Nidhiki

"They are mere Matoran in Toa armor. As is our duty, we shall not fail."

- Nidhiki to Makuta Teridax referring to the Toa Metru

Nidhiki was once a Toa of Air and a member of the Toa Mangai. He later betrayed his teammates and became a Dark Hunter, and was mutated into an insectoid monster.

Toa
When the Kanohi Dragon came to Metru Nui, Nidhiki and ten other Toa, led by Lhikan, were summoned to the city to defeat it. After weeks of exhausting combat, they succeeded. While the other Toa were trying to decide what to do with the dragon, Nidhiki attempted to kill it, but was unable to pierce its tough hide. The dragon was then shipped to Xia, who's inhabitants had agreed to keep it out of trouble.

Some time later, while fighting off a group of Dark Hunters attempting to infiltrate Metru Nui, Lhikan and Nidhiki discovered that one of their teammates, Toa Tuyet, was hiding a powerful artifact called the Nui Stone. Worse, in order to get the other Toa to defeat the Dark Hunters, who were after the stone, she was killing Matoran and making it look like the Hunters did it. Upon finding this out, Lhikan and Nidhiki confronted Tuyet and, even though she used the power of the Nui Stone, were able to defeat her. Nidhiki wanted to keep the stone, but to his dismay, Lhikan pulverized it.

Two thousand years later, the Dark Hunters, angry at Turaga Dume's refusal to allow them to build a base in Metru Nui, invaded. At first, the Toa, vastly outnumbered, were unable to do much. Eventually, they managed to get word to other islands nearby, and were joined by nearly a hundred more Toa. The battle reached a stalemate, until one night, Nidhiki was confronted by the Dark Hunter named Lariska, who, instead of killing Nidhiki, offered him a deal. Nidhiki agreed to betray his fellow Toa and lead them into an ambush. However, Lhikan overheard this conversation and made plans of his own. However, he too was then confronted by Hakann, who offered a new deal: the Toa could spring their trap, but the Dark Hunters would then be allowed to leave the city unharmed. The Toa there fore emerged as victors, and Lhikan instructed the Dark Hunters to leave Metru Nui and never come back, and to take Nidhiki with them, which they did.

Dark Hunter
"Toa... so dramatic. This time, your farewell will be forever, brother."

With nowhere else to go, Nidhiki joined the Dark Hunters as an instructor, teaching others – including Vezok – from his experience as a Toa. Wanting to be more than a teacher, he asked to be sent on missions. He got his wish, but to his displeasure was paired with a dim, brutish Dark Hunter named Krekka. From the perspective of the Hunters' leader, "The Shadowed One", this was a good partnership: Krekka could be effective if he stuck to Nidhiki's plans, and, with his loyalty and mindless obedience, could keep Nidhiki in line and make sure he did as he was told.

However, Nidhiki continued to want more, dreaming of being a hero again. When Roodaka came to the Dark Hunters seeking training, he offered to reward her if she would help him escape the island. Instead, she alerted the Shadowed One to Nidhiki's plans and "purchased" her training by mutating him into an insectoid monster, ensuring that he could never be accepted anywhere except the Dark Hunters. Ironically, Nidhiki was insectophobic.

Hundreds of years later, Nidhiki and Krekka were sent back to Metru Nui on a mission for Makuta. Their task was to retrieve six Great Kanoka Disks and to get Toa Lhikan out of the way - an assignment Nidhiki enjoyed, as he still held a grudge over his banishment. While the two were able to capture Lhikan, he had already chosen Matoran replacements and set them on the path to become Toa Metru. Nidhiki blackmailed a Po-Matoran, Ahkmou, into helping him get the Great Disks, but this failed as the Toa Metru were able to get to them first. Nidhiki and Krekka continued to hunt the Toa Metru until Makuta decided to face the Toa himself, in order to increase his power quickly he absorbed the two Dark Hunters and his pet, Nivawk, into his body, killing them.

Tools and Powers
As a Toa of Air he controled the element of air. He carried an Air Scythe and wore the Kanohi Volitak, but he lost the ability to use it when Roodaka mutated him.

After being mutated, Nidhiki had a pair of pincer claws, and he could fire Kanoka disks and blasts of energy from his mouth. He also had the ability to fly.

Trivia

 * The beach Nidhiki was mutated on is named after him. It is now called Nidhiki Beach.
 * Nidhiki had a phobia of multi-legged insectoid Rahi, which made his transformation all the more frightening for him.
 * The Toa Iruini set was originally intended to be Nidhiki as a Toa, which explains the resemblance between Iruini's mask and Nidhiki's mutated face.
 * In a Parallel Universe, Nidhiki joined forces with Tuyet to kill Lhikan and form a Toa Empire. Nidhiki was also sent to wipe out the Nynrah Ghosts.

Set Information

 * Nidhiki was released as a Titan set in 2004 summer.
 * His head was shaped like a Vahki head, along with a Kanoka Launcher as his mouth. He also had four legs which could be folded to make Nidhiki's flying mode. He had two pincers, which could be opened and closed.
 * Nidhiki's set number is 8622.
 * Nidhiki has 170 pieces.

Appearances

 * BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui
 * Toa Metru Mini Promo CD's (Not Mentioned by name)
 * The Many Deaths of Toa Tuyet
 * Birth of a Dark Hunter
 * BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui
 * BIONICLE Adventures 2: Trial by Fire
 * BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui
 * BIONICLE Legends 4: Legacy of Evil
 * Comic 16: Toa Metru! (Not Mentioned by name)
 * Comic 19: Enemies of Metru Nui (Mentioned Only)
 * Comic 20: Struggle in the Sky
 * Comic 21: Dreams of Darkness (In a vision)
 * Into the Darkness (mentioned only)

Nidhiki