Trial by Tahu transcript

Act 1

Scene 1

Staffs are raised and horns blare as a tall figure strides into the volcano city of Ta-Koro. Heads turn in awe as he enters the town square.

Guard: He returns! The Toa of Fire returns!

Toa Tahu approaches the village elder, Vakama, and bows.

Tahu: Turaga.

Vakama: You have done well. All the Kanohi Masks of Power now rest on the Suva, save the one you now wear.

Tahu: I am ready to claim my Golden Kanohi, so that I might set out, and finally free this land from the Makuta.

Vakama: And what of the other Toa?

Tahu grimaces.

Tahu: They had their chance! Let them fight among themselves, and I will fight the true enemy!

Tahu's outburst comes as a shock. Around the square, onlookers stare in surprise. From one corner, Jaller looks on incredulously.

Jaller, to his guards: Return to your posts. Make haste.

Tahu watches as everyone slowly departs, and glowers in frustration.

Vakama: Come with me.

Scene 2

In Vakama's home, a grand fire burns before a carving of Tahu's mask.

Vakama: From the dawn of time the Sacred Fire has burned. It is our insight and our guide. Our history, and our future. Look into the flames, Toa, and tell me what you see.

Tahu peers into the flames, and sees an image of a grand warrior with his mask. It is a fusion - of him and two other Toa. He reels back in surprise.

Vakama: It is fortold. Three shall become as one, and walk the road of the Warrior. In this way, they shall find the strength to confront the Makuta.

Tahu: I thought you told me to tell you what I saw!

Vakama: And did you see anything that I did not?

Tahu moves to respond, then realizes he's been caught, as he did in fact see the same thing as Vakama. Again he glowers in anger. Tahu explodes out of Vakama's home, walking to the city gates.

Tahu: I don't need this! I don't need you, nor the Golden Kanohi, and certainly not the other Toa! I will destroy the Makuta myself!

Vakama sighs. Jaller watches Tahu leave, and, after a moment, follows.

Scene 3

Tahu stomps through the charred jungle, furious.

Tahu: "Three shall become as one." Ridiculous. They are all far too selfish to even work with me! Why would I ever want to do... that. Kopaka can run around on his stupid little mountain doing whatever he wants, and I'll do his job for him!

Tahu's rant is interrupted as a cough of fire brushes in front of his face. He realizes, with some embarrassment, that he has been complaining to himself in front of an islander, sitting on a log.

Kapura: Hello. I am Kapura. You are a Toa.

Tahu: What are you doing so far from the city?

Kapura: Sitting.

Kapura coughs again. Tahu, a little sheepishly, sits on the log next to Kapura.

Kapura: Are you looking for masks?

Tahu: No. I found them all.

Kapura: Vakama says the Toa get golden masks when they find all the others.

Tahu: I don't need the golden mask and I don't need Vakama's advice!

Kapura: Oh.

Tahu: What else has Vakama been telling you?

Kapura: A long time ago, many great bugs came to the island. Vakama said they were called Kirikori Nui. I thought they were very beautiful. They came to eat the grasslands. The people wanted to stop them. So they would not destroy the beautiful things. But the bugs always came together, and so they could not be stopped. Jaller says we should be more like the bugs, and stay together.

Tahu is abruptly reminded by this story of the Toa fusion, and slips from his seat.

Tahu: Maybe Jaller still has a few things to learn.

Kapura: Maybe.

He coughs.

Act 2

Scene 1

Tahu continues wandering the volcanic lands aimlessly.

Tahu: Alright. No more distractions. No more others breathing down my back. My quest begins anew! I shall set forth to-

He notices Jaller is standing right in front of him.

Tahu: oh come on

Jaller: This has gone on long enough, Toa.

Tahu: It won't stop going until I awaken Mata Nui! Stand aside.

Jaller: If you wish to accomplish your task, you need the other Toa.

Tahu: So everyone keeps saying! But tell me, have you met the other Toa?

Jaller just blinks.

Tahu: Lewa refuses to pay attention to a single thing I say. Onua never says or does anything. Gali is too busy telling jokes to listen to me. Pohatu... is fine. And then there is Kopaka... the most selfish, entitled, misanthropic fool I have ever had the utter displeasure to be affronted by!

Jaller: This is not about them, this is about you. You must fulfill your duty to Mata Nui. To us all!

Tahu: Maybe you don't know what's best for you!

To emphasize his point, Tahu fires off a blast of flame to his side. To his surprise, it strikes a cavern opening... from which a number of glowing eyes appear. The eyes move forward... and a pack of dragon lizards step into the light. One spits a glob of searing hot lava at Tahu, who barely dodges.

Tahu: I'll handle this!

Tahu activates his mask of shielding, which blocks the incoming volley of further lava globs. Jaller is forced to jump behind a rock to protect himself. Tahu, not paying attention, is ambushed by a lizard from behind and knocked to the ground. Jaller rolls his eyes but finds another group of lizards has approached him. He throws his disk, but it is knocked off-course in midair by more lava globs.

Tahu manages just in time to parry the jaws of a lizard from his position on the ground. He clambers up and sees dozens of lizards surrounding him. Furious, he plunges his sword into the ground, unleashing a shockwave. This immediately escalates beyond his control: an explosion of smoke from the fissure reveals a great pool of lava is lying beneath. Tahu backs up, stunned, as the chasm he has created widens. Jaller spots the oncoming disaster and leaps onto Tahu's back.

Jaller: Move!

Tahu doesn't react in time. The stone he is standing on crumbles beneath him and he slides into the pit, Jaller in tow. The chunk they are standing on slides down and off a natural ramp, launching them speeding across the lava. Tahu stabilizes himself with some difficulty, but the danger has not passed: The fire lizards pursue the pair, running rapidly across the lava's surface and spitting more globs. Tahu blast's the cavern's ceiling. Success! A chunk falls off and crushes one of the lizards. Failure! with a shudder, the rest of the ceiling falls, directly on top of Tahu and Jaller.

Act 3

Scene 1

In an enclosed space. A small trickle of lava slowly seeps through a wall of rubble. With a shudder, the wall shifts and more rushes in. On the floor nearby, Tahu lies unconcious. He is awoken by the sudden memory again of the Toa fusion. Bolting up, he hits his head on a boulder overhead, and slumps back down defeated.

Tahu: Ugh.

Jaller, awake, is sitting nearby.

Jaller: We have been fortunate. The collapse trapped us here, away from the lava. It will break through eventually, though. I don't suppose you have any ideas?

Tahu: Why should I? I'm a failure. With all my power, I cannot best a few dragon lizards... let alone the Makuta.

Jaller: You have a lot of negative things to say, Toa Tahu.

Tahu: I'm not negative. I'm realistic.

Jaller: If you were realistic, you would see that it is best to set aside your pride and work with the other Toa. You say they won't listen to you. Have you tried listening to them?

Tahu: Yes! Maybe. Maybe not.

Jaller: I do not know why you are so angry with them, but anger can be blinding.

Tahu (angrily): I'm not angry!

Jaller: Then how did we get here?

Tahu glares and turns away. Jaller sighs.

Jaller: I know not everyone is easy to work with. Onepu of Onu-Koro is the most stubborn person I know. But when we collaborate, our forces are all the stronger - and we need that strength against the Makuta's beasts. You do not have to like the other Toa, but try to set aside your frustrations. Onepu is a good captain, and a competent strategist, even if we do not always agree. Surely not all your experiences with the Toa were so terrible?

Tahu: I guess not. Most of them wanted to work together, really. I suppose they just had different ideas of how it would happen. At least Lewa was positive... Onua was supportive... Gali told a few good jokes... Pohatu was fine... Kopaka... didn't really get in the way too much. Maybe I was too hard on them, after all. But this isn't like the time those bugs came to the island. It isn't only a matter of working with the other Toa anymore. The Sacred Fire fortold that I must unite with them to accomplish our task. "Three shall become as one." What if I don't trust them enough to do that?

Jaller: Then do not do it. The Prophecies change, the future can never truly be known. But you do know yourself. It is your decision to make, when the time comes.

Tahu is filled with renewed vigor.

Tahu: You're right. It is! But that time won't come unless we get out of here!

Scene 2

Tahu blasts out of the rubble, with Jaller on his back. He flies over the lava on his feet with the help of the Mask of Speed. Upon reaching the shore, the collide with more dragon lizards and fall over. The lizards are blocking the cavern exit, but Tahu and Jaller know what to do. Working together, they fight their way through the lizards, then make a break for the opening. Finally, Tahu uses his Mask of Strength to punch the outer side of the opening, closing the fire lizards inside. They have escaped.

Jaller: I believe you have a golden mask to claim, Toa.

Tahu: Yes I do.

Scene 3

Once again, the horns blare. All the village is assembled around the shrine, which Tahu descends into from the top.

Vakama: This day is long awaited. And yet, I fear he is not prepared for the trials ahead.

Jaller: He will be. He understands now that he cannot allow his temper to cloud his judgement.

Vakama: And what of the Unity?

Jaller: Have faith, Turaga.

The two return their attention to the shrine. Tahu slowly rises. He is wearing his golden mask.

Credits

By emily. Original music by Nick Nuwe. Most assets produced by Templar Games, Inc. for the Lego Group. Neither party approves authorizes, or endorses this work.