Desperately tries to prove his worth to comrades by trying to find things of value - whether by digging up a hillside or a backyard. Only tolerated because of ability to use shovel's magnetic, ionic, electrical, gas sensors to detect presence of fuels, metals, etc. As right arm module, combines with fellow Constructicons to form giant robot "Devastator".
First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 10, November 1985 / Issue 41, June 1988
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 61, May 17th 1986 / Issue 279, July 21st 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 16 (Season 1 #16), December 15th 1984 / Episode 96 (Season 4 #1), November 9th 1987
First Toy Appearance - 1985
Figure Details
AKA 'Excavator'
Manufacturer - Maketoys
Toyline - Type 61
Additions/Mods:
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the chest
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the cabin
Review
Scavenger holds the dubious honour of being the dumbest Transformer in my ranks (according to his tech specs, at least) But he is also the 'right hand man' of
Devastator, and in fact the 'right arm man'. Other than this, he also transforms into an excavator, and is a crucial component of my favourite combiner character of all time. Does this
Maketoys version of him ensure that Devastator can pack a punch, or is he just too lightweight?
Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
This figure shares roughly half of his design with that of
Bonecrusher, and as such the legs are identical. However, the torso of Scavenger is far better than that of poor old Bonecrusher, because there are less hollow components. The back is still just as empty and loosely formed by combiner kibble, but the small amount of gapping around the head is much less jarring than the void in Bonecrusher's neck area. The arms are slightly more substantial and the excavator arm sits proudly on the left arm, cutting a menacing silhouette indeed. You certainly wouldn't want to be on the end of
that haymaker! The head sculpt is OK but as usual I am disappointed by the lack of light-piping. The colour scheme is great, with Maketoys sensibly avoiding giving this guy the purple trousers look which the original had. In all this a more cohesive and successful figure than Bonecrusher.
Appearance (Alternate Mode) 7/10
As with the other tracked vehicle, this cannot roll at all which is a real shame. Articulation between the cabin and running gear would have been great as well, considering most excavators are constantly swiveling around. The arm has 2 points of articulation but the bucket sadly cannot be repositioned. It's a shame that there is not more utility on this figure but it does very much look the part, with various wires and cables picked out with their own paint apps. You can see a very obvious fist hole on one side of the roof, though. Also, the combiner kibble is visible at the front of this vehicle whereas on Bonecrusher it was not, because the shovel covered it up.
Transformation 8/10
The arms of this figure are formed by splitting the cabin either side of the excavator arm, and moving them down to create shoulders. The head then swings around from the back of one arm to its rightful place atop the torso, in what is a very unusual and quite ingenious transformation step. It works quite well but feels a little flimsy. The legs are formed by snapping the treads and rotating the bottom part to reveal the feet and heels. The shoulder balljoints are pretty tight, and can make swinging the shoulders out the correct way tricky. Finally the combiner kibble is pushed flush to the gaping hole where the back should be, but there is nothing to hold it in any kind of position, which is pretty bad.
Poseability 8/10
Articulation is as follows: The head is on a balljoint ant the waist has a swivel. The shoulders and hips are ball-jointed. There is bicep and thigh swivel (although this is impeded by the way the treads affix to the thighs). There are double-jointed elbows and ball-jointed knees. Additionally the 'toes' are ball-jointed as well, allowing for a variety of poses. The wrists are on a swivel which is enough for most needs. Unlike Bonecrusher, the torso displays well from more angles, making the articulation more useful. The heels provide balance, and the massive excavator arm allows for some more dynamic poses. Good stuff!
Quality 7/10
The plastic feels very high quality so Maketoys should be thanked for that. My only real concern with this figure is the head transformation, which while being a breath of fresh air means that there is a lot riding on a fairly thin piece of plastic, and I feel that some over-vigorous play could end in poor Scavenger being decaptiated.
Overall - 38/50
Scavenger is definitely my favourite of the 2 arm components for Devastator, because he has much stronger robot mode than Bonecrusher. The alt mode is not quite as strong but the added poseability this figure provides makes him all the more valuable. He has a lot of character and displays brilliantly with his fellow
Constructicons, and the large excavator arm provides him with extra menace. I heartily recommend this figure.
