SG Sideswipe [Wheels 02-Wreck 'N Rule]

The Shattered Glass version of Sideswipe is one of those characters that's just chock full of Transformers trivia. On the surface, he looks like a version of Sideswipe who left the Autobots and joined the Decepticons (you could say he swiped sides). I've explained it before, but let's see if I can do it in a shorter version.

Originally there was a toy in Transformers Armada named Wheeljack who looked like traditional Sideswipe and had left the Autobots to join the Decepticons. Meanwhile, there was also a character named Sideswipe... who didn't look like traditional Sideswipe. It was a weird time.

Then in the early 2000's version of Transformers Universe, there were plans to use that Armada Wheeljack mold as a new version of G2 Drench. I had always liked G2 Drench's colors and loved the Armada Wheeljack toy, so I was super excited about this at the time. Unfortunately, it was canceled. A few years later, when Shattered Glass was introduced as a BotCon exclusive, Sideswipe made from the Armada Wheeljack mold in that canceled Drench deco was released. Needless to say, I was a fast fan.

I think the only version of SG Sideswipe I don't own is the Generations Selects version that I really should get. I clearly wasn't his only fan either as Sho Utsumi from SSSS.Gridman is heavily patterned after SG Sideswipe. Actually, most of the cast in that show is modeled after Transformers characters, which is pretty neat.

This incarnation of SG Sideswipe is from Blokees Transformers Wheels Series 02-Wreck 'N Rule. A 1/64 scale model of his vehicle mode. It's pleasantly small and the Solidex is satisfyingly used for the main car body shell. Really, the colors pop as it just looks so sharp.

The kit came together well. The universal chassis all Wheels kits seem to share connects to a skid plate type piece and everything builds up from there. A Blokees driver can fit inside the car's interior nicely and probably most Inchman style figures could as well. I'm moving, so I don't have time to experiment with this currently, but I really want to stick a Micro Galaxy Squadron Storm Trooper in there.

SG Sideswipe shares a mold with the Blokees Wheels Breakdown who is in the same series. I'll definitely be talking about Breakdown a little later as I assume the Stunticons will eventually be represented fully as Wheels kits.

Ultimately, this is a very slick looking little car and another great Wheels kit.

The Memorial Day and Grogu

It’s Memorial Day! I’m definitely enjoying the holiday and taking advantage of the long weekend to get some much-needed rest and... okay, I’m moving, so I’m also using the 3-day weekend to pack. There’s a lot to be done, but I’m still making time to squeeze in a viewing of The Mandalorian and Grogu and, weather permitting, maybe even cook out.

Of course, regular posting resumes tomorrow as usual, and I’ve got a fun week in store for your eyeballs! Thank you all for reading and supporting Zone Base. Please share the site with your friends, and as always, be excellent to each other!

Oh, and speaking of Star Wars, keep checking this space. There’s incoming thoughts on the movie coming as soon as I get the chance to write it... likely on my phone!

The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

We caught an early showing of the movie Monday morning before the theater got packed with holiday traffic. We wasn't aware when buying the tickets earlier in the week that it was actually the 49th anniversary of the release of the original Star Wars, but that made the viewing a little more special once learned. As someone who's been watching Star Wars his entire life, The Mandelorian has been great. Really captures the spirit of Star Wars, feels more true to the original spirit, and yet... manages to be something new and not just a retread of what came before. A streaming series season feels like a long movie broken up into parts, so a movie that feels like a big budget season of the show is perfect. 

I won't go into spoilers as the movie was just released, but will say I love how Grogu got his own moments to shine.  Totally adorable, and capable on his own. The new characters felt natural and like they've been there all along. One thing I took extra notice in was how the special effects mirrored the original sagas in a way. Several shots felt like stop motion animation and that was special. Now, it could have just been well done CGI that mirrored the look of stop motion, but it was enough to warm my heart. The aliens and creatures were fantastic and as a kid who played with his Kenner Jabba the Hutt daily, I was very happy with the Hutts getting such a large role.

Overall, I felt the movie was excellent and hope the future of Star Wars movies follow its lead. Truly awesome in every sense of the word. 

BW Megatron (Special Galaxy Type & Tyrannosaurus Rex) [Defender Version 06-Brutal Fang]

Ah yes, Beast Wars Megatron. A character you can't talk about without either quoting him or hearing his voice in your head. Absolutely my favorite of the Megatrons, he started out as a lowly criminal before taking the namesake of Megatron for himself and beginning his quest of stealing the Golden Disks and traveling back in time to Earth to rewrite history in the Decepticons' favor.

Then later, he completely dominated Cybertron and ruled it with his new Vehicon army. Other Megatrons may be a threat, but this one actually succeeds, and he's charming as hell while doing it. His death actually caused the reformation of Cybertron, and whenever he pops back up... it's kind of a big deal. And he has a rubber ducky.

Needless to say, I was ecstatic when Blokees started working Beast Wars characters into their awesome Transformers Defender Version blind box model kits. In Series 06-Brutal Fang, there are four different Megatron kits available: a standard robot mode, beast mode, Special Galaxy Type, and Special Armor Type. I was fortunate enough to get Special Galaxy Type for my robot mode representation. The difference between it and the standard is that Special Galaxy Type has metallic colors and extra painted detailing on the Tyrannosaurus bits. It's really sharp looking and feels more show-accurate, while the standard resembles the original toy more. Special Armor Type has even more metallic coloring and paint detailing, along with a blast effect and the rifle he carried in the episode Call of the Wild.

Robot mode assembles mostly like a standard Defender kit, but there are some differences, mostly in his arm construction. His arms are composed of the T-Rex's tail and head. So instead of the standard forearm and fist construction, his right arm has a dinosaur head in place (the same mold the beast mode kit uses), while his left arm gets a tail piece that connects at the elbow, with a fist that fits inside it at an angle. Some of the arm articulation you'd expect from a Defender is compromised, but it looks fantastic.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex kit is a fun little build that results in a neat little representation of his infamous beast mode. He was colored purple as a bit of a jab at Barney the Dinosaur, which in turn has led to some folks thinking that calling him Barney is somehow a way to insult Beast Wars fans. Me? As a teen during the time Barney was huge, I appreciated the joke. Not to mention, I always thought he resembled Tyrantisaurus Rex from Masters of the Universe, and I've always liked the Grayskull era of MOTU.

Assembly is pretty easy. Really, the body comes together almost like a shell, with the limbs connecting afterward. There's a fun fire blast effect that plugs into his mouth (which opens) and can also be used with the robot mode kit, as the head is the same molded piece. I've seen some complaints from folks sticking the flame effect in too hard and breaking teeth... and I have no clue how they manage that.

This little dino also reminds me of the Predacon Mini-Con Gnashteeth from around 2008. I jumped all over that Micron Booster series he hails from, and it was so much fun. Ultimately, this is a great little set of models that results in solid mini figures of a classic character I clearly love. I really appreciated the variety in their builds, as the beast element brought some welcome variety and made for a newer experience. Really good time.

He-Man [Mighty Masters]

He's the most powerful man in the universe, he's He-Man! The main hero of Masters of the Universe of course is in the initial Mighty Masters series and looking great.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that he doesn't have the same swinging arm gimmick Man-At-Arms and Beast Man have. Instead, he features a pull-back waist similar to the original Masters of the Universe figures! I had wrongly assumed the swinging arm gimmick was line wide and am very happy to see variety like this. Considering the size and price, I'm impressed they even included gimmicks.

He-Man, like the others, is a fairly decent reproduction (there's some differences) of the original toy in mini figure form. He's got his trademark Power Sword, which even has a little holster on the back of his hardly-there armor.

So here's where I make an admission. MOTU came out when I was very young... and I totally thought he was the bad guy at first. Yep, you heard me. I thought Skeletor was the good guy.

That first commercial featured a skull-faced castle with a skull-faced guy and some normal dude threatening him. To be fair, I was 4 and completely not listening to or comprehending the dialog. I also liked monsters, which clearly has never left my system.

Well, it didn't take me much longer to realize He-Man was the good guy and the army of Halloween decorations were the villains. Who knew?

Oh... yeah. This Mighty Masters figure of the apparently good guy is pretty great.