The fandom has essentially been functioning without Greg for a while. It's an odd place for BIONICLE to end on - since we'll probably never know the identity of the Great Being - but nevertheless it was still a fantastic run.

The fandom has essentially been functioning without Greg for a while. It's an odd place for BIONICLE to end on - since we'll probably never know the identity of the Great Being - but nevertheless it was still a fantastic run.

Obviously the fandom has, but the story as a whole is pretty dead, and was reliant on Greg to be functional anyway.

Regardless, I don't think those stories ever will be considered canon. You saw how Greg was so reluctant to do certain things with the story on the off-chance the BIONICLE picked up where it was left off (which was sadly only more fuel to the return movement). Without final confirmation by him, it seems a shame to waste that caution with our own wants.

I see what you mean Dorek. It's just that I don't think Greg was planning on reading them anyway... to the best of my knowledge, his involvement with the contest ended after approving the parameters. I could be wrong, but it's likely that he would have been too busy to read them anyway.

The problem is that they are technically canon, but not being treated as such from the fanbase. And that's fine, I'm not saying it's wrong to do that, I just want it to be the other way around.

Dorek, while you're here, does that mean you are of the opinion that Memoirs of the Dead would be a waste of time too, since there can't be final confirmation? I hadn't thought of that before. It might be hard to say when we know nothing about it.

I see what you mean Dorek. It's just that I don't think Greg was planning on reading them anyway... to the best of my knowledge, his involvement with the contest ended after approving the parameters. I could be wrong, but it's likely that he would have been too busy to read them anyway.

The problem is that they are technically canon, but not being treated as such from the fanbase. And that's fine, I'm not saying it's wrong to do that, I just want it to be the other way around.

 

Dorek, while you're here, does that mean you are of the opinion that Memoirs of the Dead would be a waste of time too, since there can't be final confirmation? I hadn't thought of that before. It might be hard to say when we know nothing about it.

I just assumed Memoirs had been abandoned anyway (and honestly, the whole concept seemed kinda whack).

Same applies to KJ's Lesovikk contest, really. Like I said on the podcast, I'm sure all of these stories are fine, and that nobody intended to contradict canon where they could, but there's always the chance they missed something, or simply did something that wouldn't make sense in a larger retrospective that we can't see. There is the chance that Greg might not have read them anyway, but to me, it's wrong to assume that's the way to run contests; ideally, the process would have been bookended, if not necessarily overseen, by Greg. With ATYUII, there was a lot of quality control in the beginning, but then was essentially allowed to run wild, and that consistency and assurance of a final check at the very end is what made me feel safer about contests in general.

Not to mention that both of these contests have been plagued with difficulties along the way. Obviously that shouldn't have much (if any) bearing on the final results, but it does highlight the point that they were the result of an overzealous and not particularly foresighted group of fans.

Yeah, I very much doubt Greg'll be coming back at this point. Even if he somehow does get cleared to drop by, the long gap in updates suggests to me the serials are going to remain unfinished. It's a shame, but I can't exactly blame the guy.

As for canonization of fanworks, I'm not sure it's worth the effort to try and implement a system for such now that the line is over and done with. Obviously, there's no way to get official word for it, nor is there any way to be 100% certain it doesn't contradict anything. There could always be contests to create "fanon" - things that might have their own specially-marked entries on BS01 or something like that - but it depends on user interest.

Thanks for explaining. =)

That's why they call me... the explainer B)