The Metroid race is the namesake behind the iconic video game franchise, but they're not necessarily the series' most important species. There are also the Chozo, a race of bird-like beings who are just as important to the Metroids as they are to the story of Samus herself.
Metroid Dread is set to finally continue the franchise's story, and it may once again involve the Chozo, the progenitors of the eponymous aliens. Here's a look back at the Chozo, their connection to the Metroids, Samus and the X Parasites seen in the previous game.
The Chozo and the Metroids
The Chozo are an avian race of aliens who abandoned their previous martial culture and embraced one that valued intellect. This lead to them developing incredibly advanced technology, with their love of science and knowledge being combined with a shaman-like admiration for nature and life throughout the universe. The creatures would colonize other worlds, but never in an imperialistic way. Instead, they embraced the native worlds and studied their species. Planets they inhabited included Zebes, Elysia and SR388, many of which are prominent locations in the Metroid games.
On SR388, the Chozo encountered the dangerous X Parasites, who were the only creatures that came into modern conflict with. To deal with the threat, the Chozo used their technology to create a brand new species known as the Metroids. This would temporarily quell the threat of the X Parasites -- but an even bigger one had now been introduced into the galaxy.
The Chozo and Samus
The Chozo were known for their skills as warriors, which was backed up by their technology and physical prowess. Their bodies could survive toxic environments, and they also had the power to fly using their small wings. They also had incredibly long lifespans, which had a disastrous effect on their birth rate. Combined with their scientific acumen reaching as far as it could, this caused the Chozo to retreat from their interactions with others in the galaxy.
The Chozo would come to raise Samus Aran herself after she was orphaned from an attack by Space Pirates. They would infuse her with their blood and train her in their ways, though Samus would come to resemble them in other ways as well.
Her Power Suit was based off of a similar type of armor that the Chozo used. This is why weapons and upgrades are usually found in giant Chozo statues throughout the games. These weapons imitated their strong skin and gave Samus powers of theirs such as increased agility, speed, strength and the Morph Ball ability. Sadly, Samus' heritage with the Chozo would be the last time that they had any real prominence in the galaxy.
The Legacy of the Chozo
Once Samus became an adult, she left the Chozo and became a bounty hunter. Afterward, a catastrophe would befall the species and see their numbers almost entirely wiped from existence. Many throughout the galaxy assumed that the rampant growth of the Metroids had come back to bite their creators, with Metroid: Samus Returns confirming that many of the Chozo had been massacred by the creatures.
The Chozo Ghosts seen in the Metroid Prime games are supposedly the results of members of the species ascending to a higher, spiritual plane of existence, all the while having these new forms corrupted by the presence of the energy source Phazon. Some believe that the Chozo have simply remained even further in hiding than ever before, evading the detection of even Samus and the Galactic Federation. This would make some sense, as they might be increasingly blamed for the rise of the Metroids that they created.
The truth behind their disappearance is likely a combination of these explanations, but the idea that they simply retreated from visibility is somewhat confirmed for the upcoming Metroid Dread. This long-delayed game is finally releasing for Nintendo Switch, and it will give a look at where the franchise's narrative goes after Metroid Fusion. It's been confirmed that a living Chozo will be a part of Dread, having shown up in Samus Returns. Also confirmed is that the species as a whole still exists and is simply in hiding, wishing to avoid attention.
It's unknown how big of a role this Chozo or the species in general will have in Metroid Dread, but it will likely bring the story of Samus and the Metroids themselves full circle. The Metroids were created by the Chozo, while Samus was raised by them. Likewise, Samus had her DNA fused with both the Chozo in her youth and the last surviving Metroid in Metroid Fusion. Now representing the Chozo's greatest failure and success, Samus' next adventure could feature a very different relationship with the Chozo unlike anything that's come before.