Chozo Artifact

The Chozo Artifacts are a set of twelve relics, found in Metroid Prime and its spin-off, Metroid Prime Pinball. They are essentially keys known collectively as the "Cipher", which unlock the "Cradle", a protective barrier placed around the Impact Crater to quarantine the Phazon corruption of Tallon IV.
==Metroid Prime==
The Artifact Temple can be accessed by Samus Aran after she collects the Missile Launcher. There, she finds the first Chozo Artifact, the Artifact of Truth, and learns of the other eleven.
Unlike many items in the game, the hint system never points out the location of any particular artifact. However, the Chozo Totems in the Artifact Temple can be scanned to give clues as to the location of the artifacts. More clues become available as more artifacts are found. The artifacts can be obtained in any order desired and do not require the first one at the Artifact Temple to be obtained beforehand, nor are the hint scans required.
Any Chozo Artifacts obtained will be shown in Samus's Logbook page. Where their respective hint would be at in the Logbook will instead display "Artifact acquired", eliminating the hint as it is no longer necessary. Any Chozo Artifacts returned to the Artifact Temple will power up one of the twelve totem slabs lining the area. Scanning them will no longer produce their related hint and instead the totem will state that "you have restored power to this Chozo Totem".
Once all twelve artifacts have been collected and returned to the Artifact Temple, the Cipher activates, opening up a path to the Impact Crater. Before Samus can proceed further, Meta Ridley attempts to stop her, and the ensuing battle destroys most of the totems. After Ridley receives enough damage, the once peaceful statues surrounding the Artifact Temple start to glow. The glow goes from blue to red as the statues unleash powerful laser blasts on Ridley who then plunges into the depths of the crater. Once he is defeated several figures that appear to be non-violent Chozo Ghosts rise up in the positions of the original totems and open the path to Metroid Prime itself.
The official website states: "Samus Aran's mission on Tallon IV has resulted in some interesting discoveries about the ancient Chozo race and their behavior. Evidence suggests that the Chozo constructed a towering structure known as the Artifact Temple many years ago. Its purpose is as of yet unknown, but data scanning of the region shows that the planet's most intense energy emissions pulsate from the Temple. The structure is barred by an elaborate locking mechanism which requires a key consisting of 12 individual Chozo Artifacts. These Artifacts are believed to be scattered and well hidden all over Tallon IV. The physical composition of these artifacts is unknown. A rough translation of Chozo legend has provided the following names for the 12 Artifacts."
In the New Play Control! and Metroid Prime Trilogy versions of Prime, a Silver Credit is rewarded for each Artifact acquired. This also happens in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes when a Dark Temple Key is obtained.
==Official Data==
===Metroid Prime manual===
;ARTIFACTS
:"This section of the Log Book tracks twelve Artifacts left behind by the Chozo. Without all twelve of these Artifacts, Samus cannot succeed in her mission."
===Metroid Prime Trilogy manual===
;About the Chozo Artifacts
:"Chozo Artifacts are special relics left by the Chozo. If you scan a hologram somewhere, you will be able to get hints on the whereabouts of each Chozo Artifact."
===Artifact of Truth scan===
"This is a Chozo Artifact. Collect it, then scan the Totems here for clues on the locations of the remaining Artifacts. Together, the Artifacts will open a path to the center of the Impact Crater."
===Metroid Prime: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide===
;PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY
:"The Artifact Temple has slots for 12 Chozo Artifacts. You can scan the pillars for clues about Artifact locations, but only a few will be active at any given time. Below, we've listed the clues for each Artifact. If you want exact directions to an Artifact, check the index on page 136. We'll give you one right now--the Artifact of Truth will automatically be yours when you enter the center pillar." 
==Metroid Prime Pinball==
As in Metroid Prime, the twelve artifacts are needed in the Artifact Temple to access the Impact Crater in Metroid Prime Pinball. However, the artifacts are collected as rewards for completing tasks such as mini-games or boss battles and do not have individual names. At least one artifact must come from Thardus and at least one must come from the Omega Pirate, but the other ten can come from one of many Mini-Games.
Once Samus has all twelve artifacts and accesses the Artifact Temple, Samus must instead use six 'artifact balls', or artifacts which have morphed into pinball form; as opposed to her own Morph Ball. There are twelve statues in the temple, and a ball must be hit into each one to complete the stage. Lost artifact balls can be restored by hitting certain bumpers in the temple. Meta Ridley appears in this game as well, attempting to destroy the artifacts; although he is never defeated, he will instead flee when the stage is complete. If all the artifact balls are destroyed or lost, then Samus loses a ball and will have to try again. If the stage is completed, the Impact Crater stage becomes available. Any stage will present Samus with a Special instead if she completes a task that would normally yield an Artifact.
==Metroid Prime 3: Corruption==
Several Chozo artifact symbols are seen on SkyTown, Elysia in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. They are featured on the pieces of the Theronian Bomb, as well as several light sources in rooms on SkyTown and the landing pad of the Main Docking Bay. Most tellingly, the scan images used for the SkyTown Creatures and SkyTown Data sections of the Logbook prominently depict Chozo Artifacts. This would seem to imply that the Chozo Artifact is a symbol that holds some type of significance for their species. Also, shortly after Samus defeats Gandrayda, Aurora Unit 242 contacts her and says that Aurora Unit 217 has discovered "hidden Chozo artifacts" on SkyTown, which turns out to be the Spider Ball.
==Development notes==
Animation data for the Artifact of Sun refers to it with the title "Heaven". All other artifacts are referred to with their name (e.g. the Artifact of Truth is named "Truth"), implying that the Artifact of Sun was originally titled the Artifact of Heaven.
An unused Chozo Lore entry found in Metroid Prime Trilogy reveals the creator of the Artifacts was a Chozo individual only called the Master Artisan.
Due to concerns that Prime would be too short, Nintendo came up with the idea of a "fetch quest" at the end to retrieve the Artifacts. It was a late addition to the game.Kiwi Talkz. "#144 - Jack Mathews Interview - Metroid Prime 20th Anniversary (Crunch, A.I., Fetch Quest, Bosses )". YouTube. November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJkxpG5R9PI (starts at 44:03)
==Trivia==
*The Get Artifact Jingle plays every time a Chozo Artifact is acquired.
*Two artifact hints – Lifegiver and World – do not directly mention the room name the Artifacts themselves are housed in, instead referencing the connecting room. Both Artifacts are housed in the Chozo Ruins, within small otherwise empty rooms containing a vertically placed Door.
*The Artifact of Chozo is used as a placeholder object for certain models such as Pirate Data models and a Dark Temple Key within the Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Bonus Disc. Similarly within the same game, the Artifact of Truth is used as a placeholder model for the Trooper Logs.
==Gallery==
Artifact of Truth Thermal.png|The Artifact of Truth seen with the Thermal Visor.
Prime Chozo Artifact hologram model.png|Hologram model from Prime.
==References==
ru:Артефакт Чозо
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Category:Chozo
Category:Artifact Temple
Category:Recurring Items
Category:Symbols