We know that beings with mental shields (i.e., Matoran/Toa/Turaga of Psionics and members of the Order of Mata Nui) are protected from telepathy, illusions, mind control, and mental blasts. As such, their minds can’t be read, but can they still receive telepathic messages? For example, if Krakua wanted to use his Suletu to send a telepathic message to Helryx, would he be able to do so, or would her mental shield block him, too?
7 Likes
I would think that they can allow certain things in, so perhaps messages from other Order members or allies but it blocks other things.
Then again even with the shielding it’s possible that if a being had strong enough mental powers that they may be able to break through the protective shielding anyway.
1 Like
That’s technically confirmed, Teridax does that to Axonn (and presumably Brutaka) in Reign of Shadows. Course, he had the power of the GSR at that point…
3 Likes
Yes, but it does show that their mind barriers are not indestructible.
1 Like
I’m not sure if anything could stand up to the GSR though except possibly the Ignika and maybe MataNui himself.
1 Like
As other have said it can be broken but only by exceptionally strong telepaths. Tren Krom, being cabable of making people mad, was not able to penetrate this shielding.
Therefore I assume only Mata Nui can do it. Or it would require a lot of torture to break it by someone else.
Not sure about Toa Nova Blast of Psionics. A toa of fire could destroy Metru nui. Toa of psionics could possibly destroy a mental shielding.
2 Likes
While this has not been explicitly confirmed, it is implied in Brothers in Arms that they could not:
The antidermis floating in the middle of the room turned a darker shade of black and green. Tobduk had no doubt the Makuta was trying to mentally attack him … or perhaps even telepathically beg for his life? But with his mental shields up, nothing was getting through. That was okay, though. He hated to hear a grown gas cloud cry.
Tobduk seems confident that, even if Tridax is not attempting an attack, the shields would still block it.
3 Likes
- Shields are not selective. If you are cut off from telepathy, you are cut off from all telepathy.
- As has been cited here, mental barriers can be broken by someone with sufficiently powerful psychic abilities. It’s a lot harder with an Order agent who will have had extensive training, but it’s not impossible.
12 Likes
Interesting, so once they go into effect, the mental shield can’t selectively become “permeable” to select psionic intrusion.
This does still leave the question raised by the except from Brothers in Arms, wherein Tobduk thinks to himself:
But with his mental shields up, nothing was getting through.
With the mental shield being described as “up,” can it also be lowered? Or is the mental shield a one-time activation that just ends up being permanent?
2 Likes
Yes, but it has to be done consciously. It doesn’t go down on its own, although it can be weakened by external forces like intense physical pain, intense emotional disturbance, etc.
9 Likes
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer!