Transformers Generations Optimus Prime & Roller - Transformers 30th Anniversary

Presenting the Transformers 30th Anniversary Generations Optimus Prime & Roller.

Now if you have this little Legends Class figure or if you've seen this figure in other forums or anywhere else on the web, you'll find a figure that has the shoulder pauldrons locked down flat on Prime's shoulders. And if you read the transformation instructions, you will not find instructions telling you to raise the shoulder pauldrons.

Here's the thing though, when they're down, they hamper Optimus Prime's arm articulation. Further, what was the point of adding a joint there if it was not going to be used?

So I raised them. You can keep them down if you like, but you won't get as much movement out of him. And if you look at the back of his blister card, the pauldrons are slightly raised.

Transformers Prime Ultra Magnus

Presenting the Mighty Ultra Magnus from the Transformers Prime toyline also known as the Powerizers Ultra Magnus.

Ultra Magnus has yet to make his appearance in the Transformers Prime cartoon, but rumor has it that he will be the Hammer Swinging Leader of the notorious Wreckers - a group of Autobots that take things to the extreme i.e. they take the battle to the Decepticons versus Optimus Prime's less aggressive "Circle the Wagons" philosophy.

The Wreckers also believe that the only good Decepticons are the dead ones.

Members of this notorious band of cannon fodder include such well loved Autobots like Bulkhead and Wheeljack.

But seriously, who wouldn't want to follow a hammer wielding giant?

Transformers Prime: Airachnid

Presenting Airachnid from the Transformers Prime Toyline.

I still really haven't figured out why a race of robots should have genders. I do believe we've talked about how Transformers reproduce in the past and somehow they apparently do sometimes reproduce like carbon life-forms - should be pretty loud and disturbing.

Airachnid is a psychotic big-game hunter with a fetish for collecting body parts from endangered species. To her credit she doesn't just go after lumbering beasts, she also goes after challenging sentient species who can provide her with a worthy challenge.

Airachnid is also a triple changer. For the longest time she transformed between her robot form and a half-spider/half-woman form till she was overwhelmed by the forces of Earth's Agent Fowler and scanned his Bell Huey 212 helicopter to escape - but somehow transformed instead into a Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche Stealth helicopter instead.

Unfortunately this particular Transformers Prime Airachnid only shuffles back and forth from her helicopter and robot modes.

Fall of Cybertron Shockwave

HONEEEY!!!! I'M HOOOMMMEEE!!!! 

Presenting the Fall of Cybertron Shockwave.

Shockwave is literally a mad scientist in the city of Kaon on Cybertron. His relationship with Megatron started when Shockwave started providing weaponry to the arena gladiator - so we can assume that that big Fussion-Cannon that Megatron uses is something that Shockwave created for him.

Ironically, FOC Shockwave only befriended Megatron because he wanted to create an army of Megatron-like clones.

Are you feeling lucky punk?

Instead he ended up becoming Megatron's second-in-command. In the War for Cybetron DS version, there's supposed to be a part where Shockwave rebels against Megatron and you have to beat him and his friends up. Unfortunately I only have the X-box version.

In the yet to be released Fall of Cybetron video-game, Shockwave finds and starts to experiment with Space Bridges in an attempt to steal energon from other planets to reboot the dying Cybertron. Along the way he finds prehistoric Earth. Impressed with the savagery and power of dinosaurs - and the intricacy of insects, Fall of Cybertron Shockwave goes home and creates the Dinobots - Transformers with immense power but sadly lacking in intelligence - and the Insecticons. Naturally the experiment goes awry and the Dinobots turn against their creator.

Fall of Cybertron Optimus Prime

Finally got that itch!!!

Presenting the Transformers Fall of Cybertron Optimus Prime - wielding the 3rd Party Corbot V Optimus Prime Battle Axe.

Transformers Fall of Cybertron is the highly anticipated sequel to the very successful shooter Transformers War for Cybertron - the game that presented one of the most unique versions of Optimus Prime in the market. This Prime is one of the first characters released as a toy preceding the video-game in order to help drum up support along with Jazz and the Decepticon Shockwave.

I'm not so sure why they bothered with a re-make of a good-design (Maybe they read my comment about the War of Cybertron Optimus Prime having stubby arms). But change him they did, and here he is.

Weaponizer Optimus Prime

Presenting the Weaponizer Optimus Prime from the Transformers Prime toy-line.

I'm personally not sure if this particular incarnation of Optimus Prime is canon. But given the fluid nature of Transformers as has been manifested in both the cartoons and the movies, I would not put it beyond Prime's abilities to manifest a pair of chain-guns.

And I've always thought that Optimus Prime is a bit under-gunned. Those big-broad shoulders definitely have room for additional weaponry. God-Ginrai showed us how cool it looked. But shoulder mounted weapons for Optimus Prime did not truly manifest. It took third-party groups to produce shoulder mounted weapons for Prime, particularly the Gears of War-2 Pack and the TAW-Sword:

Transformers Prime: Soundwave

Presenting Soundwave from the Transformers Prime Toy-line (Robots in Disguise - not the Takara one).

I once stated that I am not a fan of the "Animated" versions of things - especially when they start distorting the heroes. But I have to say that I really like what Hasbro has done with the Transformers Prime: Soundwave.

In the Transformers Prime Animated series - and practically all Transformers canon, Soundwave is, and remains Megatron's first recruit and number one die-hard fan faithful to his unappreciative leader to the very end.

And a faceless master spy who never fights alone because he has his own loyal sidekicks - in this case he has only one, Laserbeak.

In this incarnation, Soundwave transforms into a Predator Drone (General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper AKA Predator B or Guardian)

Soundwave also actually has a... third form - kinda, sorta, could-be.

Transformers Prime: Vehicon aka Eradicon (First Edition)

Presenting a Vehicon - AKA Eradicon - from the Transformers Prime Animated Series First Edition. There are a few issues that I have with the Vehicon.

The biggest happens to be its gender. It has a waif like figure which is fine because most Transformers Prime figures have waif like figures. But the Vehicon figure kinda also has... breasts (Like Arcee)... whereas the more macho male figures like Cliffjumper and Optimus Prime have flat barrel chests. Face it, with the glass on her chest, it even looks like she has lace covering her cleavage.

The only other booby looking chest that I know of would be Bulkhead's but then he's built like a Gorilla - complete with nipples.

It makes me wonder if this is a design flaw since the Vehicons were voiced by a guy.

But then the Vehicons have always been a source of much confusion.

Transformers Powercore Combiners: Bombshock & the Combaticons

Presenting Bombshock and the Combaticons from the Transformers Powercore Combiners toy series. We first showed Bombshock and his Combaticon drones when we showcased Grimstone and his Dinobots, but we only used him as a reference comparison between the two Power Core Combiners.

But since we'd already shot, him, why not showcase him?

Unlike Grimstone, Bombshock does exist in regular Transformers lore. Originally he was an old, bitter, backstabbing Decepticon Micromaster - literally tiny fuel-efficient Transformers. Although later on in the "Return of Convoy" Manga he was a childlike, joyous Autobot. He again reverted to being a bitter, old Decepticon with "Fight till I die" (And he did at the hands of Optimus Prime) in the novels.

Powercore Combiners do not exist in the regular lore of the Transformers so like Grimstone, Bombshock is a figment of someone's imagination at Hasbro. However, unlike Grimstone who I saw as a juvenile Autobot out to prove himself, Bombshock is still pretty much the same little Micromaster - which fits because some Micromasters are Combiners (Only Bombshock combines with Drones - who won't backstab him - and not other Micromasters) - especially after you read his blister card.

Though when combined, he looks like a wannabee Bruticus - or his younger brother.

Transformers Power Core Combiners: Grimstone and the Dinobots

Presenting the Mighty Grimstone and the Dinobot Drones from the Transformers Power Core Combiners series. While wiki-ing this particular Dinobot combination for this article, google revealed that I had previously endorsed a review by a fellow blogger on a group blog that I also write for: Transformers Philippines.

The write-up, written by Slangards - the infamous Hippopatami on the Lam, now presents a unique dilemma for me because ... well he didn't like Grimstone and the Dinobots. I chanced upon a set, and.... I do.

So this is the dissenting opinion.

Transformers Dark of the Moon: Ark and Roller

Presenting from the Transformers Dark of the Moon Toy Line, the Autobot's Ark with the Autobot Roller.

If you've watched the movie, then you've seen the DOTM Ark as the vehicle used by Sentinel Prime to break free of Cybertron. The Ark was damaged and drifted for ages before crashing into the moon. The discovery of the Ark by the original Apollo 11 team helped kick off the creation of Sector 7. The Decepticons eventually found the wreckage of the Ark and made off with hundreds of Space Bridge Pillars except for five Space Bridge Pillars and the Control Rod which were locked away with Sentinel Prime in the vault.

I've actually had the DOTM Ark for some time - all the way before Christmas where it's retail price dropped from over PhP 1,5000 (US$ 34) to PhP 700 (US$ 15) to PhP 500 (US$ 11.36) which it still retails for today in practically all Toy Kingdom and Toy's R' Us stores here in the Philippines. Kinda makes me feel sorry though for whoever bought him for PhP 700 because it was only at that price for a week before dropping to PhP 500.

I have wanted one ever since the previews for the DOTM Toy Line started appearing. But I always assumed - well, dreamed - that it would be bigger. So I was disappointed with the reality that it was meant for Legends Class Transformers and left it on the shelves. But when the price dropped to such a low, I had to grab it.

Transformers Prime First Edition: Optimus Prime (Voyager Class)

Presenting Optimus Prime (Voyager Class) from the Transformers Prime Animated  First Edition Series.This is the big brother of the SDCC 2011 Exclusive "Matrix Prime" that we reviewed back in October. Only this time this one doesn't come with kick-ass packaging (A Matrix of Leadership that can be hung around your neck and a nice magnetic case) that we have here on the right.

Transformers Prime Voyager Class Optimus Prime debuted on the retail store shelves around December and I got him for Christmas along with Transformers Prime Bulkead. But since Transformers Prime: Optimus Prime is quite common and Bulkhead was rarer - and has those lovely baby-blue eyes -  I came out with him just now.

Transformers Prime Voyager Class Optimus Prime was purchased at the retail price of PhP 1,499.75 (Roughly US$ 34). Strangely he's available on Amazon for a whopping US$ 49.95 (Roughly PhP 2,200 plus shipping), which makes me wonder if he's rare in the U.S. If he is, give a shout out because it might be cheaper for you to get it all the way here from the Philippines where they fill toy-shelves throughout the Metro.

Transformers Dark of the Moon: Sandstorm

Presenting the Autobot Sandstorm and Private Dedcliff from the Transformers Dark of the Moon toyline. At first glance, DOTM Sandstorm doesn't appear to be much - a potboiler figure meant to drain your pockets and a lot of people probably ignored him.

Personally I was also leaning towards ignoring this Scout Class DOTM figure had I not known the history behind the name "Sandstorm." In Transformers lore, Sandstorm (in the Marvel Comics continuity of the Transformers) is a Wrecker - one particularly nasty Wrecker who actually beat the crap out of Optimus Prime himself. He was again listed as a Wrecker in the Dreamwave and IDW comic continuities so I had to get him to help boost my fledgling Wreckers collection alongside other Scout class Wreckers like the Autobot Whirl.

As with his cartoon/comic versions, DOTM Sandstorm is a triple-changer - in the cartoons and the comic books he could transform into a dune-buggy, robot and helicopter - something which makes him akin to the Autobot Springer I suppose. More or less he maintained this... "trademark" through the years, though in 2010, the Autobot Beachcomer - who could transform into a sand buggy was released and a re-painted version was released named Sandstorm which did not have a third form - The helicopter mode was gone. Unfortunately, DOTM Sandstorm does not transform into a helicopter either. Instead he transforms into a mobile weapons chair - yes I said chair.

Transformers Prime: Bulkhead

Presenting Bulkhead from the Transformers Prime Animated Series. Think of the Transformers Prime Bulkhead as the smaller version of his Transformers Animated Series Legends class cousin - down to the wrecking ball.

Transformers Prime Bulkhead is the sterotypical gentle giant - down to the big-blue eyes (Hats off to Hasbro, something that small is actually pretty good detailing).  While he  seriously looks like a green gorilla on steroids, he also delivers on being the green gorilla that can drive you into the ground and both dish and take on a lot of punishment.

Bulkhead never saw himself as a genius and started out as a Wrecker but eventually followed Prime and was one of the last ones on the Earth-bound Ark - ironically the Wreckers, led by Ultra Magnus held off Trypticon long enough for the Ark to escape. The Wreckers stayed vowing to take apart Shockwave's new empire.

On Earth, Bulkhead befriends, and is most protective of, 15 year old Miko Nakadai who accepts his clumsy but well meaning ways.

It is this friendship that brings Bulkhead back from a coma after he accidentally gets into a situation akin to what happened to Spike Witwicky in the Transformers Revenge of the Fallen movie - except that because Bulkhead is... intellectually challenged... it overloads him, literally.

Transformers Prime: Cliffjumper

Presenting the ill-fated Cliffjumper from the new Transformers Prime animated series who's most famous quote is "Do I ever need back-up" and who can "layeth the smack-down" on any Decepticon dumb enough to cross his path. 


"Alas poor Yorick!  I knew him." SPOILER ALERT. If you haven't seen the series yet, you might want to stop here and just look at the pretty pictures. Well come to think of it, if you read the Transformers Prime Arcee review where I didn't put a spoiler alert, then I suppose you already know that Cliffjumper died. 


Unlike his Gen 1 "Whimpy little Autobot" character who is in there to teach people that little people can do great things, Transformers Prime Cliffjumper is a bad-ass! And best of all! Also unlike his Candy-ass G1 counterpart, Transformers Prime Cliffjumper is voiced by one of the ultimate bad-asses there is! The Great One! The People's Champion! The Brahma Bull! The Most E-lectrifying Man in Sports Entertainment! Dwayne "The Rock!" Johnson! Which is probably also why they had to kill him early on because the Rock is back and busy in the WWE having just Rock-bottomed the Miz, R-Truth and John Cena. 

Transformers Prime: Arcee

Presenting Arcee from the Transformers Prime animated series. Arcee is a Cybertronian Scout - when is she never a scout? One of Optimus Prime's best actually.





Except this particular Arcee is suffering from a severe case of Survivor's Guilt. Before the Autobots in the Transformers Prime universe abandoned Cybetron in what would be later called the Great Exodus, Arcee was paired with an Autobot named Tailgate.

During a mission, Arcee was captured and tortured for information by the Decepticon Airachnid. When Arcee refused to reveal any information, Airachnid brought our Tailgate - who was apparently also captured. Tailgate was tortured will Arcee admitted that she did not have any valuable information. Satisfied, Airachnid killed Tailgate. Arcee was rescued before Airachnid could do her in as well.

After the Exodus, Arcee was again paired with another Autobot, Cliffjumper. He not only looks like Tailgate, he gets killed too - well later he gets re-animated as a psychotic Zombie, cut in half by Megatron and scattered in a mine. Anyway, this drives Arcee - understandably over the deep-end and Arcee ends up hating having to be paired with anyone. Ironically, she's assigned by Optimus Prime to protect the human Jack Darby. You can imagine her joy at having to protect someone from the Decepticons.

Arcee, Elita 1 and Chromia Combined - Tripartite Cybertronians

Presenting Arcee and her sisters Elita 1 and Chromia, Transformers the Movie's Tripartite Cybertronians and one of their POSSIBLE combinations.

I'd like to take this moment to point out the following:

• The Transformers movies changed the general cartoon history of Arcee and her sisters. In a nutshell, Elita 1 and Chromia are dead. But a Decepticon experiment to create Tripartite Cybertronians brought the two back to life as nothing more than extensions of Arcee. They were supposed to combine in the second movie but the producers passed on the idea and in fact hinted that all three died by the end of the second movie. However the individual figures' blister cards still list all three with distinct personalities.
• Tripartite Cybertronians are three transformers who can operate as individuals but only share one personality - like the Decepticon Reflector. 
• Hasbro has never acknowledged the correct transformation sequence for the three sisters

Frankly it does look like a crappy car-wreck, but it does work.

Transformers Reveal the Shield: Mindset

Presenting the Autobot Mindset from the Transformers Reveal the Shield series. I don't actually know much about the Autobot Mindset. I'm quite sure that he wasn't in the movie and I definitely haven't seen him in any of the cartoons. 

In fact if you bother googling him, you'll most probably end up on TFwiki.net looking at the Decepticon Mindset - who was fathered by Onslaught (One of the Combaticons that form Bruticus) through budding (Think of it as a pimple that explodes from your chest and gains sentience) and goes on to be killed by "The Swarm" (Which was nothing more than a killer pimple gone mad) which will also lead you to the Autobot Mindset, but there's not much there. 

Personally, I think the Decepticon Mindset - which also transforms into a Multiple Lauch Rocket System (MLRS) is a lot more intriguing as a character and at least has some link in Transformer lore. To make things worse, the AUTOBOT Mindset, is a re-deco of the Decepticon Hailstorm, who is a character based upon the mini-con Hailstorm who transforms into a missile launcher. Why Hasbro just didn't create Mindset as a Decepticon is a mystery. 

Anyway, I bought the Autobot Mindset because I have a soft spot for MLRS launchers. I've always thought that multiple-rocket launchers were cool ever since the Russians started using the Katyushas - Stalin's Organ (No dirty minds please). The MLRS is a beautiful step up. 

And he was on sale. 

Transformers Dark of the Moon: Arcee

Presenting the Autobot Arcee (Target Exclusive Cyber-Tattoo version) as she appears in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - though Arcee is credited as part of the Transformers Dark of the Moon line (A movie she did not appear in)

There's a lot of continuity issues when it comes to DOTM Arcee - or the movie line Arcee - thanks in part to the fact that she was written out of the 1st Transformers movie and IDW (Idea + Design Works) Comics ran a comic book like in between the movies which involved Arcee (Whom a lot of people assumed to have perished in Revenge of the Fallen), and the novelization of the movie.

Then of course there are her sisters Elita 1 and Chromia. If you buy the individual toys, you'll note the different personalities at the back of their blister cards - I know I have a Chromia here somewhere (Hmmmm. Must be in storage). But if you follow the novelization of the movie - and even IDW's comic books, then you'll note that Arcee's two sisters died and they were animated only by a crazy Decepticon (Flatline) who wanted to create a new breed of what we call a "tripartite Cybertronian" - or Transformers that can operate separately but more or less have the same personality or combine - much like that camera guy Reflector. As a result the movie versions of Elita 1 and Chromia are supposedly nothing more than extensions of DOTM Arcee.