Sir Kohran

BZPower has no goal beyond discussion, creativity and the maintenance of the community that was built up in Bionicle's lifetime. Bringing back Bionicle is for Lego to do, not us. It is their property and their decision to make, not ours. As for the question, one of the reasons for the line's cancellation was the cumbersome complexity of its story, so I imagine a new storyline would simply start from scratch.

Are you really saying you think the Phantoka/Mistika are closer to the Toa Mata than the Nuva?

Good point. I think the characters could've commented on him looking unusual without giving away anything specific, but I suppose it was the world around them that was meant to be the subject of the mystery.

Why is this still being brought up? Tamaru's colours are consistent with those of Kongu and several other Le-Matoran. I agree it's strange that no-one who meets him in the MNOLG ever comments on his blue mask.

doesn' t everyone? No. No no no no no. I don't miss that at all. Oh gosh the poor F5 key. Agreed. The main page's "Enter BZPower Forums" button might as well have read "View Board Message".

I disagree with the idea that the only way to have sad moments is to have characters die. That's not really true. When did I say that? The one sad moment I did bring up wasn't a death.

Farshtey once said that the death of Sidorak hurt his sales, so it's unsurprising that very few major characters were killed off. As such, there weren't many sad moments in Bionicle. Lhikan's death was hardly unexpected, and I feel Matoro's death was dulled by how quickly the story moved on from it. The Toa Metru's realisation that they'd become frail Turaga was the only poignant moment I can think of.

(end quote) I don't think you need to go as far as 'non-canon', it's just a small mistake. I don't even think it counts as a mistake. It's just a slightly different depiction of the same color. Perhaps the makers of the online game wanted the colors to be a little brighter? The Le-Matoran colours were definitely darkened between the two MNOLGs. Compare: http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091030150010/bioniclereviews/images/thumb/5/54/Kongu_Tohunga.png/200px-Kongu_Tohunga.png http://biosector01.com/wiki/images/thumb/0/06/Kongu.png/250px-Kongu.png Of course, there's no way of knowing whether this was intentional, but I still don't think there's a need to apply the term 'non-canon' to something as trivial as a secondary colour in a computer game.

Hm. I guess I just assumed so since they have a set form image there. There were several "bonus" sets, and with our Set DB not working I couldn't check. I suppose the page would have mentioned that though, huh? (end quote) If I recall, in early 2002 the Matoran section of Bionicle.com had six pages for the six McToran characters. Then a seventh page was added for Nuparu when the Boxor was released. Later in the year, a load of other pages were added covering the rest of the named Matoran from the MNOLG and Bohrok animations, Tamaru among them. Although these characters were never released as sets, they were given set-looking images in the same style as the once-released McToran. That's where the image towards the bottom of Tamaru's BS01 page comes from. I wish Lego had released more of those early Matoran; I don't like the skeletal forms they took in 2003. Right; cyan itself is a form of bluegreen technically, but most people don't realize this and just think of it as blue. Anyways, point is, the cyan is non-canon. (end quote) I don't think you need to go as far as 'non-canon', it's just a small mistake.

BS01 page. Primary is lime green, secondary is bluegreen/teal. (See my first post here for more; the cyan of MNOG is non-canon.) (end quote) You mentioned in your first post 'he and Kongu's "cyan" is actually bluegreen in the set form', yet Tamaru was never released as a set. In fact, Kongu was the only (Mata Nui) Le-Matoran who ever made it to set form, making Air the least released Matoran group (obviously excepting elements never released at all). As for colours, the electric-looking teal (or cyan) in the first MNOLG is just an overly bright interpretation of McToran Kongu's teal. The mosaic blue of set Matoro was also excessively brightened, to the point where it looked like Ga-Matoran light blue. The second MNOLG clearly darkened the Le-Matoran teal, though the Ko-Matoran blue remained the same (if anything, it looks slightly brighter).

Alright. Not getting at anything, I was just saying that it's possible for Tamaru and Kongu to be two different types of Matoran and have the same colors. I don't believe that Tamaru being different than most Le-Matoran is enough to call him a Matoran of the Green, though, as much as I would like for that to be the case. (end quote) Okay, I see what you mean. Problem with it is that if Tamaru's colours can apply to another type of Matoran, then Kongu and a number of other Le-Matoran who also have them are eligible too, making it pointless to try to single Tamaru out. It would help if we knew what 'Green' Matoran looked like.

His colour scheme is the same as Kongu's. To be fair, Taipu and Hafu were different types of Matoran with the same color scheme. (end quote) I don't know what you're getting at. Click was claiming Tamaru's colour scheme was 'unusual' in the way that Takua's blue mask stood out from the Ta-Matoran, but then I pointed out that Tamaru's colour scheme is entirely in keeping with the other Le-Matoran, so it isn't unusual. Hafu and Taipu share colours simply because Po- and Onu-Matoran share tan and black, due to their elements being similar. (end quote) It's a nature vs nurture question. But surely we can agree that Onu-Koro was the least enjoyable village in which to live, with the dreary mining work, claustrophobic tunnels and constant darkness.

(end quote) Probably the best argument that could be made for any of them being Av-Matoran. (end quote) Her reason for sneaking out was that she fancied Huki. This was dropped from the canon once it was decided Bionicle characters were asexual, which presumably leaves her as a standard Ga-Matoran. (end quote) His colour scheme is the same as Kongu's. (end quote) Not sure how that works, but even if it did, as soon as he wasn't around to do it, his statues wouldn't look the same and he'd look a fraud. (end quote) You seem to have him mixed up with Matoro, who is the one specified as more friendly than most Ice characters. Kopeke, according to the MNOLG, 'will not offer great company, for he is hard and likes solitude', which is in keeping with his element. (end quote) If you'd spent your days in a dark tunnel constantly hitting a wall with a hammer, I imagine you'd relish the prospect of travel too. With these Matoran, I think you're trying to read in evidence that isn't there.

(end quote) But what kind of blue are Plant Matoran? I count at least five shades of blue spread across three other elements: Basic (Gali, Ga-Matoran masks - Water) Dark (Toa Nokama, Vhisola - Water) Light (Turaga Nokama, Ga-Matoran bodies - Water) Sand (Matoro and Kopeke's masks - Ice) Teal (Kongu's mask, Tamaru's body - Air)

(end quote) I imagine the story was continued to soften the blow of the sets ending; Lego didn't want to alienate the fans. As for possibly losing the trademark: DOES MY REGISTRATION EVER EXPIRE? Yes. Subject to the filing of §8 Declarations and §9 Applications for Renewal, federal trademark registrations issued on or after November 16, 1989, remain in force for 10 years, and may be renewed for 10-year periods. Trademark registrations issued or renewed prior to November 16, 1989 remain in force for 20 years, and may be renewed for 10-year periods. http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/maintain/prfaq.jsp It appears that trademarks expire automatically after ten years, regardless of usage. Bionicle is still listed on Lego.com as one of the company's trademarks, so assuming Bionicle was registered in 2000, it would've been renewed in 2010 or so. Farshtey's writing would be irrelevant to the matter.

I don't think it is. Why did he continue to write Bionicle story after the line ended? Was he still paid for that?

Was Farshtey's post-2009 Bionicle story stuff done professionally for Lego, or just as a personal endeavour for the remaining Bionicle fans? Whilst I do admire his efforts, I suspect writing for three separate themes wasn't a realistic plan.

(end quote) A very good point. Many of the mysteries raised in the first stage (the organic rock layer, the Bohrok, Metru-Nui's dome) weren't explained for years thereafter. The lack of story progression before those answers came may account for some of the line's problems, in addition to the accumulating complexity.

The lower images are simply glimpses at (then) upcoming MNOLG stages. 1. Canister in the foam: Ta-Wahi Beach 2. Tahu: Ta-Koro 3. Gali: Ga-Koro 4. Nui-Jaga: Po-Wahi (no idea what the winged creature is) 5. Onua: Onu-Koro (Onua himself didn't appear due to time constraints, no idea who the slender figure is) 6. Matau: Le-Koro 7. Kopaka: Ko-Wahi 8. Assembled Toa: Kini-Nui 9. Makuta Entrance: Mangaia 10. Tahnok: Bohrok Nest The upper images are less clear, though a few seem to correspond with those below them: 1. Mata-Nui and Makuta stones 2. Makoki stone fragment 3. Ga-Wahi waves 4. Unknown faces 5. Unknown face 6. Great Hau 7. Mount Ihu 8. Unknown figure 9. Makuta stone 10. Mata-Nui stone (end quote) I agree, though it's odd that the divisions aren't accurate to the ones actually used for the Kaita (Pohatu is shown with Kopaka and Gali, and Lewa with Tahu and Onua).

Looks to be just another cash-in that'll vanish as soon as the movie leaves theatres.

(end quote) I highly doubt Vakama and co (now Dume's equals as Turaga) would've agreed to the return of the machines who oppressed them as Matoran and impeded them as Toa. Also, the technology used to create them had almost certainly been lost, plus Nuparu's memory had been wiped, so I doubt they could be reinstated anyway. (end quote) The obvious flaw in this argument is that there was no revolt when the real Dume introduced the Vahki, whatever suspicions there might have been. (end quote) And yet the only reason this topic is exists is because the city's authoritarianism comes across (intentionally or not) in an almost entirely negative light. (end quote) I would agree with you, if 2004 had actually taken that route. But it didn't, the focus was on the Toa Metru, Lhikan and the mystery of what was going on with Dume, and eventually Makuta's assault upon the city. The Vahki played no part in that central storyline, there were just minor enemies that showed up here and there.

You misunderstood me, I wasn't theorising, I meant what if the story was told differently. I know the Vahki were pre-Makuta, I just wonder if it would've worked better if they were all his doing.

An astute analysis by Exitium. Just a thought - might it have been an effective plot device to have had the Vahki introduced by Makuta? As in, 'Dume' announces they're here to keep the city safer, and the Matoran are intimidated by their presence but unable to really do anything about it. Not long after, Makuta orders the Vahki to round up and imprison all the Matoran in the pods, and everything unfolds as it did in LOMN.

(end quote) This comes back to us never getting a good look at Metru Nui before or after Makuta's takeover. (end quote) But the Vahki's powers allow them to literally stifle thoughts in the Matoran's brains. The reason the motto is sinister is because it's genuinely true.

Would you enjoy living under an ideology of 'obedience is happiness' and 'thoughts can be dangerous'? I probably would if I knew not working would result in the universe dying. Besides, Dume had to be working in the Matoran's interests, or else they would have revolted or something. (end quote) But the whole point of the Vahki was to prevent revolts or any sort of dissent from Dume's programme.