 |
 |
General Information
Release Date: February 2024
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.) - All preceding links are Sponsor/Affiliate links for Ben's World of Transformers
Accessories: Tail/Whip Weapon
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com
- TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS PREDACON SCORPONOK: This Transformers Studio Series 107 Predacon Scorponok action figure is highly articulated for posability and features movie-inspired deco and details
- TRANSFORMERS TOYS STUDIO SERIES DELUXE CLASS: This 4.5-inch (11.5 cm) collectible action figures is inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the Transformers movie universe
- 2 ICONIC MODES: This Studio Series Transformers toy features classic conversion between robot and scorpion modes in 20 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: Transformers figure comes with a scorpion tail accessory that attaches in both modes
- ARTICULATED FOR PLAY AND DISPLAY: Transformers figures feature articulated heads, arms, and legs for action poses
- REMOVABLE BACKDROP: Removable backdrop displays the Transformers Studio Series Predacon Scorponok figure in the Rainforest Fight scene
- COLLECT STUDIO SERIES MOVIE FIGURES: This action figure toy makes a great collectible figure gift for any Transformers fan. Look for more Transformers Studio Series toys to build a collection (each sold separately, subject to availability)
Bring the epic action of the Transformers movies from the big screen into your collection with the Transformers Studio Series Deluxe Class Predacon Scorponok action figure, inspired by Transformers: Rise of the Beasts! Transformers Studio Series toys are collectible action figures that feature movie-inspired details and accessories. Convert the Studio Series Transformers action figure from robot to scorpion mode in 20 steps and pose the Predacon Scorponok toy in the included Rainforest Fight removable backdrop scene. Look for more Transformers Studio Series collectible figures to build a movie-inspired collection (each sold separately, subject to availability)! TRANSFORMERS and HASBRO and all related trademarks and logos are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. © 2024 Hasbro.
Background:
In the first live action Transformers film, one of Megatron's warriors was the Decepticon Scorponok. This scorpion shaped creature caused a lot of problems for the humans before being destroyed. One of the earliest Studio Series releases featured Scorponok as an accessory with Blackout.
Fast forward to 2023's Rise of the Beasts and Scorponok was back...kind of, sorta. This film's main villain was the giant planet eating Transformer Unicron. Like other iterations of the character, Unicron had warriors that served as his army (while the likes of Scourge acted more like a General). In that film these warriors were mechanical scorpions named Scorponok as kind of a catchall term. None of them were particularly unique in the film. They largely came off as mindless drones. What connection is there between this Scorponok and the previous one? I'm going to go with...none really other than the name. In my head canon I think it is possible that Unicron got a hold of the original Scorponok's design and refined it to create these warriors, but that's not based on anything on screen or in fiction.
Packaging:
Scorponok is packaged in a standard Studio Series box. It is rectangular in shape with a cardboard hook at the top to hang off pegs in store. The background is mostly black while the "Studio Series" logo is blue. The front of the box features the Rise of the Beasts logo towards the top and the vertical "Transformers" logo to the right. Next to the name "Predacon Scorponok" is a Beast Wars style Predacon symbol. Scorponok himself is attached to a tray inside a window that comes up to his thighs. There is no plastic window as this was released during that time period where Hasbro removed the windows (before putting them back in 2025).
The back of the box features the figure in both modes, calling out a 20 step transformation. There are a few tag lines in multiple languages: "Big Screen Inspired Scale, Detail, Backdrop", "Rainforest Fight" and "Scorponok faces off against his enemies, the Maximals.". The "backdrop" refers to a background included with the packaging that features the Peruvian forest featured heavily in the movie (but interestingly, he never actually appears there in the final film so this may be an indicator of an earlier version of the story).
Accessories:
Scorponok includes a tail/whip accessory. The tail features a lot of sharp looking sections that angle back. The tip of the tail has a large stinger on it with smaller blades under it. It looks like no matter what part of this weapon hits you it will hurt! This matches the look of the tail seen on Scorponok in the film. This weapon is made up of three sections: the base/5mm peg, the lower half and the top half. The peg is pinned in but the middle hinge is not and has a tendency to separate. It's not loose or floppy, but it does not take a lot of strength to pull it off.
This accessory is made of grey plastic. The top half has metallic purple and silver paint. Oddly, there is no purple on the Scorponok drones seen in the film so my guess is the purple may be influenced by both the G1 and Beast Wars versions of the character which both had purple colors. The stinger blades are painted silver.
Robot Mode:
Scorponok's robot mode is not featured in Rise of the Beasts but artist Eddie Del Rio did provide concept art that shows the very humanoid robot mode. It is that model that this robot mode is based on.
Scorponok's robot mode leans heavily into the "jagged metal" look of the live action movie Transformers films. Here are some of the key features of the concept art that have carried over to this figure:
- Head: The head design features beady eyes and spikes sticking up on top and mandibles in the mouth area. It is a super creepy design and looks great.
- Chest: The chest design features panels that angle down on top of the chest and a triangular armor panel in the middle. The concept art looks a lot like a human being wearing some creepy armor while the figure looks a bit more like a Cybertronian with a unique armor design.
- Back: Four of the scorpion legs wind up on the back of the figure. They are long enough that they can reach forward like extra limbs. In the case of the figure, the legs also wind up on his back. All the legs on the back can swing forward, but they do not have attachment points for weapons.
- Arms: The shoulders feature the claws/blades from the beast mode sticking up as shoulder armor. This comes directly from the concept art. However, these blades are much larger than the ones seen in the art. His hands feature sharp looking claw fingers, another feature carried over from the concept art.
- Legs: The lower legs feature knee armor that comes up in a spike shape over the thighs. The feet are wide, featuring some claw-like "toes".
Overall Scorponok has an amazingly creepy design and I'm happy to see so much of the concept art's design elements carried over to this figure. Overall the figure is a bit more stocky looking than the concept art, but it works for me!
In terms of colors, I think Hasbro just decided to have some fun. From concept art to final renders, the colors of the Scorponok drones seemed to have changed so this figure mostly features grey and purple plastic. Paint colors include metallic purple, gold, silver and red. Basically he's using very classic Decepticon/Predacon colors and it looks cool!
There are twenty six points of articulation on this figure. This includes six on each arm and four in each leg. I am also counting the ability to move the beast mode legs on his back. The shoulder and hip joints are ball joints so you get a good range of motion there. Unlike most Transformers figures, Scorponok does not have a regular fist with a 5mm port. Instead, there is a 5mm port on the inside of his forearms. You attach the tail weapon there and then swing it against the hand so it holds it in place. The visual effect created makes it look like he has extended the tail weapon out of his forearm which is kind of creepy and cool at the same time.
Transformation to Beast Mode:
- Detach the whip/tail and set it aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Swing the head back and point the head up.
- Swing the chest panel up.
- Pull the arms out to the sides and swing them up.
- Swing the lower body up into the opening you made from swinging the chest panel up.
- Swing the chest panel back in place.
- Swing the front of the lower legs forward, then rotate the legs around at the thighs.
- Each leg has a tab in it that fits into slots on the inside of the back panel.
- Rotate the forearms around, then swing them up against the blades/claws on the shoulder armor.
- Swing the legs on the back forward.
- Attach the tail/whip to the back.
Beast Mode:
Our best look at the CG model for Scorponok is not necessarily the film, but rather the portfolio of artist Fred Pashe who worked on the film (and coincidentally also worked on the Mainframe Entertainment Beast Machines series). He took the initial concepts for the beast mode and refined it for the film. His artwork gives us the best points of comparison of the on-screen model and this figure.
Scorponok looks great in beast mode. Yes, the design is very busy with tons of sharp lines and overlapping panels everywhere, but there is a symmetry to the design that I really like. This is very prominent on the main body of the beast mode where many panels overlap from the center going out to the sides. Scorponok also features turbines (or perhaps saw blades?) in his claws. This is likely a nod to 2007's Scorponok who had a similar feature. Like the CG model the claws feature several large blades which look super dangerous!
The necessities of transformation sometimes mean design sacrifices are made, and that is true with this figure. The robot legs forming the rear legs means that they are much larger than the other four legs, creating an odd proportion issue between the back legs and the two in front. It's not a deal breaker. While he is a mechanical scorpion he still looks like an alien scorpion so it works. The other sacrifice to accuracy is the head. Here, the robot head just becomes the beast mode head whereas in the CG model the head is different. I am okay with this. Would I have preferred an alt-head? Of course, but again, not a deal breaker for me.
The colors from the robot mode all carry over here. You get to see a lot of metallic yellow on the middle section and a silver Predacon symbol in the middle. Overall the deco is beautiful and really does feel like it belongs to a Decepticon or Predacon.
There are seventeen points of articulation in this mode including the legs and the tail but aside from the arms none of them are really needed as the figure displays beautifully with its joints at the "rest" position.
Final Thoughts:
I thought the use of the Scorponok drones in Rise of the Beasts was a really cool way to create a seemingly overwhelming force in the film. It also nods to previous versions of Unicron who used minions to do his bidding. I love how scary this figure looks in both modes. He's just a nightmare of sharp panels, angles and blades. The sculpted details are beautiful and the deco is really nice. It is a bit annoying that the top half of the tail pops off easily but that is not a dealbreaker for me. Recommended!
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt that looks suitably creepy in both modes.
- Cool weapon that looks like it extends out from the arms.
- Beautiful deco.
- Good articulation.
- Intuitive and fun transformation.
Cons:
- The top half of the tail popping off is annoying.
- I would have liked the beast mode head to be more accurate to what was seen on screen.
