Light (Generation 1)

"Light can do a lot of things. It can illuminate. It can welcome. It can warm. As it turns out, it can also make laser beams that slice through protosteel."
— Toa Takanuva, Takanuva's Blog

Light
Takanuva using the Kanohi Avohkii and Staff of Light
Elemental Power
Associated Kanohi	Avohkii
Matoran prefix	Av-
Associated colors	Primary: White Secondary: Gold

Light is an Elemental Power.

Species Wielders

Matoran Universe

In the Matoran Universe, Light is represented by the Matoran prefix Av- and the colors white and gold.

Matoran

• Av-Matoran represent the Element of Light and naturally appear as gold and white. Av-Matoran also contain a small amount of Elemental Light Energy, to the extent that they can change how others see their body colors. They can also channel Elemental Light through their hands. Av-Matoran have special light-based powers that can only be used when in contact with a Toa or a Makuta. Light is the only naturally occurring Element that allows for male and female Matoran, Toa, and Turaga.
• A Toa of Light possesses the Elemental Power of Light, allowing him/her to create, control and absorb light. Their only real limitation is that when they run out of Elemental Light Energy, they must wait for it to recharge. Where an Av-Matoran's power can be compared to a lantern, a Toa of Light's can be compared to a sun.
• A Turaga of Light would possess traces of Elemental Light Energy stronger than those of an Av-Matoran. Where a Toa of Light's power can be compared to a sun, a Turaga's can be compared to a light bulb.

Other

• Umbra has a wide range of Light powers.
• With training and focus, any being can theoretically develop limited Light powers.

Alternate Locations

• A race of beings who live in a pocket dimension. They are made entirely of light, and eat Shadow for nutrition.
• The Makuta of the Melding Alternate Universe. They spent many years under meditation to purge themselves of Shadow and tap into the power of Light.

Examples

Umbra turning into light

• Creating light
  • Creating focused beams of light (lasers)
  • Creating solid or intangible holograms
  • Creating solid objects out of light (Solek-exclusive)
  • Freezing a target in a column of light
  • Creating fireworks
• Controlling light
  • Permanently changing how others perceive one's body color
• Absorbing light
• Re-igniting lightstones
• Moving as fast as light (exclusive to Photok and Umbra)
• Converting one's own energy into light as an energy source (Tanma-exclusive)
• Turning oneself into light (Umbra-exclusive)
• Unleashing a Light Nova Blast (Toa-exclusive)

Combinations

• As long as each of them wields a different Element, providing that Light and Shadow are not included at the same time, any six Toa can create a Protodermis cage. Beings other than Toa and the Krahka cannot combine powers of any sort to create a Protodermis cage.

Users

The Great Mask of Light, an Elemental Kanohi

The following beings have/had the Element of Light and/or its sub-powers:

• All Av-Matoran - Limited Light powers, including Light bolts and individual abilities
• The Mata Nui Robot (formerly; now heavily damaged)
• All Makuta of The Melding Alternate Universe
  • Alternate Teridax
• The Prototype Robot (formerly; now destroyed)
• Takanuva
  • Takutanuva (formerly; now unmerged)
• Umbra

The following objects have/had the Element of Light and/or its sub-powers:

• The Kanohi Avohkii and any user of it
  • The Mask of Light and Shadow and any user of it (formerly; now unmerged)
• Midak Skyblasters - Light blasts
• Xian Lightstone Rifles - Flashes of light

The following locations are affiliated with Light:

• Karda Nui (destroyed)
• Dimension of Light

Balance of Light

All beings naturally have a measure of Light in them, with any deficiency of this Light referred to as Shadow. A being's balance of Light and Shadow is connected to their moral state: the more goodness they have in their hearts, the more Light they possess; while those lacking Light are prone to evil urges and partake in evil deeds. Ways have been discovered to completely purge Light from a being, leaving only Shadow to fill the void. The Makuta have done this through deliberate training and meditation. It is possible to do the same with Light, but Light's emotions are much harder to follow than Shadow's, and it is not known to have done in the Matoran Universe. Rahi do not possess a balance of Light, as they do not make decisions based on morals.

It is possible to forcefully drain a being's Light by various means: a Shadow Leech, a Kanohi Avsa, or Gorast's stinger. In these cases, the victim's heart naturally regenerates the lost Light that usually occupies them. However, if the Light is completely drained, then the victim will be psychologically incapable of restoring it (the Shadow Leeches were specifically engineered to instill this mental block first, therefore even partial drains cannot be regenerated by natural means). This mental block can be shattered by sonic waves of a specific duration and frequency. The screams of the klakk are a natural cure for it.

The balance of Light and Shadow also has an effect on a being's other Elemental Powers. Any being unbalanced in either direction will gain the ability to use the corresponding element of Light or Shadow. In addition, any being who previously wielded an Elemental Power will now wield the new element instead. An element wielder who only partially lost his/her Light and cannot regenerate it will be able to wield both the native element and Shadow, although neither element may be used to its full potential. Takanuva, when suffering from such a drain, continually lost Light whenever he used his native elemental abilities and was instead filled with Shadow. Spherus Magna beings cannot access these powers.

Trivia

• Light is very powerful against Shadow.
• There are no Skakdi of Light.
• Although a Toa of Light could theoretically use their power to become invisible by warping light around themselves, Greg Farshtey decided not to use this power in the story because he felt that invisibility would make a Toa of Light too powerful.
• When Matoro used the Kanohi Ignika to revive the Great Spirit Mata Nui, it created a flash of light, and when three Makuta, Antroz, Vamprah, and Chirox, got close to Matoro, the flash blinded them.

See also

• Elemental Powers § Light