Metroid Database Bestiary

During Samus’s showdown with the SA-X inside the Operations Deck, she irreversibly damaged her X replica, and the creature could no longer control its host body form. The faltering SA-X transformed into a grotesque composite of Samus’s DNA combined with mutated forms of several creatures it had previously absorbed: such as the Hornoad-X, which had originally infected Samus.

At the center of the body was a gigantic toothed mouth with a multi-forked tongue. The helmet was replaced with an enormous compound eye composed of a dozen smaller visors, the shoulder pads were replaced with the heads of other creatures, and the arm cannon sprouted into a disfigured mass of multiple cannons that could no longer function. Though the SA-X lost its ability to fire the Ice Beam, its leaping power increased exponentially and its former intelligence was reduced to primitive rage.

While large and impressive, the SA-X’s second form has a laughably simple attack pattern: it simply jumps in the air over the platforms above, then lands with a crash. Its jumps are very easy to dodge - either run away or stand roughly two tiles away from it and remain in place - the SA-X will jump right over you! Alternatively, you can't be harmed while performing Screw Attacks. Five fully-charged Plasma shots will lay it flat. Physical contact with the SA-X will only deal 40 damage on Normal.

If low on health after defeating the SA-X's second form, you can easily replenish health from the remaining Core-X by repeatedly Screw Attacking it.

If you stand in just the right spot, roughly two tiles away from the SA-X, it will endlessly jump over your head, impotent.