18 replies to this topic

[The Great Being Velika]

I was browsing BS01 when had an odd idea. What if, much like there well known elemental attributes, the Kanohi Matoran wore gave them small hidden talents?

 

Like say a matoran wearing a Kanohi Rau might be slightly more adept a learning new languages, or one with a Kakama might have a slightly quicker reaction time, or a Suletu helping a matoran understand others more?

 

I know this isn't a very well thought out hypothesis but i'd like to hear some thoughts from the more seasoned Bionicle theorists.

[The Iron Toa]

I don't think so. Mask powers are either active or inactive. Some masks have effects that are always on, but I think the wearer has to be capable of using Kanohi in the first place to get those effects.

[Damaracx 7.0]

I have thought of this to, but it just isn't theoretically possible if the mask is on a matoran (As long as it's not an Av-Matoran for they are the only exceptions).

[Dual Matrix]

I have thought of this to, but it just isn't theoretically possible if the mask is on a matoran (As long as it's not an Av-Matoran for they are the only exceptions).

 

No Av-Matoran can't use kanohi either.

[Makuta Matata]

Elemental powers can do that, but I don't think Masks can. 

[Toa Smoke Monster]

Matoran Kanohi don't have any powers. Their purpose is to keep the Matoran wearing them from falling into a coma state. And Matoran don't have the mental ability to a Kanohi if it did have powers. (Like Jaller when he was wearing Lhikan's Noble Hau, for example.)

[bonesiii]

IMO the power-shape of their masks may sometimes/often be chosen to symbolize natural talents they already have. So in a sense, it may seem so in some characters, but probably there is no actual power causing it, but rather vice versa; the talent causing the shape to be chosen.

[Chro]

Well, although we know that everyone is right in saying that this is not true, I still think it's a really cool theory.

 

I think a Calix would be more likely to elicit better reactions, whereas a Kakama-wearing Matoran would simply run faster. Some masks would be hard to find reasonable powers for, for example the Iden... maybe it'd cause a Matoran to have a lot of OOBE dreams?

[toa kopaka4372]

The idea is neat, but as others have said, it's kind of impossible given what we know about Matoran masks.

[Electric Turahk]

It's been pretty explicitly stated that a powerless Kanohi will do nothing. Or, in some small cases, a being wearing a normal Kanohi without the ability to use it will gain no benefits from it. It's a pretty simple rule and I don't recall anything that might have suggested otherwise.

Now, there might be a case where a mask was chosen symbolically because that Matoran is naturally good at whatever the mask is associated with, as has been suggested. But that wouldn't be breaking the rule that they get no benefit from the mask.

~|ET|~

[ZHX]

Powerless Kanohi have no powers. They're probably symbolically chosen for the Matoran.

[The Great Being Velika]

That's possible I guess. But why give maintenance drones individual talents? They weren't even intended to have personalities in the first place, right? 

Edited by Levvisokk, Dec 04 2012 - 04:19 PM.

[fishers64]

That's possible I guess. But why give maintenance drones talents? They weren't even intended to have personalities in the first place, right? 

Maybe before the Matoran attained sapience they had a generic mask shape?

[bonesiii]

Remember my "Society Variety" theory I've mentioned often on here? (Really should make a blog entry specifically about it sometime, heh.) It's actually important that any large-scale system has a variety of "talents" (or abilities) of its pieces, including both societies of fully sapient beings like us and advanced technological systems. (This is why the idea of "everybody must conform" is a lie, at least to an extent.)

 

Different talents, in this case, are better suited for different maintenance tasks. And even when multiple people of the same type (say, Ta-Matoran) are all doing the same job (say maintaining the Great Furnace), different specialties within that job are possible as well. Even if they aren't officially defined, but you just have a range of talents.

 

If they were all equally balanced identical units, they'd all adapt the same way to all problems, which has its advantages, but nobody would be particularly suited to any unusual challenges, and if those came up, the whole system might crash. So it's best to have a range of balanced overall, and various specialized units as well.

 

So I would presume that "personalities" or specialties would be an inherent part of the GBs' designs for them.

Edited by bonesiii, Dec 04 2012 - 04:40 PM.

[The Great Being Velika]

Wouldn't it be easier to latch the talent on specific mask types? Take the Bohrok for example, their roles in a squad were defined by their Krana.

[Dual Matrix]

Yes but actually the bohrok are the krana you can consider the matoran the same as krana (mind) and bohrok sells the same as kanohi (objects of power)

[Click]

Not exactly a likely theory, but it's really clever. I really like the sound of it, and I wish it were true. Maybe I'll have to put it into a fanfic or something (if that's alright with you).

[bonesiii]

The masks just keep Matoran conscious, though; they aren't brains, unlike Krana. Matoran brains are their brains, so personality would be there. Also, the same personalities stay with a Matoran if their mask breaks and they get a different one, so shape does not determine personality. Would it have been more efficient?

Well, it might not have mattered, but brains are designed to store information like that, so it makes more sense that way really. Certainly a possible alternate design though.

[UltToaNovaJoshNova]

No Offense Man but It is pretty clear that mask powers are active or unactive