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Set Review: 70794 Skull Scorpio


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Another day, another LEGO Bionicle 2015 summer set review! Today BZPower Forum Assistant Nuju Metru joins us to take a look at 70794 Skull Scorpio, the only non-bipedal set of the second wave. Aaron shares his thoughts on the set through both video and text and image format, helping you decide whether or not to buy this scary scorpion. So read on to check out his thoughts and find out how you can win a copy yourself!

 

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"Snappy has two main play features: the first is one we've seen on every new BIONICLE set to date, namely the eye-press-mask-launch function."

 

Well, nearly every new one. 

 

I must say, this set isn't as bad as some other people might impose. Sure, it may not feel complete, but it offers different unexplored concepts. Because of that, I can appreciate it to a somewhat high degree.

 

Thanks for the review, Nuju Metru.

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Thanks for the excellent review. Scorpio looks like a fun set, and while most angles are gappy or cluttered with Technic, he's got a nice collection of parts. The light green torso base paired with the matching small shells will make it easy to MOC a transparent-green figure.

 

I get the popular complaints about the lack of leg articulation, but really, when I'm playing with a figure I just bounce it along the ground without re-positioning the legs. As for posing, I got LoSS's legs into a position I liked and never moved them again, except accidentally...So personally, on this particular set, the legs don't bother me one bit, and I think they look cool/creepy.

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His legs have never bothered mostly because they look cool and you don't have to pose them all the time. Overall he still looks pretty cool and comes with alot of neat parts. What does bother me how ever are those blue rubber bands and blue pin that destroy the colour scheme.

Edited by Trizzlerz
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It looks like a neat set. I like his pincers and perhaps his tail. They look very cool. Even though the legs don't look impressive and the tail seems too big for his size, but okay. I would like to buy him when the set comes to the U.S.:)

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I like Lego, Bionicle, and Hero Factory!:)

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Skull Scorpio is definitely one of the weaker designs of the summer wave. But ultimately, I'm glad Lego offers weird, experimental figures like this as opposed to just standard humanoids or other clone builds. The innovations from these sorts of sets can go on to be fleshed out more in future sets, and can inspire MOCists to discard their preconceptions about what your typical figure parts are good for.

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Formerly Lyichir: Rachira of Influence

Aanchir's and Meiko's brother

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My two Bionicle Gen2 sets I want to get are this and Pohatu.

 

Personally I like the clunky tail, mechanical gadgetry in a set always earns it a point in my view.  But I'd definitely want to rebuild the legs, and maybe do something with the claws too.

 

Gen2 Nui-Jaga FTW.  Thanks for the review!

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My blog: The Jaga's Nest

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I am pleasantly surprised to see that Nuju Metru didn't just jump on the "Skull Scorpio bad" train and gave some legitimate and well-reasoned pros and cons.

 

Personally, the tail feels out of place and the legs really need articulation. Good review though. 

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Steam Name: Toa Hahli Mahri. Xbox Live Gamertag: Makuta. Minecraft Username: ThePoohster.

Wants: 2003 Jaller (from Jaller and Gukko), Exo-Toa, Turaga Nuju, Turaga Vakama, Shadow Kraata, Axonn, Brutaka, Vezon & Fenrakk, Nocturn, ORANGE FIKOU.

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Good review! I definitely dig the creativity of this set's design. Overall, the torso construction is nice and I don't mind the lack of articulation in the legs, particularly since there's plenty of articulation in the arms. And as with the other villains, I think this set's colors would be a lot more boring without the contrasting orange accents.

 

I wish the Chima leg/tail/tusk piece were in Silver Metallic or Black instead of Titanium Metallic. Don't get me wrong, Titanium Metallic is a great color, but either of the other colors would match the set's color scheme better not to mention match existing colors of the smaller spider leg.

 

I don't mind the exposed Technic beams of the tail, but I do dislike the zigzag shape it gives the tail in its resting position. By comparison, the Nui-Jaga's tail was a much less elaborate function but had a more continuous "curve". This set's tail-snapping function is really brilliant, though, and I wouldn't want to lose that.

 

I'm quite glad that this wave includes a creative non-humanoid villain like this, particularly with such a creative function. He definitely seems like a suitable adversary for Pohatu!

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I think that Skull Scorpio itself looks cool, but I also think that some of the other summer sets are better overall. At least Scorpio has some cool masks and trans-pieces. :)

 

Thanks for the review!

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Everyone is one choice away from being the bad guy in another person's story.


 


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I have to passionately disagree with this review on a personal level, specifically on the color scheme bit. This color scheme isn't "uninspired" or "unoriginal". In fact, it's one of the most unique things I've seen from LEGO constraction sets. If anything Tahu's color scheme is uninspired, but no one mentions that in his review. That just seems backwards. I also find that the trans-orange really looks nice with the trans-lime, and gives a Halloween-like vibe while not being a stereotypical overabundance of orange and black. It's like a Jack o' Lantern but instead of yellow being an accent color, orange is the accent color with yellow as the main. 

Edited by BlatantlyHeroic
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I have to passionately disagree with this review on a personal level, specifically on the color scheme bit. This color scheme isn't "uninspired" or "unoriginal". In fact, it's one of the most unique things I've seen from LEGO constraction sets. If anything Tahu's color scheme is uninspired, but no one mentions that in his review. That just seems backwards. I also find that the trans-orange really looks nice with the trans-lime, and gives a Halloween-like vibe while not being a stereotypical overabundance of orange and black. It's like a Jack o' Lantern but instead of yellow being an accent color, orange is the accent color with yellow as the main.

Keep in mind that BZPower reviews are done by more than one reviewer. If Nuju Metru had reviewed Tahu, perhaps he would have considered that color scheme "uninspired" as well, and if DeeVee had reviewed this set, perhaps the color scheme wouldn't have raised any eyebrows for him. But each reviewer brings their own tastes and opinions to the table. Having different staff members review different sets not only allows the large number of sets in the Bionicle theme to be reviewed in a timely manner, but also ensures that no one reviewer's subjective likes and dislikes can define the critical take on the range as a whole.

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Formerly Lyichir: Rachira of Influence

Aanchir's and Meiko's brother

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I have to passionately disagree with this review on a personal level, specifically on the color scheme bit. This color scheme isn't "uninspired" or "unoriginal". In fact, it's one of the most unique things I've seen from LEGO constraction sets. If anything Tahu's color scheme is uninspired, but no one mentions that in his review. That just seems backwards. I also find that the trans-orange really looks nice with the trans-lime, and gives a Halloween-like vibe while not being a stereotypical overabundance of orange and black. It's like a Jack o' Lantern but instead of yellow being an accent color, orange is the accent color with yellow as the main.

Keep in mind that BZPower reviews are done by more than one reviewer. If Nuju Metru had reviewed Tahu, perhaps he would have considered that color scheme "uninspired" as well, and if DeeVee had reviewed this set, perhaps the color scheme wouldn't have raised any eyebrows for him. But each reviewer brings their own tastes and opinions to the table. Having different staff members review different sets not only allows the large number of sets in the Bionicle theme to be reviewed in a timely manner, but also ensures that no one reviewer's subjective likes and dislikes can define the critical take on the range as a whole.

 

Of course, I was just voicing my thoughts on that specific 'con'. I have nothing against Nuju Metru's review and found it fascinating, but at the same time Skull Scorpio's color scheme really harmonizes with me on a personal level and because of that I'm very passionate about voicing that "Hey, the color scheme isn't bland or uninspired at all".

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I kind of like this set. It has some nice colors and translucent pieces. As some other people mentioned, I like how you don't have to pose each of the 6 individual legs. It's sounds like a hassle.

 

Also, it's kind of hard to like the tail part of it. It just looks so... clunky.

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Wow, you know the color scheme didn't look as bad as I thought it did from the box. I still dont like the orange claws, but overall this is a solid set. Also a bit peeved the legs dont move but oh well. Can't wait to pick it up!

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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!

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Looking for a Bionicle Beanie. Black one with the symbol on it. Contact me if you are willing to sell

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I have to passionately disagree with this review on a personal level, specifically on the color scheme bit. This color scheme isn't "uninspired" or "unoriginal". In fact, it's one of the most unique things I've seen from LEGO constraction sets. If anything Tahu's color scheme is uninspired, but no one mentions that in his review. That just seems backwards. I also find that the trans-orange really looks nice with the trans-lime, and gives a Halloween-like vibe while not being a stereotypical overabundance of orange and black. It's like a Jack o' Lantern but instead of yellow being an accent color, orange is the accent color with yellow as the main. 

 

Let me clarify: it's not so much that I find the color choices unoriginal as a complete scheme (we've not seen a set with trans-lime, trans-orange, and silver together as its primary colors before, in my memory), it's more that I feel like trans-lime, trans-orange, and silver are colors that BIONICLE has overused and turned to frequently - separately - and I wished that 70794 introduced some less-common, more "original/inspired" colors.

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I wonder if he really has that humanoid head beneath the mask in-story. Cause that would be a bit strange

Actually, I wonder if that mask is an actual mask or supposed to represent his face

Isn't he already "a bit strange" with the humanoid ribcage? For me, that's part of his appeal—he strikes me as a sort of a Kafka-esque monstrosity cobbled together out of other non-scorpion corpses.

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Formerly Lyichir: Rachira of Influence

Aanchir's and Meiko's brother

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I wonder if he really has that humanoid head beneath the mask in-story. Cause that would be a bit strangeActually, I wonder if that mask is an actual mask or supposed to represent his face

Isn't he already "a bit strange" with the humanoid ribcage? For me, that's part of his appeal—he strikes me as a sort of a Kafka-esque monstrosity cobbled together out of other non-scorpion corpses.

Isn't that literally what Scorpio is? Some kind of reanimated creation of Kulta's? At least going by that description (which I'm pretty sure was an official thing?) most of the weirdness, if not TECHNIC-ness, makes sense.

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I have to passionately disagree with this review on a personal level, specifically on the color scheme bit. This color scheme isn't "uninspired" or "unoriginal". In fact, it's one of the most unique things I've seen from LEGO constraction sets. If anything Tahu's color scheme is uninspired, but no one mentions that in his review. That just seems backwards. I also find that the trans-orange really looks nice with the trans-lime, and gives a Halloween-like vibe while not being a stereotypical overabundance of orange and black. It's like a Jack o' Lantern but instead of yellow being an accent color, orange is the accent color with yellow as the main. 

 

Let me clarify: it's not so much that I find the color choices unoriginal as a complete scheme (we've not seen a set with trans-lime, trans-orange, and silver together as its primary colors before, in my memory), it's more that I feel like trans-lime, trans-orange, and silver are colors that BIONICLE has overused and turned to frequently - separately - and I wished that 70794 introduced some less-common, more "original/inspired" colors.

 

Let's have a hot pink Tahu, his red is overused. ;)

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I have to passionately disagree with this review on a personal level, specifically on the color scheme bit. This color scheme isn't "uninspired" or "unoriginal". In fact, it's one of the most unique things I've seen from LEGO constraction sets. If anything Tahu's color scheme is uninspired, but no one mentions that in his review. That just seems backwards. I also find that the trans-orange really looks nice with the trans-lime, and gives a Halloween-like vibe while not being a stereotypical overabundance of orange and black. It's like a Jack o' Lantern but instead of yellow being an accent color, orange is the accent color with yellow as the main.

 

 

Let me clarify: it's not so much that I find the color choices unoriginal as a complete scheme (we've not seen a set with trans-lime, trans-orange, and silver together as its primary colors before, in my memory), it's more that I feel like trans-lime, trans-orange, and silver are colors that BIONICLE has overused and turned to frequently - separately - and I wished that 70794 introduced some less-common, more "original/inspired" colors.

Let's have a hot pink Tahu, his red is overused. ;)
I know you're being a little facetious, but that sounds awesome.
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No pink. Pink is an awful color and does not deserve to live.

Counterpoint: Pink is the best color, please Lego give us some???

 

I wish there was a skull guy with trans pink. Scorpio would look cool in that I think.

 

I dunno about Scorpio. But swapping Basher's Trans. Bright Bluish Violet with Trans. Medium Reddish Violet might not look so bad.

 

Of course, the question of different color schemes for the Skull Villains is kind of moot—they were pretty clearly based on the transparent colors already used for the Toa and Protectors. And the one color scheme among those that wasn't used (Trans. Blue and Trans. Fl. Reddish Orange) doesn't look all that great, in my opinion—Trans. Blue shells just aren't as glassy and glowy as the transparent colors that were used.

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Formerly Lyichir: Rachira of Influence

Aanchir's and Meiko's brother

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No pink. Pink is an awful color and does not deserve to live.

Counterpoint: Pink is the best color, please Lego give us some???

 

Or, give us more of magenta, the color used for the Ben 10 Chromastone, seen on this awesome piece. Magenta's already on a few sets anyway. Imagine CCBS pieces in the color!

 

~B~

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I have always been a vocal defender of Skull Scorpio since day one, and this review finally pays off my constant support for this set. Looks like a fun technic-oriented build and an original and functional play design. The originality of the set really stands out to me, especially in a year so full of humanoid characters. I love the concept, and even if it isn't done as well as some would hope, I think it's fine in almost all respects. Thank you very much for the review and pictures. I still wish it was trans yellow though.

 

-NotS

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I bought this set, hung out with Nuju Metu, and can say confidently the function is a delight, the scorpion-style body is a delight, but the fusion of the two is awkward.

Yeah, I love the function and don't even mind the exposed Technic beams for the tail, but the weird zigzag shape of the tail bothers me — Nui-Jaga's tail, at least, consistently curved in one direction. I'm still brainstorming ways to improve this. I'm thinking maybe if you used an angled beam for the trigger instead of a straight beam that might help to some extent?

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