His nickname’s Zack, for he’s a LEGO Radiak.

Uh oh, an Av-Matoran build. 16 pieces and only 8 are usable because they didn't contain joints that cracked. Of those remainging 8, the mask and claw pieces are the ones you'd see used in MOCs the most. Those wings would be tough, but not impossible. The torso... well, again, not unusable, but it will be rare. Hopefully it's used well.

@PurpleDave said:
"His nickname’s Zack, for he’s a LEGO Radiak."

thanks, I got that stuck in my head now! :P

Bonkle

This along with the big version of this guy were the last Lego sets I got as a kid

Weird Clickets set.

The Av-Matoran (or Matoran of Light) were an interesting concept that, unless you read the BIONICLE novels, seemed to be really under-utilized. Sure, the Phantoka wave in early 2008 promoted heavily the concept of having the Toa Nuva and their color-coded Matoran "team up", same as the Makuta and their light-drained servants (such as Radiak here). But after that time period, the concept was mostly dropped as the battle to save the universe got more heated down in the swamps of Karda Nui and the Codrex.

Radiak was once a good Matoran who, when the Makuta Brotherhood invaded, got attacked by one of their beastial creations, the Shadow Leech. The leech sucked out all his light and made him a vessel for the dark corruption of the Makuta. He turned against his fellow Matoran of Light and joined the Makuta as one of their servants. The Makuta, who in general were dismissive of the Matoran, found use for Radiak and his ilk as their "eyes" in Karda Nui. Literally! Upon arriving in Karda Nui, the gigantic underground realm at the heart of the Matoran Universe, the brilliant flash of power created by the Mask of Life in its process of reviving Mata Nui blinded the Makuta Antroz, Vamprah, Chirox, and Mutran. By having the corrupted Matoran ride on their backs, they could access their sight and "see" the world through them. In this fashion, Radiak served Makuta Antroz.

Only after the arrival of a dimension-hopping Takanuva and the discovery of the Klakk bird's sonic powers did the Toa Nuva figure out how to undo the Makuta's light leeching, freeing the Matoran from their transformation and servitude to the Makuta. After exposure to the screams of the Klakk, Radiak's shadow essence left him, allowing the light to re-enter him once more. He and the other Av-Matoran were whisked out of Karda Nui by the Toa once the Codrex was activated to awaken Mata Nui at last.

The simplistic builds of the Matoran after what we got in 2007 in Mahri Nui was a bit of a let-down to me, so I didn't complete the collection of them. Of the bad Matoran, I only got Radiak since he complemented Makuta Antroz, which was the first of the Phantoka Makuta I bought in 2008. Even in my hands, he was a forgettable set, so I don't have some recollection of getting him or of the build experience. Sadly, the Agori in 2009 would suffer from this, too, but at least we got some great colors from the parts. Even worse was how BIONICLE's final wave in 2010 was mainly comprised of these "Matoran" builds. So in a way, we saw how BIONICLE was going to end, set-wise, in the opening months of 2008.

Radiak was an Av-Matoran and Matoran of Shadow from Karda Nui.

The Great Spirit Robot controlled by the Mata Nui AI was powered by giant reactor in his chest/stomach known as Karda Nui, The Great Heart. Karda Nui itself was inhospitable, anything that entered would be instantly incarnated, but a complex series of maintenance tunnels ran outside of the dome. These maintenance tunnels were home to the Av-Matoran, the Matoran of Light.

Av-Matoran were an incredibly rare and powerful breed of Matoran. Unlike other Matoran, Av-Matoran were capable of channeling their elemental energy into blasts of light similar to Toa or Turaga. Unlike other Matoran tribes they were not gender-locked to fit the Great Being's assigned roles. The Light energy radiating from Karda Nui caused them to grow around a foot taller than other Matoran (though as far as I know they shrunk back to normal height after leaving the power plant.) Most importantly, coming into physical contact with an Av-Matoran could enhance one's elemental powers and senses and would psychically link the two.

The Av-Matoran's task was simple. They would maintain Karda Nui's inputs and outputs to make sure power spread throughout the whole Matoran Universe. Thanks to a combination of this task's importance, Av-Matoran's inherent power against Shadow elementals, and the danger of actually entering Karda Nui the powerplant and it's catacomb's location were kept secret to most other than the Order of Mata Nui (who at one point even abducted several Av-Matoran, wiped their memories, and hid them on other lands as a failsafe against invasion.)

Life around Karda Nui remained relatively peaceful up until an event that rocked the Matoran Universe. The Great Cataclysm. When the Makuta betrayed Mata Nui and cast him into a coma, he crashed onto the ocean world of Aqua Magna and earthquakes ripped the robot apart. Karda Nui overloaded, and a massive explosion burst from the roof of the power plant. This explosion caused a portion of the Southern Continent known as Voya Nui to burst through the roof of it's dome, through the ancient prison known as the Pit, and onto the surface of Aqua Magna above.

The holes created in the Pit and the SC's dome caused a giant waterfall to form in the belly of the Great Spirit Robot. Remaining drainage systems kept most of the water in check, but around half of the Karda Nui sphere became flooded and filled with all forms of moss, mud, and vegetation creating a great swamp. Nuclear radiation leaking from Karda Nui mixed with the salt water of Aqua Magna, and the waters of the entire region became mutagenic turning anyone who touched them into strange beasts.

The Av-Matoran were somewhat lucky. while there was a giant hole in the powerplant's roof, most of their maintenance tunnels were in tact, and for a while they went on living taskless in the dark. This relative peace was short lived however. Over a few years water form the great waterfall began seeping into the walls and ceiling of Karda Nui, creating gigantic stalactites on the powerplant's roof. These stalactites weighted down on the floors of the maintenance tunnels, and one day without warning the entire network collapsed! The stalactites wedged themselves in the mud of the swamp bellow. The Av-Matoran found themselves stranded atop the rocks, their old home mere rubble.

The Av-Matoran adjusted. They created jetpacks to let villagers travel down to the mutagenic swamp and harvest plants to help build homes and obtain food. Aside from the occasional mutant Rahi life settled down once more.

And then the Maktua came. It was 1,000 years and 11 months after the Great Cataclysm and Teridax's Plan was coming to fruition. He sent his 7 top general's to Karda Nui to slow the Toa's awakening of the Great Spirit until The Plan was complete. The Makuta began using strange creatures called Shadow Leeches, a perverse mutation of the Kraata, to capture the Matoran of Light. If a Shadow Leech attached to a host, they could drain them of all physical and moral light, leaving them and aggressive and

And then the Maktua came. It was 1,000 years and 11 months after the Great Cataclysm and Teridax's Plan was coming to fruition. He sent his 7 top general's to Karda Nui to slow the Toa's awakening of the Great Spirit until The Plan was complete. The Makuta began using strange creatures called Shadow Leeches, a perverse mutation of the Kraata, to capture the Matoran of Light. If a Shadow Leech attached to a host, they could drain them of all physical and moral light, leaving them and aggressive and deadly agent of shadow.

Radiak was once such victim. While trying to repair a barrier of light-vines that protected his friends from the Maktua, Maktua Vamprah attacked the poor soul and turned him into a Matoran of Shadow, resulting in the twisted spider-like form we see here.

Soon after, Toa Matoro gave his life to bring Mata Nui back form the brink of death (long story) and in doing so created a massive explosion of light. This explosion blinded three of the Makuta generals permanently. But the Makuta, geniuses they are, quickly found a solution. By coming into physical contact with a Matoran of Shadow, they could form a telepathic link and see through the Matoran's eyes. Radiak became the seeing-eye-Matoran (if you will) of the leader of the expedition, Maktua Antroz.

It is then that the events of the 2008 BIONICLE story take place. I'll save you most of the details. Long story short and relative to Radiak, Makuta Mutron eventually decided to create a Klakk to guard his lair. Klakk's have powerful sonic screams, and unknown to the Maktua, these screams could break the shadow barrier that kept Shadow Matoran evil. Mutron's assistant Vican was hit by the Klakk, and no longer a slave to his master fled to find the Toa.

Vican met Takanuva, Toa of Light. Takanuva was one of the Matoran the Order of Mata Nui abducted and mind-wiped years ago, and so he had a kin-ship with the Av-Matoran. When Vican told him of the Klakk, Takanuva set out to cure all the Shadow Matoran.

Radiak's cure came easier than most. During a fight with the Toa, Makuta Antroz commandeered the Jetrax T6, a powerful vehicle from the Codrex (again long story.) The vehicle fused and linked itself with Antroz's armor, temporarily restoring his sight while driving. Antroz quite rudely threw Radiak off the plane when he came to help, as he no longer needed the Shadow Matoran's sight. The dejected and confused Radiak was ordered by his Maktua to hold off the Toa while they escaped, and after insulting Takanuva he was captured and cured by the Klakk (I believe he was the first to be cured after Vican.)

Raidak then helped Takanuva cure the other Matoran of Shadow and helped the Matoran of Light escape Karda Nui before the Toa turned the nuclear reactor back on.

@Lego_Lord_Mayorca said:
"
Upon arriving in Karda Nui, the gigantic underground realm at the heart of the Matoran Universe, the brilliant flash of power created by the Mask of Life in its process of reviving Mata Nui blinded the Makuta Antroz, Vamprah, Chirox, and Mutran.
"

Actually, Mutran was fine! He was in his lab when the flash happened and survived its effects. At one point he even made a slip up when he asked one of the blind Maktua to "see" his improvements to the Shadow Leeches.

She’s a radiak, radiak on the floor!

So Antroz flew the Jetrax... blind?

Absolute madman.

While I don't care much for the construction of the Av-Matoran, I do enjoy how some of them look, alongside their masks and tools. Reidak always looked like the coolest of the Shadow Matoran to me, I picture him scuttling around on those long legs in spider-like fashion.