>>716399128
This is an interesting point, even though the games somewhat undermine it when most missions we see are in fact at the request, if not on orders, of the Federation.
I thought the trigger for Metroid Prime Hunters was directly to Samus, but wiki says even that was done as a request by the Federation.
I still think this is a good way of looking at it, it would just be better if we had a game with something to counter the claim that she's neutral on paper but really still only doing work as the Federations lap dog, as Sylux might say.