Pretty certain he was always Scorponok, even in the cartoon.

From TFWiki:

And Masterforce went further with the secret files add-ons:

 

I don't know what the s**t a Zavvi is...

Yes, when I got the e-mail, I believed it was real. I know that it's in development, so they're going to do computer painting and art, and things might be prototypical.

So, yeah, when I saw the image, I was like, "Bring. It."

 

Honestly, I’m expecting this to be real. If it’s fake tho, HasTak just pulled a really good April Fools on everyone.

 

Now imagine you saw that pop up without a source, and then the source provided turned out to be a screenshot from a site that mainly sells tshirts and posters lol. I learned about it from the email as well, but it absolutely looks like a digibash.

 

I gotta say, I really hate that gash in the Titan Master's chest. It physically makes me cringe every time I see it.

Thankfully, unlike most of Hasbro's recent displays of battle damage-craziness, I can largely ignore it just by never taking off Black Zarak's head.

 

So uh, gold plastic ankles.

 

I only need one continuity where they're different entities to justify this impulsive purchase and not break my collecting rules.

Sounds like the answer is maybe?

 

I'd just take a reissue of G1 Grand Max.

I have my Earthrise Scopronok posed up with my Encore G1 Fort Max and it's perfect.

 

GPS hasn't been an issue for years now right? I don't think it will be that much of a problem.

 

Transfomers has such rapidly changing canon that there will eventually be a continuity where both exist separately. If you like the look, buy it. Transformers media exists to sell the toys, so just buy what you think looks good.

 

Craving a blue Deep Cover, lol

 

It's fantastic

 

Let's just hope this figure isn't massively prone to Gold Plastic Syndrome like the original one was.

 

Right & that has to do with us getting a RID Fort Max how? This year is RID's 20th. We need to get Fortress Maximus & a complete series dvd set.

 

I’m guessing Grand Max proved a Takara-exclusive Titan wasn’t viable without a proper Hasbro release. If there had been an option to order him for $160 all those years ago, more people would have him and we probably would have gotten the pretender shell.

 

If you can justify buying Galvatron, you can justify Black Zarak. It's a very similar concept.

 

I would love a Selects Titan Brave Maximus (the dvd set seems unlikely to happen due to right holdings and whatnot).

Only sucks that the base mode would look like shit in comparison to the original unless some remolding happens.

 

Using the F12 to look at source page and then Control F and typing in "inventory" it looks like 2425 sold of 5000 on Pulse, seemingly already selling better than Takara Legends Grand Maximus back in the day.

 

Well. Masterforce is technically a different continuity than US G1, so you could argue that Blackzarak is a different character due to him being from an alternate universe.

US G1 Scorponok never became BlackZarak
Masterforce Scorponok did.

like if a version of Megatron never became Galvatron but then have that Megatron and a Galvatron meet. (which has happened before) Not the same character IMO.

Or just go strictly go with Cartoon continuity where they never say one way or another, its just simply never mentioned, which is why its assumed he's a separate character in the cartoon. its never mentioned at all. All the other sources just try to clarify it.
(like how as far as I'm concerned Blitzwing the the BB film isn't Blitzwing because his name is never mentioned in the film itself. so he's "unnamed seeker #26")

Regardless. I say you preorder him anyway. its nearly an entire year before he ships so you have plenty of time to cancel if you change your mind. I like to preorder things as impulse so i dont miss out, and THEN make a decision and cancel if I decide I dont want it. rather than not preorder and miss out entirely.