#The Biowave Project: The Toa Takha (Original)
“A Legend kept hidden, the second half of an army of twelve was created to serve as the elite defense force of Artakha.”
Following the huge influx of creative content I put out in August, I decided to take a break from working on the next wave of sets for the Biowave Project for a while, and instead began working on this small side-project.
Story details for the Biowave Project will be highlighted in bold.
When Artakha created his own army of Toa, it was assumed that he only created six. But while the Toa Mata ventured all across the Matoran Universe in hopes of awakening Mata Nui, the Secret Six remained to protect Artakha and his island.
Though they were completed much more recently than their bretheren, the Toa Takha would be instrumental in safeguarding the Matoran in the closing days of their Universe.
#Improvements
As well as building these Toa because of their appearance in the Biowave story (and for another reason I’ll get into later), I also used this as an opportunity to make improvements to the original 2001/2002 build.
Limb Friction:
To keep limbs joined to gears from succumbing to gravity, I connected the turning axle to a ball joint, which is in turn connected to a hand piece (like in Gali Mata), providing friction and doubling as chest armour.
I used this method for all but two of the Toa (these two use the 2002 locking mechanism instead).
Here’s a video demonstration:
For arms not connected to gears, I used these pieces to provide more friction, with these pieces replacing a gear inside the torso.
Shield Connection:
I used these pieces and a 2L axle to provide a more sturdy connection to dish-based shields.
Other Changes:
To make the Toa Takha more diverse, I made some modifications to some of their builds or gear functions, which I’ll point out as I review each.
The torsos are the same colour as the limbs instead of the masks, with the hand pieces working as chest armour. To me, this made them look more vibrant.
#Avani, Toa of Light
Thanks to his calm and decisive nature, Avani is the undisputed leader of his Toa team. His command over language allows him to instill confidence in anyone around him; while his use of light powers and of his Kanohi allows him to travel to nearby locations almost instantaneously - he uses this ability to confuse, outsmart and demoralise his enemies, and enjoys such a method much more than beating them into submission.
Gender: Male
Weapons: Staff of light, shield
Colours: White, yellow / gold
Unique Features: Shield
#Voli, Toa of Lightning
Voli’s team often calls her the Wizard, a name coined because of her tendency to use her Kanohi and elemental powers to float high above the ground and rain lightning on foes below. Because of her destructive capabilities, she often insists that the other Toa keep out of her way, though she generally only asks so she can be left alone.
Gender: Female
Weapon: Lightning spear
Colours: Blue, white
Unique Features: Leg pins (as with Gali)
#Fenra, Toa of Iron
As a Toa of Iron, Fenra has no need of traditional weapons, nor does he care for them. With the ability to change the density of any part of his body at will, his fists are quite literally his greatest weapon, and his mask powers only add to his already immense level of strength. Fenra is also a skilled crafter, building weapons and armour for his allies when needed. Such skills are but few things he insists on bragging about.
Gender: Male
Weapons: Fists of steel
Colours: Dark orange, light grey / silver
Unique Features: Broader shoulders; shorter, bulkier arms, hunched head, modified hands
#Botu, Toa of Jungle
Botu often speaks in rhymes and metaphors, not unlike many beings of his element. His confidence in the face of danger or defeat is rarely shaken, and his calm and spiritual nature gives him better command over his powers. Besides Avani, it is he that is most often the bearer of inspiring speeches, but he is quiet and focused when he needs to be.
Gender: Male
Weapons: Bow and arrow
Colours: Green, brown
Unique Features: Flipped torso + running function, slightly broadened shoulders
#Cerana, Toa of Psionics
Cerana is perhaps the most powerful of the Toa Takha, but certainly not in the conventional sense. She uses her power over the minds of others to confuse and distract, ensuring that a sturdy defense cannot be mustered in time for when she strikes. Her ability to communicate telepathically allows her to coordinate attacks with her team without the enemy ever knowing - were it not for her excitable and foolhardy nature, it might be a wonder why she’s not the one giving orders.
Gender: Female
Weapons: Shurikens
Colours: Yellow / gold, medium blue
Unique Features: Broader hips
#Baharu, Toa of Gravity
Unlike the Toa Mata, who often use sheer force in battle, the Toa Takha are more skilled at swiftly incapacitating their enemies; a trend which Baharu is certainly no exception to. His power over gravity allows him to bring any foe to the ground with very little effort, or to move far-away objects with his mind. Known as the silent giant by his team, he rarely speaks a word, but he is always trusted with keeping his allies safe.
Gender: Male
Weapon: Gravity hammer
Colours: Dark grey, purple
Unique Features: Longer legs, unique gear function (see below)
For Baharu, the piece connecting the head to the torso is flipped by ninety degrees, allowing both arms to be connected through a single axle.
Turning the gear causes both arms to swing in parallel, allowing Baharu to use his hammer as a two-handed weapon:
#The Toa Takha Will Return…
In preparation for their final fight against the Makuta’s forces, Fenra rebuilt the Toa Takha into more powerful and more capable forms.
It was believed that the Secret Six died in the conflict, yet they have since resurfaced on the Matoran’s new home of Valda Nui, believing the recently transformed Toa Valda to be working for a dangerous enemy.
As with the Toa Valda, the plan was always to design the Toa Takha with larger, more complex forms. Rest assured that this plan still stands, and once I complete the Crystal Thralls, the rebuilt Toa Takha will be next in line.
This topic may stand as a test for the Toa’s characters, names, colour schemes, etc. Please let me know if you have any suggestions regarding what to add or change.
##Sneak Peeks:
Here’s a look at a modified version of my compact gearbox design, which causes parallel movement in both ball joints.
It will hopefully be used in the rebuilt Baharu.
Here’s a preliminary design for Botu’s gearbox. It’s a modified and more stable version of Hafu Valda’s gearbox.
Like Hafu’s gearbox, it causes all four limbs to move in a running motion.
This is the gearbox for the Wind Thrall, one of six Crystal Thralls I will be building.
Pulling the lever will cause the two sets of wings to flap in opposite directions.
The only Thrall I’m anywhere near completing is the Storm Thrall.
Here’s a look at part of its design (I’m not going to spoil the whole thing just yet ;)).
#The Biowave Project - a Community Initiative
I and a few other members of the Bionicle community are currently developing content for an expanded G1 storyline, which includes MOCs and a webcomic series covering events following the defeat of Makuta Teridax.
###The Biowave Project Website
All of our work for the project will be archived on the site.
Along with project and set overviews, you’ll find several entries into the Story section:
- Learn more about the Story.
- Learn more about the Webcomic Series.
- Learn more about the Island of Valda Nui
- Sneak peek of the webcomic’s first episode (a movie-style introduction by Turaga Vakama).
I intend to add some more stuff to the site soon, though unfortunately our web designer, @Maethorneth seems to have disappeared off the face of the internet.
Follow the links below to see more entries into the project:
###Looking for Artists
We recently decided to have multiple artists working on different sections of the first episode of the webcomic.
If anyone is interested in producing a small section of the webcomic’s first episode (i.e. drawing each panel), please contact me.
Whether you’re completely set on fulfilling the role or not, please don’t hesitate to ask about the project and the work required.
It is highly desirable that you:
- Have existing artwork to show to us,
- Can work on the first webcomic with some degree of regularity during its development.
It would be useful if you:
- Can utilise an art style that resembles the following:
Our previous artist’s style: inspired by the movies’ aesthetic, and by the MNOG art style.
#Next Time: The Crystal Thralls
The villains for the first set of episodes in our webcomic series will be Rahi-like beasts, which will take inspiration particularly from the 2001 Rahi and 2016 Creatures and Beasts. Please note that they will not be arriving any time soon.
-Hazash-
- using it to give the limbs friction is such a simple but well executed idea. You really have a knack for gearboxes.