After his development in Journey To One it appears Pohatu may have been in line to kick the bucket during 2017’s summer storyline - or at least a concept artist wanted to portray it that way.
RIP Pohatu 2015-2017
Edited the title to be more generic so the discussion can be more about the idea of them potentially killing off a Toa in 2017 - had the story continued.
Interested to hear your thoughts on how you would feel if G2 had killed off one of the main Toa during its third year. Discuss below :3
Most likely true, still odd that this is the only death in any of the concept art.
We see character’s fleeing or fighting, but this is the only death and the mask seems seems reminiscent of Pohatu - and given its Toa-sized, i’m wondering whether Lego actually would have killed off a main character.
Scar, I don’t think this was for 2017 villains. That Pohatu looks like the 2015 incarnation and that picture appears under the 2015 summer villains in the art book.
2015 drawings of the characters were used as a refrence in a majority of G2 media.
Having a 2015 version of the character cannot be used to determine when the art was made or for what year.
For example;
2015 Toa were used in the images of the maze
The 2015 Tahu debate when he appeared on the box art of a 2016 summer set
multiple other examples in media
#The artbook is definitely not in order.
*Or at least the villains definitely are not in order
Examples include;
Shadow traps concept art before and after 2015 Skull villains
Umarak concept art before and after 2015 Skull Villains
Beast concept art before and after 2015 Skull Villains
Please check sources before dismissing things
The reason why i feel it is a 2017 villain concept art;
Transparent bones, which were a primary feature of all the ‘demonic’ villains shown in the art book, the gimmick is different
Waist Swivvel piece, introduced in Winter 2016 and unlikely to show up in concept art from 2013/14 in such a detailed way
Upper leg armour piece, introduced in Summer 2016’s Star Wars line
Background is similar to the demonic background we see ‘Demon Warrior’ along with matching the background of the Toa during the 2017 Summer teaser image where they go to confront Makuta in the shadow realm
The issue is that other than the similarities to the Skull Villains, there isnt really anything that can be used to dismiss this as not a 2017 set at this current moment. I suppose the similarities to Demon Warrior, who was shown in the 2015 Villain concept art could potentially mean he was one of the rejected 2015 villain designs, but we have’nt really had anything concrete yet to confirm it.
For the record, if anyone was going to kill off a member of the original six, it sure as heck wouldn’t be a relatively minor “pawn” character, and certainly not a hive-minded mook á la Skull Warrior. At least, I hope not.
This is actually kind of funny, because I considered killing Pohatu in an early draft of Mysterious Island. I decided not to because I was sure that TLG would never do it.
The artbook is a bit of a mess when it comes to ordering, thats what i meant when checking sources, though no disrespect is intended.
Its just that we have 2016 almost book-ending the villains and 2015 is mostly in a lump except for Demon Warrior, which would lead to someone suspecting this character as being a 2015 Skull Villain as you have.
Though as mentioned, its not really possible to determine the year or wave of certain concept arts would have been given they contain elements that transcend the years they would logically go into - such as the skill villain including official pieces from well into 2016.
Though i’ve done my best to illustrate this below, with the 2017 poster removed from the villains list as it was clearly meant for 2017.
Upon closer inspection, I’m 95% sure that the victim is Pohatu in his 2015 incarnation. You can see the 2015 pin add-on angled vertically toward his upper legs, and the tip of a widely angled weapon in his left hand, just below the upper right hand corner of the frame.
I’m pretty sure it’s just a random bloke who happens to vaguely resemble Pohatu or a ‘Matoro on Bara Magna’ situation, where a generic figure (and let’s be honest, Pohatu is pretty generic) is used as an stand-in for someone or something else.
If one of the major characters was intented to be killed off, I’m pretty sure this moment would’ve been given a lot more care than just being a background event in a concept art of a random mook.
And if any of the Toa were to be killed, I wouldn’t want it to be Pohatu. G1 has already dropped the ball with the ‘if you’re somehow troubled and halt the progress of your team because of it, don’t worry, you can still prove your worth by dying’ glurge, not to mention that the entire character development he got in JTO would go to waste.
