Onua

"I... I was just thinking about structural integrity... I wouldn’t actually do it!"

- Toa Onua, Quest for the Masks

Onua was the wise and calculating Toa Mata of Earth who was transformed into the Toa Nuva of Earth, after being exposed to Energized Protodermis.

Creation
Firm in their conviction that the early Toa population could one day prove to be inadequate guardians of the Matoran Universe, the Great Beings chose to take action by commissioning the creation of the Toa Mata: the principle Toa-guardians of the universe, to be summoned only in the most dire of global emergencies, their destiny tied to the continued maintenance of the Great Spirit Robot.

Created under the charge of Artahka, Onua and his teammates; Toa Tahu, Gali, Pohatu, Kopaka, and Lewa, thus came into existence. From there, they were transported to Daxia and awakened, their training commissioned by Toa Helryx, who informed the Toa Mata of their collective destiny to be the guardians of the Great Spirit, Mata Nui.

Over the course of several years, the Toa were then mentored in the ways of combat by an Order of Mata Nui operative named Hydraxon. In one exercise, the Toa were made to escape Spinax, an Energy Hound loyal to their trainer. In another exercise, Hydraxon took the Toa's Kanohi and hid scattered across Daxia. Onua spent all day attempting to retrieve his Kanohi from a volcano until Lewa's revelation that the teammates were meant to work together so as to accomplish their task.

Upon completing their training, the Toa Mata were dispatched to Karda Nui to protect its Av-Matoran residents from living lightning bolt Rahi, known as the Avohkah. After several years of stability and a reputation for heroism, the Toa traveled to the Codrex, entering through a hatch and sitting the Energy Storm out. Subsequently, the Toa entered their respective Toa Canisters in order to preserve themselves until a time when they were needed once more.

1000 years after the Great Cataclysm - an event which incapacitated the Great Spirit from his position as the helm of the Matoran Universe - the Toa Mata were summoned to the island of Mata Nui. Having spent so long in the untested canisters, however, their structures began to decay causing their mechanical components to dislocate when they arrive on the island. As a further consequence, Onua and his fellow Toa suffered from amnesia and could not recall their past lives or training spent under the protection of the Order of Mata Nui. Finding himself on a beach near the Papa Nihu Reef, Onua re-assembled himself and made for the nearest settlement: Onu-Koro. Upon arriving in the underground village, he was greeted by Onepu and referred to Turaga Whenua, who in turn began the long process of mediating the role of the Toa upon the island, instructing the Toa of Earth to seek a number of Great Kanohi masks scattered across the island so as to defeat the dreaded Makuta and restore the island.

Journeying across Mata Nui, Onua encountered his teammates in Kini-Nui, the geographical center of the landmass where all six districts met. Acknowledging their shared state of vulnerability, the Toa resolved to go their separate ways in search of their masks. Onua thus returned to Onu-Wahi in search of his masks, braving a number of intrepid caverns and dangerous Rahi, most notably of which was a Manas crab. During this time, however, Le-Koro was bombarded by a Nui Rama swarm, leading to the disappearance of both Turaga Matau and Toa Lewa. Setting off in search of his fellow Toa, Onua journeyed to Le-Wahi and confronted his teammate, who was under the influence of an Infected Kanohi mask. After a brief confrontation, Onua was able to dislodge the corrupted mask from Lewa's face and restore him to his senses.

Upon the completion of his quest, Onua exchanged his six masks for a Golden Kanohi, affording him a number of enhanced capabilities. With his teammates also at the end of their respective quests, the Toa journeyed to the Mangaia, intent on confronting the Makuta beneath the surface of the island. Confronted first by a pair of Manas crabs, the Toa locked themselves in a fusion, forming the Toa Kaita known as Akamai and Wairuha. Onua in particular merged with Tahu and Pohatu to form Akamai. Overwhelming their opposing Rahi, the Toa were then met instead by their own shadowy counterparts and disconnected from each other. Overwhelmed and forced into a losing battle, the Toa eventually resorted to switching opponents, eventually managing to best each other's Shadow Toa selves in individual combat. With their battle won, the Toa were known to have caught a brief glimpse of the Makuta's form before being teleported back to the surface, having temporarily overwhelmed the Makuta and severed his control over the island's Rahi population.

Presuming the Makuta to have been vanquished and the struggle to be over, the Toa considered parting the company of each other and once more returning to their homes. However, a brief encounter with a Ta-Matoran trapped beneath a tree branch revealed that the settlement of Ta-Koro was under siege by a mysterious new adversary known only as the Bohrok. Travelling to the island's volcanic region, the Toa united in defense of Ta-Koro, ultimately managing to overwhelm the advancing swarm of Tahnok units through use of their combined Elemental Powers. Upon the inspection of one such unit after the battle, the Toa were approached by Turaga Vakama, who revealed the functionality of the Bohrok and informed them of the various breeds of Krana housed within their adversaries. Intent on collecting all eight variants of Krana breeds from the six types of Bohrok, the Toa parted ways once more. Onua returned to Onu-Koro, challenging the Nuhvok swarms had invaded his village. After a brief skirmish, the Toa of Earth was able to rid the village of Nuhvok while amassing a number of their Krana. However, the battle for Onu-Koro was eventually lost when a troop of Gahlok arrived and flooded the tunnels with a series of tidal waves. While the majority of the village had already been evacuated at this point, the damage to Onu-Koro was severe and Onua learnt a valuable lesson in humility from the experience.

To be written

Abilities and Traits
Onua is a wise and wholesome figure who acknowledges the value of unity and usually speaks only when he has wisdom to impart. While his silence is known to have perplexed his teammates in the past, his reputation as a problem-solver enables his to produce new and innovative solutions to the challenges that face his team.

Onua has control over the element of Earth. He can manipulate loosely-compacted rocks, incite localized earthquakes, detect pressure points, and produce earthy structures, such as pillars and hands with which to defend or advance towards a target. After becoming a Toa Nuva, these abilities were greatly enhanced, and also allowed him to use Kanohi Nuva.

Mask and Tools
Onua was originally known to have utilized a pair of Digging Claws through which to channel his elemental powers. In addition to his Great Kanohi Pakari, Onua was afforded enhanced muscular capability. Often, the Toa of Earth would combine his weapon and his mask power in order to dig tunnels through the ground.

After Onua became a Toa Nuva, his Digging Claws were replaced with a pair of Quake Breakers, which could be attached to his feet to function as high-speed treads to cover rough terrain. In addition, his Kanohi was also replaced with a Pakari Nuva, affording him greater strength still.

Appearances

 * Quest for the Masks