TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:
Alternate Mode:
Additional Image:
Additional Image:
Box Art:
Technical Specifications:
STR
INT
SPD
END
RNK
CRG
FPR
SKL

Blackjack's review: Sky Shadow

Name: Sky Shadow
Alligeance: Decepticon/ Autobot (see his bio)
Transformation: Carrier Plane
Function: Double Agent?

An often-overlooked observer who prefers to remain in the background, silent and unnoticed. Few who know Sky Shadow fully appreciate how dangerous he is. Even among his Decepticon fellows, Sky Shadow doesn't quite fit in. While most other Decepticons prefer to bully, boast and plot against one another, he waits, watching, collecting information and laying his plans until he is certain of victory over his enemies. For in reality he is the Autobot second-in-command Jetfire! Tired of his passive role as commander of the Autobot earth forces, he has gone underground and taken on a new identity in an attempt to bring down the Decepticons from inside.

I got this one at the same store that I got Cyro Scourge. It looks cool, and reminiscent of G1 Octane or Skywarp, and I bought it. He is a late-2006 repaint of Jetfire and I wasn't disappointed too much. Aside from a hollow cavity in his torso, he looks okay... According to his bio, he is Jetfire in disguise, which is fine... We can have the Punch/Counterpunch storyline if this character were integrated into the fiction.

Despite the super-deformed alternate mode, the Cybertron toyline, coupled with its predecessors Armada and Energon, is notorious for the simpler toys aimed at younger children. Once I bought Cyro Scourge, I noticed it is not so for the larger Cybertron toys. So I bought Sky Shadow and Metroplex. Sky Shadow is realistic enough, modeled on some sort of large bomber plane, and he won me over enough to write this review.


ALTERNATE MODE
Sky Shadow is packaged in this mode, and he transforms into a passenger plane. Coloured gold and purple, he has two working missile launchers on his wings, which are detachable. He is sturdy in this mode and my preferred one. He probably is a reference to G1 Octane, or Jetfire's previous Decepticon allegiance in Marvel Comics.

You have to push up the back part of his jet mode and insert his Cyber Key to activate the gimmick-a twin missile launcher popping up and a sound effect. Mine is broken, and the missile launcher is ALWAYS up no matter whether the cyber key is in or not. The sound effect works though, but I couldn't care less.

Appearance wise, Sky Shadow stands grand in my display case, flanked by the two Starscreams I have (Movie, and Movie G1 repaint). he looks sleek in this mode, and better than the Jetfire's garish green paint.

ROBOT MODE
The robot mode looks very cool... from the front at least. The wings form some sort of shoulder armour, the turbines form his hands, his head has a visor, he has two missile racks popping out on the sides of his chest... Everything is great!

Except... When viewed from the side, he has a hollow chest. The nose of his jet mode folds down, but there is a space in between them, and it looks bloody ugly. The legs, which fold up neatly into the jet mode's undercarriage is long and blocky from the side, but that's fine.

Sky Shadow has two guns that can be mounted on the wings. Articulation is excellent, but limited somewhat on the shoulders, as the turbines are attached to the wings.

Transformation: 6/10 Average
Durability: 7/10 Nothing that can break on this toy, except for the bloody Cyber Key gimmick, which broke on me.
Price: X Depends how you like the toy.
Fun: 9/10 He's a double agent, and a jet. What more do you want? Except for the hole in the chest to be covered up...
Overall: 8/10 A superb toy, even for a repaint. He is a great toy and a nice display piece, especially in jet mode. His colours are imposing compared to the original TFC Jetfire.