Barraki

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The Barraki are the main villains of the 2007 Legends arc of the LEGO BIONICLE storyline. While they were defeated and banished some time ago, their prison was flooded, and they escaped into the surrounding area; they also evolved characteristics of sea monsters in order to survive. The term "Barraki" is the Matoran word for "warlord".

Contents 1 History 2 Personalities 3 Bios 3.1 Kalmah 3.2 Takadox 3.3 Ehlek 3.3.1 Nocturn 3.4 Carapar 3.5 Mantax 3.6 Pridak 4 Squids 5 Trivia 6 References

[edit] History

Over 80,000 years ago, the Barraki were warlords, allied together as the League of the Six Kingdoms; they also had alliances with several lands, including Xia.^[1] The League led their armies in conquests of the Bionicle world, and at the height of their power, they rivaled even the Dark Hunters and the Brotherhood of Makuta. The armies were composed of Matoran criminals and other outcasts; "thieves, murderers, traitors, and liars".^[2]

The League's ultimate goal was no less than the overthrow of the Great Spirit himself. However, on the eve of their major offensive 80,000 years ago, the Brotherhood of Makuta launched a preemptive strike, allied with Toa and spearheaded by the Makuta of Metru Nui. The League armies were quickly decimated and the Barraki captured. Makuta was about to publicly execute them (despite the Toa’s objections) when a stranger named Botar intervened and made the Barraki vanish in a ring of energy. Unknown to the world, the Barraki were banished to an isolated cavern called the Pit.

One thousand years ago, in the Great Cataclysm, the dome surrounding the Pit caved in, tearing down the barrier between the Pit and the waters of the outside ocean. While the Pit quickly flooded, a mutagenic agent in the water mutated the prisoners into freakish sea beasts and allowed them to survive. However, the mutation cause the Barraki (except Ehlek) to lose their original air-breathing forms. The Barraki were able to escape to the surrounding region, but no farther, essentially expanding the Pit into the sea. They have also formed new armies of native sea life. Some time later, the floating island of Voya Nui entered the region, and a portion of land including a Matoran settlement (called "Mahri Nui") sank into the Pit, crushing a fortress Ehlek had built.^[3] The Barraki have since terrorized the Matoran, and none have gotten a clear look at their attackers and returned to tell the tale.

This hiding in the shadows ended when a squid noticed a Kanohi Mask of great power sinking down to Mahri Nui and reported it to its master, Kalmah. Word soon spread to the rest of the Barraki; Takadox had Carapar kidnap the Matoran who claimed the mask, Kyrehx, and hypnotized her into telling all she knew. From her account, he recognized the mask as the legendary Ignika Mask of Life. He then had Carapar return her to the city as part of some scheme; and also had him stop Ehlek, who had used the mask as an excuse to launch an all-out assault on the Matoran. Meanwhile, Pridak captured a scouting patrol and demanded the mask from them; revealing to them - particularly their leader, Defilak - whom the Barraki were and what they had attempted. Kalmah and Mantax started following the mask's current holder, Dekar. Unfortunately, they were too late to stop Dekar from trying to destroy the mask - even more unfortunate; the mask itself took action to stop Dekar.

A venom eel, enlarged to giant proportions by the Ignika, emerged and began attacking everything in sight. As Pridak's captives took the opportunity to escape, Takadox attempted to hypnotize the beast into obeying. Ehlek and Carapar used the distraction to start snooping in Pridak's lair, finding a new arrival to the Pit: a being named Brutaka. Once he realized the Mask of Life was in the region, he demanded that the Barraki take him to it, though he warned that six Toa would be coming after it soon. Undoubtedly, Brutaka planned to use the Barraki just as he did the Piraka.

As Takadox failed to entrance the venom eel and was knocked away, Pridak caught Mantax leaving the scene, claiming he was trying to find help for Kalmah. Ehlek and Carapar, who were playing along with Brutaka’s demands, soon joined them. Adding Kalmah to their group, the six confronted Dekar; and Brutaka tried to get the mask from him by claiming he was part of a group loyal to Mata Nui. But Dekar did not accept his claims, and neither did the Barraki; they decided to have him dragged off by a giant squid. After that was taken care of, the Barraki walked in and took the mask, which began to glow so brightly that all of Mahri Nui was blinded.

[edit] Personalities

Series writer Greg Farshtey has made some statements concerning the Barraki's general personalities and dispositions:

“

[The Barraki] don't see themselves as evil villains -- they see themselves as conquerors and rulers by right of strength and experience. They aren't trying for power from the outside like the Piraka ... they had it, in spades, and they want it back. They once lived a much better life than the one they have now, and that fuels a lot of their behavior.[4]

”

“

One of the differences between the Barraki and the Piraka is that most of the Piraka commit violent acts because they can and they enjoy it. Barraki are not like that -- they commit violent acts when it's necessary to prove a point. In [the case of Kalmah's blinded eye], Kalmah got out of line, and Pridak made an example of him. Pridak understands that this is not a case where he is the boss and the others are the henchmen -- they are all powerful, all former rulers and conquerors, and if he wants to be in charge, he has to continually prove he is the strongest. He doesn't attack the other Barraki all the time or beat up on them or anything like that .. but on the rare occasions when it is necessary to impose discipline, he does what he has to. He knows full well that if positions were reversed, Kalmah would do the exact same thing. I kind of like that about the Barraki. They are evil and dangerous, but there is almost a warped sense of honor to some of them. They aren't brutes and bullies, like the Piraka were -- in the case especially of Pridak, Takadox, and Kalmah (Mantax, too, really), there is a calculating intelligence behind whatever they do. They kind of have a little streak of some of the better comics villains in them ... beings who strive to conquer because they see themselves as having EARNED the right do so, not just to show how tough they are.[5]

”

[edit] Bios

Unlike most groups in Bionicle, the Barraki are not all the same race;^[6] but each one's aquatic adaptations is based on a different sea creature.^[7] These mutations have given them the status of "alpha males" among the native creatures, and as a result they now lead new armies of sea beasts. In addition to their personal powers and equipment, each one carries a launcher designed to shoot vampiric sea squids (see "Squids" below).

While the Barraki may be able to use Kanohi Masks, they look down on those who rely on them and weaken when their masks are removed.^[8] Despite their general disdain for relying on masks, they desperately want the power of the Mask of Life, which they hope will restore them to their original air-breathing forms.^[9] Those who touch the Mask of Life will become cursed, though they think little of it, believing there is barely anything at all it could do to add to their suffering.^[10]

[edit] Kalmah

"The silent killer ... stronger than he is fast, but able to glide silently through the water and seize and squeeze prey to death in his tentacle. Five smaller tentacles on the back of his head let him sense motion behind him. Three eyes, but blind in one [his top eye] due to a disastrous past encounter with Pridak. Highly intelligent. Breeds the sea squid the Barraki use in their launchers, making sure they are kept half-starved and vicious so they are ready for prey."^[11] Also, "[Kalmah]'s not easily tricked -- he might SEEM like he is going along with you, but all along be using you with the intent of eliminating you once he has gotten what he wants."^[12]

Kalmah is based on a squid, and leads an army of giant squid. He has one main tentacle (that extends from both sides of his "hand") and five sensory tentacles on the back of his head. He can use his tentacle to mentally exchange information with others, or at least with other squid. Kalmah's name is possibly a play on "calamari", the word for squid in multiple languages as well as its culinary name.

[edit] Takadox

"The great manipulator ... physically the least powerful of the Barraki, mentally one of the sharpest. Can sit motionless for days on end waiting for prey to make a wrong move, and then attack. Uses his power of hypnosis to make others do his bidding (and so rarely has to run the risk of executing his own plans). Prior to the coming of the Mask of Life, rarely left his cave -- simply mesmerized Carapar into getting whatever he needed."

Takadox is similar to a mantis - strangely, perhaps more of a praying mantis than an aquatic mantis shrimp; as such, he leads an army of underwater insects. During the Barraki's time in the Pit, he killed their jailer Hydraxon (though there are rumors that he is not as dead as people think...)^[13] He has claimed to be present at the original defeat of the Kanohi Dragon. Besides hypnosis, Takadox has twin knives.

[edit] Ehlek

"Ehlek was the only member of the original Barraki alliance who was a native water-breather, from the liquid protodermis sea around the island of Zakaz. After the Great Cataclysm and escape from the Pit, he built a fortress for the Barraki, which was destroyed when Mahri Nui landed on top of it. Ehlek is angry, bitter, and hungry for revenge, almost willing to sacrifice the Mask of Life if it would mean exterminating all Matoran. Although slim and poorly armored, the spines on his back give off electric bolts that can stun or kill."

Ehlek's features are based on that of eels, and he commands an army of venom eels. Ehlek is the most anxious of the Barraki; partially because he had to use an elaborate breath mask when operating on land, and that made him vulnerable. He also believes the League was betrayed to the Brotherhood of Makuta all those centuries ago, and Pridak is the prime suspect as a former Brotherhood lieutenant. In his original army, Ehlek had noticeably more members of his own race than the other Barraki had of their respective races.^[14] In addition to the electricity from his spines, Ehlek's weapons include tri-talons strong enough to shred protosteel (the Bionicle world's hardest known metal).

[edit] Nocturn

Ehlek has a four-armed lieutenant named Nocturn, who was banished to the Pit for destroying his home island in a fit of rage and whose favorite food is Razor Whales. His species has the ability to regenerate, and he has had to grow back an entire arm that Pridak once bit off (though the arm is still missing a tentacle).^[15] His species is also naturally amphibious, able to breathe both water and air; Nocturn therefore can leave the Pit, but he chooses not to as he is unwelcome in most places, and his life in the Pit is mostly peaceful.^[16] Nocturn is enormously strong and seems to get much stronger when in a fit of rage; this strength is greater than that of most known beings, including the mighty Makuta (though it is unclear whether this ranking concerns his normal strength or his enraged strength).^[17] He is also skilled at most forms of underwater combat. When not serving as Ehlek's lieutenant, he spends his time at the Razor Whale's Teeth, an underwater rock formation in the exact center of the Barraki's domain.^[18] He was the only one of the prisoners of the Pit to not undergo some sort of mutation from the water. The Barraki will soon entrust the Mask of Life to Nocturn until they figure out how to use it, as they don't trust one another with it and Nocturn's not smart enough to think of using it himself.^[19]

[edit] Carapar

"The ravager of the seas ... the physical powerhouse of the Barraki ... virtually invulnerable to everything but electrical attack ... uses his powerful embrace and giant claw to chop up and cut down anything in his path. Prior to exile in the Pit, was known as the most ferocious of the Barraki -- the slightest sign of disrespect from one villager would mean destruction and death for an entire village. Once ended a siege by withdrawing and leaving the enemy city a gift of foodstuffs, which turned out to be poisoned. Although his intellect has been dulled somewhat by centuries of Takadox's hypnosis, you underestimate him at your peril. As Takadox has noted, Carapar is not as stupid as he looks, for no one could be."

Carapar is very crab-like; and while his army features Keras crabs he also commands Pit War Tortoises, the fiercest of which he uses as his personal steed. Though Carapar absolutely hates Takadox's habit of hypnotizing him, he tolerates it, because he knows that Takadox's cunning can help ensure survival. Carapar has thick armor and two large claws (he can detach a claw in order to use his squid launcher^[20]). Carapar's name may be a play on the word "carapace", another name for a shell.

[edit] Mantax

"Dweller in darkness ... the most secretive and mysterious of the Barraki. Spends most of his time buried in the sea floor, with only his eyes and head spikes visible, waiting for prey to swim by. When he's not there, he is down in the flooded remains of the original Pit, for reasons unknown. Traditionally keeps silent and in the shadows, preferring not to share information with the other Barraki unless he has to (knowledge is power, after all)."

As his name suggests, Mantax is like a manta ray, and he commands an army of fellow rays. Mantax resents Pridak for leading him into disaster - first by being banished to the Pit and again when Mahri Nui crushed the Barraki fortress. However, he is wary of Carapar, as he has lost when the two have fought in the past. Mantax's natural weapons include a pincer, head spikes with paralyzing venom, a tentacle on his back that conducts lightning (hence grounding him and protecting him from harm), and armored shoulder plates.

[edit] Pridak

Undisputed ruler of the Barraki dating back 80,000+ years. Mind as sharp as his teeth. Extremely fast underwater and a perfect killing machine. More than willing to use violence to enforce discipline -- in addition to blinding Kalmah in one eye, once bit Nocturn's arm off. Learns from his mistakes. Expert at holding a grudge. Feels entitled to power, and is willing to defy even Makuta to his face. Feels no guilt or regret over anything he does. Hot-tempered, but also practical -- sees no reason to kill Matoran if there is nothing to be gained by it (hence the survival of Mahri Nui all this time). If there IS something to be gained by it, would calmly order destruction of an entire village and sleep peacefully that night.

Pridak has a certain resemblance to a shark, and commands an army of Takea sharks. He once ruled a land on behalf of the Brotherhood of Makuta, before becoming part of the League. His weapons are his shark tooth blades, and his teeth can even tear open Brotherhood of Makuta armor.

It was originally unclear whether the red-colored patches on Pridak's mouth and weapons are natural markings or bloodstains from prey (Series writer Greg Farshtey has explained that bloodstains are indeed a viable possibility, even in Bionicle's predominantly biomechanical universe^[21]). Lego's official stance on the matter is that "it's only blood on the figure if you choose to imagine it is", though Greg has since decided that the red patches are canonically natural markings.^[22]

[edit] Squids

Each Barraki carries a launcher built to fire a vampiric breed of squid, which have suckers that can drain the life force from targets in a leech-like fashion.^[23] Squids are officially classified as a type of Rahi.^[24]

The squids are specifically bred by Kalmah, found roughly 1000 years ago, and he is also the one who built the Barraki's launchers to help the squids travel quickly to their target by keeping them hungry and abusing them. He will not let anyone into the breeding grounds ever since Mantax ate half the brood.^[25]

Collectibility: Each Barraki set includes two squids in shades of yellow and orange. Each "Squid Ammo" pack includes seven squids in shades of blue and green.

In European regions, these creatures are called "polyps".

[edit] Trivia

• When describing the Barraki, series writer Greg Farshtey included the following bits of information relating to Ehlek: "An interesting sidenote is that the Dark Hunter Amphibax was originally a member of Ehlek's army prior to Ehlek's exile to the Pit. Another interesting note is that Ehlek's species was tampered with by the Order of Mata Nui in an attempt to engineer a race specially designed to combat the Brotherhood of Makuta."^[26] Along with the tampering, the Order gave weapons to the race, which include Ehlek's protosteel tri-talons.

• In the Bionicle.com [1] bios, it may show the Barraki prototypes. In the bios they have prototype squid launchers; additionally, Ehlek has red eyes instead of blue, and a yellow head without spikes, instead of lime green with spikes. Also, Carapar has two claw blades instead of one giant claw, and Kalmah doesn't have webbed feet.

• In the picture on his canister and in the official images, Kalmah does not have the fins on the sides of his feet, his squid holders are on his arms instead of on his back and his squids and tentacle are yellow instead of orange.

• In the picture on his building manual, Pridak has red eyes instead of blue, and his blades and dorsal fin are missing some red markings.

[edit] References