This isn’t a topic about Matoro…
/s
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which raises a question I’ve had for a while and can’t seem to find the answer to,
can matoran even use great kanohi?
No. They cannot.
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Here’ a “headcanon” idea: the Metru did know what their mask powers were, but they just didn’t know how to use them.
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It is stated in the books they did not know.
hmm, what an interestingly useless limitation.
How do you mean? They simply don’t have the strength/power/ability to use Great masks.
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it’s useless because wouldn’t it be advantageous for the gsr if matoran could use mask powers?
I understand why it’s a limitation, but it’s useless in-universe.
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Hmmm, perhaps it’s because powered Kanohi are outside of the Matoran’s designed operational parameters, if you will. The Matoran were created as the GSR’s workforce, the “red blood cells”. Mask powers might turn them into “white blood cells” (the guardians, also known as Toa).
“But most mask powers aren’t offensive in any way?” You say. Fair point… #TheKauKauIsADumbMask
Here’s an alternative theory: Matoran aren’t responsible enough to use mask powers safely and not accidentally harm some part of the GSR. So they use comparatively less potentially powerful Kanoka discs instead.
From a marketing perspective, it’s pretty simple: LEGO wants the Toa to have something special (mask powers) so that kids will see them as even more powerful heroes. And of course part of that is making the Matoran into weak citizens unable to defend themselves.
/end half-asleep past-midnight ramblings 
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The reason matoran can’t use great kanohi is very simple: they can’t handle it.
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Yeah, I’ve read somewhere that’s it’s mental discipline thing.
EDIT: Exactly that. “They do not, however, have the mental discipline needed to use the power of a Great or Noble Mask.” - BS01
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exactly, imagine messengers having kakama, po matoran having pakari, le matoran engineers having miru.
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As I said,
Which would imply that the Matoran were designed not to have that discipline/use those powers.
… and chute-riders having Kaukau… huh #MaybeNotSuchADumbMaskAfterAll
But if that was the case, why not just hardwire those attributes into specific Matoran types?
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it would be more convenient to be able to swap on the fly.
ex: a po matoran who normally wears a pakari could swap to a kaukau to remove an obstruction in a chute.
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I always justified this because in the film, before he became a toa, he looked like he had a Ruru. Makes sense to me…
Maybe the Great Being deemed powered Kanohi to be limited resource, thus limited it’s usage by preventing Matoran (which I think are majority of population) from being able to use them?
Plus, Great Kanohi cannot be created easily. “The masks could not be flawed or else their powers (if the finished product was meant to have any) would leak out.”
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You think Matoran would carry around a handy collection of masks on themselves?
So basically, they felt like making life more difficult for their creations.
That’s because the GBs made it so.
I’m thinking about this way too hard, aren’t I?
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Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows? (Well, maybe Greg…)
It might just be their natural limitation.
Possibly. 
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But… the GBs created everything in the MU. They invent “nature”.
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True, they created everything. But that doesn’t mean they can make everything “perfect”. There bound to be some limitations. Might just be property of Protodermis.
Also, I’ve read somewhere that’s Mata Nui’s creation was a little “rushed” by the whole Shattering situation. So maybe not every flaws get corrected? Or resources conservation is necessary?
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