Metroid Hatchling

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Samus discoveres the Metroid Hatchling.

The Metroid Hatchling is the last remaining Metroid from planet SR388, discovered by Samus in Metroid II: Return of Samus, and it helps her escape the Metroid homeworld. Samus, rather than kill the Metroid in accordance with her mission directives, takes the specimen to the Galactic Research Station at Ceres, so that Federation scientists could study its energy-producing qualities. According to Samus, the scientists discovered that the Metroid could be used to benefit civilization, but exactly how is never known. Shortly after Samus leaves the station, the scientists are murdered, and the Metroid is stolen by Ridley and taken to the reconstructed Space Pirate base on Zebes. After defeating Ridley in his lair at Norfair, Samus finds the Metroid's casing broken in two. She encounters the creature herself in New Tourian amidst dried husks of enemies. Since its time away from Ceres, the Metroid has grown to a gigantic size, far larger than any Metroid at the larval stage. The Metroid proceeds to attack Samus, draining almost all of her energy before recognizing Samus as its mother. It flees, and a short time later, during the fight between Samus and Mother Brain, the Metroid returns, attacking Mother Brain as the latter prepares to kill Samus, and uses the energy taken from the monstrosity (now a dried husk) to heal the bounty hunter. During this process, a rejuvenated Mother bombards the infant with beams fired from its mouth, killing it (This scene was recreated in the trailer for Metroid: Other M, in which the Metroid is killed by a single attack rather than by several). Its remains rain down upon Samus, and she gains the Hyper Beam, using it to obliterate Mother and escape the planet.

The Metroid hatchling was used to create the genetic basis for the failed Space Pirate experiment Mochtroids and their successful Metroid cloning later on. The Galactic Federation scientists managed to save some DNA samples from the hatchling as well. These samples were used to create unfreezable Metroids on the Bottle Ship, to create the X Parasite vaccine, Vaccine "Metroid", and to provide the basis for the secret Metroid breeding program at the B.S.L station.

Gallery

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Samus turns the hatchling over to Federation scientists at Ceres
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Scientists study the metroid
Scientists discover a last minute Vaccine "Metroid" ready for Samus's use