Kaxium V3

The Kaxium V3Kaxium V3A Bara Magna dual-vehicle that split in combat, piloted by Glatorian Scodonius and Kirbraz in 2009. was a two-rider vehicle of the Water TribeWater TribeA trading-focused desert tribe vulnerable to Bone Hunter raids and arena warfare on Bara Magna. on Bara MagnaBara MagnaA desert world of tribal warfare and scarce resources, one of three landmasses that formed Spherus Magna., piloted in arena matches by the AgoriAgoriThe villager species of Bara Magna, organised by tribe and settlement, who governed their villages and lived by the Glatorian arena system. KirbrazKirbrazKirbraz was the Water Tribe Agori from Tajun who piloted the primary cycle of the Kaxium V3 alongside his partner Scodonius, winning many vehicle division matches in the arena before the Skrall conquest of Bara Magna. and ScodoniusScodoniusAn Agori pilot who prepared Arena Magna for the tournament and refused a wild hunt for the Red Star.. Its defining feature was that it could separate into two working vehicles: a larger primary car and a smaller cycle carrying a ThornaxThornaxThornax was a hardy desert fruit native to Bara Magna, eaten unripe as stew and fired ripe from launchers across Glatorian and Skrall ranks. launcher. It began life as a Water Tribe courier before the Core War and ended up in the village of TajunTajunTajun was a village of the Water Tribe, situated on the banks of the Skrall River. after the Shattering. (BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna; BIONICLE Glatorian 4: Before the Storm)

Design and construction#

The Kaxium was a dual vehicle. Before the Core War, the Water Tribe used the Kaxium V2 as a courier. During the war they added weapons and light armour to one, turning it into a scouting vehicle, the Kaxium V3. It survived the war and ended up in TajunTajunTajun was a village of the Water Tribe, situated on the banks of the Skrall River. after the Shattering. (BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna)

The Kaxium could separate into two functional vehicles. The larger primary car carried one pilot, and the smaller cycle carried the other along with the vehicle's ThornaxThornaxThornax was a hardy desert fruit native to Bara Magna, eaten unripe as stew and fired ripe from launchers across Glatorian and Skrall ranks. launcher, which gave it both attack and defence. The two halves could be used in different arena matches, or the whole Kaxium could run as one in a single match. (BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna; Kaxium V3)

The same kind of launcher was common on Bara Magna's vehicles, including the Cendox V1The Cendox V1The single-rider racer dug out of the sands of Bara Magna by Crotesius with Berix's help, and driven to victory in the vehicle division of the Great Tournament., and Thornax fruit were the usual ammunition. Running both halves at once took two pilots, so the Kaxium V3 was tied to a crew rather than to one driver. (BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna; Kaxium V3)

ScodoniusScodoniusAn Agori pilot who prepared Arena Magna for the tournament and refused a wild hunt for the Red Star. and KirbrazKirbrazKirbraz was the Water Tribe Agori from Tajun who piloted the primary cycle of the Kaxium V3 alongside his partner Scodonius, winning many vehicle division matches in the arena before the Skrall conquest of Bara Magna.#

The crew of the Kaxium V3 was KirbrazKirbrazKirbraz was the Water Tribe Agori from Tajun who piloted the primary cycle of the Kaxium V3 alongside his partner Scodonius, winning many vehicle division matches in the arena before the Skrall conquest of Bara Magna. and ScodoniusScodoniusAn Agori pilot who prepared Arena Magna for the tournament and refused a wild hunt for the Red Star., two Water TribeWater TribeA trading-focused desert tribe vulnerable to Bone Hunter raids and arena warfare on Bara Magna. AgoriAgoriThe villager species of Bara Magna, organised by tribe and settlement, who governed their villages and lived by the Glatorian arena system. of TajunTajunTajun was a village of the Water Tribe, situated on the banks of the Skrall River. who had been stranded in the desert by the Shattering. Kirbraz drove the larger, primary car, and Scodonius drove the smaller cycle. (BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna; BIONICLE Glatorian 4: Before the Storm)

Both were veterans of the arena and highly skilled. They also couldn't stand each other, and each was always trying to score the win for himself, an attitude that sometimes cost them the match. (Kaxium V3; BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna)

The practice match against CrotesiusCrotesiusA Vulcanus pilot who went from dismissing legends to answering one in Riddle of the Great Beings.#

The best-documented Kaxium V3 match was a practice bout against CrotesiusCrotesiusA Vulcanus pilot who went from dismissing legends to answering one in Riddle of the Great Beings., the Fire TribeFire TribeThe master smiths of Bara Magna who forged tools for all tribes before the Shattering scattered them into conflict. Agori who drove the Cendox V1The Cendox V1The single-rider racer dug out of the sands of Bara Magna by Crotesius with Berix's help, and driven to victory in the vehicle division of the Great Tournament.. It came after the Skrall attack on AteroAteroThe free city at the heart of Bara Magna, home to the Arena Magna and the Great Tournament, destroyed by Tuma and the Skrall during the opening match., and the two water Agori wanted to sharpen their skills. (BIONICLE Glatorian 4: Before the Storm)

Crotesius had dug the Cendox out of the desert, fitted it with spare parts his tribe had won from the Water and Jungle Tribes, and treated it like a living thing. Kirbraz and Scodonius sped towards him and tried a new move: splitting the Kaxium V3 apart just before the collision to startle him. (BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna; BIONICLE Glatorian 4: Before the Storm)

It didn't work. Crotesius fired a ThornaxThornaxThornax was a hardy desert fruit native to Bara Magna, eaten unripe as stew and fired ripe from launchers across Glatorian and Skrall ranks. from the Cendox and knocked over Kirbraz's larger car, throwing him off and ending the match. While Kirbraz recovered, the three Agori talked about the SkrallSkrallA black-armored warrior species from Spherus Magna that dominated northern Bara Magna under Tuma's rule. attacks and whether the arena matches would carry on. Skrall who had been watching attacked soon after, though the Agori escaped on their vehicles. (BIONICLE Glatorian 4: Before the Storm)

End of the Kaxium V3Kaxium V3A Bara Magna dual-vehicle that split in combat, piloted by Glatorian Scodonius and Kirbraz in 2009.'s career#

The arena system didn't survive the Skrall War. The SkrallSkrallA black-armored warrior species from Spherus Magna that dominated northern Bara Magna under Tuma's rule. and Bone HuntersBone HunterDesert nomads of Bara Magna who raided for survival until their alliance with the Skrall nearly conquered the continent. attacked TajunTajunTajun was a village of the Water Tribe, situated on the banks of the Skrall River., and after the Glatorian and Agori united and marched on RoxtusRoxtusThe largest Agori village on Bara Magna and the seat of Tuma's Skrall, Roxtus was the centre of the Empire of the Skrall until Mata Nui defeated Tuma in single combat., the villages joined together and the old way of settling disputes in the arena came to an end. (BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn)

The Kaxium V3's career didn't end with Tajun, though. It fought in the Battle of RoxtusRoxtusThe largest Agori village on Bara Magna and the seat of Tuma's Skrall, Roxtus was the centre of the Empire of the Skrall until Mata Nui defeated Tuma in single combat. and was heavily damaged, and its Agori owners repaired it with help from BerixBerixBerix is an Agori of the Water Tribe who lived on Spherus Magna. A scavenger by trade, he is recognized by his blue and dark blue coloration and carries a Water Sword and shield., who was then let onto the team. (BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna)

Significance#

The Kaxium V3 shows how much of Bara Magna's arena world was built from Core War leftovers: a courier turned armed scout turned arena racer. Its split design made it one of the most flexible vehicles on the planet, able to fight as one machine or two, and it needed a permanent two-pilot crew to get the most out of it. (BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna; Kaxium V3)

Its record also shows that skill alone didn't decide a match. Kirbraz and Scodonius were veterans with a clever vehicle, yet they lost matches to their own rivalry, and their best-recorded bout was a defeat by a single pilot who kept his nerve. On Bara Magna, coordination counted as much as capability. (Kaxium V3; BIONICLE Glatorian 4: Before the Storm)