| |
| Sidehopper | |
|---|---|
| Universe | Metroid |
| Homeworld | Zebes |
| Average Height | 6ft minimum adult height |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Sapience Level | Non-Sapient |
Sidehoppers are a species of insectoid bipeds indigenous to the subterranean jungles of Brinstar within the planet Zebes. They are usually around 6 feet tall, although they are known to grow to at least twice this size on rare occasions. Sidehoppers are named for their solitary pair of piston-like legs that allow them to make great leaps, although they only seem to be able to hop sideways. Their mouth hangs below their head, likely indicating that they use their leaps to incapacitate prey before feeding upon them.
By far the strangest ability of their species is the ability to "repel" gravity; they can not only cling to ceilings (although the design of their legs apparently prevent them from hanging off of walls, causing one to assume that their leg musculature would be damaged if pulled against sideways), but they also can and often will "fall" back towards the ceiling after jumping from it. They bear a resemblance to the Desgeega of Norfair, which likely indicates either a close evolutionary relationship between the two or they may just simply fill a very similar niche in two wildly different ecosystems.
Sidehoppers are known to exist in several color variations, which either indicates numerous subspecies or a natural alteration in their hue as they mature and proceed to age. These are as follows:
- Pale orange with a green head
- Vermilion with a blue head
- Green
Despite this, any and all possible Sidehopper subspecies are now considered extinct in the wild, after Samus Aran's execution of Mother Brain triggered a self-destruct system that destroyed the entirety of Zebes. However, Sidehoppers have been known to be removed off-world by both Space Pirates and the Galactic Federation, indicating that they still exist in captivity.
Appearances[]
- Metroid (First appearance)
- Metroid: Zero Mission
- Metroid Prime (Implied to be in captivity)
- Super Metroid
- Metroid: Other M
- Metroid Fusion