TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:

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Box Art:

Blackjack's review: Universe Legends Red Alert

Name: Red Alert
Alligeance: Autobot
Function: Security Officer
Repaint of: Cybertron LoC Hot Shot

Caution can never be overused.

In my recent obsession with itsy bitsy transformers, I bought many Legends class figures from the Universe line, if only to get to the price where you get the discount. So Red Alert got into my pocket for that reason. I never planned to buy him.

Red Alert is a very interesting character. While he barely got any page time (I think he had a few in the UK though) he had an episode spotlighting him, with Screamer and his partner Inferno as co-stars. Red is a paranoid guy, befitting his position as a security officer. Thus, he doesn't trust anyone, as anyone and everyone can betray him. Irony must be laughing his head off when Red Alert himself teamed up with Starscream as a result of some brain damage. No, really.

The paranoid character of Red Alert is very interesting, but Red is a constantly abused guy. Just ask Dreamwave. He got killed heroically in Prime Directive, only to appear among the Cybertronian council in War and Peace, and then among the new recruits in G1 ongoing. At least he didn't share the Battlechargers' fate...

Red Alert is a repaint of Sideswipe in G1 as a fire chief's car. However, due to Hasbro unable to trademark the name Ratchet and First Aid, the security officer got his name transplanted as the medic character in Armada and Cybertron. They're out to get him I tell ya. The two incarnations all transform into ambulances and generally had the 'medic' stereotype.

Finally, Hasbro decided to brush the dust off our 'King of Paranoia' and repaint LoC Hot Shot into him. Interestingly they didn't use the LoC Red Alert mode, which got into Perceptor and Onslaught. Ah well. At least Red is a fire chief's car now, not an ambulance anymore.

Oh, and Red's paranoia has given those who played him in the RPG severe headaches, or so I've been told. Right, Warcry and Ziggy? I don't dare to play him. Instead I tried my hand on the apocalyptic Dead End... Not a picnic either...

ALTERNATE MODE
Red Alert was a lamborghini Countach in the G1 series, being a redeco of Sideswipe. Interestingly Sideswipe's twin brother had an entirely different mold with Sideswipe, while Red Alert, who's unconnected to Sideswipe whatsoever looks exactly like him. Oh well.

This incarnation of Red Alert is still a sports car, but a Chrysler MIE 412 according to Wikipedia. Again as G1, it is done in a fire chief's car deco. Now in G1 it's probably to make him team up with fire truck Inferno, just as Grapple and Hoist are, but then... which fire chief would use a Lamborghini or a MIE as their car, I wonder?

Anyway, Red Alert is red and white, with a ginormous (yes I said ginormous) Autobot symbol smack in the middle of the hood. The fire dept symbol can also be found on his doors. Like LoC Jazz his windows are entirely painted.

Now here's the neat bit. With a little fiddling, you can extend his wings--without using any sort of Cyber Key. Hurrah! I wonder when they'll make "Autobot Tracks" out of this mold...

The Cyber Key port, while doing nothing, is molded in the vehicle, probably for the sake of show accuracy as of Hot Shot. Oooookay...

ROBOT MODE
In a transformation virtually identical to his deluxe class counterpart (which I own in the form of Getaway. I'm refusing to call him Breakaway.) it's an impressive feat. Red's very nice in robot mode, unlike Movie LoC Bumblebee or Optimus Prime or the little piece of shit that is Jazz.

Colouring is quite well done, and I'm surprised that the wrist cannons inspired by Hot Rod is still there. Wow.

The point where Red Alert suffers is his poseability. His shoulder is on ball joints, but it can't move much due to back kibble. Elbows can only move sideways, like a gorilla. Upper legs are ball jointed. Knees are nonexistent, but it's because of the 'sliding out' part of transformation, so can't blame him.

Other than that, more black is in the chest, and his face is block coloured red. More detailing would be nice in the face and legs. White is so boring. And the screws in the shoulders really detract from the overall appearance.

So do I like him? Well, besides loving the character, Red is a nice toy, and his only faults are lack of poseability and not much painted detailing in robot mode. Get him? Oh yeah. This is an excellent mold. Come on Hasbro. Repaint him into Windcharger. And Tracks.

No, he's not Rescue Ratchet. Seriously.

TRANSFORMATION 1/10 Honestly, G1 Outback is harder than him.
DURABILITY 6/10 quite sturdy for a LoC guy. Watch the hands though. They may snap.
FUN 8/10 What? Little guys rule. That and an hour fiddling with him and Silverbolt in a car ride helped...
PRICE 3/10 He's a legends class toy people!
OVERALL 9/10 Go get him. Seriously. Unless you have the original Legends Class Hot Shot mold, and you might consider that.