Dave's Cybertron Rant: Wave 9 Deluxe Optimus Prime (BWX) Megatron (BWX) Smokescreen (Crosswise) The final Cybertron Deluxe wave is all repaints, but not all Cybertron repaints. In a bit of an insult to people who bought the 10th Anniversary Beast Wars figures for $15, the new molds for that line are now $10 Deluxes (albeit lacking the ship and comic). I rathed disliked the BWX Prime, and wouldn't have bought the recolor except that when I found only two Classics at TRU there wasn't anything else I wanted to use the "buy two get one free" on, so I got the recolor for free. The premise for the BWX toys being in Cybertron is that the Jungle Key mutated both leaders for a time. So this is Optimus PRIME, not PRIMAL, as a gorilla. Well, as a misshapen thing that's supposed to be a gorilla. http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/BWX/Deluxe3 (Optimus and Megatron) http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Cybertron/Deluxe4 (Crosswise) CAPSULES Optimus Prime: The original mold was Neutral, but I've decided that part of why I disliked it was that it was a bad Optimus, not necessarily a bad toy. By not looking much like Optimus, this one is actually a little better. Mildly recommended. $9.99 at TRU (or free, in my case). Megatron: Original version was Strongly Recommended. The color scheme on this one is a bit off. Recommended. $9.87 at Wal-Mart. Smokescreen: A Recommended mold and a classic G1 color scheme. Some floppiness issues. Recommended. $9.87 at Wal-Mart. RANTS Packaging: Standard "Primus Unleashed" Cybertron packaging. They come with the Giant Planet map. AUTOBOT: OPTIMUS PRIME Planet: Jungle Altmode: Gorilla Previous Name Use: All over the place Previous Mold Use: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary Key Gimmick: Assault Blade Key Code: d7s9 Temporarily mutated by the wild energies of the Jungle Planet CYBER PLANET KEY, OPTIMUS PRIME continues his battle to defend the universe from MEGATRON among the giant trees of the Jungle Planet's rainforest. Swinging from tree to tree, he moves silently through the dim half-light of th edense mid-canopy foliage. He knows that his enemy lurks somewhere in the humid valleys of this chaotic world, and will stop at nothing to find MEGATRON and stop him once and for all. STR 10 INT 10 SPD 9 END 10 RNK 10 COUR 10 FRB 10 SKL 10 Avg 9.875 Key Code Info: There is a legacy of action figure greatness that goes back ten years attached to this figure of Optimus Primal. Ten years ago, Kenner (which was owned by Hasbro) reinvented the Transformers brand as BEAST WARS! The story of Beast Wars tells the tale of futuristic descendants of the Autobots and Decepticons, now called Maximals and Predacons, and the continuing struggle for Cybertron. In this series, the ever-popular Optimus Prime was re-dubbed Optimus Primal and instead of a truck, he turned into a gorilla! This figure is a 10-year anniversary tribute to that classic story. (Refers to him as Optimus Primal, and shows the color guide for the BWX version.) Planet Key: Standard Jungle Key. Color Swaps: Gray becomes brown (663300), both white and red plastic become tan (FFFFCC-ish), silver becomes black, and black stays black. The tan is strongly reactive to UV. Paint Apps: A fair amount of tan to match the plastic color, including tan on the ape face (with white fangs). The robot chest is silver and red, and there's red accents on both foreheads and a few other places. Several white accents. The tiara on the ape is mostly unpainted. There's silver tribal tattoo patterns on the black board, and red paint on the Key slot. The gorilla eyes are metallic blue, the robot eyes are yellow. There's a silver Autobot symbol on the rump. Other Notes: I got a slightly less floppy one this time, can't say if it's just QC variation or if the plastics are stickier. Also, I realized I like this better than the original because it DOESN'T look much like Prime/Primal. It looks more like a grown up Tasmania Kid. There's a bit in the movie "Murder By Death" in which a cross-dressing character points out that while she makes a passable man, she makes for a hideous woman. In the same way, this mold is a decent generic gorilla TF, it just makes for a rather bad Optimus of any flavor. Others have already noticed the way this color scheme is also close to Apelinq, perhaps it's better to think of this toy as him. Overall: Most of the problems I complained about in the original review of this mold are still present, but the new color scheme is helping it grow on me. Combined with the five dollar price drop, and I can at least mildly recommend this one. DECEPTICON: MEGATRON Planet: Jungle Altmode: Tyrannosaurus rex Previous Name Use: Every TF line in existence, or close enough. Previous Mold Use: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary Homage: None (well, Megatron) Key Gimmick: Cloaca Blaster (okay, they don't call it that) Key Code: ds9g Though he was initially frustrated by the mutation of his body caused by the chaotic influence of the Jungle Planet Key, MEGATRON has come to enjoy the terror of the residents of the Jungle Planet at his powerful jaw and razor sharp teeth, and the shake of the ground at his every step. Now, he crashes through the jungle, swatting giant trees aside with his powerful tail, blazing a path of destruction so complete that OPTIMUS PRIME can't help but notice. He can't wait to feel the AUTOBOT leader struggling in his crushing jaw. STR 10 INT 10 SPD 10 END 9.5 RNK 10 COUR 10 FRB 10 SKL 10 Avg 9.94 Key Code Info: Hasbro is reaching back through time - ten years back in fact - for the inspiration for this figure! Ten years ago, BEAST WARS was born! An all-new telling of the Transformers mythology using animals and dinosaurs as Alt-Modes, replacing cars, jets and tanks. In this story, Megatron - a ruthless criminal - scans a prehistoric Tyrannosaurus and begins anew his struggle against the heroic Maximals, led by Optimus Primal. This all-new figure is a 10-year anniversary tribute to that classic Beast Wars Story! (Listed as "MEGATRON (T-REX)". Also shows photos of the toy with the Pantone color guides.) Packaging: He barely fits in the blister in beast mode, angled from corner to corner, but they managed to get him in without removing anything. Cosells on the back are Optimus Prime (Armada recolor), Unicron (tank) and Smokescreen. There's a twist-tie holding his Key in place, which isn't normal. The single gold missile is just held in by the blister, though. Five ties hold Megatron to the tray. One rubber band holding the front claws together. Planet Key: Standard Jungle Key. Color Swaps: This is a tricky one, as the BWX Megatron has multiple dies in the same colors (two for his light purple, two for his dark purple). The light purple on the head, dino chest, tail and feet become a light olive green (between 666633 and 999966) that glows under UV. The other light purple parts become a dark forest green (darker than 003300). The dark purple bits of the back of the dino head, the hips, shoulders and missile are a sort of coppery gold. The other dark purple parts become a dark maroon (663333). The black parts become a lavender that's not really on the web-wheel, and that glows under UV. [Later note: I've gotten reports that the gold plastic suffers from Gold Plastic Syndrome, where the metalflakes mixed in with the plastic cause weak areas and result in cracks and crumbling.] Paint Apps: There's extensive gold on various parts, and some coppery gold on the helmet that matches the plastic of the same color. The dino spine is painted with gold and maroon details. The robot face and dino teeth are silver, and the eyes are red in both modes. On the robot chest there's silver teeth and some pale faintly metallic yellow details. The claws on the feet are black. There's a silver Decepticon symbol on the left hip. There's no paint on the dino tongue, which is maroon plastic. Other Notes: I wish the lavender had been replaced with gray or something else more neutral and earthy. Because with that lone exception, the color scheme is almost acceptable as a realistic look for a teched-up dinosaur. But even in robot mode, it doesn't really work, what with the purple helmet. And yes, I know the double entendre inherent in what I just said. Overall: A really good mold, but an iffy color scheme. Not as good as the original, but it is cheaper. AUTOBOT: SMOKESCREEN Planet: Earth Altmode: Bugatti Veyron (sportscar) Previous Name Use: G1, G2, Armada, Universe, Alternator Previous Mold Use: Cybertron Crosswise Homage: G1 Smokescreen Key Gimmick: Mini-Missile Racks Key Code: d4v6 Back on CYBERTRON, SMOKESCREEN was considered a practical joker. Always ready with a gag and a laugh, he kept the mood light, even when the struggle against the black hole looked hopeless. Since hte fight against the DECEPTICONS on Earth heated up though, his talent for trickery has been turned against the enemy. More than one DECEPTICON has been stuck in traffic at a series of nonfunctioning toll booths on a remote road in the middle of nowhere. STR 5 INT 9 SPD 8 END 6 RNK 6 COUR 7 FRB 5 SKL 9 Avg 6.875 Looks like he's stalling the Decepticons outside Rock Ridge. While he's visually an homage to G1 Smokescreen, he's really not anywhere near that character's personality. Key Code Info: The color scheme for this figure is again an homage to a character from Transformers history. In 1985, the Autobot Diversionary Tactician SMOKESCREEN was released. He appeared in the original Transformers cartoon and also in the original Transformers comic book. The colors on this newly re-painted Crosswise are almost identical to the original colors on Smokescreen, even down the number 38 insignia on the doors! (Also shows a diagram of the Pantone color guides.) Packaging: The pictures on the back show him with clear colorless plastic, instead of the clear blue the toy has. The main robot mode picture is also mis-cropped in a weird way that makes his neck look bad. He's also transformed differently in the two robot mode pics. Cosells are Optimus Prime (Armada), Megatron (the one reviewed above) and Vector Prime. Two twist-ties on the vehicle mode, one each on the launcher and missile. No rubber bands. Planet Key: Standard Earth Key. Color Swaps: Crosswise has two black dies, if not more. The black parts that form his head, forearms, lower legs and vehicle shell become a dark red (CC0000). The other black bits, such as toes, wheels and abdomen, become a very dark gray, almost black. The gray parts becomes a very light gray that's almost white. The clear blue-green becomes a clear blue-gray (66FFFF). The dark red and the clear glow somewhat under UV. Paint Apps: The flanks of the car, as well as the sides of the boots, are painted a medium blue (3399CC) with white stripes setting the red and blue apart on the car body. There's several silver accents, such as on the face, missile tips, headlights and hubcaps. There's a white block with black 38 on each door. There's yellow on the forehead and pelvis. The white and blue paint glow under UV, the yellow glows strongly under UV. His Autobot symbol is printed on the roof, rather than the hood. Other Notes: The pop up launchers are a bit floppier on this one, and don't rest properly on the shoulders in robot mode. Overall: There have been many Smokescreens since G1, and many uses of this color scheme (such as on the Emergency Team recolors), but this is the first time the name and the colors have come back together. And it looks pretty good. Worth getting even if you have the Crosswise version. Dave Van Domelen, kinda glad he didn't post his review Friday night and THEN decide to get Tasmanian Convoy....