UFO Replacement Hands for Optimus Prime

Presenting Replacement Hands for Optimus Prime from UFO (Unknown Factory Originals).

Sigh. I've modified my DOTM DA-28 Striker Optimus Prime so many times it's no longer a Striker Prime. Why'd I even bother spending so much to get one? I should have just gotten a regular one off the shelves if I was going to ditch the shield and blasters in favor of the UFO War Axe and Shield. And now I've replaced his hands!

But I suppose it's all worth it. I first espied the replacement hands from Unknown Factory Originals (UFO) around a month back and said "Wow! Think of the possibilities that having that kind of articulation will give your Optimus Prime!"

And I have to admit that premonition was right. This was one of the most fun shoots I've ever had.

In a nutshell this is what you begin with - a rather defiant looking DOTM DA-28 Striker Optimus Prime in the face of his impending surgery - and a pair of UFO hands:

The UFO Replacement Hands are easy enough to install. Simply lift Prime's forearm up and remove the three screws as shown. Then pull out the offending part, replace the forearm and seal it up. Voila!!!! Repeat on the other arm. 

We should probably note at this point: Remember to check if you've entered the correct hand into the correct forearm. Or you'll end up having to open him up again - like I did. 

Here are a few close ups of the hands for the purpose of our discussion:

Note how each of the fingers of the UFO Replacement Hands for Optimus Prime has as many joints as the human hand does. Allowing for some really creative gang-signs:

There's the standard Victory Sign:


The Latin Kings:


The Mafia Crips:


And the Universal Sign that means Inyourfacehasbroandtakaraimusingathirdpartyproduct:

Hopefully the gangs will find my Prime amusing and not go out of their way to have me killed. Now note the slots within his hands. This actually addresses a concern I had about the hands before I got them: How's the grip? Normal articulated hands have a tendency to grip things loosely as they can't lock in place. The UFO Replacement Hands for Optimus Prime provides for this by allotting a slot for weapons where the palms should be. These slots replicate the slots of the old and boring hands.  

The UFO Replacement Hands for Optimus Prime has no problem grasping the UFO Battle Axe. If you recall my review of the UFO Battle Axe, you'd note that we mentioned that the Battle Axe was quite loose in the hands of the DA-28 Strike Prime. The UFO Replacement hands have no such problem

Optimus doesn't even have to actually grasp the axe: 

The UFO Replacement Hands also have no problem with the "Ion Cannon" made from the gasoline tanks of Optimus Prime (DA-28 Strike Prime does not have removable Gasoline tanks, this Ion Cannon is a loaner from my Jetwing Prime)

Last up, remember how Optimus Prime's hands grew claws in Transformers Dark of the Moon that he used to break open Shockwave's side right before he ripped out his optic - reminds me, I had a discussion with an office mate: She praised Optimus Prime's self-sacrificing spirit and I countered with "You do know he's a stone cold killer who ripped about the heads of all the Decepticons he killed in all the movies right?"

That kinda grossed her out.

Aaaannyway, the backs of the UFO Replacement Hands for Optimus Prime do open out and you can flip forward a set of claws. Not quite movie accurate though. If you watch the movie, Prime used the equivalent of clawed knuckles, not actual claws:

It's just too bad Optimus Prime's articulation sucks:

These UFO Replacement Hands for Optimus Prime were purchased used on Ebay from Land_Orys for PhP 899.75 (Roughly US$ 20).

Worth every cent to make King Optimus Prime righteous: