Movie Blackout (Voyager)

Series: Movie
Allegiance: Decepticon
Categories: Voyager
Year: 2007

Blackout is the largest of the Decepticons. Most often seen looming silently over the right shoulder of Megatron, he is his leader's hound. He pursues relentless efficiency, allowing nothing to stop him in his task. Those who defy him beware: his rage knows no bounds. He will fill the air with fire and burn the land clear to take his revenge. Paired with his minion Scorponok, he is a dangerous and a deadly foe.

Robot Mode: Let's get my one major beef with this figure out of the way first: He's too small. He's a Voyager class figure and his bio describes him as the largest of the Decepticons, yet the figure is the smallest of the Voyager class, barely any bigger than a Deluxe, even if you measure his height to the top of the rotor on his back. Not sure why they made him this small, maybe because his alt mode wouldn't have fit in the box otherwise, but it still grates a bit.

Once you get past that, though, the figure is pretty cool. The look is pure Decepticon warrior, no doubt about it. Posability is quite good even with the large backpack he carries around. One problem with helicopter-robots is always where to put the rotor blades, but Blackout has a pretty good solution, as they hang off his back like a cape. He can also detach his backpack and use it as a slashing weapon. So all in all, except for the size issue, a pretty good robot mode.

Vehicle Mode: Blackout transforms into a large military-style helicopter. The helicopter is pretty long, which might account for them not making the figure any bigger, and has a loading ramp in the back where Blackout stores a tiny little Scorponok figure. The six rotor blades can be made to spin with a lever on the back of the copter and the overall look of the vehicle is pretty nice. Blackout can also carry the full-size Deluxe Scorponok underneath, as the two figure have interlocking pegs. Bottom line, a pretty nice vehicle mode.

Remarks: With the movie still weeks away from opening, I guess every Transformers fan has seen the trailer scene where Blackout lands at a military base and then transforms to lay waste to it. The figure as such is pretty good, if much too small. I'd have loved it if they'd made him a Leader-Class figure and big enough to load up the full-size Scorponok instead of the tiny little prop they gave him. Still, a good figure. If you don't mind the size thing, go get it.

Rating: B