Kanohi Faxon, the Mask of Kindred

The KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. FaxonFaxonThe Kanohi Faxon, Mask of Kindred, allowed its wearer to mimic the powers of Rahi that shared their environment., known as the Mask of Kindred, granted its wearer the ability to mimic the powers of RahiRahiThe Rahi were the biomechanical wildlife of the Matoran Universe, built largely by the Brotherhood of Makuta, ranging from background fauna to engineered war beasts. sharing their general environment. HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. wore one as a Toa MahriToa Inika and Toa MahriSix ordinary Matoran transformed by lightning from the Red Star into heroes who ultimately revived the Great Spirit itself. after the Kanohi IgnikaThe Mask of Life (Kanohi Ignika), explainedA failsafe forged by the Great Beings to recharge a god. It curses everyone who touches it, and by the end of Bionicle it had learned how to be a hero. transformed the Toa Inika, and LesovikkLesovikkA Toa of Air and former commander whose team was destroyed, leaving him fractured and searching for purpose., the ToaThe Toa: Heroes of the Matoran UniverseThe Toa were biomechanical guardians sworn to protect the Matoran, bound by a strict code and defined by sacrifice across every age of the universe. of Air who once led the Toa Cordak, also wore a Faxon. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe)

Power and operating principle#

The FaxonFaxonThe Kanohi Faxon, Mask of Kindred, allowed its wearer to mimic the powers of Rahi that shared their environment. let its wearer copy abilities possessed by RahiRahiThe Rahi were the biomechanical wildlife of the Matoran Universe, built largely by the Brotherhood of Makuta, ranging from background fauna to engineered war beasts. that shared their general environment. For a wearer on land that meant land Rahi. For HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. in the seas around Mahri NuiMahri NuiA matoran settlement that sank, survived, and was ultimately crushed beneath Voya Nui, leaving behind one of Bionicle's most poignant lost civilizations., it meant the many sea creatures living there. Other rules that are often repeated, such as the wearer needing to know a Rahi before copying it, a Noble version limited to a narrower environment, or a copied power lasting only a short time, come from Greg Farshtey's later online answers rather than the stories. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe)

The copied abilities weren't limited to attacks. Hahli used the mask for a hypnotic power, for immunity to venom and to make herself glow, so sensory, defensive and bodily traits were all on the table. The mask didn't turn its wearer into a Rahi. It borrowed one ability while she kept her own form, tools and other powers. (BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit; BIONICLE Legends 8: Downfall)

Recorded wearers and use#

HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. wore a Great FaxonFaxonThe Kanohi Faxon, Mask of Kindred, allowed its wearer to mimic the powers of Rahi that shared their environment. throughout her service as a Toa MahriToa Inika and Toa MahriSix ordinary Matoran transformed by lightning from the Red Star into heroes who ultimately revived the Great Spirit itself. of Water. The mask suited the Mahri NuiMahri NuiA matoran settlement that sank, survived, and was ultimately crushed beneath Voya Nui, leaving behind one of Bionicle's most poignant lost civilizations. campaign well: the seas around the sunken city were full of Rahi with all kinds of adaptations, giving the Faxon plenty to copy. (BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe; BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit)

After their first clash with the BarrakiThe BarrakiSix warlords who built an empire spanning most of the Matoran Universe, fell to a Brotherhood strike, and spent millennia imprisoned in the Pit., the Toa Mahri were locked in sea caves. Hahli copied a sea creature's hypnotic power to lull the giant squid guarding her cave to sleep, then slipped out to search for the Mask of LifeThe Mask of Life (Kanohi Ignika), explainedA failsafe forged by the Great Beings to recharge a god. It curses everyone who touches it, and by the end of Bionicle it had learned how to be a hero.. Later, MantaxMantaxMutated Barraki warlord of the Pit who uncovered Takadox's Brotherhood collaboration through a hidden Tablet of Transit. paralysed her with his venom, but she used the Faxon to share the immunity of sea beasts that no venom could touch. She told him that if she chose, she was as immune as they were, then talked him round by convincing him the other Barraki had betrayed him, and the two struck a deal that made her a lieutenant in his army. (BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit)

The most important use came near the end of the campaign. As the Toa Mahri prepared to destroy the Cord, GadunkaGadunkaGadunka is a Rahi belonging to the Gadunka species, distinguished by its fluorescent blue, dark blue, and silver coloration. It wields a Squid Launcher as its tool., the giant mutant Venom EelVenom EelBlack venomous predators of the Pit, weaponized by Ehlek and transformed by the Mask of Life into a colossal guardian. and the Ancient Sea BehemothAncient Sea BehemothThe colossal sea creature woken by Kongu's Zatth, which fought and then joined the giant venom eel before the Toa Mahri beat it with a trick of Hahli's Faxon and a well-timed rockfall. attacked them together. Hahli used her Faxon to make herself bioluminescent and lured the Behemoth into a trap set by KonguKonguKongu captained Le-Koro's Gukko Force before lightning from the red star turned him into a Toa of Air, who later served among the Toa Mahri.. (BIONICLE Legends 8: Downfall)

The ToaThe Toa: Heroes of the Matoran UniverseThe Toa were biomechanical guardians sworn to protect the Matoran, bound by a strict code and defined by sacrifice across every age of the universe. of Air LesovikkLesovikkA Toa of Air and former commander whose team was destroyed, leaving him fractured and searching for purpose. also wore a Faxon, letting him copy the powers of Rahi that shared his environment. He had led the Toa Cordak until a moment's hesitation got his whole team killed by Zyglak, and he spent tens of thousands of years wandering in search of redemption. He came to the waters around Mahri Nui to stop KarzahniKarzahniBionicle used one cursed name three times, for a being, a realm and a plant, and every one of them earns it. This article untangles all three., rescued his old friend Sarda there, and later joined HydraxonHydraxonThe jailer of the Pit was killed once, then resurrected as the Matoran Dekar by the Mask of Life. in hunting escaped prisoners of the PitThe PitThe Order of Mata Nui's maximum-security underwater prison where the Barraki warlords were held until catastrophe broke their chains.. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; Dreams of Destruction; Destiny War)

Distribution and limitations#

Only two Faxon wearers are recorded, Hahli and Lesovikk. Hahli's mask came from the Ignika's transformation of the Toa Inika, when each Toa's mask changed to suit life underwater. The face of the 2007 Toa Terrain Crawler set is also shaped like a Great Faxon, though that is a design echo rather than a story point. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit; Toa Terrain Crawler)

The FaxonFaxonThe Kanohi Faxon, Mask of Kindred, allowed its wearer to mimic the powers of Rahi that shared their environment. only worked with the Rahi that were around. In the crowded seas of Mahri Nui that was rarely a problem, but the mask's value depended on what creatures shared the wearer's surroundings and on the wearer picking the right one. Hahli's hypnotism of the squid worked because the squid had no defence against it. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit)

Significance#

The FaxonFaxonThe Kanohi Faxon, Mask of Kindred, allowed its wearer to mimic the powers of Rahi that shared their environment. was the most adaptable of the Toa MahriToa Inika and Toa MahriSix ordinary Matoran transformed by lightning from the Red Star into heroes who ultimately revived the Great Spirit itself. masks. The Kanohi ArthronArthronThe Kanohi Arthron was the Mask of Sonar, granting its wearer echolocation through reflected sound and allowing perception in lightless underwater environments. gave JallerJallerJaller served as Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard, led the Toa Inika to Voya Nui, and commanded the Toa Mahri through the recovery of the Mask of Life. sonar, the Kanohi GaraiGaraiThe Kanohi Mask of Gravity, granted Hewkii control over the gravitational pull on his targets during the Toa Mahri campaign in the Pit. gave HewkiiHewkiiHewkii rose from Po-Metru Matoran to Mata Nui's foremost kolhii player, then served as Toa Inika and Toa Mahri through the late wars of the universe. control over gravity, and the Kanohi ZatthZatthGreat Kanohi mask of Summoning, allowing its wearer to call a random local animal for aid without control over which creature responded or its actions. let KonguKonguKongu captained Le-Koro's Gukko Force before lightning from the red star turned him into a Toa of Air, who later served among the Toa Mahri. summon Rahi. Hahli's Faxon could draw on whatever useful creature was nearby, which is why it served her in a fight, an escape and a trap. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit; BIONICLE Legends 8: Downfall)

Its place in the wider KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. story is that of a specialist's mask. It rewarded a wearer who could read the surrounding sea life and pick the right trait for the moment. Hahli's record across the Mahri NuiMahri NuiA matoran settlement that sank, survived, and was ultimately crushed beneath Voya Nui, leaving behind one of Bionicle's most poignant lost civilizations. campaign shows it carrying her through fights that could have ended her, with her own judgement doing the choosing. (BIONICLE Legends 7: Prisoners of the Pit; BIONICLE Legends 8: Downfall)