G2 Volt

Robot Modes: Let's get the one big flaw of this robot out of the way first, a flaw he shares with all the other G2 Laser Rods. His feet would really have benefited from heels. They are not the most stable in the world and so Volt is always in danger of toppling over backwards, especially as he carries a pretty heavy backpack. His light-up engine block and the hood of the car mode are hanging off his back. So he always has to bend slightly forward in order to stand.

Apart from that, though, there is very little to complain about here. Volt is a good-looking, very posable robot and carries what might be the best gimmick Generation 2 came up with. By connecting the wire from his engine block to his hand you can make his transparent sword light up. The engine itself lights up, too, but seeing as it's on his back, you hardly see that in robot mode.

Volt might not be my favorite Laser Rod, but he still strikes a very good robot mode. Now if only they'd have given him heels...

Alternate Mode: Volt transforms into a customized Hot Rod racing car. The car is all-red with some flame stickers on the sides. The driver's cabine has a sculpted interor and you have the engine on the hood and the headlights out front as additional sculpted details. The light-up gimmick works here as well, of course, as the engines glows at the push of a button. The car looks pretty good overall, though I've seen better detailing on car's of this size class. Still, a good, solid vehicle mode. No real complaints.

Missing Parts: I'm missing Volt's light saber. I substituted Electro's for the pictures.

Remarks: Volt's sole in-media appearance was in the Generation 2 comic book, where he was among the new Decepticons created by Megatron. Volt was involved in the assault on an outpost of the Cybertronian Empire, though you didn't see him do more than transform and race into action. Since the toy was sold as an Autobot, one assumes Hasbro didn't want the character involved in the slaughter of unarmed workers. Volt didn't actually switch sides in the final of the comic, but was among the crowd of gathered Autobots and Decepticons who joined forces after the defeat of the Swarm. He probably traded in his Decepticon symbol for an Autobot one somewhere along the way.

Volt is the fourth and final Laser Rod in my collection. He isn't the best of the four, but he's still a good-looking, very posable robot with a good gimmick and no flaws except for the balance thing. So all in all a pretty good example of the good quality Generation 2 managed to pull off despite its generally bad reputation.

Rating: B

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