Chozo

The Chozo (Japanese: 鳥人族 (Chou-jin-zoku)) were an ancient and highly advanced race of sage-like avian sentients that inhabited several planets in the cosmos, including Zebes, Elysia, SR388, Tallon IV and possibly others. Although the eventual fate of the race as a whole is unknown, countless ruins and technological wonders are littered throughout the many planets they once inhabited.

The original Japanese name for the Chozo is 鳥人族 (chōjin-zoku) which literally means "bird-man race". The English name is a contraction of this term.

Culture
The Chozo culture seemed to have been a peaceful one for the most part, prizing knowledge in all its forms. They were explorers in every sense of the word, seeking scientific and technological advancement alongside primal shamanistic wisdom, both simultaneously. This is in contrast to their original nature, which was more proud and warrior-like.

The Chozo had an utmost respect of the natural fauna found in every planet they visited, with one exception that they deemed a massive threat due to the danger that it provided to all other forms of life. As such, the Chozo weren't above using their highly-advanced technology to create a whole new species to combat said threat.

They often shared their knowledge and wisdom with other races that were equally advanced as them, as well as ones that were not as advanced as their own. The balance between technology and spiritualism seemed to be another defining trait of the Chozo culture.

Many of their structures were built of stone, although it is clear they were capable of using far more complicated materials and building techniques. This is most prevalent in the crafting of their statues, which seem to be present in all Chozo colonies. This art form was considered to be a sacred process, reserved only for those Chozo who had lifetimes of experience in such things. They also used illustrations similar to Ancient Egyptian art to depict aspects of their culture.

However, a split between the Chozo was implied to have occurred after their creation, the Metroids, grew out of control. While it's still unknown why this split happened, it's known that at least a few Chozo have not renounced their old, warlike ways.

History
The history of the Chozo is shrouded in mystery, and what is known has no accurate timeline associated with it, save that they existed well more than 1500 years before the events of the Metroid series, possessed the most advanced technology and were once proud of their greatly advanced fighting strength. The species used to have a pair of wings that enabled flight on their backs, long ago. Due to their great longevity, old age wreaked havoc on their ability to reproduce, causing a steep decline in their numbers. This seemed to have an impact on their view of themselves as a warrior race and thus changed to a non-violent one. Sources also state that the Chozo's technology reached a point where it could advance no further, thus the race chose to withdraw itself and watch over other bioforms.

It is known that long ago they made contact with other races throughout the cosmos, including the Bryyonians, Humans, the Luminoth (whom they have met upon their travels and shared some of their technologies, wisdom, and culture) and likely the Ylla.

As explorers and seekers of knowledge, they traded knowledge and wisdom with many of the races that they encountered. They built the observatory known as SkyTown high above the clouds of Elysia and built the robotic Elysians, later giving them the gift of self-awareness. They colonized several worlds and left behind many relics, machinery (such as drones/robots) and lore to mark their passing, the last of which is likely Tallon IV.

Many of the items Samus Aran collects in her missions contain the physical abilities the bird-like race possessed and excelled at. In the Super Metroid (Nintendo Power comic), Old Bird states that the Power Suit is meant to be tough, like the skin of a Chozo. The Chozo of Zebes, who arrived via the Wrecked Ship, were known to have a "mental block" from physically harming others, such that when Grey Voice attacked Mother Brain, he was caused immense pain and nearly immobilized. This block might have been implemented when the Chozo changed their warrior-like habits and became a peaceful race.

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, there is a model of an unknown solar system depicted on a Celestial clock that may represent the Chozo home solar system.

Recent history
The Chozo were the adoptive parents of Samus Aran, having found Samus at Earth Colony K-2L after a Space Pirate attack destroyed the colony and killed her parents. After using their technology to infuse their blood into the young orphan, the Chozo trained Samus to become a warrior of their people, and gave her the trademark Power Suit. When Samus eventually reached adulthood, she parted ways with the Chozo, and became a Bounty Hunter. Besides this contact and one other (with Old Bird in the Super Metroid (comic)), there have been no documented encounters with the Chozo, save only with their ghostly forms on the surface of Tallon IV (who may or may not still be present after the events of Metroid Prime).

What exactly happened to all of the Chozo as a whole remains a mystery. Some sources say that the Chozo were killed off by continual Space Pirate raiding or by out-of-control Metroids and/or X Parasites. Other sources would indicate that the Chozo attained some form of ascension beyond physical being or exist only in a maddened state of dimensional flux upon Tallon IV due to Phazon, existing as the apparations known as Chozo Ghosts. Finally, there are sources which state there are surviving Chozo, albeit in hiding (this is true for Old Bird) or simply having left to an unknown destination far from any currently known galaxy in the Metroid series. Likely, a combination of all of the above factors were responsible for the Chozo's disappearance and it would seem that in all but isolated cases, the Chozo as a whole no longer physically grace the cosmos.

While the Chozo themselves were highly devoted in maintaining peace throughout the galaxy, they ironically unleashed two of the greatest threats to that very same devotion for peace: the Metroids and the Mother Brain, both originally intended for noble causes. The legendary female bounty hunter known as Samus Aran who also happens to be their creation, albeit from a figurative standpoint, eventually corrected the Chozo's "mistakes".

Interview
"I have a question regarding the design materials in the Development Room's [part of the site]; in the manga, the Chozo were described as a peaceful race, but in these documents, why are they only shown as a warrior race everywhere?"

Yoshio Sakamoto: "Formerly, the Chozo had advanced technology and were a race proud of their advanced fighting strength. However, due to their long lives, their fertility decreased and their civilization declined, so they changed their personality to a non-violent race. The Chozo gave Samus the "Powered Suit" which was created by assembling together the essence of this advanced technology."

Official Metroid Prime website
"Homeworld: Undetermined

Civilization type: Unknown

''The Chozo are a wise race of birdlike humanoids who prize peace over all other things. They have built many civilizations on planets across the universe and have spread knowledge and goodwill wherever they've found life, always striving to find the higher truths to the universe. They've left signs of their presence not only on planet Zebes, but on many other planets as well. It is not known when the Chozo started to build their civilization on Tallon IV or how long they lived there.''

The great bounty hunter Samus Aran's Power Suit was designed using Chozo technology, but the exact connection between Samus and the Chozo is unknown.

''The Chozo exhibit both humanoid and bird-like traits. The Chozo's head is avian in nature, but its arms and legs are very much like a human's limbs. Unfortunately, very little is known about the physical composition of the Chozo body."''

Metroid Prime manual
"The Chozo... Over millennia, this bird-like race of creatures made incredible technological and scientific leaps. Traveling at will through space, they built many marvels across the universe-technologi- cal wonders of unfathomable complexity and cities unmatched in beauty. They shared their knowledge freely with more primitive cultures and learned to respect and care for the life in all its forms.

''Even as their society reached its technological peak, however, the Chozo felt their spirituality wane. Their culture was steeped in prophecy and lore, and they foresaw the decline of the Chozo coinciding with the rise of evil. Horrified by the increasing violence in the universe, they began to withdraw into themselves, forgoing technology in favor of simplicity. Tallon IV was one of the several refuges they built - a colony bereft of technology, built of natural materials and wedded to the land and its creatures.''

''The years passed, and in time a great meteor crashed into Tallon IV, sending a massive spume of matter into the atmosphere and impregnating the land with a cancerous element known as Phazon. This element immediately sank into the earth and water, poisoning life wher- ever it bloomed. Most plants and animals died, while others mutated into hideous forms.''

''The Chozo called upon all of their knowledge and technology to control the power of the Phazon, but their efforts were doomed to fail. All they could do was build a temple over the crater at the impact site, sepa- rate the Phazon core, and seal it away. Believing that someday a savior would return to the planet, the Chozo left for an unknown destination, leaving behind nothing but engraved accounts of their time on Tallon IV."''

Trivia

 * The only games where the relics of the Chozo are not present are Metroid Prime Hunters, Metroid Fusion, and Metroid: Other M. Though they were not in-game, Samus met a species similar in purpose to the Chozo in Echoes (the Luminoth, along with relics that combined both races' technology) and in Hunters (the Alimbics). In Metroid Fusion, she discovered an X Parasite mimicking a Chozo Statue.
 * Most Metroid games mention the intelligence of the Chozo, but they mention only their technological inventions until Metroid Prime. They saw the future of the Leviathan and Metroid Prime. The method for how the Chozo looked into the future is unknown, only that they went to Tallon IV to rid themselves of their technology so it may have been some sort of advanced spiritual/supernatural ability. The lore in Metroid Prime states this:
 * "At the highest point of our city lies the fountain, a wellspring of pure water that flows throughout our civilization. It is the jewel of the Chozo, the life-giver, and yet its waters speak of a clouded future. As we come to understand the paths of time and space more clearly, we have begun to glimpse rough tatters of past and future, glittering behind reality like soft lights behind a curtain. We have seen the fountain in these glimpses, pouring darkness instead of water, and we cannot guess what the visions mean."
 * The statues that the Chozo have built, such as the Torizos, are probably alive though to a lesser extent than the Elysians on Elysia, as the Chozo gave the latter the gift of self awareness. Scans from Metroid Prime state, "As we have done for millennia, we Chozo work constantly on our statuary. The statues are our sentinels: blind but ever watchful, they are and have always been, repositories for our most precious secrets and strongest powers. The crafting of each is a long and sacred process, performed only by those Chozo who have lifetimes of experience in such things. We have left these relics on planets across the solar system. Some are merely reminders: silent emblems of the Chozo that serve as icons of peace in lands that know only war. Others wield subtle strength, exerting their influence in ways beyond the understanding of mortal creatures. Still others are guardians of our secret ways, and these can be as terrible as they are beautiful. Those who respect and honor these relics will know the friendship of the Chozo. Those who deface or destroy them will know our wrath, unfettered and raw." This can be proven as the statues blasted Meta Ridley off of the Impact Crater for having destroyed the entryway.
 * However, the cause for the Torizo's aggressive behaviors toward Samus on Zebes is never officially explained.
 * The Chozo Statues and Torizos were implied to be biologically organic in nature in Metroid Fusion, as Samus had to battle two Core-X that were mimicking them in Sector SRX and Sector TRO, and the X-Parasites can't mimic machines and inorganic substances.
 * In the Metroid manga, the Chozo call the Metroids their children because they created them, not intending that they kill all life in their path.
 * Oddly, all of the Zebesian Chozo in the manga have names consisting of colors and words, while all Elysian Chozo in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption have names of a wholly extraterrestrial origin. This discrepancy has not been explained, as no other Chozo were named in any other official media. It could be a cultural difference between planets, or perhaps the Zebesian Chozos' names were not their real name. Another suggestion could be that the name composed of a color and a word are simply a translation of the name of extraterrestrial origin.
 * The faces of Chozo slightly resemble the mask used by plague doctor.
 * It is noted that the technology of the Chozo is arguably more advanced than the Galactic Federation's, proven with the GF's Plasma Gun, a prototype of a reversed-engineered Plasma Beam developed by Chozo. Both weapons have the same approximate power output, the Federation's version takes a frustratingly long time to charge a single blast and requires a large power source, while the Chozo version is small by comparison (being integrated into Samus Aran's Arm Cannon) and can charge a blast in mere seconds. Other Chozo tech that have been reversed-engineered are the weapons and armors seen in Metroid Fusion and possibly the Aurora Units from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
 * The murals depicting a green-skinned Chozo holding a shepherd's crook resemble Osiris, the Egyptian God of the dead and afterlife.
 * The Super Metroid Nintendo Player's Guide says "Torizo and Chozo basically mean the same thing"[1], but this is incorrect. The Japanese name for Torizo is 鳥人像 (Chou-jin-zou?), which literally means "bird-person-statue", whereas Chozo is 鳥人族 (Chou-jin-zoku?), which literally means "bird-person-tribe".

Appearances

 * Metroid (Manual, statues)
 * Metroid (1986 manga)
 * Metroid II: Return of Samus
 * Super Game Boy Player's Guide
 * Super Metroid (Manual, statues)
 * Super Metroid (Manga) (Statues)
 * Super Metroid (Nintendo Power comic)
 * Super Metroid Nintendo Player's Guide
 * Super Smash Bros. (Mentioned)
 * Super Smash Bros. Melee (Mentioned, statues)
 * Metroid Fusion (Manual, statues)
 * Metroid Prime (Manual, lore, statues)
 * Metroid Prime (Comic) (Statues)
 * Metroid (2002 manga)
 * Game Boy Player (Statue on packaging)
 * WarioWare: Twisted
 * Metroid-Morph Ball (Statues)


 * Metroid: Zero Mission (Flashback, manual, statues)
 * Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Mentioned)
 * Metroid Prime Pinball (Statues)
 * Metroid Prime Hunters (Mentioned indirectly)
 * Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Lore, statues)
 * Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Mentioned, statues)
 * New Play Control! Metroid Prime (Manual, lore, statues)
 * New Play Control! Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Mentioned)
 * Metroid Prime Trilogy (Lore, statues)
 * Metroid Prime Trilogy art booklet


 * Samus & Joey: Volume 2 (Flashback)