Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Tazakk]

Guys. I just noticed something.

At the end of the video, there is a pile of rocks with a purple light coming from underneath. Then it explodes, just as if someone was burried under the rocks and now has awaken. That purple light might be just connected to Basher, but you know who else had purple accents on his armor? Makuta :o

Maybe that clip is from the very end of the last episode, foreshadowing his return for 2016 just like the Warrior hand at the end of the first run of episodes. Especially given that it appears to be in a small, secluded cave, as opposed to somewhere in the city.

[Lyichir]

I think transparent masks would have been better perhaps just because we'd have a nicer and more sensible variation of masks i.e. normal, gold and transparent, whereas we have normal, gold, some transparent and some blended, which seems 'messier' and less uniform. Gold slapped on things randomly always seems a bit tacky to me anyways, so the gold masks weren't a big thing for me and so nor are the blended ones.

While I'd agree that more single-color transparent masks would be luscious from a MOCist's perspective, I think the blended masks in the Skull Villains do a better job of getting the point across that those are in fact the golden masks after being drained or corrupted by the Skull Villains. If they had lacked gold entirely, that story connection would be lost—for instance, a Trans. Br. Bl. Violet Onua mask would have less in common with Onua's golden mask than it did with his standard black mask, while a Trans. Fl. Green Pohatu mask would not look much like it had a connection to either of Pohatu's masks.

As for the fully transparent promotional masks, those most likely have no story connection at all. And all the better for it—not only does that make them more novel for MOCs, it keeps canonically-important masks from being unavailable in sets in the first place. If blended Tahu and Gali masks ever appear, I think they'd be better off appearing in a DK guidebook or similar promotion, where they'd be easily available for fans of the story.

[Aanchir]

I think the blended masks are ideal for the skull villain sets, honestly. Fully transparent masks could be cool, but having a gold blend makes their story significance as the Golden Masks of Power stolen from the Toa a lot clearer. If they were just transparent, it would be easy to think they were drained versions of the Toa's old (non-golden) Masks of Power, or other masks entirely. But note that while it was unclear for a while whether the transparent blend represented the masks being infected, drained, or energized, pretty much everybody could tell from our first Toy Fair pictures that they were the same golden masks the Toa claimed earlier in the year, but altered in some way.

I do wonder whether another blend could have been possible, like maybe gold with silver for all of them. But of course, that wouldn't have the same effect of clearly showing which mask was stolen by which villain. Gold with silver could be an interesting color for future versions of the masks, perhaps...

[Mutant Orc]

Fair points as always.

Ahah! I remembered what it was I was going to say!

Isn't it odd that the first wave had 3 'masks' a set (Normal, gold, Skull Spider) but not this one? Maybe they used the money for a Skull Spider on making masks blended, or they just decided that because their story significance was over there was no need for them which is fair enough. It would have been nice though to have gotten (dark?) red and purple Skull Spiders though as they are obvious and prominent in the comic strips. They could have fitted in 2 purple ones and 2 red ones in the smaller sets (MM v SG has three masks already and it'd be awkward there). Obviously though it's not a grevious loss really.

[VBBN]

Though as I mentioned in my reviews, the blended masks aren't nearly as cool if you don't have the corresponding Toa- With the Skull Spiders, they could be an enemy for the character to fight you you could place it on them to "take over" and make them a villain to fight another hero, but with these blended masks there isn't a whole lot you can do other than have the character hold it as an accessory.

[GK733]

Though as I mentioned in my reviews, the blended masks aren't nearly as cool if you don't have the corresponding Toa- With the Skull Spiders, they could be an enemy for the character to fight you you could place it on them to "take over" and make them a villain to fight another hero, but with these blended masks there isn't a whole lot you can do other than have the character hold it as an accessory.

Slicer seems to be using it as an actual mask on the animations when he's won Lewa. I love how the writers have taken notes about his stupid actions. Also noticed how the arena functions just like the one on Coliseum, pillars are larger but it's still the same concept.

Well the first skeleton pic is on the website, though in an unusual place

http://cache.lego.com/r/www/r/bionicle/-/media/franchises/bionicle%202014/build/build_promo_2hy15_edit.jpg?l.r2=-586705291

Edited July 13, 2015 by GK733

[Aanchir]

Though as I mentioned in my reviews, the blended masks aren't nearly as cool if you don't have the corresponding Toa- With the Skull Spiders, they could be an enemy for the character to fight you you could place it on them to "take over" and make them a villain to fight another hero, but with these blended masks there isn't a whole lot you can do other than have the character hold it as an accessory.

True, but what would you be able to include in the sets that would take the place of an adversary? It's not like the "good guys" are likely to have a horde of tiny creatures on their side...

I think the lack of "conflict in a box" is inevitable for any villain set that's not big enough to include a full-size villager, at least as the story stands currently. Lord of Skull Spiders had the exact same issue.

[Toa_Bomb]

Slicer seems to be using it as an actual mask on the animations when he's won Lewa. I love how the writers have taken notes about his stupid actions. Also noticed how the arena functions just like the one on Coliseum, pillars are larger but it's still the same concept.

Well the first skeleton pic is on the website, though in an unusual place

http://cache.lego.co...l.r2=-586705291

I also noticed that the top of the blended Lewa mask in the trailer is bright blue instead of the green of Slicer's limbs. Animation mistake or story significance?

Also I think it's implied that the explosion at the end is Makuta. There's a hexagonal rock pillar in the pile not unlike the hammers of the Mask Makers. Though I may be overthinking that And why would they put such a cliffhangery clip at the end if it was something as unimportant as Onua bursting out of a pile of rubble? There's also a similar sound motif: if you watch The Legend again and listen closely when the Masks of Control and Power are shown, there's faint sounds that resemble the one played just before the explosion.

Edited July 13, 2015 by Toa_Bomb

[Toa Eljay]

True, but what would you be able to include in the sets that would take the place of an adversary? It's not like the "good guys" are likely to have a horde of tiny creatures on their side...

I think the lack of "conflict in a box" is inevitable for any villain set that's not big enough to include a full-size villager, at least as the story stands currently. Lord of Skull Spiders had the exact same issue.

While it's not the best idea, one could suggest sizing the villains down to be almost Protector sized. Of course, I'm happy with what we got, but that's always something that could be done.

[Toa_Bomb]

I'm formulating an analysis of the trailer:

First ten seconds: footage that's been used already

00:10 through 00:12: A seemingly new area depicting a pit with at least two entrances and hexagonal platforms rising from the pit. By now the Toa have split up (as I hypothesized!) and the three "larger set" Toa are already in the center of the pit while the three "smaller set" Toa are in one of the entrances. If one looks closely, Lewa's mask is already gone.

00:13 through 00:14: Slicer in the arena. He looks bulkier than usual and is wearing Lewa's blended mask. Possible colour error: the blend is bright blue instead of green. The bulk may have come from the three swords crossed over his back. There's also a cool as heck fire jet behind him. The arena is definitely larger than I imagined. Resembles the Coliseum from LoMN.

00:14 through 00:16: Kulta with his huge chin and bunny-ear horns laughs, then blocks what might be a Warrior shooting at him with his bare hand? These are stud shots, not elemental blasts. They make the same sound as the Protector of Fire's gun AND the Warriors' bows.

00:16: The hand.

00:17: Some Warriors are getting up. They're kinda stiff-moving and all looking at the camera.

00:18 through 00:20: They're all up on a wall and firing at what is likely the Toa. The bows make the same sound as the bolts being fired at Kulta earlier.

00:20: Skull Basher busts through a wall.

00:20.50: Pohatu busts through a wall.

00:21 through 00:23: Some bolts firing at the Toa. Most miss before Kopaka puts up his ice shield a second or two late. Then the bolts hit the shield. Lewa is missing. Gali's got her "u wot m8" face on.

00:24: A pile of rubble. Purple light shoots out of the cracks and the pile explodes, but the screen changes to the Bionicle logo before we see who it is. It's probably Makuta though.

This probably didn't contribute at all but in making this I noticed some things I hadn't previously

Edited July 14, 2015 by Toa_Bomb

[Mandate]

Spooky Scary Skeletons entered the Tournament of Elements and lost the first two words of their title. That is all I have to say about this trailer.

[Leewan]

Kulta with his huge chin and bunny-ear horns laughs, then blocks what might be a Warrior shooting at him with his bare hand? These are stud shots, not elemental blasts. They make the same sound as the Protector of Fire's gun AND the Warriors' bows.

Then it's most likely Ekimu who shoots at Kulta, not a Warrior.

00:20.50: Pohatu busts through a wall.

In fact, he destroys a door by throwing a huge rock at it. That's some seriously badass stuff.

[Toa_Bomb]

Then it's most likely Ekimu who shoots at Kulta, not a Warrior.

In fact, he destroys a door by throwing a huge rock at it. That's some seriously badass stuff.

Was gonna say "looks more like a boomerang" and then I saw the pic

Pohatu is most badass character 2k15

[Kabootops]

when should we expect the site update?

[Toa_Bomb]

when should we expect the site update?

Soon. The "Trailers" section on the "Videos" page is glitched, and the banner on "Build" has been changed.

[Kabootops]

Cool! Can't wait.

[CloverMaryam]

Really hoping this means we'll see the Skull Gang pop up on shelves in the US soon, because I don't think I've ever been so anxious to get my hands on Bionicles since the craziness that was the Mistika back in 2008, even if they didn't end up being that great of sets, I adored the entirety of the Karda Nui Saga.

[Toa_Bomb]

Really hoping this means we'll see the Skull Gang pop up on shelves in the US soon, because I don't think I've ever been so anxious to get my hands on Bionicles since the craziness that was the Mistika back in 2008, even if they didn't end up being that great of sets, I adored the entirety of the Karda Nui Saga.

Yes, I have never been so hyped for sets since the Mata Nui set was announced.

[SuperGeniusCreator]

Someone on Youtube pointed out that if you play the video in slow motion, during the clip where Skull Grinder shows up, you can just barely see Ekimu for like a quarter second. (On the Russian version of the trailer, at least.)

[Scarilian]

Someone on Youtube pointed out that if you play the video in slow motion, during the clip where Skull Grinder shows up, you can just barely see Ekimu for like a quarter second. (On the Russian version of the trailer, at least.)

Grabbed this off the thumbnail, its the largest version i can get, but yeah... thats Ekimu :)

Edited July 14, 2015 by Scarilian

[Aanchir]

It's interesting that in that screenshot his eyes are yellow rather than blue, just like the set. Perhaps his eyes only turn blue when he puts on the Mask of Creation? Or maybe it's just that these animations were made more recently and so they were able to get it closer to his appearance in the set, despite creating a minor inconsistency with the earlier webisodes.

[Scarilian]

Fair points as always.

Ahah! I remembered what it was I was going to say!

Isn't it odd that the first wave had 3 'masks' a set (Normal, gold, Skull Spider) but not this one? Maybe they used the money for a Skull Spider on making masks blended, or they just decided that because their story significance was over there was no need for them which is fair enough. It would have been nice though to have gotten (dark?) red and purple Skull Spiders though as they are obvious and prominent in the comic strips. They could have fitted in 2 purple ones and 2 red ones in the smaller sets (MM v SG has three masks already and it'd be awkward there). Obviously though it's not a grevious loss really.

Winter wave wanted to convince you to get the Toa by including conflict in a box along with there normal and empowered masks

Summer wave wanted to convince you to get the Toa also by including blended masks for the Toa

If we get Toa again at some stage i'd guess they would only include the two masks. Unless we get more smaller enemies like the Skull Spiders in future.

It's interesting that in that screenshot his eyes are yellow rather than blue, just like the set. Perhaps his eyes only turn blue when he puts on the Mask of Creation? Or maybe it's just that these animations were made more recently and so they were able to get it closer to his appearance in the set, despite creating a minor inconsistency with the earlier webisodes.

Merlin finished his work on writing them in April, though they've probably had character designs finalised before that given we got summer set leaks back in January/February so we know the sets were finalised very early in the year. Chances are the character designs for the new characters were all completed early on. Its a shame we dont have someone who works on the designs to explain why certain designs were chosen, though i'd hazard a guess that they wanted to differentiate the masks between the villains more than the sets do.

[MakutaOfWar]

I'll probably go ahead and check my Target here in the states later on. No way I'm checking tru for their raised prices. ._. For summer sets, I mean.

Edited July 14, 2015 by MakutaOfWar

[Toa_Bomb]

The Trailer is now up and running on the site! http://www.lego.com/en-us/bionicle/videos

[Timeline15]

Someone on reddit pointed out that the "ancient arena" that skull slicer used to be the champion of, and is seen in in this trailer, has hexagonal columns rising from the floor, exactly like the metru nui arena in G1.