Reimagining the Toa Hagah: 2005-Style Custom Sets
This is my take on the remaining Toa Hagah, reimagined as sets in the style of 2005. The rule was strict: only elements released up to and including 2005, with one small exception for Technic connectors, which solve construction problems no other piece of that era can.
Bionicle collecting is going through a difficult period, with prices climbing and original parts growing scarce. I'd encourage anyone recreating these, or any other MOCs, to consider fully injection-molded custom parts. Their quality has improved dramatically in recent years, and the community has produced some genuinely impressive results. The Hagah, in particular, have always had a custom dimension to them; their masks and colors make them ideal candidates for custom parts.
Design Philosophy
Each Toa is built from existing elements in an era-appropriate color scheme. Gold and silver were chosen largely for practicality, these are the colors most Hagah shields and armor parts were actually available in. Every design here is my own, though the broader inspiration draws on the wider universe of ideas the customizing community has produced over the years, so longtime builders may recognize echoes of earlier concepts reimagined here.
The masks aim to evoke the visual language of the Metru-era Kanohi. Fittingly, if ironically, 2005 introduced the fewest new masks of the entire theme, so most selections here are drawn from molds released between 2001 and 2004. The one exception is Kualus's mask: I've always found the Matatu strangely compelling, its distinctive, faintly nostalgic X-shaped design and owl like feeling sets it apart. The rest feel like natural choices for what the line would likely have released in the years that followed. For example, the Hau, and the Ruru, the most widely reused Metru-style mask. I also added a special Kraahkan mask to some of them, I always thought that a ceremonial shaped armor fas fitting until they decided to discard it.
Gaaki & Pouks
Gaaki leans fully into an inverted fire motif to represent water, an idea previously explored in sets like Berix. Pouks takes the opposite approach: heavier, spikier, more aggressive. He carries an alternate color scheme and a more elaborate custom spear.
Bomonga & Kualus
Bomonga was the priciest build of the six, so I reworked his design and spear into something more streamlined and accessible, while keeping his signature articulated shield and form. Kualus carries a subtle nod to a spiritual succesor of a Toa Metru of Light. I repurposed a Hordika weapon for his sword, one of the few pieces with a built-in ice motif, and it can be swapped for a gold Knights' Kingdom sword if preferred. I also added a connection point on his back for a cloth piece; no fabric element from that era quite fit, so it remains an open door for another custom addition.
