Cyclonus (G1)/toys

Little known fact: Cyclonus is actually just a Conehead with a giant metal V stuck in his head.

Cyclonus has an armada of toys!

Toys

The Transformers

Shoulders by Mondrian.

• Cyclonus (Decepticon Jet, 1986/1990)
  • Takara ID number: D-70
  • Accessories: oxidating laser

Cyclonus transforms into a purple Cybertronian fighter craft with forward-swept wings (the first Transformers toy to use such a design). Like fellow 1986 new arrival Scourge, Cyclonus has working knee articulation, uncommon for G1 figures; these were apparently regarded as important enough for his design that there is an entire transformation step devoted to opening up panels that block knee movement, even though it is not otherwise necessary for his transformation. Oddly, the instructions list the toy's removable wingtips as though they were an action feature. Early releases of Cyclonus had his belt and part of his "ears" painted blue, while later releases left those areas unpainted; the earlier blue specimens tend to be more in demand to collectors. The soft rubbery plastic on Cyclonus' nosecone can deteriorate over time, feeling slimy to the touch; this is worsened on specimens that have been kept in the original packaging for years.

This toy had a notable number of "intermediate" designs that led to some confusion in published materials later on. Like the other new characters created for The Transformers: The Movie, Cyclonus was designed for animation first, and had his toy based on these designs. However, while the toy was based on an earlier design (most notably featuring folded back wings), the animation model underwent further modifications before being finalized. The earlier design was the basis for the Marvel Comics version of the character, and also erroneously appeared in a few instances in the cartoon series. The uncertainty of Cyclonus' final design was probably the reason for his Transformers Universe profile describing his jet mode as "multi-engine (and perhaps multi-wing)". The Toy Fair 1986 catalogue shows the Cyclonus toy with a different color scheme, including a mainly silver head, that was also seen in his earliest Marvel Comics appearances and the Ladybird Book Galvatron's Air Attack. Also his name was swapped with Scourge. Another change from preproduction was the orientation of the stickers situated behind his cockpit windows. Right up until the final toy, all samples showed these arranged so that the orange streaks matched up with those on the wing stickers, and the angle of the leading edge matched the curve of the windows; the final instructions rotated them 180 degrees.^[1]

Cyclonus was reissued in Australia in his original packaging in 1990.

• More information on Cyclonus at TFU.info

• Cyclonus (Targetmaster, 1987)
  • Accessories: Nightstick Targetmaster partner/black-beam gun

Still lacking the blue paint, Targetmaster Cyclonus's fist holes were widened to accommodate his Nebulan partner, Nightstick, who replaced his previous handgun. An additional 5mm hole was added to the top of his vehicle mode, just in front of his rubsign, to accommodate Nightstick in this mode. This version of the toy was not released in Japan.

• More information on Targetmaster Cyclonus at TFU.info

Expanded Universe

With Galvatron gone, things went kind of screwy for the poor guy...

• Cyclonus (Ultra Class, 2002)
  • Accessories: 2 missiles, 2 drone-missiles

Expanded Universe Cyclonus is a redeco of Beast Machines Ultra Jetstorm, replacing blue with lavender, purple and gray, and the yellows with red. His spark crystal was tampographed with a Decepticon sigil. He transforms into a Cybertronic fighter jet. His jet mode cockpit/neck is geared up with the pop-up gun turret on his back so that both turn in the same direction when moved. This turret launches two spring-loaded missiles and has a light-up feature - the latter noteworthy as being the only BotCon exclusive toy to ever retain such a feature, since as a rule electronics tended to get removed to save money. Cyclonus has both a "normal" bipedal robot mode and a "flight robot mode" with pop-out thruster engines.

Cyclonus was available exclusively at BotCon 2002.

This mold was also planned for a Universe toy of unknown name.

• More information on BotCon Cyclonus at TFU.info

Universe (2008)

...and now that Galvatron is back, he is happy.

Dodged a bullet!
(Pre-release image)

• Cyclonus (Deluxe Class, 2008)
  • Series: Generation 1 Series

• Known designers: Bill Rawley (Hasbro), Takashi Kunihiro (TakaraTomy), Andrew Scribner (deco artist), Don Figueroa (concept artist)

Released in the fourth wave of 2008's Universe Deluxes, Cyclonus once again transforms into a forward-swept-wing Cybertronian jet-fighter. He also comes with his Targetmaster partner Nightstick. Oddly, Cyclonus's right hand is the only one with a hole to hold Nightstick in, a very rare feature amongst two-handed Transformers toys. An undocumented feature (in both the Hasbro and Takara versions) is that Nightstick can also mount to either of Cyclonus's wrists by leaving the hands folded in, exposing a tab-slot, a la The Headmasters... in which Cyclonus wasn't a Targetmaster. Tsk.

At one stage shortly before mass production, Cyclonus's nosecone and Nightstick were cast in beige plastic. Because the Hasbro promotional photos that depict a pre-release sample and a packaged sample featured these colors, it created some fandom angst in its wake. The plastic color was fixed to purple before the figure went into mass production, and thus far only one packaged sample sporting the "error" color has surfaced.^[2]

• More information on Universe (and Henkei) Cyclonus at TFU.info

As you scroll down, watch this toy slowly become the Easter bunny.

• Challenge at Cybertron (Deluxe Class figure 3-pack, 2010)
  • Series: G1 Series

A redeco of Universe Cyclonus was released in the "Challenge at Cybertron" multi-pack along with redecoes of Rodimus and Galvatron. This version of Cyclonus, like the Henkei! figure, is intended to be accurate to the cartoon's colors, though it carries through the concept differently.

The set was first released at Cybertron Con 2010 in China and then in other South-East Asian markets by Hasbro Malaysia. A small number were also provided directly by Hasbro for the UK's Auto Assembly 2010.

• More information on Challenge at Cybertron Cyclonus at TFU.info

Henkei! Henkei!

Also available in pastels.

• Cyclonus (Deluxe Class, 2009)
  • ID number: D-07
  • Release date: January 22 2009

Unlike the Hasbro Universe Cyclonus's toy-based colour scheme, TakaraTomy's Henkei! Henkei! Cyclonus has a mostly cartoon-based colour scheme, and casts much of the toy in a lavender plastic balancing between the toy's purple and cartoon's purple-blue, and includes a painted face. Like all Henkei toys, he features vac-metalized plastic, specifically his purple wings and much of the Nightstick Targetmaster weapon.

Transformers (2010)

• Battle in Space (Deluxe figure 2-pack, 2010)

• Known designers: Andrew Scribner (deco artist)

It was either the whole box or a photoshopped pic of what's above.

This release of the Universe Cyclonus is a modified version from the Asia market-exclusive "Challenge at Cybertron" 3-pack, replacing his Decepticon sigil with a heat-sensitive rubsign. His wings are painted a more flat purple compared to the semi-gloss of the Universe "Challenge at Cybertron" release as well as his lower thighs are less purple tinged (matching his upper thighs better). The set also comes with a similarly modified Classics Rodimus from the "Challenge at Cybertron" set, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership accessory from the 2002 New Year Special Convoy reissue of Generation 1 Optimus Prime, and "Rodimus vs. Cyclonus", a new comic book created specifically for this set by IDW Publishing.

• More information on "Battle in Space" Cyclonus at TFU.info

United

Psst... it was Bombshell...

• Decepticon Set (3-pack, 2011)

Dubbed "Cyclonus Red Purple Clear Version", this redeco of the Universe Cyclonus mold (see above) is cast in transparent purple plastics, emulating the scene in The Transformers: The Movie where Cyclonus is created from some dead Decepticon (no, we won't get into that here).

This version was only available in an e-HOBBY exclusive 3-pack with clear-plastic versions of Galvatron, Nightstick, and Scourge. Preorders for the set were opened on December 13, 2010, and closed on January 11, 2011, and shipped in April.

This figure was available with a Galvatron pin and Macrocosmic Seekers booklet directly from e-HOBBY, he was also released in Asian countries outside of Japan without said pin and booklet.

Oddly, and unlike Galvatron and Scourge, Cyclonus's deco is based on the Hasbro "Challenge at Cybertron"/"Battle in Space" release rather than the Henkei! Henkei! release.

• More information on United Cyclonus at TFU.info

Kre-O

(Initial version pictured)

• Cyclonus (Kreon Micro-Changer, 2014)

• Collection: 4
• Bag number: ***** 36
• Accessories: Stand-brick, small pistol, 2 clip-on rifles
• Known designers: Ed Masiello (Hasbro)

Part of the fourth assortment of blind-bagged Kreon Micro-Changers, Cyclonus can be rebuilt into a space jet.

(Variant version pictured)

Unusual for Kreons, there is actually a running change in Cyclonus's original production run, leading to two distinctly different versions without any kind of packaging change. One version matches the stock photography on the bag-back (mostly), with a light lavender base plastic and leg-paint, which made him look a lot like Galvatron. The other is darker purple more matching the original Cyclonus toy. Initially, the lavender version had only been found in bags marked "40131 36", while the darker version was found in all bag-number variations, including the 40131 batches.

"Initially" because later releases of Collection 4 —which lack the individual-identifying bag codes— brought the lavender Cyclonus back, but this time with his cuffs painted dark purple to match the stock photography where the original lavender Cyclonus had lavender cuffs. Oy! He also has the 2014 retooling to the arms the make them better as studs.

He uses the Inferno-style helmet... just like Galvatron does! Awwww.

• More information on Cyclonus at TFU.info

Combiner Wars

He really takes Galvatron's words to heart.

• Cyclonus (Voyager Class, 2015)
  • 3 of 5: Galvatronus
  • Accessories: rifle, shield, 2 tailfins/daggers

• Known designers: John Warden (Hasbro)

Released in the third wave of Generations Combiner Wars Voyagers, Cyclonus is a redeco and retool of Combiner Wars Silverbolt, transforming into a dark purple Cybertronian fighter craft surprisingly close to his original animation model, given existing mold constraints. He also gains two small tailfins, held in Cyclonus' exposed hands in vehicle mode, which plug into the 5mm holes on Cyclonus' forearms to mimic the original character model's forearm fins. These tailfins can also be used as dagger weapons in robot mode. He also transforms into the torso of Galvatronus; any combination of limb-bots counts as "Galvatronus", regardless of faction. Cyclonus includes a silver version of Silverbolt's rifle, which can be held in Cyclonus's or Galvatronus's hands, or mounted underneath Cyclonus's nosecone in fighter craft mode (although it won't insert fully, thanks to the placement of one of the nosecone's screws). The winged rear section of the rifle can be detached and used by Cyclonus as a shield.

As seen on the photo at the right, the vehicle mode's vertical fins are assembled incorrectly, with the control surface detailing facing forward. This can easily be fixed by popping them off their hinges and flipping them around.

Like many Hasbro projects in the modern era, Combiner Wars Cyclonus had a "pretooled" alternate head that wound up unused. In the case of Cyclonus's body tooling, the alternate head was that of Starscream.^[3]

The Silverbolt mold was also retooled into Combiner Wars Scattershot and BotCon 2016 General Sea Clamp.

• More information on Cyclonus at TFU.info

Platinum Edition

So, does this mean he'll try to murder Rodimus Prime for hogging all the energon he needs to be whole?

• Armada of Cyclonus (Platinum Edition 3-pack, 2016)
  • Accessories: rifle

Part of Hasbro's Platinum Edition offerings for 2016 commemorating the 30th anniversary of The Transformers: The Movie, Cyclonus is a redeco of his 2008 Universe Deluxe Class toy, featuring transparent plastic on several parts (unlike the full-body translucent United release) to evoke his reformation in the movie. The translucent nosecone spike is now very soft, with the consistency of a "Wacky Wall-Walker" toy. Nightstick is absent from this figure, replaced with a translucent version of the musket laser originally included with Generations Sergeant Kup, now lacking the ball-jointed C joint of the original. And for the first time, this mold's left hand has been retooled to have a 5mm fisthole, though stock photography incorrectly shows the original left fist.

Cyclonus was released as part of 3-pack with Scourge and "Decepticon Sweeps", named "Armada of Cyclonus". Despite officially being touted as "available online" by Hasbro at BotCon 2016, thereby implying a "shared exclusive" between multiple online retailers for the United States market (which would usually include the likes of Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, and Hasbro Toy Shop), it was ultimately only ever listed and stocked by two US-based online stores, namely TFSource and Scramble Core, both of whom obtain their stock through Asian vendors. The set did see a somewhat more widespread release in Hasbro's Asian markets (most notably Singapore) and, more surprisingly, was even officially released in Canada (where it was sold at Toys"R"Us stores and also made available via Walmart's Canadian website, though never sold in stores) and the United Kingdom (where it was available via the UK Toys"R"Us website). It was also listed very early on by Amazon's Spanish subsidiary, but was ultimately never stocked by them.

Unite Warriors

This is cool and all, but when do we get an IDW style toy of Cyclonus?

• Grand Galvatron (Giftset, 2016)
  • ID number: UW-06
  • Release date: April 30 2016
  • Accessories: cannon/shield

A redeco of Combiner Wars Cyclonus, "Tactician Cyclonus" features a metallic purple color scheme and a translucent orange gun barrel homaging his master's particle cannon. The deco of Cyclonus's torso mode more closely adheres to the appearance of the original Galvatron toy.

The jet mode vertical stabilizers are attached differently than those of the Combiner Wars toy, now sweeping forwards to match the wings. Unlike the stock photos, this Cyclonus features the retooled and improved combiner head's joint.

He was released as part of the Grand Galvatron giftset along with Ghost Starscream, Curse Armada Thrust, Zombie War Breakdown, and Wandering Roller.

War for Cybertron: Kingdom

So... Skyshell? Bombwarp?

• Cyclonus (Voyager Class, 2020)
  • Hasbro ID number: WFC-K9
  • TakaraTomy ID number: KD-07
  • TakaraTomy release date: May 29, 2021
  • Accessories: Oxidating Laser, Golden Disk card

• Known designers: John Warden and Evan Brooks (Hasbro), Ittoku Kuwazu (TakaraTomy)^[4]

Released to commemorate the 35th anniversary of The Transformers: The Movie, War for Cybertron: Kingdom Cyclonus is a 7-inch-tall mold that is unprecedentedly accurate to his appearance in the Generation 1 cartoon. His reveal press release describes him as having been reformatted from "Bombshell/Skywarp/Both/Neither". Mechanical details are sculpted into the seams of his shoulder swivels, visible when his arms hinge at the side. His oxidating laser can be plugged into the top of his jet mode, similar to his Universe toy. His jet mode can also deploy landing gear at the nosecone and thruster areas.

His Hasbro stock photos are mistransformed, with the hands not hidden away in vehicle mode, and the wings only half-folded into shape behind the shoulders in robot mode. Additionally, the image of his vehicle mode on the back of his packaging shows his Oxidating Laser plugged into a port that doesn't exist.

If one folds either of Cyclonus' hands into his forearms to reveal the 5mm-compatible thrusters for his vehicle mode, it is possible to attach weapons with a backward-facing 5mm peg onto the wrist-nozzle in a way similar to his Universe figure. However, his Oxidating Laser lacks the backward-facing peg that would allow the weapon to point forward while pegged in.

Cyclonus' unpaintable plastic seems to suffer from a very slight photodegradation in certain conditions, causing it to have a visibly yellowed tone. One can easily tell if this has happened by comparing the color of his gray plastic to the adjacent silver paint.

Cyclonus comes with a Golden Disk card that "reveals a possible destiny of a key character", with each character having three possible destiny variants. Cyclonus was later heavily retooled into Legacy: Evolution Metalhawk and Legacy: United Ferak.

War for Cybertron Trilogy

• Behold, Galvatron! Unicron Companion Pack (Leader Class, 2022)

War for Cybertron Trilogy Cyclonus is a non-transforming and immobile minifigure, barely 10mm tall, scaled to interact with the immense HasLab Unicron figure and its clear display base. This was one of a set of 14 minifigures in the "Unicron Companion Pack" that was included with the "reformatting" version of Galvatron. The set was exclusive to Hasbro Pulse.

Generations Selects

I'll bet that you'll repurpose your already bought figure as one of my Armada.

• Cyclonus & Nightstick (Voyager Class, 2022)

• Series: Legacy
• Accessories: Oxidating Laser, 3 Fire Blast effects, Nightstick
• Known designers: John Warden and Evan Brooks (Hasbro), Ittoku Kuwazu (TakaraTomy), Mark Maher (deco only) (Hasbro)

A Generations Selects add-on figure to Legacy, this version of Cyclonus is a redeco of the above Kingdom toy in a "Generation 1" toy-inspired color scheme, complete with an optional sticker sheet in a similar fashion to Selects Galvatron.

Cyclonus comes with a redecoed blaster and his little Battle Master buddy Nightstick, a redeco of Siege Blowpipe. The set includes Blowpipe's original blast effect, which can be split apart into two pieces, and the one included with his redeco, Siege Caliburst, both now in purple.

Initial sample photos depicted lower leg stickers that would block the jet landing gear, but stickers were properly cut on the final release. The final sheet includes alternate Decepticon insignias to better mimic the G1 toy's jet mode—though these would then be upside down in robot mode. Surprisingly, the stickers behind his cockpit are designed to match preproduction samples of Cyclonus' toy, as evidenced by the correctly oriented orange streaks that match the wing stickers.

There were widespread reports of this piece having loose shoulder joints, making it difficult to pose it with frontward-raised arms. Multiple specimens also surfaced with the two fuselage attachment clips having been molded from two noticeably non-matching shades of purple plastic.

Cyclonus & Nightstick were revealed on Amazon Australia prior to their official reveal by only over 12 hours.

Merchandise

Transformers Milk Caramel

• Cyclonus (1986)

A small glow-in-the-dark rubber figurine of Cyclonus—known in Japan as a keshigomu—was released as part of Kabaya's Transformers 2010-themed assortment of Transformers Milk Caramel candy toys. Cyclonus came with chocolate-covered caramel candies, and was available in red, yellow, blue and green.

Transformers Choco

• Cyclonus (1986)

Released in the fourth Transformers 2010-centric wave of Kabaya's line of Transformers Choco candy toys, this version of Cyclonus is a small, transformable model kit made of one solid color plastic; specimens are believed to have been available in blue, red, grey, or green. As with all the Transformers Choco figures, he came with "Chocolate Dots", small candies similar to M&Ms.

Super Collection Figure

His head comes off, too!

• Cyclonus (2002)
  • Act: 8
  • Accessories: stand

A PVC figurine of Cyclonus was part of the eighth act of Takara's Super Collection Figure series in 2002. Each case of twelve PVCs had two Cyclonuses; one in full-color, the other pewter-finish.

The color version of Cyclonus came with the right leg of the Act's "build-a-figure", Scorponok. These parts could be in either full color or pewter, packed at a ratio of six color parts per four pewter parts.

The pewter version of the figure has a potential problem with connector peg breakage, due to said pegs often getting a layer of pewter paint before being forced into a socket, leading to sticking and tearing. Care should be used when moving or removing the arms; shaving down the socket interior with a thin hobby knife is usually sufficient to fix the issue.

• More information on pewter Cyclonus at TFU.info

Heroes of Cybertron

• Cyclonus (2003)

Cyclonus was later released as part of the third wave of Hasbro's Heroes of Cybertron line in 2003. This release was cast in transparent red plastic and painted over (in a more lavender tone than the SCF version's light blue), leaving his eyes and back of his head unpainted to try for a light-piping effect, though the result ends up on him having a visor. The mold was also modified to have the pointed edges on his horns and wing-tips rounded off for safety reasons.

• More information on Heroes of Cybertron Cyclonus at TFU.info

Hard Hero

Galvatron needs my legs? Then I shall GIIIIIVE till it HUUUUUURTS!

• Cyclonus (2005)

In May 2005, Hard Hero released a Cyclonus polystone bust based upon his cartoon appearances. It is roughly six inches tall and was limited to 1000 pieces.

I'm just a useless bunny, only good for my metallic paint.

• Cyclonus (2005)

Hard Hero also made a limited run of 100 Cyclonus busts painted metallic purple as an exclusive for the Canadian TransformersCon convention.

Tiny Titans

• Cyclonus (Tiny Titans, 2015)
  • Series: 2
  • Number: 9/12

Part of the second assortment of Tiny Titans blindpacks, this version of Cyclonus is a very small, soft-plastic figure of him in robot mode, brandishing Nightstick in gun mode.

He includes a collectible card that renders him in the 2015 Robots in Disguise styling. The card includes a scan-badge for the Robots in Disguise mobile game, which unlocks a random amount of Energon "currency" and a randomized bonus power-up item.

This wave saw fairly minimal release at "big box" retailers, but unlike other waves, was not picked up by drug stores and the like later, making them particularly hard to find.

• More information on Tiny Titans Cyclonus at TFU.info

ReAction

You / The guy she tells you not to worry about.

• Cyclonus (2023)
  • Accessories: oxidating laser

Released in the sixth wave of Super7's line of multi-property 3.75-inch "retro" action figures, ReAction Cyclonus is a non-converting figure based on his appearance in the original cartoon, with 5 points of articulation (swivel neck, shoulders, hips) and holes in his feet for use with some variety of stand.

As with all releases in the ReAction toyline, Cyclonus comes packaged on a small cardback that emulates the nostalgic packaging style of Kenner's Star Wars action figures from the late 1970s to early '80s.

Magic: The Gathering

"...and his Saboteur-mada!"

• Cyclonus, the Saboteur / Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter (2022)
  • ID number: 009/015
  • Set code: BOT
  • Color identity: Blue/Black
  • Casting cost: {3}{U}{B} (front), {5}{U}{B} (back)

"Cyclonus, the Saboteur" is part of the 2022 Magic: The Gathering Universes Beyond Transformers card set, found in Set Booster and Collector Booster packs of Magic's The Brothers' War set. It can be reversed to become "Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter", representing Cyclonus in vehicle mode.

A variant of this card was available solely in Collector Booster packs, depicting Shattered Glass Cyclonus.

Flame Toys

• Cyclonus (?)

Flame Toys revealed a prototype of Cyclonus as part of their high-end Kuro Kara Kuri figures in 2022.

This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available at mass retail.

References