Chozo

The Chozo were an ancient yet highly advanced race of bird-like extraterrestrials that inhabited several planets in the cosmos, including Zebes, Elysia, SR388, Tallon IV and likely 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 "race of bird-humans". The English name is a contraction of this term, and is recently gaining popularity among the Japanese fans too.

Culture
The Chozo culture seems to have always been a peaceful one, prizing knowledge in all its forms. The Chozo were explorers in every sense of the word, simultaneously seeking scientific and technological advancement, interstellar exploration, and primal shamanistic wisdom. They had an outmost respect of the natural fauna found in every planet they visited, with one exception. They often shared their wisdom with other races either equally or not as advanced as their own. The balance between technology and spiritualism seems 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 advanced 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.

History
The history of the Chozo is shrouded in mystery, and what is known has no accurate timeline associated with it, save only that they existed well more than 1500 years ago. 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. It is known that long ago they made contact with many races throughout the cosmos, including the Luminoth (whom they may have met upon their travels, as it makes reference to them meeting them and sharing some of their technologies and wisdom as well as some religious influences), the Reptilicus, 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 and lore to mark their passing, the last of which is likely Tallon IV. The Chozo of Zebes 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.

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, there is a model of an unknown solar system 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. The Chozo trained Samus to become a warrior of their people, and gave her the trademark Power Suit. Eventually Samus parted ways with the Chozo and became a Federation bounty hunter. Other than 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. 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. Yet others believe there are surviving Chozo, albeit in hiding (this is true for Old Bird). Likely, a combination of all of the above factors were responsible the Chozo disappearance and it would seem that in all but isolated cases, the Chozo as a whole no longer physically grace the cosmos.

Known Chozo

 * Old Bird
 * Grey Voice
 * Platinum Chest
 * De'la
 * Dryn
 * Ou-Qua
 * Chozo Searcher(?)

(?): True name unknown.

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."

Trivia

 * The only games where the relics of the Chozo are not present are Metroid Prime Hunters and Metroid Fusion. Though they were not in the game, Samus met a species almost identical to the Chozo in Echoes (the Luminoth) 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."

This can be proven as the statues blasted Meta Ridley off of the Impact Crater because Ridley had destroyed the entryway.
 * The statues that the Chozo have built are probably alive just like the Elysians on Elysia, as the Chozo gave them 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."


 * The Chozo Statues were implied to be biologically organic in nature in Metroid Fusion, as Samus had to battle a Core-X that was mimicking a Chozo Statue in Sector SRX, and the X-Parasites can't mimic machine/inorganic substances.


 * In the Metroid manga, the Chozo call the Metroid 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.

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."''