The subject of this article is not named in-game.
The current title is from a guide or other published source.
The Desbrachian[1] (デスバルク星人 Death Bulk)[2] is a large, somewhat beetle-like creature aboard the BOTTLE SHIP in Metroid: Other M.
Description
First encounters
In various places on the BOTTLE SHIP, Desbrachians can be seen in a hemispherical, cocoon-like form that occasionally covers doors leading to hidden passageways or expansions. At first, Samus is unaware of their true nature, but it can be quickly inferred they are obstacles to expansions and passageways as the Search View states "Power Bomb" when targeted, which she is unable to utilize during her time with the 07th Platoon. All other weaponry is deflected off these shielded doorways, leaving Samus to ignore these shielded doors. The first one spotted is in the room next to the communication room Adam is near, followed by another one in the Main Sector before the Main Sector connection elevator station.
One such shielded door is spotted by Samus as she first enters the Bioweapon Research Center, but before she could investigate further, she quickly shifts focus on a nearby activated computer, followed by the appearance of a previous survivor. After escaping the detached Sector Zero and returning to the Bioweapons Research Center, Samus notices the shielded door missing and a deceased James Pierce. Samus passes through the now opened doorway to Room MW, but the fate of this Desbrachian is unknown.
Pre-Battle introduction
Desbrachians make their first full physical appearance in the endgame of Metroid: Other M, where they are controlled telepathically by MB. During the cutscene before their battle, six nearby cocoons lined alongside the middle-outstretched walkway of the Control room react to MB's telepathic commands and awaken. They immediately assault the six Galactic Federation Army members surrounding Samus and Dr. Madeline Bergman, one soldier of which is critically injured by being flung into the air by a Desbrachian. As they continue their assault, Samus fires off a Plasma Beam round at one of them. This shifts the violent creature's attention toward Samus.
Samus must contend with at least three of them at once alongside MB in the Bioweapon Research Center Control room. Although Samus is aided by a cohort of Galactic Federation soldiers, their bullets have little to no effect on the creatures as they attack both GF Troops and Samus, merely attracting the creatures' attention. Samus is locked into Search View and is only able to unleash Beam or Missile weaponry on them. Although they receive damage from Samus's weaponry, it is next to impossible to defeat them all given the circumstances of the battle; they can only be stopped by targeting and attempting to fire at MB instead. While two battle five surrounding Galactic Federation soldiers (a sixth soldier was injured and downed by a Desbrachian attack), a third Desbrachian will focus attacking on Samus. Samus must knock them back using her Charge Beam or Missiles in order to get a clear shot at MB. Once MB is stopped, the creatures are shown to return to a dormant cocoon-like state. Their fate is unknown afterwards.
Epilogue encounter
After returning to the BOTTLE SHIP, Samus is now able to utilize her Power Bombs. As she re-enters the BOTTLE SHIP Control Room, she encounters the very first shielded cocoon spotted. Because the nearby elevator is locked and the door behind her locks upon entering the room, Samus is forced to use a Power Bomb on the shielded door. This immediately awakens the slumbering beast, engaging Samus in one-on-one combat. After defeating it, she enters the BOTTLE SHIP Residential Area and eventually fights another Desbrachian at the area's Sector 2 / Cryosphere exit elevator room. Samus can optionally hunt down and destroy the remaining Desbrachian cocoons scattered throughout the entire BOTTLE SHIP, but regardless she will always end up fighting one more guarding access to the Main Sector Control Bridge.
Battle
Desbrachians are implied to be a sort of "supersoldier" organism for MB, and they truly are a force to be reckoned with. Many of a Desbrachian's attacks can drain an entire Energy Tank, even when Samus is equipped with the Gravity Feature. They are highly resistant to both Samus' Plasma Beam and her Super Missiles, although three Super Missiles can destroy one.
A Desbrachian attacks by slashing with its arms and moving at high speeds. If Samus jumps with a Desbrachian nearby it will quickly slam her to the floor, so hitting them with a Screw Attack is difficult; even so, they are one of the few enemies on the BOTTLE SHIP that survives more than one blow from the move. The creature also has a grab attack with a specific sound cue. If the first hit connects, it will throw Samus into the air before slamming her down again - if Samus tries to Counter Attack she will not actually attack, but rather cancel the Desbrachian's midair blow. As a Desbrachian takes damage, its body slowly turns into an orange coloration. When its orange darkens close to red, it will become stunned and susceptible to a Lethal Strike. Overblasts are entirely impossible to perform on the creature.
The Desbrachian also displays an ability to retreat into a green/yellow-tinted version of its cocoon and regenerate when low on health, strongly resembling Samus's own Concentration technique (both the cocoon and Samus's Arm Cannon have similar color styles and swirl effects when recharging lost energy and use the same sound effect when fully recovered). It is recommended to use a Lethal Strike before the creature returns to full energy. Laying a Power Bomb can dislodge a Desbrachian from its regenerating state while dealing moderate damage to the creature. When using a Power Bomb otherwise, the Desbrachian will immediately retreat into its cocoon to avoid being vaporized, but will still take damage.
If Samus fires a Missile at a Desbrachian, it will emit a purple shockwave which impairs her first-person vision for a moment. The Missile will also bounce off the Desbrachian harmlessly; it can even ricochet back at Samus for minor damage. In one room, it is possible to damage the creature using a Shinespark.
Official data
Metroid: Other M Premiere Edition
- Mid-Level Enemies (pg. 15)
- Desbrachians
- "These enemies don't show up until very late in your adventure. However, once they do, they prove to be formidable opponents. The Desbrachian is typically dormant, but once awakened, it uses its teleportation ability to confuse you before it attacks. It relies heavily on its close-quarters attacks; it swipes at you with its claws, picks you up, and then slams you onto the ground. If it manages to get its claws on you immediately after you bounce off the ground, it can enter into the attack cycle almost immediately, creating an extremely deadly attack combo. Keep the Desbrachian at bay with Charge Beam blasts and hit it with missiles while it's at a distance. If it changes color to a dark red, increase the frequency of your attacks to make it take a knee. When it does, rush in for a Lethal Strike. If you let it rest, it'll reshell itself and regenerate Energy!"
Nintendo Official Guidebook for Metroid Other M
This article, section, or file contains text that is unofficially translated by Metroid fans. Some information (such as proper English names) may not be accurate. If an official translation becomes available, the fan translation(s) may be replaced.
"The Desbrachians hide in power-bomb blocked gates. They are incredibly fast, and have powerful dash and jump attacks. Without Sense Move, the Desbrachian is a dangerous opponent."
See also
Trivia
- During the final confrontation with MB, there are about six Desbrachians surrounding Samus and company in the cutscene, but only four when gameplay begins.
- After the battle with MB, her four Desbrachians revert to their cocoon-like resting state. However, if Samus returns to the room after the credit sequence, they will have vanished. It is possible that they were taken by the Federation for study in between her visits, similar to Nightmare's and the Ridley clone's corpses, or they were simply disposed of. The latter reason is more likely, as no Desbrachians were seen aboard the Biologic Space Laboratories research station.
- The Desbrachian's Japanese name includes the kanji 星人, which is shared with various Other M enemies including the Zebesian. Similarly, their English names end with the -ian suffix. Since this name indicates that the Zebesian is an inhabitant of Zebes, this may imply that Desbrachians are native to a (currently-unseen) planet named Death Bulk (デスバルク) or Desbrach.
- If a Power Bomb is used on a cocooned Desbrachian during gameplay that occurs before the epilogue (via cheats), the Desbrachian shield will immediately disappear without the enemy appearing. This causes all the doors to be locked, including the shielded door, forcing Samus to be stuck in the room unless Out of Bounds cheats are used to escape.
Gallery
.png "Desbrachian model cocoon (underside).png (314 KB)")
References