Really liking this guy. The transformation is kinda annoying, though.

 

I am pretty sure its not actually designed to tab together in robot mode. Everything fits better along the molded surfaces when untabbed and doesn't move at all.

 

Are you planning on selling these custom connectors in the future? Because I’d definitely be interested in purchasing a set if you are!

 

Has anyone found a way to shave off part of the bottom of the head to get full range of the ball joint articulation? would it work?

Also, the length of the 5mm peg on the weapon is pretty annoying. If it was a little longer, you could peg the weapon into his hand after it's folded into his forearm, making that "integrated weapon" look more seamless.

 

Yes, just send me a pm. I've got sets ready.

 

His undercarriage is growing on me, reminds me of the B Wings a bit except in a more starfighter form.
Or since he is a seeker ,that undercarriage could poke out beneath the clouds like a shark's fin.

 

This is one of those figures that in pictures is an absolute pass for me, but In hand is an absolute winner

 

Any tips for securing the null rays on his wings? They seem really loose.

 

this is a toy that really exceeds the line it's in. the plastic quality, tolerances and efficiency of everything really feel like the best that 2010-2013 generations had to offer. even the undercarriage "fin"' is a lot less obtrusive in hand considering what they have to fit down there.

 

That seems to be a common complaint. Ours fortunately has been OK. Yeah, it could be tighter but is snug enough to stay on.

You can use your plastic expander of choice in the ports (floor polish, superglue, etc...)

 

Looks great.

Did you drill in 5mm ports on the forearms for the rays?

 

Nice.
How does it look transformed? Are those two holes an eyesore?

 

Beautiful. I'll be doing mine today.  

 

I am in total agreement with you. Zero interest up until... impulse buy because of a sale.

 

Before I bought both of them, I thought I would enjoy SS72 Starscream much more tha SS65 Blitzwing... mostly because although Blitzwing had the more attractive head, Starscream's alternate mode was closer to his depiction in the movie. He was also closer to the G1 Seeker model, which I liked. Now that I have them both in hand, however... my opinions have turned out to be a lot more mixed than previously thought.



The robot mode, as previously stated, hews closer to the Seeker design than Blitzwing. The tall red shoulder vents are prominently featured, and there are actual white and red wing stripes as well as actual blue in the color palette instead of the red pinstripes and dark grayish color Blitzwing had. The head has a mouth instead of Blitzwing's flight mask. Personally I think it looks a little squat, maybe because of the molded 'facial wrinkles', but it grows on you. Articulation is similar to Blitzwing, including a nice pair of ankle tilts, but he lacks wrist swivels due to his hands not being designed to detach and his head is slightly more limited in motion. He has a pair of small null-ray cannons and a large arm cannon as accessories.

While this robot mode is very aesthetically pleasing in places such as the wing tips, I have to say I do have some nitpicks that make him ultimately rank below Blitzwing. First of all, there's something off about the shade of blue Hasbro used here. It's standard Starscream colors so I shouldn't have an issue with it, but I feel like the color drowns out much of the molded detail on it and makes the figure look more toyetic. Also, as mentioned by many people beforehand, the 5mm posts on the null-rays are very loose. They kept getting knocked askew while handling the figure, which was annoying. The arm cannon could also have been executed better. Unlike Blitzwing's, which genuinely looked integrated into the forearm when attached, Starscream's cannon sits too far forward to look natural. Perhaps it could have been improved by adding an attachment point on the forearm, then having the cannon attach there after folding the hand into the forearm.

Despite my nitpicks it is still a very accurate and poseable robot, however, to which I give Hasbro huge kudos. I also commend them for making him a completely new mold instead of a differently transformed Blitzwing retool. It's fun to play with, but some modifications would make it even better.

(Note: While transforming him from vehicle to robot, it's way too easy to forget the final step that pulls out the two black pieces on his waist. Don't forget that part!)



Vehicle mode is where Starscream finally overtakes Blitzwing. He transforms into a reasonably accurate rendition of the tetrajet-style starfighter seen in the Bumblebee movie, though the bottom fin had to be considerably thicker to make transformation possible. I loved this jet when I saw it in concept art and I love it here - leaps and bounds better than Blitzwing's cobbled-together jet mode, even if it did end up growing on me. The translucent yellow canopy, in particular, is absolutely lovely. The tetrajet mode also manages to avoid all the problems I listed above in the robot mode section, since the null-rays are now attached using much more secure tabs and the cannon is now integrated neatly into the jet undercarriage. Even the shade of blue they used seems nicer and more fitting in jet mode! He is flight stand compatible, but since he's a little heavier than Blitzwing my stand had a little trouble getting him to stay balanced without bending or breaking. That's a fault of my flimsy stand, however, and not this toy.



All in all, Starscream ranks slightly below Blitzwing in robot mode but the involved transformation and the superb jet mode more than make up for it. Since it's very likely that this mold will get many redecoes and retools as the Knightverse Seekers, Starscream is a good starting point if you want to start your collection. (Although he does take up substantially more space than Blitzwing on my shelf, due to his uniquely angled wings!)

 

Also, here are some comparison pictures between SS72 Starscream, SS65 Blitzwing, and Earthrise Starscream. SS72 Starscream is tallest, SS65 Blitzwing is a few millimeters shorter, and Earthrise Starscream is a whole head shorter than Blitzwing. However, it doesn't have to be said that Earthrise Starscream obviously has the best jet mode out of the lot.

 

I think Starscream is a lot more secure and poseable than blitzwing. His chest never comes undone and his waist works a lot better, blitzwing honestly feel cheap in comparison in my opinion