Who is Sylux? Metroid Prime 4’s villain explained

With a brand-new trailer for Metroid Prime 4 finally giving everyone a look at the gameplay and release window, fans also receive a glimpse at a villain for the game, Sylux.

While many were unsure of this foreboding character’s identity, he is a series veteran who played a major role in one game, while secretly appearing in a couple of others.

For those who don’t know Sylux well and have questions after the new trailer, we have the rundown on who he is and what people can expect from him in Metroid Prime 4.

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Who is Sylux?

Not much is known about Sylux’s background before he became the person we know. However, like Metroid protagonist, Samus Aran, his role as a bounty hunter is no secret.

But what sets these two apart is Sylux’s immense hatred for the Galactic Federation, the primary government body in the series who Samus has worked with often. There is no information on why he hates the Federation, but due to Samus’ work with them, we know he views her as an enemy.

His distaste for the government is so strong that he has even partnered with the Space Pirates, once helping them lead an assault against a Federation-owned facility.

Sylux first appeared in Metroid Prime Hunters, a spin-off game that was released after the first entry. In Hunters, he and Samus battle each other throughout the story, ending with him and several other bounty hunters escaping a prison known as the Oubilette.

This was his only primary role in the series, as the rest of his appearances were in secret endings. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption featured the first of these, where we see Sylux following Samus’ ship as she flies into space.

The second secret appearance was in Metroid Prime: Federation Forces, in which players can complete a certain objective to trigger a cutscene after the credits. This cutscene shows Sylux breaking into a Federation research station where he causes a Metroid egg to hatch.

What is Sylux doing in Metroid Prime 4?

Sylux’s exact intentions in Metroid Prime 4 remain a mystery as of writing, though there are a few clues as to what could be playing a part in the sequel.

We know Sylux hates Samus and has been keeping an eye on her for some time. We also know he wants to use Metroids as a tool to help him. Given how Samus has dedicated so much time to fighting these alien creatures, it would make sense for Sylux to use them against her, both thematically and logically.

At the end of Metroid 2, we saw an infant hatch and bond with Samus, which means Sylux could easily be hatching these creatures to bond with him, then using them as weapons in their own right.

It also looks like Sylux will be leading a group of Space Pirates, so at some point, it seems he has allied himself once more with these villains.

His ultimate objective remains to be seen, but surely we will learn more as Metroid Prime 4 approaches its release in 2025.