TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:

Alternate Mode:

Box Art:

Blackjack's review: Scorponok w/snacks

Screen Battles- Desert Attack

Name- Scorponok
Allegiance- Decepticon
Function- Covert Attacks, Blackout's Pawn, Tracker, and looking just
awesome

Scorponok was the first Transformer to be shown on the first trailer for the 2007 Movie. Scorponok was possibly one of the most memorable transformers in the Movie. I remember my cousin going out of the cinema, listing the Transformers (this was her first Transformer experience). Of course, there's Megatron, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, the big trigger-happy Autobot, the police car, the medic Autobot, the big tank thing, the tiny skinny skeleton Decepticon.... and, of course, the big mutha-****ing scorpion monster.

Of course, names (bar Megatron) of the Decepticons were never mentioned in the Movie other than the 'roll call' subtitles, which the normal cinema-goer won't notice too much. Scorponok was special. Very memorable, (well, a giant scorpion death-bringing machine does tend to leave an impression) but his name was never referred to in the Movie.

It's obvious to a fan of Transformers that this fella could be no other than Scorponok. While normally major characters with similar names were similar across continuities (there were many exceptions, of course. Energon Ironhide, Armada Starscream and the half-dozen Prowls come to mind), Scorponok has the distinction of being radically different across anything he appears in. In fact, no two Scorponoks are similar in anything other than name, allegiance, alternate mode and transformation scheme.

Let's go through the various Scorponoks of Transformer-dom, shall we?

The very first Scorponok, the Generation One version, had three--no, make that four--distinct personalities over the years. Scorponok was a City Headmaster--technically the strongest Decepticon of his time. Cartoon Scorponok was a non-sentient, ginormous City-sized transformer created by the Nebulan Lord Zarak to be his Headmaster partner. He appeared in the final two episodes of the Cartoon Series, where he was trounced by his opposite number Fortress Maximus. In Japan, however, they ignored the entire Season Four and proceeded with a sequel series, Headmasters. Here, Scorponok was not the big death-bringing city-sized scorpion of mass destruction, but rather the head. The Transector was named Megazarak. Of course, he leads the Decepticons during Headmaster. He was your basic Anime villain. Killed at the end of that series, he was resurrected as the zombie-like Black Zarak by the demonic Devil Z in the follow up series Masterforce, and again as Megazarak in Zone. The third interpretation of Scorponok, and my favourite, was the Marvel comics version. This Scorponok-Lord Zarak team, while initially seeming to be another highly cliched power/revenge/death-hungry megalomaniac leader. Then, Lord Zarak and the Headmaster process came, and the Scorponok/Zarak interaction was played beautifully, up until his beautifully-written scene of heroic death under the pen of Simon Furman. Go read it. I won't spoil it for you. The fourth interpretation of G1 Scorponok was the IDW version. Don't know much about him, but he seems to be a fun Bond-villain style character.

The first Scorponok to be a separate character from G1 is Beast Wars Scorponok, who transformed into a gigantic (transformer sized at least) organic scorpion. Among the first wave of Predacons that appeared in the TV series, Scorponok took G1 Soundwave's role as Megatron II's unwavering right hand. Rather dim, but he had several precious scenes with his dumbness. (I mean, he got dissed by Waspinator of all people. Waspinator.) Scorponok was killed alongside Terrorsaur at the beginning of Season 2. The next Scorponok was in Energon. Based heavily on the original design, this Scorponok was a gigantic Terrorcon triple-changer, transforming between robot, a very awkward jet and a scorpion-shaped gigantic construction vehicle. The fourth separate character to bear the name Scorponok is this one.

The original Scorponok was the leader of the Decepticons. The BW one is second-in-command of his group. The Energon Scorponok leads the Terrorcons until Megatron returns. As you can see, the house of Scorponok is a high ranking one. But this little fella is a mere semi-sentient hunting drone/symbiont of Blackout. Too bad. Still, he looks kick ass, so how can we complain?

SCORPION MODE

Okay. Let's remember and recall Scorpy's role in the movie. In the opening scene, Blackout pwns Qatar. A group of soldiers got a mugshot of his robot mode and escaped. In order to keep Transformers a secret. 'Robots in Disguise' and all that. So Scorponok was ejected (presumably out of Blackout's engine) hunted down Captain Lennox's group, killed a soldier (possibly several others too) and mortally injured another. However, the soldiers managed to reach a village and Scorponok was met with heavy resistance.

Lennox, after getting a credit card, and his attitude not helping to speed things up, dialed the Pentagon. Air support arrived and blew Scorponok's tail off, and the injured creature dove under the sand, never seen again. Well, until his appearance in the trailer for Revenge of the Fallen, which confirms his survival. Awsum.

Scorponok looked very kick ass in the movie. In fact, Frenzy and he are two that are particularly unique. The others are all big honking gun-slinging robots. These two are unique.

Getting to the toy. The Deluxe Scorponok figure included in Desert Attack Screen Battles is a minor repaint of the Mass Release version. Mainly it's the 'sandy' detailing applied onto the claws and some other parts as well.

Scorponok already features a very extensive deco, with heavy detailing. The sand colours makes him feel more lifelike. The mainly gray-and-black body is nicely contrasted by the brown secondary colour. The face is still silver, although it does not stand out that much.

Actually, Scorponok is more like Ravage or Laserbeak. For those who don't know, they are animal transformers who transformed into Cassettes. So Scorponok's scorpion mode is actually his primary (robot) mode, and his alternate mode being parts of Blackout.

Tfwiki reveals that the kibble on Scorponok matches those on a real MH53 Pave Low Helicopter (Blackout), mainly the engines and cockpit. This makes the 'Danger' and 'Fuel' tampographs make more sense. I mean, who the hell in their right minds would keep fuel in one's cheeks?

I don't think words can describe the amount of detail that went into Scorponok. Fortunately for the reviewer, pictures speak a thousand words. He looks just like the Movie design. The tail features a stinger which is released when you press the catch. It cannot shoot out, though.

Speaking of a tail, this is a possible Beast Wars Quickstrike reference. Two red stickers resembling eyes are attached on the end of the tail, and the stinger looks like a snake's tongue (albeit a three-pronged one).

The claws are very awesome. His pincers are circular instead of his previous incarnations' 'crab claws'. I don't think anything on earth has circular spinning claws, but it does look cool. Undocumented in the instructions is that the 'fingers' can assume an open position. Three large molded artillery ports are present on the base of the claw.

Oh, and Scorponok's center body is a set of churning gears. In the game and the movie the gears are more gigantic drilling buzz saws, which presumably helps him burrow through the sand. By turning the tiny wheels, a intricate gearing system makes the central column rotate, as well as the claws. Nice gimmick, and it doesn't detract too much from poseability.

Speaking about poseability, it is simply excellent. From the claws through the tail (although I'd prefer that the base of the tail is able to move on a ball or ratchet joint), Scorponok can assume lots of poses.

Scorponok's face has four red eyes and a few vampire-style teeth. It looks alien and completely out of this world.

Overall, a perfect mark for the scorpion mode, plus a few bonus credit points.

ROBOT MODE

As a general rule, usually the robot mode is supposed to be the main thing a Transformer is. Not this one. Scorponok's robot mode seemed to be added as an afterthought, to market it as a Transformer instead of a detail-jammed action figure. At retrospect, I think of the robot mode more like a 'bonus' than a proper robot mode.

Another peculiar thing about Transformers. Now, let's remember G1, BW and Energon Scorponoks. And this one. All of their transformation schemes are very similar. The legs come out from parts of the scorpion body, the scorpion head and the robot head are the same, scorpion claws became robot mode claws, stinger sits in the back... no, really. They're all very similar.

This is where I hoped Hasbro had been more diligent and had placed another hinge joint at the base of the tail where it connects to the body. Because now, the tail looks stupid behind Scorponok's back. It cannot be used as an overhead weapon a la G1, and seriously. If Scorponok does use this design, he'd pierce his own chest (the buzz saw tunnel of death chest) with his stinger. That got to suck. And displaying him in robot mode just looks ridiculous because of the large piece of tail hanging between his legs. If Hasbro can place that joint in the Legends class toy, a deluxe should be no problem. No excuses there.

His head sits low, and the large arms give him an Igor kind of look. Well, in person it doesn't look so bad. The feet is rather cute (and I do recommend you to swing the scorpion legs backwards). Scorponok is surprisingly able to achieve many poses, despite his seeming top-heaviness. Apparently, the legs' funny shape and the tail counter balancing gives Scorponok the balance he needs against his large claws.

Still not an excuse for the tail joint though. The tail does not touch the ground and support it like a tripod leg.

Overall, not the best robot mode out there, but he's stable and poseable, much more than his comrade Blackout. Boo.

COMBINED VEHICLE MODE

Deluxe Scorponok can be attached into the bottom of the Voyager Blackout toy. Now let's forget about scale for a moment here and just enjoy the toys, 'kay?

Pressing the buttons that turn Blackout's rotor blades now also spin Scorponok's claws. Nice, but there's nothing much about it.

Combined form. Needs a name. Hm. Blackout and Scorponok... Scorpout? Blackonok? Scorpoblack? Blackscorpio? Ah. Whatever. I'll call it Blackzarak.

Names- Sergeant Epps, Sergeant Donnely, Jorge Figueroa
Allegiance- the
United States of America

To justify the Screen battles title, three mini-PVCs of soldiers based from the movie. (their faces were not that similar, of course. The actors would sue.) Included in this set is Sergeant Donnely, the soldier with glasses who Scorponok drags underground with his tail.

Figueroa, the one wounded by Scorponok, is the rather burly bald officer. While many of the 'artifact' books (Top Trumps et al) said Figueroa died, comics and Michael Bay beg to differ. He was played by Amaury Nolasco in the movie.

Now, Sergeant Julius Epps, played by Tyrese Gibson, is one of the main soldier characters in the movie, aside from Lennox. Why they didn't include the big L I don't know. Still, Epps is one of my favourite humans from the movie, despite him looking exactly like my hated English teacher. "Bring the rain."

The PVC figures won't sell by themselves, of course. The set is slightly higher than a deluxe, which I think owes to the extra paint job and the soldiers. Considering that every shop I go to ran out of Scorponoks, well... this is the only way to get him.

Marks out of ten for the following:

TRANSFORMATION- 1/10 Skill level 3 my bleeding arse.
DURABILITY- 8/10 Scorponok himself is rather durable, though I'm worried about the internal gears breaking. The Joes- I mean soldiers'- soft plastic guns can bend.
FUN- 10/10 Scorponok himself is a very fun toy, and very fun to fiddle with. Plus, he comes with little people to kill. Mwahahahaha.
PRICE- 6/10 I'd prefer the original Deluxe price, but since I can't find it...
OVERALL 9/10 Scorponok himself is amazing. Scorpion mode is simply perfect, outdoing some of the Voyager class toys. (Starscream, Ironhide, I'm looking at you) The robot mode and combined mode are nice afterthoughts. The little soldiers are nice, and adds to the Screen Battles theme. Not bad, but if you can find the original Scorponok, it's worth saving money for the cheaper deluxe.