The Metroid vaccine that saves Samus's life.
Vaccine "Metroid" was an anti-X serum that saved Samus from death in Metroid Fusion. Once the X Parasite had infested Samus' central nervous system, she lost consciousness, causing her gunship to drift into an asteroid belt. Her ship's emergency systems automatically ejected the escape pod before impact, which Biologic Space Laboratories later retrieved and transported Samus to Galactic Federation HQ. During the journey, the X multiplied within her, corrupting large areas of her Power Suit. It was learned that the organic components of her Power Suit had become so integrated with her central nervous system that it could not be removed while she was unconscious. Large portions of her suit had to be surgically removed, greatly altering the physical appearance of her suit. Unfortunately, the X in her central nervous system were too embedded to be removed safely; her chances of survival were minimal at best. However, a cure was soon proposed: using a Metroid cell to make an anti-X vaccine. This cell came from the infant Metroid that Samus had found on SR388 and given to the Ceres Space Colony. The vaccine was injected and the X were immediately destroyed, meaning the infant Metroid had effectively saved Samus' life a second time. Because the vaccine worked so well, the doctors hypothesized that the Metroids were the natural predators of the X.
While confronting the X aboard the Biologic Space Laboratories research station, it became evident that the vaccine had done more than just save Samus' life; it had given her several traits similar to Metroids, including their immunity to the X Parasites, but also their typical vulnerability to cold. However, the possession of Metroid DNA seems to have had no visible effects on Samus' suitless form (as is proven in the ultimate ending of Metroid Fusion, in which we see an image of her without her suit, seemingly unaffected by the overall operation.) On the other hand, Samus' new Fusion Suit's left arm even has a few claw-like protrusions that resemble a Metroid's fangs. Later on, Samus realizes that she is an easier target for the SA-X because of the vaccine; as the SA-X is the result of the X-infected portions of her Power Suit, it has access to all of Samus' weaponry, including the Ice Beam. Its tactics in fighting Samus even resemble the tactics Samus herself used on Metroids not so very long ago on SR388; freeze the target with the Ice Beam, then hit it with a Missile.
There is one other vaccine in the Metroid series, the Galactic Federation vaccine that was developed to cure the Aurora Units of the Corruption Virus. However, it is digitally uploaded and not physically used.
Gallery
| Substances | |
|---|---|
| Hazardous | Acid (Beta/Fake) • Acid Rain • Afloraltite • Dark Water • Fire • Fuel Gel • Lava (Fake/Scalding-hot) • Phazon • Purple liquid |
| Gases | Dark vapor • Industrial-grade pesticide • Meta-viprium gas • Nohadin gas • Noxious gasses • Poison gas • Talvania Gas |
| Destructible | Barnacle-like material • Bendezium • Brinstone • Cordite • Denzium • Frigidite • Glass • Grobnite • Ice • Maldium • Meltable Metal • Metroid webs • Radion • Sandstone • Talloric Alloy • Vegetation • Zebetite Kelbium and Zafrite |
| Phazon | Red • Crystal • Black Crystal • Mass • Ore • Elite Nutrient Mix • Strain Vertigo • Phazite (Red) • Concentrated |
| Crystals | Ammolite/Witherite Shards • Black Phazon • Crystallized Fuel Gel • Crystals • Dark Sentinel • Lift • Liftvine • Light • Minerals • Phazon • Red magma • Sentinel |
| Ore | Urthic • Phazon |
| Miscellaneous | Invisible platform • Jovian steel • Liquid Resource • Liquid solution • Sand Vaccine "Metroid" • Waste • Water • Yellow goo • Yellow liquid |