Greenlock

Not the best pic, I know. Still, I was excited to find this guy at the local WM last night. It's hard to believe, but this is the first new-mold legion/legends class Grimlock since the size class debuted nigh-on ten years ago! Last year's (two different) Grimlock repaint(s) of TFP Rippersnapper was the first release of the character, but this new one is the real deal. The legends class debuted during Cybertron, which Grimlock played no part in. He also wasn't in any of the first 3 movies, so he didn't get s toy there either, and for some reason he hasn't received a G1-style mold through Universe or Generations either. So Neo-RiD (or RiD15, whatever you want to call it) gets to showcase the first legion Grimlock, and he's turned out pretty well.

His transformation is backwards from most Grimlocks' - the Dino head becomes part of the feet and the tail becomes the backpack, closest to Classics Grimlock. I do like how the tail flanks end up mimicking the kibble wings the Grimlock usually has, and overall there is a good sense of design continuity here despite this toy not having the same transformation as the deluxe. I also appreciate the battle mask, a feature not seen off the larger tots but something that, again, strengthens his design continuity with G1 Grimlock. The big departure, of course, is the color scheme. This is not the gray, gold, black and red Grimlock we all know and love. And while the green and Dino mode details may bring Cruellock to mind (at least, it kind of does for me), the amusing thing is that we've had had a green, black and gold Grimlock before - and from another toy line/show called RiD, no less! I'm talking about the excavator Grimlock from RiD (2001), who helped form the combiner Landfill and has pretty much nothing to do with the Dinobot Grimlock. In fact, that Grimlock seems to have more in common (visually) with Scorponok than any Dinobot. If this commonality in color schemes is an intended homage, it's a weird one!