Metroid Other M- What is the other M? my theory:

[Non Sequor]

Since it has a non-brainwaves-in-computer Adam Malkovich this has to predate Metroid 1. Samus was a federation soldier before she was a bounty hunter.

I'm thinking the woman with short hair isn't Samus but is instead someone else who wore the Chozo powersuit before Samus. The mother theory doesn't make any sense though since the two women don't look like they have much of an age difference and, as others have noted, Samus's mother is supposed to be dead anyway.

I don't see how any Metroids can be in this game without a severe retcon though. Is it still a Metroid game if it doesn't have any metroids?