Kanoka Disks

Kanoka disks were the powered disks of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive., used by the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. for sport and for defence against Rahi, built into the city's machines and buildings, and melted down by the mask makers of Ta-MetruTa-MetruThe fire district where Ta-Matoran perfected their craft and powered Metru Nui's industry for thousands of years. to forge KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe.. Each disk was made from purified liquid protodermisProtodermisThe engineered substance building the Matoran Universe, protodermis exists in countless refined states from mundane metal to diamond-hard crystal to the destruction-or-transformation force of energized form. and carried a three-digit code giving the metru it was made in, its basic power and its power level. The city's official sport, AkiliniAkiliniAkilini was the official sport of Metru Nui, in which Matoran surfed on Kanoka disks and threw others through scoring hoops, with tournaments held on the shifting floor of the Coliseum., was played with them. (BIONICLE: Metru Nui: City of Legends; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Composition and the Kanoka Code#

Kanoka were made by pouring purified liquid protodermisProtodermisThe engineered substance building the Matoran Universe, protodermis exists in countless refined states from mundane metal to diamond-hard crystal to the destruction-or-transformation force of energized form. into molds, often several times over before a disk was finished. The method was discovered in the Knowledge Towers of Ko-MetruKo-MetruKo-Metru was Metru Nui's frozen intellectual quarter, home to the scholarly Ko-Matoran race.. What power a disk ended up with, and how strong it was, depended on the protodermis, its purity and the skill of the Matoran making it, and even experienced disk makers couldn't predict the result. (BIONICLE: Metru Nui: City of Legends)

Each metru's disks had their own flight characteristic. Ta-MetruTa-MetruThe fire district where Ta-Matoran perfected their craft and powered Metru Nui's industry for thousands of years. disks were strong enough to knock obstacles out of the way. Ga-MetruGa-MetruGa-Metru is a district of Metru Nui, home to the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh. disks could change direction in midair according to the thrower's thoughts. Po-MetruPo-MetruMetru Nui's Stone District, home to carvers whose work defined the city and site of an ancient conflict that threatened to divide it. disks homed in on other Kanoka and knocked them off course. Ko-MetruKo-MetruKo-Metru was Metru Nui's frozen intellectual quarter, home to the scholarly Ko-Matoran race. disks dodged obstacles on the way to their target. Le-MetruLe-MetruThe teal district where Le-Matoran managed everything that moved through Metru Nui, from chutes to airships. disks flew farther than the rest, and Onu-MetruOnu-MetruThe deep archive-city that made mining and historical records preservation the beating heart of Metru Nui. disks returned to the thrower if something knocked them off course. (BIONICLE: Metru Nui: City of Legends)

The basic powers were simple. Reconstitute at Random scrambled a target's molecules into a new, unpredictable shape for a time. Freeze coated a target in thick ice. Weaken sapped the strength of a living or non-living target and could bring down structures. Remove Poison wiped out poison or venom. Enlarge and Shrink changed a target's size, Regenerate repaired structures and equipment, and Teleport sent a target to a random location. (BIONICLE: Metru Nui: City of Legends)

The code's third digit gave the power level, from 1 to 8 for ordinary disks. Only the six Great Disks ever reached level 9. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Production and the role of the metru#

Kanoka were forged in every district of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive.. Ta-Metru, the city's forge district, was where the mask makers worked, and VakamaVakamaA Ta-Metru maskmaker transformed into the Toa Metru of Fire, leader of his team through the Visorak war, and Turaga of Ta-Koro for a thousand years. was a mask maker there before he became a Toa. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui)

The power level decided what a disk could become. A mask maker either melted a disk and poured it into a mask mold or carved the mask from the disk. Disks of level 1 to 6 lost their power in the process and became powerless Matoran masks, level 7 disks became Noble masks and level 8 disks became Great masks. (BIONICLE: Metru Nui: City of Legends)

Akilini, the official sport, tied the disks to the city's civic life. Players surfed the field on Kanoka while throwing more disks through scoring hoops, and the winners received a Copper Mask of Victory. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Compound disks and infrastructure use#

Disks could also be combined while they were being made, producing new powers, and the mask makers used these combinations to forge Kanohi with powers no single disk held. The Mask of Speed came from Teleport and Reconstitute at Random, the Mask of Shielding from Enlarge and Regenerate, the Mask of Water Breathing from Regenerate, Shrink and Remove Poison, the Mask of X-Ray Vision from Regenerate and Teleport, the Mask of Concealment from Enlarge, Shrink and Freeze, and the Mask of Mind Control from Freeze, Weaken and Remove Poison. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE: Metru Nui: City of Legends)

Disks were built into the city as well. Some newer buildings had Regenerate disks inside them, so damage could be repaired with a tug of a chain. Levitation and increase-weight disks raised and lowered the airships of Le-MetruLe-MetruThe teal district where Le-Matoran managed everything that moved through Metru Nui, from chutes to airships., and speed disks drove ground vehicles. (BIONICLE: Metru Nui: City of Legends)

The six Great Kanoka Disks#

Six Kanoka had the maximum power level of 9, one for each metru. They were made on Artakha and later hidden around Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive.: the Ta-MetruTa-MetruThe fire district where Ta-Matoran perfected their craft and powered Metru Nui's industry for thousands of years. disk, code 159, in a fire pit; the Ga-MetruGa-MetruGa-Metru is a district of Metru Nui, home to the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh. disk, code 279, between the teeth of the Dweller in the Deep beneath the Great TempleGreat TempleThe Great Temple is a structure situated in Ga-Metru, Metru Nui, associated with the Ga-Matoran and the Bordakh. It formerly fell under the influence of Teridax, though it currently holds no such power.; the Po-MetruPo-MetruMetru Nui's Stone District, home to carvers whose work defined the city and site of an ancient conflict that threatened to divide it. disk, code 339, in the Sculpture FieldsSculpture FieldsThe Sculpture Fields were the open Po-Metru courtyards where Po-Matoran carvers worked statues too large for any building, hid one of the Great Disks, and gave Onewa his first confrontation with Ahkmou's betrayal.; the Ko-MetruKo-MetruKo-Metru was Metru Nui's frozen intellectual quarter, home to the scholarly Ko-Matoran race. disk, code 429, frozen in an icicle on a Knowledge TowerKnowledge TowerThe crystalline spires of Ko-Metru that housed memory crystals, sheltered the district's Scholars, and stored much of the city's accumulated knowledge.; the Le-MetruLe-MetruThe teal district where Le-Matoran managed everything that moved through Metru Nui, from chutes to airships. disk, code 589, in a Force SphereForce SphereThe Metru Nui chute-system hazard in which a broken piece of a chute's magnetic field wrapped around itself, swept up loose objects, and imploded inside the transport network.; and the Onu-MetruOnu-MetruThe deep archive-city that made mining and historical records preservation the beating heart of Metru Nui. disk, code 619, in a closet in the ArchivesThe Archives of Metru NuiThe Archives of Onu-Metru were the central repository of Matoran knowledge and Rahi specimens, maintained by the Archivist Corps beneath the city's surface.. (BIONICLE: World; BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui; BIONICLE 17: Disks of Danger)

Six Matoran had found the disks: NuhriiNuhriiNuhrii was a Ta-Matoran mask-maker of Metru Nui, one of the six finders of a Great Disk, who later served in the Ta-Koro Guard on Mata Nui., VhisolaVhisolaVhisola was a Ga-Matoran student of Nokama, one of the six finders of a Great Disk, whose research deduced the location of the Morbuzakh King Root., AhkmouAhkmouA Po-Matoran carver of Metru Nui, one of the six Great Disk holders, who betrayed his fellow Matoran to the Dark Hunters, served Makuta Teridax, and became a false Turaga during Teridax's reign., EhryeEhryeEhrye was a Ko-Matoran errand-runner of the Knowledge Towers who tried to sell the location of a Great Disk, thought better of it in front of a Dark Hunter, and helped the Toa Metru find it., OrkahmOrkahmOrkahm was a Le-Matoran Ussal rider of Le-Metru, Matau's chief rival, one of the six finders of a Great Disk, and later a Gukko Force member on Mata Nui. and TehuttiTehuttiTehutti was an Onu-Matoran archivist of Metru Nui, one of the six finders of a Great Disk, whose Archives research produced the Matoran Nui technique.. The Toa MetruToa Metru and Toa HordikaSix Matoran elevated by Lhikan to save their city, mutated by Visorak venom, and restored in time to deliver the population to safety. split into teams with them to recover all six. In the comic version, MatauMatauA former Le-Metru test driver who became a Toa Metru, Matau wielded air, illusion, and shape-shifting before sacrificing his Toa power to wake the sleeping Matoran. only just escaped the Force Sphere before it imploded, and WhenuaWhenuaToa Metru of Earth and later Turaga of Onu-Koro, formerly an Onu-Metru archivist whose career in the Archives shaped his role across the rescue of Metru Nui and the long residency on Mata Nui. and NujuNujuNuju served as a Ko-Metru seer, Toa Metru of Ice, and Turaga of Ko-Koro who spoke only in bird calls translated by Matoro. walked into the wrong room of the Archives and had to escape a giant mutant Ussal crab. Once they had all six, the Toa used the disks' combined energy to destroy the MorbuzakhMorbuzakhA sentient plant monster created by Teridax to terrorize Metru Nui and control its population through fear.'s King RootThe King RootThe sentient central core of the Morbuzakh plant, grown in the Great Furnace of Ta-Metru and destroyed by the Toa Metru using the fused Great Disks. at the Great FurnaceThe Great FurnaceThe largest furnace in Ta-Metru, site of the Morbuzakh King Root's nest and the recovery of the fused Great Disks that became the Kanohi Vahi.. (BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui; BIONICLE 17: Disks of Danger)

The Toa hoped the disks would prove their worth to Turaga Dume, but "Dume" was Makuta TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. in disguise and turned them away. VakamaVakamaA Ta-Metru maskmaker transformed into the Toa Metru of Fire, leader of his team through the Visorak war, and Turaga of Ta-Koro for a thousand years. later found he could merge the six Great DisksThe Great Disks: six Kanoka of level nineThe Great Disks were six Kanoka of Metru Nui, each at the maximum power level of nine, one hidden in every district. The Toa Metru recovered all six., and he made them into the Disk of Time, then forged that into the VahiKanohi VahiThe Kanohi Vahi was the Legendary Mask of Time, forged by Toa Metru Vakama from the six fused Great Disks of Metru Nui during the city's evacuation., the Mask of TimeMask of TimeThe Kanohi Vahi is the Matoran Universe's deadliest mask, capable of stopping or accelerating time, and its creation nearly tore Metru Nui apart.. (BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui; BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui)

Disks as Toa Metru armament#

Of the six Toa Metru, it was VakamaVakamaA Ta-Metru maskmaker transformed into the Toa Metru of Fire, leader of his team through the Visorak war, and Turaga of Ta-Koro for a thousand years. whose Toa tool was a Kanoka disk launcher, a fitting weapon for a former mask maker. (BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui)

He found out the hard way that the launcher could also fly. Fleeing a squad of BordakhBordakhThe Vahki model assigned to Ga-Metru, the Bordakh patrolled the canals and schools of the academic district and carried Staffs of Loyalty that turned any Matoran they struck into a willing informant against their own friends. in Ga-Metru, NokamaNokamaNokama served as Toa Metru of Water, endured the Hordika mutation, and led Ga-Koro and later Ga-Metru as Turaga through three eras. was hit by a Staff of Loyalty and pushed Vakama off a tower. As he fell, he activated the launcher with his thoughts without meaning to and found it could carry him. He then fired two Shrink disks at the Bordakh waiting below, shrinking them, and caught Nokama when she fell after the staff's hold on her broke. (BIONICLE 19: Enemies of Metru Nui)

Matoran used the disks in the field too. In the Ta-MetruTa-MetruThe fire district where Ta-Matoran perfected their craft and powered Metru Nui's industry for thousands of years. fire pits, NuhriiNuhriiNuhrii was a Ta-Matoran mask-maker of Metru Nui, one of the six finders of a Great Disk, who later served in the Ta-Koro Guard on Mata Nui. hit the MorbuzakhMorbuzakhA sentient plant monster created by Teridax to terrorize Metru Nui and control its population through fear. vines holding him and Vakama with a Reconstitute at Random disk, and the shock of the change made the vines let go. Toa power did similar work: in the Sculpture FieldsSculpture FieldsThe Sculpture Fields were the open Po-Metru courtyards where Po-Matoran carvers worked statues too large for any building, hid one of the Great Disks, and gave Onewa his first confrontation with Ahkmou's betrayal., Vakama and OnewaOnewaOnewa served as Toa Metru of Stone, led Po-Koro through the Dark Time, and constructed the Metru Nui statue honoring the fallen Toa Mahri Matoro. combined their elements to turn a maddened TunnelerTunnelerA Rahi that absorbs any power directed at it, but becomes fragile when turned to glass. to glass. (BIONICLE 17: Disks of Danger; BIONICLE Adventures 2: Trial by Fire)

Vahki integration and disk-fired law enforcement#

The VahkiVahkiMetru Nui's mechanical law enforcement squads, designed to maintain rigid order but ultimately undermined by chaos beyond their programming., the robot enforcers of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive., carried built-in Kanoka launchers alongside their stun staffs, and used disks to help bring threats under control. Each metru had its own Vahki type, from the NuurakhNuurakhThe Vahki model assigned to Ta-Metru, the Nuurakh were the fastest of the order-force lines and used Staffs of Command to push a single overriding directive into the mind of any Matoran they struck. of Ta-Metru and the BordakhBordakhThe Vahki model assigned to Ga-Metru, the Bordakh patrolled the canals and schools of the academic district and carried Staffs of Loyalty that turned any Matoran they struck into a willing informant against their own friends. of Ga-Metru to the ZadakhZadakhThe Vahki model assigned to Po-Metru, the Zadakh were the strongest of the order-force lines and carried Staffs of Suggestion that left any Matoran they struck willing to follow orders from almost anyone., KeerakhKeerakhThe Vahki model assigned to Ko-Metru, the Keerakh enforced silence in the Knowledge Towers and subdued lawbreakers with staffs that scrambled a Matoran's sense of time and place., VorzakhVorzakhThe Vahki model assigned to Le-Metru, the Vorzakh patrolled the chute network and transportation hubs of the air district and carried Staffs of Erasing that wiped a Matoran's higher cognitive functions and left the victim a walking shambler. and RorzakhRorzakhThe Vahki model assigned to Onu-Metru, the Rorzakh were utterly relentless and carried Staffs of Presence that turned the affected Matoran into an involuntary audio and visual transmitter for their squad.. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

When Teridax took Dume's place, he turned the Vahki against the Toa Metru, and the Toa had to evade them throughout the hunt for the Great Disks. (BIONICLE Adventures 1: Mystery of Metru Nui)

After Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive.#

Disk-making in Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive. stopped after the Great CataclysmThe Great CataclysmThe day Makuta Teridax put the Great Spirit to sleep, the Great Spirit Robot fell from the sky, Metru Nui flooded, and Voya Nui tore loose from the Southern Continent., when the Matoran were carried away to the island of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. with no memory of the city. Akilini didn't make the move either. On the island, the Matoran played Kolhii instead. (BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE: World)

Throwing disks didn't vanish from the island, though. In the Mata Nui Online Game, the Matoran of the Gukko Force fired disks from launchers strapped to their birds, and Takua threw disks at the Nui-Rama swarm. A Kanoka was the simplest piece of Metru Nui's protodermis craft: a poured disk with a three-digit code, put to work in sport, machines, mask-making and battle, and in its strongest form, part of the Mask of TimeMask of TimeThe Kanohi Vahi is the Matoran Universe's deadliest mask, capable of stopping or accelerating time, and its creation nearly tore Metru Nui apart.. (Mata Nui Online Game; BIONICLE: Metru Nui: City of Legends)