Muaka

"Hunting Muaka? Don't. Odds are the whole time you think you are stalking it, it is stalking you -- and it's a lot better at the job."

- Rahaga Pouks, Rahi Beasts

Muaka are powerful, tiger-like Rahi.

History
The Muaka species was created by the Makuta using Viruses and Liquid Protodermis to be one of the Rahi to inhabit the Matoran Universe.

Many Muaka made their home on the island city of Metru Nui. Due to their immunity to stasis, few Muaka were ever placed in the Archives, though several awake specimens were kept in a marked area. Toa Metru Whenua once encountered a Rahkshi in the Archives, and released a Muaka from its pen to distract it while he rescued Tehutti. When Makuta Teridax caused the Great Cataclysm, many Muaka migrated to the island of Mata Nui. Teridax enlisted them in his Rahi army, placing them under his control through the use of Infected Kanohi. He would often pair his infected Muaka with infected Kane-Ra. These two creatures naturally would not coexist with each other and thus would not work together, but Teridax liked to pair their strength together to form an elite attack force.

After the Toa Mata arrived, Teridax concentrated his attack on them, utilizing his Rahi to the fullest extent. Once Lewa had recovered a Kanohi, he was ambushed by infected Nui-Rama, who knocked him out of the air into the waiting jaws of a Muaka. Onua dispatched the creature and rescued Lewa.

When the Toa Mata reunited, Teridax used the convenience of their grouping, and had more Rahi attack them. Gali threw the Muaka that attacked her at Kopaka, who froze it solid. Takua also encountered a Muaka in the Drifts of Ko-Wahi. The beast attacked him and Matoro, whom Takua was seeking at the time. Kopaka arrived and saved the Matoran, backing the beast to the edge of a cliff using his Kanohi Huna and Mahiki, and breaking off part of the glacier, sending the Muaka plummeting to the mountain below.

Teridax later assigned large amounts of Rahi, including Muaka, to attack Kini-Nui while the Toa Mata attempted to confront him. These Rahi conflicted with various Matoran military that had come to defend the sacred location. Eventually, the Matoran succeeded in repelling the Rahi, and the animals retreated after the defeat of Teridax. Teridax relinquished his hold over the Rahi, and the Muaka prowled the jungles of Mata Nui as they had before.

Muaka did their best to avoid the Bohrok swarms, and later migrated back to Metru Nui after the Bohrok were released intentionally by the Toa Nuva.

Mutated Muaka
There have been three known instances of unique Muaka. One was a Muaka that had been captured and mutated by the Visorak. It encountered and clashed with Toa Hordika Vakama, but fled when Vakama accidentally charged up his Rhotuka. It had long, saber-like fangs and back legs in place of treads.

Teridax's Muaka
The Muaka mutated by Teridax had sharp protrusions extending from its legs, armor along its back and sides, and extra fangs. The Toa Metru encountered this creature while descending through Teridax's lair to return to Metru Nui, and it warned the Toa Metru not to return to Metru Nui when Nokama communicated with it using her Kanohi Rau.

Nektann's Muaka
The Skakdi warlord Nektann has a Muaka pet with spiked armor, who was mutated similarly to how Teridax's was.

Toa Empire Alternate Universe
In this universe, Toa Hagah Bomonga and Kualus rode Muaka when escorting the Kanohi Vahi back to Tuyet.

Abilities & Traits
The Muaka have long, sharp claws and teeth, and a muscular neck that can extend several bios to snatch up prey. Muaka usually rely on their claws when hunting. First, they stab their prey and force it to the ground. Then the beast uses its teeth to eat the victim, afterwards pulling it to the closest lair.

The Muaka are nocturnal creatures. During the day, these beasts sleep in unused sectors of the Archives, but when it becomes darker, the Muaka make their way to Ko-Metru in search of prey. Ko-Matoran scholars, learning late in the Knowledge Towers, are used to hearing the roars of these creatures.

Muaka are incredibly swift and powerful, and are thus feared by Matoran. They also possess a natural immunity to stasis. Generally solitary creatures, Muaka prefer to hunt alone than in packs. The only known enemy of the Muaka is the Fusa. The Muaka are also considered to be the cousins of the smaller Shallows Cat.

Muaka have a distinct hatred for Rahkshi, and consider the creatures a delicacy. A single Muaka has been known to decimate an entire Rahkshi colony in a matter of days.



==Trivia ==


 * While the Toa Inika were in the Zone of Nightmares, an illusion of a Muaka was spawned from one of the Toa's memories. Hahli fought the Rahi, and accidentally killed it. Afterwards, the Muaka turned into Toa Nuva Onua. Kongu then revealed them as illusions to the others.

Appearances



 * BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui


 * Comic 2: Deep into Darkness


 * Comic 3: Triumph of the Toa


 * BIONICLE Chronicles 4: Tales of the Masks


 * BIONICLE Adventures 5: Voyage of Fear (Mentioned Only)


 * BIONICLE Adventures 6: Maze of Shadows (Mutated Specimen)


 * BIONICLE 3: Web of Shadows (Mutated Specimen)


 * Comic 2: Vengeance of Axonn (Mentioned Only, Used in a Saying)


 * BIONICLE Legends 5: Inferno (As an Illusion)


 * The Mutran Chronicles (Mentioned Only)


 * BIONICLE Legends 9: Shadows in the Sky (Mentioned Only)


 * Dark Mirror (In an Alternate Universe)


 * Destiny War (Altered Specimen)


 * Reign of Shadows (Mentioned Only)


 * Double: Crime and the City


 * BIONICLE: The Official Guide to BIONICLE


 * BIONICLE: Rahi Beasts


 * BIONICLE: Dark Hunters (Mentioned Only)


 * BIONICLE: Encyclopedia (Mentioned Only)


 * BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated (Mentioned Only)


 * Mata Nui Online Game


 * BIONICLE: Quest for the Masks (Non-canonical Appearance)


 * BIONICLE: Quest for Makuta (Non-canonical Appearance)


 * BIONICLE: Matoran Adventures (Non-canonical Appearance)


 * Toa Nuva Promo CD


 * BIONICLE Heroes (Non-canonical Appearance)