Random set of the day: Rahaga Iruini
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 4879 Rahaga Iruini, released during 2005. It's one of 46 Bionicle sets produced that year. It contains 28 pieces, and its retail price was US$4.
It's owned by 1,729 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you should find it for sale at BrickLink, where new ones sell for around $20.00, or eBay.
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Second Bionicle of the week, third one this week to include Bionicle pieces (for obvious reasons).
Will the trend continue tomorrow, Huwbot?
Iruni in the Toa Hagah set was a pretty great set, but the Rahagah always felt like they were made by recycling old parts with the new disk spinner slapped on the back. These cheap sets though were always meant to be stuff kids could buy with allowance/lawn mowing change, so the cheapness is intentional. $4 is cheaper than a single CMF now!
Also note the impossible angles in his arms. The actual set used fixed 90* pieces, not anything with real elbow articulation.
@MCLegoboy said:
"Second Bionicle of the week, third one this week to include Bionicle pieces (for obvious reasons)."
I think you might find that it's actually the fourth to include Bionicle parts.
I'm glad I didn't waste time with this clone set and got the Toa Iruini set later that year! The Rahaga, Toa Hordika, and even the Visorak to a lesser degree were all stale clone designs. If you built one, you built them all.
If you are wondering why there was a Toa version of this set as well as the little guy you see here, that's due to the fact that Iruini was a Toa Hagah, a member of an elite Toa team meant to serve as the personal bodyguards of the Makuta. This was way, way back in the past, before the treachery of the Makuta became known. However, once Makuta Teridax led his rebellion, the Toa Hagah relinquished their role to become outcasts, fighting against the very allies they once served.
The Makuta had many servants in those days, either unwillingly pressed into evil (like the Exo-Toa suits) or controlled by their sinister agents. Armies of Visorak, Rahkshi, and Exo-Toa fanned out across the universe. Several of Toa Iruini's fellow Hagah disappeared, and eventually it was just him and Toa Norik, Toa Hagah of Fire, left in a position to resist the Makuta. Together, they had secured a very important relic (I think the Mask of Light, since the Makuta, now being made of shadow, were actively seeking to prevent any new Toa of Light from coming into being), but they were captured by Roodaka, one of the Brotherhood's servants. Imprisoned, Iruini and Norik discovered finally what became of their Hagah colleagues. Concocting a specific mutation Rhotuka, Roodaka had transformed the Toa Hagah into mockeries of themselves. Instead of tall, proud Toa, they were squat, hideous "Rahaga" (a combination of "Rahkshi" and "Turaga").
In spite of their weakening and transformation, all six Rahaga escaped and hid the Mask of Light in Metru Nui. Makuta and Roodaka weren't too bothered by the loss of six small captives. It would be their undoing when, centuries later, the Rahaga came across the Toa Hordika in Metru Nui. Helping them tame their bestial sides or just providing air support, the Rahaga were crucial to the Toa Hordika's plans to take back Metru Nui from the Visorak horde.
Interestingly, Iruini's memories of his last days as a Toa Hagah were revealed in a comic in the middle of 2005. So we had a flashback story in the middle of a flashback. 2005 was such a wild year, and I don't really think that was a good thing for BIONICLE!
I'll keep lore quick because we had another Rahaga not long ago.
The Brotherhood of Maktua often employed Toa as bodyguards. When Makuta Teridax's own bodyguards learned he had stolen the Mask of Light they betrayed him and stole it back. The ended up captured by Roodaka who used her muation powers to transform them into tiny hunchback creatures, then on known as Rahaga.
These Rahaga went on a quest for the legendary Keetongu, a Rahi who could cure any ailment. Eventually they met our protagonists, the Toa Hordika, in Metru Nui, who also needed Keetongu's healing powers. Eventually they found Keetongu and while he could heal the Hordika, he could not heal the Rahaga.
Eventually Roodaka was captured and forced to undo the Rahaga's mutations making them Toa once more.
Iruini was the Haga/Rahaga of Air. He was incredibly cynical, at one point temporarily quitting the team and believing Keetongu was a myth. He had two Rhotuka powers, as a Toa is Rhotuka spinners could heal diseases, while as a Rahaga they function as a bolas to tangle creatures legs. As a Toa he wore the Kanohi Kualsi, the Maks of Quick Travel. This Mask could let the user instantly teleport anywhere they desired, so long as it was in visible range.
@PurpleDave said:
"I think you might find that it's actually the fourth to include Bionicle parts."
Because of the Vinatage Sets, I use them as cutoffs for Weeks. I had thought about the Sky Guardian, but there's that missing day in the lineup because it was a Vintage Set day on the 10th. Also the Helicopter breaks the streak anyway.
Going from 2003/2004 Matoran to this and then the 2006 Matoran was such an abrupt downgrade. Fits the monster theme of the year by casting the elderly heroes in villain faces but it feels like we missed out on some cooler part recolours getting these instead.
@GSR_MataNui said:
"I'll keep lore quick because we had another Rahaga not long ago. "
Nothing to do with @Lego_Lord_Mayorca beating you to the lore punch, I'm sure.
A minidoll followed by a bionicle.... something's really upset Hewbot!
Inspector Gadget: "Hmm...NOT even close...":D
I used to own the Rahagah once. And I made the mistake of getting all 6 at once after Bionicle had ended.
They're not really worth having six of, unless you reaaally like the characters.
I sold them and don't really have any specific one I would want back. So, I don't really miss them.
They were even found boxed on flea markets years after they retired.
More Bionicle? Huwbot's just trying to wear our GSR_MataNui's fingers isn't he?
BONKLE LORE TIME!!’
I don't have any Bionicle sets, but I had a "flying propeller" thingy like this as a kid. It was great fun, but then I lost it forever - it was a dismal moment.
I own a single Bionicle set 8759: Battle of Metru Nui, which I wouldn't even consider a typical Bionicle set to begin with. Plus I only bought it (used complete including box and instructions for 20 Euro) because it includes several rare pieces I needed for the Venator Star Destroyer MOC by Anio that I built at the time.
I even bought several individual Bionicle pieces on Bricklink, just out of curiosity, and because they came in rare colours - which I'm always fond of.
You recognize Bionicle characters from the sets and lore. I recognize Bionicle characters from Bionicle Heroes on the Wii. We are not the same.
I don’t remember if this guy was in it but had I not been 1-year-old when this set released I might’ve wanted it, I always loved the green Bionicle figures seeing as green is my favorite color.
"Honey, I Shrunk The Rahkshi."
@Trigger_ said:
"You recognize Bionicle characters from the sets and lore. I recognize Bionicle characters from Bionicle Heroes on the Wii. We are not the same.
I don’t remember if this guy was in it but had I not been 1-year-old when this set released I might’ve wanted it, I always loved the green Bionicle figures seeing as green is my favorite color."
I believe the mask of his Toa version was a collectible, but he did not appear.
Alas that we never got sets for the other four Toa Hagah. I know about the contests and stuff, but still…
I didn't know Bionicle had pullcords. I've only ever known them to be in Chima and Ninjago (and to a lesser extent City, but I won't talk about them). Maybe we could add a "pullcord" tag?
@Binnekamp said:
"They're not really worth having six of, unless you reaaally like the characters."
That is... extremely valid. I got several of them at once when they were new - Argos was selling them as a five-pack a few weeks before they were supposed to hit UK shelves, so I jumped at the chance to get some new sets before anyone else in the country - and while I had liked the idea of the characters when I first saw them, the build process definitely got tiresome after building them all in a row. For the first three, it was fine; but by the time I got to Iruini and Bomonga, it had definitely worn out its welcome.
That said, I still got Pouks later in the year to complete the series. But by then several months had passed so the build felt less stale again.
My personal favourite of the Rahaga was Kualus, both for character reasons and because I was starting to get bored of the darker versions of the colours and his nice, clean white made him stand out visually to me. But I, too, sold off all the Rahaga when I was downsizing my collection, and don't greatly miss any of them.
...that said, I do have half of Iruini here again now. The big lot I got last October, that I mention occasionally, had his head amongst the rest of the pieces; no more of him, just his head. At present I'm just adding a few of his pieces each time I buy parts from Bricklink, until he'll be completed - the one benefit of him being made out of pretty generic pieces is that most of them are easy to get this way!
Also? The Rahaga had some of the most frustrating names to pronounce in Bionicle canon; several of them had random silent vowels in their names that weren't obvious at all when you saw them written. Iruini here, for example: the second I in his name is silent, it's pronounced as if it was I-ROO-NI. Kualus, too, doesn't have the A in his name pronounced; and the U in Pouks just baffled me for ages until Web of Shadows made a point of naming all the Rahaga onscreen to clear up the issue.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @GSR_MataNui said:
"I'll keep lore quick because we had another Rahaga not long ago. "
Nothing to do with @Lego_Lord_Mayorca beating you to the lore punch, I'm sure.
"
Actually it's because I'm finally playing Breath of the Wild after 6 years of avoiding spoilers and it's all I want to spend my free time on anymore
@GSR_MataNui said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @GSR_MataNui said:
"I'll keep lore quick because we had another Rahaga not long ago. "
Nothing to do with @Lego_Lord_Mayorca beating you to the lore punch, I'm sure.
"
Actually it's because I'm finally playing Breath of the Wild after 6 years of avoiding spoilers and it's all I want to spend my free time on anymore "
Have fun! I've heard it a very cool game.
@ThatBionicleGuy said:
" @Binnekamp said:
"They're not really worth having six of, unless you reaaally like the characters."
Also? The Rahaga had some of the most frustrating names to pronounce in Bionicle canon; several of them had random silent vowels in their names that weren't obvious at all when you saw them written. Iruini here, for example: the second I in his name is silent, it's pronounced as if it was I-ROO-NI. Kualus, too, doesn't have the A in his name pronounced; and the U in Pouks just baffled me for ages until Web of Shadows made a point of naming all the Rahaga onscreen to clear up the issue."
Isn't Kualus pronounced someting like "Qualus"? Maybe they vaguely named him "Koolus" in the movie but I feel like it could also have been the former one. Biosector01 certainly thinks so.
@StarWarzFan7777 said:
"Isn't Kualus pronounced someting like "Qualus"? Maybe they vaguely named him "Koolus" in the movie but I feel like it could also have been the former one. Biosector01 certainly thinks so."
Oh, huh. Actually, that would make more sense; I know I was puzzled by the movie's pronunciation of his name at the time. But I didn't have any alternate sources back then, and I'd been struggling with how to pronounce the Rahaga's names, so I just ran with saying him as "Koolus" like Norik did in the movie and it stuck.
I guess time to add another character to the pile of 'Bionicle names I didn't learn how to pronounce properly until a decade after the theme ended', right alongside Kopeke! xD
@ThatBionicleGuy said:
" @StarWarzFan7777 said:
"Isn't Kualus pronounced someting like "Qualus"? Maybe they vaguely named him "Koolus" in the movie but I feel like it could also have been the former one. Biosector01 certainly thinks so."
Oh, huh. Actually, that would make more sense; I know I was puzzled by the movie's pronunciation of his name at the time. But I didn't have any alternate sources back then, and I'd been struggling with how to pronounce the Rahaga's names, so I just ran with saying him as "Koolus" like Norik did in the movie and it stuck.
I guess time to add another character to the pile of 'Bionicle names I didn't learn how to pronounce properly until a decade after the theme ended', right alongside Kopeke! xD"
I still don't know for certain about Kualus. Kopeke is another interesting one. BS01 claims it is "Ko-peek" which is more of an English way to pronounce it, which goes against the origins of most Bionicle names. I would think it's more along the lines of "Ko-pay-kay" or "Ko-pay-key".
@ThatBionicleGuy said:
"I guess time to add another character to the pile of 'Bionicle names I didn't learn how to pronounce properly until a decade after the theme ended', right alongside Kopeke! xD"
Maybe you should change your username, too. Also, is it not pronounced Ko-peek-ee?
@TheOtherMike said:
" @ThatBionicleGuy said:
"I guess time to add another character to the pile of 'Bionicle names I didn't learn how to pronounce properly until a decade after the theme ended', right alongside Kopeke! xD"
Maybe you should change your username, too. Also, is it not pronounced Ko-peek-ee?"
I like to think I'm still a Bionicle guy! Just not as knowledgeable of a Bionicle guy as I sometimes thought xD
Ko-Peek is, apparently, the official pronunciation - which I love because it's short and cute. But for like twenty years I'd been pronouncing him as Ko-Peck-Ee (i.e. like Kopaka but with Es instead of As), so that definitely took me a moment to adjust to when I learned it!
@GSR_MataNui said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @GSR_MataNui said:
"I'll keep lore quick because we had another Rahaga not long ago. "
Nothing to do with @Lego_Lord_Mayorca beating you to the lore punch, I'm sure.
"
Actually it's because I'm finally playing Breath of the Wild after 6 years of avoiding spoilers and it's all I want to spend my free time on anymore "
I for one don’t mind the opportunity to drop some lore.
Not gonna lie, this might be one of only two Bionicle characters where his original set form is NOT my favourite.
The other is Norik.