It's the guy who didn't slip!

Definitely the best looking 'Toa master'.

This was my first G2 set and one of very few I was actually able to find at retail. After the first few waves flopped, a lot of stores in my area never bothered ordering the later ones :P

Excellent set though, love his massive boots and the way he can repurpose his spear and shield as skis and a ski pole

Love this set! Brilliant executed - it evokes Kopaka G1 in all the right ways while bringing something new to it! Love that his shield can turn into skates, referencing both his Kopaka Mata and Kopaka Nuva forms.

Say what you will about Generation 2 and its shortcomings... but the Masters were some of the greatest BIONICLE sets of all time, and Kopaka here is the best of the lineup. He perfectly captures how it felt to see the original 8536 illustrated by Carlos D'Anda in the first BIONICLE comic way back in 2001, all over again in a fresh new light. Not just a plastic action figure, but an awe-inspiring mythical hero.

@Maxbricks14 said:
"Definitely the best looking 'Toa master'."

I think I picked up Onua (I got one G2 set, but it may have been a villain), but I'd have to say Gali is the best design from that group.

Brickset's eating my comments so lore tomorrow, maybe

These first releases of the Bionicle reboot were absolute A-grade stuff. Each of the masters has a unique build and look that brilliantly encapsulates their personality and schtick. Kopaka here even gets some nostalgic nods to his older sets, keeping his shield and weapon-to-skis gimmick which is more than the Phantoka Kopaka managed. I think the theme as a whole unfortunately dropped off quite quickly, going right back to “same basic build with same clunky armour pieces slapped on top” but the Masters at least were just stellar

As others mentioned before me, this is one of the best (if not outright THE best) sets from the Toa Masters and of Bionicle G2 in general. Color coordination is top-notch, pauldrons and the focus on lower legs give the character enough bulk to have an intimidating look, and the whole set is just executed so damn well, almost perfectly. I love the mask, the dual-mode weapons, the call-backs, the functions, the shaping, everything. Certainly my favorite Toa from G2 and a worthy deputy leader of the team.

I have slept for so long. My dreams have been dark ones.

But now I am awakened.

Now the scattered elements of my being are rejoined.

Now I am whole.

And the Darkness cannot stand before me.

(come on, you can't tell me I'm the only person who remembers that whenever a suitably cool picture of Kopaka comes up? Such an iconic character introduction!)

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I actually had every intention of getting some of the Masters when they first released. I was still well in my dark age, but I remember checking back in on BZPower from a combination of curiosity and nostalgia in late 2014, when the first pictures of these guys had been released but the sets themselves hadn't yet. I thought some of them looked very cool, and even though I didn't intend to get back into the fandom for real I figured that when they became available I'd probably pick up Kopaka, Onua and Tahu, as the ones who most resembled their traditional designs.

I then promptly *completely forgot* about the matter and thought no more about it. Almost exactly two years later from when I'd first seen the pictures, it finally occurred to me to be curious about how things were going with "new Bionicle" and checked in on BZPower once again...

To learn that the line had already been cancelled... without even outlasting classic!Bionicle's first arc, much less its full run! I hadn't counted on basically sleeping through the whole reboot, but that did end up being how it worked out...

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The inclusion of gold masks is a neat touch / callback to classic!Bionicle, in which the Toa also wore gold versions of their Kanohi masks for the final battle of 2001 and all of 2002. Although I puzzle about their relevance in G2; originally, they were special in that they combined the powers of the various masks that the Toa had spent the year hunting down. With G2 not having any kind of mask-collecting gimmick to my knowledge, that wouldn't seem to be the case here; were they just an aesthetic thing purely for the sake of making the callback?

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I hadn't thought of it before, but seeing other people mention it above... yeah, it's a shame that G2 went for two versions of the same characters, rather than introducing a new team of Toa for the second year. I get that you don't want to shuffle your protagonists around too quickly so that the audience builds an attachment to them; but it feels like a missed opportunity to have added some new heroes to the lore. I know they're the most iconic, but not EVERYTHING in Bionicle needs to be about Tahu & co...

Long ago the land of Okoto was home to two legendary Mask Maker Brothers. Ekimu, who wore the Mask of Creation, and Makuta, who wore the Mask of Control. The two crafted many Masks of Power for the people of the island, but Ekimu’s were always more treasured. Jealous of his brother’s praise, Makuta decided to break their land’s sacred rule that no mask may contain more than one element. He forged a mask with all six, the Mask of Ultimate Power.

When Makuta tried to use the mask it corrupted him and drove him to madness. In the ensuing conflict there was a great explosion. The Mask of Ultimate Power was shattered, Makuta was sent to the Shadow Realm, and Ekimu was left dying in a crater. As the Protectors of the villages approached, Ekimu used his dying breaths to recite a prophecy he was given by the Mask of Time.

“When times are dark and all hope seems lost, the Protectors must unite, one from each tribe. Evoke the power of past and future, and look to the skies for an answer. When the stars align, six comets will bring timeless heroes to claim the Masks of Power and find the Mask Maker. United, the elements hold the power to defeat evil. United, but not one.”

1,000 years would pass, with this prophecy being passed from generation to generation of Protectors. Eventually, evil beset the land. Mysterious Skull Spiders began attacking the villagers, latching onto their faces and stealing their minds, marching them off never to be seen again.

1,000 years would pass, with this prophecy being passed from generation to generation of Protectors. Eventually, evil beset the land. Mysterious Skull Spiders began attacking the villagers, latching onto their faces and stealing their minds, marching them off never to be seen again.

But as luck would have it, the stars aligned, so the Protectors traveled to the Temple of Time and recited the prophecy. Six brilliant comments fell from the heavens carrying the Toa, giant warriors imbued with elemental power.

Kopaka, Toa of Ice, landed in the Region of Ice. There they were met by Izotor, Protector of Ice who informed them of their quest. While Kopaka’s mask provided the wearer with stronger elemental control than the Protector, they still lacked mastery over their element. They would need to claim their Golden Mask of Power to reach their full potential.

And so the two set out, traveling a winding mountain pass towards its peak. Using his superior skills, Kopaka didn't slip. After a hard fought battle with many Skull Spiders on a thin and steep bridge, Kopaka recovered his Golden Mask of Power. Izotor then instructed Kopaka to travel to the City of the Mask Makers to meet up with their siblings.

The six Toa met at the bridge to the long abandoned city, only to find it guarded by The Lord of Skull Spiders, a massive arachnid. The Toa each insisted on their own methods to defeat the beast, but were easily repelled. Eventually they decided to attack as one and threw the beast off the bridge’s side.

Past the bridge they found the city’s gates and were ambushed by a swarm of undead Skull Warriors. Wielding ice bows and spears, these zombies tried to overwhelm the Toa with their numbers, but the Toa were able to dislodge them from their battlements and proceed.

Inside they were attacked by the four armed Skull Slicer. Using his chain and claw, he was able to steal Lewa’s Mask of Jungle and began draining it of its energies, weakening the Toa. The Toa gave chase into the great Arena at the city’s center and fought the Slicer. Pohatu and Kopaka managed to retrieve Lewa’s mask, but in attempting to press the heavy stone button that would turn off the Arena’s traps Onua accidently caused the structure to collapse.

The Toa survived and found themselves in an underground tunnel that led to the city’s graveyard. There they were ambushed by two Skull Scorpio’s who used their massive and powerful tails to steal Pohatu’s Mask of Stone. Lewa managed to lure the Scorpios to the tomb of Ekimu, where he knocked the headstone off its roof and crushed them.

Inside the tomb the Toa found the lifeless body of Ekimu. By combining their elemental powers they were able to bring the Mask Maker back to life, though his golden armor was rusted and rotten. Ekimu informed the Toa of what these skeleton creatures were doing in the abandoned city. Kulta, the Skull Grinder, had retrieved Ekimu’s legendary Mask of Creation, and planned to destroy it at his Mask Making Forge. The seven proceeded to the hill at the back of the city to find the door to the forge blocked by Skull Basher, a minotaur-like beast who stole Onua’s Mask of Earth. Ekimu reminded the Toa of their unity, and once more they charged as one making quick work of the brute.

Inside the forge they confronted Kulta just before he destroyed the Mask. Rather than break it, he decided to use its power to finish them off. This powered up titan was able to fell all six Toa with a single blow, knocking off their masks. But Tahu refused to surrender. He rallied his team to fight on and, weak and frail as they were, they latched onto Kulta’s legs to hold him at bay. They bought Ekimu enough time to find and repair his Hammer of Power, which he used to reclaim his Mask from Kulta’s face and fully restore his body.

Kopaka's story would continue in 2016, but that's a story for another day.

As the Master of Ice, Kopaka wielded an Ice Spear he could use to concentrate his power, or throw at enemies. He brandished a massive Frost Shield that could be split in two to function as skies (a tribute to the 2003 Kopaka toy from Gen 1.) He could also be powered up using Ivotor's gear.

Also, and this is very important: He didn't slip.