Mouthplate

2009-08-30T15:43:22Z

142.162.86.155: /* Live-action Transformers movies */

[[Image:Optimus face.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I am smiling on the outside, but crying on the inside... not that you could tell anyway.]]
Instead of regular human facial features, some Transformers have what looks like a plate affixed to their lower jaw, usually covering up to their nose. While no official name exists for these, they are usually called ''''mouthplates''' ' or ''''faceplates'''' (despite a 'regular' face once being described as a faceplate in the TV series). Two of the most famous examples are those of [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'s [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]].

In earlier series, a Transformer's mouthplate moved when they spoke, as if there were a working jaw underneath. In [[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]] and the [[Unicron Trilogy]], however, it remains static.

==Fiction/Toylines==
===Generation 1===
[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] featured a prominent mouthplate in both [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|toy]] form (as do all [[Action Master|other]] [[SCF|G1-based]] [[Revoltech|toyline]] [[Robot Heroes|versions]]). The 20th Anniversary figure featured a mouthplate that was movable via a button on the back of his head that slightly lowered the spring-supported mouthplate to recreate the talking action seen in the cartoons.

[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] had a similar mouthplate, but no apparent nose (whether any of his assumed face is visible or not is debatable, considering how visor-esque his eyes are). Like Optimus, both his cartoon and [[Soundwave (G1) toys|toy]] form had the mask. No toys have yet been made with a moving mask feature.

[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s mouthplate was unique in that it was fixed, even in the cartoon. Instead of a movable mouthplate, you knew Wheeljack was speaking because his "ears" flashed.

Many early toys had mouthplates that were simply disregarded in favor of mouths in fictional appearances (barring the occasional toy-accurate rendering). [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] in particular had a mask in [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|toy]] form, but not in cartoon or [[Marvel Comics|comic]] form. A rare reissue of the toy features a [[Show-accuracy|cartoon-accurate]] face, however, as do most toys of him since. Conversely, as Goldbug, he featured a mask in both cartoon and toy form.

[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] in his newly reborn body from the Japanese continuity also feature a mouthplate.{{storylink|Hybrid Style Convoy Black Version}}

[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] sometimes has a mouthplate and sometimes he doesn't.

===Beast Wars===
[[Optimus Primal]] was shown to have a mouthplate which would slide into place when he entered battle. This was used to reconcile the presence of an actual mouth on his animation model with the lack thereof on his toy. Later [[Retool|retoolings]] of the toy reflected the animation model.

===Cybertron===
The [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] animation model displays a similar setup to Optimus Primal, with a mouthplate that slides into place when entering [[Super Mode]]. However in this case the toy reflects this, featuring a gimmick that allows the face to display either configuration.

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Bumblebeebattlemask.jpg|right|200px|thumb|25 years before someone realized his toy has no face.]]
In [[The War Within]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] was depicted as having a removable face mask with mouthplate that resembled the original sculpt of his toy. In [[War Within: The Dark Ages|The Dark Ages]], [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] was given a similar treatment with a flip-up faceguard. The [[Titanium Series]] release of this character design featured the faceguard, but it was not removable. [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] was depicted with a removable face mask like Bumblebee's in the ongoing Generation 1 series.

===IDW comics continuity ===
In [[Stormbringer (comics)|Stormbringer]], Jetfire has a removable mask with mouthplate as part of his battle gear. This feature was included in the [[Classics (2006)|Classics]] toy of this character design.
Most recently in [[All Hail Megatron]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] himself revealed he has a retractable mouthplate much like his [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Movie]] counterpart. This would be the first time in an official story that the G1 version of the character is portrayed as being able to remove his mouthplate, revealing that he does have a mouth underneath it (which he uses to eat some energon).

===Live-action ''Transformers'' movies===
[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] is depicted as having a mouthplate which closes over his normal mouth to protect his face. To date, only one of Prime's three [[Robot Heroes]] figurines displays his face and mouth, while all other merchandise features the plate. [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] also has a mouthplate, seen very briefly. [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] has two pieces that rest on the top of his head normally but slide down and clamp together over his whole face in battle. Bumblebee's faceplate has a very insectoid appearance, crediting his name. [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] has a visor that protects his upper-face in combat.

In ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Optimus Prime's faceplate is smashed to pieces when he is kicked in the face by [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but somehow combining with [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] fixes it.

===''Transformers Animated''===
Most of the Autobots in [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s crew have retractable faceplates. So far, Optimus, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] each have one. [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] has one, too, though his is unique in that it covers his whole face. Among the Decepticons, [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]] has a non-retractable mouthplate, much like his [[Soundwave (G1)|G1 predecessor]]'s. Optimus' mouthplate flaps up and down when he talks, just like that of G1 Optimus, but none of the others' do.

==Trivia==
* Fan commentator Zobovor nicknamed these distinctive items "'''woobers'''" (crediting the term to a younger relative), and the name became popular with some fans.
* Both the [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|''Armada'' Optimus Prime]] and the [[Optimus Prime (G1)|''20th Anniversary'' Optimus Prime]] toys have mouthplates that can move up and down when a button located on their heads is depressed, even though Armada Prime's mouthplate never moved in the series itself. Additionally, the ''20th Anniversary'' toy has teeth (or possibly a speaker grille) hidden behind the mouthplate, in reference to Optimus Prime's battle-damaged appearance in the [[Generation 2 (Marvel comic)|''Generation 2'' comics]], though this detail cannot be seen without disassembling the entire head (or just looking down with it pulled down really far).
* The lack of a full-time mouthplate on [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|certain]] [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|characters]] has, in the past, been known to result in [[GEEWUN|certain]] [[Ruined FOREVER|reactions]] from the fandom. Oh well.

[[Category:Transformer anatomy]]

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Mouthplate