Mr. Onua

Aboyt tyme they fyxed it.

- Mr. Onya


Keeping the Toa's Kanohi powers aligned with their respective elements makes sense with what the new creative team is trying to achieve with simplicity. Still, it seems rather odd considering the masks are still such a huge focus in the new storyline.

I am so very torn. I got exactly what I had wanted: a reboot. Yet I'm not exactly excited.

To address the poll, I do like what they've shown so far, and I do think that new fans will love it. Initially I thought the storyline appeared to be too simple, but my memory must be hazy as it is very much parallel to what we had in 2001. In fact, I think it's great that the story appears to be relatively simple for the time being. Newer, younger fans who are going to be jumping on will have a chance to grow with the story as it becomes more complex. I'm cool with that. Of course, my statement should be framed by the fact that all I've seen is a few minutes of rough concept footage.

I think I am torn not due to any of the plot elements (as of yet) but rather the tone. If you read the character bios on the site, you'll notice that the new versions of the Toa have relatively robust characterizations that include not only archetypal heroic traits but also flaws. Tahu is now a little bit forgetful. Kopaka is now a bit clumsy. Onua is a bit lethargic. I think this is a very purposeful decision on Lego's part as it will translate very well to any sort of animation that will follow inevitably. You know there will be TV shows or movies on the horizon just like many of the other recent Lego properties. Having said that, I very much agree with Binkmeister in that the mystery of Bionicle circa 2001 was one of its biggest pulls. This new universe seems to be forsaking this mystery for something a bit more humanizing and comical. Ultimately, I recognize that this is a good thing, but it's just a little different to 2001. I have a feeling I'm going to be saying this a lot over the next few months.

Okay... I'm still excited!

You know, I'm not quite sure...

As an old fan who fell out of touch with the mythos, I would love for a cold, hard reboot. I must admit that I'm probably not representative of the fan base as a whole.

I loved Bionicle for the story it was telling back in 2001. It was something very different for Lego in comparison to their previous Technic lines à la Throwbots. The story was relatively intricate, and it was very easy for me to become invested in the adventures of Mata Nui. Additionally, the multimedia storytelling approach in the form of the comics and website did a fantastic job of world building and was simultaneously very accessible. It was very easy for me to rip the newest Bionicle comic and Lego magazine from the plastic bag that appeared in my mailbox every month. It was very easy for me to pop in the mini CD that came in the can with my brand new Onua figure. It was very easy for me to log on to bionicle.com every and check for the newest chapter of MNOLG (I loved that thing and still have a copy on a hard drive somewhere).

I continued to follow the story closely for several years up until around the Metru/Hordika storyline. At around this point, I found that the story became more and more inaccessible, while also becoming more complex. Now let me clarify that I absolutely love complexity in a story. I was simply unable to access the story! More major plot points began being told through less accessible but arguably more profitable formats, and I was unable to procure these. Part of the reason was that I didn't really have the budget to buy too many books as a kid. The library was my jam, and unfortunately, my local branch did not have all of the books in the series. The large queues for placing holds from other branches was also quite discouraging. I also wasn't able to buy the movies when they came out on DVD, though I did eventually watch these years later. I ended up trying to keep up with the story via BS01 entries, which were not always the most coherent nor comprehensive (though they weren't intended to be). I really appreciated the fact that GregF began writing new online serials on BionicleStory.com, but for me, it was too little too late.

As a result of these facts, I was unable to keep up with my two favourite parts of the Bionicle universe: the story and the community.

Having said all this, I don't want a retread of the 2001 story. It could have different characters and a different setting. I just want a new story without the baggage that came before it. I would love to get on board with this universe and fantastic community again, but the mountain of backstory I would have to get caught up with is daunting. I suppose a "soft reboot" where the story takes place some years in the future could work, but there were many aspects and details of the Bionicle universe that make this seem not only less pragmatic but ultimately less satisfying for old fans. Reboots are great not only because they provide an entry point for new fans but also because of the artistic freedom they give new writers. I would hope that a reboot could offer a better opportunity for better storytelling.

At the end of the day, I'm sure I'm not a part of the majority on BZPower, but I am still an old fan of Bionicle. And maybe I'll get to be a new fan too.   In either case, I'm still excited for the return of Bionicle! It's great to see that the rest of the community is too.

I logged in for the first time in years to say this:

"Sweet."