What is Bionicle: Origin-1?
Bionicle: Origin-1 is a fan project that aims to reimagine the rich story and lore of Bionicle from the ground up. Through this endeavor, Bionicle: Origin-1 hopes to offer new stories, new lore, new builds, and more for Bionicle fans to explore and enjoy!
Akirous, Great Being of Life - Character Profile | Bionicle: Origin-1
Fortress of the Great Beings, Spherus Magna
2964 AUE
Akirous was deep in meditation when the sound of steps ripped him from his trance. He took a moment to reacquaint himself, brushing his hand along the rough stone floor as he took deep, slow breaths. Akirous’ visitor was the first to speak.
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Akirous didn’t turn around. Instead, he gazed through the window in front of him, which provided a deceptively quaint view of the outside. Had he not known better, Akirous would’ve been oblivious to any war that had befallen Spherus Magna.
“I know why you’re here, Crasevous. And no, I have not changed my mind.”
Crasevous clenched his fists.
“I–I implore you to reconsider.”
“It’s already decided. I will announce it tonight.”
Without another word, Crasevous stormed out of the room, leaving Akirous to resume his meditation.
-Backstory-
Ascension
Before Akirous became the Great Being of Life, he was Akeyan, one of the five Emperors of the planet Orolax. Like all Orolaxians, Akeyan’s role within society was determined even before his birth. It is said that every hundred years, a new Emperor Class Orolaxian will be born to replace the eldest among the current roster of Emperors. Upon his birth, Akeyan would come to replace the aging Kravan, marking the beginning of a new Age in Orolaxian leadership. The last of the previous Age’s Emperors had been cycled out, and the future seemed bright. However, this generation of leaders would become the last in Orolax’s rich and storied history.
One of the key pillars of Orolaxian society was their worship of the Oroborn Nehrua. The Oroborn were a race of god-like creatures with the ability to shape Existence itself. It is said that Nehrua was responsible for the creation of the Origin-1 Universe, and Orolax by extension. A gift the Orolaxians were eternally grateful for. While extreme, this religious fanaticism wasn’t entirely misplaced, as the Orolaxian’s theories about Nehrua were actually correct. Nehrua was in fact their creator, but they would also spark the downfall of their society.
A consequence of Nehrua’s cosmic abilities is the extreme toll they place upon their body and spirit. The breadth of Nehrua’s powers are so great, that they slowly eat away at them over time, a process that is only accelerated through the use of these abilities. Nehrua came to realize this when they created the Origin-1 Universe. This heavy use of their power left Nehrua severely weakened and on the brink of death, so they would begin to search for a potential suitor to inherit their abilities.
For thousands of years, Nehrua would study and evaluate the various life forms that inhabited the Origin-1 Universe. It was here that Nehrua first discovered the Orolaxians, placing them among the best candidates for inheriting their power. The Orolaxians were far from the only capable species, however, so Nehrua would pursue more extreme measures to determine who was the truly best. As their final test, Nehrua would unleash chaos across the Universe, and whatever survived would be given the honor of inheriting their power.
For the Orolaxians, this would manifest in the form of a deadly virus, which took advantage of the lack of genetic diversity among their species. This virus came to be known as Mulox and would morph the mind and body of its victims into wicked shapes, using them as vessels to spread itself further.
Mulox first arrived on Orolax aboard a mining vessel before viscously spreading throughout Orolax’s great cities. Akeyan and the other Orolaxian Emperors would attempt to quell the virus by establishing strict quarantines, in addition to other measures. These efforts would prove ineffective, however. Mulox still spread all the same, and Orolax soon fell into ruin.
In the end, only a meager few Orolaxians were left standing. Among them was Akeyan, now the last Orolaxian Emperor, who was escorted off-world by a group of other Orolaxian survivors. It was here aboard a filthy, run-down ship that these survivors would be brought before Nehrua and discover the cold hard truth: they were all that was left.
Now the only life remaining in the entire Origin-1 Universe, these Orolaxians would be the ones to carry on Nehrua’s legacy. As a collective, they would gain Nehrua’s ability to shape Existence, with each possessing control over one of its Elements. For Akeyan, this would be the Element of Life, and upon receiving these powers he would be reborn as Akirous.
With their mission complete, Nehrua would breathe their final breath, though not without one last gift for their successors. To help them focus their newfound powers, Nehrua created a series of legendary artifacts called Kanohi attuned to the powers of each Orolaxian. It was here that Akirous would be gifted with the Kanohi Ignika, the Mask of Life.
With Nehrua gone, the Orolaxians were left with what remained of the Origin-1 Universe. As a result of Nehrua’s final test, the entire Universe was left desolate and in ruin, and now it was up to them to pick up the pieces. While others hoped to repair the old world, Akirous proposed the creation of a new one to act as a fresh start for themselves and the Origin-1 Universe.
Together, the Orolaxians would use their combined powers to birth a new world, filled with diverse biomes and teeming with life. Traveling to the surface, the Orolaxians would discover the primitive species living there, as well as the name they had given this planet: Spherus Magna. Known as the Agori, the Orolaxians would begin to aid them with new technologies to advance their civilization, earning much praise and reverence in the process. Now having established themselves as the rulers of Spherus Magna, the Orolaxians would take on a new name, becoming the Great Beings.
Betrayal
Fast-forward about 3,000 years. By this time, society on Spherus Magna had become well established, and even with the occasional conflict, the Agori were thriving more than ever. Having organized themselves into Tribes scattered throughout Spherus Magna, the Great Beings’ rule over the planet had become largely decentralized.
The Great Beings no longer played a direct role in the governance of the Agori, so a member of each tribe would be chosen to lead instead. With the blessing of the Great Beings, these Agori would gain control over their tribe as well as an Element of Nature, becoming the Element Lords. For a time, the Element Lords would lead their respective tribes with honor and distinction. However, the power they received from the Great Beings would eventually go to their head.
One day, a mysterious substance would sprout up from the beneath the surface of Spherus Magna. This substance was found to be liquid in nature and harbored immense power that was enticing to the Element Lords. Specifically, the Element Lord of Ice would lay claim to the substance, as it was first discovered within the Northern Frost, a region controlled by the Ice Tribe.
The Element Lord of Ice did this in the hope of using the substance to create stronger warriors for the Ice Tribe, who he could use to conquer all of Spherus Magna. The other tribes would soon become wary of the Ice Tribe as well as each other, and send warriors to claim the substance for themselves. It was this initial conflict over the spring containing the substance, which marked the beginning of the Core War.
When the Core War broke out on Spherus Magna, the Great Being would retrieve a sample of the substance and begin to study it. Through their research, the Great Beings would discover the substance’s ability to transform anything it came into contact with, naming it Energized Protodermis. The Great Beings would also learn that this Energized Protodermis originated from the core of Spherus Magna, and was vital to the stability of the planet. If too much Energized Protodermis was extracted from Spherus Magna, the consequences would be immeasurable.
The Great Beings knew something had to be done, but they quickly became divided on how to address this issue. Some wanted to assert control over the tribes and end the conflict forcefully, while others thought it better to let the Core War play out, believing their real duty would be the repair of Spherus Magna once everything was said and done. In the middle of all this was Akirous. Having been an Emporer back on Orolax, Akirous had naturally become the leader of the Great Beings as well. This meant the decision was ultimately up to him, but no matter which side he chose, someone would take issue.
Crasevous, the Great Being of Entropy, was particularly combative in attempting to pull Akirous to their side. Crasevous envisioned a dark future for Spherus Magna if nothing was done to stop the Core War, and saw strict authoritarian rule over the Agori as the only way to avoid it. Akirous considered this, but having been the one to create the Agori, he believed they should be free to live how they wanted to. In Akirous’ mind, it wasn’t their place to decide what was right and wrong for the Agori, even if they led themselves astray.
Akirous would announce this decision to the rest of the Great Beings, most of whom accepted his decision. That was, except for one. Crasevous, who was so adamant about getting his way, betrayed Akirous, stabbing him through the back in a fit of rage. In doing so, Crasevous believed he’d just saved Spherus Magna. Though in reality, all he did was fuel the division that was already present among the Great Beings, which then exploded into a full-on schism.
Those on both sides now viewed each other as mortal enemies, and with Akirous seemingly dead, the Great Beings would all depart their Fortress. However, miraculously, Akirous had managed to survive his betrayal. Through the use of his powers, Akirous was able to transfer his Life Force into his Mask, living on inside the Kanohi Ignika.
The Akeyan
Before Akirous was betrayed by Crasevous, he discovered the ability to transfer Life Force between bodies or objects. This is what allowed him to survive inside the Mask of Life, becoming effectively immortal in the process. Akirous had only spoken of this ability to one other Great Being; someone he could trust above all else. That was Angonce, the Great Being of Space.
In wake of Akirous’ supposed death, the Great Beings would split to form two separate factions. Those who sided with Crasevous would become the Regime, while the others who’d been in support of Akirous would become the Collective. Henceforth, the Regime and the Collective would fight against each other to ensure their vision for Spherus Magna became reality.
Angonce now found himself on the side of the Collective, and despite what he’d seen that night in the Fortress, he refused to believe Akirous was truly dead. He couldn’t be after the discovery Akirous had shared with him previously. It was this prospect that drove Angonce to return to the Fortress on the anniversary of Akirous’ death. However, when he arrived, he would be faced with more than just the Mask of Life.
Tomidas, the Great Being of Gravity and member of the Regime, had intercepted Angonce along the way. Understanding the Ignika held some form of importance to Angonce, Tomidas now sought to take the Mask to keep it from him and the Collective. To prevent Tomidas from taking the Ignika, Angonce would be forced to plunge his blade into the Mask, resulting in a blinding flash of light. When it ceased Angonce’s blade had been transformed, and Tomidas was left writhing on the ground in agony. Angonce would take this as an opportunity to escape, taking his transformed sword along with him.
As it turned out, when Angonce destroyed the Mask of Life, Akirous had been able to transfer his Life Force into the sword. This confirmed to Angonce that Akirous had in fact survived, and while holding the blade, the two discovered they could communicate through visions. It was in these visions that Akirous explained what really happened that night Angonce returned to the Fortress, including the fate of Tomidas.
Upon the destruction of the Kanohi Ignika, Tomidas had absorbed its energies, eternally cursing him with an untamed form of its powers. Everything Tomidas touched would be brought to life, which would undoubtedly drive him to madness. Akirous was the only reason Angonce was spared this same fate, as he actively chose to shield him from the blast.
Having reaffirmed their mutual sense of trust, Angonce and Akirous would begin to work together. The blade the Akirous now resided within would be renamed The Akeyan in reference to Akirous’ Orolaxian name. This became the primary weapon Angonce carried into battle against the Regime, and would become infamous for its ability to drain the Life Force of its victims, a power provided by Akirous himself.
As the Core War raged on, however, it became apparent that Spherus Magna’s destruction was inevitable. In time, the planet would shatter into a series of fragments, so the Collective began a project to eventually repair Spherus Magna. This led to the creation of the massive Great Spirit Robot, which would be sent out into the Universe to find a way to reform Spherus Magna. However, the Great Spirit Robot would require a failsafe in the event something went wrong.
This failsafe came in the form of a Mask, which could be used to instill life into the Great Spirit Robot, but also strip it all away. Such a Mask would require the ability to manipulate Life Force, and who could manipulate Life Force quite like Akirous? It was for this reason that Akirous would transfer his Life Force once again, this time from The Akeyan into this new Mask. Since Akirous shared all the powers of his original Kanohi Ignika, this effectively created a second Mask of Life that could act on its own accord.
With this new Kanohi Ignika created, the Great Beings placed it within the Southern Continent of the Matoran Universe, which was located inside the Great Spirit Robot. It was here that Akirous would lay dormant inside the Mask of Life, until being rediscovered centuries later…
-Equipment & Abilities-
Kanohi
Kanohi Ignika: The Mask of Life
When Akirous became the Great Being of Life, he was gifted with the Kanohi Ignika, the Mask of Life. Bound to the fabric of Existence itself, the Mask of Life was able to manipulate Life Force, similar to Akirous. However, its power was far weaker. While Akirous could manipulate Life Force in a variety of ways, all the Kanohi Ignika could do was give and take it. It’s for this reason that Akirous often used the Kanohi Ignika in tandem with his own abilities, lessening the strain they inflicted upon his being.
When Akirous was betrayed by Crasevous, he would transfer his Life Force into the Kanohi Ignika, using it essentially as a new body. However, when Angonce returned to the Great Beings’ Fortress in search of Akirous, he would be forced to destroy the Mask, causing its energies to be absorbed by Tomidas. Akirous would then transfer his Life Force once again, this time into Angonce’s sword, The Akeyan. When Angonce escaped, the remnants of the Mask of Life would be left within the Fortress.
It’s worth noting that the Kanohi Ignika worn by Akirous is different from the one seen in the Matoran Universe. The Kanohi Ignika of the Matoran Universe isn’t so much a Kanohi, but rather a vessel containing Akirous’ Life Force. Any powers displayed by this version of the Ignika are those of Akirous himself and are not abilities the Mask inherently possesses.
Weapons
Abrypa Cane
While technically not a weapon, Akirous does own a Cane fashioned from the branch of an Abrypa, a tree native to Spherus Magna. This Cane was given to Akirous as a gift by the Agori, which he kept with him until his death. To keep the branch from dying, Akirous would periodically channel his power through it, reinvigorating it with life.
Element of Life
When Nehrua created the Great Beings, they inherited Nehrua’s ability to manipulate the Elements of Existence. While the Great Beings can wield every Element to some extent, they each were given mastery over one in particular. For Akirous, this was the Element of Life.
As the Great Being of Life, Akirous can manipulate the Life Force of all beings in the Origin-1 Universe. This primarily includes the giving and taking of Life Force, which can be used to create life, cause death, or alter a being’s life cycle. Through his studies, however, Akirous has expanded on these abilities greatly.
Prior to his betrayal, Akirous discovered the ability to transfer Life Force, which could be used to achieve a level of immortality. When Akirous was thought to have been killed, he used this ability to survive inside the Kanohi Ignika. Such was the case for The Akeyan and the second Mask of Life as well.
After being placed within the new Kanohi Ignika, Akirous would further expand his abilities to better defend himself and the Mask. This included the ability to sense Life Force, which could be used to detect beings around him, along with the ability to recreate beings or objects in new forms. This could be used to create guardians for the Mask, or to permanently scar those who tried to take the Ignika’s power for themselves.
-Personality & Character Traits-
Having been born as an Emperor Class Orolaxian, the only life Akeyan ever knew was one of influence and luxury, as he was blissfully ignorant to everything that happened below him. However, after becoming a Great Being–becoming Akirous, he developed a new outlook on life and the Universe. Being the Great Being of Life, Akirous has come to understand the subject better than anyone, informing the unique philosophy that he lives by.
To Akirous, those things that may seem important in a given moment, are ultimately insignificant in the grand scope of Existence. This isn’t to say that nothing matters, but rather that one shouldn’t concern themselves with things outside of their control. This is why Akirous chose to simply let the Agori fight the Core War instead of forcefully subduing them because as long as the Tribes had a reason to fight, they would do so regardless of anything the Great Beings did. To try to stop them would be a fruitless effort.
This philosophy came to influence Akirous’ relationship with the other Great Beings as well. Many, like Crasevous, were once tolerant of Akirous’ views but thought him to be just as complacent as he was back on Orolax. For warriors like Crasevous, to accept that something could not be controlled was to accept defeat, and this fundamental disagreement was undoubtedly a factor in him eventually betraying Akirous.
Akirous held onto his beliefs even after his death, however, though his resolve had been shaken. Despite his outwardly stoic demeanor, Akirous is still a being with emotions, and he felt much sadness from Crasevous’ betrayal and the schism it caused among the Great Beings. While he knew he couldn’t control it, Akirous had always wished for the Great Beings to truly be united.
-Trivia-
- Akrious’ Kanohi Ignika is a prototype version of the official Mask of Life. Despite it not being the final design, this version of the Mask can still be found in some media from 2006. Namely, Bionicle Heroes and the Voya Nui Online Game. Since then, the Mask has been recreated as a 3D model for use by the Bionicle Community.
- Akirous is one of two characters who appeared in a stop-motion sequence at beginning of the Bionicle: Origin-1 Trailer. This was the first time the finished Moc of Akirous was ever shown publicly, and it makes him one of the few Mocs I’ve animated with.
-Extras-
Below you’ll find PDF Instructions for the Akirous, Great Being of Life! If you’re interested in recreating this Moc or curious to see how it was built, they’re available to download completely for free!
Moc Showcase
Select Mocs built for Bionicle: Origin-1 also receive a Moc Showcase! Below you will find the Moc Showcase for Akirous, Great Being of Life!
Theme Music
Some Characters in Bionicle: Origin-1 also receive a Theme Song to accompany them. Here you can listen to Akirous’ Theme!
Thanks for checking out Akrious, Great Being of Life! I hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned for more!