Every Bionicle's Lore Explained in Obsessive Detail

[@DynamiteGazelle]

The best part of this 13 hour lecture is that it's so dense that if you lose focus for just a few seconds you will absolutely lose the plot and be totally lost

[@DKdrop]

I keep pausing the video, looking at the ceiling, and whispering to myself "none of these words are in the bible."

[@731freeman]

Dude, I can’t believe the weird Lego guys I played with as a kid have lore and backstory that make anime like Bleach and Attack on Titan blush at the crazy backstory reveals and twists.

[@grinkobaba9226]

This happens to me very often I’m on my second watch/listen and I keep forgetting shit

[@cartoonhanks1708]

I legit have stopped and started the video about 3 to 4 times for that very reason and ngl even if I wanted to learn the lore of Bionocle I still think it would be DENSE as hell to understand even when reading it and would honestly take longer than 12 hours.

[@3ormore644]

Trying to listen while I'm in work and it's not been going too well

[@TheGamblingisgood]

Behold, the most complex way to sell molded plastic ever devised.

[@stefvanroey8191]

I never knew games workshop had competition this strong

[@supershiba8346]

wait until we get to gundam

[@QuestionableObject]

lets be honest most people bought this molded plastic cause it was in the lego aisle and it looked cool.

[@stefvanroey8191]

@@QuestionableObject they did look mighty cool. Though you have to give marketing some credit too, it just oozed character and mystery

[@J-Stanza]

Warhammer?

[@verthica9114]

Being an adult is scheduling your bionicle lore dump throughout the week.

[@nathangomez4409]

Still chipping away at it...

[@lozmaster6441]

I'm going through it during my workdays/ commutes

[@Salt_Mage]

It makes a for a great listen when stuck on traffic.

[@cbear3476]

You mean you guys didn't finish in one sitting

[@Nikifuj908]

@@cbear3476 I never finish my dumps in 1 sitting

[@josecarbonell1984]

I come home to my wife (water tribe), my appearance radically different from when I left the house this morning. “Mutated again?” “Mutated again…” “Energized protodermis?” “Energized protodermis…”

[@juliamavroidi8601]

You could've just calked her your Ga Wife 😉

[@scribeslendy595]

I love how within a few years, Bionicle went from tiptoing around the concept of death, to "A serial killer is leaving a calling card on the bodies of murdered Matoran in order to send a message"

[@Cdude22]

"they use tools we don't like weapons weapons are bad and evil" "So one of them instead of getting a cool weapon like the others just gets two guns so he can shoot more"

[@scribeslendy595]

I like to imagine that if not cancelled, Greg would probably have created a character that just rocks two chromed out 1911s or somethi

[@Cdude22]

@ “yeah Toa mask power is uh … he can call in a tactical nuke if he kills enough people”

[@TheSynthPunk]

Greg: "Alright, here's a big revelation - all the dead characters are given a free res on the Red Star!" Fans: "... Even Matoro?" Greg: "Oh no that guy's GONE gone"

[@scribeslendy595]

@TheSynthPunk Even a wish on the dragon balls couldn't do shit: my man was reduced to atoms

[@clblowe]

I love that as you watch, the beard gets progressively longer and more unkempt. It’s like a metric for how batshit insane and convoluted the story gets over time

[@melephs_cap]

My god it goes so slowly I didn't even notice

[@WvnDesign]

@@melephs_cap It went very hard went he said he needed a break and quote 'For you it me be seconds' something. That's where it became a wild beard.

[@ShadowedOne]

I wonder if falling asleep to this video will trigger “the Bionicle dream.”

[@rottingsludgec4]

it hasn’t for me unfortunately

[@thepotato513]

​@@rottingsludgec4Nah, listen, I've had the dream many times before. You don't want it

[@GuyAfro3000]

The dream plague !

[@purplewolfranger22]

Time to test this theory.

[@gundamcollector77]

@@thepotato513 The dream is so beautiful that if feels you with a deep sadness that's its not real.

[@Cybershell13]

Okay I finally finished it, and it's peak. I had some of those Gen 1 Bionicle toys as a kid but didn't know shit about the story, clearly I was missing out.

[@danielgrizzlus3950]

seeing other youtubers i know in the comments learn the depths of bionicle lore brings me joy

[@BenSaintComix]

That makes you the ideal audience for this IMO. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@the_real_Kurt_Yarish]

Gotta tie this into a Netlore episode somehow. Perhaps on fandoms of children's IPs with really deep lore? I dunno.

[@ellisrgreen]

@@the_real_Kurt_Yarish Seconded- would be an amazing guest episode

[@dpolaristar4634]

Will you make a fuck long video essay on the subject please?

[@hugmynutus]

"We met backup God and he told us shit is so fucked to not even involve him"

[@coreycahill6836]

Backup God is wild haha

[@Plasma_Pistolier]

Beyond hilarious, absolute cinema.

[@ScS-g1o]

The fact that I immediately know who your talking about

[@blarp7948]

Almost 4 hours in so far and I want to mention that I love how good of a sport you are with this stuff. You take information at face value and try to see how it can fit into what’s been established. No “this is dumb” or “lazy writing,” just, “here’s what happened next, and this might be why based on…” Thanks for showing my favourite franchise the respect I think it deserves.

[@BongoSeason]

This is one of the autism infinity stones I’ve been missing, perfect. Looking good, by the way.

[@valentemedina242]

What are the other autism infinity stones?

[@Luan-st2gb]

​@@valentemedina242 warhammer'a gotta be one

[@wyattr7982]

@@valentemedina242 WWII after a certain age

[@Painted_Owl]

Don’t forget the Roman Empire, or trains for that matter.

[@dpolaristar4634]

Sonic the Hedgehog has to be one

[@BestGuyEver]

UMM, GAMERS? I'M THINKING THIS IS EPIC???

[@feconisb.3067]

Yes Nate yes watch????

[@proxyprox]

No Nate Yes Watch

[@TheMovieCave]

God i just love nerds talking non stop about a subject for literal hours

[@ShibsKensei]

Showing support for your brother? BASED! 💪

[@Aaron-mj9ie]

I'm finking maybe I'm having a gweat time wearning about bionicuw.

[@AngryGoats555]

I love how every time he says Great Spirit, the Bionicle chant starts

[@Xernya-b5c]

Metro-nui, the city of legends

[@datguyuno98]

THATS WHAT THAT SOUND IS??

[@richpiana7011]

​@@datguyuno98No, its just a soundtrack from the Mata Nui Online Game called 'beach chant'

[@Jake-yz3qv]

My favorite Bionicle headcanon is that Botar's replacement was just Botar, he respawned in the Red Star and just immediately teleported back

[@Dudeman23rd]

The Kestora when any other creature dies: 😐 The Kestora when Botar dies: 🗣🗣🗣GET THAT THING OUT OF HERE THIS INSTANT

[@EnvyOmicron]

Genuinely hilarious headcanon, love it

[@quantumblur_3145]

Simpsons Clip with the doorway

[@Lolbitdrangonmaster]

I'm taking this headcanon as my own

[@andrewhoff8782]

Terraria respawn, nurse heal, wormhole potion to teammate.

[@TheSynthPunk]

"You, like Makuta Mutran, have already gazed into the gelatinous eye of Tren Krom and obtained the true knowledge of the nature of the Matoran Univerese" - I viscerally dislike the fact that I'm so hyperfixated on a lore of a 24 year old dead toyline that I got every word of that sentence.

[@theautisticguitarist7560]

I'm sorry but being so shitty you get held captive by demigods from a parallel universe so they can study you in a lab to figure out how someone could get so shitty is the funniest burn I've ever heard

[@LolUGotBusted]

in a lad

[@Unkle_Genny]

I haven’t even gotten to this point in the video but I already know he’s talking about Vultraz 💀

[@SuperGabber5000]

And the mazika picks paladin teridax to go with him 😭

[@TheSynthPunk]

​@@Unkle_GennyThat story was bat shit crazy as a concept, starting with a fact that Mazeka went from a normal dude to a traumatized psi-shielded soldier hired by the Bionicle feds.

[@Lolbitdrangonmaster]

When Was that?

[@writtheegg]

Ben saint literally spent a year completing all his side quests to become the ultimate soyjak.

[@YasaiTsume]

He will craft the Soyjak of time

[@ByrneBaby]

I need you to know that your hilariously mundane, dry delivery of these insane, hyperbolic events, twists, and turns of cosmic proportions turned this into one of the most hilarious stories I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. I grew up with the toys, movies, and comics, and my interest was at the highest with the Barraki, but not once did I read the novels, so this was all a new, amazing learning experience for me. Thank you so much, Vsauce, this has been a real treat and brightened up a gloomy section of my life.

[@deviousdieselmusic]

Dude his delivery is just absolutely unparalleled. Hilariously mundane was so well said.

[@fiachhoffman9590]

The way he describes the encounter with Tren Krom is fuckin PEAK

[@cbear3476]

I could watch this and his Megaman lore dump for the rest of my life

[@cakeinparadise]

My God I love every moment where he uses an analogy that was actually intended as foreshadowing to the giant robot body he just glances briefly at the camera and it kills me

[@thatsreallyfunnybro]

When I was a little 7 year old boy I thought the Lord of the Rings movies and Mask of Light had the same exact plots. Two little guys have a golden thing and they have to take it somewhere, and the dark lord sends monsters after them that the big grown ups fight.

[@Unregulatedtomfoolery]

Well 7 year old you isn't wrong!

[@Lolbitdrangonmaster]

Yeah

[@quantumblur_3145]

I Hate Everything deemed it "Lotr for babies" and disqualified it from the _Search for the Worst_ rankings for being benign and inoffensive

[@kevinwillems8720]

Only place where little you is off is the mask of light isn't an unintentionally metaphor lol

[@adamlouie1503]

Also Legends of Metru Nui is discount Thor Ragnorok

[@machbass]

Ben Saint is now.. the Chronicler.

[@Reecetafarian]

The Christorian and the Chronicler.

[@VortexKiller2]

Anyone can become a Chronicler, just takes a few days to describe the whole legend

[@juhor.7594]

​@@VortexKiller2And a year before that to research and write it down.

[@jetc17]

THREE DAYS NO ONE TAKES THREE DAYS ​@@VortexKiller2

[@Ithirahad]

Yeah, I really was not expecting to see an IRL Chronicler's Staff, much less in 2024.

[@quatreraberbawinner2628]

This is a Kafkaesque nightmare where you're constantly being mutated and you're just supposed to be ok with it

[@Naomi_Zone]

just like puberty

[@TheGuzeinbuick]

Early Bionicle: "No it's too violent to attack your enemies directly, you have to strike the ceiling to trigger a cave in or blow them away with a gust of wind." Late Bionicle: *gets imprisoned in a dimension of eternal torture by a Lovecraftian demi-god of madness and malice*

[@TheSynthPunk]

@@TheGuzeinbuick Early Bionicle weapons: "It's a launcher for your Kanoka meant primarily as a non lethal tool of self-defense!" Late Bionicle weapons: "SIX BARREL ROCKET LAUNCHERS THAT *WILL* FUCK YOU UP"

[@BenSaintComix]

Somehow I missed this comment which is sad because it made me guffaw. Thank you!

[@quatreraberbawinner2628]

@@BenSaintComix that's alright you replied to my other comment

[@nutscrescent]

This is literally the only KZbin video I’ve been watching for the last 10 days

[@quatreraberbawinner2628]

It's better the 4th time around when you can actually remember who tf everyone is

[@JamsandTea]

So glad this is happening with people who aren’t me too lmao

[@Jmgjgdjd5]

@@quatreraberbawinner2628 you don't know the characters?

[@pandorofchima]

bro same lol

[@cbear3476]

Trust me when I say no other video hits the same and you will be returning ❤

[@keenanbelmont]

For anyone watching this who grew up with Bionicle: Every time he finishes a toa debut? Watch the commercial for that Toa set. Not just for the nostalgia trip, but to really take in how much subtle lore they worked into even the smallest media. I was watching the Inika commercial just now with the widest smile like id never seen it before from knowing whats going on!

[@LifeofSquidMann]

>Release cool toys to stave off bankruptcy >End up creating one of the most expansive fictional settings in recent decades, rivaling Dune or 40k in sheer scale, requiring 9-13 hour long KZbin videos to fully explain

[@al-xks]

>And then unceremoniously cancels it early, does a reboot no one liked and never speaks of it again

[@toakongu1]

@@al-xks And refuses to elaborate

[@YasaiTsume]

And it's made for kids, kids who grew up with the series and brains became big af.

[@DarthLego46]

Bionicle being a portmanteau of “robots on an island” is the best Bionicle joke I have heard in 23 years.

[@TheSynthPunk]

I know right, bonk community is so tight knit that when someone makes a new funny it genuinely catches me off guard

[@Ragnellrok]

This really puts into perspective how underrated of a writer Greg was. Balancing a long form narrative with the restrictions on what names to use and having every set in a toy line be a meaningful part of the story, and taking fan questions and canonizing fan short stories really puts things into perspective

[@Ragnellrok]

@StudSnob That's kinda the thing, it didn't need to be, but he was ambitious enough to do it anyway. Behind all those toys were a rich lore that bring us to videos like this today.

[@MustardAndFries]

@StudSnobto be fair probably 99% of kids had absolutely zero idea about any of the actual lore involved. I remember loving Bionicles as a kid but barely knew anything about the lore. I did know I liked the all American rejects thoughz

[@TheSynthPunk]

I don't like the fact that love isn't canon >:c But I appreciate Greg's compromise of making love canon on Bara Magna, like you can't tell me Kiina wasn't into Mata Nui on some level.

[@Chameleonradio]

He was adequate for what he was doing--I don't think he was a fantastic writer, but I don't think you need to be, for a toy line. I will forever be grateful to him for saving us from Dudebro Inika though. I actually liked some things about the more mystical tone of Hapka's original books.

[@strcmdrbookwyrm]

​@StudSnob I understand where your coming from, and I somewhat agree that Greg is overrated. He is a good writer, I just think Bionicle fans view is somewhat clouded by nostalgia. What I do want to give him credit for is creating characters and scenes that are enjoyable even as things got worse and worse. I mainly enjoy his writing for the characters, and the inspiration they give. I do agree that after a certain point, Bionicle did start gloom-maxing. Though I'd say it was didn't actually start getting grimmer until around 2004 or 2005. But after that, I can agree that things only got worse for the characters. I see it as a consequence of the universe expanding, which caused both the stakes and the number of characters doing things to keep expanding along side it. Though now I'm wondering if Makuta (Teridax)'s victory at the end of Battle for Power contributed or crystalized that feeling for some people. Because even after all that work, the heros lost. That's not supposed to happen, right? Anyway, I also wanted to say that the best part of Bionicle was that there was always that sandbox feeling. The sets always encouraged you to combined them and make your own creatures and characters, and there was always a feeling that there was space for your creations in-universe. Though how easy it was to fit them in waxed and waned depending on the year. And I think that's the best part of Bionicle's story that people forget about: Telling your own stories, big or small, was what Bionicle was built around.

[@Throwaway-p2p]

this video is incomplete without Linkin Park blasting over amateur stop motion bionicle fights on dinner tables

[@crystalskunk3658]

I used to make those!! Glad someone remembers that era

[@Plunkcown]

@@crystalskunk3658 those Bionicle AMV's molded me into the man i am today. Now i can't hear Faint, Figure 09 or Runaway without envisioning bionicle clips

[@Sxdgefield]

It really is a testament to your charisma and talent as a content creator that you can keep me interested and entertained for 13 straight hours of lore that I previously had zero interest in. Great video.

[@thecianinator]

So what's it been like going from zero to the entire Bionicle lore living in your head for the last week?

[@scribeslendy595]

"They lit this inferno Gali, let them burn in it" is such a raw line

[@meh7973]

Hilarious to use such a good line to use on the ONE inferno they didn't lit 😭(technically)

[@RangerJackWalker]

The two suns of Metru Nui experiencing an eclipse effect as Mata Nui is put to sleep in the second movie was such a neat detail.

[@llamawarllord]

Absolute cinema

[@Bedna101]

Are you trying to tell me, i've watched the bionicle movies 20 years ago!? Am I old or something?

[@thecianinator]

those were his eyes closing!

[@josecarbonell1984]

The repeated ironic use of the phrase “the CITY of LEGENDS” gets me good every time

[@nytrunner9009]

And with the music background too lol

[@SuperSecretBricks]

"Metru Nui... the CITY of LEGENDS!" That's also my favourite recurring gag in the video, so good

[@blastedheath7045]

Takua, when the pods fell

[@EnvyOmicron]

Matoro and Ignika, at Karda Nui

[@Dudeman23rd]

Lesovikk, his hand hesitating

[@InvaderKaz2008]

Botar, to the pit with us

[@theautisticguitarist7560]

Lewa, his accent irish

[@MDE_never_dies]

I love that that episode is still a meme. Not to mention the crossover is beautiful.

[@cowblanket]

went into this completely blind with no knowledge of bionicle at all and now i dont think i'll ever stop thinking about this series. thank you

[@Damascusdalek]

Same.

[@strcmdrbookwyrm]

Welcome to rabbit hole. I hope you enjoy your stay.

[@scribeslendy595]

Shoutout to my man Botar, kicking back his LayZBio, sipping a protodermis margarita and watching our heroes on his 84" flatscreen, waiting for the villain of the week to be defeated so he can swoop in and look like a big-shot

[@notandylincoln]

lol “layZbio” clever

[@scribeslendy595]

@notandylincoln Cheers, I'm proud of that one lol

[@AureliaJamieson-x6t]

The problem with an 84" TV in this setting is scale is so arbitrary that every time you look away your tv may become smaller or bigger

[@ProphetJigalo]

0:00-1:09:58 year 1 1:09:58-1:39:35 year 2 1:39:35-2:37:54 year 3 2:37:54-3:53:58 year 4 3:53:58-5:12:19 year 5 5:12:19-6:49:30 year 6 6:49:30-8:05:00 year 7 8:05:00-10:36:00 year 8 10:36:00-11:16:25 year 9 11:16:25-13:14:07 year 10 & epilogue (kinda)

[@jowo__]

Ur a saint

[@JaminGarbutt]

^

[@peshomighty5051]

Year 4 gets spicy. You learn the archive guy. The discs that fly, hating on the police. Weapons woo. Become powerful Toa.

[@alecmoriarty]

🫡🫡🫡

[@justicediaz5956]

Good Job.

[@bakuhakudraws5603]

Ben, I think you've found the new niche for your channel. "I know nothing about this topic but I'm going to extensively research everything about it and then present it in an hours-long lecture" might be my new favorite youtube microgenre, and I want to see you do it for every conceivable franchise in existence.

[@treddox5880]

I would love to see him do it for Kingdom Hearts. Or Metal Gear. Those would be perfect for this style of video.

[@shiftyshitter348]

​@@treddox5880You mentioning Kingdom Heart shows you need a lecture on Ben lore, now that would be insane, a lecture on the lore of the PCP members lives and their carrers, even better if it started with Nate talking about how he started it and then Ben took over to talk about how he ruined it, it would be poetic, mirroring the events they are talking about, absolute cinema

[@ChaoticMartian]

Nah, he needs to do beyblade. That shit is wild!

[@BionicKasai]

The Mega Man lecture is one of my all time favorite youtube videos. I grew up on Bionicle, I know how complicated that lore is, this is gunna be massive.

[@hab0272]

Megaman?! I've got to watch that one! I think Megaman and bionicle humanized robots to me.

[@quinzlinz5445]

17:03 “and that I know everything about Bionicle, except the joy of play in heart of a child” was such a funny line to me. I’m hyped for the rest of the video

[@xR3DST4Rx]

Words cannot encapsulate my love for this video, so I will send money as well. Thank you for making my week Ben!

[@holdenringle3615]

As someone who got into Bionicle in 2004, hearing the term "Tohunga" where I expect to hear matoran gives me such a bizzare sense of unease

[@nytrunner9009]

You were not there, in the before time. We remember

[@joaquinvanhouten]

There's no way this man despawned for a whole year and then just came back in like "hi hi hi"

[@thecianinator]

well we know what he was doing for the last year at least

[@kylekiske_]

Oh this is just your second Ben Saint joint huh.

[@Nin_the_Shinobi]

Probably because he was researching this

[@BrookeBabbleBat]

that's what he did with the megaman one

[@AngryGoats555]

Actually, he came back and said “in the time before time “

[@AngryGoats555]

If Lewa had a nickel for every time he got mind controlled, he’d have 5 nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened 5 times.

[@Bigman_Carson]

And a rusty old one from Matau

[@TheSynthPunk]

​@@Bigman_Carson Every air themed character: "What is my purpose?" Greg: "You're the butt monkey of the team."

[@Ithirahad]

@@TheSynthPunk I don't recall Kongu, Iruni, or Orkahm being especially butt monkeys, but weirdly they're the exception.

[@Dudeman23rd]

​@@Ithirahad Kongu gets shoved underwater for a whole arc, he gets to spend all of 2007 having absolutely no natural way to access his elemental powers (Jaller too I guess but w/e)

[@catnapcat4467]

@@Dudeman23rd Jaller was about to Nova Blast the Barraki right before Matoro teleported the Inika back home and he had to hold in the biggest sneeze of his life. ... Yeah at least Jaller got to do something. Almost.

[@coleG112]

This video is messy and absolutely has the vibe of the chaotic friend just lore-dumping during a roadtrip, but that's part of what makes it so great. I'm watching this while waiting for the rest of Vader's Fortress 2's series to come out and it's the perfect amount of "IRL stuff" and "lore stuff" to complement his series so, so well. Your focus on "this piece of lore came from this media" and "this character is this set, these sets were these combiners" and stuff like that make it so much fun to revisit the old toys. My two favorite aspects of your process in this are - 1) the map. Oh my god the map. It's probably the best visualization of the Matoran Universe I've ever seen. I want a high res image of it if one exists; 2) the way you theorize and connect dots and make your own fan theories. Keetongu's rhotuka power, the innate rhotuka power in all beings, the origins of various characters, the "maybe Stelta and the other two are all in the same 'dome' as the Northern continent' thing, the "inner thoughts" of characters like when Vakama's hiding things from the Toa...it's all just so personal and is honestly the true heart of what it means to be a Bionicle fan. There's canon, yeah. But it's what that canon represents for each of us as individuals that really makes it special.

[@BenSaintComix]

What a nice comment, was a treat to read. Thank you very much 🙇‍♂️

[@Zaketh_]

I have been stuck in bed all week with the flu and this video has been my only company. I'm starting to hear the great spirit prophecy music in the background of my life I think. As a former lego kid who bought literally all of these things until around 2005, from the very very bottom of my heart THANK YOU for putting so much effort into this.

[@MTyranno]

I did NOT expect this much high concept eldrich horror in Bionicle

[@nytrunner9009]

You thought the steps of the pool led to the shallow end. You didn't realize there never was a shallow end :D

[@KasperMcKay]

​@@nytrunner9009We all swim in the deep down here lol

[@jdvred9210]

@@KasperMcKayWe truly are… Creeps from the Deep

[@TheSynthPunk]

So sad Greg didn't get to finish the story. Seeing Toa grapple with the concept of their free will being granted by a Great Being for an unknowable purpose would have been kino

[@Dudeman23rd]

I'm so glad that this video was done by an artist. The use of the hand-drawn map to set up the big reveal sells the concept perfectly.

[@the_real_Kurt_Yarish]

So, "Cordak" didn't originally mean "desolation" itself, it was given that meaning amongst Matoran once it became a slang term _after_ the defeat of the Toa Cordak team. In other words, the Toa Cordak got slain so terribly that Matorans would basically call any terrible destruction a "Cordak moment", lol. It's from this slang meaning that the blasters later derived their name, due to their destructive capability.

[@BenSaintComix]

That's awesome, I never came across that tidbit before

[@the_real_Kurt_Yarish]

@@BenSaintComix I only learned of it recently myself while going over Bonkle lore as a refresher, coincidentally just a day or two before you posted your video.

[@VortexKiller2]

Midak blasters are where its at though

[@MrSinjoy]

So Cordak is to the Matoran what Világos is to Hungarians.

[@tristanlee8495]

Honestly impressed at how succinctly and clearly you explained the story especially with a lot of the dense interweaving plot elements that start to appear later.

[@NWolfsson]

10:35:29 Man, imagine your dendritic cells going wild, hijacking your central nervous system, eject your cortex and go on with your life.

[@quantumblur_3145]

envy

[@kissmyrra2030]

I love the idea that regardless of time-line, Matoro is destined to be a savior and a figure of self-sacrifice. Rip a real one.

[@datguyuno98]

Reading Matoro's death in the comics was a legitimately harrowing experience for me as a kid and reading it in the book was so much harder. That shit felt so raw and so real to me as a kid

[@TheHaddonfieldRegistry]

The Uncle Ben of the Bionicle universe

[@grantmoore8228]

Now I'm just picturing Spider-Man 2099 holding back Jaller and screaming "It's a canon event!!!"

[@papersonic100]

I'm really glad you took the approach of presenting it in order of release like you did with megaman rather than making a chronology starting at the very beginning of the timeline. As someone who was only familiar with the toys, the movies and some of the official videos I had no idea how some of these story arcs and locations linked together. Voya-Mahri best arc, the matorans journey through the online games, to the first movie, to karzahni to becoming toa and everything in between is so great especially when presented like this.

[@LoudWaffle]

Release order is ALWAYS the best way to understand a story.

[@lilitulee]

The website storyline was glorious

[@TheHaddonfieldRegistry]

​​@@LoudWaffleexactly, Release Order should always be the introduction, that's the only way you'd appreciate the creative watch orders, like the Machete order for SW or the Connor Chronicle for Terminator

[@TheSynthPunk]

Started getting into the lore with Barraki, so I agree with Voya-Mahri being peak. Toa Nuva are the most iconic, but Jaller and co are MY GUYS

[@Dudeman23rd]

​@@TheSynthPunk Bionicle started when I was 3 and it's in my earliest memories. But the Ignition arc (2006-2008) was the first full arc I was old enough to understand right from the start, so those guys will always be my guys too.

[@hunterindonesia8986]

One of my earliest memories is from when I was, like, 5 years old, and I was in bed, admitted to the hospital, taking IVs, burning with fever, thinking I would never get out of there, until, suddenly, my stepfather came into the room with a present; it was a Bionicle, a beautiful, wild green Bionicle, one of those that I always saw in the shop windows and my mother always said the classic "we'll buy it when we get back" and there it was, it was like a green light of pure hope that soon I would go home and everything would be okay.

[@BenSaintComix]

which one was it

[@hunterindonesia8986]

@@BenSaintComix was a green fish dude with Wolverine-ish claws, was the coolest shit ever back them

[@BenSaintComix]

@@hunterindonesia8986 Was it Zaktan? biosector01.com/wiki/Set:8903

[@hunterindonesia8986]

@@BenSaintComix nah, it was one of the aquatic themed ones

[@BenSaintComix]

@@hunterindonesia8986 ohh right, fish you said. it must be ehlek then biosector01.com/wiki/Set:8920

[@fillory]

1:00:00 kapura underflowing his speed value is probably one of the funniest things in all of fiction

[@verkhvo]

brother did a blj

[@anabrule]

5:23:13 Something worth noting is that I think up to this point whenever they were releasing the waves of sets for a year, they would structure the waves to be Toa first, then the second wave would be whatever the generic enemy was for that year. For this year though, they released the Piraka first, and they each had more distinctive features and character than like, the Rakshi or the Visorak. So they essentially made the fakeout a kind of diagetic piece of marketing, and as I kid I saw this and, knowing that Toa had always been released first in all the previous years and knowing none of the lore because I could barely read, just thought "Oh, I guess this is what Toa look like now. Okay, cool."

[@rayryan6666]

I cannot believe it took him a whole hour to make a Kokoro wish joke

[@TheStrix]

It drove me crazy waiting for it lmao

[@fionaton179]

Pohatu is kind and joke-y because he's Down to Earth

[@tobiashagstrom4168]

Does being under the earth make Onua more or less humorous then?

[@strcmdrbookwyrm]

@@tobiashagstrom4168 Naw, it just makes him deep.

[@crystalskunk3658]

No it's bc he's sttoned

[@Finwelf]

I absolutely love the decision from you to introduce the lore chronologically just as you'd learn it as a kid -- I was very big on Bionicle as a kid and when the big revelation revelation happened I was just like "okay this is the most epic thing ever."

[@haracinia]

This video is a beautiful work of madness... and I think part of me must be crazy too for watching a 13-hour video in its entirety! I cannot stress how obsessed with this story I was a kid, but I still learned many new things and you reminded me of so much. You are the true chronicler! Thank you for all of your work! I am curious, since you didn't hardly bring it up here, what are your views on the franchise now that you have been inducted into the cult?

[@BenSaintComix]

Thank you very much. I'd say I came into this feeling like bionicle was a completely cynical corporate product, and it definitely is that, but I've also gained some appreciation for it after learning about Faber's initial spark of inspiration and seeing how year after year they kept coming up with new story content even under crushing corporate mandates.

[@JiJ1511]

The Bionicle Fandom appreciates your dedication. Thank you very much for the fantastic video.

[@BenSaintComix]

You're very welcome!

[@CalebRogers808]

It's pretty wild that near the end of Bionicle one of the major forms of storytelling was cosmic horror. A creature teleporting to different worlds with no control, a monster that eats dreams, a creature formed of many corpses building a kingdom out of nothing. Incredible stuff, and really shows the versatility of the Bionicle setting

[@ryankelsay5984]

Who was the corpse one again? I know that the other two are Vezon with the Olmsk and whatever wiped out the Iron Tribe.

[@mechanwhal6590]

@@ryankelsay5984The Golden Skinned Being, if I’m not mistaken.

[@leviticusprime4904]

@@mechanwhal6590it’s weird how everything in bionicle has a proper name and yet the golden skinned being is just called the golden skinned being.

[@mechanwhal6590]

@@leviticusprime4904 It’s like how there’s a Transformer named Joe.

[@leviticusprime4904]

@@mechanwhal6590or Steve.

[@bama2055]

the 252 Kraata, all with lore for each of the 6 stages and individual powers for just worms with slightly colors and faces is delightful. Imagine having 252 copies of the same worm piece all with their own unique little backstory lol.

[@medl99]

It's almost like they predicted NFTs lmao

[@Ithirahad]

@@medl99 Funny thing is, I don't think people would have hated NFTs if they were handled like digital versions of the sterling silver Hau Nuva, Shadow Kraata and the like - just fun rare digital collectibles. The problem was the techbros hyping them up as though they'll be an entirely new mode of existence or something.

[@the_real_Kurt_Yarish]

I knew Ben truly had his ear to the ground when it came to being read up on Lego lore the moment he said Galidor was his favorite constraction figure series, lmao.

[@SaxoraMcOhn]

A small something for the editor and the effort. That was an insane ride and an even more insane video!

[@CarterBartram]

I remember going to a friend's house a couple years ago to help him reassemble all his old Bionicle sets to sell or give away, as he was moving to a new house. And every time I saw a new partially-constructed model, it was like I was some sort of sleeper agent. All the lore, which had apparently lain dormant for more than a decade, came flooding back in. I knew the name of the set, how to spell its name with all the random H's in the right place, the name and powers of its mask, what combination models its pieces were part of, how much it cost in the LEGO catalog when it released, and how it fit into its season's story. It was honestly quite scary. Like "ZAP! This is a Guurahk, a blue Rahkshi with the power of disintegration. Its Kraata, the slug made out of Makuta flesh that controls it, is a stage 3 Kraata Ul. Its set released in late 2003, and is one of the first main-line sets to feature articulated knees. It, along with five other Rahkshi, were antagonists of the movie Mask of Light, in which it pursues Takua, gets frozen in a lake by Kopaka, and finally defeated by the Toa towards the end."

[@jonnystrike4999]

You know, Ben, I was real sad when you had said PCP Uni lectures were no more in the Megaman lore video.. But this format is great and your dedication to making a comprehensive retelling is absolutely wonderful (and unhinged). Bravo 👏

[@SpaghettiWizardVEVO]

While I miss the audience reactions, it's kind of blowing my mind that this video is not only 13 hours, but is also edited so that there's no downtime. There's even camera angles wtf

[@PowerYoutuberViewer]

What happened? Was it because of digibro being a creep?

[@abbynormal2419]

The reveal of the Big Story Engine is actually breathtaking.

[@deviousdieselmusic]

I literally YELLED “NO, STOP DONT EVEN SAY THAT” This is truly one of the greatest modern media stories ever told.

[@Doctor_17]

I wonder how many people go into this video utterly blind, and actually wait until the reveal of the Great Story Engine.

[@Buney993]

No kidding. I listened to most of to the video while working, but when the reveal hit, I sat and watched in amazement

[@stefvanroey8191]

​@@Doctor_17 i once saw the worldmap but was otherwise completely blind. I'm blown away though, literally just saw the reveal. I will never look at bionicles the same way again

[@DarkStarStudiosUK]

Sadly I was spoilered due to passively being invested in Bionicle for a long time. But I feel happy knowing it blew people's minds!

[@dybchamp1777]

i like the vine booms. parkour civilization vibes. great video ben, i hope this pops off as much as it deserves. having watched most of the 8 hour duckbricks bionicle video, though i do appreciate that video, i appreciate your decision to tell character stories in chronological order more. it really connects you to the plight of the metoran when you see all their little relationships and follies. hell yeah

[@Gibbontake]

This was really good, the map was so epic. i can't believe it's over, 13 hours went by strangely quick, i want more bio chronicle definitely gonna rewatch this at some point

[@NewtypeVigilante]

The scariest part of this 13 hour long video is that it is the spark-note/basic summary of the lore and there is so much more minutia and finer details beyond this. Bionicle lore really did go the distance in terms of world building.

[@Ithirahad]

Only for the first 4 years or so. He skipped over a lot of Toa Mata/Rahi hijinx, stuff that the Matoran of Mata Nui were getting up to without the Toa around, neat details of Koro worldbuilding... but then the story became so heavily suffused with large sweeping concepts all happening at once, that most of the little details fell to the wayside or became very predictable and generic. IMO right around then was when BIONICLE overall kind of lost its way. It was a cool constructed universe all the way out to the end, but as a commercial product the flash backwards to pre-Cataclysm Metru Nui was already confusing, 2005 being an oddly placed interquel was even more confusing - then by the time 2006 came and went, the franchise was extremely overweight with large-scale lore and basically doomed. Probably the original concept where they just kept going to new surface islands and reviving parts of Mata Nui would've been better, if they could figure out a way to tie in enough new toys.

[@strcmdrbookwyrm]

@@Ithirahad I agree, the world-building of the first half of Bionicle was forced to take a backseat to the expanding scope of it's story. I don't think it entirely went away though. What I think caused Bionicle lore to become so cumbersome was that characters were still active agents in the story and there wasn't time for flashbacks like we got for Metru Nui. I think the scale of Bionicle's lore is necessarily the problem. I think it's that there were so many people doing things at the exact same time. We got less and less background lore and hijinks because everyone was doing stuff RIGHT NOW! Even as someone who experienced (nearly) the whole story of Bionicle as it came out, I only learned about everything that had been going on at the same time a few years after it was over. Bionicle was something where you had to be there to truly understand why people love it. It was something were you were not only was there the world building of the story itself, but the little bits of world building you unknowingly were doing with yourself as you creating things from your bionicle collection. For better or worse, Bionicle's scope was it's greatest strength because it left room for you to make your own corner of the universe just for you.

[@Irregulargremlin]

1:18:30 The air acid connection makes more sense when you remember that in many Germanic speaking countries (like Denmark where lego and the writers of bionicle is from) the word a word for oxygen is "surstoff/sauerstoff" meaning sour stuff/matter, or like "syre" in Swedish literally meaning acid, its an old way of saying it but its also used by divers (both smoke and water ones) and medical personnel when talking about gas mixtures whit enough oxygen to breath specifically for that purposes or to burn

[@romankhamov6229]

Even in English, the chemical process that acid does is called "Oxidizing" (stealing electrons).

[@thecianinator]

What is a smoke diver?

[@Irregulargremlin]

@@thecianinator a firefighter whos specific task is going into burning buildings filled with smoke to rescue any one still in there, basicly the firefighters who go in with an axe and cary out (hopefuly still alive) bodies

[@DerangedManiac12]

The Greek roots that "oxygen" is derived from make it roughly translate to "acid birther," so I'm guessing the Germanic words are more or less literal translations of that nature.

[@Irregulargremlin]

@@DerangedManiac12 the etymology seems to agree according to Wiktionary, but the word "stoff" means matter/stuff/substance or Cloth/fabric/material, the first cases being the applicable ones here, so i dont see where the "birther," part comes in

[@__-be1gk]

4 and a half hours in and he's still on Metru Nui

[@DKdrop]

Almost wish I'd read this comment before watching the video, cuz I know most stuff up to Metru Nui and after the twist, but nothing between.

[@leviticusprime4904]

@@DKdropdude you missed the best arc.

[@aetherkid]

​@@leviticusprime4904 what do you think the best arc is?

[@KNGB520]

Oh yeah, it's all coming together

[@StrandSteifen]

this was a blast. thank you for that. i mostly knew about the main events and knew - of - some of the side stories but i still learned new stuff and your mostly dry delivery, the fun editing and sound quibs plus how you handled all the foreshadowing had me entertained (and sometimes squeaking of anticipation) like very few YT videos. i bow to thee.

[@classyname42]

Absolutely incredible! I had the first 2ish generations of toys growing up but i never knew anything about the lore. This has been quite the ride. Thanks for all your hard work. Unity, Duty, Destiny.

[@DrowsyDowell]

Me at the beginning: man…Ben sure is drawing a lot of attention to the map he’s making, must be proud of it 10 1/2 hours in: OHHHHH

[@Dudeman23rd]

Imagine having this realization in real time in 2008. I was there. It was earth-shattering across the whole canon and community. We went nuts. I recommend looking up the animated short "Mata Nui Rising" which served as the official reveal; it fills you with a sense of fear and awe in a way that eclipses anything else in the series.

[@DrowsyDowell]

@@Dudeman23rd I’ll have to check it out, thanks!

[@treddox5880]

When he first started drawing the map, and I could tell he was really nervous about getting it right, I was like, “Oh. OH. I know what he’s going to do.” I’m still only five hours in, so I’m not there yet. But man, I’m enjoying it so far.

[@foreverdirt1615]

Thank you for making this. It brings a tear to my eye to see the lore of Bionicle being appreciated so holistically with such scholarly attention to detail and context, and such a beautiful philosophy of completionism by somebody who didn't grow up with it. You made the video so that I don't have to make it, and that fills me with relief. I'm currently working on a project that's threatening to be 6 hours long so this kind of thing gives me faith.

[@anextlomara5981]

This is the best Bionicle lore video I've watched. So many of them go in chronological order which ignores how much stuff ends up being retconned or changed. Also describing the games in detail is awesome to see, I don't really see a lot of discussion around them

[@anthoniebest]

This was incredible. You are a mad man

[@profAlpha153]

No, man. Thank YOU for your video. I knew, like... 80-90% of this video material, maybe some things was not in a right order. But since Bionicle was a really HUGE part of my life back then, your vid didn't surprise me. BUT. That was hell of a ride down to memory lane. Thank you for making one nostalgic manchild that I am a little bit less sad... no, a little bit happier. Thank you and may the Great Spirit be with you.

[@Aaron-mj9ie]

Ben, I know that it is hard sometimes. But I want you to know that I love your content more than anything else on this website, and that I miss the Pro-Crastinators every day.

[@env_warby]

Same

[@benjaminlaureys2603]

Couldn't say it better myself, tbh

[@hexsinthedemon9489]

I’m with you, brother.

[@CGA003]

I can't believe I've spent 13 hours over the last 5 days watching a video from a guy I never heard of talk about the entirety of the lore of Bionicle. Bionicle was such a huge part of my youth, I legitimately attribute it to being a part of my development as a kid into a grown adult today. And despite my familiarity and understanding of the scale of the franchise and its story, I'm amazed about how little I actually knew of the story in detail. I'm a year away from turning 30 and this was such a great trip down memory lane, for a world I haven't thought about in over a decade. Amazing work with this video. You did such a good job with your research and presentation, an impressive feat to achieve over 13 hours. At no point did it feel like a boring lecture that droned on and on, and yet neither did it sound like the mad ravings of an obsessed fan who over-exaggerates or ignores any of the ridiculousness that arises in a 10 year story. Instead you sounded like someone like me, a person who recognizes the incredible ambitiousness of the series, along with the fun absurdities of it being written largely by one talented man. I hope this video is something you are proud of, because this amount of effort is seldom seen from people nowadays, and you did an exceptional job with it.

[@hidicproductions4849]

Exactly the same here. Over five days watching this video, no clue about Bionicles story and lore, yet a childhood spent with the toys, turning 30 in a year.... seems, I am your doppelganger from the other side of the world. 😂

[@PiperDeck4]

Dude everything you just said about yourself is true about me, wtf

[@JaxxoonR]

One correction (if you didn't state it elsewhere in the video and I just forgot) is that the Avohkii's power of "understanding" isn't meant in the sense of comprehending a concept, but in the sense inspiring understanding between others. Takanuva just never uses this ability in any of the misunderstandings he has with people. Regardless, this is an impressively/scarily accurate and well-researched video and it makes you the single leading expert on Bionicle who has never picked up a bionicle in his life.

[@Big-Milky-Jugs]

Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t the Avohkii also still provide control over light powers, it’s just that we only see it worn by Takanuva who already has light powers?

[@JaxxoonR]

@@Big-Milky-Jugs Yeah, it's pretty funny.

[@TheSynthPunk]

I think I also read somewhere that Avohkii is the power opposite of Kraahkan, and since Kraahkan can help the user see the inner shadow of people, Avohkii helps the user see the inner light of others. That technically means that along with understanding Avohkii gives the user powers to make teary anime speeches.

[@combativeThinker]

​@@Big-Milky-Jugs It essentially allows him an infinite supply of light energy that can't be exhausted, unlike his reservoir of elemental power, which is why he is such a threat to the Brotherhood.

[@underwater1997]

You know, the image of Matoro hurtling through the black water in an attempt to out speed a falling *continent* to get to the heart of the universe in an attempt to save a dying god is unironically the hardest thing in this entire franchise. What a hero.

[@purplehaze2358]

Mata Nui's first instinct when fighting something rahi-like being to knock its mask off is actually a really clever bit of characterization I think.

[@AegisKokoriki]

I feel so called out by him saying to rewatch it, because I was absolutely going to do that later since I've only been half-paying attention for the whole video

[@phantasm1234]

That big ol plot twist was honestly so interesting. It recontextualizes everything, and could only work in such a huge, years-spanning narrative. Very cool.

[@raideen9311]

Video deserves 1 million more views. Can't give too much but I hope this helps

[@Axelovskji]

Two days of entertainment and nostalgia through a tough time, I can't thank you enough

[@BenSaintComix]

thank you! I'm glad it could be helpful.

[@jirieskelinen5607]

My favourite thing is just randomly skipping to a random point and hearing about adaptive armour and massive obelisks that people live in.

[@AdamChalmers]

Thanks for reminding me what a big part of my childhood this was.

[@BenSaintComix]

Thank you, my pleasure!

[@dragonhunter4592]

The deepest of lore. Love to see Bionicle get some love for its story, especially from someone who has had to step-in and try to process all of this from scratch.

[@MrMetal-xe8lg]

Not having chapters in a 13 hour lecture is criminal, but i can't be mad at something that's this miraculous and amazing. Ben, i cannot articulate how cool it is to see such a thorough chronicling of the coolest lego theme, thank you.

[@jado7422]

There are timestamps in the description!

[@krakua200]

As a child, I used to read all of the Bionicle books, sometimes even multiple times, just trying to figure out what the fuck was going on. Any time someone would ask me what they were about, I would start rambling but could never really convey what was happening. Now I can just send people this video. Thanks Ben!

[@BenSaintComix]

that's what i was hoping you'd do!

[@nicklambert1820]

This video has inspired me to finally go back and figure out that the Bionicle I owned as a 5 yr old isn't a Bionicle at all. I had the purple "Electro" Slizer Throwbot. It was awesome

[@samlee5774]

The most interesting fantasy aspect of this to me isn't the elemental powers or beasts, it's the concept that everyone has these long/indefinite lifespans. As a kid I just assumed the Rahaga died after the Toa left, so it's wild hearing they were waiting there when everyone returned

[@nicholaslogan6840]

The Kokoro Wish lecture enriched my life

[@zf1_boi46]

Thank you for honestly respecting the material and representing it in the best light. It's silly that it's written to sell toys but this story has affected a lot of people for the better.

[@RavenJoe]

As someone who is to this day, still obsessed with this franchise, seeing someone who was never familiar with Bionicle's story and lore diving deep into it all these years later fills my heart with so much joy.

[@shrikess]

13 hour watchers rise up! Watched this over several weeks back from college break, what a trip. My favorite is Brutaka that dude been through a lot of shit. You doing all this without an editor is INSANE work, thanks for the great video ❤