It’s funny because [spoiler]in the very next episode she is the one asking what Ekimu will do with the mask once they get it. 
Anyway, I think the only reason Ekimu is blunt with the Toa is because he has to go tell Narmoto to make the other half of the Mask of Time.
“But wise Ekimu, I am not even a mask maker, why must I do this?” - Narmoto
“Because it’s a nice G1 reference m8, keep up.” - Ekimu
/s[/spoiler]
Is he evil? Well, just take a look at this screenshot:
This old man is up to something…
######/s
He’s evil. All of the “bad guy” masks have a circle on the forehead: the mask of Control, the Skull Pider mask, the skull mask, the skull bull mask, Umarak’s mask, and the Mask of Creation.
While Ekimu, for the most part, seems to be a good guy, he does want the Toa to bring him the Mask of Control so “he can destroy it.” First of all, why does anyone want to destroy the Mask of Control? That seems like something Makuta would try to do (like having Kulta try to melt the Mask of Creation)… Second, if the Toa are going to destroy it, why does Ekimu need the mask first? Maybe he’s Makuta, and he wants to win regardless. If Umarak wins, he gets the Mask of Control. If the Toa win, he still gets the Mask of Control.
I’m not saying that Ekimu is Makuta in disguise, but it is a possibility. 
That was actually a thought of mine. Makuta in disguise, I mean.
Ekimu really was just like: “Hey, bruh, come with me” 
He didn’t exactly yell.
While yes, this could be it, there is quality control on these sorts of things. If the line was intended to be spoken with a bit more empathy, the VA would be told to do so.
Ekimu seemed really more harsh than he did in even the 2015 online animations…
Also, note that he called the attacking Skull Warriors + Skull Spiders a “good” thing.
Pretty sure that is a good thing.
I’d like Ekimu 1000 times more if he was secretly evil.
I think Ekimu originally stole the Mask of Creation from Artahka, @Hutere_The_Toa_of_Air
Well then, I expect Artakha to come back and wreck Ekimu if that is the case.
In light of the podcast (190), I think we may need to fire this topic up again.
Nah
it’s just bad acting
Look at the detail put into them, if the mold was injeced on the face, a lot of detail would be lost
Thankfully I’m not the only one thinking this. This is literally Makuta pulling a Dume
Except there’s no evidence to back up these claims.
Just watched the new podcast.
Ekimu is Makuta confirmed.
Is it meme time yet? I think this whole controversy deserves some memes.
