Spark Toys Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime

Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime

Presenting Alpha Pack ST-01 the War Within Optimus Prime from Spark Toys.

We're not real fond of 3rd party Optimus Primes. Both the MO1 and MPP10 Optimus Primes recently joined the Dungeon and quite frankly - despite the fact that they were well made and were quite durable - there was just something.... fake... about them. So we never even bothered to review them. Never even transformed them. They went straight to the shelf.

Then there are the 3rd party Optimus Primes like the Xovergen which is extremely hard to play with and is quite fragile.

For more about our Xovergen God Armor Optimus Prime, click here.

So we were pleasantly surprised when we opened up the Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime from Spark Toys. Despite the box saying it was made out of 400 laser print molded parts, it did not feel cheap, fake or wrong.
It felt like an Optimus Prime.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

To the uninitiated, the War Within was a 2002 six-part comic-book from Dreamwave Productions. It depicts the early days of the Cybertronian war.

Written by Simon Furman (Death's Head) and penciled by Filipino-American Don Figueroa (Macromasters), the series saw the death of a Prime; the rise of a common data entry Autobot, Optimus Prime, to take his place; his decision to surrender in order to bring about peace; the attempts of Megatron to remake Cybertron in his image; his realization that he needed the Autobot Matrix of Leadership to do so; and Optimus' rise to become a true leader.

A small card that accompanies the ST-01 Alpha Pack lists his characteristics as follows:

• Strength         10
• Intelligence      10
• Speed               9
• Endurance       10
• Rank               10
• Courage          10
• Firepower         8
• Skill                10

Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime

WHAT'S TO LIKE ABOUT THE SPARK TOYS ALPHA PACK ST-01 WAR WITHIN OPTIMUS PRIME?

FIRST: The 9" tall hefty Spark Toys War Within Optimus Prime is incredibly well made.

As mentioned he does not feel cheap or like the KOs that have flooded the market, and he is incredibly durable. We were waiting for one of the joints to break throughout the shoot, but we finished with the Alpha Pack ST-01 standing proudly intact.

SECOND: And at 9" in height he's just a head short when placed next to an MP10 - but he's wider, built like a linebacker and meaner looking.

THIRD: We're particularly fond of the Alpha Pack ST-01's backside which shows you just how solid the figure  is - no hollow spaces (Not counting the vents on his backpack) - and a weapon's storage system for his weapons:

We're particularly fond of how the backpack makes him look "armed for a fight" from the front.

FOURTH: Articulation is decent - not excellent, we'll get into that - and The War Within Optimus Prime can reach for his axe provide the axe handle folds out:

Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime

And he has the articulation to use it!

At first we have to admit that we were a bit discouraged by how small the axe was, but then given that the War Within Optimus Prime really is built like a linebacker, then this guy is a close in-fighter, a brawler. He therefore needs a shorter weapon.

Prime cannot really grasp his ion-cannon from back there - because he can't reach the handle, but he can hold this small tab that you use to clip the cannon to the War Within Optimus Prime in vehicle mode.

Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime

FIFTH: The ion cannon is a very nice solid piece of plastic with red translucent parts should you feel the need to mod in some lights. It's held in place in his hand by a tab - which tends unfortunately to be a bit loose.

We mentioned earlier that the War Within Optimus Prime's articulation is decent, not excellent. His arms are wonderfully articulated, but they're short and stubby in relation to how broad his chest (breast) is, so no, he can't so much as reach over and hold the rifle with two hands.

The War Within Optimus Prime is still quite capable of some powerful poses with his ion-cannon

Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime

SIXTH: The Alpha Pack ST-01 has an incredible truck mode! It looks like it can punch through walls  blowing acrid black smoke out of those chrome stacks all-day long and not give a flying frack! The Titanium series War Within Optimus Prime doesn't look anything close to being this good.

Spark Toys Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime

Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime

This is not a vehicle you want to stand in front of when it comes barreling down towards you. 

And the cockpit opens to reveal Optimus' brain. No seats, but that's a cockpit. 

SIXTH: The Alpha Pack ST-01 has the Autbot Matrix of Leadership that Megatron wants:

Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime

Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime

WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT THE SPARK TOYS ALPHA PACK ST-01 WAR WITHIN OPTIMUS PRIME?

FIRST: There literally isn't any getting around how massive the Alpha Pack ST-01's chest is. So if you're not into linebacker like characters  who come with massive shoulder pads and armor, this is not the Prime for you. He can't dual wield his rifle he can't reach for his Matrix of Leadership and guess what he sees when he looks left or right? That's right, tires. 

Shame though since the War Within Optmus Prime has such high arm articulation.

SECOND:  The War Within Optimus Prime cannot kneel - not that he ever should, but it would be great if he could.

THIRD: There is no room for the axe in the Alpha Pack ST-01's truck mode.

FOURTH: War Within Optimus Prime looks particularly vulnerable from the side in truck mode.  

Other than that, the Spark Toys Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime is one of THE MOST BEAUTIFUL things we've seen in quite a while. 

Alpha Pack ST-01 War Within Optimus Prime