Hero Factory (TV series)

Hero Factory is an animated television series based on the Lego toy series of the same name and produced by Threshold Animation Studios for The Lego Group and Geely. The series revolves around the Hero Factory, a crime-fighting organization that manufacture robotic heroes to fight and apprehend criminals across the galaxy and protect a similarly robotic populace. The main characters are a group of heroes that make up Team Alpha 1, the Hero Factory's most successful and praised team.

The series originally premiered as a four-part mini-series on September 20, 2010, on Nicktoons; further episodes followed as the theme continued as a toy line until its discontinuation in 2014.

Overview
Hero Factory revolves around the fictional organization of the same name that manufactures robots known as Heroes and trains them to capture criminals and protect a similarly robotic populace, thereby maintaining order across the galaxy. Each Hero is unique, with their own distinct personalities and equipment, and the Heroes are arranged into teams. Hero Factory's headquarters are based in a towering skyscraper centred in the fictional Makuhero City on an asteroid-like planet.

The series centers on the missions and Heroes of the Alpha 1 Team, the most praised and experienced team at the Hero Factory. Led by veteran Hero Preston Stormer, the team comprises senior members Dunkan Bulk and Jimi Stringer, original rookies and later fully fledged teammates William Furno, Mark Surge and Natalie Breez, and new rookies Julius Nex, Nathan Evo and Daniel Rocka. All Heroes refer to each other by their last name.

From the episode "Ordeal of Fire" onward, the Heroes are upgraded into new "2.0" forms as part of a new Hero building system. The forms became the basis for subsequent upgrades; Heroes would be provided with new armor, weapons and gadgets for the mission at hand based on the environment they would have to enter or the lethalness of a villain.

Heroes

 * Preston Stormer is the no-nonsense 50-year old leader of Alpha 1, plagued by his failure in a past mission, and demanding in his expectations of all team members. A skilled Hero, Stormer has experienced hundreds of battles, and is a natural leader. He is very competitive, and specifically targeted the post of Alpha 1 leader because he believed he would excel in it. After the incident with Von Ness, Stormer is determined that no rookie would ever put a mission in jeopardy again and is especially harsh on them as a result; many prior rookies under his command either gave up or were transferred out. The incident also plagued him with feelings of guilt, and he often blames himself for things that go wrong with missions. Stormer is disinterested in popularity and believes that he should not receive praise for simply doing his job.
 * William Furno was once a reckless and ambitious 33-year old rookie Hero assigned to Alpha 1, now a valuable team member. As a rookie, Furno was impatient but passionate, and eager to prove himself, especially to team leader Stormer. He was also overconfident, and believed he had the skill to succeed at any task. This self-confidence forced him to push his own limits in order to succeed at harder tasks, even during his downtime. Time and missions have tempered his overconfidence, though he is still very eager. His attitude brought him into conflict with the similarly headstrong new rookie on the team Rocka, who was modeled after Furno himself, though Furno grew to accept the rookie. He had also attempted to cultivate leadership qualities, offering his tutelage to rookie Nathan Evo. He is promoted to the rank of commander the "Brain Attack" episode, and put in charge of multiple Hero teams, including Alpha 1. His model, at the time of creation, was the newest and most up-to-date one available. His Hero Core is thought to be the purest in existence.
 * Dunkan Bulk is a physically imposing, powerful 46-year old senior Alpha 1 member. Bulk's artificial intelligence is less developed than others, which he sometimes feels self-conscious about, but he makes up for this intelligence deficiency with sheer power. He is able to withstand blows that would destroy armored vehicles. He is reputed to be one of the Hero Factory's strongest active Heroes. Bulk is always ready for a mission, and enjoys fighting for the Hero Factory as much as he enjoys the actual fighting itself. He has been actively working to develop his intelligence, increasing his amount of reading and vocabulary.
 * Jimi Stringer is a philosophical and musically inclined 49-year old veteran of Alpha 1, who incorporates sound-based functions into his weaponry. Stringer enjoys fighting for the Hero Factory cause, but is very laid-back, and cool under pressure during missions. This attitude occasionally annoys his teammates, but helps him in dealing with the stressful situations they get into. Unlike the other members of the Alpha 1 Team, Stringer likes working with rookie Heroes. He has a passion for music, and applies his casual, philosophical attitude about fighting toward lyric composition as well.
 * Mark Surge is one of Team Alpha 1's youngest, a temperamental 24-year old hot-head working to overcome a secret insecurity. Though he is convinced that something went wrong with his construction, Surge is nonetheless an able, if occasionally clumsy, Hero. Like his fellow rookie teammates, he was built with experimental designs, but resented the constant examination this required. He is known to be defiant and emotional, often attempting to be rational, but is easily set off. He is also very strong, but his inexperience leads to an inability to use it properly all the time. He thoroughly enjoys going on action-oriented missions, rarely content to be involved with community affairs. Surge also struggles with fears that he is secretly evil and will become a villain, like Von Nebula. Although he has dealt with this fear directly over the course of his Hero career, Surge still deals with the insecurity, and often throws himself into action to compensate.
 * Natalie Breez is the sole 38-year old female member of Alpha 1. Brash in her dealings with her teammates, but with a connection to nature. Breez has a talent for remaining cool and collected under pressure. She cares deeply for innocent lives everywhere, but frequently insists that she has no romantic interest in any of her teammates, and that their job as Heroes is what is most important to her. She is confident in her own ability and refuses to be protected by others. Diplomatic in nature, Breez is a fierce fighter when it comes to defending innocents, and will go out of her way to ensure citizen safety during missions. Breez has the ability to communicate with all known types of animals due to a program in her Hero Core, which also allows her to sense disturbances in nature. She is also skilled in knife and hook throwing, which featured prominently in her 2.0 training.
 * Nathan Evo is an introspective 39-year old rookie Hero working with the team, who emphasizes the use of heavy artillery in missions. Initially calm and quiet, Evo debuted as an expert at weaponry. During his initial missions, he meditates before a fight to stimulate himself and sharpen his reflexes. As a rookie on the Alpha 1 team, he faces pressures to live up to team leader Stormer, but with the assistance of his other teammates, he overcomes self-doubt and insecurity in order to be a worthwhile ally and Hero. Later, Evo develops an enthusiasm for all types technology, embracing the Battle Machines used in Antropolis City.
 * Julius Nex is the socially nuanced and technologically gifted 42-year old head of Hero Outreach and a rookie on Alpha 1, with a love for gadgetry. He is enthusiastic, highly skilled in the nuances of his body, has amazing flexibility, and hypersensitive senses. He is a communication expert, able to interface with nearly any system. For "Mission: Savage Planet", he was programmed with instinct algorithms based on those of a saber-toothed tiger.
 * Daniel Rocka is the headstrong new 49-year old rookie of the team, also a member of the Hero Recon Team, a special covert division of Hero Factory. Rocka's outlook is very much like a younger Furno's; he is extremely self-assured and headstrong, willing to immediately take on a challenge without a thought to his own limitations. This confidence causes him to clash with Furno, but the two eventually settle their differences. His experience in the training sphere has given him a diverse skill-set. As a member of the Recon Team, he is also versed in secrecy and espionage teachings. Rocka specializes in technology, and excels in developing new software applications and devices.

Villains

 * Von Nebula is an evil mastermind who mastered the manipulation of black holes through a technological staff he developed. He was once a Hero himself, named Von Ness, but cowardly abandoned his teammate Stormer after a mission gone wrong. Descending down a warped path of villainy, he hires the most dangerous villains in the galaxy so that he can get his revenge on Stormer, blaming him for his own failures and insecurities as a hero. After a fight with Stormer and Furno he is defeated, and they trap him inside his own black hole staff, placing it inside prison storage to keep it under watch. Voltix then uses the black hole staff to cause a villain breakout, leading the Heroes to conclude that Von Nebula wanted the staff to be placed inside Hero Factory for a grander scheme. His whereabouts are now unknown.
 * XPlode is a villain who can fire explosives out of his armor. He and his partner Rotor were hired by Von Nebula. While stealing explosives from a Hero Factory transport, the Heroes stop them; Rotor is captured but XPlode flees the scene. Later, he teams up with Thunder, Corroder and Meltdown to destroy the Heroes. After the Heroes beat the villains, XPlode fires his explosives at the Heroes, but they managed to survive his attack. XPlode is knocked out and he and the other villains are arrested for their crimes. XPlode is involved in the Breakout, but is recaptured. He is a coward, due to him leaving Rotor behind on their robberies.
 * Meltdown is a sophisticated thug known for using toxins and poisons to control targets. The Heroes rush to find a cure after Preston Stormer is hit by Meltdown's fast-acting toxin while investigating a distress signal on a prison planet.
 * Corroder is a maniacal quadruped armed with corrosive acid. He takes great pleasure in trying to melt his enemies to a puddle, but he is also a coward who will flee if the situation isn’t to his advantage.
 * Thunder is a powerful bruiser equipped with a deadly nebula gas weapon given to him by Von Nebula. He nearly destroyed Stormer with it, but the hero was saved by his reinforced armor.
 * Rotor is a dull, brutish villain who sports built-in helicopter blades, which he both uses to fly and as a spinning weapon. He was partners with XPlode, but when XPlode abandoned him, he became the first villain ever taken down by Furno.
 * Vapor - This villain did not appear in the television series physically for an unknown reason, but he was referenced in a Wanted poster in a cameo in The Enemy Within.
 * Fire Lord
 * Jetbug
 * Drilldozer
 * Nitroblast
 * Witch Doctor - a former Hero Factory scientist named Aldous Witch who was obsessed with the Quaza stone that lies within the Hero Core. He was banished from the Hero Factory after trying to give himself a Core of his own. He took refuge on the planet Quatros, where he used Quaza spikes to take control of the animal life on the planet in a bid to escape and take his revenge on the Hero Factory. He was stopped by Alpha Team and the rookie Rocka.
 * Scorpio - A scorpion-like creature possessed by the Witch Doctor. Now freed from his control by the Alpha 1 Team.
 * Waspix - A wasp-like creature possessed by the Witch Doctor. Now freed from his control by the Alpha 1 Team.
 * Raw-Jaw - A gorilla-like creature with tusks and possessed by the Witch Doctor. Now freed from his control by the Alpha 1 Team.
 * Fangz - Wolf-like creatures possessed by the Witch Doctor. Now freed from their control by the Alpha 1 Team.
 * Black Phantom
 * Voltix
 * Toxic Reapa
 * Jawblade
 * Splitface
 * Thornraxx - He did not appear in the television series due to a six-villain limit.
 * Core Hunter - He did not appear in the television series due to a six-villain limit.
 * XT4 - He did not appear in the television series due to a six-villain limit.
 * Speeda Demon
 * The Brains
 * The Brains’ creator
 * Pyrox - A member of bull-like creatures possessed by the Brains. Now freed from their control by the Alpha 1 Team.
 * Scarox - A member of beetle-like and spider-like creatures possessed by the Brains. Now freed from their control by the Alpha 1 Team.
 * Bruizer - A member of rock-armored ape-like creatures possessed by the Brains. Now freed from their control by the Alpha 1 Team.
 * Ogrum - A member of ogre-like and ape-like creatures possessed by the Brains. Now freed from their control by the Alpha 1 Team.
 * Dragon Bolt - A dragon-like creature possessed by a Brain. Now freed from its control by Rocka.
 * Frost Beast - A member of yeti-like and ape-like creatures possessed by the Brains. Now freed from their control by the Alpha 1 Team.
 * Aquagon - A member of fish-like and ape-like creatures possessed by the Brains. Now freed from their control by the Alpha 1 Team.
 * Queen Beast
 * Jaw Beast
 * Flyer Beast
 * Splitter Beast
 * Tunneler Beast
 * Crystal Beast

Recurring

 * Professor Nathaniel Zib is a Senior Mission Manager at Hero Factory who overlooks all of the Alpha 1 team's ongoing missions. A skilled strategist and problem solver, Zib has a no-nonsense attitude while working and will emphasises mission protocols with Heroes both on mission and in the Control Room.
 * Quadal is Zib's assistant robot who aids him during Team Alpha 1's missions. He runs scans and completes technical work within the Control Room. Unlike most robots, Quadal can float and also has a set of extensive arms within his body. He communicates mainly through beeping noises that Zib has been seen to understand. Quadal is able to easily make use of technology, and is also talented in the field of numeric sequencing.
 * Akiyama Makuro is the founder and chairman of Hero Factory and Makuro Industries. Makuro is the oldest known robot in the galaxy. Recognizing the growing amount of evil in the universe, he created the Hero Factory, a corporation dedicated to creating Heroes to protect the galaxy. He personally oversees the creation of every Hero. At Stormer's creation, Makuro felt he was going to be a special Hero, and was correct as Stormer became leader of the Alpha 1 team. Seeing Furno's creation, Makuro sensed the same thing. Later, after a lengthy time working on the process, Makuro debuts the Upgrade, a larger, stronger design that he later rolls out to all Heroes.

Broadcast and release
The first four TV episodes aired continuously over four nights in September 2010, and were later released onto DVD as a singular film titled Hero Factory: Rise of the Rookies on November 16. A fifth episode titled "Ordeal of Fire" debuted in April 2011, followed by two further episodes - the two part story Savage Planet - in September as a one-hour special. All three were released onto DVD on October 4 the same year, as Hero Factory: Savage Planet, with "Ordeal of Fire" added as a bonus feature. The broadcast format was repeated for the two-part story Breakout in April 2012.

The tenth episode "Brain Attack" premiered on the official Hero Factory website in March 2013, receiving a TV broadcast the following month on Nicktoons. A further episode titled "Invasion from Below" was produced by Lego with design partner Advance and animation company Ghost. Despite being produced by a different studio, the episode shares the same continuity as the rest of the series. The episode premiered as part of the online game of the same name in January 2014, and since Lego's decision to discontinue Hero Factory after 2014, is the last episode of the series.

Merchandise
Lego Hero Factory (stylized as LEGO HERO FACTORY) is a line of toys by the LEGO Group marketed primarily at 6 to 16-year-olds. It was created in response to the decision to discontinue the Bionicle theme in early 2010.

Construction sets
The first Hero Factory sets were released on July 3, 2010, in the United Kingdom with the remaining five sets being released on July 4, 12, and 24. All original fifteen sets were released in the United States on July 24. Within the 15 sets released there are six hero characters, six villain characters, two vehicle, and a hero and villain limited edition set. The six hero sets are packaged in cylindrical canasters and contain around 17 to 19 pieces. The hero sets have an age rating of 6–16 and are around 15 cm (6") tall. The villain sets are packaged in rectangular boxes and contain 40 to 50 pieces. The exception is the Von Nebula and Rotor sets which have 156 and 145 pieces respectively and are packaged in a larger box of the China. All the villain sets have an age rating of 7–16 and are around 17 cm (7") tall besides Von Nebula who is around 22 cm (9") tall and has an age rating of 9–16 and Rotor who is around 20 cm (8") and has an age rating of 8–16. The two vehicle sets are Furno Bike and Drop Ship. The Furno Bike set includes 165 pieces and has an age rating of 8–16. It contains a 30 cm (12") long motor bike and the hero character William Furno. The Drop Ship contains 390 pieces and has an age rating of 9–16. It contains a 43 cm (17") drop ship and a hero factory pilot. The Duncan Bulk and Vapour set contains 89 pieces and has an age rating of 8–16. It includes the hero Duncan Bulk, and the villain Vapour, with both figures being around 15 cm (6") tall.

In December 2010 ten new sets were released. The sets included six hero sets and four villain sets. The hero sets contain around 30 pieces, have an age rating of 6–16, and are around 17 cm (7") tall. The heroes sets are in rebuilt forms also known as 2.0 form and include Stormer 2.0, Furno 2.0, Breez 2.0, Surge 2.0, Evo 2.0 and Nex 2.0. The four villain sets form the Fire Villain storyline. Three of the villain sets - Drilldozer, Jetbug, and Nitroblast, contain around 60 pieces, have an age rating of 7–16, and are around 21 cm (8"). The exception is the set Fire Lord which contains 125 pieces, stands around 26 cm (10"), and has an age rating of 9–16.