Golzuna is the penultimate boss in Metroid Dread and can be found lurking up in the northeastern corner of the Ghavoran region. It's a somewhat deceptive foe in that it initially takes on the form of a regular enemy, though gradually grows in size as players mount their attack. The threat that it poses also increases, though never quite to the same levels as some of the game's other bosses.
Given how far into the game they are at this point, players shouldn't have too much trouble dealing with Golzuna, particularly as several of its attack patterns mimic ones that they've already faced elsewhere in Metroid Dread. In fact, with the right strategy, the whole fight can be completed in about 90 seconds, which, given the number of phases, says a lot about the level of difficulty that it ultimately provides.
Where to Find Golzuna
After acquiring the Screw Attack upgrade in Artaria, players should return to Ghavoran and to the pool of water beneath the room where they found the Pulse Radar earlier on. Here, they'll be able to use the Screw Attack to reach an outdoor area to the east, where they'll find the boss door on their right at the top of a large vertical tunnel. Upon passing through it, they'll simply need to roll through the Morph Ball tunnel that's directly in front of them to reach the boss.
How to Beat Golzuna (Phase 1)
When players first encounter Golzuna, it will take the form of a regular Muzby. Much like the countless others that Samus has already defeated to reach this point, she'll be able to take this one down incredibly easily. In fact, all that's needed to complete the first phase of the Golzuna fight is three Ice Missiles or a well-timed counter.
How to Beat Golzuna (Phase 2)
After being defeated for the first time, Golzuna will mutate into a larger Muzby. Again, players should have encountered these already, but, for those who haven't, the strategy for defeating them involves firing charged shots or missiles directly into their back. To do this, players can either use the screw attack to jump over them or slide beneath them when they rear up to attack.
How to Beat Golzuna (Phase 3)
Unlike the first two phases, the third phase of the Golzuna boss fight should at least provide players with some level of challenge. Its penultimate mutation manages to be bigger still, and, unlike the previous one, will damage Samus if she jumps into it. It's still weak to attacks from behind though, so the strategy remains somewhat similar.
Players will again be able to slide underneath Golzuna when it rears up onto its hind legs to attack. They'll need to be careful when they do so though, as the boss will now take three large steps backward after Samus passes beneath it. To combat this, players should put a bit of extra distance between themselves and Golzuna before they start their attack.
Shortly after stepping backward, Golzuna will release a small white ball of energy that will follow Samus around for a short time. After it stops moving, it will explode in a cross shape, so players should position themselves accordingly to avoid the blast. This will happen three times before the next cycle begins.
On even-numbered cycles, Golzuna will release four of these white energy balls instead of one, and they'll position themselves in a diagonal line. To avoid taking damage here, players should make sure that they are not directly beneath any of them and then morph into ball form just before they explode. They may not need to do this, however, as, with enough missiles, it's actually possible to end the phase before the second cycle ends.
How to Beat Golzuna (Phase 4)
Much like the Escue boss fight a little earlier on, Golzuna will revert to its X-Parasite form once players have dealt enough damage. Players should again try to avoid making contact when this happens and focus on hitting it with missiles or charged shots. Collecting the yellow and green X-Parasites that come out of it will restore Samus' health and missiles, while hitting the boss with a Screw Attack will lead to both it and Samus taking damage.
The Reward for Beating Golzuna
It shouldn't take players too long to put an end to Golzuna, at which point it will take the form of a large yellow X-Parasite and be absorbed by Samus. Once this happens, players will unlock the Cross Bomb ability, which allows Samus to release a powerful cross-shaped bomb while she's in her Morph Ball form.
This can be pretty useful when it comes to quickly destroying blocks, but also has a few other uses as well. Players can use the Cross Bomb to launch the Morph Ball up into the air or to blast it horizontally and avoid gaps and hazards. The latter is particularly handy when faced with blocks that collapse when Samus stands on them and will help players to acquire a few missile capacity upgrades and energy tanks elsewhere on Planet ZDR.