Transformers Legacy Transmetal 2 Megatron Review: A Fire-Breathing Dragon With Range

Hasbro’s 2022 Transformers: Legacy Transmetal 2 Megatron makes a strong case for the character’s dragon form as one of the line’s standout designs. It’s imposing in beast mode, remarkably poseable, and full of small details that connect it to the Beast Wars character. The transformation takes patience, but the result is a toy that feels like a substantial update to an older favorite.

Megatron’s appeal has always gone beyond raw strength. In Beast Wars, he’s a calculating, manipulative schemer with a cruel streak and a distinctive, almost theatrical charm. The character’s history in toy form tracks several changes in beast mode: an early green crocodile, a Tyrannosaurus rex for the 1996 series, a Transmetal T. rex for Season 2 in 1998, and the Transmetal 2 dragon introduced in Season 3 in 1999. Readers can find a character overview on Transformers Wiki and a wider toy checklist here.

The original dragon toy had memorable scale, but its shortcomings became harder to ignore with time; its hips eventually broke apart. That history made the 2022 Legacy release an especially appealing replacement. It’s also the reviewer’s 50th entry for the Monster Toy Blog, returning to Transformers after years spent reviewing prehistoric animal toys. The newer figure costs more than the earlier version, but its design and range of movement make the upgrade feel worthwhile.

Dragon mode: scale, color and presence

The first impression is all color and silhouette. Blood red and gold dominate, with purple and metallic gold details, translucent orange wings, and an orange dome at the front of the torso representing Megatron’s spark crystal. There’s no Predacon insignia visible inside the dome. The palette is dramatic and suitably menacing without losing the toy’s mechanical character.

At approximately 40 cm long, with a 36.5 cm wingspan and a standing height of up to 31.5 cm when the neck is raised, Megatron occupies plenty of shelf space. He’s among the larger toys in the Leader class price point. The sculpt balances exposed machinery with flowing, organic shapes: scutes run across the chest and belly, armor plates cover the neck and tail, and varied scale patterns break up the body. He reads as a robotic dragon, but never as a boxy one.

The body follows a classic dragon build, with a long, sturdy torso, compact sinewy arms, and thick legs ending in broad feet and straight claws. The head brings a different influence, with antler-like horns, pointed ears, a short mane and a chin beard. Two tusks jut from the snout, while rows of sharp teeth show through the open mouth. The long neck gives the head an expressive reach that adds to the creature’s presence.

Large, bat-like wings spread from the back. Their sculpt is highly stylized, with jagged edges and open spaces across the membranes. The tail is short for a dragon, but its hooked, jagged pincer tip gives it a sharp finishing detail.

Articulation is one of the toy’s clearest strengths. A hinge lets the lower jaw open, though it can’t close completely because the flame effect needs room to fit. The head hinges at the neck, which has four ball joints and a universal joint at its base. The wings pivot at their roots, and each is divided into five sections that fold or fan outward. Their claws also move.

The arms use universal shoulder joints, rotating upper arms, and hinges at the elbows and hands. At the hips, the legs have universal joints, with rotating thighs and hinges at the knees, ankles and feet. The tail can swing at its base, turn slightly side to side, and flex through three ball joints. Together, those joints allow a broad range of lively poses, from a grounded stance to a full display of the wings.

A large translucent orange flame effect plugs into the dragon’s mouth and stays secure. The piece makes the open jaw look purposeful, though a second effect for the ice blast Megatron used in the episode “Master Blaster” would have made the set more complete.

Robot mode and transformation

Moving Megatron into robot mode is an involved sequence of folding parts, flipping panels and fitting tabs together. The dragon’s legs become the robot’s legs, as they did on the earlier T. rex versions. The trickiest connection is securing the robot head against the chest and shoulders. Once that part clicks into place, the figure feels stable.

In robot mode, Megatron stands about 21 cm tall. The red and gold remain prominent, while the chest and arms bring more purple into view. His right arm is comparatively straightforward, with patches of scales and a pair of gold spikes on the forearm. The left arm, by contrast, is the dragon’s head and neck. It’s a striking callback to the earlier incarnation’s arm made from a T. rex head, and it looks built for combat rather than delicate work.

The dragon head retains a playful character of its own. In the series, it looks around and responds to being petted, giving Megatron what amounts to a built-in companion. That personality comes through in the toy’s design, lending the unusual arm more charm than a simple weapon would have.

The robot head is packed with detail: a dark gray helmet, metallic silver face, gold vents, purple eyes and a mouth full of pointed teeth. A translucent orange cover sits over the top, capped by a circle that catches light through the plastic. The original Transmetal 2 Megatron toy had a spring-loaded projectile launcher in its head, so the circular detail suggests a similar energy weapon. Behind the head, the tail hangs like a headdress, while the dragon chest armor rests against Megatron’s back.

The head turns from side to side, though the tail limits its range. The right arm has a universal shoulder joint, a rotating upper arm and a double-hinged elbow. The waist rotates, and the legs retain their joints from dragon mode; the wings, neck and dragon head remain movable as well. The flame effect can still plug into the dragon mouth or sit in Megatron’s fist like a flaming club. For a cleaner weapon pose, he can grip other Transformer accessories when their handles are long enough.

Legacy Transmetal 2 Megatron is a memorable, highly poseable take on the dragon character, with a detailed beast mode and a robot mode that keeps its personality intact. The transformation asks for care, especially around the head and chest connection, but the payoff is a figure that looks convincing in both forms. For the reviewer, it’s the best version of Megatron they’ve owned—and a fitting 50th review, capped by one more monster showdown.