Dark Mirror

Dark Mirror is a nine-chapter podcast serial released on BIONICLEstory.com in the first half of 2008. Sent by the Order of Mata NuiThe Order of Mata NuiThe covert organization founded by Helryx to serve the Great Spirit directly, operating in concealment from a fortress on Daxia and waging the open war against the Brotherhood of Makuta that decided the fate of the universe. to warn the Toa Nuva in Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast cavern at the core of the Matoran universe, home of the Av-Matoran's Sky Villages and the Codrex, and the site of the battle to awaken Mata Nui., TakanuvaTakanuvaHidden among the Ta-Matoran as Takua, the disguised Av-Matoran who became Takanuva was the sole Toa of Light produced in the Matoran Universe's full history. travels through a portal from BrutakaBrutakaBrutaka guarded the Kanohi Ignika on Voya Nui, betrayed the Order during the Piraka incursion, was mutated in the Pit, and later led the Order's strike team to free Miserix.'s slightly damaged OlmakThe Kanohi OlmakThe Kanohi Olmak was the Great Mask of Dimensional Gates, a portal-opening Kanohi forged by Artakha. Only two ever existed in the Matoran Universe, and both passed through the hands of figures who reshaped the late storyline. and lands in an alternate Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive.. There the Toa rule the Matoran by fear under TuyetTuyet (Dark Mirror): the Toa empress of an alternate Matoran UniverseIn the alternate timeline of the Dark Mirror, Tuyet seized the Nui Stone, murdered Toa Lhikan, and built a tyrannical Toa Empire that crushed the Brotherhood of Makuta and the Dark Hunters alike., who kept the Nui StoneNui StoneA red artifact that hunts Toa and drains their power within 3000 kio, sought by Tuyet in ancient Metru Nui to gain strength against enemies only she could see. and killed LhikanLhikanToa of Fire, leader of the Toa Mangai, and the last Toa of Metru Nui, who surrendered his Toa Power to create the Toa Metru and died defending Vakama. with NidhikiNidhikiOnce a guardian of Metru Nui, Nidhiki traded his Toa honor for Dark Hunter gold and paid the price.'s help. (Dark Mirror)

The branching point#

The divergence comes from the story of Tuyet's crimes. In this universe, the alternate Takua explains, Tuyet tapped into the Nui Stone about 3,500 years ago, which gave her the power of maybe a hundred Toa. When Lhikan tried to stop her, she and his traitorous friend Nidhiki killed him. (Dark Mirror)

Tuyet then took over Metru Nui and convinced the other Toa that their destiny was to smash anyone who threatened the Great Spirit: Makuta, Dark Hunters, Toa who didn't seem keen enough, and Matoran who didn't work hard enough. (Dark Mirror)

Even the Toa Mata were drawn in. Tuyet learned where they were from Artakha, and after the Toa she sent to fetch them didn't survive the trip, she found a place in the Coliseum from which she could fake the signal that launched their canisters. She told them the Makuta and Dark Hunters were plotting to take over, and they all signed on. Mata Nui never fell asleep in this universe, so their original purpose never came up. (Dark Mirror)

The empire and its instruments#

Takanuva lands in a city that is intact and beautiful, but lined with statues of Toa: Tahu, Gali and the others in their pre-Nuva forms, plus Toa he doesn't recognise. Over them all looms a huge sculpture of the Mask of Intangibility. Matoran need identity tablets, and Kapura runs through the streets terrified of not working fast enough. (Dark Mirror)

Gali and KarzahniKarzahniBionicle used one cursed name three times, for a being, a realm and a plant, and every one of them earns it. This article untangles all three. run a re-education centre in Ga-Metru. Matoran who don't respond to the Vahki "treatment" end up in cells in the Coliseum, as Takua did for spending more time wandering than working. (Dark Mirror)

The empire's campaigns took in every rival. The Brotherhood of MakutaThe Brotherhood of MakutaAn organization of Makuta created by Mata Nui to build Rahi and keep order in his universe, later seized by Teridax and turned into the instrument of the Plan that overthrew the Great Spirit. was hunted to near extinction, and TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna., Krika and Kojol hid in a forgotten chamber deep below the Archives, using shapeshifting to go out. The Toa raided Odina to wipe out the Dark HuntersThe Dark HuntersA band of mercenaries and thieves founded on Odina by the Shadowed One and Ancient, hired out across the Matoran Universe, and left a battered ruin by the time Teridax ruled the universe., and Nidhiki led a squad that slaughtered the Nynrah ghosts, four dozen Matoran, because they might one day build something that could be used against Tuyet. (Dark Mirror)

Toa Bomonga killed this universe's Brutaka, hitting him from behind when he turned to fight Gaaki and Pouks, because he tried to stop the empire's "lawful exploration" of Voya NuiVoya NuiAn island born from catastrophe and hiding the universe's most powerful artifact, Voya Nui was everything Bionicle 2006 promised: danger, mystery, and a race against time.. Treasures like his mask went to the Coliseum for safe-keeping. (Dark Mirror)

The Archives became a museum of conquest. Exhibits included a mounted Visorak, the staff of the Shadowed One, the Spear of Fusion, and the Kraahkan, the Mask of Shadows, nailed to the wall as a trophy. The mask was warded so that Tuyet would know at once if anyone touched it. Turaga DumeTuraga DumeThe Turaga of Metru Nui for sixteen thousand years, a former Toa of Fire who saved Lhikan's life and was abducted and impersonated by Teridax. was kept in a stasis tube for speaking against her, and Bomonga mentions that Naho, who had helped the Shadowed One escape a raid on Odina, was handed over to Roodaka and ended up as an exhibit in the Archives. (Dark Mirror)

The resistance#

Pohatu sits on the Throne of Stone in Po-Metru as a loyal Toa of the empire, but he started to doubt Tuyet and turned for good when he learned of the Nynrah massacre. He made contact with Lesovikk, the Toa of Air at the top of Tuyet's list of enemies, and the two have been working together ever since. (Dark Mirror)

When Pohatu sends a tremor through the city as a signal, his allies gather in his cavern: Nuju, AhkmouAhkmouA Po-Matoran carver of Metru Nui, one of the six Great Disk holders, who betrayed his fellow Matoran to the Dark Hunters, served Makuta Teridax, and became a false Turaga during Teridax's reign., the Toa Krakua, the Dark Hunters GuardianGuardianA Dark Hunter who tracked down captured operatives before the fall, and later fought beside Tahu in the ruins of Karzahni., DarknessDarknessThe Dark Hunter who shadows the Shadowed One himself, waiting for any sign of weakness so he can kill his leader and take his place. and PrimalPrimal: The Trophy-Hunting Dark Hunter"Primal" was one of the most troublesome of the Dark Hunters, a survivor of a Visorak-ruined homeland who hunted for trophies and whose harsh sense of justice sometimes turned him against his own employers., and Kodan, the Toa's Chronicler. Ahkmou has brought in the Makuta, so everyone is in for one all-or-nothing strike. (Dark Mirror)

Before that, Takanuva and Lesovikk meet over the Mask of Time. Teridax and Krika agree to help Takanuva if he steals the Vahi, which an expedition led by the Matoran Jala is bringing back from Artakha. Krika gives him a virus that lets him fly. Takanuva bluffs his way into the escort of Toa Bomonga and Kualus, but before the two Toa can turn on him, Lesovikk blasts them away with a rush of wind, wrecks Jala's cart and takes the mask. (Dark Mirror)

The arrival of the Toa of LightToa of LightThe sole Toa wielding the Element of Light through the Avohkii mask, singular and feared by Makuta itself.#

Takanuva's journey starts after a shadow leech attack has left his light partly drained, so he can fire light from one hand and shadow from the other. The Order of Mata Nui sends him on through Brutaka's Olmak, but the mask is slightly damaged, and he lands in the Toa Empire's Metru Nui. (Dark Mirror)

Kopaka encases Kapura in ice from the neck down, and when Takanuva has no identity tablet, Kopaka knocks him down and declares him a prisoner of the Toa Empire. Tahu and Kopaka throw him in a Coliseum cell, where he finds this universe's Takua chained to the wall. Takanuva tests a theory by placing his Mask of Light on Takua's face, and nothing happens. (Dark Mirror)

The two escape into the Archives, free Dume, and are caught by what looks like Tuyet but is really Teridax in disguise. In return for his help, Teridax demands the Mask of Time. (Dark Mirror)

The ColiseumThe ColiseumCentral tower of Metru Nui, serving as government seat, akilini arena and, during Teridax's masquerade, the place from which the city's Matoran were rounded up into spheres. battle#

The assault starts well. Takanuva uses his shadow power to blind the guards and Pohatu cracks the Coliseum walls, while Teridax leads Krika, Kojol, Dume and Takua in from the east. Then a Toa of Iron kills Takua with a hail of spikes, and Kojol dies when his armour is crushed and his essence incinerated by a Toa of Plasma. (Dark Mirror)

The losses pile up. Primal kills Tahu, then drowns when Gali traps his head in a sphere of water. Krakua smashes Gali's mask and armour with solid sound and Ahkmou finishes her, only for Kopaka to flash-freeze Ahkmou and Onua to shatter him. Lesovikk takes an ice dagger in the shoulder but blows Kopaka off the top of the Coliseum. Guardian falls, taking half a dozen Toa with him. (Dark Mirror)

Darkness guides Takanuva inside to the Hall of Masks, but a wall of water bursts from the door and sweeps the Dark Hunter away. Tuyet stands in the doorway with the Nui Stone in one hand and the Olmak in the other. (Dark Mirror)

She beats Takanuva badly. But thousands of armed Matoran are now marching on the Coliseum, with airships and ships bringing Dark Hunters, Vortixx and others. Takanuva asks who would be left to protect if she drowned them all, and suggests she use the Olmak to start again somewhere else. (BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe)

As the portal opens, Takanuva snatches the mask and dives through. Tuyet grabs his leg and blasts the mask from his hand, so it floats away into the void. In her rage she doesn't notice the portal closing. It shuts on her halfway through and she dies instantly. (BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe)

The state of the universe after the fall#

The story ends without showing what came next. Hanging in the space between dimensions, Takanuva wonders whether the Toa will become protectors again, whether the Matoran will take control, or whether Dark Hunters or Makuta will become the new dictators, and thinks he might return one day to find out. (BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe)

For Takanuva the lesson is how fine a line there is between justice and tyranny. He turns away from what's left of Tuyet and goes on toward Karda Nui. (BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe)