The Toa Mata were created not long after the formation of the Toa Cordak 100'000 years ago. The Toa Mata were first awoken on Daxia by the Order of Mata Nui. they received Information on their names and identities. Afterwards, they were trained in combat by Hydraxon. they were then sent to Karda Nui to defend the Av-Matoran living and working there. This included containing energy spikes that made the local Rahi act unnatural and defeating the sentient lightning bolts known as Avohkah. After this was done, the Toa entered the Cordex and went into their Canisters to await the day they would be needed again.
Malfunction[]
During the Great Cataclysm, the Toa were launched onto the surface of Aqua Magna the moment Mata Nui fell asleep. they were intended to land on the Great Spirit Robot's Camouflage Face. But a malfunction caused the canisters to land in the ocean prematurely, leaving them to float across the endless Ocean for a thousand years. The Long stay caused their organic tissue to rot from disuse and their memory to be lost to amnesia. It wouldn't be until the Matoran Takua assembled the 6 Toa Stones and activated the call function of the Canisters.