Tanma

"We're on our own here... like we've always been... and we'll stand or fall on our own."

- Tanma "You got my friends... Kirop... and Gavla... and Radiak... but you won't get me!"

- Tanma to Antroz and Chirox

Tanma is a supporting protagonist who was introduced in the 2008 storyline in the BIONICLE storyline. He is an Av-Matoran and was also a good friend of Takua who later became Takanuva, Solek, Photok, Gavla and Kirop; the leader of the Av-Matoran, whom the two later transformed into the Shadow Matoran during the Brotherhood of Makuta invasion in Karda Nui. Later during the invasion, Tanma, Solek and Photok later allied with the Toa Nuva in their quest of reawakening the Great Spirit Mata Nui as well as transforming the Av-Matoran back to their normal selves.

He was voiced by Alessandro Juliani, who also voiced as Vakama in the same show.

Early Life
Tanma and the other Av-Matoran were created by the Great Beings to participate in the construction of the Codrex in Destral under the order of Makuta Miserix, the leader of the Brotherhood of Makuta.

Soon after the Codrex's construction was completed, Tanma and the other Av-Matoran then return to their homeland in Karda Nui and they formed the Stalactite Villages above the forest. Tanma then took up residence in one of the villages.

Invasion in Karda Nui
After the few days following Toa Matoro's sacrifice, Tanma was working with the another Av-Matoran, Gavla, setting up the ScareRahi they were ordered to establish when they heard the strange noise coming from the side of the field. They went to investigate and suddenly shocked to see one of the ScareRahi was completely different, though they were unaware that it was disguise of Vamprah, the member of the Brotherhood who were sent to attack Karda Nui. Then, the two ran back to the village as Vamprah sprang out from the ScareRahi and he chases them. Tanma manages to escape back to the village but Gavla was captured by Vamprah and was later turned into the Shadow Matoran.

He successfully returned to the village and warn the other Av-Matoran about the attack. Kirop, upon hearing this, went to investigate along with the six members while he entrusted Tanma of becoming the leader in case that he never returned. It is true that Kirop indeed did not return for he and the others were captured by both Vamprah and Gavla and transformed into the Shadow Matoran. This worried Tanma as he went to find Kirop despite the Av-Matoran's protest and he finally saw the few footprints that led him to the cave. Once inside the cave, Tanma encountered Gavla, who attacked him after she turn to him. However, he manages to fight back and ran around the cave. When he reached across the other side of the cave, he was suddenly startled by the unconscious and transformed Kirop and the other six members but was forced to flee when Gavla's alert woke them up. He manages to get out of the cave before he was confronted by Solek, who informed him that their village was under attack. The two of them then ran back to their village, only to see that several Av-Matoran were infected by the Shadow Leeches and transformed into the Shadow Matoran and proceed to attack the other Av-Matoran. During the chaos, Tanma and Solek were separated as the former then ran towards the warehouse and he hid there. While he sheltered in the storage room, the Makuta bombarded it from above with the Tridax Pods containing the Shadow Leeches. The Shadow Leeches

Toa Nuva's Arrival
Tanma was still hiding in the warehouse just before the Toa Nuva arrived in Karda Nui.

The Kingdom Alternate Universe
In the alternate universe of the Matoran Universe where Mata Nui had died, Tanma was one of the Matoran who were transformed into Toa by Takanuva, who sacrificed his powers and transformed into Turaga. After becoming the Toa, Tanma changed the color of his armor

Personality
Tanma was a courageous Av-Matoran. Before the invasion of the Makuta, he quickly grew accustomed to being the leader of the remaining Av-Matoran and was learning to effectively direct them during the attack. He was also very bold yet sensible, knowing that he and his allies, during the battles with the Makuta, needed to use hit and run tactics in order to survive.