Takanuva’s Story in 2008

Ceolciarog · March 3, 2024, 12:06am

A rant inspired by making my 03 Takanuva into a twilight form Toa:

Takanuva’s involvement in the 2008 story was ultimately underwhelming IMO. After a great run in the serials, our boy got done dirty once he actually got to Karda Nui (besides his great first scene with Gali). The end especially is strange. Turns out that the random Rahi Mutran made can cleanse shadow through sonic attacks. Huh? It’s anticlimactic for the Av-Matoran’s conflict and for Takanuva’s whole struggle with his inner darkness that year. He ultimately has no real agency and his problem is solved by the Klakk. Helryx had told him there’d be need for a Toa who walks in both light and shadow, but in the end there really wasn’t, was there? He warns the Nuva about the storms, but honestly they were starting to remember their past in Karda Nui anyway and seemed close to figuring it out on their own.

My thought on improving thus ending: Takanuva discovers somehow that the Kraahkan has the power to absorb darkness, and draw the shadow out of the Matoran. He goes to battle Icarax while Tanma and friends gather the shadow Matoran.

Takanuva is able to claim the mask from Icarax after intense battle. He puts it on, and it works. He is able to draw the shadow out of the Matoran - into himself.

He is overcome by the darkness and collapses. It’s about to consume him. But in that instant, he thinks of his friends. Of Gali Nuva plummeting toward the swamp of Karda Nui. Of Kirop and Solek and Tanma, his old friends rediscovered, turned to the shadow. Of Jaller and Hahli, defending Metru Nui. Of Macku and Kopeke, and Kapura, standing defiant against a horde of Rahkshi with nothing but Kohli sticks. But, he realizes, these forces are led by him. He is attacking his friends, his home! This is his future as a Toa of shadow. But no, this cannot be his Destiny!

Using every ounce of will he has, and drawing on everything he has learned as a Toa of twilight, and all he recalls of being part of Takutanuva, he takes one last stand. He forces all the darkness into the Kraahkan and, painfully, pries it off. Taking the Avohkii, he puts it on, and can feel the light surging back to him. Taking power lance in hand, he blasts the Kraahkan and destroys it.

Alternatively, maybe one of the other Toa (Gali?) is there to use the Avohkii and inspire hope in Takanuva at the crucial moment.

Anyway, that’s what I’d do (with 16 years of hindsight lol). I feel like this at least gives Takanuva some agency in the 08 story and is a little more poignant conclusion to the Shadow Matoran saga than the Klakk solution. It’s in part shamelessly derivative of the Lord of the Rings, but so is Mask of Light haha.

Now the only thing that would make my 2008 headcanon for Takanuva perfect is if I can figure out some way to make the sundial actually relevant!

I posted this originally on Reddit and partially illustrated it with my Takanuva: https://www.reddit.com/r/bioniclelego/s/q0ZABvsH0T A few of the photos:

TheJerminator · March 3, 2024, 4:38am

I’ve never really had an issue with Takanuva’s role in 2008, but what you have here is still a clear improvement.

This is a really good point about Herlyx’s line not making sense that I’ve never really caught before. It’s kind of like Krakua’s warning that Vakama would send a team of Toa on a dangerous mission.

Your idea does a far better job at making Takanuva’s unique powers necessary.

I really like this as well, simply because it shows the Avohkii being used like a normal mask; the story always portrayed the Avohkii as some kind of super crazy artifact, so it’s easy to forget that it works the same as any other Kanohi.

This is a super loose idea, but maybe it has something to do with the Toa Mata’s mission. When Teridax first put Mata Nui to sleep, the Toa Mata were supposed to arrive in Metru Nui, likely because this is where Teridax’s virus was acting. Then, as Mata Nui’s condition worsened, the Toa Mata’s goal shifted to Karda Nui.

This kind-of-sort-of follows the Great Sundial; it was first covering a passage from Mata Nui’s face to Metru Nui, and then it went to Karda Nui.

TahnokTrapper · March 3, 2024, 9:31am

This concept right here is brilliant. It would add much needed gravitas to what was otherwise (at least for me) a shockingly underwhelming story arc overall. Not sure I’d agree with Takanuva destroying the Kraakhan (could it even be destroyed in that way?), but that’s just me.

About the part of Takanuva’s mission being there to warn the Toa Nuva: I think it could be fixed by Helryx sending him as backup in case the Toa wouldn’t be able to remember the storms. Or even as just extra support for the Toa.

Ceolciarog · March 3, 2024, 6:22pm

Thanks for the kind words!

On the sundial - I’m thinking along the same track as you. But if you poke at it it gets tough. The sundial points to the Cordrex…where the Toa would have just left.

I guess it would go -

The Toa get launched and land on the face island
They go through the Sundial passage into the GSR
They go to the Great Temple, get the scroll, and do the preparations
…and, if they don’t remember how to get back to KN, the Sundial points the way?

That’s where it doesn’t work for me. If the sundial actually had a part in the process that they needed to bring it to the Cordrex. As it is in canon:

The OMN (I think it’s implied, but never specified) telepatically tell Lewa to get it and put it in the archives. It’s not part of the Scroll of Preparations for some reason
The Order shrink it down and give it to Takanuva to deliver to Karda Nui. Helryx tells him it will point to where Mata Nui can be reawakened.
Takanuva carries it through at least three alternate universes, and finally arrives at Karda Nui.
Before they head into battle, Takanuva tells Gali to hold up. He pulls out the Sundial, shines light on it…
…and it points at the Cordrex. “Okay, so I keep going that way”. He tells Gali about it
“Gali looked at me as if I had grown two more heads.” I know it’s probably not Greg’s intention lol, but to me this reads as: “Yeah, Takanuva, we already figured out that the giant smooth egg with a forcefield and magic key is important. You didn’t have to lug the sundial here. But thanks, I guess.”

Maybe the simplest solution is just to make the sundial open the Cordrex rather than the keystones. Then it begs the question though of why the Order set in motion it getting there, and then why if they had Lewa get it they also didn’t tell him to take it to Karda Nui.

If the Order weren’t the ones who sent Lewa to get the sundial (then who? Tren Krom? Makuta? Velika? Mata Nui?), and just found it and realized its importance, the question still stands. Whoever the original entity that sent Lewa to get it has no reason not to also have him bring it.

I guess you just cut out the whole Lewa thing, and have the sundial as something the Nuva were supposed to know and forgot, or the scroll was damaged or whatever. Then maybe Takanuva is going to retrieve it when the whole shadow leeching happens.

Ceolciarog · March 3, 2024, 6:54pm

Not sure I’d agree with Takanuva destroying the Kraakhan (could it even be destroyed in that way?), but that’s just me.

Yeah I’m not 100% married to that part. If anyone thinks of something better they can do with the mask I’m all ears. Maybe throw it in the swamp and hope the energy storms take care of it.

About the part of Takanuva’s mission being there to warn the Toa Nuva: I think it could be fixed by Helryx sending him as backup in case the Toa wouldn’t be able to remember the storms. Or even as just extra support for the Toa.

I think this is already present in the story, just the way it’s written makes it seem like there’s some super special reason it needs to be Takanuva besides that he’s powerful and he’s there. I tried to give some reason to the impression it must be him, even if Helryx doesn’t really know why. In the canon story, really anyone could have delivered the message, and anyone could have saved the Av-Matoran once they’re there.