Golden Kanohi

[Meta-Mind]

Right, so I saw some discussion of the Golden Kanohi over in the Nuva Symbol thread. Rather than continue it there, I figured it'd be better to make a dedicated topic for it, to avoid confusion ("Why is the title 'Nuva Symbols,' but they're talking about Golden Kanohi?") and to allow people who're more interested in Golden Kanohi than in Nuva Symbols to find this discussion more easily.To that end, discuss 2001's Golden Kanohi here. I'll start with some quotes from the other topic, as well as some of my own ideas:

I have a similar theory about the quests for the Kanohi and Kanohi Nuva - the Toa never actually used them against the Makuta and didn't even have all of their mask powers as Kaita. Strictly speaking, the Golden Kanohi didn't even give any real advantage over the regular ones since it wasn't more powerful and you couldn't use two powers at once. I think the Turaga used the Masks as a way to train the Toa and give them experience and lessons in unity and teamwork, which they needed against Makuta and the Kal. The reason they would know this would be Vakama's visions, which would be able to show such things.

I agree with this. If we can go by MNOG as the canonical switch time, then the switch appeared to take a second of concentration followed by another second to actually switch. Perhaps it was just one second in total if we count non-fight cutscenes, though then we have no idea when the Toa started concentrating on switching. But let's take Onua vs Lewa: It didn't come into play here because Onua could see Lewa coming from a mile away, but if you're using a Pakari and suddenly need to block at closer range, that two-second delay before the Hau is ready can be the difference between life or death.Golden Kanohi also have the advantage of being "disguised". You can see that the mask is golden and that it might possess more than one power, but even so you have no idea what power is getting thrown at you. Lhikan's Hau had just one power, and that was Shielding, fitting the shape. If Lewa trotted in with his golden Kanohi, however, people might get taken off-guard when he Speeds towards them instead of using Levitation. Then they might assume "OK, he's got a Kakama molded into the shape of a Miru", only to be taken off-guard again when he suddenly has Pakari-enhanced strength as well. Followed by them jumping back and trying a projectile, but nooope, Lewa's got a Hau too.

(Those were the two most noteworthy posts that I could see, but here's the topic in question if you think there's another post worth replying to.Now, as for my personal opinion? The Golden Kanohi gave two major advantages, versitality and the element of surprise. Katuko's post above covers both of these very well, so I don't think I need to go into those. The other advantage that comes to mind is accessibility - being able to access all of their Kanohi even if cut off from their Suva - though this is rare, and never actually came up on Mata Nui.Have at it! Edited September 23, 2012 by Meta-Mind

[The Legendary TNT]

I thought the golden kanohi was something shiny to collect in the first years of BIONICLE.I think the whole thing is that kanohi give you strength as well as whatever power it does. In Swamp of Secrets, Lewa takes off his mask and nearly collapses. Then Helryx tells them not to take off their masks and that it will halve their strength. My theory is that the golden kanohi give an extra strength as well as all of those great kanohi powers from '01.

[Constructelf]

Well, I never really thought about that. What I did think about was why did lego trash the concept after '01?

[northmarch]

Are the Golden Kanohi actually masks molded/forged with six powers or were they just the six masks each mata had fused into one. Well if the second that means that, in theory, any six kanohi could be fused.

[Meta-Mind]

Are the Golden Kanohi actually masks molded/forged with six powers or were they just the six masks each mata had fused into one. Well if the second that means that, in theory, any six kanohi could be fused.

As stated by BS01:

The Golden Kanohi were powerful and mysterious Kanohi forged by Artakha, that contained the powers of six Great Masks: the Hau, Kakama, Kaukau, Pakari, Miru, and Akaku.

This seems to imply that they were not fusions of other Kanohi. On the other hand, the question remains: how did Artakha get the six powers into one mask in the first place? If he actually used multiple masks/discs (if he even uses them), then there could indeed be fusions of other Kanohi. If not... still probably could exist, but Artahka or someone else who knew how'd have to craft them.

[The Legendary TNT]

No one knows how Artakha makes stuff, he just does. He could have made them from the golden eggs in Willy Wonka for all we know (extremely unlikely, but you get the point).

[bonesiii]

In Swamp of Secrets, Lewa takes off his mask and nearly collapses. Then Helryx tells them not to take off their masks and that it will halve their strength.My theory is that the golden kanohi give an extra strength as well as all of those great kanohi powers from '01.

Well, there's no evidence for extra strength while wearing it, but it's possible that mask switching briefly weakens you, which these avoid.As for why they stopped it, Constructaman, basically it would get old, plus collectibles did not sell well so they switched to mostly only making one mask on one color unless another set wore it. In-story, the Mata/Nuva got a lot of goodies from Artakha, which makes sense as they were made on his island. You wouldn't expect other Toa to get these, as Artakha is very secretive. Plus most Toa just use one mask power, with maybe the occasional one or two extra.

how did Artakha get the six powers into one mask in the first place? If he actually used multiple masks/discs (if he even uses them), then there could indeed be fusions of other Kanohi. If not... still probably could exist, but Artahka or someone else who knew how'd have to craft them.

Well, one easy way would be to make six layers. We know that if you put another mask on top of your standard mask, you can use either one, much like choosing one of the powers of a Golden Kanohi. Or it could have six sections welded together.Or each protodermis molecule could have extra coding that chooses one of six powers programmed into it.

[The Legendary TNT]

My theory of there being extra strength comes from Tale of the Toa when Onua puts on the golden kanohi for the first time:"This new mask united all the powers of the other six-only it was even stronger!"So by that statement, either they feel stronger/more energy or they have greater power of each mask. For example, Kakama function could be a tad faster than the standard Kakama, but not as fast as the Kakama Nuva.

Edited September 23, 2012 by TNT-DJ Vezon

[bonesiii]

Ah, I see. Never caught that.Of course, that might not be canon as Hapka wrote that. It is evidence, though, granted.

[Chro]

Hmm, I've always wondered about this. Like Katuko said in the post mentioned at the top of the page, the few seconds necessary to switch masks could prove fatal. Fighting a Rahkshi and you need to run around it? Kakama. But if you want to switch to a Pakari to counterattack, you'll be briefly vulnerable.I never really payed all that much atttention to the Golden Masks all those years ago; perhaps I should have, hahaha.Here's one question that I do have... could you theoretically get a combined Golden Mask by taking it off of a six-Toa fusion? I know that Akamai and Wairuha's masks contained the powers off their three respective Toa's masks, and I assume the effect of a six-mask-Kaita-Kanohi would be similar to that of the specific golden ones that Artahka created.

[Meta-Mind]

That's why I brought it up - it seemed to sum up the Golden Kanohi's biggest advantages in a single post....Is it even possible to create a six-Toa Kaita? As in, like, a Toa Nui or something? That would be hilariously overpowered, though both Matoran and Turaga can form "Nuis," so it makes some sense at least.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Meta-Mind

[Toa Nidhiki05]

Hmm, I've always wondered about this. Like Katuko said in the post mentioned at the top of the page, the few seconds necessary to switch masks could prove fatal. Fighting a Rahkshi and you need to run around it? Kakama. But if you want to switch to a Pakari to counterattack, you'll be briefly vulnerable.I never really payed all that much atttention to the Golden Masks all those years ago; perhaps I should have, hahaha.Here's one question that I do have... could you theoretically get a combined Golden Mask by taking it off of a six-Toa fusion? I know that Akamai and Wairuha's masks contained the powers off their three respective Toa's masks, and I assume the effect of a six-mask-Kaita-Kanohi would be similar to that of the specific golden ones that Artahka created.

I believe in both the MNOLG and Bohrok animations the Toa still had to shift their Golden Kanohi to the respective shape before they could use another power, but that could just be artistic license to show the viewer what power they are using.Toa Nui don't exist but Turaga Nui can. However, Greg said in the old topic that even if you were to remove the Aki or Rua (and I assume any other fusion mask) from a Toa Kaita, it would vanish as soon as the fusion ends. I'd assume the same goes for six-member fusions.What's always bugged me about the Aki and Rua, however, is that the Toa Mata already had their Golden Kanohi when they formed the fusions. However, when they formed the fusions they lost three of their mask powers, since the Aki and Rua only had three powers each. This never made any sense to me, frankly, but maybe I'm looking into it too much. -TN05