Wednesday, March 11, 2009

A primer to Bionicle

The bionicle fandom is a rather large fandom that began in the year 1 with the release of the LEGO characters. For all those who just are getting in the fandom with the beginning of the new Bara Magna line here is a bare bones primer for the back story of the line...

2001-2003
This is the first era of Bionicle. We were introduced to the six main characters, the six Toa "mata", beings the that controlled the elements. These toa were named: Tahu (fire), Gali (water), Kopaka (ice), Pohatu (stone), Lewa (air), Onua (earth). Six heros, one destiny was the little tag line.

These six ended up on an island by the name of Mata Nui. They came out of these cnaisters had amnesia and the such but were informed by the leaders of the island's villagers, called turaga, that they were protectors of the tohunga (now matoran) and awake the Spirit Mata Nui.

The first saga began with the toa defending their villages and fighting beasts called "rahi". Also included they each had to find six certain masks that would give them abilities. Next they go on a big fight with the "makuta" who put Mata Nui to sleep. (Told you this would be bare bones)

After our heroes believe they defeat this guy they emerge from his lair on to find out these creatures called "bohrok" have been awakened. This insect like things were destroying everything on the island in an attempt to return it to the "Before Time." Now see, these little dudes wouldn't attack you unless you actually got in their way...but it turned out they were more like vechiles for these things called "krana" (and then there are like...a bunch of these...) The toa have to collect these and they discover the nest.

Inside the nest they face down the queens, now as they are fighting the queens they end up trapping them inside a protodermis (the main energy source matoran use but some how it keeps popping up all over the place) prison. The toa are then some how dropped into tubes filled with a substance called "energized protodermis" which transforms them into Toa Nuva.

Then they fight the Bohrak Kal...which steal the toa's power. Which leads them back to the queens...the toa use their smarts and the Kal's power turn against themselves. The toa get their powers back...everyone is happy.

After this...something called the Mask of Light is discovered. Turns out the Makuta isn't killed. He sends these creatures called Rahkshi, or his "sons" to defeat the toa and to find the seventh toa to which the MoL belongs.

All this fails epically on Makuta's part.

The Seventh Toa, Takanuva Toa of Light, is revealed and he pretty much pwns all. And then a "new" island is revealed called Metru Nui. The turaga inform the toa that they all, turaga, toa, and matoran must travel there. Then the turaga reveal they used to be toa as well.


2004-2005

Okay this I'm not gonna spend too much time on this part.

So the turaga reveal that they were once toa and all the matoran had once lived on this island called Metru Nui.

This island was being attack by vicious vines called, Morbuzakh. The turaga, who were matoran then transformed into toa by the final toa of Metru Nui called Lhikan. The new toa, Vakama (fire), Nokama (water), Nuju (ice), Matau (air), Onewa (stone), and Whenua (earth...and meh biffle ^^) Now Vakama was having these funny visions which told them to find something called the "Great Disks" And questing they went!


To tell you all the truth...there is so much stuff in this fandom I do believe I will go insane typing it all, besides, I have another Bionicle article write anyways but I wanted to give you newbies a background. Here's a link to go farther in the fandom! Welcome NEWBIES! http://biosector01.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Saturday, January 10, 2009

In defense of the metal genre


Greetings everyone. It was a toss up today to either whine about the economy or talk about metal music...look which one won out!

This a trivial thing, metal music. But it has come to my attention that the genre of music I love so much is misunderstood.

I want to clear a few things up. I DO NOT...I repeat, I DO NOT consider Linkin Park metal. Their style is more akin to alternative. Heck even Itunes lists them as alternative. Nu metal I do not even think of metal. (Slipknot...eh, they have potential. Korn, fugettaboutit...okay...maybe I just to listen to them more...I'm rambling darn it!) To me, they are more like plain old rock. Don't get me wrong, there are some nu metal bands that are really good. Linkin Park is good, Godsmack, etc.

The metal I'm talking about is Metallica, Motley Crue, Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, you know, the good stuff. *looks at playlist* Okay, I know I don't have any of those bands on the playlist, except Metallica. I don't know those bands as well.

My section of the world is not overly welcoming the to genre. Heck, I don't think I've met another Metallica fan in my town! (I have in my school, even there metal isn't popular and is frowned upon)

Let us now define metal music. Metal is strong, heavy and emotional. It isn't all "I'm out to kill" or "death" Metal is a diverse little group, Thrash, Gothic, Black, are all types of metal.

People don't really understand its complexity. I've looked at a sheet of music for a metal song. Its a complicated piece of work. The vocals can be varied. True, I'm not going to deny there are bands that scream. Listen to some of the others like Nightwish for example. The vocals are complex operatic sounds in their older works. Others combine the two, i.e. Epica. And then there is the plan out singing, i.e. Black Sabbath.

Metal music is like an ongoing experiment.

This genre truly takes dedication if you want to do well. It isn't something to be shunned, but embraced. One of the top selling American bands is a metal band (Metallica).


Special thanks to my Deviantart friend Thisita in the writing of this post!


Signing off!

-T3h Gothic Nerd

Friday, December 26, 2008

The Day the Earth Stood Still



'allo! Time for a movie review! Whoot....ahem...anyways.

So I just recently came back from seeing "The Day The Earth Stood Still."

I am fully aware that this movie came out a week ago. I was so busy I just got to see it. It was surprisingly good despite the 2 1/2 star rating it got on MovieTickets.com.

Based off the original movie and when I say based I mean based. Sure there are few things that are the same (i.e. Gort and Klaatu, Hellen is still there. Klaatu still takes on human form blah blah blah).

Now, not giving away too much of this movie, even though I think most know what happened, it was carrying subtle messages about our environment in there. Not much to say about it really seeing as it was a remake. The special affects were great and the acting was pretty decent.

T3h Nerd gives it 3 stars.

Signing off!

Friday, November 28, 2008

This N3rd Rants


'allo, tis me again, posting once...after the freakin' longest time!!! Today I just wanted to have a small teensy rant... Everyone forgets Thanksgiving... It goes from Halloween straight to Christmas...GIVE THANKSGIVING A CHANCE for Pete's sake! But I think the reason us people here in America forget about it is because you can't really commercialize Thanksgiving. That in itself is a curse and a blessing for the holiday. If Thanksgiving was commercialized it would get more notice. But if it is, then most of the meaning is lost. Like Christmas, Christmas is supposed to be a time for families but instead I see whiny kids just wanting stuff and its all gimme this and gimme that! *roar* Anyway, that's just my two cents on this whole thing, not really a rant but more of a complaint... Ugh well, that's it for now! --- T3h Gothic Nerd

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Christopher Paolini...that really isn't funny


About time! Another section to the Inheritance Trilo...I mean Cycle has finally come out.

So I was expecting Brisinger to be the final book, the big wrap up, considering we've waited how long now for it to come out but NO! Now it will be four books. Not funny...okay then...on with the review.

Alrighty then. In all the book was a decent piece of work. We get a conclusion to the whole against the Ra'zac vendetta. And we get to enjoy a gory little appearance of the Helgrind priests. So the action starts off decent enough. After this things go a little slow for a few chapters. Christopher fills this in nice enough at least.

The book continues on at a slow clip. We hear more on the Az Sweldn rak Anhuin issues. Past the battles and "laughing dead" nothing overly interesting happens. There is a bunch of stuff that does kind of come out of left field and if there were any hints in the previous two books I missed them. I have a challenge for you all, Spot the Doctor Who reference!!! There is one in this book!

If you read and enjoyed the first books then you will like this one. Honestly, I have only just started reading the Dragonriders of Pern but I understand there are many things in Eragon so far that are much like Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders, especially that hatching impression thing and mind link.

Expect sometime this month a review for InkDeath the third book in the Inkheart trilogy! (Which I expect to be much better the Brisinger)

So this concludes this night's review!


---T3h Gothic Nerd

Friday, August 29, 2008

I welcome thee all!

Hello everyone! Here is my first post for you all. Before I begin with the movie review I was about to give you I just want to tell you what this blog is about.

Well, basically its in the title...its for nerds, geeks, and fellow metal music fans, or any one who has been called the a fore mentioned titles. (remember, geek and nerd are some pretty broad terms when you come to think of it, i.e. the Dungeons and Dragons geek, computer nerd, band camp...list goes on. I myself just fall under "art geek" and just "nerd"y in general)

Alright, here is your movie review...

Recently, George Lucas has once again made ANOTHER Star Wars movie. This has gotten, well, not the best reviews around, I am going to be nice to the movie and give a decent review.

Movie-3 stars out of 5
When (or if) you go see this movie just remember, this is definately a kids' movie and it is the beginning of a new Clone Wars TV series (even though they already have a perfectly decent one). The plot itself did not appear to be the strongest of all the episodes. The Hutts are not my favorite characters...so take off a star for THREE Hutts. Anakin just...he doesn't sit well with me as a great character, in this movie or episodes 1-3. His sort of whiny padawan doesn't help it along much. Ahsoka, the padawan, does mouth off to Anakin which puts the older whiny Jedi in his place.

Obi-wan is Obi-wan...nothing more to say about him, he is always a classic character and you can't really mess up Obi-wan.

George Lucas DID NOT direct or write any part of this movie. First time since Return of the Jedi. (John Williams did not do the score either) Not much else to really say about this movie besides the fact there wasn't a lot to it.

For the hard core fans of the original series...don't go see it , it might break your heart. So don't go to see it to whine about it!!! (you hard cores can be as bad as insane GEEWUNNERS...no offense to all GEEWUNNERS, i have met really nice G1 fans! )
To those who saw all six episodes, enjoyed all six episodes,and wished to see more, you might like it. (unless you saw the 2003 cartoon. I swear, the new cartoon coming out is just going mess every thing up.)
And finally to all little kids out there, yeah, this movie is for you so sit back and enjoy!

So that's it, if you think I was too nice just tell me please!

Definition of a GEEWUNNER for those who do not know---->http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/GEEWUN

Signing off till next time,
---T3h Gothic Nerd