Review: #438
Name: Swoop
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Autobot
Line: Generations - Power of the Primes
Year of Release: 2018
Size Class: Deluxe (Wave 1)
Mold Status: new
ALTERNATE MODE:
Swoop transforms into a robotic pteranodon. True to his G1 self, he has a fairly big backpack.
You can see that the bits right above his feet is hollow. Otherwise, this is a pretty good mode.
As part of the Power of the Primes line, Swoop comes with a card.
A neat effect is that his robot head is transparent plastic but has gold painted on the inside, so it has the same layered look as the G1 toy.
Alternatively, Swoop can stand upright, and his wings have enough joints to fold in like a vampire's.
Size-wise, he is a little bit small in this mode, above is a comparison against Age of Extinction Scorn.
In line with the current trends (and major cost cutting), the chest detailing are stickers, which is unfortunate.
His robot weapons, being a sword and combiner fist, can peg underneath the head and on his back respectively.
A good alternate mode and to be fair, you can't really stuff this mode up.
TRANSFORMATION:
As Swoop can also form a combiner limb, he has a fairly simple transformation. Thankfully, it is not a carbon copy of the ones from Combiner Wars so he is a little bit more interesting. Still, it's basic and pretty uninspiring. The backpack unfolds to become the robot legs, the arms unpeg from the sides and the dinosaur head folds into his chest to form the torso and reveal the head.
ROBOT MODE:
Swoop's robot mode is once again fairly accurate to his G1 incarnation, the major difference being the pteranondon legs on his shins.
There is no kibble which is surprising and quite impressive. You can see the combiner port on his back.
The headsculpt is really good, although the head can effectively only turn from side to side.
Size-wise, he is around the same height as a typical Deluxe, but a bit less substantial due to even more hollow parts and seemingly lighter plastics used.
Swoop has the standard articulation with hinges and swivels for his shoulders, elbows, hips and knees.
The wings are also adjustable to your liking, with enough joints to angle it or open them up for a wider wingspan.
Swoop's weapons are a red sword and the combiner fist.
Swoop can wear the combiner fist as chest armor. The two thumbs tab onto his chest. As far as tacky armor goes, it can be worse.
The sword is much better as a weapon.
A better use of the combiner fist is as a shield pegged onto his forearm.
You can also take out the clear part (where a Prime Master, Titan Master or Enigma of Combination can plug in) to be held in his hand as it is molded as a small handgun. Officially, he also holds the combiner fist as some sort of handheld weapon although it looks extremely ridiculous.
A solid robot mode, despite the obvious further cost cutting.
OVERALL:
Swoop is a good if uninspiring figure. He doesn't do anything new and is quite simple considering the balance of complexity and simplicity of the Titans Return line. Nevertheless, he looks great in both modes and is is fantastic to get new renditions of the G1 Dinobots.
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Power of the Primes brings back the gimmick of all Deluxes being able to form limbs for the Voyager class.
Swoop himself is a part of Volcanicus, usually forming the right arm. Arm mode is effectively the robot mode with the wings pegged in.
Leg mode is the robot mode but with the thighs collapsed.
The difference in this line compared to Combiner Wars is that the Deluxes comes with combiner fists, while the Voyagers come with two feet. Gone are the days where the pieces can double as hand and foot.