Talk:GoBots

Hoooooo doggies, does this need work. I'd argue with both the contention that the GB cartoon was "more kiddy", AND the contention that the toys were "simpler". If anything, Tonka GoBots put similar-sized Transformers to fucking SHAME in the transformation complexity department. --M Sipher 20:40, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

Too much non-TF information! --ItsWalky 02:44, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

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X-Bob, learn to spell and write or don't edit at all. --ItsWalky 03:24, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

I think the information in X-Bob's edit is more fiction-based than metafictional-based, which is largely what that section is about. It would probably belong on the G1 GoBots page, if anywhere. --Monzo 03:37, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

I don't really see why so much of this article was removed. I think the sections that were here called Pre-GoBots, International, and Cartoon were all appropriate and belong in the article. The fiction ties between TF and GoBots are minimal, but from a real-world historical perspective, I think that the history and nature of the GoBots brand is quite relevant to Transformers history. TFU.info and M Sipher's TF variations list both have extensive GoBots coverage, and I don't recall anybody saying those were inappropriate for TF resources to include. I am not suggesting that turn this into a "Transformers and GoBots" wiki or anything. I just think that, well, the name "Machine Men" and the fact that GoBots had a cartoon series should really be in this article. --Steve-o 21:08, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

Personally, I'm fine with this article being fairly extensive, so long as we don't start seeing lots of purely GoBots-related articles showing up on the rest of the Wiki. (No GoBots character lists, or episode pages for the GoBots cartoon, for example).--G.B. Blackrock 21:14, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

Depth...

I was just wondering would any more work be wanted on this thing? I'm tempted to add in a bit, but would probably let my Gobot love take over - for example, is the UK comic strip worth a mention? Or the Robo Machines European reissue line?

Also, should I add a fairly NPOV piece on the reasons why TF won in the end (i.e. much better marketing)?

Incidentally, it's nice to find there are quite a few TF fans who, like me, aren't either/or on the Gobot thing... "My transforming robot line is AWESOME, the others are all ghey" has always seemed a bit schoolyard to me :)

Cliffjumper 14:25, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

I for one would love to know more about the Go-Bot off-shoots. Especially since they're now effectively Transformers canon.--82.41.82.198 19:15, 29 April 2009 (EDT)

Power Suits

Anyone else remember the Power Suits and the Power Suit carrier? Man, those were good times... --76.18.66.115 08:35, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Beast Machines

Quick question, but does anybody recall which episode of Beast Machines had Nightscream effortlessly destroying a unit of tank drones and then referring to them as "Tonka toys" with contempt in his voice? I don't want to rewatch the series just to look for that reference. --DrSpengler 18:49, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Wait... Nightscream said something COOL? Emo BAT-BOY Nightscream? Damn Unicron Singularity...--Dynamus Prime 01:21, 9 May 2008 (UTC)

Cyborgs....

This was actually posted over at Crasher's talk page but since it applies to all GoBot-related articles, I'm reposting it here. After someone contested the fact that GoBots were actually cyborgs and not robots, it got my curiosity going, so I brought this up to a friend of mine who's a bit of a GB aficionado. He put together a list of scenes and facts supporting the fact that GoBots are every bit as 100% robotic as Transformers are. Submitted for everyone:

1. ZOD book, page 1

For an origin story, the lack of time reference is curious. Why would they call themselves GoBots before moving in that direction? Actually, accoring to The GoBotron Saga Part 3. the original inhabitants of GoBotron were called GoBings.

Zeemon: "He turned out to be WHO?"

Leader1: "The Master Renegade, the leader of the ancient rebellion which DESTROYED the GoBings."

2. Last Engineer's story, ancient newscast

Last Engineer: "Because of the catastrophe, our race is nearing extinction. I am among the last and must do something."

Scooter: "The Last Enigeer saved us by inventing the GoBot form."

I don't see anything that disproves non-cyborg alternatives.

3. Last Engineer's story, upon revival

AJ Foster: "How, I mean, why are you part human, part...?"

Last Engineer: "Part robot? Heh heh heh. Survival, my dear. As parts wore out, I replaced them."

OK, so the Last Engineer is a technically cyborg. This is world's different from ALL GoBots being cyborgs. It's implicit that the Last Engineer did this to himself over time, whereas the inhabitants of GoBotron had a much more immediate need.

4. Leader1's disassembly

How does a human brain survive being diconnected from a cyborg body and being shot that close to the sun?

See also: Turbo's-brain-somehow-didn't-freeze-on-the-dark-side-of-the-moon.

See also: "Humans cannot live on a waterless planet, but we Renegades can!" from Wendy's "The Sea Vaporizer"

5. Clutch of Doom

Dr. Aureolis: "Heh heh heh. The Rhomatic Condensor doesn't work on GoBots. It's programmed for organic beings only."

6. Battle For GoBotron (pilot)

None of the GoBots are affected by the mind control signal that ensnares every human on Earth.

7. Sentinel

Sentinel (referring to Crasher): "A vehicle that lacks an organic control mechanism."

CyKill: "You see, we are pure machines, like yourself, machines that battle against organic life forms and their misguided GoBot allies."

8. GoBots 1-72 All Super GoBots

Mighty Robots Mighty Vehicles, Friendly/Guardian ROBOT ?, Enemy/Renegade ROBOT ?

9. Tonka's original backstory from GoBot 01

"GoBots come from a different time and age. They are mighty robots that change into mighty vehicles. Some are friendly while others are enemy."

10. Nazca Lines, referenced in In Search of Ancient GoBonauts which is not online

The episode is about an ancient GoBot called the Evil One, who was banished from GoBotron for nearly destroying it with an anti-matter weapon called the Dark Heart during a power struggle that ensued after the Last Engineer and Master Renegade disappeared. The story goes that he crashed in Peru and the Nazca lines were a clue left behind. The article says they date to between 200 BC and 700 AD, placing the GoBotron catastrophe at least 1300 years in the past. If page 1 of the ZOD book is to believed, scientists of GoBotron have been studying Earth for at least 13 centuries...all the way back to the dark ages at best and before Jesus and maybe even Rome at worst? --Detour

I'm guessing by the lack of contestation to this that I can just go ahead and remove all of these "cyborg" references? --Detour 18:40, 28 April 2008 (UTC)

No. --M Sipher 20:56, 28 April 2008 (UTC)

Frankly, looking at that list, what I see is this: they established an origin, both in other media and in the show, that had them as organic beings who later upgraded their bodies. That's... well, that's a FACT, isn't it? They specifically laid out this origin. When their origin is actually, directly addressed, (retelling it, discussing it with the Rock Lords), this is how it is consistently portrayed. It's only when they're not directly talking about the origin, the writers mistakenly claimed they were wholly robotic. - Chris McFeely 21:01, 28 April 2008 (UTC)

Bingo. I was going to say the same thing.--ZacWilliam 22:23, 28 April 2008 (UTC)

No, it looks like you're just picking and choosing only what appears to support your original opinion. Because here're some facts about Saga and Rocklords: Neither says "cyborg" or "brain," expressly relates to modern GoBots, or rules out alternatives like consciousness transfers (see also Star Trek TNG's "The Schizoid Man"). They're circumstantial evidence at best. The singular data point across the other 60 episodes that's even remotely obvious, you didn't even mention as a counterargument. Why, because it doesn't make sense from physiological standpoint or because it's just as likely a plot convenience devised by writers you've already dismissed as lazy or mistaken? I wonder how well a quote from Hanna Barbera's series bible might've fared against the esteemed interns at Golden Books.

The other issue here is that I proposed little more than changing "are" to "may be" because nobody acknowleged different conclusions or what iteration of Crasher they were talking about and was just brushed off.--68.82.87.66 00:36, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

After having finally gotten ahold of the episode 'Sentinel' I am struck by the great irony of this statement. The list above uses a quote from that episode to show that the Gobots are purely mechanical... when the climax of the episode reveals that statement to be a lie. All three Renegades are scanned in that episode and each is shown with an organic brain. I'm having "Lady in Purple" and "Nightbird was Sentient" flashbacks over here.--Trent Troop 20:56, 28 April 2008 (UTC)

While I cannot rule out that I'm misremembering, wasn't there a Challenge of the GoBots episode that explicitly stated (and if I remember correctly showed via a cutaway) that the current GoBots had organic brains? It was one of the things that stuck out for me, but I haven't really been interested or researched much on GoBots since I was a kid.--Rosicrucian^Talk 00:47, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

For an origin story, the lack of time reference is curious. Why would they call themselves GoBots before moving in that direction? Actually, accoring to The GoBotron Saga Part 3. the original inhabitants of GoBotron were called GoBings.

What does a time reference have to do with anything? It seems like a random complaint to discredit the minicomic - we have no idea what the life-cycle of the organics of Gobotron was.

Now, it's clearly possible that the continuity of the cartoon and the minicomic don't line up (that happened often enough in Transformers), but the minicomic states that the GoBots were cybernetic beings in at least one continuity, so there's no arguing that point. Whether the cartoon strictly adhered to this or not is another matter. (I also think the original inhabitants of Gobotron were called Gobanes and not Gobings, but that may be an accent issue.)

Last Engineer: "Because of the catastrophe, our race is nearing extinction. I am among the last and must do something."

Scooter: "The Last Enigeer saved us by inventing the GoBot form."

I don't see anything that disproves non-cyborg alternatives.

I... have no idea what this means? That particular combination of lines suggests to me that The Last Engineer saved the remaining Gobanes/Gobings by inventing the GoBot form and then doing something to make the Gobanes into the GoBots, whether through cybernetic conversion or mind-transfer or something. As the cyborg idea existed concurrently in the fiction of the time, it seems more logical to go with that pre-existing option, especially in light of some of the Last Engineer's comments.

Last Engineer: "Part robot? Heh heh heh. Survival, my dear. As parts wore out, I replaced them."

OK, so the Last Engineer is a technically cyborg. This is world's different from ALL GoBots being cyborgs. It's implicit that the Last Engineer did this to himself over time, whereas the inhabitants of GoBotron had a much more immediate need.

Yes, but the needs of The Last Engineer do not necessarily equal the needs of the Gobanes themselves. The Last Engineer did not adopt a GoBot form, so replaced his parts over time, is how I took it... and add to this the fact that the Last Engineer said that he was "more human than GoBot" in Quest For New Earth, heavily implying that the final result of his own cyberneticization would be a GoBot body.

(Technically a cyborg? He's missing both arms, a leg, and at least a quarter of his head.)

I've read on the Counter-X GoBot site that Zeemon was evidently the first to receive his GoBot form from the Last Engineer. Now, this does not happen in any of the episodes I have watched, but there ARE a good 15-16 that are not online in any form, so I can't discount that the fact was revealed in one of those. If the Last Engineer developed the GoBot form, and said he was more human than GoBot while being an obvious cyborg, well... no, it's not out-and-out stated, but it's not that big of a leap, either.

How does a human brain survive being diconnected from a cyborg body and being shot that close to the sun?

See also: Turbo's-brain-somehow-didn't-freeze-on-the-dark-side-of-the-moon.

While valid points on one level, I assume "the same reason acid rain hurt the Autobots but not Chip Chase".

It would take a while to address these other points, but on the whole I see them as intentionally skewering the facts towards your position. It's clear that the marketing failed to properly convey the cyborg idea, but I don't see what other conclusion can be easily drawn from the existing facts, especially in light of the minicomic and the Last Engineer's background.

Whatever the intention of the original series was, granted, what will probably be more relevant to GoBots-within-Transformers will be the direction Withered Hope takes... on the other hand, if ending the arguement is as simple as changing "are" to "may be", I wouldn't have a problem with that. --Monzo 06:27, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

Blaster

Are we sure that's Blaster next to Prime-being-rebuilt? Was he indicated by the artist, or did he look totally different in the cartoon? Because it doesn't match his toy. --ItsWalky 23:36, 6 May 2008 (UTC)

Do you have a scan of the panel? I can ID it with a scan, possibly. And it's Don art, so it'll most likely look like the toy more than the animation model. --Detour 23:45, 6 May 2008 (UTC)

Yeah, neither of those guys look like Blaster, or like any Gobots I'd know... The guy on the right's chest looks like Firebot's...

I'm just going to shake my fist at y'all until the Diamond edition comes out.--Rosicrucian^Talk 00:15, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

Canon

Discussion moved to Transformers_Wiki_talk:Community_Portal/GoBots#Canon

Major Renevations Needed

This article seems unecessarily messy. Its current organization and content is a relic of a time before the GoBots were brought as firmly into TF continuity (Botcon Bugbite, and especially Withered Hope) as they are today. I really think this article and the G1 GoBots articles should be merged, and a true fiction section should be added here to at least cover the GoBots adentures that have been within G1 continuity. That would help edit down the too long messy "influences" list as well. Thoughts? --76.28.72.27 14:18, 7 October 2009 (EDT)

They're officially part of the Multiverse and...

I'm not sure the note I just added is the best way to handle things, I kinda agree with the above poster that this whole article could maybe use a big revamp/reorganisation as, aside from those points the Almanac II has stated that the GoBots continuity is part of the TF multiverse and GoBotron is Primus. Also, the Wiki DID already vote a ways back on the comunity page that we'd really like to cover GoBots, at least in a linked Sister Wiki. Nothing came of it, despite the Yay vote, but given this new "revelation" perhaps we should reconsider covering them here? It's not like there's THAT much material. --ZacWilliam 10:05, 1 August 2010 (EDT)

Big agree. --Khajidha 10:06, 1 August 2010 (EDT)

Move

The current name really doesn't make any sense with our standard article naming. So, I'm proposing a move to one of the following names:

• GoBots (Tonka)
• GoBot (Tonka)
• GoBots (franchise)

My inclination is the third, but I'm open to any other suggestions. —Interrobang 22:06, 14 November 2010 (EST)

The logo is plural so that rules out GoBot (Tonka). To me "franchise" suggests that it is fully integrated into this site, which many people still argue against. That leaves GoBots (Tonka). --Khajidha 13:34, 15 November 2010 (EST)

Given that we have Brave (franchise), I think GoBots (franchise) will do. Geewunling 13:40, 15 November 2010 (EST)

I suggested "GoBot" depending on whether we want to work from the perspective of the species itself (i.e. Transformer). Maybe a page split? (I have no strong opinion one way or the other.) —Interrobang 16:53, 15 November 2010 (EST)

If we aren't going to cover GoBots in detail, there is very little to be gained from having a "GoBot (species)" page. If we are okay with "Brave (franchise)", then "GoBots (franchise)" seems to be the way to go. --Khajidha 10:42, 18 November 2010 (EST)

I agree with "GoBots (franchise)". I'll move in two days if there's no objections. —Interrobang 12:41, 18 November 2010 (EST)

Pepsi's Convert-Ables, bizarre tie-in to Pepsi Prime

In 1985, the same year Pepsi Prime came out, Pepsi had an offer where you could send away some cash and 3 proofs of purchase from Pepsi products to get a "Convert-Ables" robot. You'd get one of three Machine Robo toys on a special Pepsi card. These three toys were the molds used for the GoBots Geeper-Creeper, Slicks and Water Walk (with different decos). 71.238.50.144 20:02, 23 January 2012 (EST)

They were knock-offs - the giveaway is the fat nose on 'Slicks'

Revenge of the Gobots

"In France, both the American GoBots cartoon and the Japanese Machine Robo: The Revenge of Chronos series were aired. The latter was renamed Revenge of the GoBots and was dubbed as a sequel to the American series. The show took place in the future, and the voice actors from the French dub of Challenge of the GoBots returned to voice their roles (or as many equivalents as were applicable) in Revenge of the GoBots.

This makes France the only country to combine the American and Japanese GoBots shows into one story. We salute them."

Um, you guys do know what the dubbing entailed? I've never seen any of the French episodes, but it sounds like they did a Star TV Masterforce "slap domestic toynames on 'em" job, albeit with the original cast. There's basically no attempt to combine the series as obviously Revenge of Cronos has next to no connection to Challenge of the Gobots apart from hawking some of the same toys. Basically Rom and Leina became Nick and AJ, Blue Jet became Leader-1 (despite, y'know, looking like Fitor) and Triple Jim became Turbo, despite Jim and Turbo having utterly different personalities (Jim's a feeble coward frequently protected by the young girl he's meant to be valeting; Turbo's an even stupider even rasher version of the Sunbow Ironhide). I never got an answer as to whether Kirai Stol got dubbed into Matt, which would be the crowning stupidity, equivalent to the "cab driver Optimus Prime" thing cooked up for Ginrai.

TL;DR the dub was borderline-nonsensical from a continuity POV.