Lhikan

Lhikan was a Toa of FireToa of FireThe Elemental protectors of the Matoran, most often rising from Ta-Matoran to command the power of fire. and the leader of the Toa MangaiToa MangaiThe defenders of Metru Nui before the Toa Metru arrived, a team that fell to betrayal and relentless war., the Toa who guarded Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive.. By the time 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. he was the city's only Toa, the rest of his team having been sent away on missions from which none returned. He gave Toa StonesToa StonesSmall stones charged with a portion of a Toa's power, used to awaken the dormant Toa Power within a destined Matoran and elevate them into a Toa. to six MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body., creating 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., became a TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities., and died defending 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. from TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna.. (BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia)

Early Life and Transformation#

Before becoming a Toa, Lhikan was a 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. from a land outside Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive.. He never said why he came to the city, and he did not like to talk about his past. The Toa of Fire 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. once rescued him from danger, and Dume, by then Turaga of Metru Nui, later played a part in his transformation into a Toa. (BIONICLE: Metru Nui, City of Legends; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia; BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

As a novice Toa, Lhikan served with a team guarding the Makoki StoneMakoki StoneA magical relic holding the secrets of the Brotherhood of Makuta, split into six pieces and scattered across the Matoran Universe., a carving that recorded secrets of the Brotherhood of MakutaThe Brotherhood of MakutaAn organization of Makuta created by Mata Nui to build Rahi and keep order in his universe, later seized by Teridax and turned into the instrument of the Plan that overthrew the Great Spirit.. When Frostelus besieged the team's fortress, his leader ordered him to flee with the stone, but the future Dark Hunters HakannHakannThe Skakdi bully known for pure aggression, from Dark Hunter mercenary to Piraka thief driven by violence and power. and VezokVezokThe Beast was a Piraka thief split in two by the Spear of Fusion, then imprisoned by the Order of Mata Nui. had already stolen it. Lhikan escaped without it and was the only one of his team to survive, and he swore never to run from anything again. As a Toa he carried two Fire GreatswordsFire GreatswordsThe twin Toa Tools of Lhikan, Toa Mangai of Fire, which locked together into a flying board, carried him clear of the Dark Hunters at the Great Temple and saved Vakama from a forge. and a Great HauHauThe Mask of Shielding that protected Toa from harm they saw coming, but left them vulnerable to ambush and mental assault., with armour in gold and dark red. (BIONICLE Legends 4: Legacy of Evil; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; The Many Deaths of Toa Tuyet; BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui)

The Toa Mangai and the Toa-Dark Hunter War#

When the Dark HuntersThe Dark HuntersA band of mercenaries and thieves founded on Odina by the Shadowed One and Ancient, hired out across the Matoran Universe, and left a battered ruin by the time Teridax ruled the universe. loosed the Kanohi Dragon on Metru Nui, Lhikan and other Toa answered Turaga Dume's call and beat the beast after a month-long battle, then shipped it to XiaXiaA hostile island southeast of Metru Nui, home to the Vortixx and their brutal mercenary culture.. He went on to lead the Toa MangaiToa MangaiThe defenders of Metru Nui before the Toa Metru arrived, a team that fell to betrayal and relentless war., whose members often travelled abroad on missions. (BIONICLE Legends 4: Legacy of Evil; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe)

During the Toa-Dark Hunter War, Lhikan led the Toa defending the city. He caught his teammate NidhikiNidhikiOnce a guardian of Metru Nui, Nidhiki traded his Toa honor for Dark Hunter gold and paid the price. away from his post and later followed him to a secret meeting with a Dark Hunter, discovering that Nidhiki was selling out the Toa. Hakann then offered Lhikan a deal: the return of the Makoki Stone in exchange for letting the Dark Hunters leave Metru Nui in peace. Lhikan accepted. Knowing Nidhiki was setting a trap, he let the Dark Hunters spring their ambush and then revealed a much larger force of hidden Toa reinforcements. The Hunters surrendered, and Lhikan let them go on condition that they took Nidhiki with them, threatening to kill his old teammate if he stayed. Six months later, the Shadowed One had the stone stolen back, broke it into six pieces and auctioned them off; the Brotherhood bought all six. (Birth of a Dark Hunter; BIONICLE Legends 4: Legacy of Evil)

Before the war, a different betrayal had come from TuyetTuyetA Toa of Water caught in the Order's machinations, Tuyet turned from peer-seeker to rebel-schemer.. She killed Matoran and framed the Dark Hunters for the murders, sending Lhikan and Nidhiki after them. Lhikan beat the Dark Hunters who attacked them, but when another Matoran was found dead he worked out the truth and forced Tuyet to admit she held the Nui StoneNui StoneA red artifact that hunts Toa and drains their power within 3000 kio, sought by Tuyet in ancient Metru Nui to gain strength against enemies only she could see.. In the fight that followed, Lhikan destroyed the stone with a blast of fire. Tuyet was held in the ColiseumThe ColiseumCentral tower of Metru Nui, serving as government seat, akilini arena and, during Teridax's masquerade, the place from which the city's Matoran were rounded up into spheres. while Lhikan and Dume decided her punishment, but before they could, she vanished from her cell, taken by an agent 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.. Fragments of the shattered stone had lodged in her armour. (The Many Deaths of Toa Tuyet)

Sole Protector of Metru Nui#

After the war, Lhikan protected Metru Nui through long years of peace, mostly helping the Vahki catch dangerous Rahi. He settled disputes, listened to the Matoran's problems, and was known and admired in every metru. When the false Dume grew reclusive, Lhikan even took over much of the city's daily business. Teridax, posing as Dume, sent the rest of the Toa Mangai away on missions, and none of them came back, so by the time of BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru NuiThe Awakening of the Toa Metru and the Search for the Great DisksThe first BIONICLE Adventures novel: the newly formed Toa Metru race to find the six Matoran who know where the Great Disks are hidden, while a traitor works with the Dark Hunters against them. Lhikan was the only Toa in the city. (BIONICLE: Metru Nui, City of Legends; BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui; BIONICLE Adventures 5: Voyage of Fear; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

The Toa Stones and Transformation to Turaga#

Knowing time was short, Lhikan set out to choose six Matoran to become the city's new protectors. He first chose NuhriiNuhriiNuhrii was a Ta-Matoran mask-maker of Metru Nui, one of the six finders of a Great Disk, who later served in the Ta-Koro Guard on Mata Nui. of Ta-MetruTa-MetruThe fire district where Ta-Matoran perfected their craft and powered Metru Nui's industry for thousands of years., VhisolaVhisolaVhisola was a Ga-Matoran student of Nokama, one of the six finders of a Great Disk, whose research deduced the location of the Morbuzakh King Root. of Ga-MetruGa-MetruGa-Metru is a district of Metru Nui, home to the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh., TehuttiTehuttiTehutti was an Onu-Matoran archivist of Metru Nui, one of the six finders of a Great Disk, whose Archives research produced the Matoran Nui technique. of Onu-MetruOnu-MetruThe deep archive-city that made mining and historical records preservation the beating heart of Metru Nui., AhkmouAhkmouA Po-Matoran carver of Metru Nui, one of the six Great Disk holders, who betrayed his fellow Matoran to the Dark Hunters, served Makuta Teridax, and became a false Turaga during Teridax's reign. of 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., OrkahmOrkahmOrkahm was a Le-Matoran Ussal rider of Le-Metru, Matau's chief rival, one of the six finders of a Great Disk, and later a Gukko Force member on Mata Nui. of Le-MetruLe-MetruThe teal district where Le-Matoran managed everything that moved through Metru Nui, from chutes to airships., and EhryeEhryeEhrye was a Ko-Matoran errand-runner of the Knowledge Towers who tried to sell the location of a Great Disk, thought better of it in front of a Dark Hunter, and helped the Toa Metru find it. of Ko-MetruKo-MetruKo-Metru was Metru Nui's frozen intellectual quarter, home to the scholarly Ko-Matoran race., and wrote their names in his journal. Teridax then planted six other names in his mind: 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., NokamaNokamaNokama served as Toa Metru of Water, endured the Hordika mutation, and led Ga-Koro and later Ga-Metru as Turaga through three eras., 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., 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., 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., and 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.. Teridax thought he was defying destiny by picking the least united group, but he had been deceived, and the second six were the ones meant to become Toa. (BIONICLE Adventures 8: Challenge of the Hordika; BIONICLE Adventures 10: Time Trap)

Teridax had hired the Dark Hunters Nidhiki and KrekkaKrekkaA brutish but ineffective Dark Hunter with no powers or masks, Krekka was outmatched from his first moments in Metru Nui. to hunt Lhikan down. Lhikan took six stones from the Great Temple, escaped the pair there on his greatswords, and delivered the Toa StonesToa StonesSmall stones charged with a portion of a Toa's power, used to awaken the dormant Toa Power within a destined Matoran and elevate them into a Toa. across the city. Just after he gave the last one to Vakama, the Dark Hunters caught him, and Nidhiki forced his surrender by threatening Vakama. The meeting carried extra weight, as Nidhiki had once been his teammate. (BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia)

Taken to the Prison of the Dark HuntersPrison of the Dark HuntersA covert detention site near the border of Po-Metru and Onu-Metru, used by Nidhiki and Krekka during their stint as Metru Nui enforcers and the cell where Lhikan mentored three future Toa Metru., Lhikan became a TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities., his destiny fulfilled by the creation of the Toa Metru. His Great Hau became a Noble Hau, and in place of his greatswords he carried a small ceremonial staff as his Badge of OfficeBadge of OfficeThe Badge of Office was the staff or tool carried by a Turaga to symbolize experience and authority, most often the transformed Toa Tool the elder had wielded in their days as a Toa.. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe; BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui)

Imprisonment Under the False Turaga Dume#

When Nuju, Whenua, and Onewa were thrown into the same prison, Lhikan, his face hidden by a helmet, trained them to use their mask powers. Once Nuju mastered telekinesis with his Matatu and opened a hole in their cell wall, the four escaped and rode a troller through 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.. (BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui)

In the Archives they met up with Vakama, Nokama, and Matau. Lhikan revealed who he was and asked whether the heart of Metru Nui was safe. Vakama had thought the phrase meant Lhikan himself, but Lhikan explained that it meant the Matoran. When Vakama found the real Dume sealed in a Matoran sphere, it confirmed Lhikan's suspicion that an impostor ruled the city. Hiding from the Vahki, Lhikan pushed someone to take charge, and Vakama led them out on a stolen Vahki transportThe Vahki TransportThe multi-legged cargo vehicle built by the Vahki of Metru Nui and used by the Toa Metru to escape the city across the Silver Sea after the Great Cataclysm.. (BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui)

Powers and Tools#

Lhikan wore a HauHauThe Mask of Shielding that protected Toa from harm they saw coming, but left them vulnerable to ambush and mental assault. as a Toa and as a Turaga. His Great Hau shielded him from attacks he saw coming, though not from an ambush. As a Turaga he wore a Noble Hau, which gave far weaker protection. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia; BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui)

His Fire GreatswordsFire GreatswordsThe twin Toa Tools of Lhikan, Toa Mangai of Fire, which locked together into a flying board, carried him clear of the Dark Hunters at the Great Temple and saved Vakama from a forge. could be joined into a board he rode high above the city, watching for trouble. When Nidhiki dropped Vakama into a forge after Lhikan's surrender, Lhikan sent the blades beneath him so the Matoran could ride them to safety, telling him to save the heart of Metru Nui. (BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui)

His control of fire was precise enough to burn tiny symbols onto the Toa Stones, a level of control many Toa of Fire lack. The power was greatly reduced when he became a Turaga. (BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui)

Death and the Red Star#

Lhikan and the Toa Metru confronted the false Dume at the ColiseumThe ColiseumCentral tower of Metru Nui, serving as government seat, akilini arena and, during Teridax's masquerade, the place from which the city's Matoran were rounded up into spheres., where Teridax revealed himself as 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. began. They fled on the transport, and at the Great BarrierThe Great BarrierThe enormous underground dome of rock and solid Protodermis that enclosed Metru Nui and the Silver Sea, sealed Teridax into a cliff face, and was finally cracked open during the Great Cataclysm. Teridax caught up with them. In the battle that followed, Lhikan threw himself in front of a blast meant for Vakama. Dying, he gave Vakama his Hau and told him he was proud to have called him brother. (BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui)

The published stories end there. Writer Greg Farshtey later said that Lhikan was revived on the Red StarRed StarThe Red Star was an orbiting facility that revived the dead and enabled the Great Spirit Robot's cosmic travels., which was meant to restore beings who died in the Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control. and send them back, but that its return mechanism had failed, leaving him stranded.

Thousands of years later, TuyetTuyetA Toa of Water caught in the Order's machinations, Tuyet turned from peer-seeker to rebel-schemer. asked HafuHafuHafu was a Po-Matoran Carver of Po-Koro, recognized as a Master Carver, who served in the Chronicler's Company and survived the Reign of Shadows. and KapuraKapuraKapura was a red Matoran of Fire who served as a member of the Ta-Koro Guard and formerly as part of the Chronicler's Company. A native of Metru Nui, he later worked as a Vat Controller there, wearing a powerless Ruru on Mata Nui and a powerless Pakari on Metru Nui, and ultimately settled on Bota Magna on Spherus Magna. what had become of Lhikan and Nidhiki, and the Matoran told her their fates. (Reign of Shadows)

Legacy#

Shortly after Lhikan's death, Vakama named the Toa Metru's Vahki transport the LhikanThe Lhikan: Vahki Transport of the Toa MetruThe first of the two Vahki Transports the Toa Metru christened in honor of the fallen Toa Lhikan, the vessel that carried six Matoran in spheres across the Silver Sea to Mata Nui after the Great Cataclysm., and on the voyage home the Toa built a second ship, the Lhikan II. On Mata Nui, when 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.'s mask was found broken, Vakama gave him Lhikan's mask, which Jaller treasured once he learned its history. (BIONICLE Adventures 5: Voyage of Fear; BIONICLE Adventures 7: Web of the Visorak; BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE Legends 5: Inferno)

The six 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. created through Lhikan's sacrifice served Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive. as Toa and, after their own transformation, as TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities.. (BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia)