Fun fact: they did leave Pompeii! It's estimated that the population pre-eruption was something like 20,000, and the most likely number of dead in is in the range of 1,500-4,000. So most people just did leave Pompeii, it's just that not everyone left or could leave.
correction, some of their brain cells turned to glass, unless you want to bitch about the Smithsonian's knowledge base. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mount-vesuvius-turned-mans-brain-cells-glass-180976073/
What you seem to not understand is that when volcanoes erupt the way Mount Vesuvius did, your survival is dependant on whether or not you're close enough to a ship when it happens. It doesn't matter how smart you are, your IQ cannot outrun a catastrophic volcanic eruption.
If you're going to criticize them for anything, it should be their decision to settle near an active volcano in the first place.
I have thoughts about how in the Matoran Universe, Gender is closely tied to element, and how there's really no gender binary, it's closer to a gender hexidecimal system (BEFORE getting into gender fluidity, etc.), but Lego was too cowardly to come up with neopronouns and defaulted the language to the Western gender binary. In this essay I will -
okay my ramble was approved so here's what I just wrote out at two in the morning so blame my fucking insomnia, which is slowly destroying me 👍
Matoran have no need for gender distinctions as the vast majority of their sexual dimorphism is actually elemental dimorphism, but they still have male-female distinction in their society. Where does that come from?
Now the obvious answer is that the Lego team wrote them that way and did not delve much deeper than modern Western gender norms. But if we look at this from within the universe, I see three options:
1. The Matoran are mimicking another species who DO have sexual dimorphism and naturally developed gender norms
2. The Matoran have pre-set gender norms and gender distinctions from their creators
3. The Matoran developed their gender norms and gender distinctions independently
I don't believe the first one to be the case. It's true that species such as Vortixx, who do have sexual dimorphism, use gender distinctions for societal structures such as male-female pairings, the concept of marriage/royalty being shared through pairings, and even matriarchal and misandrist institutions.
However the Matoran do not appear to mimic the Vortixx in their matriarchal set-up: Ta-Matoran seem to be expected to lead and are most often seen in positions of power, Ga-Matoran are generally seen as more gentle than matriarchal, and likewise Orde suggests that Toa of Psionics, who are female apart from him, are expected to be sweet and gentle. If anything Matoran society appears to lean more towards a male-dominated society than a female dominated one (in part because it was written by a team from modern Western human society and is made to appeal to boys, and as such it mimics some parts of modern Western human society).
It also seems like there's no real reason for the Matoran to mimic another species' perspective on gender unless it would somehow be helpful to them. I do not know enough about the sexual dimorphism or gender distinctions of other species to know this for certain, but let's choose to assume no other species have sexual dimorphism and social gender norms that the Matoran have mimicked.
In that case, it seems that either the Matoran were given their cultural values of gender distinctions from some sort of outside presence like pre-set norms from their creators, or they developed their own gender values on their own as their society progressed - or a little of both, as I expect.
When it comes to pre-set norms given to the Matoran by their creators, we must take into account two things: first, that the Matoran are meant to be mere manual laborers with no real independence, and secondly, that Av-Matoran might choose to go by either he or she.
If Matoran are mere manual laborers, why program them with gender norms? There must be a purpose for someone to bother to put this in. For example, Orde says that he was so aggressive with his powers that subsequent Toa of Psionics were developed as females for the purpose of hopefully making them more gentle and caring.
Oops, look at that! There it is: the pre-set gender norms Matoran experience are based on a sexist as all fuck system instituted by sexist as all fuck creators who believed that, by instituting the concept of 'female' as opposed to 'male,' they might cause certain members of the developing society to be more easy-going and sweet.
So Ga-Matoran are expected to be teachers and champions of unity? Make them female. Matoran of Plant Life are supposed to nurture plant life and grow things? Make them female (as a reminder the only Toa of Plant Life who appears in the books is referred to as 'he,' but Greg Farshtey later stated that this was a mistake and Toa of Plant Life are really female... I know, great representation there, but anyway). Toa of Psionics are too scary? Make them female. I expect something similar happened with Matoran of Lightning: they were too aggressive as Toa, or they were needed to do something nurturing and gentle, or the Great Spirits just decided that about one in six of their Matoran should be female for the sweet peace-keeping aspect of things, so they were made female.
Makuta are 85% male and 15% female - could be that the same person who decided that some females were needed in the general population of Matoran to keep them united was also the one who decided less than 1/4 of the Makuta should be female. I also expect that it was a completely different person who decided that the Vortixx should be the way they are! Maybe they were fed up with the other guy's misogynistic shit and decided to incorporate some misandrist shit into the universe instead. Lol. Terrible.
On the other hand, the vast majority of creatures we encounter from other species are all male. It's possible that there are species which were not evaluated as needing male and female gender norms for the better functioning of their societies, and, as such, they are all referred to as male as the default. But that's just an idea, and a bit of a tangent.
What's more is that it is clear that despite any 'pre-sets' there might have been in the beginning, there are many Matoran and Toa who defy expected labels. For instance, we know that female Toa of Psionics are meant to be gentle and careful with their powers. Luckily for all of us, however, Varian is canon! And she is worse than Orde when it comes to using her powers casually and recklessly – that little shit gives Norik bad dreams just for the hell of it sometimes. Chiara is irreverent and independent, Gali expresses struggling with anger and aggression issues, and Hahli is literally referred to as a barbarian who enjoys harassing deposed kings in prison. And if we presume that Makuta might have female-male distinctions for the similar purpose of the females helping maintain unity and being the gentle, understanding ones... Gorast is completely out of her mind. None of the female characters conform perfectly or completely to any standards of the sweet, peaceful female who can't or won't stand up for herself. They all make it clear that females have refused to stick to any shallow pre-sets and at times they actively resist the stereotype. So we know that that's not all there is to their gender distinctions. It is more complex than just what they were programmed with.
Now let's return to what toainatreehouse pointed out: gender is clearly and concretely (other than the Av-Matoran, apparently) linked to element. From what we have been told, all Ta-Matoran are considered male and all Ga-Matoran are considered female. Statements like these are almost universally true across all other elemental groups but Av-Matoran, and the very few distinctions, such as Orde being male, seem to be quickly corrected. So it is an intrinsic fact of this universe that gender and element are tied together for Matoran groups excepting the Av-Matoran (there could be other groups we do not know about with abnormal gender distinctions, but for now let's assume Av-Matoran are the only odd ones out).
So what makes Av-Matoran different other than that they are not destined to engage with other Matoran groups? Easy: they can change their colors at will! In other words, they can change their elemental presentation at will.
I believe the reason the Av-Matoran go by either he or she is because being able to change your elemental presentation is virtually identical to changing your gender presentation.
This would make Av-Matoran genderfluid in as much as we can assign labels such as genderfluid to another culture. Moreover, however, it deepens the connection which toainatreehouse mentioned: in this world, elemental presentation IS gender presentation. There may be pre-sets of male and female in some way (or there might not, that's just the theory I'm functioning on), but that does not change the fact that elemental presentation and gender presentation are deeply tied.
If we accept that elemental presentation and gender presentation are so intrinsically tied that changing one can change the other, and if we accept that Matoran and Toa have demonstrated an ability to develop beyond any pre-set gender norms of their society/their programming, then we can likewise accept as true that every element is its own gender or at least involves a form of gender distinction.
Now what this means functionally could differ. Toainatreehouse has one very good idea which I like a lot, that perhaps every group requires its own pronouns, and that the language of the Matoran or human neopronouns might express that better than merely using he and she. So Ko-Matoran would use their own pronouns, and Onu-Matoran would use their own pronouns, and they would not consider each other the same gender. If we function based on what toainatreehouse said about it being a more multifaceted gender system than a gender binary, the Onu-Matoran and Ko-Matoran could consider themselves more close on the spectrum of gender than the Ga-Matoran, but still see each other as different and distinct genders. Or maybe not! Maybe it's so elementally based that Ko-Matoran would see their gender as most closely related to that of a Ga-Matoran and farthest from that of a Ta-Matoran, while an Onu-Matoran might consider themselves closest to a Po-Matoran and farthest from a Le-Matoran.
Another option could be that Matoran view each other as different genders but they do not consider these distinctions as important enough to use different pronouns for all groups, and instead just stick to he and she. Or perhaps male and female are considered the primary gender somehow, and there are secondary genders tied to elements –
Wait. Now I'm starting to sound like some alpha/omega/beta motherfucker. Post cancelled. Lol.
Okay really though – I think it only makes sense with how closely tied element and gender are in this universe that we assume there is more to gender than merely male and female. And hey, maybe once the Av-Matoran get to interact with other Matoran, they'll be able to spread the idea that gender is not as set in stone as it might appear. I mean, there's so little sexual dimorphism other than elemental distinctions such as color! And hell, Matoran can even change how they will appear as Toa based on the way they perceive what a Toa should look like! My thought that there could be pre-set gender norms is mostly just conjecture based on that one comment from Orde and the apparent stereotype in the universe that the females are expected to be gentler and kinder overall, but really other than that there are very few reasons gender would ever have been introduced to that world and I expect if we could express our own terms and understandings of what gender is to Matoran and Toa, many of them might identify most closely with terms such as agender or non-binary. However the most important takeaway, I believe, is that this is a completely different world, species, and culture than our own, and there are lots of different options for how we talk about, perceive, and portray the gender norms and distinctions in the universe.
Also, Kaita are a whole separate essay but no way in fuck they should have just called Wairuha 'he!' At least make that motherfucker a 'they!' COME ON PEOPLE
The fascinating thing is that you can use the elemental prefixes as pronouns, declining them the way you would masculine, feminine, or neutral ones in English. Fittingly the prefix for light is the only one that doesn’t fit the schema well (Av).
Even more bizarrely overpowered are rhotuka powers of Boggorak. It's not even the primary ability of the rhotuka that, when used in water, makes targets float.
The secondary ability, when used outside of water, dehydrates the target to the point of disintegration. Not only are boggorak just a random minor villain set, but they're part of a massive swarm, so you can never really be safe.
From what I remember, the disintegration happens very quickly and seemingly can apply to any target. So even Reidak isn't surviving if he gets hit (on land). To add insult to injury, dying this way would especially suck because in water, the environment that boggorak are presumably adapted to live around, they are by far the weakest and least threatening visorak species.
If I were in the matoran universe, I'd live in constant fear of random disintegration by sea spider. I think the only viable defence short of having water powers may be to always carry around a full bucket and hope you can move quick enough to douse the spider as it fires its rhotuka.
Can we talk about the impractical nature of Akatsuki robes. Whoever designed them didn't see a major flaw in the functionality and wearability of its overall structure. I know Pein-sama had a final decision making say, but what was he thinking?? The robes are missing one vital component which is a water resistant HOOD so when they're out in the wilderness and it's raining they don't have to pointlessly get soaked and get even more sick.
And yes this post is specifically referring to Itachi because he is a sick meow meow but sure why not the rest of the boys. How does Sasori function if he's wet? His puppets have to rust or stop bring effective when damp? Pein is obvi used to the rainy seasons and doesn't mind being damp 24/7 but it's a bit hilarious when he has a nonstop meeting with the boys for 3 days and Hidan and Kakuzu are sitting in the rain getting drenched for no reason at all and Itachi who opts out of fighting a tailed beast host and has Kakuzu do it instead has to sit under a tree to avoid getting more sick.
I just don't see the logic of designing the robes with no hood for a clandestine ultra secretive militant group of criminals who are the number one in the bingo book. Winter robes should have more utilitarian function with added pockets and a fleece lining for colder seasons. Give them a double lining.
It's just odd. I get that it's their trademark and is meant to incite fear and warn their enemies but hello, think about your subordinates a little here leader sama. They are doing your dirty work for you while you decompose in the basement.
- written w/my friend and had this in the drafts for quite a while.
Not to mention in part 1 the Akatsuki robe only had one sleeve. Kisame got nerfed because his big 2-handed sword could only be used with 1 hand because his other arm was trapped under a cloak.
The Shippuden cloak is an overall improvement compared to that failure of a design. Imagine trying to make hand signs in that! They only have use of their right hand and Hidan is left-handed! Not to mention if they still had this cloak when Sasuke joined, his primarily left-handed Chidori (gotta stay mirrored with Naruto) is hidden under fabric!
...It did look cool, though.
Kisame potentially could have blocked here, but his arm was trapped! Nagato has been immobile for too long to remember the fundamentals of fighting.
many thoughts about mata nui meeting the surviving toa teams (including the mata discovering that their relationship is less "king and his loyal knights" and more "very proper very sheltered very excited princess and her favorite jousters who are very baffled by her joy and wondering if this is just The Standard Way To Feel In Front Of Your Praising Boss or if theyre developing a crush", the haga being too distracted by Holy Shit The Great Spirit to focus on anything hes saying, and the mahri briefly mistaking him for Matoro on vibes alone and interrupting his genuine apology for what they went through for him to give him a hug) but most importantly imagine youre The World's Least Known And Runner-Up For Most Dysfunctional Toa Team, feeling like you only barely achieved what you were supposed to do through continuous strokes of luck, and then God shows up and is your biggest fan ever. you try to explain in detail how you fumbled your way to tentative success and it just makes God even prouder. thats what the metru are going through
holding hands is like, a big deal. that's their equivalent to kissing
if you're unfamiliar with someone, guiding them with gestures or by their shoulders would be the polite thing to do
you can tell how close matoran are by how close their hands are to touching. grabbing someone by the wrist? JUST ADMIT YOUR FEELING OMG
the next step up in intimacy would be removing your mask in front of someone. I like the idea of it being taboo seeing someone's face without their permission
especially since mask users in the MU are greatly weakened without their masks. it's adding vulnerability to a dynamic. a couple holding hands without their masks on? highest intimacy right there. literally saying I trust my identity and my ability to express myself to you
I like to think tombstones would be decorated with a carving of the deceased's mask, and caretakers would make sure there wasn't any weathering on it out of respect
on the flip side, if someone kills someone else and steals their mask that's considered a desecration of the highest degree. you've already killed someone, and now you've stolen their identity (looking at you, any piraka)
Shaking hands is also a much weightier gesture. It’s not used for greeting a new acquaintance, but for solemn promises or farewells. When Takanuva and Jaller are separated by the barrier to Karzanhi, Takanuva laments not even being able to shake Jaller’s hand. Later, Jaller and Matoro shake hands, knowing it will be for the last time ( though in a different way than they expect).
Also there are a lot of other plot important moments that involve people touching or holding hands. The tender fist-bump between Tahu and Gali in MoL, Onua guiding Lewa out of the Krana’s hold on him, Matoro holding someone’s hand in a dark tunnel, which turned out to be the Ignika reaching out to him…
Wasn't there a moment in one of the MNOLG cutscenes where a Le-Matoran takes off their mask & waggles their bare face at someone/something? That always had a very "mooning" vibe to me 😂
That still fits given that in most human cultures, exposing one’s vulnerable parts can be a trusting and intimate gesture in some contexts and an insulting, obscene one in others.
Now I’m wondering if Kohlii games ever get “streakers” trying to run maskless across the field before they pass out.
Touching someone's mask (while they're wearing it) is generally only done between people who trust each other.
Straightening someone's mask that's on crooked- not "intimate" per se (Kopaka does it to a bewildered looking Takua without a second thought), but definitely requires trust. If you don't know them well it's more polite to just tell them so they can straighten it themselves.
Helping someone clean their mask- slightly more intimate as it may require them to be maskless for a short time, and requires the trust that the other person will look after them if they fall unconscious.
Mask-painting: Depending on the region and availability of spare masks, this may need to be done while the mask is being worn. Some areas have professionals that do this service, while in other cases it would need to be done by the mask's owner or a close friend. (Metru Nui has mandated "silvering" on Matoran masks, other regions have different conventions. Some even have temporary designs with washable paint as part of the customs for local festivals)
Mask-sharing: Usually only done in emergencies, when one party's mask is lost or damaged beyond repair and the two have to take turns wearing the remaining mask to avoid blacking out. Not considered intimate, it's a bit like CPR, but it still requires trust to do this successfully.
Pat on the mask- usually done by Toa to Matoran they already know well as a gesture of fondness or reassurance. May be considered somewhat condescending by some if done by a Toa to another Toa (or a Turaga)
Mask jiggle- similar to the above, but a bit more mischievous and playful- wiggling someone's mask around without dislodging it from their face. Roughly equivalent to ruffling their hair or a light noogie. Usually not done in a bullying way, just being playfully annoying.
Mask swap- Voluntarily exchanging masks with another when not required for emergencies or hygiene practices. How intimate this is considered varies between individuals and cultures- Le- and Ga-Matoran are pretty casual about it, it's a serious expression of connection and intimacy for Ta-Matoran, and most Ko-Matoran find the very idea kind of unpleasant.
(Gentle) Headbutts and nuzzling. One of the more intimate forms of Matoran interaction, roughly equivalent to kissing, but isn't always romantic in nature. Fairly rare amongst all Matoran types.
Some odd additional thoughts whilst reading everyone else's additions.
For the Ta matoran of Metru nui, how intimate could working together to forge a mask be? The idea of two matoran bringing together disks that they feel will work for a project could be a funny or entertaining approach between close friends. Or a team building exercise between matoran that want to improve their craft or even their teamwork. It could be a challenge between rivals to see who is the better craftsman... or it could be something more. I have always seen a tenderness in the creation of the masks being that they are a large part of an individual's expression and presentation in the matoran universe.
You could probably make similar points for the other matoran sharing their crafts, too.
For Po matoran and Le matoran, I would imagine something similar to Ta matoran; a sharing of personal projects and a desire to involve another's personal touch. I can see the blueprints of a dream vehicle or architectural innovation being very valuable and personal to an individual, especially if currently incomplete/unachievable.
For Ga matoran, Onu matoran, and Ko matoran, it could be the approach to how they guide another through their process as their work tends to be less manual. I like the idea of gestures and personally guiding another via touch as described above.
For any of them it could just be geeking out about the specific love of their work in the same way we would talk to each other about our favourite twice cancelled toylines.
But most importantly, any of these things, when shared with a matoran from a different Metru, becomes significantly more intimate. Seeing the focus of your Ko matoran friend as he stargazes and listening to him mutter as he ponders the meaning of the constellations might change how you see him. There is something so deeply personal about how the matoran approach their vocations that I wish could be explored further.
Completely separate to that, we know that Toa power is a finite source and can be bestowed upon various items and/or matoran. A Toa can also become a Turaga when they use up all of their Toa power. Whilst it is never shown, I don't see why one Toa wouldn't be able to transfer their Toa power to another. It could be an act that implies something along the lines of, "I don't want to end our journey together just yet." This could be between team members or strangers hypothetically, but again, it feels like something so personal. To sacrifice a portion (or possibly all of) your limited supply of an incredibly versatile and destiny defining energy for another feels like an intimate act to me.
on the subject of mask making, the intimacy involved in forging a mask for a loved one. saying "here, I have crafted this with my own hands. I took everything I know about you and made you something I think, I hope, represents you on a deeply personal level."
wearing the mask someone made for you. knowing their hands lovingly crafted for your face only
matoran of other Metrus going to mask makers with designs for their loved ones, maybe going to a mutual ta-matoran friend, or asking around and checking out different styles of mask making to find one you think your friend would like
Also! Trusting someone to make a new mask if/when your old one no longer represents you. I'm sure there would be many instances where something fundamentally changes how a matoran would want to publicly present. They have complex social systems and live for thousands of years, there's gotta be a good amount of personal change and growth in any matoran's life.
It's not the same as replacing something broken or requesting the mask solely for its necessary function. You may still want to go to the most talented and skilled mask maker, but I think most would rather go to someone they implicitly trust to help them shape their identity. That might be someone else in a lot of cases... either that or there's some room for a very overworked vakama headcanon?
holding hands is like, a big deal. that's their equivalent to kissing
if you're unfamiliar with someone, guiding them with gestures or by their shoulders would be the polite thing to do
you can tell how close matoran are by how close their hands are to touching. grabbing someone by the wrist? JUST ADMIT YOUR FEELING OMG
the next step up in intimacy would be removing your mask in front of someone. I like the idea of it being taboo seeing someone's face without their permission
especially since mask users in the MU are greatly weakened without their masks. it's adding vulnerability to a dynamic. a couple holding hands without their masks on? highest intimacy right there. literally saying I trust my identity and my ability to express myself to you
I like to think tombstones would be decorated with a carving of the deceased's mask, and caretakers would make sure there wasn't any weathering on it out of respect
on the flip side, if someone kills someone else and steals their mask that's considered a desecration of the highest degree. you've already killed someone, and now you've stolen their identity (looking at you, any piraka)
Shaking hands is also a much weightier gesture. It’s not used for greeting a new acquaintance, but for solemn promises or farewells. When Takanuva and Jaller are separated by the barrier to Karzanhi, Takanuva laments not even being able to shake Jaller’s hand. Later, Jaller and Matoro shake hands, knowing it will be for the last time ( though in a different way than they expect).
Also there are a lot of other plot important moments that involve people touching or holding hands. The tender fist-bump between Tahu and Gali in MoL, Onua guiding Lewa out of the Krana’s hold on him, Matoro holding someone’s hand in a dark tunnel, which turned out to be the Ignika reaching out to him…
Wasn't there a moment in one of the MNOLG cutscenes where a Le-Matoran takes off their mask & waggles their bare face at someone/something? That always had a very "mooning" vibe to me 😂
That still fits given that in most human cultures, exposing one’s vulnerable parts can be a trusting and intimate gesture in some contexts and an insulting, obscene one in others.
Now I’m wondering if Kohlii games ever get “streakers” trying to run maskless across the field before they pass out.
Touching someone's mask (while they're wearing it) is generally only done between people who trust each other.
Straightening someone's mask that's on crooked- not "intimate" per se (Kopaka does it to a bewildered looking Takua without a second thought), but definitely requires trust. If you don't know them well it's more polite to just tell them so they can straighten it themselves.
Helping someone clean their mask- slightly more intimate as it may require them to be maskless for a short time, and requires the trust that the other person will look after them if they fall unconscious.
Mask-painting: Depending on the region and availability of spare masks, this may need to be done while the mask is being worn. Some areas have professionals that do this service, while in other cases it would need to be done by the mask's owner or a close friend. (Metru Nui has mandated "silvering" on Matoran masks, other regions have different conventions. Some even have temporary designs with washable paint as part of the customs for local festivals)
Mask-sharing: Usually only done in emergencies, when one party's mask is lost or damaged beyond repair and the two have to take turns wearing the remaining mask to avoid blacking out. Not considered intimate, it's a bit like CPR, but it still requires trust to do this successfully.
Pat on the mask- usually done by Toa to Matoran they already know well as a gesture of fondness or reassurance. May be considered somewhat condescending by some if done by a Toa to another Toa (or a Turaga)
Mask jiggle- similar to the above, but a bit more mischievous and playful- wiggling someone's mask around without dislodging it from their face. Roughly equivalent to ruffling their hair or a light noogie. Usually not done in a bullying way, just being playfully annoying.
Mask swap- Voluntarily exchanging masks with another when not required for emergencies or hygiene practices. How intimate this is considered varies between individuals and cultures- Le- and Ga-Matoran are pretty casual about it, it's a serious expression of connection and intimacy for Ta-Matoran, and most Ko-Matoran find the very idea kind of unpleasant.
(Gentle) Headbutts and nuzzling. One of the more intimate forms of Matoran interaction, roughly equivalent to kissing, but isn't always romantic in nature. Fairly rare amongst all Matoran types.
Some odd additional thoughts whilst reading everyone else's additions.
For the Ta matoran of Metru nui, how intimate could working together to forge a mask be? The idea of two matoran bringing together disks that they feel will work for a project could be a funny or entertaining approach between close friends. Or a team building exercise between matoran that want to improve their craft or even their teamwork. It could be a challenge between rivals to see who is the better craftsman... or it could be something more. I have always seen a tenderness in the creation of the masks being that they are a large part of an individual's expression and presentation in the matoran universe.
You could probably make similar points for the other matoran sharing their crafts, too.
For Po matoran and Le matoran, I would imagine something similar to Ta matoran; a sharing of personal projects and a desire to involve another's personal touch. I can see the blueprints of a dream vehicle or architectural innovation being very valuable and personal to an individual, especially if currently incomplete/unachievable.
For Ga matoran, Onu matoran, and Ko matoran, it could be the approach to how they guide another through their process as their work tends to be less manual. I like the idea of gestures and personally guiding another via touch as described above.
For any of them it could just be geeking out about the specific love of their work in the same way we would talk to each other about our favourite twice cancelled toylines.
But most importantly, any of these things, when shared with a matoran from a different Metru, becomes significantly more intimate. Seeing the focus of your Ko matoran friend as he stargazes and listening to him mutter as he ponders the meaning of the constellations might change how you see him. There is something so deeply personal about how the matoran approach their vocations that I wish could be explored further.
Completely separate to that, we know that Toa power is a finite source and can be bestowed upon various items and/or matoran. A Toa can also become a Turaga when they use up all of their Toa power. Whilst it is never shown, I don't see why one Toa wouldn't be able to transfer their Toa power to another. It could be an act that implies something along the lines of, "I don't want to end our journey together just yet." This could be between team members or strangers hypothetically, but again, it feels like something so personal. To sacrifice a portion (or possibly all of) your limited supply of an incredibly versatile and destiny defining energy for another feels like an intimate act to me.
