
Series: Legacy United
Year: 2024
Allegiance: Decepticon
Class: Voyager
Prelude: If there is one thing Megatron cannot allow, it is for Starscream to get the better of him. Thus Megatron will ensure that one of his figures will end up the most-retooled Transformers toy of all time. Now Megatron still has a long way to go, this being merely the tenth incarnation of the Siege Megatron mold, but he will get there in the end, for neither he nor this toy have any known weaknesses. Right? Let’s say go!
Robot Mode: Gladiator Megatron here is yet another retool of Siege Megatron, a figure that has seen quite a bit of use these last few years. In robot mode it strongly adheres to the look of the original G1 cartoon Megatron, though with several changes to make him resemble Megatron as we saw him in the IDW Megatron Origins comic series. He has a new head with a dark grey helmet and the kind of “war paint” that Megatron wore during his arena battles. His body is covered with more red markings, mostly Xs that presumably mark the number of opponents he has destroyed.
Apart from that, the figure is largely the same as before. Still looking very nice and nicely articulated. What has changed in comparison with other versions of this figure are the weapons. This figure represents a point in time when Megatron has yet to wear his signature fusion cannon. Instead, he still has the drill from his miner days, which he can wear on his forearm or attach to his shoulder pods. He also carries a kind of axe / scythe weapon (probably repurposed from his miner axe), as well as a red energy sword. Finally, we have his most unique weapon, a … pink hammer? Well, I presume it is supposed to be made from Energon or something, but honestly, I have taken to calling it the Bubble Gum Hammer of Doom.
So bottom line: still a very nice robot, probably the best mainline incarnation of Megatron yet, and despite the many reuses, still worth getting. The main fun lies in seeing in how many different ways you can combine and use his many, many weapons.
Alternate Mode: Naturally Megatron still transforms into his H-tank mode here. Of course it’s not really meant to be a tank here and it lacks an actual cannon, instead it’s supposed to be a drill vehicle. And… yeah, that’s pretty much it. It’s a tank with a drill instead of a cannon. Most of his weapons and accessories can be attached to the tank, too, and the flaming sword can double as a sort of blast effect if you remove the drill tip from the turret. Bottom line: a decent vehicle mode, but nothing too special.
Remarks: In den IDW Comics Megatron started out as a lowly miner (see Miner Megatron, yet another retool of Siege Megatron), then became a Gladiator in Cybertron’s underground combat arenas (this toy here) before becoming the leader of the Decepticons we know and loathe. This is Megatron shortly before he became a political figure and terrorist leader, not yet carrying his signature fusion cannon, but already killing fools left and right.
Much like Miner Megatron, Gladiator Megatron, too, was available as a two-pack with another figure, in this case it’s Security Officer Orion Pax. I got this figure as a Christmas gift from my buddy James, who bought the set to satisfy his Optimus Prime fetish and didn’t really have much use for another Megatron. I probably wouldn’t have bought this figure on my own, but I find him surprisingly good for a tenth version of a figure I already own. So bottom line: a good retool of a good figure. Not a must, but fun.
Rating: B
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