Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Clone 01354 Productions]

Ugh, I hope that we don't get an element-specific setting next year (like we got with the Mahri, or Bara Magna, etc). When they confine the story to only being underwater, or only in a desert, it really just takes away from the diversity of the Toa team--and the mystical setting itself.

For 2016, LEGO is going to make the MOCO in a volcano, and we'll get all fire-themed sets and locations. In fact, LEGO should make all the Toa red--it seems that the "fire" characters don't get enough attention.

Edited February 27, 2015 by LN-01354

[MakutaOfWar]

Ugh, I hope that we don't get an element-specific setting next year (like we got with the Mahri, or Bara Magna, etc). When they confine the story to only being underwater, or only in a desert, it really just takes away from the diversity of the Toa team--and the mystical setting itself.

For 2016, LEGO is going to make the MOCO in a volcano, and we'll get all fire-themed sets and locations. In fact, LEGO should make all the Toa red--it seems that the "fire" characters don't get enough attention.

Hey now! Mahri Jaller was able to still shoot a wall of fire out of his sword to trap Hydraxon in the comics. *Sighs* Good times.

[Mandate]

How exactly is "Sword of Fire" any better than "Mask of Fire"? The only one remotely different is the Scythe of Quakes.

The actual name is "Dragon Sword of Fire". But there's a difference here. It's "Nunchuks of Lightning" or "Shurikens of Ice", it's not the exact same words being used for everything. Generic and repetitive comes into play when quite literally everything has the exact same "kind" of name. I mean, seriously:

Mask of Fire

Mask of Jungle

Mask of Water

Mask of Earth

Mask of Ice

Mask of Stone

Everything is "Mask of X", nothing to make a distinction other than the element. Whereas NINJAGO, while it used extra words sparingly (Dragon Sword of Fire still sounds tacky to me) there was a uniqueness amongst them. Yeah, I'm really comparing oranges to bananas here, but after Generation 1 I don't think my criticism is wholly unfounded.

[GK733]

A water based skullvillain would had been a nice add, but then again the setting is not quite the right for it. Of course they could had just done a lake in the ancient city where those beasts would live.

An antromorphic skull squid or shark would had been the best.

[Scarilian]

Ugh, I hope that we don't get an element-specific setting next year (like we got with the Mahri, or Bara Magna, etc). When they confine the story to only being underwater, or only in a desert, it really just takes away from the diversity of the Toa team--and the mystical setting itself.

It would be very easy on the Toa if they could each battle in an area of their choosing. Thats why they give us new areas or specific things. In addition specific locations and themes help give us specific pieces. Themes help force Lego to provide specific pieces such as the new bone pieces for the skeletons or all the new pieces we got with sets like the Barraki.

Though, as noted prior, next year looks like it may have flying villains from the multiple flying creatures on the summer box art.

[Mandate]

Though, as noted prior, next year looks like it may have flying villains from the multiple flying creatures on the summer box art.

Probably just the flying Skull Scorpios someone mentioned earlier

Edited February 28, 2015 by Mandate

[Dorek]

Ugh, I hope that we don't get an element-specific setting next year (like we got with the Mahri, or Bara Magna, etc). When they confine the story to only being underwater, or only in a desert, it really just takes away from the diversity of the Toa team--and the mystical setting itself.

For 2016, LEGO is going to make the MOCO in a volcano, and we'll get all fire-themed sets and locations. In fact, LEGO should make all the Toa red--it seems that the "fire" characters don't get enough attention.

Personally, I like single environments; it provides a lot more focus, and as evidenced by the shorts, not a lot of time is going to be spent in every environment, so it makes it a bit of a waste to include it at all. With a single environment, it feels much more exploratory.

[Scarilian]

Anyone else planning on combining the Star Wars sets with the Bionicles? Using the Star Wars set designs as a template for a revamped Bionicle?

I'm thinking of a General Grievous Skull Slicer and a Darth Vader Makuta

Probably just the flying Skull Scorpios someone mentioned earlier

That would be an epic set

Edited February 28, 2015 by Scarilian

[MakutaOfWar]

A water based skullvillain would had been a nice add, but then again the setting is not quite the right for it. Of course they could had just done a lake in the ancient city where those beasts would live.

An antromorphic skull squid or shark would had been the best.

Let me take you all back in time to 2013 HF, Brain Attack. Sadly I'm going to use Aquagon as the example here, but the setting was a city, but they made room for Aquagon did they not? That being the sewers under Makuhero. And though not much is known about the ancient city in Bio Gen 2 it's possible to have something such as sewers, lakes, or maybe even ports for boats and the like. Besides, Gali is water themed, a water themed villain wouldn't be more out of place then she is.

Edited February 28, 2015 by MakutaOfWar

[Mandate]

Not sure if anyone has pointed this out here yet, but there's a Vahi on the outside of the crater Tahu forms when the villagers arrive to meet him.

[luvembricks]

I haven't bought Bionicle in years, glad to hear it's back. I might just get a few sets.

[Aanchir]

Another possibility other than a full-size store exclusive set could be a store-exclusive polybag set like this one.

[Clone 01354 Productions]

Another possibility other than a full-size store exclusive set could be a store-exclusive polybag set like this one.

That would be a good way to sell a red skull spider, but it would be a definite impossibility for Gali's mask, because it would make it too easy to get one. I mean, LEGO knows that we all want a funmetal Kaukau "Trans-Mask of Water", and they would never make it so simple to buy dozens of them for cheap. And anyway, they want these masks to be special and collectible items, not some polybag that you can have tons of.

[Dorek]

Not sure if anyone has pointed this out here yet, but there's a Vahi on the outside of the crater Tahu forms when the villagers arrive to meet him.

There's a Vahi everywhere =P.

Interestingly enough, that particular scene briefly appears in the "Masks of Power" trailer, and the Vahi ISN'T there.

[Mandate]

Another possibility other than a full-size store exclusive set could be a store-exclusive polybag set like this one.

How did I know before clicking that link that it would be Dareth vs. Nindroid?

Interestingly enough, that particular scene briefly appears in the "Masks of Power" trailer, and the Vahi ISN'T there.

mask of time travel confirmed

Edited February 28, 2015 by Mandate

[Clone 01354 Productions]

Can someone clear this up for me: the Vahi is the Mask of TIME, right? And as we saw in LOMN, all it was able to do was slow down/speed up time. So how come it has the power to bring people to alternate dimensions also, as many of you say?

There's a Vahi everywhere =P.

And it's starting to annoy me. LEGO has acknowledged that it is, in fact, an easter egg--but there's obviously more to it. It appears in EVERY episode now. We get that they're trying to emphasize time, but I think that the Vahi appearing in every single episode is overdoing it.

If LEGO ends Gen. 2 by just leaving it open to the fans as to whether or not these are the Gen. 1 Toa, and they just leave these easter eggs for us to draw our own conclusions......I'll be furious.

Edited February 28, 2015 by LN-01354

[Dorek]

Can someone clear this up for me: the Vahi is the Mask of TIME, right? And as we saw in LOMN, all it was able to do was slow down/speed up time. So how come it has the power to bring people to alternate dimensions also, as many of you say?

And it's starting to annoy me. LEGO has acknowledged that it is, in fact, an easter egg--but there's obviously more to it. It appears in EVERY episode now. We get that they're trying to emphasize time, but I think that the Vahi appearing in every single episode is overdoing it.

If LEGO ends Gen. 2 by just leaving it open to the fans as to whether or not these are the Gen. 1 Toa, and they just leave these easter eggs for us to draw our own conclusions......I'll be furious.

Most of it has to do with some misinterpreted comments from NYCC; they called the Vahi "half a mask", referring to its physical shape, so people (desperate for there to be a connection) took that to mean from a story perspective, it was only half a mask, and the other "half", or completed version or whatever, would appear in the new stuff and be the story engine for connecting the generations.

As it stands, Time itself is a recurring theme/story point. There's the Temple of Time, where the Protectors used the Mask of Time (confirmed in two sources) to summon the Toa "from Time". That's why they include the Vahi; it makes a nice Easter Egg for fans, and is thematically appropriate.

There is no real "conclusion" to draw from the Vahi Easter Eggs; the use of Time as a plot point in the new story is the only thing they're referencing. They might leave it "open ended", whatever that means because there's nothing concrete to actually suggest it's open-ended anyway, but the Vahi appearing doesn't have anything to do with that.

[Quisoves Pugnat]

Can someone clear this up for me: the Vahi is the Mask of TIME, right? And as we saw in LOMN, all it was able to do was slow down/speed up time. So how come it has the power to bring people to alternate dimensions also, as many of you say?

Lynchir made a rather good point about this. The summoning of the Toa, which the Mask of Time played a hand in, was dependent on a planetary alignment. The simplest explanation, therefore (regardless of whether the mask is in any way connected to the Vahi from G1,) is that the Protectors used it to make the event occur ahead of schedule.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Quisoves Pugnat

[CabooseBM]

That would be a good way to sell a red skull spider, but it would be a definite impossibility for Gali's mask, because it would make it too easy to get one. I mean, LEGO knows that we all want a funmetal Kaukau "Trans-Mask of Water", and they would never make it so simple to buy dozens of them for cheap. And anyway, they want these masks to be special and collectible items, not some polybag that you can have tons of.

I dunno man, that seems like a silly reason for it to not happen, all the other masks are being sold in mass quantity at retail, after all.

[Jacob_9821]

I dunno man, that seems like a silly reason for it to not happen, all the other masks are being sold in mass quantity at retail, after all.

I think he meant that you would be able to purchase, say 5, masks for the same price as a normal Toa. Rather than having to pay the price of a Toa for a single, albeit collectable, mask.

However, I still get your point. It's just that I personally think it's going to be a retailer exclusive set instead.

[Scarilian]

Most of it has to do with some misinterpreted comments from NYCC; they called the Vahi "half a mask", referring to its physical shape, so people (desperate for there to be a connection) took that to mean from a story perspective, it was only half a mask, and the other "half", or completed version or whatever, would appear in the new stuff and be the story engine for connecting the generations.

Just pointing out, that their is very few meanings one can gather from them purposefully mentioning the Vahi in relation to the 2015 storyline. If they were just pointing out that the Vahi looks like half a mask, then that would be completely pointless to bring up. Its less people being desperate for a connection between G1 and G2 and more people hoping that the Lego Group know what they are doing.

Either the Lego Group actually made a refrence to the Vahi for a reason, or the comment was obvious to the point of ludacracy. It would be incredibly silly of the Lego Group to simply state 'remember the vahi, it looked like half a mask, right?...' if they intended to do nothing with the Vahi in G2. Why bring up the past so much if the past has no meaning on the present, it doesnt make sense.

If people went up to them and asked them about the G2 storyline as they did, and got told information about the Vahi, naturally it would imply that the Vahi is connected to G2. That is exactly what happened and i am honestly confused as to how anyone can justify the Lego Group bringing up the Vahi in relation to the G2 storyline otherwise.

It would also be incredibly silly to include an easter egg of the Vahi so obviously in almost every one of the animations, however it appears in almost every one. Logically you dont tend to hide Easter Eggs in plain site and then make the audience focus on them such as the scene of the Vahi around the Golden Mask Of Fire.

Even though the Vahi itself might not appear in the story, something about the Vahi is important and it is being used constantly in order to make people acknowledge that. Whenever you think of Time in the new story you see an image of the Vahi, its intentional. How I Met Your Mother had an episode that explains the situation perfectly called 'The Ducky Tie' in which someone sneezes to associate the sneeze with a word. Its the same with the Vahi and Time in G2, they are intentionally developing a connection for one reason or another, whether its linked to G1 or not.

Can someone clear this up for me: the Vahi is the Mask of TIME, right? And as we saw in LOMN, all it was able to do was slow down/speed up time. So how come it has the power to bring people to alternate dimensions also, as many of you say?

Even though it might not be connected the Vahi does have the ability to bring people to alternative dimensions, essentially if the Vahi was destroyed all of Time and Space would collapse upon itself and occur all at once, which is one of the theories about G2 that a few people have.

"The force of time is contained within that mask. Destroy it, and that power is unleashed upon the universe. Past, present and future all existing at once--warps and rips and hours folding in upon each other--madness and chaos as no two moments ever follow one another..."

In addition as Quisoves Pugnat mentioned, its possible also that the Vahi does have Time Travel abilities and was only able to activate under certain conditions OR that the G2 mask is not the Vahi OR its a mysterious second half of the Vahi.

Another possibility other than a full-size store exclusive set could be a store-exclusive polybag set like this one.

This is really the only possibility we have for more sets this year, given that they have already hit the qouted 18 sets with the Winter and Summer sets.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Scarilian

[Kalhiki]

Just pointing out, that their is very few meanings one can gather from them purposefully mentioning the Vahi in relation to the 2015 storyline. If they were just pointing out that the Vahi looks like half a mask, then that would be completely pointless to bring up. Its less people being desperate for a connection between G1 and G2 and more people hoping that the Lego Group know what they are doing.

Either the Lego Group actually made a refrence to the Vahi for a reason, or the comment was obvious to the point of ludacracy. It would be incredibly silly of the Lego Group to simply state 'remember the vahi, it looked like half a mask, right?...' if they intended to do nothing with the Vahi in G2. Why bring up the past so much if the past has no meaning on the present, it doesnt make sense.

I figured them mentioning the Vahi at NYCC was just them explaining that G2 will have things in common with G1, but they'll change it a bit. Make it similar but different. In G1, Tahu wore the Mask of Shielding. In G2, he wears the Mask of Fire. G1 Makuta was the big bad evil. G2 Makuta is still the big bad evil, but has a different history. The G1 Mask of Time looked like half a mask. The G2 Mask of Time will look like a full mask.

'Least that's how I interpreted it.

As for the Easter eggs, I've expressed my feeling before, and I really don't want to go through that again. I like to think the Vahi Easter Eggs are there for two reasons: a little reference for the old fans as well as saying that time will play an important role later. Whatever comes in the future, who knows. Like I said, that's just how I feel. I'm welcome to hear other people's opinions on the matter.

[Aanchir]

I think he meant that you would be able to purchase, say 5, masks for the same price as a normal Toa. Rather than having to pay the price of a Toa for a single, albeit collectable, mask.

However, I still get your point. It's just that I personally think it's going to be a retailer exclusive set instead.

A reminder that while the Dareth vs. Nindroid polybag was sold individually at some stores (and online), it was intended to be a gift with purchase, so the goal was to encourage people to buy other LEGO. So, as an example, they could say "free exclusive Gali mask with any LEGO Bionicle purchase" or "free exclusive Tahu mask with a LEGO purchase totaling $25 or more".

[dviddy]

Just pointing out, that their is very few meanings one can gather from them purposefully mentioning the Vahi in relation to the 2015 storyline. If they were just pointing out that the Vahi looks like half a mask, then that would be completely pointless to bring up. Its less people being desperate for a connection between G1 and G2 and more people hoping that the Lego Group know what they are doing.

Either the Lego Group actually made a refrence to the Vahi for a reason, or the comment was obvious to the point of ludacracy. It would be incredibly silly of the Lego Group to simply state 'remember the vahi, it looked like half a mask, right?...' if they intended to do nothing with the Vahi in G2. Why bring up the past so much if the past has no meaning on the present, it doesnt make sense.

If people went up to them and asked them about the G2 storyline as they did, and got told information about the Vahi, naturally it would imply that the Vahi is connected to G2. That is exactly what happened and i am honestly confused as to how anyone can justify the Lego Group bringing up the Vahi in relation to the G2 storyline otherwise.

It would also be incredibly silly to include an easter egg of the Vahi so obviously in almost every one of the animations, however it appears in almost every one. Logically you dont tend to hide Easter Eggs in plain site and then make the audience focus on them such as the scene of the Vahi around the Golden Mask Of Fire.[/Quote]

There are indeed not a lot of things that a marketing statement made by a marketing employee could mean. Your conclusion is not one of them. For once I actually wish TTV had posted a video with the actual quote, but since they didn't record that, we only have their words to back up that the discussion even happened. But I was there and vouch that the conversation did happen, I was standing right there, in fact!

First, Jordan did not mention the Vahi by name. This seems like a small distinction, but considering the new naming conventions that seems important to mention. He brought up the mask of time in answer to a question about the new story and any connection to the old one. His answer was pure marketing: "remember in the movie we had a character make the mask if time? But it was different from the other masks, it was only half a mask? In the new series we will have a full mask." End of comment.

Now it is clear the new mask of time is important, and the vahi Easter eggs in the animations seem pretty much to exist to point at that specifically. The mask of time is important but since we haven't revealed the new one yet this is the best way to showcase that and also engage older fans with a key visual to excite them.

This whole "other half of the vahi" nonsense has no bearing in reality and no place even in speculative discussion. It is a twisted new meaning taken from a poorly-described conversation, entirely re-writing what was said.

Which boils down to: "We had a mask of time before, we have one now, but this one will cover the whole face." It is a connection the same way the Toa are, the same way a Spider-Man reboot is connected to previous incarnations by using Venom or the Scorpion. "We will also have these things though they will also be different" is a pretty common thing to say in most reboot discussions. It just seems like BIONICLE fans have somehow sheltered ourselves from all the other major media franchises that have rebooted.

The vahi is making the only appearance it will make in the new canon: an Easter egg pointing to the importance of the new mask of time using the only visual fans will understand and get excited about whilst attempting to get the prior series fan base to stay engaged and also an explicit visual to let older fans know the new team is aware of the old series and is homaging it.

[Rayskull]

I just doubt they would do a single solitary sea creature amongst a bunch of land creatures... i mean Gali has had the shortest amount of animation screentime and not got a transparent mask yet, so not sure their is another focus on water. Atleast not for this year, and next year looks like flying sets judging from the insane amount of flying creatures in the summer box art...

Really anything solid we can make out from these flying creatures.