Cybertron
Voyager Class: Dark Crumplezone

Origins

Dark Crumplezone’s design originated earlier in the Cybertron line as Crumplezone. However, despite nearly identical transformation schemes, Dark Crumplezone’s body is almost entirely remolded, using only a few of the same pieces as his predecessor, such as the wheels, missiles, and key-activated flip-down wings.

Description

Dark Crumplezone transforms into black and translucent orange a three-wheeled jet car. His vehicle mode takes many styling cues from angular stealth jets like the F-117 Nighthawk, including a narrow cockpit and triangular overall shape. He features two large wedge-shaped canards on either side of his translucent orange center wheel, as well as down-angled winglets attached to his back fenders. Two large maroon jet engines run from the cockpit to the back of the vehicle, terminating in orange fans and shrouds. Gold and orange paint are used to highlight details and add a lightning-like pattern to the front surfaces of the vehicle.

The toy includes a Speed Planet Cyber Key with the code v2r2, which can be inserted between the jet engines to cause them to flip forward with an electronic noise, and flip the orange winglets outward over his rear wheels. When the engines are flipped forward along the car mode, they reveal launcher tabs for the missiles in their fan shrouds.

Dark Crumplezone has a relatively simple transformation, much the same as his original mold. The large rear fender areas become his apelike lower arms, and the front hood area become his stubby legs. The front wheel folds in under the cockpit to form his chest. The key-activated missile launchers function the same in robot mode as in car mode, landing on his shoulders pointing forward.

Crumplezone’s robot mode is as abstract as his car mode, but his huge forearms and short legs give the impression of an apelike warrior. His “zombie” green face is framed between a black helmet design and a movable gold lower jaw. The toothy jaw entirely overlaps his face, not unlike MOTU’s Trap Jaw. His large fists have 5mm holes, but he does not include any hand-held weapons.

Collector Notes

Dark Crumplezone includes two small black wings that are meant to be installed in the slots in front of his rear wheels. However, the wings were packed in a different baggie than his other accessories and paperwork, and their installation was not mentioned in his instructions. Because of this, many of these wings were never installed, and thrown away with the packaging to which they were taped. Coupled with the fact that Dark Crumplezone was not released in Japan, these wings are surprisingly rare in loose samples, and he is often depicted as complete without them.

Variants

Dark Crumplezone does not have any production variants.

Availability

Dark Crumplezone was available in Hasbro markets as part of the fourth wave of Cybertron Voyager Class in 2006.

Redecos & Retools

Dark Crumplezone was heavily retooled from Cybertron Crumplezone, who was released in 2005.