Beast Machines Optimus Primal

Series: Beast Machines
Allegiance: Maximal
Categories: Deluxe
Function: Maximal Commander
Year: 2000

Organic life is often hidden, sometimes overcome, but seldom extinguished!
Optimus Primal, the stalwart commander of the Maximals developed his trademark valor and heroism during his role in the Beast Wars. Since returning to Cybertron, Optimus Primal takes on the new role, training his Maximals the methods of conversion - an art practically lost after the evil Megatron's virus wreaked havoc on Cybertron. In robot mode, he wields deflector arms which store energy and then regenerate as energy shurikins. Jump jets on back allow for short-range flight. Has limited insight into past and future. Can see and activate conversion potential in others.

Robot Mode: I'm of two minds about this robot mode. It doesn't look bad, but it has very little resemblance to the Optimus Primal that appeared in the Beast Machines Cartoon series. The head looks a bit similar, but that's pretty much it. Still, the figure taken by itself gives a decent robot mode. The only real flaw is the feet, which don't work well and give the figure some stability problems.

Beast Mode: Optimus transforms into a gorilla. Again, the mode by itself isn't bad, but while the robot mode held at least some very minor resemblance to the cartoon figure, the beast mode has absolutely none. So if you like partly translucent blue techno-organic gorillas you'll get what you were looking for, but if you're looking for a gorilla resembling Optimus' beast mode in the series, you'll be disappointed.

Remarks: After Beast Wars set a new standard for TV-accurate toy figures, Beast Machines offered up some serious disappointments. This first Optimus Primal figure is barely recognizable as the Maximal leader. That isn't to say it's a bad figure, but it's not Optimus Primal from Beast Machines. Hasbro recognized this somewhat late and issued a second Primal figure, Blast Punch Optimus Primal. This latter one worked out a little better. So overall a disappointing figure.

Rating: D+