Repurposing

2011-12-11T19:25:34Z

70.134.67.15:

[[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 the [[Walmart|Wal-Mart]] [[exclusive]] "blue" [[Rattrap#Transmetal1|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.

Repurposing happens when a character in a fiction uses the character model and color scheme of 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 it was originally released as (the character on the box) and the repurposed character established later on in fiction.

==Examples of official repurposing==
*The [[Microchange]] "MC-04 Mini CAR Robo 02 Familia 1500XG" mold that was sold on [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] cards was repurposed as [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]].

*Generation 1 [[Fasttrack (Scorponok)|Fasttrack]] as a [[Guardminder]].

*''[[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' [[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]] as [[Darkwing]].

*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 (G1)|Quake]].

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

*''[[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}}

*''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Deluxe [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]] as [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]] after changing his colors.

*''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Deluxe [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] as [[Lockdown (G1)|''Generation 1'' Lockdown]] in the IDW comics.

*Movie [[Protoform]] [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] as [[Prima]].

*Beast Wars [[Claw Jaw]] as [[Scuba]].

===Shattered Glass===
{{main|Shattered Glass (toyline)}}
The ''[[Shattered Glass (franchise)|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 characters in ''this'' one. For a full list, see the main toyline page.

==Notes==
*Individual fans may repurpose 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]].

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

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Repurposed toys| ]]
[[Category:Toys]]

MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Repurposing