Given that Headmasters and Targetmasters have been revisited a lot in both toyline and fiction, could we give the Powermasters a chance to shine again in fiction and toyline?

And not the Power of the Primes Prime Masters, I'm talking about proper Powermasters. You know the ones that need an transforming engine figure to transform (or you can push a button to unlock the transformation)?

 

I think that might not be very popular. That interview with Kobayashi who helped design Missing Link Convoy mentioned how there's such a thing as "toy fatigue" where some Transformers are so complicated they just aren't fun to play with. A gimmick that actually makes transformation difficult should you lose a component doesn't sound like something that would be fun. What would it even bring to the table?

Instead, maybe have them function like Minicons from Armada/ Micron Legend's toyline, where they activate a "power-up" gimmick of some sort? For example, Darkwing and Dreadwind need their Powermaster partners in place to help "lock" their combination into Darkwind?

I could see them shine way more in fiction, though. The American version where they help fuel their Transformer partner so they aren't reliant on Energon, for example, would be great for an infiltrator or some kind of deep-cover operative. If you wanna go real crazy, introduce the Godmasters as some sort of powered up outlier version (though you're almost guaranteed to need a new name, maybe repurpose "Titanmaster" for it, in the "as strong as a Titan" sense?).

 

That can work and Titanmasters sounds cooler as an alternative name for the Godmasters.

 

Powermasters made a lot of sense in the Marvel Transformers comics. First because all the energy sources on Nebulos were poisoned. But also and perhaps more importantly, because in Marvel the energy the TF's got from Earth wasn't that good. As a result each TF operated at much lower levels than they would when still using Cybertronian fuel.

In Marvel Powermasters were capable of using any form of energy and convert it into the most potent power source for a TF. As as result a powermaster would operate at well above normal levels, always at its peak. It's like injecting nitrogen in the fuel line of a race car: you get an enormous energy boost resulting in the car going much faster. A pwermaster became stronger and faster thanks to the better energy they had. (Think of it like this: earth fuel 70% operating levels, Cybertronian 100% and Powermaster operated at 130%.)

But for toys...that's completely uninteresting. It works in fiction, but not really that well for toys. In a way Armada did it better with Mini-cons unlocking new abilities.

And the whole unable to transform without the engine, was to the detriment of the toys.

I loved the Powermaster figures. Getaway, Dreadwind and Darkwing were some of my favourite post-movie figures and DW & DW especially were very good jets/robots (better than the seekers). And I definitely want to see modern versions of those. But the powermaster gimmick just wasn't that interesting for toys. Unless it unlocks special features (combining for DW & DW perhaps?).

 

Though I think it can work for gimmicks. We could have this be a return to the classical gimmick figures of the early 2000s to early 2010s

 

Sure!

Why not?

 

I'd love to see a return to Powermasters for at least a couple figures. They could always redesign them slightly if losing the figures is a concern. Maybe remove the locking feature and just have the Powermasters plug in like Maketoys Thunder Manus.

Or maybe instead of locking the transformation, they could act similar to Minicons in Armada, and either unlock additional weaponry/features, or unlock a slightly different robot mode (i.e. some plans flip over or pieces pop up for a more armored look). Just with a Powermaster redesign instead of small cars. They could even combine with the gun for storage when not in use.

 

Seems like a perfectly cromulent idea to me, with the proviso that all the powermasters have the ability to interact with each others figures alá mincons to avoid losing a vital component that can't be replaced.
DX9 are currently working on legends scale ones too, Double dealer/Clouder is out and it looks like Prime is next, with an articulated Hi-Q/Ginrai to boot.

 

Why? What do they even bring to the table? What have Powermasters ever brought to the table?

 

One of, if not the the best Optimus Prime toys of it's time, one that's regularly referenced, homaged and remade. Plus kids love tiny robots to go with the bigger ones, it's fine if you don't like something but willful ignorance doesn't work when the answer is staring you in the face and mouthing naughty words at you.

 

That's because PMOP had a super-mode, not because some little guy plugged into him.

 

For me, Hi-Q was definitely part of the appeal. Especially when reading the Marvel comics. It just seemed to me like a better way to keep humans/humanoids relevant to the fiction without trying to make Cybertronians vulnerable to gun fire. Also allowed for a reason for Spike and other companions to be involved in the battles, and not just a liability.

And the way the Powermasters could plug into Prime's base mode was a plus. Kind of like bringing back the Diaclone pilots, bit relevant to Transformers.

 

For you perhaps, but believe it or not there's other people with opinions that aren't the same as yours, shocking I know.

 

Yes, but mine is the only opinion I care about. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I'm under no obligation to listen to them.

 

I like gimmicks that adds fun to the toy. The gimmicks I don't like are those that blocks features, so the minicons, power masters and keys were things that annoys me for the older figures.

That said, it's not the concept itself but that so many toys suffered in two ways for this sort of gimmick and that 1)if the toy is missing the piece, which a LOT do on the used market, that it's frustrating that the feature is now useless unless you use something to compensate, and 2) the toy suffers in it's design with usually a massive section of the toy is bigger to accommodate the mechanism and articulation or such was sacrificed.

I like that the latest remakes are a homage to the gimmicks the originals had but aren't hampered by the mechanisms and aren't "locked/limited" by the gimmick.

So I'm quite fine to see the gimmicks being homaged with the new versions and so considering that Double-Dealer is just that, but it did absolutely sucked that his power masters were part of a freaking supplemental set, and felt like it was more like an afterthought than properly done.

 

Well at least you're doing your bit to prove the old idiom about opinions and arseholes is still working. Enjoy talking to yourself I guess.

 

I was thinking of the idea of Powermasters being CBRN(Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) soldiers who use the Powermasters as an extra filter to help them operate in environments hostile to Transformer life for an extended period of time for fiction . As they would also have hazmat training as part of their role, they would be also be used in case if a plot involve CBRN materials such as a nuclear bomb.

That might be a good way to reinvent them in fiction.

 

In fiction, absolutely. They were a neat idea that has never truly been explored properly. The energy efficient stuff from any sources would be a great advantage in a war of resources. You could even have them be developed by studying the bellies of insecticons who already have that ability and cross matching it with headmaster tech.


As for toys, having them be needed to unlock transformation is a no. Have them unlock some neat features like armada minicons or cyber planet keys, sure. But that would make costs way too high for all those extra bits in this day and age. Personally I'd be fine if they were titan masters with engines sculpted on their back instead of faces and slotted into specific holes to have the vehicle engine showing in alt mode. Like tr overlord did with his chest. Or kinda like earthrise doubledealer (but titanmasters instead of cassette moulds). I did that with my godmaster customs, works well.

 

All I can do is echo that they'd be neat to revisit in fiction, but toy-wise I wouldn't want them.

 

I'm always a fan of partner figures, and love them and Head/Targetmaster lore-wise, so I vote yes. However, unlike spring-loaded weapon gimmicks, etc., which I tend to quite like, I do agree that locking transformation behind the Power Master was never a particularly fun play pattern. (Seeing as how the Powermasters alone didn't get a second year of figures among the major latter-day G1 gimmicks, it looks like Hasbro and kids at the time agreed.)

Luckily I feel like concept of a partner that can interact with both modes is fun enough on its own--basically the same appeal as Headmasters minus having a headless robot without them.

Like Human Alliance except the human can either pilot or plug into the alt-mode as a component somewhere.