Comic 17: Disks of Danger

"In the time before time, the great city of Metru Nui faced disaster. Six Matoran were chosen by fate to become Toa Metru, heroes for a city of legends... A vision told me that the key to saving Metru Nui were six legendary Great Disks, one hidden in each metru. But the only Matoran who could lead us to the Disks secretly wanted the artifacts for themselves. And it seemed certain one of the planned to betray us all."

- Turaga Vakama

Disks of Danger was the seventeenth issue in the original BIONICLE comic series, the second in the Metru Nui sub-series, and part two of the City of Legends story. Is was mailed with the March/April 2004 edition of the LEGO Magazine.

Opening
''The Toa Metru have succeeded in their first task, finding and rescuing six missing Matoran. Only these six know the locations of the Great Kanoka disks, which the Toa believe are key to defeating the devastating menace of the Morbuzakh plant.''

''Each of the legendary disks is hidden in a location accessible only to one with the powers of a Toa. But retrieving them will force the Toa Metru to face fearsome Rahi, powerful natural forces, and other perils. With each second that passes, more of the city crumbles to ruin as the Morbuzakh tightens its grip ...''

The race to save Metru Nui has begun.

Plot
Toa Metru Vakama and Onewa travel to the Ta-Metru Fire Pits in search of a Great Kanoka Disk, one of six powerful weapons capable of defeating the Morbuzakh vines overrunning their island city. Onewa, frustrated at dealing with the Matoran, is about ready to simply let them run off. Vakama cuts him off and breaks into the highly-guarded facility. Nuhrii guides the Toa to the correct Fire Pit, where Vakama is able to retrieve the Great Disk. As the two climb out of the pit, though, a pair of vines ensnare them. In desperation, Nuhrii fires a reconstitute at random at the vines, mutating them into a different form. The heroes escape danger, but the others are encountering difficulty as well. Whenua and Nuju are trapped by the claw of a gigantic Ussal crab. They only manage to flee after Whenua rotates his drills loudly enough to irritate the crab's sensitive hearing. On the other side of the city, Matau prepares to retrieve the Le-Metru Great Disk. Within the Force Sphere, Matau grabs the Great Disk. With nothing to leap off of, Matau is forced to create a windstorm inside the chute. He successfully frees himself, although he crash-lands. The Toa Metru persist in their quest for the Great Disks, from the frozen towers of Ko-Metru to the towering statues of Po-Metru. Eventually the team collects all six Disks. The Morbuzakh continues to assault the city, with no one strong enough to stop it. The Toa and Matoran deduce that the Morbuzakh's King Root hides within the Great Furnace and plan to attack it there. Vhisola is not so sure, however. The plant is likely to come after them first!

Credits

 * Greg Farshtey - Writer
 * Randy Elliott - Artist
 * Pete Pantazis - Colorist
 * Ken Lopez - Letterer
 * Jaye Gardney - Editor
 * Toby Dutkiewicz - Layout & Design

Characters

 * Ahkmou - In flashback
 * Ehrye - In flashback
 * Gali Nuva - In present
 * Kopaka Nuva - In present
 * Lewa Nuva - In present
 * Mata Nui - Mentioned only
 * Morbuzakh - In flashback
 * King Root - In flashback
 * Nuhrii - In flashback
 * Nuju - In flashback
 * Pohatu Nuva - In present
 * Onewa - In flashback
 * Onua Nuva - In present
 * Orkahm - In flashback
 * Tahu Nuva - In present
 * Takanuva - In present
 * Tehutti - In flashback
 * Vakama - In present and flashback
 * Vhisola - In flashback
 * Whenua - In flashback
 * Multiple Po-Matoran - In flashback
 * Multiple Ta-Matoran - In flashback

Locations

 * Mata Nui - In present
 * Metru Nui - In flashback
 * Ga-Metru - In flashback
 * Great Temple - In flashback
 * Ko-Metru - In flashback
 * Knowledge Towers - In flashback
 * Le-Metru - In flashback
 * Onu-Metru - In flashback
 * Archives - In flashback
 * Po-Metru - In flashback
 * Sculpture Fields - In flashback
 * Ta-Metru - In flashback
 * Fire Pits - In flashback

Objects

 * Badge of Office
 * Firestaff - In present
 * Chute System
 * Chute
 * Force Sphere
 * Kanohi
 * Great Avohkii - In present
 * Great Huna
 * Great Komau
 * Great Mahiki
 * Great Matatu
 * Great Rau
 * Great Ruru
 * Noble Huna - In present
 * Powerless Huna
 * Powerless Komau
 * Powerless Mahiki
 * Powerless Matatu
 * Powerless Rau
 * Powerless Ruru
 * Kanohi Nuva
 * Akaku Nuva
 * Hau Nuva
 * Kakama Nuva
 * Kaukau Nuva
 * Miru Nuva
 * Pakari Nuva
 * Kanoka
 * Great Disks
 * Toa Tools
 * Aero Slicers
 * Crystal Spikes
 * Disk Launcher (Vakama)
 * Earthshock Drills
 * Hydro Blades
 * Proto Pitons

Organizations

 * Matoran
 * Ga-Matoran
 * Ko-Matoran
 * Le-Matoran
 * Onu-Matoran
 * Po-Matoran
 * Ta-Matoran
 * Toa
 * Toa of Air
 * Toa of Earth
 * Toa of Fire
 * Toa of Ice
 * Toa of Stone
 * Toa of Water
 * Toa Metru - In flashback
 * Toa Nuva - In present
 * Toa Teams
 * Vahki - Mentioned only

Miscellanea

 * Chutespeak
 * Elements/Elemental Powers
 * Air
 * Earth
 * Fire
 * Ice
 * Stone
 * Water

Quotes
"But, while we gathered the Great Disks, the Morbuzakh vines continued to tighten their grip on Metru Nui...The Matoran couldn't stop them. Even the Vahki could not overcome the power of the Morbuzakh. Now that we had the Great Disks, out task was just beginning..."

- Turaga Vakama

"Don't you know what they say about the Morbuzakh? When the Morbuzakh knows you're looking for it...it comes looking for you."

- Vhisola

Extra Features

 * Comic middle: The Creatures of Metru Nui... section discusses some of the creatures inhabiting Metru Nui, such as the Kraawa, the Kralhi, the Kavinika, and the Kinloka. Each model can be built from Toa Metru and Matoran sets.
 * Comic end: Advertisements for BIONICLE books from Scholastic and BIONICLE: Mask of Light on DVD; two-page map of Metru Nui with significant locations pointed out.
 * Rear cover: Advertisement for BIONICLE mini-comics packaged with Lunchables Mega Packs.