Editing Wideload (G1)

{{factions|autobot|decepticon}}
{{disambig3|Wideload}}
:''Wideload is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Wideload-Dreamwave-MTMTE-G1-unused.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|]]

'''Wideload''' (aka '''Wide Load''') is the biggest and strongest of the [[Throttlebot]]s; he can haul as much as one million pounds in his role as a materials transporter. But this supreme strength is no source of pride for Wideload: his work keeps him pretty filthy most of the time, and he's a consummate neat freak. Highly superficial, he prides himself on his appearance and judges others on theirs. His unusual susceptibility to rust is thus a source of embarrassment.<ref>Generation 1 Wideload packaging bio and Marvel ''[[The Transformers Universe (Marvel)|The Transformers Universe]]'' profile in [[Back from the Dead|''The Transformers'' #56]]</ref>

{{bigquote|Look good and you'll have the world in your pocket.|Wideload, Generation 1 bio quote}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
[[File:TheCure WideLoad.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Who smudged my Autobot symbol?!]]
Thanks to a Decepticon [[Titanium-class Destruction Drone]], Wide Load and his fellow Throttlebots were captured during an attack on a fuel storage depot and brought to the Chief Decepticon Fuel Auditor [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]. An outbreak of [[Scraplet]]s had begun on [[Earth]], and Ratbat ordered them to travel there and destroy all of the infected—or he would destroy the planet itself to prevent spread of the deadly disease. Given new Earth-style vehicle forms and canisters of corrosive acid, Wide Load and the others arrive on Earth and soon find [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Goldbug]] in the death throes of a Scraplets infection. They attempted to destroy him, but during the skirmish, Goldbug's human friend, [[Charlie Fong|Charley Fong]], revealed he had discovered a cure for Scraplets: the "rare chemical" [[water]]. With this knowledge, they managed to destroy all the Scraplets with help from another of the Earthbound Autobots' allies, [[G.B. Blackrock]]. {{storylink|The Cure!}}

''Following that incident, Wideload and the rest of the Throttlebots joined Goldbug and Blaster as they traveled about the country. While Goldbug was watching tv, he learned that two Cybertronians had been discovered trapped in the cooled lava flow of [[Mount Verona]]. He led the group in the hopes of freeing one of the pair, fellow Autobot [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. But upon arrival, the group found the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] already on-site, preparing the obliterate the entire area to eliminate the other trapped Transformer, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. Though at first willing to let their enemies rid the world of the mad tyrant, even at the expense of one of their own, the Throttlebots were forced into action when a [[Susan Hoffman|trio of]] [[Joy Meadows|human]] [[Cindy Newell|women]] took it upon themselves to prevent Magnus's destruction. The Combaticons were driven off, though they swore revenge against Wideload's team for their interference.'' {{storylink|Ladies' Night (issue)|Ladies' Night}}

The Throttlebots' continued travels on Earth only made them targets for virtually everyone—the Decepticons, the Autobot faction Goldbug had gone AWOL from, and the humans who hated and feared all Cybertronians. After escaping one of the Combaticons, Goldbug suggested they hide in a used car lot (because that [[Plight of the Bumblebee!|worked so well for him before]]). Astonishingly the owner, [[Big Steve Ludwig (G1)|Big Steve Ludwig]], noticed a giant earthmover dump truck magically appearing on his lot, and soon put two-and-two together after receiving a notice from the local RAAT boys. After pouring sugar into the Autobots' gas tanks, he summoned the proper authorities. Wide Load and the Throttlebots were carted off and taken prisoner by RAAT's parent organization, [[Intelligence and Information Institute|Triple-I]]. {{storylink|Used Autobots}}

[[File:DarkStar Throttlebots die.JPG|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Starscream has no sense of humor.]]
Still not recognizing the difference between Autobots and Decepticons, III's bigwigs publicly threatened to execute their prisoners if any more robot attacks took place. Guess what—the Decepticons were willing to call their bluff. After the inevitable raid, [[Forrest Forsythe]] ordered the Autobots crushed into cubes. However, a sympathetic (and borderline competent) agent named [[Walter Barnett (G1)|Walter Barnett]] realized Wide Load and his friends were telling the truth about there being two factions of robots, and salvaged their cerebro-circuits before the execution, transferring their brain chips into electronic toy cars. Barnett then brought the Autobots in his care to meet with [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witiwicky]], longtime friend of their Earthbound forces. The reunion was cut short by the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], who had caught the Throttlebots' scent, and sought to crush them dead in their vulnerable state. The Throttlebots managed to outmaneuver their pursuers through a shopping center. Barnett and Buster were separated during the chase, with most of the Throttlebots winding up in Barnett's custody once more. {{storylink|Toy Soldiers!}}

Wide Load and the Throttlebots remained in Barnett's possession for some time. The human brought the five of them to consult on a hostage situation, after Buster wound up on the Decepticons' island-base. Before they had the chance to dispense any advice, however, they island transformed into a spacecraft and launched, with Buster still on board. {{storylink|The Desert Island of Space!}} The Throttlebots were apparently returned to the Autobots at some point, and reconstructed into new bodies replicating their old ones. When an [[Underbase]]-powered [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] announced that he would "destroy the cities of [[New York City|New York]], [[Tokyo]], and [[Buenos Aires]]," Wideload was among the allied Autobot/Decepticon teams sent ahead to Japan to try and stop him. He and the rest of the Throttlebots didn't get to put up much of a fight, as they were all destroyed by Starscream before even getting a chance to transform. {{storylink|Dark Star}}

====Marvel UK future timelines====
In [[2008]], [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] went off-line, and [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] wanted to find out why. Wideload was part of the team who came to Earth and saw the horrific sight of their fellow Autobots strung up by the ramparts. Rodimus sent Wideload out on point with [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], but a sudden surprise attack by the [[Quintesson]]s quickly put them all on the defensive. Luckily, Roddy eventually got to the control center and woke up [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], the living core of Autobot City, to drive off the invaders. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Corey Burton]] (English), [[Takao Ishii]] (Japanese)}}

[[File:Rebirth1 WideLoad.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|You have red on you.]]
Wideload was a member of the strike force assembled by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] to retrieve the body of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] from [[Mark Morgan]] and [[Gregory Swofford]]. During the mission, he became infected with the [[Hate Plague]]. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}

Wideload later participated in the defense of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] during the attack launched by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] to divert attention while the key to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] was stolen. He was mauled by [[Apeface]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}
{{--}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
{{voiceactor|[[Masato Hirano]] (Japanese)}}

[[File:ApproachMeteorite Chase WideLoad twisted.JPG|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Come on baby, let's do The Twist!]]

Alongside his fellow Throttlebots, a pair of [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], and [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], Wideload tried his best to defend [[Vector Sigma]] from a major Decepticon assault on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The entire force ended up being hypnotized and put to sleep by the Decepticon [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]]. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} The Throttlebots came to the planet's defense again when the Decepticons sent the [[Madmachine]] to clear the way to Vector Sigma, but their firepower was no match for the machine's armor. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

During a battle on Earth, the Throttlebots snuck off to destroy the Decepticon asteroid [[Metamorphose]]. They were all quite confident, with Wideload boasting that "it's so obvious that we're gonna win". Unfortunately, Metamorphose had the special power to warp any metal in close proximity to it, and the Throttlebots were horribly twisted and mutilated. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}}

They somehow got better, as they were seen challenging [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] on Earth later on. Wideload and friends didn't do particularly well against the [[combiner]], and had to be rescued by the Autobot [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]]. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}}

=====''Legends'' comic=====
In [[2021]], a villain posing as [[Galactic Peace Alliance]] chairman [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] declared Goldbug a traitor and ordered the other Throttlebots to destroy him, bringing them to the [[Legends World]] to confront their leader. Wideload was much too busy inspecting his body for dirt to listen to orders, however, and ended up staying out of the fight. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|Bonus Edition Vol. 54}}
{{--}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Spotlight Metroplex Wideload.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.9]]
Wideload was stationed on the [[Orvus Base]] orbiting [[Salvvatan VI]] until a deadly assault by [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]. He was one of the six Throttlebots that survived the assault and fled in a shuttlecraft. Upon landing on the surface of [[Salvvatan VIII]], he stated that hiding from their foe would be a good idea. Sixshot appeared in front of the Throttlebots, causing them all to flee. Wideload attempted to shoot Sixshot while the Decepticon was busy smashing [[Freeway (G1)|Freeway]], but was spotted and blasted off a building before he could take his shot. {{storylink|Spotlight: Metroplex}} Wideload did not survive the ordeal. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}}
{{--}}

===''Beast Wars Uprising''===
{{note|In the ''Beast Wars: Uprising'' continuity, Wideload the Autobot and [[Wideload (Classics)|Wideload]] the Decepticon are one and the same.}}
During [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]]'s lackluster tenure as Autobot leader, Wideload quit the Autobots and became a Decepticon. Throttlebot leader [[Goldbug (IDW)|Goldbug]] cursed him for a traitor.

Much much later, after the Vehicon Apocalypse which ended the [[Grand Uprising]], Wideload had downsized, becoming a [[Micromaster]]. He was one of several bots to try out for a spot on the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] under [[Buckethead]]. He made the cut and, during the commencement address (given by Hot Rod of all people) managed something of a reconciliation with his old Throttlebot commander. He united with his new teammates into [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] as a symbol of Builder hope and pride. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
[[File:G1Wideload toy.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Sadly, NOT a Happy Meal version of another, larger toy.]]
*'''Wideload''' (Throttlebot, 1987/1991)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-92'''
{{toydesigner|[[Takayuki Ishizawa]] (TakaraTomy)|[[Takashi Matsuda]] (initial concept)}}

:Wideload transforms into an orange "earth-mover" dump truck with a blue load cover in the bed. Like all Throttlebots, he features a pull-back motor that zips him forward on smooth surfaces in both [[alternate mode|vehicle]] and [[robot mode]]s.

:He is unique among his teammates in a number of ways. Most obvious is the presence of a second (non-painted) color on his vehicular mode, provided by the load cover in his bed. That feature also means that Wideload is made with two more pieces of plastic and one more screw than the other five Throttlebots, and, consequently, weighs noticeably more. Also, owing to the high-set forward lip of his bed, his legs are provided by the back plate of his robot mode rather than the top/middle piece of his vehicle mode as the others' are. That same high-settedness means his arms, when forming the sides of his dump truck mode, do not reach down to the tabs on his undercarriage to hold him together as the rest do. Furthermore, the back plate only provides the rear half of Wideload's head, the forward half being part of his vehicle shell, whereas the other Throttlebots' heads are entirely part of the back plate. Lastly, on the subject of heads, he is one taller than his teammates in robot mode.

: The Throttlebots were part of the [[Decoy]] promotion in 1987, where the carded toys came with a soft-rubber figurine. The Throttlebots were the only team to come with either Autobot or Decepticon Decoys; the other toys in the promotion only came with Decoys of the same faction they belonged to.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Wideload/wideload.htm More information on Wideload at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers-toys/gallery/g1-1987/wideload/70/1/ Image gallery of Wideload at Seibertron.com]''
::*''[http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/autobot/1987/instr_wideload.jpg Instructions for Wideload at Botchthecrab.com]''

{{anchor|1991Classic}}
*'''Wideload''' (1991)
:Wideload was re-released as part of the European-market "[[Classics (Europe)|Classics]]" line in 1991, along with the rest of the Throttlebots.  But unlike the other Throttlebots, Wideload uniquely retained the indent for the heat-sensitive [[rubsign]] insignia decal, even though said decal was replaced by a normal paper sigil decal.
{{--}}

===''Classics''===
[[File:Class06-toy Wideload.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|He gained basic articulation, at the cost of "wheel boobs".]]
*'''Demolition Team''' (Mini-Con Team, 2006)
{{note|''Classics'' [[Wideload (Classics)|Wideload]] was [[Repurposing|repurposed]] as a new body for G1 Wideload in ''Beast Wars: Uprising''.}}

: Part of the first wave of ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Mini-Cons, Wideload transforms into an "earth-mover" dump truck.  He was only available with his teammates [[Broadside (Classics)#Toys|Broadside]] and [[Sledge (Classics)#Toys|Sledge]].

: This mold was used to make [[Refuser]], ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' [[Knockdown (Universe)|Knockdown]], [[Mighty Dozer]], and [[Heavy-Liftor]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/Wideload/wideload.htm More information at Wideload at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers-toys/gallery/classics/wideload/1096/1/ Image gallery of Wideload at Seibertron.com]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:G1Wideload cardart.jpg|right|upright=1.3|thumb|"I am a jack-in-the-box. Fear me!"]]
*The [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel US comics]] consistently spell the character's name as "Wide Load", specifically in his appearances in issues [[The Cure!|#30]], [[Used Autobots|#32]] and [[Dark Star|#50]], as well as in the ''[[The Transformers Universe (Marvel)|Transformers Universe]]'' profile published in [[Back from the Dead|#56]]. However, his original toy's packaging renders his name as "Wideload" instead, as does the European-market "[[Classics (Europe)|Classics]]" reissue. This version is also supported by [[Space Pirates!|Marvel UK issue #185]], [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' profile for him published in issue #7, ''[[Transformers: The Ark|The Ark]]'', and [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''[[Spotlight: Metroplex]]''. And considering Marvel US issue #50 ''also'' spells [[Bluestreak (G1)|another Autobot's]] name as "Blue Streak"...
*In ''Beast Wars: Uprising'', Wideload appears in the green-and-purple body of [[Wideload (Classics)|another Wideload]] to join the Constructicons. This is also a reference to the [[Wideload (Energon)|Wideload]] from ''Transformers: Energon'', who also had Constructicon colors.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Wideload''' (ワイドロード ''Waidorōdo'')
*''English:'' '''Buck''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''French:'' '''Fardeau''' (Canada, "Burden")
*''Italian:'' '''Rollerbot''', '''Rapidbot''' (Classics)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Kuānzài''' (China, 宽载, "Wideload")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Constructicons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 toy Autobots]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Micromaster combiners]]
[[Category:Repurposed toys]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Throttlebots]]