Judgement Cannon

The Judgement Cannon was a rare and closely guarded weapon designed and commissioned by ArtakhaArtakhaArtakha was the master craftsman of the Matoran Universe, ruler of a hidden island, and the forger of the Toa Mata, the Avohkii, and the Kraahkan.. Rather than striking the body, it acted on the mind, projecting a stream of mental energy capable of either breaking an enemy's will to fight or reinforcing an ally's resolve. The Order of Mata NuiThe Order of Mata NuiThe covert organization founded by Helryx to serve the Great Spirit directly, operating in concealment from a fortress on Daxia and waging the open war against the Brotherhood of Makuta that decided the fate of the universe. was rumored to hold at least one.

A guarded secret#

The Judgement Cannon was commissioned while the Hand of ArtakhaThe Hand of ArtakhaAn ancient organization formed by the Great Beings and Artakha to safeguard the early Matoran Universe, disbanded after its interventions caused more harm than good. was still in power. Because of what it could do, the project was kept a strict secret, to the point that few beings ever learned it existed, and those who did guarded the knowledge closely. The secrecy was deliberate: there was fear that, in the wrong hands, the technology could be turned to keep a conflict running indefinitely or to hand victory to a side that did not deserve it. The Order of Mata NuiThe Order of Mata NuiThe covert organization founded by Helryx to serve the Great Spirit directly, operating in concealment from a fortress on Daxia and waging the open war against the Brotherhood of Makuta that decided the fate of the universe. was rumored to possess at least one of the devices, though whether any remained in working condition was never confirmed.

Function#

The cannon acted directly on the will of beings. Turned on an enemy, it could destroy the target's desire to keep fighting, leaving them disillusioned with violence and longing for peace. Turned on an ally, it could reinforce their resolve instead. The energy that drove it was produced by a specially bred race of ProtoditesProtoditesMicroscopic, violent Rahi that could fly independently but found their most crucial existence as the biological substrate of Zaktan's body. that lived inside the weapon, generating a particular type of mental energy. The cannon amplified that energy and focused it into a constant stream directed at the target.

The weapon was not equally effective against everyone. Its power could be augmented by the mental strength and skill of the user, while its effect was governed by the mental strength of the target, and a being trained to shield their mind could resist or blunt its influence.