CORRECTIONS and CLARIFICATIONS:-
- There is actually another reference to Ridley killing Samus' parents in Western media - in the pamphlet that came with Metroid Prime Trilogy.
- Benimari Itoh's Super Metroid comic art made its way into the Japanese Nintendo Official Guidebook for Super Metroid in April 1994. It describes Samus' backstory there as well. By the time the comic had reached the K-2L story, it would have already made its debut in Japan.
- Ridley is not the leader of the Space Pirates. I refer to him as an "enforcer" because while his position is never made clear, but even when Mother Brain is absent he's said to answer to High Command.
- I say Ridley appeared in "almost" every Smash game because he never appeared in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

I am absolutely interested in a 45 minute video about Rrrrrridley

What I think you ignore is how Ridley destroying Samus's people relates to Samus destroying the Metroids in 2. It's interesting, not because it sets up for any of the plots you mentioned (a revenge plot, Ridley setting up his own destruction, etc.), it's interesting because it gives a motivation for Samus giving mercy to the Baby Metroid. She sees the parallel between Ridley, an alien invader which destroyed everything she knew, and herself, an alien invader which destroyed the Metroids. It also adds to your wondering if killing the Metroids was right or not.

About Fusion's incarnation, I'd like to add a few things:
1- Seeing him in the freezer is frightening because of the implications: the Federation recovered his corpse for some unknown reason.
2- I like how twisted he becomes when corrupted by the X. He looks even more alien than his regular form.

Wasn't the point of finding Ridley's frozen body in Fusion to raise suspicion that the Federation may be the bad guys here? Because why the heck is Ridley here when the game isn't about the Space pirates at all?  Finding Ridley is not about the character himself but about the sinister implications about the organisation you are working for as well as a general "oh shit"-moment because you know very well that the X can copy everything.

“Parents don’t die in Nintendo games”

Fire Emblem: Am I a joke to you?

I agree. Ridley is a presence, a warrior, not a general but more of a direct tool of destruction. Truthfully it is ironic that he and Samus are both weapons of war when they are on the field.

"This is the time to use Samus' full arse-" pause video

You say that Metroid Fusion's Ridley is an effective disempowering of an old enemy to elevate a new one, but I think what makes it so is it's not played straight. Ridley's power is less belittled than it is co-opted; what's frightening about seeing him there is that you realize what a deadly power the X parasites are about to get their...zygotes...on. I usually don't dig this trope, because it's basically the face of power creep and cheapens the earlier parts of the narrative. In this case, though, I dig it 'cause the two foes work in tandem. Well, as much as a re-animated husk can work of its own volition, but you get my point(?)

"That doesn't happen in a Nintendo game!" Pigma Dengar killed Fox's dad and then there's all the grim parts of Mother 3

Personally I like how Ridley is being portrayed more as intelligent, because he is the defacto leader of the space pirates after mother brain is killed. I like that he has enough engineering prowess to be able to build a robot by himself that is literally just a robot version of him. I like how now he's returning from death both due to sheer force of will and his own intelligence, alongside his crew fixing him up every time. His brutal savagery and his new intelligence make him cooler to me than if he was just one or the other.

That fact that the "Ridley killed Samus' parents" bit is so downplayed and obscure in any official capacity, yet it is still widely referenced by fans and passerby's, proves to me that it is very important. It's just a plot point that you want to believe in and get behind. They mentioned it once in a magazine, and it made so much sense that it stuck around. You can't just sweep that under the rug.
That said, I agree that Ridley has become an interruption. His appearance at the end of Metroid 2 Remake is not a surprise. It feels more like an obligatory checking-of-the-box. Blaming that his overuse on the fact that he killed Samus' parent is a little peripheral if you ask me. His overuse is because the developers making these games are overusing him and not showing restraint.

A content warning for Other M, lmao.

Opening line: “Rrrrrridley is an incrrrrrredible villain”
Sets a high bar

The answer to
"The Problem with Ridley"

Play the games nerds

..F-fair enough sir

Good stuff as usual

19:45 i always found it hilarious that Samus just puts up a weak arm shield like "yeah, there's no way i'm stopping this freight train from slamming into me, but what the heck".

As a MAJOR fan of both Metroid and Super Smash Bros I agree with everything you said regarding the character I love Ridley for the genius of his design within the context of the series especially in Super this was so cathartic thank you! I love this channel.

Funnily enough, I learned of Samus's backstory from the small art slip I got with Metroid Prime Trilogy, it has many pieces of information about the Prime Series, but it actually goes into detail about Samus's Backstory. Let me just put that right here:

"Samus lived with her parents on the planet K-2L, a human colony in the Galactic Federation domain. When Samus was three years old, K-2L was attacked by a band of Space Pirates led by the brutal ruffian Ridley. When the Space Pirates left and the smoke cleared, a single figure remained standing. It was Samus Aran, the sole survivor of the attack on K-2L.

Samus was rescued from the charred ruins of K-2L by the Chozo, a race of beings who resemble giant birds. They had received the colony's distress during during the attack and came to assist. The Chozo took Samus back to their home world, Zebes.

Being a highly technologically advanced race, the Chozo crafted a power suit for Samus that gave her incredible strength. They trained her to become a fearsome warrior. Once her training was complete, Samus parted ways with the Chozo and became an intergalactic bounty hunter.

Samus carried out countless missions. Many that other bounty hunters deemed impossible. She became the most famed and capable bounty hunters in the universe, yet she was not fulfilled. Samus didn't become a bounty hunter to achieve fortune and fame. Her purpose was to avenge the death of her parents by slaying Ridley and the rest of the Space Pirates.

Before long, the opportunity to fulfill her purpose would arise."

It may be obscure, but Samus's backstory has been referenced outside of Japan and outside of Smash Brothers. Once, in a booklet most likely only seen by the bigger fans of the series.

Just thought I'd bring this up, I don't know why really.

I love how well researched and well presented these videos are. I feel they do justice to the topics covered that only a documentary length can give. When I see these videos in my subscription box I get excited about the fact I know I’m getting something of such high quality no matter how long they take to produce.
Well done and keep it up I love these videos from the bottom of my heart

I'm a huge Fan of Ridley and I want to thank you for the Video.
You know, it is hard to give this Character the Justice he deserves. Yes, his appearance in the 3DS Game was Fanservice, but I liked it anyway, because it was the first time Ridley was the Final Boss in a Metroid Game and it was well executed.
And I love to play him in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (for me it was like a Dream came true).


The Reason Nintendo does stick to the whole: "Ridley has killed Samus's parents" thing is not to create a "Revenge Story" or give a reason to tell the Players why he is Samus Arch-Nemesis, it is to show how cruel and relentless he is.
Everytime we see Ridley, he shows us that,despite his appearance , he is not a mindless Beast.
He doesn't need psychological Warfare (although I am sure that he enjoys to bring back Samus' Trauma...). The Dread comes through his Actions alone. He is titled "the cunning God of Death" for a Reason!
And this is first represented through the way  he is introduced and finally, when he fights Samus.
Ridley will do everything to get the upper Hand against his Enemys, even if he had to play dead or retreat for a while.
As you said in your Video: He imbodies the whole Theme of Metroid.
And that is why I love this Character so much. His Design is perfect and I'm looking forward to future appearances.


Ridley is very important to the Series. And if he wouldn't appear from time to time, this great Character would go to waste...


I'm sorry for bad typing and mispelling or bad Grammar. I'm just a German Ridley Fan that had enjoyed your Video and wanted to show his love for the Character.