Balta

"Sometimes you can't do what your heart tells you to...sometimes you have a duty to something greater than yourself."

- Balta to Toa Hewkii and Matoro

Balta was Garan's best friend and right hand Matoran.

History
At one point during his life, Balta was taken from his home island and sent to Karzahni. It was here that Balta was "fixed" by Karzahni, and, due to his failure, he was given his Twin Repellers and sent to the Southern Continent.

During the Great Cataclysm, a chunk of the Southern Continent was separated from the mainland. This chunk shot out of the Matoran Universe and floated to the surface of Aqua Magna. This chunk eventually came to be known as Voya Nui.

At one point, as he was out hunting, Balta noticed some tracks in the beach, and followed them until he caught up with a red-armored being, which he later learned was named Hakann. After introductions were made, he could only watch as Hakann disintegrated a herd of Kikanalo. Balta later watched from a distance as Avak was constructing something. He later went down to ask what it was, but Avak trapped him in a cage.

He, Velika, Garan, Piruk, and Kazi later examined the Zamor Launcher that Avak had created, while Dalu was guarding the cave they were in. They eventually realized that the tool was a weapon, and started to face the realization that the "Toa" that had recently arrived weren't really Toa. They then decided to have Piruk spy on the Piraka, from the inside of their fortress, and Balta went to check on Dalu, to see that she was unconscious.

Garan and Balta later went out to spy on the Piraka, and learned from eavesdropping on a conversation between Hakann and Avak that they weren't actually Toa. The entire team later witnessed as Dalu awakened, and they decided to rebel against the Piraka. One of their first acts of rebellion was Balta stealing a Zamor sphere.

Balta and his friends faced the Piraka, helped the Toa Inika, and freed the Antidermis-enslaved Toa Nuva. Afterwards, Axonn summoned the entire Matoran population of Voya Nui, and lead them into the Nui Caves in preparation for the descent of Voya Nui after the Toa Mahri destroyed the Cord. He later evacuated the Matoran Universe onto Spherus Magna.

"The Kingdom"
In "The Kingdom", the Takanuva of that universe completed his destiny and decided to sacrifice his Toa power, he gave some of his power to Balta, thus transforming Balta into a Toa of Fire.

Personality and Traits
Balta was skilled with technology, but was more apt to make small, practical devices.

Powers and Tools
As with all Ta-Matoran, Balta possessed inaccessible Elemental Fire powers; this manifested in the form of a natural resistance to heat and fire. In the Kingdom alternate timeline, Balta was transformed into a Toa, giving him enhanced physical abilities and the power to fully use the Element of Fire.

Balta wielded Twin Repellers, which, when crossed, deflected an opponent's attack. In the Kingdom alternate timeline, Balta as a Toa wore a Great Huna, which gave him the power of invisibility.

Trivia

 * Balta was the shopkeeper in the Bionicle Heroes video game. He is seen with Piruk's Shedder Claws in a cinematic, but in-game he has orange hands and wields his Twin Repellers. In Bionicle Heroes GBA, a Matoran that resembled Balta transformed into the unnamed Toa.

Set Information

 * Balta was released in 2006.
 * Balta's set number was 8725.
 * Balta had 22 pieces.