Bluetooth (Spawn 22)

How intimidating would a big Viking-esque mercenary be if his first name was “Harold”? With “Harold” Bluetooth we finally have an answer.

Bluetooth reminds me most of Fat Bastard from Austin Powers. Bluetooth is what Fat Bastard would look like if he stopped the calorie intake, upped his exercise quotient, and developed a Viking fetish. Keeping with the Dark Ages theme,

Bluetooth sports a horned helmet, a shield, a funky war hammer, and fur fringe. The detail and sculpt are of very high quality – just take a look at his clenched right fist. All the right stress lines are there and fingernails have been included. The rest of the figure is equally detailed – I especially like his shield that actually looks like it’s made of wood.

The great articulation

found with most of the Metal Gear Solid 2 series, once again presides. I’ve got my fingers crossed that McFarlane uses the MGS2 articulation method as a standard. I’m not saying I don’t like the more “statuesque” figures but it’s nice to have many display and play options. The legs are highly articulated and adaptable to a wide range of stances and poses that can keep Bluetooth standing. And to ensure stability, his left foot can be pegged to a base!

For display purposes, Bluetooth fits in with the rest of the series and most other McFarlane figures released in the last few months. The fur fringes add to the overall presentation (and carefully hides the PVC pipe-like joints). However, his right shoulder proved to be extremely loose resulting in an inability to wield his hammer above his head.

Playability is pretty high, especially if you accept the fact that you’ll probably lose some of the accessories. He has a dagger that fits in the holster on his right leg and it will stay there snugly. But if you play with it… well, it’s small enough to be lost. The powder horn is a nice touch but a little out of place – although the real twine adds some authenticity – and easily lost. The war hammer fits very well in his hand. The removable nub on the handle can be lost but this doesn’t affect his ability to keep the hammer firmly in place – losing the nub just means Bluetooth isn’t quite whole. His shield fits quite a bit looser in his left hand but since it’s bigger, it’s harder to lose. Durability is moderate, however I can see that with extended play the fur fringe will fray. I noticed that some of the joints became very loose after putting him through the regular play test, which can make him trickier to pose.

If you’re into the Viking scene or take part in those historical combat recreations, Bluetooth is for you. And everyone else, Bluetooth is worth a look – he’s of quality construction, looks good, displays well, and proves that mercenaries named Harold aren’t that wimpy after all.

- Omni