Onewa

"Now that I'm a Toa Metru, I'm going to take advantage of it. The best tools, the best materials, mine for the asking — I'll build statues like you have never seen before!"

- Toa Metru Onewa, The Darkness Below

Onewa was a skeptical Po-Matoran Carver native to Metru Nui who became the Toa Metru of Stone, and briefly the Toa Hordika of Stone. He later became one of the Turaga of Mata Nui along with the other Toa Metru, and was one of the Turaga of Metru Nui before Teridax's reign began.

Matoran
Onewa was a Po-Matoran Carver on Metru Nui. He excelled at the profession, and was part of the Kranua construction team.

While working in Po-Metru, he received a summons from Toa Mangai Lhikan, who gave him Toa Stone along with a map to the Great Temple. Journeying there, he encountered five other Matoran each with a Toa Stone. When they placed their Toa Stones into the Suva at the center of the Great Temple, they were transformed into the Toa Metru.

Toa Metru
As they recovered from shock of becoming Toa, Vakama had a vision and told everyone that they needed to find the Great Disks to defeat the Morbuzakh, a plant that had been plaguing Metru Nui. He also said that six Matoran had already discovered their location. Onewa was skeptical, as the information came from Vakama's visions which he believed were caused by mental damage suffered from working too long in the forge. He nevertheless found the Po-Matoran Ahkmou, who turned out to be a traitor who was planning to betray his city to the Dark Hunters. Unfortunately, Onewa had no choice but to trust him, because he alone knew the location of the Po-Metru Great Disk. Even though he and Vakama had a great hostility toward each other, they were forced to team up, and successfully recovered both the Ta-Metru and the Po-Metru Great Disks. With the other Toa, they eventually defeated the Morbuzakh.

The Toa began heading to the Coliseum when Nuparu approached them, informing them of a leak in the Archives. The Toa went down into the Archives and ended up fighting the Shapeshifting Rahi, Krahka. She imitated the powers and appearance of the Toa, to cause enmity between them, and later captured Onewa with the other Toa except Nokama. Nokama freed her friends, and together they defeated Krahka, fixing the leak and returning to the surface.

However, upon presenting the Great Disks to Turaga Dume as proof of their worthiness, Dume pronounced them impostors and called for their arrest. Onewa, Nuju, and Whenua were captured. When they were being escorted to the prison, they tried to escape but failed, and were locked in the Prison of the Dark Hunters. A mysterious Turaga, also trapped inside, helped them learn to activate their mask powers. After this, The Toa escaped, thanks to Nuju's mask power. Once out of the prison, they walked through the tunnels guided by Whenua's light and eventually met up with the other three Toa and together with the mysterious Turaga, now revealed as Lhikan, they headed for the Coliseum, where they discovered the sleeping Matoran and Dume. In the flight from the Coliseum, Onewa saved his team by making Krekka attack Nidhiki. During the Battle at the Great Barrier, Onewa used his tools to destroy a Protodermis pole which was going to collide with the transport. Onewa eventually joined stone with the other Toa's Elements to seal Makuta Teridax, who had been impersonating Dume, behind solid Protodermis.

The Toa Metru then left Metru Nui for Mata Nui via a series of rivers aboard their Vahki Transport-Boat, The Lhikan. En route, they encountered ancient sea Rahi and Kralhi led by a Onu-Matoran named Mavrah, who believed that they were sent by Turaga Dume to retrieve him for his previous crime. A battle began, of which Onewa spoke harshly to the Matoran to force him to comprehend how his actions were harming others. While attempting to stop the battle in response, Mavrah was swept into the boiling river and only the actions of Onewa prevented Whenua from diving in after him.

After reaching Mata Nui, Onewa discovered a system of tunnels which the Toa Metru used to return to Metru Nui. The six Toa descended into the tunnels, where they discovered strange, mutated Rahi. When the Rahi Nui attacked, the Metru tricked it into shrinking. When it attacked again, Onewa, Matau, Nokama, and Whenua were defeated, but Vakama and Nuju managed to defeat it. The plant Karzahni agreed to heal Nokama, who had become mortally wounded after the battle, if they would bring it a vial of Energized Protodermis. During their new quest, Onewa was attacked by a Krana/Kraata hybrid which attached itself to his mask. The Toa of Stone experienced a strange vision of conquering Visorak from the creature, after which he related to the others.

When the Toa found the pool of Energized Protodermis, he helped defeat the substance's physical form. Nokama was then fully healed once they retrieved the substance for Karzahni and the plant unwisely used the Energized Protodermis on itself, dying soon after.

Toa Hordika
Upon their return to Metru Nui to rescue the Matoran, the six Toa Metru were captured by Visorak, spider-like creatures led by the Brotherhood of Makuta. The Toa were then hung by the Visorak in cocoons, thousands of feet high in the ruins of the great Coliseum. The heroes underwent painful mutations, (thanks to the ruthless viceroy of the Visorak, Roodaka) in the confines of their cocoons into the bestial half-Toa Half-Rahi Toa Hordika. As a Toa Hordika, Onewa found it harder to control his emotions than anyone else, with the exception of Vakama.

The Toa decided that Onewa and the Rahaga, Pouks, should search for levitation disks in Po-Metru to evacuate the Matoran by airship, however Onewa stumbled upon evidence that they might not have been meant to be Toa Metru. While investigating a tunnel, he realized that the chamber at the end was in fact Teridax's own lair. As he looked through the chamber, he spotted a tablet that held some discouraging news for the Toa.

While Onewa examined the tablet, outside the cave Pouks found out that a nearby stone snake was in fact Krahka, the shapeshifting Rahi whom the Toa had met before. While meeting up with Pouks, Onewa and the Rahaga confronted Krahka and had a conversation. Realizing that a Visorak Army traveled to Le-Metru, Krahka commanded them to follow her to Ta-Metru to meet a "friend". This friend turned out to be the Tahtorak, a massive dragon-like creature with incredible power. Krahka shapeshifted into a replica of Onewa and the unlikely team continued on to Le-Metru met up with the other Toa Hordika and Rahaga.

Later, Onewa was told about the Makoki Stone by Vakama, and then set out to find the second piece of the dissembled key. When he found it, he was grabbed by a tentacle and would have been nearly killed, had Whenua not arrived and saved him. He told his comrade of the quest and Whenua left to find his piece. Later, when the Toa Hordika found the Avohkii, Onewa encased it in stone so it could be smuggled out of the city.

Onewa then witnessed the fight between the Tahtorak and the powerful Zivon, and helped fight off the Visorak from a nearby Tower that the Toa took as a fortress. During the battle, he helped to lock up a large part of the Visorak army in the Tower. After seeing the Tahtorak, Krahka and the Zivon disappear into the Field of Shadows, he became filled with rage and crushed the Kahgarak spider responsible with a mass of stone. He later shared the information on the tablet in Teridax's lair with the other Toa Hordika which filled them all with doubt. Vakama, who had been most affected, gave in to his emotions and joined the Visorak hordes, capturing five of the six Rahaga in the process.

Soon after, Onewa and the others, led by Norik, embarked on a journey to find the great Rahi Keetongu, and were successful in persuading him to help them against the Visorak. In the final battle against the Visorak, Onewa killed a great number of Visorak, aided the others in bringing Vakama back to the light, and helped defeat Roodaka. Unwittingly, they released Teridax upon Roodaka's defeat by striking the piece of his seal Roodaka had kept in her armor.

He was then transformed back into a Toa Metru by Keetongu, and then, with nearly one thousand sleeping villagers, he returned to the island of Mata Nui to start a new life.

Turaga
Once on Mata Nui, Onewa willingly sacrificed his Toa Power to awaken the Matoran, transforming into a Turaga in the process. He supervised the construction of Po-Koro, making sure that it resembled Po-Metru, and aided in the defense of the village with his mask and powers. He became known for his ability to judge and resolve disputes fairly, and was nicknamed "Referee" for his efforts. He, together with Turaga Whenua, also invented the sport of Kolhii to solve a dispute between the Po-Matoran and Onu-Matoran. His (former) right hand Matoran was Hewkii while his left hand Matoran is Hafu. Kofo-Jaga kidnapped Onewa, until he was saved by Takua. He later saw Takua summon the Toa.

During the Po-Koro Epidemic, Onewa was greatly saddened at the sickness of the Po-Matoran, and spent most of his time carving beds for the sick. It was Takua who showed him the origin of the sickness, the Comet Kolhii ball. However, Onewa knew that the Matoran would not relinquish the balls without proof, so he sent Takua to find the source of the infected balls. When the source was exposed, and the Po-Matoran and Pohatu had thrown them out to sea, Onewa rewarded Takua with a chisel and instructed him to show it to Nokama who would appoint him as the Chronicler.

Onewa later spotted the Bohrok starting to destroy some of Po-Wahi's famous monuments, and fiercely attacked the Pahrak that were doing it, even though they did not even recognize his presence. He later went back to warn the Po-Matoran of the Bohrok's arrival. He led the Po-Matoran to Ga-Koro in order to escape the Tahnok swarms, which were ravaging Po-Koro. There, as they and the Ga-Matoran prepared to make a last stand against the Bohrok, the Toa defeated the Bahrag and saved them from the Pahrak swarms.

After the defeat of the Bohrok-Kal and The Rebuilding, Onewa selected Hafu and Hewkii as Po-Koro's representatives for the Kolhii Tournament. Onewa was present at the final Kolhii Match that took place in Ta-Koro and witnessed the revelation of the Mask of Light.

Onewa withheld information about Metru Nui and his life as a Toa from Pohatu, and continued to do so, leaving Vakama the task of telling the story of their lives as Toa Metru.

Return To Metru Nui
When Onewa and the other Turaga traveled back to Metru Nui, Dume held a conference with the Turaga and the Toa Nuva during which he revealed Mata Nui was dying. Dume told the assembled Toa and Turaga of the Kanohi Ignika, located on Voya Nui, which could save him. With this, Onewa, the other Turaga, and the Toa Nuva were led by Dume into a chamber that held six Toa Canisters and watched the departure of the Toa Nuva in them.

After learning of Matoro's death, he constructed a statue of him in front of the Coliseum. The Toa Hagah and Toa Mahri later convinced Onewa and the other Turaga to let them perform a plan to let the Toa Hagah go under the Coliseum in their pursuit of Teridax. The Order of Mata Nui then occupied Metru Nui for a confrontation against the Brotherhood. Onewa and the other Turaga were confined to the Coliseum as they refused to agree with their plans.

After the Siege of Metru Nui, Onewa and the other Turaga declared a city-wide celebration.

Teridax's Reign
During this celebration, Teridax declared his takeover of the Matoran Universe, and sent Rahkshi into the city to terrorize them. Therefore, Onewa and all other inhabitants of Metru Nui went into the Archives to barricade themselves and hide. The Turaga then found Krahka, who led the Toa Nuva to the shoreline through unused tunnels. Some time later, he, along with the other Turaga of Metru Nui, was imprisoned in the Coliseum, with Ahkmou taking their place as the new "Turaga".

After the death of Teridax and the destruction of the Great Spirit Robot, Onewa, along with the Turaga and surviving Matoran of Metru Nui, migrated to the reformed Spherus Magna.

Abilities and Traits
Onewa was the most pessimistic of the Toa Metru. He was courageous, and ever-ready to crack a joke, but frequently made fun of Vakama and Whenua (but later became close friends with them). He found being a Toa thrilling, like Matau, but at the same time knew it was serious business. He was impatient, quick to anger, and often rushed in without thinking. By the time he became a Turaga, Onewa had mellowed quite a bit; he was renowned on Mata Nui for his fairness and ability to moderate arguments, earning the nickname "the Referee."

As a Toa of Stone, Onewa could control, create, or absorb stone. After becoming a Turaga, these abilities were greatly reduced.

Mask and Tools
Onewa wore a Great Komau, the Mask of Mind Control, as a Toa Metru. When he became a Toa Hordika, the Kanohi was fused to his face and he could no longer access its powers. When he was transformed back into a Toa Metru, his original mask was restored. When Onewa transformed into a Turaga, his Komau became a Noble Kanohi, and so its power was decreased.

As a Toa Metru, Onewa had a pair of Proto Pitons for tools. He could use them to focus his elemental stone powers. When he became a Toa Hordika, his Proto Pitons became Claw Clubs. He also acquired a Rhotuka Launcher through which he fired stone Rhotuka. He additionally found and occasionally used a Combat Staff. Upon becoming a Toa Metru again, Onewa lost his Rhotuka launcher and his tools reverted back to their Proto Piton form. As a Turaga, Onewa now wields a Stone Hammer as his Badge of Office.

When the Toa Mata were transformed into Toa Nuva, Onewa was given Pohatu's Noble Masks that he had collected, as he had no use for them.

Quotes
"Let's go. We have disks to find and a really nasty weed to rip out by the roots."

- Toa Onewa, Mystery of Metru Nui

"I'm doing this for Lhikan, no one else."

- Toa Metru Onewa, Legends of Metru Nui

"I don't know what you are, or what you have done before. But you have never faced anything like me. Feel my power and fall!"

- Toa Onewa, Maze of Shadows

Trivia

 * Dale Wilson voiced Turaga Onewa in Mask of Light.
 * Brian Drummon voiced Onewa in both Legends of Metru Nui and Web of Shadows.

Appearances

 * BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui
 * Comic 16: Toa Metru!
 * BIONICLE: The Beginning
 * BIONICLE Adventures 2: Trial by Fire
 * Lunchable Comic 3
 * Comic 17: Disks of Danger
 * Comic 18: Seeds of Doom
 * BIONICLE Adventures 3: The Darkness Below
 * Comic 19: Enemies of Metru Nui
 * Comic 20: Struggle in the Sky
 * Comic 21: Dreams of Darkness (In a Vision)
 * BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui
 * BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui
 * BIONICLE Adventures 5: Voyage of Fear
 * BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows
 * Comic 22: Monsters in the Dark
 * BIONICLE Adventures 7: Web of the Visorak
 * Comic 22.5
 * BIONICLE Adventures 8: Challenge of the Hordika
 * Comic 23: Vengeance of the Visorak
 * Comic 26: Hanging by a Thread
 * Comic 27: Fractures
 * BIONICLE 3: Web of Shadows
 * BIONICLE Adventures 9: Web of Shadows
 * BIONICLE Adventures 10: Time Trap
 * BIONICLE Chronicles 1: Tale of the Toa
 * Comic 2: Deep into Darkness
 * BIONICLE Chronicles 2: Beware the Bohrok
 * Wall of History (BIONICLE.com) (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE Chronicles 3: Makuta's Revenge
 * Comic 9: Divided We Fall (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE Chronicles 4: Tales of the Masks
 * BIONICLE: Mask of Light
 * BIONICLE: Mask of Light (Book)
 * Comic 15: Secrets and Shadows
 * BIONICLE Legends 1: Island of Doom
 * BIONICLE Legends 2: Dark Destiny
 * BIONICLE Legends 9: Shadows in the Sky (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets (Mentioned Only)
 * Destiny War (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE: The Official Guide to BIONICLE
 * BIONICLE: Collector's Sticker Book
 * BIONICLE: Metru Nui - City of Legends
 * BIONICLE: Rahi Beasts (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE: Encyclopedia
 * BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated
 * BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe
 * BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa
 * Mata Nui Online Game
 * BIONICLE: Quest for the Masks (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * BIONICLE: Quest for Makuta (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * BIONICLE: The Legend of Mata Nui (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * Toa Mata Nestlé Promo CD
 * Bohrok Online Animations
 * BIONICLE: Matoran Adventures (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * Toa Nuva Promo CD
 * Bohrok-Kal Online Animations
 * Mata Nui Online Game II: The Final Chronicle
 * Mata Nui Explorer (2003)
 * Mata Nui Explorer (Movie)
 * Onewa's Toa Metru Mini Promo CD
 * Toa Metru Promo Animations
 * Metru Nui Explorer
 * BIONICLE: Maze of Shadows (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * Toa Hordika Promo Animation (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * Visorak Promo Animation (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * 2005 Playset Promo Animation (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * Rhotuka Spinner Challenge (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * The Search for the Mask of Light
 * BIONICLE: Quest for Keetongu (Non-canonical Appearance)