TFC Toys Poseidon: Deathclaw

 It’s time to end the Poseidon hiatus, an unofficial thing that basically happened because I got caught up writing on some other things, but was never intended. Our last entry looked at the really good Iron Shell, and now, it’s time for the best figure in the set (or at least the one that blew my mind all those months ago –mr), Deathclaw, the Nautilator stand-in.

According to the official lore, Nautilator was not a real member of the Seacon team, but was rather assigned to the group, allegedly refitted from a more land-capable alt mode into one that apparently struggles both above and below the waves. But Deathclaw is hardly that, as he is potentially the figure of the set that does most things right, thanks to his borrowing from the other limb figures. Sharing the same general mold as his teammates, something that all five of the limb figures do, Deathclaw is the best use of the legs-fold-out-monster-parts design. This is probably because not all that much folds in to or out of the legs, as the alt mode is largely created by the lobster head piece, which does not need to be but is detachable, as well as an overall lack of panels.

Rear view

The robot mode is on par with Mentarazor in terms of being a bland-ish, mostly grey look, but the presence of the lobster head on the back really adds to the total appearance. Deathclaw has big, sturdy looking legs, which seem to be less accommodating to the combined ankle/foot ball joints than is the case for the other figures. The lobster legs fold up along the sides and behind the legs, getting them all out of the way not only in practical terms, but also visually, so that the legs aren’t simply jutting out everywhere. Makes for a cleaner looking robot, really, by taking the busiest element of the toy and tucking it away where it’s not going to be much of an issue. Deathclaw comes with a big, dumb blaster, which follows the pattern of the set, but whether Deathclaw will use this part serving as Poseidon’s blaster is yet to be seen in terms of the Coffin’s collection. (eventual spoiler warning: he doesn’t.—mr)

The head sculpt is pretty nice, but if we’re being honest here, Nautilator never got much face time, so almost whatever they stuck on his neck peg probably would have been fine. But it is a sufficiently sinister looking head, complete with mouth plate, and it may be due to the way I’ve sorta headcannoned Deathclaw here, but he does look fairly ninja-esque or assassin-like, and I like that just fine.

 

While Deathclaw’s blaster is a flop, he is capable of folding his lobster claws out in robot mode, forming pincers around or instead of the hands, and that’s cool. A little imagination helps them turn into scythes or some other bladed weapons, like sickles, and that’s where the assassin/ninja idea came from, and I like it. And, it kind of fits: lobster, scuttlin’ along the bottom of the sea, known for stealth and agility. Maybe not agility though. But it makes sense.

Lobster mode is pretty cool, even if it is mostly a hat. The monster head is removable, but does not need to be removed for transformation: doing so may make things just a tab easier, but is hardly necessary. Something that is really amazing is how poseable the lobster arms are, which is what really amazed me. The arms move up and down, and have joints in the elbows (they are also the robot arms), and the claws open from both the top large claw and the smaller bottom one. The top claw also contains a pointy tip that in hinge mounted, so it can be moved as well. The claws can reach into the lobster mouth, so Deathclaw can do awesome things like eat Titanmasters and rip off heads. The mouth is not as strongly realized as it is on Cyberjaw and Big Bite and Iron Shell, as it’s just a realignment of shoulder pads and chest plate, but it works as the mouth of a lobster. All of the lobster legs are poseable, containing a number of joints, but they are just too weak to support the alt mode, so Deathclaw sorta lays on the ground and then places his legs for decoration. Lots of fun.  

In both modes, it is the poseability of the arms that really makes this figure a treat. Deathclaw is the first figure of the group that has real monster arms, sensible as he is a lobster, and not just stumpy claws on the sides of his body, and the fact that they can move in all directions and clamp around things and have posable claws adds a real level of play value. Fairly certain that this has come up in some previous third party toy write up, but play value is a general quality that is missing from lots of third party wares, so to encounter it is a pleasant and refreshing surprise. While photographing the TFC Toys Seacons an effort has been made to take some goofy or fun pictures, usually of them eating or menacing Titanmaster figures. Deathclaw was the part of that photoshoot that was legitimately amusing to do so with, and yielded the most enjoyment in doing so. That night back in December when the Seacons were first opened, Deathclaw was the first one that was a true combination of amazement and enjoyment to handle: they were opened in order of release. Menatrazor was the one that brought that familiar “be careful with 3P figures” feeling; Cyber Jaw brought amazement at the leg folding and panel unfolding; Big Bite brought the mild frustration of having difficulties with a transformation that was just done; Iron Shell was the big, complicated one; Deathclaw was simple and straightforward, and so was able to be experienced rather than managed, explored rather than navigated. Plus, it’s a lobster, and unconventional alt modes are extra cool. The weird thing is that, taken as a group, Deathclaw is pretty clearly the plainest one, with others being more colorful or intricate or having what amounts to be cooler features, and Menatarazor, the closest color comparison, having a generally more impressive robot mode.

Chalk it up to personal preference, if that’s all that can really be determined to be a factor here, but Deathclaw is the Coffin’s pick of the Seacon litter, the most fun of an excellent bunch. It’s the toy that seems to encapsulate the team, and is generally the one that provides a sense of play value as well. A totally worth it buy, even if you weren’t going to collect the entire set: Deathclaw is worth the price all on his own.