Coming up with new characters in an old franchise is tough - that's why Origin Vypor works. Much like Castle Grayskullman [FOTD #567], this character is a figural representation of a place - in this case, Viper Tower from the expensive Eternia playset. And it's a brilliant idea - the red serpent neck and chains are here, along with a body that looks like a typical He-Man toy.
I admit I am not a huge fan of the Snake Men - that's what happens when you don't make the cut on the cartoons we watched as kids - but I love this idea of taking an old toy and making a figure out of it. He has a functionally fine (but silly) bone wand, and a fairly enjoyable comic with a quippy Skeletor dealing with the ancient Snake Men group. This is one of those things I would recommend picking up if you're only vaguely interested in the series since the whole package is pretty rewarding in and of itself, without demanding you to need another purchase to feel you got a complete experience.
When I saw the concept for the figure, I thought "that's interesting" and went about my business. Seeing the final product, it's remarkable how much they incorporated from the playset. The purple mountain is reflected in his greaves and belt, and his gold armor with chains are adapted from elements on the actual tower. The long neck and open mouth are as well, amping up flourishes from the playset like upturned shoulders and the whole body thing. Making a new figure that feels like it's from a 40-year-old toy line is tricky, but Mattel nailed it with this one.
As always, a lot of this figure has recycled elements to help keep costs down (and figures consistent.) But the important thing is you get a new multi-part head and new armor! The neck is one piece, and a head is on top of that with a moving jaw. These parts have scaly skin, and since the body is separated by the armor, the sculpting difference between it and the typical smooth (or lumpy) skin isn't as obvious. The colors match, and it looks like it belongs. The opening jaw works well, the mouth interior is painted nicely, and I love the snaky expression on his face. It feels like an actual old toy, as if a lost 1988 toy existed where you push a button on his back and the head lunges forward while the jaw snaps. It should be noted the toy cannot actually do this, because someone decided collectors don't like fun play features. These people are wrong - I would love if it did more than just be posed and look cool. But it does look cool.
The armor is also excellent, with a Snake Men logo in the middle of gold armor that looks like, maybe, it could be the Battle Armor drum that spins around. The bare midriff is very silly, but also on-point for the late 1980s. The chains are also well-executed, but functionally silly - we know they're there because they were on the Tower of an old playset, but here you do have to wonder who he's trying to get picked up by. It all hangs together nicely, but it does seem like a relic of the 1980s. Similarly, the bone staff weapon is unpainted and sculpted like something you would have expected during the first Bush administration. Some paint would have made it look too modern, so going with a completely undecorated staff helps this very modern, nicely-articulated figure have the tiniest air of retro authenticity.
The most staggering thing to me in 2024 is how Mattel seems to be capturing a level of imagination in expanding what I assumed what was a stale franchise. I genuinely expected Origins to be dead in the water by now, having spent its fuel with most of the original toys being remade more than once. But no, they kept it fresh by bringing in old concept characters, crossovers with Stranger Things and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and of course Filmation figures. I can only imagine how ThunderCats will do, but if they can do other things like Vypor I think they'll keep people interested for a few more years. All I can say to Mattel is good job, it's not easy to make cranky old toy fans excited at the prospect of a new expansion to the line yet somehow, they're pulling it off.
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