Giant Robot Body

[avmatoran]

I'm curious, at what point did you realize that Mata Nui was actually a giant robot that the Matoran all lived in? I, unfortunately, cannot remember for sure, but I think it was early in 2008, during the Phantoka line. I cannot remember what caused me to realize it, but I can remember the awe of that discovery and my. . . excitement at realizing something so big. So, when did you realize this?

[Azani]

I'm pretty sure that we all found out in either October or November of 2008, when the last comic for that year was released in the Lego magazine, and a promotional video by the name of "Mata Nui Rising" showing a giant robot standing up on Aqua Magna was released on bionicle.com.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Azani

[Tommy_]

I became less interested in bionicle after the first few chapters, so I only found out about it years later. I think that huge plot twist (no pun intended) is actually what made me more interested in the storyline, making me a fan of Bionicle again.

[ToaKapura1234]

I seem to recall thinking it was common knowledge when I started in the story in 2006. I interpreted taking the Ignika to Mata Nui's heart to revive him literally. Turns out I was right . Of course I was only 8, so I could be remembering wrong. I know I wasn't surprised when the comic was published that said it.

[Zidonaro]

I never realized until 2008, with that Mata Nui Rising video. But even still, I was so slow to understand things that I thought Mata Nui was between the domes and the Sea, not the domes inside him 

[avmatoran]

I mean, I figured it out for sure in the Phantoka era, something about Karda Nui gave it away, I think. But I was always slow on the story, since all I knew was the comics, pretty much. I didn't know there was more than one Makuta until the 2007 Ignition comic when Pridak has the Ignika, bragging about being able to beat everyone, including the Brotherhood of Makuta. I was so excited, I thought I had found something new. Until I went online, that is...

[fishers64]

I don't recall thinking of it before the reveal. I remember thinking that the "eyes" in the LoMN movie were weird, but that's all. I thought the whole Mata Nui thing was confusing and I remember hoping that they would explain it to me, and they did.

[Pomegranate]

With the Mata Nui Rising video, which completely threw me, although folks on BZP had started to figure it out and there was one member in particular who totally called it, but I was a bit skeptical about it at the time. Oops

[doodleloot]

When the video was released on Bionicle.com. I didn't understand it until I read the comic. 

[randomreviewerbros]

It would have had to been in mid 2008 when the mistika were first released and that comic said that he was a giant robot, I had no idea up until then that he was a robot

[Tristan Teridax]

I was absolutely stunned when the mata nui rising video game out, then stunned again when it turned out teridax took over the universe.

[Element Lord of Milk]

I didn't realize until either the big reveal happened (comic/web videos) or when the map of the MU came out, can't remember which came first.

[NorikSigma]

I only knew when I saw that serial thing on Bionicle.com

 

I simply exploded. I'm still picking up the pieces to this very- oh, there's my Hypothalamus!

Edited August 11, 2014 by Norik Of Celtania

[Takhamavahu]

It was revealed at the end of the 2008 story, but for most of 2008 the theory was buzzing around- especially when the MU map leaked and the islands were laid out in a person shape.

[Nato G]

I first found out when I read the comic, and then I had this awestruck moment of mind boggling revelation.

 

However, Greg mentioned somewhere that the idea of Mata Nui being a giant robot was actually planned right from the start, and when I read back through all of the years' worth of story, I could see it.

 

So many obscure details and subtle hints suddenly made sense, and the full magnitude of the revelation hit me...

 

...well, it hit me like a 40 million foot tall robot. 

[Tuuli]

I could not believe it when I realized the matoran lived inside Mata-Nui, but I did not find out they were living INSIDE of him until the Glatorian Saga, (I thought the MU was a line of islands on Aqua magna, and the robot was underneath) But I realized lter the islands were inside of the robot itself, rather than cloaking it. When I found out about it, it really got me interested in Bionicle again, especially thinking about all of the story moments in which the Giant robot was there all along. Long live the spirit.

[Airoski]

Pic related leaked in the first half of 2008.
 

The map leaked a bit later, and the thread here examining the theory was very popular that year. I always thought it was a shame that they kept it a secret for a decade until the last few months.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Airoski

[ALVIS]

I wasn't very active on BZP in 2008, so, thankfully, the reveal wasn't ruined for me by leaked images and theory topics. It was astounding, imaginative, and it was planned in advance -- which sets it apart from every other reveal and plot twist in the history of BIONICLE.

 

What helped really sell it for me was that I received Comic 15: Mata Nui Rising in the mail on October 31 of 2008. I immediately sat down and read it outside, and was stunned to see Mutran die, then Bitil, as the Toa finally awoke Mata Nui. I was even more stunned and horrified when the stars realigned, and Teridax revealed his takeover and exile of Mata Nui, leaving the Toa and Matoran helpless to resist his reign over their entire universe.

 

It is, to this day, the scariest thing I've ever seen on any Halloween.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Yaldabaoth

[avmatoran]

While I didn't receive that comic on Halloween, when I read it, saw my realization confirmed, then saw Teridax's reign solidify, I was quite shocked, nervous, and scared (in terms of being invested in a fictional story) myself.

 

I wasn't online except playing the Dino Attack RPG for most of my time here, only occasionally foraying out, so I never saw things like that leak, or the fact that there were multiple Makuta.

[NorikSigma]

Reading the comic online (probably some time after it was released IRL), I was just... Blown away. Teridax's grand Plan had succeeded. I was just stunned. The Toa had played right into Teridax's hands.

 

And yes it was planned from the start.

[Nato G]

I read that final 2008 comic and I completely lost it. I laughed, I cried, and then I reread the last few pages in Makuta's voice just for fun. I couldn't believe how much of an evil genius Teridax really was. He'd taken over the entire universe. It was then that I fully appreciated the full enormity of Makuta's master plan. He forsaw every possibility, every alternative, and played events so that no matter what happened, he still won.

 

He is easily the most manipulative evil villain I have ever encountered in any work. Ever. To this day. 

[Irrie]

I first learned of Mata Nui's return via the video on the Bionicle.com homepage. When I first saw it I thought, "Oh, the Island of Mata Nui is a robot," so it took me a while to figure out that the robot engulfed the entire matoran universe. 

I also was confused as to why everybody inside the robot didn't fall sideways.