Taipu

"He is not, perhaps, the brightest Lightstone in Onu-Koro, but his strength is equaled only by his heart."
— Turaga Whenua, Mata Nui Online Game

Taipu
Metru Diminished Rebuilt
Onu-Matoran
Occupation	Junior Archivist
Kanohi	Pakari
Status	Diminished
Pronunciation	TAY-poo

Taipu
Metru Diminished Rebuilt
Onu-Matoran
Occupation	Miner
Kanohi	Pakari
Tools	Bamboo Disk
Status	Rebuilt
Pronunciation	TAY-poo

Taipu
Metru Diminished Rebuilt
Onu-Matoran
Occupation	Miner Left hand of Whenua Kolhii player
Kanohi	Pakari
Tools	Bamboo Disk Kolhii stick
Status	Alive
Location	Spherus Magna
Pronunciation	TAY-poo

Taipu is a gullible but hard-working Onu-Matoran native to Metru Nui, and the left hand of Turaga Whenua.

Biography

Metru Nui

When he lived in Onu-Metru prior to the Great Cataclysm, Taipu was a junior Archivist of no particular renown. He was placed in a Matoran Sphere by the Vahki under order of Makuta Teridax disguised as Turaga Dume. He was rescued by the Toa Metru and transported to the island of Mata Nui, where he awakened on the shores of Naho Bay.

Mata Nui

As a result of exposure to the effects of his Matoran Sphere, Taipu's size and physical strength were diminished, and his memories lost entirely. Nevertheless, Taipu remained one of the strongest Onu-Matoran, and helped construct Onu-Koro under Turaga Whenua's guidance, partly using recycled materials from the dismantled Airships used by the Toa to transport the Matoran to Mata Nui.

On Mata Nui, Taipu worked as a Miner, and proved to be one of Onu-Koro's most steadfast workers. However, his friend Onepu would occasionally take advantage of Taipu's gullibility by convincing him to do his job as well. At the time of the Toa Mata's arrival, Taipu was working on digging a highway to Le-Koro. However, an underground lava flow cut off access to Onu-Koro's primary lightstone supply, leading to a lightstone shortage in the village. Most of Taipu's fellow miners went on strike, finding it impossible to work with the poor light and smoky air of torches. Taipu was the only one who stubbornly persisted, determined to reach Le-Koro, whose beauty he had only heard about from Onepu's stories.

Fortunately, a wandering Matoran named Takua managed to drain the lava blocking the way to the Cavern of Light, and Taipu was the first to break through to Le-Wahi. He begged Takua to let him go along and see Le-Koro, and was overjoyed when the Chronicler let him come. Soon after spotting Le-Koro, however, Taipu was captured by an infected Nui-Rama, and taken to its hive. Here, he was forced to dig alongside the captured Le-Matoran, and "encouraged" by a watching Electric Bug whenever his digging faltered. Takua and the Gukko Bird Force would eventually enter the hive on a rescue mission, but ended up trapped there as well. Moments after their arrival, Taipu witnessed the battle between Onua and the infected Lewa, and rode with Onua when they escaped from the hive. He then stayed for a while at Le-Koro and celebrated with the Le-Matoran before returning to Onu-Koro.

Soon after, Taipu was recruited from mining detail in the Great Mine by Takua on the advice of Whenua, who said that he had talked long and often of the adventure in Le-Wahi. He eagerly joined the Chronicler's Company and helped to clear obstacles on the path to the Kini-Nui. He and Hafu worked together to clear a rockslide, which the latter carved into a statue of himself. When the Company arrived at the Kini-Nui, they defended the temple from vicious Rahi so the Toa would be able to escape freely. The Company almost failed, and would have been overwhelmed if the Ta-Koro Guard, Gukko Bird Force, and the Ussalry had not shown up to help.

Taipu playing as goal-keeper in a kolhii match of the tournament

During the evacuation of a Gahlok raid on Onu-Koro, Taipu helped in the getting the Matoran to safety, by keeping the path open while Onepu directed the Matoran. When the last Matoran Nuparu was rushing toward the exit, the three were trapped in a cave after a flood of gushing water beat its way through Onu-Koro. Taipu then spoke with Onepu, being confused as to what had happened. Nuparu arrived and introduced himself to Onepu and Taipu and then, using Nuparu's Lightstone, they journeyed through the cavern. All of them jumped at the sight of a Gahlok, but it was deactivated without a krana. Using knowledge Onepu had attained from Whenua about the nature of the Bohrok, Nuparu engineered from the Bohrok pieces a machine called the Boxor. With it, they broke out of the cavern and saved Onu-Koro.

Later, after the defeat of the Bohrok-Kal, Taipu was rebuilt into a stronger form, and Whenua chose him to be goal-keeper of the Onu-Koro kolhii team to participate in the island-wide kolhii tournament, although he and Onepu did not make it to the Championship.

He was evacuated from Onu-Koro with the other Matoran during the Rahkshi attack.

Return to Metru Nui

When the Matoran prepared to return to Metru Nui, Taipu helped build the Boats required for the journey. At the city, he also provided assistance in the repair of damaged areas. He temporarily stopped his work of reconstruction on order of Jaller, to force the Turaga to reveal where the Toa Nuva had gone, but he eventually got back to work.

After Teridax was killed and the Matoran Universe hit the ground, Taipu was crushed under rubble in the Archives. Tamaru and Macku dug Taipu out, and they all noticed the gaping hole in Teridax's head. Taipu helped Macku and Tamaru save the survivors, once again branding themselves the Chronicler's Company.

Taipu later left Metru Nui to live on Spherus Magna, accompanied by his fellow surviving Matoran.

Abilities and Traits

Taipu works hard and does his best, persisting with tasks even long after others might quit. However, he can be somewhat gullible, and easily manipulated by Onepu, whom he admires. Taipu also has an adventurous streak, and will often talk excitedly about places he has never visited. His greatest wish is to travel and see wonderful sights like Takua, but his loyalty to Turaga Whenua and Onu-Koro will always come first and foremost. He is Whenua's left hand and the strongest Onu-Matoran, if not one of the strongest Matoran in general. Despite his small stature, he is able to lift many times his own weight. Taipu is incredibly loyal to his friends and will be the first to protect them. However, he is rather clumsy, which can sometimes interfere with his desire to help.

Taipu possesses limited night vision, as with all Onu-Matoran.

Quotes

"A long time ago many rocks fell on my head. That did not hurt much. Neither do these Rahi."
— Taipu, Mata Nui Online Game

"I am not Hafu! I am Taipu! Why does everyone think I am Hafu, and he is me? We are not even from the same village!"
— Taipu, The Final Chronicle

Trivia

Taipu as he appeared in the Mata Nui Online Game

• In the Mata Nui Online Game, Taipu and Hafu had their Kanohi switched. This caused confusion, as Taipu wore a Pakari in CGI images, but a Ruru in the game. He still had his Kanohi switched in the Mata Nui Online Animations. The error was eventually fixed in the Mata Nui Online Game II: The Final Chronicle, with both Matoran wearing their respective Kanohi. This was referenced by an option for Hahli to greet Taipu as Hafu, which leads the confused Onu-Matoran to question why everyone confuses him for the carver.
• In BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa, Taipu has a color scheme of purple, grey and orange, and like most Matoran in the game his mask is randomized.

Appearances

Books	Online	Multimedia
Guides BIONICLE: Encyclopedia BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated	Story Wall of History (M) Reign of Shadows Animations Mata Nui Online Animations	Video Games BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa BIONICLE: The Legend of Mata Nui (NC) (M) Online Games Mata Nui Online Game (FA) Mata Nui Online Game II: The Final Chronicle