A brief summary of the BIONICLE storyline.
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Bionicle Chronicles (2001-2003)
The first and most iconic years of BIONICLE, introducing the setting and characters. See the characters page for characters appearing during these years.
Quest For The Masks
On the island of Mata Nui, six tribes of robotic beings named Matoran have been battling the evil Makuta and his Rahi, mechanical animals, for over 1000 years. Everything changes when six canisters wash ashore, each one containing a hero, or Toa. Each hero controlling an element of nature: Fire, Earth, Water, Ice, Stone and Air and a mask power, the Toa are truly mighty warriors. None of them remember their past, but the Toa are tasked with collecting great masks of power by the Turaga, the village elders. Together, Tahu, Onua, Gali, Kopaka, Pohatu and Lewa fight the forces of darkness and strive to awaken Mata Nui, the Great Spirit.Awakening of the Bohrok
After seemingly defeating the evil Makuta, the Toa are greeted by a strange new threat; Bohrok, a swarm of insectoid creatures threatening to destroy the island and its inhabitants alongside it! Using the power of their new golden masks, the Toa must each collect eight different breeds of krana, the strange organic masks controlling the Bohrok. Once the krana have been collected, the Toa must stop the twin swarm queens: Cadhok and Gahdok.Bohrok-Kal
After defeating the swarm queens, the Toa fall into a vat of Energized Protodermis and emerge reborn as "Toa Nuva". With enhanced elemental and mask powers, the Toa are more powerful than ever before. Unfortunately, with this new strength comes a new weakness: the "Nuva Symbols". When stolen by their new enemies, the Bohrok-Kal, the powers of the Toa Nuva weaken. Only by collecting the new Kanohi Nuva scattered throughout the island will the Toa stand a chance against their new foes, or else the Bohrok-Kal will re-awaken the swarm queens. With the help of the Vahi, mysterious mask of time, the Toa Nuva manage to destroy the Bohrok-Kal and keep the swarm queens locked in stasis.The Mask Of Light
Chronicler Takua discovers a glowing mask in the lava of Ta-Wahi but allows its discovery to be credited to his best friend Jaller, who is named herald to this "mask of light" and tasked with finding the prophesized "seventh toa". Not allowing his friend to shirk his duties, Jaller forces Takua to come with him and the two set off on a journey to find the seventh toa. In order to hinder them, Makuta releases his "sons", six demonic "Rahkshi" who destroy the Ta-Matoran home of Ta-Koro and corrupt Tahu. In the end, Takua is revealed to be the seventh toa and wears the mask of life, transforming into Takanuva, the toa of light. The new Toa of Light defeats Makuta in his lair, though not before merging with him into one being, "Takutanuva". After being revived as himself, Takanuva reveals a hidden city: Metru Nui. As the Matoran prepare to depart for this newly discovered home, Turaga Vakama reveals to the Toa Nuva that they are not the first toa. Bionicle Adventures (2004-2005)
See the character page for characters appearing during these years.
Legends of Metru Nui
In the present-day, the Matoran of Mata Nui are preparing to leave their island home for that of the lost city of Metru Nui. Turaga Vakama tells the Toa Nuva and the new chronicler, Hahli tales of his past in Metru Nui, the city of legends, over 1000 years ago. Toa Lhikan gives six ordinary matoran mysterious stones imbued with energy. When the six matoran meet inside the Great Temple, they are transformed into mighty toa! Together, it's up to Vakama, Matau, Nuju, Nokama, Onewa and Whenua to protect their city from danger!Quest for the Great Disks
The newly formed Toa Metru set out to find six Great Disks of unknown purpose. Splitting into pairs for this mission: Vakama with Onewa, Matau with Nokama and Nuju with Whenua, the Toa must find six Matoran who hold knowledge of the disks' locations. However, the Toa must also face the Morbuzakh, a gigantic intelligent plant that has been causing great damage to Metru Nui, while searching for the city’s champion, Toa Lhikan, who was kidnapped by two mysterious Dark Hunters named Nidhiki and Krekka.The Great Cataclysm
After destroying the Morbuzakh and gathering the Great Discs, the Toa Metru are denounced for reasons unknown by the city’s leader, Turaga Dume. Dume sends Metru Nui’s mechanical law enforcement units, the Vahki, after the Toa Metru. The Toa Metru must evade the Vahki while searching for Lhikan, who seems to have uncovered a conspiracy that threatens all of Metru Nui.Web of Shadows
Vakama recounts a dark chapter in the tale of Metru Nui Upon their return to Metru Nui, the Toa Metru find the city destroyed and overrun by spider-like rahi called Visorak. The Toa Metru are envenomated, bound and sealed in strange webbing by the Visorak, emerging as horribly mutated part-Rahi beings called the Toa Hordika. The Hordika are rescued by strange, mutated part-Rahkshi beings called the Rahaga, who have been following the Visorak for some time trying to minimize the damage they cause. According to the Rahaga, their only hope lies with Keetongu, a legendary Rahi who can reverse the effects of Visorak venom. However, Sidorak, the pompous, arrogant Visorak king has no intention of making it easy for any of them, and his far more cunning and deadly viceroy, Roodaka, has plans of her own for the Toa – particularly Vakama. Bionicle Legends (2006-2008)
See the character page for characters appearing during these years.
The Mask of Life
After the Matoran population of Mata Nui returns to Metru Nui, Toa, Turaga, and Matoran alike search for the legendary Mask of Life to revive Mata Nui from his slumber. Along the way, they will meet new foes, new allies, and learn the strange nature and origins of their universe.The Gang is on the Loose
On the harsh, remote island of Voya Nui, a broken land once part of a much larger continent, six deadly, thuggish beings called the Piraka have come ashore in search of the legendary Mask of Life, said to be somewhere on the island. Posing as Toa, the Piraka place the Matoran population of Voya Nui under their yoke as they search for the mask. The first 6 Toa Nuva arrive on the island to find the Mask of Life for themselves, but are badly beaten by the Piraka and their even stronger ally, Brutaka. Shortly after, six Matoran from Metru Nui – Jaller, Hahli, Kongu, Nuparu, Hewkii, and Matoro – come ashore in search of the Toa Nuva, and are turned into a new team of Toa – the Toa Inika – by a strange light from the Red Star. The rebelling Matoran population of Voya Nui, the Toa Inika, and a mysterious armored warrior named Axonn now must race against the Piraka and Brutaka to find the Mask of Life, which is somewhere deep in the heart of Voya Nui – but the mask has its own ways of defending itself, and may not want to be found.The Abyss
During the battle for the Mask of Life in the heart of Voya Nui, the mask itself was blasted into the sea off the coast. Descending into the depths via a massive, dry tunnel called the Cord, the Toa Inika pursue the mask, but are mutated by its strange energies into new, water-breathing forms called the Toa Mahri. While searching, they discover a sunken Matoran civilization called Mahri Nui, but also find it – and now, themselves – being menaced by several aquatic beings called the Barraki. It seems the Barraki were former denizens of an ancient prison, but were inadvertently released centuries prior by the events of the same Great Cataclysm that put Mata Nui to sleep and flooded the entire area. The strange mutagenic properties of the water in the region transformed them into the Barraki. Meanwhile, Makuta, who has possessed the body of a robotic guard named Maxilos, seems to have a history with the Barraki, and has plans of his own, plans that involve using the Toa for his own means…Swamp of Secrets
The Mask of Life, having slipped away from the Barraki and Toa alike, finds itself in the heart of a gigantic, ancient swamp – the enclosed land of Karda Nui, also known as the Heart of the Universe. Having been surrounded by heroes and villains alike, the mask decides to build itself a Toa body and join in the battle for the fate of the universe. Meanwhile, the Toa Nuva, having spent some time accomplishing various tasks in order to prepare for Mata Nui’s reawakening, enter Karda Nui. They discover evidence of their own origins in this place long ago, as well as ancient technologies and structures long since forgotten. Mutated into new forms by the mutagenic waters of the swamp, they ally themselves with the swamp’s native Av-Matorans – the Matorans of Light, and Takanuva’s true people – to finish a few remaining tasks. However, they are not alone in the swamp. More Makutas – other members of his species – have entered Karda Nui to find the Mask of Life. Meanwhile, the Makuta known to the Toa – his real name revealed as Teridax – plays both sides for his own purposes. In the end, the Toa and Av-Matorans will learn the truth of their universe, and how accurate the term "Heart of the Universe" truly is… and Teridax’s true long-term plan will finally come to fruition. Bara Magna (2009-2010)
See the character page for characters appearing during these years.
