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Like many of the Transformers, Scourge started life in Japan. After Transformers Generation 1 quietly departed American airwaves and toy shelves, the series continued on to Generation 2 in Japan. Comprised of redeco'd G1 bots mixed with new, technologically-advanced toys, G2 gave Japanese fans the bounty that the rest of us could only dream of (or pay importer's prices for); we had only nostalgia to see us through a decade-long gap before Autobots and Decepticons would once again transform and roll out.
Scourge is a no nonsense field commander. Formed during the creation of the Decepticons when Megatron scanned both a tanker truck and Optimus Prime. Because of this mix up, Scourge resents the Autobots and especially their leader. He's cunning, dangerous and cruel - if there is any Autobot goodness within his circuits, he covers it up in acts of destruction. His battle station is a fully loaded weapon and high tech equipment arsenal. Furiously wields his signature sword in battle.
Scourge, a TRU exclusive from the "Robots in Disguise" line, is the North American release of his Japanese counterpart, Black Convoy, who was actually a repaint of the G2 Laser Optimus Prime. For a figure whose design is at least ten years old, Scourge really looks good. His engineering must have been a marvel back in the day; he moves just as well as the newer RiD figures, without the clunky appearance or awkward transformation.
In his vehicle mode, Scourge looks just like a tanker truck. There are no immediate give-aways that he's a giant robot, which makes sense if these characters really are trying to take over the world. He's black with metallic blue highlights, a much better choice than the hot pink that Laser Optimus had. The cab section of the truck is 8 1/4" long, and the tank is about 9". Hooked together, you have a vehicle that is 15" long. But really, no one is buying Scourge because they want to play with trucks; you're here for the big, badass robot.
Scourge's transformation is classically easy: pull down he legs, pull the arms out to the sides, and flip up his head. You're done! It sounds like he should be a fairly immobile lump with such a simplistic transformation, but he's more articulated than you'd imagine; shoulders, biceps, elbows, neck, waist, hips and knees all move freely and give you plenty of playability, while his big flat feet will help you keep him upright. He has a clear red sword that fits in either hand.
Just like the original Prime, Scourge's trailer turns into a battle platform. The cool thing is, it almost does this all on its own; flip down the front of the tanker, press a well-concealed button, and spring-loaded tabs pop the trailer up and out.
The base has three projectile launchers - missiles, rockets, and discs - and enough ammunition for each. The missile launcher can hold five of the ten included missiles, and launch any of them individually. The disc launcher shoots its five pieces more than a foot away, and the pneumatic missile launcher (it's powered by a tiny bellows) fires nearly a yard. Lest you hurt yourself (or, you know, whoever is dumb enough to stand in front of a firing missile), the missile tip is made from incredibly soft rubber. There are storage areas for the extra ammo molded into the base, and they keep everything in place in truck mode as well.
Actually, this isn't the first Scourge toy released here in the Western hemisphere - there was a tiny version in a two-pack released months before his bigger brother. He transforms the same, just at 1/3 the size. Okay, fairly cool, but still doesn't hold a candle to the big boy.
As I've said (and said and said), this figure started as Optimus Prime, and his design reflects that. It used to be that the cab's windshield became Prime's chest, and the grill became abs. Scourge has a differently designed cab, so his actual windshield and grill are on his back and shoulders; his torso, however, still looks like Prime's. That's an attention to detail that I really appreciate - Scourge's ancestry is obvious, no matter which side he's on.
The somewhat mediocre Robots in Disguise has slipped from airwaves, replaced with the even more mediocre Armada. Sadly, it won't be long before the toys go the same route. I'm really happy that I got Scourge when I had the chance. With an outstanding combination of design and functionality, this could be the best Transformer released to date.
As a little bonus before I leave, here are two bits of multimedia fun: Scourge as he appears in animated form, and that famous transforming sound. Enjoy...
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