Great Beings

The Great Beings are a mysterious race in Lego fictional Bionicle storyline. These godlike beings are (in-story) the creators of the Bionicle universe. They have since moved on to other universes, but left behind the Great Spirit Mata Nui to guard the world they created. They also left behind numerous relics, to be used if Mata Nui were ever disabled.

Known Great Beings

Two known Great Beings created and hid the Mask of Life. They carved the pedestal meant to hold the mask and the staircase leading to it, and one of them recorded his voice to provide tests for those who penetrated the tunnels. However, they left the creation of guardians to the mask itself (though they did discuss sending Umbra as a guard). Though they had immense power and could keep surrounding Matoran from noticing them, even they feared the mask's curse; they also wore cloaks and used unknown weapons and tools.

A third Great Being was known to fall victim to the curse of the Mask of Life, gaining the ability to give life to anything. However, the power was too much to control and everything began coming to life around him, from tools and furniture to even beams of light, and all this new life not only had wants and needs but were able to make such desires known. The Being was eventually sealed away to keep anything else from coming to life, and it is rumored he was driven mad.

Artifacts

The Great Beings predicted that Mata Nui may not always be able to guard his world, so they created several beings and objects to do essential tasks if needed.

Bohrok

The Bohrok and their Bahrag queens were left beneath the island of Mata Nui. If the island were ever to have things growing or built On It, the Bohrok would wait for a signal to carry out orders to reduce the island to bare rock again. Makuta abused the Bohrok by activating the signal while Matoran lived there, forcing the Toa Nuva to contain them; the Toa later freed them after the Matoran had left.

Its unclear how much involvement the Great Beings had in preparing the Bohrok. They at least created the first Krana that drive them. The Brotherhood of Makuta at least had some involvement in creating the nest, leaving six Exo-Toa in case the Bohrok were released at the wrong time. Creation of later Krana and possibly even the Bohrok themselves (particularly elite Bohrok-Kal) may have been left to the Bahrag.

Mask of Life

The Ignika Mask of Life was created to heal Mata Nui if he was ever in danger of death, and even the Great Beings fear its power.

The Ignika also has a deadlier second purpose: should the world irreversibly descend into war and chaos, then the mask will eventually end all life in the universe.

Scroll

A scroll was hidden in Metru Nui's Great Temple, detailing tasks that must be undertaken if Mata Nui were to be incapacitated. Known tasks on this list include:

• Release the Bohrok to do their task
• Use the Staff of Artakha to repair damages caused by the Great Cataclysm.
• Calm a chain of volcanoes
• Find an artifact called the "Heart of the Visorak" so that the Visorak hordes cannot easily be summoned
• Take measurements of the Red Star, using the telescope on the island of Mata Nui (below)

The Toa Nuva are currently have completed these tasks, with help from the Order of Mata Nui in claiming the Staff of Artakha.

Telescope

An astronomy telescope on the island of Mata Nui, apparently used to study the Red Star. As one of the original creations of the Great Beings, it was not touched by the Bohrok's cleaning.

Umbra

Umbra is a giant warrior who lives on Voya Nui guarding the Ignika Mask of Life from those who would misuse it. He was appointed as a guardian of the mask by the Great Beings, and the Order of Mata Nui considers him an ally; though he does not know - nor care - that the Order even exists. All that matters to him is guarding the mask from the unworthy, and anyone who wishes to claim it would have to defeat him in battle first. He has remained isolated with the mask for a long time, and may not even be aware of what is happening on the island's surface.

The name "Umbra" was given to him by the Great Beings so that he could fit in with enemies and gain their trust (as an umbra is the darkest part of the shadow).

When the Toa Inika sought to claim the Mask of Life, Umbra first used his speed to attack the intruders and disarm them. Matoro was able to use this speed against him, however, when he iced over the cavern, causing Umbra to slip and crash. He then attacked as a laser-like beam of light, but the Toa responded with more ice: Matoro coated the cavern with a mirror-like layer of ice and Nuparu lured Umbra into hitting it, causing him to reflect off of it wildly until he was knocked out.

Umbra wields a large, dual-strobe staff that can fire lasers; it's also equipped with a Rhotuka launcher with the power to make hard-light projections. He wears a Great Ruru-shaped Kanohi mask, but the mask is powerless. He has ultra-speed skates on his feet that allow him to move at extremely fast speeds; and they also allow him to ride on the walls and ceilings of the chamber that he guards. More than that, he can also turn himself into an even faster beam of light.