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Adam Malkovich is a supporting character in Metroid Fusion, Metroid: Other M, and later Metroid Dread. He is the commander of the Galactic Federation, and once served in the Federation Police. Samus Aran described him as gruff, harsh, and relentless in criticism. He has been hated by critics and gamers alike due to his strict commands to Samus in Metroid: Other M.
NOTE: This will only focus on Adam Malkovich's portrayal in Metroid: Other M. His A.I. counterpart in both Metroid Fusion and Metroid Dread are fine.
Bad Qualities
- Throughout the game, he restricts Samus from using her weapons due to them "being too dangerous". While it makes sense for some items like the Missiles and Super Bombs considering that these can end up killing an ally by accident, it makes no sense for items like the Varia Suit and Grapple Beam, both of which pose no risk on innocent life.
- On top of that, when you're traveling through the Lava Section of the game, he takes an unnecessarily long time to authorize the Varia Suit.
- He treats Samus like an outsider after they reunite.
- He also could be seen as sexist, as he says a lady like Samus would get in the way.
- He has a huge disregard for Samus's safety, as his orders nearly get her killed!
- He scolded Samus for using missiles, even though she was trying to protect herself!
- Despite being described as a military genius; he is notorious for his poor decision making which he had the 07th Platoon split up to search for survivors despite having fought a Brug Mass as a team and they are left alone and more vulnerable to attacks by the cloned Space Pirates and an assassin who is among them. This leads to most of his soldiers killed, with Anthony Higgs being the only one left alive, despite nearly losing his life on some occasions. Given that Metroid Fusion takes place after that where she has an AI companion named after him, many fans were left to wonder why she still respects him after all he put her through.
- Even when he was intended to be a father-figure to Samus, he was anything but that; he only came across as cold and callous for most of the narrative. What makes it worse is that Samus's backstory already established that she is raised by the Chozo after her parents died to the Space Pirates, and the Chozo aren't mentioned in Other M at all which adds insult to injury.
- Also, him shooting Samus from behind was completely unnecessary as she was alone with a Metroid and takes a while before shooting that Metroid right when it was about to kill her (not helped that she could barely move at this point), as he could have stopped her verbally and shoot it himself.
- Gameplaywise, every time you get a Game Over, you have to hear Adam yell "Samus! What's going on? Respond! Respo–!", which can get rather tiresome and repetitive quickly.
Good Qualities
- He is WAY more tolerable as an AI in Metroid Fusion and Metroid Dread. In the former, there are moments when it behaves in contradiction to the human Adam due to Galactic Federation tampering, but Samus's protests cause the original root personality it was based after to reassert itself. In the latter, there is a brief instance on Itorash where Raven Beak masquerades as Adam through a fake navigation room and Samus sees through the deception, opening fire on the holographic projection to reveal the Mawkin Chozo in his throne room.
- Additionally, his portrayal is much better in the Metroid Manga where he is a serious, yet a reasonable authority figure who allows Samus time to complete a mission on Planet Zebes, and their good-byes with Samus leaving the Federation are also on much good terms with Adam realizing that her staying in the Federation would hinder her from reaching her full potential and he reminds her that she is still a lady and that she should be careful not to lose sight of her own humanity no matter what, without any condescendence towards her.
- His sacrifice is quite emotional.
- Samus at one point finally got fed up with his orders in Metroid: Other M, and after they lost contact later on, she self-authorizes the Space Jump and Screw Attack without any imput since she needed to cross the disabled bridge anyway.
- Despite his rude attitude towards Samus, they are good friends.
- He probably wants to protect Samus due to his younger brother Ian Malkovich being killed in action, which is understandable.
- After Adam has died and the threats of a Metroid Queen and MB are dealt with, Samus gives Adam a posthumous thumbs-up, as a sign of respect and approval for being a worthwhile father figure. She later retrieves his helmet from the BOTTLE SHIP after overcoming the menacing return of Phantoon and the space station self-destructing.
- Samus holds Adam in high regard after his demise and later learns in Fusion that a digital copy of his mind has been assigned to assist her, but wasn't fully aware of it until she questioned its rationality. This signifies someone understood the bond Samus and Adam had and paired her with his AI replica.
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