The Stalactite Villages of Karda Nui

The Stalactite Villages were the five Av-MatoranAv-MatoranThe Light-element Matoran, prototypes of their species, who colonised Karda Nui from the Southern Continent and built the Stalactite Villages above the Swamp of Secrets. settlements built into the tops of the great fallen stalactites of Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui., the cavernous core region at the centre of the Great SpiritThe Great Spirit Robot, explainedBionicle's whole universe lives inside a 40-million-foot robot built by the Great Beings. Here is what it is, why it was built, and how it ended.'s body. They were the surviving inhabited spaces of Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. during the period between 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. and the awakening 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., the only habitable terrain in the cavern after the floor below was flooded with Pit MutagenMutagenPit Mutagen was a power-source energy that leaked into the waters of The Pit during the Great Cataclysm and mutated almost every being exposed to it. and seawater to form the Swamp of SecretsSwamp of SecretsThe Swamp of Secrets was the mutagen-saturated wetland that filled the floor of Karda Nui after the Great Cataclysm, serving as a Brotherhood stronghold until the Energy Storms.. The villages were defended by barriers of LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time., administered by KiropKirop, Av-Matoran Leader of Karda NuiKirop was the leader of the Av-Matoran in Karda Nui, captured and transformed into a Shadow Matoran by the Brotherhood of Makuta, restored by the cry of a klakk, and a survivor of the Destiny War and the Reformation., and ultimately incinerated by 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 supplied the Great Spirit Robot with the energy it needed to function. that accompanied 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 awakening.

Origins in the Great Cataclysm#

The Stalactite Villages were not part of the original Av-MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. settlement of Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui.. The Av-MatoranAv-MatoranThe Light-element Matoran, prototypes of their species, who colonised Karda Nui from the Southern Continent and built the Stalactite Villages above the Swamp of Secrets. had returned to the cavern roughly 59,000 years after their original colonisation and the dispersal handled by 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., and had resumed habitation on the floor of Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui.. The arrangement held until 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. one thousand years before the storyline present.

The structural damage to Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. was severe and twofold. The first effect was at the ceiling. An enormous earthquake struck the cavern, and five great stalactites that had formed on the underside of the Southern ContinentThe Southern ContinentThe Southern Continent was a vast landmass beneath the Matoran Universe, scarred by Voya Nui's separation and held under Makuta Mutran's nominal dominion. broke loose from the Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. roof. They fell. The mass of each was sufficient that the stalactites did not shatter on impact; they drove into the cavern floor and remained standing as inverted columns, point-down in the earth, their original bases now suspended in midair as flat upper surfaces. The Av-MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. who had been living on the floor above the impact zones were carried down with the falling stone, and a significant fraction of the population was killed.

The second effect was at the punctured ceiling. A portion of the Southern ContinentThe Southern ContinentThe Southern Continent was a vast landmass beneath the Matoran Universe, scarred by Voya Nui's separation and held under Makuta Mutran's nominal dominion. had been ejected from the Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control. in the same event (the same fragment that became Voya NuiVoya NuiAn island born from catastrophe and hiding the universe's most powerful artifact, Voya Nui was everything Bionicle 2006 promised: danger, mystery, and a race against time.), and the breach left a wound in the roof of Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui.. Sea water from Aqua MagnaAqua MagnaThe endless ocean where the Matoran Universe found refuge and Mata Nui made his final stand. and Pit MutagenMutagenPit Mutagen was a power-source energy that leaked into the waters of The Pit during the Great Cataclysm and mutated almost every being exposed to it. poured down through the gap as a continuous waterfall and accumulated on the cavern floor below. Over the next one thousand years, the floor became the Swamp of SecretsSwamp of SecretsThe Swamp of Secrets was the mutagen-saturated wetland that filled the floor of Karda Nui after the Great Cataclysm, serving as a Brotherhood stronghold until the Energy Storms., a mutagenic body of standing water that the Av-MatoranAv-MatoranThe Light-element Matoran, prototypes of their species, who colonised Karda Nui from the Southern Continent and built the Stalactite Villages above the Swamp of Secrets. could not safely enter. The surface they had previously lived on was no longer available to them, and escape from Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. was impossible.

The survivors adapted by building upward. The exposed upper surfaces of the fallen stalactites were elevated well above the surface of the developing swamp, sheltered from most threats, and structurally stable. The Av-MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. constructed five new settlements, one on the top of each stalactite, and made these their homes. The villages came to be known collectively as the Stalactite Villages.

Construction and defences#

Each village occupied the fractured upper surface of a single fallen stalactite. The platforms were broad enough to support permanent housing for the displaced Av-MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. population, with the typical surviving village holding approximately one hundred residents at the time of the Brotherhood of MakutaThe 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. invasion. The villages were lit by the natural light that filled the upper portion of Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui., supplemented by the inhabitants' own Light powers and by LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time. growth along the perimeters.

The principal defensive measure was the LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time. barrier. LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time. was a luminescent plant native to the Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control.. Two varieties existed: the thin teal-glowing variety found in the ArchivesThe Archives of Metru NuiThe Archives of Onu-Metru were the central repository of Matoran knowledge and Rahi specimens, maintained by the Archivist Corps beneath the city's surface. of 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 thick, thorny, pale-green-glowing variety that grew in Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui.. The Av-MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. cultivated the Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. variety around the perimeters of their villages. The plant's bright light was an active deterrent against MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate., whose ShadowShadowShadow was the elemental absence of Light in the Matoran Universe, wielded natively by the Makuta and weaponized through the Shadow Leeches.-aligned biology found the LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time. glow irritating to the point of preventing close approach. The barriers were a passive defence that did not require constant maintenance and that functioned around the clock as long as the LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time. remained alive.

The secondary defensive measure was the ScareRahiScareRahiScarecrow-like objects that guarded Matoran villages in Karda Nui, destroyed alongside the settlements they protected.. These were large, scarecrow-like constructs that the Av-MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. erected on and around the villages to ward off flying 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.. The threat profile addressed by the ScareRahiScareRahiScarecrow-like objects that guarded Matoran villages in Karda Nui, destroyed alongside the settlements they protected. was different from that addressed by the LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time.. Where the LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time. discouraged the MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. by exploiting their elemental aversion, the ScareRahiScareRahiScarecrow-like objects that guarded Matoran villages in Karda Nui, destroyed alongside the settlements they protected. discouraged native Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. 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. by visual deception. Both measures together produced settlements that were, in normal conditions, difficult to attack.

Life in the villages#

KiropKirop, Av-Matoran Leader of Karda NuiKirop was the leader of the Av-Matoran in Karda Nui, captured and transformed into a Shadow Matoran by the Brotherhood of Makuta, restored by the cry of a klakk, and a survivor of the Destiny War and the Reformation. emerged as the leader of the villages during the long interval between the 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. and 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. invasion. The community ran its own affairs without external contact or assistance. The surface above had been sealed off by the breach in the roof and the subsequent rise of the Swamp of SecretsSwamp of SecretsThe Swamp of Secrets was the mutagen-saturated wetland that filled the floor of Karda Nui after the Great Cataclysm, serving as a Brotherhood stronghold until the Energy Storms.; the Av-MatoranAv-MatoranThe Light-element Matoran, prototypes of their species, who colonised Karda Nui from the Southern Continent and built the Stalactite Villages above the Swamp of Secrets. on the Southern ContinentThe Southern ContinentThe Southern Continent was a vast landmass beneath the Matoran Universe, scarred by Voya Nui's separation and held under Makuta Mutran's nominal dominion. and elsewhere did not know that a Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. population still existed, and the Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. population did not know what had happened to the rest of their species.

The Av-MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. generation that had grown up in the Stalactite Villages produced figures who would later play prominent roles in the Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. campaign. TanmaTanma, Av-Matoran Resistance Leader of Karda NuiTanma was the Av-Matoran who took command of the Karda Nui resistance after Kirop's corruption, partnered with Lewa Nuva during the Phantoka campaign, and led the evacuation that carried the surviving Av-Matoran to Metru Nui., SolekSolekSolek was an Av-Matoran of Karda Nui who fought alongside the Toa Nuva against the Brotherhood of Makuta during the final battle for Mata Nui's awakening., and PhotokPhotokPhotok was an Av-Matoran of Karda Nui who fought alongside Tanma and Solek in the resistance against the Brotherhood of Makuta during the final battle for Mata Nui's awakening. were among the surviving village's principal fighters. KiropKirop, Av-Matoran Leader of Karda NuiKirop was the leader of the Av-Matoran in Karda Nui, captured and transformed into a Shadow Matoran by the Brotherhood of Makuta, restored by the cry of a klakk, and a survivor of the Destiny War and the Reformation., GavlaGavlaAn Av-Matoran of Karda Nui transformed into a Shadow Matoran, Gavla led Vamprah's corrupted villagers and resisted restoration., and RadiakRadiakAn Av-Matoran of Karda Nui who was corrupted into a Shadow Matoran by a Shadow Leech, restored by a Klakk, and evacuated to Metru Nui before the Energy Storms. were among those eventually converted into Shadow MatoranShadow MatoranAv-Matoran corrupted by the Makuta in Karda Nui, drained of Light and weaponized with shadow powers.. For most of the thousand-year interval, the villages experienced no threats beyond the occasional flying 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., and the ScareRahiScareRahiScarecrow-like objects that guarded Matoran villages in Karda Nui, destroyed alongside the settlements they protected. handled these. Life was constrained but stable.

The Brotherhood invasion#

The peace ended when the Brotherhood of MakutaThe 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. discovered a western entrance into Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. and launched a campaign to seize the cavern in advance 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 scheduled awakening. 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. had identified Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui.'s strategic importance to the wider Plan and dispatched a contingent of MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. to occupy it. Five MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. carried out the assault on the Stalactite Villages: AntrozAntrozMakuta commander who led the Phantoka assault on Karda Nui and pilot of the Jetrax T6, ultimately outmaneuvered by Kopaka's superior strategy., VamprahVamprahVamprah hunted in absolute silence, but silence wasn't enough when Tahu outmaneuvered him in the swamp., ChiroxChiroxA Makuta of the Brotherhood who questioned Teridax's plans before being sent to Karda Nui., MutranMutranMutran is a Makuta of the Brotherhood of Makuta who serves as the Makuta of Voya Nui and is among the most prolific Rahi creators within the organization. Hailing from the Southern Islands, he wears the Great Shelek and commands the powers of Shadow and Silence alongside the full range of Kraata abilities, wielding a Shadow Blade, Shadow Spear, and Tridax Pod in combat., and IcaraxIcaraxHe thought scheming was for the weak and said so out loud, so the canon made sure the thing that finally killed him was a scheme.. They shapeshifted to carry Tridax PodsTridax PodA Shadow Leech-carrying weapon designed by three Makuta, deployed in Karda Nui during 2008, and destroyed by the Energy Storms. loaded with Shadow LeechesShadow LeechMutated Kraata designed to drain light and corruption. Created by Mutran and allies, they transformed dozens of Matoran before the Energy Storm wiped them out., the parasitic creatures MutranMutranMutran is a Makuta of the Brotherhood of Makuta who serves as the Makuta of Voya Nui and is among the most prolific Rahi creators within the organization. Hailing from the Southern Islands, he wears the Great Shelek and commands the powers of Shadow and Silence alongside the full range of Kraata abilities, wielding a Shadow Blade, Shadow Spear, and Tridax Pod in combat. and TridaxTridaxMost Makuta wanted the Plan to succeed. Tridax wanted what came after, and he was building a private army of stolen Toa of Light in a Destral basement to make sure he got it. had bred for the campaign, whose function was to drain Light from a victim and invert them into a Shadow MatoranShadow MatoranAv-Matoran corrupted by the Makuta in Karda Nui, drained of Light and weaponized with shadow powers..

The LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time. defences could not stop the MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. once they were committed to the assault. The plant's light was a deterrent, not a barrier, and MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. willing to absorb the irritation could push through. Within a week, four of the five villages had been converted. KiropKirop, Av-Matoran Leader of Karda NuiKirop was the leader of the Av-Matoran in Karda Nui, captured and transformed into a Shadow Matoran by the Brotherhood of Makuta, restored by the cry of a klakk, and a survivor of the Destiny War and the Reformation. was among the first leaders captured and converted; he was repurposed as a Shadow MatoranShadow MatoranAv-Matoran corrupted by the Makuta in Karda Nui, drained of Light and weaponized with shadow powers. scout and rider for the invading MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate.. GavlaGavlaAn Av-Matoran of Karda Nui transformed into a Shadow Matoran, Gavla led Vamprah's corrupted villagers and resisted restoration. and RadiakRadiakAn Av-Matoran of Karda Nui who was corrupted into a Shadow Matoran by a Shadow Leech, restored by a Klakk, and evacuated to Metru Nui before the Energy Storms. followed. The newly created Shadow MatoranShadow MatoranAv-Matoran corrupted by the Makuta in Karda Nui, drained of Light and weaponized with shadow powers. were pressed into service riding the now-blinded MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. as visual guides.

One village survived. Approximately one hundred Av-MatoranAv-MatoranThe Light-element Matoran, prototypes of their species, who colonised Karda Nui from the Southern Continent and built the Stalactite Villages above the Swamp of Secrets. remained free, with TanmaTanma, Av-Matoran Resistance Leader of Karda NuiTanma was the Av-Matoran who took command of the Karda Nui resistance after Kirop's corruption, partnered with Lewa Nuva during the Phantoka campaign, and led the evacuation that carried the surviving Av-Matoran to Metru Nui., SolekSolekSolek was an Av-Matoran of Karda Nui who fought alongside the Toa Nuva against the Brotherhood of Makuta during the final battle for Mata Nui's awakening., and PhotokPhotokPhotok was an Av-Matoran of Karda Nui who fought alongside Tanma and Solek in the resistance against the Brotherhood of Makuta during the final battle for Mata Nui's awakening. among the principal fighters. The surviving village made a last-ditch stand against the MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate.. The defenders held the perimeter through the remaining days before the arrival of the Toa NuvaToa Mata and Toa NuvaSix biomechanical heroes created by the Great Beings to awaken Mata Nui and defeat the Brotherhood, transformed once and tested across an entire age.. When the Toa NuvaToa Mata and Toa NuvaSix biomechanical heroes created by the Great Beings to awaken Mata Nui and defeat the Brotherhood, transformed once and tested across an entire age. reached Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui., they entered the upper cavern as the PhantokaPhantokaPhantoka is the term for the 2008 Toa and Makuta aerial combat wave, meaning 'Spirits of the air' in Matoran. division (TahuTahu, Toa of FireTahu served as Toa Mata, Toa Nuva, and Toa Mistika of Fire, leading his team from the first landing on Mata Nui to the destruction of the Rahkshi army on Bara Magna., 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., 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., and 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.) and engaged the airborne MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. alongside the surviving Av-MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. defenders.

The previously evacuated village and final destruction#

One of the converted villages was evacuated by 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. before its end. The MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. then destroyed it. The ScareRahiScareRahiScarecrow-like objects that guarded Matoran villages in Karda Nui, destroyed alongside the settlements they protected. that had stood watch over that village were destroyed in the same operation, a small loss in the broader pattern but a confirmation that the MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. considered the village's surviving infrastructure a risk worth eliminating.

The end of all five villages came with 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 supplied the Great Spirit Robot with the energy it needed to function.. 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. had warned the Toa NuvaToa Mata and Toa NuvaSix biomechanical heroes created by the Great Beings to awaken Mata Nui and defeat the Brotherhood, transformed once and tested across an entire age. before the awakening operation that an energy storm would destroy everything in Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. when 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. awoke. The warning was accurate. The Toa NuvaToa Mata and Toa NuvaSix biomechanical heroes created by the Great Beings to awaken Mata Nui and defeat the Brotherhood, transformed once and tested across an entire age. sheltered inside the CodrexThe CodrexA spherical vault built by the Great Beings beneath Karda Nui to house the Toa Mata in stasis and control the final phase of Mata Nui's reawakening., the only structure in the cavern with shielding sufficient to survive the storms, and used the original ToaThe Toa: Heroes of the Matoran UniverseThe Toa were biomechanical guardians sworn to protect the Matoran, bound by a strict code and defined by sacrifice across every age of the universe. canisters as additional protection. The remaining Av-MatoranAv-MatoranThe Light-element Matoran, prototypes of their species, who colonised Karda Nui from the Southern Continent and built the Stalactite Villages above the Swamp of Secrets. of the surviving village were evacuated before the awakening; the Shadow MatoranShadow MatoranAv-Matoran corrupted by the Makuta in Karda Nui, drained of Light and weaponized with shadow powers., once restored to their LightLightThe elemental power of Light was the rarest of the elements wielded inside the Matoran Universe, native to the Av-Matoran and, in full form, only ever expressed by Takanuva among the Toa. state by the song of KlakkThe KlakkThe bat-like sonic Rahi engineered by Makuta Mutran whose scream shattered the inner barrier holding back the Light in a Shadow Matoran, used by Takanuva to cure Karda Nui's corrupted Av-Matoran., were similarly evacuated.

What remained in Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. when the storms hit was the village infrastructure itself, the LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time. barriers, and any Av-MatoranAv-MatoranThe Light-element Matoran, prototypes of their species, who colonised Karda Nui from the Southern Continent and built the Stalactite Villages above the Swamp of Secrets. or Shadow MatoranShadow MatoranAv-Matoran corrupted by the Makuta in Karda Nui, drained of Light and weaponized with shadow powers. who had not made it out in time. The first storm killed every MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. still in Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. who had not been evacuated. The villages themselves were incinerated by the same wave of destruction. The fallen stalactites that had supported the settlements remained as bare stone columns, but the constructions on top of them and the LightvineLightvineThe glowing vines of Karda Nui that made the Makuta's occupation genuinely inconvenient for possibly the first time. that had defended them ceased to exist.

Significance#

The Stalactite Villages were the longest-lasting Av-MatoranAv-MatoranThe Light-element Matoran, prototypes of their species, who colonised Karda Nui from the Southern Continent and built the Stalactite Villages above the Swamp of Secrets. habitation in Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui.'s history. They preserved a LightLightThe elemental power of Light was the rarest of the elements wielded inside the Matoran Universe, native to the Av-Matoran and, in full form, only ever expressed by Takanuva among the Toa.-bearing MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. population at the core of the Great SpiritThe Great Spirit Robot, explainedBionicle's whole universe lives inside a 40-million-foot robot built by the Great Beings. Here is what it is, why it was built, and how it ended. through the entire millennium between 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. and the awakening, and they did so under conditions that the original Av-MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. settlement plan had not anticipated. The displaced population built durable settlements on the broken pieces of their own ceiling, defended them with cultivated plant life and improvised constructs, and ran them without external support for a thousand years.

Their end coincided with the function for which Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. had been built. The cavern was the Great SpiritThe Great Spirit Robot, explainedBionicle's whole universe lives inside a 40-million-foot robot built by the Great Beings. Here is what it is, why it was built, and how it ended.'s core, and the awakening sequence that the Toa NuvaToa Mata and Toa NuvaSix biomechanical heroes created by the Great Beings to awaken Mata Nui and defeat the Brotherhood, transformed once and tested across an entire age. triggered in the CodrexThe CodrexA spherical vault built by the Great Beings beneath Karda Nui to house the Toa Mata in stasis and control the final phase of Mata Nui's reawakening. was designed to consume the cavern's contents in 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 supplied the Great Spirit Robot with the energy it needed to function.. The Stalactite Villages were among the contents consumed. The cost was paid in Karda NuiKarda NuiThe vast inner cavern at the core of the Matoran Universe, original home of the Av-Matoran, site of the Codrex and the final battle that decided the fate of Mata Nui. rather than across the wider Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control., and the survivors of the villages were among the Av-MatoranAv-MatoranThe Light-element Matoran, prototypes of their species, who colonised Karda Nui from the Southern Continent and built the Stalactite Villages above the Swamp of Secrets. eventually relocated 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 then to the reformed Spherus MagnaSpherus MagnaA desert world of ancient conflict that became the merger point of the Matoran Universe and Bionicle's true endpoint..