BIONICLE Year Discussion No.2: 2002

LEGO BIONICLE
1

Hello! I am Nyran. This is the second of a series of 10(for now) topics that I’m gonna make for the sake of discussing a various year of Bionicle as a whole.

We’ve had big overall topics, like whatever, but few if any topics focused on specific years, outside 2015.

So, I wanna know some aspects that you liked/didn’t like/stood out to you about certain years! This topic’s gonna be 2002. I chose this one because I feel that most often people tend to just group it along with 01 and 03.

2002, year of the Bohrok Swarms. Wake One, Wake them All, that stuff. This year is widely regarded as one of the “Golden Years” which was of course 2001-03.

However, I’d like to hear some stuff on the year on its own, with as little connection to 01 and 03(especially the latter) as possible, while still keeping them in mind. I just want 02 to be the focus.

I think this year will prolly be one of the hardest to say a lot about, but I implore everyone to try.

I personally enjoyed this year more than 01, mostly for the Bohrok conceptually. ‘Cause while the rahi were antagonists for the most part, well, they were just animals under mind control. At the time, it appeared that the Bohrok were the first truly antagonistic force. These guys were a strange, alien army, with powers to mirroring or just trumping(in the case of Lehvak) the Toas’ own powers.

The titans this year were also all amazing. The Boxor is still highly regarded, since a lot of people like Nuparu, and the Exo-Toa, while not touched upon as much, is still cool as a concept and often do people make MOCs of armor and stuff for Toa. The Bahrag of course were great, and I enjoyed them just as much, fitting the Bohrok aesthetic, while still different enough to not just be upscaled Bohrok themselves.

But enough from me, how about your guys’ thoughts?

5 Likes
2

I wasn’t into BIONICLE that year, but I must say that the Bohrok had one of the most solid designs out of the whole theme.

3

Funnily enough, that was the year I got into it myself. Set wise, that is. First major exposure to the story were the Chronicles from 03.

But they told the story from 02, so I think it’s okay to mention it here. >.>

<.<

4

I must say, that even though I’m a 2007 fanboy, the bohrok swarms were probably my favorite of the 2001-2003 serials. I absolutely loved the designs and they way they could shoot the krana at the Toa and take them over. Story-wise, I liked it because it was kinda like a force of nature, you just couldn’t stop it. And after the fact, there was so much destruction and damage done to the Koros, that it made me feel like the Toa weren’t invincible. I dunno, I just thought it was a cool year overall, especially Cahdok and Gahdok.

2 Likes
5

Eh, It was ok. It’s probably the year I have the least sets of, only having 6. I don’t really like the aesthetic of the Bohrok, or that they were referred to as insectoid. (INSECTS HAVE 3 BODY SECTIONS AND 6 LEGS LEGO! 6 LEGS). The Krana were cool though. And the Bohrok Va were interesting (That head design is still my favorite that Lego has created, and I’m probably going to use it on my next MOC.) really do like the Exo Toa, and as we all know those turned out to be pretty important to the story. (NOT) The Bahrag I have no opinions on, except that they were pretty tasty last Thanksgiving. The Boxor is pretty cool, and I do wish I owned it. Overall I don’t think too highly of it, but that was before I knew about Bionicle, so I don’t have a lot of nostalgia towards it.

6

At least you have four more sets from that year than me.

7

I was only two years old during 2002, so I’m not very nostalgia-heavy for that year, or '01-'03 in general. I really like the Bohrok as a concept. The Boxor is one of the sets I really want to get, and the Exo Toa were very cool. I don’t really have much to say.

8

This is where BIONICLE really seemed to get rolling. We actually had canistered villains for this year, unlike in 2001, where all the villains where about the price of a titan, at the time. The Rahi where awesome, but the Bohrok was where it was at. No longer did the Toa have to fight infected Rahi… Now they had to fight beetle-like villains, whose power source would take over the mind of their friends, even the ones they needed to protect!

Overall, the Bohrok was a good change of pace in the story. We got to see the Toa interact more and strategically, see the Matoran and Turaga work together to stop the swarms, and the Toa became new versions of themselves, or, in Matoran tongue, Toa Nuva!

9

2002 introduced the Bohrok, one of my favorite lines of Bionicle. I was a real fan of the Bohrok’s functions, and their ability to roll up into a ball. It also introduced the krana, which collectors go crazy for.

Overall I feel like it was a very good year for sets overall. Personally, I own every set released in 2002 except for Cahdok and gahdok, and Exo-Toa, and I recommend them all. Even the Toa nuva introduced some pieces that are still fantastic to MOC with, such as their chest plates and shoulder plates.

The story was also very well done, with the introduction of the Toa Nuva, who were relevant in the story for the rest of Bionicle’s lifespan.

10

I was only 4 in '02, and forgot what Bionicle was until '06 somehow (I’m guessing MIB) so not much nostalgia. But I did get Pohatu, Lehvak, Nuhvok, and a third bohrok that I can’t remember for Christmas that year.
Twas a good Christmas…

1 Like
11

I discovered 2002 through Hapka’s book and found the Bohrok to be quite intriguing. When we got to 2008 and discovered the whole truth about our favorite island destroyers, it made me face-palm because all the Bahrags’ quotes made sense. I can’t say much about the year as a whole though because I entered into the fandom a year later. But I’m playing MNOG 1.5 right now.

12

Out of the three Mata Nui years, I think that 2002 would be my favorite. More than likely it’s because of the Bohrok, who compared to the Toa and Rahi were a lot more tech-y, a style which I prefer over tribal/islander. The Bohrok were also are first “hint” of the Big Story Engine – a horde of beings from deep beneath, with a mysterious mission to “clean all”. Notwithstanding we did get more of the Matoran element that brought life to the Mata Nui years, including the Hewkii-Macku relationship which we will all adore even if it isn’t canon.

In terms of sets, the Bohrok were awesome. The sets were wonderfully designed, with the ball rolling function in mind. Colors were decent. Bahrag and Boxor were meh, Exo Toa looked cool.

Then, in what was technically the first part of the 2003 saga, we got the Toa Nuva. Not bad sets. As someone who buys sets for armor pieces more than limbs, I like the Nuva more than the '01 mata (CCBS Mata might be better though, plus I find think that as Mata they were more interesting characters.)

1 Like