Tarakava
"The first thing to remember about Tarakava is that even if you can't see them, they are always there. "
— Rahaga Gaaki, Rahi Beasts
| Tarakava | |
|
Tarakava
Tarakava Nui
| |
| |
| Rahi | |
| Known locations | Ga-Metru (formerly) Ga-Wahi (formerly) Waters near Mahri Nui (formerly) Spherus Magna[1] |
| Pronunciation | TAH-rah-kah-vah[2] tah-RAH-kah-VAH[3][4] |
| Set | 8549 Tarakava (instructions) |
| Tarakava Nui | |
|
Tarakava
Tarakava Nui
| |
| |
| Tarakava | |
| Status | Alive |
| Pronunciation | tah-RAH-kah-VAH NOO-ee[5][6] |
| Set | Tarakava Nui (instructions) |
The Tarakava, also known as Water Tarakava,[7] are lizard-like amphibian sea creatures that hunt in pairs and live near water regions.[8]
History
The Tarakava species was created by the Makuta using Viruses and Liquid Protodermis to be one of the Rahi to inhabit the Matoran Universe.[9]
On Metru Nui, Tarakava patrolled the shallow waters around Ga-Metru, occasionally spotted along the coastline in other parts of Metru Nui.[8] They normally spent their time hunting seabirds and large Rahi who came to the water to drink, but they were also known to attack Matoran.[8]
After Teridax caused the Great Cataclysm, the undersea Tarakava nests were disturbed, making these Rahi even more dangerous.[8] Many Tarakava fled to the island of Mata Nui,[4] where they settled in the island's rivers and shallow shorelines. They were soon placed under the control of Teridax through his infected masks.[10] The Ga-Matoran frequently took pity upon Tarakava and cared for them when they were freed from Teridax's control.[11]
Tarakava also lived in the waters around Mahri Nui. When a Le-Matoran scientist tested his prototype transport, it propelled him into the arms of a Tarakava. Afterwards, the design was abandoned as a form of transport.[12]
Soon after Gali arrived on Mata Nui, she was attacked by an infected Tarakava, but she escaped using her power over Water.[13]
An infected male Tarakava sunk one of the huts in Ga-Koro, trapping many of the Ga-Matoran and Turaga Nokama inside. Macku escaped and sought help from Takua, who managed to raise the hut. The Tarakava attacked the village, but was defeated by Gali, who removed his infected mask. Without Teridax's influence, the creature was much more docile, and was nursed back to health by Kotu.[14]
While Gali was exploring the waters of Mata Nui, another infected Tarakava attacked her. She managed to trick the Tarakava into a cave and then covered the entrance with rocks to block its exit. After Gali had retrieved her Miru from the cliffs, more Tarakava attacked her, in conjunction with Nui-Jaga.[15] Tahu dispatched the scorpions, while Gali took on the lizards. One Tarakava downed her with its powerful limbs, and she landed in the water. These Tarakava fled while Tahu rescued Gali. Teridax later marshaled several Tarakava to attack the Toa Mata during their meeting, but these were defeated by Tahu and Pohatu.[16]
Later, while the Toa Mata were underground, attempting to reach Teridax, Tarakava assaulted Kini-Nui along with other Rahi. These were repelled by the Matoran military, and eventually retreated when Teridax was defeated.[7]
After a Venom Eel got enlarged by the Kanohi Ignika, it ate many Tarakava and Takea in a cave near Mahri Nui.[12]
The Tarakava did their best to avoid the Bohrok, and later retreated back to Metru Nui when the Toa Nuva released the Bohrok to do their job.[17]
After the Mata Nui Robot was critically damaged in the Battle of Bara Magna, many Tarakava left the Matoran Universe and immigrated to Spherus Magna.[1]
Two-Headed Tarakava
A mutated, easily angered Tarakava with two heads and elongated necks[18] was created by the Energized Protodermis Entity.[19][20] It was first discovered when it attacked a Ga-Matoran fishing boat. The Ga-Matoran escaped, but the two-headed Tarakava left only splinters of the boat.[21] During the last six months before the Great Cataclysm, the Tarakava was captured by Vahki Bordakh and housed in the Metru Nui Archives, where it was placed in a water tank on a sub-level, since it is immune to stasis.[22]
About 1,001 years ago, Toa Metru Nuju ignored Whenua's advice and entered the Tarakava's cell in the Archives, seeking the Great Disk of Onu-Metru. Nuju tapped the glass, and the Tarakava tried to attack him, cracking the inner layer of glass in the tank. Whenua found Nuju, chastised him for annoying the beast, and both of them left the angry Tarakava alone.[23]
Tarakava Nui
The Tarakava Nui, also known as the King of Lizards,[24] was a mutated Tarakava created by Teridax.[6]
Prior to his attempted take-over of Metru Nui, Teridax created the Tarakava Nui with the help of the Energized Protodermis Entity. When the Matoran traveled to Mata Nui, the Tarakava Nui followed, and seriously impeded efforts to build Ga-Koro, until the Ga-Matoran and Turaga Nokama finally drove it off.[6]
1,000 years later, the Tarakava Nui was forced to return to Metru Nui when the Bohrok were released by the Toa Nuva.[17]
After the Battle of Bara Magna, it left the Matoran Universe and immigrated to Spherus Magna.[1]
Abilities and Traits
Tarakava are amphibious Rahi that can stay underwater for long periods of time. In place of hind legs, they have a tread-like appendage. Like some other species of Rahi, Tarakava come in several colors, such as blue or teal. They mainly hunt in pairs, and their primary hunting method is to lurk just below the water, stalk their prey, and then stun their victim with blows from their powerful forelimbs. They are strong enough to capsize large watercraft. Tarakava generally stay in shallow waters[10][8] and avoid deep water, where their natural predators such as Takea can be found. Tarakava also rely on the element of surprise to ambush their prey, so a Tarakava is most vulnerable if it misses its target after surfacing.[8] During the Great War, infected Tarakava were feared by sailing Matoran above any other Rahi. Most of the Toa Mata, especially Lewa and Pohatu, were at a disadvantage against Tarakava in their natural element of water, and even Gali remained wary of them.[10]
Set Information
| Tarakava Set | |||||
| |||||
8549 Tarakava was a boxed set released in the summer of 2001. The set contained 411 parts used to create two Tarakava, one blue, bearing a Pakari and one teal, bearing a Kakama. On each Tarakava's back two levers could be found, with which one could make the Tarakava model punch with its corresponding fist. This was advertised as a means for the Tarakava to battle each other or a Toa Mata set. When a Tarakava's mask was knocked off by another figure, its jaw would go limp and drop as if in injury. The two Tarakava could be combined to form a Tarakava Nui, the instructions for which could be found in the back of the instruction booklet of the teal Rahi.
A prototype set form was revealed for a subspecies, the Sand Tarakava.[25] This was provided to Saffire, Inc. by The LEGO Group in order to assist with the development of the BIONICLE: The Legend of Mata Nui video game. This prototype was later sold on eBay by a former Saffire employee, Darvell D. Hunt, who received it after winning a team bowling tournament.[26]
Quotes
"But we have rules here too — like don't annoy the two-headed Tarakava, if at all possible."
"It does seem... excitable."
"Last ones to excite it before it came here were two Ga-Matoran in a fishing skiff. They were lucky to make it out of the sea. The skiff wound up as sawdust."
— Whenua and Nuju, Trial by Fire
Trivia
- The Tarakava's appearance in games tends to vary from the physical sets. In the Mata Nui Online Game, the Tarakava combines the build of the prototype Sand Tarakava model with the color scheme of the blue Tarakava model; its later appearance in the Battle for Kini-Nui adds the blue Tarakava's "feet" pieces. Similarly, in BIONICLE: The Legend of Mata Nui, the Tarakava is a teal-colored version of the Sand Tarakava model. In BIONICLE: Maze of Shadows, the Tarakava sprite uses the teal Tarakava model with blue colors.
- Though commonly referred to as lizard-like in the story, the August 2000 revision of the story bible refers to the Tarakava as a "boxing gorilla."[27]
Appearances
| Books | Comics | Multimedia |
|---|---|---|
|
Novels
Guides
Activity |
BIONICLE |
Online Games
Video Games
Card Games |
References
See also
| BIONICLE Sets of 2001 | ||
| Small | 8540 Vakama | 8541 Matau | 8542 Onewa | 8543 Nokama | 8544 Nuju | 8545 Whenua | | |
| Medium | 8531 Pohatu | 8532 Onua | 8533 Gali | 8534 Tahu | 8535 Lewa | 8536 Kopaka | |
| Large | 8537 Nui-Rama | 8538 Muaka & Kane-ra | 8539 Manas | 8548 Nui-Jaga | 8549 Tarakava | |
| Collectible | 8525 BIONICLE Masks | |
| Special | 8546 PowerPack | |
| Promotional | 1388 Huki | 1389 Onepu | 1390 Maku | 1391 Jala | 1392 Kongu | 1393 Matoro | |
| see full list | ||
| BIONICLE Combiner and Alternate Models of 2001 | ||
| Combiner Model | Akamai | Wairuha | Turaga Nui | Matoran Nui (Kaita 1) (Kaita 2) | Mata Nui Cow | Dikapi | Fikou | Turaga Kaita (Alpha) (Beta) (Gamma) | |
| Alternate Model | Nui-Kopen | Kuma-Nui | Mana Ko | Kahu | Tarakava Nui | |
| see full list | ||
| Navigation |
| Characters | Sapient Species | Locations | Flora | Creatures | Rahi | Objects | Powers | Vehicles | Society | Events LEGO | TECHNIC | BIONICLE | Hero Factory | BS01 Wiki | Policies | Sources | Saga Guides | Timeline | Media | Sets |