#kopaka has the balance

[maspers]

Bionicle is weird yall

Okay so let's talk Bionicle. The Lego action figures with surprisingly deep lore and themes, and basically one of the coolest things to ever exist. You either love Bionicle or have not read Bionicle.

Who's your favorite? Mine has got to be Kopaka. For various reasons, including his general competence throughout the whole story. He's just pretty rad.

Now, you might be surprised I like Kopaka, since all things considered he's kind of a prick. He snarks at basically everything that enters his line of sight, and largely acts kind of stuck up due to his (admittedly justified) belief that he's the smartest person around. He spends the entire story fed up with everything else. He is completely and utterly convinced that he is the only sane person in the entire universe, and that nothing in the entirety of Mata Nui is behaving in a logical and rational way.

But see, here's the thing: all of that bluster about being the only rational thing around is complete bullcrap and lies, and here's why:

Kopaka, like all the original six Toa, is an amnesiac. He popped out of a magic canister in the ground and basically has no backstory to speak of since before he woke up he essentially didn't exist. And we know he's not a possible exception to this since, unlike the other Toa, he's the one we actually see it happen to. He has legit no idea who he is until Nuju tells him. What this means is simple: KOPAKA HAS NO FRAME OF REFERENCE. You can't judge something to be insane if you have not experienced sanity. Nothing is "irrational" in the abstract, you need context. Most people have extremely well-developed context obtained by living, but since Kopaka had not yet lived until he woke up he has NONE OF THAT.

And even if he did, he'd still be a massive hypocrite. Sure, the Matoran society and the Makuta are kind of weird, but Kopaka is a TOA, and Toa are a whole new kettle of craziness. Kopaka is a magic space warrior robot with the power to control the very concept of THIS STUFF IS COLD. His face is a magic mask that grants him X-ray vision and then gets even more powers later on. He can physically combine with other Toa to create a weird mega fusion Toa. Heck, after his first upgrade his primary weapon was skis. SKIS. He basically shapeshifts into a new body every time he goes somewhere else. And, as noted before, he legit just popped out of the ground one day, which makes him and his sibling Toa objectively weirder than all other Toa ever, since all the rest are transformed Matoran. Kopaka's entire existence is really freaking weird. He has no legs to stand on in his "I am the only rational being in the universe" belief. So where the heck did he get it from?

The simple answer: Mata Nui himself. When designing the Toa to act as a sort of internal anti-virus for all the weird garbage in his system, Mata Nui decided "You know what let's make the Ice one a prick who thinks he's sane" and somehow that idea perpetuated to the very end of the design process. The only reason Kopaka has to deal with everything else seeming completely bonkers to him is because Mata Nui, massive benevolent Troll that he is, *made him that way*. I bet when Kopaka finally made it to Bara Magna he was probably internally extremely relieved, because now he could judge the Agori by comparing them to the Matoran and vice versa instead of judging the Matoran on no actual justification whatsoever.

TLDR Kopaka is my favorite Bionicle because the entire premise of his personality is absurd and he probably spent the entire plot trying to internally justify it. Also ice powers go brrrrr

[whiteheartlight]

thinking more about my idea where Artakha has mini versions of the Toa Mata made (Matoran-esque) for personality and neurological testing. they won't remember any of it when they're Toa but it's a test run for him to check some things

little Kopaka hates having any kind of testing done on him and is always aware of experiments. he keeps purposefully skewing results and acting against his impulses whenever Artakha tries to test him in a situation. Artakha takes this to mean that he's perfect

the Matoran on Artakha have gotten very used to peace and quiet and certain mini Toa Mata (one in particular) keep disrupting them... but then reminding them how to throw better parties

balancing Tahu's temper between the lines of "soft-hearted" and "insensibly filled with rage" takes SO many models. when Artakha settles on his final personality Kopaka looks at him like he's lost his mind

Gali gets annoyed with Artakha one day and just surfs out to the edge of the realm and won't come back in. it starts storming and she won't get off her board all day no matter what he tells her. on a similar note, Onua has been found digging straight down Minecraft style and getting himself stuck very contentedly miles below the surface

Pohatu loves living in Artakha and starts picking up every hobby the incredibly skilled craftsmen who live there will teach him

Karzahni hasn't quite lost it completely at this point in time, but when he comes to visit his brother, he's intensely jealous of the little life forms he has running around. he wants Artakha to make a Toa Mata for him too. the mini Mata are generally uncomfortable around him, but Pohatu makes an effort to befriend his uncle, which is when Artakha starts to feel that his creations are not safe around his brother. Karzahni is much too eager to have some company

Artakha tries the marshmallow test where you give a kid a treat and tell them that they can eat it now or wait and have another one later. Lewa and Tahu can't wait for a second one, Onua and Gali can. Kopaka, to Artakha's surprise, eats his immediately, and when Artakha asks if he couldn't be patient, Kopaka tells him he has much more important things to do. When Pohatu gets his second marshmallow, he offers it to Artakha

Artakha designs them carefully to balance each other out, and is very focused on the synthesis of the Kaita. Pohatu should energize Onua and Tahu, Tahu should call Onua and Pohatu to action, Onua should direct them both with a little more wisdom. Kopaka should be Wairuha's cold intellect, Gali should be their stability, and Lewa should be their verve and joy.

there is a point where he makes the Kaita too different from each other, and suddenly he's noticing Tahu sprinting across the hall to get away from Kopaka and Gali because they started prophesying at him while speaking at the same time again and he HATES that. Artakha brings them back down to earth a little

there's also a point where Onua studies and understands Artahka's plans and notes so thoroughly that he figures out exactly what his destiny will be. Artakha looks at him for a second and just goes "I'm going to turn you off now, Onua" and ok that's fair

it's very different for Artakha to have new creations running around, breaking things, causing fights, and getting into trouble when he's been used to nothing but Great Spirits and perfect Matoran for so long. he finds he doesn't mind it too much. when Lewa paints poorly over the masterpieces in the dining hall, Tahu and Gali break ancient weapons while "playing," and Onua gets mud all over the floors, Artakha leaves things messy.

[bionicle-ramblings]

I'm having thoughts, mainly Takua being the Toa Mata's/Nuva' little brother in the sense that when they saw him, they looked forward to seeing him again and wondered if today would be the day they saw him after not seeing him for a few days or a few weeks

Lewa in the tree tops scouting or just swinging around until he spots a Ta-Matoran with a blue mask and decides to pause, scoop him up, and check in before he lets him go on his merry way

Onua sensing SOMETHING in the highway to Onu-Koro/Wahi, and finds Takua without a lightstone and trying to find his way with glowing plants he keeps picking; their light fades out and leave him back in the dark, and Onua found a trail of them that led him to the Chronicler. They both make their way to Onu-Koro/Wahi and Onua tells some good stories on the way to keep Takua from worrying about the dark

Kopaka walking around Ko-Koro above the snow with Takua trudging through the snow, INSISTING he's okay and is doing fine on his own. Kopaka just smirks and keeps a slow pace so Takua’s not left behind, and then carries him when the little guy falls deeper in the snow

Pohatu racing through Po-Koro/Wahi with Takua holding onto him for dear life, but also having the time of his life and, if the two need to stop for the night, sharing tales/stories they picked up on in the day-to-day, like Pohatu telling a story a bet he made with Tahu and won. Takua tells the story of how he got Pewku and managed to convince Jaller to let him keep her, though also had to hide her from Jaller for, like, a week

Tahu finding Takua as he's sightseeing alone for the umpteenth time and first giving him a light scare before making sure the Chronicler doesn't die. While with him, he has to carry him around simply because he doesn't trust Takua's sense of balance. There are "older brother" antagonistic moments of him(Tahu) messing with Takua's mask to prove his point that Takua either needs it abmdjusted or needs a mask that will actually fit him

Gali in the waters of Ga-Koro seeing Takua speaking with Ga-Matoran and just sneaking after him Jaws style until she slips out of the water and... ends up losing him. Not really, though, because he pops out from behind a rock to surprise her, and also as a "gotcha" for trying to surprise him. This is an idea I liked from someone else and just fitting it in: They're both heading to Kini Nui, Gali to meditate and Takua to see if there's anything new to Chronicle. After a while, Gali finds Takua sitting nearby and trying to meditate as well, but is either having trouble sitting still or has just fallen asleep. She just picks him up and holds him as she continues to meditate

[randomwriteronline]

Do you think love can bloom even despite Greg Farshtey if we don't have mouths between two sets 15 years apart?

so a friend got me a g2 Kopaka--

Mata Pohatu was a gift from my beloved beautiful chum @cantankerouscanuck and when i went to pick up my other boy my friend n i ended up doin a lil photoshoot at their house bc i couldnt resist trying to make them kiss, which was Fucking Hard due to the mata build's terrible posability but thank god Pohatu's got at least one loose leg and Kopaka has many more joints and is so stable. homeboy was holding this whole thing together all by himself like the gallant gentleman he is

my only regret is not having a proper camera with cool lenses and all to properly devote an insane amount of effort to this stupid thing... have a documentation of our tribulations under the cut instead XD

first problem we incurred in (aside from my shaky ass hands making some pictures blurry) was the height difference.

it doesnt look terrible bc kopakas got his knees bent in the photo but effectively the only way pohatu got to his face was by standing on his tippy toes, and while his steel toed boots did give him the added cms necessary they did NOT let him stand on his own, so either we held him up or he fell over even when propped against a wall. we tried pinning him to the wall with kopaka but he still slipped so both cute ideas had to go down the drain

(we also tried a classic kabedon pose but kopakas fucking pauldrons SUCK for arm mobility so tragically, that was also scrapped)

the good news was however that they COULD hold hands! sorta. kinda. im still counting it. the mata hands have axels for fingers, so they fit snugly in the handpieces the 2015 gang has :)

only problem with it is that

straight in the tits.

(me trying to browse a tag in peace but overly horny fanart pops up)

BUT ANYWAYS. the hand holding did provide some stability and so we started trying out poses by seeing how far we could tilt pohatu while keeping him standing - this because he has another problem, that being that his head bobs up and down with no way to keep it up or down on its own, so we had to work with gravity

came out a lil foreboding, like kopaka is threatening him. but we're getting closer!

thankfully me being a big ol sap helped in figuring out how to make the whole thing more tender bc i love that shit. so we decided to push pohatu's loose leg out to balance him and one of his arms up, like he was reaching for kopaka's mask, which was also very good bc kopaka's hand lodged itself right between pohatu's tiny elbow and hip so he looked like he was wrapping it around his waist. then we adjusted them a lil bit, teaked them here n there, and

OH YEAH.

OH YEAH BABY WERE GETTING SOMEWHERE NOW

we had to uh. briefly stop. and laugh really hard for a second bc pohatus entire head fell off. i dont have photos for that but it was so sudden and unexpected that we had a fit of hysteric giggles

as you can see however, their faces are Not touching. this is due to the aforementioned problem with the Mata neck, plus the fact that kopaka couldn't bend further down to close the gap on his own, though tbf cut him some slack hes already holding the both of them up as best as he can

so we meddled a lil bit to pull pohatu more upright and strengthen kopakas pose so they wouldnt topple over, considered a maskless version, scrapped it bc they looked VERY silly, and THEN. AT LAST

THE ELUSIVE BONKLE KISS..........

from as many angles n lightings as possible bc im Unwell

AND a cool version from the hand-holding side bc the transpieces look great and i find it very sweet :)

but yeah that was a fun time :D it was great and the lads have been untangled and retired on a shelf where theyll stay nice and tight hehe

hope yall enjoyed these, they were great fun to make and i think they came out really well despite my shitty hands and cameras. maybe ill do more or not, who knows ahah wait what was that.

that sound... its like. plastic smacking plastic... to mimic kissing...

you dont think... the bionicles... they couldnt... no...

oh... oh good heavens. oh theyre canoodling in there

[tahnok-kal]

Imagine if Bionicle had elemental strengths and weaknesses like Pokemon.

If the six Toa Mata had Pokemon-like weaknesses and resistances, Tahu would be in a bad spot.

Being a fire type, Gali, Onua and Pohatu would all kick Tahu's ass, and he'd only be super-effective against Kopaka.

On the flip side, despite Ice being a lame type, Kopaka would be super-effective against Lewa and Onua. Kopaka has no resistances though. Good thing he has a shield.

Ground types are normally good but Kopaka, Lewa and Gali are all super effective against him, but he does score against Pohatu and Tahu. That being said, Onua has no resistance to Tahu's fire attacks while Pohatu and Gali do, and Onua can't do anything to Lewa.

Fuck you, Lewa is a flying type. That being said, Lewa's weaknesses to Kopaka and Pohatu kinda suck but at least he's completely immune to Onua.

Pohatu would be pretty balanced, being super-effective against Kopaka, Tahu and Lewa, but struggling against Gali and Onua. He doesn't resist Kopaka, but Pohatu likes Kopaka and doesn't want to resist him.

Gali would come out on top with ease. Super-effective against Onua, Pohatu and Tahu and resists Kopaka and Tahu, while dealing neutral damage to Lewa.

[kanohivolitakk]

 God I’m thinking just about. How fucking awful the character prioritizing in Ignition (more specifically in 06/07 with the Inika/Mahri) was. Especially when compared to rest of the team

Like w Toa Mata/Nuva they all were more or less on the same level in regards to importance and characterization. Yeah one could argue that Tahu got the “posterboy privilegie”, but that was moreso in promotional stuff and in Journeys End/the final arc. In the main story proper the Toa Mata/Nuva have about the same amount of screentime/importance and the story doesn’t really divide the toa in any way. What helps the matters is that different toa get focus in different arcs: for instance Kopaka was the first character introduced in the comics and thus has a great focus in the first comic volume, but come Mask of Light he is playing a supporting role. Onua gets the least amount of screentime and focus, but it’s only slightly less compared to his brothers, so it’s relatively more forgiveable.

With Metru Vakama’s like. Clearly the protagonist and above the rest of the team by mile, but rest of the team is on par with importance with each other, with equal amount of screentime and characterization. Sure, Whenua and Nuju get sidelined a bit compared to the others, but both of them got to be in focus in Voyage of Fear and Maze of Shadows respectively, so it’s not like they are completely forgotten. Overall Metru did a good job balancing it’s main cast, even in spite of having a clear protagonist.

And then with Inika/Mahri. Dear god. So Matoro is clearly the protagonist, with Jaller getting close second billing. Hahli is relatively important both as the token girl™ but also as being the toa of water of course she’s going to matter in the underwater arc. But then the other three are just. completely sidelined. They barely get any focus and all the unique characterized are completely stripped away or toned down. Just what the fuck happened here? Nuparu, Kongu and Hewiki barely matter and are only used either as comic relief or in the fights. But like they barely contribute anythiing meaningful to the plot or get any meaningful character moments (even by Bionicle standards, ad like I said a few times, the series isn’t exactly the most character driven.)

So like. I like Ignition a lot and I think it has a lot of super cool characters but just. The way they balance their toa team is so awful compared to the rest. One thing I really like in Bionicle is how, when compared to other media that focuses on a team/group of characters, they actually balance their team pretty well. A lot of the times there’s clearly one or two characters who are the main parts of the group, with the rest fading to the background. But for the most part Bionicle avoided this and attempted to give everyone an even presence and importance. So to see Ignition drop the ball with this aspect is honestly really saddening.

[sepublic]

At the end of Web of Shadows, Keetongu suggests that the Toa can just as easily retain their Hordika forms and continue embracing them, after learning to reconcile with the ‘beast’ inside. While the Toa say no for their own reasons, I think that’s a really fascinating concept and implication; That there have been Hordika who were able to make peace with their forms and retain their identities, while still making the most of their transformed bodies.

At the very least, it’s a totally feasible idea; Keetongu has the ability to literally see the good and evil in others after all. And I don’t think he suggested this just to ‘test’ the Toa, given this entire film they’ve been pushing against those transformations; I don’t think it’s matter of seeing if they can resist the temptation or not. There IS a sort of ‘temptation’ in giving into one’s primal urges, but aside from that, maintaining a balance with the beast within is also possible, and it’s definitely where the Rahaga are sort of left off before this was changed in the serials.

So yeah, I think that’s a cool idea; That some victims of the Visorak ultimately learned to embrace their Hordika forms, and make the most of them. They don’t want to be cured anymore because to them, there is nothing to be cured; Either because their form brings new abilities, and/or because they’re already comfortable in this body. I guess one could equate it to living with a disability or condition of some kind, although this isn’t one-to-one of course, and depends on individual examples; Some people are genuinely faster and stronger and want that, while still maintaining their minds.

Because let’s be real, some of us would love to be monsters, so it’s cool that the story keeps this open as an option that isn’t necessarily bad for you. And I appreciate Keetongu’s respect for consent here, given this all boils down to one’s relationship and agency over their bodies; Do they intend to reclaim it by returning to their old body, or by embracing the changes? I like it a lot, and I wish we could’ve seen at least one character who went that route of staying Hordika and co-existing with that part of themselves.

At most all I can think of is Vican, who isn’t Hordika but was mutated; But he chose to stay that way as a punishment and reminder to himself. I want to see someone who sticks with their mutation solely because it’s awesome and they genuinely prefer it over their old body! And I’d like to see them framed as not some sort of power-hungry maniac for doing so, as a madman who’d sacrifice their Bionicle equivalent of ‘humanity’ to achieve strength; It’s their choice and it’s a totally valid way of life!

Plus, one can only imagine how the story might’ve changed if at least one Toa chose to remain Hordika; Could they have still imbued Toa power to awaken the Matoran via Rhotuka, and become a Turaga Hordika? Which Toa Mata would most benefit story wise from having a beast mentor- Lewa, given his connection to animals and nature? It’d be ironic yet fitting that Matau, the one who openly complained the most about his mutation and it’s effects on his appearance, would be the one to embrace it in the end...!

And I can see Nuju retaining it, given how he goes on to talk like a Rahi, because he wants to encourage people to put in the effort to communicate with him; Being an animal and having the Matoran overcome this difference anyhow would help that, and be interesting then for the asocial Kopaka. Then there’s Whenua, who loves Rahi, Onewa with his connection to Krahka, and Vakama might keep the Hordika form as a teaching moment for another arrogant Toa leader... When the time comes for him to actually talk about his past of course. In which case everyone forsaking the Hordika mutation might be necessary to hide the truth, so as to avoid questions on someone’s backstory and why the other Turaga aren’t the same.

[tiredspacedragon]

BIONICLE Retrospective

2001: Quest for the Masks

Part 4: Bionicle Synopsis, Chapters 1-10

So who else knows about the Wall of History and all the Bionicle media you can find there and apparently nowhere else? Yeah, I'm not entirely sure of the purpose of this Synopsis, or when it was written (apparently by Greg Farshtey), but part of it covers 2001, so here I am to cover it.

(More beneath the cut)

Given that it's a synopsis, there isn't exactly much to discuss, though. The 10 chapters are divided into 5 pairs, with the first chapter of each pair being a more general piece, providing background lore or updates on the state of the Toa's quest, while the second chapter would then portray a specific scene related to the prior description/loredump. The most interesting tidbits to me were the continued presence of 2001 Tahu, the fact that Tahu 100% did see Takua when he looked back at him in that iconic MNOG scene, and that Lewa claimed one of his Kanohi from a cave after defeating the Muaka guarding it.

However, the final chapter of the Synopsis is Greg Farshtey's rendition of the Shadow Toa encounter, and it's great. I'll go into more depth on my thoughts on the two different versions of this fight when I reach it in Tale of the Toa, but for now I will praise this one for being well-written. The Shadow Toa all prey on their counterparts' deepest fears, and it's a lovely piece of characterization. Here's some analysis:

Tahu: Ambition - Tahu's counterpart taunts him with the image of his leadership twisted into tyranny. His worst fear is that his own ambition could grow out of control, that he could become a dictator who would either rule Mata Nui with an iron fist, or burn it to the ground if it did not submit. Ironically, he fears becoming like Makuta, one who enforces their will through terror and destruction.

Gali: Carelessness - Gali's counterpart attempts to tempt her into using her power without regard for the world around her, to ignore the balance of the oceans and rivers and divert them as she sees fit. Fitting, given that Gali is portrayed as the Toa most in touch with the natural world.

Kopaka: Rejection - Shadow Kopaka peels back the Ice Toa's layers, exposing the darker reasons for his solitary nature. Kopaka fears that if he allows others to grow close to him, they will be disgusted and leave him, or worse that he will fail them. His solitude is, at least in part, a defense mechanism, both to protect himself and others.

Onua: Power/Jealousy - This is an interesting one. Shadow Onua tries to coax Onua into releasing his full strength, to abandon the Toa's quest and reshape the world according to his whims. The illusion tries to tempt the Toa of Earth by telling him he may even be powerful enough to reach up and pull down the sun, darkening the world so that his eyes would no longer be blinded by sunlight, so that he may walk the surface in comfort as the others do. It would seem that Onua's deepest fear is that he may someday succumb to his jealousy, unleashing his full power to create a world just for him.

Lewa: Duty-shirking - Lewa's double encourages the Toa of Air to give in to his desire for adventure, to abandon the others and walk his own path. Lewa's fear, it would seem, is that he will foresake his duty and vanish into the wind, vanishing when the world needs him most.

Pohatu: Worthlessness - Pohatu is the one Toa who is unaffected by his shadow double. Shadow Pohatu attempts to make Pohatu give into despair, comparing him unfavourably to his teammates. Pohatu on some level, is afraid that he has little value on the team, but is able to use this fear as fuel to better himself and move forward, and thus is able to help the others accept the darkness in themselves, as well. Good guy Pohatu.

That's all for now. The Synopsis continues throughout 2002 and 2003, so I'll get back to it when I go over those years. As for now, on to...oh dear.

Next up: Bionicle Chronicles 1: Tale of the Toa

[starshipmatanui]

Year 4 Winter Canisters

The Toa are now almost a totally solidified team. There is still issues between Tahu and Kopaka that are resolved in this year. They have been reoutfitted for their journey into the flooded underworld. They now resemble the Toa Mahri somewhat, with the scuba theme, though their elemental affiliations are still evident in their design beyond just colouration.

Lewa, Toa of Air: Has struck the perfect balance of fun loving while taking the mission seriously. Their main flaw is resolved. Armed with a double blades spear.

Kopaka, Toa of Ice: Their attempt to wrest the team off Tahu has failed and now Kopaka's loner nature comes to the forefront and leaves the team to operate by themselves, leading them into the clutches of Makuta and isolating them. Armed with twin cutter claws.

Gali, Toa of Water: Is still trying to keep the team together, and dislikes splitting up. Their inability to see the merit of dividing their resources to cover more ground is grating the other Toa. Armed with a harpoon.

Tahu, Toa of Fire: After their incident with Roodaka, Tahu has stopped being so tyrannical with his leadership. They are fair handed and asks everyone’s opinions, even to Kopaka who rebukes him. Armed with a sword.

Onua, Toa of Earth: Their wisdom is still important to the team, though their capacity to begin pondering the great thoughts still annoys them when they should be working. Armed with an aqua blaster blade.

Pohatu, Toa of Stone: Character development done and flaw resolved. Pohatu is now decisive and makes decisions based on their merit rather than arbitrary middling. Armed with a halberd.

[bumbledees]

what’s up everybody it has NOT been two years since i promised to write this fic! fuck yeah! i’m as surprised as anyone.

anyways this fic is a follow-up to “Maternity”, as requested by the lovely @ghost-mantis and based off of their adorable Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers post!

well, it was sort of requested? when people say they wish something existed i do my best to fulfill the space waiting for it. like a fairy godmother, but with self-indulgent fanfiction. actually this fanfiction is just as self-indulgent for me. so i’m my own fairy godmother, i guess. just take it from me, i don’t know what i’m talking about anymore.

Family

In which the Agori need a little help, the Matoran don’t mind chipping in, and the Toa are surprisingly good at this. It turns out when you’re coded to protect and defend smaller creatures who depend on you, it translates pretty well to babysitting. In some cases more so than others.

[The sequel to “Maternity”. The biomech community tries to help their new neighbors out.  Takanuva is supposed to write about it, but he doesn’t know where to start. Who better to ask for help than the Toa Nuva? Probably anyone, actually.

Featuring Taka never not being a chronicler, Lewa finally discovering what exhaustion feels like, and Pohatu’s permanent acquisition of a child. Also some lowkey pre-anything K/P and T/G, because [Ron Swanson voice] I can do what I want. You might as well count O/L in there too, because after reading currentlyunknown’s work I have a really hard time picturing them otherwise.

A BIG thank you to @outofgloom and their work with the Matoran language! According to their incredible PDF, ‘peki’ means shard, fragment, or pebble.]

“I’m dying, brothers. Don’t let them put me under the low-ground. Throw my body into the wind.” 

“You’re not dying,” Onua said, patting Lewa on the mask. The Air Toa was draped over the Earth Toa’s shoulders in a perfect imitation of the tiny Agori currently napping on Onua’s lap. “You’re just tired.” 

“It feels like dying.”

“This is how you make the rest of us feel all the time,” Kopaka said.

Onua frowned at him, but Lewa seemed too out of it to pay any attention to anything that wasn’t his own misery. 

Takanuva tapped the end of his carving tool on the slab he was working on. Turaga Whenua had forcibly recruited him to help with his new project, a museum on the history of the Matoran and the Agori, and put Takanuva in charge of ‘recording present events from a Toa’s perspective’. This meant what was happening in the settlements right now, as well as everything after what the Agori called the Time of Renewal, and Ackar called ‘I’m Not Getting Any More Rest, Ever’. 

“Let it be known,” Whenua had said proudly, “That we stepped in to help where we could.” 

Takanuva was happy to be writing again, but he had no clue what Whenua wanted him to write about. Matoran and Agori reporters were covering the gradual cultural intersection just fine on their own.

He’d thought hanging around the older half of the resident Toa population would provide some inspiration, but so far all the Toa Nuva were interested in doing was taking a well-earned break from settlement patrols and, oddly enough, babysitting. 

“I don’t know how the Matoran do it,” Lewa said. 

The Matoran had become the primary guardians of the baby Agori while their parents were working. On top of not replicating biologically, Matoran needed less food and less water than the Agori due to having fewer organic parts. This made them perfect candidates to watch young Agori while mothers and fathers farmed, hunted, or crafted. 

Most Matoran Takanuva knew had taken to the job with delight. After so long being protected under various teams of Toa, many of them relished being the protector, and basked in the adoration the young Agori gave them. 

This did not excuse the Toa from new Agori-related duties, as there was hardly a safer place to leave your child than with a trained warrior. Takanuva had seen the Toa’s reactions to this vary. 

“It’s easy,” Tahu told Lewa, waving a hand. “Just make up fake quests for them to go on.”

“Like what the Turaga did to us?” Lewa grumbled.

“That’s different,” Tahu said, but with wavering confidence. 

After his first, rather graphic brush with new life, Toa Tahu had been skittish for a while. Even now, babies were not his thing. However, he’d turned out to be fine with young children who could follow him on mini-adventures and look at him with blatant hero-worship. Privately, Taka was sure that several Agori were going to grow up with a disproportionate idea of what the Toa Nuva of Fire was capable of, but the children were happy and Takanuva had to admit that none of them received so much as a scratch when Tahu was around. 

“You shouldn’t be doing that all the time anyways,” Onua said.

Onua took to guardianship with pleased patience. He was the safe harbor children went to when they were scared or tired. Agori parents liked him because he always managed to teach his tiny companions a lesson they would have otherwise resisted. 

“You get them when they’re tired,” Lewa grumbled. “You don’t have to do anything.”

Agori parents also liked Lewa. The Air Toa was excitable and tended to lead his charges into mud and brambles, but he could entertain them for hours and leave them utterly worn out when they returned to their parents, who were then blessed with a sleepy, obedient child. This also left the Toa Nuva with a very tired Air Toa, which suited them equally well. 

“I’m with Onua on this,” Kopaka said. “You two are oversimplifying it.”

Kopaka was adored by the young Agori for a reason none of the Toa could quite figure out, including the Ice Toa himself. He wasn’t sharp or dismissive to the children who tagged along after him, but always looked a little bit out of his depth and as if he’d like someone to come and give him a break, please. Gali said it was teaching him humility and gentleness. Tahu said it was funny, and probably also karma.

“The children seem happy enough with them,” Gali said. “We are just babysitting.”

For her part, Gali was a wonderful guardian. She took her tiny charges to ponds and beaches, taught them about the water, and made sure they had time to nap and plenty to drink. On paper, she seemed to be the perfect parent, which was probably due to the fact that she had no interest in being one.

“They’re sweet,” she’d told Takanuva once, “But I’m always a little relieved when they go.” She preferred being able to connect on a more sophisticated level with her villagers, interacting with the children in passing or when their parents were around and she didn’t have to mother them.

Pohatu—currently absent from the group—was probably the most parent-like of all the Toa, when it came right down to it. He taught the Agori children Kolhi, didn’t let them eat too many sweets, and talked to them in a way none of the others could fully master—not like he talked to his Matoran, but not like one would talk to a Rahi pup, either. 

It probably came from Peki.

Orphans weren’t uncommon. Just because Bara Magna was safer now didn’t mean no one died. Some non-Agori couples, such as Hewkii and Macku, had taken to adopting parentless children into their lives, mimicking the Agori definition of ‘family’. 

Pohatu had no such prequalification for taking in Peki. She was a rock tribe Agori who had lost her parents to Bone Hunters in a violent way, and had fought anyone who tried to care for her afterwards like a small, traumatized feral cat. Shuttled from house to house, the main settlement had been at wits end of what to do with her when Pohatu had volunteered to watch her for a while, if only because it was harder for her to bite through his armor than through the Agori’s organic parts. 

Peki’s behavior had only gotten worse for a few weeks. She hid under furniture, screamed herself hoarse, and rebuffed every attempt at affection he offered her. He hadn’t given up, however, and slowly but surely, the tiny Agori began to trust him.

She followed him around chattering now, tugged him to the places she wanted to go, and sat on his shoulders for piggyback rides. She played well with other children, and didn’t start crying when people said hello to her anymore. If Pohatu had had any hesitations about becoming a full-time parent, it was too late; he’d been thoroughly adopted. 

The stone Toa, though, seemed as happy about it as Peki was. Tahu had remarked rather pointedly that it was probably because Pohatu had experience with tantrum-throwing, unaffectionate types, and that it was a pity Kopaka hadn’t turned out to be as sweet as Peki. Kopaka had flash-frozen his feet to the ground in response.

There was an incoming shriek that pulled Takanuva from his thoughts, and a small Agori was running pell-mell towards them, before hurtling itself at the Toa of Ice.   

Kopaka swung Peki up onto his shoulders with easy strength. He was a little more comfortable with Peki than with the other Agori children, probably due to the sheer amount of time he spent around her and her guardian.

“News from Turaga Onewa,” the Stone Toa in question said, arriving a few steps behind his charge. “There’s a group of settlers packing up and heading west.”

“How is that our business?” Tahu asked, blunt as ever. 

“Some Matoran are accompanying them,” Pohatu said, and all of the Toa turned to focus on him immediately. So far, the Matoran had stayed with their Toa and Turaga, not wandering any farther than the edge of the main settlement.

“From which villages?” Onua was already fretting. “Will they be all right? Who will protect them?”

“Maybe a Glatorian will go,” Tahu said, but he sounded just as worried. “Like Ackar.”

“If Ackar takes on anything else I think he’ll keel over,” Pohatu said. “And Kiina will just laugh at anyone who asked her. Anyways, it’s mainly ice tribe Agori and Ko-Matoran.”

“That’s a mixture,” Takanuva remarked. Unlike the Ko-Matoran, Ice Tribe Agori were a social bunch. 

“I think the idea is that they can balance each other out,” Pohatu said, but he looked as concerned as Takanuva felt.

“Maybe Kopaka will get shipped off with them,” Tahu said, and the gathering went quiet. Even the Fire Toa looked uncomfortable with his remark, but unsure of how to take it back. Despite their bickering, none of the Toa Nuva liked the idea of being away from each other for too long.

“I sincerely hope I do not,” Kopaka said at last, almost softly. 

Peki was waving happily to Takanuva over Kopaka’s shoulder, and Takanuva waved back, grateful for a distraction from the awkward silence. 

“Kohli,” Peki said. It was her favorite word, alongside ‘up’, ‘why’, and ‘no’. She turned to the Toa holding her. “C’mon, ’Paka, play!”

“Later,” the Ice Toa said, seeming to shake off the silence. “Pohatu, why didn’t Turaga Nuju tell me about this?”

“Too busy training a children’s birdspeak choir, probably,” Pohatu said, in an effort to lighten the mood. “I don’t know, Kopaka,” he amended when Kopaka frowned. “I don’t think the Turaga knew about it, either.”

“Our Matoran can make decisions on their own,” Gali said. “We knew that.”

“Yes,” Lewa said. “But they’re our Matoran. What will happen when they leave us?”

There was another silence, less awkward and more upset.

Onua sighed. “Things are changing.”

Lewa hid his face in Onua’s shoulder. “I don’t like it.”

“It’s unavoidable,” Onua said. “The present must become the past.”

Kopaka and Tahu rolled their eyes as one.

“I know I shouldn’t be worried,” Pohatu said. “But I am anyways.”

“Separation anxiety?” Takanuva offered. One of the Agori working at the museum had taught him the phrase. “Like when your child leaves the nest.”

“We don’t have nests, and the Matoran aren’t our children,” Tahu said matter-of-factly, and Takanuva wondered, not for the first time, how the Toa Nuva functioned as well as they did in Agori society.  

“You still care for them, though,” he said, instead. “We still care for them. Even though we know they can fend for themselves, we’re still worried.” He tapped his carving tool thoughtfully on the side of his mask. “I think we’re a little like parents that way.”

“There are some similarities,” Onua agreed. “But I think Pohatu’s the only one who truly bears that label.”

“Ice-brother, too,” Lewa said.

“Why me?” The Ice Toa asked, sounding offended. Peki stuck her fingers in his mouth, and he removed them automatically, unconscious of the motion.

“I’m going to let you long-think on that one,” Lewa said. He closed his eyes. “If we don’t have any more guard-walks today, I’m going to sleep.”

“Naps and babysitting,” Tahu said. “We’re becoming Agori. Next thing you know, one of us will get married.”

“Probably you and Gali,” Lewa said.

“I thought you were going to sleep,” Gali said, while Tahu made a noise like an embarrassed, vengeful teakettle. 

“Yes, I am. Sleep tight.” Lewa slid off of Onua’s shoulder, curling up behind the Earth Toa. “Don’t let the shield-bugs bite.”

“Goodnight,” Onua said.

“To be a true-fact, it would be ‘good afternoon’,” Lewa said.

“Do you need some assistance sleeping?” Kopaka asked. “Say, a fist to the mask?”

“Kopaka,” Pohatu said, in a tone that made Takanuva think that Tahu was right about the marriage thing.

“Oh,” Takanuva said, realizing what he needed to write about.

“What have you found, Chronicler?” Onua asked, and Lewa’s head reappeared over his shoulder.

“Present events from a Toa’s perspective,” Takanuva said.  “I know what Turaga Whenua wants me to write.”

“A story about fire-brother and water-sister’s upcoming marriage?” Lewa asked.

“Lewa,” Pohatu said. “Go to sleep.”

“Well, actually,” Takanuva began, and then backpedaled at the expressions on their faces. “Uhm, not that specifically! Just how things are changing. How we’re changing, as Toa, and how we’re staying the same.”

Peki had gotten bored of poking at Kopaka’s mask, and reached for Pohatu, who took her back with the same no-thought motion that Kopaka had used earlier. 

“I don’t think we’ve changed that much,” Onua said.

“That’s kind of my point,” Takanuva said.

“’Hatu,” Peki said, using her nickname for her guardian. “Play Kohli!”

“She’s definitely meant to be your child,” Gali said.

“All right,” Pohatu said, setting her down. “Who’s up for a match?”

“As long as I’m not playing against you,” Tahu said. 

“’Paka too,” Peki said, and Pohatu laughed. “You might not have a choice,” he said. 

“I’ll play with Lewa, then,” Tahu grumbled. 

“He’s asleep,” Onua said, checking on him.

“Are you serious?” 

“I’ll be on your team,” Gali told him fondly. “Takanuva, are you playing?” 

“Of course,” he said, getting to his feet. It had been too long since there had been a Kohli stick in his hand—or at least, one that hadn’t been transformed into a Toa tool. He knew what he was writing now, and could come back to it.

“Taka Taka Taka,” Peki chattered at him. “Up!” 

He picked her up and spun her around, making her laugh. Being a Toa wasn’t entirely translatable to parenthood—if a Toa had treated him as a Matoran the way they treated the Agori children, he would have been embarrassed and furious. It was hard to imagine any of the other Matoran he knew putting up with it, either. 

But it was also hard to imagine Matoran and Toa without each other. He hadn’t missed the hurt in Kopaka’s voice when he’d asked why Turaga Nuju hadn’t told him about some of his Matoran moving. 

“Okay, down,” Peki said, and took off for the Ice Toa the moment he set her on the ground. In a fashion that would have been utterly strange when they first arrived on Bara Magna, the grumpy Toa of Ice smiled to see her approaching.

Things were changing, things that had stayed the same for tens of thousands of years. In another ten thousand, who knew if there would still be Toa?

“The earth never takes what it does not give back,” Onua said, from where he was sitting among several sleeping Agori babies and one sleeping Air Toa. He was looking at Takanuva as if he could tell what Taka was thinking. “What we lose, we get in return.”

Takanuva watched Pohatu bounce a ball from one knee to the other, Peki clapping her hands in delight. The Stone Toa bounced the ball to Kopaka, who yelped and punched it with his fist in surprise. Tahu was cackling. Gali was trying hard not to laugh. 

“We’ve sort of got our own family, if you think about it,” Takanuva said.

“The more things change, the more things stay the same,” Onua said. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll stay here and sleep.”

“Is that what you do while they’re all napping?” Takanuva asked, incredulous.

The Earth Toa simply smiled, and closed his eyes.

Shaking his head, Takanuva went to join the rest of his family in a game of Kohli.

[tiredspacedragon]

Hmm. In my head it’s more like 

Pohatu=Onua>Gali>Tahu=Lewa>Kopaka

Pohatu and Onua are unquestionably the strongest. Canonically, Pohatu is the stronger of the two, but I quite like the idea that’s been thrown around in the notes that the two have different kinds of strength, rather than one being stronger/weaker than the other. Pohatu can put more force behind blows. He’s more explosive, good at breaking things, but not as great with continuous effort, which is appropriate given his mask. He’s a sprinter, incredibly powerful in short bursts, but struggles more with continuous effort.

Onua is far stronger than Pohatu when using his mask, but without it, he does lag behind a little. He can’t produce the same kind of explosive power that the Toa of Stone can. But ,while Pohatu struggles with extended exertion, Onua thrives in it. When Onua wants something moved, it will be moved. No matter how long it takes, nothing can resist Onua’s power forever. You can even see it in their Mata sets. Pohatu is lanky, but his fists and feet are armoured. He’s built for blows. Meanwhile, Onua has thicker thighs and a broader chest. His strength comes from his core and he’s built for power rather than kinetic force. Basically, Stone is harder, but the movement of the Earth has more drastic effects, if that makes sense?

Next is Gali, and she’s a swimmer, so she’s obviously ripped. Honestly, even if the movie versions of the characters are accurate and Ga-characters are slimmer than their male counterparts, I’m 100% sure they’re all strong as hell. You wouldn’t necessarily think it at first, since they’re usually portrayed as contemplative peacekeepers, but Ga-folk are definitely swol. Again, in her Mata set, we see that Gali is broad-shouldered and has powerful legs. Definitely strong girl.

Next I would rank Tahu and Lewa pretty close to each other. While I love the idea of Tahu being built to be a spell-caster and using a sword anyway, the two aren’t mutually exclusive. An ideal swordsman places more emphasis on speed and agility than raw strength, just as a good spell-slinger should if they want to not die, and we see Tahu display his agility several times, not to mention his incredible balance. He is broad-shouldered, but more lean than anything else, so he has a great build for both close-quarters sword fighting and long-range fireball-throwing, both of which he’s very good at.

Lewa, on the other hand, is noticeably slimmer than Tahu, but I don’t think he’s much weaker. Again, like with Pohatu and Onua, I think these two are strong in different areas. Lewa is a twink, but he’s an agile twink, and agility requires a certain degree of strength, so he’s definitely not a beanpole. But most of his muscle is dedicated to making him move as best as possible, while Tahu strikes a balance between agility and more traditional strength. So the two may have identical strength scores, but they’ve distributed the points differently, with Lewa choosing to specialize while Tahu goes for a balanced build that affords him more options.

And lastly, there’s Kopaka. I’m naturally inclined to put Kopaka low because he’s portrayed as being slim like Lewa, but I have other reasons. While trudging through snow all the time and carrying lots of equipment would make you pretty hefty, we know Kopaka cheats at it. He has complete power over the snow, so he can probably pull a Legolas and just walk on top of the stuff, or move it out of his way. we see him moving gracefully about Ko-Wahi while Pohatu struggles with the snow all the time, which could mean that Kopaka’s just better at it, or it could mean it’s simply easier for him since he doesn;t need to abide by the normal rules of snow. And we see in Tales of the Masks that he struggles with the snow without his elemental powers, which just makes it more likely that he doesn;t usually bother with trudging through it. Plus, his original shield had holes in it to make it lighter, which I assume he filled in with a layer of ice in combat, and his blades were always thin and light, so all his equipment wasn’t that heavy. Kopaka never displays any particular talent for acrobatics; I see his gracefulness lying more in fluid, precise movements. He relies on ensuring every one of his blows counts rather than powering through. And given his shield, he’s probably a defensive fighter that wouldn’t be able to handle many direct blows. Ice can be fragile, and so can Kopaka. He’s like a skater, moving across the ground lightly, sliding in and out of his opponent’s range as he makes quick, precise attacks. So yeah, Kopaka isn’t all that strong, in Toa terms, because his fighting style and powers don’t require him to be. 

That’s how I interpret the characters, anyway :P

nawbut, the musculature/strength rating for the toa mata should have been

Onua=Pohatu>Kopaka=Gali>Tahu>Lewa

Onua and Pohatu are both strongbois, with Pohatu naturally being strong, and Onua quickly catching up and possibly surpassing him,  

Kopaka drudges through snow all day, and is prolly a hefty boi with a shitton of equipment that is still remarkably agile, 

Gali swims all day, and can swing a hook fast enough underwater to cut things, and boi, really thick legs,

Tahu is a dumbass that was built to be a spell castor, but grabbed a sword anyway, and Lewa is a damn twink

[sepublic]

I have to wonder if Lego cutting Bionicle G1’s budget was a self-fulfilling prophecy, because that meant less plastic available to put in each piece; As a result sockets were redesigned to be thinner, and thus much more fragile. And if kids and parents hear about how easily these Bionicle toys break, it just discourages previous or potential buyers from getting more... Which means less sales, and thus LESS plastic budget, and so forth.

Because holy shit the 2008 joints onwards are so easy to break, it’s genuinely frustrating and kills off my playing and building experience entirely, because I gotta be delicate when playing; And I can’t freely separate and pop joints together for fear of breaking them, so that just discourages any attempts at building. Seriously, who redesigned G1’s joints?!!? Joints go through the most wear and tear and friction of any piece, they regularly bend; Their elasticity and durability is indisputable. They are the parts that NEED to be the most sturdy, the pieces you can’t cut corners on the plastic quality with. I want to talk to that person, hear what the hell they were thinking and why they thought it was a good idea for the joints to have less plastic, and not parts of other pieces that don’t go through as much stress. That seems like the worst possible mistake a Lego designer can do.

By comparison, Hero Factory and Bionicle G2 were MUCH more engaging; What they lacked in lore they made up for in better toys, because CCBS limbs are so much sturdier than G1’s pieces have ever been. With CCBS, I actually feel inclined to get rough with the sets, to take them apart and experiment to my heart’s content! And so like in theory I get why some people lament the loss of the previous building system, but let’s be real, CCBS wins so many points just by sheer longevity and replayability. CCBS feels more like Lego not just for the smoother and more modular aesthetic, but because I can actually play with CCBS like it’s Lego, by regularly taking things apart and putting them back together.

So I get the love for Bionicle’s lore and aesthetics, believe me I’m obsessed too; But when it comes to toys, coming from someone whose first set was Zaktan (before I had it returned and replaced with Thok due to a missing foot piece), I genuinely think Hero Factory and G2’s were better... I have much more fond memories with their toys. I’m fairly certain Lego’s attempts to recuperate money by changing the joints just shot themselves in the foot, and ruined sales and profit even more. You gotta balance the budget for quality that ensures buyers, after all; You can’t decrease it too much or else people just won’t buy, and then it doesn’t matter what you save on budget.

(Ironically however, my Thok has remained pretty intact compared to my subsequent sets; Meanwhile the sealed Kopaka Mata and Lehvak-Kal I opened had their joints begin to fracture, a few years after playing with them. Hence why I’m baffled by claims that 2001-2003 joints were G1’s most durable.)

[whiteheartlight]

it's true that in comparison to Kopaka and Nuju, Matoro definitely appears to be the sweet, friendly Toa of Ice, but that man could self-isolate in a way that Kopaka and Nuju couldn't even dream of matching. I feel like the others are all "hard icy outside, soft snowy inside if you can melt your way down to it awww" but Matoro is just "soft snowy outside, SIXTEEN MILES OF FROZEN SECRETS AND EMOTIONS AND A LITTLE BIT OF VIOLENT ANGER INSIDE" and then way way way down deep is another little soft center he never really let anybody see.

I mean obviously he has the issues with keeping secrets, but as they went along Matoro also began to self-isolate in terms of communicating what he wanted and needed from his teammates. He doesn't talk to Jaller about feeling unsure about Jaller's leadership, he doesn't talk to much of anyone about his freaky zombie mask even when it scares him, and he doesn't talk to any of them about needing some support over how much he had to deal with. In particular the reason that so much tension and confusion about leadership develops between Jaller and Matoro is because Matoro had begun to think that he had so many issues that only he could deal with that Jaller was not fit to lead him. only Matoro was fit to lead himself because he refused to let anybody know what he needed and what he felt he had to do. He wouldn't share the burden of the Mask of Life with anyone even as it began to really hurt him, plus he should have told Hahli or one of the others about Maxilos being the Makuta much earlier. but he was new to this whole Toa thing and he never got the time he needed to recognize and act on his own self-isolation issues. If he could have, I know the others would have been so determined to be there again and he and Jaller would have found their balance again almost immediately. Jaller only ever wanted to be a good leader to him and Matoro never really found the confidence to allow Jaller to lead him. he deserved more time for that. for all of it.

[tiredspacedragon]

BIONICLE Retrospective

2001: Quest for the Masks

Part 6.6: 8536 Kopaka

No lie, these intros are the hardest part of these reviews. A major benefit to having tried this kind of retrospective before is that I've already written the bulk of the set review, like a year ago, and all I have to do is copy it, paste it, and then read through it to tweak/add anything I have new or different thoughts on. I'm loaded up all the way until 2003. These reviews will take longer to put out once I reach those sets, but even then, I'm willing to bet the bulk of them will be easier to write out than the intros. Because the intro has to be interesting enough without getting too into the meat of the set, and that's a fine line to try to balance on. Sometimes I find that balance, sometimes I skip it altogether and throw in a gag, and sometimes I get annoyed because TSD's brain no do the think-thunk and y'all get one of these spiels you really don't care about. And I don't blame you one bit.

Anyway, here's Kopaka, Toa of ice puns.

And so we move from the most unique of the Toa, to one of the most basic. Kopaka, the Toa of Ice, is cold, analytical, and stand-offish, in stark contrast to both Tahu and Lewa, to whom he is nearly identical in build. He even has the black chest-ball. Though, weird as it is, removing that ball from any of them makes them look incomplete and kinda naked.

Kopaka’s colour scheme is composed of white and light gray, meaning the black accents contrast sharply, but honestly, it works for him. The colours come together to make Kopaka look like a snowy mountaintop, with a thick covering of snow and cloudy skies. Not super icy, but definitely cold, and the blue eyes do add some iciness. The only downside is the white, because time is unfortunately not kind to white Lego. Mine is still pretty nice looking, but he’s definitely got a yellowish tinge to him.

His shoulders, like Lewa’s, are narrow, which suits Kopaka well. He’s an observer, preferring to stay back and analyze his opponents for weaknesses before ending fights quickly rather than relying on strength. Kopaka is likely the least physically powerful of the Toa as a result, though trudging through snow all day would certainly make him strong enough. Then again, as we'll learn by 2003, Kopaka cheats at snow, so perhaps not :P

Kopaka’s weapons continue to support this aspect of his character. His more patient, analytical personality, as well as his icy powers, place him in direct opposition to Tahu. They are polar opposites, and like most opposites, they’re actually quite similar. Kopaka carries a sword, just like Tahu, though it is a simpler blade, much less fancy. Not terribly icy, but an effective blade. Additionally, he carries a shield, showing that he is a more defensive fighter than sword-only Tahu. Well, as defensive as you can be with a shield full of holes. Maybe the holes are there to make the shield lighter while carrying it through the mountains, and Kopaka can fill the holes in with ice in combat.

I see Kopaka fighting like a fencer, darting in to strike quickly before raising his shield and backing off again to wait for another opening. I imagine a fight between him and Tahu would probably be quite evenly matched, though. Tahu, of course, does have a shield built into his mask, so both have swords and shields, though I imagine Tahu is fully competent at both attacking and defending with his sword. A battle between the two would probably involve Tahu swinging at Kopaka fruitlessly as Kopaka dodges him easily, waiting for his opportunity. Then, the Toa of Ice would strike, only to have his weapon batted aside as Tahu skillfully deflects with his own sword and resumes his attack. They’d probably carry on like that until either they passed out or Gali put a stop to things.

Kopaka wears the Kanohi Akaku, the Great Mask of X-Ray Vision, or simply the Mask of Vision as it is sometimes called, which allows him to see through solid objects and perceive that which is hidden. It's ironic. Kopaka can literally see straight through people, but he can’t see into them. Poor guy, self-confidence and abandonment issues are rough. Again, he and Tahu are more alike than they think.

The mask’s design is iconic, and its prominent eyepiece befits a Mask of Vision. I do find its roundness kind of strange, but its eye hole, along with the telescope, do succeed in making Kopaka look analytical and just a little judgemental. I also have a gold one, so that’s cool. (...I swear I didn't do that on purpose)

And so concludes the last of the Toa reviews. It feels right to start with Tahu and end with Kopaka, like coming full circle. Like Pohatu, Kopaka is another fan-favourite character, probably due to a combination of his favourable portrayal and the focus on him in both the comics and Tale of the Toa. Oh, and because a solid chunk of us Bonk fans (I'm willing to bet a mojority) are extreme introverts, so relatability.

Anyway, onward to Happy Meals!

Next up: The McToran

[whiteheartlight]

Toa Nuva and Toa Mahri really need to get to be friends like how you meet your cousins ten years since you've seen them last and suddenly they're old enough to hang out with you instead of tiny people. Hewkii and Pohatu are playing kolhii together from the get go and Hahli and Gali are so excited to see each other and spend hours talking and swimming together, but the others kind of have new relationship dynamics to figure out.

like Kongu's so happy to see Lewa again, but Lewa's been through a ton and he's really worn down and kind of sad. suddenly Kongu is the one who's trying to be cheerful and comforting all the time while Lewa's a little more serious and withdrawn. but he gets some energy back when he's around Kongu and his little brother helps him remember how he used to have fun, throwing parties and pulling pranks until they're the terrors of the camp (nobody minds if it means Lewa is laughing again). Onua and Nuparu embrace each other and get along just fine, but it's not til Nuparu starts sparring with other Toa for practice and then he and Onua get matched against each other that Nuparu starts feeling like he and Onua are really on the same level now - just tussling in the mud with another Earth Toa, hearing Onua laughing as they wrestle and fight. they end up doing a lot of practice fighting together, but more than anything they work on projects, Onua's wisdom and practical thinking combining with Nuparu's ingenuity until they're designing great things together and enjoying each other's company while doing it.

Jaller and Tahu are the most awkward... Tahu doesn't have great interpersonal skills to begin with (his siblings are his only friends and really only bonds through surviving death with someone else) and Jaller's still torn between respecting Tahu and knowing he wants to be a better Fire Toa than he was when he was young, so they kind of just sit awkwardly beside each other sometimes and talk logistics like in the old days when Jaller was Tahu's Captain of the Guard. even going on missions together does not help because then it's just confusion over who should be in charge. it doesn't help that Jaller's still pretty messed up and really disillusioned from what happened to Matoro and now he's just tired and a little angry at the universe about the way that Tahu has Kopaka and he doesn't have Matoro.

in the end, the two of them have to get in a fucking fight to sort through everything they have going on between them. Jaller loses it and lets go of everything he's feeling, lets Tahu have it, lets him know about all the times he felt disappointed by him and about how angry he is now and how he doesn't want to be like him, but at the same time he does, he really does, and Tahu is shouting back at him that it's not his fault that he lost his Ice Toa, that he never asked Jaller to come to Voya Nui after them, that he knows Jaller can be a great Toa if we would just stop beating himself down over what happened and remember what it was like to believe in his siblings and in the Matoran and in the goodness of the world, and they're leaving scorch marks in the sand, hitting and scraping at each other, yelling and burning armor. Takanuva and Hahli tear them apart from each other still screaming. Kopaka is watching from a few meters away, silent. when Gali shows up and scolds him for not helping, he just walks away.

the next day something has changed. Their sisters clean them up and talk to them and when they come back to each other, they've burned the weeds away, and something new can grow now. they're quieter with each other. they work in harmony. Jaller didn't know Tahu could actually make jokes and be playful til now. Tahu didn't know Jaller had so many insecurities and fears about the future until he confides in his older brother and starts to value Tahu's advice and support. Tahu understands his position and Jaller has good insight in return. soon they're helping each other lead instead of tripping each other up. Vakama tells them that this is how fire brothers light each other's way. but also they don't tell him that sometimes when they get frustrated they just set off explosions in the desert for fun.

Kopaka doesn't really have an interest in any of it. he won't talk about Matoro even when his siblings put some pressure on him, and he'll usually at least hiss a couple admissions at them when they're worried about him. he's just quiet about the Toa Mahri though. he's a good big brother and he can be both helpful and protective when needed, but he would have done that for them when they were Matoran too.

most of the Toa Mahri still think of Kopaka as the slightly-scary and very cool Toa who would sometimes show up in their Koro to kick ass and then go home again, so they don't really try to worm their way into his heart or any shit like that. but Gali is quick to pull him along when they're going surfing or boating or something (she KNOWS he has a secret love of the ocean and one day she will get him to admit it) and Hahli isn't awkward around him. she's fond of Kopaka and treats him like her brother. he allows this. the others keep a polite distance.

the secret about Kopaka is that he is not actually as hard to convince as he acts. in fact, if you tell him you need his help, turns out he'll do just about anything for anyone. so Nuparu comes up to him all shy one day and tells him he has a really cool idea, but he needs an Ice Toa's help for it, and Kopaka just glances at Onua and then gets up to come along and spends the whole day helping him. he's even smart enough to keep up with Nuparu on what he's working on, which makes Nuparu's week. Kongu asks him if he will please please please help him with a funny prank and Kopaka is begruding but come on, Toa Kopaka, it's to make brother Lewa laugh - okay, fine, he'll help. Kongu actually does make Lewa happy, and that... means a lot to Kopaka. especially when his brother has been so down lately, and Kopaka himself isn't sure how to help. suddenly he's helping with smaller and smaller things - Hewkii needs another kolhii player and Kopaka won't go until Pohatu picks him up and drags him onto the field - and then Hahli just wants an extra hand on the boat and the girls pull him down to the pier and he can't say no when they're just that fucking excited to see him. but he's pretty sure Jaller is avoiding him. he looks at Kopaka like he's looking at Matoro's corpse but he never says anything. whatever.

...which is when he starts to realize that Jaller could actually really use some help. cause this kid is honestly kind of fucked up from what he's been through. the others are too, honestly, but Jaller's the one who's cramming everything inside of him and never letting it out. Kopaka's the one who first tells him to let it out. who pulls him to his feet when he's sulking and tells him to pull his sword out. he makes him spar with him until he's genuinely pissed off, wild with grief and frustration, ready to just fucking end everything, and then Kopaka does what an Ice Toa is meant to do for his Fire brother - he holds him back while the fire burns out of his control.

burn the underbrush. there has to be new growth. an Ice Toa understands this better than anyone. the winter kills so new things can live. this is one thing fire and ice have in common. Kopaka makes it known in the space where their blades meet, and then, later, in the place where he wraps himself around Jaller and lets him burn like hell, as many times as he needs, until that fire starts to burn out. he lets Jaller scream at Tahu and then pushes them back together the next day, lets Jaller get in stupid fights and then cleans him up when he comes home bruised and battered, lets Jaller stop viewing his rage like it is the horrible curse of every Fire Toa and tells him instead that it is a part of him, an important part. that it is his passion and that the reason he has siblings is to help him when it's overwhelming and direct it when he needs guidance.

"Matoro knew that too," says Kopaka, very quiet, and something in Jaller breaks open. "That's the only reason you two started fighting. You were young and you needed him. He could sense that. He wanted to be your guidance. But you both had to find the balance. And you just didn't have time to do that. You would have, little brother. He wasn't disappointed in you. You were just young and needing each other without knowing how to help. That's all. You would have found the balance."

The balance with your opposite. Jaller needed that. He and Kopaka learn to balance, and that same broken thing in him steadies out again, and eases.

and Kopaka starts to see that the others need his balance too. so he takes to the sea with his little sister laughing and spraying salt water at him, and he helps Nuparu and Onua in their workshop for long, warm, quiet hours, and he and Jaller and Tahu ditch council meetings to go get in stupid fights and kick some ass together. He lets his Air Toa rope him into dumb stunts and sometimes even dances with them when there is music playing like all Le-Matoran love, letting Lewa hug him close for a minute and take comfort without words, making Kongu laugh while they swing around. he takes Hewkii with him when he goes to explore the mountains for the first time, and they love each other because Pohatu loves them both, and by the end of it, because they are friends all on their own. his little brothers and sister always know they can come to him when they need anything now, and he goes to them too when he needs help, which is the greatest expression of trust someone like Kopaka can give.

when he feels alone despite their love, when Matoro's spirit star is nothing more than an empty space in the sky, Takanuva always manages to find him somehow, no matter how well he hides, and the two of them have learned to savor the ways in which they are a little set apart from the others, a little more alone, because it means they belong together just a little more.

between the twelve of them, Matoro breathes.

yeah. I just think they all need to have a chance to be family. it's what they're supposed to be.

[whiteheartlight]

Image ID: one of my fave Tahu moments is when he’s confessing to Gali about tricking them into the capsules and she’s described as his “dearest friend.” if you’re willing, could you write a post of Tahu’s relationships with all the Nuva as you interpret it? Also, I always found it funny how the Nuva learned all these lessons with hydration (work together, etc) and immediately messed them all up on Mata Nui. End ID.

got a great request from Fish so yes here are some things I love about Tahu’s relationships with his siblings!! okay you guys know I’m a little talkative so I’ll just go one-by-one and reblog as I write more hahaha.

Kopaka and Tahu

I talk about this all the time but honestly the fact that they hated each other so much at first but then learned to be not only teammates but friends and even leader and right-hand man together is genuinely so amazing and something I really really love about their relationship

also they’re funny as hell together even before they become friends. like they hate each other so passionately. Tahu’s such a living temper tantrum about him (literally jealous of Kopaka from the first time they meet) and Kopaka’s just so irritated 24/7 (just walks the fuck away when Tahu’s annoying him in the first book). their interactions are really funny but also reveal a lot about their characters from the start, which is really important. and even when they hate each other, they have each other’s backs!

that moment in their training where Tahu almost makes Kopaka smile because he thinks to pretend to surrender, and Kopaka can’t help but be a little impressed by him. and that moment where Tahu’s just in awe that Kopaka found the Bohrok cave!! they’re honestly both very aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses - probably part of the reason they work so well together by the end of the story.

I know we joke about Kopaka thinking it’s funny to freeze Tahu when he’s corrupted by the Rahkshi, but his “sorry, brother” is very soft and genuine and he does not for a SECOND mock Tahu’s corruption or snark at him while he’s ill. He helps cure Tahu without hesitation, does whatever Gali asks of him to look after him, and looks after Gali and Lewa like a leader would while Tahu is down - and then fucks off again without explanation to avoid emotional discussions, hahaha. asshole, i love him

Kopaka also protects and reassures Tahu’s Matoran the moment they’re in danger! not that he would let them get hurt, but he’s even affectionate with Takua and Jaller (pat pat). I’m sure they would both honor their duty to protect each other’s homes and Matoran without hesitation

the fact that Kopaka does, in fact, eventually let Tahu lead him is like... okay not to be dramatic, but that’s a beautiful show of trust and forgiveness. Kopaka totally lays down his pride for the good of the team because he sees the good in Tahu and he’s come to trust that Tahu will, in turn, respect his independence and care for their siblings. and Tahu, likewise, sees all the good in Kopaka and trusts him as his deputy, leaving him in charge of Lewa and Pohatu. the bond between them is very deep and they trust each other so much now.

and in fact Kopaka laying down his pride to let Tahu lead is something that happens from the very beginning, when they’re still with Hydraxon!! Kopaka wants to tell the others that they’re going to be in the Toa capsules, but he lets Tahu make the decision - and even stops Lewa from asking questions about it!!! Kopaka has a strong sense of duty, and that duty tells him to respect that this person was chosen as his leader even when he doesn’t like it. that faith in the Great Spirit’s plan eventually leads him to see that Tahu is in fact a great Toa and his leader, and that he was able to earn that respect from his Ice Toa must honestly be a huge source of pride and confidence for Tahu as well as a motivator to never lose that respect and always respect Kopaka in return.

that moment!! where Kopaka!! falls and burns his leg in the lava and Tahu is the one who grabs him and helps him back up!! like yes they would all help each other if they were about to get hurt, but imagine - this is perhaps the worst Kopaka’s ever been hurt, he’s been burned twice now and is probably choking on smoke inhalation, he’s exhausted without his mask and from passing out, and in this moment of agony and fear his Fire Toa stops and comes back and heaves him to his feet and drags him to safety before any more harm can come to him. they! have! each other’s! backs! and they know that!

also that moment where Kopaka walks straight through Tahu’s wall of fire and Tahu is just stunned by this and gets this moment where he sees just how deadly his brother could be when he’s truly angry, to the point that Tahu tells the others to stop Kopaka from hurting the Matoran. it’s that acknowledgement of each other’s weaknesses and strengths again, and the way you protect your brother when he’s not himself. they’re like two natural disasters who see each other for the power they have and learn to balance each other out.

when they have to start a fire together even though they’ve both lost their elemental powers... Idk that just makes me laugh hahaha. Gali’s just watching her idiots trying to solve their problems. I love her

(okay I know even I have talked a lot about their arguing but honestly?? honestly?? let me level with you: they really don’t fight that much after the first couple months hahaha. everyone gets after Tahu for being an aggressive jerk but he mellows out and learns to respect Kopaka and the others pretty quickly and even in the beginning he can be very affectionate at times. honestly I don’t think their fighting was ever as bad as some of the Toa Metru fighting, so try to be a little gentler on Tahu!!)

that moment when Tahu’s so happy to see Kopaka and Lewa and Pohatu come down from the sky to help the Mistika... that’s LOVE BABY he LOVES HIS TEAM AND HIS RIGHT HAND AND IS PROUD TO LEAD THEM DON’T FIGHT ME ON THIS

when Tahu and Kopaka talk about Lesovikk and Karzahni, Tahu isn’t bossy at all and really respects Kopaka’s concerns, listens to him, and lets him do what he feels he needs to do. it’s pretty clear that the contention between them is gone and they don’t have any issues letting each other be independent

some headcanons!!!

I bet they love to spar/play-fight together and both know each other’s fighting styles REALLY well. it’s scary when they fight because they both go wild, knowing each other’s limits, so it can look like a real fight

at this point, Kopaka just has to give Tahu a LOOK and he knows exactly what it is that’s annoying him. Recently, they’ve been exchanging a lot of looks as they try to play politician with stubborn Agori.... but it cheers Tahu up knowing that at the end of the day, Kopaka’s just as annoyed as he is and always has his back

I like to think that a Fire Toa choosing an Ice Toa as his right-hand man is REALLY unconventional and even looked down on by some. people doubt that they can work together or that a Fire Toa and Ice Toa aren’t supposed to get along that well, as it requires compromise on their natures, which are supposed to clash. but Kopaka is not ashamed to stand at Tahu’s side and Tahu knows no one could direct and support him quite the way Kopaka can.

I bet they do still fight sometimes, but they work so much harder at actually having productive fights and calling each other out when they’re messing up without making personal attacks on them or not being constructive about it. they hate having to do this, so most of the time they just try to be really direct and then just accept each other’s criticism. “you’re being a dick right now” “okay, fine, I’ll tone it down!!” or “you’re wrong about this battle plan” “well, show me what you would do, asshole.” honestly, they’ve gotten pretty chill about insulting each other casually. it’s almost affectionate at this point. they have to stop themselves from swearing at each other in official meetings

I wonder if Tahu’s kind of worried about Kopaka after the Last Battle... it’s canon that Kopaka’s really exhausted and questioning a lot of things, but it’s never really explained what lead up to that. is he hurt? is he grieving? is he just going through it right now and under a lot of stress? Tahu can tell that’s something’s wrong, but he doesn’t know what - and despite all their progress, emotional conversations are still weird to them. he’s just hoping Kopaka will be back from that Red Star soon - concerns aside, he needs his deputy’s help dealing with everything that’s going on!!

the two of them are perhaps the most homesick for Mata Nui. it’s partly because they’re being asked to take on so much responsibility now. they’re both kind of longing for the days when they were just allowed to be Toa of small koros on an island that they loved. they don’t talk about that. but sometimes they see it reflected in each other’s eyes when Kopaka is looking off at the faraway snow of the mountains or Tahu finally has a few minutes to sit down with his Matoran and just know that his people are safe.

both also so protective together... if anyone ever messes with their brothers they’re going to be so ticked off, just fuming with anger... I say brothers cause Gali can handle herself and they both know it hahaha

Tahu just. he just really really knows that Kopaka has his back. no matter how complicated things get. Kopaka’s support is unchanging. Kopaka is one of the only constants in his life and he really needs that. at the same time, this could eventually cause some problems for Kopaka if he began to internalize that role and began to feel that he would be letting Tahu down by expressing his own fears or doubts or needs. like I said, he’s very duty-bound - he’ll need to learn not to put his duty and his role before his own health