Lava Farm

The Lava Farms weren't factories in any sense most beings would recognize. They were outdoor work zones where Ta-MatoranTa-MatoranThe Fire-element Matoran of Ta-Metru and Ta-Koro, forgers of masks and Kanoka, lava farmers, and the standing core of the Ta-Koro Guard during the war for Mata Nui. harvested raw molten lava, cooled it, shaped it into usable goods, and shipped those goods through underground tunnels to villages across the island. It's one of Bionicle's best examples of how the Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control. functioned as an actual economy on two very different scales. On Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive., the process was efficient. On Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years., the process was dangerous and unsustainable.

Two Systems#

On Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive., the lava farms operated as part of a larger manufacturing infrastructure. Molten ProtodermisProtodermisThe engineered substance building the Matoran Universe, protodermis exists in countless refined states from mundane metal to diamond-hard crystal to the destruction-or-transformation force of energized form. flowed directly into Ta-MetruTa-MetruThe fire district where Ta-Matoran perfected their craft and powered Metru Nui's industry for thousands of years. through pipes, where it could be worked immediately. Ta-MatoranTa-MatoranThe Fire-element Matoran of Ta-Metru and Ta-Koro, forgers of masks and Kanoka, lava farmers, and the standing core of the Ta-Koro Guard during the war for Mata Nui. crafted objects on-site and shipped them to the other districts through an established network. It was organized and efficient.

The system on Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. couldn't have been more different. There was no pre-built pipeline, no central processing plant. Instead, Ta-MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. traveled to the Mangai VolcanoMangai VolcanoThe central volcano of Ta-Wahi, formed by Mata Nui's damaged camouflage systems and used by Teridax as cover for his hidden lair Mangaia. itself, harvesting raw lava directly from the mountain. The lava had to be cooled and worked by hand into useful tools and goods. Once shaped, items were transported through underground tunnels to the other villages. Every step was manual. Every step was dangerous, especially with 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. serving TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. making travel and work hazardous.

An Essential Economy#

The lava farms weren't glamorous, but they were essential. Without them, the Ta-MatoranTa-MatoranThe Fire-element Matoran of Ta-Metru and Ta-Koro, forgers of masks and Kanoka, lava farmers, and the standing core of the Ta-Koro Guard during the war for Mata Nui. had no way to produce the tools and components the other districts needed. The cooling lava became structural material, weapons, tools, and goods. It was the backbone of Ta-MatoranTa-MatoranThe Fire-element Matoran of Ta-Metru and Ta-Koro, forgers of masks and Kanoka, lava farmers, and the standing core of the Ta-Koro Guard during the war for Mata Nui. productivity on Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years.. These farms remain one of the clearest examples in Bionicle of the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. as a working species, not a warrior species.

The BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected. Assault#

The BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected. invasion shattered this fragile system. The initial attack on Ta-WahiTa-WahiTa-Wahi was the volcanic region of Mata Nui surrounding the Mangai Volcano, encompassing Ta-Koro, the Lake of Fire, the Charred Forest, and the Ta-Wahi Beach. damaged the lava farms severely. As the invasion progressed, every farm on 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. was destroyed completely. With the farms gone, the Ta-MatoranTa-MatoranThe Fire-element Matoran of Ta-Metru and Ta-Koro, forgers of masks and Kanoka, lava farmers, and the standing core of the Ta-Koro Guard during the war for Mata Nui. lost their primary industrial advantage and their means of manufacturing goods. It was a strategic catastrophe that cut to the heart of Ta-MatoranTa-MatoranThe Fire-element Matoran of Ta-Metru and Ta-Koro, forgers of masks and Kanoka, lava farmers, and the standing core of the Ta-Koro Guard during the war for Mata Nui. identity.

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Compiled from primary sources by Lore Fortress editorial. Reviewed by Joe Garratt, Editor-in-Chief.