Here we have Trashmaster in his vehicle mode, and it's none other than a Mad Max front-loader garbage truck. Now I'm already a big fan of the aesthetics that the Legacy Evolution Junkions got, but a garbage truck! I'm not a super big fan of garbage trucks, but I know that they're perfect for the rough and tough personalities of certain Transformers (unless you're ROTB Mirage who is still a hip-hop culture lover while only using the vehicle mode as a holographic disguise). This guy looks like he's more than just taking garbage to the dump. He looks like he's hauling dead bots to the scrapyard! He looks too mean to be a good guy, and while the spiky aesthetics are part of the Junkions, I don't think this guy is meant to be a good guy from the start. With the way Axelgrease is a Decepticon, would it be possible that this guy could have been a Decepticon at some point but then was made into an Autobot for consistency with the first-use versions of the molds?
The side profile is also pretty good with very few gaps that disrupt the look apart from the bottom section between the middle and front tires, but that is something that won't bother me too much. While there isn't much of any real play features or a container that works like a proper one on a garbage truck would, you can pretend that it is operating by moving the lift arms on the 5mm ports and opening the back section that would later become the claw weapon of the robot mode (and perhaps something else with how dinosaur-shaped it looks).
For a vehicle mode size comparison, here he is in-between Scraphook and Crashbar. He seems a bit undersized when put next to his partners, though the latter is expected from a Deluxe motorcycle. Scraphook's truck-type seems a bit hard to determine since he looks like a small truck (like a Chevy S10), though it is somewhat closer to the ground than a normal truck. It might just be me.
The instructions apparently say that Scraphook (and why not, substituting him with Axelgrease or Towline) can switch front sections with Trashmaster, resulting in different alt-mode aesthetics thanks to the 5mm ports. Apart from the mismatching hubcaps (gray for Trashmaster, orange for Scraphook), the garbage truck actually doesn't look too bad with the front section of Scraphook apart from the missing engine pieces that are relocated to the back, but the other way around results in a weirdly super-deformed look for Scraphook, almost like he's about to be a version of Tuh Mater but without the "tuh".
And here he is next to Wreck-Gar, a surprisingly much larger motorbike. Though it will be understandable as we'll get to, with Wreck-Gar being a normal-sized Voyager while Trashmaster is shorter than the Junkion leader in robot mode. I'm sure Trashmaster would ride on him, but his bulkier proportions might make it difficult when we get to that mode.
Transformation is like Classics Prime mixed with Universe Inferno. The swiveling upper body and leg conversion being from the former toy while the way the arms hinge forwards after making up the back section of the altmode being influenced by the latter toy. Instead of a front bumper that becomes the waist plate, we now have skirt plates. Prime's Wind Vane and vehicle mode front section are carried over on the back for Trashmaster, though the former has no gun mode while the latter doesn't really hinge anywhere meaningful, leaving it as a true bumper butt a la Siege Magnus. Still, the robot mode is much bulkier than the average Junkion, positively blocky everywhere except the biceps, midriff, waist, and thighs. This guy screams powerhouse, especially with the attitude his color scheme carries as being a junk-themed Transformer. This is like Optimus Prime mixed with Animated Wreck-Gar mixed with ROTB Battletrap. In fact, with the similar color scheme of orange and gray as well as the spiky design, how much influence from Battletrap does Trashmaster have? Oh, and those lift arm pieces are added on the wheels because they get in the way with the leg articulation, and I thought they'd look cool on the lower legs.
The head sculpt is totally Bulkhead's if he was a Decepticon, with the mouthplate shape now accompanied by the bigger mohawk design on the forehead and the spikes on the sides. That visor looks mean on him, too; are we sure this was meant to be a Decepticon? Again, the Junkions aren't like Autobots, but this guy puts things in a vague gray area with his appearance. His articulation is pretty standard for the WFC/Legacy line, with a neck swivel, shoulders that move front and back, in and out, bicep swivels, elbow bends, wrist swivels, a waist swivel, hips that move front and back as well as in and out, swivels above the knees thanks to the 5mm ports, knee bends, and ankles that hinge due to transformation as well as pivot side to side. His claw weapon can be placed in his arm, though the 5mm on the left side is recommended for use as it won't clash too badly with the elbows. I kind of wish there was a better way to implement it, but I gotta admit, a Beast Wars Megatron-esque claw weapon is badass!
For a robot mode size comparison, here he is once again with his previous-released Junkion mates. While he isn't as tall as other Voyagers, this at least does give him a bit of synergy with the rest of the Evo-Fusion Junkions, especially with the similar decoes and spiky aesthetics. I also realized how most of them have prominent colors in a way: Scrapohook has beige, Crashbar has gold, and Trashmaster has more brown on him than the others.
And here we have him with the leader of the Junkions once more. Clearly not as tall as Wreck-Gar, but then again, if anyone is going to dare to be stupid, then leave it to Wreck-Gar and nobody else. I say that because with this design, Wreck-Gar would probably be shorter than Trashmaster given how chunky the new guy is, but perhaps this could be the case where Wreck-Gar is the leaner one like Optimus while Trashmaster is the bulky one like Bulkhead in TFP. Also, Wreck-Gar definitely has a unique design with his laser nipples and facial hair, but he definitely still looks vaguely heroic. Trashmaster looks more like someone who'd be rivals with our favorite Junkion.
Being a Junkion in the Legacy Evolution line, you can disassemble this guy by removing the parts that go on 5mm ports. Only the front bumper halves, lower legs, lift arms, and the claw can be removed, meaning he has fewer removable parts than either Scraphook or Crashbar. So what can be done with this guy if they're bigger than the norm and won't easily fit on most figures?
Well, one of the combinations I came up with is not one I'd recommend you try out because of how stupid it looks, but basically, relocate the tire shield on Wreck-Gar from the left arm to the right arm, put the bumper on the right lower leg, use the lower legs of Trashmaster as extendoshoes, and have him hold the rest like it was some Sunday Best of his. It's not really a proton cannon, but it does the job. Now for a more legitimate configuration, or rather, a pseudo-legitimate alternate configuration, you have the option to use all 3 of the currently existing Junkions, as well as Axelgrease and an extra Crashbar, to make the Junkasaurus. Because I don't have Axelgrease yet and would rather wait for a repaint of Crashbar to be made (come on, Mark Maher, make Nancy or Rum-Maj! I'll take Oil Slick, too!), there is an alternate configuration, that being Junkzilla. I'll let the configuration be described by Bot Bender Orinj in this video. Junkzilla's configuration utilizes the lower legs of Trashmaster and the arms of Scraphook rather than using the entire altmodes of Scraphook and Axelgrease for the legs and two Crashbars (or one Crashbar and a currently-unknown gold repaint. As a result, we get a squat rendition of the combined mode, and one that feels more like a Lego Creator build rather than a traditional combiner with how a lot more disassembly happens in this case. It's more appropriate for the Junkions, though!
His articulation consists of an articulated jaw, slight arm movement on 5mm ports with the same forearm movement of Scraphook's arms, and legs that hinge front and back as well as bend at two points for the knees with ankle hinging; the leg movement probably isn't the best due to the asymmetrical legs of Crashbar utilizing slightly different places for the 5mm ports, in addition to the over-abundance of joints. I was also hoping he'd be a big boy, but it isn't quite as big as Leader Class Grimlock, seen here in the Shattered Glass colors because it's so damn good. And that's how I feel about Trashmaster; the Junkasaurus/zilla mode is a bonus that's pretty flawed, but I still find him pretty enjoyable as a Transformer and with how much he looks like a bad guy despite sharing common traits of a Junkion. I recommend you get him, especially if you already got the other Junkions in the line.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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