My favorite maybe-true-maybe-not explanation for the deal falling through was the Amazon drivers threatening to walk out if forced to drive cross-country in a truck designed without a sleeping section.

This Prime feels like an intermediary point between G1 Prime and G2 Laser Prime and I love it.

My headcanon for this guy was that this is the midway point between Orion Pax and Earthrise Optimus Prime. Earthrise feels like he's been the fully formed and mature Prime for a few decades. And the Volvo one (like you said) is closer to the Animated version, who's still new to leadership and hasn't figured out how to be a leader yet.

Hey Thew, Amazon employee here. the Amazon deal likely fell through because Amazon sucks. mainly, there were a ton of internal documents leaked around the time from the higher ups that talked about the things like the "piss bottles" and the effort for unionization was really starting to gain a ton of traction, and Amazon was (and still is) being absolutely GODAWFUL to us. Hasbro likely didnt want all that heat attached to their products.

real-world, recognizable alt-modes were the intrinsic quality that drew me to transformers as a kid in the 80s. nice to see them get back to it somewhat.

The Peter B Parker of Primes has to be the greatest thing I've heard a Transformer be described as

I got the Christmas one last year and it is very much one of the best modern Primes we've had. The transformation is just full of surprises first time you do it. Has that vibe of a modern redesign of the original. like, I could see this one being the lead of a current show.

Thew, I loved the Jean-Claude Van Damme Volvo commercial reference with Prime doing the splits! Excellent work!!

It's funny seeing Thew get so excited to see TransFormers toys be licensed vehicles because _that's how the bloody toy line got started!_ Still, Volvo Prime is pretty fucking neat. :D

I saw some people use this guy as their G1-ified TFP Optimus to pair with the other legacy Prime figures and i think he fills that role well

Nice one Thew! As a Swede and former Volvo employee I felt almost obligated to pick this up and boy is it a great figure. Sleek design, fun transformation and lots of character, a prefect desk commander for the other collaborative bots and an instant modern classic.

You know what's nice about this real-vehicle Optimus, compared to the Bayverse one? He looks FRIENDLY. Even aside the spikey Bayverse aesthetic in robot mode with the weird face, the Peterbilt is kind of a big aggressive looking thing. But the Volvo being kind of a shorter, rounder longnose, along with the brighter colors and the G1 cartoon headsculpt, really makes this Optimus feel like he transforms from a real truck you see on the interstate going to visit your relatives, into the friendly dad from the G1 cartoon, and not Mr. "Give Me Your Face".

I'm a TF dork but I just love Thew and would watch him talk about anything.

this is only the 2nd video of yours I've seen so far (after the Unicron review) and I gotta say, your energy is INFECTIOUS. Love it so much.

Maybe it's the brighter red than other contemporary primes but it's kind of got a postman pat vibe

Love waking up to a new Thew review, it's like Saturday morning cartoons all over again. Gotta say, I'm hoping for a review of Armada Prime, feel like Thew would have a lot to say about that figure.

It's a shame the Amazon one didn't come out because that white and blue color scheme would have made him easy fodder for a Nova Prime custom.

This figure has no right to rock this hard, but I'm so glad it does. For an Xover, this toy is absolutely awesome and I'm super in love with it.

When this video landed I went to the website for my online dealer of choice, and saw that not only was this guy available, but that I had earned a $75 dollar credit for my previous purchases. I love when things just come together like that.

This has become one of my favorite Prime designs, period. Another repaint candidate could be Energon Rodimus!

This does look super fun, I hope they release it as Hero Optimus at some point, even if they gotta retool the license out of it.

Definitely need a B-team comic book now. Filled with nothing but Repaints of the original team

I love the coincidence of 'I wanna check what I can watch' and then I get the notification for this

Volvo Optimus prime is a beauty. What’s scary is that I don’t have this version yet 😱🤣🤣

First Baypril, then TFNation sponsor in the Unicron review, Hasbro Pulse, and now Trucktober. 2023 ain’t just the year of our lord, but also the year of Thew.

Dang, you're really selling me on this fella! I didn't know the whole Amazon backstory, makes sense. Plus a themed month! I love those; it means I have more content to look forward to the month

I have this really weird feeling that they’re gonna reuse this mold for a legacy bayverse optimus prime with a few new molds and new accessories

My headcanon on this bot is that this is a post war optimus who has decided to tour our world at a slow pace, simply taking in and appreciating the beauty of the planet he fought so hard to protect. One highway at a time.

I’m seriously debating on getting this figure everybody who seems to get it seems to love it. Honestly, I would not be surprised if they head sculpt gets reused for an eventual SS 86 Optimus Prime

We’ve seen Optimus Prime as a Freightliner in G1 and a Peterbilt in the Bayverse, so this Volvo crossover actually makes sense, Volvo makes semi trucks and Optimus Prime is a truck. That being said I adore the way the vehicle mode is nearly kibble free especially the back of the truck, no feet parts. My only gripe is I wish the stack/stacks were on the shoulders or back.

This by far my favorite review of yours, the way you speak, the presentation of the figure, the classics/henkei boss bot love you dropped... all icing on the cake. Thank you I bought this figure the very instant I finished watching.

I'm sure some customizers will gladly use him for a Nova Prime. But he is still a good OP

This is basically a modern Alternator...and I'm all in for it.

Man the colors on Volvoptimus are just so, idk, bold yet pleasant? Glad they went for that instead of the typical G1 colors

This is actually the closest we have ever gotten to getting a new Classics style Optimus. Clearly G1 inspired robot mode but not beholden to the G1 alt-mode. Update: Clearly I wrote the comment above before finishing the video 😅

This figure really is a treat! I like to think of it as a modern Alternators/Binaltech Optimus

With something as hit-or-miss for me as transformers collaborative I actually really appreciate this Optimus. This reminds me of Test Track for some reason, a fun look at cars and how they are marketed and made, and tied into Transformers because their very essence is tied to cars and vehicles.

Perfect video for my first 15 min break. Thx Thew

I adore this figure's headsculpt, it channels the perfect mesh of G1 toy and cartoon. If he only had yellow eyes... I do wish they'd just foregone the window pecs and just designed a new chest, maybe with some RiD01 or Armada vibes going Still, that nitpick aside he looks fantastic, if I see him out and about I'll likely grab him.

I got the Christmas one when it came out last year and honestly I'd recommend it to everyone

speaking of collaborations with Amazon to make toy robots, Gundam manages to do that in the past with their A-Z Gundam, even its weapon is called the "Prime Cannon".

Excellent design, just got it recently. Your reviews put a smile on my face, keep up the great work.

I have to say, I absolutely love stuff like this. I mean, yeah I have a soft spot for the classic transformers alt modes, but real world vehicles that embrace the "disguise" bit of the catch line just makes me happy. Alternators was great at that, even if they missed the mark in a lot of other ways. I want more totally unassuming vehicles TF stuff.

I haven’t gotten this mold yet since I’m still holding out hope for it in G2 Hero colors, but it does look fantastic. Like every party involved wanted to make the best toy they could and made it happen with little compromise.

Just found your channel and socials, love this review and your personality. Thanks for sharing!

I'm happy with my Holiday Prime. But this is pretty.

Once again you've managed to completely sell me on a toy, and now I'm kinda kicking myself for not grabbing one when I had the chance. Thanks for the shout-out as well! Absolutely made my day.

Absolutely agree about the headsculpt. That is easily THE BEST headsculpt an official G1 Optimus has ever had.

Okay, making him Orion B Pax, slightly sad and worn-out Retiredmus Prime, getting bumped over to the dimension of Bumbles Morales, needing to teach the kid how to be Optimus, and rediscovering how to be Prime himself... Now I need one. "I can turn into a truck." "He can _turn! Into! A TRUCK!"_ "I can't do it on command." "He can't do it... _On command!"_

I loved the classic line for the same reason I love this toy. Hope they make more like this. I'd be down for Classics 2.0.

Great review as always, Love your pic in front of Wegmans!

7:50 oh my god, you went to a Wegmans! It's weird, we only have them on the east coast, so it's always kinda neat to see someone stumble into one.

I think you’ve got the knee flaps transformed wrong, the black ankle sections have tabs that are supposed to slide into the grooves on the bottom of the grill parts, “locking” the knee pads in place

This feels like a legitimate update to Optimus Prime. It looks like it may be next on my list.

I'm gonna have to snag this guy while he's still in stores. I felt he was too soon after his holiday deco. The interior of his legs being too much red and that's it. No other notes. This mold is wonder and I hope they never try to canonize him. Just let him be whatever we want him to be.

I really hope that they do more licensed generations figures.

I wondered whether it was a chain reaction of fallen through tie-ins.I can kinda believe the Amazon Prime thing, but when Christmas Prime appeared it felt like it should have been a Coca Cola tie-in that didn't reach the finish line.

Waking up to a new video Thew is a fantastic way to start a day, thank you for being you :)

Love the review and the script is so good! You nailed it Thew!

I've gotten a bit tired of the square truck Optimus (Armada Prime FTW!) so this is a refreshing take.

After the IRS hunted the autobot base and stormed their home for property tax evasion, poor Optimus had to submit to the workforce as an Amazon truck

"King of the B-team" is my new Mission statement for life

Really good review and a very interesting toy. Interesting to see what other Trucks will be appearing in Trucktober

I’ve been on the fence about picking this up. Now I’m gonna have to. Glad you enjoyed the trip to the states. Try any restaurants you don’t have over in England.

I once saw a post of someone saying this could be a mainline earthspark Optimus if you wanted it to be.

Such a great figure, loved the prior Festive release which was a lovely surprise, so getting this one was a definite must. It just feels right in hand, looks so good in hand in both modes. I do wish they could have released a little Roller to go with the trailer instead of limiting it to that impossible to find in complete condition Centurion pack. Fairly been some good Primes released this year.

I LOVE THIS FIGURE SO MUCH

It's funny that you mentioned the G2 hero Optimus Prime because I want to see this in those colors maybe with a flatbed trailer and some modern toy safety regulations compliant version of his iconic missile launcher where it could tap into the bottom or the side of the arm after being on the trailer. But I always thought the truck mode and especially the way he transforms with the front of the cab forming the legs says G2 hero Optimus Prime

I jokingly asked for the holiday version for christmas last year and ended up getting it as a gift 🤣 It's actually a pretty nice little figure! Traditional deco looks great as well!

With that backpack, he has a build-in creeper for working on other trucks.

he would probably make a hell of a thunderclash.

I'm so glad i picked up this toy. It was an incredibly pleasant surprise for me. Kinda wish they solved the shoulder smokestacks somehow, but oh well. Not the end of the world.

Fourth time you've seen That Matrix. Galvatron's Matrix-on-a-chain is the same mold in non-clear plastic, pegged onto a separate chain accessory.

I also have the Christmas version. As it is a holiday Transformer, that is why I want armada prime from Legacy. Still, an amazing figure

Hey Thew Good Review Once Again. Hope You’re Having A Good Day!

The fandom has this nonsense term they toss around, "Mini-masterpiece" which they seem to slap onto any Generations toy that simply looks like the cartoon model, or something. But VRN/Holiday Optimus, I feel, is the first toy to deserve the description. He's just so fun and intuitive and every little step in his transformation makes you go "ooh, that's clever!". From the way his backpack folds up, to how his mudguards hold his torso together, to the fact that the grill flaps on his knees lock into place and add one more stable connection point to his calf assembly... this toy just keeps hitting you with tons of moments that make you enjoy just fiddling with it. And the resulting modes are just sleek, streamlined, and just a joy to look at and have fun playing with. It's a shame it got overshadowed by Victory Saber when it first came out-- I feel this toy deserved to be the one the fandom considered toy of the year.

Great review Threw

Great way to start a Sunday morning!

this video gave me a notification while I was watching a different thew video

You still have those weird shape "transformers"! Or sports balls. I can't remember their alt modes but I see them back there and I love that.

Turn those legs around, repaint it, add a arm cannon; we'd have a decent modern G2 Hero Optimus update.

I can't put my finger on it but Optimus looks younger here. Like this is him in a prequel.

Makes me want a saab turbo Blur now. Also looking forward to buying your new bands new tunes.

Kind of want to see Galvatron as the Burger King now.

I can see Energon Rodimus as a retool of this guy

i like the idea of this optimus being the peter b parker to the normal flat nose version, that’s sick as fuck

Great review! I've been considering this guy, but the amount of red in the legs is kinda bothering me. Maybe time to chalk another one up for "We see a red truck and we want it painted black", because I'd definitely grab a Nemesis version.

It’s crazy how this is a redeco of a merry prime

Honestly, it's basically G2 Hero Optimus, I cannot unsee it

NGL, I really would like to see them use this to make G2 Hero Prime, either regular or blueberry flavor, Sure it won't be a 1:1 but give it either a new trailer or just some weaponizing accessories to turn him into a missile truck. Those underarm ports would be great place to plug in the missile launcher. Hell, I'd even settle for Destructicon Scourge if they wanted to make a Nemesis Prime version of this guy instead.

Having completely missed the whole Amazon deal thing, when I first saw the Xmas version I had hopes it would get redeco'd as that one G2 "Hero" Optimus with the bellows-powered missile launcher. I love that toy's colors, and I figured this could make for a good update considering the TF scheme, but it looks like they chose not to mess with the OG Optimus colors even a tiny bit for the non-holiday version. C'mon man, just give him white legs and those swish 80s gradient stripes! Edit: Ah. I guess I wasn't the only one who thought that.

Went to a toy fair recently, and managed to find a New In Box Genarations Wheeljack for around 30 CAD. Thought it was a great deal, finally had one of my favorite figures again, even better that I had Legacy Bulkhead to place next to him. But good lord. The vendors of the stand were trying really really hard to sell me on the X-Men Cyclops Blackbird Crossover Figure. Like they were desperate to pawn off any of the ten they had.

In a world where a good generations Optimus prime from earthrise cost an arm and a leg, I kinda find this one might just be the ONE to fit my optimus slot until I eventually find the one that tickles the G1 collection I am starting to amass, potentially by itself since this trailer is just as good! cool review!

If you make the head face the road, that panel will actually close. Ya know, the correct transformation.

As a truck driver myself I can really get behind a normal truck. Although I wish it weren't a day cab.

I love realalistic alt modes with blocky robot modes

Was not expecting the van damme pose😂

YES NEW VIDEO

The fig does have an Orion Pax feel.

"Optical Banquet" is my new band name.