Muaka
"Hunting Muaka? Don't. Odds are the whole time you think you are stalking it, it is stalking you — and it's a lot better at the job."
— Rahaga Pouks, Rahi Beasts
| Muaka | |
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Muaka
Hordika
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| Rahi | |
| Known locations | Ko-Metru (formerly) Archives (formerly) Ko-Wahi (formerly) Spherus Magna[1] |
| Pronunciation | moo-AH-kah[2][3][4] |
| Set | 8538 Muaka & Kane-ra (instructions) |
| Muaka Hordika | |
|
Muaka
Hordika
| |
| |
| Muaka | |
| Location | Metru Nui (formerly) |
| Pronunciation | moo-AH-kah hoar-DEE-kah |
Muaka are powerful, tiger-like Rahi.
History
Metru Nui
The Muaka species was created by the Makuta using Viruses and Liquid Protodermis to be one of the Rahi to inhabit the Matoran Universe.[5] They are cousins of the smaller Shallows Cat.[6]
In Metru Nui, Muaka would sleep during the day in unused portions of the Archives, and then emerge at night to hunt in Ko-Metru.[7] Due to their immunity to stasis, few Muaka were ever placed in the Archives, though several awake specimens were kept in a marked area. Toa Metru Whenua once encountered a Rahkshi in the Archives, and released a Muaka from its pen to distract it while he rescued Tehutti.[8]
Mata Nui
After Teridax caused the Great Cataclysm, many Muaka migrated to the island of Mata Nui. Teridax enlisted them in his Rahi army, placing them under his control through the use of Infected Kanohi.[4] He would often pair his infected Muaka with infected Kane-Ra. These two creatures would not naturally coexist and thus would not work together, but Teridax liked to pair their strength together to form an elite attack force.[9]
Stalked by a Nui-Jaga, the wandering Av-Matoran Takua traveled to the cave of a Muaka. The territorial Muaka was angered by the Nui-Jaga's intrusion and attacked, giving Takua the opportunity to escape.[10]
When the Toa Mata arrived, Teridax concentrated his attacks on them. Utilizing his Rahi to the fullest extent, the Makuta tested the Toa's skill to determine if they truly were the heroes that legend had foretold.[11] Once Lewa had recovered a Kanohi, he was ambushed by infected Nui-Rama, which knocked him out of the air into the waiting jaws of a Muaka.[12] Onua dispatched the creature and rescued Lewa. When the Toa Mata reunited, Teridax took advantage of the meeting and had more Rahi attack them, including a Muaka. Gali threw the Muaka that attacked her at Kopaka, who froze it solid.[13]
Takua encountered a Muaka in The Drifts of Ko-Wahi. The beast attacked him and Matoro, who had found Takua lost in the Drifts. Kopaka arrived and saved the Matoran, backing the beast to the edge of a cliff using his Kanohi Huna and Mahiki, and breaking off part of the glacier, sending the Muaka plummeting to the mountain below.[14]
Teridax assigned large amounts of Rahi, including Muaka, to attack Kini-Nui while the Toa Mata attempted to confront him. These Rahi conflicted with various Matoran military that had come to defend the sacred location.[15] Eventually, the Matoran succeeded in repelling the Rahi, and the animals retreated after the defeat of Teridax.[16] Teridax relinquished his hold over the Rahi, and the Muaka prowled the island of Mata Nui as they had before.[4]
Even after being freed from Teridax's control, Muaka continued to be dangerous predators. During his search for the Kanohi Nuva, Toa Nuva Kopaka was menaced by a Muaka on Mount Ihu. Having lost his elemental powers to the Bohrok-Kal, he was forced to flee, and only narrowly avoided becoming the Muaka's prey with the help of Pohatu.[17]
Return to Metru Nui
The Muaka of Mata Nui did their best to avoid the Bohrok swarms, but eventually migrated back to Metru Nui after the Bohrok were released intentionally by the Toa Nuva.[18]
After the Mata Nui Robot was critically damaged in the Battle of Bara Magna, many Muaka left the Matoran Universe and immigrated to Spherus Magna.[1]
Unique Muaka
Spiked Muaka
A Muaka was mutated by Teridax during his experiments with Rahi, and gained sharp protrusions extending from its legs, armor along its back and sides, and extra fangs. The Toa Metru encountered this creature while descending through Teridax's lair. Nokama communicated with it using her Kanohi Rau, and it warned them not to return to Metru Nui.[19]
Muaka Hordika
During the Visorak occupation of Metru Nui, at least one Muaka was caught by the Visorak and exposed to their venom, mutating it into a Hordika. This Muaka encountered and clashed with Toa Hordika Vakama, but fled when Vakama accidentally charged up his Rhotuka. The Muaka Hordika had long, saber-like fangs and back legs in place of treads.[20]
Nektann's Muaka
The Skakdi warlord Nektann has a Muaka pet with spiked armor.[21] It was mutated similarly as the spiked Muaka from the Maze of Shadows.[22][23] When Nektann led his armies into battle on Bara Magna, his Muaka accompanied them.[citation needed] After the battle, the Muaka likely roams free on Spherus Magna.[24]
Toa Empire Alternate Universe
Toa Kualus and Bomonga each rode a Muaka while escorting Jaller back from Artakha with the Vahi.[25]
Abilities and Traits
Muaka are solitary nocturnal hunters. They are incredibly swift despite their large size, and very powerful. They hunt by sinking their sharp claws into their prey, forcing their victim to the ground, killing with their teeth, and then carrying their new meal to a nearby lair.[7] Muaka possess a tread-like appendage in place of hind legs. They have a muscular neck that can extend several bios to snatch up prey.[14] They are also immune to stasis.[8]
As one of the strongest Rahi, Muaka are powerful enough to kill most other Rahi. Muaka have a rivalry with Rahkshi and a preference for their taste. A single Muaka can decimate an entire Rahkshi colony in a matter of days.[7] On Mata Nui, the only known enemy of the Muaka was the Fusa.[26] A Muaka will give up a hunt if it decides that its prey is not worth the effort.[7]
On Mata Nui, Muaka were the apex predator of Ko-Wahi, where they were most commonly found.[27] When under the control of Teridax's infected masks, Muaka could also be found in the jungles of Le-Wahi.[12]
Set Information
| Muaka Set | |||||
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8538 Muaka & Kane-ra was a boxed set released in the summer of 2001. It contained 647 pieces used to make a Muaka and a Kane-Ra. When either model's midsection was squeezed the head would jab forward as the mouth opened, then quickly closed. This was advertised as a way for the Muaka to battle with a Kane-Ra or with a Toa Mata set. The Muaka came with two infected Kanohi Hau, while the Kane-Ra came with two black Noble Huna. The masks were attached to rods on the shoulders which when removed (as was intended to occur when a Muaka set grabbed the mask in its jaws) would cause the legs to fall off as if in injury. The Kane-Ra's instructional manual contained additional instructions to combine the parts of the two creatures and create a Kuma-Nui.
Trivia
- While the Muaka did not appear in BIONICLE: The Legend of Mata Nui, the game introduced a new species of Rahi, intentified as Wolf Rats in texture file names, which strongly resembled a smaller Muaka and could also be found in Ko-Wahi.[28] These Rahi were also going to appear in during the fifth chapter of the Mata Nui Online Game but ended up being cut.[29]
- The Zone of Nightmares on Voya Nui replicated a Muaka in an effort to frighten the Toa Inika. Hahli was able to kill the Muaka, which morphed into a deceased Toa Nuva Onua, whom Kongu revealed to be an illusion as well.[30]
- While the August 2000 story bible does not make mention of the Muaka, it mentions the giant tiger Rahi Tori (meaning "cat" in Māori) which may have conceptually evolved into the Muaka.[31]
Appearances
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References
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