2001

2001 was the first Bionicle year and also the first part of the first story arc Bionicle Chronicles. The storyline for it was: In the time before time, the Great Spirit, Mata Nui descended from the heavens and brought the Matoran. He also brought the Turaga, the village elders. Mata Nui gave the Matoran the three virtues to live by: Unity, Duty and Destiny. In honor of the Great Spirit they called the island they lived on Mata Nui. But Mata Nui's brother, Makuta, became jealous of this and put Mata Nui into a great slumber. Makuta caused the sun to grow cold, the rivers to stop flowing and plants to wither. Makuta infected Kanohi masks and put them on the wildlife, Rahi. Now following his will, Makuta sent them to guard the Great Kanohi masks.Soon, six mighty heroes,the Toa, came to rescue the Matoran by finding the Masks of Power and defeating Makuta so Mata Nui could wake up.

The Toa collected all of the Masks of Power and descended into Makuta's lair, Mangaia, where they encountered powerful Rahi called Manas. Without working together, they were unable to win, so they fused, becoming the Toa Kaita Akamai and Wairuha. They defeated the Manas in these forms quickly, defused, and went into Makuta's lair where they had to fight shadow versions of themselves. They defeated them by having each Toa attack a different Toa's shadow counterpart. Then they fought Makuta, and upon defeating him they were teleported back to the surface.