The Robot Knights

For those of us familiar with the videogame series, Metroid is known to be constantly evoking feelings of self-isolation, exploration, and displacement. Told from the perspective of long-term series heroin Samus Aran, games journalist and musician Maddy Myers masterfully explores these themes in her three-track, synthpop, fanfiction opera; Peace in Space.

I’m going to come straight out and say it, I absolutely adore Peace in Space. I have only owned it for three days now but I have listened to the whole thing more than 15 times and I am still finding little excuses to press play. As far as musical fan-fictions go this is top tier, well beyond any dumb Super Mario raps you might have inevitably come across in your YouTube travels. Musically the songs sound like they could be worked into a number of key scenes from any of the games soundtracks, sans the vocals. They are of high enough production quality and catchy enough to recommend to people on any level, regardless of Metroid familiarity.

Lyrically and thematically Peace in Space is supurb. The three songs of the EP each explore key themes from the series through Samus’ most important relationships. Varia explores power and resiliance through Samus’ relationship with her adopted father (and the Varia Suit that he gave her). Ridley’s Theme explores vengence and determination through Samus’ relationship with Ridley, the space pirate who murdered her parents and left her orphaned at a very young age. Meditation explores self-doubt, isolation, vulnerability, and stasis through Samus’ most important long-term relationship; the relationship she has with herself. These songs form a beautiful cyclical triptych of themes and conflicts that, like in the expansive game narratives, never truely reach resolution. Instead with each iteration the cycle starts up again, feeding off of itself in an endless loop. The universe will always need saving, Samus will always be alone, Peace in Space will always warrant another listen.

To anyone familiar on any level with the Metroid games I can’t recommend Peace in Space highly enough. It makes me want to replay the Metroid games to try and place this EP within the expanded universe, to see how it makes me think about each situation and event as it unfolds. Which, as far as fan fiction goes, is probably the ultimate artistic outcome.

4.5/5 - The Storm on Bin Night

Writer, designer, and musician Maddy Myers recently published a three-track EP of Metroid-inspired tracks called "Peace in Space." We talk about her love of Metroid, and why Samus Aran has remained so popular.

[This is an audio interview of a podcast; there is no transcript available] - Giant Bomb