The Gravity Shield

The 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. Shield was the signature elemental tool of Nuhvok-KalNuhvok-KalThe gravity-wielding Bohrok-Kal whose own powers became its undoing in the quest to awaken the Bahrag., one of the six Bohrok-KalBohrok-KalSix elite Bohrok designed to free the imprisoned Bahrag, they nearly defeated the Toa Nuva before the Toa turned their own powers against them.. It allowed its wielder to manipulate the gravitational pull on a target, increasing or decreasing weight at will, and ultimately imploded together with its host under feedback from the Nuva SymbolsNuva SymbolsStone carvings housing the Toa Nuva's elemental powers, designed to seal the Bahrag but vulnerable to a crippling flaw..

Function and design#

Unlike the standard BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected., which relied on direct elemental discharges, Nuhvok-KalNuhvok-KalThe gravity-wielding Bohrok-Kal whose own powers became its undoing in the quest to awaken the Bahrag. used the 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. Shield as the focus for its stolen gravity power. The shield could increase a target's apparent mass to the point of immobilising or crushing them, or reduce it sufficiently to send them drifting upward. Its effect was silent and produced no visible projection until the ground responded to the change in weight.

In its first major application, Nuhvok-KalNuhvok-KalThe gravity-wielding Bohrok-Kal whose own powers became its undoing in the quest to awaken the Bahrag. used the shield against TahuTahu (2001)Tahu was the Toa Mata of Fire and leader of the team, from his first landing on Ta-Wahi Beach to the destruction of Teridax's Rahkshi army on Bara Magna with the Golden Armor. Nuva in Le-WahiLe-WahiLe-Wahi is a region on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and Rahi. Formerly subject to the power of Teridax, the region is no longer under that influence.. The shield amplified TahuTahu (2001)Tahu was the Toa Mata of Fire and leader of the team, from his first landing on Ta-Wahi Beach to the destruction of Teridax's Rahkshi army on Bara Magna with the Golden Armor.'s density until he sank into the jungle floor, unable to lift a foot. The effect was localised to the Toa rather than the surrounding terrain, indicating that the shield could focus its gravitational influence precisely.

Among the Bohrok-KalBohrok-KalSix elite Bohrok designed to free the imprisoned Bahrag, they nearly defeated the Toa Nuva before the Toa turned their own powers against them. arsenal, the Gravity Shield was less overtly destructive than Pahrak-KalPahrak-KalThe slowest Bohrok-Kal conceals immense destructive plasma power that grows beyond control and consumes itself.'s plasma or Gahlok-KalGahlok-KalThe magnetic-powered Bohrok-Kal whose own power became its undoing when victory was within reach.'s magnetic powers but disrupted both target and terrain in a way no other Kal weapon matched.

The Bohrok-Kal's mission#

The Gravity Shield was deployed as part of the Bohrok-KalBohrok-KalSix elite Bohrok designed to free the imprisoned Bahrag, they nearly defeated the Toa Nuva before the Toa turned their own powers against them.'s wider mission to recover the Nuva SymbolsNuva SymbolsStone carvings housing the Toa Nuva's elemental powers, designed to seal the Bahrag but vulnerable to a crippling flaw. and free the BahragBahragCahdok and Gahdok were the twin queens of the Bohrok, sealed in a Protodermis cage by the Toa Mata and later released to finish their cleansing of Mata Nui., whose imprisonment by the Toa NuvaToa NuvaThe form the Toa Mata took after stepping into the Energized Protodermis beneath the Bahrag, with new masks, new tools, and the elemental scale to fight Karda Nui. had left the BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected. swarms inert. Nuhvok-KalNuhvok-KalThe gravity-wielding Bohrok-Kal whose own powers became its undoing in the quest to awaken the Bahrag. and the other Kal were tasked with overpowering the Toa long enough to seize the symbols, and the Gravity Shield's ability to immobilise an opponent without further intervention made it well suited to that role.

Nuhvok-KalNuhvok-KalThe gravity-wielding Bohrok-Kal whose own powers became its undoing in the quest to awaken the Bahrag. also used the shield against LewaLewaToa of Air, member of the Toa Mata and Toa Nuva, whose career was marked by repeated possession, body theft, and aerial campaigns from Le-Wahi to Karda Nui. during a later trap arranged with the Le-MatoranLe-MatoranGreen-powered Matoran obsessed with thrills and transport. They're basically Bionicle's daredevils.. In that engagement the shield once again pinned its target by manipulating local gravity rather than by direct attack.

Backfire and implosion#

The mission ended when the Toa NuvaToa NuvaThe form the Toa Mata took after stepping into the Energized Protodermis beneath the Bahrag, with new masks, new tools, and the elemental scale to fight Karda Nui. surrendered the Nuva SymbolsNuva SymbolsStone carvings housing the Toa Nuva's elemental powers, designed to seal the Bahrag but vulnerable to a crippling flaw. deliberately, allowing the Bohrok-KalBohrok-KalSix elite Bohrok designed to free the imprisoned Bahrag, they nearly defeated the Toa Nuva before the Toa turned their own powers against them. to absorb their elemental energies. The feedback overwhelmed each Kal in turn. Nuhvok-KalNuhvok-KalThe gravity-wielding Bohrok-Kal whose own powers became its undoing in the quest to awaken the Bahrag.'s own gravity power, amplified beyond its regulating capacity, collapsed inward, and the Bohrok-KalBohrok-KalSix elite Bohrok designed to free the imprisoned Bahrag, they nearly defeated the Toa Nuva before the Toa turned their own powers against them. imploded into a miniature black hole. The Gravity Shield was destroyed in the same event.

Each of the Bohrok-KalBohrok-KalSix elite Bohrok designed to free the imprisoned Bahrag, they nearly defeated the Toa Nuva before the Toa turned their own powers against them. was destroyed by its own element under the same overload, but Nuhvok-KalNuhvok-KalThe gravity-wielding Bohrok-Kal whose own powers became its undoing in the quest to awaken the Bahrag. was the only one whose end produced a singularity. No second Gravity Shield was ever produced, and no fragments of the original were recovered.

Comparison with other Kal shields#

The Gravity Shield's brief operational record contrasted with the more extensive use seen by some of the other Kal weapons. Pahrak-KalPahrak-KalThe slowest Bohrok-Kal conceals immense destructive plasma power that grows beyond control and consumes itself.'s plasma shield melted through terrain, Gahlok-KalGahlok-KalThe magnetic-powered Bohrok-Kal whose own power became its undoing when victory was within reach.'s magnetic shield redirected projectiles and metallic objects, Lehvak-KalLehvak-KalThe vacuum-powered Bohrok-Kal who got blasted into space by its own power, Lehvak-Kal represents the chaotic energy of the Bohrok-Kal team.'s vacuum shield removed atmosphere from sealed spaces, and Tahnok-KalTahnok-KalThe electric-powered leader of the Bohrok-Kal squad, designed to awaken the Bahrag.'s electric shield produced sustained discharge. The Gravity Shield was the most volatile of the set, both in the precision of its effect and in the manner of its destruction.

The destruction of all six Kal demonstrated that the BahragBahragCahdok and Gahdok were the twin queens of the Bohrok, sealed in a Protodermis cage by the Toa Mata and later released to finish their cleansing of Mata Nui.'s amplification process could not safely contain the elemental forces involved when stressed beyond design limits, and the Gravity Shield's specific failure became the clearest illustration of that limitation.