Rumor: Bionicle's return in 2015

[Chro]

Aw man, are they finally reviving the Slizers line? Sweet.

Are you acquainted with one Mr. Banana Gunz?

[Nato G]

I think we've discussed this before. "New" doesn't necessarily have to mean a "brand new Lego theme that no one's ever seen before". It could be "new" as in "something that hasn't been around for five years and are bringing back". Or it could just mean "new" as in "not a current theme." Or, if it's specifically a constraction theme, it could just mean "new" in terms of "not Hero Factory".

 

How often does Lego give us free passes to NYCC? (that's a genuine question, because I have no idea). 

 

Unless this is something they do every year, then I'll assume that the new theme being announced is indeed Bionicle, and that Lego wants some representatives of BZPower to be there for it. Until I'm proven wrong, I'm going to pursue that assumption. 

[fishers64]

I can say that, in all four years I have been on BZP, nothing like this has ever happened. As far as I know in looking back over the news archives as well, this is the first time. 

Edited August 30, 2014 by fishers64

[Nato G]

Excellent.

 

Well, I think that lends credulity to the assumption that this will indeed be the Bionicle announcement we've all been waiting for. 

[Element Lord of Milk]

I think at this point there's almost no chance of bionicle's return being faked. If it dies turn out to be a fake, though, I will applaud the creators for their effort in the few seconds before they are savaged by a mob with torches and pitchforks.

 

Sending the free passes to BZP specifically (Has there been any word of any other Lego fansites getting passes?) definitely indicates to me that it's Bionicle, if not that, then at least a new constraction theme. I can't think of any other reason for them to single out BZP specifically.

[Heontris]

I can't think of any other reason for them to single out BZP specifically.

Except that BZPOWER is probably the only fan site not going rampant with leaks 24/7?

 

But if it does show there, I want a video of it. XP

[Makuta Miras]

Yes. Me too. Everyone here going to NYCC, take a camera!

[Sardrox: Will of Makuta]

I have no idea how the hype train can intensify any further. It's already a turbo-boosted high speed hype spaceship, spaceship, SPACESHIP! that several members are currently fused onto.

All silliness set aside though, I believe this is the moment we have all been waiting for since July: Lego's official confirmation. I hope we get set pics.

[Chro]

Well you can say "this is the moment we've all been waiting for"... but keep in mind that we do, in fact, have to wait more. NYCC isn't until October.

[Irrie]

Well you can say "this is the moment we've all been waiting for"... but keep in mind that we do, in fact, have to wait more. NYCC isn't until October.

What if just as we thought they were going to bring back Bionicle, they turned around and rebooted Throwbots? 

[Nato G]

I think the evidence suggests it's Bionicle that will be returning. Besides, logic dictates that if they were going to bring back any constraction theme, they'd pick the one that had the huge fan base that lasted for ten years and saved the company. 

[Comment Expired]

I get that you guys are excited and I think it's likely, but it's important to not overdo it. The world is full of people getting hyped about something that doesn't eventuate and end up feeling disappointed. Try to relax a bit.

[Turaga Jack]

I have no idea how the hype train can intensify any further. It's already a turbo-boosted high speed hype spaceship, spaceship, SPACESHIP! that several members are currently fused onto.

All silliness set aside though, I believe this is the moment we have all been waiting for since July: Lego's official confirmation. I hope we get set pics.

I'm fairly certain we will see  at least Omega Tahu and probably two other Toa.

[NickonAquaMagna]

A new theme for little girls, eh? I'm looking forward to seeing what this new Elves line is like. I do think it's nice that the Friends sets are on par with "boy sets" in terms of piece count and construction, and I appreciate that they use colors other than pink, but... well, they're still so darn girly. Personally, I've never understood the concept of marketing certain things to a specific gender. The most heinous example of this I can think of is Cartoon Network cancelling Young Justice because "too many" of its viewers were girls, and the out of touch execs only wanted boys watching the show because "only boys buy toys." 

 

Like... really? We're still that far behind the times? Even with this Friends line, it still feels like they're telling girls what they're SUPPOSED to like. "What's that, little girl? You like Eris from Legends of Chima and want to buy her awesome eagle/jet/tank thing? Well, we've got something even better for you! An ice cream shop/beauty parlor/pet shop thing!" Cause, you know... ice cream and pets are... girl things, I guess? Pfft. Even that cruise ship set looks like a pretty cool thing for a kid to have, but still... it's so girly. When I hear about this whole elves thing, though, I can't help thinking it ought to have more of a sense of... culture to it...

 

....Which is what made me love Bionicle.

 

Also, half of the Toa Novus are girls. WOOOOT~

i thought lego made the friends line because a little girl and her mom did not  like lego not having any  "girl themes" and threatened to sue lego if they did not make a theme for girls. 

 

 

Really? Man people are WAY too sue happy, nowadays. I mean, Lego HAS made themes "for girls" before, but... well, they usually stink.

Edited August 30, 2014 by NickonAquaMagna

[Spectral_Rain]

I have no idea how the hype train can intensify any further. It's already a turbo-boosted high speed hype spaceship, spaceship, SPACESHIP! that several members are currently fused onto.

All silliness set aside though, I believe this is the moment we have all been waiting for since July: Lego's official confirmation. I hope we get set pics.

actually it evvolved to the hype mata nui robot

 

A new theme for little girls, eh? I'm looking forward to seeing what this new Elves line is like. I do think it's nice that the Friends sets are on par with "boy sets" in terms of piece count and construction, and I appreciate that they use colors other than pink, but... well, they're still so darn girly. Personally, I've never understood the concept of marketing certain things to a specific gender. The most heinous example of this I can think of is Cartoon Network cancelling Young Justice because "too many" of its viewers were girls, and the out of touch execs only wanted boys watching the show because "only boys buy toys." 

 

Like... really? We're still that far behind the times? Even with this Friends line, it still feels like they're telling girls what they're SUPPOSED to like. "What's that, little girl? You like Eris from Legends of Chima and want to buy her awesome eagle/jet/tank thing? Well, we've got something even better for you! An ice cream shop/beauty parlor/pet shop thing!" Cause, you know... ice cream and pets are... girl things, I guess? Pfft. Even that cruise ship set looks like a pretty cool thing for a kid to have, but still... it's so girly. When I hear about this whole elves thing, though, I can't help thinking it ought to have more of a sense of... culture to it...

 

....Which is what made me love Bionicle.

 

Also, half of the Toa Novus are girls. WOOOOT~

i thought lego made the friends line because a little girl and her mom did not  like lego not having any  "girl themes" and threatened to sue lego if they did not make a theme for girls. 

 

 

Really? Man people are WAY too sue happy, nowadays. I mean, Lego HAS made themes "for girls" before, but... well, they usually stink.

 

i could have been wrong, that was just what i heared when it first came out.

[Willess12]

 

What if just as we thought they were going to bring back Bionicle, they turned around and rebooted Throwbots?

I believe they are planning on reviving Galidor, actually.

 

seriously, I at first thought it couldn't be Bionicle they were unveiling, because they said new.  But then, as someone pointed out (_{scrolls through previous posts})as Spectral_Rain pointed out, if they said returning, everyone'd know it was Bionicle Galidor.  It hardly matters, though, because everyone knows it's Bionicle Galidor anyway, especially since they gave passes to BionicleZonePower GalidorZonePower.

[Chro]

Pretty sure that the existence of the Friends line was a deliberate decision made by Lego, not a reaction to being nearly sued

 

 

 

Also, over the whole "new" debate, note that Asger's blog (which mentioned work on a constraction line in 2015) specifically used the word "new" as well, and it's pretty certain now that he was talking about Bionicle

Edited August 30, 2014 by Chro

[Jakura Nuva]

 

I can't think of any other reason for them to single out BZP specifically.

Except that BZPOWER is probably the only fan site not going rampant with leaks 24/7?

But if it does show there, I want a video of it. XP

This may have just convinced me to accept the BZP Leaked Content Policy as useful.

[Aanchir]

I get that you guys are excited and I think it's likely, but it's important to not overdo it. The world is full of people getting hyped about something that doesn't eventuate and end up feeling disappointed. Try to relax a bit.

It's possible to be excited for one outcome while still being prepared for other outcomes. I'd love BIONICLE to come back, but you know, one way or the other we're getting a new constraction theme next year, so even if it does turn out not to be BIONICLE (and at this point, it's pretty clear that won't happen) I have plenty to look forward to.

 

 

 

i thought lego made the friends line because a little girl and her mom did not  like lego not having any  "girl themes" and threatened to sue lego if they did not make a theme for girls.

 

Really? Man people are WAY too sue happy, nowadays. I mean, Lego HAS made themes "for girls" before, but... well, they usually stink.

 

i could have been wrong, that was just what i heared when it first came out.

 

Nah, there's no truth in that whatsoever. In reality, before LEGO Friends, girls had long made up a pitifully small portion of the LEGO brand's audience (as little as 8% of total LEGO sales according to some statistics). So the LEGO Group already knew they had a problem on their hands. Research into how girls play and why they didn't embrace the LEGO brand the way boys did began in 2007 — the development of the LEGO Friends theme was roughly a four-year process. This article from 2011 goes into a lot of detail.

 

The LEGO Friends theme turned out to be even more successful than the LEGO Group anticipated — they were not even able to keep up with demand in its first year. So it should be no surprise why other brands like Mega Bloks have tried in their own stumbling, awkward way to cash in on the sudden realization that "huh, you can actually sell building toys to girls" with brands like Mega Bloks Barbie. And it should also be no surprise that the LEGO Group has every reason to have more than just one girl-focused theme in their portfolio, even in addition to LEGO Friends and more gender-neutral themes like LEGO Creator.

 

Sorry for veering the conversation slightly off-topic, but I think a lot of people do tend to mistake LEGO Friends for the LEGO Group simply decided to cash in on "conventional wisdom" about gendered play. People don't realize just how much work the LEGO Group put into figuring out why girls weren't playing with their current products and how to make LEGO into something that girls would embrace as enthusiastically as boys already did.

[Makuta Miras]

I wonder what Bionicle would have been like if Lego had decided to make it appeal to both boys and girls. The result...

 

Pink Toa. Or pink Rahkshi. And whoever knows, this time around Lewa and Pohatu might become female. Although that might be... interesting, I think that a lot of Gen 1 fans would get pretty annoyed at Lego if they did that.

A decent compromise for that might be introducing a team later on in Gen 2 with even numbers of males and females. It would certainly be a wise idea.

Also, I think that the mono-gender tribes idea will most likely be scrapped in the future.

[Lyichir]

I wonder what Bionicle would have been like if Lego had decided to make it appeal to both boys and girls. The result...

 

Pink Toa. Or pink Rahkshi. And whoever knows, this time around Lewa and Pohatu might become female. Although that might be... interesting, I think that a lot of Gen 1 fans would get pretty annoyed at Lego if they did that.

A decent compromise for that might be introducing a team later on in Gen 2 with even numbers of males and females. It would certainly be a wise idea.

Also, I think that the mono-gender tribes idea will most likely be scrapped in the future.

I certainly doubt pink Toa would have happened if Lego wanted that particular set to appeal to boys at all (the idea that pink is for girls may be outdated but even today, I imagine that the rule is still very strictly observed by the majority of boys, who recognize it as a symbol of old-school femininity). There WOULD probably be at least one more girl character in each team of six, perhaps with a less overtly "girly" color like purple or yellow. And perhaps Lego wouldn't have been so quick to discard the notion of romance in the story, and would in fact focus more on the interpersonal relationships and dynamics between characters. None of those things sound so bad, honestly.

 

I hope the mono-gender tribes will be scrapped. I don't expect any past characters to change gender in the new story, but assuming the reboot takes the story in a new direction, perhaps a future series of Toa/Matoran/whoever can have a more even ratio, and in the meantime the canon would allow for more diverse side characters and OCs.

[Jakura Nuva]

I hope the mono-gender tribes will be scrapped. I don't expect any past characters to change gender in the new story, but assuming the reboot takes the story in a new direction, perhaps a future series of Toa/Matoran/whoever can have a more even ratio, and in the meantime the canon would allow for more diverse side characters and OCs.

Agreed. A lot of people want to change the genders of characters already established in addition to retconning gender-specific tribes. I have no problem with scrapping the mono-gender tribes, but I don't see the point in changing the genders of past characters.

[Wazdakka]

If the genders of previous characters will be swapped, the fanbase will flip out. I'm not saying I personally will be enraged, but as we all know about fanbases, the status quo is the best!

[Jakura Nuva]

If the genders of previous characters will be swapped, the fanbase will flip out. I'm not saying I personally will be enraged, but as we all know about fanbases, the status quo is the best!

How would you feel if you, as an eight year old, absolutely loved Lewa and his awesome axe, and how he was the most fun Toa ever - so much that you even dressed up as him for Halloween - and then, 13 years later as an adult, you find out he has been changed into a girl? How do you think that would feel?

 

That guy would be locked in his closet, eating ice cream for a long time after that...

Edited August 30, 2014 by Jakura Nuva

[Lyichir]

 

If the genders of previous characters will be swapped, the fanbase will flip out. I'm not saying I personally will be enraged, but as we all know about fanbases, the status quo is the best!

How would you feel if you, as an eight year old, absolutely loved Lewa and his awesome axe, and how he was the most fun Toa ever - so much that you even dressed up as him for Halloween - and then, 13 years later as an adult, you find out he has been changed into a girl? How do you think that would feel?

 

That guy would be locked in his closet, eating ice cream for a long time after that...

 

I think I'd be grown-up enough to accept that, personally. But I know the same couldn't be said for a lot of fans, and that's why I doubt any character genders will change—Lego has nothing to gain by inviting unnecessary controversy from the get-go, especially when simply eliminating the gender restrictions on elements would allow for such changes to be phased in over time with next to no backlash. That's assuming they change even that... but I would be seriously disappointed if they didn't.

[Irrie]

Well, the Agori are not divided into gender-based factions. When Bionicle comes back, the plotline might focus on the Agori more than the MU inhabitants. 

 

However, that will only be so if they don't reboot. 

*Gets on knees* 

Please don't reboot...please don't reboot...please don't reboot...

 

 

 

 

If the genders of previous characters will be swapped, the fanbase will flip out. I'm not saying I personally will be enraged, but as we all know about fanbases, the status quo is the best!

How would you feel if you, as an eight year old, absolutely loved Lewa and his awesome axe, and how he was the most fun Toa ever - so much that you even dressed up as him for Halloween - and then, 13 years later as an adult, you find out he has been changed into a girl? How do you think that would feel?

That guy would be locked in his closet, eating ice cream for a long time after that...

 

How do you think I felt about Tamaru? That stupid trend ruined one of my favorite characters! 

Edited August 30, 2014 by The Irrational Rock

[Jakura Nuva]

 

 

If the genders of previous characters will be swapped, the fanbase will flip out. I'm not saying I personally will be enraged, but as we all know about fanbases, the status quo is the best!

 

How would you feel if you, as an eight year old, absolutely loved Lewa and his awesome axe, and how he was the most fun Toa ever - so much that you even dressed up as him for Halloween - and then, 13 years later as an adult, you find out he has been changed into a girl? How do you think that would feel?

That guy would be locked in his closet, eating ice cream for a long time after that...

I think I'd be grown-up enough to accept that, personally. But I know the same couldn't be said for a lot of fans, and that's why I doubt any character genders will change—Lego has nothing to gain by inviting unnecessary controversy from the get-go, especially when simply eliminating the gender restrictions on elements would allow for such changes to be phased in over time with next to no backlash. That's assuming they change even that... but I would be seriously disappointed if they didn't.

Okay, just so no one gets the wrong idea, I'm not talking about myself - it was just an example.

Well, the Agori are not divided into gender-based factions. When Bionicle comes back, the plotline might focus on the Agori more than the MU inhabitants.

 

However, that will only be so if they don't reboot.

*Gets on knees*

Please don't reboot...please don't reboot...please don't reboot...

 

 

 

 

 

 

If the genders of previous characters will be swapped, the fanbase will flip out. I'm not saying I personally will be enraged, but as we all know about fanbases, the status quo is the best!

 

How would you feel if you, as an eight year old, absolutely loved Lewa and his awesome axe, and how he was the most fun Toa ever - so much that you even dressed up as him for Halloween - and then, 13 years later as an adult, you find out he has been changed into a girl? How do you think that would feel?

That guy would be locked in his closet, eating ice cream for a long time after that...

How do you think I felt about Tamaru? That stupid trend ruined one of my favorite characters!

Are you talking about the MOC made recently? Cuz that thing rocked. If it's fanfic, it really doesn't bother me too much - fans can do what fans want to do, and it doesn't really affect the official story. Edited August 30, 2014 by Jakura Nuva

[Irrie]

I'm not talking about the MOC, because that was pretty cool. For some reason, I get irked whenever someone refers to him as a female. 

But this is off-topic. Like I said, if my prayers are answered, it will hopefully be a continuation with more Agori. 

[Jakura Nuva]

I'm not talking about the MOC, because that was pretty cool. For some reason, I get irked whenever someone refers to him as a female. 

But this is off-topic. Like I said, if my prayers are answered, it will hopefully be a continuation with more Agori.

 

I didn't even know people considered Tamaru a girl - I thought it was just a thing with the MOC. Still, like I said, if it isn't official it doesn't bother me.

[Irrie]

 

I'm not talking about the MOC, because that was pretty cool. For some reason, I get irked whenever someone refers to him as a female. 

But this is off-topic. Like I said, if my prayers are answered, it will hopefully be a continuation with more Agori.

I didn't even know people considered Tamaru a girl - I thought it was just a thing with the MOC. Still, like I said, if it isn't official it doesn't bother me.

 

Apparently there's an entire subculture of the Bionicle Fandom that endorses it.

[Jakura Nuva]

 

 

I'm not talking about the MOC, because that was pretty cool. For some reason, I get irked whenever someone refers to him as a female.

But this is off-topic. Like I said, if my prayers are answered, it will hopefully be a continuation with more Agori.

 

I didn't even know people considered Tamaru a girl - I thought it was just a thing with the MOC. Still, like I said, if it isn't official it doesn't bother me.

Apparently there's an entire subculture of the Bionicle Fandom that endorses it.

Oh, well. Edited August 30, 2014 by Jakura Nuva

[AdaptingChaos]

 

I hope the mono-gender tribes will be scrapped. I don't expect any past characters to change gender in the new story, but assuming the reboot takes the story in a new direction, perhaps a future series of Toa/Matoran/whoever can have a more even ratio, and in the meantime the canon would allow for more diverse side characters and OCs.

Agreed. A lot of people want to change the genders of characters already established in addition to retconning gender-specific tribes. I have no problem with scrapping the mono-gender tribes, but I don't see the point in changing the genders of past characters.

 

Wait couldn't the mono-gender tribes thing actually work out now considering that the Agori and Matoran now live together on Spherus Magna? I mean I could be wrong, but werent Agori excluded from the mono-gender thing? 

Edit: LOL I originally started writing this and completely forgot that I didnt click 'Post' since opened new tabs..

Edited August 30, 2014 by AdaptingChaos

[Aanchir]

 

 

I'm not talking about the MOC, because that was pretty cool. For some reason, I get irked whenever someone refers to him as a female. 

But this is off-topic. Like I said, if my prayers are answered, it will hopefully be a continuation with more Agori.

I didn't even know people considered Tamaru a girl - I thought it was just a thing with the MOC. Still, like I said, if it isn't official it doesn't bother me.

 

Apparently there's an entire subculture of the Bionicle Fandom that endorses it.

 

I wouldn't call it a subculture — it's just a group of fans with a shared fanon/headcanon. You see that kind of thing in basically any successful fan community — it's what automatically happens when one person has an idea that other people happen to like, whether that be a romantic pairing, an alternate character interpretation, a fandom meme or inside joke (like how some BIONICLE fans have decided that Lhikan's Kanohi Hau is cursed), a shared fanfiction or role-play universe (like BZ-Koro or the overambitious puzzle that is the Expanded Multiverse), or a preferred crossover.

[Nato G]

I definitely agree that a focus on the Agori and Glatorian rather than the MU inhabitants would give us a better chance of getting some more gender equality. 

[fishers64]

I definitely agree that a focus on the Agori and Glatorian rather than the MU inhabitants would give us a better chance of getting some more gender equality. 

I'd like to throw some other MU species like Vortixx into the mix as well, I think that would help even out the gender ranks.

 

Personally, the most variety among characters the better. The Toa focus of the past 10 years of story has had its day, I really think that they should shake up that formula. The idea that anyone not Toa/Matoran/Glatorian/Agori is automatically the bad guy and can't work with the Toa is an outdated idea that I wish they would scrap.   

[Nato G]

 

I definitely agree that a focus on the Agori and Glatorian rather than the MU inhabitants would give us a better chance of getting some more gender equality. 

I'd like to throw some other MU species like Vortixx into the mix as well, I think that would help even out the gender ranks.

 

Personally, the most variety among characters the better. The Toa focus of the past 10 years of story has had its day, I really think that they should shake up that formula. The idea that anyone not Toa/Matoran/Glatorian/Agori is automatically the bad guy and can't work with the Toa is an outdated idea that I wish they would scrap.   

 

 

Yes, you have a point. At the end of Journey's End, there was mention of Vortixx, Skakdi and other races (who weren't part of Makuta's army) starting to emerge from the destroyed robot and mingling with other MU inhabitants and the Agori/Glatorian. They aren't all bad. They should have a year with an entire team of non-Toa good guys, perhaps ones who rely more on skill, strength and smarts rather than powers. Vortixx, Skakdi, non-Toa Glatorian... maybe a few Skrall could go good as well, that sort of thing.

 

Perhaps if they keep the Barraki as villains for the future, Lego could create a non-Toa team to fight them. It would make for a more interesting story than: The Toa Nuva used their awesome elemental Toa powers to swiftly defeat the powerless Barraki. 

 

And this is something that came up a while back, but we need an anti-hero team!

Edited August 31, 2014 by NatoGreavesy

[Boxorak the Azure Noob]

What if just as we thought they were going to bring back Bionicle, they turned around and rebooted Throwbots? 

I don't know whether that would be evil or kind of awesome. Maybe both, I dunno.

 

 

Yes, you have a point. At the end of Journey's End, there was mention of Vortixx, Skakdi and other races (who weren't part of Makuta's army) starting to emerge from the destroyed robot and mingling with other MU inhabitants and the Agori/Glatorian. They aren't all bad. They should have a year with an entire team of non-Toa good guys, perhaps ones who rely more on skill, strength and smarts rather than powers. Vortixx, Skakdi, non-Toa Glatorian... maybe a few Skrall could go good as well, that sort of thing.

 

Perhaps if they keep the Barraki as villains for the future, Lego could create a non-Toa team to fight them. It would make for a more interesting story than: The Toa Nuva used heir awesome elemental Toa powers to swiftly defeat the powerless Barraki.

Hey, if the Piraka could take out the Toa Nuva during the Voya Nui storyline, then the six experienced warlords could provide a challenge to the Toa Nuva.

 

Though, yeah, a team of non-Toa would be a little more interesting. Maybe have a Federation of Fear-style scenario where a bunch of misfits team up or something?

[Banana Gunz]

 

Aw man, are they finally reviving the Slizers line? Sweet.

Are you acquainted with one Mr. Banana Gunz?

 

 

Hey now, if they could make a line about rainbow ninjas spinning in circles to defeat their enemies, they can make a good slizers reboot. If they can make it good, I can see no reason to oppose it. 

 

I'm just hoping that everyone's joking about having the glatorian/agori being the main focus. They just aren't interesting and trying to expand on them won't make them any better. It'll just make them cluttered.

[Jakura Nuva]

 

 

Aw man, are they finally reviving the Slizers line? Sweet.

Are you acquainted with one Mr. Banana Gunz?

 

 

Hey now, if they could make a line about rainbow ninjas spinning in circles to defeat their enemies, they can make a good slizers reboot. If they can make it good, I can see no reason to oppose it. 

 

I'm just hoping that everyone's joking about having the glatorian/agori being the main focus. They just aren't interesting and trying to expand on them won't make them any better. It'll just make them cluttered.

 

 

Hey, if Michael Bay does Slizers...

[Nato G]

I don't know about everyone else, but I wasn't kidding about making the Agori/Glatorian to be the main focus, at least for a year or two. Canonically, they were around first, and the Matoran and Toa were based off of them. Plus they have a more equal gender dispersion, and, because they're organic beings, not just constructs, they are capable of feeling love and developing more meaningful relationships. I think it would be a nice break to focus on them for a change. 

Edited August 31, 2014 by NatoGreavesy