Comic 13: Rise of the Rahkshi!

"I am Makuta, Master of Shadows. For years, the Toa have believed me defeated, banished from this island I once ruled. Now I have returned--and my sons are about to teach the Toa the error of their ways."

- Makuta

Rise of the Rahkshi was the thirteenth issue in the original BIONICLE comic series, and began a new storyline revolving around the search for the Seventh Toa. It was originally mailed together with the July/August 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 introduced the Rahkshi as new opponents for the Toa Nuva.

Opening
The Mask of Light has been discovered!

''This new rocks all of Mata Nui, for it means the legendary Seventh Toa is coming to save the island. While two brave Matoran seek out the new hero, the Toa Nuva discover that not everyone is happy about the legend coming true. Makuta, master of shadows, will stop at nothing to banish the light from the Mata Nui forever.''

''Now the Toa Nuva find themselves challenged by the "sons" of their greatest foe--creatures no powerful that no Toa, no koro, can stand against them. The stage is set for the final confrontation between light and darkness!''

Note: This story takes place during the events of BIONICLE: Mask of Light.

Plot
Makuta has unleashed his sons upon the island of Mata Nui: Panrahk, Rahkshi of Fragmentation; Lerahk, Rahkshi of Poison, and Guurahk, Rahkshi of Disintegration. These powerful creatures seek the Mask of Light, the only obstacle to Makuta's domination. Tahu and Gali race to confront the monsters, only to be ambushed by Lerahk and Guurahk. Lewa rescues Gali from Guurahk's attacks, but the Toa Nuva's defense is uncoordinated. The Rahkshi use this to their advantage, cornering the heroes against a cliff and causing a poisonous landslide to crush them. Satisfied with this efforts, Makuta releases more Rahkshi from his lair: Kurahk, Rahkshi of Anger; Vorahk, Rahkshi of Hunger; and Turahk, Rahkshi of Fear. With these three, Makuta hopes to demoralize the Matoran's Unity, Duty, and Destiny. Elsewhere in Po-Wahi, Turaga Whenua meets with Onua and Pohatu. While the Toa are eager to help search for the Seventh Toa, Whenua has summoned them for a different purpose. He and the other Turaga have been hunting and trapping Kraata for centuries, keeping them safely stored in the cave. With the Rahkshi on the loose, Whenua fears that they may seek out and free the Kraata. Pohatu is infuriated that the Turaga kept something as powerful and dangerous as this a secret from him, but Onua interrupts: the Rahkshi are here! They create a landslide and trap the heroes in the cavern. Worse, the shockwave from the avalanche has opened the Kraata tubes. Meanwhile, Kopaka arrives at the spot where the Toa planned to meet, only to discover the six assembled Rahkshi waiting for him!

Credits

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

Characters

 * Gali Nuva
 * Guurahk
 * Jaller - Mentioned only
 * Kopaka Nuva
 * Kurahk - First appearance
 * Lerahk
 * Lewa Nuva
 * Makuta
 * Onua Nuva
 * Panrahk
 * Pohatu Nuva
 * The Seventh Toa - Mentioned only
 * Tahu Nuva
 * Takua - Mentioned only
 * Turahk - First appearance
 * Vorahk - First appearance
 * Whenua

Locations

 * Mata Nui
 * Po-Wahi
 * Kraata Cave - First appearance
 * Po-Koro
 * Mangaia

Objects

 * Badge of Office
 * Drill of Onua
 * Kanohi
 * Great Kraahkan
 * Great Mask of Light - Mentioned only
 * Great Hau - Infected
 * Infected Kanohi
 * Noble Ruru
 * Kanohi Nuva
 * Akaku Nuva
 * Hau Nuva
 * Kakama Nuva
 * Kaukau Nuva
 * Miru Nuva
 * Pakari Nuva
 * Kraata - First appearance
 * Rahkshi Staffs of Power
 * Staff of Absorption - First appearance
 * Staff of Anger - First appearance
 * Staff of Disintegration
 * Staff of Fear - First appearance
 * Staff of Fragmentation
 * Staff of Poison
 * Stasis Tubes
 * Toa Tools
 * Air Katana
 * Aqua Axes
 * Climbing Claws
 * Feet Additions
 * Ice Blade
 * Ice Shield
 * Magma Swords
 * Mizuni Rotors
 * Quake Breakers

Organizations

 * Chronicler - Mentioned only
 * Makuta (Species)
 * Matoran - Mentioned only
 * Rahkshi
 * Toa
 * Toa of Air
 * Toa of Earth
 * Toa of Fire
 * Toa of Ice
 * Toa of Light - Mentioned only
 * Toa of Stone
 * Toa of Water
 * Toa Teams
 * Toa Mata/Toa Nuva
 * Turaga

Miscellanea

 * Elements/Elemental Powers
 * Air
 * Earth
 * Fire
 * Ice
 * Light - Mentioned only
 * Shadow
 * Stone
 * Water
 * Rahkshi Powers
 * Protodermis
 * Three Virtues
 * Unity - Mentioned only
 * Duty - Mentioned only
 * Destiny - Mentioned only
 * Treespeak - First appearance

Quotes
"Behold the first of my Rahkshi...Panrahk, whose Staff of Power causes objects to shatter. Lerahk, whose power poisons all it touches. Guurahk, able to reduce the mightiest stone to mere fragments. And who will dare to oppose them? These pitiful products of protodermis..."

- Makuta introduces his sons

"These creatures will not stop the coming of the Seventh Toa--this I swear! We will send that scurrying back to Makuta, and--What??"

- Tahu underestimates his foes

"It is done. No longer will those three oppose my will. Still, I have learned much from this victory. Brute force may win a battle but it will not bring me the Mask of Light, or force the Matoran to obey. But my other sons have yet to walk the surface of Mata Nui. Kurahk...whose anger will threaten their unity. Vorahk...whose hunger will consume their duty. And Turahk...whose mastery of fear will keep them from their destiny."

- Makuta

"It is a kraata...a part of the very essence of Makuta. You will find them inside the Rahkshi, but they have plagued Mata Nui since long before you arrived. They slither in the shadows, spreading Makuta's darkness wherever they go...It is the kraata who infected the Kanohi masks Makuta used to control the Rahi. I and the other Turaga have hunted them in secret for years. But we have begun to fear that the Rahkshi may find--and free--their brothers."

- Turaga Whenua

Extra Features

 * Comic middle: Unleash the Rahkshi sections discusses the six Rahkshi, their personalities, and their powers.
 * Comic end: Search for the 7th Toa Sweepstakes section describes the contest rules and prizes; BIONICLE: Mask of Light--The Movie advertisement; New at BIONICLE.com and BIONICLE Unleashed Tour information.
 * Rear cover: Advertisement for the various Scholastic BIONICLE books.

Continuity

 * This issue occurs some months after the previous comic, and takes place concurrently with the BIONICLE: Mask of Light movie.
 * Turaga Whenua reappears after an absence since all the way back in last year's Comic 2: Deep Into Darkness. Here he explains to Onua and Pohatu Nuva the nature and history of Kraata.
 * Speaking of which, Kraata are revealed to be the cause of the Infected Kanohi from 2001, which was how Makuta exerted control over the wild animals of the island.
 * Here as well it is hinted that the Turaga are keeping many secrets, a plot point from BIONICLE Chronicles 4: Tales of the Masks which will resurface big time in the main story from Comic 15: Secrets and Shadows onwards.