Vakama (Pirates)

"They call me 'Maskbreaker', but I prefer being called Vakama."

- Vakama, Pirates: The Regathering Vakama is the Toa Metru of Fire, pirate, and captain of the ship the Lhikan. He was also a Ta-Metru Mask-maker until his transformation into a Toa. He is also known by the moniker Maskbreaker.

Matoran
Vakama was the apprentice of renowned Kanohi Mask-maker Nuhrii, who mentored him in the craft of Kanohi Masks. Soon, Vakama surpassed Nuhrii and gained a reputation as one of Ta-Metru's and Metru-Nui's greatest mask-makers, making his former mentor jealous of him.

Later, Turaga Dume assigned Vakama the task of forging the Kanohi Vahi, the Mask of Time. Unknown to Vakama, Dume was the Makuta Teridax in disguise.

While searching for the correct Kanoka disks to create the mask for the Turaga, Toa Lhikan, the sole guardian of Metru-Nui, came to Vakama. The Toa of Fire gave him a Toa Stone in desperation right before the Dark Hunters Nhidiki and Krekka arrived to capture Lhikan. Vakama was spirited away in time and escaped the Dark Hunters, who take Lhikan into their custody. Vakama blamed himself for the incident.

Later, Vakama went to the Great Temple with the Toa Stone and encountered five other Matoran, each from different Metru. Their names were Nokama, Matau, Onewa, Nuju, and Whenua. After introductions, the six Matoran inserted their Toa Stones into a nearby Suva, which transformed them into Toa Metru.

Toa Metru
Shortly after becoming a Toa, Vakama recieved a vision of Metru-Nui's destruction by the Morbuzakh, a dangerous and destructive plant that had recently appeared throughout Metru-Nui. After seeing Great Disks vanquish the plant, Vakama convinced his fellow Toa to find them.

The Toa Metru traveled to their respective Metru and found their Disks. The team tracked down the Morbuzakh to the Great Furnace in Ta-Metru and defeated it using the powers of the Great Disks.

The Toa then proceeded to display the Great Disks to Turaga Dume and take Lhikan's place as defenders of the great city. However, Dume rejected them and forced them to prove themselves by making them run through an obstacle course in the Coliseum. The Toa failed, and Dume accused them of being imposters.

Nuju, Onewa, and Whenua were captured by the Coliseum's security systems while Vakama managed to save himself, Nokama, and Matau from the incoming Vahki forces by firing a Kanoka disk at a giant statue of Lhikan, which crushed the Vahki. The three Toa escaped through the chute system in hopes of finding Lhikan.

After run-ins with the Dark Hunters, Vahki, and ally Kikanalo, the three Toa eventually reunited with the other three, who were accompanied by a Turaga. The six Toa discover that the Turaga was a transformed Lhikan. Lhikan then revealed that the Toa Metru had made an error coming to find him, as the true focus of their efforts should have been on the Matoran, who were being rounded up in the Coliseum and placed into memory-wiping Matoran Spheres. The Toa Metru also discover the true Turaga Dume in a Matoran Sphere, realizing the one they have been encountering has always been an imposter.

The Toa Metru rush to the Coliseum, where Teridax revealed himself. Once all the Matoran have been in stasis, Teridax initiated the next phase of his plan: putting the Great Spirit Mata Nui to sleep.

Vakama and the other Toa rushed to rescue as many Matoran as they could, and managed to retrieve six Spheres to take with them past the Great Barrier. However, Teridax came after them after absorbing Nhidiki, Krekka, and the Rahi Nivawk, threating the Toa and Lhikan with pillars of Protodermis.

Vakama went to confront Teridax with the completed Vahi, which he attempted to use against the Makuta. However, Vakama didn't have full control over the mask and its powers affected him as well, slowing him down. Lhikan suddenly dove in front of Vakama, defending him from Teridax's Shadow Hand and taking the full impact, killing the Turaga.

The Great Flood
At that moment however, a large-scale Earthquake struck the universe. Just as the other Toa Metru were nearing the Great Barrier, the structure cracked, and large amounts of water came rushing in, flooding 4/7th of the universe and washing away most if not all of the Matoran Spheres, scattering them across the word.

Vakama was forced to leave Lhikan's body (but took his mask) to join the other Toa Metru in getting to safety.

Much later, Onewa constructed a ship, named after the late Turaga, for the Toa Metru to travel in. Much to their horror, they discover that the Skakdi of Zakaz had taken over most of the Matoran Universe thanks to their superior naval military and established a Skakdi Kingdom. Due to the immense dislike of Toa by the Skakdi, the wandering Toa Metru have been branded pirates for their activities in helping surviving citizens of the Matoran Universe.

Vakama relunctantly took the role of captain and adapted to the life of pirating and a flooded world.

Eventually, the Skakdi naval General Nektann managed to corner the Toa Metru and captured the Lhikan and the other Toa Metru. Vakama and (unknown to anyone at the time) Matau were the only ones to escape. In the process however, an explosion took Vakama's left hand, which he replaced with a hook later.

With his fellow Toa in seperate prisons and him being hunted down by a government, Vakama suffered an existential crisis and became a wreck. He wandered around the world, mostly hanging out at bars and got into fights with fellow patrons. His tendency to cause damage to people's masks earned him the nickname Maskbreaker, which was rather cruel to Vakama as it reminded him of his seemingly better life as a Mask-maker.

For two years, Vakama got drunk at taverns and slept in alleyways with a bottle in his hand. Eventually, he recieved an epithany and decided not to be a pathetic excuse for a Toa. He created a plan to reunite his crew and retrieve his ship.

The Regathering
First, Vakama went to Nektann's stronghold to retrieve his ship, which was kept in the General's trophy room. Next, Vakama went to save Nokama and Nuju, both of whom were kept inside a volcano. During the escape, Nuju was severely injured and lost his normal eye.

While tending to Nuju, Vakama and Nokama discover that Matau might be alive, much to Vakama's rage.

Later, Vakama and Nokama head to Bone Isles, a prison island where they believe Onewa is held in. Instead of an actual prison, the two find a nearly abadoned facility and a large crowd of Skakdi partying with Onewa in the prison's cafeteria.

Onewa revealed that he got all the Skakdi prisoners kept in Bone Isles on their side by using his Kanohi mask to mind-control them into feeling guilt. However, this straining act caused Onewa to swear never to use his mask again. Vakama then rallied the Skakdi prisoners and sent several of them to spy on the Kingdom by entering their military ranks. Several of the prisoners were also selected to be crew members of the Lhikan.

Next on the list, Vakama went to rescue Whenua, who has been forced to pointlessly mine in a cave whilst wearing Element-inhibiting restraints to prevent escape. Vakama freed Whenua and the two made it back to the Lhikan, only to find their escape route blocked off by Nektann's fleet.

So he could intimidate the Skakdi Kingdom more whilst also being theatrical, Vakama made the Lhikan head straight for Nektann's warship, using his power over fire to ward off any attempts to sink the ship. At the right moment, Vakama ordered Nokama to create a tidal wave to get the ship over Nektann's, followed by Nuju freezing it solid. Once completely past the fleet, Vakama fired a Cordak round into the frozen wave, which destroyed Nektann's ship by splitting it in half.

Abilities and traits
As a Matoran, Vakama was prideful of his work as a Mask-maker, and excelled at it.

As a Toa, Vakama was uncertain of his role as a hero. At times, he missed forging masks for others, evident by his continuous work on the Kanohi Vahi even as a Toa. As a result of his insecurities, Vakama suffered from self-doubt. This worsened when in a matter of minutes, his whole world changed, and instead of a hero, Vakama was now forced to take on the role of a criminal against a government.

After his two years of drunkeness and self-loathing, Vakama stepped up his game and became a daring swashbuckler who came up with insane plans, an example was his plan to have Nokama create a tidal wave that will carry the Lhikan over Nektann's warship. He has also developed a large temper, shown when he immediately became hostile upon seeing Matau for the first time in two years. Another example is when he became threatening towards Nokama when she compared Vakama's actions to Matau's.

As a former Mask-maker, Vakama has vast knowledge of various Kanohi Masks.

Vakama was plagued by visions of the future, sometimes they occur when the situation is inappropriate.

As a Toa of Fire, Vakama can create, control, and absorb heat and flame.

Mask and Tools
As a Matoran, Vakama used a firestaff as a tool to forge masks.

As a Toa, Vakama used a Disk Launcher, which he can use to fire Kanoka Disks. He barely uses this tool anymore in favor of a two cutlasses and four Cordak pistols. His hook hand is also useful for grabbing enemies and latching onto objects, like ropes to slide on.

Vakama wears the Great Kanohi Huna, the Great Mask of Concealment, which allowed him to become invisible, but still cast a shadow.

Appearances

 * Pirates: The Regathering
 * Pirates: Exodus

Trivia

 * While obviously influenced by famous fictional pirates like Edward Kenway from Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, Vakama's behavior and actions are also influenced by Captain James Kirk from Star Trek (2009) and Jack Marston from Red Dead Redemption.
 * This version of Vakama is referred to as "Pirate Vakama" across the wiki.