Operation: Monster Force Files — The Forgotten King

Honestly, a figure like Operation: Monster Force‘s Forgotten King is the sort of villain you want in your library of characters and a fun figure for any collection. Within the lore, the character is a literal forgotten Egyptian pharaoh removed from history because of his cruelty. And now, he’s back with the ability to turn his foes into thralls and he has sinister plans for the world. That’s some solid backstory for the antagonist and just the beginning when I received my copy of the figure from Big Bad Workshop and Fresh Monkey Fiction.

While I’m the sort who removes action figures from the packaging, the elegant design of the Monster Force box is great to behold. Additionally, the all-important back story is printed right on the back and fires up the imagination well before getting the figure in hand.

Once out of the package, though, the Forgotten King becomes a gem. Modern articulation — including butterfly joints in the shoulders, boot cuts, and forward-facing ankle rockers — are all on display. Double-joints in at the elbows and knees offer the chance for extreme poses. The joints were nice and tight upon opening, but also allowed for movement without the sensation the figure might break. As someone who typically just displaying figures in a nearly-default stance, working with the character was a change of pace, but a welcome one as the figure has a great range of motion. Granted, any pose requiring an ab-crunch will be restricted by the suit overlay. At the same time, though, I doubt the Forgotten King would ever allow foes or subordinates to see him in anything resembling a prone or bent position.

That sensation is backed by the very design and sculpt of the figure. Dressed in a modern white suit, the Forgotten King makes quite an impression. But his Egyptian-inspired mask truly sells the concept. Going for more of a fantasy look than something historically accurate, the character is immediately distinctive as the gold and azure mask contrasts with his fashion sense. And for someone who grew up on toy lines with such contrasts, the figure immediately evoke a sense of nostalgia even as the modern sculpting and articulation underscores its newness.

In terms of the sculpt, fine details like wrinkles in the pants and coat give him a lived-in quality even as the silhouette suggests the unearthly. Additionally, the high boots give him a military aspiration that also contrasts with the elegance of his three-piece suit and longish white coat. It offers a sense of refinement even as the mask betrays the character’s malevolent intentions.

The included accessories also offer ways to make the Forgotten King more elegant or evil depending on your preferences. Hand options include grip hands for the staff — more on that later — closed fists for fighting, and splayed hands. Each pair also comes in flesh tone, white glove, and translucent blue to convey the character’s supernatural powers. The latter set also features an additional pair in karate-chop positioning. Being me, I prefer the gloved hands to make him more of a gentlemen out of time, but the trans-blue hands are also fun. I immediately recreated the box art pose, though, so I can say the energy hands and included magic aura accessory look as great in real life as they do on the box. The staff is also a great piece of design. Like the mask, it evokes an aura of ancient Egypt without any direct historicity. It also looks great in hand whether positioned as a weapon or a conduit for the King’s power.

As you’ll see below, I also posed him in the Marquess of Queensbury stance to demonstrate the fists and the double elbows. I’m not sure if the Forgotten King would ever ask Dracula to step outside, but I bet he’d be ready to demand sanctification if the legendary vampire made a request for mano-a-mano combat.

Indeed, the lore around the Forgotten King suggests he always has plenty of minions to fight for him, but how can one not think a character who looks like this will give an opponent what-for?

One additional accessory is a relatively simple Operation: Monster Force display stand. While just a branded base with light theming and two pegs to attach his feet, its simplicity is very much appreciated.

All-in-all, the Forgotten King is a fabulous figure and a worthy antagonist for the line. Like other classic toy villains, he has a remarkable profile, a great look, and the potential for a lot of interesting play — whether that be photo shoots, sparing with other figures, or taking command of your bad guy shelf.

If you are interested in picking up the Forgotten King or any of the other Operation: Monster Force figures, head on over to the Operation: Monster Force page on Big Bad Toy Store.

(Note: As an affiliate with Big Bad Toy Store, Comicon.com may receive commission for any purchases made through those links.)