KR|"Echoes of Future" Review #12: Gladorr (First Evolutionary Stage)

Toy prototype details
Name: Gladorr^TM (First Evolutionary Stage)
Subtitle: transformed reptilian schemer
Line: KR|Echoes of Future
Item type: action figure - Nº 10 in the line.

Character details
Name: Gladorr
Classification: reptile of uncertain group
Sex: male
Home: North America
Era: Earth's 21^st century (later transported to ancient Idakarr - 570 years before Foundation)
Affiliation: CorpSTar; Reptonoid (temporarily)
Rank: mercenary.

Background

First appearance: KR|Echoes of Future #2 - The dark powers of dominion

Character summary: while observing the escalating conflict between the reptilian and mammalian forces, Gladorr awaited the perfect opportunity to harness the mystic powers of the monstrous stony mask borne from the spirit of Silef. Transformed into a fearsome, hulking being by the mask's power, he emerged as a pivotal figure in the conflict, orchestrating alliances and battles with calculated precision, to annihilate the mammalian civilisation and fulfil his ultimate goal of reshaping the tides of history. Unexpectedly thrust into a distant future, despite his weakened state, Gladorr's determination remained unyielding as he sought to transfer his dark essence into a new host and ensure his own survival.

Articulation
Standard (new scheme), plus two swivels on the tail.

Description

Head: similar to a captorhinid or a placodont, characterised by a broad, heart-like shape, a scaly, bumpy greenish skin, and a series of triangular off-white bony protrusions along its rear margin, two of which jut out like pointed ears. A short horn (or rather an ossicone) adorns the front portion of a longitudinal dark-green crest, while a pair of solid amber glowing eyes peer out from beneath a prominent brow ridge and are accentuated by dark-green underlinings similar to eyebags. His fairly long, beaked snout is equipped with two nostrils and terminates in a narrow, downward-curving rostrum lined with numerous sharp whitish teeth, including four large tusks, protruding from both the upper and lower jaws

Body: scaly, greenish skin featuring long, triangular off-white bony spines that emerge from the imbrications of his large scales (known as scutes). While most of these scutes are flattened and adorned with parallel ridges, the shoulder and thigh regions are covered with knobbly dark-green plates. Across his torso, the spines combine to form a series of bony ridges reminiscent of an exposed skeletal structure, which is accentuated by some effective off-white highlighting. His hands and feet are paddle-shaped, presumably adapted for swimming, although they have distinct fingers and toes equipped with large, sharp off-white claws. Naturally protected by a thick, rugged scaly armour, his back extends into a long, robust Stegouros-like tail that ends with seven pairs of off-white bony "blades" arranged along its sides, similar to a cutting weapon wielded by ancient Aztec warriors. Two midnight-blue straps around the thighs (probably bits of his powered exoskeleton components, which shattered during his metamorphosis) feature some nice realistic texture with scratches sculpted into it

Wearables: two studded midnight-blue bracelets, two laminar midnight-blue toeless boots (which expose the outward-protruding claws and are equipped with studded knee guards, sheens and vamps), a worn out off-white fabric (or maybe leather) belt and tattered midnight-blue trunks. While the bracers and boots exhibit a lining of off-white fur, the belt and shorts are shredded remnants of his original outfit.

Action feature

Similar to other tailed characters in the KR lore, Gladorr's most prominent feature is his threatening tail. The armoured back, to which the tail belongs, is a separate piece that securely attaches to the rear surface of his torso. The tail is designed with two articulation points, situated approximately one-third and two-thirds along its length. These two swivels provide ample flexibility for a variety of poses, making additional articulation unnecessary.

Weapons and accessories

Gladorr comes equipped with an array of accessories, the most notable of which is a double bearded axe. In the comics, he borrows this weapon from one of Bi-Harr's lizardy foot soldiers and uses it to slay King Tah-Ron. The axe itself is crafted from a long bone topped with an Ankylosaurus' skull (although it has a narrower, more elongated shape, and lacks the characteristic four horns) and is entirely painted in a nice ivory colour, with the addition of two rounded, chipped silver blades sticking out of the sides of the skull.

As described up to this point, the figure represents Gladorr in his initial state after donning the mask and transforming into a bulking bruiser. However, when equipped with some additional armour pieces, his appearance undergoes a striking shift, embodying the essence of a Reptonoid soldier with an imposing and distinct look. First up, there's an aggressive looking, angular harness/chest armour, which is painted in midnight-blue with off-white details, ranging from the weathered white of the leather straps and fur lining (which extends to form a pair of shoulder pads) to a white colour with a slight greyish tinge resembling tarnished silver found on numerous studs and rivets. A sculpted strap passing diagonally in front of the torso features a loop positioned near the right shoulder, which is designed to securely hold the blade of an included silver combat dagger (reused from the Reptonoid Troopers). Next, we get a Roman-inspired, off-white leather loincloth adorned with rivets, hanging from a midnight-blue belt with large diamond-shaped and oval studs (interestingly, the buckle looks a bit like an electronic device). Finally, there's a midnight-blue diadem with off-white details (including a metal crest and two large bull horns), which has a silhouette reminiscent of a Samurai helmet. It fits on the head really well and stays put thanks to two small notches on the figure’s face.

Speaking of headpieces, the figure also comes with an alternate head, featuring mostly the same sculpt, but with a more enraged expression, the mouth open slightly and a permanently attached diadem bearing just one horn (along with a stub on the other side) instead of two. This is the way he appeared in the comics after the Therioms pissed him off by damaging his headband during a fight in the Quartz Tower. Additionally, there's another alternative head with the monstrous mask on, which is designed to be used with the basic Gladorr figure, replacing the original domed head. This rendition captures the moment when he wears the mask, which resembles a stony captorhinid skull that is flattened to acquire a more vertical structure. Alright, but now what do I do with the "mushroom" head from the basic figure? Well, luckily the package includes a mass of scaly greenish tentacles intricately twisted together, seemingly merging into the head's stalk when this is attached at the top via a ball joint. Frankly, I'm not entirely sure what this represents... perhaps it depicts an immature aquatic form of a creature from Gladorr's species before undergoing some sort of metamorphosis, but who knows? Personally, I don't mind it, but it seems more like a substitute for his cannon, which he still uses even in this form, but is not included with the new figure. I would have preferred to receive a replica of that weapon instead of this rather useless accessory.

Gladorr's stylised optional armour.

Final thoughts

Overall: this version of Gladorr truly nails the essence of the KR|Echoes of Future line. With its faithful rendition, great design and array of accessories, this prototype is an awesome representation of the character. The figure embodies sheer epicness, particularly with the optional armour, showcasing PoliganToys' exceptional work in this line. Surely, no KR fan should miss out on adding this formidable villain to their collection when he hits the shelves

Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5