Other uses for a Kaukau?

[PutYaGunsOn]

Just decided to swing back into the Bionicle fandom again for whatever reason.  I was thinking about this.

 

The Kaukau seems to be a very specialized mask.  It lets you breathe in water and liquid protodermis, but while it's activated, you can't breathe air.  Unless you are actually a Toa of Water, or at least spend most of your life by shores, I don't see any reason to wear one, at least as a primary mask.

 

If neither of those apply to a Toa, why would (s)he wear one as a default mask?

 

I'm asking because I just found out that one of the four Toa Mangai of Ice is said to wear one according to BS01, and I have no idea why he would have it.  (Well, ice is water, but would an Ice Toa ever really need it?  Especially in an urban setting like Metru-Nui?)

[Pohaturon]

Well, either he lost a bet and must wear a Kaukau in spite of not really having any reason to, or it's something of a boasting-thing where he's like "I can defend Metru Nui with a Kaukau. Top that."

 

I'm not sure about the source, however I faintly recall something about the Kaukau also doubling as a gas-mask. The wearer becomes immune or at least resistant to noxious gases and the like. 

 

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

simple answer: mangai poll results go best ignored

 

Bionicle answer: the kaukau MAY also be a general mask of breathing-not-air-things, but i haven't read up on it lately...

[Toa Smoke Monster]

According the BS01 page for the Kaukau, the mask allowed its user to breathe water and liquid protodermis. It doesn't say anything about other substances, though I guess it could be possible that info may not be recorded on the page.

 

As for why that particular Toa of Ice wore one, I have no idea. Maybe he just really liked that mask. 

[evil_jaga_genius]

Maybe it's just a mask of breathing - it supplies you with constant oxygen.  I actually have an idea it just supplies your cells with energy or ATP, making it unnecessary to breathe at all.

 

Now somebody's gonna come up and say "THAT'S NOT CANON"...

[Clyce]

Since there isn't any obvious benefit to wearing the Kaukau, it's possible that the mask originally belonged to a fallen fellow toa that he wears in remembrance or that he just wears it as a fashion statement with a tinted visor. It's also possible that he did work in water or protodermis areas. We really don't have much knowledge on his background. One benefit that the Kaukau does provide that other masks typically do not is eye protection, so take that as you will.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Azon

[Sir Keksalot]

The Kaukau Nuva could grant others that power, so you could use to drown someone on dry land if. That's only an extra-powerful version of the mask, though. As for the normal version, it does have goggles. Perhaps it's just for protective eyewear.

[Regitnui]

The Ko-Toa wearing sunglasses while protecting the City. I think we have a winner of most awesome Toa.

[PutYaGunsOn]

The Ko-Toa wearing sunglasses while protecting the City. I think we have a winner of most awesome Toa.

I like this.  He don't need no Mask Power, just cool shades to not look at explosions with.

 

Well, alright, I like what I'm seeing so far.  Remembering a fallen comrade, style, actually working in a place with a lot of bodies of water...these all make sense.

[TERIDAX941]

Maybe physical combat technique? Grappling with your foe, you use the mask and physically drag your enemy underwater making them have to struggle for breath while you're perfectly fine?

[SPIRIT]

Okay, picture this.

 

You're a Toa of Ice, you're trapped in an airtight space with no way out, and you're running out of air.  Your only resources are your Kaukau and your elemental ice powers.

 

Step 1 - Make some ice

Step 2 - Absorb all the cold from the ice (because hey, how could this aspect of Toa powers be misused?)

Step 3 - Dunk your head in all this water you've cheated into existence

Step 4 - Now you have enough air to last you until a Toa with a mask power that's actually useful can rescue you

Edited September 13, 2016 by SPIRIT

[Cap'n Shirley J. Puma]

I dunno, I kinda like the gas mask idea. And, given the goggles, I could actually see it as a popular mask for workers in a Ta-Metru forge. Furthermore, would it be able to filter out water vapor? If so, while maybe not the most practical, it could potentially make the air clearer, and at least you would breathe less humid air. Not sure how well these would all work, but hey, I thought I might share them anyways.

[PutYaGunsOn]

Maybe physical combat technique? Grappling with your foe, you use the mask and physically drag your enemy underwater making them have to struggle for breath while you're perfectly fine?

I've thought of this, but again, if you're in an area so urban as Metru-Nui, bodies of water might be a little hard to find.  But I do like this idea.

 

Okay, picture this.

 

You're a Toa of Ice, you're trapped in an airtight space with no way out, and you're running out of air.  Your only resources are your Kaukau and your elemental ice powers.

 

Step 1 - Make some ice

Step 2 - Absorb all the cold from the ice (because hey, how could this aspect of Toa powers be misused?)

Step 3 - Dunk your head in all this water you've cheated into existence

Step 4 - Now you have enough air to last you until a Toa with a mask power that's actually useful can rescue you

 

Funny, I actually thought of something similar earlier today.  It's a similar situation with a Kaukau Nuva, useful when fighting multiple enemies.  Hope you like it:

 

Step 1 - Make some ice

Step 2 - Absorb all the cold from the ice

Step 3 - Dunk your head in all this water you've cheated into existence

Step 4 - Activate your mask and watch all the bad guys suffocate around you while you're sitting there comfortably breathing your water

 

I dunno, I kinda like the gas mask idea. And, given the goggles, I could actually see it as a popular mask for workers in a Ta-Metru forge. Furthermore, would it be able to filter out water vapor? If so, while maybe not the most practical, it could potentially make the air clearer, and at least you would breathe less humid air. Not sure how well these would all work, but hey, I thought I might share them anyways.

 

Ooooh, I never thought of that forge thing, that's a new headcanon for me now.  Since Matoran masks are powerless, it's probably just a stylish pair of goggles to them.  I mean, the Kaukau looks pretty friggin' cool.

 

And now that I think about it, I'm sure the goggles would be a good idea if trekking through a snowstorm (going back to the whole ice thing).

 

But as soon as one of those Ta-Matoran in the forge becomes a Toa, well poop.  Now he's a Toa of Fire whose mask can only be used in water.

 

Anyway, thanks for all the responses, guys!

[Toa Doublebee]

I don't know. I personally don't like any much of these theories.

 

Fallen comrade - We know masks can be the shape of other masks, like toa Krakua's Suletu looking like a Hau, and Iruni's Pehkui looking like a Kiril. If a toa wanted to honor a fallen hero that wore a Kaukau, he could easily wear a mask that is much more practical, while having the shape of a Kaukau.

 

Combat advantage - Killing is against the Jedi, errr I mean Toa code. They kill only when if it is a necessity, and even then it is frowned upon. Toa Code

Wearing around a mask specifically for the purposes of this murder strategy doesn't make much sense. Would make more sense to have a team member lug it around in their backpack for these specific situations.

And besides the code, toa are reluctant to wear the 2008 makuta kanohi because their powers are immoral. Having a Kaukau around for the sole purpose of drowning others (while you are holding them, denying them any chance of escape) is no less immoral.

 

Style - Again, just send your mask to a shop and have it shaped like a Kaukau if you really want to.

 

Eye protection for matoran - Hmmm...idk. I initially didn't like this idea much at all...and I really can't put my finger on why. Its a personal preference thing I guess. I have warmed up to this theory. 

Its not like it matters what masks matoran wear anyway, and it having a visor or it looking cool is as good a reason as any.

 

Mask of general breathing - I really like this idea, and I wish it was cannon. But the wiki specifically says it is the mask of water breathing. Speaking of which...

 

Guys, nobody pointed out here that according to the Bs01 page, the mask only grants temporary water breathing abilities.

Temporary.

So I am guessing that like any mask, the length of time you can breath with the mask is correlated to one's mental capacity and focus. Meaning the length of time which you can breath underwater is inconsistent.

 

In theory, one of the many brilliant scientists from any of the many species in the MU could create a breathing apparatus that through excellent engineering and professional craftsmanship, out preform a Kaukau in terms of consistency and maybe even in terms of longevity, that can also be worn over kanohi.

This (theoretical, fanon) device would make any Kaukau obsolete. I mean the very canon toa Mahari all had the ability to breath underwater, indefinitely, in addition to their various other kanohi. Do these toa already outclass any Kaukau user? yea if they suddenly need to fight on land they are not.

 

But for the one point that came up here that I think is the definitive answer, is the close proximity, and the abundance of bodies of water.

The biggest Kaukau user known to us, Gali, had plenty reason to wear a Kaukau because Ga-Wahi is basically a gulf or a bay. And I am sure that it served her very well during the Rahi War and the hunt for the masks.

[Toa Jaxus]

My opinion is that he was randomly assigned that mask as a matoran. Nuhrii, a Ta-matoran, Kivi, a Po-matoran, and Gavla, an Av-matoran, all wore Kaukaus but are not natural swimmers or aquatic combatants.

[Lyichir]

I always thought that the Kaukau ought to have other uses. Even if it couldn't allow its user to breathe in an environment with no oxygen, like a vacuum, it could have potentially had its powers expanded to allow it to filter things like smoke or poison gas. But canonically, I'm fairly sure its powers are limited to breathing underwater.

[Banana Gunz]

Okay, so just bloody imagine a scene, a cold cold place with giant ice spikes everywhere, poking out of the water, like the arctic. Suddenly, out of the surface of the water, something starts rising.

 

It's a head, a mask, and as they rise on a giant pillar of ice, it's a toa of ice sitting cross legged, meditating. It's one of the Mangai toa of ice, the one with the Kanohi Kau Kau. Very reserved, and very internal, the toa spends most of their spare time meditating deep underwater in the freezing ocean, looking for peace. The cold stills everything, the water silences all.

 

Of course, that was all til the day they were approached to join the team. Nothing was ever the same after that. Nothing.

[TheShadowedOne1]

LOL. I've questioned this mask for sometime about its other uses... There aren't many or any. Poor Kaukau users.

[PutYaGunsOn]

LOL. I've questioned this mask for sometime about its other uses... There aren't many or any. Poor Kaukau users.

Exactly why I made this topic in the first place.

 

Anyway, I actually had a fun idea for a story.  A Toa is given a Kaukau despite having few chances to fight underwater as a handicap, perhaps for training/discipline purposes.  He/she has to wear it to train him/herself to be less dependent on mask powers for whatever reason.

[N.S.M.8]

Remember that this Toa Team was formed to fight the Kanohi Dragon, a large, fire breathing Rahi.

 

From BS01:

 

 

The Kanohi Dragon is an immense Rahi, possessing mammoth strength. Its body is decorated by glittering scales shaped like Kanohi, which often lure unsuspecting victims into a trap. The dragon is highly susceptible to cold temperatures, with frigid enough temperatures rendering it comatose. The Vortixx employed this weakness to keep the dragon contained. It also possesses the ability to fly. It can also breath fire, and has smoldering tail blades.

 

There are four Toa of Ice and two Toa of Water on this team.  That's a lot of ice that's going to be melted by the dragon, in addition to the Water from Tuyet and Naho.

Now, does a Kaukau really seem that useless...

[Xboxtravis]

Okay, so just bloody imagine a scene, a cold cold place with giant ice spikes everywhere, poking out of the water, like the arctic. Suddenly, out of the surface of the water, something starts rising.

 

It's a head, a mask, and as they rise on a giant pillar of ice, it's a toa of ice sitting cross legged, meditating. It's one of the Mangai toa of ice, the one with the Kanohi Kau Kau. Very reserved, and very internal, the toa spends most of their spare time meditating deep underwater in the freezing ocean, looking for peace. The cold stills everything, the water silences all.

 

Of course, that was all til the day they were approached to join the team. Nothing was ever the same after that. Nothing.

The words required to sum up how epic that was would be filtered by BZpower. So in response all I can say is, epic; pure epic.