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Swindle (G1)

2025-04-13T21:03:03Z

Yb124oaaai: /* Notes */

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig3|Swindle}}
:''Swindle is a [[Decepticon]] [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Swindleg1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|He'd sell you for a nickel, that schemer.]]

Capitalist first, Decepticon second, '''Swindle''' is a con-man, an opportunist, a hustler—or as he would put it, an entrepreneur. Unlike his fellow Combaticons, he considers the Autobot-Decepticon war to be merely an opportunity for networking, cutting deals, and making profit. He's an expert on all manner of weaponry and their market prices, and he prides himself on being able to sell anything to pretty much anybody.

Despite being a weaselly, opportunistic sneak, Swindle is one of the few Decepticons who could adapt to a post-war Cybertron. After all, there will always be demand for a black market, regardless of whoever wins. He knows all he has to do is keep his chin up, and he'll always have a customer. All he needs is a smile.

Swindle can combine with the other Combaticons to form [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]].

{{quote|Make deals, not war.|Swindle's [[bio]] quote}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Johnny Haymer]] (English), [[Osamu Saka]] (Japanese), [[Kōki Kataoka]] (Japanese, "Aerial Assault"), [[Ken Shiroyama]] (Japanese, ''2010''), [[Yoku Shioya]] (Japanese, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2"), [[Minoru Inaba]] (Japanese, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3"), [[Takurō Kitagawa]] (Japanese, "Webworld")|[[Xia Zhiqing]] (Chinese), [[Alejandro Abdalah]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Bernd Simon]] (German, "Five Faces of Darknes, Part 2 - 4" & "The Rebirth, Part 3"), [[Gerhard Acktun]] (German, "Webworld"), [[Imo Heite]] (German, "The Ultimate Weapon"), [[Ulf-Jürgen Wagner]] (German, ''Generation 2'' dub of "Starscream's Brigade"), [[Peter Zilles]] (German, ''Generation 2'' dub of "The Ultimate Weapon"), [[Georges Atlas]] (European French), [[Albert Augier]] (European French, "The Revenge of Bruticus"), [[Michel Barbey]] (European French, "Five Faces of Darkness", Parts 2 & 4), Unknown (European French, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3"), [[François Leccia]] (European French, "Webworld"), [[Júlio César]] (Portuguese), [[Marcos Miranda]] (Portuguese, "The Revenge of Bruticus"), [[Carlos Marques]] (Portuguese, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2"), [[André Filho]] (Portuguese, "The Ultimate Weapon")}}

[[File:StarscreamsBrigade CombaticonsMegs.jpg|left|thumb|Step right up! Step right up! Everyone's a winner; bargains galore!]]
Swindle was one of the five [[renegade Decepticon]]s liberated by [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] in the Air Commander's latest attempt to unseat [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. As an element of their imprisonment, they had been reduced to mere [[personality component]]s, so Starscream installed them into abandoned [[World War II]] military vehicles. Swindle in particular was put in a {{w|Willys Jeep}},<ref>"Starscream's Brigade" shooting script</ref> and unlike his teammates, he didn't immediately reconfigure himself into a different vehicle form. Starscream called them "Combaticons" and announced their names as they transformed, but they didn't recognize him. Nor did they feel particularly indebted to him for their release; in the end, Starscream only guaranteed their loyalty though having given them bodies bereft of [[energy absorber]]s, so they would be dependent upon him to refuel. While their first missions for Starscream were initially successful, the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]' intervention meant the brigade's defeat, and Megatron exiled all six to a remote asteroid. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

[[File:AerialAssault Swindle Ali.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|It picks up the kids from school; it gets rid of unwanted facial hair; it gets rid of embarrassing ink spots; it delivers a pizza!]]
The Combaticons later escaped the asteroid and attacked Cybertron together as Bruticus. After being defeated again, Swindle and the Combaticons were reprogrammed to be loyal to Megatron. It's debatable how well that reprogramming took with Swindle. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

Megatron next ordered the Combaticons to steal fighter planes by using Middle-Eastern criminals as go-betweens. Swindle was the personal ride of [[Ali (Sunbow)|Ali]], the thief leader, and led the caravans with parts to Megatron. He later merged with the others to form Bruticus, who was defeated by the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] as [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. {{storylink|Aerial Assault}}

[[File:BOT Swindle grabbed.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Act now! Act now! And receive as our gift to you, they come in all colors, one size fits all!]]
Bruticus was next defeated by [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], and Swindle was the sole survivor of the team. He proceeded to sell the parts of his comrades to various [[El Presidente|people]] for a sweet finder's fee. Megatron was less than happy with this, however, as he had just constructed a giant death-ray for Bruticus to wield for him. No Combaticons, no Bruticus. Swindle tried to plead off his greed as a programming flaw, but Megatron wasn't having any of it. He installed a bomb in Swindle's head and gave him 15 hours to rebuild his fellow Combaticons or suffer their fate. The most elusive piece was [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]'s personality component, which had been raided from a junkyard by [[Elise Presser|some]] [[Martin and Roland|high school kids]] building a [[B.O.T. (G1)|homemade robot]]. Swindle had to fight through a trio of Autobots in order to recover the personality component, but succeeded in time to have the bomb removed. {{storylink|B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.}}

Swindle is plainly a team player.

[[File:FiveFaces2 Scourge and Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.34|Fifty percent off original retail price, skip the middle man!]]
After the Decepticons were exiled to a burnt-out husk of a planet called [[Chaar]] in 2006, they dropped dangerously low on energon. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} When they spotted [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] spying on them, Swindle and the other Decepticons charged, only to find that their weapons were next to useless through lack of energon. The two Autobots were picked up by a [[Skuxxoid]] spaceship, and Swindle commented that the Skuxxoids would sell out to anyone, unaware that the ship had been commandeered by Autobots. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} When the [[Quintesson]]s arrived on Chaar, [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] went out to meet them, and when they announced they wanted to make a deal, Dead End deferred to Swindle's negotiating skills. After determining that the energon the Quintessons were offering was good, Swindle talked to the Quintessons about a deal, and when it turned out they wanted the Decepticons to help them destroy the Autobots, the Decepticons were happy to volunteer their services. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}

The Decepticons were taken to [[Goo 8739-B|Goo]] to attack the Autobots, only for [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to arrive partway through the battle and demand the Decepticons return to him. Swindle, perhaps foolishly, asked what Galvatron would provide for them that the Quintessons hadn't. After some more "negotiations", Galvatron entered into an alliance with the Quintessons too. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} As part of a two-pronged attack, Swindle was part of the Decepticon forces who went to Earth. They were unable to prevent [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] gaining a new [[transformation cog]] however. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

[[File:WebWorld Swindle and Cyclonus.jpg|thumb|left|Get away from me, kid; ya bother me.]]
Swindle and the other Combaticons accompanied Galvatron to [[Paradron]], where at one point they were assigned to guard the Paradronian prisoners and failed to fend off an Autobot assault. {{storylink|Fight or Flee (episode)|Fight or Flee}} When the Autobots threw a surprise party for [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]], the Combaticons threw a surprise attack on the Autobots, however [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] proved too much for them and they retreated in Blast Off. {{storylink|Surprise Party}}

Later, Swindle, along with [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], finally became so dissatisfied with Galvatron leadership that he openly grumbled that the Autobots would be doing the Decepticons a favor by killing Galvatron. [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] interpreted this as treason, but Swindle brushed him off. Both he and Motormaster warned Cyclonus that if Galvatron's madness wasn't cured, the Unicron-forged pair would face rebellion. {{storylink|Webworld}}

[[File:UltimateWeapon FirstAid Swindle.jpg|thumb|You got it buddy; the large print giveth, and the small print taketh away!]]
On another occasion, Swindle singlehandedly infiltrated [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] for Galvatron and miraculously managed to fend off a lone Autobot pacifist like [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to steal the [[Titan (group)|Titan]]'s [[transformation cog]]. After returning from his mission, though, Swindle's greed got the best of him, and he attempted to make Galvatron bid for the cog. After Megatron put a bomb in his head, why Swindle thought bargaining with the even less stable Galvatron was a good idea is anyone's guess. Lucky for Swindle, Galvatron was in one of his less manic phases at the time and only blasted the greedy Combaticon a few times instead of ripping out his primary fuel pump with his [[teeth]]. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

In their combined Bruticus form, the Combaticons fought Defensor but had to split up and flee when Rodimus Prime and Sky-Lynx arrived to provide backup. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}} Also as part of Bruticus, Swindle was one of the victims of the [[Hate Plague]]. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}

Swindle took part in a major assault on Cybertron, when the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]]s arrived, resulting in an Autobot defeat. The Combaticons were then put to work building a rocket engine to move Cybertron to Earth's solar system. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{--}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====

=====Scramble City=====
When the Stunticons were dispatched to hinder the Autobots from constructing [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]], they were held up by the Aerialbots, so the Combaticons were sent to aid them. Swindle combined with the others to form Bruticus, who teamed up with Menasor to defeat Superion. Unfortunately, Scramble City was finished in the meantime, and soon arrived on the scene and defeated Bruticus. {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

=====''Story of Binaltech''=====
[[File:Swindleart.jpg|left|thumb|Nice to meet you! Please disregard the gun.]]
In 2003, Swindle used his contacts to reverse-engineer the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] virus and ensure a large percentage of the Autobot force on Earth was incapacitated. {{storylink|Binaltech Is... (Chapter 1)|Binaltech Is...}} When the Autobots joined forces with Earth's manufacturing industries to create the Binaltech project, Swindle worked with Starscream and his Decepticon faction to infiltrate the project for their own ends. Using modified [[cerebro-shell]] technology to turn human workers into sleeper agents, the Decepticons managed to sneak some of their own personality components into the facilities and replace them with those of the Autobots planned for the new bodies. {{storylink|Arise! Evil Binaltechs}}

Thanks to the Decepticons' efforts, the Central City Institute of Technology thought they were upgrading the Autobot [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], only to have Swindle come online instead. Swindle's bait-and-switch wasn't totally effective, though—the Binaltech warriors only had their weaponry fully equipped and activated after coming online and arriving at Autobot City, so Swindle was not equipped with functioning versions of Trailbreaker's [[force field]] and other abilities, having to instead outfit himself with armaments from his own munitions depots. He was also banned from the Binaltech [[electro-cell]] recharging centers after his ruse was uncovered, and therefore had to rely on the [[Exponential Generator]] technology provided by Starscream's human ally, [[Doctor Arkeville]]. Though upgraded since its inception, the generators were historically unstable (like, "might blow up an entire planet" unstable). {{storylink|Expose All of Evil's Designs!}}

======BT World======
A team of Autobots zeroed-in on a base of operation of the [[Concurrence]], finding Swindle working alongside the humans. Together, Swindle and the Concurrence had built an enormous artificial transformer, powered by the energies of Prowl's Spark, currently lost across dimensions. After the giant's defeat, Swindle was taken into custody. He pleaded his innocence, stating that building the artificial transformer was the humans' idea, and that he had merely advised them throughout the process. {{storylink|Unfinished Business, Part 2}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
[[File:Hm4 Swindle Gun.jpg|thumb|200px]]
Swindle and the Combaticons were among Galvatron's troops when he ordered an all-out Decepticon invasion of Cybertron, {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} but even the power of Bruticus couldn't stand up to the newly arrived [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} The Combaticons were subsequently sent to Earth to stop [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] from bringing the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to Optimus Prime, but were ambushed by the Protectobots and buried in a rockfall. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} They were next seen defending [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s city mode from [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|an Autobot spy]], but were distracted by the Aerialbots. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

Galvatron eventually managed to invade Cybertron once more, and Swindle and the others were again part of the attack. They soon encountered those pesky Protectobots again, {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} and were taken out of action by Defensor. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}} As Galvatron was thought lost in the battle, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] took control of the Decepticon forces and ordered the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] and [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] to protect a giant carnivorous plant he had planted in [[San Francisco]]. When the Autobots arrived to kill it, Bruticus dueled with the [[Trainbot]] combiner [[Raiden]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}} The Combaticons later fell under [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]'s command, and he ordered them, along with the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] and [[Horrorcon (G1)|Horrorcons]], to attack an Autobot energy facility in [[Florida|Miami]]. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} They unleashed Bruticus as Sixshot continued his reign of terror over the Autobots on Earth. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

Swindle was later present at Scorponok's inauguration as [[Decepticon leader]] after Galvatron had died for real. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}} The Combaticons were then stationed at the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], where they failed to lure Fortress Maximus away from their base. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} As Scorponok's plan to destroy Earth came close to fruition, Swindle was part of Bruticus as the combiner sunk the luxury liner ''[[Queen World]]'' and defended a [[Death Tower]] in [[Australia]] from Defensor. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} As Bruticus, the Combaticons participated in the final battle with the Autobots at the [[Arctic|North Pole]], and retreated into space when Scorponok's energy-absorbing satellite started tearing the Earth apart. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

=====''Unite Warriors''=====
[[Trickdiamond]] was rumored to have dealings with Swindle. {{storylink|Trickdiamond#Unite Warriors 2|''Unite Warriors'' Trickdiamond bio}} During an illegal arms trading market hosted by the Combaticons, Swindle decided to sell some home-made missiles... as well as Brawl's weapons. He was seen trying to explain his actions after his angry comrade noticed what was going on. {{storylink|Shopping at the Dark Bazaar!}}

=====''Zone'' cartoon, manga, and story pages=====
Seeking to create a [[Decepticon Zone]] to counter the [[Micro|Autobot Zone]], [[Emperor of Destruction|Decepticon Emperor]] [[Violengiguar]] gathered together the [[Nine Great Demon Generals]], upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. Swindle was of those summoned, but only as part of Bruticus. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}} {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (manga)|Transformers: Zone}} {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}
{{-}}

====''TV Magazine'' comic continuity====
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' story pages=====
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)|Parts 13, 14, 16}}}}
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic=====
Swindle and the rest of the Combaticon team came to assist [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] when he got into trouble with [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] and [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]. As Bruticus, the team broke Defensor apart easily enough, but fell victims to Superion's [[electrostatic discharger rifle]]. The weapon hit Swindle and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]], who disconnected from Bruticus, allowing two [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] to steal their positions as Bruticus's legs. Swindle was left chasing after Bruticus as the Autobots took control of the combiner's flight systems and flew away with him. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5}}

Megatron later ordered the Combaticons to capture an escaped [[Battle Dog]] which he had imbued with energy. [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] eventually arrived to stop them, leading to the dog using its energy to give the Autobot [[Scramble Power]]. Swindle combined with his teammates to destroy Powerglide, but he and his [[Mini Vehicle|Minibot]] friends used Scramble Power to [[Minibot combiner|combine]] and drill a hole straight through Bruticus, forcing him to retreat. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 8|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #8}}

=====''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers''=====
In the year [[2010]], Swindle participated in a Decepticon attack on the planet Feminia. He and his team merged into Bruticus in order to battle alongside Menasor and Devastator against their Autobot counterparts Superion, Defensor and Omega Supreme. The fight was fairly evenly matched until Galvatron called up his ace-in-the-hole, [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]], whose power was unmatched by any of the Autobots... except for the [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibots]], who essentially tied Predaking's shoelaces together until he fell over, straight into Bruticus and his chums, sending them all toppling to the ground and knocking them to bits. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 5|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #5}}
{{note|Swindle only appears as a component of Bruticus}}

=====''The Great Transformer War''=====
Galvatron kidnapped Doctor [[Dalton]] of [[Eran]] to upgrade the might of his combiner warriors. When the Autobot combiners arrived to save Dalton, Swindle and his teammates were deployed at high speeds from Onslaught's launcher mode. They met Superion in mid-air, and the force of their deployment enabled the combiner teams to tear him apart. The Combaticons then merged into Bruticus to move in for the kill. They were ultimately outwitted by the Autobots, however, who rescued Dalton and safely returned to Metroplex. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 1|The Great Transformer War #1}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
[[File:EliteGuardCombaticons TheComingStorm2.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Roll up! Roll up! Buy ten packets of Energon for only E999.99! Contents may have settled during transit...]]
Swindle was part of a [[Elite Guard|Cybertron Elite Guard]] special ops unit created by [[Magnum]] to take out the various [[Decepticon leader|leaders]] of the new Decepticon faction, in the hopes of ending the war quickly. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}} During introductions, Swindle admired [[Dion (G1)|Dion]]'s [[Nitronium launcher]]s and offered him an [[Ajax P-9000 Grade-B Jump Launch Accelerator]] (Swindle had named his own "[[Thunderblast (G1)|Thunderblast]]" after an old flame). The Combaticons were teamed with [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]]'s Strike Team for a mission to an archeological dig in [[Median]]. The dig had uncovered the [[Heart of the Dragon]], a powerful artifact coveted by the Decepticon [[Rage (G1)|Rage]] and his [[Stormtrooper (G1)|Stormtrooper]]s. When the teams arrived and discovered that the archaeologists were all females, he announced the odds were high that they would all score.

They began to fortify the site, though Onslaught had to remind Swindle that he wasn't there to sell them the fortifications. He still managed to organize a trade with [[Over-Run (G1)|Over-Run]], providing the Autobot with a drone. He also lent [[Lancer]] his [[Gyro gun|Gyro-Gun]] and a dose of sexual harassment. The Decepticons still managed to break in to steal the urn, and even Swindle's idea of having the autoturrets shoot anyone trying to escape the city failed when the autoturrets apparently malfunctioned.

Tracking the Stormtroopers back to their mobile base, the [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]], Swindle and the others were confronted by Rage's bizarre creations, the [[Minotoron]]s. Dion suggested that Swindle use a device he'd removed from Over-Run's drone to produce a high-pitched noise and subdue the beasts. Seeing an opportunity to sneak inside, [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]], Swindle and Dion mounted the creatures when they were summoned back inside the Metrotitan.

The teams reassembled inside the base, only to be confronted by [[Brimstone (G1 Decepticon)|Brimstone]], a small but powerful Transformer with atom-smashing breath, brought to life by the Heart of the Dragon. In the face of this new threat, they were forced to retreat while attempting to find a way to destroy it. Even [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'s explosives weren't enough to stop the creature, but the small frame proved to be insufficient to contain Brimstone's energies, and it soon exploded, destroying the Metrotitan. Swindle and the Elite Guard managed to escape the blast radius, and reported back to Magnum about a job well done. Swindle's report apparently read like a romance holo-pulp. {{storylink|Flames of Yesterday}}

[[File:ComingStorm3 Swindle looks for loot.jpg|thumb|upright=0.95|Come on, buddy. [[Swindle (Animated)|This should be a no processor...er]] for you.]]
The Combaticons and Strike Team continued to be teamed up for missions. They tracked down the Decepticon [[Shadowcaster]]'s base and Swindle was given the task of dropping a [[fog grenade]] in to drive the officers out into the open. He hoped there was something he could loot, but Onslaught reminded him he was on a mission. He still managed to enlist Vortex's help in looting a particularly large piece of machinery, once the mission was completed. While the Strike Team went back to base, the Constructicons stuck around to investigate the area, and were captured by Decepticons. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 3}}

Swindle was mostly impressed by the energy bars on their cell, as he knew someone who'd pay a small fortune for the technology. The Combaticons were brought before [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]], though Swindle was unable to take his eyes off the mountains of gold the Decepticon possessed. Deathsaurus persuaded the team to join his group of Decepticons. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 4}} He bestowed on the team new armor, and the ability to merge into [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. A week later, the Combaticons took part in an attack on Elite Guard HQ, and when confronted by [[Sentinel Major]], showed off their new [[Combiner]] mode. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 5}} Bruticus managed to slaughter pretty much all of the Guard before Dion blinded the giant, forcing them to separate. They headed back to Deathsaurus's base for repairs. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 6}}

Repairs proceeded, but the Combaticons were startled to learn that Deathsaurus could force them to combine into Bruticus at will. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 1}} {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 2}} They still turned out to help defend the base against the remnants of the Elite Guard. In mid battle, Swindle tried to interest Dion in a supply of quasar weapons, much to the Autobot's surprise. As the Combaticons gained the upper hand, they attempted to merge, only to be blasted mid-combination. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 3}} They picked themselves up only to find that Blast Off was missing, so they couldn't make another try at forming Bruticus. Swindle was almost attacked by Dion, but another Decepticon surprised the Autobot from behind. At the end of the fight, the Combaticons failed to retreat fast enough and were subsequently taken into Elite Guard custody. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 4}}

In the hands of the compromised [[Gyronian Sentry|Gyronian Sentry Team]], the Combaticons were whisked away to Deathsaurus's fortress, now under Megatron's control. Though Megatron gave them the option, none of them cared to help Deathsaurus, and they were imprisoned and their personality components subsequently interred in the Decepticon Detention Center. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 5}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Buster combaticons second generation.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7]]
''Thanks to his brief time housing the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] in his mind, [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] experienced a series of dreams outlining the future of Cybertronian technology: the [[Special Teams]]. These dreams were random and chaotic at first, as he was chased through his dreamscape by [[Combiner]] robots and witnessed the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] merge into [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] joined Buster in his dreams, the information became more linear, and the Autobot and human beheld a future scenario in which Swindle and the Combaticons joined forces with the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] against the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]]. Working off this information, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] began to conceive a way to reverse-engineer and improve upon [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]'s combination technology. Unfortunately for the Autobots, [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] had managed to tap into Buster's dream frequency, and the Decepticons received the same information to build their own Special Teams.'' {{storylink|The Special Teams Have Arrived}} {{storylink|Second Generation!}}

[[File:Swindle brawl afterdeath.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
On his first mission on Earth, Swindle joined the Combaticons and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] on a mission to invade the company Energy Futures Industries in order to steal a [[hydrothermocline]], which the Decepticons wanted to take for their own energy resources. When they arrived, they were met by Optimus Prime and the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]], laying in wait for them. Swindle combined with his team to form Bruticus, but before the giant got a chance to brawl with [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], [[Ethan Zachary|a human]] suggested that they'd play a [[Multi-World|video game]] over the plant instead. Optimus Prime and Megatron both agreed, and Swindle was sent into the video game along with the other Combaticons, Protectobots, and faction leaders. Swindle teamed up with [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] to destroy [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] in the "Vineland" area of the game. However, they were tripped up by a bunch of vine creatures, [[Decrystallizer cannon|crystallized]], and [[Compressed air cannon|blown to smithereens]]. Game over. {{storylink|Afterdeath!}} ''These events were observed by the [[time travel]]ling [[Dicet Alpha-zero]].'' {{storylink|The Quest!}}

[[File:Swindle marvel uk 137.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|This is all kinds of wrong.]]
Swindle was idling about in Megatron's throne room, where he witnessed the now mentally unhinged faction leader lash out erratically to all those around him. He soon accompanied his fellow Decepticons to a new base in the [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean]], during which time Megatron disappeared and Shockwave assumed command of the Earth-bound Decepticons. {{storylink|Gone but Not Forgotten!}} ''Shortly afterwards, Shockwave dispatched Swindle and the other Combaticons to assassinate [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], who had been buried under cooled lava at [[Mount Verona]]. The Combaticons made short work of the human military camped around the site, then proceeded to set up explosive charges to eliminate the potential usurper once and for all. As Swindle was setting his share of the charges, he was struck down by the combined efforts of [[Joy Meadows|three]] [[Susan Hoffman|human]] [[Cindy Newell|women]], out to save [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]], also buried within the volcano. The rest of the Combaticons were driven off with the additional help of the [[Throttlebot]]s, earning them the ire of Swindle and his teammates.'' {{storylink|Ladies' Night (issue)|Ladies' Night}}

[[File:Swindle marvel uk 138.jpg|thumb|Lamb bhuna last night?]]
Swindle and his team tracked the Throttlebots to a used car lot, finding their prey immobilized in their vehicle modes. But to get to them, the Combaticons had to contend with both the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and a squadron of [[Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team|RAAT]] operatives. In order to avoid wholesale destruction of his lot, the proprietor of the dealership suggested each faction put in a bid for the Throttlebots, and all present accepted. Onslaught had nothing to bargain with however, and zero intention of actually following through with the agreement. He instructed Swindle to simply terminate the auctioneer, [[Big Steve Ludwig (G1)|Big Steve Ludwig]], only for Blaster to leap forth from a hiding spot and toss Swindle away before he got his shot in. This triggered an all-out brawl to start, ending with the Combaticons retreating and the Throttlebots in RAAT custody. {{storylink|Used Autobots}} The Combaticons decided to ambush the Protectobots once more, this time meeting them in a sprawling train yard. The group was forced to regroup and combine into Bruticus early in the fight, the combiner's brute strength securing them a victory over the similarly merged [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]. But the dim-witted Bruticus was then tricked by Blaster into lowering his guard, and the Autobot collapsed an electrical tower onto his opponent, knocking his components into unconsciousness. {{storylink|Child's Play (issue)|Child's Play}}

Swindle had better success during the Decepticon ambush of the Autobots on the [[Moon (moon)|moon]], where the Autobots had gathered to resolve a leadership dispute. Swindle attacked [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] with his Scatter Blaster and commented that although Brawn was not a great Autobot warrior, he would have a bright future as spare parts (presumably to be sold at a premium by Swindle himself). When the combined forces of [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] managed to pierce the ship's protective force field, [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] commanded all Decepticons on the surface of the Moon to return to the ship and retreat. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

Swindle also served as part of the "friendly" staff on the beach of the Decepticons' Caribbean island when the Decepticons used the base as a human vacation resort. Swindle was there to serve every need that the humans might require. {{storylink|Club Con!}}
{{-}}

''Eventually, the Combaticons fell under the command of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. On his orders, Swindle's team staged a raid on the [[Rutter U.S. Military Base]]. There, they secured two armed warheads and components from an advanced guidance computer. The Protectobots intervened part-way through the theft, but once Blast Off cleared the area with the loot, the rest of the team used hit-and-run tactics to fend their rivals off, eventually managing their own getaway.''

''Afterwards, the remaining Combaticons went to check on [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]] and [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]]'s progress at [[Alternate Reality, Inc.]], where Scorponok had likewise tasked them to steal a [[floppy disk]] containing a back-up copy of Optimus Prime's mind. They found [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] about to shoot the jets out of the sky, and blasted the Combiner in the back, crippling him before he could pull the trigger. With the mission a success, Swindle's group then made themselves scarce.'' {{storylink|Prime Bomb!}}

====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 11|Transformers in Action: He Who Laughs Last ...}}}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:TheGatheringDarkness-Swindle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|The skull of the former Decepticon leader is always the highlight of Swindle's tour of their headquarters.]]
Swindle gave [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] a tour of the [[Warworld]] when the Decepticon leader forcibly took command of the Decepticons back from [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. This ultimately led to a chamber where many [[Bludgeon's new army|new Decepticon bodies]] awaited, needing the Matrix to give them life. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness|Tales of Earth Part Three}}

He was later seen briefly as part of the first wave of defenders when the Warworld was attacked by the next-generation Cybertronians commanded by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] after the Autobots and Decepticons had forged an alliance of necessity against said forces. Swindle's fate was not revealed, but considering the Cybertronian troops—led by the traitor [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]—killed several Decepticons and ultimately overtook the battleship, it didn't look too good for Swindle. {{storylink|Total War!}}
{{-}}

===The Special Teams===
Swindle and the rest of the Combaticons were created by Starscream on a remote Pacific island, by combining military vehicles with Energon cubes. They then drove to the [[Pullen Power Plant]], passing Optimus Prime en route, though the Autobot leader was none-the-wiser to the Decepticons in disguise. Onslaught, Brawl and Swindle arrived first on the battlefield, coming upon Menasor already engaged in battle with Defensor. Onslaught then ordered to rest of his team to merge with him to form Bruticus. {{storylink|The Special Teams}}
{{-}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
Swindle was among the Decepticons under [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s leadership who set up a secret base in a [[human]] industrial estate within striking distance of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. When [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] came snooping around, Swindle spotted him and gave chase, but Bumblebee hid among the wrecked cars in a wreckers yard. Apparently Swindle never told anyone their base had been found, as it was a complete surprise when the Autobots later attacked and drove the Decepticons off. {{storylink|Decepticon Hideout}}

===St. Michael ''The Transformers'' Sticker Book===
{{notemultipath}}
Swindle and the rest of the Combaticons served under [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] on a Decepticon ship, when they managed to shoot down the ship being captained by Ultra Magnus. After the Autobots crash-landed on planet [[Barrenikon]], the Decepticons landed their ship nearby to finish off their enemies. In the many possible adventures that followed, Swindle and the other Decepticons often underestimated you, which often led to them losing to the Autobots, leaving them either stranded on Barrenikon, or fleeing after they received too much damage. That is, if you somehow didn't get yourself killed at their hands. {{storylink|The Transformers Sticker Book (St. Michael)|The Transformers Sticker Book}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:WarWithin4 Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Want to see more of me? Well, you can't.]]
Swindle sided with Starscream when the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] briefly usurped command of the Decepticons from Megatron, shortly after the onset of the Cybertronian civil war. He assisted in forcibly extracting data from [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] so that Starscream could uncover the full extent of Megatron's plans before his supplanting. {{storylink|The War Within issue 4|The War Within #4}}

Millions of years later, Swindle, along with his fellow Combaticons, was imprisoned by Shockwave, presumably as war criminals under the terms of the new peace treaty with the Autobots. {{Storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}} He was sprung by Starscream after the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'''s crew returned to Cybertron, though, in a bid to plunder Earth of its ressources while the Autobots were too busy overthrowing Shockwave's regime. {{Storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

Returning to the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' via an uncooperative [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]], Starscream realized he needed to take parts from the Autobots' [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] if he ever hoped to get the ''Nemesis'' flying again, and for that he needed considerable firepower. Fortunately, there was a nearby abandoned military testing ground from which the Combaticons could scan Earth-based alternate modes. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}} When the attack on the ''Ark'' was launched, the Autobots had little problem defending against the first wave, successfully capturing [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], but several of the Autobots were soundly beaten when the Combaticons showed up and combined into the mighty Bruticus. The behemoth attacked the ''Ark'' freeing his Decepticon compatriots before going after [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]. Unfortunately, the Autobots activated their ship's self-destruct before escaping, damaging the Combaticons in the resulting explosion. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}}

Damaged or not, the Combaticons soon had to face a powerful enemy when the crazed zealot [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] appeared on Earth, but before they could attack him, Bruticus' head was blown apart by [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] in the Autobot supply ship ''[[Orion]]''. In the aftermath, Bruticus's barely-conscious body was battered upon by an angry Brawn. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}}

[[File:G1 DWSwindle deal routetoallevil.jpg|left|upright=1.5|thumb|Who wouldn't trust a bot named "Swindle"?]]
The repaired Combaticons were brought to Guadalcanal, where they could hone their somewhat lackluster combat skills and listen to Starscream's long-winded aspirations of glory. When Swindle commented on Starscream's mental state, Brawl agreed, stating that he'd like to pull the Air Commander's cerebro circuits straight out of his faceplate so they could get a better look at them, to which Swindle suggested a "deal" for this to happen. Starscream overheard their conversation and informed the smaller Decepticon that the only "deal" he needed to worry about was how Starscream would deal with Swindle for his scheming. Starscream nevertheless let it pass for the moment in order for the Combaticons to test themselves against the magnificent Autobot [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Unfortunately, the Combaticons did not fare well when the crafty Autobot split into his two forms, with Swindle, Brawl and Onslaught nearly getting crushed by the Lynx's right paw.

This was the least of their troubles, however, as [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] showed up as soon as Sky Lynx was deactivated. As the Combaticons closed in on the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]] [[combiner]], Swindle had trouble keeping up with the rest of the group before they formed Bruticus. This encounter also did not end well. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{-}}

===''The Beast Within''===
During a particularly violent battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons, Swindle combined with his fellow Combaticons in order to square off against [[Beast (G1)|The Beast]]. It didn't go well, to say the least. {{storylink|The Beast Within}}
{{-}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Spotlight: Ultra Magnus]]

[[File:LawAndDisorder-Swindle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Honest Swindle seems nice enough, but there's something about him I don't trust." "Maybe it's the fact his office is an SUV with the engine running."]]
Shortly prior to the formation of the Decepticons, Swindle was working as a lackey for [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] during the height of his gladiator period. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} During the tenure of [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]], Swindle was busted by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]'s officers for peddling [[simultronic]]s. {{storylink|Post}} He was soon back on the street, now running a weapons-manufacturing warehouse and creating weapons that were later used to kill forty-three citizens of [[Peptex]]. His operations were soon busted by Orion Pax's officers again.{{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}}

Later, Swindle was once again the target of Orion Pax's team in the streets of [[Nyon]], where he was selling stolen Autobot materials to some sleepers. He fought against Orion Pax, who quickly overpowered him and ordered him to give more details about Megatron. However, Swindle preferred to explain how the Decepticons were about to bring Cybertron to a new era, freed from oppression and corruption, and how, by using uncontrolled violence, Orion Pax was proving him right. The latter, about to shoot Swindle in the head, was stopped by Bumblebee, and Swindle was captured alive. {{storylink|Law and Disorder}} When he failed to provide any useful intel on the Decepticons during interrogation, [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] decided to use Swindle as an example of the [[vamparc ribbon]]'s power. He was taken to the [[Primacy Auditorium]], where Zeta used a vamparc unit to drain his energy in order to demonstrate its powers to the [[Senate]]. {{storylink|Parasites}}

Establishing the [[Raw Deal]] pawn broker, Swindle began selling information gathered from other Decepticons, though his sources dried up after Megatron's first defeat. This got him into trouble with [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]], who was using his info to plan heists, but luckily the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobot]] thought he might come in handy later and opted not to send the Autobots after him. {{storylink|Derelicts}} Swindle was present when [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] declared himself the new Decepticon leader, but doubted his claim to have exiled Megatron to the mythical planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. {{storylink|Wreckage (issue)|Wreckage}} He and the other Combaticons opposed Scorponok's ruthless reign and left Cybertron, making their way to the [[Presidium (planet)|Presidium]], the location of an old armory Swindle had bought access codes to. Within they found [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], who had leaked the codes to Swindle for a chance to meet the Combaticons and let them know Megatron was back. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}}

[[File:SpotlightUltraMagnusSwindle.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Swindle: Master salespitcher.]]
As the war began in earnest between the Autobots and Decepticons, Swindle, [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]], and the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] were stationed on [[Varas Centralus]]. The Constructicons committed some atrocity that was enough to cause Sky-Byte to abandon the Decepticon cause. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}}

In modern times, Swindle was an arms dealer being hunted down by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] for violating the [[Tyrest Accord]]. After failing to hide from Magnus on the planet [[Zull]] 29 solar cycles in the past, he managed to deal for his freedom by selling Magnus information on the whereabouts of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Magnus later caught Swindle again, but it would seem he managed to bargain for his freedom once again. {{storylink|Spotlight: Ultra Magnus}}

Quite some time later, Swindle was one of several Decepticons who were stranded on Earth after Megatron's defeat in [[New York City]]. Ever the opportunist, he saw a market open to him in the chaos that had followed, and made contact with [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike Witwicky]] of [[Skywatch]] to secretly supply the human organization with Cybertronian weaponry. {{storylink|Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|A Second Chance at Eden}}

[[File:TF Ongoing issue 3 Swindle.jpg|left|thumb|Cool story, bro.]]
Swindle then joined a small band of other stranded Decepticons. At first, the group tried to follow the high-ranking [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]], but his disenchantment with the Decepticons and the war led them to fall in behind Swindle, the fast-talking cheat, the one who could always survive against all odds. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}} For three months Swindle led them into a canyon where they stalked the mighty Autobot [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], waiting for a chance to strike. However, when they observed a group of Autobots led by [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] in discussions with Omega, Swindle realized he could fool the hot-headed and naive Autobot for his own designs. Launching a seemingly ill-conceived attack on the Autobots, Swindle quickly manipulated Hot Rod by asking the very question that had been on the Autobot's mind: What were they fighting about? What reason was there to continue fighting? Posing these questions to all the assembled transformers, Swindle proposed an alliance between the two groups with the aim of getting off-planet. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} After the alliance was made, while Hot Rod tried to enlist the assistance of [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] to help them build their starship, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] had their doubts about working with the Decepticons, and Swindle grinning at them didn't improve their mood any. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}

While their ship was under construction, Swindle attempted to pressure Hot Rod into allowing the Decepticons to retrieve the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] who had been imprisoned by [[Skywatch]], but Hot Rod wisely refused. Seeing this path going nowhere, Swindle instead suggested the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] rescue [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], and before Hot Rod was able to voice opposition, Swindle smoothly massaged Hot Rod's ego, claiming the Autobot was the "architect of a new age", that the others admired him, and that these "followers" had given him a new moniker: "Rodimus Prime". With Hot Rod distracted by these praised and accolades, Swindle was given the go-ahead to rescue Breakdown. Unfortunately, as he was discussing his plans with the Stunticons, Ultra Magnus showed up, forcing Swindle to hide. When Magnus discovered and tried to arrest the Decepticon criminal, "Rodimus Prime" stepped in and refused to allow his fellow Autobot to capture Swindle. The Decepticon was seemingly grateful to Rodimus, but Thundercracker knew he was up to something, but wasn't sure what. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}}

[[File:Enemies of the System Swindle combiner tech.jpg|thumb|right|"Remember, no refunds!"]]
Soon afterwards, the Stunticons successfully rescued Breakdown from the clutches of Spike Witwicky, an officer in Skywatch. Bringing him back to base, Swindle worked on Breakdown for over three hours, under the pretense that the battered Decepticon needed significant repairs, much to the ire of the Autobots, bar the ever-naive Hot Rod. Ultra Magnus returned, this time with [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] and several of his Autobots. When the Autobots started arguing, Swindle stepped in, revealing that the Decepticons had always planned to steal the space ship after killing as many Autobots as they could. When Ultra Magnus countered that the Autobots had them outnumbered, Swindle unveiled his latest creation—the Stunticons [[combiner|combined]] into the powerful gestalt [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. As the Autobots gaped, Swindle ordered Menasor to kill Magnus first. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}}

[[File:PoliceAction3-Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|left|Swindle's disarming smile backfires.]]
Swindle gloated in triumph as Menasor tore through the assembled Autobots. He was so enamored with this that he failed to notice Optimus Prime being air-dropped by Skywatch until he had landed on him. Heavily damaged, Swindle climbed from the impact crater and watched in horror as Prime led the Autobots against Menasor, resulting in the destruction of the escape ship. Despite his damages, Swindle was able to slip away before Skywatch seized control of the area, much to Ultra Magnus's chagrin. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}}

In need of energy, Swindle traveled to [[North Korea]] and struck a deal with local ruler [[Kim Jong Du]], offering him the Combaticons as an invasion force in exchange for energon. He then got out of there as soon as he got what he needed, leaving the other Combaticons behind. {{storylink|Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|A Second Chance at Eden}}

Returning to America, Swindle created [[Ben Simpson]], a [[facsimile construct]] who would act as a spokesman of the anti-Transformer group [[Earth's Children]]. Using Simpson, he fanned the flames of human hatred against Autobots, allowing him to sell them powerful and mind-corrupting weapons built from Megatron's parts. {{storylink|Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|A Second Chance at Eden}} When [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] began investigating Spike Witwicky, Swindle had [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] try to kill him, but the attempt failed. He had, however, planted a failsafe in Brawl's body that shut him down when Prowl tried to find out who sent him. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|Only Forward}} Soon afterwards, Ultra Magnus decided that the Autobots had had enough of Ben Simpson's campaign against them, and went with Skywatch to his home to detain him. Swindle, based nearby, tried to make his escape, but was beaten down by Ultra Magnus, had his arm ripped off and was dragged back to Autobot HQ. During interrogation he revealed everything about his schemes, including the fact that Witwicky had been playing both sides, causing the Autobots to sever their connections with Skywatch. {{storylink|Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|A Second Chance at Eden}}

[[File:HowToSayGoodbyeAndMeanIt-Swindle.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.2|"I don't want to sell you death sticks. I want to go home and rethink my life."]] When the Autobots returned to Cybertron, they brought Swindle with them and imprisoned him alongside the other Decepticons. He tried to strike a deal with Optimus Prime to get out, but was unsuccessful. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime}} It wasn't long before he got back in business, however, selling [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] [[Golden Disk (disambiguation)|golden discs]] containing footage of Cybertronians dying. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} {{storylink|Interiors}} Swindle was later working with cleaning trash out of the reclamation tunnels and annoyed [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] by rambling nonstop about how Starscream was making things better for the Decepticons by getting them jobs and such. {{storylink|Devisive}} After witnessing Prowl's murder of [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] and the Constructicons, Dirge shared his story with Swindle who in turn shared it with Sky-Byte when he came looking for information on Cybertron's post-war society. Swindle took him to meet Dirge and Needlenose only to be discovered by Prowl's Autobots, though he and Dirge managed to escape during the confusion of the ensuing fight. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}}

Believing that Starscream was getting too friendly with the Autobots to represent Decepticon interests, Swindle instead brought Dirge and his witness testimony to [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] in hopes that ''he'' would become Decepticon leader. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|Dinobot Hunt}} Following a bombing on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], Dirge began to worry that Shockwave had orchestrated the attack after hearing what he had to say, making him indirectly responsible. Swindle advised him to just let things happen and not try to make things about him, a lesson he himself had learned after his experiences on Earth, but Dirge couldn't just stand by and spilled the beans to Starscream, who in turn help hide him and Swindle from Prowl ''and'' Shockwave. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}}

[[File:BeforeTheDawn AstrotrainSkracratssh.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|"Astrotrain, you're costing me an arm and a leg!"]]
When the return of Megatron was causing the other Decepticons to riot in the streets, the two were plucked out of their hiding place by [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] and brought to [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]]. There, Dirge announced that he was willing to testify against Prowl directly to Autobot leader Bumblebee, against Swindle's protests that it was a terrible idea. {{storylink|The Verge}} Convinced that something was up with Prowl, Bumblebee took Dirge, Swindle and several others with him to investigate, but as the group was attacked by Decepticons as they approached Prowl's quarters. Run down by [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Swindle lost an arm and leg and was left behind as the others were taken away to see Megatron. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}}

Having survived only thanks to [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] pushing him out of the train's way, a grateful Swindle brought him and several other injured Autobots to safety away from the Decepticon riots. In the process he was discovered by [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]], who was unimpressed by his empathy and prepared to execute the Autobots, only to be chased away by some neutrals. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}} Having had enough of all the fighting, Swindle renounced his faction and remained in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] when Starscream, now leader of the neutrals, had all Autobots and Decepticons banished from the city. {{storylink|Second Exodus}} He was among those who helped Blurr rebuild Maccadam's Old Oil House after it was burned down during the riots, {{storylink|Three Monologues}} and was standing guard at the city walls when the light of the [[Necrotitan]]'s arrival lit up Iacon. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}}

Several months later, Swindle was at Blurr's bar when [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] stopped by looking for information on Starscream, and let her know that even ''he'' was disgusted by the Seeker's way of selling people out. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}} When Windblade's snooping got her, Blurr and others imprisoned by Starscream, Swindle helped [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] bust them out. {{storylink|Windblade issue 3|Windblade #3}} He continued to visit Maccadam's and seemed to be becoming very good friends with Blurr. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}} During an investigation into several murders in the Decepticon ghetto, Swindle provided intel on where to find the [[Firecon]]s, the main suspects. {{storylink|Quest for Fire}}

[[File:FirstContact SwindleEnigma.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|right|"It surges, it merges. It turns a quintet into a boxset!"]]
After an enjoyable day watching the Stunticons try and fail to take on Optimus Prime, he was approached by Starscream who offered him use of the [[Enigma of Combination]] in robbing the colony world [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]] of its riches. Despite having told himself he had put his glory days behind him, Swindle was blinded by greed and accepted, using the Enigma to turn the Stunticons back into Menasor and bringing him to Caminus. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} Finding none of the promised riches, however, he quickly realized Starscream had tricked him. Failing to convince the raging Menasor to return to Cybertron, he tried to sneak away by himself only to be captured by one of Starscream's [[Badgeless]]. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} His pleas that it was all Starscream's idea were, of course, in vain, and he was spirited away to Starscream's secret prison. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

Before long, Swindle was broken out by [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], who told him to cause a diversion while he stole the Enigma. Agreeing to the deal, he took Menasor and set out to occupy the city's [[space bridge]] chamber, recruiting all manner of unhappy Decepticons with the promise that they could start a new life on Caminus. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}} During their stand-off with the bridge's guards, Windblade and [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]], Starscream arrived and shot Swindle in the back, mortally wounding him. He whispered to Rattrap that there was proof of his deal with Starscream, then seemingly expired. {{storylink|All That Remains}} Rattrap and Wheeljack secretly moved his body into the depths of Metroplex, where Wheeljack tried his best to save Swindle's life so that they might learn what evidence Swindle had against Starscream. He did, sorta: Swindle was alive, but brain dead. {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}}

[[File:ThingsWeSaidWedNeverDo SwindleBrainDead.jpg|thumb|left|''zzzzzzzzz...no refunds...zzzzzzzzz'']]
The other Combaticons would later begin spray-painting the phrase "Swindle Lives" on walls as a symbol of their resistance against the [[Council of Worlds]] {{storylink|The Will of the Few}} because a mysterious informant known as "[[Rattrap (BW)|DC-357]]" sent Onslaught a message regarding Swindle's possession of information against Starscream. {{storylink|07:00:00}} Later, Rattrap and Wheeljack were forced by the Combaticons to lead them to Swindle. Unperturbed by his brain-dead status, Onslaught had Rattrap retrieve the Enigma of Combination, {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}} which he used on his team so that they might find Swindle's evidence. Swindle became the left leg of their combined form, [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], but his brain dead mind wreaked havoc on the combiner's psyche. After rampaging through Iacon, Bruticus was eventually brought down. {{storylink|The Line Between Us}}

Starscream, wanting another combiner on his side, had the [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Eukarian]] [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] [[Airachnid (G1)|Airachnid]] repair Swindle's body, and try to manipulate the Combaticons' minds so that he would have Bruticus under control. Because the Combaticons minds had imprinted on each other during their combination, Airachnid found them more susceptible to the process, and she and Starscream bribed the aware-of-the-manipulation Blast Off into covering any holes in the story. As a result, Swindle would believe that he and the other Combaticons were Starscream's secret bodyguards, and that he had been blasted in the line of duty with some angles making it appear that Starscream had shot him, with the Combaticons forming of Bruticus having been a last-ditch attempt to save Swindle's life. {{storylink|The Price of You}} After a few days, Blast Off demanded to see Swindle himself. As Airachnid was finishing up on manipulating and repairing him, Swindle greeted his teammate, thanking Blast Off for how far he and the others had apparently gone to save him. {{storylink|If I Know You}}

During the final debate before the election to decide the new leader of Cybertron, Starscream revealed all of his crimes to the public, including the manipulation of the Combaticons. As a result, Swindle and the other Combaticons were imprisoned for their rampage as Bruticus. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

{{--}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
Swindle stumbled onto a goldmine—selling off the Decepticon arsenal to the [[human]]s. Unfortunately one of his clients, [[Abdul Fakkadi (G1)|Faghadi]], was pushy and demanded his weapons ''now'', at length, while Swindle was trying to work. Swindle realized there was a way he could turn even this to his advantage. With the help of one of his [[Sato Noriko|other clients]], he was able to set Faghadi up to be captured by [[NATO]], demonstrating the weapons in the process, and making an even bigger sale to the Japanese into the bargain. Everything went perfectly, except Megatron found out where the Decepticon weapons had been disappearing to, and dispatched [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] to bring Swindle in. {{storylink|Two for the Price of One}}

===''TransTech''===
[[File:Swindleswindleandswindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Perhaps you'd be interested in something every homeowner cannot be without: volcano insurance!"]]
There are three Swindles running the pawn shop "[[Swindle, Swindle and Swindle]]". The jingle says it all. As does the image of three grinning Swindle heads on their sign.
<blockquote>"Three times the Swindle means three times the deal.
Come on down, it's a total steal!"</blockquote>

*Swindle the first: He's red!
*Swindle the second: He's tan but purple-chested.
*Swindle the third: He's tan but gray-chested.

[[Bad Boy]] and [[Treds]] stumbled on Swindle, Swindle and Swindle while looking for a bodyshop [[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]] had visited. They managed to persuade one of the Swindles that it would be in his best interest if he told them about Bug Bite's visit. Swindle showed them to the repair bay where they discovered Bug Bite had adopted a new [[C1186-P0019]] body. Before the pair left, Swindle raised the matter of Bug Bite's outstanding account, and they reluctantly paid it. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

Finding himself trapped in a lowtech body, [[Bulletbike (TransTech)|Bulletbike]] dropped in to Swindle, Swindle and Swindle for an examination to prove he'd been [[spark]] transplanted. Though the Swindles didn't seem to quite believe his story, they conducted the tests and found nothing. After getting the trio to make some repairs to himself, Bulletbike continued on his quest. {{storylink|I, Lowtech}}

During his time as a columnist for [[Axiom Nexus News]], [[Vector Prime]] bought a [[hyper-frame]] [[Anatomic euphemism#Manifold|manifold]] from Swindle, Swindle and Swindle on one day, {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 2, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 02/08/2015}} and a [[cyberforcep]] on another day. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 24, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 24/08/2015}} After Vector Prime abdicated the position {{storylink|Source:Axiom Nexus News Editor#October 1, 2015|Axiom Nexus News Editor, 01/10/2015}} and Grimlock's tenure was abruptly cut short {{storylink|Source:Axiom Nexus News Editor#October 3, 2015|Axiom Nexus News Editor, 03/10/2015}}, one of (or perhaps all of) the Swindles took the post, answering questions while advertising the many products available at Swindle, Swindle & Swindle. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Guest column#Swindle's Spiel|Swindle's Spiel}} After a few days, Swindle was fired from the column due to subverting the terms of his paid contract, which specified that he would only answer questions. {{storylink|Source:Axiom Nexus News Editor#October 6, 2015|Axiom Nexus News Editor, 06/10/2015}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: All Spark''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Another Episode, Part 1}} {{storylink|Another Episode, Part 2}}}}

===Starscream's New Power===
[[File:Starscream's New Power Combaticons.jpg|thumb|100px|left]]
Swindle attempted to apprehend Starscream, only to be driven back when the latter got his hands on weapons from [[Shockwave's Tower|Shockwave's lab]]. {{storylink|Starscream's New Power}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online comic===
[[File:KreoComic7 swindle hydra oldsnake.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66]]
Summoned by Starscream to act as his elite squad (whose first mission, of course, was to overthrow [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]]), Swindle rolled onto the scene alongside [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]], and a repainted [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]. When Onslaught and Brawl declared their specialties (strategy and destruction respectively), Swindle proudly offered to sell-off any blocks they recovered. Like Onslaught and Brawl, Swindle was irritated when Vortex offered to stay behind and guard the base. Even though the Combaticons combined into Bruticus, Vortex constant worry for the base's safety compelled the team to withdraw. When Starscream, under imminent threat of a beating from Megatron, contacted the team to demand to know where they were, Swindle joined his teammates in happily informing their illustrious leader they were all protecting the base together. Aww. {{Storylink|New Military Unit Combaticon! Bruticus, Combine!}}

Swindle was able to steal [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[transformation cog]], but his looking forward to being rewarded was interrupted when the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] tracked him down to take back his loot. He combined with his team to form Bruticus, but was defeated by the Protectobots' own combined form, [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], and taken back to the Autobot base to have his injuries treated by the gentle [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]. {{storylink|Bad at Fighting? Rescue Team Protectobots, Dispatch!}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
The Combaticons infiltrated [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] disguised as their vehicles, with Swindle taking on the form of an APC. During the Decepticon-[[Cobra]] attack on the [[United Nations]], the Combaticons revealed themselves and combined into Bruticus to fight [[GIJONIN]]. {{storylink|Expelled from the Garden}}
{{-}}

===''Combiner Wars'' cartoon===
Swindle was among the Decepticon troops who bore witness to a pivotal duel between Optimus Prime and Megatron, one meant to end the war before the never-ending arms race between the two factions spiralled further out of control. {{storylink|Prelude to Transformers: Combiner Wars - Optimus Prime}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Swindle served as the defense lawyer for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and their [[binary bonding|binary bond]] partners at their trial following the disastrous [[Great Push]]. Thanks to his efforts, the defendants were acquitted of some of the charges, but Galvatron and Scourge were ultimately sentenced to execution. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

===''Bumblebee'' graphic novels===
[[File:WinIfYouDare-Swindle.jpg|thumb|right|250px|PEPE SILVIA!]]
Although he'd been kicked out of the Decepticons, Swindle remained in touch with his Combaticon allies and sought to get himself back into Megatron's good graces by stealing [[human]] military secrets, a mission that led him to stake out a small [[California]]n town where the United States Air Force prepared to test their new [[B-2 stealth bomber]], a secret anti-Decepticon weapon, at the [[Sierra Station]] airbase. Swindle and the other Combaticons moved into an [[Herman's Military Surplus and Museum|abandoned airfield]] on the outskirts of town by strongarming the owner [[Herman]] into complying, and turned the run-down facility into a makeshift base while the team planned their heist—stealing and applying the plane's stealth technology would make them invisible to human and Autobot sensors.

In between spying on the military, Swindle blew off steam by participating in illegal street races in [[Yosemite National Park]]. During one such race, Swindle nearly ran his competitor [[Mateo Cruz]] off the road, and the teenager likely would've died if not for the surprise intervention of [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]. The next morning, Swindle spied on project director [[Angela Cruz]] as she prepared to unveil the project the next day, unaware that his target was also Mateo's mother. Later that day, Bumblebee and Mateo headed into town to find the "mystery Jeep" from the previous night for a rematch, and a tipoff from Mateo's friend [[Nicole]] led the duo to Herman's museum. Mateo confronted Herman and accidentally uncovered evidence of the Combaticon plot; momentarily fearing that the Autobots had caught onto his plan, Swindle fled the base, successfully outmaneuvered his foe at a railroad crossing, and warned the little yellow Autobot to stay out of his way.

[[File:WinifYouDare-SwindleAltMode.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Dude, those animals are so slagging funny they make me wanna merge without looking! YEAH, RUMSFELD!!"]]

That night, Swindle sabotaged the road to Sierra Station to blow Angela Cruz's tires, then masqueraded as a military police vehicle to lure her inside his [[alternate mode]]. Once she took the bait, Swindle captured her and took her back to Herman's museum, where he and three of the Combaticons intended to intimidate Angela into handing over the secrets behind the human stealth process. However, while Swindle was momentarily distracted by footage of Vortex battling Bumblebee, Angela momentarily distracted the Decepticon jeep long enough to make her escape and commandeer one of the decommissioned planes to make a daring escape. Swindle and the other Combaticons gave chase and confronted Bee outside of Sierra Station; with the compound now on high alert and their careful plan falling apart, the Combaticons decided to throw caution to the wind, form Bruticus, and simply smash the base to take what they wanted. Agile as ever, Bumblebee proved able to outwit the combiner, and a second barrage from the human military reduced the combiner back into his components. Onslaught advised simply stealing the aircraft and reverse-engineering the process later, but Swindle refused, shouting that he ''needed'' this win to prove himself to Megatron. Amidst the chaos, the Combaticons didn't notice Bumblebee and his human friends piloting the bomber they sought to steal, and a subsequent barrage of electromagnetic pulse bombs knocked the five out cold. The next morning, Optimus Prime and the other Autobots arrived to take the incapacitated Decepticons into custody. {{storylink|Transformers: Bumblebee - Win If You Dare|Win If You Dare}}
{{-}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Open Comms|''Transformers'' Valentine's Day Special]] (cameo); [[Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|''Transformers'' #20]] (full)}}

[[File:Swindles-SwindleTeam.jpg|thumb|right|350px|"Trademark "''Team Swindle''", I want a [[shanix]] every time someone says it!"]]

At some point, Swindle posed in a group photo with many Cybertronians, including [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]]. {{Storylink|Open Comms}} Swindle owned and operated [[Swindle's]], an illicit entertainment venue where patrons could bet on [[skitter]] races and enjoy under-the-table [[energon]]. As the proprietor, Swindle employed a variety of like-minded 'bots to help run numbers, work the crowd, and procure black market goods; these included [[Trickdiamond]], [[Gutcruncher (G1)|Gutcruncher]], [[Headlock (G1)|Headlock]], and [[Singe]]. Swindle's various business ventures made him known to [[Security Operations]], and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] enjoyed a particularly contentious relationship with him; despite Swindle's borderline criminal activities, Prowl was never able to nail him on concrete charges. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|Swindle's}} In fact, some in Security Operations even found Swindle useful. Back when [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] was running Sec-Ops, [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] went to work for Swindle, using him to eliminate the more dangerous criminal, [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]]. Smokescreen learned a good deal about Swindle's operation during this "seconding". {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Two}}

Forever seeking new avenues of profit, Swindle began stealing and selling energon to the terrorist group known as [[The Rise]]; when the [[Tether]] fell, Singe and Gutcruncher were outsourcing some stolen energon for their new client [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]]. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|Swindle's}} However, Singe ran afoul of [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and wound up in police custody; {{storylink|Arcee/Greenlight: Run}} when Mindwipe arrived at Swindle's to pick up his shipment, Swindle informed him that his agents had been intercepted during the heist. Furious, Mindwipe shouted that Security would have already traced them back to Swindle. When Prowl's team ''did'' arrive, Swindle feigned innocence during the scuffle, but Prowl had Swindle taken into custody regardless. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|Swindle's}}

[[File:WarWorldHunt-jailbreak.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]

As Swindle was cooling his heels in jail, however, the sitting government fell before the Rise and the Ascenticon party, forming the Decepticons in its wake. Trickdiamond and Headlock haggled with Swindle to free him from lock-up, blowing out his bars and the wall of his cell. Hearing that his muscle Gutcruncher had run off to join the revolution, Swindle decided to do some quick shopping before they left. Surveying the other cells, Swindle decided there was no profit left in Singe, and [[Storm Cloud (G1)|Storm Cloud]] was a zealot who wouldn't play ball. [[Roughstuff]], however, was a scorned ex-member of the Rise, and a nice source of muscle. Finally, Swindle was impressed with [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s story, killing a veteran soldier like the Rise's [[Quake (G1)|Quake]]. In exchange for getting Bumblebee next to his new target, [[Barricade (IDW)|Barricade]], Swindle negotiated for the little yellow bot's services. {{storylink|War World: Hunt}}

As Iacon quickly became a city for Decepticons only, Swindle negotiated with [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] of the Decepticon Guard to stay open. Once their license for business was secured, Swindle had Trickdiamond prep their favorite game of pumping loud-mouthed customers for information they could sell or otherwise profit from. [[Twirl (G1)|Twirl]], [[Nautilator]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Refraktor]] were three inebriated Decepticon ripe for the questioning. Swindle learned that [[Elita One (G1)|Elita-1]] (Bumblebee's sympathetic former boss from the [[Ascenticon Guard]]) was being moved through Decepticon custody. In exchange for further debt, Swindle arranged for [[Charger]] and [[Fire Beast]] to help Bumblebee spring her. Bumblebee was surprised to find Barricade guarding Elita-1. While he let go of his vendetta and didn't kill Barricade given the chance, he was suspicious of Swindle setting him up. Swindle denied it when confronted, pointing out he would have made Bumblebee pay more if he knew Barricade was involved. When Swindle mentioned his "targeted questioning" had uncovered information about the [[Enigma of Combination]], Bumblebee convinced him to expand his list of contacts. By selling this information to Optimus Prime and the Autobots, Swindle would be able to hedge his bets against either side winning the war. Seeing the appeal, Swindle allowed Bumblebee to use tech to pass the intelligence on to Prime. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Swindle's II|Swindle's II}}

[[File:DarknessOnceGazedUponPartTwo-Swindle.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]

Swindle kept his business running, although martial law under the Decepticons gave him new, sterner overlords that cut back on his illegal activities. Roughstuff wasn't doing his job as bouncer once, forcing Swindle to step in directly and escort the non-aligned Cyclonus from his bar. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part One}}

Another nasty surprise came when Smokescreen got back in touch with Swindle through the old tunnels. The charming former Sec-Ops agent offered to pay Swindle for a speedy and discreet exit from Iacon, after he acquired a "bulky package". Swindle needed the profit, and working under the Decepticons meant his bar was practically a charity, so he closed down for the rest of the cycle. Trickdiamond couldn't believe it, though, and when she heard about the side deal with Smokescreen, she passed on the info to Decepticon Intelligence. As it happened, Smokescreen was less than forthcoming too—he arrived at the door with armed Autobots and the prisoner, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], escaping from Megatron's dungeons. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Two}} Swindle was caught redhanded dealing with Autobots when Sixshot blew in his wall with a squad of Decepticons. Roughstuff saw an opportunity and "detained" Swindle for Sixshot, switching sides to get back in his old Rise lieutenant's good graces. Swindle was allowed to remain useful for the Decepticons as a supplier, but his days of independence seemed to be numbered. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Three}}

{{--}}

===''My Little Pony/Transformers''===
[[File:StuntFlying-net.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|A literal green-eyed monster.]]

Swindle was one of the many Decepticons brainwashed by [[King Sombra]] during his invasion of Cybertron. Along with Sombra's other slaves, he fired on the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s and [[Wonderbolt]]s until [[Rainbow Dash]]'s powerful "Sonic Rainboom" manoeuvre disoriented him and the others long enough for the Seekers to entangle him with net missiles. {{storylink|Stunt Flying}}

{{--}}

===Energon Universe===
Swindle and the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] chased down [[Elita One (G1)#Energon Universe|Elita One]], cornering her. Before he could follow [[Onslaught (G1)#Energon Universe|Onslaught]] and [[Brawl (G1)#Energon Universe|Brawl]], the [[Autobot]] shot the [[Space Bridge|spacebridge]] severing the connection between the two worlds. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 9}}

{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
*Swindle, [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] were part of a Decepticon attack force that assaulted the Autobots' launch site. All three were rammed by Ultra Magnus in his vehicle mode as he entered the fray. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Ultra Magnus|Ultra Magnus commercial}}
*Swindle and the rest of the Combaticons charged down a ravine to face-off against [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. As they neared him, the Combaticons combined into Bruticus and took to the skies. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Bruticus and Metroplex|Bruticus and Metroplex commercial}}
*Swindle was part of a massive battle between Kreons. After being knocked around by the Autobots some, he and the Combaticons combined into Bruticus. They then chased the Autobots off alongside [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]]. {{storylink|Commercial#Kre-O|KRE-O Transformers Micro Changers and Combiners Construction Sets commercial}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
When a team of Autobots led by [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] went on the offensive, Blast Off, Swindle, and Vortex used superior military tactics to fight them off. {{storylink|War Dawn (Legends)|War Dawn}} Swindle was among the Decepticons who joined with the Quintessons in an attempt to destroy the Autobots. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 2}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsSwindle.jpg|thumb|400px|If you order now, I'll throw in a second beating absolutely free!]]
Swindle participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Rare character who could be recruited by collecting 160 units of Cybermetal, and 95 units of Transmetal. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Online'' (2017 video game)===
[[File:Swindle TFO.jpg|thumb|upright=.66|[insert random Wolverine reference here]]]
{{bigquote|Let's make a deal without starting a war.}}

Looks can be deceiving, as one may perceive when dealing with Swindle. If it's anything Swindle desired the most, it would be Megatron's right hand firearm, Carnage. However, the key question is whether Swindle can deal for Megatron's bazooka without batting an eye. In comparison to his comrades, Swindle is not a devoted militant. Rather, he prefers to never miss an opportunity to profit, even if it means dealing with the Autobots... so long as Swindle, himself, is confident enough to take action.

In battle, Swindle wielded a pair of "[[Nether Claws]]" and the "[[Saboteur]]" [[grenade launcher]]. His active skill was "Spider Mine":
*'''Spider Mine'''—Swindle dispatches a Spider Mine unit. When this unit comes in contact with enemy targets, the Spider Mine wreaks havoc by jettisoning into the air and showering Swindle's opponents with a flurry of projectiles that deal 110 points of damage every 0.2 seconds. {{storylink|Transformers Online (2017 video game)|Transformers Online}} <ref>[http://tfol.qq.com/act/a20160726data/hero6.shtml Swindle on the Transformers Online website]</ref>
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:Swindle-Earth-Wars.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.75| What's the point of me having a fusion cannon if I am never going to use it? Oh right I was gonna sell it! One fusion cannon for 150000 cyber coins!]]
With Swindle, it's always deal - never no deal. He'd trade Megatron's right arm for a toaster if he saw both opportunity and profit.

Swindle is the first Combaticon to make it to Earth. Starscream wanted the location of a fragment of the [[Fractal Map]], and Swindle found it for him, but there was an Autobot outpost in the way, so he took care of the short-range Laser Turrets. After the battle, Swindle traded insults with some of the Autobots posted there, and then reminded Starscream that he owes him. Big time. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Power Play Campaign}}

When Swindle caught wind that the Autobots were on the move towards a signal in the arctic first discovered by [[Cyclonus (G1)|that one guy that still hates him]], Swindle was ready to leave. But Brawl didn't help though because he attracted the attention of Starscream. Starscream took direct control of Swindle's operation and took them to the Arctic, but not before Swindle offered him a de-icer for sale. But unknown to him, Swindle had an arrangement with Megatron, so he let him in on their plan so Megatron could get there first and tell them what they found was a [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events| Arctic Signal}}

When Shockwave selected the next candidates for the Decepticons' next combiner, Swindle asked what was in it for him. Megatron responded by threatening to strangle the energon from his inner spark if he didn't comply. As they were slowly making progress on the combining process, Swindle made a deal: If the Combaticons successfully combined at maximum strength before the Autobots, he'll give back everything he had taken from everyone (including his angry comrades), or else pay him equivalent value.

Megatron decides to push the Combaticons to their limits and combines the Combaticons prematurely. The result is Bruticus, the Combaticons highly mentally unstable combined form. Megatron honestly doesn't care anymore what the other Combaticons say, he just wants them to stay in their combined form. Unfortunately, the celebrations are cut short when Megatron receives word Optimus has perfected his own second combiner, and so sends out Bruticus to fight against this new combiner. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Countdown to Combination}}

When Shockwave announced his plan to recruit allies from alternate realities, Swindle saw a profitable, glowing opportunity. He contacted Hot Rod to meet on neutral ground for the location and encryption key for the Decepticon's Space Bridge project in exchange for pure unaltered Energon. He was dismayed that Hot Rod brought Dinobot muscle along just as the Combaticons, who have been tracking Swindle, ambushed them. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Rogue Trader}}
Amidst the fighting between the Dinobots and Combaticons, Hot Rod made the exchange with Swindle. Starscream, who had been following Swindle the whole time, offered him a lift out, which he gladly accepted.
{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Event Horizon}}

Swindle offered Soundwave a deal. Optimus Prime and Megatron were stuck in the past, with [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]] gaining power, something Swindle knew Soundwave didn't want. He offered the cassette tape player a way to accomplish his goals. He knew of a way to get the [[Dark Star Saber]] away from [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]]. Soundwave accepted Swindle's offer. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Target: 1984}}

Swindle stole the Dark Star Saber away from Deathsaurus by whistling. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|The Dark Ages}}

*'''Class:''' Gunner
*'''Lowest Star Rating:''' 1 star
*'''Weapons:''' Swindle uses a standard grenade launcher to damage defenses from a long distance.
*'''Ability:''' '''Incendiary Barrage''' - Shoots 6 rockets that engulf a large area in flames dealing damage over time.
**'''Cost:''' 7 ability points +2 cost increase.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:swindle Swindle at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive''===
[[File:BBOSwindle.jpg|thumb|100px]]
Swindle was in command of the eleventh Decepticon base attacked and destroyed by the Autobots during a series of raids. He pursued the invaders in jeep mode launching several bombs and missiles against his target, but foolishly ran over his own bombs and blew himself up. {{storylink|Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Swindle was a member of the Combaticons. {{storylink|Decepticon Directive}}

On Earth, Swindle and the other Combaticons acted as a liaison between the Decepticons and the forces of Cobra, offering them advanced alien technology in exchange for their full cooperation. While meeting with [[Chameleon (G.I. Joe)|Chameleon]] in southern [[France]], the Autobots attacked; in the ensuing fight, Swindle and Chameleon fled, leaving the other Combaticons unable to form Bruticus. The pair retreated to the small town of [[Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges]], which had been acquired by Cobra and turned into a covert staging ground for future operations. Ultimately, however, a joint Autobot-[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] taskforce entered the city and successfully captured the two villains as they tried to flee. {{storylink|Cobra/Con Fusion}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
{{anchor|Generation 1}}
[[File:G1-toy Swindle.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Eh, I'd rather have elbows than shoulders anyway.]]
*'''Swindle''' (Combaticon, [[1986]]/[[1987]])
**''Team ID number'': '''C2'''
**''Takara/GiG ID number'': '''D-68'''
**''Accessories'': Large "[[Scatter blaster]]" gun, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol

:''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' Swindle transforms into a tan {{w|FMC XR311}} combat support vehicle. He features a large, back-mounted cannon with a small pistol attached to its side. In robot mode, he is armed with both weapons, which are used as hand-held artillery. Swindle normally operates as Bruticus's right leg, but as a [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1986 (Scramble City and Transformers 2010)|Scramble City]]-style combiner toy, he can also be used in any other available limb slot with any torso-robot.

:There are two different versions of the original release. The initial version uses purple-painted [[die-cast]] metal for his chestplate. This was later replaced with gray plastic.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Swindle/swindle.htm More information on Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{G1CombaticonMold}}

{{-}}{{anchor|G1Bruticus}}{{anchor|Bruticus}}
*'''Bruticus''' (Gift set, [[1985]])
**''Takara ID number'': '''D-69'''

:In addition to his single release, Swindle was also sold in a "Bruticus" [[giftset]] alongside the other Combaticons. The gift set was never available in the USA or Canada, but only in [[Japan]] and [[Italy]].

: In 1988, [[GiG]] also re-released the Bruticus set in Italy, with five random "Exogini Transformers" ([[Decoy]]s) added.

{{-}}{{anchor|1991Classic}}
*'''Decepticon Swindle''' ([[1991]])
**''Accessories'': Large "[[Scatter blaster]]" gun, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol

:Swindle was re-released in 1991 as part of the [[Europe]]an-market ''[[Classics (Europe)|Classics]]'' line. This version (which uses the plastic chestplate) was [[retool]]ed to remove the [[rubsign]] indent from his vehicle mode hood, a change made to a lot of the toys in this series.
{{-}}

===''Generation 2''===
[[File:G2-toy Swindle.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Red Dead Redemption 3]]
*'''Swindle''' ([[1994]])
**''Team ID number'': '''C2'''
**''Accessories'': Large "[[Scatter blaster]]" cannon, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol

: For the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|''Generation 2'' toyline]], Swindle had all of his tan parts redecoed to bright red with purple camouflage paint and his windshield painted black. (This latter color was a sticker on the original release.) In robot mode, he has a bright purple torso, making this release quite garish.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1994/Decepticon/Swindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Generation 2'' Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{G1CombaticonMold}}

{{-}}{{anchor|G2FOC}}{{anchor|Amazon}}
[[File:G2toy-SwindleAmazon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|So yeah, don't expect a [[Leyland]] homage from this mold anytime soon.]]
*'''Bruticus''' (Box set, [[2012]])
**''Accessories'': Blaster
{{toydesigner|[[Andrew Franks]] (deco artist)}}

:Part of a giftset [[exclusive]] to [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]] and [[BigBadToyStore]], this version of Swindle is a redeco of ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)#Fall of Cybertron (2012–2013)|Generations]] [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'' [[Swindle (FOC)#Generations|Swindle]] in ''Generation 2'' colors. Swindle transforms into a Cybertronic jeep-like vehicle. He can form any arm or leg of Bruticus, but his nominal placement is as the right leg, as usual. Some of the purple camo was lost between the stages of [[:File:Generationstoy-G2Swindle.jpg|stock photography]] and final production.

:This mold was later retooled into [[Roadbuster (Prime)#Generations|Roadbuster]].
{{-}}

===''Alternators''===
{{anchor|Alternators/Binaltech}}
[[File:Alternators Swindle toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|If you buy from this Jeep, it won't be cheap.]]
*'''Swindle''' ([[2004]])
**''Alternator ID number'': '''8'''
**''Binaltech ID number'': '''BT-09'''
**''Accessories'': Handgun
{{toydesigner|[[Mark McCall]] (Hasbro)|[[Masakatsu Saito]] (concept artist)}}

:''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' Swindle is a retool of [[Hound (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Hound]] from the same line, with his [[alternate mode]] being a [[licensed vehicle alternate modes|licensed]] 1:24 scale yellow {{w|Jeep Wrangler}} Sport. Changes from Hound include larger [[rubber tires]] and a modified front bumper with an added bullbar, plus a new head sculpt in robot mode. In vehicle mode, Swindle's doors open to reveal a realistic interior, his hood opens to reveal a fake (and inaccurate) engine bay, and his tailgate opens by hinging up at one end. As with Hound, he lacks the steering feature common in other ''Alternators'' toys but has spring-loaded suspension instead.

:In robot mode, Swindle is armed with a small laser pistol that can be stored in his spare tire. He is otherwise mostly identical to Hound except for the changed parts and color. The new head sculpt head is actually based on a cross between ''Generation 1'' [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]'s original toy head and his [[character model|cartoon model]]'s head, since this retool was originally intended for an ''Alternators'' version of Trailbreaker, which was canceled due to [[trademark]] issues, among other things.

:The main difference between Hasbro's ''Alternators'' version and the Japanese ''Binaltech'' version is that the latter features parts made of [[die-cast]] metal for some of its vehicle mode shell, and has the entire vehicle shell painted.

:Swindle was later redecoed into the ''Alternators''-only [[Rollbar (G1)#Alternators|Rollbar]].

::*[[Source:Transformers Binaltech bios#9|Archive of ''Binaltech'' Swindle's bio and tech specs]]
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/AltSwindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Alternators'' Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{AlternatorsHoundMold}}
{{-}}

===''Universe'' (2008)===
[[File:Universe-ROTF-toy Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Dolla dolla bill y'all]]
*'''Bruticus Maximus''' ([[2008]])
**''Series'': '''G1 Series'''
**''Accessories:'' Quad blaster (hand/foot), Decepticon-type [[energon star]]

:''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Swindle is a redeco of the ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Blackout (combiner)#Toys|Blackout]]/[[Stormcloud (Energon)#Toys|Stormcloud]] sculpt, transforming into a tan assault helicopter somewhat similar to an AH-1 Cobra. Appropriately enough, his markings include dollar signs ($) on the air intake housings flanking his cockpit. When combined with the other Combaticons, Swindle is nominally [[Bruticus (G1)#Universe (2008)|Bruticus Maximus]]'s right leg, though he can be used in any other limb position.

:He was only available as part of the ''Universe'' Bruticus Maximus [[giftset]], which also contains [[Vortex (G1)#Universe (2008)|Vortex]], another redeco of the same sculpt used for Swindle. The ''Universe'' version of the giftset was initially intended to be released as a [[Target]] exclusive in the United States, but ultimately ended up being only available in some non-American markets such as Australia and Singapore. Instead, American markets eventually received a [[rebranding|rebranded]] version of this giftset (with no changes to the toys themselves) in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' packaging (thereby creating new [[live-action film series]] [[Swindle (ROTF)|Swindle]] and [[Vortex (Movie)|Vortex]] characters), exclusively available at Target stores in the United States and at Zellers stores in Canada.

:This sculpt was also used to make ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Topspin (Classics)#Toys|Topspin]], as well as the ''[[Transformers United|United]]'' versions of Swindle (see [[#United|below]]) and [[Vortex (G1)#United|Vortex]]. Another planned redeco, ''[[Transformers (2007 toyline)|Movie]]'' [[Reverb (Movie)#Toys|Reverb]], was canceled.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Decepticon/TargetSwindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Universe'' Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!''===
[[File:TF-Henkei-Deluxe-Detritus.jpg|upright=.66|thumb|Hey, [[Shortround (Cybertron)|you!]] Can I interest you in an unreleased Transformers toy?]]
*'''Swindle'''? (Deluxe Class, <s>200?</s>)
:*''Accessories'': Missile launcher

:A redeco of ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Deluxe Class [[Hound (G1)/toys#Univ2008Dx|Autobot Hound]] in Swindle colors (with a deco layout based on [[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|''Henkei! Henkei!'']] [[Hound (G1)/toys#Henkei! Henkei!|Hound]]), with a Decepticon insignia, was displayed as part of an exhibit at [[Transformers Expo]] in 2014, including a seemingly unchanged [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Universe (2008)|Ravage]].<ref name="tfexpo1">[https://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/tf-expo-pics-masterpiece-star-saber-in-color-and-more-180923/ "TF Expo Pics - Masterpiece Star Saber In Color and More!"] at TFW2005.</ref><ref name="tfexpo2">[https://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/tf-expo-pics-part-2-g1-prototypes-movie-props-and-more-masterpiece-180925/ "TF Expo Pics Part 2 - G1 Prototypes, Movie Props, and More Masterpiece!"] at TFW2005.</ref><ref name="tfexpo3">[https://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/tf-expo-pics-part-4-prototypes-and-figure-displays-from-diaclone-g1-g2-beast-wars-180933/ "TF Expo Pics Part 4 - Prototypes and Figure Displays from Diaclone, G1, G2, Beast Wars"] at TFW2005.</ref>
{{canceledtoy}}
{{-}}

===''Encore''===
*'''Bruticus''' ([[2009]])
**''ID number:'' '''16'''

:A reissue of the original G1 Swindle toy at first sight, this toy is actually a redeco of the ''Robots in Disguise'' Rollbar retool of the sculpt. This version of Swindle was only available as part of a Bruticus gift set released under [[TakaraTomy]]'s ''[[Transformers Encore|Encore]]'' line of reissues.
{{G1CombaticonMold}}
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
[[File:Generationstoy-RetailSwindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|(''Hasbro Version Pictured'')]]
[[File:TF-Generations-JP-TG06-Swindle.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Remember folks, always stay gold. With a bang. (''TakaraTomy Version Pictured'')]]
*'''Swindle''' (Deluxe, 2012)
**''Series/number'': '''01/#005'''
**'''PART 4 OF 5!'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''TG06'''
**''TakaraTomy release date:'' [[January 26]], [[2013]]
**''Accessories'': Blaster
{{note|The Aligned [[Swindle (FOC)#FOCDeluxe|Swindle]] toy was [[repurposing|repurposed]] as Generation 1 Swindle.}}

:A [[redeco]] of Swindle from the [[Bruticus (WFC)#FOCDeluxe|Decepticon Bruticus]] gift set was available individually alongside his fellow Combaticons as part of the second [[wave]] of the ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]''-themed 2012-onwards Deluxe Class ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' assortment. These versions of the Combaticons replace the [[show-accuracy|game-accurate]], ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-inspired decos with more "flashy" colors apparently homaging the color scheme of [[Bruticus Maximus (Energon)|Bruticus Maximus]]. Swindle replaces the ocher from his gift set release with a bright shade of yellow.

:Aside from the colors, mass retail Swindle is identical to the version from the Decepticon Bruticus gift set.

:The Takara release of Swindle has the yellow plastic from Hasbro's release covered in a gold paint. He features more game-accurate colors, including a painted purple visor, more detailed shoulderpads, and silver feet.

:Unsurprisingly for an Aligned toy inspired by Generation 1, ''Fall of Cybertron'' Swindle was used in multiple Generation 1-based stories, with the Hasbro deco [[Swindle (G1)#Starscream's New Power|appearing]] in the short comic "[[Starscream's New Power]]" and the TakaraTomy deco [[Brawl (G1)#Transformers: All Spark|appearing]] in the ''[[Transformers: All Spark]]'' manga series and the ''[[Transformers Cloud]]'' stories.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Decepticon/Swindle/swindle.htm More information on retail Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''United''===
[[File:United Bruticus Maximus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
*'''Bruticus''' ([[November 7]], [[2012]])
**''Accessories:'' Quad blaster (hand/foot), Decepticon-type [[energon star]]

:Released exclusively by TakaraTomy in non-Japanese Asian markets, this redeco of the ''Energon'' Bruticus Maximus set has colours similar to the previous ''Universe'' (2008)/''Revenge of the Fallen'' release, but with a greater emphasis on G1-accuracy. Swindle is monochromatic compared to the previous release, replacing the sand and brown plastic with a uniform tan colour scheme. Additionally, the quad blaster/combined mode foot/hand previously cast in translucent coloured plastic is now opaque grey, though his energon star remains red.
{{--}}

===''Bot Shots''===
[[Image:BotShots Swindle.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
*'''Combaticons''' (Multi-pack, 2013?)
**''Number'': '''T0??'''
{{toydesigner|[[Andrew Scribner]] (deco artist)}}
***''Fist strength'':
***''Blaster strength'':
***''Sword strength'': '''537'''

:A redeco of ''[[Bot Shots (toyline)|Bot Shots]]'' [[Ironhide (Movie)/toys#Bot Shots|Ironhide]], Swindle automatically transforms from spoiler-equipped pickup truck to robot when a sharp impact is applied to his front end. He was to be sold in a five-pack with [[Onslaught (G1)#Bot Shots|Onslaught]], [[Brawl (Movie)#5Pack|Decepticon Brawl]], [[Blast Off (G1)#Bot Shots|Blast Off]], and [[Vortex (G1)#Bot Shots|Vortex]], but this never saw release.

:This mold was also used to make [[Dirt Boss (Cybertron)#Bot Shots|Super Bot Dirt Boss]] and [[Hound (G1)/toys#Bot Shots|Blitz Shot Autobot Hound]].

{{canceledtoy}}

===''Kre-O''===
[[File:KreO-toy SwindleKreon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Sneaky little bastard. He probably rips open blind-packs at the store and sells the contents for double the price.]]
*'''Decepticon Bruticus''' (Micro-Changer Combiner, [[2013]])
**''Set number'': '''A2225'''
**''Pieces'': '''79'''
**''Accessories'': Pistol
{{toydesigner|[[Ed Masiello]] (Hasbro)}}

:[[Kreon]] Swindle can be rebuilt from his robot mode into a jeep. He can also contribute his bricks to form [[Bruticus (G1)#Kre-O|Bruticus]]. He was only available as part of the Bruticus [[Micro-Changer]] combiner set, part of the first assortment of Combiners available.

:Interestingly, he is the only one in the set to be based on his original [[Character model|animation model]], with his fellow Kreon Combaticons painted to resemble their original toys instead.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/Kre-OSwindle/swindle.htm More information on Swindle at TFU.info]''

{{anchor|Combiner3pack}}
*'''Combiner Robot Mega Pack''' (3-pack, 2016)
**''Set number'': '''B6425'''
**''Pieces'': '''245'''
**''Accessories'': Pistol

:In 2016, Dollar General stores in the US got a three-pack of [[Superion (G1)#Kre-O|Superion]], Bruticus, and [[Menasor (G1)#Kre-O|Menasor]] that sold for a mere $14. Given the original kits retailed at $10 apiece, wow. While a couple of the Kreons inside had small changes, Swindle was one of the ones identical to his original release.
{{--}}

===''Combiner Wars''===
[[File:CW-toy Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Hey, a swindler remolded from a rook! Geddit? Geddit?]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Swindle''' (Deluxe Class, [[2016]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Gun, double-barreled gun/fist/foot
{{toydesigner|[[Shogo Hasui]] (TakaraTomy)}}

:Released as part of wave 5 of the ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' Deluxe Class figures, Swindle is a heavy [[retool]] of ''Combiner Wars'' [[Rook (CW)#Toys|Rook]], featuring a significant alternate mode alteration to look like a teched-out military SUV. He comes with a three-barreled minigun-rifle and a hand/foot/gun for limb mode. Later versions of Swindle featured a [[variant#Running changes|running change]] in the form of a slight retool to his smaller weapon, adding nubs to its end allowing it to attach over his shoulder (for [[Hound (G1)/toys#Combiner Wars|Hound]], his later retool). If the seat and steering wheel visible in his alt-mode are intended for humans, his jeep is supposed to be [[scale#|the same size]] as Brawl's tank.

:Being a ''Combiner Wars'' figure, Swindle can combine with his fellow [[Combaticon (G1)#Combiner Wars|Combaticons]] to form [[Bruticus (G1)#Combiner Wars|Bruticus]] as either an arm or a leg. He can also combine with any ''Combiner Wars''-style Voyager Class figure or even form one of [[Godbomber#Legends|''Legends'' Godbomber's]] legs.

:Unfortunately, due to the internal molding of his shins, repeatedly transforming Swindle will eventually create horizontal scratch marks across the hip joints. Swindle also has a hard time holding together solidly; when squeezing his legs together for vehicle mode, the vehicle mode front angles down. When tabbing the hood section into the legs, it pops the legs apart, but straightens up the front of the vehicle. The details between the arms, the hood section, and the legs also never line up completely in vehicle mode. It is entirely likely that this is all caused by the aforementioned internal molding of the shins.

[[File:UWSwindlePrototype.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|left|Don't worry, I know where I can get a better gun.]]

:An early "gray model" resin [[prototype]] of Swindle featured a different version of his handheld weapon with a single, large barrel. Images of this appeared in both the Japanese ''[[Figure Ō]]'' magazine,<ref name="figureoh216">[https://web.archive.org/web/20180611031701/https://www.allspark.com/2016/01/figure-king-215-216-hi-res-transformers-scans-unite-warriors-blast-off-mp-primal/ Figure Oh! 216 scans] at The Allspark (via the Internet Archive).</ref> and the behind-the-design "On Deck Genesis" section in the back of ''Combiner Wars'' Swindle's pack-in comic, which also featured early sketches of the figure wielding the same weapon. Very early solicitations of ''Unite Warriors'' Bruticus also displayed Swindle with this weapon. These are the only instances this version of his weapon have ever been used, as the gray model prototype on display at [[Wonder Festival]] 2016 Winter, the official promotional Hasbro CG render for the ''Combiner Wars'' figure and all [[stock photography|stock photo]]s for both the ''Combiner Wars'' and the ''Unite Warriors'' version depict the regular weapon.

:In the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, Swindle came in English-only packaging including a copy of "''Combiner Wars'' #4" (actually [[City on Fire|''Robots in Disguise'' #12]]). In Canada, Latin America, and Europe, he was available in different types of [[multilingual packaging]] including a character card featuring his comic book cover/[[package art]] instead. He and the last three waves of Combiner Wars Deluxe and Voyager figures later showed up at TJ Maxx at reduced prices with the collector card.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2016/Decepticon/CWSwindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Combiner Wars'' Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{CWRookMold}}

{{-}}{{anchor|CWG2}}{{anchor|G2BruticusSet}}
[[File:CW-toy Swindle G2.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Bruticus''' (Collection Pack, 2016)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Gun, double-barreled gun/fist/foot

: The entire ''Combiner Wars'' Combaticon team was redecoed into close approximations of their ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' colors; Swindle turned out more a reddish-orange than the more pure-red of the "original", plus his optics are red rather than his normal spiffy purple. Unfortunately, he still has the original Decepticon faction symbol, not the ''Generation 2'' style one.

: This version of the team was only available as a large boxed set, which also included a ''Generation 2''-ish version of [[Shockwave (G1)/toys#CWG2|Shockwave]]. This was the fourth of five different combiner "Collection Pack" box sets, which were "shared exclusives" sold by numerous online retailers... though many ultimately ended up at US discounters like Ross and TJ Maxx.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2016/Decepticon/CWG2Swindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Combiner Wars'' Generation 2 Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Unite Warriors''===
[[File:TF-Unite-Warriors-UW07-Swindle.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Bruticus''' (Giftset, [[June 25]], [[2016]])
**''ID number:'' '''UW-07'''
**''Accessories'': Gun, double-barreled gun/fist/foot

:''[[Transformers Unite Warriors|Unite Warriors]]'' Swindle is a redeco of the ''Combiner Wars'' mold in a color scheme based on his cartoon appearance, most obviously by painting his lower torso and hood purple and his face silver. He also features additional paint details on places like his hands and rims, and his hand-foot-gun is cast in the same yellow as his body. Swindle was sold only in a multi-pack with the other Combatrons. As with the G2 Bruticus set, Swindle does not use the retooled blaster from the later releases of the mold.

:As a Deluxe Class ''Unite Warriors'' figure, he can combine to form the leg or arm of any combiner from Hasbro's ''Combiner Wars'' subline or any ''Unite Warriors'' figure, but would usually be associated with [[Bruticus (G1)#Unite Warriors|Bruticus]].
{{CWRookMold}}
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===''Transformers Character Card''===
[[File:Transformers Character Card Bruticus and Defensor.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb]]
*'''Guardian & Bruticus Set''' ([[December]], [[2023]])
**''ID number:'' '''71 & 72'''

:Released as part of the tenth wave of the [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive ''[[Transformers Character Card]]'' series, this pair of holographic trading cards depict super-deformed art of "[[Defensor (G1)|Guardian]]" (with his components [[Blades (G1)|Blades]], [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], [[Groove (G1)|Groove]], and [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]]) and [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] (with ''his'' components [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]], [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]], [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], Swindle and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]) along with [[bio|character profiles]] and [[Tech Spec|tech specs]].
::*''[[Source:Transformers Character Card#71|Translation of Defensor's Transformers Character Card]]''

{{--}}

==Notes==
*The [[character model]]s of the Combaticons are kinda... okay, heavily made-up. Swindle is particularly glaring, as his original 1986 toy was based on an {{w|FMC XR311|XR311}} combat vehicle (a predecessor to the {{w|High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle|AM General Humvee}}), whereas his character model was a much smaller Jeep, including a Jeep front on his robot chest, which the fiction has stuck with ever since. [[:File:G1OddCombat.jpg|Early models of the team]] which were a bit more accurate to the toys—except for the heads, oddly enough—have shown up in various sourcebooks, though Swindle's is still off in some very odd ways.
*Swindle is the only Combaticon that doesn't have a faceplate or visor. Perhaps he sold it?
*In the Wings of Honor continuity the Combaticons are swayed to the Decepticon side by Deathsaurus appealing to their darker natures, represented by one of the Seven Deadly Sins. Swindle's vice is, predictably enough, his Greed.
*Unlike his fellow Combaticons, Swindle [[:File:A better tomorrow Swindle Sky Byte.jpg|did not notably sport]] a redesign in "season 1" of the 2012 ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' comic series based on [[Swindle (FOC)|his Aligned counterpart]]'s [[:File:FOC-Swindlecap.jpg|video game model]] in [[High Moon Studios]]' ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]''.
*The packaging of the 1990 European [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] release of the original [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] toy depicted the Combaticons in new color schemes, despite the fact that the actual toys looked identical to their original releases. While it may never be known for certain, it has been theorized that these colors originated from a packaging printing error rather than a legitimate attempt to [[redeco]] the Combaticons.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Swindle''' (スィンドル ''Swindoru'')
*''French:'' '''Filou''' (Canada, "Swindler")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Svindli''' ("Spoof")
*''Italian:'' '''Crasher'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Zhàpiàn''' (诈骗, "Swindle")
*''Russian:'' '''Fingal''' (Фингал, "Black Eye")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Vígaro'''

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:G1OddCombat.jpg
File:EuroClassicsCombaticons.jpg
File:CW Swindle cvr.jpg|''Combiner Wars'' comic packaging art
File:EW-skin-Swindle-G2.jpg|''Earth Wars'' ''Generation 2''-themed skin
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Alternators Decepticons]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Decepticons]]
[[Category:Combaticons]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]
[[Category:Energon Universe Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Merchants]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Transformers Character Card Decepticons]]
[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game Autobots]]
[[Category:TransTech Decepticons]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]
[[Category:Unite Warriors Decepticons]]
[[Category:United Decepticons]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]

Decepticon Justice Division

2025-04-01T02:46:39Z

Yb124oaaai:

{{factions|decepticon}}
:''The Decepticon Justice Division is a group from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Mtmte7 djd.jpg|thumb|upright=2.8|So it's just "Or Death" then?]]
{{bigquote|Find. Kill. Cleanse.|The D.J.D. motto}}
The '''Decepticon Justice Division''' is a division of the Decepticon army that handles justice. And by justice, we mean "unmarked graves". Assuming there's enough left of their victims to bury.

Traitors, deserters, and any manner of transgressors to the [[Decepticon]] cause end up on "[[The List]]", and are targeted by these enforcers of [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron's]] will. If the rumors are to be believed, they ''always'' find their quarry, and execute them in the messiest fashion possible to make an example of them. Several of them are living torture devices, either having horrific instruments of pain built into their bodies, or having [[alternate mode]]s that become such devices. As a group, they're even able to take down the mighty [[Phase Sixer]]s. So fearsome is their reputation that many Decepticons prefer suicide to waiting for the D.J.D. to find them... unfortunately, many Decepticons only find out they were ''on'' The List right as the D.J.D. arrive. Obviously, this makes them incredibly unpopular among the rank-and-file, many wondering just what level of minor infraction will get you on The List in the first damn place.

Their usual killing fields are in the proximity of the planet [[Messatine]], and they pursue targets in their spaceship the ''[[Peaceful Tyranny]]''.

The group's lineup has changed over the years, but its core five members always use the same five code-names: those of [[Fall of the First Five Cities|the first five cities]] to fall to the Decepticons. Should one member die, another Decepticon is eventually selected to take their place and name. Only the group's leader, [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]], is known to have been in the group from the start.

Known members include:

*[[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] (leader)
*[[Helex (G1)|Helex]]
*[[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]]
*[[Tesarus (G1)|Tesarus]]
*[[Dominus Ambus|Agent 113]] (previously as "Vos", now "The Pet")
*[[Vos (G1)|Vos]] (replacing Agent 113)
*[[Nickel]]

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Tarn transforms MTMTE08.jpg|right|thumb|"The box. You opened it, we came."]]

Holding a reputation of being [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s personal assassins, {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} the Decepticon Justice Division hunted down rogue Decepticons, keeping track of them through a [[The List|list]] and following the order to a fault. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}} The members of the group's elite took their codenames in honor of the [[Fall of the First Five Cities|first five]] Cybertronian cities that fell to the Decepticons in the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} Though primarily concerned with killing renegade Decepticons, they ''looooove'' killing Autobots too. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} Despite this, they had strict orders to not engage [[neutral]] Cybertronians. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} With Megatron and Tarn sharing a flair for theatrics, the Justice Division adhered to a strict script in their operations, first projecting a show of strength before leaving their victims to sit in fear before being killed. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}}

Despite their fearsome reputation, the internal structure of the D.J.D. was heavily bureaucratic, Tarn subjecting his men to constant performance reviews, health and safety checks and regular prayers to statues of Megatron. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

Over the course of the Great War, the Decepticon Justice Division had claimed many of [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]]'s good friends, {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} marked Decepticon warlord [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]] and his troops for their desertion, {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} and had bumped up [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] after the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] leader had defected back to the Autobots. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}} At some point, the D.J.D. set their sights on [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] but he was removed from the List for reasons unknown.{{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} (The likely reason for this was his uncontested leadership of the [[NAIL|NAILS]] after winning Iacon itself for the neutralist faction.){{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}} The D.J.D. also hunted down the rogue leader of the [[Warriors Elite]], [[Heretech]], only to be held at bay for days by Heretech's [[storm-shield]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}}

The late and unlamented [[Crosscut (Marvel)|Crosscut]] was often mistaken for a Justice Division man, which he used to his advantage. {{storylink|The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Crosscut's Squadron X profile}}

[[File:MTMTE44 Agent113.jpg|thumb|left|Vos AKA Agent 113 AKA Dominus Ambus AKA Matches Malone AKA Keyser Soze.]]

The last-but-one Vos had hooks for hands and feet. Footage of him doing his usual business with the rest of the D.J.D. was recorded and presented as evidence during Megatron's trial. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} Unknown to the Decepticons, that Vos was an [[Autobot]] mole, the famous [[Dominus Ambus]], codenamed Agent 113. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}}{{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} He used his position to pass information to the Autobots; due to a justifiably extreme paranoia about being found out, he used info-slugs disguised as bullets to pass message covertly. Usually this information would be the turncoats and traitors that the Division was hunting down, whom the Autobots could protect from [[death|justice]] in return for information. {{storylink|Bullets}}

In order to ensure the safety of the Autobot medical facility of [[Delphi]] on the planet [[Messatine]], deep within D.J.D. territory, the facility's chief medical officer [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] entered into a deal with the Division's leader. In return for their leaving Delphi be, Pharma would provide Tarn with a constant supply of fresh [[transformation cog]]s from Delphi's dead, in order to feed his addiction to changing shape that caused him to constantly burn through cogs. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

During Ambus's time, the Division had learned the mysterious [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] was real and the existence of his planet, [[Necroworld]] but given their policy of ignoring neutrals, they left the world and its inhabitant alone. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} Shortly after, Agent 113 fired a warning about numerous issues, as well as the Necroworld's location, into [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] when he was witnessing a typical D.J.D. atrocity. Unfortunately, Swerve was never aware this had ''been'' a message bullet and none of the alerted medics ever saw him. The shock rendered Swerve speechless for six months, which was quite a feat for him. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

Shortly after the [[Surge (event)|Surge]], the D.J.D. became concerned that the Decepticon forces attacking [[Garrus-9]] hadn't reported back. They dispatched an exploratory force to the colony and learned that any attempt to get near [[Garrus-9]] was blown out of the sky with extreme prejudice. Ambus passed this on to the Wreckers, via firing a message at [[Dodger (G1)|Dodger]] when [[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight's]] group had crossed the Division's path near Messatine's Serp Mines. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Last Stand of the Wreckers #1}} {{storylink|Bullets}}

[[File:TheTiesThatBind DJD.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.7]]
Eventually, the D.J.D. came across a ship piloted by none other than [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] who was also on their list. Shockwave attempted to broker a deal with Tarn, offering his crew (consisting of virtually every Decepticon imprisoned in Garrus-9 who were on the list beneath him) in exchange for letting him live. However, the zealous Tarn had no intention of letting ''any'' of them live and attacked with his lethal voice. While [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and a [[Flame (Marvel)|few]] [[Flywheels|others]] abandoned ship, salvation came in the form of Shockwave blasting out the radio and back-up arriving in the form of the ''[[Torment]]''. Rather than face [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]], the D.J.D. retreated. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}}

Shortly after the Dogfight battle, the Division found out who "Vos" was. When a new Vos appeared, the Autobots assumed Agent 113 was dead {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} unaware that the Division had "domesticated" Ambus, locking him in his [[beast mode]] and lobotomizing him to render him a feral animal. Now simply called "the Pet" and dragged around on a lead by Kaon, the once-mighty intellectual was used as a feral hunting dog and a propaganda tool (the Division claimed he was a tamed [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeater]]). In a bit of Lima syndrome, Kaon developed a twisted affection for his "pet". {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}}

Around 2009, the D.J.D. discovered a mutated form of nucleon on Messatine. They dubbed it [[Nuke]] and kept it to themselves: only Megatron was alerted, and he was playing dead at the time. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

Some time later, the D.J.D. discovered the ravaged Cybertronian [[Prion (planet)|colony]] founded by the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Prion (Titan)|Prion]] and recruited its sole survivor, Nickel, into their ranks. She took up a job as their nurse. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

With the D.J.D.'s monthly quota of cogs constantly rising, Pharma was forced into drastic action, seeking to escape the deal by shutting down the facility without implicating himself. To this end, he hired Decepticon nobodies [[Sonic (IDW)|Sonic]] and [[Boom]] to pose as [[Monoformer]]s and seek asylum at Delphi, professing to be on the run from the D.J.D. Once inside, they detonated a viral soundbomb that infected Delphi with a corrosive plague that would be blamed on D.J.D. chemical warfare. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

Meanwhile, the D.J.D. caught up with [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]] and brutally tortured him to death after he sold his services to the Autobots. Despite popular conception, Tarn declared the war wasn't over until Megatron personally ''said'' it was over. Kaon then alerted Tarn to a signal on the planet [[Clemency]] from an undetonated [[K-Class]] named [[Fulcrum]]. When they arrived, Tarn gave Fulcrum's companions fifteen minutes to give him up and watch him die or be killed themselves. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

[[File:BrainstormDJDComeGetHim.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|left|Only Brainstorm invites genocidal murderers not to genocidally murder everyone on his ship.]] The so-called [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]] chose to fight, turning an incidentally captive [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] against Tarn and the others. The initial surprise wore off, though, and the Scavengers got brutalized. Tesarus ground up [[Flywheels]] in his chest compartment, while Vos made [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] "wear his face". Even a [[Cybernought]] barely helped improve their odds. The remaining hapless Decepticons only survived because Kaon detected [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'s spark signature, and Fulcrum had seemingly died moments prior in a failed suicide-bomb attempt (he hadn't, but everyone was a little too busy to double-check). Tarn ordered the D.J.D. off to hunt for bigger fish, but not before warning the surviving Scavengers that their names had all been added to the List. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}}

[[File:Slaughterhouse mtmte -32 djd attack.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|And the fandom collectively wept. Whether it was because they had [[spark|souls]] or because they loved watching the D.J.D. kill people has yet to be determined.]]‎
Following a tip-off from the Decepticon mole [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]], the D.J.D. caught up with the ''[[Lost Light]]'' (unbeknownst to anyone, one of two created by a quantum engine accident) over [[Ofsted XVII]]. Though Tarn had initially agreed to spare them in return for Overlord, after learning that known defector [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] was also on board, they slaughtered the entire crew before reaching the rogue Phase Sixer in his slow cell beneath the ship and sawing off his head. The D.J.D, however, left one member of the crew—[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]], whom they'd sadistically forced to ''record'' their atrocities in exchange for his partner [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]]'s life (and then killed Chromedome anyway when he refused to erase all memory of Rewind from his mind). {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}} {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

Concurrently on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Starscream, seeking to leave behind the Decepticons and establish himself in the fledgling post-war government, hired [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] and the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] to protect him from the D.J.D. and other unruly bots. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}} When the [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]] marched on the city later that year, Megatron listed the Division as a loyal force he could call on to help them retake Cybertron from [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave's]] forces if a retreat was needed. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Six months afterwards, at Megatron's trial, the D.J.D.'s atrocities were part of the evidence against the former [[Decepticon leader]]. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}}

Seventeen months after destroying the ''Lost Light'', the Division, at Nickel's urging, returned to the shattered ship in order to steal the ship's [[Quantum generator|quantum engines]]. This turned out to be a mistake: the D.J.D. arrived in the middle of a battle between the [[Galactic Council]] and [[Black Block Consortia]], both of whom were also after the engines. Rather than leave Cybertronian technology in the hands of ''organics'', the D.J.D. attacked both sides, which simply led to the two organizations teaming up against them. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

[[File:BirthsDeathsAndInterventions-kaonkillstrailcutter.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Sheesh! That's not what a [[Brainmaster]] is!]]
Pursuing Council forces to the surface of Ofsted XVII, Vos and Kaon were trapped on the planet when an overwhelming number of organic reinforcements forced the ''Peaceful Tyranny'' to retreat. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} The two Decepticons were left badly damaged and close to death by the battle. The pair's salvation arrived when a trio of Autobots (from the surviving ''Lost Light'' duplicate) helped them, initially unaware of who they were; after learning just who Vos was, [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] still did the ethical thing and helped. He was rewarded by getting trapped in his panic bubble forcefield with Kaon and butchered to death. Vos and Kaon were able to call for a teleport back to their ship, bringing with them the new postwar edition of ''[[Towards Peace]]''. {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}}

The rest of the D.J.D. caught up with and murdered [[Blip]] in the interim. Tesarus was feeling guilty about abandoning their two comrades, considering it "un-Decepticon"; this got him a beating from Tarn and a threat of death.

Watching Megatron renounce and denounce the Decepticon cause in ''Towards Peace'' shook Tarn's faith in the movement, and he nearly killed himself by Nuke overdose before realizing a better option. The D.J.D. leader organized a meeting with the rogue Deathsaurus, not to murder him but to ''ally'' with him. In exchange, he and all of his troops would be stricken from The List. Despite some initial friction, Deathsaurus agreed to the alliance. With the D.J.D. now bolstered by the addition of Deathsaurus's considerable forces, Tarn declared their new objective: kill the traitorous Megatron and all of his allies aboard the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

Meanwhile, the ''Lost Light'' medics finally found and extracted the message bullet from Swerve, {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}} but it had deteriorated: the only usable data was the location of the Necrobot [[Mortilus|Censere]]. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}}

Upon detecting long-missing AWOLs that had been on the List on Necroworld, the D.J.D. returned to the planet and learned that the ''Lost Light'' had been there not too long ago. Formulating a plan, the D.J.D. sent a distress signal to the Autobot ship using the Necrobot's own computers in order to lure them back. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} The Division then butchered the Necrobot and ambushed Megatron, and his only loyal crew members, when they arrived. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} As they'd been taught, and to Megatron's dismay, they made a display of strength before departing, promising to return at sundown: thus, they assumed, terrifying their foes (Deathsaurus thought this was dumb). While some of the ''Lost Light'' crew searched for a means of escape, Megatron tried to negotiate his surrender with Tarn. Finding no space worthy craft, [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] offered to sneak out, followed by [[Ten]], and steal the ''Peaceful Tyranny'' only to instead find a D.J.D. base camp. As Ten held off the Decepticons, Ravage followed the scent of a ship, one belonging to Drift and [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}}

[[File:YourFierceTears-byebyekaon.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The DJD's attempts to get into the ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' line didn't pan out so well.]]

When the Autobots took the Pet hostage, Kaon ordered his troops to stand down, allowing them to escape in the Autobot shuttle. Though Helex countermanded the order and opened fire, the Autobot shuttle managed to reach the citadel. Concurrently, Tarn savagely beat down Megatron only to be interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Overlord before he could execute his former leader. With Megatron having escaped, Tarn reluctantly brought Overlord into the plan. Once they had reached the bridge of the ''Peaceful Tyranny'', Kaon burst in, crying about the loss of the Pet. Disgusted by the sin of emotion, the sin he held responsible for weakening Megatron, Tarn promptly pulled out Kaon's head and spinal column, to the horror and disgust of Nickel and Overlord. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}}

At sunset, the Decepticons marched on the citadel only to be met by an impenetrable storm-shield. However, the shield worked in both directions, preventing the Autobots from opening fire. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} After the sacrifice of Skids allowed the Autobots to be supercharged to the level of [[Outlier (group)|Outliers]], they deactivated the shield and met the D.J.D. in combat, their newfound strength allowing them to overpower numerous Decepticons before the upgrade died with Skids.

[[File:mtmte 55 antimatter.jpg|left|thumb|300px|The DJD learn the very hard way that as an Autobot leader, Megatron does indeed now have [[The Touch]]. The Touch of [[Instruments of Destruction|Destruction]].]]
After Tarn had ripped [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] and the Autobots were surrounded, Megatron emerged on the battlefield, ordering [[Team Rodimus (G1)|Team Rodimus]] to retreat and calling for Tarn to face him. After a precise shot had destroyed Megatron's [[fusion cannon]], Tarn and Overlord opened fire on him, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} seconds after Megatron activated Trailcutter's panic bubble. As the D.J.D. pounded on the bubble, Overlord took his leave, disgusted by the sight of Megatron cowering within the field before Deathsaurus, struck by a psychic weapon, and a disillusioned Nickel followed suit.

Continuing their assault, the four members of the D.J.D. managed to enter the forcefield at which point Megatron threw off the act. Having finally mastered the ability to channel [[antimatter]], Megatron cursed the D.J.D. for ruining his chance at redemption before declaring they would die with their birth names. As the antimatter tore them to pieces, each was named: <s>Vos</s> Forestock, <s>Helex</s> Crucible, <s>Tesarus</s> Scissorsaw, and finally Glitch, who died with his mask off after bargaining and false bravado had both failed to stay Megatron's hand. With their deaths and Nickel's defection to Deathsaurus' forces, the Decepticon Justice Division was no more. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
During the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the DJD operated out of the [[Mandala]] in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] under the supervision of [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]. Three centuries after the end of the war, statues of Kaon and Tesarus remained in the halls of the Mandala, immortalizing their deeds. {{storylink|Trigger Warnings}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
After [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and his [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s betrayed the original [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], Tarn was brought to Earth and formed a new DJD. This iteration of the team consists of Tarn, [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], [[Dirtbag]], Soundwave, and [[Exhaust]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Enter the DJD}} Tarn later attempted to capture [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] after he abused [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]]. {{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Rust & Fire}}
[[Lancelon (G1)|Lancelon]] was sent to fix the mess the D.J.D. fixed with [[God Neptune]] and [[Ruination (G1)|Ruination]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|The Last Knight}} He is seen remaining with the team in future stories.
[[Junkyard (G1)|Junkheap]] assisted and joined the team when hunting for the Forge Fire Amulet.{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Junk Culture}} He is seen remaining with the team in future stories.
Soundwave and Lancelon both left the D.J.D. once Tarn pledged his allegiance to Deathsaurus, the new leader of the Decepticons. So a time-displaced Megatron wouldn't be found by any remaining loyalists, the D.J.D. were prepared to attack Soundwave's splinter cell of Decepticons on the orders of Deathsaurus, but were confronted by the Combaticons. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Past Imperfect}}

==Notes==
*In an early plan for "[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]", the D.J.D. were going to attack.<ref>[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/t14540/ Moonbase2's second interview with James Roberts - 01:33:27 to 01:35:00]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Decepticon Shihōkyoku''' (ディセプティコン司法局), '''DJD'''
*''Swedish:'' '''Decepticons Skarprättarskvadron''' ("Decepticon's Executioner Squadron"), '''S.R.S.'''
*''Polish:'' '''Departament Sprawiedliwości Decepticonów''' ("Decepticon Justice Department"), '''D.S.D.'''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising subgroups]]
[[Category:Decepticon Justice Division| ]]
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) subgroups]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformer culture]]
[[Category:Law enforcement]]

Decepticon Justice Division

2025-04-01T02:44:16Z

Yb124oaaai:

{{factions|decepticon}}
:''The Decepticon Justice Division is a group from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Mtmte7 djd.jpg|thumb|upright=2.8|So it's just "Or Death" then?]]
{{bigquote|Find. Kill. Cleanse.|The D.J.D. motto}}
The '''Decepticon Justice Division''' is a division of the Decepticon army that handles justice. And by justice, we mean "unmarked graves". Assuming there's enough left of their victims to bury.

Traitors, deserters, and any manner of transgressors to the [[Decepticon]] cause end up on "[[The List]]", and are targeted by these enforcers of [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron's]] will. If the rumors are to be believed, they ''always'' find their quarry, and execute them in the messiest fashion possible to make an example of them. Several of them are living torture devices, either having horrific instruments of pain built into their bodies, or having [[alternate mode]]s that become such devices. As a group, they're even able to take down the mighty [[Phase Sixer]]s. So fearsome is their reputation that many Decepticons prefer suicide to waiting for the D.J.D. to find them... unfortunately, many Decepticons only find out they were ''on'' The List right as the D.J.D. arrive. Obviously, this makes them incredibly unpopular among the rank-and-file, many wondering just what level of minor infraction will get you on The List in the first damn place.

Their usual killing fields are in the proximity of the planet [[Messatine]], and they pursue targets in their spaceship the ''[[Peaceful Tyranny]]''.

The group's lineup has changed over the years, but its core five members always use the same five code-names: those of [[Fall of the First Five Cities|the first five cities]] to fall to the Decepticons. Should one member die, another Decepticon is eventually selected to take their place and name. Only the group's leader, [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]], is known to have been in the group from the start.

Known members include:

*[[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] (leader)
*[[Helex (G1)|Helex]]
*[[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]]
*[[Tesarus (G1)|Tesarus]]
*[[Dominus Ambus|Agent 113]] (previously as "Vos", now "The Pet")
*[[Vos (G1)|Vos]] (replacing Agent 113)
*[[Nickel]]

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Tarn transforms MTMTE08.jpg|right|thumb|"The box. You opened it, we came."]]

Holding a reputation of being [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s personal assassins, {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} the Decepticon Justice Division hunted down rogue Decepticons, keeping track of them through a [[The List|list]] and following the order to a fault. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}} The members of the group's elite took their codenames in honor of the [[Fall of the First Five Cities|first five]] Cybertronian cities that fell to the Decepticons in the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} Though primarily concerned with killing renegade Decepticons, they ''looooove'' killing Autobots too. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} Despite this, they had strict orders to not engage [[neutral]] Cybertronians. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} With Megatron and Tarn sharing a flair for theatrics, the Justice Division adhered to a strict script in their operations, first projecting a show of strength before leaving their victims to sit in fear before being killed. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}}

Despite their fearsome reputation, the internal structure of the D.J.D. was heavily bureaucratic, Tarn subjecting his men to constant performance reviews, health and safety checks and regular prayers to statues of Megatron. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

Over the course of the Great War, the Decepticon Justice Division had claimed many of [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]]'s good friends, {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} marked Decepticon warlord [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]] and his troops for their desertion, {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} and had bumped up [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] after the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] leader had defected back to the Autobots. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}} At some point, the D.J.D. set their sights on [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] but he was removed from the List for reasons unknown{{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} (although it was likely due to his obtained leadership of the [[NAIL|NAILS]].{{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}} The D.J.D. also hunted down the rogue leader of the [[Warriors Elite]], [[Heretech]], only to be held at bay for days by Heretech's [[storm-shield]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}}

The late and unlamented [[Crosscut (Marvel)|Crosscut]] was often mistaken for a Justice Division man, which he used to his advantage. {{storylink|The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Crosscut's Squadron X profile}}

[[File:MTMTE44 Agent113.jpg|thumb|left|Vos AKA Agent 113 AKA Dominus Ambus AKA Matches Malone AKA Keyser Soze.]]

The last-but-one Vos had hooks for hands and feet. Footage of him doing his usual business with the rest of the D.J.D. was recorded and presented as evidence during Megatron's trial. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} Unknown to the Decepticons, that Vos was an [[Autobot]] mole, the famous [[Dominus Ambus]], codenamed Agent 113. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}}{{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} He used his position to pass information to the Autobots; due to a justifiably extreme paranoia about being found out, he used info-slugs disguised as bullets to pass message covertly. Usually this information would be the turncoats and traitors that the Division was hunting down, whom the Autobots could protect from [[death|justice]] in return for information. {{storylink|Bullets}}

In order to ensure the safety of the Autobot medical facility of [[Delphi]] on the planet [[Messatine]], deep within D.J.D. territory, the facility's chief medical officer [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] entered into a deal with the Division's leader. In return for their leaving Delphi be, Pharma would provide Tarn with a constant supply of fresh [[transformation cog]]s from Delphi's dead, in order to feed his addiction to changing shape that caused him to constantly burn through cogs. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

During Ambus's time, the Division had learned the mysterious [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] was real and the existence of his planet, [[Necroworld]] but given their policy of ignoring neutrals, they left the world and its inhabitant alone. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} Shortly after, Agent 113 fired a warning about numerous issues, as well as the Necroworld's location, into [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] when he was witnessing a typical D.J.D. atrocity. Unfortunately, Swerve was never aware this had ''been'' a message bullet and none of the alerted medics ever saw him. The shock rendered Swerve speechless for six months, which was quite a feat for him. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

Shortly after the [[Surge (event)|Surge]], the D.J.D. became concerned that the Decepticon forces attacking [[Garrus-9]] hadn't reported back. They dispatched an exploratory force to the colony and learned that any attempt to get near [[Garrus-9]] was blown out of the sky with extreme prejudice. Ambus passed this on to the Wreckers, via firing a message at [[Dodger (G1)|Dodger]] when [[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight's]] group had crossed the Division's path near Messatine's Serp Mines. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Last Stand of the Wreckers #1}} {{storylink|Bullets}}

[[File:TheTiesThatBind DJD.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.7]]
Eventually, the D.J.D. came across a ship piloted by none other than [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] who was also on their list. Shockwave attempted to broker a deal with Tarn, offering his crew (consisting of virtually every Decepticon imprisoned in Garrus-9 who were on the list beneath him) in exchange for letting him live. However, the zealous Tarn had no intention of letting ''any'' of them live and attacked with his lethal voice. While [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and a [[Flame (Marvel)|few]] [[Flywheels|others]] abandoned ship, salvation came in the form of Shockwave blasting out the radio and back-up arriving in the form of the ''[[Torment]]''. Rather than face [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]], the D.J.D. retreated. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}}

Shortly after the Dogfight battle, the Division found out who "Vos" was. When a new Vos appeared, the Autobots assumed Agent 113 was dead {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} unaware that the Division had "domesticated" Ambus, locking him in his [[beast mode]] and lobotomizing him to render him a feral animal. Now simply called "the Pet" and dragged around on a lead by Kaon, the once-mighty intellectual was used as a feral hunting dog and a propaganda tool (the Division claimed he was a tamed [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeater]]). In a bit of Lima syndrome, Kaon developed a twisted affection for his "pet". {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}}

Around 2009, the D.J.D. discovered a mutated form of nucleon on Messatine. They dubbed it [[Nuke]] and kept it to themselves: only Megatron was alerted, and he was playing dead at the time. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

Some time later, the D.J.D. discovered the ravaged Cybertronian [[Prion (planet)|colony]] founded by the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Prion (Titan)|Prion]] and recruited its sole survivor, Nickel, into their ranks. She took up a job as their nurse. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

With the D.J.D.'s monthly quota of cogs constantly rising, Pharma was forced into drastic action, seeking to escape the deal by shutting down the facility without implicating himself. To this end, he hired Decepticon nobodies [[Sonic (IDW)|Sonic]] and [[Boom]] to pose as [[Monoformer]]s and seek asylum at Delphi, professing to be on the run from the D.J.D. Once inside, they detonated a viral soundbomb that infected Delphi with a corrosive plague that would be blamed on D.J.D. chemical warfare. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

Meanwhile, the D.J.D. caught up with [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]] and brutally tortured him to death after he sold his services to the Autobots. Despite popular conception, Tarn declared the war wasn't over until Megatron personally ''said'' it was over. Kaon then alerted Tarn to a signal on the planet [[Clemency]] from an undetonated [[K-Class]] named [[Fulcrum]]. When they arrived, Tarn gave Fulcrum's companions fifteen minutes to give him up and watch him die or be killed themselves. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

[[File:BrainstormDJDComeGetHim.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|left|Only Brainstorm invites genocidal murderers not to genocidally murder everyone on his ship.]] The so-called [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]] chose to fight, turning an incidentally captive [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] against Tarn and the others. The initial surprise wore off, though, and the Scavengers got brutalized. Tesarus ground up [[Flywheels]] in his chest compartment, while Vos made [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] "wear his face". Even a [[Cybernought]] barely helped improve their odds. The remaining hapless Decepticons only survived because Kaon detected [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'s spark signature, and Fulcrum had seemingly died moments prior in a failed suicide-bomb attempt (he hadn't, but everyone was a little too busy to double-check). Tarn ordered the D.J.D. off to hunt for bigger fish, but not before warning the surviving Scavengers that their names had all been added to the List. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}}

[[File:Slaughterhouse mtmte -32 djd attack.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|And the fandom collectively wept. Whether it was because they had [[spark|souls]] or because they loved watching the D.J.D. kill people has yet to be determined.]]‎
Following a tip-off from the Decepticon mole [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]], the D.J.D. caught up with the ''[[Lost Light]]'' (unbeknownst to anyone, one of two created by a quantum engine accident) over [[Ofsted XVII]]. Though Tarn had initially agreed to spare them in return for Overlord, after learning that known defector [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] was also on board, they slaughtered the entire crew before reaching the rogue Phase Sixer in his slow cell beneath the ship and sawing off his head. The D.J.D, however, left one member of the crew—[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]], whom they'd sadistically forced to ''record'' their atrocities in exchange for his partner [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]]'s life (and then killed Chromedome anyway when he refused to erase all memory of Rewind from his mind). {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}} {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

Concurrently on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Starscream, seeking to leave behind the Decepticons and establish himself in the fledgling post-war government, hired [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] and the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] to protect him from the D.J.D. and other unruly bots. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}} When the [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]] marched on the city later that year, Megatron listed the Division as a loyal force he could call on to help them retake Cybertron from [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave's]] forces if a retreat was needed. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Six months afterwards, at Megatron's trial, the D.J.D.'s atrocities were part of the evidence against the former [[Decepticon leader]]. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}}

Seventeen months after destroying the ''Lost Light'', the Division, at Nickel's urging, returned to the shattered ship in order to steal the ship's [[Quantum generator|quantum engines]]. This turned out to be a mistake: the D.J.D. arrived in the middle of a battle between the [[Galactic Council]] and [[Black Block Consortia]], both of whom were also after the engines. Rather than leave Cybertronian technology in the hands of ''organics'', the D.J.D. attacked both sides, which simply led to the two organizations teaming up against them. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

[[File:BirthsDeathsAndInterventions-kaonkillstrailcutter.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Sheesh! That's not what a [[Brainmaster]] is!]]
Pursuing Council forces to the surface of Ofsted XVII, Vos and Kaon were trapped on the planet when an overwhelming number of organic reinforcements forced the ''Peaceful Tyranny'' to retreat. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} The two Decepticons were left badly damaged and close to death by the battle. The pair's salvation arrived when a trio of Autobots (from the surviving ''Lost Light'' duplicate) helped them, initially unaware of who they were; after learning just who Vos was, [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] still did the ethical thing and helped. He was rewarded by getting trapped in his panic bubble forcefield with Kaon and butchered to death. Vos and Kaon were able to call for a teleport back to their ship, bringing with them the new postwar edition of ''[[Towards Peace]]''. {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}}

The rest of the D.J.D. caught up with and murdered [[Blip]] in the interim. Tesarus was feeling guilty about abandoning their two comrades, considering it "un-Decepticon"; this got him a beating from Tarn and a threat of death.

Watching Megatron renounce and denounce the Decepticon cause in ''Towards Peace'' shook Tarn's faith in the movement, and he nearly killed himself by Nuke overdose before realizing a better option. The D.J.D. leader organized a meeting with the rogue Deathsaurus, not to murder him but to ''ally'' with him. In exchange, he and all of his troops would be stricken from The List. Despite some initial friction, Deathsaurus agreed to the alliance. With the D.J.D. now bolstered by the addition of Deathsaurus's considerable forces, Tarn declared their new objective: kill the traitorous Megatron and all of his allies aboard the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

Meanwhile, the ''Lost Light'' medics finally found and extracted the message bullet from Swerve, {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}} but it had deteriorated: the only usable data was the location of the Necrobot [[Mortilus|Censere]]. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}}

Upon detecting long-missing AWOLs that had been on the List on Necroworld, the D.J.D. returned to the planet and learned that the ''Lost Light'' had been there not too long ago. Formulating a plan, the D.J.D. sent a distress signal to the Autobot ship using the Necrobot's own computers in order to lure them back. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} The Division then butchered the Necrobot and ambushed Megatron, and his only loyal crew members, when they arrived. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} As they'd been taught, and to Megatron's dismay, they made a display of strength before departing, promising to return at sundown: thus, they assumed, terrifying their foes (Deathsaurus thought this was dumb). While some of the ''Lost Light'' crew searched for a means of escape, Megatron tried to negotiate his surrender with Tarn. Finding no space worthy craft, [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] offered to sneak out, followed by [[Ten]], and steal the ''Peaceful Tyranny'' only to instead find a D.J.D. base camp. As Ten held off the Decepticons, Ravage followed the scent of a ship, one belonging to Drift and [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}}

[[File:YourFierceTears-byebyekaon.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The DJD's attempts to get into the ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' line didn't pan out so well.]]

When the Autobots took the Pet hostage, Kaon ordered his troops to stand down, allowing them to escape in the Autobot shuttle. Though Helex countermanded the order and opened fire, the Autobot shuttle managed to reach the citadel. Concurrently, Tarn savagely beat down Megatron only to be interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Overlord before he could execute his former leader. With Megatron having escaped, Tarn reluctantly brought Overlord into the plan. Once they had reached the bridge of the ''Peaceful Tyranny'', Kaon burst in, crying about the loss of the Pet. Disgusted by the sin of emotion, the sin he held responsible for weakening Megatron, Tarn promptly pulled out Kaon's head and spinal column, to the horror and disgust of Nickel and Overlord. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}}

At sunset, the Decepticons marched on the citadel only to be met by an impenetrable storm-shield. However, the shield worked in both directions, preventing the Autobots from opening fire. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} After the sacrifice of Skids allowed the Autobots to be supercharged to the level of [[Outlier (group)|Outliers]], they deactivated the shield and met the D.J.D. in combat, their newfound strength allowing them to overpower numerous Decepticons before the upgrade died with Skids.

[[File:mtmte 55 antimatter.jpg|left|thumb|300px|The DJD learn the very hard way that as an Autobot leader, Megatron does indeed now have [[The Touch]]. The Touch of [[Instruments of Destruction|Destruction]].]]
After Tarn had ripped [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] and the Autobots were surrounded, Megatron emerged on the battlefield, ordering [[Team Rodimus (G1)|Team Rodimus]] to retreat and calling for Tarn to face him. After a precise shot had destroyed Megatron's [[fusion cannon]], Tarn and Overlord opened fire on him, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} seconds after Megatron activated Trailcutter's panic bubble. As the D.J.D. pounded on the bubble, Overlord took his leave, disgusted by the sight of Megatron cowering within the field before Deathsaurus, struck by a psychic weapon, and a disillusioned Nickel followed suit.

Continuing their assault, the four members of the D.J.D. managed to enter the forcefield at which point Megatron threw off the act. Having finally mastered the ability to channel [[antimatter]], Megatron cursed the D.J.D. for ruining his chance at redemption before declaring they would die with their birth names. As the antimatter tore them to pieces, each was named: <s>Vos</s> Forestock, <s>Helex</s> Crucible, <s>Tesarus</s> Scissorsaw, and finally Glitch, who died with his mask off after bargaining and false bravado had both failed to stay Megatron's hand. With their deaths and Nickel's defection to Deathsaurus' forces, the Decepticon Justice Division was no more. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
During the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the DJD operated out of the [[Mandala]] in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] under the supervision of [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]. Three centuries after the end of the war, statues of Kaon and Tesarus remained in the halls of the Mandala, immortalizing their deeds. {{storylink|Trigger Warnings}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
After [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and his [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s betrayed the original [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], Tarn was brought to Earth and formed a new DJD. This iteration of the team consists of Tarn, [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], [[Dirtbag]], Soundwave, and [[Exhaust]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Enter the DJD}} Tarn later attempted to capture [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] after he abused [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]]. {{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Rust & Fire}}
[[Lancelon (G1)|Lancelon]] was sent to fix the mess the D.J.D. fixed with [[God Neptune]] and [[Ruination (G1)|Ruination]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|The Last Knight}} He is seen remaining with the team in future stories.
[[Junkyard (G1)|Junkheap]] assisted and joined the team when hunting for the Forge Fire Amulet.{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Junk Culture}} He is seen remaining with the team in future stories.
Soundwave and Lancelon both left the D.J.D. once Tarn pledged his allegiance to Deathsaurus, the new leader of the Decepticons. So a time-displaced Megatron wouldn't be found by any remaining loyalists, the D.J.D. were prepared to attack Soundwave's splinter cell of Decepticons on the orders of Deathsaurus, but were confronted by the Combaticons. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Past Imperfect}}

==Notes==
*In an early plan for "[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]", the D.J.D. were going to attack.<ref>[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/t14540/ Moonbase2's second interview with James Roberts - 01:33:27 to 01:35:00]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Decepticon Shihōkyoku''' (ディセプティコン司法局), '''DJD'''
*''Swedish:'' '''Decepticons Skarprättarskvadron''' ("Decepticon's Executioner Squadron"), '''S.R.S.'''
*''Polish:'' '''Departament Sprawiedliwości Decepticonów''' ("Decepticon Justice Department"), '''D.S.D.'''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising subgroups]]
[[Category:Decepticon Justice Division| ]]
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) subgroups]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformer culture]]
[[Category:Law enforcement]]

Conehead

2025-03-31T16:38:36Z

Yb124oaaai:

{{factions|decepticon|mercenary}}
{{stub}}
[[File:ConeheadsGenerations1.jpg|350px|thumb|France! We come from France!]]
'''Conehead''' is a tongue-in-cheek fan term for the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] that were released in 1985—[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]. Though the toys were virtually identical to the original Seekers, their animation models were given a distinctive transformation that left the jet nosecone pointing up, hence the nickname. Another difference is that their wings don't flip up to appear as part of the upper body, and instead seem to be part of their legs. (Thrust's wings ''do'' change orientation—the leading edge of his wings faces ''down'' in robot mode, unlike the other two—but they remain part of his legs.)

The animation models for the Conehead Seekers were designed by [[Floro Dery]], whereas the season one Seekers were done primarily by Japanese designer [[Shōhei Kohara]]. The name "{{w|Coneheads}}" is taken from an early "{{w|Saturday Night Live}}" sketch (and later, movie) about a pointy-headed family from <s>outer space</s> France.

A simple way to remember which of the core six G1 Seekers are Coneheads, is that the names of the Coneheads are real words, as opposed to made-up words such as "[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]".

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:G1 generic conehead.jpg|left|thumb|100px|If Dan Aykroyd was a robot *sigh*]]
The Coneheads arrived on [[Earth]] sometime during the war along with [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]. A generic Conehead appeared on [[Chaar]] in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]". {{storylink|The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====''Transformers '84''====
The Conehead trio were part of [[Decepticon High Command]] and part of the crew of the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. When [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]]'s absence risked delaying the launch, the Coneheads were to sent to the [[Project Dreadnought]] hub to retrieve him, later boarding the ship. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 1|Secrets & Lies #1}}

When the time came to attack the ''Ark'' however, [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] ordered the Coneheads to remain outside the Autobot ship in jet mode in case any Autobots attempted to flee. As a result, the Coneheads were spared the crash landing. Retreating to the ''Nemesis'', the three informed Shockwave of what had happened only for the scientist to infect them all with a [[scraplet]] virus, leaving them convulsing while he went planetside. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 2|Secrets & Lies #2}}

The three were healed by the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s environmental protocols and made tracks after Shockwave. Their entry into the atmosphere was detected by [[Aunty|AUNTIE]] who constructed drones in the likeness of [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]], [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], and [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] to meet the trio. Instead of Shockwave, the three found the ''Ark'' and engaged the drones in combat, caught off-guard by their utterly ruthless foes. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 3|Secrets & Lies #3}}

As the battle raged, [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and Megatron burst out of the ''Ark''. Seeing that the latter was channeling [[Antimatter|anti-matter]], the three fell back, shouting a warning to Grimlock that Megatron was being controlled. Returning to the ''Nemesis'', the Coneheads tried to return to Cybertron but found themselves unable to engage the ship's propulsion systems. Ringing up [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]], they informed him of their findings and requested a rescue ship. The Regional Liege agreed to send rescue on the condition that they conveniently forget where the ''Ark'', and Megatron, lay. Faced with the alternative of Straxus brutally killing them, the three readily agreed. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 4|Secrets & Lies #4}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity====
Among the three [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron units]] that went after [[Getaway]], there was one conehead. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Age of Wrath|War Within: The Age of Wrath}}
{{--}}

====''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''====
[[File:Conehead GIJoevsTFs2.jpg|thumb|upright=0.5]]
At least one conehead was among the Transformers captured and enslaved by [[Cobra]], who modified him into a [[Rattler]] aircraft. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2}} Though they were eventually released from Cobra's control, the conehead was killed by an energy beam fired by the out-of-control [[SPS Satellite]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 6|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6}}

Since Cobra painted all their Rattlers blue, the identity of the conehead is unknown. He couldn't have been one of the main trio anyway, as Dirge, Ramjet and Thrust were all seen on Cybertron later on. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

{{-}}

====''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''====
An anonymous conehead stood guard at [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] when [[Destro]] arrived through the [[M.A.S.S. Device]]. {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend}} A yellow conehead participated in the attack on [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and battled the [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] forces in the sky. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon====
{{note|''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' is the ''only'' continuity thus far in which the coneheads are affiliated with the [[Mercenary|Mercenaries]], rather than the Decepticons like in the past.}}

Ramjet, Dirge, and Thrust were members of [[Doubledealer]]'s crew of [[Mercenary|Mercenaries]], {{storylink|Earthrise episode 1}} hired by [[Deseeus]] to bring in the [[Autobot]]s aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''. However, after Deeseeus refused to pay them, the coneheads helped the Autobots escape and battled the [[Quintesson]]'s [[Deseeus Army Drone|forces]]. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 2}} By the time Deseeus took a hands-on approach by controlling Doubledealer's mind, the coneheads cut their losses and defected from the ''[[Fool's Fortune]]'' crew. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 6}}

====2019 IDW continuity====
[[File:LightStar Coneheads.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|]]
Ramjet, Dirge and Thrust were an infamous mercenary trio. Following the [[Decepticon]]s taking over the [[Senate]], they found themselves in [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'s employ at [[Hexagon]]. When the [[Technobot (G1)|Technical Specialists]] arrived at Hexagon to arrest [[Vigilem]], the three guided the Autobots around the station for a while before Thunderwing's true intentions were revealed. When the Specialists fell into the experimental [[Combination Core]] and reemerged as [[Computron (G1)|Computron]], the Coneheads distracted the [[combiner]] long enough for Thunderwing to detach the segment that the giant was in. {{storylink|Light/Star}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[File:TFA Liar cone.jpg|thumb|left|100px|"Now Swindle can't tell me apart from the bright orange one!"]]
[[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] gave the [[Ramjet (Animated)|lying Starscream clone]] a cone shaped helmet in order to tell him apart from [[Sunstorm (Animated)|Sunstorm]]. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}} He later created [[Dirge (Animated)|Dirge]] and [[Thrust (Animated)|Thrust]] and outfitted them with the same type of helmet. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

{{-}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
[[File:Cyberverse-s1e7-Cube-Coneheads-agree-with-Starscream's-plan.jpg|thumb|250px|Tweedledee and Tweedledirge.]]
Prior to the [[Great War (Cyberverse)|Great War]], [[Ramjet (Cyberverse)|Ramjet]] and [[Dirge (Cyberverse)|Dirge]] were personal bodyguards for [[Starscream (Cyberverse)|Starscream]], accompanying him to a game of [[Cube (sport)|Cube]] and helping him in conducting some mischief. {{storylink|Cube (episode)|Cube}}

When the Autobots tried to send the [[AllSpark|Allspark]] off [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Ramjet was among the Decepticons who attacked the [[space bridge]] in a failed attempt to stop this plan. {{storylink|Allspark (episode)|Allspark}}

[[Afterburner (Cyberverse)|Afterburner]] was among the [[Mercenary|Mercenaries]] who froze and attempted to loot Cybertron during the signing of the [[Treaty of the Wall]]. [[Bug Bite (Cyberverse)|Bug Bite]] often referred to him as a "crummy conehead". {{storylink|The Immobilizers}}

===''Bumblebee'' film===
[[File:BB Thrust and Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|300px|left]]
Various coneheads were among the Seeker hordes under the command of [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]]. Among them was [[Thrust (Movie)|Thrust]], who rallied behind [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] as they attacked the Autobots' launch pad to prevent them from evacuating Cybertron. While they succeeded in this task, all the Autobots save [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] managed to escape before the launchpad tower fell. After Prime was attacked by [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]], coneheads and other Decepticons closed in to attack the Autobot leader. Despite this, Prime managed to escape the planet. {{storylink|Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee}}

===''One'' film===
Many coneheads were among Cybertron's [[High Guard]]. One of them was part of a duo who captured [[Optimus Prime (One)|Orion Pax]], [[Megatron (One)|D-16]], [[Elita-1 (One)|Elita-1]], and [[Bumblebee (One)|B-127]] to be brought before [[Starscream (One)|Starscream]]. During [[Airachnid (One)|Airachnid]]'s raid on the High Guard base, several were killed in the attack.{{storylink|Transformers One (film)|One}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Devastation''===
[[File:ConeheadSeekerConcept.jpg|thumb|300px]]Several generic Conehead-style Seekers were encountered by the Autobots during Megatron's plan to cyberform the Earth. There were three types encountered: standard Warriors, missile-firing Heavy Weapons, and sword-wielding Elites.
{{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}
{{charstubgame}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive''===
Purple Coneheads were among the Decepticons defending their multiple bases against Autobot invasors. {{storylink|Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive}}
{{-}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
[[File:Cone.jpeg|thumb|200|px|How does Thrust still have his cone on his head? The world will never know.]]
Coneheads is a squad containing Ramjet, Dirge and Thrust. All three are portrayed by [[Minion Pig|Minion Pigs]]. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
{{anchor|Generation 1}}
[[File:G1Dirge toy.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|''The Transformers'' Dirge]]
*'''Decepticon Planes''' ([[1985]])
{{collist|3|
:*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]
:*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]
:*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]
}}

:The original Coneheads featured retooled Seeker wings for each individual, but the same head sculpt as the original Seekers for each of them. It is possible to give them a more cartoon-accurate appearance by deliberately leaving the nosecone folded up for them, however. Thrust is notably different from his teammates in that he possesses normal Seeker [[null-ray]]s instead of the new "[[cluster bomb]]" guns created for Ramjet and Dirge. The unique wing pieces possessed by the Coneheads deviate heavily from the standard Seeker wings - Dirge possesses delta wings with a front canard, Ramjet's wings resemble the prototype {{w|F-16XL}}'s delta wings, and Thrust has his trademark VTOL ducted fans as well as rear stabilizers.
{{-}}

===''Classics''===
[[File:Classics Thrust Toy.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|''Timelines'' Thrust]]
*'''Deluxe''' (2006)
:The brand-new Seeker mold had its head retooled to look more show accurate as a Conehead. Ramjet was released in the ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' toyline while Thrust and Dirge were exclusive toys featured in [[BotCon 2007]]. Ramjet features new wing pieces resembling his original toy as well as bulkier missiles than the original [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Classics|Starscream]] toy. Thrust was retooled to have VTOL fans like his original toy, but Dirge was just redecoed from the Ramjet toy. ''Gentei! Gentei!'' Dirge and Thrust received entirely new wing molds which would later be reused in the ''Generations'' toyline.
{{ClassicsSeekerMold}}
{{-}}

===''Masterpiece''===
[[File:TF-Masterpiece-MP-11NR-Ramjet.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|''Masterpiece'' Ramjet]]
:A larger-scaled update of the [[Starscream (G1)/toys#MP11|original seeker mold]]. Originally issued as [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Starscream]] in 2005, then extensively retooled and redecoed in 2016 as Ramjet, Thrust, and Dirge, each with uniquely tooled wing and tailfin pieces. Unfortunately, all three suffer from varying cases of joint looseness due to the age and frequent reuse of the original mold.
{{MP11SeekerMold}}
{{-}}

===''Cyberverse''===
[[File:CV-toy Ramjet Scout.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|''Cyberverse'' Ramjet]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Ramjet''' (Scout Class, [[2019]])}}</ul>
:*''Action Attack'': "Cranium Crush"

:''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (toyline)|Cyberverse]]'' Scout Class Ramjet is a Legends-sized toy that transforms from a robot to <s>a jet with a robot chest and head for a front half</s> a "transformational" mode in five easy steps. His "Cranium Crush" Action Attack gimmick causes his head and chest to spin and pop out of jet mode when triggered. Unlike many ''Cyberverse'' Scout Class figures, Ramjet can basically assume a full vehicle mode in spite of the oddly-shaped cockpit.

{{-}}{{anchor|Ultra}}
[[File:Cyberverse ramjet ultra.jpeg|upright=1|thumb|''Cyberverse Ultra'' Ramjet]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Ramjet''' (Ultra Class, [[2021]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Two null rays, two jet thrusters

:Ultra Class Ramjet converts from a 6.75" robot to his jet mode in 12 steps. In robot mode the figure has a spring-loaded Energon armor [[gimmick]], activated by moving his left shoulder which gives Ramjet a bird-motif helmet. His jet thrusters can detach and peg together to form a double-edged staff.
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
[[File:TF-WFC-E-Thrust.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|''Earthrise'' Thrust]]
:''[[War for Cybertron: Earthrise]]'' featured the classic Coneheads as retools of the line's Voyager-class Starscream. Unlike the ''Classics'' mold that these toys take design cues from, the Seekers' signature cone heads are faux parts and not formed from the actual nosecones of the jets. ''[[Generations Selects (toyline)|Generations Selects]]'' also featured the first release of Ramjet redeco [[Sandstorm (G2)|Sandstorm]], while ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]'' introduced [[Cloudcover]]; similarly based on an unreleased ''Generation 2'' [[:File:WhizBangNavyRamjetRedeco.jpg|prototype]]. All of these figures were released as exclusives, though Dirge and Ramjet later received [[package refresh|retail re-releases]] in ''Legacy''.
{{WFCEarthriseStarscreamMold}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
*During ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]'', a desert-themed [[redeco]] of the Ramjet mold was proposed as a new character, [[Sandstorm (G2)|Sandstorm]]. Another mock-up deco variant of the Ramjet mold [[:File:WhizBangNavyRamjetRedeco.jpg|in sky colors]] is also known to exist; this may or may not have been intended as a new character. Possibly, Sandstorm and "cloud camo Ramjet" would have been coneheads as well had they been released circa 1995. Eventually, Sandstorm and "[[Cloudcover]]" received toys in the 2020s which confirmed this to be the case.
*In their Generation 1 Italian release, all three coneheads featured names related to birds of prey: Thrust is Rapax, an African eagle; Dirge is Sparviero, a sparrowhawk; Ramjet is Nibbio, a kite.
*Instead of the traditional conical helmets, the coneheads seen in ''Bumblebee'' have a triangular crest behind their heads, giving the impression of the classic conehead silhouette.
*In ''Cyberverse'', [[Ramjet (Cyberverse)|Ramjet]] and [[Dirge (Cyberverse)|Dirge]] are coneheads, but [[Thrust (Cyberverse)|Thrust]] is ''not''. Story editor [[Randolph Heard]] hinted that it would be significant in a future plotline,<ref>{{citesocial|quote=@FL_Ranger Not yet|link=https://twitter.com/RandolphHeard/status/1054146510953148416|name=RandolphHeard|site=Twitter|year=2018|month=10|day=21|(defunct=)}}</ref> but this did not come to fruition. Meanwhile, the ''Cyberverse'' incarnation of [[Afterburner (Cyberverse)|Afterburner]] is a Conehead.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:Fan terminology]]
[[Category:Seekers]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Earthrise subgroups]]

Diagnostic Drone

2025-03-31T15:02:30Z

Yb124oaaai:

{{factions|vehicon|decepticon|autobot|predacon|sgDecepticon}}
{{picsneeded|Regular drone}}
[[File:GrandMal Schematics.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ahhhh... I am a genius. Heeheeheehee!]]
A '''Diagnostic Drone''' is a type of autonomous drone which generally assists [[Transformer]]s in performing administrative or technical tasks. They have some measure of artificial intelligence and are small, roughly ovoid devices with one visual sensor, two clawed arms, and two "wings". They can hover or fly. Diagnostic Drones are explicitly depicted as [[spark]]less. Several have been shown to have the ability to speak and use advanced experimental technology, but only one is known to have had apparent emotions and a sense of humor; that unit was either a true artificial intelligence, or a very good simulation of one.

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====Theft of the Golden Disk====
[[File:Cryotekdrone.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb]]
A black and white Diagnostic Drone accompanied [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]]. {{storylink|Theft of the Golden Disk}}

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Christopher Gaze]] (Season 1), [[Paul Dobson]] (Season 2) (English), [[Isshin Chiba]] (Japanese)|[[Tong Chunguang]] (Chinese), [[Mino Caprio]] (Italian, first drone), [[Vladimiro Conti]] (Italian, first drone, ''[[The Weak Component]]''), [[Hans Hohlbein]] (German), [[Frédéric Meaux]] (French, first drone), [[Patrick Donnay]] (French, second drone)}}
Diagnostic Drones were used by [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] during his tenure as ruler of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

One drone in particular served as Megatron's right-hand man. {{storylink|Fires of the Past}} This drone displayed a seemingly full range of emotions, although its ability to make decisions was handicapped in some ways by its programming. Despite this nearly full sentience, it was explicitly stated to have no spark.

After one of Megatron's many attempts to purge his systems from the organic component, the drone informed Megatron that the procedure had been successful. It was proved wrong when Megatron became frustrated with his drones’ inability to take out the Maximals during their latest confrontation. Megatron scorched the Diagnostic Drone out of anger, though this left it relatively unharmed. When Megatron asked why his drones were having so much trouble with the small group of Maximals despite their technological superiority, the Diagnostic Drone suggested that free-will might be a factor. Megatron admitted that the drone might have a point, and created the Vehicon generals [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], [[Thrust (BM)|Thrust]] and [[Jetstorm (BM)|Jetstorm]]. {{storylink|Fires of the Past}}

The Diagnostic Drone continue to aid Megatron in his attempts to purge his body from its organic components, despite regularly warning the Vehicon leader that the procedures were still in their experimental stages. In the wake of a power-feedback, Megatron was rendered weak and unable to defend himself. The drone informed him that all planetary systems were down, and his forces would be unable to defend him until power was restored in half a solar-cycle. After the time period had passed, the drone informed Megatron that his strength was returning. Sure enough, all systems came back online immediately after. The Diagnostic Drone was surprised to see Megatron keep his end of a bargain he made with Rattrap, and allow the Maximals walk away from his citadel. Megatron explained that they could always liberate the Maximals’ sparks another day. {{storylink|The Weak Component}}

On yet another attempt at removing Megatron's organic half, the Diagnostic Drone reminded Megatron that the process of transplanting his spark into a purely technological body would be infinitely simpler. Megatron disregarded the idea, as it would mean leaving his spark vulnerable, if only for an instant. The drone's next suggestion was to capture Nightscream, who he believe generated a beast mode on an entirely inorganic planet. By studying whatever process spontaneously generated an organic half within Nightscream, the drone was confident it could rid Megatron of his own organic component. Megatron approved of this plan, and sent his three Vehicon generals to accompany the Diagnostic Drone on its hunt for the Maximal.

The Diagnostic Drone was able to lock onto Nightscream using his echo-location frequency. Tankor managed to acquire the bat, and the Vehicons began to make their way back to home base. En route, the Diagnostic Drone noted that Nightscream wasn't being repaired by their portable reparation chamber, but was healing due to properties inherent in his technogranic body. Intrigued, he demanded that Nightscream reveal to him the secret behind his healing process. In response, Nightscream blasted the drone, leaving it to be recovered by Tankor.

Away from prying eyes, Tankor reprogrammed the Diagnostic Drone to be loyal to him instead of Megatron. Tankor ordered the Drone to maintain a charade of loyalty toward Megatron, and to track down the Oracle's energy signature. The Drone was also instructed to sabotage all further attempts Megatron made to purging his body of its beast mode. {{storylink|Survivor}}

Later, the drone accompanied Tankor to the Oracle's location. Tankor tasked the drone to enter the Oracle, and retrieve the Key to Vector Sigma. The Diagnostic Drone succeeded and downloaded the key's code to Tankor.

After “Tankor” paid the Maximals a visit, and “overloaded” due to the Key's power, the Diagnostic Drone accompanied a group of Tank Drones to retrieve the general's “body.” In truth, the Tankor the Maximals had witnessed “dying” was a double, part of an elaborate ruse Tankor had set up to fool both Megatron and Optimus. {{storylink|The Key}}

Tankor fed words to the drone from a distance to get Megatron to go along with the next phase of his plan. The Diagnostic Drone informed Megatron that Tankor had “somehow” stumbled upon the key to Vector Sigma, and showed Megatron doctored footage showing Tankor's demise. The drone then encouraged Megatron to download the code to the Key to Vector Sigma to his Vehicon drones, and use its power on a planetary level. The drone almost flubbed the whole charade by continuing to parrot Tankor's words even as the Vehicon general rambled that Megatron would go mad and die due to the key's influence on his beast mode. Despite the drone quickly covering up his mistake, Megatron began to grow suspicious of the drone's behaviour.

The Diagnostic Drone next accompanied Thrust and Jetstorm on their search for a Maximal to test the key's power on, as per Megatron's instructions. Since Tankor's grand scheme necessitated that the Maximals be left alone for the time being, the drone kept the two Vehicon generals busy by insisting that his superior scanners detected Maximal signatures where there were none. Eventually, Blackarachnia came to them anyways. The Diagnostic Drone was knocked unconscious when Blackarachnia lashed out against Jetstorm. Rather than remain on-site, it returned to Megatron's inner sanctum to inform him that the Key's tests were not going smoothly. After the “organics” displayed the extent of their power, the Diagnostic Drone convinced Megatron to only download the Key's code to his Tank Drones, lest one of his two remaining generals grew ambitious and turned on him. Megatron agreed. {{storylink|The Catalyst}}

The Diagnostic Drone returned to Tankor's side to inform him that his plan was going smoothly. Tank Drones were being loaded with the Key program, and all signs pointed towards Megatron intending to go through with unleashing the Key's power soon. Tankor and the drone then found out that Megatron had taken the precaution to disconnect the Tank Drones from Tankor's control, despite the Vehicon general's apparent demise. The Diagnostic Drone was tasked with generating a false vision through the Oracle, and goad Optimus Primal into provoking Megatron to use the Key on a planetary scale as soon a possible. It led Optimus to the Plasma Energy Chamber, and then informed Megatron that the Maximals had found the device. But Megatron had puzzled out that the Diagnostic Drone was no longer loyal to him by this point. After it attempted one too many times to goad him into unleashing his doomsday weapon, Megatron shut the drone down. {{storylink|End of the Line}}

Near the end of Megatron's rule, after his spark was de- and repolarized, his spark became stuck in a Diagnostic Drone. {{storylink|Spark of Darkness}} Despite being trapped in this puny form, Megatron still proved himself to be a daunting opponent. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. I: The Downward Spiral|The Downward Spiral}} Nonetheless, the frame he was confined within could not suit his needs in his final confrontation against the Maximals. He put a new Diagnostic Drone in charge of constructing him a new body, using the specs of one of Optimus Primal's old bodies. Once the body was constructed, the Diagnostic Drone transferred Megatron's spark into it. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall|When Legends Fall}}

The Maximals were soon felled by the Vehicon horde, and Diagnostic Drones brought the captured sparks of Optimus's troops to the spark containment chamber within the Grand Mal. They readied to open the containment chamber and allow Megatron access to the lifeforce of the Cybertronians within, but a stray shot destroyed the control panel. The drones were tasked at repairing the damage panel while Megatron amused himself at chasing Optimus around the city. When their work was finally complete, the drones opened the chamber, allowing Megatron to begin his grand ascension. Their fates after Cybertron's reformatting are unknown. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Diagnostic Drones were put to use at the [[Vaults]] storing data cassettes. {{storylink|The War Within issue 1|The War Within #1}}

A similar drone later helped [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] carry out [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s plan to expose the core of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] itself. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2}}

===''TransTech''===
The case of D. Drone V [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] was mentioned during an argument regarding the [[G1 GoBots|GoBots]], and claims from [[Crystal Widow]] and [[Demolishor (TransTech)|General Demolishor]]. It is implied to relate to a manner of property dispute similar to what happened in ''Beast Machines''. Evidently, Tankor's misuse of Diagnostic Drone landed him in court. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

===''Shattered Glass''===
[[File:Shattered Glass Diagnostic Drone.JPG|thumb|upright=0.8|"So be it. Save his head. Dispose of the rest."]]
A Diagnostic Drone is seen along with [[Scrapper (SG)|Scrapper]] and [[Hook (SG)|Hook]], who are giving [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] medical treatment. This one has the addition of an adorable nurse's cap. {{storylink|Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass}}
{{-}}

===''Animated'' cartoon continuity===
[[File:DiagnosticDroneAAII.jpg|left|thumb|100px]]
On time off from [[Project Powermaster]], [[Perceptor (Animated)|Perceptor]] reprogrammed a Diagnostic Drone into [[Tutorbot 2.0]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}
{{-}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:IDWMtMtE 7 Drone.jpg|frame|Overlord? Interesting. Yeessss...]]
Multiples drones functioned as cameras, they retransmitted on live Megatron's call for recruitment into the [[Decepticon]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3}}

A Diagnostic Drone assisted [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] with repairs aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]''. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On‎|Hangers On}}

Later, another medical Drone reacted to [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s mention of [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'s name, and summoned [[Drift (G1)|someone]] to retrieve the evidence Alert had left with the comatose [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

One Drone was crushed by a [[Legislator]] in an attack on the medibay. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus}}

When he left the ''Lost Light'' aboard the ''[[O Fortuna]]'', [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'s leaving present from [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] contained a photograph of himself, Ratchet, [[Ambulon]] and the Diagnostic Drone. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

The Diagnostic Drone and Velocity were shown observing Ambulon through a time window after his passing. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}
{{-}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] used the Diagnostic Drones to force [[Gutcruncher (G1)|Gutcruncher]] and his squad to leave the treatment facility. {{storylink|Escape Part One}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] sweeped up a Diagnostic Drone that was littering the floor of the Decepticon base. {{storylink|The Beautiful Flower Has Thorns? Temptation of the Female Soldier, Airachnid!}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:InexorableMarch Vehicons.jpg|thumb|left]]
After the [[Vehicon Apocalypse]] had ended, Galvatron put the finishing touches on his own Vehicon generals with the aid of a Diagnostic Drone. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Megatron used Diagnostic Drones to repair and upgrade his front-line Vehicon soldiers. Although easily the most intelligent of the Vehicon drones, their combat abilities were quite lacking. {{storylink|Technorganic Secrets}}

==Notes==
*The ''Beast Wars: Uprising'' Diagnostic Drone is a "virtual redeco" of the beast partner of [[Squeezeplay (G1)#Generations|''Titans Return'' Crashbash]].
*The "[[Sky Spy#The Functionist Universe|Sky Spy]]" in [[Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|''Lost Light'' #1]] is, oddly, a recolor of the Diagnostic Drone model.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Flying Computer''' (フライングコンピューター ''Furaingu Konpyūtā''), '''Fly''' (フライ ''Furai'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Yīliáo Fēng''' (医疗蜂, "Medical Bee")

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Beast Machines Vehicons]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Predacons]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising characters]]
[[Category:Drones]]
[[Category:Generation 1 drones]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) characters]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass Decepticons]]
[[Category:TransTech characters]]
[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game Vehicons]]

Drift (G1)

2025-03-31T15:00:38Z

Yb124oaaai:

{{factions|decepticon|autobot|ascenticon|primusvanguard|mercenary}}
{{disambigm|Drift (disambiguation)|Deadlock (disambiguation)}}
{{featured}}
:''Drift is an [[Autobot]] and former [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:AHM 06 CoverA.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|While you were out partying, I studied THE BLADE.]]
'''Drift''' was not always an Autobot. In fact, he slaughtered quite a few when he was known as the Decepticon '''Deadlock'''. But Deadlock's eyes were opened to what the Transformers' war had become when he stumbled across a lost faction of neutral Transformers long since forgotten. He discarded his ruthless ways, abandoned his guns for swords, and changed his name and appearance.

When Drift returned to the Transformer war to make right what he put wrong, he was a bot of few words and disciplined action. He since went on to be an enthusiastic spiritualist and a self-punishing crusader, all in an attempt to get away from the nasty parts of his personality that are still lurking within him. It doesn't matter what his personality is because with his Decepticon past, Drift isn't well-liked or trusted by [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|a few]] of the Autobots and [[Hellbat (G1)|some of]] the Decepticons think he's just ''lying'' about having changed. This hits Drift more than you might think because at the end of the day, despite his loner attitude, Drift ''really'' just wants to be part of something.

In addition to the two swords kept in his hip scabbards, Drift carries a legendary [[Great Sword]]. An ancient weapon that predates modern civilization, the Great Sword draws upon the [[spark]] energy of its bearer, and as such must only be used in the most dire of circumstances.

{{quote|We're going about this the wrong way, '''all''' of us! After countless centuries of fighting ... the Autobots are a '''step''' away from what we were when all this '''started.''' And us—the Decepticons have become something '''worse''' than any of us could have '''imagined'''.|Drift explains his new perception of the war to his [[Turmoil|former commander]]|"[[Spotlight: Drift]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[All Hail Megatron issue 5|''All Hail Megatron'' #5]]}}

[[File:Drift2-renamed.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|"Eh....Inferno, tell to Death Blade that if he calling me that again, his name will become DEATH BOT!"]]
Drift was originally a homeless Cybertronian, living on the streets and stealing energon to survive. The hopeless 'bot was befriended by [[Gasket]] {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} but otherwise had no one. During one [[circuit booster|drug trip]] in the [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]], he was assaulted by [[Sonic (IDW)|Sonic]] and [[Boom]], who were abducting homeless people for money. Drift was rescued by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]], who brought him to [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]'s secret clinic in [[Rodion]]. Ratchet saved Drift's life, and told the young robot that he could achieve great things in his life if he tried— he could just ''tell'' Drift was destined for something special. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

Drift would soon learn what that was, after Gasket was killed by Autobot law enforcement after trying to stop them from executing a thief. Drift exploded with rage, grabbed the nearest gun and killed them all. His knack for violence attracted the attention of the Cybertronian underground, who trained Drift as a killer. Amongst this group, Drift realized the level of corruption in the [[Senate]], and a recruitment rally held by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] drew Drift in with his talk of equality. Megatron singled Drift out of the crowd, claiming to have heard great things of him, and asked him to join the Decepticons to fight for a better Cybertron. Drift agreed and, after being was hailed by the crowd, was renamed Deadlock by Megatron. {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} Drift rose to become the second-in-command of [[Turmoil]], garnering a reputation as a vicious and merciless fighter. {{storylink|Drift issue 1|Drift #1}}

During their time with [[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]], Turmoil and Deadlock crashed on a desert world and investigated a nearby stone fortress to find a way out. The two of them would go on to massacre the inhabitants before leaving, though not before Deadlock recorded the presence of a Stone Army on the planet. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|Empire of Stone #3}}

[[File:Drift1-Deadlock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Deadlock prefers to pose so his legs don't block any of the action.]]
Much later, on the planet [[Dabola]], Deadlock led a battalion against an Autobot squadron. The [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Autobots' leader]] called a retreat, and Deadlock's team celebrated. This was spoiled when [[Not Carnivac|one of the soldiers]] pointed out that Deadlock had been ordered to merely observe, and once again had disobeyed orders. When the soldier threatened to inform Turmoil of Deadlock's disobedience, Deadlock killed him. Claiming Turmoil was too cautious and that it was time for new leadership, he called for the other soldiers to follow him, but they summarily captured him and brought him to Turmoil. Turmoil used a stasis lock to trap him in [[robot mode]] and attempted to execute him. Deadlock managed to escape, and after initiating an emergency protocol to cover his escape, stole an escape pod and departed the ship.

Deadlock crashed on [[Theophany|an unknown planet]]. After scaling some, he found a massive structure, but before he could explore, a mysterious cloaked figure appeared, named [[Wing (IDW)|Wing]]. Wing offered a deal: help him free the slaves, and he would find Deadlock a ship. Deadlock, introducing himself as "Drift," agreed, but first Drift said he needed guns. Together, they jumped some guards and stole their weapons, however a stray blast stripped Wing of his cloak, revealing him to be Cybertronian. Once they jumped into the complex, Drift automatically fled for the ship, abandoning Wing. Despite this betrayal, when Drift was attacked and nearly killed by one the slavers, Wing brought Drift back with him to a new [[Crystal City]], where he was repaired. {{storylink|Drift issue 1|Drift #1}}

[[File:Drift1-rebuilt.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|"We were okay with your old legs. Rest had to go."]]
Wing explained that they were the [[Circle of Light]], a group of Cybertronian scholars and scientists who abandoned the planet during the early days of the war in order to find peace and preserve Cybertron's culture. Wing and Drift were taken to a meeting with Crystal City's leader, [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]]. While Drift waited outside, Wing was admonished for bringing a corrupting influence to the city. He was ordered to keep Drift with him at all times. Afterward, Wing brought Drift to an empty room, discarded his swords and asked him what the Decepticon symbol stood for. Drift replied it meant strength, power and conviction, and the belief in the survival of the strongest. Wing offered Drift a chance to earn his freedom by defeating him without guns in combat, but Drift never succeeded. Drift grumbled that he'd never learned to fight without projectile weaponry.

Weeks later, Wing was still dominating Drift. Over time, Drift admitted that Crystal City held everything Drift had ever wanted, while the Decepticons had lost sight of this goal some time ago. Their sparring was interrupted by a summons from Dai Atlas. When they arrived in the control room, he informed them that they had received a coded signal and he thought Drift might be able to translate. Though Drift claimed he could not understand it, that night he snuck out of the city and drove far into the desert. There he met with the slavers, who had used a Decepticon code to offer Drift a deal. The code had been obtained from [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]], a Decepticon sent by Megatron. The deal was simple: hand over the location of the Circle of Light or die. {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}}

[[File:Drift4-notdoneyet.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Man, I bet those dumb G2 guys wish they had this kind of endurance.]]
Lockdown reminded "Deadlock" of his high-standing in the Decepticon army. Megatron held Deadlock in high esteem, and by guarding these Transformers Drift stood to lose that. Meanwhile, the head slaver, [[Braid]], required Cybertronian bodies to experiment on, and were willing to take captives from the neutral camp in lieu of Deadlock, in payment for the property he'd damaged earlier. After agreeing to lead the neutral Transformers into an ambush, Drift stumbled back to Crystal City, where he informed the Circle of Light about the pact he'd made with Lockdown and the slavers. Drift argued that they should fight their attackers to preserve their freedom and their way of life, but Dai Atlas sharply disagreed. He would have no fighting at all, even to preserve his own life, and blamed Drift for ruining their civilization. The others did not agree, and supported Drift. A small number of them offered to help fight the slavers while keeping the true number of their population unknown. As they reached the surface with a hastily constructed craft to make it appear as if the Circle of Light had recently crashed there, Drift revealed himself to have been rebuilt head-to-toe to match his new colleagues. With a sword mounted on each hip, Drift announced he was ready. {{storylink|Drift issue 3|Drift #3}}

Soon, Lockdown and the slavers were upon them. After slaying a few of the slavers, Drift realized that he was past the point of no return. Lockdown realized this as well, and asked the former Decepticon why he'd given it all away so easily. "What I've always wanted... the promise of a better Cybertron." But their sparring was interrupted by the death of Wing. Enraged, Drift jumped Braid, Wing's murderer, but he did not accomplish much. He was not as agile a fighter as his late friend, and Braid easily defeated him.

Before the killing blow could be delivered, Crystal City in its entirety rose from the ground, as Wing's death had spurred Dai Atlas into action. With the entirety of the population now fighting the slavers, the tide was quickly turned. Despite his injuries, Drift slew Braid with his Great Sword, while Lockdown, startled at Drift's transformation, cut his losses and left. Though the Circle of Light asked Drift to stay with them, Drift reminded them that he'd promised Wing to return the freed slaves to their homes. Drift was given Wing's Great Sword and given their blessing. {{storylink|Drift issue 4|Drift #4}}

[[File:SpotlightDrift Deadlockisdead.jpg|left|thumb|He's your horrible fancharacter.]]
Some time after leaving Crystal City and returning the slaves, Drift set off to make a difference in the Autobot/Decepticon Civil War. First, he attempted to free a group of Autobots held captive on the ship he'd previously served aboard. Upon entering Turmoil's ship, his attempt at stealth was successful until the [[Wreckers]] arrived and blasted their way aboard. Jumping into the battle to assist them, he piqued the interest of a few Autobots. [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] was injured as Turmoil entered the battle and, recognizing Drift's voice as that of his former lieutenant, attempted to destroy him. However, his attack only resulted in knocking Drift and [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] to another room. The two quickly worked together to program the ship to overload. In his final confrontation with Turmoil, Drift stated his intention was to help, not kill, and left to rescue Perceptor before the ship blew up.

After his arrival on the Autobot ship, Kup invited Drift to join his new unit as an Autobot. {{storylink|Spotlight: Drift}}

[[File:SpotlightDrift-car.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
Now a crew member of the spacecraft ''[[Trion]]'', Drift got to know his new teammate [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] over many friendly games of [[Go (game)|Go]]. Perceptor felt he owed a debt to Drift for saving his life, and so devoted much of his time to upgrading himself for more combat-oriented tasks. While Kup discouraged this, Drift stoically accepted Perceptor's new ambitions. {{storylink|Lost & Found}}

They were soon baited into a Decepticon ambush over [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The ''Trion''{{'}}s command codes were hacked due to their being sold to the Decepticons by an Autobot traitor, and, left defenseless, it was forced to crash-land on the desolate landscape of the planet. Eventually, the crew were found by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s unit, who unfortunately proved to be ''also'' stranded. When [[Mirage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Mirage]] was revealed by [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] to have been standing invisibly among them, Drift was the only one who didn't appear surprised. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

[[File:Allhailmegatron6-omgdriftomg.jpg|left|thumb|Seriously, you made this guy up when you were eight.]]
When an advance scout of the [[Insecticon swarm]] discovered the Autobots' base camp, Drift was dispatched to take care of it. Drift stood stock-still as the creature walked up to him, greeting it with a simple, smirking "hello" as the monstrous beast snarled in his face. Finally, he beheaded the scout with a single wave of his sword. A second creature tried to attack Drift from behind, but the smirking Autobot merely tilted his head slightly, allowing Perceptor to kill the beast with some precision sniping. [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] thought the incident was the coolest thing ever. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

After Sunstreaker revealed to [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] that he was the traitor, an army of the Swarm came after them. Drift saved Ironhide while Sunstreaker blew up a bridge, killing himself and the Swarm army. Later, Drift visited Ironhide and claimed that the Decepticons had access to the Autobots' systems in a way that Sunstreaker couldn't possibly have. Ironhide asked if this meant there was a second traitor, but Drift replied that there was simply more to the situation than they knew. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}

When Mirage was showing some doubt in the Autobot cause, it was Drift who said that, now more than ever, the Autobots should continue being who they are. [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] insinuated that Drift had no right to say something like that, which started an argument that was only stopped by the return of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}}

[[File:Thundercracker Drift.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"Another of your ill-timed jokes, Drift??" {{-}}
"... You and I are enemies now."]]
Drift took part in the battle against the Swarm and joined the others in escaping Cybertron in Omega Supreme. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}. On Earth, he battled the Decepticons, and when [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] volunteered to divert the humans' nuclear bomb, Drift attempted to congratulate his former comrade on seeing the light. Thundercracker called him a traitor, slapping Drift's hand away and claiming he was merely following the Decepticons' ''true'' ideal. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

At some point Drift traveled to [[Japan]] and did some drift racing all by himself. {{storylink|Drift issue 4|Drift #4}}

[[File:Drift Drift4drifting.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|The Fast and the Furious: ''Tokyo Me'']]
Two years later, Drift was still with the Autobots, hiding on Earth. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}} After Optimus Prime left the Autobots, Drift decided to stay with the larger group, rather than leave with [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] and his fellow defectors. Drift celebrated Bumblebee's election with numerous other Autobots. {{storylink|The Hanging Sword}}

Drift was among the Autobots who confronted [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] and his troops when they crashed their ship in [[Las Vegas]], bringing with them a [[zombie]] invasion. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|Infestation #1}} The Autobots and Decepticons worked together to banish the zombies to the [[Dead Universe]], though Drift himself really just stood silently in the background the whole time. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|Infestation #2}}

Drift listened to [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] tell tales of, presumably, his time in space and accompanied Optimus Prime and many others to Cybertron aboard [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme's]] rocket form. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}} Along the way, he and many others tried to listen in on a conversation between Optimus Prime and a captive Megatron. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}} Later, Drift accompanied Optimus, Hot Rod, Ironhide, Sunstreaker, and Cliffjumper to Cybertron to confront Galvatron and his army. After a brief skirmish with Galvatron's forces, the landing party returned to the Autobot landing zone. As Drift pointed out that maybe Galvatron was telling the truth and he had been assembling his army for a reason, the Autobots were bathed in a red light... {{storylink| Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}} which turned out to be a blast from the orbiting space station [[Kimia Facility|Kimia]], recently commandeered by Galvatron's forces. Optimus Prime handed out orders to combat this new threat, telling Drift and Sunstreaker to establish a base of operations. After the threat of Kimia had ended, Omega Supreme's rocket landed at this base-camp and Rodimus and Drift set out after Optimus Prime and Ironhide, who had left to locate Galvatron. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}}

[[File:Drift Chaos Part3 Kings.jpg|right||thumb|Thanks to the magical power of [[The Sound of Breaking Glass#Continuity notes|retcon]]... that is the wrong sword.]]
At the crater that Kimia's main weapon had blown into the surface of the planet, Drift accompanied Optimus and the others underground. The Autobots finally intercepted Galvatron and [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and Optimus Prime demanded their surrender. Galvatron claimed that the core of Cybertron had to be destroyed to save the universe, revealing the glowing [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]] within his chest. At this, Drift began spouting gibberish and attacking his comrades in a maddened state, allowing for Galvatron and Jhiaxus to escape. The others attempted to restrain him, but Drift summoned what free will he had left and impaled himself on one of his own blades, much to Ironhide's horror. {{storylink| Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} While Drift survived this, Ironhide told Prime that they'd have to evacuate him immediately for medical attention. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

[[File:TDOOP-Drift.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
After recovering, Drift's near-death experience had reawakened his spiritual side. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} Optimus Prime's return to Autobot camp three weeks later brought the discovery of a map inscribed inside the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. Drift was consumed with the idea that the map gave directions to [[Cyberutopia]], the home of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Despite [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s insistence that the Knights of Cybertron never existed, Drift maintained that he had heard all about the Knights of Cybertron from Dai Atlas, and that the stories were true. Drift's passion for this discovery inspired Rodimus to assemble a team to leave the planet and find the Knights of Cybertron. {{Storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

At some point, Drift shed his Earth mode and took a more sleek, Cybertronian form for himself. Rodimus tasked himself with recruiting as many Autobots as he could to take off-planet and find the Knights of Cybertron. He was very good at working a crowd, though admittedly Drift wrote all of his speeches. The guy became the nominal third-in-command because, or so Ratchet said, he told Rodimus what he wanted to hear. Ratchet, older and grumpier than the pre-war days, was on the same ship as Drift and ''really'' had it in for him for everything the 'bot he'd saved had done with the life he'd given him. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

[[File:TwentyPlusOne LostLightNamed.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5]]
Drift himself found a ship for the quest, purchasing the [[Lost Light|U1]] with the help of [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] and [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] for ''one billion'' [[Shanix]] from a group of [[Mortilus]]-worshipping NAILs during the [[Festival of Lost Light]], from which the ship got it's new name, the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}}

Before departing, Rodimus and Drift met with Prowl in his office. Prowl asked Rodimus to bring the captive and near-comatose [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] along on the journey, as part of a plan to create [[Phase Sixer]]s for the Autobots. While Drift strongly advised against this course of action, Rodimus was pressured into it by Prowl. Aside from [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] and the [[Duobot]]s, Overlord's presence on board was kept secret from the rest of the crew. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}}

After boarding their new craft, the ''[[Lost Light]]'', Drift had counted 208 total Autobots on board. (He also complimented Rodimus's latest speech.) Drift asked why [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] appeared displeased (more than usual) with the crew, and Ultra Magnus revealed that he felt most of them were practically criminals. (Drift himself was under high suspicion, though Ultra Magnus didn't say this out loud.) As launch was underway, Drift continued to act as Rodimus's right-hand man, and moments before takeoff, Drift brought to his attention the "[[Whirl (G1)|weapon of mass destruction]]" [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] had apparently brought on board. Something went wrong during takeoff, and the ship [[Quantum generator|quantum jump]]ed before it was ready, placing the ship somewhere random in space, just over a planet. A tear in the hull was expelling Autobots into space, and as the ship stabilized, Drift named off the Autobots they'd lost. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

[[File:Drift MTMTE2 positiveenergy.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.90]]
As recovery efforts were undertaken, Drift radioed Ratchet a status update and also to tell the medical officer to make sure the medibay was "buzzing with positive energy" so those injured were "guaranteed a speedy recovery!". After he had signed off, Ratchet and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] shared their annoyance with Drift's new attitude and...''interesting'' theories about the Knights of Cybertron. Later, when Rodimus was deciding how to address the crew about their current situation, Drift cheerfully suggested he focus on the positive. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

After a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] had thought to have been let loose aboard the ''Lost Light'', Drift accompanied Rodimus' hand-picked team to investigate. As they examined the creature's [[Shock (G1)|first victim]], [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] confirmed that it was indeed a Sparkeater and Drift opined that this was a dark omen and that they were being "punished" for the horrific things that must have happened on the ship before it came into their possession, much to Ratchet's skepticism.

While the others searched for the creature, Rodimus and Drift tried to figure out how the previous owners of the ''Lost Light'' kept the Sparkeater contained. They figured out that the Sparkeater had been trapped in the engine rooms and fed [[turbofox]]es to keep it docile. After the Sparkeater made its way back to the engine rooms, chasing [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], Drift helped Rodimus put his plan to kill the creature into action. Utilizing a second quantum jump, Rodimus managed to stuff the Sparkeater into the ship's engine block, where it died after being fused into the mechanism. Drift was awed by Rodimus' quick-thinking and ingenuity. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

At the "Grand Secret Opening" of [[Swerve's]], Drift shared a drink with Pipes. When the smaller 'bot let on that he was looking for a relationship, Drift offered to introduce him to the similarly diminutive [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]... unaware that Tailgate's future self was invisibly listening in via a 'magic window' in time. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

[[File:Drift killsDent LifeAfterBigBang.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.3|The purpose of Drift is to flip out and kill sick people.]]
Drift accompanied Ratchet and Pipes on an investigation of the remote medical facility [[Delphi]]. Drift was subjected to repeated verbal barbs from Ratchet along the way, despite his efforts to get along with the medic. Once they had finally reached Delphi, Pipes impulsively rammed through a door that had the universal "plague" symbol on it. They found themselves in a morgue full of Transformers that had died from a mysterious "[[Red Rust]]" virus. When Drift noticed a [[Dent|shambling, disease-ridden Transformer]] approaching Pipes from behind, he sprung into action and dismembered the poor soul, much to Ratchet's outrage.

[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] showed up and explained the situation to them, how five days ago, a mysterious explosion had heralded the outbreak of this rust plague. [[Ambulon]] brought them to [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], who had been accidentally locked in a quarantine room when the explosion went off. Suddenly, Pipes began showcasing the symptoms of the virus and staggered toward them, disoriented and terrified. Pipes began vomiting and leaking from his optics, cornering Drift. Ratchet freed Pharma from the quarantine while telling Drift to non-fatally disable Pipes. Drift managed to slip behind his diseased comrade and knock him out with a blow to the head. Ratchet brought Pipes to the emergency ward, seeking to tend to him. By that time, Drift began to exhibit the symptoms as well, assuming he'd been infected by Pipes. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}}

[[File:Drift Sparkles Post Hoc.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.6|I sparkle because I'm too beautiful for everything.]]
While being tended to by Ratchet, Drift recalled the [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|time in Rodion before the war]] when the Autobot medic had also been trying to save his life. Drift asked Ratchet to put him out of his misery in the event that the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] showed up, despite having earlier claimed that he wasn't afraid of them. When Pharma was revealed as a traitor, Ratchet had a confrontation with his former friend on Delphi's roof. The stricken Drift made his way up there and managed to save Ratchet from being shot in the back by chopping off Pharma's hands. With Ratchet having obtained a vaccine for the Red Rust virus from Pharma, Drift and the other victims were soon cured. Drift returned to the ''Lost Light'' along with the survivors. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

After the ''Lost Light'' was impacted by a discarded thumb from Metroplex, and was subsequently repaired, Drift attended an award ceremony honoring Brainstorm, Chromedome, and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] for their part in saving the ship. He chatted with Rodimus during the celebration, until Whirl and Trailbreaker drew Rodimus's attention. Later, Drift along with nearly everyone on board of the ''Lost Light'' were frozen in place due to one of Brainstorm's experimental weapons accidentally going off. After he recovered, he was awarded a Rodimus Star "for exceptional endurance in the face of adversity." {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

Drift reported to Rodimus and Ultra Magnus that [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] had locked himself in Rung's office. He was the first to notice both when Rung stared at the camera, and when he tapped on his model of the Ark. After the hostage situation had been resolved, Drift complimented Rodimus on the eulogy he gave for the gravely-injured Rung, even though he hadn't written that particular speech. {{storylink|Interiors}}

[[File:Drift Theophany MTMTEAnnual.jpg|thumb|right||A fabulous secret [[Titan (group)|Titan]] was revealed to Drift the day he held aloft his magic sword and said...]]
En route to [[Theophany]], Drift helped Rodimus prepare for Tailgate's [[Act of Affiliation]] ceremony, and politely pointed out his overuse of the phrase "[['Til all are one]]". When Ultra Magnus interrupted and expressed concern over a lack of radio contact with the Circle Of Light, Drift argued that they knew how to take care of themselves. Later at the ceremony, Rodimus inscribed a message in [[Cybertronian language|Old Cybertronian]] on Tailgate's chest instead of branding him with the Autobot sigil. Drift supposed that it was caused by some sort of possession, which was quickly dismissed by Ratchet as "complete and utter guff".

The ceremony was further interrupted by the arrival of the [[Galactic Council]]'s ship, ''[[The Benign Intervention]]''. Its [[K'gard|captain]] informed them that Theophany was deserted, much to Drift's disbelief. After some red-tape wrangling from Ultra Magnus, Drift and a group of others were allowed to teleport to the planet's surface, where they found Crystal City ruined and abandoned. Confused and agitated, a despairing Drift snapped at [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] and decked Whirl after the latter mocked him. He attempted to call out to any of the denizens of Crystal City, but when there was no response, Drift drove one of his swords into the ground in frustration. The ground gave way and sent the Autobots plunging underground, where they found [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]], a slumbering [[Titan (group)|Titan]]. This discovery led [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] to share his [[Guiding Hand|myth of creation]], which triggered a theological debate between Drift and Ratchet, culminating in Drift pulling his sword on Ratchet. Rodimus took Drift for a walk to cool him down, where Drift reaffirmed his faith in Rodimus.

After Chromedome's mnemosurgery reawakened the Titan and made it fire its eye-beams at the ''Benign Intervention'', Drift was among those dispatched to fight off the Galactic Council's troops. The Titan eventually teleported Drift and the others back onto the ''Lost Light'', which then quantum-jumped to safety. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

Drift would notice Red Alert's admittance to a catatonic Rung of Overlord's imprisonment aboard the Lost Light via a [[Diagnostic Drone]], and would later steal the data-chip to help hide that fact. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} A few days later, Drift and other crew members aided Rewind in helping heal Rung's dormant mind by telling his part in a story of past events. Drift elaborated on the time in Rodion when he was rescued by Orion Pax and treated by Ratchet, being sure to antagonize Ratchet by claiming he had uttered religious praises during that time. All the while, he was being pestered by calls from Rodimus, who finally ordered Drift to meet him in the oil reservoir. Drift arrived there just in time to see [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] recover Red Alert's headless body from the reservoir. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

[[File:Ultra Magnus-Cyclonus-Rodimus and Drift.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.95|Of ''course'' Drift wants to get at the ''{{w|oni}}''-looking guy...]]
After the suspected assailant Cyclonus was sent to their makeshift interrogation room, Drift conducted a very hostile interrogation, pointing his sword at Cyclonus in a threatening manner. (Ultra Magnus later suggested Drift's overly enthusiastic interrogation was an unfortunate attempt to impress Rodimus.) The attempt didn't work, as Cyclonus quickly swatted the sword away and smashed Drift into a table. Rodimus and Ultra Magnus were forced to intervene and break the two of them up. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} First Aid soon discerned that Red Alert's "accident" was actually a suicide attempt, and Ultra Magnus suggested that the troubled security chief should be left in stasis until they could revive him in a less stressful environment. Rodimus railed against this, but when Drift agreed with Magnus, he sadly acquiesced. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

The crew of the ''Lost Light'' intervened on [[Temptoria]], where a group of Decepticons had invaded and subjugated the local populace. A fierce battle erupted on the planet's surface, in which Drift cut down [[Tailwind (G1)|Tailwind]] and [[Tentakil (G1)|Tentakil]]. He also interrupted Rodimus' battle with [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snap Trap]], shoving a sword through the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]]'s face. Rodimus chided him for butting in, but Drift protested that "the ones with swords" were his to fight. In the aftermath of the fight, Drift<ref>{{citesocial|quote='Twas Drift.|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/309434563879383040|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2013|month=03|day=06}}</ref> visited Chromedome's room to make a proposal. {{storylink|Before & After}} He and Brainstorm revealed to Chromedome that Overlord was aboard, hidden in a specially-constructed room beneath the ship, and the [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] agreed to interface with the dormant Phase-Sixer to learn the secret of his power. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}}

[[File:Aquafend swerve drift cybertronian homesick blues.jpg|thumb|right|“I don't even want you to nod, that's how much you annoy me. Just freeze and shut up.”
]]
Drift was teaching Rodimus how to use a sword, forging a deeper friendship with his captain, when a possible security situation interrupted. However, it merely turned out to be Cyclonus singing loudly to Tailgate. Swerve asked Drift if he wanted to be ''his'' roommate but Drift, claiming to prefer solitude, declined. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Drift was among those interviewed by Rewind for his documentary on life aboard the ''Lost Light''. When [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] arrived on the ship seeking aid, Rodimus trotted Drift out as an accomplishment of his, claiming he had "rehabilitated" the ex-Decepticon. Drift was puzzled by Rodimus' claims, but impressed by Thunderclash, who greeted him respectfully and in accordance with his religious beliefs. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

[[File:Drift Overlord UnderColdBlueStars.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|This can only end well!]]
During a mnemosurgery session, Chromedome was outsmarted by Overlord, who obtained from the Autobot's memory the security codes to his cell that Drift provided. Drift was one of the first Autobots to fight the escaped Overlord outside of the medibay, urging Ratchet to lock himself in. But Ratchet chose to stand with his "friend" and sealed them outside the room. By the time reinforcements arrived, Overlord had severed both of Drift's legs and badly beaten Ratchet. Drift radioed the ship's brig to release Fortress Maximus, but not before his Great Sword was used by Overlord to mortally-wound Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}}

After Overlord had been jettisoned from the ''Lost Light'', Rodimus announced an inquiry to be held, knowing full well who was responsible for the Phase Sixer's presence on the ship. Drift offered to take full blame for the incident, protecting the identities of the other conspirators. He explained to Rodimus that he had a vision back on Cybertron, after he had impaled himself outside of Vector Sigma's chamber. Drift felt sure that Rodimus was essential to finding the Knights of Cybertron and couldn't let him out himself as having knowledge of the Overlord conspiracy. A hesitant and sorrowful Rodimus agreed and "furiously" stripped Drift of his Autobot symbol, exiling him from the ship. As he walked towards [[Drift's shuttle|the shuttle]] prepared for him, Drift was knocked down by a piece of debris hurled by an angry crew member. Ratchet helped him up, and Drift departed the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}}

[[File:mtmte39 tarn sees drift.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Oi oi OI! Are you looking at me bird?!]]

Eighteen months from the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s launch, the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] had listed Drift as deceased. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}} The deceased Drift was actually part of a quantum duplicated ''Lost Light'' created by the initial accident at launch. When the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] arrived there to kill Overlord, the presence of Drift—another one on their List—caused them to go on a massive kill spree. Drift died first, killed along with Ratchet and Hound by [[Helex (G1)|Helex]]. When Megatron later found their corpses an inspection of Drift allowed him to determine who had attacked the ship. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

[[File:Empire of Stone 2 Drift Ratchet where is this coming from.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"You look terrible." "Thank you." "So you agree? You think you look terrible?"]]

Meanwhile, the original Drift was defending planets across the outer rim from rogue Decepticons. He'd been left battered by all the fighting, fights made harder as he'd promised to never kill again, but was neglecting to get himself repaired. While handing [[Grit]] over to the [[Galactic Council]], he ran into Ratchet: all of the truth of Drift's departure had come out now and the medic had come to take him home. Drift refused. Ratchet stubbornly stuck with him while he tracked down the main Decepticon army—right to the desert planet he'd discovered centuries ago. Both Autobots and Grit were shot down by the army and Drift found himself defending Grit from being killed for suspected treason.

The leader of the army turned out to be Drift's old boss Gigatron {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1}} who was ignoring the war had ended and was trying to find the Stone Army "Deadlock" had mentioned before. Drift, who knew the army wasn't hidden in the first place, refused until Ratchet's life was threatened and the three bots ended up in the cells. Ratchet's plan to get out was for Drift to pretend to be injured so the guard would open the cell—it was a ''very'' lame attempt but luckily the guard was a friend of Grit. As the robots escaped, Drift tried and failed to get Grit not to kill [[Hellbat (G1)|Hellbat]] for slighting him: the Decepticon said he was sure in himself and his path in life, and didn't want the man projecting his own issues onto him. The Autobots carried on and found Gigatron hadn't found the army because Hellbat was hiding it from him {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} so he could use them himself to ''kill everything'', having decided to embrace the only thing he believed the Transformers were any good at. When Drift protested that he'd vowed never to kill again, Hellbat sneered and pointed to all the dead monks "Deadlock" had killed years ago.

[[File:Empire of Stone 4 Drift Gigatron FASTBALL SPECIAL.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|SUPERMAN WHEEEEE]]
A battle broke out and Drift found himself fought to a standstill by [[Vanquish]] before Hellbat activated the Stone Army. Rather than alert Cybertron, Drift felt they had to stop the army here and now and he turned to Gigatron for aid. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|Empire of Stone #3}} Together, the Autobots and Decepticons tore through the golems. Drift took the fight to Hellbat (after Gigatron used "[[Fastball Special|maneuver seven]]", ''throwing'' Drift at Hellbat) and was goaded into killing him. Instead, the Autobot ripped the Stone Army's control device from him... at which point Gigatron went for him and no amount of reasoning could get Gigatron to stand down. Forced to defend himself, Drift dropped the device and Hellbat retrieved it.

Gigatron and Hellbat would kill each other, taking the Stone Army with them, while Drift and Ratchet escaped. When the medic again tried to get Drift back to the ''Lost Light'', the swordsman said he'd spent his whole life struggling to belong to ''something'' but only ever joined as a killer, and the Hellbat affair just reiterated that he didn't want to live a life where all he could offer was death. Ratchet rephrased the offer: instead of coming back as an Autobot, he should come back as his ''friend''. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 4|Empire of Stone #4}}

[[File:YourFierceTears-RatchetDrift.jpg|left|thumb|300px]]
The two Autobots upgraded their bodies over the course of their adventures and Drift began sporting a facial tattoo in honour of the deceased Dai Atlas.<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://twitter.com/markerguru/status/716702702416355328|name=Alex Milne|site=Twitter|day=03|month=04|year=2016|quote=it's was done to honor Dai Atlas.}}</ref> They eventually ran back into the ''Lost Light'' crew, or some of them, after a mutiny had stranded Megatron, Rodimus, and their assumed loyalists on [[Necroworld|the Necrobot's planet]] and [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] had put out a call for help. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} In a blaze of action, they saved the robot [[Ten]] from a Decepticon mauling! {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} They very quickly found the Decepticons were a bigger deal than most of their foes and were nearly overrun until Drift spotted how [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]] of the D.J.D. was ''really'' protective of "the Pet", a '[[domestication|domesticated]]' beast-mode Transformer. Drift swiftly took "the Pet" hostage, giving them a chance to escape to the Autobot's fortress.

[[File:YourFierceTears DriftRodimusReconcile.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.8|“Did you win your sword fight?" {{-}}
"Of course I won the fragging sword fight, I'm the greatest sword fighter in the world."]]
There, Rodimus and Drift had a long overdue discussion. Drift wanted to know ''why'' Rodimus hadn't come looking for him after revealing the truth to the crew, and Rodimus admitted it was out of fear he would hate him. Drift accepted Rodimus's sincere apology—Rodimus pleaded that he ignore his words and focus on his aura, eye colour, or any means Drift had claimed he could 'see', which Drift just smiled at—but doubted his belief that they can all make it out of their present situation alive. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} Indeed, Drift even arranged it with Rewind that everyone could record their last wishes and how they wanted their bodies disposed of, to broadcast into space as an act of catharsis and closure. He witnessed very little catharsis when Chromedome almost died trying [[mnemosurgery]] on "the Pet" in front of him and, when the "Pet" was revealed by Rewind to be ''the lost [[Dominus Ambus]]'', he had his sword stolen by Rewind to kill Ambus before Chromedome could die.

When sunrise came, the Decepticons attacked. Rodimus embraced Drift and the others and thanked them for travelling with him, before the group charged into battle. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} Drift and the crew survived for some time in fight with the hundreds of Decepticons thanks to the temporary [[Outlier (group)|outlier]] powers they cooked up, but soon they began to tire. When Megatron finally took to the field of battle, the others retreated back to the fortress. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} Drift was present as the DJD were brought down and the Disappeared released from stasis under the Necrobot's citadel. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

[[File:SomeOtherCybertron DriftVision.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|left]]
Drift had succeeded in getting Rodimus to convert to [[Spectralism]], but he was concerned about the ramifications of Rodimus's new paint job, signifying the severity of his intentions towards Getaway. Also, Drift experienced a curious vision when he touched one of the newly awakened Disappeared named [[Anode]]. He saw [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]], [[Worldsweeper]]s of the [[Phantom Fleet]], and crystals that rained from the sky as [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]] emerged from threadbare space, all surrounded by the words "Prepare. Confront. Repel." over and over again.

[[File:BadMoonRising-DriftVsFunctionaries.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]
...so anyway, Brainstorm constructed a teleportation "den" to send some of the group back to Cybertron to find transport for the rest of them. When they arrived, however, Cybertron was undeniably changed. Rewind soon recognized it as the [[Functionist Universe]], the alternate history that overlapped on his database when Brainstorm used his time case. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] captured Drift and the others as suspected members of the revolutionary [[Anti-Vocationist League]]. The real AVL arrived and caused a distraction for the crew to escape. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} Drift and his friends were matter transported to "Cyberutopia", the sanctuary city of [[Kalis|Adaptica]] ruled by the rogue Functionist [[Nine-of-Twelve]]. They learned that in this reality Rung was hailed by the AVL as the "Useless One" for his alt mode that apparently stood in defiance of Primus and Functionism. Unfortunately, the Functionist Council chose that day to reveal they had discovered Rung's true use as a mining tank, allowing them to access [[Vector Sigma]] which had been sealed off by the Senate millennia ago. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

Drift and the others traveled to Vector Sigma to confront the Council and rescue Rung. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}} They succeeded and stole the Council's flying base, the Cog, to make their way back to Cyberutopia. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} With the help of teleport technology in a weaponized Luna-2 and wand-tech Brainstorm recovered from [[Killmaster]] on Necroworld, they transported the entire world back from the Functionist Universe to their original one. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}

[[File:Sardines DriftRatchetRight.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2.0]]
The crew prepared to continue their quest for the real Cyberutopia, and for revenge on Getaway and the mutineers. A Decepticon corpse named [[Skip]] was modified and mass-displaced to form a passable space craft, and so Drift and the others pressed on. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

As they sailed through space, Drift noted that Ratchet's colour looked different before the doctor returned, having inexplicably succumbed to [[aggressive depigmentation]], with Drift noting that his aura had disappeared.{{storylink|Sardines}} All of a sudden, Skip's mass displacement wore off. To survive, Ten directed the engineers on how to access the [[Warren]] so they could reach a [[Mederi]] facility. Mid-transit however, the crew was forced to abandon ship, their bodies being ravaged by the effects of super-compressed space. Emerging in the orbit of the original Mederi, the moon repaired them and led them to believe that they'd gone to the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]].{{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

[[File:TheGodWar DriftSummoned.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.7]]
Drift was giddy at coming to the promised land, dreaming about Ratchet's face when he and the doctor next met, {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} before he was summoned, along with Ratchet and Magnus, before the [[Guiding Hand]] at Rodimus' request. Despite Rodimus' pleas, the deities rejected their desire for resurrection and returned them to the Afterspark's landing. After Magnus had driven off, the remaining three explored a temple, driven on by Ratchet's claims of writing that only he could see before they found a ward of organics hooked up to a pillar of "trapped light". As the organics began chanting, Omega Guardians emerged from the darkness. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

When Magnus returned, the quartet quickly defeated the Guardians before Ratchet shattered the pillar, revealing Mederi to them. Accessing the computers, Drift found that the moon was a euthanasia clinic before Nautica arrived with the [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]] and [[Axe (G1)|Axe]]'s corpse. At Rodimus' command, Drift then plotted a course from Cybertron to Mederi, revealing that the moon was Cyberutopia, the Knights having fallen victim to the same trap that nearly claimed their lives. With everything over and done with, the group prepared to leave before [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]] formed out of the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew descended from the skies. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

[[File:LL19 vehicle modes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.33|left|Definitely not street-legal...]]
Though the group quickly rolled out, [[Wipe-Out's ship]] soon arrived, bearing allies and weapons. After the ''Lost Light'' made itself known, Drift boarded the Q-Ship to steal back the larger craft only to wound up caught in Getaway's trap, the shuttle bay being flooded with the contents of the oil reservoir and its [[scraplet]] horde. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}} Fortunately, Whirl's domesticated scraplets counted amongst the horde and the Wrecker was quickly able to tame the predators and release them. No sooner had Rodimus reclaimed the ''Lost Light'' did a massive tear in the Warren open above the moon. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}}

Though everyone was quick to board the ship, the gravity of the rift proved too much for the engines, the ''Lost Light'' being dragged through to the [[Benzene Cluster]] where the found five copies of Cybertron. Touching down on one, the group was taken prisoner by the forces of the Grand Architect and duped into a cell. When [[Froid]] joined them, he revealed the five planets were an upscaled [[God Gun]] capable of piercing the barrier between universes. After it had done just that, Megatron emerged in the ''[[Last Light (ship)|Last Light]]'' from the Functionist Universe. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}}

[[File:ReturnOfTheKing MegatronTreatsDrift.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|"You don't respect those people very much, Drift, because you're young and arrogant. But I don't respect them much either, because I'm old and wise."]]
Following close behind him was the Functionist Universe's version of Cybertron, now transformed into a robot mode in Primus' likeness. As the fleets of the Functionists and the Architect went to war, Megatron tried to free the group with a hull breach only for Drift to be critically wounded when the Architect's guards arrived, falling victim to a [[zero point]] only to be healed by Megatron, who praised the turncoat for his defection. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}} After everyone had reconvened aboard the ''Lost Light'', with the news that ''Rung'' was the real Primus, everyone hit on the idea to use twelve duplicates of the Matrix of Leadership, opened at Cybertron's twelve hot spots, to overwhelm Vector Sigma and destroy the Functionist Council. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

[[File:ASparkAmongEmbers RatchetOpensMatrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.9]]
Acting as Ratchet's bodyguard, Drift was sent to [[Vespertine Blue]], holding off the [[Functionary|Functionaries]] until Ratchet, after a rousing speech from Rodimus, managed to open the Matrix.
{{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

New Cybertron, as it came to be known, was soon visited by [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] who decided to decommission the Lost Light so its quantum engines could be used to double the planet's energon reserves but allowed the crew the luxury of a victory lap. Before jumping back home however, the crew decided to recreate the initial malfunctioning launch and then shunt their duplicates into a parallel universe, thereby ensuring their adventures would never end. When the time came however, the ship simply wound up back on Cybertron. While having a last drink, Drift and Ratchet theorized that Drift's vision had been the result of the telepaths sending him their experiences through the Warren before Rodimus gave Drift and Ratchet his blessing for their future. The touching moment was ruined when construction cranes began disassembling the ship.

[[File:LL25 DriftRatchetFuneral.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5]]
Over the following years, Drift and Ratchet would become [[Conjunx Endura]] and had many happy years together before Ratchet's old age caught up with him and he passed. Arranging a funeral at [[Rivets Field]], Drift ensured that Whirl could attend and gifted him Ratchet's hands. Though touched Whirl returned them, stating that he was not broken and didn't need fixing. After the service ended, Rodimus turned up, Drift recognizing that his friend had been drinking. Once Rodimus had placed Megatron's withered Rodimus Star on Ratchet's tomb, he prepared to return to the ''[[Exitus]]''. Before he left, Drift asked if he'd ever thought about the recreated accident. Deciding it was best to live in a state of never knowing if the gamble had worked, Rodimus and Drift promised to keep in touch before they went their separate ways once again.

And far away, in some distant corner of the multiverse, the duplicate ''Lost Light'' materialized, ready to set sail for an infinity of new adventures. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}

===Robot Heroes===
[[File:IAmOptimusPrime-Drift.jpg|thumb||left|He makes it so hard to like him and then he does this. So confused!]]
Drift was [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s friend and always let his actions speak louder than words. When the Autobots arrived on Earth, he hid himself in a lake. Upon Optimus's order, he transformed into his car mode to roll out. Later, when the Decepticons attacked, he pushed [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] over a tripwire held by some of the Autobots' [[human|human allies]]. {{storylink|I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|I Am Optimus Prime}}

===''United''===
[[File:FierceFightingOnPlanetNebulos DriftDefendsCity.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.9|MY KUNG FU CURES ME!!!]]
A [[nano-virus]] infected the population of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] bar the [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]]s and [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s. The former Decepticon Drift was able to force off, or at least hold off, the effects of the nano-virus, so he was charged with guarding the city unaided while the other immune Autobots left to retrieve a cure from [[Nebulos]]. When [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]] returned with the anti-virus, Drift was in attendance when Optimus Prime praised the Targetmaster. {{storylink|The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos}}
{{--}}

===IDW ''Angry Birds'' Transformers comic===
[[File:ABTF1 Drift.jpg|thumb|left|"Wait, this ''is'' a movie universe story, right?"]]
Drift was aboard Optimus Prime's ship transporting the [[AllSpark]] when it came under Decepticon attack. He and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] tried to stop [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] as the Air Commander chased [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], but Starscream slipped straight past them. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers issue 1|Angry Birds Transformers #1}}

===Drift Black Ver.===
====Train Wars====
[[File:TrainWars Drift.jpg|thumb|right||G1 body, movie colors!]]
When [[The Fallen]] attacked [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the hopes of merging with [[Vector Sigma]], [[Overdrive]] sought additional help using the power of his [[Quantum Dial]]. Further empowering the dial with the help of the Oracle, Overdrive reached across space and time to recruit a black-colored Drift and other inter-dimensional warriors. {{storylink|Train Wars}} The Fallen assumed a combination form, however, and managed to impale Drift and the reinforcements using energy spikes. [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], the [[Trainbot]]s, the [[Sixtrain|Train Team]], and the [[Sixliner|Liner Team]] soon arrived to turn the tide, and the Fallen was ultimately defeated. In the aftermath, Drift was returned home by the [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibot]]s. {{storylink|Train Wars 2}}

====''Legends'' comic====
[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] cheered on The Fallen in the battle against Drift and his heroic comrades. {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 4: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One|LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One}}

===''Kre-O'' comic===
[[File:Drift_IDW_Kre-O_Character_Image.jpg|left|thumb|50px]]

Drift attended [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]]'s {{w|hanami}}. {{Storylink|Soundwave's Trap? Stop Operation Brainwash Humanity!}}

===''Kre-O'' cartoon===
Drift fought with [[Bumblebee (Kre-O)|Bumblebee]] over the affections of a potential car buyer. {{storylink|Kre-O Cars}}
{{--}}

===''Q-Transformers'' cartoon===
[[File:QTransformers19 Drift.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1]]
{{voiceactor|[[Tomoaki Maeno]] (Japanese)}}
Drift met with [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] at a mall so he could describe the events of the Japanese cartoons starting with ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]''. Lockdown particularly was not happy with the direction the shows were going in, resulting in a conversation about turning the Transformers into a pop idol group. {{storylink|The Road to Newer Transformers}}

===''Adventure'' bios===
When [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] from [[Earth]], he encountered a Transformer named Drift who was similar to, but not, the [[Drift (RID)|Drift]] he knew. To gain a better understanding of what was going on, Jazz fought the stranger. {{storylink|#Adventure|TAV VS05 bio}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
Deadlock was a member of the [[Decepticon|Ascenticons]] who received the movement's new insignia from [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part One}}

===Precursor World===
In [[Magna Convoy]]'s reassembled [[Primus Vanguard]], a [[Primus Vanguard|Warrior of the Seven Lights]] resembling Drift inherited [[White Gallant Convoy]]'s position as leader of the [[White Order]]. {{storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic Finale|Finale}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Legends''===
After falling out with his commanding officer, the Decepticon Deadlock found himself on an unfamiliar planet. He encountered the [[Circle of Light]], who helped him defeat [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] and some local miscreants, and as a result Deadlock changed his name to Drift and joined up with the Circle in their journey to find a peaceful home. {{storylink|Circle of Light (Legends)|Circle of Light}}

At some point Drift joined the Autobot army. Catching wind of a [[Quintesson]] plot to disrupt the [[Galactic Olympics|Galactic Games]], Drift teamed up with [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] to enter the games as a team, and succeeded in uncovering and stopping [[Slipstream (G1)|Slipstream]]. {{storylink|The Galactic Games}}

Drift and his team had to speed a vital component to a power station to prevent it from exploding, and they made it, despite interference from [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] and [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]]. {{storylink|Rushdown Road}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
{{main|Bomb (AB)#As Drift}}
{{main|Bomb (AB)#As Private Deadlock}}
Drift appears as a character unlockable in Challenge Events. Deadlock also appears in Season 8 as Private Deadlock. They are portrayed by Bomb. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsDrift.jpg|thumb|400px|left|Wow!!! Sugoi!!! ''Kickasseru''!!! 両親が私を愛してくれませんか!!!]]
Drift participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was an Rare character that could be recruited by collecting 90 units of Cybermetal, 45 units of Transmetal, and 25 support cores. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Frontiers''===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Frontiers}}}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[file:TransformersEarthWarsDrift.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|Ryūjin no ken o Kurae.... wait. Wrong game. Whoops.]]

{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Out of Control}}
Optimus told Drift to just observe and not engage.
{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Double-Crossed}}

Drift came in response when Optimus and Megatron's truce at the movies went _____ and freaked out the cinemagoers. [[Barricade (IDW)|Barricade]] came in tow and started taunting him. Drift retorted he would prefer to play his director's cut. He then taunted if Barricade was ready for his closeup with all the cellphone cameras around. Drift then said to catch him if he can. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars| Direct the Dialogue 2}}

When Optimus learned that the Decepticons were trawling alternate realities for reinforcements, he decided he needed someone with stealth and total commitment to the mission, and commanded Hot Rod to summon drift, in spite of his mistrust. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Event Horizon}} Drift was _____ that the Autobots still mistrust him behind the mask of acceptance. Just then Grimlock told him Optimus wanted him for a secret mission, and Hot Rod explained that this was his shot to prove his allegiance.

Optimus informed him on the Decepticon's' multi-universal recruitment drive. Drift asked why they sent one asset instead of an army, and Perceptor explained because of the massive energy expenditure needed to penetrate the Multiversal Membrane, solo is the only option. Drift followed Barricade to an alternate universe with endless fighting. Barricade taunted him before fighting him head-on. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Outlaws}}

Drift tried to prevent Barricade from tagging an Autobot when they were suddenly bombarded with missiles. He remarked [[Live-action film series|nothing makes sense and he's losing the plot]]. Barricade tagged his cross-dimensional beacon on the universe's Lockdown, but nothing happened. As if a [[Shroud|god-like force]] was making the alternate universe untouchable. Just then Hun-Gurrr rammed into Barricade, much to Drift's surprise, and the two 'cons teleported to another universe. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Critcial Mass}}

Drift arrived in [[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|a garish universe]] too late to stop Barricade and Hun-Gurrr from departing, but [[Optimus Prime (G1)|the local Optimus Prime]] appeared and commanded him to identify himself. Drift subsequently asked Laser Optimus for help against the 'Cons, to which the heroic [[Laser Rod]] agreed. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Worlds Collide}}

*'''Class''': Warrior
*'''Lowest Star Rating''' 2 star
*'''Weapons:''' Drift leaps on a target and then attacks with his swords.
*'''Ability: Essence Theft:''' Drift rushes at a target for a draining strike, and heals him for double the amount of damage inflicted.
**'''Cost:''' 4 ability points +2 for reuses.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:drift Drift at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]
{{charstubgame|Fill in the Blanks}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Drift was a new Autobot recruit who enjoyed patrolling [[Tokyo]]. {{storylink|Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook|Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook}}

==Toys==
===''Generations''===
[[File:Generations Drift toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Forgive me master, i must go all out.... just this once...]]
*'''Autobot Drift''' (Deluxe Class, 2010)
**''Accessories'': Left & right "dual swords", greatsword
{{toydesigner|[[Joe Kyde]] (Hasbro), [[Shogo Hasui]] (TakaraTomy)}}

:''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' Drift transforms into a cross between a {{w|Nissan Silvia#S15|Nissan Silvia S15}} and a {{w|Mitsubishi FTO}}. In [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], Drift's two shorter "dual swords" store inside his doors (which double as his hip sheaths during [[robot mode]]), while the larger sword stores in a set of grooves on the underside of his vehicle (also used in robot mode). It can also be stored (in robot mode) in the doors where the windows fold up. Behind his windshield kibble is his pre-Earth chest design, in a nod to the form Drift had been seen in almost exclusively at the time of the toy's unveiling. Due to his ball jointed wrists, Drift is one of the few Transformers figures that can hold a sword with a two-handed grip. Left unmentioned in the instructions is that the clip that holds his large sword is on a small concealed arm that allows the sword to move away from his back and out of the way of his legs and shoulders. Drift's swords are made from a kid-friendly flexible material, and therefore care must be taken to avoid warping. His larger sword in particular is prone to warping out of shape if left stored underneath his car mode, as the soft plastic will eventually conform against the tension holding it in place. His hand holes are slightly larger than 5 mm, but taper toward the bottom.

:While Drift's Earth mode designs showed him sporting the katakana ドリフト (''Dorifuto'') on his car doors, the toy instead sports the kanji 侍 (''samurai''). The large sword sports the kanji 天下無双 (''tenka musō'', "peerless under heaven", or just "peerless" if you're not feeling idiomatic. It can also mean "armed under providence").

:Drift's mold was [[retool]]ed into ''Generations'' [[Blurr (G1)/toys#Generations|Blurr]] and was [[redeco]]ed, with Blurr's pistols also being included, into [[Drift (SG)#Toys|''Shattered Glass'' Drift]]. It was separately redecoed into the ''[[Cloud]]'' release of [[Deadlock (Cloud)#Toys|Deadlock]], whose color scheme was based off ''this'' Drift's past Decepticon self.

:When his eyes are lit up, he has two visible pupils that follow you when you turn him. Freaky.

::*''[http://tfu.info/2010/Autobot/Drift/drift.htm More information on Autobot Drift at TFU.info]''
{{GenerationsDriftMold}}
{{--}}

===''United''===
[[File:United AutobotDrift toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|I am the white void, I am the cold steel, I am the just sword, with blade in hand I shall reap the sins of this world and cleanse it in the fires of destruction! I am Drift, the end has come!]]
*'''Autobot Drift''' ([[December 25]], 2010)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''UN-08'''
**''Accessories'': Left & right "dual swords", greatsword

:Part of the first wave of ''[[Transformers United]]'' toys, the [[TakaraTomy]] release of "Autobot Drift" is cast in a brighter white plastic, a cooler gray, and features more paint applications in vehicle mode, and on his head, arms and chest to make him more accurate to his comic book appearances. The light red of the Hasbro version is now more crimson in color and the sword's gray is slightly altered from the Hasbro release.
{{GenerationsDriftMold}}
{{--}}

===''Age of Extinction''===
[[File:AOEGenerationstoy-DeluxeDrift.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Sensei!"]]
*'''Autobot Drift''' (Deluxe Class, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' Two daggers, two swords
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''AD23'''
{{note|''Age of Extinction'' [[Drift (AOE)#Age of Extinction|Drift]] was [[repurposing|repurposed]] as Generation 1 Drift in the IDW Angry Birds comic.}}

:Part of the second wave of ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (toyline)|Age of Extinction]]'' Deluxe Class toys, this figure of Drift features a more complex transformation and a much more [[Articulation|articulated]] and proportionate robot mode. He comes with two daggers and two swords, all of which he can wield via [[5 mm post]]. All four of his weapons can store on his roof/back in various ways in robot mode, while in vehicle mode his daggers store beneath the roof and his swords store on the underside of the car.

:A variant of Drift that apparently shipped with [[wave]] 2.5 (which also included [[Lockdown (ROTF)#Generations|Lockdown]]) adds black [[paint operation]]s to the front vents. The two versions can be distinguished by the manufacturing date codes stamped into their cardbacks.<ref name="delvariant">[http://www.allspark.com/content/2014/09/age-of-extinction-drift-variant/ Age of Extinction Drift Variant] at The Allspark.</ref>
{{--}}

===''Generations'' (Japan)===
[[File:TFGenerations2014 Rejected Black Drift.jpg|thumb|I AM THE STORM THAT IS APPROACHING!]]
*'''Autobot Drift Black Ver.''' (<strike>[[2015]]</strike>)
**''Accessories'': Presumably left and right swords, great sword
:A mock-up of a black redeco of ''Generations'' Drift in colours based on his [[Drift (AOE)|''Age of Extinction'' counterpart]] appeared in ''[[Transformers Generations 2014 Volume 1]]'' as one of ten potential exclusives for Vol. 2. This "Autobot Drift Black Ver." (placeholder name) didn't win the [[Fan polls#Generations Magazine Exclusive Character Popularity Vote|poll]] to determine which of the ten would be produced, however, ending up in fourth place with 12.7% of the votes,<ref>[http://millionhero.sblo.jp/article/101898683.html Poll results at Hero-X]</ref> leaving [[Goshooter#Generations (Japan)|Goshooter]] as the winner.
{{GenerationsDriftMold}}
{{canceledtoy}}
{{-}}

===''Q-Transformers''===
[[File:QTransformers Drift.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Are you sure this is the guy who's supposed to flip out and kill sick people?]]
*'''Drift''' ([[June 27]], [[2015]])
**''ID number:'' '''QT-22'''

:''[[Q-Transformers]]'' Drift is a redeco and retool of [[Sunstreaker (G1)#Q-Transformers|QT-12 Sunstreaker]], transforming into a [[super deformed]] Mazda RX-7 FD3S (though as a Sunstreaker redeco, his feet are sculpted to resemble the hood of a Lamborghini Countach). His head features some inspiration from [[Drift (AOE)|''Age of Extinction'' Drift]]'s design, namely the golden crest and samurai helmet neckguard.
{{--}}

===''Kre-O''===
{{anchor|KreonTripleChanger}}
[[File:KreO-Toy-Battle-Changer-Drift.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|]]
*'''Autobot Drift''' (Kreon Triple Changer, <s>2015</s>)
**''Accessories'': 2 swords, Slipstream & Jetstorm Kreons
{{toydesigner|[[Evan Brooks]] (Hasbro)}}<ref>[https://youtu.be/PdsHMGVDZFg?si=7IIIhq2AU8jwMnSx Interview] with [[Hasbro]] designer [[Evan Brooks]] on the Triple Takeover podcast, from their YouTube channel</ref>
:Kreon Triple Changer Autobot Drift mooshes all the incarnations of Drift into one form! This built-up Kreon transforms from robot to sportscar to helicopter, ''without'' needing to be disassmebled. His general appearance is based on Generation 1 Drift, his altmodes come from [[Drift (AOE)|''Age of Extinction'' Drift]], and of course his micro-Kreon Mini-Con partners [[Slipstream (RID)#Kre-O|Slipstream]] and [[Jetstorm (RID)#Kre-O|Jetstorm]] hail from [[Drift (RID)|''Robots in Disguise'' Drift]].

:Drift (along with [[Blitzwing (G1)/toys#KreonTripleChanger|Blitzwing]]) was shown at [[Toy Fair 2015]], but no accounts of it seeing release in any market have ever surfaced.
{{canceledtoy}}
{{--}}

===''Adventure''===
[[File:TAVVS05-Warrior-Class-Drift.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Remember when you all hated me?]]
*'''Drift Origin Mode & Jazz Battle Mode''' (Warrior Class 2-pack, 2015-[[November 14|11-14]])
**''Japanese ID Number'': '''TAV VS05'''
**''Accessories'': Longsword, short sword

:Packaged with a retooled [[Jazz (WFC)#Adventure|Jazz]], ''Adventure'' "Drift Origin Mode" is a redeco/retool of [[Drift (RID)#Warrior|the first Warrior Class Drift]], featuring a new head and deco that evokes Drift's IDW design. Drift Origin Mode transforms from a samurai robot into a futuristic white car that appears to be a cross between [[Drift (AOE)|''Age of Extinction'' Drift]]'s Bugatti Veyron alternate mode and a Gumpert Apollo. In robot mode, his two swords can be stored on his left hip. In car mode, they store on his underside by using the tabs on his legs with the slots in the sword handles.

:Drift Origin Mode features a scannable badge. While it was accessible in-package, this is covered up by a "dummy sticker" to prevent scanning without taking it off. Scanning the real sticker unlocks this Drift in the Transformers Chronicle checklist app.
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===Flame Toys===
====Kuro Kara Kuri====
[[File:FlameToysDrift.jpg|thumb|]]
*'''Drift''' (December 2017)
**''Accessories'': Great Sword, Great Sword scabbard, 2 small swords, 2 small scabbards, 2 cape parts, 3 faces, 14 hands, helmet armor (exclusive)
**''Sculptor'': Chemical Attack
**''Painting by'': Decomas Lab (Hiroyuki Hirose]

:Produced by [[Flame Toys]] as part of their ''Kuro Kara Kuri'' line, Drift is a detailed non-transforming action figure featuring [[die-cast]] parts and LEDs in his head, chest, shoulders and legs. He comes with a selection of alternate hands, three faces with different expressions (stoic, snarling and shouting), his Great Sword, two smaller swords, and a tattered cape based on the one worn by [[Wing (IDW)|Wing]] in [[Drift issue 1|''Drift'' #1]]. The Great Sword features a gimmick where pushing in the handle transforms the hilt, causing it to splay out into a crossguard and changing the gem's color from white to blue. If purchased via D4toys.com, SEN-TI-DEN Hong Kong, or events attended by Flame Toys, Drift also includes additional samurai-inspired helmet armor that can be displayed with or without a visor.
{{--}}

====Furai Model====
*'''Drift''' (December 2019)

:Part of the ''Furai Model'' line, this Drift is a non-transforming model kit, vastly less expensive than the above Kuro Kara Kuri figure. It features plastic parts and some polycap components, as well as some stickers. Glue is not required but recommended on all of the model's sword sheaths, as they come apart quite easily. This model has far fewer accessories than the Kuro Kara Kuri figure, only coming with two regular swords and one great sword.

:If one chooses, the kit can be panel-lined and touched-up with several panel-lining and paint markers (water/acrylic-based markers are recommended, as alcohol-based markers like ''Gundam Markers'' can potentially damage the ABS plastic). If one desires; the kit's pieces, aside from the translucent parts, can be fully coated with spray paints to recreate the finished sample seen in the stock photos.

:A common feature in mecha model kits is an abundance of spare parts in different colors that will be left over after assembly. These are present purely for the ease of manufacture, but one could substitute them for the used components if so desired.
{{--}}

===Transformers Trading Card Game===
[[File:W1Deadlock.jpg|thumb]]
*'''Deadlock, Bounty Hunter''' (2018)
**'''Wave 1'''
**''Rarity: '''''UT'''
**''Card Number: '''''T13/T40'''
**''Stars: ''8
:Based on Drift's time as a Decepticon, '''Deadlock, Bounty Hunter''' is one of forty double-sided character cards available in Wave 1 of the [[Transformers Trading Card Game]].

:The artwork on the card is reused from the ''[[Transformers Legends (mobile game)|Transformers Legends]]'' mobile card game, with line-art for both Bot and Alt-mode by [[Dan Khanna]].
{{-}}
[[File:W4Deadlock.jpg|thumb]]
*'''Deadlock, Soldier of Fortune''' (2019)
**'''Wave 4: War for Cybertron: Siege II'''
**''Rarity: '''''UT'''
**''Card Number: '''''T04/T52'''
**''Stars: ''9

:Deadlock, Soldier of Fortune is one of 52 character cards released in Wave 4 of the [[Transformers Trading Card Game]], War for Cybertron: Siege II. Neither Autobot nor Decepticon, Deadlock, Soldier of Fortune is a member of the [[Mercenary]] faction introduced in the set.

:The card features original artwork, with Bot Mode line-art by [[Andrew Griffith]].
{{--}}
===e-HOBBY===
====''Transformers Character Card''====
[[File:Transformers Character Card Deadlock and Drift.jpg|upright=1|thumb]]
*'''Drift & Deadlock Set''' ([[August 29]], [[2022]])
**''ID number:'' '''21 & 22'''

:Released as part of the fourth wave of the [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive ''[[Transformers Character Card]]'' series, this pair of holographic trading cards depict super-deformed art of Drift and [[Transformers Cloud|''Cloud'']] [[Deadlock (Cloud)|Deadlock]] along with [[bio|character profiles]] and [[Tech Spec|tech specs]].
::*''[[Source:Transformers Character Card#21|Translation of Drift's Transformers Character Card]]''
{{-}}

====Rubber strap series====
[[File:E Hobby rubber keychain Drift.jpg|upright=1|thumb]]
*'''Drift & Deadlock & Grand Scourge Set''' ([[June]] [[2023]])

:Released as part of the second wave of an [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive series, this trio of rubber keychains depict super-deformed art of Drift, ''[[Transformers Cloud|Cloud]]'' [[Deadlock (Cloud)|Deadlock]] and [[Grand Scourge]].

{{-}}

==Notes==
*Drift was created because [[Shane McCarthy]] wanted to introduce both a character element not seen elsewhere and an Autobot drift racer.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=I wanted a character in AHM that had a particular element to him that I didn't see readily available elsewhere and secondly because, frankly, I thought it would be a great idea for Hasbro to have an Autobot Drift racer.|link=http://www.smactalk.com.au/?p=101|name=Shane McCarthy|site=Smac Talk|defunct=yes}}</ref> He later said he wanted to show what'd happen if a former Decepticon became an Autobot.<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://moonbase2.libsyn.com/the-moonbase-2-presents-an-interview-with-shane-mc-carthy-|name=Shane McCarthy|site=Moonbase 2|year=2009|month=06|day=07}}</ref> Drift's Japanese overtones are meant to be a tip of the hat "to the country that gave birth to [''Transformers'']."<ref>{{citesocial|link=http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18585|defunct=yes|site=Comic Book Resources|month=10|day=27|year=2008|name=Shane McCarthy}}</ref>
*Drift's name is derived from the Japanese driving technique of "{{w|Drifting (motorsport)|drifting}}," rendered in Japanese as ドリフト走行 (''dorifuto sōkō'').
*Discarded [http://guidoarts.deviantart.com/art/DRIFT-early-sketches-93573360 body designs] and [http://guidoarts.deviantart.com/art/DRIFT-early-head-sketches-93574266 head designs] for Drift can be found on [http://guidoarts.deviantart.com Guido Guidi's DeviantArt page.]
*[[IDW Publishing]] initially claimed that Drift had been solicited by [[Hasbro]] to receive a toy in the ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' line. This may have been premature, as it was followed several months later with a denial, albeit from Hasbro's Australian offices.<ref>{{citesocial|link=http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=3438|site=Ozformers|name=Hasbro Australia|quote=No, there is no character named Autobot Drift or any toy designed after the comic character coming out in our 25th Anniversary or any other Transformers line.|year=2009|month=02|day=04}}</ref> This was rebutted by IDW editor [[Chris Ryall]] at [[New York Comic Con]] 2009, mildly denied in the March 2009 Hasbro Q&A for Seibertron.com,<ref>{{citesocial|link=http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/hasbro-answers-seibertrons-questions/15360|name=Hasbro|site=Seibertron.com|quote=Every year as we develop our toy line, we try to fit in characters that make sense for the brand. With that said, every character, new and old, are always up for disussion. We certainly would love to make a toy after IDW's Drift and will do our best ot fit him into the line at the right time.|year=2009|month=03|day=10}}</ref> and finally acknowledged by Hasbro at [[BotCon 2009]] when early design sketches were unveiled for Drift's toy. The toy itself was first shown at [[Toy Fair 2010]].
*As may be surmised from this page's captions, the large amount of hype surrounding Drift's initial introduction—along with perceptions that he was little more than a stereotypical badass fan-created character with Japanese samurai/ninja stereotypes added in for maximum awesomeness—led to a considerable backlash against the character when he was first announced. The hype included not only his own ''Spotlight'' issue, followed later by a four-issue mini-series, but also an appearance in "[[I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|I Am Optimus Prime]]", a book intended to advertise the ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'' toys... whose ranks don't actually include a Drift figure. The character's actual appearances in fiction, however, have not spawned nearly as much vitriol, and the later (re)interpretation by author [[James Roberts]] actually resulted in many a fan changing their opinion of the character.
*Roberts has said "there's different facets" to Drift and his environment has an impact on how he presents himself.<ref>{{citesocial|link=http://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2015/02/26/james-roberts-on-idws-transformers-more-that-meets-the-eye/|site=Women Write About Comics|name=James Roberts|year=2015|month=02|day=26}}</ref> Drift himself says in [[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|''Empire of Stone'' #3]] that he dives into new personas, both his brooding loner and his hippie ones, to cover up the parts of himself that he doesn't like.
*James Roberts stated that IDW Drift is forged and from [[Rodion]].<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://twitter.com/justroddythings/status/887913857641009152|quote=So, if Drift and Quark are both "of Rodion", that makes them both forged from Rodion's hotspot, am I right? So same age?|name=justroddythings|site=Twitter|year=2017|month=07|day=20}} {{citesocial|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/887930876348305408|quote=Unless the hot spot flared twice, which is rare but possible, you're right.|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2017|month=07|day=20}}</ref>
*He is a favorite of voice actor [[Eric Bauza]], which gave him a chance to voice [[Drift (RID)|a different Drift]].
*Drift's appearance in the [[Soundwave's Trap? Stop Operation Brainwash Humanity!|''Kre-O'' comic]] uses existing ''Kre-O'' pieces for his design, sporting the [[Prowl (Kre-O)|Prowl]]/[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] helmet and a katana-style sword on his back.
*In ''Earth Wars'', Drift has "Penance" and "Vengeance" written in [[Alphabet#Decepticon script|Decepticon script]] on one of his swords; the other has "Forgive" written in [[Alphabet#Autobot script|Autobot script]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Drift''' (ドリフト ''Dorifuto''), '''Deadlock''' (デッドロック ''Deddorokku'')
*''Cantonese:'' '''Piuji''' (飄移, "Drift")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Piāoyí''' (China, 漂移, "Drift")

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:IDW-Drift-Deadlock-Milne.jpg
File:AHM 5cvrRI.jpg
File:IDWG1Drift.jpg|IDW ''All Hail Megatron'' concept art
File:Drift-Alex Milne-LL.jpg|IDW ''Lost Light'' concept art
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Primus Vanguard}}

[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Mercenaries]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Legends Decepticons]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Q-Transformers characters]]
[[Category:Repurposed toys]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2015) Autobots]]
[[Category:Transformers Character Card Autobots]]
[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game Autobots]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]
[[Category:White Order]]

Rules of Disengagement (issue)

2025-03-31T08:12:51Z

Yb124oaaai:

{{disambigr|Rules of Disengagement|the mobile game event|Rules of Disengagement (Legends)}}
{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=7
|prev=Interiors
|next=Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations
|seriesissue2="Scavengers"
|next2=Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?
|caption=
|image=MTMTE7_cvrA.jpg
|title="Rules of Disengagement"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 25]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=July 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''A mismatched group of Decepticons find themselves in the crosshairs of the deadliest team of killers there is... the Decepticon Justice Division!'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Mtmte7 djd.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"No one cared who I was until I put on the mask."]]
As a [[Phase Sixer]], [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]] is one of the most feared Decepticons, having tackled the [[Wreckers]] single-handedly, defeated the entire [[113th Battalion]], and massacred the population of [[Rigel IV]]. But when he accepted a bribe to blow up a fleet of [[Warworld|War Worlds]], he landed himself in the sights of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], a team of vicious killers fanatically dedicated to [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] and charged with destroying all who cross him. It's not a pretty sight when the D.J.D. catch up to Black Shadow: melted by [[Helex (G1)|Helex]], crushed by [[Tesarus (G1)|Tesarus]], and electrocuted by [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]], he is explosively finished off when DJD leader [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] uses his ability of "weaponized conversation" to stop the pulse of his [[spark]]. Their task done, the DJD set off to find their next target on the planet of [[Clemency]]—a target guilty of simply living.

On the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], and [[Ambulon]] combine their medical expertise to save the life of the wounded [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], though the psychiatrist remains comatose. A few hours later, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] visits Rung in secrecy, believing—in his increasing paranoia—that the attempt on Rung's life was a deliberate one after Red told him about the voice he heard from beneath the ship. Certain that he is next, Red hides a [[data slug]] containing video he has taken of the voice's owner—[[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]—on Rung's body and bids him goodbye. But a medical [[Diagnostic Drone]] has observed the entire thing, and soon, [[Drift (G1)|a shadowed figure]] arrives in the medibay and recovers the slug...

[[File:RulesofDisengagement-FulcrumMisfire.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
On Clemency, a band of [[Decepticon]] [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]] consisting of [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]], [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], [[Krok (G1)|Krok]], [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]], and [[Flywheels]] are in the process of draining [[Transformer fuel|fuel]] from the vast array of Transformer corpses that litter the war-torn world when one of them, a chipper fellow named [[Fulcrum]], proves to be still alive. After a slight panic over the possibility that he might be a [[zombie]], the six 'cons settle down around a fire to talk about the great battle in Clemency's past, and the grim reality of war and how it reduces lives to statistics. Fulcrum is shocked to discover that the war is ''over'', barely able to comprehend such a thing, and the other Decepticons mumble about how meaningless it all turned out to be and how unclear their goals had been anyway. In spite of this, though, when one of the Autobot bodies stoking the Decepticons' fire proves to still be alive, Krok casually kills the poor 'bot.

Back on the ''Lost Light'', [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] visits [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] in his lab to get the scientist's analysis of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'s mysterious gun, which Chromedome palmed from the theoretician when he was distracted. The weapon immediately blew up when Brainstorm tried to examine it, but he was able to recognise at least some of the engineering, and has concluded that as impossible as it may seem, the gun may have come from somewhere known as "the [[Institute]]"...

[[File:MTMTE7 artificial gravity.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2.2]]
As dawn breaks on Clemency, the Decepticons resume their scavenging, only for Misfire to suddenly break away from the group, thinking that he has spotted the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]], a mythical Grim Reaper-like figure in Cybertronian culture. Instead, what he has discovered is a P-6 [[Worldsweeper]], a famous model of gigantic Decepticon spaceship cast in the image of the faction's [[insignia]]. Investigating the vessel, the Decepticons make some horrifyingly strange discoveries: a ceiling covered entirely in [[brain module]]s, tanks of warped, malformed [[protoform]]s, [[Treecon|a non-functional robot]] made entirely of wood, and a corridor composed of organic flesh that proves to have been responsible for causing the ship to crash, having ''bled'' into the fuel supply and polluted it. Misfire in particular is aghast and advocates immediate departure, but Fulcrum, coming around to the idea of new horizons, is eager to investigate. All emotions on the ship quickly turn to terror, however, when Krok receives a communication from the D.J.D., announcing that one of their number is on the Division's list. Tarn signs off with the promise that if the guilty party is handed over, the other six will be allowed to watch his execution. The numbers don't add up, and Fulcrum assumes the D.J.D. simply miscounted their life-signs... but Krok soon discovers that there is indeed a seventh party on the ship, unconscious and sealed in a stasis tube... [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum">[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=301648#301648 James Roberts, IDW forum]: A while back I was PM'd by Ironhide/Paul, who asked me for some information on the Wreckers who showed up in the flashback on Page 1 of issue 7. I promised to post something on this forum. Here's the relevant extract from the script:

2 / Flashback. BLACK SHADOW fights the Wreckers (an old version of the team) at close quarters: tight, dirty and violent. He rips CREST’s head off and blasts PISTON through the chest, killing him. Also in shot are VALVE, HYPERION, IMPACTOR and RACK, all trying to get a piece of him. But it’s clear that Black Shadow owns this fight. Crest has been mentioned but not seen before, but should be readily identifiable by a big old crest on his chest. Valve is a spark brother to Springarm and Wheelarch, so should look like them. Piston is all-new. Hyperion was glimpsed in MTMTE issue 2.</ref> (2)
* ''[[Rack'n'Ruin (G1)|Rack]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (3)
* ''[[Valve]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (4)
* ''[[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (6)
* ''[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'' (7)
* ''[[Crest]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (8)
* ''[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'' (9)
* ''[[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]'' (10)
* ''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (11)
* ''[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'' (12)
* ''[[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]'' (13)
* ''[[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]]'' (14)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (21)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (22)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (23)
* [[Ambulon]] (24)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (25)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (26)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (27)
* [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (34)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (35)
* ''[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'' (36)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (37)
* [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (38)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] (1)
* [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]] (5)
* [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]] (15)
* [[Helex (G1)|Helex]] (16)
* [[Tesarus (G1)|Tesarus]] (17)
* [[Vos (G1)|Vos]] (18)
* ''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (19)
* [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (28)
* [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (28)
* [[Flywheels]] (30)
* [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (31)
* [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (32)
* [[Fulcrum]] (33)
|c4=
* [[Dominus Ambus|The Pet]] (20)
}}

==Quotes==
"'My weapon is my burden: a reminder of the path I was forced to take. When the word 'weapon' is emptied of meaning; when the '''purpose''' of a weapon is impossible to grasp; when the rejection of my weapon is of significance to no one other than myself... only then shall I remove it from my arm. Because only then will I have earned the right to rid myself of my burden.'"
:—'''Tarn''' recites a passage from Megatron's ''[[Towards Peace]]''

"Nice to meet you, loser! They call me '''Misfire'''. Long story. Actually, you know what? It isn't. It's a very short story involving a machine gun, a '''misunderstanding''', and a dozen dead Decepticons."
:—In the IDW-universe, '''Misfire''' actually managed to hit something!

'''Fulcrum:''' "Ah! Now! Just—just wait a second! Just— The thing about me—my big thing is this: I'm really not keen on '''dying'''. Now '''survival'''—oh wow, '''huge''' fan. Put me down for some of '''that'''. Besides, we don't even know each other! You might '''like''' me! You might find me—disarming! Yes! I'd '''disarm''' you!" 
'''Spinister:''' "You'd '''what''' me?" 
'''Flywheels:''' "Careful—he's using words to confuse and frighten us."

"'''Go away.''' I'm busier than you've ever been and I'm doing more important things than you've ever done." 
"It's Chromedome." 
"So?" 
"So you have to be '''nice''' to me, I'm your only friend. Why are you—?" 
"Building weapons whilst hanging from the ceiling? Because no one else can. I was hoping '''Perceptor''' would walk in."
:—'''Brainstorm''' and '''Chromedome'''

"Chromedome, you're looking at a bona fide '''Binary Gun.'''" 
"What's a Binary Gun?" 
"I'm not sure—I've only just made up the name. But I called it that because inside there's only room for two cartridges, '''here''' and '''here.'''" 
"So what does it '''do?''' Where'd Skids get it? Why'd he carry it around with him all the time?" 
"I don't know! I've done my bit...!" 
"You made the gun '''blow up''' and then you '''gave it a name!''' I could have done that '''and''' I'd have come up with a better name!"
:—'''Brainstorm''' and '''Chromedome''' again

"But there's '''always''' been a war! That's like saying there's no more '''blue''' or—or the '''weather's''' stopped!"
:—'''Fulcrum''' catches up on recent history

"I always dreamed of captaining my own P-6—Followin' the likes of [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] and the other big guns. I'd have called it something '''noble''' and '''majestic''', like '''''Mega Starpuncher''''' or '''''Mighty Spaceship'''''."
:—'''Crankcase'''

"You know, there are some Decepticons who, upon finding themselves in a skin-covered room surrounded by '''aborted protoforms''' and '''mechanoids made of bark,''' would rub their hands together, marvel at the universe's infinite capacity for surprise and '''dive right in.''' I am not one of those Decepticons. I say we run away screaming." 
"I '''am''' one of those Decepticons, Misfire, and I say we stick around—because frankly, this is amazing." 
"What's amazing?" 
"This! Us! Now! Who owns this ship? Where are they now? Where will '''we''' be an '''hour''' from now, or '''tomorrow''', or '''next month?''' The answer to '''all''' those questions is '''"Who knows?"''' And that's a '''great answer!''' That's the '''best answer ever!''' All our lives we've followed orders—all our lives someone else has always told us what to do next! Well, not anymore! For the first time in '''forever,''' we can do whatever we like! We're '''free!'''"
:—'''Misfire''' and '''Fulcrum'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Black Shadow was established to be a Phase Sixer in his sole previous IDW appearance in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|#2]].
* Tarn quotes a passage from ''[[Towards Peace]]'', which will later be established as Megatron's autobiography.
* In addition to obvious members Impactor and Rack (pre-Ruin), the version of the Wreckers that Black Shadow fights is made up mostly of characters mentioned and briefly glimpsed in past James Roberts works which he specified in the script.<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> None are named on-panel but Hyperion is recognizable from his corpse's role in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]], while Valve has never been seen before, but shares a body-type with his brothers [[Wheelarch]] and [[Springarm]] from "[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]". Crest was mentioned in "[[Bullets]]" (and can be recognized by his large chest-crest), while the unfortunate Piston is a new character, separate from the earlier IDW character [[Piston (mechanic)|of the same name]].
* The Decepticon Justice Division were first mentioned in one of Roberts's earliest IDW works, [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]], and have come up on occasion since then. They are named after cities on Cybertron; specifically, the "[[Fall of the First Five Cities|First Five Cities]]" to fall to the Decepticons in the war, which were listed in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
* Chromedome palmed Skids's gun between pages 4 and 5 of [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
* The mysterious figure which took Red Alert's data-slug from Rung is later alluded to be [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], as he and Rodimus assisted Prowl in bringing Overlord onto the ship. Of the two of them, the hands which remove the data-slug perfectly match Drift's.
* Reference was previously made to the mysterious "Institute" by the [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|nameless senator]] in [[Chaos Theory Part 2|"Chaos Theory", Part 2]], and as part of Red Alert's paranoid delusions in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]].
* The [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] was previously mentioned by [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]] among other [[:Category: Things that don't exist|things that don't exist]] like the [[Shimmer]] or the [[Moonbase One|Seething Moon]]. All of these turn out to exist in some form...
* Grimlock was last seen at the close of the ''[[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]'' mini-series, over three years before the publication of this issue. Since then, all we've heard is that he had left [[Garrus-9]] after it was sacked by the Decepticons under unrevealed circumstances, as detailed in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #4]].

===Transformers references===
* Black Shadow's design is based on his ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' [[Black Shadow (G1)#Generations|toy]].
* Whilst [[Rigel III|other]] [[Rigel 6|planets]] that orbit [[Rigel|the same star]] have shown up in Transformers fiction before, this issue is the first mention of Rigel IV. It's also known as being the home of {{w|Kang and Kodos|a pair of pesky space aliens}} from ''The Simpsons''.
* Surprisingly, this isn't [[Mara-Al-Utha|the first time]] that wooden robots have shown up in a G1 continuity.
* Black Shadow's bribe is in [[Shanix]], a little-referenced Cybertronian currency that first appeared in [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue #113]] of the Marvel UK series. It's seen some previous mentions in IDW continuity in [[Chaos Theory Part 1|''The Transformers'' #22]] and [[Stick Together|''Robots in Disguise'' #3]].
* The ''Warworld'' was the Decepticon mothership in the Marvel ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' comic. The idea of a fleet of multiple Warworlds originated with the non-canon ''[[Alignment]]''.
* Vos's dialogue, referred to as the "[[Cybertronian language#2005 IDW continuity|Primal Vernacular]]", is written using the [[Cyberglyphics]] symbol language from the [[Movie continuity family|live-action movie continuity]]. Employing the substitution cypher regularly used by [[Titan Books|Titan]] in their [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|UK ''Transformers'' comic]] shows that most of his speech bubbles are nonsense, however, save for the first, which reads: "So tired me go night xth".
* [[Kol]] was first seen in [[Swarm (issue)|''Generation 2'' #9]], where it was a planet. It became the name of a [[Kol System|system]] in [[Stormbringer issue 2|''Stormbringer'' #2]] with the introduction of [[Varas Centralus]], which is located there.
* Roberts had previously created a Decepticon named Fulcrum in his fan-published ''Transformers: Eugenesis'' novel. Whether these are meant to be iterations of the same character (as was the case with Rung) or just a name reuse is unclear.
* That Flywheels should freak out so seriously at the prospect of a [[zombie]] is fitting, given his prominent role in the greatest ''Transformers'' zombie story, Marvel UK's "[[City of Fear!]]" (indeed, his only prominent role in anything before now).
* Amusingly, to go by the original tech spec numbers, Krok is actually the lowest ranking Decepticon of his group. But since when was fiction accurate to the tech specs?
* [[Hydrus Four|Hydrus 4]] is the planet of origin for [[Nucleon (substance)|nucleon]], seen in the original Marvel series. Its sister world [[Hydrus 5]] was created by James Roberts and first mentioned in "[[Bullets]]".
* The planet [[Elpasos]] is mentioned in passing, a world that debuted in—you guessed it, issue #113 of the Marvel UK series. It got a previous IDW mention in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #5]].
* Reference is made to "Nova Peak", which is prrrrrobably the same thing as [[Nova Point]].

===Trivia===
* Although "Rules of Disengagement" is the only on-page title for this issue's story, the following issue was labelled "Scavengers (Part 2)", identifying this as an unmarked Part 1.
* The 113th Battalion is another use of the number 113 by James Roberts, referring to the [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue of the UK comic]] that got him hooked on the series. On the same page, Black Shadow is seen battling the '''11'''th iteration of the Wreckers, with '''3''' kills.
* This is not the first time Roberts has written a character as having been "talked to death", though this version is a lot more literal than the reference made in "Bullets" to [[Violator|a Decepticon]] who killed himself rather than listen to [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] drone on!
* Krok's ship is named the ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]'', which is a philosophical postulate which basically states that only a universe capable of supporting intelligent life is able to be noted by said life, whereas a universe incapable of supporting such life will go unbeheld.

===Errors===
* "Halt" is misspelled "hault" on page 3; this was corrected for the TPB.
* Spinister was previously shown to be among the Decepticons who had already returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]. Quick, someone [[Bluster|make up]] [[Firster Aid|a name]]!
* Spinister's name is misspelled as "Spinisther" during the search of the Symbol Ship; this remained uncorrected in the TPB.
* Krok spends most of the issue in a new set of colors, only appearing in his toy's colors in one panel on page 20.

===Crew Manifest===
* The "Story so far" segment on the inside front cover notes that "a number of [[Delphi]]'s patients" were brought to the ''Lost Light'', which is the first mention that anyone other than [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] came back with Ratchet and the medics.
* 5 deaths, 5+ new arrivals since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gOpULt67dU "Easter Parade"] by {{w|Emmy the Great}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzDihi17EY8 "My Year in Lists"] by {{w|Los Campesinos!}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Tettai Kitei'''" (撤退規定, "Withdrawal Rules")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Skrotletarna, Del 1: Den som ger sig in i leken...'''" ("The Scavengers, Part 1: You've Made Your Bed...", lit. "He who joins the game...")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Tarn, by Alex Milne and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Misfire, Crankcase, Spinister, Flywheels, and Krok, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover RI:''' [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]], the second quarter of a combined image formed with the RI cover to ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Interference Patterns|#7]], [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]], and ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]].

<gallery>
File:MTMTE7_cvrA.jpg|The last image in Black Shadow's mind.
File:MTMTE7_cvrB.jpg|Hi, can I have your heart?
File:MTMTE7_cvrRI.jpg|Cover RI
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Loose Ends, Part 2|#82]]
* Sergio Aragones' ''Groo: Artist's Edition''
* ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]''
* ''Regeneration One'' [[Loose Ends, Part 1|#81]]
* IDW's ''Mars Attacks'' comic (back cover)

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' ([[October 17]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613774982 / ISBN 978-1613774984 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #4–8.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, "Meet the Crew" and "Meet the 'Cons" pages.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2]]''''' ([[August 12]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631403648 / ISBN 978-1631403644
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' issues [[Law and Disorder|#1]]–[[Endgame|12]], ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]], [[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]'' & ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Orion Pax]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[Interference Patterns|#7]] & [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]]–[[Night and the City|9]], and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #6–8.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], 2015) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' volumes 1–5.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #7–13 and Annual 2012.
** Bonus material includes the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, design sketches from Alex Milne, a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Mer än ögat kan se''''' ([[June 15]], 2019)
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–8 & Annual 2012, ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' & ''Hoist'', and a special illustrated edition of "[[Bullets]]".
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol2.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V2.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2''''' – cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE_SWE_01.jpg|'''''Mer än ögat kan se''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

Rules of Disengagement (issue)

2025-03-31T08:06:57Z

Yb124oaaai: /* Continuity notes */

{{disambigr|Rules of Disengagement|the mobile game event|Rules of Disengagement (Legends)}}
{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=7
|prev=Interiors
|next=Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations
|seriesissue2="Scavengers"
|next2=Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?
|caption=
|image=MTMTE7_cvrA.jpg
|title="Rules of Disengagement"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 25]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=July 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''A mismatched group of Decepticons find themselves in the crosshairs of the deadliest team of killers there is... the Decepticon Justice Division!'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Mtmte7 djd.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"No one cared who I was until I put on the mask."]]
As a [[Phase Sixer]], [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]] is one of the most feared Decepticons, having tackled the [[Wreckers]] single-handedly, defeated the entire [[113th Battalion]], and massacred the population of [[Rigel IV]]. But when he accepted a bribe to blow up a fleet of [[Warworld|War Worlds]], he landed himself in the sights of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], a team of vicious killers fanatically dedicated to [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] and charged with destroying all who cross him. It's not a pretty sight when the D.J.D. catch up to Black Shadow: melted by [[Helex (G1)|Helex]], crushed by [[Tesarus (G1)|Tesarus]], and electrocuted by [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]], he is explosively finished off when DJD leader [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] uses his ability of "weaponized conversation" to stop the pulse of his [[spark]]. Their task done, the DJD set off to find their next target on the planet of [[Clemency]]—a target guilty of simply living.

On the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], and [[Ambulon]] combine their medical expertise to save the life of the wounded [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], though the psychiatrist remains comatose. A few hours later, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] visits Rung in secrecy, believing—in his increasing paranoia—that the attempt on Rung's life was a deliberate one after Red told him about the voice he heard from beneath the ship. Certain that he is next, Red hides a [[data slug]] containing video he has taken of the voice's owner—[[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]—on Rung's body and bids him goodbye. But a medical [[Diagnostic Drone]] has observed the entire thing, and soon, a shadowed figure arrives in the medibay and recovers the slug...

[[File:RulesofDisengagement-FulcrumMisfire.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
On Clemency, a band of [[Decepticon]] [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]] consisting of [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]], [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], [[Krok (G1)|Krok]], [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]], and [[Flywheels]] are in the process of draining [[Transformer fuel|fuel]] from the vast array of Transformer corpses that litter the war-torn world when one of them, a chipper fellow named [[Fulcrum]], proves to be still alive. After a slight panic over the possibility that he might be a [[zombie]], the six 'cons settle down around a fire to talk about the great battle in Clemency's past, and the grim reality of war and how it reduces lives to statistics. Fulcrum is shocked to discover that the war is ''over'', barely able to comprehend such a thing, and the other Decepticons mumble about how meaningless it all turned out to be and how unclear their goals had been anyway. In spite of this, though, when one of the Autobot bodies stoking the Decepticons' fire proves to still be alive, Krok casually kills the poor 'bot.

Back on the ''Lost Light'', [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] visits [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] in his lab to get the scientist's analysis of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'s mysterious gun, which Chromedome palmed from the theoretician when he was distracted. The weapon immediately blew up when Brainstorm tried to examine it, but he was able to recognise at least some of the engineering, and has concluded that as impossible as it may seem, the gun may have come from somewhere known as "the [[Institute]]"...

[[File:MTMTE7 artificial gravity.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2.2]]
As dawn breaks on Clemency, the Decepticons resume their scavenging, only for Misfire to suddenly break away from the group, thinking that he has spotted the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]], a mythical Grim Reaper-like figure in Cybertronian culture. Instead, what he has discovered is a P-6 [[Worldsweeper]], a famous model of gigantic Decepticon spaceship cast in the image of the faction's [[insignia]]. Investigating the vessel, the Decepticons make some horrifyingly strange discoveries: a ceiling covered entirely in [[brain module]]s, tanks of warped, malformed [[protoform]]s, [[Treecon|a non-functional robot]] made entirely of wood, and a corridor composed of organic flesh that proves to have been responsible for causing the ship to crash, having ''bled'' into the fuel supply and polluted it. Misfire in particular is aghast and advocates immediate departure, but Fulcrum, coming around to the idea of new horizons, is eager to investigate. All emotions on the ship quickly turn to terror, however, when Krok receives a communication from the D.J.D., announcing that one of their number is on the Division's list. Tarn signs off with the promise that if the guilty party is handed over, the other six will be allowed to watch his execution. The numbers don't add up, and Fulcrum assumes the D.J.D. simply miscounted their life-signs... but Krok soon discovers that there is indeed a seventh party on the ship, unconscious and sealed in a stasis tube... [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum">[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=301648#301648 James Roberts, IDW forum]: A while back I was PM'd by Ironhide/Paul, who asked me for some information on the Wreckers who showed up in the flashback on Page 1 of issue 7. I promised to post something on this forum. Here's the relevant extract from the script:

2 / Flashback. BLACK SHADOW fights the Wreckers (an old version of the team) at close quarters: tight, dirty and violent. He rips CREST’s head off and blasts PISTON through the chest, killing him. Also in shot are VALVE, HYPERION, IMPACTOR and RACK, all trying to get a piece of him. But it’s clear that Black Shadow owns this fight. Crest has been mentioned but not seen before, but should be readily identifiable by a big old crest on his chest. Valve is a spark brother to Springarm and Wheelarch, so should look like them. Piston is all-new. Hyperion was glimpsed in MTMTE issue 2.</ref> (2)
* ''[[Rack'n'Ruin (G1)|Rack]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (3)
* ''[[Valve]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (4)
* ''[[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (6)
* ''[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'' (7)
* ''[[Crest]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (8)
* ''[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'' (9)
* ''[[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]'' (10)
* ''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (11)
* ''[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'' (12)
* ''[[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]'' (13)
* ''[[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]]'' (14)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (21)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (22)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (23)
* [[Ambulon]] (24)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (25)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (26)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (27)
* [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (34)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (35)
* ''[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'' (36)
* [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (37)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] (1)
* [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]] (5)
* [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]] (15)
* [[Helex (G1)|Helex]] (16)
* [[Tesarus (G1)|Tesarus]] (17)
* [[Vos (G1)|Vos]] (18)
* ''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (19)
* [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (28)
* [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (28)
* [[Flywheels]] (30)
* [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (31)
* [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (32)
* [[Fulcrum]] (33)
|c4=
* [[Dominus Ambus|The Pet]] (20)
}}

==Quotes==
"'My weapon is my burden: a reminder of the path I was forced to take. When the word 'weapon' is emptied of meaning; when the '''purpose''' of a weapon is impossible to grasp; when the rejection of my weapon is of significance to no one other than myself... only then shall I remove it from my arm. Because only then will I have earned the right to rid myself of my burden.'"
:—'''Tarn''' recites a passage from Megatron's ''[[Towards Peace]]''

"Nice to meet you, loser! They call me '''Misfire'''. Long story. Actually, you know what? It isn't. It's a very short story involving a machine gun, a '''misunderstanding''', and a dozen dead Decepticons."
:—In the IDW-universe, '''Misfire''' actually managed to hit something!

'''Fulcrum:''' "Ah! Now! Just—just wait a second! Just— The thing about me—my big thing is this: I'm really not keen on '''dying'''. Now '''survival'''—oh wow, '''huge''' fan. Put me down for some of '''that'''. Besides, we don't even know each other! You might '''like''' me! You might find me—disarming! Yes! I'd '''disarm''' you!" 
'''Spinister:''' "You'd '''what''' me?" 
'''Flywheels:''' "Careful—he's using words to confuse and frighten us."

"'''Go away.''' I'm busier than you've ever been and I'm doing more important things than you've ever done." 
"It's Chromedome." 
"So?" 
"So you have to be '''nice''' to me, I'm your only friend. Why are you—?" 
"Building weapons whilst hanging from the ceiling? Because no one else can. I was hoping '''Perceptor''' would walk in."
:—'''Brainstorm''' and '''Chromedome'''

"Chromedome, you're looking at a bona fide '''Binary Gun.'''" 
"What's a Binary Gun?" 
"I'm not sure—I've only just made up the name. But I called it that because inside there's only room for two cartridges, '''here''' and '''here.'''" 
"So what does it '''do?''' Where'd Skids get it? Why'd he carry it around with him all the time?" 
"I don't know! I've done my bit...!" 
"You made the gun '''blow up''' and then you '''gave it a name!''' I could have done that '''and''' I'd have come up with a better name!"
:—'''Brainstorm''' and '''Chromedome''' again

"But there's '''always''' been a war! That's like saying there's no more '''blue''' or—or the '''weather's''' stopped!"
:—'''Fulcrum''' catches up on recent history

"I always dreamed of captaining my own P-6—Followin' the likes of [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] and the other big guns. I'd have called it something '''noble''' and '''majestic''', like '''''Mega Starpuncher''''' or '''''Mighty Spaceship'''''."
:—'''Crankcase'''

"You know, there are some Decepticons who, upon finding themselves in a skin-covered room surrounded by '''aborted protoforms''' and '''mechanoids made of bark,''' would rub their hands together, marvel at the universe's infinite capacity for surprise and '''dive right in.''' I am not one of those Decepticons. I say we run away screaming." 
"I '''am''' one of those Decepticons, Misfire, and I say we stick around—because frankly, this is amazing." 
"What's amazing?" 
"This! Us! Now! Who owns this ship? Where are they now? Where will '''we''' be an '''hour''' from now, or '''tomorrow''', or '''next month?''' The answer to '''all''' those questions is '''"Who knows?"''' And that's a '''great answer!''' That's the '''best answer ever!''' All our lives we've followed orders—all our lives someone else has always told us what to do next! Well, not anymore! For the first time in '''forever,''' we can do whatever we like! We're '''free!'''"
:—'''Misfire''' and '''Fulcrum'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Black Shadow was established to be a Phase Sixer in his sole previous IDW appearance in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|#2]].
* Tarn quotes a passage from ''[[Towards Peace]]'', which will later be established as Megatron's autobiography.
* In addition to obvious members Impactor and Rack (pre-Ruin), the version of the Wreckers that Black Shadow fights is made up mostly of characters mentioned and briefly glimpsed in past James Roberts works which he specified in the script.<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> None are named on-panel but Hyperion is recognizable from his corpse's role in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]], while Valve has never been seen before, but shares a body-type with his brothers [[Wheelarch]] and [[Springarm]] from "[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]". Crest was mentioned in "[[Bullets]]" (and can be recognized by his large chest-crest), while the unfortunate Piston is a new character, separate from the earlier IDW character [[Piston (mechanic)|of the same name]].
* The Decepticon Justice Division were first mentioned in one of Roberts's earliest IDW works, [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]], and have come up on occasion since then. They are named after cities on Cybertron; specifically, the "[[Fall of the First Five Cities|First Five Cities]]" to fall to the Decepticons in the war, which were listed in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
* Chromedome palmed Skids's gun between pages 4 and 5 of [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
* The mysterious figure which took Red Alert's data-slug from Rung is later alluded to be [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], as he and Rodimus assisted Prowl in bringing Overlord onto the ship. Of the two of them, the hands which remove the data-slug perfectly match Drift's.
* Reference was previously made to the mysterious "Institute" by the [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|nameless senator]] in [[Chaos Theory Part 2|"Chaos Theory", Part 2]], and as part of Red Alert's paranoid delusions in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]].
* The [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] was previously mentioned by [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]] among other [[:Category: Things that don't exist|things that don't exist]] like the [[Shimmer]] or the [[Moonbase One|Seething Moon]]. All of these turn out to exist in some form...
* Grimlock was last seen at the close of the ''[[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]'' mini-series, over three years before the publication of this issue. Since then, all we've heard is that he had left [[Garrus-9]] after it was sacked by the Decepticons under unrevealed circumstances, as detailed in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #4]].

===Transformers references===
* Black Shadow's design is based on his ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' [[Black Shadow (G1)#Generations|toy]].
* Whilst [[Rigel III|other]] [[Rigel 6|planets]] that orbit [[Rigel|the same star]] have shown up in Transformers fiction before, this issue is the first mention of Rigel IV. It's also known as being the home of {{w|Kang and Kodos|a pair of pesky space aliens}} from ''The Simpsons''.
* Surprisingly, this isn't [[Mara-Al-Utha|the first time]] that wooden robots have shown up in a G1 continuity.
* Black Shadow's bribe is in [[Shanix]], a little-referenced Cybertronian currency that first appeared in [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue #113]] of the Marvel UK series. It's seen some previous mentions in IDW continuity in [[Chaos Theory Part 1|''The Transformers'' #22]] and [[Stick Together|''Robots in Disguise'' #3]].
* The ''Warworld'' was the Decepticon mothership in the Marvel ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' comic. The idea of a fleet of multiple Warworlds originated with the non-canon ''[[Alignment]]''.
* Vos's dialogue, referred to as the "[[Cybertronian language#2005 IDW continuity|Primal Vernacular]]", is written using the [[Cyberglyphics]] symbol language from the [[Movie continuity family|live-action movie continuity]]. Employing the substitution cypher regularly used by [[Titan Books|Titan]] in their [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|UK ''Transformers'' comic]] shows that most of his speech bubbles are nonsense, however, save for the first, which reads: "So tired me go night xth".
* [[Kol]] was first seen in [[Swarm (issue)|''Generation 2'' #9]], where it was a planet. It became the name of a [[Kol System|system]] in [[Stormbringer issue 2|''Stormbringer'' #2]] with the introduction of [[Varas Centralus]], which is located there.
* Roberts had previously created a Decepticon named Fulcrum in his fan-published ''Transformers: Eugenesis'' novel. Whether these are meant to be iterations of the same character (as was the case with Rung) or just a name reuse is unclear.
* That Flywheels should freak out so seriously at the prospect of a [[zombie]] is fitting, given his prominent role in the greatest ''Transformers'' zombie story, Marvel UK's "[[City of Fear!]]" (indeed, his only prominent role in anything before now).
* Amusingly, to go by the original tech spec numbers, Krok is actually the lowest ranking Decepticon of his group. But since when was fiction accurate to the tech specs?
* [[Hydrus Four|Hydrus 4]] is the planet of origin for [[Nucleon (substance)|nucleon]], seen in the original Marvel series. Its sister world [[Hydrus 5]] was created by James Roberts and first mentioned in "[[Bullets]]".
* The planet [[Elpasos]] is mentioned in passing, a world that debuted in—you guessed it, issue #113 of the Marvel UK series. It got a previous IDW mention in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #5]].
* Reference is made to "Nova Peak", which is prrrrrobably the same thing as [[Nova Point]].

===Trivia===
* Although "Rules of Disengagement" is the only on-page title for this issue's story, the following issue was labelled "Scavengers (Part 2)", identifying this as an unmarked Part 1.
* The 113th Battalion is another use of the number 113 by James Roberts, referring to the [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue of the UK comic]] that got him hooked on the series. On the same page, Black Shadow is seen battling the '''11'''th iteration of the Wreckers, with '''3''' kills.
* This is not the first time Roberts has written a character as having been "talked to death", though this version is a lot more literal than the reference made in "Bullets" to [[Violator|a Decepticon]] who killed himself rather than listen to [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] drone on!
* Krok's ship is named the ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]'', which is a philosophical postulate which basically states that only a universe capable of supporting intelligent life is able to be noted by said life, whereas a universe incapable of supporting such life will go unbeheld.

===Errors===
* "Halt" is misspelled "hault" on page 3; this was corrected for the TPB.
* Spinister was previously shown to be among the Decepticons who had already returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]. Quick, someone [[Bluster|make up]] [[Firster Aid|a name]]!
* Spinister's name is misspelled as "Spinisther" during the search of the Symbol Ship; this remained uncorrected in the TPB.
* Krok spends most of the issue in a new set of colors, only appearing in his toy's colors in one panel on page 20.

===Crew Manifest===
* The "Story so far" segment on the inside front cover notes that "a number of [[Delphi]]'s patients" were brought to the ''Lost Light'', which is the first mention that anyone other than [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] came back with Ratchet and the medics.
* 5 deaths, 5+ new arrivals since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gOpULt67dU "Easter Parade"] by {{w|Emmy the Great}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzDihi17EY8 "My Year in Lists"] by {{w|Los Campesinos!}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Tettai Kitei'''" (撤退規定, "Withdrawal Rules")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Skrotletarna, Del 1: Den som ger sig in i leken...'''" ("The Scavengers, Part 1: You've Made Your Bed...", lit. "He who joins the game...")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Tarn, by Alex Milne and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Misfire, Crankcase, Spinister, Flywheels, and Krok, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover RI:''' [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]], the second quarter of a combined image formed with the RI cover to ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Interference Patterns|#7]], [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]], and ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]].

<gallery>
File:MTMTE7_cvrA.jpg|The last image in Black Shadow's mind.
File:MTMTE7_cvrB.jpg|Hi, can I have your heart?
File:MTMTE7_cvrRI.jpg|Cover RI
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Loose Ends, Part 2|#82]]
* Sergio Aragones' ''Groo: Artist's Edition''
* ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]''
* ''Regeneration One'' [[Loose Ends, Part 1|#81]]
* IDW's ''Mars Attacks'' comic (back cover)

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' ([[October 17]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613774982 / ISBN 978-1613774984 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #4–8.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, "Meet the Crew" and "Meet the 'Cons" pages.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2]]''''' ([[August 12]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631403648 / ISBN 978-1631403644
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' issues [[Law and Disorder|#1]]–[[Endgame|12]], ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]], [[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]'' & ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Orion Pax]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[Interference Patterns|#7]] & [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]]–[[Night and the City|9]], and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #6–8.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], 2015) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' volumes 1–5.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #7–13 and Annual 2012.
** Bonus material includes the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, design sketches from Alex Milne, a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Mer än ögat kan se''''' ([[June 15]], 2019)
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–8 & Annual 2012, ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' & ''Hoist'', and a special illustrated edition of "[[Bullets]]".
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol2.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V2.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2''''' – cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE_SWE_01.jpg|'''''Mer än ögat kan se''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2025-03-25T00:33:00Z

Yb124oaaai: one letter accidentally bolded

{{factions|autobot|decepticon}}
{{suite}}
[[File:MTMTE 46 Textless.jpeg|upright=1.4|thumb|Demolition while you wait.]]
A powerhouse fighter and always a rogue element, '''Grimlock''' is the leader of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]], a team of Autobots committed to doing their own thing their own way! Surly and disobedient, Grimlock is always at odds with authority... an attitude that changed everything when he disregarded orders to lead the Dynobots on a mission to destroy [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] on prehistoric Earth. Being buried for thousands of years, having his comrades turned against him, imprisonment in [[Garrus-9]], and an unlikely alliance with a [[Scavengers (G1)|squad of Decepticons]] were only some of the adventures that Grimlock faced as a result of that fateful mission!

{{First|''[[Spotlight: Shockwave]]''}}

{{bigquote|Will he be pleased to see us?}}
{{bigquote|Hell no. He's never pleased to see '''''anyone'''''.|Guzzle & Kup|[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #4]]}}

==Fiction==
===Joining the Autobots===
'''Grimlock of Iacon''' was a [[Reproduction#2005 IDW continuity|forged]] heavy-weight class [[Point One Percenter]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} He has been a warrior for millennia, although not always an obedient one. He was languishing in a military brig after angering a field commander when he met a fellow detainee named [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], and started swapping stories. Slag had shot a vice-admiral in the back to con him into a frontal assault, so Slag won the conversation. Grimlock thought this Slag guy sounded like a good bloke, and the two of them discussed the formation of their own rule-breaking strike team, the Dynobots. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 2|Maximum Dinobots #2}} Grimlock and the Dynobots would go on to serve under the [[Primal Vanguard]] {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}} as a covert strike force, carrying out over 200 missions under the command of [[Nominus Prime]] and receiving numerous commendations. {{storylink|Underworld (IDW)|Underworld}} {{storylink|Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 2|Grimlock profile}}

[[File:Scorponok grimlock soundwaves.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
Everything changed, however, when the team was sent to investigate a tunnel network below the [[Toraxxis Plains]]. Set upon by powerful [[cyber-morphic predator]]s, the Dynobots were forced to use technology developed by their medic, [[Skar (IDW)|Skar]], to scan the creatures and match their power. These new [[alternate mode]]s gave the team the edge needed to defeat their assailants, {{storylink|Underworld (IDW)|Underworld}} but Grimlock, unable to control the rage induced by his monstrous form, inadvertently killed Skar. {{storylink|Massacre}} On returning to base, the Dynobots were placed in quarantine for the study of their altered bodies, but overwhelmed with grief and a feeling of betrayal, they staged an escape and went on the run. {{storylink|Underworld (IDW)|Underworld}}

Having fallen from grace, the Dynobots began fighting in the gladiatorial pits. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}} There, the likes of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] regarded Grimlock as one of the greatest gladiators the pits had ever produced, having personally fought him one-on-one. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}} At the start of [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron's]] rise to power, the Dynobots turned out to an open casting call for Megatron's underground gladiatorial games, and got a good deal more respect from the Predacons than the other attendees. It turned out to be a recruitment drive for the Decepticon army. What they thought of that is unknown, as Autobot security forces raided the party soon after. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} While Megatron would mark Grimlock as a potential Decepticon of great potential, he was also acutely aware that for all his strength, Grimlock possessed a "flaw": compassion. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}}

[[File:Dinobots Autocracy Endgame.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|"The odds of survival are a million to one!" "And that's the way we LIKE it!"]]
Later, Grimlock and the Dynobots were in [[Ironfall]], at the [[Ring of Trials]], when they heard [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s call to arms against the new Decepticon insurrectionist government. The Dynobots responded on the side of the Autobots, and joined in the march on Megatron's citadel. {{storylink|Broadcast}} During the battle, Grimlock and his Dynobots took out [[Onslaught (G1)|a lot]] [[Brawl (G1)|of tanks]], sneering at the Decepticons' definition of "armored". {{storylink|Endgame}}

Not long after Megatron's defeat, the Dynobots once again disappeared from the radar and took to robbing energon reserves supplies, receiving intel from Swindle. After a raid proved less successful then had been hoped, Grimlock throttled an explanation from Swindle, who admitted that intelligence had suffered in the now Scorponok-dominated Decepticons. Releasing the Decepticon, Grimlock fretted over the idea that the longer the Dynobots remained on Cybertron, the greater the risk their unstable alternate modes posed to the populace. {{storylink|Derelicts}} Tempers in the Dynobot ranks soon flared as Slag accused Grimlock of dragging them from small-time raid to small-time raid because he enjoyed their life on the run. The pair began to lose their tempers, but were talked down by [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], who feared what would happen if they transformed. Their next raid was at the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]]. While they broke in, they were hindered by remote sentries until Grimlock killed their controller. Once they had captured the refinery, Grimlock ordered they wait for [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] to bring a truck to drain the energon. {{storylink|Wreckage (issue)|Wreckage}}

[[File:RageIDW GrimlockKillYou.jpg|upright=1.7|thumb|left|[[Beast (G1)|NO PLEASE NOT AGAIN]]!!!]]
Tempers continued to flare until a furious Slag seemingly abandoned his comrades, but returned at sunrise just as Scorponok's Decepticons arrived in their own bid to raid the refinery. However, Grimlock had triggered the refinery's alarm during the fight and summoned back-up in the form of the Autobots. {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}}

Using the arrival of the Autobots as a distraction, the Dynobots made their escape, followed by Scorponok, Blitzwing, Dai Atlas and Orion. Scorponok and Blitzwing managed to get ahead, and as Scorponok ordered Blitzwing to attack, Grimlock mocked him for hiding behind artillery. The two former gladiators clashed, the fight driving Grimlock into a rage. After stabbing Scorponok, Grimlock began to lose control, battering the Decepticon to the ground. As he advanced on his prey, Grimlock began to change into his bestial form, with his eyes changing from yellow to red and bladed ridges bursting through his exoskeleton. The Dynobots tried to restrain him, but he seemed to have lost control completely, crying out he'd kill them all. He was brought back to his senses by a shot from Orion. Grimlock begged Optimus to let him leave, but when the Autobot leader refused, Grimlock threatened to blow the refinery up, killing everyone there. By appealing to his better nature, Optimus managed to talk Grimlock down, but this only allowed Scorponok to attempt the very same thing. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}} Grimlock survived the subsequent explosion, but was left wandering the ashen blast crater alone. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}}

[[File:Monstrosity9 Grimlock beast mode.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|She is learning where she fits on the food chain and I'm not sure you want her to figure that out.]]
Eventually, Grimlock was found by both [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] and his teammates, who, with some difficulty, managed to convince him that Optimus Prime could be able to help the "cursed" Dynobots. {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}} They met up with the Prime at [[Starsreach Spaceport]], where a mass exodus of neutral Cybertronians was occurring, but the entire group was caught in a Decepticon aerial bombardment ordered by Scorponok. Enraged, Grimlock fully transformed into his [[beast mode]] and attacked the Decepticon ground forces, {{storylink|Massacre}} with such vigor that they effected a full retreat. Still in a fury, it took Optimus to subdue and calm Grimlock sufficiently for him to revert to robot mode. Despite Prime's efforts to convince them otherwise, the Dynobots proceeded with their plan to get themselves away from Cybertron, leaving the spaceport in a shuttle. {{storylink|Unleashed}}

However, an [[Trypticon (G1)|ancient monster]] appeared on the surface not long afterwards, accompanied by the same predators that the Dynobots had fought beneath Toraxxis. Unwilling to leave the Autobots to their fate, Grimlock turned the ship around and air-dropped with his team to the surface, where they were able to fight off the smaller beasts. When Megatron approached a wounded Optimus Prime, Grimlock leapt to the rescue. Engrossed in combat, neither the Dynobot or Decepticon noticed Trypticon lean down towards them, and the creature swallowed them whole. {{storylink|Annihilation}}

[[File:BellyOfTheBeast GrimlockCarriesPrime.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
Trapped inside the monster, the two enemies were attacked by more of the dragon-beasts, revealing to Grimlock that they were generated from inside Trypticon. Agreeing to a temporary alliance to escape alive, Megatron and Grimlock fought their way to the beast's plasma-core, where they found vast containers of an aggression and power-boosting energon substance. With Megatron covering him, Grimlock went to destroy the reservoirs, but was halted when proximity to the volatile fuel began increasing his rage. Fighting through the impulses, the Dynobot cleaved open the tanks, felling Trypticon. Emerging just after Megatron, Grimlock found Prime close to death, and decided to let his battle with Megatron wait until another day so the wounded Autobots could be taken to safety. As they retreated, leaving the inert Trypticon in Decepticon hands, Grimlock asked [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] for his help in curing the Dynobots. {{storylink|Belly of the Beast (issue)|Belly of the Beast}}

Though Grimlock was worst off among the Dynobots, Autobot scientists were eventually able to purify his corrupted energon and re-engineer his original altmode, curing him. He was sent to check up on Trypticon's body together with [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]], but the optimism of the young recruit got on his nerves and an argument broke out between the two when he accused Hot Rod of not understanding pain and guilt. They quickly shut up upon noticing that Trypticon had disappeared. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} The beast soon reappeared from the depths of space on a collision course with Iacon, prompting an emergency security meeting which Grimlock attended. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}} Once this turned out to be the first step of a Decepticon invasion plan, he took to the battlefield, fighting [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] and [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] before being confronted by [[Blackwall]], an old rival from his gladiator days. {{storylink|Primacy issue 3|Primacy #3}} Though outpowered in hand-to-hand combat, Grimlock prevailed by stabbing Blackwall in the head with his sword, proclaiming he was better at fighting dirty. He then gathered his Dynobots and led them into battle against the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], saving Hot Rod from the beasts and personally breaking [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]]'s jaws off. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

[[File:TheChaosOfWarmThings GrimlockAllegiance.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6]]
At some point during the war, Grimlock's natural distrust for authority led him to briefly defect to the Decepticons. {{storylink|Animals}} {{storylink|Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 2|Grimlock profile}} For one reason or another, he eventually went back to the Autobots; Megatron was so furious at losing the powerful warrior that he ordered the dreaded [[Decepticon Justice Division]] to bump the Dynobot commander up their infamous [[The List|List]]. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}} {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}}

Returning to the Autobots, Grimlock tussled with the DJD several times; in one encounter, he was responsible for mangling the face of their leader, [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]]. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}}

===On Earth===
In no small part due to Grimlock's influence, the Dynobots remained a group of close knit hunters and guardsmen who preferred to work outside the Autobot rulebook, though still on the same side. Grimlock was among the Autobots fighting atop the Decepticon warship ''[[Hell's Point]]'' during a [[Battle for Hell's Point|particularly brutal fight]]. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} After the war spread off-world, the Dynobots fought a campaign on [[Varas Centralus]], where their brutality horrified even the [[Wreckers]]. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (issue)|The Killing Jar}} A campaign on another alien world ended with its native population reduced to a mere handful of survivors. When Optimus Prime arrived in the aftermath, Grimlock had to prevent a bitter Slag from attacking the Autobot leader, even though he agreed with Slag's take that Prime was becoming too detached from the cost of war. {{storylink|Post}} After [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] destroyed a cache of energon the Dynobots had been hoarding, causing them severe energon burns and equally severe humiliation, they swore revenge. So, against orders from Optimus Prime, they followed Shockwave when he left Cybertron to stabilize "[[Ore-13|Ultra-Energon]]" deposits he had sent to other worlds as a precaution against the depletion of Cybertron's own energon reserves.

[[File:SpotlightShockwave GrimlockSlag trexscan.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|Me Grimlock in love!]]
When Shockwave reached his first destination—Earth, at the end of the last Ice Age—the Dynobots destroyed his ship, but Slag revealed that the high energon levels of the planet would put them in stasis lock, since they hadn't come prepared like Shockwave. Slag then came up with the idea that they should scan the local life forms and create alt modes based on those animals, but with synthetic flesh coatings to protect against the high levels of energon radiation. Grimlock was completely against the idea, but since Slag couldn't come up with something better, he relented. However, he refused to take on the form of the weak mammalians that dominated the planet, demanding "something with some... bite." Scanning fossil deposits, Slag found the remains of some [[Dinosaur (dinosaur)|extinct reptilian animals]] and brought up a holographic representation of one to see if Grimlock approved. What popped up was a ''Tyrannosaurus rex'', which Grimlock seemed to fall in love with the moment he saw it. The choice made, Grimlock took the Tyrannosaur as his altmode and had Slag find more dinosaurs as templates for the rest of the Dynobots.

[[File:SpotlightShockwave Grimlock stasislock.jpg|right|upright=1.0|thumb|One, two three... Red light!]]
On teleporting down to the planet's surface to confront Shockwave, they gained an initial advantage, as Shockwave's logic was unable to comprehend the effort and risks they had taken for their revenge. However, when Shockwave recognized this weakness, he shut down his logic processors and executed a "rage" program to enable him to operate on pure instinct. He shrugged off the Dynobots' attacks and beat them severely, ending the assault by burning off their organic coatings. Unable to accept another defeat, Grimlock transformed to robot mode and fought against his imminent [[stasis lock]] to no avail.

However, before leaving the Dynobots' ship, he had enabled a "dead man's switch" designed to take Shockwave with them if they were defeated. When he entered stasis lock, this failsafe activated, firing on a nearby dormant volcano and causing an eruption which buried Shockwave and the Dynobots under ash and lava. Thousands of years later, their entombed bodies were discovered by a human archaeological team. {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}}

In [[2007]], the [[human]] organization [[Skywatch]] took over jurisdiction of the dig site and excavated Shockwave and the Dynobots. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} When the [[Reaper]]s attacked the Decepticons, Skywatch decided to awaken the most advanced of their "Eureka Six", which turned out to be Grimlock. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[File:SpotlightGrimlock punch KLUNG.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|left|Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, Punch! Daylight come and me Grimlock wanna go home.]]
Grimlock's reactivation was sabotaged by an agent of the [[Machination]] and when he awoke, they had no control over him. He escaped the facility, confused and angry. His escape was engineered by the head of the Machination, Scorponok, who wanted Grimlock to join him in the Machination plot to dominate the Earth by running interference and delaying Megatron's plans long enough for the Machination to put their plans into action.

[[File:GrimlockMaxDino01.jpg|right|upright=1.2|thumb|Me Grimlock's roar sound funny...]]
Grimlock considered for a second, but refused the offer for two reasons: he could turn Scorponok in to Ultra Magnus for redemption, and as revenge for Scorponok once robbing an installation the Dynobots were guarding. The two fought and Scorponok quickly gained the upper hand, mostly due to his [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] upgrade. Grimlock was able to activate his transporter chip, which beamed him back to his ship, the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]'', which was buried deep in ice somewhere. Grimlock hoped he could use the ship to find the other Dynobots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}}

Finding himself trapped, both on a useless ship and in a less than inconspicuous form, Grimlock was forced to try and contact some of his less reputable acquaintances in an attempt to get the ''Skyfire'' into some sort of working order. Meanwhile, the Machination had tracked him down and had sent their [[Sunstreaker clone|Tsunami Unit]] to apprehend him. Grimlock's early warning system detected them, and he circled round as they began to attack, bursting from the ice and transforming. The battle very quickly turned in his favor with four of the clones falling in the opening moments. The surviving Headmasters were rather shaken, but managed to fulfill their mission: attach a device which would [[Orbital jump|orbital bounce]] him to Nevada, near Skywatch's base. Grimlock materialized in the middle of a busy street in [[Fallon]]. As a car crashed into his toe, he realized things had just gone from bad to worse. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 1|Maximum Dinobots #1}}

[[File:GrimlockSludgeSwoopMaxDino02.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|left|Hey... he stole that move from Shockwave!]]
Grimlock knew Scorponok was trying to deliberately set him up as a rampaging monster, but ''didn't'' expect his fellow Dynobots to be sent to take him down! He was able to fight them all off but unable to break their reprogramming by appealing to their team ethos...and when they ''did'' regain sentience and memory, it was because Scorponok let them so they could get pissed off at the knowledge Grimlock had set up a "dead man's switch" ''without'' informing them. Grimlock's defence was that such a sneaky, amoral and rule-breaking act was what the Dynobots were ''all about'', which surprisingly worked. While saying this, he grudgingly and with much moaning saved a human from burning to death. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 2|Maximum Dinobots #2}}

Convinced he'd brought his team round, Grimlock began issuing orders, only to be met by an icy silence. Swoop spoke for the group, saying his trust was hard earned and Grimlock tossed it away. Disgusted, he abandoned the team, prompting the others to follow. Grimlock tried pleading with them, then turned in a huff, stating he'd be better off on his own. He was interrupted by the arrival of the Sunstreaker clones, who blasted him in the chest. Enraged, he vented his frustrations on the clones until their laser blasts began to wear him down. He was saved by the arrival of the other Dynobots, who felt that whatever had happened, they were still a team. However, they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of clones, until the arrival of the "help" Grimlock had requested earlier: the [[Monsterbot (G1)|Monsterbot]]s. Seeing the newcomers take the fight to the enemy, Grimlock ordered his unit to show the Monsterbots how it's ''really'' done. Decimated and demoralized, the surviving Machination clones escaped with their lives. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 3|Maximum Dinobots #3}}

[[File:MaxDinos3 Grimlock SS clone.jpg|right|upright=1.66|thumb|Me Grimlock best is at what do. And it not very nice.]]
Aboard the Monsterbots' ship, the Dynobots wondered why Grimlock would side with the outcasts. They gave Grimlock a stern look when he exited the cockpit. The Dynobots didn't see the point of fighting Scorponok, but Grimlock said that Scorponok made it their fight when he turned the Dynobots against him. Snarl disagreed, saying that it had always been Grimlock's fight, that he and the other Dynobots went along with him, and that it was now Grimlock's wounded pride at stake. After the Monsterbots blasted away the defenses, Grimlock exited the ship, saying that there was no way he could let this go, and that with or without the Dynobots, there would be a reckoning for Scorponok. The Dynobots decided that arguing was pointless and followed Grimlock. When [[Hunter O'Nion]] pulled the cords from [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'s head, shutting him down, the clones ceased to function. [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] cried out in victory, but the moment was short-lived as Scorponok blasted Sludge into stasis. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 4|Maximum Dinobots #4}}

[[File:MaxDinos5 Grimlock Sludge.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|left|He's dead, Grim.]]
Grimlock stared down at Sludge's dead body, brooding about how it was his fault Sludge was dead... while a battle between Scorponok and Shockwave (for rights of revenge upon Grimlock) raged on around him. Eventually Snarl, Slag, and Swoop decide to get to the Monsterbots' ship while the getting was good, but Grimlock stayed behind with Sludge. Grimlock tried infusing some of his [[spark]] energy into Sludge to revive him, but it seemed to have no effect. Shockwave got the upper hand and let Scorponok escape, and in frustration, Grimlock attacked Shockwave. Grimlock and Shockwave were too busy fighting to notice the return of Slag, Snarl, and Swoop, who reasoned that, while helping Grimlock might not be much of a cause, it still beat being no better than the Monsterbots. They were noticed by Sludge, who seemed to have recovered due to Grimlock's treatment after all. The four of them dove into the fray proper, but Grimlock ordered them to go after Scorponok instead. When [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] was about to get squished by Scorponok, the remaining Dynobots showed up in just the nick of time. At Hot Rod's urgings, Swoop severed the connections keeping Scorponok's head conscious. In the meantime, Grimlock had found out Shockwave was using their battle to stall for time so that Soundwave could free him from Skywatch's control. The Decepticon attempted to abandon the fight, but Grimlock stubbornly refused to let him walk away, and rolled out a grenade, which incapacitated them both.

[[File:MaxDinos5 Grimlock Magnus.jpg|right|upright=1.9|thumb|Magnus was unaware that Grimlock had watched ''[[Jurassic Park]]'', and had already hired a fat man to bring the fences down.]]

By this time [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] had arrived and taken Scorponok into custody. Grimlock and Shockwave were both arrested and taken off-world. Ultra Magnus later told Grimlock that having Scorponok and Shockwave in custody could help offset Grimlock's own sentence. Grimlock wasn't interested, asking only that the blame was put squarely on him and that the other Dynobots' warrants were cancelled. Magnus agreed, and Grimlock was left to muse on the fact that Sludge and his team were alive and well, thanks to him. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}

Grimlock was taken to [[Garrus-9]], {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}} an offworld detention facility that, unbeknownst to the Autobot rank and file, was also the secret storage location for the artifact known as the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]]. When Grimlock arrived, it was decided that the Autobots would store the Magnificence in the one place harder to get into than a fortified prison world: Grimlock himself. As such, Grimlock's chest was modified to include a secure, tamperproof brace designed to house the artifact. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}}

Grimlock spent a few months in a private cell, {{storylink|Kill All 'Cons}} until the Decepticon [[Surge (event)|Surge]]. As the Autobot war machine collapsed, Garrus-9 was assaulted and overrun by the rogue Decepticon [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] and his [[Predator (subgroup)|Predators]], who seized control of the detention facility. Overlord turned the prison into his own personal playground, forcing prisoners and guards, Autobots and Decepticons alike, to fight for his amusement... except for Grimlock, who Overlord kept alive, forcing him to watch footage of the pit fights. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}}

[[File:TheTiesThatBind GrimlockTortured.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left|They forced him to watch the [[Machinima]] trilogy on endless repeat.]]
Shortly after their initial escape from Garrus-9, Scorponok and [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] came into the employ of the enigmatic [[Adaptus|Grand Architect]], who required the Magnificence to advance his own agenda. {{storylink|Kill All 'Cons}} The two of them used the interspacial portal network known as the [[Warren]] to teleport Grimlock out of his cell and onto their [[Worldsweeper]]-class starship; unable to pry the Magnificence free from Grimlock's chest, the two of them tortured Grimlock mentally and physically until the Dynobot lost control of his body and involuntarily relinquished the artifact. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}}

Though Grimlock was still alive, he had suffered acute mental and physical trauma as a result of his recent experiences: in his case, it manifested as severe aphasia stemming from his recently incurred brain damage. {{storylink|Kill All 'Cons}} In this primitive state, Grimlock was no longer needed: he was imprisoned inside a [[stasis pod|stasis tube]] and remained there for several years. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} When the Grand Architect's research facility on the planet [[Corritan]] was decommissioned, the Worldsweeper-class vessel Grimlock was imprisoned aboard was selected to transport the nascent experiments to a nearby facility. {{storylink|Chasing the Infinite}} However, organic matter bled into its fuel supply and the ship crashed on the planet [[Clemency]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

By the time that the [[Wreckers]] arrived to rescue the inhabitants of Garrus-9, they discovered that Grimlock had disappeared. [[Snare]] confirmed that Grimlock was "long gone," and wondered if his torture at the hands of Overlord had driven him mad. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}}

===After the war===
[[File:MTMTE ROE Grimlock.jpg|thumb|right||"This is how you make dinosaurs?" "No, this is how you play God".]]

Shortly after the end of the Great War in 2012, a mismatched group of Decepticons known as the "[[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]]" stumbled across Grimlock's tube on Clemency. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} These Decepticons had made themselves targets for the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] and quickly decided to use Grimlock to their advantage, awakening him with a dose of [[circuit speeder]]s that drove him into a ferocious rage and pointing him in the direction of their hunters. Unfortunately, after a brief burst of violence and success against [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] and [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]], Grimlock all but stopped fighting following a blow from [[Tesarus (G1)|Tesarus]], and would have been destroyed by the weaponized speech of Tarn if the battle had not prematurely ended when their opponents picked up the trail of [[Overlord (G1)|bigger game]] and departed. In the aftermath, when the speeders had worn off, the Scavengers found that Grimlock had been rendered incoherent by his brain-damage. Believing that the Autobots had won the war, they set off for Cybertron, believing they could use him as a bargaining chip. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}}

[[File:Scavengers arm the lonely.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Winning is easy when everyone else is dead!]]

Later, aboard the ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]'' on the planet [[Constancy]], Grimlock was playing a game similar to [[Jenga]] whilst completely oblivious to the effects of [[Solomus|Tyrest]]'s [[universal killswitch]] on his shipmates. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}}

After learning what had transpired on Cybertron in their absence, however, the Scavengers abandoned their plans to return home and continued wandering the galaxy aboard the ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]''. Over the next few years, the Scavenger [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] took a particular liking to Grimlock; in between various madcap adventures, he attempted to rehabilitate the Dinobot by trying to teach him how to speak, read, and write. Though Grimlock's body quickly healed, he remained incapable of speech and was prone to lashing out at anything around him without warning—fits that only grew more destructive as he recovered his strength.

When the Scavengers made a stopover on [[Tebris VII]], Grimlock was in the middle of another unsuccessful spelling lesson when he abruptly began attacking Misfire. Grimlock rampaged through the ship before the other Scavengers blasted him into submission; an argument about whether or not they could safely keep the increasingly destructive Dinobot around was interrupted by a transmission from [[Krok (G1)|Krok]]'s contact [[Demus]].

Leaving Grimlock behind on the crashed W.A.P., they went to meet Demus; {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}} unbeknownst to the Scavengers, he was an affiliate of the Grand Architect, {{storylink|Animals}} and sought to take Grimlock "off their hands" by tempting them with a vast sum of [[Shanix]]. The vote turned in favor of selling the Dinobot, but the matter quickly became moot when [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] blew Demus's head up. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}}

[[File:Grimlock and Misfire.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|right|Me..Grimlock...am..feeling...a bit better in cognitive faculties.]]
To protect himself, Crankcase made Grimlock's signal visible to Fort Max, who decided it was better to go after the former G-9 inmate. When the duly appointed enforcer of the Tyrest Accords arrived at the W.A.P., Grimlock was in the middle of writing something. He soon attacked Fort Max, who believed Grimlock had turned 'con again. Their battle was cut short when the Scavengers appeared and talked Max out of fighting by explaining their story with Grimlock. Maximus proposed bringing the Dinobot to Luna 1 to Misfire's agreement, but he was met with objection from Spinister, who noted that they should ask Grimlock his opinion; to which he managed to sputter out Misfire's name. After bluffing Maximus into leaving the planet with the Roboids, the Scavengers returned to space in the ''Weak Anthropic Principle''. Misfire, having lost a game of "[[Cybertronian games#Shoot Shoot Bang Bang|Shoot Shoot Bang Bang]]", escorted Grimlock to his quarters and was left stunned when the Dinobot replied to him, but the Decepticon failed to notice what he'd drawn before Max had shown up: a gear-shaped symbol and writing the message "PREPARE - CONFRONT - REPEL". {{storylink|Animals}}

Grimlock would later watch the disturbing last will and testament of several of the ''Lost Light'' crew. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} Unknown to him, shortly after they recorded those, [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] had had a vision of himself, Grimlock, and Rodimus standing against an apocalyptic threat, with "PREPARE - CONFRONT - REPEL" inscribed before them in [[Ancient Cybertronian]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}}

[[File:GrimlockPresent.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6|His name was Slag! NONE OF YOU BELIEVED ME!]]

When the Scavengers paid a brief visit to Earth, specifically the [[Texas]] region, Grimlock recognised this as the place he'd last seen the other Dinobots. Unable to articulate his reasons, he escaped the ship and inadvertently smashed up several human towns (injuring dozens of people) in an attempt to get to Dallas. Misfire found him digging up his old sword, the names of his comrades inscribed, before he sadly handed it to the Decepticon. After consoling him, Misfire told Grimlock that he was thrilled to see he'd recovered a memory, something he'd assumed was impossible. {{storylink|Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!}}

Grimlock and the Scavengers were scrounging for [[ununtrium]] on [[Frayus]] when they stumbled into a battle between the [[Galactic Council]], [[Black Block Consortia]], and [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]]'s Decepticons. Not wanting to get involved, the Scavengers were drawn into a mysterious portal when their orbital link back to the W.A.P. failed. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

They found themselves on [[Troja Major]] with the Curator, a former Decepticon named [[Agonizer]]. The Curator had recently discovered his rival, [[Mengel]], had been in possession of the Magnificence before it was recovered from her by Flame. He wanted to hire the Scavengers to retrieve the Magnificence for him. Unaware of the past link between Grimlock and the Magnificence, Misfire believed he could use it to fully restore Grimlock's mind. For that, and a tidy sum of money, the Scavengers agreed. They were joined by Nickel, a Decepticon doctor from Deathsaurus's crew who accidentally tumbled through the portal after them.

[[File:KillAllCons-panic.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.25]]
On [[Confluence]], however, the Scavengers quickly realized they were out of their depth. They discovered the connection between Flame, Scorponok, and the Worldsweeper they found Grimlock inside. Scorponok himself appeared and put Grimlock to sleep with a wave of his hand. He contained the Scavengers and the unconscious Grimlock in a cell on board his Worldsweeper. When the Scavengers opened up Grimlock's chest cavity looking for whatever device allowed Scorponok to knock him out, they discovered the Magnificence cradle and Scorponok filled them in on the rest. Then he woke Grimlock up. Confused, enraged, and feeling utterly vulnerable to find his chest open and surrounded by Decepticons, Grimlock started to tear through everyone in sight. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}}

[[File:KillAllCons MisfireGrimlockPals.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|left]]
Nickel had been paying attention, however, and she noticed Grimlock was more coherent and reasonable in dino mode. She forcibly triggered his transformation, allowing Misfire to talk Grimlock down. Nickel explained her theory that Grimlock suffered from non-fluent aphasia, and in dino mode his brain module was repositioned to have less pressure placed upon it. With Spinister's help, she coordinated a treatment to manipulate that pressure and restore Grimlock's faculties fully in either mode. The Scavengers then decided to "play dead", making it appear as if Grimlock destroyed them all before asking for an audience with Scorponok. Once Grimlock was out of the cell and distracting Scorponok, the Scavengers reassembled themselves and made a surprise appearance.

A mad scientist to his core, Scorponok explained his plan to extract Decepticon sparks and place them in organic bodies to take advantage of their one upside: procreation. Once his sparked organics had suitably repopulated the Decepticon movement, he would transfer the new generation into pre-fabricated bodies to restore the might of the Decepticon army. Indeed, he had already created the prototype of his experiment, an infant [[Firstborn]] contained in his chest cavity. Not one for volunteers, Scorponok had discovered the means to remotely access Decepticon sparks through the spark casing elements in their badges, affecting them as he did to Grimlock. Scorponok tried to incapacitate all the Scavengers this way, but Nickel disabled him with a voice message from Tarn.

[[File:KillAllCons GrimlockProtectsFirstborn.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|How about "Lone Dino And Con"? No, no wait- "The Grimdalorian".]]
Grimlock and the Scavengers retrieved the Firstborn and prepared to leave the Worldsweeper via transmat portal. They intended to travel to Garrus-9 and use spark extraction technology to place the Firstborn's spark back in a mechanical body. Unfortunately, it seemed the transmat effect was hazardous to organics, meaning the baby would not survive. Grimlock volunteered to stay behind, protecting the baby in his chest brace while destroying the portal controls so Scorponok could not follow. He forcibly pushed Misfire and the others through the portal before preparing to fight. {{storylink|Kill All 'Cons}}

[[File:ADanceBeforeDying GrimlockCrushesSparkeaters.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"We need more teeth!"]]
After fighting his way through the Worldsweeper, Grimlock escaped into the vacuum of space. He sent out an A.S.O.S. and was picked up by [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]], [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], recently of the ''Lost Light''. Learning of the mutiny they suffered, Grimlock agreed to help chase down Getaway after they dropped off the Firstborn on Troja Major with Agonizer. Following a tracking device, they found the ''Lost Light'' over [[Mederi]] and Grimlock engaged a group of [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeaters]] unleashed on Rodimus and the other survivors of the ''Light's'' original command crew. Unfortunately, these Sparkeaters were the ''other'' members of the crew, twisted against their will by a virus used by Scorponok.

Grimlock joined Crankcase, Ultra Magnus, and others on a strike team that penetrated the ''Lost Light'' while Misfire and the others remained behind to deal with the Sparkeaters. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}} They were assaulted by [[Scraplet|Red Scraplets]] Getaway had been keeping in the oil reservoir, but [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] was able to tame them. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}} The ''Lost Light'' was recovered and the Sparkeaters safely disabled. The united group then found themselves facing off against the schemes of the [[Adaptus|Grand Architect]], the force behind Scorponok and Getaway. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}} The Grand Architect's actions were only in response to an even ''greater'' threat: the Cybertron of [[Functionist Universe|another universe]], transformed into a secondary robot mode patterned after Primus, intent on destroying all other life in two universes. Grimlock's plan (naturally) was to blow it up. However, Megatron (having recently spent time in that universe) warned that Cybertron was still populated with innocents. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

[[File:LL25 ScavengersOut.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|right]]
After rescuing Rodimus and the others, who had just discovered [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s true nature as Primus as well as the creator of the [[Matrix of Leadership]], the crew hit on a plan to create twelve Matrixes to use to surge [[Vector Sigma]] with energy and destroy the [[Functionist Council]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} Once the Functionist Cybertron had been forcibly converted back into planet mode, Grimlock and Misfire accompanied [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] to [[Warrior's Gate]]. While Grimlock held off the [[Functionary|Functionaries]], Swerve and Misfire successfully opened their Matrix after an uplifting speech from Rodimus, sending its energies through the [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]] into Vector Sigma and destroying the Functionist Council. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

After partaking in one last celebration on the ''Lost Light'' where they made peace with Fortress Maximus, Grimlock and the Scavengers departed for Troja Major to meet up with [[CONS4EVA]]. In another universe, the Scavengers were [[Quantum generator|quantum duplicated]] and went on more adventures aboard the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Grimlock was retroactively identified as a Forged Point One Percenter in the trade version of [[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|''More than Meets the Eye'' #19]]. [[Minimus Ambus]] listed [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] instead of Grimlock in the original published issue, but that was at odds with Impactor being a defendant at the [[Aequitas]] trials, and therefore Constructed Cold.
*According to [[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 2|''Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook'' #2]], Grimlock is 38 feet tall and weights 24 tons.<ref>For reference, this equals 11.6 metres and 21.8 metric tonnes.</ref>
*Both [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and Grimlock were originally intended to be large players in ''Last Stand of the Wreckers''. Scorponok would have acted as [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'s go to guy for crazy science and would develop [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] as a steroid analogue. The nucleon would power fighters up but damage their mental state. Scorponok would have solved the problem of not having a head by stealing [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]'s. Grimlock would have been dosed up on nucleon, trapping him in his dinosaur form, and rendering him a psychotic beast. Overlord was to have gone on to use him as the final opponent for anyone who progressed far enough in the arena. It was then intended that Overlord's defeat would come from the Wreckers knocking him into the arena with the enraged Grimlock. Although Grimlock did indeed have a minor part in the series, it was decided to deliberately minimalise any 'big name' characters at Garrus-9 so as not to overshadow the Wreckers.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2uzQB1GqS0 Auto Assembly 2010 Last Stand of the Wreckers Panel]</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9DPbginVXE Moonbase 2's AA2010 interview], 30:06 - 31:03</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Generation 1 Dinobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:Point One Percenters]]

Rules of Disengagement (issue)

2025-03-23T22:48:14Z

Yb124oaaai:

{{disambigr|Rules of Disengagement|the mobile game event|Rules of Disengagement (Legends)}}
{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=7
|prev=Interiors
|next=Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations
|seriesissue2="Scavengers"
|next2=Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?
|caption=
|image=MTMTE7_cvrA.jpg
|title="Rules of Disengagement"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 25]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=July 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''A mismatched group of Decepticons find themselves in the crosshairs of the deadliest team of killers there is... the Decepticon Justice Division!'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Mtmte7 djd.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"No one cared who I was until I put on the mask."]]
As a [[Phase Sixer]], [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]] is one of the most feared Decepticons, having tackled the [[Wreckers]] single-handedly, defeated the entire [[113th Battalion]], and massacred the population of [[Rigel IV]]. But when he accepted a bribe to blow up a fleet of [[Warworld|War Worlds]], he landed himself in the sights of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], a team of vicious killers fanatically dedicated to [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] and charged with destroying all who cross him. It's not a pretty sight when the D.J.D. catch up to Black Shadow: melted by [[Helex (G1)|Helex]], crushed by [[Tesarus (G1)|Tesarus]], and electrocuted by [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]], he is explosively finished off when DJD leader [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] uses his ability of "weaponized conversation" to stop the pulse of his [[spark]]. Their task done, the DJD set off to find their next target on the planet of [[Clemency]]—a target guilty of simply living.

On the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], and [[Ambulon]] combine their medical expertise to save the life of the wounded [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], though the psychiatrist remains comatose. A few hours later, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] visits Rung in secrecy, believing—in his increasing paranoia—that the attempt on Rung's life was a deliberate one after Red told him about the voice he heard from beneath the ship. Certain that he is next, Red hides a [[data slug]] containing video he has taken of the voice's owner—[[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]—on Rung's body and bids him goodbye. But a medical [[Diagnostic Drone]] has observed the entire thing, and soon, a shadowed figure arrives in the medibay and recovers the slug...

[[File:RulesofDisengagement-FulcrumMisfire.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
On Clemency, a band of [[Decepticon]] [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]] consisting of [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]], [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], [[Krok (G1)|Krok]], [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]], and [[Flywheels]] are in the process of draining [[Transformer fuel|fuel]] from the vast array of Transformer corpses that litter the war-torn world when one of them, a chipper fellow named [[Fulcrum]], proves to be still alive. After a slight panic over the possibility that he might be a [[zombie]], the six 'cons settle down around a fire to talk about the great battle in Clemency's past, and the grim reality of war and how it reduces lives to statistics. Fulcrum is shocked to discover that the war is ''over'', barely able to comprehend such a thing, and the other Decepticons mumble about how meaningless it all turned out to be and how unclear their goals had been anyway. In spite of this, though, when one of the Autobot bodies stoking the Decepticons' fire proves to still be alive, Krok casually kills the poor 'bot.

Back on the ''Lost Light'', [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] visits [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] in his lab to get the scientist's analysis of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'s mysterious gun, which Chromedome palmed from the theoretician when he was distracted. The weapon immediately blew up when Brainstorm tried to examine it, but he was able to recognise at least some of the engineering, and has concluded that as impossible as it may seem, the gun may have come from somewhere known as "the [[Institute]]"...

[[File:MTMTE7 artificial gravity.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2.2]]
As dawn breaks on Clemency, the Decepticons resume their scavenging, only for Misfire to suddenly break away from the group, thinking that he has spotted the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]], a mythical Grim Reaper-like figure in Cybertronian culture. Instead, what he has discovered is a P-6 [[Worldsweeper]], a famous model of gigantic Decepticon spaceship cast in the image of the faction's [[insignia]]. Investigating the vessel, the Decepticons make some horrifyingly strange discoveries: a ceiling covered entirely in [[brain module]]s, tanks of warped, malformed [[protoform]]s, [[Treecon|a non-functional robot]] made entirely of wood, and a corridor composed of organic flesh that proves to have been responsible for causing the ship to crash, having ''bled'' into the fuel supply and polluted it. Misfire in particular is aghast and advocates immediate departure, but Fulcrum, coming around to the idea of new horizons, is eager to investigate. All emotions on the ship quickly turn to terror, however, when Krok receives a communication from the D.J.D., announcing that one of their number is on the Division's list. Tarn signs off with the promise that if the guilty party is handed over, the other six will be allowed to watch his execution. The numbers don't add up, and Fulcrum assumes the D.J.D. simply miscounted their life-signs... but Krok soon discovers that there is indeed a seventh party on the ship, unconscious and sealed in a stasis tube... [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum">[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=301648#301648 James Roberts, IDW forum]: A while back I was PM'd by Ironhide/Paul, who asked me for some information on the Wreckers who showed up in the flashback on Page 1 of issue 7. I promised to post something on this forum. Here's the relevant extract from the script:

2 / Flashback. BLACK SHADOW fights the Wreckers (an old version of the team) at close quarters: tight, dirty and violent. He rips CREST’s head off and blasts PISTON through the chest, killing him. Also in shot are VALVE, HYPERION, IMPACTOR and RACK, all trying to get a piece of him. But it’s clear that Black Shadow owns this fight. Crest has been mentioned but not seen before, but should be readily identifiable by a big old crest on his chest. Valve is a spark brother to Springarm and Wheelarch, so should look like them. Piston is all-new. Hyperion was glimpsed in MTMTE issue 2.</ref> (2)
* ''[[Rack'n'Ruin (G1)|Rack]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (3)
* ''[[Valve]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (4)
* ''[[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (6)
* ''[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'' (7)
* ''[[Crest]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (8)
* ''[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'' (9)
* ''[[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]'' (10)
* ''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (11)
* ''[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'' (12)
* ''[[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]'' (13)
* ''[[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]]'' (14)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (21)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (22)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (23)
* [[Ambulon]] (24)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (25)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (26)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (27)
* [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (34)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (35)
* ''[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'' (36)
* [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (37)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] (1)
* [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]] (5)
* [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]] (15)
* [[Helex (G1)|Helex]] (16)
* [[Tesarus (G1)|Tesarus]] (17)
* [[Vos (G1)|Vos]] (18)
* ''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (19)
* [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (28)
* [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (28)
* [[Flywheels]] (30)
* [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (31)
* [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (32)
* [[Fulcrum]] (33)
|c4=
* [[Dominus Ambus|The Pet]] (20)
}}

==Quotes==
"'My weapon is my burden: a reminder of the path I was forced to take. When the word 'weapon' is emptied of meaning; when the '''purpose''' of a weapon is impossible to grasp; when the rejection of my weapon is of significance to no one other than myself... only then shall I remove it from my arm. Because only then will I have earned the right to rid myself of my burden.'"
:—'''Tarn''' recites a passage from Megatron's ''[[Towards Peace]]''

"Nice to meet you, loser! They call me '''Misfire'''. Long story. Actually, you know what? It isn't. It's a very short story involving a machine gun, a '''misunderstanding''', and a dozen dead Decepticons."
:—In the IDW-universe, '''Misfire''' actually managed to hit something!

'''Fulcrum:''' "Ah! Now! Just—just wait a second! Just— The thing about me—my big thing is this: I'm really not keen on '''dying'''. Now '''survival'''—oh wow, '''huge''' fan. Put me down for some of '''that'''. Besides, we don't even know each other! You might '''like''' me! You might find me—disarming! Yes! I'd '''disarm''' you!" 
'''Spinister:''' "You'd '''what''' me?" 
'''Flywheels:''' "Careful—he's using words to confuse and frighten us."

"'''Go away.''' I'm busier than you've ever been and I'm doing more important things than you've ever done." 
"It's Chromedome." 
"So?" 
"So you have to be '''nice''' to me, I'm your only friend. Why are you—?" 
"Building weapons whilst hanging from the ceiling? Because no one else can. I was hoping '''Perceptor''' would walk in."
:—'''Brainstorm''' and '''Chromedome'''

"Chromedome, you're looking at a bona fide '''Binary Gun.'''" 
"What's a Binary Gun?" 
"I'm not sure—I've only just made up the name. But I called it that because inside there's only room for two cartridges, '''here''' and '''here.'''" 
"So what does it '''do?''' Where'd Skids get it? Why'd he carry it around with him all the time?" 
"I don't know! I've done my bit...!" 
"You made the gun '''blow up''' and then you '''gave it a name!''' I could have done that '''and''' I'd have come up with a better name!"
:—'''Brainstorm''' and '''Chromedome''' again

"But there's '''always''' been a war! That's like saying there's no more '''blue''' or—or the '''weather's''' stopped!"
:—'''Fulcrum''' catches up on recent history

"I always dreamed of captaining my own P-6—Followin' the likes of [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] and the other big guns. I'd have called it something '''noble''' and '''majestic''', like '''''Mega Starpuncher''''' or '''''Mighty Spaceship'''''."
:—'''Crankcase'''

"You know, there are some Decepticons who, upon finding themselves in a skin-covered room surrounded by '''aborted protoforms''' and '''mechanoids made of bark,''' would rub their hands together, marvel at the universe's infinite capacity for surprise and '''dive right in.''' I am not one of those Decepticons. I say we run away screaming." 
"I '''am''' one of those Decepticons, Misfire, and I say we stick around—because frankly, this is amazing." 
"What's amazing?" 
"This! Us! Now! Who owns this ship? Where are they now? Where will '''we''' be an '''hour''' from now, or '''tomorrow''', or '''next month?''' The answer to '''all''' those questions is '''"Who knows?"''' And that's a '''great answer!''' That's the '''best answer ever!''' All our lives we've followed orders—all our lives someone else has always told us what to do next! Well, not anymore! For the first time in '''forever,''' we can do whatever we like! We're '''free!'''"
:—'''Misfire''' and '''Fulcrum'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Black Shadow was established to be a Phase Sixer in his sole previous IDW appearance in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|#2]].
* Tarn quotes a passage from ''[[Towards Peace]]'', which will later be established as Megatron's autobiography.
* In addition to obvious members Impactor and Rack (pre-Ruin), the version of the Wreckers that Black Shadow fights is made up mostly of characters mentioned and briefly glimpsed in past James Roberts works which he specified in the script.<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> None are named on-panel but Hyperion is recognizable from his corpse's role in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]], while Valve has never been seen before, but shares a body-type with his brothers [[Wheelarch]] and [[Springarm]] from "[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]". Crest was mentioned in "[[Bullets]]" (and can be recognized by his large chest-crest), while the unfortunate Piston is a new character, separate from the earlier IDW character [[Piston (mechanic)|of the same name]].
* The Decepticon Justice Division were first mentioned in one of Roberts's earliest IDW works, [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]], and have come up on occasion since then. They are named after cities on Cybertron; specifically, the "[[Fall of the First Five Cities|First Five Cities]]" to fall to the Decepticons in the war, which were listed in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
* Chromedome palmed Skids's gun between pages 4 and 5 of [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
* The mysterious figure which took Red Alert's data-slug from Rung is later revealed to be [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], as he and Rodimus assisted Prowl in bringing Overlord onto the ship.
* Reference was previously made to the mysterious "Institute" by the [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|nameless senator]] in [[Chaos Theory Part 2|"Chaos Theory", Part 2]], and as part of Red Alert's paranoid delusions in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]].
* The [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] was previously mentioned by [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]] among other [[:Category: Things that don't exist|things that don't exist]] like the [[Shimmer]] or the [[Moonbase One|Seething Moon]]. All of these turn out to exist in some form...
* Grimlock was last seen at the close of the ''[[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]'' mini-series, over three years before the publication of this issue. Since then, all we've heard is that he had left [[Garrus-9]] after it was sacked by the Decepticons under unrevealed circumstances, as detailed in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #4]].

===Transformers references===
* Black Shadow's design is based on his ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' [[Black Shadow (G1)#Generations|toy]].
* Whilst [[Rigel III|other]] [[Rigel 6|planets]] that orbit [[Rigel|the same star]] have shown up in Transformers fiction before, this issue is the first mention of Rigel IV. It's also known as being the home of {{w|Kang and Kodos|a pair of pesky space aliens}} from ''The Simpsons''.
* Surprisingly, this isn't [[Mara-Al-Utha|the first time]] that wooden robots have shown up in a G1 continuity.
* Black Shadow's bribe is in [[Shanix]], a little-referenced Cybertronian currency that first appeared in [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue #113]] of the Marvel UK series. It's seen some previous mentions in IDW continuity in [[Chaos Theory Part 1|''The Transformers'' #22]] and [[Stick Together|''Robots in Disguise'' #3]].
* The ''Warworld'' was the Decepticon mothership in the Marvel ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' comic. The idea of a fleet of multiple Warworlds originated with the non-canon ''[[Alignment]]''.
* Vos's dialogue, referred to as the "[[Cybertronian language#2005 IDW continuity|Primal Vernacular]]", is written using the [[Cyberglyphics]] symbol language from the [[Movie continuity family|live-action movie continuity]]. Employing the substitution cypher regularly used by [[Titan Books|Titan]] in their [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|UK ''Transformers'' comic]] shows that most of his speech bubbles are nonsense, however, save for the first, which reads: "So tired me go night xth".
* [[Kol]] was first seen in [[Swarm (issue)|''Generation 2'' #9]], where it was a planet. It became the name of a [[Kol System|system]] in [[Stormbringer issue 2|''Stormbringer'' #2]] with the introduction of [[Varas Centralus]], which is located there.
* Roberts had previously created a Decepticon named Fulcrum in his fan-published ''Transformers: Eugenesis'' novel. Whether these are meant to be iterations of the same character (as was the case with Rung) or just a name reuse is unclear.
* That Flywheels should freak out so seriously at the prospect of a [[zombie]] is fitting, given his prominent role in the greatest ''Transformers'' zombie story, Marvel UK's "[[City of Fear!]]" (indeed, his only prominent role in anything before now).
* Amusingly, to go by the original tech spec numbers, Krok is actually the lowest ranking Decepticon of his group. But since when was fiction accurate to the tech specs?
* [[Hydrus Four|Hydrus 4]] is the planet of origin for [[Nucleon (substance)|nucleon]], seen in the original Marvel series. Its sister world [[Hydrus 5]] was created by James Roberts and first mentioned in "[[Bullets]]".
* The planet [[Elpasos]] is mentioned in passing, a world that debuted in—you guessed it, issue #113 of the Marvel UK series. It got a previous IDW mention in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #5]].
* Reference is made to "Nova Peak", which is prrrrrobably the same thing as [[Nova Point]].

===Trivia===
* Although "Rules of Disengagement" is the only on-page title for this issue's story, the following issue was labelled "Scavengers (Part 2)", identifying this as an unmarked Part 1.
* The 113th Battalion is another use of the number 113 by James Roberts, referring to the [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue of the UK comic]] that got him hooked on the series. On the same page, Black Shadow is seen battling the '''11'''th iteration of the Wreckers, with '''3''' kills.
* This is not the first time Roberts has written a character as having been "talked to death", though this version is a lot more literal than the reference made in "Bullets" to [[Violator|a Decepticon]] who killed himself rather than listen to [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] drone on!
* Krok's ship is named the ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]'', which is a philosophical postulate which basically states that only a universe capable of supporting intelligent life is able to be noted by said life, whereas a universe incapable of supporting such life will go unbeheld.

===Errors===
* "Halt" is misspelled "hault" on page 3; this was corrected for the TPB.
* Spinister was previously shown to be among the Decepticons who had already returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]. Quick, someone [[Bluster|make up]] [[Firster Aid|a name]]!
* Spinister's name is misspelled as "Spinisther" during the search of the Symbol Ship; this remained uncorrected in the TPB.
* Krok spends most of the issue in a new set of colors, only appearing in his toy's colors in one panel on page 20.

===Crew Manifest===
* The "Story so far" segment on the inside front cover notes that "a number of [[Delphi]]'s patients" were brought to the ''Lost Light'', which is the first mention that anyone other than [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] came back with Ratchet and the medics.
* 5 deaths, 5+ new arrivals since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gOpULt67dU "Easter Parade"] by {{w|Emmy the Great}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzDihi17EY8 "My Year in Lists"] by {{w|Los Campesinos!}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Tettai Kitei'''" (撤退規定, "Withdrawal Rules")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Skrotletarna, Del 1: Den som ger sig in i leken...'''" ("The Scavengers, Part 1: You've Made Your Bed...", lit. "He who joins the game...")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Tarn, by Alex Milne and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Misfire, Crankcase, Spinister, Flywheels, and Krok, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover RI:''' [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]], the second quarter of a combined image formed with the RI cover to ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Interference Patterns|#7]], [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]], and ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]].

<gallery>
File:MTMTE7_cvrA.jpg|The last image in Black Shadow's mind.
File:MTMTE7_cvrB.jpg|Hi, can I have your heart?
File:MTMTE7_cvrRI.jpg|Cover RI
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Loose Ends, Part 2|#82]]
* Sergio Aragones' ''Groo: Artist's Edition''
* ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]''
* ''Regeneration One'' [[Loose Ends, Part 1|#81]]
* IDW's ''Mars Attacks'' comic (back cover)

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' ([[October 17]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613774982 / ISBN 978-1613774984 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #4–8.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, "Meet the Crew" and "Meet the 'Cons" pages.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2]]''''' ([[August 12]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631403648 / ISBN 978-1631403644
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' issues [[Law and Disorder|#1]]–[[Endgame|12]], ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]], [[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]'' & ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Orion Pax]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[Interference Patterns|#7]] & [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]]–[[Night and the City|9]], and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #6–8.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], 2015) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' volumes 1–5.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #7–13 and Annual 2012.
** Bonus material includes the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, design sketches from Alex Milne, a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Mer än ögat kan se''''' ([[June 15]], 2019)
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–8 & Annual 2012, ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' & ''Hoist'', and a special illustrated edition of "[[Bullets]]".
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol2.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V2.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2''''' – cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE_SWE_01.jpg|'''''Mer än ögat kan se''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

Torque (disambiguation)

2025-03-20T16:56:08Z

Yb124oaaai:

The name '''Torque''' can refer to:

{{disamb|y=[[1986]]|[[Torque rifle]], [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]]'s gun.}}
{{disamb|y=[[2004]]|The [[Torque Flats]], an obscure area of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] from the [[Transformers: Energon (comic)|''Energon'' comic]].}}
{{disamb|y=2004|[[Torque (Energon)|Torque]], the [[Autobot]]-allied [[Mini-Con]] from ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Super Link]]''.}}
{{disamb|y=[[2007]]|[[Torque Gain]], the obscure toy-only [[Decepticon]]-allied Mini-Con.}}
{{disamb|y=[[2012]]|[[Torque (G1)|Torque]], the obscure and very dead [[K-Class]] Decepticon from ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye]]''.}}
{{disamb|y=2012|[[Torque (FOC)|Torque]], the Autobot from ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]''.}}
{{disamb|y=[[2016]]|[[Torque (BWU)|Torque]], the Autobot [[Micromaster]] from ''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]'' }}

Torque should not be confused with:

*[[TORQ III]], the human-built supercomputer.

{{disambig}}

Fangry (G1)

2025-03-19T22:09:25Z

Yb124oaaai:

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2}}
{{disambig2|the evil Decepticon|his heroic mirrorverse counterpart|Fangry (SG)}}
:''Fangry is a [[Decepticon]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:DW G1Fangry.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|But what happens if you ORDER him to be an ass?]]
No Decepticon leader wants '''Fangry''' under his command. The rebellious, foul-mouthed Fangry explodes violently against any being who dares give him an order. He has attacked almost as many unfortunate Decepticons as he has their actual enemies, the [[Autobot]]s. A Decepticon with a healthy sense of self-preservation will give Fangry orders in the form of mild suggestions or reverse psychology.

Fangry has complete faith in his judgment and his alone. He is unwilling to listen to advice, and his tactics are notoriously flawed. Furthermore, he's likely to be abandoned on the battlefield when in trouble. The mere act of coming to his rescue implies he needs help at all—and, well, you know how he reacts to that idea.

Fangry's [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster partner]] is [[Brisko]], a [[Nebulan]] cartographer with a thirst for power. Brisko feels confident to issue commands to Fangry, thinking he's safe from his retribution seeing as he's the Con's head. Others think he's a bit overconfident; with Fangry, even the unexpected can happen...

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Fangrythousandterribledeaths.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Fangry read "[[The Beast Within]]" and vowed the Dinobots would pay. Grimlock's not too concerned.]]
Fangry and his Headmaster partner, Brisko, oversaw part of the [[Z Foundation]]'s attempt at recruiting [[human]]s to take down the Autobots for them. Their pawns, the [[Roadjammers]], ended up overstepping their boundaries and double-crossed the Decepticons. Though the Roadjammers did use the [[jammer]]s they were provided to capture three Autobots, they used a frequency splitter to jam three more Transformers—namely, Fangry and his companions [[Squeezeplay (G1)|Squeezeplay]] and [[Horri-Bull]]. The Decepticons' plans were scrapped when the Roadjammers used their jammer to control all six jammed Autobots and Decepticons to attack [[Zarak (G1)|Mr. Z]] and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Overwhelmed, the Decepticons' anti-jammer was required to free them all, allowing Fangry and the others to escape. {{storylink|Ca$h and Car-nage!}}

''Shortly thereafter, Fangry joined his fellow Decepticons in recovering Scorponok's head from [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]], but was then [[Mass substitution|shunted]] into [[Limbo]] to make way for the [[time travel]]ing [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] and the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], leaving him out of the Time Wars.'' {{storylink|Time Wars}}

[[File:Grimlockendoftheroad.jpg|thumb|200px|And every Decepticon leader cheered. For now.]]
As the threat of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] neared, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] surrendered his Autobots to Scorponok's Decepticons on Earth in order to facilitate an alliance against the Chaos Bringer, and Fangry helped the Autobots unload their weapons and partners. {{storylink|Surrender!}} While a second [[Decepticon Civil War]] soon broke out, Fangry was ordered by Soundwave to head topside along with [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] and [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]]. {{storylink|...All This and Civil War 2}} Later, Fangry was surprised that Soundwave was suggesting they lay down their arms and join forces with the Autobots against Unicron, unaware that Soundwave had been hypnotized by [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] (who had himself been coerced by [[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]]). But before Fangry could react further, he and every other Transformer on Earth was instantly transported to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] by [[Primus]]. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} There he and the others gathered to hear Primus (speaking through [[Emirate]] [[Xaaron]]) tell the history of the rivalry between him and Unicron. {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

Fangry survived the Transformers' battle with Unicron, {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} and when [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] assumed command of the Decepticons, Fangry was quick to assert his independence. Like many Decepticons, he was wary of the Autobot/Decepticon alliance that had tenuously been forged in the aftermath of Unicron's destruction. The new Autobot commander, [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], didn't make things any easier by throwing cups of oil at Fangry's head to shut him up. Later that night, Fangry tried to jump Grimlock at the [[Central Spaceport]] in [[Ibex]], but bit off more than he could chew, as Grimlock had just received his spiffy new [[Action Master]] upgrade.

Fangry's public humiliation did serve a purpose, however, as it gave Bludgeon a rallying point to ensure his fellow Decepticons were willing to end the alliance abruptly and leave the Autobots stranded on Cybertron. {{storylink|Exodus!}} Fangry accompanied Bludgeon and the Decepticons to the massacre on planet [[Klo]], {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}} and after the Autobots arrived and were successfully ambushed, Fangry served as lead tracker hunting the remaining five Autobots. He again tried to attack Grimlock, who dispatched him with a single punch through the chest and out the back. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:Primes Rib Arcee Headmasters.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
In [[1995]], [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] led Fangry, Squeezeplay and Horri-Bull in investigating an alleged "Autobot secret weapon", and instead found a feminist rally where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] was unveiling the new female Autobot, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. The three Decepticon Headmasters overpowered Optimus Prime but unfortunately for them, Fangry and his pals underestimated Arcee's prowess, and she ended up mopping the floor with them. {{storylink|Prime's Rib!}}

=====Another Time & Place=====
[[File:Another Time Place Fangry.jpg|thumb|right|Fangry's first attempt at crowd surfing did not go as planned.]]
After the disaster on Klo, Fangry attempted to challenge Bludgeon's leadership. The Pretender had him down on his back and a [[sword]] at his throat before Fangry even finished the sentence. The Decepticons' next move was to track [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and the Dinobots to [[Hydrus Four]], and lay claim to the [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] supply there. Bludgeon planned to revive the glorious [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], but Fangry didn't much care either way. The Dinobots were taken prisoner and Fangry was one of the guards assigned to watch over them, prodding them with [[electro mace]]s whether they stepped out of line or not. Later while bored, he went looking for something to kill. After catching sight of something glimmering in the water, he leaned over to have a closer look... only to be knocked into the water by [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and having his hands cut off with a [[Thermal weaponry|thermal knife]] by [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and an Autobot raiding party that was lying in wait, culminating with them crushing his head under a large rock. {{storylink|Another Time & Place}}

====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
The characteristics of Fangry and the other Headmaster Decepticons were reviewed by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] in a simulation watched by [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Goldbug]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 15|Memories of Bumblebee}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:Fangrybumblebeeghosts.jpg|left|thumb|Fangry picks easy targets.]]
Apparently repaired after having most of his chest and back smashed through by [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]'s fist on [[Klo]], Fangry was one of countless Decepticons under Bludgeon's command when they fought the Autobots over ownership of a cache of weapons on an unnamed barren world. The Decepticons were easily overpowering the Autobots; Fangry, in particular, was having no problem throwing [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] around, though he did suffer a karate chop from another Autobot. Bludgeon ordered a retreat when a gigantic, [[Guardian (G2)|monstrous creature]] who guarded their quarry warned them away. {{storylink|Ghosts}}

[[File:Fangryg2.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Follows orders when insubordination would distract from the plot.]]
Nevertheless, Bludgeon's progress continued, and Fangry and the other Decepticons raided other ships to build themselves a frightening [[Warworld]]. {{storylink|Primal Fear!|Old Evils}} Later, Fangry and the other Decepticons were ordered to rampage across Earth in order to get [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s attention. Fangry, like his comrades, enjoyed this job very much. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Tales of Earth Part One}} Their "work" was interrupted when [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] returned in a powerful new body with [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] in tow. When Megatron challenged Bludgeon for leadership of the Decepticons, Fangry bet against Megatron in a quiet wager with Starscream. Fangry lost that wager. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory|Tales of Earth Part Two}}

After Megatron assumed command, he immediately attacked [[Tykos]]'s [[rheanimum]] facility. Fangry helped out by biting the arm of one of the mechanoids while digging his claws into its skull. Soon after the acquisition of the rheanimum, Megatron's forces clashed with [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]]. Megatron declared war against them as Fangry and the other Decepticons cheered him on. Their feelings changed, however, when the Warworld was attacked. Fangry and the others fought the Cybertronians on the surface of the Warworld, but they were getting massacred. With the apparent defeat of Megatron at the hands of Jhiaxus, the Cybertronians pulled out, sparing Fangry but leaving several others dead. {{storylink|New Dawn}}

Megatron miraculously survived and quickly allied himself with Optimus Prime's Autobots. The Autobots fared little better against the [[Ethos raiding party|Cybertronians]] on [[Ethos]], but when Fangry and the other Decepticons arrived to help, the tide was turned. {{storylink|Escalation!}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{NoteRG1}}
[[File:Bludgeons decepticons 2 destiny.jpg|thumb|left]]
Over twenty years after the battle on Klo, Fangry stood alongside [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] on the bridge of his ''[[Warworld]]'' as they prepared to retake [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}} As Bludgeon monologued about the battle unfolding below them, Fangry suggested that to tip the balance in the Decepticons' favour, he, [[Krok (G1)|Krok]], [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]], [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]], [[Horri-Bull]], and [[Stranglehold]] should go down to the surface and join in the fighting. Fangry's confidence proved to be woefully misplaced, however, when first the [[Blitz Engine]]s, then [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]]'s Neo-Decepticons and finally Bludgeon himself were all defeated and the Autobots claimed victory. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Five}}

Any Decepticons not killed in the battle were taken into Autobot custody and were then most likely converted into [[shadow-leech]]es by the [[Dark Matrix]] creature, along with (almost) the entire population of Cybertron, while [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] and his Autobots were off-planet fighting [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] at the [[Hub (G2)|Hub Network]].
{{--}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
[[File:Decepticons Underground Headmasters.jpg|thumb|upright=0.5]]
Fangry, Horri-Bull, and Squeezeplay operated a secret underground base on Nebulos within the "[[Nebulos Triangle]]". They maintained this secrecy by shorting out electronics and causing whoever wandered into the area to disappear... at least until Optimus Prime decided that these phenomena were probably caused by a secret Decepticon base. The Autobots stormed in, and [[Quickmix (G1)|Quickmix]] poured [[Nebulite]]-enriched concrete all over the fleeing Decepticons, leaving Fangry and the others trapped in a living tomb. {{Storylink|Decepticons Underground}}
{{--}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|''Lost Light'' #1]]}}

[[File:LonelyPillarOnThePlain-forgottenskirmish.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|left]]
Fangry lived by two rules: 1) Starting fights helps clarify a situation, and 2) Start it with the ''most'' powerful guy in the room to show others you're a badass! {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} He was among the Decepticons under [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'s command at the battle that destroyed [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] and squared off against [[Greatshot]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|A Lonely Pillar on the Plain}}

[[File:After Megatron - Kaput and Fangry.jpg|thumb|"Always two there are. No more, no less."]]
At some point, Fangry had gone missing and was presumed dead but in fact had been rescued from his last second by [[Mortilus|Censere]]—the Necrobot—and whisked to a post-war future. The news left him disgruntled, more so when it was said by Autobots who'd just killed [[Decepticon Justice Division|dozens of Decepticons]] and were happy about it (and how'd he know it was ''really'' the Necrobot??) After grousing with fellow 'Con [[Rapidfire (G1)|Rapidfire]], Fangry first identified [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] as the guy to fight and then [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]]. After irritating him with the ol' shoulder barge, Fangry left. Tailgate later found Cyclonus badly beaten, and automatically assumed that Fangry had jumped him. (Cyclonus knew that ''Tailgate'' was unwittingly responsible for this, but the Minibot stormed out before he could stop him.) {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} Enraged, Tailgate went after Fangry, throwing him into the Necrobot's Memorial to the [[Disappeared]] and narrowly missing [[Anode]] and [[Lug (IDW)|Lug]]. Wrapping his hand around his neck, Tailgate threatened to kill Fangry if he ever tried to hurt Cyclonus again, and ruptured the Decepticon's [[neural cluster]] such that he'd be knocked out for days. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

[[File:After Megatron-Fangry Buries.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6|You hate him, but admit it: this is adorable.]]
Later [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] and [[Kaput]] were treating Fangry's wounds when [[Anode]] burst in looking for [[Lug (IDW)|Lug]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} Fangry and the abrasive Kaput seemed to get along, well enough that the medic made the Decepticon his assistant; however when [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Minimus Ambus]] approached Fangry regarding a private matter, Kaput was (wrongly) concerned that the presence of a Decepticon drove the desire for privacy; he dismissed Fangry, the two agreeing to meet up later to discuss discredited spark-type classifications. Unfortunately Fangry was merely exercising his own agenda of revenge against Tailgate; when Kaput placed the little Autobot in an underground isolation chamber to treat his [[Outlier (group)|super-powered spark]], Fangry murdered Kaput in cold blood, before altering Tailgate's chamber alarm to leave him buried alive for six million years. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

Afterwards, Fangry, Rapidfire, and the rest of the Disappeared Decepticons performed an armed takeover of Necroworld. When another group of Autobots arrived, Fangry menaced [[Outrigger|two]] of [[Beak|them]] until Fortress Maximus smashed his head into a plinth, leaving him seeing stars. {{storylink|Sardines}}
{{--}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' marketing material===
Fangry was an ancient [[Titan Master]] and transformed into a head. When connected with a larger robot, he gave them a "blind rage" boost, which both granted them super-strength and blinded enemies with a blast of steam.

===2019 IDW continuity===
A dangerous and wanted member of [[The Rise]], Fangry was among a group of Risers that were being taken to a remote base by [[Roughstuff]] when a groundquake upended their transport. They then engaged in a skirmish with [[Security Operations]] and Fangry was knocked into a crevasse by [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Tremors|Tremors}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material===
After obtaining the Allspark, [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] escaped through a [[space bridge]] to protect it from the Decepticons. Arriving in an alternate universe, he faced new beast threats including Fangry and [[Brisko]]. {{storylink|Source:Buzzworthy Bumblebee Worlds Collide|Worlds Collide}}

===''Last Bot Standing''===
After the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] had drained the universe of energon, the Autobots [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]], [[Strongarm (G1)|Strongarm]] and [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]] were chased by a pack of Decepticons to the planet [[Donnokt]]. The trio managed to pick off the Decepticons until only [[Talon (G1)|Talon]] and Fangry remained. After discovering that the planet held energon-sympathetic materials, Fangry was content to wait until the ore catalyzed and confident that the two could defeat the Autobots before Rodimus approached from behind and shot them in the head. {{storylink|Last Bot Standing issue 4|Last Bot Standing #4}}

==Commercial appearances==
[[File:Fangrycommercial.jpg|thumb|left|An oddly smug Fangry.]]
Fangry, [[Horri-Bull]], and [[Squeezeplay (G1)|Squeezeplay]] burst through a wall, [[Brisko]] became Fangry's head as they transformed, and the three engaged the new Headmaster Autobots. [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] noted that their new Headmasters would give the Decepticons "more brainpower than ever." Galvatron clearly hadn't interacted with Fangry yet. Or the other two, really. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Small Headmasters|Small Headmasters Commercial}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
Fangry aided [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s ghost in trying to disrupt the Autobot [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]], but [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]'s team managed to overcome them, causing Fangry, [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], and [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] to scatter into the night. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (Legends)|Ghost in the Machine}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
[[File:G1 fangry toy.jpg|thumb|'''WE ARE GARGOYLES!''']]
<ul class="iconlist">{{bp-d1|'''Fangry''' (Headmaster, [[1988]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': "Brisko" Headmaster driver, "[[ion pulse gun]]", wings/shield
{{toydesigner|[[Richard Marcej]] (packaging)}}

: Released in the fifth year of the [[The Transformers (toyline)|original ''Transformers'' toyline]] (fourth in Europe), Fangry transforms into a weirdly-cyborg-like bat-winged bipedal wolf monster with a reptilian tail. In this mode, Fangry's tummy opens up to hold a small Headmaster pilot, typically his pack-in partner [[Brisko#Toys|Brisko]]. His rifle does not have an official place to store in beast mode, but it can be plugged into one of his robot fists in his tail to make that longer if you like.

: The Nebulan Brisko forms Fangry's robot mode head. Doing so activates a tumbler in his chest, which gives [[Tech Spec|Tech-Spec]] readings for Speed, Strength and Intelligence. Unlike the larger Headmasters, this meter doesn't have a cover, and all three readings are on a single tumbler, thus the same values show up when ''any'' Headmaster unit is plugged into the neck socket. Fangry can also use his beast-mode wings as a shield, which can be mounted on his forearms thanks to the [[5 mm post]]-holes there.

: Due to his design, Fangry permanently leans a little bit, his robot mode legs unable to hold a perfectly upright pose. You can solve this by unscrewing the wolf arms and removing the springs from underneath.

: This toy was sold in Japan without changes as [[Wilder (G1)#Super-God Masterforce|Wilder]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1988/Decepticon/Fangry/fangry.htm More information on Fangry at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Titans Return''===
[[File:TitansReturntoy-Fangry.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Now with ''smaller'' brainpower than ever!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{bp-d1|'''Decepticon Fangry''' (Titan Master, [[2016]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Wolf-beast/dragon/blaster vehicle
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)}}

: Part of the third wave of individually-packed ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]] [[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Titan Master]]s, Fangry transforms from robot based on Brisko to a head based on that of the original Generation 1 Fangry toy. In this mode, Fangry can serve as the head of any ''Titans Return'' Deluxe, Voyager, or Leader Class figure. He also features ports in his feet that allow him to peg onto a wide variety of ''Titans Return'' figures.

: He is packaged with a dragon-ish thing he can ride on, which he can combine with in his folded-up state to form his classic winged wolf-monster mode, or a [[5 mm post|5 mm]] triple-barreled blaster accessory for a larger figure.

: As with all Titan Master vehicle accessories, care must be taken with the gun mode's handle: the handle fits tightly in many 5 mm-compatible closed hands, and combined with the handle's lack of a metal pin running through the joint, removing it by force causes the handle to pop out of the joint.

: Like his wavemates, Fangry never saw wide release in Malaysia, due to [[Shelfwarmer|shelfwarming]] in the first and second waves.

: Fangry's head component was [[retool]]ed into [[Thunderwing (G1)#SiegeOnCybertron|Thunderwing]], [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#HasCon|Ultra Magnus]], and [[Scorponok (G1)#Generations|Scorponok]] and also served as the model for the non-toy ''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]'' incarnation of [[Donnie Finkleberg]]. The beast accessory was redecoed into ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' [[Noble (BM)#Legends|Noble]] and served as the model for the ''Shattered Glass'' incarnation of [[Fangry (SG)|Fangry]].
{{TRFangryMold}}
{{-}}

===''Buzzworthy Bumblebee''===
[[File:TF-WFC-Trilogy-Buzzworthy-Worlds-Collide-Fangry.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|You wouldn't like Grotusque when he's Fangry.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{bp-multi|'''Worlds Collide''' (Multi-pack, [[2021]])}}</ul>
:*''Series'': ''[[War for Cybertron Trilogy (toyline)|War for Cybertron Trilogy]]''
:*''Accessories'': "[[Brisko#Buzzworthy Bumblebee|Brisko]]" Headmaster
{{toydesigner| [[John Warden]] and [[Mark Maher]] (Hasbro)|[[Ken Christiansen]] (concept artist)}}<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/CmFYx_vu-JS/ Design notes on ''Buzzworthy Bumblebee'' Fangry] from Hasbro designer [[Mark Maher]] on Instagram</ref>

: Released as part of the ''[[Buzzworthy Bumblebee]]'' "Worlds Collide" four-pack, Fangry is a [[retool]] of ''Titans Return'' [[Grotusque#Titans Return|Grotusque]] (itself a heavy retool of ''Titans Return'' Deluxe Class [[Doublecross#Titans Return|Twinferno]]), transforming into a robotic bat-winged wolf-like monster. He also comes with Headmaster [[Brisko#Buzzworthy Bumblebee|Brisko]], a redeco of the Titan Master portion of [[#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fangry]]. While in beast mode, Brisko can ride in a compartment within the stomach, or stand on the beast's back. Unlike previous mold versions, Fangry has no weapons of any kind, despite his concept art showcasing a rifle.

: There have been frequent reports of Fangry's robot knees being very loose, making him prone to falling over backwards.

: Included in the set alongside Fangry and Brisko is [[Nemesis Primal#Toys|Nemesis Primal]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)/toys#Buzzworthy Bumblebee|Blackarachnia]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#WorldsCollide|Bumblebee]]. Outwardly branded as part of the ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' on the packaging, the instructions bizarrely label the set as part of ''[[Studio Series]]'', under the 2007 ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' movie, instead.

: As with other ''Buzzworthy Bumblebee'' toys, this set was exclusive to [[Target]] in the U.S.
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===''Transformers Trading Card Game''===
[[File:W5Fangry.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
*'''Fangry, Sky Tracker''' ([[2020]])
**'''Wave 5: Titan Masters Attack'''
**''Rarity: '''''RT'''
**''Card Number: '''''T20/T46'''
**''Stars: ''6

:This card's set was originally set for an April 2020 release, but the global COVID-19 pandemic pushed the release to [[May 29]], 2020.
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:Fangry grimlock exodus.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8]]
*The [[bio]] accompanying Generation 1 Fangry's [[Tech Spec]]s notes that he "shoots semi-automatic ion pulse gun" but additionally that his "tail converts to [[Compression cannon|compressed air cannon]] that produces 200 mph gale force winds". Given that his existing tail is formed from his robot mode arms with the fist-holes pointing upwards (you can even store his ion pulse gun there when transformed) this may imply that at some point during the design process, Fangry was intended to come with a tail piece that would become a secondary weapon in robot mode, as his wavemates Squeezeplay and Horri-Bull did. This detail made its way into Fangry's [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] ''[[The Transformers Universe (Marvel)|Universe]]'' profile and in the comic issue "[[Exodus!]]", it was interpreted as Fangry being able to transform his tail into a compressed air cannon while in his alternate mode, though somewhat bizarrely he had to turn his back on [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] to fire it at him.

===Foreign names===
*''French:'' '''Croc''' (Canada, "Fang")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Ordas''' ("Wild Wolf")
*''Italian:'' '''Belva''' ("Wild Beast")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Tiān Láng''' (China, 天狼, "Sky Wolf")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Disappeared]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 toy Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 2 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Decepticons]]
[[Category:Titan Masters]]
[[Category:Titans Return Decepticons]]
[[Category:Trackers]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron Trilogy Decepticons]]

Afterlight

2025-03-18T16:05:56Z

Yb124oaaai: /* 2005 IDW continuity */

'''"Afterlight"''' is a poem written by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]].

{{quote|You flare, you flicker, you fade...}}
{{quote|And in the end, all your tomorrows become yesterdays.|[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] quoting "Afterlight"|[[How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2]]}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
"Afterlight" was the favorite poem of [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]].{{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}

[[Shock (G1)|Shock]] scrawled the poem into one of the canteen tables on Unitrex-1, which would become one of [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve's]] bar tables on the [[Lost Light]] five million years later.{{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}} Shock also quoted the poem while lamenting the passing of his fellow [[Duobot]] [[Ore]].{{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformer culture]]

Afterlight

2025-03-18T16:05:39Z

Yb124oaaai: added Shock's scrawl of Afterlight onto Swerve's table before the war

'''"Afterlight"''' is a poem written by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]].

{{quote|You flare, you flicker, you fade...}}
{{quote|And in the end, all your tomorrows become yesterdays.|[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] quoting "Afterlight"|[[How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2]]}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
"Afterlight" was the favorite poem of [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]].{{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}} [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] scrawled the poem into one of the canteen tables on Unitrex-1, which would become one of [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve's]] bar tables on the [[Lost Light]] five million years later.{{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}} Shock also quoted the poem while lamenting the passing of his fellow [[Duobot]] [[Ore]].{{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformer culture]]

The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye

2025-03-13T16:33:55Z

Yb124oaaai: no longer ongoing; "ongoing" removed from summary

{{disambig3|More than Meets the Eye}}
[[File:MTMTE1 cvrE.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|All of your favorite childhood heroes... and Drift.]]
'''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye''''' is a comic series published by [[IDW Publishing]], starting in January [[2012]]. This series follows the adventures of [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] and his team as they travel through space, hunting for the legendary [[Knights of Cybertron]] (so they tell themselves) and having adventures along the way. But mostly it's about lonely nobodies hanging out pretending they have friends.

The series picks off from ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', the epilogue to the previous [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing]], and takes place at the same time as a second ongoing series, ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'', which together form the fourth major "act" of IDW's then-ongoing [[2005 IDW continuity|Generation 1 continuity]].

Critics in wider comic and sci-fi fandom have praised it, with many a gushing article<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/dec/02/transformers-lost-light-comic-same-sex-partnerships The Guardian (2nd December 2016): "Kiss me, Chromedome: how the Transformers found peace and same-sex partnerships"]</ref><ref>[http://comicsalliance.com/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-lost-light/ Comics Alliance, July 26 2016: "The End Of 'Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye,' And Why It Was (And Probably Will Be) The Best Book On The Stands"]</ref> and [[#Recognition|award nomination]]. The politics, the plotting, and the gender and sexual politics have all come in for favoured nods. Most of fandom holds up 'season 1' as one of the top ''Transformers'' stories ever, though 'season 2' had more criticism and claims of shark-jumping from ''Transformers'' fans (though not critics) after the "Elegant Chaos" storyline.

The series concluded with issue #57, followed by a ''[[Revolution]]''-branded one-shot (which proved polarizing as fans either loved the barbed satire about crossover events or really didn't), before relaunching with a new artistic creative team as ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' in December 2016.

{{quote
|"Everyone on board the ''Lost Light'' is '''cracked in the head!'''"

"Yeah, '''dysfunctional''' isn't the word! There isn't a '''normal''' 'bot among you!"

"And that wouldn't be so bad if you actually '''made progress'''—but as far as I can make out, all you do is '''argue''', crack jokes, and get '''sidetracked''' doing pointless, silly things that only you find amusing!"
|Various members of the '''Circle of Light'''
|"[[Little Victories]]"
|noquote=true
|center=true
}}

{{chapters|series=mtmte|style=3 |prev=Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|next=The Transformers: Lost Light|align=left|content=
* [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|#1]]
* [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|#2]]
* [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|#3]]
* [[Life After the Big Bang|#4]]
* [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|#5]]
* [[Interiors|#6]]
* [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|#7]]
* [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|Annual 2012]]
* [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]]
* [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|#9]]
* [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|#10]]
* [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|#11]]
* [[Before & After|#12]]
* [[More than Meets the Eye issue 13|#13]]
* [[Remembrance Day|#14]]
* [[Under Cold Blue Stars|#15]]
* [[The Gloaming|#16]]
* [[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|#17]]
* [[Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|#18]]
* [[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|#19]]
* [[Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|#20]]
* [[More than Meets the Eye issue 21|#21]]
* [[Little Victories|#22]]
* [[Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|#23]]
* [[Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|#24]]
* [[No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|#25]]
* [[Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|#26]]
* [[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|#27]]
* [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|#28]]
* [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|#29]]
* [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|#30]]
* [[Twenty Plus One|#31]]
* [[Slaughterhouse|#32]]
* [[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|#33]]
* [[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|#34]]
* [[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|#35]]
* [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|#36]]
* [[Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|#37]]
* [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|#38]]
* [[The Permanent Revolution|#39]]
* [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|#40]]
* [[The Sensuous Frame|#41]]
* [[The Frail Gaze|#42]]
* [[The One Where They Go to Earth|#43]]
* [[The Not Knowing|#44]]
* [[Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots|#45]]
* [[Animals|#46]]
* [[The Lopsided Triangle|#47]]
* [[Speak, Memory: Part 1|#48]]
* [[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|#49]]
* [[More than Meets the Eye issue 50|#50]]
* [[The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|#51]]
* [[The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|#52]]
* [[The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|#53]]
* [[The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|#54]]
* [[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|#55]]
* [[Ten to Midnight|#56]]
* [[Last Light (issue)|#57]]
* [[Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!|Revolution]]
}}

==Overview==
In contrast to the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]-based setting of ''Robots in Disguise'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' is set predominantly within the walls of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', the spaceship captained by [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] that carries his crew on their expedition to locate the [[Knights of Cybertron]], a mythical group who left the planet ten million years prior to the present day to spread peace and enlightenment across the universe. The book features an ensemble cast, who come and go from the spotlight with each passing issue, made up in large part of characters who have been overlooked by past fiction.

The "main cast" at the series outset includes Rodimus himself, a daredevil egotist who could not be more ill-suited to command; his officious second-in-command [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], whose obsessive-compulsive traits make life on the ship difficult for everyone; third-in-command [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], now with a relentlessly positive outlook on life following a near-death experience; the talkative [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], who immediately became a fan favorite; ship's doctor [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], now feeling his age and looking for something new in life; dangerously unhinged ex-[[Wreckers|Wrecker]] [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], who soon forms a murderous enmity with disillusioned ancient Cybertronian [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]]; "ship's genius" [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]], the briefcase-wielding engineer of increasingly improbable weaponry; ship's security officer [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], even more paranoid then ever; timid psychiatrist [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], who slowly seems to be more than he appears; and diminutive archivist [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] and [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]], who would come to draw much attention as the first truly official "gay" romantic couple in Transformers fiction.<ref>Quote marks around "gay" 'cause IDW has previously established that Transformers are genderless in their continuity, but let's not kid ourselves here.</ref> In short order, the crew is joined by [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], a naive Transformer who has been offline for the duration of the war and finds himself forced to choose a side, and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], a long-missing Autobot who reappears with amnesia and a bad attitude. As the series progresses, more Autobots come into focus on the fringes of the story, like the over-eager, luckless [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]], and resentful, boozy, one-trick-pony [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]. The book occasionally takes breaks from the main cast to focus on the misadventures of the [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavenger]]s: a group of bungling Decepticon misfits trying to start a new life in the post-war galaxy. ''More than Meets the Eye'' uses its "quest" backdrop to tell multiple smaller adventures, throughout which are threaded many, ''many'' seeds for future stories, together forming a grand tapestry that has clearly been planned out ''very'' far in advance.

[[File:MTMTE28 subcvr.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|All of your favorite childhood heroes... wait, what's ''he'' doing there?]]
===Season 1===
Following an unexpected [[Quantum generator|quantum jump]] upon launch, the ''Lost Light'' is hurled off into the depths of space, where the crew is joined by Skids and contends with a stowaway [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]]. A visit to [[Delphi]] by Ratchet to help cure a plague introduces the threat of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], who then feature in a Decepticon-dedicated story menacing a [[Scavengers (G1)|band of misfit Decepticons]], and also brings the facility's surviving patients and staff onto the ship—including [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], whose post-traumatic stress causes him to snap and nearly kill Rung. Hoping to cure Rung's damaged brain, Rewind gathers a small group together to recount a shared story from their past about [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] foiling a [[Senate]] plot to discredit the burgeoning Decepticon movement in the days of Functionism. Unfortunately, the little archivist is soon badly wounded in battle, sending Chromedome into a grief spiral that allows Drift to manipulate him into carrying out a plan laid out by [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]: using his mnemosurgery skills to tap the memories and learn the secrets of mass-murdering Decepticon [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]], secretly hidden on board the ''Lost Light''. Unfortunately, Chromedome accidentally allows Overlord to escape, and Rewind has to sacrifice himself to jettison the monster from the ship. Ultra Magnus is also fatally wounded in the battle, but when his body disappears from the ship's Medibay, the crew track it to [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], where they discover and foil a twisted plot by [[Solomus|Chief Justice Tyrest]] to wipe out all those Transformers he sees as tainted by original sin.

The book then moves into the [[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]] crossover with ''Robots in Disguise''. The ''Lost Light'' crew initially investigate a previous find that leads them to the Titan Metroplex, and Orion Pax's investigation into the Dead Universe's involvement in Shockwave's overall plot. The casts of both series finally meet again in [[Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|''Robots in Disguise'' #26]].

[[File:MTMTE40 Ten's mural.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|All of [[Ten]]'s favorite adulthood heroes.]]

===Season 2===
Following ''Dark Cybertron''{{'}}s conclusion, the cast undergoes a reshuffle, as tertiary crew members like [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]], as well as several newcomers, become the story's focus: [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], recently resurrected detective; Skids' escapologist partner [[Getaway]], who takes an immediate shine to Tailgate; [[Caminus (planet)|Camien]] bibliophile and quantum mechanic [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]; and [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]], a neurotic [[M.T.O.]] Aquabot. The season kicks off with Megatron's trial and the events that lead to him captaining the ''Lost Light'' set in the six months between ''Dark Cybertron'' and Season 2. In the present day, the resumed voyage does not start well, with the arrival of a [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|coffin]], disappearing objects on the ship, and a chilling addendum to [[The Gloaming|Rewind's Message]]. Answers to the mysteries revolving around the coffin lead to the [[time travel|time-traveling]] "Elegant Chaos" arc, as the ''Lost Light''ers scramble after Brainstorm, who has gone back in time, bent on changing the future. Along the way, the gang inadvertently answers some of the series's longest-standing questions, including the events foreshadowed in season 1's ominous message from the future.

In the aftermath, several characters depart for other comics while new people [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] and [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] join the crew. The ''Lost Light'' discovers a message from [[Dominus Ambus|a dead spy]] within the DJD while helping Swerve with his self-worth issues, in a madcap adventure on a holomatter Earth. Following its directions to the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]]'s [[Necroworld|planet]], they are met with a sobering reminder that all of them are killers and would one day have to face it. Megatron was particularly shaken by the visual representation of the billions of deaths he was responsible for. Meanwhile, the Scavengers return for another two-parter, feeling stagnant and dealing with a mentally disabled [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] in a post-Great War world.
[[File:HowBrightTheirFrailDeeds-LostLightmutiny.jpg|thumb|left|250px|All of your childhood's favourite heroes betraying your childhood's other favourite heroes.]] Back aboard the ''Lost Light'', Getaway and [[Atomizer]]'s true agenda for Tailgate comes to light, and so do Skids' repressed memories—which had left him with deep scars and extinguished his previous faith. Elsewhere, the Decepticon Justice Division learn Megatron had called for an end to Decepticon warfare; they double down and join forces with [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]]'s splinter faction, determined to kill Megatron for heresy.

The fiftieth issue begins the season finale arc, "The Dying of the Light". Megatron, Rodimus, and the main cast are tricked into going to Necroworld, only to learn the entire Lost Light crew have mutinied under Getaway's lead. Sick of Megatron's presence and Rodimus' incompetent leadership, they intend to continue the Knightquest without them, having informed the [[Galactic Council]] of Megatron's location. Unfortunately, the Decepticon Justice Division is also there to hunt Megatron. Shocking revelations are had, a bunch of old friends and an old enemy return, and a fierce battle is waged. Though the Decepticons are beaten, none of the crew escape unscathed—and some pay the ultimate price. Meanwhile, beneath Necroworld's hollow shell, Nightbeat and Rung discover the true purpose of the unusual planet...

And elsewhere in space, ''Light'' alumni [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], the ''Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s constant shadow in [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]], and just-got-here [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] face a threat from the past as [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] comes for Luna 1's dormant Titan army!

The finale issue, a ''[[Revolution]]'' tie-in, eclipses them all in stakes as [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] has an awkward first date with someone he met on the internet.

{{--}}

==Creative team==
[[File:Milne roberts.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Series artist [[Alex Milne]] (left) and writer [[James Roberts]] (right)]]
The series is written by [[James Roberts]], fresh from the critical success of ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''. Roberts had already been assigned the series when he wrote the two-part "Chaos Theory" in issues [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]] and [[Chaos Theory Part 2|#23]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], and seeded many early plot points for the series into those two issues, including [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] as the prison guard. Also furthering the link between the ongoing and ''More than Meets the Eye'', when Roberts co-plotted "[[Chaos (IDW)|Chaos]]" with [[Mike Costa]], Costa let him script all of the Kimia escape shuttle scenes, populated with characters who would be aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]''.<ref name="Everything">From the 'Everything You Didn't Realize You Needed To Know About More Than Meets The Eye' section of the TPB</ref>

[[Alex Milne]] serves as the series regular artist, with colors by [[Josh Burcham]]. The visual "look" of ''More than Meets the Eye'' that the pair have created is very unique, with slightly exaggerated, cartoonishly stylized character models unlike anything in Milne's past work, cel-shaded with a textured, muted color palette that combines to create something quite unlike any modern Transformer comic. So key is this "visual identity" to the book that almost all other contributors who have worked on the title have striven to emulate it, adapting their own lineart and coloring styles to match the expected look and tone of the book. Frequent Roberts collaborator [[Nick Roche]] provided art for issues #1 and #6, as well as "B" covers for every issue, while [[Brendan Cahill]] co-pencilled #12, [[Guido Guidi]] stepped in for #13, [[Agustin Padilla]] filled in last-minute for #16, and [[James Raiz]] drew the lineart for #22. [[Joana Lafuente]] and [[Josh Perez]] have also lent their colors to the book, while [[Marcelo Matere]] regularly provides retailer incentive variant covers for the series. Following the "Dark Cybertron" crossover event, Burcham stepped down as the book's regular colorist, and Lafuente took his place, bringing a new palette and gradiated shading to the series.
{{--}}

==Soundtrack==
[[File:Nautica-MTMTE42covercropped.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Pick up the latest issue of ''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Indie Disco!'']]
In a unique touch, writer James Roberts would visit the [http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/index.php IDW Publishing forums] shortly before the release of each issue and offer up a "teaser" post containing one or more songs that served as a "soundtrack" that would set the tonal and/or emotional stage for the upcoming issue, usually tending toward the independent- and folk-rock genres. This began at issue #2, with the songs for #1 being provided later; TFWiki lists these songs on each issue's respective article. Non-issue-specific songs for the series and its characters in general include:

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKmZRO8XzyY "Lost Coastlines"] by {{w|Okkervil River}}—an overall anthem for the series
* [https://youtu.be/CqmshS0XfN4?si=eZUihcXJ3Kjh06Yb "I've Got a Plan"] by {{w|My Friend the Chocolate Cake}}—[[theme song]] for Rodimus
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7maZZOQ_hKA "I Would Fix You"] by {{w|Kenickie}}—theme song for Chromedome and Rewind
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcX_JleLsbk "True Men"] by {{w|Jon DeRosa}}—theme song for Ultra Magnus<ref>{{citesocial|quote=I once said that each Lost Light crew-member had a theme song. Ultra Magnus: http://t.co/jtMVYt8lCK |link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/394985192760569857|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2013|month=10|day=29|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DpDxT2q9QE "The Old Man's Back Again"] by {{w|Scott Walker (singer)|Scott Walker}}—theme song for Megatron<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Okay, so I caved in. Here's 'Megatron's Theme' from Season 2 of MTMTE: http://t.co/NOpRwc50sC|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/424300595055300608|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2014|month=1|day=17|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKoS5X4SMrY "Irish Blood, English Heart"] by {{w|Morrissey}}—another theme song for Megatron<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Prompted by a chat with @Shockscream, here's another tune that I associate with Megatron: http://t.co/F1HCvU9U02|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/424312246374633472|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2014|month=1|day=17|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Ae0TfhK8M "Let's Make This Precious"] by {{w|Dexys Midnight Runners}}—anthem for the series' second season<ref>{{citesocial|quote=The tagline for MTMTE Season 2 (from April, w/#28) is: Let's Make This Precious Theme: http://t.co/LunboVm9MS Lyrics: http://t.co/oA3MhkTHK6|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/438091877402050560|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2014|month=2|day=24|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuTM2f1PgQc "Fiction"] by {{w|The Lucksmiths}}—theme song for Nautica<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Keep meaning to do more character themes. This is Nautica's. She could be the singer or the sung-about. http://t.co/7mPiMfHucA via @youtube|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/533899614730989568|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2014|month=11|day=16|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDjwqqFj9_0 "Left to My Own Devices"] by {{w|Pet Shop Boys}}—theme song for Brainstorm<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Ahead of 'Elegant Chaos', here's Brainstorm's theme. It's 8:21 'cos it needs to be. Play it all and play it *loud*: http://t.co/eDkNHNhNO8|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/536665913660309506|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2014|month=11|day=23|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F-4PomdZgU "Meaningless"] by The Ballet—theme song for the Scavengers<ref>{{citesocial|quote=This *isn't* twinned with #MTMTE45. It's the Scavengers' Theme (mainly for the opening sample, but it all works). https://t.co/Qk87BwDCjQ|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/646461474915938306|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2015|month=9|day=22|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_-cUdmdWgU "Chicago"] by {{w|Sufjan Stevens}}—theme song for Cyclonus<ref>{{citesocial|quote=It's been *ages* since I posted a MTMTE character song. With #47 around the corner, it's time we had Cyclonus' theme https://t.co/OTv7SV9mv5|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/668546134206504961|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2015|month=11|day=22|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlg3Y7Z7zDU "Hello Cruel World"] by {{w|Mark Oliver Everett}}—theme song for Tailgate<ref>{{citesocial|quote=First up, Tailgate's Theme - the song that plays on the radio after you've woken up from a 6 million year sleep. https://t.co/AJWppSqH15|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/675065838823677953|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2015|month=12|day=10|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CETTzv3fTG0 "Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)"] by {{w|James (band)|James}}—theme song for Whirl<ref>{{citesocial|quote=I sometimes link MTMTE characters to a particular tune. it's been a while, but here's Whirl: https://t.co/xAt44vKPMb #CountdownTo50 (9)|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/707169351661707265|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2016|month=3|day=8|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mimLpZCO5k8 "I Spy"] by {{w|Pulp (band)|Pulp}}—theme song for Getaway<ref>{{citesocial|quote=So anyway, here's Getaway's Theme: https://t.co/nmlWdH9ida|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/800862760724729858|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2016|month=11|day=22|(defunct=)}}</ref>

==Collections==
* '''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' ([[June 13]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613772351 / ISBN 978-1613772355 
** Collects ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, 12 promotional images, "Meet the Crew" page, design sketches from [[Alex Milne]] for various characters and ship locations, and a 2-page editor's comment with "behind the scenes" information about the series.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' ([[October 17]], 2012) ISBN 1613774982 / ISBN 978-1613774984 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #4–8.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, "Meet the Crew" and "Meet the 'Cons" pages.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' ([[March 27]], [[2013]]) ISBN 161377592X / ISBN 978-1613775929 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012 and issues #9–11.
** Bonus material includes "Meet the Crew", variant covers, and designs for the [[Guiding Hand]].
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 4''''' ([[July 17]], 2013) ISBN 1613776918 / ISBN 978-1613776919 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #12–16.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, and the prose story "[[Signal to Noise]]".
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 5''''' ([[November 13]], 2013) ISBN 1613778023 / ISBN 978-1613778029 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #17–22.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, and the prose story "[[The Sound of Breaking Glass]]".
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|The Transformers: Dark Cybertron]] Volume 1''''' ([[April 16]], [[2014]]) ISBN 1613778910 / ISBN 978-1613778913
** Collects [[Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|''Dark Cybertron'' #1]], ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #23–25, and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|#23]]–[[Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|24]].
** Bonus material includes art from most covers.
** Trade paperback format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol1.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:MTMTE vol2.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
File:MTMTE vol3.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]]
File:MTMTE vol4.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 4''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and Joana Lafuente
File:MTMTE vol5.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 5''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
File:DC vol1.jpg|'''''Dark Cybertron Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Phil Jimenez]] and [[Romulo Fajardo Jr.]]
</gallery>

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' (Reissue) ([[May 21]], 2014) ISBN 1613779658 / ISBN 978-1613779651
** Collects ''The Death of Optimus Prime'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3.
** New cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]].
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: Dark Cybertron Volume 2''''' ([[June 11]], 2014) ISBN 1613779984 / ISBN 978-1613779989
** Collects ''Robots in Disguise'' issues [[The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|#25]]–[[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|27]], ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #26–27, and ''[[...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|Dark Cybertron Finale]]''.
** Bonus material includes covers of each issue.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1]]''''' ([[September 3]], 2014) ISBN 1631400401 / ISBN 978-1631400407
** Collects ''The Death of Optimus Prime'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3 & #4–5, and ''Robots in Disguise'' issues [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]–[[A Better Tomorrow|5]] & [[Syndromica (1)|#6]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 6''''' ([[December 10]], 2014) ISBN 163140184X / ISBN 978-1631401848
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #28–33.
** Bonus material includes covers of each issue.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: Dark Cybertron''''' ([[February 11]], [[2015]]) ISBN 163140072X / ISBN 978-1631400728
** Collects ''Dark Cybertron'' #1, ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #23–27, and ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #23–27, and ''Dark Cybertron Finale.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 7''''' ([[May 13]], 2015) ISBN 1631403273 / ISBN 978-1631403279
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #34–38.
** Bonus material includes covers of each issue.
** Trade paperback format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol1 reissue.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
File:DC vol2.jpg|'''''Dark Cybertron Volume 2''''' – cover art by Phil Jimenez and Romulo Fajardo Jr.
File:IDWCollectionP2V1.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE vol6.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 6''''' – cover art by [[Casey Coller]] and Joana Lafuente
File:DC HC.jpg|'''''Dark Cybertron''''' – cover art by Casey Coller and Joana Lafuente
File:MTMTE vol7.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 7''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
</gallery>

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2]]''''' ([[August 12]], 2015) ISBN 1631403648 / ISBN 978-1631403644
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' issues [[Law and Disorder|#1]]–[[Endgame|12]], ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]], [[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]'' & ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Orion Pax]]'', ''Robots in Disguise'' issues [[Interference Patterns|#7]] & [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]]–[[Night and the City|9]], and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #6–8.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 8''''' ([[October 21]], 2015) ISBN 1631404520 / ISBN 978-1631404528
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #39–44.
** Bonus material includes covers of each issue.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], 2015) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' volumes 1–5.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3]]''''' ([[February 24]], [[2016]]) ISBN 1631405403 / ISBN 978-1631405402
** Collects ''Spotlight: [[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Thundercracker]], [[The Question|Bumblebee]]'' & ''[[Spotlight: Megatron|Megatron]]'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012, issues #9–11 & #12–13 & "[[Signal to Noise]]", and ''Robots in Disguise'' [[Primus: All Good Things|Annual 2012]] & issues [[Syndromica (2)|#10]]–[[The End of the Beginning of the World|11]].
** Bonus material unknown at this time.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 9''''' ([[May 4]], 2016) ISBN 1631406159 / ISBN 978-1631406157
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #45–49.
** Bonus material includes covers of each issue.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 10''''' ([[October 5]], 2016) ISBN 1631407163 / ISBN 978-1631407161
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #50–55.
** Bonus material includes covers of each issue.
** Trade paperback format.

<gallery>
File:IDWCollectionP2V2.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2''''' – cover art by Saren Stone
File:MTMTE vol8.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 8''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V3.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and [[Tom B. Long]]
File:MTMTE vol9.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 9''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
File:MTMTE vol10.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 10''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and Joana Lafuente
</gallery>

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 4]]''''' ([[October 12]], 2016) ISBN 1631407155 / ISBN 978-1631407154
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Monstrosity|Monstrosity]]'' issues [[Derelicts|#1]]–[[Belly of the Beast (issue)|12]], ''Robots in Disguise'' issues [[City on Fire|#12]]–[[Heavy Is the Head|16]] & [[Shockwaves|#17]]–[[Second Exodus|18]], and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #14–16.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Titans Return (comic)|The Transformers: Titans Return]]''''' ([[January 14]], 2017) ISBN 1631408216 / ISBN 978-1631408212
** Collects [[The Last Autobot|''Titans Return'' #1]], [[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|''The Transformers'' (2012)]] issues [[White Light|#56]]–[[White Heat|57]], and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #56–57.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 5]]''''' ([[February 22]], 2017) ISBN 1631408445 / ISBN 978-1631408441
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Primacy|Primacy]]'' issues [[Primacy issue 1|#1]]–[[Primacy issue 4|4]], ''Robots in Disguise'' issues [[Homecoming (IDW)|#19]]–[[Three Monologues|20]] & [[Shockpoint|#21]]–[[Soundwaves (issue)|22]], and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #17–21, #22 & "[[The Sound of Breaking Glass]]".
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Revolution]]: Transformers''''' ([[March 8]], 2017) ISBN 1631408429 / ISBN 978-1631408427 
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]'': [[Informed|''Revolution'' #1]], ''The Transformers'' (2012): [[Thundercracker & Buster Save the World|''Revolution'' #1]], ''More than Meets the Eye'': ''Revolution'' #1, and ''[[The Transformers Holiday Special]]''.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''Revolution''''' ([[March 29]], 2017) ISBN 978-1631409370
** Collects ''Revolution'' issues [[Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|#0]]–[[Valley Forge|5]] and all the tie-in one-shots.
** Bonus material includes a cover gallery.
** Hardcover format, exclusively sold through the comic book direct market.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 59: Dark Cybertron, Part 1''''' ([[June 14]], 2017)
** Collects ''Dark Cybertron'' #1, ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #23–25, and ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #23–24.
** Bonus material includes a bio on the [[Titan (group)|Titans]], the making of ''Dark Cybertron'' with [[John Barber]] and [[James Roberts]], a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:IDWCollectionP2V4.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 4''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and Tom B. Long
File:TitansReturn TPBcvr.jpg|'''''Titans Return''''' – cover art by [[Priscilla Tramontano]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V5.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 5''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and Tom B. Long
File:Revolution-Transformers-TPB.jpg|'''''Revolution: Transformers''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:Revolution-HC.jpg|'''''Revolution''''' – cover art by [[James Biggie]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v59.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 59: Dark Cybertron, Part 1''''' – cover art by [[Guido Guidi]] (Ratchet) and Phil Jimenez/[[Andrew Griffith]] (retro)
</gallery>

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 6]]''''' ([[October 18]], 2017) ISBN 1684050855 / ISBN 978-1684050857
** Collects ''Dark Cybertron'' #1, ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #23–27, and ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #23–27, ''Dark Cybertron Finale'', and [[The Transformers: Windblade|''Windblade'' (2014)]] issues [[A 'Bot and Her City|#1]]–[[Windblade issue 4|4]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 7]]''''' ([[March 21]], [[2018]]) ISBN 1684051495 / ISBN 978-1684051496
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' issues #28–30, #31–33 & #34, and ''Robots in Disguise'' issues [[Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|#28]]–[[Earthfall Part 5: I Dream of Wires|32]] & [[The World of Tomorrow|#33]]–[[The Crucible|34]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 72: The Dying of the Light''''' ([[January 24]], 2018)
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #50–55.
** Bonus material includes the bonus story "[[No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases]]", essential background material on the DJD, a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 75: Titans Return, Part 1''''' ([[February 7]], 2018)
** Collects ''Till All Are One'' issues [[07:00:00|#1]]–[[The Line Between Us|4]], ''Titans Return'' #1, ''The Transformers'' (2012) issues #56–57, and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #56–57.
** Bonus material includes a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 60: Dark Cybertron, Part 2''''' ([[February 21]], 2018)
** Collects ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #25–27, ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #26–27, and ''Dark Cybertron Finale''.
** Bonus material includes a "blow-by-blow account of Dark Cybertron's hidden secrets", a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 8]]''''' ([[December 5]], 2018) ISBN 1684053722 / ISBN 978-1684053728
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #35–38 & #39–40, ''The Transformers'' (2012) issues [[Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|#35]]–[[The Onyx Interface Conclusion: The Obliterati|38]], ''[[The Transformers: Punishment|Punishment]]'' issues [[City of Steel (issue)|#1]]–[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|5]], and ''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|Drift - Empire of Stone]]'' issues [[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|#1]]–[[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 4|4]].
** Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:IDWCollectionP2V6.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 6''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and Tom B. Long
File:IDWCollectionP2V7.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 7''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and Tom B. Long
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v72.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 72: The Dying of the Light''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Cyclonus) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v75.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 75: Titans Return, Part 1''''' – cover art by Don Figueroa (Arcee) and [[Livio Ramondelli]] (retro)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v60.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 60: Dark Cybertron, Part 2''''' – cover art by [[Mark Brooks]] (Brainstorm) and [[Andrew Griffith]] (retro)
File:IDWCollectionP2V8.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 8''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere
</gallery>

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' ([[December 26]], 2018)
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–6, and ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' & ''Hoist''.
** Bonus material includes an all-new interview with James Roberts, rare archive material from the dawn of ''More than Meets the Eye'', Alex Milne's sketchbook, a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #7–13 and Annual 2012.
** Bonus material includes the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, design sketches from Alex Milne, a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 63: Elegant Chaos''''' ([[June 12]], 2019)
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #35–42.
** Bonus material includes a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 9]]''''' ([[June 19]], 2019) ISBN 1684054842 / ISBN 978-1684054848
** Collects ''The Transformers'' (2012) issues [[First Contact (IDW)|#39]]–[[You, Me, and the Universe|41]], [[Now and On Earth|#42]] & [[South of Heaven|#43]], [[The Transformers: Windblade|''Windblade'' (2015)]] issues [[The Sum and Its Parts|#1]]–[[All That Remains|3]] & [[Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|#4]]–[[Race Against the Light|5]], and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #41–44.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 57: Remain in Light''''' ([[August 21]], 2019)
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #14–21, and "[[Signal to Noise]]" & "[[The Sound of Breaking Glass]]".
** Bonus material includes a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 66: Speak, Memory''''' ([[December 25]], 2019)
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #43–49.
** Bonus material includes a one-page article about the [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]], a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v53.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' – cover art by Don Figueroa (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' – cover art by Don Figueroa (Chromedome) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v63.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 63: Elegant Chaos''''' – cover art by Don Figueroa (Trailbreaker) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:IDWCollectionP2V9.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 9''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v57.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 57: Remain in Light''''' – cover art by Don Figueroa (Skids) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v66.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 66: Speak, Memory''''' – cover art by [[Dan Khanna]] (Getaway) and Alex Milne (retro)
</gallery>

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 10]]''''' ([[January 1]], [[2020]]) ISBN 1684055849 / ISBN 978-1684055845
** Collects ''Windblade'' (2015) issues [[Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|#6]]–[[The Will of the Few|7]], ''The Transformers'' (2012) issues [[The Transgressors|#44]]–[[The Nothing Man|45]], ''[[Combiner Wars (comic)|Combiner Hunters]]'' [[An Uneventful Night|#1]], ''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers|Sins of the Wreckers]]'' issues [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 1|#1]]–[[Sins of the Wreckers issue 5|5]], ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #45–47 & #48–49, and ''[[The Transformers Holiday Special]]: [[Choose Me]]'' & ''[[The Thirteenth Day of Christmas]]''.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 61: World Shut Your Mouth''''' ([[January 8]], 2020)
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #28–34.
** Bonus material includes "Season 2" character poster art, a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 81: Revolution''''' ([[February 19]], 2020)
** Collects ''Revolution'' issues #0–5, ''Till All Are One'': ''Revolution'' #1, ''The Transformers'' (2012): ''Revolution'' #1, and ''More than Meets the Eye'': ''Revolution'' #1.
** Bonus content includes an intro from [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 11]]''''' ([[June 17]], 2020) ISBN 1684056403 / ISBN 978-1684056408
** Collects ''The Transformers Holiday Special: [[Silent Light]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Redemption|Redemption]]'', ''The Transformers'' (2012) issues [[Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|#46]]–[[All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|50]] & "[[New Worlds Order]]", and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #50–55 & "[[No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases]]".
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 12]]''''' ([[February 10]], [[2021]]) ISBN 1684057469 / ISBN 978-1684057467
** Collects ''The Transformers'' (2012) issues [[All Hail Optimus Part 2: Edge of the Earth|#51]]–[[All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|55]] & #56–57, ''Till All Are One'' issues #1–4, ''Titans Return'' #1, and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #56–57.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Three: Volume 1]]''''' (September, 2021) ISBN 1684058422 / ISBN 978-1684058426
** Contains ''[[Revolution]]'' issues [[Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|#0]]–[[Valley Forge|5]], ''Till All Are One'': [[Informed|''Revolution'' #1]] & issues [[Ping|#5]]–[[Rubicon|8]], [[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|''The Transformers'' (2012)]]: [[Thundercracker & Buster Save the World|''Revolution'' #1]], [[The Modern World|''Action Man'': ''Revolution'' #1]], ''More than Meets the Eye'': [[Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!|''Revolution'' #1]], and ''[[Revolutionaries]]'' issues [[Crisis Intervention|#1]]–[[The Iron Klaw|4]].
** Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:IDWCollectionP2V10.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 10''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v61.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 61: World Shut Your Mouth''''' – cover art by Don Figueroa (Hoist) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v81.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 81: Revolution''''' – cover art by [[Dreamwave Productions]] (Blitzwing) and [[Fico Ossio]] (retro)
File:IDWCollectionP2V11.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 11''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere
File:IDWCollectionP2V12.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 12''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere
File:IDWCollectionP3V1.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Three: Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]]
</gallery>

* '''''[[Transformers: Best of Megatron]]''''' ([[March 2]], [[2022]])
** Collects [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (1984)]] [[The Pri¢e of Life!|#70: "The Pri¢e of Life!"]], ''[[The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin]]'' [[Megatron Origin issue 1|#1]], [[The Transformers (IDW)|''The Transformers'' (2009)]] [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22: "Chaos Theory Part 1"]], ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' [[Choices|#7: "Choices"]], and ''More than Meets the Eye'' [[slaughterhouse|#32: "slaughterhouse"]]
** Bonus material includes an art gallery.
** Comic format.

* '''''[[Transformers: Best of Windblade]]''''' ([[December 7]], 2022)
** Collects [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]]'s first appearance from ''More than Meets the Eye'' [[Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|#26: "Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8"]], [[The Transformers: Windblade|''Windblade'' (2014)]] [[A 'Bot and Her City|#1: "A 'Bot and Her City"]], ''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]'' [[The Chosen One|Annual 2017: "The Chosen One"]], and [[Transformers (2019 comic)|''Transformers'' (2019)]] [[The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Three|#9: "The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Three"]].
** Bonus material includes an art gallery.
** Comic format.

<gallery>
File:BestOfMegatron cvr.jpg|'''''Best of Megatron''''' – cover art by [[James Biggie]]
File:BestOfWindblade cvr.jpg|'''''Best of Windblade''''' – cover art by James Biggie
</gallery>

==International Printings==

===Japanese reprints===
The Japanese reprints have been published from [[Villagebooks]], translated by [[Akihisa Koike]]. Bonus material includes: art from all covers, appearance character commentary, includes a booklet with a commentary written by Akihisa Koike and [[Eugene Ishikawa]].

* '''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' ([[September 28]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–5.
** There are two covers, regular and exclusive. Produced exclusively for the [https://www.amazon.co.jp/ Amazon.co.jp], [http://versecomics.jp/ verse COMICS], [https://www.shosen.co.jp/ Shosen book tower], [http://blistercomics.jp/?mode=grp&gid=2006960 BLISTER comics] and [https://mamegyorai.jp/net/default.aspx Mamegyorai].
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' ([[February 28]], [[2020]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #6–11 and Annual 2012.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' ([[August 28]], 2020)
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #12–16.
** [[Signal to Noise|Prose story]] translated by [[Keisuke Tsubono]].
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye Volume 4''''' ([[May 31]], [[2021]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #17–22.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|The Transformers: Dark Cybertron]] Volume 1''''' ([[March 25]], [[2022]])
** Collects [[Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|''Dark Cybertron'' #1]], ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #23–25, and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|#23]]–[[Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|24]].
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: Dark Cybertron Volume 2''''' ([[March 25]], 2022)
** Collects ''Robots in Disguise'' issues [[The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|#25]]–[[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|27]], ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #26–27, and ''[[...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|Dark Cybertron Finale]]''.
** Trade paperback format.

<gallery>
File:Villagebooks MTMTE vol1 regular cover.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 1'' Regular Cover''' – cover art by [[Kazumasa Yasukuni]]. [[Media:Unite Cover.jpg|Unite RID vol.1 cover]].
File:Villagebooks MTMTE vol1 exclusive cover.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 1'' Exclusive Cover''' – cover art by [[Takahiro Yamada]] and Kazumasa Yasukuni.
File:Villagebooks MTMTE vol2 regular cover.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 2'' Regular Cover''' – cover art by [[Naoyuki Fujisawa]].
File:Villagebooks MTMTE vol3 regular cover.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 3'' Regular Cover''' – cover art by [[Tasuku Tajima]].
File:Villagebooks MTMTE vol4 regular cover.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 4'' Regular Cover''' – cover art by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and Josh Perez.
File:Villagebooks DC vol1 cover.jpg|'''''Dark Cybertron Volume 1''''' – cover art by Kazumasa Yasukuni.
File:Villagebooks DC vol2 cover.jpg|'''''Dark Cybertron Volume 2''''' – cover art by Kazumasa Yasukuni.
</gallery>

===Swedish reprints===
The Swedish reprints have been published by [[Ades Media]] and translated by [[Johan Boström]].

* '''''Transformers: Mer än ögat kan se''''' ([[June 15]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–8 & Annual 2012, ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]]'' & ''[[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]'', and a special illustrated edition of "[[Bullets]]".
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Kaos och skuggor''''' ([[November]], [[2020]])
** Collects [[The Transformers (IDW)|''The Transformers'' (2009)]] issues [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]]–[[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|24]], [[Chaos Part Two: Numbers|#26]], [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|#28]] & [[Chaos Part Four: Genesis|#30]], ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #9–13.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Krig och hågkomst''''' ([[July]], [[2021]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #14–22, a special illustrated version of "[[The Sound of Breaking Glass]]", and ''Spotlight: [[Omega's Conundrum|Orion Pax]]''.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Du sköna nya värld''''' ([[November]], [[2022]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #28–38 & #40.
** Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE_SWE_01.jpg|'''''Mer än ögat kan se''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and Joana Lafuente.
File:MTMTE SWE 02.jpg|'''''Kaos och skuggor''''' – cover art by Nick Roche and Josh Burcham.
File:MTMTE SWE 03.jpg|'''''Krig och hågkomst''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez.
File:MTMTE SWE 04.jpg|'''''Du sköna nya värld''''' – cover art by Casey Coller and Joana Lafuente.
</gallery>

==In fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:MTMTE43_subcvr.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|Your childhood's hero you pretended was your favourite after your gran bought it and not that Ultra Magnus you wanted.]]
{{quote|...I didn't say I didn't '''like''' it—I just don't understand all of the words, and it presumes a '''familiarity''' with the Autobot/Decepticon war that I '''still''' don't have...|[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]|"[[The One Where They Go to Earth]]"}}

After being exposed to [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]]'s [[Metafictional bomb|meta-bomb]] and [[Time case|briefcase]], the Autobot [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] somehow created a reiterative time-loop inside him, allowing his [[holomatter]] generator to create a life-sized replica of the planet [[Earth]] to which his mind retreated when he was dying from a rust infection. The only literature on "[[Swearth]]", as it was swiftly dubbed, was a comic book series called ''More than Meets the Eye'' that detailed the adventures of the ''[[Lost Light]]''{{'}}s crew up until that point, which [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] read in order to gain clues as to Swerve's location. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

===''EarthSpark'' cartoon===
The comic book ''More than Meets the Eye'' was a series detailing the events of the Transformers' adventures on Earth. [[Robby Malto|Some]] viewed them as accurate historical documents.
{{storylink|Secret Legacy, Part 1}}

==Recognition==
* Three nominations for the 2014 True Believers Awards: Favourite American Comic Book: Colour, Favourite Single Story ([[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|#13]]), and Favourite Continued Story ("Remain in Light").<ref>[http://www.truebelieverscomicawards.com/nominees.html True Believers Comic Awards nominees]</ref>
* #85 on [http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/cbrs-top-100-comics-of-2015-100-76#85 Comic Book Resource's top 100 Comics of 2015].
* Winner of Comics Alliance's [http://comicsalliance.com/comics-alliance-best-of-2015-continued-excellence-in-serial-comics/ Best of 2015: Continued Excellence in Serial Comics] (beating ''Saga''!!)
* Winner of Comics Alliance's [http://comicsalliance.com/best-sci-fi-comic-2016/ Best of 2016: The Best Sci-Fi Comic of 2016] (beating ''Saga'' again!!)

==Other notes==
* Roberts, like John Barber, was told to assume their comics would last a year. Roberts, cheerfully saying it was "stupid" in a podcast interview, decided to plan for "Seasons" running for years anyway. That turned out work out as the comic ''did'' run for years! His plan was that when it did have to end, they'd run into the Knights in some way and a vague threat, such as Unicron or Quintessons, linked to this.<ref>[https://www.mixcloud.com/GuernseyGeekOnPodcast/guernsey-geekon-james-roberts-interview-in-full/ Guernsey GeekOut interview with James Roberts, 1:22:30]</ref>
* James Roberts has stated that he wrote the series in mind with the characters in general all having his English accent.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=@E_McDevitt I should have been more specific: they all sound, blandly, like me. No rich regional accents I’m afraid, but feel free to go headcannon crazy|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/1024666474500313089|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2018|month=8|day=1|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* Roberts made [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2kyAylUOecLScdHEmzVhef a Spotify playlist of thirteen Morrissey songs he associates with Megatron].<ref>{{citesocial|quote=When we make the MTMTE musical, these are the songs Megatron will sing: https://t.co/VWWBXM0dsT|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/629791825058996224|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2015|month=8|day=7|(defunct=)}}</ref> Make of that what you will.
*In early 2023, James Roberts compiled his preliminary writing notes for the series into ''The MTMTE Notebooks, Vol 1 and 2''. These were sold at conventions as well as online. In late 2023, he revealed Volumes 3 and 4 and made them available for purchase.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:More than Meets the Eye, The Transformers}}
[[Category:IDW (2005) comic series]]

Mouthplate

2025-03-10T21:40:33Z

Yb124oaaai: /* 2005 continuity */ elimated repetition of "revealed"

{{cleanup|February 2013}}
[[File:Optimus face.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|I am smiling on the outside, but crying on the inside... not that you could tell anyway.]]
Instead of regular human facial features, some Transformers have what looks like a plate affixed to their lower jaw, usually covering up to their nose. While no official name exists for these, they are usually called ''''mouthplates''' ' or ''''faceplates'''' (despite a 'regular' face once being described as a faceplate in the TV series). Two of the most famous examples are those of [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]]'s [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]].

In earlier series, a Transformer's mouthplate moved when they spoke, as if there were a working jaw underneath. In later series such as [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|''Victory'']], [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'']] and the [[Unicron Trilogy]], however, it remains static.

Certain Transformers who sport mouthplates do have regular mouths underneath. Sometimes these mouthplates are even retractable, either in full or partially, to reveal their mouths.

==Examples==
===Generation 1===
====1984 ''The Transformers'' franchise====
[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] featured a prominent mouthplate in both [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|toy]] form (as do all [[Action Master|other]] [[Heroes of Cybertron|G1-based]] [[Revoltech|toyline]] [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|versions]]). The 20th Anniversary figure featured a mouthplate that was movable via a button on the back of his head that slightly lowered the spring-supported mouthplate to recreate the talking action seen in the cartoons.

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

[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s mouthplate was unique in that it was fixed, even in the cartoon. Instead of a movable mouthplate, you knew Wheeljack was speaking because his "ears" flashed. This may have been a misinterpretation of his toy's head, where the "mouthplate" could be interpreted as a visor.

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

On the other hand, [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] had a faceplate on the cartoon even though his toy had a mouth. [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]] also gained mouthplates in "[[The Rebirth]]" despite their toys not having them, and Triggerhappy even kept his mouthplate in ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' (while Crosshairs did not).

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

[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] sometimes had a mouthplate and sometimes he didn't.
{{-}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' franchise====
[[File:Bumblebeebattlemask.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|25 years before someone realized his toy has no face.]]
[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] is depicted as having a removable face mask with mouthplate that resembled the original sculpt of his toy.{{storylink|Transformers: The War Within|The War Within}} [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] was given a similar treatment with a flip-up faceguard. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|The Dark Ages}} The [[Titanium Series]] release of this character design featured the faceguard, but it was not removable. [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] was depicted with a removable face mask like Bumblebee's in the ongoing Generation 1 series.
{{-}}
====IDW Generation 1 comics====
=====2005 continuity=====
[[File:AHM-13 Prime mouth.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Okay, maybe the [[GEEWUN|geewunners]] were right about the mouthplate this time.]]
[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] covered his mouth with a plate which was once partially broken in battle with some thugs. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} He considered it his "lucky faceplate" and was disheartened when he lost it during a temporary body replacement, being more comfortable when his facial expressions were hidden from sight. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} After Orion rose to fame as Optimus Prime, sufferers of [[primus apotheosis]] such as [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] would often mimic him by getting their own faceplates. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}} At one point, Prime showed that he could retract the plate in order to eat.<ref>This would be the first time in an official story that the G1 version of the character is portrayed as being able to remove his mouthplate, although [[Don Figueroa|the artist]] himself doesn't consider him to be a G1 version.[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=143991#143991]</ref> {{storylink|Old Ways}}

[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] had a regular face in his youth, but covered it up with a mouthplate later on. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}}

[[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] had been wearing a faceplate his entire time onboard the Lost Light. When his corpse aboard the duplicate Lost Light was found to have a mouth underneath, the crew members were surprised- only to be even more surprised when [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] showed a Decepticon insignia on the back of the faceplate, revealing him as a spy.{{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|More than Meets the Eye #33}}

[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] deployed a faceplate during combat. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 1|Megatron Origin #1}}

Jetfire had a removable mask with mouthplate as part of his battle gear.<ref>This feature was included in the [[Transformers: Classics|Classics]] toy of this character design.</ref> {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}}

Like Optimus Prime, [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] and [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] wore mouthplates but could retract part of them to reveal their mouths. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}}

Soundwave was revealed to have at one point been without a faceplate. At the time he was suffering from being unable to control his extrasensory powers, at which point he was discovered by Laserbeak, Buzzsaw and Ravage. This was before he visibly had a compartment in which to store the cassettes, implying the mouth was included in his later refit. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

When a team of young Autobot recruits from all across the [[Council of Worlds]] joined Optimus Prime on [[Earth]], they began wearing detachable mouthplates in order to better emulate their leader. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

When preparing to face [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], Optimus Prime removed his mouthplate, symbolically removing all the masks he'd worn in his life so as to face the Chaos Bringer as his true self. The mouthplate, all that remained of the Prime, was placed on his coffin at his funeral. {{storylink|Post}}

{{-}}

===''Beast Wars''===
[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] in his first design was infrequently shown to have a mouthplate which would slide into place when he entered battle. This was used to reconcile the presence of an actual mouth on his animation model with the lack thereof on his toy. Later [[retool]]ings of the toy reflected the animation model.
{{-}}

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise===
[[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]], [[X-Brawn]], [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]], [[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]], [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] and all of the [[Commando (RID)|Commandos]] bar [[Rollbar (RID)|Rollbar]] sported non-moving mouthplates.
{{-}}
===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
====''Energon''====
[[File:Energon-Wing-Dagger-Dead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
When [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Dagger]] was killed by a falling Energon Tower, his mouthplate shattered, revealing a mouth beneath it. It's unclear whether all mouthplated Transformers in this continuity had similar setups. {{storylink|Each One Fights...}}

====''Cybertron''====
The [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] animation model displayed a similar setup to Optimus Primal, with a mouthplate that slid into place when entering [[Super Mode]]. In this case, however, the toy reflected this, featuring a gimmick that allowed the face to display either configuration.
{{-}}

===Live-action film series===
[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] was depicted as having a combat mouthplate which closed over his normal mouth to protect his face. To date, only a few toys (one of Prime's [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]] figurines, Buster Optimus Prime, his two retooled Battle Hooks toys, and the First Edition and Evasion Mode sculpts from the ''Age of Extinction'' line) have displayed his face and mouth, while all other merchandise featured the plate. [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] also had a mouthplate, seen very briefly. [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] had two pieces that rest on the top of his head normally but slide down and clamp together over his whole face in battle.

====2007 ''Transformers'' franchise====
Bumblebee's faceplate had a very insectoid appearance, crediting his name. [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] had a visor that protected his upper-face in combat. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] also had a mouthplate similar in appearance to Optimus Prime's as shown in some of his concept art and toys, but he has never officially used it on film.

====''Revenge of the Fallen''====
[[File:ROTF Prime mouthplate shatter.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Megatron did that just to piss off the [[GEEWUN|purists]]. He's that evil.]]
[[File:BumblebeemovieBattlemask.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|In the far-flung future of [[{{CURRENTYEAR}}]], mouthplates will be made mandatory for all sentient beings.]]
Optimus Prime's faceplate was smashed to pieces when he was kicked in the face by [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but it was replaced when he combined with [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}} While not noticeable in the film, [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]]'s [[Human Alliance]] toy confirmed he had an extra layer of armor plating (which was thought to be his actual face) protecting his main face. [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] were shown as having mouthplates in Titan Magazines' ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comics but were never shown wearing them in the movie nor were their masks included in any toys.

====''Age of Extinction''====
Among the many modifications that the bounty hunter [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] had incorporated into his frame was a protective mask that could cover his entire face which doubled as a scanner. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age Of Extinction}}

====''The Last Knight''====
Megatron's new body featured a retractable mouthplate. Marketing and promotional material leading up to the release of the film portrayed Barricade with a mask/helmet, but this feature was not seen in the film itself, the Decepticon having a fully exposed face throughout. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Animated''===
Most of the Autobots in [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s crew had retractable faceplates. Optimus, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] each had one. [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] had one, too, though his was unique in that it covered his whole face. Among the Decepticons, [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]] had a non-retractable mouthplate, much like his [[Soundwave (G1)|G1 predecessor]]'s. Optimus's mouthplate flapped up and down when he talked, just like that of G1 Optimus, but none of the others' did.
{{-}}
===Aligned continuity family===
====''Transformers Prime''====
[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] each had a mouthplate that they slid into place over their faces whenever they entered battle. [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|Nemesis Prime]], being a copy of Optimus, had a mouthplate too, though it was permanently deployed. {{storylink|Nemesis Prime (episode)|Nemesis Prime}} After falling into a pool of [[Living metal#Aligned continuity|cyber-matter]] and recovering his voice, [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] finally retracted his mouthplate, which had been deployed for the entire series. {{storylink|Deadlock (episode)|Deadlock}}

====2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise====
Bumblebee and Optimus both retained their retractable faceplates; newcomers [[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]] and [[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]] possessed similar faceguards. Some concept art for [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]] depicted him with a retractable faceplate but this was not used in the show proper.

===''Cyberverse''===
As always, [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]] possessed a retractable mouthplate. [[Grimlock (Cyberverse)|Grimlock]] also possessed a combat mouthplate and visor, used only in more dangerous battle scenarios. {{storylink|Eruption}} [[Dead End (Cyberverse)|Dead End]] and [[Thunderhowl]] would keep the tradition going.

===''EarthSpark''===
Aside from the usual [[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]], [[Wheeljack (ES)|Wheeljack]] has a retractable mouthplate too like his [[Wheeljack (Prime)|aligned predecessor]]. The [[Terran]] [[Nightshade (ES)|Nightshade]] is also seen displaying a scarf-styled mouthplate when rescuing the human [[Sam (ES)|Sam]] from a burglar.

{{-}}

==Notes==
* Both the [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|''Armada'' Optimus Prime]] and the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|''20th Anniversary'' Optimus Prime]] toys have mouthplates that can move up and down when a button located on their heads is depressed, even though Armada Prime's mouthplate never moved in the series itself. Additionally, the ''20th Anniversary'' toy has teeth (or possibly a speaker grille) hidden behind the mouthplate, in reference to Optimus Prime's battle-damaged appearance in the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Generation 2'' comics]], though this detail cannot be seen without disassembling the entire head (or just looking down with it pulled down really far).
* The lack of a full-time mouthplate [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|on]] [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|certain]] [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|characters]] [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|has]], in the past, been known to result in [[GEEWUN|certain]] [[Ruined FOREVER|reactions]] from the fandom. Oh well.
* Mouthplates as featured on Transformers and earlier Japanese {{w|super robot}}s likely derive from the historical ''{{w|Mengu (Japanese facial armour)#Hanbō (hanpō)|hanbō}}''.
* In the [[Omni Productions]] dubs, characters who have a mouthplate are given "muffled" voices, evidently produced by the actors covering their mouths with their hands.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Transformer anatomy]]

Mouthplate

2025-03-10T21:38:39Z

Yb124oaaai: /* 2005 continuity */

{{cleanup|February 2013}}
[[File:Optimus face.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|I am smiling on the outside, but crying on the inside... not that you could tell anyway.]]
Instead of regular human facial features, some Transformers have what looks like a plate affixed to their lower jaw, usually covering up to their nose. While no official name exists for these, they are usually called ''''mouthplates''' ' or ''''faceplates'''' (despite a 'regular' face once being described as a faceplate in the TV series). Two of the most famous examples are those of [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]]'s [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]].

In earlier series, a Transformer's mouthplate moved when they spoke, as if there were a working jaw underneath. In later series such as [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|''Victory'']], [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'']] and the [[Unicron Trilogy]], however, it remains static.

Certain Transformers who sport mouthplates do have regular mouths underneath. Sometimes these mouthplates are even retractable, either in full or partially, to reveal their mouths.

==Examples==
===Generation 1===
====1984 ''The Transformers'' franchise====
[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] featured a prominent mouthplate in both [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|toy]] form (as do all [[Action Master|other]] [[Heroes of Cybertron|G1-based]] [[Revoltech|toyline]] [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|versions]]). The 20th Anniversary figure featured a mouthplate that was movable via a button on the back of his head that slightly lowered the spring-supported mouthplate to recreate the talking action seen in the cartoons.

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

[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s mouthplate was unique in that it was fixed, even in the cartoon. Instead of a movable mouthplate, you knew Wheeljack was speaking because his "ears" flashed. This may have been a misinterpretation of his toy's head, where the "mouthplate" could be interpreted as a visor.

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

On the other hand, [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] had a faceplate on the cartoon even though his toy had a mouth. [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]] also gained mouthplates in "[[The Rebirth]]" despite their toys not having them, and Triggerhappy even kept his mouthplate in ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' (while Crosshairs did not).

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

[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] sometimes had a mouthplate and sometimes he didn't.
{{-}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' franchise====
[[File:Bumblebeebattlemask.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|25 years before someone realized his toy has no face.]]
[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] is depicted as having a removable face mask with mouthplate that resembled the original sculpt of his toy.{{storylink|Transformers: The War Within|The War Within}} [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] was given a similar treatment with a flip-up faceguard. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|The Dark Ages}} The [[Titanium Series]] release of this character design featured the faceguard, but it was not removable. [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] was depicted with a removable face mask like Bumblebee's in the ongoing Generation 1 series.
{{-}}
====IDW Generation 1 comics====
=====2005 continuity=====
[[File:AHM-13 Prime mouth.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Okay, maybe the [[GEEWUN|geewunners]] were right about the mouthplate this time.]]
[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] covered his mouth with a plate which was once partially broken in battle with some thugs. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} He considered it his "lucky faceplate" and was disheartened when he lost it during a temporary body replacement, being more comfortable when his facial expressions were hidden from sight. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} After Orion rose to fame as Optimus Prime, sufferers of [[primus apotheosis]] such as [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] would often mimic him by getting their own faceplates. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}} At one point, Prime showed that he could retract the plate in order to eat.<ref>This would be the first time in an official story that the G1 version of the character is portrayed as being able to remove his mouthplate, although [[Don Figueroa|the artist]] himself doesn't consider him to be a G1 version.[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=143991#143991]</ref> {{storylink|Old Ways}}

[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] had a regular face in his youth, but covered it up with a mouthplate later on. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}}

[[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] had been wearing a faceplate his entire time onboard the Lost Light. When his corpse aboard the duplicate Lost Light was revealed to have a mouth, the crew members were surprised- only to be even more surprised when [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] revealed the Decepticon insignia on the back of the faceplate, revealing him as a spy.{{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|More than Meets the Eye #33}}

[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] deployed a faceplate during combat. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 1|Megatron Origin #1}}

Jetfire had a removable mask with mouthplate as part of his battle gear.<ref>This feature was included in the [[Transformers: Classics|Classics]] toy of this character design.</ref> {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}}

Like Optimus Prime, [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] and [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] wore mouthplates but could retract part of them to reveal their mouths. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}}

Soundwave was revealed to have at one point been without a faceplate. At the time he was suffering from being unable to control his extrasensory powers, at which point he was discovered by Laserbeak, Buzzsaw and Ravage. This was before he visibly had a compartment in which to store the cassettes, implying the mouth was included in his later refit. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

When a team of young Autobot recruits from all across the [[Council of Worlds]] joined Optimus Prime on [[Earth]], they began wearing detachable mouthplates in order to better emulate their leader. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

When preparing to face [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], Optimus Prime removed his mouthplate, symbolically removing all the masks he'd worn in his life so as to face the Chaos Bringer as his true self. The mouthplate, all that remained of the Prime, was placed on his coffin at his funeral. {{storylink|Post}}

{{-}}

===''Beast Wars''===
[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] in his first design was infrequently shown to have a mouthplate which would slide into place when he entered battle. This was used to reconcile the presence of an actual mouth on his animation model with the lack thereof on his toy. Later [[retool]]ings of the toy reflected the animation model.
{{-}}

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise===
[[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]], [[X-Brawn]], [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]], [[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]], [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] and all of the [[Commando (RID)|Commandos]] bar [[Rollbar (RID)|Rollbar]] sported non-moving mouthplates.
{{-}}
===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
====''Energon''====
[[File:Energon-Wing-Dagger-Dead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
When [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Dagger]] was killed by a falling Energon Tower, his mouthplate shattered, revealing a mouth beneath it. It's unclear whether all mouthplated Transformers in this continuity had similar setups. {{storylink|Each One Fights...}}

====''Cybertron''====
The [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] animation model displayed a similar setup to Optimus Primal, with a mouthplate that slid into place when entering [[Super Mode]]. In this case, however, the toy reflected this, featuring a gimmick that allowed the face to display either configuration.
{{-}}

===Live-action film series===
[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] was depicted as having a combat mouthplate which closed over his normal mouth to protect his face. To date, only a few toys (one of Prime's [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]] figurines, Buster Optimus Prime, his two retooled Battle Hooks toys, and the First Edition and Evasion Mode sculpts from the ''Age of Extinction'' line) have displayed his face and mouth, while all other merchandise featured the plate. [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] also had a mouthplate, seen very briefly. [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] had two pieces that rest on the top of his head normally but slide down and clamp together over his whole face in battle.

====2007 ''Transformers'' franchise====
Bumblebee's faceplate had a very insectoid appearance, crediting his name. [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] had a visor that protected his upper-face in combat. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] also had a mouthplate similar in appearance to Optimus Prime's as shown in some of his concept art and toys, but he has never officially used it on film.

====''Revenge of the Fallen''====
[[File:ROTF Prime mouthplate shatter.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Megatron did that just to piss off the [[GEEWUN|purists]]. He's that evil.]]
[[File:BumblebeemovieBattlemask.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|In the far-flung future of [[{{CURRENTYEAR}}]], mouthplates will be made mandatory for all sentient beings.]]
Optimus Prime's faceplate was smashed to pieces when he was kicked in the face by [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but it was replaced when he combined with [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}} While not noticeable in the film, [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]]'s [[Human Alliance]] toy confirmed he had an extra layer of armor plating (which was thought to be his actual face) protecting his main face. [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] were shown as having mouthplates in Titan Magazines' ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comics but were never shown wearing them in the movie nor were their masks included in any toys.

====''Age of Extinction''====
Among the many modifications that the bounty hunter [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] had incorporated into his frame was a protective mask that could cover his entire face which doubled as a scanner. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age Of Extinction}}

====''The Last Knight''====
Megatron's new body featured a retractable mouthplate. Marketing and promotional material leading up to the release of the film portrayed Barricade with a mask/helmet, but this feature was not seen in the film itself, the Decepticon having a fully exposed face throughout. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Animated''===
Most of the Autobots in [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s crew had retractable faceplates. Optimus, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] each had one. [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] had one, too, though his was unique in that it covered his whole face. Among the Decepticons, [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]] had a non-retractable mouthplate, much like his [[Soundwave (G1)|G1 predecessor]]'s. Optimus's mouthplate flapped up and down when he talked, just like that of G1 Optimus, but none of the others' did.
{{-}}
===Aligned continuity family===
====''Transformers Prime''====
[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] each had a mouthplate that they slid into place over their faces whenever they entered battle. [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|Nemesis Prime]], being a copy of Optimus, had a mouthplate too, though it was permanently deployed. {{storylink|Nemesis Prime (episode)|Nemesis Prime}} After falling into a pool of [[Living metal#Aligned continuity|cyber-matter]] and recovering his voice, [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] finally retracted his mouthplate, which had been deployed for the entire series. {{storylink|Deadlock (episode)|Deadlock}}

====2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise====
Bumblebee and Optimus both retained their retractable faceplates; newcomers [[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]] and [[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]] possessed similar faceguards. Some concept art for [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]] depicted him with a retractable faceplate but this was not used in the show proper.

===''Cyberverse''===
As always, [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]] possessed a retractable mouthplate. [[Grimlock (Cyberverse)|Grimlock]] also possessed a combat mouthplate and visor, used only in more dangerous battle scenarios. {{storylink|Eruption}} [[Dead End (Cyberverse)|Dead End]] and [[Thunderhowl]] would keep the tradition going.

===''EarthSpark''===
Aside from the usual [[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]], [[Wheeljack (ES)|Wheeljack]] has a retractable mouthplate too like his [[Wheeljack (Prime)|aligned predecessor]]. The [[Terran]] [[Nightshade (ES)|Nightshade]] is also seen displaying a scarf-styled mouthplate when rescuing the human [[Sam (ES)|Sam]] from a burglar.

{{-}}

==Notes==
* Both the [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|''Armada'' Optimus Prime]] and the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|''20th Anniversary'' Optimus Prime]] toys have mouthplates that can move up and down when a button located on their heads is depressed, even though Armada Prime's mouthplate never moved in the series itself. Additionally, the ''20th Anniversary'' toy has teeth (or possibly a speaker grille) hidden behind the mouthplate, in reference to Optimus Prime's battle-damaged appearance in the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Generation 2'' comics]], though this detail cannot be seen without disassembling the entire head (or just looking down with it pulled down really far).
* The lack of a full-time mouthplate [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|on]] [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|certain]] [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|characters]] [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|has]], in the past, been known to result in [[GEEWUN|certain]] [[Ruined FOREVER|reactions]] from the fandom. Oh well.
* Mouthplates as featured on Transformers and earlier Japanese {{w|super robot}}s likely derive from the historical ''{{w|Mengu (Japanese facial armour)#Hanbō (hanpō)|hanbō}}''.
* In the [[Omni Productions]] dubs, characters who have a mouthplate are given "muffled" voices, evidently produced by the actors covering their mouths with their hands.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Transformer anatomy]]

Mouthplate

2025-03-10T21:38:12Z

Yb124oaaai: /* 2005 continuity */

{{cleanup|February 2013}}
[[File:Optimus face.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|I am smiling on the outside, but crying on the inside... not that you could tell anyway.]]
Instead of regular human facial features, some Transformers have what looks like a plate affixed to their lower jaw, usually covering up to their nose. While no official name exists for these, they are usually called ''''mouthplates''' ' or ''''faceplates'''' (despite a 'regular' face once being described as a faceplate in the TV series). Two of the most famous examples are those of [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]]'s [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]].

In earlier series, a Transformer's mouthplate moved when they spoke, as if there were a working jaw underneath. In later series such as [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|''Victory'']], [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'']] and the [[Unicron Trilogy]], however, it remains static.

Certain Transformers who sport mouthplates do have regular mouths underneath. Sometimes these mouthplates are even retractable, either in full or partially, to reveal their mouths.

==Examples==
===Generation 1===
====1984 ''The Transformers'' franchise====
[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] featured a prominent mouthplate in both [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|toy]] form (as do all [[Action Master|other]] [[Heroes of Cybertron|G1-based]] [[Revoltech|toyline]] [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|versions]]). The 20th Anniversary figure featured a mouthplate that was movable via a button on the back of his head that slightly lowered the spring-supported mouthplate to recreate the talking action seen in the cartoons.

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

[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s mouthplate was unique in that it was fixed, even in the cartoon. Instead of a movable mouthplate, you knew Wheeljack was speaking because his "ears" flashed. This may have been a misinterpretation of his toy's head, where the "mouthplate" could be interpreted as a visor.

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

On the other hand, [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] had a faceplate on the cartoon even though his toy had a mouth. [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]] also gained mouthplates in "[[The Rebirth]]" despite their toys not having them, and Triggerhappy even kept his mouthplate in ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' (while Crosshairs did not).

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

[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] sometimes had a mouthplate and sometimes he didn't.
{{-}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' franchise====
[[File:Bumblebeebattlemask.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|25 years before someone realized his toy has no face.]]
[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] is depicted as having a removable face mask with mouthplate that resembled the original sculpt of his toy.{{storylink|Transformers: The War Within|The War Within}} [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] was given a similar treatment with a flip-up faceguard. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|The Dark Ages}} The [[Titanium Series]] release of this character design featured the faceguard, but it was not removable. [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] was depicted with a removable face mask like Bumblebee's in the ongoing Generation 1 series.
{{-}}
====IDW Generation 1 comics====
=====2005 continuity=====
[[File:AHM-13 Prime mouth.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Okay, maybe the [[GEEWUN|geewunners]] were right about the mouthplate this time.]]
[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] covered his mouth with a plate which was once partially broken in battle with some thugs. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} He considered it his "lucky faceplate" and was disheartened when he lost it during a temporary body replacement, being more comfortable when his facial expressions were hidden from sight. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} After Orion rose to fame as Optimus Prime, sufferers of [[primus apotheosis]] such as [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] would often mimic him by getting their own faceplates. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}} At one point, Prime showed that he could retract the plate in order to eat.<ref>This would be the first time in an official story that the G1 version of the character is portrayed as being able to remove his mouthplate, although [[Don Figueroa|the artist]] himself doesn't consider him to be a G1 version.[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=143991#143991]</ref> {{storylink|Old Ways}}

[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] had a regular face in his youth, but covered it up with a mouthplate later on. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}}

[[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] had been wearing a faceplate his entire time onboard the Lost Light. When his corpse aboard the duplicate Lost Light was revealed to have a mouth, the crew members were surprised- only to be even more surprised when [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] revealed the Decepticon insignia on the back of the faceplate, revealing him as a spy.{{storylink|More than Meets the Eye issue 33|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken}}

[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] deployed a faceplate during combat. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 1|Megatron Origin #1}}

Jetfire had a removable mask with mouthplate as part of his battle gear.<ref>This feature was included in the [[Transformers: Classics|Classics]] toy of this character design.</ref> {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}}

Like Optimus Prime, [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] and [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] wore mouthplates but could retract part of them to reveal their mouths. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}}

Soundwave was revealed to have at one point been without a faceplate. At the time he was suffering from being unable to control his extrasensory powers, at which point he was discovered by Laserbeak, Buzzsaw and Ravage. This was before he visibly had a compartment in which to store the cassettes, implying the mouth was included in his later refit. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

When a team of young Autobot recruits from all across the [[Council of Worlds]] joined Optimus Prime on [[Earth]], they began wearing detachable mouthplates in order to better emulate their leader. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

When preparing to face [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], Optimus Prime removed his mouthplate, symbolically removing all the masks he'd worn in his life so as to face the Chaos Bringer as his true self. The mouthplate, all that remained of the Prime, was placed on his coffin at his funeral. {{storylink|Post}}

{{-}}

===''Beast Wars''===
[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] in his first design was infrequently shown to have a mouthplate which would slide into place when he entered battle. This was used to reconcile the presence of an actual mouth on his animation model with the lack thereof on his toy. Later [[retool]]ings of the toy reflected the animation model.
{{-}}

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise===
[[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]], [[X-Brawn]], [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]], [[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]], [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] and all of the [[Commando (RID)|Commandos]] bar [[Rollbar (RID)|Rollbar]] sported non-moving mouthplates.
{{-}}
===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
====''Energon''====
[[File:Energon-Wing-Dagger-Dead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
When [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Dagger]] was killed by a falling Energon Tower, his mouthplate shattered, revealing a mouth beneath it. It's unclear whether all mouthplated Transformers in this continuity had similar setups. {{storylink|Each One Fights...}}

====''Cybertron''====
The [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] animation model displayed a similar setup to Optimus Primal, with a mouthplate that slid into place when entering [[Super Mode]]. In this case, however, the toy reflected this, featuring a gimmick that allowed the face to display either configuration.
{{-}}

===Live-action film series===
[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] was depicted as having a combat mouthplate which closed over his normal mouth to protect his face. To date, only a few toys (one of Prime's [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]] figurines, Buster Optimus Prime, his two retooled Battle Hooks toys, and the First Edition and Evasion Mode sculpts from the ''Age of Extinction'' line) have displayed his face and mouth, while all other merchandise featured the plate. [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] also had a mouthplate, seen very briefly. [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] had two pieces that rest on the top of his head normally but slide down and clamp together over his whole face in battle.

====2007 ''Transformers'' franchise====
Bumblebee's faceplate had a very insectoid appearance, crediting his name. [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] had a visor that protected his upper-face in combat. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] also had a mouthplate similar in appearance to Optimus Prime's as shown in some of his concept art and toys, but he has never officially used it on film.

====''Revenge of the Fallen''====
[[File:ROTF Prime mouthplate shatter.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Megatron did that just to piss off the [[GEEWUN|purists]]. He's that evil.]]
[[File:BumblebeemovieBattlemask.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|In the far-flung future of [[{{CURRENTYEAR}}]], mouthplates will be made mandatory for all sentient beings.]]
Optimus Prime's faceplate was smashed to pieces when he was kicked in the face by [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but it was replaced when he combined with [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}} While not noticeable in the film, [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]]'s [[Human Alliance]] toy confirmed he had an extra layer of armor plating (which was thought to be his actual face) protecting his main face. [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] were shown as having mouthplates in Titan Magazines' ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comics but were never shown wearing them in the movie nor were their masks included in any toys.

====''Age of Extinction''====
Among the many modifications that the bounty hunter [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] had incorporated into his frame was a protective mask that could cover his entire face which doubled as a scanner. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age Of Extinction}}

====''The Last Knight''====
Megatron's new body featured a retractable mouthplate. Marketing and promotional material leading up to the release of the film portrayed Barricade with a mask/helmet, but this feature was not seen in the film itself, the Decepticon having a fully exposed face throughout. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Animated''===
Most of the Autobots in [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s crew had retractable faceplates. Optimus, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] each had one. [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] had one, too, though his was unique in that it covered his whole face. Among the Decepticons, [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]] had a non-retractable mouthplate, much like his [[Soundwave (G1)|G1 predecessor]]'s. Optimus's mouthplate flapped up and down when he talked, just like that of G1 Optimus, but none of the others' did.
{{-}}
===Aligned continuity family===
====''Transformers Prime''====
[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] each had a mouthplate that they slid into place over their faces whenever they entered battle. [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|Nemesis Prime]], being a copy of Optimus, had a mouthplate too, though it was permanently deployed. {{storylink|Nemesis Prime (episode)|Nemesis Prime}} After falling into a pool of [[Living metal#Aligned continuity|cyber-matter]] and recovering his voice, [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] finally retracted his mouthplate, which had been deployed for the entire series. {{storylink|Deadlock (episode)|Deadlock}}

====2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise====
Bumblebee and Optimus both retained their retractable faceplates; newcomers [[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]] and [[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]] possessed similar faceguards. Some concept art for [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]] depicted him with a retractable faceplate but this was not used in the show proper.

===''Cyberverse''===
As always, [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]] possessed a retractable mouthplate. [[Grimlock (Cyberverse)|Grimlock]] also possessed a combat mouthplate and visor, used only in more dangerous battle scenarios. {{storylink|Eruption}} [[Dead End (Cyberverse)|Dead End]] and [[Thunderhowl]] would keep the tradition going.

===''EarthSpark''===
Aside from the usual [[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]], [[Wheeljack (ES)|Wheeljack]] has a retractable mouthplate too like his [[Wheeljack (Prime)|aligned predecessor]]. The [[Terran]] [[Nightshade (ES)|Nightshade]] is also seen displaying a scarf-styled mouthplate when rescuing the human [[Sam (ES)|Sam]] from a burglar.

{{-}}

==Notes==
* Both the [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|''Armada'' Optimus Prime]] and the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|''20th Anniversary'' Optimus Prime]] toys have mouthplates that can move up and down when a button located on their heads is depressed, even though Armada Prime's mouthplate never moved in the series itself. Additionally, the ''20th Anniversary'' toy has teeth (or possibly a speaker grille) hidden behind the mouthplate, in reference to Optimus Prime's battle-damaged appearance in the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Generation 2'' comics]], though this detail cannot be seen without disassembling the entire head (or just looking down with it pulled down really far).
* The lack of a full-time mouthplate [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|on]] [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|certain]] [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|characters]] [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|has]], in the past, been known to result in [[GEEWUN|certain]] [[Ruined FOREVER|reactions]] from the fandom. Oh well.
* Mouthplates as featured on Transformers and earlier Japanese {{w|super robot}}s likely derive from the historical ''{{w|Mengu (Japanese facial armour)#Hanbō (hanpō)|hanbō}}''.
* In the [[Omni Productions]] dubs, characters who have a mouthplate are given "muffled" voices, evidently produced by the actors covering their mouths with their hands.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Transformer anatomy]]

Mouthplate

2025-03-10T21:37:17Z

Yb124oaaai: /* 2005 continuity */ added Brainstorm's faceplate and decepticon spy reveal with source

{{cleanup|February 2013}}
[[File:Optimus face.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|I am smiling on the outside, but crying on the inside... not that you could tell anyway.]]
Instead of regular human facial features, some Transformers have what looks like a plate affixed to their lower jaw, usually covering up to their nose. While no official name exists for these, they are usually called ''''mouthplates''' ' or ''''faceplates'''' (despite a 'regular' face once being described as a faceplate in the TV series). Two of the most famous examples are those of [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]]'s [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]].

In earlier series, a Transformer's mouthplate moved when they spoke, as if there were a working jaw underneath. In later series such as [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|''Victory'']], [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'']] and the [[Unicron Trilogy]], however, it remains static.

Certain Transformers who sport mouthplates do have regular mouths underneath. Sometimes these mouthplates are even retractable, either in full or partially, to reveal their mouths.

==Examples==
===Generation 1===
====1984 ''The Transformers'' franchise====
[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] featured a prominent mouthplate in both [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|toy]] form (as do all [[Action Master|other]] [[Heroes of Cybertron|G1-based]] [[Revoltech|toyline]] [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|versions]]). The 20th Anniversary figure featured a mouthplate that was movable via a button on the back of his head that slightly lowered the spring-supported mouthplate to recreate the talking action seen in the cartoons.

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

[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s mouthplate was unique in that it was fixed, even in the cartoon. Instead of a movable mouthplate, you knew Wheeljack was speaking because his "ears" flashed. This may have been a misinterpretation of his toy's head, where the "mouthplate" could be interpreted as a visor.

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

On the other hand, [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] had a faceplate on the cartoon even though his toy had a mouth. [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]] also gained mouthplates in "[[The Rebirth]]" despite their toys not having them, and Triggerhappy even kept his mouthplate in ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' (while Crosshairs did not).

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

[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] sometimes had a mouthplate and sometimes he didn't.
{{-}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' franchise====
[[File:Bumblebeebattlemask.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|25 years before someone realized his toy has no face.]]
[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] is depicted as having a removable face mask with mouthplate that resembled the original sculpt of his toy.{{storylink|Transformers: The War Within|The War Within}} [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] was given a similar treatment with a flip-up faceguard. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|The Dark Ages}} The [[Titanium Series]] release of this character design featured the faceguard, but it was not removable. [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] was depicted with a removable face mask like Bumblebee's in the ongoing Generation 1 series.
{{-}}
====IDW Generation 1 comics====
=====2005 continuity=====
[[File:AHM-13 Prime mouth.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Okay, maybe the [[GEEWUN|geewunners]] were right about the mouthplate this time.]]
[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] covered his mouth with a plate which was once partially broken in battle with some thugs. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} He considered it his "lucky faceplate" and was disheartened when he lost it during a temporary body replacement, being more comfortable when his facial expressions were hidden from sight. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} After Orion rose to fame as Optimus Prime, sufferers of [[primus apotheosis]] such as [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] would often mimic him by getting their own faceplates. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}} At one point, Prime showed that he could retract the plate in order to eat.<ref>This would be the first time in an official story that the G1 version of the character is portrayed as being able to remove his mouthplate, although [[Don Figueroa|the artist]] himself doesn't consider him to be a G1 version.[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=143991#143991]</ref> {{storylink|Old Ways}}

[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] had a regular face in his youth, but covered it up with a mouthplate later on. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}}

[[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] had been wearing a faceplate his entire time onboard the Lost Light. When his corpse aboard the duplicate Lost Light was revealed to have a mouth, the crew members were surprised- only to be even more surprised when [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] revealed the Decepticon insignia on the back of the faceplate, revealing him as a spy.{{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken}}

[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] deployed a faceplate during combat. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 1|Megatron Origin #1}}

Jetfire had a removable mask with mouthplate as part of his battle gear.<ref>This feature was included in the [[Transformers: Classics|Classics]] toy of this character design.</ref> {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}}

Like Optimus Prime, [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] and [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] wore mouthplates but could retract part of them to reveal their mouths. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}}

Soundwave was revealed to have at one point been without a faceplate. At the time he was suffering from being unable to control his extrasensory powers, at which point he was discovered by Laserbeak, Buzzsaw and Ravage. This was before he visibly had a compartment in which to store the cassettes, implying the mouth was included in his later refit. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

When a team of young Autobot recruits from all across the [[Council of Worlds]] joined Optimus Prime on [[Earth]], they began wearing detachable mouthplates in order to better emulate their leader. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

When preparing to face [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], Optimus Prime removed his mouthplate, symbolically removing all the masks he'd worn in his life so as to face the Chaos Bringer as his true self. The mouthplate, all that remained of the Prime, was placed on his coffin at his funeral. {{storylink|Post}}

{{-}}

===''Beast Wars''===
[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] in his first design was infrequently shown to have a mouthplate which would slide into place when he entered battle. This was used to reconcile the presence of an actual mouth on his animation model with the lack thereof on his toy. Later [[retool]]ings of the toy reflected the animation model.
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===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise===
[[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]], [[X-Brawn]], [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]], [[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]], [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] and all of the [[Commando (RID)|Commandos]] bar [[Rollbar (RID)|Rollbar]] sported non-moving mouthplates.
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===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
====''Energon''====
[[File:Energon-Wing-Dagger-Dead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
When [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Dagger]] was killed by a falling Energon Tower, his mouthplate shattered, revealing a mouth beneath it. It's unclear whether all mouthplated Transformers in this continuity had similar setups. {{storylink|Each One Fights...}}

====''Cybertron''====
The [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] animation model displayed a similar setup to Optimus Primal, with a mouthplate that slid into place when entering [[Super Mode]]. In this case, however, the toy reflected this, featuring a gimmick that allowed the face to display either configuration.
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===Live-action film series===
[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] was depicted as having a combat mouthplate which closed over his normal mouth to protect his face. To date, only a few toys (one of Prime's [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]] figurines, Buster Optimus Prime, his two retooled Battle Hooks toys, and the First Edition and Evasion Mode sculpts from the ''Age of Extinction'' line) have displayed his face and mouth, while all other merchandise featured the plate. [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] also had a mouthplate, seen very briefly. [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] had two pieces that rest on the top of his head normally but slide down and clamp together over his whole face in battle.

====2007 ''Transformers'' franchise====
Bumblebee's faceplate had a very insectoid appearance, crediting his name. [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] had a visor that protected his upper-face in combat. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] also had a mouthplate similar in appearance to Optimus Prime's as shown in some of his concept art and toys, but he has never officially used it on film.

====''Revenge of the Fallen''====
[[File:ROTF Prime mouthplate shatter.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Megatron did that just to piss off the [[GEEWUN|purists]]. He's that evil.]]
[[File:BumblebeemovieBattlemask.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|In the far-flung future of [[{{CURRENTYEAR}}]], mouthplates will be made mandatory for all sentient beings.]]
Optimus Prime's faceplate was smashed to pieces when he was kicked in the face by [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but it was replaced when he combined with [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}} While not noticeable in the film, [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]]'s [[Human Alliance]] toy confirmed he had an extra layer of armor plating (which was thought to be his actual face) protecting his main face. [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] were shown as having mouthplates in Titan Magazines' ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comics but were never shown wearing them in the movie nor were their masks included in any toys.

====''Age of Extinction''====
Among the many modifications that the bounty hunter [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] had incorporated into his frame was a protective mask that could cover his entire face which doubled as a scanner. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age Of Extinction}}

====''The Last Knight''====
Megatron's new body featured a retractable mouthplate. Marketing and promotional material leading up to the release of the film portrayed Barricade with a mask/helmet, but this feature was not seen in the film itself, the Decepticon having a fully exposed face throughout. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}
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===''Transformers Animated''===
Most of the Autobots in [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s crew had retractable faceplates. Optimus, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] each had one. [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] had one, too, though his was unique in that it covered his whole face. Among the Decepticons, [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]] had a non-retractable mouthplate, much like his [[Soundwave (G1)|G1 predecessor]]'s. Optimus's mouthplate flapped up and down when he talked, just like that of G1 Optimus, but none of the others' did.
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===Aligned continuity family===
====''Transformers Prime''====
[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] each had a mouthplate that they slid into place over their faces whenever they entered battle. [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|Nemesis Prime]], being a copy of Optimus, had a mouthplate too, though it was permanently deployed. {{storylink|Nemesis Prime (episode)|Nemesis Prime}} After falling into a pool of [[Living metal#Aligned continuity|cyber-matter]] and recovering his voice, [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] finally retracted his mouthplate, which had been deployed for the entire series. {{storylink|Deadlock (episode)|Deadlock}}

====2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise====
Bumblebee and Optimus both retained their retractable faceplates; newcomers [[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]] and [[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]] possessed similar faceguards. Some concept art for [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]] depicted him with a retractable faceplate but this was not used in the show proper.

===''Cyberverse''===
As always, [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]] possessed a retractable mouthplate. [[Grimlock (Cyberverse)|Grimlock]] also possessed a combat mouthplate and visor, used only in more dangerous battle scenarios. {{storylink|Eruption}} [[Dead End (Cyberverse)|Dead End]] and [[Thunderhowl]] would keep the tradition going.

===''EarthSpark''===
Aside from the usual [[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]], [[Wheeljack (ES)|Wheeljack]] has a retractable mouthplate too like his [[Wheeljack (Prime)|aligned predecessor]]. The [[Terran]] [[Nightshade (ES)|Nightshade]] is also seen displaying a scarf-styled mouthplate when rescuing the human [[Sam (ES)|Sam]] from a burglar.

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==Notes==
* Both the [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|''Armada'' Optimus Prime]] and the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|''20th Anniversary'' Optimus Prime]] toys have mouthplates that can move up and down when a button located on their heads is depressed, even though Armada Prime's mouthplate never moved in the series itself. Additionally, the ''20th Anniversary'' toy has teeth (or possibly a speaker grille) hidden behind the mouthplate, in reference to Optimus Prime's battle-damaged appearance in the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Generation 2'' comics]], though this detail cannot be seen without disassembling the entire head (or just looking down with it pulled down really far).
* The lack of a full-time mouthplate [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|on]] [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|certain]] [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|characters]] [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|has]], in the past, been known to result in [[GEEWUN|certain]] [[Ruined FOREVER|reactions]] from the fandom. Oh well.
* Mouthplates as featured on Transformers and earlier Japanese {{w|super robot}}s likely derive from the historical ''{{w|Mengu (Japanese facial armour)#Hanbō (hanpō)|hanbō}}''.
* In the [[Omni Productions]] dubs, characters who have a mouthplate are given "muffled" voices, evidently produced by the actors covering their mouths with their hands.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Transformer anatomy]]