Great Beings

The Great Beings created the Bionicle universe, and have since left it. One of them created the Kanohi Ignika. Matoran legend says that the Great Spirit Mata Nui was sent by the even more powerful Great Beings. Almost nothing is known about them, but where Mata Nui is said to protect the universe, the Great Beings are said to create universes. Since putting Mata Nui in charge, they have not paid much attention to this universe and are unaware that Mata Nui is unconscious and dying.

Before they departed from this universe roughly a hundred thousand years ago, the Great Beings are known to have laid the foundations of Metru Nui, created and hid the Ignika Mask of Life, and formed the Order of Mata Nui (see below).

Two known Great Beings created and hid the Mask of Life. They carved the pedestal meant to hold the mask and the staircase leading to it, and one of them recorded his voice to provide tests for those who penetrated the tunnels. However, they left the creation of guardians to the mask itself (though they did discuss sending Umbra as a guard). Though they had immense power and could keep surrounding Matoran from noticing them, even they feared the mask's curse; they also wore cloaks and used unknown weapons and tools.

A third Great Being was known to fall victim to the curse of the Mask of Life, gaining the ability to give life to anything. However, the power was too much to control and everything began coming to life around him, from tools and furniture to even beams of light, and all this new life not only had wants and needs but were able to make such desires known. The Being was eventually sealed away to keep anything else from coming to life, and it is rumored he was driven mad.