#kaita's headcanons

[kaitawrites]

I’m tired of it

Where’s the emotion? Where’s the build up? No slow romancing why is it straight to fucking? Why 😭 I love me a good smut just like anyone else but I’m tired. I’m over it. That’s it, all there is smut. Where are the fics that are soft, slow and heart melting. It’s so bad I am rewatching some K dramas that made me feel something 😭

[legend-as-old-as-time]

I'm thinking of Toa Kaita as their own characters and showcasing their individual members' growth. And shenanigans where they appear separately as themself from their members.

Like the Kaita of Nuju-Whenua-Vakama asking Nuju if he's really happy alone. Or if he's only 'happy' when he can do it on his own terms and keep the others away. But what about when he's got no control over being alone?

And even so. Does he really feel better, when he's alone for extended times?

[chancetimespace]

Kaita and Nui Variant Headcanons

To start with, thank you to @outofgloom for helping me with the terms for less than Kaita, greater than Kaita, and the same for Nui. Please check out their work with the Matoran language and their writing, and please credit them if you use the terms in any major writing project!

Please keep in mind, these are for my headcanon/au, they aren’t intended to perfectly match canon. I’m perfectly fine with anyone else using the terms, but I would like to be at least tagged in a comment if you write or make anything using the rule sets I’ve made here. I’d really love to see what others can do with these ideas, if anyone else wants to use them as well.

This post is VERY long, and death/possibility of dying is discussed quite a bit in the part about Nui Atu, as well as a little bit in the parts about Kaita Kofo and Nui Kofo . If someone is still curious about it, but doesn’t want to read the death parts, please send an ask and I will try to help you.

:readmore:

Kaita Kofo

This fusion of two beings can occur deliberately or has a 50/50 shot of happening if one member of a regular kaita is killed mid fusion process. The other result is that the fusion is just prevented. Kaita Kofo may also form if one of the three trying to form a Kaita just isn’t able to let go of themself enough to become one. They tend to be rather stable, but Kaita Kofo that were formed as a result of a dead Kaita member have a high risk of being permanently stuck together, because the splitting process may try to begin with the third member who isn’t actually there. Non-death related Kaita Kofo do not have this issue, but they may CHOOSE to be permanent.

Kaita Atu

Kaita Atu may form when another being near a forming Kaita also has the same goal and is willing to surrender themself to that cause. More powerful than a normal Kaita, but less stable as the fourth member was likely not expected and may not have been wanted as a part of the fusion. Elements do not matter for this fourth member, nor does species. If the fourth member matches the element affiliation of one of the intended three members, that element is given a further power boost beyond that of just having added another being’s power. Otherwise, the Kaita Atu gains a resistance to attacks of the fourth member’s element. For example, if a toa of Ice, a toa of Iron, and a toa of Plantlife were trying to form a Kaita while a being affiliated with fire was both close enough and had the same goal that those forming the Kaita did, the Kaita Atu will have a resistance to fire attacks, ranging from just taking half of the damage to near invulnerability. The level of resistance is based on both the fourth member’s dedication to their goal and their proficiency with their affiliated element.

Nui Kofo

This fusion of five is incredibly unstable and is the first to potentially be dangerous to fuse into. If anyone is injured before forming this fusion, there is a chance that those injuries will randomly be assigned to another member of the fusion upon separation. This is dangerous because Nui and Nui variant fusions are typically formed in extremely desperate situations, so there is a high likelihood of multiple members of the fusion having sustained potentially serious or life threatening injuries prior to actually fusing. Because of the random nature of the injury reassignment, it’s possible that every injury could be assigned to one person, potentially killing them if the injuries are severe enough.

Nui Atu

This fusion of seven is not limited by species or elemental affiliation and is only formed out of sheer desperation. Each member has a 50/50 chance of dying immediately once the fusion ends, and this fusion can only maintain itself long enough to achieve the goal it was created for at most, so becoming a permanent Nui Atu to prevent your own death isn’t an option. There is one way to lower the chance of immediate death, but it costs potential access to other elemental powers. If more than one member is of the same elemental affiliation, that element is only in the coin flip of whether they will live or die once, as opposed to once per person, and there is a second chance event if they lose. For example, if an element with two members is selected as one that will die, the second chance event is triggered, with the possibilities being evenly split between both members dying, one dying, and being fused into a Kaita Kofo upon separation from the Nui Atu. This Kaita Kofo is not permanent, in the sense that they are in fact able to separate, but there is a 75% chance one or both will die if they do. However, if they stay as a Kaita Kofo for a long period of time, this chance will eventually decrease to 25%. If all members of the Nui Atu are of the same elemental affiliation and that element loses the coin flip, they automatically split into a Kaita and two Kaita Kofo OR a Kaita and a Kaita Atu, for example. The chance of death will only apply to one of the resulting fusions, but it will be impossible to tell which one it applies to. Regardless of how many members of the Nui Atu are of the same element, the only possible results if they lose that first gamble are:

All members of that element affiliation dying

Only one dies, but the others are spared.

Separation into Kaita and/or Kaita variant fusions, with only one of the fusions having a chance of dying instantly if they choose to separate.

If the element with multiple members wins the first gamble, there’s a random chance (usually about 10%) that all injuries sustained by each member of the Nui Atu will be healed. This healing has a very small chance of even applying to members who lost the first gamble, thus functionally negating their loss. In those cases, the one who lost will die upon separation, but will be immediately revived. Regardless of how many (if any) members of a Nui Atu die, there will be trauma afflicted on the surviving members. Having that many minds fused together does no favors for anyone’s sanity, plus the situation that required the fusion was most likely horrific if they actually went through with fusing in the first place knowing all of the risks.

All of these variants are at least slightly less stable than the nearest fusion that is a multiple of three. They are frowned upon in some communities because they are considered violations of the system of three that is so common in the Matoran Universe. Having an ally nearby with a mask of possibilities or possessing one yourself is heavily advised if you think you may potentially end up in a situation requiring a Nui or Nui variant fusion.

[outofgloom]

I love your headcanons about an assigned hierarchy of the AI in the Mata System! My favorite bits were about the Kaita.

Mentioning fusions, if the academics post reformation would analyze fusions, how would they do so about Matoran Nui and Turaga Nui? And the theoretical Toa Nui?

Hm...they would probably put manifestations like the Matoran and Turaga Kaita/Nui in a similar category as "disembodied intelligences"; however, this brings up an interesting concept in relation to the postulated hierarchy of Mata < Uta < Kuta < Auta:

Since Matoran were designed by the GBs as non-self-actualizing automatons (Auta-class), I guess I'd expect that a Matoran Kaita or Matoran Nui would also be at the same level, originally. In other words, prior to the "awakening", Matoran units would form into a Kaita or Nui in order to accomplish some greater task, but that composite being would still be an automaton.

This is different from how it works with self-actualizing beings like Toa, however. When the Toa Mata form a Kaita (so the headcanon goes), the result "goes up" on the hierarchy, Kuta > Uta. In other words, a composition of "awakened" beings is greater than the sum of its parts in some qualitative way. I'd assume a Turaga Kaita or Turaga Nui would be similar, since they are also "awakened".

Now, once the "awakening" takes its course in Matoran populations, blurring or abolishing the lines between Auta-class and Kuta-class, what would happen when Matoran form a Nui? Would this result in a similar "greater than the sum of parts" outcome? If the elevation is Auta > Kuta, then administratively, such a being would now have the same "authority" within the Mata System as a Kuta-class intelligence (like a Toa). I believe Matoran Nui at least are described as having strength comparable to a Toa, so this would fit...

Interestingly, if "greater than the sum of parts" is the general outcome of the fusion of "awakened" beings, this might explain why a Toa Nui is described as being potentially at the same level as Mata Nui (and why one was never or could never be formed). If a Toa Kaita raises the administrative level Kuta > Uta, then a Toa Nui might show an even more exponential increase in power/authority, going from Kuta to Uta, all the way up to Mata-class.

[kaitawrites]

when i say i am looking for wolverine angst this THIS is what I mean but much longer with much more slow and painful heartbreak.

The reader running off to go cry to someone whether it be Ororo or even Jean. Should really be Scott gotta make big boy jealous of course. "IF U DONT WANT ME SOMEONE WILL!" type of energy.

Then he leaves and its all about the reader missing him and everybody and I mean EVERYBODY telling her to just forget about him and he was never good to you. You know this, you more than anyone knows he was never good for you. But something in you just couldn't stop the feelings, the memory of him.

After days.... weeks.... months... of his lack of appearance, you began to move on. And I guess he figured that out and decided now was the time to pop right back into your life just to wreck it all over again. You can't let him do this to you again. You can't keep letting him in. Are you gonna let him in? Keep your distance? (I know I won't. I don't care how many times he hurts me. But that's just me)

Something Stupid

𝗌𝗎𝗆𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗒: 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗌𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝖻𝖺𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖥𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝖲𝗂𝗇𝖺𝗍𝗋𝖺 𝗌𝗈𝗇𝗀 “𝖲𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇’ 𝖲𝗍𝗎𝗉𝗂𝖽”

credit gifs on pinterest*

warnings: angst, hurt/no comfort

logan howlett x mutant!fem reader

✰ a/n: all work is mine and i do not give permission for it to be translated or published anywhere else, thank you! ✰

-

 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘨𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶

It was late, and all the students were either in bed or studying. Wandering to the kitchen, you see Logan already nursing a beer. You couldn’t help but chuckle at him always sneaking alcohol into the school. Despite Charles always finding them and throwing them away. 

Shuffling to Logan, you gently wrap your arms around him, laying your head on his shoulder. “How were your classes today?" Your voice muffled pressing light kisses. 

“They were fine, same shit different day” he grumbled, taking another swig. He seemed tensed—well more tense than usual. You gently massage his shoulders, gliding your hands with your power. Relieving any sore muscles from training. You can see him relaxing, which always makes you feel better about your powers. 

"Bub, you just know how to make me feel good” he smiled. Oh how you love to make him smile. To ease his pain, may it be to project something else during his nightmares or take out simple knots in his back. You would do anything to make him feel better. 

“All for you Logan, I love you” you breathed out, hardly containing a smile. You couldn’t help it. Logan brings you so much joy and what better way to express it?

You walk to the other side of the island, what feels like an eternity. Glancing at Logan waiting for him to do anything. It didn’t even look like he was breathing, the beer bottle in hand long forgotten.

"Logan, please say something” hell pleading for some sort of relief from the pain brewing inside. 

"Kid, I think we should stop seeing each other,” he mumbled. His fist clenched, “This shouldn’t have gone on as it has.”

Tears threatening to fall, you couldn’t help but scoff. “Are you serious right now?”

“Yes, I'm serious! I told you in the beginning and you ignored it! I’ve lost too many people, you knew I didn’t want anything serious!” He shouted.

“I thought things changed, I thought we could move past this! You won’t lose me,” you choked back a sob. You could feel your power slipping, trying to breathe struggling to catch your breath.

“You don’t know anything,” he grumbled, “you’re just a naive kid. What we had was just benefits. But you kept pushing to be more and I can’t!” He knew what to say, to push you, to get rid of you.

“Fuck you Logan, hope you enjoy finally being alone. Because no one is going to be there for you like I was.”

You pushed past Logan, the air feeling tight.

Once out of sight, you teleport to who knows where. Sitting in an empty field you let go. The pain erupts out of you. You can’t grasp what’s happening around you, all you see is blue. The only thing, the constant thing that is plaguing your mind is Logan.

~

As Logan grabs another beer, he hears a faint whisper in his head. “Goodbye Logan.”

——————

So this was the absolute first thing I've ever written and posted. I don't know how to feel about it. I've just kinda had this idea and it's been nagging at me for weeks.

I have written since middle school, so I'm extremely behind on what feels like everything. I'm also terrible at being descriptive. But I hope it was at least enjoyable!

thank you for taking the time to read this! <3

[steverogerspocwife]

Steve Rogers Headcanons

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

TW: fluff

Steve is a shy, sweet, goofy, playful idiot. He is also very oblivious so if you have any form of crush on him, he would never be able to figure it out by himself. 

Steve is also awkward when he was skinny and he still is. Every time he meets a girl, he can’t help but shy up and become nervous. A small Harold grin on his face and nervous baby blue eyes darting all over the place but the girl in front of him. Most girls find it irritating, but not you. 

Since Steve grew up skinny and with no lady wanting him, he always believed that nobody would like him for him. Even when he took the serum. He gained attention but the wrong attention so he gave up the whole dating life. 

But if he falls for you, it would be painfully obvious. He would stutter whenever you were close, his body would always be tense and rigid. 

Please don’t jump at him, he would literally be spooked out of his mind. He would catch you but the thing is, he would most likely almost crush you. You can’t really blame him because you surprised him. 

It doesn’t take much to make Steve fall for you, as long as you are true to yourself and others. Confident, Smart, and Caring, he is falling hard. 

You are a sweet writer that spends your time in a cafe trying to come up with book ideas. You would meet Steve by walking right into him. You weren’t paying attention, your head deep in a book. You quickly apologize, round glasses on the tip of your nose, and a nervous smile appeared on your face once you looked up at Steve. 

The first thing you thought was ‘Wow, H-He’s really um- substantial.’ His size made you cower a bit but your fear ends once you realize the small smile on his lips. “It’s alright,” His soft blue eyes made your heart flutter. “Is it ok if I buy you a coffee? As an apology.” His small smile widens and he nods. “Of course, But you don’t have to. I already forgave you.” He chuckles, the sound made you feel light on your toes. 

You push up your glasses and nod, bouncing curls jumping with the movement. “I- Um, Thank you, But I’m still going to buy you coffee. It’s the least I can do.” You missed the way Steve fiddled with his fingers, a shy smile on his face. “If you insist.” You nod happily. “In Which I Do.”

[alastheswarmleaderhasescaped]

BIONICLE ask game

I see a lot of ask games and I thought it would be fun to make a BIONICLE themed one, so here goes!

A. Favourites — in-universe

Favourite character?

Favourite hero?

Favourite villain?

Favourite Toa?

Favourite Matoran?

Favourite Turaga?

Favourite Toa team?

Favourite Matoran team?

Favourite villain team?

Favourite Toa Mata/Nuva?

Favourite Toa Metru?

Favourite Toa Mangai?

Favourite Toa Inika?

Favourite Rahaga?

Favourite Makuta?

Favourite Rahi?

Favourite Glatorian?

Favourite Agori?

Favourite Rahkshi?

Favourite Bohrok?

Favourite member of the Order of Mata Nui?

Favourite Dark Hunter?

Favourite Vahki?

Favourite Piraka?

Favourite Barraki?

Favourite Vhisorak?

Favourite Kaita?

Favourite location?

Favourite island?

Favourite Koro?

Favourite Wahi?

Favourite Metru?

Favourite element?

Favourite Kanohi power?

B. Favourites — out-of-universe

Favourite set?

Favourite canister set?

Favourite titan set?

Favourite play set?

Favourite combination model?

Favourite canister?

Favourite package design?

Favourite gear? (watches, pens, foam play tools, etc.)

Favourite storyline?

Favourite commercial?

Favourite online content?

Favourite digital game? (internet, console or PC)

Favourite analog game? (trading cards, board game, etc.)

Favourite theme?

Favourite year?

Favourite chapter book?

Favourite movie?

Favourite comic?

Favourite serial?

Favourite online episode?

Favourite Kanohi design?

Favourite soundtrack?

Favourite character in the Mata Nui alphabet?

Favourite character in the Voya Nui alphabet?

Favourite Greg Farshtey answer?

C. Fandom

Give me a headcanon for [character] (either provide a character or let the askee decide)

Show me an MOC!

Talk to me about [OC]! (either specify an OC or let the askee decide)

How did you get into BIONICLE?

Do you consider romance canon?

What character do you think is underrated?

Can you read the Matoran alphabet?

Which sets do you own?

Which sets do you want?

Unpopular opinion about the fandom

What character should have been given (another) physical set?

Opinion on Gen2

What do you think a hypothetical Gen3 should look like?

What do you think a continuation of Gen1 should look like?

If given the chance to decide on a new BIONICLE set, what would you pick?

What should a new BIONICLE movie be like? (story, setting, style, hand-drawn animation/live action/ CGI, etc.)

What should a BIONICLE television series look like?

What should a BIONICLE stage play look like?

What should a BIONICLE stage musical look like?

What should a new BIONICLE book look like?

What should a new BIONICLE comic look like?

What should a new BIONICLE digital game look like?

What should a new BIONICLE analog game look like?

Opinion on Scrunkly Tahu

Favourite fic

Favourite fic author

Favourite visual fanart

Favourite visual fan artist

Favourite fan soundtrack

Favourite fan composer

Favourite fanart (any category)

Favourite fan artist (any category)

Talk to me about your [fic/art]! (either specify a work or let the askee decide)

Talk to me about a WIP!

Damn this became a long list 👀💦 Feel free to reblog this or add on, I thought it could be a fun way to talk about our favourite LEGO theme! 🖤

[legend-as-old-as-time]

Onewa: I dodged a bullet there.

Whenua and Vakama step on his feet one each.

Whenua: As if. There’d have been no escape for us from your complaining except to defuse.

-

Now I’m trying to imagine how a Toa Metru Akamai could’ve been at their most stable and able to fuse with each other.

Whenua is a chronic overthinker, but once he’s made a decision, he keeps to it except if he has to change course for a better outcome. That and Onewa’s decisiveness could balance out Whenua and Vakama’s overthinking.

They’d be more aggressive than the Akamai formed from the Toa Mata / Nuva. More ruthless, honing in on weaknesses. They’d focus to end a battle as fast as possible.

Edit: Would Vakama still receive visions as Akamai? And how would that affect the kaita if at all?

Why do you think Akamai feels more severe both in canon and your AU? Why does Wairuha feel more lighthearted?

I think it's because Akamai is referred to as the warrior of the two of them. Like, the stereotype of The Warrior is like big and tough and either boisterous or stoic depending on who you ask. They're also Valor, though so that tends to bring to mind a more stern character who views fighting as serious business. Wairuha, meanwhile, is Wisdom, and to contrast with Akamai they're calmer, more gentle, more thoughtful.

At least that's why I write them that way in KNPS. I think they're a bit different in my AU than then are in canon, but I like how I write them so :P

[kaitawrites]

Deadpool & Wolverine w/ Soft but strong Reader Headcanon

Authors Note: @klerns-birdie A request from this beautiful person. Hope you all enjoy this headcanon as I am gonna pair it with a short fic and possibly another headcanon

You first met Wade when you auditioned for X Force. Wade was shocked and wary to see such a delicate flower like you wanting to be apart of something so dangerous and violent

Even though he ended up recruited you, it was really because he wanted you to fawn over him and have him be your savior.

He was surely mistaken when he saw your skills on the battlefield. Truly shocking Wade who never knew you had all of that in you.

"I see you firecracker. Well, Aren't you just full of surprises?"

When Wade was kidnapped by the TVA you were right there with him. Looking for a replacement Anchor Being together. Many of the different Logans had completely ignored Wade or just abused him while when they saw you, they were really sweet and flirty.

Every time yet another Logan from a different universe gives you a flirty remark you could feel Wade's eyes basically sticking to the back of his head. Too many eye rolls had finally got to him.

When you both finally found the "Worst Wolverine" Logan was quick to put all his anger out on Wade once finding each other in the Void. Logan was persuaded very gently and quickly by you to leave your boss alone.

It was hard for Logan to understand what a sweet thing like you was doing with a person like Wade.

"Why do you hang around this loser?" He asked you once. You tilt your head as if in thought. Trying to find the right answer. "He is technically my boss, so I gotta follow him around." Logan looked over to see Wade maskless with his 2 fingers digging in both of his nose holes. Logan grimaces at the sight. "Your boss is a fucking idiot."

Logan just as Wade once was seen you as just a sweetheart who cared about feelings and being kind and soft. Just your typical sweet soft girl.

When it was you all (You, Wade, Logan, Laura, Elektra, Remy & Blade) side by side, thats when Logan realized how much of a badass you truly was.

A proud grin on Wade's face watching you literally rip a man in half. "Isn't she great?" Logan doesn't even say anything, still trying to comprehend how capable you really are. Whole time he was thinking of having to protect you, if anything these men need to be protected from you.

Even though you are a badass, you really don't like fighting girls cause you're a girls girl

At the end of the battle, you are covered head to toe in blood and a sweet smile on your face. Now Logan had a proud smirk on his face.

Marvel Masterlist

[legend-as-old-as-time]

I keep imagining Akamai grumbling wherever they are because they can’t contact their own kaita members but for some reason can contact one of Wairuha’s. What’s this nonsense?

Then they sense, on Spherus Magna, Wairuha’s panic about Lewa. They reach out and reach Onua.

[0m3g45n1p3r4lph4]

A1, A24, B18, C32 for the BIONICLE asks?

A1 - Favorite Character

This is the hardest question by far. Choosing within limited groups? Easy. But there's so many characters that I feel this answer changes around frequently. Maybe Takua? Perhaps Taipu? Or Krika? Who knows? I sure can't decide.

A24 - Favorite Piraka

This one's slightly biased by headcanon, but Avak. In canon, the Piraka barely have differing personalities beyond Zaktan, with everyone just always being aggressive and backstabbing, but I always liked to imagine Avak was kind of roped into things with the whole "Species Loyalty" mentioned in Legacy of Evil, and that if left to his own devices, he'd end up focusing on tinkering rather than enslaving Matoran. Maybe, in different circumstances, him and Nuparu could've been lab partners?

Of course, if we're exclusively focusing on canon details, I'd say Zaktan. Makuta may be menacing by virtue of being a dark god, but Zaktan is a mortal who has seen the end and survived through sheer hatred. Dude could stare down Irrnakk and that's commendable, he'd probably be outright immune to a Tuhrahk.

B18 - Favorite Comic

Thiss is a bit tough since I've only gotten into the comics recently. Overall though, the final 2001 comic (issue 3? I forget the name) where Gali has a vision of the Toa Kaita and the Toa learn to work together. It feels kinda rare - especially in '01 - to get Unity like that, and it's usually depicted as either "everyone hits at the same time" or like Fant4stic where they all try and the villains deflect everything, but once they say "together" the villain stops fighting back. Here, the Toa are constantly under attack, from Makuta's environmental control to his infected Rahi, and through the whole thing the Goa are genuinely supporting each other and using their unique abilities to catch each other's blind spots. 10/10 Mask of Light wishes it had this good fight choreography.

C32 - Favorite Fan Artist

This is unfair. So many different artists have their own styles and things I like about their art that I couldn't easily put one above the rest.

Does a conlang count as fanart? Cause if so then @/outofgloom definitely ends up high on the list. I gotta get back into those studies.

Tattorack (no tumblr account unless I'm misspelling, but has twitter) is also a fave. Their work on Project Inquilina (a Mirimax-esque modular animation kit for Matoran) is one of the closest things I've seen to the perfect ideal style, I'd highly recommend people check it out.

@/beesgav is also really high on the list. Incredible cute matoran. 11/10 such a charming style

[quantomeno]

Oh yeah, you're completely right about asking Greg about every little thing. I only offered that as a starting point, partly because sometimes Greg gives his reasoning for why he chooses certain things and that's a little more interesting than his 'decisions' on canon (which are themselves often inconsistent with previous things he or others have said).

Which is why in the end I just said what I personally think is a good idea.

The issue with Bionicle is that there are a lot of things that are quite set in stone, and the fans (and myself too sometimes) have a desire to make sure things are consistent with what we know, to have it all line up nicely. Like, The Knowledge Tower videos about the physics of the MU are fun (and I salute @rahiwatching's dedication to them and look forward to watching them), but again they sort of play into this idea that we can know how the MU works, that there is one correct answers. Even the wording of your first post feels like a search for the true answer (I expect it was more a bunch of rhetorical questions to illustrate all the paths you could take these ideas, and you aren't actually after the 'true' answer).

So yeah, the point I was trying to make in that above paragraph is we really should decide what we like and what we think works. I mean it's been well over ten years since all these stories ended. It's not like our individual headcanons will get disproven by anything new.

But back to Kaitas because that's more fun to talk about. I kind of like the Hau as the default Kaita mask because it is a representation of Mata Nui. And then only its colour and name changes depending on the type of kaita (and the power mix of course). But I do prefer Wairuha with a Miru. I think it looks better. But then that would lead to the question of what would determine the shape if say none of thetoa wore a Miru? OK yeah now I'm doing the rhetorical question thing, it really is just the natural way to say these things.

I mean, I enjoy discussing what ifs and how does it work sort of things, but I don't think we need to all conform to one true canon based on what one guy among a whole team of people said. Particularly for the early years where Greg wasn't even doing a lot of the writing (MNOG, Hapka's stories, etc etc).

The other thing about running to greg about stuff is that when you're a kid playing with Bionicles, you just make stuff up as you please. You stick Matoro, Hahli and Kongu together to make a kaita and name it whatever and it is whatever you say it is. There's no cannon. It doesn't matter. It doesn't ever appear in the story so this has no bearings on anything whatsoever. Canon now that Bionicle has ended should be treated much the same way. Especially because we have so many conflicting accounts of things (talking of Kaitas, they're battle with the manas is a good example of contradictions). Just pick the pieces and stick them together to make something you think looks cool.

I am plagued by thoughts of Toa Kaita and how their names and titles are determined.

Is every single one unique? That leaves the most room for creativity, and means the result of each fusion is dependent on the personalities of the individual Toa components, which seems like the most narratively satisfying option. But also, if every possible Kaita is unique, how do they avoid overlapping domains? Eventually Valour or Wisdom are going to be really fitting for some other combination of three Toa, or they'll just run out of fancy mental concepts to name themselves after.

Alternatively, do the names, or maybe just the titles, of any given Toa Kaita, depend on the elemental combination used to form them? Does every instance of Ta-Toa+Po-Toa+Onu-Toa result in Akamai? Does every instance of Ga-Toa+Ko-Toa+Le-Toa result in a Toa of Wisdom? I went and learned some math specifically to determine that there are 560 different possible 3-element combinations that can be formed from the 16 Toa elements, assuming all three have to be different, because that makes the most sense to me. 546 if Light and Shadow could not coexist within a single Kaita for some reason, and 455 if you don't count Shadow at all. Those are still really big numbers! But it seems a lot more feasible to come up with 500-ish attributes for each combination to represent than for each of the infinite combinations of individuals to result in something completely unique. But then again, it seems awfully limiting to simply assign a default attribute based on elemental alignment without taking into account the personalities of the constituent Toa at all. Would Vakama, Onewa, and Whenua really result in a Valour combination rather than something more tailored to them? Could Tuyet and Nidhiki really be part of a Wisdom combination?

Then perhaps there is a set number of possible Kaita and which of the limited (but likely still beyond extensive) list of possibilities the fusion forms is dependent on the three Toa's personalities? That feels like it's getting dangerously close to personality-based categorization though, and I've seen enough bad YA to know that's never a good idea.

Is any of this important at all? Oh no, not at all, we only ever see two Toa Kaita in the entire story and even they barely matter, this absolutely isn't the sort of thing that needs to be thought about deeply at all. But here I am, distracted by it anyway.

[mind-of-makuta]

Exactly how did you separate the Toa Kaita?

To form and maintain a Kaita, the minds forming it must all be in harmony. Disrupt that harmony, however, and it becomes a simple matter to tear the fusion apart.

[v3joker]

20-40 for the OC questions, since you're doing your fcs as well it can be who you'd like!

OC Headcanons

headcanon? more like actually canon since i’m their creator and whatever i say goes lol

20. Talks in song lyrics

I can see Raylan Nations doing that. He’s very into music and was apart of theater in his only year in high school.

21. Is tol

*looks at my OCs/FCs list to find out who’s the tol because I have over 50 OCs/FCs*

It’s Zane Truls. He’s 6′4″.

22. Is smol

Sorcha Nations; a smol, a babey, a literal ray of sunshine, a child I would die for.

23. Would murder someone if given the opportunity

Raylan Nations. 100%. He would stab a mfer if they hurt his family.

Also Timothy Rockwell. Although, he has issues...

24. Had a sad childhood

Well– *drops photos of all the characters with sad childhoods* Oh shit. Oh fuck.

Um, let’s see: Ke Nations, Trevon and Brother Soler, Trace Carver, Hayln Sade, A (yes that’s the name of one of my OCs), Todd Lexington, Timothy Rockwell, Ai Vela, Tyra Zarate, and Subject 1

*looks at this list* Oh shit they’re all orphans.

25. Loves their parents

Raylan Nations, Sorcha Nations, Marius Haight, Tayten Lawson, Trevon and Brother Soler, Trace Carver (only loves his mom though), Michael Sovan, Marilyn Cardona, Kaita Carson, Ray Naldi, Karrie Naldi, Zanna, Nea and Teva Calais

26. Hates fish

Doesn’t apply to anyone lol.

27. Questions everything

Zanna, due to being a curious robot.

Katia Carson, due to just, well, questioning everything due to her life.

28. Would keep up with celebrity gossip

Not a single one of my OCs/FCs lol.

29. Would make it rain in the club

Raylan Nations, oddly enough.

30. Likes hugs

Ke Nations, Raylan Nations, Sorcha Nations, Tayten Lawson, Trevon Soler, Michael Sovan, Marilyn Cardona, Kaita Carson, Hailey Sola, Melissa Sola, Charis Noriega, Desi Armenta, Subject 1, Karrie Naldi, Zanna, Nea and Teva Calais

31. Kisses their partner good night

Ke Nations, Raylan Nations, Charis Noriega, Desi Armenta, Nea Calais

32. Likes to give piggybacks

Def Raylan Nations, mostly for Sorcha.

33. Likes to sing in the vehicle

*remembers most of my OCs can’t drive or don’t have a car to sing in* Oh.

34. Would join the circus

Edwin Gale would, the mad lad.

35. Could be a stand up comedian

Edwin Gale, yet again.

36. Has bad luck

Nea Calais, like, she is the epitome of luck and was born with unusual luck, and it’s both good and bad for her.

37. Likes pretzels

I’d feel like that’d be any of my OCs.

38. Loves the rain

Trace Carver, he gets to stay inside like the anti-social 19-year-old he is.

39. Can knock out someone’s tooth in one punch

All of the Nations family. Also, Zane and Ai. Todd and Timothy as well, except Timothy is gonna do more than knock a tooth out... I can certainly say Tyra as well since, well, she is a fighter.

40. Will kiss someone to steal their wallet

No one.

[ghost-mantis]

In your canon/head-canon, are you accepting of more species than just Matoran becoming Toas? I’m on the side of yes, because just Matoran is so limiting. Give me Skakdi Toa!

Okay, this is a tricky one, because it depends how strict your definition of Toa is. But I think we can make that Skakdi Toa happen!

In canon, by strict definition a Toa is a member of the Matoran species and is either built as a Toa, or is a Matoran who’s been exposed to a glorified evolution stone and is is destined/predisposed to the transformation (i.e. already possess latent Toa power which is finite in an individual but can be used to spark the transformation in others). They also possess elemental energy and enough mental discipline to use great masks. 

Technically, no other species in the GSR or Magna worlds can meet these definitions, but they can come pretty close, especially if we tweak the definition of Toa a bit.

The word Toa is technically just the Matoran word for hero, so anyone generally acting to protect people and/or on behalf of the greater good meets this very basic qualification. 

No one outside of the Matoran species, or someone with the Nui Stone is going to be able to access or wield Toa power in canon, but a lot of races have access to some form of elemental energy and a number of them use masks.  

So a Skakdi meets the requirements of having the potential to serve the greater good and have elemental energy (hey they even have to use unity to use it, so bonus points!) They can’t use the masks or Toa Power in canon (unless we fed Vezon the Nui Stone when he was still fused to the mask of life…don’t do that.)

The Glatorian Mata Nui granted elemental powers are kind of in the same boat. Heroic and elemental powered, but no masks or Toa power. 

Pretty much all other species run into this same limitation of 2/4 requirements, so at best we can get everyone to 50% Toa status.

So lets cheat the system a bit, you want a Skakdi Toa, lets make one. 

In canon, many species can form fusions, either Kaita of 3 or Nui of 6, but nowhere in canon do I recall seeing that all members of the fusion have to be of the same species. Heck, that especially goes out the window if you use energized protodermis to fuse beings, but a willing cooperative of beings coming together to become a Toa is much cooler in my book.

Headcanon: Any willing fusion with at least one Matoran destined to become a Toa in the mix still retains enough Toa power that transforming into a Toa remains possible. Say two Skakdi had a Matoran friend who’s village was in danger and under attack by a Visorak hoard. The local Turaga has a Toa Stone tucked away for such an emergency and knows the Matoran is destined to become a Toa, but also knows they won’t be strong enough to stop the hoard. 

Given a choice to flee or fight to the death, the friends instead decide to fuse, and take the stone to the local suva hoping for a miracle. The transformation is triggered and the power permanently binds the three into one being with Toa power, elemental power, and a great mask. A new Toa is born! 

The primary element the new being wields is still whatever element the Matoran was, but they’ll still have access to whatever other elements the Skakdi of the fusion possessed at the level they wielded it at. Since a Toa looks like whatever the base being thinks a Toa should look like, and 2/3 of this fusion are Skakdi, this being is probably going to look something like a really powerful and heavily armored Skakdi warrior, with a big toothy smile peeking out from under their mask. Essentially the more non-Matoran in the fusion, the more it’s going to look like the other beings in the fusion but with touches of Matoran/Toa heritage. 

Regardless, this new fusion Toa is going to be more powerful than a traditional Toa if the base beings are generally more powerful than a Matoran. Mixed elemental powers and species-specific powers thrown in the mix make for a more dynamic warrior. Those Visorak are going to be beaten like a cheap drum, and the village is going to be pretty safe from future attacks with someone that strong guarding it.

The downside is that unless all the beings making the Toa were very mentally stable and prepared for the perma-fusion you may end up with a mentally unstable. This sort of transformation probably wouldn’t happen frequently either, because most Matoran don’t start out knowing they’ll be Toa or knowing the timing of their transformation. However, The Order and The Brotherhood probably have enough resources and know-how to make such arrangements if they find them convenient. 

Hope this helps, and thank you for the ask!

[outofgloom]

All good thoughts! And I appreciate the overview of different places where larger numbers are calculated in the Bionicle corpus. Here are some additional ideas/responses:

Response 1:

I’m not personally convinced that any of the information from the imagery of the Great Telescope in MNOG escapes the “translation problem”. The 720x350 coordinate system that you note is explicitly a coordinate system for the panning limits of the flash game window. In MNOG, you have equal horizontal panning movement for most screens (that’s the 175 to -175 left-to-right axis), while vertical panning is fixed differently on some screens (the Great Mine has a larger vertical panning space as I recall--that’s the 220 to -500 axis). This seems pretty clearly to be in the same category as the Unix countdown.

More generally, evidence for the existence/non-existence of a counting system is better taken from patterns of numbers that show up in the culture and design of the world of the MU, rather than peripheral cases like coordinate systems in MNOG or postulates about how many fingers Spherus Magnans or MUans might have (and what numeral systems they might develop on the basis of those). This is exactly why many fans have speculated and/or headcanoned heximal systems for Matoran for a long time: the numerosities of 3 and 6 are particularly “special” in the MU and a wide variety of things are designed with 6 as the maximum (number of “primary elements”, 6 Metrus in Metru Nui, 6 breeds of Bohrok, Vahki, Visorak, 3 = Kaita, 6 = Nui, 6 Makoki Stones, 6 Keystones, 6 Barraki, etc.), whereas if the MU default counting system were decimal, we might expect something different from this. It's clear that the GBs didn't design the MU with 10 as their "default maximum" for a given sequence.

Response 2:

The point about the parallels between the Matoran numeral system and human positional notation systems like the Chinese counting rod system is well taken! One thing that should be pointed out, however, is that the Matoran system is actually different in an important way:

A counting rod system is explicitly intended to allow numbers to be read via simple addition. Each part of the number symbol has a consistent value: vertical lines mean “1″, horizontals mean “5″. If you were to forget what value a particular symbol represented, you could recover this information immediately by counting up the values of the lines in any given symbol. This also means that the symbol for 6 is essentially 5+1, the symbol for 7 is 5+2, 8 is 5+3, and 9 is 5+4. You can see the alignment of a system like this in the way that I’ve lined up the symbols below (6 parallels 1, 7 parallels 2, etc.).

The written Matoran numeral system is not like this! It is actually heximal in nature: Counting from 0 to 5, you have a system similar to the counting rod system (0 is 0, 1 adds a single line, 2 adds another line, etc.). 

BUT THEN on the second iteration, an additional symbol-element is added (the extra inner circle). Crucially, this extra inner circle does not straightforwardly translate as something like “value of 5″ like a counting rod system or something additive. If this were so, then the symbol for 6 would actually be like the symbol for 7 (double inner circle plus 1). 

Instead, the inner circle actually represents a second iteration of the base number sequence. So 6 is actually a modified 0, 7 is a modified 1, 8 is a modified 2, etc. In other words, the extra inner circle represents 6 (the maximal base number) in the same way that an additional 1 at the start of the "tens" sequence (10, 11, 12, etc.) represents the maximal base number of 10 in base-10. This is exactly what you’d get in a base-6 number system--not a system that is counting up to some higher base value. Look at the alignment in the table below and compare it with the base-10 additive system above. See the difference?

The only issue (as noted in my previous reply) is that we are missing the last 2 symbols of the second heximal iteration.

I want this to be appreciated: Whether intentional or not on the part of whoever designed this written numeral system, it has replicated a pattern that would be expected in a heximal numeral system of counting--not necessarily a base-10 system! Imho, out of all the evidence reviewed so far, this seems like the most solid and concrete material on which to base a theory of Matoran numeral systems.

Edit: I should add that you could also use the graphemic form of the Matoran numeral system as evidence for a duodecimal (base-12) counting system. This would essentially treat the 0-9 sequence as a subpart of a larger 0-11 sequence, with 12 being the actual point of iteration. I don't think this is the most straightforward interpretation, however, given (a) the consistency of the parallels between 0 ~ 6, 1 ~ 7, etc. and (b) the already-noted significance of numbers like 3 and 6 (as a common default maximum) in the MU.

Question.

Would Matoran use base 6 number systems?