In the final issue of the BIONICLE G1 series, we were introduced to the model that would come to be known as Gaardus. Ever since that first image of him appeared, he has been infamously marked as the worst BIONICLE combiner model of the entire line. Honestly, it’s pretty hard to argue with, but I won’t go too hard on the designer, as he only had the Stars line to work with, after all.
However, he was given a fascinating backstory, being turned from a simple Ta-Matoran into a living weapon by the dubious Nynrah Ghosts. He was given extra limbs, wings, weapons, and modified into such a state that he no longer even considers himself a Matoran! To further add to his character, he has died and was resurrected on the Red Star, and is believed by the sinister Kestora to be responsible for its malfunction. When we last saw him, he took Kopaka and Pohatu aboard the Red Star, thanks to his teleportation powers, but he didn’t stick around. His true alignment and purpose will remain unknown, but I’d like to think he was convinced to return to the Red Star and rescue the two Toa Nuva.
I simplified his color scheme and general figure, but kept to a simple aesthetic while designing him. The exposed wires are meant to homage the stitches of Frankenstein’s Monster, as Gaardus was also created in a lab, and is removed from his original people. The wing pieces were won in a lot, and my impetus for the build. Hope you like him!
@Droconis That’s what makes him so interesting: he’s not really a zombie, as his mind wasn’t seemingly scrambled by the Red Star when he was resurrected all those thousands of years ago. He’s fully lucid, just looks like a monster. I really wish we could have seen Greg develop him further…Thanks for commenting!
Interesting. Shatore is something like that. Do you plan on making a custom mask for it in the future? I know a guy on Etsy that could make the hau look more stitched up.
@Droconis Hmm, I hadn’t even considered, to be honest! If you send a link, I’ll check it out for sure! Part of me likes him having a ‘clean’ Hau, as it makes him look even more like a twisted version of Tahu.
@GBailey46 I don’t know if he’s taking custom orders right now. He can make it look like a twisted version of a different mask too, if you wanted to he will need a link though.
@Kamoranova5 you know, I hadn’t really given it much thought. I do picture Gaardus as originally have a Metru-style Matoran figure, which is why I included it as the focal point of his torso.
This is a pretty good Gaardus revamp. It keeps the thrown-together look of the original while still being a cohesive build. The wires all around his body also look cool, and help tie everything together visually.
@TheJerminator Thank you very much! The wires were really meant to tie him together literally and aesthetically, so thanks for noticing. It’s tricky to look slightly haphazard while also cohesive.
Nice! That’s a very unique and interesting take on Gaardus, I like how you kept the spirit of the original model and made something much better.
But may I ask where these claws on Pohatu come from? I feel like I recognize them, but at the same time I don’t, and now this question is bugging my mind…
@Bioman Thanks for the praise! I’ve always wanted to give him a look that isn’t so cluttered, and I’m glad people seem to think this model succeeded in that.
The Pohatu claws (and you can see more pictures of him here: Pohatu Nuva - Red Star Adapted ) are from the 2010 Thunder set from Hero Factory. They’re actually my favorite part of that MOC, because they’re also capable of moving back and forth like Whenua Hordika’s thumpers.
Your Pohatu looks great. While I don’t actually have the original set, I really like his unique design and think that the propeller claws are a cool idea. Your take on the claws is nice, especially with that function!
@Bioman Really appreciate that! I always liked the functions on earlier sets, and felt that such a classic character demanded one. His propeller claws are really neat, and if you do ever have the chance to pick up his Phantoka set, I highly recommend it! Thanks again for the compliments.
