Swoop (G1)

2011-09-27T22:45:48Z

Tformorsfan:

{{disambig3|Swoop}}
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:''Swoop is an [[Autobot]] [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]]. He used to go by the name '''Divebomb''' and might someday call himself '''the Veteran'''.''

[[Image:TVMagSwoop.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Him Swoop have legs that go for miiiles.]]

'''Swoop''' is the friendliest and most outgoing of the Dinobots. He's surprisingly good natured, kind, and upbeat. Few of his comrades realize this however, as his team's reputation and his alt-form, considered (for some reason) particularly "horrifying" to Transformer aesthetics, makes others wary of getting close enough to learn about the bot himself. Swoop is an excellent aerial combatant and bombardier, and has become skilled at using the fear his alt-mode creates in battle. He considers it his greatest weapon. Like all the Dinobots, Swoop tends to be arrogant, disobedient, and generally disagree with [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s leadership style. He's also a bit of a show-off.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Bell]] (English), [[Yoku Shioya]] (Japanese), [[Roberto Alexander]] (Latin American)

[[Image:WaroftheDinos construction.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Maybe next time Wheeljack start with Swoop's brain first instead of feet!]]
Pleased with the overall success of the original three Dinobots, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] commissioned the construction of two additional members: [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] and Swoop. The new duo made their combat debut against [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] in a field test which the robotic dinosaurs passed with flying colors. Snarl and Swoop did battle with the original Dinobots (who were fooled by Megatron to go rogue), but were only strong enough to force them into a stalemate. The original Dinobots chose to return to the Autobots after their leader, Grimlock, was saved from the exploding meteorite through a selfless act of heroism from Optimus Prime. {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}}

Swoop later assisted his fellow Dinobots in limiting the amount of damage done by an incoming tidal wave by transporting logs to Snarl, who planted them into the ground to serve as an additional barrier against the raging wave. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}}

Swoop was rarely seen apart from the other Dinobots. Together, they fought the likes of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}} the [[Sub-Atlantica|Sub-Atlantican]] King [[Nergill]], {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!}} and moved to a [[Dinobot Island (G1)|bizarre island]] to hone their skills. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}}

[[Image:G1 cartoon Swoop beast mode.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Me Swoop too close to ceiling! Me not care anyway!]]
Some time after that, the Dinobots chose to desert the Autobots during their time of need (the Autobots were dying from lack of [[Cybertonium]]) and go to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]], [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], and [[Carly]] sought out the Dinobots to convince them to help, but Grimlock, angered that they had been followed, decided to crush them. Swoop, however, saved them, wanting to hear the "brilliant part" from the humans. Grimlock was convinced to go, but instead led the Dinobots to Cybertron itself. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}}

[[Image:DesertionDinobots2 Swoop humans.JPG|left|thumb|250px|]]
All the Dinobots were captured by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], reprogrammed and forced to work in the cybertonium mines at the planet's organic core. All, that is, except for Swoop. Swoop soon encountered Spike and Carly, the Autobots' human allies, deep within the bowels of the planet. The three teamed up and, after learning a brief history of the Transformer race, freed the Dinobots and returned to [[Earth]] with a shipment of Cybertonium. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}} Swoop wasn't excactly a dinobot before. He was'nt a con ether. He beat up prime once before, that's why optomus never likes him.

In 2005, Swoop and the other Dinobots fought Devastator during the battle of [[Autobot City]]. They didn't fare too well. They later evacuated the city (reluctantly) when [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] attacked. Swoop and the Dinobots became briefly stranded on [[Quintessa]] along with [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] and [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] when their ship was shot down. With help from [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], the Dinobots found their friends, with Swoop using [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] as bombs. The Autobots escaped Quintessa and rescued the remaining Autobots on the [[Junkion (planet)|Planet of Junk]] from a horde of confused [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. Later, Swoop did one of his greatest life accomplishments when he bombed the butt of [[Unicron|a god]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

In the year 2006, Swoop and other Autobots with "[[dinosaur transform static]]" were brought before a jury consisting of [[Slammer]], [[Six-Gun]], [[Scamper]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who tried to determine if any of them were involved in a recent rash of monument thefts. It turned out they were innocent. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}} Swoop and the Dinobots were also summoned by [[Oracle (G1)|Primacron's Assistant]] to do battle with [[Tornedron]], a creation of the villainous [[Primacron]]. Swoop failed to defeat the energy monster, but Grimlock managed to save the day just in the nick of time. {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
Alongside Grimlock and Snarl, Swoop was sent out to defend [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] from a major Decepticon assault. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
''On Cybertron, Swoop was once a member of the Autobots' [[Elite Flying Corps]] and named Divebomb. After disobeying orders from [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] he came into battle with the Predacon now called [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]], who defeated him and stole his name.'' {{storylink|What's in a Name?}} ''This began a continuing rivalry between the two. Millions of years later on Earth they clashed again, intending to finish things between them once and for all, but their respective team mates interfered and the battle went unresolved.'' {{storylink|Grudge Match!}}

Swoop was one of the original crew of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. After it crashed, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] came to Earth in pursuit and landed in the [[Savage Land]]. The Ark rebuilt Swoop along with [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] and [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] into the Dinobots, giving Swoop his new name in the process, {{storylink|Letters page (Marvel UK)|Grim Grams #132}} and sent them to the Savage Land to defeat Shockwave. {{storylink|The Last Stand}} The battle ended with the Dinobots submerged in a tar pit where they remained until they were dug out by Ratchet millions of years later. Swoop, along with the other Dinobots, then helped [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] to defeat [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] and reclaim the Ark and free the deactivated Autobots within. {{storylink|Repeat Performance!}}

[[Image:Swoopg1marvelukfirst.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Swoop intends to be the first to get his hands on a PlayStation 3!]]
''Upon their return to the Ark however Swoop was badly damaged and thought destroyed when he attempted to fly the booby trapped battle droid [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian]] away from the Ark to prevent the explosion from destroying [[Mount St. Hilary]].'' {{storylink|The Wrath of Grimlock!}}

''In reality he was blown clear and crashed into [[Lake Dena|a nearby lake]] where he was later found by [[Peter Anthony Morris|Professor Morris]]. The professor had developed a [[Neural relay link|machine capable of transferring his consciousness to a robot]] allowing him to take control of it. He recovered Swoop's body and used the machine to take control of him. He used Swoop to attack the Autobots who he had mistakenly assumed were under the control of his company's competitor [[Blackrock Industries]]. Swoop's personality eventually broke free of the professor’s control, however.'' {{storylink|The Icarus Theory}}

''Not long after this he went mad due to the burning out of his [[cybo-dendron]]s after being submerged in the tar pit for millions of years. He was subdued and went into a coma like state. This alerted the Autobots to the danger that the other Dinobots were in and they set out to find them.'' {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!}}

''Swoop later recovered from his coma along with the other Dinobots.'' {{storylink|Second Generation!}} ''He and the other Dinobots left the Ark shortly afterward to help Sludge save his friend Joy Meadows from both the Decepticons and Swoop's former tormentor Professor Morris and his new robot [[Centurion (Marvel)|Centurion]], funded by [[Intelligence and Information Institute|Triple-I]].'' {{storylink|In the National Interest}}

''Swoop would later battle the future Decepticon Galvatron, being severely beaten in the process.'' {{storylink|Fallen Angel (issue)|Fallen Angel}} After the death of Optimus Prime, Swoop helped to battle [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] who had been sent from Cybertron by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] to attack the Ark. Having driven Trypticon away Swoop and the Dinobots returned to the Ark where Grimlock was declared Autobot leader. {{storylink|King of the Hill!}}

Following the return of Optimus Prime as Autobot leader, Swoop and the other Dinobots were critically damaged by the [[Underbase]]-powered [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}} After being repaired by Ratchet using [[Pretender]] technology, Grimlock took Swoop and the Dinobots to [[Hydrus Four]] and restored them using [[Nucleon]]. Swoop and the Dinobots later returned to Cybertron and took part in the battle against [[Unicron]]. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
''In 2008, Swoop and the Dinobots were one of several special units unleashed on the Decepticon attack force when [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] led the 'Cons on a siege of the Autobots' main base on Cybertron. Autobot High Command soon learned this assault was only a distraction, however, engineered by [[Unicron]] himself who was reconstructing himself on [[Junkion (planet)|the planet of Junk]]. When [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] returned from Junk with this news, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] gathered [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]], Grimlock, and the rest of the Dinobots with him to make an assault on Junk. Much to Rodimus's dismay, Swoop and the Dinobots didn't hold back at all when attacking the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] Unicron had mind-controlled into doing his bidding, and tore through them as if they were any other enemy.'' {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
''Swoop and his fellow Dinobots were brought back after the Underbase Saga by Grimlock, who found a mysterious off-world method of restoring them to life. Shockwave and his auxiliary army of Decepticons wanted the secret, and so a fight broke out with the Dinobots. Swoop played with [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] for too long in the battle, and got shot in the wing as a result. Grimlock had to bail him out before the [[Battlecharger]] caused any further damage.'' {{storylink|Two Steps Back!}} ''Optimus Prime started to berate the Dinobots after the battle, for the brutality of their fighting style, and so an angry Grimlock threatened to take his Dinobots and leave the army entirely. Things became even more intense, and Prime and Grimlock actually started trading blows, to see who had the biggest chrome bearings. After a few minutes of sustaining combat, however, Swoop and Prime's lieutenant [[Getaway]] declared it a draw, as the combatants dropped to the floor, too tired to beat on one another anymore. Exhausted, Optimus Prime decided Grimlock could be put to better use than as a punching bag, and declared him Autobot Commander: Earth while Prime took the Ark and its crew into space to deal with Unicron. Swoop and the Dinobots joined several other long-time Autobots in forming Earthforce.'' {{storylink|Break-Away!}}

''On [[April Fools' Day]], the Dinobots played a prank on Grimlock, sending him out into a Canadian snowstorm to face Shockwave in single combat, only to find a snowman replica of the Decepticon leader and an autographed sign saying "April Fools!" Him Grimlock said "It's clobberin' time!" after that.'' {{storylink|Snow Fun!}}

''Shortly after Autobot [[Earthbase]] was completed, the Decepticons discovered its location and staged a major offensive on the Autobot position. Grimlock took his Dinobots out on the front lines to defend their territory, and Swoop was seen making a bombing run on [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] and [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]].'' {{storylink|Divide and Conquer!}}

''Every four million years (give or take), Slag's lack of [[emotional damper]]s played up for a while, turning him from moderately savage to mindlessly savage. It was a secret the Dinobots had kept since they first formed, but unfortunately, this attack occurred when Optimus Prime came back to Earth to inspect the new base. While Grimlock kept Prime occupied, Swoop and the other Dinobots had the unenviable task of keeping the berserker in check so Prime wouldn't find out. Swoop tried to take the triceratops by the horns, but was rammed through a wall instead. The Dinobots managed to wrangle Slag long enough for him to burn himself out, and their secret was safe for another four million years.'' {{storylink|The 4,000,000 Year Itch!}}

''In order to secure a compatible systems boost for Snarl (who was dying of [[Corrodia Gravis]]), Swoop and Earthforce had to seek out Starscream, Snarl's systems match, from the Louisiana Decepticon headquarters.'' {{storylink|External Forces!}} ''Of course, the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] were right in the middle of an assassination attempt on Starscream's life, forcing the Autobots to reluctantly come to his aid. Grimlock sent Swoop and Sludge to defend Starscream from his attackers. With Swoop acting as a distraction, Starscream was able to belt [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] with a loose I-beam. With the help of the Dinobots, Starscream fended off his assailants and agreed to help Snarl, in exchange for a promise of aid in case the assassins ever came after him again.'' {{storylink|The Lesser Evil!}}

''Snarl's health problems did not end there, however, and the corrodia gravis infection eventually returned. And this time, Snarl was too far gone to be repaired in his present body. The Dinobots attempted to locate the [[control crystal]] from the shuttle that originally brought them down to Earth, in the [[Savage Land]], hoping to store Snarl's mind in the crystal until a new body could be manufactured for him. Unfortunately, when they got there they found the crystal had been co-opted by a human scientist named [[Embrey]], who was using it as a power source to prevent a disease from spreading throughout the dinosaurs, killing them. Unable to remove the crystal and thereby condemn the beasts to death, Swoop came up with an alternate plan. With the control crystal as a conduit, Snarl's mind was transferred into that of a normal stegosaurus, leaving him to wait in the Savage Land until his mind could be retrieved and placed in a new body.'' {{storylink|Destiny of the Dinobots!}}

=====''Another Time and Place''=====
Several months after the golden age of Cybertron was reintroduced, Swoop and most of his fellow Dinobots had succumbed to the transfiguring effects of Nucleon and lost their ability to transform. When Grimlock received information that the Hydrus Four facilities had reopened, and discovered a means of reversing Nucleonic changes, the Dinobots jumped at the idea. Despite Prime's half-hearted warnings, Swoop and his teammates followed Grimlock back to Hydrus Four in the hopes of becoming Transformers once again. They were followed by the "exiled" Decepticons, however, and a battle with a huge native creature delayed the Dinobots long enough for Bludgeon's crew to get ahead of them and take over the Nucleon facility. The Dinobots were laid low by a [[Holocaust Trigger]], overloading their sensory circuits so that they were helpless before the Decepticons. Cruelly tortured, the Dinobots were still left alive so that they could witness the rebirth of Megatron, thanks to the Nucleon infusions Bludgeon was feeding him. For some reason, Swoop clearly got the worst of the treatment, with metal shredders taken to his wings, hooks gouged through his skin, and his leg torn almost completely out of joint.

Luckily, the Autobots had long since learned to become worried whenever the Dinobots were out of sight for too long, and had followed them to Hydrus Four. [[Roadhandler (G1)|Roadhandler]], [[Tote]] and several [[Micromaster|Micromasters]] managed to free the injured Dinobots, and an Autobot strike force brought down their Decepticon captors. Swoop managed to personally crawl over to the control console for some medical equipment, dropping a giant spidery set of waldoes on Bludgeon. In a matter of seconds, the machine tore apart the Decepticon leader, leaving nothing more than a few decentralized components. The Nucleon reversion process was a success, and Swoop and his comrades were restored to fully operational Transformers. {{storylink|Another Time and Place}}

====Generation 2====
Swoop and the Dinobots were fighting alongside Grimlock and a small group of Autobot [[Firestormer]]s when they uncovered the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]] and their [[Eco-structuring|terraforming]] measures. After calling in Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots, they became part of a major offensive against not only [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and his ilk, but everything they represented. {{storylink|War Without End!}} Despite Prime serving as overall commander, however, Swoop and his buddies were still Dinobots first and foremost. So when Grimlock wanted to take first strike action against Prime's orders, there was no question who they'd follow. Swoop and the others were captured almost immediately, though, and only escaped thanks to the timely intervention of Optimus Prime and his more loyal group of soldiers. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}}

Swoop continued to fight alongside the Autobots with his Dinobot comrades, on both Earth and [[Ethos]]. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} {{storylink|Escalation!}} In the epic final conflict with the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]], Swoop was seen manning one of the shield generators the united Autobot/Decepticon alliance was using to defend themselves. {{storylink|A Rage in Heaven!}}

====Classics====
{{note|The ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' story takes place in a post-Marvel Generation 1 comics universe where neither [[Generation 2 (Marvel comic)|Generation 2]] nor the Marvel UK material happened.}}
[[Image:Swooparkclassics.jpg|left|200px|thumb|He only looks big because the Ark is so far away... or is it [[scale]]?]]
After the defeat of Bludgeon's forces, the already nucleon-infused Swoop was caught in a titanic explosion at a nucleon-processing plant and was drastically mutated. The quick reaction of the Autobot [[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]] saved him and ''boom''; Mini-Con Swoop was born. One would think a Dinobot would dislike being given such a small form, but Swoop is just as powerful as he ever was (if not more) and is now ''much'' faster and more precise. These augmented abilities are enough to make him quite satisfied with this state of affairs. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 18|Mini-Con Swoop's profile}}

Swoop joined Grimlock's crew on the ''[[Graviton (Classics)|Graviton]]''. When his team followed [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]]'s small group of Decepticons to Earth, Swoop was sent ahead to scout the crashed remains of the Decepticon-controlled [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

{{-}}

===Big Looker storybooks===
During an incomprehensibly heavy-handed Decepticon plot to steal a single fuel tanker, the Autobots - also oddly determined to protect this single tanker - found themselves outnumbered and outgunned. Swoop, still recovering from a previous battle, arrived to assist, and was fired on by Megatron. This so enraged the mild-mannered Autobot that he dropped an air-to-air missile launcher (?) with the power of 5000 pounds of TNT. Swoop comes across as uncharacteristically modest, and grateful just to be able to help Prime and pals. Also, Swoop has hair. {{storylink|Decepticon Hijack}}

===3H comics continuity===
[[Image:Sandstormwindrazor.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Check out that winged silhouette in the middle.]]
In a distant future of the [[Beast Era]], the dark warlord known as [[Shokaract]] had conquered Cybertron and much of the galaxy. Only a handful of Maximals and Predacons survived to oppose him, under the command of the Predacon [[Sandstorm (BW)|Sandstorm]]. Among them was an ancient warrior known simply as the Veteran. Reflecting on his long history and all his many departed comrades, the Veteran began to wonder if he had survived so long as to become a ''figurative'' dinosaur.

The Veteran's finely honed skills and instincts allowed him to survive an assassination attempt by the [[Cub]], one of Shokaract's servants. Returning in defeat, the Cub was severely wounded as punishment for his failure and left to die in the wilds of Cybertron. Before he could perish, however, Sandstorm's band of rebels recovered him. In an attempt to learn more about Shokaract's plans, the Veteran merged his Spark with that of the Cub, and thus was born the dual-sparked [[Windrazor (BW)|Windrazor]].

Though Windrazor was essentially a new being, within him the Sparks of the Veteran and the Cub continued to grapple for control and dominance of their joined form. {{storylink|Herald, Covenant, Schism, Paradox}}

{{note|Though never named specifically, it is strongly implied that the Veteran is Swoop. The Veteran also appears in Simon Furman's pseudo-canonical story "[[The Last Days of Optimus Prime]]" and is outright referred to as being Swoop; he's said to have changed his name and appearance many times to adapt to Cybertron.}}

{{-}}
===Dreamwave comics continuity===
Swoop was an Autobot once named Divebomb, though the circumstances surrounding his name change are unspecified. When Optimus Prime and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] disappeared, Swoop joined Grimlock's [[Lightning Strike Coalition]]. When Grimlock took the future Dinobots to execute [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and Shockwave, Swoop argued that they should instead focus on [[Trypticon (G1)|the new battle base]] the Decepticons had built. Once the base was called away to rescue Shockwave, Swoop told him to come back and fight, then called him a coward (once the base was already leaving). Heading to the [[Neutral Territories]], they found no sign of Grimlock or Jetfire. Tracking Shockwave down, the LSC worked with the Decepticons to locate their missing members. {{storylink|War Within: The Dark Ages}}

As with the other [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]], they departed for [[Earth]] after the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], most likely because they were running out of things to smash [[Cybertron (planet)|back home]]. {{storylink|Extermination}} They somehow ended up under [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s control and were used to blackmail [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] into serving the Decepticons again. {{storylink|Prime Directive}} Grimlock was able to eventually free them before they decided that all the fun was really back [[Cybertron (planet)|home]] where they basically crashed [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s party. Their rampage was so destructive that it required the intervention of the [[Guardian robot|Omega Sentinels]] to halt. {{storylink|War and Peace}} He was last seen being briefed by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
Swoop and his team members were sent into Earth's past and reformatted into dinosaurs by a malfunctioning [[Teletran 3]]. After some problems with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] blocking their way back, a team consisting of [[Gung-Ho]], [[Dusty]], [[Shipwreck]] and a [[Cobra]] [[Cobra Viper|Viper]] managed to retrieve the Dinobots, who immediately wrecked Shockwave's party. Swoop took care of flying Decepticons by simply cutting right through them with his wings. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:Shockwaveg1idw.jpg|200px|thumb|right|GIVE ME YOUR EYEBALL.]]
Swoop and the other Dynobots followed Grimlock to revenge themselves against Shockwave, who blew up a cache of [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] they had stolen. When Shockwave traveled to [[Earth]], the Dynobots pursued him and reformatted themselves to transform into robotic dinosaurs with a synthetic skin as a defense against energon overload. Sadly, it did not protect the Dynobots from Shockwave's energy blasts, which melted the artificial skin and caused the Dynobots to go into [[stasis lock]] due to excessive [[energon radiation]]. Due to a deadman's switch, the [[Skyfire (ship)|Dynobots' ship]] blasted a volcano that buried everyone in molten lava. {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}}

Thousands of years later, the Dynobots were eventually excavated by [[Skywatch]]. As Swoop's wings had been mostly disintegrated by Shockwave, leaving only the "fingers," Skywatch scientists constructed new ones for him. Though Grimlock was the first to be brought back online, he was freed from Skywatch's control through a virus implanted by a [[Machination]] spy (under orders from [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]). Scorponok wanted Grimlock to join him, but Grimlock refused, fought Scorponok and escaped, vowing to find and rescue Swoop and the other Dynobots. Scorponok, however, planned to take control of the Dynobots himself and use them to assassinate Grimlock. {{storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}}

Skywatch activated Swoop, and in a test run, had him destroy a plane. When Grimlock showed up in [[Fallon]], he and the other Dynobots were sent to intercept him. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 1|Maximum Dinobots #1}} He got to slash at Grimlock with his talons before his reprogramming was removed, allowing him to discover Grimlock had set up a dead man's switch that buried them ''without'' informing the rest of the team. However, Grimlock's spirited defence of his actions seemed to convince Swoop... {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 2|Maximum Dinobots #2}}

[[Image:Dynobots divided MaximumDinos.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Oh no, dad and mum are splitting up!]]
Or not. Despite Grimlock’s best efforts to justify his actions, Swoop was quite disillusioned by the perceived betrayal of trust and decided to fly off on his own. The others also left Grimlock, who was thereafter almost immediately attacked by Scorponok’s [[Sunstreaker clone| Headmaster army]]. Despite their shaken faith in Grimlock, the other Dynobots were quick to turn back and aid him in battle, unwilling to watch a comrade fight alone. Swoop also flew back, admitting he had nowhere else to go. The five Dynobots continued to fight even as the Sunstreaker clones threatened to overwhelm them. Swoop told Grimlock it was probably better to die like this alongside his warrior brothers than be on his own. Just as the Machination grunts began to dogpile the Dynobots, the [[Monsterbot]]s arrived, having been summoned earlier by Grimlock. With their help, the Dynobots easily forced the remaining Headmasters into a retreat. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 3|Maximum Dinobots #3}}

[[Image:Swoop Sunstreaker clones MaximumDinos.jpg|250px|thumb|right|''Bombardment! Bombardment!'']]
Later, aboard the Monsterbots’ ship en route to Machination HQ, Swoop and the others discussed their current situation. Swoop in particular was quite disgusted at being allied, even temporarily, with the Monsterbots. When Grimlock came to them with the terms of the alliance, the rest of the Dynobots just gave him an annoyed look. Having arrived at Machination HQ, Grimlock told his team that he was going to see this through to the end, with or without them. Deciding things couldn’t get worse, Swoop and the rest followed Grimlock as they leapt from the ship and attacked. They set upon the task (again) of trashing Sunstreaker clones, until [[Hunter O'Nion]] managed to disconnect the clones’ link to the original Sunstreaker’s head. Assuming the threat was ended, Sludge began to celebrate…only to be struck down by the vengeful Scorponok. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 4|Maximum Dinobots #4}}

[[Image:Maximum Dinos cast.jpg|left|300px|thumb|You smelt it, you dealt it, Swoop.]]
Before the Dynobots could do anything about the Decepticon [[Headmaster (technology)| Headmaster]], Shockwave arrived on the scene. Claiming to want the Dynobots for himself, Shockwave entered into combat with Scorponok, leaving an opportunity for the Dynobots to escape. The price of his arrogance and unyielding attitude striking him, Grimlock decided to stay behind with Sludge’s stasis-locked body, as Swoop, Snarl, and Slag retreated. They were going to pull out of the area with the Monsterbots, but ultimately decided against it. Returning to the scene of the battle, they found Grimlock fighting Shockwave, and Sludge having just come back online. Swoop and the others briefly aided Grimlock, but were ordered by the Dynobot commander to go find Scorponok before he escaped. They infiltrated Machination HQ, and found the chamber where Scorponok’s original head was being stored. With some direction from the damaged Hot Rod, Swoop severed the connections keeping Scorponok’s head functional with his wings, rendering the giant Decepticon inert. Snarl was about to execute Scorponok when Ultra Magnus arrived on the scene. He suggested that they quickly scrub the site of evidence of any Cybertronian, and take Scorponok and the now-defeated Shockwave into custody. Swoop and the others were totally cool with this. In the end, Grimlock surrendered himself to Ultra Magnus for his rogue actions and the rest of the Dynobots were let off the hook. Swoop was seen helping the others rebuild the ''Skyfire''. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
*'''Swoop''' (Dinobot, 1985/1986/1991/1992)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''30'''
**''Accessories'': "[[Thermo-sword|Thermal Sword]]", 2 missile launchers, 3 missiles

[[Image:G1 Swoop toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Unlike others, who have energo-swords, Me Swoop have thermal sword.]]
: Swoop's toy transforms into a robotic pteranodon. Swoop can stand on his dinosaur feet or lie on his stomach in this mode, but additionally has fold-out wheels located in his feet and chest (though one has to split his chest open to access the latter wheel). His beak and tail were rounded [[for safety reasons]] compared to the original ''[[Diaclone]]'' release. However, the remolding of the tail kept the tail sticker from fitting correctly. Interestingly, despite being a former ''Diaclone'' toy, Swoop is the only Dinobot not to have an obvious cockpit for a ''Diaclone'' driver figure.

:Swoop's die-cast metal chest is painted red, which is his ''Transformers'' color, as opposed to his cartoon color scheme which was based on the ''Diaclone'' toy. Along with his sword, he also comes with two spring-loaded missile launchers, the only Dinobot to have two projectile-launchers (and no non-firing gun to boot.)

: Swoop is notable for being one of the most fragile Generation 1 toys, and as such commands a respectable amount of money on the secondary market due to the difficulty in finding one intact.

: In Japan, Swoop and the other Dinobots were offered as mail-away items during ''[[Operation Combination (toyline)|Operation Combination]]''. Swoop cost 1800 yen (his original retail price, less than the other four) and two [[Robot Point]]s.

::*''[http://tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm More information on Swoop at TFU.info]''

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===Beast Wars===
* '''Swoop''' (1997)
:[[Men in Black]], who had previously created the [[Onyx Primal]] exclusive for [[BotCon 1996]], wanted to make two exclusives for their non-licensed Transcon2 convention in 1997. [[Albitron]] and Swoop, repaints of the original ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Megatron (BW)/toys|Megatron]] and [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] respectively, would have been available singly as well as in a two-pack.

:However, Men in Black solicited the toys before they had gotten approval for them from [[Hasbro]], which reportedly led Hasbro to turn down the proposal. Nonetheless, the basic Terrorsaur mold was to eventually be recolored in "Dinobot" colors as [[Terranotron (Dinobots)|Terranotron]] several years later.

{{canceledtoy}}
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===Classics===
[[Image:Classics Swoop toy.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Level '''1''' conversion difficulty. And the photographer still did it wrong.]]
*'''Dinobots''' (Mini-Con Team, 2006)

: Swoop transforms into a robotic pteranodon. His jointing allows him to stand on his hind-feet as well as assume a normal "flying" position. He was only available in the [[Dinobot (Classics)|Dinobot Mini-Con Team]] set with [[Knockdown (Classics)|Knockdown]] and [[Terrorsaur (Classics)|Terrorsaur]].

: Swoop's beast mode feet are misassembled; they are flipped upside-down. This was corrected on [[Windrazor (Universe)|Windrazor]].

: This mold was also used to make [[Reptix]], ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Windrazor (Universe)|Windrazor]] and ''[[Dark of the Moon (franchise)|Dark of the Moon]]'' [[Rav (DOTM)|Rav]].
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===Decoy===
*'''Cybertron Hero Collection 22''' (multi-pack, 1986)

*'''Swoop''' (1987)
**''Decoy number:'' '''3'''

: The figurine was later brought over to [[Hasbro]] markets as part of the [[Decoy]] promotion, largely identical to the Japanese release except for the fact that the number on his back was replaced with a simple "checklist" number. Like all Autobot Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded [[Throttlebot]]s, [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Decoys/Swoop/swoop.htm More information on Decoy Swoop at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
[[Image:DiacloneSwoop.jpg|thumb|150px|"The UK sucks, even if they did get ROTF before the rest of us!"]]
*Swoop had the preliminary names of '''Divebomb'''<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20071230210811/http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=41003 Jim Sorenson revealed] that the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''Generation 1'' cartoon]] [[production bible|series bible]] contains a description of Swoop typed with the name "Divebomb", then crossed out by hand and rewritten "Swoop". This was dated 1984, two years before the Predacons would appear.</ref> and '''Wing'''.<ref>The [[dialogue script]] to "[[War of the Dinobots]]" refers to Swoop as "Wing" in places.[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/b533df64aedd8537?hl=en] This early name was evidently coined by writer [[Donald F. Glut]].[http://web.archive.org/web/20070217131842/http://members.aol.com/tfencyc/interview_glut.html]</ref>
* Swoop was originally a ''[[Diaclone]]'' Dinosaur Robo Pteranodon type piloted mech. Whoever made Swoop's animation model used this ''Diaclone'' toy as a reference, as the Dinobot sports the pre-Transformer's blue chest, and gold lower beak, missiles, and dino feet. Swoop's box art has the Transformer toy's red chest, but keeps the gold parts from the Diaclone toy.
* Swoop is the only original Dinobot who is not technically a dinosaur. Following in his foot-steps are [[Terranotron (BM)|Terranotron]], [[Sludge (Dinobots)|Wal*Mart Sludge]], [[Paddles (character)|Paddles]], and two-thirds of [[Magmatron]].
* Thanks to the ''[[Robo-Capers]]'' strip in issue [[Robo-Capers issue 87|#87]] of the UK Comic, Swoop became the first and possibly only Transformer to defecate in a licensed and approved presentation.
* Swoop was never released in the UK, resulting in several letters (that were published) asking about his whereabouts, in the UK comic.
[[Image:PteraGeist.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
* The overall design and transformation sequence of the original Swoop toy served as the basis for '''[[:Image:PteraGeist.jpg|Ptera Geist]]''', one of four recurring villainous henchmen on the Takara/Sunrise co-production ''[[Brave (franchise)|Brave Exkaiser]]''; Ptera Geist was the smartest of the group, and something of an inventor. In what might be called [[Beast (G1)|a vision of things to come]], the four "Geisters" were once briefly fused into a single robot called "[[:Image:MadGeister.jpg|Mad Geister]]" (マッドガイスター ''Maddogaisutā''). However, because each Geister controlled a portion of the combined body—and, aside from Ptera Geist, they had the accumulated brain power of a Froot Loop—this ended rather badly. In a more successful (if not [[Mega-Dinobot|also prescient]]) later development, the Geisters learned to merge in groups of two, with Ptera Geist forming the upper body of "[[:Image:PtederAndHormor.jpg|Pteder]]" (プテダー ''Putedā'').
[[Image:Swoop iconic.jpg|right|150px|thumb|New "Wildberry" Swoop is two, two, two flavors in one!]]
* Swoop and Sludge's absence from ''Generation 2'' has never been fully explained, though rumors of what might have been persist. Recently, packaging art of both in new colors was unearthed, indicating what he ''might'' have looked like in the line. This art surfaced alongside a [[:Image:G2GrimlockArtwork.jpg|screaming yellow and turquoise Grimlock]], so it is possible that the three were at one time planned for a second wave of Dinobots.
* The ''Diaclone'' incarnation of Swoop was also used as the model for the "restored" version of the Autobot [[Ravenus]] in the ''[[Armada (franchise)|Micron Legend]]'' "[[Linkage (comic)|Linkage]]" mini-comics.
* The ''[[Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Swoop (Energon)|Swoop]] toy was originally intended to be the original Generation 1 character, and was to be released in ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]''. However, it was ultimately shunted into ''Energon'', reportedly for a combination of budgetary concerns and keeping the combination gimmick (since he combines with the packed-in [[Grimlock (Energon)|Grimlock]] to form a [[Mega-Dinobot|super robot]]) only in the main-line, which had combination as a central theme.
* There are numerous [[Paint operation|paint application]] differences between the Classics Swoop pictured on the card back and the final product. One possibility is that since the molds were originally intended to be in two-packs rather than three-packs, the number of available paint applications (which are carefully monitored) per piece was larger in the two-pack arrangement, necessitating some omissions for the three-pack release.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Swoop''' (スワープ ''Swāpu'')
*''French:'' '''Assailo''' (Canada)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Roham''' ("Charge")
*''Italian: '''Reptilo'''
*''Portuguese:'' '''Pairador''' (Brazil comic)

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Swoop Swoop's ''Universe'' profile at NFTA.net]
* [http://www.diaclone.net/orid/diadino/d090.html ''Diaclone'' Swoop at DIACLONE.net (Japanese-language site)]
* [http://www.toyarchive.com/Transformers.html Proofs of the Albitron & Swoop box on Toyarchive.com]
* [http://transfans.co.uk/comics_guide_detail.php?id=146&page=7 Transformers #132 Letters Page on Transfans.co.uk]

[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics Mini-Cons]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Decoys]]
[[Category:Dinobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Mail order items]]
[[Category:Robo-Capers characters]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]

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Swoop (G1)