Shadow Leech

"Look at them. They begin their lives as Kraata, nothing but the essence of a Makuta given solid form. But a bit of this ... a bit of that ... and they become ever-hungry stealers of light. Have you ever truly watched one feed? It is so repulsive as to be almost beautiful."
— Makuta Mutran to Vican, Shadows in the Sky

Shadow Leech
Brotherhood of Makuta
Powers	Draining inner Light
Status	Extinct

Shadow Leeches were mutated Kraata created to drain beings of their inner Light.

History

A Shadow Leech in Karda Nui

Shadow Leeches were created by Makuta Mutran, Chirox and Tridax using a virus, and could be launched from Tridax Pods. They were developed for and were used as a weapon against the Av-Matoran by the Brotherhood of Makuta, so if any of the Av-Matoran became a Toa, it would be a Toa of Shadow. During the experimental phase of the Shadow Leech creation, Destral was witnessed appearing and leaving with several dead, mutated Kraata left behind.

Makuta Tridax used Shadow Leeches to drain the inner light of hundreds of Toa Takanuva that he had captured from alternate dimensions with a Kanohi Olmak.

Shadow Leeches were first tested in a battle inside Karda Nui, and were responsible for the transformation of several hundred Av-Matoran into Shadow Matoran. They were stored in vats in the center of a large hive guarded by Mutran and Vican.

Mutran was experimenting on a new type of Shadow Leech which would have had a longer lifespan, as well as been able to digest greater amounts of light. However, he destroyed the vat because the Shadow Leeches became crystalline and brittle.

When the Shadow Leech Hive was destroyed by the Toa Ignika, experimentation on the Kraata ended, and any Shadow Leeches inside were killed.

All remaining Shadow Leeches in Karda Nui were killed by the Energy Storms.

Abilities and Traits

Shadow Leeches fed on light, and could drain the inner light out of a being with a sufficient amount of light in them by physical contact, making the victim evil. After sucking out a being's light, a Shadow Leech would instantly digest and eliminate the extracted light. Once this was done, a Shadow Leech would typically disintegrate within ten minutes.

A psychological barrier that stops a being from naturally recovering their Light would appear after a Shadow Leech drains their light. However, a klakk's sonic attack could break the barrier and allow the being's light to gradually return.

If a Shadow Leech was killed or removed before it could drain all of the light out of a Toa, the Toa would be granted control over both Shadow and their original elemental power, but neither at full power, as demonstrated when Takanuva was attacked by one. If they had controlled light, then they would have been unable to regenerate their light power, but if they controlled any other element, they could have still regenerated it.

The Shadow Leeches were slime covered and about two feet long. To fit into a Tridax Pod, the leeches rolled up into a ball, and unroll when released.

Victims

Known victims who have had their light sucked out by a Shadow Leech include:

• Vican (cured)
• Vultraz
• Most of the Av-Matoran in Karda Nui had their light drained. They were later cured by a klakk. They included:
  • Gavla (cured)
  • Kirop (cured)
• Takanuva (partially; cured)
  • Multiple Shadow Takanuva

Set Information

A Shadow Leech in set form

The Shadow Leeches in set form are made of soft, transparent blue plastic. Four at a time can be held in a Tridax Pod, which can open up and release the leeches. Both Tridax pods and sets of four Shadow Leeches are included in the Antroz, Vamprah, Chirox, Icarax, and Mutran & Vican sets. Each leech has an axle hole in it, allowing it to attach onto other sets.

Trivia

• Matoran would have classified Shadow Leeches as Rahi, even though, like the Kraata they are mutated from, they were not.
• Shadow Leeches may only work on biomechanical beings, and thus would likely not have an effect on Spherus Magna inhabitants.

Appearances

Books	Comics	Online	Multimedia
Novels BIONICLE Legends 9: Shadows in the Sky BIONICLE Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets BIONICLE Legends 11: The Final Battle Guides BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe (M)	Ignition BIONICLE Ignition 12: Realm of Fear BIONICLE Ignition 12.5 (M)	Chronicle Takanuva's Blog (M) Story Serials The Mutran Chronicles (M) Dark Mirror (M) Destiny War (M) Animations Phantoka Mini Movie	Online Games Battle for Power (Game) (NC)

See also

• Kraata
• Kraata-Kal - A Kraata that Teridax mutated in a different way