Prospectives: Studio Series 86 Megatron
So, after years of expecting him, theories of Age of the Primes Megatronus being a pretool for him, and a number of cute leaks, we are finally getting a new, G1-accurate Megatron mold through the Studio Series 86 line. A pretty big deal, too, since basically every G1-adjacent Megatron figure has been reusing that same Siege mold since it first dropped in 2019. So a new figure, hewing much closer to the cartoon model, and on a beefier leader-class budget sounds like a dream come true, right? Well...I have thoughts.
Before this, actually, I was kinda championing a commander-class Megatron, to compliment last year's commander-class Optimus Prime. Granted, back then I wasn't super aware of the intricacies that went into figure classes, and how smaller figures can be sold at a "larger" figure class if it has greater engineering and/or more accessories. Seeing as how this figure scales wonderfully with 86 Optimus, and the theories floating around of a trailer-less Optimus being sold as a leader-class price point, my qualms have been mostly settled. I just like seeing Megatron get as much love as Optimus, ya know?
Now, of course, this isn't a truly accurate figure to Megatron as seen in the 1986 film, given that outside of Masterpiece, no Megatron has been 100% G1 accurate since the original release. Having a gun alt mode kinda does that. That said, there are still a number of nice details present here, such as his tank treads disappearing completely into his legs to better resemble his old gun grip legs, or having an accessory that is basically a scaled version of his original alt-mode, bearing a few minor changes. Honestly, a really clever way to capture the spirit of that classic alt-mode (even if I personally always found the gun alt-mode silly, albeit thematically fitting).
As for his ACTUAL alt mode...still a tank? Seriously? I suppose it is the closest they can get to a gun without BEING a gun, but I'm always gonna be a plane Megatron truther. He should have something like he had in Animated or EarthSpark, spice it up a bit! Points for evoking his Devastation design, but oof that barrel...is the barrel on his back really that necessary for his design? G1 really is the only series that actually had that in his design, hm? Clashing colors aside, the turret doesn't even look that good. Seems both too short and too bulky, which is weird cause as a fusion cannon, it looks perfectly fine. Maybe it's just an issue seeing it through photos, could be better in-hand.
A smaller gripe, but where's his energon mace? Like. he's got this sword he apparently had in the film, but not his mace! "He didn't have the mace in the film", sure, but neither did Optimus have his ax, and yet it was in HIS SS86 release. Like, if they're trying to make this the definitive G1 Megatron, I feel they should have included his second most iconic weapon, especially since they DID do that for Optimus. It's small, yeah, but an indication of how Hasbro favors Optimus over Megatron.
Ultimately...I think I'm gonna pass on this guy. For one, with leader classes now being $60, I'm a bit pickier now on which ones I'll pick up, and I have too many hang ups with this figure to justify this price point. And two, I just don't think I like G1 Megatron that much. I think it's the head sculpt, to be honest; just makes him feel old? Or his face is just too long. If ya don't get what I mean, compare his G1 head to his head from Cyberverse or One. The proportions just feel very wonky, which I get it, it is G1, but I feel the animated models (which this figure is based on) are a bit more consistent for making a character feel even.
At the moment, my current main Megatron on display is the Studio Series Transformers: One figure. Do I want a bigger Megatron? Yes, obviously, so much so that I even considered getting Legacy Armada Megatron, but I ultimately went against it given the price point and the fact I didn't like the Armada design that much. 86 Megatron is basically the same thing here, right down to the figure class and everything. Guess I'll just have to wait for the voyager-class One Megatron they're gonna release in like five years. Seriously, if that figure was just a little bit bigger and more a silver, it'd be perfect. Perfect!
But hey. It is Megatron. They're gonna make more of him, right? Bound to eventually make one I'll like.
