OFFICIAL Bionicle 2015 Topic

[Sir Kohran]

One advantage of 'cultural' words like Toa, Matoran, Rahi, etc. was that they meant the story didn't have to refer to them with technical words like 'robot' that would give much away about the nature of the beings.

[Blueblur21]

But they weren't robots. Not entirely, anyway.

[Iblis]

One advantage of 'cultural' words like Toa, Matoran, Rahi, etc. was that they meant the story didn't have to refer to them with technical words like 'robot' 'cyborg' that would give much away about the nature of the beings.

 

Apparently I FTFY

Edited December 3, 2014 by Iblis

[Sir Kohran]

I was using 'robot' as an example of a word that automatically says quite a bit about the thing it's being used for, I wasn't saying the characters actually are robots.

[Cheatster9000x]

Do you guys think Polybag sets are possible for the reboot? The figures seem to be on a larger scale and given the limited pieces in polybags we'd have really awkward dwarf characters or something. But I think it would be cool to have some sort of enhanced skull spider in between the little ones and the LoSS.

I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up with one of the following polybags:

 

A very small "villager" with a golden protector mask (when I say small, I mean like that tiny Breez mecha poly)

 

An accessory pack with one random skull mask, legs, a protector gun, and a sword of somesorts.

 

A Mask of Creation/Control poly (if we end up with both, make it the Mask of Ultimate Power)

 

A silver mask poly, basically just any random mask (but not a skull mask) in silver.

 

Poly based mask packs with a random colour mask and skull mask (PLEASE LET THIS ACTUALLY HAPPEN THEY WOULD GET SO MUCH OF MY MONEYS)

[Aanchir]

One advantage of 'cultural' words like Toa, Matoran, Rahi, etc. was that they meant the story didn't have to refer to them with technical words like 'robot' that would give much away about the nature of the beings.

True, but you could just as easily call those kinds of beings heroes, villagers, beasts, etc. while still not having to describe them in any technical sense. And in fact, the parts of the 2001–2003 website that did go out of their way to define terms like Rahi still generally didn't specify their biological makeup.

 

The first place I remember seeing the term "biomechanical" in the BIONICLE storyline, it was actually used to describe not Matoran, Toa, or Rahi but rather Bohrok (which later story media would consider purely robotic rather than biomechanical). From Comic 6: "The Matoran have learned that the Bohrok do not truly live. They are artificial life... biomechanical creations."

[Sir Kohran]

 

 

True, but you could just as easily call those kinds of beings heroes, villagers, beasts, etc. while still not having to describe them in any technical sense.

 

You could, but I think using plain and standard words would lose a lot of the cultural flair that non-English names/nouns bring to a fantasy universe.

[Aanchir]

 

True, but you could just as easily call those kinds of beings heroes, villagers, beasts, etc. while still not having to describe them in any technical sense.

 

You could, but I think using plain and standard words would lose a lot of the cultural flair that non-English names/nouns bring to a fantasy universe.

 

Counterpoint: http://xkcd.com/483/

[Sir Kohran]

 

 

True, but you could just as easily call those kinds of beings heroes, villagers, beasts, etc. while still not having to describe them in any technical sense.

 

You could, but I think using plain and standard words would lose a lot of the cultural flair that non-English names/nouns bring to a fantasy universe.

 

Counterpoint: http://xkcd.com/483/

 

 

Yeah, Tolkien never made up any words at all.

 

Except for Hobbits, Uruk-hai, Nazgul, Balrogs, Istari, Valar, Noldor, Rohirrim, Numenoreans, Haradrim, Mumakil...

[Jakura Nuva]

 

 

True, but you could just as easily call those kinds of beings heroes, villagers, beasts, etc. while still not having to describe them in any technical sense.

 You could, but I think using plain and standard words would lose a lot of the cultural flair that non-English names/nouns bring to a fantasy universe.

Counterpoint: http://xkcd.com/483/

You, my friend, have just earned a smilie:

[Makaru]

 

 

 

True, but you could just as easily call those kinds of beings heroes, villagers, beasts, etc. while still not having to describe them in any technical sense.

 

You could, but I think using plain and standard words would lose a lot of the cultural flair that non-English names/nouns bring to a fantasy universe.

 

Counterpoint: http://xkcd.com/483/

 

 

Yeah, Tolkien never made up any words at all.

 

Except for Hobbits, Uruk-hai, Nazgul, Balrogs, Istari, Valar, Noldor, Rohirrim, Numenoreans, Haradrim, Mumakil...

 

 

Someone doesn't know about hovertext.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Makaru

[believe victims]

 

 

 

True, but you could just as easily call those kinds of beings heroes, villagers, beasts, etc. while still not having to describe them in any technical sense.

 

You could, but I think using plain and standard words would lose a lot of the cultural flair that non-English names/nouns bring to a fantasy universe.

 

Counterpoint: http://xkcd.com/483/

 

 

Yeah, Tolkien never made up any words at all.

 

Except for Hobbits, Uruk-hai, Nazgul, Balrogs, Istari, Valar, Noldor, Rohirrim, Numenoreans, Haradrim, Mumakil...

 

 

Tolkien was a linguist (actually, Wikipedia says he was a philologist, which appears to be a broader field, but linguistics is part of it.). He knew his way around language.

 

Bionicle G1 just stole terms from a real language to trademark and sell.

 

That xkcd is by no means a hard and fast rule, but there are very few people who can pull off fictional languages as well as Tolkien did.

[Aanchir]

Bionicle G1 just stole terms from a real language to trademark and sell.

Well, for the first year that's what it did. In later years it mostly just made up faux-exotic gibberish names that didn't follow any kind of systematic rules of word formation. And I think that's another thing separating BIONICLE from franchises like The Lord of the Rings. The Matoran language is not at all comparable to Tolkien's fantasy languages, because there was nothing keeping it orderly or systematic — it was just a way of throwing a shroud of complexity over a storyline that already had more complexity than it could really handle in the long term.

[Makaru]

Ironically, Tolkien (the BZP member) managed to finagle all of that into some form of interesting cohesion.

[Iblis]

 

True, but you could just as easily call those kinds of beings heroes, villagers, beasts, etc. while still not having to describe them in any technical sense.

 

You could, but I think using plain and standard words would lose a lot of the cultural flair that non-English names/nouns bring to a fantasy universe.

 

I sort of agree; but I think their is a healthy middle ground, & I would prefer them start of with less than that middle ground just because it decreases them increasing past it. Also as that xkcd shows; as a story gets larger you have more of a chance to introduce more terms without it feeling too awkward; although Bionicle is also trying to balance the way the story is shown in a way engaging to all; for those that start in 2015, and those that may start in say 2017

 

 

Bionicle G1 just stole terms from a real language to trademark and sell.

 

Probably just a throw away word... but whilst their is no Matoran (con)language in real life, just a cipher with a few vague rules, that doesn't stop those different words (for most of the audience, not all) sounding exotic to most; Tolkien was making a conlang 'for it's own sake' & for other purposes, the Matoran 'language' served a different purpose; simple exotic &/or mystery methinks.

 

I'm not to sure if you can really steal from a language if you're not claiming it's your own invention; and whilst they didn't hint that it was taken from a real language (as far as I know) it was a very good way of dropping clues; & frankly I don't see how using a RL language inside a story diminishes that language or the culture which predominantly speaks it;

 

It wasn't stealing, it was just using without permission, except oh wait; no one or corporation owns a natural language; so it reasonably could ahve been viewed as not stealing. Although there is of course the view that it was insensitive (or rather not very respectful); hence TLG being sued.

 

[it probably would have been much safer for them to go with dead language{s}, although they might have been hoping for people to pick up on the various words by virtue of actually knowing the language... ah well, 't'is the past.]

[Aanchir]

Ironically, Tolkien (the BZP member) managed to finagle all of that into some form of interesting cohesion.

It's true! I really admire the work he's put into turning it into something meaningful, although it does frustrate me a bit when people confuse his "fan etymologies" for where the names actually came from, whether in-universe or out-of-universe.

[Sir Kohran]

 

 

Counterpoint: http://xkcd.com/483/

 

Yeah, Tolkien never made up any words at all.

 

Except for Hobbits, Uruk-hai, Nazgul, Balrogs, Istari, Valar, Noldor, Rohirrim, Numenoreans, Haradrim, Mumakil...

 

 

Someone doesn't know about hovertext.

 

 

Alright then - why are only Carroll and Tolkien free to make up as many words as they like?

 

And anyway, I can point to other fantasy universes with far more than five made-up words. Look at Star Wars - Jedi, Sith, Wookies, Tuskens, Jawas, Gungans, the Wampa and the Rancor. And those are just from the movies.

 

 

 

And I think that's another thing separating BIONICLE from franchises like The Lord of the Rings. The Matoran language is not at all comparable to Tolkien's fantasy languages, 

 

This is a matter of specific names and words, not whole languages. For all their made-up words, Bionicle, Star Wars and even The Lord of the Rings still use plain English in the telling.

[Iblis]

Alright then - why are only Carroll and Tolkien free to make up as many words as they like?

 

<guessing> They 'know the rules' so they can break them?

 

Maybe it's along the lines of thought that a series generally shouldn't have Time Travel because most writers won't keep their rules internally consistent with it or otherwise leave it as utter maddness executed in an interesting method which doesn't entirely break immersion (Dr Who, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy)

 

Or because the works by Carroll & Tolkien he's probably talking about are rather large, & the terms are introduced at a bearable rate, or more in the case of Carroll, are ...I want to say surreal, but that's not quite right....

 

Uhhh maybe he just feels that using words that basically are just a cypher for the language-that-the-rest-of-the-piece-is-in is a porr way of adding depth or making something sound exotic; where as it is fine for proper names, or things that are more specific than one or two words?

 

Mind you, I don't think that xkcd is to be taken as a hard and fast rule; just a good indicator;

 

So he's saying what is likely, not that using 20 made up words dictate that the piece will be bad.

Although if you have a 500 word story, & 400 of them are made up... well yeah... likely.

 

</guessing>

[Quisoves Potoo]

Well, for the first year that's what it did. In later years it mostly just made up faux-exotic gibberish names that didn't follow any kind of systematic rules of word formation.

That's an over-generalization. While plenty of names in BIONICLE post-2001 were plucked ex caeloro, there was a tendency, starting (at least) with Axonn and Brutaka, and continuing on through 2009, for names to be derived from the real world, either as Asterix-style puns (Kalmah, Mantax, Jettrax, Krika, Iconox, etc.), or from Latin (Umbra, Malum, Spherus Magna, Bara Magna.)

 

The Matoran language is not at all comparable to Tolkien's fantasy languages, because there was nothing keeping it orderly or systematic — it was just a way of throwing a shroud of complexity over a storyline that already had more complexity than it could really handle in the long term.

You bring up an interesting point. Since BIONICLE does not employ a complete fictional language, instead merely providing us with assorted names, it does not have a consistent basis for generating them. The challenge of the name-makers, then, is to give us names that seem as if they were formed from a vast catalog of other nouns, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, and verbs, whilst still being palatable to the target audience. I think the Piraka are a good example of this. The shared emphasis on the letters A, H, K, and N in their names make them sound as if they come from the same culture.

 

So perhaps the primary problem with made-up names is when they are too disparate to gel in the minds of the audience. After all, no one complains about the linguistic dissimilarities of "Sontaran," "Dalek, and  "Nestene" in Doctor Who. They represent three distinct species, each from its own planet. There is no expectation that they will resemble each other in any way, nor does one have to put them in any group more particular than "Reoccurring enemies of the Doctor."

[Aanchir]

 

Well, for the first year that's what it did. In later years it mostly just made up faux-exotic gibberish names that didn't follow any kind of systematic rules of word formation.

That's an over-generalization. While plenty of names in BIONICLE post-2001 were plucked ex caeloro, there was a tendency, starting (at least) with Axonn and Brutaka, and continuing on through 2009, for names to be derived from the real world, either as Asterix-style puns (Kalmah, Mantax, Jettrax, Krika, Iconox, etc.), or from Latin (Umbra, Malum, Spherus Magna, Bara Magna.)

 

True, true. I guess "gibberish" is overstating things. But what I meant is that there wasn't any specific system to how they were formed, and it was more a matter of just arbitrarily changing the spelling of a real word until it both sounded foreign/exotic and became something trademarkable.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Aanchir

[bioniclepluslotr]

When do you think the sets will be available for pre-order on sites like Amazon? I've seen some toys listed months in advanced.

[ToaDraco]

I'm not thrilled by the simplification of terms. The Bionicle terminology helped me to develop a greater mastery of language growing up, especially in my foreign language classes. Surely it has helped/would help many others. Kids just don't get enough credit. Rather than attempting to challenge and improve them, they dumb things down to insult their intelligence and appeal to short attention spans. This isn't just an issue with LEGO, its a common issue with other businesses as well. I'll step down from my soapbox now.

[Aanchir]

I'm not thrilled by the simplification of terms. The Bionicle terminology helped me to develop a greater mastery of language growing up, especially in my foreign language classes. Surely it has helped/would help many others. Kids just don't get enough credit. Rather than attempting to challenge and improve them, they dumb things down to insult their intelligence and appeal to short attention spans. This isn't just an issue with LEGO, its a common issue with other businesses as well. I'll step down from my soapbox now.

There are a lot of stories that don't need to be shrouded in contrived vocabulary to make them complex or interesting, and a lot of kids (and adults, too!) who enjoy that kind of story. That doesn't make those kids and adults stupid or shallow, it just means that they can enjoy a franchise without it being wrapped up in those sorts of pretensions.

 

If anybody's insulting kids, it's people who assume that stories full of linguistic trivia are the only kind that challenge kids' minds and imaginations, and that kids who don't enjoy those kinds of stories simply don't want to be challenged.

 

That's not to say that a story with a complex fictional vocabulary is automatically BAD or DUMB. But the complexity of a story's fictional vocabulary doesn't automatically make it GOOD or INTELLIGENT either. The quality of storytelling does.

 

A Series of Unfortunate Events has always been one of my favorite book series. It has an extremely complex vocabulary that challenges and enhances readers' minds. It's also a real vocabulary. The series never tried to create its own language — the closest it came to that was Sunny Baudelaire's baby talk. Yet there was never anything the least bit dumbed down about the franchise.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Aanchir

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

I'd say the lexicon of made-up terms in Bionicle was basic at most. Usually paired with real words too. "Kanohi Mask, Rahi beast, Kanoka disk, Nynrah Ghost Blaster" - how is that complicated? There's an alternative to most words - you can refer to a "Cordak Blaster" as simply a "revolving blaster". 

 

Name-wise? Sure, there are a lot of distinct names but that is to be expected for characters in a fictional fantasy story. I don't think Bionicle was really wrapped up too much in complex terms as a lot of people seem to assume.

 

-NotS

[Sir Kohran]

I'd say the lexicon of made-up terms in Bionicle was basic at most. Usually paired with real words too. "Kanohi Mask, Rahi beast, Kanoka disk, Nynrah Ghost Blaster" - how is that complicated? There's an alternative to most words - you can refer to a "Cordak Blaster" as simply a "revolving blaster". 

 

This actually raises an interesting point that I hadn't considered before - what's the purpose of the non-English prefixes? If Kanohi simply means 'mask' and Kanoka means 'disk', as might be assumed, then 'Kanohi mask' and 'Kanoka disk' end up meaning 'mask mask' and 'disk disk'. Both prefixes are pointless because their meaning is specified in the noun. In which case, do Kanohi and Kanoka mean something else?

 

By the way, are there examples of 'Rahi beast'? MNOLG always uses just 'Rahi', see Takua meeting Jala:

 

"What is a Rahi?" "The Rahi serve Makuta (...)"

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

 

I'd say the lexicon of made-up terms in Bionicle was basic at most. Usually paired with real words too. "Kanohi Mask, Rahi beast, Kanoka disk, Nynrah Ghost Blaster" - how is that complicated? There's an alternative to most words - you can refer to a "Cordak Blaster" as simply a "revolving blaster". 

 

This actually raises an interesting point that I hadn't considered before - what's the purpose of the non-English prefixes? If Kanohi simply means 'mask' and Kanoka means 'disk', as might be assumed, then 'Kanohi mask' and 'Kanoka disk' end up meaning 'mask mask' and 'disk disk'. Both prefixes are pointless because their meaning is specified in the noun. In which case, do Kanohi and Kanoka mean something else?

 

By the way, are there examples of 'Rahi beast'? MNOLG always uses just 'Rahi', see Takua meeting Jala:

 

"What is a Rahi?" "The Rahi serve Makuta (...)"

 

Well, a Kanoka and a bamboo disk are very different. A Kanoka has powers, and a Kanohi can also have powers and is required to keep Matoran conscious. That is what differentiates Kanohi and masks. Kanohi are masks, but not all masks are Kanohi.

[dotcom]

 

I'd say the lexicon of made-up terms in Bionicle was basic at most. Usually paired with real words too. "Kanohi Mask, Rahi beast, Kanoka disk, Nynrah Ghost Blaster" - how is that complicated? There's an alternative to most words - you can refer to a "Cordak Blaster" as simply a "revolving blaster". 

 

This actually raises an interesting point that I hadn't considered before - what's the purpose of the non-English prefixes? If Kanohi simply means 'mask' and Kanoka means 'disk', as might be assumed, then 'Kanohi mask' and 'Kanoka disk' end up meaning 'mask mask' and 'disk disk'. Both prefixes are pointless because their meaning is specified in the noun. In which case, do Kanohi and Kanoka mean something else?

 

By the way, are there examples of 'Rahi beast'? MNOLG always uses just 'Rahi', see Takua meeting Jala:

 

"What is a Rahi?" "The Rahi serve Makuta (...)"

 

The english word following the term was probably only included for our benefit, in universe, I doubt they'd include it.

 

I do remember the term Rahi beast being used several times, but at later points in the story.

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

"Rahi beasts" was used more sparingly, I think because over time Rahi just became synonymous with beast as Toa did for hero or Matoran for villager (I think synopsis' and some of the earlier books used this distinction though). 

 

Regardless the use of non-English prefixes was most likely for world-building to make the world feel a lot more exotic. Adding the made-up term gives it a sense of identity - Kanohi Mask sounds foreign. Why say mask then? To avoid confusion. Kanohi means mask. Now you know what Kanohi means, and what masks are called in the universe.

 

Plus, the writers knew when to include in-universe names or not. For example, many Kanohi names are NEVER mentioned. Why? Because it's more explanatory saying "Mask of Shielding" than Hau. If they use it, they are always sure to put name and descriptor, like "Hau, Mask of Shielding". Names for human-like characters and living beings tend to resonate more with people than objects (unless they have special value). 

 

Having mask names was pretty cool though. It was really only there to add to the immersion of reading about a different world. If you confused someone by saying "Hau", you could always just call it the Mask of Shielding and they'd understand that. Not having mask names would have been fine as well, but when I first read all the masks and their original naming schemes I thought to myself "A lot of care and time was put into creating this world". I was impressed, and it definitely helped me feel transported to a new world.

 

-NotS

[believe victims]

By the way, are there examples of 'Rahi beast'? MNOLG always uses just 'Rahi', see Takua meeting Jala

 

 

There was entire book called "Rahi Beasts".

[Sir Kohran]

 

 

Well, a Kanoka and a bamboo disk are very different. A Kanoka has powers, and a Kanohi can also have powers and is required to keep Matoran conscious. That is what differentiates Kanohi and masks. Kanohi are masks, but not all masks are Kanohi.

 

 

 

The english word following the term was probably only included for our benefit, in universe, I doubt they'd include it.

 

Two different explanations, both sound plausible. I'm not sure which is right.

 

 

 

"Rahi beasts" was used more sparingly, I think because over time Rahi just became synonymous with beast as Toa did for hero or Matoran for villager (I think synopsis' and some of the earlier books used this distinction though).

 

But the MNOLG, almost the first Bionicle media of all, uses Rahi as a standalone noun.

 

There was entire book called "Rahi Beasts".

 

That's only a book title; I mean within the story itself.

[UnderscoreChronix]

 

 

One of the worst aspects of the original line was the constantly changing main characters. Hated hated hated that. I don't want to see new Toa every three years. To me, that seems like the worst possible outcome.

That was one of the best aspects....

 

So I guess you would want us to stick to the same old Toa we have seen since 2001, and you don't want any 'new Okoto' Toa (if those exist)... 

 

Yes, I would indeed absolutely want us to stick to the same Toa the entire time. Like I said, I fully and firmly believe that the changing cast was one of the biggest problems from the original line.

 

The idea that changing the main cast itself over and over is the only way to prolong a toy or media property is odd. Sure, many children's action shows change characters (new Power Rangers nearly every season, now), but others don't. I'm not opposed to new characters showing up, but unless there's an actual end to the character and mythological arc of these Toa, I absolutely definitively DO NOT WANT to see new characters take the spotlight as the main characters.

 

Sure, let's have Tahu 2.0, Tahu 3.0, Tahu 4.0, Tahu XL, Tahu 5.0 etc..... 

Glad energized protodermis was mentioned. I wonder if we'll see it in the new story...or fusions in general for that matter. I'm positive we'll see transformations, but how they'll handled is what's going to be interesting, especially if EP isn't present.

There won't be energized protodermis.

[believe victims]

Sure, let's have Tahu 2.0, Tahu 3.0, Tahu 4.0, Tahu XL, Tahu 5.0 etc..... 

 

 

Yeah, I hate when they use a system to denote upgrades. What if they even go as far as to make up a garbage word, like "Nuva"?

[UnderscoreChronix]

 

Sure, let's have Tahu 2.0, Tahu 3.0, Tahu 4.0, Tahu XL, Tahu 5.0 etc..... 

 

 

Yeah, I hate when they use a system to denote upgrades. What if they even go as far as to make up a garbage word, like "Nuva"?

 

I wouldn't mind if the Toa had a few transformations, but I don't want them recycled EVERY year. 

[believe victims]

 

 

Sure, let's have Tahu 2.0, Tahu 3.0, Tahu 4.0, Tahu XL, Tahu 5.0 etc..... 

 

 

Yeah, I hate when they use a system to denote upgrades. What if they even go as far as to make up a garbage word, like "Nuva"?

 

I wouldn't mind if the Toa had a few transformations, but I don't want them recycled EVERY year. 

 

 

Releasing the same characters every year is good for business. When people have a character they recognize and love, they are more likely to want to buy future toys of that character. See: the vast plethora of Optimus Prime toys.

[Toa Smoke Monster]

Just to give everyone a heads up, Gali and Pohatu Master have appeared on Toys R Us's website. The link is below.

 

http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=bionicle&keywords=bionicle&origkw=Bionicle&sr=1

[UnderscoreChronix]

 

 

 

Sure, let's have Tahu 2.0, Tahu 3.0, Tahu 4.0, Tahu XL, Tahu 5.0 etc..... 

 

 

Yeah, I hate when they use a system to denote upgrades. What if they even go as far as to make up a garbage word, like "Nuva"?

 

I wouldn't mind if the Toa had a few transformations, but I don't want them recycled EVERY year. 

 

 

Releasing the same characters every year is good for business. When people have a character they recognize and love, they are more likely to want to buy future toys of that character. See: the vast plethora of Optimus Prime toys.

 

See: The vast plethora of Bumblebee toys. People are growing sick of Bumblebee and wish he would go away for a while.

[dviddy]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sure, let's have Tahu 2.0, Tahu 3.0, Tahu 4.0, Tahu XL, Tahu 5.0 etc.....

 

Yeah, I hate when they use a system to denote upgrades. What if they even go as far as to make up a garbage word, like "Nuva"?

I wouldn't mind if the Toa had a few transformations, but I don't want them recycled EVERY year.

Releasing the same characters every year is good for business. When people have a character they recognize and love, they are more likely to want to buy future toys of that character. See: the vast plethora of Optimus Prime toys.

See: The vast plethora of Bumblebee toys. People are growing sick of Bumblebee and wish he would go away for a while.

No. -Adult fans- are sick of Bumblebee. His sales and recognition rate amongst the actual audience is still incredibly high. Adult fans have important input, but they aren't the target market and to be blunt, our voices don't matter very much.

[RichardT1977]

Is it weird that I'm going to miss the pseudo-high-tech/schizo-tech style of Metru Nui?

 

In any case, I can be comforted by the fact that the "Legend" video implies that Okoto is the site of a semi-fallen civilization (with the ruins and whatnot) in the wake of the "Mask of Ultimate Power" incident.

[Blastcage]

 

 

 

One of the worst aspects of the original line was the constantly changing main characters. Hated hated hated that. I don't want to see new Toa every three years. To me, that seems like the worst possible outcome.

That was one of the best aspects....

 

So I guess you would want us to stick to the same old Toa we have seen since 2001, and you don't want any 'new Okoto' Toa (if those exist)... 

 

Yes, I would indeed absolutely want us to stick to the same Toa the entire time. Like I said, I fully and firmly believe that the changing cast was one of the biggest problems from the original line.

 

The idea that changing the main cast itself over and over is the only way to prolong a toy or media property is odd. Sure, many children's action shows change characters (new Power Rangers nearly every season, now), but others don't. I'm not opposed to new characters showing up, but unless there's an actual end to the character and mythological arc of these Toa, I absolutely definitively DO NOT WANT to see new characters take the spotlight as the main characters.

 

Sure, let's have Tahu 2.0, Tahu 3.0, Tahu 4.0, Tahu XL, Tahu 5.0 etc..... 

Glad energized protodermis was mentioned. I wonder if we'll see it in the new story...or fusions in general for that matter. I'm positive we'll see transformations, but how they'll handled is what's going to be interesting, especially if EP isn't present.

There won't be energized protodermis.

 

 

And how do you know this? What proof do you have? For all we know, it is in the story and just hasn't been mentioned yet. EP wasn't mentioned in G1's very first year, now was it? Pretty sure it wasn't introduced until 2002.

 

 

 

 

 

Sure, let's have Tahu 2.0, Tahu 3.0, Tahu 4.0, Tahu XL, Tahu 5.0 etc..... 

 

 

Yeah, I hate when they use a system to denote upgrades. What if they even go as far as to make up a garbage word, like "Nuva"?

 

I wouldn't mind if the Toa had a few transformations, but I don't want them recycled EVERY year. 

 

 

Releasing the same characters every year is good for business. When people have a character they recognize and love, they are more likely to want to buy future toys of that character. See: the vast plethora of Optimus Prime toys.

 

See: The vast plethora of Bumblebee toys. People are growing sick of Bumblebee and wish he would go away for a while.

 

 

So true. Bumblebee is being shoved down our throats, and I'm tired of it.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

I found this while google searching Bionicle. It links to the official website, and I'm not sure if it is a typo...