Kanohi

Kanohi is a Matoran word meaning "mask". Kanohi are magnetically attached to their wearers. 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. Matoran can customize their masks, doing such things as adding a scope. 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. Although Matoran can feel the power in a Great or Noble Mask, they lack the mental discipline needed to access its powers.


 * 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 extraordinary Kanohi that possess powers far beyond a normal mask. These are known as Legendary Masks. Only 10 are known so far:
 * The Kanohi Vahi, the Legendary Mask of Time
 * The Kanohi Ignika, the Legendary Mask of Life
 * The unnamed Mask of Reality
 * Kanohi Kranz, the Mask of Rejection
 * The Kanohi Guhjii, the Legendary Mask of Space
 * The Kanohi Phiki, the Legendary Mask of Spirit
 * The Kanohi Zutekhae, the Legendary Mask of Victory
 * The Kanohi Vahkan, the Legendary Mask of Destruction
 * The Kanohi Ragi, the Legendary Mask of Mystery
 * The Kanohi Sohulta, the Legendary Mask of Infinite Energy
 * The Kanohi Imargran, the Legendary Mask of Virtues

These masks are sought by many who want to gain wealth and power. It is impossible to create Noble or Matoran versions of these Kanohi.

Semi-Legendary Masks
These masks are in the legendary Kanohi Class, but have features, like coming in noble or matoran forms, that are not found in other legenadry masks. Here are some:


 * The Kanohi Silmaris, the Legendary Mask of Command

Fused Kanohi
Sometimes, bearers of a Kanohi undergo changes, and their masks fuse to their faces. In most cases the wearer loses access to the mask powers. However, when Vavakx was mutated by the Pit Mutagen, his Guhjii kept its powers.

Mask Making
Normally, Kanohi masks are made from Kanoka Disks. 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. Masks would be painted with a coloring additive after being made to differentiate power level. Matoran masks usually have silver paint added to the top half, Noble black, and Great Masks would remain one full color.

Certain devices can be added to Kanohi after the mask is made, such as a telescopic eyepiece commonly added to the Akaku as well as other masks. 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. 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. There are some special cases for very rare and important masksthat have 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. 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 and 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.



Kanohi Nuva
Another level, more powerful than the Great Masks, is created when a Great Mask is immersed in Energized Protodermis, and becomes a Kanohi Nuva if it is destined to do so.

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.

Unique Kanohi
Another group of extremely rare an unique Great Masks exists. They have different powers from other regular versions.

Noble Kanohi
Noble Kanohi are made from a level 7 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.