Dave's Heroes of Cybertron Rant: Wave Two Energy Axe Optimus Prime Energy Flail Megatron Powermaster Optimus Prime Spark Attack Ultra Magnus Paradron Medic Thundercracker Lots of recolors or slight alterations in this wave. In fact, Ultra Magnus is the only mold completely new for this wave. As a result, please refer to my first wave review (www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Artifacts/HoC1) for info on stuff I omit here. All were $3.99 at Walgreens. CAPSULES: Energy Axe Optimus Prime: Basically the same thing as the previous Optimus Prime, but with the right hand replaced by a clear gold energy axe. This was a chase figure in Japan, so of slightly higher interest because of that. The techspec is identical to the previous one, the art does not even reflect the new weapon, so I won't be doing anything but this capsule for it. Recommended. Energy Flail Megatron: As with Prime, it's the previous Megatron with a clear purple ball and chain flail in the place of the right hand. It looks kinda goofy with the cannon still attached, but that can be easily rectified. Again, exact same techspec card, and this was also a rare chase figure in Japan. Recommended. Powermaster Optimus Prime Spark Attack: Apex Armor Prime with flame detailing on clear gold plastic. It has a new techspec card, so will get a Rant. Looks pretty good with a strong light source nearby. Recommended. Ultra Magnus: Looks kinda garish compared to the Japanese version, mainly because of the paint-over-clear-plastic thing. Paint apps are also pretty sloppy. Very mildly recommended. Paradron Medic: A green-replaces-pink recolor of Arcee, down to the lousy card art. Shares all of Arcee's other problems, too. Really only worth getting if you're interested in the fact she's a new-to-toys character who appeared in a single cartoon ep. Mildly recommended on those grounds alone. Thundercracker: Third of the seekers, a decent repaint of Starscream. There's really little point in getting just two of these guys, either get all three or pick your favorite and get that. I'd say on purely aesthetic grounds, Skywarp is the best of the three. RANTS AUTOBOT: POWERMASTER OPTIMUS PRIME SPARK ATTACK Function: Autobot Defense Commander Motto: "Defend those who cannot defend themselves." POWERMASTER OPTIMUS PRIME is a quiet, intellectual commander. Casts off his gentle demeanor in battle, where he becomes a courageous warrior without equal. A master of several Cybertronian martial arts, he can condense his Powermaster energy around his spark, then channel it via his cyber matrix into a blinding fireball shield that changes him into the ultimate defensive barrier. Willing to fight forever in order to prevent DECEPTICON destruction and invasion. APEX ARMOR formed by combining with his trailer and armored roller drone. STR 10 INT 10 SPD ?? END ?? RNK 10 COUR 10 FRP 10 SKL 10 Avg ?? Comparing to the Apex Armor techspec, there's a lot of similarities, but many rephrasings and additions. The question marks are a cute borrow from Japanese techspecs. They fixed the packaging on this one, putting the techspec card behind a smaller tray so that the figure isn't squashed into one side as with Aprex Armor Prime. Still partly disassembled in the package, but looks a lot better. The card art is the same line work recolored. Anyway, the mold is the same as Apex Armor, but case in clear gold (or amber) plastic with white Autobot symbols and red flame details well placed on the figure. As mentioned, it looks really good with a light behind it. AUTOBOT: ULTRA MAGNUS Function: Autobot City Commander Motto: "Consistency is Victory." ULTRA MAGNUS is all soldier. Most comfortable as the second-in-command, when he is carrying out the orders of OPTIMUS PRIME. Possesses supreme fighting skills and a gift for battlefield improvisation. Reluctant whenever he has to be the leader in a mission, but has a natural ability to command. Unswervingly determined, fair and courageous. Exhibits hesitancy and self-doubt at times about his decisions. Carries missile launchers capable of hitting a target 30 miles away. Ready to sacrifice himself for the good of others or the mission. STR 10 INT 10 SPD 10 END 9 RNK 9 COUR 10 FRP 10 SKL 10 Avg 9.75 Magnus is a chunky 3.25" (8cm) tall at the antennae, made from clear blue plastic with a lot of paint. The borders between colors are often uneven on mine, and the thick paint robs a lot of the sharpness of the edges. As a result, this looks almost like a knockoff of itself. The leg joints take a lot of work to get right (and some cutting, in my case), so hopefully I just got one that slipped past quality control. If not, then they really dropped the ball on this figure. A pity, since it's the only new mold of the set. AUTOBOT: PARADRON MEDIC Function: Medical Technician Motto: "All war is unjust." The PARADRON MEDIC is compassionate, kind and committed to peace. Fled Cybertron eons ago with her AUTOBOT allies, during the civil wars. Inhabited the peaceful, energy-rich planet Paradron until it was invaded and taken over by the DECEPTICONS. Uses an energon infuser and other medical devices to revive and preserve the lives of her fellow Transformers. Believes in the value of all life and will not hesitate to help anyone in need of care. STR 3 INT 9 SPD 5 END 4 RNK 5 COUR 8 FRP 2 SKL 10 Avg 5.75 In the G1 cartoons, post-movie season, the Paradron Medic had a brief role in one episode. The design was essentially a green Arcee without the shoulderpads. This one has the shoulderpads, but you can always leave 'em off. Can't remove the inappropriate gun, though. Anyway, the color scheme is okay, and even without a peg-base it's surprisingly stable. But the only real reason to pick it up is the novelty factor of the new character. DECEPTICON: THUNDERCRACKER Function: Decepticon Warrior Motto: "The deadliest weapon is terror." THUDNERCRACKER is contemptuous of anything that cannot fly. Unsure that the DECEPTICON cause - destroying the AUTOBOTS before conquering Earth and Cybertron - is the best plan, but has been persuaded to continue the battle. Gruff and war-worn, THUNDERCRACKER flies at speeds of up to 1500 mph. Produces controlled, deafening sonic booms that can be heard for 200 miles. Equipped with powerful drone rockets and incendiary guns. His doubts about the DECEPTICON cause sometimes sabotage his effectiveness. STR 7 INT 7 SPD 9 END 7 RNK 5 COUR 6 FRP 8 SKL 7 Avg 7 One of the most balanced techspec bios in the set, possibly the most balanced. It's the third color version of the Starscream mold, and the character did appear later in the Japanese series. The base color is red clear plastic, for red glowing eyes (more of a visor slit effect, because the paint on the nose is thin). Dave Van Domelen, notes that he just won a pair of Veteran Highlander Spider Mechs on eBay, and one of 'em will be painted as Thundercracker to complete his set of seeker Spiders...