That's some heavy shit.

If you think cut-scenes are required to show character then you are sorely mistaken. We don't need cutscenes to tell us what a character is feeling, often just playing them in their setting can tell us a great idea about what they are afraid/not afraid of. If you do require a cutscene to show character then here's proof that Samus pauses for less than 5 seconds when Ridley appears in Zero Mission (the revamp of the original).

I don't know where you're getting the idea that the Prime trilogy isn't canon when its on an official nintendo timeline of the series.

It is also worth pointing out that Ridley fled first from the station in Super Metroid, and Samus only made her escape once the station began to self-destruct. And you are mistaken again, as Super Metroid is one of the main titles that builds Samus's character. In fact Other M works entirely off her relationship to the Baby from Super Metroid, a relationship that defines Samus's character, one that came to a climax during the final fight. Also you are wrong about the lack of cutscenes