Skakdi
"The Skakdi are, as a rule, warlike, brutal, traitorous, and violent - and those are their nicer qualities."
— Toa Helryx, World
| Skakdi | |
| |
| Sapient Species | |
| Powers | Latent elemental abilities Vision powers Other abilities |
| Status | Active |
| Locations | Zakaz (formerly) Stelt[1](formerly) Skakdi Fortress Other regions of Spherus Magna |
| Pronunciation | SKOCK-dee |
The Skakdi are the short-tempered and violent natives of the island of Zakaz, created by the Great Spirit Mata Nui.
History
Early History
Mata Nui created the Skakdi as a relatively peaceful race. Approximately 75,000 years ago, Makuta Spiriah made his way onto the island, under orders from the Brotherhood of Makuta, and saw a use in the Skakdi as soldiers. He performed experiments on the Skakdi, giving them Elemental Powers that only worked in combination, vision powers, and other abilities.[2] He then temporarily departed the island, leaving Visorak behind to keep guard. However, Spiriah's experiments had made the Skakdi into violent, vicious creatures. They destroyed the Visorak and then turned on one another. When Spiriah returned, he found that a civil war had begun. The Brotherhood exiled Spiriah for his failed experiment, and the Skakdi developed a lingering hatred of Makuta.
The civil war ravaged the island for some time. The only place of ceasefire was the freshwater lake in the center of Zakaz. Warlords arose from the Skakdi and stopped the war by taking control of separate factions.
One Skakdi was sent to the Pit for committing unpardonable crimes. After the Great Cataclysm, he escaped into the endless ocean of Aqua Magna, and was mutated to be able to breathe water. He was later wounded by Barraki Pridak and left for sea predators.
Several Skakdi migrated to other places, like Stelt.[1]
Six members of the Skakdi race were recruited into the Dark Hunters. They later left the Hunters to find the legendary Kanohi Ignika, and began calling themselves Piraka. Their adventures eventually led to their mutation, and they escaped into the Cord. During an attempt to enact revenge on the Toa Mahri, they were captured by Order of Mata Nui member Axonn, and were sent to be held on Daxia.
War with the Brotherhood
By the time of the Destiny War, there were approximately a half dozen Skakdi warlords on Zakaz.[3] One of these was Nektann. Nektann's Skakdi clashed with Axonn and Brutaka, emissaries of the Order of Mata Nui who had arrived on Zakaz hoping to make an alliance with the Skakdi. Axonn and Brutaka surrendered to the Skakdi and won Nektann's alliance by deceiving him. They proceeded to ally with the other warlords of the island.
The Skakdi armies traveled to one of the southern islands, where they battled a small army of Rahkshi. While the Rahkshi held the upper hand at first, the Skakdi managed to muster enough sheer rage to decimate their opponents.
Several Skakdi were recruited into Pridak's new army upon his release from the Pit, and fought in the war effort.
Teridax's Reign
After Teridax took control of the Matoran Universe, Nektann pronounced an alliance with him. The Toa Mahri were sent by the Order to investigate whether other Skakdi warlords were going to follow Nektann's lead. An army of Skakdi was assembled in an underground chamber by a warlord, who gave a speech exhorting resistance to Teridax. A vat of Energized Protodermis arose, and the Skakdi dropped into the substance a Vortixx, a Zyglak, a Steltian laborer, and five of the Piraka. The beings fused and climbed out of the tank as the Golden Being, who promised the Skakdi a gift. The fusion then granted the wish of the Skakdi by hypnotizing the Toa Mahri (who had been spying nearby) to serve the Skakdi people.
Teridax eventually sent Nektann and Rahkshi to Zakaz to pacify the Skakdi that opposed him. Nektann then took his Skakdi to the southern reaches of the Matoran Universe, having been promised a new world to conquer.
Nektann and his Skakdi had reached the Southern Islands when Gresh opened a door into the Matoran Universe. They followed Teridax's Rahkshi of Heat Vision onto Bara Magna, and began to fight the Agori and Glatorian.
Toa soon emerged from the hatch and assisted the Glatorian against the Skakdi. Tahu dueled and defeated Nektann to claim a piece of the Golden Armor. A Skakdi attacked Gresh, but Tahu and Takanuva helped him defeat the Skakdi. After the Kraata in the Rahkshi were vaporized, and Teridax killed, the Skakdi were surrounded by the Toa and Glatorian's combined forces. Some surrendered to the army, while others fled into the desert.
Spherus Magna
The Skakdi and the fusion escaped the Matoran Universe and marched to the coasts of Aqua Magna. The fusion created a fortress for them to inhabit. Later, this fortress was attacked by Annona, who confused the Skakdi with illusions while she began to feed on their dreams. The fusion confronted Annona and trapped her with rock spikes. Annona then consumed all of the Skakdi's dreams at once, driving them insane and increasing her power. Some Skakdi tried to attack Annona and were killed. The fusion brought the Skakdi's dreams to life, destroying the fortress and creating aberrations. The fusion and Sahmad transported Annona to another world, and then restored the Skakdi's ability to dream. The fusion promised Sahmad that it would not remain isolated with its army for very long.
The fusion later recreated the fortress.[4]
Alternate Universes
The Kingdom Alternate Universe
In an alternate universe, many Skakdi fled to the island of Mata Nui when Mata Nui died. Most made their home in the region formerly known as Po-Wahi. Nektann became a member of Turaga Takanuva's ruling council.
Spherus Magna Alternate Universe
After Mata Nui had completed his mission, the Skakdi species left the Matoran Universe and became enemies of the Agori and the Matoran. Many joined an army led by Makuta Miserix and attacked Tesara.
Abilities and Traits
All Skakdi (excluding Vezon) possess an organic spine that runs from the back of the head, down the arms, and down the back. They also have sharp claws and large teeth which seem to make a sinister smile or scowl. All Skakdi can gain access to Elemental Powers when working in tandem with another Skakdi, although there are no Skakdi of Light, Shadow, or Sand.[5][6][7] Their vision powers include abilities such as Laser Vision, Heat Vision, and Impact Vision. A large number of Skakdi, but not all, have other abilities as well.[8] Most of them are either physically damaged, mentally deranged, or in some other way warped by Spiriah's experiment. Skakdi are very bellicose, and love to join any fight. Spine Slugs, a parasitic species of Rahi, often live symbiotically on the spines of Skakdi and are rumored to contribute to their aggressive behavior.[9]
Skakdi have the ability to physically wear Kanohi, though they lack the mental discipline required to actually use one.[10][11][12] Skakdi are unable to form Kaita.[13] They are known to chew and ingest their food, choosing to do so over the typical method of absorbing energy, as other inhabitants of the Matoran Universe view this act as repulsive.[14] There are both male and female Skakdi;[15] the females are more vicious and destructive.[16] Skakdi have a different body chemistry than Matoran. This explains why the Piraka were quickly mutated into snakes after brief exposure to Pit Mutagen, while the Matoran of Mahri Nui did not continue to mutate.[17] Due to how intertwined their organic components are with their mechanical components, rebuilding is more difficult for Skakdi, if not fatal, compared to other species of the Matoran Universe.[18]
Known Skakdi
- The Piraka
- Around half a dozen Skakdi warlords[3]
- A Skakdi banished to the Pit, wounded by Pridak, and left for sea beasts (deceased)[20]
- An army of Skakdi belonging to Nektann, which was buried in rubble by Brutaka
- Several Skakdi recruited into Pridak's new army[22]
- An army of about 500 Skakdi that opposed Makuta Teridax and created the Golden Being[19]
- An army of Skakdi that Nektann commanded when he sided with Teridax
- A Skakdi with a double-bladed axe who assaulted Gresh and was later defeated by Tahu and Takanuva[24]
- Several Skakdi who migrated to other places, like Stelt.[1]
Social Structure and Interactions
While not the most trustworthy species, the Skakdi usually managed to live in peace with other races. After Spiriah's experiment, the Skakdi turned on each other and began their long tradition of being brutal, murderous, and treacherous beings.
The rulers of Zakaz have been known to tell their people stories of monstrous creatures to scare them. In the same way Turaga tell stories of Toa to bring hope to Matoran, they tell stories of Irnakk, a beast who brings your worst fears to life, to keep their race in line.
Keeping a Skakdi as a prisoner is known to be futile, as they only ever exchange information for their freedom. Accordingly, Skakdi never have an area for holding prisoners.[25]
The Skakdi have their own language.
Quotes
"Right behind them came some of the strangest beings he ever saw, warriors with huge jaws and weird, serpent-like external spines lined with spikes. These were armed with swords, axes and other hand weapons."
— Narrator, BIONICLE: Journey's End
Trivia
- If a Skakdi were mutated by Hordika Venom, their elemental powers would be expressed in the form of a Rhotuka. However, the powers would still be inaccessible unless the Skakdi Hordika were to use them in conjunction with another Skakdi.[26][27]
References
See also
| Skakdi | |
| Piraka | Hakann | Vezok | Zaktan | Avak | Reidak | Thok | Vezon (formerly) |
| Other | Nektann |
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