Rebooted Character Personalities

[Alyska]

So, if Bionicle was to be rebooted- and I mean "rebooted" as in a new continuity, none of the events of the "old" canon having any impact, but perhaps with a few recycled character names, plot elements, etc...

 

Do you think the characters should be essentially reset to their old selves as we first met them on Mata Nui? Or would you want them to have the same names, but certain tweaks to their character- much like how Transformers and various superhero franchises will have the same names and similar appearance, but with notable differences that make each continuity's version almost a distinct character in their own right? (Compare Nolan!Batman to the Adam West series, for example- same name, similar costume, and same basic concept, but  very, very different from each other. Then there's more subtle examples, like if you look at different interpretations of Optimus Prime across different Transformers media.)

 

Alternatively, would you want new characters with different names, perhaps as expies or echoes of the old characters? (I can see them taking this route if they wanted to adjust the gender ratios, for example, or the number of Toa to a team).

 

It's also worth noting that there are different interpretations of characters even within the current canon- compare Mask of Light's gentle, soft-spoken Lewa with the energetic, snarky one that Greg Farshtey writes.

 

So, how should the characters be handled in a new continuity? What would you like to see? What tweaks are acceptable or preferable, and where do you draw the line?

 

 

 

[bonesiii]

It really all depends on execution and context. There's tons of different ways to do it that could be enjoyable if done right, and not if not.

 

I would personally rather their basic personality traits remain the same, though. For example, chatterbox Kopaka who isn't super cool? Please no.

[fishers64]

Don't ruin Vakama. >_> Do not retcon his complex character back to the 2001 days. Do not change his backstory. Do not make him less awesome. 

 

 

Weakness of the mind: I can't really imagine changes that would be "acceptable" versus ones "unacceptable". I'd probably use names to distinguish the rebooted characters from the old ones and basically divorce my thoughts, feelings, etc about each series from each other. So any changes would be acceptable, the same way having two different characters in two different stories being different is acceptable. 

 

Still, the thought of Vakama as a blatent courageous leader from page 1 or Kopaka as a chatterbox makes my stomach turn. Out. 

[Zidonaro]

Just don't change Pohatu

[Lyichir]

I would absolutely like the basics of the Toa Mata's personalities from the early days to remain the same—Tahu being hotheaded, Gali calm and rational, Kopaka being cold and stern, etc. New characters wouldn't necessarily be beholden to that, but even so I think it would be in Lego's interest to keep them similar enough so as to successfully capture that nostalgia, even if things like the characters' genders were changed.

 

But a reboot WOULD allow the Toa's personalities to develop in different directions, and I'd definitely want it to do so. They should learn from their experiences, and their early challenges with teamwork or cooperation should be replaced with new ones that teach them new lessons in turn. And the Toa shouldn't be defined solely by their archetypes—it'd be wonderful if some of Kopaka's aloofness would melt away around a trusted teammate like Pohatu, or if some threat to Ga-Koro prompted the normally reserved Gali to lose her cool completely. As usual, I'll draw a parallel with Avatar: The Last Airbender. Each character played a role within the team but their relationships with one another changed over the course of the show based on their current circumstances. That's what I want from a new Bionicle story.

[fishers64]

Just don't change Pohatu

Pardon me for being silly, but isn't Pohatu the most generic "nice guy" character in the whole story? So couldn't you change a couple of the finer points of his personality/existence without really changing him? 

[believe victims]

it'd be wonderful if some of Kopaka's aloofness would melt away around a trusted teammate like Pohatu

 

combine that with canonizing romance and you've got a good thing brewing

[Akavakaku]

My main problem with the Toa Mata is not all of their personalities developed in a meaningful way. Tahu had to learn that he needed to chill sometimes and not be so temperamental. Lewa learned to think before he leapt and to be more mindful of danger. That was good. But none of the other Toa really learned a lesson. Kopaka is a loner; why not put him in a situation where he tries and fails to solve a problem alone and is forced to ask for help? Gali is all for unity; what if she had to let another Toa go into danger alone, or tried to solve problems for others that they should have faced themselves? Pohatu is optimistic against all odds; what if he were put in a situation where failure was the only option, tormented with a struggle he could never win? Onua relies on being perceptive and observant, so why not have him struggle with failing to recognize a threat in time, or have him betrayed by a friend?

[bonesiii]

But none of the other Toa really learned a lesson. Kopaka is a loner

Er, Kopaka learned not to be so standoffish. That was one of the big themes, highlighted in the very first comic. I'm not sure if Onua, Gali, or Pohatu learned anything major, but I'm sure they did learn some things (but your point might apply to them fairly -- my point is Kopaka is the worst example for that argument!).

[fishers64]

Didn't Kopaka have to be saved by Lewa in that one mask quest involving lava?

 

I think it's a fair point involving Gali and Pohatu, though. They basically are on moral pedastals of their own. (Although Pohatu's desire to save Onua got him in trouble in MoL, and Gali's desire for unity almost got the Toa killed by the Rahi Nui in Tales of the Masks, so fair point. 

[Master Inika]

Don't ruin Vakama. >_> Do not retcon his complex character back to the 2001 days. Do not change his backstory. Do not make him less awesome. 

 

 

Weakness of the mind: I can't really imagine changes that would be "acceptable" versus ones "unacceptable". I'd probably use names to distinguish the rebooted characters from the old ones and basically divorce my thoughts, feelings, etc about each series from each other. So any changes would be acceptable, the same way having two different characters in two different stories being different is acceptable. 

 

Still, the thought of Vakama as a blatent courageous leader from page 1 or Kopaka as a chatterbox makes my stomach turn. Out. 

I think it's unlikely that a BIONICLE reboot would feature the former Toa Metru except as side characters, since 2004-05 chronicled basically everything about their time as Toa. If we see Vakama again, he'd probably be the "wise old mentor" archetype that he's awesome been - unless, of course, LEGO decides to have the Toa Nuva be Turaga and pass the torch (pun very much intended) to them, and let new heroes have the spotlight.

 

I think it would be within LEGO's creative rights to make whatever changes make the line better, as long as the spirit of the character is the same. I feel like the Toa Nuva were, as of the Karda Nui arc, fleshed-out enough. Lewa is no longer such an airhead (once again, pun intended), Gali doesn't object to splitting into two teams, or going solo from there, Kopaka was the Phantoka leader, etc.

[Alyska]

Gali did have her moments where she was forced to act alone and take actions that put her friends in danger (The time she had to do a nova blast was a good example), but I do agree that she, Onua and Pohatu did not get as much of an individual story and development as the others.

 

Come to think of it, Pohatu's another character who has varied a lot across media. In MoL he has a gentle, reassuring voice, appreciates art, and does his best to keep the team together, while under Greg's control he loves smashing stuff and teasing Kopaka, and is described as having a "gruff" voice. I'd love to see the two interpretations integrated more closely -it adds more complexity to him.

[ALVIS]

My worry is that a reboot story team would go the route of Mask of Light and completely ruin Onua by turning him into a boisterous bruiser who tosses around considerable strength without any kinds of tactics, when in fact he's the wisest and quietest of them all.

[Banana Gunz]

The Toa Mata/Nuva were very interesting and fleshed out (if not somewhat stereotypical) characters. When they were re-introduced as the main heroes in 2008, I was very disappointed at how little attention was put into their character development and relationships. This was a common problem with the entire Ignition series, the main story/plot pushed the characters development/relations to a less important level, where as in the Mata/Nuva and Metru, the plot was often affected by and in some cases even driven by the characters individuality and connections. 

 

The Mata/Nuva lacked a little bit in development with some of its characters as said, such as Gali, Pohatu and Onua, and because when 2008 came around, the biggest opportunity to test these toa once again was left un-taken and the team never lived out its full potential as characters.

 

 

If a reboot were to happen and changes were made to characters even like the Mata, it is best that they don't change the basic core of the characters, but remember to keep all of their individual developments and relationships in mind all the time, and to let it interact with and affect the main plot. The toa Inika are an example of interesting characters which could have as successful at this as the Metru if they had not suffered the same fate as the Nuva had in 2008; being made less important than the overall plot, sometimes even giving the impression that they were simply the "main characters" living out the plot rather than being an even bigger part of it and truly impacting in personal ways to keep it going.