The Energon Pub

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

They honestly could have done that anyway, he seems to have a lot of influence from Battletrap and it wouldn't have clashed with the previous use of the name Dropkick.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

They honestly could have done that anyway, he seems to have a lot of influence from Battletrap and it wouldn't have clashed with the previous use of the name Dropkick.

Except the previous use of Dropkick actually lines up fairly well with how this one turned out.

I would not change anything about Shatter and Dropkick, i think they nailed them both by adding in 2 new triple changers that are a great bad guy duo who live up to the name "Decepticons" and are a good strong addition to the mythos.

Plus, I think a duocon in real life without 2 separate robot modes for the components (like PotP Battletrap) would be pretty useless if one couldn't carry around the other

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

They honestly could have done that anyway, he seems to have a lot of influence from Battletrap and it wouldn't have clashed with the previous use of the name Dropkick.

Except the previous use of Dropkick actually lines up fairly well with how this one turned out.

In the "grumbling about being on Earth" way, maybe. But the other major aspect (Mass-produced drone guy) isn't present.

I would not change anything about Shatter and Dropkick

I would. I'd have had them just stick to one altmode at a time for sanity's sake. I would also have made the movie they were in less of a hijack, but that's getting off-topic.

[Deadput]

By all accounts Shatter and Dropkick seemed to be inspired by Movie toy line characters Fracture and Dropkick, their TFwiki article has more details and the possible connection.

If Shatter was inspired by Fracture the name change might of had something to do with legal stuff and/or the Gobot connection of Fracture.

Also Zelda Dropkick from 2007 was both a mass produced Drone and a individual character, and there is no reason that just because we didn't see it in Bumblebee does it mean that Dropkick drones don't also exist in that universe.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

During this pandemic time, a lot of people have a lot more time to surf the internet and potentially make some purchases, and we are here to tell you that a couple of the recent Studio Series figures are for sale at a discounted price at Amazon.com. We will list these figures below for the price they are currently available for, and the amount of savings you can expect for these figures.

So, for those who are hunting Devastator parts, Hightower is currently available for 18.84, a $1.15 savings from retail.

Ready to stop the time? Ready to go Nazi Huntings? World War II Hot Rod is currently $15.23, a $4.76 savings.

Want to scoop up the long sought after wide release of a Dark of the Moon Soundwave, complete with bird buddy? Well he is $15.00, a $4.99 savings.

Interested in some Legion sized figures with cool bike modes and unique transformations? Well, the Arcee sisters are $17.88, a $2.11 savings.

Ready to take to the skies after driving around on the ground? Helicopter Drift is now 18.84, a $1.15 savings.

Remember that nice Charlie's Garage set with a customizable Bumblebee? Well, it is currently down to $22.69, a $7.30 savings.

Looking for a shiny Nitro Zeus? Well the KSI Boss version of the mold is up for $27.87, a $2.12 savings.

That new MPM Starscream reveal got your Movie Screamer itch going? The original Studio Series toy is currently up for $28.73, a $1.26 savings.

And finally, the Leader class Dark of the Moon Megatron in all his Mad Max / hobo glory, is available for $39.15, a $10.84 savings.

Check out these deals, and let us know if you pick up any of these sweet toys! And remember, any order $25 or greater gets free shipping!

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Those are some nice deals.

Personally, my movie Starscream itch would be satisfied by someone doing a clay impression of the HFTD Leader's head and sending it to me so I can fabricate a head for mine.

[Ironhidensh]

Helicopter Drift is still horrendously over priced.

[M. Spector]

I just returned from a snack run to my local meijer and low and behold they where having 25% all size classes! So who did I pick up? The freshly put out jet Shatter and Jeep Bee! Only opened Shatter so far and shes a lovely toy. The transformation is nicely involved and everything fits and tabs together securely. The addition of the movable rear thruster nozzles like a real Harrier jump jet is a nice touch. I also really like the matte black accents used throughout. Overall just really blown away so far. All the jets in the Studio Series line have been pretty solid

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Helicopter Drift is still horrendously over priced.

I disagree, that is actually a pretty dang good toy, far better than the Dropkick use

[EvasionModeBumblebee]

Helicopter Drift is still horrendously over priced.

I disagree, that is actually a pretty dang good toy, far better than the Dropkick use

And Helicopter Dropkick is actually pretty good IMO - it’s not a good Dropkick at all (and since Studio Series is all about screen accuracy I see why people don’t like it), but as a generic Decepticon I think it’s actually pretty cool!

[TF-fan kev777]

Helicopter Drift is still horrendously over priced.

I disagree, that is actually a pretty dang good toy, far better than the Dropkick use

And Helicopter Dropkick is actually pretty good IMO - it’s not a good Dropkick at all (and since Studio Series is all about screen accuracy I see why people don’t like it), but as a generic Decepticon I think it’s actually pretty cool!

I'm with you on Heli-kick. Solid generic con, with a fun transformation. I simply like how they got a reasonably normal width bot out of such a skinny helicopter.

[ZeroWolf]

Would people had been more welcoming to Heli-kick if he just been marketed as a con, perhaps a troop builder candidate like Dreadwind from the first movie line?

I still wonder why they dropped the ball on that figure, considering the standard that the line had set.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Would people had been more welcoming to Heli-kick if he just been marketed as a con, perhaps a troop builder candidate like Dreadwind from the first movie line?

Or, for that matter, Dropkick from the first movie?

I still wonder why they dropped the ball on that figure, considering the standard that the line had set.

Probably a combination of triple-changing not getting along with the movie aesthetic, trying to hide the car kibble in the copter mode being a new curveball even by movie line standards, and deadlines.

[ZeroWolf]

To be fair, I keep forgetting about 07 Dropkick

[Deadput]

It's also partially due to Dropkick being based off earlier concept art which is somewhere on the net to see much like how the first SS Bee movie Bee had aspects from his earlier design such as the door wings.

[Ironhidensh]

Helicopter Drift is still horrendously over priced.

I disagree, that is actually a pretty dang good toy, far better than the Dropkick use

No, you dont disagree. I'm an idiot who got the figures confused.....

[D-Maximal_Primal]

It's also partially due to Dropkick being based off earlier concept art which is somewhere on the net to see much like how the first SS Bee movie Bee had aspects from his earlier design such as the door wings.

Also this.

First go of Dropkick and Bee suffered from changed character models. If they had done car Dropkick first, they probably would have had a better chance of getting it right, but also considering the first go for all 3 main Bee movie bots didn't really do too well, it might be for the best.

They need to give helicopter Dropkick another go, incorporate the now known car kibble into it.

Also, just realized that Offroad Bee is also not movie accurate: the actual movie model had door wings, and this one does not

[ZeroWolf]

So he lost the car wings from the jeep to the beetle? What was the directors idea again behind losing the wings?

[D-Maximal_Primal]

So he lost the car wings from the jeep to the beetle? What was the directors idea again behind losing the wings?

Yeah if you watch that opening scene, he has jeep wing, they're just angled down instead of up like the other movies.

for the beetle Bee, he folded the wings down to make him more round and compact and softer looking, I believe is the quote.

[Deadput]

So he lost the car wings from the jeep to the beetle? What was the directors idea again behind losing the wings?

Bumblebee has wings on both designs, both facing down although on the VW Design it is more folded in on the back compared to the Jeep Bee having them simply hang down.

I think it was about making Bee more humanoid and such for reasons I forget.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

So he lost the car wings from the jeep to the beetle? What was the directors idea again behind losing the wings?

Yeah if you watch that opening scene, he has jeep wing, they're just angled down instead of up like the other movies.

for the beetle Bee, he folded the wings down to make him more round and compact and softer looking, I believe is the quote.

The animators should have thrown something at him when he proposed that.

[ZeroWolf]

He's the director, and they have the final say, that's why the bay movies are all bays fault right? Not like the faults with the films actually fell on multiple people and weren't all on bay's shoulders...

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

He's the director, and they have the final say, that's why the bay movies are all bays fault right? Not like the faults with the films actually fell on multiple people and weren't all on bay's shoulders...

Ugh. I am sooooo sick of people blaming Mike for things that they should really be blasting Kurtzman, Orci, Kruger, and Spielberg for.

[ZeroWolf]

He's the director, and they have the final say, that's why the bay movies are all bays fault right? Not like the faults with the films actually fell on multiple people and weren't all on bay's shoulders...

Ugh. I am sooooo sick of people blaming Mike for things that they should really be blasting Kurtzman, Orci, Kruger, and Spielberg for.

Exactly. Even Hasbro could shoulder some blame as they okayed everything still.

[Rodimus Prime]

He's the director, and they have the final say, that's why the bay movies are all bays fault right? Not like the faults with the films actually fell on multiple people and weren't all on bay's shoulders...

Ugh. I am sooooo sick of people blaming Mike for things that they should really be blasting Kurtzman, Orci, Kruger, and Spielberg for.

Exactly. Even Hasbro could shoulder some blame as they okayed everything still.

Not only okayed them, but insisted on some of them, right?