Review: #399
Name: Sky Shadow
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Decepticon
Line: Generations - Titans Return
Year of Release: 2017
Size Class: Leader (Wave 4)
Mold Status: new
OMINUS:
Ominus is Sky Shadow's Titan Master and is cast from three different colours of plastic (surprisingly).
The head is visible from the back, especially the silver face which makes it stand out more from the dark plastic.
The sculpting of the head is hard to make out due to the black plastic used. Ominus has balljointed shoulders and head.
JET MODE:
The mode which we usually assign Sky Shadow with, the jet mode has a nice colour scheme of black, gold and red.
The jet mode is mostly good except the back which feels incomplete due to the gaps required for transformation.
In case you weren't aware, Sky Shadow's alternate mode is actually split into a jet mode and a tank mode, with both modes being approximately Voyager sized. Above is a comparison against Titans Return Megatron in tank mode.
There are various points of interactivity with Titan Masters. The first is that the cockpit opens up and you can place Ominus inside to pilot the jet.
The second is that the nose section can detach into a drone and you have Ominus pilot that as well.
As part of the Titans Return line, there is also a card showcasing the artwork.
A strong jet mode that looks great.
TANK MODE:
The tank mode is equally good. Due to transformation, the turret is fixed into place.
This a solid little tank, the only negative is that there is a gap on each side which you can see through from above. It's there mainly for transformation.
Size-wise, it is approximately Voyager sized. It's a lot more compact than one though.
There is a slot on top for you to place Ominus into to pilot.
The treads are molded and there are small plastic wheels underneath which allows you to roll the tank on a flat smooth surface.
The tank has the same colour scheme as the jet. The black, red and silver goes together well.
The jet can also peg onto a slot on top of the tank. Note that this figure is a pretool of Overlord.
Finally, a quick size comparison against Leader Optimus Prime from Age of Extinction to show how big the figure is compared to a typical Leader.
A good tank mode which is somewhat basic and limited but nevertheless looks great.
TRANSFORMATION TO BASE MODE:
Transforming into base mode is easy. You will need to combine the tank with the jet (the same place as for robot mode) but it is effectively the robot mode lying down. There are a few dedicated joints for this mode but it is nothing much worth noting about.
BASE MODE:
As Sky Shadow is a Leader class figure within the line, he features a base mode. This mode is effectively the robot mode lying face down.
To be fair, it is not terrible and looks fairly good and better than some other base modes that we've had.
There are a few places for Titan Masters to interact, in addition to the various pegs for you to put them on, on one side is a slot (the same place as in tank mode).
The other main place is to man the gun.
A nice bonus mode that makes collecting Titan Masters more meaningful.
TRANSFORMATION TO ROBOT MODE:
The tank forms the legs and the jet forms the upper body and arms. In this respect, the tank's transformation into legs is simple yet elegant, involving a few fold out bits to expand the compact tank into long bulky legs. The jet section is also simple since the arms sat underneath the wings, you really only need to fold the jet nose back.
ROBOT MODE:
The robot profile of Sky Shadow is a little bit different to what we're used to since he is very bulky and stocky now.
In this mode, you can't really tell that he's formed from two alternate modes. He carries a fair bit of kibble on his back being the jet nose and the wings.
Without the helmet, the headsculpt just barely passes and still looks somewhat complete (unlike some other Leader classed figures we've had).
With his iconic helmet on, Sky Shadow looks great. The head can swivel from side to side.
He is much taller than a Voyager class figure now.
Compared to another Leader figure, Sky Shadow looks much bulkier, although he isn't that much heavier since there's a few hollow pieces around (they're just not visible, which is great).
Articulation is fantastic. Due to transformation, he doesn't have a waist swivel (as that is the section where the tank joins with the jet).
His feet has ankle tilts so he can always stand flat on the surface in most poses.
Sky Shadow's weapons is the gun forms from part of the tank's cannon, and a shield of some sort that was the jet's drone.
The shield can peg onto the outside of either forearm, and he can hold the gun in either hand.
On the packaging it is noted that the two pieces can combine into a bigger gun but it looks weak as a weapon since it is not bulky enough when it is like this.
The shoulder spikes can be moved to however you like and on the whole, Sky Shadow is flexible and poseable.
A strong robot mode that doesn't evoke the character at first glance but will definitely grow on you.
OVERALL:
Sky Shadow is a very fun figure. He presents a lot of play value thanks to his two alternate modes, a base mode and a strong solid robot mode connected by a simple yet elegant transformation. If you can find him, then Sky Shadow is a recommended figure to buy (although personally, the Generations Deluxe version is a better representation of the character).
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