Mutran

"Look at them. They begin their lives as Kraata, nothing but the essence of a Makuta given solid form. But a bit of this... a bit of that... and they become ever-hungry stealers of light. Have you ever truly watched one feed? It is so repulsive as to be almost beautiful."

- Mutran to Vican, referring to the Shadow Leeches

Mutran was a Makuta and a member of the Brotherhood of Makuta. He specialized in mutations and Rahi creation, along with Chirox.

History
Sometime long before the Great Cataclysm, Mutran was sent on a diplomatic mission to Xia. When he left, he accidentally left behind his "favorite sentient rock", which he had brought with him. When he realized he had forgotten it, he figured it wouldn't be a problem and so didn't go back for it. The rock eventually started eating Vortixx and grew into the famous Sentient Mountain.

Later, after the defeat of the League of Six Kingdoms, Mutran and another Makuta, Gorast, were sent to one of Kalmah's fortresses for clean-up duty. While there, Mutran discovered a carving telling how Kalmah had noticed something odd about some of Mutran's rahi, the Blade Burrowers. It appeared that the tunnels they dug were not random, but in fact were all of the same pattern, a map. Mutran had no idea what the Burrowers were mapping or why, and was disturbed by it.

While the Matoran war in Metru Nui was going on, Mutran was sent on a mission to meet with a legendary entity called Tren Krom. Upon finding him, Mutran's mind was probed by Tren Krom. Mutran described the entity's mind as "as far beyond mine as mine was beyond that of a fireflyer". Mutran was so horrified by Tren Krom and the experience that he almost wanted to die rather than live with the memory. He eventually blacked out, and when he came around, he realized that he had new knowledge - knowledge that would make Teridax's schemes of overthrowing the Great Spirit possible.

When Teridax rebelled against Makuta Miserix, Mutran joined him because, having seen Tren Krom's mind and knowledge, he knew the Plan could work.

Approximately 1,000 years after the Great Cataclysm, Antroz, Chirox, Vamprah, and Mutran were assigned to invade Karda Nui and turn the Av-Matoran there into Shadow Matoran. Along with his Matoran assistant, Vican, Mutran was responsible for breeding the Shadow Leeches, mutated Kraata used to turn ordinary Matoran into Shadow Matoran.

Mutran was ordering Vican to kick a failed experiment out of a window and working on the third batch of a group of experimental Shadow Leeches which is supposed to have a greater light capacity when Vamprah interrupted him. He then proceeded to the main lair of the Makuta in Karda Nui, where he and Chirox were ordered by Antroz to create a creature for Vican to ride on in order to summon Makuta Icarax to Karda Nui.

Later, when the Toa Nuva discovered the location of the Shadow Leech Hive, Mutran attempted to drive the invaders away by casting Lewa, Pohatu, Tanma, Photok, and the Toa Ignika into a vision, causing them to think the hive were long tunnels and the Ignika was a monstrous creature. Mutran then fought against Kopaka and Solek. During the fight, he knocked Solek unconscious and then battled against Kopaka using his mind powers, causing the Toa to hesitate, doubt and fear his own Ice powers. The Makuta increased his mental assault until the Toa collapsed onto the ground. After a moment of jeering, the Makuta prepared to fire a bolt of Shadow to finish the Toa when Solek ran to the Toa and created a shield of Light, reflecting the attack. Kopaka, who had faked his defeat, quickly rose and bound the Makuta in ice and snow. However, the other three Makuta then entered the hive immediately following Mutran's defeat and quickly defeated the Toa and Matoran.

Later, after he was freed, Mutran and Antroz attempted to turn Lewa into a Toa Nuva of Shadow. However, Pohatu managed to save the Toa and the others and destroyed the Shadow Leech Hive using the Kakama Nuva, Mask of Speed. Angered by the destruction of his creations, Mutran blamed Kirop for leading the Toa to the hive, and attempted to punish him, but was stopped by Antroz.

Icarax arrived shortly afterwards, and all five Makuta assaulted the final standing Av-Matoran village, where they believe the Toa and Matoran were hiding in. To their dismay, the Toa and Matoran were actually in the lair of the Makuta retrieving a Keystone, and they began a raging battle soon afterwards. During the battle, Mutran unleashed an enormous blast of Shadow, and then ordered the other Makuta to retreat down to the Swamp of Secrets. As he was retreating, the Toa surrounded him and forced him to tell them where the other Makuta were heading.

Personality and Traits
Mutran was brilliant, sadistic, and quite insane. Although he and Chirox used to be good friends, they later grew competitive and hateful of each other, and each thought that his Rahi were better than those of the other.

Kanohi, Weapons, and Abilities
Mutran wore the Kanohi Shelek, the Great Mask of Silence, which could cause a target to temporarily lose the ability to hear or speak. His weapons included a Shadow Blade and Shadow Spear.

Mutran had the power of flight as well as access to all 42 Makuta powers. He also wielded elemental control of shadow. Mutran was amongst the Makuta to invade Karda Nui, but unlike the other Makuta there, he was not blinded by the light that caused the revival of Mata Nui because he was not nearby when the event occurred.

Behind the Sets/Trivia

 * Greg Farshtey has stated that Mutran's name is based on the words "mutate" and "transform".
 * Mutran's set comes with a Matoran named Vican.
 * When Miserix decided that each Makuta would have a certain area to watch over, Mutran was assigned to the center of the Mainland.
 * Some of Mutran's history is documented in a Web serial called The Mutran Chronicles.
 * His mask was originally called the Artidax, the Mask of Mutation. However, after seeing that he wore a Shelek, Greg used the name Artidax for the island where Miserix was kept.