Beast Wars Cheetor (Transmetal)

Series: Beast Wars
Allegiance: Maximal
Categories: Deluxe Transmetal
Function: Robotic Jungle Patrol
Year: 1998

Following the massive quantum surge, Cheetor emerged as a cybernetically enhanced cheetah. Meanwhile, his robotic form inherited the organic traits once attributed to his beast mode. Now Cheetor prowls the jungle with more agility and power than ever before. Flip-out cyber-thrust wings provide enhanced speed and limited flight while in beast mode, making him part jet, part mechanical cheetah.

Robot Mode: Cheetor's robot mode is an excellent likeness to his TV character, the two being identical as far as I can see. The only real difference is Cheetor's grim face, I don't recall him ever looking that grim in the series. His posability is excellent as with all Beast Wars figures. Sadly he can't put his two arms together in front of him, as he did in the series when firing his weapon (or he can, actually, but only if you unhinge his shoulders). Apart from, that, though, absolutely no complaints. One of the best TV to toy translations I have ever seen.

Beast Mode: The trend continues with the beast mode. Again, pretty much an exact likeness to his TV incarnation. It doesn't really look like a cheetah anymore, but it didn't on the screen, either. So a very good translation. Like with all Transmetals it is possible to modify the beast mode slightly to create a kind-of vehicle mode. In Cheetor's case he folds out small wings with jet turbines at the ends. You can't really do much with this mode, but it's excellent-looking.

Remarks: Cheetor was one of the pivotal characters of both Beast Wars and Beast Machines and quite possibly even more often reproduced than Optimus Primal. In Beast Wars alone he had three different incarnations, not counting some special editions and such. That trend continued in Beast Machines. Having seen the other variants only on photos I still find myself liking this one best, which might have something to do with the fact that it represents Cheetor as he appeared in Season 2 of Beast Wars, which was pretty much the best Transformers ever brought to the TV screen.

From a toy perspective Cheetor is lots of fun, offering an excellent robot mode, a good beast mode with variation, and a perfect TV likeness. I recommend Transmetal Cheetor to every Beast Wars fan out there.

Rating: A