Rahkshi

"Rahkshi - shadows that cower in the depths. Exactly as foretold."

- Turaga Vakama, BIONICLE: Mask of Light

Rahkshi were a species of creatures made from Kraata. They were not truly living, but instead suits of armor controlled by the leech-like Kraata of their original form.

Metru Nui
There were many Rahkshi in the city of Metru Nui, although not all of them were controlled by Makuta Teridax. Whenua encountered a Rahkshi of Heat Vision while searching for Tehutti in the Archives. While searching for the Vahi, Teridax summoned every Rahkshi in the city to attack Voporak. While the entire army of Rahkshi was aged to the point of death by Voporak's time field, they caused the distraction needed for Teridax and Toa Vakama to slip away unnoticed. It was here that Vakama learned of the Rahkshi's connection to the Makuta.

There were also many Rahkshi in the Fikou Web, as discovered when the Toa Metru tried to escape that place.

Mata Nui
"Go, my sons. Use the shadows, and keep my brother asleep."

- Teridax to his Rahkshi, BIONICLE: Mask of Light

On Mata Nui, Teridax sent three of his Rahkshi (Lerahk, Guurahk, and Panrahk) to Mata Nui's surface to stop Takua from finding his destiny. The three traveled to Ta-Koro, which ended in the village sinking into the lava of the Mangai Volcano. During this attack, Lerahk battled Tahu, and the Toa of Fire was infected with Lerahk's poison. The same three then followed Jaller and Takua's path, eventually catching up to them in Ko-Wahi. However, they failed their mission, and were frozen in a river by Kopaka Nuva.

Makuta then released three more Rahkshi (Turahk, Kurahk, and Vorahk), which followed Takua to Onu-Koro. There, they fought Pohatu and Onua, though Onua accidentally caused the entire cave to collapse. Some time during this encounter, Tahu fought Kurahk, and its anger powers increased the effects of Lehrak's poison, forcing Kopaka to freeze him just to get him out.

At the Kini-Nui, the Toa Nuva once again encountered all six Rahkshi. Tahu's fire and Lewa's sandstorm created a glass prison around Lerahk, Guurahk and Panrahk. Onua then lifted several boulders, which Tahu combined with lava. After dropping them on the few left, Gali then sprayed them with water and Kopaka froze the water around them. The Toa then realized that the final Rahkshi, Turahk, who had been knocked out early in the battle, had since recovered and was just about to kill Takua. Jaller then sacrificed himself for Takua, and the Chronicler, now realizing his destiny, donned the Mask of Light. The newly-christened Takanuva then used his new light powers to defeat the Rahkshi and, using one of the Kraata, found his way to Teridax on the Ussanui.

Battle of Bara Magna
During Teridax's reign, he sent a large number of Rahkshi of Heat Vision to the southern Matoran Universe. Some time into his fight against Mata Nui, a swarm of Rahkshi were released onto Bara Magna alongside a legion of Skakdi, with Tahu and Takanuva in pursuit.

Takanuva later encountered and fought two of these Rahkshi, one of which was holding a piece of the Golden Armor, and defeated them by creating a hologram of himself to fool them.

Tahu and Takanuva then met up with Gresh, who also had pieces of the Golden Armor. Tahu then took all the pieces and put them on, and the armor absorbed and destroyed the Kraata's essence, wiping out the hundreds of Rahkshi on Bara Magna. All remaining Rahkshi are now wild, as their Makuta is now dead and can no longer give them directions.

Named Rahkshi

 * Turahk
 * Guurahk
 * Lerahk
 * Panrahk
 * Vorahk
 * Kurahk

Mutated

 * Kraata-Kal

Abilities and Traits
When a Kraata was exposed to Energized Protodermis, it would presumably either mutate into inanimate Rahkshi armor, or simply die. A second Kraata of the same power could then enter the armor and control it. A Rahkshi's power was at least equal to a Stage-6 Kraata's and likely even greater, though it was weakened when separated from the staff that it wielded.

When Rahkshi had no mission from a Makuta to fulfill, they acted as violent and dangerous beasts, not to mention territorial, as was shown in Bionicle Adventures 3: The Darkness Below. But with direction and guidance from a Makuta, they had power to threaten even a Toa Nuva. Their violent nature made even Teridax reluctant to send them out, as he knew they would destroy anything in their path.

In addition to their normal powers and those granted by their weapon staff, the Rahkshi could also change into a hover mode. By placing their feet together with the legs stretched forward, they would be able to fly about half a meter over the ground. In this form, the Rahkshi could move much faster than walking or running alone. However, they could not fight, as the weapon staff would have to be broken apart and carried, and attacking could cause them to lose control.

Just like Kraata, there were 42 types of Rahkshi. The best-known of these (and the only ones named) were the six Makuta sent to find and take the Avohkii: Turahk, Guurahk, Lerahk, Panrahk, Vorahk, and Kurahk.

Set Information

 * The Rahkshi were the first sets to have articulated knees, and were one of the only 2 sets of 2003 - aside from Teridax - to have them.
 * The next Rahkshi release was in 2010 with a Rahkshi of Heat Vision being featured as one of the BIONICLE Stars - notably the only release without a Kraata in its set form due to the redesigned back-piece being too small.
 * The Rahkshi of Heat Vision set was also the only one without articulated knees. Additionally, the Heat Vision Rahkshi's spine was connected to its head, and its feet were clawed instead of rounded, features that the others did not have.

Trivia

 * Muaka were known to like the taste of Rahkshi and were their only known natural enemies on Metru Nui.

Rahkshi