Would the 08 figures have been different if they were the Mahri?

[Lord-Vorahk]

So, it's been mentioned that originally, the heroes for 2008's storyline were going to be the Toa Mahri in new bodies. Do you think the Toa sets would've been any different if they had been designing them with the Mahri in mind, or maybe that the Phantoka/Mistika are more suited to be the Mahri?

[Aanchir]

Yes, they would certainly have been different. Even though the masks of the Phantoka/Mistika were very different from the original Kanohi Nuva, many of them had enough similarities that it was clear (to me, at least) that they were designed with those characters in mind. As for how different their designs would have been other than the masks, that's probably impossible to say. I do think in the very least some of the builds and tools might possibly have been switched around, so the design that eventually became Pohatu might have instead been used for Kongu, whose Toa Mahri form it resembles.

[Lord-Vorahk]

Yes, they would certainly have been different. Even though the masks of the Phantoka/Mistika were very different from the original Kanohi Nuva, many of them had enough similarities that it was clear (to me, at least) that they were designed with those characters in mind. As for how different their designs would have been other than the masks, that's probably impossible to say. I do think in the very least some of the builds and tools might possibly have been switched around, so the design that eventually became Pohatu might have instead been used for Kongu, whose Toa Mahri form it resembles.

That's interesting... guessing that, were they to be moved around, Lewa's design would be given to Hahli. Lime like the Mahri, wide-eyed mask with a visor, slim legs and heeled feet look a bit feminine...

[CabooseBM]

I probably wouldn't have liked what would have been Pohatu's design nearly as much.

[Shakar]

I actually thought about this the other day. Aside from the sets, I'm curious on how the story would've gone. Was the original plan really to have the Nuva fade out of the story, with Jaller's team retrieving the Ignika AND awakening Mata Nui? Or was 2008 just another race for the Ignika arc with 2009 as the year of MN's awakening?

And, if Matoro dying at the end of 2007 was already present as a plot point, would Takanuva have taken his place as the white Toa set in 2008? Really intriguing.

[Aanchir]

I actually thought about this the other day. Aside from the sets, I'm curious on how the story would've gone. Was the original plan really to have the Nuva fade out of the story, with Jaller's team retrieving the Ignika AND awakening Mata Nui? Or was 2008 just another race for the Ignika arc with 2009 as the year of MN's awakening?

And, if Matoro dying at the end of 2007 was already present as a plot point, would Takanuva have taken his place as the white Toa set in 2008? Really intriguing.

No to both. Originally, the 2008 storyline would have concluded with Mata Nui being revived (and presumably, with Matoro's death), and then the story would shift to the Toa Nuva for a three-year quest to finally awaken him (which may have been connected with a story concept mentioned on Faber Files in which the Toa would travel to various parts of the Matoran Universe to retrieve the keystones).

[Lord-Vorahk]

Man, that would've been awesome!

Instead, we get sand! It's everywhere, so get used to it!

[Aanchir]

Man, that would've been awesome!

Instead, we get sand! It's everywhere, so get used to it!

There's no reason to assume the Bara Magna storyline wouldn't have happened in those original plans. It just wouldn't have happened as soon. Frankly, I think accelerating the storyline was the right decision in the end, because it was really starting to drag on and on, and sales had been declining since 2002. It's not like the writers would have been guaranteed enough time to finish out those original plans if they had just stuck to them. In fact, they're lucky they were able to keep the theme going for as long as they did.

[Aanchir]

Matoro dying at the end of 2007 was already present as a plot point, would Takanuva have taken his place as the white Toa set in 2008? Really intriguing.

The decision to use the Toa Nuva in 2008 could have taken place before the decision to kill Matoro at the end of 2007. In fact, it almost certainly did, because the original 2008 storyline was supposed to focus on bringing Mata Nui back to life, not awakening him. And if he didn't need to be brought back to life until the end of the 2008 story arc, then Matoro would have no reason to die before then.

[Zenerius]

This topic reminds me of the Nidhiki and Dume toa sets. It would have been really interested to see how different the theme turned out if they were the Mahri. Anybody have some interdimensional device I could borrow?

Edited September 18, 2014 by Zenerius

[DuckBricks]

It would have been quite interesting (anyone read that preliminary Bionicle 5 movie script..?) but want I want to see is a full Toa Hagah team granting that they have been un-Rahaga-ed in the storyline...

[Shakar]

I had never read about the plans you mentioned, thanks Aanchir!

I guess this explains why the BoM was used up so fast, in one year. I imagine that they were supposed to be saved for the 2009-2011 story, while 2008 had other villains for Jaller and the others to face: criminals interested in the Ignika like the Piraka and Barraki? BoM servants?

It was obvious to anyone that the 2010 story was the result of years worth of story being scrapped, but I didn't feel that way about 2008. Mata Nui had been healed and so the Mahri had completed their destiny. It made sense for the Nuva to step in and complete their mission.

I do realize now, however, that the later half of 2007 was indeed kinda rushed. Take Karzahni: he did play a pretty important role in 2006, so it made sense for him to be one of 2007's villains (which is why I called on him reappearing months ago his set actually got revealed), but I always thought it was disappointing that he was a really minor one in the end. Maybe Karzahni and Lesovikk were originally supposed to be a major villain and a sort of mentor figure to the Mahri (their "Lhikan" so to speak) respectively, before they got exiled to the serials.

A third year for the Ignika quest arc would've been really cool to see indeed. But 3 years to awaken Mata Nui seem a bit too much, unless a full on war was supposed to happen: maybe that way we'd have gotten sets like more OoMN members, Dark Hunters, BoM servants and Makuta themselves, and maybe other stuff (Artakha? Toa Hagah? Who knows).

It's pretty fascinating, but I guess we'd have to resort to our imagination and fan fiction making powers, unless BIONICLE 2 tries to redo some stuff.

[Lord-Vorahk]

Interesting ideas we're getting here. I just had one of my own:

THe Pohatu Phantoka design would've been for Nuparu. Shoulder cannon? Like the Inika. Short stature? Like the Earth Toa of old. Giant-freaking propellers instead of more conventional flight methods? Just the sort of crazy-awesome thing that Nuparu would come up with. ANd they close into drills too!

Lewa's build would be Hahli's. Kopaka's would be Jaller's, Onua's would be Matoro's, Gali's would be Kongu's (We've got to keep the theme of him having unfortunate Toa forms) and Tahu's would be Hewkii's. THe masks would probably be re-arranged, though.

[Frozen Assasin]

I would still totally by all the sets of the were in such an configuration... By the way, let`s ponder who the villains might have been.