The Store Horsemen had a sale, where some of their overstock was put up with the special “flat shipping” deal. I pretty much only purchased this, however. Almost the cheapest thing they had. But that gold paint was pretty irresistible.
The front of the box…yep. A Mythic Legions box. (They are pretty much all the same.)
But the back is an image I had not seen before. We have this cyclops leading a band of giants. And wouldn’t you know there is a cyclops figure advertised on the left side. He looks pretty cool also.
Here is a little story on the side.
I have two legion builders skeletons, both of different builds. So this is my first knight legion builder. But I DID order the blue knight, who might ship at the beginning of 2025. That guy comes with a ton of accessories, alternate heads, and so much more. He was pricier, but worth it. (I expect anyway.)
WHAT DO YOU GET IN THE BOX
Gold Knight figure
Alternate head
Weapons strap
Sword
Spear
Shield
Let me point out that this is the most boring gold knight you could possibly have, and that’s the point.
PICTURED: Gold Knight Legion Builder and Sir Godfrey.
You can see from this picture what I mean. Sir Godfrey…well he is an obvious Knight Templar. I mean, there are three crosses in a row (Helmet, shirt, and shield.). And he has gold details over his terrific chrome paint. While Gold Knight Legion Builder doesn’t even have a design on his shield. But he IS brilliant gold.
ARTICULATION
This is the same figure as Sir Godfrey, but with different paint, and a spear. I am totally tempted to add some paint. And maybe I will one day when it snows or something.
But he is totally posable, and his parts are completely swappable. For display, I am using the round helmet to differentiate these two guys.
PICTURED: Do I really have to name these guys?
I was able to get the Animal Warriors of the Kingdom sword to fit in his hand. That is a pretty thick handle, but his hands are pliable and I don’t feel like I was stretching it. SO MUCH GOLD!
I think this is the third blog entry that I have used this photo. (Cosmic Legions SKURR’GE). But a fight against a giant dragon thing is the perfect setting for two knights.
SPARTANNERD RATING OF MYTHIC LEGIONS GOLD KNIGHT II LEGION BUILDER
I got what I paid for. Sir Godfrey with gold finish and less paint apps. He is meant to be customized. I look forward to doing something with that shield. I look forward to adding rusty colors and battle damage. That is where the fun is. Will I get more knights? Well I keep getting tempted to pick up the black Knight Templar. Maybe I will one day.
SpartanNerd’s rating of Mythic Legions Gold Knight II Legion Builder is 5/5. So much hope for the future here. Hope for fun and photos. Hope for variety and options. and another piece of my barbaric force.
I picked up New Eternia Sy-Clone at the end of July at Target in Greer, SC. It was a new display, that had Sy-Clone and Thunder Punch He-Man, and maybe Emperor Hordak and Leech. I already had Thunder Punch, and I am waiting on a better Hordak. Never been a fan of Leech. Sy-Clone is kind of a B-List character, but there have been recent comics of him. I figured he might get snatched up.
I remember having this guy as a child. He had a little dial on the back in his waistband that you would turn it it would make his whole torso spin. I remember getting a little blister on my thumb because of that!
Another thing I enjoyed about the vintage figure was the lenticular sticker on his chest that showed a star system. The blue and yellow wacky design plus the star system and the “human tornado” feature made him extra fun.
The front package gives us a view of the figure like all recent MASTERVERSE figures. This is a window box where you can see the figure inside and maybe an accessory. Here we see Sy-Clone with his yellow shield. There is also artwork of him wearing a red mask, and those planets from the old sticker floating behind him.
The back of the package shows a photoshop of the figure in action. We also get panel views of him wearing the mask, using the shield, and using his energy effects. Also a little selfie pic in the circle by his bio…which is minimal, by the way.
There is some art on the sides also. All of this art is excellent. I just wish they wouldn’t do that “this is a photo of the toy” art on the back of the box. They should return to the full-on portraits like so many of the earlier MASTERVERSE figures had.
You might have to click these pictures to see the full art. One shows a Skel-con, which is an upcoming army builder figure, and the other depicts Sy-Clone looking like a menace. We also see the Fright Fighter, and also another spinning Gar warrior.
WHAT DO YOU GET IN THE BOX
Here we go…
Sy-Clone figure.
Yellow translucent shield
Alternate fists.
Red energy effects
RED MASK….WAIT-A-MINUTE!!!!!!!
Let’s check the contents next to the content list….
NOPE. NO RED MASK!!!!!
I looked and looked at the box. Maybe it was stuck in there? NOPE. I checked the floor of my kitchen to see if I might have dropped it. NOPE. It just wasn’t in the box. SIGH.
So I called up Mattel quality control, right…
OK. Do you know what you see on their website? Every kind of product except for anything Masters of the Universe. No Origins. No MASTERVERSE. NOPE! Fisher Price has a huge quality control/technical support page, which makes sense. Also Power Wheels. There are pages that address pieces of missing clothes from Barbies. There are pages about Hot Wheels sets. Not a single thing about Masters.
So I used the chatbot feature and rang up the Hot Wheels page. I figured getting someone to address my problem might not be that hard. I was given a number to call.
I had to find some numbers. One was on the bottom of the package, and the other was on the foot of the figure. This one was extra hard for me to see…I used the magnifier on my cell phone.
Only to be told they could not send me the red mask in the mail. They could not send me a replacement Sy-Clone either. They offered Mekanek. (I already owned Mekanek…I had bought him in June). And so…I accepted this. I wanted to add more pieces to his neck feature anyway.
But not having this mask takes some of the “oomph” out of the “New Eternia” branding. Without it, this might as well be strictly worse than the Masters of the Universe Classics version. The mask was something that made this unique. And I got shortchanged.
ACCESSORIES
The accessories that he DID come with are OK. I do wish the shield was bigger. The red energy effects are cool, and they can be placed on the shield to give it a spinning illusion, or on his wrists to emulate (kind of ) the vintage action feature.
ARTICULATION
He moves just fine. DANG IT! I WANT THE RED MASK!
One other complaint. Instead of the lenticular sticker, we have a clear bubble with a sticker that is NOT LENTICULAR behind it. This doesn’t light up or anything.
Speaking of Lenticular stickers…we rarely see these anymore. Have they gone the way of the buffalo?
SPARTANNERD RATING OF MASTERVERSE NEW ETERNIA SY-CLONE
“F.” No mask. No satisfaction. No lenticular sticker…no fun. No weapons besides a shield…and that is underwhelming too. The 200x and MOTUC version had this big ring that fit on his back. No ring here.
I kept putting this review off for a reason. I don’t like writing negative reviews. But with MASTERVERSE Movie Beast Man and now Sy-Clone, that’s two in a row.
This sculpt is OK. I appreciate the fins. The paint is maybe more matte than I remember the vintage one being, but perhaps my memory fails me. His face sculpt and paint makes him appear menacing.
It seems to me they could have pulled the original action feature off. Maybe not with a gear, but with a looser torso-to-waist joint.
I rate New Eternia Sy-Clone at 1/5. Too many issues that could be improved, but probably won’t be. Sy-Clone might get another release in a future. Maybe Mondo will make a 200x version that is amazing.
But at least now I can give Mekanek more of a 200x vibe!
I rate MASTERVERSE New Eternia Sy-Clone at 1/5. Do you agree or disagree, Hub City Geeks? Let me know in the comments!
OK….the problem with getting so much stuff at once….
I lost my photos of Super7 Snake Eyes packaging! ARGGHH!
And just yesterday (October 20) I threw away the box, thinking I wouldn’t need it. (Yes..the most first-world of problems. Don’t be a hater.)
So I’m telling no lie. I purchased Snake Eyes in Columbia SC for $40 at the end of July. Here was my go-around with this figure…I had seen it at Walmart marked $25. When I took it to the cashier, it rang up $55 (the normal price for an Ultimates! Figure,) but I didn’t want it that bad. Then I saw it for $40 and was like “why not?” And that is the true story.
A $25 Snake Eyes isn’t that far fetched…after all a bevy of Super7 Ultimates! Were put on sale for $25 during Cyber Week last year. Some of them, like the TMNT Slash were an unbelievable deal for that price. (I didn’t buy that, but I admired from a distance…)
So this time, no package photos. You could go back and look at my review of the Cobra B.A.T. and see what the packaging was like, however. Mine didn’t come with a sleeve, and maybe that’s why it was marked down. Snake Eyes had green metallic box on theme with GI Joe instead of Cobra, with some images from the A Real American Hero show, and some information that mostly didn’t tell us anything. Otherwise it was the same. It also had a double blister to display the contents, however if I remember correctly the back blister was smaller.
WHAT DO YOU GET?
Here’s what you get.
Snake Eyes figure
Timber figure (that’s the wolf.)
Jetpack
Laser Rifle
Laser pistol
Walkie Talkie
“Radioactive canister”
Fist hands, trigger hands, gripping hands, and open palm hands.
At first, I thought the Jetpack was a scuba tank! I used to watch GI Joe as a kid, but I have to admit I don’t remember many of the episodes. I did watch the movie many times on BETA Max…it was a blurry thing we recorded from the TV. But I loved it! I remember the “we combed the tombs…etc” and Cobra making Serpentor. And I remember an episode where there was a gigantic amoeba. That’s about it.
We had a small army of GI Joes and the generic “C.O.R.P.S.” Figures and vehicles. Because GI Joe was more expensive than He-Man or Ninja Turtles…
I suppose that was a tangent. My point is, the jetpack and the “radioactive canister” mean a little more to people who remember the episodes. That canister can’t be comfortably held by Snake Eyes, and it doesn’t attach to Timber in any way.
I think it is funny that he has a Walkie Talkie. Snake Eyes never spoke in the show!
Timber was a big draw for me in getting this figure. All of those hands…I wish there was a gloved option. But I went back and saw some YouTube clips of the old show, and Snake Eyes never wore gloves back then. So that explains it. But I suppose we live in a post 1989 Batman world, where awesome gloves help make the look complete.
ARTICULATION
Well here I have two figures to discuss. First of all, Snake Eyes moves all the ways you would expect a Super7 Ultimates figure to move. Supposedly there is a famous scene where Snake Eyes break dances. So here’s my take on that. (I looked it up. It’s cool, but short.)
Maybe someone should tell him….
You can see, there is no hindrance to the figure’s articulation.
Now Timber on the other hand. (Face palm)
PICTURED: Super7 Ultimates Snake Eyes with Timber and GI Joe Classified Sgt Slaughter. These guys are exactly the same size. Yes…the sarge depicts his real human self. But in scale, they are the same.
Timber can move his head side to side. But it breaks up the sculpt and the paint badly. His forelegs can splay out and his feet are on ball joints, but this articulation is limited. His back legs have no spread, so they are always too close together in my opinion.
SUPER7 VS HASBRO
So which is better?
Timber is about to change the odds….He better watch out though, Cobra Commander is known to kick puppies. PICTURED: Super7 Ultimates! Snake Eyes with Timber and GI Joe Classified Cobra Commander.
I don’t know if you can tell from the photos, but Snake Eyes is exactly the same size as GI Joe Classified Cobra Commander. He seems a little chunkier, and yes he represents his cartoon appearance. But Cobra Commander has so much more detail. And the articulation is EXACTLY THE SAME. But one big difference…Cobra Commander was less than $25 if I remember correctly.
PICTURED: Super7 Ultimates! Snake Eyes and Timber vs. Super7 Ultimates! Cobra B.A.T. And this is a real Karate move…I witnessed my brother’s black belt test for Shotokahn style. The instructor taught him how to take out a guy with a gun, and this was the move. This lesson came with a heavy dose of “It probably isn’t worth it.”
You can see that he is a little smaller than the Cobra B.A.T. And if you read my review from way back when I did it, I am of the opinion that the Battle Android Trooper is a big boy compared to your average guy. Maybe Cobra Commander has a Napoleon complex. But when I put Snake Eyes with Sgt. Slaughter, they are the same size.
My point is, I don’t think I will get any more Super7 Ultimates! GI Joes. The Hasbro GI Joe Classified series is cheaper, features the same articulation, practically the same accessories, better details and sculpts. Just better value.
SPARTANNERD’S RATING OF SUPER7 ULTIMATES! SNAKE EYES (AND TIMBER)
The paint and sculpt are good, depicting the way they look on the cartoon.
The accessories would be kind of bland if it wasn’t for Timber. It is a bummer than no one can hold the canister.
The package was pretty, and if you wanted to keep them in box it is collector friendly.
The value is here…there is just better value in Hasbro’s offerings. Yes…this is a Masters of the Universe Classics Snake Eyes figure….like a distant cousin to MOTUC at this point. He feels chunky in your hand. Timber on the other hand seems like he could be a cheap dollar store toy.
Right now I have Snake Eyes stored with the Cobra B.A.T., and Timber, being a generic wolf is on display with my barbarians. So he adds a lot to other property.
So I rate Super7 Ultimates! Snake Eyes 4/5. He’s OK. Not bad. But there could be some improvement.
Whiplash is the only villain in modern form for Masters of the Universe that I feel I am really missing, besides maybe Modulok and Screech. That MASTERVERSE figures are very affordable and generally excellent, and plentiful unlike the superior Masters of the Universe Classics figures has allowed me to have a goal and complete that goal. Reclaim all of the figures I had as a kid. So to me Webstor isn’t important. Jitsu and Ninjor, not important. I didn’t have these. I like the Evil Horde, and will get some of them, but I don’t have the same connection to them as I do Skeletor’s friends. I’m ready for them to release some MASTERVERSE Snake Men. There are also a lot of holes to fill in the Heroic slot for me.
The MASTERVERSE Whiplash figure Mattel has put out just isn’t that great. I haven’t seen it in person, but the pictures I have seen of it just don’t do it for me. Like most MASTERVERSE figures he is too lanky, and I believe Whiplash should be bulkier if anything. The head seems too small and kind of wrong. And the weapons and stuff seem off too. The secondary market price is around $40, and I just figure eventually they will come out with a better one. (I have seen a sealed Classics Whiplash for $200. PASS!)
But then there is this…I saw it at Toy Federation in Greer, SC. (Maybe that is more like Taylors or Simpsonville?). (Excellent store. I can spend hours in there and would if I lived closer!)
So this is SSKUR’GE. A Cosmic Legions figure (and my first one!). In case you didn’t figure out from the context clues, Cosmic Legions is the science fiction version of Mythic Legions. You can see a cross sell from the back of the packaging below.
You can see that there are some other Masters of the Universe tributes in this line. Slush Head and Man-E-Faces.Because this is my first Cosmic Legions figure, I wanted to show off the packaging a little more. Check out the font of SSKUR’GE’s name below.
This little story lets us know that SSKUR’GE is a bounty hunter, and as I read this and the story online about him, I get the feeling that he is kind of like The Skuxxoid from The Transformers.
Outpost Zaxxius is apparently the name of the set that SSKUR’GE was released in.
So what the Four Horsemen studios are doing is kind of one-upping Mattel. They have their own IP, but are doing their figures in tribute colors to the Masters of the Universe. Case in point, I ordered Anthophilees immediately when I saw him. (Maybe get him by Christmas next year. (Sigh.). Anthophilees is the strongest example of them all (Buzz-Off tribute), but here SSKUR’GE is very strong in the Whiplash hole. He really only has one weakness…neither head looks like Whiplash.
(If you want to see another example I have of the Four Horsemen tributing a figure, check out my review of Demistros, the Skeletor tribute.)
When you get him out of the box, this is what you get. You have to attach the tail…
So to accomplish this, you have to take your brand new $75 giant figure and separate the torso from the waist. This was not easy. And then you have some soft goods for furry shorts (not furry shorts), which complicates getting it back together correctly. I am never removing this tail again, or swapping the parts of this figure, so at least I won’t have to do it again. (In case you don’t know, Mythic Legions and Cosmic Legions are entirely parts swappable in their own scale. The scale of this figure is Ogre scale.) I made good use of the hair dryer.
If you watch these little turntable clips, you can hear my birds chirping in the background!
Here I am showing you the figure assembled and everything you get in the box, and also including the inside of the box as the diorama. (He is standing on the box for Skeletor’s Throne)
In the box, you get
SSKUR’GE figure, who is “ogre scale” and of the apparently new “dragon” buck.
Two heads, one dragon “default” and the other alien.
Four alternate hands, two of which are fists
A large spear with a mace head
A scythe and trident intended to combine into one weapon.
THE SCULPT
The Four Horsemen are just the gold standard. That’s it. They have built these lines on this quality pop-art form. Think about it, did you need Mythic Legions or Cosmic Legions in your life until you saw them? There is no cartoon or comic book. No video game. Just the toys. They have created a line of generic fantasy that is positively KILLING IT. They made it for the Elden Ring fans and Dungeons and Dragons crowd. They made it so it goes with Masters of the Universe, or in this case also Star Wars or Transformers.
We have seen elements of this sculpt before in MOTUC Draego Man. I don’t have that figure any more, but I went back and looked at some pictures. They have truly advanced their ideas. Draego Man as a figure appears to be much stiffer and have less character. You don’t see the joints right off like you did in the old MOTUC days, and that has something to do with it.Here SSKUR’GE (I really like typing that name) has similar scales and toothy, horned elements. (This exact same sculpt with different paint is available as Mythic Legions Araccagor.)
I don’t know if you can tell, but I don’t care too much for that alien head. To me it looks like some kind of sad duck. The reason I almost punted on this figure is that neither head really looks like Whiplash…But…
PICTURED: Mythic Legions Balthor the Tower Ogre, armed with Animal Warriors of the Kingdom’s gold axe. And SSKUR’GE armed with the scythe and trident spear.PICTURED: Same as above, but this time Balthor is throwing a Skeleton Legion Builder figure at SSKUR’GE, who is ready to to use the Whiplash tail. Notice the plugs on the back of the harness…I haven’t removed it, but likely one day we will get some wings.
PAINT
(Continued from …But…). The green and blue paint apps on this just overrides the weakness of the head sculpt when you put him with the other MASTERVERSE villains.
PICTURED: MASTERVERSE New Eternia Two-Bad and Cosmic Legions SSKUR’GE. Don’t these two just “seem” to go together?
The green is intentially two-tone Whiplash colored. The lighter green highlights his face and underside parts like hands, and the darker represents armor on his back. Not only do I get Whiplash vibes, but also Killer Croc vibes.
The armor pieces like the bracers and the waist pieces have a metallic sheen that I really like. That soft goods loin cloth is a kind of felt with fancy stripes. I can’t tell if the metal ring on his back is actually metal or plastic, but it is painted in the same color as the shiny parts of green on the harness. There is a pop of gold on his belt.
ACCESSORIES
Oh boy. Here is a weak part.
So the long pole mace that he comes with has the same handle as the weapon that came with my other ogre scale figure. Can’t the Horsemen give us something different? This time it is painted in gold or brass. And what even is a mace like this?
The other two weapons are designed to fit together in tribute to what Whiplash came with in the 200x line. The problem is, the handles are for a different scale of a figure.
PICTURED: Comparison Time! I don’t’ have a vintage Whiplash, but I picked up a loose 200x Whiplash the day before I decided to go back to Toy Federation. To me, everything is similar except the head sculpt.PICTURED: SSKUR’GE fights against a Legion Builder gold knight (review coming soon) and also Mythic Legions Sir Godfrey (I think I have the name correct.) My point is that the trident and scythe don’t fit on the other pole.
But wait…there’s more…(facepalm)
These weapon pieces would be better if they could fit together on the pole pieces that came with the mace. But they don’t. I tried jamming them together…it just wasn’t really meant to happen. And it would be far cooler if it would work.
SPARTANNERD RATING OF COSMIC LEGIONS SSKUR’GE
I’ve said it before and want to re-iterate. As an adult collector, I have a job. Sometimes I have two. I have real life responsibilities, and this side hobby is pure escapism. It is escapism from the constant bad news. The constant political news. The constant culture wars. Getting this was an alternative to buying new Magic the Gathering cards, or a new video game, or going out to eat somewhere, or going to the movies. The nostalgia factor here is a key part of it. But also, like I said above, the Four Horsemen have created things that you didn’t know you wanted until you saw it. Kind of like Steve Jobs/Apple did with the iPad I am typing on right now. I happened to be going through the area where the Toy Federation is two days in a row. I walked around with the box on the first day, but then bought the 200x version instead. When I went home, it was nagging at me. So the next day when I was in town I went ahead and grabbed it.
SSKUR’GE here checks every box. Can I chalk up the head sculpt not being like Whiplash as a weakness? Not for this product. Both head sculpt options are sculpted and painted terrifically, just neither looks like Whiplash, which at a certain point the Horsemen probably aren’t allowed to do anyway.
I do think the accessories are the weakest point, and believe the Horsemen could have given us a proper scaled trident but cut the corners here. On the other hand, both parts of the weapon have good paint. Still not sure how practical a mace on a long pole would be. But it does look cool, and will be modular with other weapons in ogre scale for the line. And it isn’t like he can’t hold the trident…it is very loose. But this weapon is in scale for the other Mythic Legions that I have so it has additional use.
I couldn’t be happier with this figure. It is one of the best that I purchased over the summer. 5/5. I MIGHT look into getting a proper Whiplash head sculpt on the customizers market. Or maybe I will wait and see if Mattel comes out with a better MASTERVERSE Whiplash. But if they do, it won’t be as awesome as SSKUR’GE. And when assembled with all the bad guys, he really completes the picture.
My “bad guy” collection. Everyone’s here (Except Modulok and Screech). One Day I might update this to be a better pic with a proper diorama backdrop.
So SpartanNerd’s rating of Cosmic Legions SSKUR’GE Whiplash is 5/5. Do you agree or disagree, oh Hub City Geeks? Let me know in the comments!
I remember watching the Filmation show as a kid, and wondering why we didn’t get this throne with Snake Mountain. It was clearly awesome, and Grayskull came with a chair. What was the deal? I didn’t ponder too much, though. I was just a kid!
As an adult fan, who was watching the 200x Mike Young production show, I noticed Skeletor’s throne was massive. Ridiculous, actually. Such were the times of the early 2000’s, when Dragon Ball Z and similar were the flavor.
With Masters of the Universe Classics, people were making custom bone-thrones for their figures to sit on. These looked so cool, but the ones for sale required a wait time, and you talk about something pricey too.
And then…and OFFICIAL Classics throne for Skeletor came with the Super7 Snake Mountain. The very final MOTUC product. And at that price tag ($700?) no way did it feel the SpartanNerd was ever going to have this thing. And people weren’t selling the pieces off of the gigantic Super7 thing.
So to actually have this MASTERVERSE Skeletor with a throne is pretty incredible. Watch the video below to see my unboxing and packaging commentary.
UNBOXING (Also includes Movie Beast Man, review soon)
I took the box cutter to that top box and got the art pieces off to take pictures. This is great stuff!
REVIEW OF SKELETOR
Here is everything you get in the box
Skeletor figure
Alternate hands…one punching the other open.
The Havoc Staff
Armor with cape attachment
Removable hood
Maybe this next photo will explain this a little more
Skeletor getting ready for…church…
This is exactly the same figure we got with New Eternia Skeletor (Viking). It just has different, arguably better paint. But this head is different. And as far as I know, this is the first non-hooded, bare-boned Skeletor head. The New Adventures design had techno parts. There is also an articulated jaw.
I hear a prominent fan criticizing this head sculpt as appearing to be a chimpanzee skull. And then taking a hair dryer to it. DON’T DO IT! This is by design. Go back and read some of those early Alcala mini comics. I always felt that some of those Skeletor designs of his had that protruding top mouth part, and it looks very chimp-y. But that was how he drew it.
The only criticism I have here then is the one I have gradually gotten from the other New Eternia Skeletor. His left leg is loose at the boot cut and thigh cut. And they didn’t fix it for this offering…his is already loose and he has some trouble standing on two feet.
INTERLUDE
Mattel seemed to celebrate this product just a little bit. Check out the covers of this month’s comic!
So I decided to make a photo of the green cover using the figure. I had the SpartanWife paint his nails. I am not showing this, but when I removed his battle harness, there was purple “bleed” left on his back. It was faint, but it looks like I am seeing some of these kinds of issues recently.
The photo turned out pretty good. I took off the armor and hood, laid the figure on some “green glass”. And placed a green gel in front. I shone a flashlight on it and the surprise imperfections in the gel plastic film made the image extra good.
REVIEW OF SKELETOR’S THRONE.
It didn’t take long for me to assemble it. The diorama card was the hardest part…I had to cut some of the tabs off of the bottom. They come with a design that isn’t supposed to disassemble once put together. But that didn’t suit my storage needs.
But as I stepped back and took a look at it…Then back at the instructions and some promo images…The skull head on top is TOO TALL. We are led to believe the back wall is taller than the chair. NOPE.
So you can see, I had to put some black cardstock from other packaging up behind the head to get proper photos.
You can see the furry seat cushion, and this is a solution to a problem. If you have been following the SpartanNerd blog, then you know that King Conan’s throne can’t be properly sat in by MASTERVERSE figures, making me worry about this. That seat cushion disguises the awkwardness of their butt not being perpendicular to the chair. Cool solution, Mattel! There are also foot pegs on the platform under the chair, so you can peg him in for even more stability.
Here is some more description. Look near He-Man’s feet. Two alien insect skulls with antennae. There are these mandibular halves with teeth coming up beside the throne…this must be the jawbones of wyvyrns. And no way around it…that is a demon skull on top.
…Let’s be real for a minute. Why did Bob Jones University types protest He-Man and the Masters of the Universe as being demonic back in the 1980’s?…
On the back side of the throne there are two stands made of cobra snakes where you can place the Havoc Staff and the Staff of Ka. These are rubbery, and press down and spring back to shape when you load the weapons for display.
Skeletor SHOULD HAVE come with a Staff of Zoar. That has to be what Mattel was going for with the lighting effect. Orange for Zoar, green for Ka, and blue for Havoc. Each a type of magic presented on the Revolution cartoon. But you can give him the Sorceress’s staff. It is too small, but it works.
I swapped the head for this New Eternia (Viking) alternate head. This has been my main Skeletor head, until now…
At first I thought the lighting effect was broken on mine. I put some batteries from the junk drawer in, so I swapped them with new ones from the store, and it still wasn’t working right. I would hit the switch, and it would turn on orange. But it wouldn’t change colors. I walked away for a day to think about it.
I recently had a QC issue with Mattel regarding Sy-Klone. (Review yet to come!) Essentially, they listened to my complaint and offered me a Mekanek to replace him (complimentary) or my money back. I didn’t want to go through this again with the much larger and more expensive Havoc Throne. I didn’t want them to say I was defrauding them or something. I thought…”I can fix this. And if I can’t, I’ll call them then.” So I got to work. I removed the bottom screws, and that was it…it worked! I put them back in loosely and haven’t had any trouble since. Evidently the screws were too tight or something. If you have trouble with yours, try my fix.
You can watch the lighting effect by clicking this link
You can see I went ahead and cut up the box so I could make a larger display. Evil Lyn, Beast Man, Mer-Man, Panthor, and Screech look on as Skeletor charges his Havoc magic.Here is Mythic Legions (NOT!) Demistros sitting on the bone throne, energizing the Staff of Ka. His giant devil head looks like it might be a brother to the one on the top of the chair.And here’s Black Falcon, holding the Staff of Zoar which would surely be his weapon of choice.
SPARTANNERD RATING OF NEW ETERNIA SKELETOR AND HAVOC THRONE
I have to take this objectively. Subjectively, I am really, really happy to have this thing. I have basically all of the bad guys now, and this throne pulls them together on display. (I don’t have Screech or Panthor. My Whiplash is a compromise. Review coming soon!)
Anyway. Objectively.
Skeletor’s new head with an articulated jaw and removable hood is excellent. His new purple and gold paint details are also very good on the battle harness and cape armor. This is also metallic purple paint on the Havoc Staff that matches his armor. This figure didn’t come with any other new accessories, and is in fact exactly like the New Eternia (Viking) Skeletor that we already had, take away the Viking skull and classic head. The packaging is nice, and is slightly different than what is on the cover box, featuring the battle harness instead of the cape armor (I didn’t point that out in the video.)
I gave the original New Eternia Skeletor a 4/5, taking off a point for loose leg joints. It is the same here with this “new” New Eternia Skeletor. 4/5. He has the same leg problems. The new paint and the head with removable hood are very good upgrades, however.
Objectively, about the Havoc Throne. I have to set aside my love for this item and instead point out the strengths and weaknesses.
It is very well done. Easy to assemble. Nice packaging that falls short in the tallness category (see what I did there!) But the artwork on it is wonderful. The furry seat cushion is a novel design that solves the problem of figures sitting awkward, and really any 6-inch figure sits nice on it. Super7 Ultimates!. Mythic Legions. Very nice! The Staff of Ka is a little bit thick, and we are used to seeing it smaller, say for instance in Teela’s hand.
If I am messing with this, I never leave the LED fire lights off. I mean, clear fire is fine. But the colors add much depth, and if you turn off the lights, a real evil atmosphere can be created.
I am giving this throne a 5/5. Sure, I did have to take a screwdriver to it, but I can’t say if that will be everyone’s experience. Maybe mine was an exception. I DO wish the diorama was taller than the skull head. But the packaging is so nice otherwise that it kind of cancels that out. The throne can be stored in that box, or you can use it to display the throne with Skeletor kind of as a statue.
So 4/5 for Skeletor and 5/5 for the throne. What do you think, Hub City Geeks? Am I justified in this rating? Let me know in the comments!
I began comparing figures with one another way back with Demistros and Black Falcon. Then I did the three kings. And now, two versions of the same character. Or are they?
One of my thoughts was “It looks like Revolution version only has a single damage mark option, while the older New Eternia version has two. Oh I get it! They are encouraging you to buy both for interchangeable pieces.” Well, keep reading to see how that works out.
MASTERVERSE Revolution Battle Armor He-Man
PACKAGING
The packaging of this features terrific artwork. Once again, this newer “transformers” style packaging really works for me. You can see the figure inside, along with his main accessory. It’s a good drawing, but you can clearly see that the figure’s head sculpt has fatter jowels and smaller hair. Also featured on the cover are the Eternian Guards, who no doubt if they are ever released will have the same armor design. I almost predict this as a reveal at the SDCC this week. (Nope. Skelcons and Horde troopers!) Link to Pixel Dan video.
The back of the box features something I don’t like so much. This is a photoshopped picture of the action figure posed in an artwork setting. The shadow beasts ARE cool though.
We are treated to the “selfie cam” image. But also we can see the other ways of displaying He-Man with this set. We get a traditional harness and a no-scratch plate and a one-scratch plate. The cross sell on the bottom…I have all of these except for the Tri-Klops, which I deem pointless. We already have a MASTERVERSE revelation Tri-Klops that was pretty good. I have seen this one on the shelf, and the sculpting is more detailed and better all around. But it is still just Tri-Klops. Mekanek is excellent, and King Keldor is … OK.
There is some side-art
We get a picture of Andra. Now the story on the back and in the show is that Andra, as Man-At-Arms, designed this battle armor and gave it to He-Man for extra protection because he didn’t have the sword. (Gwildor and Orko were working on it).
About Andra…she is a fine character, and I get why they promoted her to importance. Lots of reasons. But she is a character that won’t sell. I am saying this because I have seen upwards of 30 of them on clearance between two different Target stores, one dedicated toy store, Wal-Mart, and Ollie’s. The bounty hunter looks really cool. But given a choice between Andra and someone more nostalgic, me and the vast majority of MOTU fans will choose even the worst vintage character over her. Maybe this is my two-cents, but evidence is evidence. She is regularly marked down on BigBadToyStore also. She’s not moving for under $13, which is likely what they paid for her wholesale.
Overall, this packaging really isn’t as good as some of the other more recent packaging, and I hope they don’t move to that photoshop design instead of the terrific art that is for instance on the back of Clawful’s packaging.
FIGURE
Here’s what you get in the box.
He-Man figure
Chrome battle axe
Two interchangeable chest plates
Alternate traditional battle harness with the “H” symbol
Two punching fists
Should I count the bracer? OK.
So how does it work?
The armor is of hard shell design. It goes together with clips on the side. You don’t have to remove the armor to swap chest plates. (An improvement over the MOTUC version.)
Here I have He-Man holding a triangular guitar pick. (Rhombo pick). This is what I use to pry the chest plate off. You could use any “spudger” to do this same thing.
The classic power harness looks great, but there is no loop on the back to store the axe or a sword. Well, there is no sword anyway. You can see that this is easily the best battle axe, and is a reason for purchasing this figure almost by itself. He changed into battle armor mode by fist-bumping his chest if I remember correctly. Unfortunately, his muscles are too big on the figure to do this.
Here are a couple of reenactment scenes from the Revolution show.
He-Man crowns Keldor the king. OOF.King Keldor sent He-Man away to take the fight to Snake Mountain. He slyly mentioned to someone else when asked where his crown was…”I left it at home.” PICTURED: MASTERVERSE Revolution Battle Armor He-Man holding King Keldor’s crown, looking confused standing in front of MASTERVERSE New Eternia Skeletor’s throne. (Review coming soon!)Because I don’t have Prince Adam, mid-transformation face-plant will have to do. OOF. PICTURED: MASTERVERSE Revolution Battle Armor He-Man and Masters of the Universe Classics Battle Cat, both without armor.
MASTERVERSE New Eternia Battle Armor He-Man
PACKAGING
New- Eternia Battle Armor He-Man came in the decidedly worse old-style MASTERVERSE packaging. But you can see everything clearly. And we are treated to the 40th anniversary symbol.
Now THIS IS COOL ARTWORK!
A very barbarian image of He-Man, this version with the obvious beard I haven’t mentioned yet, fighting a skeleton guy and some kind of orc. He stands over them, furry shorts and boots engaged, ready to mete vengeance with his battle axe! His right hand open about to grip for a powerful swing.
The cross sell oddly features a brown beard on He-Man. I never have needed a Sun-Man (another character that is shoved at us.) I just passed on Jitsu yesterday in Columbia, SC. And He-Ro…meh.
Side art…( the other side is just block letter title)
FIGURE
Here’s what you get….
Battle-Armor He-Man figure
Shoulder pauldron
Plate armor belt
Two armor plates, one undamaged, the other two- scratched
A right hand fist and open left hand
Power sword
Battle axe
Shield with vehicle detail
Boot strap knife
This is an impressive accessory list!
The head sculpt…he doesn’t look as grizzled as the artwork.
SO HOW DOES THIS GUY WORK? (SpartanNerd shaking his head)
Very unsightly. Why? Mattel, we can do better.
Where to begin. Before trying to remove the armor, it is already clear they sculpted and painted his belly. But he is slimmer than Revolution, but really you can’t display this figure without the armor.
To swap plates, you remove the front armor. The back is sculpted on and not removable. There are these holes in his chest, where pegs on the back of the plates go. Awkward, and stupid. There is some circuitry design….just. Why?
Also, the boot knife fits in an indention awkwardly. (This is a different boot knife than 1987 Movie He-Man came with.)
I removed the belt armor for this one. Like Mekanek, He-Man’s shield celebrates a vehicle we probably won’t get for MASTERVERSE. This time Dragon Walker I believe. You can store the sword behind the shield, but there is no scabbard or loop. The shield pegs into a hole just like on the wrist bracer. The pauldron goes on with a snapping loop.
So for me, it’s the head sculpt that is the only redeeming factor of the paint and sculpt. Where did the beard “come from”? Masters of the Universe Classics had a “King He-Man” figure, who was more wizened, and grizzled. That figure featured a beard. I have neglected the slight scratch of red paint on his face. BLOOD. (I own a copy of DC comics He-Man: The Eternity War #6 which features King He-Man on the cover.)
PICTURED: MASTERVERSE New Eternia Battle Armor He-Man on Super7 Utlimates! King Conan’s throne. He-Man is wearing MASTERVERSE Revolution King Keldor’s crown, and holding MASTERVERSE New Eternia Thunder-Punch He-Man’s sword. (It’s gold…more “kingly.”
I think Mattel might have been going for a Mythic Legions or a Christopher Helmsworth look as this bearded version seems younger and more spritely.
Here is a kind of re-make of the artwork on the back. It actually isn’t possible to one-for-one that artwork. He-Man came with opposite hands.
COMPARISON
Both of these figures have strengths and weaknesses. Revolution has a more modern design, while New Eternia was one of the earliest figures. Mattel has had time to improve. This has something to do with the cheap, cheap price I was able to pay for New Eternia.
New Eternia really updated the design. Giving He-Man a beard was almost worth the whole figure. But throw in the other armor pieces (Pauldron, Girdle) and all of the accessories. This makes New Eternia more fun. I haven’t spoken much about it, but the hip armor plates have the button-on belt and after removing it I had to use the hair dryer to get it back on.
Revolution has a decidedly worse head sculpt. He doesn’t look like the cartoon. Maybe I’m stupid, but he resembles Shaggy from Scooby Doo, with blond hair. At least to me. I appreciate that the armor is shinier than New Eternia’s. And that battle axe is hands down the best painted one we’ve seen. But it is small. (Savage He-Man has a huge axe.)
The biggest problem for me with New Eternia is the design of the armor…how it removes and how you swap the plates. It is INCOMPATIBLE with Revolution Battle Armor He-Man. I wanted both figures, and it would have been a nice bonus to have interchangeable pieces, but Mattel just decided not to give us that.
SpartanNerd’s Rating of both MASTERVERSE Battle Armor He-Man (He-Men?)
Revolution gets 2/5. I find him to be kind of bland. The pop of chrome paint is most of his redeeming factor. That head just doesn’t do it for me. Why didn’t we get proper armor plates? He didn’t come with a sword or anything else. We could have done away with the bracer even and gotten plates to accurately represent the vintage switching look. Additionally, this armor makes him appear overweight. As a Masters of the Universe/ Transformers/ GI Joe guy, I value escapism. He-Man having a gut hits too close to home for me.
I am reluctantly giving 3/5 for New Eternia. He doesn’t look bland at all! Everything about him would be awesome if his whole torso-buck wasn’t sacrificed to make the armor work. I don’t like the way this was executed, period. What were they thinking? I feel like this buck was throw-away also. Who else could use it? Back then I bet they were thinking Battle Armor Skeletor, maybe Faker, maybe Eternian Guards. I’m willing to bet there was such negative feedback they scrapped it.
Soon there will be a New Eternia Battle Armor Skeletor released, and let me say, the preview images look AWESOME! I’m thinking that will take design cues from Revolution He-Man.
Hub-City Geeks…I did this so you don’t have to. Don’t go into purchasing both versions thinking you can swap them. It won’t work. I actually wanted both versions…I saw Revolution on sale at Wal-Mart in Westgate for $21, and New Eternia was marked down on Prime Day. I have like $32 worth here and feel I have my value. But as it is, Mattel needs to do better to give us better Battle Armor He-Man in the future.
spartannerd 