G2 Jolt

Series: Generation 2
Allegiance: Decepticon
Categories: Laserrod
Function: Sneak Attack Specialist
Year: 1994

Live fast, ride hard, and leave a great-looking chassis!
As mean as he is fast, but fearful of Autobots when outnumbered. Peels out at first sign of trouble. Equipped with turbo-charged V-12 engine with dual carburetors and side pipes. Too fast to be clocked by radar. Specializes in sneak attacks when armed with light saber. Steals from gas stations for spare parts.

Robot Mode: Jolt shares two characteristics with many of the G2 figures (at least those that aren't G1 re-issues): He's very posable, but he lacks a solid stance. His feet are not really well-suited for such exotic purposes as standing. Also, the fact that he carries electronics for the laser-light gimmick in his chest makes him pretty top-heavy, causing further balance problems. Once you have him balanced, though, Jolt is able to strike many cool poses, especially with his sword in hand.

As a Laser Rod Jolt can connect a cable from his light-up engine block to his hand, which then causes the sword in his hand to light up. The gimmick still works fourteen years later, but it's almost impossible to photograph, so you'll just have to take my word for it that it looks pretty cool. Even without that gimmick, though, Jolt is a pretty cool-looking, posable, and just downright fun robot. Even though he's purple.

Alternate Mode: Jolt transforms into a 'Hot Rod' style dragstrip racer, a classic-looking car mode modified with a big engine that lights up with the push of a button. The detailing is quite good for a vehicle mode in this size class, Jolt features individually sculpted seats and side pipes. His light saber is stored away underneath the car, safely out of sight. So while the car mode doesn't offer much in the way of gimmicks (safe for the light-up engine, which looks pretty cool) it's a solid, well-made alternate mode. No complaints at all.

Remarks: Jolt, along with Sizzle, comprises the Decepticon portion of the "Laser Rod" subline and the two even scored an appearance in the Generation 2 comic book. They were created by Megatron with the help of the Creation Matrix and sent into battle against Liege Maximo's second generation Decepticon forces, first by themselves and later side by side with the Autobots.

Gimmick-wise the Laser Rods were a pretty cool idea and making their alternate modes into Hot Rod racers was a pretty nifty thought, too. I like them a lot. Jolt, in my opinion, doesn't look quite as cool as Sizzle does, but only by a hair's breath, so they both get the same rating from me. Pretty damn good.

Rating: B+