2003

2003 was the third year of BIONICLE. Unlike other years which had a single main conflict throughout, 2003 was divided into two halves. In the first half, the Toa Nuva fought the Bohrok-Kal to prevent the release of the Bahrag. In the second half, Takua and Jaller went on a quest to find the seventh Toa who would wear the Mask of Light while the Toa Nuva fought the Rahkshi.

Six comics were released, as well as several online animations and a sequel to the 2001 Mata Nui Online Game. The first BIONICLE movie, BIONICLE: Mask of Light, was released this year, along with a tie-in game and novelization. The BIONICLE book series began in 2003 as well, with four books released aside from the movie novelization under the series title BIONICLE Chronicles. The total number of sets released was twenty-eight, more than either of the previous years.

The Bohrok-Kal Saga
After the Toa Mata defeated the Bahrag and sent the Bohrok swarms back to sleep, becoming Toa Nuva in the process, they went their separate ways. Little did they know that their actions had awakened the Bohrok-Kal, six special Bohrok designed as a fail-safe to free the Bahrag in the event that the swarms were stopped. To do this, the Bohrok-Kal needed the Nuva Symbols that gave the Toa Nuva their elemental energy. They stole the symbols, causing the Toa Nuva to lose control over their elements, and they began to look for the Bahrag. No matter how hard the Toa Nuva tried, they were hopeless against the Bohrok-Kal without their elements.

Finally, the Bohrok-Kal found the Bahrag and destroyed the Exo-Toa. They were about to be freed when Tahu used the Legendary Kanohi Vahi to slow down time. Unfortunately, Tahu could not hold his focus long enough. Finally, Gali had the idea to get the symbols to channel power into the Bohrok-Kal. An overload of power destroyed them, and there was peace on Mata Nui once more.

Mask of Light
The island of Mata Nui celebrated the victory over the Bohrok-Kal with a kolhii game in a newly-built stadium in Ta-Koro. Just before the game, a Matoran named Takua found a strange Kanohi, the Mask of Light. After the game, the assembled inhabitants of Mata Nui learned of the mask. Turaga Nokama read a prophecy on the mask about a Seventh Toa, and Turaga Vakama sent Jaller, the Matoran who was believed to be the Herald of the Seventh Toa, and Takua (who Jaller enlisted for company knowing that Takua was the true Herald) to find the Seventh Toa.

While they searched, Teridax unleashed his "sons," six Rahkshi, to find the Mask of Light and prevent the Seventh Toa from coming into being. In their search, they destroyed everything in their path. Toa Nuva Tahu became poisoned by a Lerahk and enraged by a Kurahk, driving him to attack the other Toa. Ta-Koro and Onu-Koro were destroyed.

In the final battle against the remaining Rahkshi, a Turahk, Kurahk, and Vorahk, Jaller was killed. But Takua put on the Mask of Light and became the Seventh Toa: Takanuva, Toa of Light. After the battle, he built a vehicle called the Ussanui. Several days later, he rode it into Makuta's lair and confronted him once and for all with a game of kolhii.

In the end, the two were fused by Energized Protodermis and became Takutanuva. Takutanuva held open a large stone door for the Matoran, Turaga and Toa to go through to awaken the Great Spirit Mata Nui. While doing so, he revived Jaller, but this used too much power, and he was crushed by the stone door. However, Takanuva was revived by the light and the group attempted to awaken Mata Nui. They did not succeed, but they did start on their way to the first step of doing so: they found their long-lost city home, Metru Nui, and began to build boats to sail to it.

Books

 * BIONICLE Chronicles 1: Tale of the Toa (set during the 2001 story)
 * BIONICLE Chronicles 2: Beware the Bohrok (set during the 2002 story)
 * BIONICLE Chronicles 3: Makuta's Revenge
 * BIONICLE Chronicles 4: Tales of the Masks
 * BIONICLE: Mask of Light

Comics

 * Comic 10: The Coming of the Kal
 * Comic 11: A Matter of Time...
 * Comic 12: Absolute Power
 * Comic 13: Rise of the Rahkshi!
 * Comic 14: At Last -- Takanuva!
 * Comic 15: Secrets and Shadows

Games

 * Mata Nui Online Game II: The Final Chronicle
 * BIONICLE: The Game (non-canon)

Movies and Animations

 * Bohrok-Kal Online Animations
 * BIONICLE: Mask of Light

Sets Released

 * Bohrok-Kal
 * 8573 Nuhvok-Kal
 * 8574 Tahnok-Kal
 * 8575 Kohrak-Kal
 * 8576 Lehvak-Kal
 * 8577 Pahrak-Kal
 * 8578 Gahlok-Kal
 * Contained instructions with Gahlok-Kal, Lehvak-Kal and Kohrak-Kal to build a combo model.
 * Contained instructions with Tahnok-Kal, Nuhvok-Kal and Pahrak-Kal to build a combo model. Not included in storyline, but assumed it exists.
 * Rahkshi
 * 8587 Panrahk
 * 8588 Kurahk
 * 8589 Lerahk
 * 8590 Guurahk
 * 8591 Vorahk
 * 8592 Turahk
 * Included instructions with Panrahk, Guurahk and Vorahk to build Rahkshi Kaita Vo.
 * Included instructions with Kurahk, Lerahk and Turahk to build Rahkshi Kaita Za.
 * Matoran
 * 8581 Kopeke
 * 8582 Matoro
 * 8583 Hahli
 * 8584 Hewkii
 * 8585 Hafu
 * 8586 Macku
 * Includes instructions to build two alternate models. Neither are included in the storyline.
 * Titans
 * 8593 Makuta (Teridax)
 * 8594 Jaller and Gukko
 * Contained a Box Set-style Matoran.
 * 8595 Takua and Pewku
 * Contained a Box Set-Style Matoran.
 * 8596 Takanuva
 * Contained a 2002 Toa Nuva-Style Model.
 * 10201 Takutanuva
 * Contained sets Makuta and Takanuva and a Special Edition mask. The model could be used to create the separate sets.
 * The Makuta and Takanuva models could be used to make Takutanuva.
 * The Makuta, Jaller & Gukko and Takua & Pewku sets could be combined to make a "Makuta Nui." It is often mistaken for an Ash Bear.
 * Collectibles
 * 8598 Krana Nuva
 * Contained two various Kanohi Nuva and three various Krana.
 * 8599 Krana-Kal
 * Contained two random Kanohi Nuva and three random Krana-Kal.
 * 8580 Kraata
 * Contained three Kraata (various types).
 * Other
 * 10023 Bionicle Master Builder Set.