Un-canonized fan contest winners

Ask Ask Greg
1

Hi, Greg! Sorry in advance, I know this is a long one.

Some years back, there were 3 Bionicle writing contests (1,000 Years Untold 2, Lesovikk’s Hiatus, and Memoirs of the Dead), the winners of which were to be canonized, pending your approval - but since you had to stop posting on BZP, you weren’t able to follow up on that. I was wondering if, now that you can communicate with the community again, you could give a final statement on which ones you would consider canon.

I understand that you’re busy with other things these days, and reading all 15 winning stories over and checking for canon conflicts takes a good chunk of time (especially with the Bionicle story not as fresh in your mind these days). So, to try to help you out, I’ve read through them, and written up a list of any conflicts with existing canon, or new characters/items/names introduced, that I could find in the winning stories. I heavily researched the subject matter of each story (and I’d like to think that I have a pretty good knowledge of all the canon Bionicle story after putting this project together), and feel confident that these are all of the conflicts that exist in these fan stories (especially after including some feedback from other fans).

I think I speak for the whole community when I say we would be extremely thankful if you could make a final statement about which of these stories can be considered (entirely or partially) canon.

1,000 Years Untold 2:

Crystal Knowledge: No continuity issues.

Deep Shadows:

  • Karzahni has somehow deduced that Devastator has not only joined an organization, but that his organization has need of secret battle plans. But as we saw in Karzahni’s encounter with the Matoran that became the Toa Inika, he has no awareness of the goings-on of the world outside his realm. It doesn’t seem possible that he would know this.
  • Karzahni’s already talking about conquest. The idea of conquering the world outside his realm never even crossed his mind until he saw Jaller and co.’s alternate future and realized there was more out there than he originally thought.
  • Karzahni is repeatedly referred to as an “island,” and Devastator is able to arrive there on a boat, by sea. But Bionicle World says that it the water around it has dried up “long ago,” leaving it landlocked - my impression is that this happened longer than 500 years ago, but it’s not specific.
  • A Mana Ko is seen working for Karzahni, despite them being (seemingly exclusively) Teridax’s elite guardians.
  • Karzahni is described as having purple and green armor, but at the time of this story, he should still have black and gold armor

Delaying the Inevitable: No continuity issues.

Merciless Shadows: There is an artifact, invented by the author, called the Iden Stone, which grants whoever is holding it immense power. The stone’s origin is not explained, and it is destroyed by the end of the story.

Retribution: No continuity issues.

Survival: No continuity issues.

Lesovikk’s Hiatus:

The Chronicle:

  • The Toa Cordak’s bodies are around after their death (Lesovikk even lays them to rest), but they were supposed to have been disintegrated by the Zyglak (you specified this in a Q&A, saying that they were not brought back on the Red Star)
  • The Toa Cordak of Water is given a name in this story: Lihara. She has no canon name.
  • There are two original characters in this story: a pair of Steltian thieves named Malinek and Gernas.
  • The Toa of Water’s sword is described as still containing some of her power days after she died (Lesovikk notes the sword cooling his armor). Is this possible?
  • The story seems to imply that the weapon Lesovikk is seen with in 2007 is the Toa Cordak of Water’s sword - but this sword is called an “Air Sword” on BS01, and in the other 2 winning Lesovikk fan stories (admittedly, though, it is never referred to as such in existing canon story)

Jovan’s Test:

  • Lesovikk mentions wanting to use his mask to copy Jovan’s abilities, but the Faxon can only copy Rahi’s abilities
  • This story covers Jovan’s time with Lesovikk, but Jovan never actually says anything in this story resembling “knowledge is a sharper weapon than a sword.” There are some timeskips, though, so he could’ve said it at some point. (In the 2007 story, Lesovikk says that this is something Jovan once told him).
  • Lesovikk already has his Sea Sled in this story, which doesn’t contradict existing canon, but does conflict with Of Rahi and Toa, where he doesn’t have it yet (which is a significant plot point). It wouldn’t be too difficult to edit Jovan’s Test to say that he used a boat instead, though.

Of Rahi and Toa:

  • Several times, a bird Rahi is referred to as “a Nivawk,” but Nivawk has previously only been used as the specific name of the bird that served Teridax, not a species name. The book Rahi Beasts does note that Nivawk is “thought to be” its specific name, not its species name, which does leave open the possibility of it also being the species name.

  • Lesovikk references Jovan teaching him how to protect his mind from telepathy. This doesn’t contradict any existing canon, but the fan story “Jovan’s Test” doesn’t ever show this happening (it’s technically possible that it could have happened in a timeskip in that story, though, during Lesovikk’s training).

Memoirs of the Dead:

All That Glitters: No continuity issues.

Certainty:

  • Icarax uses Adaptation power to increase his hearing, just in time to hear a blade whistling through the air. Is this how Adaptation works?
  • Amphibax and Kraata-Kal are fighting Icarax, then escape when he receives a telepathic communication from Teridax, asking him to retrieve the Kraakhan (confirming that Teridax is currently on Voya Nui). Amphibax and Kraata-Kal were sent to Voya Nui to go after the Piraka at some point - could this have happened immediately after their return from fighting Icarax? It seems like a bit of a tight squeeze, time-wise.

Memory: No continuity issues.

The First Hunter: Minor thing: Ancient calls TSO “old man” a couple times - isn’t Ancient older than TSO? Probably fine, but thought it was worth mentioning.

The Mentor’s Way: specifies that Ihu wore a Hau. This doesn’t contradict anything, but the mask Ihu wore has never been officially stated.

The Teacher: No continuity issues.

Three on Three: Hydraxon references the Pit, and that prisoners are held in it, while training the Toa Mata. Did the Pit exist yet at that time, and did it have any prisoners yet?

Thank you, and happy holidays!

18 Likes
2

Hydraxon mentions being transferred there after he’s done training the Mata in “Swamp of Secrets” so it was at the very least planned to exist.

This is only speculation by Kualus; it could be both a species and given name, like Krahka.

~W12~

3 Likes
3

Malinek is established as a Steltian (misspelled as “Steltan”, Krekka’s, Sidorak’s or Gladiator’s species). Given that he is said to be more intelligent than Gernas, I would assume Sidorak’s species?
Gernas is said to be a bruiser, and a titan. I am unsure if this is referring to the “Steltian Bruiser,” Krekka’s species?

Another continuity issue is between “Jovan’s Test” and “Of Rahi and Toa.” In the latter, Lesovikk has already met Jovan, but has not yet acquired the Sea Sled, while in “Jovan’s Test” he meets Jovan for the first time, and already possess the Sea Sled.

3 Likes
4

@Willess12

  1. Sure, but Hydraxon speaks of it in Three on Three as if there are already prisoners there.
  2. I was just referencing that it’s always used as a specific name in-story. I don’t have Rahi Beasts on me right now; what does Kualus say there regarding its name?

Thanks for the feedback!

@Wolk

Thanks! Figures a couple things would slip past me (though I feel bad for missing those, as they’re rather obvious). I’ve added them to the original post.

1 Like
5

I would definitely like to see The Mentor’s Way get canonized, seeing as it won the contest. Also because it’ll be the first and only piece of CBW content to be accepted into the canon.

4 Likes
6

Upon referencing the original, it may be a bit more clear-cut than I though; the exact wording is “it is believed that Nivawk is it’s given name, rather than it’s species name”, implying that it isn’t just Kualus who thinks that. That said, the wording still leaves open the possibility of it being both.

Since Hydraxon states that the Pit is his next assignment right after training the Mata, I’d say that it is either already complete or close to being finished. Could be that the Order already has a few villains to put there once it’s done.

~W12~

3 Likes
7

I mean, people being facetious about age is common irl. Could be that Ancient is poking fun at the fact that they’re both old, or something of the sort.

1 Like
8

I looked it up this weekend, and the entry does mention that Nivawk is only “thought to be” its specific name rather than a species name. I’ve edited my original post to mention this.

Fair enough. I don’t deny that it’s possible, I just thought it was worth mentioning as a potential conflict.

Thanks for your feedback!

That definitely seems possible. It honestly probably wasn’t worth me listing as a potential issue, but I wanted to be sure to mention everything of any note. I’ve edited my original post to include a paraphrasing of what you said. Thanks!

4 Likes
10

It might be because during his fight with Teridax, he was thrown at Voporak, so he quickly aged several thousand years. So chronologically, their about the same age, physically he’s much older.

1 Like
11

This is set long before that happened, as this is before the Dark Hunters were formed.

1 Like
12

ok, I never got a chance to read these.

14

Read all of these a while back (except for the Lesovikk entries) and there are some real gems in here. Honestly, even if they were just rendered semi-canon or canonically ambiguous, it would go a long way to rewarding the winners.

3 Likes
15

So, saw this quote: Official Greg Dialogue | Page 67
and I came to think of this topic. This should make it clear the Sea Sled doesn’t belong in Jovan’s Test, and Jovan has long been a Turaga by the time Lesovikk gets the Sea Sled.

1 Like
16

That inconsistency could be still be explained away as Lesovikk having lost the stead he had in Johvans test at some point before of Rahi and Toa. And not acquired a replacement until 3500 years pre 07.

Edit:

We actually saw this back in 01 with the Turaga staffs in tales of the Toa. And the elemental lords did the same thing, charging their warriors weapons during the core war.

17

Since the contest information was moved from the page linked in the original post, here is the information on the contests.

Idk if it was specified in the original contest premise that all the stories took place exactly 500 years ago, but there couldn’t logically be a Mahri Nui entry, as Mahri Nui sank 300 years ago (as per this Brickmaster page). I do like the story, however, and would love to see its placement shifted, if anything.

Also, it always struck me as bizarre that the premise of Jovan’s test was that Jovan was mentoring Lesovikk on patience and using his powers and whatnot. At best, Jovan and Lesovikk were contemporaries, but the idea of a mentorship is curious.

EDIT: The information has again been moved on BS01, for the last time it seems, since now it’s more of a dedicated page. The specific information for these contests can be found here.

4 Likes
20

Wow, I completely forgot this was still open.

Sorry to disappoint everyone, but Greg stated in his interview on The Eljay Johnsen show a while back that he has seen this post, but that he simply doesn’t remember enough details about the story to make a call as to whether these can be considered canon.

6 Likes