Comic 12: Absolute Power

"Remember, the Matoran were right: there is a link between the Toa Nuva symbols and ourselves. Our powers! If the essence of our powers is housed in those symbols, maybe we can use that against the Bohrok-Kal!"

- Toa Nuva Gali

Absolute Power was the twelfth issue in the original BIONICLE comic series and the resolution of the Bohrok-Kal storyline. Its was initially mailed together with the May/June 2003 edition of the LEGO Club Magazine, and was later collected in BIONICLE: Volume 1, BIONICLE: The Saga of Takanuva!, and BIONICLE 2: Challenge of the Rahkshi. This comic saw the defeat of the Bohrok-Kal at the hands of the Toa Nuva.

Opening
''The Bohrok-Kal are seconds away from completing their mission--to free the Bahrag and unleash the Bohrok swarms once more. The Exo-Toa could not stop them...the Toa Nuva are powerless...and Mata Nui's time is rapidly running out.''

''The only hope for the heroes lies in an untried Mask of Power so awesome that it could mean the end of all things...and a desperate battle of wills for the greatest stakes of all. Toa Nuva and Bohrok-Kal...one will win...and one shall fall!''

Plot
The Bohrok-Kal are about to free the Bahrag. In desperation, Tahu has summoned the Mask of Time. Gali is hesitant, knowing the danger of losing control over Time instelf. Out of options, Tahu insists on using the mask's power, and succeeds in slowing down time around the Bohrok-Kal. However, before the Toa Nuva can retrieve their Nuva Symbols, the Krana-Kal Xa-Kal change color, becoming silver and generating a force field around the Bohrok-Kal. Onua tests the shield and confirms its impenetrable power. Lewa despairs, but Gali won't give up. She points out that their elemental powers act as a tie between them and their Symbols. If the Toa can reach out to their symbols, they can overwhelm the Bohrok-Kal. The gambit succeeds. The Bohrok-Kal initially exult in their increased power levels. Their powers quickly run out of control, though, overwhelming each of them. Nuhvok-Kal collapses into a black hole from the pressure of his uncontrolled gravity. Pahrak-Kal's plasma melts his way through the cavern floor. Gahlok-Kal is confident his magnetism cannot be defeated, but is quickly proven wrong when broken Exo-Toa pieces crush him. Lehvak-Kal's vacuum blows him through the cavern ceiling, into the sky. Tahnok-Kal is frozen in place, trapped by his electrical powers, while Kohrak-Kal is disintegrated by his own devastating sonics. Victorious and with elemental powers restored, the Toa Nuva go their separate ways. Unknown to all, Makuta still lurks in his lair, and unleashes his "sons," the Rahkshi!

Credits

 * Greg Farshtey - Writer
 * Randy Elliott - Artist
 * Ken Lopez - Letterer
 * Peter Pantazis - Colorist & Separator
 * Jaye Gardner - Editor
 * Toby Dutkiewicz - Layout & Design

Characters

 * Cahdok
 * Gahdok
 * Gahlok-Kal
 * Gali Nuva
 * Guurahk - First appearance
 * Jaller - Indirectly mentioned
 * Kohrak-Kal
 * Kopaka Nuva
 * Lehvak-Kal
 * Lewa Nuva
 * Lerahk - First appearance
 * Makuta - First full appearance
 * Mata Nui - Indirectly mentioned
 * Nuhvok-Kal
 * Onua Nuva
 * Pahrak-Kal
 * Panrahk - First appearance
 * Pohatu Nuva
 * Tahnok-Kal
 * Tahu Nuva
 * Takua - Indirectly mentioned
 * Vakama - Mentioned only

Locations

 * Mata Nui
 * Bohrok Nest
 * Koro - Mentioned only
 * Mangaia

Objects

 * Bohrok-Kal Shields
 * Electricity Shields
 * Gravity Shields
 * Magnetism Shields
 * Plasma Shields
 * Sonics Shields
 * Vacuum Shields
 * Exo-Toa
 * Kanohi
 * Great Kraahkan - First appearance
 * Great Mask of Light - Indirectly mentioned
 * Legendary Vahi
 * Kanohi Nuva
 * Akaku Nuva
 * Hau Nuva
 * Kakama Nuva
 * Kaukau Nuva
 * Miru Nuva
 * Pakari Nuva
 * Krana-Kal
 * Xa-Kal - First appearance
 * Nuva Cube
 * Nuva Symbols
 * Rahkshi Staffs of Power
 * Staff of Poison - First appearance
 * Staff of Fragmentation - First appearance
 * Staff of Disintegration - First appearance
 * Toa Seal
 * Toa Tools
 * Air Katana
 * Aqua Axes
 * Climbing Claws
 * Feet Additions
 * Ice Blade
 * Ice Shield
 * Magma Swords
 * Mizuni Rotors
 * Quake Breakers

Organizations

 * Bohrok Swarms
 * The Bahrag
 * Bohrok - Mentioned only
 * Bohrok-Kal
 * Makuta - First appearance
 * Matoran - Mentioned only
 * Rahkshi - First appearance
 * Rahi - Mentioned only
 * Toa
 * Seventh Toa - Indirectly mentioned
 * Toa of Air
 * Toa of Earth
 * Toa of Fire
 * Toa of Ice
 * Toa of Stone
 * Toa of Water
 * Toa Teams
 * Toa Mata/Toa Nuva
 * Turaga - Mentioned only

Miscellanea

 * Elements/Elemental Powers
 * Gravity
 * Ice
 * Lightning
 * Magnetism
 * Plasma
 * Sonics
 * Time
 * Vacuum
 * Kolhii - Indirectly mentioned
 * Three Virtues
 * Destiny - Mentioned only
 * Duty - Mentioned only
 * Unity - Mentioned only

Quotes
"These are the Bohrok-Kal--a squad of powerful beings who are about to use the symbols of the Toa Nuva to free...the Bahrag -- twin queens of the Bohrok swarms imprisoned by the Toa Nuva. Once loose they will unleash the swarms on Mata Nui once more. Only one force can stop this from happening. The Toa Nuva--but stripped of their elemental energies by the Bohrok-Kal, their only hope is a power that may be beyond their control."

- Narration

"You are too late! We have already been touch by the Krana-Kal Xa. They have only to fit the icons into the cube to dissolve our prison!"

- Gahdok gloats

"So. Again, the prophecies of the Matoran oppose my will. I set the Rahi against them...I unleashed the Bohrok swarms...but still they refused to break. Now their unity will be poisoned...their unity broken...their destiny shattered. Go, my sons, my Rahkshi! Use the shadows. And keep my brother asleep."

- Makuta

Extra Features

 * Comic middle: The Kal Are Coming to Your PC section discusses the six Bohrok-Kal Mini Promo CDs and their content.
 * Comic end: Bohrok-Kal Kaita Ja spotlight; New at BIONICLE.com advertisement describes future updates for the official website; Search for the 7th Toa and BIONICLE Tour announcements.
 * Rear cover: BIONICLE Mask of Light: The Movie advertisement.

Continuity

 * The Bahrag reappear in this issue, after their last appearance in Comic 8: The End of the Toa? After this, the two queens won't appear until 2007's novel BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit.
 * The Kanohi Vahi is used for the first time in this issue, and its sheer power level is already hinted at. It wouldn't be until 2006 that the concept of Legendary Kanohi would coalesce.
 * A new Krana-Kal ability makes its first appearance in this issue: a silvery energy shield protects the Bohrok-Kal at the very end of their mission.
 * Makuta makes his return at the end of this comic, marking his first "appearance" since his voice-over in 2001's Comic 3: Triumph of the Toa, and his first in-person appearance.
 * Concurrently, the Rahkshi make their first appearance at the end of this comic as well. They and Makuta will go on to be the main enemies for the rest of 2003.

Trivia

 * This comic was released in a smaller-sized edition, as were Comic 4: The Bohrok Awake and Comic 10: Powerless!.