MOTU Classics Blade: From cheesy 80's villain to hardcore plastic pirate

Who has fond memories of the “Masters of the Universe” live action film from the late 1980s? I recall watching it in the cinema and being utterly disappointed. Sure, fan-favorite villains like Skeletor, Evil-Lyn, and even Beast Man were able to make the transition from plastic toys to 100-pound costumes and inches-thick makeup… but where were the others? Where was Tri-Klops? Where was the bungling cyborg, Trap Jaw? The goggle-eyed fish person, Mer-Man?

 

In their stead we had a bunch of unknown weirdoes like Karg, Saurod… and Blade.

 

Thankfully, Blade wasn’t too shabby, looking rather menacing as a futuristic swashbuckler. But as cool as he was on the big screen, it is in action figure form where he truly shines.

 

 

Sculpt: The lord of the rings

 

According to his new bio, (http://thefwoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/MOTUC-Masters-of-the-Universe-Classics-Blade-Review-bio.jpg) Blade’s a space pirate. And while I have no idea what a space pirate is supposed to look like, Blade pulls off a singularly mean and engaging look, coming across as a mix of medieval swordsman and cyberpunk ruffian.

 

Right off the bat, you’ll notice the astonishing amount of detail on Blade’s outfit. Every miniscule ring on his chainmail is accounted for, each visibly linked to its neighbors to form an intricate network of silvery metal.

 

The elaborate detailing doesn’t end with the rings. His chainmail is crisscrossed with leathery bands studded with knobs. On his chest rests an evil-looking skull insignia. He’s got huge, serrated shoulder pads. Each bracer is replete with curved ridges, and adorned with two brutal spikes. Mounted on his left forearm is a cool dart-shooting device.

 

Then there’s his head sculpt. Blade looks little like the actor who played the character in the movie. Anthony De Longis’s face in 1987 was slender, and handsome in an almost effeminate way. This Blade, on the other hand, is more brutish, with a wider skull, thick, bushy eyebrows, and a crooked nose. He’s gritting his teeth like he’s just itching to stab someone in the gonads, and the scar running down the left side of his face is particularly wicked.

 

The headgear – which consists of an eyepatch, funky robot ears, and a mechanized jaw strap with a pair of cruel hooks on the chin – give him that sci-fi feel so pervasive in the He-Man universe.

 

Overall, Blade easily possesses one of the most extraordinary sculpts in the history of “Masters of the Universe Classics” (MOTUC). It is also an excellent representation of De Longis’ look in the movie, if you don’t take into account the toy line’s squat, overly muscular proportions.

 

I do have a couple of minor gripes, however.

 

The daggers holstered around his thighs have dull, blunt edges and tips. They don’t look so bad from a distance, but up close they appear more like mini-cudgels than savage cutting tools.

 

The soft, pliable material used for the ears is also irksome. In the hands of a rowdy child or a similarly untamed adult, they could be torn off in five seconds flat (not that I’ve tried). Also, avoid resting the back of his head against any surface for long stretches of time, unless you want those ears splayed out at odd angles.

 

 

Paint: A whole lot of silver

 

The paint applications, which rely heavily on the interplay between shiny silver and black, are gorgeous.

 

The silvers effectively create the believable illusion of steel. The black boots, gloves, and shoulder pads don’t have the gleam of cheap plastic, and almost resemble leather.

 

Sadly, the paintwork on MOTUC toys is rarely consistent, so it pays to have a keen eye for minutiae when choosing between figures. Before I settled on my Blade – which I’m glad to say is perfect – I encountered some with weird paint slop on the chin and around the eyes.

 

It has to be mentioned that a point of contention among fans are the changes in the paintjob between Blade’s prototype figure and the final product. Originally, the various belts over Blade’s chainmail were outlined with silver. The numerous studs on those bands were also silver. The released version is missing these details, giving the belts a somewhat flatter look. It’s no big loss, but admittedly the extra silver would have been sweet.

 

 

Articulation: About as flexible as a 'roided out pirate

 

Like all MOTUC figures, Blade’s articulation is just shy of great.

 

Despite a ball-jointed neck, Blade has trouble looking up. He can only rock his head slightly from side to side, and though he can look down, the hooks on his chin impede extensive movement.

 

The enormous shoulder pads don’t limit the exceptional range of motion on the shoulders. Cuts allow his upper arms and hands to rotate. The elbows flex as expected, except the biceps eventually get in the way.

 

The waist can spin 360 degrees, while the upper torso can swing backward and forward. The armor has a slot in the back that grants backward bending, but it provides little leeway in front, significantly preventing Blade from stooping.

 

The skirt is quite flexible, somewhat permitting him to spread his legs in all directions. The upper thighs can rotate, as can the shins. Knees let the legs bend at an angle of 45 degrees.

 

Lastly, the ankle joints allow the feet to swivel up and down. Strangely, it seems only the left ankle allows the feet to rock sideways a tad.

 

 

Accessories: Naked plastic

 

Blade’s arsenal is composed of three weapons: a curved sword, a straight sword, and a laser whip.

 

The swords are shaped nicely, but they lack the wear and tear of Demo-Man’s to look truly interesting. Worse, they are sorely lacking in paint details. Aside from the second sword’s red hilt, both are naked pieces of dull grey plastic that look seriously out of place amid the glossy, metallic silver of Blade’s armor.

 

Another annoying thing about the second sword is that its hilt is too broad for your standard MOTUC hand. To get it to fit in any figure’s fist, you’ll have to pry those fingers wide open. I’m not sure what effect keeping the hand in this unnatural, distended state for extended periods will have on the plastic, but I don’t want to find out.

 

The whip, with its silver hilt and translucent red lash is his most remarkable weapon. Unfortunately, the lash is not articulated, which means it is always pointed inwards – as if Blade is striking himself in the face. Which makes one wonder if that scar is self-afflicted.

 

Like most MOTUC figures, the upper armor is removable. Blade also has two holsters which allow him to store his swords, which is a nifty and convenient feature.

 

 

Shoulder-to-shoulder with the best

 

With his viciously scarred mug, high tech headgear, and superbly detailed armor, Blade is one of the most visually arresting releases for the MOTUC toy line. Sure, the weapons are sort of lame, but when it comes to the pure awesomeness of the figure itself, he’s right up there with Demo-Man, Vikor, and the much loved Draego-Man.

 

I was never a fan of the 1987 film, and never even considered Blade a “proper” He-Man bad guy. Thanks to the excellent team behind MOTUC, however, Blade now has a place in Skeletor’s army. For what is a dream team of hideous villains without an evil, dual sword-wielding space pirate? — TJD, GMA News