And we're back!

Bionicle's back baby! You will all come to love the Great Spirit and the tales from the Time Before Time.

Now, this is podracing!

It's only just occurred to me that the name sounds like "Jet Tracks," which sounds weird. Jets don't have tracks, they have jet engines, which is why they're called that!

Definitely in a Bonkle mood, the last couple of weeks.

When the Great Beings constructed Karda Nui they placed a structure called the Codrex at its center, to turn the power plant on or off. In case of emergency, Artakha placed three vehicles of his making in the Codrex. The Rockoh T3, Jetrax T6 and Axalra T9. These vehicles were fast enough to out race Karda Nui's energy storms and get people out of the power plant before it came fully online.

Antroz was the Makuta of Xia, a weapons manufacturing island in the north-east. Near the end of Teridax's plan, he was chosen to lead a team of the top 7 Makuta warriors (8 if we're counting Icarax) to Karda Nui to take it over. When Matoro sacrificed himself to revive Mata Nui, the flash of light blinded Antroz and two of the other Makuta. These three soon learned they could form psychic links with their mind-controlled Shadow Matoran minions, and Antroz chose Radiak as his new eyes.

After many battles in Karda Nui, the Toa heroes reached the Codrex. They locked the door just after getting inside, but Antroz managed to slip past them. He could not see, but could feel the energy radiating off of the three vehicles and was drawn toward the Jetrax. When he climbed inside the vehicle partially melded him to its systems, forcing him to slightly shapeshift and letting him see through the vehicles sensors. He rocketed off, hitting a giant lightstone on the way out that temporarily gave his vehicle a yellow glow (see 8942-2).

Lewa and Pohatu gave chase in the other two vehicles, alongside Kopaka on his jetpack. During the chase Radiak managed to latch onto the craft. He offered the help Antroz, but the Makuta rudely cast him aside. Soon after Radiak was found by Takanuva and Vican, who cured him of his shadow ailment. The chase ended with Antroz being cornered by the other two heroes who attempted to pincer-ram his craft. He teleported out to escape and it was only with Kopaka's fast thinking and intervention the Jetrax was saved.

After the Toa reawakened Mata Nui, the energy storms raged throughout the land. The Toa managed to escape on their three vehicles, but Antroz's troops weren't so lucky. Icarax and Krika were killed prior in the conflict. Mutran was the first to fall victim to the storms, getting disintegrated trying to study them. Gorast was frozen and overwhelmed with emotion, realizing her beloved Teridax had betrayed them. With all the shadow Matoran cured and evacuated, they weren't around to help Antroz and his blind companions, Vamprah and Chirox, leaving them lost. Bitil was the last to die. His every-man-for-himself attitude got him away from the epicenter, but even he couldn't outrun the storms.

As a Makuta Antroz had a wide array of shadow elemental powers, including the 42 Rahkshi Powers and the deadly shadow hand. He was very tactical, and much more honorable than his kin. He wore the Kanohi Jultin, the Forbidden Mask of Corruption. This mask let him break down, disintegrate, or rust inorganic objects through rapid degradation.

This set actually had an alternate model, the Destral Cycle. This motor-cycle like craft was originally created by the Dark Hunter Avak, but through many Makuta v Dark Hunter Battles Antroz managed to steal it and it quickly became his favorite ride. Theoretically you could use the yellow version of this set to create a yellow Destral Cycle, but I don't think I've seen anyone actually do that.

I am very curious about the alternate version.

Why was it there?
Where and when was it available?
Why was it there at the end of Bionicle's life-cycle?
Why for such a big set?
Was it integrated in the lore?

@TheOtherMike said:
"It's only just occurred to me that the name sounds like "Jet Tracks," which sounds weird. Jets don't have tracks, they have jet engines, which is why they're called that!"

They do leave contrails, which look like tracks in the sky.

What a coincidence! Just the other day I received the instructions for this set from a seller. I had it for a few years and I wanted to get it when it came out. But only now is it finally, truly complete!

It's a great model. The wings and engines can fold in and out by pushing a 'button'. It's actually a rod, so when you put the model on the ground it will automatically enter landing mode. Very cool! The shaping is top-notch as well, and it's great that it has a full cockpit for the pilot. This version of Antroz is a bit bland, but it's nice to use for a pilot.

@Atuin said:
"I am very curious about the alternate version.

Why was it there?"
Idk. Money, probably. Maybe Target requested an exclusive?

"Where and when was it available?"
I believe it was a Target exclusive.

"Why was it there at the end of Bionicle's life-cycle?"
At the time bionicle was still big, albeit declining in sales. And 'exclusives' and 'special editions' were very common amidst lego's portfolio at the time in the late 00s. Lego was also recovering from their financial woes from a few years ago, so perhaps they saw it as a cheap way to drum up more sales. That said, recolors were very rare, it was usually just models like 8940 Karzahni or repackaged combiners like 10204 Vezon and Kardas. Idk which were Target exclusives, I don't live in the USA and over here availability was spotty.

"Why for such a big set?"
Idk. Maybe it was cheaper to do a recolor with a mostly standard technic parts build. Yellow was very common in technic at the time. Of course, some bionicle-specific parts would still require a recolor, but I suppose they figured it was easier than making an entire titan set from scratch.

"Was it integrated in the lore?"
It was, actually! In the lore Antroz briefly hit a lightstone on the ceiling that supercharged the vehicle for a bit. This supercharged state is depicted in the yellow version. There you go! Totally justifies an entire exclusive variant ;)

@Atuin said:
" @SearchlightRG said:
" @Atuin said:
"I am very curious about the alternate version.

Why was it there?
Where and when was it available?
Why was it there at the end of Bionicle's life-cycle?
Why for such a big set?
Was it integrated in the lore?"

Did you not see the big lore dump right above your comment? Or are you being sarcastic?
"
It does answer the lore questions I assume, but not the other ones."

It was a Target exclusive in 2008.

Bionicle was nearing the end, but it certainly wasn't dead yet. There was another two full waves of sets, including more vehicles like or even bigger than this one.

Because Lego is a company that wants to make money. Honestly, some folks might not mind if there had been more sets like this. Like, say a spectral version of Thunderfang from the Ninjago sets this year.

@thor96 said:
"This doesn't look like Lego at all. Cool vehicle, but it is so foreign to the system bricks my mind cannot comprehend it."

You should look into a little theme called 'Technic'. ;)

And if it helps, those red laser scopes on the sides of the cockpit are lightsaber blades. And you can see under each of the engine covers two dark bluish gray rings. Those are large cart wheels that debuted in the vikings theme (7020, 7021) and appeared in Fantasy castle (7037), City (7746) and Atlantis (8060) to name a few. The engine propellers debuted in Exo-Force.

Here is a better view of how much of the structure is just technic:
https://img.bricklink.com/ItemImage/EXTN/1601.png

@yodaloop said:
"The Bonkle streak continues! We love to see it."

Gonna be honest, this streak is burning me out. College has started up again. Normally I love RSotD 'cause I love writing and its a good excuse, but now I got actual essays to do!