The Legend of Mata Nui

The Legend of 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 the central creation account of the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. of the island of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years.. It described the descent of the Great SpiritMata 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. from a place called Paradise, the gift of the Three Virtues to the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body., the treachery of the Great SpiritMata 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.'s younger brother MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna., and the prophecy of the return of six heroes from the sea. The legend was recited by TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. 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. on every formal occasion at Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed., by TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. NokamaNokamaNokama served as Toa Metru of Water, endured the Hordika mutation, and led Ga-Koro and later Ga-Metru as Turaga through three eras. to her students at 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., and by each of the six TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. to every ToaWho 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. who arrived on the island and asked who they were and where they had come from. It opened the Wall of HistoryWall of HistoryA series of inscribed walls in Ta-Koro that recorded Matoran life on Mata Nui, maintained by successive Chroniclers and destroyed when the Bohrok cleansed the island. at the Kini-NuiKini-NuiThe most sacred temple on Mata Nui, ironically built directly above Teridax's fortress. and the Great TelescopeThe Great TelescopeAn astrolabe and telescope on Ta-Wahi Beach used by Ga-Matoran astrologers to read prophecy, and the device through which Gali later observed the Red Star. at the SanctumThe SanctumThe central meditation hall of Ko-Koro on the island of Mata Nui, the seat of Turaga Nuju, and the only chamber on the island in which the Wall of Prophecy could be read in full by the Ko-Matoran Scribes and Adepts. of Ko-KoroKo-Koro GuardThe defensive force of Ko-Koro on Mata Nui, also known as the Sanctum Guard, drawn from Ko-Matoran trained for vigilance in the icy peaks.. It was the first thing every MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. learned and the last thing every TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. was willing to admit was not the whole truth.

The descent of the Great SpiritMata 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.#

The legend opened in a place the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. called Paradise. From Paradise the Great BeingsThe Great BeingsScholar-inventors of Spherus Magna whose creations shaped the Matoran Universe and whose absence defined the conflicts that followed. sent down a guardian, the Great SpiritMata 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. 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., to give the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. a purpose. With 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. descended his younger brother, MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna.. The Great SpiritMata 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. brought the sun, the stars, and the elements, and he gave the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. the Three Virtues of Unity, Duty, and Destiny on which their society was to be built. The MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. loved 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. for his gifts and built shrines and temples in his honour. They built the six KiniKini-NuiThe most sacred temple on Mata Nui, ironically built directly above Teridax's fortress., one in each elemental region, dedicated to the six ToaWho 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. who were to come.

The TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. framed the Great BeingsThe Great BeingsScholar-inventors of Spherus Magna whose creations shaped the Matoran Universe and whose absence defined the conflicts that followed. as benevolent and distant, present in the act of sending 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. and absent from the daily affairs of the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body.. The relationship between the Great SpiritMata 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. and the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. was the active relationship. The Three VirtuesThe Three VirtuesThe Three Virtues were the foundational principles given by Mata Nui to the Matoran, shaping social order, ritual, and the cosmology of Spherus Magna. were his teaching, and the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. understanding of right action descended directly from them.

The Time of Shadow#

The legend's second movement was the fall. MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. grew envious of the love the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. had for his brother. Where the Great SpiritMata 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. had brought light and the gift of life, MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. brought shadow and the corruption of living things. He cast a powerful sleep upon 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.. The Great SpiritMata 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. fell from waking awareness into a dream from which no MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. could rouse him. The sky darkened. The seas became dangerous. The 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. of the island, the natural beasts of the WahiWahiThe Matoran word for region. The six Wahi of Mata Nui were the six elemental territories that made up the island before the Bohrok cleared its surface., began to wear infected masks and turned on the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. they had once tolerated or served.

MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. made his lair in MangaiaMangaiaThe hidden stronghold of Teridax beneath the island of Mata Nui, containing Energized Protodermis and connected to the Bohrok Nest., under the great pit at Kini-NuiKini-NuiThe most sacred temple on Mata Nui, ironically built directly above Teridax's fortress., and from there he sent infected 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. against the KorosKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga.. TarakavaTarakavaHuge lizard-like Rahi with powerful forelegs, hunted in pairs across Mata Nui and Metru Nui. closed the coast around 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.. Nui-JagaNui-JagaGiant scorpions with lethal stingers that were hunted for profit despite a grim death toll. blocked the desert passes near Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies.. MuakaMuakaTiger-like predators of Ko-Wahi with claws, teeth, and a taste for anything that moves. hunted in the snowfields above Ko-KoroKo-Koro GuardThe defensive force of Ko-Koro on Mata Nui, also known as the Sanctum Guard, drawn from Ko-Matoran trained for vigilance in the icy peaks.. Nui-RamaNui-RamaLarge insect-like Rahi with deadly claws and venom, known for kidnapping Matoran and attacking Le-Koro. swarmed the canopies of Le-KoroLe-KoroLe-Koro is a village situated within Le-Wahi, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and home to Turaga Matau and Toa Lewa. The settlement was once held under the control of Teridax.. Kane-RaKane-RaBuffalo-like territorial Rahi that roamed Mata Nui's plains and Metru Nui's corridors, best known for encounters with the Toa. charged out of the dust onto the Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed. approaches. The roads between the villages closed. The bonds of Unity that the Great SpiritMata 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. had given the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. broke under the weight of fear, distance, and grief. The Three VirtuesThe Three VirtuesThe Three Virtues were the foundational principles given by Mata Nui to the Matoran, shaping social order, ritual, and the cosmology of Spherus Magna., the TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. said in this part of the recitation, had been allowed to fall into ruin by the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. themselves, who had ceased to perform their Duty and lost sight of their Destiny in the long shadow of the sleep.

The prophecy of the ToaWho 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.#

The legend's third movement was the promise. The Great SpiritMata 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., even in his sleep, would not abandon the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body.. Six ToaWho 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. would come from the sea, one for each of the six elements of the island. They would walk the WahiWahiThe Matoran word for region. The six Wahi of Mata Nui were the six elemental territories that made up the island before the Bohrok cleared its surface., recover the Great KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. masks that had been scattered when MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. cast his sleep, and descend into MangaiaMangaiaThe hidden stronghold of Teridax beneath the island of Mata Nui, containing Energized Protodermis and connected to the Bohrok Nest. to wake the Great SpiritMata 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.. Their arrival would be signalled by the gathering of the six Toa StonesToa StoneA stone imbued with Toa Power that transforms a destined Matoran into a Toa., one held in trust by each TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities.. When the StonesToa StoneA stone imbued with Toa Power that transforms a destined Matoran into a Toa. were brought together at the Kini-NuiKini-NuiThe most sacred temple on Mata Nui, ironically built directly above Teridax's fortress., the ToaWho 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. would be summoned, and the sleep would end.

The prophecy was the operative element of the legend for MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. practice. The Wall of ProphecyWall of ProphecyAn inscribed wall in the Sanctum of Ko-Koro that recorded visions interpreted by Ko-Matoran astrologers and guarded by Turaga Nuju. at Kini-NuiKini-NuiThe most sacred temple on Mata Nui, ironically built directly above Teridax's fortress. recorded the six expected arrivals. The Great TelescopeThe Great TelescopeAn astrolabe and telescope on Ta-Wahi Beach used by Ga-Matoran astrologers to read prophecy, and the device through which Gali later observed the Red Star. above Ko-KoroKo-Koro GuardThe defensive force of Ko-Koro on Mata Nui, also known as the Sanctum Guard, drawn from Ko-Matoran trained for vigilance in the icy peaks. was aligned to track the relevant constellations. The shrines in each KoroKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga. were maintained against the ToaWho 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 coming, and the Toa SuvasSuvaSuva were the sacred shrines of Matoran civilisation, holding Toa Stones, Kanohi, and Nuva symbols across Mata Nui, Metru Nui, and beyond. were built in expectation of their need for charging stations once they walked the island. The legend was not a passive piece of belief. It was the operational future of the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. people.

Recitation and authority#

The legend was recited in full at the inauguration of every new Captain of the GuardTa-Koro GuardThe Ta-Koro Guard was the largest standing Matoran fighting force on Mata Nui, captained by Jaller and active from the early Rahi conflicts through the return to Metru Nui., at every formal recognition of a new ChroniclerChronicler's StaffA ceremonial inscribing tool used by the Matoran Chronicler to record events on the Wall of History, carried in succession from Kodan to Kopeke., at the opening of every KolhiiKolhiiKolhii was the inter-village athletic contest of Mata Nui, descended from the earlier Akilini of Metru Nui and played by all six Koro until the island's evacuation. tournament, and at the bedside of every dying MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body.. The TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. of each KoroKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga. held final authority over their region's version of the recitation. Differences between the versions were small and stylistic. 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.'s Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed. recitation emphasised the fall and the moral weight of the Time of Shadow. NokamaNokamaNokama served as Toa Metru of Water, endured the Hordika mutation, and led Ga-Koro and later Ga-Metru as Turaga through three eras.'s 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. recitation emphasised the descent of the Great SpiritMata 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. and the early gift of the Virtues. WhenuaWhenuaToa Metru of Earth and later Turaga of Onu-Koro, formerly an Onu-Metru archivist whose career in the Archives shaped his role across the rescue of Metru Nui and the long residency on Mata Nui.'s Onu-KoroOnu-KoroOnu-Koro was the earth engineers' city, where underground isolation created one of Mata Nui's most self-sufficient settlements, until the Bohrok came. recitation emphasised the prophecy and the role of the Toa StonesToa StoneA stone imbued with Toa Power that transforms a destined Matoran into a Toa.. 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.'s Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies. carvers reproduced episodes from the legend in stone reliefs along the village paths. MatauMatauA former Le-Metru test driver who became a Toa Metru, Matau wielded air, illusion, and shape-shifting before sacrificing his Toa power to wake the sleeping Matoran.'s Le-KoroLe-KoroLe-Koro is a village situated within Le-Wahi, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and home to Turaga Matau and Toa Lewa. The settlement was once held under the control of Teridax. chanters sang the legend rather than reciting it. NujuNujuNuju served as a Ko-Metru seer, Toa Metru of Ice, and Turaga of Ko-Koro who spoke only in bird calls translated by Matoro. of Ko-KoroKo-Koro GuardThe defensive force of Ko-Koro on Mata Nui, also known as the Sanctum Guard, drawn from Ko-Matoran trained for vigilance in the icy peaks. referred to the legend in the bird 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. dialect he had adopted; MatoroMatoroA quiet Ko-Matoran translator who became a Toa Inika and then a Toa Mahri, Matoro gave his life with the Mask of Life to restore Mata Nui. translated for new arrivals.

The recitation to a ToaWho 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. was different. Each 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. arrived on the island without memory and was given the legend in private by the TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. of the KoroKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga. at which they made landfall. 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. bowed before TahuTahu (2001)Tahu was the Toa Mata of Fire and leader of the team, from his first landing on Ta-Wahi Beach to the destruction of Teridax's Rahkshi army on Bara Magna with the Golden Armor. when he reached Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed., led him into the village, and told him the legend in full before naming him as one of the six. The pattern repeated at 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. with GaliGali, Toa of WaterThe Toa Nuva of Water and conscience of the Toa Mata, whose attunement to her element anchored the team across every campaign from Mata Nui to Karda Nui., at Le-KoroLe-KoroLe-Koro is a village situated within Le-Wahi, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and home to Turaga Matau and Toa Lewa. The settlement was once held under the control of Teridax. with LewaLewaToa of Air, member of the Toa Mata and Toa Nuva, whose career was marked by repeated possession, body theft, and aerial campaigns from Le-Wahi to Karda Nui. under MatauMatauA former Le-Metru test driver who became a Toa Metru, Matau wielded air, illusion, and shape-shifting before sacrificing his Toa power to wake the sleeping Matoran.'s recitation, at Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies. with PohatuPohatuPohatu was the Toa Mata and Toa Nuva of Stone, guardian of Po-Wahi, whose speed and steady humour anchored the team through every era of the Matoran Universe., at Onu-KoroOnu-KoroOnu-Koro was the earth engineers' city, where underground isolation created one of Mata Nui's most self-sufficient settlements, until the Bohrok came. with OnuaOnuaOnua was the Toa Mata and Toa Nuva of Earth, a quiet, deliberate warrior whose patience and underground mastery anchored his team across the Matoran Universe., and at Ko-KoroKo-Koro GuardThe defensive force of Ko-Koro on Mata Nui, also known as the Sanctum Guard, drawn from Ko-Matoran trained for vigilance in the icy peaks. with KopakaKopakaKopaka was the Toa Nuva of Ice, deputy commander of the Toa Mata, and one of the six warriors crafted on Artakha to defend the Matoran Universe.. For 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., the legend was both the explanation of where they had come from and the briefing on what they had been sent to do.

What the legend left out#

The TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. were the surviving members of 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., the same team that had carried the sleeping MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive. out of the broken city in the wake of 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.. They knew that the island of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. was not a world unto itself but the camouflaged exterior of the head of the sleeping Great SpiritMata 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.. They knew that the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. had lived in Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive., inside the body of 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., under TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. DumeDumeDume is a Turaga of Fire and the former ruler of Metru Nui, distinguished by his red and black coloring and the Noble Kanohi Kiril, the Mask of Regeneration. As a member of the Turaga of Metru Nui, he wields a Staff of Office and commands a weakened mastery of Fire. He later resides on the reformed Spherus Magna., and that the entire current population of the island had been carried up out of that city in sealed pods. They knew that MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. was the BrotherhoodThe Brotherhood of MakutaAn organization of Makuta created by Mata Nui to police his universe and build Rahi, later seized by Teridax and turned into the instrument of the Plan that overthrew the Great Spirit. MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. and not a brother in any literal sense of the Great SpiritMata 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.. They knew that MangaiaMangaiaThe hidden stronghold of Teridax beneath the island of Mata Nui, containing Energized Protodermis and connected to the Bohrok Nest. was not MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna.'s lair but the cavity behind the Great SpiritMata 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.'s eyes from which the Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control. extended downward.

They did not tell. The Memory Crisis, in TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. 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.'s judgement, would have destroyed the cohesion of MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. society in the first generation after landing. The MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. had been woken with no memory of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive.. The legend filled the gap. It explained the world they could see, named the threats they could feel, and pointed them at the work that needed to be done. The omissions were policy; the recitation was true to the extent that it could be made true without destabilising the KorosKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga..

The cost of the policy fell, in the end, on the ToaWho 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. who lived inside it. TahuTahu (2001)Tahu was the Toa Mata of Fire and leader of the team, from his first landing on Ta-Wahi Beach to the destruction of Teridax's Rahkshi army on Bara Magna with the Golden Armor. and his team would not learn the full structure of the world they were defending until the night 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. finally told the truth, at the ColiseumThe ColiseumCentral tower of Metru Nui, serving as government seat, sporting arena, and, during Teridax's masquerade, a prison for the city's Matoran population. of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive. after the defeat of TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. at MangaiaMangaiaThe hidden stronghold of Teridax beneath the island of Mata Nui, containing Energized Protodermis and connected to the Bohrok Nest.. 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.'s arrival, the lifting of the door, and the carrying of JallerJallerJaller served as Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard, led the Toa Inika to Voya Nui, and commanded the Toa Mahri through the recovery of the Mask of Life. back across the threshold of TakutanuvaTakutanuvaThe temporary fusion of Takanuva and Makuta Teridax, born in Energized Protodermis, wielded light and shadow as one during the climax of Mask of Light. all preceded the moment at which 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. admitted to his own MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. that there had been a city before the island.

Subsequent canon and the legend's revision#

After the return to Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive. and 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.'s eventual disclosure of the broader Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control., the legend remained in regular recitation. Its function shifted. It was no longer the operational mythology of an island population; it was the foundational account of how a sleeping Great SpiritMata 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. had been served and woken, and the moral framework of Unity, Duty, and Destiny it carried was preserved as the central MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. ethic. The Wall of HistoryWall of HistoryA series of inscribed walls in Ta-Koro that recorded Matoran life on Mata Nui, maintained by successive Chroniclers and destroyed when the Bohrok cleansed the island. at Kini-NuiKini-NuiThe most sacred temple on Mata Nui, ironically built directly above Teridax's fortress., the Great TelescopeThe Great TelescopeAn astrolabe and telescope on Ta-Wahi Beach used by Ga-Matoran astrologers to read prophecy, and the device through which Gali later observed the Red Star. at Ko-KoroKo-Koro GuardThe defensive force of Ko-Koro on Mata Nui, also known as the Sanctum Guard, drawn from Ko-Matoran trained for vigilance in the icy peaks., and the Toa StonesToa StoneA stone imbued with Toa Power that transforms a destined Matoran into a Toa. recovered after 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 arrival were all preserved as physical evidence of the recitation's prophetic accuracy.

The legend's account of MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. as the Great SpiritMata 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.'s envious younger brother became, in the post-disclosure period, the popular shorthand for the relationship between the BrotherhoodThe Brotherhood of MakutaAn organization of Makuta created by Mata Nui to police his universe and build Rahi, later seized by Teridax and turned into the instrument of the Plan that overthrew the Great Spirit. and the Great SpiritMata 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.'s appointed ToaWho 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.. It survived TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna.'s seizure of 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.'s body, his rule over the Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control. under the open name of MakutaTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna., and the eventual restoration of the Great SpiritMata 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.'s consciousness to his proper place. By the time of the ReformationThe ReformationThe cosmic act that pulled Aqua Magna and Bota Magna back into Bara Magna and remade the broken homeworld of the Great Beings, paid for with the life-energy of Mata Nui and the last reserves of the Prototype Robot. of Spherus MagnaSpherus MagnaA desert world of ancient conflict that became the merger point of the Matoran Universe and Bionicle's true endpoint., the recitation of the legend at MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. ceremonies on the surface of the reformed planet was understood as a record of the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. people's first formative experience of standing alone before a sleeping protector, and as the source of the ethic that had carried them through every campaign that followed.

Significance#

The Legend of 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 the only piece of cultural inheritance the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. of the island had in common when 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. arrived. The villages had been disconnected, the roads closed, the WahiWahiThe Matoran word for region. The six Wahi of Mata Nui were the six elemental territories that made up the island before the Bohrok cleared its surface. defended in isolation, and most MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. had lived their lives without crossing into a neighbouring KoroKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga.. The legend was the shared horizon under which all six villages still stood. When TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. of Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed. walked the WahiWahiThe Matoran word for region. The six Wahi of Mata Nui were the six elemental territories that made up the island before the Bohrok cleared its surface. gathering the Toa StonesToa StoneA stone imbued with Toa Power that transforms a destined Matoran into a Toa., the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. he met in each KoroKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga. recognised what he was doing because they had heard the recitation. When the Chronicler's CompanyChroniclerThe Matoran role of recording history and Toa deeds through word and carving, held by figures like Takua and Hahli. assembled at Kini-NuiKini-NuiThe most sacred temple on Mata Nui, ironically built directly above Teridax's fortress., the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. from six KorosKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga. who fought together had nothing in common except the legend and the prophecy it carried. The recitation made the defence possible.

The legend was, in the most literal sense, the cultural artifact that held Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. together long enough for the ToaWho 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. to arrive. The TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. had built it carefully. They had told as much of the truth as the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. could carry, and they had concealed the rest until the day the Great SpiritMata 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. himself stood again. The omissions were not the failure of the legend; they were the price of its survival.