Authorization

Authorization is a new concept introduced in Metroid: Other M. 
Rather than beginning the game missing her power-ups or losing them near the start, Samus possesses all of her upgrades from Super Metroid (with the exception of the High Jump Boots, Spazer Beam, X-Ray Scope, and Hyper Beam), but they are deactivated, and Commander Adam Malkovich gradually authorizes their use when the situation calls for it. Some power-ups and expansions are still collected in the traditional manner, however.
After Samus loses contact with Adam after fighting Ridley and he later sacrifices himself to destroy Sector Zero and the unfreezable Metroids within, Samus will gradually allow herself to use all remaining upgrades.
==Story==
During the mission to the BOTTLE SHIP, Adam Malkovich re-encounters Samus for the first time since she became a Bounty Hunter, and is displeased to see her. Despite his animosity, Samus stays onboard for the sake of his 07th Platoon, and out of respect for him deactivates her Missiles and Bombs until he authorizes them, although Samus keeps her Charge Beam and Morph Ball at the ready. He authorizes Missiles as Samus assists the Platoon in fighting the Brug Mass, so that she can use them to destroy the Mass' tentacles once they are frozen with Freeze Guns. Samus is then welcomed onto the team on the condition that she follow Adam's orders, and he authorizes the use of her Bombs. He gradually allows Samus to use more and more of her abilities as the situation changes. He does not allow her, however, to use her Power Bombs due to the devastation they cause.
Items in Other M are usually authorized when an obstacle or danger presents itself that cannot be overcome without the respective upgrade. However, this puts Samus in danger at several points during the game. The most glaring example is when she reaches Sector 3, where she runs through several superheated rooms in her Power Suit before reaching the top of the Crater Interior, when Adam finally authorizes her to use her Varia Feature. Not being allowed to use the Grapple Beam hinders her further exploration of the Pyrosphere before Adam instructs her to pursue survivors in Sector 2, despite already being in pursuit of a creature that was seemingly responsible for the death of a fellow platoon soldier. It is only authorized when Samus is required to use it to get to Anthony Higgs when he is attacked by the Rhedogian and about to be dropped into lava.
After fending off Ridley, Samus loses contact with Adam. From then on, no more upgrades are authorized by him, with her final four major upgrades being used at her will, as it becomes necessary. While pursuing the Deleter, Samus becomes stuck at a retracted bridge. She jokingly asks, "Any objections, Adam?" and activates her Space Jump and Screw Attack to overcome the obstacle. Adam later dies in the detached Sector Zero, and as Samus is escaping and gets sucked into the vacuum of space, she quickly activates her Gravity Feature to stay inside. Finally, during the battle against the Queen Metroid Samus becomes trapped in the monster's stomach, and uses a Power Bomb to both escape and kill the creature. Power Bombs become usable during the post-credits sequence, when no humans apart from Samus are on the BOTTLE SHIP.
==List of authorized items==
===Authorized by Adam===
*Missile Launcher - during the Brug Mass battle in the BOTTLE SHIP Control Room.
*Bomb - during Adam's briefing in the Control Room after the Brug Mass battle.
*Ice Beam - in the "Pyrosphere combat arena" when the Mellas prove to be indestructible without it.
*Varia Feature - at the top of the Crater Interior, after Samus has been exposed to the extreme heat.
*Speed Booster and Shinespark - in the "Speed Booster corridor", when it is deemed necessary.
*Wave Beam - in the "Cargo storage room", when Samus is trapped inside a set of glass walls.
*Grapple Beam - in the "Rhedogian room", when it is necessary for Samus to aid Anthony.
*Super Missile - in the Geothermal Power Plant, in order to open the magma-eruption port.
*Plasma Beam - in the Geothermal Power Plant, when Samus comes face-to-face with Ridley.
===Self-authorized===
*Space Jump and Screw Attack - in the "Bioweapon Research Center access bridge", when the former becomes necessary to cross the room.
*Gravity Feature - when escaping the detaching corridor before Sector Zero, in order to survive.
*Power Bomb - in Room MW, when Samus is stuck inside the Queen Metroid's stomach.
==Quotes==
"Samus has decided not to use bombs or missiles until Adam authorizes them."
"Adam has not yet authorized the use of missiles."
"Adam has not yet authorized the use of bombs."
"Listen up! Freeze guns authorized! And Samus! I'm authorizing Missile use!"
"Samus. Start by searching areas you can access with your current equipment. We'll determine weapon and equipment authorization after we get a better understanding of the situation."
"Looks like the normal beam won't have any impact on the enemies around here. Samus, use your Ice Beam."
"Samus, activate the Varia feature on your suit to protect yourself from heat damage."
"The most efficient way through here should be delivering shoulder impacts with your Speed Booster, so I'm authorizing its use."
"Samus! You need a permeating shot effect to get past this! I’m authorizing you to unlock your Wave Beam!"
"Samus, use of the Grapple Beam is authorized! Get to Anthony and cover him!"
"Samus, blast the eruption port to get the magma flowing! Use your Super Missiles!"
"Samus! Samus! Use your Plasma Beam!"
"You can now use Power Bombs."
==Criticism==
Authorization as a concept in Other M has been heavily criticized for its extreme control over Samus' abilities. Critics felt the mechanic removed some of the non-linear gameplay that was present in earlier Metroid titles. While Adam had argued the dangers of Samus's Power Bombs, her defensive and utility abilities such as the Varia Feature, Gravity Feature, and Grapple Beam were singled out, as it unnecessarily put Samus in danger and prohibited further exploration. The criticism was such that even Nintendo Power in their review for the game had a sidebar acknowledging the plot point was absurd.
Though Samus is forced to run through the Pyrosphere's extreme heat without protection, the heated room run is less dangerous than when Samus steps unprotected into heated areas in previous installments, draining only one unit of Energy per second instead of the traditional five.
Authorization from Adam has become a running joke in the Metroid community, mocking his in-game practice of not authorizing non-offensive upgrades (with the Varia Feature being the more notorious example due to the infamous "Hell Run" sequence in the Pyrosphere).
It is to be noted that in the Japanese version, the controversy is slightly less apparent due to Adam specifically stating that Samus avoid superheated areas during the briefing, with the infamous Hell Run being of Samus's own volition rather than Adam ordering her to go through there.
In response to this criticism, Nate Bihldorf stated that Samus relying on Adam's command is an important part of her canon, as evidenced earlier in Metroid Fusion. At the beginning of that game, Samus states that she dislikes taking orders, but her mission to the BSL station marks the second time she has had to do so.Samus Aran: "For someone who dislikes taking orders, this is the second time I've found myself having to do so." Bihldorf connected this comment directly to her mission in Other M, adding that Samus has a complicated relationship with Adam due to their history. He further stated that while she would normally scoff at Adam's command structure, her confusion about Adam's role in her life prompted her to follow it.Interview: Nate Bihldorff. Shinesparkers. February 23, 2011. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
==Trivia==
*In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the Command Visor is unusable for some time at the beginning of the game until Rundas reports to Samus that such devices are authorized for use during the Norion invasion.
*The computerized Adam in Metroid Fusion continues to authorize actions and missions for Samus, though it has no control over her upgrades, which are acquired through downloadable data or absorbing Core-X. He does not give orders in Metroid Dread, aside from instructing her to return to the surface and reach her ship.
*While the Space Jump, Screw Attack and Gravity Feature are all activated by Samus herself, the Power Bomb is the only feature to be activated without a dialogue or Samus Screen cue. This left some players confused about its crucial use when Samus is swallowed by the Queen Metroid.
==References==
Category:Miscellaneous
Category:Criticism of Metroid: Other M