Tahu-2001 vs 2010

LEGO BIONICLE
#1

In the 2010 storyline, it’s said that Tahu was restored to his original form-that is, his 2001 form-so he could put on the golden armor. However, his 2010 set looks rather different from his 2001 form. I mean, he’s still got the same mask and weapon, but his armor design is completely different. Am I the only one who thinks that his chest and arm armor pieces have a Scarabax-esque design? And that’s not to mention that he used the Av-Matoran/Agori building template that so many people hated.

Of course, this could just be a case of sets>story. But I know it was said somewhere that when the Toa Mata were residing in their canisters, they all broke apart and had to be built together. Heck, we saw them getting built up when they washed ashore on Mata Nui. So does that mean Tahu looked like his 2010 form when he was first created, and his 2001 form was just a Frankenstein monster of his parts? If that’s the case, then I can’t help wondering if the rest of the Toa Mata had similar forms when they were first built.

And another thing: has anyone ever tried to put the 2010 Golden Armor pieces on 2001 Tahu? I own the 2010 forms of Gresh, Takanuva, Piraka, Skrall, and Rahkshi, so I have 5/6 of the pieces. But I don’t have the 2001 or 2010 Tahu, so…

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#2

I’m pretty sure it’s just a case of sets>story

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#4

I don’t understand.

While sleeping in their canisters, the Toa Mata’s organic components degenerated, causing their limbs to literally disconnect from their bodies and forcing them to reanimate themselves. However, that was the full extent of their degeneration - there was no minute disconnecting of individual pieces; in every reference of canon it’s a simple matter of slapping pieces back on, not of entirely reshaping limbs.

As well, sets>story occured not just this once, nor some or even most of the time - it happened all the time. Sets always took massive precedence over story, no matter the scenario. You can find remnants of instances where the sets changed mid-story and didn’t get corrected, like Jaller possessing two swords upon his transformation into Inika because the prototype set possessed two of them.

I don’t know for certain, but I will say this - you can’t. The redesigned Tahu Stars Hau cannot fit over the Mata head mold, rendering the 100% Golden armour on Tahu Mata is impossible.
And given the shape of his left hand, I don’t know how you’d attach the Gahlok Kal shield without some serious butchering…

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#5

Then that would mean that the 2010 set is sort of a retcon. And like I said in my opening post, I can’t help wondering what the rest of the Toa Mata would look like in 2010 Stars form.

With the mask-I pretty much figured that. But the sword hilt, and the armor-those MIGHT fit? Maybe I should buy both those sets myself, so I can try it. Assuming no one else has…

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#6

They fit on Lewa (I’ve done it), assuming you adjust the shoulders and remove the voodoo ball on the chest. Lewa has roughly the same limb layout as tahu. The mask and Gahlok shield obviously don’t fit.

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#7

It means that the 2010 set is a creative redesign - canonically he’s identical in appearance. Sets>story, not sets>continuity.

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#8

I always wanted the 2010 Tahu to be the adaptive armor’s interpretation of the 2001 design. I know it’s non-canon, but that’s how I look at it.

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#9

Exactly this.

The sets, from a certain point of view, aren’t canonical. Yes, they are representative of the characters in the story, but they are not exactly as they appear. This happens all the time in Bionicle. Another notable example is Takanuva '08 and his size relative to the other Toa; his toy is large because that’s just the scale it was built it, but he is not actually that size within the world of the story. His actual design, however, is representative of an intentional change in appearance.

The story is there to serve the sets, which are toys. Tahu in 2010 and Tahu in 2001 are two different toys, but they are both representative of the same form of the character in cannon. One just happens to use a more modern building system in its toy.

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#10

If I recall correctly, Greg has confirmed that Tahu 2010 looked different because the mask of life was working with a sort of “prototype design” of the Toa Mata. This was presumably the general look Tahu (and probably the other Mata)was given when they were being designed, but at no point – until 2010 – did the actual Mata look like this.

Actually, he was; the energies of Karda Nui enhanced his size, as they did with the Av-Matoran.
Sets>story, but there are often story explanations for set discrepancies. Not all, but some.

A good example is Nektann’s height. In the story, he’s taller than the Piraka, but the 2010 set is smaller. There is no story reason for this – he’s smaller because the 2010 set was a smaller set.

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