What kind of Bionicle story return do you want?

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

1.) They can go either route and still create a fresh start IMO. A timeskip comes to mind here. A reboot is also a good idea cause it cleanses the story of a lot of bad story elements. Still, I would prefer continuing the story way in the future and make it accessible to all fans -  meaning that the jumping point is fresh enough for people to follow without being overly confused, but the past history of the world and its inhabitants still exist in-depth for fans who grew up with the franchise.

 

2.) Finish the serials in some fashion, just don't tie them into the new story. This doesn't harm anybody.

 

3.) A new one. Lego is competent enough to surprise us again. Rehashing the giant robot isn't doing them any favours.

 

-NotS

Edited September 19, 2014 by Nidhiki of the Shadows

[Lyichir]

For the first question I voted "other", because I'd like it to start over but not necessarily before, after, or during 2001. A reboot doesn't need to pick a starting point based on the previous story—it just has to create a new story with elements of the old. With that in mind, I don't want it to ape 2001 completely but I can't say when in relation to that it would take place, because it wouldn't take place in relation to 2001 at all. It'd be a new story with new versions of classic characters, and nothing else would have to remain the same apart from the feel.

For the second question, I voted "Don't bother finishing them". The late serials were a mess and a lost cause, and there's really no point in revisiting them to try to make them into something palatable. Bionicle should have wrapped the dangling plot points up before the series ended instead of continuing to generate new ones, but it didn't and now it's too late.

For the last question I voted "A new one, let Lego surprise me. I don't need to know in advance what core mysteries the new theme will have.

[Sharnak the Bohrok Lord]

1. New story after a long time. I feel this is the best option. You can still keep elements of the old series while creating new ones. You could also justify any changes made to the story by saying it happened during the time skip. Just look at Doctor Who's return of 2005. Many elements of the classic show were changed due to the Time War.

 

2. Don't bother finishing the serials. I don't see the point in them continuing after this long with no updates. You could just say everything wrapped up during the time skip and we can get hints on what happened in the new story.

 

3. Let LEGO surprise me with the core focus. I would like to see more world building, both on spherus magna and outside, but I'll leave it into the hands of LEGO. Heck, for all we know there might not be an overarching focus and just deal with new unconnected threats each year, kind of like what hero factory did.

[ShadowBionics]

I want the new story be be a 100% reboot from the beginning. I know I'm going to get hate for saying it, but let the new story rest in peace. It started out great, but by the end it was all over the place and never finished and that turned some new people off from the storyline as it was difficult to follow and understand unless you've been there from the start. So NO connections to the old story, start off from the beginning, maybe not to the teeth but maybe something similar.

 

For those old plotlines that were never solved that have been annoying us for years, maybe try to finish them somehow as a side project, AWAY from the new story. Maybe not through the serials, I don't know honestly what would work.

 

As for the main core idea, the giant robot was sort of anti-climactic and I didn't even understand it at first until Brutaka came out and said in the serials "Mata Nui IS our universe," then it made sense to me. And I've been following from the start. So maybe try something different. Maybe we can have it closer to what a lot of us imagined as kids. Mata Nui as a higher deity and Makuta as a dark force on equal footing as his brother. Not a giant robot and some old rusty guy who's just one of many similar beings with similar powers.

[ToaRakama3277]

A new one, but something specific I'm hoping for (a new antagonist or antagonists shrouded in mystery and conspiracy, new toa, a new toa level (ex: mata, nuva, new level) and direct relation to old plot points. )

[The Hip Historian Iaredios]

 

 

Eh, I feel like people exaggerate a bit. Yes, the BIONICLE storyline got ridiculously complex, but with a little patience and some research a person should be able to get a grasp on a good deal of it.

 

Or maybe I'm just a BIONICLE story nut

It seems like we're outcasts. XD

Dark, Complex Story Outcasts, unite!

 

I have to say, if people can follow Star Wars and the multiple comic book universes and they are still popular, then I bet peoe can follow another science-fantasy storyline, one that only has around a decade behind it. It has great potential to reach the stars and have many people rally behind it. One thing I absolutely love about Bionicle is its potential, and retconning its entire lore will not help it.

 

I chose a short time after the Battle of Bara Magna because it could start with legends about two titans and a battle of mythic proportions and the next generation doesn't believe many of the stories, and many of our beloved characters either dead or aged to the point that the youth think of them and they're tales as but bed time stories and epics sung by bards.

 

I would like a surprise, but maybe showing a Skrall Empire near-death and a Barraki Empire and Skakdi Empire rising to take its place and Takadox and the Element Lords each having independent small kingdoms. The new story could possibly have these new heroes thrown into reality with their world shattered by the new plot and finding the old wives tales true.

 

I don't really like the Red Star story, as it could mean a return of Makuta if that's where all the dead go, I liked his death and we need a new villain (the X Men don't only fight Magneto, though he is very important). I might like it if it was thoroughly wrapped up properly, then I might change my mind; as for the others, I enjoyed those and I would like them finished.

[bonesiii]

I don't really like the Red Star story, as it could mean a return of Makuta

No, Red Star doesn't revive antidermic beings.

[Wrinkledlion X]

I want things to start over in the distant future—Spherus Magna has been settled by Matoran, and they have perhaps merged in some way with the Agori. (I dunno, just hand-wave it.) Point is, it's been long enough that things are kind of settled into a new normal and we don't have to dwell on tying up a bunch of loose ends.

 

The six Toa are still around, and they've just been doing their thing out in the wilderness of SM for a few thousand years—lava surfing, tunneling, swimming, etc. SUDDENLY A NEW THREAT ARRIVES OH NO 2015

[NStephenH]

I'm hoping for a soft reboot kinda like what happened to doctor who. I've never seen much classic who yet I can jump right in and everythings wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey. There's still references to the original and classic characters and whatnot, and the main character is still the same (hopefully Mata or Metru(I grew up with the metru)). I do want to see the serials tied up in some way though, be it through the serials themselves or some other way. Either way, I'm still going to buy a couple sets and glue my face to bionicle-story.com (assuming that's where I can find it).

 

Some people have said that they may make a tv show. If they do, I really hope that its on netflix or somewhere where I don't have to get cable tv to watch it. 

[Zeddy]

I didn't even consider the fact that pre-2001 story was a possibility, but now that I see it there, for me at least, that would be the best option. The Mask of Creation seems like a good way to segue into early BIONICLE history and it could also be a good way to allow newer fans to get familiar with the new story and have enough background to catch up with the old.

 

All this may have something to do with the fact that I didn't particularly like the last couple of years storyline on Spherus Magna, so anything that's not that would work for me.

 

As for the serials, I said they should be kept as side story.

[The Hip Historian Iaredios]

 

I don't really like the Red Star story, as it could mean a return of Makuta

No, Red Star doesn't revive antidermic beings.

Huh, would you look at that! Funny how it just happened to be like that.

 

"Hey, shouldn't we also bring back dem god-like critters that made other critters as well?"

 

"Those rat-scallion-tin-daedra-shadow-walkers? You be chewin' spice boy!? Them critters were spiky-scary bunch, they can twiddle dem thumbs in sheol yonder with ol' Palpatine for all I cares. Now lets get back to dissecting this here Botar!"

 

"Mmm, Botar.... Glaaaaarrgh..."

[Ragnar Lothbrok]

I think that it will be a reboot, so I'm unsure on what to pick. I'm also hoping that LEGO surprises me with their new story.

 

As for the serials, they were kinda boring near the end. I remember my extreme disappointment at the end of "Riddle of the Great Beings", the idea that all of the important deaths in the MU were washed away with the Red Star annoyed me, and the story that followed the group of Helryx, Axonn, Brutaka, Miserix and co. felt like it was being made up as it went along, and completely lost appeal for me. Best to leave them be.

[gunconvoy]

Some type of continuation, it doesn't have to pick up right where the series ended but like down the road.

[Tea-rex]

1. New story after a short time on Spherus Magna.

2. Side stories.

3. New but specific:

Like 2001 combined with 2003 (Search for golden masks to wield power of mask of creation).

Then let Lego surprise me.

[Tahu3.0]

lego surprise me here me surprise  

[Mr. Onua]

As an old fan who fell out of touch with the mythos, I would love for a cold, hard reboot. I must admit that I'm probably not representative of the fan base as a whole.

 

I loved Bionicle for the story it was telling back in 2001. It was something very different for Lego in comparison to their previous Technic lines à la Throwbots. The story was relatively intricate, and it was very easy for me to become invested in the adventures of Mata Nui. Additionally, the multimedia storytelling approach in the form of the comics and website did a fantastic job of world building and was simultaneously very accessible. It was very easy for me to rip the newest Bionicle comic and Lego magazine from the plastic bag that appeared in my mailbox every month. It was very easy for me to pop in the mini CD that came in the can with my brand new Onua figure. It was very easy for me to log on to bionicle.com every and check for the newest chapter of MNOLG (I loved that thing and still have a copy on a hard drive somewhere).

 

I continued to follow the story closely for several years up until around the Metru/Hordika storyline. At around this point, I found that the story became more and more inaccessible, while also becoming more complex. Now let me clarify that I absolutely love complexity in a story. I was simply unable to access the story! More major plot points began being told through less accessible but arguably more profitable formats, and I was unable to procure these. Part of the reason was that I didn't really have the budget to buy too many books as a kid. The library was my jam, and unfortunately, my local branch did not have all of the books in the series. The large queues for placing holds from other branches was also quite discouraging. I also wasn't able to buy the movies when they came out on DVD, though I did eventually watch these years later. I ended up trying to keep up with the story via BS01 entries, which were not always the most coherent nor comprehensive (though they weren't intended to be). I really appreciated the fact that GregF began writing new online serials on BionicleStory.com, but for me, it was too little too late.

 

As a result of these facts, I was unable to keep up with my two favourite parts of the Bionicle universe: the story and the community.

 

Having said all this, I don't want a retread of the 2001 story. It could have different characters and a different setting. I just want a new story without the baggage that came before it. I would love to get on board with this universe and fantastic community again, but the mountain of backstory I would have to get caught up with is daunting. I suppose a "soft reboot" where the story takes place some years in the future could work, but there were many aspects and details of the Bionicle universe that make this seem not only less pragmatic but ultimately less satisfying for old fans. Reboots are great not only because they provide an entry point for new fans but also because of the artistic freedom they give new writers. I would hope that a reboot could offer a better opportunity for better storytelling.

 

At the end of the day, I'm sure I'm not a part of the majority on BZPower, but I am still an old fan of Bionicle. And maybe I'll get to be a new fan too.   In either case, I'm still excited for the return of Bionicle! It's great to see that the rest of the community is too.

[Axilus Prime]

On SM, after long enough that old plot threads don't matter anymore but we still have our favorite old characters. As for the serials, they were cluttered. I say retcon them, throw them out the window, something along those lines. I don't know what I want the driving force of the new plotlines to be, I just hope it's good.

[Pomegranate]

I'm fine with a 2001 reboot, I'm fine with a continuation, I'm fine with something completely new-- as long as nothing is in any way bogged down by old canon and references to 2001-10 are easter eggs or passing comments as some kinda backstory explanation at the maximum. As for the serials, they deserve to be tied up, but keep it on the side. A couple sentences from Greg really would be enough. Aaaand I definitely want the story to be driven by something other than a giant robot. Surprise us!

Just, anything is fine with me as long as it's really good

[cdrch]

 

 

Eh, I feel like people exaggerate a bit. Yes, the BIONICLE storyline got ridiculously complex, but with a little patience and some research a person should be able to get a grasp on a good deal of it.

 

Or maybe I'm just a BIONICLE story nut

It seems like we're outcasts. XD

Dark, Complex Story Outcasts, unite!

 

I have to say, if people can follow Star Wars and the multiple comic book universes and they are still popular, then I bet peoe can follow another science-fantasy storyline, one that only has around a decade behind it. It has great potential to reach the stars and have many people rally behind it. One thing I absolutely love about Bionicle is its potential, and retconning its entire lore will not help it.

 

 

One thing I love about Bionicle is the massive storyline. Even in 2001, it felt like there were a lot of stories that were untold, just outside of our sight. And, despite all the crazy reveals since then, there still feels like there are things left untold. The sense of mystery is perhaps less present than in 2001, yes, but the fact that we now know a lot of these characters makes up for that, in my opinion.

 

I can see the case for a reboot quite clearly, though. If I hadn't been present for the entirety of Bionicle's history (I still have an old Lego Magazine somewhere advertising "a new adventure, coming summer 2001", right after a two-page spread for Slizers), as well as lurked in the background of BZP throughout its entire history, I wouldn't be surprised if the story would have been a lot more overwhelming to me. Goodness knows the number of times I've specifically decided to not get involved with other fictional universes because of the catch-up I would have to do to fully appreciate the current stories.

 

As for my actual answers:

 

1. Start over with 2001 story. What made me go from hating the idea of abandoning years of stories to embracing it was the memory of the Storyline & Theories forum back in 2008, before we knew about giant robots and Spherus Magna and such things. The forum was extremely active in trying to figure out the nature of the Bionicle universe, Makuta's ultimate plan, and Mata Nui's form. I seem to recall one theory that was at least pretty close to what was eventually revealed - but I thought that was a bit silly, and that it couldn't possibly be the real explanation.   Another theory, notably lacking in giant robots, was one I thought would be right. In fact, there were something like a half-dozen theories that appeared to cover every base and could have worked (in my opinion) as the actual story. Looking back on this makes me realize that a writer could take the story elements of any period of Bionicle and spin them into a new story that is at least as good. I picked 2001 because I just love that year of Bionicle's history.

 

2. Finish them as a side project (keep out of main story). If there was a reboot, I would dearly want as many threads as possible wrapped up in the original Bionicle universe, no matter how long it takes.

 

3. A new one, but something specific I'm hoping for (explain). I'd like 2001's questions, but with different answers. To put it another way, start with the start of 2001, and spin the story in a new direction from there. Having only the spirit of the void Makuta, no Golden Kanohi, or conflict between the Matoran tribes would all lead to extremely different tales.

 

Of course, I'd honestly be happy with nearly any of the answers being true, so long as the writing is decent and I can have access to it. 

[jakest123]

I'd be fine with something new so long as the original story still stands. No matter how departed or sparse references are, I just don't want those first 10 years to be forgotten by the canon.

 

People want Bionicle back, not something else with the name slapped on it.

[Toa of Ice - 1987]

Simple just make sure the story picks a short time after where we abruplty left off on spherus magna.
As for characters with unfinished arrvals/returns on spherus magna such as kopaka and pohatu trapped on red star...just use a fast plot element to make them safely return to participate against the new evil.

[Lukas Exemplar]

I'm hoping for a soft reboot kinda like what happened to doctor who. I've never seen much classic who yet I can jump right in and everythings wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey. There's still references to the original and classic characters and whatnot, and the main character is still the same (hopefully Mata or Metru(I grew up with the metru)). I do want to see the serials tied up in some way though, be it through the serials themselves or some other way. Either way, I'm still going to buy a couple sets and glue my face to bionicle-story.com (assuming that's where I can find it).

 

Some people have said that they may make a tv show. If they do, I really hope that its on netflix or somewhere where I don't have to get cable tv to watch it. 

Your Doctot Who analogy is ingenious! I'd love for the new story to turn out like this. Also, they could make it kind of like how The Legend of Korra relates to Avatar: The Last Airbender, with subtle references to past events

[Voltex]

1. I would prefer it to be a brand new story on SM many, many years after the old story - so far into the future that we might only see one or two characters from the old line in the first year, and so far in the future that there's no need for new fans to learn the old story. That said, a hard reboot will also be fine if done right.

 

2. Don't bother finishing them. At this point, it has been four years - my investment has long since scattered to the winds.

 

3. I'd like LEGO to introduce something brand new. Surprise me, because I have no idea what I would want.

[Toa Green Ninja]

As I said in my locked topic... my idea: I call it a midquel. So we all know that the Toa Mata/Nuva were on random missions at the same time that the Toa Inika/Mahri stuff was going on... am I right? What if this took place on a random island that we've never heard of (Okoto, apparently) in the Matoran Universe at the same time. One that Matoran don't live on. Theoretically, the original six Toa could be the main protagonists in the first wave. Also, they could have new enemies to fight. It would be treated like a soft reboot.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Toa Green Ninja

[MrSciFiGuy]

I am pretty flexible when it comes to the new story. Really just happy it is coming back! 

 

But I would love to see the serials continued as a side project, and the main arc doesn't have to be a giant robot, I'm down for Lego to surprise me.

[bioniclepluslotr]

I had no idea that there was even a giant robot in Bionicle until this month. Like it was so obscured to those who didn't follow the books or serials that it hardly mattered to anyone who just wanted the sets. If Bionicle has a story with a main point, then that main point should be visualized in toy form. Bionicle is a toyline before a storyline.