Exactly! And to me that always made sense, as the Federation always struck me as a typical large organization that wants to constantly expand their influence and jurisdiction, but is very often outmatched by the other forces at work in the galaxy and have to constantly rely on Samus or other freelancers to get things done. And it seemed to me with Fusion (even though I know they pretty much soft-retconned that game as a "faction" of the Federation, or at least that's my understanding) that top brass in their ranks were getting sick of having to always call on her, as they had their own plans and machinations that they knew she would have moral qualms with. They wanted a soldier, and instead were forced to rely on a hero. So to try and erode the necessity of that relationship, they keep pushing the boundaries of research to try and get ahead of their enemies and eventually, to put her out of the picture. I really loved the idea of that subplot as it resonates with my more cynical sensibilities far more than Nintendo's seeming determination to portray her and the rest of the GFed as flawless galactic saviors. It's again a lot like Ellen Ripley's relationship with Weyland-Yutani in the Alien films.
Very well put! I especially like "They wanted a soldier, and instead were forced to rely on a hero." If that ain't the perfect summation of where the Federation stands in Fusion, I swear.
Fusion was my very first Metroid, and one I'll always hold dear to my heart for a myriad of reasons, the above being just one of them. It may not be fair to say it plays as well as some of the other series highs, like Super, or Prime, but there's just so much it does that hits right for me. The oppressive horror atmosphere, the threat of the X, and their gradual takeover of the station, Samus's characterization, her defiance in the face of the Federation's plans, her willingness to give her life, if need be... that little GBA game really made its mark on me, and informed my taste in games, growing up. To this day, Samus Aran is still my favorite character in anything. I've finished Fusion a few dozen times, throughout my life, and will always keep going back for more.
(Relating to Samus's characterization in Fusion, I responded to someone the other day with the following, and I'll just copy and paste that here, for relevance.)
A core theme of Fusion is a lack of control, well communicated through both the narrative (Samus at her weakest, most vulnerable state), and the gameplay (navigation of B.S.L. being so restricted, Adam and the Federation limiting Samus's every move). Ultimately, when Samus chooses not only to act in defiance against the Federation's desire to weaponize the X, but also sacrifice her life to ensure their demise, if necessary, it obviously tells us a lot about her character. Metroid 1-3 mainly consisted of Samus following orders, and we aren't given much, in terms of understanding where she'd draw the line (with the notable exception of her choice to spare the baby). Much of who she is, is left to the imagination. In Fusion, however, all is laid bare: Samus isn't the Federation's workhorse, she's a maverick. Her adherence to authority begins and ends with her own, discerning moral compass.
Regarding the "soft retcon" you mentioned, btw: I was initially bummed out, upon realizing Dread wouldn't serve as the "Samus vs. the Galactic Federation" game many of us always thought it'd be, but it's my understanding that expectation was the result of the English localization
having omitted a key detail: that the behind the scenes baddies in Fusion were merely a rogue cell of the Federation that were seeking to weaponize the X Parasites, as opposed to the GF in its entirety, acting as a unified body. That certainly makes more sense, of course, but I dunno, I'll always wonder what a Metroid 5 following the ending as presented in the English localization might've looked like. Many of us unknowingly waited almost two decades for a storyline that would never actually manifest.
What a bummer!
Oh man, you're really in for a treat. Alien is a lot more about the atmosphere and the mystery which I love, but Aliens is an absolute classic of an action sci-fi film and is pretty much where events from the first movie cause things to really hit the fan. They're very different films and I like that, because to me it does a great job of conveying the differing severity of the events in each respective film. The Thing and practically anything John Carpenter has done is also fantastic, you have great taste. (If you like The Thing and also horror-fiction in the form of podcast series, I have a good recommendation that I've been listening to recently that you might enjoy.) But I digress - Fusion is my favorite 2D game for its atmosphere and themes and what you suggested sounds right up my alley. I always wanted Fusion but just... More. Turn it up to 11. I like the way you think!
I'll be sure to watch Aliens soon! Yeah, I've heard it said that it's a fantastic sequel, just different from the first. I'm imagining something like Terminator 1, to 2. I'd be glad to get your recommendation on that podcast, too. It's not The Magnus Archives, is it? My friend recommended that to me a few times. Still need to get around to listening.
I'm glad we feel the same way about Fusion! Assuming it does eventually see a remake, I can only hope they take the opportunity to meaningfully expand upon what was there in the original. I know MercurySteam originally wanted to remake Fusion, not Return of Samus, so maybe they'll get their wish someday.
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