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HGUC PMX-001 Palace Athene
Introduction:
The PMX-001 Palace Athene is a custom machine by Scirocco, used by Reccoa Londe near the end of the Gryps War. The Palace Athene boasts size, balance and one hell of an arsenal. This bold looking mobile suit makes for an interesting model.
Assembly:
Incredibly straightforward and the pieces fit together really nicely. There are a large number of decals which can get tedious but otherwise, there are no problems here.
Head:
Peaking with its massive fin, the Athene’s head looks as badass as the show. You have a sensor decal with a black piece inside on a socket joint. There are also 2 gummy pieces as the pipes between the head and torso.
Torso:
The torso is complicated but detailed. The chest pieces that house the gummy pipes are somewhat difficult to get in right but once you’re done, you have a nice solid torso. The shoulder joints allow the arms to roll back and forward and the hips get about a 90 degree swivel area. Mounted on the back is the massive backpack with thrusters at the top and space for 8 large missiles. The missiles can be pivoted around but often clash with the large shoulders of the Athene.
Arms:
True to the rest of the model, the arms of the Athene are very nice looking, including more gummy pipes. The forearms have slots to mount the beam cannon or the shield. Now, the big problem with the arms is that the flamboyant shoulders like to knock into your missile setup, taking away some posing ability. You’re given a closed fist for each hand and a beam saber compatible right hand. All things considered, this is another hard point of the model.
Legs:
Not falling behind slightly are the towering legs of the Palace Athene. Though there are a lot of decals (Being the yellow stripes), the legs look very nice and detailed. The joints are standard but the massive tail in back makes balancing this thing rather easy. Even the ankle and toe have free range of movement so enjoy coming up with bad ass poses.
Armaments:
Aside from the 8 large missiles, the Athene has 2 beam sabers, a shield and dual beam cannon. The sabers come with clear yellow blades which can be removed. The saber handles fit in little slots in the shield. Good stuff right here.
Final Thoughts:
This kit is amazing. Buy it if you like the mobile suit or just want an evil looking enemy for your Mark 2. This kit might be a bit more expensive than your average HGUC but it is well worth it.
