Talk:Mahiki

"Shapeshifting"

According to Greg (here) the user of a Great Mahiki isn't actually shapeshifting, just changing the way they look. Cheesy Mac n Cheese (talk) 05:15, 18 May 2015 (CEST)

Optical Illusions?

It says in the trivia section that the Mahiki does not affect the target's mind. First of all, that would mean its powers are not psionic. Second, it begs two questions:

1. Is it possible that the Mahiki actually has limited light powers, perhaps similar to those of an Av-Matoran?
2. In that case, wouldn't the illusions still affect beings with mental shields?

-- Great Jala ^{Cthulhu fhtagn} 22:17, 3 March 2016 (CET)

Original description on bionicle.com

So I know i'm dredging up an old debate here on the shapeshifting vs. illusion thing, but I distinctly remember the original description on bionicle.com in 2004 saying that the mask allowed him to shapeshift, but then went on to specify that he couldn't take the powers of those whose shape he took - if they felt the need to specify that he can't copy someone 's powers with the mask, i took that to mean that he could truly shapeshift, instead of just casting an illusion that made him look like someone else.

1. does anyone know of a way to find that original description on the 2004 bionicle.com? the wayback machine doesn't seem to be playing nice with me right now. 2. if we were to find the original description, i would think that would supersede Greg's more recent answer on the LMBs - given that established canon takes precedent over any new answers he gives (b/c forgetcons). right? 3. additionally, i remember in the book where the toa metru fought that mutated lohrok when they came back to metru nui that matau shifted to look like one, and then used his new wings to generate enough life to save himself and nuju - which he wouldn't have been able to do if the wings were simply an illusion, as opposed to an actual shapeshift. can anyone verify that scene happened? Intelligence4 (talk) 09:13, 3 February 2017 (CET)

I don't remember the website bio saying that, but if that scene happened in BA7, then that more or less clinches it. Strange though it may seem. --Angel Bob (talk) 22:51, 3 February 2017 (CET)

I don't have access to the book atm, but i remember it saying something about matau struggling to get lift when he caught a falling nuju, and one of the others pointedly said something to matau about the lohrok not having any friends - prompting him to use his mask, and then he wasn't struggling to keep nuju and himself in the air anymore. Intelligence4 (talk) 00:34, 4 February 2017 (CET)

So, I looked up the scene: it's in BA7 pages 74-75, and then he changes back on 79-80. Everything you describe did happen (nice memory!), but as it's written, there's nothing to indicate that turning into a Lohrak actually helped him carry Nuju. Furthermore, the narration very specifically describes it as the Mask of Illusion. There may still be a scene somewhere where Matau does something with the mask that can only be shapeshifting, but it isn't this scene. --Angel Bob (talk) 00:35, 24 February 2017 (CET)

dredging this up again: on page 30 of maze of shadows, matau is using his mask to shapeshift because he's bored (which, off topic, is such a great characterization of him haha). the book says, a couple times, that he's shapeshifting, and it's not in a character's words; the narrating voice outright says "shapeshifting". one of those was "while in the shape of a..." - not "while having the appearance of a..." or "looking like a..." or anything else - it pretty clearly states that he physically changed shape. Intelligence4 (talk) 23:22, 4 June 2017 (CET)

surel, i'm so glad you found that quote in the BEU haha. i knew i remembered that correctly! Intelligence4 (talk) 07:48, 16 September 2017 (CET)