Starscream7 wrote:
I'd like to add my opinions about the sets and whether or not this will be a reboot.
I'll start off by talking about the teaser picture: the Kanohi Mask of Creation. Apparently, this mask is going to play a major part in the story. Previously, the Mask of Creation was said to be worn by Artakha, one of the most powerful beings in the BIONICLE storyline. It features various designs on it to represent the many cultures in the BIONICLE universe. Ultimately, I feel that the mask is very similar to the way it had been described before, which is great.
The next thing I'd like to talk about is whether or not the upcoming sets will be a reboot or continuation of the previous story. I am certainly hoping that it's a continuation, but right now there are so many factors that really balance out both possibilities. So I'll list them here:
Continuation:
Previous Characters - Mask of Creation - Ignika (Mask of Life) on the Set Boxes - Skull Kraata (Kraata were introduced in the 2003 storyline) - The Protectors (I'll explain this one)
Reboot:
The Golden Masks - Old Toa Nuva Designs - No Takanuva
There are probably a few more for each one, but I'll start going over them. So we will be seeing the original Toa Nuva, except for Takanuva. The return of the Toa Nuva makes me think it's a continuation, but this could very well wind up going with the reboot as well. And the fact that there is no Takanuva also tells me that this could be a reboot - or that Takanuva's busy elsewhere. The presence of the Mask of Creation and the Mask of Life, which appear in the artwork below and the set boxes, respectively, may mean that this is a continuation. The Ignika was not released in a set until 2008, so maybe this will mean it's part of the story here, since it had no presence with the Toa Nuva's first appearance. The Mask of Creation was first described at around the same time that the Ignika was released. Also, the Skull Kraata. This character was originally set to be called the Lord of Skull Spiders, but the name was later revealed to be Skull Kraata. Kraata were first released in 2003. They were the creatures that operated the Rahkshi. The fact that we'll see the "Skull Kraata" here is very, very interesting. This is definitely a major factor as to why it will probably be a continuation. However, we do see some very similar designs to the 2002 Toa Nuva sets, particularly with the masks. And speaking of which, the six Toa Nuva sets will all feature a golden version of their mask, which is very similar to the 2001 storyline where they went on a quest for the golden masks. So the fact that we'll see similar designs is a small hint for a reboot, but another quest for the golden masks really has me thinking. The final thing I'd like to point out are the Protectors. In the upcoming sets, there will be six characters known as "Protectors". We don't know who they are, what their affiliation is ... they're really mystery characters as of now. We've never seen anything like them before, which leads me to think that they'll make this into a continuation. Ultimately, my only theory is that the Protectors are the Element Lords. While this theory stuck with me for a while, the big downturn to this is that there are seven Element Lords, not six. So who these characters are is completely beyond me. We'll just have to wait and find out.
I do believe that the upcoming BIONICLE sets will be a continuation. At least, that's what I hope.
The third and final thing I'd like to talk about are the actual sets. I really do think that, for the most part, the sets look awesome. Sure, they use Hero Factory parts, and I was hoping that they'd go back to a few more of the parts that they had before. But really, I saw it coming anyway, so it wasn't a huge disappointment to me. For the Toa Nuva, as I said before, we'll see some designs that are similar to those of the original sets from 2001/2002. Even some of the weapons bear some resemblance to what we've seen before. This time, we get to see three of the six characters as titans, which is something LEGO doesn't really do. I am slightly dissatisfied with some of the color schemes, such as the mix of brown and white for Pohatu and the black, gold and silver for Onua. LEGO started to mix various colors together during the Hero Factory Breakout line, where characters like Furno were colored red and white, Surge was colored blue and green, Breez was colored green and white ... it wasn't a horrible idea, it was just a bit odd. But hey, it's not the worst thing in the world, and it probably won't ruin the sets. I am very happy that each and every one of the Toa Nuva have unique designs, although the only real con of mine right now is the fact that Tahu's sword and Kopaka's shield are made from the same parts. This, too, is not a big deal, though.
For the Protectors, I actually really like their designs as well. All of the designs are for the most part fairly similar, yes, but this is something that LEGO did earlier on from around 2001 to 2005. The weapons for the Protectors are actually pretty cool looking, too. Overall, they look like they'll make great sets as well. And for the Skull Kraata, it doesn't look that bad. It has a unique design, although I really can't say much about it just yet. The face does look like it's based off of a Hero Factory upper-chest plate, which should be okay. I don't have a full-opinion on it yet, I probably will when we get to see more of the sets.
So that's all I have to say for now about BIONICLE's return. Hope you guys enjoyed my overview, and as always, UNITY DUTY DESTINY!