Gadunka (Species)

GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. were a species of small sea RahiRahiThe Rahi were the biomechanical wildlife of the Matoran Universe, built largely by the Brotherhood of Makuta, ranging from background fauna to engineered war beasts. native to the abyssal zones around the PitThe PitThe Order of Mata Nui's maximum-security underwater prison where the Barraki warlords were held until catastrophe broke their chains.. In their natural state, an individual GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. was no larger than a MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body.'s finger, with a silver exoskeleton and small pincers used to scrape algae from rock. They were a minor part of the deep-sea food chain and posed no threat to larger predators.

Habitat and natural state#

GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. inhabited the ocean floor in the trenches surrounding the PitThe PitThe Order of Mata Nui's maximum-security underwater prison where the Barraki warlords were held until catastrophe broke their chains.. Their bodies were built for the high pressure of the deep, with hardened exoskeletons and small pincers suited to feeding on biofilm and microorganisms. They occupied a position near the base of the local food chain, providing prey for larger creatures such as the TakeaTakeaEngineered by the Makuta from viruses and protodermis, the Takea served as Pridak's shock troops in the Pit and as one of the deep ocean's most feared Rahi species. and other predators of the abyssal zones.

Though their territory bordered the PitThe PitThe Order of Mata Nui's maximum-security underwater prison where the Barraki warlords were held until catastrophe broke their chains. and the realm of the exiled BarrakiThe BarrakiSix warlords who built an empire spanning most of the Matoran Universe, fell in a single Brotherhood ambush, and spent millennia mutated in the Pit., no record exists of GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. being subjected to deliberate experimentation by PridakPridakPridak was the most feared of the six Barraki, commander of a shark army and the dominant voice of the League of Six Kingdoms before its imprisonment in the Pit., EhlekEhlekA Barraki warlord with electrical powers who led aquatic forces against the Brotherhood of Makuta., MantaxMantaxMutated Barraki warlord of the Pit who uncovered Takadox's Brotherhood collaboration through a hidden Tablet of Transit., or the other warlords. Their presence in the region is documented but their interaction with the prisoner population is not.

The Mahri Nui mutation#

The most significant recorded event involving the species occurred during the conflict over Mahri NuiMahri NuiA matoran settlement that sank, survived, and was ultimately crushed beneath Voya Nui, leaving behind one of Bionicle's most poignant lost civilizations.. NocturnNocturnNocturn was an amphibious prisoner of the Pit who served as Ehlek's lieutenant and briefly held the Mask of Life before its recovery., having briefly taken possession of the Mask of LifeThe Mask of Life (Kanohi Ignika), explainedA failsafe forged by the Great Beings to recharge a god. It curses everyone who touches it, and by the end of Bionicle it had learned how to be a hero., set the artifact down. A single GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. crawled beneath it for shelter and was bathed in the mask's energy. The creature began to enlarge.

By the time the Toa MahriToa Inika and Toa MahriSix ordinary Matoran transformed by lightning from the Red Star into heroes who ultimately revived the Great Spirit itself. returned to the area aboard the Toa Terrain CrawlerToa Terrain CrawlerA modified aquatic Rahi provided to the Toa Mahri by Axonn for the second descent into the Pit during the search for the Mask of Life., the mutated GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. had grown into a massive, armoured predator. Its strength, durability, and aggression had all increased in proportion to its size. It did not speak or coordinate. It attacked.

Confrontation with the Toa Mahri#

The enlarged GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. engaged both the Toa MahriToa Inika and Toa MahriSix ordinary Matoran transformed by lightning from the Red Star into heroes who ultimately revived the Great Spirit itself. and the BarrakiThe BarrakiSix warlords who built an empire spanning most of the Matoran Universe, fell in a single Brotherhood ambush, and spent millennia mutated in the Pit.. HewkiiHewkiiHewkii rose from Po-Metru carver to Mata Nui's foremost kolhii player, then served as Toa Inika and Toa Mahri through the late wars of the universe. was first to challenge it, using direct force. His standard tactics proved insufficient against the creature's mutated bulk.

NuparuNuparuAn Onu-Matoran engineer from Metru Nui who built the Boxor and rose to become a Toa of Earth despite no warrior destiny. recognised that the Mask of LifeThe Mask of Life (Kanohi Ignika), explainedA failsafe forged by the Great Beings to recharge a god. It curses everyone who touches it, and by the end of Bionicle it had learned how to be a hero., still beneath the GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool., was the source of the amplified power and called for the team to fall back. In the confusion, the GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. seized the IgnikaThe Mask of Life (Kanohi Ignika), explainedA failsafe forged by the Great Beings to recharge a god. It curses everyone who touches it, and by the end of Bionicle it had learned how to be a hero. and held it under its body, where the ToaThe Toa: Heroes of the Matoran UniverseThe Toa were biomechanical guardians sworn to protect the Matoran, bound by a strict code and defined by sacrifice across every age of the universe. could neither retrieve nor risk damaging it.

KonguKonguKongu commanded Le-Koro's Gukko Force before a strike from the Kanohi Ignika transformed him into a Toa of Air who later served among the Toa Mahri. attempted to summon a controlling RahiRahiThe Rahi were the biomechanical wildlife of the Matoran Universe, built largely by the Brotherhood of Makuta, ranging from background fauna to engineered war beasts. using his ZatthZatthGreat Kanohi mask of Summoning, allowing its wearer to call a random local animal for aid without control over which creature responded or its actions., but only attracted bioluminescent fish that the GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. consumed. HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. used her FaxonFaxonThe Kanohi Faxon, Mask of Kindred, allowed its wearer to mimic the powers of nearby Rahi within the immediate environment. to mimic similar prey as bait. HewkiiHewkiiHewkii rose from Po-Metru carver to Mata Nui's foremost kolhii player, then served as Toa Inika and Toa Mahri through the late wars of the universe. then applied his GravityGravity: The Elemental Power of Gravitational ForceGravity was the elemental power over gravitational force in the Matoran Universe, carried by Ba-Matoran, Toa of Gravity, and the Bohrok-Kal Nuhvok-Kal. element to overwhelm the creature, and NuparuNuparuAn Onu-Matoran engineer from Metru Nui who built the Boxor and rose to become a Toa of Earth despite no warrior destiny. drove it into a chasm. AxonnAxonnAxonn served as an arbitrator under the Hand of Artakha and later as an Order of Mata Nui agent, guarding the Kanohi Ignika on Voya Nui for thousands of years. intervened to prevent collateral harm to the ToaThe Toa: Heroes of the Matoran UniverseThe Toa were biomechanical guardians sworn to protect the Matoran, bound by a strict code and defined by sacrifice across every age of the universe..

Reversion#

The enlarged GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. was returned to its original size when the IgnikaThe Mask of Life (Kanohi Ignika), explainedA failsafe forged by the Great Beings to recharge a god. It curses everyone who touches it, and by the end of Bionicle it had learned how to be a hero. later released a reversion pulse, undoing the mutations it had caused in surrounding creatures. The GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. did not retain any of the strength, size, or armour acquired during the mutation. It reverted fully to the natural GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. form.

Powers and weaknesses#

In its natural state, a GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. possessed only basic claws and jaws and a hardened exoskeleton. Its capabilities were sufficient for grazing on algae and avoiding small predators, and nothing beyond that.

The mutated GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. displayed crushing strength, heightened aggression, and durability sufficient to withstand sustained ToaThe Toa: Heroes of the Matoran UniverseThe Toa were biomechanical guardians sworn to protect the Matoran, bound by a strict code and defined by sacrifice across every age of the universe. attacks. Its weakness was the source of the mutation itself: the Mask of LifeThe Mask of Life (Kanohi Ignika), explainedA failsafe forged by the Great Beings to recharge a god. It curses everyone who touches it, and by the end of Bionicle it had learned how to be a hero. sheltered beneath its body sustained the enlarged form. Once the creature was separated from the artifact, and once the IgnikaThe Mask of Life (Kanohi Ignika), explainedA failsafe forged by the Great Beings to recharge a god. It curses everyone who touches it, and by the end of Bionicle it had learned how to be a hero. issued its reversion pulse, the mutation collapsed entirely.

Other appearances#

A GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool., presumably the same enlarged individual, was recorded stirring in the vicinity of TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. and HydraxonHydraxonThe jailer of the Pit was killed once, then resurrected as the Matoran Dekar by the Mask of Life. during later events in the PitThe PitThe Order of Mata Nui's maximum-security underwater prison where the Barraki warlords were held until catastrophe broke their chains.. It took no further significant action.

The use of the name "GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool." for both the species and the mutated individual has produced some ambiguity in surviving records. No source confirms whether other members of the species would have mutated under identical exposure to the Mask of LifeThe Mask of Life (Kanohi Ignika), explainedA failsafe forged by the Great Beings to recharge a god. It curses everyone who touches it, and by the end of Bionicle it had learned how to be a hero., and the case of the enlarged GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool. remains the only attested instance.