Transformers: The Last Knight tops Rolling Stone’s list of the worst movies of 2017, though the crew does not think it was the year’s worst. Hailee Steinfeld says the Bumblebee movie will decide the franchise’s next steps, and Brian pitches it as Smokey and the Bandit with an invisible John Cena hologram. TakaraTomy’s first Power of the Primes images look identical to Hasbro’s, and Titans Return Arcee reaches Toys R Us stores. Flame Toys teases its licensed Tarn, and the chat drives a listener Q&A on favorite knockoffs.

News

Year in Review Next Week

Brian announces that episode 550 will be the mega year-in-review show, a week early because of the round number. The crew will recap 2017 month by month, check last year’s predictions and name toys of the year. Brian expects it to run at least three hours.

This Week in History

In 1984, the Transformers episode “Heavy Metal War” premiered in the US. Megatron collects power chip rectifiers to beat Optimus Prime in a duel. It is the first appearance of the Constructicons and the end of season one. Brian loves season one as the most focused and structured Transformers season. In 2005, Titan Books published the trade paperback Transformers: Earthforce. One host recalls a story where the Constructicons build a substitute Devastator.

The Big Item

TakaraTomy Power of the Primes First Images: They Sure Look Identical to the Hasbro Releases

The first TakaraTomy images look the same as Hasbro’s releases, apart from darker photography. Several hosts are happy to skip double-dipping. One host explains that TakaraTomy shoots in darker lighting, which skews the colors. The crew realizes Prime Masters can also plug into weapons as a third play pattern. With no Dreadwing, Starscream or Dinobots shown, the crew expects a separate combiner line, perhaps like Unite Warriors. [Source: TFormers]

Machinima Titans Return Episode 6: ‘Desperate Actions’

Rob seems to be the only host who watched. Two groups barely work out that Overlord killed the Mistress of Flame, and others try to revive Fortress Maximus. Megatron tries to warn four combiners, and they all attack him, yet he holds his own. One host calls that bad writing. Another says that when a podcast full of lifelong fans would rather not discuss a web series, something is wrong. Diecast likes that it is free, short and Transformers. [Source: TFormers]

Transformers: The Last Knight Wins Top Honors on Rolling Stone’s Worst Movies of 2017

The crew agrees the movie is an easy target. One host thinks Justice League was worse. Brian says it was the least offended he has been leaving a Transformers movie since the first one. [Source: TFormers]

Bumblebee’s Hailee Steinfeld on Her Movie Role and Transformers Fans

In comments posted on IGN, Hailee Steinfeld says more spin-offs depend on how the Bumblebee movie does. The crew says that was already obvious after The Last Knight. Brian wants the movie to be Smokey and the Bandit, with Barricade in the Jackie Gleason role. John Cena would play the Bandit through a hologram you cannot see. [Source: TFormers]

Titans Return Arcee Hits Brick-and-Mortar Toys R Us Stores

Arcee is now in Toys R Us stores for $26.99, after appearing in Hong Kong first. One host notes the packaging and even the shelf tag are unmarked. One host bought an extra Arcee and plans to give it away in a contest next week. Don spots Arcee on Amazon, and the crew warns that listing is likely a third-party seller. [Source: TFormers]

Transformers Authentics Bravo Wave Sighted in the Philippines

The Bravo wave includes Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee and Starscream. Early reports say Megatron and Starscream are fair, while Optimus Prime and Bumblebee are weaker. Bumblebee looks almost exactly like an old Legends Hot Shot. The crew expects these at dollar stores and Big Lots. One host explains that Bravo may mark what used to be called Market Six, the non-big-box retailers. [Source: TFormers]

Robots in Disguise Combiner Force Crash Combiners Primelock and Saberclaw

Amazon lists two Crash Combiners. Saberclaw combines Saberhorn and Bisk. The crew loves Bisk, and one host still wants a Thermidor. Another wishes TakaraTomy would continue its Robots in Disguise repaints. [Source: not found]

Flame Toys Licensed Tarn Figure Prototype: New Teaser Image

The teaser shows a dark Tarn with red eyes, and Brian wants it immediately. It is the first official Tarn figure. Flame Toys makes higher-end, non-transforming figures, and one host cites a $300 price. More may appear at a Hong Kong toy show that weekend. [Source: TFormers]

Zeta Toys Shows Prototype Silver Arrow, an Unofficial Masterpiece-Style Silverbolt

Brian hates that it is not a Springer. The crew counts at least seven third-party Silverbolts and calls the design boring. One host wishes a third party would make non-transforming, cartoon-accurate combiners like a caped Predaking. [Source: TFormers]

Generation-Toy GT-6 Guardian: Prototype Photos of Unofficial Protectobots and Defensor

The crew wants a third party to tackle Raiden instead, ideally compatible with Combiner Wars and Power of the Primes. One host notes that six train robots is the least interesting thing a company could make. [Source: TFormers]

Perfect Effect Shows Off Gorira Jr Redeco and the Future of Its Perfect Combiner Line

The redeco is a gorilla accessory made to go with Perfect Effect’s Optimal Optimus. Perfect Effect also confirms upgrade kits for the Power of the Primes combiners, which one host says Volcanicus needs. [Source: TFormers]

What’s on TFormers

Rob shares a cardboard sculpture of the Infobar Optimus Prime phone by artist Monami Ohno, and he urges everyone to see her other work. [Source: TFormers] A Chinese video review of Power of the Primes Rodimus Prime shows foil stickers already wrinkling on the trailer. [Source: TFormers] Taggle photographs the clear Voyager Optimus Prime from The Last Knight that came with Japanese DVDs. [Source: TFormers] The first look at MP-39 Sunstreaker packaging echoes the G1 box. [Source: TFormers]

Questions from the Chat

Jason Kirk relays the chat. One listener points out that any kid’s playtime story is technically fan fiction. Contest ideas include predicting when Don’s cat Massey will attack. Asked about the Transformers Hall of Fame with no HasCon, the crew wonders if inductions will pause. For favorite knockoffs, Brian loves obvious, wrong-colored KOs, like shrunken combiners from Tuesday Morning. One host’s favorite is a Walgreens Easter basket knockoff of a Fans Project Munitioner. Another cherishes an eight-inch Fortress Maximus knockoff. The crew also admires A Plus Toys’ Animated-style Dirt Boss, which forms a Devastator head.

What We Got This Week

Diecast

Diecast got Fans Hobby’s Master Builder Power Baser, and he plans a video review on RFC Reviews. He also got Legends Beachcomber and two more Legends from Hasbro Toy Shop. His first Combiner Force figure is Shocknado.

Jason Kirk

Jason got Titans Return Trypticon for about $90 on Black Friday, and he ordered Toyhax labels for it. He also got an Iron Factory figure with a gun mode and completed his Fans Hobby monster set with Repugnus. He has the three Legends and every Power of the Primes Deluxe except Jazz.

Brian

Brian got Legends Beachcomber, Windcharger and Slash. He finds Slash surprisingly complex for a Legends figure. His wife Kim also picked up Apeface for him.

Don

Don’s order from Chosen Prime is still in transit by SmartPost.

Chris

Chris got Titans Return Ramhorn for about $4 from a Hasbro stocking stuffer display. He says that finishes Titans Return for him.

Rob

Rob got Titans Return Overlord as a gift from the crew.

Radio Free Cybertron: The Transformers Podcast

Brian Kilby

Radio Free Cybertron is the world's first and oldest toy and action figure podcast — broadcasting from the heart of the Transformers fan community since October 1999. What started as a scrappy fan show has grown into an institution, with nearly 1,000 episodes and over 25 years of coverage. Every week, host Brian Kilby and the RFC crew dig into the latest Transformers news, toy reveals, collecting, and everything hitting shelves from Hasbro, Takara, and beyond. No fluff, no hype — just informed, passionate collectors who have been doing this longer than anyone else on the planet. The original. The longest running. Till all are one.

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