#le matoran

[starryknight-dragonarts]

The average village characters are often an overlooked part of any fantasy story, who cares about what the Basket weaver is doing I want to see the cool things the Heroes are up to! That's not the case in Bionicle, the Matoran villagers that the Toa protect are just as interesting as the Toa themselves and this is explored heavily in the early series point-and click adventure game MNOG (Mata Nui Online Game) You view the Vast Island of Mata Nui as a Wandering Matoran named Takua who travels from village to village helping other Matoran with their problems and occasionally running into the Toa and getting to see them doing something cool and Heroic, also despite being a Browser based game from the early 2000's meant to sell Legos it's also one of the best pieces of interactive media! You are immersed in this world learning about lore and mysteries from this franchize and the Matoran villagers who make this world feel alive and lived in so you are just as invested in protecting the Island from the Evils of The Makuta as the Toa Heroes!

One of the Memorable characters is a little Matoran from the Air Village Le-Koro named Tamaru. When Tamaru is introduced the Le-Matoran are hiding because their home in the treetops of the jungle have been attacked by Giant Wasp Monsters called Nui Rama who have kidnapped other villagers! By playing a little tune on a flute you notify the village that it's safe to come out now. Kongu the Heroic Bird Rider swings down to meet you by swinging down a vine!...Followed by Tamaru who proceeds to fall and faceplant behind him.

Tamaru is not just a comic relief character, part of the appeal is that they do not fit in among the other Le-Matoran and some of these details though never explicitly stated have lead fans to the widely accepted headcanon that Tamaru is a Trans-Girl Le-Matoran.

A little bit of weird Bionicle worldbuilding is that all of the elements among Matoran, Toa, and Turaga are gendered. This was actually a sort of clever work around on the creators of Bionicle part because of some really stupid rules when it comes to marketing children's toys...as much as I wish decisions could purley be made for the benefit of telling a good story, Bionicle was made to sell Toys because Lego was going Bankrupt in the Early 2000s and needed an original action based franchise that could compete with Star Wars as their best seller before Bionicle were Lego Star Wars sets which means Lego had to pay royalties back to Lucas Films. Basically the reason Toys are so heavily split between Boys and Girls is because corporations want in that way, they split demographics so they are not competing with themselves for Toy sales. Bionicle was Marketed to appeal to boys, so usually with other kids media they would have all Male Hero characters, and a girl on the side who isn't as cool as the heros. By gendering the Elements they made sure that there would always be a girl member of the team who is an Equal member to the dudes. Just as Strong, just as Cool, and just as heroic as her male counterparts. 

I wish they had at least made the team equally split between Male and Female characters, of the 6 original elements only 1 of the tribes is Female, the Ga-Matorans (Water). I guess I gotta take what I can get...but then there is Tamaru. 

Most Le-Matoran are very agile and graceful living up in the trees, leaping from branches, swinging on vines, riding giant birds. Makes sense for a village with Air as their element. This does not come naturally to Tamaru though, Tamaru is scared of heights and gets dizzy looking down at a long fall, but Tamaru has something that the other Le-Matoran don't...She can Swim. Le-Matoran typically don't like water and don't like swimming, it just feels wrong to them for some reason, however Tamaru has no such problem with Water and is more comfortable in the water than she is in the air almost like she has the coding of a Ga-matoran not a Le-Matoran!

Despite being different from the other Le-Matoran, Tamaru is still Heroic. She joins the Chronicler's party and helps defend the Temple Kini Nui from being destroyed by The Makuta's possessed beasts and ensures the Toas safe return to the surface because sometimes Heroes need a Hero too.

This is why Tamaru is very special to me and many other Bionicle Fans.

[irradiated-imp]

For some posts in a friend's discord server, I made my own takes on the various Matoran builds. Figured since I just did a post with the Okotoran build, why not post the rest of them? They're in order of appearance. 01/Mctoran 03/Kolhiitoran 04/Metrutoran 06/Voyatoran 07/Mahritoran 08/Av Matoran

[chancetimespace]

Bohrok, Krana, Le-Koro, and Trauma

We don’t actually know who got caught first, do we?

We know Lewa was last, or at least close to last, since the villagers’ safety was used as blackmail to get Lewa to put the krana on. I could maybe see one or two Matoran potentially hiding until after Lewa was captured, but then Lewa was forced to hunt them down.

However, we don’t know who was caught first, or just as importantly, second. What if Matau was ambushed while doing a short patrol, and was then forced to put Krana on the villagers he had sworn to protect? What if it was Tamaru, who already has a fear of heights and now has to deal with a fear of him/her/theirself? What if Kongu, who was so proud to protect his villagers, but was made to betray them against his will? What if Ka tried to save him, but was driven back by the Bohrok, or Kongu himself ordered Ka away to keep Ka from being injured further?

Who found a friend alone and seemingly injured, only for them to turn around and force a Krana on their face? Or were they all just swarmed at once and the escapees were hunted down shortly afterwards?

Imagine being held down by your friends and having a body-possessing parasite attached to your face. Imagine being afraid of your friends, your neighbors, the ones who were supposed to protect you but at the same time knowing it isn’t their fault. Imagine the trauma of knowing you had done this to someone you care about.

Someone please get Le-Koro a therapist.

[toa-kohutti]

It's Just Paint

A drabble about a Le-Matoran and his jar of paint. Also available on Archive of Our Own.

It’s just paint. 

Aylun tried to convince himself that this was ridiculous, a waste of his time. Objectively, it was. There was no reason to be spending his quiet time doing this. If the other Matoran knew, they’d rightfully make fun and criticize him for his wastefulness. Why paint yourself, especially if it’s not even something you’re going to keep on, instead just wiping it away moments later? 

At least he would just wipe it away. There’d be nary a trace on his armor, and nobody would know and judge him. They couldn’t know he was doing such stupid things. They could label him defective and send him off to Karzahni… and Aylun never knew anyone who came back from Karzahni. 

In his little corner of Le-Metru, a small carving out of the city to call a tiny home, with little more than a bed, a few storage containers, and a mirror turned to the other side, nobody else could see him.  He didn’t have anything to be afraid of. So why, when he held the jar of color, were his fingers trembling?

It’s just paint. 

His stomach was tied up into a knot. He was defective for doing this, he had to be. But something deep in him, deeper than the feelings of shame, pushed him forward, and it told him to listen louder than that shame or even the reverence for the Three Virtues. So he did. 

He picked up an old, dry brush in his quivering grip. He took a deep breath, swallowed his fear, pride, and something else entirely, and dipped it into the jar. It was something that terrified him, and yet, as soon as he began, all of the trembling, the pit in his stomach, all the indecisiveness, evaporated. He drew the brush out, now saturated with the sticky color, and began to paint.

He started with his mask - thankfully, the style of Metru Nui masks made it so he only had to paint two-thirds of his mask, with half melting into a silver he had no problem with. Silver was a color anyone could have, but the rest of him was green. He wasn’t sure if he hated green sometimes. Some days, he bristled against the flood of it that is his Metru. Others were… fine. But he knew he hated the green on him. 

It’s just paint. 

His shoulders were next - thankfully, the green on his armor barely wrapped around to where he couldn’t reach. A little stretch and holding the brush at an awkward angle, and the green disappeared. Then his chest, his stomach, the rest of his torso. He wasn’t sure if it was going fast, or if he was just lost in it. But moments later, he was finished. He stood up, and turned the mirror over. 

In the mirror, he saw a Ga-Matoran. A girl wearing a vibrant blue mask and blue armor, not a Le-Matoran in a pallid green. And he was happy. He turned around and around, watching himself in the mirror, a looking glass to another world where he was another Matoran. His heart leapt with joy, and every movement was full of sureness. 

The paint… it made him happy. He reached out to his reflection, red eyes peering back at him behind a beautiful blue mask, and for a moment, it almost spoke to him. Her - no, his arm, was held out, as if it was urging him to step through the mirror and come with her. The girl in the mirror’s eyes were filled with a longing, as if she yearned to be real. But “she” was just Aylun, just him, wearing a color. 

It’s just paint.

“Aylun!” His daydream was cut short as his friend banged on his door. “Come on, it’s now-time for hard-work!!” He panicked. His stomach dropped again, and he rushed for the rag, ready to scrub off all of this paint before it dried. 

“I’m coming!” He called. “I’ll be there in a….” It pained him for a second to use Chutespeak, but he did it anyway. “Quick-second!” It was forced, and if they looked for it, they could tell something was up.  But it was enough, he prayed to the Great Spirit, that it would keep them from finding his secrets. 

He scrubbed the paint away, and soon, there was no trace of it he could find on his body. In the mirror he saw, now, nothing more than Aylun, his boring, defective old self. That same mirror that gave him elation moments before reminded him, painfully, like a Rahi’s claw dug into his gut and twisted, that the happiness moments before…

It’s just paint.

[the-immortal-angel]

[dontfindme445]

I made a new matoran oc

Idk what to name them, but I’m thinking “Eyhah” would sound cool.

I’m thinking Osuk and them would become friends after Seradoka became a Turaga. And they first met when they both moved to Yhatokk Nui, but only became true friends when Turaga Seradoka chose them as his first and second hand.

I like to think that there was a bit of a time before they had managed to bring Yhatokk nui into Mata Nui’s skull considering they’d have to dig their own hole to make it there safely. I also think that Osuk only becomes a Toa after Yhatokk Nui arrives at Metru Nui.

[torvus-bong]

I showed mask of light to my partner the other day and like 7 minutes in they're like "it's giving early aughts barbie movie" and I can't stop thinking about it sfkfhgdb

[musurvivalistguide]

Okay, hear me out.

When the Rahaga were first learning how to do what they could to save rahi from the Visorak (and likely in general), they had to have learned quite a lot from failing before figuring out the techniques that work best. Best example: Kualus learning how to do birdspeak. But...

What if they developed a secret "hunting" technique?

Imagine this: the Toa Hordika helping the Rahaga as they're also trying to figure things out before Vakama's betrayal. They come across a rahi that's hiding in a spot that would get exposed or destroyed by the Visorak, and it refuses to come out even with their best techniques. One of the Rahaga suggests using "the secret hunting technique", and the Toa Hordika watch in fascination and confusion as whichever Rahaga volunteers to perform it...

And it becomes the goofiest dance they've ever seen. They can't believe anyone would even dance so strangely on purpose. Worse yet, they can't even believe it's even working! How is this working?!

Whenua is now questioning how this technique has the effect it does on rahi, and I would not be surprised if he didn't try to learn how to do it himself!

...Matau totally got hypnotized by the dance as well, tell me not 😂

(Inspiration for this random idea came from this Amphibia scene here.)

[mocsbylexan]

New Atero Ussal Crab

Aqua Magna, c. 100,000 AGR

Named for the ancient Bara Magnan city in which they were first raised, these rahi are still an essential part of modern matagori life, and just as beloved as their pre-rejoining forbearers ever were. The villagers of Meki Nui raise them mostly as pets and beasts of burden, but ussal racing is a popular sport in the underground portion of the village, and the most dedicated villagers take great care in raising and keeping their pedigree racing crabs.

Moctober 2022, day 23

[communicore]

Gonna pass out here after this, but concept of Hordika matoran. Imagine how little they'd be

[crystaltoa]

Kongu's Guide to Being a Toahero!

Flypractice can timewait. Toaduty first!

2. No maskborrowing from sleeping Toabrothers.

3. Above doubletrue for yucksquirmy Inika masks!

4. Own mask thinkshares Toabrothers' cringethoughts? Be heartstrong and notsay. Yes, even deepfunny ones. Not worth trustbreak!

5. (Can judgestare them littlebit though.)

6. Codeswitch slowspeak groundwalkers diretime. Treespeakteach later if learnwilling.

7. Groundwalkers notlearnwilling? Treespeak more peacetime. Forcelearn hardway.

[mugbearerscorner]

Nanaki, the Muaka Pup

A get-better-soon gift art for a friend. <3 @halcyonlioness

[irradiated-imp]

The Toa Okoto(In Matoran and Toa forms) The first Toa Team to be formed on the island of Okoto Nui. Like many Teams before them, they don't always get along well, but they do their best to protect Okoto Nui from the threat of the Bone Hunters. Their members are

Okua(Fire) Former 'Turaga' of a small village in Ta-Oko. Though he's confident in leading the functions of a small village, he has difficulties leading a Toa Team.

Lodhu(Air) Member of the Le-Ifo Guard. Over all he is incredibly jovial and friendly, and gets along well with just about everyone on the team. He is Boxor Certified.

Toja(Ice) Excitable and curious, Toja was one of Okoto-Nui's many Chroniclers prior to becoming a Toa. He still makes an effort to keep up with his Chronicler responsibilities as a Toa.

Vikitoo(Stone) Vikitoo is easily the most tempermental of the Toa Okoto, with little patience for the antics of his team mates. He used to be a Courier, specifically operating out of the Muupar Desert of Po-Oko.

Enha(Water) A teacher turned Toa of Water. She specialized in zoology and still gets excited about the Rahi of Okoto Nui. Ironically, she suffers from thalasaphobia.

Arvho(Earth) Arvho worked as a miner in one of Onu-Oko's many mining settlements. He's stubborn and sarcastic, but tries to get along with the others. He was rendered mute by a mining accident. He communicates through a combination of sign language, and using his elemental powers to inscribe writing into the ground. The six were trained by Toa Izewi, when he had the time to train them anyways. The Turaga, Narmoto, Vizuna, Izotor, Nilkuu, Kivoda, and Korgot also provided aid in the Toa Okoto's training.

[nameshifter]

#laketober, part 10: Trumpet Solo or "I literally never listen to any music that has trumpets"

I almost pity the fact that the prompt necessitated a character, as I felt that the initial composition was a lot better without the matoran. Oh well

[necromastersdomainstuff]

Le-Koro at sunrise. Just a nice, simple slice-of-life piece for the villagers of Mata Nui.

[magicalgirlartist]

[ID: 3 square images of humanized Kongu, a young man with a green ponytail with feathers stuck in it, a green tank top, and brown falconer's glove on his right hand. In the first, he holds his hand to his chin and thinks "Quick-think, Kongu! How would Toa Lewa act-handle this?" In the second, he thinks of Lewa winking and giving double peace signs, saying "Run off on your own and get possessed lol." Kongu looks up towards him, awkward and sweating slightly, thinking "On second think-work, what would Turaga Matau do?" In the third, he buries his face in his hands and screams as he imagines Matau saying "Have you tried wind-flying directly into the wrong-problem?" helpfully. End ID.]

Kongu suddenly comes to the realization that every authority figure in his life is Very Silly and Not Helpful In This Situation

[Commissions open!]