I don't think he chose what the location would be. And yeah, the Matoran Universe would pretty much be doomed if everyone stopped working. In "The Kingdom", the inhabitants just went to the surface to escape disaster, but due to circumstances, they can't do that. So pretty much they are doomed if they just stopped working. D=

"Hey guys! We can get out through here! Loo--AAAAAAAAAHHH I FELL OUT OF HIS MOUTH

What he said. They can't just leave - they have nowhere to go. They can't go back to the island of Mata Nui again because 1) the island isn't there anymore and 2) since he's no longer laying on his back face up, they can't live there. They won't have anywhere to stand - they aren't capable of clinging to the surface of his face. Makuta is now capable of killing any of the MU's inhabitants, so refusing to work would be a bad idea. I believe I read that Makuta can also create new beings, so even if everyone refused to work, he would (in theory) be able to kill them all and create new beings to replace them.

Don't quote me on this, because I may be wrong.

"Hey guys! We can get out through here! Loo--AAAAAAAAAHHH I FELL OUT OF HIS MOUTH

"OMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMN TASTY MATORAN FROM METRU NUI."

~EW~

"Hey guys! We can get out through here! Loo--AAAAAAAAAHHH I FELL OUT OF HIS MOUTH

What he said. They can't just leave - they have nowhere to go. They can't go back to the island of Mata Nui again because 1) the island isn't there anymore and 2) since he's no longer laying on his back face up, they can't live there. They won't have anywhere to stand - they aren't capable of clinging to the surface of his face. Makuta is now capable of killing any of the MU's inhabitants, so refusing to work would be a bad idea. I believe I read that Makuta can also create new beings, so even if everyone refused to work, he would (in theory) be able to kill them all and create new beings to replace them.

 

Don't quote me on this, because I may be wrong.

But can't they leave Metru Nui? Just go somewhere else in Mata Nui's body?

(Regardless of the Makuta creating new beings.)

I thought Metru Nui had a special role, which is why Mata Nui was dying since nobody was working in it for 1000 years and then once they came back they refused to work (until the Turaga told their tales) and that hurt Mata Nui as well.

But it makes sense that Makuta can kill off anything and everything. Mata Nui watched over everything, so he had to have some way for divine intervention to help keep things stable.

-CF

No, no. You see, Makuta schemed wisely. The Matoran now rely on him to live in their universe... you kill him and you have a repeat of what we saw in 07. Except this time they can't revive him with the Ignika. I think Greg's said that it would be suiside to try and kill Makuta. Or something like that.

Ah, ok. That makes sense.

-CF

Stopping work in Metru Nui and migrating South would be bad.

It'd be the equivalent of a parasite trying to kill its host. It can't without committing suicide, or moving hosts. And the Matoran can't do that anymore because Mata Nui('s body) is standing up.