General Information:
Release Date: March 2019
Price Point: $5.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General (Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart etc.)
Accessories: Fire Blast (Blue)
Official images and text below in italics are from Amazon.com:
- Build the ultimate battlefield - the generations War for Cyber Tron trilogy introduces an expansive ecosystem of collectible figures and weapon accessories. (Each sold separately. Subject to availability).
- Features classic G1 characters – adult fans nostalgic for the original Transformers animation and kids discovering classic characters for the first time can share and experience exciting play patterns for all generations.
- Awesome weapon mode – the 1.5 inches wfc-s16 pteraxadon battle Masters figure converts into axe mode in 5 easy steps. Simple conversion for kids and adults 8 years old and up!
- Compatible weapon mode works with all other Siege figures – Siege figures have multiple weapon ports that enable fans to attach the weapon mode of wfc-s16 pteraxadon.
- Add battle effects with Fire blasts accessories – The wfc-s16 Pteranodon figure comes with a fire blasts accessory. Attach accessory to the end of the figure while in axe weapon mode to simulate the impact of an axe hitting its target.
In 2018 the "Power of the Primes" line finished off the "Prime Wars Trilogy" which had begun with "Combiner Wars". To kick off a whole new G1 inspired series of "Generations" figures, a new line known as "War for Cybertron: Siege" started in late 2018 (with a planned wide release in 2019). This line introduced new Classes of Transformers figures into the mix seen the last three years. In place of the "Master" price point at $5.99 USD MSRP, Titan Masters and Prime Masters have been replaced with Battle Masters. Each Battle Master also includes a soft plastic "Fire Blast" effect that can attach to the weapon modes, bringing the figures to life in a new way in "Generations".
Most of the Battlemasters in "Siege" are based on G1 Targetmasters. Pteraxadon however is an exception. This character is a new one in Transformers canon which in itself is exciting. Pteraxadon also has a fun name which mixes up his weapon mode and the word Pteranodon, so kudos to Hasbro for having some fun with it.
Packaging:
Similar to the Titan Masters and Prime Masters, Pteraxadon is packaged on a small bubble card. However, Hasbro has stepped up the artwork to deliver a stronger visual punch. The card itself has artwork for the individual characters against a Cybertronian backdrop. Pteraxadon's art features him flying looking down. Below him is a large symbol which represents his rank. The name "Pteraxadon" and his rank symbol appear in a vertical chevron on the left. The figure is packaged in beast mode. His "Fire Blast" effect is on the right side. Under him is the package insert featuring the word "Siege" in giant letters and the "War for Cybertron Trilogy" logo under it. The "Transformers" logo is on top in a much smaller font. Under all that is the term "Battle Masters" next to the age recommendation and Hasbro logo. On the right is a black strip with the vertical "Transformers" logo seen on most "Generations" packaging, the "Generations" logo above it and the Takara Tomy logo above that.
Beast Mode:
As his name suggests, Pteraxadon is a robotic Pteranodon. Now, I know what you're thinking: if this takes place on Cybertron before the Transformers come to Earth, how do they even know about Pteranodons? Further confusing this is that even 4 million years ago (presumably when the "Siege" story takes place), Pteranodons were already extinct so it's not like they saw them in some scifi telescope flying around Earth (unless we want to get into how far light images travel and where Cybertorn is located in the galaxy etc.). Ahem. The point is, it's weird having a Pteranodon based Transformer in this line, sure but hey, there's also a lion so I say just shrug, move on and have fun with it.
Pteraxadon's beast mode features a typical Pteranodon head with a long, pointed beak and a crest that sweeps back. His wings are curved in the front with angled sections in the back. His body looks more like a space ship's than a beast featuring vertical air intakes towards the back and amor panels. The back actually has a small tail and he has clawed feet. I really dig this figure. To me it's almost like the Autobot answer to Laserbeak in dinosaur form!
This figure is made up of green and black plastic. The head, wings and feet are black while the main body was green. His eyes and the sides of the crest are painted red. The top of the wings have metallic blue paint on them. The deco is simple, but it looks great.
Pteraxadon has five points of articulation: the wings, feet and head. His design allows you to either pose him in a "flying" pose with his feet pointed back and head pointed forward or in a "standing" mode with his feet on the ground and the main body set vertically. His wings have four Blast Effect pegs on them, so you can attach Blast Effects to make it look like he is firing weaponry from his wings! If you want to raise his axe handle, you can add another Blast Effect to make it look like he has a central cannon in this mode.
The Blast Effect included with Pteraxadon is a large "smash" effect. Intended for use in the weapon mode, it makes it represents the energy from the impact of Pteraxadon's axe blade against an enemy. This piece can also attach to Blast Effect pegs on larger figures to look like they are being hit by weapons fire. This piece is cast in translucent blue plastic.
Transformation to Weapon Mode:
- Swing the axe handle back.
- Swing the beast mode head down.
- Swing each of the wings in towards the center.
- Swing the beast mode feet up into the main body.
Weapon Mode:
Pteraxadon's weapon mode is a stylized axe. I say "stylized" because so much detail carries over from the beast mode to this one. Most aces would be fairly flat or smooth in the middle and on the blades, but here there are layers of mechanical detail. This does not look bad, in fact it looks rather alien which works perfectly for the character. All the main details visible here were easy to see in beast mode so there are no big surprises. The same goes for the colors.
The axe handle is 5mm, allowing larger figures to hold it. There is also a 5mm peg attached to the beast mode head. The way it winds up positioned here, Pteraxadon can be held as a blaster instead of an axe! The Blast Effect can be attached to either axe blade to look like he is striking a something with a powerful impact.
Final Thoughts:
Pteraxadon may not be a G1 homage, but he is a fun figure that looks cool in both modes. I also appreciate the designers adding in another beast into the mix. I also love the Blast Effect he comes with. Highly recommended!
Pros:
- Offers up a beast mode, mixing it up with the more traditional humanoid robot forms on other Battle Masters.
- An original character.
- Lots of play value with other figures.
Cons:
- Fans who only want G1 Targetmaster homages may be disappointed.
