Transformers EarthSpark - TWITCH!

Transformers: EarthSpark - Deluxe Class Figures - Twitch - Hasbro 2023

I've been watching Transformers: EarthSpark on Paramount+ for a few weeks now and it's pretty impressive for a number of reasons. The premise of the Terrans, essentially "raw" Transformers that are neither Autobot nor Decepticon, is a great concept. I'm not too far into the series and I still wonder which of the new characters will be good or bad. Another amazing thing about the show is the number of female Transformers. The modern Transformers TV shows typically have a token female Autobot and/or Decepticon, but Earthspark features seven in the first season: Elita-1, Arcee, Skywarp, Nova Storm, Frenzy, Hashtag, and of course Twitch (there's also the first official non-binary Transformer, Nightshade, who will have a Deluxe toy in the next wave). Twitch and her brother Thrash are the focal point of the series along with their human friends Mo and Robby.  Twitch in particular stands out for what I see as a (wonderful) retro design reminiscent of Orbots or GoBots. Let's check her out below!

Transformers Earthspark - TWITCH!

Transformers Earthspark - Cyber-Combiner - Terran Twitch - Hasbro 2023

Transformers: Earthspark is a 2022 CGI-animated series on Paramount+. It has an interesting new concept following a group of new Transformers called the Terrans that are "born" on Earth in an unformed primordial state. They imprint on their surroundings, developing their appearance, gender, personality, and alternate mode based on their experiences. Two young siblings, Mo and Robby Malto, meet and bond with some of these Terrans in rural Pennsylvania. Twitch is the token female Terran who bonded with Robby and transforms into a drone. She has a great design and I love the fact that her vehicle mode is so modern. The boom boxes, microscopes, and camera modes of my youth were in desperate need of a modern upgrade. These new Cyber-Combiner sets pair a Transformers with one of the Malto kids in a Cyber-Suit that can combine, as the name implies. This is Twitch's third figure and she has  Warrior Class and Tacticon figures out this year. Let's check out Terran Twitch below!

Transformers Earthspark - TWITCH!

Transformers Earthspark - 1-Step Flip Changer - Terran Twitch - Hasbro 2023

It's funny to think how I used to avoid collecting Transformers because there we so few female figures being made. Prior to 2014, there were barely any. But then the Generations Arcee and Chromia were released and the floodgates opened. Just last week I was in a well-stocked Walmart and I saw figures of Arcee, Airazor, Nightbird, Elita-One, Twitch, Skywarp, Hashtag, Windblade, Strongarm, Laser Cycle, and Shadow Striker. That is ELEVEN different characters with toys on the shelves simultaneously. And that's not even counting the same characters with multiple versions. Like four different figures of Arcee and three of Twitch. When you have this kind of abundance, you are naturally going to get figures in the less-impressive kid-oriented lines like the Tacticons or these 1-Step Flip Changers. While these aren't the most sought-after toys for collectors, I really enjoy the explosion of females in this historically-exclusionary genre, so I buy every last figure in support (especially the new characters like Twitch).

Transformers Earthspark - TWITCH!

Transformers: EarthSpark - Warrior Class Figures - Terran Twitch - Hasbro 2024

The last few Transformers EarthSpark releases seem to be trickling out at a snail's pace. The unfortunate thing is that the big box stores seem to have largely abandoned the Warrior Class scale figures, skipping right from the smaller Tacticons and 1-Step Changers to the Deluxe figures. This is a shame because the Warrior Class line is probably my favorite of them all. Twitch is a new character created for the EarthSpark cartoon that transforms into a drone. She is notable because she has a figure in almost every line (except the Spin Changer line, but they only made two characters). I am nervous her Tacticon will never be released, but even more nervous for the last two Warrior Class ladies (Hashtag and Spitfire). Considering the scarcity of the Warrior line in general, I was really excited to find her at a B.A.M. (Books-a-Million) bookstore while on vacation this Summer. I guess I'll have to keep checking back for the final few. (Unfortunately, I don't have any nearby). Let's check out Twitch below!

Transformers Earthspark - SPITFIRE!

Transformers Earthspark - 1-Step Flip Changer - Spitfire - Hasbro 2024

In Season Two of Transformers: EarthSpark, there is a fun storyline where new Terrans are created from shards of the Emberstone that have been corrupted. The resulting Terrans look just like the existing heroes, but they are actually polar opposites (dubbed the Chaos Terrans). I'm always a fan of this type of storytelling trope. Star Trek's Mirror Mirror was the first example I was exposed to. But even recently there has been Mirrorverse's Fractured characters, and flipped Miraculous characters. This is smart for merchandising too, because a simple repaint can be embraced as a wholly new character. In EarthSpark, the Chaos Terran version of Twitch is named Spitfire and was a surprise character when her first toy was solicited back in May (she didn't appear in the cartoon until June). I especially like her look because minty-green Transformers always remind me of Moonracer, who was my favorite of the original female Autobots from The Search for Alpha Trion. Let's check out Spitfire below!

Transformers Earthspark - MO MALTO!

Transformers Earthspark - Cyber-Combiner - Mo Malto in Cyber Suit - Hasbro 2023

Transformers: Earthspark is the current all-ages Transformers show airing on Paramount+. The show features two young Earth siblings, Mo and Robby Malto, who discover unformed Terran Transformers that eventually choose vehicle (or beast) mode and kind of imprint on the Malto children. It's a pretty fun show with great interpretations of classic characters and a handful of really inventive originals. There were recently two "Cyber-Combiner" toy sets that feature one of the Malto kids in a Cyber-Suit paired with a Transformer (Mo & Bumblebee and Robby & Twitch). These figures can be joined together in a variety of combinations to create "mini-combiners." As far as I can tell this scenario has not appeared in the show yet, but there is a Season Two coming so perhaps we'll get some reference soon. It's pretty rare to get action figures of the human characters in Transformers, but this is a fun and inventive way to get them on the shelves in a marketable way. Let's check out Mo Malto in her Cyber-Suit below!

Transformers Earthspark - Elita-1!

Transformers Earthspark - 1-Step Flip Changer - Elita-1 - Hasbro 2024

I love how every few years there is a reboot of the Transformers Universe animated for television. I rarely watch all of these, but I love the repercussions they have on the toylines - especially more modern series that don't shy away from including female characters. The current incarnation is Transformers Earthspark on Paramount+ and the show features at least five female Transformers that have received toys so far (nine figures total and two more on the way). The show includes original characters like Twitch and classics like Elita-1. I'm really glad Elita-1 had been rescued from obscurity. Her single episode appearance in 1985 could have been a one-and-done flashback appearance, but thankfully she was brought back as major character in 2020 War For Cyberton series, then again in 2022 for Earthspark, and I assume her role in the upcoming film Transformers One (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) will be significant. It's safe to say Elita-1 is now a staple of the franchise. Let's check out her Flip Changer below!

Transformers - STRONGARM!

Transformers Legacy Evolution - Strongarm (Robots in Disguise) - Hasbro 2023

It seems like every iteration of modern Transformers animation has one token female that they elevate to A-Lister status. Transformers: Prime had blue Arcee. Transformers: Cyberverse had Windblade. War for Cybertron featured a redesigned Elita-One. And Earthspark has Twitch. But I think special commendation goes to Strongarm from Robots in Disguise. This character was very different in several ways. For starters, she was big and strong. True to her name, Strongarm was a powerhouse character in this show, a far cry from the more dainty females before and after her. She is also a rescue vehicle. Kids are always drawn to the fire, medic, and police vehicles (similar to kids always being inexplicably drawn to the Red Ranger), but female characters rarely transform into them. Finally, her headsculpt is very traditional. There is something about the framing of her face and the yellow crest on her forehead that makes her look like she was designed in the 80s along with the rest of the classic Transformers characters.

Transformers EarthSpark - ELITA-1!

Transformers: EarthSpark - ESD-14 DX - Elita-1 (Deluxe) - Takara Tomy 2024

I've learned a lot about Transformers over the years, but I can admit the intricacies of the Hasbro/TakaraTomy relationship is a little vague to me. From my experience, when the two companies release the same product, the difference has been solely paint applications. So when I discovered that this EarthSpark Elita-1 actually had noticeably improved tooling, I was surprised. I really liked the 2023 Hasbro Warrior Class Elita-1. She has a great sculpt and scale. But when I discovered this Japanese version with an articulated head, sculpted hands with removable weapons, and added paint details, I was obsessed. As one of my favorite Transformers, I will be endlessly excited about new Elita-1 toys. With her prominent role in the upcoming Transformers One movie, I'm excited that she will be getting five new movie figures (and likely even more). But I'm excited this EarthSpark design got one final hurrah. It's pretty great, even though it will be overshadowed shortly. Let's check out Elita-1 below!

Transformers EarthSpark - HASHTAG!

Transformers: EarthSpark - ESD-13 DX - Terran Hashtag - Takara Tomy 2024

As one door opens, another closes. While not officially confirmed, there are abundant rumors that Transformers: EarthSpark will end after Season 2 - just as we're gearing up for Transformers One and all its merchandise. The cancellation rumors led me to splurge on the import TakaraTomy version of Hashtag. Modern Transformers figures are typically released by both Hasbro and TakaraTomy using the same general molds, but often sporting paint variations. I wasn't planning on getting this TakaraTomy Hashtag because she is a distinct dark blue instead of her on-screen purple deco. But I fear the purple Hasbro version may never be released. The most recent EarthSpark releases have been very scarce at retail, and I wasn't about to let this character pass me by. Hashtag is a bit of a modern character stereotype. She is the tech-savvy cool hacker character, which is a dime a dozen character description these days. But I am really drawn to her design and this figure is a very fun representation of her.

Transformers Earthspark - SKYWARP!

Transformers: Earthspark - Warrior Class Figures - Skywarp - Hasbro 2023

I love the inclusion of female Seekers in the Decepticon ranks. For quite a few years, we only had Slipstream, but in the past few years we were introduced to the newly gender-inconsistent Nova Storm and Skywarp. And in the new Transformers: EarthSpark series, they are both decidedly female. Unfortunately, these characters will rarely get a unique sculpt so they have historically mostly been simple repaints of Starscream. And this new Skywarp is no exception. So I made a quick edit to this figure. To me one of the most prominent features of Skywarp in EarthSpark is her dark lips and wicked grin. There is also a precedent for giving this (male) mold a darker lip to feminize it. The Slipstream figure from a few years ago used the same Starscream mold but had a slightly red lip and looked great. The sculpt itself it pretty androgynous, so the tiniest detail can make a big difference. I took my smallest brush and darkened her lip and suddenly she looked like Skywarp from the show. Let's check her out below!

Transfomers - ELITA-1!

Transformers Legacy - Deluxe Class - Elita-1 - TakaraTomy/Hasbro 2022

Female Transformers are going through a bit of a second renaissance right now. From 2015-2021 there were a ton of well-made female Transformers toys for the first time ever (I personally purchased over 60 new Transformers in this time span, not including the novelty toys and 3rd Party figures). But with the release of the Legacy Arcee this last Spring, there seems to be a shift in design aesthetic and construction. The new figures are more blocky and robotic than the organic feminine figures we had been seeing. The plastic also seems to be of a different material - thinner and more shiny. At first I was hesitant of the changes, but I'm quickly warming up. So far I have four figures: Arcee, Road Rocket, Override, and Elita One. And there are a lot more coming: Crasher, Nightbird, Shadow Striker, plus Twitch and Elita-1 (Earthspark). The only aspect of these new figures that I still struggle with is the mass of their lower legs because my brain associates the silhouette with bellbottoms or boot-cut jeans. But it's a small gripe.

Transformers EarthSpark - ELITA-1!

Transformers: EarthSpark - Warrior Class Figures - Elita One - Hasbro 2023

I love that Elita-1 is an established character in the Transformers: EarthSpark cartoon on Paramount+. Her role in 2020 War For Cybertron series on Netflix propelled her to the forefront of Transformers lore. I had been a fan since her first appearance in 1985, but then she spent 35 years in relative obscurity. Arcee was simply a more popular character with a color scheme that was too similar (and God forbid there be two pink fembots). But Elita had a certain provenance and natural leadership in her character that couldn't be hidden forever. She's had modern appearances in cartoons and comics and in the past five years she has had four unique action figures made (unlike previous toys that were "Elita in name only"). Her role in Earthspark isn't super prominent. I believe she only appears in two episodes, but even in those brief scenes she was true to the Elita I became obsessed with as a kid. I'm glad the licensors saw fit to make a toy of her, even if it is a simple Warrior Class. Let's check her out below!

Transformers EarthSpark - NIGHTSHADE!

Transformers: EarthSpark - ESD-05 DX - Nightshade (Deluxe) - Takara Tomy 2024

When buying my TakaraTomy EarthSpark redecos, I couldn't help but add Nightshade to my cart. As far as the Japan/US paint variations go, theirs is very minor. But I prefer the Japanese face deco that more closely resembles the unique Terran visage. Plus the torso deco, feet, and thighs create a sleeker, more hourglass, appearance. Which I think blurs the gender lines better than the Hasbro version (ironic considering how conservatively they were presented in Japan). I love a good scandal. Especially when the same folks upset about a gender-obscured character were the same ones screaming for years that female Transformers couldn't exist because they are a genderless species. So ta-daa, here's your first non binary robot like you wanted. I couldn't care less about Nightshade's gender. I just know I'm drawn to their design, name, and beast mode. Enough so that I jumped at the chance to buy a subtle variant just to get another Nightshade on my shelf. Let's check them out below!