Alpha Team Question

[Bonkle]

Hello everyone.

 

I've been looking at minifigures recently, and I spotted something that's really bugging me. In 2001 and 2002, Agents Flex and Charge have their own signature faces. However, in 2004, the general concepts of the faces were kept, but redesigned, and seemingly switched between the two. Was there ever any explanation for this?

[Onuki]

Interesting question!  Since I can't remember noticing the change or an explanation at the time, I'm going to guess that since both newer faces were different enough from the originals yet both looked more like the old Flex than the old Charge, they just decided to change the names even though the new Charge more closely resembles the old Flex than the new Flex does.  I guess Lego doesn't always keep as good track of its minor characters as we do.

[PeabodySam]

I had an image for reference, but majhost decided to undergo indefinite maintenance without warning and I do not currently have access to the hard drive on which said image is stored, so unfortunately I can't show you at this time.

 

However, according to my hypothesis, it is not merely Charge and Flex whose faces have been swapped.  Sure, Charge's Mission Deep Freeze face greatly resembles Flex's previous faces, but Flex's Mission Deep Freeze face doesn't really look that much like Charge.  However, swap around a few more heads, and you get the following:

• Charge's head + Flex's body = Flex.  This one is simple enough, with the big grin and orange uniform together bearing a very strong resemblance to the Flex we all know and love.
• Flex's head + Diamond Tooth's body = Crunch.  Crunch was conspicuously absent in Mission Deep Freeze... or was he?  The stubble and wide mouth are much more evocative of Crunch than they are of either Flex or Charge, and the green-sleeved torso is one that has always belonged to Crunch.
• Diamond Tooth's head + Dash Justice's body = Charge.  It seems that poor Charge can't get around shaving his beloved mustache, but this time, at least he gets to keep the goatee.  The blue uniform has never belonged to Dash; it has always gone to Charge.  You will also notice that, in junction with the previous bullet, this completely eliminates the new character Diamond Tooth.
• Dash Justice's head + Arrow's body = Dash Justice.  If the blue uniform doesn't belong to Dash, then which one does?  The problem is that Dash's previous uniforms have never had a particular color, instead simply using the current mission's neutral color (black in the original mission, dark-blue in Mission Deep Sea) without any differently-colored arms.  However, of the remaining Alpha Team minifigs (red uniform, yellow arm, and purple arm), Arrow's yellow-armed torso is the only one that does not conflict with any of the previous Alpha Team characters, making it the most likely choice for Dash.
• Arrow's head + Charge's body = Arrow.  Unfortunately, unlike Diamond Tooth, there is no getting around Arrow.  Either Cam Attaway woke up at four in the morning and forgot to apply her make-up, or we've got a new character.  Still, since Arrow is the team's new mechanic replacing Cam, it makes sense that he would inherit her previously-held red uniform designation.  Besides, we have to use that leftover Charge body for something...

This leaves us with Radia and Tee Vee, who are the only two minifigs of the Mission Deep Freeze line who are not in need of any head-swapping.  Radia's head and purple sleeve work well enough for Radia, while Tee Vee is a brand-new iteration of a robotic character who has demonstrated the ability to download his consciousness into other bodies (see his rover form in Mission Deep Sea).  And then, of course, there's the brand-new special agent Zed, but his face doesn't resemble any of the original Alpha Team members and his uniform is rather unique, making it safe to assume that he is correctly assembled.

 

But hey, it's just a hypothesis.  A LEGO hypothesis!  Thanks for reading!

Edited September 18, 2015 by PeabodySam

[Bonkle]

Thank both of you for your hypotheses. One more question while we're at it: Was Agent Zed supposed to have two yellow sleeves, or did he not have any sleeves at all? 'Cause the latter is a pretty bad choice in the Arctic.

Edited September 18, 2015 by Bonkle