Ceres Space Colony

Ceres Space Colony (スペースコロニー Supēsu Koronī), also known as Ceres Station, is the first area in Super Metroid, and the site of the Metroid Theft Incident. After taking the baby aboard her Starship, Samus Aran brings it to the Space Science Academy Lab on Ceres for research. Shortly after she leaves, Ceres' distress signal activates and she returns to the colony to find it dark and all of the colony members dead. She progresses through the colony and meets Ridley, holding the baby in his talons. Samus and Ridley battle, but the Pirate flees and activates a Self-Destruct System. Samus escapes and Ceres explodes shortly afterwards. She then follows Ridley to Zebes, which she tears apart in search of the Baby.
==Etymology==
In Roman mythology, Ceres is the goddess of growing plants (particularly wheat) and of motherly love. Ceres was worshipped in Ancient Roman religion, and is today still worshipped in Religio Romana Neopaganism. Ceres was usually equated with the Greek goddess Demeter, who was the goddess of grain and fertility. The GF Naval Base Demeter is named after Demeter. Due to this, it is likely that Ceres and the Naval Base are related somehow.
In real life, there is a dwarf planet in the solar system named Ceres. It is the only one that resides in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and is the smallest of five identified dwarf planets in this system, though it is the largest object in the asteroid belt and contains roughly a third (32%) of its mass. On September 27, 2007, NASA launched the Dawn space probe that has been exploring Ceres since 2015.
==Development notes==
In an earlier version of Super Metroid, Samus's Gunship flew straight towards the screen as Ceres was exploding. In the final game, it flies toward the screen on an angle.Kottpower. "Super Metroid Beta Footage (1993-1994)". YouTube. August 25, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2022. (starts at 0:22)
==Other appearances==
The Super Smash Bros. Melee intro appears to depict the fight on Ceres. However, Samus is wearing her Varia Suit and uses Missiles, which she did not have at the time of exploration in the game. However, she did have the Varia Suit in the Super Metroid comic.
The Japanese Super Metroid commercial appears to depict Samus as a scientist at Ceres. She can be seen throwing off a lab coat, leaving her in a black leotard, running over to her Power Suit. However, she may have simply been helping the scientists study the baby.
==Trivia==
*The Ceres Space Colony is the third of five space stations to be destroyed, following the Frigate Orpheon and Oubliette and preceding the BOTTLE SHIP and the Biologic Space Laboratories research station.
*All of Ceres' doors are automatic. It shares this trait with the BOTTLE SHIP.
*It is possible to destroy the automatic doors with a Power Bomb. Samus can visit the station armed with Power Bombs through the Spacetime Beam glitch.
*It is also possible to view a map of the station using codes.
*It is possible the research Ceres conducted on the baby is what inspired the Federation to have a change of heart about exterminating the Metroids and begin to desire them as biological weapons.
*When Samus reenters the first room of Ceres station during the countdown, the door will explode behind her, making her unable to go back to the previous rooms. This is the only door to behave like this in all of Super Metroid.
*In Metroid Fusion, some of the rooms in the Restricted Zone bear a slight resemblance to the rooms seen in the Ceres Space Colony. Both station's rooms also contain a dark blue coloration in certain areas. It is possible the Restricted Zone was built in a similar fashion to Ceres as both stations were conducting research on Metroids.
==See also==
*List of rooms in Super Metroid/Ceres Space Colony
==Gallery==
Storyboard2.jpg|Storyboard
Smart ceres.jpg|Super Metroid: The Official Nintendo Game Guide
Introduction.png|Super Metroid introduction.
Introduction2.png|Super Metroid introduction.
HGCSM 003e.png|Super Metroid manga
Npcomics 1-42.jpg|Super Metroid comic from Nintendo Power.
Npcomics 1-5.jpg
Npcomics 1-6.jpg
Npcomics 2-1.jpg
Sb2shot 03.jpg|Super Smash Bros. Melee website.
Smguide pg4.jpg|Super Metroid guide
Smguidepg5.jpg|Super Metroid guide
Ceres Layout.jpg|Map of Ceres Colony
==References==
ru:Космическая Колония Ceres
Category:Ceres Space Colony
Category:Space Station
Category:Galactic Federation
Category:Destroyed Locations
Category:Unreturnable Areas
Category:Recurring Locations