An original character, Paleotrex is one of the rare instances of a Transformers design being of more unconventional attributes. He's a skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and he's an original character! Whether or not we'll see him in the actual WFC show from Netflix (which probably won't be the case when some guys show up and most of the line isn't even represented), I did want to get this figure sooner than later. First of all, he's included with the other Deluxes anyway. Second of all, he's a transforming dinosaur skeleton! Third, the dinosaur skeleton itself! And fourth, the name itself sounds cool, and I bet it'll pop up in Power Rangers Dino Fury in some capacity. Now let's see how this guy turned out!
Here is Paleotrex in his dinosaur skeleton mode. Aside from the robot mode discrepancies, this looks really awesome! The attention to detail in making this toy look like a dinosaur skeleton display is nicely done, from the colors used on the toy to the sculpt work made overall. I even love the articulation packed on him, with the jaw, tiny arms, hips, knees, and ankles. If there were no hinges or 5mm ports, this guy would almost fool anyone not aware of the Kingdom line...though this would be an interesting robot in disguise. Actually, how a robot can be a skeleton is weird, but cool at the same time.
Transformation is mostly just partsforming, as with the Weaponizers and Modulators from the past. The figure turned out to be quite the puzzle compared to past figures, as his design is a lot more abstract than the traditional robos of the past two lines. The only normal part of the transformation we got that feels normal is the robot head coming out from the cranium of the dino skull. And the resulting robot mode is so awkward in design! There's an asymmetry here and there, the arms are nearly reaching the ground, and the shins contrast the bulk from the thighs. He's got crazy Beast Wars Neo vibes to him, and it's almost like he's the remains of one but without the crazy kibble. The dino head being in the back is kind of amusing since that is normally on the chest or implemented to the rest of the robot mode unless you're G1 Grimlock.
Head sculpt is solid in terms of design, with a bit of a G1 Bombshell influence to him. There's a reason why he's got a bit of a skull to his head. As for the articulation he has, it's more or less the same as with the rest of the WFC guys, but instead of ankle pivots, his knees have a second joint that bends left and right.
His sole accessory is part of his tail, which can be used as a tiny melee weapon. It can peg on his shoulder and blend in nicely.
In terms of reuses, this is a purple version of the character, now done up in clear plastic and is meant to accompany Megatron. He looks awesome and the skull mace substitutes what G1 Megatron technically had (meaning Optimus Primal and Megatron would have to argue over who can use this face).
And this is Transmutate, a surprising addition to the line since there was no real proof of Paleotrex being a pretool of the character. While I do wish that the parts were retooled to looks less boney and give her a more sci-fi dinosaur look, I do have to commend Hasbro for changing up the deco and giving her the unique head she's had in the show. She even has an opening jaw not to use her head as a skull but to instead make a super sonic scream. Since this figure is a Fossilizer, you can rearrange her parts to change her appearance.
Paleotrex was retooled even further to make Spindle, a Spinosaurus that was color-coded to match Impactor in the Wreck N Rule Collection. She's a pretty neat retool, even though she made me want a Studio Series Scorn, so get to it ASAP, Hasbro!
He can be taken apart into a bunch of parts to make gear for his friends or foes, some of which can turn into an ax and what-not. His head's skull mask can flip down and become the same sort of skull mace Optimus Primal had in the Ultra toy.
Here is what I came up with for a combination with Warpath (which may or may not be accurate to the stock photos or instructions. He's got the mace and ax, the right forearm has the dino head, the left forearm has the shield, and the back has the legs with the arms as added methods of arm-related attacks. Pretty cool. Many would probably think that this is a figure not worth getting in the line, but I think otherwise! He's got some cool design cues, some neat versatility with the gimmick, and the weapons he can make are awesome. It's amusing that this guy gets a review before the toy of a "beloved" G1 character did...and aside from the stability of the guy thanks to his tiny feet, this guy is someone I love to own. This won't be the last time you'll see Paleotrex as he'll need to prove a point in a future review.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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