Chutes
"Primary transport system for the city of Metru Nui."
— Encyclopedia Updated
| Chutes | |
| |
| Vehicle | |
| Users | Matoran |
| Function | Transporting Matoran and cargo |
| Status | Out of use |
The Chute System was a method of transportation centered in Le-Metru, which extended over all of Metru Nui. It was used to travel quickly between locations.
History
The Chute system was invented and put into practice after Turaga Dume was appointed leader of Metru Nui.[1] From its conception, the system was managed by the Le-Matoran, who controlled the Chutes from Chute Stations. The Chutes ranged over the entire island, and were used as efficient transport between the Metru. Chutes were also utilized in other areas of the Matoran Universe, such as small cities.[2]
The illegal activity of Disk Surfing in the Chutes sprang up, though Matoran who participated in it were rarely punished for it unless they disrupted others' work or sustained injuries that prevented them from working. This sport was especially popular with Le-Matoran, many of whom knew where the best Chute tracks could be found.
The Chute System became an essential part of the habitats of several species of Rahi. Chute Lurkers lived and hunted inside of the Chutes, and Nui-Rama often fed on the Liquid Protodermis contained within them. The Ko-Matoran Scholar Ihu was killed when a swarm of Nui-Rama attacked the Chute he was riding to feed on the Protodermis.
After the Toa Metru were branded as impostors by Makuta Teridax disguised as Turaga Dume, Vakama, Matau and Nokama fled from the Coliseum via a Chute headed towards Ko-Metru. In a main Chute Station, the Dark Hunters Nidhiki and Krekka forced the Chute Station Attendant Kongu to reverse the flow of the Chutes to endanger the Toa Metru. The Toa Metru were forced to manually evacuate the Chute, making use of Nokama's Hydro Blades to latch onto one of the metal supports and swing themselves to safety.
Later, the same three Toa Metru were attacked by Vahki Bordakh. Matau allowed the Vahki to pursue him in a nearby Chute but noticed that a portion of the Chute ahead had been destroyed by Vahki Vorzakh. Thinking quickly, he hooked his Aero Slicers on one of the chute rings and stopped himself before he exited the Chute. The Vahki were unable to stop themselves in time, flying out of the Chute and crashing to the ground.
The Chute system was heavily damaged in the Great Cataclysm, but repaired after the Staff of Artakha was used.
The Chutes, along with the rest of Metru Nui, were severely damaged when a fragment of one of the moons of Bara Magna struck the head of the Mata Nui Robot during Teridax's battle with Mata Nui. Later, the Chutes, along with all other locations in the Matoran Universe, were dismantled.[3][4]
Underwater Chutes
Underwater Chutes connected Metru Nui with other locations in the Matoran Universe, stretching underground as well as under the ocean. Many spanned Metru Nui, but they were in poor repair and largely abandoned long ago by the Matoran.[5][6] These were energized by a source of power undiscovered by the Matoran and remained functional even when Metru Nui's aboveground chutes lost power.[7]
The Kanohi Dragon smashed through many suboceanic chutes after the Dark Hunters unleashed it.[8] Mavrah used underwater chutes to escape the city with his First Rahi to the Great Barrier.[9] Underwater chutes leading to Metru Nui were used by Rahi to travel to Metru Nui, including the Visorak horde.[7][5] The Rahaga also used these chutes to reach Metru Nui.[6][10] When Norik led the Toa Hordika in search of Keetongu, the Rahaga led them to an underwater chute that brought them to Keetongu's Lair.[7]
Following the Great Cataclysm, Jaller, Hewkii, Kongu, Hahli, Matoro, Nuparu, and Takanuva traveled in an abandoned underwater Chute from Le-Metru to a narrow land bridge connecting to Karzahni.[11][6]
Alternate Universes
Toa Empire Alternate Universe
In this alternate universe, Toa Lesovikk and Takanuva used an underwater Chute to travel from Karzahni to Metru Nui.[12]
Features
The Chutes were made of magnetized Protodermis held in place by an electromagnetic sheath, causing them to flow at rapid speeds. The electromagnetic field pulsed, weakening and strengthening every few seconds, allowing solid objects to pass through the chute's outer field at the right time. The field's strength could be altered, so as to make it weaker or stronger, at a chute station. Chutes could vary in size, from small one-Matoran chutes to huge cargo chutes.
If the traffic required it, the width of most chutes could be adjusted between five levels based on the number of passengers.[13]
Sometimes, when there was trouble in the Chutes, the Chute's speed was slowed or even stopped. Reversing it was believed by the workers to possibly cause the entire system to explode. Damaged Chutes were closed off to the public, and were often used illegally, until the Chute's condition was normalized.
Boarding
The most common way to board a Chute was from Chute Stations. At a chute station, the Protodermis flow was slowed down and the magnetic field was weakened enough for Matoran to pass through easily, allowing them to enter and exit the Chute, or load or unload cargo. In order to reach the boarding platform of a Chute from ground level, a system of ladders was used. Thrill-seeking Matoran engaged in the illegal practice of Chute diving, which consisted of jumping into a Chute outside of a station, based on an estimation of when the field was weak enough. This was highly dangerous, as an incorrectly-timed jump could land the Matoran on a hard field, possibly knocking the Matoran off. Beings traveling through Chutes were needed to hold their breath, as it was not possible to breathe inside of a Chute.[14][15]
Force Spheres
Occasionally, there would be a flaw in a Chute System that would cause a piece of the Chute's field to break off and wrap around itself, becoming a sphere of magnetic energy called a Force Sphere. Force Spheres traveled through Chutes at high speed, sucking in tools, bits of junk, Kanoka Disks, and other things. The longer the Sphere existed, the stronger it would become, until it caused the Chute it was traveling in to collapse. The Sphere would then implode under the wreckage, destroying its contents.
During the quest for the Great Disks, Matau had to retrieve Le-Metru's Great Disk from a Force Sphere. The Toa managed to create a tornado inside it to push himself out. After that, the Sphere destroyed the Notch.
Appearances
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References
See also
| Ga-Metru « Le-Metru » Po-Metru |
| Moto-Hub (Test Track) | Chutes (The Notch | Chute Stations | Sector Three) | Tower of Toa |
| Metru Nui |
| Coliseum | Ta-Metru | Ga-Metru | Le-Metru | Po-Metru | Onu-Metru | Ko-Metru | Great Barrier |
| Locations | ||
| Solis Magna | Spherus Magna (Aqua Magna | Bara Magna | Bota Magna) | Red Star | |
| Matoran Universe (Mata Nui) |
Metru Nui (Maze of Shadows) | Karzahni | Zakaz | Xia (The Mountain) | Northern Continent (Tren Krom Peninsula) | Artakha | Stelt | Odina | Southern Continent (Voya Nui, Mahri Nui) | Karda Nui | The Pit | Destral | Nynrah | Tren Krom's Island | Visorak | Daxia | Southern Islands (Artidax) | |
| Alternate Locations |
Pocket Dimensions |
Zone of Darkness | City of Silver |
| Alternate Universes |
The Melding | Spherus Magna | Toa Empire | The Kingdom | |
| Other Locations | ||
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