Tourik (Fractures Alternate Universe)

"Be careful whose toes you step on today because they might be connected to the foot that kicks your rear end tomorrow."

- Tourik to Toa Tollubo, Over Your Shoulder.

Tourik was a Bo-Matoran who became a Toa of Plant Life serving under the leadership of Toa Jovan, in the Fractures Universe.

Early life
Similarly to all other Toa of Plant Life, Tourik began his life as a Bo-Matoran on Spherus Magna, where he helped to construct the Matoran Universe and was placed in the Mainland Swamp of the Southern Continent, along with a number of other Matoran of Plant Life.

Life as a Toa
At some point in his life, Tourik was transformed into a Toa at an unclear point in the history of the Matoran Universe. It is also known that he was part of a local Toa Team.

Great Disruption
Around 79,100 years ago, the Matoran Civil War in Metru Nui imperiled the health of the Great Spirit Mata Nui. To prevent his death, a Toa of Magnetism named Jovan joined Tourik's team and led them to search for the Chamber of Life, located under Mount Valmai in the heart of the Southern Continent.

Fortunately, Tourik was able to play a key part in this mission through the use of his Kanohi Elda.

The team then managed to successfully battle the various guards and traps leading to the chamber, and retrieved the Mask of Life.

The Toa then managed to bring the mask to Karda Nui, where a male member of the team reluctantly sacrificed his life to restore health to Mata Nui. After the Ignika's use resulted in the death of the Toa, the remaining members of the team returned the Ignika to the Chamber of Life and parted ways.

Hiatus
For approximately the next 76,000 years, Tourik began to wander the Matoran Universe, searching for purpose. Though he regularly returned to his homeland as he tried to avoid members of his old team when he could, feeling ashamed by the death of his team mate. On his journeys, Tourik became acquainted with Turaga Vilnius and protected the Tren Krom Peninsula for an unclear period of time.

Whilst passing through Stelt, Tourik happened upon a coastal tavern and witnessed the owner of the establishment being harassed by a gang of Skakdi. Recognizing the unjust nature of the situation, the Toa shadowed the two thugs out into the street and critically wounded both of them. However, he then returned the stolen money to the owner, and convinced the two defeated Skakdi that he was a member of a rival Skakdi gang. A week later, the two Skakdi gangs engaged each other in a shoot-out, resulting in both sides being completely wiped out due to the actions of Tourik.

Unknown to Tourik, the owner of the tavern, a Steltian Trader named Gribrak, decided to train to become a Dark Hunter, mistaking the Toa for a rogue agent of the organization.

Additionally, Tourik was known to have shadowed Makuta Kojol, seeking to find the Makuta's assigned island, Artahka. However, the Makuta was killed around 2,500 years ago when the island's ruler requested that the Order of Mata Nui hunted down and killed anybody know knew of Artakha's location, also destroying any records of the island's location. This irritated the Toa of Plant Life considerably, though he was still able to reach the island after purchasing a boat in Ga-Metru and setting sail across the western regions of the Matoran Universe, which was where he was certain he would find Artahka.

Brotherhood Invasion
Due to the fact that Makuta Teridax never existed in the Fractures Universe, the Brotherhood of Makuta did not form The Plan and, instead of waiting for events to fall into place around the Great Cataclysm, accelerated their invasion of the Matoran Universe. Mata Nui still was able to safely land on Spherus Magna. By this point, Tourik had long-since located the island and pledged himself to the realm's ruler as a guardian, claiming that he had nowhere else to go.

War
Tourik managed to survive the brunt of the War by staying in Artahka, which had been fortified to allow the inhabitants to defend themselves against Rahkshi attacks. However, being the island's only Toa, he was expected to be involved in the island's protection, assuming a military-style command and establishing a military force on Artahka.

When the Order of Mata Nui emerged from secrecy, it was known to have recruited a number of Toa in the event known as the Final Push. As a fallback option for if the war was lost, Tourik was chosen to stay to protect Artahka, as were a number of Toa on Metru-Nui. Over the course of the War, Tourik was known to have become acquainted with a Steltian Trader named Gribrak, who presumably travelled to Artahka to aid in defending the realm.

Post War
Following the end of the war and the supposed defeat of the Brotherhood, Tourik travelled to Stelt with Gribrak. Exhilarated by the fact they had both survived the war, they began to visit some of Stelt's seedier areas, engaging in tavern bets and gambling.

However, in more recent times, Tourik was contacted with a threat from Toa Tollubo, a Toa of Light surviving in Metru-Nui, pressuring him to travel to the City of Legends to help protect them from a group of rebels known as the Cult of Darkness. Grudgingly, the travelling pair accepted the demand and journeyed to Metru-Nui.

Metru Nui
Upon arriving on Metru-Nui, Tourik was unwillingly hailed as one of the island's Toa Metru and was given a welcoming ceremony, much to his annoyance. He swiftly took up residence in Le-Metru amongst the artificial rainforest and encouraged Matoran to respect what remained of the island's wildlife and opposed all developments to have Le-Metru restored to its Pre-War state.

Tourik was also present in a tactical meeting with his fellow Toa and witnessed Turaga Matoro's collapse.

Following the death of Turaga Matoro, Tourik and Gribrak were sent to Onu-Metru to contact Tollubo, who had gone off on a depression-fueled strop. Adopting a more down-to-earth approach than his associate, Gribrak tried to convince his fellow Toa that he was better off with the Toa Metru. Following a bar fight, Tourik was able to drag Tollubo out into the street to safety.

Several months later, after Tollubo had cleaned up his act and taken the advice of Tourik and Gribrak, the two Toa were sent to Ta-Metru with Betak and several members of the Matoran Land Army to combat Toa Graviton, a powerful and corrupt Toa of Gravity who had been imprisoned beneath the city for several centuries. The Toa proceeded to pummel Tollubo before Tourik and Betak were able to coordinate an attack. The Agori was able to bring their enemy down to the ground with a Sting Rifle while Tourik then proceeded to engage him, shattering his Kanohi and damaging his armor with Spiked Dagger Plant spores. However, Graviton swiftly pointed out that he was not in fact a Makuta and that the prickly plants did little more than inconvenience him. He then proceeded to create a gravitational field between the two, increasing gravity's effect on Tourik and pressing him down on Betak, pinning the pair in place. Shortly after this, Tollubo was able to incapacitate Graviton, thus freeing the Toa of Plantlife and Betak.

However, the moment of victory was short-lived as Toa Kualus swiftly appeared on the scene with Agitarahk to report that the Cult of Darkness had launched a third attack upon Metru-Nui, attempting to fly a stolen Airship into the Coliseum. When the active Toa Metru and their allies were assembled in a mission briefing, Turaga Vilnius suggested the use of the Gorast Tactical Missile Defense System. As this prospect involved blowing the Airship up above civilian housing, it caused considerable controversy with Toa Orkahm insisting that the missiles should not be used while Toa Tollubo contradicted him, siding with Vilnius and insisting that they had to crush the anarchists before their attack with brutal force. Torn between the two opposites, Tourik and the other Toa eventually sided with Tollubo, enabling Vilnius to send the missile launch codes and fire a Gorast Missile at the Airship. However, the missile did not arrive in time and lagged too far behind the Airship. Regrouping on the pavement outside the Coliseum, Tourik and the other Toa witnessed the destruction of the Airship at the hands of an Av-Matoran named Glonor and realized that Orkahm had correctly anticipated that their actions would only cause trouble. Tourik in particular was somewhat vocal about Tollubo's misjudgment.

Fortunately, Toa Danza was able to use his Dimensional Horn to transport the missile to the heart of Mount Valamai prior to its detonation, averting the unnecessary crisis that Tollubo had caused.

Tourik remains on active patrol duty and has begun a project which will enable endangered Rahi species to be set free in the Le-Metru rainforest.

Alternate Versions
In the Core BIONICLE Universe, Tourik remained a member of Jovan's Team and played an instrumental role during the Great Disruption. However, he was eventually killed around 470 years ago after siding with the Dark Hunters during the Dark Hunter/Brotherhood of Makuta War and becoming an enemy of the Brotherhood. He was cornered by a squadron of Visorak in an attempt to retrieve the Heart of the Visorak for the Dark Hunters. Instead of being mutated by Hordika Venom, however, he was struck by a Visorak Suukorak's Rhotuku Spinner and was crushed in an energy bubble.

In the Toa Empire Alternate Universe, Toa Tourik sided with Toa Tuyet and gained a position of her trust. For many years, Tourik enjoyed life as the superior species in the Matoran Universe and frequently patrolled Ga-Metru, keeping local Matoran in line. During the Battle of the Coliseum, he was responsible for ambushing Nuju and dragging him off in the direction of the Archives, ultimately leading to the Matoran rebel's death. However, the Toa were ultimately overwhelmed. Tourik was taken captive and, like so many other corrupt Toa, had his Toa Power drained, forcing him to spend the rest of his life as an embittered Turaga of Plant Life to witness a new generation of Toa fix the damage that his generation had done to the universe.

Abilities and Traits
Tourik was a cold, distant, remote character, only marginally veering away from being classed as anti-social. In the past, he often preferred to work alone, avoiding assistance and alliances from other Toa whenever possible, though he understood the benefits of teamwork and could comprehend when a situation demanded him to put his detachment aside.

However, in more recent times, it would appear that Tourik is beginning to leave his old ways behind, seeking to unite the remaining Toa. Generally, he seems to have matured from one end of the social spectrum to a point nearer the center.

When activated, Tourik's powers included the ability to create, shape and manipulate most forms of vegetation, including vines, fruits, flowers, and most forms of fungi. He could use this power to accelerate the growth of plants for defense by sprouting them from the ground at rates which blocked physical attacks. Weaponizing the plants allowed him to grasp and strike continuously with vines and roots, project thorns at a distance, and quickly regenerate the withering weapons at his will. He was, however, unable to revive withered or dead plants or cause the emission of dangerous toxins.

Though a trait that is commonly found in most Toa of Plant Life, Tourik is unusually knowledgeable about various species of plants and usually carries a number of Morbuzahk Spores for use in combat. However, he often admits that he knows next to nothing about Rahi and has a particularly significant hatred towards any such herbivore species.

Mask and Tools
"A searing sensation ran down the former Ba-Matoran’s body as the spores began to change. The Toa of Plantlife was using his Elemental Powers, accelerating their growth, making them bite into his armor, wrenching metals apart. He roared out in pain as his heartlight splintered and as roots erupted from the cracks and spaces. One by one, pieces of broken Protodermis clattered to the ground until, finally, he felt the true heat of Ta-Metru rushing against his flesh."

- The effects of Tourik's Spiked Dagger Plants being used on Toa Graviton, Frozen Calling.

As a Matoran, Tourik wore a powerless Kanohi Elda. He frequently carried a short staff which he fashioned from a Regeneration Kanoka Disk, which he often used to repair damage done to local vegetation.

As a Toa this mask was transformed into a Great Elda, granting him the power to sense the presence of nearby objects, particularly hidden obstacles or beings whom would normally be concealed from sight.

Upon becoming a Toa, Tourik was given a Vine Whip, which he could use to channel his Elemental Powers through and manipulate Plant Life from a distance with. Additionally, the weapon was often tipped with highly-concentrated Visorak Oohnorak venom, causing mild paralysis upon coming into contact with an enemy's exposed flesh.

While in Artahka, Tourik discovered that he could accelerate the maturity of a personal Spiked Dagger Plant supply, enabling him to weaponize them. Thus, Tourik developed a technique in which he showered an opponent in the spores then manipulated them to take root and force open his foe's armor. This particular attack proved to be particularly potent against Makuta.

Quotes
"Those, are the seeds to a Spiked Dagger Plant. It’s a fascinating specimen indigenous to the island of Zakaz. Quite hard for the average Matoran to get his hands on, but then again, I have a whole factory full of them. The Skakdi use the mature versions for torture quite frequently. Which means right now would be the ideal opportunity for you to become a missing person, Graviton."

- Toa Tourik threatening Toa Graviton with his Spiked Dagger Plant spores, Frozen Calling.

"I like you. People say I’ve got no taste, but I like you."

- Toa Tourik's sarcastic response to defeat at the hands of Toa Graviton, Frozen Calling.

"Congratulations, Tourik. You’re now officially getting old."

- Toa Tollubo taunting Tourik after his defeat at the hands of Graviton, Frozen Calling.

Trivia

 * In the vast majority of alternate universes, Tourik chose not to become a Turaga.

Appearances

 * Before The Dawn - First Appearance
 * Whispers in the Dark
 * Over Your Shoulder
 * Frozen Calling
 * Judgment Day - To be Written