Toa Toa are the main heroes of BIONICLE , a LEGO theme that ran from 2001 to 2010 , before receiving a reboot which lasted from 2015 to 2016 . Description . Generation 1 . Each Toa has power over an element of nature , and they wear Kanohi Masks that provide them with additional abilities . Like most of the other beings of the BIONICLE universe , Toa are biomechanical in nature , having both organic and inorganic components . Besides physical attributes , each Toa has a specific destiny , a special purpose that they must try to fulfill . Most also hold to a moral code that upholds justice and keeps one from killing opponents ; those who betray such codes are no longer considered " Toa " . Toa traditionally work in teams of six , with each member controlling a different element : so far the typical team contains one Toa each from the elements of Fire , Water , Air , Stone , Earth , and Ice . However , there are exceptions to both rules : some Toa have been known to work alone at times while others have banded together in groups as large as hundreds when needed ; and Toa of other elements such as Light , Sonics and Magnetism have been known to exist . In general , Toa are transformed members of the Matoran race ( though some early Toa were created simply as Toa , never existing as a Matoran beforehand ) . After achieving his destiny , a Toa can be given the option to give up his power for some greater good . If he does so , he becomes a Turaga elder . There were once as many as 3 , 000 Toa in existence , but as of the time of the Toa Inika their numbers are down to 50 . The Toa Hagah have since returned to active service , raising this number to 56 . Currently , after Matoro ' s death and Toa Krakua ' s existence in the story , the number remains 56 . This number may or may not include " Toa " Mata Nui , who is not a proper Toa . Powers and equipment . Toa are best known for their elemental powers , allowing them to have tremendous control over the element they represent . This includes creating the element out of nothing , absorbing it into themselves , and manipulating it in almost any shape or form . However , this manipulation uses up elemental energy , and a fatigued Toa must wait for it to recharge before elemental powers can be used again . Separate from elemental energy is Toa energy , which is not rechargeable . It is this energy that is given up when a Toa becomes a Turaga , though a Toa can use small amounts before then with no ill effects . The effects of Toa energy are vaguely defined , though it has been seen to unlock Toa powers in Matoran ( via Toa stones ) , heal injury and poison , and awaken from a coma . Each Toa is also equipped with a Great Kanohi Mask that grants them an additional power ( though Toa are also able to master the Noble Kanohi Turaga wear ) . While a Toa can have multiple masks stored away in a Toa Suva ( shrine ) that they can switch at will for a variety of powers , most Toa only have one mask that they wear constantly . Toa are also equipped with personal tools , which can be melee weaponry or even ranged weaponry . Since the Toa stand against using these tools to kill living beings , they are most often used to focus elemental powers . Several tools can be used in alternate modes that help with transportation ; for instance , a disk launcher can be used as a jetpack , and blades can be worn as ice skates . According to series writer Greg Farshtey , when Matoran become Toa they subconsciously pattern their armor style after their idea of what Toa armor looks like ( barring any outside influences on the transformation ) . This reasoning is meant to explain why Toa Takanuva takes after the Toa Nuva , and why the Toa Metru have similar armor to Toa Lhikan . ( The Toa Inika would have had Nuva - style armor , but it was altered as one of several side effects of their unique transformation . ) A few teams , such as the Toa Nuva and Toa Hagah , wear metallic - coloured armor in addition to that which is built into their bodies ; in the Hagah ' s case , at least , this denotes an elite status . Toa Kaita . Three Toa can merge into a single being called a " Toa Kaita " . Toa Kaita have the combined elemental and mask powers of the individual Toa . However , Toa cannot stay merged for very long , because keeping three personalities in sync can be mentally taxing . So far , only the Toa Mata have been seen to form Toa Kaita , and they retained this ability when they became Toa Nuva . No other team has been known to even attempt such a fusion , although they are capable of doing it . Toa can also merge in groups greater or less than three . According to series writer Greg Farshtey , a six - Toa fusion would be called a " Toa Nui " , and its power could rival the Great Spirit Mata Nui himself . However , in the BIONICLE universe , the Toa Nui is only a legend . Major Toa teams . These are the teams of Toa that have had starring roles in the storyline so far : The Toa Mata / Toa Nuva . Tahu , Gali , Lewa , Pohatu , Onua , and Kopaka are the six Toa whose destiny is to awaken the Great Spirit Mata Nui from his near - endless slumber . They were empowered over ninety thousand years ago , making them among the world ' s first Toa ( however , there are Toa still in existence that are yet older than they ) . These six Toa were sent to the island of Mata Nui to confront the Master of Shadows , Makuta . As the only known heroes at the time , they were simply referred to as " the Toa " ; fans later created the nicknames " Toa Olda " and " Toa Mata " for this incarnation , and Toa Mata has recently been made the official name ( See " Notes " under main article for details on these names ) . Arriving on the island of Mata Nui ( named after the Great Spirit ) with little memory , the local Turaga elders told them of their mission and of the evil Makuta that had enslaved many of the island ' s Rahi beasts . If Mata Nui was to be awakened , Makuta would need to be stopped first . The Toa collected the Kanohi Masks of Power scattered around the island and challenged Makuta , but he soon awakened swarms of creatures called Bohrok that threatened to destroy everything on the island . The Toa fought these swarms off and imprisoned their queens , Cahdok and Gahdok . Immediately afterward , they were immersed in energized protodermis , making them Toa Nuva with enhanced powers and equipment . As Toa Nuva , they fought both the elite Bohrok called Bohrok - Kal and the " Sons of Makuta " , the Rahkshi . In the weeks of peace after Makuta ' s apparent death in a battle with Takanuva , the Toa of Light , the Toa Nuva have been listening to the Turaga ' s tales of the Great Cataclysm and the Great Rescue that took place on Metru Nui a thousand years ago . The Toa Nuva have since travelled to the island of Voya Nui in search of a powerful Mask of Life that could save Mata Nui from death . However , they ran afoul of Piraka that were also looking for the mask and were captured . Once they were rescued by the local Matoran , they recognized that this mission rightfully belonged to the Toa Inika and gave them their blessing to go forward . They are now pursuing a new mission of preparing the world for Mata Nui ' s eventual awakening . Recently , they arrived on the island of Artakha and received new armors called Adaptive Armor , which shapeshifts automatically to fit the environment the wearer ' s in . They then set off to Karda Nui , aka the Universe Core , in an attempt to stop the Makuta who invaded the land , and to retrieve the fable Kanohi Ignika , the Great Mask of Life . The Toa Mangai . The Toa Mangai were the team of Toa that defended Metru Nui before the Toa Metru . They were led by Toa Lhikan . Known members included Nidhiki ( before becoming a Dark Hunter ) , Tuyet , and Naho . Over the centuries , they were sent on missions from which some did not return , until Lhikan was the only one left . The volcano on the island of Mata Nui is named after this team . The Toa Metru / Toa Hordika . Vakama , Nokama , Matau , Onewa , Whenua , and Nuju were once Matoran a thousand years ago in the city of Metru Nui . The city ' s lone remaining protector , Toa Lhikan , gave Toa Stones to the six Matoran and sent them to the Great Temple , where they were transformed into Toa Metru . Their first task was to stop the Morbuzakh plant creature that was slowly taking over the city , but they then discovered that Teridax was scheming to put the Great Spirit Mata Nui to sleep and take his place as the Matorans ' object of reverence . Though they were able to imprison the Makuta leader , they could not stop Mata Nui from falling asleep and had to escape the crumbling city . In trying to rescue the Matoran from Metru Nui , the Toa Metru were captured by the Visorak hordes that had conquered the ruined city . The Visorak ' s venom mutated them into beastly Toa Hordika ; these new forms had no mask powers , limited access to elemental powers , and if they were to stay as Toa Hordika for long enough they would remain as beasts forever . With help from strange creatures called Rahaga , the Toa fought to free the Matoran from the Visorak ; and they looked for the mythical Keetongu , who could possibly cure them of their mutation . Once the Visorak were defeated and the Toa were cured , they relocated all the Matoran to the island of Mata Nui . There , they gave up their Toa power to wake the Matoran from their slumber , becoming Turaga . The Toa Inika / Toa Mahri . Jaller , Hahli , Kongu , Hewkii , Nuparu , and Matoro are a new team of Toa , whose purpose is to save the life of the Great Spirit Mata Nui . After finding out that Mata Nui is in danger of dying and that the Toa Nuva have been sent to save him , Jaller refused to wait helplessly . He gathered a small squad of Matoran to go and aid the Nuva in their quest to find the Ignika Mask of Life . Upon arriving on Voya Nui in canisters meant for Toa , the canisters were struck by lightning from the Red Star and their passengers were transformed into Toa Inika with special lightning - enhanced powers and other alterations , such as living masks . The Toa Inika quickly joined the island ' s few free Matoran and raced to claim the Mask of Life before a group of thugs calling themselves " Piraka " did . While the Piraka were defeated , the Mask of Life escaped the grasp of the Toa . It flew into the sea , finding itself in the domain of banished Barraki warlords . The Toa Inika gave chase , and the mask changed them into new forms capable of surviving the ocean depths . They have since discovered another Matoran community in the sunken city of Mahri Nui , who have bestowed them the title of Toa Mahri . The Toa Okoto ( a . k . a . Masters / Uniters ) . The Masters / Uniters , also called Toa Okoto by the fans are a team that appear in the 2015 rebooted storyline of BIONICLE . They are consisted of the " rebooted versions " of Tahu , Gali , Pohatu , Kopaka , Onua and Lewa . Till now , the only thing that is known about their origins , is that they came from an outer planet system , without even them knowing what preceded before they came to Okoto . Their destiny is to defeat the evil Makuta Spirit , his minions ( including Kulta , Umarak , and more that will be named in later waves ) and his minions ' armies ( including the Skull Creatures , the Shadow Traps , and more that will be named in later waves ) and restore Okoto as the natural paradise it was once . As Masters , under the guidance of the Protectors , they found their Golden Masks of Powers , unlocking their full elemental powers and battled Kulta ' s Skull Creatures ( composed by Skull Slicer , Skull Basher and Lord of Skull Spiders , along with the hordes of the Skull Spiders , Skull Warriors and Skull Scorpios ) so they can claim the Mask of Creation and revive Ekimu the Mask Maker , Makuta ' s brother , so he will use the Mask of Creation to free Okoto from this threat ( since it ' s the only thing that can destroy them ) . The term Masters come from their abillity to master their elements after getting the Golden Masks . As Uniters , till now there aren ' t many known about them , except that they will recover a new set of Golden Mask , search for the Great Elemental Creatures ( composed by Uxar , Ketar , Akida , Ikir , Terak and Melum ) and fight with them against Umarak and his Shadow Traps . The term Uniters come from their abillity to unite with the Elemental Creatures . Glatorian . Glatorian are different than Toa , however Mata Nui made the Glatorian have Toa - like powers , making the two similar . Glatorian fought in the battle for Spherus Magna . False Toa . Shadow Toa . When the Toa Mata went to face Teridax in his lair , they were surprised to find that one set of his guardians was - themselves . Makuta had taken each Toa ' s inner darkness and given it physical form . These Shadow Toa had all the powers of the originals and were physically identical to them , save that their colors had been darkened until they were almost black . Each Toa faced off against their shadow counterpart , but the battles were too equally matched ; the Toa Mata could only win by fighting as a team and switching opponents . According to the " BIONICLE Encyclopedia " , the Toa defeated the Shadow Toa when they acknowledged that the darkness was a part of them and reabsorbed the shadows into their bodies . The traitorous Matoran Akhomu was originally intended to be turned into a Shadow Toa via a Shadow Leech and an outside source of power for the 2008 storyline , along with an accompanying set , but this was scrapped . Instead the Shadow leech meant for him attacked Takanuva . " Prophesied " Toa Metru . When Lhikan was choosing the new Toa Metru , Makuta was looking to manipulate the choices to his advantage . Mata Nui was fully aware of this , and to make sure " his " choices would become Toa , he and his Order created false prophecies that said the six Matoran who found the Great Kanoka Disks would become the Toa Metru : Nuhrii , Vhisola , Orkahm , Ahkmou , Tehutti , and Ehrye . Makuta was convinced by the prophecies and influenced Lhikan to choose six other Matoran who were much more stubborn and hard - headed : Vakama , Nokama , Matau , Onewa , Whenua , and Nuju - the ones that Mata Nui had wanted to be Toa all along . Roodaka would later use these prophecies to demoralize the Toa , making them believe that their election as Toa had been a mistake . While searching for the Kanohi Vahi , the Great Mask of Time , Vakama had almost become convinced that the Vahi had affected the past so that Lhikan actually had chosen Nuhrii , Vhisola , etc . to be the Toa Metru . In truth , it was just an elaborate illusion created by Makuta . In the illusion , the Toa Metru were encouraging and enforcing stricter laws , even banning experiments with energized protodermis in order to keep other Matoran from becoming Toa . Piraka . When arriving on Voya Nui , the Piraka claimed to be Toa in order to gain the help of the native Matoran . However , despite playing the part of heroes , they could not hide their sadistic and cruel natures . They dropped this act once they enslaved the Matoran using their antidermis virus .