#voporak

[tempelbeast]

We have: Roodaka, Roodakas mountain victim, Sidorak, Krekka, Gladiator and Voporak.

Oh and Generic Star-ish Ice Toa no. 3 000 000.

[necromastersdomainstuff]

It's, ah, been forever since I uploaded any Dark Hunter designs despite the sheer number of them I still have laying around! Tried this time to avoid uploading any designs I already put up previously-- made the mistake of uploading both Shadow Stealer and Tyrant twice (though to be fair, I am very proud of how that Tyrant design turned out.)

I drew inspiration from Betarotai's takes for both Dweller and Vanisher, whilst Mimic got a lot of inspiration from this piece on Deviantart I stumbled across looking for reference material (he's proved remarkably popular among the Dark Hunter designs from the books, doubtless due to his involved backstory.) Despite being a rather weak MOC, Vengeance proved incredibly fun to reinterpret-- I opted to lean even harder into his mishmash of a color scheme to make him stick out more than "just a Kikanalo with extra parts slapped on." I contemplated not bothering with Savage as I saw a lot of overlap with Prototype but honestly I'm glad I gave him a go, he turned out very fun to draw.

Minion also got to make the cut because you know what? I like Minion. He's a laudably ambitious MOC, if ultimately unstable in practice.

[teelguy]

what if bionicle but dating sim?

[sepublic]

Huh, an interesting bit of characterization I found in the Bionicle Encyclopedia: Updated (that I didn’t find on Biosector01) is that Sidorak is, deep down, aware that he’s a fraud who didn’t earn his position- And as a result, he tries to compensate for this by being an actual leader with real accomplishments to call his own. It’s a very neat bit of nuance and self-awareness, and even a genuine attempt to work on his own flaws, that makes Sidorak a lot more compelling in his characterization for me... Maybe even complex, and I greatly dig it.

I think this really helps me reconcile these different reads I have of Sidorak’s character, one closer to canon and the movies, the other more akin to the impressions I got from the descriptions and books and my own desire for a more ‘serious’ character, inspired by facts such as Sidorak preferring to lead his army in person, which would ordinarily sound contradictory to a schemer who leeches off of the work of others. It’s a really neat way of connecting and reconciling the often contradictory descriptions of Sidorak’s character, and even using his contradictions to inform and motivate who he now is.

Sidorak is definitely a weird, fascinating favorite of mine, and one I’m trying to figure out how to reconcile in terms of my own reimaginings, as well as canon- Just as I reconcile his film and set depictions. I’m definitely going to go with this in YaBr and to be honest I’m really glad I found it (sometimes the best information comes from the original, unaltered sources), and it makes me think a lot more on how his dynamic with Roodaka would work... As someone who no doubt picked up on Sidorak’s shame and guilt (which is surprising to see in such a villain, as is his actual effort to make up for it!) and played into it.

Coupled with Sidorak’s apparent popularity with his troops and his simultaneous rivalry yet desire to work with Roodaka, and I think Sidorak has a lot of potential to make for a compelling character caught between two different extremes, trying to reconcile and not be self-contradictory, and finding a middle ground between the two- Or at least, ideally choose one. Which adds to his torn insecurity as a character that makes the dude a lot more human, and not just some scheming noble but a villain with enough integrity and honor to be conscious about his lies, or at least practical about needing to address them with the responsibility he now has. And in Sidorak’s attempt to be a better leader, he overthinks and tries too hard and paradoxically becomes worse, like Vakama.

It also makes me excited to explore how his betrayal of Voporak must’ve been like for both parties, because Voporak is another character I want to play around with. That’s honestly really fascinating that Sidorak does have some semblance of an implied conscience and initiative to grow, which could even make him as interesting as fan-favorites such as Nidhiki or Krika- Especially with the idea of the lost potential of the genuine leader he could’ve been had Roodaka not gotten Sidorak killed, and this image of a ‘noble’ general marred by a dark truth that he tries to clean, but can never overcome.

It’s almost like a repentance by Sidorak of who he really is, which I love. Trying to change who he is to be what others expect and need (like Vakama), but tragically never getting past that innate identity, nor coming to terms with that nature. There’s a sudden humanity to Sidorak’s foolhardy, seemingly arrogant recklessness that, again, connects very well to Vakama’s arc, and suddenly makes me appreciate the comparisons he drew between the two of them... If Sidorak was aware of his own flaws deep down, then he very well may have seen the same in Vakama and even been sympathetic towards that (adding to Sidorak’s willingness to give Vakama a chance to prove himself, something that would resonate with him)...

But because he can’t afford to admit weakness due to the pressure, Sidorak never elaborates on this comparison and what truly resonates with him, which makes it come across more as boastful and ‘confident’ projection, mentorship- Which hell, maybe Sidorak’s sympathy towards Vakama’s plight would’ve led him to give the Toa the encouragement and advice he wished he had, albeit under a very professional persona... And make Sidorak regret all the more his betrayal of his mentor Voporak, and add to Sidorak’s admiration of Teridax, who no doubt manipulated him as well.

And that feeling of being unworthy, of having thrust himself into this position and thus needing to put in the work to get out of it, the shame (as well as the inability) that keeps him from asking for help, openly admitting these issues... Very compelling stuff. Perhaps there was a relief, deep down, in his coming death by Keetongu’s hands- A self-destructive repentance, and a gratitude to be relieved of guilt through sufficient karma, to finally be done with those sins by having them return and finish Sidorak off. It would add to the Web of Shadows novelization having Sidorak think over how Roodaka was technically doling out justice in her betrayal of him, and giving her credit in his last thoughts.

In the end, Sidorak was an impostor... Not only failing to be the stoic general he wished to be, but also failing to be the cold, pragmatic villain who would never be burdened by such guilt in the first place- Something Roodaka actually was, and thus arguably the main reason she could defeat him. To think that last one was potentially the true reason why Sidorak was never a fit for the Brotherhood, try as he might... The Makuta are no strangers to traitors who desire glory when they might not even deserve it. And it could make Sidorak an interesting parallel to Krika, who isn’t quite motivated by guilt but is still self-aware and actually ashamed as a result... And was also an outcast because of this, before being slain by one more ‘befitting’ his role, as an accusation of his treachery in failure.

[generalbioniclefriend]

Aaaaand part 3. That's about every Dark Hunter

[kanohivolitakk]

Quick Voporak sketch

[0m3g45n1p3r4lph4]

Holy Shit Voporak is a blast to build

BEEFY LEGGY BOI damn

[kodiakcaptures]

So, I got around to making the Makuta of Stelt aka that one nameless Makuta who created Voporak, was forced into an Exo-Toa, and was eventually killed off by Miserix. Credit goes to Underscored Double for helping out with making the moc, KhingK for 3D-modelling the Brotherhood variant of the Mask of Aging (render is from him), and @nicrophorus-americanus​ for inspiring me to make this in the first place. 

If you haven’t already, I suggest checking out Nicrophorus’ short story An Even Exchange, which will help shed some light as to why the Vahi and Voporak are featured. I hope you all enjoy this interpretation of the Makuta of Stelt.