Kanoka

Kanoka Disks were powered frisbee-like disks that were seen all over the city of Metru Nui, used in both sport and defense. They were produced in every Metru , and whatever Metru they were made in determined their flight characteristics. Kanoka were also used as the material to make Kanohi masks.

General Information

Every Matoran on the island of Metru Nui had a Kanoka, a disk used for sport, fun and defense. Kanoka were very diverse, and based on who crafted the disk, the effort put into it, and what district it was made in, Kanoka would all be very different. They were used by Matoran, Vahki, Toa and even sometimes by creatures such as Dark Hunters or Rahi. The powers of Kanoka disks could be helpful, damaging or useful in situations and sport. Basic disks could also be combined to make disks with different powers for specific purposes; levitation and increase weight Kanoka were used to help airships and other platforms ascend and descend; and regeneration disks were built into buildings so damage could be repaired.

Each Kanoka was engraved with a three-digit "Kanoka Code" that described its strength and special power.

The main sport played with Kanoka on Metru Nui, called "Akilini", was used to determine the worth of Kanoka. If the Kanoka was deemed powerful enough or good enough, then it was sent to Ta-Metru to be made into a Kanohi by the various mask-makers there. Depending on the Kanoka's properties, the Kanohi would come out as a different result.

Kanoka Codes

KanokaSymbols — The kanoka illustrations

First Digit

The first digit in a Kanoka Code describes which Metru the disk was made in. Each Metru's disks fly differently:

1: Ta-Metru. Stronger, can knock obstacles out of the way (but not Po-Metru disks).
2: Ga-Metru. Can change direction in mid-air, guided by the thrower's thoughts.
3: Po-Metru. Deflects other discs from their course.
4: Ko-Metru. Dodges obstacles to get to target.
5: Le-Metru. Flies further.
6: Onu-Metru. Always returns to thrower if diverted from course.

Second Digit

The second digit describes the disk's power.

1: Reconstitutes at Random. Scrambles the molecules of any object or being temporarily. The object that the being's physical form is changed into is random.
2: Freezes. Freezes the object in a coating of ice.
3: Weakens. Weakens a target. Buildings can be weakened and collapse or break, and beings can be weakened physically.
4: Removes poison. Removes any type of poison a target may have.
5: Enlarges. Enlarges the target to a larger size.
6: Shrinks. Shrinks the target to a smaller size.
7: Regenerates. Regenerates and repairs inanimate objects.
8: Teleports. Automatically teleports the target to a random area.

These eight disks can be merged in different combinations to create different powers. The only one of these other powers to have an official number code is Time (which can speed up or slow down a target); its code is 9.

Third Digit

The third digit is the power level of the disk. The higher the number, the more powerful the disk power. Higher levels increase the endurance, how long the effect lasts, etc. The highest power level of any Matoran-made disk is 8; though six level-9 disks exist (see "Great Kanoka Disks", below).

With regards to making Kanohi Masks, level-1 to level-6 disks are used to make Matoran masks, because all the power of the disk leeches out during the mask-masking process, so the masks do not have power. Level-7 disks are used to make Noble Masks, and level-8 disks are used to make Great Masks.

Great Kanoka Disks

There were six Kanoka Disks in existence with a power level of 9, called Great Kanoka Disks. During the time that the Morbuzakh was attacking Metru Nui, one Matoran from each Metru found a Great Disk; the Toa Metru were later able to retrieve the Great Disks and use them to destroy the Morbuzakh.

Nuhrii found the Ta-Metru Great Disk (code 159) in one of the district's fire pits.
Vhisola discovered that the Ga-Metru Great Disk (code 279) was underneath the Great Temple; though it was Toa Nokama who realized it was stuck in a sea monster's teeth!
Ahkmou saw the Po-Metru Great Disk (code 339) in the top of a huge statue.
Ehrye found the Ko-Metru Great Disk (code 429) stuck in an icicle high up on a Knowledge Tower.
Orkahm saw the Le-Metru Great Disk (code 589) in the center of a force sphere in the chute system.
Tehutti discovered that the Onu-Metru Great Disk (code 619) was in a certain section of the Archives, but Whenua still had to search every room until he found the right storage closet.

Toa Vakama later found that he could merge the six Great Disks together to make the Disk of Time (code 199), he then forged this disk into the Vahi Mask of Time.

ToaKanoka — The Toa disks given to the Toa Metru

Toa Disks

When the six Matoran chosen by Toa Lhikan transformed into the Toa Metru at the Great Temple, they found six Kanoka with their names and Kanohi Masks carved on them. These disks bear some of the Toa's elemental power in them. They may be the Toa Metrus' version of a Nuva Symbol. The location of these disks as of now is unknown. (Only Toa Vakama's Disk was ever manufactured by LEGO.)

Disk Combinations

The following Kanohi masks are made from different combinations of Kanoka Disks:

Akaku, the Great Mask of X-Ray Vision - Weaken + Teleport disks
Hau, the Great Mask of Shielding - Growth + Regeneration disks
Huna,the Great Mask of Concealment - Enlarge + Shrink + Freeze disks
Kakama, the Great Mask of Speed - Teleport + Reconstitutes at Random disks
Kaukau, the Great Mask of Water Breathing - Regeneration + Shrink + Removes Poison disks
Kiril, the Great Mask of Regeneration - Regeneration disk
Komau, the Great Mask of Mind Control - Freeze + Weaken + Removes Poison disks
Kualsi, the Great Mask of Quick-Travel - Teleport disk
Mahiki, the Great Mask of Illusion - Reconstitutes at Random + Weaken disks
Matatu, the Great Mask of Telekinesis - Teleport + Shrink disks
Miru, the Great Mask of Levitation - Teleport + Weaken disks
Pakari, the Great Mask of Strength - Regeneration + Enlarge + Removes Poison disks
Pehkui, the Great Mask of Diminishment - Shrink disk
Rau, the Great Mask of Translation - Removes Poison + Enlarge disks
Ruru, the Great Mask of Night Vision - Enlarge + Teleport disks
Vahi, the Legendary Mask of Time - Disk of Time, made by combining the six Great Disks
Masks with elemental powers could theoretically be forged from Toa Disks,but no such masks have been seen in the storyline.

Kanoka combinations for all other masks are unknown. The Ignika Mask of Life is said to have been forged by the Great Beings, and likely was not made from Kanoka Disks at all.

Behind the sets

Collectibility

Although there are 432 possible Kanoka Code combinations (six Metru times eight powers times nine levels of strength), only 50 of these codes were produced by LEGO. Several came with 2004 Bionicle sets:

2004 Matoran sets came with a Kanoka of the corresponding Metru: Codes 143, 226, 373, 437, 574, and 685
Vahki sets also came with a Kanoka of their corresponding Metru: Codes 116, 225, 334, 447, 555, and 665
Nidhiki and Krekka sets came with disks of codes 638 and 338, respectively

The remainder of the coded Kanoka disks, including Great Disks, were available in Kanoka Disk Launcher Packs (in order of strength):

Ta-Metru: codes 171, 132, 184, 125, 117, and 159
Ga-Metru: codes 212, 253, 234, 265, 287, and 279
Po-Metru: codes 361, 382, 314, 326, 357, and 339
Ko-Metru: codes 442, 473, 485, 416, 468, and 429
Le-Metru: codes 521, 543, 565, 536, 548, and 589
Onu-Metru: codes 631, 663, 654, 646, 677, and 619

There are also two more mass-produced Kanoka, not marked with normal Metru symbols: Toa Vakama sets included Vakama's Toa Disk; and Disks of Time were included in specially-marked late releases of Vahki sets, only in Target stores. In a contest involving Toa Metru canisters, 50 gold disks were produced as a second prize. Whether or not it is part of the storyline is currently unknown