Bionicle-2010?

[Refia]

Well, I sent a follow up to Greg asking why Toa Ignika won't reappear, and depending on that answer I'll see what I'll do. Maybe even a poll asking if people want Toa Ignika back or not might help. Greg has shown to listen to polls, whereas I'm just one fan asking for a storyline favour, basically.

Edited January 9, 2010 by Refia

[Nightmare]

Well, I sent a follow up to Greg asking why Toa Ignika won't reappear, and depending on that answer I'll see what I'll do. Maybe even a poll asking if people want Toa Ignika back or not might help. Greg has shown to listen to polls, whereas I'm just one fan asking for a storyline favour, basically.

The only difference being that not all members are right as you are. (BTW, Greg is ill, has bronchitis. Hope he gets better soon...)

Also, Bink has recently said that (apperently) the website will go live (hopefully) in the next couple weeks. WEEKS! WHY PEOPLE AT LEGO IS SO LATE WITH BIONICLE? WHYY? (Note, not Bink's fault)

[Omicron]

Greg has shown to listen to polls, whereas I'm just one fan asking for a storyline favour, basically.

If favors were done just for one person, story would suck, as if it hasn't already.

Majority rules.

-Omi

[Refia]

If favors were done just for one person, story would suck, as if it hasn't already.

Majority rules.

-Omi

Yeah, that's why 1 person can get things canonized. Majority rules indeed. As if.

Edited January 9, 2010 by Refia

[Omicron]

Yeah, that's why 1 person can get things canonized. Majority rules indeed. As if.

I actually find all that crap unfair because those members are buddy-buddy and crap.

-Omi

[Refia]

I actually find all that crap unfair because those members are buddy-buddy and crap.

-Omi

Agreed.

Anyway, depending on Greg's answer, a poll will be the way to go, and I'll just have to hope for the best. If the majority votes "no", I'm done for. XD

For me, it would be enough if Greg just said "Yes, the Ignika is out there somewhere with a body". He doesn't even have to appear for me, just having that as a fact would be good enough. And if anyone wonders "Why would that be any better than it not having a body and not appearing as well?". Think of it this way: Ignika is my favourite character/object. Now imagine the Ignika goes back to the CoL and stays there for the rest of the story. Should I ever fleetingly wonder what my favorite is doing when reading a new chapter for a serial, the answer'll be: sitting around doing nothing. Now, if it had a body while not appearing still, the answer would be far more appealing: he's out there somewhere trying to live and having adventures, with a chance of appearing at any time. Which option seems more interesting, hmm?

End second rant.

[Brickthing]

I agree with your plea for Toa Ignika. Not only is he a great character, but now that Mata Nui has left the Ignika, the mask's consciousness would've returned, and the last thing he probably remembers is dying in the Codrex. Now in a pile of sand inside some computer room, I'd certainly want to regain mobility to figure out what's going on.

Plus, the Ignika needs to be nearby Tahu at some point for his devolution, and Toa Ignika escaping the Proto-GS out into Bara Magna makes the most sense so far.

On the other hand, the Ignika may be needed again in the future, and the CoL would be a much safer place for it than having it wandering around the universe where one accidental blow to the head could destroy the MU.

[Refia]

Oh yay, somebody agrees. ^^

And you made me realise something, too: we don't even know if the Ignika knows or knows not what happened after Mata Nui was forced ino him. 0_o Greg, here I come again to bother you.

But seeing as Greg has already decided, the Ignika will probably devolve Tahu from a distance, once again confirming its unfortunate position of a "quick fix story solution". I do find it funny that Greg said to me that at this point in the story Toa Ignika couldn't contribute much. WHAT?! The most powerful Toa ever, who defeated Icarax singlehandedly, no use? There are Toa and Glatorian dying down there at Rahkshi hands. Ignika could kill them in a matter of minutes and save many lives. No contribution?!

Greg did have a point when he said that outside the Prototype Robot, Ignika could be dangerous, should Teridax threaten Mata Nui with forcing Ignika back inside him and finish his countdown, killing the MU. Still, Teridax would die then too. Besides, we all know Journey's End is already written and the mass killing by Ignika's countdown should it be forced in Teridax again doesn't happen, so Greg has no excuse. Does he think we're stupid?

As for the danger is is to the universe... I have to disagree, 3D. As a Toa, it can defend itself, and make conscious decisions. Also, the Ignika ain't easy to damage: it survived a trip through the galaxy and the atmosphere of Bara Magna, no? Personally, the Vahi and Mask of Creation are far greater dangers, especially the Vahi, being in the hands of Voporak at the moment. And it got damaged by a measily Kanoka disc. The Ignika started to crack only after mutagen exposure, and those cracks have now been fixed, Greg recently confirmed. How, I have no idea though. But anyway, the Vahi is a far bigger danger than the Ignika, as it can't think and defend itself, and is easier to damage.

So, yeah, poll time.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Refia

[Aanchir]

More character than all Inika combined, at least. He was very well written in "Shadows in the Sky", but he didn't even appear in Swamp of Secrets, and his part in The Final Battle was minor, only serving as a cheap way to wake up Mata Nui quickly. Of course, Greg had to get rid of his body somehow, but now that Mata Nui is out of the mask there's no reason whatsoever to not have Toa Ignika exist again. Not one that make storyline sense, at least. It's just Greg's whim. Storywise, I really, really doubt that after barely 4 days as a Toa or so, Ignika learned perfectly what life as a Toa was like. And wasn't that what it wanted, to learn what this 'friendship' was that determined what Matoro's last act was? Greg told me before that Ignika didn't even consider anybody in Karda Nui a friend as there was no time for that. But seeing as wanting friends was such a big factor in it deciding to become a Toa, how can it not want to try again after having no friends thanks to his first attempt at being alive being so rudely interrupted by the Toa Nuva?

Also, let us not forget that the Ignika did not want to give up its body at first. It didn't like the idea of being 'just a mask' again, and now I am expected to believe and take peace with the fact that the Ignika will remain a mask? No way, I'm not buying that.

End rant.

I think the Ignika's "life" as a Toa was as long as it needed to be. It learned the advantages of being a Toa, and it learned the responsibilities that come with it. By making the sacrifice like Matoro would have, it feels fulfilled, and finally understands what being a Toa entails. Bringing it back, I'm not sure how much its character would be able to develop, and thus it would be a poor attempt to keep it in the spotlight.

Moreover, consider this: friendship was not its goal as a Toa. It intended to know what gave Matoro his spirit, his drive; friendship was only a part of that equation. I think it learned what it needed to learn, and dragging its life on further would be largely pointless. It seems just as much your "whim" that it should come back as it is "Greg's whim" that keeps it from doing so.

Finally, just because it did not initially want to sacrifice itself does not mean that it did not make that choice itself. It stated itself that it would want to do what Matoro had done. The decision was hard for it, but it knew what the right thing to do was and it followed through on that knowledge. Perhaps the Ignika wanted to live on as a Toa, but the point is that it became a Toa for the sole purpose of understanding what it meant to be one. I think that its final sacrifice was proof that it had learned that lesson to its satisfaction, and so it has no reason to return to that life that it gave up of its own free will.

-----

Meanwhile, I got Tahu and Takanuva yesterday, and I have to say I'm impressed for the most part. Takanuva's mask is annoying, though, because while I have no problem with its distance out from the body (surprisingly), I do take issue with the fact that the eyes of the mask are so far from the eyes of the face. In fact, looking at the mask from side view, you can see Takanuva's eyes behind his mask without even looking through any part of it. This, unlike the overall distance from the body, could have been fixed with a new mask mold.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Aanchir

[Refia]

I think the Ignika's "life" as a Toa was as long as it needed to be. It learned the advantages of being a Toa, and it learned the responsibilities that come with it. By making the sacrifice like Matoro would have, it feels fulfilled, and finally understands what being a Toa entails. Bringing it back, I'm not sure how much its character would be able to develop, and thus it would be a poor attempt to keep it in the spotlight.

Moreover, consider this: friendship was not its goal as a Toa. It intended to know what gave Matoro his spirit, his drive; friendship was only a part of that equation. I think it learned what it needed to learn, and dragging its life on further would be largely pointless. It seems just as much your "whim" that it should come back as it is "Greg's whim" that keeps it from doing so.

Finally, just because it did not initially want to sacrifice itself does not mean that it did not make that choice itself. It stated itself that it would want to do what Matoro had done. The decision was hard for it, but it knew what the right thing to do was and it followed through on that knowledge. Perhaps the Ignika wanted to live on as a Toa, but the point is that it became a Toa for the sole purpose of understanding what it meant to be one. I think that its final sacrifice was proof that it had learned that lesson to its satisfaction, and so it has no reason to return to that life that it gave up of its own free will.

I disagree. It experienced only a fraction of what being "alive" means. It existed as a Toa for maybe 4 days. How in the world can you learn everything about Life as a Toa in 4 days? Ignika didn't even get to meet Matoran like in Metru Nui, didn't get a taste of Toa duties besides "saving the world" like in Karda Nui (other duties: think Takanuva in Metru Nui). All it experienced so far was life as a Toa in battle. And frankly, he was treated as a tool, not a Toa. Just "an object with a body".

It did indeed want to know what drove Matoro. Ignika has not yet learned this. Greg said it to me himself: there was no time for friendship or comradery when fighting for your life. I even asked if Ignika considered anybody in Karda Nui a friend. Greg said no, there was no time. What he did learn was the difficulty of a decision to end your own life for the sake of others, but it did not do this in the same light as Matoro. He was pressured into it by the Toa Nuva (which is understandable as it was on a doomsday countdown), and he finally did make the decision because Matoro would have done so had he been there. That had nothing to do with understanding any motivation of Matoro. There is still much for the Ignika to learn and understand.

And yes, the Ignika wanted to continue to live as a Toa, but did the right thing by sacrificing himself because the situation required it. That is true. However, I doubt that this took away from its enjoyment of being a living being instead of an object others fought over. It doesn't make sense for it to not continue its quest for answers now that it has the chance to continue doing something it liked.

Bringing Toa Ignika back is, I suppose, partly my "whim", but it does have good reason. Ignika barely scratched the surface of understanding what being a living being means, and it seemed very driven to learn. His quest for understanding got delayed by Teridax, but now he is free again, what good reason is there for it to not continue? Saying that it has reached fulfilment is something I do not believe. Ignika wanted to know how it was to be like Matoro, or any Toa. Doing a bit of fighting and then killing yourself does not a Toa's life make.

Bluntly said, in 2008, Toa Ignika was treated as a way to beat some Makuta and a quick fix alarm clock for Mata Nui. Considering the circumstances in Karda Nui, understandable and acceptable. But not good enough to justify a disappearance of all the Ignika's desires. There's time and space after march 2010, so why not? Like I said, he doesn't even have to appear for me, just Greg saying "yes, he has a body and is out there somewhere" is good enough for me. (I never asked for a spotlight place.) That would make coherent sense. Instead, we're sure to get no Toa Ignika and more Vezon and alternate universes.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Refia

[Aanchir]

I disagree. It experienced only a fraction of what being "alive" means. It existed as a Toa for maybe 4 days. How in the world can you learn everything about Life as a Toa in 4 days? Ignika didn't even get to meet Matoran like in Metru Nui, didn't get a taste of Toa duties besides "saving the world" like in Karda Nui (other duties: think Takanuva in Metru Nui). All it experienced so far was life as a Toa in battle. And frankly, he was treated as a tool, not a Toa. Just "an object with a body".

It did indeed want to know what drove Matoro. Ignika has not yet learned this. Greg said it to me himself: there was no time for friendship or comradery when fighting for your life. I even asked if Ignika considered anybody in Karda Nui a friend. Greg said no, there was no time. What he did learn was the difficulty of a decision to end your own life for the sake of others, but it did not do this in the same light as Matoro. He was pressured into it by the Toa Nuva (which is understandable as it was on a doomsday countdown), and he finally did make the decision because Matoro would have done so had he been there. That had nothing to do with understanding any motivation of Matoro. There is still much for the Ignika to learn and understand.

And yes, the Ignika wanted to continue to live as a Toa, but did the right thing by sacrificing himself because the situation required it. That is true. However, I doubt that this took away from its enjoyment of being a living being instead of an object others fought over. It doesn't make sense for it to not continue its quest for answers now that it has the chance to continue doing something it liked.

Bringing Toa Ignika back is, I suppose, partly my "whim", but it does have good reason. Ignika barely scratched the surface of understanding what being a living being means, and it seemed very driven to learn. His quest for understanding got delayed by Teridax, but now he is free again, what good reason is there for it to not continue? Saying that it has reached fulfilment is something I do not believe. Ignika wanted to know how it was to be like Matoro, or any Toa. Doing a bit of fighting and then killing yourself does not a Toa's life make.

Bluntly said, in 2008, Toa Ignika was treated as a way to beat some Makuta and a quick fix alarm clock for Mata Nui. Considering the circumstances in Karda Nui, understandable and acceptable. But not good enough to justify a disappearance of all the Ignika's desires. There's time and space after march 2010, so why not? Like I said, he doesn't even have to appear for me, just Greg saying "yes, he has a body and is out there somewhere" is good enough for me. (I never asked for a spotlight place.) That would make coherent sense. Instead, we're sure to get no Toa Ignika and more Vezon and alternate universes.

It only wanted to experience a fraction of what being alive meant. It had been "alive" before-- what it wanted to experience was what being a hero meant, which I think it probably did to its satisfaction.

Friendship was not Matoro's motivation for his final mission, or really for anything beyond his last-minute "rescue" of the Toa Mahri. Matoro was a bit of a loner, not because he was uncaring, but because he himself had been kept from confiding in any of his peers for pretty much as long as he could remember. "Friendship" is not at all what drove Matoro to make the sacrifice that he did, and it was that sacrifice alone the Ignika sought to understand.

I think 2008 story did Toa Ignika justice for what he was, and I agree that he had much willingness to learn. However, he has other ways of learning beyond first-person experience. Who's to say he didn't learn the values of friendship passively while sharing a mind with Mata Nui? Looking at the fact that he was doing that-- sharing a mind-- we have no idea whether or not Mata Nui's motivations were laid out plainly for the Ignika's spirit to witness, especially as Mata Nui himself came to terms with the concept of friendship for the first time.

Thus, I don't think the Ignika has any significant motivation to create a body and put itself at risk once more (remember that one of the last lessons Toa Ignika learned before its sacrifice was that with life's pleasures also come a great deal of pain). Unless there is some major and immediate impetus for it to do so, I do not think it would be in its interest to return to action, at least not quite yet. Perhaps eventually Greg will decide that it is worthwhile to bring it back, but until then I do not think the Ignika would be especially driven to rejoin the battle.

-----

A side note that probably doesn't matter much to you, but the Ignika reminds me in a somewhat less insensitive way of The Piggy, a sapient trinket that acted as a plot device in William Sleator's novels Interstellar Pig and Parasite Pig. Like the Ignika, the Piggy was an object regarded highly throughout the universe-- it was believed that it would after a certain time limit destroy the universe save for the home planet of its bearer. Wars were waged over the Piggy, and were reflected by a strategic "training" board game.

The Piggy also has a strong desire to observe life, so much that it is questioned whether it has any destructive power at all. After all, it tends to stay with one bearer for only a certain time before using a weak teleportation power to send them to certain doom or telling them that it is in fact their home planet which will be destroyed if they hold it at the end of the "countdown". The story greatly hints that the Piggy's true goal was merely to observe as much of the universe as it could, no matter how many lives were lost to keep it moving from bearer to bearer across the universe.

[Refia]

I think it basically comes down to a difference in views. You think Toa Ignika has learned what he wanted to learn, I disagree. From your viewpoint your arguments make good sense, but if you see the concept of being a hero as more than just fighting and then killing yourself, there's still much for Ignika to learn and do.

As for putting itself in danger, that's really just a matter of the situation. Creating a body does not necesarily put the Ignika in danger, as it is the most effective way of defending itself in the first place. Guardians can only do so much, as proven in 2007. And after march, I doubt there will be any threats big enough to threaten the Ignika or trigger its countdown anyway, so it should be quite safe. And I don't think the Ignika was aware of anything Mata Nui did, as its mind was surpressed and dominated by Mata Nui's. Someone should ask Greg.

I suppose it's a personal matter, too. I liked Toa Ignika as a character, I want to see him again, same like fans of Vezon, Kopaka, Jaller, whoever want to see their favorite character back, too. The only difference being that I have no chance of seeing my beloved character again, while most others do. It's unfair, but how the world works, I know that. I'm just one fan, in the end. But I can still argue and think about it, maybe even change Greg's mind. After all, if fans can ask to have their things canonized, or beg for a Sahmad serial through a poll, why would I not be allowed to do the same for Toa Ignika? And I'll say it again, doesn't even have to be an appearance, just a confirmation of the fact that it has a body and is out there somewhere with its body being alive, that would be enough.

And if not, well, then Bionicle just loses itself another fan. But that's okay, it's just one. There'll be others who do keep liking it, and that's good. Maybe it's simply time for me to move on. I just held a bit of hope after the announcement that the story would become free from the sets. That's all. Greg just smashed it in the ground, as he's the writer and he decides.

[ShaddowCroc]

I for one really liked Ignika's character. It brought a bit of existentialism to BIONICLE, and I really liked seeing what it observed and thought about creatures it couldn't actually understand. So if a poll were made, I'd undoubtedly vote for Ignika to get a body again.

[Zarkan]

Toa Ignika to me is one of the prime examples of why I think Greg is a good writer. As opposed to many of the other hero characters, who remained static throughout the entire series, Toa Ignika grew over the course of the two books he was in, and the gradual development of his characters, morals, and motives was excellent. And alll of this out of a Kanohi mask, no less.

So, I would be happy to see him return, especially if it meant that he would get more development (particularly in the area you guys mentioned: making a true friend). I can't see what reason Greg has for not having him return, since he's usually open to having fan favorites reappear in the storyline.

[Erebus]

So you guys aren't tired of the mask showing up again? :P

[Aanchir]

Toa Ignika to me is one of the prime examples of why I think Greg is a good writer. As opposed to many of the other hero characters, who remained static throughout the entire series, Toa Ignika grew over the course of the two books he was in, and the gradual development of his characters, morals, and motives was excellent. And alll of this out of a Kanohi mask, no less.

So, I would be happy to see him return, especially if it meant that he would get more development (particularly in the area you guys mentioned: making a true friend). I can't see what reason Greg has for not having him return, since he's usually open to having fan favorites reappear in the storyline.

I think most characters have had good character development under the influence of Greg. The Toa Mahri, for instance, were pretty great in that respect.

I don't think fighting and then dying is all there is to being a hero, but it's the only part the Ignika didn't understand about heroism: sacrifice for a cause. It had seen heroes before Matoro, and not once had that inspired it in that same way. Matoro's fearless sacrifice is what made him different from the other heroes the mask had known, and that was the only part of being a hero it showed an extraordinary desire to understand. Read:

What would it have been like to be Matoro, or any other of his kind? To have lived-- to face death-- to fight for others, as opposed to just being fought over, as this one has been for so long? What would it feel like to be trusted, honored, respected, rather than simply needed and feared? For that matter, what would it feel like just to feel?

That was the Ignika's soliloquy immediately before taking Toa form. "Friendship" is not mentioned once among those goals. Nevertheless, the Ignika managed to fulfill every one of those goals during his short life.

Meanwhile, Erebus, I agree that the Ignika shouldn't remain a plot device in the forefront, but I have to say that I prefer that to having it drop into complete oblivion, with its importance as an object and being of power totally ignored for the rest of the story. It always bugs me when in a series-- let's use the Pokemon anime for an example-- there's this being of unspeakable power, but then they are totally forgotten just so that it still feels fresh when another being of similar power elicits the cast's awe.

[Erebus]

Ah, okay, that I can agree to.

If that's the case, I would like the Vahi to appear a bit more, and the Mask of Creation of course.

[Refia]

The way I see it, the Ignika was not trusted, respected and honored. With body or without, in the end he was still just "needed" and nothing more. Hardly a good live, but that's probably just me. Also, from that beautiful piece of writing I do not get that all the Ignika wanted to understand was Matoro's fearless sacrifice. It wanted to be Matoro, or any of his kind. Not all Toa have sacrificed themselves, leading me to believe Ignika wanted more than to understand Matoro's sacrifice. Ignika didn't just not understand Matoro's form of heroism, it didn't, and doesn't, understand living and heroism in the first place. It has come into contact with heroism before, that is true, but it doesn't understand it, same as it didn't get "feelings" and "emotions" when it was still just a mask. At most I think that after 2008 he does understand Matoro's aspect of heroism, but no more than that, and it's up for debate wheter that is all it wanted or not.

And as for friendship, let us not forget his bio in Bionicle.com, shall we? "He's very eager to have friends... etc." He had none.

Besides that, I agree with Grevious. Greg usually takes up suggestions for fan favorites to show up again. Why not Toa Ignika? I bet you if somebody asked for Vezon, Lesovikk or whoever, Greg would say "We'll get to that". But us Toa Ignika fans just got a big "screw you". Perhaps my language is too harsh, and I should wait with making a statement like this until I get Greg's response to my question as to "why" he won't reappear. But if it's anything silly like "I don't need him for the story", then that's indeed a big "screw you", especially with characters like Vezon running around, and alternate dimensions everywhere, that serve no other purpose but to complicate things even more and move the story not a step further.

[Zarkan]

If that's the case, I would like the Vahi to appear a bit more, and the Mask of Creation of course.

Since Artahka has finally appeared in person, I'm pretty certain we'll at least get a confirmination of the latter mask's existence, and perhaps we might even see it used.

I think most characters have had good character development under the influence of Greg. The Toa Mahri, for instance, were pretty great in that respect.

Just don't let Darth Vader hear you say that.

[dviddy]

I think most characters have had good character development under the influence of Greg. The Toa Mahri, for instance, were pretty great in that respect.

If by character development you mean "from having great characters as Matoran to being boring stereotypical characters" than sure. That is a development, after all.

[Aanchir]

If by character development you mean "from having great characters as Matoran to being boring stereotypical characters" than sure. That is a development, after all.

No, that's not what I mean at all. That could apply much better to the Toa Inika, who in fact did not have distinct and dynamic personalities. The Toa Inika fought pretty much nonstop throughout 2006, without any pause to allow their motivations to show.

What I mean by "character development" is that Jaller learns that he doesn't have to compete to live up to the expectations of a Toa of Fire. Previously, he had become insecure about Matoro's increasing significance within the team, but eventually he came to understand that being a leader also means knowing when it's someone else's time to enter the forefront.

What I mean is that Kongu confesses to Jaller why he had begun to act more lighthearted than in his Matoran days, when he was a deadly serious military commander. This confession-- that Kongu had been taught by Toa Lewa to lighten up, a lesson which was essential in these dire times-- basically made up for the total change in attitude that had been expressed over the course of the 2006 books, and furthermore gave it meaning deeper than his personality ever could have by remaining firm and serious.

What I mean is that Hahli begins to act for herself and take risks, rather than merely relying on her unity with her teammates to keep the team afloat. She had started to learn this lesson as early as Mask of Light, but in 2007 she went beyond speaking for herself and took the initiative of speaking for the team.

What I mean is that Matoro learns that his duty-- which he had no choice in taking-- precludes any misgivings about whether he's doing it for the right reason. Even with Makuta showing an ominous desire to help him along, even with growing discomfort about his own inner darkness, even with questions of whether it was honor or ambition that brought him this responsibility, he was able to bring himself to do what the Ignika had chosen him to do.

Overall, every the Toa Mahri had very dynamic personalities over the course of 2007 story, even if some changed less than others. Moreover, the personality changes that did occur were appropriate to the characters and appropriate to the situations that inspired them. I struggle to see how any of the Toa Mahri personalities are less complex than the personalities we had seen before 2007-- if anything, their personalities blossomed as they each came to terms with suddenly being responsible for the fate of the universe.

[ShaddowCroc]

If by character development you mean "from having great characters as Matoran to being boring stereotypical characters" than sure. That is a development, after all.

No way. The Mahri/Inika had really good development. In fact, some of their Matoran personalities were really boring. Then they got completely shoved out of their comfort zones, and faced some really crazy shit. Matoro and Jaller got a great subtext rivalry going on, Matoro's character was excellently developed. Nuparu learning to fly, despite being stuck underground most of his life? Genius! Kongu becoming a bit more mature, and stopping his complaining a bit? Pretty good. Eventually they became believable characters, and not the plastic, two-word-description-and-we're-done personalities of the Toa Mata.

[Erebus]

Since Artahka has finally appeared in person, I'm pretty certain we'll at least get a confirmination of the latter mask's existence, and perhaps we might even see it used.

Well, the mask does exist. :P

[Omicron]

I always find it interesting how you members praise Greg so blindly, especially since those years of "amazing Greg writing" were horrible years.

-Omi

[Artahn]

I don't know much about the storyline, so don't verbally beat me too hard...

...but maybe Greg is saying no to the Toa Ignika because something happens to the Kanohi Ignika?