General Information
Release Date: March 2023
Price Point: $54.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Gatling Gun, Energon clip/Sword
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com:
- Transformers Legacy Evolution Collection: Celebrating the 40-year legacy of the iconic Transformers franchise, this Prime Universe Skyquake figure pays homage to the Transformers: Prime animated series.
- Transforming Robot to Cybertronian Jet: In a captivating 29-step transformation, this action figure seamlessly converts from a detailed robot mode to an impressive Cybertronian jet mode, with the ability to attach other jet figures (sold separately).
- Accessories Unleash Battle Potential: Equipped with a blaster, sword, and flip-down landing gear, this Skyquake toy encourages imaginative play. The blaster and sword can also combine into a larger gatling cannon accessory, evolving the battle with Evo-Fusion features.
- Collectible with Interactive Tech Specs: Designed for ages 8 and up, this collectible figure allows fans to scan the package code and explore character tech specs, fostering engagement and discovery across the Transformers universe (other figures sold separately).
- Durable and Articulated for Play: Crafted from high-quality plastic, this 7-inch figure features articulation points for dynamic posing, ensuring endless hours of imaginative adventures.
The battle is evolving with the Transformers Legacy Evolution Prime Universe Skyquake action figure! Skyquake is among the most loyal of the Decepticons, following every order his leader commands without question. Transformers toys are upgraded with Evo-Fusion technology! Experience the evolution and combine the blaster and sword accessories into a larger gatling cannon accessory to prepare for battle! Celebrate the last 40 years of Transformers history with Transformers Legacy action figures for boys and girls. Transformers Legacy opens the portal to a whole new universe of More Than Meets the Eye, bringing together every generation of Transformers like you’ve never seen before. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Legacy lineup.
Background:
The name "Skyquake" first appeared in G1 as the leader of a team of Decepticons known as "The Predators". Many years later, a new interpretation of the character appeared in the Transformers Prime cartoon. He would go on to appear as both a Cyberverse Commander Class and Voyager Class figure in the Transformers Prime toy line. Now the character has appeared again in Legacy Evolution blending elements of both the G1 and Prime versions of the character.
Packaging:
Skyquake is packaged in the standard Legacy box design. The box is roughly rectangular with an angle on the top and side. Being a Leader Class figure, Skyquake is in a closed box with his artwork taking up most of the front of the box. The artwork shows Skyquake in robot mode holding his sword while his vehicle mode is shown behind him in the skies above. The graphics are very similar to previous years of Legacy boxes with blue and purple tones. On the left side is a box referencing the "Prime Universe" with Skyquake's name under it. The Legacy Evolution logo is under the artwork. The left side of the box (if you are facing it) features the robot mode art.
The back of the box shows Skyquake in both modes calling out an 29 step transformation. To the right is a small window showing him holding his weapon with both hands as his "Evo Fusion" features. I suspect the idea was to show the sword folded up and attached to the Gatling gun as a power source or something but that appears to have been left out so I'm not sure what "fusion" is happening here. To the lower left is a window showing that Needlenose (and by extension Windsweeper) can attach to the top of the vehicle mode. To fit this figure into the box Skyquake is packaged in vehicle mode, which is a rarity nowadays. Given that, the review of the figure will begin with the vehicle mode.
Accessories:
Skyquake includes two accessories, both of which are based on his appearance in the Transformers Prime series:
- Gatling Gun: In the Transformers Prime cartoon, Skyquake was shown using a giant gatling gun as his primary weapon in robot mode. This weapon is based on that design. It features a series of rectangular sections towards the back with a gatling gun style barrel making up the front half. The back half of the weapon has an opening on top which is meant to be used as storage for the sword weapon (more on that below). This piece is made of silver plastic with a gunmetal grey handle in the middle. There is a 5mm peg towards the back so Skyquake can hold the weapon the same way he does in the cartoon. The front has a small peg to attach a Blast Effect.
- Sword: Skyquake's sword is fairly simple featuring a round handle, an angled blade with a curved tip. This piece is made of translucent brown plastic. It can fold in half so it can be stored on the top of the gatling gun, looking almost like an Energon power source for the weapon.
Vehicle Mode:
If you are familiar with either G1 and/or Prime Skyquake one look at this vehicle mode will immediately feel both familiar and a bit odd. That's because Legacy Skyquake's vehicle mode is a mash up of both Skyquakes. Characters changing form in the Legacy universe is hardly new. Skyquake's fellow Prime character Bulkhead also saw a big change from his Prime form to his Legacy one. The front half of this vehicle is based on the Prime version of the character, looking like a sleek fighter jet. On either side of the cockpit section are curved air intakes with small horizontal stabilizer fins, also inspired by designs from Prime Skyquake. The ends of the wings and stabilizer fins on the rear half of the vehicle all feature angled "L" shapes which are also callbacks to Prime Skyquake.
The rear half of the vehicle mode is almost entirely based on G1 Skyquake. The center of the rear half features eight sculpted panels that were actually translucent panels on the original Skyquake. The middle has an angled, translucent piece that leads to a large booster in the back. Each wing features vents in the middle with a curved section behind it (which was used to drop missiles on enemies on the G1 version of the character). It is really impressive how well these G1 Skyquake details were worked into the Prime Skyquake design.
The detailing on this mode is really nice. Perhaps my favorite is the cockpit. Thanks to the size class the cockpit cover can actually open! Look inside and you'll see two seats and a control panel. It is not common to get this level of detail in Transformers nowadays so this was really cool to see. Skyquake also features landing gear! One is under the cockpit and the others are towards the back. The landing gear is beautifully sculpted but they are solid pieces and do not feature rolling wheels.
From a deco perspective this figure is all about the Prime version. The main plastic colors are green, translucent brown, silver and gunmetal grey. Paint colors include red, gunmetal grey and silver. The color layout mostly calls back to Prime Skyquake with silver and red being used for small details while green is the primary color. Overall the vehicle mode looks fantastic!
The vehicle mode features nine 5mm ports to attach additional accessories. Two are on the pieces flanking the cockpit section. Two are found under the wings while three are on the bottom of the rear section of the vehicle. Two more are on top of the wings. Two of the exhaust nozzles in the back have openings that allow you to attach Blast Effects to make it look like the jet mode is "flying". As mentioned above, you can attach either Needlenose or Windsweeper to this mode on top. You do this by using the two tabs on the top of the rear section to plug into the slots on the bottom of either Needlenose or Windsweeper in vehicle modes.
Transformation to Robot Mode:
- Detach the weapons if attached and set them aside for now.
- Gently pull the panels on either side of the cockpit out and forward.
- Swing the wings up a bit, separating them from the robot mode leg sections underneath.
- Swing the lower leg sections (that were under the wings) out to the sides.
- Straighten out each leg.
- Rotate the legs around at the hip joints.
- Swing the legs down.
- Rotate the legs around so the top of the feet point forward.
- Swing the rear horizontal stabilizer fins up, then back to form the back panels of the lower legs.
- Swing the robot feet up.
- Rotate the thighs so the legs face the same direction as the top of the vehicle mode.
- Push the cockpit down a bit.
- The robot arms are tucked into the bottom of the vehicle. Swing them up, then split them and swing them out to the sides.
- On each arm, swing out the fists from the forearms, then swing the green panel against the forearm.
- Swing the nosecone down under the cockpit section, then swing that entire section back into the gap where the robot arms were located.
- Move the panels that were on the sides of the cockpit up and forward (these form the robot mode's shoulder armor).
- Separate the panels that make up the top of the vehicle mode.
- Rotate the lower body part way.
- Swing the wing sections back and up (this is why you moved the lower body in the last step).
- Swing the sections attached to the vertical stabilizer fins down.
- Connect the halves of the vehicle mode's back section together again, forming the robot mode's back.
- Turn the lower body back to the correct position.
- Push the two tabs on the top of the pelvis into the end of the nosecone. It should snap into place.
- Straighten out the arms and adjust the shoulder armor so it fits over the top of the arms.
- Extend the arms at the elbows.
- Slide the robot head forward.
Robot Mode:
At first glance Skyquake's robot mode heavily leans towards his Transformers Prime appearance, but there are significant chunks of the figure that come right from G1 Skyquake's design. These parts include:
- Head: The head design is a blend of the G1 and Prime designs. The general shape is from Prime including his "Y" shaped face and wide helmet. G1 designs come into place with his crest and the "horns" that extend out of it. Both of these are stylized versions of the same designs from the G1 Skyquake's head and it looks great!
- Back: The back piece is mostly made up of the parts from the vehicle mode that were inspired by G1 Skyquake. Similar parts wound up on G1 Skyquake's back so the two look very similar.
- Torso: In Transformers Prime Skyquake's torso was mostly made up of the front of the vehicle mode with the cockpit window showing in the middle. Here, there is a window in the middle with a six sided shape under it while the head is flanked by two small trapezoid shaped sections. These details are all inspired by G1 Skyquake's chest which featured very similar designs.
- Pelvis: The pelvis section is a "T" shaped piece that resembles the one on G1 Skyquake down to a vertical section between the legs featuring a series of horizontal lines.
- Forearms: The shape of the forearms definitely take their inspiration from Prime, but there are small details on them including a small raised trapezoid and two lines on the outside of the forearms that partly wrap over the top of the arms. These small details are all directly inspired by G1 Skyquake.
- Feet: Skyquake's feet angle downward from the lower legs and each features a thin, raised section in the middle with a series of horizontal lines running down to the middle of the foot. This is directly taken from the design of G1 Skyquake's feet.
It is really impressive how well the designers blended the features of two Skyquakes together in both modes. I appreciate the nods to two different eras from the past.
This mode features the same colors as the vehicle mode, but the translucent brown really makes up a lot of the torso section. Then green plastic makes up much of the robot mode including the head, shoulder armor, forearms, thighs and lower legs. A lot of the smaller parts and joints (including the elbows and knees) are gunmetal grey plastic. Paint colors include red, silver, green and gunmetal grey. A purple Decepticon symbol is printed on the chest. He really looks like the Transformers Prime version of the character in terms of colors. The only thing I wish we had gotten were some Siege style silver and black damage/wear marks to give him the more gritty appearance he had in the show. That said, he still looks really cool.
There are twenty eight points of articulation in this mode. This includes six in each arm and seven in each leg. I'm not counting the shoulder armor but it can be moved out of the way to manipulate the arm for various poses. One point worth noting is the head, which is set on a ball joint that allows it to turn around in a circle but also look upward. There are ten 5mm ports in this mode to attach accessories. Four are on the back, two are on the forearms, each fist has one and each leg has one. Thanks to the arm articulation, Skyquake can hold his gatling gun the same way he does on the show with one hand holding the peg in the back and the other holding the handle in the middle. This looks really cool and I'm so glad the designers made it a priority.
Final Thoughts:
Skyquake is a fantastic figure. It is interesting to see a figure embrace two different incarnations of a character and merge them into one figure. He's also a good size and fun to play with and transform. That said, if you only want a "pure" G1 or Prime Skyquake this may not do it for you but I really dig it. Highly recommended!
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt that reflects two generations of Skyquake designs.
- Excellent articulation.
- Complex yet intuitive transformation.
- Cool accessories that are based on the character's animated appearance.
- Good deco.
Cons:
- Fans who are looking for either a G1 or Prime Skyquake (but not a blend) may not like the aesthetics of this figure.
