Stumbled into the Sanctum of the Guardians in Fury Green and found yourself staring at a mysterious device with absolutely no clue what to do? You’re not alone. This room with its fancy Psychic Recording Data Playback Device seems like it should be important, but if you show up before defeating the area boss, it’s basically just a fancy empty room.
Don’t worry — this isn’t some cryptic puzzle you’re missing. The Sanctum of the Guardians serves a very specific (and honestly pretty helpful) purpose that becomes clear once you progress a bit further. Let me break down exactly what this room is for and how to use it.
For more strategies on navigating Fury Green, check out our explosive force and Missile Launcher guide and our complete Metroid Prime 4 Beyond gameplay guide.
What Is the Sanctum of the Guardians in Metroid Prime 4?
Here’s the thing: the Sanctum of the Guardians isn’t really a puzzle room at all. It’s actually a boss log archive — essentially a second-chance scanning station for completionists and anyone who missed scanning a major boss during combat.
If you’re the type of player who likes to fill out your entire data log (and honestly, who doesn’t love that satisfying 100% completion?), this room is going to be your best friend. It allows you to replay holographic recordings of every major boss in Metroid Prime 4 so you can scan them at your leisure without the pressure of dodging attacks.
When to Return to the Sanctum of the Guardians
The room won’t be functional until you’ve defeated at least one major boss. Here’s the sequence of events:
Step 1: Find the Boss Arena
From the Sanctum of the Guardians, exit through the large door to the south. This leads directly to the Garden of Remembrance, where you’ll face off against Carvex, Fury Green’s main boss encounter.
Step 2: Defeat Carvex
Take down Carvex in the boss fight. This is a mandatory story encounter, so you can’t skip it. Once you claim victory, you’ll unlock Psychic Bombs — a crucial upgrade for your Morph Ball that lets you interact with psychic nodes scattered throughout the environment.
If you managed to scan Carvex during the battle, great! If not, don’t sweat it — that’s exactly what the Sanctum is for.
Step 3: Head Back to the Sanctum
Once you have Psychic Bombs, make your way back to the Sanctum of the Guardians. You’ll immediately notice something has changed — the room is now active and ready to use.
How to Use the Sanctum of the Guardians
Now that you’ve got Psychic Bombs and defeated Carvex, here’s how to activate the boss hologram:
Locate the Psychic Node
Look at the second statue from the left in the room. Switch to Visor mode and you’ll spot a psychic node that you can now interact with thanks to your new Psychic Bomb ability.
Pick Up and Place the Node
- Grab the psychic node using your Morph Ball’s Psychic Bombs
- Carry it to the Psychic Recording Data Playback Device in the center of the room
- Place the node into the device to power it up
Align the Crystal
Once the device activates, you’ll see a glowing purple crystal that needs to be moved into the correct position.
- Move the crystal to the 10:00 position (upper left slot)
- The crystal should lock into place when positioned correctly
Scan the Hologram
If you’ve done everything correctly, a holographic projection of Carvex will appear. Now you can scan it at your leisure and add the complete boss entry to your data log — no combat required!
All Five Major Bosses in the Sanctum
According to the pattern, it appears that all five major bosses in Metroid Prime 4 will eventually have their holograms available in this room once you defeat them. This makes the Sanctum of the Guardians your one-stop shop for catching up on any boss scans you missed during the heat of battle.
If you’re a completionist (and let’s be honest, if you’re reading this guide, you probably are), make a mental note to return here after each major boss fight to ensure your data log is complete.
Why This Room Matters
The Sanctum of the Guardians might seem like a minor feature, but it’s actually a really thoughtful quality-of-life addition:
- No scan pressure during boss fights — You can focus entirely on combat strategy without worrying about missing the scan window
- Completionist-friendly — Makes achieving 100% data log completion far less stressful
- Educational — You can study boss models and details more carefully without getting blasted
- Forgiving design — Acknowledges that not everyone catches every scan in real-time combat
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to scan bosses in the Sanctum to progress in Metroid Prime 4?
No, scanning bosses (whether during the fight or later in the Sanctum) is entirely optional and only affects your data log completion. You won’t be locked out of any story progression if you skip scanning entirely. However, completionists will definitely want to fill out that log!
What happens if I already scanned a boss during the actual fight?
If you successfully scanned a boss during combat, their hologram will still appear in the Sanctum of the Guardians after you defeat them, but you don’t need to scan it again since the log entry is already complete. You can still view the hologram if you want to study the boss model more carefully or just admire your handiwork.
Can I access boss holograms in any order in the Sanctum of the Guardians?
Yes, once you’ve defeated multiple bosses, their holograms should all be available in the Sanctum. You’re not limited to viewing them in the order you defeated them. This means you can come back at any point later in the game to catch up on multiple missed scans at once.
What are Psychic Bombs used for besides the Sanctum?
Psychic Bombs are used extensively throughout Metroid Prime 4 to interact with psychic nodes you’ll find in various locations. These nodes often unlock secret passages, activate mechanisms, or reveal hidden upgrades. The Sanctum is just your first major use of this ability — you’ll be using Psychic Bombs constantly as you backtrack to previously inaccessible areas.
So there you have it — the Sanctum of the Guardians demystified! It’s not a complex puzzle, just a convenient way to ensure you don’t miss out on those precious boss scans. Now get back out there and finish exploring Fury Green!
