Great Beings

"The world of Spherus Magna was ruled by a collection of men and women called the 'Great Beings.' They were wise and just, and for an age, their creations helped to make life better for everyone who lived on this planet."
— Narrator, Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna

Great Beings
Three Great Beings observing the construction of the Mata Nui Robot
Organization
Headquarters	Valley of the Maze Underground Lab of the Great Beings Tower of the Cursed Great Being (all formerly)
Status	Active

The Great Beings are a collection of extremely intelligent and enigmatic scientists who once ruled the planet Spherus Magna.

History

Rule over Spherus Magna

The Great Beings are members of the Glatorian species who once hailed from the tribes of Spherus Magna. They looked past their tribal affiliations and were united in their desire to build, study, and invent.

In their early years, they encountered the entity Annona, who tried to use her powers to feed on their dreams. However, Annona found their minds too strange to alter, and the Great Beings instead fed on her dreams and used the energy to achieve new heights in their creating.

Imbued with limitless creativity and superior intelligence, they went on to create many technological marvels that would amaze the Agori, and the eight known tribes pledged allegiance to them as their scientist-kings. They ruled over all the regions of the planet, from the deserts of Bara Magna to the forests of Bota Magna and the oceans of Aqua Magna. They operated out of several locations, including the Valley of the Maze and an underground lab established in Tajun. They used their abilities to create and modify numerous tools and beings, such as the Iron Wolves and the Skopio. They also experimented with creating entirely organic life, but were not pleased with the results. One of their experiments, a giant mechanoid, failed to function, and exploded, its parts littering over Bara Magna.

Having grown tired of ruling Spherus Magna and wanting to fully dedicate their time to creating, the Great Beings created the Element Lords, who commanded the various tribes. After that, in their pursuit of knowledge, they experimented on the Vorox and Zesk, modifying their genetic structure.

The Great Beings observing the Core War

More than 100,000 years ago, the Agori discovered a powerful liquid, which the Great Beings came to call Energized Protodermis. Its discovery eventually led to a war on their planet, led by the Element Lords. The Great Beings refused to participate in the war, and tried several peaceful and diplomatic methods to halt the fighting. However, none of their efforts proved fruitful.

The Great Beings commissioned two Agori, Raanu and Kyry, to retrieve a sample of Energized Protodermis for testing. Through their examinations they concluded that, if tapped, the power of the Energized Protodermis would cause massive damage to the structure of the planet. In a desperate attempt to end the war, the Great Beings created the baterra, mechanical assassins designed to kill every armed combatant in the war. They later tried to shut the baterra down through a failsafe, but were unsuccessful, and the baterra continued to fulfill their programming.

Creation of the Matoran Universe

Foundations

With all their previous attempts to stop the war having failed, and believing the destruction of the planet to be inevitable, the Great Beings undertook the creation of another enormous robot; revisiting their former project, they found that it could successfully function by utilizing the Energized Protodermis to stabilize the power source. The robot would be tasked with restoring Spherus Magna to its original conditions. They also began making plans for a third robot, which was to help the second repair the planet by combining their powers; whether these plans were ever completed is unknown.

Testing of Energized Protodermis

The Great Beings created the first Av-Matoran basing their design on the Agori species, and set them to work building the robot. They created other Matoran using the Av-Matoran as a template, and placed them in key locations around the universe. The Matoran labored in total darkness for months, in complete ignorance as to what they were building. While they were still constructing the universe, the Great Beings created Tren Krom, who maintained the universe until the new robot was ready to begin his job.

In need of motivation for the workers, the Great Beings began creating two islands where Matoran would be sent to based on the quality of their work, and created two beings tasked to rule over them. To the being known as Artakha they assigned a sanctuary where Matoran who showed particular promise would be allowed to come and work in the light, and to the one called Karzahni they assigned a place where injured or lazy Matoran would be sent to have their issues fixed. The Great Beings also created the legendary Mask of Creation, which Artakha came to own after competing with Karzahni for the right to wear it.

The Great Beings then established the various other island locations within the Matoran Universe. They began laying the foundations of the city of Metru Nui, (including the Core Processor that was to house the robot's consciousness), which would later be finished by their creations. One of the Great Beings, Heremus, expressed his wish that the robot would carry the great spirit of Spherus Magna with it on its mission. Inspired by this thought, another Great Being, Angonce, named the robot's artificial intelligence Mata Nui, Matoran for "Great Spirit."

A Great Being forging the Kanohi Ignika

In order to prevent the universe from descending into chaos and famine, the Great Beings constructed a failsafe in the form of a mask. This mask was to drain the life from the entire universe if things were to get out of hand. It was also intended to be used as a way to heal Mata Nui, in the event that the Great Spirit needed it. Using the forges of the fortress in the Valley of the Maze, the Great Beings created the mask, which they named the Kanohi Ignika. Due to the mask's immense power and sentience, the Great Beings locked it up until they were ready to bring it to the Matoran Universe. One Great Being later uncovered it, curious of its power. The Kanohi Ignika, knowing that this being was not destined for its power, cursed the Great Being with the uncontrollable power to bring everything around him to life. The Great Being went mad from hearing the voices of the inanimate objects he would bring to life, and was sealed away on one of their former headquarters, a tower on Bota Magna. Two Great Beings later brought the Ignika into the Matoran Universe, traversing across various lands until they reached the Southern Continent. They carved out a staircase that would lead to a chamber for housing the Ignika.

Population

With two Legendary Masks complete, many of the landmasses finished, and the Matoran, Artakha, Karzahni, and Tren Krom completed, the Great Beings set about creating more creatures to populate the universe. Among these were the very first Rahi and species such as the Pit War Tortoise.

The Great Beings were also responsible for inventing the Toa, mighty warriors dedicated to defending the universe, whom they designed in an unknown location on Spherus Magna. Among the ones they created themselves were Helryx, the very first Toa, who came into being on Artakha, and the first Toa of Psionics, Orde. After creating these Toa, the Great Beings arranged that destined Matoran would be transformed into Toa, giving way to early Toa such as Lesovikk and Jovan.

To assist the robot in its task of monitoring the universe, the Great Beings created the Bahrag and Bohrok Va to help their first creations, the Av-Matoran (a select few of whom would later evolve into the mechanical Bohrok) in clearing the island that the robot would use as camouflage. To power the Bohrok, the Great Beings created the krana from the remnants of the Matoran creation process. However, some of the material accidentally spawned the destructive, reptilian Zyglak. The Great Beings shunned the Zyglak, who fled to the darkest recesses of the universe, nursing a grudge toward their creators and the Matoran. The Great Beings eventually assigned Orde to use his powers to pacify the Zyglak, but due to his own aggressive nature, he ultimately made them even more violent. Not wanting such a powerful element to be in the hands of an aggressive group, all subsequent Matoran and Toa of Psionics were made female in the belief that a female artificial intelligence would be more gentle and nurturing. The Great Beings later gave the Bahrag a means of creating krana that bypassed the use of Matoran entirely.

In addition, the Great Beings were responsible for the invention of numerous other creatures and species that were designed to serve a role in the universe. These included Rahkshi and Kraata, Visorak, the Fire Entity, and all sapient species that hadn't been formed already. They also preordained the creation of Blade Burrowers, causing them to dig tunnels in the shape of the symbol of the Three Virtues as a constant reminder of Mata Nui's mission. However, most Rahi created by the Makuta were not created in advance. Because they were running short on time, the Great Beings programmed the Rahkshi, Kraata, Visorak, and Blade Burrowers in the consciousness of the Makuta, and then encoded the Makuta and other sapient species into the consciousness of Mata Nui. All of these were inevitably created by Mata Nui or the Makuta.

The Great Beings also made preparations to ensure that if Mata Nui were ever to be struck down, he could be revived and continue to do his function. They provided Artakha with the necessary materials to create a team of Toa that would be tasked to awaken Mata Nui and prevent the universe from dying. They then placed a scroll detailing the steps to prepare the universe for Mata Nui's awakening inside of the Great Temple in Metru Nui, to assist the Toa Mata in reviving the Great Spirit. This Scroll predicted and accounted for many of the things that would eventually be necessary to revive Mata Nui, although they could not have anticipated the circumstances.

Final Preparations

Once they had finished constructing the locations and species vital for the survival of the universe, the Great Beings removed Tren Krom from Karda Nui and permanently sealed him on a desolate island. They then vacated the universe, leaving the Matoran to finish the body from the inside. Prior to completion, the Great Beings enlisted two of the warrior species of the planet to live inside the robot, in stasis, and to act as manual pilots in the event the robot's programming was incapacitated.

The Great Beings also created the Red Star, a manned satellite with two primary functions: assist the robot in taking off from planets it has finished observing and to revive dead Matoran and other workers. They placed the Kestora inside the Star to maintain its workings.

Recognizing the threat that Toa could pose to the planet were they to be released from the robot, the Great Beings used the little time they had available to them to create Marendar, a being designed to eliminate Toa. Marendar was soon sealed away in a thick vault made of Protodermis on Bara Magna.

One of the Great Beings, curious about the universe they had created, announced to the others that he was going into self-imposed exile as a way to atone for his sins. In reality, he transferred his consciousness into the body of a Matoran within the Matoran Universe and took the name Velika. Velika was later responsible for the Awakening.

The Great Beings created Mata Nui's consciousness and placed it within the robot, completing their creation. They tasked Mata Nui with travelling to other worlds in the Solis Magna System to gain the knowledge to prevent a disaster like the Core War from happening again, and with taking care of his inner workings. Eventually, he would have to return to Spherus Magna to heal the planet. With their creation finished, the Great Beings sent Mata Nui off to fulfill his duty. Soon after Mata Nui had departed their homeland, the Great Beings' world was severely damaged by the spread of the Energized Protodermis, and shattered into pieces. The Great Beings were trapped on the shattered pieces of the planet, some on Bara Magna and some on Bota Magna.

Velika's Matoran body after Karzahni's repairs

Inside the Matoran Universe, Velika lived and worked until he was injured and sent to Karzahni, where he was severely weakened and shipped to the Southern Continent. He later assisted the Toa Inika in locating the Mask of Life, which was eventually used to save the life of the Great Spirit. However, during his time as a Matoran, Velika concluded that the destruction of the planet was due to poor leadership by the Great Beings, and developed a plan to seize control of Spherus Magna for himself.

Restoration of Spherus Magna

Mata Nui was ultimately successful in his journey, and brought about the restoration of Spherus Magna; the Matoran population subsequently emigrated from the Matoran Universe to Spherus Magna. The Great Being Angonce, using ancient technology in his possession, discovered it and realized that the inhabitants would soon come seeking the Great Beings. He attempted to stop Marendar, whom he feared would be activated by the presence of Toa on the planet, but failed to reach the vault in time.

Now on the planet, Velika began enacting his plan of domination; part of his plan involved the killing of powerful Matoran Universe inhabitants acting outside of their parameters, who might object to his rule. Velika defeated Toa Lesovikk and framed him for the murder of Karzahni at Iron Canyon. He also extracted Tren Krom from his prison before murdering him in Bota Magna.

Velika also took advantage of an opportunity to eliminate the cursed Great Being, who had rescued Axonn, Brutaka, Miserix, Tuyet, Vezon Helryx, and Artakha and gathered them in the tower he was imprisoned in. Velika rigged the structure to explode; however, the group of Matoran Universe inhabitants managed to escape, and, unbeknownst to them, the cursed Great Being escaped as well.

Alternate Universes

The Melding Alternate Universe

On an alternate Spherus Magna, the Great Beings discovered that the Energized Protodermis was slowly spreading and damaging the planet, which would eventually cause it to shatter into pieces. As a result, they created the Toa, who they ordered to go underground and retrieve the substance, then repair the damage done. They also created the Makuta to help the Toa, protect the Matoran, and to create new life forms.

After Vultraz and Mazeka arrived in the alternate universe, the two were advised to seek out the Great Beings for help on returning to where they came from. They were guided by Teridax to a fortress, where a council of six Great Beings offered Mazeka a return trip back to the Matoran Universe, if he would take an individual from their universe with him. They also decided to experiment on Vultraz, for they wished to know why he was full of shadow. Mazeka was forced to accept, and chose Teridax. They were then transported back to the Matoran Universe.

Spherus Magna Alternate Universe

In this alternate universe, after they launched Mata Nui, the Great Beings built the intended third robot, and Mata Nui completed his destiny effectively and entirely.

Great Spirit Makuta Alternate Universe

In an alternate reality, the Great Beings decided to name their robotic creation Makuta instead of Mata Nui.

Abilities and Traits

The Great Beings possess the simple, inexorable urge to create, from which stems the multitude and diversity of their creations. They are very obsessive about their creations, and are more interested in working and designing things than anything else.

While lacking any powers of their own, the Great Beings have access to advanced technology that they can use in many ways, such as appearing invisible to their creations. One exception is the Cursed Great Being, who has been cursed by the Kanohi Ignika to bring all surrounding objects to life. The cursed Great Being is also capable of communicating across dimensions and freezing temporal space around subjects; these powers may also be a part of his curse.

Known Great Beings

• Angonce - A Great Being who was curious about the Agori. He was rumored to have taught a female Skrall how to amplify her mental powers.
• Heremus - One of the Great Beings who worked on the baterra.
• Velika - A Great Being who was in the Matoran Universe for 100,000 years, posing as one of its inhabitants, before he escaped to the restored Spherus Magna.
• A Great Being who touched the Kanohi Ignika and was cursed by it; later driven insane and imprisoned.
• Two Great Beings who created the Kanohi Ignika and hid it in the Matoran Universe, neither of whom would return to the continent.
  • A taller, more assured Great Being who guides the expedition to hide the Ignika.
  • A shorter Great Being who is more uncomfortable with the Ignika and its potential to bring harm.
• Two Great Beings who discussed the situation of the Core War.
• At least one Great Being from each tribe of Spherus Magna, not including the Rock Tribe.

Social Structure and Interactions

The Great Beings were originally rulers of Spherus Magna, administrating and overseeing the various elemental tribes that were present on the planet. However, they later retired in order to devote more time to their creations, passing on their duties to the Element Lords. The resulting war and subsequent planetary disaster led to much of the population harboring deep resentment for the Great Beings.

Within the Matoran Universe, most of the inhabitants praise and respect the Great Beings, as they are responsible for their entire existence. Both cultures, however, have adopted idioms such as "thank the Great Beings" or "may the Great Beings protect us all."

Each Great Being had the same status as another; they had no distinct, individual leader, working together as equals.

Known Creations and Experiments

• The fortress in the Valley of the Maze
• A material that can transmute its shape, such as forming doors and windows or reforming itself as a structure in response to thought; used to build the walls of the fortress in the Valley of the Maze
• A gigantic mechanoid; exploded and parts were scattered over Bara Magna
• A series of secret tunnels under the Black Spike Mountains with defensive traps
• The Spirit's Wish, a teleportation device near the River Dormus
• An underground lab near Tajun
• Two Skrall Tribal Design Blades (made from prototype technology)
• Designs for a tracked vehicle; later adapted into the Thornatus V9
• The Iron Wolves (modified from existing creatures)
• Tampered with the Skopio, making them biomechanical and giving them Thornax Launchers and treads
• The Element Lords (modified from existing beings)
• Tampered with the Vorox and Zesk, giving them stinger tails and a bestial appearance
• The baterra
• Protodermis
• The Golden Armor (programmed into the Ignika)
• A Power Source
• The Mata Nui Robot
  • The Matoran Universe
    • Metru Nui's foundation
    • The Chamber of Life
    • The Codrex
    • Artakha
    • Karzahni
• The Keystones
• Various Kanohi
  • The Kanohi Ignika
  • The Mask of Creation
  • The Kanohi Olisi
• Tren Krom
• Various biomechanical beings
  • The giant biomechanical reptiles inhabiting Bota Magna (modified from existing creatures)
    • A forty feet high reptile equipped with a laser targeting system and teeth made of polished metal
  • Artakha
  • Karzahni
  • The first Toa
    • Helryx
    • Orde
  • The first Matoran
    • Lesovikk
    • The Av-Matoran
      • Takua
  • Marendar
  • The Kestora
  • Umbra
  • The First Rahi
    • Great Temple Squid
  • The first Turaga
  • The Bohrok, Bahrag, Bohrok Va, and krana
  • Zyglak (accidentally)
  • The Rahkshi and Kraata
  • The Visorak
  • The Fire Entity
  • Axonn's Species
  • Hydraxon's Species
  • Shadow Stealer
  • The plans for further species to inhabit the universe.
• Antidermis (accidentally)
• The Great Sundial
• Kini-Nui
• The Great Telescope
• The Suva
• The Scroll of Preparations
• Mata Nui's consciousness
• The Red Star
• A device capable of blocking a Toa's Elemental Powers; given by Velika to Kabrua

Quotes

"It is believed that the Great Beings came into existence long before Mata Nui - and dwarf even him in sheer power."
— BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated

"At times like this he wonders if the Great Beings are truly brilliant beyond imagining, or hopelessly mad. Or if there's even any difference between the two..."
— Mata Nui's thoughts, Valley of Fear

"I do not speak to the beings of this world. They never see me, or hear me, and so it is left to their imaginations to conjure what I am like, how I think, and what I believe. The imagination has an infinite capacity to fill in the blanks with what it wants to be there."
— The cursed Great Being to Vezon, Reign of Shadows

"He, his brothers and sisters were scholars. Their theories, discoveries and inventions had transformed this world and changed the lives of the inhabitants, the Agori, in many ways. In gratitude, they had long ago been proclaimed rulers of Spherus Magna. The Agori called them the “Great Beings.” But the business of running a world – settling disputes, managing economies, dealing with defense issues, worrying about food and equipment supplies – all of this the Great Beings found a distraction. They wanted to build, study, invent, not oversee, adjudicate, and set policy."
— Angonce's thoughts, Journey's End

"Efficient and deceptive ... two hallmarks of the Great Being's work."
— Mata Nui, Journey's End

"A Great Being, yes ... that is what they called me ... and my brothers and sisters. Angonce once said that name was the worst thing that ever happened to us, because we started to believe it was accurate."
— The cursed Great Being, Reign of Shadows

Trivia

• No official source mentions how many Great Beings there are. Greg Farshtey has estimated that there are fewer than 20.
• The Great Beings believed females to be gentler than males. This influenced their experiments, such as when they made all Matoran, Toa, and Turaga of Psionics female after Toa Orde's aggression caused problems.
• The Great Beings would have departed Spherus Magna after Velika's plan failed, leaving the inhabitants to build a society of their own.
• The LEGO Group did not allow Great Beings to be illustrated.

Appearances

Books	Comics	Online	Multimedia
Novels BIONICLE Chronicles 4: Tales of the Masks (M) BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui (M) BIONICLE Adventures 5: Voyage of Fear (M) BIONICLE Legends 1: Island of Doom (M) BIONICLE Legends 2: Dark Destiny (M) BIONICLE Legends 3: Power Play (M) BIONICLE Legends 5: Inferno (F) BIONICLE Legends 6: City of the Lost (M) BIONICLE Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets (M) BIONICLE Legends 11: The Final Battle (M) BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn (M) BIONICLE: Journey's End (F) Guides BIONICLE: Metru Nui - City of Legends (M) BIONICLE: World (M) BIONICLE: Encyclopedia BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe (M) BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna (M) BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn - Official Movie Guide (M) Activity BIONICLE: Glatorian (M) The Crossing (M)	BIONICLE BIONICLE 2: Deep into Darkness (FA) (M) BIONICLE 3: Triumph of the Toa (M) Ignition BIONICLE Ignition 1: If a Universe Ends ... (M) Glatorian BIONICLE Glatorian 5: Valley of Fear (M) Graphic Novels The Exile's Tale (M) All Our Sins Remembered (M)	Chronicle Mata Nui Saga Story Serials Into the Darkness (M) Toa Nuva Blog (M) Federation of Fear (M) Dark Mirror (M) Brothers In Arms (AU) Reign of Shadows Empire of the Skrall (M) Riddle of the Great Beings (M) Sahmad's Tale (M) The Powers That Be The Yesterday Quest Short Stories Decadence Animations Voya Nui Online Animations (NC) (M)	Movies BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn (M) Online Games Mata Nui Online Game II: The Final Chronicle (M) Matoran Escape (NC) (M) Voya Nui Online Game (SC) (M) Inika Island Assault (NC) (M)