Lego Bionicle: The Journey to One is an animated web television series created for Netflix based on the Lego toy theme Bionicle , chronicling events from its 2016 storyline. The series follows the Toa , part-organic, part-machine beings with power over the elements in their quest of safeguarding their island home of Makuta, the main antagonist. Consisting of four episodes, the series premiered on March 4, 2016 with its first two episodes and a prior prologue, with the latter being released the following July 29. [1]
Premise
On the mythical island of Okoto, the forces of darkness are on the move and the evil Makuta is working to cast the world into darkness. The desperate island inhabitants enlist six heroes – called the Toa – to help save their beloved island. Only when the heroes are united, they will be able to battle the forces of evil, defeat Makuta and save Okoto. [2]
Production
The series was announced in 2016 as a four-part mini-series exploring the 2016 story of Bionicle as part of an upcoming slate of children’s television programming for exclusive release on Netflix . The show was estimated to launch in February 2016, before an official release date March 4, 2016 was confirmed.
Lego Bionicle: The Journey to One was animated by Canadian-based studio The Volta, while scripts were written by Mark Palmer with input from the Lego Bionicle and Nicholas-Denis Robitaille, with Geneviève Savard and Mathieu Boucher and Jean-François Tremblay as executive produces. Matt Betteker, one of the artists for Bionicle, created concept work for the series.
Cast
- Nolan Balzer as Tahu
- Paolo Bryant as Pohatu
- Geoff Hughes as Lewa
- Jacqui Fox as Gali
- Corny Rempel as Kopaka, Narrator
- William Jordan as Ekimu, Onua, Makuta, Narmoto & Izotor
- Michael Strickland as Umarak
- Quinn Greene as Kivoda [3]
Additionally, Cory Hunter appeared in unknown roles.
Episodes
| Episode | title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | “Prologue – The Legend Begins” | Nicolas-Denis Robitaille | Mark Palmer | March 4, 2016 |
| In the newly populated ancient City of the Mask Makers, Narmoto protector – leader of the Fire Tribe – gathers some children around a fire to recount the events leading up to this point. Makuta’s Makuta, the Makuta’s Makuta, the Toa’s Makuta’s Makuta’s Makuta, and the Makuta’s Makuta. Meanwhile, bestowed with new armor and weapons by Ekimu, the Toa ready themselves for their next quest. Altogether, prologue briefly retells the story from web-series Bionicle which consists of 18 mini episodes. | ||||
| 1 | “Quest for Unity” | Nicolas-Denis Robitaille | Mark Palmer | March 4, 2016 |
| Ekimu tells the Toa of their mission still to come. The Toa, seeing visions of the Elemental Creatures, set out to find the Creatures. Although the Toa and the Creatures initially fight, the Toa learn that to achieve their mission, they must make peace with their Creatures. Umarak catches Uxmar and manages to unite with him, but before he can learn the location of the Mask of Control, Lewa saves the Creature and defeats Umarak. The Toa Journey to their Temples, retrieve the Golden Masks of Unity, and unite with the Creatures who show them the location of the Labyrinth of Control. | ||||
| 2 | “Trials of the Toa” | Nicolas-Denis Robitaille | Mark Palmer | March 4, 2016 |
| Unified with their Creatures and with each other, the Toa set out for the Labyrinth of Control. On their way, they are attacked by Umarak who discovers Pohatu’s refusal to cooperate with Ketar, the Creature of Stone. The Toa defeat the Hunter and continue their path to the Labyrinth which is situated on an island off the coast of Okoto. After a race to the island, the Toa journey to the center of the maze where they use the Elemental Creatures to gain access to the chamber where the Mask of Control resides. Pohatu hesitates to unite with Ketar, allowing Umarak to attack, forces Ketar to unite with him, and access the Mask of Control’s chamber. The Hunter steals the Mask of Control and escapes. Pohatu makes up to Ketar and the Toa swear to recover the Mask. At the same time, Umarak replaces his mask with the Mask of Control, | ||||
| 3 | “Destroyer’s Game” | Nicolas-Denis Robitaille | Mark Palmer | July 29, 2016 |
| Umarak the Destroyer unleashes the monstrous Shadow Horde and sends them to attack the City of the Mask Makers, forcing the Toa to defend it. Ekimu summons Agil, the Elemental Creature of Light, and sends it to find Umarak after gaining an upgraded form. Elemental Creatures defend the city, with Agil bringing news that Umarak has collected the fragments of Makuta’s Mask of Ultimate Power, which are needed to free him from his prison in the Shadow Realm. As the Toa and Ekimu pursue him, Umarak raises a mountain from the site of Makuta’s defeat. | ||||
| 4 | “The Dark Portal” | Nicolas-Denis Robitaille | Mark Palmer | July 29, 2016 |
| As the Toa and Ekimu trail Umarak, Ekimu reveals that the Mask of Ultimate Power was destroyed by the energies it contained, which opened the portal that imprisoned Makuta. Catching up to Agil, they find Umarak’s mountain and the portal forming atop it, and Ekimu shares Makuta’s history of jealousy and ambition. They then come across Umarak and engage him in battle, during which he summons more Elemental Beasts to delay them and then escapes. Umarak begins the ritual to open Makuta ‘s portal, trapping the Toa when they arrive but then suffering from a Light attack launched by Ekimu and Agil. Makuta’s attack on Gali inadvertently enabled her to discover the strategy needed to defeat Makuta, and the Toa combine their elemental powers to banish the villain after he destroys Umarak and are returned to the stars from which they cam. | ||||
References
- Jump up^ “New on Netflix for July: Mean Girls, Back to the Future, more | EW.com” . Ew.com . Retrieved 2016-11-11 .
- Jump up^ Todd Spangler. “Netflix Orders 7 Original Kids ‘Series, Including Lego’s’ Bionicle ‘and DreamWorks’ ‘Croods’ | Variety” . Variety.com . Retrieved 2016-11-11 .
- Jump up^ The Journey to One: Trials of the Toa IMDB Full Cast