Starscream's alternate mode for this rather unique figure is a sleek meteor-like planetary "entry mode". It looks really cool, with just enough plane-like features to hearken to his future alt mode without being so blatantly coincidental that's it's hokey (unlike on Protoform Optimus Prime, unfortunately). The gold is a nice plastic color, and contrasts well against the silver and red, though another primary color would have helped to liven up things a bit more. (On the other hand, however, the entire point of a protoform mode is to look rather "unfinished", and the simplistic color scheme does accomplish that.) The mold detailing is very good, with panels and cracks all along Starscream's exostructure, but it's not so much that it keeps him from looking sleek. I especially like how the front of this mode looks like an avian face, what with the two "jet intake ports" that look almost like eyes. A few more paint apps would have been appreciated, however. The robot hands are rather obvious in this mode, but otherwise everything fits into the overall shape of the entry form very well. The transparent orange "flame" piece on the tail end of this mode also looks rather cool, and it makes the mode look sleeker than it otherwise would have.
    Starscream's robot mode also looks very cool, and actually has very good proportions, much better than his "actual" movie toy. It's the first toy in the line to have the "automorph" feature as well, though it's rather simple-- when you push his shoulders forward, his robot head pops up. He also has great articulation-- he can move at every major point, including the wrists. His shoulder ball joints are rather exposed, however, and his hip joints are a bit loose. He does have a bit of back kibble, like Protoform Optimus Prime, but his stays out of the way better and doesn't stick out from the back so obviously, so it's not really that big of a deal. The head sculpt is very detailed and unique, possessing the bug-like quality that many of the Movie Decepticons' faces have while still possessing an air of snide intelligence that is wholly Starscream's. The only thing that annoys me about this mode is the odd way his missile launcher is designed-- it's a standard spring-loaded missile launcher, but there's nowhere to put that darned flame piece that sits on the end of the actual missile piece in vehicle mode. You can leave it slid over the missile piece, but that makes the gun look ridiculously long, so the only real option is to just take it off the figure and leave it on the shelf, which I loathe.
    Protoform Starscream is a great, original toy, with a well-proportioned and articulated robot mode and an interesting-looking entry mode. His loose hip joints and lack of a place to put his flame piece in robot mode are the only things keeping him from getting into the "must-buy" ratings category of 9.0+.

Review by Beastbot

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