Fall of Cybertron Blaster

Prelude: Blaster here is a repaint (with new head) of Generations Soundblaster, who is a repaint of Generations Soundwave (Voyager class), who in turn is an up-scaled version of Generations Soundwave (Deluxe class). Got all that? Good. Moving on then.

Robot Mode: Except for the scale (and paint job and head, of course) the robot looks pretty much identical to the smaller version of Soundwave. You have the ‘tape deck’ in the center of the chest (with the window modified to look like G1 Blaster’s tape deck), the spiky shoulder bits, and the wheels hanging off his back and legs. The only main difference is that the larger figure can actually store smaller Transformers in data disc form inside its torso, while the smaller one could only put its weapons inside.

Blaster’s new head is a dead ringer for that of G1 Blaster, though more the cartoon character than the toy. He’s also gotten a blaster (see what I did there?) that looks like just his G1 weapon of choice. The figure is nicely articulated, though he’s lacking a spinning waist. The detailing and paint job matches that of G1 Blaster as closely as possible given that they have different alternate modes and that Generations Blaster is “only” a repaint.

Finally, the aforementioned gimmick. Blaster can store up to three data discs in his chest. Putting them in causes a lever on his back to push out. Push it back in to launch the data discs from his chest and if you’re lucky they hit the ground so that their spring-powered transformation kicks in (see below). Not a bad gimmick, though it does dominate this figure somewhat, requiring almost the entire space in his torso.

Bottom line: a very nice-looking new Blaster. Probably as close to the original as a figure originally intended to be another character can be.

Alternate Mode: Naturally Blaster transforms into the same kind of futuristic SUV / communications truck that Soundwave does. The transformation is nearly identical, too, the difference being that Deluxe Soundwave’s roof in car mode is formed from his feet, while it’s a separate plate on Blaster with his much smaller (proportionally) feet are beneath it. The vehicle looks cool in red and yellow, too.

One thing that’s a bit strange: you can plug in Blaster’s weapon on top and right behind it there’s a tiny little seat. Who is that seat for? None of Blaster’s data disc buddies can even begin to fit. The seat looks to be the correct size for a Diaclone driver figure. Strange, seeing as the original Blaster was not a Diaclone design. Well, there is a tiny little seat there. Apart from that, a nice vehicle mode.

Partner / Add-On: Blaster comes with a single data disc Transformer as partner, Steeljaw. Steeljaw is a repaint of the Ravage and looks more like a panther or jaguar than a lion. Like all the data disc Transformers he features a spring-powered transformation that changes him from his data disc mode into his four-legged beast mode. And… yeah, you can’t really do much more with him. He has almost zero articulation and his beast mode is an unfinished mess. It’s nice that he’s included, but other than that...

Remarks: Compared to his Decepticon counterpart Soundwave, Blaster isn’t really that prolific a Transformer. There was an 18 year gap between his final G1 figure (an Action Master) and the next time he was incarnate in toy form, which was in the 2008 Universe line. He was a repaint of Cybertron Soundwave. Now Blaster has returned in the Fall of Cybertron subline and he’s a repaint yet again. Will we ever see an original Blaster figure again?

Though his presence does answer one important question: why did Hasbro deem it necessary to make yet another WfC/FoC Soundwave figure after the already brilliant Deluxe Soundwave? Well, in order to repaint it into Blaster. If you’re looking for a Soundwave, I personally think that the Deluxe mold is the superior one. But the bigger one is well worth getting as Blaster. Because who knows how many years will pass before we get another Blaster?

Rating: B