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Constructicon (ROTF)

2010-05-19T15:32:18Z

12.45.255.66: Needed a margin-clear.

{{disambig3|Constructicon}}
{{faction|decepticonfilm}}
[[Image:Constructicons-RiseoftheDecepticons.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Hightower not included. C'mon, truss cranes need love too!]]
The '''Constructicons''' are a group of Decepticons that take the form of various construction vehicles, many sharing alternate modes, [[body-type]]s and even names. Constructicons have been built since the dawn of the Transformer race, and used to be considered simple [[drone]]s. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 3}}

Unlike previous continuities, it seems as if only ''some'', not all, of the Constructicons are [[combiner]]s.
{{-}}
{{chapters
|title=Constructicons
|center=false|align=left|style=2
|content=<div class="list-header">Excavator:</div>
*[[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]]
*[[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|Scrapmetal]]
*[[Scavenger (ROTF)|Scavenger]]{{dag|black}}

<br/><div class="list-header">Truss crane:</div>
*[[Hightower (ROTF)|Hightower]]{{dag|black}}
*[[Hook (ROTF)|Hook]]{{dag|black}}

<br/><div class="list-header">Dump truck:</div>
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]]{{dag|black}} (×2)
*[[Payload (TF 2010)|Payload]]
*[[Unknown Constructicon dump truck|Unnamed]]{{dag|black}}

<br/><div class="list-header">Cement mixer:</div>
*[[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]]{{dag|black}} (×2)

<br/><div class="list-header">Articulated dump truck:</div>
*[[Overload (ROTF)|Overload]]{{dag|black}}

<br/><div class="list-header">Bulldozer:</div>
*[[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]]{{dag|black}} (×2)
*[[Kickback (ROTF)|Kickback]]
*[[Bonecrusher (ROTF Constructicon)|Bonecrusher]]
*[[Unknown Constructicon shovel|Unnamed]]{{dag|black}}

<br/><div class="list-header">Front loader:</div>
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]]{{dag|black}} (×2)
*[[Constructicon Scout]]s

<br/><div class="list-header">Multi-arm Excavator:</div>
*[[Trample]]
*[[Tread]]

<br/><div class="list-header">Combined form:</div>
*[[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]]
<br/><small>{{dag|black}}Components of [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]]</small>
}}

==Fiction==
===IDW ''Transformers'' movie comics===
[[Image:Defiance4_Constructicons.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Constructicons build a monument to their manhood.]]

In the distant past, the [[AllSpark (Movie)|All Spark]] Cube created the [[Dynasty of Primes]], a race of powerful, trans-dimensional beings as the first inhabitants of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The Cube gave these beings mighty powers, as well as terraforming their world, but it was not limitless, and gradually became depleted. The first beings learned that the All Spark's power could be replenished by harvesting the energy of stars, but they were unable to locate new stars to suit their purposes, despite their amazing ability to travel between dimensions. Once again, the Cube came to the rescue, creating a race of workers, who had the ability to change their shape.

The "builder" workers were among the very first of these new beings, who would construct a [[Solar harvester|harvester]] when a suitable sun had been found. Once built, the device would drain the energy of these stars, thus replenishing the All Spark. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} The Primes ruled harvesters could not be used on a sun that replenished life, but one of them began to defy this rule and gathered together a few rogue "construction drones" and a [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seeker]] to secretly harvest suns and ignoring the genocide they caused. The other Primes found out and followed them to [[Earth]], and [[The Fallen]] Prime teleported his servants elsewhere, but the Seeker [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] turned on the builders and killed them. {{Storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 3|Tales of the Fallen #3}}

It is assumed that at some point during the civil war on Cybertron, the remaining builders sided with [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], the new protege of their only surviving ancient master, The Fallen. In Megatron's [[Decepticon]] army, they became known as the Constructicons.

During the war, in at least battle, [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]] was present. Later, [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] destroyed an [[Autobot]] colony guarded by [[Sideswipe (ROTF)|Sideswipe]], who swore revenge and tracked him to Buenos Aires, Argentina, on [[Earth]]. The Constructicon drew out Sideswipe but fled when [[NEST]] forces led by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[William Lennox]] arrived. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 2|Tales of the Fallen #2}}

===''The Veiled Threat''===
The Constructions [[Kickback (ROTF)|Kickback]], [[Trample]], and [[Tread]] came to Earth hoping to be able to revive their leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. They were mining for uranium in the [[Australia]]n outback in the hopes that if they collected enough energy, they could jump-start Megatron's spark.

[[NEST]] became aware of their presence when they picked up their intermittent energy signatures. They sent a strike team consisting of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], [[Salvage (Movie)|Salvage]], [[William Lennox]], and [[Kaminari Ishihara]] to take care of them. The three Constructicons put up a good fight but were killed. {{storylink|The Veiled Threat}}

===''Revenge of The Fallen'' film===
[[Image:ROTFMegatronrebirth.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Can we fix him? Yes we can!]]
[[NEST]] followed Demolishor to [[Shanghai]], [[China]], and he was executed by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]].

After the [[AllSpark (Movie)|All Spark]] shard was retrieved from NEST's secure bunker at [[Diego Garcia]], [[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]], [[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]], [[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]], [[Scalpel]], [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] and [[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|Scrapmetal]] secreted themselves aboard the ''[[Bayos]]'' freighter heading towards the North Atlantic. Once the ship passed over the [[Laurentian Abyss]], the Decepticons jumped overboard and dived down to where [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]'s broken body lay. Scalpel ordered the death of "[[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|ze little one]]" to rebuild Megatron, a request that Long Haul and Mixmaster readily granted. Soon, Megatron was reborn!

[[Image:Constructicons-ROTFcanyon.jpg|thumb|left|300px|You'd better have a good reason for bringing us here!]]
Long Haul and [[Hightower (ROTF)|Hightower]] waited in a quarry near the [[Egypt]]ian [[pyramid]]s for Mixmaster to arrive with a yellow Rampage, [[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]], [[Scavenger (ROTF)|Scavenger]], [[Overload (ROTF)|Overload]] and a [[Unknown Constructicon dump truck|couple]] [[Unknown Constructicon shovel|others]], and they combined into [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]]. Devastator battled [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], before climbing up the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]] to excavate the [[solar harvester]] within. Devastator was blown up by an experimental [[Wikipedia:railgun|railgun]] fired by the [[United States Navy#U.S.S. Kidd (DDG-100)|USS ''Kidd'']].

Elsewhere during [[Operation: Firestorm]], Long Haul, Scrapper, Mixmaster and the red Rampage hunted for [[Sam Witwicky]] in an abandoned town. Rampage was ordered by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] to spring a trap by demanding Sam hand over the [[Matrix of Leadership]] in exchange for his captive parents [[Ron Witwicky|Ron]] and [[Judy Witwicky|Judy]], but [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] attacked and killed him. [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] killed Mixmaster, while the others died in a bombing raid by the [[United States Air Force]].
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
{{-}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation''===
[[image:Constructicons ROTF adaptation 3.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Details are for chumps.]]
[[Scavenger (ROTF)| Scavenger]], [[Long Haul (ROTF)| Long Haul]], [[Scrapper (ROTF)| Scrapper]], [[Overload (ROTF)| Overload]], and [[Mixmaster (ROTF)| Mixmaster]] arrived in Egypt together along with other Constructicons and Decepticons to battle the Autobots.
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation issue 3|Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation #3}}

Some of the Constructicons combined into Devastator and revealed the solar harvester hidden beneath a pyramid. Devastator was destroyed by a prototype [[rail gun]] soon afterwards. At the same time, [[Rampage (ROTF)| Rampage]] and Long Haul fought in the battle and were defeated by Bumblebee and Jetfire, respectively. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation issue 4|Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation #4}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' - The Game===
[[Image:Concept rotfgame-big trouble in big china.jpg|thumb]]

====Xbox 360/Sony PS3/PC====
=====Decepticon campaign=====
{{stub}}
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)}}

=====Autobot campaign=====
{{stub}}
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)}}

==Constructicons defined==
Determining who is and who isn't a Constructicon is a little more problematic than it may first appear. The subgroup is not especially well defined. Is any Decepticon who chooses a construction vehicle [[alternate mode]] a Constructicon? Possibly. The only solid information we have is to see which Decepticons are explicitly called Constructicons.
*The Devastator components are called Constructicons in ''[[Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe]]''.
*The four Decepticons that accompanied Ravage and The Doctor to the bottom of the [[Laurentian Abyss]] are called Constructicons in the [[Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novel adaptation of the movie]].
*Devastator is called a Constructicon in the toys.
*[[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] is called a Constructicon in [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways's]] toy bio.
So, are [[Mudflap (Movie)|Mudflap]], [[Kickback (ROTF)|Kickback]], [[Tread]], and [[Trample]] actual Constructicons or just Decepticons who have taken on construction vehicle alternate modes? It is not entirely clear.

==Toys==
===Revenge of the Fallen===
{{stub}}

==Notes==
*In the [[Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Revenge of the Fallen novel adaptation]], the four Constructicons that accompany Ravage to the [[Laurentian Abyss]] are not named, but described as bipedal, disqualifying Rampage. This is contradicted by the movie, as the Rampage that later battles [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] is almost certainly one of the four.
*[http://www.stevejung.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=4&pos=11 One abandoned Constructicon concept] by artist [[Steve Jung]] was a "nurse" that would have transformed into a Volvo wheel loader. It is unknown if this character later evolved into the character referred to as [[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|Scrapmetal]], who alternately transformed into a Volvo excavator and a yellow front-end loader.

[[Category:Combiner teams]]
[[Category:Constructicons| (ROTF)]]
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:Engineers]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Constructicons| ]]

Combiner

2010-02-01T16:37:59Z

12.45.255.66: /* Combiner list */ Nexus Prime is a type of mix-n-match combiner.

[[Image:GestaltTrioTVMagazine.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The most devastating case of tea-bagging ever.]]
A '''combiner''' is a group of Transformers that assemble and combine their bodies into a single machine, or that composite machine itself. Most combiners form a larger Super Robot with its own unique personality (a character in its own right), but other varieties of combiner exist, forming vehicles, weapons, or other items. Combiners tend to be considerably larger and more powerful than the average Transformer, equivalent to strategic-grade weapons.

There are a number of combiner-related terms that can be easy to mix up, partially because some of them are used interchangeably. Additionally, most of them have no formal definition and thus may be used differently by different fans. Consequently, most of the discussion which follows should not be taken as the word of [[Primus]], but as a rough description of common usage.

==Terms for combiners==
[[Image:Combiner logo.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Worst...logo...ever.]]
'''Combiner''': As above, a member of a group of Transformers who assemble into a composite form. Also refers to that composite form itself. This is the most general term for all combining Transformers. "Combiner" is the most common term for combining Transformers that has been used by Hasbro in an official capacity, starting with the ''[[Micromaster]] Combiners'' from 1990 (with the exception of the more limited "special teams" and a recent official use of the term "gestalt"), having even appeared with its own logo on ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' toy packaging.

[[Image:DevastatorDissectionDreamwave.jpg|right|250px|thumb|What, no Terror Claws? No Cranium Regulation Unit? What kind of lame dissection is this?!]]
'''Gestalt''': Fan-terminology for a certain class of combiners—generally used only for "big robot" combiners with emergent personalities. The term is nebulously defined, such that some fans would consider a two-member combiner such as [[Squawkbox]] a gestalt, but other fans would not. This is probably the fandom's second most frequently-used term for combining Transformers. Its use in Transfandom is derived from the principle of [[wikipedia:gestalt_psychology|gestalt psychology]], which is sometimes simplified to mean "greater/different than the sum of its parts," though a few fans consider this term pretentious and obtuse. The term remained firmly in realm of [[fanon]] for years, although it did appear in some ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' design sketches implying that Hasbro designers used the term occasionally, until in 2007 "gestalt" [[Canonizing|made its first official appearance]], in the bio of the ''[[Titanium Series]]'' [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] toy, once more in 2007's "[[Spotlight: Optimus Prime]]" referring to [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]], and again in 2009 in the "[[First (and Second) in Flight]]" comic where [[Perceptor (Animated)|Perceptor]] describes [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire's]] & [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm's]] combination into [[Safeguard (Animated)|Safeguard]] as a sort of "gestalt powerlink".

'''Scramble City combiner''': A specific type of [[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1]] giant gestalt that follows the five-member design featured in the Japanese "[[Scramble City]]" OVA. The team leader is larger than the other members and forms the main body of the combiner, while the others are smaller and form the limbs. The limbs are interchangeable, although there is always a generally-accepted “normal” formation. Further, the limbs are interchangeable from one Scramble City combiner to another, making for a large number of bizarre combinations. (See [[Abomenaticus]], [[Autobot Super Scramble]], [[Comperian]], [[Decepticon Super Scramble]], and [[Scramble 7]].) Limbs are also able to attach to and augment Metroplex & Metrotitan (see “Trivia” below). Note that this term is purely descriptive rather than being a proper name.

'''Special Team''': A synonym for Scramble City combiner. When the Scramble City toys were marketed in Europe they were referred to as Special Teams, and the term even appeared in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|UK comic book]] series. The term was used in some marketing materials in the US, such as packing lists for the toy [[Case assortment|case assortments]], but never appeared in US fiction until the [[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide|''Ultimate Guide'']] was published in 2004. It was also used as the name for a [[Target]] [[exclusive]] five-pack of [[redeco]]s of ''[[Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' [[Legends Class|Legends]] toys released under the ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' banner, "Special Team Leaders". Ironically, none of these toys were actually ''combiners''—the term simply referred to the ''characters'', since the redecos were [[homage]]s to the leaders of ''Generation 1'' combiner times, four of which were "Scramble City" combiners.

'''Super Robot''': A robot which is formed through the combination of two or more Transformers. Powered-up robot modes composed of only one Transformer who combines with some of their own accessories are often also referred to as Super Robots, such as [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] or the incarnations of Prime from ''Robots in Disguise'' and all three ''[[Unicron Trilogy]]'' series. It is probably safe to informally refer to any such mode as a Super Robot (thus including, say, G1 [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and ''Energon'' [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]]). Note that this means Super Robots are not always combiners and do not have to have their own personality. Rather, Super Robot and combiner are two different categories of Transformer which ''sometimes'' overlap. A one-robot Super Robot may also be referred to as that robot's [[Super Mode]].

'''Fusilateral quintrocombiner''': Coined by [[Simon Furman]] in [[Swarm (issue)|issue 9]] of the [[Generation 2 (Marvel Comics)|''Generation 2'' comic]] to refer to the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. It presumably is meant to refer to all the Scramble City teams except possibly the Seacons, as their combined forms consist of six robots (not five, so they could possibly be fusilateral hexocombiners I guess...). It may also apply to the Predacons, but it doesn't matter because nobody uses this term anyway.

'''Amalgam model''': Yet another obscure term for combiners first used by Simon Furman via [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] in the "[[Devastation Derby!]]" story in the UK comic books.

==Types of combiner==
As mentioned above, most combiners form a super robot. However, there are many other types of combining in the Transformers multiverse.

In the ''Energon'' franchise, most of the Autobot characters were able to combine with each other in pairs much like ''[[Victory (franchise)|Victory]]'''s [[Multiforce]]. These combined forms can probably be considered Super Robots. The combined form was simply controlled by whichever Autobot was "on top". Make whatever jokes you will.

''Generation 1'' contains many examples of combined [[Alternate mode|alternate modes]], including [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]], [[Dreadwing (G1)|Dreadwing]], [[Big Powered]], the [[Triple Combination Battlestar Attack|Battlestar]], and the [[Targetmaster|Double Targetmasters]].

The [[Micromaster Combiner|Micromaster Combiners]] are made up of Transformers whose altmodes combine into vehicles, with one partner being the front and another the rear. The combined forms do not have specific names. Thanks to the generic peg-and-socket connection method used, any two Micromaster combiners can be linked (though some such as the dump truck/space shuttle combo may attract comment). These altmode combiners should not be confused with the Micromaster "Sixcombiners", six-robot teams who combine to form a Super Robot.

The [[Unicron Trilogy]]'s [[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]] brought to the fiction combined weapon modes, like the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] & [[Dark Saber]] swords, [[Requiem Blaster]] cannon, and [[Skyboom Shield]].

==Not combiners==
Not all cases of multiple things attaching to each other are combiners. As mentioned above, many Super Robots—which are formed through a conglomeration of parts—are not combiners. [[Landmine (Energon)|''Energon'' Landmine]], for example.

A similar case can be found in [[multi-component Transformer|Transformers who have two or more "components" which combine into a single entity]]. [[Sky Lynx (G1)|G1 Sky Lynx]] has lynx and dino-bird components, [[Omega Supreme (G1)|G1 Omega Supreme]] has tank, base, and rocket components, and [[Magmatron]] has three dinosaur components. However, all of these components are considered to be "part of" the overall Transformer, even through they can act independently. The [[Duocon]]s are another case of this sort. All of these examples are ''not'' combiners because there is only ''one'' Transformer involved in each of them, regardless of how many bodies that Transformer may simultaneously operate. Such robots are occasionally referred to as "Reverse Combiners" within the fandom.

(Confusing things further are the comics which treated Sky Lynx and the Duocons as triple changers, able to transform between the combined mode and the ones for individual components without any parts separating off.)

Sometimes a smaller Transformer will attach to and enhance a larger Transformer in some way. This is the case when Mini-Cons powerlink with bulks, as well as with [[Binary bonding|binary-bonded]] partners like [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]], [[Powermaster]]s/[[Godmaster]]s, [[Kiss Player]]s and [[Breastforce]] members. Although these examples do include more than one Transformer (or a Transformer and a fleshling), they are not considered "combiners". The simplest justification for this is that, in these cases, the "combined" form is almost exactly the same in appearance as the non-combined form.

And sometimes [[Beast (G1)|things just combine for no real reason at all. Just deal with it. We hate it, oh God yes, but there it is. We're sorry.]]

==Fiction==
===Generation 1===
====Marvel comics continuity====
=====Combiner teams=====
{{noteukonly}}
The [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s were designed and built by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] as the first combiner team. They were given life through [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] energy stored in [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s head. The Constructicons had considerable difficulty coordinating together as Devastator in their first mission. {{storylink|The Next Best Thing to Being There!}}

''The [[Special Teams]] were first conceived within [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]]'s mind shortly after the human had relinquished control of the Creation Matrix to Optimus Prime. Shockwave was able to view this data remotely and prepare for their development.'' {{storylink|Second Generation!}}

Seeing the potential in combiner technology, the Autobots decided to learn how to utilize it themselves. They staged an attack on a Decepticon coal mining base which drew out the Constructions. When they combined, [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] was there recording their transformation pattern. {{storylink|Command Performances!}} They used this information to construct the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]]s. Unfortunately, they were forced to go on their first mission with only [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt's]] personality programming completed, leaving the rest of the team, and [[Superion (G1)|Superion]], rather indifferent towards [[human]] casualties. {{storylink|Aerialbots over America!}} After their first mission proved a failure, Optimus Prime had [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] wipe their memory, and started reprogramming them with the Creation Matrix. However, [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], who had gotten a lift to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] on Silverbolt's plane mode, had injected Optimus Prime with a [[cerebro-shell]] with which [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] was able to steal energy from the Creation Matrix and bring his newly-built combiner team, the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] to life. {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!}} The [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobot]]s and [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s next combiner teams to become part of their faction's Earth-bound crew. {{storylink|Afterdeath!}}

{{note|The exact origin of the Protectobots and Combaticons is not revealed.}}

''The combining [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s were summoned to Earth from Cybertron by Megatron.'' {{storylink|Prey!}} The Predacons were ''again'' summoned to Earth by Shockwave. {{storylink|Gone but Not Forgotten!}} The [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s were part of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]'s crew and the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s were part of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s crew on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. They had the ability to combine. {{storylink|Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters}} ''The [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]]s were combiners that were summoned from Cybertron to Earth by Shockwave.'' {{storylink|Enemy Action!}} They later came under the command of [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]. {{storylink|Club Con!}}

{{note|It is not revealed how the Combiner technology that was developed on Earth was found among these Cybertron based crews. Some of the Decepticons on Cybertron were in contact with Earth Decepticons, so perhaps the technology was passed along and the Cybertron Autobots stole it from the Cybertron Decepticons. Or the Cybertron Transformers just developed the technology independently.}}

=====Other combiners=====
[[Darkwing]] and [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] combine to form [[Dreadwing (G1)|Dreadwing]]. {{storylink|People Power!}} They appear to keep their individual personalities in their combined mode instead of merging their minds.

====Cartoon continuity====
On Cybertron, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]] were existing Transformers who were brainwashed by [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] to become Decepticons. Megatron also adapted them with the ability to combine into [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] to challenge [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. Omega Supreme pursued the Constructicons for millions of years. {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} In 1894, the Constructicons were (re?)created on [[Earth]] with the ability to combine to bolster the Decepticons' strength. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}

{{note|For more on the conflicting origin of the Constructicons, see [[Constructicon (G1)#Origin inconsistency|here]].}}

The [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]]s and [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]]s were built from scratch and given personality by [[Vector Sigma]]. They were designed with the ability to combine. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2}}

[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] installed the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s [[personality component]]s into junked military vehicles. This brought the vehicles to life with the ability to combine. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

The [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobot]]s became part of the Autobot forces on Earth and were able to combine. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

Years later, the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s originated as combiners under the command of the [[Quintesson]]s. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}} The combinable [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s were part of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s troops. An intellectually enhanced [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] created the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s with the ability to combine. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}

====Dreamwave comics continuity====
Experiments in combining were conducted both before and during the early phase of the civil war, in a process known as [[mass intellect]]. However, the combined forms suffered in that the stronger minds tended to drown out the weaker ones. Following the failure of the planetary engine turbines, the Constructicons turned their attention to the mass intellect process. They eventually developed a hyper vortex processor that managed to preserve the individuals minds in the combined whole. Testing the process on themselves, the Constructicons combined into Devastator. While the Constructicons were able to preserve their minds, Devastator was hampered by the need of all six Constructicons to agree on a course of action, which was usually destroy the Autobots. As a result, the combined intellects of the Constructicons did not translate to Devastator, who instead suffered serious mental disabilities. Despite this, Devastator's destructive capabilities greatly pleased Megatron, and he ordered the Constructicons to continue their experiments.<ref>[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]</ref>
{{stub}}

====IDW comics continuity====
[[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] was the first combiner and was designed through experimentation by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]. Unfortunately, in this first prototype, the merging process led to insanity. The team was captured by the Autobots {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}} and placed into the custody of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] while [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]] studied them with the goal of rehabilitating them. The technology stymied Jetfire, who estimated it would take a lot more study before progress could be made. He didn't get the chance, however, since the [[Pretender Monster|Monstructor Six]] were soon captured by the [[Decepticon Secret Service]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}} Monstructor was then captured by unidentified minions of [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]] {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} and used to guard the [[Nega-Core]] on Rotan. He was engaged in combat by the Decepticon Secret Service and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] while the Autobots sneaked around him. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

One year later, the Decepticons have the combiner [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] as part of their army. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2}}

===Robots in Disguise===
Robots in Disguise loves combiners. In fact, the majority of the cast combine in one way or another.

=====One-robot combiners=====
*In the television show, [[Megatron (RID)| Megatron]] (and presumably, Galvatron) was able to transform into his hand mode and then combine with his ship.
*[[Optimus Prime (RID)| Optimus Prime]] is able to combine with his "base" to form a super robot.

=====Two-robot combiners=====
*[[Optimus Prime (RID)| Optimus Prime]] is capable of combining with his [[Relatives| brother]] [[Ultra Magnus (RID)| Ultra Magnus]] to form [[Omega Prime]].

=====Three-robot combiners=====
*[[Team Bullet Train]], consisting of [[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]], [[Railspike (RID)|Railspike]] and [[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]], combine into [[Rail Racer (RID)|Rail Racer]].
*[[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Fortress Maximus]] is technically a three robot combination, [[Cerebros (RID)|Cerebros]] and [[Emissary]] combine together to form Fortress Maximus' head, which connects to the body.

=====Four-robot combiners=====
*The [[Build Team]], [[Wedge]], [[Grimlock (RID)|Grimlock]], [[Heavy Load (RID)|Heavy Load]] and [[Hightower (RID)|Hightower]], can combine into the robot [[Landfill (RID)|Landfill]].

=====Five-robot combiners=====
*The combined form of the [[Commandos]] is a being named [[Ruination (RID)| Ruination]]. This combiner is controlled almost entirely by [[Mega-Octane]], in order to be a more effective, coordinated being than most other combiners.

{{stub}}

===Armada===
Optimus Prime could combine with his trailer to form a Super Mode robot. With this ability at his disposal, he beat the tar out of every Decepticon at least once. Then a new magic mushroom appeared: Jetfire. During a battle with the Decepticons, the Autobots were totally getting slagged by Megatron's new tactician, Thrust. Right when it seemed hopeless, a space shuttle fell from the sky and combined with Optimus to form Jet Optimus. Needless to say, Megatron was rather surprised. The Decepticons kept trying to beat the Autobots and miserably failed each time, frequently due to this new team-up, which also helped the Autobots survive and win the Unicron Battles.

===Energon===
During this period, one couldn't swing a dead cybercat without hitting a combiner, as every Autobot, save for the Omnicons, was capable of merging with another, or with an augmenting portion of his vehicle mode. Then the [[Bruticus Maximus| three]] [[Constructicon Maximus| Maximus]] [[Superion Maximus| teams]] arrived, giving the Decepticons two five-part combiners and the Autobots one.
{{see|Spark of Combination}}

===Live-action film series===
Experimental combiner technology was developed by the Decepticons for combat advantage (yeah, that's right, the 'Cons do invent stuff themselves sometimes) and then used on the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]]s who are able to form [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]]. Comfort was rather decidedly not on the top of the list of priorities and, as a result, the process is brutally painful to the Transformers involved, which also makes the combiners fuse in a very aggressive and painful manner (it's a vicious circle). The mental and physical torture involved leaves Devastator only interested in causing destruction.<ref>Devastator's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/Battle-Bios.cfm Battle Bio] at Hasbro.com</ref>

[[Knock Out (ROTF)|Knock Out]] hopes to undergo the "combination retrofit" process.<ref>Knock Out's toy bio.</ref>

{{note|No details are given regarding this "combination retrofit" technology, but it is a possible factor in [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]'s ice cream truck mode and the combined mode of [toy continuity] [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], [[Chromia (ROTF)|Chromia]], and [[Elita-1 (ROTF)|Elita-1]].}}

Combiners are not limited to one combination scheme. Their final form may also vary.<ref>[http://unicron-events-interviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/hasbro-q-10212009.html Hasbro's answer to Unicron.com] as part of the [[Hasbro Q&A/October 2009#Unicron.com|October 2009 Q&A]].</ref>

==Combiner list==
{{note|Due to the many uses of redecoes as new characters and convenience for reading, each mold is listed on its own line, with all different-character decoes/retools on the same line.}}
;Combiners with two members
*[[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Jet Optimus]]
*[[Mega-Dinobot]]
*[[Decibel]]
*[[Legout]]
*[[Slamdance]]
*[[Squawkbox]]
*[[Dreadwing (G1)]] / [[Darkwings]]
*[[Multiforce]] members
**[[Wingwaver]]
**[[Dashtacker]]
**[[Machtackle]] 
*[[Dreadwing (G2)]] / [[Formation Scream]] / [[Dreadwing (RID)]] / [[Gigant Sniper]]
*[[Powered Master|Powered Masters]]
**[[Sky Powered]]
**[[Land Powered]]
**[[Big Powered]] ''(actually consists of three members)''
*[[Safeguard (Animated)]]
*[[Skids (ROTF)]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)]] in ice cream truck mode

;Combiners formed by main bodies with power-up partners
:''See also: [[Super Mode]]''
*[[Ginrai|God Ginrai]]
*[[Star Saber (Victory)|Victory Saber]]
*[[Omega Prime]]
*The combined form of [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Wing Saber]]
*[[Optimus Supreme (Energon)]]
*[[Optimus Prime Super Modes#Live-action film series|Power Up Optimus Prime]] (''aka'' [[Optimus Prime Super Modes#Live-action film series|Jetpower Optimus Prime]])

{{note|Optimus Prime and Jetfire are not combiner in the fiction {{m-}} Optimus simply uses Jetfire's corpse as parts to enhance his strength and firepower.}}

;Combiners with three or more members (non-Scramble City type)
*[[Devastator (G1)]]
*[[Devastator (ROTF)]]
*[[Predaking]]
*[[Raiden]]
*[[Monstructor (G1)]] / [[Dinoking]]
*[[Road Caesar]]
*[[Liokaiser]]
*[[Landcross (Victory)|Landcross]]
*[[Magnaboss]] / [[Magnaboss II]]
*[[MegaWing Galvatron]]
*[[Dark MegaWing Galvatron]]
*[[Prime Processing Unit]] {{storylink|Collect and Save}}
*[[Tripredacus]] / [[Tripledacus]]
*[[Rail Racer (RID)]]
*[[Landfill (RID)]] / [[Constructicon Devastator (Ultra)]]
*Unnamed [[Minibot combiner]] {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 8|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 8}}
*[[Beast (G1)|Beast]] {{storylink|The Beast Within|The Beast Within}}
*[[Insectrain]] {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2}}
*[[Reedman]]
*The combined form of [[Arcee (Movie)]], [[Chromia (ROTF)]], and [[Elita-1 (ROTF)]] <small>(toy-only)</small>

;Scramble City-type combiners
*[[Bruticus (G1)]] / [[Battle Gaia]] / [[Ruination (RID)|Ruination]]
*[[Defensor (G1)]] / [[Guard City]]
*[[Menasor (G1)]]
*[[Superion (G1)]]
*[[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]
*[[Computron (G1)|Computron]]
*[[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]]<ref name="seacon">With extra "limb" robot used as weapon.</ref> / [[King Poseidon]]<ref name="seacon" /> / [[God Neptune]]

;Official mix-n-match Scramble City combiners
* [[Abomenaticus]]
* [[Autobot Super Scramble]]
* [[Comperian]]
* [[Decepticon Super Scramble]]
* [[Scramble 7]]

;Micromaster-type combiners
*[[Micromaster Combiner]] Squads
**[[Barrage (Micromaster)|Barrage]] and [[Heave]]
**[[Blackout (G1)|Blackout]] and [[Spaceshot]]
**[[Blast Master]] and [[Phaser]]
**[[Direct-Hit (G1)|Direct-Hit]] and [[Power Punch (G1)|Power Punch]]
**[[Excavator (G1)|Excavator]] and [[Stonecruncher (G1)|Stonecruncher]] / [[Retro]] and [[Surge]]
**[[Fireshot (G1)|Fireshot]] and [[Vanquish (G1)|Vanquish]]
**[[Full-Barrel]] and [[Overflow]]
**[[Grit (G1)|Grit]] and [[Knockout (G1)|Knockout]]
**[[Half-Track (G1)|Half-Track]] and [[Meltdown (G1)|Meltdown]]
**[[Hammer (G1)|Hammer]] and [[Sledge (G1)|Sledge]] / [[Cement-Head]] and [[Terror-Tread]]
**[[Missile Master]] and [[Moonrock]]
**[[Oiler]] and [[Slide]]
**[[Power Run]] and [[Strikedown]]
**[[Roadburner]] and [[Wheel Blaze]]
*[[Sixliner]] / [[Sixtrain]]<ref>Sixtrain was redecoed and retooled from Sixliner.</ref> / [[Rail Racer (Universe)]]<ref>Universe Rail Racer uses the same deco as Takara's 2003 redecoed "reissue" of Sixtrain.</ref>
*[[Sixbuilder]] / [[Decepticon Sixbuilder]] / [[Constructicon Devastator (Micromaster)]]
*[[Sixturbo]] / [[Defensor (Universe)]]
*[[Sixwing|Sixwing / Berserker Sixwing / Destron Sixwing]] / [[Superion (Universe)]]

;Mini-Con combiners
*[[Perceptor (Armada)#Armada_3|Perceptor (Armada)]] / [[Perceptor (Universe)]]
*[[Perceptor (Armada)#Energon_3|Perceptor (Energon)]] / [[Heavy Metal (Energon)|Heavy Metal]] / [[Windcharger (Energon)]] / [[Perceptor (Armada)#Cybertron|Perceptor (Cybertron)]]
*[[Mirror]] / [[Nightcreeper]]
*[[Requiem Blaster]]
*[[Skyboom (Armada)]]
*[[Star Saber (Armada)]] / [[Vorpal Saber]] / [[Energon Saber]] / [[Blizzard Saber]]

;Maximus-type combiners
*[[Bruticus Maximus (Energon)|Bruticus Maximus]] / [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus Maximus (G1)]] (Universe) / [[Bruticus Maximus (ROTF)]]
*[[Constructicon Maximus]] / [[Devastator (G1)|Constructicon Devastator (Classics)]]
*[[Superion Maximus]] / [[Superion (G1)]] (Universe) / [[Superion (ROTF)]]
*[[Nexus Prime]] (A mix-n-match combiner of molds from Bruticus and Superion, above.)

==Unused concepts==
Combiners were a very popular idea during the Generation 1 toyline and as such there are loads of scrapped combiner designs that never got past the drawing board. Among them were:
*A Scramble City style dinosaur combiner. The body is a T-Rex, while the limbs are a Pterodactyl (right arm), Ankylosaurus (left leg), Dimetrodon (left arm), and Styracosaurus (right leg)<ref>[[Transformers Generations Deluxe]], p22</ref>

*A decidedly goofy organic insect combiner composed of a stag beetle (right leg), another beetle (left leg), grasshopper (left arm), fly (right arm), and a cockroach body.<ref name="p99">[[Transformers Generations Deluxe]], p99</ref>

*A cybernetic beast combiner that did not form a robot, but rather a large cybernetic monster. It is formed from a cyber bat, mole, stag beetle, and a couple of fish things.<ref name="p99" />

*A fifteen (!) vehicle Micromaster combiner where the only attached parts not contained by the component robots were the large robot fists. This combiner consists of three uniformly colored teams (in a similar fashion to the vehicular Voltron of the same time period):
**Air team (blue)- two jets, two helicopters, a space shuttle.
**Construction team (green)- a hauler, a bulldozer, a steam shovel, a tank (don't ask), a missile carrier (don't ask).
**Street team (red)- two cars, a motorcycle, a formula racer, a jeep.<ref name="p108">[[Transformers Generations Deluxe]], p108</ref>
[[Image:ClassicVehicombiner.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Either the smallest steamboat ever, or the largest car in existence.]]
*Another, simpler dinosaur combiner composed of a Pterodactyl, a not-really-a-Stegosaurus, and a T-Rex with a very large head. The three combine into a dinosaur thing similar to [[Magmatron]]'s combined dino mode. It shares many visual characteristics with Tomy's relatively simple robot designs.<ref name="p108" />
*A five vehicle combiner (evidently not Scramble City in nature) composed of a steam engine (right arm), steam boat (torso), car (right leg), truck (left leg), and plane (left arm).
*A base consisting mostly of ramps and a hollow tower in the center that combined with 14 non-transforming cars and vans. Two vehicles make up each limb, with three crammed in the chest, two for feet, and one that slides into the tower's gun platform to form the head. The ramps would then act as an exoskeleton to contain all of the components.<ref name="p79">[[Transformers Generations 2009 Vol. 2]], p79</ref>
*A robot formed from a truck cab and four cars with no robot modes that each have flip out weapon arrays. This may qualify more as a conventional "super robot" than a standard combiner, but we may never know.<ref name="p80">[[Transformers Generations 2009 Vol. 2]], p80</ref>
*A "Duocon" (or rather, "Triocon", in this case) style robot formed by three cars. One car splits in half to form the arms, another splits for the legs, and a third folds in half to reveal the robot head and connect it all together.<ref name="p80">[[Transformers Generations 2009 Vol. 2]], p80</ref>
*A Concorde jet that split into two robots, where the front portion's robot can pop out three wheels and a spare cockpit to give it a land mode. Presumably the larger rear robot could do the same.<ref name="p81">[[Transformers Generations 2009 Vol. 2]], p81</ref>
*Two military convoy "trains", one good, one evil, of six vehicles each hooked together that combine along the lines of Devastator but with loads more guns. The robot core is formed by a tractor trailer that leads either convoy, the good one being long nosed, the evil one being flat, each with trailers that open up into small cannon platforms usable by the five smaller robots. Said trailers also become their respective combined form's handgun. The other five members each have a specific large weapon such as a missile rack or chaingun that they can also use in robot mode.<ref name="p83">[[Transformers Generations 2009 Vol. 2]], p83</ref>

==Trivia==
*[[Devastator (G1)|G1 Devastator]] and [[Raiden]] are the only combiners from [[Diaclone]] toylines.
*[[Scramble City]]-type combiners were initially designed to be a sub-line of [[Diaclone]] called... what else... Scramble City. This goes along with their ability to interact with and attach to [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] & [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]], the designs of which were also originally intended for the Diaclone line.
*Six of the seven released G1 Scramble City-type combiners were apparently released in themed pairs, themes usually further reinforced by their team members' tech spec bios to some extent.
**Aerialbots (air vehicles) and Stunticons (ground vehicles)
**Protectobots (rescue vehicles) and Combaticons (offensive vehicles... and a space shuttle)
**Technobots (futuristic vehicles) and Terrorcons (fantastical beasts)
**The Seacons are the odd men out, but the above mentioned unreleased dinosaur Scramble City combiner may have been an intended adversary.
*In [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] comic continuity [[Squawkbox]] exists before Combiner technology has become available to either faction. This means that either Squawkbox is the core being and he's later split into [[Squawktalk]] and [[Beastbox]] or um... someone at IDW screwed up.

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Combiners| ]]
[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Gimmicks]]

Scale

2009-11-23T15:00:55Z

12.45.255.66: /* Multiple scales of same character */ No, they were different, and the cycles were different sizes sometimes.

[[Image:OptimusSnakeEyes.jpg|right|300px|thumb|And the truck's how big...?]]
'''Scale''' in ''Transformers'' is, not to put too fine a point on it, screwed.

Virtually no era, franchise, fiction, [[Toy|toyline]] or other incarnation of ''Transformers'' has presented scale in a logical or believable fashion. (The only exceptions are the 1:24 toys for ''[[Alternators]]'' and ''[[Kiss Players (toyline)|Kiss Players]]'', but they [[Atari Hitotonari|have their own problems]].) Most fans agree that one must either ignore it or accept it, lest they be tempted to explain these problems and in the process fanwank themselves into oblivion.

However, the scale problems of ''Transformers'' still merit description.

{{bigquote|"Clearly, the pitiful humans at Hasbro are so overwhelmed by the awesomeness of Cybertronian life forms that they can't get the scale right."|[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]|[[Transformers Comic issue 23|Star Scream's #23]]}}

==Scale within toylines==

===Toys out of scale with others in the same line===
[[Image:DiacloneScale.jpg|right|350px|thumb|That little guy — who comes from the same toyline as all those vehicles — is supposed to be a normal-sized human. Yeeeah.]]
The early [[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1 toyline]], especially the pre-[[The Transformers: The Movie|movie]] lines, were repackaged and [[Redeco|redecoed]] toys from several different Japanese toylines. The crucial point is that the toylines were initially unrelated. The characters ''should'' be in scale to each other as they all have real-world altmodes that (should) pass for real vehicles. However, since ''[[Diaclone]]'' toys were not part of the same line as ''[[Microman]]'' toys, scale issues arose. ''Diaclone'' figures such as [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] are more-or-less in correct scale to each other (though problems already arise with [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], whose [[alternate mode]]s are based on ''the same car'' yet are not quite the same size), but many of the [[Mini Vehicle]]s from the ''New Microman'' line are clearly far too small by comparison. Even aside from their deformed penny-racer proportions, a [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Volkswagen Beetle]] Microman toy is disproportionately tiny when compared to a [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Porsche 935]] Diaclone toy. The disparity becomes even more obvious with [[Mini Vehicle|Minibots]] such as [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (a tank) and [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (a hovercraft), who should be many times their actual size.

Another glaring scale problem comes in the form of the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], who turn into F-15 Eagles which, in real life, are 19.4 m (63.8 feet) long. Correctly scaled, this would make their robot modes ''colossal'' compared to most Autobots. Similarly, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], despite also coming from the ''Diaclone'' line, are too small. Far worse is the other ''Diaclone'' combiner team, the [[Trainbot]]s, who have train engine altmodes, yet their toys are among the ''smallest'' of the ''Diaclone'' releases.

Transformers are currently formalised to a variety of [[size class|size classes]], which dictate the approximate cost and dimensions of a figure. Consequently, if the powers that be release toys of two characters in the same line in the same size class, they're going to come out in the same size. Even if one character's a [[Starscream (Movie)|twenty-metre fighter jet]] and the other's a [[Ironhide (Movie)|five-metre pickup truck]]. So don't expect this one to go away any time soon.

===Toys out of scale within teams===
Even toys specifically [[combiner|designed to interact with each other]] suffer from this problem. The [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] are wildly out of scale to each other—[[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]]'s space shuttle mode should dwarf [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], with the others somewhere in between. Instead, they're about the same size. Among the Constructicons, [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] is designed to look like a gigantic [[Wikipedia:Image:Liebherr t282 1.jpg|"earth-mover" mining truck]]. He should be able to carry all his teammates in his bed, with some crowding. Similarly, [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (a Concorde jet) is dramatically undersized compared to his fighter-jet [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]] teammates. These scale problems are necessary to avoid misproportioned gestalt forms.

Don't even ask about the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] with their [[Groove (G1)|motorcycle]] and [[Blades (G1)|helicopter]] limbs...

===Same alternate mode, different sizes===
Other scale problems come from characters who transform into the same (or similar) [[alternate mode]]s, but whose toys are different sizes. For example, [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] transforms into an F-15 Eagle, but his toy is half the size of [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]]'s. The same can be said for the Lamborghini Countach [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], who should be the same size as [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], not significantly smaller. These discrepancies are also seen in the other [[Scramble City]] combiners with Earth altmodes, whose toys are all smaller than similar earlier toys.

===Multiple scales of same character===
Although it was never really a problem in [[The Transformers (toyline)|the original toyline]] (later retro-iterations of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|''Generation 1'' Optimus Prime]] e.g. [[Masterpiece]] don't count), later franchises sometimes released multiple versions of the same character in different [[size class]]es ''within the same product line'', usually limited to the leader characters. Multiple versions of [[Optimus Primal/toys|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)/toys|Megatron]] in ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' weren't exactly an example of this, as they represented different bodies, but ''[[Beast Machines (toyline)|Beast Machines]]'' began the problem in earnest with three different [[Cheetor (BW)/toys|Cheetor toys]] released over the course of the line. With one toy at the Supreme size point, one at the Mega point, and a third slight variant at the Deluxe point, there was no real indication of which size if any was the "correct" one. The same line also released two different [[Jetstorm (BM)|Jetstorm]] toys, two different Tankor toys, two different Thrust toys, and two different Optimus Primals. (Though in the case of the Vehicons one of each pair could be considered a distinct "drone" version.)

[[Image:TFAnimated RolloutCommand OptimusPrime toy.jpg|right|230px|thumb|Hooray. I'm in scale with nobody.]]
''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' continued the trend, with several prominent characters receiving a smaller [[Spy Changer]] toy in addition to their larger toy, such as [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] and [[X-Brawn]]. The ''[[Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' line featured both a Super-Con and Super-Base version of [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Optimus Prime]] featuring the same design at different size classes, an issue repeated with [[Megatron (Armada)/toys|Megatron]] in ''[[Energon (toyline)|Energon]]''. The introduction of the "Legends of Cybertron" size class in ''[[Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' only compounded matters, as a plethora of different characters were released at a size wildly out of scale with any of their contemporaries. ''Cybertron'' also featured the first notable case of out-of-scale toys being at least partially explained in the fiction with [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], who did change size over the course of the series.

With the explosion of toys for the [[Movie (toyline)|Movie]], even more scale problems erupted. The line offered both Voyager and Leader Class iterations of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys|Prime]] and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], not to mention nearly all of the movie's onscreen cast getting a Fast Action Battler toy which introduces scale problems between the toys and one another. The fact that [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] came with a small Scorponok, and a separate Deluxe class [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]] was released, only expands the scale problems when one realizes that the Blackout and Deluxe Scorponok toys are meant to interact. Blackout can carry the small Scorponok ''while'' clipped on to the larger one as well, effectively transporting ''both'' at the same time, which makes the entire assembly a nightmare of scaling problems.

This mishmash has expanded even further in the ''[[Transformers Animated (toyline)|Animated]]'' line, with Activator, Deluxe, Voyager, and even Supreme Class versions of [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]]. [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], meanwhile, has Activator, Deluxe, Voyager and Leader Class toys. And there's even three different sizes for poor [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]: Leader, Voyager, and Activator.

Originally, the intent was apparently to make the popular [[Optimus (disambiguation)|Optimus]] and [[Megatron (disambiguation)|Megatron]] characters available at lower price points than just the large and expensive "Leader" class, so that children with less money would not miss out, while also forcing [[completist]] [[User:ItsWalky|collectors]] to buy multiple versions of one character. The result, however, is that it creates further confusion about scale within the toyline, as the contradictory sizes of these toys leave it [[Personal canon|up to the fans]] to determine which is the "correct" version, either using apparent [[show-accuracy]] or other criteria. Sometimes this creates even further problems, though—if one assumes that the Voyager Class ''Movie'' Prime is the "correct" version, then he either has comically small seats for human passengers or [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] has absurdly large seats.

===Toys out of scale with themselves===
[[Image:G1 Broadside toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Kill me. Just... kill me now.]]
[[Triple Changer]]s create a whole new set of problems. [[Octane]] transforms from a 20 m (60') tanker truck into a 65 m (200') jumbo jet. [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] transforms from an Earth jet into an entire ''aircraft carrier.''

Even a two-mode toy can have this problem. Twentieth Anniversary Optimus Prime has wheels which are pretty tiny for a Freightliner truck, while his rear hitch section is too thick. These out-of-proportion vehicle parts were necessary to give his robot mode [[Show-accuracy|show-accurate]] proportions.

===Toys with roleplay altmodes===
The characters with roleplay altmodes such as Generation 1 [[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]], [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], or [[Laserbeak (Armada)|''Armada'' Laserbeak]] are scaled to be human-scale (well, kid-scale). Since the [[size changing]] seen in the fiction is not possible for real toys (at least, that's what [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] ''wants'' us to think), this human-scaling makes in some cases for inordinately large robot modes. E.g., [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s toy, in robot mode, is taller than most other Transformers.

The opposite problem is seen with [[Megatron (G1)/toys|Masterpiece Megatron]], whose robot mode is in scale with Masterpiece Optimus Prime. The result is that, while he may transform into a very accurately-proportioned handgun, it's unmistakably much larger than the real thing. (Not that this has stopped him being widely banned as a "realistic firearm replica"...)

===Fanciful altmodes===
Most post-[[The Transformers: The Movie|movie]] Generation 1 characters (for that matter, most post-Generation 1 lines) are difficult to accurately scale, as they generally transform into futuristic or Cybertronian vehicles whose size we don't really know. (Or, indeed, they don't transform into vehicles at all.) The scale of characters such as [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys|Hot Rod]] or [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Leobreaker]] is fairly arbitrary and can only be estimated by their relative size to other characters in the fiction (although most fiction is highly inconsistent in this regard, see below). Nevertheless, if one assumes that most vehicle altmodes are intended for human-sized passengers, comparing toys such as [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and [[Lightspeed (Technobot)|Lightspeed]] suggests the combiner scale problem continues.

===Big toys===
It goes without saying that the [[city-bot]] and planetbot toys (such as [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and [[Unicron]]) are not remotely to scale with normal Transformer toys. While they are indeed ''large'' toys, they're only two to five times bigger than typical Transformer toys, and thus transform into "cities" and "planets" about the (relative) size of a bungalow. The scale problems extend to the details. Some of the citybot toys have visible windows, which are too large for a city, suggesting instead a medium-sized building.

However, it's hard to begrudge Hasbro not offering us a [[Primus]] toy the size of an asteroid. Where would we keep it?

===An exception===
There has only been one notable exception to all of this scale weirdness in the toys: the ''Alternators'' toyline, where every toy is a 1:24-scale representation of a real car, and thus they are in perfect scale with each other. Unfortunately, for practical reasons this limits the choice of altmodes. A Blast Off (space shuttle) toy in scale with the Alternators toys would be 1.6 m (5.1') long, while a Broadside (aircraft carrier) toy at that scale would be over 12 m (40'). (Hasbro actually displayed [[Prototype|mock-ups]] for an unproduced line of "military" Transformers in scale with the Alternators during the BotCon 2007 Hasbro Tour; two of them recycled parts of ''[[Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' [[Unicron]], and were thus [[Size class|Supreme-sized]], which made said potential toyline not particularly commercially viable for Hasbro.)

== Scale within fictions ==
Scale issues abound within the fiction, especially the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]]. Some can be attributed to [[animation error]]s, such as layering problems,<sup>[[:Image:Tinybluestreak.jpg|1]][[:Image:Huge Ironhide and Small Ratchet.jpg|2]][[:Image:CarnageMiniBlaster.jpg|3]]</sup> but some "errors" were deliberate choices, for a variety of reasons.

===Fictional scale vs. toy scale===
[[Image:TeenyCliff.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Frighteningly toy-accurate.]]
[[Image:Powerglide Astoria Marygoaround.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Actually, [[Kiss Players (franchise)|disturbing fiction]] is probably more of a concern than scale issues.]]
G1 ''Transformers'' fiction often depicts characters to the same relative scale as the toys, which duplicates the intra-toyline problems described above. The cartoon, for example, shows Prime, Megatron and Soundwave as about the same height, Seekers and Autobot cars as slightly shorter (though not as much as the toys are), and Minibots as smaller yet. This scale was carried over to their vehicle forms, resulting in differently-sized cars that, based on real world measurements, should be virtually the same size.

[[Image:Omegasupreme astrotrain.jpg|right|180px|thumb|I know he's meant to be big, but holy crap, dude!]]
For another example, the Marvel Comics portrayed the Pretenders as literal interpretations of their toys: 60-foot humans with full scale Transformers inside. The "disguise" aspect of this was later explained by having Landmine and Cloudburst encounter giant, transformer-sized humanoids on an alien planet which made them appear to be of a "normal" scale.

Transformers fiction commonly shrinks or inflates characters, relative to their toy sizes. "Giant" characters such as [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] are, even aside from any [[size changing]] for transport purposes, clearly not in the same scale in toy form as they are depicted on screen. [[Mini-Cassette|Cassette characters]] such as [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'s toys are roughly the same height as most Minibots, while in the show they are usually portrayed as human-sized.

[[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] are usually shown to be of a fairly similar height (although Magnus is much bulkier), whereas there is a considerable difference between the size of their toys. By the same token, Rodimus is always depicted as being an equal stature to his opposing leader [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], whereas the toy Galvatron is instead the same size as Magnus. Optimus Prime is also usually shown as only a head or so shorter than Magnus (if that), which gets very strange when you realise that a [[redeco]] of Prime's toy forms but a small part of Magnus' robot mode.

[[Image:Beastwarsmaxgroup.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Airazor picks the Ultra-class figure.]]
The cast of ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' were size-tweaked quite a bit, relative to the toyline. The most noticeable problem is Optimus Primal, who has an Ultra toy (the "level four" size, almost twice the size of the "level three" Mega next-largest Maximal toys), but is shorter than both Dinobot and Rhinox (both of whom are "level two" Deluxe sized toys). Further, Cheetor and Tigatron's toys use the same (Deluxe) mold, but Tigatron is a head taller in the show (both because tigers are larger than cheetahs, and because Cheetor is "a kid"). New and altered characters in later seasons were generally more consistent in size (and appearance) with the toys.

The ''[[Beast Machines (toyline)|Beast Machines]]''' toyline was ''far'' worse in size discrepancies with the cartoon. Of the Maximals featured in the show, the tallest character, [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], is the ''shortest'' toy, while the diminutive [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] is a massive Ultra-class toy. And, sadly, the most show-accurate toy, Air Attack [[Optimus Primal/toys|Optimus Primal]], is a ''ginormous'' Supreme figure, towering over the other toys. (Weirdly, the King Kong-like size of this toy became canon in one specific [[micro-continuity]]. {{storylink|Prime Spark}})
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[[Image:ShrinkingHeavy.jpg|right|180px|thumb|I lost thirty tons, thanks to the Jump-Cut! Thank you, Jump-Cut!]]
In the otherwise fairly toy-scale-savvy [[Unicron Trilogy]], [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Metroplex]] and the other citizens of [[Gigantion]] are depicted as gargantuan in animation, whereas the toys are merely among the normal boxed size-classes. Within the animation, this causes problems with their Mini-Con partners, who are depicted as human-sized in robot mode by themselves, but when shown directly interacting with their larger partners, are scaled up right along with their partner... resulting in some temporarily gigantic Mini-Cons!

The Japanese ''[[Cybertron (franchise)#Galaxy Force|Galaxy Force]]'' release of Metroplex, dubbed "Megalo Convoy", included an exclusive [[redeco]] of the [[Legends Class|Legends of Cybertron]] [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Optimus Prime toy]] to indicate the "correct" scale.

The ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'' franchise has its share of scale problems when comparing its toyline to the cartoon (not helped by multiple releases of some characters in different sizes—see above), with several characters seeming roughly one [[size class]] too small, such as the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] being a mix of one Voyager size and two Deluxes, [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] looking rather diminutive as a Deluxe, and, most egregiously, [[Lugnut]] as a ''very'' squat Voyager who's shorter than even some Deluxes. (As with Voyager-class Bulkhead, more of his mass went into his width, plus his weapon takes away some from his robot mode.) Conversely, the traditionally stunted [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] is marginally too tall and bulky to be in correct scale to his otherwise fairly accurate core teammates, assuming one includes Voyager [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] and Leader [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] in their lineup. In fact, Animated is one of those toylines where you're not quite sure who you're supposed to base correct scale on.

===Inconsistent portrayal===
[[Image:OmegaSupremeintro.jpg|left|175px|thumb|No! Don't wash him in hot water! He'll...]]
[[Image:Omegasupreme-blasterandgrimlock.jpg|right|200px|thumb|...too late.]]
Even if a size was decided on, it often didn't remain consistent. The height of the cartoon's [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]], just to name one, frequently varied between episodes.

The [[The Transformers (Marvel Comics)|Generation 1 Marvel comic]] is notorious for changing the relative sizes of various characters. A single Transformer's size is rarely consistent between artists. For example, Rumble and Frenzy vary in height relative to Soundwave. A panel in the "[[Time Wars]]" shows [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]], [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Scattershot]], and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] all the same height. [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], titanic in his original appearance, {{storylink|Command Performances!}} shrunk steadily in subsequent issues until he was not much taller than the average Transformer. Fortress Maximus suffered a similar problem, shrinking in size even though he was explicitly rebuilt to be twice as tall as the average Transformer.

[[Image:Beastwarriors scale.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Beast Megatron's size vs. Optimus Prime's in America... and Japan. Looks like the Blasty Zone adds on a few tons to Beast Era characters.]]
Between the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and the [[Beast Era]], the majority of the Cybertronian race considerably downgraded in size at the [[Great Upgrade]]. When entering the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], the Beast Warriors are quite small compared to the dormant Generation 1 characters, especially [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]—but just ''how'' much bigger varies quite a bit from scene to scene and episode to episode. When interacting with the Autobot technology of the Ark and the [[Autobot shuttle]], the Maximals are often dealing with equipment grossly oversized for them (standing on the chairs to reach the controls, turning knobs the size of their heads); yet the Ark also seems to feature some human-sized computer control panels. {{storylink|Master Blaster|Master Blaster}} Without any height booster, Blackarachnia can interface well with these controls.

On the other hand, ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' depicted Generation 1 and ''Beast Wars'' characters like Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal as being exactly the same size. Lovely. It's possible that passage through the [[Blasty Zone]] may somehow [[Wikipedia:Boom tube#Later Additions to the Concept|account for this discrepancy]].

===Explicit size changes===
{{main|size changing}}

Numerous characters are explicitly shown to shrink or expand at various times.

====Human-scaled alternate modes====
Blaster becomes a human-size radio; Megatron shrinks into a Transformer-scaled handgun. The cartoons and comics typically show this without explanation, leaving the reader to attribute it to advanced alien technology.

====Pretenders====
Some versions of the Pretenders are shown to explicitly shrink when hiding in their human-sized outer shells. In the U.S. toy commercials, Grimlock, Bumblebee, and Jazz in their new Pretender forms were small enough to fit in Powermaster Optimus Prime's hand. So, at least in that [[micro-continuity]], they were human-sized. ''[[Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' featured Pretenders who did not have outer shells but rather an ill-defined holistic transformation which explicitly involved size changing. A vaguely similar explanation appeared in [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye]]'' encyclopedia.

===Implicit size changes===
Characters often change size in a less explicit fashion when transforming. These changes in scale are usually attributed to size-changing by that portion of the fan base who like to find explanations for things. The other explanation is that the artists hoped the audience wouldn't notice. It can also be supposed that they are hiding their mass somewhere (car style Transformers storing mass in their passenger compartments when in humanoid form, Starscream folding his wings flat, the buildings in a city-bot collapsing to eliminate the spaces normally occupied by humans, boat-bots filling up or getting rid of the vast empty areas used to provide buoyancy) or puffing up with empty space, but at a certain point, things just get silly. Some Transformers are smaller than solid blocks of the mass contained in their alt modes: Unicron would have to be about as thick as the Earth's crust while in planetary form, and Optimus would probably be blown away by a stiff breeze in his larger incarnations.

====Transport characters====
In the original cartoon, Transformers that act as transport for other Transformers, such as [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]], and [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], will often dramatically change size relative to their compatriots between one shot and the next. For example, Cosmos is ''much'' shorter than Blaster in robot form; yet Blaster easily fits within his spacecraft mode. Likewise, a whole squad of Decepticons can fit into Astrotrain's shuttle mode easily, yet he's an ordinary-sized trooper in his robot form.

Sometimes the cartoon would show ordinarily-scaled characters such as Cyclonus, Thrust or Huffer carrying another Transformer in their cockpit, implying either a tiny passenger or a huge vehicle. Even Omega Supreme, who is supposed to be huge, would have to have a greatly expanded scale for his rocket ship component to accommodate passengers as shown on the cartoon.

The Marvel comics commonly sidestepped this issue by not using Transformers as transport characters, or else requiring the passengers to transform into their explicitly smaller forms to be carried. Yet they were not immune to this problem. In one story, the Pretender [[Cloudburst]] exited his shell, transformed into jet mode, and then his shell (and [[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]]) boarded him as a passenger. The fact that his ''outer'' shell was now much smaller than the ''inner'' robot was quietly ignored. {{storylink|Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?}}

Dreamwave's ''More Than Meets The Eye'' series of bio comics tried to explain this for characters such as Astrotrain and Broadside by saying they're able to expand themselves to increase cargo space in vehicle mode, though their armor becomes thinner as it is spread out more. Conversely, the series notes, in robot mode, all that armor and structure being compressed into a smaller form makes that mode stronger and more durable for combat.

<center><gallery>
Image:MakeHoistHuffer.jpg|Definitely ''not'' toy-accurate.
Image:Ironhide carried into Ratchet.jpg|...And not to mention [[Ironhide (G1)|th]][[Ratchet (G1)|is]].
</gallery></center>

====Combiner characters====
[[Image:DreamwaveCover6.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Since when is a sedan nine stories tall?]]
[[Combiner]] characters are often depicted as far larger than the sum of their parts. Characters such as [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] are frequently shown as [[That big green, fire-snortin' lizard|Godzilla]]-sized. Given that their limbs are mere cars and construction vehicles, this is patently absurd. ([[Superion (G1)|Superion]], by contrast, ''would'' be building-sized, given that his torso is a 100-seat jetliner.)

Combiners are also often out-of-scale with other Transformers; a combiner with cars for legs and another car for its torso should be only twice as tall as a one-car Transformer, but they are routinely drawn as five to dozens of times taller than their comrades.

Sometimes, they are even out of scale in their own team; [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]'s torso is an [[Onslaught (G1)|anti-aircraft truck]], while one of his limbs is a [[Blast Off (G1)| space shuttle]] and another is a [[Swindle (G1)|Jeep]]. For this to work, ether Blast Off has to shrink, or Swindle needs to grow.

====Scale problems and size-changing====
Some fans interpret the many otherwise-unexplained scale issues above to all be the result of [[size changing]], but this is debatable. If virtually all characters use mass-shifting (or whatever) to gain or drop a few feet of height for no logical reason, the technology would be pointlessly mundane. There's also no known reason for (e.g.) the Seekers to choose to get ''shorter'' when going into battle. A to-scale Starscream in robot mode could kick Bumblebee around like a soccer ball. There's simply no positive evidence that size-changing is so widespread.

===Undersized alternate modes===
Many Transformers are portrayed in fiction as having alternate modes that are smaller than the real-life objects they are imitating. Sometimes this is deliberate, allowing them to match their toy scale and/or be of a similar size to other characters; in other cases, it is essentially an artistic error.

Toys at the lowest price points usually include "mini" or "micro" in their name. [[Mini Vehicle]]s [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]], and [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] are usually depicted as smaller than other Transformers in fiction, even though their alternate modes should have them towering over other characters. This often results in minuscule vehicle forms; Seaspray is a tiny hovercraft, despite being covered with doors and windows.

[[Image:Hotrodpatrolcommercial.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Do you have change for four hot rods?]]
The [[Micromaster]]s are explicitly downsized Transformers, roughly the size of a human in the comics, meaning that they ''should'' have explicitly tiny vehicle modes... which wouldn't make for very convincing disguises. The Micromasters are about the same height in robot mode, but they transform into equally tiny cars, trucks, planes, tanks, and other vehicles that should be vastly different sizes.

Despite this, the Marvel comic featured [[Roadhandler (G1)|Roadhandler]] carrying a human passenger in his vehicle form, as though he were a full-sized car. The Dreamwave miniseries ''[[Micromasters]]'' suggested that the Micromasters were scaled down to interact more easily with "smaller beings". Whether that meant creatures of human scale or even smaller stature is never clarified, but the Micromasters' passenger compartments are presumably too small to accommodate human passengers.

The [[Mini-Con]]s of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] are another race of small robots who stand approximately the same height as humans and, like the Micromasters before them, are clearly modeled to carry passengers. Really teeny passengers. (Notable exceptions are [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (in his original body), [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]], and [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]], who become small one-man conveyances.) This results from the Mini-Cons scanning normal vehicles and then resizing them to fit, retaining now-useless passenger compartments. In the [[Cybertron (cartoon)|''Cybertron'' cartoon]], the [[Recon Mini-Con Team]] have slightly-larger-than-human robot modes, but their alternate modes are large enough for a single human passenger, implying either a little size-changing or that their cockpits are kinda cramped. Though the Recon Team all originate from Gigantion, and seeing how partnered Mini-Cons seem to change size to fit their larger companions, a little size shift to accomodate a passenger doesn't seem too far-fetched compared to other scale issues.

Likewise, the [[Beast Era]] Maximals and Predacons possess roughly human-size bodies; yet when portrayed as vehicles on Cybertron ("[[Dawn of Future's Past]]", the [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicons]] in ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]''), they feature seats and cockpits that, at their size, should be basically useless.

====Citybots====
[[Image:EarlyGalvatronTVMagazine1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|If you were ever this big in the cartoon, then we might call you a city.]]
[[Image:HeadmastersScale.jpg|right|200px|thumb|See above. Way, way, way above.]]
[[City-bot|A few characters]] have "city" alternate modes. As actual real-life cities can sprawl for many miles, a [[city-bot]] that can notionally house a population of humans, ''let alone'' Transformers, should have a robot-mode that'd make [[Hojoni|Godzilla]] look like a gecko. Suffice to say, almost no fiction even ''begins'' to approximate the logical size of a true "city-bot". In the American and Japanese cartoons, all four were shown as massive robots capable of housing many normal-sized Transformers. Even so, it would take something along the lines of the grossly undersized depictions of [[Unicron]] (see below) even to begin to represent reasonably the colossal size of a transformed city; so in the context of Transformers, "city" is perhaps better read as "building" or "fortress".

These city-bots often have "small" robots forming vital components. Scorponok has a "human-sized" being forming his head. [[Full-Tilt]], [[Six-Gun]], and [[Slammer]] must logically be building-sized in robot-mode to be in-scale with Trypticon and Metroplex, but, again, are not drawn as such.

The Marvel Generation 1 comic sidestepped this issue by depicting Trypticon, Fortress Maximus and Scorponok as merely "large-standard" characters. However, Metroplex, during his one, brief appearance, was depicted as being immensely larger, crushing Quintesson attack cruisers under foot without batting an eyelid. He was still considerably smaller than a city, however, but this was justified by him merely serving as the 'transformation core' for Autobot City: Earth, not the actual city itself.
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====Planets and planetbots====
[[Image:Cybertronplanet.jpg|left|250px|thumb|If we're generous and assume Cybertron is only the size of Earth's moon, then the larger visible buildings are roughly the size of Massachusetts stood on end, and you could wedge France into that gash. (Which would probably improve both Cybertron and France.)]]
Scale when it comes to planets is so fraught it's painful. The problems of describing citybots as "cities" is a thousand times worse if [[Unicron]] is supposed to have a planet alternate mode, and [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] is in turn supposed to be of similar size. Though different stories have compared Cybertron/Primus and Unicron to drastically different real planets, the fact remains that they are ''planets'', and yet are shown in such insane scale to characters as to suggest they are the size of a ''very'' small moon (or [[Darth Vader|space station]]).

To start with, Cybertron was shown throughout ''Generation 1'' with buildings visible from space. Although this was intended to show that the planet was technological in nature, it makes little sense, as the structures would have to be the size of small ''nations'' to be visible. If the buildings were in fact supposed to be skyscrapers (or even ''2000 A.D.''-style arcologies) sized for 10 m (30') robots, Cybertron would still be less than 150km (100 miles) across. The rather [http://www.starwars.com/databank/location/coruscant/index.html Coruscant]-like shots of Cybertron in ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' may be less distinctive or "Cybertronian", but are ''far'' more believable. (Some people reason that the Transformers' advanced technology, along with their large size and their not needing to breathe, means that buildings actually CAN be that big.)

Unicron is a more extreme problem. Assuming no [[size changing]] occurs during his transformation (and really, what possible reason would he have to become ''smaller''?), in robot mode he would be so massive that any shot featuring a recognizable ''part'' of his body, let alone the whole thing, would be on a scale such that no normal Transformer would even be visible. [[Image:UnicronEatsGalvyMmmm.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Either Galvy is humungo, or Lithone is tiiinyyy!!!]]Scenes in the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 movie]] in which he directly interacts with normal Cybertronians are blatantly absurd (though totally phat-looking). Shots such as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] fleeing his grasping hand, a starship penetrating his eye, impaling [[Brainstorm]] on his fingernail, {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} or ''especially'' him picking up Galvatron between his fingers before swallowing him, break any concept of "planetary" scale.

If Cybertron is the size of Earth's moon (and that's generous), and Unicron is about the size of Cybertron, his hands would be about the size of Europe and Galvatron (to the right) would be about the size of Denmark.

There is no explanation for any of this. Just go with it.

The depiction of Unicron's scale in ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' was (debatably) a slight improvement, in that physical interaction with normal beings was not attempted. He preferred instead to communicate with normal Transformers by possessing one of them. {{storylink|Sideways (RID)|Sideways}} Nevertheless, shots featuring [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] and [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] standing on his neck are still ''farcically'' out of scale.

===Oversized alternate modes===
[[Image:RattrapLOVEScheetor.jpg|right|180px|thumb|I'm tellin' ya, all da rats in Brooklyn are dis big!]]
Much less common are instances of a Transformer turning into an overscaled real-world object. Most such instances occur in the ''Beast Wars'' era.

Although the Beast Warriors are consistent day-to-day in their relative size to each other, their scale in relation to their real-world animal equivalents is more complex. While the bug characters such as [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] are obviously scaled-up, other characters are more subtly not quite the right size.

[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] and [[Tigatron]] are shown standing next to real members of their species, and they are both the same size as the animals in question. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} {{storylink|Law of the Jungle}} This makes them (and Cheetor in particular, since he's around more) the measuring sticks for the other characters. Therefore, [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] is a rather small rhinoceros, and [[Optimus Primal]] is a roughly normal (or female) gorilla. However [[Rattrap]] is a monstrously huge rat, the size of a large dog (indeed, the writers stated that Season 1 Rattrap was 5' (1.5 m) tall<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/8227a6ca84c0238d Bob Forward gives Rattrap's height from the show bible]</ref>). Likewise [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] is considerably larger than a real velociraptor. [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], however, is a tiny specimen of a T. Rex. In their interactions with adult [[protohuman]]s, the Transformer characters seem between twice and three times their height. Considering our ancestors really were smaller than modern humans, this is not extremely wrong, but it deserves noting.

However, thanks to the scaling up of the bug characters, it is relatively safe to assume that the Transformers scanned only animal ''forms'' and then rescaled them to fit their own size, which is actually slightly more believable than all other series, in which the Transformers use mass shifting to make their alt modes the ''right'' size.

===Artistic license===
====Variation for characterization====
[[Image:Prime has a huge head.jpg|left|150px|thumb|With 20th Anniversary Prime and Smallest Transformers Bumblebee, you can actually recreate this scene.]]
Some scale problems are for the sake of characterization. For example, Optimus Prime is routinely shown as thoroughly gargantuan, several stories in height, and capable of cradling humans in his palm. If he's the size of a real truck, Prime in robot mode should be 8–10 m (25'–30') tall, at best. He's drawn large because he's a leader character.

Conversely, [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] is sometimes shown only a few feet taller than an average human, while in reality he would be 3–5 m (10'–15') tall (the Marvel comic actually states he's 15' tall {{storylink|Plight of the Bumblebee!}}). He's drawn small because he's a human-friendly character, and a junior member of the Autobots.

With fighter jet alternate modes, the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] should be among the largest everyday Transformers and would ''tower'' over their Autobot adversaries; instead, the animation depicts characters such as [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] as about the same height. Though jets are much larger than cars, they're drawn the same height so the battles appear fair. (And also to make it easier to animate; blocking a shot where characters differ radically in height is difficult.)

In a related vein, sometimes Transformers are able to enter human buildings, fitting through their doors and running up their staircases without crashing through. {{storylink|B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.}} A cast that couldn't enter buildings would be grossly inconvenient for telling some stories, so the animators fudge things.

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====Intentionally strange scale====
[[Image:MarvelUS-01.jpg|right|200px|thumb|One side makes you larger, one side makes you small. (Op's been noshing on the first side too much.)]]
Sometimes artists draw a character at a different size [[Authorial intent|intentionally]]. For example, on the cover of the [[The Transformers (issue)|first issue]] of [[The Transformers (Marvel Comics)|the original ''Transformers'' comics series]], Optimus Prime is extremely huge compared to the highway, bridge, and normal cars. ([[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] is bigger than usual, too.) This is purely for dramatic effect.

Another notable example is the splash screen for the "[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/bible/index.html World of the TRANSFORMERS]" website, which depicts [[Optimus Primal]] (in his original gorilla body) as the same size as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|G1 Optimus Prime]] and [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Movie Optimus Prime]], directly contradicting the size difference seen in "[[Optimal Situation]]" and elsewhere (except for ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'').

Artwork for the [[:Image:VaderVsPrime.jpg|''Star Wars'']] subline features [[:Image:Megatronvsluke.jpg|humans from another galaxy]] standing at the same height as Transformers, although this is simply because most of the figures in [[Attacktix|the tabletop game advertised by this artwork]] are the same size.

[[Image:World of the Transformers ent.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Meet the Supreme class Munky Optimus Primal.]]
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===The 2007 ''Transformers'' movie===
[[Image:Moviescale1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Scale is absolutely not an issue in the movie. Riiight.]]
The creators of the [[Transformers (2007)|live-action movie]] took great pains to avoid out-of-scale issues. (Well, greater than previous franchises.) This is sometimes reflected in the choice of vehicle or the design of their robot mode. E.g., [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] is an extended-hood cab in order to have more mass with which to make a taller robot mode. [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]'s robot mode is nearly as wide as it is tall, with shorter, digitigrade legs, so the massive jet-former won't end up twice as tall as Optimus. In the case of [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], his huge alternate mode simply results in a hulking, towering robot mode.

There are still minor scale issues to be found, though. For example, Optimus Prime can hold both [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] and [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] in one hand. Comparing this shot with when he picks up [[Archibald Witwicky]]'s glasses a few minutes later, it seems the glasses have lenses a foot (30cm) in diameter. This is a visual cheat so the glasses are visible to the audience. There's also debate about whether [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]]'s head could compact itself into a slim mobile phone. The [[Movie (toyline)|movie-franchise toys]], meanwhile, are only intermittently consistent (particularly since some of the secondary ones are redecos of toys from previous lines), with the largest contrast among the "primary" toys being between Deluxe Class [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], a motorcycle, and Voyager Class Decepticons with helicopters as their [[Alternate mode|alternate modes]], such as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Incinerator (Movie)|Incinerator]]. However, many of the wheeled vehicles are close to 1:35 scale, although Deluxe Class [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] and Classic Camaro [[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys|Bumblebee]] are ''obviously'' not the same scale. Even more oddly, the vehicle modes of Classic Camaro Bumblebee and Concept Camaro Bumblebee are not the same scale, yet their robot heads are the same size (albeit different sculpts).

[[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]] is another point of topic here. Whilst in the [[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|film]], they worked on keeping his size relative to those of his components, in the [[Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|game]] he was far larger.

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==Official scale guides ==
[[Image:Tfcartoonscaleguideic1.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Official Scale Guides of ''The Transformers'']]
[[Image:Beastwarsscalepreliminary.jpg|right|250px|thumb|''Beast Wars'' Season 1 scale guide]]
Animators and comic book artists received official scale guides showing relative and (in some cases) absolute heights. Some of these were published in the character model guides ''[[The Ark: A Complete Compendium of Character Designs|The Ark]]'' and ''[[The Ark II — A Compendium of Japanese Character Designs|The Ark II]].'' Though they were sometimes ignored, they still give insight into the official scale of characters in Generation 1. However, even here, there are problems. Devastator in the Season One scale guide was approximately 2.5 times the height of Optimus Prime, but by Season Two he was somewhat less than twice Prime's height.

''Beast Wars'' likewise had an official scale guide, which appeared as a bonus on the DVD set of Season 2. Despite this guide, the series writers have indicated some measure of disregard for relative scale, when it suited the needs of dramatic tension.<ref>[http://builtstlouis.net/tf/manic/m-botcon.html BotCon 98 report - see "ON THE SIZES OF CHARACTERS"]</ref> Thus, Optimal Optimus is ''ungodly'' tall in his first appearance, later reduced to perhaps two times the height of the rest of the cast.

[[Image:ROTF Autobot scale guide 1.jpg|thumb|right|''ROTF'' scale guide]]

''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' had scale guides featured in the ''25 years of Transformers'' feature for the [[Revenge of the Fallen DVD field guide|DVD release]] which showed official heights for both the Autobots and the Decepticons. Meaning [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] gains an extra twelve feet when he wears [[Jetfire (ROTF)|a corpse]].

{{-}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/6db411e03e75a342?dmode=source Estimated "real-life" heights for several Transformers, derived from the size of their alt-modes, archived from alt.toys.transformers on groups.google.com]

[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Planets]]
[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Toys]]
[[Category:Things that don't exist]]

Prowl (G1)

2009-05-21T21:15:16Z

12.45.255.66: /* Trivia */ Added orange smoke pic.

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|maximal}}
{{disambig3|Prowl}}
:''Prowl is an [[Autobot]] and [[Maximal]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Prowlg1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Prick.]]
'''Prowl''' is the Autobot military strategist. As such, [[Prime (rank)|Autobot Commander]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] keeps Prowl near at hand for his indispensable expertise. Prowl is quiet, competent, loyal, and possessed of almost endless patience.

Prowl's dedication to logic and reason make him an excellent strategist, but not much of a socialite. He really doesn't tend to get along well with his fellow Autobots, many of whom find his strict adherence to military protocol stifling, and his uptight personality sure doesn't help matters. He does not react well to the unexpected, to the point that it can literally scramble his cerebral circuits. The [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] commander [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], who is disorder made manifest, ''especially'' honks Prowl off, and Grimlock feels pretty much the same way in return, only with more swear words. He's very fond of his [[Acid pellet|acid pellets]], though.

{{bigquote|Listening to you, [[Bluestreak|Blue Streak]], taxes even the endless patience of '''Prowl.''' I have little to say, but my logic center dictates the most advantageous course of action in any situation.|Prowl begins his long history of prickery|"[[The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers]]"}}

:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Cervo''', '''Rôdeur ''' ("Prowler", as Action Master)
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Pái-húai''' (徘徊, "Prowl") / '''Jǐng-chē''' (警車, "Police Car")
:''Hungarian name'': '''Portyázó''' ("Prowler")
:''Italian name:'' '''Pantera''' ("Panther")
:''Portuguese name (Portugal comic):'' '''Batedor'''
:''Portuguese name (Brazil comic):'' '''Espreitador'''

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
''Before Optimus became leader, Prowl was part of the self-styled Magnificent Six, a team of Autobot warriors who would be tortured and humiliated by the sadistic [[Megadeath]].'' {{storylink|The Magnificent Six!}}

[[Image:Prowlg1marvelfirst.jpg|left|100px|thumb|Well somebody's character model was ready.]]
Prowl was one of the select Autobots chosen by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to travel aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', and ended up in stasis lock for four million years at the base of [[Mount St. Hilary]] with the rest of the crew. Once the volcano exploded, Optimus chose Prowl to lead the first away mission into civilization. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}} Like most of the Autobots, though, he soon ran out of energy without any option of refueling on Earth, and suffered even greater injuries when the ''Ark'' and the deactivated Autobots aboard were taken over by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the Decepticons. ''He was eventually revived when [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] reclaimed control of the ''Ark'' from Shockwave's drone, the [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian]]. {{storylink|The Wrath of Guardian!}}''

With Optimus Prime's head still in Decepticon possession, Prowl took command of the Autobots until their true leader could be restored. At [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]]'s suggestion, he forged an alliance with human fuel magnate [[G.B. Blackrock]], arranging an exchange of free gasoline for the Autobots for their help in protecting Blackrock's facilities from the Decepticons. {{storylink|DIS-Integrated Circuits!}} The Autobots were eventually successful in recovering Prime's head, and restoring him to functionality, but Prowl suffered some injuries battling the Decepticons and a false Prime in the process. {{storylink|Prime Time!}}

[[Image:Prowlg1crisisofcommand.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Some even call me a prick! And why? Because I dared to dream of my own race of atomic monsters!]]

''Shortly thereafter, Prowl was the ringleader of a group of Autobots strongly requesting that Prime use his [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] to create Ultimate Autobot super-warriors to wipe out the Decepticons for them. The lethal efficiency of Prowl's stance was just as strongly opposed by another faction who saw such action as a perversion of their sacred lifeforce, and the potential for laying waste to Earth. Prime's long absence and relative weakness after his recent ordeals left Prowl and the others less deferential than normal to his will, but after he singlehandedly fought through the Decepticons to rescue [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], Prowl and the other Ultimate Autobot proponents backed down and accepted Prime's final word on the subject. {{storylink|Crisis of Command!}} When the Dinobots were driven feral by their primitive circuitry, Prowl nearly sacrificed himself crashing a shuttlecraft straight into the feuding [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!}}''

''Prowl was displaced to [[Limbo]] along with Optimus Prime and Ratchet when [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] time-traveled from the future. {{storylink|Target: 2006}} Joined later by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]], they found themselves in the middle of a war between the peaceful, cat-like [[Cloran]] and evil, monkey-like invaders led by [[Zenag]]. {{storylink|Distant Thunder!}} When Galvatron's group returned to their own time, Prowl was released from Limbo.''

''Prowl was next in action during the [[Battlecharger|Battlechargers]]' rampage, and attempted to bring them in despite the endangerment of human life.'' {{storylink|Perchance to Dream|Perchance to Dream}} Deactivated by means unknown, Ratchet did manage to briefly revive him in order to exploit Prowl's police car mode against a human thief named the [[Mechanic]] who had infiltrated the ''Ark''. {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend!}} Prowl was fully revived in time for Grimlock and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s grudge match on the moon, and fought alongside the combined crews of the ''Ark'' and ''[[Steelhaven]]'' against the Decepticon party-crashers. {{storylink|Totaled!}} Unfortunately, it wasn't too long afterwards that Prowl was once again knocked off-line, this time battling the [[Underbase]]-charged [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in New York. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

[[Image:Prowlg1exodus.jpg|left|200px|thumb|You'd be a prick too if Grimlock kept getting promoted over you.]]

He would remain in stasis for some time, until Grimlock acquired a large supply of super-energy known as [[Nucleon]], and pumped it into all of the ''Ark'''s stasis chambers. Prowl found himself revived just in time to engage the Chaos-Bringer known as [[Unicron]] for the sake of all Cybertron, and then bury his longterm friend and leader, Optimus Prime, who sacrificed himself to destroy Unicron. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} At Prime's last request, Prowl reluctantly supported Grimlock as new leader of the Autobots. While Grimlock pursued his own interests, though, Prowl found himself working almost alone trying to maintain the tenuous peace between the Autobots and Decepticons. He ended up overplaying his hand, and gave Decepticon leader [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] a chance to betray the Autobots, leaving them trapped on the dying world of Cybertron, without transport, while the Decepticons fled to conquer new civilizations. Luckily for Prowl, Grimlock had anticipated the Decepticons' treachery (by Primus, how'd he manage that?!?) and had secured alternate starships. The Autobots chased their foes to the planet of [[Klo]] and, thanks to the resurrection of Optimus Prime and the arrival of the [[Last Autobot]], managed to drive off Bludgeon's forces, sending them into at least temporary exile. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}

In an alternate 2009, Prowl was one of only seven Autobots left alive after [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] and his Decepticons took over America. With Cybertron destroyed by [[Unicron]] and the various Primes dead, things looked bleak. Prowl and Jazz led a last-ditch assault on the Decepticon fortress and, miraculously, managed to send a signal to the rest of the world that America was still alive and fighting. When some [[Hook, Line, and Sinker|mysterious travelers]] shang-haied Galvatron from the field of battle, Prowl joined Jazz and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (the last of their kind) in fighting alongside their human allies with renewed vigor. Perhaps the war could yet be won! {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[Image:Prowllittlemen.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Prowl was GEEWUN before it was fashionable.]]
''Deactivated following his battle with the [[Underbase]]-enhanced Starscream, Prowl lay recuperating within a lifepod in the ''Ark'' for months, until the [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] of a parallel future intervened. Using a series of dream bug devices, Galvatron manipulated the baser instincts of several Autobots, attempting to revive them as pawns he could use for his own purposes. Instead they revived intent on opposing him. Prowl joined [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] in overpowering and capturing the renegade Decepticon. Wheeljack cobbled together a device that turned Galvatron's own technology against him, and Prowl slapped it on the villain's head, leaving him trapped in his own nightmares. {{storylink|Perchance to Dream}}''

''As the days passed, Prowl attempted to readjust to the war, despite how it had changed around him. Along with Wheeljack, he lamented about the proliferation of newer types of Transformers, claiming these newcomers gave him a headache just thinking about them. Luckily, their patrol turned up several familiar enemies, including the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] and [[Stunticon|Stunticons]] working under [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s command. Megatron had formulated a scheme to destroy Earth's atmosphere with a deadly rocket, and reap the excess energy that would no longer be filtered out before reaching the planet's surface. {{storylink|Starting Over!}} While Wheeljack engaged the Decepticons, Prowl leaped aboard the flying rocket, knocking it off course so that its deadly poison never reached the proper altitude. {{storylink|Desert Island Risks!}} He crashed down in the backwoods of Louisiana, and befriended some locals who helped fix him up over the next few days. Prowl also neutralized the rocket's poison, and got a good chuckle out of watching the two Decepticon factions arrive days later and begin fighting over a useless cargo. {{storylink|Life in the Slow Lane}}''

''A new team of Autobots called [[Earthforce]] had been formed, partly to help recover Prowl and the atmospheric rocket, and he quickly joined the organization once reunited with his fellow Autobots. Working under Grimlock's overall command, Prowl acted as second lieutenant, providing a voice of reason and strategy for the Dinobot Commander. On one occasion, Prowl sabotaged Megatron's attempt to alter the timeline using a [[Flashback doorway]]. The two opponents traveled back in time to the battle with Starscream, where Megatron possessed the body of [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snaptrap]], and attempted to lead the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]] to safety in order to receive their services in the present. Prowl possessed his own past form and ensured the Seacons' destruction before returning to the present. {{storylink|Flashback!}} He also talked Grimlock into accepting the [[Survivors]] into Earthforce, and joined them in assaulting the island base of the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]]. {{storylink|Where Wolf?}}''

''When the Autobot Earthbase was finished, Prowl gathered with all the other Autobots outside to witness Wheeljack's handiwork. Ever cautious and critical, Prowl commented on the noticeable lack of defenses. Wheeljack then turned on the defense grid and tossed a rock towards the base, triggering a series of underground weapon systems that annihilated the projectile. Prowl still wasn't convinced, and began asking how the defenses might be knocked off-line once activated. Wheeljack assured him the defenses were so completely fool proof that NO ONE could shut them off once they had been activated unless they were sitting at the control console inside the base. Prowl then gave Wheeljack his "Everybody's dumb but me" look, and did a headcount of the ''entire'' Earthforce who had come outside for the demonstration... meaning no one was inside who could shut off the deadly defense grid. In order to get back inside their base, Prowl volunteered to brave the perils and reach the console himself. With [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] spotting him, Prowl navigated his way through lasers, heat-seeking drones, acid bats, and electrified tentacles before finally shutting off the system. {{storylink|The House that Wheeljack Built!}}''

''Later on, [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] began suffering from a case of [[Corrodia Gravis]], and the Autobots were forced to go to Starscream in order to get a compatible systems boost to save the Dinobot's life. Not destined to be an easy mission in the best of cases, Prowl, Ironhide and the remaining Dinobots walked in on an assassination in progress and the former Decepticon leaders attempted to remove the current ones from their former thrones. As was often the case, it fell on Prowl to re-explain to Grimlock why it wasn't a good thing that Starscream's life was in danger. {{storylink|External Forces!|External Forces!}} After Megatron, Shockwave and their assassins were chased off, Prowl and Grimlock made a deal with Starscream to gain his help, in exchange for agreeing to step in if Megatron ever tried to overthrow their current Decepticon regime again. {{storylink|The Lesser Evil}}''

''When [[Bombshell]] injected [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] with a [[cerebro-shell]] and caused him to go wild, Earthforce was in dire straits trying to find a means of stopping the warrior juggernaut. Prowl found a human reporter on the scene named [[Irwin Spoon]], and made a deal with him for an exclusive interview in exchange for Irwin's help removing the shell from the inside. {{storylink|Inside Story!}} Irwin was successful and got his interview. Prowl hoped the good publicity would help the Autobots establish better relations with humanity, despite Grimlock's grumbling. It seemed the Decepticons had the same notion, and so Starscream and Soundwave sent the Stunticons to kidnap Irwin from Earthbase before he could publish his story, taking him right out from under Prowl's olfactory receptor. {{storylink|Front Line!}} Prowl tried to chase down [[Motormaster]] and recover the human, but was bashed off the side of the highway, and had to be recovered by Wheeljack. {{storylink|End of the Road! (UK)|End of the Road!}}''

''Along with the surviving Magnificent Six and Silverbolt, Prowl once more faced Megadeath in 1990 and, encouraged by Silverbolt to overcome the past, helped beat Megadeath half to death.''

=====''Another Time and Place''=====
Several months after the incident on Klo, Prowl caught wind of Grimlock running off on his own again, this time back to [[Hydrus Four]]. Prowl alerted Optimus Prime to the situation, but was surprised when his leader harshly rebuked him for bringing it to his attention. When Prime made it clear he didn't want anything to do with Prowl's report, the Autobot strategist stormed off to consider the problem himself. After some solitary computation, Prowl decided that the threat of Decepticons following Grimlock to Hydrus Four and acquiring [[Nucleon]] was too perilous to ignore. He was rushing out of his chambers, ready to throw together a squad of Autobots regardless of what Optimus Prime thought, when he ran smack into Optimus himself. Prime apologized to Prowl for "hiding his head in the sand"—he had wanted the war to be over so badly, for his fellow Autobots' sake and not his, that he was willing to ignore an obvious threat. The two old friends shook hands and proceeded to gather their strike team.

On Hydrus Four, Prowl joined a small group of commandos including [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] to scout the enemy position. They dispatched [[Fangry]] with little effort, and sent in [[Roadhandler (G1)|Roadhandler]] and some [[Micromaster|Micromasters]] to free Grimlock and the Dinobots quietly before the main offensive began. Nothing ever goes quietly with the Dinobots, though, and so once the shooting started inside, the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] were sent in to bomb the facility and let the Decepticons know they were in for it. Prowl and his fellow Autobots assaulted the base and, in little time at all, Bludgeon and his crew were dismantled and the day was won yet again. {{storylink|Another Time and Place}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Prowlg2muzzle.jpg|left|100px|thumb|Prowl and Grimlock's sexual tension continues.]]
When Optimus Prime and Grimlock discovered the threat of the [[Cybertronian Empire]], they called in Autobots scattered across the galaxy, including Prowl. As one of Prime's most loyal supporters, Prowl did not participate in Grimlock's ill-advised strike on the [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Liege Centuro]] and his fleet. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}} Still, Prowl would not completely ignore Grimlock's opinions: when Optimus Prime decreed that he be left alone to entreat Megatron for peace, Grimlock convinced Prowl that Prime made a bad call, and they arrived with a rescue battalion just in time to keep Megatron from destroying his old nemesis. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} Prowl continued serving the Autobot cause, and was present when they attempted to stop the genocide of the planet [[Ethos]] by the [[Cybertronian Empire]]. {{storylink|Escalation!}}
{{-}}

===American cartoon continuity===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Bell]] (English), [[Toshio Ishii]] (Japanese)

{{charstubfiction}}
[[Image:G1 Prowl Bluestreak Rollforit.jpg|left|180px|thumb|It's like looking into a mirror... well, not really.]]
Prowl was part of the crew of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', the Autobot starship that left Cybertron looking for alternate sources of energy only to crashland on [[Earth]]. Four million years later, the Transformers were reawakened by the eruption of the volcano the Ark had crashed in and reformatted by [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]]. Despite being situated in the United States, Prowl was reformatted as a Japanese police car. No one seemed to notice. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

[[Image:DinobotIsland Pt2 Prowlacidpellets.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Prowl demonstrates his revolutionary "wee-wee gun".]]
During an attack against the Decepticons, Prowl's battle computer was knocked offline by a particularly fierce blow. Crippled, Prowl extended his antenna to seek out an online computer that he could patch into. He found [[Chip Chase]]'s desktop terminal, and the young human ally momentarily took control of Prowl, animating the Autobot warrior with his computer. Chip and Prowl handily defeated the Decepticons, and the Autobot remarked that Chip was a human after his own central processor. {{storylink|Roll for It}}

After the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] moved to a mysterious prehistoric island, time portals began opening all over North America. Prowl, [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] were sent to deal with a portal from the wild west. Prowl defeated the cattle rustlers by melting their guns with his acid pellets. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}} [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and Prowl attempted to stop the mayhem caused by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]'s Decepticons, but instead the two Autobots crashed into each other and were temporarily rebuilt into a throne by [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]]. After the Decepticons were driven off, Prowl and the others reformed the throne for Prime, but their leader declined the offer. {{storylink|Triple Takeover}}

[[Image:TFTM Prowl dies.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Scavenger can always be proud of this.]]

Prowl met [[Primus|his manufacturer]] in the year 2005, alongside fellow Autobots [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] during a [[Decepticon]] assault on their shuttle run to Earth from Moonbase One. He very nearly shot [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s head off, but was felled by a single blast from [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]], which penetrated his armour, burned his innards horribly, and left him belching fiery smoke as he fell to the floor, dead. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Prowl's body was evidently recovered for interment, as his grave was housed in the interstellar [[Autobot Mausoleum]]. Along with the mausoleum itself, Prowl's remains were later plunged into a red sun as a side-effect of a [[Quintesson]] plot. {{storylink|Dark Awakening}}
{{-}}

===Japanese cartoon continuity===
====The Headmasters cartoon====
[[Image:Prowlwubsmagnus headmasters.jpg|right|180px|thumb|G-G-Ghost Prowl!]]
:''See also:'' [[Prowl II]]

Prowl was stationed at [[Autobot City]] on Earth in 2011 when he and many other troops were summoned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to help repel a [[Decepticon]] invasion. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}}

Later, Prowl attended a briefing at [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], where [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] assigned several Autobot units to run interference with the Decepticons for [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], as the young Autobot searched for the missing [[Matrix of Leadership]]. Prowl accompanied Ultra Magnus's unit, but did not appear again. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

{{note|Prowl's revival is one of those "WTF?" errors that happened in the Japanese series as a result of [[The Transformers: The Movie|the movie]] not reaching Japan until many years later. However, that's really not an excuse, because he was listed among the deceased in both the English and Japanese versions of "[[Dark Awakening]]". The [[Binaltech]] fiction tried patching this up (see the Prowl II link above), but it didn't stick.}}

====Binaltech====
When Prowl's [[laser core]] was lost to [[subspace]] in a [[GT System|GT]] Transfer accident, his longtime friend Chip Chase volunteered to sacrifice his very own soul in order to breathe life into the now-lifeless Prowl 2. With the help of [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], Chip's consciousness was transported into Prowl's frame. The new entity created in this fusion is virtually indistinguishable from Prowl's old persona, thanks to copies of the original Prowl's [[memory core]] and [[datatrax]], while a separate neurocomputer handles Chip's thought processes.

===Kid Stuff Talking Story Books===
:''Voice actor:'' Unknown

{{bigquote|OUR MISSILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!}}

Prowl is Optimus Prime's over-acting right-hand man. {{storylink|When Continents Collide}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Prowlthewarwithin.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Who are you, and what did you do with Prowl?]]

Prowl was an Autobot from [[Praxus]]. After the death of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] called him, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], and others to the ruins of Praxus, where he declared that if the new [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] was insufficient, they would take control of the Autobot military. Prowl was present at the ceremony when Optronix became Optimus Prime, and was restrained by Grimlock when Prime was attacked. {{storylink|The War Within issue 1}} Prowl became Optimus Prime's [[Second-in-command|immediate subordinate]] and advisor. When Optimus ordered a planetary evacuation, Prowl told Prime that there were many voices raised in opposition against it. When Prime asked if Prowl's own voice was raised in opposition, Prowl looked away but did not reply. The planetary turbines were activated by Megatron, and Prime left to investigate. {{storylink|The War Within issue 2}} As [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] led an assault on [[Iacon]], Prowl and Jazz led the defense, and Prowl sent out an order to all Autobots outside Iacon to regroup and dig in elsewhere, {{storylink|The War Within issue 3}} while those with him made a final stand. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5}} After Iacon was devastated by the mecha-forming process, Prime aborted the evacuation. {{storylink|The War Within issue 6}}

[[Image:Prowldarkagesvehicle.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Cheese it! It's the cops!]]

After Prime and Megatron disappeared in a [[space bridge]] test, the Autobots fractured, leading to the [[Lightning Strike Coalition]] and [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] leaving the main Autobot army. Prowl took over leadership of the Autobots. {{storylink|Fragmentation}} He worked with Shockwave, who had assumed command of the Decepticons, to prevent the [[The Fallen|Fallen]]'s plans from coming to fruition. He and Shockwave agreed to let the [[Well of All Sparks]] remain sealed "[['Til all are one]]," as Shockwave put it. Prowl thought the line was catchy. {{storylink|Conflagration}} Eventually, however, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] took command of the Autobots, and reunited the three factions. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath issue 1}}

[[Image:DWPrimeDirective2 Prowl kills.jpg|left|200px|thumb|DULL MIND CONTROL! Wait... that actually kinda makes sense...]]

While those left on Cybertron endured the [[Great Shutdown]], a group of Autobots under Optimus Prime's command left on board the Ark in search of new energy sources. Unfortunately, Megatron led an attack on the Autobot flagship from the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', and both ships crash-landed on a planet called Earth. Millions of years later in the Earth year of 1984, the Autobots and Decepticons awoke and resumed the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. The Decepticons were eventually defeated by the Autobots and their human allies, and the Transformers were set to return home on the ''[[Ark II]]'', but it was sabotaged by General [[Robert Hallo]] and rogue government engineer-turned-arms dealer [[Adam Rook]].

In the year 2002, Prowl was one of many Transformers under the control of Rook. He, along with several Autobots and Decepticons, attacked the Smitco Oil Refinery Arctic facility during Rook's sales demonstration to several terrorist organizations. Unfortunately, the invasive program that controlled Prowl killed a helpless human refinery worker escaping from the destruction. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2}} After Megatron reactivated himself and freed the other Decepticons from Rook's slavery, he used Prowl and the Autobots as power sources for his metallic cyberforming virus. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 4}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===Transformers Legends anthology===
When Optimus Prime accidentally killed a fellow Autobot, Prowl—who never liked [[Geosensus|the dead guy]] anyway—covered it up so the rest of the team wouldn't lose faith in their leader. He swore that if the accidental killing was ever discovered, he would take the blame. {{Storylink|Parts}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:MegatronOrigin4 Prowlfreakout.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Sentinel, you've got to tell me what to do. I can't make decisions! I'M AN OFFICER!]]

Prowl has served the Autobots for a long time, dating back to the days of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], if not earlier. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s rise as the most popular and violent pit fighter in videos of Kaon's illegal [[gladiatorial combat]] attacted Prowl's attention, and he formed a Autobot Security Services team to crack down on them, though to the chagrin of his fellow officers, he tended to blather on about his theories about how somebody was making a fortune distributing on these inexpensive to produce videos. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2}}

After the murder of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback]], Sentinel and Prowl led a security forces deployment that arrested much of Megatron's pit fighters and those that they were attempting to recruit. Prowl personally attached the [[inhibitor claw]] to Megatron once he was overwealmed by security forces. While processing the prisoners, he delivered the galling news that due to [[Ratbat (G1)#IDW comics continuity|senate orders]], the one known as [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] was to be freed without charge. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3}} Unfortunately, it was all part of Megatron's mad plans. He allowed himself and his men to be captured so Starscream could feign turning coat murder the senate members who questioned him. During the ensuing jail break that devastated the [[Security Services Headquarters|Security Team HQ]] and following street battle, Prowl lost his usual cool composure in the face of such onslaught and looked to Sentinel Prime for directions. When Prime left to face Megatron personally and was brutally defeated, it was Prowl who took control and ordered the evacuation of security forces from Kaon. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4}}

[[Image:Infiltration3 Prowl saveit.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Talk to the hand, the prick ain't listening.]]

In more recent times, he was the leader of a detachment of Autobots that operated covertly on [[Earth]] for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency led by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and blindly following the Autobot rules of counterinsurgency. He almost threw [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] in the brig for breaking cover to rescue three humans from the Decepticons, and subsequently refused to contact [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] until further evidence of enemy activities was uncovered. He did not willingly believe Ratchet when the medic told him that the Decepticons had stepped up their presence by constructing a [[Infiltration protocol|second base]]. However, [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] ended up sending a pulsewave transmission to Optimus Prime behind Prowl's back. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3}} Prowl was forced to face reality when Megatron arrived on Earth to confront Starscream, and he finally agreed to call in Optimus Prime. Thing was, Prime had already arrived. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6}}

When [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] ordered several Autobots on a lethal mission to rescue the damaged and deranged Kup from an alien world, Prowl evidently helped conceal Springer's efforts from Optimus. However, he still felt it was a misguided effort, asking Springer if Kup would want other Autobots killed rescuing him. {{storylink|Spotlight: Kup}}

[[Image:Escalation6 Prowl MYTURF.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Yeah, let the irresponsible loner look after the MacGuffin. Good call.]]
After [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] was kidnapped by [[Machination|a mysterious group of humans]], {{storylink|Escalation issue 1}} Prowl was still obsessed with the rules of the counterinsurgency war and thus did not understand why Optimus Prime requested reinforcements to Earth. Prowl was furious when Ironhide dared to go around him and volunteer himself to track down clues on Sunstreaker's disappearance, and subsequently forced him to stay behind while the Autobots not on his grievance list left for [[Brasnya]] to confront the Decepticons. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3}} When everything kicked off in the former [[Russia|Soviet]] nation, Prowl led [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (and later [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]) into battle, attempting to capture [[Georgi Korska]], a Decepticon [[facsimile]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4}} He clashed with Hot Rod over the capture of Korska as both of them were of equal rank, but when Optimus Prime was temporarily offline and believed dead, Prowl assumed full command and came up with a strategy for fighting Megatron (shoot him, then run away). {{storylink|Escalation issue 6}}

Under orders from Optimus, Prowl oversaw the moving of ''[[Ark-19]]'' to a more secure location. He turned to Prime rather than order the launch on his own discretion. (Prime had to order him to use his own discretion.) {{storylink|Devastation issue 1}} When [[Sixshot]] blew them out of the sky, Optimus took command of the situation until the ''Ark-19'' was destroyed. {{storylink|Devastation issue 2}}

Once on the ''[[Ark-32]]'', Prowl found that, due to injuries from the battle with Sixshot {{storylink|Devastation issue 4}} and separate missions, he and Hardhead were the only active Autobots. He was mildly annoyed that Optimus Prime and [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] were otherwise preoccupied during this crisis. He was then shocked when Optimus abruptly ordered their unit to withdraw from Earth to handle a situation at the [[Garrus-9]] secure facility. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5}}

Optimus Prime and Prowl met with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] on Garrus-9 to discuss the prisoners' breakout and how a surviving Decepticon had been tortured. Prime left Maximus in charge and said that he and Prowl had unfinished business aboard the ''Ark-32''. When [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] was reported guarding a cave on [[Corata-Vaz]], Optimus Prime recognized this had something to do with his [[infraspace]] encounter in [[Brasnya]]. He ordered Prowl to summon the [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] to find out what Thunderwing was guarding. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}} He judged the subsequent battle between the Wreckers and Thunderwing as suicidal, and felt that they were wasting their time given everything seemed to be coming at them at once. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}}

[[Image:Ironhidepuncheseveryone.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Ironhide, lacking Deceptichops to bust, settles for Prowl's.]]

One year later, Prowl shared command of a small group of Autobots stranded on Cybertron with the special-ops trained Jazz. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1}} Jazz also proved necessary to shore up Prowl's authority, which was severely disregarded by his men. Jazz's reputation helped keep them in line, particularly the recalcitrant Ironhide, who had taken to striking superior officers including Prowl himself. After the situation with Ironhide was defused, Prowl got Jazz to admit the energon searches he'd been sending troops out on were just to keep the men busy. Prowl worried that Prime would soon die, and about the details of their commander's condition that they had kept from the troops at large. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4}}

In particular, what Jazz and Prowl were withholding was the fact that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was not within Prime anymore, and had been absconded with by Megatron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5}}

===IDW ''[[Hearts of Steel]]'' continuity===
With Optimus Prime in stasis lock, Prowl and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] appeared to be the co-leaders of the Autobots in the 19th century. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 1}} Despite [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s pleading, he was reluctant to interfere with the humans, but nevertheless participated in the pursuit of [[Astrotrain (G1)|the Astrotrain]] as it headed to New York. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 4}}

His "Ice Age Wars" altmode is uncertain, but it is spiky, and possibly aquatic. His 19th century altmode is a small black-and-white locomotive with a glowing red smokestack.

===IDW Beast Wars comics===
Prowl is a member of the Maximal counterpart to the Tripredacus Council, the [[Maximal Imperium]], alongside former Autobot teammates Ironhide and Silverbolt. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 2|The Ascending #2}}

===Timelines===
Prowl (in his ''[[Machine Wars]]'' body) is a member of the [[Axiom Nexus Security Administration]]. He, [[Prowl (Armada)|Prowl]] and [[Prowl II|Prowl]] were part of the group investigating the discovery of [[Comet]]'s body. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

===Commercial animation===
Prowl tended to hang around with Jazz and Sideswipe a lot, on Earth and Cybertron alike. In both locations, they were seen to transform to robot mode and fly away into the air. {{storylink|Commercial|Transformers #1 commercial}}

Prowl was with a band of Autobots who agreed to join Optimus Prime as he gave up transformation powers to become "more alive". {{storylink|Commercial|Action Masters commercial}}

Later, on Cybertron, the [[Action Master]]-form Prowl battled Starscream aboard his [[Turbo Cycle]]. {{storylink|Commercial|Action Master vehicles commercial}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1Prowl toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|I ain't fallin' for no banana in the tailpipe...]]
* '''Prowl''' (Autobot Car, 1984/1985/1990/2002/2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''09''', '''TFC-02'''
**''Accessories:'' "Acid pellet gun", left & right missile launchers, 3 "wire-guided missiles"

: Prowl was part of the first series of Autobots released in 1984, reusing a mold originally developed for a ''[[Diaclone]]'' [[Wikipedia:Nissan_280ZX|Datsun Fairlady Z (280 ZX)]] police car, with his decals altered to remove the "Diaclone" marks. (The European "[[Classics (Europe)|Classic Heroes]]" re-release retained the ''Diaclone'' stickers, for unknown reasons).

: In 1985, Mexico imported ''Transformers'', but there were some notable changes on numerous toys. Prowl's helmet, arms, and boots turned black, plus his "POLICE" decals became "POLICIA". There was also a wide running change (or just factory error) that left out the black paint on his car hood.

[[Image:Prowl-Mexico.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Also known as "El Pricko".]]
: In 2002, Prowl was re-released as part of the [[Transformers Collection]] series in Japan. This version has slightly-altered decals, and fully-functional spring-loaded missile launchers.

: In 2003, Prowl was released as part of the Toys "R" Us [[exclusive]] "[[Commemorative Series]]" line in the US. This version of Prowl uses a softer, unchromed black plastic for his rifle and missiles owing to [[For safety reasons|breakage issues]], plus his launchers are completely non-firing. He uses the same decals as the Japanese "bookbox" release.

: The same mold was used for [[Bluestreak]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]].

{{-}}
{{anchor|ActionMaster}}

* '''Prowl''' (Action Master Blaster, 1990)
**''Accessories:'' Turbo Cycle, small cannon, 2 x missiles, 2 x engine covers (left & right), shield/gas tank cover

: A non-transforming action figure, [[Action Master]] Prowl is modeled after his cartoon model with a few toy-based liberties taken. He came with his [[Turbo Cycle]] vehicle, though the main figure was compatible with all other Action Master vehicles and weapons.

===Beast Wars===
[[Image:Prowl-bw-magnaboss-toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Prick with claws. Gitit, gitit, huh huh huh?]]
*'''Magnaboss''' (Ultra, 1997)
**''Accessories:'' Tail

: Prowl transforms from a lion into a robot, with his cat-butt turning into a "cyber tail claw" weapon. He is able to combine with [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], his package buddies, into [[Magnaboss]].

: This mold was used to make [[Lio Junior]].

:The Magnaboss toy included no information about its 3 components beyond their names. The character was finally established by [[IDW]] to be Generation 1 Prowl a decade after its release in 2007.

{{-}}

===Machine Wars===
[[Image:Mwprowl.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Do you have any idea how fast you were going?]]
* '''Prowl''' (Basic, 1997)
**''Accessories:'' Gun (gun body & barrel)

: Sharing a mold with ''[[Machine Wars]]'' [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]], Prowl transforms into a Formula-1 race car, and converts to robot mode with a spring-loaded, one-step transformation. His rifle-halves store in his legs in car mode. He—and the entire ''Machine Wars'' line—was available only at Kay-Bee stores.

: Prowl's usual function is strategist, but, in an ironic twist, in this first non-police car form he's described as chief of security.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Skid-Z (RID)|Skid-Z]].

{{-}}

===Smallest Transforming Transformers===
[[Image:STF Prowl.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Wee-woo-wee-woo-wee-woo.]]
* '''Prowl''' (2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''GTF-09'''

: Released in Wave 2 of ''[[Smallest Transforming Transformers]]'', this Prowl is the smallest possible transforming toy based upon the original Prowl toy. He faithfully reproduces the transformation sequence for the most part, but due to parts-cost limitations, he has little articulation, his legs cannot separate and his wheels do not roll.

: This mold was also used to make the ''Smallest Transforming Transformers'' version of [[Bluestreak]].

{{-}}

===Alternators===
[[Image:AlternatorsProwl.jpg|right|200px|thumb|You better get a lawyer, son...]]
* '''Prowl''' (Alternator, 2005/2006)
**''Alternator ID number:'' '''16'''
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''BT-15'''
**''Accessories:'' Engine/gun, traffic direction baton

: ''[[Alternators]]'' Prowl transforms into a fully-licensed 1:24-scale [[wikipedia:Acura_RSX|Acura RSX]] with police lights, opening doors, hood and trunk. His engine becomes a (non-firing) gun, while a clear-plastic nightstick is hidden under his car-mode rear section. He was among the last of the "red box" Alternators, but was included in new "white box" assortments in 2006. The "white box" version of Prowl has additional Acura logos on the rear of the car that the "red box" version did not.

[[Image:BinaltechProwl.jpg|left|200px|thumb|...you better get a real good one.]]
: For his standard Japanese Binaltech release, Prowl got a different vehicle mode deco based on a real Japanese police car (the [[Hasbro]] version's deco being based more on the original [[The Transformers (toyline)|''Generation 1'' toy]]), a different spoiler mold, different rims, right-side steering, a Japanese police cherry blossom emblem instead of an Acura logo, and gray plastic instead of stony-blue. He was also labeled as a "Honda Integra Type-R", the model's make in Japan.

{{-}}

[[Image:Binaltech Blue Prowl toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Prowl on his day off.]]
* '''Prowl Vivid Blue Pearl Edition''' (Binaltech, 2005)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''BT-15'''
**''Accessories:'' Engine/gun, traffic direction baton

: Like [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], Prowl got two different ''Binaltech'' decos released in equal numbers. The second version, known as Vivid Blue Pearl Prowl, is a civilian version with no police lights, a mostly blue interior, a Honda logo (instead of the cherry blossom emblem) on the grill, and a solid blue car-shell. His robot-mode parts remained mostly the same color, however.

: This mold (the Japanese blue Prowl variant, combined with parts from American police Prowl) was used to make ''Alternators'' [[Camshaft (G1)|Camshaft]].

* '''Prowl Satellite Patrol Edition''' (Binaltech, 2005?)
**''Accessories:'' Engine/gun, traffic direction baton

: The [[Hasbro]] version of Prowl, using the Hasbro red box packaging, was supposed to have been released in Japan as an exclusive to a satellite TV provider. The only notable difference from the Hasbro version was the "Satellite Patrol" markings on his doors. It is unknown if this toy was ever actually released, however.

{{-}}

===Universe (2003)===
*'''Prowl''' (Autobot, 2005)
**''Accessories:'' Gun

: A redeco of the ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl 2]] mold, ''[[Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' Prowl transforms into a modified Chevrolet Caprice police car with through-axle construction for super-speedy rolling on smooth surfaces. His gun hides as his car mode's tailpipe. Originally only available at Kay-Bee stores in packaging with no sub-line markings, his entire assortment was later repackaged under the ''Universe'' banner and sold through "dollar store" chains like Family Dollar.

: This mold was also used to make ''another'' [[Prowl (Spychanger)|Prowl]] for ''Universe'', who is neither ''Robots in Disguise'' "Prowl 2" ''or'' Generation 1 Prowl. Confused yet?

===Attacktix===
[[Image:Tf2-16-400.jpg|right|120px|thumb|I got a big... gun.]]
*'''Prowl''' (Booster)
**''Accessories:'' Missile

: Planned to be in part of the Series 2 wave of ''[[Attacktix]]'', Prowl is a Captain class unit with the special ability to stun an opposing player unit. His sculpt is based upon his Generation 1 cartoon model with some additional details. His weapon is a '''hugely''' oversized version of his rifle, capable of firing a large silver projectile.
{{canceledtoy}}

===Universe (2008)===
====Classic Series====
[[Image:Universe 2008 Prowl toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Sticky prick.]]
*'''Prowl''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Accessories:'' Gun

: Prowl transforms into a modified [[wikipedia:Nissan_350Z|Nissan 350Z]] similarly to Prowl's appearance in [[IDW Publishing]]'s [[IDW continuity|''Generation 1'' comics]]. Like previous ''Generation 1'' Prowl toys, his paint job is based upon that of a Japanese police car. The [[prototype]] and pre-production versions of Prowl featured a traditional American-style rectangular light bar, but the production toy features a swept-back modern light bar.

: Many buyers have reported that after repeated handling of the toy, the paint on the pieces of Prowl molded from translucent plastic (his doors, his roof, the sides of his hood and front bumper) quickly becomes sticky to the touch and begins to smear and rub off. Presumably, this owes something to the plastic and paint failing to bond properly, although what allowed the toy to leave factories with this flaw undetected is unknown. Sticky paint has not been reported on ''every'' Prowl; there is some suggestion that temperature and humidity play a role in whether or not it occurs. It has been suggested that the problem only affects the first run of Prowl figures, but sticky figures have been purchased at retail when the line was launched in the United Kingdom just over a month after its American debut.

: This mold was retooled to make ''Universe'' [[Bluestreak|Silverstreak]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]].

===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[Image:Henkei Prowl toy.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Shiny prick.]]
*'''Prowl''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-09'''
**''Accessories:'' Gun

: The Japanese ''[[Henkei! Henkei! (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' Prowl is a retool and partial redeco of ''Universe'' Prowl, changing the swept-back American light bar with a more rounded Japanese lightbar, and having a more consistent coating of white paint. He also features [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum-metallized]] silver parts such as his gun, Acid Blasters and his vehicle mode spoiler. Universe Prowl's orange Autobot symbol was changed to the more standard red for the Henkei release.

:Soon after his release, some customers have reported that ''Henkei'' Prowl suffers from the same sticky paint problem that plagued many ''Universe'' Prowls.

{{-}}

===Titanium Series===
*'''War Within Prowl''' (2008)
**''Accessories:'' Display stand

: This version of Prowl transforms into a Cybertronic hovercar, based on his design from the [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] ''[[The War Within]]'' comics. Initially canceled due to the end of the Titanium Series line, Hasbro eventually released this figure as a Toys "R" Us [[exclusive]] in the fall of 2008.

: The vehicle mode as pictured on the packaging for this toy contains two transformation errors (compared to the instructions). His toes (sticking up at the rear of the vehicle) should be folded back, revealing small red and blue emergency lights. Also, the left and right sides of the vehicle should be slid outwards, turning them into nacelles rather than integral parts of the main body.

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Hard Hero===
[[Image:HardHero Prowl bust.JPG|right|150px|thumb|Who needs legs when one has LOGIC??]]
*'''Prowl''' (2002)

:A cold-cast porcelain bust labelled as number 3 in [[Hard Hero]]'s series of ''Transformers'' busts, Prowl is six inches tall with a seven-inch wide "wingspan" and wielding his acid pellet gun in his left hand. 100 copies of this product were signed by sculptor [[Jason Ray]].

{{-}}

===3D Battle-Card Game===
*'''Prowl''' (2007)

: A 25-point "uncommon" character in the [[3D Battle-Card Game]]'s "Energon Wars" expansion, Prowl "transforms" into a black and white police car that vaguely resembles a Nissan Z. He uses the same parts layout as [[Transformers (2007)|Movie]] [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]].

===Transformers - Mini Bust===
[[Image:Prowl statue.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The Prowl 2 of Prowl busts.]]
* '''Prowl''' (Diamond Select, 2009)

Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2009, Prowl was sculpted by [[Mark Wong]] of [[Art Asylum]] and limited to 250 pieces. Prowl, along with his "brothers" [[Bluestreak]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], is exclusive to online retailer Toyrocket.com. The bust features Prowl's acid pellet gun and twin missile launchers. The missile launchers can be attached via magnets on either side of his head.
{{-}}

===Robot Heroes===
[[Image:Robotheroesprowllaserbeak.jpg|right|300px|thumb|He's smiling—must have his DVDs alphabetized.]]
*'''Prowl and Laserbeak''' (2009)

{{canceledtoy}}

{{-}}

==Trivia==
* Prowl's ''[[Diaclone]]'' predecessor also came with additional, optional stickers that would identify him as being part of the police forces from existing Japanese cities, namely Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Osaka and Fukuoka.

* The original ''Transformers'' instruction booklet shows a visible Japanese label sheet, complete with the cherry blossom emblem found on Japanese police cars, which did not make it to final product.

* ''Machine Wars'' Prowl's card-art is actually an altered version of the art for the ''[[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' [[Laser Rod]] [[Jolt (G2)|Jolt]].

* [[Transmetal 2]] [[Prowl II|Prowl]] may ''possibly'' be the same spark as the Generation 1 character reincarnated...though the [[Beast Wars Sourcebook|IDW series]] makes this REALLY complicated. ''Urgh''.

[[Image:ProwlMaybe BM.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Be too prickish, and you end up like this.]]
* A very Prowlish [[Character model|computer model]] was used for one of the [[Generic|generic]] Transformers in [[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]. It is seen in a [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] factory as a corpse. A similar thing happens with [[Soundwave (G1)#Trivia|Soundwave]], [[:Image:Bm soundwave.jpg|too]]. {{storylink|Revelations Part I: Discovery}}

* At [[OTFCC 2004]], Hasbro stated that there was no Prowl ''Alternators'' toy in the works, but some other emergency vehicle (which got a chorus of boos).

* The Acura RSX ''[[Alternators]]'' mold was originally supposed to be [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], with a different head sculpt. Eventually, however, it was decided to release the toy as Prowl instead, even though the Subaru Impreza model had more resemblance to Prowl and the Acura RSX model had more resemblance to Red Alert. Control drawings of the figure with the originally intended Red Alert head sculpt can be found in the Japanese ''[[Transformers Collection 2007]]'' book, among other places.

[[Image:Tftm prowl blowsmoke.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Turns out he ''didn't'' know his vocalizer from his exhaust port.]]
*Instead of having a normal gunshot death, Prowl is shown having orange smoke coming from his mouth as he dies. ''Hardcore.''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Prowl/prowl.htm Prowl on TFU.info]
*[http://ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Prowl Prowl's Universe profile on NTFA.net]

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Attacktix]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Beast Wars characters]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:KB Toys exclusives]]
[[Category:Machine Wars characters]]
[[Category:Maximals]]
[[Category:Maximal leaders]]
[[Category:Security officers]]
[[Category:Strategists]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]
[[Category:3D Battle-Cards]]

Deathsaurus (G1)

2009-05-13T15:24:40Z

12.45.255.66: /* Notes */ Spelling. (Ironically.)

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{featured}}
{{disambig2|the evil Decepticon [[Emperor of Destruction]]|the heroic Decepticon Colonel|Colonel Deathsaurus}}

:''Deathsaurus is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Victory (franchise)|Victory]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Deathsaurus1.jpg|right|325px|thumb|Spell it right or you're kickbanned, buster.]]

'''Deathsaurus''' began terrorizing the galaxy long before ascending to the position of Decepticon [[Emperor of Destruction]]. For thousands of years, this savage and cruel dictator has spread terror throughout the universe, and has now set his sights upon the Earth as a source of energy to power his terrifying superweapon, the [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]]. And if [[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]] should get in his way, so much the better: Deathsaurus bears the Autobot [[Supreme Commander]] a bitter grudge, and relishes any opportunity to destroy him that presents itself.

Deathsaurus is a [[Breastforce]] warrior, partnered with two transforming chestplates that become the [[Breast Animal]]s [[Tigerbreast]] and [[Eaglebreast]]. He wields a deadly spiked flail, and the [[Living-Metal-Destroying Cannon]], which erodes the living metallic cells of super-robot lifeforms. The bladed wings of his creature mode absorb sunlight, converting it into dark energy, and he can then launch these energized blades at his opponents in an attack known as his "Death Wing". Despite all of these terrifying powers, however, Deathsaurus is a surprisingly "hands off" leader, who is perfectly happy to allow his subordinates to formulate their own plans and schemes to gather energy for him—but if they should fail, he'll always be there to berate and brutalize them. Even when the plans are his own, Deathsaurus is content to watch and command from a distance, rather than dirty his own hands—but he'll rarely waste a chance to engage Star Saber on the battlefield, and if that occurs, woe betide anyone who gets in Deathsaurus's way.

Curiously, Deathsaurus permits himself one distinctive, unusual foible: although he despises most humans, he has a surprising soft spot for children.

{{quote|I will not forgive this, Star Saber! I swear! I swear I will crush you with my bare hands! I swear, you worm! With my bare hands!|Deathsaurus tells you all you'll ever need to know about him|"[[Resurrection!? The Decepticon Fortress]]"}}

:''Japanese name'': '''Deszaras''' (デスザラス ''Desuzarasu'')
:''English-Malay dub name'': '''Deathsanras'''
:''Latin American dub name'': '''Zan Ráz'''

==Fiction==
===''Victory'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Takeshi Aono]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Deathsaurus_fortress.jpg|left|thumb|225px|By the power of Grayskull!]]

500,000 years ago, striving to become the Decepticons' new Emperor of Destruction, Deathsaurus created a gigantic battle fortress capable of destroying planets, but an attack by the young Autobot commander Star Saber saw the fortress de-powered and trapped in a gravity cell at the heart of the region of space known as [[Dark Nebula]]. This began the enmity between Star Saber and Deathsaurus, and as both combatants rose through the ranks of their respective armies, Deathsaurus vowed to eventually liberate his fortress and use it to destroy Star Saber. {{storylink|Resurrection!? The Decepticon Fortress}}

Some years prior to 2025, after the conclusion of the [[Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Masterforce]] war on Earth, Deathsaurus succeeded [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] as Decepticon leader and achieved his dream of becoming Emperor of Destruction. <ref>Overlord's on-package [[bio]]</ref> Under his command, the Decepticons began seeking a planet that they could call their own and invaded worlds all across the galaxy. To counteract Deathsaurus's campaign of terror, the Autobots—now with Star Saber serving as their Supreme Commander—and many other sentient races formed the [[Galactic Peace Alliance]], and struck back at the Decepticons with their [[Galactic Defense Force]]. As time passed and this conflict continued, Deathsaurus began focusing his attacks on "Sector One" of the galaxy, containing the planet Earth, until 2025, when the severity and frequency of the attacks forced Star Saber to take command of the Defense Force unit in that area himself. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}}

[[Image:Deathsaurus starsaber moonbattle.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Parry on regardless.]]

When Deathsaurus's [[Dinoforce]] attacked the Lunar Base on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]], Star Saber raced to aid his fellow [[Brainmaster]]s in battle there, only to find his way barred by Deathsaurus. Hoping to distract Star Saber long enough for the Dinoforce to finish their job, Deathsaurus engaged his old foe in battle, but Star Saber broke off the fight as quickly as he could and headed on toward the moon with Deathsaurus hot on his heels. After Star Saber defeated the Dinoforce, Deathsaurus caught up to him and unleashed his Breast Animals upon the Autobot in both beast and weapon forms. Star Saber eventually won out, defeating both the creatures and besting Deathsaurus in a swordfight, forcing the Decepticon leader to summon up his craft, the ''[[Thunder Arrow]],'' and flee aboard it. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}}

[[Image:Deathsaurus_throne.jpg|left|thumb|225px|THRONE'D!]]

Recognizing the Earth as a rich source of energy that he could use to power up his Planet-Destroying Fortress, Deathsaurus centered most of his subsequent attacks on the planet, summoning the Breastforce to aid in the campaign. {{storylink|Sneak Attack! Dinoking}} {{storylink|Attack! Leozack}} {{storylink|Unite!! Multiforce}} Deathsaurus was entirely aware of the fact that the Breastforce's leader [[Leozack]] had designs on leadership of the Decepticons for himself, Move Out! Rescue Team but he was amused enough by it to let him slide by, allowing Leozack to believe that he was oblivious to his schemes. Residing on the Thunder Arrow as it hopscotched around the planet and solar system, Deathsaurus was content to watch as his troops staged numerous attacks on Earth. {{storylink|Infiltration... The Uranium Mine}} {{storylink|Explosion!! The Energy Base}}

[[Image:Deathsaurus_beastmode.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Not to be confused with the Adult Swim show.]]

Deathsaurus finally decided to join his troops on a mission when the Decepticon began draining electrical energy from an American subway system. While the Breastforce snuck through the subway tunnels, Deathsaurus himself targeted the power distribution center, where he was confronted by Star Saber. The true cunning of Deathsaurus's scheme was revealed when he let loose his Breast Animals, and Star Saber proved no match for the creatures in the small confines of the underground complex. Unfortunately for Deathsaurus, he had overlooked the fact that with both Breast Animals deployed, his own chest was left unprotected, leaving it open to an attack from Star Saber's Saber Blade. Wounded, Deathsaurus recalled his Breast Animals and fled, but not without successfully taking the energy he had managed to steal beforehand. {{storylink|Big City - Underground Terror}}

When the Breastforce were joined by [[Hellbat]], the newcomer also adopted designs on the Decepticon throne. {{storylink|The New Warrior - Hellbat}} Deathsaurus was even less concerned with Hellbet's ambitions than he was with Leozack's, though, since the two would-be traitors were always too busy fighting with each other to pose a serious threat to him. In their constant games of one-upmanship, Leozack and Hellbat crafted numerous failed schemes of their own, eventually forcing Deathsaurus to step in and give his minions a mission of his own devising. Deathsaurus had the Decepticons hide in the asteroid belt and capture human shuttlecraft in order to use drain their energy and use them to create an energy alloy. Star Saber soon got wise to the villains' evildoings and arrived to put a stop to them, but again, Deathsaurus successfully escaped with his amassed energy. {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}}

[[Image:Starsaber living metal destroying cannon.jpg|left|thumb|Say hello to my little friend...]]

While the Breastforce were busy on planet [[Micro]], Deathsaurus and the Dinoforce took the Thunder Arrow into the Dark Nebula, where Deathsaurus emptied his stockpile of energy into his inactive fortress. The giant structure briefly flared back to life, but soon shut down once more; Deathsaurus was unfazed, having only sought to confirm whether or not the fortress could even be reactivated. On the trip back to Earth, the Decepticons crossed paths with Star Saber and the [[Rescue Patrol Team]], and Deathsaurus engaged Star Saber in battle with his Living-Metal-Destroying Cannon. Although Deathsaurus was actually able to pull the trigger on what would have been a fatal blast, he discovered that he had expended too much of his energy supply reactivating his fortress, and his weapons systems shut down before he could end Star Saber's life, necessitating his tactical withdrawal. {{storylink|Resurrection!? The Decepticon Fortress}}

[[Image:Deathsaurus vs leozack.jpg|right|thumb|Tell me, what was the color of Napoleon's White horse?]]

Deathsaurus next clashed with Star Saber in Antarctica, only stepping onto the battlefield after the Breastforce, combined as [[Liokaiser]], had severely weakened Star Saber. Deathsaurus took over the fight, intent on being the one to deliver the final blow, but Star Saber was able to turn the battle around, and forced Deathsaurus into retreat. {{storylink|Fight to the Death!! Antarctic Battle}} In a later battle atop the Thunder Arrow, deep in the desert, Star Saber again humbled Deathsaurus, this time with the aid of [[Greatshot]], but the fight left both the Supreme Commander and [[Blacker]] badly wounded. {{storylink|Crisis! Ambush in the Desert}} Capitalizing on the Autobots' reduced manpower, Deathsaurus stepped up the Decepticons' attacks across the planet, and removed another annoyance by finally calling Leozack out on his treachery. Easily besting the traitorous Breastforcer in combat, Deathsaurus forced him to swear total loyalty to him, or face death. Leozack made the logical choice, and then, combined with his fellow Breastforcers as Liokaiser, joined with his leader in staging an ambush for Star Saber in a subterranean cave in Asia. Disguising himself as a Terracotta Army-esque statue, Deathsaurus was able to get the drop on Star Saber when Liokaiser lured him into the cave, and again unleashed the Living-Metal-Destroying Cannon on his enemy. Once more, Deathsaurus stood poised to kill Star Saber with the weapon, until the last-minute arrival of [[God Ginrai]], who took the fatal shot. Liokaiser had to persuade the incensed Deathsaurus to retreat as more Autobots arrived, {{storylink|A Deadly Battle}} but the Decepticon leader soon clashed with Star Saber once more in a later battle at a solar power station. Deathsaurus emerged victorious in that fight when Star Saber was forced to flee upon receiving news of Ginrai's deteriorating condition. {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} Ginrai's life was saved, however, when he was rebuilt into the powerful new warror, [[Victory Leo]]. {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}}

Next, Deathsaurus began bombarding the Earth with missiles from an orbital weapons platform, as a means of staying the Autobots' hands while his forces gathered energy across the planet. Star Saber and Victory Leo were able to thwart his plan by combining into the mighty Victory Saber; Deathsaurus's missile launch system had been programmed based on Star Saber's speed, but with the added power of Victory Leo, the Autobot hero was able to outrace the missiles, destroy the launcher and defeat Deathsaurus in an outer space battle. {{storylink|The Tide is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}}

[[Image:Victory37 finalblow.jpg|left|thumb|Who says robots don't bleed?]]

Following an attempt to destroy the Autobots with the metal-eating [[Dorya]] insects, {{storylink|The Death-Bringing Space Insects!!}} Deathsaurus was informed by Hellbat that he had discovered the location of the sunken continent of [[Atlantis]], which could provide the raw energy to reactivate his fortress. Deathsaurus risked all or nothing to obtain Atlantis's energy, using up the Thunder Arrow's entire energy stockpile to raise the continent, but the plan proved a success, as the Autobots were too busy dealing with the devastating tidal waves caused by the rise of Atlantis to stop him from absconding with enough energy to bring his fortress back online. {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} Having no further use for the bumbling Dinoforce, Deathsaurus abandoned them on Earth and headed back to the Dark Nebula with the Breastforce, where he successfully re-energized his fortress and began moving it towards Earth. {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}}

[[Image:Victory37_deadsaurus.jpg|right|thumb]]

Intent on learning from the failures of all past Decepticon leaders, Deathsaurus chose not to conquer Earth, but to utterly destroy the planet, eradicting from Decepticon history the humiliating stain of defeat the planet represented. As the fortress rained destruction down upon Earth with meteor bombs, even Victory Saber could not stand up to its power. Soon, however, a resentful Dinoforce supplied information on the fortress's weak spot to Star Saber's adopted human son, [[Jean Minakaze|Jean]], who then used his own [[Illumina II|personal mech]] to enter the fortress and strike at this vulnerability. As he did so, Deathsaurus and Star Saber engaged in a vicious final battle, during which Deathsaurus lost an eye, and was eventually stopped when Star Saber broke his sword off in the villain's chest. Gushing fuel and fluid, Deathsaurus vowed to have the last laugh as he set the crippled fortress on a collision course with Earth and blew himself out an airlock, vowing to return again and again. But, as his body drifted off into space, no sign of life was visible from the conquered emperor. Victory Saber was able to subsequently destroy the fortress before it collided with Earth, but Deathsaurus was not heard from again. {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}
{{-}}

===''Victory'' comic===
[[Image:MangaYoungDeathyStarSaber.jpg|left|thumb|225px|"Come back here and help me put some sense in this image!"]]
Deathsaurus and Star Saber's rivalry began 500,000 years ago when they were both children, and according to Star Saber, "argued all the time". {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jean and Star Saber!}} In his "adult" years, Deathsaurus took [[Esmeral]] as his wife, and in order to keep both her and the families of his fellow Decepticons safe aboard his "Space Stronghold", Deathsaurus began attacking Earth, in order to obtain the planet's energy and use it to keep the stronghold fully powered-up. {{storylink|Heroic! The Victory War}}

During one of his early attacks on Earth, Deathsaurus took pity on an infant human named [[Solon Kitakaze]], whose parents had died in the assault. Deathsaurus "adopted" Solon and turned him into a cyborg, raising him as his own son, just as Star Saber did with the human child Jean Minakaze. As Star Saber and Deathsaurus had been rivals in their youth, so too would Solon and Jean become rivals when, in 2025, Deathsaurus's campaign against Earth intensified.

Deathsaurus and Star Saber's first major battle in this campaign was a brief one, with Deathsaurus being felled by a single swipe of Star Saber's Saber Blade, Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber! but the Emperor of Destruction had a better showing in their next clash, during which he absorbed enough energy from a forest fire to best Star Saber, Road Caesar and Landcross all together. Deathsaurus's unusual compassion for children proved to be his downfall in this battle when he was distracted by the sight of Solon, gripping Jean in a hold that threatened the boy's life. While Deathsaurus's attention was occupied with striking Solon as punishment, Star Saber blindsided and defeated him with a Super Saber Meteor Spin. Great Turn-Around! Star Saber

Deathsaurus later sent Solon to study in school on Earth, in order to learn more about humans, thereby making it easier to conquer them. {{storylink|Leozack Rumbles Violently!}} While Solon was on Earth, he and Jean were approached by former Autobot human allies [[Shūta Gō]] and [[Cab]], {{storylink|Warrior of Love, Star Saber!}} and with Jean, they formed the "Autobot Boy Team" known as the [[Victories]]. Seeking to counter this group with a team of his own, Deathsaurus had [[Yokuryū]] capture Jean and bring him to the ''Thunder Arrow'', where he attempted to bribe the boy into joining the Decepticons' group with toys, Famicom, candy and cash. When an enraged Star Saber soon came tearing into the ''Thunder Arrow'', Deathsaurus crossed swords with the Autobot leader, but was then distracted by Jean distracting who exploited the Decepticon's bizarre fear of caterpillars by dangling one in his face. The cowering Deathsaurus was promptly bested in dramatically explosive fashion by Star Saber's "Planetary Impulse Sword" technique, and realised with hindsight that Solon was the only kid he needed. {{storylink|Watch Out, Jean! Hurry, Star Saber!}} Deathsaurus was apparently left so badly injured by this clash that he couldn't participate in the next battle, given that he was only seen lying in bed, coughing, with Solon resting a giant ice-pack on his head. {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jean and Star Saber!}}

[[Image:Kingsaurus.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The mighty King Zaras. Mighty.]]

Rested and healthy again, Deathsaururs joined with [[Dinoking]] and Liokaiser in going up against Star Saber together, and perhaps not entirely surprisingly, the badly outnumbered Autobot was defeated by the three Decepticons. Before they could deliver the killing stroke, however, Star Saber was saved by the sudden arrival of Victory Leo, with whom he combined to form Victory Saber. The merged pair defeated the trio of Decepticons in one blast of their "Flash Victory" attack. {{storylink|The Strongest Partners, the Combination of Victory!}} Deathsaurus immediately sought out away to combat Star Saber's new power, and developed a Transformer-sized mech for Solon named "King Solon," with which he could combine to form "King Zaras". In this new form, Deathsaurus battled Victory Saber on the planet [[Guard]], with neither combatant getting the upper hand in other three hours of fighting. When [[Patty Minakaze]]'s mentioned the word "mother", however, something of Solon's past was stirred in the boy's mind, and he was distracted long enough for Victory Saber to destroy the King Solon mech components with his Victory. The burning Solon tumbled to the ground, where Patty tended his wounds despite his protestations. Perhaps wary of Solon's confused emotional state, Deathsaurus reminded him that while he was a human child, he was a Decepticon's son by fate. {{storylink|Mighty! Victory Saber}}

[[Image:Starsaber deathsaurus truce.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"So, we both agree that the childhood friendship thingie made no sense at all?" "Yes! Oh, what a glorious day!"]]

As it turned out, Deathsaurus was right to be wary—in the midst of a later battle with Star Saber and Road Caesar, Solon turned against Deathsaurus and sided with the Victories, opening fire on his "father" and declaring that he would fight to protect the Earth, instead of destroy it. Now with Solon on their side, the Victories were able to channel their power into the Autobots, and the Decepticons were sent fleeing by the "Five Stars of Victory" attack. {{storylink|Shine! The Five Stars of Victory}} Deathsaurus led the Decepticons back to the Space Stronghold and began bombarding the Earth with meteor bombs, prompting the Autobots to attack it. Deathsaurus left the Breastforce to man the fortress while he engaged Star Saber in a final battle in the void of space, but had not reckoned with the treachery of Leozack, who fired on his emperor with the fortress's main cannon. To save himself, Deathsaurus was forced to return fire on the fortress, and Star Saber followed suite, smashing into the fortress's control chamber and taking Leozack down. As Leozack begged the Autobots not to destroy the fortress, the wounded Deathsaurus arrived and revealed to the Autobots the presence of the Decepticons' families aboard the vessel. Realizing that the Decepticons' had only done what they had in the name of their families' safety, Star Saber decided that it was time for the two leaders to follow the example set by their sons and lay down their arms. Deathsaurus and Star Saber shook hands, and the war came to an end, bringing peace to everyone—the truest victory of all! {{storylink|Heroic! The Victory War}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Deathsaurus_dreamwave.jpg|right|thumb|125px]]
Deathsaurus was an ancient Transformer from Cybertron's lost past. While searching for clues about the planet's history, Megatron stumbled across a hidden chamber beneath the planet's surface containing two massive statues of Deathsaurus and [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]], holding a [[Golden Disk (ancient)|golden disk]] between them. This chamber apparently told of a vast Cybertronian Empire that ended prior to recorded history. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{-}}

===Descent into Evil===
[[Image:Deathsaurustimelines.jpg|left|thumb|Deathsaurus orchestrates the rise of a New Decepticon Empire, or NAMBLA.]]

Using a clone lab on [[Ceti Alpha Seven]], Deathsaurus wished to revive the fading [[Decepticon Empire]] with a vast [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]] army. After the first batch of [[Virulent Clone|clones]] was completed, his operation was interrupted by a team of [[Autobot]] commandos under the command of [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. Deathsaurus overpowered and captured the first wave himself, and soon faced Ironhide one-on-one, while [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] attempted to rescue the fallen Autobots. Due to the assistance of Tripredacus Agent [[Flamewar]], these two were defeated and captured as well.

They woke up bound inside Deathsaurus's clone lab. The Emperor of Destruction appeared on a television screen, declaring that his use for the lab was completed and was prepared to detonate it remotely with the Autobots inside. Unfortunately for Deathsaurus, the Autobot espionage agent [[Ricochet (Descent into Evil)|Ricochet]] not only freed the Autobots before the explosion occurred, but also seeded the remaining clones with a virus, leaving Deathsaurus with nothing to show for his work. {{storylink|Descent into Evil}}

Years later, towards the end of the Great War, the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]] worked under Deathsaurus as a supply manager. When the final defeat of the Decepticons at last came, Cryotek led his fellow Predacon workers in a rebellion against Deathsaurus, and used the materials he stole from his depot to begin his own criminal empire.<ref>Cryotek's [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] exclusive profile.</ref>
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Victory===
[[Image:Deathsaurus_g1toy.jpg|right|thumb|300px|"Aaawrk! Deathy shouldn't be!"]]
* '''Deszaras''' (Large Breastforce, 1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-336'''
**''Accessories'': Tail/shield, rifle, Tigerbreast & Eaglebreast "Breast Animals"
:Deathsaurus transforms into a blue and grey monster styled after traditional Japanese "kaijū", looking like nothing quite so much as a giant mutant space chicken. Unusual for late Generation 1 toys, he has [[die-cast]]-metal feet in beast mode.

:Deathsaurus comes packaged with his Breast Animal partners, Tigerbreast and Eaglebreast, which transform from creatures into hand-held weapons for Deathsaurus, and a pair of breastplates which lock into a spring-loaded socket on the toy's body to form elaborate torso armor for the Deathsaurus's robot mode. Eaglebreast is inserted first, then Tigerbreast fits on top, concealing it; the figures can also be attached while Deathsaurus is in beast mode, which leaves them on his creature-mode's back. Deathsaurus comes with armament in addition to his Breast Animals, including a light blue laser rifle—which, despite what the boxart and cartoon would have you believe, does not have a removable flail—that can be wielded by both an ordinary handle, and a second peg on its butt that allows it to be brandished like a staff or blade of some kind, and his "Death Tailer" shield, which mounts on either of his biceps, and transforms into his beast mode tail.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/Deathsaurus/deathsaurus.htm More information on Deszaras at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Timelines===
[[Image:Deathsaurusbotcontoy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|If you squint, he could still be [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]].]]
* '''Descent into Evil''' (multi-pack, 2005)
**''Accessories'': 2 hilts, 2 sword-blade/missiles

: Part of the [[BotCon 2005]] "Descent into Evil" boxset, Deathsaurus is a blue and black [[retool]] of ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' version of [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron/Galvatron]]. He comes with a pair of swords that can launch their blade-missiles through a pressure-launch mechanism, as well as combine at their bottom ends to form a large double-blade weapon. The blade-missiles are rounded off [[for safety reasons]] like the other [[Hasbro]] uses of the mold.

: His head is a new sculpt based on Deathsaurus's appearance in the ''Victory'' anime (though Deathsaurus's face seems to be copied from Megatron's). Deathsaurus's mold was originally a ten-changer, though the "gargoyle"/bat mode was neutered for this release due to the dropping of the bat snout piece, required to give his new head enough space inside his chest cavity for other modes. He still retains the other nine modes (robot, dragster, jet, two-headed dragon, hand, mammoth, hydrofoil, one-headed dragon, and winged griffin). His tail-piece was removed for in-box storage, but easily popped back on since it's on a ball-and-socket joint.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/BCDeathsaurus/deathsaurus.htm More information on BotCon Deathsaurus at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===Parody Deformed===
[[Image:Deathsaurus pd model.jpg|right|thumb|150px]]
* '''Deszaras''' (1990)

:A small, blue, white and red, non-transforming [[super-deformed]] model kit of Deathsaurus was available as part of [[Kabaya]]'s "[[Parody Deformed]]" line of candy toys. The fourth figure in the series, he came with a "[[Transformer PD Type]]" comic about himself, "Good Job! Deathsaurus!!", and something that could charitably be described as "gum".
{{-}}

===Super Figure Collection===
[[Image:Deathsaurus scfs.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Take it all off!]]
* '''Deszaras''' (2002)
:A PVC figurine of Deathsaurus was released in the seventh Victory-centric "act" of Takara's ''[[Super Collection Figure]].'' Deathsaururs was available in both standard full-color version and metallic silver "pewter" versions; the pewter version came packaged with the wings of Victory Saber, one of several extra pieces packed with the various figures from the wave which could combine with the act's Star Saber figure to turn it into Victory Saber. The wings were available in both standard full color (at a rate of eight out of every ten cases) and rare pewter (only two in every ten).

* '''Deszaras with Eaglebreast''' (2002)
:Also available in the seventh wave was a rare "chase" version of the Deathsaurus PVC, available at a rate of one in every ten cases, featuring the character with his inner Breast Animal partner, Eaglebreast, on display, rather than the normal version's Tigerbreast.
{{-}}
===Timelines===
[[Image:Deathsauruspin.jpg|thumb|75px|Deathstickus]]

* '''Deathsaurus pin''' (2005)

: The first 100 BotCon 2005 Primus-package preregistrants received an exclusive Deathsaurus pin as part of their registration package.

===Robot Heroes===
*'''Victory Saber vs. Dessaras''' (2009)
{{canceledtoy}}

==Notes==

[[Image:DeathsaurusAndRedGeist.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Definitely not toy-accurate, but definitely awesome.]]

* Deathsaurus's name is the source of a long-lasting argument. The phonetic Japanese reading of the name is: "De-su-za-ra-su". This is represented in English on his toy packaging and tech specs as "Deszaras." English-speaking fans would long debate the "proper" [[romanization]] of the name, interpreting it as Deszaras, Deathzaras, Deathsaurus, Death Czarus, Def Zarce, Deaths 'R' Us, Debt Source, Darth Sass, Death's Arse and god knows what else. "Deathsaurus" had a tendency to be the most popular and well-known (on account of it actually ''meaning'' something), which led to it being used on the character's first official Western toy, making it his official American name. However, it is unlikely that this was supposed to be the actual name for the character—were his name intended to be read as "saurus", then it would be rendered as "sa-u-ru-su" or "za-u-ru-su" in Japanese, rather than "za-ra-su". As such, it appears that his name was genuinely intended to be the nonsense word, "Deszaras" (which resembles the pattern for naming of [[Wikipedia:Kaiju|Kaiju]] monsters, discussed below) and the character appears with this name on the [[Metrodome]] and [[Madman Entertainment]] DVD boxsets of the ''Victory'' cartoon. Hasbro appeared to be trying to steer things back in that direction with the cancelled [[Robot Heroes]] figure, named "Dessaras". Only one letter out, there, guys!

* While often called a dragon or occasionally a griffin (or a giant chicken), Deathsaurus is most likely styled after traditional Japanese "kaiju", such as [[Godzilla]] or Rodan. Hence, the Kaiju-esque name, "Deszaras".

* The original Deathsaurus mold was redecoed into the non-living "Red Geist" mech for [[Takara]]'s ''[[Brave|Brave of Legend Da Garn]]'' toyline, which lacked the Eaglebreast partner. Although the character design in the television show for the line was significantly modified from that of Deathsaurus (see image at right), including replacing Tigerbreast's tiger mode with a jet mode, the Red Geist toy itself was not retooled.

==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/Deathsaurus/deathsaurus.htm Deathsaurus on TFU.info]

[[Category: Breastforce]]
[[Category: Convention exclusives]]
[[Category: Decepticons]]
[[Category: Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category: Timelines characters]]

Primal Prime

2009-05-08T16:06:11Z

12.45.255.66: /* Beast Machines */ Minor mold differences.

{{factions|maximal|wreckers}}
{{featured}}

:''Primal Prime is a [[Maximal]] from the [[Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Wrecker Primal Prime.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Non-Optimus-Prime-toy-into-Optimus-Prime" repaint #765.]]
'''Primal Prime''' is, essentially, the Living [[Matrix]]. Born from the [[Vok]]'s fusion of their [[Datasphere|knowledge]], detritus left aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', and life-giving energies from the [[Matrix of Leadership]], Primal Prime possesses great power and understanding. He is literally an army of one, able to assume multiple [[Altmode|alternate modes]], all of which are armed, deadly, and mobile. He is a conglomeration of [[Prime (rank)|Primes]], assembled into a single, mighty force for good.

However, though he has the presence and conviction of a Prime, he is still technically a newborn. What memories he has are but faint shadows of those long departed. Though he can converse with the departed spark of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], leads Cybertron's finest, and is looked up to by even [[Hot Rod (G1)|former Autobot leaders]], he worries that he is too detached, too gullible, to lead his troops sufficiently. These crushing doubts are seemingly his only weakness.

==Fiction==
===''Universe: Featuring the Wreckers''===
[[Image:Primal Prime Birth.JPG|left|180px|thumb|Hope Quickstrike didn't leave a… present in there.]]
After the [[Beast Wars]], sensing the approach of a new enemy, the [[Vok]] reanimated [[Tigerhawk]]'s binary spark and used it to create [[Transmetal]] [[Tigatron]] and [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]]. Traveling to Earth themselves, the Vok used the [[Master Blaster|Optimal Optimus control suit]], the [[Transmetal driver]], and the [[Matrix of Leadership]] hidden within [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to create their new emissary: Primal Prime. This new hero's spark, wisdom, and power would all be donated by the Matrix itself. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1|Primeval Dawn Part 1}} Primal Prime met the newly recreated Tigatron and Airazor, warning them [[Universe (2003 comic)|darkness would be coming]] and that he would be responsible for it. Nevertheless, the Maximals still decided to follow Primal Prime and went in search of more comrades to help their cause.

Primal Prime carried the Matrix of Leadership into battle with Tarantulas (whose apparent Vok-caused death had all been a ruse allowing him to steal their power) and his minions. In a tragically decisive battle, Tarantulas tore open Primal Prime’s chest and removed the Matrix, gloating about the beginning of the "End of Days". Airazor bemoaned the fact that, by separating the Matrix from Optimus Prime and containing it within Primal Prime, the Vok had dissolved "the primal forces that bound it to a leader-born", making it vulnerable to Tarantulas's goals. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 2|Primeval Dawn Part 2}}

[[Image:Primal Prime Vok.jpg|right|150px|thumb|I'm gonna Vok you UP.]]
The shock of the Matrix's forcible removal sent Primal Prime into a sort of limbo, with the Maximals assuming his synapse network had been burned out. While in limbo, Primal Prime communed with the Vok, who divulged their origins as the [[Swarm]] and said they were "of the source, of the core, forever committed to the safeguard of The Plan." The Vok then went on to merge with Primal Prime using him as a vessel, a pure font of energy to rival the Matrix itself. The newly Vok-empowered Primal Prime emerged behind Tigatron and prepared to go into battle. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 3|Primeval Dawn Part 3}}

{{note|Due to [[3H]]'s loss of the Transformers license, future installments of the story were canceled, so the events between this point and the beginning of "Wreckers" (see below) were unknown for many years. Artist [[Dan Khanna]] posted a quick summary of the (largely unscripted) end to "Primeval Dawn" in the Allspark message board.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=40029&view=findpost&p=801367 Allspark forum post by Dan Khanna], December 3, 2007</ref> The Vok-powered Primal Prime was to ultimately defeat Tarantulas in battle, and along with [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], [[Packrat]], [[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]], [[Sonar (BW)|Sonar]], [[Ramulus]], [[Fractyl]], and [[Tigatron]], he would travel to ''[[Beast Machines]]''-era [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in a "stable [[transwarp]] portal".}}

After arriving on Cybertron through a transwarp portal from [[Earth]]'s past, Primal Prime and his entourage of [[Beast Wars]] rejects were suddenly under attack from [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon drones]]. The [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] commander [[Apelinq]] intervened, inoculating Primal Prime and his team from [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s virus, moments before Apelinq was attacked by [[Mirage (BM)|Mirage]] and the two vanished into that same transwarp portal. By the time Apelinq had found his way back, Primal Prime had taken command of the remaining Wreckers (which after Megatron's takeover, was seemingly comprised of just [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]]). Primal Prime seemed natural in the role, so Apelinq took a backseat.

[[Image:Primalprimedeparture.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Smush smush smush.]]
Later in the [[Battle for the Spark|Battle for the Sparks]], the Wreckers rescued [[Optimus Primal]] and [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] from attacking Vehicons. After Apelinq and Optimus Primal caught up on their [[Reaching the Omega Point|forgotten history together]], Primal and Nightscream accompanied the Wreckers on their visit to the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], where other small groups had also been summoned. Unbeknownst to Primal Prime, the Oracle was actually a tool of the [[Quintessons]], but despite this deception, [[Vector Sigma]] was able to break through the Oracle shell program and give Primal Prime a genuine order.

Primal Prime and his Wreckers were to travel off-planet. After Rodimus sought out [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], and while being joined by [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], and [[Rotorbolt (Universe)|Rotorbolt]], the Wreckers fought their way through an army of Vehicons to secure an [[Autobot]] shuttle. Succeeding, they left Cybertron for their mysterious destination. {{storylink|Departure|Departure}}

Shortly after liftoff, the Wreckers detected a stowaway on board. [[Devcon]], a former bounty hunter and [[Peace Marshal]], had started tearing up the place and bullying everyone who crossed his path. Primal Prime, Apelinq, and Rodimus managed to settle him down, but Devcon still begrudged the Wreckers for harboring Predacons and former Decepticons amongst their ranks.

Suddenly, their shuttle was sabotaged from within, and to Primal Prime's horror, Packrat detonated the back half of the ship, removing the Wreckers in the front half of the shuttle from risk, but killing Sonar, Spittor, and the [[Deployer|Deployers]]. Primal Prime had separated Packrat and prepared their injured for repairs when he received a call inside his mind from [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], warning him of a traitor amongst their ranks.

Upon landing on [[Archa Nine]], Primal Prime formed a scout team composed of Ramulus, Apelinq, himself, and their new medic-bot [[CatSCAN]]. In the woods, they found themselves surrounded by the natives, and after a misunderstanding, they were introduced to the natives' Transformer guardians, [[Glyph (G1)|Glyph]] and [[Tap-Out (G1)|Tap-Out]]. The pair had been stranded on Archa Nine for several hundred years and now watched over the [[Akalouthan|Akalouthans]] and the mysterious artifact they worshiped, the [[Divine Light]]. Suspecting the object was what the Oracle had sent them after, Primal Prime retired to Glyph's library, allowing the event Alpha Trion had warned him of to come to pass. Wishing to steal the Divine Light, Cyclonus damaged Rotorbolt, killed Packrat, and was about to escape Archa Nine with the object when Primal Prime and the others returned to find him. After mocking them for their inability to function as a team, thus allowing him to steal the artifact easily, Cyclonus left. Primal Prime hung his head in shame, knowing he'd failed. {{storylink|Betrayal|Betrayal}}

In the aftermath of their betrayal on Archa Nine, Primal Prime retreated into himself and the Matrix. Ultimately, Primal Prime decided that the Oracle chose him for a purpose, and that he should have faith in himself and in his team, no matter what had transpired. Gathering the Wreckers, he told them to prepare to leave Archa Nine immediately, for he had been given a new destination during his communion with Primus. However, Apelinq's skepticism continued to nurture, and the others had growing doubts of their own.

[[Image:Primalprimerollout.jpg|right|250px|thumb|It's just like G1, but with giant monkey fists.]]
They traveled to an icy planet ten systems away, and Primal Prime ordered Apelinq, Rodimus, Arcee, and Ramulus to follow him quickly outside, while Apelinq protested their hastiness. Apelinq's worries were, for the moment, unwarranted, as the sole inhabitant of the planet seemed to be the excommunicated Quintesson [[Al-Badur]]. Though the Wreckers eyed him uneasily, he was willing to tell them the history of the Quintessons' attempts to use Vector Sigma to enslave the Transformers race. When Al-Badur revealed that the Oracle itself was a Quintesson creation devised to control Vector Sigma, Primal Prime was taken aback. Had they been led astray this whole time?

However, for Apelinq, the pieces now fit together, and he recounted how the real Vector Sigma had broken through the Oracle shell program, giving them a real mission. Primal Prime was reassured during the brief moment before the Sharkticons attacked. Though the Sharkticons were armed with strange (yet somehow familiar) technology, they were eventually overtaken by the Wreckers. With Al-Badur, the Wreckers left once again, but this time for Cybertron. {{storylink|Disclosure|Disclosure}}

{{note|In the unpublished script to ''[[The Wreckers issue 4|The Wreckers'' #4]], while en route to Cybertron, Apelinq was able to identify the Sharkticons' technology as belonging to the outlaw [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]]. After decoding a message within the technology alerting the Wreckers to a Quintesson plot to retake Cybertron, Primal Prime pressed on even more urgently. Cryotek desired to use the Divine Light to harvest the power of Primus itself! Though his warriors' weariness in putting faith in Primal Prime had come to a crest, he was able to extinguish his own doubts, and (with Ramulus' help) inspire the Wreckers to act.}}

During the Wreckers' transit to Cybertron, Alpha Trion once again contacted Primal Prime through his Spark. Primal Prime was fraught with confusion, worried that if the Oracle were truly a Quintesson creation, if that meant Optimus Primal and his [[Technorganic|technorganics]] were a horrible misstep. Alpha Trion reassured him. Primus works in mysterious ways. However, before Alpha Trion could finish the warning he intended to deliver, Primal Prime's contact with him was interrupted, and Primal Prime awoke. After arriving in orbit above the newly reformatted Cybertron and finding a full-scale Quintesson invasion, Primal Prime ordered his troops to concentrate only on Cryotek, the real threat. Taking Apelinq, Ramulus, [[Tigatron]], and Al-Badur with him, Primal Prime leapt from the still-airborne shuttle into the battle below.

But their subterranean attack on the Predacon gangster, grown to intimidating size and power by the Divine Light, was costly. Primal Prime had sacrificed himself, taking a fatal hit that was intended for Apelinq. With two of the Wreckers' most powerful disposed of, leaving only Devcon, [[Tigatron]], Ramulus, and the Quintesson, all hope seemed lost.

Suddenly, a glowing titan formed before them, from the combined bodies of Apelinq and Primal Prime into a single powerful entity: [[Sentinel Maximus]]. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

==Toys==
===Beast Machines===
[[Image:Primalprimetoy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Primal Prime saves his gorilla mode for very special occasions to which you are not invited.]]
*'''Primal Prime''' (Super, 2000)
**''Accessories:'' Gun, 4 missiles

: Primal Prime, a red and blue [[retool]] of [[Optimus Primal|Optimal Optimus]], was available in limited quantities of 10,000. Like Optimal Optimus, Primal Prime featured electronics and four transformations—robot, ape, jet, and armored transport. When a back section of the cannon module was pulled, its eyes and shoulder-mounted missile launchers lit up and the launchers fired. It came with four missiles, two of which stored on its legs. Its forearms featured blast-away armor plates that could also be pegged to its upper arms. The red and blue colors are designed to make him look more like [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]].

:The mold previously fired its missiles and lit up lights in its head simultaneously. Primal Prime was retooled to have separate triggers for the lights and missiles, so as to avoid kids (or adults) shooting themselves in the face. There are other minor molding differences, such as explanatory arrows on the inside of his shoulders (indicating which holes are peg-holes instead of screw-holes).
{{-}}

===Titanium Series===
[[Image:Primalprimetitanium.jpg|right|150px|thumb|An unreleased toy of a 3H Wrecker? How could this happen???]]
*'''Primal Prime''' (6-inch Cybertron Heroes, unreleased)
: ''[[Titanium Series]]'' Primal Prime was to (naturally) be a redeco of the [[Optimus Primal|Optimal Optimus]] toy. Unfortunately the line was canceled and there are no plans to release any new figures, including Primal Prime. Primal Prime was listed as a co-sell on Titanium Grimlock's packaging, suggesting that the toy may yet surface, but there has been no confirmation. It's more likely the packaging was just unchanged for Grimlock's release.

{{canceledtoy}}
{{--}}
==Notes==
[[Image:Primalprimetheborrower.jpg|right|150px|thumb|I got yer pose!]]
* Primal Prime really takes the whole "amalgamated Matrix bearers" thing to heart. In "[[Departure]]" he borrows iconic poses from both [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (his "main event" leap in "[[End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!]]") and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (his dramatic pointing in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''). He may be conspiring with [[Ramulus]], however, who helps set up the first homage by paraphrasing [[Thunderpunch]]'s line.

* The apocalypse that Primal Prime foresees in "[[Primeval Dawn Part 2]]" is the [[Universe war|Universe conflict]]. He says it will be his fault, and that's technically true. The [[Wrecker|Wreckers]]' failure to stop [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]] from obtaining the [[Divine Light]] results in Primus's powers being online long enough to attract the attention of [[Unicron]].

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/2000/Maximal/PrimalPrime/primalprime.htm Primal Prime at TFU.info]
* [http://www.seibertron.com/toys/gallery.php?id=528&size=0&start=0 Primal Prime toy image gallery at Seibertron.com]

[[Category:Beast Machines characters]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Maximal leaders]]
[[Category:Maximals]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]
[[Category:Wreckers]]

Flak (G1)

2009-04-15T13:49:31Z

12.45.255.66: /* Timelines */ Rifle is not blue.

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}

:''Flak is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Flak cardart.jpg|right|300px|thumb|MUST...TURN...DOORKNOB!]]

'''Flak''' is the deep thinker of the Autobot [[Battle Patrol]]. A tactical expert, he has single-handedly crafted an enormous "playbook" of maneuvers and scenarios for the Patrol to use whenever in the field and, at [[Big Shot]]'s discretion, instituted a rigorous training schedule to make sure the entire team is constantly up to date on all his latest plans. Flak is meticulous, some would say downright anal, in his planning, but only because he feels he has to be. Flak respects Big Shot's authority and decisiveness under fire, but recognizes that his commander's lack of lateral thinking can potentially get their Patrol into trouble. Because of this, Flak has taken on the burden of responsibility in making sure Big Shot's military precision always has a military strategy to back it up.

:''Japanese name:'' '''Powerbomb'''
:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Rafale'''

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}

''Flak and the Battle Patrol were given the mission to break into a secure Decepticon complex by their commander, [[Emirate Xaaron]], in order to learn of a new "secret weapon". To his credit, Flak DID ask the Decepticon nicely to step out of the way...before transforming and unleashing his full missile firepower on the hapless 'Con. The joke was ultimately on the Micros, however, as it turned out the secret weapon was ''them. ''[[Thunderwing (G1)|Lord Thunderwing]] had leaked word of the new weapon in order to lure some Autobot Micromasters into his web and use their bodies to reverse-engineer the technology for the Decepticon cause. Flak and his teammates fought back bravely, but were ultimately captured. They were dissected by Thunderwing's scientists and, although [[Roadhandler (G1)|Roadhandler]] and the other Micros managed to free them, the Micromaster technology was in fact reproduced by the Decepticons. {{storylink|A Small War!}}''

====Marvel UK future timelines====
''Flak and [[Sunrunner]] were among the Autobots under [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]]'s command when he returned to the future after the Time Wars. Unfortunately, despite [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s death in the timestorm in 1989, the timeline had rebooted itself so that Galvatron still existed in the present of 2009. While trying to rekindle an Autobot resistance movement on Cybertron, Flak and Sunrunner were caught by Galvatron and the [[Triggercon|Triggercons]] along with Rodimus, [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. As Rodimus Prime fought back against Galvatron, Flak and the others disabled the Triggercons, and the Autobots fled for safety. {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}} The full Battle Patrol were among the 400+ Autobots who escaped to [[Earth|Earth]] with Rodimus. {{storylink|The Void! (UK)|The Void!}}''

{{note|Flak was drawn as a full-size Transformer during "Aspects of Evil!". By the time of their journey to [[Earth]] in "The Void!", he was rendered at his correct size by a different artist.}}

===''Zone'' OVA and manga===
During the attack of the [[Nine Great Demon Generals]] on the [[Planet Zone]] Base, Flak (or rather, his Japanese incarnation, ''Powerbomb'') could be seen firing his missiles at [[Abominus]], who effortlessly fended them off with his shield, continuing his rampage. Despite Flak’s effort, the Demon Generals succeeded in capturing the [[Energon Z]] energy source. As they retreated, Flak and his fellow comrades of the Battle Team Patrol boarded [[Countdown (G1)|Moonradar]]’s rocket to pursue them to [[Earth]]. There, the Battle Team Patrol, among other [[Microtransformer|Microtransformers]], faced off against [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and [[Predaking]], only to find themselves again at the receiving end of the beating. Luckily, [[Sonic Bomber]] and [[Dai Atlas]] arrived just in time and saved the day.

Later on, Powerbomb could be seen amongst the crowd cheering and applauding the newly appointed Autobot [[Supreme Commander|Supreme Commander]], Dai Atlas. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
Flak was a member of the Battle Patrol under [[Big Shot]]'s command, but wasn't nearly as loudmouthed as his comrades, [[Sidetrack]] and Sunrunner. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} He and Big Shot were guarding the entrance to Autobase at one point, while their fellow Patrol-mechs were shooing the [[Hot Rod Patrol]] away at another gate. {{storylink|Recipe for Hate}}

===Wings of Honor===
{{Comingsoon}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1 Flak toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|One small step for bot, one giant launch for botkind.]]
*'''Battle Patrol''' (Micromaster Patrol, 1989)

: Flak transforms into a self-propelled, artillery multiple rocket system of undetermined model. The missile battery, being his legs, can pivot up and down due to his transformation jointing, but cannot rotate.

: He was only available as part of the Battle Patrol, along with his teammates [[Big Shot]], [[Sidetrack]] and [[Sunrunner]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Autobot/Flak/flak.htm More information on Flak at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
===Zone===
*'''Battle Patrol Team''' (Micro Transformer team, 1990)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-332'''

: "Powerbomb" was [[redeco]]ed for his [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] release, predominantly blue with white robot-mode bits. As with the [[Hasbro]] version, he was only available in a complete set with his teammates.

: Early versions of the entire Team also used yellow plastic instead of the medium-gray, giving Flak some very bright treads indeed. Later versions corrected this, and the yellow-plastic versions go for considerably more on the secondary market.

===Return of Convoy===
*'''Battle Patrol Team''' (Micro Trailer team, 1991)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-374'''
**''Accessories'': Micro Trailer #11

: The "corrected-color" version of the Battle Patrol Team was re-released in ''[[Return of Convoy]]'' with no alterations. It did come with an extra: [[Micro Trailer]] #11.

===Timelines===
[[Image:Timelinestoy-FlakWoH.jpg|right|thumb|300px|It's Johnny, the tackling Alzheimer's patient! "Who am I!" *crash*]]
*'''Wings of Honor''' (multipack, 2009)
**''Accessories'': 2 missiles, gun, key

: A [[retool]] of Cybertron Defense [[Scattorshot]] with a brand-new head sculpt based on the head of the original Flak, ''[[Timelines]]'' Flak transforms into a [[wikipedia:TOS-1|TOS-1 Buratino]] multiple-launch rocket system. The halves of the (non-firing) launcher end up on his arms in robot mode. In either mode, inserting a Cyber Planet Key in each half reveals a new weapon: one side has a pull-out double spring-loaded missile launcher, while the other has a flip-out non-firing blaster barrel. He also comes with an extra long hand-held rifle that can be mounted in tank mode thanks to his [[Mini-Con]]-compatible [[Powerlinx]] plugs.

:He comes in the [[BotCon 2009]] "[[Wings of Honor]]" box set along with [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], [[Landshark]], [[Thunder Clash]], and a Decepticon foe, [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]. Whether this toy is meant to be a new toy of or merely an homage to the original Flak depends on which [[Fun Publications]] spokesperson you hear from. (There likely would have been no ambiguity if the ''Universe'' [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]] toy hadn't come out in near-exact Flak colors, an unfortunate coincidence that required BotCon Flak to have different colors entirely.) So until all that is sorted out for sure, this toy's entry will have fun over here on original Flak's page.

: The original version of this mold was also used to make ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' [[Dropshot (G1)|Dropshot]] and [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]].

{{comingsoontoy}}

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[category: Elite Guard]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Micromasters]]
[[Category:Return of Convoy characters]]
[[Category: Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Zone characters]]

Grimlock (G1)

2009-04-10T17:37:06Z

12.45.255.66: /* Generation 1 */ "Reins of command", not "reigns of command".

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|maximal}}
{{disambig3|Grimlock}}
:''Me Grimlock am [[Autobot|Autobot]] [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] in [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] and [[Maximal|Maximal]] in [[Beast Wars|Beast Wars]] portion of the Generation 1 [[Continuity family|continuity family]].''

[[Image:Grimlockg1.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Me Grimlock draw self-portrait.]]
Some Autobots wonder why '''Grimlock''' is even on their side. His disposition is much more suited to the [[Decepticons|Decepticons]].
After all, he values power and strength over wisdom and compassion, and
furthermore, he doesn't really get along with most Autobots. When faced
with a problem, his usual responses are to slice it with his [[Energo-sword|energo-sword]],
tear it to pieces with his bare hands, or outright eat it. He is more
willing to accept casualties than most of the Autobot leadership, and
doesn't seem particularly concerned about the [[Human|fleshies]] either. These things, coupled with his dislike of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], have led to a defection or two on Grimlock's part. He'd have no problem offing the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] if he thought he could get away with it, though.

What the Autobots don't realize is that the only thing he hates
more than weakness is those who abuse their strength, meaning when push
comes to shove, Grimlock will always fall in on the right side of the
fence. And despite their disagreements, Grimlock holds a respect for
Prime's strength and leadership.
Grimlock is the leader of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]],
a small but powerful strike squad. Grimlock himself is extremely strong
and durable, and is one of the few Transformers who can not only stand
toe-to-toe with Optimus Prime and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]],
but actually give them a run for their money. Despite his strength and
prowess, Grimlock continually struggles with his pronouns.

{{bigquote|Me, Grimlock BADASS!|Grimlock on himself|''[[The War Within|The War Within]]''}}

{{note|Grimlock's intelligence level in the cartoon was substantially lower than in most of his other portrayals. See the entries below for details.}}

:''Preliminary names:'' '''Tyrannobot''' / '''Trapjaw''' / '''Jawbreaker''' / '''Tyrex'''
:''Chinese name:'' '''Gāng Sǔo''' (鋼鎖, "Steel Lock")
:''French-Canadian name (G1)'': '''La Menace''' ("The Threat")
:''French-Canadian name (BW)'': '''Menace''' ("Threat")
:''Hungarian name (The Movie):'' '''Mogorva''' ("Grimlock") in one of the dubs
:''Italian name:'' '''Tiran'''
:''Portuguese name (Brazil comics):'' '''Trancoso''' / '''Grunhido''' ("Grunt")
:''Spanish name (BW):'' '''Ferozaurio'''

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon===
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Gregg Berger|Gregg Berger]] (English), [[Takurō Kitagawa|Takurō Kitagawa]] (Japanese), [[Edgar Fruitier|Edgar Fruitier]] (French Canadian)

{{Note|In the cartoon series, Grimlock, as with the other Dinobots, was more dimwitted than in most other continuities. For instance, the Dinobots originally decide to help the Autobots, because "them have face like this on chest...", referring to the Autobot sigil. Pre-movie, this lack of intelligence is usually coupled together with their great power to make them dangerous wild cards. Post-movie, however, Grimlock and the Dinobots are generally played as just plain dumb for comic relief.}}

{{bigquote|You don't frighten me, you mechanical throwbacks!|Megatron}}
{{bigquote|Good, Megatron! We love stupid enemies.|Grimlock|"[[Atlantis, Arise!|Atlantis, Arise!]]"}}

[[Image:Grimhead.JPG|left|250px|thumb|It take while for me Grimlock to settle into character model.]]
When mysterious tremors shook the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot base]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s
investigation revealed strange objects behind a rock wall. After
removing the wall, the Autobots found a cave full of dinosaur bones.
The Autobots decided the idea of dinosaurs was interesting and
researched the prehistoric beasts. Wheeljack and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] asked Optimus Prime if they could build robot dinosaurs, and Prime agreed this was a good idea, only God knows why. Grimlock, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]
were built and unveiled to the Autobots, but the Dinobots were
dimwitted and violent, and they attacked their makers, Frankenstein's
monster style. Grimlock blasted [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]]
with his fire-breath, damaging it. Optimus Prime decreed that the
Dinobots "must be destroyed." However, Wheeljack convinced him instead
to lock them away, and the trio were herded back into the cave and
buried alive.

[[Image:Grimlockskywarp.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Mmm, taste like chicken!]]
Later, the Decepticons took over a hydroelectric plant, and when the
Autobots arrived to stop them, the Autobots were defeated and captured.
Wheeljack, Ratchet, and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]],
left behind at Autobot base to finish repairing Teletraan I, decided to
go against Optimus' orders and release the Dinobots, but not before
upgrading their brains to be smarter and more obedient. After the
Dinobots were reactivated, Wheeljack asked them to save their friends.
Grimlock said he would obey... this time. They successfully attacked
the Decepticons and freed the imprisoned Autobots. Optimus forgave
Wheeljack, Ratchet, and Bumblebee for disobeying his orders and
welcomed the victorious Dinobots back to the Autobots. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots|S.O.S. Dinobots}}

After a meteor surging with unknown energies struck the Earth,
Optimus ordered the three Dinobots to guard it. He was so pleased with
the Dinobots he asked Ratchet and Wheeljack to build two more.
Meanwhile, Megatron was frustrated at the Dinobots' success and sent [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]
to probe them for potential weaknesses. Reading the Dinobots' minds, he
discovered that Grimlock was arrogant and believed he would make a
better leader than the weak Optimus Prime. Megatron decided to use this
to his advantage and approached them himself. He played to Grimlock's
jealousy and agreed with him that the strongest should be leader. The
Dinobots declared Optimus Prime their enemy.

[[Image:Grimlockapologize.jpg|left|180px|thumb|After he stop shaking hand, me Grimlock going to eat him!]]
Realizing the meteorite was due to explode, Optimus left to warn the
Dinobots, but they attacked him. Instead of destroying him completely,
however, Grimlock carried him to the Decepticons, who had stolen the
meteorite during the battle. Megatron was angry that Optimus Prime was
not destroyed, and Starscream suggested that despite Grimlock's
arrogance, inside he was still compassionate (or as compassionate as
Grimlock could get). Grimlock didn't take this well and blasted
Starscream right in the chest. They were interrupted by the two new
Dinobots, [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]],
whom Megatron ordered the original three Dinobots to attack. At the
climax of the battle, the meteorite exploded, but Optimus Prime pushed
Grimlock out of the way, saving him. Grimlock realized the error of his
ways, and the Dinobots forced the Decepticons into retreat. Grimlock
then apologized for his jealousy. {{storylink|War of the Dinobots|War of the Dinobots}}

{{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}}<br>
{{storylink|Countdown to Extinction}}<br>
{{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}<br>

The Decepticons joined forces with [[Sub-Atlantica|Sub-Atlantica]] and staged a full-scale attack on [[Washington, D.C.|Washington, D.C.]].
The Autobots were overwhelmed, forcing Wheeljack to call for the
Dinobots' assistance. Grimlock expressed his frustration at being
called whenever the Autobots were in over their heads. With their help,
the Autobots were able to overturn the Decepticons' advance and plunge
the now-burning city of Sub-Atlantica back into the sea. {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!|Atlantis, Arise!}} This pattern of the Autobots' dependence on the Dinobots repeated when the artificial intelligence [[TORQ III|TORQ III]],
put under Decepticon control, turned all machines against Mankind. With
every piece of help he and his troops gave, Grimlock was never slow to
add a scathing remark about the inabilities of the Autobots. {{storylink|Day of the Machines|Day of the Machines}} That said, he was not unwilling to admit the failings of his own troops, either. He willingly took them to the time-displaced "[[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]]", where they trained in the wilderness {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} and helped stop a Decepticon raid on the prehistoric paradise, with Grimlock inspiring the native [[Dinosaur|dinosaurs]] to help them fight the Decepticons. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2|Dinobot Island, Part 2}}

{{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

[[Image:DesertionDinobotsPt1 Grimlock bites Megs.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hmmm...Guns.]]
The final straw for Grimlock came when he and the Dinobots were
injured in a Decepticon trap at an airfield. Enraged, Grimlock refused
to take orders from Optimus Prime any more and led the Dinobots away
from the Ark. When the Autobots began to suffer from Cybertonium
deficiency, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and his girlfriend [[Carly|Carly]]
attempted to persuade the Dinobots—who continued to function perfectly,
as they had been built on Earth without Cybertonium—to steal some of
the mineral from a Decepticon shipment coming in from Cybertron.
Although Grimlock was willing to let the Autobots die and decided to
crush the humans, he recognized the Cybertron connection to the
Cybertonium. Instead of securing the element, Grimlock opted to lead
the Dinobots to Cybertron itself, where they were captured by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}} He altered the Dinobots' [[Circuits|memory circuits]]
and put them to work in the Cybertonium mines, where they remained
until Spike and Carly repaired them. Grimlock and Spike faked having an
argument, compelling the guards to lower the energy fences to remove
the troublesome humans—only to be obliterated by the Dinobots. Grimlock
led the group back to Earth, where the Dinobots agreed to follow
Prime's orders again—until such time as Grimlock didn't feel like it. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}}

[[Image:TFTM Grimlock Quintessa.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Me Grimlock mad that name "[[T-Wrecks|T-Wrecks]]" already taken. <small>(Maybe by me Grimlock.)</small>]]
In the year 2005, Grimlock and the other Dinobots were stationed on
the Autobots' Moonbase 1, seemingly overseeing weapons production. When
word arrived from Earth that Autobot City was suffering a massive
Decepticon attack, they traveled to Earth with Optimus Prime and were
dispatched by the Autobot leader to take on [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]].
Though they attacked fearlessly, the giant combiner robot was too much
for them, shrugging off their attacks and overwhelming them in short
order.

After fleeing [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s attack on [[Autobot City|Autobot City]], the Dinobots, along with [[Kup|Kup]] and [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], crashed on [[Quintessa|Quintessa]], and were separated from the two Autobots. During their search, the Dinobots met [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]].
Grimlock initially didn't like the rhyming little robot, but soon grew
quite fond of him, letting him ride on his back. Eventually, the
Dinobots managed to locate where Kup and Hot Rod were being held by the
planet's rulers, the [[Quintessons|Quintessons]].
The Dinobots entered the Quintessons' execution room with all the grace
they could muster, and Grimlock immediately declared his desire to
munch metal. After the Dinobots saved Hot Rod and Kup from the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]],
a Quintesson judge ordered the Sharkticons to execute the Dinobots.
Grimlock stomped his foot on the ground and ordered the Sharkticons to
execute the Quintessons. They complied with the Dinobot's order.
Heading for the [[Junkion (planet)|planet of Junk]], Grimlock watched the Autobots and the [[Junkion|Junkions]] celebrate their new friendship. The party was ended when a Junkion [[Kiss|kissed]]
Grimlock, causing him to reassert his status as "king". Later, Grimlock
made one of his life's greatest accomplishments by literally kicking
the butt of [[Unicron|a deity]], only to realize shortly afterwards that he needs a new strategy. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie|The Transformers: The Movie}}

[[Image:Madman Paradise Grimlock drinks.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock hope they not [[Grimlock (G1) toys|immortalize this in plastic]].]]
By the Earth year 2005, it seemed apparent that Grimlock had
undergone some degree of a personality change, becoming more childish
and petulant, rather than brutish and stubborn. Throughout 2006, he
regularly participated in missions with his fellow Autobots rather than
the other Dinobots, battling on the planets of [[Chaar|Chaar]], [[Goo|Goo]], [[Dread|Dread]] and [[Eurythma|Eurythma]].

{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}}<br>
{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}<br>
{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}<br>
{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}<br>
{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}<br>
{{storylink|Chaos (episode)|Chaos}}<br>
{{storylink|Dark Awakening}}

Grimlock helped to sniff out the "[[Dinosaur transform static|dinosaur transform static]]" that implicated [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] in the theft of world monuments {{storylink|Thief in the Night|Thief in the Night}} and later, and [[Daniel Witwicky|Daniel Witwicky]] were transported to the other-dimensional realm of [[Menonia|Menonia]], where Grimlock was duped into fighting on the side of the tyrannical Quintesson [[Mara-Al-Utha|Mara-Al-Utha]] {{storylink|Madman's Paradise|Madman's Paradise}}.

{{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}}<br>
{{storylink|Only Human}}

Later in the year, when Decepticon leader Galvatron had Cybertron
infused with function-inverting anti-electrons, a dose of the particles
gave Grimlock super-intelligence. During a mission to [[Unicron|Unicron]]'s disembodied head, where the Autobots were outmatched by the new Decepticon [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], Grimlock used components of Unicron's head to construct the [[Technobot|Technobots]] to battle them. Even combined as [[Computron|Computron]],
the Technobots felt they could not match the Terrorcons, until Grimlock
transferred his super-intelligence into Computron, reverting to his old
self and allowing the Technobots to claim victory. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain|Grimlock's New Brain}}

[[Image:CallofthePrimitives Grimlock Primacron.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock threaten space monkey into giving me Grimlock energon wine.]]
Grimlock's greatest victory came when he and a large number of other
Transformers with animal transformations were summoned to a world at
the center of the galaxy by the ex-assistant of the ancient genius, [[Primacron|Primacron]], creator of Unicron. The assistant had assembled these "[[Primitive|Primitive]]" Transformers in the hope that their simple instincts could defeat Primacron's newest creation, [[Tornedron|Tornedron]],
but one by one they fell to him, with Grimlock apparently crushed under
Trypticon. Grimlock survived, however, and followed Tornedron back to
Primacron's lab. When Tornedron turned on his master, like his
predecessor had, Primacron's complicated plans and equations could not
find a way to stop him. Grimlock, on the other hand, randomly flicked a
switch which reversed Tornedron's energy polarity, undoing the damage
he had done and dissipating the creature. Dancing around over his
successful saving of the universe, Grimlock decimated Primacron's lab,
which he decided was the smartest thing he'd ever done. {{storylink|Call of the Primitives|Call of the Primitives}}

Grimlock piloted the shuttle bringing [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to an important meeting<ref>The meeting was with [[Tommy Kennedy|Tommy Kennedy]] and its importance was debatable, but Prime was upset at being late.</ref> and took a wrong turn, making Prime very late. Prime subsequently took him to have his brain circuits upgraded. {{storylink|The Transformers (cartoon)|Season 5}}/ {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie|The Transformers: The Movie}}

===Japanese cartoon continuity===
====''Binaltech''====
After the Dinobots were defeated and deactivated on [[Earth|Earth]] by a strange alien virus, Grimlock was rebuilt using [[Binaltech|Binaltech]] technology to save his life. He hates his new Ford Mustang form. No teeth to munch metal, ya see.

[[Image:FourWarriors Grimlock hyptonized.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock seeing stuff. Is making me, Grimlock, tired.]]
====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
In the year 2011, the Decepticons invaded Cybertron in full force. Grimlock was deployed by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] to fend off the invaders. He was seen fighting alongside his fellow Dinobots as well as the [[Throttlebot|Throttlebots]] against the invading Decepticons. However, they didn't fare too well against the Decepticon [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]], as they were all quickly put to sleep by [[Mindwipe|Mindwipe]]'s hypnosis attack. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{note|The comic Dinobots had average, functional intellects. Grimlock spoke normally for most of the early issues, but by [[King of the Hill!|Marvel US issue #27]], Grimlock began affecting a caveman-esque speech pattern to mask his intelligence<ref>Grimlock possesses a brilliant mind but considers intellectuals weak. He chooses to talk dumb rather than be thought of as weak. ''Marvel UK #200 "Secrets of the Transformers" booklet.''</ref>, leaving his fellow Autobots to think he has a glitch in his speech processor. The other Dinobots speak normally.}}
{{note|Events from the [[The Transformers (Marvel Comics)|UK-only]] comic stories are in italics.}}
Millions of years ago on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Grimlock and four other warriors who would later become the Dinobots snuck into a [[Decepticon|Decepticon]] spaceport and stole a number of ships and hid them in the [[Rad Zone|Rad Zone]], suspecting that one day they might become fed up with [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s leadership and strike out on their own. {{storylink|A Savage Circle|A Savage Circle}}

[[Image:Arkshuttle3.jpg|left|350px|thumb|Countless kids were left wondering what "cur leader Grimlock" means.]]
While the Autobots remained dormant inside [[Mount St. Hilary|Mount St. Hilary]], the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] detected Cybertronian life. Dispatching a probe, the Ark learned that [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] had come to Earth and was wandering the [[Savage Land|Savage Land]].
The Ark used data gathered from the Savage Land to convert five of the
dormant Autobots into the Dinobots. They traveled to fight Shockwave,
but their battle reached a stalemate when all combatants became trapped
in a tar pit and buried under a collapsing cliffside. {{storylink|Repeat Performance!|Repeat Performance!}}

Information on this battle were stored on the Ark's memory banks and were discovered four million years later by [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] {{storylink|The Last Stand|The Last Stand}}, and Ratchet, at the moment the last Autobot on Earth that remained functional, tempted [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]
with details of Shockwave's alleged defeat as currency for a deal with
him. Promising Megatron that he would find the Dinobots and use them to
defeat Shockwave on Megatron's behalf, {{storylink|Warrior School!|Warrior School!}} Ratchet traveled to the Savage Land and retrieved the bodies of the Dinobots. Ratchet faked this defeat using video of [[Slag (G1)|Slag]]'s
memories and when Megatron doublecrossed him, he ambushed Megatron with
the Dinobots. However, Grimlock and the others were no match for
Megatron, and they were knocked aside. Ratchet managed a victory
regardless, and he and the Dinobots returned to the Ark. {{storylink|Repeat Performance!|Repeat Performance!}}

[[Image:Grimlocktestsnewhand.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Now that's a bedside manner.]]
''On the way back to the Ark, Grimlock had his first encounter with a [[Human|human]],
which didn't end well. Ratchet sought to explain why humans feared them
with a story about the Autobots' battle with the Decepticons at [[Sherman Dam|Sherman Dam]]. At story's end, they reached the Ark, but it was guarded mercilessly by [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian]]! After Guardian disposed of [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], {{storylink|Decepticon Dam-Busters!|Decepticon Dam-Busters!}}
the Dinobots attacked Guardian together, but they were defeated and
were forced to regroup. Grimlock was furious when Ratchet said Swoop's
injuries were not top priority, as he had an Ark full of Autobots in
need of care. While Ratchet was tending to [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]],
Grimlock led the remaining Dinobots on a second attack against
Guardian. This time they were successful, though they didn't realize
that Guardian was hardwired with a bomb that threatened them all. {{storylink|The Wrath of Guardian!|The Wrath of Guardian!}}
Thankfully, Wheeljack was able to control Optimus Prime's headless body
by remote and seize Grimlock's arm before he could deliver the blow
that would destroy them all. Ultimately, their lives were saved by
Swoop, who carried Guardian up into the sky as the bomb detonated. With
Swoop believed dead, Grimlock took his Dinobots elsewhere. {{storylink|The Wrath of Grimlock!|The Wrath of Grimlock!}}''

''After Swoop returned in a berserker rage, it became apparent
that the Dinobots had reverted to their base instincts due to their
primary cybo-dendrons having burnt out from millions of years stuck in
tar, so the Autobots plotted to round them up. Grimlock and Sludge were
the final targets, and as the two tore through a snowy part of [[Canada|Canada]], Optimus Prime vowed to stop them even if it cost him his life. [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]
discovered that the source of the rage was coming from a
Decepticon-crafted signal, but when the signal was destroyed, the
Dinobots entered a deep hibernation stat from which there may not have
been any return. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!|Dinobot Hunt!}} While Grimlock sat comatose, he dreamed of slaying Megatron, though he subsequently died at the hands of Starscream. {{storylink|Victory!|Victory!}} After being repaired by Ratchet, Grimlock dreamt of defeating Megatron {{storylink|Victory!|Victory!}} Grimlock and the other Dinobots were eventually reawakened, and ''they attended the unveiling of the Autobots' last line of defense, [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. Jointly, Optimus Prime detailed a plan to attack the Decepticon base and immediately retreat after stealing data from [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]].
Grimlock was displeased at this, and refused to fight a war in which he
was unable to fight. He seceded his Dinobots from the Autobots, and
they struck out on their own. {{storylink|Command Performances!|Command Performances!}} ''Grimlock and the other Dinobots met up with Sludge's human friend, [[Joy Meadows|Joy Meadows]]. {{storylink|In the National Interest|In the National Interest}}''

''While wandering the countryside, Grimlock and the other Dinobots chanced across the time-traveling [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] as he was beating up on a small group of Autobots who had recently arrived from Cybertron. {{storylink|Fallen Angel (comic)|Fallen Angel}}
The all-powerful Galvatron bested Grimlock in hand-to-hand combat, and
Grimlock was about to receive a deadly blow from his own sword when he
was rescued by [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]. The combatants were scattered when Shockwave's Decepticons fired upon Galvatron and allowed the time-traveller to leave. {{storylink|Resurrection!|Resurrection!}}''

[[Image:Grimlockkingofthehill.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Blah blah Grimlock thinks in real English, but dude, check out that creepy grin on Slag.]]
Paleontology student [[Rachel Becker|Rachel Becker]] found Grimlock's footprints in the [[Cascade Mountain Range|Cascade Mountain Range]], so she, [[Robert Paaswell|her professor]], and [[Marty Cooper|his assistant]]
pitched tents to observe the area overnight. The Dinobots were indeed
hiding nearby, and when Swoop brought Grimlock news of Optimus Prime's
death, Grimlock prepared to take leadership of the Autobots for
himself. The Dinobot Commander interrupted a committee of high-ranking
Autobots attempting to nominate a replacement, and he rudely nominated
himself. Unsurprisingly, the Autobots were not impressed, and Grimlock
was turned away. Grimlock got a chance to prove himself when [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]
attacked the Ark. At first his plan was to hide in the forest, let
Trypticon "soften up" the Autobots, remove the Decepticon, and impose
leadership over the weakened faction, but Grimlock's doubts increased
as the Autobots were pummeled. Additionally, he was surprised when
Rachel Becker approached Grimlock with no fear, since he was certain
that all humans were cowards. When Rachel's life was threatened by
Trypticon, Grimlock attacked Trypticon himself, which signaled the
other Dinobots to follow his lead. In the aftermath of his victory
against the Decepticon intruder, the high-ranking Autobots decided that
Grimlock had displayed all the desired traits of a great Autobot
leader—wisdom, compassion, courage, charisma, and military skill. {{storylink|King of the Hill!|King of the Hill!}}

[[Image:Variablevoltageharness.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Time it took for power to corrupt Grimlock: Approximately 3 seconds.]]
Unfortunately for the Autobots, Grimlock set about immediately picking
out a crown for himself and affecting an unintelligent way of speaking.
His first point of order was to steal back the assorted equipment and
tools that the [[Mechanic|Mechanic]] had stolen from them shortly before his assumption of command. To his dismay, [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]] and Blaster refused to harm humans if necessary to complete the mission. {{storylink|Mechanical Difficulties!|Mechanical Difficulties!}} The two Autobots deserted. {{storylink|Crater Critters|Crater Critters}} <i>Now that the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] were on Earth, they began terrorizing Swoop, who had a dark history with the Predacon [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]].
Swoop was afraid to admit that he has lost his name to Divebomb
millions of years ago after losing a fight with the Predacon, but
Grimlock admitted that he had known ever since he had taken command of
the Autobots and had access to Optimus Prime's files... and didn't
care! He and the other Dinobots stood up for Swoop and kicked the
Predacons' sorry behinds. {{storylink|Grudge Match!|Grudge Match!}}</i> When Blaster and Goldbug didn't return, Grimlock labeled them traitors and ordered the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] to bring them in. Grimlock had in the meantime completed repairs on the Ark itself, and with Wheeljack's new [[Geothermal Generator|Geothermal Generator]], they were no longer dependent on humans for fuel. {{storylink|Used Autobots|Used Autobots}} Expecting Blaster and Goldbug's forced return, Grimlock had a [[Variable Voltage Harness|Variable Voltage Harness]] constructed to serve as their punishment. He ordered the Ark to launch into Earth orbit. {{storylink|Child's Play (comic issue)|Child's Play}}
Immediately the Ark overtook the Decepticon [[Blast Off|Blast Off]], who was being taken for a ride by Blaster and the [[Spacehiker|Spacehiker]] children. Fearing Grimlock's growing megalomania, Wheeljack had called his old friend [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]
for help. Before Grimlock could capture Blast Off, the children threw
Blaster from the airlock into space. Grimlock used the children as
bait, threatening to end their lives if Blaster did not show up.
Blaster returned himself to the Ark to the welcome arms of the other
Autobots, who had grown tired of Grimlock's tyranny. Despite Sky Lynx's
intervention outside the Ark, he was surrounded by the Dinobots, and
Blaster was forced to give himself up to protect the safety of the
children. {{storylink|Spacehikers!|Spacehikers!}}

[[Image:Grimlockokeydokeyblaster.jpg|right|300px|thumb|We've replaced ruthless early-to-mid Marvel Comics Grimlock with Season 3 cartoon Grimlock. Let's see if Blaster notices.]]
Blaster was placed in the Variable Voltage Harness for his treason.
Some time thereafter, Grimlock's Autobots stationed on the Ark met up
with Autobots from Nebulos stationed on the ''[[Steelhaven|Steelhaven]]''. Grimlock was furious that the ''Steelhaven''''s Autobots were led by a human, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], and he challenged Spike's [[Binary bond|binary bond]] partner, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fruitloop Multipuck]],
to a duel for ultimate Autobot supremacy. Forktongue Maxiface was in no
condition to fight, as he had suffered terrible damage recently at the
hands of Shockwave, so Grimlock offered Blaster to fight in his stead.
Both ships' crews unloaded onto Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]
to watch the fight, but Blaster and Grimlock's grudge match quickly
rumbled past the horizon line. After exchanging blows, Grimlock and
Blaster noticed explosions back at the ships' landing site, and agreed
to a short truce to investigate. Indeed, Ratbat's Decepticons had
ambushed the Autobots in their absence, but with the introduction of
Blaster and Grimlock to what had been up to that point a massacre, the
tide quickly turned. Grimlock's sword pierced the forcefield of the
Decepticons' [[Club Con|flying island base]], and the Decepticons retreated. In the wake, Fortress Maximus admitted that he had sent Goldbug and the ''Steelhaven'''s skeleton crew to Nebulos to rebuild Optimus Prime, their true leader. {{storylink|Totaled!|Totaled!}}

Optimus Prime returned from Nebulos as a [[Power Master|Power Master]]
and took back the reins of command, though both Grimlock and Fortress
Maximus kept high-profile positions in the ranks. The trio watched a
commercial for [[Club Con|Club Con]],
a tropical resort suspiciously helmed by Decepticons. Grimlock wanted
to bust some heads, but Optimus thought a more subtle approach was
needed. {{storylink|Club Con!|Club Con!}} <i>Meanwhile, Earth was coming apart at the seams due to a timestorm caused by the displacement of Galvatron, [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]
from Earth's future. Optimus, Grimlock, and Fortress Maximus held
court, and decided an attack on the future Decepticon's undergrund base
was due. During the battle, shockingly, Optimus and others were
displaced to [[Limbo|limbo]] by [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]]
and other Autobots from the future. Believing these future Autobots
were imposters, responsible for the apparent deaths of Optimus Prime
and the other displaced Autobots, Fortress Maximus and Grimlock led a
vengeful charge. By the time the truth was learned, the stakes had
shifted, and the future and present Autobots, including Grimlock,
teamed up to face the combined might of Galvatron and a [[Straxus (G1)|clone of Megatron]]. {{storylink|Time Wars|Time Wars}}</i>

[[Image:Grimlockdarkstar.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Yeah, those Pretenders are ''real'' sorry.]]
Answering a distress call in the [[Arctic|Arctic]], Grimlock and the Autobots found [[Buster Witwicky|Buster Witwicky]]...
and a Decepticon ambush! After a number of casualties, a brittle truce
was forged when it was discovered that this was all a setup by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] to divert attention away from his grab at the [[Underbase|Underbase]].
Both factions found Starscream about the meet the Underbase in space,
but Starscream was able to absorb enough Underbase energy to throw his
ship into theirs. Starscream departed for Earth, to conquer the cities
of [[New York|New York]], [[Tokyo|Tokyo]], and [[Buenos Aires|Buenos Aires]], and Optimus had thoughtfully kept the Ark nearby to help ship everyone back to Earth. Grimlock and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]
led a team sent ahead to Tokyo to await Starscream. After the
Underbase-powered Decepticon destroyed the Dinobots, Grimlock was quick
to fire upon Starscream and scored one of the few consequential hits on
the fearsome traitor. Grimlock hunted him down and bit at Starscream's
leg, but Starscream was able to grab the Dinobot commander and place
him between himself and "friendly" fire from the Decepticon [[Pretender|Pretenders]]. {{storylink|Dark Star|Dark Star}} Grimlock perished, and was next seen undergoing futile repairs onboard the Ark. {{storylink|Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?|Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?}}

[[Image:Grimlockyesterdaysheroes.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Wait, if Grimlock still looks like his original [[Character model|character model]], whose tail-gun is that?]]
Grimlock was brought back on-line by [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] using [[Pretender|Pretender]] technology stolen from Megatron. {{storylink|All the Familiar Faces!|All the Familiar Faces!}} While Grimlock, along with [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], handily defeated Megatron's minions, he was unable to save Ratchet when Megatron's base exploded. {{storylink|Skin Deep|Skin Deep}}
Afterward, Grimlock, Jazz and Bumblebee briefly joined the Autobot
resistance movement on Cybertron before attempting to return to Earth
via [[Trans-Time Dimensional Portal|trans-time dimensional portal]]. However, [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], seeking to crush the resistance's momentum, sent ''the latest incarnation of'' the [[Mayhem Attack Squad|Mayhem Attack Squad]] to destroy the three Autobot Pretenders. Infiltrating [[Autobase (G1)|Autobase]], the three Decepticons sabotaged the portal, teleporting all six Transformers (and the [[Micromaster|Micromaster]] [[Rescue Patrol|Rescue Patrol]]) deep into the heart of Cybertron, where the Autobots discovered the resting place of their god, [[Primus|Primus]]. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

Grimlock at first thought it was all a Decepticon trick and was [[Atechnogenesis|skeptical]] that the Transformers even had a god. When the [[Keeper|Keeper]]
appeared, Grimlock demanded the ancient Transformer "prove it" by
telling them the story of the Transformers' origin. The Keeper's story
(complete with holographic slide-show) was suitably convincing, but
unfortunately gave the Mayhem Attack Squad time to sneak up on the
Autobots, and another battle ensued. The outnumbered Decepticons were
no match for Grimlock and company, but [[Octopunch|Octopunch]]'s
last-ditch shot ricocheted off the Dinobot's back, waking Primus. A few
seconds too late, the Autobots in Autobase repaired the portal, sending
the lost Transformers to Earth. Grimlock immediately demanded they find
the Earth-based Autobots to warn them of [[Unicron|Unicron]]. {{storylink|Primal Scream|Primal Scream}}

[[Image:Grimlockdarkcreation.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Like cartoon Grimlock, Grimlock's shell has beautiful, soulful blue eyes.]]
After rejoining Optimus Prime's forces, Grimlock, Jazz and Bumblebee formed a team in the search for the lost [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]]. Traveling to [[VsQs|VsQs]],
where Optimus Prime's funeral barge had crashed, the three began to
search an abandoned science station for any clue as to the Matrix's
whereabouts. While Bumblebee searched the computer logs, Grimlock went
looking for the science team—only to discover they had all been killed.
Before the Autobots could formulate a plan, Thunderwing attacked.
Grimlock's first reaction was to attack, but not even all three of them
could defeat the Decepticon leader. Instead, they were "saved" by the [[Matrix Spawn|Matrix Spawn]],
which became Thunderwing's new target. The three Autobots searched the
wrecked station independently and recovered the Matrix. Low on [[Energon (G1)|energon]],
the three attempted to return to their shuttle, but the moon's heavy
gravity slowed them down, allowing Thunderwing to overtake them, defeat
the three weakened Autobots and claim the Matrix for his own. {{storylink|Dark Creation|Dark Creation}}

After Thunderwing's defeat, the Autobots sent a shuttle to VsQs
to rescue Grimlock and the others, who were low on energon and on the
verge of [[Stasis lock|stasis lock]].
Grimlock was none too grateful for his rescue, instead berating himself
for failing to destroy Thunderwing and guilty that he was alive while
the other Dinobots were still deactivated. However, without Ratchet or
the Matrix, the Autobots knew of no way to bring back their fallen.
Grimlock sought Optimus' permission to travel to [[Hydrus Four|Hydrus Four]] and investigate the rumors of the substance [[Nucleon|Nucleon]].
When Optimus refused, Grimlock stole a shuttle and the bodies of the
Dinobots and went anyway, which everyone really should have seen
coming. {{storylink|Eye of the Storm!|Eye of the Storm!}}

[[Image:Grimlockpriceoflife.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Grimlock never looked like his inner Pretender robot.]]
Once on Hydrus Four, Grimlock sought out the medi-center on the
island of Farooth, where the well of Nucleon was kept. Along the way,
he encountered the substance's three guardians, zombie-like mechanoids
who attempted to bar visitors from tapping the Nucleon. Two engaged him
in combat, but Grimlock dispatched them easily. Unlike destroying
Decepticons, he could take no pleasure in his victories, which seemed
pointless. He began to question his motives: Was he really trying to
save the Dinobots, or just prove himself a better leader than Prime? By
the time he reached the island of Farooth, Grimlock simply wanted the
grim business done with.

At the well, Grimlock encountered the final guardian. The
Hydrusian didn't want to fight, but instead warned him that Nucleon
always came with unexpected side effects. To quell the doubts that had
plagued him since his arrival, Grimlock decided to test the Nucleon on
himself, plunging a hand into the well. Feeling a surge of power and no
immediate side effects, Grimlock decided it had to be safe and went to
work reviving the other Dinobots, ignoring the Hydrusian's parting
words, "Time will tell." {{storylink|The Price of Life!|The Price of Life!}}

With the Dinobots revived, Grimlock loaded up as much Nucleon as he could and returned to the Ark. {{storylink|...All This and Civil War 2|...All This and Civil War 2}}
The Dinobots found it empty, as Primus had teleported the Earth-bound
Transformers back to Cybertron. Electing not to waste time looking for
the others, Grimlock ordered [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] to set course for Cybertron while Sludge and [[Slag (G1)|Slag]]
pumped the Nucleon into the Ark's life-support pods. The Dinobots were
unaware that the life-support pods also held Megatron, as Grimlock had
departed before Ratchet's rescue. {{storylink|The Void!|The Void!}}

[[Image:G1 Grimlock vs demons.jpg|left|250px|thumb|They brought claws to a sword fight.]]
Grimlock was the first Transformer to begin feeling the Nucleon's
effects. Before he even left Hydrus Four, he began suffering erratic
joint locks. He tried to hide the symptoms as long as he could, but
after Unicron's defeat, they began to worsen, until his entire body
seized up during a battle. [[Hi-Q|Hi-Q]]
came to his rescue, recognizing that the Nucleon was still transforming
Grimlock's body. Hi-Q accelerated the process, as the Nucleon granted
Grimlock a new, more powerful body, but at the cost of [[Action Master|his ability to transform]]. {{storylink|Still Life!|Still Life!}}

[[Image:Grimlockendoftheroad.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Octopunch: "I see what you did there."]]Optimus
Prime died from injuries sustained in the war, and named Grimlock his
chosen successor (although Grimlock still had to put up with Dumb Prowl
as his self-appointed advisor and conscience). While Prowl began naive
negotiations with the Decepticons for continued peace, Grimlock had his
Dinobots arrange precautionary measures against any treachery. {{storylink|Exodus!|Exodus!}} Sure enough, the new Decepticon leader [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]
sabotaged the Autobot ships on Cybertron and took off to loot and
plunder with his army. Thanks to Grimlock, though, the Autobots not
only had a set of ships held in reserve, but the Dinobots had also
placed tracking devices on the Decepticon shuttles, leading the Autobot
pursuit force right to the planet [[Klo|Klo]]. {{storylink|A Savage Circle|A Savage Circle}}
Unfortunately, Grimlock's knack for forward-thinking ran a little
short here, and he led his Dinobots into a trap as soon as the troops
arrived on Klo. It seemed the Decepticons had discovered Grimlock's
tracking device and anticipated their arrival. One massacre later and
the only Autobots left alive were Grimlock, Prowl, Slag, Kup and
Blaster. Despite their misfortunes, they managed to overcome the
Decepticon hunting party sent after them, and carried the battle back
to Bludgeon and his men. Luckily, a miracle arrived in the form of a
resurrected Optimus Prime and his new friend, the awesomely powerful [[Last Autobot|Last Autobot]],
who began spontaneously reviving all the Autobots who fell in battle
with the Decepticons. Facing an ever growing number of fully recharged
Autobots, Bludgeon fled with his remaining Decepticons, and Grimlock
and the Autobots stood victorious. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}
{{-}}
=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
''Following their adventures on [[Quintessa|Quintessa]] and the war with Unicron {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie|The Transformers: The Movie}},
Grimlock and the Dinobots were stationed on Cybertron during the
Autobot war effort to consolidate control over the planet. In 2008, the
Decepticons staged a brazen and unprovoked attack on the Autobot
location, prompting an incredible battle. Grimlock led the charge of
his Dinobots, and literally began to "munch metal". When [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] returned to Cybertron from the planet [[Junk|Junk]] with information, however, Grimlock exited the battle to attend a war room meeting with [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], Kup and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]].
They learned from Smokescreen that Unicron had survived their last
encounter, and his head had been drawn to Junk, where he then took over
the minds of the [[Junkion|Junkions]]
and began forcing them to rebuild his lost body out of their planet.
Realizing that the Decepticons were just pawns being used by Unicron to
distract them, the Autobots realized the true battle awaited them on
Junk. Rodimus Prime questioned whether he could pull enough troops away
from the battle at hand to be of any use on Junk, but Grimlock reminded
Roddy who he was talking to, and assured that his Dinobots would be
more than enough firepower. Rodimus agreed, and brought Grimlock, [[Scattershot|Scattershot]],
Smokescreen and the rest of the Dinobots with him to confront Unicron.
While Scattershot and Smokescreen distracted Unicron in the shuttle,
Grimlock brought the Dinobots down to the planet and stopped the
mind-warped Junkions from making any further repairs on Unicron's body.
{{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!|The Legacy of Unicron!}}''

''Later, Grimlock was part of Rodimus Prime's crew who came to Earth to free Autobot City from Quintesson occupation. {{storylink|Space Pirates!|Space Pirates!}}''

=====Earthforce=====
{{note|These stories do not fit into the normal Marvel continuity. See [[Earthforce|Earthforce]] for details.}}
[[Image:Primevsgrimlockbreakaway.jpg|left|250px|thumb|The clumsy, awkward fight you've been waiting for!]]
''In one alternate timeline, Grimlock found a way to revive his
fellow Dinobots after their destruction in the Underbase Saga. This
method may or may not have involved Nucleon, as it did in the main
timeline, and Grimlock apparently did not or could not bring back the
means for restoring all the Autobots in the Ark's life pods. With the
Dinobots back together they came on strong, battling a new splinter
group of Decepticons that had sprung up on Earth under Shockwave's
command. Grimlock personally brought down both [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the [[Battlecharger|Battlechargers]]
himself. Despite their victory, Optimus Prime harangued Grimlock and
his team for their brutal tactics, flying in the face of the "[[Autobot Code|Autobot Code]]". {{storylink|Two Steps Back!|Two Steps Back!}}
This led to a shouting match between the two Autobots where Grimlock
threatened to take his Dinobots and quit the Autobot army altogether.
The situation deteriorated further into a physical brawl, but
ultimately Prime and Grimlock knocked some sense into each other. With
Unicron inching ever closer to Cybertron, Optimus Prime decided that
the Autobots aboard the Ark were needed elsewhere, yet Earth still
needed defenders. Therefore he promoted Grimlock to Autobot Commander:
Earth. Grimlock was given his Dinobots, his fellow (former) Classic
Pretenders, and the five Autobots recently reawakened by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] as troops. In return for their autonomy, all Optimus Prime asked for was to show some restraint.''

''He was probably kidding. Or concussed. Whatever. {{storylink|Break-Away!|Break-Away!}}''

[[Image:Earthforce.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Charrrge!]]''From
the beginning, Grimlock made it clear to his troops that they would not
be fighting the war Prime's way. To get things done right, they'd have
to toss the Autobot Code out the window. To demonstrate what he meant
by this, Grimlock picked up a copy of the Autobot Code and tossed it
out the window. Grimlock isn't big on metaphors. {{storylink|Once Upon a Time...|Once Upon a Time...}}''
''Shortly after Earthforce started up, Grimlock received a
transmission from Shockwave, challenging him to a duel
leader-to-leader. Grimlock vigorously accepted, and traveled 300 miles
away to the coordinates Shockwave transmitted, deep in the [[Canada|Canadian]]
wilderness during a snowstorm. Only problem was...he couldn't find
Shockwave. Grimlock wandered around in the snow and ice for awhile
until he found him, or rather, he found a snowman shaped like Shockwave
with a sign out front saying "April Fools! — Slag, Snarl, Sludge,
Swoop". Two [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]]
patrolling the area had the misfortune of coming across Grimlock right
at that moment. What happened next was censored by the Comic Code
Authority, Mothers Against Violence, and viewers like you. He later
headed back to the base with the biggest snowball he could carry.
(Wonder what he was going to do with it?) {{storylink|Snow Fun!|Snow Fun!}}''

''Later, Grimlock made a deal with the [[Survivors|Survivors]], lending them aid to rescue their Decepticon comrade [[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]] in exchange for them joining Earthforce under his command. {{storylink|Where Wolf?|Where Wolf?}}''

''After Wheeljack finished the construction of Autobot
Earthbase, Grimlock gave him a hearty slap on the back as
congratulations on a job well done. After they learned Wheeljack had
effectively locked them out of the base with the defense grid fully
active and hunting for targets, Grimlock hung Wheeljack upside-down by
his ankle and smothered his face in the snow. (Centuries later, the
good guys are apparently [[A Better Mousetrap|still this dumb]].) {{storylink|The House that Wheeljack Built!|The House that Wheeljack Built!}} As if that weren't enough, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]
staged a full-scale Decepticon assault before the grid could be
repaired, putting Earthforce on the defensive. Grimlock took his
Dinobots out to kick butt, and threw his energo-sword right through [[Octane|Octane]]'s wing. They soon drove off the Decepticons. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer!|Divide and Conquer!}}''

''It was just one annoyance after another for Grimlock when
Optimus Prime came to inspect the newly finished Earthbase. First, he
and the Dinobots had to hide the fact that Slag was an unbridled
killing machine unfit to wear the Autobot symbol. That wacky
Slag—always killin' folk. {{storylink|The 4,000,000 Year Itch!|The 4,000,000 Year Itch!}}
Then Dumb Prime wanted to use Wheeljack's Bodyshop to revive one of the
most obnoxious Autobots on Grimlock's hit list—the vanity-obsessed [[Tracks|Tracks]].
Grimlock tried to sabotage the revival process several times, but
eventually Tracks was brought on-line anyway, while Grimlock got
forcibly and painfully dragged through the auto-restoration machine. To
make things worse, Prime assigned Tracks to Earthforce, meaning
Grimlock had to put up with him permanently. {{storylink|Makin' Tracks!|Makin' Tracks!}}''

''When Snarl was diagnosed with the fatal disease [[Corrodia Gravis|Corrodia Gravis]],
Grimlock and Earthforce had to seek out Starscream, the only
Transformer capable of giving his Dinobot comrade a compatible systems
boost. {{storylink|Assassins|Assassins}}
To make things even more complicated, they found the Decepticons at war
with each other at their Louisiana headquarters, with Megatron,
Shockwave and their [[Mayhem Attack Squad|Mayhem]]
assassins trying to take out Starscream and Soundwave. Forced to choose
sides, Grimlock sent Sludge and Swoop to protect Starscream from the
assassins while he and the others dealt with the two former Decepticon
leaders. After Slag charbroiled Megatron and Grimlock plunged his
energo-sword through Shockwave's chest, they gave up the fight and took
off. Starscream then agreed to the systems boost in exchange for
Grimlock's promise to help if Megatron tried to assassinate him again. {{storylink|The Lesser Evil!|The Lesser Evil!}}''

''After [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] went crazy due to a [[Cerebro-shell|cerebro-shell]], Grimlock and the Autobots were forced to give an interview and a guided tour of their base to the reporter [[Irwin Spoon|Irwin Spoon]] in exchange for his help removing the shell from their friend. {{storylink|Inside Story!|Inside Story!}} Grimlock was less than thrilled. He probably was relieved when the nosy human got kidnapped and brainwashed by [[Bombshell|Bombshell]] and the [[Stunticon|Stunticons]]—at least Grimlock got to skip his interview! {{storylink|End of the Road! (UK)|End of the Road!}}''

{{note|The following three sections all split off from the end of the Generation 1 comic, but in three different, irreconcilable directions.}}
=====''Another Time and Place''=====
{{note|The "Another Time and Place" text story was meant to be a conclusion to the Marvel continuity, but its events were ignored by [[Generation 2|Generation 2]]. It was [[Withered Hope|later labeled]] a "dead end" [[Splinter timeline|splinter timeline]].}}
[[Image:TFAnnual1991rip.JPG|left|150px|thumb|Break off me Grimlock piece of that Kit Kat bar!]]
In the months that followed the war on Klo, as more and more
Autobots began to succumb to the Nucleon's effects and lose their
ability to transform, Grimlock's guilt over his actions grew. When he
heard the medical facilities on Hydrus-Four had reopened and discovered
a means of reversing Nucleon's effect, he jumped at the chance. Taking
his fellow Dinobots back there, Grimlock and his comrades ran smack
into a Decepticon trap. Bludgeon and his crew had followed the Dinobots
to Hydrus-Four and cut in ahead of them, taking control of the
med-facility and installing a [[Holocaust Trigger|Holocaust Trigger]]
device, which totally overwhelmed the Dinobots' equilibrium as they
entered, knocking them out. Grimlock awoke hours later to find
Bludgeon's sickly-skullhead grinning at him, as the Master of
Metallikato planned to use the Nucleon to revitalize his warriors and
bring the Great Megatron himself back to life. Luckily, Optimus Prime
and Prowl arrived with a rescue party in time to stop the macabre
resurrection ceremony from being completed. Bludgeon was destroyed, and
Prime and Grimlock personally ripped apart the half-reanimated
Megatron. Normally, [[Furmanism|it never ends]], but this time it truly did. {{storylink|Another Time and Place|Another Time and Place}}
{{-}}

====Generation 2====
After the coming of the [[Last Autobot|Last Autobot]], much of the Autobot army scattered. Grimlock took command of a small commando team, leading strikes against [[Cybertronian|Decepticon outposts]]
across the galaxy. After encountering seventeen conquered worlds,
cyberformed into "little Cybertrons", Grimlock realized the problem was
greater than he had originally imagined and contacted Optimus Prime.
After comparing notes in an abandoned base, the Autobots were captured
by [[Jhiaxus|Jhiaxus]].
While Optimus began to despair after learning Jhiaxus' origins,
Grimlock refused to give up, bolstering the Autobot leader's spirits as
they led an escape from [[Twilight|Jhiaxus' flagship]]. {{storylink|War Without End!|War Without End!}}

[[Image:Prowlg2muzzle.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Lemme at 'em! Lemme at 'em! I'll SPLAT 'em!]]
Despite his loyalty to Autobot ways, Grimlock still chafed under
Optimus' leadership. Disobeying his orders (which somehow still
surprised Optimus), Grimlock led a raiding party against Jhiaxus,
seeking to destroy the ''Twilight''. Unfortunately, the Dinobot failed to anticipate Jhiaxus' increased security measures, and the mission cost [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]
their lives. Their deaths forced Grimlock to question his methods and
his attitude toward Optimus Prime. He admitted that he envied Prime for
the loyalty he inspired in the Autobots, and that this, not the
leadership of the Autobots, was what he'd truly desired. Thus, no one
was more surprised than Grimlock when Optimus Prime placed the Dinobot
in command while he traveled back to Cybertron. {{storylink|Devices and Desires!|Devices and Desires!}}

Grimlock's command status proved invaluable when Optimus met
Megatron on Earth alone, intending to form an alliance against Jhiaxus.
Megatron beat Optimus half to death, and Prime only lived because
Grimlock disobeyed orders and led an Autobot brigade to Earth. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness|The Gathering Darkness}}
When Megatron finally agreed to the alliance, Grimlock showed a great
dislike for having to work with him, as well as the insults Megatron
threw his way. {{storylink|Escalation!|Escalation!}}

[[Image:Biggrim.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock work hard!]]
Eventually, the Empire attacked Autobase on Earth, with Grimlock
gunning down scores of its troops. The alliance between Autobots and
Decepticons gave Grimlock a chance to work alongside two new Rotor
Force members, Leadfoot and Manta Ray, both of whom were impressed with
Grimlock's style. {{storylink|Total War|Total War}} With the Empire came the Swarm, and with both Optimus and Megatron out of contact, it fell to Grimlock and the Predacon [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]]
to organise the Transformers in a desperate defensive action. They
utilized a combination of shield generators, sky snipers, thermal
mines...basically anything they could throw at the Swarm. His plans
allowed the Autobots to hold out just long enough — barring a few
casualties, like his comrade Slag — for Megatron to arrive with the [[Rheanimum|Rheanimum]]
that ensured their survival. During this operation, Manta Ray
deliberately ignored Razorclaw's orders in favor of Grimlock's and,
when the Predacon attempted to execute him for treason, Leadfoot cut
Razorclaw in two, securing them as new recruits for the Autobots.
In the end, Optimus Prime united with the Swarm and cleansed
it of its dark impulses. The Swarm was dispersed, and Grimlock
celebrated a victory with his united forces. {{storylink|A Rage in Heaven!|A Rage in Heaven!}}

''In the convention-exclusive story "[[Alignment|Alignment]]", which ties up plot threads from ''Generation 2'', Grimlock sacrifices himself in the final battle against the [[Liege Maximo|Liege Maximo]]. (Despite being written by Simon Furman, this story was not approved by Hasbro and was produced for an unofficial convention, so is non-[[Canon|canon]] by rule.)''

====Fun Publications ''Classics'' comics====
[[Image:Classics Ultramagnus Springer Grimlock comic.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Me Grimlock like to make self look smart by hanging around bots who no hold binoculars correctly.]]
He liked to call [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] "Little Prime". {{storylink|Games of Deception|Games of Deception}}

BWWWHHHAHAHAHAHAHA.

{{-}}
===Transformers PD-Type===
[[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]] recruited Grimlock as backup for a duel with [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]].
Grimlock became bored watching the two of them fight in the sky, but
when Star Saber finally succeeded in knocking Deathsaurus to the
ground, Grimlock gnawed on his head while Star Saber looked on, pleased
at the outcome of his clever plan. {{storylink|Transformer PD Type|Me Strongest! Me Grimlock!}}

===3H ''Reaching the Omega Point'' comics===
Grimlock was among the legendary Transformers summoned from [[J'nwan|J'nwan]] by [[Sandstorm (BW)|Sandstorm]] to help battle [[Shokaract|Shokaract]].

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{bigquote|Me not like Optimus Prime or Autobots that much... but me like you and yours even less!|Grimlock's voice recording on a bomb he left for the [[Seekers|Seekers]]}}

Years ago, before the war, Grimlock was part of a cage-fighting arena. He and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]
fought beside and against each other on numerous occasions. Starscream
believed Grimlock was a natural born killer, but Grimlock really just
carried a lot of rage and needed an outlet.

[[Image:Skidswheeljackgrimlockkupironhidetww.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Me Grimlock great at retreating.]]
When the war began, Grimlock sided with the Decepticons. Then, after
a while, he switched sides and went to the Autobots. Nobody is quite
sure why or what happened. {{storylink|The War Within Preview|The War Within Preview}} He eventually became leader of a squad including [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], Kup, and Wheeljack.

By the time [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] was killed and a new leader had to be chosen, the Autobots were losing the war, and Grimlock was growing impatient with the [[Council of Ancients|Council of Ancients]]' strategy. Grimlock called a secret meeting with Prowl, Jazz, and his running crew: If the new [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] wasn't up to doing what had to be done, then they'd do it for him—and take the Prime out in the process. {{storylink|The War Within issue 1|The War Within issue 1}}

Optimus Prime, having defeated a team of Decepticons by himself,
still didn't settle Grimlock's nerves. Prime's decision to evacuate
Cybertron did it; Grimlock had enough. He left and went to brood by
himself. {{storylink|The War Within issue 2|The War Within issue 2}}
Starscream and his Seekers dropped by while Grimlock was alone.
Starscream baited Grimlock, telling him he was a Decepticon inside and
was just in denial. He gave him a choice: Go to [[Sector Zero-Six|Sector Zero-Six]]
and help the Seekers take out the Autobot command post, or warn the
post about their arrival. Grimlock, out of spite, instead evacuated the
Autobots from the base and left the Decepticons a present: A bomb. {{storylink|The War Within Preview|The War Within Preview}}

[[Image:Grimlocktwwmycall.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Me Grimlock squat a lot.]]
While he was on his way back to Iacon to help with the defense,
Prowl ordered him away, instead telling him to go find Optimus Prime.
Grimlock decided that it was a good opportunity to give the new Prime a
piece of his mind. {{storylink|The War Within issue 3|The War Within issue 3}}
While he and the team went deep into Cybertron's core to find Prime,
they found out about Megatron's plan to win the war and turn Cybertron
into a mobile battle station with which to conquer the universe.
Grimlock split up his team: He would go find Optimus Prime, and the
rest of the team would shut down the transformation system for
Cybertron.
To his surprise, Prime abruptly was standing next to him. Prime ordered Grimlock to help him find Megatron. Grimlock shoved his [[Energo-sword|energo-sword]] into Prime's hands and gave clear instructions: If Megatron is the problem, then fix it. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within issue 5}}
When the crisis was over, Grimlock no longer questioned Optimus Prime.
He knew that Prime had figured things out, and though he hadn't
executed Megatron, he wasn't going to spend his time in the war running
away. {{storylink|The War Within issue 6|The War Within issue 6}}

[[Image:Grimlockultramagnusnoooo.jpg|left|200px|thumb|ME GRIMLOCK DAMN YOU, SALAZAR!]]
During the Dark Ages, Optimus Prime and Megatron were seemingly destroyed in a [[Space bridge|space bridge]] explosion, which created a crack in space through which the ancient being known as the [[The Fallen|Fallen]] emerged. With the loss of Optimus Prime, Grimlock broke off from the Autobots now led by Prowl and formed the [[Lightning Strike Coalition|Lightning Strike Coalition]]. Grimlock was targeted, along with [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], by the Fallen, who wished to use their apparently unique [[Spark|Sparks]] to help in his revival of [[Primus|Primus]], which would allow Unicron to locate him. {{storylink|Fragmentation|Fragmentation}}

The Fallen sent [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Mindwipe|Mindwipe]] and [[Bugly|Bugly]], who arranged for Grimlock to receive a communication between Jetfire and Shockwave. {{storylink|Devastation (Dreamwave issue)|Devastation (Dreamwave issue)}} Believing Jetfire was intending to defect, Grimlock headed for the meeting. However, when the [[Chaos Trinity|Chaos Trinity]]
arrived and captured Jetfire, Grimlock jumped out of the shadows and
attacked. The Fallen had to watch his followers take a sound beating.
After dispatching the mystics, Grimlock attempted to execute Jetfire.
The Autobot scientist was saved only because the Fallen himself soon
arrived. {{storylink|Revelation (Dreamwave issue)|Revelation (Dreamwave issue)}}

Grimlock being Grimlock, he launched himself at the Fallen, but was completely overwhelmed. {{storylink|Confrontation (issue)|Confrontation}}
He woke up later strapped to a table and had to listen to Jetfire
trying to convince him to help them both escape. Grimlock broke free
with ease and was part of the multi-faction army that attempted to halt
the Fallen's plans. {{storylink|Conflagration|Conflagration}}

Later, Grimlock served both as leader of the Dynobots and the
right-hand bot to Ultra Magnus, who had taken control in Optimus'
absence and had managed to secure a truce with Shockwave. Grimlock was
less than happy about this, partly because he didn't trust the
Decepticons, and partly because he had no idea what to with himself in
peacetime. He never got to find out, as the truce was betrayed by
Starscream's forces, and Grimlock was apparently killed when he dove in
front of a shot meant for Magnus. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath issue 1|The Age of Wrath issue 1}}
{{-}}

{{note|Due to [[Dreamwave|Dreamwave]]'s closure, the conclusion of the ''War Within'' series was never seen; as Grimlock appears in the modern-day Dreamwave books, however, he obviously was revived somehow. Really, did you actually think [[Simon Furman|Furman]] would kill off Grimlock?}}
[[Image:Mefightwithallmestrength.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Me fight with all me—"? Me Grimlock not Irish!]]
Millennia later, the Ark and the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' left Cybertron in search of new resources to fuel the war, but never returned. Grimlock and the Dynobots followed a [[Insecticon (G1)|group of Decepticons]]
to a primitive world that would later be known to them as Earth, all of
them looking for the lost Ark. The Dynobots assumed alternate forms
similar to Earth's indigenous giant reptiles, dinosaurs, and fought off
an attempted ambush by the small crew of Decepticons they had been
tracking. {{storylink|Extermination|Extermination}}
Millions of years later in 1984, the other Autobots and Decepticons on
Earth awakened and the Great War began anew. The Autobots and humans
eventually defeated the Decepticons and all the Transformers were to be
sent back to Cybertron on the ''[[Ark II|Ark II]]''. However, the ship was destroyed during launch due to sabotage by General [[Robert Hallo|Robert Hallo]] and [[Lazarus|Adam Rook]], in the hopes of recovering the Transformers and reprogramming them to be war machines. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 1|Prime Directive issue 1}}

At some point, Megatron captured the other four Dinobots, a fact
which he used as leverage to get Grimlock to turn traitor and join the
Decepticons after they were reactivated by Lazarus. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 3|Prime Directive issue 3}} Grimlock's only real contribution to the Decepticons was crushing unoccupied cars in [[San Francisco|San Francisco]] {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 5|Prime Directive issue 5}} and being beaten up, and beaten down by [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]].
After the Decepticons abandoned him, Optimus Prime offered to take
Grimlock back, but he refused, stating circumstances had changed too
much. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 6|Prime Directive issue 6}}

[[Image:NewWorldOrder Grimlock Blitzwing.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock silence Blitzwing, then Prime next.]]
Grimlock's apparent allegiance to the Decepticons didn't last very long, though, as [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] soon showed up with his [[Triple Changer|Triple Changers]].
Grimlock's true loyalty became obvious when he stopped Blitzwing from
blowing off Optimus's head by grabbing his tank turret and bending it
into a pretzel with one hand. After that, Shockwave sent Megatron off
to Cybertron, prompting Grimlock to rejoin the Autobots in the ''Ark''. {{storylink|New World Order|New World Order}}
When Optimus' group surrendered to Ultra Magnus, some of the Autobots
remained on Earth, Grimlock among them. He travelled to the frozen
north, and freed the other Dinobots from Megatron's holding tank. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden|Brothers' Burden}}

Stealing a Decepticon shuttle, the Dinobots then headed for
Cybertron, intending to free Optimus Prime and his group. After a rough
landing, they acquired some transportation from Octane and hurried to
Iacon. {{storylink|Cold War|Cold War}}
There, Grimlock did his part by leading a massive Dinobot assault on
Shockwave's complex, before breaking off to take care of the Decepticon
leader himself. Blitzwing again got in his way, however, and Grimlock
was forced to battle both, a battle that was going his way until Ultra
Magnus shot him in the face. {{storylink|Passive Aggression|Passive Aggression}}
Perceptor repaired the Dinobot command, and Grimlock did his part for
the rebellion by giving Hot Rod some back-up. For a third and final
time, he fought Blitzwing, this time taking out the Decepticon with
ease, grabbing him by the tank turret and throwing him into a [[Guardian robot|Guardian]].
Leaving the main conflict, Grimlock followed Shockwave, Optimus Prime
and Ultra Magnus into the citidel, and ended up saving the two
Autobots, stating that he'd hate to lose the chance to pay back the
"stuffy traitor". Optimus Prime thanked Primus, but Grimlock said Prime
should be thanking ''him''. {{storylink|Revelation (comic issue)|Revelation (comic issue)}}

While the main group of Earth Autobots returned, the Dinobots
remained on Cybertron to give Ultra Magnus some needed muscle. They
were assigned to help [[Kup|Kup]] fortify the new Autobot bases on Cybertron's moons. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil|The Route of All Evil}}

{{note|As noted above, any further exploits of Grimlock in the present were cut short due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy.}}
===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs the Transformers'' comics===
{{bigquote|It just isn't a proper party without Grimlock around. That guy is nuts|Hot Rod}}

[[Image:DDGrimlock.jpg|right|120px|thumb|All the grace of an earthquake.]]
Grimlock and his team were transported to Earth's prehistoric past by a malfunctioning [[Teletran 3|Teletran 3]].
A joint Cobra/G.I. Joe team traveled through a time portal to bring
them back. Unfortunately, Shockwave's Decepticons blocked their return.
Just as Shockwave's victory appeared complete, [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] and [[Lady Jaye|Lady Jaye]]
successfully opened up the final time portal, and the humans returned,
with some heavy artillery in the form of the five Autobots, now
reformatted in huge, powerful dinosaur bodies. Grimlock took the lead
by knocking Shockwave through a wall, and beating the tar out of the
'Cons, alongside his new Dinobots, their new abilities more than a
match for the Decepticon forces. When the Decepticons retreated,
Grimlock transformed and requested an audience with Optimus Prime. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4}}

Grimlock was part of the small team sent to help with the Joes'
decommissioning of their Cybertronian mechs. Grimlock was more than a
little vocal about his distaste for the post, and lack of interest in
the humans. He was, however, willing to help the Joes fight Cobra, when
the latter attacked en masse...even if he complained about helping the
weak fleshlings. When Cobra Commander was cornered in an underground
facility, Grimlock did his part by terrifying him into talking. They
were interrupted when [[Serpent O.R.|Serpent O.R.]]
appeared, and attempted to take control of both Grimlock, and
Roadblock's robot. Grimlock resisted, but Roadblock's robot turned
around and punched him in the face. Grimlock responded by ripping its
arm off.

{{charstubfiction}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Transformers/G.I. Joe'' comics===
{{charstubfiction}}

===The Beast Within===
In a devastating battle with the Decepticons, Grimlock made the decision to combine with the other Dinobots to form the "[[Beast|Beast]]". {{storylink|The Beast Within|The Beast Within}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:SpotlightShockwave GrimlockSlag trexscan.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Me Grimlock in love!]]
Grimlock is the leader of the D'''y'''nobots, a group of close knit
hunters and guardsmen who, in no small part due to Grimlock's
influence, prefer to work outside the Autobot rulebook.

At the start of Megatron's rise to power, the Dynobots turned
out to an open casting call for Megatron's underground gladiatorial
games, and got a good deal more respect from the Predacons than the
other attendees. It turned out to be a recruitment drive for the
Decepticon army. What they thought of that is unknown, as Autobot
security forces raided the party soon after. {{storylink|Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}}

He later met Slag again in a brig; Grimlock had angered a field
commander but Slag had shot a vice-admiral in the back to con him into
a frontal assault, so Slag won. Grimlock thought this Slag guy sounded
like a good bloke, and the two of them discussed the formation of their
own rule-breaking strike team. . {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 2|Maximum Dinobots issue 2}}

After [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]
destroyed a cache of energon the Dynobots had been hoarding, causing
them severe energon burns and equally severe humiliation, they swore
revenge. So, against orders from Optimus Prime, they followed Shockwave
when he left Cybertron to stabilize "ultra-energon" deposits he had
sent to other worlds as a precaution against the depletion of
Cybertron's own energon reserves.

When Shockwave reached his first destination—Earth, at the end
of the last Ice Age—the Dynobots destroyed his ship, but Slag revealed
that the high energon levels of the planet would put them in stasis
lock, since they hadn't come prepared like Shockwave. Slag then came up
with the idea that they should scan the local life forms and create
alt-modes based on those animals, but with synthetic flesh coatings to
protect against the high levels of energon radiation. Grimlock was
completely against the idea, but since Slag couldn't come up with
something better, he relented. However, he refused to take on the form
of the weak mammalians that dominated the planet, demanding "something
with some... bite." Scanning fossil deposits, Slag found the remains of
some extinct reptilian animals and brought up a holographic
representation of one to see if Grimlock approved. What popped up was a
Tyrannosaurus Rex, which Grimlock seemed to fall in love with the
moment he saw it. The choice made, Grimlock took the Tyrannosaur as his
altmode and had Slag find more dinosaurs as templates for the rest of
the Dynobots.

[[Image:SpotlightShockwave Grimlock stasislock.jpg|right|180px|thumb|One, two three... Red light!]]
On transporting down to the planet's surface to confront Shockwave,
they gained an initial advantage, as Shockwave's logic was unable to
comprehend the effort and risks they had taken for their revenge.
However, when Shockwave recognized this weakness, he shut down his
logic processors and executed a "rage" program to enable him to operate
on pure instinct. He shrugged off the Dynobots' attacks and beat them
severely, ending the assault by burning off their organic coatings.
Unable to accept another defeat, Grimlock transformed to robot mode and
fought against his imminent [[Stasis lock|stasis lock]] to no avail.

However, before leaving the Dynobots' ship, he had enabled a
"dead man's switch" designed to take Shockwave with them if they were
defeated. When he entered stasis lock, this failsafe activated, firing
on a nearby dormant volcano and causing an eruption which buried
Shockwave and the Dynobots under ash and lava. Thousands of years
later, their entombed bodies were discovered by a human archaeological
team. {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave|Spotlight: Shockwave}}

In 2007, [[Skywatch|Skywatch]] took over jurisdiction of the dig site and excavated Shockwave and the Dynobots. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation issue 5}}

When the [[Reapers|Reapers]]
attacked the Decepticons, Skywatch decided to awaken the most advanced
of their "Eureka Six", which turned out to be Grimlock. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation issue 5}}

[[Image:GrimlockIDWRex.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Go go Grimzilla!]]
Grimlock's reactivation was sabotaged by an agent of the [[Machination|Machination]]
and when he awoke, they had no control over him. He escaped the
facility, confused and angry. His escape was engineered by the head of
the Machination, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]],
who wanted Grimlock to join him in the Machination plot to dominate the
Earth by running interference and delaying Megatron's plans long enough
for the Machination to put their plans into action.

[[Image:SpotlightGrimlock punch KLUNG.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, Punch!<br> Daylight come and me Grimlock wanna go home.]]
Grimlock considered for a second, but refused the offer for two
reasons: he could turn Scorponok in to Ultra Magnus for redemption, and
as revenge for Scorponok once robbing an installation the Dynobots were
guarding. The two fought and Scorponok quickly gained the upper hand,
mostly due to his [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] upgrade. Grimlock was able to activate his transporter chip, which beamed him back to his ship, the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]'', which was buried deep in ice somewhere. Grimlock hoped he could use the ship to find the other Dynobots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock|Spotlight: Grimlock}}

[[Image:GrimlockMaxDino01.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock's roar sound funny...]]
Finding himself trapped, both on a useless ship and in a less than
inconspicuous form, Grimlock was forced to try and contact some of his
less reputable acquaintances in an attempt to get the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]'' into some sort of working order. Meanwhile, the Machination had tracked him down and had sent their [[Sunstreaker clone|Tsunami Unit]]
to apprehend him. Grimlock's early warning system detected them, and he
circled round as they began to attack, brusting from the ice and
transforming. The battle very quickly turned in his favor with four of
the clones falling in the opening moments. The surviving Headmasters
were rather shaken, but managed to fulfill their mission: attach a
device which would [[Orbital bounce|orbital bounce]] him to Nevada, near [[Skywatch|Skywatch]]'s
base. Grimlock materialized in the middle of a busy street. As a car
crashed into his toe, he realized things had just gone from bad to
worse. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 1|Maximum Dinobots issue 1}}

[[Image:GrimlockSludgeSwoopMaxDino02.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Hey...he stole that move from Shockwave!]]
He knew Scorponok was trying to deliberately set him up as a rampaging monster, but ''didn't''
expect his fellow Dynobots to be sent to take him down! He was able to
fight them all off but unable to break their reprogramming by appealing
to their team ethos... and when they ''did'' regain sentience and
memory, it was because Scorponok let them so they could get pissed off
at the knowledge Grimlock set up a "dead man's switch" ''without'' informing them. Grimlock's defence was that such a sneaky, amoral and rule-breaking act was what the Dynobots were ''all about'', which surprisingly worked. While saying this, he grudgingly and with much moaning saved a human from burning to death. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 2|Maximum Dinobots issue 2}}
{{-}}

===IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity===
{{bigquote|Shadows lengthen. The twilight of the Cybertronian race gathers. The end is nigh.|[[Shokaract|Shokaract]]}}
{{bigquote|Reminds me of the good ol' days.|Grimlock}}
Grimlock was less than thrilled about being forced to go through the [[Maximal|Maximal]]
downsizing. To add insult to injury, the resulting peace meant he had
no outlet for his warlike tendencies. As such, he frequently
volunteered for any dangerous, potentially risky or outright suicidal
missions, and when forced on to a science or exploration vessel, he
preferred to spend the entire trip in stasis, rather then dealing with
the prolonged activity. He has a personalized reformatting chip that
deliberately seeks out only the strongest, deadliest beast modes (alive
or extinct) on a planet. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 14|Transformers Comic issue 14}}

[[Image:Grimlock Vs Spittor.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Me Grimlock LOVE frogs' legs!]]
Grimlock was among the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'''s protoforms when the ship crashed on Earth. When [[Razorbeast|Razorbeast]] and [[Optimus Minor|Optimus Minor]] were attempting to "rescue" [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] from [[Magmatron|Magmatron]], the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]
detected a spark signature that was apparently off the scale, big and
mad. Grimlock showed up and acted as the perfect distraction, making ''very''
short work of the Predacons. (Apparently, he was in a very bad mood
after waking up and took it out on the Preds.) Magmatron offered
Grimlock the chance to withdraw, and when the incredulous Grimlock
refused, the Predacon general attacked. Magmatron narrowly arose as the
victor by use of his triple beast modes. Grimlock was knocked out, but
later helped to construct the [[Maximal|Maximals]]' new base. {{storylink|The Gathering issue 4|The Gathering issue 4}}

Later, when [[Prowl II|Prowl]] remarked they had work to do on Earth, with [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]'s Predacon militia still a threat, [[Wolfang|Wolfang]] reminded him that they had Grimlock on their side. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 1|The Ascending issue 1}}. The bot in question was patrolling the jungle around the base at the time and bumped into the three-mech team of [[Manterror|Manterror]], [[Retrax|Retrax]] and [[Snapper|Snapper]].
He only noticed Manterror and Retrax however, as Snapper was being
crushed under his right foot at the time. While Retrax rolled for his
life, Manterror had to face Grimlock on his own, and lost his wings for
his trouble. This little group turned out to be a distraction, however,
intended to lure the Maximals' big gun away while Ravage led an all-out
strike on the base.

[[Image:GrimlockConvoys.JPG|left|250px|thumb|Me Grimlock have to pull newbies out of fire.]]
The former Dinobot wasn't about to be left out in the cold, however,
and he returned to base ready for "the main course," which consisted of
crushing [[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]] under his foot and tearing apart [[Iguanus (BW)|Iguanus]] and half a dozen other Predacons. Still, even with him and [[Torca|Torca]] working overtime, things might have gone poorly without [[Lio Convoy|Lio Convoy]]'s arrival. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 2|The Ascending issue 2}}

When Lio Convoy and Ravage led a joint force to stop [[Shokaract|Shokaract]],
Grimlock accompanied them. The former Autobot and former Decepticon had
a moment of antagonism when the fight started. But once the battle got
underway, Grimlock fell in with the Convoys. As Shokaract declared the
end of the Cybertronian race, Grimlock seemed to reminisce, even as he
transformed to his beast mode and led a charge. He was one of the
survivors, although presumably, he would be a victim of Megatron. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 4|The Ascending issue 4}}

===Universe===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{-}}
==Toys==
:''Main article: [[Grimlock (G1) toys|Grimlock (G1) toys]]''

==Merchandise==
:''Main article: [[Grimlock (G1) toys|Grimlock (G1) merchandise]]''

==Trivia==
[[Image:Grimlock Natural History Museum.JPG|right|150px|thumb|Me Grimlock BIG person, so they put Grimlock's statue in Natural History Museum.]]
* There is a Grimlock toy placed in the showcase in the dinosaur section of the [[wikipedia:Natural_History_Museum|Natural History Museum]] in [[London|London]], [[United Kingdom|United Kingdom]].

* Grimlock is generally regarded as [[Simon Furman|Simon Furman]]'s signature character.

* According to [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|Marvel UK #107]]'s letters page, Grimlock considers the 23rd of August 1986 his birthday. It's the date he took over the Transformers letters page. He also thinks he could take out Soundwave in a fight.

* Grimlock's function is Lieutenant Commander instead of Dinobot Commander on his Pretender Classic and Alternator toys. Lieutenant Commander is [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]'s rank. Deal with it, egobot.

* Grimlock once had the words '''Big Grim''' scrawled on his right shoulder. {{storylink|Dark Shadows!|Dark Shadows!}}

* Grimlock's beast mode in ''The Gathering'' does not actually match any dromaeosaur on record, seeming to combine elements of both the dromaeosaur body type with that of a carnosaur or tyrannosaurid. A fuzor, perhaps? The Titan comic profile in issue 14 seems to have tried to rectify this by calling him a Megaraptor. Which is fine...except Megaraptor was recently revealed as a misidentified carnosaur. Let's face it, a wizard did it.

* In ''The Ascending'' Issue 3, Grimlock is shown fighting in his robot mode. His tail weapon appears to take the form of a blaster. In Issue 4, he is the only Transformer, Maximal or Predacon, the same height as the two Convoys.

[[Image:PatLeeGrimlockHead.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Same bot time, same bot channel.]]
* Grimlock has his very own fanboy, [[Noise|Noise]], who someday wants to grow up and be just like him—a godless killing machine.

* Grimlock's speech impediment is caused by varying conditions, depending on continuity. To explain the difference in UK/US writing styles, Marvel explained it as a ruse. In the cartoon it was a result of primitive thought processes. In Dreamwave MTMTE, it is confirmed as the result of a virus, while IDW considers it caused by a damaged vocal processor. Devil's Due didn't bother explaining, they just got him in the "Me Grimlock's" during part three.

* In every instance in which Grimlock is drawn by [[Pat Lee|Pat Lee]], Grimlock's eyes/visor protrude past his [[Mouthplate|faceplate]], rather than sitting behind it like normal. This becomes especially pronounced (and comical) towards the end of Dreamwave's [[Prime Directive|Prime Directive]].

{{-}}
==Footnotes==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm Grimlock at TFU.info]

*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Grimlock Grimlock's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Attacktix]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Beast Wars characters]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Dinobots]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:K-Mart exclusives]]
[[Category:Letters page answerers]]
[[Category:Mail order items]]
[[Category:Maximals]]
[[Category:MyClone]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Titanium Series]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]

Skywarp (G1)

2009-04-10T16:24:26Z

12.45.255.66: /* Universe */ Where'd his head go?

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|wreckers}}
{{disambig3|Skywarp}}
:''Skywarp is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Skywarp1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Skywarp, Decepticon Stair-Pusher-Downer]]
[[Teleportation]] is a dangerous tool in the hands of a capable adversary. Thankfully for the [[Autobot|Autobots]], '''Skywarp''' is the Decepticon who possesses that ability. Skywarp's not so bright, so without supervision he's worthless as a warrior. He mostly uses his teleportation power for immature pranks on both friend and foe. He takes a charmingly puerile angle at thuggery, so his pranks are well-received amongst his Decepticon peers (excepting the victim, of course).

Because, come on, a surprise push down a staircase is ''hilarious''.

{{quote|Don't think. Just do.|Skywarp's life motto|[[Megatron Origin issue 4|''Megatron Origin'' #4]]}}

:''French-Canadian name'': '''Fraudeur''' ("Cheater" or "Evader" or "Smuggler")
:''Hungarian name'': '''Égretörő''' ("Sky-springer")
:''Italian name'': '''Corvo''' ("Crow")
:''Portuguese name (Portugal comics)'': '''Espião Celeste'''
:''Portuguese name (Brazil comics)'': '''Viajante'''
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Tīen Wān''' (天彎, "Sky Warp")
:''Chinese name (China):'' '''Nao Fan Tian''' (鬧翻天, "Extreme Ruckus")
:''Russian TV dub name:'' '''Deformer'''

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{note|Events from the [[The Transformers (Marvel Comics)|UK-only]] comic stories are in italics.}}
[[Image:Skywarpthundercrackerintroduction.jpg|left|200px|thumb|You can tell Skywarp apart from Thundercracker in the Marvel Comics by, uh.... let us get back to you on that.]]
Skywarp was one of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron's]] troops who attacked the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] during its mission to clear a path for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] through an asteroid field. He was deactivated when it crashed on [[Earth]], and he lay dormant for four million years. When he and his fellow Decepticons awoke, Skywarp was given a new [[Alternate mode|altmode]], that of an Earth jet. {{storylink|The Transformers (comic issue)|The Transformers (comic issue)}} He aided the Decepticons in their building of their new base constructed of parts from [[Harrison Nuclear Power Plant]] and joined in their attack on [[Sparkplug Witwicky]]'s auto repair shop. After the successful abduction of Sparkplug Witwicky, Skywarp, [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] defended their base from [[Autobot|Autobots]], though [[Gears]] and [[Spider-Man]] were able to sneak through and rescue Sparkplug. {{storylink|Prisoner of War!|Prisoner of War!}}

''When Starscream fired upon his teammate [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] for eavesdropping on his plot to overthrow Megatron, Skywarp and the other Decepticons sought deadly revenge on the Decepticon [[Air Commander]]. {{storylink|The Enemy Within!|The Enemy Within!}} Though Starscream escaped, the Decepticons soon regrouped to attack the Ark, but their battle was ended prematurely when [[Auntie]], the Ark's computer system, magnetized the walls, immobilizing both factions. {{storylink|Raiders of the Last Ark|Raiders of the Last Ark}} On another occasion, he and Thundercracker made a strafing run on two Autobot spies, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]]. Jazz was deafened and blasted off the road, but Sunstreaker led them into a human military zone, prompting Megatron to call them back to base. {{storylink|Perchance to Dream|Perchance to Dream}} Skywarp also traveled with the Decepticons to the [[United Kingdom]], where he and his teammates attempted to learn about a mysterious Autobot rescue ship buried under a castle. An initial attack on the Autobots left Skywarp seriously wounded by a bomb from [[Bluestreak]]. {{storylink|Man of Iron!|Man of Iron!}}''

Though Sparkplug Witwicky was able to devise a way for the Decepticons to convert Earth fuel into a usable substance, he also poisoned the result, so Skywarp and his fellow Decepticons were immobilized at the climax of their would-be final battle with the Autobots. {{storylink|The Last Stand|The Last Stand}} The Decepticon [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] took command of the Decepticons and the Ark shortly thereafter and nursed Skywarp and his comrades back to full health. Skywarp may have helped Shockwave attempt to capture and brainwash [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] into a Decepticon, or it may have been Thundercracker without red stripes. It's hard to tell. {{storylink|Plight of the Bumblebee!|Plight of the Bumblebee!}}

[[Image:Skywarpgoofyteleportation.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Upon close inspection, Skywarp's teleportation power is merely a goofy loop-de-loop.]]
He served the Decepticon cause up until he was deactivated while battling [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and placed in prison stasis at Autobot headquarters. {{storylink|Command Performances!|Command Performances!}}

''When [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] traveled back from the year 2006 to build a super-weapon to destroy [[Unicron]], Skywarp was a key player in the defeat of the mad Decepticon. Sorta.''

''The Autobots took Skywarp out of stasis, painted him to look like [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], and sent him stumbling toward Galvatron with a tape-recorder of Starscream's voice on his back. Galvatron, still sore about Starscream tossing him out of [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] during his Megatron days, shot and presumably killed Skywarp. Galvatron then realized that if he killed Starscream in the past then there'd be no way he could have killed Starscream in the future (never mind that killing Skywarp now opens up that whole issue of [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus' identity]]). Believing he was in an alternate past and thus nothing he did there would affect his personal timeline, Galvatron hurried back to his proper time. Way to take one for the team, Skywarp. {{storylink|Target: 2006|Target: 2006}}''

During a massive battle between the Autobots and Decepticons on Earth's moon, Skywarp and the other Decepticons held in stasis aboard the Ark were liberated by the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] and subsequently brought back online. {{storylink|Totalled!|Totalled!}} During the first Decepticon Civil War, Skywarp battled with [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'s Decepticons against [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s Decepticons. Skywarp surprised [[Bugly]] with his teleportation powers and blasted him, temporarily stunning him. However, Bugly successfully returned fire, striking where he guessed Skywarp would next teleport. {{storylink|Cold War!|Cold War!}} Skywarp was repaired in time to face an [[Underbase]]-powered Starscream in [[Tokyo]], but both he and Thundercracker were destroyed by their former flying partner. {{storylink|Dark Star!|Dark Star!}}

====''Generation 2''====
The Autobots and the Decepticons had just agreed to make an alliance against the [[Cybertronian Empire]], but the Decepticons disagreed about aiding other planets' people. When the Autobots went alone to fight the [[Cybertronian|Cybertronians]], they almost were defeated, until Skywarp (yes, this article is about him) suddenly appeared, followed by the rest of the Decepticon army, to aid the Autobots.

And you just know he mocked the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] he saved. ''Relentlessly.'' {{storylink|Escalation!|Escalation!}}

====''Classics''====
{{note|Classics is a [[splinter timeline]] from the Marvel US continuity that does not include events from either ''Generation 2'' or the Marvel UK issues.}}
His broken body rescued from [[Tokyo]], Skywarp was rebuilt using Shockwave's upgraded [[Seeker]] schematics. He was told that it was Starscream, driven mad with the power of the [[Underbase]], who did him in. Skywarp's okay with that. After all, the traitor's going to have to let down his guard sometime. {{fact}}

After the appearance of the mysterious crossdimensional Decepticon [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]], Skywarp and the other rebuilt Decepticons under Megatron's command traveled to [[South America]] to investigate an equally mysterious power source that seemed to share traits with Landquake. En route, they were attacked by [[Walter Barnett]]'s [[RUNT]] squad. {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 2|Crossing Over, Part 2}} Skywarp managed to shake off these interlopers just before Optimus Prime and his Autobots arrived in search of this same power source, and a new battle between the factions began in the jungles surrounding the power source. {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 3|Crossing Over, Part 3}} As the battle escalated, Skywarp and Starscream fought [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] across the skies, {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 5|Crossing Over, Part 5}} but ultimately, Megatron was forced to call for a withdrawal. {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 6|Crossing Over, Part 6}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===Cartoon continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Frank Welker]] (English), [[Masashi Ebara]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Tetrajet seekers.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Cybertron alt-mode (left). The early Decepticons promoted geometry.]]
In the early days of the Decepticon rebellion, Skywarp and Thundercracker both faced the powerful protectors of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron's]] cities, the [[Guardian Robots]]. Even millions of years later, the powerful Guardians struck fear into Skywarp's spark. {{storylink|War Dawn|War Dawn}}

Skywarp was one of the elite Decepticons that accompanied [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] in attacking and boarding the Autobot Ark four million years ago. After crash-landing on Earth, the Decepticons and [[Autobot|Autobots]] laid dormant for four million years, until volcanic activity stirred them into consciousness. Skywarp was the first of the Ark's Transformers to be reformatted and awakened by the ship's computer, [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]]. Now an Earthen F-15 fighter jet, Skywarp next dragged his master Megatron's body into the reformatting rays of the Ark's computer. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

Since the Decepticons were so badly short-staffed during their early days on Earth, Skywarp was usually involved in whatever crazy plot for universal domination Megatron was hatching. This included attacks on an off-shore oil rig, [[Sherman Dam]] and the [[Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma|ruby crystal mines of Burma]]. When the Decepticons escaped the Burma operation with a cache of energon cubes, Skywarp requested permission from Megatron to teleport in order to scare off Autobot pursuers. Teleporting behind the strangely airborne duo of [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Bluestreak]], Skywarp pasted the ornery old Autobot with a heat-seeking missile, knocking him out of the sky that he probably shouldn't have been able to fly around in. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

[[Image:TransporttoOblivion Skywarp Prowl punchy.jpg|left|180px|thumb|"Punch-buggy yellow!"]]
After their failure to escape Earth, Skywarp continued to serve the Decepticons for many more years, never really doing anything notable. When [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] was caught spying on the Decepticons' new [[Space Bridge]] and was reprogrammed to led the Autobots into a trap, Skywarp successfully attacked [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] from behind, causing him to fall down in an almost pushing-down-stairs-like fashion. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion|Transport to Oblivion}} He was first to fall victim to an invention developed by [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] that allowed Teletraan I to take brief control of his body. [[Chip Chase]], a human ally of the Autobots, planted the device on Skywarp's ankle in the thick of battle, causing Skywarp to fire an [[antimatter]]-powered Megatron (who was in gun form) at the other Decepticons. {{storylink|Roll for It|Roll for It}}

{{quote|You little fool...You're no match for Skywarp!|Skywarp announces his superiority to a kid in a wheelchair.|"[[Roll for It|Roll for It]]"}}

When the Decepticons recovered the long-lost [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] from an icy tomb in the [[Artic Circle]], Skywarp helped perform repairs on the giant flier, though it was probably better for all concerned if somebody with actual knowledge had performed these repairs. {{storylink|Fire in the Sky|Fire in the Sky}} During a battle at [[Great Falls]] hydroelectric power facility, the newly-constructed [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] arrived to rescue the beleagured Autobots, who had been captured by the Decepticons. Skywarp foolishly attempted to take on the mighty [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], only to be chomped on the wing and thrown into his fellow Megatron loyalist [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|SOS Dinobots|SOS Dinobots}} Soon afterwards, during an operation in [[Peru]], Skywarp mocked Starscream's punishment/[[Crystal of Power]] baby-sitting duty after the vain Air Commander stole low-quality steel that nearly ruined Megatron's plans. {{storylink|Fire on the Mountain|Fire on the Mountain}}

Skywarp's teleportation power did come in useful when he was needed to sneak up on the Autobots (who were all in vehicle mode) and zap them with the [[Transfixatron]]. However, he failed to zap ALL the Autobots, which meant the undoing of Megatron's scheme. {{storylink|The Autobot Run|The Autobot Run}}

{{charstubfiction}}

In 2005, Skywarp was part of a massive [[Battle of Autobot City|Decepticon attack]] on [[Autobot City]] on Earth. He was badly damaged during the battle, but managed to escape with the rest of his comrades aboard [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]. However, en route to Cybertron he was tossed out into space with other badly damaged Decepticons so that the rest would be able to make it home. Skywarp's body was gathered by [[Unicron]] and, among others, used to make [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s new warriors. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie|The Transformers: The Movie}}

{{note|Skywarp arguably became either [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] or [[Cyclonus's Armada]], the identical warrior who was never seen again. Either way, Skywarp effectively ceased existing.}}

====''Robot Masters'' online comic====
{{charstubfiction}}

===3H comics===
[[Image:Wreckersskywarpcyclonus.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Looks like Cyclonus was Bombshell. Neener neener.]]
After the Decepticons lost the Great War and [[Maximal|Maximals]] and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] claimed [[Cybertron (planet)|the planet]], [[Megatron (BW)|another Megatron]] subjugated nearly every Transformer alive with a transformation-lock virus and an army of [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicons]]. Skywarp was one of the handful of Transformers who had slipped through Megatron's fingers, and eventually he and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] joined up with the legendary strike team, the [[Wrecker|Wreckers]]. Given a mission by the [[Vector Sigma|Oracle]], the Wreckers fought through an army of Vehicons to steal an Autobot shuttle in order to get off-planet. {{storylink|Departure|Departure}}

{{note|Though no reason is stated in-story as to how or why or when Skywarp got this new body between the Great War and the [[Beast Era]], ''Wreckers'' plotter [[Glen Hallit]] noted that Skywarp's body was based on a mass-production body type of its day, similar to Generation 1's [[Seeker|Seekers]].}}
{{-}}
{{charstubfiction}}

{{storylink|Betrayal|Betrayal}} {{storylink|Disclosure|Disclosure}} {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{note|Events from the [[Keepers Trilogy]] novels are in italics.}}
Skywarp was one of Megatron's earliest recruits for the Decepticons, gathered to his inner circle after word spread about treachery in the [[Council of Elders]]. He served under the primary Decepticon faction for millennia, under Megatron and for a time under Shockwave in the Dark Ages. His teleporting power enabled him to get the best of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] during the [[The Fallen|Fallen]]'s ceremony at the [[Well of All Sparks]]. {{storylink|The War Within: The Dark Ages|The War Within: The Dark Ages}}

Skywarp was one of several Decepticon invaders on board the Ark when it crashed into [[Earth]] four million years ago while the Autobot ship was clearing an asteroid in the path of Cybertron.

In 2002, he was one of the Transformers who survived the disastrous launch of the sabotaged ''[[Ark II]]'', and was later captured and reprogrammed by arms dealer [[Lazarus|Adam "Lazarus" Rook]], who intended to rent out the services of the enslaved robots to various terrorist groups. After Megatron reactivated himself, he freed his Decepticon subordinates in order to put forward his plans to infect Earth with a metallic virus of doom. To pass the time while this happened, Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp busied themselves by tearing apart the Autobot Minicar team. {{storylink|Prime Directive, Part 3|Prime Directive, Part 3}}

Skywarp later participated in Megatron's attack on [[San Francisco]], where he followed Starscream's orders to maintain formation and drop cluster bombs on the Autobot giant [[Superion (G1)|Superion]], forcing the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] to split into their separate robot forms. {{storylink|Prime Directive, Part 4|Prime Directive, Part 4}}

Skywarp presumably stood watch over the defeated Autobots while Megatron tried to persuade [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to help the Decepticons conquer Earth. After some human firefighters distracted the Decepticons long enough for Optimus Prime to free the Autobots, Skywarp was presumably beaten up and escaped when Superion sacrificed himself to stop a nuclear missile launched by rogue US General [[Robert Hallo]].

''When Megatron was kidnapped by the [[Keepers]], and Decepticon leadership was up for grabs, Skywarp began acting more serious and ambitious than his regular "lunatic prankster" persona would suggest. One of the few Decepticons who aggressively refused to follow Starscream in Megatron's absence, Skywarp teamed up with the [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] trio in an attempt to seize power for himself. He lured Starscream into leaving his new kingdom in [[Las Vegas]] and travelling to Hoover Dam. Once there, Skywarp challenged Starscream directly for leadership of the Decepticons. He failed miserably, however—Starscream dealt Skywarp severe damage using his [[Null-ray|null bolts]] at close range, then tossed his former wingman over the falls. Skywarp was in [[stasis lock]] for some time thereafter, and begrudgingly chose to serve under Starscream after his repair cycle aboard the ''Nemesis'' was completed. {{storylink|Hardwired|Hardwired}}''

''When [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and his private army of humans attacked Las Vegas, along with [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], Skywarp was among the Decepticons who charged out to meet them in battle along the Strip. As Thundercracker and Soundwave kept the rampaging [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]'s attention, Skywarp prepared a delicious, under-handed sneak attack. Diving at Grimlock at full speed, Skywarp planned on unleashing his heat-seeking missiles at near point-blank range for maximum devastation. Luckily for Grimlock, the little Autobot Bumblebee was willing to sacrifice his functionality in order to keep the more powerful Autobot warrior in play, and took the full impact of the missiles at the last second. Enraged, Grimlock struck Skywarp with enough force to send him flying miles away into the desert, and out of the fight for the immediate future. ''

''Curiously, Skywarp chose NOT to leave Las Vegas with Megatron once the former Decepticon leader returned to Earth. Damaged after his time with the Keepers, Megatron lost a fight with Starscream and was forced to relinquish his leadership to the Aerospace Commander. Still, Megatron refused to serve under Starscream, and led a revolt of several Decepticons into exile. For whatever reason, Skywarp remained at Starscream's side until the Keepers attacked, possessing Starscream as a host body and caging the rest of the Decepticons still in Las Vegas inside a dome of impenetrable energy. Skywarp assumed command of the remaining Decepticons in Starscream's absence, and directed the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] into not attacking the dome directly as [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], but digging beneath the energy field to forge a tunnel they could exit through. He also made contact with Megatron's forces outside the city, and agreed to wait patiently until the time was right for all the Transformers to assault the Keepers as one. ''

''When the time came, Skywarp "allowed" his Decepticons to join forces with Megatron's, because it was the only "logical" thing to do. During the fight, he blasted the [[Bluestreak]]-Keeper with an explosive gamma radiation blast. The attack was effective, but proved moot when the Bluestreak-Keeper fused with the Starscream-Keeper, creating one massive and deformed robotic god figure. In the end, it was Optimus Prime and the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] which finally ended the war with the Keepers, diverting the force of a nuclear missile launched by the American government. In the aftermath, Starscream's scrap was salvaged and rebuilt, but Megatron chose to make Skywarp his new second-in-command for a time, mostly just to piss Starscream off. Still, Skywarp certainly saw it as the most "logical" thing to do. {{storylink|Annihilation|Annihilation}}''

''In Washington D.C., Megatron and the Decepticons stormed the White House to show their displeasure to the [[President of the United States|President]] for trying to wipe them out with a nuclear strike. Megatron assigned Skywarp to deal with the SWAT teams in the streets, then sent him into the skies to join Starscream in shooting down the air support called in by the military. Final tally—Starscream: 12, Skywarp: 5. Sometime later, Skywarp was present in the Nevada desert when the Autobots and Decepticons confronted the United States military. Thanks to their airborne tactics, Thundercracker and Skywarp did significant injury to the troops and survived the [[deconstructionite]] assault virtually unscathed. After the Keepers were finally defeated and Starscream had been restored to his normal irascible self, Megatron chose to restore the status quo and replaced Skywarp with Starscream as his second-in-command yet again. {{storylink|Fusion (novel)|Fusion}}''

{{note|Although it's hard to see how, the author(s) of the Keepers Trilogy may have confused Skywarp with Shockwave, or at least combined their roles and personalities into one character. Throughout the trilogy, Skywarp made repeated references to the "logical" course of action, and once made an oblique reference to his gift over the electromagnetic spectrum. Whether there was actual confusion involved, or if the pick-up writer [[David Cian]] was forcing Skywarp to fit a role once Dreamwave's comics made using Shockwave off-limits, is unknown.}}

When Shockwave arrived on Earth with his new army, he quickly disposed of Megatron and demanded loyalty from Skywarp and the others. Somewhat begrudgingly, they assented and accompanied him back to Cybertron. Back on their home planet, Skywarp and Thundercracker were amazed at what Shockwave had accomplished in their absence and were planning to sign on for the duration. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden|Brothers' Burden}} After getting run down and beaten up by Optimus Prime on his way to Shockwave, though, the Seekers took an offer from Starscream and Soundwave to abandon the rising conflict on Cybertron and return to Earth for some good ol' fashioned looting. {{storylink|Revelation (comic issue)|Revelation}}

On Earth, Skywarp was part of Starscream's initial salvo against the Ark, a decoy to be deliberately taken prisoner in order to draw out the remaining Autobots where the newly reformatted [[Combaticon|Combaticons]] could get at them. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons|Night of the Combaticons}} After decimating the Autobots' ranks, [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] freed the fallen Decepticons, and they were about ready to terminate their opponents when the awe-inspiring clone known as [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] emerged from fold-space, looking to have words with Starscream. Sunstorm's "purifying light" induced an energon overload in their systems, knocking them into stasis lock. {{storylink|Black Sunshine|Black Sunshine}} Skywarp and the others remained Autobot prisoners until Starscream negotiated a deal for their release in exchange for his aid against Sunstorm. {{storylink|Skyfire (comic issue)|Skyfire}}

Skywarp fell back under Megatron's command once the former leader arrived on Earth and forced Starscream back under his thumb. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil|The Route of All Evil}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
Skywarp, [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] were early recruits for [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], helping sow terror across Cybertron and kidnap Senator [[Decimus]] just prior to the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and founding of the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin issue 3}}

[[Image:Infiltration5 Skywarptotalled.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Skywarp learns what happens when he pushes Megatron down a flight of stairs.]]
In the modern era, Skywarp is part of a Decepticon infiltration unit that has operated covertly on [[Earth]] for at least four years, working to destabilize Earth's governing organizations and create global anarchy. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration issue 3}} His alternate form is an [[wikipedia:F-22_Raptor|F-22 Raptor]] fighter jet, and his main job seems to be using his teleporting powers to transport his comrades to places.

Starscream assigned him and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] to destroy all traces of the [[Nebraska]] operation, but after demolishing the abandoned Nebraska command bunker, he was severely damaged by Megatron, who, unfortunately for Skywarp, had been inside at the time. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration issue 5}} Megatron was apparently not one to hold grudges, and he soon had Skywarp repaired and functioning again, under the understanding that there would be no further second chances. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation issue 1}} While on a mission to destabilize Middle Eastern energy supplies, Skywarp confessed to Thundercracker that he believed Megatron had it in for all of them, especially himself, though his fellow Decepticon pointed out the fact that Megatron did have him repaired. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation issue 2}} Skywarp participated in the operation at [[Brasnya]] where he injured [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and evacuated Megatron before the Autobots could destroy him. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation issue 6}}

When [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] began his coup, he first contacted Skywarp in an effort to get a viable ally. Skywarp thought it was a big load of crap, but said that if Ramjet could get some results in one day, they'd talk. However, Skywarp did mention that he always "bets on the leader." This turned out to be a prudent decision. {{storylink|Spotlight: Ramjet|Spotlight: Ramjet}}

Skywarp was among the concerned Decepticons who feared that Megatron had lost all sense of reason when he deployed [[Sixshot]] on Earth. They conspired to bring Starscream back into the fold to talk some sense into their leader. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation issue 1}} Emboldened by Starscream's lone stand against the Reapers, the Decepticons attacked and eventually the alien invaders, with Skywarp participating in the destruction of their starship. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation issue 6}}

A year later, Megatron had somehow regained Skywarp's confidence, with the Seeker bigging him up to Starscream during the Decepticon attack on [[New York City]]. During that attack, Skywarp got to make stuff go boom and kill a lotta folks, and it was the best day out ever. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron issue 1}}

After taking out several military helicopters, Skywarp was assigned to accompany Soundwave, Hook and Astrotrain as they took Frenzy to deal with a large ground force. [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] voiced his doubt that the tiny Decepticon had a chance against such a huge number of enemies, but Skywarp, enjoying a chance for a dig at the new guy, simply told him to make sure he kept his distance. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2|All Hail Megatron issue 2}}

All the fun of smashing things and killing millions of people soon soured though, as Skywarp started clashing with the [[Insecticon (G1)|uppity Insecticons]] and getting lonely now Thundercracker was being mopey and Starscream wasn't around much. Even mindlessly killing eight million people in [[China]] couldn't perk him up. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron issue 6}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
Skywarp listened to Starscream discussing his plans for conquering Earth and was ordered to fly ahead of the [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], leading the way towards [[New York City]]. His altmode is the same as Starscream's one-engine-per-wing body. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2|Hearts of Steel issue 2}}

{{note|There's no evidence in the story that Skywarp actually ''did'' fly ahead of Astrotrain, but if it's true, he may have survived the Decepticon defeat unharmed.}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1-toy SkywarpCommSeries.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The Commemorative Series retooled Skywarp. Robot mode... that's okay. Jet? Not so much.]]
* '''Skywarp''' (Decepticon Jet, 1984/1985/2001/2003/2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''23'''
**''Accessories:'' 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles, 2 "Machine Guns", 2 wings (left & right), 2 rudders (left & right), 2 tailfins (left & right), 2 fists (left & right), front landing gear

: The only 1984 [[Seeker]] with a deco not used previously in [[Takara]]'s ''[[Diaclone]]'' line, Skywarp transforms into an [[wikipedia:F-15_Eagle|F-15 Eagle]] fighter jet, sharing his mold with his teammates [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]. Many parts need to be removed completely for transformation from robot to jet and back, which nowadays is considered a major drawback of the toy. It is rare to find it complete, as neither mode can hold all the pieces required. There are a few minor mold variations of this toy (common for the first two years of ''Transformers'', really), the most immediately noticeable being that early versions did not have visible "clip-tabs" on the inner face of the gauntlets.

: [[:Image:Redeco.jpg|Early Hasbro stock photos of Skywarp]] show him with a plastic purple nosecone. This was changed to a soft, black rubber nosecone when the toy was actually released. However, a [http://tfarchive.com/toys/articles/toypics/mex_skywarp.jpg Mexican variant] retained the purple plastic nosecone. The same stock photos also show him with purple launchers with black triggers and muzzle rings, black feet, black shins, black outer arm panels, purple horizontal stabilizers, and both sets of purple missiles. These stock photos were also later used to promote Takara's 2001 reissue.

: In 2001, Skywarp was given a short-run reissue (limited to only 1,000 pieces) by Takara as a convention-[[exclusive]] item, bundled together with Thundercracker as "[[Collector's Edition]]" Set C. The toy would later be more extensively released in 2003 as part of [[Hasbro]]'s [[Commemorative Series]] series IV, though due to US [[For safety reasons|toy-safety regulations]], his missiles were made extra-long since his spring-loaded launchers were now fully-functional.

: In August, 2008, Skywarp was released with Thundercracker as number 11 in Takara's [[Transformers Encore]] line. For this release Skywarp's Decepticon symbols were painted and his purple stickers were changed to a much bluer shade of purple.

: This mold was [[Redeco|redecoed]] into [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] and retooled to make [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]].

:For some reason, the stats on Skywarp's, Starscream's and Thundercracker's [[tech specs]] were switched around. Skywarp's box was given Starscream's numbers, which explains his high intelligence and rank. The actual specs intended for this toy, but accidentally given to Thundercracker, are presented here. Hasbro's Commemorative Series Skywarp reissue had his bio rewritten to explain his higher stats.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Skywarp/skywarp.htm More information on Skywarp at TFU.info]''

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===Machine Wars===
[[Image:MWSkywarp.jpg|right|300px|thumb|After his near-fatal encounter with the Invert Colors function.]]
* '''Skywarp''' (Basic, 1997)
**''Accessories:'' 2 rifle halves
: Sharing a mold once again with [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], Skywarp transforms into a white [[wikipedia:Rafale|Dassault Rafale]] fighter jet with spring-loaded one-step transformation from jet to robot. The two halves of his rifle store in his lower legs. Like all ''[[Machine Wars]]'' toys, Skywarp was an [[exclusive]] to Kay-Bee stores and related stores like Toy Liquidators.

: This mold is also used by ''[[Beast Wars II (toyline)|Beast Wars II]]'' [[Dirge (BWII)|Dirge]], ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Skyfire (RID)|Skyfire]], ''[[Robot Masters]]'' [[Wing Stun]] and ''[[Timelines]]'' [[Waspinator]].

::*[http://www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Skywarp/skywarp.htm ''More information on ''Machine Wars'' Skywarp at TFU.info'']

{{-}}
===Universe===
[[Image:UniverseSkywarp toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Like Mirage, except he can fly.]]
* '''Skywarp''' (Deluxe, 2003)
**''Accessories:'' 2 missiles

:''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' Skywarp is a redeco of ''[[Beast Machines (toyline)|Beast Machines]]'' [[Jetstorm (BM)|Jetstorm]] in his G1 colors. He transforms into a Cybertronic fighter jet, armed with two projectile launchers that can fire orange energon bolts. In the picture at right, his wings should (probably) be forward-swept in vehicle mode. Further, it appears that his robot head was removed entirely in vehicle mode, as it is missing two of its tailfins.

: His [[spark]] crystal has a Decepticon sigil [[Tampograph|tampographed]] on top of it.

::*[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Decepticon/Skywarp/skywarp.htm ''More information on ''Universe'' Skywarp at TFU.info'']

{{-}}

===Smallest Transforming Transformers===
* '''Skywarp''' (2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''GTF X-1'''

: ''[[Smallest Transforming Transformers]]'' Skywarp was a very small-scale simplification of the original Generation 1 Seeker toy, retaining most of its functionality and accessories, except for his long null-rays. Skywarp was one of two [[Chase figure|chase figures]] from the first wave of the line.

: This mold was redecoed from Starscream, then re-redecoed into Thundercracker, and finally retooled to make Thrust.

::*[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Destron/SmallestSkywarp/skywarp.htm ''More information on ''Smallest Transforming Transformers'' Skywarp at TFU.info'']

===Robot Masters===
[[Image:RMSkywarp toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Now with the proper articulation for down-stair-pushing.]]
* '''Skywarp & Thundercracker''' (Multi-pack, 2005)
**''Accessories:'' 2 "Machine Guns"

: ''[[Robot Masters]]'' Skywarp is a redeco of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] from the same series, a smaller yet more advanced version of the original toy, adding more articulation and reducing the amount of [[part-forming]] required. He was available only in a two-pack with Thundercracker, which also came with a Decepticon sigil pin and chromed missile pods. This set was the very last product released in the ''Robot Masters'' line and wasn't even strictly sold in a box from that series; instead, it used an [[e-Hobby]] ''Generation 1'' reissue box, with a small ''Robot Masters'' sticker in the corner tab noting its origin from the front.

::*[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Destron/Skywarp/skywarp.htm ''More information on ''Robot Masters'' Skywarp at TFU.info'']

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===Classics (2006)===
[[Image:Class06-toy Skywarp.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Ultra Magnus isn't pictured because he was just pushed-well, you know.]]
* '''Ultra Magnus vs Skywarp: Battle For Autobot City''' (Multi-pack, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Left & right missile launchers, 2 missiles

: ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' Skywarp is a slight retool of the ''Classics'' Starscream mold, transforming into an [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes|F-15 Eagle fighter jet]], though with a canopy like that of an [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes|F-14 Tomcat]]. He comes with a pair of spring-loaded missile launchers that can be mounted on his biceps or used as hand-held weapons in robot mode and can attach under his wings in vehicle mode. As with most ''Classics'' toys, he also features a heat-sensitive [[rubsign]].

: Skywarp was slightly [[Retool|retooled]] from the earlier Starscream figures. The retool is present in the jet intake area. The slope of his shoulders was decreased from Starscream's, and a rectangle added to the vertical area, making the number now five instead of four. This retooled version was used for all subsequent releases of the mold: ''Classics'' [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], and [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], as well as [[Acid Storm]] from ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]''. At the end of ''Classics'' Starscream's production run, he too used this version of the mold.

: He was only available as part of a Target stores [[exclusive]] two-pack with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. The set's price was $19.99, despite including both a Voyager-class and Deluxe-class mold in it, which was approximately $30 worth of toys if they'd been sold separately. He was also available in Woolworth stores throughout the United Kingdom.

: [[:Image:Classics Skywarp toy.jpg|Stock photos of ''Classics'' Skywarp]] showed a more detailed color scheme than the actual released figure. Much like ''Classics'' Ultra Magnus, the changes were most likely due to an overabundance of [[Paint application|paint applications]]. This more detailed version was shown at [[BotCon 2006]] and at least one sample found its way to a collector's hands. The sample also used the original Starscream mold, and not the retooled version used for every version of the mold since and even including Starscream.

::*[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/ClassicsSkywarp/skywarp.htm ''More information on ''Classics'' Skywarp at TFU.info'']

{{-}}
===Masterpiece===
[[Image:MP-6 Skywarp.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Takara finally remembered what colors the Seekers are supposed to be.]]
* '''Masterpiece Skywarp''' (2007)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MP-6'''
**''Accessories:'' 2 "Machine Guns", 2 AIM missile racks, Doctor Arkeville pilot, Megatron Gun clasp, display stand

: ''[[Masterpiece]]'' Skywarp was released in Japan in September of 2007. He is a redeco of the Masterpiece Starscream mold in black, gray, silver, and purple, though the purple and silver are more minimal than usual. Skywarp is able to switch between a minimally retooled stoic face and a new snarly face, retooled from Starscream's previous smirk. The tiny [[Doctor Arkeville]] pilot figurine (this time molded black) is also included, as well as a clasp for jet-mode Skywarp to hold the gun-mode Megatron that came with [[Optimus Prime (G1) toys|Masterpiece Convoy/20th Anniversary Optimus Prime]].

[[Image:MPSkywarp stickers.jpg|left|100px|thumb|Sadly, no stair-pusher sticker.]]
: The sticker sheet includes Skywarp-esque stripes, as well as several whimsical squadron markings.

:The second pressing of Masterpiece Skywarp (released in October 2008) features an assembly error: his left and right pectorals are flipped. This misassembly does not affect transformation at all, and is really only noticeable when compared to prior Masterpiece Seekers. The September 2007 pressing of Masterpiece Skywarp is assembled correctly. Masterpiece Thundercracker is misassembled as well.

::*[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Destron/Skywarp/skywarp.htm ''More information on ''Masterpiece'' Skywarp at TFU.info'']

{{-}}
===Attacktix===
*'''Skywarp'''

{{canceledtoy}}
===Titanium Series===
[[Image:Titanium-toy WWSkywarp.JPG|right|300px|thumb|]]
*'''War Within Skywarp''' (San Diego Comic-Con 2008 exclusive)

: [[Titanium Series]] ''[[War Within]]'' Skywarp is a redeco of Thundercracker, transforming into a Cybertronian "tetrajet" as reimagined by [[Don Figueroa]]. As with all 6-inch Titanium Cybertron Heroes, he is constructed mostly of fully painted die-cast metal. He was available only at [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] after the Titanium line had already been cancelled, and also Hasbro Toy Shop's booth at [[wikipedia:San_Diego_Comic-Con|San Diego Comic-Con]] 2008.

: This mold was also used to make ''War Within'' Starscream and Sunstorm.

::*[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Decepticon/SDCCSkywarp/skywarp.htm ''More information on ''Titanium'' Skywarp at TFU.info'']

{{-}}
===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[Image:Henkei Skywarp.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]
*'''Skywarp''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Accessories:'' 2 missile launchers (left and right), 2 missiles

: ''[[Henkei]]'' Skywarp is a redeco of ''Henkei'' [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. He features a colour scheme similar to his ''Generation 1'' cartoon appearance. ''Henkei'' Skywarp and his fellow [[Seeker]] ''Henkei'' [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] were released in September, 2008 as an exclusive through Toy Hobby Market.

:Soon after release, there were numerous complaints from both Japanese and Western collectors about the poor quality control for both Thundercracker and Skywarp. Skywarp's most common fault was missing paint for one of his shoulders. Some reported both toys suffering misassembly issues such as having two left or two right thighs.

:Several minor changes were made to this mold for this release. The holes for his missile launchers in his arms were widened, as were the launcher's insertion pegs. The wing's missile launcher insertion points were lengthened and are now curved at the end. The last rectangle on his air intakes, was further modified from the [[Classics_(2006)|Classics]] version this time the bottom most rectangle goes completely across the air intake's surface rather than just the center. Henkei [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Universe_(2008_franchise)|Universe]] Starscream also saw most of these changes.

==Merchandise==
===Decoy===
* '''Skywarp''' (1986)

: ''[[Decoy]]'' Skywarp is a tiny, purple, soft-rubber figurine randomly packed with smaller toys at the time. To differentiate him from Starscream and Thundercracker, Skywarp is sculpted holding his arms above his head in a cheering pose.

===Heroes of Cybertron===
* '''Skywarp''' (2002)

: Recolor of the Japanese SCF Skywarp figure. Non-transforming, true to the animation model. Distinctive from the Japanese release with its glossy paint, "light-up" eyes, and slightly different paint details. The Japanese version was a ''[[Lucky Draw]]'' figure limited to 200 pieces and was one of the two prizes, the other being a mostly clear reissue Starscream (not to be confused with Ghost Starscream reissue), offered from the original run of the ''Transformers: Generations'' book.

* '''Skywarp''' (2003)

: Above, but part of a six-pack of figures which also included Starscream, Thundercracker, and three Clones from the [[OTFCC 2003]] convention set. It featured a more metallic paint job from the normal release and slightly different paint details.

===Legends of Cybertron===
* '''Skywarp''' (2004 - Unreleased)

: A recolor of Mega ''Super Figure Collection'' G1 Starscream (minus the extra coronation accessories, open-palm hands, and the hand wielding Megatron in gun mode), Skywarp was to be among the first of the fan club exclusives offered by [[OTFCC]] as well as the first in their ''Legends of Cybertron'' line. The figure was delayed and never saw a full release due to [[3H Productions|3H Enterprises]] losing the license to run the official Transformers fan club. At least a couple of sample versions were produced.

{{canceledtoy}}
===Robot Heroes===
* '''Skywarp''' (2007)

[[Image:Robot Hero Skywarp.jpg|right|120px|thumb|Clearly just after shoving Starscream down a flight of stairs.]]
: Skywarp is one of the five exclusive figures in Wal-Mart's "Decepticon Sneak Attack" set. He's a black and purple redeco of Starscream, yes. His left hand's for pushing you down stairs, his right fist's for pumping the air in victory. Sweet, sweet stair-based victory.

{{-}}
===3D Battle-Card Game===
*'''Skywarp''' (2007)

: A 25-point "uncommon" character in the [[3D Battle-Card Game]]'s "Energon Wars" expansion, Skywarp "transforms" into a black and purple jet. He uses the same parts layout as [[Transformers (2007)|Movie]] [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]].

==Trivia==
[[Image:LiveActionJazz-Skywarp01.jpg|right|150px|thumb|I bet he spiked the punch.]]
* Skywarp's one-line characterization in the original Transformers [[production bible]] was "sneaky but dumb". Hee hee. [http://tfarchive.com/cartoons/bible/#034] In a more peculiar note, his longer write-up in the production bible noted that he was colored olive drab. [http://tfarchive.com/cartoons/bible/#038] This error isn't as unusual as one might first think, as Skywarp was the only first-year jet whose colors didn't originate in ''[[Diaclone]]''—thus, they simply may not have been decided upon when the production bible was written.

* A [[commercial]] for Transformers reflective iron-on patches advertised the "[[Prizes in Disguise]]" competition. When the [[iron-on patch]] was used, it was possible to find instead an instant win ticket for a Transformers voice changer (of the [[Enemy]] variety)—or to have a party with "life-size" Transformers! Among the "life-size" Transformers shown were [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and Skywarp. In all likelihood, you did not party with them.

[[Image:Skywarpatron.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Skywarp really DID need close supervision.]]
* In a possible fit of madness, a triple changer was proposed that would switch between Skywarp (possibly mistaken for Starscream), [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], and Skywarp's jet mode.

* Character bios written by unknown persons for the Australian (Madman) DVD release of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' definitely claim that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Skywarp became Cyclonus]]. Basically, nobody considers that weighty "evidence".

* For such a popular character, Skywarp doesn't DO much of anything in the original show.

==External links==
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Skywarp Skywarp's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Attacktix]]
[[Category:Beast Machines characters]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Exclusives]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Machine Wars characters]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:3D Battle-Cards]]
[[Category:Robot Masters characters]]
[[Category:Seekers]]
[[Category:Target exclusives]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]
[[Category:Wreckers]]

Generic

2009-04-09T14:47:20Z

12.45.255.66: /* Notable generics */ Cleanup.

[[Image:VictoryMicroCriminalsEp18.jpg|right|300px|thumb|What do any of us turn into?]]
A "'''generic'''" is the fan-coined, unofficial term for any unnamed background [[Transformer]] that is clearly not intended to represent any previously existing and named toy/character. Generics are frequently used to fill out crowd scenes and battles, and often (though not always) employ repeated standardized designs (especially in the older material such as the [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]]).

It is rare that a generic gets a speaking part, but it has happened from time to time. However, if the character is given a name he/she ceases to be a generic and becomes a regular old character (see [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] for an example of such an apotheosis).

== Notable generics==
===Generation 1 cartoon===
[[Image:GenericDecepticons MTMTE.jpg|right|250px|thumb|I don't know how, but I'm pretty sure the Decepticons were cheating.]]
*[[Seekers]] - The comparatively low number of Decepticons in the early episodes of the cartoon led to the filling out of the ranks with numerous generics based on the existing cast, most notably the Seekers.

*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] - At times, there were more than three. Though to be fair, it's speculated that Reflector was just one guy who could clone himself...

*[[Junkion|Junkions]] - Hordes of generic Junkions tended to appear whenever the cartoon visited [[Junkion (planet)|that planet]]. Sometimes [[Lithone (planet)|Lithone]] character models were repurposed as Junkions.

*Paradrons - The entire population of [[Paradron]] save for [[Sandstorm (Autobot)|Sandstorm]] were generics, especially their [[Paradron Medic|medics]].

=== Beast Machines ===
*''[[Generation 1]]'' [[Character model|character models]] created for the [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]] episode "[[The Agenda (Part III)]]" were modified to represent various generic Cybertronian citizens who were infected with Megatron's transformation lock virus.
* A [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwavey]] character model appears in [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]]'s flashback. {{storylink|Forbidden Fruit|Forbidden Fruit}}
* A [[Prowl (G1)|Prowlish]] character model shows up as a corpse in a Vehicon factory. {{storylink|Revelations Part I: Discovery}}

{{collist|2|
[[Image:Bm soundwave.jpg|thumb|200px|center|]]
[[Image:ProwlMaybe BM.jpg|thumb|200px|center|]]
}}

=== Armada ===
[[Image:Prominent generic.png|left|100px|thumb|"I had a bigger role than Overload!"]]
* Autobot and Decepticon forces were filled out using [[Generation 1]] character models, creating several odd instances of classic characters getting remarkably awkward (and often randomly-colored) cameos.

* Depending on who was animating the episode, the masses of [[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]] combined toy-characters with either randomly-colored toy-based models or entirely-new designs... or, in one notable instance, [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]'s character model!

=== Energon ===
[[Image:EnergonGeneric.jpg|right|150px|thumb|"Absolutely, positively not made of the corpses of other more important characters, SIR!"]]
* Due to the computer generated nature of the graphics, both Autobot and Decepticon forces were filled out with generics assembled from parts of other existing or unused character models. [[Wing Saber]]'s original "Wing Dagger" form is one such example of a mixed-and-matched generic character model.

=== Marvel comics ===
* The [[The Transformers (comic issue)|first issue]] of the Marvel comic featured a very high proportion of generic characters - probably more than any issue of a Transformers comic since. Many of these were recycled from existing character models and some may be simple coloring errors, though a generic that resembles a miscolored [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] leading the Decepticons' assault on the Ark may take more explaining. A number of the generics in battle scenes tote weapons like [[Ion blaster|ion blasters]] and [[Fusion cannon|fusion cannons]].

* ''A generic Decepticon technician of a standard design originally created by [[Will Simpson]] for [[Resurrection!|issue #103]] was forcibly upgraded into a [[Straxus (G1)|clone of Megatron]].''

* ''[[Dan Reed]] drew hundreds of generic "zombie" Transformers for the stories "[[City of Fear!]]" and "[[Legion of the Lost!]]"''

=== Devil's Due comics ===
[[Image:Joetfii 03a.jpg|right|150px|thumb|I don't know who I am, but apparently I'm awesome.]]
* After the events of [[G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers]] left the Decepticons short on troops, in [[G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II]] artist [[E. J. Su]] padded out [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s Cybertronian forces with nameless, but intricately designed generics. Sadly the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] arrived, and Dinobots vs. generic Decepticons is always going to end badly for the no-names.
* Also notable is the generic "future Decepticon" from the cover of [[G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|#3]] (as seen to the right) who did not, in fact appear in the issue at all. Instead his place was filled by hordes of generic [[Ravage (G1)|Ravages]], [[Sweep|Sweeps]] and Insecticons. Though multiple Insecticons and Sweeps have been previously seen, this is the first time we have seen clones of Ravage.
* At the series' conclusion, Shockwave is tended by a generic [[Decepticon medic (Devil's Due)|Decepticon medic]], who has a similar design to [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]].

{{-}}

==External links==
*[http://s90690880.onlinehome.us/jhiaxus/pages/generics.htm Generics at the Obscure Transformers Website]
*[http://www.geocities.com/regenesis0/jets/ Generic G1 Decepticons list]
*[http://www.insecticons.com/screencapsarm/s-npcs.html Armada Background Characters at insecticons.com]

{{stub}}

[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]

Repurposing

2009-04-03T14:34:56Z

12.45.255.66: /* Shattered Glass */ Glit as Ravage

[[Image:Packratwreckers.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Pay no attention to the "Rattrap" tattoo on his ass!]]'''Repurposing''' is the practice of using an existing toy to represent a different character than originally intended. A very early example is Wal-mart exclusive "blue" [[Rattrap|Transmetals Rattrap]], which represented a [[Transmetal]] form for [[Packrat]] in the ''[[Universe (2003 comic)|Wreckers]]'' comic book series. In many cases, this means a single toy can represent more than one distinct character.
Individual fans may do this on an unofficial level within their [[personal canon]], especially with toys that [[homage]] earlier toys without being the same character. Popular examples include using ''[[Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Downshift (Energon)|Downshift]] as [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Movie (toyline)|Movie]] [[Big Daddy (Movie)|Big Daddy]] as Generation 1 [[Big Daddy (G1)|Big Daddy]].

Basically repurposing is when a character in a fiction uses a character model and color scheme from someone else's toy. The repurposed character has no official toy release of his own, but the toy can take on double-duty representing both the character he was originally released as (the character on the box) and the repurposed character established later on in fiction.

==Examples of official repurposing==
*McDonald's [[Panther]] as [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]; also as General Jaguar, father of [[Ravage (G1) toys|Metals Jaguar]] (in the Comics Bon Bon Manga). Yes, this means he's both Ravage and Ravage's father. Don't ask.

*Wal-mart exclusive Transmetal Rattrap as [[Packrat]].

*''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Shadow Panther]] as a pre-[[Transmetal]] [[Ravage (G1)|Tripredacus Agent]].

*''[[Beast Machines (toyline)|Beast Machines]]'' Mega class [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] as [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon drones]] for [[Quake]].

*''Beast Machines'' Deployer [[Rav]] (blue redeco) as [[Chro]].

*[[Takara]]'s original blue-trimmed Generation 1 [[Megatron (G1) toys|Megatron]] toy was reissued by [[e-Hobby]] as [[Megaplex]].

*''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Spy Changer]] yellow [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] as [[Optimus Prime (Universe Spychanger)|tiny universe Optimus Prime]].

*''[[Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' [[Optimus Prime (Armada) toys|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (Cybertron)|Ultra Magnus]], [[Redeco|redecos]] of ''Robots in Disguise'' toys, as ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]].

*[[Music Label]] [[Soundwave (G1) toys|Soundwave]]<ref>[[BotCon 2008]]</ref> as the leftover bit of an otherwise scrapped [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]] [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|Sound and Fury|Sound and Fury}}

===e-Hobby===
Similar to Megaplex's situation detailed above, [[e-Hobby]] has released several ''[[Diaclone]]'' and ''[[Micro Change|Microchange]]''-only color variants never before used in the ''Transformers'' line as new Transformers characters.

{{collist|4|
*[[Clamp Down]]
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]]
*[[Deep Cover]]
*[[Garboil]]
*[[Howlback]]
*[[Magnificus]]
*[[Overcharge]]
*[[Road Rage]]
*[[Salvo]]
*[[Shothole]]
*[[Zaptrap]]
}}

===Shattered Glass===
The ''[[Shattered Glass]]'' timeline of events has allowed for Autobots and Decepticons with typically uncharacteristic color-schemes and questionable places in their canon of origin to be placed as various background characters in ''this'' one. Such notable examples include:

*The white version of Music Label [[Soundwave (G1) toys|Soundwave]] as ''Shattered Glass'' [[Soundwave (Shattered Glass)|Soundwave]].

*Movie [[Armorhide (Movie)|Armorhide]] as ''Shattered Glass'' [[Huffer (Shattered Glass)|Huffer]].

*[[Magnificus]] as ''Shattered Glass'' [[Perceptor (Shattered Glass)|Perceptor]].

*Movie [[Elita-One]] as ''Shattered Glass'' [[Arcee (Shattered Glass)|Arcee]].

*Movie [[Signal Flare (Movie)|Signal Flare]] as ''Shattered Glass'' [[Gutcruncher (Shattered Glass)|Gutcruncher]].

*Club-exclusive [[Astrotrain (Cybertron)|Astrotrain]] as ''Shattered Glass'' [[Astrotrain (Shattered Glass)|Astrotrain]].

*E-Hobby exclusive [[Glit]] as ''Shattered Glass'' [[Ravage (Shattered Glass)|Ravage]].

==See also==
* [[Retcon]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Reassigned toys]]
[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Toys]]