Once again I took a trip to Summerville, SC for a teacher retreat, and decided to look into the Target down there, where I saw two Chronicles figures…Skeletor and Trap Jaw. I like the Skeletor…but the issue is…I have at least five already! Now yesterday they announced Gym Bro Skeletor, and that looks cool…I am waiting on Office Bro Skeletor. That will be amazing! Maybe they will name him Darrel?
But I have wanted the Trap Jaw, AND this was the last one. Trap Jaw had a huge role in the 2026 movie, with at least three big fight scenes and a rivalry with Man-At-Arms. So did the figure turn out as great as expected?
PACKAGING
This is the second Chronicles figure that I have opened with retail packaging, the other is Battle Cat…but I also have the Mattel Creations Chronicles King Grayskull. My point is, this packaging is pretty similar to Masterverse packaging, but a noted difference is the DELUXE articulation mark instead of some kind of number like “30 points of articulation.” It turns out that some figures might just have MORE articulation if you thing about it, but also some might have less. You can see Trap Jaw just fine in the window as well as all that comes with the figure. “Evil & Armed For Combat.” Keep scrolling for more images
Nick Galatzine’s He-Man. Links to 2026 movie review.Another little window in and a full but small image of Trap Jaw from the image on the front.
The back features a photoshop image of Trap Jaw on purple Snake Mountain details. There are little call-outs showing us his action features, which is the interchangeable arms of course. There is cross sell on the bottom featuring Skeletor and Trap Jaw.
When I opened the box, I realized there was this table of contents, but more importantly when you remove the blister…
BOOM! A nice Snake Mountain backdrop!
I don’t rate figures based on their packaging…so here is a rundown of how I will rate Trap Jaw or any other figure since around 2016. I use a five-point scale, each point is listed below:
Sculpt
Paint
Articulation
Accessories
“Feels point”…why did I want this and what does it represent to me? Most figures I buy at least have this! (Otherwise…why did I buy it? But it has come up)
FIGURE REVIEW
Here is what you get in the package…
Trap Jaw figure
alternate left hand
sword arm
hook arm
cannon arm
One of my complaints about the Chronicles line for most of the figures is the lack of accessories. King Grayskull was loaded out, but He-Man only comes with the sword. Evil-lyn only comes with the wizard staff (typically…I don’t have a chronicles Evil Lyn). But here, Trap Jaw has plenty because that is his gimmick, after all!
There is no storage on his belt for the accessories, which is a bummer. Also notable, you can’t interchange the weapons between Chronicles Trap Jaw and New Eternia Trap Jaw. This is a big miss for Mattel. Why limit our fun? NE Trap Jaw’s weapons could go to NE Roboto, NE Hordak, or Revolution Man-of-War.
PICTURED: Masterverse New Eternia Man-At-Arms riding on Chronicles Battle Cat. He is armed with the Masters of the Universe Classics 200x style arm cannon. Chronicles Trap Jaw is riding on New Eternia Panthor.
The paint is one of the best features…it looks like it came right out of the movie! Most of the paint is glossy, and there is a glossy finish to even the more boring parts like the lower legs.
PICTURED: Chronicles Trap Jaw with one of the prize pieces in my collection, vintage Transformers Shockwave. Both have upgraded their unfortunate arm incidents.
Articulation…it feels like a different toyline actually…remember the old Halo figures that were 4-6 inch scale? The joints move similar to those. Now at first the lower right boot-cut wouldn’t work, but over time of me posing him and taking photos, this loosened up. So it doesn’t count as what I call a “stupid problem.”
ACCESSORIES
If they didn’t include accessories, would Trap Jaw be who he is? NOPE. Luckily they did!
PICTURED: Chronicles King Grayskull and Trap Jaw.
The hook is my favorite attachment. I thought it an odd choice that this was used the most in the movie, considering that Karg was also in the movie and using a hook hand. (I have always felt that Karg was a stand-in for Trap Jaw in the 1987 movie…budget limitations. Just the same I am glad they included Karg in the 2026 movie. Figure please)! This hook became the signature move for Trap Jaw in the movie, and it looks great!
In the picture above, where Trap Jaw is about to lose to Ram Man, he has caught Mekanek’s head with his open hand and is about to use his sword arm to do some chopping. But…Ram Man is going to use Mortal Kombat’s Raiden move on him.
The accessories are great, but they didn’t include the classic “gripper arm” from the vintage toy or the Filmation show. However…that didn’t appear in the 2026 film either. The only thing that bugs me about the accessories is that they aren’t swappable with the Masterverse action features that are similar. I should note that the hand is also not compatible with Masterverse…it has a socket in the hand with a peg on the figure, but Masterverse figures had it the other way around. The accessories are painted the same glossy gray that the boots are. They could have more paint applied, but they also look like they look in the movie so that passes my test. I DO wish there were loops on his belt. (But once again, not in the movie).
PICTURED: A semi-recreation of the movie scene where He-Man rips Trap Jaw’s arm off and uses it as a blaster. This is Kitbash Masterverse Battle Armor He-Man (with a beard!), Kitbash Classics/Revelation Teela, New Eternia Man-At-Arms and Roboto, fighting against the disarmed Chronicles Trap Jaw and the New Eternia Terror Claws Skeletor.
SPARTANNERD RATING OF MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE CHRONICLES TRAP JAW
He gets a 5/5. I really can’t take any points off. I do think there are ways that Mattel could have made him better…belt loops…claw arm…interchangeability with similar figures. But the sculpt, paint, articulation, accessories, and feels point are all there for the SpartanNerd! And he looks great with other bounty hunters!
I’ve had her for a little while, and she has become one of my absolute favorites! Keep reading to see why!
PACKAGING
I purchased this at the Toy Federation in Greer, SC. I was looking for … I wasn’t sure…that new Mythic Legions bear was a possibility. But when I saw her, I knew this was what I wanted! (Notable, today I was there and it was double the price!)
I don’t know…when I saw this, it struck a nerve. I was looking at Alloy. ACTUALLY, I had just purchased the video game Crimson Desert, and she more rightly resembles the Graymanes with that blue warpaint. You can see all that you get in the package clearly.
I really need a new iPhone. There is a bio on the side that basically reads that she is kind of an outcast. She is a frost giant, actually, which begs the question, is that blue warpaint a scar or an injury…does she have frozen blue blood? Her eyes are also solid blue.
The back shows off the other figures from this wave. I looked very hard at the minotaur guy. There are also a pair of dwarves in this set that I missed…(I thought about getting them but came away with Ne’ve’ instead.). We also have some Oni looking guy riding a black unicorn with war spikes.
Arrows with different colored fletching (in the plastic still so I didn’t lose them)
Not a bad load out, really.
FIGURE REVIEW
This is a “1.0” female Mythic Legions figure. In other words, she has the same kind of parts and build as the first waves that came out. Most female figures from the past couple of years are of the 2.0 type, with a slimmer build. I only became aware of the differences when I got the Figura Obscura Father Christmas. Beneath his robes is a 2.0 supposedly male knight’s build. (mostly unpainted at that). Later I would get the Undead of Vikenfell skeleton figure, who shared some of those parts, and then I got the 2025 SpartanNerd figure of the year, which was Belualyth the Beastmaster. Essentially a modern lady. AND last week I reviewed the Cosmic Legions Cosmic Ladies. Check that out HERE.
Her sculpt and paint are great as always, and I love the blue and gray details over her more barbaric pieces. She doesn’t seem to be old, but she has gray hair like a senior citizen. Maybe an artifact of being a frost giant? The pauldrons are one of the best colors…it is kind of a silver with a purple hue. This color reminds me of Micro Machines…long ago in the early 1990’s I had the set that changes colors in the sun. One of them was a jetliner in this exact same color. To me, one of the draws to getting this figure was the helmet, which is also in this brilliant color. And the pauldrons look best with the helmet, even if the articulation is compromised.
I keep talking about those pauldrons and the helmet. The problem with pauldrons like this in Mythic Legions is they are so dumb to get on the shoulders…and the point of them is just that. Shoulder armor. You have to peg them into holes on her back that every Horsemen figure has. And it is such a tight fit. Sometimes I’ve had to use a hairdryer or run hot water to get it to work. Luckily this line isn’t for kids. They would be very frustrated, and parents likely would be too. Other than this problem, I like how they kind of have that “Bowser shell” look to them. That helmet is the exact same helmet we have a few times over, but this time with different side-horns. And of course this is the only one in that silver-purple color.
The next big and obvious accessory is the shield. This is the first time I have this round shield. It works like other Mythic Legions shields in that you could swap the bear emblem out from the middle. I won’t be doing that, but I could with the deer from the Xylernian Guard or the thing from Cosmic Legions Wal-torr the Mad (both would look dumb). What is new tech, though is that there are holes in the shield to install arrows! YES! At first I thought I must have been cheated a bow. But then I realized…that was what the arrows were for!
The double headed axe is nicely detailed, and you can store it or the sword on a loop that is on her belt. The belt has nice details, with an animal skull as the belt buckle. The sword, I know I’m bringing it up again, but it looks like it is a part of the Abyss in Crimson Desert. Also, the Masters of the Universe movie trailer has been showing some interior of Grayskull, and this sword looks like it could belong there. The axe has a sculpted “wooden” handle, with flat-topped curved-under heads. The rope is painted well.
I know these figures cost a little more than other lines (Masterverse, GI Joe Classified Series, Super7 Ultimates), but the Horsemen really are outclassing everyone else, for really not that much more. And the fact that this is a line of “generic” characters, it is like they are really rubbing it in to Hasbro and Mattel maybe for not contracting them anymore.
I give my ratings based on sculpt, paint, articulation, accessories, and “the feels.” It is excellent in all areas except for articulation. The figure has great articulation…but when you put the pauldrons on you lose the range of motion in the arms. BUT also with the default white-haired head, those braids are just too awesome for her to be able to turn her head. (Same with the blonde head pictured above)
This figure is solid awesome otherwise. It was a moment when you didn’t know you needed something until you saw it. It was that kind of thing. She looks great with Masters of the Universe. I kind of chose skeletons as my faction to collect in Mythic Legions, but knights are turning out to be a close second place.
I am giving Ne’ve’ a 4/5 rating, taking a point only because of that situationally limited articulation. Do you agree or disagree, Hub City Geeks? Let me know in the comments!
Four Horsemen Studios had a storehorsemen “in stock” sale…a situation where really they offer flat-rate shipping more than discounts. Still, they open the vaults, and this time they offered something a little special different. “The Cosmic Legions Cosmic Ladies Character Pack.” (I find this to be a genius way for them to do a clearance sale). My order took almost all of the four weeks to arrive…that hasn’t been usual for the greatest action figure makers in the 6-inch scale. I decided to pick that Cosmic Ladies Character Pack up, and went ahead and got Kalian Shunn and the Barbarian Spare Parts. So I am going to discuss the entire haul and offer a rating of the two Cosmic Legions figures. (My rating system is based on sculpt, paint, articulation, accessories, and the intangible “feels” point..why did I want it…and what does it represent to me).
BARBARIAN SPARE PARTS
So this is the most unceremonious thing I have bought from the Four Horsemen. They shipped them in a poly bag.
The Barbarian Spare parts on my project table. Already looks like a battlefield.
It is what it is. A torso, parts for an upper thigh, and parts for upper arms. I have had experience with the thigh…longtime readers will know that Kannox Vull’s stump leg broke immediately out of the package, and I had the Horsemen send me a replacement part. They only sent the lower thigh…not the thigh-cut joint. So I had to extract that from the old stump and that was SO DIFFICULT. Seriously…I almost cannibalized the Warrior Beast Head Hunter figure…I would have just had to paint his thigh purple.
But now I have spare parts for such mishaps. I will probably use them to customize…I might even add some red sharpie for…you know…blood! (These are of the same complexion as the Legendary Barbarian).
COSMIC LADIES CHARACTER PACK and KALIAN SHUNN
This came as two packages…I expected that because I have purchased head-packs before when they did a similar thing earlier in the year. (I got the blue snake heads and the alien heads, but I didn’t get the character packs that are actually still available). Basically, I would have never picked up the Zeerian Spyre (Zeeri) as she is such a plain character. Actually, I thought, and probably many other fans also believed this to be a “legion builder,” after all, the title Zeerian Spyre kind of sounds like a race name followed by an occupation. Which is probably why she has wound up in this kind of clearance sale. The two heads, which I apologize for the glare, these are Barbie heads in Caucasian and African-American style. With these heads I should be able to make lots of different female builds, and that is the draw of paying $40 for this set.
Kalian Shunn (Kailey) comes in a similar kind of box. This is one that appeals to me because of the colors. I have almost picked this up at a toy store a few times, but never felt it was worth a $70 price tag. So I always put it back…if I am going to spend $70, it better be something substantially good for certain. Usually I was looking for something else that they didn’t have. But during this sale she was only $34, and so I went ahead and got it, taking advantage of that lower shipping cost as well.
I won’t bore you with photos of the backs and sides…basically they both have bio information and a description of the “wave” of figures, in font that I can’t read. It is best to just go to the Horsemen’s website. The backs of the packages show off a cross-sell of other Cosmic legions, and I believe Zeeri was from wave 1, while Kailey was from a later wave. (You can tell because all of the available Cosmic Legions are on the back. My photos were all burry 😦 … I really need a new iPhone)
What do you get in the packages?
Zeerian Spyre
Zeerian Spyre (Zeeri) figure
four translucent peg pieces
a pair of alternate hands.
a hologram
a pair of pistols
a sniper rifle
a cloak
a re-breather
an alternate head with a different hairstyle
I can’t go any further without discussing the alternate heads. I think a couple of photos will tell the story.
In case you can’t tell, I’m ultra excited about the movie coming out next week! And I DID get a preview ticket! So I will see it Wednesday, and have a review ready for Friday!
So these alternate heads just add a lot of value, and they look great on Zeeri…more photos ahead.
Kalian Shunn
Kalian Shunn (Kailey) figure
four translucent peg pieces
a pair of alternate hands
a shoulder pauldron
a weapons strap or belt
a high-powered laser rifle
a rocket
a pistol
a bo staff
a cloak
an alternate helmeted head
It seems kind of humble after that above showing of what is included, doesn’t it. But really, as a basic figure, Kailey has more stuff than Zeeri…I just paid out for an upgrade.
Figure Reviews
One big thing to say…these are almost identical figures as far as sculpt and articulation. Kailey is a later repaint of Zeeri. And that tells this story.
PICTURED: Cosmic Legions Zeerian Spyre with a basic setup. Of all the photos I took today, I think this is my favorite.PICTURED: Cosmic Legions Kalian Shunn with a basic setup.
Besides the obvious difference in the heads, they have different lower legs and shoes. And really that is about it. It is notable, and perhaps unforgivable, that Kailey has to wear a dress. She has a socket on the front of her waist that the Horsemen did not give us a part for. This is the only time I have seen this…for instance even the Figura Obscura Father Christmas, who has a similar body underneath all of that Christmas robe, has a loin-cloth piece to plug in there. You can see why I wanted this figure…she looks great, with a cool color scheme. But the more I messed with it, the more I realized that this was the Horsemen geniusly maximizing their value out of the already percolating on-the-shelf Zeerian sculpt.
PICTURED: Cosmic Legions Kalian Shunn vs. GI Joe Classified Series Jinx. Both with their bo staves. BUT…Jinx has a “naginata” or bladed staff, while Kailey’s is probably some kind of energy weapon.
Even that belt…it is the same. I was almost fooled! About an hour of taking pictures and video, and I started to realize it. Something else…in the photo above, you can see the alternate masked head. (You can remove that orange part on the crown, but underneath isn’t much to look at). Without the cape, you have a bare orange neck that just seems wrong. There should have been a blue neck peg or some kind of collar piece to hide the neck peg. Instead they gave us this hood that doesn’t work with the default head. Furthermore, she has a bare orange arm, limiting the head-swapping action to other orange or at least alien heads.
Because of this parts re-use, they have identical articulation…except for one thing. Kailey’s hair is so stiff that her head can’t move. AND, because of the shoulder pauldron and that hair, her right arm is limited range too! Big issues with Kalian Shunn. Otherwise, the articulation is at every joint. Mythic Legions, Cosmic Legions, and related lines use pop-and-swap to where getting new parts is actually a point of collection for some people, especially customizers. For what it’s worth, I find the parts collection of Horsemen figures to be WAY COOLER than Legos.
Accessories
Both of these figures really shine in the accessory department. And you know the SpartanNerd hates it when figures don’t come with much. (Evil-Lyn is notorious for coming with nothing…Why Mattel)?!
The sniper rifle that Zeeri came with is really great! Notice that I have slotted one of those pegs in the side as a power source or ammo source. With that head and the sniper rifle, we now have a comparable Legions figure to GI Joe Classified Series Shooter. And now I have some guidance on how to paint Shooter’s rifle in my Summer Break free time.
I have this Kailey’s high-powered laser in other colors…this time it is painted terrifically, giving me ideas on how to improve my others. I didn’t even realize that she came with a wrist-rocket. You can attach this piece to the side of the gun as well.
These people are so fun to photograph it is hard not to just “run rabbits.” So here is some fun.
PICTURED: Left to right…Cosmic Legions Walthor the Mad with Cosmic Legions Greyborn alternate head from another character pack, Cosmic Legions T.U.5.C.C. Pilot, MASTERVERSE New Eternia Mosquitor, Cosmic Legions Kalian Shunn, Cosmic Legions Anthophilees, and Cosmic Legions Kalian Shunn.PICTURED: Cosmic Legions Kannox Vull and Cosmic Legions Zeerian Spire with one of the Cosmic Legions Cosmic Ladies character pack heads. I also didn’t realize until late in the photographing that the blonde head is the exact same as Kalian Shunn’s head, making it even more frustrating that she has a bare orange arm. Dialogue for this photo “Baby Yoda is MY quarry!”PICTURED: Cosmic Legions Anthophilees and Cosmic Legions Kalian Shunn discuss how to disarm the trap meant for Heatboys Donatello’s pet turtle drone. See how those heads are the same?
This is the same photo as earlier, take away the non-legions figures. The space men are 1.0 figures, while the ladies are considered 2.0 figures. I am not an expert on this, but basically in the past two years the Four Horsemen have added this 2.0 design for smaller figures like elves, but also ladies. But notice one of the first pictures I have…Ne’ve’ is a recent lady figure, and she is a 1.0. A heavier build than these two. One of the most obvious improvements with 2.0 is the neck peg, as opposed to a ball joint that is permanently attached to the torso. (See the barbarian parts above)
SPARTANNERD RATING OF COSMIC LADIES CHARACTER PACK AND KALIAN SHUNN
Well, both of these basic figures are 85% the same sculpt. And this is a good sculpt and design. However the cutting of corners that the Four Horsemen used to make Kalian Shunn…she is mostly a repaint with a different head. This feels like a strike against that figure. On the other hand, Zeerian Spyre is a humble paint job. That figure by itself feels a little less spectacular than Kalian Shunn. But that isn’t the full story, is it. The two additional heads that can make two completely different feeling figures, and that is where the strength is found in the Zeerian Spyre. But the fact that the Cosmic Legions/Mythic Legions/Figura Obscura/Infinite Legions build system is so modular and poppable-swappable means that the selection of character heads offered as a character pack with Zeeri makes it something extra special. Zeeri wouldn’t have the feels point if it weren’t for the option of the character pack…I would have never bought that figure. I considered getting Kailey several times before…(I only paid $37 during the “in Stock” sales event at store horsemen…not $70 at a local brick-and-mortar store). I guess I consider Kalie’s paint more awesome, even if that orange-ish skin-tone limits the swappability somewhat. Still…that hood covering up this problem is kind of a janky solution. And this is the only figure out of all of the legions that I own that has to wear a dress…she wasn’t given a piece to cover her front waist. You have no head articulation using the default head, and her right shoulder is also very limited, especially with the pauldron attached.
Breaking down the points, The Cosmic Legions Ladies set with Zeerian Spyre gets 5/5, while Kalian Shunn gets 3/5.
It’s just too hard for even a “legendary creature” kind of figure like Kalian Shuun to overcome the additional power of what is really three alternate heads. You have so many options. Kalian Shunn isn’t a bad figure…she just doesn’t measure up to what she is cracked up to be. Kind of like Kannox Vull turned out. Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments!
Mostly I haven’t been too pleased with Mattel Creations “Club Grayskull” subscription. It is $10 a year with the promise of exclusive pre-release access of products. But most of this has been Origins figures that pretty much nostalgia fans aren’t that interested in. I mean, Geldor, and He-Ro. And even more obscure that I did get, Sharella. What Masterverse figures did they offer this year? Panthor, Moss Man, and … Dragstor? Well they offered Blade but even I, a club member, missed that one.
So they announced the club at the beginning of April last year, and behold they knew they would get most of their renewals in April this year IF THEY OFFERED SOMETHING GOOD. Well here he is. Masters of the Universe Chronicles King Grayskull.
There has been a few leaked Chronicles Scare Glow figures out there, but King Grayskull is the first official Chronicles release. So all members surely ordered one to you know, have, a Chronicles figure, but also King Grayskull is pretty cool of a character anyway. It is still a mystery if he will make an appearance in the film, but there seems to be a possibility, possibly played by Dolph Lundgren. It seems like an odd choice to undo the race-swap they gave him for the Kevin Smith show. (That was an excellent rendition, and has been my favorite King Grayskull…no I think favorite KING figure. And that is saying something for a guy who has a few figures of kings.)
So how did he turn out?
PACKAGING
This packaging is similar to other offerings from Mattel Creations in that it doesn’t have a blister bubble or window box. it is all artwork, and the figure is tied into the box using paper strings. A great way to give us non-retail figures in appealing packaging that we will want to keep using.
The front features a great illustration showing us the Pharaoh King Hiss, Lady Slither, Sqquueeeze, a REMCO DRAGON (or similar, cool!), the Turbodactyl, Battle Lion, and of course the king himself on top of some skull cave stuff channeling lightning between not only his power sword, but also the battle axe. And that is AWESOME! The Mattel guy at Toy Fair told Pixel Dan that the red Masters logo means movie focus, and the blue logo means cartoon. But this figure wasn’t revealed there, and it is a black Masters logo. Just interesting.
Some of the things I wondered going into this was how much this figure would share with the previous King Grayskull. This package gives is in illustrated form much of the same details. KG has the 200x asterisk symbol on his chest, and also sports a cape with comfy pauldrons. The previous King Grayskull had a problem with those pauldrons being soft goods…
The back shows us some of that photoshop artwork I am not too fond of. We can see King Graskull decked out with the shield in the side window, and in action with the battle axe on the other.
The side has another barbarian illustration. And it invites you to look inside to see any changes to the character.
As you open the box, you can see this same illustration covering the figure. But you now have a logo-free poster if you want. Also notice that you can see King Hiss. Flipping this over lets us have this scene also.
This is the Snake Lair. All of this about the Snake Men kind of burns, because in MASTERVERSE, the only Snake Man we got was Kobra Kahn, and he was a pitiful figure. Maybe this is all a hint that Snake Men will be coming out soon. But we have seen them repeatedly on Masterverse packaging, but have really none to show for it. (See Snout Spout’s packaging, as well as Terror Claws Skeletor)
FIGURE REVIEW
Here he is in the package
Right between Revelation King Grayskull and King Conan. On the YouTube version of this video, I actually play the Palace Theme on this piano, in case you were wondering. I wanted to do something different!
What do you get in the package?
Chronicles King Grayskull Figure
Power Sword
Battle Axe
Shield
pair of punching fists.
You could count the gauntlets on his wrists as well.
I am going to go about this two ways. First I want to know about this new format. How is he different than a Masterverse Figure? And then I want to talk about this specific figure an offer a rating at the end like I do always.
PICTURED: MASTERVERSE Revelation King Grayskull and Masters of the Universe Chronicles King Grayskull. I am showing them in the same basic pose. Notice the 200x sword I have is from the 200x Castle Grayskull set that belonged to my brother. (I never owned this myself, but only wound up with pieces of it somehow. I am not a fan of the design.)
When you compare the Revelation KG to the new Chronicles KG, the scale is very slightly smaller. Where the size difference makes its appearance is in the knees and elbows. It is like there might be a slight “shave” off all around the figure for this new scale. It is something you notice if you look for it, but you probably wouldn’t at a glance. But it is enough to make black King Grayskull feel just a little bit more beefy and muscular than caucasian King Grayskull. (Just so you know, I believe the OG Masters of the Universe Classics figure would be shorter but still appear more muscular than either of them. I don’t have that figure, so…)
PICTURED: MASTERVERSE New Eternia Fisto riding Mythic Legions Boreus, and Masters of the Universe Chronicles King Grayskull riding Masters of the Universe Classics Battle Cat. I title this one “Sunday Ride.” You can see a good size difference in these two, even though it isn’t as drastic when comparing to Revelation King Grayskull.
Revelation King Grayskull had stunted articulation at the knees, but the new knees on the Chronicles King Grayskull are perfect to hinge all the way back to where he can kick himself in the butt. The forearms on the new figure are also new and skinnier, and no longer is there a hole at the end for a fist to peg in…now the fore-arm is a peg, and the hand is a double-jointed wrist. Nice improvements! As a consequence, the new hands are even smaller than before and could get lost easier. (But I haven’t lost these…yet). So what I am saying, you kind of feel the difference in scale around the wrists, knees, and feet most of all.
The only soft goods on the new figure is the cape. The pauldrons are thankfully sculpted in plastic. And I thought this power harness might be 1-to-1 the same, but it is a new sculpt.
So what about this figure specifically. I like the new thing they are doing with his hair. The 200x version had these long viking ponytails coming down, like a barbarian Wendy’s mascot. The Revelations version had Native American-type of braids. This figure has a sloppy top-knot with long locks, and so it is different. The face sculpt is passable for He-Man, but obviously a different character. Dare I say more “American” looking (as opposed to European). I mean, I am trying to see Nick Galitzine here, but he doesn’t look like him. He also doesn’t look like Dolph Lundgren. I think he kind of resembles Vanilla Ice.
His muscles are chiseled very nicely why the same ab-crunch that most MASTERVERSE figures have. He wears a girdle over his furry shorts making a more royal look. This new figure doesn’t have a thigh-cut, something I don’t think we will miss. I already mentioned the knees, but the elbows are also double-jointed. He has the furry boots you expect, with a leather strap look to them. The power harness has a ring on the back that allows the sword to be displayed outside of the cape. This cape is not removable without removing the harness as far as I can tell. (I haven’t done this). It does appear that the pauldrons have pegs that might make them swappable in the future. He doesn’t have trouble with articulation…he stands very well, but his lower legs…like at the boot cut is slightly loose, he can go pigeon toed pretty easily. Still I am giving him the full point for articulation. No real problems! He even has decent head articulation considering the sculpted hair that he has. And Mattel made a lot of that this figure can grab the sword while it is in the holster on his back…that no other figure could do that. But I think 1987 Movie He-Man might have something to say about that.
PICTURED: Masters of the Universe Chronicles King Grayskull and MASTERVERSE 1987 Movie He-Man. Contrary to what Mattel asserted at Toy Fair, King Grayskull is not the first figure that can grab the sword on his back.
ACCESSORIES
PICTURED: Masters of the Universe Origins Cartoon Collection Faker and Masters of the Universe Chronicles King Grayskull. Seriously, Faker’s sword is slightly bigger than King Grayskull’s, and this is wrong. KG’s sword does feel like it has more finesse somehow, though. Here is also a chance for you to compare an Origins figure to the new Chronicles figure.
We have the three main accessories that every He-Man needs. I even think they should include them with all the variants, but they don’t unless your company name is MONDO. I wondered if at least the shield would be the same as Revelation King Grayskull, but no it is a different sculpt. Larger and less cartoony, with gold highlights and fancy, barbaric texture.
The battle axe is pretty nice, with some color on its inner texture and the cap (don’t know what it is actually called) a circle with the 200x asterisk symbol.
But here is the big problem…maybe I should say small problem…This Power Sword is shorter than all of The Masterverse swords. It is a step backwards. Honestly, it almost feels like an Origins Power Sword as far as its size. Why did they do this to the most iconic weapon outside of a lightsaber?
For what it’s worth, I also think it is a missed opportunity to give us a new version of the 200x Power Sword.
SPARTANNERD RATING OF MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE CHRONICLES KING GRAYSKULL
If I separate my feelings about differences in this and MASTERVERSE figures, it is a solid 5/5. He checks every box I ask for. Sculpt looks good, and paint also, if it isn’t conservative. He is better articulated than the MASTERVERSE KG. His accessories are what you expect, but the sword is too small. But he gets the Feels Point also…mostly because I generally like the character and also am excited to be one of the early reviewers.
And so I posted a rash of review videos. Anthophilees. Ne’ve’. Oh…and a little guy called MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE CHRONICLES KING GRAYSKULL! Each of them with the promise of a written blog review. So here’s Cosmic Legions Anthophilees. (I keep getting sidetracked by real life, and also Crimson Desert.)
PICTURED: Masters of the Universe Chronicles King Grayksull, Mythic legions Ne’ve’, and this review…Cosmic Legions Anthophilees, who is a Buzz-Off KO. Also pictured are skulls from the recent Mythic Legions skull head pack, and Masterverse New Eternia Panthor.
I ordered him in June or July of 2024. That’s a long time ago, Hub City Geeks. I am trying not to order things I won’t see for like a year-and-a-half in the future. I did this before with some Conan the Barbarian stuff…and did I really learn my lesson? Well no, I just ordered the Optimus Prime/Jetfire combination from Hasbro Pulse. BUT, that is supposed to come in September/October or something. I also ordered that witch lady from Critical Roll (I know nothing about this). But she is supposed to come in the Summer…we’ll see I guess.
So was Cosmic Legions Anthophilees worth the wait?
PACKAGING
Anthophilees came in the kind of packaging that other Cosmic Legions figures I have were packed. More of a window box…less like a blister card. In that box you can see the figure and some of what you get. You can also see his alternate head (let’s be real…this is the main head!). But what isn’t clear is whether or not that is an alternate head or a helmet. Because you see, Anthophilees is not a regular Cosmic Legions, but is instead a Masters of the Universe KO figure of Buzz Off. And this is why I wanted this figure so bad. At the time I was collecting up all the MASTERVERSE figures I could, trying to get one of each of my childhood figures, just in updated form. And they made a Buzz-Off, but I have never seen it in person. But when I saw this Four Horsemen Studios version, I knew I would rather have it instead.
Anyway, the box is largely orange with green highlights. You can see if you look closely he as more hands and some other pieces that I will get to later. And he has a huge halberd axe!
On the back you can see the bevy of Cosmic Legions offerings…this is a growing line. I have some of these figures, but not even close to all of them. Notable, there is a guy with some of the same parts as Buzz-Off. (Anthophilees). It is that large white and pink bug guy…He actually has wings that they aren’t picturing. The two side panels have unreadable font on them, but you can see what it says about him on the FH website. Basically in this story Anthophilees is a hardened warrior. (The Four Horsemen say that the MOTU homage figures don’t carry any significant bearing on the actual story…Uh…what story?)
But the real extra gem of the packaging is the insert, which you can’t really see from the window so well. It is of some kind of Cosmic Legions vehicle! It would be cool (and probably expensive) if we ever actually got this vehicle!
FIGURE REVIEW
First of all, what is in the package:
Anthophilees figure
Alternate head (He comes with the yellow head default)
Pauldrons
Halberd
Traditional-style Buzz-Off axe
Pair of Wings (with a backpack attachment)
Two sets of alternate hands which have varying grip.
Antennae
Mouth Parts
Most of the time I get a shot of this right out of the package…vanilla. I even usually see if they can stand right out of the package, like that matters. But this time, I knew I had to mess with it in the same way I have been having to mess with Transformers for awhile before I drop the official SpartanNerd Review. There is so much set up really involved, and I want to know how well it all works up front so I can be as clear as possible for readers to expect based on my experience.
So I assembled the wings first. (Duh!). This involves plugging the adapter backpack into the slot found on the back of most Mythic Legions figures. Thankfully this backpack is painted in the same brown color as the brown that appears on the figure. The wings have tiny little pegs that go into the sockets on the backpack, and here is the beginning of complaining time. These wings look really nice. BUT, they are two wings attached together on a joint. In other words, they are not separately articulated, and that is kind of a bummer. But the complaint is how loosely, especially my left wing goes into the socket. It is basically hard to get in and easy to fall out as you pose the action figure. I mean…every time I do ANYTHING with this figure, that back wing comes out.
So let’s forget about those for a second, and admire what we have that is great. This is OBVIOUSLY 200x Buzz-Off, adapted into Cosmic Legions. It is said that a fan designed this, but let’s be real. The FH studios designed all of the toys for the 200x line, including Buzz-Off, and it seems that this design is AT LEAST an homage to their previous work.
PICTURED: Cosmic Legions Anthophilees (Buzz-Off KO) along with the Cosmic Legions flight stand. The flight stand is one of the worst Four Horsemen things I have, by the way. I thought it would be funny to photograph him with this cereal! Post Honey Bunches of Oats and General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios.
The colors are spot-on for Buzz-Off even going back to the vintage line, and as usual there is no slop at all.Every rivet on the armor, every stripe, every detail on his girdle. The bracers, the boots, the headsculpts…wow! This is the best sculpt and paint anywhere, especially at the price point. (By pre-ordering this, I locked in a 35-ish dollar price rather than the more typical upper 40s). His arms end in these claws that are perfectly insect like, a big improvement on the vintage design that was crab claws.
These legs might be used on another Cosmic Legions figure…I don’t know. But these are reverse-knees, with big two-toed feet reminiscent of Ninja Turtles. These big feet hold up the figure rather well, considering the forces of balance that come in because of the wings. And I know I complained about the wings, but they LOOK incredibly creepy! Perfectly detailed!
The yellow head is creeptastic, with the six-eyed design we are seeing in a good bit of Cosmic Legions. These rows of eyes were also a component of the 200x designs, though if you can think back. Think the Griffin, and Webstor. But the other head…that one looks like Buzz-Off! It has a pair of antennae to install. And while these are identical, the recesses where you seat them are not symmetrical, adding some motion to what could be a much more boring design. And you can slot in mouth parts on the cheeks or leave them off…however you want to see this KO Buzz-Off. There are two options. One with a single blade for each mandible, and the other with a double blade.
(I prefer the Buzz-Off head with the antennae and the double-bladed mandibles)
ACCESSORIES
So if you don’t count the wings, the claws, the antennae, or the mouth parts (perfectly fine not to count these because of the nature of the figure) then you still have to consider the pauldrons and the two weapons
The pauldrons are of the same type that the Four Horsemen have been using since I began collecting this line at least. There are little pegs on the underside of the armor that you line up and insert in to the holes on the back of the figure. And it is pretty hard to get those pegs into the holes. I had to break out the hairdryer, of course. But they look great! At the same time, they create some competition with what is going on with the backpack and the wings. Things are kind of crowded back there.
The halberd…this is a weapon that we had before, but not with these colors. In fact, I am looking at the gold knight guarding the change cup right now…he is holding this. But Anthophilees’ halberd came painted very nicely. And the other axe is very well done also..I don’t have another axe like this with the tapering handle, spiked top, and severely swooped blade. There are also paint hits on the rivets here as well!
PICTURED: Bug Battle. Masterverse New Eternia Mosquitor vs. Cosmic Legions Anthophilees. Notice the antennae and the mandibles. Also, on Mosquitor’s red spikes and eyeball, you can see paint slop. This doesn’t happen on the Four Horsemen Studios stuff.
SPARTANNERD RATING OF COSMIC LEGIONS ANTHOPHILEES
I don’t say it about male figures too often. But he’s pretty cute! Look at him in the flowers! Wait…is the antenna missing?
It just so happens that the SpartanNerd has a little bit of history dismantling bugs, but I didn’t mean for the antenna to fall off. You know why it fell off? because I kept having to re-attach the wings.
PICTURED: Mascara verse (OOPS!) I mean MASTERVERSE Thunder Punch He-Man and Cosmic Legions Anthophilees. Both have a “Backpack Backpack”. (I’m joking because that He-Man looks like he is wearing makeup.)
The wings are such a sticking point on this otherwise excellent figure. And this is why I have to take a point off. It is what the SpartanNerd calls “a stupid problem.” Maybe everyone’s isn’t like this. But mine is the one that is important. My other complaint about the wings…they should be individually articulated. The little hinge is good when the peg stays in, but it is kind of bad that you have to move the wings in sections because they just aren’t designed to be apart. And for me, the SpartanNerd…kind of an adult…ahem…this is OK. But some kid could try and force them to separate, and break them.
BUT…for what it’s worth, with that complaint…the vintage Buzz-Off’s wings worked like that. (I still have mine from childhood!)
PICTURED: Cosmic Legions Anthophilees, who is a Masters of the Universe Knock-Off of Buzz-Off. He is standing next to the SpartanNerd’s original Buzz-off from the 1980s…He has stood the test of time but I don’t have his helmet or weapon anymore. Also pictured is the MEGA Buzz-Off from the Eternia Tower set.
His sculpt, articulation, and accessories are all good. He gets “the feels” point because…”Buzz-Off…” I mean, he was absolutely WORTH that long wait. But the stupid problem with the wings means he is taking a hit on articulation. So the SpartanNerd rates Cosmic Legions Anthophilees a 4/5. Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments!
When I first began to collect MASTERVERSE figures, this one was…around. I saw Whiplash, but was determined to save my money for Masters of the Universe Mega Blocks. Well…we all know how this turned out. The MEGA went away. And one fateful day at Target, I picked up 40 anniversary He-Man and became sort of ravenous for MASTERVERSE figures. I started cherry picking the ones I wanted, of course. No Sun Man…no Netflix CGI figures. None of those. I wanted to recollect my childhood figures.
There weren’t that many of them out there, though. And suddenly I remembered passing up on all of those times I saw Whiplash at Walmart or wherever. So I went to order it online, only to have my order canceled. Ultimately looking at pictures on the internet, etc. he looked really scrawny. And they always show him with a horned helmet and holding a torch…kind of wacky. Then I saw the Cosmic Legions SSKURGGE at the Toy Federation in Greer, and decided this was a better Whiplash figure. I thought I might find a better head somewhere or even have a custom made. (All of the people I contacted about making a custom for this declined, not wanting to work in the Ogre scale.)
But here we are. At the apparent end of MASTERVERSE in the wake of the upcoming Masters of the Universe The Movie. And at the SCMEA (South Carolina Music Educators Conference) that happens in Columbia, SC, I visited LT Toys and Games where they had this on the shelf. I might have seen this sometime in the past three years before, but this time I got it along with GI Joe Classified Series Beach Head. (I ALSO saw Combiner Wars Thundercracker but passed on that…more to come!)
(Both links above refer to Todd Venture videos)
After having the figure in hand, do I have better feelings about it?
MASTERVERSE New Eternia Whiplash comes in the sporty original packaging that the early run of figures used. It has blue a blue window with little call-outs to various Masters of the Universe elements in faded graphics. You can see the figure very well in the window. Unfortunately, there are signs that this Whiplash has been opened before. The cardboard shows some damage and the tape isn’t factory. And also, the crease in the window of the box is cracked. And on opening it, it became apparent that the figure has been at least partially removed. The little ties were loose and the blister was crumpled. But there are more details about this package to cover. You can see the figure inside, but also can see that the weapon appears to be dislodged.
There is artwork on the side depicting the classic appearance of Whiplash…important because this tells us that that helmet is removable!
The back shows Whiplash in New Eternia action with excellent art that reminds me of the art we got with the New Eternia Clawful, which is to say…awesome stuff that the line has been lacking for a few years. The bio reminds us that Whiplash is of the Caligar race, but also gives us a new dimension know as “The Demon Zone.”
The cross sell art shows Mer-Man, Grizzlor, Buzz Off, and Faker. I have all of these figures other than Grizzlier, who I don’t want. They didn’t do him right by not giving him rooted fur.
FIGURE REVIEW
What do you get in the package?
Whiplash Figure
Torch
Spear
Axe
Punching hands
NOW….he comes with the armor on default from the package. But in my mind, these are technically accessories…I won’t be displaying him with these much. The armor is typical Skeletor type of stuff in purple and blue, but has brown straps. There is a gold belt with purple “stille” (probably misspelled) hanging down. And then there is the helmet, which looks cool and fresh, but is thankfully removable. OK…one more thing. The tail isn’t an accessory, though it is packed away from the figure. You assemble this into the octagonal hole beneath the already installed backpack looking piece of tail hanging from his shoulders.
FIGURE REVIEW
As a figure, my example is very loose. Usually figures are stiff when taken out of a package. More evidence that this specific Whiplash figure has been out of the box already and played with. Important. By design, his legs can’t extend out straight. Mattel wanted him to remain in a squat stance by default evidently. But I am going to count this as a stupid problem. Other figures in this scale can extend their legs out. It makes it seem wrong and a person could try and force it on Whiplash and wind up breaking something.
PICTURED: The Bounty Hunters. MASTERVERSE New Eternia Two Bad, Trap Jaw, and Whiplash. Cosmic Legions Kannox Vull. MASTERVERSE 1987 Movie Beast Man, MASTERVERSE Revelation Triclops and Stinkor (armed with AWOK shotgun). Find all of these reviewed at SpartanNerd.com
The tail is made of a heavy rubber material, and I don’t know how much abuse it could take or if it will break down over time. It IS posable, but also stiff enough that you feel like you could overdo it.
PICTURED: MASTERVERSE 1987 Movie He-Man and Evil-Lyn, with New Eternia Whiplash
This tail is a balance point, just the same way that the tail of a real animal is sometimes used. Whiplash has big, flat feet, and this is helpful, but that tail really makes it work. You can prop him up with it, or use it to counterbalance.
Whiplash’s sculpt is very nice. but his paint is lacking except for in his face and on his armor. In the above photo I have him fighting Thunder Punch He-Man with his own raised fists. And Terror Claws Skeletor has his hilarious claws read also.
PICTURED: Mythic Legions Ninian Infantry and MASTERVERSE New Eternia Whiplash
You can see a real quality difference between the Masterverse figure with a lower price point, and the Mythic Legions figure with a higher. The paint and sculpt on the Ninian Infantry soldier is just incredible, making Whiplash’s seem to be $30 less of value 🙂 I wanted to use this example because of the tail. the Mythic Legions tail is more bendable. But I have also broken one of these snake guys’ tail off. There won’t be any danger of that happening with Whiplash.
Whiplash’s colors could be worse.
Yes. You can remove the fire from the torch. PICTURED: Masterverse New Eternia Moss Man and Whiplash. Both menacing green extreme. But Moss Man is so DRAB. Whiplash has accomplished it with style!
A BIG COMPARISON
So, as I mentioned above, I already have had a Whiplash figure…I should say “Whiplash” figure.
PICTURED: Cosmic Legions SSKURGGE and MASTERVERSE New Eternia Whiplash.
So, once again…the Mythic (Cosmic) Legions is clearly MORE incredible than the MASTERVERSE figure. We have to set that aside, however and be subjective for one. SSKURGGE is not the same person as Whiplash. And this is a real difference. He isn’t “The Real Slim Shady,) only a copycat. You should watch my video as I do headswaps and get cracked up…it is pretty funny. Otherwise, these guys are the exact same colors of green. (Find the review of SSKURGGE here).
WHAT DOES HE ADD TO THE COLLECTION
I mean…He’s Whiplash. An essential character!
A great bounty hunter…look as he and Cosmic Legions Kannox Vull bring in GI Joe Classified Series Zarana on Cybertron.
PICTURED: Cosmic Legions Kannox Vull, GI Joe Classified Series Zarana, and MASTERVERSE New Eternia Whiplash
He belongs with a certain trope of characters.
SPARTANNERD RATING OF MASTERVERSE NEW ETERNIA WHIPLASH
PICTURED: MASTERVERSE New Eternia Whiplash, Vintage Masters of the Universe Whiplash, and 200x Masters of the Universe Whiplash.
Above is my original whiplash toy. As a kid I had countless hours playing with this. So he doesn’t have a tail anymore 😦 I picked up the 200x version right before I got SSKURRGE. Whiplash gets the feels point all day because of who he is.
I don’t think he is as good as the Cosmic Legions KO version. But then we are really comparing wildly different things that are just in the same color scheme.
I am awarding MASTERVERSE New Eternia Whiplash 4/5. My logic for the lost point…his paint could be better, and his articulation is strange. I feel like the knee issue is a stupid problem especially, and one that is “baked in.”
He has been a blast to play with…way more fun than Thunder Punch He-Man or Moss Man in this same blog review. And there is a nostalgia factor that is also present that I love.
THE SPARTANNERD RATES WHIPLASH A 4/5…do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments!
spartannerd 