Bara Magna

"Parched. Sandy. Harsh. The desert planet of Bara Magna is no place for the faint of heart. Glatorian warriors battle in the Arena Magna for power, for glory, and for honor. Their contests determine which villages will receive much-needed resources like water, while Agori villagers struggle to survive in their elemental villages."

- BIONICLEstory.com

Bara Magna, also known as the Great Barren, was a giant desert located on Spherus Magna, and had very little natural resources. Following the Shattering, it existed as its own independent planet for 100,000 years until Spherus Magna was reformed. Shortly after, Mata Nui transformed the desert into a lush land covered in flora.

History
Bara Magna was once a section of Spherus Magna, and held a very advanced civilization. Many of the warriors on the planet were enlisted to fight in the Core War over the Energized Protodermis discovered elsewhere on the planet. During the war, the planet shattered, and the largest fragment was Bara Magna. The majority of the population were also on Bara Magna at the time, though a minority were trapped on the moons.

The members of the Rock Tribe, which had previously inhabited a different area on the planet, were cut off from their home as a result of the disaster. The Skrall attempted to establish a camp near the Black Spike Mountains, but encountered the violent shapeshifters which they dubbed Baterra, who killed many of their number.

The Sand Tribe, already a reclusive tribe, gradually devolved into savages as a reaction to the Shattering. It also worsened the availability of the scarce resources of the planet, and helped create a need for a new planet-wide social system. The Agori, organized into tribes, began hiring Glatorian to fight in arenas for resources. The Skrall, commanded by their only remaining leader, Tuma, migrated south, and into the previously uninhabited city of Roxtus at the base of the Black Spike Mountains. Tuma, observing the Agori social system, began to participate in it as well, as part of his newly formulated plan of global domination. The Rock Tribe was approached by Ice Tribe Agori Metus, who sought to ally with them out of self-preservation.

Recently, the Element Lords escaped their confinement, and began fighting in the area north of the White Quartz Mountains, seeking to enter the Valley of the Maze and claim the power of the Great Beings. Three Agori - Tarduk, Crotesius and Kirbold - launched an expedition to the north to discover the secret of the Red Star, and had many altercations with the Element Lords during their travels.

Tuma, in response to the migration of the Baterra, ordered an attack on the free city of Atero on the day of the Great Tournament. The Skrall arrived and savagely took the Arena Magna by force, killing many Glatorian and Agori. The survivors fled the arena and moved into the surrounding caves in the desert, to plan their defense against the Skrall. Mata Nui, having been trapped in the Kanohi Ignika and exiled from his body, soon arrived on Bara Magna. He was discovered by the Agori Metus, who offered him a ride to Vulcanus where he observed the arena match between Ackar and Strakk. Intervening to save Ackar's life from the treacherous warrior for the Ice Tribe, Mata Nui gained the friendship and alliance of the Fire Tribe warrior and fellow Glatorian Kiina. During this, the village of Tajun was attacked and destroyed by a united force of Skrall and Bone Hunters.

Traveling to the Underground Lab of the Great Beings by Thornatus, Mata Nui and his companions were attacked by a Skopio, and a group of Bone Hunters hired by Metus to assassinate them. They survived the encounter, but arrived too late to save Tajun. After exploring the lab, Berix and Gresh joined the party and witnessed Mata Nui using the Ignika to bestow Elemental Powers on the three Glatorian before departing for Tesara.

In Tesara, Ackar interrupted an arena match between Tarix and Vastus to request that the arena match system be discarded in favor of uniting the villages against their common adversaries. Although this was initially met with skepticism, the Agori agreed to this. While in Tesara, Kiina and Berix were lured away, kidnapped by the Rock Tribe and brought to Roxtus.

Mata Nui traveled to Roxtus and challenged Tuma in one-on-one arena combat for the freedom of his allies. Using fighting techniques learned from Ackar, Mata Nui defeated the leader Skrall but the victory was interrupted by the revelation that Metus had betrayed the villages. A group of Scarabax beetles distracted the Skrall forces long enough for a force of Glatorian and Agori to arrive and challenge the Rock Tribe. During the struggle, Mata Nui transformed Metus into a serpent and won the battle by combining his power with that of the Glatorian.

Following the battle, Mata Nui journeyed to northern Bara Magna in search of the secrets the Valley of the Maze could tell him about the power of the Great Beings. He returned with a power source for the ancient robot that the Agori had inadvertently turned into their home. Taking control of the robot, Mata Nui began to pull Bota Magna and Aqua Magna towards Bara Magna to reunite the planets. However, his efforts were interrupted by Teridax arriving on the planet in Mata Nui's old body. The two began fighting on the planet, with Teridax eventually gaining an advantage and declaring Bara Magna his. Mata Nui refused to back down, however, and used his strength and determination to redirect one of Teridax's gravity attacks at Aqua Magna and Bota Magna. His efforts were successful, and the power of gravity pulled the two fragments further into the gravitational field of Bara Magna, causing them to plummet irreversibly onto the desert planet. During the descent, Mata Nui pushed Teridax into the path of the fragment from Aqua Magna, and it hit the back of Teridax's head, impacting the core processor and killing Teridax. The two fragments then collided with Bara Magna, reforming Spherus Magna. Using the rest of the robot's power, Mata Nui made the Bara Magna desert bloom with flora.

Spherus Magna Alternate Universe
In this alternate universe, Mata Nui was able to draw Aqua and Bota Magna back to Bara Magna, reforming Spherus Magna.

Landscape
The wastelands were a barren location, and dominated much of Bara Magna, interrupted only by the various villages that dotted the land. Most of the Bara Magna was covered by desert, and did not have any oceans or areas with large quantities of water. It did however, have oases, mountain ranges and other typical features found in a desert. Thornax plants typically grow throughout the wastes, one of the only types of vegetation that could grow in the arid climate.

After Mata Nui rejuvinated the Bara Magna desert, the wastelands became mostly covered in flora.

Iron Canyon
The Iron Canyon is a thin, winding canyon located to the east of Vulcanus and was the site of a pivotal battle during the Core War.

Sea of Liquid Sand
The Sea of Liquid Sand is an open expanse of liquid-like sand in the southwestern area of the Wastelands.

Sandray Canyon
The Sandray Canyon is a treacherous canyon to the east of Tajun.

Knee Island
The Knee Island is a landmark to the west of Tajun. Here, the knee of the Great Being's first giant robot rose above the sand. The Agori of Tajun took refuge here during the attack on their village.

Dunes of Treason
The Dunes of Treason is a midwestern area of the Wastelands.

Creep Canyon
The Creep Canyon is the north-eastern part of the Wastelands, and is separated from the Dunes of Treason by the Skrall River.

Skrall River
The Skrall River is a river which flows from the Black Spike Mountains, and separates the Dunes of Treason from the Creep Canyon.

Bone Hunters Stronghold
Though a nomadic tribe, the Bone Hunters have claimed a building in the desert for their own, and converted it into a stronghold.

Inhabitants
In addition to dangerous wildlife adapted to the hardships of the desert, Bara Magna is home to the Agori, Glatorian, Skrall, Bone Hunters, Baterra and Element Lords.

Trivia

 * The words "Bara Magna" were part of an inscription written in Agori on a wall in a tunnel to the Core Processor beneath Metru Nui.

Appearances

 * Decadence
 * Dwellers In Darkness (Mentioned Only)
 * All Our Sins Remembered
 * Fall and Rise of the Skrall
 * Secrets of Bara Magna!
 * BIONICLE: The Secret of Certavus
 * The Exile's Tale
 * Comic 1: Sands of Bara Magna (First Appearance)
 * Empire of the Skrall
 * Riddle of the Great Beings
 * My LEGO Network BIONICLE Campaign
 * The Crossing
 * Comic 2: The Fall of Atero
 * BIONICLE: Raid on Vulcanus
 * Comic 3: A Hero Reborn
 * BIONICLE: Desert of Danger
 * Comic 4: Before the Storm
 * BIONICLE: Challenge of Mata Nui
 * BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn
 * Metus' Revenge
 * BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn (Book)
 * Comic 5: Valley of Fear
 * BIONICLE: Journey's End
 * Comic 6: All That Glitters‎
 * Mata Nui Saga
 * Sahmad's Tale
 * Comic 7: Rebirth
 * The Powers That Be (Mentioned Only)
 * The Yesterday Quest (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE: Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna
 * BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn - Official Movie Guide
 * Glatorian Mini Movie
 * Glatorian Arena
 * Glatorian Promo Animation
 * Glatorian Legends Promo Animation
 * 2009 Vehicle Promo Animation
 * Prepare for Battle
 * Glatorian Arena 2
 * Glatorian Arena 3
 * Stars Promo Animation (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * Agori Defender (Non-canonical Appearance)
 * BIONICLE Battle Videos