Omega Supreme

The Big Boy Returns

Hasbro Transformers Cybertron Line, 2003

When you talk about the Transformers, there are a few big players that need to be mentioned. Not big in the popular sense like Optimus Prime or Starscream, but big in a more literal sense. Some of the Transformers are physically gigantic. Some of the names that would come along include the walking cities of Fortress Maximus, Triptycon, Scorpinok, and Metroplex. And then of course, there's the planet-god Unicron. But if you go back to the beginning, there was one name that appeared before all the others. The original 'Big Kid On The Block', whose name struck fear in all Decepticons; Omega Supreme.

Background

Omega Supreme occupies an interesting place in the Transfomers mythos because he's often depicted as a victim of the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. In the original series, he was a semi-derranged psychopath hell-bent on revenge. Even dressed up to be safe for US cartoons, it doesn't take a lot to realize that this Autobot suffered from a variety of mental illness as a result of the war with the Decepticons. Remember, he ATTACKED Optimus Prime in order to get as his percieved enemy. Prime managed to talk him down, but he was prepared to let San Franciso be destroyed just so he could get as his sworn enemies, the Constructicons. Even in the most recent incarnation of the show, Transformers Animated, Omega Supreme was the ship that upon which Optimus Prime and the others traveled to Earth. He was actually a sentient being, but was so mentally devastated by the war that he willing chose to be put into coma so as not to have to deal with the horrors of the on-going conflict. This is most tragic when you realize that Omega Supreme is almost always obscenely powerful, to the tune of being the commander of the elite Omega Guardian robots (at least in the original series). This juxtaposition of unbridled power and unhealing wounds, especially mental and emotional wounds, has only helped to add to this character's enduring appeal.

Outside the mythos of the Transformers, the original Omega Supreme toy is one of the most sought-after because it's almost impossible to find in completion. Made up of a billion-gazillion tiny pieces, almost all of which were integral for the robot's integrity, most of the toys live on as half-completed forms that can't fully transform. Fortunately, when it was announced that there would be a new Omega Supreme toy for the Transformers Cybertron line, fans were understandably psyche.

　

Appearance – 4 out of 5

This is a well-made toy that looks not only like the Transformers Cybertron incarnation (upon which it is based), but also harkons back to the original character from the Generation One series. This makes the toy very appealing to fans of Cybertron, the original series, or just the franchise in general. There's visually quite a lot going on with this toy, but it works together into a very harmonious display, with the colors and textures balancing rather than clashing. It would have scored higher except that for a toy this size, a bit more variety and depth of texture would have been nice to see.

Construction – 5 out of 5

This is a very rugged and sturdy toy that is damn-near impossible to break. Every facet of the toy that moves is designed to disengage and snap back into place rather than break irrepairably. The toy has a dozen subtle moving parts, some of which move in tandem and they all work beautifully. A grat example is the trio of turrets on the left shoulder and arm of the toy. The turret on the arm never fails to sync up with the turrets on the shoulder when the toy is in vehicle mode, a level of care and forethought that is almost unprecedented.

Movement – 5 out of 5

The toy is extremly mobile with lots of joints and posing potential.

Extras – 2 out of 5

The toy comes with two missiles that load into a missile launcher (on the left shoulder) and a figure that becomes the head. Unfortunately, that is all. There are no additional features, no added weapons or bonus options, nothing. Given the character's tremendous size and power in the narrative, this isn't too unbecoming, but it still would have been nice to have a few additional clip-on features or something.

Packaging – 4 out of 5

The packaging is pretty standard for Hasbro, which means it's above-average for the toy industry. There's an ID card that can be cut out that gives stats and a character overview, a crash course in the series story, depictions of the toy in robot and vehicle mode, and a clear plastic view of the toy itself. Nothing too remarkable, but everything done and done well.

Overall – 4 out of 5

I'm almost ready to give this toy a Five rating, but the lack of a meaningful vehicle form is what held it back. The toy transforms into two trains that can link into one super-train that, while cool, don't really do anything. There are no features in the vehicle form that aren't available in the robot form, which means that few people will be inclined to transform the robot. This is probably for the best as the transformation process is exceptionally simple and not compelling at all. Odds are, you'll simply leave this toy in robot form, which kind of defeats the purpose of it being a Transformer. But other wise, that's perfectly fine because the robot form is frickin' awesome.