Review #90: Power of the Primes Wave 1 Prime Masters
Metalhawk (Vector Prime), Skullgrin (Leige Maximo) and Cloudburst (Micronus)
I've done two reviews thus far of figures in the Power of the Primes toyline, and both times I have had to use Titan Masters as stand-ins to showcase interactivity with Prime Master figures. But you know what? I now have some of those Prime Master figures. Heck, I have the whole first wave of them! And since, functionally, they are all basically the same figure with purely cosmetic differences, I thought, "Hey! Why not just do the whole wave all at once?" And so, here we are doing that. Here's all three figures in Wave 1 of the Power of the Primes Prime Masters.
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The Prime Master figures are an odd thing to me. According to what I can gather of the fiction of the Power of the Primes toyline, various different "Primes" in question are ancient Transformers, the very first thirteen created, who now can bestow their power on other figures that they interact with. The three being looked at today being (left to right in the photo above) Vector Prime, Leige Maximo, and Micronus (a.k.a. Micronus Prime).
Appearance-wise, however, the Prime Masters have been made to look like completely different characters. Towards the final years of the G1 toyline (after the end of the G1 cartoon series, hence why this review is being filed under "Other 'Classics' Style Transformers") a gimmick was introduced called Pretenders. Pretenders were Transformers who took "Robots in Disguise" one step further. Not only could the robots transform into vehicles, but the robots also had outer shells that they could be put inside to either resemble armored humans (Autobots) or bipedal monstrous beasts (Decepticons). (If the Autobot Pretenders disguised themselves as giant humans or shrunk down to human size while in their Pretender shells seems to depend on if you're going by the American fiction or the Japanese fiction.) By that measure, the three being looked at today are Metalhawk (who, in the G1 days, was a Japanese exclusive toy), Skullgrin, and Cloudburst.
So, before I review these toys, I find myself asking myself, who the heck are these toys? Did the original thirteen Primes come down, bitch-slap the Pretenders, and steal their shells? (Indeed, the shells are still credited with their original owners' names. For example, Vector Prime is being sold as Vector Prime with Metalhawk Decoy Armor.) I could kind of see that with Decepticons, but that seems kind of rude in the case of the Autobot Primes.
My collection is very much based on nostalgia. I am recreating (and, at this point, vastly expanding on) the Transformers toy collection I enjoyed playing with as a child. So to me, this whole Original Thirteen Primes thing? Kind of a non-starter. There was no such concept in the cartoon or the toyline when I was a child. I did have some of the Pretenders, though. If nothing else, I distinctly remember owning at least Cloudburst. So Micronus Prime? I don't care. Cloudburst? Yes, please.
So for most of the rest of this review, I will just be referring to these guys by their Pretender names. Because, long story short (too late!), to me, that's who these guys are and that is what makes me happy.
So... on with the review! Let's take a look at these toys!
Appearance-wise, however, the Prime Masters have been made to look like completely different characters. Towards the final years of the G1 toyline (after the end of the G1 cartoon series, hence why this review is being filed under "Other 'Classics' Style Transformers") a gimmick was introduced called Pretenders. Pretenders were Transformers who took "Robots in Disguise" one step further. Not only could the robots transform into vehicles, but the robots also had outer shells that they could be put inside to either resemble armored humans (Autobots) or bipedal monstrous beasts (Decepticons). (If the Autobot Pretenders disguised themselves as giant humans or shrunk down to human size while in their Pretender shells seems to depend on if you're going by the American fiction or the Japanese fiction.) By that measure, the three being looked at today are Metalhawk (who, in the G1 days, was a Japanese exclusive toy), Skullgrin, and Cloudburst.
So, before I review these toys, I find myself asking myself, who the heck are these toys? Did the original thirteen Primes come down, bitch-slap the Pretenders, and steal their shells? (Indeed, the shells are still credited with their original owners' names. For example, Vector Prime is being sold as Vector Prime with Metalhawk Decoy Armor.) I could kind of see that with Decepticons, but that seems kind of rude in the case of the Autobot Primes.
My collection is very much based on nostalgia. I am recreating (and, at this point, vastly expanding on) the Transformers toy collection I enjoyed playing with as a child. So to me, this whole Original Thirteen Primes thing? Kind of a non-starter. There was no such concept in the cartoon or the toyline when I was a child. I did have some of the Pretenders, though. If nothing else, I distinctly remember owning at least Cloudburst. So Micronus Prime? I don't care. Cloudburst? Yes, please.
So for most of the rest of this review, I will just be referring to these guys by their Pretender names. Because, long story short (too late!), to me, that's who these guys are and that is what makes me happy.
So... on with the review! Let's take a look at these toys!
Looking at the outer shells first, they all look pretty good! Very nice representations of the G1 characters, but shrunken down to a smaller size. The biggest difference is that the G1 Pretender shells completely covered the inner robot, and the Autobot ones had human faces. But here the human faces are not present, and instead you can make out the face of the inner robot peaking out from within. On one hand, it seems a shame to miss out on the human disguise. But on the other hand, especially at this small a scale, it is kind of neat that they can get away with that kind of inner robot/outer shell interactivity.
Each one has a weapon strapped to his back that can be removed and put into the Pretender shell's hand. Metalhawk has a large gun, Skullgrin has a triple clawed melee weapon. Cloudburst has a huge double cannon that looks mildly ridiculous but not completely terrible in his hand.
The Pretender shells have but two points of articulation, a swivel joint in each shoulder. Would a ball joint have been nicer? Probably, but I'll live. If I would change anything, it would be just giving them an elbow joint as well. It would have made displaying them wielding their weapons a little more natural looking. Again, not an end of the world kind of thing, and in a tiny five dollar figure that has a lot of other things it can do, I will deal. But elbows would have been nice, is all that I'm saying.
The Pretender shells have but two points of articulation, a swivel joint in each shoulder. Would a ball joint have been nicer? Probably, but I'll live. If I would change anything, it would be just giving them an elbow joint as well. It would have made displaying them wielding their weapons a little more natural looking. Again, not an end of the world kind of thing, and in a tiny five dollar figure that has a lot of other things it can do, I will deal. But elbows would have been nice, is all that I'm saying.
The front of the Pretender shells can fold down, revealing the inner robots hiding within.
The Prime Master figures are identical in size and functionality to Titan Master figures from Titans Return, the main difference being that they don't have faces on their backs as they don't turn into heads for larger robots. Rather, they have sigils of power on their backs, and they turn into blocks that bestow power onto the larger robots. So in a way, they kind of function as a callback to the Powermaster gimmick also seen in the later days of the G1 toyline.
There is one other difference between Prime Masters and Titan Masters that will be a bit of a blow to customizers out there. Titan Masters were held together with a screw, making it easy to swap out the face on the back of the figure with custom (often 3D printed) ones. Prime Masters, however, are held together with a pin. So taking them apart will be much more difficult, if even at all possible. Not a blow against these figures for my purposes by any means, however. But there are some out there who may want to keep such things in mind.
There is one other difference between Prime Masters and Titan Masters that will be a bit of a blow to customizers out there. Titan Masters were held together with a screw, making it easy to swap out the face on the back of the figure with custom (often 3D printed) ones. Prime Masters, however, are held together with a pin. So taking them apart will be much more difficult, if even at all possible. Not a blow against these figures for my purposes by any means, however. But there are some out there who may want to keep such things in mind.
These figures look very nice. Hasbro even managed to find the budget to put a little paint on them! Of course, Wave 1 of the Titan Masters had a little paint on them, too. But with less paint likely being needed on the Prime Master power sigil then Titan Masters needed on their head-mode faces, hopefully Hasbro won't feel the need to cheep out on the paint for the later waves of Prime Masters.
The Prime Master figures have a lot of nice molded detail in them that call back to the Pretender inner robots. Heck, Skullgrin even has detail molded onto his legs that look like tank treads, even though these figures don't have vehicle modes. It is a nice touch that my aforementioned nostalgia for the G1 figures appreciates.
Articulation-wise, these figures are identical to their Titan Master forebearers. The heads are on ball joints, as are the shoulders. The legs, as a single unit, can bend forward at the hips, and either forward or backwards at the knees.
So, what can you do with these guys? Well, you can actually transform the Pretender shells into weapons and attach the power-up sigils to them, for one!
Articulation-wise, these figures are identical to their Titan Master forebearers. The heads are on ball joints, as are the shoulders. The legs, as a single unit, can bend forward at the hips, and either forward or backwards at the knees.
So, what can you do with these guys? Well, you can actually transform the Pretender shells into weapons and attach the power-up sigils to them, for one!
Realistically, these are literally just the Pretender shells lying down with the weapons that were previously folded down against their backs instead folded up over their heads. Heck, the Pretender shells' arms are still just blatantly there on the sides as if to wave hello and call attention to themselves! But somehow, this really works for me a heck of a lot better that most of the Titan Master weapon modes did. These are good looking weapons!
They are a pretty big sized weapons. A Legends Class figure would probably be a bit goofy holding one. (We'll see for sure next time I review one, shall we?) But anything Deluxe or larger seems like it could get away with it. With a Deluxe Class figure, it just looks like a figure wielding a big, intimidating weapon. But these weapons are big enough that they even look good being wielded by, say, a Leader Class figure wearing another Leader Class figure without looking tiny in the hand!
They are a pretty big sized weapons. A Legends Class figure would probably be a bit goofy holding one. (We'll see for sure next time I review one, shall we?) But anything Deluxe or larger seems like it could get away with it. With a Deluxe Class figure, it just looks like a figure wielding a big, intimidating weapon. But these weapons are big enough that they even look good being wielded by, say, a Leader Class figure wearing another Leader Class figure without looking tiny in the hand!
As featured in the photos above, the guns all have their matching Prime Master figures attached to them. But if one wanted to have fun with the toyline's play pattern, one could assume that switching the Prime Master around would change the effect of the weapon when it is used.
The Prime Master figures can also, of course, ride around in compatible Legends Class figures.
The Prime Master figures can also, of course, ride around in compatible Legends Class figures.
If one wanted to be silly, the Prime Masters could be used in place of the heads of Titans Return figures. Some of the sigils actually kind of work as faces. Skullgrin's could be a good monster face, for example. And some, such as Metalhawk's, still could work as a non-humanoid face style of head such as Shockwave's.
And finally, there is what these figures are really intended to do, they can work as power-up sigils for Deluxe Class and larger Power of the Primes figures. (I only own two Deluxes thus far, and nothing larger, so poor Metalhawk is just going to have to sit on the floor and wait his turn.)
Metalhawk (as Vector Prime) seems to bestow time-based powers. Skullgrin (as Liege Maximo) seems to bestow various abilities to charm or intimidate others. Finally, Cloudburst (as Micronus) seems to bestow various power sharing abilities.
So, that's Wave 1 of the Prime Master figures. Do I miss the inner robots of the Pretenders being able to transform into vehicles? Yes, yes I do. But for what these figures can do, they are a lot of fun in a little package. And they feature great interactivity with other figures in the same toyline, and some limited backwards compatibility with larger classes of Titans Returns figures, as well. |
Above, a size comparison with a DVD case. (People paying attention to the DVD cases used in this month's reviews may be wondering what the above DVD case has to do with Christmas. To that, I say watch the episode of that show due to air this Christmas, and you'll figure it out!) Below, images of the Prime Master Pretenders on the shelves I am displaying them on.
While I hope to get one more in before 2017 bids us farewell, this will likely be my final review before Christmas. So I shall take this opportunity to wish my readers a Merry one! And also, any readers who may celebrate any of the other various December holidays, a happy one of whichever one of those is your preference as well! Except anyone out there who is big into Festivus. As someone who was never into the show Seinfeld, my opinion on anyone who goes around yelling, "Festivus for the rest of us!" is that you can all piss off. (I'm joking... Mostly...)
Everyone else, may you all celebrate in cheer, enjoy good times with your families and friends, and fondly remember those loved ones who may no longer be with us to celebrate but will always be with us in spirit. Happy Holidays! |
Review added 21 December 2017 by Yotsuya. Comments are welcomed!