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Bionicle: The Ultimate Storyline Reading Order (2001-2010) (2015 Updat


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And we're back!
 
Welcome, Bionicle fans, both new and old, to the Ultimate Bionicle Storyline Reading Order for Years 2001-2010. Now first, to clarify something; this is literally every piece of relevant Bionicle Lore you will ever find. Anything that shows up here is relevant, so if you’re just looking to get the core story, and are too lazy to actually read everything, this is not the place for you. The goal of this list is to literally create the most immersive and knowledge-filled experience possible, and if you follow it, you will officially be a Bionicle Storyline Expert.
 
Right off the bat, there are two different lists here. The first, which I call the “Spoiler-Free Order” is a list that takes certain events out of chronological order to avoid spoilers. This list is ideal for new fans who haven’t read hardly any of the storyline. Those of you who know the story well may be looking at it and saying, “Wait a second, doesn’t that come way earlier in the story?” You’re probably right. For example, the short story Decadence, takes place at the very beginning of the story, however, it features major spoilers for people who haven’t yet read anything else. For this reason, I have intentionally taken certain items on the list and moved them to later parts in order to avoid spoiling plot details. There is minimal splitting in this version.
 
The second list, which I will call the “Chronological Order,” places everything closest to the order in which they take place. In many cases, items on the list are chopped up because certain items are literally taking place at the same time, like MNOG and Tale of the Toa. This list is perfect for returning fans who already know the spoilers, but are looking to get a review of the series and want to see events in which they occur.
 
Here is a key to help you determine what certain items are on the lists.
 
C = Chronicles (Series 1)
A = Adventures (Series 2)
L = Legends (Series 3)
B = Bara Magna Saga (Series 4)
 
Games and Animations are Underlined
Shorts, Serials, and Podcast Serials are Italicized
Split Items are in Bold
 
May I state, and this is very important. I did not mark these items because they are unimportant. Any experienced Bionicle fan will tell you that the Games, Animations, and Serials are absolutely crucial to understanding the Bionicle storyline entirely. If you leave these items out, you will be left very confused at many points.
 
If you’re looking for a resource for all these items, you can find these books on amazon; each book is typically $4. Also, I am currently directing a project, known as the Bionicle: Audio-Narration-Project, that aims to create audiobooks of all the Bionicle books. You can find it here! For games, animations, shorts, and serials, I recommend using Biomediaproject (All these items are free on this website).
 
Please read everything above this point before clicking on these! I promise, it's important!
 
Now that I’ve got that out of the way, you may move on to the lists. If you are new to the Bionicle Storyline, choose the Spoiler-Free Order. If you are a returning fan who has read at least 95% of the items on this list, you can choose the Chronological Order.
 
Spoiler-Free Order (New Fans!)
 



01.   C1: Tale of the Toa -> Mata Nui Online Game

02.   C2: Beware the Bohrok -> Bohrok Online Animations

03.   C3: Makuta’s Revenge -> Bohrok-Kal Online Animations -> C4: Tales of the Masks -> Mata Nui Online Game II -> C5: Mask of Light ->Tentacles

04.   A1: Mystery of Metru Nui -> A2: Trial by Fire -> A3: The Darkness Below -> A4: Legends of Metru Nui -> A5: Voyage of Fear ->
Protection -> A6: Maze of Shadows

05.   A7: Web of the Visorak -> A8: Challenge of the Hordika -> Birth of a Dark Hunter -> 

Search for the Mask of Light Online Animations -> A9: Web of Shadows -> No One Gets Left Behind -> A10: Time Trap -> The Dweller Report

06.   Hope -> L1: Island of Doom -> L2: Dark Destiny -> L3: Powerplay -> L4: Legacy of Evil -> L5: Inferno -> VNOG

07.   L6: City of the Lost -> Dreams of Destruction -> L7: Prisoners of the Pit -> The Many Deaths of Toa Tuyet -> Into the Darkness -> Toa Nuva Blog -> L8: Downfall

08.   L9: Shadows in the Sky -> The Mutran Chronicles -> Journey of Takanuva -> The Kingdom -> Dark Mirror -> Federation of Fear ->

L10: Swamp of Secrets -> Brothers in Arms -> L11: The Final Battle -> Dwellers in Darkness -> Destiny War -> The Rising -> The Truth ->Reign of Shadows (Ch. 1-10)

09.   Secret of Certavus -> *B1: The Crossing -> B2: Raid on Vulcanus -> B3: The Legend Reborn (Prologue-Ch. 1) -> Desert of Danger ->

B3: The Legend Reborn (Ch. 2-Epilogue) -> Challenge of Mata Nui -> Empire of the Skrall -> Riddle of the Great Beings ->

Reign of Shadows (Ch. 11)

10.   *B4: Journey’s End -> Reign of Shadows (Ch. 12) -> Decadence -> Sahmad’s Tale -> The Powers That Be -> The Yesterday Quest


 
*These two books were cancelled in the US, and were only released in Poland in the form of e-books. They have since been translated and can be found at the same websites as the shorts and serials.

Once you have finished reading all the books, I recommend reading the comics as a summary review of the overall story.

Comics List (Only look once you've finished everything above!)
 


There are three series of comics throughout Bionicle. The first, simply called "Bionicle" covers years 1-5, and consists of 27 comics. "Ignition" covers years 6-8, and consists of 15 comics. Lastly, "Glatorian" covers years 9-10, and consists of 7 comics. All of these comics can be found on BS01.

Additionally, there are four comic-exclusive stories, all of which are included in the papercutz novels(Essentially comics put into a graphic novel format). One takes place after "Ignition" Comic 11, and is called "Hydraxon's Tale," and is included in Papercutz Graphic Novel #6. The other three are included in "Papercutz Graphic Novel #8: The Legends of Bara Magna," And should be read after finishing "Glatorian" comic 5. I'm hoping to post copies of these online soon.

If you'd like another list for the comics, here...

01. Bionicle: Comics 1-3
02. Bionicle: Comics 4-9
03. Bionicle: Comics 10-15
04. Bionicle: Comics 16-21
05. Bionicle: Comics 22-27
06. Ignition: Comics 1-5
07. Ignition: Comics 6-11 -> Hydraxon's Tale
08. Ignition: Comics 12-15
09. Glatorian: Comics 1-5 -> Legends of Bara Magna (Fall and Rise of the Skrall | The Exile's Tale | All Our Sins Remembered)
10. Glatorian: Comics 6-7



 
Chronological Order (Fans who've already read the Series!)
 

History of Spherus Magna: *B4: Journey’s End (Prologue) -> Decadence
 
History of Mata Nui: L5: Inferno (Prologue) -> L10: Swamp of Secrets (Interludes 1-5
 
History of Metru Nui: L6: City of the Lost (Prologue) -> No One Gets Left Behind -> L4: Legacy of Evil (Ch. 1-4) -> The Many Deaths of Toa Tuyet -> L4: Legacy of Evil (Ch. 5) -> Birth of a Dark Hunter -> A9: Web of Shadows (Appendix: Rahaga Origins) -> Protection
 
Metru Nui Era: A1: Mystery of Metru Nui (Ch.1-8) -> A2: Trial by Fire (Ch.1-12) -> A3: The Darkness Below (Ch.1-10) -> A4: Legends of Metru Nui (Ch.1-9) -> A5: Voyage of Fear (Ch.1-9) -> A6: Maze of Shadows (Ch.1-9) -> A7: Web of the Visorak (Ch.1-9) -> A8: Challenge of the Hordika (Ch.1-10) -> Mask of Light Online Animations -> A9: Web of Shadows (Ch.1-10) -> A10: Time Trap (Ch.1-Epilogue 1) -> The Dweller Report -> Tentacles -> L4: Legacy of Evil (Ch. 6) -> Brothers in Arms (Ch. 1-Ch. 4 pt. 1
 
 
Classic Era:  C1: Tale of the Toa (Ch. 1-6) -> Mata Nui Online Game (Ch. 1-7) -> C1: Tale of the Toa (Ch. 7-10) -> Mata Nui Online Game (Ch. 8) -> C1: Tale of the Toa (Ch. 11-16) -> Mata Nui Online Game (Ch. 9) -> C2: Beware the Bohrok (Ch. 1-5) -> Bohrok Online Animations (1-2) -> C2: Beware the Bohrok (Ch. 6) ->  Bohrok Online Animations (3) -> C2: Beware the Bohrok (Ch. 7-12) -> Bohrok Online Animations (4) -> C2: Beware the Bohrok (Ch. 13-15) -> Bohrok Online Animations (5-7) -> C2: Beware the Bohrok (Ch. 16) -> C3: Makuta’s Revenge (Ch. 1-3) -> Bohrok-Kal Online Animations (1) -> C3: Makuta’s Revenge (Ch. 4 pt. 1) -> Bohrok-Kal Online Animations (2) -> C3: Makuta’s Revenge (Ch. 4 pt. 2-Ch. 13) -> Bohrok-Kal Online Animations (3) -> C4: Tales of the Masks -> Mata Nui Online Game II -> C5: Mask of Light -> 1: Mystery of Metru Nui (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> A2: Trial by Fire (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> A3: The Darkness Below (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> A4: Legends of Metru Nui (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> A5: Voyage of Fear (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> A6: Maze of Shadows (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> A7: Web of the Visorak (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> A8: Challenge of the Hordika (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> A9: Web of Shadows (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> A10: Time Trap (Prologue -> Epilogue 2)
 
Battle for Power Era: Hope -> L4: Legacy of Evil (Ch. 7) -> L1: Island of Doom -> L2: Dark Destiny -> L3: Powerplay -> VNOG (Ch. 1-7) -> L4: Legacy of Evil (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> L5: Inferno (Ch. 1-Epilogue) -> VNOG (Ch. 8-‘9’)  -> L6: City of the Lost (Ch. 1-5) -> Dreams of Destruction (Ch. 1-5)-> L6: City of the Lost (Ch. 6-9) -> L7: Prisoners of the Pit -> Dreams of Destruction (Ch. 6-10)->  Into the Darkness -> Toa Nuva Blog -> L8: Downfall (Ch. 1-7 -> Prologue -> Epilogue) -> The Mutran Chronicles -> L9: Shadows in the Sky -> L10: Swamp of Secrets (Prologue -> Epilogue) -> Journey of Takanuva -> The Kingdom -> Dark Mirror -> Federation of Fear -> L10: Swamp of Secrets (Ch. 1-5) -> Brothers in Arms(Ch. 4 pt. 2-Ch. 9) ->Dwellers in Darkness -> L11: The Final Battle -> Destiny War -> The Rising -> The Truth -> Reign of Shadows (Ch. 1-10)
 
Bara Magna Era: Secret of Certavus -> *B1: The Crossing -> B2: Raid on Vulcanus -> B3: The Legend Reborn (Prologue-Ch. 1 pt. 1 [pg. 1-9]) -> Desert of Danger -> Empire of the Skrall -> B3: The Legend Reborn (Ch. 1 pt. 2-Ch. 4) -> Challenge of Mata Nui -> The Legend Reborn (Ch. 5-Epilogue) -> Riddle of the Great Beings -> Reign of Shadows (Ch. 11) -> *B4: Journey’s End (Ch. 1-Ch. 7)  -> Sahmad’s Tale (Ch. 1-2) -> *B4: Journey’s End (Ch. 8-Epilogue)  -> Reign of Shadows (Ch. 12)
 
Spherus Magna Era: Sahmad’s Tale (Ch. 3-7) -> The Powers That Be -> The Yesterday Quest
 
*These two books were cancelled in the US, and were only released in Poland in the form of e-books. They have since been translated and can be found at the same websites as the shorts and serials.

Edited by joev14
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This seems about right. 

 

Personally, I'd never read the story in chronological order. In hindsight, the fun of such a large scale story was seeing how much was planned and foreshadowed from the start. And of course, the prequels designated to fill the gaps were much more effective read in release order. That's just the way I feel about anything with a story that jumps around time though.

 

Thanks for re-doing this, hopefully it will help out new fans. :)

 

-NotS

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  • 2 weeks later...

This seems about right. 

 

Personally, I'd never read the story in chronological order. In hindsight, the fun of such a large scale story was seeing how much was planned and foreshadowed from the start. And of course, the prequels designated to fill the gaps were much more effective read in release order. That's just the way I feel about anything with a story that jumps around time though.

 

Thanks for re-doing this, hopefully it will help out new fans. :)

 

-NotS

 

No problem! I'm hoping people will comment and keep this topic alive!

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  • 3 weeks later...

This is really cool, man.

 

I've been ordering in the books I missed over the years, mainly the "Adventures" series, and this is quite helpful in sorting out where to put what, with the comics and such. And also since I've been printing out the online story's and the like too.

Edited by Toasty_One

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  • 4 weeks later...

This is really cool, man.

 

I've been ordering in the books I missed over the years, mainly the "Adventures" series, and this is quite helpful in sorting out where to put what, with the comics and such. And also since I've been printing out the online story's and the like too.

 

Glad to hear I could be of help! :D

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I did something like this a few years ago, but it's more meticulous. About a year after I finished, I proofread through my chronology up through 2006. (Of course, 2006 is the last year before serials and all that). So if there's interest, read through this and tear it to shreds! :P  I'd love to think my work meant something to someone.

http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/4238-bionicle-chronology-topic/?do=findComment&comment=221081

Has following the story become too complex? Look no further:


How to Follow BIONICLE

A Simple, chronological checklist

UPDATE May 22 2013: Every is now color coded!

Contains every bit of content, organized by story year

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I did something like this a few years ago, but it's more meticulous. About a year after I finished, I proofread through my chronology up through 2006. (Of course, 2006 is the last year before serials and all that). So if there's interest, read through this and tear it to shreds! :P  I'd love to think my work meant something to someone.

http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/4238-bionicle-chronology-topic/?do=findComment&comment=221081

It absolutely did: I've had your list bookmarked for years. :)

  • Upvote 1
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This is some good stuff.

Just a question: doesn't Riddle of the Great Beings happen before Raid on Vulcanus? After all, RotGB ends on *SPOILERS* Tarduk, Crotesius and Kirbold waking in the ruins of Atero, shortly after the destruction of the neutral city, and Raid on Vulcanus takes place a number of months (perhaps even a year or two) after the assault on Atero.

Tarduk, Crotesius and Kirbold left about a month before the Great Tournament, and returned a few days after the attack.

 

Of course, I might be reading the Reading Order wrong

 

Still, it's just a question. 

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Yes, that sounds correct. Then, the next thing after the book is the movie. Actually in between the book and the movie is "All Our Sins Remembered," which is Raanu's moment of flashback that leads directly into the movie.

 

It's been a long while since I've looked into the Bionicle story, but when I put together my list, I was often very surprised at how all the serials and comics and movies fit together seemlessly. Well, mostly after 2005, once Greg was in charge of authoring everything. For 2001 to 2005, there wasn't that great of an effort to make everything fit.

Has following the story become too complex? Look no further:


How to Follow BIONICLE

A Simple, chronological checklist

UPDATE May 22 2013: Every is now color coded!

Contains every bit of content, organized by story year

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