Siege Ultra Magnus

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Skyquake87
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Siege Ultra Magnus

Post by Skyquake87 »

Name: Ultra Magnus
Allegiance: Autobot
Size Class: Leader
Accessories: RT15 Stethoscopic Detector, 2 W-30 Magnetic Inducer Launchers, 2W-HV-1000 Simulacrum Blasters, 7 Magnus Armour Pieces


Ultra Magnus has never been a character that gets my pulse racing. I've enjoyed the toys of him that I have – the Commemorative Series reissue with the 'white Optimus' tractor cab and the RID version with the big long legs – but never been that into the stoic, grim faced warrior who just won't quit. Maybe it's the patriotic palette or just getting his fenders handed to him by Galvatron, or torn apart in the '86 movie. He just seems a bit of a let down for someone who's supposed to be one of the Autobot's powerhouses. It's probably why James Roberts turned the character into nothing more than a suit of armour. It suits the idea of this somehow 'awesome' warrior being a bit, well, rubbish, depending on who's dressing up as him today.

The Siege version of the character mashes up the aforementioned original toy with the RID version. Purists can rejoice, as this new toy version has a white Optimus tractor cab that can bulk up even more (the tractor cab robot is bulky!) to form the chiseled pretty boy of the Autobot warrior class.


Robot Mode: The smaller robot is basically a podgy Optimus. He's just got some water retention around the waist and looks a little pigeon chested. He's all chest and arms and quite boring to look at. I'm all for authenticity, but I always found the plain white (save for the odd looking blue face) quite boring and there's not enough of the silver 'battle damage'. I would have liked to have seen more of that lovely ice blue applied to the arms and thighs, just to make him look interesting. He's a pretty awesome looking figure, all the same and only hampered by the chunk of alt mode he wears like a cape. Or a colostomy bag, depending on where you've moved it to.

Robot Mode: The armoured up mode is pretty awesome, if a bit tidgy for what is supposed to be a 'Leader Class' figure. Personally, I don't mind this. It's nice to have figures of this ilk that don't tower over everyone else. How can you be leading if you can't even fit in the same room? The detailing is excellent and I like the placement of the battle damage, although it looks odd on the insides of his forearms. The only thing I don't like is the sculpted titled ankles. He's constantly stood in that 'A' frame power stance, much loved of politicians, and it does hamper some of the poses you can put him in.

Vehicle Mode: I like the vehicle mode. It looks tough and rugged for a tractor trailer made out of scaffolding and wedges. The more I look at it, the more I notice it's mostly cab. Still, it rolls really well and looks great. I always liked the RID design and I like the homage. The attack mode, all jammed up with guns, looks suitably brutal. He can't cart around any of his Autobot pals, which must be a relief, but a bit of shame play-wise. The only bad things are the wiggly toes at the back of the trailer. Unplugging the trailer section leaves you with an odd looking cab. The blue snow plough detracts from the rest of the whiteness, but not half as much as those robot arms flailing about at the back.

Marks out of ten for the following:

Transformation Design: With any Ultra Magnus, you expect a degree of parts-forming, as he's wearing a suit of armour. Whilst this is well engineered and everything tucks and fastens away nicely, the compromises made to the tractor cab are a bit disappointing. The robot arms having nowhere to go is perhaps the biggest head-scratcher. In trying to make a figure that looks like Optimus different from Optimus, there's clearly been a struggle knowing what to do with the arms to keep the shaping for the vehicle mode. 7/10

Articulation: In his base robot mode, Ultra Magnus is crazy poseable. He's got ankle tilts, writst swivels, waist swivel bends at that the knees, hips and elbows. His head can look up and down and for a podgy chap, he's pretty dynamic. The super robot mode also has this same articulation, but those sculpted tilted ankles – an odd choice given that these can tilt anyway – means he can't make good use of it. 8/10

Durability: The plastics on Ultra Magnus feel very nice. He feels solid and has some weight to him. He feels very well built and there doesn't seem anything that's likely to break. The only thing that is a little frightening is moving the skirt of the truck up the rail on his back, but this doesn't feel an intrinsically weak part. The only other thing you have to worry about is losing some of the bits for him. 8/10

Fun: Of course he's fun! He's a brutal barrage of truck with two different robot modes, some nifty weapons and some power-up goodness. 8/10

Price: £45.99 at retail. Seems a bit steep compared to the 16” Leader Class figures of days of yore that you used to pay this kind of money for, but Ultra Magnus does justify the price. Just. 7/10

Overall: A solid update of the character. Utilising the RID version's alt mode to come up with something suitably Cybertronian without losing the silhouette was a good call. The two robot modes are great and he's fun to play with. 7/10
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