Review; Transformers Legacy Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection Leader Robots in Disguise 2000 Universe Scourge

Transformer Legacy, the latest toyline from Hasbro, sees characters from all the various Transformers continuities come together and duke it for for places on store shelves. it has also had a few sublines. Buzzworthy Bumblebee has had a few releases in the legacy line, mostly based on toy colour releases, then there was the Amazon exclusive Wreck 'n' Rule collection which brought together Wreckers from various universes. Today we look at one of toys from the latest subline, Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection, based on the race of the same name in the recent IDW comic, Tread & Circuits. The figure we have today though wasn't included in that comic but is instead a highly sought after, though inevitable, repaint of the Legacy Laser Optimus Prime that came before it, Today we look at Transformers Legacy Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection Leader Robots in Disguise 2000 Universe Scourge, or as I will be calling in this article, TLVS5CLRiD2US.

TLVS5CLRiD2US is, as the full name would suggest, a call back to Scourge from the Robots in Disguise (RiD) 2001 cartoon/anime. In the show, Scourge is created by Megatron corrupting an Autobot Protoform, a pre transforming robot form Transformers have from the Beast Wars cartoon, which then scans both Optimus Prime and a passing tanker, to become Scourge who later goes on to become Megatron's second in command. Scourge would go on to be somewhat of an icon in Transformers lore and his colour scheme would inspire almost all evil incarnations of Prime that would follow. So let's take a look at his latest outing.

As part as the Velocitron Speedia 500 collection TLVS5CLRiD2US comes in this beautiful closed box design with brilliant artwork of his robot and alt mode on the front. on the back we have the mandatory product shots showing off alt-mode, base mode and robot and on the side a beautiful close up shot of the artwork from the front. While I applaud Hasbro's initiative to reduce plastic, I have to admit that, as the first closed box I have picked up off the toy store shelf, I was nervous that the figure may have been swapped from the box. Thankfully that wasn't the case.

Out of the box we get TLVS5CLRiD2US in his alt-mode tanker form, as the toys should be packaged, and oh boy am I in love with this, the magenta of the windscreen really shines through the dark black of the cab with the silver grill and detailing for the exhausts, rims and canisters helping bring the toy to life. I really love the subtle teal highlights thought the cab that just bring some flair to it all.

The trailer is what is to be expected, main body in silver with Black and dark grey for the roof and underside. The detailing of the mould on the trailer though is exquisite. Fuel lines running along the fuselage, hand rail along the roof, hatches, steps, it is just great to see and makes it feel like it would be a real tanker.

The trailer, same as with Primes trailer, opens up and becomes a repair bay styled base, with a little claw arm to operate the repairs. Should Autobots attack when the Decepticons are getting repaired the tower is armed with a turret to help project the wounded. I have also found that due to transformation it can become a tower with a doorway for Mini-cons to enter and exit.

Transforming TLVS5CLRiD2US from Alt-mode to robot mode is quite intricate, lots of panel un-tabbing and flipping and some low clearance bits like bring the shoulders out from under the cab. I have gotten use to transforming it and it becomes easy to grasp but just took a while to get. But once it is in robot mode, oh boy!

This is amazing, I love everything about this design. This Look right here is the reason I didn't buy Legacy Laser Prime, these colours just suit the design waaaayyyy more. Teal detailing makes makes everything pop. The magenta really shines through, especially in the case of the head light piping, I think it's the right shade and having the toy in hand it is not too much like I felt it would be looking at the original product shots. Everything about the colours on this is on point.

As for the sculpt, the detailing is magnificent. The usual small panel detailing that is to be expected now from War for Cybertron through to the faux grill and the shoulder ports. I also want to take a moment to talk about the head sculpt. What an amazing head sculpt, every little detail about it, silver head crest, teal detailing and the menacing look in his eye that is extenuated by the fantastic magenta light piping. It really is a fantastic sculpt all of it.

Accessories and features wise there are a few. The panels on the shoulders lift to reveal the missile launchers which are cast in transparent magenta plastic. The turret from the base mode can pop off to become a usable gun. It comes with a Sword cast in Transparent Magenta Plastic as well as an axe with the head cast in Transparent Plastic and a solid black plastic handle. TLVS5CLRiD2US also comes with it's own Matrix of Leadership, cast with the same transparent magenta plastic, which I guess may make it a Matrix of Chaos, or as I like to think of it, the Dead Matrix. The Sword, Axe and Matrix can be combined to form a long sword styled weapon.

 

Weapon storage when in alt-mode has two options; the axe and sword can be stored inside the tanker, or the axe can be stored on the flatbed of the cab with storage available below the cab to store the sword and give clearance for the wheels.

Now, while I have been all praises up to this point that isn't to say I don't have many gripes about this figure. The first one, though a minor one, is that I am disappointed we don't have adjustable fists like that of Earthrise Optimus Prime, I really thought that would have been a standard for prime going forward. 

My second, and biggest, issue with this toy is that the shoulder pylons don't move. I knew this was an issue getting the figure, it was a very big compliant, but until I had this in had I did not know how big an issue it was. You may have noticed I skipped talking about articulation, that's because it is fantastic, head can look up and down and turn all the way around, legs have almost full free range of movement with a greater than 90 degree bend in the knee, but the arms. Everything is in place for the arms to have great movement but the shoulders stop them from reaching up greater than straight out. with the arms out they can bend because of the panels hiding the shoulder joints. I know there are upgrade kits to fix this, and for the first time, I might actually buy one. No issue with a figure has bothered me as much to justify getting an upgrade kit before.

Overall though, I would have to say it is an amazing figure, I love it, the sculpt, the colours and even given the shoulder limitation, it is still a highly articulated figure with a great range to get it into fantastic poses. If you manage to come across one of these I highly recommend you pick it up. I don't think it'll stay on shelves long.