Hero Factory 2013

[Aanchir]

They can give him a backstory and whatever. But what makes it a place holder is that it has no own design. It is basically a Black Phantom palette swap. Doesn't help that there were already 50 villains with black phantom's face.

What xxlrocka meant is that there are other minor characters in the show who are just minor modifications of other characters-- for instance, Daniela Capricorn is a call center operator with a different color scheme and hairstyle, but no other changes. Likewise most background characters are palette swaps of other characters. This guy could potentially be the same deal-- a minor character not meant to stand in for any more important characters, such as whoever the "true" mastermind behind the breakout and brain attack was.

Now, I think the decision to sort of keep this character to the shadows and (as far as I know) not show the Heroes taking him down suggests that he will be a character with ongoing importance, which makes the possibility of him being a placeholder for a more major villain slightly more likely (since a character with multi-year importance is a definite contender to become a set when his story arc comes to a climax, and this current character can't be given a set form without some kind of transformation). But the other possibility-- him being a minor character with little lasting relevance to the story-- can't be completely ruled out.

[Cahillrebel]

That or it is a prototype for the new Nebula set. The BP head and chest might be placeholders for the new head and chest.

[Jetrax99]

Aanchir, we all know Von Nebula is the true mastermind behing everything major that's currently going on (breakout, brain attack) so why act as if we don't?

Edited February 8, 2013 by Jetrax99

[Dorek]

Because we don't. He was the mastermind behind the first attack, but had no apparent connection to the subsequent two incidents, and then only speculation about the next two. His staff being used was a key plot point, obviously, but we still haven't actually seen the villain since 2010. Could be a brand new villain.

[Mesonak]

Because we don't. He was the mastermind behind the first attack, but had no apparent connection to the subsequent two incidents, and then only speculation about the next two. His staff being used was a key plot point, obviously, but we still haven't actually seen the villain since 2010. Could be a brand new villain.

But Dorek! What about the mysterious smoke Nebula... thing that Voltix caused?

Finally got around to taking pictures of my Bruizer revamp today. Not really a huge reimagining, just a couple of things here and there. Could probably have taken a better picture, but I'll do that some other time.

Bruizer

Modified arm connection

[Aanchir]

Aanchir, we all know Von Nebula is the true mastermind behing everything major that's currently going on (breakout, brain attack) so why act as if we don't?

Because the only things we have to tell us it's Von Nebula are Voltix's bizarre decision to make an energy construct shaped like Von Nebula, his claw at the end of "Breakout", and the mastermind's laugh at the end of "Breakout" being voiced by Mark Hamill (as far as I know; I could be wrong about that last point). And if this character design is a placeholder, what reason do we have to think Von Nebula's claw wasn't a placeholder for a different character as well?

Again, it being Von Nebula still seems like the most likely possibility, but at this point we're seeing more and more evidence that the show's animators have a knack for confusing and misleading people with their decisions to reuse/repurpose old character models. There are examples going back to Von Ness's appearance in the crowd in "Ordeal of Fire". And as a result it's becoming harder and harder to judge their actual intent from what we see in the show.

But Dorek! What about the mysterious smoke Nebula... thing that Voltix caused?

I believe one of the Hero Factory readers confirmed that making electrical energy construct... things... is just one of Voltix's powers. Why it was made to look like Von Nebula is anyone's guess-- after all, all it accomplished in the episode from a storytelling perspective was confuse people and make them think Voltix had somehow summoned the ACTUAL Von Nebula.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Aanchir

[Jetrax99]

Look like Von Nebula? Am I the only who noticed the physical hand coming out of the smoke?

[Aanchir]

Look like Von Nebula? Am I the only who noticed the physical hand coming out of the smoke?

No, but something looking physical rather than looking smoky (we, the viewers, didn't get to touch the hand) doesn't make it real, especially when the whole scene was trippy, confusing, and misleading. Even if Von Nebula is the mastermind, it wouldn't make any sense for him to burst out of Voltix and destroy the very artifact in which he's being held captive-- and if we were meant to get a clear impression that this somehow was the case, then the writers and animators did a piss-poor job conveying that message clearly.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Aanchir

[Aethersprite]

Previously I thought that the placement of the trans-blue and trans-yellow shells on Surge's arms was seemingly random, but then I noticed that they actually form a gradient matching the pattern of the lightning pieces on his weapon!

[Cyrix]

Regardless of whether VN is behind the Brain Attack, I doubt that he's behind the Breakout. He was still a Hero back when Black Phantom had assembled the Legion of Darkness, and I doubt that BP would want to serve a "newer" villain, let alone a former Hero.

[Vinyl Scratch]

Regardless of whether VN is behind the Brain Attack, I doubt that he's behind the Breakout. He was still a Hero back when Black Phantom had assembled the Legion of Darkness, and I doubt that BP would want to serve a "newer" villain, let alone a former Hero.

Actually, if I remember well didn't the Legion of Darkness book imply that Black Phantom was one of the villains that made Von Ness go evil? I remember reading something about that.

[Jetrax99]

Not to mention that given Voltix's comment in the beginning of Breakout, VN seems to be highly respected among villains. Also, if the brains are a native creature(I could be wrong), perhaps the "Vilain Factory" thing has yet to come, as those cyclopticons seem to just be generic drones. Taking a cue from Hasbro, eh LEGO? That's not good.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Jetrax99

[DarkSurgeXL]

My guess is, that we probably won't see the mastermind at all, unless a book reveals him. Since we have 5 books about the Brain Attack theme this year, one of them is most likely to reveal the mastermind.

I agree with Aanchir, that he can be just a minor character, with no backstory and with no particular appearance in the show.

Since the books are so far away from the storyline of the show, I think one of them will reveal the mastermind, but there will be no render for him in the show. Von Nebula being the mastermind of both Breakout and Brain Attack is just impossible, unless he somehow upgraded himself to "Von Nebula 2.0", but I don't see him doing so.

A theory about the mastermind Brain Attack being Black Phantom is very weak too, as Brain Attack episode is connected with the Breakout episode after all, and in the end of the Breakout episode Black Phantom was caught and put into prison cell.

I will preserve my judgment on the episode, until I see an english one, or at least with english subtitles.

[Omicron Squad Leader]

Is the episode 25 minutes long or 50 minutes long? If the former, that's ever so slightly disappointing (presuming another one won't be released later on); we've gone from four episodes in 2010, to three in 2011, to two in 2012, to one in 2013.

the mastermind's laugh at the end of "Breakout" being voiced by Mark Hamill

It sounded like John Schneider to me, but I, like you, have no confirmation.

[Aanchir]

Regardless of whether VN is behind the Brain Attack, I doubt that he's behind the Breakout. He was still a Hero back when Black Phantom had assembled the Legion of Darkness, and I doubt that BP would want to serve a "newer" villain, let alone a former Hero.

Keep in mind that despite working for another villain, Black Phantom had his own motives for participating in the breakout-- specifically, using the Assembly Tower to make himself more powerful. And furthermore, the Breakout got him out of Hero Factory prison (if not for as long as he had hoped). Overall, I think he had more than enough motivation to participate in the Breakout no matter who his employer was-- and it's not even clear if he had any way of knowing just who was employing him, since keeping one's identity secret even to one's underlings is a powerful tool in any shadowy villain's arsenal.

Not to mention that given Voltix's comment in the beginning of Breakout, VN seems to be highly respected among villains. Also, if the brains are a native creature(I could be wrong), perhaps the "Vilain Factory" thing has yet to come, as those cyclopticons seem to just be generic drones. Taking a cue from Hasbro, eh LEGO? That's not good.

In a certain sense, it would make sense for Von Nebula to be popular among villains, even if he's known to be a former Hero. The fact that a hero would be willing to turn against the Hero Factory and go to extreme measures to burn that bridge behind him could be seen as validation for many villains who see the Hero Factory as enemies or even merely as an annoyance.

I don't think the brains are native to any place. I'm fairly certain that they are a created species, not least because their drive to destroy the Hero Factory seems to be ingrained in their consciousness.

My guess is, that we probably won't see the mastermind at all, unless a book reveals him. Since we have 5 books about the Brain Attack theme this year, one of them is most likely to reveal the mastermind.

I agree with Aanchir, that he can be just a minor character, with no backstory and with no particular appearance in the show.

Since the books are so far away from the storyline of the show, I think one of them will reveal the mastermind, but there will be no render for him in the show. Von Nebula being the mastermind of both Breakout and Brain Attack is just impossible, unless he somehow upgraded himself to "Von Nebula 2.0", but I don't see him doing so.

A theory about the mastermind Brain Attack being Black Phantom is very weak too, as Brain Attack episode is connected with the Breakout episode after all, and in the end of the Breakout episode Black Phantom was caught and put into prison cell.

I will preserve my judgment on the episode, until I see an english one, or at least with english subtitles.

I don't think the books will reveal the mastermind behind the Breakout. They might drop heavy hints, but the ultimate reveal will almost certainly take place in the TV episodes. It wouldn't make sense to open a major plot thread in the TV episodes and then conclude it in an entirely different (and probably less accessible) story medium. Unless there is no intent by the show's writers to ever revisit that plot thread, then it will almost certainly be wrapped up in the show itself.

[ToaJaller78]

Yep. Want em' all.

[Aanchir]

There's already a Hero Factory 2013 topic where people have been discussing these and other Toy Fair pictures for days now. This doesn't really demand its own topic. But I agree, the sets look pretty neat.

[ToaJaller78]

After looking closely ( And this is JUST a theory) I'ts Von wearing 2 Masks. JUST A THEORY!!!!

[ToaJaller78]

There's already a Hero Factory 2013 topic where people have been discussing these and other Toy Fair pictures for days now. This doesn't really demand its own topic. But I agree, the sets look pretty neat.

I know there's a topic. And I agree the sets are neat. But still oh.......

[DraikNova]

My favorites this wave are:

Dragon Bolt (Pretty much self-explanatory)

Surge (Awesome colors and a relatively sleek look)

Evo (Not to many rare parts or new ones, but overall the most "finished" looking set of the year)

[Aethersprite]

Anyone knows when the Lego segment of Toy Fair will be? Tomorrow, perhaps?

[Cyrix]

@Vinyl Scratch yeah, basically what I was saying was that because Black Phantom was a bit of an "older" villain than Von Nebula, he wouldn't feel inclined to take orders from him.

@Aanchir I had honestly never considered the possibility of the mastermind remaining anonymous. Interesting, though.

[CabooseBM]

It would be cool if there could be a new female being a new color of pink or violet. Now that's a color we rarely ever see in ultrabuilds.

Ew, no.

Not because of the color, I'd love some pink or violet, but the popular insinuation of sticking a female hero with a "girly" color scheme hurts me in the not-being-sexist-organs.

Besides, pink would work much better as an accent color ala Late-Generation-1 Decepticons.

EDIT: Just realized how long ago this post was made. The "Go to New Post" button must have gone wacky.

Edited February 10, 2013 by CabooseBM

[xxlrocka]

Okay, I'm just gonna say that this year will be the only time I will ever get Surge.

[DraikNova]

No wonder. This year he's packed with rare parts and manages to pull of a relatively good look besides.