Toa Hagah/Rahaga

This Toa Hagah team was a team appointed to protect Makuta Teridax, the Makuta of Metru Nui. They were mutated into Rahkshi/Toa hybrids named Rahaga, but were later transformed back into their Toa Hagah forms. The name "Rahaga" was coined jokingly by Roodaka when the Toa Hagah were first transformed.

Members

 * Norik, Toa of Fire (Leader)
 * Iruini, Toa of Air
 * Gaaki, Toa of Water
 * Kualus, Toa of Ice
 * Pouks, Toa of Stone
 * Bomonga, Toa of Earth (Deputy)

Toa Hagah
The Toa Hagah were selected by the Brotherhood of Makuta from pre-existing Toa teams based on the merit of their individual accomplishments, and were bestowed with metallic armor to differentiate them as elite Toa, and masks in the shape of the masks of legendary Toa by their former comrades. The Toa Hagah served the Brotherhood of Makuta as bodyguards, when it was an organization dedicated to the protection of the Matoran. They continued to serve until the Brotherhood became corrupt and power-hungry, and began kidnapping and killing Matoran and other such atrocities. They raided the Brotherhood's main fortress on Destral and, overpowering the Dark Hunter guards and temporarily defeated Teridax, stole the Kanohi Avohkii - the Great Mask of Light - and the Makoki Stone, both of which had been stolen by the Brotherhood from the realm of Artakha. As the Toa made their escape, Gaaki, Pouks, Kualus, and Bomonga were ambushed by Roodaka, a servant of the Brotherhood, who used the power of her Rhotuka spinner to mutate them into smaller, deformed Rahkshi-like creatures she dubbed "Rahaga", from the words Rahkshi and Hagah. Norik and Iruini, who hadn't been with the others due to an argument, returned and rescued them, however, they too were mutated into Rahaga. Believing them to no longer be a threat, Roodaka ordered her Visorak to leave them be.

Eventually, they all managed to escape with the Makoki stone and the Kanohi Avohkii.

Rahaga


The Rahaga decided to dedicate themselves to opposing the Brotherhood's armies of Visorak, which were led by Sidorak, with Roodaka as his viceroy. Whatever lands the Visorak conquered, the Rahaga worked to rescue as much of the native Rahi wildlife as possible from their clutches, in this way they learned the ways of Rahi and became master trackers. They also began to search for Keetongu, a mythical Rahi said to be able to counteract any poison, including the Visorak's Hordika venom.

In time, the Rahaga came to the city of Metru Nui, where Keetongu was said to be living. They hid the Kanohi Avohkii and the Makoki Stone in the city, and they themselves stayed hidden from the populace, watching as their old enemy and former employer, Makuta Teridax, imprison the city's matoran in Matoran Spheres, only to be defeated and imprisoned in crystalline protodermis by the Toa Metru. Soon afterwards, the Visorak arrived in Metru Nui.

When the Toa Metru returned to the Visorak-controlled city, they were quickly captured and mutated by the Visorak's Hordika venom, as Roodaka and Sidorak spectated, before ordering the Visorak to drop the mutant Toa from the top of the Coliseum. The Rahaga revealed themselves, saving the Toa from certain death, and offered their help in rescuing the Matoran and finding a cure for the mutation. They agreed, however, in their new, bestial Hordika forms, they were finding it more difficult to get along and work as a team. Toa Vakama, in particular, was becoming increasingly bitter and aloof - due to his perceived insensitivity of his team members of the difficulties of leadership - despite the Hordika and Rahaga's successes against the Visorak.

Vakama was eventually captured by Visorak while walking alone and brought to Roodaka, who talked him into serving her. He gave himself over to the feral side that the mutation unleashed and on Roodaka's command attacked the Rahaga and damaged the Great Temple, delivering five of the Rahaga to Sidorak. Norik, who was left behind to "deliver a message" to the other Toa, had found new information regarding Keetongu's whereabouts before Vakama's attack, and he, along with the five remaining Toa Hordika, finally found the legendary entity hidden in Ko-Metru. Keetongu offered his help in fighting off the hordes, and in the following battle, Keetongu killed Sidorak, Vakama was reminded of his duty to the Matoran and to his team and fought alongside the Toa Hordika once more, Roodaka was defeated, and Norik was able to free his fellow Rahaga.

After helping the cured Toa Metru to build airships to transport the Matoran to the island of Mata Nui, the Rahaga stayed in Metru Nui, helping the recently freed Turaga Dume to rebuild the city as much as they could, aided by Keetongu and the power of Dume's Kanohi Kiril. The Rahaga traveled from the city often, continuing to aid lands that the Visorak had previously conquered. When the Matoran and Toa Metru, now Turaga themselves, finally returned to Metru Nui, the Rahaga were there to welcome them back. They stayed there for a while, presumably helping the Matoran and Toa Nuva to complete the restoration of the city, until they eventually learned that a Tahtorak and the Kanohi Dragon were on a rampage on Xia and, despite the fact that their hated nemesis, Roodaka, was native to that land, went to assist.

Toa Once More
On their way to Xia they encountered Lewa Nuva, who had been sent to retrieve them. When the Rahaga arrived, they found Roodaka in the custody of the Toa Nuva. A deal was then made; Roodaka would turn the Rahaga back into Toa, and they in return agreed to subdue the Tahtorak and protect Roodaka from the Brotherhood of Makuta and the Dark Hunters - both of whom she had betrayed and both wanted her dead. However, she was soon taken and imprisoned by the Order of Mata Nui.

Then proceeded a long battle against the Tahtorak and the Kanohi Dragon. The Tahtorak had already weakened the Kanohi Dragon enough for Norik to use his Rhotuka to slow it down and Kualus to freeze it. Iruini also moved the dragon's leg away from The Mountain as the others fought the Tahtorak. Bomonga used his Mask of Growth to wrestle the Tahtorak and Pouks bound it with chains of stone. However, just as it seemed to end, Gaaki was staring at the ocean using her Mask of Clairvoyance and saw "seekers of shadows" approaching. Kualus confirmed there was a Dark Hunter battle fleet approaching, using his knowledge of bird language to communicate with a smoke hawk.

Iruini used his Kualsi to teleport himself onto the flagship, where he met "The Shadowed One" and discovered from him that he was invading on the behalf of the Order of Mata Nui. The Shadowed One revealed they wanted him to blockade Xia to prevent the Brotherhood from ordering weapons, but he had decided to destroy it and its' inhabitants, including the Toa Hagah if they were foolish enough to remain. Just as "The Shadowed One"'s invasion was to commence, Helryx and two Order members arrived, and Helryx threatened the Dark Hunter leader with a massive tidal wave, large enough to destroy his fleet unless her orders were followed. She then had Botar's replacement teleport the other Toa Hagah to the flagship, and gave them the Piraka, Zaktan, in a sphere of water; Helryx was sending them to find Makuta Teridax, for they had confronted him before and won, and Zaktan - having found the secret plans of Makuta Teridax - would be their guide.

Later, they arrived at Metru Nui and met Jaller, leader of the Toa Mahri. Norik introduced himself and stated their reasons for coming to Metru Nui - destroying the Coliseum so that they could access the ancient tunnels beneath it. The Toa Mahri, who held the Coliseum in reverence, responded violently to the suggestion and attacked the Toa Hagah. After Kualus summoned a Rahi which went on a rampage, the two teams teamed up to stop the creature. With their enmity over and their minds cleared, the two teams pondered on a way the Hagah could do what needed to be done without destroying the Coliseum. Hewkii, Kualus, and Bomonga lifted up the Coliseum so the Toa Hagah could enter the tunnels.

After a relatively eventless walk through the tunnels, when Pouks ironically commented on how smoothly things were going, the Toa were magnetised to the wall with molten protodermis surging toward them. They were saved by the timely arrival of Makuta Miserix, who teleported them further along the tunnel system. The Toa Hagah then allied with the Makuta who was also seeking to kill Teridax and together they reach the central chamber of the tunnel, which contained bizarre and complex looking machines and two mysterious corpses, which Miserix observed were too organic to be from the Matoran Universe. Suddenly, a portal opened in the chamber and strange beings started making their way through it. The beings turned out to be Toa Helryx and Keetongu, while Axonn and Brutaka emerged from another portal. After their arrivals, Teridax revealed himself to be inside the machinery, and killed Zaktan, as well as shattering Brutaka's Kanohi Olmak so the group could not escape. Brutaka revealed that they were inside the mind of the Great Spirit Robot, the body of Mata Nui. Miserix was then transformed into a painting on the wall by Teridax, and when Norik challenged Teridax, he placed the Hagah under the illusion that he had already been defeated and everything was at peace, and the Toa left peacefully, heartened by a victory over Teridax that had never happened.

While the deluded Toa wandered Metru Nui's surface, Tren Krom sensed what had happened to them and broke the illusion, and they became part of the resistance against Makuta Teridax. After the death of Teridax, the Toa Hagah migrated to Spherus Magna, where Toa Kopaka spoke with Gaaki, saying he had seen the Toa Mahri heading south under the custody of a mysterious golden creature and an entourage of Skakdi. Following this, the Toa Hagah went in search of the Toa Mahri.

Equipment
All of the Hagah carry Spears and Rhotuka Launching Shields. The Kanohi of the Toa Hagah were all reverent gifts from members of their former teams, shaped to match past heroes' masks, like Norik's Pehkui. Below are the tools the Toa Hagah carried:


 * Norik carried a Lava Spear and wore a Pehkui.
 * Iruini carried a Cyclone Spear and wore a Kualsi.
 * Kualus carried a Sub-Zero Spear and wore a Mask of Rahi Control.
 * Bomonga carried a Seismic Spear and wore a Mask of Growth.
 * Gaaki carried a Tidal Spear and wore a Kanohi Mask of Clairvoyance.
 * Pouks carried a Avalanche Spear and wore a Mask of Emulation.

As Rahaga, they all carried small staffs and had Rhotuka Launchers built-in their armor.

Set Info

 * The Rahaga all had part of the tools of the 2003 Rahkshi of their colors.
 * The Rahaga also had the Rahkshi heads of their colors, but were often darker coloured.

Trivia

 * "Hagah" means "guardian" in the Matoran language.
 * The Toa Hagah had been active as Toa for quite some time before they were recruited into the team.
 * All the Toa Hagah's spears (at least those belonging to Teridax's Hagah) have limited powers of their own.
 * The original Toa teams of the Toa Hagah did not all originate from the same location.
 * Other Makuta like Mutran, Tridax, Spiriah, Chirox, and Antroz had Toa Hagah teams, but they were either corrupted or killed.
 * Defilak wore a Kualsi just as Iruini, and Dekar wore a Kiril as Norik wore his Pehkui in the form of one. Both pairs came individually in their own sets (The rest of the Hagah were not released as sets in their Toa forms and Defilak and Dekar were the only Mahri Nui Matoran to have individual sets).
 * On the Poster side of the the English Rahaga Instructions, instead of their names listed beside them, some Rahaga had different names. The names listed are Lahka (Iruni), Nuukor (Bomonga), Tahkon (Norik), Kuuls (Kualus), and Puks (Pouks). Only Gaaki was listed with the canon name.

Rahaga