Metroplex (G1)

2009-09-01T17:06:10Z

68.33.222.169:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{picsneeded|fictional appearances}}
{{disambig3|Metroplex}}
:''Metroplex is an [[Autobot]] [[City-bot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Metroplex-UK.jpg|right|300px|thumb|We built this city on rock and roll!]]
'''Metroplex'''’s poor, slow, and infrequent efforts to support his brave comrades and forward the Autobot cause are never enough. Sure, he's the Autobots' ultimate weapon, their greatest and final defense. Yes, he's a gigantic, towering warrior, capable of channeling awesome energies. Strong beyond belief, versatile, clever, brave and self-sacrificing, Metroplex is willing to give everything he has to the Autobot cause and defend it to his last [[Astrosecond|astroseconds]] of life. Despite all this he’s wracked to the core of his being with the belief that he could and should be doing more. It’s a self-deprecating attitude that stuns many of his fellow Autobots, most of whom take immeasurable comfort in his very existence and the knowledge that regardless of what evil comes, Metroplex is out there to back them up.

This great modesty about his power and achievements together with a boundless patience necessitated by his size and alternate mode are apparent to anyone who pierces his normally less than talkative demeanor, and in the optics of many, these traits only raise his already high standing.

Metroplex’s might is equaled only by the gargantuan [[Decepticon]], [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], his long-standing nemesis. He has three "normal"-sized components: [[Six-Gun]], [[Slammer]] and [[Scamper]], to help patrol and defend his territory. The extent of that territory is sometimes unclear; sometimes Metroplex is an independent Autobot base, and other times he's part of (or all of) [[Autobot City]].

{{quote|Metroplex is my kind of town!|[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] on Metroplex, [[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]}}

:''Japanese name:'' '''Metroflex''' (メトロフレックス ''Metorofurekkusu'')
:''Italian name:'' '''Guardian'''
:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Métroplex'''
:''English-Malay dub name:'' '''Philip'''
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Dà Dū-hùei''' (大都會, "Grand Metropolis")
:''Chinese name （China）:'' '''Mong Dashuai''' (猛大帅, "Fierce Grand Marshal")

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Bud Davis]] (English), [[Osamu Saka]] (Japanese)

By the year 2005, Metroplex had been installed as a sub-section of the larger [[Autobot City]], now the main base of operations for the Autobots on [[Earth]]. During the [[Battle of Autobot City|Decepticons' attack on the city]], the [[Transformation cog|transforming cog]] which allowed Metroplex to transform to robot mode was destroyed, preventing him from participating in the battle, although he was manually converted to battle station mode by the Autobots inhabiting him. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Following the defeat of [[Unicron]] and the Autobots' reclamation of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] built a new cog, and entrusted its delivery to [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} While they were busy suffering numerous setbacks (including nearly getting killed by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and being stranded on Jupiter's moon [[Io]]), the immobile Metroplex was attacked by the massive Decepticon mobile battle station, [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], and was again manually transformed to battle station by his inhabitants in hopes of mounting some form of a defence. In the midst of the battle, the cog was safely delivered and installed by [[Pipes]] within Metroplex, who promptly transformed to robot mode, thrashed Trypticon, and hurled him into the ocean. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

Although the Autobots figured this to be the end of Trypticon, in actuality, the saurian city survived and started stealing national monuments to pay off [[Octane]]'s debt to [[Abdul Fakkadi]]. When [[dinosaur transform static]] was found at the crime scene, Metroplex and his subordinates questioned all the Autobots with dinosaur electrons in their circuits, but when Trypticon was finally revealed to be the culrpit, Metroplex battled him in Russia over the Kremlin. Unfortunately, Metroplex was then left holding the building, and the [[Soviet Union|Soviets]] blamed the Autobots for the thefts and expelled them from the country. Fakkadi, however, summoned the Autobots to his country of [[Carbombya]] to help oust the Decepticons that had taken over, and Metroplex delivered another sound defeat to Trypticon, tossing him into the ocean yet again and returning the stolen buildings to their rightful place. {{storylink|Thief in the Night|Thief in the Night}}

As part of his deal with Unicron to ensure their mutual resurrection, the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessed [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and invaded Metroplex, stealing the giant robot's optical units. Metroplex transformed to robot mode in the midst of the attack, and, discovering that he was blind, went into a maddened rage, firing upon all the Transformers in the vicinity before a photon charge placed in his head by Scourge detonated, knocking him out. After the villains' plan was foiled, new eyes were constructed for Metroplex. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine}}

After coming under attack from a [[Eurythma|Eurythman]] sonic weapon, {{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}}, transforming cog troubles returned to plague Metroplex when [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] stole the component right out from under [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'s nose. With Metroplex trapped in city mode, the Autobots retaliated by stealing Trypticon's cog and using it as a replacement; the Decepticons proceeded to use Metroplex's cog in place of Trypticon's, but the incompatibility of the cogs in each of the giant robots led to an unsteady battle with both combatants partially transforming back and forth constantly. First Aid proceeded to enter Metroplex's body during the fight and aligned the cog properly, allowing Metroplex to fully transform and, yet ''again'', fling Trypticon into a body of water. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

When the [[Hate Plague]] swept the universe, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] realized the danger that an infected Metroplex would pose, and reluctantly decided to deactivate him. Metroplex understood and agreed with his decision—it was not made clear if this action was temporary, or if it would permanently send Metroplex off-line. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}

{{note|Metroplex's relationship to Autobot City in the film and ''Five Faces of Darkness'' is ropey at best. He is not actually mentioned in the movie, and ''Five Faces of Darkness'' uses the terms "Autobot City" and "Metroplex" interchangeably, suggesting they are the same thing. This is somewhat supported by the appearance of elements of Metroplex's design appearing as part of the city in the movie, including its shift from orange to white as it transforms, and a turret that is quite blatantly [[Slammer]]. Designer [[Floro Dery]] has described how he created his own design for Autobot City, but was then instructed to add elements of the Metroplex toy to it—presumably, this is what caused the confusion, which was eventually straightened out when an establishing shot of Autobot City in ''[[Thief in the Night]]'' clearly presented Metroplex to be a smaller sub-section of the city.}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of the Generation 1 cartoon occur in Japanese continuity as detailed above, except instead of taking place over 2005/6, the events of season 3, in which Metroplex appears, are moved back to 2010. Japanese continuity inserts many new stories into the gaps in the cartoon timeline, several of which focus on Metroplex and the story of how he was created, which went unexplained in the American cartoon.}}
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic=====
Metroplex was constructed as part of the Autobots' "[[Combiner|Scramble City]]" initiative to develop a powerful battle station. During the early stages of the project, however, when the Autobots were conducting an outdoor test of the unfinished city's transformation to mobile fortress mode, [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] were able to monitor the process. The information they acquired allowed Megatron to decipher whether or not Metroplex could stand up to Trypticon. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 3}}

Later, Trypticon was successfully activated on a small island, but was duped into falling into the ocean by a giant hologram of robot-mode Metroplex projected by [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 6}}

=====Scramble City=====
[[Image:Metroplexstanding.jpg|left|150px|thumb|As a sensitive new-age guy, Metroplex was one of the few Autobots who did not have issues with the size of his gun.]]
To complete the Scramble City project, the Autobots moved their operation to a secret underground cavern, but the Decepticons' [[Mini-Cassette|spy cassettes]] located the subterranean base, and an all-out Decepticon attack was initiated. The Decepticon [[Combiner|combiners]] dominated the fight, but the completed Metroplex was then launched and defeated them with one blast. However, as the Autobots celebrated their victory, the ocean nearby parted and Trypticon emerged for his first battle with Metroplex. {{storylink|Scramble City}}

{{note|This battle, uh, never happened, because the second part of ''Scramble City'' never got made.}}
{{-}}
=====''Full Throttle Scramble Power!''=====
Crafting a new diabolical scheme, Megatron began to threaten humanity with his latest weapon: the [[Omega Whip]]. After [[Jenny (G1)|Jenny]], [[Toru]] and [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] located the Decepticon base and disabled the super weapon, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] ordered up reinforcements: ''every single Autobot''. Carrying the entire army in his mobile battlestation mode, Metoplex, er, ''hovered'' onto the scene and transformed to robot mode. Accepting defeat, Megatron and the Decepticons scurried off as fast as they could. {{storylink|Full Throttle Scramble Power!}}

=====''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers'' manga=====
On a bright and sunny day in the year 2010, the [[Autobot|Autobots]] invited a group of [[human]] families to come take a tour of Metroplex. They were all very impressed and everything was going great...until [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] attacked. Preoccupied with keeping everyone inside him from dying, Metroplex was left to take all of Trypticon's attacks on the chin, including his Dual Plasma Cannons and Dino-Head Attack. With [[Scamper]] quickly taken out by [[Full-Tilt]], it looked as though Metroplex would be felled by a blast from the [[Brunt (G1)|Brunt tank]].

Luckily, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] deployed [[Six-Gun]] just in time. Six-Gun took out Full-Tilt and then proceeded to turn the Brunt tank around on Trypticon, blasting the Decepticon with his own drone. The blast destroyed Trypticon's Head Controls, forcing [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] to call a retreat. With the day won, Metroplex returned to City mode. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 3}}

=====''The Great Transformer War'' manga=====
In 2011, as part of his massive assault to retake [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] unleashed Trypticon on Metroplex, the battle thoroughly occupying the [[Earth]] forces of the Autobots, keeping them from coming to Cybertron's defense. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
{{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}}
{{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}
{{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}
{{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}}
{{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

After the death of Ultra Magnus, Metroplex was appointed the new Autobot Earth Commander by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}}

{{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}
{{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}
{{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}}
{{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{note|Events from the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|UK-only]] comic stories are in italics.}}
====Marvel UK future timelines====
''Metroplex was built into the very fabric of Autobot City. He lay dormant underneath the city as a last line of defence. When the [[Quintesson]]s successfully attacked and took control of Autobot city, [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], temporarily reverted back to Hot Rod, managed to activate Metroplex. He was able to drive the Quintessons away but the city was largely gutted when he broke himself free, making it something of a pyrrhic victory for the Autobots. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}''

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
After deposing [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and leaving the planet in [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus's]] command, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and a large number of Autobots returned to Earth to begin construction on a vast complex known as [[Autobot City]]. [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] was seen projecting a hologram of Metroplex during construction, presumably as a blueprint. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{storylink|Spotlight: Metroplex}}
{{charstubfiction}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1Metroplex toy.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Yeah, I saw Big and I went against it.]]
*'''Metroplex''' (Autobot City, 1986/2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-70'''
**''Accessories:'' Scamper, Scamper's arms/cannons (x2), Scamper's small laser pistol, Slammer, Slammer's turret, Sixgun's body/tower, Sixgun's chestplate/tower top 2 red cannons/Sixgun's legs, 2 black cannons/Sixgun's arms, Sixgun's laser pistol, double-barreled cannon, rear tower, shoulder antenna, 2 fists, 2 kneecaps, 3 missiles

: Metroplex transforms from a large robot to a multi-leveled "city" mainly for use with the smaller ''Generation 1'' toys. This mode includes a service bay with launching mechanism, a helipad, and "parking" for four vehicles in whatever his legs fold out to be. He also has a third mobile battle station mode; a more compact wheeled form that incorporates his many weapons. Additionally, his weapons are all moulded with universal-sized pegs that allow them to attached in several different configurations and locations (for example, in the otherwise-pointless holes in his kneecaps in city mode). Metroplex came with [[Six-Gun]], [[Slammer]], and [[Scamper]]; the first two formed various parts of Metroplex's alternate modes.

:Metroplex was apparently designed as part of the aborted [[Diaclone]] line, ''Jizai Gattai'' ("Free Combination"), given the high degree of interactivity he has with other toys confirmed as part of it—namely, the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], [[Stunticon|Stunticons]], [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. Each of the smaller "limb" robot from these four groups (and those that came after using their basic design, like the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] and [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]]) can plug into ports in Metroplex's shoulders and knees in robot mode, while the base modes of the four leaders—[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], [[Motormaster]], and [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]]—can connect to him in city mode. While the former feature was included in the Hasbro instructions, the latter was omitted. The peg-size of Metroplex's weapons also allows them to be wielded by the leaders and super-robots these teams create.

: As a third-year piece, Metroplex was one of several items to undergo "materials changing". Initial versions of Metroplex used rubber tires, and the fronts of his upper legs were fully-chromed silver. After a time, though, the tires were replaced with single-piece hard-plastic tires, and his legs changed to white plastic with a silver factory-applied sticker at the top. However, the plastic tire version also possessed a waist reinforced with two screw points instead of one, in an effort to prevent Metroplex literally snapping in half as so many of the original versions did due to a weak spot on the waist.

: Metroplex suffers from a large number of weak and breakable points. Apart from the aforementioned waist, the launcher inside his chest, the peg on his back, his extendable shoulder antenna, Scamper's shoulder hinges and Scamper's arm pegs are all very fragile and break or fail in various ways.

: This mold was also used to make [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Metroplex/metroplex.htm More information on Metroplex at TFU.info]

===Transform Jr===
[[Image:Metroplex junior.jpg|right|thumb|250px|]]
*'''Metroflex''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-70'''
**''Accessories:'' Black gun

:The ''[[Transform Jr]]'' version of Metroplex shrinks and simplifies the original toy, omitting his city mode, all of his partners, his antennae, and his entire armament save for one black rifle. Toy be ''plaaaaain''.

===Encore===
*'''Metroflex''' (2008)
**''Encore number:'' '''12'''

:In September 2008, Metroplex was reissued in Japan in [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s [[Encore]] line. This version features a minor retool to allow Slammer's gun turret to become the top of a building in city mode. The Encore version also has the chrome upper legs and rubber wheels of the initial releases.
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Super Collection Figure===
[[Image:HOC Metroplex.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]
* '''Metroflex''' (2001)

: Metroplex was the "Build-A-Figure" in fourth wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Super Collection Figure]]'' line of non-transformable PVC figurines. Available in eight out of every ten cases, Metroplex was divided into six parts, each one packaged with one of the silver metallic "pewter" versions of the other six figurines in the line (the regular, color versions of the figures didn't come with Metroplex parts). His head and guns came with Ultra Magnus, his body with Arcee and Spike, his left arm with Optimus Prime, his right arm with Megatron, his left leg with [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and his right leg with Rodimus Prime. Metroplex's parts were available in two versions, at an equal ratio: full-color and clear plastic, making two versions of the figure to collect.

===Heroes of Cybertron===
*'''Metroplex''' (2003)

:''Super Collection Figure'' Metroplex was later made available as part of ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line, again packaged as a "Build-A-Figure" for the line's fifth wave. As the ''Heroes of Cybertron'' figures did not feature variants and were not blindpacked, it was a lot easier to assemble a Metroplex figure; the head and guns came with Optimus Prime, his body with [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], his left arm with [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], his right arm with Megatron and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], his left leg with Starscream and his right leg with [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]].

:Like all of the initial releases of the ''Heroes of Cybertron'' line, Metroplex's parts were cast in a transparent plastic with the colour based upon their faction (blue in Metroplex's case). He was almost completely painted, leaving his eyes and the back of his head unpainted for a [[light-piping]] effect.
{{-}}
===MyClone===
[[Image:Myclone metroplex.jpg|right|100px|thumb]]
*'''Metroflex''' (2003)
**''ID number:'' '''MTF015'''
**''Accessories:'' White display stand
:Released in the third wave of the ''[[MyClone]]'' line of Transformers PVC figures, this adorable little Metroplex comes with a hexagonal white display stand, which can link up with the identical stands included with other MyClone figures. His modular design allows his parts to be mixed and matched with those of any other MyClone figure.
{{-}}

==Trivia==
*"Fortress Maximus" was likely a considered name for Metroplex. The [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel Comics)|Marvel Comics adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 Movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.
*In ''[[Transformers The Game]]'', the video game tie-in for the [[Transformers (2007)|2007 movie]], a [[Tranquility Mall|suburban mall]] was called the Metroplex Mall as an homage to the this character.
*The Japanese book [[Transformers Generations]] contains concept art for an unmade [[Action Master]] version of Metroplex.

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

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:MyClone]]
[[Category:Non-Triple Changer third mode]]

Talk:Metroplex (G1)

2009-09-01T17:05:38Z

68.33.222.169:

Sorry guys... I don't know how the hell I wiped out the page. --[[User:FFN|FFN]] 04:41, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

The mainland Chinese name for Metroplex would be more accurately rendered as "Fierce Grand Marshal."

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Metroplex (G1)

Talk:Metroplex (G1)