#lesovikk

[bioniclechicken]

ULTIMATE MATORAN UNIVERSE

[beesgav]

them green boys

[mimicry-works]

That's how the investigation in The powers that be goes right? That scene we totally got in the murder mystery story.

Bellow panel didn't really fit in the end.

[toaarcan]

What is the Default Toa Form?

So, theory time.

It's a common fandom headcanon that the natural state of all Toa is the Toa Metru build. The reasons for this are varied (but if I'm honest seem mostly rooted in the fandom's love affair with the build that came to an end during the TTV Hagah Contest rather than any actual lore), but I personally disagree with this.

So I'm going to run through the various Toa builds in roughly chronological order (with one exception) and determine whether I think they're likely to be the true default form of a Toa.

1) Helryx

Well, right away, here's one that probably isn't.

Helryx is the oldest build lore-wise, newest IRL. She's also kind of a "Meta Build", aiming to look like a forerunner to the Toa Mata build we'll discuss shortly, not by directly evoking the way the Mata were styled (I would argue that a lot of the Mata's identifying hallmarks aren't present in her), but by being primarily composed of parts from 2001 and earlier.

However... this isn't what Helryx always looked like. Nor is the art that actually represents the canonised design.

The intent of the contest was to create Helryx as she appears in the present, after thousands of years of wear, tear and repair. In the text, she's referred to as disturbingly frail and alien-looking compared to what Takanuva expects a Toa to look like.

Even if she once looked like a default Toa, she doesn't now.

Orde, the only other known prototype Toa, never received a canon design (for what it's worth, I won't be putting a lot of weight on the DuckBricks Fanon Contest designs, since they're, well, fanon. So Bukkey's Orde won't be factored in here, besides me noting that he has a more Mata-esque body than Helryx does).

However, another popular headcanon is that Krakua represents another example of this generation of Toa, as Helryx would've been the basis for Krakua's transformation.

Perhaps this is what Helryx would've lookedd like when she was healthy and built?

Well, as much as I like that headcanon, and will continue to use it in fanon, probably not. Based on the evidence we have of Toa transformations, both in-story through Takanuva and the Toa Metru, the transformation is pretty much 1-to-1 with current forms. The Metru all get Lhikan's build exactly, except for specifically their height. Likewise, Takanuva's build is identical to Gali Nuva's, despite him not being a Toa Nuva. He didn't resemble base Gali, he resembled her current form.

If Krakua was transformed in Helryx's image, he'd likely be just as small, spindly, and hunched-over as she is.

For now, Krakua remains a weird outlier.

2) Mata

While not as common a choice as the Toa Metru build, the Mata build has also been suggested a few times as "Base Toa," largely because it's the original. It's relatively simple, and depicting any given Toa as a Mata build is easy enough and looks good.

(I honestly prefer it over the Metru build. It's easier to put proper hips, knees and elbows on a Mata than it is to un-fuck a Metru's shoulders and neck)

However, the Toa Mata are actually pretty much unique entities within the Matoran Universe, unlike any Toa before or after them. They are the only Toa who aren't transformed from Matoran or built by the Great Beings, instead being created by Artakha.

As a result of that unique method of creation, it's entirely reasonable to suggest that the Toa Mata look different to every other Toa in the world besides Takanuva, who was transformed in their image. They're the only canonical Toa whose bodies directly resemble the Great Spirit Robot itself, use these specific colour schemes, and have its specific design language in their construction.

3) Hagah/Mangai/Metru

By far the most popular contender for this title, but one I don't personally agree with.

We don't know whether the Toa Hagah were built or transformed, but we know they were assembled from across the Matoran universe and given new armour upon recruitment into Teridax's team, and we have no idea what they looked like before they were given this armour, beyond Bomonga presumably already having his huge limbs. Additionally, the Metru were all transformed based on Lhikan, so it's him I'll be focusing on mostly.

Lhikan was transformed and was trained at a Toa Fortress around 6000 years ago. We don't know what the other Mangai looked like (though they're popularly headcanoned as being Metru too, no canon look for them was ever settled).

However, my stance is that this design is not the default (Lhikan would've been transformed in someone's image), but rather a cultural one, a sort of 'uniform' armour style adopted by Toa during the height of their power, when the Toa Fortresses were active and Toa were commonly trained by other Toa. The image of a Toa would've become a consistent thing, and caused almost all transformed Toa to adopt it for a time, making it almost a new default, but not the original, until the Toa genocide and the subspecies becoming largely extinct caused things to diverge again.

This is, to be specific, not a counter-theory I'm proposing to the "Default Metru" theory in and of itself, but rather a part of a wider theory, explaining the commonality of the Metru build when I think that the last spot on our list is the real default.

And that leaves us with only one option.

4) Inika/Mahri/Cordak/Nuva 2.0/Glatorian

So yes, I think this is the default Toa build.

That might strike you as weird, considering that the Inika are only transformed at the beginning of the Ignition Arc, right before the end of the story in terms of the MU's timescale, and the Nuva adopt this design even later.

But let's consider a few points, shall we?

First off, the Toa Inika are the first and only Toa team we see who are transformed into their Toa forms, and do not have their appearance influenced by previous Toa. And while there's some weirdness with their heads and powers, their bodies seem pretty normal, and remain as such after their Inika weirdness is removed by the Ignika.

Secondly, we know the Great Beings made the Matoran based on the Agori, and the Toa based on the Glatorian. The first Matoran, the default form of a Matoran as it were, are the Av-Matoran, who use the same build as the Agori exactly. Should it not stand to reason that a default Toa uses the same build as the Glatorian?

Additionally, like the Glatorian, the Inika build and its derivatives have by far the most variation from individual to individual. True, we've never seen a Toa as weird as Strakk, but that doesn't mean that none existed.

Thirdly, there's one more character we haven't discussed thus far.

And this, then, is my smoking gun.

Lesovikk was a member of the first Toa Team, and one would assume based on that information that he's a purpose-built Toa. Well, he isn't. He's transformed. Given how rushed the Great Beings were at the end of the GSR project, I wager they found it easier to make a small number of Toa and then have them immediately transfer power to Matoran than it was to make thousands of Toa from the off.

Lesovikk may well be the first Toa transformed, and if he was, then his transformation would either be free of influence from anyone, or in the direct image of whomever transformed him, who could only be a default, purpose-built Toa.

"But wait!" I hear some of you typing already. "Lesovikk is a mutant, we have no idea what his true form looks like!"

Or do we?

Let's look at another character who was affected by Pit Mutagen in 2007, shall we?

This is Defilak, a Matoran of Mahri Nui. Like all the residents of Mahri Nui, he once lived on the Southern Continent, and later Voya Nui, after an ill-fated trip to Karzahni.

He used to be a weird little gremlin Matoran like his brethren from 2006, and transformed into the form above after being immersed in Pit Mutagen.

But here's the twist: Rather than simply mutating them directly from their twisted post-rebuild forms, the Mutagen actually reverted the Matoran of Mahri Nui to their original forms first, and only then started to mutate them.

This is Defilak's default form. This is what he always looked like, just with added weapons.

With that in mind, I think it's safe to say that Lesovikk is likely in the same boat: Reverted to his original form before the mutations started.

With the exception of the tube-like gill, I think it's more than probable that Lesovikk is mostly-normal still, and as such, is a very early Toa with a Mahri build.

With that in mind, I conclude that the default design for a Toa is a 2006-2009 build, with Helryx being the product of damage and repair, the Metru/Mangai/Hagah being a cultural design, the Mata being Artakha designs, and Krakua being a weird outlier.

[axonn1999]

Desolated One

[whiteheartlight]

Lesovikk being very warm and respectful with the Toa Mahri because they protected his Matoran and then VERY RUDE AND SHARP with the Toa Mata because he feels like they didn't handle Karzahni when they had the chance. merciful motherfuckers. Kongu gets on with Lesovikk now but has to gently steer him out of the room whenever Lewa comes to say hi. he hates those guys. wait what do you mean they're his nephews

[outofgloom]

THE MADNESS OF TURAGA

“Where are your Matoran, Bahtu? I’ve seen no one on the hike up here.”

The Turaga fiddled idly with his stick. His eyes wandered around the empty village.

“They are...they are gone, old friend.”

“Gone?”

“Yes.”

“Gone where? And why? What happened?”

“They were...broken.”

“Explain! Who did this?”

“Now calm yourself, my friend. My nerves are not what they used to be.”

The Toa stepped forward, lowering his voice.

“Tell me what happened, Bahtu. Was it Zygl--”

The Turaga began to speak gravely:

“It started with small things, you see. Day by day. Small changes. Small...deviations. A lost minute here or there. A construction made slightly different from the Standard. A repair completed with...I don’t have the word...”  The Turaga gestured limply, “...a ‘flourish’, maybe, as the Great Beings might have said. Maybe that.”

“I don’t underst--”

“--All still workable, to be sure,” the Turaga continued unbothered. “Still workable, but...but deviant, you see. Not according to the Great Standard. The Saa Nui is very demanding if us, as you know. And to stray would be disastrous.”

“So you say. And what then?”

“Oh, what then...let me see. Well, then came other strange things. The Matoran would...would talk to each other. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Not simply transmitting information, I mean, but...but talking for its own sake. I would catch them sometimes, coming around a corner, speaking about something or other that was clearly beyond the scope of that moment’s Duty. And though I corrected them, still they persisted. Even worse: they whispered instead. So many whispers. The village was full of whispering, day and night. I could not stop them all.”

“Go on.”

“Oh yes, yes, and then there were questions.”

“Questions are not out of the ordinary.”

“Of course not, no...but these questions were different. They began to ask all manner of things, inane things, like ‘Why do the sky-stars burn out at night?’ or ‘Where does the Great Spirit live?’ Once, one even asked me ‘Why should we work to fulfill our Duty?’”

The Turaga shook his head, “I was aghast, as you may imagine. I did not know what to say! I sent that Matoran away to work on the mountainside, away from the others, for a time, lest they...lest they ‘talk’ about it.”

“I still do not see what--”

“--And that’s not even the worst of it! Oh, my friend, one day...One day, they asked me for names. New names. Can you imagine it? Each and every one of them I named when they were brought forth from the eles raliska--gave them the embodiment of their Duty, their place in our world, and they thought they knew better! I could not bear it then. So...I sent them...away.”

“Where? To work on the mountainside?” The Toa looked up, scanning the hills in the distance, “Where did you send them?”

“No...to be mended.”

A light breeze made the thorn-trees rattle on the edge of the village. The shadows of the crumbling huts crept longer. The Turaga stopped fidgeting.

“You sent them to--”

“--To Him, yes! It was the only thing to be done.”

The Turaga began to gesture agitatedly, his words pouring out faster: “I put forth the summons, you see, and the Great Crabs came up from the sea, and--”

The Toa stepped closer, cutting him off:

“You know that few have ever returned from His Land. You know this.”

“Oh...I know. But it was right. They were too far gone. It would have been a disaster if I hadn’t. And if they do not return, then...well, more can be called up, if Mata wills it, and I will give them their names, and...”

“How long ago.”

“I...oh...perhaps some days--”

“--all of them?--”

“--...or years?” the Turaga mused. “My timing is all off now, you see, without the rhythm of their work. But it will soon be put right. Soon. Do not worry.”

“Years...” The Toa shook his head, “So you have been here alone, all this time. Doing nothing.”

“Waiting! Preparing! It will all be put right soon. Soon! You’ll see.”

“I cannot see that. The village is...”

The Toa looked around at the ruins of the village once more, lapsing into silence.

“They were broken, old friend. I could not let them suffer in that way. It was not right.”

“Did they fail in their work?”

“They deviated. It was necessary.”

A long silence followed.

“I see now,” the Toa said at last, in a quiet voice.

“Ah, that is good. You are a Toa, after all! Of all beings, you would understand. It had to be done, to keep the order of the world. It is what we are made for, you and I.”

Lesovikk’s hands closed slowly, slowly into fists, clenching until the armor of his gauntlets creaked. His gaze narrowed to a point, fixed upon the small, pathetic being before him. The wind died.

“I am not a Toa anymore.”

[makutaservaela]

More Random Quotes from my Bionicle Headcanon

-

Onua and Vezon. This occurred during the Toa Nuva's journey to Kimuri, during which they were separated from their Nuva symbols and converted to Toa Mata.

-

Lesovikk and Lewa, with Servaela in the background. Also during the journey to Kimuri.

-

Takanuva and Pohatu

-

Onua and Chirox, with Terix and Hinua in the foreground. Onua procreated with a Matoran to make Hinua, and in this scene, Onua and Chirox were discussing Hinua and Terix becoming regular playmates to help ally Toa and Makuta.

-

Kalmah and Krika, with Mantax, Takadox, and Pridak in the background. (In my HC, Krika was the queen of one of the Six Kingdoms before Takadox stole her kingdom and she sold him out to Miserix and hid as a male Makuta in shame. This scene takes place before she or Kalmah realise that Takadox literally has a hypnosis power, which I HC he had a version of before his mutation).

-

Lewa, Tanma, and Vhisola, with Solek on-screen. Solek, who was one of the beings sex-swapped during the conversion to organic, is pregnant off of Kopaka against his will and is just now coming to regret it. (For clarity, the sex was consensual, but he told her very clearly that he didn't want to have a baby). Also, Vhisola is a female Toa of Fire due to other events.

[randomwriteronline]

destiny thoughts including Lesovikk are fun bc i hate the choice of killing him off in the completed version of The Powers That Be after telling him his whole team's destiny and thus his own was to just fucking die an atrocious death. his takeaway shouldnt have been "theres no other point to my life other than sacrificing it/i had no responsibility for my teammates death bc it was always meant to be so i agonized abt it for millenia for nothing" it shouldve been "suck my entire dick". getting so mad abt it he cures his depression w spite. Lesovikk voice DESTINY IS A BITCH WERE ALL MASTERS OF OUR OWN FATE I FAILED MY TEAM DUE TO MY OWN CHOICES AND MISTAKES BUT IM GOING TO LIVE FOR THEM AND TELL THEIR TALES FOREVER AND THAT IS FINAL

[voidaspects]

Got my hands on lesovikk today. Very exciting. I immediately did the meanest thing I could and took this photo.

[onvermel]

Lesovikk and Nikila

[foundfamilyhq]

[xenon-noble]

Bionicle is cool because canonically, having depression and self worth issues means you're allowed to kill people

(from lesovikk's bs01 article)

[mimicry-works]

He's going through it.

[bioniclechicken]

Meryl Chrissy, as voted by Twitter

[afanofmanyhats]

The air was suffocatingly thick with despair. Lesovikk tightened his grip on the cliffside as he slowly shimmied across the stone. Below him a group of Manas rumbled as they swung fierce blows at each other. Whether it was a genuine fight to the death or simply a way to pass the time, Lesovikk couldn't tell. He simply thanked Mata Nui that his Faxon gave him the lizard-like camouflage and climbing ability to make it past them. The last time he had tried to infiltrate Karzahni had ended with several bruises and a crushed pauldron due to bad tactics on his part.

What else is new, he thought darkly. It wouldn't be the first time my plans got someone killed.

His foot caught onto a loose stone. His weight shifted, and he managed to grab a better foothold just as the shale fell down to the roiling mass of Rahi below. He held his breath as the rocks pattered against a monster's shell. It didn't bother to look up as a different Manas had just slammed a claw into its treads. Lesovikk let out his breath and continued, even more careful this time.

It was slow going. The mountains that ringed Karzahni were blackened from soot, and the ash-choked wind made it hard to breathe. At the same time he was chilled to the bone; no warmth would be found here. Yet he kept climbing, his mind burning as he made further progress into the domain of the damned.

When the Manas were beyond hearing, he finally lowered himself to the canyon floor. He sat for a moment and caught his breath. The air was colder, but clearer. The pain in his throat somehow revived him, and he soon stood back up.

I won't turn back this time. Sarda, Idris, Piruk- everyone, I won't leave without you.

He kept his camouflage, his armor blending into the rough grey and cold black of the rocks. He followed the canyon's passage until he finally saw an opening into a wider space. At the edges of the wall he spotted two figures on either side. He moved to duck out of sight until he realized they were too small to be Manas. Matoran, maybe?

He crept forward, cautious of any traps Karzahni or his minions may have set down. He detected nothing. As he drew closer, his caution turned to curiosity, then to confusion. They were statues. Rather than depicting guards, as he would have expected, they were Matoran. Bizarrely shaped, gangly Matoran, but Matoran all the same. They sat on rocks, one holding a pickaxe and the other a chisel. Their expressions seemed weary beyond all belief.

They must be a warning to what awaits the Matoran who come here. Toil without reward.

As he passed, Lesovikk got the uncanny feeling they were watching him.

Lesovikk felt his heartlight dim as he surveyed the land before him. The sky was black with soot, illuminated only by the red glows of flames scattered throughout the region. Far in the distance he could see a twisted black metal citadel. Smoke billowed from countless chimneys, and the light glowing from the windows made it seem like a many-eyed monster was staring back at him. A giant gate opened its maw, and he could see tiny figures scurrying in and out of it.

Closer to him, the land was dry with pale sand, only broken up by rock spires, more statues resembling the ones he had just encountered, and twisted plants that didn't seem living. Further away, a collection of huts haphazardly grouped together were centered on a gloomy lake. They were Matoran-sized.

Could it be...? They look like the huts back home!

His pulse rising, Lesovikk began to hurry. If his hunch was right, then his journey would soon be over. Maybe he would be able to start his redemption properly. Even if he couldn't bring his team back, surely he could rescue his Matoran from the bowels of this hell.

One of the statues suddenly jerked up. Lesovikk stumbled in surprise and drew his blade. He leveled it as the figure creaked its joints, its mask turning to face him.

Lesovikk felt his blood freeze.

"Turaga Vrikol?"

He could hardly believe what he was seeing. The Turaga's limbs were crooked and thin, their movements jagged from lack of muscles. His hands were curled in, weakly grasping at air. His purple armor was pitted and rusted. What was most horrifying to the Toa of Air were the dull black pits where his eyes and heartlight were supposed to be.

"You... what are you doing here?" Lesovikk felt anger replacing his horror. The last he had seen this corpse, Turaga Vrikol had been babbling about how all the Matoran under his guidance - under Lesovikk's protection - had been flawed. Had been lazy, wasting their time with music and talking. Lesovikk had left him alone to wallow in an empty village.

The Turaga's head jerked up at Lesovikk's words. Lesovikk swallowed his disgust. He had never seen a Mask of Undeath working before. He never wanted to see it again.

The Turaga's voice was a husky, flat whisper, grating from an empty throat like a dull dagger drawn from its sheath. It was miles away from the soothing rich tones Lesovikk had once loved and respected.

"Gone. Sent away... I sent them away. And they were gone..."

"The Matoran? I'm getting them out of here. Do you know where they are?"

"Gone... I was gone. I was lost. I was sent away to seek the lost... I was lost... I was gone..."

"Turaga!" Lesovikk snapped. "Don't waste my time. What time you have is borrowed as it is. Tell me where they are!"

"Gone... Lost... Sent away... Gone... Lost... Sent away... Gone. Lost. Sent away."

Turaga Vrikol's voice began to change. It grew louder and deeper with each repetition. Lesovikk wanted to walk away, but he felt rooted in place like one of the statues. The Turaga began slowly stepping towards him, the pick that had once been his badge of office trailing in the sand behind him.

"Gone. Lost. Sent away. Gone! Lost! Sent away! Gone! Lost! Sent away! GONE! LOST! SENT AWAY!"

Vrikol's broken hand grabbed Lesovikk's arm as the sightless eyes turned up. Lesovikk saw a flare of green light in them as the Turaga screeched, "THEY'RE GONE! THEY'RE LOST TO ME! I CAN'T SEND THEM BACK!"

The words echoed into the cavernous valley. The flash faded from Vrikol's eyes and heartlight. The pick fell from his hand, and with a long, guttural sigh, the Turaga rolled onto his back.

Lesovikk stood there for a long while, dread gripping him in a vice.

Did he come here looking for them? Did... did he mean they're gone from here, or gone like he was? What did Karzahni do to my people?

He looked back at the citadel. Somehow he knew he would find no answers there. He looked back at the Turaga's body only to startle. There was a grey pallor creeping over the armor. The same shade of grey as the statues.

Those aren't statues.

Lesovikk choked back a scream. He took the pick and placed it into the Turaga's hand. He wouldn't be coming back here. There was nothing here for the Toa. He certainly wouldn't find the Matoran in these statues. But if there was a chance they were elsewhere in the universe, he would scour every last island for them.

We've failed you, my friends. But I won't stop searching.

He turned back to the canyon and walked away.

Behind him, Turaga Vrikol's eyes turned grey.