General Information
Release Date: February 2025
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Rocket Launcher (non-working), Rocket, Clubs/Running Boards x 2
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com:
- Armada Universe Wheeljack: An Iconic Transformers Figure
- Transforming Prowess: Converts seamlessly between robot and sports car modes in 16 steps
- Deluxe Accessories: Includes two blaster accessories for enhanced playtime in both modes
- Articulated Design: Poseable head, arms, and legs for dynamic action poses
- Collectible Crossover: Part of the Transformers: Legacy line, uniting fan-favorite characters across the Transformers universe
- Gifts for Fans: A must-have collectible figure for any Transformers enthusiast
Unite your favorite characters from across the world of Transformers robots into your collection with the Transformers: Legacy Deluxe Class Armada Universe Wheeljack action figure! This 5.5-inch Armada Universe Wheeljack action figure converts between robot and sports car modes in 16 steps. Gear up for battle with the included sword accessories that also attach in robot and sports car modes. The Armada Universe Wheeljack figure is inspired by the character from the Transformers: Armada animated series and features articulated head, arms, and legs for awesome action poses. Transformers Legacy opens the portal to a whole new universe of -- More Than Meets the Eye -- bringing together every Transformers generation like you’ve never seen before. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Legacy lineup. TRANSFORMERS and HASBRO and all related trademarks and logos are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc.
Background:
Armada was an interesting series that (at times) tried to present different kinds of stories One of the small arcs revolved around the (former) Autobot Wheeljack who felt betrayed by his fellow Autobots and joined the Decepticons. In 2008, Fun Publications took the Armada Wheeljack figure and gave it a new deco as Timelines Shattered Glass Sideswipe (partnered with the Mini-Con Whisper). This worked because even back when Armada was new, many fans saw a resemblance between Armada Wheeljack and the classic Sideswipe design. Fast forward to 2023 and Hasbro released a Shattered Glass Sideswipe with Whisper. Appropriately, the designers used the sculpt that began life as Siege Sideswipe as the foundation for that figure. At the end of the Legacy United line that retooled Sideswipe would appear again, this time as Armada Wheeljack, a redeco that all fans saw coming a mile away. I have not yet reviewed 2023's Shattered Glass Sideswipe so this will be my first time reviewing this sculpt.
Packaging:
Armada Universe Wheeljack is part of the last Deluxe wave in the Legacy line. The shape of the box is still the same, and for the most part the logos and other parts are in the same place. Sticking to the principle of plastic-free packaging, the window on the box is open, allowing you to see the figure from the head down to the hips. Under the figure is an illustration of Wheeljack in vehicle mode. To the side is a close up of him in robot mode on top then on the bottom is full body art. The back of the box shows Wheeljack in both modes calling out a 16 step transformation. The Transformers 40th Anniversary logo is beneath the images of the figure.
Accessories:
Wheeljack includes almost all the same accessories as Shattered Glass Sideswipe. He has all the same weapons minus the Mini-Con, Whisper. It is sad to think something as small as a MIni-Con could raise the cost significantly on an item like this but here we are. Anyhow, here is a rundown of the accessories:
- Rocket Launcher/Rocket: Wheeljack includes the rocket launcher and rocket that first appeared with Siege Sideswipe. The rocket however would eventually lose its 5mm peg with releases like Kingdom Red Alert and Legacy Clampdown. The (non-working) rocket launcher is black plastic while the rocket piece is painted gold. The "launcher" features a tab to attach it to his shoulder and a 5mm peg to hold.
- Running Boards/Clubs: These are new accessories (carried over from the Shattered Glass Sideswipe release) that were inspired by similar accessories to the original Armada Wheeljack. In vehicle mode these attach to the sides to form Running Boards. In robot mode they detach to serve as club weapons. Each features a 5mm peg at the bottom. These weapons are made from black plastic and painted gold (except for the handles).
Robot Mode:
As you can see from the links above I've reviewed the core figure for this retool/redeco in many different forms. That said, the designers changed two of the most important parts to make this figure into Wheeljack. Here's what's different from previous releases in this mode:
- Head: The head sculpt is brand new and based on the appearance of the Armada toy and animation. The funny thing is, that head design did bear some resemblance to G1 Sideswipe to begin with, but it was different in some ways. This head sculpt has many similar details to Sideswipe's head, but it changes the proportions a bit to give Wheeljack a unique appearance. For instance, his "horns" on the sides of the head are a bit toned down while the face is a bit wider than Sideswipe's (proportionally speaking). Overall it looks great and I'm glad the designers didn't just repaint Sideswipe's head sculpt.
- Chest Panel: The panel that forms the front of the car and the front of the chest section is retooled to feature Wheeljack's signature Autobot symbol with a gash sliced through it. This is not only a very dramatic visual detail but it is also symbolic of his broken trust with the Autobots as a whole. Inside the gash are some beautifully sculpted mechanical details hinting at the machinery underneath. Surprisingly, the Autobot symbol itself is also a sculpted detail instead of just being a painted/printed detail which I really appreciate. This entire torso piece pretty much limits what characters can be used as a retool/redeco of this particular iteration of the sculpt, so I'm glad Hasbro and Takara Tomy went all in on it instead of just say, tampographing the symbol and gash.
The rest of the robot mode uses the same parts as Sideswipe. However, thanks in part to his deco, some of the sculpted parts are a bit obscured so I wouldn't blame you if you thought more parts were retooled at first glance.
Wheeljack is mostly made up of black, white and translucent blue plastic. The black plastic may surprise those fans who own the original Armada Wheeljack figure which had mostly dark grey plastic. It seems that this figure is intended to as a nod to the Japanese release of Armada Wheeljack who did use black plastic. I will say it does create a very striking contrast to the light blue and white details. The chest has really nice combination of colors from red for the Autobot symbol to silver for the machinery "inside" the chest. The blue lines on the side contrast beautifully against the black. The head features white and gold paint with blue eyes. The deco on this figure is not the most complex ever, but frankly it doesn't need to be. It matches up nicely with the original Japanese figure and it looks different from previous incarnations of the Sideswipe sculpt.
All twenty points of articulation on this figure are still nice and tight, which is great to see given how many times the base sculpt for this figure has been used. All the weapons attach without a problem.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach all the weapons and set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Swing the chest up over the head, then swing the mid-body panel down.
- Swing the fist in on each forearm.
- Raise the arms up out to the sides.
- Swing the vehicle mode doors out.
- Bend the arms at the elbows, swing them back down then in, tucking them under the car.
- Open the front panel on each lower leg.
- Push the robot feet up.
- Rotate the lower body around.
- Push the lower legs together.
- Swing the lower legs up over the thighs, forming the rear of the car.
- Push the panels from the front of the car in.
- Push the doors down.
- Attach the clubs to the doors.
- The rocket launcher can be attached to the top or sides of the vehicle.
Vehicle Mode:
The two parts that have been retooled in this mode are of course, the chest which forms the front of the car and the doors. The doors now have horizontal slots on them allowing you to attach the club weapons to form Running Boards, a feature carried over from Armada Wheeljack. It's a simple change but a welcome one.
Black plastic and glossy paint makes up most of the vehicle mode with the windows all set in translucent blue plastic. The sides of the wheels are painted gold, which is a really nice touch carried over from the Armada toy.
The vehicle mode retains the three 5mm ports (one on top, two on the sides) allowing you to attach extra accessories.
Final Thoughts:
As retools and redecos go, Wheeljack is nicely done. Despite having this sculpt multiple times over at this point I still really dig the toy. If you're not tired of Sideswipe variants yet and you're an Armada fan, then this figure is recommended!
Pros:
- Great use of retooled parts.
- Striking deco.
- Really nice new sculpting on the chest.
- The new weapons are a fun choice that pay homage to the original Armada figure.
- After so many uses it's great to see this tooling is still holding together.
Cons:
- I really would have liked Whisper to be included (as unrealistic as that may be).
