[ziggytrix]

Ma-ti became the planeteer of Heart, able to communicate with others telepathically and feel and convey emotions directly. Though not powerful in the way of action, Ma-ti's power is considered by some to be the most important, for it keeps the planeteers together and helps them to be in tune with not just nature, but the people with which they interact. Ma-ti's power can also influence the feelings of others, enabling him to draw aid from creatures in the surrounding area. (This should not be confused with mind control; Ma-ti's powers can only influence behavior by drawing out what kindness already exists in a being's heart; as such, most villanous people are barely influenced by the power, and it has no effect at all over beings of pure evil, such as Zarm). His power was also necessary to call Captain Planet, as the other four combined could not(it's possible that Captain Planet's essence was channeled solely through the heart ability, and the other rings merely gave him extra abilities). Though many of the show's critics often cite his power as being "useless" because it is called heart.

Ma-ti is the most compassionate of the planeteers. While Ma-ti is both wise and learned about the ways of nature, some of the more modern forms of entertainment can consume him, such as an episode in which he was so obsessed with mystery novels that he began treating missions like mystery stories.

The monkey that Ma-ti rescued from the jaguar stayed with him after joining the planeteers and was named Suchi. For the most part, Suchi's role in the series is rather small, though on occasion he may serve a role in the movement of the plot or some sort of comic endeavor. For the most part, however, Suchi remains a token to Ma-ti's heart.

It is also worth nothing that Ma-ti, while being caring when saving the monkey (Suchi), was actually interfering with the natural order of things whereas normally, the monkey would have been devoured.