Kerato, Ancient Protector of Stone of Okoto

Kerato was the Protector of StoneProtectorsThe six elders of Okoto's villages, each wielding elemental powers and guarding their regions before the Toa arrived. of OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors. at the time of the Battle of the Mask Makers, in BIONICLE's 2015 reboot continuity rather than the original Matoran Universe story. Kerato served beside UganuUganu, Ancient Protector of Ice of OkotoCalled Udapo in the earliest accounts, the first-age Protector of Ice of Okoto, gatherer of Melum's crystal and founder of the line that reached Izotor., AgarakAgarak, Ancient Protector of Jungle of OkotoThe ancient Protector of Jungle in the 2015 reboot continuity: married, father of a son he called Junior, and the only one of the first Protectors whose family life the story describes., MamukMamuk, Ancient Protector of Fire of OkotoThe ancient Protector of Fire of Okoto, in the 2015 reboot continuity, who fetched Ikir's Elemental Crystal for Ekimu and whose office passed down to Narmoto., OwakiOwaki, Ancient Protector of Water of OkotoFirst-age Protector of Water of Okoto, given as Owa in the earliest accounts. Owaki went into the depths for Akida's crystal and founded the line that produced Kivoda. and EtokuEtoku, Ancient Protector of Earth of OkotoAncient Protector of Earth of Okoto in the 2015 reboot continuity, who went to Terak for an Elemental Crystal and whose statue stands among the ancestors of the modern Protectors., and followed EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu is the Mask Maker of Okoto in the 2015 BIONICLE reboot, brother of Makuta, who knocked the Mask of Ultimate Power from his brother's face and slept for thousands of years before the Toa woke him. to Capital CityCapital CityThe former main city of Okoto, drawn into the Shadow Realm by the destruction of the Mask of Ultimate Power, leaving the Black Crater on the surface and a ruined court for Makuta in the dark below. when the Mask Maker went to stop MakutaMakuta (2015)Ekimu's brother and rival Mask Maker, who forged the forbidden Mask of Ultimate Power and was sealed in the Shadow Realm with Capital City. and the Mask of Ultimate PowerMask of Ultimate PowerA heretical Kanohi forged by Makuta of Okoto that contained the powers of all six elements and ruined the Mask Makers' civilization the moment it was worn.. The office Kerato held passed down the generations until NilkuuNilkuu, Protector of Stone of OkotoNilkuu was the village elder and Protector of Stone in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Sandstone Blaster, rescuer of Bingzak, and guide who led Pohatu across the desert to the Golden Mask of Stone. inherited it. (BIONICLE: Battle of the Mask Makers; LEGO BIONICLE: The Journey to One)

What the explosion did#

When Ekimu knocked the Mask of Ultimate Power from his brother's face, the mask's clashing elements tore it apart. The blast opened a portal to the Shadow Realm that swallowed MakutaMakuta (2015)Ekimu's brother and rival Mask Maker, who forged the forbidden Mask of Ultimate Power and was sealed in the Shadow Realm with Capital City. and Capital CityCapital CityThe former main city of Okoto, drawn into the Shadow Realm by the destruction of the Mask of Ultimate Power, leaving the Black Crater on the surface and a ruined court for Makuta in the dark below., left EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu is the Mask Maker of Okoto in the 2015 BIONICLE reboot, brother of Makuta, who knocked the Mask of Ultimate Power from his brother's face and slept for thousands of years before the Toa woke him. unconscious, and scattered the masks he had made for the Toa, along with the fragments of the Forbidden MaskThe Forbidden MaskThe Mask of Ultimate Power, the mask Makuta of Okoto forged against the rule that a mask should hold only one power. Its destruction sent Capital City into the Shadow Realm, and Umarak later hunted its fragments., across OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors.. (LEGO BIONICLE: The Journey to One; BIONICLE: Island of Lost Masks)

Kerato and the other Protectors found Ekimu's unconscious body and heard the Prophecy of Heroes whispered to them from it. They placed him in a sarcophagus, gave him a new mask until the Mask of CreationThe Mask of CreationThe signature Kanohi of Ekimu the Mask Maker, the source of his creative craft. Stolen by Kulta the Skull Grinder, reclaimed at the Mask Makers' forge, and worn again in the final defence of Okoto. could be returned, and kept the prophecy to pass down to their successors. (BIONICLE: Battle of the Mask Makers; LEGO BIONICLE: The Journey to One)

Before that: the desert office#

Each Protector led one of the six tribes of OkotoOkotoOkoto is a world whose known inhabitants include the Toa, the Mask makers, and the Protectors. in one of its six regions, and Stone meant the desert Region of StoneRegion of StoneThe northwestern desert region of Okoto, home of the Stone Tribe and the Protector of Stone, site of the Battle of the Mask Makers and the Black Crater, and the territory through which Pohatu hunted for the Golden Mask of Stone. and its Stone TribeThe Stone TribeThe Bara Magna tribe of the Black Spike Mountains, organised under Skrall warriors and Rock Tribe Agori, that Tuma forged into the continental army fielded from Roxtus.. The Protectors fought beside the Mask Makers against wild beasts and the Skull RaidersSkull RaidersThe ancient pirate band that plagued Okoto before the Mask Makers, was driven into the mountains, allied itself with Makuta, was trapped beneath the island by the cataclysm at Capital City, and dug its way back as the Skull Creatures under Kulta., and helped the Okotans through natural disasters. At the Festival of Masks in the City of the Mask MakersCity of the Mask Makers: Home of Ekimu and MakutaThe City of the Mask Makers was a city on the island of Okoto, named for the brothers Ekimu and Makuta who dwelt there before the Battle of the Mask Makers. It fell to ruin and became the lair of the Lord of Skull Spiders before the Toa reclaimed it., the six were honoured as defenders and Ekimu gave each of them a new, more powerful elemental mask. Their praise for his work fed Makuta's jealousy. (BIONICLE: Battle of the Mask Makers)

The masks, along with the Protectors' weapons and armour, were passed down to their offspring, generation after generation. (BIONICLE: Battle of the Mask Makers; BIONICLE: Revenge of the Skull Spiders)

Ketar#

The six Elemental CreaturesThe Elemental Creatures of OkotoThe six elemental animals of Okoto, partnered with the Toa to recover the Mask of Control, joined by Agil the Creature of Light at Ekimu's side. Part of the 2015 to 2016 reboot continuity. appeared soon afterwards. EkimuEkimu the Mask MakerEkimu is the Mask Maker of Okoto in the 2015 BIONICLE reboot, brother of Makuta, who knocked the Mask of Ultimate Power from his brother's face and slept for thousands of years before the Toa woke him. took the Protectors to the Temple of TimeThe Temple of TimeThe Protectors' most sacred site on Okoto, built to house the Mask of Time and the place at which Ekimu received the vision that prepared the island for the coming of the Toa. and wore the Mask of TimeMask of TimeThe Kanohi Vahi is the Matoran Universe's deadliest mask, capable of stopping or accelerating time, and its creation nearly tore Metru Nui apart., which showed him a coming catastrophe and the ToaThe Toa of Okoto: The Six Heroes Summoned to Save the IslandThe six elemental heroes summoned by the Protectors of Okoto, who recovered the Golden Masks, woke Ekimu, fought the Skull Army, and twice banished Makuta to the Shadow Realm. who would arrive afterwards. Kerato heard the prophecy along with the rest. (BIONICLE: Battle of the Mask Makers)

Then came the errands. Ekimu asked the Protectors to go out to the regions and bring back Elemental Crystals from the Creatures for the Golden Masks he was making for the Toa, and every Protector but AgarakAgarak, Ancient Protector of Jungle of OkotoThe ancient Protector of Jungle in the 2015 reboot continuity: married, father of a son he called Junior, and the only one of the first Protectors whose family life the story describes., whose Creature had already brought its crystal, went to fetch one. Kerato's errand ran into the desert after KetarKetarKetar is an Elemental Creature of Stone native to Okoto, bearing neon yellow, silver, and brown coloration. Armed with crystal blades, Ketar is devoted to protecting the Region of Stone and aiding the Toa in their missions on the island., Creature of Stone, for the crystal behind the Golden Mask of Stone that PohatuPohatu, Master of Stone: The Stubborn Toa of OkotoPohatu of Okoto was the Master of Stone summoned by the Protectors, the stubborn sandstorm-rider guided by Nilkuu through the Region of Stone whose hesitation at the Labyrinth cost the team the Mask of Control. would wear. The Protectors succeeded, but learned that Makuta had stolen another set of crystals for a mask of his own. (BIONICLE: Battle of the Mask Makers)

A search across generations#

The masks Ekimu had made for the Toa came down across Okoto, and the Protectors were determined that they or their descendants would find them. The search took generations. In the end the masks were recovered and placed in shrines in each region to wait for the Toa. (BIONICLE: Island of Lost Masks)

Kerato never saw the heroes arrive. When the stars aligned, thousands of years later, it was the current Protectors who gathered at the Temple of Time and recited the prophecy, and each went to meet their Toa and guide them to their Golden Mask. (BIONICLE: Island of Lost Masks)

The ground the line closed on#

Stone stayed in Kerato's line, through generations nobody named, until NilkuuNilkuu, Protector of Stone of OkotoNilkuu was the village elder and Protector of Stone in the second age of Okoto, wielder of the Elemental Sandstone Blaster, rescuer of Bingzak, and guide who led Pohatu across the desert to the Golden Mask of Stone. took it up. The Protector of Stone in the time of the Toa still carried the office and the inherited equipment of the ancient Protector. (BIONICLE: Battle of the Mask Makers; BIONICLE: Island of Lost Masks)

That is the detail worth holding onto. When the Protectors reached Ekimu's forge in the City of the Mask MakersCity of the Mask Makers: Home of Ekimu and MakutaThe City of the Mask Makers was a city on the island of Okoto, named for the brothers Ekimu and Makuta who dwelt there before the Battle of the Mask Makers. It fell to ruin and became the lair of the Lord of Skull Spiders before the Toa reclaimed it. after the battle with the Skull GrinderSkull GrinderThe title borne by Kulta after his alliance with Makuta, marking his role as the wielder of the Mask Stealer Staff, the mask-burner at the Mask Makers' forge, and the first foe to defeat the Toa in single combat on Okoto., the newly woken Mask Maker briefly mistook them for their ancient ancestors, Kerato among them. Statues of the six ancient Protectors stand in the city. (BIONICLE: Revenge of the Skull Spiders; BIONICLE: Battle of the Mask Makers)

Two things the story does not supply: Kerato's gender, which is not given for any ancient Protector except AgarakAgarak, Ancient Protector of Jungle of OkotoThe ancient Protector of Jungle in the 2015 reboot continuity: married, father of a son he called Junior, and the only one of the first Protectors whose family life the story describes., and any detail of Kerato's own part in the fights against the Skull RaidersSkull RaidersThe ancient pirate band that plagued Okoto before the Mask Makers, was driven into the mountains, allied itself with Makuta, was trapped beneath the island by the cataclysm at Capital City, and dug its way back as the Skull Creatures under Kulta. beyond the Protectors' shared role. (BIONICLE: Battle of the Mask Makers)