.....wall of text incoming, pictures at bottom:

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Excerpt from transcript of prisoner interrogation.
Subject: Iron Grenadier General Voltar

Interrogator: "I would like to ask you now about the events that transpired just outside Paris."

Voltar: "No...please...no."

Interrogator: "I'm afraid that I must insist. As I have read in several reports on the battle that took place there, our forces were very successfully defending the city against Serpentor's forces, right up until...well, perhaps you should tell me."

Voltar: "I've already given my report to Destro! Everything is in there!"

Interrogator: "Herr Voltar, you are a highly decorated general, and, previously, well respected within the Iron Grenadiers. Because of these reasons, I have shown you the respect of simply asking you these questions. However, if you continue to avoid answering, I fear I must become...how should I say?...less civilized."

Voltar: "No! Please! Not the serum...I'll talk. It's just like I told Destro...my men had Serpentor's forces beat. His general, Napoleon, had all but ordered a full retreat. I was in my command post, going over our defenses, when one of my troopers entered and said there was something I needed to see. I followed him outside, and he handed me a pair of binoculars. In the distance, I saw this...pod...just hovering over the battlefield. That's when the gunfire erupted...within our own ranks! My soldiers were killing each other! Men who had been friends and loyal Iron Grenadiers for years, opening fire on one another! Before I could react, my head began to throb....and then...."

Interrogator: "Continue!"

Voltar: *sobbing* "I...I can't...."

Interrogator: "Then let me finish for you, Herr Voltar. And then you drew your sidearm, shot the trooper who had summoned you, and proceeded to order a full surrender of our forces in Paris, costing us the city and allowing Serpentor's forces to gain a tighter hold on Europe! Does that about sum it up, 'General'?"

Voltar: *sobbing*

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Personal Journal Excerpt:
Source: General Overlord

I know I risk drawing the Emperor's ire, but I do not care! I refuse to have that monster among my forces! I know they say Crystal Ball was instrumental in several of our European victories, including our capture of Paris, but I will not tolerate the presence of someone who can look into my mind and control my actions! The troops fear him as well. No one is certain of his origins or background. There is even a rumor going around that he was cloned from the genetic material of Grigori Rasputin, whose DNA was collected for the creation of the Emperor but never used. Whomever he is, he is dangerous. His 'Mastermind' chariot, that monstrosity that Mindbender created for him, amplifies his power enough to allow him to control up to two dozen minds at once, and his abilities may not yet have reached their ceiling. How are we to know that he won't one day use our own forces against us? Serpentor takes too much solace from the fact that his mind, and the minds of his Council of Ten, cannot be manipulated due to the cloning process which created them. All that means is that they may be the last ones left to face a brainwashed hoard!

.....and now the pictures:

Crystal Ball:


Parts:
Head: POTC Sao Feng (modified)
Everything else: VvV Mindbender

The Mastermind Chariot:


Parts:
-SW Senate Pod
-Cobra Pogo body
-Crusader engine cone
-Console from SW Bacta Tank playset
-ML Mojo BAF part
-VvV Brainwave Scanner
-radar dish from Neutralizer
-SW Yoda hover-chair
-DTC Salvo Range Finder
-ML War Machine flames
-Scrap styrene

For a character I never really put a lot of thought into, I sure threw a lot of effort into his vehicle. The figure itself, I wanted to keep minimalistic. I modeled his look after Rasputin from the Hellboy series. For the vehicle, I wanted something that looked like it came from an old sci-fi movie.

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Really cool Darko, I especially like the Mastermind vehicle. Huge mish-mash of parts that came out awesome.

Creepy cool and very 1950's Sci-Fi. I love it.

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That is how Ming shoudl have looked in the new Flash Gordan series, that machine just screams '40s black and white sci-fi serial.

Wow, that's some pretty intricate customizing there, man. Awesome work on that Mastermind. Just incredible

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I love this take on Crystal Ball. The vehicle is awesome as well!

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darko this realm of yours is really coming together nicely! great work!

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Pretty cool...I'm liking how all of this Serpentor-Verse of yours is comming together... [offtopic] While I may not always be a fan of the figures they make, I love the effort both Spectre and Adrien Veidt put into the bio that is included with a custom. For the longest time I think A LOT of customizers seemed to forget that aspect of customizing....I'm glad to see it comming back...even better when it's backed up by cool customs. [/offtopic]

I like the work you've done...the vehicle is great...Anytime you can connect the Awfulness that is the Pogo with Crystal Ball it strikes me as appropriate. Your Crystal Ball, like A LOT of other Crystal Ball customs I've seen have really distilled him down to his most basic and imposing elements. If you've read the Larry Hamma Crystal Ball Bio in Mark Bellemo's book...I think it's got a line somthing like: "If you saw Crystal Ball walking down the street, you wouldn't think much of him or give such a mousey little guy a second thought...But if you've talked with him, looked in his eyes...you're left with the impression that you've just been conversing with an imposing man of Great promise.

I really like that Deceptive nature in the Crystal Ball character...where you don't think a whole lot about him...unless he's right there and then you'd be hard pressed to dissagree with him...I think his Gypsy look fits that deceptive nature...who could take such a rediculos person seriously...by the time you see past the deception...it's too late and you're under his power.

Only changes I'd like to see would be a bit of that honey brown...maybe even just the turtle neck on that body...and maybe you could get away with a bit of white in his eyebrows or mustache...just as a homage to the ARAH fig.

The vehicle...all I'd add is to sit it on that MODOK BAF part that came with Beta RAy Bill...the big jet exhausty looking thing.

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That is actually something I was planning on doing, but the used toy store near me that had a MOC Beta Ray Bill that warmed it's peg for months sold the damn thing two days before I came to pick it up. As is, I'm casually looking for it at this point to finish off the custom.

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That's just inspiring kitbashing, mate.

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Crystal Ball looks very very awesome...Almost like Anton LaVey(google it!)...I love what you've done with Serpentors cowell...It makes the figure look more imposing and demonic at the same time.

Is the vehicle playable though?

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Exactly. Could be a nice way to tie FG into your universe. Awesome customs!

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