Thermal Visor

The Thermal Visor is a visor in Metroid Prime, and it is the only Visor that is exclusive to Metroid Prime, although several aspects of the Thermal Visor carried over to the Echo and X-Ray Visors of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, respectively. It is acquired in the Research Core in the Phendrana Drifts.
The Thermal Visor uses thermography, allowing Samus Aran to locate enemies or objects by their heat signatures. It can be used to see Shadow Pirates and is also useful in total darkness, extreme cold, and in poor weather conditions, like those in Phendrana Drifts; though it functions poorly in superheated areas, such as the Magmoor Caverns. It also overloads when Thardus' weak point is revealed. When in use, the visor emits a repetitive, fast-paced, mechanistic chord.
Other uses for the Thermal Visor include locating Power Conduits to energize with the Wave Beam, allowing Samus to open unenergized doors (similar to the Nova/X Ray combo in Metroid Prime 3), locating Thardus' weak spot, and locating Metroid Prime when it becomes invisible to the Combat Visor and X-Ray Visor. However, one setback of the Thermal Visor is it can be overloaded via Phazon exposure, or strong thermal flashes such as small explosions. Additionally, when using the Thermal Visor, enemies which do not emit heat (such as the Mega Turrets) blend in with the environment and are much harder to target.
==Official data==
===Official Metroid Prime website===
Weapon effect: N/A
Weapon range: N/A
Weapon potential: Non-Lethal
"Power Suit Upgrade
The Thermal Visor upgrades Samus Aran's Heads Up Display with the ability to see in the infrared spectrum. Hot objects are displayed in bright colors, and cool objects are dim. Samus uses the Thermal Visor to identify the weak points of certain foes, to see in the dark, and to improve visibility in poor weather conditions. Enemies with internal temperatures which do not vary greatly from their surrounding environments are difficult to identify through the Thermal Visor."
===Metroid Prime flash===
"In combat, use the Thermal Visor to track heat signatures of enemies using cloaking technology. Defensive properties: can be used for night vision, to locate enemy weak spot and find hidden clues."
===Metroid Prime manual===
;THERMAL VISOR
:"Once Samus finds the Thermal Visor, she can track enemies using their heat signatures. Not only does the visor help locate enemies hidden in dark areas, but it can also be used for acquiring alternate targets on enemies. A thermal scan can often find a hidden weak spot on an otherwise difficult enemy. Not only that, but thermal scans show other clues that the naked eye cannot discern; if you run into a dead end, try scanning the entire area with the Thermal Visor equipped."
===Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion: Prima's Official Strategy Guide===
;Thermal Visor
:"The Thermal Visor allows Samus to track enemies by their heat signatures. This makes fighting in the dark or cloudy areas much easier, and it can help you find power-ups and doors quickly. In hot areas the Thermal Visor is considerably less effective, because the surroundings hide enemy heat signatures. You'll also have difficulty using it against enemies with body temperatures similar to their environments, such as machines and cold enemies. At times you'll find doors and equipment lacking power. Use the Thermal Visor to locate hidden power conduits, which can be reactivated by using the Wave Beam."
===Metroid Prime: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide===
;THERMAL VISOR
:"If you need to see in the dark or find a cloaked enemy, the Thermal Visor is your best friend. The visor reveals concentrations of heat, which makes even the best-hidden enemy stand out like a sore thumb. It's also capable of find Missile Expansions in out-of-the-way places and helping to supply power to non-functioning doors." 
===Metroid Prime Official Strategy Guide===
;THERMAL VISOR
:"The Thermal Visor extends scanning into the infrared spectrum. Hot objects are bright in the Visor, while cooler objects are dimmer. The Thermal Visor will show the weak points of certain enemies. Use it to see in total darkness and poor weather conditions. Brightly lit areas, explosions, and intense heat can impair the Thermal Visor's ability to see. Enemies with temperatures close to their surroundings are tough to see with this Visor, so beware when in hot spots like the Magmoor Caverns."
===Metroid Prime Official Perfect Guide===
;THERMAL VISOR
:"Press down on the Directional Pad to activate the Thermal Visor. This item allows you to read the heat indexes on anything in your surroundings, and thus detect dangerous creatures that might otherwise appear cloaked, or discern important equipment (doors, Power Conduits) in particularly dark rooms."
===Metroid Prime Trilogy manual===
;Thermal Visor
:"This can detect the temperature of your surroundings. You may be able to see the locations or weaknesses of some enemies that you can't detect with the Combat Visor. It may also show you areas where the temperature is abnormal."
===Metroid Prime acquisition message===
"Thermal Visor acquired!Press [Control Pad (Down)] to activate Visor./Press [-] then point left to activate Visor. Use Thermal Visor to search for cold and hot objects and hidden Wave Beam targets.Additional data downloaded to Inventory Screen. Press [START]/[2] to access the Inventory Screen."
===Inventory data===
==Development notes==
The Thermal Visor went through multiple iterations before being finished, and was engineered by Jack Mathews and Karl Deckard. Mathews' plans for the visor were much more ambitious at first. He had given the artist in charge carte blanche to give any geometry a hot or cold temperature, in the hope that they would be so meticulous as to make small light fixtures appear hot in the Thermal Visor. This did not come to pass due to the scale of such a request.Kiwi Talkz. "#116 - Jack Mathews Interview (Metroid Prime Trilogy, Prototypes, Business, Armature Studios etc.)". YouTube. November 26, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2022. (starts at 21:07)
==Trivia==
*If charging an Ice Beam or Plasma Beam, the Thermal Visor shows temperature changes dropping and rising respectively on Samus' Arm Cannon.
*If an enemy is frozen by the Ice Beam, they will no longer display heat signatures on the Thermal Visor.
*Environmental fire strangely has no heat signature when viewed through the Thermal Visor, but fire attacks do.
==Gallery==
Thermal_visor_acquire.jpg|Samus acquires the Thermal Visor.
Thermal Visor.png|Research Lab Aether
Phendrana_Drifts_Screenshot_(237).png|Thardus' weak point revealed in the Thermal Visor.
Prime Demo Thermal Visor.png|The Thermal Visor used in the Metroid Prime Demo. Uses a significantly different heat signature color than in the final.
Thermal_Visor.jpg|The Thermal Visor is used in the Metroid Prime comic.
JP Other M Guide 172.jpg|Nintendo Official Guidebook for Metroid Other M, page 172.
Metroid Prime Remastered Samus scanning.jpg|Acquiring the visor in Metroid Prime Remastered.
Thermal Visor cutscene in MPR.jpg|Matt Manchester (oracrest). 19 February 2023 5:01 p.m. Tweet.https://twitter.com/oracrest/status/1627428264418611200
Thardus Frozen Thermal Remastered.png|Samus with the Thermal Visor active while frozen in Metroid Prime Remastered.
==References==
ru:Тепловое Забрало
Category:Phendrana Drifts
Category:Glacier One
Category:Visors
Category:Space Pirate technology
Category:Unused Items