No, this set of figures didn't represent a particularly important character with an amazing history and tons of memorable moments over the years. No, the character wasn't even my number one favorite design in his respective series. In my top five, absolutely, but not even number one. However, what this character came to mean to me over the years, especially in the manner in which I was receiving him, maybe that was ready to change.
When I joined AKIA so many years ago, I lurked for a while, the smart thing to do when you're joining a community. One of the things I recall as part of the old forum rules was never to beg for free figures. It was frowned upon because it's rude for someone to enter a community expected to be handed things for nothing, but one of the amazing things about this place was that it happened regardless. If you expressed yourself as a newbie interested in the toys, demonstrated a willingness to pay, some people would simply not accept money. AKIA members actually sent you free MUSCLE figures. Sometimes they were clearly crap they knew would never sell. Other times they were genuinely nice and mint figures, showing a level of generosity I'd not seen before on such a scale. The first few times my brother and I received figures in addition to buying others, there were definitely more of the latter.
While my brother amassed his collection, I was content to go after only a few. I didn't need every flesh figure, although I would and still do covet a Satan Cross. I certainly held no ambitions of a master color set. That was for men who'd been at it for far longer and had far deeper pockets. I saved myself from such hassles by focusing my attention to the sculpts I enjoyed the most. Some of those were figures from my brother's small handful from childhood, when we didn't even know what MUSCLE was and he was too young to recall the clear plastic trash can I inexplicably associated with them.
The Claw stood out from the beginning, but you know what? Everybody loved the Claw. Back then, purple Claws were a big deal and less numerous, but I could've tried for the other colors, I guess... but I wasn't fond of the competition (I'd end up with several anyway, only to sell them all a couple years ago, without asking $20+ each like people had started to do). Number one, "Muscleman", or the "Muscle Brothers" as mimoman and I would call them because he owned two... he seemed a natural fit, but I passed. Of course, there was always my favorite, the Lizardman, #131, Ukon. I had no idea what his real name meant but that went on the list for sure. Ruling out other childhood sculpts, I naturally gravitated to other reptilian figures, and that's how #193 Cobra Satan ultimately became my favorite MUSCLE figure.
You know what's interesting about Cobra Satan? He's sooooo easy. Looking at a out-of-focus lot of figures? Lack of legs makes him stand out like a sore thumb. Color variety? There's only five! Rarity? Three of them are "uncommon", whatever the hell that means. I think I actually looked longer for a minty orange or salmon replacement than I did to get the set of five. Nothing in his Part 18 tree was rare either, which was perfect for when I went after "Tortle" or the spiky #207.
Ukon, #131, was an oddity. He was definitely my number two, and he had that one super-rare color I wasn't sure I could find, but there was a good portion of time where it seemed like people didn't believe a red 131 existed. Even now, he's almost mythical in status, one of the few figures guys like General Veers is missing. You know, a figure THAT rare, I'm probably okay with saying that I'm not going to own it.
I didn't sit down to write a veritable essay about Ukon. No, this is for my number three fave, an underdog among underdogs. A figure with the misfortune to be in Kinnikuman Part 8, one of the most infamous figure sets and trees for rare sculpts, should not have been a figure I tracked down, but he was unique in he wasn't flashy, didn't stand out all that much in a crowd, seemed to have zero fanbase, yet evoked something prehistoric which instantly endeared him to me, much more than Mammothman could - figure 154, Ammonite. I had to have him.
Most of the figures I needed of him came quickly enough. Orange was a bit of a challenge, I think, but it didn't take too much longer to get most of them. Then it boiled down to purple. It seemed like I might be in trouble then... very few people claimed to own one, so few that some people thought they were misidentified grape figures. That was shot down right away as I kept hunting, but there was definitely nobody selling one. Master set hunters became more prominent, Soupie color image archive went up, and I found myself in competition among high-rollers for a figure none of them would spare a second's thought over were it any other color. I should have given up, but I wouldn't. Bargains that barely escaped my grasp drove me onward, as every few months to a year, one would appear and give me hope that even if someone spent $50 on it, or $80, or $100, at least it meant THEIR hunt was done and I'd have my chance next time. Right?
Prices never went down. A purple 154 might go for a bargain if an unaware seller threw up a Buy-It-Now for $5 and someone with email alerts or bookmarked searches or a smartphone caught it within five minutes, or there was a local yard sale, or a lot exchanged hands in private. It never helps that someone with a purple 154 often also has one or more rare figures as well, causing more wars over mediocre figures that happened to be the "right" color. Maybe such close proximity to the infamous Claw got to people. I'll never know.
Plenty of nice people stood up over the years, vowing to help end my silly plight. I always appreciated the gesture, but never felt those efforts would amount to anything. I was never on at the right time, or that person would never be able to afford a silly price, or I couldn't afford it at that moment. I didn't wake up late on a Sunday afternoon two weeks ago thinking "this was going to be the day!" I couldn't recall the last time I thought about the hunt in a positive manner, and was not far off from thinking that maybe today would instead be the day I listed all my MUSCLE figures for sale. Instead I found an email. A PM notification from LRG, which had a message by clonewars that was impossible to believe and beyond my dreams. I was skeptical, and confused, so I headed to LRG and found his sale thread and became a little more skeptical. After all, who's insane enough to spend that much money on stupid MUSCLE figures only to give them away to a total stranger??? Let's face it, I may have been here for years and have a ton of posts under my belt, but do I know any of you personally? I've never hung out with any of you people, I detest the Mixed Nuts shoutbox and chat threads, I don't share most of your interests, and visiting LRG is usually out of instinct and routine than a legitimate desire to post here.
When some anonymous stranger goes out of their way to spend $150 (plus shipping? really?) on you, money you have no way of repaying in the immediate future, when you should be seen as barely a part of their community, it's hard not to feel incredulous or suspicious, but I had nothing to lose. Last Saturday, somebody made this possible and, part of the community or not, I will be eternally grateful to you all.
TL;DR: this happened.
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