"Kratana"

"Kratana" is the nickname for a small creature that looks like a cross between a KranaKranaThe small organic creatures that controlled the Bohrok, made in eight types plus a mutated variant, without which no Bohrok could serve the swarm. and a KraataKraataSlug-like creatures birthed from Makuta's essence, designed as both weapons and the cores of Rahkshi armor. and can show visions of the past or the future to whoever it attaches to. It moves very quickly and latches onto the face or KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. of its target. The books never give it a name, so the label is written in quotation marks: it is a fan term built from the two creatures it resembles. (BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows; BIONICLE Adventures 10: Time Trap)

Origin and the Order of Mata Nui#

The books do not say where the Kratana came from. The Order of Mata NuiThe Order of Mata NuiThe covert organization founded by Helryx to serve the Great Spirit directly, operating in concealment from a fortress on Daxia and waging the open war against the Brotherhood of Makuta that decided the fate of the universe. certainly had one: its leader HelryxHelryx: the first Toa ever createdHelryx was the first Toa ever made, commissioned by the Great Beings on Artakha long before the Toa Mata. She founded and led the Order of Mata Nui. used a Kratana to record the adventures of the Toa MataWho are the Toa Mata?Six warriors built to order by Artakha, stored in canisters, dropped into the ocean. This is the origin story of Bionicle's heroes and why their first week of work was entirely amnesiac. in their earliest days, and she introduced it to TakanuvaTakanuvaHidden among the Ta-Matoran as Takua, the disguised Av-Matoran who became Takanuva was the sole Toa of Light produced in the Matoran Universe's full history. as the Order's little pet. Writer Greg Farshtey later said that the Order created the species, but no book or serial states this. (BIONICLE Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets)

Its use to the Order was plain enough. Contact with the face or KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. of a target started a vision, and removing the creature ended it. Helryx used one to give Takanuva knowledge he could not have got any other way. (BIONICLE Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets)

The name "Kratana" does not appear in the stories. It was coined by fans from the two creatures it resembles, the KranaKranaThe small organic creatures that controlled the Bohrok, made in eight types plus a mutated variant, without which no Bohrok could serve the swarm. and the KraataKraataSlug-like creatures birthed from Makuta's essence, designed as both weapons and the cores of Rahkshi armor., and this page uses it for convenience. (BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows)

A Kratana has a long body with detailed ridge marks along its length, like a KraataKraataSlug-like creatures birthed from Makuta's essence, designed as both weapons and the cores of Rahkshi armor., and fixes itself to a being's face much as a KranaKranaThe small organic creatures that controlled the Bohrok, made in eight types plus a mutated variant, without which no Bohrok could serve the swarm. does, even when the target is wearing a mask. The resemblance is only skin deep. A KranaKranaThe small organic creatures that controlled the Bohrok, made in eight types plus a mutated variant, without which no Bohrok could serve the swarm. linked its host to the BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected. swarm, and a KraataKraataSlug-like creatures birthed from Makuta's essence, designed as both weapons and the cores of Rahkshi armor. could grow into a RahkshiBionicle Rahkshi: the Sons of Makuta from Mask of LightRahkshi are armoured hunters made from kraata, the slug-like creatures of the Makuta. Six of them chased the Mask of Light across Mata Nui in 2003. Here's what they are, the different kinds and where they turn up in the films, books and comics.. The Kratana in the stories does neither. (BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows; BIONICLE Adventures 10: Time Trap)

It moves incredibly fast, too fast for a target to dodge. In both of its attacks on the Toa MetruToa Metru and Toa HordikaSix Matoran elevated by Lhikan to save their city, mutated by Visorak venom, and restored in time to deliver the population to safety., it was on its victim's face before anyone could react, and the vision began as soon as it attached. (BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows; BIONICLE Adventures 10: Time Trap)

OnewaOnewaOnewa served as Toa Metru of Stone, led Po-Koro through the Dark Time, and constructed the Metru Nui statue honoring the fallen Toa Mahri Matoro. and the Visorak warning#

The first Kratana in the story attached itself to OnewaOnewaOnewa served as Toa Metru of Stone, led Po-Koro through the Dark Time, and constructed the Metru Nui statue honoring the fallen Toa Mahri Matoro. while the Toa MetruToa Metru and Toa HordikaSix Matoran elevated by Lhikan to save their city, mutated by Visorak venom, and restored in time to deliver the population to safety. were in Mangaia, TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna.'s lair. It gave him a vision of the VisorakVisorakSpider-like Rahi created by Makuta Chirox, conquered for the Brotherhood by Gorast, broken at Metru Nui, and ultimately destroyed in a volcanic eruption on Artidax. invasion, which still lay in the future. Afterwards Onewa could recall only fragments: words that were not his own, and something horrible everywhere that he could not see clearly. VakamaVakamaA Ta-Metru maskmaker transformed into the Toa Metru of Fire, leader of his team through the Visorak war, and Turaga of Ta-Koro for a thousand years. incinerated the creature. (BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows)

The Toa Metru had no idea what the creature was and treated it as a hostile parasite. Only when the VisorakVisorakSpider-like Rahi created by Makuta Chirox, conquered for the Brotherhood by Gorast, broken at Metru Nui, and ultimately destroyed in a volcanic eruption on Artidax. arrived did the warning make sense, and by then Onewa's memory of it had faded. (BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows; BIONICLE Adventures 7: Web of the Visorak)

Vakama in Teridax's lair#

The second encounter came later, when VakamaVakamaA Ta-Metru maskmaker transformed into the Toa Metru of Fire, leader of his team through the Visorak war, and Turaga of Ta-Koro for a thousand years. went after the Kanohi VahiMask 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., the Mask of Time. In TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna.'s lair in Po-MetruPo-MetruMetru Nui's Stone District, home to carvers whose work defined the city and site of an ancient conflict that threatened to divide it., a Kratana attacked him and latched onto his face. (BIONICLE Adventures 10: Time Trap)

The vision it produced showed him KrakuaKrakuaA Toa of Sonics from De-Koro who served the Order of Mata Nui and delivered a devastating prophecy to Vakama., a Toa who would not exist until long after Vakama's time. The vision ended when Teridax pulled the creature off Vakama's face. (BIONICLE Adventures 10: Time Trap)

The two cases differ sharply. The same kind of creature left Onewa with only scraps, but gave Vakama a clear sight of a figure from the future. (BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows; BIONICLE Adventures 10: Time Trap)

Helryx, Takanuva, and the Toa Mata's past#

The third use came a thousand years later, before TakanuvaTakanuvaHidden among the Ta-Matoran as Takua, the disguised Av-Matoran who became Takanuva was the sole Toa of Light produced in the Matoran Universe's full history. went to Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast cavern at the core of the Matoran universe, home of the Av-Matoran's Sky Villages and the Codrex, and the site of the battle to awaken Mata Nui.. HelryxHelryx: the first Toa ever createdHelryx was the first Toa ever made, commissioned by the Great Beings on Artakha long before the Toa Mata. She founded and led the Order of Mata Nui., leader of the Order of Mata NuiThe Order of Mata NuiThe covert organization founded by Helryx to serve the Great Spirit directly, operating in concealment from a fortress on Daxia and waging the open war against the Brotherhood of Makuta that decided the fate of the universe., gave him the Kratana that had recorded the Toa MataWho are the Toa Mata?Six warriors built to order by Artakha, stored in canisters, dropped into the ocean. This is the origin story of Bionicle's heroes and why their first week of work was entirely amnesiac.'s adventures on DaxiaDaxiaDaxia is a location situated east of the Southern Continent, affiliated with the Order of Mata Nui and home to the Shallows Cat. and in Karda Nui in the earliest days of the Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control.. (BIONICLE Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets)

Through it, Takanuva saw the Toa Mata's past and the Energy StormsEnergy StormsThe raw-energy maelstroms that filled Karda Nui whenever Mata Nui was awakened, incinerated the Brotherhood of Makuta contingent at the climax of the Final Battle, and fed the Great Spirit's body with the energy it needed. they would face in Karda Nui when the time came to awaken Mata NuiMata NuiBuilt by the Great Beings to restore Spherus Magna, Mata Nui sustained an entire civilisation inside his body, was deposed by Teridax, and reclaimed his purpose as a mortal on Bara Magna.. It was the knowledge he would need on arrival. (BIONICLE Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets)

This is the clearest example of the creature being used on purpose. The Order had something specific to show, and the Kratana showed it. Helryx handled it as a working tool, not a threat. (BIONICLE Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets)

Distinction from the Krana and KraataKraataSlug-like creatures birthed from Makuta's essence, designed as both weapons and the cores of Rahkshi armor.#

The Kratana's looks gave it its fan name, but it works nothing like either creature. A KranaKranaThe small organic creatures that controlled the Bohrok, made in eight types plus a mutated variant, without which no Bohrok could serve the swarm. was a BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected. control unit that could take over a host and link them to the swarm. A KraataKraataSlug-like creatures birthed from Makuta's essence, designed as both weapons and the cores of Rahkshi armor. was a creature of the Makuta that could grow into the core of a RahkshiBionicle Rahkshi: the Sons of Makuta from Mask of LightRahkshi are armoured hunters made from kraata, the slug-like creatures of the Makuta. Six of them chased the Mask of Light across Mata Nui in 2003. Here's what they are, the different kinds and where they turn up in the films, books and comics.. A Kratana does neither in the books. It shows visions while attached and stops when removed. (BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows; BIONICLE Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets)

Only three uses are described. The Kratana Vakama incinerated in Mangaia, the one Teridax pulled from Vakama in Po-Metru, and the one Helryx gave Takanuva make up the creature's whole record in the books. (BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows; BIONICLE Adventures 10: Time Trap; BIONICLE Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets)