Tag Archives: Bionicle

Bionicle was a line of sets that grew out of the LEGO Technic line that LEGO produced between 2001 and 2010, succeeded by Hero Factory. Bionicle had an incredibly complex storyline that accompanied the sets, and most of the elements didn’t integrate well with traditional SYSTEM bricks. As a result, long-time adult fans like the contributors here on The Brothers Brick never quite appreciated what Bionicle had to offer, so most of the LEGO models we feature here on The Brothers Brick are built from traditional SYSTEM bricks. Nevertheless, we do appreciate a great Bionicle creation from time to time.

The modern Toa for the modern age

I can’t be the only one who was disappointed with the LEGO Bionicle representation in 11021: 90 Years of Play. Thankfully, Mathijs Dubbeldam has provided an excellent example of seven Toa Nuva using current parts. These figures don’t sacrifice any movement possessed by their counterparts from 2002, relying heavily on the Mixel ball joint. And the sculpting of the Bionicle masks in this scale is exceptional! Each Toa feels unique and recognizable by their face alone. But the real victory here is Mathijs’s glorious weapons crafting. Relying heavily on the Ninjago parts library, each of the septet is properly equipped and ready for battle. The display stand is the icing on this ball-jointed cake, pairing a proper biome with each member of the troupe.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Not a beastie anyone should corner in the dark depths

This fearsome LEGO beast comes from the mind of WoomyWorld. Lurking in the depths of the cavernous underground, it waits for the unsuspecting wanderer lost in the dark. The construction of this beastie and its scene bear great care in the details. The head is well sculpted, featuring a variety of fun pieces, including some minifig arms to frame upper cheeks. Many Bionicle pieces make up the limbs and body, including the connector joints making up the beast’s vertebrae. With its glowing red eyes, this is no creature I’d want to encounter while exploring caves! The size of it is mammoth, a scale illustrated by the tiny brick-built figure brandishing a sword. Will the ancient creature feast on the foolish or reward the wise? Only time will answer the question and only the wise will find the solution; the foolish will make for a light snack.

Cats are royalty, no matter where you are

This LEGO build by Vohdoff of a laborer ferrying a whimsical feline beast shows that even in a fantasy realm, cats are still royalty. I suspect the cat in question here may draw some of its inspiration from Japanese Kitsune with their many tails. Whatever its origins, though, this creature is gorgeously sculpted from mostly Bionicle elements. Meanwhile, the servant also has an otherworldly visage, and a magnificent gold collar to match the cat’s eyes.

Falcon and the winter Toa

LEGO builder Aaron Van Cleave tells us that this is Kualus, Toa Hagah of Ice and wears the Kanohi Mask of Rahi Control. Consider yourselves informed! I like the overall shape of this character, the sword, shield and the doodads going on in the chest area. Its feather plume is also not without its charms but my favorite detail has to be the black hawk companion. It would fit in perfectly on the hood of a 1979 Trans-Am!

The hell-ridin’ Hemogoblin within all of us

If my Instagram stream is any indicator, anyone with a plunging neckline or pimples to pop can be an internet influencer. But it takes a special kind of genius to be as influential as LEGO builder Eero Okkonen. With his amazing characters, he has most certainly influenced dozens of other builders, all without resorting to even a hint of cleavage. Here we see Hemogoblin, who hauls oxygen along the Aorta Highway on his badass dirtbike. Oh, and it turns out he lives inside each of us and is actually helpful. So, yeah. To see this genius at work, check out our Eero Okkonen archives; the guy is super-prolific and you won’t be disappointed. As for me, I haven’t built anything in a while and have to resort to cheap, lurid gimmicks to hold any shred of influence I may still have. Time for me to put on a skimpy top, pop some zits and watch the profits roll in!

Spooky, hungry alien will eat you in good time

Doesn’t he just look…friendly? Those big eyes and that toothy smile just set your mind at ease, right? This model of B.A.R.R.Y. the hungry alien by LEGO Masters contestant Caleb Campion is a grotesque balance between friendly and frightening. His delicately sculpted head has a Grendel-like appearance that only a mother could love, not to mention the cursed Jar-Jar Binks heads that Caleb used as hands. The red cape from the Monkey King mech gave him a bit of a challenge but the final result blends well into the red tentacles swarming out from beneath B.A.R.R.Y.’s body. The bright red stands out well against the stark background and perfectly frames the mess of exposed innards in the creature’s chest. If I had landed my craft and been greeted by this, I’d be hightailing out of the atmosphere already.

B.A.R.R.Y.’s ready for his close-up! This creepy face might be the last thing you see on this distant exoplanet. Eagle-eyed builders will recognize the plethora of droid arms used to round out his head in addition to the droid head used as his nose. With everything going on, or going wrong, with this build I’d believe it if you told me this is what it looks like when you take a Muppet’s skin off. This looks like someone locked Animal in that attic from the insurance commercial for a hundred years.

It’s no surprise that a LEGO Master’s contestant could weave together bricks in such a cute but creepy way. Caleb Campion continues to show us the chops that got him on the show in the first place, setting up not only well built characters but also complimentary scenery that helps tell the story.

This dangerous Dissolver melts our hearts

Ivan Martynov is a master of creature construction. His latest digital build is a monster that channels corrosive liquids through his arms to leave his Bionicle foes reduced to a puddle of goo. But, with those massive bendy arms, I bet he gives some pretty good hugs, too. Has anyone tried giving him a hug? Maybe that’s all he needs. Did the Toa ever think of that? I bet not.

The Jury is out and we’re probably screwed

A LEGO builder who goes by the wackadoodle name of MySnailEatsPizza has concocted this Bionicle creature called The Jury. They tell us that this is a “Divine Automaton responsible for seeking truth and evaluating guilt”. They go on to say it is “composed of many consciousnesses, its single eye pierces the soul”. That settles it then. I’m pretty sure they know it was me who opened a bottle of dish soap in The Brothers Brick hot tub. Admittedly some maturity could have gone a long way but I definitely didn’t leave a whoopee cushion on Andrew’s office chair so don’t get that idea in your heads.

Neither rain nor sleet nor discarded fruit skin...

There’s almost too much clever parts usage in this LEGO delivery-monkey character by Nikita Nikolsky. Nah, I’m just kidding. You can never have enough excellent part usage! With the red snake for the monkey’s tie, the Dots bracelet for the strap on its mailbag, and the Bohrok masks strapped on as knee and elbow pads, this build is certainly overflowing with examples. The motion Nikita has created here is fantastic, with the rocket shoes shooting out flames and the white smoke trail leading up to a bit of hazardous fruit. It’s clear that letters are about to start flying! And I’ve got to take a minute to marvel at those shoes, some of the best brick-built ones I’ve seen. The white tread, on full display as our runner falls prone, is a symphony of texture befitting the rocket-propelled footwear.

A LEGO builder in his element

If there’s anyone I trust to build a spirit consisting of the five elemental forces, it’s got to be Eero Okkonen. I mean, after all, the dude writes for a LEGO blog called New Elementary, so he’s got to be an expert! And, in typical “Eero” fashion, earth, wind, fire, water, and void aren’t the only elements excellently displayed here. That bending trunk of Bionicle bits looks so organic, especially in contrast to the stone corners of the nearby lantern. And I absolutely love the plating used for the warrior’s kusazuri, as well as the shaping of their hair. It seems very similar to the design for “Wind” within the kami, strands snaking down onto armored shoulders. The largely grayscale nature of the build helps to make all the colors pop out, even more, drawing the eye to the orange of the spirit, the pink flowers of the tree, and the gold worn by the warrior.

Even leviathans feel a little crabby sometimes

Something slumbers in the depths beneath Shipwreck Reef, and Magmafrost13 gives it definition in LEGO form. The kaiju wakes when a massive ship of humanity’s hubris sinks and falls onto the reef. The leviathan reclaims the ship, adding its hull to its own reef encrusted exterior. Now the Crab of Shipwreck Reef comes for humanity. How cool is this build?! This cranky little kaiju features a Bionicle infrastructure with wonderful incorporation of some cool LEGO parts. Of course, what LEGO parts aren’t cool, eh? I especially like the use of the Pteranodon wings on the carapace by the face. The coloring and texture of the wings add some awesome definition. Another great usage I’m fond of is the use of the Bionicle heads for stone/part of the reef structure. There are even tiny little crabs in the reef, coming along for the ride to witness the leviathan’s retribution.

Death moves on many legs

Of all the ways Death can arrive, and some of them admittedly icky, this version, built by LEGO Bionicle builder Will Hafner, moves on many legs. This…inhuman centipede…is a thing that fuels nightmares. The trans-light blue and gold color scheme is rather neat though. It was created for Bio-Cup which is currently heating up like Georgia asphalt in July. Since it presently is July my hokey colloquialism finally makes sense. Here’s to small miracles! Now if you wish to avoid an icky demise from this creepy crawler I recommend you put an egg in your shoe and beat it.