Toa Nidhiki05

I have a similar theory about the quests for the Kanohi and Kanohi Nuva - the Toa never actually used them against the Makuta and didn't even have all of their mask powers as Kaita. Strictly speaking, the Golden Kanohi didn't even give any real advantage over the regular ones since it wasn't more powerful and you couldn't use two powers at once. I think the Turaga used the Masks as a way to train the Toa and give them experience and lessons in unity and teamwork, which they needed against Makuta and the Kal. The reason they would know this would be Vakama's visions, which would be able to show such things.-TN05

I was around for when they changed it and I prefer Matoran - it seems a bit more accurate for a more modern species overall than the more primitive Mata Nui situation.-TN05

I don't think so, if you ask me the only way death is cheapened is if the Trope "Death is Cheap" is involved, in this case I would be talking about how reviving someone who is dead very easily would undermine it, however the existence of an afterlife does not. Though this is my opinion.I tend to agree with you - as long as you can't be revived, the death is very powerful and legitimate. Even if there is a BIONICLE afterlife, you still gave the maximum sacrifice in this life, which can easily last 100,000 years - hardly a petty sacrifice.-TN05

Don't forget about Toa and Turaga of Iron - they can create Protodermis, including the type used for Kanohi.-TN05

Well, there is some sort of spirit form, as recently deceased beings can be revived under certain circumstances. Thus, without going into too much detail, it would make sense that either a Western (Heaven and Hades) or Eastern (pantheism, reincarnation) spiritual model would exist in the universe. Obviously religion isn't a big deal due to (smart) LEGO policy, but there is room to speculate.-TN05

Just recently my parents noted I still had Bionicle sets in my room. A relatively small place, I barely have any room to have more than 6 or 7 out at a time, but that has gotten my thinking about Bionicle as a whole. What is it about Bionicle that has kept me a fan for over 11 years, much longer than any toyline? I remember my first set well - Toa Tahu, given to me in 2001 by my best friend. From there, something about Bionicle grabbed me - perhaps it was the sense of adventure, materialized in the Mata Nui Adventure Game, perhaps the greatest marketing game for a toy ever. The concept was so mysterious, so adventurous - six heroes, vastly different beings with amazing power and no memory of their past, come together and go on a quest to find powerful masks to face the pure evil of Makuta. Looking back, the brilliance of this is that the masks were barely used at all in the battle - the adventures the Toa went through to find them granted them wisdom and knowledge, better tools than any mask. And by working together, they defeated the evil of Makuta. By 2002 I had all the Toa (Tahu, Onua, Pohatu, Kopaka, Gali, and Lewa), Turaga Matau, and a Nui-Rama. In a twist that the fantastic, amazing ending of the Adventure Game hinted, a different evil was to come. The Bohrok, threatened to destroy the world I had explored in the Adventure Game. This magical land was threatened with pure destruction and, through the brilliant animations and comics, the Toa ultimately won again. And I remained a fan, buying four of the Bohrok as well as Exo-Toa and Boxor. The Toa Nuva were just as good, and were just as mysterious - I bought four of them as well. As the story progressed, the island threatened destruction again - not from the Bohrok, this time, but from the Toa themselves. As their unity fell, so did their guard, and they barely prevented the Bohrok from reawakening. Later, the Rahkshi (of which I owned all six), Makuta, and Takanuva sets followed what could have been the penultimate storyline - the novice Toa, avenging the death of his friend Jaller, defeats Makuta, who seemingly dies. The movie offered a fitting end, a hope of a brighter world without the evil of Makuta. But it didn't end there - the fantasy elements became overpowered by sci-fi. Metru-Nui offered a fascinating change from Mata Nui, which was primitive in comparison. And the evil was just as present - a monstrous plant aiming to destroy the city and a faceless evil behind it. Vakama, Nokama, Whenua, Nuju, Matau, and Onewa became great characters, quickly establishing a solid story and overcoming adversity to defeat the plant and, ultimately, Makuta. 2005 was somewhat a letdown in comparison but offered excellent lessons on morality and leadership. From there, the adventure and mystery continued to Voya Nui, Mahri Nui, Karda Nui, and Bara Magna - all offering excellent comics and amazing novels from Greg Farshtey. And I managed to stay interested all these years. Why? Well, Bionicle is more than a toy - it is my childhood. It represented a consistent interest - I had fascinations in space, astronauts, and weather, which all faded away. Yet Bionicle never did. It offered something few toy lines could - a story, a meaning. A purpose behind the toy. The story managed to offer twists and turns, and are still incredibly enjoyable in hindsight. Greg Farshtey managed to turn basic action figures into epic characters, with realistic actions, thoughts, and motives. LEGO managed to put out action figures that offered a satisfying build and a great amount of play. And the movies, games, and promotions managed to keep the interest alive with interactive features and rewards. All these melded into a single, cohesive entity that provided the perfect avenue for creativity. I can certainly say that I would not be nearly as active online without Bionicle, as I joined this forum because of it. I would not be into writing without the amazing stories Mr. Farshtey wrote for years - consistently entertaining and filled with heart and emotion. I would rush out to buy the latest book, knowing it would be fantastic and anticipating the twists he added. Truly an amazing feat for a toy line about biomechanical beings. Without his writing, I doubt I would have gotten into writing in any form - such an impact is the mark of a good writer, when they can show others the fun of writing and do it in a way that is fun, exciting, and wholesome. Eleven years after 2001, I'm not ashamed to say I remain a fan and that I always will be. It isn't embarrassing to have toys out, because the meaning behind them is so rooted in what the series has given me and how it has affected me. It is important for us,as fans, to realize the future of Bionicle lies with us - it may come back, it may not. But even if it doesn't, we can keep it alive, for ourselves and future generations. Bionicle transcends just being a toyline - it reaches into the desire for adventure, for a story of good and evil, for a tale of action and, yes, even learning. Bionicle succeeds at all of these levels, and such a success is something we need to share with the world, not hide. -TN05

Well I don't think that with 2 Light Staffs you can take on 2 enemies at once... But that's my opinion onlyI think that the reason is for defense - you can block out more projectiles with 2 staffs than a lance, and that gives him an edge in the battle as the enemies mostly compose of beings with vision powers.If Takanuva has Rahkshi on either side, he could launch light blasts from both weapons. In a situation where you have dozens of Rahkshi coming at you, this sort of thing could be very beneficial.You make a good point about blocking projectiles, that could be a solid use as well. He could launch lasers from both staffs, for instance, if he was being attacked by heat or laser vision powers; the bolts might cancel out.-TN05

He did, yes. Once you use it, it's gone. You make a good point from the game perspective, as Greg essentially canonized it as the game presented it. The Mask is an exception to almost every rule and the idea you present - that the mask allows the user to switch back - seems reasonable. It would also explain the in-story usage. Then again, we don't have anything to go on since Greg isn't on.-TN05

My point was he felt confident in at least that one Kolhii move, from previous practice with similar tools. I'm assuming the weight plays a major factor in that; that the staffs are balanced just right for it, etc. I admit it's more speculative than other theories given already but just from looking at their visual portrayals and the sets it seems to fit to me. My point was he felt confident in at least that one Kolhii move, from previous practice with similar tools. I'm assuming the weight plays a major factor in that; that the staffs are balanced just right for it, etc. I admit it's more speculative than other theories given already but just from looking at their visual portrayals and the sets it seems to fit to me. I think it was tactical - with the Power Lance, he could take on one opponent and perhaps another if there was enough light for the Skyblaster to work. With the Light Staffs, he can take on two enemies at once. From a tactical standpoint, when facing hordes of Rahkshi, that may be good enough. Also, many Toa use two identical weapons, so perhaps that had something to do with it - the Toa Nuva did it so maybe they gave him combat tips on how to use two tools properly or something. -TN05

Okay, so that would rule out using the Mask of Elemental Energy from a Suva. This makes usage really, really limited - as I see it, it would best be used in-between battles or after battles, when you can take off your Kanohi, swap for and use the MEE, and than place it back on, but the disappearing aspect really limits its usage in-battle, when it is most needed..The power loss of being without a Kanohi might very well take away the advantage of increasing EE reserves.-TN05

-TN05

Yeah, it is a pointless restriction - no other mask has it. But judging from the old topics Greg's stance has basically been that it is a video game power-up that he canonized as a favor to the game staff, and that would mean it staying true to the game's representation of it. That would explain why it disappears after usage and why it doesn't refill all Toa energy.As for the second, it depends on how many Kanohi the Suva can hold and whether or not you can summon a Kanohi from a Suva if you don't have one on, since the MEE vanishes after it is used. Given that the Toa Nuva didn't summon any Kanohi Nuva from their Suva after the Piraka stole their main masks, I'd guess that it either isn't possible or isn't possible from a large distance. Too bad we Greg isn't answering questions anymore. -TN05

The link was to a search, but sure:1) You said in another message that the Kanohi of Elemental Energy is one-use only. So, if someone were to use it, it would fade dark and never be able to be used again, something like that? Or could someone else just pick it up and use it again themselves?1) One-use means one-use, not one-use per person. It's a video game power-up -- if you use it, it's gone, it's not still there for someone else.Can a Toa release Nova Blasts consecutively and indefinitely by releasing a Nova Blast, using the Mask of Elemental Energy to replenish his elemental energies, then releasing another Nova Blast, then using the mask again, and so on?No, for two reasons. One, the MEE is a one-use mask. And two, it is a power up but it doesn't make you go from zero to full power.Sure: The two post links are here and here. Basically, researching the Greg Discussion/Quotes topics shows he approved it as a favor to the game designers and that it is a one-use Kanohi. Doesn't quite fit with the one story usage, but that's what he described it as.-TN05If it isn't rare or anything, a Toa could easily gather a stack of these in his Suva and get a huge backup source of EE. So it isn't really that useless...Well, the mask doesn't even refill fully according to Greg. But I doubt the mask is particularly common given the major drawback, honestly. -TN05

The link was to a search, but sure:1) You said in another message that the Kanohi of Elemental Energy is one-use only. So, if someone were to use it, it would fade dark and never be able to be used again, something like that? Or could someone else just pick it up and use it again themselves?1) One-use means one-use, not one-use per person. It's a video game power-up -- if you use it, it's gone, it's not still there for someone else.Can a Toa release Nova Blasts consecutively and indefinitely by releasing a Nova Blast, using the Mask of Elemental Energy to replenish his elemental energies, then releasing another Nova Blast, then using the mask again, and so on?No, for two reasons. One, the MEE is a one-use mask. And two, it is a power up but it doesn't make you go from zero to full power.Sure: The two post links are here and here. Basically, researching the Greg Discussion/Quotes topics shows he approved it as a favor to the game designers and that it is a one-use Kanohi. Doesn't quite fit with the one story usage, but that's what he described it as.-TN05

The Mask of Elemental Energy is one-use, actually, according to GregF. Here is the search link (logout warning): http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=Search&CODE=show&searchid=75103dfa2a4d065b8c3df9cd6efcb28b&search_in=posts&result_type=posts&highlite=Elemental+EnergySo yes, the Mask is the worst mask now. -TN05

People change weapons all the time, perhaps the staffs are made out of protosteel or something. He might have given the lance to a different Toa (Gravity, Psionics, Sonics, and Plasma Toa could use it very efficiently), lost it, broke it, etc. For all we know he could have temporarily switched it so he could have better weapons for close-combat, since twin blades are easier to slice stuff with than a big, bulky staff.I will note that Takanuva does have the Mask of Light, which grants Toa-level control of Light, so he could use that if his element energy reserve gets low. The Skyblaster is not as relevant when that is counted in, as well as the fact that it only works if it has a sufficient amount of light present. It is a perfect weapon in Karda-Nui, where it is very bright, but Takanuva was fighting in the literal shadow of two planet-sized robots. It simply wouldn't be that effective and it wouldn't be worth lugging such a bulky weapon if it wouldn't do anything.-TN05

My account is apparently locked on the archive forum due to excessive login attempts, preventing me from logging on and doing searches of topics (namely, the Official Greg Discussion topic). Is there any way this can be removed or fixed? -TN05

Thanks, hopefully the medicine I've gotten can stop it.

Is not fun. Runny nose, cruddy throat, and bad taste in the mouth are not how I wanted to end summer/start fall off with.

I think it is a bit easy to peg the Elda as it, but the sheer usefulness of it in the right hands is incredible. Keep in mind, few Eldas were made because and the Inika had absolutely no idea how to use it - that doesn't mean it is useless. Having a tool to help you avert the apocalypse is a useful thing when the need arises.I think most Kanohi do have uses and disadvantages, and most of them could be useful in some situation. To make a good judgement on the one with the lowest comparative value, one has to look at how strong the strengths are in comparison to weaknesses, as well as how useful it is as a Noble Kanohi. The ones that are the weakest in their advantages are the Mask of Clairvoyance and Mask of Elemental Energy.The Mask of Clairvoyance would be horrible if it activates in battle since you are essentially comatose until the vision ends, and you can't see very far into the future or do anything to change it. It also is emotionally draining and you have no control over when it is activated.The Mask of Elemental Energy is something most experienced Toa would never need to use, as it takes quite a while to run out of it and experienced Toa can regulate how much they use pretty easily. For a Turaga, it would be essentially useless since Turaga have much weaker elemental powers (slightly greater than that of Av-Matoran) and would probably never run out of it since they don't use it too often. Additionally, BS01 says it can only be used once - a massive drawback. It is just a weak mask overall and probably the worst one, as compared to all the others.-TN05

What exactly is Mercury in the EU? I'm interested in writing something up for it but there isn't much detail on it at all. Is essentially identical to Earth Mercury (toxic liquid metal)?-TN05

These general ideas were in my previous posts to the old topic, but these are changed and are the entries that should be used:Acid Shard, Hy-ClysmaxMember Name: Toa Nidhiki05Description: The shard known as Hy-Clysmax is one of the more uninhabitable ones in the entire system. The majority of the shard is covered in corrosive, deadly acid and the sky regularly rains corrosive acid. Few areas of land exist, but rock formations are somewhat common. Storms such as acid hurricanes and twisters are frequent and the fauna on the shard are dangerous and adapted well to the harsh conditions of its environment.For the general safety of their residents, general travel to the shard is prohibited by each Fragment. However, most fragments have permitted research teams to form outposts on the shard. Such outposts are exclusively scientific, studying the acid and its effects on the environment. Scientists are also curious as to how the shard became so acidic and deadly after the shattering, and how some of the species on the shard survive in such deadly conditions. Some conspiratorial denizens of Aethion claim that the research colonies are a sham, serving as 'death camps' for political criminals - but there is no proof that this happens anywhere on the shard.Most research colonies are platforms suspended high over the more swampy areas of acid (think something similar to the settlements on Kamino in Star Wars). Spacecraft land at a central platform, the space dock, and are sent from there to the main colonies for their respective shards. Small houses and larger research facilities dominate these platforms, with walkways and bridges serving as pathways between platforms. All colonies utilize specially-designed acid-resistant ships that allow travel off of the colony, while a protective tangible 'bubble' covers the research settlement, keeping acid and outside contaminants out but allowing Matoran and ships to exit.As the colonies are funded by the government of their respective fragments, these governments retain veto powers over these decisions. In cases where the fragment governments are not involved, the residents of the research colony use majority vote to make decisions.Gold Shard, Au-ClysmaxMember Name: Toa Nidhiki05Description: Au-Clysmax, the Gold shard, is controlled by Experimental Industries (Industrial). Prior the Shattering, Au-Clysmax was near and run by Po-Clysmax, but never stood out as anything in particular and was mostly uninhabited. After the Shattering, however, untapped gold reserves from the core rushed up to the surface, staining it a bright gold before seeping back into the ground and hardening in underground caves. When residents of Po-Clysmax were sent to investigate the shard, they found vast reserves of almost pure gold. After this discovery, Au-Clysmax was sold to EI, as Po-Clysmax had no interest in running a mining colony. EI, seeking the gold resources to use in experimental weapons, immediately began establishing mining communities near the largest gold deposits. These corporate-sponsored settlements are run by EI, with lodging supplied by EI and general stores owned, operated and staffed by EI employees. No private shops exist in the settlements. To encourage efficiency, miners, who are mainly Fe-Matoran and Iron Agori, can keep a small amount of gold mined in addition to their regular pensions. This has led some to see the shard as an opportunity to 'get rich quick'.The environment of Au-Clysmax is similar to that of Po-Clysmax, with rain being particularly rare. Rahi and fauna are similar to Po-Clysmax, and can pose a major problem to settlements if they attack in herds. Most settlements are built away from known herd locations and are situated near caves, preferably those close to water.The government of Au-Clysmax is based in Au-Koro, the capital city and the largest inhabited location on the moon as well as the sole location of spaceports to and from the moon. It is also home to the shard's jail as well as the judicial system for the sharp. An EI-appointed governor is in charge of most shard-wide decisions, with a ceremonial elected legislature serving beneath him. This legislature has little authority and mostly rubber-stamps the governor. At settlements, an EI representative is in charge, also serving as the boss for the workers. Unionization and unauthorized settlements are strictly prohibited under pain of exile.Silver Shard, Ag-ClysmaxMember Name: Toa Nidhiki05Description: Ag-Clysmax is controlled in a similar manner to Au-Clysmax – EI owns the shard and settlements are spread out across the moon. Large silver spikes protrude from the moon surface, which is tinted a light silver, and the environment is bleak. Rain is common and few days are very bright. Due to the somewhat lower value of silver, EI has not built as many settlements on Ag-Clysmax. The largest, Ag-Koro, is the center of government and is run in a similar manner to Au-Clysmax, although it is nowhere near as large. Due to EI's lesser interest in the shard, Ag-Clysmax residents have more control over local affairs and private shops, while uncommon, do exist. However, no unions are allowed and workers do not get to keep any silver they mine.Iron Shard, Fe-ClysmaxMember Name: Toa Nidhiki05Description: Prior to the Shattering, Fe-Clysmax was always independent of the other fragments, and was largely left to their own devices by the official rule of Po-Clysmax. Large mountain settlements of Fe and Onu-Matoran as well as Rock and Iron Agori mined decent supplies of Iron, which was traded for goods and supplies. After the Shattering, Fe-Clysmax sold a portion of the left half of the shard to EI of uninhabited and untapped reserves to EI. Fe-Clysmax became one of the richest moons off of this deal, improving the living conditions of its citizens, but it quickly turned sour after EI began encroaching on Fe-Clysmax controlled areas. A group of miners had anticipated this and sabotaged one of the EI-owned mines, adding further to tensions. Border fights are increasingly common, with travelers from either side viewed suspiciously and armed conflict occasionally occurring.The overall environment of the shard is mountainous, with both caves and mountain ranges containing valuable deposits of Iron. The EI-controlled side of the shard (roughly 35% of the shard, mostly based on the left side) has less caves than the right side, controlled by Fe-Clysmax, but both have about the same amount of mountains. Communities are generally based either on the mountain ranges or near caves, with outposts set at intervals between communities. Water infrequently flows in streams at ground level, but underwater creeks and lakes are common, as is small amounts of snow on the mountain tips. Fauna is diverse, with trees growing near streams and on some mountains - subterranean and mountainous Rahi are common in their respective regions. The portion of the shard controlled by Fe-Clysmax operates under a representative government system. Each village elects one representative, and the whole legislature in turn elects a president. The government is based in Fe-Koro, a large outpost set roughly in the middle of the shard. It hosts spaceports as well as a Kolhii stadium. Villages are usually governed by the rough equivalent of a major-council model. EI settlements are governed the same as Au and Ag-Clysmax, and the main EI headquarters is based in EI-Koro, which hosts the government and spaceports. Contact between governments is irregular and generally occurs to solve border disputes or negotiate extradition of fugitives. Psionics Shard, Ce-ClysmaxMember Name: Toa Nidhiki05Description: The Psionics shard is one of the more surreal locations in all of Aethion. On Ce-Clysmax, communication by spoken word is impossible – if one tries to speak, no noise comes out. The thoughts of the being are instead transmitted telepathically over a short radius, allowing anyone and everyone to hear them. The cause of this bizarre effect is unknown and affects all inhabitants aside from Rahi and Psionics-affiliated individuals, as well as beings wearing a Mask of Mental Shielding.Ce-Clysmax hosts a temperate, moderate environment. Rahi are generally docile and fauna consists of trees, flowers, and fungi. The shard has a strong central government, which in turn governs the various districts. The main city, Cy-Metru, has a modern, sleek appearance that fits in with the local environment. It hosts the government and the Temple of Justice, where disputes between citizens are solved. It also contains a back room where disputes between third-parties are solved. Other major cities exist, but many citizens of the shard own houses in the countryside.Inhabitants of the shard are predominantly those immune to the shard's thought transmission, as most others are understandably weirded out by the issue. EI has invented a device that negates the effect on the user to be immune, and this is frequently sold to Matoran tourists as well as government officials from the Fragments - however, the effect is temporary and it wears off within days of activation. The shard, which views itself as an intellectual, peaceful land, is vocal in its support of a peaceful solution to disputes between the fragments/shards. As such, they trade with all sides and offer to intervene as a truly neutral third party to solve disputes, provided both sides are open to it.The shard's overall leader, a Turaga of Psionics, is elected for 100-year terms with an option for recall every 50 years. The leader is expected to resign if she is prevented from governing due to illness, physical or mental, and is expected to serve no longer than two terms. She is also expected to respect the outcome of a recall election and to govern honestly and impartially.New entries:Shadow Shard, Kra-ClysmaxMember Name: Toa Nidhiki05Description: Kra-Clysmax is a foreboding location, dominated by fortresses, imposing rock formations, and barracks. Initially located near the Ice Shard, the inhabitants of Kra-Clysmax despised the rule of ice over them, feeling they were superior. Ice, on the other hand, exploited the Shadow Shard residents for their knowledge in weaponry and war. Prior to the shattering, as the other Fragments were preparing for the impending disaster, Kra-Clysmax began secretly building war machines and weapons.After the Shattering, Kra-Clysmax expelled all remaining citizens of other elements, leaving themselves occupied exclusively by Matoran/Toa/Turaga and Agori of Shadow. They quickly built fortresses and barracks and, using the space fighter ships and surface to air missiles they developed, made short work of the Ko-Clysmax fighters sent to reclaim the shard. Now, the shard is entirely cut off from the rest of Clysmax - any outsider ships are ordered to leave and, if they refuse, immediately destroyed. Entry onto the shard is by invitation only and species not associated with Shadow are not welcome. The landscape of Kra-Clysmax consists mostly of various fortresses, castles, and barracks arranged strategically throughout the shard. Each fortress links into subterranean caves.The largest of these caves hosts the Underground City, which hosts the power system for the entire shard as well as the central government. Residences are based in the caves, allowing for easy entry to the fortresses if military action is needed. Water is mostly drawn from underground springs, while food is grown above-ground in the more fertile areas of land.Recently, some leaders of the Fragments have proposed the idea of allying with Kra-Clysmax against Ice, hoping to use their advanced military technology against Ice. No discussions have been made with Kra-Clysmax, however.-TN05

I absolutely agree - many of the Wii remote controls are uneeded, such as the pointer and commands for items. SPM was originally a GameCube game and was basically ported to Wii with some Wiimote controls. It is the worst of the bunch, honestly, but it did do some things right- the minigames, particularly the Boo shooting and table tilting games, are actually fun. There is no shortage or sidequests and the plot is superior to either Paper Mario game. The humor is also great. Most of the issues are gameplay related and that does drag it down a bit, but it is quite fun to play every now and then. -TN05

I saw the first Iron Man movie a couple days ago; it was a pretty good movie, I have to say. Kind of refreshing to see a superhero movie that focuses on intrapersonal conflict, which seems to have been abandoned since the first two Spider Man movies. -TN05

Name: ZantusSpecies: Skakdi (Electricity)Gender: MaleAlignment: Neutral, with sympathies towards goodAppearance: Pure white spine and claws with blue armor, claws, and feet. His armor is dented and tattered due to millennia of fighting, but is very tough and capable of taking strong hits. He has a sheathed weapon on his side.Powers: As a Skakdi of Electricity, Zantus can control electricity in coordination with another Skakdi. He prefers to use this ability with Skakdi of Water, but is not as adept in using his power with Skakdi of other elements. He has the ability of Telescopic Vision, allowing him to see distant objects or people. Although he lacks any other abilities, he has a high threshold for pain due to training to resist torture.Weapon(s): His primary weapon is a sword he took from a fallen foe on Zakaz that can channel his elemental power without the presence of another Skakdi. The lightning bolts produced from this weapon are not particularly strong but have a long range and can be quite a shock to an unsuspecting enemy. (Approved by Emzee) He also carries a powerless dagger, usually kept in a sheath, to be used if his sword is taken from him in combat.Biography: A veteran from the endless war on Zakaz, Zantus was teleported to Mata Nui after a Skakdi used a teleportation weapon on him. While he is impressed by the courage displayed by the good side, he views their resistance as hopeless against the threat of Makuta. He is also concerned on how the 'good' side would treat the outsider Skakdi and Vortixx if the heroes were to triumph. He is glad to be off of Zakaz but his focuses on Mata Nui are the same – survive and, if required, fight and win.Personality: Zantus is tired of the war that has dominated most of his life but doubts it will ever end, both on Zakaz and Mata Nui. He is pessimistic about the future and doubts anything he does will change anything. His primary focus is survival, and he has no problem using violence to achieve his own survival. He may aid someone in his travels if he views their cause as worthy enough and if the risk to him is minimal. He is wiser than many would assume of a Skakdi and can make excellent tactical plans on occasion. He has some sense of honor, but that honor is subject to the risk to his own survival.Weaknesses: His armor is very heavy. As such, his speed, agility, and swimming are impared. He is nearly deaf on his left side due to exposure to a massive explosive blast on Zakaz.Name: TafelSpecies: Toa of PlasmaGender: MaleAlignment: GoodAppearance: Armor and mask coloring are a fusion of reddish-brown. He is slightly shorter than the average Toa, and carries a satchel over his shoulderPowers: Wears the Great Kanohi Garai, the Mask of Gravity, allowing him to increase or decrease the gravitational pull on an object or person. As a Toa of Plasma he can create, control, and absorb Plasma. He is skilled at creating concentrated bolts of Plasma and can superheat objects in a similar manner to Pahrak-Kal's Plasma Shields. A former blacksmith, he has the skill to fix almost anything given the right supplies and can create makeshift tools out of pretty much anything.Weapon(s): Carries a bladed shield that he can throw at targets. Secondary tool is a disc launcher, and he usually has half a dozen discs in his satchel at any given time.Biography: As a Matoran, he was known to be skilled at fixing things and he could create tools. His mind had always been... different, although not insane. During a routine scouting trip with several of his friends, they were both infected and began attacking him. His mind changed at that moment, and he saved both of his friends, destroying the Rahi in the process. He began growing distant from his village, and when he became a Toa he decided he wanted to 'fix' the world. He supports the resistance to Makuta and his true desire is a world without violence and war. His hope is that the defeat of Makuta will result in a world without war. As such, he is willing to attack - even kill - anyone who he feels supports Makuta or harbors his allies. He currently resides in Xa-Koro, making weapons and giving repairs to people he feels support his cause.Personality: Tafel is an idealist and will go to any means to bring his ideal world to reality. He has a cold persona and appears unapproachable, but is a nice enough person once you get to know him. He deeply cares for the world and the plight of the Matoran, and is deeply suspicious of even benevolent Skakdi or Vortixx, as he views the whole of their species as evil.Weaknesses: Perhaps his biggest weakness is his utter confidence in himself. He views his cause as noble and thinks destiny would not be opposed to such a cause. As such, he views himself as essentially invincible and is reckless in combat, willing to take risks that most sane people wouldn't dare take. His distrust of Skakdi and Vortixx borders on racism and various Skakdi have hefty bounties put out on his head as a result-TN05