Toy Review - ORION PAX (Legacy)

[GoktimusPrime]

Senior Constable^Data Clerk ORION PAX
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Legacy
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - Retool/redeco of Siege Hound
Wave - N/A
Released here - October 2023 (Amazon exclusive Humble Origins 2-pack)
Approximate Retail Price - $47
Approximate Size - 13.5cm
Allegiance - N/A (pre-war Cybertronian)
Alt-mode - Cybertronian armoured off-road vehicle
Main Features/Gimmicks - hardpoints for blast effects (not included)
Main Colours - red, blue, grey
Main Accessories - axe handle, axe head, rifle, ammunition drum

NOTE: This toy is a retool/repaint of Siege Hound. Refer to the Siege Hound toy review thread for comments about the original mould. This thread will focus on changes made.

• Orion Pax's design is an amalgam of his IDW Spotlight Blurr and Chaos Theory models. Thrilling 30 Orion Pax is entirely based on Spotlight Blurr, which this toy still does carry over some design elements from, but also mixes some features from Chaos Theory OP. So strictly speaking this Orion Pax isn't entirely accurate to either IDW design. For me, the most jarring elements is seeing Spotlight Blurr OP's open face atop Chaos Theory OP's chest. Given that other Orion Pax toys have open faces, it would've been nice for this OP to have a faceplate (as well as being more accurate to the comic design).

• Somewhat disappointed that they didn't include smokestack blasters for Chaos Theory Orion Pax's forearms. He already has forearm holes (a remnant feature from Hound). It would've been pretty easy to include the forearm blasters with 5mm posts. In terms of budget, HasTak might've saved some money by reusing T30 Orion Pax's axe and then used the remaining budge to produce forearm blasters. The lack of stomach and shin grills and shoulder wheels is fine; those are things that can't be put in without even more significant retooling that would've blown the budget, but I feel that the forearm blasters would've been doable.

• The vehicle mode is pretty Siege Hound's alt mode with Chaos Theory OP's front/grill section and Spotlight Blurr OP's windscreen. And unlike T30 Orion Pax, the windscreen is solid blue, not transparent.

• Being a Deluxe makes Orion Pax shorter than Senator Shockwave; whereas in the IDW comics they were about the same size as each other.

• This toy bears no Autobot insignia and is not marketed as an Autobot. This makes sense as this toy represents Orion Pax from before the war when the Autobot and Decepticon factions did not yet exist.

• It's weird that this toy is called Data Clerk Orion Pax when he was a police captain in the IDW comics. Orion Pax was a data clerk in the Aligned Continuity (specifically Transformers Prime). Not even the same continuity family!

OVERALL: a perfectly cromulent Orion Pax toy and a good representation of his IDW model, if you don't mind the amalgation of Spotlight Blurr and Chaos Theory. For an "undiluted" IDW Orion Pax toy, I would recommend sticking with Thrilling 30 Orion Pax. But this is still a fine toy if you missed T30 or are looking for something representing Chaos Theory OP.

P.S.: Thanks to Bladestorm for lending me her Legacy Orion Pax to photograph and review.