Shadows Forever and Always

Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?

Many items come and go and this one wasn’t originally mine in the beginning, until I made it mine.

When we were kids, my brother had a huge interest in Bionicle and had so many figures. I became interested in the franchise as well when he told me about Gali, the only female Toa in the group.

We played with the figures and told stories every morning. I didn’t always like the direction they went, but I continued to play. We even had a board game but tweaked some of the rules due to how complex it was. Hell, we even had toothbrushes!

Then, my brother got older and began to lose interest in the franchise. I, on the other hand, couldn’t bring myself to let it go because I was too attached to the lore and characters. I also thought, thanks to my ASD brain, that it was incredibly stupid to let go of something you loved because you were getting older. I mean, sure, as I grew up, I gained more interests and passions, but my love for Bionicle remained through it all.

I mean, baby toys are one thing, but Bionicle and Lego, to me, seemed like something everyone can enjoy, not just kids. So as my brother moved the figures out of his bedroom. I snagged a few of them and put them on my shelf to display my love for Bionicle that still remains to this day.

I took Makuta first, and at one point, I had some of the Toa, but I refused to have them displayed unless I had all six, so now, only Makuta remains on my shelf.

Is Makuta still up there? Yes he is and he always will be. Wherever I go, he will go with me. Even though the Toa are still my favorite, Makuta is just as iconic as they are and he is one of my favourite villains of all time.

I always get so many compliments online from people who see him when I share images of my collection. People get excited with a burst of nostalgia, and it makes me so happy that I am not alone.

He is the oldest figure on my shelf, but he’s the most memorable. I mean, you don’t forget a villain as iconic as Makuta! I just couldn’t let him go, and then he winds up somewhere else that I’m not even going to think about.

Bionicle is a special franchise for me, and I am glad its community is still alive. All I have is Makuta, but if I could have more, I would take so much more!

👽Emily