Comic 25: Birth of the Rahaga

"Battered into unconsciousness by the rubble, Kualus sleeps and dreams... Dreams of a time long ago, before he and his friends were Rahaga...when they too were mighty Toa...and of a tale told many times since then."

- Narration

Birth of the Rahaga was the twenty-fifth issue in the original BIONICLE comic series, and the tenth issue in the Metru Nui sub-series. It was originally mailed with the July/August 2005 edition of the LEGO Club Magazine, and was later collected in BIONICLE 4: Trial by Fire. This issue explored the past of the Rahaga, back when they were still powerful Toa.

Opening
''Toa Hordika Nuju and Whenua, and Rahaga Bomonga and Kualus, lay buried beneath hundreds of pounds of rubble in the Archives. Battered and unconscious, they seem doomed to remain trapped there while the Visorak complete their conquest of the city of Metru Nui.''

''Though his body is pinned, Kualus' mind is free to dream of times long past, when he too wore the mantle of a Toa. It was a dark and violent time, then the treachery of the Brotherhood of Makuta was first revealed and six Toa Hagah stood between them and mastery of the universe.''

The era of shadow was about to begin...

Plot
Crushed under tons of rocks in the Onu-Metru Archives, Kualus dreams of when he and the other Rahaga were Toa, before they were mutated into their current form. Hundreds of years ago, Iruini, Toa of Air, and Norik, Toa of Fire, are under attack and pinned down outside a Brotherhood of Makuta fortress. Despite the appearance of Krekka, the heroes escape and force a surviving Visorak to guide them away. Iruini momentarily questions whether their mission to steal the Mask of Light was worth it, but Norik assures him of its necessity. Norik and his team were originally servants of Makuta, but once they discovered the Brotherhood's corruption, the Toa took action to retrieve the mask. On their journey, the two Toa stumble across a Dark Hunter and follow him back to the enemy base.

Arriving at the base, Norik spots a cage with prisoners inside. Iruini uses his mask to teleport to the cage and free the captives, only to discover that they are the rest of the Toa Hagah, mutated into miniature monsters! Roodaka attempts to attack the Toa of Air, only to be ambushed by Norik with his mask's power. Combining their elemental abilities, Norik and Iruini create a flaming cyclone and escape. Despite their best efforts, they are unable to avoid Roodaka's mutation spinners. Although the entire team has been incapacitated, Roodaka chooses to spare their lives, believing them to be unable to interfere any longer. The Rahaga escape with the Mask of Light, where one day it will be handed to the Toa Hordika.

Credits

 * Greg Farshtey - Writer
 * Randy Elliott - Artist
 * Pete Pantazis - Colorist
 * Ken Lopez - Letterer
 * Jaye Gardner - Editor
 * Toby Dutkiewicz - Art Director/Design

Characters

 * Bomonga - In present and flashback
 * Gaaki - In flashback
 * Iruini - In flashback; first appearance as a Toa
 * Krekka - In flashback
 * Kualus - In present and flashback
 * Makuta - Mentioned only
 * Nidhiki - In flashback
 * Norik - In flashback; first appearance as a Toa
 * Nuju - In present
 * Roodaka - In flashback
 * Whenua - In present

Locations

 * Destral - In flashback; first appearance
 * Metru Nui - In present
 * Archives - In present

Objects

 * Catcher Claw - In flashback
 * Disk Launcher - In flashback
 * Exo-Toa - In flashback
 * Kanohi
 * Great Avohkii - In flashback
 * Great Kualsi - In flashback; first appearance
 * Great Matatu - Mutated
 * Great Pehkui - In flashback; first appearance
 * Great Ruru - Mutated
 * Kanoka - In flashback
 * Rhotuka - In flashback
 * Toa Tools
 * Cyclone Spear - In flashback; first appearance
 * Hordika Teeth - In present
 * Lava Spear - In flashback; first appearance
 * Rhotuka Launching Shield - In flashback; first appearance
 * Thumpers - In present

Organizations

 * Brotherhood of Makuta - In flashback
 * Dark Hunters - In flashback
 * "Fohrok" - In flashback; first appearance
 * Krekka's Species - In flashback
 * Matoran - Mentioned only
 * Rahi
 * Frostelus - Mentioned only
 * Visorak
 * Roporak - In flashback
 * Suukorak - In flashback
 * Vohtarak - In present and flashback
 * Rahkshi - Mentioned only
 * Toa
 * Toa of Air - In flashback
 * Toa of Earth - In present
 * Toa of Fire - In flashback
 * Toa of Ice - In present
 * Toa Teams
 * Toa Metru/Toa Hordika - In present
 * Toa Hagah/Rahaga - In present and flashback
 * Vortixx - In flashback

Miscellanea

 * Elements/Elemental Powers
 * Air - In flashback
 * Fire - In flashback

Quotes
"You're going to help us find a safe way out of here, right? Because I really hate the smell of baked Visorak."

- Toa Hagah Norik intimidates a Visorak

"I know you Fire types like good mask work, but is this thing really worth all this?"

- Toa Hagah Iruini, referring to the Mask of Light

"I think your little friends look much better this way, don't you? No longer Toa Hagah--now a monstrous blend of what they were and vile Rahkshi. They are...Rahaga."

- Roodaka

Extra Features

 * Comic middle: Power of the Visorak Horde section discusses sets 8742 Vohtarak, 8743 Boggarak, 8744 Oohnorak, 8745 Roporak, 8746 Keelerak, and 8747 Suukorak.
 * Comic end: Prepare for Battle section advertises summer 2005 playsets; ads for BIONICLE 3: Web of Shadows, BIONICLE.com, and various BIONICLE merchandise.
 * Rear cover: Special ad for BIONICLE Visorak sets.

Continuity

 * Here we finally see the backstory of the Rahaga, after first teasing it two issues ago. They were originally a team called the Toa Hagah, and served the Brotherhood of Makuta. After discovering the Brotherhood's corruption, they rebelled and were transformed into the Rahaga.
 * Nidhiki and Krekka both re-appear in this flashback-within-a-flashback, both as Dark Hunters freelancing for the Brotherhood.
 * Exo-Toa also re-appear for the first in a long time, not having been seen since 2003's Comic 12: Absolute Power.