An Environmental Analysis of the Chozo Ghosts of Metroid Prime

I have decided to extend my series of short posts on the depictions of environmental issues in video games to other series, including the Metroid series. These posts are intended to be short without too much formality or detail. Any combination of these posts may be chosen for a more rigorous analysis but I hope that this series is interesting to read. 
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Metroid Prime chronicles the descent of Samus onto Tallon IV to discover that her enemies, the Space Pirates, had already set to defile the land in search of the infamous Phazon; to this end, the Pirates hoped to defeat Samus. Phazon is a substance capable of causing mutation and even death - it is desired due to its potency in enhancing combat technology. The actions of the Space Pirates displace Phazon, allowing the substance to impact a greater array of organisms. The notorious Phazon Mines - best known for its save point that is far from the start of the area - are extensive, reaching far underground. The gamer through Samus gets to see the Phazon, mutated Metroids, and transformed Space Pirates - extensive degradation of the land (Tallon IV), the ecology (the Metroids), and even the perpetrators (Space Pirates) occurs.

Linked to the land are the Chozo Ghosts, intimidating in their pale white ghastly forms, who come from the remains of the Chozo interred on Tallon IV. The fate of the Chozo in this game is unknown - many died, though perhaps some escaped as well. In the game, the Chozo ghosts are a terrifying enemy, accompanied by darkness filling the room and their assuming a battle pose; they can turn enemy, obscuring efforts to fight and defeat them. Because the Chozo apparently strove to integrate with the planet, they are clearly in contrast to the Space Pirates: the Chozo created civilization where none existed but did not apparently destroy Tallon IV in the process.

The occurrence of Chozo ghosts can be explained in two ways: the ghosts are due to Phazon mutation or they arise due to Space Pirate actions. Either way, the Chozo ghosts seem to bear ill will towards Samus, opting to assume a battle position when they see Samus - clearly, Samus is seen as an enemy, even though she fights the Space Pirates. The Chozo ghosts are a living extension of the planet itself because they represent beings buried in the ground - literally, they arise from Tallon IV. This result suggests that the planet can feel the damage wrought by the Space Pirates. Yet they continued their mining and experiments, suggesting a technologically advanced but philosophical stunted perception of the land. Metroid Prime in that sense is a story of egotistical environmental degradation brought in a desire to advance in a bellicose manner to defeat one's foes with fancier weaponry.