2008 - The Final Battle

After completing several tasks in preparation of Mata Nui's reawakening, the Toa Nuva - equipped with new adaptive armor and weapons - are teleported to Karda Nui; the core of the Matoran Universe. Finding members from the Brotherhood of Makuta acting on orders from Teridax to stop them achieving their destiny of resurrecting the Great Spirit, the heroes split into two teams. While Kopaka, Lewa and Pohatu remain in the skies to protect the Matoran villages, Tahu, Gali and Onua descend to the Swamp of Secrets to retrieve the Mask of Life previously worn by Matoro to save the Great Spirit. 

Kopaka's team receive support from three Av-Matoran and 'Toa Ignika' (a manifestation of the Mask of Life) while fighting a band of blind bat-like Makuta and their Shadow Matoran servants. Tahu's group, unaware that the Ignika is aiding the battle above, are threatened by three more Makuta, mutated by the waters of the swamp. 

Both groups reunite outside the Codrex - a giant metal sphere that sits at the swamp's centre - after recover six allusive keystones that connect to disable the sphere's forcefield and open up. Inside, the Toa discover powerful battle machines amongst ancient technology as well as their own origins to who they were before arriving on Mata Nui island. The heroes use the vehicles against the Makuta in a final all-out battle and receive help from a half-light drained Takanuva, who also manages to turn all the Shadow Matoran back into their former states. 

The Toa Ignika later sacrifices itself to awaken Mata Nui, causing an energy storm that the Toa and Av-Matoran narrowly escape. However, the Makuta, realizing Teridax had in fact sent them to their deaths, are obliterated by the storm. Slowly, machinery starts grinding in the depths of the cavern, as something begins to happen to the entire universe…

Far above Karda Nui, on the surface of the Endless Ocean, water ripples around the barren island of Mata Nui, stripped of all life and vegetation by reawakened Bohrok hordes. Underwater shockwaves spread to the south and east and west of the sea as the ocean itself heaves up towards the sky. An immense chasm rips upward through the middle of the doomed island, as a tremendous head made of metalic protodermis rises up, followed by titanic shoulders and an immense chest. Water and rock cascade off its face as the giant robot climbs to its feet and towers above the clouds for the first time in 1,000 years. Mata Nui has risen. 

The Toa Nuva and Takanuva arrive back in Metru Nui and join the celebrations of Mata Nui's reawakening with the Matoran and Turaga. But in the midst of the festivity, Teridax's laughter is heard throughout the city. The Makuta, thought to be long since dead, reveals that he has taken over Mata Nui's body: the embodiment of the Matoran Universe. Toa Matoro had heroically brought Mata Nui back from death, but before the Great Spirit’s consciousness could return, Makuta Teridax replaced it with his own version. Then he had only to wait for the Toa Nuva to achieve their destiny and resurrect the great form of Mata Nui. As the Makuta's reign of terror begins, he seals his victory by placing Mata Nui's spirit inside the Mask of Life and ejecting it into outer-space, taking the former Great Spirit to a destination no-one can know.