What an adventure it's been since 2018. From the first reveal of the Siege Autobots to the last figure release Core Class Hot Rod, joined alongside fellow new mold Blaster as part of the subsequent Legacy line. The Autobots, Decepticons, Maximals, Predacons, and numerous other characters make for an amazing addition to this outstanding toyline, with a few neat additions from the Mercenaries and Quintesson-representation. I was supposed to put this up back in 2022 after the Kingdom line ended, but more reviews began to pop up, and I started to lose track, so I think it's best to start delving into the numerous WFC molds we got since the beginning! Just so you know, not every repaint is present, and certain versions of molds are not present due to me not owning them, but there may be a chance I'll go back and get them all. Wish me luck! Until then, let's go over the MASSIVE overview of the numerous WFC trilogy molds before Evolution gets here (which, btw, some Legacy redecos will pop up).
Let's cover the very little guys first. I didn't get too many unique Battlemasters, but I did get the Firedrive-type, the Smashdown-type, the Pteraxadon (represented as Enerax), and Soundbarrier (represented by Sheeldron). Firedrive and his moldmates are neat, even if they feel rinse and repeat. Smashdown is so cool, thanks to him having a bull design on top of having a unique weapon that isn't just a gun or sword. He reminds me so much of an Arms Micron from Takara's take on Transformers Prime, and it's cool that Enerax can be sort of an amalgamation of the axe that G1 Prime and Movie Prime would likely use, with the design reminding me of the latter. The shield being pee-yellow for Sheeldron looks odd, so maybe these would be cooler if they were orange? I do not have the Lionizer and Rung molds; the former I would like to get if it was the Netflix version, and I don't care about Rung at all. IDK if I would want to get Slitherfang or Doublecross.
And what about the Micromasters? My god, there are so many to go over. Okay, so I don't have all of the releases, but the Air Strike Patrol makes me nostalgic for the Unicron Trilogy, The Soundwave Spy Patrol collection is a mixed bag (Laserbeak and the Ratbat mold are neat, Rumble mold is okay, and Ravage is chunky), Rescue Patrol is mediocre in terms of quality control, Sports Car Patrol is pretty neat though somehow the windshield paint apps are coming off too easily), Military Patrol is okay, Race Track Patrol is mediocre, and Astro Squad is making me want Sky-Lynx desperately. Oh, and I got the Battle Squad but forgot to put it in this set, oops. I am missing the Hot Rod Patrol, Off-Road Patrol, Battle Patrol, and Race Car Patrol. Maybe someday.
And from there, we take a look at the Core Class line-up that replaced the two size classes in Siege and Earthrise. First up, Optimus Prime makes for a pretty faithful mini-version of the G1 character, specifically taking influence from the Earthrise toy with a good amount of synergy that isn't seen with other Legends-scale toys. While the thighs are exposed and there is a gray splotch on the butterfly joints for the arms, he is still pretty neat to own if you're someone who's always wanted to have a poseable G1 Prime that isn't expensive like the numerous third-party offerings. Seriously, there are so many of those things. Still, where is the axe for those ports on the forearms?
Rattrap is still a favorite of mine, having the right balance of organic beast mode details and the cartoon accuracy one would want from the Beast Wars character, and even if his face isn't 1:1 to the show, it's still faithful to his personality. The pink on the feet and front paws is nicely done, and the textures of the fur are implemented nicely. Rattrap's transformation is great, not being as over-complicated as his Thrilling 30 self, and his robot mode, while small, makes perfect sense for his height. He's also one of the rare Core Class figures with a bit of ankle pivot. I like him, can you tell?
Vertebreak is a fairly underrated mold, and while many would not see with the same level of importance, Hasbro did a nice job turning a Dracorex fossil into a Transformer, though the charcoal black on her reminds me of a chicken bone. The sculpted details are done accurately while making her a functional robot, and she compliments the Kingdom Fossilizers, who transform via partsforming in comparison to Vertebreak. Dracodon, in comparison, isn't too bad in spite of looking like a knockoff with his lime green.
Megatron in Earthrise may feel samey when put next to the Siege version, but I think the Kingdom guy manages to be original. His tank mode, transformation, and robot mode are similar to the Earthrise Voyager, but the tank barrel being his Walther P-38-esque gun mode on top of his darker color scheme make him more interesting overall. I also like that you can have the gun on his back to replicate the G1 gun barrel design trait in addition to making his head sculpt somehow closer to the cartoon than either Siege or Earthrise (though both heads work well). He sadly lacks wheels for him to roll, but both the G1 Kingdom and G2 Legacy releases are great (the latter's ball joints do feel loose).
And up next, we have the ever milkable Seeker mold, firstly with Starscream in Kingdom being a surprisingly original dude with how his transformation works differently from his Earthrise Voyager, utilizing a faux chest and a torso transformation that is more unique than the larger toy's reliance on the Classics transformation. His null rays annoyingly don't stay in place, which explains why Skywarp had to get a pitchfork with him last minute (seriously why is he missing his null rays?). His weapon is meant to go with Hot Rod's sword (see below) and Iguanus's...gun scanner thing?...in order to create a larger weapon, a play feature that probably got lost later down the line after fans thought the clear plastic weapon idea wasn't given much attention. Soon, we will receive a Thundercracker.
Now there is a Bumblebee to go over. I like this little dude; sure, he isn't the Netflix Deluxe figure, but his Bumper-esque alternate mode combined with a surprising amount of details and wonderful rolling he has make him an underrated figure all around. His robot mode's a little wonky, but I like his addition of thigh swivels and his little gun to make him feel more on-par with the typical third-party Legends scale figure. Oh and he has a Spike figure (not pictured).
And who can forget Soundwave? While some nitpickers will be angry that his toes stick out in tape player mode, his accuracy to the G1 design with the added articulation and overall proportions make me wish this was what the Netflix Voyager should have been. I commend Hasbro for making their Netflix Soundwave feel like it was properly made without any of the compromises that other retools in the past had, but Soundwave's robot mode and cleaner tape deck mode make him much more complete when he's made from the ground up. They even included a nicely painted Laserbeak tape, something they didn't have to include!
Hot Rod himself is kind of a weird one, as he's got no real synergy between himself and either of his larger toys in Kingdom or Studio Series 86. His transformation is radically different, as the front of the alt mode and the windshield become the back of the legs while his shoulders revert to the wheels facing the front rather than the back. He also has a sword, which is a weapon he isn't normally known to use in your typical fiction. Yeah, it's easy to tell this guy was meant to be a transitionary figure between Kingdom and Legacy.
And now, let's take a look at the figures made in Siege, starting with the recurring Sideswipe mold. With how well it works as a body for both main-fiction characters and the various e-Hobby reuses, it's no secret that Hasbro loves reusing the shit out of this guy. With a sleek sports car mode that somewhat resembles the Countach, a neat transformation, and a pretty good robot mode with solid articulation, this guy makes for a fun addition to any Transformers collection. I even appreciate how the Kingdom versions did enough extensive retooling to go well with Earthrise Sunstreaker better. I own both Siege and Kingdom versions of Sideswipe and Red Alert, but in the middle of the Year 1 & 2 Autobots is Deep Cover, who represents the Diaclone/e-Hobby side of things. If I were to get other repaints for the mold, G2 Sideswipe, Tigertrack, Clampdown, and Netflix Clampdown would be priorities, and I have no interest in the Netflix versions of Swipealert.
And here we have Cog, a surprise addition to the early part of the Siege line as he's one of Fort Max's partners in 1987! Design-wise, he has a cool robot mode that beats the old toy, has as much articulation as the other toys despite being a Weaponizer, and has a pretty good color scheme. He does partsform given his gimmick, with his altmode being either two meh vehicles or one combined but still meh vehicle, but letting him combine with another Deluxe makes him much cooler than you'd initially expect. I bet you can integrate him with Titans Return Fort Max! As for Red Cog, he feels like a cheaper Player 2 recolor, has poor QC on my copy with his buttplate having one peg snapped off, and his chest feels less solid than on Blue Cog, but he does come with numerous weapons for further weaponry that other Siege figures can use, including an add-on piece to have your Earthrise Arcee combine with Siege Cog if you didn't get rid of her by the time the SS86 version popped up. The only use of the mold I don't own is Aragon, a Powerdasher who comes included in a VS pack featuring Mirage and Impactor (more info on them later)
After that, it's fellow 1984 Autobot Car Hound. Having him and Hot Shot together reminds me that we have yet to get SS-86 Hound in-stock, Hasbro! Anyways, while many would likely prefer the Universe version for the lankier proportions and inclusion of Ravage, I think this guy is still pretty cool, what with the Halo Warthog-esque altmode and bulkier design that looks like the G1 toy but with better proportions and less Earth-influence. As for Hot Shot, my copy is different because he has the Matrix Workshop add-ons to make him leas Houndshot and more Cybertron Defense Hot Shot. They're not that durable, but they get the job done. Much like with the Netflix Sidealert duo, I skipped the subline's Hound as his deco's not interesting and his neck breaks so hell to the no!
Up next, it's Skytread. Much like Cog, we get another 1987 character alongside the more iconic 1984 dudes and Ultra Magnus. After Power of the Primes gave fans Battletrap, it made sense that we'd get the other Duocon right away. He doesn't have two individual bot modes like with Battleslash and Roadtrap (otherwise we'd get Skystrike and Groundtread), but instead the robot more is more proportionate and sturdy than his friend from last line. Also, I prefer the name Skytread over Flywheels. The only reuse this guy has is for Slamdance, who has inverted colors from the G1 toy due to the vehicle modes adhering to the colors they originally had rather than make the robot mode accurate. It also means they cannot become cassettes for Blaster.
Now it's time for Chromia! I'm sorry, but she's not that great. While she isn't a retool of the POTP Orthia fembots that turn into the limbs, she still has most of the same weakpoints. Huge backpack, weirdly limited waist swivel (only this time with a removable bikini bottom!), and gun accessories that feel more like they belong on a Cyberverse Commander figure than on a Deluxe like her. I wonder if Hasbro would redo her like with Elita-1 and Arcee, because I don't have any immediate plans for the POTP sisters, Nightbird, and especially Netflix Chromia.
As for the mold associated with her boyfriend, the Siege Ironhide mold looks badass from the outside. part from the hollow parts, shoulder joints, and tiny waist, hips, and thighs compared to the lower legs and upper body, his design is the coolest G1 Ironhide's ever been. His weapon's even cooler, as it's a rocket launcher that turns into a hammer!!! Ratchet's got a few issues, with his loose hip joints and white tires that required painting on my end, but I appreciate the retooling applied onto him beyond the head sculpt, and even his weapons are exclusive to him; the wrench and rocket launcher homaging the G1 toy are welcome additions for a figure like him. Crosshairs isn't too bad, though his knees are loose, he needs the proper tires, and he is missing Pinpointer since the dude's included with Netflix Megatron instead. As for the Earthrise retool, I at first thought it'd be even better than the Siege release but now I think it's worse. There is little synergy between the retooled Earth parts and what remains of the Siege version, which includes the wheels, arms, backs of the lower legs, and feet, which I was mostly alright with on the Siege release but has a bigger issue with for Earthrise. Sure, you can get them the replacement feet add-ons, but that should have been part of the retool, to begin with. And while some may dig the riot shields, I see them as another reminder that the molds were not really meant to have Earth modes in mind. Also sucks how there's not much that further separates Ironhide and Ratchet beyond the colors, heads, and the siren on the latter. I'd like to get the Deseesus(Nutz) drone at some point, but I'm not sure if I can get SG Ratchet or DK-2 Guard at good prices right now; the former because he is included with SG Prime and the latter because I don't have much interest in him right now.
And now we have Six-Gun to take a look at. While the robot mode is pretty cool, even though he looks like he's wearing a white shirt and red long johns, his altmode does feel a bit like an afterthought. Not as bad as Cog, but he still looks like a lamer version of the Lego Star Wars minikits. I do like how the lower part of his torso can sort of work as a hand with the right configuration, but you can tell that he is the only use of the mold I own. Unlike Slamdance, who'd already come with the G2 Sideswipe I want, I don't think I have any real interest in Cromar as of this moment, even though he is available on his own (double negative for his head being bad).
Another 1984 Autobot takes the spotlight in the form of the Prowl mold, who stands out with his sleeker design (I mean, look at his thighs and how wide his torso looks). Prowl's very low profile combined with his translucent tires makes him unique for a cop car, resulting in a vibe that's less Datsun and more futuristic like with Sideswipe. I love how he has a bit of layered paint from within the clear parts to make his legs feel more filled in since he does feel pretty light. And luckily, the siren stays on the back rather than be part of the gun. I have every use of the mold, with Bluestreak trading the siren for shoulder cannons (still retains the Prowl head), Barricade having a new head sculpt to go with his sexy Movie deco with purple windows to boot (no gun but his cannons remind me of Frenzy somewhat), Smokescreen having a gun and shoulder cannons while using the Barricade head, and Sparkless Bot's basically an undead Barricade that I got for cheap.
Refraktor comes in two varieties as seen here: cartoon lavender and toy-accurate color break-up. The former goes well with making the design feel more befitting as army building fanatics would likely get multiples already thanks to the camera mode. Sure, the toy itself is hollow in some parts, and the alternate mode being a pen-looking spaceship is stupid, but cubing him and two extra copies of him make for a pretty neat camera, a concept that the toy-accurate Spectro, Viewfinder, and Spyglass take advantage of by being a Reconnosiance Team in the form of vintage camera that the old Reflector toy turned into. And getting that set for an even cheaper price?! COUNT ME IN!!!! As you can tell, I am missing Scrapface, and I'd only get that repaint if I ever had the chance to own three copies of him.
Brunt serves as the third Battlizer to cover, and he's a Decepticon! He feels so unique, with a tank mode that feels like a proper vehicle, a partsforming scheme that sort of looks like he'd transform normally, and a robot mode that's a mix between Tankor and Warpath in some ways. He's so different from other tankformers in a good way, too. His legs being the turret? The arms being part of the treads? Sure, the former has you use unclip them from the base in an unconventional way, but it's something different nonetheless. He only has two reuses: a straight repaint known as the Centurion Drone with various weapons for all of the Earthrise toys, and a slight retool in the form of Zetar. I own neither of them.
Impactor is another tankformer to cover, but he's the first time the Wrecker leader receives a new mold rather than being a retool of another figure. Last time, he was a retool of some FOC Combaticon...idk the one because FOC Bruticus kind of sucks (the toy not the character). Then he was a retool of Rook from Combiner Wars. We finally got a new mold for him in Siege, which further reinforces my love for the line's interest in adding very well-known and somewhat niche characters in the line! Impactor's design is more modernized than his appearance in the comics, but it's still a pretty cool design and a somewhat unique transformation at the cost of having some hollow legs. His purple insignia on this figure is amusingly Shattered Glass, which I guess foreshadows his role of being a Decepticon in the vs set as well as his role in the Netflix show...I still don't get why he sounds like Shadow the Hedgehog...OH and the Legacy version makes him more comic-accurate.
Mirage was initially a mold I'd probably like since he felt pretty close to the G1 appearance without being too lanky like the Classics version or...weird like the CW version. And upon getting him, he was a weird mold. The decision to make his lower legs clear was baffling despite it being part of his powers, but the proportions felt wide, the vehicle mode looked pretty weak from the back, and the kibble behind the legs felt like an afterthought. The Netflix version was a cool addition, I'll admit, but he still retained the same problems of the Siege version Kingdom Mirage, on the other hand, was a surprisingly good retool, feeling much more refined with the design in robot mode while also having a vehicle mode that flowed better. Sadly, his shoulder cannon doesn't peg on the proper spot anymore, but you can always get upgrade kits. Anyways, he was included with BW Grimlock (scroll down to the Kingdom Dinobot section for more info), and if there was any doubt fans had on the retool, they can always get G2 Leadfoot or Crasher from Gobots (Wreck & Rule and Velocitron, respectively). The original Mirage tooling as used for Holo Mirage, but he's not that great with the increased fragility and other repaints you may not really need.
Spinister is a character that I kind of like even though he's not that prominent in fiction. His name or the colors are doing that to me...Anywho, he's awesome! His robot mode does the design so much justice without feeling too derpy or obsessed with being retro. The neon pink, purple, and dark blue go well together, the somewhat asymmetrical transformation is underrated, and the helicopter mode is pretty cool outside of the exposed second canopy, hands, and feet, which I guess could see as the parts the guns peg underneath. Aside from the Double Targetmaster himself, he was repainted into Rotorstorm, who comes with a new head and reminds us that we need to get an upgrade kit to make him more complete like with Hot Shot.
Optimus Prime has been no stranger in the CHUG line, getting a new mold one way or another, but fans were delighted to see the Autobot leader in a more definitive format...for the time being...Siege made a very faithful take on the character's appearance in the show, with plenty of cool tricks to make him more interesting like the leg transformation and how the wheels are tucked within the torso. While the arm and backpack kibble are a little egregious, he truly captured the proportions of the character very well, probably moreso than MP-10 or MP-44. I even like the axe in addition to his Ion Blaster. As far as repaints are concerned, I don't plan to get the animation-colored version anytime soon (unless it was for free), while the Premium Finish version, despite looking cool, is associated with a version of G1 Prime that I really hate (yeah I still hate the Netflix show). There are two Nemesis Prime repaints: One from Hasbro, and one from Takara. The latter came first and does look more refined, but I kind of want the Hasbro one so he can be closer to the emo Prime nature of Netflix's decisions on top of repurposing the trailer for another kind of Netflix Prime to make him more G2 (scroll down to Earthrise!).
Megatron is another well-made figure, though I'd argue the Siege version is still the best one. The tank mode looks badass, the transformation feels Armada-esque, and the robot mode manages to look like G1 Megatron while maintaining a sense of competent engineering that doesn't make him either have some altmode baggage that doesn't ruin his silhouette or over-complicate things. I even like how the tank barrel turns into a sword, with the blades having said barrel embedded within the weapon. The Earthrise version is not as popular, and I can see why: it's not that different from the Siege version, it doesn't really add anything all that new, and while I am fine with Megatron having some synergy for Earth mode Starscream and Soundwave, he feels worse than the Siege version, with noticeable culprits including the stupid blade weapon and the back kibble looking blocker than before. He looks fine as G2 Megatron, but that tank barrel blade weapon is still stupid. As for the reuses associated with both molds, what you see is what you get or the Earth mode, because Siege Megatron has more than just the one version I have to this day: there was a GenSelects Combat Hero repaint with a new head and a zebra pattern, an animation-colored version of the character alongside Prime that I won't get for the same reasons, THREE Netflix recolors (two Hasbro, each coming with slightly different paint apps and accessories (two Battlemasters for the first one and a purple Paleotrax repaint named Skelivore along with the Allspark and Matrix for the second one), and one Takara with paint apps that are an embarrassment for the Premium Finish), and a Shattered Glass repaint that now has a jet mode thanks to the included new parts.
And we now have the Siege Seeker mold, which bean with who else but Starscream. I at first thought I would hate the Tetrajet concept because G1 fans would eat up anything from the cartoon, regardless of how long it lasted. However, Hasbro's take on the design for the Siege line is very good, with a much better appearance in spite of the folded up robot from underneath, and who can forget how unique the transformation is while the robot mode not only looks badass (certainly moreso than the Classics Deluxe or POTP version) but also has more articulation than expected! butterfly joints, double-elbows, a waist swivel, wrist swivels as well as wrist hinges, deep knee bends, and both ankle hinges as well as pivots?! YES PLEASE! As you can see, I have Skywarp (shoutout to Ernie!), Thundercracker, Hotlink, the Rainmakers, Sparkless Seeker (who reminds me of TFP Skyquake), and Red Wing. I don't have the Premium Finish version and don't want it while the Shattered Glass version is one I'd like to have even if he sadly has yellowing problems.
Soundwave is another cool figure to own in the line. Granted, he isn't the exact same release one would hope to have for the CHUG line, and his altmode kind of sucks, but I still dig the way he turned out in terms of the robot mode. Can you believe that there haven't been ANY options for Soundwave in the CHUG lines up until Titans Return? YES! A DECADE SINCE THE VERY FIRST CLASSICS LINE! Sure, he lived on within other toylines, but what stopped him from getting a CHUG-scaled toy? It's great to see how Hasbro doesn't necessarily need to make G1 Soundwave a tape player (though the fan mode he has in one stop-motion from their channel is better than the actual altmode), and I love how the robot mode looks spot-on to the character design, even if he has some slight additions of kibble here and there. Soundblaster, on the other hand, comes with a thicker tape door that references his retooled toy from The Headmasters, which means he can hold two of his partners, unlike the space for one on Soundwave, though neither of them fit their partners that well because of how tight the spacing feels, especially on Soundblaster. Why did no one check for the tolerances? IT should be mentioned that like with Bluestreak, Soundblaster has the Decepticon insignia rather than the Mercenary one like with Takara's version. Oh, and Legacy gave Soundwave a bath because it has no battle damage).
Springer is another cool bot to gander over in the Siege line. There will always be something cool about the design of the Thrilling 30 version of Springer, but this figure feels more solid. He has just about the same articulation, his alt modes hold together better (maybe a little too much and it comes at the cost of them being faithful rather than resemble visually distinct ones he used to had), and his weapons are more plentiful, with twin guns that can combine into a blaster and two swords that can be used for the helicopter's propellor (there are even notches for the blade effect pieces which he could really use)! He has only been repainted once in the Legacy line in his Marvel Comics/toy colors, but I expect him to pop up in SS86 if Hasbro is so desperate on making it happen.
Apeface was another unexpected release for the Siege line, especially for the Voyagers. While we had the mainstays of the brand in the form of Prime, Megs, Screamer, and Soundwave in addition to the 86 movie star with Springer, Apeface felt more like a niche inclusion by comparison. Some say he's a Titans Return carryover, but there are a few things that make him more unique than the others, mostly with the different plastic materials used to make him feel a little more sturdy at the cost of the details looking soapy, and his head, Spasma, works entirely differently from the other figures as its backplate is the beast mode visor while the legs are instead the actual robot face. He's both a mix of Titans Return and Siege in this case, though he has no waist articulation. An odd but kind of cool release if you ask me.
Did you know I got Siege Ultra Magnus for $5? Anyways, I've bought three main versions of the mold in subsequent years, though it is not the case for 2022. The original Siege Mangus was very different from what fans expected after owning the Combiner Wars version. Rather than go the Masterpiece route, they instead went the FansProject route, with the trailer splitting up into armor that the inner robot designed after Optimus Prime would wear. I have to commend Hasbro for giving Magnus an RID 2001 look with the way the front of the vehicle looks; it makes him unique from Optimus! And the armor itself snaps on very easily, and it feels kind of cool doing it in a sequence that homages that FansProject promo video. Especially when the robot mode looks very badass. Galaxy Upgrade Optimus Prime is another cool addition for the line, even if he is a reuse of another mold like with Gen Selects Hot Shot, though it somehow works thanks to the amount of retooling and new parts used to make him look closer to the design he is based on. Only the inner core robot looks like the weakest part (even though it vaguely resembles that Burger King toy of the same incarnation), but the complete vehicle mode and completed super modes look work so well. As for Kingdom Magnus, he's theoretically the definitive one thanks to the G1-accuracy he has, and I value them for making the cab mode resemble the Earthrise Prime design while still sticking with the same mold, but I can't confidentially say it's as cool-looking as the Siege release. IDK how a possible Commander Class release would turn out, but as for the repaints, I don't care about either Netflix version of Magnus, Walmart or Premium, while
shattered Glass Magnus piqued my interest...if only his ROTF Leader Class-sized box didn't look too empty with how much space is inside (and so little taken up).
Shockwave was the first ever purchase I made in the Siege line, and I think it's easy to agree that it was a pretty interesting way of starting the line. It was Shockwave that introduced me to the idea of how the WFC trilogy reboot would change what is already known about the size classes and engineering; he's a Leader Class like the previous figure in the same size I got before him, POTP Optimus, yet he's a Voyager with benefits. To make up for it, he has a rich amount of sculpted details throughout him, making him a lot more interesting than the Masterpiece version, in addition to making his second altmode a massive flagship while the regular one is basically the gun upside down. And the robot mode being cartoon-accurate is no surprise, but it works so well since he doesn't feel like he's trying to be too modernized to appear to the kids that might want a G1 Shockwave (or the purists that think future pew-pew gun = only logical Shocko). The only other repaint of this guy comes from the Gen Selects series, but I don't have it.
Astrotrain was released in both Siege and Earthrise, so he makes a good transition between both lines. He's much more Earth-like in spite of the heavier amount of sculpted details, on top of being the first Astrotrain to be in the cartoon dark-gray and purple combo for BOTH sides of the HasTak spectrum thanks to the brand unification, and much like Shockwave, he is a Leader Class because he has parts that snap on him rather than be a taller figure. In fact, on his own, he's shorter than Megatron! Though it is sort of justified that he is meant to transform with fewer hollow parts on top of having a more intricate transformation with his train and shuttle modes being more distinct from one another than Springer's alt modes. The only other iteration of this mold is Galaxy Shuttle from the Legacy Velocitron Speedia 500 line, which I don't have.
With the Siege line covered, you may be wondering if I have Jetfire and Omega Supreme? Well, not yet. They were the only Siege figures I missed out on, which I regret doing so because I know they were both good from what the reviews said. Jetfire is on the way courtesy of the BBTS/Entertainment Earth preorders, though Omega Supreme will be harder to obtain...
Now let's go to the Earthrise! These two are Hoist and Trailbreaker, and both of them are pretty much a sign of different engineering priorities between the two lines. Rather than go for something a little more inventive, HasTak decided to make them feel simpler and more slavish to the source material. Hoist fits this well since he was a stocky character given how toy-accurate Season 2 characters mostly were, but it fits Trailbreaker less since he was a leaner robot due to Toei and Sunbow making the character models a lot easier to animate. At the very least, I commend them for trying to make enough retooling for both of them, but they're okay figures. I don't have their Diaclone counterparts, Lift-Ticket and DK-3 Breaker, but they're Red and Blue so you basically can have a Power Ranger team.
Wheeljack was the opposite side of things for Earthrise Engineering compared to Hoist, as his complexity is equal to that of the Siege Deluxes in my eyes. It's definitely different from the way he transforms at times, with the requirement of a waist swivel since the vehicle hood would actually end up on the bottom of the car in robot mode, but it's a solid figure with plenty of racing decals to boot. I love the references to the numerous in-universe brands that would hypothetically exist, but is it me or do his colors seem a little off? His white has a greenish tint while the green feels more olive while the red looks more faded. I wish they were richer in colors, which is what I could at least say for Exhaust's white since he has a better shade of that color than Wheeljack, Though it's likely meant to accommodate the deco he has, which, no, isn't sponsored by Marlboro. We need to avoid dealing with the tobacco industry, folks. Anyways, he's pretty cool as an homage to a niche Diaclone repaint, complete with a new headsculpt that's basically evil Wheeljack. That reminds me, if Rooster Twats can make coneheads look like how they should in the WFC show, why did they not do the same with Exhaust???
Cliffjumper is another side of the Earthrise Engineering spectrum that will probably go down as the most controversial of the three branches. Firstly, he's a smaller Deluxe that prioritizes his short height in order to scale better with the other Autobot cars. This leads to paint being used on the car mode, plenty of articulation not found on normal Legends figures from T30-POTP (wrist and waist swivels as well as ankle pivots), a bazooka that can split up into different components depending on the mode, and a more intricate transformation that nearly works well except for the back coming off to make a less-than-impressive shield. I am surprised to have SIX of these things, with the original Cliffjumper and Bumblebee tooling uses both being purchased in 2020 while I'd later get Bug Bite, Worlds Collide Bee, Goldbug, and SS86 Cliffjumper in 2022. I do plan to get Hubcap as well as Shattered Glass Goldbug someday.
Ironworks is one of 2 Modulators in the line, and he now has a robot mode in addition to stealing the name of the Micromaster that once operated the base. He can turn into either a crane or a battle tower, which has you go to either mode via partsforming, which is taken from the Weaponizer gimmick. It's okay at best, but you will probably need more ramps and other bases to play with. That and Micromasters to drive on him. I don't have the Galactic Odyssey version, nor do I have Greasepit...but this guy may pop up again as another character...
I can't believe I got all 3 versions of the Arcee mold...the vanilla version, the Paradron Medic, and Elita-1...this mold sucks. It's cheap, it's gimmick is stupid, and very embarrassing. I feel like I should have never gotten this mold in spite of the fact that I wanted a more "accurate" version of Arcee. I also wanted a version of Elita-1 despite the mold being shit. And looking back, I wish I didn't get that Earthrise 2-pack of the Paradron Medic and Ratchet, even if I wanted Earth mode Ironhide and Ratchet. Yeah, worse than Chromia.
Airwave is the other Modulator we have for this line, giving him the ability to turn into either some kind of battle platform that is reminiscent of the old toy but without any empty space for the Micromaster, a runway that represents an airport, or a treaded aircraft carrier, new to this base-turned-character. The design is very blocky, thighs look like Brunt's, and the colors remind me of Seaspray. The figure was repainted into Hot House, which looks like if this guy was G2, and Overair as part of a Botropolis Rescue Mission meant to go with Sky-Lynx, and I own neither repaint.
Allicon feels alright at best. He's the first version of the character we got, and while it was cool to see some Quintesson-representation in the line, he almost feels One-Step-esque with his transformation. Bend the legs, bend the arms, and flip the back kibble around. If you weren't a fan of the '86 movie or a fan of Quintessons, I wouldn't blame you for wanting to take avoid this figure. Oh and I don't own the Bailiff.
If you thought Prowl would be the one to get the new mold first, then you're wrong because Smokescreen is beating him to the punch and recreating that one time a TFP Prowl toy was a repaint of the Beast Hunters Smokescreen figure! This guy is a general step-up from the Siege Prowl figure, with better proportions and no weird indents for the hip joints when they move out. The only issue I have right now is the fragility of the knee joints being a possibility, but otherwise, I'm happy to own all 5 versions of the figure, from the readily available retail figure like Smokescreen to the store-exclusives Bluestreak (Walgreens) and Silverstreak (Target), and online exclusives with good cop Prowl and bad cop Barricade, though the former was very hard to obtain thanks to scalpers.
Fasttrack is not a Modulator but is instead a Weaponizer, being able to give other figures proper combat fatigues in addition to being a Cybertronic vehicle with three wheels on each side that makes me think of Mike's New Car. While the gray and black plastic makes the orange wheels clash badly, I still think of this figure as being alright for what it is. The thing that makes him interesting is how it becomes the staff for Scorponok, which isn't perfect but I have to commend them for doing something new with this figure while also tying him in with the then-current Titan figure, as the other guys in Siege were all released long after the Prime Wars trilogy and Thrilling 30 lines ended.
Sunstreaker is a weird case of being a great mold and a bit of a strange release overall. Firstly, the shades of yellow between the plastic he has and the parts that are painted yellow. I know some images try to make them blend better, but the lighting of my images makes the discrepancy even worse than with the Universe figure. He definitely feels like a blocker version of the Wheeljack design, especially if the lower legs and torso are anything to go by. As far as repaints go, I don't have that Diaclone 2-pak that has Spin-Out and Cordon.
Runamuck and Runabout are a case where getting figures certain exclusives and other figures were randomly easy. Like, no joke, I was lucky to get Runabout while Runamuck was already available on Amazon. It led to me getting a chance to review both figures at the same time, and I think these two are better off together rather than on their own. They have some neat tricks, like the sleeker faux chest, but I feel like the white on Runamuck feels a little chalky in addition to him needing some orange to break up the monotony! Still, I value that Runabout is more than just a black recolor thanks to the red strips of paint on the sides, his red windows, and the retooled mouth to go with his extra weapon.
Starscream getting an Earth mode was inevitable, and while this figure is no upscale of a Classics Seeker Deluxe, he is very similar overall. The main additions of a better-articulated neck, bicep swivels, thigh swivels, and ankle pivots are there, and the addition of new engineering for the leg transformation, arm transformation, and the wing hinges make him feel more complete, though the way the chest clips into place feels worse. This figure is a case where an established Siege figure getting a an Earth mode will probably be more desirable because it's based on a more established appearance yet feels worse in some ways; this guy's articulation isn't as good as the Siege release, down to the missing waist swivel, and the wings coming off at the connection where they move into robot mode position is very annoying. At the very least, I somehow ended up with every version of the mold, including the Coneheads (thanks to Ernie) and the Coronation retool, which I initially didn't want until I found a good deal for it.
Grapple was a figure that felt like he was going to have some issues when you consider going from the Reveal the Shield figure to the new mold; the G1 accuracy meant he'd have the arms somewhat exposed within the vehicle (though they stay in place better), and the lack of color break up did make him feel a little less impressive than his inevitable retool Inferno. I personally think that these issues would make the figure alright still, especially since his crane can function and even uses an alternate claw, yet the pegs that go into his feet make for one of the worst breakage issues on a Transformer, especially without the foresight Hasbro would usually apply during tests. Thankfully, Inferno is a step-up from Grapple, and he even has a few retooled parts to make him more worthwhile. I find Artfire to be a little unfocused for his deco, but I do like the way Hauler turned out.
Snapdragon is similar to Apeface in terms of being the odd one out of the Voyager line-up, yet we can agree that they both have different pros and cons from each other. I find his design to be not as cool as Apeface's, especially with how flat he looks from the side. He has a waist swivel while Apeface doesn't, though Snapdragon has worse articulation. And while it is cool to see him integrate the Krunk Headmaster into the beast's head, it does level the jaw pretty disjointed. I'm not too surprised that neither Apeface nor Snapdragon were reused, though I kind of hoped we'd see Beast Wars Primal and Megs retools for both of them.
The Quintesson Judge is a stupid release, I'm not joking. Its design being translated in figure form is appreciative, even though it wobbles on the chair, and the tentacles have no real articulation, but the prison mode is really goofy. It'll be kind of hard to put some imprisoned Battle or Micromasters inside the cage, and what's the inside of the base for? Also, good luck removing those faces that came disassembled in package. IDK if I really want to get that Pit of Judgement set.
Optimus Prime works better than Starscream as a figure that manages to improve on the Siege release while still being the more desirable version without compromising anything at the same time. We get both modes being clean and spot on to the character model, slightly better range of articulation, a trailer that can open and also features the head of the Combat Deck; ironically, it's the trailer that feels like the weak link, with there being a need for more paint apps to make it pop, and some stabilizers as well as Roller to complete Prime properly. I could fix that myself at some point. Netflix Prime may not be the same as i the show, but I like the darker blue and better painted face. His Battlemasters compliment him even if they could be orange. I want both Dead Prime and Shattered Glass Prime.
Doubledealer is honestly alright for a triple changer, preceeding the likes of Blitzwing as a Leader Class short guy. His proportions do feel very wonky, and the accessories, while plentiful, vary from being alright to weak. His artillery mode looks cool, but his vulture mode always looks dumb. I find the faction-flipping idea to be cool, even if he is a Mercenary in the show. The chest having a cavity for the Spy Patrol 3 partners Knok and Skar make the necessity for them both face-slapping and needless at the same time.
Scorponok wowed me when I first got him. He's tall, full of sculpted details everywhere, and makes for an impressively dynamic figure while avoiding looking stiff like a dumbass ReAction figure. His scorpion mode feels like a lifesized animal, his city mode is neat for some kind of play pattern but more adult-collector friendly as it's more for display, and the robot mode is done up very well. I don't have Black Zarak, but thanks to a collab with Ernie, you can see how striking the differences are with both the color schemes and upgrade kits included.
This line also provided fans with reuses of more Prime Wars molds, and ones that fans would probably want more than the POTP fembots. The Autobot and Decepticon Clones were originally notorious for having one half of each set included in a Walgreens 2-pack while the other halves were each included in multipacks that gave fans a harder time to collect them or even justify buying if they would rather have the repaints on their own. Sure, it'd be cool for fans to get the Ginrai or Tidalwave, but what if people only wanted to get the clones? This is why stuff like Generations Selects, the Buzzworthy Bumblebee collide sets, and reissues work: in the case of the third example, we get the twins in their proper sets without paying more for the other figures. They're not the best toys in the world, but I'd argue it's easier to get them than nobody else. I should mention that the Autoclones are the Hasbro versions and the Decepticlones the Takara versions.
Punch/Counterpunch was originally a POTP-excluskve figure that was a new mold and not a combiner, so to see it pop up in this line was a surprise. He does have brighter than normal colors, and the red missing from the rims makes him feel weird, but if you like this faction-switcher, just know that his original self isn't really nearby but some red paint might. Oh, and he was the figure that came with Barricade.
Soundwave is one of 2 Netflix retools fans drooled over, probably leading their to their saliva to mess up the amount of preorders necessary for Soundwave like with Bumblebee. Another stab at the CHUG-scale Soundwave means he can have an Earth mode! While there isn't as much synergy between the remaining Siege parts and the Earthrise retooling as I'd hope, it's impressive how Hasbro managed to make a tape player altmode! The biggest issues apart from the availability would definitely be the discolored parts on some of the blue and gray plastic, especially the latter; it's an issue that Siege Soundwave never had. At least Laserbeak and Ravage get retools. Shattered Glass Soundwave makes for a cool opposite of his G1 self in terms of having a bleach-white color scheme with baby blue, but HIS CHANCES OF YELLOWING ARE ALARMINGLY HIGH!!!!!
And as for any missing molds, Sky-Lynx is a must as someone who likes the way he works in G1 woth his bird/lion mashup design as well as becoming the best space shuttle in all of Transformers. Pirahnacon would never get a new update after this release so having a chance to get this set would be cool someday. Super Megatron is another must, and he might make me want to obtain Star Convoy.
And finally, we're here with the final chapter! Let's start Kingdom off by asking what's new, pussycat? The Cheetor mold is a mostly successful iteration of the maximal furball has great proportions in beast mode, a pretty accurate transformation, and a robot mode that captures the proportions and design traits much better than his previous Deluxe iterations. He's not bulky like the old BW figure and he isn't a mess like his Universe counterpart! I will say that he does feel pretty cheap in terms of thr yellow plastic having a sense of fragility in some areas. I also wish he had his gun, as the tail whip feels out of place for him considering everyone else has show-accurate weapons. The only other reuse I have is Shadow Panther, based on an old repaint Takara made with a mutant head this time around. I don't have the Netflix Cheetor or Nightprowler.
Blackarachnia may have pegwarmed a lot during the Kingdom line, but I have to commend Hasbro for making it as great as the Masterpiece version even with a smaller budget. The spider mode looks as sleek and proportionate as it can be, even with the shoulders and slightly exposed leg parts; the robot mode is sleek, show-accurate, and only a waist-swivel away from being very poseable. Her original release was already good, but the Buzzworthy Bumblebee version in the Worlds Collide 4-pack goes for a toy-accurate deco with a toxic vibe that works wonderfully. If you want, you can swap the spider legs so Blackarachnia's cartoon self can have the right legs, though the toy version won't have the right legs as a compromise.
Warpath is a case where I'm surprised he doesn't get much attention from fans back when he first came out, and I do wish Hasbro repainted him in order to give us Treds now that we have Bug Bite and later Path Finder. The tank mode and robot mode are pretty cartoon-accurate, but the transformation is where things get crazy since thanks to the way everything folds up on the legs, and we see a similar approach for the upper body with the tank barrel and shoulders shifting up. Amusingly, the white and velvet red makes it look like a cake.
Paleotrex is a pretty cool take on the idea of making a fossil Transformer. You probably know that the Fossilizers were meant to be part of the same gimmick we see from the Weaponizers and Modulators, but it's cool that we can see armor out of dinosaur bones! The fossil mode looks good and almost fitting for a museum, and the robot mode reminds me of Movie Starscream but with balancing issues thanks to his tiny feet. I still wish his elbows were tighter. While I don't have Skelivore or Spindle, I do have Transmutate, which is pretty cool but needs tighter joints.
Airazor is no joke when it comes to the way she presents her beast mode without any major compromises for the appearance. The Maximal scout has the right proportions as well as a great level of sculpt work and detailing to make the falcon mode much more organic than we're used to. Her color scheme is lighter than it is in the show, but it still works nonetheless for a character like her, and the robot mode is absolutely magnificent, from the lean proportions to the engineering we get for her transformation that hasn't been done with other birdformers. I'm also happy to get BWII Skywarp, which came with the Kingdom Sideswipe shown earlier.
Ractonite is another cool fossilized, with a robot mode design that feels reminiscent of Beast Wars Neo Guiledart with the dino head on the right side and a wonky set of proportions. I also value that his plastic color isn't the same as Paleotrex's, making him more unique beyond the beast mode of choice. An overall pretty cool Styracosaurus, and I kind of wish I can get Tricranius or Masterdominus. Oh, and I'm still thinking about how TFWiki nearly removed the Mac Tonight joke only because it was used for some lame alt-right meme nearly everyone forgot about these days LMAO.
Huffer is pretty sweet for a Minibot Deluxe, especially when it comes to how much cooler they made him this time around. Rather than making him just a basic figure, we get a filter added onto the design that turns him from a wimp to a more convincing truck, with a satisfying transformation and a badass Halo rifle that makes you wonder if he's a possible Spartan fan...and I also LOVE the silver paint app all over him, which also compliments Pipes and his own inclusions of some new weapons and a few retooled parts, the most notable one being the front of the truck being able to swivel around to make him different from Huffer. And yes, I want to get Puffer and Road Ranger.
Scorponok is kind of a mixed bag; on one hand, I like that he's cartoon-accurate and has some neat accessories with the missiles and bee, but I feel like he's a little frustrating in terms of how he's engineered. Like the way the scorpion legs can be arranged makes it feel as though it clashes badly with other adjustments, such as the waist swivel and how close the tail goes on the back. The way the leg goes into the tail for the transformation is kind of cool, but it does mean that the scorpion mode lacks any real tail articulation, and I feel the beast mode looks mostly jank with the face and claws. Still, it's alright for what it is, but not as good as the Ultra Class toy. I have the toy-accurate repaint but not Sandstorm, though I still have the mutant mask that fits the toy colors more.
Wingfinger is the weakest of the new Fossilizers; while the beast mode is nicely accurate to the way it should be, I feel like it's a little hard to pose it right due to the neck and head joints kind of fighting each other. The robot mode is the better mode, but I can't help but feel parts of him feel loose, and the lack of ankle pivots is a rare case for a Generations figure in this line. I do appreciate him being a ninja, and it's neat that he helps create the Fossilizer combiner we saw in a Pulse stream, but I still feel that we won't see a repaint of this figure anytime soon.
Tracks is another mixed bag for this wave. Yes, he looks good like Scorponok does, but I can't help but feel that he's cheap in terms of quality; clear plastic for the vehicle mode is alarmingly not a good idea for anyone who's making toys these days, yet it's worse than with SS86 Jazz. The front parts of the car mode don't really peg in that well, and it's not any better for the robot mode; the white plastic feels cheap, the shoulder movement feels really weird, and it's just a mediocre take on the supposedly self-loving Autobot. I will say that having all 3 modes is cool, and Road Rage, his repaint, looks even better with the hood decals and blue parts replacing the white parts (for the most part), but it's still a mixed bag. At least she cost me half the price...or was it Red Cog? IDK.
Waspinator is another weird mold, but moreso because of the way he works. I like the design, and the articulation is not too bad but I can't help but feel that the figure needs to be a little more stable. the upper body can easily unpeg from the pelvis, the wings can easily move around on their ball joints, the insect legs take up a little more space than I'd like, the mandibles kind of clash with the waist swivel, and I'm not too happy with the half-baked gun. That being said, I value the addition of purple on the wings, the transformation is pretty good, and the beast mode has quite the personality one would expect from the universe's favorite whipping bot. Also, I don't have Buzzsaw but I do have Skywasp, based on the Parasite repaint from FunPub.
Slammer is the last Weaponizer for Metroplex, which is amusingly 8-9 years since Thrilling 30 Metroplex first came out. He turns into a blocky tank and has a robot mode that feels like Tailgate if he had a vaguely Megatron-esque robot mode. As it turns out, he is a retool of Earthrise IRonworks, yet it doesn't really feel that way with how much the two designs contrast each other. While that one fact is pretty cool, it does feel a little cheap in some parts, especially the waist swivel courtesy of the 5mm post. I won't deny that it's cool to see Slammer integrate himself with Metroplex as a tower, but I feel like there's a little more refinement required for this figure.
Optimus Primal is such a glorious figure to own despite being a smaller Voyager. The beast mode is gorgeously faithful to the real-world silverback gorilla, with the sculpted hair patterns contrasting the bare gray skin, the proportions present an influence of wisdom and power, and the transformation continues to make the primate-to-primate scheme not feel like a simple 1-2-3 procedure. The robot mode is greatly poseable, with neat little tricks added in like the shoulder cannons, arm cannons, and the pistons integrated into the feet that make an iconic part of Optimus Primal. The swords are cool, but I wish they were more metallic. In fact, I wish Primal's blue plastic was metallic, which makes me happy that Nemesis Primal has a paint job that manages to not only be unique from Primal but also has some nice silver and teal paint apps as well as including the Deceptipred purple bare skin with blood red swords to go with his mouthplated, sinister head.
Cyclonus is a glorious example of reinventing the wheel for already great CHUG figures. The Universe version was already great for its time, but this guy takes it to the next level with an insane transformation into jet mode, a said jet mode being sharp and badass as Cyclonus should be, and a robot mode that looks good in spite of looking flatter in surface detail than most other CHUG toys. THIS is how you do a modern marvel of a character, and I'm happy to have both the Kingdom release as well as the Legacy toy-accurate color, with the former representing his armada and the latter having darker colors to go with his Leader and former Seeker Scourge. He even comes with his own Nightstick rather than having to borrow Artfire's!
Dinobot is another figure worth giving a lot of attention to, as they were able to make yet another slam dunk for everyone's favorite Shakespearian velociraptor! Chopperface has a really good beast mode with decent articulation and is accompanied by a well-done transformation and a great robot mode that utilizes the faux chest parts to make his design look much closer to the cartoon. While the Universe version was okay for what it could do, it felt held back by the weird realism thing the line had compared to Kingdom's way of fully doing Dinobot justice. I have Maximal Grimlock from the same two-pack that had Mirage's Earth mode retool, but I don't have the Legacy version of Dinobot in toy-accurate colors; not a fan of how it looks like raw chicken. All versions will sadly discolor in one way or another.
Rhinox is kind of unusual in comparison to a lot of the other Maximals in the line; his design doesn't look as cartoon-accurate, especially with the color scheme and the head sculpt. I think the design still works to an extent, but it's weird how everyone else looks like their respective CG models while he doesn't. Other weird things include the thigh guards clashing with the thigh swivels, and the way the legs could use secure tabbing in the lower region, but I do like the faux chest and butterfly joint. The colors are kind of off, but they are there at the same time (and at least the gold is nicely painted along with the silver on the Chain Guns of Doom, even if those are small and don't rotate). I'm surprised he hasn't been reused yet, especially for a Dark Designs repaint, but it appears parts of his engineering will be borrowed for the Rise of the Beasts Voyager.
Tigatron may seem like an upscaled Cheetor at first glance, but there is so much more done with this guy. The backs of the heads make up part of the beast mode heads, the beast legs are much more flush within the lower legs, the hands aren't part of the beast mode stomach, and there is slightly more points of articulation for the beast mode's legs. The tail lacks the spike that homaged the Transmetal version of Cheetor, but at least he has a gun that Cheetor was missing. It sucks some might have their copieso f Tigatron yellow, but that won't be the case from the Mutant reuse, who has the normal tiger deco on top of having a mutant head as it's based on the intended look for the character.
Blaster was the last Kingdom figure we ever got in the line up as a Voyager, though he would later become part of the Legacy line. So as a downside, he loses the protective window. But that being said, this guy is perfect for a Blaster update; from the proportions to the right gun, and the transformation being quite fitting for someone like him. It's good to not have a CHUG Blaster with any retool shenanigans from Soundwave, especially when it comes to his history of almost always retooling himself from the Con unless you count Device Label.
Megatron makes for a successful Leader Class figure, thanks to his great engineering, heft courtesy of the rubberized skin, and an impressive level of articulation for his beast mode, with a few touches to make the skin look as unbroken as possible for his neck. It's a great figure whether he's purple, brown, or red, though T-Wrecks does have a few issues, from his lack of a proper gnashing expression for his head to the missing part on my copy where it covers the back of the dino head. Nonetheless, I'm proud to own all three versions of the mold as a fan of the Tyrannosaurus Yesman.
Galvatron is another slam dunk, even if I prefer BW Megs. With how simple this design is compared to some other character, I'm amazed it took Hasbro this long to get him right after the blunders of the Universe version and the Titans Return version. I value that one was a real tank with a personalized twist and the other can be a triple changer, but it's funny how Energon Megatron got the look right by comparison. While some people would complain about the shoulders being low on early copies or the battle damage that he has, I'm happy owning this figure and his toy-accurate counterpart, with both having good articulation, a neat transformation, and even an optional sticker sheet for one of them, which isn't 100% perfect but it's still good.
Rodimus Prime's biggest flaw is his unpainted rims. That's it. He's a great first entry for a Commander Class figure, with a great update to the vehicle mode design he has, combined with how badass the vehicle on its own is without having to make use of a smaller Hot Rod or using the unchanged legs from the old toy; the Rodimus Prime figure looks gorgeous, with a great use of paint, a beautiful level of sculptwork, and bonus bits of articulation with his fingers, butterfly joints, and wrist curl. Rodimus's trailer opens up to store some of his weapons, he can use flame effect pieces cast in black, the Matrix is included with its own effect piece, the trailer turret can be removable, there is a rifle included, a Matrix Sword from Regeneration One, and he looks so good with many other WFC/SS86 figures. It's the rims being unpainted that knocks a point off, but this guy is great!
The Ark is a case where it admittedly feels a little cheaper than I'd like, especially when Scorponok feels heavier, but I like the design of this guy, from the Last Autobot influence to the way it aims to make it feel like an extension of Teletraan-1 rather than some new character or ancient being that wouldn't fit well with the Ark's origins. And that's gone full circle with the inclusion of an actual Teletraan-1 that can transform into a version of Mainframe as well as become the main bridge of the Ark in its flagship mode. Not a perfect Titan Class figure, but certainly the best we've seen for a ship like this in terms of official merchandise.
Wit the main molds covered in terms of release, let's go over some miscellaneous releases in Kingdom and the like. Terrorsaur is a heavy retool of Airazor, taking the falon bits and replacing them with pteradactyl bits. The upper body is already different from the origin al toy, but I'm happy to see that some of the legs have been altered (the lower legs between the thighs and feet are unchanged lunch like the forearms) to make him feel as different as possible. He could use a more metallic shade of red to make him feel less cheap, especially when the silver paint on feels a bit lifeless, but the to colors on the Legacy repaint make his beast mode feel even less complete without the yellow beak, even if that's toy-accurate. Still, it's not a bad take on an otherwise rarely-updated Predacon.
Origins Bumblebee was a surprise addition into the sea of yellow courtesy of the Buzzworthy line. I agree with Dr Lockdown that it's like the Siegeker equivalent to Bumblebee, with a very unique saucer mode that turns into fairly accurate version of G1 Bumblebee in terms of proportions with a few bits of kibble here and there on the lower legs and backpack. He does feel cheap in terms of plastic quality, and mine does have a disassembly with the wrong hinge, but it's still a really unexpected take on the Autobott scout without any real compromises one would expect from the subline.
Ravage is the last addition to the line as a WFC exclusive, and I have to comment on him as his retooling from Cheetor is very extensive. Apart from the legs being the same (and a bit inaccurate from the CG model), this guy does a lot that's good, from having an organic take on his G1 design to having a robot mode that just about matches the design of the series, on top of being a little bigger in order to make him feel less like a normal Deluxe. He comes with his twin guns, a G1 Ravage for when he goes Decepticons Forever, and who can forget the backdrop he has being honestly better than a lot of the Studio Series backdrops. He may have been very expensive, but I'd argue he's worth it nonetheless.
And that should do it for the massive look-back on the WFC trilogy. I should have posted it before the Legacy line began, but so much stuff tarted to take up attention with how much shit I bought, so why not do just that before properly exploring Evolution, right? Anyways, I will see you next time as we transition from regular Legacy to Evolution.
