Jaller

"We are on our own, with no hope of aid. But I am going on, in honor of Tahu Nuva and Lhikan and all the other Toa who came before us. Who else will join me?"

- Jaller

Jaller was a Ta-Matoran from the city of Metru Nui, and was the Captain of the Guard of Ta-Koro on Mata Nui. He later became a Toa of Fire and was the leader of the Toa Inika.

Great Cataclysm and Mata Nui
In Metru Nui, Jaller was a Tool Maker, and was also a friend of the future Toa Metru Vakama. Just before the Great Cataclysm, he was summoned to the Coliseum along with all the other Matoran. There he was put into a Matoran Pod by the Vahki. His pod was later taken to the island of Mata Nui by the Toa Metru where they sacrificed their Toa Power to save Jaller and the rest of the Matoran. After every Matoran had awakened, Vakama noticed that Jaller's Kanohi mask had broken. Vakama then gave him the Noble Kanohi Hau of the late Turaga Lhikan.

Gradually, along with the other Matoran, Jaller lost his memory about Metru Nui and became smaller and weaker due to the effect of the sphere he was in. His athletic ability, devotion to his duty, and leadership skills made him the logical choice to be the right hand of Turaga Vakama. He was loyal to all Matoran and Toa and did his work diligently, leading the Ta-Koro Guard to protect all of Mata Nui. He secretly wished to explore Mata Nui, but understood that he shouldn't and restrained himself.

Jaller and several other Guardsmen were the first to find Toa Tahu when he arrived on Mata Nui. He also met with Takua in his hut around this time, when a guard team of his had disappeared in Ko-Wahi. He made Takua a member of the Guard and sent him to examine the situation.

Later, Jaller and his guard journeyed to Kini-Nui where they helped the Chronicler's Company defeat the swarms of Rahi sent there by the Makuta.

During the Bohrok War, Jaller went all over Mata Nui with Takua to help the villages out. In Ga-Koro, he met a Ga-Matoran named Hahli, and the two became close friends.

During the attack of the Bohrok-Kal, Jaller helped the Toa Nuva with in any way he could, even managing to capture a Krana-Kal from the Pahrak-Kal. After the defeat of the Kal, he and Takua were built into bigger, stronger forms in secret by the Turaga. They were then shown to the rest of the Matoran of Mata Nui, who were then rebuilt as well.

Not long afterwards, Jaller and Takua competed in the Kolhii Tournament, but lost the championship to Ga-Koro. Upon Takua's discovery of the Great Mask of Light, he and Jaller were sent on a quest to find the Seventh Toa. Although Takua had found the mask, he didn't want the responsibility of carrying it, and convinced everyone else that Jaller was the Herald of the Toa of Light, and not him. Jaller, however, got him to come along, and together, they traveled the island in search of the mysterious Seventh Toa. During this time, they witnessed the release of the Rahkshi and the near-destruction of Onu-Koro.

When the mask finally led them to the Kini-Nui temple, a climactic battle began between the Rahkshi and the Toa Nuva. In the end, Jaller sacrificed his life to save Takua from being killed by the Rahkshi Turahk. Takua then realized his destiny, and donned the mask, transforming into the Toa of Light and renaming himself Takanuva. He then went underground to the Mangaia lair, where he confronted Makuta. He then sent Hahli, who had come with him, to bring the rest of the Matoran to the lair. Shortly after they arrived, Takanuva and Makuta fell into a pool of energized protodermis, and emerged fused into a single being, Takutanuva. The new entity then lifted the massive gate in the tunnel leading to Metru Nui, enabling the Matoran to pass and see their original home once more. As Hahli went by, carrying Jaller's mask, Takutanuva stopped her and, taking the mask, gave up a fraction of his life force to bring Jaller back to life. Afterwards, the weakened Takutanuva could no longer hold the gate open, and it fell on top of him, splitting him back into two separate beings. Makuta's armor was crushed, but Takanuva somehow survived. The Matoran then returned to the surface, and as the Turaga finally told their stories of Metru Nui, they prepared to sail back to the city.

Journey to Voya Nui
Shortly after the Matoran returned to Metru Nui, Jaller became upset that the Turaga were once again keeping secrets from the Matoran. He went to Turaga Dume and demanded that the Matoran be told what was going on. When Dume refused, Jaller declared a city-wide strike; not a single Matoran did any more work, not even to build shelters for themselves, for days. Eventually Turaga Nokama went to Jaller in secret and explained that the Great Spirit Mata Nui was in danger of dying, and that the Toa Nuva had been sent to try to obtain the Kanohi Ignika, the Great Mask of Life that could save Mata Nui; this was kept from the Matoran to keep them from worrying about something they could do little about. Refusing to wait helplessly while the Toa Nuva went after the Ignika, Jaller decided to gather a group of strong Matoran and travel to Voya Nui to aid the Toa Nuva.

Accompanied by Hahli, Hewkii, Matoro, Kongu, and Nuparu, and Takanuva, who insisted on coming, Jaller set off for the "Island of Doom" via unused underground chutes. They came out of the chutes in a desolate area to the south of Metru Nui, and headed onward through the bleak landscape. During this journey, they had to pass through a tunnel which devoured all light, and later came to an archway with an invisible energy barrier that beings of light could not get through. Takanuva was forced to turn back, but the Matoran were able to go on, and headed up the seemingly endless slopes of a mountain. There they stumbled upon a bizarre land guarded by monstrous Manas crabs and inhabited by damaged, despairing Matoran. They then discovered that this was the realm of Karzahni, long thought to be a myth, and were subsequently imprisoned by its ruler, who took away their masks and forced them to wear different ones. They eventually managed to escape using long-abandoned Toa Canisters, which took them to Voya Nui.

Quest for the Ignika
When Jaller and the other five Matoran arrived on Voya Nui, they were struck by bolts of lightning from the Red Star, which transformed them into Toa. They soon discovered that they were not ordinary Toa; they wore organic Kanohi masks, and when they took their masks off, their faces gave off a blinding glow. They then set off to find the Toa Nuva, and discovered their mask powers along the way. At one point, they encountered the Piraka Vezok and, in their first battle as Toa, defeated him. After the battle, Vezok managed to escape, and the Inika met with the Matoran of the Voya Nui Resistance Team. The Matoran told them of the Piraka and of the Toa Nuva's defeat by Brutaka, and they and the Toa then split into teams. Hewkii, Matoro, Balta, and Kazi went to find Axonn, Brutaka's former friend who had helped the Matoran in the past. Jaller, Hahli, Dalu, and Piruk went to the volcano and used Zamor Spheres filled with Energized Protodermis to free the Matoran who had been enslaved by the Piraka's Antidermis virus, while Nuparu, Kongu, Velika, and Garan infiltrated the Piraka Stronghold. After their jobs were completed, the other Toa and Matoran headed off to the Stronghold. There they re-united with the others and a battle between the Piraka and the Toa Inika began. The melee was abruptly ended, however, when Hakann and Thok used a special Zamor Sphere to drain Brutaka's power and channel it into themselves. The rest of the Piraka and Toa were knocked unconscious and imprisoned, all except Nuparu and Zaktan, who's fight had taken them out to the Voya Nui Bay. After defeating Zaktan, Nuparu returned and freed his comrades. The Inika and the rest of the Piraka soon struck a deal; the Toa freed them and they created a Zamor Sphere that would reverse the effect of the one used on Brutaka. They all then went after Hakann and Thok.

The first to the find the two Piraka was Zaktan. Immediately, a lengthy battle ensued. In the end, Brutaka's power was sent back to him, and the stairway leading to the Chamber of Life was revealed. When the Inika awoke, they realized that the Piraka had gone down the staircase, and followed them.

As they walked down the staircase, the Inika encountered an incarnation of the mask, Toa Lhikan, who warned them that they should turn back. The Inika refused, pointing out that the real Toa Lhikan would never abandon such a vital quest. Lhikan then disappeared, and the Inika continued, coming upon a chamber which they then found themselves sealed inside. The recorded voice of one of the Great Beings who had created the stairway then told them that in order to go on, one of their number must die. Jaller felt that, as the team's leader, he should make the sacrifice, but the memory of his earlier death at the hands of a Rahkshi made him hesitate, and Matoro volunteered, pointing out that he had never been a warrior or athlete like the others and was the logical choice. He then died in a beam of power, but was immediately restored to life. The Toa were then allowed to continue, and hurried on.

The next challenge the Toa Inika faced was when a version of their old enemies was brought to life by the Ignika. The Toa battled a Bohrok, a Bohrok-Kal, a Muaka, a Nui-Rama, a Rahkshi, and Makuta himself. Jaller fought the Rahkshi, a Turahk, and, despite trying only to trap it, ended up accidentally killing it, as did the other Toa with their foes. Then, the dead creatures transformed into none other than the Toa Nuva. Afraid of their powers, the Inika considered turning back, but Jaller encouraged them to go on. As they did, the Toa Nuva suddenly disappeared, and they realized that they had been only illusions.

They eventually arrived in a massive chamber with a river of lava flowing through it, where they saw the Piraka had set up an ambush on a bridge. The Toa stormed the bridge and drove off most of the Piraka, but were trapped when the bridge collapsed on them. They freed themselves, and went after the Piraka into the Chamber of Life, where they fought the Ignika's last guardians, Vezon and Fenrakk. The Inika eventually defeated them using a special Zamor Sphere given to them by Axonn. They then retrieved the Mask of Life, but it flew from them and went up to the surface. The Toa followed, pursued by the Piraka, until the mask plunged into the sea and disappeared. They then met up with Axonn and the Toa Nuva, and, as the Nuva set off on a new mission, Axonn showed the Inika a passageway leading down through the Stone Cord, which the Toa then took, heading after the Mask of Life towards Mahri Nui.

Toa Mahri
"Give it up, or some lucky Rahi will be having boiled Barraki for dinner."

Journeying through the cord, the Toa Inika had to fight a running battle with a group of savage beings called Zyglak. Eventually, they arrived in the Pit, upon which they were transformed by a pulse of energy from the Mask of Life into water-breathing versions of themselves. They then discovered a Matoran city, called Mahri Nui, and tried to convince its inhabitants that they meant no harm. Wary of the Toa, the Matoran told them to go free the Fields of Air; then they would trust them. Matoro stayed behind to continue negotiations with the Matoran, while the others headed for the fields.

When they got there, they were intercepted by the Barraki and their armies of sea creatures. The Barraki then took the five Toa with them to a series of sea caves, and then departed. They quickly proceeded to escape, by various methods. Upon leaving the caves, Jaller and kongu were ambushed by Kalmah and Carapar, who had come back to check on them. Kongu was almost killed by a squid, but was saved by a Hahnah Crab that had befriended Jaller. He then used his Mask of Summoning to call forth a monstrous creature from ancient times out of slumber, which quickly broke up the fight. The Barraki retreated, and Jaller and Kongu reunited with the other Toa, who then equipped themselves with weapons found in a cave. During this time, the Matoran of Mahri Nui finally began to trust the Toa, and their leader, Defilak, bestowed the the Toa with the title of Toa Mahri in gratitude of their struggles against the Barraki.

When Matoro informed the other Toa that they woud have to destroy the Stone Cord to accomplish their mission, they decided to evacuate the Matoran to Voya Nui. While escorting them up the Cord, the Toa were ambushed by their old enemies, the Piraka, who had been mutated into snake-like forms. However, the marauders were defeated by Axonn, who then brought the Matoran the rest of the way to the surface. He then informed the Toa Mahri that he would keep the Matoran safe by sheltering them in the caves of Voya Nui, while the island returned to its original location. He also provided the Toa with a large insectoid creature to take them back to the Pit quickly.

When they arrived in the Pit, a large-scale battle between them, the Barraki, Gadunka, Hydraxon, and Maxilos began. During the fight, Jaller and Matoro were able to obtain the Mask of Life, and withdrew to a rendezvous with the other Toa near Mahri Nui. They then destroyed the Stone Cord, and Voya Nui began to sink beneath the sea and return to its original location, with the Toa following it and being pursued by the Barraki. But as they swam after the island, they all felt the universe change abruptly as Mata Nui died.

Matoro decided to follow Voya Nui, believing that something could still be done. Jaller told Matoro to go on ahead without the rest of the team, who would stay behind to delay the Barraki. Knowing that the five Toa could not win against the Barraki and their armies, Jaller decided to perform a Nova Blast, a last resort that would kill the Barraki, most of their sea creatures, and the Toa. But before he did so, the Toa Mahri were suddenly teleported back to Metru Nui, and found they were able to breathe air again. They then realized that Matoro had used the Mask of Life to revive Mata Nui and save the other Toa. Turaga Vakama then approached and explained that he had seen Matoro's death in a vision. They then headed for the Coliseum to make preparations for a memorial service.

Personality
Jaller was firmly dedicated to his duty, and was determined not to repeat the mistakes of previous Toa of Fire, who were more brave than sensible. He was careful to consider all courses of action before doing anything, and made sure his teammates were all in agreement before moving on.

Powers and Abilities
As a Toa of Fire, Jaller could create, control, and absorb heat and flame, as well as other things.

Inika: During his time as an Inika, Jaller's flame powers were entwined with electrical energy, meaning flames he produced were laced with lightning.

Mahri: As a Toa Mahri, Jaller's fire powers were normal, that is, without electricity. However, it was difficult and tiring for him to use fire underwater.

Mask and Tools
Inika: As a Toa Inika, Jaller wore an organic version of the Kanohi Calix, the Great Mask of Fate, which allowed him to perform to the absolute limits of his physical abilities, and pull off seemingly impossible leaps, dodges, sprints, and jumps.

His Toa Tool at this point in time was an Energized Flame Sword, and he carried a multi-shot Zamor Launcher as a sidearm.

Mahri: As a Toa Mahri, Jallers Kanohi was the Arthron, the Great Mask of Sonar. It allowed him to detect objects and beings beyond visual range.

His weapons included a Power Sword and a Cordak Blaster, which he mounted on his Hahnah Crab.

Trivia

 * Jaller was the one who came up with the name Inika for his team.
 * Jaller's name used to be spelled 'Jala'.
 * In an alternate universe (Dark Mirror) where Toa Tuyet was empress of a Toa Empire, Jaller, still a Matoran, ventured to Artakha to retrieve the Kanohi Vahi, Mask of Time. The parallel Teridax referred to the parallel Jaller as a "fanatic".