A Game Theory episode explores the controversy surrounding the Etecoons and Dachora in Super Metroid, creatures that players can choose to save or kill. The show's host argues that killing them is the right choice, based on the Metroid series' lore. According to the theory, these creatures are carriers of the X-parasite, a powerful and deadly threat in the Metroid universe. The X-parasite can infect and mimic other organisms, and it's suggested that the Etecoons and Dachora are not native to the planet Zebes, but rather crash-landed there. The host also points out that Samus, the protagonist, unknowingly contributes to the spread of the X-parasite by killing Metroids, its natural predators. Therefore, killing the Etecoons and Dachora is necessary to prevent the spread of the X-parasite and potentially save the galaxy.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The Etecoons and Dachora are creatures that appear in the game Super Metroid.
2. They first appear in Super Metroid and demonstrate the wall-jump and Shine Spark abilities.
3. The creatures are also seen in Metroid Fusion, which is the end of the Metroid timeline.
4. In Metroid Fusion, the Etecoons and Dachora are the only creatures that the X-parasite doesn't attack.
5. The X-parasite is a deadly organism that can infect other organisms and mimic their DNA and memories.
6. The parasite is the main threat in the Metroid series, not the Metroids.
7. The Metroids were created by the Chozo to fight against the X-parasite.
8. The Chozo never told anyone about the X threat or their plan to create the Metroids as a failsafe.
9. The Etecoons and Dachora escape the planet in Super Metroid and are seen piloting Samus' gun-ship at the end of Metroid Fusion.
10. The creatures may be carriers of the X-parasite, which would explain their ability to replicate Chozo technology.
11. The X-parasite has the ability to absorb and copy technology, which could explain the Etecoons and Dachora's ability to fly a spaceship.
12. The creatures may have crash-landed on the planet Zebes and were rescued by Samus.
13. Samus kills the Metroids, which are the only creatures that can stop the X-parasite, allowing the parasite to flourish.
14. The X-parasite is able to repopulate itself on the planet SR-388 because Samus destroyed its only predator, the Metroids.
15. Samus is responsible for the growth and spread of the galaxy's most dangerous plague, the X-parasite.