Intricate, complex spaces where you are the only God. Samus' continued path of slaughter is now in conflict with her privileged "moment of conscience" she was allowed in the last game. Samus' new perspective contrasts deeply with a rehearsal of her first mission, but instead of approaching it from a different angle, she chooses culling yet again. Once more, she destroys ecosystems for simply being in her way. Once more, she commits the colonial atrocities that she condemns the Space Pirates for.

What's most disturbing about all of this, though, is that she is no longer seen as the brutal and grotesque machine of the state as she was before. Her actions are framed as powerful and vindicating, as if she's carving a path for the better of everyone in spite of her clinging to her ideology of totalitarian violence. This violence is no longer critiqued, but exonerated. The fascist Galactic Federation versus the fascist Space Pirates once more, this time in a manner considered satisfying.

The entertainment Super Metroid brings through its cycles of torture are disappointing after the direction Metroid II took. Samus is now a monster in disguise, playing "hero" for puppeteers greater than her.