Great Temple Squid

The Great TempleGreat TempleThe Great Temple is a structure situated in Ga-Metru, Metru Nui, associated with the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh. It formerly fell under the influence of Teridax, though it currently holds no such power. SquidSquidSquid is a being belonging to either the Yellow/Orange group or the Blue/Green group, and is equipped with tools of a golden amber hue. was a species of large aquatic 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. that infested the waters around the Great Temple of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive.. It was distinguished by twelve huge tentacles, each tipped with a small beak, and a larger central beak. The squid were a menace to Matoran divers, and their only natural enemy was the Dweller in the DeepDweller in the DeepThe Dweller in the Deep is a gigantic sea Rahi of the Silver Sea around Metru Nui. Toa Nokama found the Ga-Metru Great Disk in its jaws.. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE Chronicles 4: Tales of the Masks)

The cave on Mata Nui#

At least one Great Temple squid found its way out of Metru Nui's waters to the island of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years.. It made its lair in a deep cave in Ga-Wahi, the same sea cave through which the Toa MetruToa Metru: Heroes of Metru NuiThe Toa Metru were the six Toa transformed from Matoran of Metru Nui by Toa Lhikan's Toa stones, who defeated the Morbuzakh, sealed Teridax after the Great Cataclysm, survived mutation into Toa Hordika, and carried the city's Matoran to the island of Mata Nui before becoming Turaga. had once emerged onto the island at the end of their voyage from the city. (BIONICLE Chronicles 4: Tales of the Masks; BIONICLE Adventures 5: Voyage of Fear)

That voyage had taken the Toa through dangerous channels beyond the Great Barrier, a reminder of the creatures that lived in the deep waters between Metru Nui and the surface. (BIONICLE Adventures 5: Voyage of Fear)

Confrontation with Gali Nuva#

A thousand years later, during the Toa NuvaToa Mata and Toa NuvaSix biomechanical heroes created by the Great Beings to awaken Mata Nui and defeat the Brotherhood, transformed once and tested across an entire age.'s search for their Kanohi NuvaKanohi NuvaThe most powerful Masks of Power ever created, granting each Toa Nuva fundamentally enhanced abilities., TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. Nokama left GaliGali, Toa of WaterThe Toa Nuva of Water and conscience of the Toa Mata, whose attunement to her element anchored the team across every campaign from Mata Nui to Karda Nui. in that cave to find her Kakama Nuva, the Mask of Speed. The squid attacked. Gali found the mask and used its speed to escape the cave. (BIONICLE Chronicles 4: Tales of the Masks; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Biology and Combat Traits#

The Great TempleGreat TempleThe Great Temple is a structure situated in Ga-Metru, Metru Nui, associated with the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh. It formerly fell under the influence of Teridax, though it currently holds no such power. SquidSquidSquid is a being belonging to either the Yellow/Orange group or the Blue/Green group, and is equipped with tools of a golden amber hue. had no elemental ability. Its strength lay entirely in its body: twelve huge tentacles, each ending in a small beak, a larger beak at the centre of its body, and strength that rivalled a 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.'s. Its glowing eyes resembled those of the lightfish. (BIONICLE Chronicles 4: Tales of the Masks)

The species was dangerous enough that Matoran divers near the Great Temple regarded it as a menace. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Predators#

The only natural enemy of the Great TempleGreat TempleThe Great Temple is a structure situated in Ga-Metru, Metru Nui, associated with the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh. It formerly fell under the influence of Teridax, though it currently holds no such power. SquidSquidSquid is a being belonging to either the Yellow/Orange group or the Blue/Green group, and is equipped with tools of a golden amber hue., and the only creature it feared, was the Dweller in the DeepDweller in the DeepThe Dweller in the Deep is a gigantic sea Rahi of the Silver Sea around Metru Nui. Toa Nokama found the Ga-Metru Great Disk in its jaws., the huge sea Rahi that lurked beneath the Great Temple. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui)

The Temple Association#

Despite its name, the Great TempleGreat TempleThe Great Temple is a structure situated in Ga-Metru, Metru Nui, associated with the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh. It formerly fell under the influence of Teridax, though it currently holds no such power. SquidSquidSquid is a being belonging to either the Yellow/Orange group or the Blue/Green group, and is equipped with tools of a golden amber hue. had no role at the Great Temple itself. The name came from the waters near the temple where the species lived. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

The BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated treats the name as a species label, in the same way as other 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. named for the places they lived. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Ambiguities in the Record#

The Encyclopedia describes Great Temple squid as a species that infested the temple waters, while Tales of the Masks shows a single squid living in the cave on Mata Nui. The published books do not say how that individual reached the island. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE Chronicles 4: Tales of the Masks)

Place in the Deep Ecosystem#

The Great TempleGreat TempleThe Great Temple is a structure situated in Ga-Metru, Metru Nui, associated with the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh. It formerly fell under the influence of Teridax, though it currently holds no such power. SquidSquidSquid is a being belonging to either the Yellow/Orange group or the Blue/Green group, and is equipped with tools of a golden amber hue. sat below the Dweller in the DeepDweller in the DeepThe Dweller in the Deep is a gigantic sea Rahi of the Silver Sea around Metru Nui. Toa Nokama found the Ga-Metru Great Disk in its jaws. and above most other creatures of the temple waters. Its inclusion in encyclopedic records alongside the Dweller shows it was treated as an established part of Metru Nui's sea life. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)