Underrated Transformers Toys Thread

[Skullcruncher]

At least Ultra Magnus contributed to continuity... unlike say Wheelie whose entire canonical presence is fairly insignificant (arguably even more canonically insignificant than Jar Jar Binks' role in Star Wars The Phantom Menace).

Maybe but someone had to fill the space bumblebee had in series 1 and 2. To 'fanboys' now he may be annoying and insignificant but back in 1986 Wheelie played that bumblebee role perfectly.

Okay, but Ultra Magnus was a big ticket item for Hasbro to push in 1986, so it made sense for writers to make him cool to try to elicit more kids to buy him. Also, being such a big toy, it kinda made sense that he would be powerful (though nothing wrong with small toys being strong - that's something I liked about Brawn ). Also, they were preparing to have Ultra Magnus become an arch-nemesis for Galvatron -- and Galvatron is insanely powerful in the comics... so while Magnus did repeatedly get nine colours of snot beaten out of him by Galvatron, just the fact that he was even able to go up against Galvatron meant that he had to be pretty powerful.

To me, it felt intuitive for Ultra Magnus to be the powerful Autobot leader in Optimus Prime's absence. He seemed a worthy heir... a lot more worthy than the incredibly underwhelmingly disappointing Rodimus Prime. And regardless of what you think about Ultra Magnus, he didn't get that much canonical exposure, thanks to the fact that:
1) Rodimus Prime was the real "flagship" Autobot hero and thus was 'prioritised' over Ultra Magnus; especially in the cartoon
2) In the G1 comics Ultra Magnus only existed in the "future" and not in the "mainstream" universe of the 'present day'.

Who else would you rather see promoted as the Autobot hero from the 1986 line? Would you prefer Rodimus Prime over Ultra Magnus or someone else entirely?

But the thing is what did Ulta Magnus really do or contribute to the cartoon? I can't recall anything significant about him. IMO someone like Springer was much more heroic than him. Not sure if you recall Transformers The Movie? UM got slaughtered and the autobots needed someone to standup and be the hero to save the day. Rodimus may have had some poorly written episodes(not fitting an heroic autobot leader) but at least fans can remember them!