I just realized.

In Fusion, Samus is trailing behind the BSL ship when she loses consciousness and veers into the asteroids. When she wakes up, she's equipped with a stripped-down shitty GFED substitute to her Varia Suit, and of course she is paired with a computer and sent to the BSL to investigate the explosion there. I know you know all of this shit, just a recap. Now, consider these things:

The X defy all logic. Even with a scientific explanation, their ability to kill their host, perfectly mimic their genetic makeup, and acquire their memories is absolutely MIND-BOGGLING. The ability to retain their host's memories and switch between forms almost instantaneously - as well as mutate further into a more desirable form - more or less makes the X the ultimate enemy.

Samus is paired with a computer she names Adam, who, by coincidence, IS Adam himself.

Samus' loyalty to the Federation is strained almost constantly.

Samus' arch-nemesis, Ridley, and a horde of Space Pirates are located on the BSL before her arrival for some unexplained reason. It's reasonable to assume that the Pirates were there to retrieve their leader, but it's more likely that they were lab specimens as well. Metroids are present as well - also a previously thought-to-be-dead adversary - and the presence of an enemy identical in appearance to Samus is hardly an unfamiliar concept.

Samus acquires most of her basic abilities by downloading them like music. I'm sorry, but I don't care what the future holds. You can't download a ballistic weapon into the real world like a music album on your iPod.

Throughout the course of the BSL mission, Samus is constantly monitored by the Federation, who supplies her with weapons data and new objectives.

You might be wondering what I'm getting at. Well, in summary... Samus is supplied with the absolute bare-minimum of her gear, and is sent on a seemingly impossible mission. Her progress is marked by objectives, and she is supplied with weapons via DOWNLOAD, and she is pitted against many of her greatest enemies, as well as new ones that test the very limit of her abilities. Her loyalty to the Federation is deliberately tested at almost every corner, and she is under the command of a computerized CO.




Fusion is a combat simulation, designed to gauge Samus' skill, power, and loyalty.

[sockmonkey]

So Samus is really still lying in a BSL sickbay trapped in a virtual reality simulation? Neato.

[Maetch]

Sounds a lot like the Big Shell in Metal Gear Solid 2. Next thing we know, we find out that we were NOT playing as Samus at all, but rather a clone of Gandrayda.

[CRtheMighty]

So Samus is really still lying in a BSL sickbay trapped in a virtual reality simulation? Neato.

I don't think we're looking at a "it was all a dream" situation. I think he means that literally the GFeds shipped her off and said, "Let's see what she does."

So, according to this theory, the Feds would have to know about X, even before Samus shows up. That could almost work; it is the Federation governor of that sector who hires her because of her previous experience on SR-388. This also assumes that BSL is in on the whole shebang. That also makes sense, after all they're the ones carting around Metroids and Ridley. Also assumes they'd be willing to put a few no-name scientists at risk of X infection on 388's surface whilst getting Samus sick. Also again not a stretch, a large government contract makes companies do funny things.

The question then is why the Federation would go to all the trouble of setting this up. Do they just want to see what Samus is capable of? Were they after a Samus clone and things got out of hand? Are they trying to kill Samus and doing their best to make it look like a rampaging monster attack and not murder? All three of these theories make it sound like Samus was getting too hard to control for the Feds. Theory one postulates they're solely testing loyalty. Two (which actually happened in-game) means they're looking for an effective Samus alternative; what better than a clone? Three means they feel she's gone beyond their reach entirely, and has to be eliminated.
In any of those cases, it means that somewhere the Feds get the idea that Samus needs to be reined in. Why, would be the question: something in Other M? Her blowing shit up all the time? Her mile wide independent streak? Her moral opposition to general dickery, which is a specialty of governments everywhere? It's interestint to think about.


(I'll say this: I think Fusion is just the Feds up to shenanigans, and they're stupid enough to let Samus in too close. And they're stupid enough to have her old CO keep an eye on her. A-dur. Not to say it isn't a terribly interesting theory, I wouldn't have written a wall-o-text about it if I didn't, but I just don't think that's what's going on. )

[Redwing]

Holy crap, I love this explanation. Unfortunately, I don't think it's at all canon. But I love it all the same.

[Balkoth]

Nah, Samus is the only known soldier with X resistance.

GF had no choice but to send her alone, however weak.

Its a fun "what if" theory, and it makes sense. However, I think I'm not the only one who would rage if it turned out to be true.

Edit: here's a thought, though. If Fusion was a test of Samus' loyalty, did she pass or fail? Maybe refusing to follow suicidal origins and not allowing the GF military to put its people in danger were what she was supposed to do.

[sockmonkey]

(I'll say this: I think Fusion is just the Feds up to shenanigans, and they're stupid enough to let Samus in too close. And they're stupid enough to have her old CO keep an eye on her. A-dur. Not to say it isn't a terribly interesting theory, I wouldn't have written a wall-o-text about it if I didn't, but I just don't think that's what's going on. )

Adam is probably the only one available to the federation who knows Samus well enough to be able to effectively evaluate her behavior and keep her under controll.
The Feds were probably counting on Adam's loyalty to them and/or programming blocks to keep him on task which was working right up untill the end. Even so, While he did go against orders he did believe his actions were in the Fed's best interests.
While I don't think they set up the whole incident I wouldn't put it past the Feds to use an existing crisis as a test.
Consider: BSL is a relatively unique asset containing rare biological samples, technology, and data. It's not something that can be replaced easilly.
For an arranged test it would make more sense to use a military base "supposedly" captured by terrorists or something.
A place like that is naturally going to have enough weapons and equipment stockpiled to justify the risk of retaking it and yet it it is all totally replaceable in case things go badly and you have to destroy it to prevent the enemy from using it.
It's clear Samus was intended to only gather intelligence and that the Feds thought they were trickling just enough weapons data to her to survive but underestimated her buttkicking skills and instincts. When they figured it out they had Adam lock her in the data room.

[LesserChozo]

Just a few things.

When she wakes up, she's equipped with a stripped-down shitty GFED substitute to her Varia Suit,

No, it's her suit, just reformed thanks to the infection, and possibly the vaccine. That's explained in the intro.

The X defy all logic. Even with a scientific explanation, their ability to kill their host, perfectly mimic their genetic makeup, and acquire their memories is absolutely MIND-BOGGLING. The ability to retain their host's memories and switch between forms almost instantaneously - as well as mutate further into a more desirable form - more or less makes the X the ultimate enemy.

If there is a scientific explanation, what logic is it defying? Mimicry happens in nature. Some creatures are even able to change their genetic make-up, to a point. It's not unfeasible for something like this to evolve.

Samus is paired with a computer she names Adam, who, by coincidence, IS Adam himself.

She says the computer reminds her of Adam. It's possible the computer has a voice, Adam's voice, that we, the players, don't get to hear; if nothing else.

Samus acquires most of her basic abilities by downloading them like music. I'm sorry, but I don't care what the future holds. You can't download a ballistic weapon into the real world like a music album on your iPod.

Consider Star Trek's replicators. If Samus's suit works like that, then it really is just a matter of downloading the right code to replicate a missile or a particular beam.

The rest of your theory is interesting. Clearly Fusion raises questions that need to be answered. I'm hoping it's just the start of a whole new story.

[pyroshadow]

For as hard a mission as you're making this sound, the game could be beat by my dog while he was asleep.

[Balkoth]

Fusion is currently last in the Metroid timeline; Samus had plenty of hands-on training beforehand. That may be another reason why GF trusted her.

More on that, I wanna know what happens after Fusion! GF was probably pissed. xD

[Hawk's Eye]

I imagine the GFED was pissed.... But what i noticed:

Samus is paired with a computer she names Adam, who, by coincidence, IS Adam himself.

She says the computer reminds her of Adam. It's possible the computer has a voice, Adam's voice, that we, the players, don't get to hear; if nothing else.

It does say that its his mind in the computer. I do bet that the computer has a voice but it IS supposed to be his mind.

[LesserChozo]

It does seem to be a coincidence that she is paired with an AI that turns out to be her former CO. But then again his personality, or digital copy, may be the standard on various vessels, not just the one. So, it may not be that big of a coincidence.

Like in Star Trek, Majel Barret-Rodenberry did the voice for nearly every vessel in the fleet, even in Enterprise(series) if I'm not mistaken.

Like in Star Trek, Majel Barret-Rodenberry did the voice for nearly every vessel in the fleet, even in Enterprise(series) if I'm not mistaken.

Wow......... lol methinks someone is a Trekkie.

[LesserChozo]

Like in Star Trek, Majel Barret-Rodenberry did the voice for nearly every vessel in the fleet, even in Enterprise(series) if I'm not mistaken.

Wow......... lol methinks someone is a Trekkie.

Nah, just a fan.