Botcon Kup (Wings of Honor)

Series: Botcon Exclusives
Allegiance: Autobot
Categories: Deluxe Convention Exclusive
Year: 2009

Every experience is worth savoring.
The youngest Autobot assigned to the Eight Track, Kup hides his eagerness and inexperience behind adherence to the command structure and protocol. Kup seeks to emulate his Captain and mentor, Thunderclash, but also looks up to Landshark due to his unorthodox approach. He can't help but be in awe of both his comrades and all the new worlds he has visited serving aboard the Eight Track. A manufacturing glitch gave Kup's joints the ability to detach and re-attach without causing permanent damage to his superstructure. This gives him surprising resilience and makes him exceptionally easy to repair. This ability also lets him swap out his hand for a top-of-the-line laser musket and other useful tools. His lack of experience also leaves him vulnerable, but he is as brave and loyal as they come.

Remarks: Kup is a repaint, complete with new head, of Cybertron Red Alert, so look for the full review there. Just some words on the differences. Kup's newly sculpted head is a very close match to that of the original G1 Kup, though the colors adhere more to the animated character rather than the original toy. And the face has got fewer wrinkels.

The figure used for this Botcon character here was, in my opinion, solid, but unspectacular. So it was with somewhat mixed feelings that I received the news that Kup would be reincarnated using this mold. Holding it in hand, I must say pretty much the same that I said about the original figure. Solid, but unspectacular. I'm not sure I would have chosen this figure for Kup, as the resemblance to the G1 character is marginal at best, even with the new paint job, but that doesn't make the figure a bad one by any means.

One funny thing: The profile incorporates old Kup's tendency to go to pieces every now and then by explaining that he has a design glitch that allows him to re-attach his limbs almost at will. It also explains how he ends up with Red Alert's tools.

Kup was the central character of the Wings of Honor comic book, as he was both the narrator (in his 'old Kup' persona) and the protagonist (as 'young Kup'). Young Kup and his fellow crewmen of the Eight Track fought the first battle of the Great War between Autobots and Decepticons, saving the Autobot Matrix (even though they never knew what they were saving) from Decepticons and Quintessons alike.

Bottom line, Kup isn't the best figure of the Botcon 2009 set and I personally wouldn't have chosen this mold for him, but the figure is still a good, solid toy.

Rating: B