General Information:
Release Date: September 2025
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Rifle; Rocket Pack
Official images and product description in italics below are from Amazon:
- TRANSFORMERS ONE ELITA-1: This Transformers Studio Series Elita-1 action figure is highly articulated for posability and features movie-inspired deco and details
- TRANSFORMERS TOYS STUDIO SERIES DELUXE CLASS: This 4.5-inch (11.5 cm) collectible action figure is inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the Transformers movie universe
- 2 ICONIC MODES: This Studio Series Transformers toy features conversion between robot and Cybertronian trike modes
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: Transformers figure comes with blaster and jetpack accessories that attach to the figure
- ARTICULATED FOR PLAY AND DISPLAY: Transformers figures feature articulated heads, arms, and legs for action poses
- COLLECT STUDIO SERIES FIGURES: This action figure toy makes a great collectible figure gift for any Transformers fan. Look for more Transformers Studio Series toys to build a collection (each sold separately, subject to availability)
Bring the epic action of the Transformers movies from the big screen into your collection with the Transformers Studio Series 4.5-inch (11.5 cm) Deluxe Class Elita-1 action figure, inspired by Transformers One! Transformers Studio Series toys are collectible action figures that feature movie-inspired details and accessories. Convert the Studio Series Transformers action figure from robot to Cybertronian trike mode. The figure has articulated head, arms, and legs for action poses. Look for more Transformers Studio Series collectible figures to build a movie-inspired collection (each sold separately, subject to availability)! TRANSFORMERS and HASBRO and all related trademarks and logos are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. Copyright 2025 Paramount Pictures Corp. All Rights Reserved.
Background:
Transformers One takes place during the age before the Great War began on Cybertron. The story centers around best friends Orion Pax and D-16 going on an adventure that will change their lives forever. Part of that journey of course centers around Orion Pax eventually becoming the hero known as Optimus Prime. All this is given away in the trailers for the movie (see below). This Studio Series figure is based on Elita-1's appearance in the film once she receives a Transformation Cog.
Packaging:
Elita-1 is packaged in the new style of Studio Series packaging introduced in 2025. The box is still rectangular and retains the black background, but other things have changed. For instance, the Transformers logo is now set horizontally towards the bottom of the front with the "Studio Series" sub-logo under it in a blue line. The lower left hand corner (if you are facing it) has the "Transformers One" logo and next to that is Elita-1's name and faction logo. The upper left corner has a series of icons indicating a 25 step transformation and the recommended 8+ age group for the toy. To the right is artwork of Elita-1 in both robot and vehicle modes. In the middle is the figure almost fully shown through a plastic window! Yes, they're back and it's great. Interestingly, the Generations logo is gone though the figures are still all very much meant to be of the same quality as Generations figures.
The back of the box shows Elita-1 in both modes calling out a 25 step transformation. It also has a blurb that says "Elita-1 is a team leader who gets the job done, no matter the cost." with a screenshot from the scene on top of the train in the film.
Accessories:
Elita-1 includes two accessories, and I have a lot to say about one of them so hang in there.
Rifle
In the "Transformers One" film, a generic rifle weapon was designed to be used in multiple scenes by various background characters (and Orion Pax himself in one key scene). Hasbro created an accessory based on this weapon. It is a very "scifi" looking weapon with a unique shape that starts with an angular barrel end leading to a curved section on top leading to a small stock in the back. Towards the middle is a circle on either side and in front of that are mechanical greebles. It is a good looking rifle and matches what was seen on screen well.
This weapon is made of silver plastic with gunmetal grey painted onto the greebles in the middle. The weapon has a 5mm handle that can swing up and down for storage. There is also a tab on the left side to attach to the figure.
Rocket Pack
Another key piece of equipment seen in "Transformers One" was a rocket pack. This was used by the miners that Elita led towards the beginning of the film. You can see it used in the clip below:
This accessory looks great. It has giant thrusters on the back with angled panels on top and a circle in the middle sandwiched between two trapezoids. There are a lot of smaller sculpted details as well. This accessory is made of two pieces, the backpack on the other side. They are held together by a screw.
This accessory is made of silver plastic with gunmetal grey paint on some of the details. The part which should connect to figures features five tabs, each used for different figures. You see, this accessory was made to attach to other Studio Series "Transformers One" figures including Bumblebee and Optimus Prime. It attaches to those figures just fine, but here's the issue - I cannot get this to attach to Elita-1 easily!
The rocket pack has two vertical tabs on it that line up to two slots on Elita-1's back. The problem is, it is very difficult to get it to attach. It took me about twenty tries before I got it to attach, and even then I had to press the pack in very hard with my thumbs, to the point where they left indentations on my thumbs. If I didn't press them in like this they would only go in part way and then pop out. It should not be this difficult to attach an accessory and it really soured me on this figure right out of the gate.
Robot Mode:
This figure represents Elita-1's design after she receives a Transformation Cog, which upgraded her body with extra armor and new details. This figure uses that design as its foundation, but some sacrifices were made in the process.
Let's go into what they did right first. Overall the silhouette of this figure is largely like the one in the film with a head that features a shape inspired by G1 Elita-1's head design. She has curved upper arms and a relatively small torso with a design that features a "collar" near the neck on the chest-plate. Her legs are thin (compared to what you would typically see on a Transformers figure) with knee armor that covers a good portion of her thighs. The back of her ankles have vehicle mode wheels on them and she has a lot of mechanical greebles on parts like her forearms. In this respect the sculpt looks good. My biggest issue with it is the forearm armor, which goes over the fists. I find such a design choice distracting and ugly. I wish there had been a way to slide the armor back or something so the fists wouldn't be obscured.
The deco on this figure is really nice. She is mostly made up of metallic pink, silver and gunmetal grey plastic. Paint colors include silver, gunmetal grey, red, blue and metallic pink. The colors largely match up with her appearance on screen so no complaints in terms of colors.
Okay, so functionality is where this figure falls flat on its face. There are twenty one points of articulation in this mode. This includes an unusual design where the base of the neck and the head can both move. Each shoulder and elbow is a ball joint and each leg has even points of articulation. The problem is a matter of quality control. The shoulder and hip joints are all ball joints and something went wrong during manufacturing because the right arm and the left leg have a tendency to pop off on my copy of the figure. The right arm just pops off at the shoulder when I try to pose it out, so I have to keep reattaching it. The left leg does the same, but worse, I cannot get the leg to stay in place when I pose it out. When I move the leg outward, it "snaps" back into place. If I try to move it outward a little more, the limb just disconnects altogether and I have to snap the leg back on. In my photos I had to push it back into place multiple times while posing it. At least one friend of mine is experiencing the same with his copy of this figure so I know it's not just mine. The Rocket Pack issue was already disappointing, but just getting ball joints right is something that the factories should be able to do in their sleep at this point so this is extremely disappointing.
Elita-1 can hold the rifle in either hand. If you wish to store it on her back, use the tab and fit it into one of the slots on her back. You're going to have to give it a good push for it to stay in place similar to the rocket pack.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the accessories (if attached) and set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Swing the head and chest piece forward.
- Turn the head around and swing it up.
- On each upper arm, rotate the panels on the sides around.
- Swing the back panel down and separate the pink panel from the silver one.
- In between the arms are wheels. Swing each half of the wheels out.
- Push the shoulders inward.
- On the silver back panel, swing the peg up.
- Swing the silver panel up and press it in.
- Swing each heel up into the bottom of the feet.
- Swing the front armor panel on each lower leg out to the side.
- Swing the knee armor pieces down.
- Swing the hinges at the knees up.
- Swing the feet up against the knee area.
- Bring the lower legs together and connect them at the wheels, the sides of the ankles and the frame under the wheel.
- Swing the arms up a bit. Connect the tabs on the sides of the forearm armor to the slots on the sides of the hips.
- Swing out all the parts on the back panel from the robot mode.
- Swing the back panel down. It should tab into the forearm armor and the front section should also connect if you press it down.
- Attach the rocket pack to the peg in the back.
- You can use the tab on the side of the rifle to attach it to one of the ports on the sides of the shoulder armor.
Vehicle Mode:
Elita-1's motorcycle mode is a good approximation of what was seen on screen. It has armor sections on the sides with wheels in the middle that are mostly covered up by armor running down the middle. Since this is not a motorcycle intended to have a rider, there are no sections for a seat or for a driver to put their legs. To approximate the pointed sections on the back, the rocket pack attaches to the back and its angled panels on top stick out the back. The rectangle on Elita's back winds up being the headlight in the middle, something that was seen on screen as well.
The colors from the robot mode all carry over here with a lot of the pink panels consolidated on the sides and in the middle. This also gives you a good look at the wheels. Silver paint gets featured in the middle along with blue on the headlight. Overall the deco looks nice.
Final Thoughts:
Elita-1 was one of my favorite characters from "Transformers One" and I have been waiting for a transforming figure of the character since the film was released. Unfortunately this figure does not live up to my hopes. Some of this is due to the design, but most of the issues I have with this figure are with the quality control. Joints popping off and the rocket pack needing excessive force to attach simply should not be issues. These are basic functions that were mastered in the Transformers toy line decades ago. Perhaps if a future run of this figure corrects these issues I'll change my rating but for now this figure is not recommended.
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt that recreates a lot of the CG model's details.
- Nice deco in both modes.
- The ability of other figures to use the rocket pack is a great idea.
Cons:
- Having to use excessive force to attach the rocket pack is bad.
- The arm and leg constantly popping off is a sign of terrible quality control on this figure.
- The transformation is very fiddly and requires exact tabbing of a lot of panels so it can be a bit frustrating.
