Plot summary of Xenoblade Chronicles

This page describes a plot summary of Xenoblade Chronicles. It is not a full description nor a complete novelization, but simply an overview of major events.

Prologue
Long ago, two great titans appeared in an endless sea: the Bionis and Mechonis. They fought and killed each other, their corpses becoming immobile landmasses for life to arise on.

Eons later, the people of Bionis, the Homs, are fighting for survival against the invading hordes of Mechon from Mechonis. While the Homs army is defeated and must retreat, a trio continues fighting: the violent Mumkhar, the old hand Dickson, and Dunban, wielder of the mysterious and legendary sword called the Monado. As the battle continues, Mumkhar abandons the others in hopes of claiming the Monado for himself when they fall, but he fails to escape. Dunban charges ahead despite the sword's power weakening him, and a blinding light covers the battlefield.

Chapter 1
One year later, an 18-year old boy named Shulk is looking for useful parts at the Mechon Wreckage Site not far from Colony 9. He is attacked by a Krabble hiding in the junk, but his best friend Reyn hurries to help him defeat it. They return to the Colony afterward. Reyn departs at the and Shulk heads for the Weapon Development Lab in the Military District. There he finds Colonel Vangarre screaming at other soldiers. In the lab, Dickson was waiting for Shulk. They discuss the Monado which Shulk studies and if it might have hidden powers, and talk about what happened to Dunban a year ago.

At the same time, Fiora brings his older brother Dunban food to the bed. He is still wounded from the battle and has little control over his right arm. Dunban tells his sister to deliver food to Shulk. She finds Dickson at the pront of his house who explains that he told him to get some fresh air and that she can likely find him in Outlook Park. There, they meet each other, have lunch and enjoy the peaceful atmospheare.

They return to the lab and find Reyn taking the Monado. He loses control over it, damages some equipment and hits Fiora. She complains that Shulk cares more about the damaged equipment than her. He tells them that the Monado can't cut people. When he tries to put the Monado back onto its pedestal, he accidentally activates the weapon. He gets multiple visions of people he has never met before.

After discussing these strange events, Reyn tells him that he needs to grab some Ether Cylinders from the Mag Mell Ruins in Tephra Cave. Shulk agrees to tag along, but Fiora worries about Shulk's safety. Reyn promises her that he won't get a scratch. The two head out, but find Fiora again at the Tephra Cave Entrance who was carrying the transport cases that they forgot. She insists to come along as well, and the three head inside.

They reach the Cylinder Hangar far above Colony 9. They start collecting the cylinders, but two Ancient Machines emerge from the hangar's ceiling, attacking the party. They take both of them out and wonder what caused them to show up. Immediately after, they hear unusual sounds coming from outside. They find a fleet of Mechon invading Colony 9 emerging from the sky. They hurry back to the Colony.

Chapter 2
One year after the Battle of Sword Valley, the Mechon attack the Homs settlement Colony 9 on the foot of the Bionis. Dunban tries to fight the Mechon with the Monado, but fails. Instead, Shulk, a scientist studying the Monado, takes control and not only is able to control it, but also sees Visions of the future. Together with Reyn, they fight the Mechon. However, a unique Mechon that is known as Metal Face appears and cannot be harmed even with the Monado. Fiora, Dunban's sister and Shulk's and Reyn's childhood friend, attemps to attack it and gets stabbed by Metal Face.

Chapter 3
After the Mechon retreat together with Fiora's body, Shulk and Reyn swore revenge on the Mechon and began their journey to the upper regions of the Bionis.

Chapter 4
When the party reaches the Bionis' Leg, they find a boy named Juju and save him from angry Arduns. He tells them that Colony 6 was attacked by the Mechon too and leads them to the Refugee Camp where they meet Sharla, Juju's big sister. She tells them that his fiancé Gadolt was taken by the Mechon. After they realize that Juju disappeared in the night, they go together to find him. They find him being attacked by Xord, another faced Mechon. The party was unable to kill him and he fled together with Juju.

Chapter 5
The party reached the Ether Mine below Colony 6 where they meet Otharon, a survivor of Colony 6. Shulk sees a vision that it seems that he is unable to save Juju and Otharom. On the bottom of the mine, they fight Xord and Otharon survived, sowing Shulk that he is able to change the future. They take the freight elevator up where they get attacked by Xord one more time. After he finally dies and reach the outside, they are surrounded by many faced Mechon including Metal Face. Dunban and Dickson come to help, but the Mechon only retreat when a Telethia showed up. Shulk gets a series of many visions where he sees Prison Island, making that his next destination.

Chapter 7
After Otharon, Dickson and Juju left the party in Satorl Marsh and going up through the Bionis' Interior, the party reaches Makna Forest. They find a girl named Melia unconscious after a battle with a Telethia. Sharla sends Shulk to a shore near the Great Makna Falls to find Ether Crystals. There, he meets Alvis who teaches him that Telethia has the ability to read people's minds. He takes the Monado and shows Shulk how to defeat a Telethia that attacks them. Shulk asks him who he is and why he is able to control the Monado, but when Reyn returns, Alvis disappears. When they return, Sharla manages to heal Melia and she leads them towards Eryth Sea. When they reach Frontier Village, a place inhabited by the Nopon, Melia asks Chief Dunga to take Shulk and the others to Eryth Sea. She explains that she has unfinished business with the Telethia that injured her and killer her companions. Shulk decides to help her and defeats it deep in the forest.

Chapter 8
The party reaches Eryth Sea. They find Alcamoth, the capital of the High Entia that Melia belongs to, floating in the sky above the sea, together with Prison Island. In Alcamoth, Melia goes ahead and the rest gets arrested by soldiers because of the Monado.