General Information
Release Date: May 2024
Price Point: $34.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Sword, Foot/Guard
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com
- PRIME UNIVERSE THUNDERTRON ACTION FIGURE: This 7-inch (17.5 cm) Prime Universe Thundertron toy features deco and detail inspiration from the animated series, Transformers: Prime
- 2-IN-1 CONVERTING TRANSFORMERS TOY: Transformers action figure converts from robot toy to Cybertronian lion toy in 24 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: This Prime Universe Thundertron Transformers figure comes with a sword accessory that attaches in both modes
- ARTICULATED FOR PLAY AND DISPLAY: Transformers figures feature articulated heads, arms, and legs for action poses
- CELEBRATE THE LEGACY: Transformers Legacy United honors 40 years of Transformers animated history! Collect other Legacy: United figures to unite your collection (each sold separately, subject to availability)
- GIFT TRANSFORMERS COLLECTIBLES: This Prime Universe Thundertron action figure toy makes a great collectible figure gift for any Transformers fan
Unite your favorite characters from across the world of Transformers robots into your collection with the Transformers Legacy United Voyager Class Prime Universe Thundertron action figure! This 7-inch Prime Universe Thundertron action figure converts between robot and Cybertronian lion modes in 24 steps. Gear up for battle with the included sword accessory that attaches in both modes. The Prime Universe Thundertron figure is inspired by the character from the Transformers: Prime toy line and features articulated head, arms, and legs for awesome action poses. Celebrate the last 40 years of Transformers history with Transformers Legacy action figures. 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. © 2024 Hasbro.
Background:
Back in the early 2010's Transformers fiction and continuity largely centered around the continuity set by Transformers Prime. While Thundertron never appeared on screen, he did feature heavily in a novel released during that time so he existed "in universe" with the Transformers Prime cartoon. Unlike most Transformers in that show this guy was the leader of the Star Seekers, displaced Cybertronians who formed a group called the Star Seekers who were essentially space pirates.
Packaging:
Thundertron is packaged in a now standard Legacy box design. The box is roughly rectangular with an angle on the top and side. The front features an open window. The graphics are very similar to previous years of Legacy boxes with blue and purple tones. The tray Thundertron sits in features yellow and orange colors, offering nice contrast to the darker outer box. On the left side is a box referencing the "Prime Universe" with Thundertron's name under it. The Legacy United logo is under artwork of Thundertron in beast mode. The left side of the box (if you are facing it) features Thundertron's robot mode art.
The back of the box shows Thundertron in both modes calling out a 24 step transformation. Under all that is the new 40th Anniversary Transformers logo. One thing of note with this box: the cardboard is of significantly better quality than the previous two years of Legacy figures. This cardboard feels solid and firm which hopefully means damaged boxes on store shelves and right out of the case will be less likely. I was very pleasantly surprised by this.
Accessories:
Thundertron includes two accessories:
- Sword: Like any good pirate, Thundertron wields a sword as his primary weapon. The sword has a very distinct shape, with a triangular point on one side and a curved blade on the other. There are a lot of nice details running along the length of the blade. This piece is made of soft plastic (but it is not super bendable) and colored silver with no paint details. The sword has a 5mm peg/handle. The side has a tab sticking out that lets you connect the sword to the armor on his hips or on the back.
- Foot/Guard: In keeping with the pirate theme, you can detach the right foot on Thundertron to reveal a peg leg. The foot piece can then be attached to one side of the sword weapon, positioning it as a guard protecting the hand of whoever is wielding the weapon. The foot piece is made of metallic grey and blue plastic with copper colored paint on the claws.
Robot Mode:
Thundertron's design is very regal looking. His head sculpt looks like he is wearing a tricorn style hat and his face has a beard sculpted onto it, giving him a very classic "pirate" like appearance. His shoulder armor is wide, giving him a powerful appearance. He has armor panels that extend down behind his back and panels that cover the sides of his hips, looking almost like he is wearing a long coat or cape. Details like his clawed feet and claw weapons that are part of his wrists give him an extra dangerous look. According to Hasbro designer Mark Maher, the original idea was to sculpt "space barnacles" on Thundertron but in the end the designers chose to give him battle damage scars instead. The beast mode head on his chest and the tail running down the back also gives him a hint of savage energy that adds to the mystique of the character.
Thundertron is made up of white, blue and grey plastic. Paint colors include blue, copper and silver. I really like the way these colors work together. The copper especially gives a beautiful metallic shine to parts of the figure.
There are twenty three points of articulation on this figure. I am including the tail and his wrists. While the wrists can turn, they can only turn inward because of the claws sculpted into the wrists. I don't count this as articulation but his hip and shoulder armor pieces can be moved to allow for certain poses. Each fist has a 5mm port. There are additional ports on the left shoulder armor, the hip armor and the sides of the legs. As mentioned above, you can detach the right foot to give Thundertron a "peg leg", a trope long associated with pirates in fiction. Another fun feature can be found on the right shoulder armor. There you'll see two slots. These are to fit the feet of the Siege Ratbat figure. In true pirate fashion, this allows a smaller critter to hang out on his shoulder. This is basically an advance look at a feature to be utilized in an upcoming 3-Pack featuring a redeco of Thundertron, a redeco of Ratbat called Nightstrike and a redeco and retool of Magneous named Calcitron.
Transformation to Beast Mode:
- Detach the sword and make sure the right foot is attached.
- Pull the chest/beast mode head forward, then swing the entire section it is attached to up.
- Rotate the forearms inward so the 5mm ports on them face forward.
- Swing the robot arms out to the sides, then rotate them around so the inside of the forearms are facing you.
- Swivel the legs outward at the thighs.
- Rotate the lower legs forward.
- Bend each lower leg forward.
- Swing the thighs forward.
- Swing the lower legs back.
- Swing the outer armor on both feet back.
- Swing the robot arms in and connect the forearms together.
- Swing the arms forward, setting them at an angle behind the beast mode head.
- Lift up the blue panel on the back of the beast mode, swing it forward and connect it to the white hinge piece connected to the beast mode head.
- Swing the panel under the beast mode lower jaw and connect it to the ports on the bottom of each robot fist.
- Push the side panels on the beast mode head back.
- Swing each shoulder panel up and extend out each front beast mode leg.
- Rotate each beast mode leg around.
- Attach the pegs on each front beast mode leg to the ports on the sides of the forearms.
- Push the grey panel on the back down.
- The sword can be attached to the back armor.
Beast Mode:
Thundertron's beast mode looks largely inspired by the Liger Zero from Zoids. Like that Zoid's design, Thundertron's beast mode looks like a robotic lion with layers of armor on the sides and on the back. He also has large paws with giant claws, much like Liger Zero. It's a really cool looking beast mode and Liger Zero is considered a classic design that goes back over twenty years!
Thanks to the way the armor pieces are laid out in this mode the blue and grey colors wind up making up most of this mode. White parts are mostly focused in the front on the head, shoulders and legs. The same paint colors from the robot mode carry over here, but since blue makes up so much of this mode the copper paint really gets to shine here.
Not counting the armor panels, there are twenty three points of articulation in this mode including six in each rear leg and four in each front leg. The sword can attach to his back and there are three 5mm ports to attach additional accessories, though they wind up kind of sitting at odd angles instead of pointing straight forward or back.
Final Thoughts:
Thundertron is a cool toy, but I will totally admit to me he is not a $34.99 USD cool toy. I actually waited for one of Target's sales before picking this up as I did not want to pay full price and I'm honestly glad I didn't. This is especially true knowing that a redeco is coming out eventually in a multi-pack. I dig this figure but I would say hold off for the multi-pack version. Of course, if you don't care about the other two figures in the multi-pack, then snag this one on discount if you can.
Pros:
- Cool sculpt in both modes.
- Intuitive and fun transformation.
- Cool play features like the "peg leg".
- Good articulation.
- Good deco.
Cons:
- There is nothing particularly wrong with this figure, it just did not quite excite me the way most Legacy figures have. I do believe it is relatively overpriced for what you get.
