Reveal The Shield Legends Optimus Prime
While not the first Legends Optimus Prime - Cybertron, Movie and Animated versions have been done so far in this size - The new Legends Optimus Prime is the first modelled after the 1984 Version. Proportionately this Legends version is wider with ball jointed hips, elbows and shoulders which also bend back at the body. However bending the arm eposes that under each one is a wheel which looks odd. It'd be nice if we had knees like on some other Legends but... He stands with his legs aprat meaning that the feet are slightly sloped from one side to the other.
Transformation: Fold the head down and rotate the upper chest 10 degrees. Peg the legs together and fold the waist forward 90 degrees. Bend each arm 90 degrees, fold the shoulders back and swing the arms in to form the sides of the cab. Push the shoulders together and make sure the arms have locked into place.
Well I've seen worse Prime cabs on larger toys - Robot Masters Convoy and Classics Deluxe Optimus Prime spring to mind. Not a bad go but you feel some knees could have been easily done.
Repaints: Ultra Magnus and Scourge spring to mind.
Reveal The Shield Legends Megatron
There's already been a decent Legends Megatron - the Universe 2 interpretation of the Generation 2 Tank - as well as Cybertron and Movie versions, but this is the first attempt at one modeled on the original 1984 Megatron.
Robot mode is Megatron and done pretty well. The mixture between the silver paint of the arms and the upper body, the moulded silver grey of the upper legs and the grey paint of the fusion cannon and legs fronts is a little jarring, as is the bright orange cap on the front of the fusion cannon. The articulation is great with ball jointed knees, hips and shoulders.
Transformation: fold his left arm up so it sticks straight out of his shoulder. Pull the waist first down and then to the side under his left arm before pushing it up into the arm. Fold his right arm under the upper body and then fold the fusion cannon up to become the gun barrel. Fold both lower legs up at the knees so that the shell of the lower legs covers the upper legs.
Megatron's gun mode looks like his g1/Microchange version, albeit minus the silencer, scope & stock and with the addition of an orange cap on the barrel. If I could paint that's be gone. The handle, formed from the legs is a bit big but there's some holes and tabs set in it which allow Masterpiece Starscream. to hold him.
Not a bad attempt givem the limits of the size.
Reveal The Shield Legends Gold Bumblebee
The only real repaint amongst the RTS Legends, Gold Bumblebee uses the Universe Legends Bumblebee mould repainting the yellow with a bronzey gold and painting a dark blue over most of the black and the yellow of the head. Inspired by Throttlebot Goldug this repaint doesn't quite work: the gold paint used on United Bumblebee is much better than the nearly brown plastic used here.
Reveal The Shield Legends Starscream
Starscream's had legends toys of his Cybertron, Movie and Animated versions. There's even been a previous Legends 1984 Starscream using the Legends of Cybertron Thundercracker mould. This version adapts his 1984 Generation 1 form to the Legends size.
The resemblance between the legend and the original one is pretty good and the new on beats the original's articulation with a head that turns slightly, hips that swing to the sides and ball jointed knees & shoulders. Unfortunately one of the knee joints on mine is a little faulty so I can't bend the knee into the precise position needed for the toy to stand properly. I will keep my eyes peeled for a replacement that does.
Transformation: inventive. Fold the nosecone up from behind the head, then fold the head back and down so it's between the robot's legs. Fold each arm up so it points straight up and turn so the inner side of the arm faces forward. Fold the guns on the arms forward to become the back of the jet. Fold the wings on the back of the legs down. Fold the legs up alongside the body so the wings on the legs become the tailfins. Plug the tab on each leg into the slot on each wing.
Starscream's vehicle mode is a surprisingly accurate representation of the F-16 jet, albeit one with a thick undercarriage. Landing gear is provided by the knees & feet raising the bulk of the plane up.
Apart from the knees on mine this is a great little Legend. Nice reworking of the Transformation sequence. I expect we'll be seeing it again as Thundercracker, Skywarp, Sun Storm & Acid Storm, remoulded as Thrust, Dirge, Ramjet & G2 Ramjet. Plus there's two Japanese Starscream colour schemes that could be done: Black & Clear.
Reveal The Shield Legends Prowl
Prowl's only previous Legend was of his Animated Version. Looking at the Reveal The Shield legend, it's obvious that it's meant to be the 1984 Generation 1 Prowl. What's less obvious is if it's a retool of Universe Legends Jazz. At first glance they look *VERY* similar, with the straight back door wings and the Transformation even down to the shape of the chest and the positioning of the screws. But looking closely almost every part is different. The only pieces that MIGHT be unaltered are the wheels and the inner shoulder joints linking the body and the arms which end in the shoulder's ball joint. In the end I have to conclude that, like Bumblebee and Cliffjumper, while having many differences Universe 2 Jazz & RTS Prowl are essentially the same toy. The rear wheels move location on this design ending up on the arms and we get more articulated heels but that's it as regards functional changes.
Repaints: Bluestreak and Smokescreen are the obvious choices.
Reveal The Shield Legends Trailcutter
Poor Trailbreaker. He's not had much love over the years. His one reappearance thus far was as a Universe Spychanger recolour with the legs and head of the robot in totally the wrong colour and the wrong name attached. However he's back now with a modified copyright conflict avoiding name as a Reveal The Shield legend.
Trailcuttter is very like the 1984 version but with proportionately larger legs and modified arms made from the roof of the vehicle. He has ball jointed hips and shoulders.
Transformation: fold the head down and the upper body up. Fold the arms up and fold them back behind the body. Peg the feet together and fold them back then fold the legs back into the arms.
What we get is a slightly elongated version of the original Trailbreaker vehicle, unfortunately missing the trademarked stripes.
Yeah, not bad at all. It strikes me that a Legends toy with a similar design would make a good Ratchet/Ironhide. Better than the Universe versions in fact! I'm not sure if you could rework the design for Trailbreaker's remould Hoist that well - you'd need new arms for a start....
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