WARNING: This Feature is full of spoilers for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond as well as the entire Metroid series. Let this be a warning to you if you don’t want these details ruined for you. Otherwise, please enjoy.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond finally released and is full of lore many fans of the series love to study. That said, before it was released we were left to wonder where on the Metroid timeline the game takes place. Now unnamed members of the development team have recently chimed in on the timeline placement in a recent interview in Famitsu, but I urge you to look over the evidence presented here before taking the interview at face value.

Background Information

To begin I think it’s important to understand the Metroid timeline before the release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Up until this point there hasn’t been much argument over the canonical order of the games. That timeline goes:

Metroid: Zero Mission (Cosmic Year 20X5)

Metroid Prime

Metroid Prime: Hunters

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Metroid Prime: Federation Force (Cosmic Year 20X6)

Metroid: Samus Returns

Super Metroid

Metroid: Other M

Metroid Fusion

Metroid Dread

So how do we go about placing Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in this timeline? For starters you should know that after the events of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption the Galactic Federation launched Project Golem to build powerful Mechs for Federation Marines to use based on tech from Samus’ Power Suit. This tech is what was used in Metroid Prime: Federation Force and can be seen throughout Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. So we know for sure that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond takes place after Federation Force.

The next thing to look at is Samus’s Gunship. For this we must trace what Gunships Samus has had throughout the timeline. Since these different ships don’t have names I’ll name them from their game of origin when placed upon the timeline.

Metroid: Zero Mission (Zero Mission Gunship. Destroyed in the game's ending.)

Metroid Prime (Prime 1 Gunship)

Metroid Prime: Hunters (Prime 1 Gunship)

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Prime 2 Gunship)

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Prime 3 Gunship)

Metroid Prime: Federation Force (Prime 3 Gunship)

Metroid: Samus Returns (Prime 2 Gunship)

Super Metroid (Prime 2 Gunship)

Metroid: Other M (Prime 2 Gunship)

Metroid Fusion (Prime 2 Gunship Destroyed in Intro. Fusion Gunship after.)

Metroid Dread (Fusion Gunship)

When tracing the history of Samus’ Gunship we see that her initial ship in Zero Mission was destroyed. She then started using the Prime 1 Gunship for Prime & Hunters. She then switched to the Prime 2 Gunship for Prime 2, but stopped using it for some time. We don’t know why she switched for several adventures afterwards. My theory is her faith in it was shaken after it sustained damage in Prime 2. Another thing to consider is that the developers likely, originally, wanted the Prime series to end with Samus using the Prime 2 Gunship so that it matched up with the ship used in Metroid 2. That said Prime 3 took a direction that likely called for in-game use of the ship and caused a redesign to better match the desired gameplay.

So Samus uses the Prime 3 Gunship in Prime 3 and Federation Force. The Prime 3 Gunship is based on the Prime 2 Gunship, designed by Samus, and uses both Federation and Chozo technology. By this description it sounds superior to the Prime 2 Gunship in every way so it’s no wonder Samus prefers it to the Prime 1 and Prime 2 Gunships which as far as we know still exist somewhere.

After Federation Force Samus reverts back to the Prime 2 Gunship for unknown reasons. Perhaps in a story we don’t yet know the Prime 3 Gunship gets damaged or destroyed. It should be noted that this is, before the release of Prime 4, the only known time Samus reverts back to a previous Gunship. The Prime 2 Gunship remains her choice of ship until it’s destroyed in the intro to Metroid Fusion where Samus then gets a new Fusion Gunship which she uses through the end of the current timeline in Dread.

With all that said we don’t know the true ultimate fate of the Prime 1 or Prime 3 Gunships. We also don’t know exactly when these ships were manufactured or how many Samus owns at once.

One more thing we need to discuss before placing Prime 4 on the timeline is the Sylux information. Sylux, who first appears in Prime Hunters, uses a Power Suit that appears to be based on a Federation Prototype. He also has a deep hatred towards the Galactic Federation and Samus for aiding them. This information is relevant to the Sylux character in Prime Hunters. Sylux’s ship seen in Prime Hunters, the Delano 7, is also a stolen Federation Prototype. During the events of Federation Force a Federation Marine steals a Metroid Egg from a secret Space Pirate facility before blowing up the facility and all their Metroids and research. Then at the end of Federation Force Sylux sneaks into a Federation base and hatched this same egg and stole the baby Metroid from the Federation.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Placement

Before even getting into the events of the game the Nintendo Today phone app gave us useful information on Sylux. The app states:

“Cosmic Year 20X6 - Metroid eggs secretly stored in a certain research center of the Galactic Federation were forcibly hatched, and the hatchlings were taken. It was the work of Sylux, taking advantage of the imprinting characteristic of Metroids.

He then cultured and multiplied the Metroids, and in the process, succeeded in his experiment to give them a new ability - to merge with and control other organisms.

By controlling officer-class individuals of the Space Pirates via the Metroids, Sylux built a new army for himself and orchestrated attacks on the Galactic Federation's research centers one after another. His aim was to acquire new technologies and weapons to strengthen his army and himself, and he was able to upgrade his own battlesuit to a nanosuit of the latest model.”

This supplementary information gives us more info on Sylux’s aim after Federation Force, but also tells us he stole the baby Metroid at the conclusion of that game since the Cosmic Years line up. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond also states that the game takes place in Cosmic Year 20X9 which means it’s after Federation Force.

In Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Samus is also seen piloting the Prime 3 Gunship which is strong evidence that it takes place after Prime 3 and Federation Force. Also, while not bulletproof, it does lead people to believe it happens before Samus Returns and Super Metroid since she hasn’t swapped back to her old, likely inferior, ship yet.

The final in-game evidence that Prime 4 takes place after Federation Force is the fact that the game uses several Mechs that were developed as part of Project Golem after Prime 3 for use in Federation Force.

At a glance this evidence would suggest that Prime 4 can take place anytime after Federation Force. That said there is further proof to narrow down the placement. Samus Returns has Samus hunting down all the remaining Metroids on their homeworld of planet SR388. At the conclusion of the game Samus takes one baby Metroid back to the Galactic Federation for research which directly goes into the events of Super Metroid. Super Metroid then starts with the infamous quote from Dan Owsen, “The last Metroid is in captivity. The Galaxy is at peace.”

Because the last Metroid is in captivity during the events of Super Metroid, and the Galactic Federation is surely aware that Sylux or someone stole a Metroid, I conclude it’s impossible for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond to take place after Samus Returns. Therefore Metroid Prime 4: Beyond takes place directly after Federation Force and before Samus Returns. This leaves us with the following Berube timeline.

Berube Timeline

Metroid: Zero Mission (Cosmic Year 20X5)

Metroid Prime

Metroid Prime: Hunters

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Metroid Prime: Federation Force (Cosmic Year 20X6)

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (Cosmic Year 20X9)

Metroid: Samus Returns

Super Metroid

Metroid: Other M

Metroid Fusion

Metroid Dread

Nintendo’s Current Placement

As mentioned at the start of this feature, unnamed Metroid Prime 4: Beyond developers recently answered a question as to where Metroid Prime 4: Beyond takes place in the Metroid timeline in an interview with Famitsu. The interview states that Prime 4 takes place between Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion. While it doesn’t specifically say if it takes place before or after Other M, I’d just assume after as certain aspects would have more impact within that game. That said, this Prime 4 placement doesn’t make any sense.

We can start with a minor discrepancy. Samus would be going back to her Prime 3 Gunship after using the Prime 2 ship for three games. What causes this change? And then why does Samus decide to go back to the Prime 2 ship for Fusion? When the Prime 2 ship is destroyed in Fusion’s intro why doesn’t she revert to her Prime 3 ship? Instead she gets the new Fusion Gunship.

Then we have the major problem with placing Prime 4 after Super Metroid. In this interpretation Sylux would have stolen a Metroid at the conclusion of Federation Force. Then in Super Metroid it states that the last Metroid is in captivity. If Samus has captured the last Metroid, and the Federation clearly knows Sylux has a Metroid, then the last Metroid is NOT in captivity. It’s a major screw up that damages the plot of several other games.

I also take this interview with a grain of salt because similar interviews about Nintendo game lore in the past have, at times, contained incorrect information or information that was later changed to reflect better reasoning. Hopefully a correction or major explanation is given to fix the plot holes introduced by this statement.

The Sylux 100% Cutscene

One more thing that needs to be discussed about Metroid Prime 4 is the 100% Sylux full cutscene. Throughout the game Samus, using her psychic abilities, keeps getting flashbacks on something that happened in Sylux’s past.

The full flashback shows Sylux on a battlefield as a Federation Trooper in a command position. There is a massive battle going on against the Space Pirates and a major Pirate weapon seen looming in the background. Sylux gets a call from a superior officer telling him to hold position and to wait for Samus’ team to arrive to help. Disobeying orders, Sylux tells his troops to advance and says, “Get me that weapon.”

As Sylux and his troops proceed towards the Pirate weapon it then charges up and fires. This weapon seemingly destroys Sylux’s entire squad as he dives in a ditch for safety. The weapon also destroys Federation Mechs.

Samus’ Prime 3 Gunship is then seen flying overhead towards the battlefield. Samus is then seen outside her gunship destroying the Pirate weapon much to Sylux’s disdain. Samus then attempts to help Sylux up and he slaps her hand away.

Many people view this scene as the Sylux origin story, but I think based on the evidence provided it isn’t an origin story but just an event that happened to Sylux in one of his grabs for power and weapons. Some think this event is the reason behind Sylux’s hate towards the Federation and Samus, but that doesn’t make much sense. Everything that happens here is Sylux’s own fault and outside of jealousy of Samus’ power here I can’t see it sending him on a crusade against the Galactic Federation.

There is also ample evidence that this event didn't happen in the distant past. For starters, Samus is flying her Prime 3 Gunship. This ship wasn’t seen until Metroid Prime 3, so unless Samus is hoarding ships way before we know about them this didn’t exist until Prime 3. The stronger evidence on the flashback’s timeline placement is the fact that there are Federation Mechs on the battlefield. These didn’t exist until after Prime 3 and Project Golem and became prominent during Federation Force.

This can get confusing since Sylux clearly already existed as a threat with his stolen Power Suit in Hunters. Also appearing at the end of Prime 3 and Federation Force as this powerful being. So what’s the explanation of Sylux being a high ranking commander in the Federation army? I think I have the answer.

My theory is that Sylux has been a Federation Trooper working his way up the ranks for years. This is nothing more than a long game ruse though. He’s used his position to gain information on the Federation, to steal their tech, and to bide his time before making a big play. In Hunters he took some of this stolen gear and tried to get the possible Ultimate Power hidden in the Alimbic Cluster. He then waited, watching over Samus and the Federation. Eventually Sylux hatches and steals the baby Metroid. Still secretly being a Federation Soldier, Sylux tries to steal the Pirate weapon during that fateful battle. It’s even possible his squad is with him and secretly against the Federation as he has no problem telling his men that HE wants that weapon. Around three Galactic Calendar years later Sylux succeeds in cloning Metroids in a way that creates Fusion Metroids that allow him to control others. He focuses this new biotech on taking control of commanding Space Pirates to get revenge on the Federation, Samus, and to get more powerful than ever before. Sylux then makes his biggest plays by commanding a Space Pirate force, stealing tech, and taking down his hated Galactic Federation.

Another theory is one that originally comes from NWR site director John Rairdin. He thought it was possible that Sylux was one victim of the Horus Rebellion. This rebellion is briefly mentioned in Prime 3 with not much context. If Sylux did gain hate for the Federation from this event, maybe so did the rest of his Federation Squad.

Also worth mentioning is that the entire Sylux 100% flashback cutscene could have just been extremely poorly made. What I mean is, perhaps it’s meant to take place before Metroid Prime: Hunters but the people overseeing it were extremely sloppy with the lore. If so Samus probably shouldn’t have had her Prime 3 Gunship and Federation Mechs shouldn’t have been on the battlefield. If this is the case it would be great if it were retconned in a future title or even given an update in the current Prime 4. Fans of the series deserve accuracy if the currently observable intent isn’t correct, especially after waiting two decades to learn more about Sylux.

You may also be curious as to how the Sylux cutscene would fit into Nintendo's timeline. In it's current form it could be anywhere from after Federation Force through to nearly before of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond which is, again, after Super Metroid according to the interview.

Conclusion

Prime 4 is the first time I think we’ve ever had to wonder about the actual timeline placement of a Metroid game. The series is known for being fairly straightforward with everything and I find Nintendo's current official response lacking and lazy. I never hear much about it, but are there lore masters at Nintendo? If there are, I wish we could hear more from them and have actual American equivalents so we know there are people watching out for the interests of crazy fans in Nintendo’s biggest market. Ultimately, nothing is set in stone and hopefully future statements and games explain the glaring problems created by the Prime 4 developer statement.

All of that said I do feel my timeline interpretations fix the problems created by Nintendo’s own placement. Hopefully someone is listening and paying attention to all this because if Nintendo doesn’t care about their own continuity why should anyone care about any of the lore in their games? Why get invested if the creators break the lore? It’s not a good look for the products or brand.

So there you have it, my take on the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond timeline placements. Do you agree with my timeline or do you side with Nintendo’s? Did I miss some important detail? Please let me know about it in the comments section below or on the Nintendo World Report Discord Server!

Thanks to ShadowMario3 on YouTube for an image of Sylux I took from a Federation Force Playthrough.