Artyom

Lore & Background

Artyom was born before the nuclear war and moved into the Moscow Metro as a child. His mother was killed by a horde of carnivorous rats, and he was saved by Sukhoi, a military officer who raised him as his son at VDNKh station. Ten years before the novel's events, Artyom and his friend went to the surface at the neighbouring station, Botanical Gardens. They were unable to seal the exit after their visit, and the Dark Ones have been using this entrance to the metro ever since. Feeling a sense of responsibility for the Dark Ones' attacks and seeking adventure, Artyom accepts a mission from Hunter to carry a message to a man named Melnik at Polis with news of the threat. His journey takes him through hostile stations, encounters with the Fourth Reich, criminal gangs, and cannibals, and ultimately to the surface at Ostankino Tower, where he provides targeting co-ordinates for a missile strike on the Dark Ones' hive.

In Their Own Story

Artyom begins his journey towards the centre of the Metro. His first companion, Bourbon, is killed by a psychic force transmitted through the pipes. Artyom is then guided by a mystic named Khan, who leads him to Kitai-Gorod, but they become separated during an attack by the Fourth Reich. Artyom flees, is captured by the Reich, and sentenced to death for killing an officer. Just before his execution, a band of revolutionary fighters intervene and rescue him. After reaching Polis and delivering his message to Melnik, Artyom is contacted by the Brahmins, who offer a solution to the threat of the Dark Ones in exchange for his help recovering a sacred book. Artyom travels to the surface with Melnik and a young Brahmin called Daniel. They enter the library and are attacked by mutated 'librarians'. Daniel is mortally wounded but gives Artyom an envelope containing directions to a functioning missile silo. Artyom and Melnik flee without the book. Later, Artyom becomes involved in the search for a missing child, Oleg, and is abducted by a tribe of cannibals who worship 'The Great Worm'. They are rescued by Melnik and a squad of fighters and escape into Metro-2, secret tunnels that lead to the missile site. The team pass through a metro station leading to the Kremlin, which contains a mutated bio-weapon that kills several of them, including Oleg. Artyom reaches Ostankino Tower and provides the missile site with the location of the Dark Ones' hive. As the missiles fall, Artyom has a vision and realizes the Dark Ones had been trying to make contact, not attack. He tears his mask off and heads back home in tears.

Reader's Guide

Artyom is the protagonist of the novel *Metro 2033*. He is a 24-year-old man born before the nuclear war, raised by Sukhoi at VDNKh station. His journey begins when he accepts a mission from Hunter to deliver a message to Melnik at Polis about the threat of the Dark Ones. Along the way, he faces psychic forces, the Fourth Reich, criminal gangs, cannibals, and mutated creatures. He travels through Metro-2, a secret set of tunnels, and ultimately reaches Ostankino Tower to provide targeting co-ordinates for a missile strike. In the end, he realizes the Dark Ones were trying to make contact, and the missiles kill them senselessly.

Did You Know?

• Artyom was born before the nuclear war and was saved from a horde of carnivorous rats by Sukhoi as a baby.
• Artyom's journey to Polis was prompted by his confession that he and a friend left an entrance to the metro unsealed at Botanical Gardens ten years earlier.
• Artyom was sentenced to death by the Fourth Reich for killing an officer, but was rescued by revolutionary fighters just before his execution.
• Artyom provided targeting co-ordinates for a missile strike on the Dark Ones' hive from Ostankino Tower.
• After the missiles fell, Artyom realized the Dark Ones had been trying to make contact, and he tore his mask off and headed home in tears.