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Sideswipe (G1)

2011-06-03T17:59:43Z

78.148.117.168: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2}}
{{disambig3|Sideswipe}}
:''Sideswipe is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[Continuity family|continuity family]]. His name is also sometimes parsed '''Side Swipe'''.''

[[Image:NYSideswipeCardart.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I've never done anything important, but people love me anyway! Sweet!]]
'''Sideswipe''' is not nearly as much of a sociopath as his [[Relatives|brother]] [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], but he is every bit as skillful. He's more into battle for the sport of it. A bit of a jock, Sideswipe most craves a glorious fight to the finish as a test of his mettle.

There is a reckless edge to Sideswipe's tactics. He makes rash decisions that may endanger him, all in the name of possible victory. Cheating is also not out of the question. When everything is on the line, for Sideswipe, nothing is out of the question. Over time, his reckless attitude has not changed. However, his cause has; once in it solely for the glory, now he's driven by the desire to defend freedom and the innocent.

His [[Action Master partner]] is [[Vanguard]].

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}

[[Image:G1SideswipeMarvelFist.jpg|thumb|left|150px|My shoulders are black because this is where my toy's wheels go!]]Sideswipe, along with his brother Sunstreaker, was part of the original crew of Optimus Prime's Ark. When the Decepticons attacked the ship, it crashed on Earth, and Sideswipe, along with the rest of the combatants, lay dormant for 4 million years. When the volcano that housed the Ark erupted, the Ark's internal mechanisms revived all Transformers, making no distinction between [[Autobot]] and [[Decepticon]]. Sideswipe was alive again. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}}

When the Autobots went to retrieve their fallen comrade [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] from [[Sparkplug Witwicky]]'s garage, they were attacked by Decepticons. Against his brother's better judgment, Sideswipe employed his energon-gobbling rocket pack to take the fight right to the Decepticon jets. The 'Cons were driven off, but without a source of fuel to recharge on, several Autobots, including Sideswipe, were left virtually empty after the battle and were sidelined. {{storylink|Power Play!}} ''One time he was man-handled by an erratic [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]].'' {{storylink|The Enemy Within!}} ''Though he could not go on missions, Sideswipe was still able to defend the Ark from invasion when the Decepticons came right to his doorstep. He was confronted by that junk-punk [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'s earthquake-making ability and turned the tables on him, overpowering Rumble with his pile-driver punches. {{storylink|Raiders of the Last Ark}}'' ''At some point, he helped protect a dam from some Decepticons, which Ratchet later relayed to the Dinobots.'' {{storylink|Decepticon Dam-Busters!}}

Sideswipe's inactivity continued even longer after [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] took over the Ark and deactivated all the Autobots in the ship. After [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] regained control of the Ark for the Autobots, he was able to revive Sideswipe to full functionality in short order, and their new deal for fuel with [[G.B. Blackrock]] kept them energized. {{storylink|DIS-Integrated Circuits!}}

[[Image:PrimeTime-Sideswipe.jpg|right|thumb|150px|So you've read my profile.]]

However, though Shockwave was evicted from the Ark, he still had Optimus Prime's head held captive in his [[Blackrock Aerospace Assembly Plant Number One|Blackrock Aerospace Plant]] headquarters. When the Autobots overheard that Optimus Prime's head had outlived its usefulness and would be disposed of, Sideswipe was part of the large group of Autobots who departed the Ark to rendezvous with the drop-off point. {{storylink|Brainstorm!}} Sure enough, the Decepticon drone [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] approached with the head, though Sideswipe initially proposed blowing it out of the sky. Prowl's caution at first seemed prudent, as Jetfire dropped Prime's head into the swamp in front of them, but their minds changed after they waded into the swamp, retrieved the head, and placed it on Prime's body. The head was in fact a Decepticon decoy that took control of Prime's body and attacked them. On top of that, a strike team led by [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] quickly joined them, and Sideswipe soon found himself at the mercy of [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], who began tearing out his back with his jaws. Fortunately for the Autobots, Prime's real head was returned, and Sideswipe was one of first to rise from the onslaught to witness their costly victory. {{storylink|Prime Time!}}

''During the Dinobot Hunt, Sideswipe traveled to [[Doonstown]] with [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] and [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] on a mission to capture the feral [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. It...didn't go so well. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!}}''
Sideswipe was next seen in [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]'s repair bay along with several others. Ratchet remarked to Optimus Prime that some of them might never be battle-capable again. Optimus Prime told him to do his best for Sideswipe and the others, and then promptly left to oversee the creation of their replacements. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

Years later, Sideswipe was seen again leaving the Ark with the rest of its crew to watch the battle between [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and Grimlock on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. {{storylink|Totaled!}} He also joined the Autobots in answering a distress signal sent by [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] near the Decepticons' [[Club Con|arctic base]], resulting in an ambush. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

====''Generation 2''====
[[Image:WarWithoutEnd-Sideswipe.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Black is the new "I have more words in this single panel than I did in the past 80 issues."]]
The war seemingly over, Sideswipe joined the [[Firestormer]]s, a group of Autobots who aimed to hunt down the last few pockets of Decepticon resistance. He, [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], [[Blades (G1)|Blades]], and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] attacked Decepticon [[Nexus Seven|Outpost B-67]], where they met [[Outpost B-67 exo-structuring party|great numbers]] but minimal resistance. He expected the liberated citizens of Nexus Seven to be more grateful, but Hound pointed out that their rescuees looked more frightened than pleased, and blamed their group's bloodthirstiness.

But the Firestormers' quest led them to the staggering discovery that these scattered Decepticon outposts were actually just the tip of the iceberg. There were just seventeen conquered and recolonized planets in that sector of space, suggesting that there was something bigger on the horizon than the remnants of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s old team. After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] was called to hear this news from Sideswipe and the other Firestormers, they were suddenly attacked and captured by a ship in orbit. Sideswipe and the others were put in prison cells aboard the starship ''[[Twilight (G2)|Twilight]]'', which was under the command of [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], the [[Liege Centuro]] of a forgotten race of Transformers. This revelation momentarily shook Optimus Prime's resolve, but after being brought back to his senses by [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], the two Autobots freed Sideswipe and the others from their cells. They fought their way through the starship to an escape vessel and escaped without injury, though they were burdened with this new knowledge. {{storylink|War Without End!}}

Sideswipe was present when the Autobots met Jhiaxus' Decepticons in battle on a planet within the [[K'tord Nebula]]. At first, tempers merely flared, but soon both sides lost themselves in a violent, bloody rage. Before they were completely lost to their baser instincts, the source of their behavior was discovered to be tar-like emotional parasites. The parasites were removed, and both factions decided to leave peacefully. {{storylink|Primal Fear!}}

Grimlock, disobeying Optimus Prime's orders, led a covert team onto the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] ship ''[[Twilight (G2)|Twilight]]'' to defeat [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and his army of "evolved Decepticons". Sideswipe was wary of their plan to steal a ship and slip on board, but Grimlock assured him that the plan was foolproof. Grimlock changed his tune when they soon learned that they were led into a trap, resulting in [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s death and the Autobots' capture. Sideswipe and the others were rounded up onto a shuttle to be inspected by the [[Liege Maximo]], but managed to escape their fate with assistance from Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}}

Later, while Optimus Prime and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] were discussing an alliance against Jhiaxus's Cybertronians, Sideswipe interrupted to tell them that they had received a distress signal from the planet [[Ethos]]. Sure enough, upon arrival, the Autobots found an advanced civilization in ruins. {{storylink|Escalation!}}

Finally, Jhiaxus took the full force of his Empire to [[Earth]], where the Autobot/Decepticon alliance had camped. Sideswipe joined them in shooting their attackers out of the sky as they approached. {{storylink|Total War!}}

====''Generation 2'' (UK)====
On Cybertron, Sideswipe was a member of the civil defense forces of [[Vos]]. Left for dead amongst its ruins, he vowed revenge and chose to strike at the Decepticons from behind their own lines. {{storylink|Official Transformers Generation 2 Annual|Official Transformers Generation 2 Annual bio}}

{{note|This suggests that something similar to [[State Games]] occurred in the past of the [[Fleetway]] comic, although beyond this, little was elaborated upon.}}

Years later, Sideswipe was part of [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]]'s Special Commando Unit, summoned to Earth along with Optimus Prime by [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] when [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] began open war on the humans. Prime decided to go after Bludgeon himself, and he assigned Jazz, Sideswipe and [[Skram (G2)|Skram]] to take down one Decepticon strike team at a time because the Decepticon forces were spread very thin. While still in vehicle mode, Sideswipe shot [[Flamefeather]] in the crotch, then transformed and hoped aloud that Prime would be okay in the face of Bludgeon's mysterious powers. {{storylink|War Without End (issue)|War Without End}}

When the [[Skyscorcher]]s left in the middle of battle, Jazz concluded they had another target to go after—which he and Sideswipe simultaneously realized to be Optimus Prime! The Skyscorchers had ''actually'' left to go after Bludgeon's enemy Megatron, whom Sideswipe and his comrades helped shoot at when they arrived in the middle of a fight between the one-time Decepticon leader, Prime, and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. Following Megatron's retreat, Sideswipe helped secure prisoners and weapons for withdrawal to the Autobase hidden on Earth's moon. {{storylink|War Zone}}

====''Classics''====
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe joined Optimus Prime's crew on Earth after Megatron resurfaced. They braved the Ark's defenses in order to break inside and recover their lost comrade, Ratchet. Sideswipe unsealed him from the [[CR chamber]] Megatron had left the medic in, and together the twins carried him away to safety. {{storylink|At Fight's End}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Bell]] (English), [[Kōki Kataoka]] (Japanese), [[Edgar Wald]] (Latin American)

[[Image:Sideswipejetpack.jpg|left|250px|thumb|"Oh, you want my rocket pack? The one that I've never had until just now?"]]
Sideswipe was part of the initial crew of Autobots aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot ship]] when it crash-landed on [[Earth]] four million years ago. He awoke along with his fellow Transformers in 1985, with both he and his brother being reformatted into Lamborghini sports cars. He volunteered for an unsuccessful mission to foil a Decepticon attack on an oil rig. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}} After [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] were discovered snooping around headquarters, he was one of the Autobots who attempted to shoot Ravage before he could escape. He also took part in the rescue mission to [[Sherman Dam]] when the Decepticons attacked it.

He and Sunstreaker came to [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]'s aid when the Autobot was attacked by [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], and he had to console Sunstreaker after his brother's paint job was damaged. Sideswipe was part of the Autobot team which went to the [[Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma]] to foil yet another Decepticon attack, and he watched in horror as [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] was caught in an explosion. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} He took part in the last-ditch effort to stop the Decepticons blasting off in [[Victory (G1)|their space cruiser]]. The Decepticons managed to blast off anyway, and Sideswipe loaned Optimus Prime the use of his rocket pack so that the Autobot leader could go after them. Though Prime failed, [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] disabled the cruiser, causing it to plunge into the sea, and the Autobots celebrated. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

[[Image:DivideandConquer Sideswipe's jetjudo.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Wheeeeee!]]
Sideswipe was among the Autobots who were trapped in a cave after [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] used [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] to lead them there. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion}} When [[antimatter]]-fueled [[Decepticon]]s attacked the Autobots' headquarters on one occasion, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker took to the air to battle with the incoming Seeker jets in a rambunctious, if ultimately ineffective, display of "[[jet judo]]". {{storylink|Roll for It}} He also defended Autobot Headquarters against the Decepticons while Optimus Prime was out of action. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}}

When investigating tremors that were shaking the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot base]], [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]'s scanner found some interesting objects inside a rock wall. Sideswipe, using his piston-like arms, helped [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] remove the rock wall and found a cave full of dinosaur bones, the discovery of which would lead to the development of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. Unfortunately, at their unveiling, the Dinobots ran wild, and the Autobots had to subdue them. During a subsequent battle at the [[Great Falls]], Sideswipe and the other Autobots were taken prisoner by the Decepticons, and they were only saved from destruction by the reactivated Dinobots. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}}

[[Image:G1 FireontheMountain Sideswipe piledriving.jpg|thumb|left|200px|I can dig it!]]
Sideswipe helped [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] by recovering their frozen comrade [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] and came with the rest of the group to [[Peru]], where he assisted in shooting a rockslide into rubble. After Wheeljack capped the energy stream from a local temple with one of his new inventions, Sideswipe flashed his lights on with the other Autobots to celebrate. {{storylink|Fire on the Mountain}} Sideswipe was chosen by Wheeljack to test two new Dinobots. Though he smashed [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] out of the air, [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] was able to get in a counterattack and shoot Sideswipe down. {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}}

When Soundwave's cassettes infiltrated Autobot Headquarters, Sideswipe went to take a shot at [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]], only to be attacked by Ravage. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}} The presence of Cybertron in Earth's orbit caused the [[Mount St. Hilary|volcano]] in which Headquarters was located to become active, forcing Sideswipe and the rest of the Autobots to evacuate. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} After Cybertron was blasted out of orbit, the Autobots tracked the Decepticons to [[Doctor Arkeville]]'s secret laboratory, where they fought to prevent the [[Exponential Generator]] from destroying Earth. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}}

[[Image:Plagueofinsecticons Sideswipe drilling.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Hallelujah! I've struck chocolate!]]
Heading to [[Bali]] to investigate reports of giant robotic insects, the Autobots found their way blocked by some sort of parade. Sideswipe led the other Autobots down a "short cut" which turned out to be a dead end. He totally meant to do that. He put his pistons and drills to work, and in no time at all, he and Sunstreaker were charging recklessly into battle against the Decepticons. Megatron picked him up and ''threw'' him at the rest of the Autobots. As they pursued the Decepticons across the island, [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] used his override waves on Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, forcing them to try and ram their fellows. Trailbreaker disrupted the control signal, and the brothers were able to take part in the battle against the Decepticons and [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s at the oil refinery. {{storylink|A Plague of Insecticons}}

Sideswipe turned out to cheer on Optimus Prime during the Autobot leader's one-on-one fight against Megatron. To the shock of all of the Autobots, Prime lost, and they were legally obligated to vacate the planet. Once they returned to base, they discovered that Megatron had cheated, and they were legally allowed to blast the Decepticons into a crevasse filled with lava. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}

[[Image:CityOfSteel Sideswipe being shot at.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
When the Autobots' human friend [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] was badly injured in a Decepticon attack and his mind was transferred into [[Autobot X]], the stress affected his psyche and he ran rampant. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker attempted unsuccessfully to subdue him and were knocked aside. Though Spike was restrained by Optimus, he later fell in with the Decepticons, and a group of Autobots including Sideswipe went to try and talk some sense into him. {{storylink|Autobot Spike}} Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Bumblebee faced [[battle taxi]]s and [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] in [[New York City]] during a Decepticon plan to recreate Cybertron on Earth. As the Seekers attacked Optimus, who was scaling the Decepticon tower, Sideswipe launched himself into the air, grabbed [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], and managed to wrestle the Decepticon air commander into crashing into the Hudson. {{storylink|City of Steel}} Sideswipe was later one of the Autobots affected by Megatron's [[personality destabilizer device]], turning him evil. He got better. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots}}

When Optimus Prime took the Autobots to test Wheeljack's latest invention, the Immobilizer, Sideswipe came with them. Decepticons attacked soon after, with Sideswipe leaping at Starscream in midflight and forcing the Decepticon to fire on his own comrades. When the Decepticons retreated, Sideswipe returned to Autobot headquarters with his comrades while Wheeljack recovered from his immobilization. Once Wheeljack was back to normal, Sideswipe was part of Optimus Prime's team to recover the Immobilizer. Rumble began immobilizing various Autobots, and Sideswipe decided that he was going to defeat Rumble shortly before being immobilized himself. When Spike's friend [[Carly]] was able to reroute the Immobilizer, Sideswipe and the other Autobots were freed. {{storylink|The Immobilizer}}

[[Image:DOTM Sideswipe disarmed.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Oh man! It's time to hold my fire!]]
Sideswipe took part in a charity Autobot race which was hijacked by the Decepticons when they used a Transfixatron on the racers. The Autobots were taken to a ghost town to be destroyed, but were rescued by a small group who had escaped the ray's effects. Sideswipe joined the others in lining up to be fixed by [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}} He rolled out to [[Quantum Laboratories]] to investigate a Decepticon incursion and found himself battling [[TORQ III]]-controlled machinery, at one point getting his gun shot out of his hand and being caught in a machine's robot arms. Having overcome that, Sideswipe took part in the attack on the oil refinery which the Decepticons had set up to steal the world's oil supplies. {{storylink|Day of the Machines}}

Sideswipe helped install detection panels for [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], but he did not come with the other Autobots to help [[Doctor Fujiyama the Famous Scientist|Doctor Fujiyama]], nor did he chase after [[Nightbird (G1)|Fujiyama's robot]] when it was reprogrammed by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]. {{storylink|Enter the Nightbird}} Sideswipe was present when the Autobots were confronted by the fact that they had two Optimus Primes, but didn't offer any suggestions or solutions. {{storylink|A Prime Problem}} He took part in a mission to place [[dominator disc]]s on the Constructicons. Though he didn't place any discs himself, he ended up battling Devastator until [[Chip Chase]] could activate the discs and bring the giant under control. He also took part in an attempt to destroy the drill which the Decepticons were using to reach Earth's core, and he was one of the first Autobots to be zapped by Devastator after Megatron counteracted the dominator discs. {{storylink|The Core}}

[[Image:DinobotIsland Sideswipe digging friends out.jpg|thumb|left|240px|Have we run out of digging jokes already?]]
During yet another Dinobot rampage at Headquarters, Sideswipe was ready to fight them to the end, but Optimus persuaded Grimlock to get things under control, and the Dinobots were sent to [[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]] for more training. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} Sideswipe took part in repair efforts, but was part of the team of Autobots who responded to strange time warp readings near the city library. After using his pistons to dig out Bumblebee and Spike, Sideswipe and the other Autobots found themselves tangling with barbarians on woolly mammoths. They took some rounding up, but soon the anachronisms were sent back through the time warp to their own time. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}}

As a result of another of Megatron's plots, the Autobots were framed and forced to leave Earth in a rocket provided by [[Shawn Berger]]. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} Trickery on Megatron's part further put the ship on a collision course with the [[Sun]]. Utilising the abilities of Trailbreaker and [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], and with the unwitting help of [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], the Autobots were able to make it back to Earth, where the Decepticons had already shown their true colors, and free the humans. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

Disabled by [[Cybertonium]] depletion, Sideswipe was as helpless as the other Autobots until Spike, Carly and the Dinobots managed to procure some more from Cybertron. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}} Sideswipe was part of the team that transformed to respond to a distress call when the Decepticons stole the [[Voltronic Galaxer]], but didn't actually roll out, so it's a mystery where he actually went. {{storylink|Blaster Blues}} He also coated himself with [[Electrum]], along with most of the other Autobots, in order to fight the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon}}

[[Image:MakeTracks Sideswipe grabs Ravage.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Well, I see Ravage is a boy cat.]]
When [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] and [[Raoul]] were discovered spying on a Decepticon operation, Sideswipe came to their aid, grabbing Ravage mid-leap and slamming the cassette to the ground. He also took part in the battle against Decepticon [[drone]]s in downtown New York and attacked the Decepticon base in the [[Pine Barrens]]. {{storylink|Make Tracks}} After the disappearance of a group of Autobots through the [[space bridge]], Sideswipe watched Chip Chase unsuccessfully attempt to track them down using [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]]. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}}

{{Note|Sideswipe appears in "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme]]", but only in a rather blatant animation error, standing next to Megatron while the Decepticon leader communicates with [[Hook (G1)|Hook]]. Eeesh!}}

Sideswipe was one of [[Kremzeek]]'s casualties when the energy critter invaded Autobot Headquarters. {{storylink|Kremzeek!}} He and Sunstreaker took part in the [[Europa 2000]] in order to protect [[Auggie Cahnay (G1)|Auggie Cahnay]]'s car from possible Decepticon abduction. Sideswipe forced Sunstreaker to take a detour in [[Italy]], and a short time later, they were ambushed by [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]]s, who boxed them in so [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] could shoot them. Both brothers were knocked out of the race. {{storylink|Trans-Europe Express}}

Like [[:Image:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|every other Autobot]], Sideswipe turned out to rescue [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] from the Decepticons and was subsequently infected by [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]]. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}} After being cured, he and the others attempted to stop Megatron and the Insecticon army. When the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s attempted to send Earth into the Sun, Sideswipe joined in the search for the Insecticons, who had stolen the space bridge control panel. They were eventually located, allowing a combined Autobot/Decepticon force, including Sideswipe, to travel to Cybertron and defeat the Combaticons. Sideswipe was able to reverse the damage done by the Combaticons and return Earth to its proper orbit. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

[[Image:Sideswipe FakeBreakdown.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Maybe someday [[E-Hobby|there]] will be a Sideswipe toy [[redeco]] with [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]'s color scheme.]]
{{quote|We're wastin' good ammo on these creeps! I'd like to just squash a few of 'em!|Sideswipe|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

When the Stunticons stole a collection of components and were captured by the Autobots, Optimus Prime hatched a scheme to disguise some of the Autobots as the Stunticons in order to learn Megatron's latest plan. Sideswipe was sprayed with [[camouflage paint]] to make him look like [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], though he sincerely hoped the paint would come off. He and the other four Autobots drove to the Stunticons' destination to discover that Megatron was building yet another cannon. Menasor arrived at the construction site, having escaped Autobot containment, and Optimus and the others were forced to improvise their own version of the combiner. Luckily, the rest of their comrades arrived before things could get too out of hand. {{storylink|Masquerade}}
{{--}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic=====
[[Image:Srlf manga1 wheeljack trailbreaker sideswipe prime.jpg|right|thumb|300px|In the previous panel, Optimus made a one-liner and took off his sunglasses.]]
When [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] sent [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] to raid [[Tokyo]] for energy, Sideswipe accompanied [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and a unit of Autobot vehicles to defend the city. Sideswipe didn't perform very well, immediately getting slugged in the face by Menasor's humongous fist. Luckily, his pummelling made the perfect distraction for Optimus Prime, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], who drove up a ramp and slammed Menasor and the Seekers directly in their faces, sending them into retreat. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 1|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #1}}

Later, during an attack on [[Ark (G1)|Autobot Headquarters]] in [[Arizona]], Sideswipe yet again failed to perform very well in battle. Attempting to confront the Decepticons in the sky on his jet pack, he wound up instead getting bombed by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and damaged badly in the resulting explosion. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 2|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2}}

Maintaining his image as a punching bag, Sideswipe was once again trounced in battle, this time at Yokohama against Starscream, Blitzwing and the Super Megatron Gun (Megatron in gun-mode but not shrunken down). Unable to stand up to the might of the Decepticon attack, Sideswipe was blasted many, ''many'' times before [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrived to save the day. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 4|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #4}}
{{--}}

=====Full Throttle Scramble Power!=====
[[Image:Scramblepower autobots say no.jpg|left|thumb|275px]]

When the Decepticons threatened the world with their new [[Omega Whip]], Sideswipe was among the Autobots seen reacting with some degree of panic to the news that [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and their human allies, [[Jenny (G1)|Jenny]] and [[Toru]], had been captured while investigating the crisis. Soon after, he was also among those who objected to sending the wet-behind-the-ears [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]]s out to deal with the marauding Stunticons, though his protests went unheeded. While the Aerialbots and Stunticons went at it, Sideswipe was part of the team assembled by Prime that headed to the Decepticons' headquarters to rescue their captive allies. A huge brawl erupted, concluding with an Autobot victory when [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and a full Autobot battalion arrived to back up Sideswipe and company. {{storylink|Full Throttle Scramble Power!}}
{{-}}

=====''Story of Binaltech''=====
[[Image:Binaltech sideswipe cardart.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
In the year 2004, Sideswipe was one of several Autobots stationed at [[Autobot City]] on Earth who were infected by [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] when the deadly plague was unleashed upon them by [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. With a large portion of their army, including Optimus Prime himself, currently across the galaxy battling for control of Cybertron, the Autobots seemed doomed until their human allies, the [[Earth Defense Command]], introduced the [[Binaltech Project]], uniting many Earth automotive companies to build new super-powered bodies for the wounded warriors. Sideswipe's new body, a Dodge Viper, was the second Binaltech frame constructed, equipped with a [[TORQ III|TORQ 3000]] processor and powered by [[electro-cell]]s. He retains his piledrivers and his flight capabilities, the latter now enabled by way of anti-gravity panels in his legs and a booster on his back. {{storylink|Story of Binaltech, Chapter 1}} Assembled under the command of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] alongside [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]], [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], Sideswipe joined the fight to force the Decepticons off of Earth. {{storylink|Binaltech Is...}}

{{note|While Sideswipe would make no further named appearances in the ''[[Story of Binaltech]]'', the tale went on to involve some complicated time-travel and history-alteration. As a consequence, it is not entirely clear how many of the events of the storyline, including those related above, actually happened in the mainstream timeline when all was said and done.}}
{{--}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
[[Image:JHeadmasters01VariousGuys.jpg|thumb]]
Some time before the Transformers' war left Cybertron, Sideswipe engaged the Decepticons with his comrades. Later, on Earth, Sideswipe was present for a suspiciously similar battle with the Decepticons that resulted in the death of Optimus Prime. In 2011, [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] recalled the Cybertronian skirmish that Sideswipe took part in—or another one very much like it. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}}

{{note|Sideswipe appears in two Cybertronian flashback battles within the episode, alongside the same team of Autobots, suggesting that they represent the same fight. He also appears in a flashback battle on Earth, which depicts Optimus Prime's death in a scene that doesn't match up to his actual death in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''. This was a continuity patch-job by the ''Headmasters'' production staff, as the movie hadn't been released in Japan yet, hence the oddness.}}

[[Image:Hmep1_sideswipe_snipe.jpg|thumb||left|215px]]

In 2011, when the Decepticons found a way to reactivate their old [[space bridge]] on Cybertron, the Autobots found themselves under siege from within. Sideswipe was at the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]] at the time, and he was present when [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]'s message about the Decepticon assault reached the Autobots stationed there.

A short time later, Sideswipe was on Earth with Ultra Magnus, and he was one of the soldiers gathered to use the Autobot space bridge to reinforce their allies on Cybertron. On their way to the space bridge, however, Sideswipe and the others were attacked by a squadron of Decepticons under the command of the villains' new Earth commander, [[Sixshot]]. The [[Trainbot]]s soon arrived to join the battle, freeing up Sideswipe's team to carry on their way to Autobot City, but the Decepticons flew ahead and were able to ambush the convoy, sending Sideswipe and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] careening. The two sides then began fighting again until [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] appeared out of the sky, driving the Decepticons off. Sideswipe then flew to the entrance of Autobot City with Ultra Magnus and Prowl and presumably traveled to Cybertron via the space bridge, though he was not actually seen fighting there. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}}

{{note|Um, oops. Sideswipe being on two planets at once was likely an animation error. Maybe he was sent to Earth to gather up the troops?}}

=====e-Hobby storyline=====
Over fourteen years later, Sideswipe was dispatched to the bottom of the sea with [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]], [[Splashdown]], [[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]] and an [[Eldedroid]] to investigate possible Decepticon involvement in a rash of attacks by "sea monsters". Finding a Decepticon base beneath the waves, the Eldedroid tore through the Constructicons standing watch and ventured deeper into the structure while Sideswipe and the others interrogated the incapacitated guards to learn more about the genetically engineered monsters the Decepticons had created. {{storylink|MP-1B Cybertron Commander / Convoy Black Ver.}}

===3H comics===
Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], [[Roulette (Universe)|Roulette]] and [[Shadow Striker (Universe)|Shadow Striker]] returned to the [[technorganic]] [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] after a prolonged journey and were welcomed by the [[Maximal]]s. [[Unicron]] abducted these newly-returned Transformers, in addition to many others from different times and universes, to start a final confrontation against [[Primus]]. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were rebuilt into new forms, corrupted by Unicron's influence, and set against one another in the [[Cauldron]]. Before either brother could land a killing blow, however, the fight was broken up by [[Optimus Primal]]. Sideswipe then fought his way out of Unicron alongside many other Transformers rescued by Primal and returned to Cybertron. {{storylink|Abduction}} {{storylink|OTFCC Live-Action Drama}} {{storylink| Escape (issue)|Escape}} {{storylink|Homecoming (issue)|Homecoming}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{notekeepers}}
Before the war, Sideswipe was a trader who liked to con his customers. {{storylink|Transformers: The Ultimate Guide}} He was one of the few Autobots to continue operating under that title during the [[Dark Ages]] of Cybertron. Sideswipe was one of the elite warriors serving under [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and as such was chosen for the mission that sent him against the newly constructed Decepticon battle station, [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. Of course the mission was a failure, but that isn't likely to have discouraged Sideswipe. {{storylink|War Within: The Dark Ages}}

[[Image:DWPrimeDirective2 SunstreakerSideswipe.jpg|left|300px|thumb|"This is what [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] was whining about? Pansy."]]
Sideswipe was part of Operation Liberation in 1998, a joint human-Autobot effort to defeat the Earth-bounded Decepticons. At the end it was a success, and the captured Decepticons along with the Autobots and a human crew departed Earth en route to Cybertron in the ''[[Ark II]]''. The ship, however, was sabotaged and exploded upon liftoff.

A few years later, Megatron and other Transformers, including Autobots, were seen causing havoc. It was discovered that [[Lazarus]], a scientist who participated in the ''Ark II'' project, was responsible for the sabotage of the ship and the resurrection of several Transformers under his control via technological tampering. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 1|Prime Directive #1}}

[[Robert Hallo|General Hallo]] of the [[United States military|US military]] contacted [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] to ask him if he could do something to help them reactivate Optimus Prime, whom they had recovered locked in a state of stasis. Spike managed to reactivate Optimus with a portion of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] that Optimus had given him prior the ill-fated journey of the ''Ark II''. Optimus subsequently went to the Arctic and used the Matrix to reactivate several Transformers, including Sideswipe. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2|Prime Directive #2}}

[[Image:DWPrimeDirective5 SideswipeSunstreaker Devastator.jpg|right|250px|thumb|We're trying to look dynamic, but all these [[Pat Lee|puffy proportions]] are putting a stop to that.]]
Sideswipe accepted the new task at hand and fought alongside his brother when the Autobots faced the Decepticons at Lazarus' ruined base (punching Starscream in the face for attacking Wheeljack) before Hallo betrayed the Autobots by attempting to destroy both factions with a nuclear weapon. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 3|Prime Directive #3}} The Autobots survived when Megatron's technovirus absorbed the blast, and Sideswipe helped his comrades recover the captive Autobots imprisoned inside the base. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 4|Prime Directive #4}}

As Jazz's unit worked on Megatron's virus, Sideswipe followed Optimus Prime to [[San Francisco]] for the last battle against Megatron and his Decepticons. When [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] was taken down, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker heroically (though foolishly) charged at [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], and they were smashed between the giant Constructicon's palms for their trouble. After Optimus Prime brought Devastator down with a blast to the head, Sideswipe was restrained by the surviving Decepticons. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 5|Prime Directive #5}} However, through [[human]] intervention, Optimus Prime freed his Autobots and the battle was rejoined. Sideswipe tag-teamed with his brother to pummel [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], though the Decepticons eventually escaped when Superion sacrificed his life to save the city from General Hallo's unauthorized nuclear missile launch. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 6|Prime Directive #6}}

''Months later, after Optimus Prime, Megatron, and an assortment of other Transformers and humans vanished in a flash of light from Tokyo, Japan, the world went on high alert. When the U.S. military detected [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in the Nevada canyons, Sideswipe accompanied a flight of jets in confronting the Decepticon. Their battle led down a tight box canyon, and Sideswipe had some difficulty chasing Starscream while also coordinating with his military wingmen, as he tried to limit the human casualties. Eventually, Sideswipe was led straight into Devastator, who had been hiding in the canyon on Starscream's order. The combined surprise firepower of Starscream's arsenal and a near-pointblank blast from Devastator's solar energy rifle left Sideswipe in several charred pieces. {{storylink|Hardwired}}''

''Sideswipe was eventually repaired by [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], and returned to duty just in time to fight in Nevada once more. This time, the Autobots and Decepticons had joined forces against an ambush arranged by the President of the United States, who hoped to rid his country of the Transformers. Sideswipe waded through General [[Michelle Grajkowski]]'s troops, heavily routing her Delta Team, but the [[deconstructionite]] weapons being used by the U.S. Armed Forces were too much of a surprise for the Cybertronians—they were clearly on the losing end of the battle as many of their number fell before the severity of the weaponized nanites became evident. Sideswipe and Prowl helped load the injured Autobots into Prime's trailer as they made their getaway. {{storylink|Fusion (novel)|Fusion}}''

[[Image:G1 Sideswipe Sunstreaker DWissue7.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Hi, I'm a jock.]]
When agents from the united Cybertron arrived on Earth, Optimus Prime split his forces in order to ensure Earth would not be left undefended. As Prime and many other Autobots travelled back to Cybertron with Shockwave, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and their crew, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker remained on Earth with several other Autobots under Jazz's command. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} Sideswipe was deactivated in battle with [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] when Starscream and his followers returned to Earth, and was left to rust at the bottom of a lake. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}} [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] and [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] later dredged him and the others up, only to be taken into custody by [[Earth Defense Command]]. Jazz, Sideswipe, and Sunstreaker were reactivated to help [[Marissa Faireborn]] and [[EDC Night Force Unit|her team]] in investigating an outbreak of [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] in small-town America. {{storylink|Infestation (Dreamwave)|Infestation}} After routing and capturing the Decepticons, Sideswipe and the other Autobots joined up with the returning team from Cybertron under Prowl's command, and began construction of [[Autobot City]]. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

{{-}}
===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
Along with several other Transformers, the dormant Sideswipe was found on the crashed ''Ark'' by [[Cobra]], a human terrorist organization who soon reprogrammed the alien robots to serve them. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were rebuilt into Cobra [[Stinger (Cobra)|Stingers]] and sent to assault the [[SPS Research Facility]] alongside [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and his [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|minions]]. The two brothers didn't succeed in their mission, though, as they were rammed aside by [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] while charging at the building and were eventually ordered to retreat. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #3}} Wheeljack later freed Sideswipe and the others from Cobra's control, and he helped Sunstreaker and [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] fight back against the similarly freed Decepticons and their former captors. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5}}

Two years later, [[Serpent O.R.]] took control of the Decepticon forces on Cybertron and captured Optimus Prime. Sideswipe joined a team of Autobots led by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] who were planning on charging in and rescuing their leader as soon as the opportunity came up. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} After reinforcements arrived in the form of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]], the Autobots made their move and attacked Serpent O.R.'s Decepticon army, ultimately defeating it. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

Sideswipe returned to Earth a few months later, where he worked to keep Cybertronian technology from being misused by humans. During one mission to [[Cuba]], he helped stop [[Destro]] from selling [[S.N.A.K.E.]]s to one Mr. [[Calandero]], but failed to capture the arms dealer and returned to the Autobots' base, the ''[[Arc II]]''. When the ship was attacked by the [[Pretender Monster]]s, Sideswipe was the first to fall. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}} The crew later received medical attention at the [[Pit (G.I. Joe)|Pit]], where they'd eventually recover from their injures. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:MegsOrigin3 Sunstreak Sideswipe glory.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Sideswipe's feeling small standing under [[Nova Prime]]'s crotch. [[Sunstreaker (G1)#Dreamwave_comics_continuity|Sunstreaker, on the other hand, seems strangely excited]].]]
[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] was Sideswipe's P-3 Training Officer and strike partner, and constantly looked down on him as the rookie. Nothing Sideswipe did was seen as good enough, and he was left under Sunstreaker's shadow, something that left a deep mark on him. He's forever been resentful and wanting to be seen by others as a skilled, notable warrior. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

Before the war, the two of them attended illegal underground arena [[Gladiatorial combat|deathmatches]] and witnessed [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s 54th victory. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}} When Sunstreaker wanted to join Megatron's underground fighting team, Sideswipe went along to try and talk him out of it. Whether they stuck around and were caught up in the Autobot security raid is unknown. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}}

Later, as war engulfed [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Sideswipe was one of the many Autobots trained by [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Kup}}

In more recent times, Sideswipe was part of an Autobot squad lead by Sunstreaker, and helped liberate an unnamed planet from the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 14|Replay}}

[[Image:SpotlightGalvatron Sideswipe rocketfist.jpg|left|300px|thumb|This hand of mine glows with an awesome power!]]
Much to his dismay, Sideswipe was later stationed at [[Thunderhead Pass]] on Cybertron to guard [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'s remains. Sideswipe wanted action, something he wasn't going to get standing guard over comatose Decepticons. His desire to "bust some heads" became even stronger after Sunstreaker was apparently kidnapped during his duties on [[Earth]], and Sideswipe began actively disregarding his squadron leader, [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], to routinely contact High Command and demand a transfer; unknown to everyone else, this wasn't down to brothers-in-arms loyalty, this was down to him wanting to save Sunstreaker so his former strike partner would have to recognise his skills. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

His need for action was alleviated, however, when [[Galvatron (G1)|a mysterious and powerful Transformer]] attacked Cybertron. Sideswipe blew off part of the being's head, but he recovered almost immediately and knocked Sideswipe and the rest of the Autobots offline, then stole Thunderwing away. {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron}}

Soon after, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] apparently caved in to Sideswipe's pleading and put [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] in charge of Thunderhead Pass, transferring Hound's entire team, including Sideswipe, to Earth once Megatron began breaking [[Infiltration protocol]]. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} However, once word of the break-in at [[Garrus-9]] reached his audio sensors, Prime directed his team and Hound's to head there instead of Earth. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[Image:SpotlightSideswipe_Sideswipe.jpg|right|200px|thumb|He can punch ''and'' angst at the same time!]]

Sideswipe took the reassignment pretty harshly, and had pushed Hound well to the edge of his tolerance. He got a minor diversion from worrying about Sunstreaker when another mysterious and powerful Transformer, [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] attacked their ship.

Surprisingly, he wanted to find out who Cyclonus was, but Hound felt that time was a factor and hit Cyclonus with a full volley. It was enough to slow him down, but not enough to stop him. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]' arrival forced a retreat, and the two Autobot ships followed. When they caught up to Cyclonus, Sideswipe goaded him into battle, and made no apologies for it. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

When his unit finally reached Earth, he personally took on both [[Grindcore (G1)|Grindcore]] ''and'' [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] so the others could reach the Space Bridge. This earned him recognition and an apology from Hound, and the battle against superior foes gave Sideswipe the chance to prove to ''himself'' that he was better than Sunstreaker thought. This exorcised, he realised he didn't actually care if Sunstreaker was alive or dead, and turned away from his obsession without looking back. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

One year later, the Decepticons ambushed the Autobots in a crippling assault, during which Skywarp ripped off Sideswipe's arm. The Autobots were subsequently tossed through a [[space bridge]] to the lifeless shell of Cybertron, where they would be finished off by the [[Insecticon swarm]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Along with the others, Sideswipe stood around brooding about the situation, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} occasionally staring at the similarly one-armed [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} When the crew of the ''[[Trion]]'' ended up on Cybertron, Sideswipe listened to [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] explain what had happened. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

Later, Sideswipe tried to talk to Sunstreaker and tell him to stop picking on [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]], only to learn of the horrible things the [[Machination]] had done to him. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Later, after Sunstreaker sacrificed himself, Sideswipe declared that all the Autobots deserved to die for carrying on the senseless war. His speech was interrupted by the return of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} Sideswipe later defended the Autobot base against a massive swarm attack, but the Autobots were overrun and only saved by the arrival of [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], who took them all back to Earth. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

As the Autobots confronted the Decepticons in [[New York City]], Sideswipe beat up [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] with a street light and was jumped by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], who gleefully told the Autobot how he had dissected [[Hunter O'Nion]], Sunstreaker's [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster partner]], and used his knowledge to toy with Sunstreaker's mind. Following the defeat of the Decepticons, Sideswipe found Hunter, strung up and mutilated in Bombshell's lab. Horrified at the sight, he decided to end the human's tortured existence by shutting off the machines keeping him alive. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

Three years later, Sideswipe was still serving with the Autobots on Earth under Optimus Prime's command. He was present when Prime abdicated leadership of the Autobots and surrendered to [[Skywatch]]. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}} When [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] left the Autobots to form a splinter faction, Sideswipe chose to remain in the desert caverns with the majority of Autobots under [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s new leadership. {{storylink|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} He was seen standing at strict attention when [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrived to address the Earth troops, although he was confused by Magnus's over-use of Earth idioms and "lingo". {{storylink|A Rude Awakening}}

Under Bumblebee, Sideswipe was part of the Transformer hunters clandestinely employed by [[Gordon Horiuchi]] of Skywatch. He was present when Bumblebee announced the Autobots' intention to break free from Horiuchi's unyielding directives. {{storylink|The Impossible Knot}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
Sideswipe participated in the pursuit of [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], and partially transformed from artillery boxcar mode to robot mode in order to shoot down [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]. He stated, "The name is Sideswipe." {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 4|Hearts of Steel #4}}

{{note|For unclear reasons, in the original comic book issue, the Autobot who shoots down Scourge identifies himself as [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], not Sideswipe. Sideswipe only appears in the trade paperback collection.}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comic===
[[Image:HenkeiVol6-lambor.jpg|thumb|160px|left|You are stupid! You are stupid! And don't forget; you are ''stupid''!]]
Sideswipe was chasing a mysterious plane that had stolen supplies of [[energon (fuel)|energon]], using his jetpack to catch up with it. But the next thing he knew, the plane was gone! The befuddled Sideswipe ran into [[Bluestreak (G1)|Silverstreak]], who was chasing a truck also charged with energon theft. Just then, the truck arrived before them, revealing itself to be the plane as well. It was the [[Triple Changer]] [[Octane]]! Though Octane tried to attack the two Autobots, Sideswipe blasted the Decepticon and knocked him to the ground. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 6|Henkei! Henkei! #6}}

{{-}}

===Timelines: Wings of Honor continuity===
{{storylink|Generation 2: Redux}}
{{charstubfiction}}
{{-}}

==Commercial appearances==
Sideswipe appeared in the following [[commercial]]s:
* The very first Transformers animation, advertising the Marvel comic book. He drives out of a base alongside Jazz and Prowl; the three arrive at a power plant and counter-attack the Decepticons.

* Again alongside Jazz and Prowl, he transforms and takes off, on what appears to be Cybertron, in a commercial for Soundwave.

* He can be glimpsed trying to stop Astrotrain from escaping, in a 1985 commercial for the Decepticon Triple Changers.

* He is briefly visible driving alongside Jazz in a CGI ''Generation 2'' commercial for the Decepticon jets and Autobot cars.

==Games==
===Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons===
When Optimus embarked on his mission to rescue the Autobots' [[Mini Vehicle|Minicar]] troops from the Decepticons, Sidswipe could come to Optimus Prime's aid, helping him move around the Decepticons' maze-like base. {{storylink|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game}}

===Transformers G1: Awakening===
{{storylink|Transformers G1: Awakening}}
{{charstubfiction}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1sideswipe.jpg|right|200px|thumb|He had the look before it was [[Spy Changer|trendy]].]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Autobot Car, 1984/1985, 1991, 2001/2002/2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''04''', '''TFC-07'''
**''Accessories:'' "Laser gun", rocket launcher, 3 rockets

: Originally a ''[[Diaclone]]'' "New [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes#Lamborghini_Countach|Countach LP500S]]", Sideswipe transforms... well, into that. In robot mode he is armed with a white rifle and a missile launcher that can clip onto either of his shoulders. The launcher can fire one of three included white missiles, in theory, as the springs were weakened for the US release [[for safety reasons]]. The original 1984 US release did not have the [[rubsign]] found on later releases.

: This mold was also used to make [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], [[Clamp Down]], [[Deep Cover]] and [[Tigertrack]].

::''[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Sideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Generation 1 Sideswipe at TFU.info]''
{{-}}


[[Image:ActionmasterSideswipe toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I have a hat!]]
*'''Sideswipe w/ Vanguard''' (Action Master, 1991)
**''Accessories:'' "Photon laser" rifle

: A non-transforming action figure that combines elements form both his original toy and his [[Character model|animation model]], [[Action Master]] Sideswipe is compatible with any other Action Master weapon or vehicle. His [[Action Master partner|partner]]-unit [[Vanguard]] forms a backpack and battle helmet, and complements Sideswipe's color scheme quite well.

:Action Master Sideswipe was only available in [[Generation 1 (European toyline)|European]] (and certain Australian) markets.

::''[http://www.tfu.info/1991/Autobot/Sideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Action Master Sideswipe with Vanguard at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

*'''Sideswipe''' (Classic Heroes, Europe/Australia 1991)
**''Accessories:'' "Laser gun", rocket launcher, 3 rockets

:The original ''Generation 1'' Sideswipe toy was re-released in Europe and Australia in 1991 as part of the [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] line, with no apparent changes other than the new packaging.

===Generation 2===
[[Image:G2Sideswipe toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|He got dressed in the dark and accidentally put his colors on backwards.]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Autobot Heroic, 1993)
**''Accessories:'' Gun, missile launcher, 1 missile

: Part of the first assortment of Autobot cars, Sideswipe's original toy had his colors re-arranged to a black car mode with red and white robot parts, plus new [[Neon|neon]] green "racing" decals were added to the mix. His original rocket launcher was removed, and replaced with a large spring-loaded launcher that could be hand-held or mounted on his [[Retool|retooled]] car-mode roof.

:His new spring-loaded missile launcher was taken from [http://www.yojoe.com/action/91/snowserpent2.shtml Snow Serpent] from the ''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'' toyline.

::''[http://www.tfu.info/1993/Autobot/Sideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Generation 2 Sideswipe at TFU.info]''
{{-}}


[[Image:G2GobotSideswipe.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Then he shrank and faded in the wash.]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Go-Bot, 1995)
**''Accessories:'' Gun

: A redeco of [[Go-Bot (G2)|Go-Bot]] [[Firecracker]], Sideswipe transforms into a blue [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes#Lamborghini_Diablo|Lamborghini Diablo]] with through-axle construction for super-fast rolling on smooth surfaces in car mode. He is compatible with many "Hot Wheels" and "Matchbox"-brand racetrack sets.

: This mold was also used to make Go-Bot Optimus Prime and ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[R.E.V.]].

::''[http://www.tfu.info/1995/Autobot/Sideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Generation 2 Go-Bot Sideswipe on TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Collector's Edition===

*'''Lambor''' (World Character Convention 12 exclusive, Japan 2001)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''04'''
**''Accessories:'' "Laser gun", rocket launcher, 3 rockets

: In 2001, the ''Generation 1'' Sideswipe toy was re-released by [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] under his Japanese name "Lambor", as a set bundled with his [[mold]]-mate [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] ("Alert" in Japan), [[exclusive]] to World Character Convention 12. His license plate decal was changed from the infringing "COUNTACH" to "CAR MACHINE".

===New Year Special===

*'''Lambor''' (e-Hobby exclusive, Japan 2002)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''04'''
**''Accessories:'' "Laser gun", rocket launcher, 3 rockets

: Lambor (Sideswipe) and Alert (Red Alert) were once again re-released together in January 2002 as an [[e-Hobby]] exclusive "New Year Special" set, with several factory-applied decals replaced with [[paint operation]]s, the "CAR MACHINE" plate-decal now blank, plus an additional recolored alternate sticker sheet for each one.

===Transformers Collection===

*'''Lambor''' (Japan 2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''07'''
**''Accessories:'' "Laser gun", rocket launcher, 3 rockets

: The version of ''Generation 1'' Sideswipe previously released as an e-Hobby exclusive, minus the extra decal sheet, was ''again'' re-released as part of the [[Transformers Collection]] "book-box" series.

===Universe (2003)===
[[Image:UniverseSideswipe toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I should've had a [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] retool!]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Deluxe, 2003)
**''Accessories:'' 2 launchers (left & right), 2 flame missiles

: One of several [[Exclusive|exclusives]] to [[OTFCC 2003]], ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' Side Swipe is a redeco of the ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]] mold, once again transforming into a Lamborghini Diablo. A pair of add-on thrusters become arm-mounted launchers for robot mode; each one being a pressure-launch missile launcher.

: It is notable that the part that connects the toy's windshield to the main body uses a red decal rather than paint, as that part is made out of [[Unpaintable plastic|unpaintable plastic]]. The police lights from the original mold were removed, leaving this area bare.

: This mold was also used to make ''Universe'' [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] and Sunstreaker.

{{note|While the toy's name was spelled "Sideswipe" (one word) on its own packaging, the cross-sell on the packaging for the OTFCC 2003 [[Shadow Striker (Universe)|Shadow Striker]]/[[Roulette (Universe)|Roulette]] two-pack spelled it "Side Swipe" (two words) instead. See Notes for more.}}

::''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/OTFCCSideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Universe Sideswipe on TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Smallest Transforming Transformers===
[[Image:STFLambor.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Yet another release Sunstreaker just wasn't cool enough for.]]
*'''Lambor''' (2003)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''GTF-02'''

: ''[[Smallest Transforming Transformers]]'' Lambor is a very small-scale, extensively simplified replica of the original Sideswipe toy. He has very little articulation, he has no weapons, and his vehicle mode wheels cannot roll.

: This mold was [[Retool|retooled]] to make ''Smallest Transforming Transformers'' [[Red Alert (G1)|Alert]].

::''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Cybertron/SmallestSideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Smallest Transforming Lambor at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Alternators===
[[Image:AlternatorsSide Swipe toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Just think, he was [[#Notes|almost Tracks]].]]
*'''Side Swipe''' (2003, 2004)
**''Alternator ID number:'' '''2'''
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''BT-02'''
**''Accessories:'' Dodge Viper Engine/gun

: The second ''[[Alternators]]'' toy released, Side Swipe transforms into a licensed 1:24 scale [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes#Dodge_Viper_.28Chrysler.29|Dodge Viper]] featuring opening doors, a detailed interior, and a hood that opens to reveal an engine bay holding a replica Viper V-10 engine. The vehicle mode also features movable steering and rubber tires with vacuum-metalized wheels. His removable engine becomes a blaster.

: The main difference between the American ''Alternators'' and the Japanese ''Binaltech'' releases is that the Japanese version has die-cast metal parts for most of the car's outer body shell, with the exception of the rear end, and the entire red exterior of the car is fully painted, unlike the ''Alternator's'' flat red plastic. Furthermore, the ''Alternators'' version sports additional "blackwash" [[paint operation]]s on his chest the ''Binaltech'' version lacks.

: This mold was [[Retool|retooled]] to make [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]].

::''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/AltSideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Alternators Side Swipe on TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Commemorative Series===

*'''Side Swipe''' (Toys"R"Us exclusive, Australia/Canada 2004, KB Toys exclusive, 2005)
**''Series:'' '''VIII'''
**''Accessories:'' "Laser gun", rocket launcher, 3 rockets

:The version of ''Generation 1'' Sideswipe previously released as part of Takara's "Transformers Collection" series, albeit with its spring-loaded launcher de-sprung [[for safety reasons]], was reissued by [[Hasbro]] under the modified name "Side Swipe" as part of their [[Commemorative Series]] VIII, one of the last American reissues. However, because [[Toys"R"Us]], who had carried the Commemorative Series as an [[exclusive]] line up until that point, had abruptly decided to discontinue the line, he was never available at Toys"R"Us stores in the USA (despite the occasional unproven [[Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers|rumor]] to the contrary). He ''was'', however, available at Toys"R"Us stores in Australia and Canada in 2004, and was finally made available in the USA as a [[KB Toys]] exclusive in 2005, at heavy discount.

===Universe (2008)===
====Classic Series====
[[Image:Universe2008 SideSwipe toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Better red than...]]
*'''Sideswipe''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Accessories:'' "Flare Launcher", engine supercharger intakes

:Sideswipe is a [[Retool|retool]] of ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]]. He not only features a new head sculpt, but he has a slightly altered transformation scheme and assembly; his upper body, from the neck to the hips, is rotated 180 degrees from Sunstreaker's, giving him the "classic" hood-chest. To keep the fists in the right places in robot mode, they are swapped between the arms compared to Sunstreaker. He transforms into a modified [[wikipedia:Lamborghini_Gallardo|Lamborghini Gallardo]]. Though the car is mostly based upon the Gallardo, to avoid legal problems, it also features modified headlights and elements taken from other cars—most of them are taken from other Lamborghini models, such as a front bumper that appears to be based on a 2004 [[wikipedia:Lamborghini Murciélago|Murciélago]] R-GT and a rear end that is basically a cross between a Murciélago and a [[wikipedia:Lamborghini_Diablo|Diablo]]; however, the split side windows and the ridges on the door vents are based on a [[wikipedia:McLaren F1|McLaren F1]]. Sideswipe also comes with the same roof-mounted engine assembly as Sunstreaker.

: His Flare Launcher (essentially just a redeco of Sunstreaker's Electron Pulse Blaster) can be combined with the removable engine assembly and mounted in either of the holes on his shoulders to simulate Sideswipe's ''Generation 1'' missile launcher. Of course, this leaves him without a hand-held weapon. The engine can also be mounted on Sideswipe's back as his jet pack.

: Sideswipe's [[instructions|instruction]] line art is recycled from Sunstreaker's instructions and therefore incorrectly gives him Sunstreaker's transformation and head, despite the [[stock photography|stock photo]] depicted on top of the instructions showing him with the hood as the chest and a new head.<ref>[http://hasbro.com/common/instruct/83685.pdf Official Universe Sideswipe instructions PDF file on Hasbro.com]</ref> Unfortunately, the stock photo Hasbro provided to online retailers retains this incorrect transformation, and [[:Image:UniSideswipeStockPhoto.jpg|throws in some additional mistakes as well]]. Oy.

: The Sideswipe/Sunstreaker mold was also retooled into ''[[Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Punch (G1)|Punch]] and [[BotCon 2010]] [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]].

::''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/TFUSideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Universe (2008) Sideswipe on TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[Image:Henkei Lambor toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Whoever does Takara's photography seriously needs to be outsourced to Hasbro.]]
*'''Lambor''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-09'''
**''Accessories:'' "Flare Launcher"

:The Japanese version of ''Universe'' Sideswipe has [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum metallized]] silver on his flare launcher and his spoiler, but does not come with the dual-engine backpack that Henkei Sunstreaker and ''Universe'' Sunstreaker/Sideswipe included. He also has correct, personalised instructions that aren't just Sunstreaker's. Like Sunstreaker, the Japanese version's roof paint is a much closer match to the red colored plastic. The Japanese version also features a glossier black paint and the white has yellow tint compared the white plastic used for Hasbro version. His [[license plate]] says "LAMBOR" rather than "SWIPE".

{{-}}

===Timelines===
[[Image:BotCon2010-customclassSideswipe.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Folks are gonna be pisssyyyyyy.]]
*'''Sideswipe''' ([[BotCon 2010]] customization class Deluxe)
**''Accessories'': Gun/tailpipe, engine supercharger intakes

: A ''[[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]''-style redeco of ''Universe'' Sideswipe, ''[[Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' Sideswipe is pre-molded in new colors, which is unprecedented for the BotCon customization class exclusive (and apparently came as a surprise to [[Fun Publications]]). During the class, the mold is assembled, painted and stickered by those enrolled in it. Between the two classes, there were 52 participants.

: In regards to the plastic mold changes white remains white, but like the original ''Generation 2'' figure, the red and black colors are swapped. Clear green replaces the clear plastic used for the window and thighs.

: This figure uses the ''[[Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' [[Red Alert (G1)#Generations|Red Alert]] version of the mold, which includes two screw holes in the canopy (rather than one like ''Henkei! Henkei!'' Red Alert or none like all other versions of this mold). The samples [[Shawn D. Tessmann|Shawn Tessmann]] had on display used the original version of the mold, and lacked the screw holes. Despite the mold change, the lightbar was not included. These holes replace the slots used to mount the rocket pack in robot mode. The rocket pack can still be mounted on the gun in robot mode and in car mode though. As an unintended result of having empty screw holes over the rocket pack sockets, Sideswipe can now mount his gun inside either screw hole on the roof of his car mode.

: The unassembled figure was also given out to those who volunteered at BotCon 2010.

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Decoy===
[[Image:Decoy Sideswipe.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Decoy Sideswipe.]]
*'''Sideswipe #18'''
:Sideswipe was one of the many character represented by a small plastic [[decoy]] available carded with other transformers.
::''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Decoys/Sideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Decoy Sideswipe at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Titanium Series===
[[Image:TitaniumRM Side Swipe.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Sideswipe turns small a lot.]]
*'''Side Swipe''' (Robot Master, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Engine blaster

:''[[Titanium Series]]'' Side Swipe is based upon Sideswipe's ''Alternators'' toy. Constructed partially of die cast metal, Side Swipe has limited articulation located in his shoulders and neck. He comes with a removable engine blaster and an Autobot symbol display stand.

: This mold was going to be redecoed to be ''Titanium'' Sunstreaker, but that release was canceled.

::''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Autobot/TitSideswipe/sideswipe.htm More information on Titanium Side Swipe at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Attacktix===
*'''Sideswipe''' (2007)

: ''[[Attacktix]]'' Sideswipe was to be a missile-firing "blaster" style playing piece, presumably part of a third wave of "Booster" packs. He was revealed at the [[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]] "Celebration IV" convention alongside many other ''Attacktix'' pieces that would ultimately never see release.

{{canceledattacktix}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
* Sideswipe's ''[[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Transformers Universe]]'' bio text describes features of Sunstreaker's toy, leading many to believe Sideswipe's original toy was supposed to be created from Sunstreaker's mold and vice-versa, with the colors swapped between the molds. The [[Diaclone]] Sunstreaker toy was available in red<ref>[http://diaclone.net/orid/dia036/index.html "Countach-LP500S/Super Tuning" at Diaclone.net (Japanese site)]</ref> and police<ref>[http://diaclone.net/orid/dia038/index.html "Countach-LP500S/Super Tuning Policecar Type" at Diaclone.net (Japanese site)]</ref> versions, but not yellow (hence the red shoulder stickers on an otherwise yellow car). The mold used for Sideswipe, on the other hand, was released in ''Diaclone'' in police, yellow and red decos.<ref>[http://diaclone.net/orid/dia050/index.html " New Countach-LP500S" at Diaclone.net (Japanese site)]</ref>

* Sideswipe's Japanese name, "Lambor" is derived from the name of his vehicle mode, a Lamborghini. It may also be a word play on the Japanese word "Ranbō", which means "reckless, violent, rough". Wouldn't be the [[Autorooper|last]] [[Nine Great Demon Generals|time]] Takara's done such [[Romanization|word puns]]. By the way, it's ''Lambor'', not ''[[wikipedia:Rambo|Rambo]]''.

* According to a [[story page]] in the October 1985 issue of ''[[TV Magazine]]'', Sideswipe and [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] are brothers, with Sideswipe being slightly older than Red Alert. This connection may have been invented because, aside from Sideswipe and Red Alert sharing the same mold, Sunstreaker was not sold on the Japanese market outside of a special "versus" set with [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]. However, the familial dynamic between Sideswipe and Sunstreaker was '''not''' changed in the Japanese dub of the original ''Transformers'' cartoon, leading some Japanese fans to consider the three Lamborghini characters as triplets.

* During the 1990s, another company held the "Sideswipe" trademark in the "toys" field, even though Hasbro still released two toys using that name as part of the [[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]] line (it's unclear if this resulted in any legal repercussions for Hasbro). When Hasbro finally managed to reclaim the name for the [[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|''Robots in Disguise'' line]], the name was now parsed as "[[Side Swipe (RID)|Side Swipe]]", in two words, for whatever reason. The only two toys since then to spell "Sideswipe" as one word again were the [[OTFCC 2003]] [[Exclusive|exclusive]] and the [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Armada Super-Con]]. However, the former was referred to as "Side Swipe" when featured as a cross-sell on the packaging for the OTFCC 2003 [[Shadow Striker (Universe)|Shadow Striker]]/[[Roulette (Universe)|Roulette]] two-pack, whereas a packaging variant for the latter released as part of the "[[The Unicron Battles|Unicron Battles]]" refresh of the [[Armada (toyline)|''Armada'']] line also saw the name changed to "Side Swipe". Hasbro ''finally'' decided to re-file the name "Sideswipe" (as one word) as a trademark in 2008, presumably because a [[Sideswipe (Movie)|character]] in the upcoming movie ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' and the accompanying [[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|toy line]] was going to sport that name, and Hasbro were using that as an opportunity to re-introduce the spelling of the name as one word. As a result, the ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' Deluxe Class toy was the first toy to "properly" sport the name "Sideswipe" as one word.

* The ''Alternators'' Dodge Viper mold was originally designed to be a new body for [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] after the first attempt to secure the Corvette license had fallen through. Eventually, though, Chevrolet had a change of mind and granted Hasbro and Takara the license for the Corvette design after all. As a result, the Viper mold was slightly redesigned, was given a new head sculpt and released as Sideswipe (or "Side Swipe") instead. This explains why, unlike most of the early Alternators toys, Side Swipe's robot mode bears little resemblance to his G1 self. The most noticeable redesign from the "Tracks" design was the vehicle mode's doors being moved from the "backpack" [[Kibble|kibble]] (where they would have resembled the G1 Tracks toy's wings) to the sides of the arms, thus being the most obvious visual cue taken from the G1 Sideswipe toy. The doors are, however, still splayed out to the sides in the Alternators box art and can be moved to match Tracks' wing configuration, which implies that the redesign may have been done before the switch from Tracks to Sideswipe was made.

[[Image:SunstreakerSideswipeSDCC2007.jpg|thumb|250px|Universe [[Tigertrack]]. Fortunately, this didn't happen.]]
*Sideswipe has the dubious distinction of being the only one of the European Autobot Classic Heroes range not to feature in Marvel UK's [[Earthforce]] stories, not even making a late appearance like fellow 1991 addition Tracks.

* Hasbro's early plans for ''Universe'' Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had the two as straight [[redeco]]s of each other, only differing in their head sculpts besides their colors—namely, Sunstreaker would have just been Sideswipe in yellow with a different head. It was [[TakaraTomy]] designer [[Hisashi Yuki]] who suggested an alternate transformation by turning the upper body by 180 degrees, thus providing more individual robot mode looks for the two characters that resemble their respective ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1]]'' designs more.<ref name="generations2009">Interview with Hisashi Yuki in [[Transformers Generations 2009|''Transformers Generations 2009'' vol. 1]], [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/223379-takaratomy-staff-interview-generations-2009-vol-1-translation.html English translation] at TFW2005.</ref> In addition, Hasbro originally intended the [[alternate mode]]'s supercharger to split into two halves which would then become the handgun and a spring-loaded shoulder launcher for the robot mode.
* Along the same vein, Takara also made the willful decision to omit the supercharger from their ''Henkei! Henkei!'' version of Lambor (Universe Sideswipe) to differentiate further between him and Sunstreaker. That's right: Takara ''deliberately omitted an optional piece of accessory'' to make the toy more "G1-accurate".<ref name="generations2009"/>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Lambor''' (ランボル ''Ranboru'')
*''Cantonese:'' '''Swipe''' (斯韋伯 ''Si Wai Baak'', literally "This Soft-leather Elder")
*''French:'' '''Frérot''' (Canada, "Bro")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Csatár''' ("Striker")
*''Italian:'' '''Freccia''' ("Arrow")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Tsè Sǎu''' (Taiwan, 側掃, "Side Swipe"), '''Heng Pao''' (China, 横炮, "Horizontal Cannon")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Esgalhador''' (Portugal comic), '''Surrupio''' (Brazil comic)
*''Russian:'' '''Uppercut''' (Апперкот ''Apperkot'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

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

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Alternators Autobots]]
[[Category:Attacktix]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Customization class toys]]
[[Category:Decoys]]
[[Category:E-Hobby]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Autobots]]
[[Category:Go-Bots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Autobots]]
[[Category:MyClone]]
[[Category:Titanium Series]]
[[Category:Toys "R" Us exclusives]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]
[[Category:Universe Autobots]]

Bumblebee (G1)

2011-06-03T17:58:06Z

78.148.117.168: /* Generation 1 cartoon continuity */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Bumblebee}}
{{suite}}
:''Bumblebee is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]]. He was known as '''Goldbug''' for a time in some continuities.''
[[Image:BumblebeeRIC.jpg|right|275px|thumb|Ahoy oy!]]
'''Bumblebee''' is one of the smallest and physically weakest Autobots. While his stature allows him to do his job better than most Autobots could manage, he is self-conscious about his size. Maybe this is why he makes fast friends among the humans. He looks up (so to speak) to the other Autobots, especially [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], but what he doesn't realize is that ''they'' look up to ''him''. He may be small, but he's brave, and he's one of the most well-liked Autobots around. Bumblebee already has the respect he craves.

As '''Goldbug'''—his [[Renaming|rebuilt]] and "matured" form—Bumblebee retains most of his earlier strengths and weaknesses, but without his crippling need for approval. (This is true of some "matured" versions of Bumblebee without new names or bodies, as well, but is quite markedly associated with the change to Goldbug).

His nicknames are '''Bee''' and '''Beeper'''.<ref>According to [[Jim Sorenson]], Bumblebee had Bee and Beeper listed as his nicknames in [[Bob Budiansky]]'s personal Transformers comic bible. Nicknames for other characters could be found in early ''[[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Universe]]''-style profiles published in [[The Transformers Comic Magazine]]. In the Marvel Comics, Blackrock referred to him as Bum.</ref>

{{quote|Some of my best friends are humans.|Bumblebee, on his kid-friendly nature|"[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Bumblebeemarvel1.jpg|left|100px|thumb|Bumblebee's first appearance... anywhere.]]
Four million years ago, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] led a crew of [[Autobot|Autobots]] including Bumblebee aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] to clear a path through an asteroid belt for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to pass through. Once their objective was completed, they were attacked by [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] and both their ships crashed in a volcanic mountain on a primitive planet known as [[Earth]]. In 1984, [[Mount St. Hilary|the volcano]] erupted, awakening their ship, which rebuilt them. Bumblebee was reconfigured to transform into a yellow Volkswagen Beetle. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}}

[[Image:Bumblebeeg1earlymodels.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Early on, Bumblebee suffered a few wardrobe malfunctions.]]
[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] led a mission into a human city to investigate their new world. Bumblebee, anxious to be the first to meet the planet's inhabitants, rear-ended a car full of teenagers watching ''[[A Kiss for Us]]'' at the [[Community Drive-In]]. Before he could introduce himself, he was under attack by Decepticons and damaged badly. One of the teenagers, [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]], brought the car back to his father's auto repair shop. Bumblebee weakly pleaded to them to fix him, for he was dying. Buster's father, [[Sparkplug Witwicky]], fixed Bumblebee and offered to help the Autobots convert their native fuel resources into a form that Transformers could use. Bumblebee took Buster with him back towards the Ark to relay this message. {{storylink|Power Play!}}

After a seemingly final battle with the Decepticons, the long-lost Decepticon [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] arrived and reversed the Autobots' victory with a single blast. {{storylink|The Last Stand}} Bumblebee and the rest of the Autobots were kept captive aboard the Ark until [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] managed to free the Ark from Decepticon control and repair them. {{storylink|DIS-Integrated Circuits!}} However, Buster had been entrusted with safeguarding the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]], which the Decepticons discovered, so Bumblebee and [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] were sent to protect him. Buster was attacked by the Decepticons' newly-built but lifeless [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]. Bumblebee and Bluestreak did their best to defend Buster, but it was Buster's use of the powers of the Creation Matrix which saved them all, disassembling Jetfire in mid-air. Bumblebee removed Jetfire's brain so Buster could reassemble and remote-control the body with his mind. {{storylink|Brainstorm!}}

[[Image:Bumblebeebluestreakbrainstorm.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Kid-appeal guys may seem annoying at first, but wait until we put them next to Bluestreak!]]
''After the Creation Matrix was returned to a restored Optimus Prime, he was still somewhat disconcerted by his ordeal. When the Decepticon spy [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] was briefly captured, only to escape again, Bumblebee saw how much this troubled his already upset leader and took it upon himself to chase down and capture the fleeing spy. Unfortunately, he got in over his head and was captured by [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s Decepticons after being led into a box canyon. In order to show the Autobots they meant business, Soundwave had [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] deliver Bumblebee's severed arm to the Ark as a message. Soundwave had learned from Ravage how low Prime's self-confidence was at that juncture, and planned to lure the despondent Autobot leader to his death. Instead, kidnapping Bumblebee just pissed Prime off, and he single-handedly bashed and battered his way through the entire Decepticon front, rescuing Bumblebee and restoring his confidence in the process. {{storylink|Crisis of Command!}}''

''During the Dinobot Hunt, Bumblebee went to Alaska with Optimus and Ratchet to reinforce the unit trying to overcome the rampaging [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]. While scouting the perimeter, Bumblebee was shocked to discover a cloaked Autobot shuttlecraft and three of his comrades who had gone missing earlier in the Hunt. He also discovered a Decepticon-issue sonic lance (that was being used to drive Sludge "berserker mad") installed in the ship. Rightly suspecting a booby trap, instead of just turning the device off, Bumblebee instead evacuated his comrades and got a good distance away from the ship before using his gun to blow up the sonic lance. Good call — the shuttlecraft exploded violently the moment he did so. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!}}''

[[Image:Bumblebeeplight.jpg|right|100px|thumb|RARR BUMBLEBEE SMASH]]
When the Autobots took steps to fill out their ranks, Bumblebee was charged with giving four new recruits ([[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], and [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]]) a tour of the planet. Bumblebee decided a [[Brick Springhorn]] concert would be a good destination, but the Decepticons had sabotaged the event to harvest [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. Bumblebee disobeyed orders and led the four into battle, saving the concert. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}} When [[Donny Finkleberg|Robot-Master]] appeared on television and claimed to control the Transformers, it was Bumblebee's job to ask their human business partner, [[G.B. Blackrock]] what the deal was. Robot-Master broadcast next in a coal mine next to a de-energized [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], but before Bumblebee and several other Autobots could investigate, they were pushed away by overwhelming Earth military forces. {{storylink|I, Robot-Master!}}

This event caused Bumblebee to question his usefulness to the Autobots, and he abandoned them without a word. The Decepticons, however, saw much use for him and attempted to apprehend him. Hiding in a used car lot, he was stolen by [[Ernest|two]] [[Waldo Dobbs|humans]], whom he adopted for a while. The Decepticons did not relent, and Bumblebee was ultimately rescued by the rest of the Autobots, an act which reminded him how valuable he was to them. {{storylink|Plight of the Bumblebee!}}

Later, the Autobots decided to create combiner robots of their own, to match the power of the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] and their united form, [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. To accomplish this goal, Optimus Prime staged a frontal assault on the [[Wyoming base|Decepticon quarry base]] as a cover for Bumblebee to infiltrate the area unnoticed. When the Decepticons inevitably unleashed Devastator to counter the Autobot offensive, Bumblebee was on hand to take a sensor recording of Devastator's transformation sequence, giving [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] a blueprint to start from and improve upon. The [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] were soon created as a result of Bumblebee's heroic efforts. {{storylink|Command Performances!}}

On [[Christmas]] Eve, Bumblebee and the Autobots investigated the loss of electricity in [[Midville]]. Discovering the source of the problem was [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], and their [[power siphon|energy siphon]], Bumblebee helped confront the Decepticons and shoo them away. The human child [[Megan Perry]] asked if he'd help them get to town so they could deliver presents to the needy, and Bumblebee did them one better: he wired the town's Christmas tree to his car's engine to power its lights. {{storylink|The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas}}

[[Image:Goldbugmechanicaldifficulties.jpg|left|200px|thumb|In his earlier appearances, Goldbug kept Bumblebee's body and color scheme.]]
Due to [[#Conflicting Goldbug origins|conflicting circumstances]], Bumblebee was damaged and rebuilt into a stronger but similar form—Goldbug. Goldbug and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] were ordered by the new Autobot leader, Grimlock, to track down the [[Mechanic (G1)|Mechanic]], who had stolen Autobot technology from the Ark. Grimlock was a terrible leader and had no regard for human life, so both Goldbug and Blaster exiled themselves from his command. {{storylink|Mechanical Difficulties!}} Goldbug and Blaster found themselves in the desert of the American Southwest and, thanks to a run-in with the Decepticon [[Triple Changer]]s, were infested with the disease known as [[Scraplet]]s. Goldbug and his human friend [[Charlie Fong]] left to get help and possibly a cure, but Blaster believed Goldbug had abandoned him to die. {{storylink|Crater Critters}} Near death himself, Goldbug arrived with Charlie at a gas station, where they met up with the [[Throttlebot]]s, sent from Cybertron by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] and armed with acid to contain the disease. Goldbug narrowly escaped extermination when it was discovered that the cure for Scraplets was none other than ordinary [[water]]. Goldbug called industrialist G.B. Blackrock (on a pay phone), and Blackrock trucked in tanks of water himself. Blaster was cured and his trust in Goldbug was restored. {{storylink|The Cure!}}

[[Image:Goldbugthecure.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Goldbug finished his evolution into his own character model by the time the Throttlebots showed up. He kept Bumblebee's colors, though.]]
''With the Throttlebots joining Goldbug and Blaster on their travels, the group discovered that the bodies of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] had been found. While they initially intended to let the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] destroy Galvatron, they were forced to intervene to save human lives. {{storylink|Ladies' Night}} This unfortunately attracted the wrath of the Combaticons.'' The group found refuge in a used car lot owned by [[Big Steve Ludwig (G1)|Big Steve]]. However, they were all badly in need of fuel. They attempted a deal with Big Steve, but he double-crossed them, filling them up with soda pop instead of gasoline. It was then that the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] caught up with them, followed by the Combaticons. During the ensuing battle, the immobilized Throttlebots (including Goldbug) were carted away by the humans' anti-robot organization, [[Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team|RAAT]]. {{storylink|Used Autobots}}

Goldbug and the captured Throttlebots were interrogated by [[Intelligence and Information Institute|Triple-I]], who eventually had their bodies crushed in a pointless threat to stop Decepticon raids. However, their brain modules were transplanted by [[Walter Barnett]] into remote-control cars owned by his son, who sought out Goldbug's old friend Buster at Goldbug's suggestion. After being attacked by the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] and separated from the others, Goldbug and Buster traveled to Mount St. Hilary and found the Ark gone. Using equipment left behind, Goldbug and Buster sent a distress call, just before Ratbat revealed he'd tagged along and crushed the Autobot's toy car body. {{storylink|Toy Soldiers!}}

Arriving in response to his distress call, the Autobot [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] rescued Goldbug's shattered form, [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] patching into his circuits to ease the pain of retelling the attack and capture of Buster. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}} Taken back to their ship, [[Brainstorm]] built him a new body identical to his Throttlebot form. Goldbug used it on a mission that led to the discovery that Optimus Prime's mind was recorded on [[floppy disk]] and served as his leader's eyes in commanding the Autobot [[Pretender]]s. {{storylink|Pretender to the Throne!}}

Goldbug championed the reconstruction of his former leader's body, until his present allies suggested contacting the Ark to seek the resources to do it. Goldbug was quickly imprisoned by Grimlock, but this allowed him to convince Blaster to fight the Dinobot. After the Decepticons attacked during the pair's duel, Fortress Maximus ordered Goldbug to take the ''[[Steelhaven]]'' and its skeleton crew back to [[Nebulos]] to rebuild Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

Arriving on Nebulos, Goldbug and the others were successful in rebuilding Optimus Prime despite the planet's now-toxic fuel. Goldbug avoided having to undergo the [[Powermaster]] process to survive like the other Autobots due to his high fuel efficiency. {{storylink|People Power!}} On the journey back, Optimus and Goldbug investigated word of [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] starring in the [[Cosmic Carnival]], eventually rescuing the Autobot and his [[Spacehikers|young human companions]]. {{storylink|The Cosmic Carnival}}

[[Image:Bumblebeeskindeep.jpg|left|175px|thumb|Ratchet cares not for your maturation and wishes you were more like 1984...]]
Goldbug was later destroyed by the [[Underbase]]-powered [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in [[New York City|New York]]. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}} Goldbug was repaired by Ratchet using Pretender technology... sort of. Instead of simply restoring Goldbug, Ratchet rebuilt him as a much larger Bumblebee, {{storylink|All the Familiar Faces!}} explaining that he'd always preferred Bumblebee's original form. Before they could discuss it further, Bumblebee had to help [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and Grimlock against Megatron and his minions. While the new Pretenders defeated the other Decepticons, Ratchet seemingly sacrificed himself to destroy Megatron and [[Megatron's base|his base]]. {{storylink|Skin Deep}}

Afterward, the three Pretenders briefly joined the Autobot resistance movement on Cybertron. Thanks to his increased stature, Bumblebee experienced a big boost of confidence as he and the others rejuvenated the resistance. In response, [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] ordered the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] to assassinate them. As Bumblebee, Jazz, Grimlock and the [[Rescue Patrol]] prepared to teleport to Earth, the three Decepticons attacked [[Autobase]], sabotaging the [[Trans-Time Dimensional Portal]]. All nine Transformers found themselves teleported into the heart of Cybertron, where the Autobots discovered the resting place of [[Primus]]. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

There, they encountered the [[Keeper (Transformer)|Keeper]] and learned the secret origin of the Transformers, as well as of Primus's never-ending battle with [[Unicron]]. As the Keeper's tale ended, the Mayhem Attack Squad found the Autobots. Their initial attack destroyed the Keeper, but Bumblebee and the others handily defeated them. However, a stray blast woke Primus seconds before the repaired portal sent the Transformers back to Earth. {{storylink|Primal Scream (issue)|Primal Scream}}

[[Image:Bumblebeedarkcreation.jpg|right|200px|thumb|...just like Thunderwing, who killed your gimmick.]]
With Unicron undoubtedly on his way to devour Cybertron, Bumblebee and his fellow Pretenders embarked on a quest to find the lost [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]]. The three traveled to [[VsQs]], the last known location of Optimus Prime's funeral barge, to search for clues. Finding an abandoned science station, Bumblebee searched through its computer records. He confirmed that the scientists had found Prime's body and the Matrix, but also a [[Matrixspawn|strange creature]] that promptly attacked one of the scientists. Before they could investigate further, Thunderwing attacked, also seeking the Matrix. Bumblebee used his Pretender shell to combat the Decepticon, only for Thunderwing to destroy it. The feedback temporarily knocked Bumblebee unconscious, and it seemed Thunderwing would destroy all three Autobots, until the Matrixspawn attacked. While Thunderwing pursued the creature, Bumblebee and the other Autobots searched the science station for the Matrix. They recovered it, but were so low on Energon that they were becoming unable to compensate for the moon's heavy gravity. While they were attempting to reach their shuttle, Thunderwing overtook them, seizing the Matrix and leaving them for dead. {{storylink|Dark Creation}} Fortunately for Bumblebee, the Autobots sent a shuttle to rescue him and the others before they entered final shutdown. {{storylink|Eye of the Storm}}

{{note|Although it was not expressly stated on panel, the Classic Pretenders apparently lost their shells on VsQs.}}
Bumblebee survived the war with Unicron, and was one of many Autobots left on Cybertron afterwards. {{storylink|Exodus!}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
''In 2007, Bumblebee was stationed on Cybertron after [[Unicron]] destroyed [[Moonbase Two]]. Under the command of [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], he helped ambush a [[Airborne hunter squad|group of Decepticon attackers]], catching them in a pre-planned crossfire. ''{{storylink|Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[Image:Earthforce.jpg|left|thumb|150px|]]
''When Optimus Prime left Grimlock in charge of protecting Earth, Bumblebee signed up for the new "Earthforce" along with many of his long-time comrades. {{storylink|Break-Away!}} After Prowl disappeared while riding an atmosphere-destroying missile through the stratosphere (long story), Bumblebee and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] went looking for him. They picked up a set of Transformer lifesigns on a small island in the Bahamas, and took some speeder bikes to investigate. Instead of Prowl, what they found was a massive reconstructed version of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], half-finished as the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] attempted to recreate their combined form as an independent super-warrior. Luckily, Bumblebee had Ironhide along to disable the automated defense ring protecting the Devastator project, and they were able to destroy "him" before the Constructicons could activate their creation. {{storylink|Desert Island Risks!}}''

''Later, Bumblebee joined Jazz, Ironhide and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] in infiltrating the Decepticon [[Enclave]]. Fearing an alliance between the two Decepticon factions would be bad news for the Autobots, Ironhide conceived a plan to throw a spanner into the proceedings. Using an unconscious [[Headstrong]] as a patsy, the Autobots staged a sniper shot at Megatron. When Megatron and his Decepticons unleashed their firepower at the rocks where the shot supposedly came from, Jazz and Bumblebee tossed down Headstrong's body, leading Megatron to conclude Shockwave had tried to have him killed. The peace talks quickly went downhill from there. {{storylink|The Bad Guy's Ball!}}''

''Bumblebee was present when Wheeljack showcased his brand-new defense grid to successfully protect Autobot Earthbase. Unfortunately, Wheels forgot that, once activated, the defense system could only be deactivated from inside the base... behind the various laser cannons and heat-seekers and Acidbats he had turned on. While Prowl ran the gauntlet to reach the control center, Bumblebee and Jazz watched his back, drawing fire and disabling what defenses they could. {{storylink|The House that Wheeljack Built!}} Later, Bumblebee and several other Autobots went in pursuit of [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] of the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], who had kidnapped their human ally, [[Irwin Spoon (G1)|Irwin Spoon]]. Weaving their way through the various Stunticons who got in the way, Bumblebee and [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] finally managed to trick two of Motormaster's own thugs into running him off the road themselves, giving Bumblebee a chance to rip off his cab door and retrieve Spoon. {{storylink|End of the Road! (UK)|End of the Road!}}''
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====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
{{TransformersComicMagazin}}

Bumblebee was present when Powermaster Optimus Prime led the Autobots against the joint Decepticon leaders Shockwave and Megatron, who had tried to hijack the oil reserves of [[Alaska]]. The Autobots drove off the Decepticons, but not before [[Quickmix (G1)|Quickmix]] accidentally shot a Minibot because he turned off his targetting computer. Bumblebee argued that the Autobots should turn their targetting computers off because while they would be less accurate, they would be faster and more agile. Optimus then sat his troops down and explained to them the differences between Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 2|Transformers in Action: Attack at Dawn}}

He attended a meeting in which Optimus Prime lectured the Autobots on the basics of their mission and existence, and applauded Slapdash's call for a one-world Autobot government. He notes that if the Autobots were like the Decepticons, they wouldn't have had to drift through space for an eternity and be entombed on Earth for four million years. Later, the Decepticons attack an oil tanker, and he helps the rescue effort as a Classic Pretender. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 6|Transformers in the Battle for Peace: A Big Day for Powermaster Optimus Prime}} He was present when the Decepticons unleashed a robotic hell-beast known as 'King Con' on New York; however Optimus Prime rented a helicopter to fly a banner announcing huge raw oil deposit finds in the Rocky Mountains. After a short hesitation, the Decepticons retreated to pursue these findings. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 7|Transformers — Transforming Robots in Action: New York — A City Sinking in Terror}}

When the Decepticons stole three nuclear missiles from the United State Federation to hold the world to ransom, Optimus Prime ordered that [[Bumblebee]], [[Jazz]] and [[Grimlock]] be given the power and abilities of Pretenders and sent to defeat the Decepticons. They arrived outside the Decepticon base, but were attacked by Pretender Starscream! Beating Starscream, they then chased off the Firecons in their Pretender shells, leaving Bumblebee to defeat Megatron one-on-one and stop the missile countdown. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 8|Transformers in Action: Megatron's Ultimatum}}

====Conflicting Goldbug origins====
[[Image:Goldbugorigins.jpg|left|200px|thumb|One of these things never happened. You choose which! (left: US; right: UK)]]
In ''[[G.I. Joe and the Transformers]]'', Bumblebee was destroyed by [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] due to a misunderstanding. They later rebuilt him as Goldbug with help from Ratchet. However, Marvel UK did not initially print the crossover, so an alternate origin for Goldbug was conceived. In the pages of the UK comic, Bumblebee was destroyed by a time-traveling [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]], yes? Then he was repaired by a time-traveling [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]]. (The Marvel Joe/TF crossover was published in the UK towards the end of the series.) The conflicting origins for Goldbug is the single largest difference between the American and British Marvel Transformers comics; ''most'' everything else kinda sorta meshes together, if you squint.
{{-}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Fangrybumblebeeghosts.jpg|left|150px|thumb|A friendly game of Bumblebowling, honest]]
Years after the battle on [[Klo]], and the Autobots had returned to a renewed Cybertron, Bumblebee received a distress signal from G.I. Joe on Earth, notifying them of Megatron's return. He passed this information on to Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Goin' South}} He also accompanied Prime and a team of Autobots to an unnamed planet home to an ancient civilization which reportedly stored a cache of superweapons, and battled the Decepticons there until a monstrous native scared them away. {{storylink|Ghosts}}

Bumblebee was among the Autobot/Decepticon forces battling the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] on [[Ethos]]. {{storylink|Escalation!}}

{{-}}
====''Generation 2'' (UK)====
[[Image:G2BumblebeeFleetwayWarWithoutEnd.jpg|thumb|Hey, look, it's G2 Elite Guard Bumblebee.]]
Millions of years ago, before the Transformers' war left Cybertron, Bumblebee and Optimus Prime participated in a furious battle against the forces of the Decepticons. {{storylink|War Without End (issue)|War Without End}}
{{-}}

====''Classics''====
Bumblebee was among the Autobots who returned to Earth with Optimus Prime once word of Megatron's re-emergence reached them on Cybertron. They established a headquarters at [[Autobase Prima]] in the Pacific Northwest. Bumblebee remained behind at headquarters when Optimus and the Autobots helped [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]] on his quest. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 3}} He was present when they returned from the battlefield with injured soldiers. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[Image:PlagueOfInsecticons Bumblebee and Spike hide.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
{{main|Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity}}

Bumblebee was one of the several [[Autobots]] who were searching for energy when the [[Decepticon]]s attacked their [[Ark (G1)|spacecraft]], forcing them to crash-land on [[Earth]] 4 million years ago. When Bumblebee and the others were awoken in 1985, Bumblebee quickly befriended the [[human]] teenager [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]].

Bumblebee and Spike would remain friends up through Spike's adulthood, and were stationed on one of Cybertron's moons in 2005 after the Decepticons conquered Cybertron. Bumblebee survived [[Unicron]]'s attack on Cybertron, and remained in action during the leadership of [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]].

When Bumblebee was damaged badly during the [[Hate Plague]] outbreak in 2006, he had to be rebuilt into a new form, Goldbug. Goldbug would live to see the next Cybertronian Golden Age.
{{-}}

===''Legends'' anthology===
Bumblebee, Spike, and [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] happened upon a badly damaged [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] while out racing. Bumblebee convinced the others to bring Starscream back to the Ark for repairs, under the rationale that while Starscream wouldn't have done the same for them, they weren't Decepticons. {{storylink|Redemption Center}}

Hey, remember that time in the comics when a couple of guys stole Bumblebee? What if they were kind of jerks? What if Bumblebee decided to make them pee themselves? {{storylink|Joyride (story)|Joyride}}
{{charstubfiction}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{notekeepers}}
At the death of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], Bumblebee was part of an Autobot unit defending [[Altihex]] from the Decepticons, but it was ultimately declared a lost cause. [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] had to pull him aboard the shuttle once they realized there was nothing left to do. [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] ordered him, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], and others to the ruins of [[Praxus]], where Grimlock declared that if the new [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] was unable to lead successfully, they would take control of the war's leadership... and take out the Prime. Bumblebee was among the group that was present for the Matrix transfer ceremony, where Optronix became [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. When a Decepticon assassination squad arrived and Optimus kicked some exhaust port, Bumblebee declared that he was "awesome". However, Prime then ordered the Autobots to prepare an evacuation of Cybertron. {{storylink|The War Within issue 1}} When Prime went underground looking for Megatron, Bumblebee was surprised he'd gone alone, but the Autobots suddenly had bigger problems, as [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] attacked [[Iacon (city-state)|Iacon]] with a host of Decepticons. {{storylink|The War Within issue 2}} During the attack, Bumblebee manned a turret in the [[Decagon]]. {{storylink|The War Within issue 3}} Eventually, Prowl ordered the Autobots to take them on individually, and Bumblebee went out carrying a cannon that was as [[Scale|big]] as him. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5}} Bumblebee survived the destruction of Iacon, and Prime reversed his order of evacuation. {{storylink|The War Within issue 6}} During the Dark Ages and the disappearance of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee remained with Prowl's faction of Autobots, huddled in the ruins of Iacon. {{storylink|War Within: The Dark Ages}}

[[Image:DWPrimeDirective2 Bumblebee destruction.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Someone has to pay for the little things.]]
Bumblebee was one of the Ark crew that crashed on Earth and awoke in 1984. During that time, he met Spike Witwicky, becoming close friends with the human. In 1999, the Autobots and humans allied and managed to capture the Decepticons, taking them in the ''[[Ark II]]'' back to Cybertron, along with seven humans, including Sparkplug Witwicky, Spike's father. However, the ''Ark II'' was sabotaged by rogue elements of the United States military (apparently as part of a plan by Shockwave). {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 1}} The humans were all killed, but a number of Transformers, including Bumblebee, survived, but in [[stasis lock]]. Bumblebee's body was recovered by [[Robert Hallo|General Hallo]] and [[Lazarus|Adam Rook]], but Rook stole Bumblebee and a number of other Transformers, selling them to various terrorists. Megatron broke free, and the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], being dicks, disassembled and played with Bumblebee's various components. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 3}}

Optimus Prime's team later rescued him and the remaining Autobots, and they were all put to work in combating Megatron's techno-virus. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 5}} Unfortunately, the [[Canada|Canadian]] military, skittish over the recent Transformer violence, attacked the Autobots. Despite this, Bumblebee tried to save as many of the soldiers as he could before the virus could kill them. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 6}}

''In the following weeks, the Autobots tried their best to re-establish good relations with the people of Earth, but had little luck. After Optimus Prime, Megatron, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] vanished from the streets of Tokyo with roughly 200 human civilians, the public was understandably critical of the Transformers and their war. Bumblebee didn't help any when [[Chris Killah]], a reporter for MNT, interviewed him on the scene while he and Prowl were looking for clues to the disappearance. Bumblebee's knowledge of Earth idioms and slang normally worked to the Autobots' benefit, but he got "stage fright" in front of the TV cameras and referred to the massive property damage and loss of human life as a "bummer". Duuuuude...no. ''

''With both sides effectively leaderless at first, Bumblebee and Prowl did their best to contain the fallout of Megatron and Prime's disappearance. Acting on a tip, they tracked [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] to an airport in [[Mesa Verde]], [[Mexico]], where he was running guns with some human terrorists. The battle was memorable, but brief, thanks largely to the arrival of the renegade Autobot known as Grimlock. Having heard the Starscream had taken over the human city of [[Las Vegas]], Grimlock had commissioned a human black ops army and invited Bumblebee and Prowl to join him in assaulting the Decepticon position. Already frustrated at the [[United Nations]]' orders to stay out of Vegas, for fear of civilian casualties, Bumblebee and Prowl accepted the offer. After fighting their way through [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] and the other [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] on the outskirts of town, the Autobots managed to make it to the center of the Strip to confront Soundwave. Fortunately, the Autobots had long since developed internal jammers to prevent Soundwave from reading their thoughts during a battle, but that didn't make things easy. Fighting their way around the casinos, Bumblebee finally collapsed a massive neon sign on top of Soundwave, temporarily ending the fight. Bumblebee and Prowl's luck turned sour, though, with the arrival of Starscream and the mighty Devastator. The sudden appearance of a spatial gateway depositing Optimus and the other lost Transformers, along with their captors the [[Keeper (species)|Keepers]], was just one set of complications on top of another. {{storylink|Hardwired}}''

Sometime later, the Autobots received visitors from Cybertron. Representing a united Cybertronian government of both Autobots and Decepticons, they claimed the Transformers on Earth were a throwback to darker days, and wanted to take them into custody to prevent their "anachronistic" feud from upsetting Cybertron's populace. The Autobots under Optimus Prime split into two groups, with Bumblebee and several others joining their leader in surrendering to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]'s forces, while Jazz led a small group away from the Ark to continue monitoring activities on Earth. Once they arrived on Cybertron, it became clear that there was a rotten core to the new government, namely [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. Bumblebee and the other Autobots from Earth joined up with a resistance movement and helped overthrow Shockwave's reign, reinstating Autobot rule over Cybertron. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

[[Image:Bumblebeebattlemask.jpg|right|200px|thumb|25 years before someone realized his toy has no face.]]
After Cybertron settled down, Bumblebee commanded the Autobot Shuttle ''[[Orion]]'' and a small crew, travelling back to Earth with supplies for Jazz's team at the Ark. Starscream and the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] were in the midst of an attack on the Ark when the ''Orion'' arrived. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}} The little ship managed to damage [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] significantly before the super-powerful zealot [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] shorted out its engines and it crashed. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}} After [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] sacrificed himself to stop Sunstorm, Bumblebee deserted the Autobot army (for no stated reason). {{storylink|Atonement}} He headed to Spike's house, but Spike, resentful of the death of Sparkplug, lashed out at him. Afterward, Spike finally realized he was being harsh on his old friend, and the two went for a night on the town, where they stopped a mugging. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}}
{{-}}
{{note|The closure of [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] means we will never know if Bumblebee returned to the Autobots or if he and Spike formed a crime-fighting duo.}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
Bumblebee was aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' when it crashed on Earth millions of years in the past, leaving its passengers deactivated. Along with [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], he was sealed off from the rest of the crew in the crash, and therefore avoided capture when [[Cobra]] broke into the ship and stole the dormant Transformers therein. Bumblebee and Wheeljack were eventually revived by [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletran-One]], only to find their friends missing. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4}}

Attempting to find the missing Transformers, Bumblebee disguised himself as a Volkswagen Beetle, an altmode that really got on his nerves after months of fruitless searching. Eventually, Wheeljack came up with some leads on Cobra's next target, while Bumblebee just grumbled that Wheeljack got all the good [[Hologram|holographic]] drivers. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2}} When Cobra attacked the [[SPS Research Facility]], the Autobots were waiting for them, and Bumblebee punched out a brainwashed [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] before helping [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'s [[Laser Squad]] get out of some rubble. Unfortunately, the humans didn't quite trust the giant robots, and [[Cover Girl]] fired a missile at 'Bee, who ''grabbed the projectile in mid-air'' and threw it at Rumble instead. He and Wheeljack eventually convinced G.I. Joe they were good guys, and the humans provided them with the information needed to undo Cobra's reprogramming of the other Transformers. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #3}}

As G.I. Joe prepared to attack [[Cobra Island]], Bumblebee and Wheeljack came with them. However, the United States government preferred nuke the island and dissect the two aliens at [[Area 51]], and Bumblebee was struck with a magnetic pulse and incapacitated. Luckily, Wheeljack convinced [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]] that a nuclear strike on Cobra's [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] stockpile would lead to worldwide devastation, so G.I. Joe broke orders and took the Autobots with them to attack Cobra Island anyway. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4}} Upon arrival, Bumblebee watched as the [[SPS Satellite]]'s energy beam struck an energy-gathering dish on the island, then helped G.I. Joe take down [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] after the giant Decepticon killed [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5}}

It soon transpired that the United States government were sending the nukes regardless of G.I. Joe's presence on the island, so the Autobots and humans made their way to the SPS Satellite's controls, where Bumblebee found a cowering [[Doctor Mindbender]]. While Mindbender was forced to calibrate the satellite's beams to shoot down the approaching nuclear warheads, the facility came under attack by [[Storm Shadow]], [[Firefly]] and various Cobra troopers. During the battle, Bumblebee defeated Storm Shadow and his heavily damaged [[S.N.A.K.E.]] suit. He then cheered as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] defeated Megatron and shot down the SPS Satellite, and he later returned to Cybertron aboard a new ''Ark''. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6}}

Two years later, Bumblebee was sent back through time to [[1970]]'s [[San Francisco]] by a malfunctioning [[Teletran 3]], and was left dormant in the form of a Ford Pinto. He was found and reactivated by several G.I. Joes and Cobra members sent to get him back to the future, but both Bumblebee and [[Zartan]] were disappointed with his altmode compared to the much fancier car his fellow time-lost Autobot [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] turned into. After hunting down [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] in the same era, the team returned to their own time. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} Back on present-day Cybertron, Bumblebee and the others had no choice but to wait inside [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]'s force field until the three other teams returned with more lost Transformers. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}} When the whole affair was over, Bumblebee curiously inspected Teletran 3. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4}}

An agreement was made between the Autobots and G.I. Joe to decommission any Cybertronian technology left on Earth, and Bumblebee was sent back to Earth along with [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], the last of whom he was very flirty with. When [[Area 52 (G1)|Area 52]] came under attack from Cobra, Bumblebee noticed that [[Cobra Commander]] was using the attack as a diversion to infiltrate the facility's lower levels. He pursued the Commander, but was rendered unconscious when Zartan planted an electromagnetic scrambler on him. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}} Just when Cobra Commander was about to smash the robot's face in with a lead pipe, the other Autobots and G.I. Joes arrived and saved him. While Arcee was worried about his low energy levels, Bumblebee assured her that seeing her was all the recharge he needed. However, it was soon revealed what Cobra Commander had come for: [[Serpent O.R.]], a biotechnological weapon created from Megatron's remains. He was also just as power-hungry as Megatron, and took control of [[G.I. Joe battle mech|G.I. Joe's battle suits]] and pitted them against the four Autobots to distract them while he warped to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2|The Art of War #2}}

[[Image:GIJoevsTFArtofwar3_BumblebeeDeath.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Crossovers are not kind to Bumblebee.]]

[[Image:JoeTF_ArtofWar5_BumblebeeMemorial.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Here Lies 'Bee / Only Time He Had A Girl In Any Continui-ty]]

Along with a group of Joes, the Autobots followed Serpent O.R. to their home planet, and ended up getting attacked by [[cannibalizer]]s in a junkyard. As they retreated to avoid human casualties, Bumblebee tried to extort a kiss from Arcee if he could outrace her, but she upped the bet by offering to rotate his tires if he could pull it off. Bumblebee accelerated in anticipation... and drove straight into [[Predaking]], who stomped him unconscious. Serpent O.R., who had recruited Predaking alongside various other Decepticons, complimented the little Autobot's courage and resilience, noting that he could probably survive with the proper medical attention. Then he crushed Bumblebee to death with his tentacles. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} Following the defeat of Serpent O.R., a funeral was held for Bumblebee and a statue was built in his honor. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

Bumblebee's death had a large impact on Optimus Prime, who blamed himself for his friend's death. Unwilling to send anyone else to their death, he went on a dangerous mission on Earth all by himself. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2|Black Horizon, Part 1}}
HE LIVESSSSS!!

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
After laying dormant among the [[Fera Islands]] for three million years, Bumblebee and his friends were reactivated in [[1939]] when [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] attacked [[Cobra]]'s headquarters in the archipelago. He was reformatted into a [[World War II]]-era motorcycle, complete with sidecar, and thought Optimus Prime was a bit pessimistic when he worried that [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] might no longer exist. {{storylink|Transformed}} The Autobots subsequently joined G.I. Joe on their mission to eliminate Cobra and their Decepticon allies. Bumblebee overheard [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]] and [[Stalker (G.I. Joe)|Stalker]] discussing that [[Snake-Eyes]] had vanished, and tried to reassure [[Scarlett]] that the missing Joe would show up eventually. Before long, the group came under attack from Cobra paratroopers, but the bullets merely bounced off Bumblebee, who happily suggested that the Autobots should try out their new bodies in action. {{storylink|Trial by Fire (issue)|Trial by Fire}}

Upon entering combat, the Autobots were faced with [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]], who was easily taking out the larger tank Autobots with his earthquakes. While Bumblebee was busy explaining who Rumble was, Scarlett commandeered him (noting how "sweet" it was that he had never been driven before) and drove into action, jumping above the Decepticon and destroying him with a grenade. Bumblebee felt that he and Scarlett made a nice team, and sheepishly told her that she could drive him anytime. How cheeky! {{storylink|Wolves}} When they reached Cobra's fortress, the [[Terrordrome]], the Autobots were attacked by a raging [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], whom Bumblebee noted that he had never seen before. In the end, the [[Matrix of Leadership]] had to be destroyed in order to stop Bruticus, which killed Bumblebee and all the other Transformers in the process. {{storylink|The Iron Fist}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{note|For information pertaining to Goldbug, a separate individual in the IDW continuity, see [[Goldbug (IDW)]].}}
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:Bumblebeeidw.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Bumblebee finally passed the gun exam.]]

Bumblebee was part of [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl's]] secret counter-infiltration unit on [[Earth]]. When [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] broke cover by rescuing a [[Hunter O'Nion|trio]] [[Verity Carlo|of]] [[Jimmy Pink|humans]], {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0}} Bumblebee was the one Autobot who supported his efforts. He was true to his role as an espionage agent and ferreted out their plans to continue joint operations against orders and joined in. Verity thought his alternate form and his [[holomatter]] avatar was "coool!" {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}} He accompanied Ratchet and the humans to investigate an abandoned [[Decepticon]] bunker in [[Nebraska]]. When Ratchet mentioned how he hated putting their humans at risk, Bumblebee pragmatically commented that, given the need for evidence of unusual Decepticon activity and the consequences of Decepticon Siege Mode, the humans would be "acceptable losses". While the humans were exploring the bunker, two Decepticons attacked, and Bumblebee managed to take down [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], but not before Ratchet was shot and run over by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}}

As the bombardment by the Decepticons caused the bunker to collapse, Verity had trouble climbing out of the shaft through which they entered. Bumblebee leapt into action when the tree the rope was attached to buckled under the crumbling terrain. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} He left the humans with Ratchet and traveled to [[Oregon]], the location of the second Decepticon command bunker, observing the situation until the rest of the Autobot unit could arrive. After witnessing Megatron "disciplining" Starscream and subsequently downgrading the infiltration unit's status to [[Infiltration protocol|Phase Two]], Bumblebee departed Oregon with the rest of the unit. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

[[Image:Bumblebee blasts LukeCage.jpg|left|thumb|180px|Oldest trick in the book.]]

Bumblebee went with the Autobots to investigate Decepticon activity in the country of [[Latveria]]. There they discovered a heavily shielded "array" that the Decepticons were using as a base. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One|Man and Machine #1}} There they skirmished with the humans that were assembled outside who were under the influence of the Decepticons' mind-altering [[Psycho-Prism]]. Bumblebee used his holomatter avatar in a "damsel in distress" ruse that distracted [[Luke Cage]] long enough for Bumblebee to get a clear shot. Ratchet was able to attach an inhibitor device to [[Captain America]] which nullified the effects of the Psycho-Prism. He gave Captain America enough devices for everyone on his team. Now calmed down, the two groups teamed up to destroy the Psycho-Prism. They began attacking the array's defenses which caused the Decepticons to attack. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two|Man and Machine #2}}

As they fought, Ratchet, Prowl, and Luke Cage were able to slip into the array. Outside, Bumblebee, Jazz, and Prime gave a power-boost to [[Iron Man]] in his Transformer-sized armor. After the battle quieted down, Megatron communicated via hologram from inside the array with his new ally [[Doctor Doom]]. They showed their captives, Ratchet, Prowl, Luke Cage, and [[Spider-Man]]. Megatron ordered their surrender or the captives would die. Optimus Prime ordered the quick destruction of the array. [[Falcon (superhero)|The Falcon]] objected because their teammates were still inside. Bumblebee argued that those few humans were expendable. There was a brief discussion, but Optimus Prime's orders won out and they all attacked the array. Megatron turned on Doctor Doom for being incorrect about them surrendering. Megatron didn't go through with his threat to kill his captives, instead he went outside to face his opponents and carrying Luke Cage. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three|Man and Machine #3}}

While Megatron was attacking, Bumblebee, Jazz, and [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]] [[orbital jump|orbital bounced]] into the array. They found that Doctor Doom switched sides and freed Spider-Man, so they went to find the Psycho-Prism. They found it guarded by [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], who wasn't in the mood to fight for Megatron's cause and left. Wolverine destroyed the Prism. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four|Man and Machine #4}}

Bumblebee was tasked by [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] to check the area surrounding their base for surveillance. He found a great deal of it, prompting the decision to relocate the ''[[Ark-19]]''. He was aboard when the ship was shot down by [[Sixshot]]. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} He survived but was injured in the subsequent battle with the living Decepticon weapon of mass destruction. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} He was presumably on the ''[[Ark-32]]'' when it left Earth. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

A year later, Bumblebee was hiding out with other Autobots on Cybertron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}}

[[Image:AHM4BumblebeeWheeljack.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Slag it, Bumblebee, stop making our jokes for us!]]
Bumblebee and Wheeljack were sent to search for energon by Jazz, but found the going rough in their Earth modes. Wheeljack suggested he whip up a polymer, but 'Bee very quickly pointed out the fact they hadn't the equipment. To make matters worse, the pair were being followed and their only hope of signaling for help was a million to one shot! Not willing to wait for back-up that wasn't coming, Bumblebee dragged Wheeljack along in an attempt to track the stranger down... when Hot Rod was knocked through a wall by Ironhide. Bumblebee was surprised to see Hot Rod, but more surprised to hear the other bot thought they were a rescue party! {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}}

Later, while being chased by the [[Insecticon swarm]], Bumblebee made a disparaging comment about [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], but [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] quickly put him in his place. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} As tensions rose, he almost had a throw-down with [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} Along with the other Autobots, Bumblebee was rescued and transported back to Earth by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} Together with the rest of the Autobots, he fought the Decepticons and drove them off the planet. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

After the departure of the Decepticons, the human military hunted down any remaining Transformer. Somehow Bumblebee got separated from his team in the ruins of New York. He managed to avoid detection until he was forced to reveal his location when a toppling building threatened the families inside. Bumblebee used his body to support the building, even as the nearby military fired into his body. Thankfully, Bumblebee was able to hold out until the humans inside had evacuated, and the timely arrival of Optimus Prime and the others kept the military from finishing him off. Once Bumblebee had been restored to working order, he asked Ratchet if they had heard his radio distress calls. No, Ratchet responded, Bumblebee's radio had been busted, but they heard about his plight on the humans' frequencies. Ratchet laughed, noting that was Optimus Prime's idea, who felt that it was only a matter of time before Bumblebee would have to save somebody and out himself. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 16|Hidden}}

Following the resignation of Optimus Prime and his surrender to the human organization [[Skywatch]], Bumblebee was elected to the position of Autobot commander despite not putting himself forward for the role. Ratchet posited his trustworthiness and dependability as factors in his being chosen. {{storylink|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}}

[[Image:Bumblebee 1 Leader.jpg|thumb|200px|left|And there was much rejoicing.]]
Though at first there was jubilation at Bumblebee's rise to leadership, his diplomatic nature and desire to be nice to everybody eventually led to problems. {{storylink|The Hanging Sword}} The first of many challenges in Bumblebee's new command was [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], who had arrived to investigate the death of [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. Magnus questioned Bumblebee's suitability for command in light of [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] leading his own group of Autobots away, and was not interested in helping Bumblebee with their current woes. Unfortunately, it was then that [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] decided to lead yet another exodus of Autobots (consisting of [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] and [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]) away from the main group. {{Storylink|A Rude Awakening}}

Wheeljack had little time or respect for Bumblebee's moping or his perceived lack of leadership ability, leading to several cutting remarks, much to the annoyance of Ratchet. Through some interference from Wheeljack, Bumblebee met with Skywatch rogue Colonel [[Gordon Horiuchi]] who gave them protection from Skywatch if the Autobots helped capture Decepticons. Unfortunately this "protection" could also lock them into vehicle mode if they misbehaved, which Horiuchi did when Cliffjumper refused to capture Blurr. {{storylink|The Hanging Sword}}

Tracking down Blurr, Bumblebee attempted to talk the fugitive Autobot over, to convince him to come quietly. Blurr was shocked that Bumblebee would agree to work with the humans, the people who had imprisoned others of their kind. When Bumblebee revealed that Blurr didn't have much of a choice, the latter decided to take his chances and shot Bumblebee at point blank range, which shorted out his kill-switch badge. Back at base, when Bumblebee refused to turn over Blurr, Horiuchi decided the Autobot needed a reminder of who was holding the leash and attempted to activate his kill-switch. Naturally, it didn't work, but Ratchet convinced Bumblebee to play along and pretend he was locked into vehicle mode. Seeing an opportunity, the Bumblebee concocted a plan where the reluctant Blurr would find a Volkswagen to take his place, allowing him to find a way to free the rest of the Autobots. Before leaving, Bumblebee gave the Autobots an inspiring speech that actually caused [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] to break character, surprising the Skywatch operatives who were listening in on those Autobots with functional kill-switch badges. Later, communicating with Ratchet via a text-only comm channel, Bumblebee located a large shipment of darmstadtium, the rare metal used in the kill-switches at a shipping port. As he was skulking around, he discovered the Constructicon [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]], who had repainted himself to disguise his identity from the humans, as well as the hope that he sneak onto one of the container ships. Bumblebee tried to convince him that they had to earn the respect of the humans, but Scavenger angrily scoffed at this, stating he would rather hide than work with them. Bumblebee left him in peace. {{storylink|The Impossible Knot}}

[[Image:TheGiftHorse_Bumblebee_Serena.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]

When Skywatch arrived to repair "Bumblebee's" kill-switch badge, they inadvertently revealed the identity of [[Sanjay Bharwaney]], a Skywatch researcher who was responsible for the secondary master control board for all of the badges. Bumblebee followed Bharwaney home, following Wheeljack's advice that altering the control board would short out the badges. Obviously unable to retrieve the control board directly, Bumblebee befriended Bharwaney's daughter, [[Serena Bharwaney|Serena]], in the hopes she could help him. Much to his distaste, Bumblebee had to lie to Serena, claiming that the control board would harm her father if he didn't "fix" it. He felt so bad about the whole thing that he believed doing this all but confirmed Humanity's opinion of the Transformers, a position that [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] did not tolerate. Unfortunately, it was discovered the control board contained tracking devices, meaning Bumblebee would be unable to get it back to their hideout before Colonel Horiuchi would notice and disable all the Autobots. This forced Bumblebee to make the modifications himself, a task he scarcely completed before Bharwaney returned home. As his friend Serena took the item back into her house, Bumblebee hoped that one day, he could repay her for his betrayal of her trust. {{Storylink|The Gift Horse}}

However, as he was making his way back to the Autobot hideout, Bumblebee detected [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] heading towards the Bharwaney house. Arriving just in time to save Bharwaney and his daughter, Bumblebee discovered the scientist to be an embittered man whose wife had died during the Decepticon invasion, and who now saw all Transformers, Autobot and Decepticon alike, as the same destructive aliens. During their flight, Bharwaney decided to use the control board to destroy both Bumblebee and Skywarp, seeing Bumblebee as a traitor to Horiuchi. When Serena appealed to her father, Bharwaney forced Bumblebee to admit that he did use Serena to get to the control board, and 'Bee apologised to the young girl. Letting them both out, Bumblebee asked Bharwaney for the control board so he could free his fellow Autobots. As they argued, Skywatch lieutenant [[Daniel Klonowski]] appeared and saved the trio from Skywarp, but despite his interference, Skywarp cut off Bumblebee's escape. Declaring that, unlike Skywarp, he had friends who would fix him, Bumblebee activated the control board, which simultaneously destroyed the kill-switch badges on the Autobots and seriously damaged himself and Skywarp. Sometime later, after Klonowski paid a visit to the Autobot hideout, Bumblebee emerged with a brand new, more powerful body and a new confidence befitting his command of the Autobots. {{storylink|Wings of Wax}}

Bumblebee's new confidence was tested when Ultra Magnus barged back into the Autobot caves, requisitioning a strike force to arrest Hot Rod for colluding with the enemy. Magnus forced Bumblebee and the others to go along with him almost by sheer force of personality, and they soon arrived at the launch site where Hot Rod and his Autobot & Decepticon allies were planning to leave the planet. Bumblebee and Hot Rod tried to debate the situation, but Ultra Magnus soon grew tired of listening to their concerns and laid down the line: "Right, wrong, I'm the guy with the badge." Any dissention in the Autobots ranks came to a sudden stop when [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] turned on his "friend" Hot Rod, unleashing the new Stunticon combiner named [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. {{storylink|Enemies of the System}}

Most of the Decepticons joined Swindle and the Stunticons in turning against their Autobot comrades. [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] in particular took great joy in showing the Constructicons could still hack it in light of the new combiner robot, and tried to strangle Bumblebee one-handed. Bumblebee was saved by the timely but unexpected intervention of [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], who had grown just as tired of the war as many Autobots.

Watching the Stunticons at work as Menasor, Bumblebee noticed how poorly integrated their consciousnesses were, and devised a plan to break them apart. By directing the Autobots to focus their firepower first on [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]], then [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]], he successfully led the group in dismantling Menasor. Even Optimus Prime and the latecomers from Skywatch looked to him for direction. Afterwards, Prime blessed Bumblebee's leadership, and 'Bee decreed it was time for the Autobots to stop running. He faced [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] head on and made arrangements for a true peace with Skywatch. Bumblebee still had to deal with Ultra Magnus, however, who was insisting on arresting Rodimus for treason. Bumblebee finally told Magnus where he could stuff his statutes. {{storylink|Earthworks}}

Bumblebee and the Autobots then entered into a formal arrangement with Skywatch, and took up residence inside the organization's bunkers. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 7}} Despite his decision, some like [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] continued to question the idea of living among those who had hunted them for the last three years. Bumblebee earnestly defended his choice, however, stating essentially that trust had to begin somewhere or else they'd never survive on Earth. Spike soon alerted Bumblebee that [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] and the Combaticons had made their presence known in North Korea along the demilitarized zone. Bumblebee quickly determined that, despite appearances, the Combaticons were not loyal mercenaries to the North Koreans, but were playing a larger game. With the President of the United States declaring all Transformers "illegal weapons of mass destruction", though, Spike and Bumblebee decided they would have to intervene...in disguise. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"}}

{{note|The events of "Spotlight: Mirage" possibly take place in an alternate/unknown continuity.}}
Bumblebee was part of a unit heading towards the Pegasus Star Cluster to link up with the last remnants of the Autobots under Optimus Prime's command. He never made it, as the unit was ambushed as soon as it entered the cluster. The self-serving mercenary [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] took his form to fool the remaining Autobots to allow him to enter their base. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}

{{-}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
In an alternate universe, the Transformers landed on Earth before the Ice Age, taking on the forms of dinosaurs and giant insects. When the climate became too cold for the war to continue, Bumblebee and the other Autobots entered into [[stasis lock]] to prevent further damage. Thousands of years later, Bumblebee awoke to the age of humans from the noise of John Henry's hammering. Bumblebee was impressed by the humans' industriousness, and disguised himself as a small steam locomotive with no control cab, and a built in steam-hammer for driving spikes. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 1|Hearts of Steel #1}} Initially, 'Bee directly competed with steel-driving legend [[John Henry]]. After Bumblebee revealed himself in robot form to Henry, Henry set aside his mistrust of automation after realizing that Bumblebee was a living being (not just a machine) who wanted to put in a fair day's work. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2|Hearts of Steel #2}}

Bumblebee woke several of his fellow Autobots, who soon discovered that the Decepticons were also active in this era. After taking on locomotive alt modes themselves, {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 3|Hearts of Steel #3}} Bumblebee, the Autobots, and their new human friends worked together to prevent the Decepticons' mighty [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] from reaching [[New York City]]. With the Decepticons defeated, Bumblebee and the Autobots returned to their slumber. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 4|Hearts of Steel #4}}

{{note|Bumblebee's pre-locomotive "Ice Age Wars" [[Alternate mode|altmode]] appears to be a spiky dinosaur, possibly a [[Wikipedia:Gastonia (dinosaur)|Gastonia]]. He also has a transitional body, while he is preparing to take on his locomotive form, which is similar to his dinosaur body, but with no spikes.}}

===Descent into Evil===
[[Image:Timelines-Bumblebee.jpg|right|180px|thumb|You know you want me, baby.]]
Having been on the trail of the Decepticon agent [[Flamewar]] for a long, long time, now-[[espionage director]] Bumblebee made his move, interrupting a supposedly-secure secret communication between Flamewar and the [[Tripredacus Council]]. He revealed that his agent, [[Ricochet (Timelines)|Ricochet]] had installed a degenerating virus into [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]'s [[Virulent Clone|clone army]]. Oh, and that since the Autobots now ''knew'' Flamewar's whereabouts and who she was working for, the Tripredacus Council would certainly consider her a liability. Which they did. So they blew [[Flamewar's ship|her ship]] up. {{storylink|Descent into Evil}}

That's cold, Bee. Real cold.

{{note|Bumblebee appears in his unreleased [[Alternators]] body.}}
{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comics===

[[Image:Henkei bumblebee pack in.jpg|left|thumb]]

When [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Megatron]] and the Decepticons attacked Earth in the 21st century, Bumblebee and the Autobots were there to stop them. During a battle in Tokyo, Bumblebee got the drop on [[Starscream (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Starscream]], dousing him with a fire engine's hose and leaving him open for a thrashing from [[Grimlock (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 1}}

Later, Bumblebee helped shield human bystanders from injury when [[Astrotrain (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Astrotrain]] went on a rampage, {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 2}} and cheered when they were joined in their fight by [[Hot Rod (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Rodimus]]. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 3}}

Bumblebee was last seen helping to once more project humans when the Decepticons attacked a power plant with their newest member, the reluctant [[Jetfire (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Skyfire]]. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 4}}
{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' Bun Bun manga===

[[Image:Henkei chpt 01 first meeting.jpg|right|thumb|During Autobot gymnastics tryouts for the 2012 Olympics: DISQUALIFIED.]]

Bumblebee was part of a small Autobot team led by Optimus Prime who left Cybertron to pursue the [[Energon Cube]] through space. When the giant energy source crashed on Earth, in the Japanese town of [[Hoshinochō]], it shattered into fragments that were scattered far and wide. Bumblebee and the other Autobots set up a subterranean base below the Cube's impact crater, and began their search for the shards, taking the forms of local vehicles to hide their activities. Despite their attempts at remaining unseen, glimpses of the Autobots only magnified the reputation the crash of the Cube (believed by humans to be a meteor) had given Hoshinochō: that of a hotbed of rumored alien and UFO activity, Japan's answer to [[United States of America|America]]'s Roswell.

[[Image:Henkei bumblebee and wataru.jpg|left|thumb|20 years later, Wataru still has this hanging on his wall.]]

Eleven years later, the driverless vehicle-mode Bumblebee was spotted by a schoolchild in the vicinity of the [[Star Dome]], a building since constructed over the Cube crater. Hearing the story from this witness, fame-seeking schoolboy [[Wataru Hoshinoumi]] ditched school to investigate the Star Dome, only for coincidence to lead him to step right in front of the speeding Bumblebee! Bumblebee was forced to transform and vault over the boy to prevent injuring him, but was able to make his escape before Wataru got a good look at him. Bumblebee hastily continued on his way to the Star Dome, and arrived to find it under attack by [[Starscream (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Starscream]] and [[Ramjet (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Ramjet]]. Wataru, too, had made it to the Dome, and Bumblebee saved him from Starscream before realizing with surprise that he was the same boy from earlier. {{storylink|Enter! The Transformers}} The other Autobots soon arrived to join the fight, and Bumblebee tried to protect Wataru from injury by scooping him up and tossing him to the relative safety of the stands. For his trouble, the small Autobot was pinned by Starscream, but Wataru returned the favor by blinding the Decepticon with a fire extinguisher. The battle was then joined by the Decepticon leader [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Megatron]], who attempted to make an example of Bumblebee and Wataru by blasting them with his fusion cannon, but at the last second, Optimus Prime was apparently able to deflect Megatron's shot with one of his own. Megatron covered the Decepticons' subsequent retreat by collapsing a part of the Star Dome, but Bumblebee protected Wataru from the rubble by shielding him with his own body. The pair then properly introduced themselves to one another, and Wataru was invited into the Autobots' base for an explanation. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Appears!}}

[[Image:Henkei_bumblebee_medical_treatment.jpg|right|thumb|Who knew alien-robots can be [[Wikipedia:Trypanophobia|trypanophobic]].]]

Bumblebee and Prime showed Wataru through their base on their way to the medical bay, where Bumblebee was to be treated for repairs. Bumblebee did not relish Optimus's medical ministrations, and the two Autobots were so busy trying to get through the process that they did not notice Wataru touching the large shard of the Energon Cube that they had recovered in their time on Earth. A bizarre energy discharge resulted that not only showed the Autobots images of [[Generation 1 (franchise)|another time and place]], but also healed all of Bumblebee's wounds. Prime pulled Wataru away from the shard and things returned to normal, leaving Bumblebee and the boy to marvel over what had occurred, and Prime to ponder what it might mean. Bumblebee then took Wataru back to school, but when he nearly blabbed everything that had happened to him to the assembled teachers, students and police, Bumblebee was forced to bump into him from behind shut him up. Unfortunately for 'Bee, he then had to beat a hast retreat as the police came chasing after him for his "hit and run" offense! {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}}

Bumblebee was next called into action when Starscream attacked a hydro-electric power plant with the help of his brainwashed comrade, [[Jetfire (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Skyfire]]. {{storylink|The Enemy from the Arctic}} Once again, Bumblebee tried to save Wataru from the Decepticons and was blasted as a result. This time, however, the pair were both saved by Skyfire, who was struggling against the mind-controlling influence of the helmet Starscream had placed on his head. All the combatants were shocked when a surge of familiar surge of energy erupted from Wataru's body; again, Bumblebee's wounds were healed, and Skyfire was empowered to overcome the helmet. Skyfire helped fend the Decepticons off and joined the Autobots, returning with them to their base where Prime explained to Bumblebee what he had come to understand about Wataru: he was a being known as a "[[Booster]]", born with the ability to control the energies of the Energon Cube. Both Bumblebee and Wataru were very excited at the idea that Wataru would now be able to help the Autobots in their fight. {{storylink|Wataru's Power}}

{{charstubfiction}}

{{storylink|Optimus Prime's Secret}} {{storylink|Time of Resurrection}} {{storylink|Creation! The New Emperor of Destruction!!}} {{storylink|The Threat of Galvatron}} {{storylink|Revenge (issue)|Revenge}} {{storylink|A Nightmare, Once Again}} {{storylink|To the Sea of Stars}}
{{-}}

==="Universe" cartoon===
[[Image:FfE Bumblebee.JPG|left|thumb|250px|Is he Schwarzebee… or Bumblenegger?]]
Bumblebee and [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] were out for a drive when they discovered [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] mining fuel near an abandoned [[Rock-It Fuel|gas station]]. Bumblebee wanted to rush in but Optimus Prime suggested they create a diversion. They caused an explosion which distracted Cyclonus. Bumblebee attacked and kept him busy while Optimus Prime snuck up and hit him over the head with his [[energon-axe]]. Megatron chose to blow up the mining operation and retreat with Cyclonus. Optimus Prime and Bumblebee drove off leaving the flaming wreckage of the mining operation behind. {{storylink|Fight for Energon}}
{{--}}

===''Wings of Honor'' continuity===
{{note|''Wings of Honor'' continuity takes place in a variant [[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]] timestream.}}

Goldbug arrived with reinforcements from Autobot City to help [[Pyro|Spark]]’s team fight [[Clench (G1)|Clench]]'s [[Decepticon Syndicate]] which had taken over the [[Large Hadron Collider]] in [[Switzerland]]. After being exposed to the [[forestonite]] gas, he became a gold version of his original Bumblebee body, though now with the added ability to float and generate electrical stings from his fists. {{storylink|Generation 2: Redux}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons===
Bumblebee was amongst the Autobots abducted and held captive by the Decepticons, prompting Optimus Prime to enter the Decepticons' maze-like base in a rescue operation. {{storylink|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game}}
===The Transformers (1985)===
Bumblebee was among the few remaining Autobots in the wake of the Decepticon creation of ROBO-CLONING technology. With his energy-starved comrades, he desperately sought pieces of the Autobot Energon Cube before the Decepticons could get their hands on them. {{storylink|The Transformers (Commodore 64)|The Transformers}}

===The Transformers: Battle to Save the Earth===
[[Image:C64Bumblebee.jpg|thumb|250px|]]

Along with his fellow Autobots, Bumblebee protected Earth from the menace of the Decepticons. He was ostensibly under the command of [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Battle to Save the Earth}}
{{-}}

===3D Battle-Card Game===
Bumblebee was one of [[Optimus Primal]]'s many Autobot allies in a fight against [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s Decepticon army. {{storylink|3D Battle-Card Game#Energon Wars expansion|Energon Wars Expansion Set}}

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
:''Voice actor'': [[Jack Merluzzi]]
{{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}
{{charstubfiction}}

===''Sector Seven'' game===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Sector Seven (game)}}

===Transformers G1: Awakening===
{{storylink|Transformers G1: Awakening}}
{{charstubfiction}}

==Toys==
{{main|Bumblebee (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
* The original Bumblebee toy was taken from the Japanese ''[[Micro Change|Microchange]]'' line, where it was available in yellow, red, and blue versions.

* Bumblebee appeared in one of five [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[public service announcement]]s, informing children that they shouldn't run away from home because it's "mean". This from the guy who ditched the Autobots for no real reason.

[[Image:PretenderBumblebeeModel.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Bumblebee's rarely-seen Classic Pretenders character model. (Optimus Prime wants Goldbug back.)]]
* When Bumblebee reappeared in the Marvel Comics as a [[Classic Pretender]], he returned to his original toy's [[character model]], rather than one based on his new form. A new character model did appear in various toy commercials, however. These included one which introduced him and the other Classic Pretenders, and one where he and Jazz stupidly drag [[Micromaster]] bases into Autobot headquarters, causing everyone to flee when they transform and attack.

* According to [[Battle for Cybertron]], Bumblebee is a code-name.

* Bumblebee/Goldbug was clearly a "top-tier" character in the first decade of ''Transformers'': he was the only 1984 Autobot still shipping in 1986; he received more toys during Generation 1 than any other character; he had a toy shipping during seven of Generation 1's eight-year run. However, [[Hasbro]] lost the right to use "Bumblebee" as a toy [[trademark]] during the ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'' years, when Generation 1 names were in disuse. That's right, the name "Bumblebee" was lost during the years everyone turned into animals.

* The ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' [[Mini-Con]], [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] is pretty clearly an [[homage]] to Bumblebee, from the coloration, placement of car-parts in robot mode, segmented-pipe biceps and even the head design.

[[Image:Hotbumblebee.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Hey! Look at that hot brunette! No... not [[Mikaela Banes|that one]]!]]

* A robot using Bumblebee's character model is shown in a still-shot flashback as a member of the Autobot group led by [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]]. Whether this robot is an alternate-universe incarnation of Bumblebee or simply a similar-looking robot is—like all [[Unicron Trilogy]] character-model cameos—left to conjecture.

* According to EJ Su, Bumblebee's [[Holomatter|Holomatter avatar]] is modeled after [[wikipedia:Lindsay_Lohan|Lindsay Lohan]], an actress who plays a girl that drives [[wikipedia:Herbie|Herbie]], a sentient Beetle. ''Um, well''.<ref>[http://www.protodepot.com/archive/2007_11_01_archive.html Idea: Holomatter Projection]</ref>

*Goldbug was actually a preliminary name for Bumblebee during early treatments for the Marvel Comics!<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2010-bob-budiansky-panel-coverage-170041/ Bob Budiansky BotCon Panel Coverage]</ref>

* In the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]], [[Goldbug (IDW)|Goldbug]] is a separate character who co-exists with Bumblebee. Yeah, it's slightly crazy.

*Bumblebee is the only member of the Transformers Hall of Fame who has not been killed in any of the Transformers cartoons.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Bumble''' (バンブル ''Banburu''), '''Goldback''' (Goldbug, ゴールドバック ''Gōrudobakku'')
*''Cantonese:'' '''Daai Wong Fung''' (大黃蜂, "Bumblebee")
*''Czech:'' '''Čmelák''' ("Bumblebee")
*''French:'' '''Bourdon''' (Canada, "Bumblebee"), '''Coccinelle''' (Canada, "Ladybug" or "Beetle")<ref>The Volkswagen Beetle was called "Coccinelle" in French areas, which is the French word for ladybug.</ref>
*''Hungarian:'' '''Űrdongó''' ("Space-bumblebee"), '''Dongó''' (''The Movie'', "Bumblebee"), '''Aranybogár''' ("Goldbug")
*''Italian:'' '''Maggiolino''' ("Beetle"), '''Wagenbot''' (Goldbug)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Dà Huáng-fēng''' (大黃蜂, "Bumblebee")
*''Polish:'' '''Trzmiel''' ("Bumblebee")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Moscardo''' (Portugal comics, "Hornet"), '''Furão''' (Brazil comics, "Ferret")
*''Russian:'' '''Shershen'''' (dub, Шершень, "Hornet")
*''South American:'' '''Volks'''
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Dzhmil"''' (ICTV, Джміль, "Bumblebee")

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Bumblebee/bumblebee.htm Bumblebee at TFU.info]
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Bumblebee Bumblebee's Universe profile at NTFA.net]
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Goldbug Goldbug's Universe profile at NTFA.net]
*[http://www.tf-1.com/articles/mini_frame.php?art=whitemexbee White Mexican Bumblebee gallery at TF-1.com]

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Alternity Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Decoys]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Autobots]]
[[Category:Go-Bots]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Autobots]]
[[Category:Kiss Players Autobots]]
[[Category:Mini Vehicles]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Reconnaissance specialists]]
[[Category:Robo-Capers characters]]
[[Category:Spies]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Throttlebots]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Undersea specialists]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]

Lockdown (disambiguation)

2011-06-03T15:05:16Z

78.148.117.168:

The name '''Lockdown''' has been applied to several Transformers characters.

*'''2008''' — [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]], the [[Decepticon]] bastard hunter from ''[[Transformers Animated]].''

*'''2010''' — [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], the Decepticon bastard hunter from ''[[Revenge of the Fallen]].''

*'''2010''' — [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]], the Decepticon bastard hunter from [[Generation 1]].

{{disambig}}

Battle for Cybertron

2011-06-03T14:58:24Z

78.148.117.168:

{{comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[Big Looker|Big Looker storybooks]]
|next=The Great Car Rally
|seriesissue2=[[Kid Stuff|Kid Stuff audiobooks]]
|next2=The Great Car Rally
|image=Battle_For_Cybertron_cover.jpg
|caption=Prime is either working on his crip walk or his car-surfing technique.
|title=Battle for Cybertron
|publisher=[[Marvel Books]], [[Kid Stuff]]
|coverdate=1985
|written by=[[Scott Siegel]]
|art by=[[Earl Norem]]
|pagecount=35 pp
|ISBN=ISBN 9780871350169 ISBN 0-87135-016-5
}}
'''Yet another retelling of how the Autobots came to Earth, but this time with awesome Earl Norem art.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Battle_For_Cybertron_battle.jpg|left|125px|thumb|This may be the most badass storybook art ever.]]
On the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], war raged between the peaceful [[Autobot]]s and the evil [[Decepticon]]s. The Decepticons want to conquer the universe, while the Autobots bravely resist them. The war raged for over a thousand years, shaking Cybertron out of its orbit. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] headed up a special mission to save Cybertron from its certain destruction. Other brave Autobot heroes agreed to join him.

The Autobots save Cybertron, but at a great cost - the evil Decepticons ambushed them, forcing Optimus Prime to crash the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot ship]] into the distant planet of [[Earth]]! Four million years later, a volcanic eruption awakens the Autobots' ship, which sets about repairing the crew... and the Decepticons! Awakening first, the Decepticons attack the Autobot ship, but the Ark, the Autobot ship's computer, is smart enough to put up a force field. Weakened by a lack of fuel, the Decepticons retreat, allowing [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] Witwicky to approach the mysterious craft.

[[Image:Battle_for_Cybertron_Autobots.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Okay, this one is pretty badass too...]]
[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] rolls out to meet them and brings the humans inside, where Sparkplug's mechanical know-how gets the Autobots up and rolling again. As the Witwickys ride home in [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], they discover that the Decepticons beat them there... and drained the city's energy! Once they were done refueling, they were certain to come back and finish off the Autobots. The Autobots, actually ''using their vehicle disguises for once'' hid out in vehicle mode and waited for the Decepticons to strike. Sure enough, the Decepticons assaulted the empty Autobot ship, finding themselves thoroughly thwarted by its defenses. Flanking around, the Decepticons strike in two waves. The first wave is easily dispatched by the disguised Autobots, but the second wave is much tougher. A null-ray blast from [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] disables Optimus Prime and starts a panic amongst the Autobot forces. Luckily, Sparkplug repairs Prime, and the reinvigorated Autobots drive the Decepticons away.

Laughter, smiles, credits.

==Quotes==

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* Unidentified Autobot warriors (1-3)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (7)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (in shadow) (8)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (9)
* [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (in shadow) (10)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]? (in shadow) (11)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (in shadow) (12)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (13)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]? (in shadow) (14)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (in shadow) (15)
* Unidentified Autobot soldier (19)
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (31)
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (32)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (33)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]](34)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (35)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (36)
* [[Bluestreak]] (37)
|c2=
* Unidentified Tetrajet [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s (4-6)
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (20)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (21)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (22)
* Unidentified Seekers (23-24)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] or [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (25)
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (28)
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (29)
* [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] or [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (30)
|c3=
* [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (26)
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (27)
|c4=
* Some [[dinosaur]]s (16-18)
}}

==Notes==
[[Image:Battle_For_Cybertron_SCALE.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Hold me closer, tiny Volkswagen.]]
* For a book called ''Battle for Cybertron'' they sure do leave Cybertron before it's halfway over.
* The unidentified Autobot troops at the beginning resemble Bumblebee's Cybertronian mode, but can fly in space.
* When Bumblebee is the first to volunteer for the mission to save Cybertron, Optimus Prime LAUGHS AT HIM. Then basically dares the rest of the Autobots to prove that they're as brave as Bumblebee.
* Bumblebee is a [[Scale|downright scrawny Beetle]] - he barely comes up to Sparkplug's chest!
* In fact, with the exception of Optimus, ALL the Autobots are pretty scrawny- they're all roughly the same size as the humans in ROBOT MODE!
* The trademark Earl Norem "headlight eyeballs" only show up once, as Bumblebee meets the Witwickys.
* Bumblebee is a "code name."
* Sparkplug is a total badass in this one. It's him, not Spike, that decides to investigate the Autobot ship, and then he performs repairs on Optimus Prime in the MIDDLE OF COMBAT.
* Sparkplug is a goddamned genius, too. Not only does he help repair the entire Autobot force and save Optimus Prime, he teaches the Autobots about geothermal energy (they ARE sitting on top of a volcano, you know.)
* Spike and Sparkplug live in the city of [[Kimball]]. There are a half-dozen Kimballs in the United States, none of which are larger than a couple-thousand people, and certainly not large enough to have their own nuclear power facility.
* Soundwave reads the brain of the Autobot ship - and it laughs at him.
* Did we mention that "The Ark" is the name of the Autobot ship's ''computer''? And it's got a personality?
* There are ''dozens'' of [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s in this one.
* The ship's collision into Earth sends the dinosaurs running about 61 million years after they became extinct.

==External links==
* [http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~sstoneb/tf/books/big-looker/battle.html Battle for Cybertron] at Steve-o's Transformers Site

[[Category:Audiobooks]]
[[Category:Generation 1 storybooks]]

Lockdown (G1)

2011-06-03T14:56:34Z

78.148.117.168:

{{disambig3|Lockdown}}
{{faction|decepticon}}
:''Lockdown is a [[Decepticon]] in the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[Image:Drift2-Lockdown.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"'Scuse me, I'm looking for a medic, yea tall, kinda old an' cranky? No? Well, whatever, I'll take the dude with the swords."]]

'''Lockdown''' will pay top dollar to get what he wants... so he can earn an even topper dollar!

==Fiction==
===IDW comics continuity===
When the infamous Decepticon [[Drift (G1)|Deadlock]] failed in a mutiny against his commander and deserted, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] called on the bastard hunter Lockdown to find him and return him to the Decepticons. Lockdown, with the help of some slave traders, found Deadlock on an unassuming planet where a mysterious third, neutral faction had been in hiding for eons. {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}}

Lockdown explained to Deadlock that even though Deadlock's former boss, [[Turmoil]], wanted Deadlock dead, Megatron felt that Deadlock was too important to his plans to have him be destroyed. The slave traders had other ideas, and noted that there were other Transformer deserters somewhere on the planet, ones who must have partially rebuilt Deadlock. In exchange for helping find Deadlock, they demanded to be led to the hidden Transformers; if not, they would take Deadlock for their own purposes. Lockdown suggested that Deadlock lead the hidden Transformers into an ambush, and commented that Megatron's faith in Deadlock had best not be misplaced. However, when they met Deadlock at the arranged site, he had an army of Transformer deserters with him ready for a fight, plus he had been completely rebuilt and renamed himself "Drift". {{storylink|Drift issue 3|Drift #3}}

Lockdown was furious at Drift for abandoning the Decepticon cause, and scoffingly dismissed him as an "idealist" when Drift claimed he found something better to fight for. Their personal combat was interrupted when the lead Slaver killed Drift's mentor, [[Wing (G1)|Wing]], and Drift broke off to avenge his friend. After he killed the Slaver, and [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] arrived with a fresh crowd of third faction warriors, Lockdown chose to depart in the face of overwhelming odds. {{storylink|Drift issue 4|Drift #4}}

==Toys==
===Revenge of the Fallen===
[[Image:ROTF_deluxe_Lockdown.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Oh god, I'd rather be back in those [[Cyber Missions]].]]
* '''Lockdown''' (Deluxe, 2010)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''RD-26'''
**''Accessories'': Engine

{{note|This toy was [[repurposing|repurposed]] as [[Generation 1]] Lockdown.}}
:''[[Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]]'s design is a strong homage to his [[Lockdown (Animated)|''Transformers Animated'' counterpart]]. Lockdown transforms into an amalgam of a 1980s Corvette and a 1960s Cougar, with lots of spikes and a cow-catcher on his bumper. The toy's [[Mech Alive]] feature rotates cylinders inside his thighs as his lower legs rotate, and pneumatic cylinders extend as his [[Capture Hook]] is deployed.

:Lockdown may have the most articulated neck ever for a Transformer, having three ball joints and a swivel joint. Craziness.

:Similar to his ''Animated'' counterpart, Lockdown's arm-mounted hot rod engine weapon can be removed and can be replaced by ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Deluxe [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]'s weapon. Likewise, Ratchet can store Lockdown's engine on his roof; it cannot, however, attach to his arm. Interestingly, the plug for Lockdown's engine is the same general shape as the plug for ''Animated'' Lockdown's EMP blaster/engine, but smaller; as such, it isn't compatible with ''Animated'' Lockdown, or with ''Animated'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] or [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]], for that matter.

:This mold was retooled to make [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|2010]] [[Axor]].

::*''[http://tfu.info/2010/Decepticon/Lockdown/lockdown.htm More information on Lockdown at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
* Artist [[Alex Milne]] had originally come up with an original design for Lockdown, but was asked by Hasbro to use the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Lockdown's design instead.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=195127&highlight=#195127 "i did come up with a new design, but was asked by hasbro to use the ROFT design. thats why i used it."]</ref> It was editor [[Denton J. Tipton]] who suggested to writer [[Shane McCarthy]] to bring Lockdown into the Generation 1 universe.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=195247#195247 Denton J. Tipton saying it was totally his idea for Lockdown to be in the Drift book, among other things.]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category: Bounty hunters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category: Repurposed toys]]

Lockdown (ROTF)

2011-06-03T14:55:31Z

78.148.117.168:

{{faction|decepticonfilm}}
{{disambig3|Lockdown}}
:''Lockdown is a bastard hunter commonly allied with the [[Decepticon]]s from the [[Movie continuity|live-action movie continuity]].''

[[Image:LockdownROTFheadshot.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Probably still sounds like [[Lance Henriksen]].]]

Even the Decepticons are afraid of ''this'' guy, because once '''Lockdown''' has been hired to track down a subject, nothing stops him from completing his transaction short of total deactivation! Unfortunately for the [[Autobot]] medic, [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] is Lockdown's next target, and Lockdown, as always, has been paid handsomely for his destruction. He's also run afoul of [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] previously, in some unspecified circumstance.<ref>Hasbro's website describes both Arcee and Ratchet as Lockdown's enemy on their respective pages, mirroring their relationship in ''Animated''.</ref>

Using his [[Supercharger]], he stores the kinetic energy from racing in his alternate form and uses it to boost his own speed for short bursts. This is his favorite device... because his favorite tactic is to catch up with targets and sink in his [[Capture Hook]] for the up-close-and-''personal'' kill.<ref name="BB">Lockdown's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/play/details.cfm?guid=841165f8-19b9-f369-1057-0b57c1e069b6 Battle Bio.]</ref>

He trained [[Axor]] a long time ago, and the younger hunter has even ''rebuilt himself'' to better resemble Lockdown (though he denies it if you ask). He views his mentor as his closest comrade, which Lockdown has been willing to let him believe.<ref>Axor's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/play/details.cfm?guid=841165f8-19b9-f369-1057-0b57c1e069b6 Battle Bio]</ref> ''His'' closest comrade is Megatron, cos that's who's currently paying him, in [[energon star|energon chips]]!<ref name="BB"/>

{{quote|Science will not win this war!|Says the transforming giant robot|[[Cyber Missions 3|''Cyber Missions'' #3]]}}

==Fiction==
===Cyber Missions===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Bronco D. Jackson]] (English), [[Juan Carlos Tinoco]] (Latin American-Spanish)
[[Image:CyberMissions3-Lockdown.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Well, um, close enough?]]
Lockdown was cruising the city streets when he was encountered by [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], who had been alerted to Lockdown's presence by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] due to their "violent history". For blocks, Lockdown fled Ratchet silently as the Autobot fired his [[EMP]] blaster until he transformed into robot mode and expressed his frustration. Finally, when Ratchet's EMP blaster failed him, Lockdown transformed as well. He mocked Ratchet for never being able to best him, knocked him around, and when the Autobot had had enough, the Decepticon bounty hunter stole Ratchet's EMP blaster as a memento. As Lockdown sped away, he wondered if he could fix Ratchet's faulty weapon. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 3|Cyber Missions #3}}

Later, Lockdown managed to evade [[Diego Garcia]]'s security measures and sneak into Autobot Headquarters undetected. After cutting power to the facilities, he snuck up behind [[Sideswipe (ROTF)|Sideswipe]] in the target practice range. Ratchet's EMP blaster, attached to Lockdown's arm, was now in proper working order, and the bounty hunter vowed to also take Sideswipe's new sidearms. Lockdown was shocked when the EMP blaster was shot off his arm and out of his reach by Ratchet. Wounded, the Decepticon fled. Unfortunately for Lockdown, he retreated to the medical bay, where Ratchet's surgical tools restrained and sedated him. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 7|Cyber Missions #7}}

Later, Lockdown and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] confronted [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Looking to steal one of Ironhide's weapons, Lockdown took a missile instead, which blew up in his face. The explosion damaged his optics, so he fled. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 11|Cyber Missions #11}}
{{-}}

===Titan Magazines ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comics===

Lockdown had been captured by [[NEST]] under unknown circumstances... only to become part of [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon's]] jailbreak! He joined Bludgeon's splinter cell of Decepticons and took great pleasure in talking out all his "hurting" on [[Smokescreen (Movie)|Smokescreen]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.13|Inside Out!}}

When the Autobots tracked down the Decepticon base in [[Russia]], Lockdown was ordered to prepare an ambush for them. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.20|Divided Loyalties}}

{{--}}

===IDW Publishing ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comics===
[[Image:Nefarious_5_lockdown.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Is that you, Lockdown?]]
A partly-green robot with a hook in place of his right hand was among the Transformers captured by the [[Initiative]] and mind-controlled into doing their bidding. When Optimus Prime and the Autobots assaulted the Initiative's mobile headquarters, the brainwashed Lockdown, [[Thrust (ROTF)|Thrust]] and another Transformer battled [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]], [[Dune Runner (ROTF)|Dune Runner]] and [[Knock Out (ROTF)|Knock Out]]. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 5|Nefarious #5}} They were eventually subdued. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 6|Nefarious #6}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Revenge of the Fallen===
[[Image:ROTF_deluxe_Lockdown.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Lockdown (Animated)|Almost identical]].]]
* '''Lockdown''' (Deluxe, 2010)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''RD-26'''
**''Accessories'': Engine

:Lockdown's design strongly homages his [[Lockdown (Animated)|''Transformers Animated'' counterpart]], but with a completely different transformation. Once again, Lockdown transforms into an amalgam of a 1980s Corvette and a 1960s Cougar, with lots of spikes and a cow-catcher on his bumper. The toy's [[Mech Alive]] feature rotates cylinders inside his thighs as his lower legs rotate, and pneumatic cylinders extend as his [[Capture Hook]] is deployed.

:Lockdown may have the most articulated neck ever for a Transformer, having two ball joints and a swivel joint. Craziness.

:Similar to his ''Animated'' counterpart, Lockdown's arm-mounted hot rod engine weapon can be removed and can be replaced by ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Deluxe [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]'s weapon. Likewise, Ratchet can store Lockdown's engine on his roof; it cannot, however, attach to his arm. Interestingly, the plug for Lockdown's engine is the same general shape as the plug for ''Animated'' Lockdown's EMP blaster/engine, but smaller; as such, it isn't compatible with ''Animated'' Lockdown, or with ''Animated'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] or [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]], for that matter.

:This mold was retooled to make [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|2010]] [[Axor]]. This toy was [[repurposing|repurposed]] as [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]].

::*''[http://tfu.info/2010/Decepticon/Lockdown/lockdown.htm More information on Lockdown at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Speed Stars===
[[Image:SpeedStars_MetalHeroes_Lockdown.jpg|thumb|right|300px|He needs the bounty money to complete his dream of a solid gold butt tattoo.]]

*'''Lockdown''' (2010)
**''Series'': '''Metal Heroes'''
**''Number'': '''08'''

:''[[Speed Stars]]'' Lockdown is a small, non-transforming, [[die-cast]] rendition of his vehicle mode. His robot mode is sculpted underneath the vehicle, and his wheels use through-axle construction that lets the toy zip around at high speeds on smooth surfaces.

:When shown at [[BotCon 2010]], Lockdown had a completely different color scheme, being predominantly gold with blue flames on his hood, green hubcaps, a red engine, and a gray bumper and spoiler. The toy was eventually released using Lockdown's proper colors.

:This mold was also used to make ''Speed Stars'' Stunticon Series [[Axel]].

{{-}}
*'''Lockdown''' (2011?)
**''Series'': '''Stunticon'''
**''Number'':

:"Stunticon" Lockdown is a redeco of his previous ''Speed Stars'' toy in black, purple and red. This toy is shown on the back of Stunticon [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]'s packaging, but does not appear among the Stunticons on the ''Speed Stars'' website. For now, it's unclear exactly what its deal is.

{{comingsoontoy}}

==Notes==
[[Image:MetalHeroesLockdownPoster.jpg|thumb|Pimp my Bounty Hunter.]]
* The head on Lockdown's instruction lineart is actually that of his retool, [[Axor]]. The head can be seen in much clearer detail on page 8 of the [[San Diego Comic-Con]] [[Hasbro Design Sketchbook]], volume 2.
* A poster on the ''[[Speed Stars]]'' website depicts a primarily gold redeco of Lockdown under the "Metal Heroes" section... when the "Metal Heroes" version of Lockdown sold at retail had the character's original coloration. Like a lot of what goes on with ''Speed Stars'', nobody knows what the deal is there.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Bounty hunters]]
[[Category:Cyber Missions characters]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Decepticons]]

Lockdown (disambiguation)

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Lockdown (disambiguation)

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Lockdown (ROTF)

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The Transformers (cartoon)

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{{disambig2|the cartoon series|other uses of ''The Transformers''|Transformers (disambiguation)}}

{{nav-G1|logo=TheTransformers_Logo.jpg}}

{{bigquote|...we feel '''action''' should be emphasized over''' plot'''—especially avoiding any complicated story lines—to ensure the success of this series with its intended viewers.|[[Bryce Malek]] and [[Dick Robbins]], ''Transformer''s story editors, [[Marvel Productions]] internal correspondence[http://tfarchive.com/cartoons/bible/#154]}}

[[Image:TransformersLogoSlantedOrange.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Red is the color of GOOD...]]
[[Image:TransformersLogoSlantedPurple.jpg|right|250px|thumb|...while purple is the color of EVIL!!]]
[[Image:G1Season1Logo.jpg|right|250px|thumb|In space, no one can hear your trumpets go Dah-NUN NUN NUN NAHHHHHH!]]

More than any other of the many media which [[Transformer]]s have invaded in the past 25 years, it is '''''The Transformers''''', the original cartoon that ran from 1985 to 1993, which captured the imagination of children and young people-at-heart worldwide.

==Overview==
[[Image:Cybertronplanet.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Depleted of energy... aside from the power source that lights up the entire core of the planet.]]
The cartoon (along with the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comics]]) set up the basic story of Transformers that most other incarnations were to follow: two warring factions of robots on the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] leave in search of resources. The factions crash-land on [[Earth]] and, millions of years later, begin their battle anew in Reagan-era [[United States|America]] and across the globe.

Once established, the cartoon rarely took any steps to upset its status quo. Plots generally centered on a [[Decepticon]] plot or invention of the week, which would be used to gather energy or Defeat The [[Autobot]]s FOREVER!!, and the Autobots' efforts to stop the plan. Most of the time the Decepticons were forced into retreat, and the Autobots drove off victorious. At most, a new character or team was added to one side or the other. Plots became a bit less formulaic during Season 3, though character death and true plot upheaval remained a rarity.

Through its 98-episode run, this series took viewers around the globe and to many strange places and times: across the alien Cybertron, the Earth's prehistoric past, the Earth's then-future of 2005, the ''Metropolis''-like society of [[Nebulos]], and more. It is not the best animated series ever to air, but it stimulated viewers with its concept at the time, and continued to do so in the years to come.
{{-}}

==Production==
[[Image:DivideAndConquer-UnderseaBase.jpg|center|450px|thumb|The Decepticon undersea base. Note that it is neither [[Tom Kenny|pineapple]], [[Bill Fagerbakke|rock]], nor tiki head.]]

Writing and distribution for this series were handled as a joint effort by [[Marvel Productions]] and [[Sunbow Productions]]. Animation was produced overseas, by [[Toei]], [[AKOM]], [[Tokyo Movie Shinsha]] (''supposedly'') and an [[Unknown Filipino animation studio|unknown studio from the Philippines]].

[[Image:CrashedArk1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nobody on Earth noticed this for millions of years.]]
The original 30 or so characters were heavily modified from their toy designs for aesthetics and ease of animation. Among the artists involved in the original designs are [[Shōhei Kohara]] and [[Floro Dery]]. Other known production artists include [[Dell Barras]], who worked on second season backgrounds.

Story editors for the series included [[Dick Robbins]], [[Bryce Malek]], [[Flint Dille]], [[Marv Wolfman]], and [[Steve Gerber]]. Episode scripts were written by a large array of freelance writers. Writers notable for writing numerous episodes include [[Donald F. Glut]] and [[David Wise]].

The series was animated on an enormously rushed schedule, due to the need to get episodes on the air in sync with the toys appearing on shelves. That, combined with the vast number of characters and the difficulties involved with the overseas animation process, resulted in a cartoon that is notoriously riddled with [[animation error]]s and other mistakes. The producers were often aware of these mistakes, but tight deadlines left them no time to correct them.

Another byproduct of the rushed production is that the show tends not to be very self-referential. Continuity between episodes is minimal, with most acting as self-contained, standalone stories, though a few Season Two and Season Three stories did build on previous episodes. Within each season, the addition of new characters is the only common change to the status quo.

[[Image:ShockwaveDesertionOfTheDinobots1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|My toy's so great, I bought one myself!]]
Mistakes or not, the show is fondly remembered by many fans for the high quality of its voice acting. Indeed, many characters, lacking any significant plot developments or screen time, were brought to life solely by their unique voices and inflection styles. Voice direction for the series was provided by [[Wally Burr]], notorious for driving his performers to the limit. One of the performers in his stable, [[Susan Blu]], would later go on to work as voice director for ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'', ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'', and ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''.

The ''sinister'' voice of [[Victor Caroli]] provided narration for the entire series, most commonly heard on the [[commercial bumper]]s: "The Transformers will return after these messages!" Caroli's voice also provided occasional introductory narration, recap segments for multi-part episodes, and the ''[[Secret Files of Teletraan II]]'' segments which ran before the credits of Season 3.

[[Image:RollForIt Spacebridge recieves.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Looks safer than flying United.]]
In addition to the show's iconic [[theme song]], ''Transformers'' featured a great variety of background music, composed by [[Robert J. Walsh]]. Walsh had previously worked on the ''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'' cartoon, and many of those pieces were reused for ''Transformers''. New pieces were composed as well, many incorporating the melody of the show's theme song. Walsh composed new music for 2nd and 3rd seasons, each in a different style, further distinguishing the three main seasons from one another.

The show also originated the concept of the iconic "[[Scene transition|symbol flip]]" serving as a transition between scenes, a tradition carried on by some of the later series.
{{-}}

==Episodes==

{{see|List of Generation 1 episodes}}

These episodes are listed in "production order", the order in which the episodes were actually approved and written, rather than the order in which they aired on television. In a few instances, this means that episodes are not in the correct chronological story order, the specifics of which are noted in their own articles. Arranging the episodes in airdate order would not solve this problem, and so, as fans have done for as long as there have been ''Transformers'' episode guides on the internet, TFWIKI.Net adheres to production order, in preference to simply making up a chronological order of our own (any attempt at which would be arguable at best).

The different DVD companies which have released the series down the years have at times presented the episodes of each season in a different order that adheres to neither production nor airdate, sometimes to improve any chronology errors evident in the production order, and other times for no apparent reason. No two English-language DVD releases of the series by different companies have placed all 98 episodes in the same order. [[Metrodome]] stuck closest to production order, only making changes for chronology reasons (and sometimes not even then), while other licensees have strayed from this order to varying degrees. Season 1 has consistently avoided reorganization (as production order is actually the correct story order), but Season 3 is a victim of continuous restructuring that sees its episodes presented in a wildly different order with each release.

===Season 1===
[[Image:DinobotsG1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Remember those [[Dinobots | dinosaur guys]]? Man, they were awesome.]]
The first season is primarily set on [[Earth]], with a few excursions to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. It started with the 1984 (production) series as its characters, and introduced the early wave of 1985 toys as it progressed—the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], and [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]].

{{collist|2|
# "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]"
# "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]"
# "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 3]]"
# "[[Transport to Oblivion]]"
# "[[Roll for It]]"
# "[[Divide and Conquer]]"
# "[[Fire in the Sky]]"
# "[[S.O.S. Dinobots]]"
# "[[Fire on the Mountain]]"
# "[[War of the Dinobots]]"
# "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 1]]"
# "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 2]]"
# "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 3]]"
# "[[Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction]]"
# "[[A Plague of Insecticons]]"
# "[[Heavy Metal War]]"
}}

===Season 2===
[[Image:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|center|450px|thumb|I liked the one with the guy.]] 
[[Image:Master builders prime basketball.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Didn't they make Optimus Prime play soccer or something once? Man, that was dumb.]]
The very long second season greatly expanded the cartoon's scope and cast. The second season tends to feature more character-driven episodes than the first season, with many characters getting their own "spotlight" episode. It also features a recurring theme of the Autobots assimilating Earth culture, such the Autobots playing basketball and football and even watching a soap opera. Excursions to alien civilizations popped up occasionally as well (not to mention time travel, miniaturization, and battles against undersea creatures). The second season also saw the introduction of concepts and characters that would spread out to other fictions, including the mystic [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], the ancient [[Vector Sigma]] supercomputer and its [[Key to Vector Sigma|circuit key]], and the first appearance of [[Female Transformers]] within official fiction.

The second season also marked a move from weekly airings (usually on Saturday mornings) to a "stripped" show, aired Monday through Friday, either in the morning or afternoon. Some markets also scheduled it in conjunction with daily episodes of ''[[G.I.Joe]]'' (like WPIX in New York, which also aired ''Beast Wars'' when it ran in syndication, and became an affiliate of the WB network, which would originally air the ''Cybertron'' cartoon).

Season Two breaks down very roughly into three segments:

* The first dozen episodes feature (primarily) the Season One cast.
* A large second batch of episodes brings in the remainder of the 1985 toys.
* The final ten episodes introduce the four [[combiner]] teams that formed the early entries in the 1986 line.
{{--}}
{{collist|2|
# "[[Autobot Spike]]"
# "[[Changing Gears]]"
# "[[City of Steel]]"
# "[[Attack of the Autobots]]"
# "[[Traitor]]"
# "[[The Immobilizer]]"
# "[[The Autobot Run]]"
# "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]"
# "[[Day of the Machines]]"
# "[[Enter the Nightbird]]"
# "[[A Prime Problem]]"
# "[[The Core]]"
# "[[The Insecticon Syndrome]]"
# "[[Dinobot Island, Part 1]]"
# "[[Dinobot Island, Part 2]]"
# "[[The Master Builders]]"
# "[[Auto Berserk]]"
# "[[Microbots]]"
# "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1]]"
# "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2]]"
# "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1]]"
# "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2]]"
# "[[Blaster Blues]]"
# "[[A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court]]"
# "[[The Golden Lagoon]]"
# "[[The God Gambit]]"
# "[[Make Tracks]]"
# "[[Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play]]"
# "[[Quest for Survival]]"
# "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme]]"
# "[[The Gambler]]"
# "[[Kremzeek!]]"
# "[[Sea Change]]"
# "[[Triple Takeover]]"
# "[[Prime Target (episode)|Prime Target]]"
# "[[Auto-Bop]]"
# "[[The Search for Alpha Trion]]"
# "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]"
# "[[Hoist Goes Hollywood]]"
# "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1]]"
# "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2]]"
# "[[Aerial Assault]]"
# "[[War Dawn]]"
# "[[Trans-Europe Express]]"
# "[[Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust]]"
# "[[Starscream's Brigade]]"
# "[[The Revenge of Bruticus]]"
# "[[Masquerade]]"
# "[[B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.]]"
}}

===Intermediate===
[[Image:Tftm1986b.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Then they like, killed him in the movie. Man, that was awesome.]]
''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' is in continuity with the cartoon series, occurring 20 years after the end of Season 2 (in the then-futuristic year of 2005). It was the single biggest turning point for the series, and remains controversial. The movie saw the introductions of [[Unicron]], the [[Quintesson]]s, and the [[Matrix of Leadership]], all of which would play important roles in Season 3. It made radical changes to the show's cast, killing off many characters and introducing new ones—a shock to young viewers who were used to their heroes driving off into the sunset at the end of every adventure.

Despite its unconventional place in the cartoon canon, it remains the best-known representation of the cartoon series among fans.

===Season 3===
[[Image:Intro3 4 with error.jpg|left|200px|thumb|They didn't make any more cartoons after the movie. Yeah, the movie totally killed Transformers.]]
Season 3 ''transformed'' the whole premise of the show. Gone were the two teams stranded on Earth, along with many of the characters that composed those teams. In their place was a galaxy-spanning tale of battles on alien worlds. With the Autobots in firm control of Cybertron, the Decepticons, though still a threat, were somewhat reduced as villains; new enemies in the form of the [[Quintesson|Quintessons]] were introduced. Plots often centered on the ultra-powerful [[city-bot]]s, [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]].

Season 3 has a mixed reputation. It contains some of the most mistake-laden episodes of the entire franchise ("Five Faces of Darkness", "Carnage in C Minor", the introduction sequence at left) most of which can be laid at the feet of [[AKOM]]. But some of its episodes are among the best as well, both in animation and scripting; "Dark Awakening", "Chaos", "Webworld", and "Dweller in the Depths" are all heavy fan favorites.

Late in Season 3, as in Season 2, the forerunners of the 1987 toy line were introduced: the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s, and [[Throttlebot]]s, and (very briefly) the cassettes [[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]] and [[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]]. The season concluded with the resurrection of Optimus Prime, spurred on by a massive campaign on the part of fans, who were displeased by his death and subsequent "evil" resurrection.

{{collist|2|
# "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]"
# "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]"
# "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3]]"
# "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]"
# "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"
# "[[The Killing Jar]]"
# "[[Chaos (episode)|Chaos]]"
# "[[Dark Awakening]]"
# "[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]"
# "[[Starscream's Ghost]]"
# "[[Thief in the Night]]"
# "[[Surprise Party]]"
# "[[Madman's Paradise]]"
# "[[Nightmare Planet]]"
# "[[Ghost in the Machine]]"
# "[[Webworld]]"
# "[[Carnage in C-Minor]]"
# "[[The Quintesson Journal]]"
# "[[The Ultimate Weapon]]"
# "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]"
# "[[Fight or Flee]]"
# "[[The Dweller in the Depths]]"
# "[[Only Human]]"
# "[[Grimlock's New Brain]]"
# "[[Money Is Everything]]"
# "[[Call of the Primitives]]"
# "[[The Face of the Nijika]]"
# "[[The Burden Hardest to Bear]]"
# "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1]]"
# "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2]]"
}}

===Season 4===
[[Image:Bumblebee and Goldbug.jpg|right|200px|thumb|They kept making the toys? But weren't those like, the ones that couldn't transform or something?]]
How the truncated Season 4 came about remains a mystery, though presumably the short version is that [[Hasbro]] pulled out its funding support. Whether anything further was ever planned is not known; see ''[[Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers|Urban legends about Transformers]]'' for more.

As it is, the "season" consisted of a single three-part episode, that somewhat hastily brought in thirty or so new Transformer characters as well as [[Nebulan]] partners for 22 of them, and attempted to provide a satisfactory conclusion to the series as a whole.

The previous three seasons each feature fully original opening credits. For Season 4, however, the opening credit sequence is a mishmash of existing animation, combining high-quality animation sequences from some of the 1986 and 1987 toy commercials with segments of the Season 3 opening credits, which were of a visibly different art style.

# "[[The Rebirth, Part 1]]"
# "[[The Rebirth, Part 2]]"
# "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]"

===Season 5===
[[Image:Puppetpmprime.jpg|thumb|]]
Season 5 did not feature any new episodes, but rather consisted of 15 episodes from the previous seasons and ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' broken up into five episodes, for a total of 20 episodes. New opening and closing footage was added to each episode, which portrayed an animatronic puppet of [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] meeting regularly with a live-action human named [[Tommy Kennedy]] to tell him old Transformers stories.

{{collist|2|
# "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]"
# "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]"
# "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 3]]"
# ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' (Day 1)
# ''The Transformers: The Movie'' (Day 2)
# ''The Transformers: The Movie'' (Day 3)
# ''The Transformers: The Movie'' (Day 4)
# ''The Transformers: The Movie'' (Day 5)
# "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]"
# "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]"
# "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3]]"
# "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]"
# "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"
# "[[Surprise Party]]"
# "[[Dark Awakening]]"
# "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1]]"
# "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2]]"
# "[[The Rebirth, Part 1]]"
# "[[The Rebirth, Part 2]]"
# "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]"
}}

===Sci-Fi Channel===
From 1995 to 1997, the Sci-Fi Channel began airing reruns of ''The Transformers'' on their early morning cartoon programming block, [[Animation Station]]. Unfortunately, due to longer commercial slots and/or shorter show times, the decision was made to edit the cartoon down. Sometimes this was done in comparatively harmless fashion, but other times the flow of scenes and even the plot suffered.

In one of the most notorious edits, two lines from [[Grapple]] and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] in "[[Masquerade]]" ended up smooshed into a single nonsensical jumble: "Time to add fire torobably hate myself in the morning, but—"

==Japanese release==
With the success of ''Transformers'' proven by Hasbro, [[Takara]] elected to cut short their plans for a new ''[[Diaclone]]'' line in 1985 and import the ''Transformers'' toyline and cartoon instead. To play catch-up with Hasbro markets, Takara combined the first two years of toys and cartoon into one series, which was given the excessive (but typical of Japanese cartoons) title of '''''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'''''.

Although two episodes out of the original 65 were cut ("Attack of the Autobots" and "Day of the Machines"), an additional nine [[clip show]]s were created, composed entirely of re-used footage taken from various episodes, bringing the total number of ''Fight!'' episodes to 72. The two missing episodes were later dubbed and released straight-to-video, then retroactively added to the episode list as numbers 73 and 74.

Additionally, the broadcast order of the series was significantly reworked, with most of the episodes featuring [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] being pushed to the end of the run (presumably owing the character's shaky status as a Bandai toy in Japan). Contrary to what would be sensible, this did ''not'' involve correcting any of the chronological errors present in the original order; in fact, it even created some new ones.

In 1986, after the release of the OVA ''[[Scramble City]]'' (but not ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', which was not released in Japan until 1989) the series was rebranded as '''''[[Transformers 2010 (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010]]'''''. All thirty episodes from the third season were dubbed for ''2010'' and reordered (again creating more chronology errors) and two additional clip episodes were produced, bringing the total to thirty-two.

The additional clip shows include the following:

*'''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'''
:14. "[[Birth of the Transformers!]]"
:55. "[[War Without End (episode)|War Without End]]"
:56. "[[Desperate Battle on Dinobot Island]]"
:57. "[[Devastator, the Giant Warrior]]"
:58. "[[Neverending Struggle]]"
:69. "[[Earth's Greatest Crisis]]"
:70. "[[Seek the Cybertonium]] "
:71. "[[Stunticons VS Aerialbots]] "
:72. "[[Mutiny of the Combaticons]]"

*'''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010'''
:29. "[[Daniel's Adventure]]"
:30. "[[The Desperate Struggle of Justice]]"

The numbers denote the airing order of the episodes in relation to the rest of the series.

"The Rebirth" was not broadcast in Japan, in favor of producing a brand new series to continue the story of the animated continuity, beginning with ''[[The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]''. However, all three episodes of "The Rebirth" were released straight-to-video a few years later. Curiously, the dub for "The Rebirth" used standard English-language names and terminology in a more selective manner (for example, "Optimus Prime" remained "Convoy" while "Hot Rod" was not changed to "Hot Rodimus" but retained his English name). Only three actors from ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' and ''Transformers 2010'' returned to voice their respective characters: [[Tesshō Genda]] (Optimus Prime), [[Seizō Katō]] (Galvatron) and [[Issei Masamune]] (narrator). Every other cast member was replaced with a soundalike, to varying degrees of success.

The Japanese dub also originated a catchphase, used in almost every Japanese Tansformers series "And Now . . . The Battle Begins" originally provided by dub narrator [[Issei Masamune]].

===Edits===
The three American seasons were edited by Takara before their broadcast in Japan. These edits were made not for content, but for length so that the show could accommodate longer opening and ending [[Title sequence|sequence]]s.

The combined length of the U.S. opening and ending sequences was about one minute and ten seconds. The combined length of the Japanese opening and ending sequences, however, was about two minutes and twenty seconds. This resulted in roughly one minute and ten seconds being cut from every single episode.

A few examples of "unnecessary" scenes that were cut to make space for J-pop:

* "[[Roll for It]]". The scene where [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] first reach the laboratory and meet the southern-accented security guard that gives them clearance.
* "[[Divide and Conquer]]". The scene where the Autobots first return to [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s base and he opens fire on them.
* "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1]]". The scene where Spike, [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] and [[Chip Chase|Chip]] cheer for the Autobots during the Autobot Day parade.
* "[[Only Human]]". The scene where the informant tells [[Victor Drath]] that [[Cobra Commander|Old Snake]] is down the street pacing back and forth, and gets punched in the face as payment.
* All multi-part episodes have their Next Episode previews removed.

The only episodes not to be edited for length are "[[Attack of the Autobots]]", "[[Day of the Machines]]", ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and all three episodes of "[[The Rebirth, Part 1|The Rebirth]]". These were not edited for length because they were all released straight-to-video, where broadcasting time slots were not an issue. As a result, these episodes are also the only ones to be released on laserdisc and DVD by [[Pioneer]] with optional English or Japanese audio tracks.

==Home video releases==
{{main|The Transformers (cartoon)/home video}}

==Notes==
* Looking at the production codes of the series reveals some choice tidbits:
**The series pilot, "More than Meets the Eye", was produced under a set of different production codes, as it was created before ''Transformers'' was expanded to become an ongoing series. After the pilot, the episode production numbers begin afresh with "700-01" ("Transport to Oblivion"), and proceeded in order until the end of the first season, with "700-13" ("Heavy Metal War"). At the beginning of the second season, it seems the production codes were adjusted to account for the three parts of "More than Meets the Eye", as they take a jump forward to "700-16" with "Autobot Spike". This, of course, is mathematically wrong-o, as "Autobot Spike" is the ''seventeenth'' episode, not the sixteenth.
**''B.O.T.'', the final episode of season 2, was production code 700-64, while ''Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1'', the first episode of season 3, was production code 700-86. The reason for this jump is unknown.
**There is no episode with production code 700-111. ''Grimlock's New Brain'' was 700-110, while ''Call of the Primitives'' was 700-112. The reason for this omission is likewise unknown.
*Twelve episodes were released as audio adventures by the [[Germany|German]] company [[Karussell|Karussell Musik und Video]]. No, we don't know why either.
[[Image:WorldOfHectorRamirez.jpg|right|thumb|220px|He's everywhere, and there's no escape.]]

*Cartoon writers are a sneaky lot, and quietly put in references to ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', another show they were working on at the same time, into ''The Transformers''. [[Daina]] of the Soviet Oktober Guard ("[[Prime Target (episode)|Prime Target]]"), [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] as [[Marissa Faireborne]]'s dad ("[[The Killing Jar]]"), and an elderly [[Cobra Commander]] ("[[Only Human]]") all appear. We also see [[Hector Ramirez (G1)|journalist Hector Ramirez]], who appears in ''everything'' Sunbow was doing at the time.
{{--}}

==External links==
*[http://groups.google.com/group/net.comics/browse_thread/thread/eab15c298a61cdfb/fce7a2ddb7e35a81 1985 net.comics review]
*[http://www.reocities.com/Area51/Comet/5606/tfepgd.html Aaron Marsh's Transformers Episode Guide] — Including variants and repackagings
*[http://www.facebook.com/pages/Transformers/9160392217 Transformers on Facebook] - Includes information on Matrix of Leadership Box Set

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[[Category:Continuities]]
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]
[[Category:Television series]]