Cyclonus

"You will do as I say or you will die!"

Name: Cyclonus
Allegiance: Decepticon
Function: Saboteur
Motto: "Compassion is the Autobots' downfall."

Profile: Cyclonus is a huge and emotionless air-warrior metamorphosised from parts of dead Decepticons and remnants by Unicron. Like Galvatron, he derives vast resources of power and energy through Unicron and so can draw on strength in direct proportion to its need - always being able to become stronger than his opponents because of his access to the infinite reservoir of power that Unicron represents. A dedicated destructor, Cyclonus transforms into a gigantic multi-engine (and perhaps multi-wing) jet fighter. His firepower remains intact and is augmented by an incendiary bomb rack. Cyclonus is capable of an additional transformation, trimming his wings and tail back to assume a space-worthy rocket mode for interstellar pursuit and warfare. He has no personality, no interests other than conquests for the sake of Unicron, and no weakness.

Abilities: In jet fighter mode, Cyclonus is equipped with nuclear-powered turbine engines which enable him to reach speeds greater than Mach 2. In robot mode, he carries an oxidating laser that fuses an enemy robot's internal mechanisms.

Strength: 8; Intelligence: 8; Speed: 9; Endurance: 8; Rank: 9; Courage: 9; Firepower: 8; Skill: 8

G1 Animation Model

Robot Mode

Alt Mode

Alternate Versions

G1 Marvel Comic

G1 Toy

Third-Party Images

As I mentioned in my comments for Fans Toys Sovereign, I was a big fan of not only Galvatron, but his lieutenants, Cyclonus and Scourge. I was particularly fond of Cyclonus, not only for his design, but for his characterisation. Although initially introduced to the character in Marvel's Target: 2006, I also enjoyed his animated appearances, in which he was one of the few Decepticons who seemed to be more than just a blunt instrument or a bumbling fool (at least until he became a Targetmaster).

The original G1 toy was actually a pretty decent representation of the character given the limitations of the time, but I've long yearned for version that more accurately reflects the animation model. Enter X-Transbots and Eligos, a Masterpiece scale version of Cyclonus based on his G1 animation appearance. I'd read mixed reports about the figure, specifically relating to its durability (a general X-Transbots issue) and overly complicated transformation (also a general issue with X-Transbots), but I really wanted a Cyclonus to compliment my Galvatron and the robot mode looked so good I decided to take the plunge when I saw a cheap eBay listing. You only have to look at the shots below to see why I was willing to overlook some of the issues associated with X-Transbots figures.

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

As I'm sure you'll agree, it's a pretty great representation of the G1 animation aesthetic, complete with the subtle colour differences on the arms, shins and feet (which would largely disappear in favour of a more uniform colour as the series progressed). A couple of minor things aside, the sculpt is generally very faithful to the animation. Eligos is joined by his Targetmaster companion Truncheon, the X-Transbots version of Nightstick.

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

The rear of the figure is just as impressive, sporting clean lines and some great panel detailing. These are actually early test shots, which have a few subtle differences from the retail release, but things are largely the same overall (I'll post shots of the retail figure lower down for comparison purposes).

The futuristic jet mode is also pretty damn spectacular, with one giant caveat - it's almost impossible to transform Eligos into his alt mode without numerous design and tolerance issues making you feel like throwing the figure across the room!

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

Eligos also comes with a teeny-tiny little figure of Abaddon (XTB's as-yet unreleased version of Galvatron), which features some articulation and can fit in Eligos's cockpit when he is in jet mode. It's a neat little figure and a nod to The Transformers: The Movie, in which we first saw Galvatron hitching a ride in Cyclonus (even if their respective scales would appear to make that impossible).

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

As you can see, Eligos comes with an assortment of accessories including his classic rust rifle, the smaller gun he used in the animated series (here labelled a cyclonic pistol) and the sword from his IDW comic book appearances (referred to as a lightcore sword).This is in addition to the mini Abaddon and Truncheon figures. Eligos also includes an alternate face, which features the soul patch occasionally sported by Cyclonus across various media, and a set of red metallic eyes to replace the light-piped ones that are installed as standard.

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

Here are a few more shots of the figure, this time taken from the retail release. As you can see, the magenta has been toned down somewhat, as has the pink used for the legs, arms, hands and face. You can also see the flight stand that's included with the retail figure.

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

Here are a couple of additional robot mode shots showcasing Eligos's weapons and the slightly different colour scheme. It's not a drastic change from the test shot, but I think XTB made a sensible decision in dialling the intensity of the magenta and pink back a little.

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

Here are a couple of shots of the jet mode, which again showcase the more subdued shades used for the retail release. I think that Eligos looks particularly impressive when mounted on his flight stand! It's interesting to note that even in these official shots the legs don't quite tab together to form the rear of the jet without leaving a slight gap.

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

X-Transbots MX-III Eligos

So there you have it. Eligos is a really good attempt at the G1 animation version of Cyclonus (specifically the '86 movie version). Sure there are a number of issues, not least some unforgiving tolerances which make for an arduous transformation that can lead to paint wear, but the figure looks fantastic in both modes. The early test shots of the Fans Toys version (dubbed Quietus) actually look a little better and FT's build and QC is generally superior, but that release is still some way off and Eligos fills the gap nicely for the time being. I might actually break my unofficial rule that says I won't buy multiple versions of characters for this guy, simply because Cyclonus is one of my all-times favourites...

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Well, as it happens I did break my rule and picked up a copy of Quietus on release. I mean of course I did; Cyclonus is one of my favourite Transformers characters. Anyway, while it's certainly an impressive looking figure I have to confess to being a little disappointed for a number of reasons, which I'll cover below. For now, just soak in some of the promotional shots.

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29 Quietus

Okay, so I can't argue that is looks the part, although those shots actually depict a slightly unfinished version of the figure (the white jet engines are painted to match the magenta on the finished figure). FT-29 has a very nice overall metallic paint job and is very sleek and clean in both robot and alt modes, especially when compared to XTB's bulky brute, Eligos, so you're probably wondering what my issues are. Well, I have a few, mostly minor complaints, but when taken together they do begin to add up.

Firstly, I think the mould is a little short and slender to make for an accurate representation of an animated movie or early season three Cyclonus. To my eyes he looks like a hybrid of the toon, toy and comic book incarnations of the character, particularly the IDW interpretation. Perhaps this shouldn't come as a surprise given the inclusion of IDW accessories, but I do feel it compromised the representation of a truly animation accurate figure. Of course that may not have been the intention of Fans Toys to release such a figure, but given that the fandom is largely fuelled by G1 nostalgia it would seem the logical choice... Still, the biggest problem for me isn't the mould, it's the colour. Animated Cyclonus was originally a light purple with pink limbs and face, but occasionally a deeper purple with more grey/white extremities. Here he's more of a blueish-purple with off-white bits, a deco that I haven't seen in any associated media. It is my single biggest disappointment with FT-29.

Other than that, there were reports of technical issues with a a high number of figures. The cockpit didn't tab in without sanding down the hole into which the peg fits, which is just a case of poor tolerances. Worse still, the design of the knees meant that the die cast chest was prone to scratches and paint chipping during transformation. In extreme cases paint flaked off in large sections simply when handling normally, but these incidents do appear to have been relatively few and far between. Still, such paint issues are becoming commonplace with Fans Toys most recent releases.

While these things may have taken the shine off of the figure I must acknowledge that it does still look very nice. The included extras also add considerable value, particularly the IDW head-sculpt, samurai 'skirts' and swords. The annoying things is that if it hadn't been for the aforementioned niggles this could have been one of my favourite figures. Speaking of which...

Fans Toys FT-29T Quietus

Enter Fans Toys FT-29T, the toon repaint of the original Cyclonus mould! I can already hear the cries of 'that doesn't look very different', which is true at first glance, but in reality the deco is markedly different in hand. Purple is a notoriously difficult colour to represent on camera - my original FT-29 looked completely different between phones depending on the lighting conditions - so rest assured that this is far closer to the colour most often associated with Cyclonus than the original release was. Not only is the main body more of a light purple/lavender, but the accents (on the wings, horns etc.) are a different, deeper shade of purple. Furthermore, the limbs and face now have the all-important pink tint, the effect of which is to bring the figure much closer to the character's first iconic appearance on film. Just take a moment to soak up the promo shots, particularly the comparison with the original deco.

Fans Toys FT-29T Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29T Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29T Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29T Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29T Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29T Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29T Quietus

Fans Toys FT-29T Quietus

In all honesty the pictures don't really do the new deco justice; it looks much nicer in hand and the difference between the two is far more pronounced when viewed side by side under natural light. I was honestly surprised by just how much I liked the new deco and how much it enhanced my appreciation of the mould. Almost overnight it's gone from being a bit of a missed opportunity to one of my favourite figures! It's a real testament to what a good paint job can do and I can only feel sorry for those who missed out on it due to the limited production run. For once I was in the right place at the right time and I'm very happy about it!