2007 Bionicle

[Darkness Falls]

Nay, Grevious, I shall not quit Bionicle soon, because I no-longer " live in " the official BIONICLE 'Verse anymore. I work in my own version of the Bionicle 'Verse. Here is a quick and not very in depth summary of the way I have laid out my Toa teams:

In my 'Verse, there have been 4 Toa teams. The Toa Valan, which you know as Hagah, were the first, and with them was Takanuva. After they sacrificed their powers sealing Makuta and his minions in the Void, they used what little power remained them to create three new Toa - Lhikan, Dume and Nidhiki. Dume became the Turaga of Metru Nui, and Nidhiki betrayed Metru Nui and was in turn cast into the Warp by Lhikan. When Nidhiki and Krekka returned, Lhikan sacrificed his power to create the Toa Metru. After the Great Cataclysm, Metru-Nui was destroyed by the Bohrok and reborn as Mata-Nui. A thousand years later Takua summoned the Toa Inika (mata/olda), and shortly thereafter, Takua found the 7th Toa (who was an independant and new character, NOT him).

Now, I fully understand that the official storyline needs new Toa sets every year to sell. My little 'Verse here doesnt, and I have taken full advantage of that. The point is, however, that, as Ikki said, there was no real need for THREE THOUSAND Toa. The Toa were origionally portrayed as epic figures upon which the future of the BIONICLE world hinged. Now, as Ikki said, we have Toa standing sentry and getting killed by Piraka eyebeams. Oh, feel the epicness.

So, I shall continue to go on developing and playing in my own personal 'Verse. All I can say is that I am immensly dissapointed in what Greg Farshtey has done with Bionicle. It is, in my opinion, a disgrace to the LEGO name. Shoddy sets with small numbers of gigantic duplo-esque parts beause its what the "Target Audience" wants, the emphasis on weapons because of the "TA", and perhaps above all the immensly lame "violence".

As KMOI draws on Avatar for reference, I will now draw on the anime series Bleach for reference. The characters there are immensly powerful, but their powers are INTERESTING and usually counter-balancing, so one can have a truly interesting and entertaining fight between characters. Furthermore, when they fight, they're usually giving it their all. Theres a fair bit of blood and the surroundings almost always get destroyed.

Now lets look at Greg Farshteys battles. We have a lame Gollum-Clone named Vezon picking up a Toa and knocking him headfirst into a wall. We have Toa capable of blasting things into atoms or using their protodermis zamors to destroy things that arent destined to mutate. Not only are these powers so straightforward and overpowering their bland, but the only reason Greg can come up with for them not instantly vaporizing everything in their path is that "Toa dont kill". So its really an issue of politeness.

So, while Greg wants to talk about it being a "dark universe" with "powerful and violent" villians, the actual combat comes out disgustingly lame. In esscence, now do the Toa not only LOOK like power rangers, their battles have about the same charm.

Just my 0.03...

But you can't talk about Greg's Universe sucking, because yours is equally as lame.

Why rename the Toa Mata the Inika? Why rename the Toa Hagah? Don't give us irrelevant information about a "Void" and "Warp" if you don't explain it. Your story makes little sense. Try fleshing it out with an actual reason the "Toa Inika" were summoned to Mata-nui, eh? It makes no sense that Takua calls them there for no reason. The Seventh Toa being Takua was a great ending for the original writer to go out on, I'd keep it. Those first three years, not written by Greg, are gold.

The Piraka are powerful beings, who feel no remorse in killing. That is why they kill and knock out Toa. Frankly, Toa are the "Police Force" of the Bionicle world. There are some Toa that have destinies, though, that raise them higher up than the other teams of Toa. Of course, all Toa have a destiny, whether it is to save a Matoran from a Rahi stampede, or perhaps, bring about the heroes who would transport the Matoran to Metru-nui. Some Toa can be killed off easily because they don't have storyline significance.

Speaking of which, there are "about 50 Toa left" in the the Bionicle universe now. Good. They all must have important destinies, because Greg knows that random Toa without much purpose don't work well. He might say that there are a lot of Toa somewhere, but he never goes into detail about it. The reason he mentions so many Toa is because they ARE beings which the Bionicle universe hinges on... and having so many means that they undertook a challenge of extreme measure. Heck, even the 300 Toa that surrounded the Dark Hunters on Metru-nui shows something: The Dark Hunters were a dangerous enough foe that 300 element-wielding, Mask-bearing Toa had to counter them. Plus, we'll never know how much experience those Toa guarding the Makoki Stone actually had... they could have just been turned into Toa.

My two cents.

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

Why rename the Toa Mata the Inika? Why rename the Toa Hagah? Don't give us irrelevant information about a "Void" and "Warp" if you don't explain it. Your story makes little sense. Try fleshing it out with an actual reason the "Toa Inika" were summoned to Mata-nui, eh? It makes no sense that Takua calls them there for no reason.

I understand where you're coming from. I did not explain that here. This is why I said this:

Here is a quick and not very in depth summary of the way I have laid out my Toa teams

I already have the reasoning behind all of that thouroughly thought out and taken care of. I simply have yet to write it out properly. If I get some time soon, I probably will write it out (I've already discussed it thouroughly with Ikki here via MSN Messanger). Needless to say I will clear up the Hagah/Inika matter right now by saying that I think the name "Hagah" is a really lame name for a Toa team and that the name "Inika" is a really good name for a Toa team despite the fact that the actual 2006 Toa Inika team was inordinately bland. Furthermore, I will stick by the origional 2001 reason the Toa were summoned to Mata-Nui: To defeat the darkness.

The Piraka are powerful beings, who feel no remorse in killing. That is why they kill and knock out Toa. Frankly, Toa are the "Police Force" of the Bionicle world. There are some Toa that have destinies, though, that raise them higher up than the other teams of Toa. Of course, all Toa have a destiny, whether it is to save a Matoran from a Rahi stampede, or perhaps, bring about the heroes who would transport the Matoran to Metru-nui. Some Toa can be killed off easily because they don't have storyline significance.

This is exactly the point I was trying to make. These Toa are no longer mighty nor are they epic. They are, as you have said, cops. If confronted by a reasonably powerful foe, they can get polished off with ease. What kind of heroes are these? What kind of story does that make? Toa should be heroes, not grunts. The Toa in my 'verse are epic beings who's every action effect the future of the entire world. The sheer scope of the events that surrounds them is immense. The thought of a Toa being created for the sole purpose of saving a Matoran from a Rahi stampede and then dying off is appalling.

Speaking of which, there are "about 50 Toa left" in the the Bionicle universe now. Good. They all must have important destinies, because Greg knows that random Toa without much purpose don't work well. He might say that there are a lot of Toa somewhere, but he never goes into detail about it. The reason he mentions so many Toa is because they ARE beings which the Bionicle universe hinges on... and having so many means that they undertook a challenge of extreme measure. Heck, even the 300 Toa that surrounded the Dark Hunters on Metru-nui shows something: The Dark Hunters were a dangerous enough foe that 300 element-wielding, Mask-bearing Toa had to counter them. Plus, we'll never know how much experience those Toa guarding the Makoki Stone actually had... they could have just been turned into Toa.

This is where I would like to bring up another point of mine: Characters. When you have a force of 300 Toa fighting, they lose all sense of character. Combine this with Gregs bland stereotypical "hero" personalities for the Toa and you've lost any individuality our "heroes" have. If you want to make a truly epic clash of fantasy characters, you should'nt NEED 300 element-weilding, mask-bearing Toa.

Lastly...

The Seventh Toa being Takua was a great ending for the original writer to go out on, I'd keep it. Those first three years, not written by Greg, are gold.

While I will agree with you on them being Gold - nothing save LoMN has even come close to the awesomeness of the origional MNOLG for example - I do not like the thought of Takua being a Toa or a Matoran of Light. Perhaps the thing that made him so intruiging was the fact that it seemed that he was a Tohunga WITHOUT a destiny - A wanderer, a traveler, an adventuruer. As Vakama said, he was a Tohunga who stood among the Toa as a hero of Mata-Nui. It seems a discredit to his character that he was simply fated to do all these great things and then become a Toa. Takua is the Chronicler... Period.

[dviddy]

So, basicly, Toa are what the major fanbase lives on. What Bionicle lives on

Since the kids like heroes, let's get some hero sets that aren't toa. Something new. We still have grand and epic toa. Heroes like the toa were in 2001, prophesied, mighty, heroic, larger than life. Then give us other heroes, heroes who aren't that awesome, but are still heroes.

I mean, we get different kinds of enemies every year, why not new types of heroes too?

<<DV>>

[Kynok]

Another thing to point out is that Greg is a comic collector. You see him quoting or referencing to DC or MARVEL comics all the time. I think thats where he gets all his ideas. Comic books. He's just a normal, average, comic book collector that got lucky and is now writing comics himself. He has no originality at all. Whenever he runs out of ideas he just goes off and reads The Amazing Spider-Man issue #156 and puts it into BIONICLE form...

I think its about time LEGO should get a new, fresh, and young writer for BIONICLE...

And who was the original writer of BIONICLE back in 2001-2003? That Shakespear guy or Hapaka?

[Ikki o' Moopyville]

Another thing to point out is that Greg is a comic collector. You see him quoting or referencing to DC or MARVEL comics all the time. I think thats where he gets all his ideas. Comic books. He's just a normal, average, comic book collector that got lucky and is now writing comics himself. He has no originality at all. Whenever he runs out of ideas he just goes off and reads The Amazing Spider-Man issue #156 and puts it into BIONICLE form...

EXACTLY! *sweet*

I think its about time LEGO should get a new, fresh, and young writer for BIONICLE...

And who was the original writer of BIONICLE back in 2001-2003? That Shakespear guy or Hapaka?

The comics? Greg, has always been -- only, he wasn't nearly as much in charge at that time as he is now, since the major story parts were being decided by a Story Team. Now, however, Greg's in command, for the good and for the bad. :-|

Oh, and happy New Year!

-Ikk

[Kynok]

The comics? Greg, has always been -- only, he wasn't nearly as much in charge at that time as he is now, since the major story parts were being decided by a Story Team. Now, however, Greg's in command, for the good and for the bad. :-|

Oh, and happy New Year!

-Ikk

Sorry, I meant who was in charge of the Story Team at that time.

[Darkness Falls]

that the name "Inika" is a really good name for a Toa team despite the fact that the actual 2006 Toa Inika team was inordinately bland.

You're kidding, right? At least Jaller isn't the hot-head... he doesn't want to be like the Fire Toa of the Past. Kongu is more cynical... his humor isn't as potent. Naparu is wise, but focuses more on his inventions. He is also the more witty character. Matoro is much more of a team-player, and Hewkii and Hahli also possess their Matoran-esque traits. In short, they still act like Matoran.

Did you just read the comics, or did you read the books?

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

Oh, I understand their "traits"... but they still dont have any real esscence of their origional Tohunga characters (Those, after all, were made by Templar) and they dont have any real STRENGTH of character. Just like when you're painting a picture or writing a story, when you develop characters you need to think, "Strong! Bold!" Vakama's moods and Tahu's rage distinguished their characters. If you make characters with weak traits and without strong character *caugh*Inika*Caugh* they turn out rather boring.

[Darkness Falls]

So you'd rather have characters that possess one, distinguishing, extreme trait than a character who is fleshed out by his/her many different quirks?

[Ikki o' Moopyville]

How about characters fleshed out by many distinguishing, extreme traits? *sweet*

EDIT:

Sorry, I meant who was in charge of the Story Team at that time.

That would be ol' Bob Thomson, who now has moved on from TLC and left Greg in the throne.

It's 2007!

-Ikk

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

No... I'd rather a character with some gorram CHARACTER then some bland poorly executed stereotypical quirks...

[Darkness Falls]

I agree, what the Toa Inika lacked this year was character. But hey, the "Hothead, Joker, Worried Female, etc." has worked for so many years, Greg sticks with it. I'm not saying I support that.

Listen, Greg excels in two things, and two things only. One is making the storyline vastly confusing, and the other is writing the dialog for villains. The Piraka express this, for he breathed life into that evil. However, he left all other characters lacking, except perhaps Brutaka. This is all.

[Ikki o' Moopyville]

I agree, what the Toa Inika lacked this year was character. But hey, the "Hothead, Joker, Worried Female, etc." has worked for so many years, Greg sticks with it. I'm not saying I support that.

Well, that's innovation for ya! :-D If a method works, stick with it -- only, this was the way people were sick of Mata Nui in the end. In 2003, the story had begun to repeat itself, which is why Metru Nui came. The 2001 story rocked beyond all, but six years of it would be overkill.

Good to hear you don't support it -- now we only need to convince Greg's it's a bad idea.

Listen, Greg excels in two things, and two things only. One is making the storyline vastly confusing

Agreed. Too much random stuff about this Toa with those powers on that island.

and the other is writing the dialog for villains. The Piraka express this, for he breathed life into that evil. However, he left all other characters lacking, except perhaps Brutaka. This is all.

:-D The dialogue is probably one of the things that best illustrate the blandness of the characters, in the eyes of many people -- I know I'm quite fed up with cocky lines in supposedly epic life/death situations.

-Ikk

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

Yeah, Vezons bad Gollum impression was kinda grating on me.

I guess the real difference is is that you, and Greg, and the Target Audience see Toa as a the police force of the BIONICLE universe, whereas I see the Toa as the SPARTAN II's of the BIONICLE universe. Observe this Halo 2 trailer:

A short, 30-second commercial aired during the superbowl, yet it demonstrates a perfect insight into the power and depth of events surrounding the Master Chief character. The scope of the events that surround him are staggeringly epic. In the Halo universe, he is humanities last hope. THAT is the kind of story I see the Toa placed in. THAT is what I see the Toa as.

(for the record, to the best of my knowlage, only 33 SPARTAN II's made it to full combat standing. Most died in combat, and in suitably epic ways.)

[vahkimetru]

Now I do recall Greg saying at a book signing in '05 that 2006 would be easy to understand... :-P

I guess he is kind of un original.

About the Barraki, some look like Lego gave the average video game-zombified first grader a bucket of parts and the hideous product was revealed as the new villains, some look like someone put real effort into them. I'm split on these guys...

Oh, and so help me, but I'm suspicious of the next collectible being little stones. :-)

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

Ah, yes, easy to understand.

"See this guy? He's bad guy. See this guy? He's good guy. They fight fight fight. and then they... uh... they fight. Some more."

:-|

[hewkii9]

And then they run down the stairs [There are no escalators in BIONICLE, but next year we'll see some, because that was determined by a different team] and end up fighting Gollum for the One Ring, in a volcanic chamber. But then Captain Jack shoots a rifle and stops the Kraken. On the way up, Toa Lhikan dies to help further the cause of the Toa Metru. After this, Eragon consults with Ajihad to determine where he should go next.

Question; This sounds nothing like the end of BL#5 with names changed, right?

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

Wait, what?

[Kynok]

I think its about time to go get a life...

I think what he is trying to say is that the latest BIONICLE storyline is just a bunch of ideas from other books/movies/comics put into BIONICLE form. Just as I posted earlier... Except not as... dramatic.

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

"So good a plot device, he used it twice"

*sigh* Greg and his magical plot-device Zamors... Wonder if we get magical squiddlies this year, too...?

[Kynok]

"So good a plot device, he used it twice"

*sigh* Greg and his magical plot-device Zamors... Wonder if we get magical squiddlies this year, too...?

Oh my heck don't even get me started on the projectiles...

"Kids want cooler and bigger weapons," Greg says, "not masks!"

Ugh! If kids want bigger and cooler weapons, then they should go buy some Power Rangers or something!

He also says its not his fault... But it just so happens as soon as he got more control over BIONICLE back in 2004, Kanoka came out. Then Rhotuka, then Zamor, and now Squids. You know Greg is a great writer (as long as he doen't get his ideas from comic books) and I have some respect for him, but BIONICLE is just not his thing.

Anyways... I purchased some Barraki the other day. Great sets they are. But the Squids, of coarse, are their downfall... Its a pitty.

[Chuck]

As long as bionicle makes money for lego, I don't care :P

=l2k=

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

Egad! Could it be Bonesii under another name...?!

[legomilk]

new http://assets.lego.com/images/shop/prod/89...000-xx-23-1.jpg

http://assets.lego.com/images/shop/prod/89...000-xx-13-1.jpg

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

Little adaption and it'd make a half-descent Rahi.

It honestly looks like how the Barraki should have looked to be even remotely good sets.