Keras

The Keras was a coral crab 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 lived in the Silver Sea off Ga-MetruGa-MetruGa-Metru is a district of Metru Nui, home to the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh. and later in the reefs of Ga-WahiGa-WahiGa-Wahi was a region situated to the east on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by Ga-Matoran and various Rahi. The region once fell under the domain of Teridax, though that connection did not endure. Ga-Wahi no longer existed in later records.. The species was reclusive and territorial, famous for defending its undersea home with great ferocity. When the BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected. swarms woke, a few displaced Keras were tamed and used to defend Ga-KoroGa-KoroGa-Koro is a village on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Ga-Matoran and associated with both Nokama and Gali. The settlement was formerly under the power of Teridax.. Much later, a mutated population served in the army of the BarrakiThe BarrakiSix warlords who built an empire spanning most of the Matoran Universe, fell to a Brotherhood strike, and spent millennia imprisoned in the Pit. CaraparCaraparOne of six Barraki warlords imprisoned for 80,000 years, Carapar sought the Mask of Life and became expendable muscle for a final, fatal mission. in the waters around 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.. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; Inspired by BIONICLE: Keras; BIONICLE Legends 6: City of the Lost)

Habitat and behavior#

Like the 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., the Keras species was created by the MakutaMakuta: species, title, and TeridaxMakuta means three things in the Matoran Universe: the Antidermis species Mata Nui created, the Brotherhood rank, and most often Teridax himself. to live in the Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control.. In the time of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive., Keras lived in the Silver Sea off Ga-MetruGa-MetruGa-Metru is a district of Metru Nui, home to the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh., and after the Great CataclysmThe Great CataclysmThe day Makuta Teridax put the Great Spirit to sleep, the Great Spirit Robot fell from the sky, Metru Nui flooded, and Voya Nui tore loose from the Southern Continent. several came to live in the reefs of Ga-WahiGa-WahiGa-Wahi was a region situated to the east on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by Ga-Matoran and various Rahi. The region once fell under the domain of Teridax, though that connection did not endure. Ga-Wahi no longer existed in later records. on Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years.. (BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Keras were highly reclusive and territorial, and famous for the ferocity with which they protected their undersea homes. They were sensitive to strong sunlight and fed on fish. (BIONICLE: Rahi Beasts; Inspired by BIONICLE: Keras)

The Bohrok War mounted-crab program#

The one time the Keras crossed from hostile wildlife to ally came during the Bohrok WarBohrok WarThe 2002 swarm that nearly destroyed Mata Nui when Teridax triggered the Bohrok's awakening ahead of schedule.. The GahlokGahlokWater-element Bohrok swarms that flooded Mata Nui's aquatic zones with relentless purpose. drove a number of Keras out of the sea and onto the beaches of Mata Nui, and volunteers from the Onu-MatoranOnu-MatoranEarth-wielding Matoran of the deep who adapted to darkness and built the Matoran Universe's defensive cavalry. UssalryUssalryOnu-Koro's branch of the Mata Nui Military, made up of Onu-Matoran riders mounted on tamed Ussal crabs and led by High Commander Onepu. helped the villagers of Ga-KoroGa-KoroGa-Koro is a village on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Ga-Matoran and associated with both Nokama and Gali. The settlement was formerly under the power of Teridax. tame a few as partners in the struggle against the BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected.. (Inspired by BIONICLE: Keras)

The Ussalry's involvement made sense. The Onu-MatoranOnu-MatoranEarth-wielding Matoran of the deep who adapted to darkness and built the Matoran Universe's defensive cavalry. already rode UssalUssalSix-legged crustacean Rahi domesticated across Metru Nui and Mata Nui for cargo, mining, and sport. Backbone of Matoran labor. crabs as cavalry, and riding one kind of armoured crab is a decent start on another, even if Keras were fiercer reef dwellers rather than pack animals. (Inspired by BIONICLE: Keras)

The tamed Keras were fitted with special riding plates, and these fierce, clever crabs could carry riders across both sea and land. In exchange for shelter from the sun and a meal of fresh fish, they were content to serve as defenders of the village. (Inspired by BIONICLE: Keras)

After the war#

The sources don't follow the Ga-Koro Keras past the Bohrok swarms. The arrangement that brought them into the village, shelter and fish for service, is the last the story says about them on the surface. (Inspired by BIONICLE: Keras)

Carapar's army in the Pit#

The Keras turn up again in a very different setting. The BarrakiThe BarrakiSix warlords who built an empire spanning most of the Matoran Universe, fell to a Brotherhood strike, and spent millennia imprisoned in the Pit. CaraparCaraparOne of six Barraki warlords imprisoned for 80,000 years, Carapar sought the Mask of Life and became expendable muscle for a final, fatal mission. kept a large number of Keras in his undersea army in the waters of the PitThe PitThe Order of Mata Nui's maximum-security underwater prison where the Barraki warlords were held until catastrophe broke their chains., alongside the Pit War Tortoises he had recruited, the fiercest of which he rode into battle. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE Legends 6: City of the Lost)

The mutagenMutagenPit Mutagen was a power-source energy that leaked into the waters of The Pit during the Great Cataclysm and mutated almost every being exposed to it. in the Pit's waters had made these Keras vicious. When the Kanohi 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. enlarged a venom eel into a giant, the eel ate several hundred of them. (BIONICLE Legends 6: City of the Lost)

More of the crabs later took over the fields of air that kept 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. supplied with air, and the Matoran of the city, led by DefilakDefilakDefilak is a dark green and silver Le-Matoran who serves as leader of the Mahri Nui Council and as an inventor. He wears a powerless Kualsi and wields Electro-Blades alongside an Air Launcher. As a Le-Matoran, he carries an inactive affinity for the element of Air and resides on Spherus Magna., sent 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. to drive them out. (BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit)

The Toa never had to fight. The crabs retreated of their own accord when the Barraki arrived to negotiate with the Toa. After CaraparCaraparOne of six Barraki warlords imprisoned for 80,000 years, Carapar sought the Mask of Life and became expendable muscle for a final, fatal mission. was later recaptured by Hydraxon, the Keras no longer served him. (BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit; Federation of Fear)

Range and ecology#

The Keras has an unusual spread among the Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control.'s 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.. It lived in the Silver Sea of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive., on the reefs of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years., and in the deep waters around 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.. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE Legends 6: City of the Lost)

It was also one of the few Rahi recruited by both sides at different points, first as a partner of the Ga-Matoran against the Bohrok and later as a soldier in a Barraki army. (Inspired by BIONICLE: Keras; BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit)