Differences

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--- lb:bionicle [2025-04-30 17:26:55] – ↷ Page moved from playground:bionicle to lb:bionicle ninjasr
+++ lb:bionicle [2025-08-11 08:10:10] (current) – [Speculah & Analysis] ninjasr
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 ====== Bionicle ======
-{{ :img:bnr:r:bionicle.png?460 }}
+{{ img:b:r:bionicle.png?460 }}
-**BIONICLE** is a sci-fi toy franchise created by **LEGO**, started in 2001 as a desperate attempt to save the company which, unexpectedly, became incredibly popular. The initial run, expected to end after two years, was extended all the way to 2009, when it was canceled. There was a reboot in 2015 and some fans are //really// trying to convince us that it was good, but let's not talk about that...yet.\\  Bionicle's whole thing is the standard good vs evil thing, except all the characters are humanoid bio-mechanical beings who fight each-other with magic, swords and guns. The initial storyline had a mystery and spiritual element to it...but the latter point dumps all that in favor of political intrigue and more sci-fi action.\\  An aspect that isn't talked about a lot in Bionicle, because the fans are stupid, is that the story was made up as it was going on. There //were// parts of the story that were planned from the beginning, but the lack of planning applies generally and it's a key fact that should be kept in mind.\\  I've been a Bionicle fan since I was...I don't even know, probably longer than [[playground:warcraft]]. Bionicle is one of my favorites and a //big deal//...though, as I have learned, it is not as good as I thought it was.\\  Bionicle's lore also isn't as complex as it's often represented, though it //is// complicated (unnecessarily so) and there's a lot there. Fans are simply obsessed with the idea that the lore is complex for...I'm assuming ego reasons.\\  I'm about 90% sure that once Bionicle fan communities discover I exist, I'll be blacklisted and, honestly, I'll be disappointed if that doesn't happen.((:fn:>I think my thoughts on [[playground:mask of destiny]] and the [[#theMaoriSituation|The Maori Situation]] will be received poorly in particular.))
+**BIONICLE** is a sci-fi toy franchise created by **LEGO**, started in 2001 as a desperate attempt to save the company which, unexpectedly, became incredibly popular. The initial run, expected to end after two years, was extended all the way to 2009, when it was canceled. There was a reboot in 2015 and some fans are //really// trying to convince us that it was good, but let's not talk about that...yet.\\  Bionicle's whole thing is the standard good vs evil thing, except all the characters are humanoid bio-mechanical beings who fight each-other with magic, swords and guns. The initial storyline had a mystery and spiritual element to it...but the latter point dumps all that in favor of political intrigue and more sci-fi action.\\  An aspect that isn't talked about a lot in Bionicle, because the fans are stupid, is that the story was made up as it was going on. There //were// parts of the story that were planned from the beginning, but the lack of planning applies generally and it's a key fact that should be kept in mind.\\  I've been a Bionicle fan since I was...I don't even know, probably longer than [[lb:warcraft]]. Bionicle is one of my favorites and a //big deal//...though, as I have learned, it is not as good as I thought it was.\\  Bionicle's lore also isn't as complex as it's often represented, though it //is// complicated (unnecessarily so) and there's a lot there. Fans are simply obsessed with the idea that the lore is complex for...I'm assuming ego reasons.\\  I'm about 90% sure that once Bionicle fan communities discover I exist, I'll be blacklisted and, honestly, I'll be disappointed if that doesn't happen.((:fn:>I think my thoughts on [[lb:mask.of.destiny]] and the [[#theMaoriSituation|The Maori Situation]] will be received poorly in particular.))
 <WRAP centeralign>
-[[playground:mask of destiny]] • [[lb:red.star.games]]
+[[lb:mask.of.destiny]] • [[lb:red.star.games]]
 </WRAP>
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 ===== Speculah & Analysis =====
+==== Matoran Language ====
+A guy online, going by outofgloom, produced resources for a ‘Matoric’ language which I got pretty into. You can find the resources [[https://outofgloom.tumblr.com/matoran-language|here]]. Though I'll note that, since 2023, there have been no further updates, which suggests the project is over.
+I actually kinda liked what he produced, so I'll (at some point) create an article dedicated to it. But, for now, I'm only noting it here.
 ==== The Maori Situation ====
-This used to be a bit longer, but I realized it didn't have to be.\\  ‘The Maori Situation’ refers to the event where the Maori sued LEGO over the use of names and whatnot from their culture/mythology. LEGO and the Maori, I believe, settled out of court and the result was that LEGO had to change the names of several characters...and change ‘Tohunga’ to ‘Matoran’.\\  Now, Bionicle fans are quick to side with the Maori (I wonder why...) so I'm going to be a contrarian because I think the Maori were in the wrong. Don't worry, I'll explain my thinking.\\  First, let me get out of the way that I think the Maori had the //right// to //complain// to LEGO about it. I mean, for example, the specific word ‘Tohunga’ is culturally/spiritually important to the Maori in particular. Though, what they and most fans apparently don't know...the word was actually being used //correctly// during that first year of Bionicle. I digress.\\  The reason I think the Maori were in the wrong is because they went and sued LEGO over it, which I don't consider an appropriate response. Now, the settlement with the names being changed is an okay compromise to the situation, but I don't think a lawsuit was necessary to get that far. It's not like anything we say about it now really changes what happened though.\\  I'll re-iterate and elaborate on my ‘right to complain’ thing. It's entirely understandable to me that they'd get miffed about it...but consider a few other things. First of all...this happens to other cultures all the time. Take the Disney film //Hercules//. The Greeks reportedly did //not //like that film at all...and then consider all the feminist Greek retellings. I'd argue that these are much worse than Bionicle, because Bionicle is //incredibly// disconnected from the source material. They are flesh robots on a giant man-shaped spaceship.\\  Also, I get it...when I heard ‘Baba Yaga’ translated as ‘boogeyman’ in //John Wick//, I rolled my eyes. Like, yeah, you have an obligation to adapt these things correctly when you're using them. Though, again, what's interesting about the Bionicle situation is that they //did// actually seem to do just that, which is another reason I find the Maori reaction to have been too extreme. They could have also used Bionicle as a method of promoting their own culture and mythology...but they didn't.\\  I do get it's the //enlightened position// to always take the side of the minority...but let's actually think about the context, yeah?
+This used to be a bit longer, but I realized it didn't have to be.
+‘The Maori Situation’ refers to the event where the Maori sued LEGO over the use of names and whatnot from their culture/mythology. LEGO and the Maori, I believe, settled out of court and the result was that LEGO had to change the names of several characters...and change ‘Tohunga’ to ‘Matoran’.
+Now, Bionicle fans are quick to side with the Maori (I wonder why...) so I'm going to be a contrarian because I think the Maori were in the wrong. Don't worry, I'll explain my thinking.
+First, let me get out of the way that I think the Maori had the //right// to //complain// to LEGO about it. I mean, for example, the specific word ‘Tohunga’ is culturally/spiritually important to the Maori in particular. Though, what they and most fans apparently don't know...the word was actually being used //correctly// during that first year of Bionicle. I digress.\\  The reason I think the Maori were in the wrong is because they went and sued LEGO over it, which I don't consider an appropriate response. Now, the settlement with the names being changed is an okay compromise to the situation, but I don't think a lawsuit was necessary to get that far. It's not like anything we say about it now really changes what happened though.
+I'll re-iterate and elaborate on my ‘right to complain’ thing. It's entirely understandable to me that they'd get miffed about it...but consider a few other things. First of all...this happens to other cultures all the time. Take the Disney film //Hercules//. The Greeks reportedly did //not //like that film at all...and then consider all the feminist Greek retellings. I'd argue that these are much worse than Bionicle, because Bionicle is //incredibly// disconnected from the source material. They are flesh robots on a giant man-shaped spaceship.
+Also, I get it...when I heard ‘Baba Yaga’ translated as ‘boogeyman’ in //John Wick//, I rolled my eyes. Like, yeah, you have an obligation to adapt these things correctly when you're using them. Though, again, what's interesting about the Bionicle situation is that they //did// actually seem to do just that, which is another reason I find the Maori reaction to have been too extreme. They could have also used Bionicle as a method of promoting their own culture and mythology...but they didn't.\\  I do get it's the //enlightened position// to always take the side of the minority...but let's actually think about the context, yeah?
 ===== Trivilinks =====