Quote Originally Posted by kup View Post
Robot mode does have the practical purpose of allowing you to inspect for any bad QC much more thorough than in alt mode.

However this is from the perspective of someone who opens their toys so I am not sure what an MISB collector would look for.
I'd prefer alt. mode, but also from a QC perspective.

TFs like the Movie and ROTF (and don't forget Alternators Grimlock) line are quite fiddly to transform; transforming from robot to alt. mode for the first time might not be easy (especially with the odd ways to tuck in robot arms, and getting them aligned with the kibbly bits). Having the robot displayed in package in its disguise tells me that it's been done right, and if I can't transform it back into alt. mode later then it's not QC, but my incompetence

Also it's odd, but if a transformer is displayed in robot mode then it feels like someone else has played with it before. Like it's unraveled. Or that the puzzle has been solved. Maybe its from growing up with official Transformers always being purchased in alt. modes?

The robot has to be in its disguise!