bionicle Happy 5th anniversary, Bionicle G2! :)

[Lenny7092]

Hi, guys. It’s been 5 years since Bionicle G2 happened in 2015. I know that Bionicle is not there now and G2 cruelly got ended in 2016, but let’s be happy for the 5th anniversary of G2.  

 

To begin with, in 2014, at New York Comic Con in early October, Bionicle’s return was announced, but Bionicle came as a reboot (don’t leave G1’s unfinished story hanging). Of course, Bionicle was first cancelled in 2010, but we were extremely happy that Bionicle came back! Hero Factory disappeared in 2014 when it happened. 

 

G2 is a reboot of Bionicle, like The Amazing Spider-Man movie series in 2012-2014, where six magical and bio-mechanical heroes called Toa, who are versions of the Toa Mata from G1, saving the island of Okoto (it looks like the island of Mata Nui) from a villain named Makuta (a version of Makuta Teridax, but without the “The”) and his evil forces. They have to collect masks to do this, and they seek help from a dwarf-sized guy named Ekimu and other inhabitants. G2 lasted in 2 years rather than at least 3, sadly, so the story is short. There is the 2015 storyline and the 2016 storyline. Here are how the first and second yearly storylines happened: 

 

It all started in thousands of years ago, when Ekimu and Makuta are Mask Makers who make magical masks called the Masks of Power (G2’s own Kanohi) for Okoto’s people by using the island’s six elemental forces, Fire, Water, Jungle, Ice, Stone, and Earth. Ekimu’s masks are more treasured than Makuta’s, which made Makuta jealous, so Makuta turned evil. There was a sacred law that now Mask should have more than element, otherwise it would be dangerous, but Makuta broke the law by creating a mask called the Mask of Ultimate Power, the most powerful of all masks, and it contained all six elements. When he put it on, it took control over him and was destroying the island. Ekimu stopped him by knocking the Mask from Makuta’s face, but this kind of ruined the island and put Ekimu to a coma. Makuta disappeared, and the Mask Makers’ masks are scattered. Ekimu’s friends called the Protectors found Ekimu, who whispered the Prophecy of Heroes during his sleep, and then they put Ekimu’s body in a tomb. The masks have to be found. 

 

In 2015, in the present, the island is attacked by Skull Spiders, which are searching for the Golden Masks of Power. The Protectors’ latest descendants (their people can reproduce, like Agori) used the Mask of Time, which can see the future and was how Ekimu came up with the prophecy, in the Temple of Time to summon the Toa. The Toa came to Okoto like meteors, as each landed on one of six regions of Okoto that matches his or her element. They are called Masters in 2015. They are Tahu, the Master of Fire, Gali, the Master of Water, Lewa Jungle (rather than Air for some reason, but I can see that he went to the jungle region of Okoto, and it’s reasonable for the younger audience to see things, but it’s weird), Kopaka Ice, Pohatu Stone, and Onua Earth. When the Toa arrived, they couldn’t remember who they are. Each of the Toa meets the region’s Protector, who guides the Toa and leads it to its Golden Mask of Power hidden in a temple. The Toa got their Golden Masks and defeated the Skull Spiders while saving the Protectors’ lives from the spiders. They went to the City of the Mask Makers, where they must reawaken Ekimu. They saw each other for the first time. They fought some other Skull villains, which are the Lord of Skull Spiders, the leader of the Skull Spiders, Skull Warriors, Skull Slicer, and Skull Scorpios, while they learn to work together to be able to defeat their enemies. They found and reawakened Ekimu, who warns them that the Skull villains’ leader, Kulta the Skull Grinder, who is the main antagonist of the 2015 storyline, is going to destroy Ekimu’s mask called the Mask of Creation at his forge. The Toa rush to the forge to stop Kulta, defeating Skull Basher along the way, but Kukta uses the mask to become stronger in order to defeat the Toa and Ekimu. The Toa got weakened by Kulta, but Ekimu rebuilt his powerful hammer  and then used to knock the mask from Kulta’s face and defeated him. Ekimu reclaimed the mask. The end of the storyline. This is primarily told through the 2015 online animations and a chapter book. Plus, a graphic novel to make things more specific. 

 

Before the 2016 storyline began, the Protectors fought more Skull villains. Then, the Toa and Ekimu fought Kulta again when he has more of his friends called the Skull Raiders to help him. This is told through two chapter books. 

 

In the 2016 storyline, the Toa became Uniters by getting new armor, masks, and weapons. The armor helps them control their powers better. Since the masks tell the Toa that there are the six Elemental Creatures needing help from getting captured by Umarak the Hunter and his robotic servants called Shadow Traps, and get the Golden Masks of Unity. Each Toa goes to its region to meet its Elemental Creature. The Creature challenges the Toa until the Toa figures that the Toa and Elemental Creature must work together. The Creature lets the Toa get the Mask. Then, the Toa is able to combine with the Creature by having the Creature attach to the Toa back, like a piggy back ride. The Toa learn from the Creatures telepathically that there is a maze that has Makuta’s mask called the Mask of Control (like in 2008 where the Av-Matoran can combine with the Toa Nuva by attaching their themselves to the Toa’s backs and then sharing their memories with the Toa). The Toa and Elemental Creatures went to find the maze, and then went inside it to find the mask. However, Umarak is in their tail and then took the mask from them because Makuta told him to. Makuta forces Umarak to be his servant by using the mask to turn Umarak into a bigger, more powerful and obedient monster called the Destroyer. Umarak unleashed Elemental Beasts to attack the city, so he can get the shattered pieces of the Mask of Ultimate Power (Ekimu shattered the Mask when he knocked the Mask from Makuta’s face. The mask’s power was too much for it, so it got shattered and then caused Ekimu’s coma. There is a flashback where Ekimu created the Toa’s Golden Masks with the help of the Protectors and Elemental Creatures because of the Prophecy, and Makuta was present the mask in Okoto’s Capital City before he put it on. This is shown in the second graphic novel). When the Uniters were protecting Ekimu’s city, he turned into a Toa of Light and has a seventh Elemental Creature named Agil to be his partner. The city’s people and the Uniters’ Elemental Creatures defend the city while the seven Toa go to find Umarak. They found Umarak in a crater where the incident with the Mask of Ultimate Power happened. They tried to defeat Umarak, but he’s too tough and smart. He is using the mask’s fragments to free Makuta from the Shadow Realm (when the Mask was shattered, it also tore a portal to the Shadow Realm that trapped Makuta and the Capital City in the Shadow Realm). Ekimu changed back while Agil disappeared for some reason during the battle. Gali accidentally had her soul sucked up by the portal. In the Shadow Realm, she learned the rest of the prophecy. When Umarak absorbed Ekimu’s powerful Light blast during Umarak’s ritual with the mask’s fragments and then Makuta cruelly sacrificed Umarak’s life to open the portal, Gali’s soul was able to come back and then went back to her body. She told the Toa that they must use their powers from within to trap Makuta again. Makuta tried to blast the Toa with a Shadow blast, but the Toa resisted it with their powers and then used them to defeat Makuta by pushing him back to the Shadow Realm and closed the portal to imprison him again. This caused the Toa to go back to the Elemental Stars for some reason (why not stay in Okoto like normal people?). However, they can come back when they are needed again. The End of the storyline. In fact, the end of G2. The storyline is told through a Netflix show called The Journey to One in 2016. 

 

Now, that’s the story. Let’s talk about the sets. The sets have CCBS (the system that Hero Factory introduced in 2011) and transparent pieces with various colors to represent energies coming from them. Most of them have gear functions, like the Toa Mata and Toa Nuva. They introduced masks with two things that attach to the cheek bones. The sets are bulky with a lot of parts and were expensive. Most of them came in hexagonal boxes. In 2015, the Masters have weapons that have two functions, one for fighting and one for travel, like the Toa Nuva. The Protectors introduced and use machine guns that shoot six studs. You can put the Protectors’ equipment on the Toa to “power the Toa up”. The Skull Spiders can be worn like masks. In 2016, you can combine the Elemental Creatures with either the Toa or Umarak by putting them on their hosts’ backs. Other sets have various functions, including tools that can remove masks from wearers. The sets borrowed a few stuff from Hero Factory and Ninjago. There is a lot more purple than in G1. 

 

There are combiner models, but they are not canon. Plus, there’s no combiner models for the Toa Mata’s fusions in G2, neither did the fusion appear in G2 for some reason. However, you can combine Onua Uniter and Umarak the Hunter to make a Shadow Spawn. You can also combine some sets to form Makuta. 

 

Speaking of Makuta, sadly, Makuta doesn’t have a set, and the Lego piece for the Mask of Ultimate Power doesn’t exist. 

 

There are two app games, Mask of Creation and Mask of Control. I’ve seen better games than these games. 

 

G2 is very different from G1 in many ways, but it’s classic that there is the Toa Mata as the main protagonist and Makuta as the main antagonist. There are some references to G1’s stuff. It’s nostalgia. 

 

There are various media, which largely involved artwork through Facebook. 

 

Now, how do I feel about G2. Well, I think it’s alright. I didn’t like the fact that it lasted 2 years (and I hate the fact that constraction is gone since 2018, and there is not replacement or Hero Factory G2), and the 2015 online animations and Netflix show are kind of wonky and rushed. The story is too simple, is the least good constraction theme, and there are a lot of questionable stuff hanging around. I kind of felt that G2 isn’t what Bionicle is naturally. It sort of feels like a stereotypical Saturday morning cartoon. I like the Toa, Ekimu, Makuta, and Umarak, though. Good thing that G2 has some G1 references. The sets are very great, though, and I love the use of colors for most of them sort of. However, some of them, like the Skull Creatures and the Elemental Beasts, are kind of wonky, and there are weird relationships between colors and story. The Toa Masters’ gear functions aren’t strong enough, like the Toa Mata. Some of them are unequal to each other, like Toa having their own rivals and infected masks. There’s no other G1 characters, either. Just people that we don’t know. 

 

To be honest, I like G1 a lot better than G2 because there are a lot of reasonable stuff in there. People say that classics are better. No doubt. 

 

Even though that G2 ended (that is extremely not fair because it just came back), many of the pieces introduced in there are used in other themes nowadays. I pray and wish that Bionicle comes back again (perhaps on 2021 to celebrate Bionicle’s 20th anniversary). Anyway, so, how do you feel about G2? What’s your favorite moment or set? What medium or media remind you of Bionicle G2? Whatever you like to think of. For me, I love Onua, Tahu, Umarak, and Mask Maker vs. Skull Grinder. Happy 5th anniversary, G2! I collected all of the sets. The things that remind me are: 

1. Bionicle G1 - obviously. Lol. 
2. Hero Factory - the use of CCBS. Plus, the Elemental Beasts look like Aquagon and giant Jumper beasts. Umarak the Hunter looks like Black Phantom. Skull Basher reminds me of Pyrox. The Skull Spiders are kind of like the Arachnix Drone. The Quake Beasts are like Bruizer. 
3. Ninjago - skeletal villains, brothers having a feud, heroes with elemental powers, and a dark and shape-shifting lord who is in a dark realm. P.I.X.A.L.’s Samurai X mask in 2017 looks kind of like the Mask of Creation. Skull Slicer is sort of like Samukai. Ekimu is like Sensei Wu. 
4. The Amazing Spider-Man movie series in 2012-2014 - there are a lot of similarities. I have a list of them: http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/25567-bionicle-g2-the-amazing-spider-man-movies/ 
5. Transformers - recently, while the heroes retain their classic looks, they look modernized and cooler. Plus, they look more realistic and reasonable. Ekimu’s and Makuta’s brother feud is sort of like Optimus Prime’s and Megatron’s feud. Umarak is sort of like Lockdown. 
6. Transformers: The Last Knight in 2017 - Megatron’s look reminds me of the Mask of Control. 
7. Marvel - the Toa are like the Avengers. Plus, Umarak the Destroyer is like the Abomination and Kurse. 
8. DC Comics - the Toa are like the Justice League, sort of. Plus, Umarak the Destroyer is like Doomsday. 
9. Samurai Jack’s Season 5 - the Scotsman has a machine gun that looks similar to the Protectors’ machine guns. 
10. Sonic Unleashed in 2008 - the Elemental Beasts’ faces look like Dark Gaia’s. 
11. Steven Universe Future - Steven Universe’s giant monster form reminds me of Umarak the Destroyer. In the main series, when Jasper turned into a big and corrupted monster, she looked kind of like Umarak the Destroyer. 
12. Power Miners - Umarak the Destroyer and the Elemental Beasts reminds me of the Rock Monsters and Lava Monsters. Plus, Jasper’s corrupted monster form reminds me of Umarak the Destroyer. 
13. Star Wars - Skull Slicer kind of reminds me of General Grievous. The Skull Warriors are kind of like the Stormtroopers. For how the Skull Grinder’s Mask is animated in the online animations, it looks like Darth Vader’s mask. 
14. The Lord of the Rings - the Lord of Skull Spiders is like of like those giant spiders. Skull Basher concept art makes him look kind of like an Orc. When the Skull Grinder wore the Mask of Creation and then hit all six Toa with one hit, he’s like Sauron. 
15. Toy Story - For how the Skull Grinder’s Mask is animated in the online animations, it reminds me of Zurg. 
16. Lego Legends of Chima - Using some pieces is one thing. The Elemental Creatures’ heads also look like the Eagle heads. 
17. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - the Turtles are like the Toa, Master Splinter is like Ekimu, and Makuta has claws on his left wrist that looks kind of like the Shredder’s. 
18. Ultimate Spider-Man TV show - Doctor Octopus is sort of like Makuta when he mutates someone and then turns him into his obedient servant.

 

 

[Max_Nui]

Bless you. I never got into G2, but I'm glad that you enjoyed it!

[Lenny7092]

On 5/5/2020 at 10:45 AM, fabSheers said:

Bless you. I never got into G2, but I'm glad that you enjoyed it!

Well, it’s not the best thing from Bionicle and lasted two years, but it has some charm, like the CCBS, Elemental Creatures, and Umarak. So, it’s worth to celebrate G2’s 5th anniversary. Let’s hope that Bionicle could come back in 2021 to celebrate its 20th anniversary somehow (but don’t get your hopes up too high. Faber has something in his sleeve about the 3IO stuff and there is a Bionicle Ideas project getting reviewed).