Were the Turaga ever meant to be old

[CeeCee]

When Bionicle first came out in 2001, were the Turaga even meant to be that old. The films gave that impression, but where the Turaga ever designed to be much older than a Matoran? Its just something thats always bugged me.

 

Also story wise, were just Matoran on Metru Nui. If it had been another set of Toa Metru, wouldnt the current Metru just be Matoran and get sent to Mata Nui? We wouldnt see them as old then, would we. Not to mention the Toa Mata are older than all of them (I think).

Edited July 19, 2014 by Kingslayer

[justin_verceles]

They were probably meant to be old in the beginning, because I believe I've heard Greg Farshtey say once that he's the kind of person to just start writing a story and then just go from there without any prewrite. However, if there's any mystery involved, he said that he strongly recommends that the writer have an idea of how the mystery is solved beforehand.

[Aanchir]

They were probably meant to be old in the beginning, because I believe I've heard Greg Farshtey say once that he's the kind of person to just start writing a story and then just go from there without any prewrite. However, if there's any mystery involved, he said that he strongly recommends that the writer have an idea of how the mystery is solved beforehand.

Well, Greg wouldn't have been in charge of coming up with the backbone of the story. Back at that point he was just in charge of the comics, and had some input with regard to characterization, but wasn't the one writing the original story bible.

 

I don't know if there's any way to be sure what age classic characters were originally envisioned to be. However, as village chiefs and sages, the Turaga were definitely meant to have an air of wisdom, mysteriousness, experience, and authority. They did not tend to involve themselves in major battles, or fight at any point except as self-defense. So I think their elderly voices and physique in the movies were consistent with the characterization that had been established by that point.

 

In the MNOG, Kongu says that Matau was known as Matau Kewa Champion "in lifedawn years past", which seems to hint at him having lived a long time. Of course, once we had a better understanding of the BIONICLE timeline, we knew that this could be said truthfully of ANY Matoran, and it is not clear when (if ever) Matau would have been a "Kewa Champion".

 

Furthermore, the story team was heavily involved in the creation of the BIONICLE movies, so if it WAS in fact creative license on the part of the movie makers, it was creative license with story team approval.

[Zidonaro]

Yes and no. The movie gave us that impression, but I don't think they apply in the storyline:

 

Turaga are slightly stronger than the Matoran.

 

They can do anything a Matoran can do, but better.

Edited July 19, 2014 by HoloTheWise

[Jakura Nuva]

Well, seeing as how they are village leaders, collectively wiser than Toa and Matoran, and the final step in "Matoran Evolution", I would suppose they were meant to be elderly-like. But as mentioned in other places, there really isn't "age groups" in the Matoran Universe. Remember, the movies take liberties with some things.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Jakuura

[fishers64]

As for being literally older than the Matoran, no that's non-canon, mostly. Aside from Takua, I don't think that we know any of the Matoran's or Turaga's ages. It's possible that a Turaga could be younger than Matoran. 

 

Were they meant to seem that way to us? Probably. We're used to elderly-ness being associated with the wisdom, authority, and respect the Turaga commanded, and also the seeming feebleness and lack of power in comparison to the Toa reinforced that idea.   

[bonesiii]

They are still often called elders, in a poetic sense, or a "life experiences" sense -- as in, Matoran haven't had the memories of life as a Toa and then the transformation down to Turaga. Even though some Matoran can be older than some Turaga, there's still a difference there.

 

Probably literal age was the original idea, but it was changed by the time of launch in 2001 apparently, or at least the planning stage for Mask of Light.

 

 

Also story wise, were just Matoran on Metru Nui. If it had been another set of Toa Metru, wouldnt the current Metru just be Matoran and get sent to Mata Nui? We wouldnt see them as old then, would we. Not to mention the Toa Mata are older than all of them (I think).

I didn't understand this part of your post. Is there a missing word in the first sentence in this quote? And what's the "it" in the second? Could you try to clarify?