Sanctum (Phaaze)

The Sanctum is the final and the deepest room of Phaaze in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, as well as the final room in the original Metroid Prime trilogy. It is right below the Genesis Chamber and where Aurora Unit 313 was implanted. This room is where Samus Aran confronts Dark Samus in a final battle.

Description[]

Sanctum is essentially a large cave, with two openings. The only way into the room is through a hole in the ceiling, high above the ground. Sanctum's main feature and the only apparent technology on the planet is giant, circular hatch in its center, which has a ring of glowing red lights at its edge. The hatch has a multi-pieced design, enabling it to shape the opening hole at different sizes. Around this hatch is circular-motif grating above a large pool of liquid Phazon. A wall of jagged, crystallised Phazon surrounds the plating, which Dark Samus collapses after being bested by Samus. Outside the wall is an array of vastly differing Phazon-based life, unique to this room. Some of the organisms are similar in appearance to coral.

Role[]

Samus enters this room after destroying a Leviathan Infant's womb in the Genesis Chamber above, which successfully removes the Sanctum's seal and unleashes a flock of Miniroids originating from the room. She jumps into this room, and encounters Dark Samus, who emerges from a hatch. Samus begins to battle Dark Samus. During the battle, Dark Samus generates huge pillars of crystallized Phazon (an attack presumably stolen from Rundas) to block Samus' attacks.

After Samus successfully repulses Dark Samus, the main hatch opens once more, and Dark Samus lowers the wall of Phazon surrounding the arena. From the hatch emerges the stolen Aurora Unit, 313. The Aurora Unit has a spine-like structure leading through a hole in the hatch, connecting it to the planet's core. The Aurora Unit will employ a large laser to attack Samus, and will follow her around the room with it. The creature will also lower its body into the hatch, and launch bombs at Samus from deployable turrets around the hatch. After significantly damaging the Unit, it will detach from its base and battle Samus from the air. The creature will use a ground-based spinning attack to follow Samus, ripping up some of the stone floor in the process. Samus finally defeats the creature. The AU falls to the ground and shrivels up, revealing Dark Samus inside. After Dark Samus explodes, the Sanctum starts to collapse, due to the symbiotic nature the planet had with the Aurora Unit. Chunks of rock begin to fall from the cave ceiling, and Samus escapes just in time for Phaaze's destruction.

Inhabitants[]

• Dark Samus
• Miniroids (originally sealed within the Sanctum before flying out into the Genesis Chamber).
• Aurora Unit 313
• Massive tentacles (seen in the background).
• Dark Echoes

Connecting rooms[]

• Genesis Chamber (via drop shaft)

Development notes[]

This room is handled by two internal names. The version of this room featuring the battle against Dark Samus is handled by the internal name 04_phaaze_darksamus, while the larger version of this room featuring the battle against Aurora Unit 313 is handled by the internal name 04_phaaze_auroraunit. The keyword phaaze indicates the planet Phaaze, and the prefix 04 indicates that this is the last of 4 main rooms on Phaaze.

Trivia[]

• There is an unused Space Pirate Data entry in Corruption mentioning the Pirates constructing a Citadel on Phaaze for Dark Samus to use as her base of operations. The Sanctum is potentially, or was intended to be, a part of this Citadel.
• It is unknown how Samus was able to escape the destruction of Phaaze from this room, especially as she appeared to be in a weakened condition after the Phazon in her body evaporated.
• In the game's internal data, the Sanctum during both battles is actually split into two rooms - one for the first fight with Dark Samus, and the other for when the walls come down and Aurora Unit 313 emerges.
• The name "Sanctum" derives from late Latin, meaning "Holy Place" or "Sanctuary".

Gallery[]

Dark Samus meets Samus.

Samus battles the Unit's first form.

Aurora Unit 313 is defeated.

Phaaze begins to implode.

The tunnel connecting the Aurora to the planet's core, seen with the X-Ray Visor

The ground floor seen from Prime World Editor.

The roof seen in Prime World Editor. This is the hole Samus drops from into the Sanctum.

The underground tunnel that houses Aurora Unit 313. The Phazon mass is known internally as auroraUnitCrasted.