RTibe

Arguments against stone being a valid element are all logical, and they make sense, but G1 was straddled with so many other elements that made even less sense, that I don't get why we're not on a witch-hunt for them instead of stone. Psionics isn't an "element", Plasma is even more interchangeable with fire than stone is with earth, and I must reiterate that even if we stick to the original six, water and ice being separate is still less legit than stone and earth. 

 

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Even in the real world, there are differences between earth and stone, as substances. Water and ice are literally the exact same thing.

 

I feel that if we're having this particular discussion, we should also be discussing the pointlessness of other elements, especially if they make less sense than stone does according to those who support getting rid of it.

It's fairly logical that Earth vs. Stone is the biggest point of discussion; sure, G1 had plenty of other questionable elements, but they were, on the whole, incredibly insignificant. What impact did Plasma have on the setting? I guess we heard, somewhere, that Zaktan killed a Toa of Plasma this one time. Eh. On the other hand, Stone was included in the majority of the canister waves.

And while water and ice might be the same substance, chemically, there's a huge thematic and practical gulf between them in the setting. Earth vs. Stone doesn't have that.

On the note of Pohatu becoming the Toa of Air; in addition to the desert having a fairly strong association with wind, the jungle's also the second least wind-friendly territory on Mata Nui/Okoto, barring the subterranean Onu-Koro. (Well, I suppose a lot of Ta-Koro's significant bits were caverns, too.) Dense foliage acts as a windbreak - that's one of the reasons many farm fields are lined with dense shrubs.

The frustration at Lewa becoming a Toa of Jungle has always rung a bit hollow, to me - the only solid case I've seen leveled against it is "it's a change to something I'm nostalgic for", but that's a limitation of the speaker, not a flaw in the subject. While having elemental power does feel like a core aspect of Lewa, I honestly don't see how having that power be plantlife over air diminishes him. Most of the personality tropes tied into Air also play well with Jungle, and hey, he's a green guy with an axe who swings from vine to vine and lives in a tree - does that say "air" or "jungle" to you?

Seguing into the topic - since Jungle fits Lewa well, and Stone v Earth is... ehhhh, I'd be all for Pohatu becoming the Toa of Air. Think about it - besides sand, deserts are famous for their winds. Hot gusts, dust devils, the freezing nighttime breeze, ferocious sandstorms... That, and the sand adds a nice visual component to the wind. Pohatu, master of the scorching desert wind, Pohatu, master of the frigid midnight zephyr, Pohatu, master of the hungry sandstorm!

I'd be all over that.