TRANSFORMERS: Revisiting The Characters Of Generation 1 - SKULLCRUNCHER

TRANSFORMERS:  Revisiting the Characters of Generation 1

"Autobots are like bad fuel - weak and greasy." - Skullcruncher, 1987.

DECEPTICON

Name - SKULLCRUNCHER

Function - Swamp Warrior

Nebulan Partner - GRAX

Series Debut - 1987 / Wave 4

Sub-Group - Headmaster

BACKGROUND...

    Opting to chomp on his foes rather than shoot at them, Skullcruncher is an Autobot-hungry warrior with a big appetite!  He impatiently grinds his sharp teeth as he waits in ambush for his prey.    This noise annoys Skullcruncher's teammates as it typically tips off his victims to his presence.

    Skullcruncher's alligator form gives him limited speed in most environments.  Yet in the swamps, he is extremely powerful and nearly unbeatable.    

    In robot mode, Skullcruncher can use the tail of his beast mode as a club.  He also wields a "softening" ray gun.  The beam from this weapon can alter metal into a rubber-like consistency.  Then he can transform back to alligator mode and chow down on his enemies.  

    Skullcruncher is binary-bonded to the Nebulan - Grax.  Grax is a Nebulan industrialist who saw an opportunity with the Decepticon presence on the planet.  By joining forces with Skullcruncher, and the Decepticon army, Grax can now easily overpower and eliminate his competition.  

MY THOUGHTS...

    The original Skullcruncher was the first Headmaster I bought back in 1987.  I still remember picking it up at the local Circus World store in our Mall.  Obviously, we didn't have the internet or anything back then, so we had little idea what this "Headmaster" thing was all about at the time.  

    I thought the figure was cool and found the Headmaster concept interesting.  I just really felt the entire Nebulos / Headmaster storyline should have been separate from the main Transformer one.  Basically, every one Transformer, was now 2 characters...  That's a lot of individual personalities to develop, especially alongside all the of Transformers we already know and love.  So I did buy a few of the Headmasters, just not very many.

    Unfortunately, I don't have my original Skullcruncher anymore.  However, Skullcruncher here is represented by the cool Titans Return figure "Skullsmasher".  I guess they lost the copywrite to the original name...  Anyways, this is an awesome update of the character!  The 1987 version was nice with it's G1 blocky style.  This one, however, has a way more detailed look to it.  Especially that new head sculpt - amazing!  Definitely an upgrade!

The original Decepticon Headmasters from the 1987 catalog!

    (Information on the character's lore was taken from the Sunbow Transformers cartoon series, including the Movie and the figure's original Tech-Spec.)