Transformers: Age of the Primes toyline discussion || update: stock renders of upcoming Alpha Trion, Micronus, Flatline, Fireflight, Skydive, ++

[Sabrblade]

This is the thing I'm really curious about. When they first revealed the line and were talking about their artifacts, I was wondering if they might have anything in mind for them. So far, there doesn't seem to be any obvious gimmick going on, and they don't seem like they'd neatly combine into anything. And the big member of the group doesn't seem to interact with them in any special way either. So what's this all about?

The only thing I can think of is something Mark Maher said in his designer commentary for Leader class Megatronus the Fallen on Instagram:

The 13 gods gave birth to all of cybertronian life through uniting their 13 artifacts together to create the well of sparks on planet Cybertron!

But I can't imagine how all 13 of these disparate accessories could possibly combine to form... a well.

Spoiler

And that lore isn't something originally from the Binder or the Covenant book, either (since the well's creation in both involved the death of Solus Prime). It's all new lore created just for this toyline.

 

[Undead Scottsman]

When they first revealed the line, they mentioned that the 13 used their artifacts to create the Well of Allsparks (slyly booting the previous explanation of "the one girl transformer died and became cybertrons womb")

I'm guessing we'll get some sort of well accessory that they all peg into.

EDIT:Of course there was another page I didn't see.

 

[wonko the sane?]

So... when you combine all thirteen artifacts... it makes a bomb?

 

[unluckiness]

One of those artifacts explicitly has a grenade as component. Probably.

 

[Blot]

Don't combine the sacred artifacts, that makes mustard gas!

 

[Haywire]

It's the Holy Hand Grenade of Antiocron!

 

[Agent X]

I think we all know why they went with Red Snarl and Green Slug, the same reason we got Blue Grimlock and not the turquoise version:
They are the Not-G1 versions more people had.

I do hope there is a way to get the third version G2 colors for the people who want them. Maybe as 3-pack. A sizable, expensive, 3-pack.

 

[Magnusblitz]

I'm glad the G2 Dinobots exist, if only for nostalgia's sake (I had green Slag and blue Grimlock, but grey Snarl). Though I won't be getting them, already got the G1 ones, good enough for me.

I'll be passing on most of this I think, though I'll probably bite on a G2 Aerialbot set (or some other interested repaint/remold), and Onyx Prime in any good color scheme. Toy looks awesome but that brown color is hideous. But give it a color scheme like Cryotek and I'll be happy.

I did go ahead and pre-order Micronus though. Not been interested in any of the Primes so far other than The Fallen, so I was a bit surprised, but he just looks really fun to fiddle around with.

 

[CrockAlley]

Does Micronus have a real Mini-Con port? I can see a regular 5mm port (?) in the back of his head, and his bike has a post on it. The Unicron Trilogy ports and posts were so satisfying, I'd love to see it on Micronus.

 

[Badgertron]

For the 13 relics situation, I'm reminded of the Throne of the Primes, so it's possible someone will come with a cardboard "well of sparks/kiddie pool" with slots for the relics to slot into. What would have been REALLY neat, would be if all the relics had a clear crystal bit in it, and a well that had LED's that lit up, and all the relics also lit up when they were plugged into it.

 

[lastmaximal]

I keep thinking I'd be more tempted by that Slugslinger if it were properly the basically-black main color he was in Rebirth. But then he'd still be saddled with a Leader-sized pack-in, and I already got that mold. (There's at least one 3P toon head for Sandstorm; they're pricey for heads but bound to be cheaper than a full figure.)

Just as well, since there's no new Targetmaster buddy.

 

[Exatron]

I'm really glad they completed the set of Decepticon Battle Masters for the '87 Targetmasters. If they hadn't and had included his partner in this release, I would've been very tempted to get it, just like I ordered the Spinister two pack just to get a matching pair of partners for him. Having a matching set makes it so much easier to ignore any new versions like this one.

 

[Fenix Twilight]

The Thirteen have always been these intriguing characters that I certainly never thought we would get official toys of, outside of the 3 we've already had, so them getting toys and new molds not even repaints is still a bit mind blowing to me or I thought they'd at least be convention exclusives and out of my budget.

It's also crazy I never thought we'd have an official toy size Covenant of Primus for them to hold (I'm totally going to give it to BW Megatron or Primal), Alpha Trion being a younger design is a surprise, or not after the Comic-Con toy (checks date).... 3 years ago?! Hooboy.

Micronus is something else and I love what they've done, I noticed they never named the armor but that's totally the Apex Armor, right? Love that he turns into a Mini-Con panel.

Onyx Prime what can I say, I like beasts he's the first and mythical creatures like a centaur or a dragon are what I'd expect and he's both, not crazy about the colors but I wonder if they'll repaint him in his blue and gold IDW/One colors.

I cannot fathom what their relics could combine into, but something to attach them all too sounds more reasonable.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

Noteworthy details from the stream:

Complete Superion is shown off with all four Aerialbot limbs. Mark keeps using the term "Scramble City", saying "you could probably do some Scramble City with the Menasor model", which is a bit confusing since "Scramble City" refers to not just the ability to swap arms with arms and legs with legs, but mainly to the ability to swap arms and legs with each other (which I doubt Superion will be able to do since Menasor couldn't).

Mark considers Venin to be the "true leader" of the Insecticons, not Kickback.

Mark pointedly likens Micronus Prime's exosuit to a Pretender shell play pattern, as if to hint that this figure could be testing the waters for how to bring back proper Pretenders. He also mispronounces "Chimera" as "Chy-mera" rather than "Ky-mera". The exosuit is also built like a Weaponizer, so its limbs can detach to become weapons for other figures to wield. The suit's legs become the unicycle's wheel, and it actually does roll.

The Covenant of Primus that comes with Alpha Trion has actual turning pages with some Cybertronian text printed on them. Alpha Trion's altmode is based on a concept sketch for an altmode that was never used before.

Flatline has a new fist on his left wrist where Red Alert originally had only his arm tool.

When discussing Onyx Prime's Tryptich Mask spear, Mark says that all of the Primes' artifacts have a specific purpose for when all thirteen of the artifacts are brought together.

As expected, the Sandstorm Vs. Slugslinger two-pack is an Amazon exclusive. Nate calls him "Handsome Face Sandstorm". Mark is a fan of Battle Masks, so that's why they did the toy-accurate face first. Sandstorm's colors are more animation accurate. Mark says Slugslinger's colors are meant to be a midway between the cartoon colors from "The Rebirth" and the colors of the Takara version of the toy (presumably the Transformers Legends version that used colors based on The Headmasters cartoon).

When showing off the Selects G2 Dinobots 2-pack, they state outright that the next two G2 Dinobots are coming next year.

The Studio Series Decepticon pack is an Amazon exclusive.

No pipeline or space bridge reveals to close out the stream.

Well, shoot.

Next time, instead of rewatching the video to make a post on the front page, I should just see if you already beat me to posting about it.

Beautiful Squidward, out on the sea,
Mermaids are chaunting the wild lorelie;
Over the streamlet vapors are borne,
Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn.
Beautiful Squidward, beam on my heart,
E’en as the morn on the streamlet and sea;
Then will all clouds of sorrow depart,
Beautiful Squidward, awake unto me!
Beautiful Squidward, awake unto me!

"Squidstorm" or "Sandsquid"?

I imagine they can all peg together to form some kind of mega-artifact that will revive Primus and lead into that year’s Haslab lol. IDK the Omega Lock or something.

A megartifact!

 

[PrimalxConvoy]

(Pretender?)

(Hope the other two get regular releases around the world).

 

[Steadfast]

Onyx isn't the first Transformers-branded centaur! The Animorphs subline had two!

(either would make for a better deco than Browny McFeces currently has)

 

[lastmaximal]

 

[The Mighty Mollusk]

I'm torn. I like Onyx's design, but his colors suck. I'd prefer to wait and see one in person before deciding, but the way distribution goes, I might never actually get the chance. So I might have to preorder a figure I won't end up liking. I guess I could just flip it, but it's still annoying.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

If it ends up terrible let me know. I might be interested.

 

[wonko the sane?]

I'm getting it either way as I made collecting all thirteen a personal goal. So I'll let you all know.