Mu's Transfer To Widgets

[Toa Lapaka]

It has been said that originally Metru Nui used a trade of liquid protodermis for economics, but then switched to widgets after the Matoran came back to Metru Nui. Then, after they started using widgets, they were universally accepted. However, the Matoran of Metru Nui never really left except for the Inika, and Metru Nui’s sea gate has been closed for a long time. So how did widgets become a universally accepted currency? I propose that widgets had been long since used by the rest of the Matoran Universe for a long time, but Metru Nui wanted its own form of currency to prevent forgery of widgets or any such malicious deeds. However, when the Turaga came in charge of Mata Nui, they realized that the liquid protodermis trade would not be effective since there was not a high quantity of liquid protodermis, so they transferred to widgets. Later, when returning to Metru Nui, they continued using widgets as their country wide currency.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Toa Lapaka

[LewaLew]

It doesn't take that much thought. Metru Nui had been a vital part of the economy of the MU. When the matoran reestablished themselves there, they regained that economic level of power as the most advanced Matoran settlement in the MU. With their economic strength, widgets would have become something like the American Dollar. Everybody buys from Metru Nui.In addition, as the most advanced settlement of the MU's most numerous and extensive species, widgets would spread very quickly between Matoran. They may not have been very powerful physically, but the Matoran were the most powerful species when it came to business and economics.

[Makuta Matata]

There was water on Mata Nui, not liquid protodermis...

[Toa Lapaka]

It doesn't take that much thought. Metru Nui had been a vital part of the economy of the MU. When the matoran reestablished themselves there, they regained that economic level of power as the most advanced Matoran settlement in the MU. With their economic strength, widgets would have become something like the American Dollar. Everybody buys from Metru Nui.In addition, as the most advanced settlement of the MU's most numerous and extensive species, widgets would spread very quickly between Matoran. They may not have been very powerful physically, but the Matoran were the most powerful species when it came to business and economics.

But Metru Nui's sea gate has been closed ever since the beginning of the Metru Saga, as I stated, and Metru Nui Matoran have not had any contact to the rest of the universe except for the Inika. Please read what I've written before you reply.Edit: Additionally the Matoran in Metru would be a bit busy rebuilding Metru Nui to open the sea gate or to inact in trade with anyone, and the Matoran in other parts of the universe are trying to hold their own against the Makuta. And finally, Metru Nui has been uninhabited for more than a year and blocked off. Why would anyone go there to trade?

There was water on Mata Nui, not liquid protodermis...

Which is exactly what I said. Did anyone read my first post or not? Edited February 8, 2012 by Toa Lapaka

[bonesiii]

I question strongly whether the sea gate is still closed. Do we have canon confirmation of that? We know the Rahaga and Keetongu used Metru Nui as a base for a thousand years to go off to other islands to undo the effects of the Visorak. True, there's another route to those through Karzahni but it's hardly a safe one or very likely. Also the Piraka were in the Metru Nui dome prior to 2006 story.It seems clear to me that the gate is open.Actually, was it ever even closed to begin with? All I recall off the top of my head is that Dume (really Makuta, I think, at the time) sent members of Lhikan's team to close it, and they never returned, so perhaps they failed. Regardless, the Rahaga and Keetongu probably reopened if even if it was closed.

[Toa of Gallifrey]

I question strongly whether the sea gate is still closed. Do we have canon confirmation of that? We know the Rahaga and Keetongu used Metru Nui as a base for a thousand years to go off to other islands to undo the effects of the Visorak. True, there's another route to those through Karzahni but it's hardly a safe one or very likely. Also the Piraka were in the Metru Nui dome prior to 2006 story.It seems clear to me that the gate is open.Actually, was it ever even closed to begin with? All I recall off the top of my head is that Dume (really Makuta, I think, at the time) sent members of Lhikan's team to close it, and they never returned, so perhaps they failed. Regardless, the Rahaga and Keetongu probably reopened if even if it was closed.

I'm quite sure you're right on this, since Makuta as Dume sent them there with an ambush to die with the current Chronicler and therefore the sea gate never closing. It may have been closed at some point unknown to us but re-opened later.

[BULiK]

I question strongly whether the sea gate is still closed. Do we have canon confirmation of that? We know the Rahaga and Keetongu used Metru Nui as a base for a thousand years to go off to other islands to undo the effects of the Visorak. True, there's another route to those through Karzahni but it's hardly a safe one or very likely. Also the Piraka were in the Metru Nui dome prior to 2006 story.It seems clear to me that the gate is open.Actually, was it ever even closed to begin with? All I recall off the top of my head is that Dume (really Makuta, I think, at the time) sent members of Lhikan's team to close it, and they never returned, so perhaps they failed. Regardless, the Rahaga and Keetongu probably reopened if even if it was closed.

actually, it was closed by Makuta (disguised as dume) just before the great cataclysm, for multiple logical reasons.for instance, if makutas plan worked (which it would've if it werent for those meddling toa metru *coughscoobydoocheesyreferencecough*) then all the matoran in metru nui would be alseep and it would take a long time for them to fully lose their memory, unles he had the mask of time. makuta (disguised as dume) must have noticed that vakama was having trouble making the mask of time. so he might have decided to close the gates so that when the cataclysm struck and the matoran were captured, (which had to be soon, because makuta knew it wouldn't be long before Lhikan put 2 and 2 together, and so he coudn't wait forever for vakama to make the mask) and he didn't have the mask of time, then he would be waiting for thousands of years, if i remember correctly, until the matoran completely forgot about mata nui, (and if he had metru nui worshipping him, then the other scattered matoran soon would, which i assume is the final phase of his original plan) so he might as well have closed the gate.Anyways, even if he had the mask of time, there anyways would be the possible problem of mastering the mask and the (unknown) restraints (if there are any) on the mask of time's powers, in that time, if the gates were open, then people might catch on about the defensless city (the dark hunters for example) and sack it and destroy it, so if they had no idea that it was a sitting duck there, or that there fellow matoran were being enslaved, then things would go alot smoother.and (not sure if this adds anything) if the matoran were enslaved, then makuata would have to do all this manual labor while the matoran slept to close the gates (if he didnt have the mask of time) so he might as well have them do it while they were awake.if the gates were closed, then when the cataclysm struck, they would stay closed, and wouldn''t open (unless lethal force is involved) and if there were open when the cataclysm struck, then they would stay open, unless fixed, which makuta (probably) couldn't do correctly.i had i think maybe one more point in this argument about the gates being closed, but i forgot because of he long time to make this post.and anyways, since metru nui is like what wall street is to most people in real life (if im thinking correctly) then what currency they use others would soon adopt.oh boy making this post wore me out. sorry for grammar mistakes, being not entirely flowing, and poor organisation, among other things. I now can't believe you do this (even better and correctly) all the time bonesiii! Edited February 8, 2012 by Bulik

[Toa Lapaka]

Okay, putting the Sea Gate aside for a moment, Metru Nui had been closed off for hundreds of years (yes I checked it). Plus the fact that the MU was still dealing with Makuta and trying to rebuild their own areas. And Metru Nui's Matoran were reconstructing the great city, until the Staff of Artakha fixxed everything, so they would have no time to begin trade again. How would widgets become so universally popular so quickly? The whole story line happened in a year and Widgets were instantly known by all, including Roodaka, who had spent all her time between The Great Cataclysm and the return to Mata Nui fighting in the Dark Hunter/ Brotherhood of Makuta War.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Toa Lapaka

[BULiK]

Okay, putting the Sea Gate aside for a moment, Metru Nui had been closed off for hundreds of years (yes I checked it). Plus the fact that the MU was still dealing with Makuta and trying to rebuild their own areas. And Metru Nui's Matoran were reconstructing the great city, until the Staff of Artakha fixxed everything, so they would have no time to begin trade again. How would widgets become so universally popular so quickly? The whole story line happened in a year and Widgets were instantly known by all, including Roodaka, who had spent all her time between The Great Cataclysm and the return to Mata Nui fighting in the Dark Hunter/ Brotherhood of Makuta War.

ah yes, now i remember, I want to know your sources that multiple people know about widgets, and that they used liquid protodermis for currency pre-great cataclysm?

[bonesiii]

Still not convinced it was closed -- Makuta himself did not close it as far as I know, he (again) sent Lhikan's team to do it, and the team was murdered.Also I don't recall exactly who killed them, but wasn't it Dark Hunters? And wasn't this before Nidhiki and Krekka came to Metru Nui? It'd have to be open for them to get there. (Obviously Nidhiki once was there, but he left). Unless of course those were the two who came in the dome and killed Lhikan's team after the team did close the gate.Let's bring up the elephant in the room, too -- what exactly is the gate? And notice all of you are still calling it "gates". It was called that, officially, yes, but this was back when we all assumed there were multiple tunnels to other domes. Now we know Metru Nui was in the head of the giant robot, and the only tunnel is southward to the main body. Maybe there are three routes; Karzahni, and a gate on either side of that. Or maybe just two, the closed-off Karzahni route and one gate.Or maybe "gates" just refers to a single entryway with a double-door arrangement, one with its hinges to the right, one to the left.Finally, do we even know how the gates were shut and how they might be opened? We seem to be assuming they couldn't be opened from the southern side, but do we know that? It's possible it was simply a stone barrier made by a Po-Toa which could be demolished over time.And again, even if we assume they were both closed and could only be opened from the northern side, the Rahaga and Keetongu must have opened it at some point before the Matoran's return to Metru Nui. Is this not so? So even if it -was- shut off for hundreds of years, it apparently couldn't have been for the full thousand years and thus was open by the time Takanuva defeated Makuta in MOL, so the Piraka were able to come through.Edit: Also, let's assume for sake of discussion that The way is (not) shut.Then the explanation for why widgets spread far and wide would seem fairly simple; the Matoran needed supplies to repair the city. They had widgets to trade for those supplies and others out there had the supplies, so widgets were transferred elsewhere.I'm a little confused about the part claiming they used liquid protodermis as trade, too, before I continue. I assume you mean purified liquid protodermis, not just protowater, since protowater was everywhere. But I don't recall ever hearing that, and am curious when and where it was revealed. Probably just a Greg revelation, not from story, yeah?But anyways, liquid protodermis is a resource, not a money item like our coins, dollars, and digital equivs. So it wouldn't make for an efficient currency. So just a little trading with widgets would probably inspire everybody else to go "hey this is a much better idea let's change it and spread the idea."Also it's possible there aren't many other places besides Ga-Metru where protodermis is purified, so it may have become very scarce over the thousand years AGC. And Ga-Metru wouldn't be immediately equipped to make a lot more of it. (Its scarcity could be because it was used to make stuff, and even just because... yanno a liquid money can... leak... lol.)

Edited February 9, 2012 by bonesiii

[TNTOS]

Also I don't recall exactly who killed them, but wasn't it Dark Hunters? And wasn't this before Nidhiki and Krekka came to Metru Nui? It'd have to be open for them to get there. (Obviously Nidhiki once was there, but he left). Unless of course those were the two who came in the dome and killed Lhikan's team after the team did close the gate.

Teridax hired three Dark Hunters; Nidhiki, Krekka, and Eliminator. Nidhiki and Krekka worked in Metru Nui, while the one codenamed Eliminator killed Lhikan's team. Could be wrong, but I am pretty sure that's what happened.Also, I think it was mentioned in "Time Trap" that Krekka forced open the sea gate in order for Nidhiki and him to get to Metru Nui. It was at the part where the Shadowed One and Sentrakh were heading to Metru Nui and they saw that the gate was open, leading the Shadowed One to assume that Krekka had opened it.Again, I could be wrong, but I am sure that's what happened.-TNTOS-

[Toa Lapaka]

Okay, putting the Sea Gate aside for a moment, Metru Nui had been closed off for hundreds of years (yes I checked it). Plus the fact that the MU was still dealing with Makuta and trying to rebuild their own areas. And Metru Nui's Matoran were reconstructing the great city, until the Staff of Artakha fixxed everything, so they would have no time to begin trade again. How would widgets become so universally popular so quickly? The whole story line happened in a year and Widgets were instantly known by all, including Roodaka, who had spent all her time between The Great Cataclysm and the return to Mata Nui fighting in the Dark Hunter/ Brotherhood of Makuta War.

ah yes, now i remember, I want to know your sources that multiple people know about widgets, and that they used liquid protodermis for currency pre-great cataclysm?

We have no equipment, no arms other than yours, not even those ridiculous Matoran widgets.

Actually, I may be a bit off on the liquid protodermis, but I swear I've heard something about it before, but I can't find the page...

Still not convinced it was closed -- Makuta himself did not close it as far as I know, he (again) sent Lhikan's team to do it, and the team was murdered.Also I don't recall exactly who killed them, but wasn't it Dark Hunters? And wasn't this before Nidhiki and Krekka came to Metru Nui? It'd have to be open for them to get there. (Obviously Nidhiki once was there, but he left). Unless of course those were the two who came in the dome and killed Lhikan's team after the team did close the gate.Let's bring up the elephant in the room, too -- what exactly is the gate? And notice all of you are still calling it "gates". It was called that, officially, yes, but this was back when we all assumed there were multiple tunnels to other domes. Now we know Metru Nui was in the head of the giant robot, and the only tunnel is southward to the main body. Maybe there are three routes; Karzahni, and a gate on either side of that. Or maybe just two, the closed-off Karzahni route and one gate.Or maybe "gates" just refers to a single entryway with a double-door arrangement, one with its hinges to the right, one to the left.Finally, do we even know how the gates were shut and how they might be opened? We seem to be assuming they couldn't be opened from the southern side, but do we know that? It's possible it was simply a stone barrier made by a Po-Toa which could be demolished over time.And again, even if we assume they were both closed and could only be opened from the northern side, the Rahaga and Keetongu must have opened it at some point before the Matoran's return to Metru Nui. Is this not so? So even if it -was- shut off for hundreds of years, it apparently couldn't have been for the full thousand years and thus was open by the time Takanuva defeated Makuta in MOL, so the Piraka were able to come through.Edit: Also, let's assume for sake of discussion that The way is (not) shut.Then the explanation for why widgets spread far and wide would seem fairly simple; the Matoran needed supplies to repair the city. They had widgets to trade for those supplies and others out there had the supplies, so widgets were transferred elsewhere.I'm a little confused about the part claiming they used liquid protodermis as trade, too, before I continue. I assume you mean purified liquid protodermis, not just protowater, since protowater was everywhere. But I don't recall ever hearing that, and am curious when and where it was revealed. Probably just a Greg revelation, not from story, yeah?But anyways, liquid protodermis is a resource, not a money item like our coins, dollars, and digital equivs. So it wouldn't make for an efficient currency. So just a little trading with widgets would probably inspire everybody else to go "hey this is a much better idea let's change it and spread the idea."Also it's possible there aren't many other places besides Ga-Metru where protodermis is purified, so it may have become very scarce over the thousand years AGC. And Ga-Metru wouldn't be immediately equipped to make a lot more of it. (Its scarcity could be because it was used to make stuff, and even just because... yanno a liquid money can... leak... lol.)

More than likely they did open the gates, but I wouldn't think the Turaga would let any Matoran to leave, and if any Matoran came to trade and was given a small protodermis cog in trade, they would more than likely laugh.You're probably right on the purified liquid protodermis. I believe I saw it on Biosector, but since it crashed, I can't find the page I saw it on. And then again I could be completely off and it was the trade on Mata Nui.

[fishers64]

Okay, so if the sea gates were closed, how did the Visorak, Roodaka, Sidorak, etc. get to Metru Nui? They obviously did not go through Karzanhi, seeing as there wasn't mention of him being taken over by Visorak. I mean Karz didn't even know who Mata Nui was until Jaller showed up. Plus all the Rahi in Metru Nui where "driven" there by the Visorak - if they had gone through Karzanhi, the guy likely would have killed them for sport. Their is mention in Legacy of Evil of much trade and commerce between Metru Nui and other islands. I don't think they would wish to cut that off. Closing the sea gates was an excuse to kill the Toa Mangai off, nothing more. Time Trap - how did TSO get in there if the sea gates were closed? We actually see him walk past a dead Toa from Lhikan's team. Now I could buy that maybe the Rahaga and Keetongu tried to close the gate(s). Maybe. Except they left. I guess they would have a controlling interest to try to keep the bad guys out of there, except Icerax got in and fought with Makuta during that time frame. Teleportation? I thought Icerax brought in some creatures for that battle. I could believe that nobody was really going to mess with Metru Nui simply because a) it was a wasteland and http://www.bzpower.com/board/public/style_emoticons/default/cool.png Teridax was up there. But by the time we get to 2006, we get all that weird shanigans with Jaller and Co. having to go through Karzanhi. That's probably the only time period that the gates might have been closed...except the Piraka got in. After that, they were wide open, seeing as the OoMN and Teridax got back in without a hitch. I'm thinking out loud and not really achieving much. But it seems to me that nobody really closed the gates. But if they were open in 2006 to let the Piraka in, then I would think Jaller's team would be able to take Hali's boat and get out that way. Maybe they just didn't know that they were open. Or did getting to Voya Nui require going through Karz? They did need those Toa canisters to get there, but couldn't they have gone the sea route and found some that way? They did seem to be going off sans plan in Dark Destiny , not really knowing what they were doing, and blindly blundered into the transport and masks they needed in Karzanhi. So, gates are open, likelier than not, unless Icerax teleported in to fight Teridax in the middle, and even so without. Would the Toa/Turaga open the gates if they were closed while the Matoran were reconstructing Metru Nui, not knowing what might come through? They certainly weren't advocating for the Piraka to come through. The fact that they did suggests that the gates were never closed in the first place. Bottom Line: Gates were not closed. As for the rest of the stuff about Liquid proto, I think that that is a separate barter system in Metru Nui. Seeing as the stuff was vital to making tools and disks, I would imagine that it would be traded around. The widget would be more of an international currency. It's like trading solid metal to a craftsmen for a saw vs. paying $ 10 for the saw. Since the "solid metal" and the "saw" are provided by different Matoran, it would make sense that such informal trade would go on inside the city just as it sometimes happens among humans today even though we have a currency. Whereas a foreigner would not have such raw materials; he would likely have something else that he has traded for widgets - what he makes may not even be needed in Metru Nui, but he needs something from the city, like a saw. That's the whole logic behind currency, or at least some of it. So yes, it makes sense that Matoran would have a currency like that.

[bonesiii]

Forgot about the Visorak lol. [Edit: And re: TBOC's next post, I forgot that the Visorak are irrelevant here. Lol I hate my bad memory...]As for Jaller and Company, I'd say the answer is twofold -- 1) They all lost their memories, so don't remember the seagate, and 2) Because of Dume's stubbornness, they weren't going to be given that answer by him or the other Turaga.It is a little puzzling why Nokama didn't anyways, but maybe she assumed they understood that part from the Turaga's tales of the past after MOL. Or maybe they even thought the Karzahni route was the sea gate the Turaga had mentioned Lhikan's team going to close. They struck out southward, and found a gate of sorts, so it would kinda fit what they heard.Edit: Or maybe they're just as confused on the issue as we just were in the above posts. So maybe they thought it had been closed and didn't think it through about the Visorak, etc.

Edited February 9, 2012 by bonesiii

[T.B.O.C]

Okay, so if the sea gates were closed, how did the Visorak, Roodaka, Sidorak, etc. get to Metru Nui? They obviously did not go through Karzanhi, seeing as there wasn't mention of him being taken over by Visorak. I mean Karz didn't even know who Mata Nui was until Jaller showed up. Plus all the Rahi in Metru Nui where "driven" there by the Visorak - if they had gone through Karzanhi, the guy likely would have killed them for sport.

The abandoned underwater chutes. It was said in the novelization of Web of ShadowsAlso, not all sea gates were closed, as all have said. One was never closed, as Eliminator, Nidihki, and Krekka killed the Toa that was to close it in Time Trap, if I remember correctly. Or it was that Krekka forced it open and the Toa's Kakama just happened to be left there. And either way, the Rahaga and Keetongu would have opened at least one after leaving Metru Nui if they hadn't gone through the open one.

[fishers64]

Okay, so if the sea gates were closed, how did the Visorak, Roodaka, Sidorak, etc. get to Metru Nui? They obviously did not go through Karzanhi, seeing as there wasn't mention of him being taken over by Visorak. I mean Karz didn't even know who Mata Nui was until Jaller showed up. Plus all the Rahi in Metru Nui where "driven" there by the Visorak - if they had gone through Karzanhi, the guy likely would have killed them for sport.

The abandoned underwater chutes. It was said in the novelization of Web of ShadowsAlso, not all sea gates were closed, as all have said. One was never closed, as Eliminator, Nidihki, and Krekka killed the Toa that was to close it in Time Trap, if I remember correctly. Or it was that Krekka forced it open and the Toa's Kakama just happened to be left there. And either way, the Rahaga and Keetongu would have opened at least one after leaving Metru Nui if they hadn't gone through the open one.

The "abandoned underwater chutes" either go through the sea gate or through the overland route (Karzanhi) The chutes went through the sea, but they have to come out somewhere.

[T.B.O.C]

Okay, so if the sea gates were closed, how did the Visorak, Roodaka, Sidorak, etc. get to Metru Nui? They obviously did not go through Karzanhi, seeing as there wasn't mention of him being taken over by Visorak. I mean Karz didn't even know who Mata Nui was until Jaller showed up. Plus all the Rahi in Metru Nui where "driven" there by the Visorak - if they had gone through Karzanhi, the guy likely would have killed them for sport.

The abandoned underwater chutes. It was said in the novelization of Web of ShadowsAlso, not all sea gates were closed, as all have said. One was never closed, as Eliminator, Nidihki, and Krekka killed the Toa that was to close it in Time Trap, if I remember correctly. Or it was that Krekka forced it open and the Toa's Kakama just happened to be left there. And either way, the Rahaga and Keetongu would have opened at least one after leaving Metru Nui if they hadn't gone through the open one.

The "abandoned underwater chutes" either go through the sea gate or through the overland route (Karzanhi) The chutes went through the sea, but they have to come out somewhere.

I believe they come out in several places under and in Metru Nui. One of the chutes at least had an opening at the bottom of a gorge in between... Po-Metru and Ko-Metru? I'll have to make sure.Also, didn't Jaller and co. take one of the chutes out onto the area surrounding Karzahni? I remember that faintly...

[fishers64]

Okay, so if the sea gates were closed, how did the Visorak, Roodaka, Sidorak, etc. get to Metru Nui? They obviously did not go through Karzanhi, seeing as there wasn't mention of him being taken over by Visorak. I mean Karz didn't even know who Mata Nui was until Jaller showed up. Plus all the Rahi in Metru Nui where "driven" there by the Visorak - if they had gone through Karzanhi, the guy likely would have killed them for sport.

The abandoned underwater chutes. It was said in the novelization of Web of ShadowsAlso, not all sea gates were closed, as all have said. One was never closed, as Eliminator, Nidihki, and Krekka killed the Toa that was to close it in Time Trap, if I remember correctly. Or it was that Krekka forced it open and the Toa's Kakama just happened to be left there. And either way, the Rahaga and Keetongu would have opened at least one after leaving Metru Nui if they hadn't gone through the open one.

The "abandoned underwater chutes" either go through the sea gate or through the overland route (Karzanhi) The chutes went through the sea, but they have to come out somewhere.

I believe they come out in several places under and in Metru Nui. One of the chutes at least had an opening at the bottom of a gorge in between... Po-Metru and Ko-Metru? I'll have to make sure.Also, didn't Jaller and co. take one of the chutes out onto the area surrounding Karzahni? I remember that faintly...

That's the point. The underwater chutes go from Metru Nui to Karzanhi and the sea gates.

[a goose]

Actually, I may be a bit off on the liquid protodermis, but I swear I've heard something about it before, but I can't find the page...

AFAIK, the idea of the purified liquid protodermis being used came from MeNOL, which is not canon. There's a chance that it is canon (the purified protodermis, not MeNoL), though. Just pointing this out.

[Toa of Italy]

From BS01 (actually a cache copy, but I doubt this page is edited much):

Widgets were based on the Protodermic currency that was used on Metru Nui prior to the Great Cataclysm. They were accepted by other beings of the Matoran Universe, although most other species had their own forms of currency.After the Bohrok-Kal attack on the island of Mata Nui, the Matoran began using Widgets instead of the simple barter system that they had been using previously. The Matoran continued to use Widgets when they returned to Metru Nui.

First of all, Protodermic currency doesn't necessarily mean Liquid Protodermis. It might mean anything, since everything in the MU is made of Protodermis.The BS01 page also says that the Mata Nui Widgets are similar to the Metru Nui currency. Perhaps they are so similar that both are named Widgets. If that were so, the problem would be solved. After the Great Cataclysm, Metru Nui Widgets would have kept circulating in the rest of the MU (since we know practically nothing about the MU financial world, I think it's useless to speculate on the exact way they circulated).Sea Gates and trade are slightly off topic, but since everyone is talking about them, I guess it's all right if I say my own opinion.The Sea Gates are probably more than one. I quote from Time Trap, Legacy of Evil and Bionicle World:

Virtually all of the sea gates that led from Metru Nui to other lands had been closed by order of Makuta some time ago. Only this one remained open, by virtue of someone, or something, having torn the metal wide open. The Shadowed One guessed this was work of Krekka, as he and Nidhiki made their way to Metru Nui.

Metru Nui was surrounded by a huge silver sea, bounded on all four sides by massive rock walls. Portals were carved in some of these walls to allow for boats to pass through on their way to and from the city.

For most of the last 1,000 years, all but one of the sea gates leading to the waters around Metru Nui were closed.

I think this confirms that there is more than one sea gate. The former quote also suggests some kind of metal gate, lock or door, which doesn't seem to difficult to open, as Krekka managed it.From the latter quote, it appears that neither the Visorak horde nor Keetongu when he left Metru Nui opened the other gates. I would also point out that with only six Rahaga, one Turaga and one sentient Rahi in a wrecked Metru Nui, trade with other lands seems improbable.After the re-population of Metru Nui, this may have changed, but I think not for some time. As others have already pointed out, there is little to trade for supplies in a destroyed city like Metru Nui. Besides, when Takanuva and the six Matoran who would become Toa Inika reached the peninsula leading to Karzahni, they were clearly unfamiliar with the area, leading me to presume the Toa weren't sent here to open the gates after the arrival of the Matoran.The usage of the Staff or Artakha repaired Metru Nui. The gates might then have been re-opened by the Toa Mahri and trade re-established, though I also have to point out that the MU was very unstable at the time, due to the still ongoing Dark Hunter-Brotherhood of Makuta war, which I guess would have had a negative effect on trade throughout the MU.However, I believe the gates were certainly opened during the Brotherhood of Makuta-Order of Mata Nui war. The final battle took place in Metru Nui, so first the Order had to bring supplies and weapons to the city, then the BoM fleet arrived. The passage of such forces isn't likely to have happened through a single gate.During Teridax's reign, trade probably did happen, though only according to Makuta's commands. And I doubt it has much importance whether the gates are open now, given the fact that the MU is destroyed. Edited February 11, 2012 by Toa of Italy

[bonesiii]

I think this confirms that there is more than one sea gate.

I'm not convinced those quotes are totally reliable, because those conclusions were reached back when we still thought there were multiple tunnels radiating from the Metru Nui Dome, north, west, east, to domes all around it. But it does seem likely there's at least two -- one to the south-southwest, one to the south-southeast, and Karzahni is to the direct south.The "virtually all" wording is what I would call into question as it would seem to imply far more than two, and the "some of these walls". The wall was a curve all around, as far as we know, so all the gates being to the south would more likely be thought of as one wall, though that last bit is possbly wrong if there were "corners" to it (something like an octogon shape, for example).And about "protodermic" currency, widgets themselves were always protodermic too, so if that quote refers to anything meaningful at all, it probably means purified solid protodermis. But it might simply be a passing reminder that things are made out of protodermis in general. :shrugs"Anyways, thanks for giving what appears to be the true origin of the liquid proto thing; I'd take that as proof that wasn't canon, unless of course someone from MeNol got Greg's confirmation on it. For now, let's assume the currency was solid protodermis.And yeah, that wording does seem to imply Widgets were the currency all along in Metru Nui.