Question about Shadow

[Geardirector]

OK, so this is something I've been trying to figure out for a while: what is shadow? Basically, what does it represent in the BIONICLE universe?You could say that Shadow represents anger, fear, destruction etc. but I don't think that's accurate, I think that's how the Makuta twisted it to suit their needs.Basically, what do you think the original message of the element was? Personally I can't think of anything.

[fishers64]

Do elements have to convey a message? Does fire convey a message? I mean, a moral one. There was no indication that fire, water, air, etc. were universally good or evil. The Matoran never connected them with a moral principle in their heads. Usually, when we or Matoran associate something as good or evil, there's a reason for it. In the Matoran's case, it was because the Makuta were evil, trying to oppose Mata Nui, etc. Before that reason, no need to assoicate it with that.Since other elements were neither good nor evil, and maintained their status as neither good nor evil, and were never associated with a moral message of good or evil, I maintain that shadow, prior to the Makuta becoming evil, was not associated with either good or evil prior to that in the Matoran's heads. It just wasn't necessary.

[Meta-Mind]

The only thing that Shadow represented prior to the Makuta's rebellion was the absence of light. Unlike us, the Matoran were not initially created with a fear of the shadows, but it was certainly burned into them after the Makuta's rebellion.

[bonesiii]

Inner shadow, IMO, originally represented "demolition". Makuta's end-of-MNOG speech, I think, was actually alluding to this, but he was twisting it into an evil destruction type thing. While light represented construction. Both are key parts of any realistic maintenance job, and that's essentially the job of everybody in the MU. Elemental shadow doesn't really represent anything from the GBs' point of view, it's just another element (light-absorbing energy) that could play necessary roles in the functioning of the robot. If it were to represent anything from their POV, it would be a shared meaning with all the other elements and powers -- keeping the system going that they had hope in, to one day reform Spherus Magna. Just another cog in that system, as it were.Now after the full-sapience happened, however that came about, and good and evil became possible in the MU, IMO in balanced beings inner shadow still usually represents demolition when the time for that is right, but even with them sometimes it could take on a more evil nature. Like when a Toa has a temper tantrum and yells at his fellows.A being who has had all their light drained would IMO be anything in a range between glitching so they're sort of addicted to demolition, and evilly loving destruction. Such a being will tend to make poetic connections between this shadow and the elemental shadow, and there's even a physics connection the cases of the Kraakhan, and the activation of shadow powers.There's my theory.

[25K Now!]

Pretty much what the others said. Shadow is the absence of light and stuff, without a real meaning, but got associated with destruction and evil with the Makuta going all "BLAGH we're evil now".

[Makuta Matata]

You know, for some reason I thought this about Shadow the Hedgehog at first glance. XDAs for your question, I have no idea, but I am wondering how it's possible to fire a bolt of shadow at someone.

[bonesiii]

You know, for some reason I thought this about Shadow the Hedgehog at first glance. XDAs for your question, I have no idea, but I am wondering how it's possible to fire a bolt of shadow at someone.

It's fictional energy, which has the physics property of absorbing light. So you shoot that. Or you shoot the elemental energy of Shadow and turn it into shadow when it arrives, etc.

[Makuta Matata]

You know, for some reason I thought this about Shadow the Hedgehog at first glance. XDAs for your question, I have no idea, but I am wondering how it's possible to fire a bolt of shadow at someone.

It's fictional energy, which has the physics property of absorbing light. So you shoot that. Or you shoot the elemental energy of Shadow and turn it into shadow when it arrives, etc.

Oh, okay. Thanks. Another question: why are shadow bolts purple?

[Takatu]

Artistic license, I think. A pitch black, three dimensional beam would've looked exceedingly strange when, say, Roodaka fired at Keetongu in the Web of Shadows movie. And it might be a little funky to animate, who knows. Plus, black was associated with Earth first, so may have been to avoid confusion. Although it seems to alternate with red/black, Makuta's swirling vortex and shadow hand in the second movie were like that, so were the energy blasts in the 2008 comics when the Makuta in Karda Nui used them.

[bonesiii]

You know, for some reason I thought this about Shadow the Hedgehog at first glance. XDAs for your question, I have no idea, but I am wondering how it's possible to fire a bolt of shadow at someone.

It's fictional energy, which has the physics property of absorbing light. So you shoot that. Or you shoot the elemental energy of Shadow and turn it into shadow when it arrives, etc.

Oh, okay. Thanks.Another question: why are shadow bolts purple?

When have they ever been portrayed as purple? I only recall reddish black... (I wish it had been purple instead, it would look much cooler lol.)But the coloring could be from the elemental energy, not the shadow energy itself. Like when they shoot out Shadow Hands, it's always shown as faintly glowing red. Similar to how the elemental energies of all six Toa Metru in LoMN were shining colored energy beams (as they made the protocage), even though only Vakama's actual element shines once materialized.

[Takatu]

You know, for some reason I thought this about Shadow the Hedgehog at first glance. XDAs for your question, I have no idea, but I am wondering how it's possible to fire a bolt of shadow at someone.

It's fictional energy, which has the physics property of absorbing light. So you shoot that. Or you shoot the elemental energy of Shadow and turn it into shadow when it arrives, etc.

Oh, okay. Thanks.Another question: why are shadow bolts purple?

When have they ever been portrayed as purple? I only recall reddish black... (I wish it had been purple instead, it would look much cooler lol.)But the coloring could be from the elemental energy, not the shadow energy itself. Like when they shoot out Shadow Hands, it's always shown as faintly glowing red. Similar to how the elemental energies of all six Toa Metru in LoMN were shining colored energy beams (as they made the protocage), even though only Vakama's actual element shines once materialized.

Roodaka's shadow blast in Web of Shadows was glowing purple, and the attacks in that Makuta Phantoka game (where you played Chirox/Kirop, I think?) were big ol' balls of purple-ish energy.

[Geardirector]

He he, looks like I've been watching too much Avatar: The last Airbender. I suppose there's no reason to bother with this anymore.

[Makuta Matata]

You know, for some reason I thought this about Shadow the Hedgehog at first glance. XDAs for your question, I have no idea, but I am wondering how it's possible to fire a bolt of shadow at someone.

It's fictional energy, which has the physics property of absorbing light. So you shoot that. Or you shoot the elemental energy of Shadow and turn it into shadow when it arrives, etc.

Oh, okay. Thanks.Another question: why are shadow bolts purple?

When have they ever been portrayed as purple? I only recall reddish black... (I wish it had been purple instead, it would look much cooler lol.)But the coloring could be from the elemental energy, not the shadow energy itself. Like when they shoot out Shadow Hands, it's always shown as faintly glowing red. Similar to how the elemental energies of all six Toa Metru in LoMN were shining colored energy beams (as they made the protocage), even though only Vakama's actual element shines once materialized.

Roodaka's shadow blast in Web of Shadows was glowing purple, and the attacks in that Makuta Phantoka game (where you played Chirox/Kirop, I think?) were big ol' balls of purple-ish energy.

If I remember correctly, it was also purple in the comics, but I'll have to double check. And Bones' explanation clears it all up. Thanks!

[Nuparu1995]

Shadow, I think, is more than the absence of light. While it does include that, I think Shadow is sort of its own force of mystery, paranoia, and all manner of the values and virtues of evil.