Manufacturer: Hasbro/Takara
Subline: E-hobby
Year: 1986, 2002, 2006
Contents:
"Ultra Magnus" 18 wheeler Tractor trailer + Car Carrier
laser gun
breast plate (mini vehicle)
helmet/head
2 hip guards/connector
2 missile launchers
4 missiles
2 small fists
2 large fists
"Dion" mini vehicle
Background:Who would have thought that from 1 single low quality animated episode, 3 iconic characters would emerge? I'm speaking about War Dawn which introduced us to Orion Pax, Ariel and Dion.
This may stir a bit of controversy given that Hasbro is quite ambiguous as to who he (Ultra Magnus) actually was before his powerful Car Carrier form, and the Wings of Honor storyline also hinted but left it a cliffhanger too
But given some "coincidences" in the storyline which I shall enumerate:
1. 1986 Movie : Was it just a figure of speech from a dying friend? " Ultra Magnus....it is to you..........old friend............."
Conclusion: They have known each other for quite sometime
2. Ultra Magnus is Optimus Prime's brother in the Dreamwave continuity, and possibly also in IDW continuity. Additionally, Optimus Prime also was described as treating Ultra Magnus as his "kid brother" in TV Magazine's issue #4 of Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers manga.
Conclusion: The Japanese TF universetends to get wonky at times but already hinted.......
3. Car Robot series......he was actually the brother of Convoy
4. DW(and a thousand re paints later) actually had him as Optimus' brother (not to mention the team "Dion" under his command)
5. The Wings of Honor storyline more or less followed the story of the 1985 episode using the Dion character who got blasted together with Orion, got resurrected into the "Hotshot" of the Elite Guard, who later got damaged together with another character called Magnum.
Only one would survive the Solomonic decision Alpha Trion was forced to take
and in the final scene
Conclusion: Very naughty Fun Publications.......
6. His default robot core is a white Optimus. Which, more or less in both the US and Japanese G1 series, figures with the same care models were designated brothers (example: Sunstreaker,Sideswipe and Red Alert(Japanese version), Rumble and Frenzy (Marvel comic)
Conclusion: Authors' intent?
The review:First aspect would be Dion. In the episode War Dawn, he looked like this.
He transformed into some alien looking truck
Well thanks to enterprising Takara, they repainted one of the most disliked character in G1 history into this
A repaint of Wheelie
. Not a bad one btw. Colorful and very tight, with nary any sign of mold degradation. His "sun visor" btw is molded in transparent plastic and optics painted blue. Dion's funky color really shines here...........more pics of him at all angles
How the heck does an alien truck of sorts suddenly turn into a concept car? Takes a lot of imagination to try and picture him like this no?
If I'm to rate him now.............using your "imagination", aww gawd! He doesn't look at all like his picture.............2 out of 5. For effort..............5 out of 5.....no really
If we are to follow the Wings of Honor storyline...............presenting the most underestimated (he never couldn't live down that "............I can't deal with it now......" faux pas back in the 1986 Movie) bad@ss in the Autobot army..............drum roll...................Ultra Magnus!
In vehicle form, he transforms into a super powerful 18 wheeler Car Carrier (which can carry 4 Autobot cars at once......my bad though, used a Diaclone reference pic for that feature
)
Actually, his cab mode is a bleached white Optimus Prime Tractor . Some versions came with rubber tires and a painted face, while others, no plastic windows, no face paint and plastic tires.
He pulls this Car carrier trailer/exo suit of sort in the good old red, white and blue colors.
Connected together
another thing, a hold out from his Diaclone days, this feature was not mentioned in the catalog.................a sort of scout rocket of sorts( sans the wheels) using his breast plate and head. The space in between is where you are to fit the Diaclone pilot.
Now the 'bot himself...............
For an additional factoid, if you would look closely.......see the vertical mold blemish?
This is seen in all "Convoy" figures from 2000 up until Encore( BAPE too). More or less, an indication that the original Convoy master mold has been restored but not without some wrinkles.
Kind of plain looking no? Like a cheap imitation of an iconic hero who would never think twice to................okay okay, enough with the comparison!
Anyway, that mode of his was never shown in the animation back in the 80s. But slap on the pwer armor/exo suit.......voila!
pure bad@ss awesomesauce...................until you see his back side
1980s technology folks.....back then, this kind of upgrade was state of the art...................now, it seems so obsolte with the wonder FP did on CC
Anyways, for a brick that has given me countless hours of enjoyment, I give him a 4.9 out of 5.0. It would seem to be a lazy repaint but with the additional accessories ( how come Hasbro/Takara(?) can't replicate this again?)..........4.9 is a fair rating
Acknowledging some reference pictures from tfwiki.
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