Darth
Vader
Darth Vader's Mech has
an alternate mode, appropriately enough, of Vader's TIE Fighter. This mode
is nearly perfect, with only a few nonintrusive robot extras (like the
chest detailing on the underside of the cockpit and the slightly noticeable
arms on the side of the main body of the TIE Fighter). These certainly
don't cripple the mode, and are easily overlooked. The proportions for
the mode are perfect, with all the appropriate detailing and paint apps
used where needed. One neat effect I like is how the lightsabers look kind
of like plumes of flame coming from the rear engines, which is a really
cool use of them. You can also fire them off as missiles, too. The miniature
Darth Vader figurine can stand nicely up against the front cockpit of the
vehicle, as you'd expect him too (though he does get in the way a bit during
transformation, when the head is pulled out of the same cockpit). There
is one somewhat annoying problem I have with this mode, however-- the right
wing, which splits apart partially to form a "cape" in Mech mode, tends
to come apart a bit easier than I'd like. Otherwise, a great mode.
Although some aspects
of Vader's Mech mode are creative, there is one rather big problem I have
with it, and that's the proportions. The legs and arms are fine in and
of themselves, but the chest proportions are rather odd, with the lower
half not being as wide as it should be and the chest itself being a bit
too round. THe shoulders are also entirely too low when compared to the
head. Speaking of the head, it's a very faithful representation of Darth
Vader-- but therein lies my problem with it. I prefer the heads to look
at least somewhat different from the Mech's pilots, to at least emphasize
that this isn't just the actual character that somehow became a Transformer.
I also think the "cape" made from one of the TIE fighter wings is pretty
weak, although the arm-shield made up of the other one, while a bit intrusive
on movement, is a creative use for the part. As for the positives, I do
like how the lightsabers are holstered in Vader's wrists when they're not
in use-- he can use them as stabbing weapons even when he's not holding
them, heh. The paint detailing is also very good, especially on Vader's
chest, with even the little individual buttons colored appropriately. Vader
also has very good articulation-- the only major point he can't move at
is the waist. He's not back heavy either, so you can get a much greater
number of poses out of him than most Star Wars Transformers. Some people
have reported very weak ratching joints (to the point where he can't hold
his own weight) on the left hip joint, but mine doesn't have that problem.
Darth Vader is one of
the better Star Wars TFs, with an excellent vehicle mode and a decent robot
mode, even if he does suffer from some proportion problems. Mildly recommended.
Review by Beastbot