Toa Mahri Masks

[John Smith]

My basic question is this: Can the Mahri wear normal masks? It seems there would be issues attaching their breathing tubes (since the tubes appear to attach to the masks). What would they do with their breathing tubes if they had other masks on? Also, since Matoro made them amphibious, do they need the tubes to breath air, or water? Or both? Or do they not need them at all? Also, is the video where the Toa Terrain Crawler removes their tubes canon? That could affect the answer.

 

Thanks!

Edited September 14, 2014 by John Smith

[Zidonaro]

Also: Why they needed tubes to breath water when they were literally surrounded by water.

Edited September 14, 2014 by HoloTheWise

[Akavakaku]

The video is non-canon, I know that. But the tubes thing is a bit of a conundrum: when the sets were designed, they were intended to have just temporary diving equipment, hence the video, which was built into their new masks. So with the actual story decision of having them be turned into water-breathers, I don't know what exactly the significance of the tubes is supposed to be.

[bonesiii]

So with the actual story decision of having them be turned into water-breathers, I don't know what exactly the significance of the tubes is supposed to be.

Gills.

[Axilus Prime]

Yep, the tubes in-story are simply oddly shaped gills. I headcanon them as breathing tubes like the video showed though. In the event they run out of air, Kongu can just make more.

Edited September 14, 2014 by Axilus Prime

[John Smith]

So, they don't need the tubes for breathing water. Ok. In-canon, though, how do they attach? To the masks, or to their heads? And can the tubes be removed from the masks, in-canon, if they are indeed attached to the masks?

[fishers64]

2. Would a normal Kanohi Tryna (or any of the Toa Mahri's masks) look the same just without the tubes? 

 

2) Yes, probably

 

9. In BL7 when Matoro tried to get into Mahri Nui but couldn't breath, couldn't he have taken off his mask and/or water tubes? 

 

9) No. He was not amphibious, he was a water-breather. Taking off the mask would not have made it possible for him to breathe air again.

 

4: Do the Toa Mahri still have their air tubes? I ask because they are out of the ocean.

 

4) They do, because the sets do, and if they get drawn again they will look like those sets

 

I think that the tubes are attached to their faces, not the masks, in-story, simply because taking off the mask wouldn't disconnect them necessarily.

[LordofBionicles]

What happend was that originally the Toa Mahri we supposed to be breathing air underwater, that's why they got the air tubes, but they changed that in the story so it would be more dramatic the fact that they wouldn't be able to go back to land. After they became amphibious their tubes stayed with them so they don't really use them anymore I guess, and yes they can now wear any kind of masks.

[John Smith]

Thanks, fishers and LordofBionicles! The tubes being attached to their faces makes more sense anyway, since the masks aren't actually part of their anatomy/respiratory system. I think that answers all my questions.

[TERIDAX941]

Course technically Hewkii is the only one who has the tube in his mouth, not his mask (mask of gravity for the win!) xD

[John Smith]

In my headcanon everything he says is garbled because he has to talk with that thing in his mouth.

[TERIDAX941]

In my headcanon everything he says is garbled because he has to talk with that thing in his mouth.

Either that or breathed like Darth Vader

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

...

 

I actually never once thought of this during 2007.

 

-NotS

[John Smith]

Well, there's been a new development. Boidoh asked Greg this on the LEGO forums:

 

5. Could the Toa Mahri wear normal masks? It seems that tubes are connected to their masks which can cause a problem.

5) No
 

 

I just wish he'd explained why they couldn't.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

 

In my headcanon everything he says is garbled because he has to talk with that thing in his mouth.

Either that or breathed like Darth Vader

 

This is now my headcanon too.

[Adventurer]

Judging from what's been said above by Greg, I'm suspecting they'd essentially act like part of their breathing "organs", just located externally, regardless of whether its for aquatic only or amphibious. I suppose we could speculate that the extra external "organs" (I don't know what better word to use ) allowed them to breath underwater and integrated with/around their Kanohi and then these pipes were modified to allow amphibious breathing. Something like that maybe.

[25K Now!]

Judging from what's been said above by Greg, I'm suspecting they'd essentially act like part of their breathing "organs", just located externally, regardless of whether its for aquatic only or amphibious. I suppose we could speculate that the extra external "organs" (I don't know what better word to use ) allowed them to breath underwater and integrated with/around their Kanohi and then these pipes were modified to allow amphibious breathing. Something like that maybe.

They'll definitely be some rather vulnerable organs.

[Adventurer]

 

Judging from what's been said above by Greg, I'm suspecting they'd essentially act like part of their breathing "organs", just located externally, regardless of whether its for aquatic only or amphibious. I suppose we could speculate that the extra external "organs" (I don't know what better word to use ) allowed them to breath underwater and integrated with/around their Kanohi and then these pipes were modified to allow amphibious breathing. Something like that maybe.

They'll definitely be some rather vulnerable organs.

 

By organ I meant as in they served the purpose our windpipe type organs do - they're obviously made of inorganic material so I don't think they're that vulnerable.

 

(Thus why I kept putting organs in quotation marks. )

[bonesiii]

Since normal MU beings have organic lungs, but the lungs are armored, and the tubes look technological in all depicted forms, my guess is there are organic gills on the inside of them, but they're covered in metal rings that create the outer shape we see, and protect the organic parts, probably fairly well.

[Kopekemaster]

Well, there's been a new development. Boidoh asked Greg this on the LEGO forums:

 

5. Could the Toa Mahri wear normal masks? It seems that tubes are connected to their masks which can cause a problem.

 

5) No

 

 

I just wish he'd explained why they couldn't.

It could be, though, that he was saying no to the second part of the question, that the tubes seeming connected to their masks wouldn't be a problem, or something.

[John Smith]

 

Well, there's been a new development. Boidoh asked Greg this on the LEGO forums:

 

5. Could the Toa Mahri wear normal masks? It seems that tubes are connected to their masks which can cause a problem.

 

5) No

 

 

I just wish he'd explained why they couldn't.

It could be, though, that he was saying no to the second part of the question, that the tubes seeming connected to their masks wouldn't be a problem, or something.

 

 

Greg's usual style is to answer the 1st part of a 2-part question and ignore the second part if his answer to the first part makes it irrelevant, so I don't think that's right, sadly.

 

 

Since normal MU beings have organic lungs, but the lungs are armored, and the tubes look technological in all depicted forms, my guess is there are organic gills on the inside of them, but they're covered in metal rings that create the outer shape we see, and protect the organic parts, probably fairly well.

 

This makes sense. In light of Greg's answer, would it be reasonable to speculate that their masks are also part of their gill system?Jaller's Arthron seems to have tubes on it, after all.

[Toa Rudysaurus]

Course technically Hewkii is the only one who has the tube in his mouth, not his mask (mask of gravity for the win!) xD

I always though Hewkii looked a little funny, which is strange as he had one of the coolest Inika sets  :/

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

Well, there's been a new development. Boidoh asked Greg this on the LEGO forums:

 

5. Could the Toa Mahri wear normal masks? It seems that tubes are connected to their masks which can cause a problem.

 

5) No

 

 

I just wish he'd explained why they couldn't.

Wait, does this still apply after Matoro teleported them back to Metru Nui?

 

-NotS

[John Smith]

 

Well, there's been a new development. Boidoh asked Greg this on the LEGO forums:

 

5. Could the Toa Mahri wear normal masks? It seems that tubes are connected to their masks which can cause a problem.

 

5) No

 

 

I just wish he'd explained why they couldn't.

Wait, does this still apply after Matoro teleported them back to Metru Nui?

 

-NotS

 

 

I don't really see why it wouldn't, but I guess there is a possibility Greg misunderstood and thought the question applied only to before then. Maybe I'll ask him a follow-up question.

[Click]

 

 

Since normal MU beings have organic lungs, but the lungs are armored, and the tubes look technological in all depicted forms, my guess is there are organic gills on the inside of them, but they're covered in metal rings that create the outer shape we see, and protect the organic parts, probably fairly well.

 

This makes sense. In light of Greg's answer, would it be reasonable to speculate that their masks are also part of their gill system?Jaller's Arthron seems to have tubes on it, after all.

It might explain partially why Matoran go into a coma when their mask is removed. Maybe masks really are a major part of the respiratory system, but there's other, weaker systems that allow them to not die and Toa to keep going. Edited September 18, 2014 by Click

[fishers64]

It might explain partially why Matoran go into a coma when their mask is removed. Maybe masks really are a major part of the respiratory system, but there's other, weaker systems that allow them to not die and Toa to keep going.

It's possible, but I thought that was connected to mental strength and concentration somehow. Could be wrong though. 

[bonesiii]

 

 

Since normal MU beings have organic lungs, but the lungs are armored, and the tubes look technological in all depicted forms, my guess is there are organic gills on the inside of them, but they're covered in metal rings that create the outer shape we see, and protect the organic parts, probably fairly well.

This makes sense. In light of Greg's answer, would it be reasonable to speculate that their masks are also part of their gill system?Jaller's Arthron seems to have tubes on it, after all.

 

It might explain partially why Matoran go into a coma when their mask is removed. Maybe masks really are a major part of the respiratory system, but there's other, weaker systems that allow them to not die and Toa to keep going.

 

Except the Mahri's system is clearly abnormal, since Greg just said they couldn't switch masks, but normal beings can. I don't think normal masks have anything to do with breathing except the holes allowing air through. Taking a mask off would, if anything, make breathing easier. And what fishers said already explains it so yeah.

[The Hip Historian Iaredios]

I always imagined Jaller's mask tubes to be silver. And you know those round things off to the side of the Toa Metru head's mouth? I like to think the external gills go through there.

[Boidoh]

Greg said it is because their masks are part of how they breathe.

[John Smith]

 

 

 

Since normal MU beings have organic lungs, but the lungs are armored, and the tubes look technological in all depicted forms, my guess is there are organic gills on the inside of them, but they're covered in metal rings that create the outer shape we see, and protect the organic parts, probably fairly well.

This makes sense. In light of Greg's answer, would it be reasonable to speculate that their masks are also part of their gill system?Jaller's Arthron seems to have tubes on it, after all.

 

It might explain partially why Matoran go into a coma when their mask is removed. Maybe masks really are a major part of the respiratory system, but there's other, weaker systems that allow them to not die and Toa to keep going.

 

Except the Mahri's system is clearly abnormal, since Greg just said they couldn't switch masks, but normal beings can. I don't think normal masks have anything to do with breathing except the holes allowing air through. Taking a mask off would, if anything, make breathing easier. And what fishers said already explains it so yeah.

 

 

So you agree that the Mahri's (and only the Mahri's) masks are involved in their respiratory system? Or do I misunderstand?

 

Greg said it is because their masks are part of how they breathe.

 

Do you know where he said this? The LMB?

[ALVIS]

Right here.

[John Smith]

Right here.

 

Thanks! The way he words his response, it seems he's assuming the question is about them before Matoro made them amphibious. So I guess the jury's still out whether or not they can use other masks in their "current" state. I think it would come down to whether or not they need the tubes to breathe air.

[Zeb]

Apparently, after Matoro changed the Mahri to amphibious Toa, they CAN wear normal masks, but only when on land...

 

 

 

Mr. Farshtey,

 

You recently said that the Mahri couldn't have worn normal masks during the 2007 story because they masks and tubes were what allowed them to breathe water. My question is this: After Matoro made the others amphibious, would they need the tubes to breathe air? If not, would they be able to wear normal masks while on land?

Thanks!

 

 

Yes, they would be able to wear normal masks while on land.

 

 

 

Source:

https://community.lego.com/t5/LEGO-General/Chat-with-Greg-Farshtey/m-p/11223851#M252704

[John Smith]

Apparently, after Matoro changed the Mahri to amphibious Toa, they CAN wear normal masks, but only when on land...

 

 

 

Mr. Farshtey,

 

You recently said that the Mahri couldn't have worn normal masks during the 2007 story because they masks and tubes were what allowed them to breathe water. My question is this: After Matoro made the others amphibious, would they need the tubes to breathe air? If not, would they be able to wear normal masks while on land?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Yes, they would be able to wear normal masks while on land.

 

 

 

Source:

https://community.lego.com/t5/LEGO-General/Chat-with-Greg-Farshtey/m-p/11223851#M252704

 

Haha, I'm actually the one who asked that question. I hadn't checked for Greg's response though, so thanks for pointing it out!

(Off-topic: this is the first time Greg has answered one of my questions. I'm a bit giddy now.)

Edited September 24, 2014 by John Smith