MoarBotar Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 Ok so I recently got a Brinklink order with Metru Onewa in it, and it just dawned on me: what ARE the Proto Pitons? Are they grappling hooks? Or are they more like medieval flails? BioSector says "Onewa used them to swing from sculpture to sculpture in the Sculpture Fields", but this doesn't necessarily imply that this was their INTENDED use (BioSector also says "He was courageous, and ever-ready to crack a joke... He found being a Toa thrilling, like Matau" so maybe it wouldn't be too out of character for him to go "hey, I bet I could swing over there..."). I've always assumed they were grappling hooks, but after taking a closer look at the set form I'm not sure.... Also, LMN portrayal, if anything, seems to make this more confusing. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TuragaNuva Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 Well, pitons are spikes meant specifically for climbing rocks, so I think his tools are definitely meant for climbing/swinging. As for LMN, I'm pretty sure their portrayal there is considered non-canon - the books and comics depict them as hooks on chains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toa_Kralich Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 The Bionicle Heroes game isn't too helpful in this regard either as the thing is a rocket launcher there. Bizarre. Anyway, I would tend to think they're climbing tools. A piton is a spike you use in climbing, though I don't know what the "Proto" is meant to mean - it's probably just Lego getting alliterative with their weapon names. I imagine judging by their looks it could function as a sort of flail, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Inika Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 The Proto Pitons are whatever looks cool at the time. 1 Quote "You are an absolute in these uncertain times. Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." -- Turaga Nokama Click here to visit my library! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toa_Kralich Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 That too. Given how masks and other tools sometimes shift and change depending on the being using them, it's perfectly reasonable to say the proto pitons do whatever that particular Toa fancies doing with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoarBotar Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 Yeah, now that I think about it, all the Toa tools for the Toa Metru were designed with travel in mind, so I guess it makes sense that these would be too. Honestly, I totally thought "piton" was a made up word that just sounded like it fit with "proto" well-I guess it helps when you actually know what the word means lol 11 hours ago, Toa_Kralich said: don't know what the "Proto" is meant to mean I assume it's because they are made of Protodermis. (Side note: you know you're a nerd when you know what the imaginary word means but you don't know what the real word means ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toa_Kralich Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 To be fair, the only reason I knew what a piton was was because I was looking up a VR climbing game once - I don't claim to be more than a geek myself On the topic I s'pose I will say I was never a fan of either Nokama's weapons or Onewa's - they both felt too specialised and not tremendously MOC friendly when it came to using them for bulking armour or weapons or suchlike. I think they work on the original models, but that's sort of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Inika Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 1 hour ago, Toa_Kralich said: To be fair, the only reason I knew what a piton was was because I was looking up a VR climbing game once - I don't claim to be more than a geek myself On the topic I s'pose I will say I was never a fan of either Nokama's weapons or Onewa's - they both felt too specialised and not tremendously MOC friendly when it came to using them for bulking armour or weapons or suchlike. I think they work on the original models, but that's sort of it. It's because they're designed to look like they're swingable when they're really not. Even the movie knew to just have the weapons be solid weapons. Quote "You are an absolute in these uncertain times. Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." -- Turaga Nokama Click here to visit my library! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toa_Kralich Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 I think the movie benefits as a result, for sure. I often use weapon parts for more utility purposes in my MOCs. I do wonder how they might've worked had the middle connection been something like chains instead to hit home the "swingable" motif, with the top and bottom parts being solid pieces instead, the midriff being the chains. Thinking about it, I might've seen a Nokama MOC that did something like this once, but I can't be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master of Energy Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 I've always thought of the Proto Pitons as grappling hooks. Quote RPG Characters: Explota Akkitu MOCs: Toa Mata with 2015 Colors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gzstg Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 I always thought they were hooks for swinging on rocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheZOMBIEJ Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 let's be honest; Proto Pitons is kind ov a silly name for such silly weapons! i mean, yes they were used for climbing like in the Toa Onewa animation (and perhaps the books & comics), but in Bionicle 2: Legends ov Metru Nui Onewa only has one Proto Piton AND it's not used or climbing and looks more like an over-sized (albeit stylized) pick-ax! what the actual frick were they thinking with this one?! who designed them in the first place? the Proto Pitons are just very weird weapons! at least with the movie version (since the handle rod is way more stable) Onewa can hit a target with no problems, BUT HE ONLY HAD ONE!!! if he had two ov those in the movie he could dual-wield them (like the toy) with no problems, BUT THEY STILL GAVE HIM ONE FREAKING PITON!!! why? i don't know! i don't understand this! i will never understand this! whoever was in charge ov the weapons designs for the movie didn't think a lot ov it through thoroughly enough! *sigh* oh well! the movie was still awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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