FIXING STRATOS

27th March 2010 update: I am glad to say that there is finally some good news about Stratos! Visitors to Vaults will know this page has been on the site for a long time. The original MOTUC Stratos was released with his wings in the wrong position. As you can see from the image on the right, Stratos's wings are ninety degrees out of place. They should be rotated at his wrists so they lie along his arms and not behind them.

Fans have tried to point out the error for over a year, but no-one took any notice. When Stratos was re-released in March 2010, the figure was left exactly the same as the first release. It seemed as though Mattel was not interested in fixing this figure, even though every single piece of original artwork and the original 1980s figure had Stratos's wings on the side of his arms.

However, Scott 'Toyguru' Neitlich of Mattel recently posted this remark (slightly edited by me) on the He-Man.org forums: "You know what? You guys are totally right on this one. For future releases of Stratos I have met with design and we will make sure Stratos's wings are not glued in place so they can be rotated for the front or the back. I'm a bit embarrassed on this one. Usually I catch this stuff. The first 6 figures were pretty fast and furious. I was so busy at the time fixing Stratos's miscoloured belt that the incorrect wings went past my careful eye. We'll get it next time as I'm sure Stratos will be back in time."

There will probably be a fairly long wait for the correct re-release, as Mattel obviously has to buy materials and make adjustments to the schedule, but this is good news because we will finally be able to buy a perfect version of one of the original Masters from the earliest days of the 1980s toyline. Stratos may not be the most popular character among fans, but for those of us who love the early stories and the original canon, he is a favourite.

Anyway, the rest of this page is as it was when it was first written. If you have a first or second release Stratos and you want to have a go at fixing the wings, read on. The key problem is the glue, and fans have found that the way to fix Stratos's wings is to melt the glue, sometimes aided by a craft knife. Be aware that this is not particularly easy or safe, so you're on your own if you try it! Any damage to yourself or your Stratos is down to you.

Two ways of softening the glue have been suggested. One is to use a hair-dryer, the other is to dunk the wrist in boiling water for thirty seconds or so. Whichever method you choose, you have to keep going for just long enough to get to the point when the wing can be moved. To re-harden the plastic, you should dunk Stratos's arm in icy water. Don't forget to keep water and electricity apart!

Good luck with your repair work.