This is a tale of beginnings and endings.
This is a tale of excitement and sorrow.
This is a tale of anticipation and heartbreak. This is a review of Star Wars Transformers Emperor Palpatine. When I saw this figure I was actually looking for new Alternators but was satisfied when I saw this figure. Nobody seems to be reviewing this line so I’ll give another.
Vehicle mode:
This is a Lambda-class shuttle made by Sienar Fleet Systems. Shuttle Tydirium was the name of the shuttle used by the Rebel Alliance during Return of the Jedi. Typically the shuttle is lightly armored, heavily shielded, and very fast and maneuverable. Like most of the imperial fleet the ship is monochromatic off white with black windows. The ship has three large wings that extend toward three different corners of a standard triangle when in flight mode to look like and upside-down “Y” or the bottom wings fold up to a “W” shape for landing.
This figure is pretty true to the form above. The wings are large and come disconnected due to the packaging used. The top wing is two pieces. The base attaches via “split peg” that I ranted about in the Luke Skywalker/X-wing Review but there is also a little “bump” in front of it that helps prevent it from rotating. This is also one of the two places you can store the light saber as a spring-loaded missile. The wing then attaches to this piece. The other two wings attach via “hugga peg” method, a “c-shaped” connector squeezes around a peg through the opening. These two wings attach only in one point each. There are three joints per wing; two for the landing mode described above, the third for… folding into Palpitines skirt. The craft body is true to the original unless viewed from below where all the limbs are folded neatly. There is also a spot on the bottom to hang the light saber the same way you can on the x-wing but who needs it. With all of the wings and joints the vehicle is very, very floppy, kind of like Slugslinger in vehicle hyper mode.
Robot mode:
Transformation is very easy: pull off all the wings, unfold the limbs from the shuttle body, fold the cockpit over to form the chest, and reattach the wings as skirt and arm shield. Emperor Palpatine has all the joints you need for dramatic posing. The hands are the kung-fu grip but hold the light saber tightly. **** Caution: Do NOT use the top wing base as a blaster as described on the box and instructions. **** The hand is too small to hold the “split peg” and will funk it up if you try to force it in, now the top wing will not attach at all. The head is ugly, green and wrinkly. The color would have been better used for Yoda.
Over all:
For a line with so much potential they’ve scarred me. This figure sucks. The shuttle mode was decent until I transformed it and then went back to vehicle mode. I’ve already returned it for a refund. Maybe this was a fluke that I got the bum figure but I’ve given up on the line until they hire some regular transformers toy designers who can produce a decent toy or someone else’s opinions changes mine.
| Reviewer | slugpitcher |
| Date | June 5th 2006 |
| Score |  (3 out of 10) |
| Reads | 7464 |
Back to Reviews Index
|
