Megatron

Namesake of a Pistol

Hasbro Transformers Generation Two, 1992

Whether it’s toys or the mecha genre, Hasbro’s Transformers hold a hallowed place in the hearts and minds of all. But where there is love there is also heated controversy stemming from the slightest deviation of the established and accepted norm. And nowhere is this more evident than in the vehicle modes of the beloved Transformers. Consider for a moment the ardent debates about Optimus Prime in the 2007 live-action movie. All other aspects of the debate aside, many griped and complained that he went from a flat-nosed truck to an extended-cab truck. He didn’t even change vehicle types and people still got pissy.

The origins of this debate could arguably date back to the Transformer’s line rebirth in the early 90s with the Generation Two series. While Gen-2 saw many of the original toys refurbished and repackaged, others were recreated, including Optimus’ nemesis, the leader of the Decepticons, Megatron.

　

Background

When the original Transformers series ended in 1989, it left a vacuum in the hearts and minds of fans everywhere. The toys managed to endure for sometime after, but without the animated series to promote them, they quickly became more of a novelty than anything else. That changed in 1992 when Hasbro relaunched the Transformers line as Transformers Generation Two. While most of the toys remained unchanged despite some slight cosmetic alterations, one toy was radically re-imagined: the leader of the Decepticons, Megatron.

Megatron originally transformed into a Walther P-38 pistol that was so accurate in its detail, urban legends sprung up about Megatron toys being used in an assortment of crimes (the validity of these stories always remaining highly suspect). While this is often pointed to as the reason for Megatron’s reimaging as a tank, there are other equally if not more believable explanations. Megatron’s transformation sequence from giant robot to robot-sized pistol challenged the suspension of disbelief for many fans…fans of a show about alien robots that transform into earth vehicles. When the series would be translated into the live-action movies, this issue would be revisited with the writers of the movies stating ‘Megatron turning into a pistol would be sort of like Darth Vader turning into a lightsaber and having some else wield him’. And while the thought of a Darth-Vader-lightsaber wielded by Boba Fett is certainly compelling, the argument still stands.

Whatever the motivation, the solution was to have Megatron transform not into a pistol but into a big honking tank, complete with firing cannon. This actually silenced some complaints about Megatron’s new form because in the end, going from a pistol to a tank is kind of an upgrade.

Appearance – 3 out of 5

It’s a little tricky judging this toy’s appearance because of it’s not clear what to judge its appearance against. If we compare it to the original Gen-1 Megatron, then it fails to look as realistic, but it succeeds in looking more like the Megatron from the animated series. Seriously, check out the face and body of the original Megatron toy and you’ll see it looked nothing like Megatron from the series. As this is a tank – and a kind of neon camouflage tank at that – this Megatron toy doesn’t look like he did in the series. However the face is not only dead-on but it actually captures the overall identity of the character from the animated series. Likewise, when compared to other toys in the line, the physical size of this toy definitely helps to lend some credence and credibility to the role Megatron plays in the narrative (IE being a source of fear).

Representing the animated series’ character aside, this is a solid mid-range toy when it comes to appearance. There are lots of tactile details, but most of them are a bit weak in their overall execution. This is by no means a model of a tank, but it does fit in with the way the Transformers were/are generally depicted.

Construction – 2 out of 5

The Generation 2 toys were a bit of a sad time in toys because it really marked a turning point in the Transformers line because fewer and fewer of their figures were being made out of the beloved die-cast metal. Worse, the plastic that was being used had a tendency to be a little on the light side. Megatron is no exception and while the toy is not outstandingly weak or found lacking, it is a bit noticeable how light the arms, legs, and the toy overall is when held in the hand. It’s not bad, but it certainly could be a lot better.

Movement – 2 out of 5

The figure’s movements are pretty limited to linear shoulder rotation and elbow joints (not including the wheels meant to simulate the tank treads). There are knees and a waist, but their movements are more connected to the transformation sequence. The head doesn’t rotate, which is a shame. The gun does elevate partially, but that’s about it.

Extras – 3 out of 5

I can’t decide if it is disappointing or expected that Megatron would come with so few extra components. The Transformers line(s), for all their strengths, have never really been one for extras. Megatron comes with a pistol (that doubles as an anti-personnel rifle in tank mode) and six missiles that the cannon can fire in either mode. Only four rounds can be loaded at a time, but there is storage for the extra rounds in Megatron’s legs.

What few extras it has, I think this toy does a very good job. Everything can be used and utilized in every mode and everything the toy comes with can be contained in the toy itself. It’s this trait that I really wish we’d see more of. Likewise, the use of electronic sound effects (cocking the gun and firing the gun – which is two separate motions, which I must highlight as being awesome – raising the left arm for laser-firing sounds, and an ‘I am Megatron’ voice effect when the head is pressed down) is effective (though the voice doesn’t even remotely sound like Frank Welker) but not overbearing. I think this section might have ranked higher if it had just worked with a few more extras.

Packaging – 4 out of 5

Hasbro knows packaging, there’s no doubt. The Generation 2 toyline looked cool and the packaging used a lot of the classic toy designs along with new approaches to packaging. There is a bio card with a personal quote, character stats, and a general overview of who the character is. Likewise, there are Transformer points (that unfortunately never ended up being used, unlike the original line where Reflector could be ‘bought’ using the points) and a review of the story and the character.

Overall – 3 out of 5

This kind of toy is one of the hardest to rate because it falls so squarely between a Three and a Four. If they’d done just a wee bit more with the toy or had done things just a wee bit better, this would be a fantastic toy that every kid, collector, and fan would love to have. As it is, just one too many elements come in just under expectations, leaving this version of Megatron on the upper end of the mediocre side of things.