Figure Sculpt

Trap Jaw action figure from the Filmation Super7 Masters of the Universe toy line. Super7 did an amazing job translating the cartoon likeness of Trap Jaw into an action figure and pretty much nailed the colors on this one. The black robotic arm, leg, and loin cloth colors on the original 80’s figure was always a head scratcher for me compared it to the cartoon’s pink animation but this figure finally put the two at parity. The lime green colors on his face, belt, and thigh pads really stand out and set the figure off giving it additional dimension although the shade of green does seem a little brighter than the cartoon but that is artistic license for you.

Trap Jaw as he appeared in the Masters of the Universe Cartoon

Bio

I guess bio’s were not a thing in the first release of the Filmation Super7 Glub Grayskull toy line but here is what was on the back of the Trap Jaw’s box. Instead of a classic character bio, they had this:

Based on the successful Mattel toy line, the animated “He-Man and the Masters of Universe” debuted in 1983 and immediately delighted young fans with unique storylines and interpretations of characters that until then had existed only in plastic. Now, many years later, Mattel pays homage to those thrilling episodic adventures with a collectible line of highly detailed and articulated action figures that are true to their animated counterparts. By the Power of Grayskull!

Cartoon History

According to the Grayskull Wiki, Trap Jaw is introduced into the toy line’s accompanying cartoon series by Filmation, in the show’s pilot episode “Diamond Ray of Disappearance” in which Skeletor describes him as a ‘wizard of weapons’. He goes on to become one of the most frequently used villains of the series, usually paired alongside Beast-Man.  Trap Jaw. His character portrayal is significantly toned down from the psychotic mass murderer of the mini-comics to render him more suitable for a younger audience. He is therefore portrayed generally as bold but coarse, bumbling, and incompetent, one of the least intelligent of Skeletor’s warriors, played mostly for laughs. However, he still has his moments in the spotlight, most notably in the episode “Double Edged Sword”, in which he goes after the mineral Eternium, Eternia’s most powerful mineral which powers the Royal Kingdom, and eats it, giving him power equal to that of He-Man. He also occasionally shows mechanical expertise.

Trap Jaw is one of the few characters who was not designed by Filmation to appear symmetrical, allowing the animation cells to be flipped over when needed, saving animation costs. Given this, it is maybe surprising that he appears as often as he does. However, very occasionally, his mechanical arm can be seen on the wrong side of his body. In the series bible, Trap-Jaw was a criminal, who became stranded on Infinita, and fell under the command of Skeletor. He and Beast-Man were originally intended to appear in the episode “Capture the Comet Keeper” working for Skeletor but they were replaced with Two-Bad since Mattel wanted to put an emphasis on the newer characters.

Super7 Filmation

Super7 Filmation toy line features fully articulated action figures stand 7” tall and come with a bevy of awesome accessories, presented in packaging consistent with the history of their respective lines. Sculpted by the incomparable Four Horsemen with careful attention to the finest details, these Masters of the Universe figures will stand toe-to-toe with the vilest villains and hardiest heroes on your shelf. The packaging for the Filmation toy line features both Club Grayskull packaging.

Club Grayskull Packaging and Box Art

In the Club Grayskull assortment, each figure and their accessories are packaged in a resealable die cut window box with a slipcase and an outer cardboard box. On the front of the boxes, you can see the Filmation cartoon version of Castle Grayskull, which sets each figure off within the window of the box. The logo is from the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon, which is featured prominently in the center of the front of the box. The back of each box contains Filmation cartoon art for each figure as well as a newly crafted bio.

Super7 History

Founded in 2001 as a magazine focused on the minutia of collecting vintage toys, Super7 has since grown into one of the most influential and sought after toy brands in the market today. By infusing their deep knowledge of toys as collectors combined with their detailed attention to manufacturing and design, Super7 creates unique and inspiring toys, apparel, events and experiences not typically seen from other manufacturers. Based in San Francisco, you can find them online at http://www.super7HQ.com or http://www.super7store.com as well as their retail stores in both San Francisco and San Diego.