We've shown you the individual Combiner Wars Protectobots - but like any good special team, when they stand united, they become more than the sum of their parts. Rounding out our coverage of this great recent wave of Combiner Wars toys we have the gestalt formed of the five Protectobots - the mighty Defensor!

Fully combiner, Defensor is a solid robot - no hip issues like the Motormaster mold on this torso. In fact, the design of the combiner Defensor can best be described as a "wall" - his silhouette impresses the idea that if this guy is in front of you on a battlefield, he will hold the line no matter what. The individual Protectobots make fine limbs for Defensor, and special shoutout to the new guy, Rook, who aesthetically manages a shape similar to that of Groove, whose spot he took on the team (unless you are in Japan... ). Speaking of Groove, the Legends class motorcycle Protectobot forms a nice optional chestplate that locks in very solidly - no problems with him falling off like Blackjack.

Overall, Defensor is an impressive bit of Combiner, being a nice, big, solid robot, carrying on the excellent work of the individual Protectobots. As individuals or as a group, this assortment is very good - but we could say that of the whole line so far, really. Check out our gallery of Defensor at the link below:

Combiner Wars Defensor gallery



Combiner Wars Defensor, equipped with Groove


Combiner Wars Defensor, Streetwise & Rook arms mode


Combiner Wars Defensor with twin rifles


Defensor with three-of-a-kind limbs - Hasbro's whole concept on Combiner Wars is to let people build their own custom combinations. So here's me trying out what one torso looks like with as many versions of the same guy as possible for the limbs.


Combiner Wars Defensor with Generation 1 Defensor


Combiner Wars Menasor, Defensor and Superion all together!

 

perfect effect hands and feet and he wil be great

 

Lookin good! Can't wait to find all the non Groove members since Groove showed up early. And speaking of Groove I like that one pic with him on the shoulder.

 

He goes on pretty securely - if you bring the roof of Rook forward you can slip Groove's hands around one of the panels then fold the roof back into its position - holds pretty securely.

 

Man, he looks really sharp if you go with Rook/Streetwise as legs with the more red Blades/First Aid as arms.

 

I'd like to get him

 

Defensor looks damn good! However, I really hate the skinny ass guns he comes with. They look great with Hot Spot, but not so much with Defensor.

Also, It appears that Defensor is the shorty among the rest of the combiners and how ironic since Menasor was the shorty back in the G1 days in the 80's.

 

Great gallery Sol Fury. The evolution shot with G1 Defensor is the best.

 

Man, those shots are too awesome...

 

Gah, my resolve to wait upon every repaint being revealed gets weaker with every awesome photograph. Defensor is the mutts, brilliant pics Sol.

 

The gun looks silly, slim/skinny. Wish Hot Spot was more of a traditional firetruck and better made (based on the review vids I've watched). And that new mold (rook) doesn't do much for me especially the hands in robot mode. Maybe I'll pick up if I actually see it in the store...lol. And I'm probably the only one not big on this CW so far.

 

Eh, I'm not sold on Hot Spot's firetruck mode either. Wish it was more traditional. But overall, this is looking to be my favorite so far, if I could only find the figures. Have Groove and Blades, but the other deluxes are continually escaping my grasp.

 

Rook looks so good when you don't put motorcycles where they have no business being. And Defensor himself looks built to take nukes to the chest and resume his evening stroll.

 

I dig the proportions on Defensor.

 

These photos solidify what I've thought all along. I love everything about the new Defensor/Protectobors except Groove and Rook.

There really is no good reason to make Groove smaller than the other non-torso Protectobots. It's just poorly-done profit-taking.

I would have been fine with a new Protectobot in place of Groove (a la Alpha Bravo), but Rook is not a Protectobot. The Protectobots all have an alt. mode that is used to protect or rescue others. Rook's alt. mode is a vehicle that is used to attack others.

Hopefully, Hasbro will release the deluxe Groove mold, so we can have a perfect CW Defensor.

 

Yes! Like I said, he's built like a solid wall, which makes sense considering what Defensor is supposed to be - a guardian, the ultimate defender.

I'm hoping for that Groove too - would be nice to have the option on what gestalt form we build. Got to say I thought that on Rook, but if you look a bit harder at what he is, he's an armoured vehicle whose weapons include something that looks like it has a pair of harpoons on it (the fist) and a claw that is arguably a version of the jaws of life firefighters use to cut people out of vehicles. Harpoons to help shift rubble and cutting tools? And an armoured vehicle for an alternate mode? This guy isn't designed to cause harm - he's designed to get in there, use his tools to get to trapped civilians, then evac them safely inside his armoured interior.

Granted, a lot of that interpretation is based on my fond recollections of watching similar types of vehicles in Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds - still, in my head, that's how Rook gets to be on the Protectobot team.

 

Looks way better than the 3P TFC version.

 

Question for those who have a complete Defensor. Has anyone tried turning Rook's hips around in Leg Mode, so that his shin armor faces front? I got to thinking it might break up the white brick that's his leg mode, and put some detail under that overhanging cover piece, but I don't have the figure myself so I'm not sure if it's possible to do that. Could someone give it a whirl, see what it looks like, maybe post a pic or two, please?

Any vehicle can be a weapon in the wrong hands; the opposite is also true. It's all about intent. Rook's alt.mode is an APC, sure enough, but those are also used to evac civilians and frontline personnel from warzones. His extended profile suggests that his expertise in demolition is intended to collapse partially-destroyed buildings so they don't fall down on their own and maybe create more casualties, a tactic which does see use in modern combat theatres. Also, his hand weapon isn't a cattle-prod like some have suggested -- it's supposed to be a jaws-of-life type tool, for prying apart and lifting/moving rubble. All of which makes him enough of a Protectobot for me.

I wouldn't put too much stock in that, if I were you; it seems Takara intends the new Groove mold to be part of the Japan-exclusive Defensor boxset, and generally unavailable overseas. No indication yet on whether or not it will be released as an individual figure, even over there. Which, I'm sure we can agree, sucks ass. ¬_¬
Takara-Tomy Unite Warriors Groove & Defensor further information - Transformers News - TFW2005

 

You took a lot of nice shots for this one Simon. Looking forward to getting this guy in hand tomorrow!