Toy Review - Titans Return Scourge

[GoktimusPrime]

SCOURGE
Series – Titans Return
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 1
Released here – August 2016
Approximate Retail Price - $29.99
Approximate Size - 14.5cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode – Hydrofoil^spaceship (apparently)
Main Features/Gimmicks – Headmaster
Main Colours – blue, sky-blue
Main Accessories – small gun, large gun, "Fracas" Target^Titan Master

ALT MODE
I said this in 1986 and I'ma gonna say it again - it's a hovercraft! Seriously, imagine that you'd never seen Scourge appear before in the G1 cartoon, comics or anything else - as was actually the case when this toy first came out... you'd swear that it's a freakin' boat! Is it just me? Oh, fine then, it's a spaceboat (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EtAlB0D-WA)! :p
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_scourge05_zpsmieq2txe.jpg
This interstellar yacht mode is clearly designed to appeal to G1 fans, and in this regard it does a reasonably good job. The colours and overall shape of the cosmic raft do bear a strong resemblance to the G1 toy's astro barge mode, only looking more slick and streamlined. Being a Headmaster there's a cockpit on the aft for Fracas with a clear blue window. There are also two ballast discharge holes on both the port and starboard stern. There is a pronounced deck with two pegs for Titan Masters to stand on. Along the hull are two panels (that form the shins in robot mode) which resemble hydrofoils. I must admit that I was initially reserved about the idea of Scourge being a Headmaster, and I'm still not entirely chuffed about the concept, but one cool pay off is that Fracas can ride inside Scourge's cockpit, just as he did in G1 during the Time Wars (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/d/dc/Fracas_uk1.jpg). Fracas can also attach to the top of Scourge's tower which resembles the way that Scourge's head occasionally popped up in alt mode in the G1 cartoon (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/7/77/GhostintheMachine-Scourgealt.jpg) and comics (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/5/5a/Cyclonus_scourge_marvel_67.jpg).

FRACAS (or "Gunn Not Hed!")
I don't have G1 Targetmaster Scourge (as that toy was never released in Australia and has never been reissued), so here's a pic next to United Fracas instead.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_scourge03a_zpsr7qj21nk.jpg
First up, the colours are all wrong for Fracas. And the mould is based on Nightstick (Cyclonus' TM partner) rather than Fracas... so all up he looks more like Fizzle. :o Was it that hard to make him grey? :confused: The head mode looks too blocky and contrasts with the slimmer proportions of the front of the head (which looks more like G1 Scourge). Scourge's head now looks like a cross between a Blockhead from Gumby and Lobot from Star Wars. :rolleyes: It looks like TakaraTOMY have tried to make this less noticeable by painting the block section in a lighter blue. The small and large guns can combine and Fracas can ride inside the large gun which can also attach to the top of the tower in Scourge's alt mode.

TRANSFORMATION
With this level of G1 accuracy it's inevitable that TR Scourge is going to be a bit of shellformer considering that G1 Scourge is a massive shellformer. And considering that the shell "wings" are an iconic part of the character's look, I don't blame HasTak for keeping that in.

ROBOT MODE
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_scourge01_zpsmov0njwv.jpg
A fairly cartoon-accurate robot mode, which is based on Sunbow's more "muscular" looking robot mode as opposed to Floro Dery's originally more scrawny or scraggly looking robot design (which the G1 toy and comic model are based off). The colours are quite bland, but G1 toy-accurately so (only that the thighs aren't grey). The TakaraTOMY version has greater diversity in colours and bears greater resemblance to the G1 cartoon; but both versions are good, it's just that Hasbro's is more toy accurate and TakTOM's is show-accurate. 15 points of articulation give this figure a good range of poseability. Unfortunately the nature of the transformation means that waist articulation has been sacrificed.

The 5mm post means that TR Scourge can also hold United Fracas in gun mode.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_scourge08_zpsvcetrfk9.jpg

OVERALL
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_scourge09_zpslkinj3be.jpg
Objectively speaking Generations Scourge (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=9790) is the better toy. Gen Scourge's alt mode is clearly a jet (actually inspired by the Boeing X-48 UAV (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-48)). No Boaty McBoatface there! Generations Scourge is also not a shellformer and has a much better colour scheme and greater articulation (although TR Scourge's shoulder articulation is better and less fiddly). While TR Scourge has emotional/nostalgic appeal, objective logic suggests that Generations Scourge is still the better toy. I'm not a great fan of the Headmaster gimmick for this character, but I admit that its due to my subjective G1 fanboyness, and objectively there's nothing actually wrong with Scourge being a Headmaster. I'm sure younger fans who never grew up with knowledge of TM Scourge wouldn't give a flying hovercraft. If a G1 accurate Classicsverse Scourge toy is something that you're looking for, then this toy may be for you. The TakaraTOMY version moreso if you're into show-likeness. Either way, this is a reasonably good and solid figure. Recommended if this sort of thing floats your spaceship.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/jaam_jaam.gif

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_scourge06_zpst72ok2gd.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_scourge03_zpszqoaujml.jpg

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I give your review a jaAmm out of hurt shoulders for the boat jokes.

Also in that last picture, what is th elast Scourge (I assume). I Don't believe I've ever seen that one before.

[CHILENO20]

I give your review a jaAmm out of hurt shoulders for the boat jokes.

Also in that last picture, what is th elast Scourge (I assume). I Don't believe I've ever seen that one before.

Pretty sure it's the Titanium version. Great review Gok. I'm sticking with my Generations version of Scourge though I'll admit the vehicle mode of TR Scourge looks much better. Will only get if found very cheap.

[1AZRAEL1]

Pretty sure it's the Titanium version. Great review Gok. I'm sticking with my Generations version of Scourge though I'll admit the vehicle mode of TR Scourge looks much better. Will only get if found very cheap.

Same. I saw him at Toys R Us for 30 and passed him up easy. The colours look terrible too. My Gen Scourge will suffice

[M-bot]

Gok, in your pics you have Scourge's head centrepiece/crest down. It goes up for a slightly more G1 look (as does TR Blurr's).

Good review regardless. Definitely a space boat.:)

[Gehirn]

May be a lot of blue, but I still think it's a pretty good figure. Not a big fan of the previous scourge's though.

[Ozgardian]

Still, I think he looks great next to Astrotrain. Astrotrain's a mega spaceboat!:p

[GoktimusPrime]

I have zero interest in TR Astrotrain. :rolleyes: Noone's even bothered to make a review thread!

Btw, does anyone else's Scourge suffer from "Bobblehead" syndrome?

[Gehirn]

Yup mine does. I press down the legs of the headmaster a little to get it to rest on the lip on the back of the slot and it seems to sit a bit better.

[reillyd]

Is anyone else disappointed with the leg flaps on the underside of the vehicle mode? Instead of wheels or a flat surface that would allow it to skim, it drags and stops it moving. Almost tempted to try and remove them

[Sutton]

I have zero interest in TR Astrotrain. :rolleyes: Noone's even bothered to make a review thread!?

I was going to. He's actually pretty nifty.

[SMHFConvoy]

I have zero interest in TR Astrotrain. :rolleyes: Noone's even bothered to make a review thread!

I did a pictorial review on my instagram (https://www.instagram.com/natesoehardi/)

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Finally got around to spending some quality time with my Legends version of Scourge. I will admit that I was pretty unimpressed when I pulled him out of the packet, but the more I played with him the more I liked him. The leg flaps on the bottom of the spaceboat don't bother me that much as they have sculpted laser looking things, but it does annoy me a little that the just flaot there and are unsecured.

Transformation was a tad plain as well. Scourge will always suffer from that unless he is wingless in robot mode. IN which case he'd have to be another Scourge.

I really like his head. Both in robot mode and head mode. #1 is nicely painted as Scourge's noggin, and is mucho sexy. That facial hair is glorious. PLus his little robot mode, being all blue and white makes a nice counter to Blurr as a headmaster. It's just a shame that #1's helmet has a little bit of damage on his head as the connection must have been a bit too tight first time.
More pics here and info here. Plus a scan of the comic. (http://tetstoys.blogspot.jp/2016/09/legendsscourgelg26.html)

[GoktimusPrime]

Good to see that AI's new costume is keeping the spirit of KISS Play alive. :o

[reillyd]

Good to see that AI's new costume is keeping the spirit of KISS Play alive. :o

Is anyone else creeped out that a young (and I mean REALLY underage!) girl is modelling lingerie? I was hoping the Kiss Play days were over.... Unless it's a cultural thing that doesn't translate well?

[Dimi194]

It seems the boys in blue of wave 1 are the surprises...

Again, wasn't super keen for this guy, but I'm actually really liking him!

Great space-boat mode thing, very 'swoosh-able' which is always fun, and actually looks pretty good!

Robot mode is also nice, I like the idea of the cape and think it breaks up the blue a bit more than on Blur.

Mine has the super floppy head (turning the TM only makes it worse lol) and wrists, but the rest of him is fine.

Small gun is too small, but big gun looks too empty, so combining them and turning the small gun backwards to fill the gap is my solution, though I do like fiddling with the combinations.

Happy with this one!

[snaketales]

Added some colours to my Scourge, and some clear fingernail polish in the headmaster socket to get rid of the bobble head effect.

http://i66.tinypic.com/10xx1z7.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

Added.....some clear fingernail polish in the headmaster socket to get rid of the bobble head effect.
I need to try this!

[doublespy]

I quite like him. It's a shame that the bobble-head-ness and loose wrists seem to be common problems. Both are tolorence/mold accuracy issues and should've been fixed by better decisions, if the Vietnamese factories are still getting their manufacturing up to standards. The neck socket could've been placed deeper in the body like most other TR figures to prevent the clip from flexing too much. And the wrists should really lock in place. You can tell this was done by a relatively inexperienced designer under a tight release schedule.

On the plus side. Both modes look great imo. Bot mode could definitely use more paint but that's just cheap'o Hasblow. It'd be cool that the finger nails were painted red like his Generations version. But the light blue cape breaks up the deeper blue really nicely.

The 5mm hole on top of the canopy has one side square out, indicating it is specifically designed to be able to fit the head. Pretty awesome.

Got him for $20 at the current Myer sale. At this price I think he's good value

[shockNwave]

The only other Scourge I own is the Generations one. So it's a good thing I have one now with an alt. mode reminiscent of the 80's movie and which makes me appreciate TR Astrotrain's shuttle mode even more.

As for the robot mode, I was at first apprehensive about his blue "onesie" look but it's grown on me and I look forward to having Terri-Bull as the headmaster to match up with him.:)

[5FDP]

Finally got around to opening mine. Love the alt mode, transformation is good albeit a bit simplistic, but that bobble-head... man, that kills it.

I'm not into DIY mods so not going to try clear nail polish. IMO, you shouldn't have to for a figure in this price range.

[Seraphim Prime]

The neck socket could've been placed deeper in the body like most other TR figures to prevent the clip from flexing too much.

I think that's the issue with both him and Highbrow.

I think the clip has to be higher in those two, to accommodate the sliding "spine" that is required to achieve the transformation of the legs. Since it sits higher in the figure, it then gives a bobble headed appearance and is more prone to tolerance issues.

[CHILENO20]

Pretty sure it's the Titanium version. Great review Gok. I'm sticking with my Generations version of Scourge though I'll admit the vehicle mode of TR Scourge looks much better. Will only get if found very cheap.

And I've followed my own advice. Bought him cheap thanks to the Target sales :) you can never have too many sweeps :cool: