Comic 24: Shadow Play

"The time is drawing near. Almost all of my threads have been spun, and I wait only for the prey to rush headlong into the trap. Always remember this, little hordeling...though I am not a Visorak, I too can weave a web."

- Roodaka

Shadow Play was the twenty-fourth issue in the original BIONICLE comic series and the ninth issue in the Metru Nui sub-series. It was originally mailed with the May/June 2005 edition of the LEGO Club Magazine, and was later collected in BIONICLE 4: Trial by Fire. This comic saw the Toa Hordika continue to fight the Visorak, while Roodaka weaves her own plans.

Opening
''Deep within the abandoned Archives, Toa Hordika Whenua, Toa Hordika Nuju, Rahaga Bomonga, and Rahaga Kualus have come seeking items to aid the escape of the Matoran from Metru Nui. But one particular Rahi has pursued them there, with multi-faceted eyes on sending them in the darkness forever.''

''Even if they survive, they troubles have just begun. The evil Roodaka waits in the Coliseum, weaving a web that will eventually draw Toa Hordika, Sidorak, and the Visorak hordes into a tangled skein of fear.''

Exile into the shadows might be a more merciful end...

Plot
Within the Coliseum, Roodaka sits and plots the next stage of her schemes. Even though she is not a Visorak, she is just as deadly. To her, the others involved in Metru Nui are just pawns in her plans, both Toa Hordika and Visorak. Even Sidorak is not immune to her machinations. At length, the viceroy considered her past. In her homeland, Roodaka once went through a rite of passage which involved climbing a particularly dangerous mountain. While scaling this, she chose to abandon her companion in order to achieve victory. Similarly, she now wonders which one of the Toa Hordika will be most willing to betray their allies in exchange for a cure to the Hordika venom. Elsewhere, Whenua and Bomonga journey through the Archives. As they travel, Nuju hurls through a wall. Kualus and a Kahgarak follow behind. Nuju refuses to run and uses his Ice Rhotuka to create a wall of ice. The Kahgarak's darkness Rhotuka reflects off the wall and hits the Visorak itself, trapping it within the Zone of Darkness.

Threat defeated, the group of four continues further into the Archives. As they walk, Bomonga reflects upon the first time he encountered the Visorak. While at first he thought the horde were wild and independent, he realized the truth when he saw Roodaka and Sidorak leading them. Before he can finish his story, the Visorak attack again, this time coming through the ventilation shafts. Nuju holds off the spiders with his Rhotuka, while Whenua looks for an exit path. The Toa of Earth opens a door, only to come face-to-face with another Kahgarak. Overcome with animalistic fury, he hurls Earth Rhotuka willy-nilly. Alas, his wild attacks cause the earth to shake, bringing the ceiling down upon all involved in the conflict. The room collapses, and all is still.

Credits

 * Greg Farshtey - Writer
 * Randy Elliott - Artist
 * Pete Pantazis - Colorist
 * Ken Lopez - Letterer
 * Jaye Gardner - Editor
 * Toby Dutkiewicz - Art Director/Design

Characters

 * Bomonga
 * Kualus
 * Nuju
 * Roodaka - In present and flashback
 * Sidorak - In flashback
 * A green Vortixx - In flashback
 * Whenua

Locations

 * Metru Nui
 * Archives
 * Coliseum
 * Xia - In flashback
 * The Mountain - In flashback

Objects

 * Catcher Claw - In present and flashback
 * Herding Blade - In flashback
 * Lightstone
 * Rhotuka
 * Kanohi
 * Great Matatu - Mutated
 * Great Ruru - Mutated
 * Toa Tools
 * Hordika Teeth
 * Thumpers

Organizations

 * Matoran - Mentioned only
 * Rahi - Mentioned only
 * Visorak
 * Boggarak
 * Kahgarak
 * Vohtarak - In present and flashback
 * Toa
 * Toa of Earth
 * Toa of Ice
 * Toa Teams
 * Toa Hagah/Rahaga
 * Toa Metru/Toa Hordika
 * Vortixx - In present and flashback

Miscellanea

 * Elements/Elemental Powers
 * Earth
 * Ice

Quotes
"They first appeared years ago...savage by nature, obedient by training. Nothing that lived could stand before them. At first, I thought the Visorak the only danger...until I saw them. Roodaka and Sidorak."

- Bomonga

"No! No, no, no...This is my territory! Mine! You can't be here! GET OUT!!!"

- Whenua

"With a roar like a floodtide, stone and mortar rain down on the Toa Hordika, Visorak, and Rahaga. It falls for a very long time. And then all is silent and still."

- Narration

Extra Features

 * Comic middle: Double-page advertisement for the summer 2005 Visorak sets.
 * Comic end: Advertisement for BIONICLE.com; ad for the upcoming Toa Hordika and the Mask of Light animated series; ad for the upcoming web comic series about Turaga Dume; ad for the "Dark Hunter Building Challenge," BIONICLE: Rahi Beasts and BIONICLE merchandise.
 * Rear cover: Titans of Fear advertisement for the upcoming 2005 titan sets.

Continuity

 * Roodaka hints at playing her own game to one of the Visorak. Her schemes would later be revealed in BIONICLE 3: Web of Shadows.
 * Keetongu makes his sole appearance in the comic series in this issue. His main appearance in 2005 would be in the BIONICLE Adventures series.

Trivia

 * This comic was re-released as an animated comic bonus feature with BIONICLE 3: Web of Shadows.