Combiner Wars Optimus Maximus

Prelude: Optimus Maximus is the combined form of Optimus Prime, Mirage, Sunstreaker, Prowl, Ironhide, and (optionally) Rodimus, all of whom I have already reviewed individually. Quick explanation for the odd assortment of pictures for this review. I got Battle Core Optimus first and originally didn’t intend to get the limbs. Then three of them turned up at a local store and I bought them anyway. Lacking Prowl, I substituted Streetwise at first, because I was gung-ho about applying the Thunderclash stickers to Prime. Then Prowl turned up and I redid some of the pics with the now Thunderclash-labeled Optimus (and extra-flamey Rodimus, too). Hope that explains it.

Combined Mode: Optimus Maximus uses Battle Core Optimus Prime as his torso and the four other robots as limbs. Being that all four of the limb-bots are cars, it doesn’t really make much of a difference in what order you use them, all of them work equally well as arms and legs. The resulting robot is big and wide, looking very nice. There are three different ways to configure the chest of the combiner. Leave it closed, open it up, and attach Rodimus to the opened chest. Each version looks a bit different and I can’t really say which of them I like best. What I do know, though, is that Rodimus doesn’t really attach all that well and threatens to fall off all the time.

Optimus Maximus can use any of the individual weapons of his team members. The normal robot fists from Battle Core Prime sit behind his shoulders, giving you the option of attaching two guns as shoulder guns here (I love shoulder guns) and the rest can be wielded or attached all over his body. I’m still not a big fan of the tiny little combiner feet (Perfect Effect set is preordered), but the combiner fists work very well in my opinion. Bottom line: A beautiful and powerful-looking combiner. No flaws worth mentioning apart from the Rodimus thing.

Remarks: Optimus Maximus only combined a single time in the IDW comics when Prowl used the Enigma of Combination to forcibly merge with the others to put an end to an ongoing combiner rampage. Optimus Maximus is a sort-of homage, though, to the G1 cartoon episode “Masquerade”, where a group of Autobots masqueraded as the Stunticons (including combining into Menasor) in order to foil a Decepticon plot. Okay, only Optimus and Mirage were part of that operation back then, but still. Fitting then that Optimus Maximus uses the exact same molds as Combiner Wars Menasor.

Personally I like Optimus Maximus very much. Sure, he lacks the appeal of being one of the classic G1 combiners, but his role in the IDW comics and his cool look make up for that, at least for me. So bottom line: definitely worth getting. Of course you can just as easily use the classic red-and-blue Combiner Wars Optimus as the torso if you want.

Rating: B+