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Weavel is a Bounty Hunter who appeared in Metroid Prime Hunters. Weavel is a Space Pirate special-forces warrior who was converted into a cyborg after his entire body (save his brain and spinal cord) was irreparably damaged in a past battle with Samus Aran.
Biography[]
Weavel was a powerful Space Pirate warrior from a special unit. He was left for dead after a battle with Samus Aran in Brinstar. Only his brain and spinal cord still functioned. His only hope for survival was an experimental procedure in which his body was fused with a mobile life support system. The Space Pirates installed what was left of his body into a robotic shell with life support systems and weaponry, including an energy scythe. He also has a handgun which is not mounted on his arm as the counterpart of the Arm Cannon. Since then he has become a bounty hunter for the Space Pirate forces. Weavel, like Samus Aran and Sylux, has a ship used for transport; however, it is only seen in preview artwork and briefly glimpsed in a cutscene upon entering the Oubliette, as well as a small image on a page the February 2006 issue of GamePro. His weakness is the Volt Driver. The Hunters guide states that Weavel's intentions are unclear, whether he intends to keep the Ultimate Power for himself or give it to the Space Pirates.
Original encounter with Samus[]
A passage in Nintendo Power, the Hunters strategy guide and comments from Richard Vorodi indicate that Samus and Weavel first crossed paths in a battle in Brinstar, where he was stationed. The only times Samus had been to Brinstar before Hunters were in the Magazine Z manga and Metroid/Metroid: Zero Mission. However, no Space Pirates are witnessed in Brinstar in the latter games (although they are present in a room there in an early Zero Mission screenshot), and the manga was never officially released outside of Japan.
The only known instance of a normal Space Pirate fighting Samus on Brinstar prior to Hunters occurs in Metroid: Volume 1, Chapter 6, when Samus tricks two Pirates into following her under diving Skrees, which mortally wound the pursuers. This occurs on her first visit back to Zebes while working with the Galactic Federation, several years before returning during her Zero Mission. Initially, Vorodi declined to clarify the discrepancy, leaving the question of when Samus and Weavel fought in Brinstar a secret.[1] In a later interview, he stated that Weavel would be a more important character in a second remake of the original Metroid if one were to be made.[2]
Gameplay[]
In terms of single player, Weavel, like all of the other Hunters, appears randomly in certain areas throughout each planet to combat Samus, but he is first encountered by her in the Echo Hall during the first escape on Alinos. If he defeats Samus, he will take one of her Octoliths, and she will have to track him down and defeat him in order to reclaim it.
Weavel's Affinity Weapon is the Battlehammer, which lobs powerful balls of green energy in an arcing motion to the targets. In multiplayer, this knocks back enemies, which can be useful for keeping enemies away. The Battlehammer also acts as a hand-held mortar. It can be used in team games for support while the other person is moving towards the enemy base.
Although he is only seen to wield the Battlehammer in campaign mode, Weavel was also seen to be firing a much smaller, pistol-like weapon at the Seal Sphere.
Weavel's alternate form is the Halfturret. Weavel splits into two pieces, the lower half becoming a Battlehammer-wielding turret and the top becoming a smaller Weavel capable of using its scythe in a swiping motion as it jumps. The player can leave the turret wherever he or she may stand and can return to Weavel's normal form at any time.
Official data[]
Metroid Prime Hunters manual[]
- WEAVEL
- "This cybernetic warrior is part of a Space Pirate special unit. Badly injured in a past battle with Samus Aran, Weavel's body has been reconstructed and fused with a Power Suit. The rebuilt Weavel has become a formidable and ferocious warrior."
Alt-Form - Halfturret
Metroid.com[]
"Once a powerful space pirate general, Weavel was critically wounded during an altercation between the space pirates and Samus Aran. With just his brain and his spinal cord still functional, his body was fused with a mobile life support system."
Trivia quiz[]
"Weavel's Alt-Form allows you to multitask. You can place the Halfturret in a much-contested location, such as a ring node or a place where a popular item regenerates, while the other half explores."
Nintendo Power March 2006 issue[]
"A former Space Pirate severely wounded by Samus in a scuffle on Brinstar, Weavel will remain associated with the Pirates as long as it's convenient. As a result of the injury Weavel sustained, the hunter can separate its torso from its lower body, which becomes a stationary turret."[3]
Logbook entry[]
Weavel
WEAVEL's weapon of choice is the BATTLEHAMMER, a HEAVY-DUTY repeating weapon with a lethal blast radius. Maintain distance and avoid a direct hit from this high-caliber weapon.
Metroid Prime Hunters: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide[]
- WEAVEL
- "Weavel and Samus have met once before--when Weavel was a Space Pirate general defending the pirate base Brinstar from the Galactic Federation. Samus won that battle and left Weavel for dead, but although his body was destroyed, his brain and spinal cord remained intact.
Weavel was rebuilt as a cyborg by his Space Pirate cohorts and given an experimental Power Suit that perfectly meshed with his cybernetics-enhanced frame. With that suit, he regained much more than his previous strength and mobility, and quickly vaulted to the top ranks of the Space Pirate assassin force. Ruthless and efficient, Weavel delighted in doing the dirty jobs that no normal pirate could survive.
Now Weavel has left his post to visit the Alimbic Cluster in search of the secret to ultimate power. It is unclear whether he intends to deliver it to the Space Pirates or keep it for himself."
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]
Trophy[]
"A cyborg Space Pirate and member of a special-forces unit. Weavel was once left for dead in a fight with Samus. Like other hunters, he also seeks the ultimate power. His weapon of choice is the rapid-fire, heavy-duty Battlehammer. Weavel can transform into the Halfturret, where his upper and lower body split and can attack separately."
Sticker[]
Weavel's sticker automatically equips any character it is used on with a Beam Sword.
- Weavel Metroid Prime Hunters - Carry Beam Sword (All)
Development notes[]
Weavel was Richard Vorodi's favorite hunter.[1] He indicated that he had greater ideas for the character if he had been allowed to implement them, but did not elaborate.[1]
Vorodi named Weavel after the weevil, a type of beetle. According to him, an experience with a weevil in his childhood had given him negative associations for the insect and its name, which he carried over when naming Weavel.[2]
Trivia[]
- Weavel's color scheme (suit, visor, and hair) and scythe are similar to those of Kihunters, which are known to be Space Pirates. This raises the possibility that Weavel was a Kihunter. However, Kihunters are only encountered on Zebes in Super Metroid.
- According to his portrait and the intro cutscene, his scythe is available at his normal form. In the gameplay, however, he only uses his scythe at his alt-form.
- Weavel, in contrast to the other 6 new bounty hunters featured in Metroid Prime Hunters, uses both the non-affinity and affinity form of his weapon of choice: the Battlehammer. While in biped form, Weavel fires out Battlehammer shots that produce a larger blast radius due to his affinity with the weapon. In the Halfturret alternative form, the turret fires out Battlehammer shots that are not enhanced by Weavel's affinity of the weapon. This may suggest that there is a component in Weavel's gun/upper-body that produces the characteristics of the affinity Battlehammer.
- Weavel's Halfturret turret form will not be damaged by lava on such arenas as Alinos Gateway. This is unusual as Weavel is damaged by lava when in biped form.
- Unlike other Hunters, Headshots do not cause Weavel to flinch or stop moving.
- Weavel's battle theme has a bass melody shared by all other Hunters and Gorea.
- Weavel is the only playable Space Pirate in the entire Metroid series, while Ridley is only playable in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
- If a player chooses Weavel for an online match, spawns in the Data Shrine, and then disconnects from the server while in Alt-Form, Weavel's lower Halfturret will still remain where it was on the level, albeit not shooting passing players.
- Weavel's cutscene in the attract mode of Metroid Prime Hunters shows him being pursued by several vessels in a large city. Where this takes place is unknown.
Appearances[]
- Metroid Prime Hunters
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Appears as a trophy and sticker)
- Metroid Prime Hunters: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide
Gallery[]
Notes[]
- ^ As an AI-controlled opponent in the Multiplayer Mode of Metroid Prime Hunters.
References[]
- ^ a b c "[Weavel is] My favorite! Without saying too much, Weavel was stationed on Brinstar a long time ago. It is possible Samus and him had their battle in the original Metroid..." [asked when she fought him] " I’d prefer not to specify directly and let that remain a piece of legend." Interview: Richard Vorodi, Shinesparkers, 2020-08-06. Retrieved on 2020-08-06.
- ^ a b "#122 - Richard Vorodi Interview (Metroid Prime Hunters, Game Design, Lore, Darksiders III etc.)", sections "Coming Up With The Hunters Names & Lore Names" and "Why Weavel Is Richard's Favorite Hunter". KIWI TALKZ. January 29, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2022
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20070815193446/http://gonintendo.com:80/?p=640
Biomechanical | |
---|---|
Hybrids | Asborean • Chozo Statue • Darkling • Dark Samus • Dark Suit • Light Suit • PED Suit • Samus Aran • Omega Suit |
Biomechanical | Aurora Unit • Security Robot B.O.X. • Cortex Chamber • Dark Diligence Drone • Dark Ingsmasher • Dark Quad • Fusion Suit • Mother Brain • Nightmare • Quadraxis • SA-X • Space Pirate Boarding Pod |
Cyborgs | Crash Pillar • Ghor (-G) • Kyratian • Leviathan Battleship • Pirate Militia • Preed (Dark) • Puffer Mine • Ridley (Meta/Omega/Proteus) • Samus Aran • Slench • Space Pirate • Weavel • Zebesian (Cyborg/Super) Large Leviathan-class armed ship • U-ton |