If the Protectors and Masters biologically reproduce, that could mean something. Suppose that evolution is a thing that happens in the BIonicle universe, and if Okoto happened looooooooong before Metru Nui stuff, that means it's totally possible that Masters evolved to be able to control elements without a mask, which would decrease the usefulness of elemental masks. After all, both Ekimu and Makuta are dead/incapacitated, so there's no new masks being made. If, perhaps, elemental masks eventually lose their power, the Protectors would want to make new masks, right? So, suppose they discover a new way to make masks, but they don't grant elemental powers. Instead they grant abilties like strength, invisibility, shielding, the mask powers we're familiar with. The problem with that, though, is that Gen 1 masks were made from Kanoka, which were made from protodermis, if memory serves. Of course, everything on Okoto could be protodermis, so it's not completely out of the question. The protectors also clearly know how to make projectile weapons, and the studs they fire are like small disks. If could have occured to them to make bigger disks, and make bigger launchers to fire them, thus created the Kanoka. I'm not sure, but I think the powers of Kanoka are random when made. If this is the case, the Protectors would have many different Kanoka powers. Maybe some of them wondered, "what would happen if we put these on our faces?" So then they shaped the disks in such a way that they would fit on their heads, and the power was retained. If they combined different power Kanoka, they would get a new mask, thus the Kanohi are born. Maybe, at some point in their evolution, the Protectors and Masters went down two different evolution paths. One path allowed them to biologically reproduce still, but they lost the ability to use masks. The other path caused them to lose their ability to reproduce, but would live near-forever and could use these masks. The first path led to Glatorian and Agori, while the second led to Toa and Matoran. But, I can hear you asking, "but didn't the Great Beings create the Matoran and Toa?" Well, perhaps the GB took interest in the Matoran and Toa, but knew they would die out. So, to create new Matoran and Toa, they created bio-mechanical beings modeled after both the old Matoran/Toa and the still current Agori/Glatorian. The new Matoran and Toa were more durable, but still lived near-forever and could use masks. Maybe that's how Gen 2 connects to Gen 1. My theory could probably be easily disproved by a single Greg quote, but I'm posting it anyway.