Time for those pictures I promised! Before I get started, I just have to say that Icarax looks intimidating in just about every single pose you can think of. WARNING: Big pics.

Now then, here's the front of the warrior. All those blades and suff add to his combat-oriented personality in a big way.

And here's the back, showing the wing placement. As you can see, the wings are extremely posable, with the lower wings being able to move on their own, plus all four with full-range motion due to the Hordika skulls. Really nice, one of the best aspects of the set.

And with the Kraahkan flipped up. Like I said in the last entry, one of the biggest downsides is the lime green eyes. Don't work really well with his overall color scheme and villainous design. I don't see why LEGO couldn't have done the same half-sized mold for the reddish-orange eyes so the mask can work.

Now for some fun. Makuta vs. Toa swordfight!

Icarax seems to have more skill with a blade...

And here's a comparison of Icarax's Kraahkan (left) and 2003 Makuta's Kraahkan (right). As I said in the last entry, Icarax's mask is a darker shade of black than the 2003 one. There is one other difference, though...

Here they are flipped. Again, Icarax's is the left, Makuta's is the right. I'm not sure if you can see it in here, but my grandmother (of all people) found the second difference: the upper-most hole on each side of the Kraahkan, near the mouth, is filled in on Icarax's, whereas the 2003 one has both holes completely hollowed out. Weird, but it's extremely subtle.

I have to admit, Antroz's Jutlin looks pretty darn good on Icarax.

The final battle begins...

...For the fate of the universe as all know it!

So, there's Makuta Icarax of Karzahni. A couple other downsides: one, Icarax as absolutely no new pieces exclusive to him. Small issue, but it's still there. Two, THAT FREAKING AQUA WARBLADE IS BACK. I like the design, but it's quickly becoming more overused than Takanuva staff blades. Three, his right forearm. You can see it in the Lewa swordfight pic, it has no wrist, and is hard to pose. There's one huge thing that redeems it, though, which I'll come back to. Four, like the other Makuta sets this winter, the hole for the neck is too big, making his head wobble from side to side.

As far as pros go, there are many. I love his armored appearance. Just about everything red seems like armor, so even his feet look armored. I also adore his wings, as I said before. I also found out that it's a little bit flexible, like the Hordika weapons, Piraka spines, etc., though a bit sturdier. Sturdier than the Inika masks, I think. The return of the Mask of Shadows is wonderful, especially since I was completely sure that they'd redesign it when I first heard he would wear it. It's also great to see it in a darker shade.

But the biggest positive aspect: THE RETURN OF GEARS!!! Yes, for the first time since the Hordika, Keetongu and Roodaka, Icarax has gears. Granted, it's not much, but it's still a good thing. Using a black Hordika upper arm, you can spin his bladed shield. That alone may make him far superior than any other 2008 set.

I highly recommend Makuta Icarax. The pros far outweigh the cons. Not to mention that he's just plain cool looking, and would make a visually wonderful addition to anyone's collection. Just hurry up and grab him; the box does not lie when it says "limited edition" -- my TRU had restocked completely the morning I bought him, and by that night when I got him, there were already only one or two left!