Note: This topic stems from my post about the elements of Rahkshi and which toa they fight. If you haven’t seen that post yet, you should check it out before reading this one, as those details will play a role here.
Some of you may be expecting the mask powers for G3 to mirror that of G1. However, like the Rahkshi elements in the previous post, some don’t really fit as well.
Water Breathing and Levitation - These abilities can be attributed to their elemental powers or even as traits of their elemental region. Having a mask to grant the power seems redundant.
Strength and Speed - Similar to the first two, except they can be obtained through training or natural skills. Again, a mask granting these just seems redundant.
X-Ray Vision - This one actually fits as a power you could gain from a mask. But let’s be honest… it’s not really a power with many uses. Of the six Toa Mata Kanohi powers, this is possibly the least useful for a Toa. It worked well in G1 since they could swap masks to accomplish different goals, but G3 doesn’t have that.
Shielding - Like X-Ray, this also works well to be gained from a mask. But in this case, it is a lot more useful in battle. Of the six, it will be the only one to stay. However, it will not belong to Tahu. A key factor in this decision is that mask powers should reflect some aspect of the character using them.
In my previous pitch, I discuss which Rahkshi fight which Toa and explain how their elements serve to challenge that specific Toa. During this time, I will say that the Toa do not have their mask powers yet. They will eventually learn to overcome their challenge to beat the Rahkshi, and it is at that time that they will obtain their mask powers.
Onua must fight against the mind games of Psionics. This challenges the wise Toa’s state of mind. He learns to push those invading thoughts away; shielding his mind from the threat. This lesson manifests itself as his Mask of Shielding, which will defend against mind attacks along with the standard physical ones that the G1 Hau had. As a tank, he is hard enough to take down, and adding a force field will only fortify him more.
Lewa struggles against the powers of Gravity keeping her grounded. This also seems to tie down her free spirit, since flying is a way of life for wind users. She will learn to fight better on the ground, and also learn that her free spirit can’t be held back. She unlocks her Mask of Spirit, which lets her fly free of any restraints. This power can differ from the G1 Iden in that Lewa can still use some wind abilities instead of having the “can’t be seen/detected” aspect. She will grow to love this power that can let her gain a few moments of freedom while accessing places the Toa would normally have trouble reaching.
Gali must face Poison/Venom which will not only taint the purities of the waters she uses, but also the purity of herself. She will overcome this through healing. She heals the water, and uses willpower to purify herself. This manifests as the Mask of Healing. With it she can heal wounds and illnesses, if she has an understanding of the injury. The ability depends on her willpower which she strengthened to overcome her obstacle. Since she is one of the least likely of the team to fight needlessly, being able to counteract the actions of her more aggressive friends will suit her well.
Kopaka fights against Fear. Due to him keeping his feelings bottled up, fear can easily spread. Eventually he learns to put some faith in his friends to help carry his burdens, leading to the manifestation of his Mask of Summoning. This will allow him to call upon rahi or other creatures to aid him. He will have more control over it than the G1 Zatth, due to him putting his trust in the creature to help him. This will give him a bit of a Weiss/Winter Schnee vibe, that can play into his more refined fighting style.
Pohatu faces his nomadic past while fighting against the power of Hunger. Living in the desert weakens the body and spirit, much like the draining effects of the Rahkshi. He learns to power through this, just like back then. In the desert, one must adapt to survive. This trait manifests itself into his Mask of Adaptation, which changes his body to better suit his surroundings. He may not have the formal training that Tahu and Kopaka had, but with his mask he can be ready for whatever scenario he comes upon. This plays into the fighting style I see for him, where he uses tricks or may “fight dirty”, compared to Tahu and Kopaka.
Tahu struggles against Anger. Their difficult journey and the challenges of being the team leader, all make anger easier to grow. This anger also builds off of his brash nature, making it even more difficult to fight it. He must learn to control his anger, and use it in his favor. He will learn to push that anger away from him to harm the enemy instead. This manifests as his Mask of Telepathy. This power lets him read thoughts of others or give his thoughts to them. The feelings of anger can also be projected onto a foe to distract their minds, similar to the mental noise of the G1 Suletu. As time goes on, he can use the power to better coordinate with his team as their leader. This can also be useful when they split up for the Civil War.
As a bonus, I have some possible options for Voriki’s mask power. I list them in order, least to best, of what I think could work. This takes into account Voriki’s “Green Ranger”/rival role when she’s first introduced.
Mask of Scavenging – Being the last of the Lightning Village, she could use the mask to absorb what energy is left of her people to strengthen herself. This could be why the village is empty of bodies when the Toa get there. It can also be how she gets strong enough to rival them.
Mask of Disruption – This power can weaken the elemental attacks of the Toa, making it harder for them to beat her. They would have to rely on other lessons and skills to keep up with her.
Mask of Emulation – This power let’s her copy any ability that she has witnessed. Similar in role to the Disruption mask, except now she can use their powers against them. Fight Tahu with water, Kopaka with Fire, etc. It also gives a nod to Reviving Bionicle’s Voriki, who wanted to be a hero like the other toa (emulate them).
