| “ | I began to see what the worst-case scenario would look like. The ultimate weapon, the Metroid, would be mass-produced, and as soon as an AI that could control them was developed, the plan to create a special-forces unit modeled after the Space Pirates was replaced. But as the AI called MB spun out of control, the facility became a place much like the planet Zebes. If the situation were left alone, galactic society would be put in peril. Even the ringleaders of the operation wanted to avoid that, but they still wanted the Metroids. And that's why they decided to capture the Metroids contained in Sector Zero... and "delete" the rest of the facility, including the Space Pirates, Ridley, and everyone who knew the secret. But before the ringleaders could act, Adam appeared. Adam might have known or suspected the truth about the facility from the beginning. Regardless, since the ringleaders were members of the Galactic Federation, they could no longer act recklessly. And so a Deleter was installed as a member of Adam's team to destroy evidence and plan each subsequent move. But having me added on as a member must have disrupted the Galactic Federation's plans. | „ |
Samus theorising about the ringleaders' plans.
The "ringleaders" (given no nickname in Japanese) is a term used once by Samus Aran to describe a splinter group within the Galactic Federation Army that headed the BOTTLE SHIP's special-forces unit and Project Metroid Warriors. Their plans have repercussions in both Metroid: Other M and Metroid Fusion.
History[]
In Metroid: Other M, the ringleaders are the Galactic Federation conspiracy behind the BOTTLE SHIP's bioweapons projects. Samus first deduces their existence and uses the term "ringleaders" after speaking with MB, realizing that there must be a splinter group in the Galactic Federation behind illegal projects of this scale. The Japanese version of the game clearly states that the ringleaders were foiled and exposed in the ending and post-game, while the English version does not address their fate.
It is indicated that the Colonel was connected to this group, as he sought to cover up Madeline Bergman's witness of the BOTTLE SHIP disaster. As the BOTTLE SHIP enters Galactic Federation space, he first orders a six-man platoon to storm the control room. One army member fires a Freeze Shot aimed directly at Dr. Madeline Bergman, a key witness to the events that transpired onboard the BOTTLE SHIP. However, the shot was blocked by MB. The six-man army then immediately surrounded Madeline, but their progress was halted by a defending Samus. Once The Colonel arrives on scene with reinforcements, it is implied that he was to resort to handling the disposure of Madeline in a "discreet" way. Ultimately, his plan failed due to the survival of Anthony Higgs.
It is unknown if the aforementioned Galactic Federation army members that appeared in the Control room are possibly Ringleader members, or at the very least, taking direct orders from The Colonel himself.
The Deleter, James Pierce, also worked to silence witnesses for the ringleaders, being planted in secret as part of the 07th Platoon. The Head Quarantine Officer who sampled DNA from the surface of Samus' Power Suit was also involved in the plan. Samus briefly believed that Adam Malkovich was involved, once she learned he had written a report used in Project Metroid Warriors. However, this was proven false when Adam explained that the report was co-opted without his approval. Translated concept art indicates that many of the ringleaders were former Federation Army soldiers.
In the Japanese version of Metroid Fusion, the Adam computer states that the Nightmare was created by the "old" Galactic Federation Army. Since Nightmare is first found on the BOTTLE SHIP in Other M, this means that the ringleaders and the "old" Federation Army are one and the same. This implies that because of Samus Aran, Anthony Higgs, and Madeline Bergman's witness testimonies after Metroid: Other M, at least some of the ringleaders were exposed and incarcerated, and between the two games the Army was restructured as a result.
However, the similar conspiracy of the BSL bioweapons projects in Fusion suggests that at least some of the ringleaders were able to remain in power and manipulate events, including the cloning of Metroids and the collection of Nightmare and Ridley's clone. If so, the BSL project's unnamed overseer is likely a ringleader.
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