Where Armada is widely regarded as one of the better Transformers entries, Energon is almost universally regarded as both one of the weakest cartoons and one of the weakest toylines in the history of the brand. Armada had a strong, central theme in Minicons, and used the simplicity of the toys as an attractive feature. Energon struggled to maintain cohesion in terms of toy design and gimmicks, and allowed simplistic designs to become crude. Although there was “an overarching theme of ‘combination’”, it was implemented in several ways across all the various price points, and occasionally in different ways within a price point.(MSipher, Energon) Moreover, this was largely confined to Autobots; Decepticons lacked any sort of universal gimmick. (MSpiher, Energon) Energon had neither the influence, enduring popularity, nor the success of Armada. Its largest impact was putting HasTak in a position to “re-think how to take the line forward from there”. (MSpiher, Energon)
One of the defining features of Energon is the low quality of many of the figures. From a normative perspective, although figures frequently featured more joints than their Armada counterparts, many fans still found the articulation of figures such as Hot Shot wanting and awkward. (Abates, Hot) Although they lack the involved Mini-con gimmicks of Armada, many Energon figures also feature high levels of kibble. Mirage, in particular, wears his entire boat alt mode as a sort of skirt and on his forearms. (Starfield) While this could be argued to have aesthetic merit, along the lines of how the wings of the Seekers are a defining part of their silhouette,three or so large blocks of solid plastic give him an absurdly large backpack that manages to inhibit his leg articulation.(Starfield)
More objectively, many figures, for example Prowl, have awkward proportions in both vehicle and robot modes.(Rolonbolon) A particularly famous example of this is Energon Optimus Prime, whose small limbs and exquisitely large backpack make him decidedly obese in appearance. (Abates, Optimus) Energon also featured the return of the brick. (Omnisvalidus) Wing Saber, essentially a glorified accessory for Optimus Prime, features two points of articulation, one joint at either elbow. (Bodycount) Although not anywhere near universal, some Energon figures were plagued with serious design flaws. Slugslinger features compromised structural integrity. (Chip) The aforementioned Mirage figure comes apart at the knees with regularity. (Starfield) Alpha Quintesson would frequently come misassembled, unable to attach to his base and thus stand. (MSipher, Alpha) Although many of these complaints are not objective or necessarily disqualifying, the sum total of them likely contributed to the lukewarm reception of the line. The issue was not any one thing, but rather, that Energon struggled with all of them.
Although Energon did have general themes, such as the titular Energon and combination more broadly, it struggled to implement them in a consistent, unified manner. The energon gimmick was largely, but not exclusively, confined to the appropriately named Energon class (roughly equivalent to Basics). (Singularity) Although there were combining Decepticons, much of the emphasis of that gimmick was found only in Autobots. (MSipher, Energon) Moreover, there are many different types of combination present. The aforementioned Energon Class figures each came with several clear plastic ‘energon’ accessories, which could be assembled into a larger weapon. (MSipher, Energon). Armada Perceptor also received a new mold figure (one of the bare handful of new mold Mini-cons released in Energon), once again a team of three minicons that combined into a larger robot. (Dark T Zeratul) Autobots of Combat Class and Mega Class (Deluxes and Voyagers, roughly) could combine with each other freely in two robot teams, with one forming the top and arms of the resulting figure, and the other forming the legs. This process was referred to as Powerlinx, despite the fact that in Armada that term had referred to a larger figure’s use of a Mini-con. (HooperX) At the Combat Class, Tow-Line featured the ability to Powerlinx with the back half of his own vehicle mode, which could also form a tool bench of sorts. (MSipher, Tow) Energon also released five robot combiner teams, in the traditions of G1. Three of these figures were released, two of which were Decepticons (the only combining Decepticons in the line). (MSipher, Energon) The limbs of these figures were released at the Energon Class, with the torsos being Combat Class figures. (MSipher, Energon) In addition to the more standard Powerlinx autobots, the Mega Class contained Mega-Dinobot, a pack of two smaller robots able to combine into a larger figure. (MSpiher, Mega)
Larger figures also featured extensive combination gimmicks. “Command Class Autobots (the new molds, at least) each include transforming accessories that form part of their vehicle modes. In robot mode they could combine with these pieces to be in “Brute Mode”” (MSipher, Energon) Optimus Prime has perhaps the most involved combination gimmicks of the Energon line. HE came with a trailer of four different vehicle drones, which could attach over his limbs to form a super mode. He could also combine in two different arrangements with Wing Saber. Finally, Optimus Prime could wear the Supreme Class Omega Supreme figure as a sort of suit of armor. His drones could then attach to the outside of that armor. (Abates, Optimus).
The sheer number of different combining gimmicks present in Energon is somewhat overwhelming. However, many of them are confined to a single figure, and none of them are uniformly applied to the entire line. Much of the work that went into solidifying Mini-cons as a distinct concept simply does not exist in Energon writ large. As a result, it is difficult to characterize exactly what the core theme of Energon is, especially since a little under half of the figures feature no ability to combine whatsoever. This lack of focus likely contributed to the weak sales of the line.
Energon also released a handful of more unusual figures. Alpha Quintesson is perhaps the most famous of these. As a mainline Transformers figure that does not, in fact, transform, the figure is something of a rarity.(MSipher, Alpha) Moreover, it represents the first official toy of any kind of Quintesson (aliens introduced in the 1986 movie). (ItsWalky, Quintesson) The other unusual figure is the Kicker/High Wire two pack. The set features a roughly basic sized High Wire figure which turns into a roughly scale motorcycle that the included Kicker figure can ride. (ItsWalky, High) Although subsequent Transformers lines have included human action figures (in particular the Human Alliance subline of many live action movie lines), it is highly unusual to include one so large. The figure also ends up being unusually simple for a ‘Combat Class’ figure, feeling much more like a big Mini-con.
Transformers: Energon didn’t manage to capitalize on the success of Armada for several reasons. The lack of a cohesive gimmick, the low overall quality of the toys, and the infamously unwatchable TV show all conspired to create a line that, while not necessarily awful, is certainly not fondly remembered. As a direct result, unlike most of the other lines we’ve examined, Energon would not prove to be particularly influential. Even Beast Machines has received more figures that directly reference it. (Monzo) However, Energon did manage to make the occasional contribution, particularly the first Quintesson figure. Of course, none of this is to say that Energon was a terrible line that produced no good figures. Perhaps the most important lesson of the second entry of the Unicron Trilogy is that we can still enjoy figures even if they’re not all we’re used to, and that the line does not define the individual toy.
Works Cited
Abates et al. “Hot Shot (Armada)/toys” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Hot_Shot_(Armada)/toys#Energon Accessed 7/12/2020
Abates et al. “Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Optimus_Prime_(Armada)/toys#Energon Accessed 7/12/2020
Bodycount et al. “Wing Saber (Energon)” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Wing_Saber_(Energon)#Toys Accessed 7/12/2020
Chip et al. “Slugslinger (Energon)” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Slugslinger_(Energon)#Toys Accessed 7/12/2020
Dark T Zeratul et al. “Perceptor (Armada)” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Perceptor_(Armada)#Energon Accessed 7/12/2020
HooperX et al. “Powerlinx” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Powerlinx Accessed 7/12/2020
ItsWalky et al. “High Wire (Armada)” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/High_Wire_(Armada)#EnergonKicker Accessed 7/12/2020
ItsWalky et al. “Quintesson” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Quintesson Accessed 7/12/2020
Monzo et al.“Beast Wars:Transformers(toyline)”, TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Beast_Wars:_Transformers_(toyline) Accessed 4/25/2020
MSipher et al. “Alpha Quintesson” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Alpha_Quintesson#Toys Accessed 7/12/2020
MSipher et al. “Mega-Dinobot” TFWiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Mega-Dinobot#Toys Accessed 7/12/2020
MSipher et al. “Tow-Line (Energon” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Tow-Line_(Energon)#Toys Accessed 7/12/2020
MSipher et al. “Transformers: Energon (toyline)” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers:_Energon_(toyline)Accessed 7/12/2020
Omnisvalidus et al. “Brick (term)” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Brick_(term) Accessed 6/26/2020
RolonBolon et al. “Prowl (Energon)” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Prowl_(Energon)#Toys Accessed 7/12/2020
Seichi et al. “Transformers: Armada (toyline)” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers:_Armada_(toyline) Accessed 6/23/2020
Singularity et al. “Size Class” TFwiki. https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Size_class Accessed 5/5/2020
Starfield et al. “Mirage (Energon)” TFwiki.
https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Mirage_(Energon)#Toys Accessed 7/12/2020
Transformers Aesthetics 