"This is what is left of our bodies. We have evolved from muscle and tissue to pure energy. No longer do we need to eat, or breathe, nor do we need fear the pains that come with advanced age. But there is more. If a Makuta’s energy disperses, his consciousness will disappear and he will die. So it is critical to guard against damage to our armor that might allow our essence to escape."
— Makuta Chirox, The Mutran Chronicles
|Known States||Liquid, gaseous, solid|
|Primary Location||Anywhere Makuta can be found|
|Function||Makuta species' life-force|
Antidermis is a green-black substance which makes up the essence of the Makuta, and what all Makuta are composed of. The Piraka, who gave it its name, used it to enslave other creatures, namely Matoran, though among the six only Zaktan had guessed its true nature.
Created by the Great Beings, Antidermis is a greenish-black, scalding liquid contained inside a pool on an unnamed island in the southern island chains. It was from this pool of liquid that Mata Nui created the Makuta species, turning the liquid into solid matter.
Shortly after Teridax had taken over the Brotherhood of Makuta, the Antidermis of all Makuta evolved into a gas-like substance simultaneously, covered in a Protosteel armor shell. Bitil was the first to discover this, finding that he could not move his muscles. Chirox took a sample of the greenish-black mist which he found under Kojol's armor and, analyzing it, learned that they had evolved to be composed of gaseous Antidermis. Teridax soon had the armor of the Makuta modified by the Nynrah Ghosts, who added extra layers of Protosteel to protect the Antidermis inside.
Teridax later dueled against Toa Takanuva, and his armor was crushed as a result, leaving only his free-floating Antidermis. When the six Piraka came to his lair to investigate his death, he followed the Piraka to Voya Nui, where he instructed Zaktan to construct a special container which would gather his Antidermis inside. The Piraka later used Zamor spheres to store the substance and used it to enslave all but six Matoran on Voya Nui. Later, the Toa Inika arrived and counteracted the effects by using Zamor Spheres filled with Energized Protodermis. Kongu also began to suspect that the Antidermis was actually living, for his Kanohi Suletu sensed something inside it. During the battle between Axonn and Brutaka, the container was smashed and the Antidermis was scattered to the air once more. Gathering himself together, Teridax followed the Toa Inika down the Cord, in which he briefly possessed Matoro's body, and then into the Pit, where he possessed the body of the Pit robot guard Maxilos.
Later, Axonn and Brutaka sought out the pool of liquid Antidermis in order to destroy it so that further creation of the Makuta species would stop. They were successful in their quest to find it, but a violent eruption dragged both warriors into the pool, almost drowning Axonn. When the warrior emerged from the pool, he found Brutaka floating above dry land, with his armor cracked and the tissue beneath expanded. Brutaka was also surrounded by an aura of power, and had linked minds with the Antidermis. He informed Axonn of its knowledge of things which the Makuta were meant to know, as well as the Shattering, Mata Nui's mission to reunite the shattered fragments of Spherus Magna, and how Mata Nui must work together with Teridax to peform the task. Brutaka is still mind-linked with the essence, and has access to several Makuta powers, such as Teleportation.
During the war between the Order and the Brotherhood, Tridax's Antidermis was released when his armor was devoured by a Protosteel-eating virus. It was later destroyed by Tobduk using a staff that shot white-hot energy.
The Antidermis of all Makuta in Karda Nui was destroyed in either the battles leading up to Mata Nui's Reawakening or the ensuing Energy Storms. Teridax's Antidermis, meanwhile, had possessed the body of the Great Spirit Robot, allowing him to take over the Matoran Universe.
When another Teridax crossed into the core dimension, Teridax sent several Shadow Takanuva to confront him and Mazeka. In the ensuing battle, the alternate Teridax's armor was breached, and his Antidermis began to leak out.
The Makuta of this alternate universe were also created from Antidermis, and it remained part of their substance even after they learned to purge themselves of darkness.
Antidermis is a Protodermis based substance. Like protodermis, Antidermis is capable of taking a variety of forms, including metal and artificial biological tissue. It was created as a liquid, and the process of creating Makuta involves taking some of the liquid and turning it into an organic form. As liquid and gas, Antidermis is greenish-black in color.
After their evolution, Antidermis that makes up the Makuta became a strange, greenish-black substance somewhere between energy and gas; it is described as energy, but floats around in open air much like a gas. The unused Antidermis the Makuta were made from resembled a pool of swirling liquid. Antidermis can be destroyed by intense heat, such as Plasma or concentrated Fire, and can also crystallize if exposed to extremely low temperatures for an extended period of time; such crystallization will kill the Makuta. A free-floating Makuta can keep themselves together through will for short periods of time; however, after about two weeks of exposure, they will dissipate and die.
Antidermis has a few known properties, one of which the Piraka used to their advantage: the ability to control Matoran. Although it does not literally enslave them, it does make Matoran far more susceptible to suggestion. Antidermis also strengthens Brutaka's species. When Brutaka fell into a pool of liquid Antidermis, his power was increased greatly, granting him increased power along with many abilities of the Makuta, in addition to physically strengthening his body to the point that his muscle cracked his armor at several places. The Antidermis also merged with or took control of his mind, giving him knowledge that the Makuta were meant to have, but had forgotten over the years, dictating his actions after the incident.
The only known substance which counteracts the effects of Antidermis is Energized Protodermis, the substance destroying Teridax's energies as he is not destined to transform, leaving the victims untouched. The Toa Inika and Axonn were able to resist its enslaving affects through abilities of their own.
"I... we are the essence of the Makuta species. We know what they were meant to know, but have forgotten. We see the error. The flaws. So much to repair; but it cannot be done. Spherus Magna, the Shattering. The three that must be one; the two that must make them one. He must remember, he must be made to see, or the journey of 100,000 years will be for nothing. He hides beneath, preparing to meet his destiny. We must go there, we must right the wrong. So many wrongs before the Shattering can end."
— Antidermis through Brutaka, Destiny War
- Antidermis can regenerate even if parts of it disperse or are destroyed, but not quickly enough to survive outside a container.
- The Golden Armor was designed to destroy all solid Antidermis.
- Beings composed of Antidermis cannot be revived on the Red Star.
- Chat with Greg Farshtey,17 November 2014.
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