Apex Legends Fan Builds Functional Replica Of Valkyrie's Missile Swarm

An Apex Legends fan has created a full-scale replica of the customized missile launcher belonging to Apex Legends' high-flying, hard-drinking character, Valkyrie. In a post on Reddit, /u/ToneIsDark demonstrated the Missile Swarm launcher in action and received more than 7,500 upvotes in the Apex Legends subreddit, though it's a little easier to get a close look at the launcher via his Instagram post.

ToneIsDark's missile launcher functions just like Valkyrie's does in Apex Legends. Attached to his back via a harness, the launcher moves and rotates, mimicking the movement of its owner's hands. It also shares the same red color scheme as Valkyrie's Missile Swarm, but that's not all it does--ToneIsDark's missile launcher actually works.

In the video showing off his creation, fireworks can be seen flying out of the missile launcher in rapid succession. Tone tells GameSpot that the launcher is capable of firing 19 shots in quick succession, but the 22-year-old engineering student--who was 21 at the time of the Missile Swarm's completion--says that making the launcher capable of firing while being worn is the next step.

"I'd say Mark I is complete," Tone says. "It can move and shoot well, but yeah, there will be adjustments eventually for a future model which I hopefully will wear while firing. With this [current] model, due to the force exerted by the fireworks I'm currently using, the motors struggle a lot with stability during the actual firing process. I didn't have time to exchange the motors for stronger ones as this would consist of redesigning and printing the motor housings and attachments and adjusting the circuit to allow for the stronger motors, but in a future model I would love to give this a try."

According to Tone, his massive passion project only took a mere two months to complete, including the time spent designing it.

"There was an endless list of tasks to complete, and each one of those had an endless list of its own." Tone explained. "The reason for the deadline is because I was going to be abroad until the end of the summer, and then I have full-time university, so realistically, this was the only time I would have to get this project done for the foreseeable future. I ended up filming everything the day before I flew [abroad]."

"I'd already been thinking about some form of firework launcher for a while and [I] play a hell of a lot of Apex (maining Valkyrie), so I eventually just decided I'm going to go all in on creating this." That's some serious commitment. Valkyrie mains, take note.

When it comes to bumps in the road, programming the sensors was one of the most complex tasks Tone undertook to get the launcher up and running. But despite the occasional obstacle, giving up was never in the cards.

"It was more of a constant disbelief in my mind that this would actually get completed, especially in the time frame that I had." he says when asked about struggles he faced while working on the build.

Tone tells GameSpot that this is his first Apex Legends-related project, but there may be more down the road. Despite the fact that Tone's creation has cosplayers drooling, his Missile Swarm launcher isn't part of a costume--he tells us he simply enjoys building wild creations as a hobby, in part because of what a valuable learning experience it is."You learn so much from each project." he mused when asked about his high-tech hobby.

Amazingly, Tone claims that "no injuries were sustained" during the creation and operation of his Mark I Missile Swarm. Still, we must advise our readers not to try this at home--especially since the Mark II will, ideally, be wearable while actively launching fireworks.

While his explosive launcher design is inspired by Apex Legends' Valkyrie, Tone says the biggest motivation for his projects comes from a different high-flying, hi-tech hero.

"My main inspiration for anything I make comes from Iron man, honestly. My last project was a wrist-controlled flamethrower and I didn't want to do anything I considered less exciting than that."

Even his username, ToneIsDark, is an homage to the character. "It's supposed to sound like Tony Stark."

We get the feeling Mr. Stark would be thoroughly impressed by ToneIsDark's determination, resourcefulness, and style.