Prison Island

The future doesn't belong to you!
For those who have not completed games in the Xenoblade Chronicles series, this page contains spoilers regarding the plot. Discretion is advised.

Prison Island Location — The Prison Island area

Prison Island (監獄島, Kangokutō) is an area in Xenoblade Chronicles. At the middle of the story progression, during the first visits, it is a floating island in Eryth Sea, on Bionis' head. At the end of the game, the Prison Island lies into the Bionis' head, with several changes involving locations and landmarks, enemies as well as the Collectables and Heart-to-Hearts availabilities.

Prison Island (Midgame)

Prison Island is a floating island in Eryth Sea, on Bionis' head. Shulk visits the island when Metal Face is about to invade Eryth Sea, along with the Mechon. There are no collectables, Unique Monsters or Heart-to-Hearts. All of the transporters cannot function, since it is a small area. Instead, the party leader has to use the dark transporters, which will take them up to the next floor. There are only three floors on Prison Island during the early visit: GF, 4F and 6F.

After the cutscene involving Sorean releasing the seal on Zanza on Prison Island, the weather on Eryth Sea, Alcamoth and Prison Island will all transition to a permanent thunderstorm on a random hour of when the next weather change occurs in the game, if the weather isn't already thunderstorm. Changing the time in the game will instantly make the weather change to thunderstorm. The permanent thunderstorm weather effect will remain in Eryth Sea, Alcamoth and Prison Island until after defeating Metal Face.

After the events at the Mechonis Core, this area becomes completely inaccessible and cannot be accessed through skip travel either. But can still be viewed from the area screen. However, a brand new area with the same name becomes accessible upon entering the dark teleporter in the Bionis' Interior. It is the same Prison Island, but is completely separate from this Prison Island in the game's coding. As such, it has a different map design, the model is slightly different, it is treated as a different area, and is more explorable.

Story

It is named Prison Island because in legend, the ancestors of the High Entia imprisoned something here. Soon after departing Colony 6, Shulk has a vision of the terrace, and that the Monado easily slashes through Metal Face's armor. Because of this, he decides to travel here to boost the Monado's power. When he arrives with his party, they head up to the top and find a chained giant, Zanza. Shulk frees the giant, who releases the Monado's power in return, transforming it into the Monado II. Not long afterwards, Metal Face arrives and shoots Zanza and slashes Sorean Antiqua, killing both the giant and the High Entia Emperor. Just as the party is about to defeat Metal Face, Face Nemesis jumps in the way. The armor is damaged, revealing that this Faced Mechon is Fiora, who flies away with Metal Face. Shulk and his friends leave Prison Island, planning to head to Sword Valley and find Fiora.

Purpose

When first mentioned, Prison Island is said to be a floating prison under High Entia Imperial jurisdiction. But it later becomes clear that there is only one prisoner — Zanza in the body of the giant, Arglas. Its only accessible interior room is an entrance path with an opulent staircase and demonic decor. Zanza does not live in this vast interior, but instead was long chained on a high terrace. Furthermore, the High Entia admit that Prison Island was not built by them, but has existed for a very long time.

Landmarks and Locations

Prisonisland1-6f — Map of Prison Island upon arriving for the first time

Landmarks

Landmarks GF

Landmarks 6F

Prison Terrace

Locations

Locations GF

Central Hall

Locations 4F

Great Canyon

Enemies

Minor Enemies

Boss

Metal Face

Prison Island (Endgame)

Prison Island was originally above the Bionis' head, however Zanza has sunk the island into the Bionis' head. It serves as the last area in the game that can be used for skip travel. The only way to accessing Prison Island within the Bionis' head for the first time, is to use the dark teleporter inside the Bionis' heart in the Bionis' Interior. Which can be done after defeating Disciple Lorithia. Unlike when Prison Island was located above the Bionis' head, it is now filled with collectables, Heart-to-Hearts and Unique Monsters.

Prison Island Revisited

After Bionis awakens, Prison Island sinks into its head. After defeating Lorithia at Bionis' Interior, Shulk and his party use the dark teleporter to reach here, intending to defeat Dickson. The map is different to the first time they visit, and many more areas are accessible. Eventually they reach the terrace, where they fight Dickson. Upon victory, they use another dark teleporter to reach Memory Space, ready to confront Zanza.

Changes

Prison Island Reawakening — Prison Island after the Bionis' reawakening

The monsters seen flying around Prison Island during the first visit are no longer present, being replaced with new enemies on all floors. Collectables can now be found on Prison Island. Previously the exterior paths experienced the same weather as Eryth Sea, but now the weather on Prison Island is always fair.

The Prison Terrace landmark cannot be used for quick travel, and the transporters used by the party during the first visit are no longer functional, cutting off the original route between floors GF, 4F, and 6F. Other transporters that had been nonfunctional during the first visit now work, giving access to the remaining floors 1F, 2F, 3F, and 5F. In addition, an upper walkway on GF can now be reached via the Kitchen on 1F, and two secret rooms on the main level of GF can now be opened.