If you know anything about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, you’ve probably heard the name Myles MacKenzie by now. The nerdy Galactic Federation trooper has been in the spotlight for weeks after he was revealed in a wave of previews that weren’t so hot on his existence. A lot of fans hated him — and for good reason. His quippy one-liners felt out of step with Metroid’s tone. Ahead of the game’s launch, fans worried that an influx of characters like Myles would rob the series of the signature silence that makes it so moody.
Now that the game is fully out, we know that those fears were legitimate. Myles is the most annoying character in Metroid Prime 4 by a mile, but the game’s cast of one-dimensional soldiers results in a game that’s full of dull military tropes and overbearing nudges. But there is one bright spot in the Galactic Federatation’s ranks: the lovable Nora Armstrong.
Throughout Metroid Prime 4, Samus meets several soldiers who are stranded on Viewros. The structure of the game is such that Samus links up with a different companion in each biome, who usually guides them through their initial pass through the area. Armstrong enters the story in Flare Pool, where Samus first meets the generically gruff Sergeant Ezra Duke. After spending some time exploring together, the two find Armstrong. Things get delightful from there.
Armstrong isn’t too different from Myles MacKenzie, though she’s much more pleasant to be around. She’s another nerdy soldier who is a little klutzy and can’t stop talking. That dynamic works a lot better with Duke there to act as an annoyed foil. Armstrong’s logbook entry tells us that she’s an experienced pilot, filling the role of a mechanic for her troop. She’s overeager to help out more, too, begging Duke to let her help open doors and solve puzzles throughout Flare Pool.
She’s also a Samus Aran superfan. Armstrong is positively starstruck when the bounty hunter appears; it’s as if she’s met her favorite KPop idol.
The rest of the Flare Pool mission has Armstrong nerding out as she watches her idol at work, thrilled to see her iconic tools in action. It’s charming, but functional too. Each Federation exists to nudge players in the right direction, which is downright annoying when troopers just outright say where Samus is supposed to go next. Armstrong works by comparison because her hints feel motivated by her character. It’s not that she’s impatiently trying to tell Samus how to solve a puzzle; it’s that she knows Samus so well that she can’t help but blurt out “morph ball!” when she sees a round hole in a wall. She’s the Ms. Marvel to Samus’ Captain Marvel.
It could have been absolutely obnoxious, but I loved that dynamic instantly for a few key reasons. For one, it’s the first time the Metroid series has ever indicated that Samus is a bit of a celebrity in the galaxy. It’s never been clear if she’s a lone wolf bounty hunter who operates in darkness or an infamous hero. Metroid Prime 4 makes it clear that she’s very well known, at least among the Galactic Federation. That fact makes Samus’ strained relationship with the group later on in the 2D games all the more effective. It’s a smart use of new characters to widen the world ever so slightly.
More importantly, it finally gives Metroid fans a ship. Armstrong totally has a crush on Samus. She practically makes puppy dog eyes at her idol the entire time and it’s adorable. Sure, maybe it’s just that Armstrong is an engineer and so she’s naturally fascinated with Samus’ shape-shifting suit. But come on, you’re not fooling me: Armstrong and Samus are girlfriends, and it won’t be long until that is immortalized in fan art and Tumblr posts for years to come.
I don’t imagine we’ll ever see that potential relationship explored further considering that we already know where the Metroid story goes from here. (Samus is a little too busy to date, what with her dealing with the fallout of an alien genocide and its impact on the natural order of the galaxy.) But if Universal’s rumored interest in a Metroid movie ever comes to fruition, I will vote in favor of turning Armstrong into a full-blown love interest for Samus. Let the woman have one smooch!
