Saturday, December 16, 2023

Action Figure Review: Skeleton Warriors from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

   Ready for another set of figures that I had intended for 31 Days of Toy Terror this year but which I just didn't get around to? Then let's check out the Skeleton Warriors from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel. This is a really cool set of some new troop builders for Skeletor and I think everyone has been excited for these ever since they first appeared in some of the wonderful Masters of the Universe Origins packaging art. They definitely feel like something that could have appeared in the early days of the vintage MOTU line or in the earliest minicomics and I'm quite thrilled to have them. These are sold as an exclusive 2-pack through Big Bad Toy Store and Entertainment Earth in the US (they might be available from other sources internationally). Ready to check out the Skeleton Warriors? Then join me after the break...



The Facts:

Height: 5 1/2ths inches

Articulation: Swivel/ hinge ankles, boot swivels, swivel/hinge knees, balljointed hips, swivel waist, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel/hinge elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, and a barbell jointed head.

Accessories: Armor (x2), armored skirt (x2), axe, flail, sword, shield, spear, halberd, and minicomic. 

Non-Scalper Price: $32 dollars

Fun Fact: After leaving Skeletor's army they spent 6 years following the Grateful Dead.






The Positives:


* Armored skeletons are a standard enemy type in most fantasy settings and these guys do capture a nice blend between a standard skeleton and the Masters of the Universe body type. The Skeleton Warriors are not built like Scareglow (who uses a standard MOTU body) but instead have bone-like arms, legs, and torsos. They're not biologically accurate or anything, really, but they do look like a true Skeleton rather than the buff skeleton of Scareglow. The torso bones are sculpted.








* Here's a shot from the back to see the sculpted spine and bones and ribs back there, too. 


* While both Skeleton Warriors use the same mold, there are two separate paint styles. The first one has a black and orange helmet with black and purple armor. I love the berserker styled helmet with a little skull emblem on it and the rivets on the sides and center of the helmet that go all the way down the middle. His eyes are wonderfully creepy, too. They're sunk in very deep and look pretty spooky.  



* Here's the second Skeleton Warrior's portrait. This guy is sporting all black and silver. While a bit of a wash would be nice (though not really in line with the design aesthetic of MOTU Origins), the skeletal facial details still are quite visible and look pretty neat.




* Both warriors come with the same two armor pieces, but just in different colors. The chest armor and armored skirt fit on the figure easily so it's no pain to swap them back and forth. The armor is painted simply, which works for Origins, and there's the logo of a winged creature on the front. 





* Here's the second guy's black and silver armor. Looking sharp, bone daddy!


* While the Skeleton Warriors do use a new body type, they're still built like the rest of the Origins figures. Imagine what you would get if you mixed a vintage figure with a MOTUC figure and that's kind of what you can expect. They're quite fun to play with and pretty durable, feeling more like a toy than a collectible. They're also modular and can be easily separated to make your own lazy boy customs! You can make some crazy stuff with this set and your other Origins figures.



* All of the weapons in this set are reused from other sets and some of them even came in this color with the Origins Snake Mountain. The Ram Man axe and the Pig-Head flail give your bone brigade some heavy striking power.





* The spear, shield, and short sword also come with the Origins Snake Mountain, but now you have an acid green halberd, too. 











* The included minicomic is pretty good. It's actually a pretty dark tale about Skeletor resurrecting Garrick, a deceased knight loyal to King Rando. Skeletor resurrects him as a Skeleton Warrior, calls him Cada-Var, and imprisons the man's daughter in a magical sphere to blackmail him into serving him. It's a short one (only 6 pages) but the art is really good and it's a solid short story.










The Positives:

* Yes, the Skeleton Warriors' bones do glow in the dark. 

The Negatives: 

* It's a pretty weak glow, however, and it doesn't last very long.

   This is a really neat set of figures. They're good army builders with a cool new sculpt that feel like they belong in the earliest years of the MOTU line. You get a nice assortment of weapons as well. For $16 bucks each (the set sells for $31.99) this is really a very nice deal. I wish the glow were stronger as it would have greatly improved the set, but it's tough to complain with how cool these guys are. Use them as soldiers for Skeletor or give Scare Glow his own army. I'm really enjoying these creative new releases in Origins and Mattel has done a nice job of peppering them in the line.





I've reviewed lots of random skeleton warriors on the site but these are the first MOTU Skeleton Warriors I've reviewed. For more Masters of the Universe Origins reviews check out the following:



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