Ridley: A History and Analysis

[@Bugthaw]

Ridley is my favorite villain of all time. For some reason the fact that he’s so intelligent and widely feared despite looking like a mindless beast is just so cool to me. Especially considering his rivalry with Samus. Through experience alone, she knows what he really is, and Ridley knows what she really is. I’d wager they both fear one another.

[@boopaloop]

In the novelization of Metroid Prime I'm working on, he very much does fear her. She is the only thing in the universe that threatens him.

[@pacoramon9468]

It's a shame in the games we only see him as a wild beast.

[@babymetroid6661]

He's not a wild beast in the games he's just roaring like one because it make him intimidating plus he has no use in talking to Samus since they are gonna battle, words are useless

[@Rahnonymous]

​@@babymetroid6661 Acting like a feral beast is more intimidating. Watching your whole planet get genocided only to hear the villain speak would lessen the fear she has for him. A "mindless beast" can't be reasoned with, but there's a slim chance an intelligent psychopath can, even if it was a 0.01% chance

[@hexmelshenker]

Bloody shame. literally.

[@miniaturejayhawk8702]

I never had that impression outside of the NES game. I mean what exactly do you want him to do? Have a villain monologue? Bowser also never talks and nobody assumes he is a wild beast. Ridley has consistently shown signs of intelligence in all metroid games since super metroid. And the fact that he is consistently targetting samus for apparently no reason just shows that there is a personal conflict. Not to mention that its a commonly known fact that he leads the space pirates.

[@tysondennis1016]

I hate the fact that Ridley is silent in the games, and only through tie-in material is the true scope of his depravity apparent.

[@lessonmet5291]

6:00 lol, seeing Ridley say "Fool, I have 70 Accounts" made me burst out laughing!

[@aidenmb7932]

Ridleys my favorite metroid character for a few reasons, but mostly because he got me into metroid after I saw him in SSBU

[@TheGreatestNutcase]

Same!

[@jakevelasco4072]

I think what makes Ridley a good villain isn’t just his intelligence or animalistic aggression, it’s that his ultimate goal is to kill and make other creatures suffer before snuffing them out, all because it’s fun. In the comics, when he attacks K-2L, in a twisted sort of bright side thinking, he makes the “boring” task of just stealing the precise fuel more fun by suggesting to his space pirate crew to go crazy with killing the colony’s innocent people. It seems like a generic motivation, but when you consider characters in other Nintendo properties like Bowser, Ganandorf, King Dedede, or even Mr Grizz, Ridley is basically a serial killer/slasher/Freddy Kruger, who just loves making living things into dead things. He’s also what the hood calls a dickrider, particularly towards Mother Brain, the later being motivated by eliminating the galaxy’s inhabitants to 0, something Ridley would gladly follow.

[@jakevelasco4072]

Oh I just realized I made two responses

[@tfarris7113]

No one ever mentions how Ridley's xenomorph sprite in 1986 Metroid got misinterpreted as a pterodactyl/dragon head and just sticks forever.

[@LoliFiend]

It's very interesting to compare him to the original concept art where he's very xenmorph adjacent, you can can't even see his neck, and his arms/legs are all very short and stubby. But super metroid onward he became way lankier and sorta "sharper" looking. I'm very curious what motivated the changes to him over time.

[@tfarris7113]

@@LoliFiend they mistook his head for a dragon head and it stuck!

[@TheDragonIMA]

Dunk it in phazon!!! The summary of Ridley’s adventures is enthrallingly entertaining.

[@Cri_Jackal]

You get a lot more context on how the Space Pirates work, and how they relate to Ridley, through the Prime Trilogy's Scan Logs. Essentially, they're like ants or bees, they're an insect-like race that's evolved to obey a leader. And their only concern is their own prosperity as a species. Whoever is able to demonstrate that they can lead the pirates toward further dominance of the galaxy, or further their advancement as a species, can become a leader, as it's literally ingrained into their instincts to obey whoever can benefit them. Kraid and Ridley became generals through their sheer ferocity and physical strength, the simple stuff, vicious militaristic conquest. Mother Brain later offered them her advanced intelligence, and access to Chozo technology. By the end of the Prime Trilogy, Dark Samus had completely taken over the Space Pirates as their supreme leader, she obviously offered quite a bit to them as a leader, but it's important to note that she was also using phazon to mind control them.

[@society7394]

Local area dragon: literally too angry to die

[@mirroredguitarist]

Haha Nice deathbattle reference!

[@TheGreatestNutcase]

I remember seeing a comment like this about William Afton

[@Zoroark_Master]

In samus return he’s there to acquire Metroids before samus kill them all, thus why he try to grab the baby Metroid during the fight (because space pirates are kinda obsessed with Metroid)

[@Bobzilla2023]

Thank you for making this video. I thought I knew a good deal but now I know more about my favorite Nintendo villain!

[@VaneWalker]

Ridley is this sadistic macabre sic-fi corruption of the wise and benevolent dragon fantasy trope. He breaths not fire but plasma, an entire different state of matter. He's a robotic engineer and often a cyborg himself. He's a pirate who leads his crew on raids to pillage and murder, but in space. And his name is Ridley... Anyway I hope he comes back as a ghost, that would be sick. 10/10 character.

[@tysondennis1016]

Ridley feels more like a chromatic dragon in a spelljammer setting

[@VaneWalker]

@@tysondennis1016 I had to google what any of this meant, but you're right.

[@MrKuger9]

In the beginning of Super Metroid. Regardless who suffers the most damage, Samus or Ridley, he will always take off with the baby Metroid. So it's hard to say which one is canon because the station was also set to self-destruct as soon as he leaves. I just like to think by now Samus already has enough experience beating him that he was actually losing the fight and flies off with the baby Metroid. He then decides to hide in the deepest part of planet Zebes to recover his wounds. Otherwise, he would have attacked her as soon as she landed on the planet.

[@Googlysaur]

I came from smash because he’s my main and damn I did not know his lore went this deep I picked him thinking “haha funny dinosaur” what could go wrong?

[@hexmelshenker]

the more ya know then I guess

[@HushPuppy-be8it]

If Kraid can be on ZDR, the real Ridley could very well be still alive. I do believe it’s the original Kraid, he got PISSED when he saw Samus….so until Nintendo/MercurySteam says it was a clone of Kraid or something, Ridley isn’t gone yet….plus Metroid Prime 4.

[@aidenmb7932]

25:22 probably my favorite explanation as to why he doesn't speak in the games

[@hyperhydra9042]

My personal theory is Ridley found the space pirates and took control by deadly force. He made the pirates fear him and they declared him the leader.

[@jimmygarza8896]

You know what would be funny? What if Ridley can't commit to the kill because he ate her parent's? The ultimate irony: his most personally vile act against Samus is the thing that keeps him from finishing the job.

[@tysondennis1016]

I want an official Metroid anime, akin to Castlevania, where Ridley can truly shine as a character.

[@Strangecoinsz]

Glad I was suggested this video. Gives a very interesting recap of Ridley and Samus's multiple encounters, while also being sassy and putting humour here and there.

[@ricardoneaves6225]

This just reminds me of Ganondorf coming back over and over albeit with some noticeable changes

[@ajflink]

Ridley looks sometimes like the Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

[@vazzeg]

At the developer offices. "Ok, we need to come up with boss ideas for the next Metroid game, what should we do?" Person 1: "Shoehorn in Kraid again" Person 2: "Shoehorn in Ridley again" Person 3: "Come up with something new already, for fuck's absolute sake, damn..." Person 3 is seen getting thrown out the office building's window.

[@LoliFiend]

One of my personal favorite shoehorned in bosses has always been Phantoon in Other M. Comes in totally out of left field as a post-game boss but now he's gigantic compared to how he was in Super Metroid even though he's a ghost so I would assume he can't grow like a regular creature can. Then you beat him and Samus is like "just another day, not worried about the ever-growing space ghost".

[@vazzeg]

@@LoliFiend I love Phantoon and he's nowhere near as overused as Ridley or Kraid are.

[@chickenburger0607]

Good video dear god I love Ridley

[@denifnaf5874]

He's the purple guy He always comes back

[@madnesscloaker1389]

19:18 guess he was tired of dying, I won't be surprised if he just gives up if he knows he'll die by samus again

[@careless3241]

It kinda feels like we're just calling his race Ridley, it would make more sense than repeatedly coming back from the dead. They just all look alike lol

[@MetaFanWing]

Yeah, but that would feel kinda hollow since he’s supposed to have a distinct grudge against Samus.

[@boopaloop]

Your video was one of the funniest, most wonderful things I've ever seen. Thank you.

[@scarycamel4011]

Yoooo is that THE cunning god of death

[@anthonytonythegeek5561]

Back when I first saw the dude in brawl as a kid, I remembered being terrified because I never saw him before that game, and now I’m a 20 year old man and a Ridley main. Ain’t life ironic?

[@tysondennis1016]

Ridley does look like terrifying and grotesque.

[@jakevelasco4072]

I like how, following the timeline, Ridleys character and personality degenerates after every game featuring him. To elaborate, in the manga, Ridley’s favorite thing to do is commit violence against life, something he finds fun, especially when he does violence with his space pirate crew. The first canonical fight Ridley has with Samus is where he’s at the apex of his perspective on violence, as not only has he beaten Samus but also expressed his complete dominance over her, breaking her spirit just hard enough to leave her emotionally weak. Then we get to Metroid Zero Mission, and Ridley honestly thought that he could flick Samus off like a bug, except that bug nearly killed him. Ridley’s issue after zero mission was that for every time he was revived, Ridley was just being more and more of an animal, and less of that competent military general we see from descriptions on him. That’s the thing about being violent and angry, they can be so physically powerful emotions, yet when it comes to thinking and planning (in this case how to beat a women in chozo armor), intelligence, both emotional and logical, are reduced. They can be corrosive emotions as well. That’s why I think after a while, the more fights ridley has with Samus, the less emotional tension there is, because at some point Samus is just fighting a rabbid animal with wings. Its kinda funny how, after absorbing Neo-Ridley (the last trace of Ridley’s existence) is so anti-climatic compared to all the other Ridley fights. With the press of a jump button, Ridley’s violence towards the galaxy is snuffed out like the light on a candle

[@hexmelshenker]

I love this. thank you for this

[@jujujitsu1268]

This video was amazing

[@LoliFiend]

aw shucks you're too kind

[@jujujitsu1268]

@@LoliFiend best write up on Ridley lore I found with good humor lol

[@ezrafaulk3076]

@@LoliFiend in the Metroid manga, the Chozo say that when X parasites mimic a creature, the get all of its memories too; so even though X Parasite Ridley's an X Parasite, it's still Ridley too. Also, I think the next new Metroid game that's released, he *will* show up because as long as even just a *sample* of his DNA remains, the Cunning God of Death will *always* be able to come back.

[@greenroze2]

6:02 this image is killing me lmao, who's the artist?

[@GeneralGrievous6622]

So i dont really play metroid i only know them from smash and after seing this well. 1. Ridley looks and is sick. love him so much honestly I would start playing the games just to see him 2. I learned from this vid that he is like William Afton from fnaf all he needs to do now is to tell Samus "I always come Back" should he still be alive ( wich imo I hope he is just let him lay low for a few games and say he healed and build a master plan or s.th idk) Anyways fantastic vid and many thx since I am up to date when it comes to Ridley I feel like Have a good one everyone

[@Quackra]

I can't wait to see Neo Proteus Ridley in a future Metroid game because Ridley didn't know about the X Parasite when he left his cybernetics on SR388 in Samus Returns.

[@tompach5]

When I was little, I call him monster Charizard 😂 and what I saw him is in smash 4 ultimate I’m really good with him which is the classic/first appearance and mecha I agree with you. I love him very much. He was my favorite, smash Bros character to. He is my favorite character in Metroid. But my favorite thing about them is the mecha version.

[@snoozeflu]

I'm gonna call it -- Ridley will be in Prime 4 (whenever that comes out). I missed him in Dread and to me, Metroid feels empty without him. They've fought so many times that I look forward to when Samus and Ridley grow old and finally call a truce and share a beer together.

[@EmpereurTom]

Well, I don’t think that will ever happen. Ridley isn’t like Bowser or even Ganondorf, he’s 200% evil and take pleasure in killing, he doesn’t even really have an agenda except being an as*hole.

[@theronianquad637]

What is the music used at 1:25?

[@LoliFiend]

Biological Experiment Floor from Metroid Other M

[@theronianquad637]

@@LoliFiend I never would've thought. Thanks so much!

[@floydwilliams2414]

Ridley is a space pterodactyl.

[@KreshWC]

A space pterodactyl, dragon, pirate, cunning god of death.

[@JtRyan-k3g]

RIDLEY IS MY MAAAN!!!!!!! Dude is crazy and somehow intelligent

[@Alexitty17]

Given that the space pirates are more so a faction than a species, being a collection of different species, I like to think that ridley is the last of the original space pirate species

[@DirtyMike124x]

You are fucking hilarious. This was a real treat!

[@moonwolf6504]

nice channel name lol

[@ObjectorOfThings]

Ridley really escaped death four times and got mechanized, died after the fifth fight, got cloned and that clone died, then the clone got copyied by a parasite and that parasite died. Alright....

[@joeflosion]

With all the lore-dumping in Fusion its a shame Ridley didn't get more than like a single text box

[@Link-io2hl]

Great video bro

[@cato3277]

Dawg what is your user

[@Speedster428]

Im upset he was not in dread. Nintendo just gives an excuse that he died. Kraid died multiple times and he in dread. So why cant ridly be in dread. Other bosses from games die too many times and still come back for example bowser. Hes died in every mario game and is still in the newest games

[@concept8192]

It's not the same Kraid

[@lanthelancer]

Great video.

[@jonathanmcclure8346]

And then Ridley commits a hate crime 😂😂

[@Firesonicx03]

To me my opinion Metroid other m is not a really bad game I always wanted to see samus have a voice actor The first time fighting Ridley he was tough Hard mode was almost impossible fight. Even though other m got bad reviews I still have respect for it for a great story Not only Ridley powerful he intelligence and he a cunning god of death He'll always find a way to return

[@Ridley_Prime]

YESSSIRRRRR

[@Anodyne_Akôn]

14:01 Goku begs to differ.

[@babymetroid6661]

I beg to differ instead!

[@millerdiamond708]

metroid prime 4 should have the kriken empire as the next foe maybe this time play as trace the kriken warrior

[@OneWhoKnowsThings6009]

omega ridley might be ridley final form.. and might be merged with it now.. pretty sure hes still alive.. Smash title btw.. his title is the ''Cunning god of death''

[@MarkiplierMeatMuncher8]

This is a really good video.... *checks name* uh.... "LoliFiend"

[@LoliFiend]

Be sure to tell your friends! …but not the authorities

[@CoffeeDrinkerKim]

@@LoliFiendWell now I’m convinced to sub!

[@millerdiamond708]

jet suit space pirates are badass space pirates in metroid prime 1 look the most badass

[@babymetroid6661]

Ah too bad because other m is a good taste in the mouth and they had to make it to show how the heck is Ridley's body in fusion, so don't complain about the game if you don't understand the reason behind it

[@LoliFiend]

Oh my bad bro I hadn't thought of it like that

[@justataco1776]

"Don't complain about a bad game because it helped solve one plot hole"