Brutaka

"In my time, I've dared lots of things, maybe too many things. I fell a long way from the light and I can never find my way back. But the darkness is not so complete that I cannot recognize a monster when I see one."

- Brutaka, challenging Makuta Teridax

Brutaka was a member of the Order of Mata Nui who, for many years, guarded the Mask of Life on Voya Nui. During this time, he betrayed the Order, but eventually was redeemed.

Early Life
Brutaka was a lieutenant in the Brotherhood of Makuta.

Order of Mata Nui
He later joined the Order of Mata Nui many centuries before the death of Mata Nui, and became good friends with another member, Axonn. The two were assigned to guard the Mask of Life and the region surrounding Mount Valmai, which eventually became Voya Nui.

For many years, they remained there, defending the mask and the Matoran residents from harm, all the while without revealing their presence. When the Great Cataclysm struck, and Voya Nui broke loose and rose up to the sea above, Axonn and Brutaka survived and continued to do their job.

But Brutaka later began to have doubts. He recently betrayed the Order of Mata Nui after losing faith in the Great Spirit because he believed Mata Nui had abandoned him and his kind.

Ignition
In exchange for stopping the Toa Nuva, Brutaka was given the Piraka's Zamor Spheres, and he personally took the Toa Nuva captive. However, he showed that he still has a decent streak left in him, as he saved some of the Matoran from a deadly Doom Viper out of force of habit, though he seemed to be bothered that this decency still existed.

Later, during a climatic battle between the Piraka and the Toa Inika, Hakann and Thok stole Brutaka's power with a special Zamor sphere, subdued the Toa and other Piraka, and left to find the Mask of Life. The Toa and remaining Piraka formed a shaky alliance in order to stop them, and the Piraka created a Zamor sphere that would reverse the effects of the one Hakann used. Axonn vowed to stay with Brutaka until the Toa Inika and Piraka were able to get back his power. When Brutaka awoke, he and Axonn began battling, but Brutaka was defeated.

Mahri Nui
Botar then took him away to The Pit, where he met the Barraki. He tried to convince Dekar to give him the Mask of Life, but was carried away by a giant squid.

Brutaka redeemed himself by stopping Makuta Teridax from recreating the Nui Stone with the Staff of Artakha. He blasted Teridax with energy and then stole the staff from him. He then summoned Botar, who whisked the staff away to Daxia, where it was activated.

Redemption
The Order later acknowledged Brutaka's redemption and accepted him back, but on probation. In Metru Nui, he captured the Dark Hunter Dweller, who had been stationed in the city to spy on and kill Toa Takanuva. Brutaka then used his mask to send Takanuva to the Core of the Universe to deliver information to the Toa Nuva. What he did not know was that, due to slight damage to the mask, Takanuva instead ended up in a parallel universe.

Order Strike Team
Brutaka was then assigned to gather a group of villains for a near-suicidal mission. He became the leader of the new team, which included Makuta Spiriah, Takadox, Carapar, Lariska, Roodaka, and Vezon.

They then went on a mission to the islands of the south, to find and free the original leader of the Brotherhood of Makuta, Miserix. After putting down a rebellion by Spiriah, Brutaka brought the team to a small southern island, where they acquired weapons left there by Trinuma. But before they could leave, they were taken prisoner by the entity called Tren Krom. Carapar was killed, but Tren Krom eventually released them.

Soon afterwords, they arrived at their destination of Artidax and, after saving Spiriah from a trap on the beach, headed inland to find Miserix. However, when they entered a tunnel, Takadox betrayed them and brought down an avalanche of rock, trapping them inside long enough for him to escape. They then continued forward, yet still having more problems. They eventually found Miserix. Brutaka and Roodaka then freed Miserix and they, Lariska and Vezon were taken to an unknown barren island.

Order/Brotherhood War
"Things must be desperate if they're calling on an old war Rahi like you."

- Brutaka's remark to Axonn in Destiny War

He then went to Daxia and was told by Helryx about the war against the Brotherhood. Then, he was sent with Axonn to Zakaz to ally with the Skakdi. The Skakdi however, attacked in an army and Brutaka pretended to surrender. They then met Nektann who agreed to help. Axonn and Brutaka soon found a hidden chamber and in it was a pool of liquid from which the Makuta species was created. Before they could do anything it attacked them.

Dark Mirror
A Parallel Universe Brutaka was said to be guarding a great treasure, and was revealed to have been killed by Bomonga when he tried to stop the Toa Empire from invading Voya Nui.

The Kingdom
In this universe, Brutaka, still mutated, and the rest of the Order of Mata Nui helped the Turaga of Metru Nui evacuate the rest of the universe. He later activated his still damaged Kanohi Olmak to allow Takanuva to continue on his journey to Karda Nui.

Characteristics
Brutaka's appearance was mainly golden and blue. He had red eyes. After being mutated in the Pit, he grew a dorsal fin and grotesque spikes out of his armor, and became a water-breather. When he was released by the Order and redeemed for his mission to find Miserix, he was granted a breathing device, a helmet of water, to be on land.

Powers & Tools
Brutaka wore a golden Kanohi, a Great Olmak, the Mask of Dimensional Gates. Its' abilities allowed him to open a portal to another location or parallel dimension of the Matoran Universe. He also wielded Rotating Blades that were charged with Lightning, and two hidden Protosteel daggers on his back.

He also possessed many powers natural to his species. Similar to Axonn, the full extent of these powers aren't known, but the known powers are listed below:
 * Immense strength and physical endurance, allowing him to easily duel Makuta Teridax. This also allowed him to use his Rotating Blades to their full potential, allowing him to strike the Toa Nuva and six Voya Nui Matoran in one strike.
 * Slight resistance to the Pit's Mutagen.
 * Able to absorb the Makuta's energies, "Antidermis", into his system. This made him stronger and fiercer.

Brutaka also, as an Order of Mata Nui member, had his mind shielded from telepathy and mental powers through deliberate training. He also could free himself from a stasis field of Teridax's with ease.

Set Information

 * Brutaka was released in 2006.
 * Brutaka's set number is 8734.
 * Brutaka has 193 pieces.

Trivia

 * Brutaka's name may be derived from "brute", "brutal" or perhaps "Brutus", from Rome.
 * There has been some speculation that Brutaka is a Makuta. This is because he once was a member of the Brotherhood of Makuta, and his ability to absorb Antidermis.