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Happy 15th anniversary, Bohrok-Kal storyline (Early 2003)! :)


Lenny7092

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Hi, guys! :) I know that Bionicle had ended a year ago sadly, but let’s be happy about Bionicle for something else. You see, this year, 2018, is the 15th anniversary of Bionicle’s early 2003 storyline, which involved the Bohrok-Kal. I know that this year doesn't have anything Bionicle-related, but let’s celebrate the 15th anniversary of the 2003 storyline. That would enlighten you more. :)

 

Let me tell you the early 2003 storyline:

The storyline is about the Toa Nuva, who are Toa Mata enhanced by a magical substance called Energized Protodermis in the 2002 storyline (which involved the Bohrok), fighting against a new threat, which is a team of six mutated Bohrok called the Bohrok-Kal. The Bahrag, the Bohrok's queens who were imprisoned by the Toa Mata with a prison in the previous storyline, mutated these six Bohrok, each from one of the six types of Bohrok, to create their elite team who they tasked to free the queens. Each Bohrok-Kal have new elemental powers that replaced ones from their former selves, have silver secondary colors, and can talk. The Bohrok-Kal are:

1. Tahnok-Kal (mutated Tahnok that has electricity powers instead of fire, and it's red)

2. Gahlok-Kal (mutated Gahlok that has magnetic powers instead of water, and it's blue)

3. Levahk-Kal (mutated Levahk that has vacuum powers instead of acid, and it's green)

4. Kovahk-Kal (mutated Kovahk that has sonic powers instead of ice, and it's white)

5. Panrahk-Kal (mutated Panrahk that has plasma powers instead of stone, and it's brown)

6. Nuvohk-Kal (mutated Nuvohk that has gravity powers instead of earth, and it's black)

 

Their Krana are also mutated into the Krana-Kal, which also have new powers that replaced ones from their original forms. The Bohrok-Kal go to get and steal six magical tablets called the Nuva Symbols, which contained the Toa Nuva's elemental powers and are placed on their Suva, to use them as keys to use another magical object called the Nuva Cube to free the queens from their prison. Along the way, the Bohrok attacked the Toa's people who got in their way. Once the Bohrok stole the Symbols, the Toa Nuva's elemental powers are gone, as their masks turned grey. The Toa Nuva, who decided to separate before this, got weakened by this, got defeated by the Bohrok-Kal in one fight, and have to work together to get their symbols back. When they found the Bohrok-Kal in the Bohrok Nest, where the Cube is, they were too late to stop the Bohrok from unleashing the queens, who would awaken the normal Bohrok, who would attack the Toa's people again. However, before the Bohrok-Kal were going to insert the Symbols into the Cube, which could free the queens, Tahu uses a powerful new Kanohi mask called the Kanohi Vahi, aka the Mask of Time, which is given by Turaga Vakama, to stop them, allowing the Toa to go get their Symbols back, but the Krana-Kal turned silver as they protected the Bohrok-Kal from the Toa. The Toa did a trick that made the Bohrok-Kal stronger, and this made the Bohrok prefer their newly enhanced power over freeing the queens, but the Toa overloaded the Bohrok's powers so much that the powers have defeated them. The Toa got their powers back. The day is saved.

Later on, there are some extra things before the Mask of Light events (late 2003). First, the Turaga had their Matoran rebuilt themselves to have stronger forms, and the Matoran changed their names a little. Second, the Toa have to find a new set of Kanohi Masks called the Kanohi Nuva, which are the same as the ones they got during their transformation from the Energized Protodermis. The Kanohi Nuva are enhanced versions of regular Kanohi. Each of the Toa has to find its own five Kanohi Nuva, which also have the same color as it is. That was done, as the Toa placed their new masks into their Suva.

 

To celebrate, let me ask you this:

What are your fond memories of the storyline and/or what do you like about it?

Let me say my answer. I think it's alright. The sets, which are only six, one for each Bohrok-Kal, are okay. I mean, they're cool, like the Bohrok, as I like the head-hitting (like a chicken), the Krana-Kal launching, and the transformation into a ball. I like their silver pieces, the prints on their heads, and new shields. It's interesting that they are like counterparts to the Toa Nuva by color as much as the Bohrok are to the Toa Mata. The Bohrok-Kal are mostly re-colored versions of the Bohrok.

There is that pack with the Kanohi Nuva and Krana-Kal. It's neat to collect more of these masks, like the ones in 2001 and 2002. Plus, the Mask of Time came as a set piece. It's hard that you had to get it through a promotional thing, but it's neat. The same would go to the silver Krana-Kal. :)

Next, the combo models. Well, the models, which are the Bohrok-Kal Kaita, which are the one with the Kovahk-Kal, Gahlok-Kal, and Levahk-Kal and the one with the Tahnok-Kal, Panrahk-Kal, and Nuvohk-Kal, are alright. They look kind of weird, but cool. The first one looks like a Bohrok-Kal's head being smashed and the second one looks like a Tahnok-Kal having enlarged arms and legs while his body is unchanged. But, hey, they look cool, as I said. (Why not make look even like the, though)

As for the story and media, well, the story is okay. It is told through three comic books, two chapter books, and three online animations called the Bohrok-Kal Online Animations (in a way). I like the part where Lewa fell off a tree, the little Rahi cows being magnetically stuck to Pohatu and his friends, Tahu's army of Tahnok being easily defeated by Nuvohl-Kal when it uses its gravity powers to send them to outer space (Lol. :P ), Tahu using the Mask of Time, and all six of the Bohrok-Kal being defeated by having their powers overloaded. Plus, it's neat to see the Mask, and this is where the Mask first appeared. The Bohrok-Kal are quite cool and smart. I like their new powers. Strangely, why not make them Nuva versions of the Bohrok, like the Toa Nuva (Like, you know, having enhanced versions of the normal Bohrok's powers)? It's because they look like Nuva versions of the Bohrok because of their silver color and shields. Their shields look more like they can use normal Bohrok's powers rather than the Bohrok-Kal's. Plus, why not make armies of each type of Bohrok-Kal, like the Bohrok (The Bohrok-Kal sound like new types of Bohrok because of their new powers)? It's interesting that the Bohrok-Kal and even their Krana-Kal can talk and have minds of their own. Plus, their Krana-Kal can turn silver and protect the Bohrok-Kal from harm, even if they are stopped in time magically. The Toa Nuva are cool characters, and I like that they used their strategy to defeat the Bohrok-Kal by overloading their powers. :) However, I am disappointed that the Toa have to rely on the Symbols to keep their enhanced elemental powers. Why not just keep the powers in the Toa's bodies, like their normal selves?

 

You know, it's quite interesting that the Bohrok-Kal's powers have been used to give the Makuta species and new types of Toa the same powers later on. :)

 

So, guys, what are you fond memories of the storyline, what do you like about it, what’s your favorite Bohrok-Kal (set), favorite character(s) in the storyline, favorite moment in the storyline, what things remind you of the storyline, and/or how would you celebrate it? For me, my favorite Bohrok-Kal sets are the Tahnok-Kal, Levahk-Kal, and Nuvohk-Kal. My favorite characters are Tahu, Lewa, Tahnok-Kal, Levahk-Kal, and Nuvohk-Kal. :) I really wish that the Nuva Symbols and the Nuva Cube would be set pieces, and Toa Kaita Akami Nuva (Tahu+Pohatu+Onua) and that Bohrok-Kal Katia with Tahnok-Kal, Panrahk-Kal, and Nuvohk-Kal had happened in the story, though. :( The things that remind me are:

1. Lanterns' Power Batteries from DC Comics in a way, as the Lanterns rely on those things to recharge their powers, otherwise they wouldn't have their powers unless they recharge them.

2. The Hard-Boiled Heavies from Sonic Mania in 2017.

3. The episode in a Marvel TV show called Ultimate Spider-Man while a superhero named Ben Reilly planned to let a villain named Kaine absorb empowering energy to defeat him.

4. The Skull Villains from Bionicle 2015-2016 - They drain the Toa Masters' elemental energy after stealing their masks.

Edited by Lenny7092
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I like Lego, Bionicle, and Hero Factory!:)

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To be honest 2003 was the time when I got my first bionicle comic so I was super pumped for these ultra cool silver bohrok. Before then I didn't know exactly how the story was unfolding but it looked fun so I figured "why not?"

 

I ended up getting Tahnok/Nuvohk/Pahrak-Kal respectively, (and to this day it still drives me nuts that their Krana-Kal colors were mixed up.)

 

I personally loved following the comics after that with the climax of the Vahi and the nuva symbol deus ex machina. ;) To be honest the way in which the Kal went out honestly shocked me, especially watching Nuhvok-Kal collapse into a black hole... creepy.  :bigeek:

 

All it all, it was a good start to the year, and I really enjoyed it, especially since it was my official start into bionicle lore. :D

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Formerly Iron_Man5

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Happy 15th Anniversary, Bohrok Kal! :D

 

I got the Bohrok Kal sets foe Christmas last year, and they are awesome! I may actually like them more than my Bohrok sets. Story wise, I think the concept of the Toa Nuva losing their powers was pretty awesome. Top that off with great comics, a good book, and awesome online animations, and you’ve got a great BIONICLE story. I joined the community in 2004/2005, so I wasn’t involved in the community for this storyline, but I really, really like all of 2003 (including Mnog 2).

 

With regards to the Nuva symbols not being released: I’m thinking of 3D printing some for myself. Actually, there might be some out on Thingiverse or Shapeways right now....

 

Of the Bohrok Kal sets, either Levahk Kal, Nuhvok Kal, or Tahnok Kal is probably my favorite. I like them all, but those sets stand out to me.

Edited by Daler99

~Daler

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A bit surprised to see so much positivity now, given that they were pretty much the first sets that many fans disliked at the time, and apparently they didn't sell very well either, probably because they were just recolored Bohrok rather than something different and the story didn't really go anywhere new. The problem with the story here was because it was basically filler for the gap between the end of 2002 and the start of the MOL story further in 2003.

 

Whilst it was nice to see the Vahi get an official role, its appearance felt a bit deus ex machina given that it hadn't been introduced in the story before then (and wasn't seen again until the second movie in 2004).

 

Overall, it was a bit disappointing even though I understand the reasons why.

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I’m also surprised at the lack of negativity and sarcasm in this thread. You can’t really blame them for doing the Bohrok-Kal, though. There was a movie, which was a big deal for the franchise, coming out the second half of the year, so they really just needed filler, and 2002 was the best year in terms if set sales, so why not give the Bohrok a new paint job?

Edited by Cheesy Mac n Cheese
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My friend went to Po-Wahi and all I got was this lousy rock.

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Blue sea...a Ruki leaps...the sound of water

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I’m also surprised at the lack of negativity and sarcasm in this thread. You can’t really blame them for doing the Bohrok-Kal, though. There was a movie, which was a big deal for the franchise, coming out the second half of the year, so they really just needed filler, and 2002 was the best year in terms if set sales, so why not give the Bohrok a new paint job?

 

As I said, I see the reasons for it, but it still felt a bit lazy at the time. Especially considering - as I remember - Greg had said the enemy wouldn't be 'Bohrok Nuva', but then it turned out to be that in basically everything but the name.

 

The Kal also had the first big use of that silver colour that I think got slightly overused from there on.

Edited by Sir Kohran
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