Chutes

"Primary transport system for the Island City of Metru Nui."

- Narrator, Encyclopedia Updated

The Chute System is a method of transportation centered in Le-Metru, which extends over all of the Isle of Metru Nui. It is used as a fast way of transportation between locations.

History
The Chute System was invented and put into practice soon after Turaga Dume was appointed leader of Metru Nui. From its' conception, the system has been managed by the Le-Matoran, who control the Chutes from Chute Stations. The Chutes ranged over the entire island, and were used as efficient transport between the various Metru. The illegal activity of Disk Surfing in the Chutes sprang up, though Matoran who participated in it were rarely punished for it unless they disrupted others' work or sustained injuries that prevented them from working. This sport was especially popular with Le-Matoran, many of whom knew where the best Chute tracks could be found. The Chute System became an essential part of the habitats of several species of Rahi. Chute Lurkers live and hunt inside of the Chutes, and Nui-Rama often feed on the Liquid Protodermis contained within them. The Ko-Matoran Scholar Ihu was killed when a swarm of Nui-Rama attacked the Chute he was riding to feed on the Protodermis. After the Toa Metru were branded as impostors by Makuta Teridax disguised as Turaga Dume, Vakama, Matau, and Nokama fled from the Coliseum via a Chute headed towards Ko-Metru. In a main Chute Station, the Dark Hunters Nidhiki and Krekka forced the Chute Station Attendant Kongu to reverse the flow of the Chutes to endanger the Toa Metru. The Toa Metru were forced to manually evacuate the Chute, making use of Nokama's Hydro Blades to latch onto one of the metal supports and swing themselves to safety. Later, the same three Toa Metru were attacked by Vahki Bordakh. Matau allowed the Vahki to pursue him in a nearby Chute but noticed that a portion of the Chute ahead had been destroyed by Vahki Vorzakh. Thinking quickly, he hooked his Aero Slicers on one of the Chute Rings and stopped himself before he exited the Chute. The Vahki were unable to stop themselves in time, flying out of the Chute and crashing to the ground below. The Chute system was heavily damaged in the Great Cataclysm, but repaired after the Staff of Artakha was used.

Underwater Chutes
Many Underwater Chutes connect Metru Nui with the domes of various other locations within the Matoran Universe. These Chutes are all over Metru Nui, but they fell into disuse because they were considered unsafe, making them a very good way for different types of Rahi to travel, including the Visorak horde. Jaller, Hewkii, Kongu, Hahli, Matoro, Nuparu, and Takanuva traveled in an abandoned Underwater Chute from Le-Metru to Karzahni.

Dark Mirror
In the Toa Empire Alternate Universe, Lesovikk and Takanuva used an Underwater Chute to travel from Karzahni to Metru Nui.

Features
The Chutes are made of magnetized Protodermis held in place by an electromagnetic sheath, causing them to flow at rapid speeds. The electromagnetic field pulses, weakening and strengthening every few seconds, allowing solid objects to pass through the Chute's outer field at the right time. The field's strength can be altered, so as to make it weaker or stronger, at a Chute Station. Chutes can vary in size, from small one-Matoran Chutes to huge Cargo Chutes. Sometimes, when there is trouble in the Chutes, the Chute's speed is slowed or even stopped. Reversing it is believed by the workers to possibly cause the entire system to explode. Damaged Chutes were closed off to the public, and were often used illegally, until the Chute's condition was normalized.

Boarding
The most common way to board a Chute is from Chute Stations. At a Chute Station, the Protodermis flow is slowed down and the magnetic field is weakened enough for Matoran to pass through easily, allowing them to enter and exit the Chute, or load or unload cargo. However, some Matoran use an illegal and more exhilarating method called Chute Diving. In this method, the Matoran board the Chutes by performing precisely timed dives into them at the moment when the field is considered the weakest. This is an extremely dangerous act, since the Matoran may time their dive incorrectly and as a result land hard on the Chute, possibly falling off of it. In order to reach the boarding platform of a Chute from ground level, a system of ladders is utilized.

Force Spheres
Occasionally, there is a flaw in a Chute System, which causes a piece of the Chute's field to break off and wrap around itself, becoming a sphere of magnetic energy, called a Force Sphere. Force Spheres travel through Chutes at high speed, sucking in tools, bits of junk, Kanoka Disks, and other things. The longer the Sphere exists, the stronger it becomes, until it causes the Chute it is traveling in to collapse in upon itself. The Sphere then implodes under the wreckage, destroying its' contents. During the quest for the Great Disks, Matau had to retrieve Le-Metru's Great Disk from a Force Sphere. The Toa managed to create a tornado inside the magnetic field to push himself out. After that, the Sphere destroyed The Notch.

Appearances

 * The Many Deaths of Toa Tuyet
 * Bittersweet Melancholy (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui
 * Comic 16: Toa Metru!
 * BIONICLE Adventures 2: Trial by Fire
 * Lunchable Comic 2 (Mentioned Only)
 * Lunchable Comic 3
 * Comic 17: Disks of Danger
 * Comic 19: Enemies of Metru Nui
 * BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui
 * BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui
 * BIONICLE Legends 2: Dark Destiny
 * Dark Mirror (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE: Metru Nui - City of Legends
 * BIONICLE: Rahi Beasts (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE: Encyclopedia (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated (Mentioned Only)
 * Matau's Toa Metru Mini Promo CD
 * Toa Metru Promo Animations
 * Vahki Online Animations
 * BIONICLE: Quest for Keetongu (Mentioned Only)