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the great mask of shellding... It is always fun when multiple community initiated building themes can coincide! This was of course an incredibly high effort build...

I wish it was even more unfinished

I will forever resent Lego for not releasing "Tren Krome" as an official set.

That must've been equally hilarious and devastating at the same time.

Honestly the only one I ever think about is the prototype Tower of Toa, just for that To Metru-scale Keetongu.

The hands thing is definitely a reference and it seems Greg had more ability to slip in little things like that into the books last-minute than influence the sets or comics.

Most of Bionicle's story was at least outlined at least 3 years in advance. Lego certainly never watched movie trailers to copy them, and it's pretty wild to me that you would even suspect so. As a matter of fact, in September of 2008, the Story Team had just sat down to discuss the plot of the next movie after The Legend Reborn. Less than fifteen minutes into the meeting, someone stuck their head in the door and told them that Bionicle was getting canceled and they had to wrap it up. Thus we got the "Stars" storyline.

Chiming in here to say similarly, it's perhaps the best course of action to understand BIONICLE is a closed book. While your enthusiasm and love for the franchise is awesome, it has been done in most all capacity for 15 years. In all honesty, it was done when the last pieces of major story media were released with Journey's End and the final comics back in 2010. As Nato G and the others have said, an adherence to canon or official response from LEGO is completely arbitrary at this point. Stories are down to what you make of them, and at this point the only likely thing to continue to matter to you is your interpretation thereof. In the matter of like, personal importance and affect, that's gonna be it. No petition will "bring back BIONICLE," nor is this something that can happen. ******, BIONICLE has already been revived and cancelled a second time. There isn't a reality in which the story would be ended or continued. I understand that might be a struggle to sit with, or that the idea of canonical ending is deeply important to you - I definitely get this. I just don't think it's healthy to continue to extol upon the need for something that not only won't happen, but seems to draw some of your focus away from what you enjoy about the franchise. You seem to have ideas about that - sounds like something to keep working on. Anyways, congrats on the hot topic. Genuinely forgot that was still a thing - been like a decade and a half since I've seen it last.

Sorry, sir. Thank you for correcting me, sir. I apologize, sir. The honor is yours, sir. On the behalf of all of BZP, thank you for reminding us of that highly memorable discussion. At the time of this writing, it has 13 replies and 666 views.

Well @Lenny7092 You've made the first "Hot" topic in years. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this discussion.

All hail the Russian Roulette Slime

Yeah, I agree with pretty much everything you said. Except that there is a god enforcing it, and that is the Energized Protodermis Entity. No, I will not elaborate. The Matoro = Jesus thing really is the worst, though.

I get that people’s worldviews are often filtered through their faith, but I’ve always found it weird when folks try to make religious parallels with Bionicle. (In particular, I've seen a lot of uncomfortable comparisons between Matoro and Jesus). To me, the Bionicle story has always felt pretty openly antireligious in the way it deliberately demythologised everything. The genesis-style story we're told at the start proves to be a total lie. Every legendary or god-like figure in the text is unveiled as a flawed, mortal being. Mata Nui as the Great Spirit is shown to have been indolent and uncaring. Even the Great Beings were exposed as nothing more than irresponsible mad scientists. Destiny is regarded as a something comparable to a "divine plan" by many characters, but rather than being an immutable force, it's able to be defied and denied. And even when it works as designed, it plays out more like a series of "if this, then that" contingency plans. Characters who put blind faith in Destiny are usually regarded as foolish, with the Matoran time and time again having to stand up and fight for themselves instead of sitting on their hands and hoping some Toa show up eventually. Broadly speaking, there is a greater plan, but there's no god enforcing it. Those who want a better future have to fight for it.

I plan on it, I was always just so into BIONICLE at the time. I also want to explore Knights' Kingdom II more because I know there's story content I haven't looked at for that. Still, I do want this to be an exploration of what Exo-Force looked like from the perspective of a random kid with just the toys and a cursory knowledge of the story. I know about the Golden City and the jungle even less (there was a Golden City with Keiken's granddaughter, and then a jungle basically) and I am not sure but I hope to get this story to that point.

Not on-screen, but Greg did say that line was a reference to Star Wars.

Batman and Iron Man both existed long before 2008, so technically they could have been inspired by them, but trying to claim it as evidence that Lego was just hopping onto every Hollywood trend is ridiculous. But don’t forget that they DID reference a 2005 movie in the 2005 storyline…

It's amazing that they even gave the Bionicle team the chance to wrap it up. Every other canceled line just abruptly stops. Bionicle actually got an ending. A rushed, nonsensical ending, but an ending nonetheless. And then Greg had to mess it all up by starting new story serials...

We all know "The Dream": walking through the store and seeing, to your surprise, brand new BIONICLE sets on shelves once again. Picking them up and feeling the familiar sound of parts inside. Trying to get to the cashier before you wake up. One aspect which seems to be unique to me is that my Dreams always concern actual, classic Generation 1 BIONICLE sets being rereleased in new packaging. Of the Dream instances I distinctly remember are Bohrok Va and Metru Nui Matoran (set I vividly remembering going to Walgreens to buy with my grandma when I was seven/eight years old). One common aspect of my dreams (not just "The Dream" dreams but all of them) is that I can't always tell how old I am. Sometimes in my dreams I'm my actual age (30), but sometimes I'll be meeting and interacting with someone I only knew as a kid, or an 18-year-old college student, and they'll be that age, yet we'll still be the same age, except we're not. This applies to my BIONICLE dreams, too. It is usually sets I remember from years ago, on shelves yet again, but the dream itself often feels like it is from 2004 or 2009. I never dream about G2 and in the vague "timeline" or my dream, it feels like G2 never happened. How interesting it is that we all know "the BIONICLE Dream" specifically means dreaming about going to the store and buying BIONICLE sets, not, for instance, dreaming that you're a Toa or a Dark Hunter. BIONICLE feels designed to make us want to explore its actual universe as the object of our escapism but somewhere along the way the the object of our escapism became being consumers of a product. It's slightly creepy how that aspect of capitalism crept into our action/adventure science fantasy fandom. It's also interesting (and maybe an indictment on us as a culture) that The Dream never focuses on playing with BIONICLE sets at our own homes, but always purchasing new ones. For me, the main places to buy LEGO were always Toys R Us, Target and Walmart, and my Dreams usually take place in nondescript liminal voids (not unlike the Backrooms for SCP-3008) that bear a similarity to those kinds of stores in general. (Once, I had a Dream of buying BIONICLE sets in a crowded Middle Eastern bazaar, but that was an unusual singular instance.) Maybe it's because I actually watched Kane Parsons' The Backrooms recently, but more and more I've been grappling with the implications of spending all my time focusing on the past, to the point of it becoming an ouroboros of focusing on the way I focus on the past, like Clark only instead of being a failed architect he was just really into a 2000s children's toy.

Don't know if this is what Cheesy Mac n Cheese is referring to, but I found this by searching "pirates" in the grand archive.

Please not another Tahu. There are so many other characters to choose from.

Molds that don't exist anymore and are very unlikely to be recreated.

The weird thing about looking at Christianity's (possible) influence on Bionicle is that virtually everyone who worked on Bionicle (20th century Europeans and Americans) definitely knew what Christianity was, so of course it influenced Bionicle conscious or subconsciously (and this is true of pretty much any story in the western tradition since antiquity). Depending on how vague you want to be, you can find zero influences or you could find plenty. Is Matoro like Jesus? They're both humble and not the kind of people you would expect to save the universe, so in some ways, sure. Is Nidhiki like Judas? Is Jaller like John the Baptist? The threads are all vaguely there but it doesn't really matter because, even if they are, it doesn't tell us a lot about the creators except they grew up in the west. Something much more interesting (at least to me) is Bionicle's similarity to Gnosticism, a heresy which (basically) taught that God exists, but he didn't make our world; our world was made by an evil and/or lesser version of God trying to act like God. (See also The Truman Show, The Matrix, The Lego Movie, etc.) It's also unhelpful because it obscures the actual inspirations the creators of Bionicle openly talk about. There are billions of Christians, so it's not that interesting if some of them worked on Bionicle. Polynesian mythology and pill warriors fighting cancer are much more interesting inspirations because Bionicle is probably the only or one of the only stories we were raised with based on those things, and the same goes for Greg's super weird but ultimately beautiful decision to make Bionicle The Call of Cthulhu (But For Kids!).

Recently finished the Tales of The Masks, because I couldn’t remember it all having left off on the Bio books somewhere. Also finished Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which was a fun Doctor Who-like brain vacation (thanks @Lorentz! 🫶). Currently listening to “A Prisoner, and Yet” by Corrie Ten Boom along with the Mask of Light book (I am almost certain I remember this, so who knows where I got to in the series) and physically reading a bit of Proverbs each day. I’m quite grateful to have just gotten my first earbuds and a speaker for audiobooks! My phone mic’ is semi-dead and often holding it against one’s ear becomes a problem when doing stuff, sewing or with background noise.

Agreed. And on the destiny topic, even if destiny is real, it reflects badly on the morality of the person controlling it, which is equally antireligious, in which many Monotheistic religions portray their god as perfect morally.

He's doing a lot to hype it up across FB and Reddit, where some of the posts have been a little.... ******ey. The Avohkii itself is cool, prototypes aren't really my thing, but to me the rest of the toothbrush itself adds very little value to the mask itself. Some battery acid soaked cardboard and a plastic shell anyone with a vacuum former could make. It's just a bit overdone to me. EDIT: You are shitting me. 20 years later with the whole fandom now being adults and the forum censor is STILL so touchy 🤣my word was barely PG-13!

I've noticed a tendency among younger members of my generation to treat "Fandoms" as unified entities with a moral character. It comes from a natural instinct to identify with a community which unfortunately transforms into a desire to devote part of yourself to a higher power comprised of a system of parts (people) that, in exchange, gives you a feeling of belonging, validity and purpose. Unfortunately, by merging yourself and your self worth into this egregore, you can easily experience feelings of rejection, powerlessness, and alienation. I have absolutely no desire to be a part of this. I am an individual and an artist, I claim the power of my attention, speech and production. The people who have fond feelings for the thing I also enjoy are separate from the thing, and from me. I'd wager the word Fandom has never parted my lips except in response to another person using the term to explain why they have been hurt.

Are there any canceled sets you wish had been released, or prototypes you think are better than the final product? I'll start.

http://www.bzpower.info/Imaging/stories/2026/BioCup26_00_01.jpg Bio-Cup 2026 coverage continues with another round of G1 Gauntlet MOCs. There are a lot of fun creature builds, both big and small, colorful and plain, organic and abstract. Read on to see them all and let us know which ones are your favorites.View the full article

Maytoran 2026 is here! One of the unlucky Matoran to be 'fixed' by Karzahni and sent to Voya Nui, Bunko's guerrilla tactics became invaluable against the Piraka and their robotic Nektann minions.

Review topic for EXO-WARS: an EXO-FORCE fanfic

Definitely a fun bit of trivia. The Shadowed One apparently keeps track of amputations, even when done a long time ago, in a far far away galaxy

As someone who has read and re-read the books and comics (thanks to my son who is a huge EXO-FORCE fan), I would 100% recommend them. They are an incredible resource for knowing who these characters are and their motivations and backstories. The comics are all available online, and I found all the books at my local library, so hopefully they're not too hard to come by. I'm eager to see where this story goes!

wow, i had no idea 2007's story was planned since 2004, yeah, you learn something new everyday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QM5sC8y2S0 Basically just this mini-movie. I spent a lot of time on the Exo-Force website back in 2006 reading the character bios. I never got too into the comics or books, I just knew the basics and this is the sort of stuff I thought about. Later on I might experiment with making my own characters and battle machines.

This Thursday, July 9th, come join us as we play some more LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes! We finished collecting everything in the fifteen levels, so now all that's left is scouring the open world map for gold bricks. And the last characters to unlock. And the vehicles. And the bonus level. But we're getting close, I swear! Swing by the BZPower Twitch channel starting around 7:30 PM Eastern to watch the fun happen!View the full article

Chapter 1 The shrill blaring of the alarm and its accompanying flashes of red light forced Takeshi from sleep. He had been dreaming of happier times, a picnic with his parents, his father singing and strumming his mandolin while mother poured their tea. As much as his body ached and longed to remain in bed, in the pleasant dream, he willed himself to emerge. Wordlessly, he and his bunkmates—Hikaru, Ryo and Ha-Ya-To—prepared for battle, exchanging their sleepwear for battle armor and making their way to the docking bay where their battle machines awaited. If any of them had any reservations, he kept it to himself. A surprise robot attack was no time for sentimentality. Emotions would be shown after the battle was over, either celebration of another victory or, if necessary, mourning for a fallen brother. Takeshi stepped into the docking bay silently craving a return to sleep, but ready to suppress that instinct and fight anyway. Mounted on the wall was a massive monitor with a live feed of the Tenshi Bridge, the primary bridge connecting the two halves of Sentai Mountain. Takeshi expected the feed to be showing the robots causing havoc, but the image was still and serene, showing nothing more than a quiet, almost relaxing night. Takeshi squinted, wondering if the camera was damaged, but the timestamp showed the current time, the seconds ticking by. It was only then that the four boys perceived the form of their master, Sensei Keiken, standing in their midst, watching an old-fashioned stopwatch. “Three minutes, fifty-two-point-nine seconds,” the old man spoke, returning the watch to his pocket. He turned to face each of his pilots, letting his gaze linger on each of them for at least one distinct second. “Imagine how much damage could have been done had this been a real code red.” As Sensei Keiken walked away, Takeshi resisted the urge to react. He knew the sensei well enough to know that their reaction to his chiding was the real test. Though his body craved to return to bed, or to vent his frustration and tell the sensei what he was really thinking, he stopped himself. He could see the same struggle against passion on the others’ faces, especially Ha-Ya-To’s, but to his teammate’s credit, even he stood firm. It was not until Keiken was gone that Ha-Ya-To gave a voice to what they were all thinking, releasing an inhuman cry and swing his first at nothing in particular. “What was that?!” Ha-Ya-To shouted. “Dragging us out of bed in the middle of the night, just so he could give us another smug lecture?” “Sensei’s right, though,” Hikaru said. “We need to be ready to go, at all times. Today, it was just a test, but tomorrow?” Takeshi kept his own thoughts to himself and glanced at Ryo. Of his three teammates, Ryo was the one he got along with the most. Hikaru, though he never said it, always acted like he thought he was better than the others, and Ha-Ya-To turned everything into a joke or an emotional outburst, which made it harder for Takeshi to regulate his own feelings. He knew, in the heat of battle, all four of them would have to learn to rely on each other, but until then, Ryo was the only one he could see being a real friend and not just a bunkmate. Ryo was paying no attention to the conversation, however. His eyes were fixed on the horizon, where the sun was just beginning to rise. He pointed at something else coming from the horizon with it. “I don’t think we’ll have to wait until tomorrow for the real emergency,” he said. Flying their way was a Fire Vulture, then two, then four. And then a dozen. Review

Chapter 2 Fire Vultures were not expendable drones like Sentries. Even one Fire Vulture was a real threat to a battle machine like the Stealth Hunter, or even the Grand Titan. The boys rushed into their battle machines and took up defensive positions around the perimeter. Only two of them, Hikaru’s Stealth Hunter and Ha-Ya-To’s Gate Defender, were capable of flight, which would make the fight even harder. The Stealth Hunter hovered in place, holding back the Fire Vultures, while the smaller but faster Gate Defender zoomed around behind it, stopping any Fire Vultures from flanking it. Though bound to the ground, Takeshi’s Grand Titan provided cover fire. Only Ryo, piloting tiny Uplink, lacked a clear role in the fighting. Ryo, the team’s mechanic, remained on the sidelines, ready to swoop in and provide repairs to his comrades’ battle machines as needed. Uplink carried enough small arms to defend itself for a few minutes at a time, but the machine and Ryo’s training was not intended for frontline combat. For not the first time, Ryo wondered if his teammates looked down on him for staying back in comparative safety while they took the real risks. From his vantage point near the gate, though, Ryo caught sight of a single Fire Vulture flying down below the bridge. It was an inventive strategy, he realized. Distract the humans with a full-frontal assault while one slips by unnoticed. Ryo’s first thought was to alert Takeshi, his closest teammate, but the Grand Titan was already locked in combat, pinned between two Fire Vultures hovering on either side. If everyone else could be fighting two or three Fire Vultures at once, Ryo could take one trying to sneak by. Uplink took up position at the far end of the bridge, its weapons trained on the spot Ryo expected the Fire Vulture to emerge from. When it did not, Ryo cautiously piloted Uplink forward, wondering what happened to the lone Fire Vulture. From underneath the bridge, the Fire Vulture swung itself over, having deactivated its flight mechanisms and used its claw to physically grip the structure. Ryo was expecting to have to dodge the robot battle machine’s flamethrower, but the sheer size of the robot’s machine slamming into Uplink took him by surprise, sending him flying and nearly falling off the other side of the bridge. The others paid no mind, occupied with their own battles within the greater battle, until, as a single unit, the remaining Fire Vultures all turned and began flying back to their side of the mountain, abandoning the handful of downed Fire Vultures and their robot pilots. Ha-Ya-To and Hikaru landed their battle machines beside Takeshi, the three looking at one another, confused. “That was weird,” Ha-Ya-To said. “They were about to overwhelm us… at least, they were about to overwhelm you two.” “They had the momentum,” Hikaru agreed. “Why didn’t they press their advantage?” It was Takeshi who realized the answer as he scanned the bridge for their fourth teammate, seeing only the remains of Uplink left lying behind them, its pilot nowhere to be seen. His cry alerted the other two to the robots’ real objective: “They took Ryo!” Review

Oh my goodness,same! I’ve been blasting this too lately after seeing it on IG. So ethereal! 🥹 Currently listening to a mix of that ^ and Cathedrals & It’s a Wonderful Life by John Lucas. Can’t quite decipher the lyrics on the first, but adore the music. And firework echos off the mountains from our neighbor’s field! 🫶🎇🎆

Chapter 22 – Crossing The Line From the notes of Chronicler Crisda. Time and time again, I find myself reminded how swiftly things can change. Yesterday, the demarcation line was as immutable and insurmountable as a fortress wall. Today, it’s just a meaningless mark on a map. And tomorrow… well, I suppose we’ll find out soon enough. * * * Ilton Though the aquatic tactics and unusual abilities of the attackers had given them the advantage at first, the Skakdi were veterans of countless century-spanning conflicts. They adapted quickly, and their counterattacks were devastating. By now most of the Skakdi ships had repelled their boarders, and those that hadn’t had instead been scuttled by their own crews. Skakdi across the remaining fleet were putting their powers to work, merging air and water to summon a swirling column of fog around the Frostelus vessels. A few disintegration beams and rhotuka spinners still made it through here and there, but what few shots did make it near the flagship were blocked by Ilton and Behjen, summoning barriers of steel or stone. With their vision obscured by the fog, the cultists were firing blind. The same couldn’t be said for the Skakdi, many of whom had vision powers that allowed them to maintain line of sight on their enemies despite the fog. The sea rose and roiled beneath the icebergs, propelling them back towards the Great Barrier with such force that they cracked and shattered against each other. The wave grew higher the further it travelled, smashing the icebergs against the ragged rocks before funnelling what was left back through the Sea Gate. With the immediate threat dealt with, Bihriis and the Ce-Skakdi switched focus from shielding to seeking, locating the cultists still hiding below the water and guiding the Ga-Skakdi in summoning currents to wash them through the Gate as well. Smaller waves continued to pummel the tunnel entrance, preventing any survivors on the other side from pushing back through. After a few minutes, the Ce-Skakdi signalled their success, and it fell to the Toa and Skakdi of physical elements to summon a new barrier to block the tunnel entrance, merging powers to form a barricade denser and stronger than even the heavy protodermis plates that blocked the other entrances. “Well done, Toa,” Desecrator said, once Ilton was done. Behind him, the other Skakdi had switched their focus to rescuing survivors from the water… those who’d avoided being caught up in the same waves that had dispelled the cult fleet. “It felt good to be on the same side for once,” Ilton said. The way the Skakdi had sacrificed their own ships and people… it wasn’t how Toa would have fought. But there was no denying the results. Ilton wasn’t going to sour their success by passing judgement. “We will be again,” Desecrator said. “Most of them will have survived the waves, and there are many more of them still out there. They’ll return.” “With their master?” “I fear so.” “Then let’s get back to Metru Nui. The Council needs to know what’s coming.” * * * Tustesh Tustesh was unaccustomed to being summoned. At least by anyone other than Lyrami. And yet, given the precarious politics of the region right now, he couldn’t afford to ignore a plea for help from his partners. Flanked by six of his warriors, Tustesh stormed out of the Great Temple towards the massive Amaja Circle where Tuxar conducted his daily sermons. Many of Greillash’s Odinan warriors and Tuxar’s Matoran followers were already gathered there, aiming their weapons up at a sizeable group of Rahkshi circling in the sky. Thick clouds that hadn’t been there a half-hour ago hung overhead, blotting out the sunlight that would have normally sent the serpents back to the shadows. “What is this?” Tustesh growled, stopping beside Greillash and Tuxar. “What is this?” Tuxar snapped back, pointing at the handful of warriors who’d accompanied Tustesh. “Where are the rest of your fighters?” “These were in temple,” he answered. “Others away.” “Then send one of them to fetch the rest.” “No need,” Tustesh assured him. “Six enough.” Before Tuxar could protest further, one of the Rahkshi – red and orange in hue – flew down from the circling crowd, landing before the Toa. “You are the leader here?” The Rahkshi demanded, its eyes aglow with an intense red light. “You dare come to my Metru and ask questions of me?” Tuxar snarled. “I didn’t give blind obedience to Vhel, and I certainly won’t give it to you.” “But you will give us the ones we seek. The Toa Trina, and the rogue Rahkshi that calls itself Gorast.” “I’m under their protection,” a new figure emerged from the crowd of warriors to stand beside Tuxar, a female Toa clad in black and blue. At her shoulder stood another Rahkshi, this one black and gold. “And you’re out of line. The Council have no power here.” “The Council doesn’t know we’re here,” the Rahkshi answered. Tustesh hadn’t known the Toa was here, nor the Magnetism Rahkshi. Yet another decision that Tuxar and Greillash hadn’t deigned to consult him on. Not for the first time, Tustesh regretted putting up with the two fools and their short-sighted ambitions for as long as he had. But Lyrami was so close to the answer now. He couldn’t allow her work to be interrupted, especially not over a dispute this stupid. “Hand them over,” Tustesh barked at Tuxar. “Not worth trouble.” “I’m with Tustesh on this one,” Greillash said. “Well, that was quick. I guess you truly can’t trust anyone these days,” Trina said, moving suddenly from being beside Tuxar to behind him, one arm holding him in a headlock and the other pressing one of her blades into his back. “Now I’m going to ask you very nicely, Rahkshi, to inform the Council that I’ve just apprehended the leader of Ga-Metru for them.” Greillash drew one of his blades, but before he could put it to use he was swatted aside by a brutal blow from Gorast’s staff. Tustesh’s only reaction was to raise a hand, a signal for the warriors at his back to remain at ease. Though Trina likely didn’t realise it, she was the only being in the square who could actually harm the Unbroken. Electrical attacks were the one thing their armour offered no protection against. “As I said, the Council didn’t send us,” the Rahkshi hissed. “Alive or dead, this Toa doesn’t matter to us. You have nothing to negotiate with.” * * * Icthilos In an empty structure just across the way, Icthilos and Savnu watched the scene escalate from bad to worse in a matter of moments. They couldn’t hear what was being said, but they could clearly see the standoff playing out. “What’s she playing at?” Savnu whispered. “One second she was with Tuxar, and the next-” “This was probably the plan all along,” Icthilos said, grimacing. “Win Tuxar over by requesting asylum, then trade his life for hers.” He’d known what to expect, but seeing Trina again had still rattled him. She looked even worse than she had when he’d last seen her, and her actions now only served to demonstrate how desperate and dangerous she’d become. “I reckon she’s got it handled,” Savnu said, “Maybe we can just go home.” “I don’t think it’s going to be that easy. Precision didn’t come here to make deals. Look.” Across the square, Trina was backing away, shouting at Tuxar’s Matoran followers to keep their distance. Nearby, Greillash was getting to his feet, barking orders to his warriors. Precision was simply standing back and watching. “Then we need to get her out of there before it gets any worse,” Savnu tapped a finger against her mask. “She won’t try to kill me if I’m saving her, right?” “Maybe not, but-” Icthilos broke off as he spotted fresh movement out of the corner of his eye. “It just got worse.” Savnu followed the direction he was looking in, and gasped. A column of Vortixx were marching into the heart of Ga-Metru, carrying all manner of weapons and gadgets. Another group of Odinans from elsewhere in Ga-Metru were massing behind them, and it was only the fact that they were woefully outnumbered by the Vortixx that had stopped them from opening fire so far. Once the Vortixx reached the rest of the Odinan warriors at the temple, though, the numbers were going to be far more even. “What are they doing here?” “Nothing good.” * * * Pira Last time Pira had approached Ga-Metru, she’d feared for the lives of all those with her. Today, however, there was nothing at all to fear. Broken Vahki were strewn around the border, obliterated by Vortixx weaponry. Whatever living defenders might have once been here weren’t now. Larone and his followers marched freely into Ga-Metru, flaming torches raised. And Pira could only follow, her heart sinking with every step.

Or feet for that matter. But if Lego wanted to they could bring them back. There's a new(ish) book called the secret life of bricks, and it goes into detail about lego molds and that its actually cheaper for lego to get rid of molds and then make them again as opposed to sitting on them without using them for years. Not saying they will, they probably won't... but if they wanted to they could. Anyways, it's a cool build.

The way I see it, Bionicle is based on a little bit of everything. The Polynesian thing really only influenced the first and maybe second years, before it started going heavier on sci-fi, at which point they started bringing in more influences as 2006 started bringing more fantasy back to balance things out. It also brings in the Ignika as a MacGuffin; Bionicle had other MacGuffins before (Avohkii, Makoki Stones to a lesser extent), but this one stayed in the limelight until the end. This mirrors a whole number of other powerful objects sought by multiple factions in other franchises (Silmarils and One Ring from Tolkien for example), and even stuff like the Ark of the Covenant, Holy Grail, etc. Greg outright said he was influenced by Star Trek, Lovecraft, etc. We got a lot packed into this children’s franchise. (I’ve also always viewed the Matoro-Jesus thing as an edgy joke that I never believed anybody took seriously). By the way, does anybody remember the weird things BZP members used to compare Bionicle to? People assumed the Barraki were inspired by Davy Jones and his crew from Pirates of the Caribbean and (for some reason) compared Zaktan’s protodites to Horcruxes.

The instruction manuals for both models are available online. You can probably go through those and check off whether all of the same parts appear across both builds.

Finally got all of the minikits collected, so that's every level fully completed. Now all that's left to do to reach 100% completion is collect all the gold bricks all over Gotham City (as well as purchase a bunch of vehicles scattered all over the city). In addition to the amount needed to unlock the bonus level, don't forget about the last three characters to purchase from those gold gates. The next one requires 150 gold bricks and can be found on the north island, so for the next stream, I would recommend focusing your efforts on completing everything you can find on the north island. If you have some time to spare, it might be a good idea to read through the section of the guide about gold bricks to collect in Gotham City so you might have an idea of what kind of tasks are necessary to obtain some of them.

Book of psalms & recently, instrumental loops of “Isabella’s lullaby”song while stargazing on the swingset. No idea what the song is from, but I don’t quite want to learn and potentially ruin the beauty of it for myself. ✨🌌🌠 Music always sounds better on the swingset, so glad to have mine back! 🫶🙏

Came across my old LDD Great Spirit Robot design. I’ve just made the head irl. Thinking of starting the body after seeing this after so many years.

I've seen more movies than usual so far this year, so here they are all ranked in a rough numerical order that I have spent as much time thinking about as it takes to write this entry. Everything below the top two could change; everything Scream 7 and above I enjoyed Obsession Carolina Caroline Backrooms Project Hail Mary All You Need is Kill Disclosure Day The Furious Iron Lung Hoppers Pressure Toy Story 5 How to Make a Killing Send Help Supergirl Over Your Dead Body Scream 7 Crime 101 Nirvana The Band The Show The Movie Ready or Not 2: Here I Come The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Power Ballad Mercy & some films I'm looking forward to in the coming weeks: The Invite Spider-Man: Brand New Day The Odyssey Moana (just kidding) Crossing Motor City at least two movies with titles I can't put on this site The End of Oak Street Mutiny (the Avengers Endgame of Jason Statham movies) Idiots Coyote vs. ACME

What does this actually mean? How is it different to two tentacles?

Chapter 15 – Resistance From the journal of Turaga Marik. The elders say that in the time before time we were separate, without purpose, so the Great Spirit illuminated us with the Three Virtues. But it never felt like illumination to me. The beliefs we clung to for so long were shackles, chains that kept us as content and complacent as the god that gave them to us. We didn’t see the end coming. Even the Great Spirit himself didn’t see the end coming. And now here we are, left to die in the dark without any illumination at all. There are times I wonder if I should get my mask fixed, to see if its maddening visions might show me something of worth for once. All it ever showed me were shadows and sorrows, worries and woes that I was powerless to prevent. I wish it had simply shown me how my story would end. I don’t want to wonder or worry anymore. * * * Ilton “This is madness,” Marik muttered, his nervous hands clenching like claws around his gnarled staff, “How long are we going to sit here and let this thing hold us hostage?” He and Ilton were sitting up on the deck along with most of the rest of the crew, waiting impatiently under the foreboding shadow of the airship still hovering before them. Save for a single word blasted forth from some kind of on-board loudspeaker – “Wait.” – there had been no noise or movement from the mysterious airship since it had first shown up that morning. When the sun had gone down a spotlight had been turned on and trained on the boat, but that was the only change. Mercifully, it seemed that the Rahkshi the last messenger had brought word of didn’t roam this far away from the city. “Patience,” Ilton said quietly, “We wait for as long as it takes.” “As long as what takes?” “As long as it takes for one of our people to show up to check on us, or for whoever they’re waiting for to get here.” He’d been studying the airship since it had arrived, reaching out with his powers to gain a better sense of how it fit together and operated, so that if a fight did break out he could try to disable it before it could fire on the ship. With no Su-Toa on board to block or absorb incoming fire from the airship’s cannon, Ilton felt it wasn’t worth the risk to do anything that might provoke the airship until he was certain that it posed a threat. His background as a forger of Kanohi and Kanoka, combined with his elemental abilities, allowed him to recognise most types of disks and masks at a distance, sensing their unique compositions. It had proven an invaluable ability on Xia, where the Vortixx – owing to their very different facial features – had forged their Kanohi in different shapes and styles to those used by most Matoran craftsmen. It also meant he could usually make an educated guess as to the nature of unfamiliar Kanohi, and the Vortixx had brought plenty of immoral or unusual masks to bear in battle that most Toa had never seen before. That same talent allowed him to sense that the occupants of the airship were a mere two Matoran and a Turaga. It was a guess, but an educated one. All three beings were similar in size, but two wore Powerless Kanohi, while one wore a Noble Iden, and that one had been sitting still for quite a while now, which suggested they were actively using the Mask. The two figures he guessed to be Matoran were armed, carrying basic blades and Kanoka launchers equipped with Freeze disks. He could also sense the familiar compositions of the levitation and weight increase Kanoka that allowed the ship to function, though they were too many and too spread out through the hull for him to be able to easily bring down the vessel. Manipulating a few of them in the right spot at the right moment might be enough to throw off the airship’s aim if it was about to open fire, but hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. The fact that it was Matoran on board, not Vahki or Rahkshi, left Ilton equal parts curious and hopeful. Marik, however, did not share these feelings. “If you take out their levitation disks, or pull them down or something, I can hit them with a tidal wave and smash them against the Barrier,” he whispered. “That ship emerged from the sea, so it’s safe to assume it’s been waterproofed,” Ilton replied, “It also appears to be well-armoured. Rocks aren’t going to be enough.” In simpler times, he might have dwelled on the strangeness of a Toa giving counsel to a Turaga. But many things had changed when the stars had gone out. The status quo he’d known was long gone. “We have to do something,” Marik insisted. “We are. We’re waiting. And not for much longer, I suspect.” He could sense the Iden-wearer moving around again, hurrying towards a porthole on the side of the ship. Ilton rose to his feet and extended his senses out across the water in the direction the Turaga seemed to be looking. He swiftly found a small boat moving in their direction, and soon the sound of its sputtering engine echoed over the waves for all to hear. He rose to his feet and moved towards the railing to watch the vessel approach. It looked to be another kind of modified airship, this one far smaller, with some kind of hose system that allowed it to siphon the liquid protodermis it was travelling over and expel it out through a pressurised nozzle at the back. The vessel slowed, then sputtered to a stop alongside the larger boat. Once it had fully stopped, a panel in its side flopped open and a rusted gangplank extended forth to bridge the gap. Out from it emerged the sole occupant Ilton could detect, another Turaga. Even by Turaga standards this one was stooped and decrepit, his frame flimsy and his movements unsteady. He bore all the hallmarks of a being who’d had the misfortune of being “fixed” in Karzahni, his limbs skeletal, with rusted pistons and exposed wiring visible through his desiccated organics. Random patches and plates were bolted or welded haphazardly to his armour, as well as to his Kanohi. A matching pair of hand axes hung from the armour of his thighs, a far cry from the usual badges of office most Turaga carried. “I’m very sorry for keeping you all waiting for so long,” there was a harsh, rattling rasp to the Turaga’s voice as he spoke, and even the single sentence seemed to leave him out of breath, “My name is Larone. Who here speaks for you?” “That would be me,” Ilton said quickly, heading off any attempt Marik might make to assert himself, “Toa Ilton.” “Iron… you’re a rare breed, boy,” the twisted Turaga stepped fully onto the deck, his eyes – sharp and bright in stark contrast to the rest of his form – inspecting Ilton and the rest of the crew. “And I hear I’m exactly what this city needs,” Ilton replied, “Would I be right in guessing that you and your friends here represent some kind of resistance to the Makuta’s occupation?” It felt like a safe assumption. If the Vahki and Rahkshi were the Makuta’s main enforcers, it stood to reason any Matoran or Turaga lurking this far away from the city – operating from a submersible airship, no less – were in hiding. And these people seemed too well-armed to be simple refugees. “Astute,” Larone said, nodding, “I’m well-watched by the Makuta’s cronies in the city. I’m afraid I couldn’t speak openly with your companions when I encountered them at the Coliseum.” “So you jumped at the chance to come introduce yourself far from prying eyes?” “Exactly. There is much your friends do not understand about what they’re up against, and I fear the other Turaga may already be trying to coerce them into taking action.” “They won’t take much convincing. But if you’re a resistance, why are you against taking action?” “I’m against hasty action,” Larone said, “This Makuta is a crafty one. He’s had months to consolidate his power, to learn all there is to know about the city, its citizens, and the Toa who might someday return to it. He is well-prepared for any eventuality.” “I’m sure my companions realise that. But if they think this is a cause worth fighting for, they won’t much care. Nor do I.” “They should. An uprising was attempted once before, and it ended in bloodshed. So too shall the efforts of your friends. Only through Unity – the combination of your forces and resources, and mine – can we hope to prevail.” “Then let’s get to it.” “Are you serious?” Marik hissed. “We cannot,” Larone said, ignoring Marik to point at Ilton. “You cannot. Not tonight.” “Me?” “As I said, the Makuta is well-prepared. He read our records and chronicles, to learn all he could about the Toa who left for Xia, and plan for their return. The Rahkshi have long had orders to kill you if you ever set foot on the island. Those same orders extend to the Fa-Toa as well, though I hear only one of them made it to shore, and she’s been sensible enough not to strike off on her own so far. You cannot return until daylight, and even indoors you may not be safe at night.” “And if my friends decide to do something stupid tomorrow morning?” “Then we shall pray for their safety. In the meantime, I suspect we have much to discuss.”

Chapter 11 – Forgotten Futures From the notes of Chronicler Crisda. My people used to look to the stars for meaning. The stars offered promises and prophecies, preaching to us our purpose and potential. But now the stars have darkened, the Matoran have moved on, and the Knowledge Towers stand abandoned. Abandoned, but not empty. The records and writings of the soothsayers and scholars still remain, forgotten on their shelves. I’ve visited on occasion, sifting through the records for literature to add to my chronicle. But there’s so much waiting to be rediscovered. I never knew what was important, or where to even begin. Icthilos knew better. He knew what he was looking for. But he didn’t know what was looking for him. * * * Icthilos Much like their counterparts in Metru Nui, the Ko-Matoran of Icthilos’ homeland had been stargazers, though their beliefs were far more primitive. They’d been trackers and trappers, guides and guerrillas, the most adept at navigating the mountainous terrain that surrounded the villages in their region. To them, the stars were signposts and navigation tools, occasionally offering omens and portents for what tomorrow might bring. The Ko-Matoran of Metru Nui were far more privileged in that regard. Their practice of complex prophesising had fascinated Icthilos from the moment he’d first learned of it, but of course the stars were already going out by the time he’d arrived in the city, and soon there were no new predictions to be made. But the observations remained, scribbled and scrawled in pieces throughout the towers. There was one story he’d once heard in passing, one he’d thought nothing of at the time, one that had suddenly resurfaced in his memory when Widrek had given his speech. Specifically, when he’d mentioned the Mask Of Life. The Matoran who’d told Icthilos this tale had been older than most Turaga, ailing and frail, and had sadly suffered a fatal fall shortly before the Toa had departed for Xia. Icthilos had investigated the incident himself, and found no cause to believe it anything other than an unfortunate accident. But now, he wondered if Destiny had had a hand in it. It was entirely possible that no one else knew of the story the old Matoran shared with Icthilos, or at the very least didn’t realise its true significance. It was the story of the one star that hadn’t gone dark… and a night when that star had briefly become two. For several hours, Icthilos explored the towers, searching for the notes left by the Matoran he’d met. It was as he emerged from yet another fruitless search that he found a figure waiting for him in the snow outside. A twisted Fe-Toa clad in black and orange, his form infused with machinery, and an icy blue hue to his beady eyes. “Mal,” he beamed, holding out his fist in way of greeting, “It’s good to see you, Brother.” Maliss made no move to draw closer or complete the fist-bump. “Is it?” He replied, his voice a hoarse whisper, “You might be able to hide your feelings from the rest of them, even from Trina, but I see you. You’re disappointed.” “The Brother I knew fought against tyranny. He would never have stood with it.” “The Brother you knew was proud, and principled, and it cost him dearly,” Maliss rasped, brushing his fingertips over the metal of his fake limb. “I’m sorry. These… augmentations. They look like they must have been excruciating.” “Pain is merely a message. Information to be interpreted. It doesn’t have to mean anything more.” “I don’t understand,” Icthilos lowered his outstretched hand. “There is much you don’t understand.” “Then tell me!” Icthilos demanded, “What became of my Brother?” The Chronicler’s words hadn’t been exaggerated. Maliss had become more machine than man, in mind as much as meat. Even as he spoke to Icthilos he seemed distant, detached, his gaze fixated on something only he could perceive, his thoughts far afield from the conversation at hand. “Makuta Vhel showed me the truth, a truth that even Widrek was too afraid to speak to you all. It’s a terrible truth, one that pushed Dhozoh to misery and Tuxar to madness.” “And what truth would that be?” “The truth of the lie. The lie we have lived all our lives. The lie that is our lives.” “You’re not making any sense.” “I am. Just not to you.” “What do you want, Mal? Why did you seek me out?” “Truth be told, I was thinking about killing you,” he raised his hand and curled it into a fist; Icthilos felt his armour constrict around him, holding him in place, “I could make it look like an accident, or suicide. No one would question it, given all the guilt you’re clearly carrying.” Icthilos opened his mouth to say… something, he wasn’t even sure what. He’d faced death countless times on Xia, but he had no words for this. But before a single syllable could spill forth he felt cold steel against his skin as a blade grew from his own armour and curled across his throat. “I doubt even sweet Trina would be surprised to find you’d put a knife through your own neck,” Maliss sneered, “But ultimately you’re worth more to me as a messenger than a martyr.” He opened his hand, and let it fall to his side. In the same moment, Icthilos’ armour returned to its natural state, and he flopped forward, sprawling in the snow. “What message?” He sputtered, too stunned to rise, too numb to ask much else. “Some among the Toa wish to act against our new order, and they will look to you to lead them. Deny them. Your Duty is done.” “You expect me to take the side of tyranny?” “I expect you to do what you need to do to save lives. This is the way the world must be. That is the only truth that really matters. You’ll find no more satisfactory answers among the forgotten fates and failed futures recorded in these towers.” “What truth could possibly justify this?” Icthilos forced himself to his knees, “What truth could make you turn against your own Brother?” “Our Brotherhood is part of the lie,” Maliss said sadly, turning away from him, “We’re cogs in a machine, Icthilos, and cogs were never meant to be conscious.” And then he was gone, falling through his own shadow as if it were a hole in the ground. * * * Trina “Here they are,” Savnu said, as she and Trina came to a sudden stop before Pira and Vhalem, who were on their way back from the outskirts of Onu-Metru. “News, Mother?” Vhalem asked. “A plan. For the evening, at least.” “Some of the Toa and Turaga who had homes here are already returning to their old residences, and the wounded have been taken to Ga-Metru,” Trina said, “The rest of us have decided to make camp in the Moto-Hub in Le-Metru. It’s big enough to house everyone, and we might be able to scrounge up some useful tech.” Even as she spoke the words, they sickened her. Scarcely a day since returning to the city, and they were already thinking about scavenging whatever technology they could find to give themselves an advantage, just as they had on Xia. Everything had changed. Nothing had changed. “I’m in,” Pira said, “Hanging around with all of you for one more night beats going back to sleeping on the streets.” Vhalem cast a quizzical glance in her direction for a moment, before nodding to Trina, “I’ll be there.” “Alright, I think that’s everyone,” Savnu said. “Everyone who still wants to be with us, at least.” “Everyone except Icthilos,” Trina said. “You two haven’t seen him?” “Nope, sorry,” Pira said, “Should we go looking for him?” “It’s getting close to dark,” Trina sighed, “We should get moving if we want to make it the Moto-Hub in time. Icthilos knows to find somewhere safe before the Rahkshi show up.” She had an inkling as to where he’d wandered off to. She knew him well enough to know he would want to be alone right now, though she had half a mind to try to track him down and deny him that. The group needed him every bit as much as he needed them. Unity mattered more than ever now. “I’ll go look for him,” Savnu offered, seeming to read her expression, “I’ll bring him back, or at least keep him company. None of us should be alone right now.” “Thank you, Savnu,” Trina smiled, “Try Ko-Metru. The old hideaway.” Savnu disappeared without a further word, leaving the three Toa to set off to Le-Metru as the shadows lengthened around them.