Mata Nui (Being)

"I am Mata Nui. My original form was built on the world of Spherus Magna more than one hundred thousand years ago. I was built to bring order back to my world and its people, but I lost my way. With the help of new and old friends, I have one final chance to fulfill my duty, and my destiny."

- Mata Nui, Mata Nui Saga

Mata Nui was the Great Spirit created by the Great Beings to explore and observe the galaxy. His spirit was later forced into the Mask of Life and exiled from his own universe by Teridax and landed on Bara Magna, later taking control of the Prototype Robot.

Early Life
During the Core War on Spherus Magna, the Great Beings had tried to create a giant robot once, but had failed. It was after this failure that they began construction of a new, bigger and more powerful robot. Most of the construction of the Great Spirit's physical form was done by the Matoran who labored inside, completely unaware of what they were doing. These Matoran created the Matoran Universe, whose lands and species would serve "essential functions" to him; however, the Great Beings themselves had laid Metru Nui's foundations. During this time, Tren Krom maintained the universe in the heart of Mata Nui, the cavernous Karda Nui.

By 100,000 years ago, the robot was completed and activated. The Great Being Angonce, using the robot's programming language, dubbed their creation "Mata Nui", the phrase meaning "great spirit." Mata Nui's activation was heralded by the exile of Tren Krom, who was no longer necessary to the running of the universe now that Mata Nui was controlling it. Meanwhile, the Great Beings created the Kanohi Ignika, a mask which could heal Mata Nui's life-force if required, and provided Artakha with the supplies needed to create the Toa Mata, whose destiny was a fail safe against the possibility of Mata Nui ever falling into a comatose state. With his awakening, Mata Nui provided the Matoran Universe with light, gravity, heat, and essential forces of nature, as the Matoran would now labor as unknowingly inside his body to continue his existence. Because of this, the Matoran venerated Mata Nui, building statues and temples in his honor. Meanwhile, in Karda Nui, the Energy Storms began, which occurred as long as Mata Nui was awake, and gave power to him.

Mata Nui was given several tasks by the Great Beings, including the observation of other worlds. He was able to do this by the Red Star, another of the Great Being's creations, which assisted him in traveling between planets, as well as containing creatures called Kestora to repair any deceased inhabitants and send them back to work; however, the latter function did not work properly; while beings were sent there, they did not return.

Makuta and Barraki
Shortly after his awakening, Mata Nui saw fit to create a new species, the Makuta. Using a pool of Antidermis in the Southern Islands, he created one hundred Makuta. These Makuta formed the Brotherhood of Makuta, who became known as the brothers of Mata Nui and carried out his will of creating bio-mechanical Rahi and plantlife to populate his universe.

Five thousand years later, he created six species, choosing one of each to withhold order. These six became warlords known as the Barraki and allied into the League of Six Kingdoms. However, the Barraki were not entirely loyal to Mata Nui. By 15,000 years later, they had conquered most of the known Matoran Universe, and sought the overthrow of Mata Nui himself. This action prompted the Brotherhood of Makuta and the Toa to muster an army under Makuta Teridax and capture the Barraki and end the League's rule.

500 years later, a Matoran dispute arose in Metru Nui, escalating to the Matoran Civil War. With the loss of workers, this created dire results for Mata Nui. Even when Teridax ended the conflict, Mata Nui's life was endangered. Therefore, Toa Jovan and his team were dispatched to the Southern Continent to recover the Kanohi Ignika. They took the mask underground to Karda Nui, and, with a teammate's sacrifice, healed Mata Nui.

The Brotherhood's Betrayal
After Mata Nui had accomplished his mission, and was returning to the now-shattered Spherus Magna, Makuta Teridax had begun to formulate a dark plan, a coup to overthrow the Great Spirit. The idea stemmed from an idea Teridax had following the Barraki's defeat, believing the League could not be the rulers of the Matoran Universe, but surely the Makuta could. After the Metru Nui Civil War, many Makuta had similar beliefs, as Makuta Miserix assigned regions for the Makuta to watch over. All over, the species became aware of complete devotion, veneration, and love for the Great Spirit, and yet none for the Makuta, despite all they had done for them. This spawned jealousy, hatred, and anger toward him, until all the Makuta wanted to see was the Great Spirit "humbled", as Teridax described once. Therefore, when Makuta Mutran had returned from a mission to investigate Tren Krom, he informed Teridax of information such as Mata Nui's actual form and characteristics, who used the information to overthrow Miserix, and fill the Great Spirit with a virus to make him fall into a deep coma.

However, Mata Nui foretold the coming attack, and manipulated events to make sure things could be made right. When new Toa Metru were about to be chosen by Toa Lhikan shortly before the Cataclysm, Teridax wished to influence the choices to his advantage. Knowing this, Mata Nui and his Order falsified prophesies regarding the identities of the new Toa. Teridax believed these prophesies, and influenced Lhikan to choose others to become the new Toa. But as these "others" were fake to begin with, the ones that Teridax influenced Lhikan to choose were in fact the true destined Toa Metru.

After enslaving Metru Nui's Matoran, Teridax cast the Virus on Mata Nui, causing him to crash on Aqua Magna (which was formerly part of Spherus Magna until The Shattering) and sink to the bottom of the ocean. The resulting crash caused many islands of the Matoran Universe to float to the surface of the planet. Many beings were killed in the cataclysm. The Toa Metru managed to retrieve the Matoran from Metru Nui, and later retreated to an island right above the city, which they named after the Great Spirit.

Ignition
More than 1,000 years later, Metru Nui's inhabitants returned, only to discover that Mata Nui was not only asleep, but dying. The Toa Nuva were then sent to Voya Nui to find the Ignika, Mask of Life, that could save Mata Nui's life. Six Matoran followed them determined to help, and were transformed into the Toa Inika. The Toa Inika got the mask, after several struggles against rogue Skakdi ex-Dark Hunters calling themselves Piraka, but it immediately flew away and plunged into the sea, heading for the undersea city of Mahri Nui that rested on top of the Pit, which it considered the most damaged place in the universe.

There, the mask was found by a Ga-Matoran named Kyrehx, who passed it on to a Po-Matoran named Dekar. The Barraki went after it as soon as they learned of it, and the waters of the Pit were slowly destroying it. The Toa Inika pursued it down to Mahri Nui through the stone cord linking Mahri Nui and Voya Nui. They encountered a tribe of Zyglak, and a giant venom eel cracked the cord and attacked them. However, they became Toa Mahri, transformed by the Ignika. They had from that point around 24 hours to heal Mata Nui before he died, and, after that, it would only be a matter of days before life in the universe ceased to exist. Unfortunately, they failed, and shortly after the Toa Mahri recovered the Ignika and cut the Stone Cord in preparation for Mata Nui's awakening, he died, causing the Mask of Life to go dark (it did not, however, lose its powers--the darkness was purely symbolic). The universe then slowly began to die, but the Toa Mahri did not give up. After falling into Karda Nui, Matoro put on the Ignika. He died, and the Ignika used his energies to resurrect Mata Nui, saving the universe. However, he remained asleep and began having terrible nightmares. After arriving in Karda Nui, the Toa Nuva discovered that there were six fragments of a keystone that told how to awaken Mata Nui. From the first three stones they acquired, they learned that the secret to reviving the Great Spirit was in the Swamp of Secrets.

The Toa Nuva and the newly created "Toa" Ignika eventually found the Codrex, the structure which powered the energy storms and the Toa Mata originated. It was Gali who told the Ignika that, by using the Ignika, they would be able to awaken Mata Nui much faster than the Codrex could. "Toa" Ignika eventually accepted the consequences and sacrificed his body to revive Mata Nui, so it could be a hero like Matoro.

However, this great victory was not to last. Mata Nui's mind was invaded by Teridax at the exact moment when the Ignika revived him, and he took over the robot while Mata Nui was recovering. He then banished his spirit into the Ignika, and the Ignika from the universe after it was used to awaken him.

Bara Magna
"My home is far from this place; I'm from another world entirely. I must find a way back to my world."

- Mata Nui to Ackar, BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn.

Arrival
After drifting through space, Mata Nui eventually crash landed on the desert planet of Bara Magna during one of its nights. Soon, the Ignika formed a body for him, in order to stay protected. He was not walking steadily at first, as he was used to walking a great distance every step. He almost squashed a Scarabax, if it was not for its quick cry. The beetle then crawled up his arm to his face, touching the Ignika. It then transformed into a new weapon, the Scarabax Shield.



He was then suddenly attacked by a Vorox. As he just gained his weapons he found it hard to fight, but also found it easy to learn, seeing as it was learn or die situation. Mata Nui won by cutting the end of the Vorox tail as it attempted to strike him. Soon, he picked up the tail of the Vorox, and encountered the Agori, Metus, and asked if he could share his Thornatus as transport. The Agori agreed, and Mata Nui introduced himself as the two set off. At the village of Vulcanus, they watched an arena match between Strakk and Ackar. After admitting defeat, Strakk attacked Ackar when he wasn't looking; Strakk threw his Ice Axe and knocked Ackar out, breaking the arena's code of honor. Mata Nui criticized this, describing Strakk as dishonorable. Raanu explained that it was far easier to simply be lenient as it could be difficult enforcing the law on a Glatorian. Then, when Strakk was about to finish off Ackar, Mata Nui entered the arena to stop him. During the fight, the Ignika transformed the Vorox tail into a sword, Mata Nui then fought and defeated Strakk. Later Mata Nui and Ackar went to Ackar's room, and Mata Nui saw how many shields Ackar had won. He told Ackar that he is from "another world entirely", and that he will start to search for a way back. Mata Nui told Ackar what happened to his home. Kiina then appeared and told them she had been talking about there being other worlds for years, and that there exists a massive cavern underneath her village; she believes Mata Nui could find something of use there.

Battling the Skrall
While traveling through the sandray canyon towards Tajun, the three were ambushed by a Skopio and bone hunters. Mata Nui breaks the canyon and crushes Skopio and the hunters. Mata Nui, Ackar, and Kiina soon find that Tajun was destroyed but the Agori escaped and they find Gresh injured who informed them that the Skrall and Bone Hunters have united. They then go into the secret cavern that Kiina has discovered. There they find a strange room with six passageways that lead to a different section. Kiina says that this is what Bara Magna looked like before the Great Beings came. They encounter Berix, who asks if he can help Gresh. Kiina first disagreed, but then allowed him. Gresh soon got better. Meanwhile, Mata Nui discovered a lab. The lab originally belonged to the Great Beings, and in there they found carvings picturing Mata Nui's old body. Later, Mata Nui used the Ignika to give Ackar, Kiina and Gresh elemental powers. They then traveled to Gresh's village. When Kiina and Berix got captured by the Skrall, Mata Nui went alone to rescue them. He fought against Tuma in an arena for his friend's freedom. At first, Tuma was easily winning, but Mata Nui discovered a weak spot in Tuma's armor and used it against him. On the final strike to Tuma's weak spot from his sword, Tuma fell down, unconscious. After defeating Tuma, Mata Nui claimed his shield in victory. However, at that point, Metus appeared, telling Mata Nui to drop his weapons. Mata Nui dropped his sword and told Click, the Scarabax beetle that got transformed into the scarab shield, to save himself. At that point, the other Glatorian appear and Metus told the Skrall/Bone Hunter army to attack. Amidst the confusion, Metus tried to get away, but was stopped by Mata Nui. Mata Nui then used the Ignika to turn Metus into a serpent, stating that everybody will now see him for what he truly is. Metus slithered away, telling Mata Nui that he may have defeated him, but that he will never defeat his united army, which gave Mata Nui an idea.

He then combined his powers with the other Glatorian's, which created a massive beam that instantly defeated the oncoming army of Skrall and Bone Hunters; those that stayed conscious retreated. Later, on a hill overlooking the villages, Berix revealed a coin that had the Skrall shield pattern on one side and the Aqua Magna and Bara Magna symbols on the other, with a figure that looks the same as the figure on the Ignika being on both. Mata Nui then realized that the pattern on the Skrall shield is actually a map, and he decided to follow the map. The other Glatorian insisted on coming with him, and Mata Nui agreed to this.

The Valley of the Maze
On their way to the Valley of the Maze, they ran into a rogue band of Skrall and, during the fight, Berix was injured. Mata Nui told the rest to turn back and decided to continue on his own.

He then ran into a fortress in the desert, which asked him, "What do you seek? What is your burden? What gives you life, and death?" Mata Nui quickly figured out that the answers were the three virtues, Unity, Duty, and Destiny, and he gained entrance. After traveling through the fortress for a while, he found Tarduk hanging in chains. He freed the Agori, and together Mata Nui found something of interest to him: his history. Then he realized something after looking at it: if the Great Beings meant to build another robot, then there might be another power source. He later arrived from the Maze carrying a cube. Mata Nui used the cube to provide the energy to power the robot. Then he removed his mask, causing his body to be destroyed. His spirit then wandered outside of the Ignika, making its way into the Prototype Robot. But not far away, Teridax arrived on Bara Magna.

The Final Battle
The two soon dueled against each other, Teridax quickly gaining the upper hand. After blasting Mata Nui to the ground, he claimed Bara Magna as his own. For a split second, Mata Nui tells Tahu about the legendary Golden Armor through the Ignika. The Mask then creates the armor, which Teridax spreads all over the desert. Makuta then decides to use his gravity powers to fold the planet in on itself, killing everyone on it. At the last moment, Mata Nui is able to deflect the blast, which instead pulled the two moons of Bara Magna back towards their original positions. During this time, the pieces of the Golden Armor are recovered, and Tahu bears them. Using the power of the armor, he instantly destroys all of Makuta's Rahkshi. Makuta senses this, and is temporarily dazed. While Makuta is stunned, Mata Nui sees the shadow of one of the great moons of Bara Magna. He wastes no time to shove Makuta into the path of the moon. The core processor of the robot is destroyed, and Makuta is finally killed for good. After the great battle, Mata Nui uses not only the last of his robot's power but also the Kanohi Ignika to bring life back to Spherus Magna. The mask knew it wouldn't survive the process either, but Mata Nui was able to convince it to aid him. When the process was done, the prototype robot disintegrated, but the Ignika, which once again contained Mata Nui's spirit, survived.

As the survivors mourn for his demise, they find that he is still alive within the Mask of Life. With a few words of thanks, Mata Nui gave his last wish: to have the Great Beings return to the planet. His spirit then went dormant inside the mask.

Alternate Universes

 * The Kingdom: In The Kingdom Alternate Universe Toa Matoro failed to save Mata Nui's life in time.
 * Dark Mirror: In the Dark Mirror Alternate Universe, Mata Nui was never put to sleep by Teridax. He continues to watch over the Matoran Universe. In addition, he fulfilled his destiny: to reunite Aqua Magna, Bara Magna and Bota Magna.
 * In an alternate universe seen by Vezon, Teridax, and Mata Nui were switched, so that Mata Nui, a Makuta like being, was plotting against Teridax, a giant robotic Great Spirit.
 * In the Melding Alternate Universe, Mata Nui was never made.

Personality and Traits
"[...]Once, I made the mistake of ignoring others because they weren't part of my mission, taking for granted they would always be there to do what I needed them to do.[...]"

- Mata Nui, Journey's End.

When he controlled the Matoran Universe, Mata Nui stood forty million feet tall. He only focused on his mission of collecting knowledge and restoring Spherus Magna, never paying much attention to what happened in the universe inside him; he figured that, because the Toa and Makuta could control whatever situation went on inside him, he could finish his mission without interference, seeing none of the Matoran Universe inhabitants as a friend or ally. It was this assumption that led to his downfall, as Teridax had implanted a virus within Mata Nui that put in a deep sleep for the next one thousand years.

Mata Nui had learned his lesson after being banished from his universe. On Bara Magna, he learned not only to pay attention to his surroundings, but also of the value of trusting and befriending others. He began to care about others and not just himself. He stopped thinking of the Toa and Matoran as workers and began to think of them as allies and friends, and showed an urgent need to return to the Matoran Universe to save it from Teridax's reign as soon as possible.

Powers and Equipment
While controlling the Great Spirit Robot, Mata Nui possessed several abilities. It possessed the ability to fly, fire blasts of energy from it's palms, and use gravity.

After being cast out of the Matoran Universe, Mata Nui wore the Ignika. When he landed on Bara Magna, the Ignika created a body for him. After touching the Ignika, the Scarabax Beetle, Click, gained the ability to transform between the Scarabax Shield and it's former form. Later, he defeated a Vorox by smashing the tip of it's tail off and later took the stinger to use as a weapon that was later transformed into a Sword.

Trivia

 * During his slumber, Mata Nui was, on some level, aware of what was going on in the universe.
 * Before Mata Nui existed, the universe was kept in order by an entity called Tren Krom from inside Karda Nui.
 * Mata Nui's original body was 40 million feet high, or 12,000 km high (7,575.56 miles high). His Toa-like body, however, was about 7 feet tall.
 * In the movie BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn, Mata Nui was voiced by Michael Dorn. Michael Dorn also voiced Mata Nui in the Mata Nui Saga.
 * His Toa-like body's design is similar to Toa Ignika's body, due the fact that both bodies were created by the Ignika.