Great Cataclysm

"Now embrace the nightfall. Even the Great Spirit will soon sleep."

- Makuta Teridax, Legends of Metru Nui

The Great Cataclysm, also known as the Great Shadow and referred to as the Fall by the Av-Matoran of Karda Nui, was an event that damaged the entire Matoran Universe. It occurred when the Great Spirit Mata Nui was rendered comatose by the actions of Makuta Teridax, using a virus created by Makuta Kojol. The Great Spirit plummeted from his position over Aqua Magna and struck the celestial body, causing a massive earthquake and devastation across the Matoran Universe.

History
Over 80,000 years ago, the Barraki tried to revolt against Mata Nui, and claim power in the universe. However, they were stopped by Makuta Teridax, and later banished to the Pit. However, Teridax began thinking that he could conquer the planet on his own, and crafted a plan to help him achieve his goal. Armed with information Mutran gained from Tren Krom, Teridax had Makuta Kojol make a virus, which he infected the Great Spirit Robot with 300 years prior to this event. Despite efforts of the Toa Metru to stop him, Teridax successfully imprisoned the Matoran population of Metru Nui and the Great Spirit fell into a coma, crashing into Aqua Magna and sending shockwaves throughout the universe.

The fissures caused many of Metru Nui's buildings and infrastructures to be destroyed or severely damaged, most prominently affected being the Archives which, suffering critical structural damage, released a large portion of the Rahi imprisoned within. In the Pit, the seismic anomalies released the surviving prisoners into the Black Waters of Aqua Magna, including the six Barraki. Here, a substance diluted from a form of radiation emitted by the energy sources that power Mata Nui, combined with the seawater of the planet and produced a substance with mutative qualities known as the Pit Mutagen. This transformed the exposed prisoners into water breathers.

The Great Cataclysm caused the Voya Nui region of the Southern Continent to dislodge itself from the Matoran Universe and break through Mata Nui's chest, producing a hole in the top of the dome. It came to rest as a floating island on the surface of Aqua Magna. The tear in Mata Nui's armor also created the Swamp of Secrets in Karda Nui, as a result of the Giant Waterfall pouring in through the hole left by Voya Nui's ascent.

Having fallen from the ceiling, the Stalactite Villages were formed, bringing the Av-Matoran from the Southern Continent back to Karda Nui. Other structures across the Matoran Universe were damaged or ruined, such as the fortress on Destral.

Aftermath
The island of Mata Nui was created by an accidental triggering of the Great Spirit's camouflage system, which rapidly developed into multiple flora climates and diverse locations. These were caused by the Energized Protodermis pipes inside Mata Nui's head which leaked through the island.

Much of the damage caused was not reversed for the millennium that Mata Nui remained comatose. Only a small number of structures, objects, etc. were repaired by those willing to do the work. Many buildings of Metru Nui, as well as other structures, remained in disrepair for years due to the fact that no one was there to attempt their reparation.

One thousand years after the Great Cataclysm, the Toa Nuva were sent to retrieve the Staff of Artakha, which possessed restorative properties. The Toa failing to do so, it was eventually recovered by Botar from Brutaka while the latter was in the Black Water. Afterwards, the Toa Nuva were teleported to a chamber on the island of Daxia, where they saw the staff being used. It reversed much of the damage caused by the Great Cataclysm, with one exception being Karda Nui, as the Staff was unable to penetrate the dome's shields.

Appearances

 * The Many Deaths of Toa Tuyet (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui
 * BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui
 * The Mutran Chronicles (In a Flashback)
 * Comic 12: Realm of Fear (In a Flashback)
 * BIONICLE Adventures 7: Web of the Visorak (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE 3: Web of Shadows (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE Adventures 9: Web of Shadows (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE Legends 6: City of the Lost (Mentioned Only)
 * Comic 9: Battle in the Deep! (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE Legends 9: Shadows in the Sky (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE Legends 11: The Final Battle (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE: Journey's End (Mentioned Only)
 * BIONICLE: Rahi Beasts (Mentioned Only)
 * Mata Nui Saga