Just a couple weeks ago Mattel offered up a New Eternia version of Panthor on Mattel Creations and I decided to go ahead and snag him. I have a ton of different Battle Cat items, but Panthor doesn't always get the love that good ol' Cringer does. The
Masterverse Battlecat (from Masters of the Universe: Revelation) was released in the summer of 2021, so it took almost 4 years between getting a Masterverse Battle Cat and the Masterverse Panthor. Like you might have guessed, there is some parts of this figure shared with Battle Cat but Mattel did give Panthor new paws, a new head, and all new armor and accessories. There really is a lot unique here. Panthor isn't flocked, but he does have an incredible metallic sheen to him. For the same price as Battle Cat in 2021 (and coming with a bit more stuff) this guy is definitely worth checking out (
he is still on sale as of my writing this). Ready to ride with Panthor? Then join me after the break...
The Facts:
Dimensions: 5 1/4 inches tall, 13 inches long
Articulation: Swivel/hinge feet (x4), swivel/hinge rear lower leg (x2), swivel/hinge knees (x4), balljointed hips (x4), swivel/hinge tail, balljointed lower torso, balljointed midtorso, hinged neck, balljointed head, and hinged jaw.
Accessories: Saddle, helmet, 2 bracers, spear, and backdrop.
Non-Scalper Price: $40 dollars
The Packaging:
* The Masterverse figures have come with some really nice boxes that look beautiful on display and which are super easy to open. I don't mind plastic free packaging when it comes directly from the manufacturer like this and when it looks this good. Besides an awesome image of Panthor on the front, there's a great picture of Skeletor siccing Panthor on Mekaneck on the back .
The Positives:
* Panthor is quite large, especially compared to the Masterverse figures. He seems much larger in scale than the MOTUC cats were to the Classics figures. He's a big cat, so you're definitely not getting shorted in the plastic department.
* The body sculpt is the same as Battle Cat, which is pretty good, but the real highlight here is the metallic purple fur and the black splotches. It's a cool look for Panthor that absolutely makes this fellow stand out from previous versions. The New Eternia figures generally try to mix the classic look with both some "prototype" details and some new elements, so we really get a take on Panthor that's both familiar and also fresh and exciting. Can you imagine if Panthor looked something like this in the upcoming film? I know. I'm as shocked as you are that it's actually happening.
* Panthor gets his own unique portrait and, wow, it's good. He looks really mean. Like, you do not want to mess with this cat. He looks like the legendary Danny Trejo if Danny Trejo were a giant purple cat. I know Danny Trejo voiced Ram Man in Masters of the Universe Revelation, but can you imagine if Panthor now talked and it was Danny Trejo? The yellow eyes look like the glass eyes you see in taxidermized animals. It's eerily realistic!
* Check out that opening mouth! This might be the fiercest that Panthor has ever looked.
* His paws are different from Battle Cat's, too. Only four toes and claws, but the claws look a bit sharper and longer than Battle Cat's.
* Panthor is also sporting some armored guards on his front legs. These are very similar to what the Mondo 1/6th scale Panthor came with, so I assume that was a source of inspiration. They are removable (it took me a bit to realize that), so if you don't want Panthor to have these on you don't have to. I like them quite a bit as it further differentiates him from Battle Cat.
* Panthor's saddle is completely unique from Battle Cat's as well. It's still a green saddle with some spikes on it like the vintage toy sported, but there's so much more unique detail. Damage and gouges in the saddle, skull imagery, and a seat that looks made of reptile skin. I guess one of the Snake Men must have really pissed Skeletor off! The metallic green color is pretty nice and goes well with Panthor's slightly metallic fur.
* The back of the saddle not only looks like it has some segmented armored plates over Panthor's hindquarters but it also has a vertebrae like design that leads from the back of the saddle up the top of the seat. It really meshes nicely with Skeletor's sense of style.
* There's a spear included that Skeletor (or any other Evil Warrior) can wield. It's a fairly basic shaft but the spearhead looks like it's made out of some sort of stone. I do wish it had some paint applications on it like the accessories that came with the Skelcon last year.
* Panthor comes with a helmet, which isn't a new concept (MOTUC gave him a helmet, as did Mondo's figure and even the Mega Construx version) but this helmet is different from the others. Rather than having ram horns or (or just a remolded Battle Cat helmet), this one is similar to Battle Cat, but it has tusks or fangs on the side, perhaps reminiscent of a sabretooth tiger. There's also more segmented armor on the nose, protecting Panthor from getting swatted. It's quite cool and shows off his eyes still.
* Inside the very nice easily opening packaging, Mattel did include a sturdy, double sided mural piece. It's a fun way to display a figure or two, or maybe even some smaller MOTU figures in your collection. I imagine vintage figures, Funko vinyls, or the Eternia Minis would look pretty neat in front of this colorful and otherworldly image of Snake Mountain.
* Does Skeletor fit on the big kitty? He sure does. I like the fit on the saddle and how the figure's feet can easily slide through the stirrups to help keep them securely in place.
* There are also some straps on the sides that are meant to help store the included spear and the Havoc Staff. On each side there is a loop at the front and a ring at the back. Not every Havoc Staff will fit in these but the spear fits for sure, allowing Panthor to tote Skeletor's weaponry into battle.
* While Panthor does have some new parts, the body is mostly the same as Battle Cat from 2021. That's not terrible, as it's still a pretty sturdy and decent toy with some places having fairly good movement.
The Negatives:
* The hips, however, are both restrictive in sideways movement (it's tough to get good pouncing poses) and they're loose. It would have been nice for Mattel to have redone the cat body, though I doubt it'll see that much reuse. Surprisingly, the Masterverse Battle Cat seemed to really warm shelves back in 2021 and 2022, probably due to overordering, I guess. I think you can still find him at most Ollie's stores. That's probably why Mattel made this one direct to
MattyCollector Mattel Creations. Personally, I don't mind as it was easy to order, the same price as Battle Cat was about 3 1/2 to 4 years ago, and it arrived very quickly.
I do wish Panthor's articulation was a bit improved from Battle Cat but this figure definitely isn't just a repaint of the previous figure. An excellent new headsculpt, new armor, a new helmet, and a spear accessory go a long way towards making thus guy feel like you're definitely getting your money's worth. That cool metallic paintjob with black splotches might not be flocking, but it's still pretty cool and gives Panthor a lot of street cred. He's a Great and a 1/2 figure and an excellent take on Skeletor's sinister steed.
Yeah, I wasn't originally that excited about it when shown at SDCC last July and as you say there are many Battle Cats in clearance, that's cheaper to just buy one and repaint but there's enough new here I love. My only issue with articulation is I wish the neck moved more to the side, so we could have the cats placed sideways on the shelf but still able to look to the front somewhat.
ReplyDeleteAlso the upper teeth scared me a bit when I opened his mouth and they 'fell'. I thought something had broken but it's just a neat way of making him look more vicious. :O
by the way he also looks amazing with Battle Armor Skeletor or prowling around the Throne. :)
Side to side movement would be really nice to have. You're right, it would help for shelf display.
DeleteI don't actually have Battle Armor Skeletor or the Throne. I have so many Skeletors I sometimes pass on him and He-Man, now.
aw but Battle Armor Skeletor is absolutely top-tier. My fave Skelly. :D
DeleteBut yeah there are too many of He-Man and Skeletor...
I'm going to have to keep an eye out for him but I looked at prices on him now and, wow, that's insane! He has really skyrocketed.
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