8944 Tanma 8944 Tanma is a BIONICLE set released in January 2008 . He is one of the three Matoran of Light released as sets . It contains Tanma with his jetpack and power swords . He also has the ability to connect to 8686 Toa Lewa . Background . Tanma was created by the Great Beings to participate in the construction of the Great Spirit Mata Nui . At one point , Tanma and the other Av - Matoran left their homeland underneath the Southern Continent to colonize Karda Nui before the awakening of Mata Nui . The colonization effort was hampered by frequent attacks by the Avohkah , but the Toa Mata soon arrived to deal with the threat . Tanma later returned to the Av - Matoran homeland in the caves below the Southern Continent . During the Great Cataclysm , the resulting earthquake caused part of the homeland of the Av - Matoran to fall back into Karda Nui , forming the site of the Stalactite Villages . Tanma took up residence in one of the villages . Over a thousand years later , Tanma was working with Gavla , checking the ScareRahi mechanism they had established when Gavla was attacked by Makuta Chirox . He fled to their village , only to find that the Makuta had corrupted all of his fellow villagers . He escaped and ran to the other villages to warn them , but the other villages eventually also fell . Weeks after the attack , Tanma became the leader of the remaining Av - Matoran after Kirop , his good friend and their former leader , had been transformed into a Shadow Matoran . Once all the surviving Av - Matoran from all the villages in Karda Nui had come together , Tanma directed them to hide in one of their underground shelters . While they were in the shelter , the Makuta bombarded it from above with Tridax Pods containing Shadow Leeches . The Leeches could not get into the shelter , and they quickly died due to their short life spans . Once the attack stopped , Tanma opened the hatch of the shelter to check to see if it was really over . He spotted the Makuta flying away , and also witnessed Toa Mahri Matoro falling in the waterfall . He sensed that something significant was about to happen and quickly ran back to the remaining Av - Matoran and told them to take cover . Seconds later , light flooded through the room , heralding Matoro ' s sacrifice , and Tanma closed his eyes , saving himself from being blinded . When he looked outside after the light , he noticed that the Makuta were completely blind , and realized then that the Av - Matoran had a chance to fight back . Tanma and several other Av - Matoran , including Photok and Solek , swiftly mounted a strike against the Makuta , who used Shadow Matoran as their pilots . Tanma was attacked by some Shadow Leeches , but fired a Light bolt which destroyed them . Suddenly , the Toa Nuva appeared in the air before them . Lewa then tried to capture a Shadow Leech , but Tanma stopped him from doing it , and accidentally connected to the Toa , sharing his memories of the past . Overwhelmed by the new arrivals , the Makuta then retreated . Tanma and the remaining Av - Matoran brought the Toa Nuva into the shelter , where they discussed the happenings of the past weeks . Tahu , Gali , and Onua split off from the group to go to the Swamp of Secrets to find the Mask of Life , while the others stayed to help the Av - Matoran . Later , Pohatu and Photok were lured in a trap and defeated by Chirox . Lewa and Tanma , along with Kopaka and Solek , mounted another assault , although Kopaka and Solek were defeated by Vamprah , and captured . Antroz , hidden under the cover of darkness , informed them of their imprisoned allies . Dodging Chirox and Vamprah , they went to the cave where Antroz was guarding the four heroes , who were hanging unconscious , from the ceiling . Lewa woke up Pohatu and fought Antroz using his Midak Skyblaster , Tanma providing the light for it . After temporarily defeating Antroz , Pohatu and Lewa carried the others outside and escaped . While some of the Matoran connected with the Toa Nuva , Lewa created a cyclone which caused a Shadow Matoran spy , Kirop , to fall to the ground . The Toa Nuva quickly went to the stalactite where he had fallen and captured him . Tanma and the Toa Nuva discussed a plan knowing that Kirop would wake up and hear it , eventually following him back to the Shadow Leech Hive . Though they managed to infiltrate the Hive , the group was defeated and taken hostage , and the Matoran were separated from the Toa . Pohatu managed to escape and freed everyone else , inciting a fight that spilled out into the surrounding skies . The Toa gained the upper hand in the fight with the assistance of the Toa Ignika , a form the mask created for itself . Mutran ushered his allies down to the Swamp , but upon going himself , he was caught by the Toa Nuva and Av - Matoran . After forcing him to tell where the Makuta were headed , the Toa Nuva went down to the swamp , with Tanma and their other Av - Matoran partners to assist them . Later , he , Photok , and Solek joined with Takanuva to gather all of the Matoran in Karda Nui . Soon , Vican encountered the group and revealed that a Rahi could cure Shadow Matoran . They found the Rahi , a Klakk , and though Radiak claimed to be cured , Tanma remained skeptical because there was no physical change . Takanuva then told Tanma , Solek , and Photok to go get the other Shadow Matoran to be cured . They managed to acquire the other Shadow Matoran , curing them all . Under Takanuva ' s orders , Tanma and the other Av - Matoran fled Karda Nui and traveled to Metru Nui . When the Great Spirit Robot was damaged beyond repair and Teridax defeated by Mata Nui , the surviving Matoran of Metru Nui made a mass evacuation to the reformed planet of Spherus Magna . The Kingdom Alternate Universe . In this alternate universe , Tanma was one of the several Matoran who were transformed into Toa by Takanuva , who sacrificed his powers and became a Turaga . After becoming a Toa , he changed the colour of his armour from green to the original white and gold . When Toa Takanuva arrived in the dimension , he was partnered with Tanma to investigate the appearances of Rahkshi in the Kingdom . When Takanuva insisted on bringing along Matoro , Tanma voiced his displeasure with this decision . When they arrived in the underground Bohrok tunnels in Po - Wahi , Tanma , Takanuva and Matoro confronted Makuta Teridax , who cloaked the Rahkshi in shells of Shadow for them to get past the light barrier . During the fight , Tanma destroyed the Kraahkan , but was killed by Teridax ' s shattering power . As an Av - Matoran , Tanma has the ability to change how the colour of his armour appears . He has been trained to use this ability reflexively , helping keep his elemental affiliation secret . Tanma can also channel small amounts of Light energy through his hands or tools . After the Makuta invaded , Tanma swiftly grew used to being the leader of the remaining Av - Matoran , and was learning to direct the Av - Matoran during the attacks . Tanma is bold yet sensible , knowing that his allies , during the invasion , had to use hit and run tactics to prolong their survival . Tanma acted as a living source of energy for Lewa ' s Midak Skyblaster , preventing it from draining light from the surroundings instead , and could also share his knowledge of Karda Nui with Lewa Nuva while they were physically linked .