The Energon Pub

So I've now got the first wave of Beast Hunters 'Bots and 'Cons in hand and after looking at them in both modes and playing with them a bit, I came to a realization (one I'm sure others have already made, but I never read it anywhere so far).

It seems that each of them have taken on attributes of a particular animal. As far as I can figure, here's how it breaks down for the ones I've gotten so far and the ones I've seen:

• Bulkhead - Snake
• Soundwave - Parrot (fits his function for certain since he only plays back what he hears, just like parrots)
• Bumblebee - Porcupine
• Starscream - either some sort of Fish or a Scorpion (I'm leaning towards the latter due to his black 'tail' that sticks up behind his back in bot mode, kinda like Beast Wars Scorponok)
• Wheeljack - jury's still out on him, but I'm definitely thinking some kind of bird of prey like maybe an Eagle or Hawk
• Smokescreen - not sure if he counts since he just has bits of clip-on armor, but if I had to guess, I'd say spider, especially due to his weapon
• Arcee - don't have her yet, but definitely a Bat
• Dreadwing - don't have him yet, but obviously a bird of prey, just like Wheeljack
• Ratchet - everybody knows he's a Dinosaur
• Knockout - don't have him yet, but he is an Alligator for certain
• Shockwave - don't have him either, but whatever it is, I think it's Alien (and very very creeeeeepy )
• Optimus Prime - still not sure as he's not quite as 'Beast Hunter-y' as the deluxes and seems much more inspired by inorganic things...like Transformers Cybertron/Galaxy Force

After realizing this, the alt modes and changes in appearance and color didn't bother me nearly so much. It's an odd hybrid concept, but now that I feel I understand it a bit better, it's actually kinda cool and hearkens back to old toylines like Jayce the Wheeled Warriors and Visionaries and weird stuff like that from the 80's, things that as a kid I could really get into so seeing these new toys gave me a very different (and not so 'Transformers-y') kind of nostalgia kick that I'm enjoying quite a lot.

I suspected it... Never occurred to me that it was the case for all.
The fuzors are back. But now, it's vehicle + animal.

I swear Ratchet's some form of Dinobot homage.

Dreadwing looks like some insect. Especially with his flaired wings and weapon.

The takara versions kinda remove all the crazy colours, and they look pretty normal though. Might work in the case of Bulkhead and Ratchet. The hasbro colour choice was horrendous.

Why do you think Bulkhead is snake-y? I guess I kinda see it...but I feel like there's something else that has to be a better fit... I do however, see Man-at-Arms for DAYS.

Wheeljack is clearly a dragon, he's even got spines and spikes!

I also still say Arcee is more of a lionfish-ish, though I can see the bat thing somewhat as well. It's got spikes and ridges that are very indicative of spine-y fish, like the lionfish.

Calling Dreadwing a bird of prey is putting it nicely, he's clearly a chicken!

Ratchet...what an awful homage, Dinobot AND Dinobot II are probably rolling in their graves...

As someone who was a completionist for PRID, BH leaves me cold. No season 3 cast for me

Nice analogy tho', I can definitely see where you're coming from....

I think you're on to something there, but I don't think Shockwave is supposed to resemble any sort of creature, alien or otherwise.

I think Bulkhead is a turtle.

Pretender Skywarp wrote:As someone who was a completionist for PRID, BH leaves me cold. No season 3 cast for me

Nice analogy tho', I can definitely see where you're coming from....

yeah for once i am not buying everyone in all the waves. it feels good to buy something else like marvel or lego for once. i am getting all the dragon bots. i got prime and when we see megatron i will get him depending on how he looks. also prowl. i think i have gotten less than 10 beast hunters toys so far. i have 7 right now and will have 8 when i get shockwave. and i thought of starscream as a turkey.

To the Bulkhead doubters, if you own him, look at the two 'fangs' on his front bumper, the 'scales' going from front to back (the brown bits) and the snake's frickin' head on his buzzsaw weapon.

You're totally right about Bulkhead. He's also got a sort of "hood" in bot mode that reminds me of a cobra's hood.

I'm not sure Shockwave is supposed to resemble any specific creature, but if so, I'd say he reminds me of an owl.

GuyIncognito wrote:You're totally right about Bulkhead. He's also got a sort of "hood" in bot mode that reminds me of a cobra's hood.

I'm not sure Shockwave is supposed to resemble any specific creature, but if so, I'd say he reminds me of an owl.

I guess Shockwave and Smoke are not meant to have any beast hunters armour on. They are just releases of toys from the Season 1-2 era.

Shockwave looks exactly the same in that flashback episode that showed Arcee's and Cliff's escape.

Really? They strike me as animalistic, but a lot of them don't seem to be a particular animal, just animalistic in general. Kind of like some of the Vehicons in Beast Machines.

That said, I get sort of an insectoid, or possibly crablike, vibe off of Shockwave's Beast Armor. Possibly even spidery, but you already assigned that to Smokescreen.