I am curious after reading all the books and blogs if the Makuta feel pain? I know Chirox stated that they no longer need to sleep, breath air or feel the pains of advanced age, however does that mean they don’t feel pain? There are instances in the books when krika “screamed” when he faded out of existence and Icarax did the same when his atoms where dispersed across the universe and when he was devolved by the mask of life by toa ignika, but that was after reverting back to tissue and organs. So let me know your thoughts!
2 Likes
It’s likely they don’t as most of them are antidermis in a metal shell. There isn’t really anything to feel the pain.
I also think I remember something about the Mistika Makuta being reverted back to biomechanical beings due to their mutations. That would probably explain why Krika screamed when he died in the storm, and why Gorast nearly suffocated when Gali put a water bubble over her head.
4 Likes
Very good point, yeah I bet your right about them reverting back do to mutations from the swamp.
1 Like
Tuyet could guess what was about to happen. She slammed an elbow into Axonn even as Brutaka struck at him. Taking advantage of the moment, she wrested the warrior’s axe from him. With a yell, she vaulted into the air and smashed Miserix with the axe. With a roar of pain, the reptilian Makuta fell backwards, right towards Helryx.
Reign of Shadows, Ch.9
This section is what I thought of immediately. So I’d say Makuta can feel pain.
If we think about it logically pain basically is just an intense feedback mechanism of your body, mainly being helpful in avoiding damaging yourself. So if you don’t feel pain that’s actually a bad thing in terms of survival in the long term.
So the Makuta would actually want to be able to feel pain in order to be able to react to/notice danger/problems immediately. Unlike other beings they might be able to simply shut the pain off at any point if they decide to do so, however - potentially loosing their tactile sense in the process, too, though.
3 Likes
Good point. I’m just not sure seeing as how Chirox stated because of them now being energy there was now more room to add extra layers of armor, so my thought is, if they don’t have anything attached to the armor on the inside such as nerves or sensory mechanics and are a gas like energy then hitting the armor would virtually be like hitting a knights armor without a person in it. So as your point is well put and very possible, my opinion at this point is they most likely don’t in their evolved state but definitely when they were biomechanical and had muscles and organs. Here are some quotes from the Mutran Chronicles about it: -“This,” he began, holding up a tube with the mist inside, “is what is left of our bodies. We have evolved from muscle and tissue to pure energy. No longer do we need to eat, or breathe, nor do we need fear the pains that come with advanced age." “He ordered the “Nynrah ghosts” brought to Destral so that they could modify our armor to take advantage of our new “bodies.” They added additional layers of protosteel, possible now that we had no physical forms that required space.”
1 Like
In theory what you say completely makes sense, but given that the Makuta still seem to have a tactile sense, can actually be blinded, can hear, can talk, etc. implies that there’s some connection to their armor. Hence pain is possible, too.
It doesn’t all necessarily make sense, but it’s what has been stated.
2 Likes
Well I suppose since there are a few points in the story that there are actually instances of them showing signs of pain then it could be quite likely they do in fact feel pain.
The Makuta-As-Gas thing really wasn’t explored or even mentioned until much later in Bionicle’s life. It’s simple enough to look at it from either side, they don’t have nerves but at the same time, they were written as though they feel pain.
It’s one of those questions that I think is more easily summed up by pointing out that the Makuta did not all become Antidermis at the same rate, and that therefore some might have stronger ties to their previous organic state and/or the more warlike examples of Makuta simply have those reflexes that they developed in response to pain.
4 Likes
I commend your imput, and very good points, you definitely could look at it from either side, especially your thoughts that they could have evolved at separate rates is a grand idea.
From what we’ve seen it indicates that they did, however - in the Mutran Chronicles it’s mentioned that Mutran and Bitil experienced this simultaneously, additionally no one seems to have experienced it before, but right after it happening in the Mutran Chronicles at least Bitil, Chirox, Kojol, Teridax and Mutran had evolved. Of course there are 95 (minus those who were already dead at that point) other Makuta, but it happening to 5 pretty much simultaneously…
1 Like
Do you know where it states how many Makuta there are officially? I had no idea there were that many!
Mata Nui created one hundred members of the species, eighty-five male and fifteen female, all of whom were made to be a part of the Brotherhood of Makuta and create Rahi and plants to fill the universe with.
BS01
It doesn’t cite a source, though… It is too specific to not have been mentioned somewhere, however.
1 Like
Righteous, thank you for the information!