Samus-Adam Relationship

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Samus taking orders from Adam, in Metroid: Other M.

The relationship between Samus Aran and Adam Malkovich is a recurring subject in the Metroid series. It is an especially important element to the plots of Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Other M. The details of Samus and Adam's relationship have varied between the English and Japanese localizations of the Metroid series.

History

Metroid Fusion

Samus and Adam's relationship is first mentioned in Metroid Fusion. After Samus Aran is saved from X Parasites by the Galactic Federation, they grant her a new Starship for a mission to the BSL station, on the condition that she follows the orders of a Federation-made artificial intelligence loaded onto the ship's computer. Samus initially describes its personality as "blunt," and the arrangement reminds her of her only other commanding officer, Adam Malkovich, from her days in the Galactic Federation Army.

Samus takes orders from the stern computer in Navigation Rooms. Shortly before obtaining Missiles, Samus reminisces on Adam. She sees him as a brilliant commander with a cold-hearted devotion to duty, but undeniable tactical genius. She notes that he called her "Lady" - in the English version, she states that he made the nickname sound dignified, while in the Japanese version, she admits that the nickname bothered her but she still respected him.

After first visiting Sector 1 (SRX), Samus compares the computer "Adam" to the real Adam. She recalls that Adam understood her well, and she trusted him greatly. She considers the line "Any objections, Lady?" used by Adam at the end of briefings, noting that he already knew they were in agreement and it was moreso a recognition of their shared trust. She wonders what her relationship with this computer will be like, and if she will be able to trust it like the real Adam.

The two cooperate efficiently until Samus lifts Level 4 security to download the Diffusion Missiles without its approval, bothering the computer. Shortly afterwards, the computer orders Samus to exit Sector 6 (NOC) immediately to avoid the SA-X. Instead, Samus stumbles upon the Metroids in the Restricted Laboratory and jettisons them. The computer warns Samus that she will face consequences from the Galactic Federation for destroying the Metroids, and reveals it hasn't told her of at least 10 SA-X copies aboard the BSL. It orders her to immediately return to her Starship and leave. This shatters any trust Samus had in the computer. She compares it unfavorably to Adam, claiming that while he would have given a similar scolding, he would have failed to hide his inner kindness and softened the blow. In the Japanese version, Samus vows to never again accept the computer's orders, even if it says "Any objections, Lady?" as Adam did.

After Samus destroys Neo-Ridley, the computer locks her in a Navigation Room, planning to hold her there until the Galactic Federation arrives. Samus rejects the Federation's foolish plot to use the X as bioweapons and demands the computer to open the hatch, accidentally calling it "Adam" aloud. When questioned, she explains that Adam was an old friend, and that he would have agreed with her plan to self-destruct the BSL, as he once sacrificed himself for Samus long ago. The computer ridicules this perception of Adam, infuriating Samus. It states that Samus perishing on the BSL would be foolish, as she would be removed as an obstacle to the Federation's dark plans; instead, it suggests altering the station to crash into SR388 and destroy the X on the planet too. Samus is shocked by the computer's about-face. It then unlocks the hatch and orders her to the Operations Room, ending with "Any objections, Lady?" to confirm its connection to Adam.

Upon sabotaging the BSL and escaping, Samus realizes that the Federation must have based the computer on the mind of Adam Malkovich. The computer Adam then reassures her concerns over the BSL scandal, stating that at least one Federation official must understand their choice - Samus accepts this, learning from her adventure with Adam that individual perspectives are shaped by personal experiences.

Metroid: Other M

As a prequel to Metroid Fusion, Metroid: Other M further explores Samus and Adam's relationship, depicting Adam in-person in a video game for the first time. On the BOTTLE SHIP, Samus runs into the 07th Platoon but is coldly watched from afar by Adam. Samus recalls that she resigned from service under Adam in the Federation Army due to a disagreement involving a certain incident. Adam then questions her presence and refuses to divulge their mission to an outsider; in the English version, Samus says the rejection "pierced her heart", while in Japanese, she only says it "stung slightly." When Samus opens a Red Blast Shield the unit was struggling with, Adam glares at her. She elects to stay on the BOTTLE SHIP despite Adam's cold shoulder.

Samus offers Adam her help, only to be interrupted by the Brug Mass. In the battle, Adam asks Samus to back them up with her Missiles, and together they defeat the creature. Afterwards, Adam accepts her help under the condition that she will follow his commands and restrict her equipment until he authorizes it. Samus reminisces about Adam's past briefings, including the phrase "Any objections, Lady?" and her accompanying thumbs-down. Her feelings about this exchange differ in the English and Japanese versions - in English, she is secretly touched that Adam used the nickname "Lady" to acknowledge her troubled past, while in Japanese, she is truly bothered by the nickname as it made her feel weak and vulnerable (read here for more details). Nevertheless, she insists that she did not resent Adam over it, calling her behavior "childish" and regretting her dramatic departure. After the briefing, Samus assures Adam that she has no objections.

Since Samus is the only one with functioning communications, Adam observes Samus' actions and infrequently directs her through the BOTTLE SHIP. He authorizes equipment as need be, and she loyally obeys his orders. When Samus discovers the Federation Army's bioweapon projects in the Exam Center, she immediately concludes that Adam was not involved, as she knows he is vehemently opposed to any exploitation of living things. Realizing that she once defied this principle by bringing the Baby Metroid to the Ceres Space Colony, Samus briefly wonders if her choice impacted Adam's perception of her.

As Samus follows the Mystery Creature to the Pyrosphere, Adam warns her to limit exploration to areas she can access using her current equipment, not intending to authorize more until they have a better grasp of the situation. Despite this instruction, Samus risks entering super-heated areas until she is cornered by the Goyagma, forcing Adam to authorize her Varia Feature. Adam's warning is less clear in the English version.

Adam next contacts Samus after she meets MB and learns of the traitorous Deleter, ordering her to hunt the Mystery Creature again. She saves Anthony Higgs along the way, who asks Samus how she feels working with Adam again - in the Japanese version, he outright asks if she has forgiven him. This triggers a flashback to the incident that drove Samus away from Adam years ago: the death of Ian Malkovich aboard the Lusitania. Back then, Samus believed she could have saved Ian and was furious with Adam for not allowing her to risk her life trying. Now, she shares her regrets - in the English version, she regrets complicating Adam's already difficult decision, while in Japanese, she regrets blaming Adam for a situation that was ultimately out of his control. Samus believes that even now she would not have acted differently, and would still cling to any glimmer of hope that she could do the impossible.

When Samus and Anthony are ambushed by the matured Ridley, Adam orders her to destroy the magma-eruption port to illuminate the shadows. Upon seeing Ridley, Samus goes into shock. Adam calls out, telling her to use the Plasma Beam, but is suddenly attacked by the Deleter, unknown to Samus. She is eventually able to overcome Ridley and forces him to retreat, now left isolated from Adam. She acknowledges Adam's ability to defend himself from the Deleter, but grows frustrated with his radio silence, and finds her patience with him waning.

Samus follows the Deleter to the Bioweapons Research Center, spitefully activating her Space Jump and Screw Attack without Adam's authorization. Emotionally vulnerable, Samus believes MB's lie that Adam was the one who signed off on a report that led to Project Metroid Warriors in the first place, despite her knowledge that he opposes bioweapons. Samus bitterly heads to Sector Zero to destroy the Metroids.

Samus cries as Adam walks to his death.

At Sector Zero's entrance, Samus suddenly meets an infant unfreezable Metroid, and both she and it are shot in the back by Adam's Freeze Gun. Samus angrily questions Adam, and he explains that he had to stop her from entering Sector Zero, where she would be helpless against the mature unfreezable Metroids. When she asks about his report, he clarifies that he wrote it against Metroid bioweapons and was co-opted by the wrong crowd. Adam then gives her several final orders - stop the BOTTLE SHIP's engines, secure the survivor in Room MW, and kill Ridley - before moving to sacrifice himself to destroy Sector Zero. Samus pleads with Adam to let her try destroying the Metroids instead, echoing her pleas to try to save Ian; in response, Adam reveals that he does not see himself as a galactic hero, valuing Samus' life over his own, and clarifies that he has entrusted her to complete the rest of the mission and save the day without him. In the Japanese dub, as Samus bangs on the doors and calls after Adam, she can be heard loudly weeping. As the doors lock behind him, Adam says "Any objections, Lady?" like old times, leaving Samus to respond with a tearful thumbs-down as she accepts his final mission. Samus reflects on Adam's departure from her life, realizing that the trust that he placed in her was his last gift, so she can complete the mission with an unclouded mind.

Samus goes on to complete Adam's final tasks, locating Madeline Bergman and stopping MB's plans with the help of Anthony. As she returns to Galactic Federation Headquarters, Samus questions Adam's choice and says that "the cost was far too great." However, she later admits that he made the right decision as he had with Ian years ago. She swears to take strength from his sacrifice rather than to grieve. She gives him a thumbs-up for the first time; Anthony approaches, giving her a playful thumbs-down in return. Samus, having previously stated that only Adam understood her, realized that others such as Anthony could understand her as well, if she let them.

Days later, Samus returns to the BOTTLE SHIP before its scheduled demolition, searching for an object that she described as irreplaceable: Adam's helmet. Disabling her Power Suit, she had a tender moment with the helmet and embraced it, seemingly breaking her vow not to grieve. The Countdown activated and Samus escaped in her Zero Suit before the BOTTLE SHIP was destroyed. Aboard her Gunship, she apologized to Adam (via his helmet) for keeping him waiting. What became of the helmet was unknown.

Metroid Dread

Samus and Adam's relationship continues in Metroid Dread, a sequel to Metroid Fusion. The starship's computer, now called ADAM, continues to offer support to Samus. He shows dissatisfaction with the low bounty Samus accepts for the ZDR mission, aware of her fervent dedication to eradicating the X, and calls her "Lady" as usual. He advises her to find a way to contact him from the depths of ZDR as soon as possible.

Samus was shown to be knowledgeable enough about Adam to realize late in the game that Adam was being impersonated by Raven Beak since their first encounter, as "Adam" told her to contribute to Galactic Peace even with her new Metroid status after using her new Metroid powers "correctly", something the real Adam would never tell her to do.

Trivia

• Elements of the relationship, owing to Other M being designed for a more Japanese audience than usual in an attempt to increase the number of Japanese fans, was taken from various elements of Japanese and East Asian culture. In particular, filial piety was used for the scenes where a large part of Adam's coldness to Samus was because of her leaving the military, and to a certain extent the similarly-controversial Authorization mechanic in the game (in Japan, a soldier is expected to absolutely obey their commanding officer's orders without question and not do anything without the CO's explicit authorization under the basis of having absolute trust in authority. On that note, walking out on their CO for any reason is considered inexcusable in Japan.). Also, several of Samus's decisions are emphasized as being due to thinking that's what Adam wanted rather than what she personally believes (the latter barely gave any focus in the story), which had a basis on the Japanese virtue of "enryo" or the suppression of self.
• Nate Bihldorf from Nintendo of America implied that the backstory between Samus and Adam was likely written, or at least envisioned, by Yoshio Sakamoto by the time Fusion was released.
• The Samus-Adam relationship was referenced twice in Adam's spirit battle and to a lesser extent Young Samus's spirit battle in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where the player has to defeat puppet fighters composed of Snake and Zero Suit Samus, with the former instance having Snake carrying Adam's spirit and the latter instance having Zero Suit Samus carrying Young Samus's spirit. Coincidentally, Snake, or more accurately his father Big Boss, had a similar relationship to The Boss that Samus and Adam had in Snake Eater.
• Jessica Martin (the English voice of Samus in Other M), in a 2019 tweet expressing her gratitude for the Metroid fan community, used three thumbs-down emojis in reference to Samus's practice with Adam.

Gallery

Samus leaves the Federation in a flashback, walking past Adam.

Adam caught in the background of a photo of Samus and Ian.

Samus pleads with Adam.

Samus gives her last thumbs-down to Adam.

Samus holds the late Adam's helmet.