Comic 2: Deep Into Darkness

"Your dreams are as grand as these trees, Lewa. I hope they do not come crashing down around you."

- Toa Gali

Deep Into Darkness was the second issue of the original BIONICLE comic series and part two of the series' initial storyline. It was originally mailed with the July/August 2001 edition of LEGO Mania Magazine, and was later collected in BIONICLE: Volume 1 and BIONICLE 1: Rise of the Toa Nuva. The comic centered on Toa Gali and Lewa as they sought more of the Masks of Power.

Opening
The Legend Continues...

''Six mighty heroes, the Toa, have come to the island of Mata Nui to save it from an evil force called Makuta. Shortly after their arrival, they encountered the tribesmen of the island, and their leaders, known as Turaga.''

''The key to defeating Makuta, they learned, was obtaining the fabled the Kanohi Masks of Power. But the masks are scattered around the island and protected by deadly bests called Rahi. Already, Kopaka has encountered one of these powerful creatures among the icy peaks of Mount Ihu.''

''Despite this threat, the Toa have decided to go their separate ways in the quest for more Masks of Power. But can any Toa, alone, hope to defeat the Rahi?''

Plot
The Turaga gathered at the Kini-Nui to recite the tale of Mata Nui, explaining how Makuta conquered the island and why the Toa were sent. Elsewhere, Lewa rescues Gali from waters which she describes as "angry." The Toa of Air dismisses his ally's concerns and discusses their quest for the Masks of Power. Afterwards, Lewa heads off on his own, leaving Gali behind. Turaga Nokama then relates the tale of Gali's quest. After her conversation with Lewa, the Toa of Water returns to the ocean. However, she is not alone: behind her looms a Tarakava, one of the many types of Rahi which Makuta has enslaved with Infected Kanohi. The undersea animal chases Gali. Despite its speed, the monster is unable to match the Toa's wits, and so she is able to lure it into a undersea cavern, where she traps it with a cave-in. Turaga Matau then relates the tale of Lewa's quest. Upon leaving Gali, Lewa swings through the trees, fuming over the knowledge he had learned from Matau: his next Mask of Power is underwater. As he pauses to consider his plan for retrieving the mask, Lewa runs into an new obstacle--a large Nui-Jaga. Despite the scorpion's power, the Toa is easily able to defeat it with a backflip and some Air power. Finally, Lewa makes it to the cave where his Mask of Speed is hidden. The hero takes a deep breath and dives in. Unexpectedly, he runs into some underwater plantlife, which threatens to tangle and suffocate him.

After cutting himself free from the seaweed, the Toa tries again. This time he succeeds, and triumphantly swims away. Elsewhere, Gali is on the cusp of finishing her own task: retrieving her Mask of Levitation from the top of a high mountain. Before she can claim it, the ground crumbles beneath her. Desperately, the Toa of Water leaps for the Kanohi. She grabs the Kanohi and dons it, using its power to land safely amidst the rock slide. However, Gali may have bitten off more than she can chew, since she just landed in front of two Nui-Jaga... Lewa emerges from the cave, victorious. Despite the enhanced speed which his newly-acquired Kakama provides, he still prefers the freedom of the treetops. There comes a danger with the greater height, though: if you lose your grip, you only have farther to fall. This is exactly what happens to the Toa of Air, as a Nui-Rama ambushes him from behind, sending the hero plummeting far to the ground, maskless, where a powerful Muaka is waiting for him. Gali herself is in deep trouble, as a pair of Tarakava emerge from the waters behind her, cutting off the Toa's escape. As the Toa confront these new challenges, the Turagas' tale concludes: if the heroes do not succeed, then these shall be the last tales told.

Credits

 * Greg Farshtey - Writer
 * Carlos D'Anda - Penciller
 * Randy Elliott - Inker
 * Alex Sinclair - Colorist & Separator

Characters

 * Gali
 * Kopaka - Mentioned only
 * Lewa
 * Makuta - Mentioned only
 * Mata Nui - Mentioned only
 * Matau - First appearance
 * Nokama - First appearance
 * Nuju
 * Onewa - First appearance
 * Vakama - First appearance
 * Whenua - First appearance

Locations

 * Mata Nui
 * Kini-Nui - First appearance
 * Amaja Circle - First appearance
 * Le-Wahi

Objects

 * Badge of Office
 * Drill of Onua - First appearance
 * Firestaff - First appearance
 * Icepick
 * Kau Kau Staff - First appearance
 * Stone Hammer - First appearance
 * Trident - First appearance
 * Kanohi
 * Great Miru
 * Great Kakama
 * Great Kaukau
 * Infected Kanohi
 * Noble Huna - First appearance
 * Noble Mahiki - First appearance
 * Noble Matatu
 * Noble Komau - First appearance
 * Noble Rau - First appearance
 * Noble Ruru - First appearance
 * Makuta Stone - First appearance
 * Mata Nui Stone - First appearance
 * Seaweed
 * Toa Tools
 * Air Axe
 * Water Hooks

Organizations

 * Great Beings - Mentioned only
 * Rahi
 * Muaka - First appearance
 * Nui-Jaga - First appearance
 * Nui-Rama
 * Tarakava - First appearance
 * Toa
 * Toa of Air
 * Toa of Water
 * Toa Teams
 * Toa Mata/Toa Nuva
 * Turaga

Miscellanea

 * Destiny
 * Elements/Elemental Powers
 * Air
 * Water

Quotes
"This is the tale of Mata Nui, as it has been told for so many years. In the time before time, when the world was new...the Great Spirit Mata Nui descended from the skies like a burning star. He walked the world, and marvelled at its beauty, and watched over all living things. But Mata Nui had been followed by his brother, the dark spirit Makuta. Makuta coveted this world and all that his brother had. Makuta cast a spell that made Mata Nui sleep. Then Makuta claimed the world, and darkness and death were everywhere. Yet all was not lost. The Great Beings sent six mighty heroes--the Toa--to Mata Nui. Six heroes with one destiny: to defeat Makuta and save our world."

- The Legend of Mata Nui, as told by the Turaga

"Water can't be angry. It can't be anything but wet. I'll stay in the treetops, well away from it."

- Lewa is not a fan of rainy days

"The hunter of the sea sought to test Gali's strength and skill, for it was Makuta's will that he do so. Makuta believed these Toa were weak pretenders, easily conquered. He saw nothing to fear in them. So many years in darkness must have made Makuta blind."

- Turaga Nokama

Extra Features

 * Mid-comic: "Search for the Gold Mask Sweepstakes" rules and information.
 * Comic middle: Find the Masks of Power section discusses each of the Toa's Great Masks and the Turaga's Noble Masks.
 * Comic end: Advertisement for BIONICLE: Quest for the Masks trading card game; rules and information for BIONICLE contests; Beware the Rahi section discusses the various Rahi sets.
 * Rear cover: Section discussing the promotional McDonald's Matoran sets.

Continuity

 * After Nuju's appearance in the previous comic, the other five Turaga make their comic debuts in this issue. Their role is primarily exposition, providing the reader with more backstory about Makuta, how he came to rule over Mata Nui, and why the Toa were sent.
 * This issue sees the introduction of more 2001 Rahi sets, such as the Muaka, Nui-Jaga, and Tarakava. The remaining Rahi (the Kane-Ra and the Manas) will make their comic debut in the next issue.

Errors

 * On page 4, in Gali and Lewa's conversation, two of Gali's dialogue bubbles are mistakenly attributed to Lewa. This oversight would later be corrected for the graphic novel collection BIONICLE 1: Rise of the Toa Nuva.