Scientist

:This article is about the X Parasite disguised as a human. For actual scientists, see Lab Worker.
The scientistMetroid Prime and Metroid Fusion: Prima's Official Strategy Guide appears to be a relatively small, bald-headed human in a lab coat, who is found in the Main Boiler Control room in Sector 3 (PYR). However, it is actually a mimic by a Core-X, which carries the Wide Beam.
==Description==
This false Lab Worker was the one responsible for trying to sabotage the Main Boiler, rather than the SA-X as previously speculated. Adam theorizes that the X Parasite that had absorbed the scientist had also acquired the memories of how to operate the boiler; with this information, it overcame its natural survival instincts and attempted to destroy the Biologic Space Laboratories research station in the hopes of killing Samus Aran, whom it perceived as the greatest current threat to its entire species' existence. Based on this theory, it would seem that this particular X Parasite deemed the deaths of all the X onboard the station, including itself, to be of little consequence compared to the safety of the parasites living on SR388. Curiously none of the other X made any attempt to stop this particular X from destroying the station; in fact they attempted to hinder Samus from reaching the Main Boiler Control Room, likely in agreement of self-sacrifice.
Even in human form, the X is damaging to the touch, though the damage in question is quite minimal. After Samus runs into, shoots, or even just stares at the scientist, it will revert to its true Core-X form and start shooting Wide Beams at her. The Core-X must be defeated before time runs out. Upon its defeat, Samus recovers the Wide Beam upgrade and is able to access the control panel, bringing the Main Boiler's cooling systems back online.
==Official data==
===Navigation Room dialogue===
==Development notes==
There is an unused sprite for the scientist (which can be seen in the gallery below), in which he seems to be pushed backwards as a result of being shot in the stomach. In the final version of the game, the scientist looks slowly towards Samus unfazed, even if constantly shot by her weapons. It is possible that the sprite was removed because it was deemed too graphic. He also has animations where he turns his head left and right, and one with the aforementioned sprite, after which he turns into a Zebesian that crouches.biospark. Metroid Fusion - Unused Sprite Animations. YouTube. June 21, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGnwul2oWMc (starts at 9:49)
==Trivia==
*Normally, the X Parasites completely consume the bodies of human beings instead of mimicking them, as humans are considered too weak for combat. In some cases, the human DNA that an X Parasite carries may be combined with a slime creature to create zombie researchers. However, none of this happened to the scientist. It is possible that the Core-X decided to mimic the researcher perfectly as the human's dexterity would help it accomplish its suicidal goal.
*An SA-X makes a similar sacrifice to this particular X in the Restricted Laboratory, which housed Metroids, the X's natural predator. Said SA-X caused the lab to detach from the BSL station and self-destructed, killing all the Metroids on board as well as itself, likely in an attempt to prevent a Metroid outbreak across the entire station.
*The scientist and Elephant Bird are the only two Core-X bosses that had infected/mimicked a form and did not use it in combat.
*X Parasites can apparently take the shape of nonliving items, as the scientist's "death" animation reveals that its lab coat is in fact a part of the X Parasite. Based on the battle against the SA-X, the X are assumed to use organic materials, molded into shape, to simulate synthetic compounds that the species cannot directly infect or copy.
*A similarly looking scientist can be found deceased onboard the Main Deck next to a zombie researcher. It is possible the X parasite originally acquired the DNA from this deceased worker. If so, then the deceased body could possibly foreshadow the fake scientist's existence. 
*The scientist does not have battle music. Instead, Sector 3 Restore the Cooling Installation Timer Mission, which plays throughout the "emergency in Sector 3" sequence, continues playing until the Main Boiler is shut down. This theme is also used as a boss theme during the Omega Metroid battle; additionally, both the scientist and Omega Metroid are fought during a countdown.
*Given that the X absorb the intellect and to some extent memories of their victims, it is possible that the threat that could have motivated the scientist to attempt to blow up the entire ship might not be Samus, but rather the Metroids present in the Restricted Laboratory due to Metroids being the natural predators of the X Parasites.
==Gallery==
PYR Wide Beam.gif|The scientist's exposed Core-X
Human.png|Scientist sprites
Fusion_unusedscientiststuff.png|Unused animation for having a hole blown through the scientist's chest.
Fusion Scientist Zebesian X.png|A sprite of the unused Zebesian form the scientist would have transformed into after being shot by Samus.
Core-X Scientist (shield).png|The Core-X that posed as a scientist.
Core-X Wide Beam.gif|The exposed Core-X possessing the Wide Beam.
Zombie researcher.png|A deceased scientist found in the Main Deck that may have been a potential source of DNA for the Core-X parasite to mimic. 
==References==
ru:Ученый
Category:Characters
Category:Bosses
Category:X
Category:Deceptive
Category:Scientists
Category:BSL
Category:Sector 3
Category:Core-X Bosses