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"Battle of the Mask Makers": Official Discussion Topic


GSR

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It's been a couple of months since the last Bionicle graphic novel, but number two is out now now: Battle of the Mask Makers! It's available at that Amazon link in both Kindle and physical format.
 
As usual, stuff we already know the gist of from episodes/novels/etc. is fine to talk about openly, but at least for the first few days (per policy), please use spoiler tags to discuss plot events not previously seen.  Yes, even ones involving a certain mask...

 

Happy reading!

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Yeah did we. NOT THAT IT WASN'T SAID BEFORE but....

THERE IS A TOP HALF TO THE MASK OF TIME, And it was said that it's ancient name was the Vahi.....

So, to the person who said that it was a misunderstanding, and that rather than

there being a top half to the mask,

that it will look different in G2

(the bottom half as it were)

well.... They lied. And if they say, heh, if they say that they where referring to

the top half the whole time,

than thats also a total lie. Sorry. I don't hold it against them mind you, perhaps they just said it to calm the topic down, yet even still, it's still denial of the truth, which is wrong. Then again, the

motif of the Mask of Time from G1 may clash so in that way it is different, maybe...

(i'm going to get so much hate for this, I can just feel it, I mean no offense, please don't shoot!)

 

 

 

ANYWAY, Away from the topic of the denial of it, and now onto how

I feel about it's design, hopefully others may agree with my point. I think the top half of the masks design is cool, and I can see how it would fit on but... With the original Vahi's motif, being a mix of rectangular and circular shapes in it's design, I wonder if it would clash with the look of the top half.

 

 

 

It also intrigues me as to how they will connect. Will it be a folding out piece inside of the mask, that would attach to the bottom half of the mask? Or would it be a separate piece that would be attached on the inside of the top half and would allow for the bottom half to connect?

 

 

 

I find it interesting that the Bottom half allows the user to speed up and slow down time, whilst the Top allows for visions of upcoming and past events. Very interesting.... I can't help but feel though, that the Mask of Control may have something to do with the Vahi somehow. I don't know why I feel this, I just do, and it's all very intriguing.... Only Time will tell in the end though (puns and truth).

 

 

 

 

Anyway, on to the names of the ancient Protectors, their names are actually a bit different from how they are in Revenge of the Skull Spiders. Three of the names are unchanged whilst the other three are changed.

 

Mamuk

 

 

Owa to Owaki

 

 

Agarak

 

 

Udapo to Uganu

 

 

Kerato

 

 

Epolim to Etoku

 

 

Perhaps we're dealing with another case of the Maori or another group getting upset by them, and having them be changed. Or, it was a mistake on the writers part that in-lore could be chalked up to Ekimu having lost some memory whilst asleep for centuries.

 

 

EDITED FOR SPOILER TAGS.

Edited by Toa Imrukii
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A ton of big story tidbits this time around. Fantastic graphic novel that fleshes out the story significantly and adds a sense of intrigue that I felt was missing from G2.

 

 

The upper half of the Mask of Time looks pretty interesting. I was surprised that they mentioned the name Vahi in regards to the two halves, but also really pleased with it. G1-G2 connection is seeming more likely, and that's something I am okay with. Regardless, the mystery of the Mask of Time continues to be a really interesting plot point.

 

 

-NotS

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Really loved this one over the last one. Lots of explanations, worldbuilding, past events and clarification. Very fun and interesting throughout!


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Man, what a rush! To reiterate what others have said: 

- Vahi!

- Airship!

- Worldbuilding on point.

- Lovely characterization of the Mask Makers.

- Explanation of the Toa's golden masks. 

- "The masks help the wearer unlock the elemental power within themselves" (Paraphrasing) So could the Toa unlock the ability to use their elements without their masks? *hype*

If you wait until the last minute, then it only takes one minute. 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

I liked this graphic novel. The artwork in it is great, just like in the last one. It works for both the peaceful panels as well the ones showing the destruction hitting Okoto towards the end of it.

 

As for the story, I enjoyed it a lot. It's cool to learn how Ekimu and Makuta made their masks, as well as learning why Ekimu made the Golden Masks for the Toa. Having the Elemental Creatures have a hand in helping create these masks was a cool way to tie them into the story as well.

 

I also thought it was cool that the Mask Makers had their own airships. I will admit that it does kind of feel like the reveal of them was somewhat out of blue, as we really hadn't seen anything to suggest the residents of Okoto, or even the Mask Makers themselves, had the materials and/or capability to build something like them up to this point in the story. But I'm not complaining too much about it, as it's a cool concept and I would like to see them again in the future story. After all, the novel does say Ekimu believes he can build a new one, so maybe we'll see one again in the story someday.

 

Then there's Makuta. This is the most we've seen of him in the story. (At least, that I've seen of him. I still haven't seen the Netflix show, so I don't know how involved he was in that.) I like that he wasn't shown as a villain in this, but more as someone who was trying to outdo their brother. Yes, there were a couple panels that hinted that he may have had darker motives, but I don't think he had truly evil intentions. When he presents the Mask of Ultimate Power to the crowd at the end of the novel, he proclaims to them all the good that could come from the mask, not that he would rule over them with it or anything like that. I look forward to seeing where Makuta's state of mind will be when he appears in the current story. I kind of hope that he was only acting out of his jealously of his brother, and that he redeems himself. It would help him stand apart from his Gen 1 counterpart.

 

Then there was the Protector's ancestors. And now its time for my opinion on them that I think isn't going to be too popular: I don't think there should've been six of them. None of them really standout in the story because none of them really given anything to do other than ask Ekimu questions about how the masks are made and gather the crystals he needs to make the Golden Masks. Both of which could've been done with just two or three Protectors IMO. Only one of these Protectors, Agarak, is given something in the story outside of these two roles, and that is that he has a family that he cares about. He even almost turns down a visit to Ekimu's forge to be with them, but his wife and child insist on him going because it's such a cool privilege. That's how much he cares for them. None of the other Protectors are given anything else to help them stand on their own in the story. It could've just been Agarak and one or two other Protectors helping Ekimu out, and the story really wouldn't change that much. But again, that is just my opinion on them. And who knows, maybe these Protectors will show up in another backstory and get fleshed out more then.

 

I guess I should mention the Vahi. While it's cool to see that name in Gen 2 Bionicle, I see it in the same way as I see the Toa's names and Makuta's name used in the Gen 2 story. In that it isn't being used for a Gen 1-Gen 2 story connection, but as an easter egg for the Gen 1 fans that won't confuse Gen 2 fans in the process. Nothing more than that. I do think that the mask will play a role in the story again, especially since we haven't seen the upper half and lower half of it put together yet. Though that probably won't be until 2017.

 

Overall, I really do like this book. It does a good job of filling in some backstory for Okoto's history as well as give us new info that could play a role in the future of the story. I definitely recommend it for any Bionicle fan who hasn't picked it up yet.

 

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


 


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