Here is Scrapmetal in his excavator mode. While I felt Rampage's altmode felt slightly Playskool-esque due to its proportions, this guy fares better in my opinion. Construction vehicles tend to have a dreaded history of being compared to any Playskool toys, especially in the eyes of fans that act like toys with slightly stylized looks suck no matter what, but this vehicle mode doesn't look too bad. I like the paint apps, even if they could go for some a bit more of a dirty look given how this is a construction vehicle. The cockpit looks pretty good, and it scales decently compared to the rest of the altmode. Even the treads aren't too shabby.
The shovel arm has three points of articulation: one at the base, one for the "forearm" of the shovel arm, and one for the shovel itself. Going back to the cockpit, I do wish it looked a bit more completed when viewed i this angle.
Before we get more into the transformation, you have to remove a portion of the altmode to continue. Without that piece, you have some of the altmode exposed, but the arms look like they can't be aligned too well.
As for the rest of the transformation, it's fairly simple compared to most other Deluxes in the Studio Series line. I honestly think it is reminiscent of G1 Scavenger's transformation and RID Grimlock's (the Build Team Grimlock, not the Dinobot Mechagodzilla/Dragonzord). As is the tradition with most excavator Transformers, the shovel arm is stored in the back, while the robot mode mode instead uses arms resembling faux shovels. Also, the treads become the legs while having the digitigrade look to them.
Scrapmetal's robot mode looks fairly blocky unlike most of the Studio Series line. The concept art for this robot mode looks a lot more jagged than this toy does. Kind of looks more like it could be repainted into either character, and while it does do a better job of being a smoother-looking robot than the Beewun designs, I can't help but think this figure is pretty basic. Most waves have a filler character included, and despite how this figure is needed to complete Devastator, Scrapmetal feels pretty plain in comparison. Sure, some of the design cues try to look unique, especially with the Constructicon elements it has along with the slightly different proportions, but the design feels generic compared to other toys like Bumblebee, Lockdown, Sideswipe, and even the awful Shatter figure in the same wave he is in. While the robot mode at least looks complete from the front, the back looks pretty naked and frail. Also, I think the shades of yellow don't match up too well in-hand.
The head sculpt feels more movie-esque compared to the other options in the line, but the paint apps for this figure's face look a bit sloppy. I can't really tell if the eyes are at least decently painted. Makes me think of the black paint that ruined the faces of some Movie figures because it'd obscure the sculpted details.
Articulation is fairly on par with most Deluxe figures in the line. Head is on a ball joint, shoulders move forward and back as well as in and out, there are double jointed elbows, and the ball joints below the hinges to serve as swivels for the forearms. The claws open, the hips move forward and back as well as in and out, the thighs swivel, and the knees bend.
The same accessory removed from the altmode now becomes a "shield". It looks small, won't defend him in battle, and it certainly didn't defend him when he got killed in ROTF (assuming he used it).
The transformation for the hand mode is pretty decent. It essentially has the toy go halfway into its vehicle mode before it's adjusted to better resemble a hand. A small peg is revealed for when it combines with Hightower. Yes, you need another Constructicon in order to complete the look of the arm. Originally, Devastator's Supreme figure had Hightower be the left arm only, and it remained the same when the Legends figure had Overload combine with Hightower. Now, likely to either have an even number of Constructicons or to make the Deluxe figures feel more complete, Devastator requires both Hightower and Scrapmetal to become a left arm, while Scrapper becomes the right arm on his own because of his size class being a Voyager. May seem like a tease at first, but it makes sense given how the combination sequence had one part of the left arm combine with another. So in essence, this is the "hand" of the left arm. Doesn't look too bad, and the claws can be posed thanks to them already being arms. As for the shueld, it can be stored on the arm if you like.
Here is Scrapmetal next to Megatron. Certainly captures him being ze little one in the movie. Even Scrapmetal doesn't know what qualifies him to be a good candidate for Megatron considering their designs don't look similar apart from the treads. Honestly, this figure isn't one I'd entirely recommend for fans that aren't looking to complete Devastator. As a component, it feels more required given how he and Hightower are Deluxes that have to become an arm likely the size of Scrapper. Also, it looks pretty plain on his own, even more so than his other partners. Thankfully, the figure manages to be of decent quality, but I can only get him for fans that are interested in completing Devastator. If you want him on his own, get him on clearance.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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