Generations Arcee

Way back in 2009, when doing a feature on Energon Arcee, I commented that "to this day" (that is, from the start of the Transformers franchise in 1984 to the then-present of 2009) no mainstream toy of Generation One Arcee had ever been created. I wasn't counting a Binaltech figure that had come out the previous year in Japan, although I probably should have done, as it was technically the correct character, even if it wasn't available here in the US and bore little resemblance to the character's iconic form. That said, it took another five years before Hasbro finally got around to doing Generation One Arcee as she was always meant to be, with the 2014 Generations figure.

Well, I say that, but of course this is the Transformers fandom, and we do have a tendency to find fault with anything that deviates from our preferred ideals, especially in regard to cartoon-accuracy. Hasbro's Arcee toy includes a fair amount of black that her 1980s animated counterpart lacks, not to mention some blue highlights. For this reason, many fans prefer the TakaraTomy version, which is admittedly even closer to the original look. For my money, this is still closer than I ever expected Hasbro to do, especially after so very long.

Normally, I try to show off these toys with weapons in-hand, but in the case of Arcee, the toy includes a few weapons that don't really have a counterpart in the character as portrayed in the cartoon (one gun is pretty close, but the swords are a carry-over from the Animated version). That's not really a complaint, as the weapons are (obviously!) easily removable, but for those who really need to see how the toy looks with the weapons, click on these links for the robot mode and the vehicle mode.

Notwithstanding the color-quibbles noted above, this really is the Arcee toy fans have been waiting to get for almost 30 years. That said, I feel the need to acknowledge at least one well-known fan (and if you're been involved in the fandom for a while now, you probably know who I mean even without referencing his Arcee-related screen name) who is still asking for a Headmaster version of this character to reflect her tenure as such in the final episodes of the 1980s Transformers cartoon ("Rebirth"). Personally, I think that's unlikely ever to happen. It's simply too obscure, and isn't even the form Arcee is most known for having. Even doing a Headmaster... err, excuse me... Titanmaster^*... Arcee in the upcoming Titans Return line seems a stretch, not to mention that, if a Titans Return toy were made, it would no doubt include a number of other deviations from the Generation One concept, simply in order to differentiate any new toy from one on the shelves so recently. That said, if Arcee ever is considered for a "Masterpiece" figure, that would be the place I would expect to see a true Generation One Headmaster Arcee done, if it's ever going to happen at all.

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^*I use the Titanmaster name only to acknowledge that this is how such a toy would be marketed. I'll always think of these as Headmasters.