamp down onto her victims with her jaws and drain life energy through her teeth and/or her mouth's inner surfaces.
  • Within the Restricted Lab on the BSL station, distant tubes can be seen extending into the background of the laboratory. It is unknown if these tubes, or any others potentially located deeper within the lab, contained additional Metroids and/or a Queen. However, due to the computerized Adam Malkovich stating that the secret breeding program focused exclusively in growing Metroid larvae into Omega Metroids, it is unlikely that a Queen was ever produced in the BSL station.
  • As the Metroid series is known to have taken inspiration from the Alien film series, it is likely that the Queen Metroid was inspired by the Queen Alien from those films. Both Aliens and Metroid II: Return of Samus depict a final battle between the queens and the female protagonist (Ellen Ripley in Aliens and Samus in Return of Samus), and in Alien Resurrection and Metroid: Other M, a Queen is created from cloned specimens. In addition, similar to the Queen Metroid, the Queen Alien was also depicted as being extremely protective of her offspring.
    • The scene where the creature emerges through blast doors is also similar to the appearance of the Queen Alien after being able to operate a lift near the end of Aliens.
  • During the fight with the Queen in Metroid II, there is a strange bar on the right wall that increases when the Queen's head nears Samus, and decreases when her head retracts. It is most likely a glitch that reacts to the Queen's sprite animations.
  • The sound that the Queen Metroid makes when hurt is the same as that of an Omega Metroid in Metroid II.
  • The Queen can seemingly create Metroids in two different manners: one involves the "normal" egg-laying method (with Infant Metroids eventually hatching from the eggs) and the other is giving birth to live Metroids (similar to mammals), as seen during the battle in Other M. With the latter method, the infant stage of a Metroid's life cycle can be skipped over, and the mature Larval Metroids "hatch" out of their mother's back, making openings on her spinal plating as fluids burst out; this seems to be a defense mechanism. The Queen's dorsal plating in Samus Returns features numerous large holes, possibly made by the Larva Metroids encountered moments earlier.
    • However, it is possible that the Queen is capable of storing Metroids in her back for protection and/or nursing. This explains how the Eggs were present with no living infant/adult stages nearby. The concept art of the Queen portray Metroids submerged in the Queen's back, but unlike the in-game depiction, the Metroids are merely attached to her and not encased inside her spinal plating.
  • Queen Metroids have two tube-like appendages on their rear. Their purposes are unknown, though they are potentially the organs responsible for laying Metroid Eggs (as there is a lack of any other protrusion on the Queen's body that could serve this purpose). Curiously, each time the Queen from Other M rams against a wall, the impact causes green fluid to squirt out of the two tube-like structures. Metroid: Other M Premiere Edition refers to the tubes as her "tail" and describes the appendages as "large cannon-like holes" that fire "poisonous projectiles" (likely referring to the fluid).
  • It is seen in Other M that the Queen's vision is blurred pink. This is seen in the cutscene where she kills Ridley and when approaching Samus. Also, an extremely faint greenish glow can be seen around Ridley and Samus during these same cutscenes. The glow may represent the life energy that Metroids feed on.
  • In Other M, the Energy drained while inside the Queen's membrane is significantly reduced in Hard Mode although the difficulty increase would naturally speed up the draining process. This is most likely due to balancing purposes, as Hard Mode only gives Samus 99 Energy Points (due to the lack of expansions) and the draining process in Normal Mode can easily take away a full Energy Tank before Samus can lay a Power Bomb.
  • In Other M, the Queen's fire breath can actually hit Samus during a SenseMove even though she is supposed to be intangible during the dodge. Despite this, Samus SenseMoves over her fire breath in the cutscene preceding the second phase of the battle, where the Queen fights her directly.
  • The Queen Metroid and the Larva Metroid are the only stages in the species' natural life cyle that are never shown metamorphosing from their previous stages, the (presumed) Omega Metroid and Infant Metroid, respectively.
  • Depending on how the Queen Metroid is defeated in Metroid II, her death animation varies:
    • If the player constantly used missiles on her, she simply disintegrates after being frozen in place.
    • If the player utilized bombs in her membrane, upon spitting up Samus for the last time, her head collapses down to the floor below as her body disintegrates.
  • The trophy description for the Queen Metroid jokingly references the misconception that the title of the franchise referred to Samus Aran, rather than the titular threat.
  • In the room immediately prior to the boss room where she is located in Metroid II: Return of Samus, her cries can be heard in the background.
    • In Metroid: Samus Returns, this is changed slightly to have the Queen's roaring occur after killing the last Larval Metroid in Area 8, implying that her roars were out of fury from sensing the gradual killing of her offspring.

Gallery

References