The animations were deliberately framed like dystopian propaganda ads of an Orwellian oppressive regime, where the Vahki represent the police and military force that keep people in line. Taglines like "Thoughts can be dangerous" and "A busy Matoran is a happy Matoran" enforce this theme. The classic silent film Metropolis (1927) was used as inspiration for both the visuals and the theme. The background for the clips is that the normally benevolent ruler of the city, Turaga Dume has been kidnapped and replaced by an unseen impersonator, the evil Makuta.
This was the final work Templar Studios made for Lego's Bionicle franchise. Though they had contributed a lot to the brand's success and were responsible for creating highly regarded, fan-favorite games and animations like the Mata Nui Online Game (2001) and the Mata Nui Online Animations (2002), Lego cut ties with them for unknown reasons. Many fans felt that both the writing and presentation of Bionicle suffered as a result.