The Entire Metro Timeline Explained

The Metro Universe is a franchise inspired by Dmitry Glukhovsky's Metro trilogy of books. The world lies at the intersection of several genres, including post-apocalyptic, horror, fantasy, and science fiction.  Glukhovsky consulted on the three game titles developed by 4A games. The setting has spawned a series of short stories, novels, and novellas by a variety of authors. Unlike the original books and the games, these entries are considered only semi-cannon. 

The Metro books remain a huge hit in Russia and parts of Eastern Europe, with the success of the games increasing their exposure to Western audiences. Collectively, the original series has sold hundreds of thousands of copies. Though Deep Silver has not released exact sales numbers for the first two games, Metro Redux, an remastered compilation of Metro 2033 and Last Light, had sold over 1.5 million copies as of April 2015. The games have generally been well received, with critics and players praising them for their atmosphere and sympathetic characters.

The world of Metro is a well-developed and refreshing take on the post-apocalyptic genre. Though you have to read the books and play the games to discover the intricate details on offer, here is a rundown of the canonical Metro timeline to-date.

Nuclear winter descended following the Great War. Irradiated material filled the atmosphere, blocking the sun and turning the surface air lethal. Deprived of sunlight and exposed to critical levels of radiation, all flora and fauna went extinct or underwent terrible mutation. Though unconfirmed, some believe millions of people survived the initial detonations but died soon after from radiation or starvation. Like the plants and animals, not all exposure led to death; some humans instead transformed into mutants. 

The first Dark Ones may have emerged at this point. These new beings, later referred to as Homo Novus, developed telepathic abilities, resistance to radiation, and extra-sensory perception. They appear connected by a collective hive-mind and, though once human, differ greatly in appearance from their ancestors. It's possible the Dark Ones resulted from genetic experimentation before the war rather than mutation from radiation exposure. This theory, shared by some characters in the series, is never confirmed. Other mutants, such as the snout-nosed Nosalis, also appeared, likely derived from irradiated moles or shrews.

With the games and main book series centered in Moscow, little is known about the fate of the rest of the planet. The death toll and breakdown of infrastructure led to total governmental collapse, though it's possible some leaders may have survived due to nuclear contingencies. 

Entries in the Universe of 2033 series reveal the existence of other survivors. Some soldiers survived by taking refuge in their tanks while civilians took shelter in caves or metro tunnels.

Before the bomb detonated over Moscow, thousands of Russians rushed to the Metro for shelter. Once the tunnels reached capacity, the entrances were sealed, leaving millions of citizens on the outside to face certain death. Since the Great War, the majority of these entrances, called hermetic doors, have remained sealed. When shut properly, these doors are airtight, preventing radioactivity and other chemical-based dangers from seeping through. 

Most stations keep their doors locked to prevent dangers from the surface from gaining access to the Metro. Despite these efforts, mutants and other creatures have still found a way in, taking advantage of unlocked or damaged doors.

Around 2015, the main protagonist of the Metro series, Artyom, and two friends traveled to the abandoned Botanical Garden station. There, they discovered a sealed hermetic door, which the kids opened. Artyom uses the passage to access the surface, where he is discovered and attacked by mutants. During the attack, a Dark One saves Artyom, though he retains no memory of the encounter.

The friends panic and flee, leaving the hermetic door open. Years later, the Dark Ones used this door to enter the Metro, setting the events of Metro 2033 into motion.

Metro 2034 is the sequel to the novel Metro 2033. Though it takes place in Moscow one year after the first book, it follows different characters. Of the two optional endings available in the Metro 2033 video game, both the novels and games assume Artyom wiped out the Dark Ones.

The story begins at the Sevastopolskaya Station, which produces over two-thirds of the Metro's electricity. Due to the location of their generators, the Sevastopolskaya hermetic door must remain open, leaving the station vulnerable to mutant attacks. 

To survive the constant onslaught, the station relies on a steady supply of ammunition from the central stations. When deliveries and outside communication suddenly cease, they send several scouting parties to investigate. None of these groups return. Hunter, who assisted Artyom in Metro 2033, volunteers to lead one final mission before they're forced to abandon Sevastopolskaya and head north. Homer, an old Metro technician turned author, and Ahmed accompany Hunter on his quest.

The group discovers that soldiers have locked down the neighboring Tulskaya Station, cutting off access to the tunnel used by the supply caravans. A diary left by a previous expedition reveals that a deadly disease has infected the station. 

Detouring through an abandoned metro line, the party heads for the metro center, picking up two more members along the way. Through a series of events, the Tulskaya Station is flooded, killing the infected inside. With the threat removed, trade resumes, preserving the Sevastopolskaya Station, though at a terrible price.

Metro 2035, the third installment in the book series, returns to following Artyom in his journeys. In the year that has passed since Metro 2034 and Last Light, the Metro has seen some major changes. 

Trying to appear more welcoming, the Fourth Reich has started a series of reforms. An epidemic rendering the Red Line's supply of mushrooms inedible has plunged them into famine. The Rangers, after suffering heavy losses in a bunker battle, has grown closer to Hanza.

Artyom has since left the Rangers, marrying Miller's daughter, Anna. Though they live together in Artyom's home station, VDNKh, a new obsession drives him to the surface several times a week. Convinced he heard a radio transmission at Ostaniko Tower before killing the Dark Ones, he spends much of his time trying to contact survivors outside Moscow. He eventually encounters Homer, who claims he spoke to a radio operator who had contacted survivors in Northern Russia. The two set off to speak with the radio operator.

The operator is killed before Artyom can speak to him. The travelers are soon embroiled in a war between the Fourth Reich and the Red Line, leading to their enslavement by the Nazis. 

Artyom eventually uncovers radio signals from several international locations which were being blocked by radio jammers. The novel ends with him and his wife fleeing the Metro via car with what supplies they can get their hands on.