On the origin of the Skrall

[MasterweaverX]

The following theory is developed off two basic assumptions:

 

1. No character participated in the Core War unless it was explicitly stated in some canon source. If a source says "the rock tribe" or "jungle Glatorian," that does not include Tuma or Gresh, only the rock tribe and jungle Glatorian of that time.

2. Any identical names that existed in the Core War era can be claimed to be ancestors of the current characters bearing those names unless the current characters bearing those names explicitly state "I remember this."

 

----

 

At some point during the development of Mata Nui, the Great Beings developed a substance/method/device, hereafter referred to as Immortalis. This substance/method/device would induce genetic immortality into an individual, though it would not protect against disease or slaughter, but only old age. After the shattering, they offered to use Immortalis on the Glatorian and Agori of Bara Magna ((being unable to use it on Bota Magna for whatever reason)). The majority of the tribes accepted the offer, with two exceptions: the sand tribe, who did not want further experiments to be run on them, and the rock tribe, who claimed they would endure the desert.

 

While the other tribes stopped reproducing after a few generations, due to lack of resources to support a growing immortal population, the rock tribe and the sand tribe continued to breed as per natural. However, upon witnessing the sand tribe descend into feral instincts, the rock tribe glatorian and agori agreed to maintain a caste system to keep themselves from falling to such madness. The splitting of family lines, as well as limiting breeding to "successful" individuals, gradually transformed the rock tribe Glatorian into the Skrall and, further, into the three genetically divergent branches of the skrall. The agori were limited to service works, although some would later split off in protest of their treatment and develop into the bone hunters.

 

Female skrall were, initially, part of this caste system as well. However, over the generations they would be relegated to serving only as breeders, something that they disagreed with extremely. At some point a few of them would be approached by Anonna disguised as Angonce, who would induce psychic powers on a genetic level; the psychich skrall would attempt to use their ability to wrest control of the rock tribe from the males, only to cause reactionary witch hunts that ironically enough led to the deaths of all nonpsychic females. From that point onward, the female skrall kept to themselves, only returning when their numbers were low or to drop off a male skrall and always operating under a cloak of projected control.

 

Thoughts?

[northmarch]

Interesting

 

Exept that Greg confirmed that these guys do have limited lifespans (I know, bit ridiculus. Makes it difficult to create a sence of age when you realize that most of the characters were already around when when all this stuff was going down) and the GBs disappeared right after the core war and it seems as though they went thought of very highly of

[bonesiii]

1. No character participated in the Core War unless it was explicitly stated in some canon source. If a source says "the rock tribe" or "jungle Glatorian," that does not include Tuma or Gresh, only the rock tribe and jungle Glatorian of that time.

For the record, Tuma was apparently around for the Core War. Notice the second through third paragraphs (in-story) here. Certainly implies he was alive then already. And in general everybody we know from the 2009-10 storyline was alive at the time. It would be more accurate to assume they were unless specifically stated not to be, because of basic statistics and their vast lifespans. Even Gresh is stated on BS01 to have been around then, despite being thought of as "young" (compared to the others), though not sure what source they do get that from.

 

2. Any identical names that existed in the Core War era can be claimed to be ancestors of the current characters bearing those names unless the current characters bearing those names explicitly state "I remember this."

This sounds like it's coming from a misconception about their lifespans. It's confirmed they are extremely long, and yes, if they are cited to have existed in the Core War, they did, not an ancestor. This would count as mere speculation, but theories need evidence. It also seems to make point #1 unnecessary; if their being cited as existing in the Core War doesn't convince you they were, why bother making the distinction between those who might not be?

 

At some point during the development of Mata Nui, the Great Beings developed a substance/method/device, hereafter referred to as Immortalis. This substance/method/device would induce genetic immortality into an individual, though it would not protect against disease or slaughter, but only old age

It would be right to say that they developed a system, likely based on the Agori's (and probably their own), for the Matoran, that led to extremely long life, just like Agori. But it doesn't prevent death by old age eventually. Just over timespans far longer than have passed so far, for MU beings and for most characters we learned specifically of on SM (off the top of my head, Lein may be the only one). And it is probably just how their organic protodermis works, rather than a separate thing bestowed on them (for the MU beings, for the Agori/etc. just how their cells work).

 

There's no evidence the Great Beings had to do with the origin of the vast lifespans in SM beings, only MU beings (since they entirely created the MU beings in the first place).

 

You also state that this was during the development of Mata Nui, which would be during the Core War, but they would then be granting immortality to the very generation that had produced all six Element Lords who proved unworthy of the authority granted to them, and upon whom all the GBs unleashed the Baterra. They do not seem to have been very happy with that generation, you know? Seems to me they would be more likely to withhold such a thing from that generation and hope the very next one would be much less likely to do such things. Although you could make a case that they hoped that generation's survivors would have learned their lessons.

 

After the shattering, they offered to use Immortalis on the Glatorian and Agori of Bara Magna ((being unable to use it on Bota Magna for whatever reason)).

Why would you add that speculative part in parentheses to what is already bordering on speculation? Just to be clear, theories in S&T require evidence; this can work just fine for a fanfic but that wouldn't belong here.

 

Unless there is evidence that Bota Magnans, namely the Vorox there, had short lifespans? (It does occur to me though you might be looking for evidence from the different mental state of the Bota Vorox as a side effect, or rather lack of? But then your next statement seems to make that not work.)

 

The majority of the tribes accepted the offer, with two exceptions: the sand tribe, who did not want further experiments to be run on them, and the rock tribe, who claimed they would endure the desert.

Again, based on what evidence?

 

 

While the other tribes stopped reproducing after a few generations, due to lack of resources to support a growing immortal population, the rock tribe and the sand tribe continued to breed as per natural. However, upon witnessing the sand tribe descend into feral instincts, the rock tribe glatorian and agori agreed to maintain a caste system to keep themselves from falling to such madness. The splitting of family lines, as well as limiting breeding to "successful" individuals, gradually transformed the rock tribe Glatorian into the Skrall and, further, into the three genetically divergent branches of the skrall.

It would be helpful if you mentioned where you're getting that last point on three branches.

 

If you mean Tuma to be one of them, see opening bit above; clearly the titan Skrall were alive already during the Core War, and besides were already called Skrall well before that. The origins of the Skrall go waaaay back before the Core War. Also, "Skrall" can just be seen as the name for the rock-tribe Glatorian (remember the term Glatorian did not actually originate until the gladiator system after the Shattering, though we use it for lack of an alternative anyways -- however, "warrior class" is one official term used for them all including Skrall).

 

Also, the female Skrall probably left right about at the time of the Shattering, if not before (I have avoided the issueof the exact timing in my retelling, though I implied there were problems already before the Core War). Assuming this was during or just after the CW, there would not have been much more breeding, so no room for the development of such things as you're thinking then. However, a similar idea can work as long as you push it way back into history.

 

The agori were limited to service works, although some would later split off in protest of their treatment and develop into the bone hunters.

 

Female skrall were, initially, part of this caste system as well. However, over the generations they would be relegated to serving only as breeders, something that they disagreed with extremely. At some point a few of them would be approached by Anonna disguised as Angonce, who would induce psychic powers on a genetic level; the psychich skrall would attempt to use their ability to wrest control of the rock tribe from the males, only to cause reactionary witch hunts that ironically enough led to the deaths of all nonpsychic females. From that point onward, the female skrall kept to themselves, only returning when their numbers were low or to drop off a male skrall and always operating under a cloak of projected control.

I'm not sure about the witch hunt part, but it's plausible. The rest seems correct, it's the timing that seems wrong to me, but admittedly it's an issue I didn't need to worry about too much in my recent reviewing so I could be wrong.

[ZippyWharrgarbl]

Just to add a citation to this:

 

Even Gresh is stated on BS01 to have been around then, despite being thought of as "young" (compared to the others), though not sure what source they do get that from.

 

 

It's mentioned that Gresh was too young to remember how Spherus Magna was before it shattered in The Crossing,and since it has been mentioned that there were no new Glatorian born after the Shattering, he was most likely around but too young to recall it.

 

In Raid on Vulcanus he also has a talk with Gelu about the Core War, and from what he says, it doesn't sound like he was there himself.

Edited February 9, 2014 by ZippyWharrgarbl