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Series: Generation 1
Allegiance: Autobot
Categories: Turbomaster
Year: 1992
We're ready and more than able. Let them throw all they want at us. We stand as one.
Razor-sharp mind and intuitive flair for plucking his troop from disaster. Massively strong and versatile, just his fearless presence on the battle field quells any Decepticon fightback. Commands the instant respect and loyalty of every Autobot and the fear and loathing of the Predators. His incredible speed and strategic genius more than matches the evil Predators' supersight and ultra-communication powers. As trailer is a powerful command centre. As robot and battle station armed with handheld weaponry and 12 missile-power defence.
Robot Mode: Thunderclash is a slightly odd-looking robot. The first thing one notices is that his head is a bit too large for the rest of his body. His colouring is also slightly odd. Thunderclash's posability is nothing to write home about, limited to bending his legs (together only) at the waist and bending his arms. Not a whole lot of play value to be found here, a below-average robot mode.
Alternate Modes: A white truck with some other colours thrown into the mix. Thunderclash doesn't do too bad in the vehicle mode area. His trailer has two missile launchers on top which can fold out to the sides. The vehicle as a whole is decent, if nothing special.
Partners / Add-Ons: Thunderclash's trailer opens up into a battle station. It's quite huge and can launch missiles either form the big launcher in the centre or the two smaller launchers on the tower. The tripod-like base of the station takes some getting used to, but isn't too bad. All in all not a bad battle station, but again, nothing special.
Mising Parts: Im missing all of the missiles for the battle station / trailer. Also, the weapon in the pictures is not Thunderclash's original handgun.
Remarks: The Turbomasters and Predators were European-exclusive toys, seeing as Generation 1 continued here when it was already over in the United States. Some of the toys were later recycled for the Machine Wars line. This is also pretty much Thunderclash's main point of attraction, seeing as he was reissued in Machine Wars under the name Optimus Prime. The toy itself is nothing special. A barely-posable robot, an average vehicle mode, and a not-too-bad battle station. Interesting for those collectiong European exclusives or Optimus Primes only.
Rating: D+
Update 2015-10-26: It's been over ten years since I did this review and upon updating it with new pictures, I thought to include some new remarks on Thunderclash's media presence. He has since appeared in the More than Meets the Eye comics from IDW, who really ran with his extremely over-hyped profile text. IDW Thunderclash is so perfect and true and heroic that all the other Autobots either adore him or resent him. James Roberts has managed the superb job of spoofing the early 90s trend of making every Autobot super-heroic, super-intelligent, super-everything while, at the same time, making Thunderclash a likeable character instead of a joke. Thunderclash has since joined the crew of the Lost Light and I hope we will see much more of him in the future.
Picture Gallery:
