With Transformers War for Cybertron: Earthrise figures finally showing up at retail, it means we’re finally seeing the end of the incredible War for Cybertron: Siege series that began this multiyear theme. So! It’s the perfect time to take a look back at my favorite figures from the line.

5. Micromaster Battle Squad – Direct-Hit and Power Punch

I’ve got yer late-80s aesthetic right here. (Image: Hasbro)

Micromasters were a big part of Siege. These tiniest Transformers were not only meant to hearken back to the original Micromasters that closed the G1 line, but they also served as an homage to another gimmick. Most sets of Micromasters can combine and turn into a weapon, becoming Battle Masters (or Targetmasters as they used to be known 30 years ago). They were a little shaky at first (sometimes literally; there are several molds that fall apart as soon as you transform them), but as the line evolved, so did the figures.

We got some truly excellent “shields” for Soundwave and this set of Direct-Hit and Power Punch. They’re a masterful modernization of the original figures, right down to the searing teal and purplish-pink color scheme. But they also have a satisfying transformation and an effectively convincing weapon mode. They may be tiny, but I keep them close by on my desk, transforming them off screen during conference calls. Both modes look great and are full of character.

4. Spinister

The second cockpit is vestigial (Image: Hasbro)

I’d be remiss if I didn’t include Spinister on this list since G1 fans have been rabidly clamoring for a new Spinister figure for decades. There have been several repaints, but they’ve only been offered as pricey subscription-only figures. This Spinister is the first main-line representation of the character since 1988. It retains its eye-melting purple, pink, and teal deco, making it the most late-80s Transformer on the shelves (other than Direct-Hit and Power Punch).

The helicopter mode is nicely done, but to truly represent the original toy, some Hasbro wizardry had to be employed. The G1 toy simply folded the cockpit up and forward, making it a sturdy base for the figure to stand on… that didn’t separate into two legs. Obviously, that wasn’t going to work for a modern figure, but splitting the helicopter cockpit into two parts provided far too many logistical challenges of its own. So Hasbro shoved an entire false cockpit hidden away in the body of the alt mode that’s only visible when you transform Spinister into bot mode.

Voila! Full cockpits on each leg. It’s the kind of engineering detail we’ve come to expect from modern Transformers and proves how much Hasbro’s designers truly love the brand.

3. Astrotrain

Whaddya mean a space shuttle doesn’t have guns? (Image: Hasbro)

The train/shuttle triple changer is a bit of a cheat in this list. Siege figures mostly had Cybertronian alt modes that resembled the Earth modes we know and love (and will see more of in Earthrise). Astrotrain, despite being heavily armored in all modes, is an obvious exception. The shuttle and train modes are clearly Earth-based, and his backpack/shuttle transport has the notches to connect to other bridges, roads, and bases (connecting bases being Earthrise’s overarching gimmick).

However, all those modes are so impressive, I couldn’t wait for the Earthrise release of Astrotrain to talk about him. Shuttle mode is incredible, with the backpack/caboose turning into a shuttle transport and launch base. The train is pleasingly train-ey and does a good job color-swapping to mostly purple (the shuttle is mostly dark grey). Bot mode is a satisfying homage to the original character, with yellow and red accents that call back to the G1 figure.

But he’s still hyper-articulated and his backpack can break down into armor to make him even larger. It’s a toy that’s not going to stay in one mode for very long because you’ll want to keep transforming him. It’s the perfect capper to an amazing series.

2. Omega Supreme

Placement on list: dubious. (Image: Hasbro)

If you want truly large, you have to go with the biggest Siege character, Omega Supreme. A Titan class, like Trypticon and Fortress Maximus before him, the figure earns it’s name. It’s the ultimate figure in a line of jaw-dropping updates to G1 toys. Like the original, Omega doesn’t have a single alt mode but instead breaks down into component parts that turn into a rocket, a tank, and a command center surrounded by tracks. But it does so in a way that’s more satisfying than the “push together a pile of parts” that we got in G1.

Even so, it still retains the look and feel of that old-school figure with shapes in the armor that call back to the old plastic connectors and even a vestigial tank cannon in the back of his bot-mode head. Plus, this figure is fun. Grab a handful of those Micromasters you’ve been collecting for the past year, plunk them down in front of the command center, and suddenly their purpose in the line becomes crystal clear.

There are hidden storage compartments, computer consoles, ramps, tracks… Omega Supreme is simply the best companion for your smallest Transformers. In bot mode, he’s insanely poseable and is rock solid despite breaking into three parts to transform. G1 Omega could only dream of the joint articulation of Siege Omega Supreme. If the #1 entry on this list didn’t exist, this would be the winner, hands down.

1. Jetfire

Back off man. I’m a scientist. (Image: Hasbro)

Simply put, Jetfire is the figure that every G1 cartoon fan always wanted but never got. There was an incredible G1 Jetfire toy but, like many old-school Transformers, it was a redecoed version of a transforming toy from another line. In this case, it was a Veritech fighter from Macross. When we finally saw Jetfire in the cartoon, it wasn’t a sleek F-15-based jet but a blocky white and red Cybertronian transport.

To be fair, everyone was happier with the toy that we got. A few third-party designers tried their hand at modernizing that original cartoon design over the years, but either they were too expensive or too goofy to really make an impact. Then we got Siege Jetfire. The first figure in the new Commander class, Jetfire towers over nearly everything else in the line. It comes with armor that calls back to the original toy, an unarmored mode that was pure cartoon model, and an alt mode that’s clearly the blocky Cybertronian jet we first saw in “Fire in the Sky.” And it works.

As massive as Jetfire is in bot mode, it takes up even more space in jet mode. It’s satisfyingly solid and pleasingly swoopable. It also helps that there are little hidden features like handholds underneath to take your other figures into battle (or rescue them). The cockpit piece pops out to make room for a Titan Master (the gimmick from the last Transformers toy line). You can even flip the chest symbol from Autobot to Decepticon (a reference to his mutable alliance in the original cartoon).

Jetfire wins the top spot because it was a figure I never knew I wanted and that, once I had it in hand, met and immediately exceeded every expectation.

Runner Up: Galaxy Upgrade Optimus Prime

They’re “water cannons.” Honest. (Image: Hasbro)

It wouldn’t be fair to Siege if I didn’t include at least one Optimus on the list. There were three figures, after all. Out of all the Optimi we got, Galaxy Upgrade Optimus Prime was my favorite. Actually a retool of Siege Ultra Magnus, Galaxy Upgrade Prime ditches the G1 homage and instead calls back to Transformers: Cybertron.

Having a heavily armored and armed fire truck made absolutely no sense in the context of that cartoon (though, to be honest, not much about that show made sense), but cast it in the light of a Cybertronian upgrade for Optimus Prime and it comes together nicely. The alt mode isn’t quite as solid as it was when it was Ultra Magnus, but that’s understandable given there are less connection points for the trailer to hold together.

Where this figure really shines is in upgraded bot mode. Optimus becomes a winged, walking artillery battery, with a cartoon-accurate helmet and leg cannons. As the fandom matures, we’ll be seeing more toys like this that call back to shows from the early 2000s. If they’re all like this, then we’re in for a treat.