What Happens to the Glatorian?

[Cyrix]

Whew, flexing my topic-making muscles for the first time in a while here.

 

So from what I understand, the Toa are basically superior to the Glatorian both in terms of physical strength and in terms of powers (considering the Glatorian have no natural powers of their own). After the MU and Spherus Magna societies have integrated into one society, what would be the place of Glatorian in that society? If the Toa are basically superior in every way, what role can the Glatorian even take? Would they simply become regular citizens? Or would they become lower-level guardians, maybe law-enforcement, while the Toa become more of a military power? I can't imagine that both the Glatorian and the Toa would be on the front lines together simply because of that huge power difference. Or maybe I'm over-analyzing and there would be no societal effect at all.

 

Thoughts?

[fishers64]

It's been established that Glatorian have GB augumentations (implants) so the power difference wouldn't be that huge.

 

I think the Agori would trust their old defenders more for a long time, as opposed these alien "heroes" who showed up. So the Toa and Glatorian will likely be sharing gaurd duty and adventures for years to come.

[bonesiii]

I thought Greg hinted or stated that Mata Nui had actually granted them innate powers, but that they were basically in denial of it. Not sure on that one though, but either way, they do have powers if they hold the weapons.

 

But keep in mind the Toa lived (and sometimes fought) alongside beings like Matoran who had no powers (or tool powers). If indeed they don't have innate powers, their strategy in battle would be different than Toa, but not that much.

[fishers64]

I thought that only applied to the six or so Mata Nui met in TLR. The rest of the Glatorian (unknown amount?) like Gelu wouldn't have any fancy powers.

[Toa Chuck]

Additionally, as far as I know, there are a lot more glatorian around at the moment than toa.

[Ballom Nom Nom]

In the long term, the Toa outcompete them into extinction.

 

That is, barring some gamechanging evolutionary adaptation on the part of the Glatorian, perhaps.

 

~B~

[Cyrix]

It's been established that Glatorian have GB augumentations (implants) so the power difference wouldn't be that huge.

 

I think the Agori would trust their old defenders more for a long time, as opposed these alien "heroes" who showed up. So the Toa and Glatorian will likely be sharing gaurd duty and adventures for years to come.

From BS01:

 

The organic-protodermis and mechanical physiology of the Toa gives them much greater physical strength and endurance than their Glatorian counterparts, as well as superhuman durability. They also heal faster than Glatorian and other organic beings due to the properties of organic protodermis. The average Toa is strong enough to lift more than one ton.

I always assumed Glatorian were closer to peak human strength, or maybe just above that given their metallic bone structure, but even then in comparison more than a ton would be a lot. And yeah you're right that they would probably be pretty equal for quite a few years, but I was thinking farther into the future. Although maybe the Agori's loyalty to the Glatorian would create an irreparable rift between the two societies?

 

I thought Greg hinted or stated that Mata Nui had actually granted them innate powers, but that they were basically in denial of it. Not sure on that one though, but either way, they do have powers if they hold the weapons.

 

But keep in mind the Toa lived (and sometimes fought) alongside beings like Matoran who had no powers (or tool powers). If indeed they don't have innate powers, their strategy in battle would be different than Toa, but not that much.

I think I remember him hinting that somewhere, so maybe over time they would gain powers somehow. But I don't think their weapons would give then nearly as powerful control over an element as that of a Toa.

 

Also I think the only time the Matoran ever fought alongside the Toa was out of necessity when there previously had been no Toa to fight for them, such as on Voya Nui and Mahri Nui when the Matoran had been defending themselves for a while.

 

Additionally, as far as I know, there are a lot more glatorian around at the moment than toa.

Yeah, I think there's more than double the number of Glatorian than Toa at the moment (EDIT: I think I remember Greg saying there were about 100 on Bara Manga at the time of the 2009 storyline, but I'm not 100% sure on that), but I'd assume that the number of Toa would increase with time.

 

In the long term, the Toa outcompete them into extinction.

 

That is, barring some gamechanging evolutionary adaptation on the part of the Glatorian, perhaps.

 

~B~

Haha not that much of a happy ending in that case, but it may happen. Although I didn't really consider evolution; as primarily organic (and mammalian) creatures maybe the Glatorian would eventually evolve in such a way that would grant them powers. 

Edited April 5, 2015 by Cyrix

[The Hip Historian Iaredios]

The Glatorian occupation (Glatorian is a job title, not a species name) would have either disbanded, or some would continue the the old arena bartering system for economical reasons. Most of these Tall agori would go to leading ordinary lives, or those that fought as Glatorian would take up guard duty or become soldiers. Those that had Core War augmentations and elemental weapons would be like super hero protectors of the New Atero and neighboring communities and working with the Toa to insure the safety of the helpless from foes like Barraki, Dark Hunters and Skrall.

[bonesiii]

Also I think the only time the Matoran ever fought alongside the Toa was out of necessity

That's generally the only time any good guy fights, including Toa.

[Nato G]

 

 

 

 

A little more than 40 active Toa now remain. Currently, twenty-six of the remaining Toa are accounted for: five Toa Nuva, Toa Mata Tahu, the five remaining Toa Mahri, the Toa Hagah, Takanuva, Lesovikk, Krakua, Helryx, Tuyet, Orde, Chiara, Zaria, and Varian. 

 

 

I would imagine the number of Glatorian far exceeds this meagre number of Toa, and since the Glatorian know the terrain and the Toa don't, I think it's safe to say that the Glatorian would have remained important to the society as a whole. 

[Regitnui]

I believe that after the reformation, Glatorian who swore themselves to the Toa Code could have Mata Nui-in-Ignika grant them elemental abilities and thereafter use the word Toa as a title, much like a footsoldier becoming a knight by swearing oaths and training.

 

Disclaimer: this is headcanon. I.e. not official.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Regitnui

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

So wait, how many Glatorian are there? I read about 100 in a post above but that doesn't seem right...

 

In that case though, Glatorian and Toa really have to work together as a single force, due to their population being rather insignificant. I'm sure the role of law enforcers etc. could go to upstanding Agori/Matoran instead of Glatorian.

 

Would have been interesting to see the Glatorian/Toa society in times of war. We may have seen this in the GB civil war arc, if it ever panned out.

 

-NotS

Edited April 6, 2015 by Nidhiki of the Shadows

[bonesiii]

how many Glatorian are there?

Depends on how you define Glatorian. I don't know if we have an actual official number, but BS01's Employed Glatorian section seems to imply it's a small number -- 100 is probably a good guess at the ceiling. But that would probably just be the employed from the four main tribes. Some Skrall were also designated Glatorian, and if you go by species name, there's an unknown number of unemployed (as Glatorian) warrior class, of all five of those tribes. (Especially Skrall.)

 

Plus you might want to count the Vorox, unsure. They used to be of the type called warrior class, anyways.

 

What a good ceiling guess would be for either total (five including unemployed, or all warrior class), I really have no idea.

 

But probably not more than a few thousands, maybe much less.

[Cyrix]

 

Also I think the only time the Matoran ever fought alongside the Toa was out of necessity

That's generally the only time any good guy fights, including Toa.

 

Haha, good point.

 

So what I'm getting is that because the Glatorian (I'm using Glatorian to refer to the species here because we never really got a name for their species) outnumber the Toa (for now) and because they have a better knowledge of the landscape, the Glatorian would still be pretty useful. And even in the far future, just because the Toa might be more powerful doesn't mean the Glatorian would stop protecting.

 

In a hypothetical far future where there were about the same amount of Toa and Glatorian and the MU species had inhabited Spherus Magna long enough to know the landscape, would the Toa be considered superior to the Glatorian? I'm kind of inclined to go with laredios' description that the Glatorian would be more low-level, local protectors, or they would work directly with the Toa.

[ALVIS]

 

 

Also I think the only time the Matoran ever fought alongside the Toa was out of necessity

That's generally the only time any good guy fights, including Toa.

 

Haha, good point.

 

So what I'm getting is that because the Glatorian (I'm using Glatorian to refer to the species here because we never really got a name for their species) outnumber the Toa (for now) and because they have a better knowledge of the landscape, the Glatorian would still be pretty useful. And even in the far future, just because the Toa might be more powerful doesn't mean the Glatorian would stop protecting.

 

In a hypothetical far future where there were about the same amount of Toa and Glatorian and the MU species had inhabited Spherus Magna long enough to know the landscape, would the Toa be considered superior to the Glatorian? I'm kind of inclined to go with laredios' description that the Glatorian would be more low-level, local protectors, or they would work directly with the Toa.

 

 

Greg always loves putting things in terms of comic book universes, so I'll give it a try. The Glatorian are the police officers, the firefighters, or the soldiers; the Toa are the superheroes.

[Toa of Ice - 1987]

 

 

 

Also I think the only time the Matoran ever fought alongside the Toa was out of necessity

That's generally the only time any good guy fights, including Toa.

 

Haha, good point.

 

So what I'm getting is that because the Glatorian (I'm using Glatorian to refer to the species here because we never really got a name for their species) outnumber the Toa (for now) and because they have a better knowledge of the landscape, the Glatorian would still be pretty useful. And even in the far future, just because the Toa might be more powerful doesn't mean the Glatorian would stop protecting.

 

In a hypothetical far future where there were about the same amount of Toa and Glatorian and the MU species had inhabited Spherus Magna long enough to know the landscape, would the Toa be considered superior to the Glatorian? I'm kind of inclined to go with laredios' description that the Glatorian would be more low-level, local protectors, or they would work directly with the Toa.

 

 

Greg always loves putting things in terms of comic book universes, so I'll give it a try. The Glatorian are the police officers, the firefighters, or the soldiers; the Toa are the superheroes.

 

Of course that works, it true that the Glatorians had implants. But their roles compared to real life Gladiators and defensive role isn't far of from a Roman Legionnaire task as footsoldiers defending Rome(Bara Magna).

The Matoran Universa toa are indeed superior to a extent like superheroes because of their largely mechanical bodies wihch can handle elemental powers more easily and are not as easily injured.

Edited April 7, 2015 by ---Kopaka Nuva---

[bonesiii]

because the Glatorian (I'm using Glatorian to refer to the species here because we never really got a name for their species) outnumber the Toa (for now) and because they have a better knowledge of the landscape, the Glatorian would still be pretty useful.

I'd add that even the youngest like Gresh had 100,000 years of experience in the arenas, constantly practicing too, while Toa didn't necessarily rigorously practice, so Glatorian's combat skills would probably outpace most Toa. Since Toa do get drained of EE eventually, and mask powers may take a while to recharge, Glatorian could be great backup. (Talking about powerless ones. But really I think Glatorian will probably continue to keep use of some kind of power, possibly tools getting recharged by Toa??)

[LegoSWfan]

As there were only fifty or so Toa left, and perhaps thousands of glatorian, it's only logical that Toa would become "Commanders", or perhaps heavy hitters for the Tao/glatorian armed forces. They could be sent on missions considered too dangerous for glatorian. But what of the "False Toa", Gresh, Ackar, and Kiina?

[Nato G]

I think I mentioned this earlier, but I envision the handful of Toa remaining to serve more like peacekeepers within the cities/camps/settlements, while the Glatorian do most of the scavenging, etc. outside of them, since they know the terrain better.