Kanohi

Kanohi is a Matoran word meaning "mask". Kanohi are magnetically attached to their wearers: usually Matoran, Toa and Turaga, sustaining all three through an unknown process. The Matoran have always had need of Kanohi; the first masks were created by the Great Beings for the Matoran; afterwards, Mata Nui taught them to make masks on their own. On Metru Nui, masks were made from Kanoka, although it is unknown what they are made from on other islands.

When a mask-wearer has their Kanohi removed they suffer weakness - Toa and other beings feel weak and dizzy, Turaga suffer extreme weakness, and Matoran lapse into a coma-like state if the mask is not replaced within an extended period of time. Kanohi have a tendency to keep an "imprint" of their owner within themselves for a short time after being removed, so any mask can be infused with great amounts of a life-force to resurrect a mask-wearer. However, after an extended period of time, the imprint will fade away.

Any creature that can use a mask usually starts off with one - as almost nothing is known about how Toa, Turaga, and Matoran are made, it is unknown where their Kanohi came from originally. However, if they collect other Kanohi, these can be stored at a Suva. When a Kanohi is stored at a Suva, the Suva's owner can access the Kanohi from almost anywhere.

Forms
There are six known power levels for a Kanohi. The most common kind is the powerless masks worn by Matoran, and are made from level 1-6 Kanoka. The process used to make the mask causes the energy to leak out, which is why these masks have no powers. However, they are needed for Matoran to live and function properly. Although Matoran can feel the power in a Great or Noble mask, they lack the mental discipline needed to access its powers. Matoran can customize their masks, doing such things as adding a scope. "Copper" masks also exist, which are powerless trophies awarded to the winners of games on Mata Nui and Metru Nui. Matoran or Noble masks can become Great masks when they come in contact with Toa Energy. This happens whenever a Toa is created from a Matoran.

Turaga wear Noble masks made from level 7 Kanoka, and have access to the mask's power. Toa and other beings wear Great masks, which offer a stronger mask power, and are made from level 8 Kanoka disks.

Artha masks are special masks that a legendary being, similar to Artakha, has created from a weaker Kanohi. Umbru masks are dark masks, usually worn by Makuta.

There is also a powerful group of masks called Golden Kanohi. These masks have all the powers of the six Great Masks worn by the Toa Mata: Shielding, X-Ray Vision, Speed, Water Breathing, Strength and Levitation. They were only seen for a short time after all six Kanohi had been found by their respective Toa. They were stored inside Kini-Nui, and when six Kanohi were placed on the Suva, they would activate the release of a Golden Kanohi.

There exist some extraordinary Kanohi that possess powers far beyond a normal mask. These are known as Legendary Masks. Only three are known so far, the Kanohi Vahi, the Legendary Mask of Time, the Kanohi Ignika, the Legendary Mask of Life and the unnamed Mask of Reality. These masks are sought by many, such as the Piraka, who want the Mask of Life to gain wealth and power, and the Barraki, who believe it can restore them to their original forms. The only Legendary mask to have been made from Kanoka is the Vahi, which was created from six level 9 disks fused into one. It is impossible to create Noble or Matoran versions of these Kanohi.

Organic Kanohi
The Kanohi that the Toa Inika bore were organic, as well as sentient. This was a result of the Matoran/Toa transformation; the masks given to the Toa Inika by Karzahni were altered by the Red Star. The masks could communicate with the Toa Inika through pain, which is why Hahli had headaches whenever she was near the Kanohi Ignika. This is also why the Toa Inika took little time to learn how to turn on their masks compared to previous Toa; their Kanohi helped them. "They communicate, when they need to, usually by causing pain, like Hahli's headaches, but she is the only one who seems to be sensitive to them in that way."

- Greg Farshtey

Fused Kanohi
Sometimes, bearers of a Kanohi undergo changes, and their masks fuse to their faces. In most cases, such as the Toa Hordika and Nidhiki, the wearer loses access to the mask powers. However, when Karzahni was mutated by the Pit Mutagen, his Olisi kept its powers.

Kanohi of Karzahni
While in his realm, instead of doing his job and fixing injured Matoran, Karzahni rebuilt them and gave them Kanohi of various shapes. It is unknown if the Kanohi he forged were with powers and shapes unique only to his realm. Some examples of the Kanohi he built are the ones worn by the Matoran that lived in his domain and are now living in Metru Nui.

Mask Making
On Metru Nui, Kanohi masks were made from Kanoka by Mask Makers in Ta-Metru. The type of Kanoka and its power level determined what kind of mask it would be, and the creators could also combine Kanoka to create different masks. The Kanoka would be melted down and reforged or carved into the desired shape--the masks couldn't be flawed or else their powers (if the finished product was meant to have any) would leak out. Flawed masks were melted down to make more raw Protodermis. Masks would be painted with a coloring additive after being made to differentiate power level. Matoran masks would have silver paint added to the top half, Noble black, and Great masks would remain one full color. On Mata Nui, this coloring eventually faded away from sun exposure.

Certain devices can be added to Kanohi after the mask is made, such as the telescopic eyepiece commonly added to the Akaku as well as during its creation. These additions can also later be removed without damaging the mask.

There are other ways to make Kanohi, as Kanohi were around before mask makers were. This activity on Metru Nui had stopped temporarily while it was was deserted. However, mask making has resumed since the return of the Matoran. Masks were still made in other places, such as the realm of Karzahni. It is possible to make masks out of purified Protodermis and skip the Disk stage.

The color of Great and Noble masks are decided by their wearers. When Kanohi are made originally, they acquire a gray-like color, and stay that way until someone puts it on. Once put on, the respective color that pertains to the wearer fills the mask. Matoran masks, having no power, will not change color at all, making it necessary to paint them in their colors; on Metru Nui, they were traditionally painted silver on the top, over their primary color. There are some special cases for very rare and important masks, however. The Avohkii, Ignika, and the Vahi are all exceptional cases. When made, they had specific colors "given" to them already. It is not known exactly why only these masks have color from creation.

List of Kanohi
Here is a list of the fandom Kanohi on this page. If you don't see your creations here, add them. Also, if you want the list of the canon Kanohi, go here. (Many masks below have the shape of a canon mask, simply because MOCers really can't use other Kanohi than canon versions.)

Great Kanohi
Great Kanohi are the most powerful normal masks. They are made from level 8 Kanoka] They bestow great powers upon the user, like shielding, telepathy, stealth, telekinesis, or levitation. They can be in any shape or form, but throughout the BIONICLE world, mask makers have adopted specific shapes for certain powers, in order to not cause confusion if a Toa is in dire need of a mask from a pile of them. Some masks are referred to as "Great" Masks even though their power is much greater than a Great Kanohi, such as the Kanohi Vahi, Kanohi Ignika and the Mask of Reality.

Kanohi Nuva
Another level, more powerful than the Great masks, was created when the Toa Mata were immersed in Energized Protodermis and became the Toa Nuva. When a Great mask is immersed in Energized Protodermis, it will become a Kanohi Nuva if it is destined to do so. The only Kanohi Nuva in existence are those that belong to the Toa Nuva.

There are eight known types of Kanohi Nuva. A Kanohi Nuva has differences from its regular version, such as: the user can grant his/her power to the ones surrounding him/her, and their powers are stronger and can last longer. For instance, Tahu with his Hau Nuva can protect himself and others, as long as they are nearby.

Noble Kanohi
Noble Kanohi are made from a level seven Kanoka and have weakened versions of the powers of their Great Mask counterparts. They are also formed when a Toa becomes a Turaga, during which their Kanohi transforms into a Noble one. There can be noble forms of any mask, except Legendary masks.

Legendary Kanohi
These Kanohi are vastly more powerful and harder to control than other masks. If destroyed, they would unleash their powers, resulting in the break-down of a fundamental force of the Universe. Each contains a Legendary Element: Life, Time, Reality and Destruction.

Miscellaneous Kanohi
These Kanohi do not fit in any other categories. If you have any, add them here.

Unknown Kanohi
The following are Kanohi not given a name, title, or power in the story.

None are currently known.