So I found SS86 Megatron last month. While I had some reservations about the figure after it was leaked in June, it was clear that it was going to be the most accurate mainline take on Sunbow Megatron ever, with probably little room for improvement.
And yeah, that's pretty much right. Megatron looks about as good as he possibly could in robot mode. I suppose that before I sing its praises, I'll knock out the list of demerits:
- QC: more than one person (but including myself) have copies with some pretty loose joints. For mine, it's the left shoulder, and bad enough that he can't wield his pistol with a blast effect attached. Definitely looking to grab another copy that hopefully works better. Update: my second copy finally arrived. Great arm joints, but I switched out the left forearm (the gauntlet wouldn't quite close correctly) and both legs at the thigh (the shin panels weren't locking in place). I also hit the fusion cannon post with some clearcoat so it wouldn't rotate too easily in robot mode, and might put some on the right thigh swivel as well. But otherwise, it's been Frankensteined about as much as it can and I'm really happy with the results. Granted, I'm nearly always defaulting to buying two copies of figures any more, either for part replacement or total replacement, and that's not the most fun thing when the figures are expensive leader class and above.
-Shoulders/upper arms: either the upper arms are too small, or they are brought too far inward by the transformation. It does look right as far as the show model goes, but he can't have his arms hang straight down, only flared out, and that doesn't look good. Update: while slightly bigger upper arms still wouldn't be a bad thing, people pretty quickly figured out that you can mistransform the shoulder assembly in a way that is still very stable while broadening the shoulders and he looks great. Makes it a bit fiddly to pose him, since trying to rotate the biceps usually makes the butterfly joint move, but the aesthetic tradeoff is worth it. Pretty much resolves the aesthetic issue I had with the design.
-The fusion cannon does look weird. I don't care as much now that I have it in hand, but yeah there are some questionable design choices. Update: I have no issues with the look of the cannon anymore; more annoyed that the peg is a bit small so it rotates in bot mode too easily (as noted above, I've resolved this with clearcoat).
-Much worse is that the cannon's 5mm blast effect port is buried too far into the aperture to accommodate most blast effects. This can be worked around by using the barrel extension, but that doesn't give the right look. Surely someone can design a printable adapter.
-I appreciate the pistol and sword, but both have weird flaws, like the pistol's design being off (it looks cool, just not correct the same way the Centurion Drone accessory does) and the sword blade being detachable, but in a way that still prevents it's use by figured with closed fists. This is aggravated by the fact that the handle has a very tight fit in the hand; it makes me nervous that inserting or removing the handle will break the hand. To play it safe, you can always use it as a forearm-mounted blade. SS AoE Optimus handled all of this much better with its Sword of Judgement. I also wish the blade was clear plastic, but oh well.
-The turret's rotation point is way too far back. It doesn't ruin the figure and it's not the first time we've seen something like this, but it's not great.
-Of course, Megatron is nowhere near as big as many former leader class releases; having him stand next to Selects Super Megatron (a mold that was originally released as a Titans Return voyager), they are the same height. There's certainly a difference in weight and complexity, but with the recent leader class price increase (I paid around $65 for this at Target, including taxes), it's getting harder to stomach the latter-day smaller leader class toys (as much as I appreciate them otherwise). A good point of comparison (for size) is Megatron's wavemate of SS86 Grimlock (reissue). As an update, I more recently got out CW Armada Megatron (who at the time I compared to a tall Ultra class of the 2000s era), and man, yeah, the height differential is a bit crushing. There are certainly huge improvements and different priorities suitable for a collector line like SS86, but I don't think it passes eye test vs. cost.
-Despite my complaint about size, Megatron's just a bit too tall at the head compared to Kingdom/Legacy/SS86 Galvatron.
And that's probably it for the problems I have. They do mar the experience of the figure a bit, but nothing overwhelming, and the pros far outweigh the cons.
I think that's about it for my problems with the figure. This thing is incredible, so I'll focus on the highlights:
-These may be one of the most successful figures to capture a Sunbow character model, all the more impressive considering it had to be engineered around a different alt mode. It very much looks like Megatron as he appeared in the G1 show/movie. SS86 Optimus was mostly successful (some wish the head was more accurate, and I agree), but there is something about Megatron's proportions and sculpt that just really sell the animation model better than most other SS86 (or otherwise Sunbow-focused) figures. It's nice to finally get the pistol (tank) barrel incorporated, even if it is by parts-forming (being accomplished the same way that AotP the Fallen handles it). I'd love an abdominal mounting like the G1 toy, but it looks great as-is. Also, a G1 Megatron toy without a backpack is a bit of a rarity, and it's impressive that it could be accomplished here.
-Speaking of alt mode and transformation - this is a pretty incredible transformation; my only real hiccup is that it's hard to complete either the legs or the torso transformations independently based on how the torso locks into both the hips and the shin plates. I'd prefer that it was possible to transform the torso securely into the tank front/turret and then move on to the legs/treads. The legs/treads themselves are fantastic and I'm pretty sure we've never seen it executed this way before. TR Megatron had sort of the opposite idea, with the treads encompassing the length of the tank and then collapsing into the arms, but that led to flat-feeling arms and legs that were perhaps less bulky than desired. I'd say that Megatron's boots are a bit exaggerated in their flare and bulk, but for how it cleverly accommodates such a prominent part of the tank mode, it's extremely well done and very fun to convert. I also like the "burst open" arrangement you can apply to the treads when going to robot mode. The turret transformation is a bit unintuitive regarding the shoulder apparatus, but I love the rotating gauntlets. The turret, overall, could look better, but it works well while not sacrificing the robot appearance much.
-Articulation is pretty phenomenal. I'm reminded of Kingdom Rodimus, which was the first mainline TF I bought to feel like a premium action figure in terms of movement options. Again, SS86 Optimus does a commendable/comparable job, but I'll just say that it's hard to make Megatron pose poorly. Also, action poses help minimize the weirdness of the shoulder proportions without needing to "unlock" them. The feet are big, stable (but mobile) bases, and allow for pointing toes despite the heel not having clearance to rotate up - yes, this is a consequence of how the toes transform, but I'm glad it works out for both purposes.
Clearly, this mold represents a new standard in mainline Megatron design, and as such I expect some redecos/retools down the road (though not as many as the Siege/Earthrise mold, as this is a more expensive leader instead of a voyager, and they get few release slots per year). If I'm not mistaken, we are already due a TFTM 40th Anniversary release next year. I think that could go one of two ways: keep the same basic deco, but retool the head and chest to have the cracked battle damage from the Battle for Autobot City in the movie. Alternatively, we could get a counterpart to the 2021 reformatting Galvatron, casting this in clear/solid purple with some grid deco lines. I'd be a lot more likely to get the latter than the former, but in either case, it wouldn't be a terrible idea to switch up the weapons so that Megatron has his TFTM-exclusive laser pistol sidearm, and also a new, articulated energon morning star. I'm fully aware that the morning star is from the TV show and not the movie proper, but that's irrelevant to me and SS86 Optimus got his axe. I do still like the Centurion Drone's morning star, but as I said, having a new articulated version would go a long way to completing the look of the figure.
Other options: I feel a comic edition is inevitable, though I wouldn't have much interest. I don't think an SG repaint of this mold would work well either (it didn't work that well on the Siege mold, even with the new parts). Megaplex could be fun and is overdue. Honestly, with next year being the 20th anniversary of Classics, I'd love this mold in the Classics deco. That would be fun.
Regarding a legacy of adaptation, we're nearing two decades of G1 Megatron reinvention. This is a thread/theme that has stuck in my head over the years, and I've loved seeing the new iterations as they've come. It's especially interesting for Megatron specifically, as his appearance diverged much more from his G1 look during the RiD/UT years as opposed to Optimus.
Here are the primary toyline entries that I would consider to be part of this neo-G1 Megatron lineage. I've mainly excluded figures that were primarily intended to represent his G2 form (though willing to include G1 repaints thereof) or other major deviations, and also those from non-mainlines (like simpler figures for younger audiences, the masterpiece molds, or those from non-G1 continuities). I'm also mostly interested in the larger molds of deluxe, voyager and leader classes, though I do want the 2011 Reveal the Shield Legends class to get a special mention here as being one of my favorite G1 Megatron molds of all! Also, if not for continuity, I'd definitely include SS Concept Art Megatron, as he's clearly rooted in G1 and doesn't visually have much to do with his other movie renditions, but still.
-Classics Megatron (Voyager, 2006), Titanium Series (Cobra 6", 2006), Titanium Series (War Within 6", 2007), Universe: Special Edition (Deluxe, 2008), Combiner Wars (Leader, 2015), Titans Return (Voyager, 2016), Platinum Edition (Voyager, 2016), Siege (Voyager, 2019), Earthrise (Voyager, 2020), Generations Selects (Voyager...plus? 2020), Legacy Evolution (Miner Voyager, 2023), Legacy United (Gladiator Voyager, 2024), Studio Series 86 (Leader, 2025).
So, one by one:
-Classics Megatron (Voyager, 2006): The original G1 Megatron reinvention, Classics Megatron was something special, as we'd had no previous G1 Megatron toy since Machine Wars in 1997, and of course, the last one to be based on the original design was the 1990 Action Master, but for obvious reasons it doesn't quite count. The G2 line had some great Megatron molds, but they themselves were a reinvention of the character with both new colors and a new alt mode, breaking new ground where the G2 Optimus toys were more conservative. Classics Megatron balanced a few objectives: using a pistol alt mode, colors based more on the Sunbow model than the G1 toy, and modernizing the design. The alt mode, recognizable as a modified Nerf Maverick design, was a decent way to get a legally acceptable pistol mode. Choosing a shell-former transformation scheme allowed the pistol mode to maintain the right look while also getting a pretty humanoid robot, albeit with giant wings, one of the major aesthetic divergences of the mold. The colors were spectacular if not correct; white, black, purple neon green and a touch of gold and orange made for a compelling visual and recalled the Action Master's vehicle, but fans immediately wanted the mold released in the character's traditional colors. This would happen fairly soon via Henkei, but it would take a decade for it to happen in a domestic figure. The figure itself is a lot of fun - laying everything out to close the alt mode shells makes for an interesting transformation, and the robot is very imposing/dynamic. Having the same design today with a removable cannon, waist swivel and tilting ankles would be the cherry on top of an already great design. Of course, the only major semblance to the show model is the use of white over the G1 toy's silver (of course, these days a light grey is used as the preferred interpretation of the Sunbow color). It definitely feels like a product of its time, a UT toy shoved forward into the world of G1 updates. Any of the various color-accurate repaints will get you a better capture of Megatron's original design, but in a line of somewhat loose reimaginings, Classics Megatron is a fascinating first swing.
-Titanium Series (Cobra 6", 2006): Widely regarded as one of the worst transformers figures, I've only included it here because it meets the criteria I've set out above. The design and colors are actually pretty good, but the build quality is terrible, and I only bought it on clearance for $5 (MSRP was $15). It's really not a toy that truly attempts to capture the original Megatron look, but it was the only alternative to the Classics toy, and in some ways hewed closer to the original. I'll end by saying that the base design is solid enough that another take on it, without die-cast and at least voyager in scale, would be worth a shot.
-Titanium Series (War Within 6", 2007): A much better Titanium Megatron, this was based on the design from the incredibly popular The War Within comic book. Unfortunately, the simplistic design restrictions imposed by the die-case use in the line meant that the design couldn't really be done justice, with the transformation being pretty elementary, relying on some partsforming (on a deluxe-scaled figure) and the robot essentially laying down to achieve the tank mode. Still, this figure was much closer in overall aesthetics to a "true" G1 Megatron - granted, through a Dreamwave lens - so it was pretty popular regardless. The use of actual silver paint (as on Cybertron Galvatron, who used G1 Megatron's color scheme) was very appealing, and the Titanium War Within Optimus, a very popular figure, needed a counterpart regardless. This was very much a situation of one step forwards, two steps back, plus this figure was released in the wake of MP-05, which of course was the ne plus ultra Megatron figure of the day.
-Universe Special Edition (Deluxe, 2008): I have a certain fondness for this toy. The mold was originally released in a G2-ish green deco in 2006 as part of a Classics 2-pack, and was a much more palatable deluxe tank Megatron compared to the Cobra Titanium. It was also the much more favorable figure in its own 2-pack, with the Optimus being somewhat lacking. While the figure was dominated by its spinning arm gimmick, it had good articulation for the time, an interesting transformation and a pretty good (if not full-bore G2) deco. For the Universe (2.0) line, Hasbro Toy Shop released a few special boxed (not carded) repaints of Classics molds, and the most appealing one for most was Classics deluxe Megatron in his G1 colors. Once more, the Sunbow coloration was used rather than the G1 toy's metallic silver, and this time it came out as a very light grey compared to the white of the Classics Voyager. The deco is much more cohesive on this release, making it the more appealing version of the mold. The head sculpt in particular shines, as the previous deco molded it in a weird grey plastic that looked painted, while this version looks much cleaner. It has terrific light-piped eyes as well.
-Combiner Wars (Leader, 2015): I was very excited for this mold; the IDW MTMTE comic had recently introduced its Autobot Megatron arc, and I was definitely convinced that this toy would be that design, including Autobot signage (or possibly having a faction-swapping gimmick). I was pretty disappointed. The design had nothing to do with Milne's great-looking concept (there was also a chance it would have been based on Andrew Griffith's post-stealth bomber body from the RiD comic/Dark Cybertron crossover, which also would have been great), and while there was Autobot signage, it was only as optional stickers. I also never cared for how big the head was for this mold, and while it did attempt to have more of a Sunbow look, I don't think it was executed well. The fusion cannon, at least in "G1 mode," is very awkward, with the firing end sticking out way too far back, plus the whole cannon has to swing out of the way into an unstable-looking position to allow Megatron's arm to bend (though I do like the look of the cannon front-mounted, something SS86 can't really do). I found a great appreciation for the mold once I bought the Armada Megatron retool (inexplicably in the same wave, though I bought mine later in 2015), which is still among my favorite TF toys to date. I will say that I miss the days of getting toys covered in metallic paint - it's one of this release's biggest strengths. Another great strength is the fun of the working treads, another rarity in TF toys, though it comes with the downside of severely limiting the knees. I'm sure the tread functionality also lead to this mold being the basis for the Robosen Megatron design, who looks pretty awesome and I wish I had it. I'll admit that I am considering finally purchasing a copy, as this is a major missing link in my lineage of modern Megatron figures, and it is intended to scale with PotP Optimus, which I finally bought last year thanks to a reissue. It's definitely a flawed figure, but it has its appeal, not least of which is that it's the only large mainline toy of G1 Megatron.
-Titans Return (Voyager, 2016): Ah, now this one was worth the hype. For whatever reason, Titans Return, a line which already implemented a headmaster ("Titanmaster") gimmick across all deluxe and larger figures, decided to impose another gimmick across the voyager class: triple changing. While this was a way to get several (but not all...odd move) triple changing G1 characters into the line, it also meant that such molds were also getting pretooled/retooled as somebody else as well. This didn't always work, as with Sentinel Prime (who should have been a truck, not a shuttle/train) and Optimus (terrible jet mode compared to Octane's), but much of the time, it did. Megatron is a great example - he's clearly a Blitzwing pretool, but the concept of jet/tank triple changer absolutely makes sense for the Decepticon leader. And despite being based on a Blitzwing robot mode design, Megatron gets enough specific tooling to really sell the mold as his own. While truncated due to the headmaster gimmick, the faceplate looks great and fits the modern, sharper interpretation of Megatron's head design found in IDW art and other sources. The chestplate looks great, though sadly depends on stickers rather than paint/tampographs for added detail (as would most TR voyagers). There have been many detractors of the fusion cannon, which has two parts; the barrel forms the tank turret barrel, and the rear of the cannon (the scope's eyepiece on the original G1 toy) is "replaced" by a typical TR headmaster-compatible accessory/gun, so Doomshot (the headmaster) can sit in it. This does look weird, making the back of the combined fusion cannon weirdly two-dimensional (though retroactively, it does mean that you can apply a PotP Primemaster spark to the cannon, which is cool). It's also not helped by the color difference - the cannon's front piece is black, but the back is light grey. If it were all black it would work much better. It's definitely could have looked better, but it works considering the line's play pattern. I've also always considered this my head-canon version of a hero/Autobot Megatron, though I've never actually removed his Decepticon stickers and replaced them. Both alt modes on this figure are terrific, and the bot mode has some great kibble placement as well (you can finagle a Seeker-ish Megatron, which is fun). My only real problem with the mold (as I mentioned above) is the arm transformation. In concept I don't mind it, but the way that the treads collapse makes the arms feel like flat panels that only look right from the front. Megatron should have powerful, boxy arms, and this mold just doesn't. I do love the option to attach the front/main fusion cannon over either shoulder, and I really wish I had the TT Legends Hero G2 repaint as a result. That is absolutely one of my most regretted missed purchases over the years; it looks amazing.
-Platinum edition (Voyager, 2016): as noted above, this was the first (and only) domestic release of the Classics mold in more accurate colors. However, to make it legally acceptable, the gun mode had to be pretty colorful, so the panel wings are clear red, not grey or silver or anything. I was ok with this tradeoff, enough that I was willing to purchase this two-pack (the included Optimus is much less of an interesting repaint) for mainly just Megatron. He looks spectacular in robot mode, though I do wish his biceps were silver rather than the red of his forearms. It was fun for this to come out the same year as TR Megatron.
-Siege (Voyager, 2019): it was difficult to contain my excitement for Siege Megatron. Siege Optimus looked good too, but Siege Megatron was going to be the first "normal" take on the character in a while - not a triple change like TR, in better scaled unlike CW, and with modern engineering too boot. I actually bought the Cyberverse Warrior Megatron in late fall 2018 to stave off my hype for the Siege figure. And while I still enjoy the mold, it's certainly already dated. I never did like the weird neck articulation, and the arm turret is a bit mushy in alt-mode. Also, while the barrel/sword is a creative way to include a lesser-known part of Megatron's arsenal, it's also really big and distracts a bit from the main fusion cannon, which should be the star of the show. Aside from the mushy turret, the tank mode does look really cool, and is very Siege in how it rides that line of being "Cybertronian" while also being recognizable; I think Megatron does this better than Optimus and most other Siege figures. Our first blast effect-compatible Megatron, the figure can have effects on both gun barrels, and even a swiping effect on the sword blade. Despite being smaller than the SS86 toy, this version looks big and powerful in a way that SS86 doesn't - but it's not trying to capture the screen appearance, so this should make sense. Not a bad figure with which to usher Megatron into the modern age of TF engineering.
-Earthrise (Voyager, 2020): I never bought this one - it didn't look good enough to order, and I never saw it in shelves, thanks to pandemic shipping disruptions. A heavy retool of the Siege mold, the base figure was fine enough (though the head is weird looking, and the front treads make for an even larger backpack. The big fumble was the tank barrel/sword weapon. For whatever reason, they decided to completely change how this would transform, ditching the clever method of the Siege version and basically making the sword into a spear, with the barrel forming the spear's shaft. However, they also attached some panels that would add definition when attached to the tank turret, but just awkwardly hangs from the weapon mode. Many have tried attaching the barrel to the backpack to echo the G1 animation model, but this looks particularly bad in this attempt. I did consider getting both the G2 and Dramatic Capture repaints, but never pulled the trigger. I'm certainly glad I skipped the normal version, as with many figures of the time, it suffers from bad yellowing. And while the DC repaint still has some appeal due to the shiny paint, SS86 Megatron has greatly reduced that appeal.
-Generations Selects (Voyager, 2020): I really like this one. I was much more of a TR Galvatron fan than most, and the idea that they would actually retool him into Super/Ultra Megatron (following his upgrade pattern in the Japanese media) was incredibly obvious thing in hindsight. I also love TFs with multiple bot modes, and this figure specifically follows the pattern of Animated Shockwave, with two bot modes AND two alt modes - but in this case, the alt modes are actually really distinct from each other. It didn't hurt that we also got a Megatron pistol and energon morning star in the Centurion Drone set around the same time, so I've mostly kept those accessories with Super Megatron since I got him. He also has a good counterpart in Selects Star Convoy, though with AotP Star Convoy being much bigger, a lot of folks now want a larger Super Megatron with a dedicated mold. I wouldn't complain (except for the inevitably high price), but for now I'll greatly enjoy this version.
-Legacy: Evolution (Voyager, 2023): a pretty late retool and repaint of the Siege mold, this is my favorite version of it. It comes in a set with a great rendition of Senator Ratbat, and the colors and retooling on Megatron are superb. You can definitely feel its age, but the head perfectly captures Milne's art from Megatron: Origin, and the new accessories (drill and pickaxe) make him much more interesting than otherwise. He's certainly a much more successful retool than the SG version. I won't say much more here, as it's still the Siege mold, but for both story and aesthetic reasons, it's the must-own version of the mold.
-Legacy: United (Voyager, 2024): a clever way to go for one last milking of the Siege mold, this version retools Miner Megatron just a bit more to resemble his Gladiator form from the same Megatron: Origin comic. I don't think this version looks nearly as good as the Evolution one, but his one gets two more weapons, both straight from the comic, and of course the big selling point of coming with the most accurate take on IDW cybertronian Optimus yet, interestingly based on Gamer Edition Optimus. I actually do want this set, but never have bit on it, even when on sale a few times. Still, it's not a bad way to retire the Siege mold.
