How a Matoran Sphere works ?

[Zidonaro]

By the ending of 2004 saga, Teridax trapped all the Matoran of Metru Nui in pods which erased their memories. However, the pods also degraded their bodies. I've always wondered how is possible to a pod to shrunk your body and muscles into a smaller ones   Any theories on how Makuta did this ? 

 

Take the sets(The 2004 Matoran and the 2001 Tohunga) in consideration if you want. 

Edited June 23, 2014 by jalar

[Collector1]

It could have used the same technology as a Shrink Kanoka disk.

[Oroki]

My theory is that the Bionicle team needed a bigger, better matoran collection to sell in 2004.

 

Storywise, though, I guess the matoran were just exhausted from the lack of nutrition (they do "eat" kinda).

Edited June 23, 2014 by Oroki

[Collector1]

My theory is that the Bionicle team needed a bigger, better matoran collection to sell in 2004.

 

Storywise, though, I guess the matoran were just exhausted from the lack of nutrition (they do "eat" kinda).

Hmmm...now that I think about it, the Matoran's shrinkage in size could have been a case of island dwarfism. I suggest you google it if you don't what that is. 

[Oroki]

 

My theory is that the Bionicle team needed a bigger, better matoran collection to sell in 2004.

 

Storywise, though, I guess the matoran were just exhausted from the lack of nutrition (they do "eat" kinda).

Hmmm...now that I think about it, the Matoran's shrinkage in size could have been a case of island dwarfism. I suggest you google it if you don't what that is.

 

That makes sense! it didn't look it up yet, but I guess that's how you adapt to an Island environent when there aren't enough resources, right?

 

Edit: Looked it up. Island dwarfism happens over generations, which is not possible for the matoran, as there is only one generation.

 

It does have it's symbolic value, though.

Edited June 23, 2014 by Oroki

[Collector1]

 

 

My theory is that the Bionicle team needed a bigger, better matoran collection to sell in 2004.

 

Storywise, though, I guess the matoran were just exhausted from the lack of nutrition (they do "eat" kinda).

Hmmm...now that I think about it, the Matoran's shrinkage in size could have been a case of island dwarfism. I suggest you google it if you don't what that is.

 

That makes sense! it didn't look it up yet, but I guess that's how you adapt to an Island environent when there aren't enough resources, right?

 

Edit: Looked it up. Island dwarfism happens over generations, which is not possible for the matoran, as there is only one generation.

 

It does have it's symbolic value, though.

 

The Makuta evolved into antidermis and they couldn't reproduce. So why can't the Matoran evolve into smaller beings?

Edited June 23, 2014 by Collector1

[Zidonaro]

 

 

My theory is that the Bionicle team needed a bigger, better matoran collection to sell in 2004.

 

Storywise, though, I guess the matoran were just exhausted from the lack of nutrition (they do "eat" kinda).

Hmmm...now that I think about it, the Matoran's shrinkage in size could have been a case of island dwarfism. I suggest you google it if you don't what that is.

 

That makes sense! it didn't look it up yet, but I guess that's how you adapt to an Island environent when there aren't enough resources, right?

 

Edit: Looked it up. Island dwarfism happens over generations, which is not possible for the matoran, as there is only one generation.

 

It does have it's symbolic value, though.

 

 

But if the cause was desnutrition, woulnd't their bodies only become more fragile and slender, instead of shrinking in size ?

[Oroki]

 

 

 

My theory is that the Bionicle team needed a bigger, better matoran collection to sell in 2004.

 

Storywise, though, I guess the matoran were just exhausted from the lack of nutrition (they do "eat" kinda).

Hmmm...now that I think about it, the Matoran's shrinkage in size could have been a case of island dwarfism. I suggest you google it if you don't what that is.

 

That makes sense! it didn't look it up yet, but I guess that's how you adapt to an Island environent when there aren't enough resources, right?

 

Edit: Looked it up. Island dwarfism happens over generations, which is not possible for the matoran, as there is only one generation.

 

It does have it's symbolic value, though.

 

 

But if the cause was desnutrition, woulnd't their bodies only become more fragile and slender, instead of shrinking in size ?

 

Good point. They did change shape, however. I don't know everything about matoran anatomy, but maybe that would be the effect with biomechanical creatures?

[Zidonaro]

 

 

 

 

My theory is that the Bionicle team needed a bigger, better matoran collection to sell in 2004.

 

Storywise, though, I guess the matoran were just exhausted from the lack of nutrition (they do "eat" kinda).

Hmmm...now that I think about it, the Matoran's shrinkage in size could have been a case of island dwarfism. I suggest you google it if you don't what that is.

 

That makes sense! it didn't look it up yet, but I guess that's how you adapt to an Island environent when there aren't enough resources, right?

 

Edit: Looked it up. Island dwarfism happens over generations, which is not possible for the matoran, as there is only one generation.

 

It does have it's symbolic value, though.

 

 

But if the cause was desnutrition, woulnd't their bodies only become more fragile and slender, instead of shrinking in size ?

 

Good point. They did change shape, however. I don't know everything about matoran anatomy, but maybe that would be the effect with biomechanical creatures?

 

 

I'm sure Teridax wouldn't like to disnutre the Matoran he would rule, so I guess he made a Stasis Tube like material around the spheres.

[Oroki]

 

 

 

 

 

My theory is that the Bionicle team needed a bigger, better matoran collection to sell in 2004.

 

Storywise, though, I guess the matoran were just exhausted from the lack of nutrition (they do "eat" kinda).

Hmmm...now that I think about it, the Matoran's shrinkage in size could have been a case of island dwarfism. I suggest you google it if you don't what that is.

 

That makes sense! it didn't look it up yet, but I guess that's how you adapt to an Island environent when there aren't enough resources, right?

 

Edit: Looked it up. Island dwarfism happens over generations, which is not possible for the matoran, as there is only one generation.

 

It does have it's symbolic value, though.

 

 

But if the cause was desnutrition, woulnd't their bodies only become more fragile and slender, instead of shrinking in size ?

 

Good point. They did change shape, however. I don't know everything about matoran anatomy, but maybe that would be the effect with biomechanical creatures?

 

 

I'm sure Teridax wouldn't like to disnutre the Matoran he would rule, so I guess he made a Stasis Tube like material around the spheres.

 

On the other hand, why would he design the canisters to make them weaker? What's the whole point anyway? It makes more sense to me if it happened by accident. Even Makuta has to make a few mistakes sometimes...

[bonesiii]

Please avoid multi-nested quotes, folks.

 

Basically the answer's simple -- a transformation is built into the power of the spheres, just like the transformation powers of energized protodermis, Visorak venom, Roodaka's Rhotuka, Mahri Nui's waters, etc.. The only difference (other than the result of the transformation) was the time delay, so they shrunk gradually over time.

 

No appeal to some sort of dwarfism is going to work, since the metal won't shrink on its own; you need a transformation power to make that happen. And especially not island-caused.

 

And we don't know that it was intentional; it could have been a side effect of the only power mixture Teridax was able to find that would do a total mindwipe. But the theme does fit his villainous nature; why not weaken them too?

Edited June 23, 2014 by bonesiii

[fishers64]

Weakening them could be a bad idea. If they couldn't keep Metru Nui running...I would at least place it as a risk. I suppose the Makuta could reverse the transformation later on, but inventing a way to do so could take precious time. (No wonder he wanted the Mask of Time lol, although in that case why bother with the weakening?)

 

I don't think it was intentional; I think it was a grin-and-bear it side effect. 

[bonesiii]

Weakening them could be a bad idea. If they couldn't keep Metru Nui running...I would at least place it as a risk. I suppose the Makuta could reverse the transformation later on, but inventing a way to do so could take precious time.

That's a good point, but there would be no need to invent a way as rebuilding themselves was already a well-known method of altering their design. The Turaga used it in 2003. Makuta could have used it (whether the shrinking was desired or not) as a further "I'm on your side" event to solidify the indoctrinated Matoran's trust in him (since they wouldn't be told they were weaker because of his actions), if necessary.

[fishers64]

 

Weakening them could be a bad idea. If they couldn't keep Metru Nui running...I would at least place it as a risk. I suppose the Makuta could reverse the transformation later on, but inventing a way to do so could take precious time.

That's a good point, but there would be no need to invent a way as rebuilding themselves was already a well-known method of altering their design. The Turaga used it in 2003. Makuta could have used it (whether the shrinking was desired or not) as a further "I'm on your side" event to solidify the indoctrinated Matoran's trust in him (since they wouldn't be told they were weaker because of his actions), if necessary.

 

Yes, but I doubt he could "wave his hand" and rebuild 1000 Matoran. He would have to redesign/retool/possibly make machines to do it fairly rapidly. The Turaga had 1000 years to do that, if it was needed, if they didn't do the rebuilding by hand. Makuta would not have that luxury. 

[bonesiii]

Mata Nui wasn't much of a "we can spare materials to have machines laying around that as far as the people know are useless" sort of location. I have always presumed it was essentially by hand -- other than molds for the larger parts and basic welding type materials, etc. (Both of which Vakama's staff probably helped with tremendously.) Makuta could also teach them how to make better versions themselves.

 

Also, not sure what you mean about Makuta not having that luxury -- wouldn't he have it far better off, being in Metru Nui? And wouldn't he have the same time span?

Edited June 24, 2014 by bonesiii

[fishers64]

Mata Nui wasn't much of a "we can spare materials to have machines laying around that as far as the people know are useless" sort of location. I have always presumed it was essentially by hand -- other than molds for the larger parts and basic welding type materials, etc. (Both of which Vakama's staff probably helped with tremendously.) Makuta could also teach them how to make better versions themselves.

 

Also, not sure what you mean about Makuta not having that luxury -- wouldn't he have it far better off, being in Metru Nui? And wouldn't he have the same time span?

What I meant was that they had thousands of years to learn to do it, if they needed to, or to drag the machines up from Metru Nui. The animation protrayal of it showed the Matoran coming out of Kini-Nui area different, if my memory still works, so they could have used the machines.

 

He wouldn't have 1000 years to fix them, though...well, okay. It took 1,000 years for Mata Nui to be near death, so he would have to save Mata Nui by enlisting some Toa or some other method and take over then, and logically the Matoran would have to be restored by then. My thinking was that he would use the Mask of Time to bypass all of that, both the memory wipe time and the 1000 in between, leaving him with less time to fix the Matoran after the 1000 (if he didn't know about it). If he did know about it, it would be a risk because he would have to wake them up, indoctrinate them, and then fix them, without any Toa or any just random trader showing up and blowing the indoctrination plans before he had to leave to save Mata Nui or send someone else to do it...

 

I guess I'm tired, because this is getting too complex already. Teridax probably had a plan to cover it, but it still seems that it would be easier to not shrink them in the first place, accelerate through the memory loss toward Mata Nui's death, and not have to bother with waking the Matoran up until...well, wouldn't it just be easier to take over the universe and then wake them up? Maybe a little before that, but not too much before. Having to fix the Matoran is a rather annoying complication in that sort of thing, yes?

[bonesiii]

My thinking was that he would use the Mask of Time to bypass all of that, both the memory wipe time and the 1000 in between, leaving him with less time to fix the Matoran after the 1000 (if he didn't know about it).

His plan for the Vahi was to speed up time in the Matoran pods, to speed up their memory wipe, not to rob himself of time. Who knows what he'd do with the Vahi after that, but skipping time himself (time his enemies could use to prepare to stop him) seems unlikely. He seems more like the patient, methodical type, you know?

 

Teridax probably had a plan to cover it, but it still seems that it would be easier to not shrink them in the first place, accelerate through the memory loss toward Mata Nui's death, and not have to bother with waking the Matoran up until...well, wouldn't it just be easier to take over the universe and then wake them up?

I always presumed that he'd wake them up as soon as the memory wipe (and/or transformation if that was intentional, not sure if that goes along with the same time frame as the memwipe) finished, which with the Vahi would be basically instant. Otherwise why even bother with the Vahi? If they're just going to sit in the pods for all that time, just waiting would have the same effect. I figure he wanted to start the indoctrination early, to lessen the risk of foreign Toa investigating wuzzup with the city and possibly ruining things. The Vahi probably was about giving the rest of the world as little time to react as possible. So basically they would be awake and getting indoctrinated essentially 1000 years before the robot's repairs needed to be done.

 

And we saw that enough repairs happened in just about a year with the larger form. No reason to think the shrunken form would put too serious a delay on that. Maybe stretch it to a few years instead of one (or less?). And rebuilding to a larger form again (as another reason for them to thank him, whether shrinking was intended or not) shouldn't take more than a year. I'm not seeing a problem here.

 

Yes, if he did fast forward time for himself, but I don't see what advantage there would be to such a thing.

[25K Now!]

I always saw the shrinkage as a result of Makuta possibly using the energies of the Matoran in order to power the spheres, keeping them alive and yadda yadda. This would definitely have had an effect on them. And that probably came out as their desizement (is that even a word?).

[Friend of Fire]

I always thought that the weaker forms were a part of the indoctrination.

 

What I mean is, that like the mind wipe, it was part of the spheres. Makuta would use the Vahi to speed up the process, then "revive" the sleeping Matoran and tell them that the evil Mata Nui put them in to those pods due to their weak state as he (Mata Nui) saw them unfit for his rule, and let the city fall into ruin because he didn't like them. Makuta would then teach the Matoran how to rebuild themselves into stronger versions, and use them to take over in some way.

[MetaToa]

It could be that the Matoran's biological features allow them to shrink if they are in a confined space.