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“ Don't you feel the power? Soon EVERYTHING will be corrupted! Including YOU!" „ —Ghor

Phazon, as coined by the Space Pirates (formerly referred to as the "Great Poison" by the Chozo), is a highly radioactive substance originating from the planet Phaaze, known for its extreme mutagenic and energy-producing properties. Though at first glance it seems to be only a mineral substance, it is more of a superorganism, capable of interstellar propagation accomplished by the assimilation and destruction of its host planet's ecosystem.

Phazon appears throughout the Metroid Prime trilogy, where its presence is linked to much of the antagonists' actions. Its contamination is responsible for the near-destruction of many worlds, including Tallon IV of the Chozo and Aether of the Luminoth. Its true nature becomes apparent throughout the plot of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption when its spread is targeted toward multiple planets almost simultaneously.

The contamination is first seeded by artificial meteorites, called Leviathans. On Tallon IV, the Phazon devastated and poisoned the ecosystem, eventually destroying the Chozo civilization that existed there and corrupting its dead. On Aether, the Leviathan struck the planet and split it into two dimensions, driving the planet and its inhabitants into turmoil. Due to various circumstances, contact with Samus and a heavily mutated Metroid led to the creation of the doppelganger known as Dark Samus, which imparted Phazon with the sentience that allowed it to quickly overtake a Pirate Homeworld, beginning the series of events in Corruption.

Phazon appears throughout the Prime trilogy and has a differing role in each story. The antagonist of the series, Metroid Prime/Dark Samus is, in fact, a Metroid drastically mutated by Phazon, and whose essence later inhabits the Phazon Suit.

In Metroid Prime [ edit | edit source ]

Phazon first appeared in Metroid Prime. The Space Pirates had detected the planet Tallon IV as a potential energy source due to its massive emissions of radiation coming from the planet's Phazon deposits. The Pirates discovered the effects of Phazon and began to experiment on local bioforms, killing most, but mutating a small amount of the specimens. They began several programs such as Project Helix and Project Titan to use Phazon to increase the strength of their own Space Pirate troops and found limited success with the Elite Pirates. However, both projects were foiled by the efforts of Samus Aran. As Samus delved deeper into the Space Pirates' operations, she learned of the meteor that brought forth the Phazon into Tallon IV, corrupting the wildlife. Eventually, she reached the Phazon Core within the Impact Crater and faced the most corrupted creature, Metroid Prime. After the creature was seemingly destroyed, the planet was spared from further corruption.

In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes [ edit | edit source ]

During the events of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, the Space Pirates had once again located another planet bearing the mark of Phazon poisoning -- Aether. The Pirates began operations to mine the substance but quickly discovered only trace amounts of Phazon on the planet. They then found that the Phazon they had been detecting was located in another dimension. The dimension came to be when a Leviathan hit the planet, but due to an unstable energy crisis, the planet was split into two. "Dark Aether" had a poisonous atmosphere and was inhabited by "shadowy creatures" who thwarted the Pirates' efforts to gather Phazon. Later, their base was attacked by a mysterious doppelganger of Samus, who stole the Phazon they had been mining. The appearance of the real Samus made matters worse, and the Pirates' mission was deemed a disaster.

Samus managed to venture into the Dark World and defeat her doppelganger, Dark Samus, who was spawned from the remains of Metroid Prime. Eventually, Samus destroyed Dark Aether and the Phazon along with it, bringing a complete end to the Ing Horde, as well as the Pirates' operations there.

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption [ edit | edit source ]

Phazon's role was arguably most prominent in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption as it was both the primary antagonizing force and the only effective weapon against itself. Dark Samus, revived from her defeat in Aether's dark dimension, through unknown means began launching enormous Phazon seeds called Leviathans - the same kinds of creatures that impacted Tallon IV and Aether into the Federation Solar System as well as a homeworld of the Space Pirates. During one attack, she also managed to corrupt Samus and her fellow Bounty Hunters with a Phazon infection in which their bodies started self-producing. Using Federation developed technology called Phazon Enhancement Devices, the hunters could utilize this Phazon to enhance their capabilities when going into a state called Hypermode. However, the specific strain of Phazon that they are infected with started to overreact if used for too long which caused the other Hunters to become terminally corrupted and under the control of Dark Samus. Only Samus was spared from this fate and even then she came close to corruption every time that she triggered Hypermode. As the only Hunter yet unoccupied, Samus was given the mission of investigating the planets hit by the Leviathans, checking on the other Hunters sent there and finding a way to destroy the Phazon sources on each planet. She did so, battling each corrupted Hunter as she went and eventually making her way to the Seed on the respective planet. Each Seed was guarded not only by the Space Pirates under Dark Samus' control but also by a local lifeform that the Seed corrupted; Mogenar on Bryyo, Helios on Elysia and Omega Ridley on the Pirate Homeworld. Samus defeated and destroyed each guardian, but as she did so, each victory led to her absorbing more Phazon and becoming further corrupted herself. This served to aid her in destroying the Seeds as the only way to do so was to vent Phazon energy directly into the Phazon Core of the seed.

Eventually, the Federation, using the paths that the Leviathans made to each planet, triangulated the point of origin and can locate the epicenter of the attacks: A sentient planet made entirely of Phazon and populated by Phazon enhanced creatures named Phaaze. The Space Pirates outfitted a Leviathan with weapons and are using it as a Battleship and transport to Phaaze. The Federation and Samus laid siege to the Pirate Homeworld and took control of this Leviathan which they used to open a wormhole to travel to Phaaze as there was no way to reach the planet otherwise since it was too far away for conventional space travel.

Upon arriving on the surface of Phaaze, Samus' Phazon corruption reached its peak. Only by venting all of her Energy Tanks and overriding the PED Suit's emergency vent system saved her from terminal corruption. Even then, her corruption reached the point where her ship would not let her board due to it not recognizing her DNA. Due to the override, Samus was permanently stuck in Hypermode and had to continually vent Phazon through the Hyper Grapple or by picking Anti-Phazon Units up. If the Phazon built up too far, she would be corrupted and killed.

This did not stop her from making her way through the planet and confronting Dark Samus on her home turf. After defeat, Dark Samus revealed her master plan. She gained control of Phaaze by corrupting the stolen Aurora Unit 313 and implanting it into Phaaze which formed a symbiotic link with the sentient planet. Dark Samus fused her essence with the AU and fought Samus again. She was still defeated. Destroying the AU took Dark Samus with it and started a chain reaction within Phaaze that destroyed not just the planet, but all of Phazon originating from it, freeing Samus and every world hit by a Leviathan from corruption and restoring them to their original forms. It was assumed that after Phaaze's obliteration, Phazon effectively ceased to exist.

Phazon is a highly radioactive, mutagenic, and semi-sentient substance.[1] Phazon is also capable of self-replication, making its ability to spread incredibly efficient. Most Phazon is blue, except for the much more potent red variation, whose radiation and mutagenic levels far exceed the normal blue Phazon. Red Phazon also has small bluish hued energy spheres that appear on the surface, which act as spawning nests for Fission Metroids. Red magma crystals with low amounts of Phazon energy are found in Magmoor Caverns on Tallon IV. A Pirate logbook showed that the Pirates intended to put them on the market when Phazon operations were complete. There are also Black Phazon Crystals only seen on Phaaze. They were commonly mined by Space Pirates. This suggests that there are unknown types of Phazon elsewhere.

Phazon exists in many forms. It is most commonly seen as a network of blue veins and crystal-like sacs. A more concentrated form of Phazon is known as liquid Phazon, which takes on the traits of a dense gel. Large amounts of Phazon are usually seen with bolts of energy present, appearing as arcs of static electricity. This is likely due to the high amount of unstable radiation and energy the substance is constantly producing. Strangely, in Corruption, Phazon had a slightly different appearance, no longer having a vein-like pattern and being a lighter shade of blue, now resembling long, thin tentacles or clumps of bubble-like crystals. Additionally, Phazon in Corruption does not produce static electricity. The reason for this is unknown.

Phazon also demonstrates a trace amount of sentience. Liquid Phazon, Phazon Grubs, and Phaz-Ing are only a few examples of living, thinking creatures composed entirely of Phazon. Left-over Phazon energy after a Leviathan impact can also manifest itself into Phaazoids, Phazon energy that constantly discharges itself and purposefully attacks Samus. Metroid Prime (and, by extension, Dark Samus) as well as the planet Phaaze itself are all fully sentient creatures completely made up of Phazon and Phazon energy.

Scans of dead Federation Marines on the G.F.S. Valhalla also seem to indicate that Phazon found impaling troopers is absorbing the corpses and turning them into Phazon. Also, dead Reptilicus Hunters frozen by the corrupted Bounty Hunter Rundas' ice powers can be scanned to reveal that the small particles of Phazon are transforming the dead bodies into Phazon as well, indicating that Phazon will seek to absorb lifeforms if they die instead of being mutated, while being mutated or even after being mutated, since Dark Samus was also seen to absorb the dead corrupted Bounty Hunters just like she had been observed to absorb common Phazon.

Phazon releases unique energy in the form of Phazon radiation. Exposure to any amount of Phazon radiation can be deadly. Most bioforms in direct contact with Phazon, be it ore or liquid, die within seconds. Even living within an area with high Phazon concentration can be fatal over time. However, bioforms with prolonged Phazon exposure that do not die are horribly mutated. Exposure to Phazon radiation destroys brain cells and cognitive thought in sentient beings, yet it also sees a gain of muscle mass and other beneficial abilities. Phazon exposure, while destroying the mind, makes beings hunger for more Phazon. In turn, corrupted beings also have an instinct to protect Phazon and its source. Humans seem to have developed shielding technology to mitigate its effects, as demonstrated by the Galactic Federation's PED Marines and by Samus Aran. Chozo, on the contrary, are especially weak to it, for even their ghosts become insane from Phazon exposure. Humans, especially Samus - who is incidentally augmented with Chozo DNA - have shown a resistance to the mental effects of Phazon. The PED troopers have shown no signs of Phazon Sickness at any stage in the testing of their reverse-engineered Phazon technology that they stole from the Space Pirates, however one of the trailers for Corruption depicts a PED Marine with his arm twitching and shaking erratically, but this is quickly brushed off implying that they do experience some minor negative side effects, though it is unknown if this is related to Phazon Sickness or a sign that the PED Suit simply makes them more resilient to succumbing to the corrupting effects of Phazon as they have an external Phazon supply. Even when corrupted to the point of being unrecognizable by her ship, Samus still managed to retain her sanity on Phaaze. This demonstrates an extreme resilience to the adverse effects of Phazon. In comparison, the other infected bounty hunters (all whom have received equal care concerning their internal Phazon) had their minds corrupted by their Phazon early into their infection, although it can still be argued that there is another explanation, such as that they could not expel their excess Phazon during Hypermode's "Corrupted" state. It is also worth noting that humans may reject Phazon to a point. Samus demonstrated this once by expelling excess Phazon through regurgitation, though this could be attributed to Samus' Chozo DNA which is known to have given her superhuman abilities.

Phazon is also extremely useful as an energy source, as its total energy output far exceeds that of Fuel Gel, one of the Federation's most powerful energy sources. However, because of the intense radiation it produces and its mutagenic properties, it is a deadly toxic substance. Any planet with Phazon corruption left unchecked will slowly turn into pure Phazon, becoming another Phaaze.

Phazon is sometimes seen hardened, in different shapes or forms. In the Command Vault, a small blockage of white-colored Phazon blocks the way out of the X-Ray Visor's chamber and can only be destroyed by knocking down a Phazon canister from its cargo line and causing it to explode when it hits the ground. This particular piece of Phazon seems to have been there for a long time, as when it is gone, the air in it seems to change pressure. In the Hatcher Tunnel, a large red mass of Phazon resembling a tongue serves to block a drop shaft and can be easily destroyed with Hyper Beam fire. In the Phazon Quarry, there is a large mining drill that serves to cut through hardened deposits of ore, and finally, Phazon Hopper hives are made up of hardened Phazon.

Interestingly, some creatures that have been augmented by Phazon also seem to have a weakness to any weapon powered by Phazon. This is likely because these particular corrupted organisms become overloaded if too much Phazon is introduced to their systems.

Phazon primarily appears throughout the Metroid Prime series as a radiant semisolid or liquid. The most abundant type of Phazon found within the game takes on a more solid form, appearing as a network of veins or large crystal-like sacs and it acts like fungus. Less frequently, a purified, concentrated form of Phazon can be found that possesses gel-like traits. The first installment of the series initially revealed two variations of Phazon, a regular blue type and a much rarer, but exponentially more potent red variation.

The blue type is found throughout several locations in Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes as well as a pure form that is solid blue and only appears when fighting Metroid Prime, while the red type is only found in the Impact Crater of the first Metroid Prime. Additionally, some portions of the series, primarily the first game, depict the substance with nearby clouds of what looks like static electricity and small orange, black or blue dots as well as a characteristic chiming noise.

The red Phazon may be used to produce the Red Phazite worn by Pirate Commanders in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption as both are very rare. Also, Aurora Unit 313 is colored red (unlike the other Aurora Units, which are blue) at the end of Metroid Prime 3, unlike the rest of planet Phaaze where it is fought, possibly indicating that part or all of the planet's interior is formed by red Phazon, since the Aurora Unit is symbiotically linked to the planet's core. Samus is vulnerable to damage from Red Phazon regardless of which Power Suit she is using, whereas different suits have been able to give her protection from the effects of blue Phazon. Black Phazon Crystals have also been found throughout Phaaze. Phaaze possesses entire seas and continents of blue Phazon, although there is no red Phazon to be seen. Scans of the Red Phazite and Red Phaazoids in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption may also be taken to mean that the Red Phazon is a rare mutation; if this is true, the Leviathan on Tallon IV could be seen as a sort of "Red Leviathan".

Phazon can react with an unknown chemical to produce Phazite, thicker plates of which can only be damaged by concentrated Phazon energy orbs. Thin plates slough off damage but can be damaged with the Plasma Beam. The Nova Beam passes directly through it.

Phazon Corruption [ edit | edit source ]

Many life forms exposed to Phazon radiation expire within seconds. However, some life forms can survive the Phazon exposure, although the price to be paid is a horrible mutation of the body and mind. Subjects exposed to Phazon over long periods may develop a form of mental breakdown known as Phazon madness to the Space Pirates or Phazon Sickness to the Federation. This condition affects the mind, driving the subject to the point of mental instability and a constant hunger for more Phazon. In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the Hunters suffered from Phazon madness. Life forms that survive Phazon exposure usually gain increased muscle mass and newfound abilities, but suffer a decline in cognitive thought (due to brain tissue deterioration) and general lifespan.

Although Phazon is first portrayed solely as a dangerously radioactive destructive substance, Samus, and later the Federation, discovered that the Space Pirates had taken advantage of Phazon's mutagenic properties to create a powerful biologically engineered army of Phazon-enhanced Pirates and other creatures. The Pirates had begun a series of Phazon exposure experiments with native Tallon IV life forms to test Phazon's mutagenic abilities, even managing to infuse sapience in inorganic matter, with the rock-creature Thardus. In further experiments, the Pirates had begun Phazon infusion experiments, injecting subjects with pure Phazon. In Metroid Prime, Samus's ultimate goal was to eradicate the source of the Phazon after stopping further Space Pirate experimentation with Phazon.

Phazon Suit [ edit | edit source ]

The Phazon Suit is obtained by Samus Aran in Metroid Prime in the Phazon Mines after Samus defeats the Omega Pirate boss. The Omega Pirate falls onto Samus, spilling Phazon on the Gravity Suit, corrupting it with the radioactive substance. Its uses are to protect Samus from Blue Phazon, and it allows Samus to shoot liquid Phazon out of her Arm Cannon when in the presence of high concentrations of the substance. Unfortunately, it does not protect Samus from Red Phazon. The Phazon Suit is eventually stolen by the creature Metroid Prime at the end of the game, an act which served as the birth of Dark Samus. It appeared to be much more potent than the Galactic Federation's artificial PED Suit.

Phazon Enhancement Device [ edit | edit source ]

After Samus's discovery of Phazon on Tallon IV and Aether, the Galactic Federation has taken a sudden interest in Phazon and its mutagenic and extreme energy-producing properties. Based on captured Space Pirate technology, the Galactic Federation developed the PED, otherwise known as the Phazon Enhancement Device. The PED was tested on a Galactic Federation Marine Battalion in the Norion system. The suit is worn like a backpack, and users can initiate an energy siphon using a small supply of Phazon carried in a backpack into their armor suits. This allows the user to temporarily enhance the exoskeletal and weapons systems of their armor suits with Phazon energy, drastically enhancing their abilities. However, at least in the case of Samus, continued use of the PED Suit has the severe side effect of causing severe deformities to at least the face of a person, namely causing the right eye to become slightly clouded and developing protruding veins near the eye in early stages of Phazon corruption, then the right eye getting even more clouded with a blueish tint as well as an increased presence of protruding veins that even cover the ridge of the nose with the left eye also becoming slightly clouded as well as the face developing a slightly blue complexion during the mid-stage, and finally the veins encompassing more than half of the face, the left eye being clouded, and the right eye gaining blue-green complexions similar to Phazon, as well as the face overall having a very blue complexion overall during corruption's most severe state.

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Samus, Rundas, Ghor and Gandrayda are corrupted with Phazon by Dark Samus. To prevent total corruption, the Galactic Federation equipped Samus with PED, allowing her to activate the energy siphon by using the Phazon from within her. This puts Samus into Hypermode, a state in which she becomes equipped with Phazon-enhanced weaponry. Activation, however, requires the injection of one Energy Tank, and staying in Hypermode for too long can lead to Corrupt Hypermode. In Corrupt Hypermode, Samus will be unable to deactivate Hypermode except by either forcibly expelling it with her weapons or waiting until the PED auto-vents itself; if the Phazon meter near the top of the screen is allowed to fill up completely, she will be terminally corrupted and transform into a second Dark Samus. Rundas, Ghor, and Gandrayda were terminally corrupted and all attempted to kill Samus.

This gameplay element plays an important role in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, letting Samus utilize Hypermode to give her an edge in combat and new abilities.

Phazon Beam [ edit | edit source ]

Metroid Prime [ edit | edit source ]

In Metroid Prime, the Phazon Beam is used against the final boss of the game, Metroid Prime. The beam can only be used when Samus can absorb high quantities of pure Phazon, and so can only be used during this fight if Samus stands in the pools of liquid Phazon that Metroid Prime secretes.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes [ edit | edit source ]

In Metroid Prime 2, Dark Samus (having the Phazon Suit used by Samus) uses the Phazon Beam from the first installment against Samus as her primary weapon. It can be charged up for rapid-fire as in Metroid Prime. Due to Metroid Prime/Dark Samus's continued mutation, she can absorb Phazon and store it in her suit (similar to the Power Suit storing Energy), eliminating the need for her to stand in pure Phazon as Samus had to, making her a deadly adversary for Samus. Despite this, Samus craftily concocts a way to turn her former weapon against itself during the final Dark Samus match. To use it, Samus can absorb the Phazon Beams Dark Samus fires, by using her Charge Beam, to fire it back at her in the resulting charge shot, which resulted in Dark Samus's apparent demise.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption [ edit | edit source ]

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Samus can enter a state called Hypermode and use the Phazon Beam at will. Hyper Missiles are also available, a Phazon-enhanced variant of the standard missile.

Official website [ edit | edit source ]

kreuger displacement: 99.566

atomic weight: 99.75

vacuum potential: 98.996

origin: Unknown



"Our knowledge of Phazon comes exclusively from intercepted communications between rogue Space Pirate research vessels. Intelligence reports indicate that the Space Pirates believe Phazon to be a V-index mutagen with lifelike characteristics. An encrypted video transmission netted and decoded by our internal offices reads:

"This material appears to possess lifelike characteristics, mutating organic life forms strong enough to withstand its poison. These mutations appear promi..."

The signal was lost in mid-transmission. This find along with Space Pirate interrogation suggests that Phazon is unlike anything the Galactic Federation has encountered before."

Logbook entries [ edit | edit source ]

Phazon Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Temporary scan Element: Phazon

Volatile ore with biomutagenic properties. Logbook entry Origin point of Phazon unknown. First detection of element on planet Tallon IV. Used by Space Pirates to produce vast levels of energy. Bioforms exposed to Phazon without proper shielding will eventually undergo radical mutation.

Galactic Federation Data: Phazon Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Temporary scan Galactic Federation Datafile PD-001.

(Phazon)

Data moved to Logbook for review. Logbook entry Phazon is a substance of extragalactic origin. It is a highly radioactive ore with extreme mutagenic properties. It has certain biological qualities, including the ability to reproduce itself. Exposure to Phazon often affects the brains of sentient beings, causing erratic destructive behavior. It is also a potent source of energy, surpassing even Fuel Gel in pure output potential. It must be handled carefully, as it can cause "Phazon sickness" if used incorrectly.

Concentrated Phazon "Your PED Suit will allow you to absorb Phazon into your body and utilize it as energy."

"Shinesparkers: You were also responsible for the concept of Phazon. How did you come up the look and feel of the substance and how did the name ‘Phazon’ come about? Also, what can you tell us about the ‘Red Phazon’ in the impact crater?

Mike Sneath: Todd Keller one day told me that the game story was going to be centred around a poisonous substance called Phazon and wanted me to do a concept. All he knew was that he wanted it to be blue. So I started searching on the internet for micoscopic images of germs, etc. I had found a few images and found some images of some gel like spheres. I took all these images into Photoshop and then experimented with adding various shades of blue.

After the concept was done then I went to Maya and I experimented with some different shaders and textures to create the blue Phazon that you see throughout the game. The red if I remember correctly is just the blue Phazon with shader changed to red. I don’t remembr[sic] the storyline behind the red Phazon."

The name most likely comes from the word "Phase". In Greek mythology, Phaëton, pronounced "fey-a-ton" (in the way Phazon is pronounced "fey-zon"), was the son of the god Helios and traveled the heavens in a burning chariot he was not able to control, and so spread destruction all over planet Earth. This story can be loosely compared to the unruly nature of Phazon and the destructive effects it has on planets. Helios is also the name of Elysia's Phazon Core guardian.

Similarities to other media [ edit | edit source ]

Phazon is similar to Imulsion in the Gears of War series. They share a similar appearance, both being luminescent molten liquid substances (albeit Phazon is blue and Imulsion is a yellowish-orange color), and both Phazon and Imulsion share similar mutagenic properties. Also, both were used as a fuel and power source by the main faction of their respective trilogy (the Galactic Federation in Metroid Prime and the "C.O.G" in Gears of War) and is completely eradicated at the climax of their respective series.



Additionally, Phazon is similar in a way to Tiberium from Command & Conquer, as they both come from outer space, mutate or kill bioforms and reproduce almost like a sentient being. Like Blue and Red Phazon, Tiberium occurs in two forms: a common green variant, and a rarer, deadlier blue form. Also, both substances have been weaponized with effective and devastating results.



Phazon is also quite similar to the Dark Matter in the Kirby video game series, also made by Nintendo. Both of those strange entities are sentient, dark, evil, liquid like lifeforms, highly infectious, originate from space, and tend to give mysterious abilities and a boost in power to the user, but end up corrupting their minds, bodies, and entire beings. Both Phazon and Dark Matter travel across the galaxy trying to take over and assimilate powerful beings to subdue entire planetary ecosystems.

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