Matoro Zeliph Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I was wondering if it is possible that Bionicle characters, such as the matoran, have last names? It seems this rule only applies for the Toa in order to classify them of what island/section they are defending and protecting. For example:Toa Mata (Defenders protecting their island home, Mata Nui)Toa Metru (Defenders protecting their island home, Metru Nui)Toa Mahri (Defenders protecting Mahri Nui)However, then you get into other instances where the toas' last name are considered unique for particular specialties/situations. Such as:Toa Nuva (Toa Mata that has been transformed by Energized Protodermis making them more powerful)Toa Hagah (They represent guards of the Brotherhood of Makuta)Toa Inika (Matoran who were transformed by lightning that descended from the Red Star)My question is to you...Do you think the matoran would have last names as well? For example, in order to classify of the specific skill that they are most great in? Would it make sense? Such as "Hafu Mahi" (Hafu, 'the crafter')?I honestly can't imagine there being thousands of matoran in Metru Nui (throwing it out there), without someone having the same first name, you know? Quote My MOC galleries: YouTube-DeviantArt-Majhost-Brickshelf-(Avatar made by my sister, Hahli) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumiki Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 (edited) Headcanon: Gadunka's full name is Gadunka Dunka. It's not a Matoran but I CAN DREAM. Edited August 25, 2014 by Sumiki 12 Quote avatar by Lady Kopaka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lorax Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 BIONICLE characters don't have second names, no. They don't have biological families, the the other name can't represent that as it does for humans. Nor has it ever been necessary (so far as we know) to differentiate between two beings who share the same name. We have Krahka, Krekka and Kirka, Click and Klakk, but nobody (except the reincarnated Hydraxon) has ever had this problem. Maybe names in the Matoran Universe are like labels to identify each component in the system of technological beings that keep the Great Spirit running. Since every unit needs to be identified individually to perform its own set tasks within the machine as a whole, each needs a different identifier and so a different name. Those other names you mentioned were really more like titles that beings can earn or be given. Toa is the title for a hero, Turaga for a respected elder, and those other parts of the title refer to, as you say, the specifics of their domain or special circumstances pertaining to their role. "Toa Metru Vakama", for example, translates to "Vakama, Hero of the City" (man, no wonder he cracked under the pressure of having a name like that laid on his shoulders). Other titles could probably be added in under this same situation, such as Right-Hand Matoran Onepu or Translator Matoro. Another complicated twist on this is that one does not have to be a Toa (tall guy with elemental powers) to be a Toa (Matoran word meaning hero), and not all Turaga (short ex-Toa) take on the role of wise elder, so they wouldn't all have the title of Turaga. This next part isn't canon, but in my own writings I use Toa with a capital T as the title and with a lower case t for the species. It keeps the two separate and avoid confusion, especially in cases like Lesovikk who, though being a toa, did not consider himself a Toa. 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axilus Prime Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Mostly what others have said above. Though one thing in particular caught my attention. "Hafu Mahi" actually translates to Hafu the Goat. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chro Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 "Hafu Mahi" actually translates to Hafu the Goat. Another Hafu baaaaahriginal. 3 Quote save not only their lives but their spirits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonesiii Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 The key to this is the tiny population sizes (compared to Earth currently for example) -- there wouldn't really be a need for them. I have also theorized that they may maintain databases of MU names, and new Matoran could pick names based on etymologies of word parts they like and check them against the database. If there's a match, they could just modify it slightly until they get one with no matches. With small populations, the chances of matches could be fairly slim for many combinations. 2 Quote The Destiny of Bionicle (chronological retelling of Bionicle original series, 9 PDFs of 10 chapters each on Google Drive): Part 1 - Warring with Fate | Part 2 - Year of Change | Part 3 - The Exploration Trap | Part 4 - Rise of the Warlords | Part 5 - A Busy Matoran | Part 6 - The Dark Time | Part 7 - Proving Grounds | Part 8 - A Rude Awakening | Part 9 - The Battle of Giants My Bionicle Fanfiction (Google Drive folder, eventually planned to have PDFs of all of it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishers64 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 "Hafu Mahi" actually translates to Hafu the Goat. Another Hafu baaaaahriginal. Last names were eliminated as a common practice on Metru Nui after a certain Matoran carver took violent objection... Anyway, I could imagine that Agori/Glatorian might have them - but they also could use locational/elemental affiliations instead, like "Dan of Tesara" or "Bob of Iron" or something like that. 4 Quote Hero Factory RPG | Bionicle Mafia XXIX: Storyline & Theories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chro Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Anyway, I could imagine that Agori/Glatorian might have them - but they also could use locational/elemental affiliations instead, like "Dan of Tesara" or "Bob of Iron" or something like that. Just imagine... every single Skrall would be "Joe of Roxtus" Except Stronius, who is "Joseph of Roxtus" 1 5 Quote save not only their lives but their spirits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lorax Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 The Spherus Magnans could use last names to indicate family ties, but that still wouldn't solve the Skrall's problem. Joe son of Joe, of Roxtus. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishers64 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 (edited) Maybe the Skrall use mom's name. Joe, daughter of Samantha. EDIT: Or, more likely, since this is the Evil Empire..."Hi, I'm Skrall #249, assigned to an important mission. This is Skrall #2,456, 275. He is my baggage carrier." Edited August 25, 2014 by fishers64 3 Quote Hero Factory RPG | Bionicle Mafia XXIX: Storyline & Theories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matoro Zeliph Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 "Hafu Mahi" actually translates to Hafu the Goat. Another Hafu baaaaahriginal. I just kind of threw that out there. Because "Mahi Toi" in the Maori dictionary means art or craft. But Hafu the Goat, lol! That just threw me off! 1 Quote My MOC galleries: YouTube-DeviantArt-Majhost-Brickshelf-(Avatar made by my sister, Hahli) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azani Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I always thought that Matoran would be referred to by their given names as well as by the name of the village that they came from; i.e., Taipu of Onu-Koro or Kongu of Le-Koro. There's a precedent for this in many human societies, so I think that it fits. Quote Find (digital) me under the name Azani on YouTube, Eurobricks, Discord, the BioMedia Project and the TTV Message Boards. Please check out Project AFTERMAN on Tumblr and Facebook; I'm proud to have worked as their PR Manager and as a writer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akavakaku Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Bara Magna is an interesting case, and last names seem like they really could be possible. But since none of the characters have any known family, they wouldn't matter. Also, Mata Nui was only ever called Mata Nui, not just Mata or Nui as they might say if they're accustomed to first and last names. 1 Quote ( The bunny slippers hiss and slither into the shadows. ) -Takuaka: Toa of TimeWhat if the Toa you know best were not destined to be? Interchange: The epic begins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chro Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 "Hi, I'm Skrall #249, assigned to an important mission. This is Skrall #2,456, 275. He is my baggage carrier.""Of Roxtus." 3 Quote save not only their lives but their spirits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toa kopaka4372 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Aside from the practical reasons mentioned above, we have not seen a single instance in-story of a character having a last name, and we've literally been introduced to hundreds of characters. An interesting question would be if Spherus Magna natives have last names, as we know that families exist there. Quote Credit goes to Linus Van Pelt (Formerly known as Cherixon) and Spectral Avohkii EnterprisesMy Memoirs of the Dead entry, Reflectons:http://www.bzpower.com/board/index.php?showtopic=7351 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banana Gunz Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 No, Bionicle and matoran are too original. Just kidding, I personally don't see any two matoran having the same name, though I guess it's possible. At first I thought you meant like what HF did, like William Furno (and I still don't see why 'William' was necessary but whatever...), but then I saw your example of "Hafu Mafu", and it actually sounds a lot more intelligent. I don't see a reason for them to have last names other than to show occupations though, and it just makes it harder to remember so many names. Plus matoran were probably all given individual names by the Great Beings or who-else when they were made so they could be easily distinguished without having to make anything more complicated. Titles like 'toa' and 'turaga' also seem to exist before names, and I wonder if matoran have them to describe their occupations instead of last names. Quote tumblr: it's a lovely place to be if you've gone madflickr: mah yummy gross pics mmmPew Pew Pew Pew Pew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSciFiGuy Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 They don't have second names, but tend to identify by their craft/job or what element they belong to Quote Bionicle: ANP aims to create narrated versions of all the Bionicle books, with voice actors for each character, and music taken from various media to enhance the story. Check here if you're interested in voicing a character, and here for the chapters that've already been released!Formerly: Tahu Nuva 3.0Looking for a Bionicle Beanie. Black one with the symbol on it. Contact me if you are willing to sell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25K Now! Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 While I doubt the MU folks would really need surnames, the Bara Magna natives may have used them, although from what we've seen, it's the important ones who are the focus. Yeah, we may have Gresh, son of Gresh who went on a pilgrimage, but we have Gresh. Blargh, midnight rambling. Basically, more important and well-known folks may not have needed a surname unlike average joes. Quote http://vimeo.com/198967785 BZPRPG Profiles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anoroka Orokau Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 When you think about it, there really isn't any need for surnames. Because the GBs made each and every Matoran using the MU's programming language, wouldn't it make sense for each one to have an unique name? For example, many humans share their names (I personally know 3 different people named Mark). It would be odd if there was an Onepu of Metru Nui, and also an Onepu of the Northern Continent. Since everyone in the Mu has a unique name, there isn't a need to make an distinction with surnames. Quote Anoroka OrokauOro vahka aan ai myapa WORDS EMPOWER THE ONE THAT USES THEM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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