Editing GoBots

{{disambig3|GoBots}}

:''GoBots are cyborgs from a very distant part of the Transformers [[multiverse]].''

[[Image:TonkaGoBotsLogo.jpg|250px|thumb|Note: not actually robots. Also, very occasionally [http://www.toyarchive.com/Gobots/Zod.html not actually vehicles].]]

In a dimension beyond the records of even the [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s two factions of metallic beings, one friendly and one evil, fight an ancient war on a ravaged technological world. After untold years of battle that war has spilled over onto Earth, where the combatants alter their bodies to take on disguises of land and air vehicles and continue their conflict among us!

Yet these seemingly mechanical beings are not [[Autobot]]s or [[Decepticon]]s. They're not even robots, but cyborgs: Guardians and Renegades from the shattered planet [[Gobotron]]. They are the GoBots.

{{note|Strange as it seems, these beings of metal and flesh may be their universe's counterparts to the Transformers as, according to an edition of [[Ask Vector Prime]] in ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac Volume 2]]'', their home planet Gobotron is the aspect of the omnipresent [[Primus]] for their very distant portion of the multiverse.}}

==Fiction==
A [[Cataclysm (event)|Cataclysm]] began to threaten the very existence of the GoBots' universe. [[Doctor B]] discovered the [[Classics (2006)|source]] of the Cataclysm. With the devastation reaching a critical stage, the normally antagonistic Guardians and Renegades combined forces with Earth to send a [[GoBots (G1)|team]] out into the multiverse to locate the cause and, if possible, reverse the damage. 

This team was held up in the city of [[Axiom Nexus]]. The GoBots were told that [[On the Edge of Extinction!|several events]] in [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|one particular]] [[universal stream]] caused a splintering. One of the newly-created universes was replacing the GoBots' home universe. Eventually, the team arrived at their original destination, Earth of the universe that was destroying their own home.

Soon after, a larger force of GoBots would follow. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

{{stub}}  
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==Toyline==
The '''[[Tonka]]''' '''''GoBots''''' were the main competition for [[Hasbro]]'s ''Transformers'' in the 1980s. Notably, their launch actually preceded that of the ''Transformers'' own, although they ultimately proved not to have the same level of lasting popularity.

Premiering in 1984, Tonka's ''GoBots'' toys were mostly small, similar in size to ''Transformers''' [[Mini Vehicle|Mini Vehicles]], although they were generally more complex than similarly-sized Transformers.  After the line's initial success, a series of larger ''Super GoBots'' toys was also released, featuring both new characters and larger versions of some pre-existing toys.  Tonka also released a number of supporting toys such as spaceships, bases, the monster "Zod", and later a set of combining "Power Suits" which ''GoBots'' figures could be placed into.

In 1991, [[Hasbro]] bought Tonka and its subsidiaries (including [[Kenner]]), and at that time acquired all of Tonka's intellectual property, including jurisdiction over GoBots-related names and trademarks.  The rights relating to the toys that made up the GoBots line, however, are still owned by Bandai, who had merely licensed them to Tonka for ''GoBots''.

===Pre-GoBots===
''GoBots'' got its start as a Japanese toyline called ''Machine Robo'', which was created by [[Takara]]-competitor [[Bandai]]'s spinoff company '''Popy''', shortly before Popy was re-absorbed into Bandai proper. ''Machine Robo'' toys were initially marketed in the United States under the name ''Machine Men'' by Bandai themselves, but the line didn't see widespread success until Tonka adapted the toyline into ''GoBots'' and created a new animated series for the brand, as well as an array of supporting merchandise such as coloring books, stickers, and even an official GoBots magazine.

{{note|For Transformers fans, this situation is similar to how some [[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1 Transformer]] molds were released by Takara in the [[Diakron]] toyline before their partnership with [[Hasbro]] began.}}

===International===
Besides distributing them in the United States as ''Machine Men'', Bandai also sold the ''Machine Robo'' toys in other non-Asian countries before their partnership with Tonka began.  Bandai appeared to retain the international marketing rights to the series following the change to ''GoBots'', and so adapted their international toylines when the line was rebranded.

In [[Europe]], where the toyline began as ''Robo Machine'', the packaging changed over a period of time to reflect Tonka's developments, eventually touting itself as ''Challenge of the GoBots: a Robo Machine product''. In [[Australia]], however, the toyline began with the ''Machine Men'' title, which it evidently retained even after the rebranding in the United States.

===Cartoon===
[[Image:ShootingStarGoBotsAd.jpg|left|200px|thumb|This was printed in an issue of [[Shooting Star!|the Marvel ''Transformers'' comic]]. Proving the old adage that, if you can't '''beat''' 'em — subvert their publications to your own ends!]]

The cartoon, called ''Challenge of the GoBots'',  was produced in the United States by Hanna-Barbera (and [[Wang Film Productions]] in Taiwan).  It aired in some markets outside the US (such as Australia) with the title ''Challenge of the Machine Men''.

The cartoon focused on the interstellar struggle between the friendly [[Guardian (GoBots)|Guardian]] GoBots, led by [[Leader-1 (GoBots)|Leader-1]], and their enemies, the [[Renegade]] GoBots, commanded by [[Cy-Kill (GoBots)|Cy-Kill]].

In addition to the leaders, the main GoBot cast included Turbo (a rough-and-tumble Guardian), [[Scooter (GoBots)|Scooter]] (a cowardly young Guardian), [[Crasher (G1)|Crasher]] (a cackling Renegade madwoman), and Cop-Tur (a dumb, thuggish Renegade). The series was rounded out with human allies and enemies, along with various GoBot guest stars and other aliens.

Despite the tagline "Mighty Robots, Mighty Vehicles" the background material for the cartoon established (most notably in the episode ''Sentinel'' and the multi-part ''GoBotron Saga'') that the GoBots are not true robots, but rather alien ''cyborgs''. The GoBots began as a race of alien humans, who, after a great catastrophe, had to put their brains into "GoBot forms" to survive.

The GoBots appeared in one theatrically released film, ''Challenge Of The GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords'', where they met the Rock Lords, voiced by television and movie icons such as Margot Kidder, Roddy Mcdowell, and Telly Savalas. Rock Lords was a short-lived spinoff toy line Tonka was launching involving alien humanoids that transformed into different sorts of rocks. (Yes, rocks. No, they must not have seen ''[[wikipedia:It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown|It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown]]''.)

[[Image:SentinelCrasherBrain.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Crasher's organic brain, from the episode "Sentinel". You can tell she's a girl by the large nagging and shoe shopping regions.]]

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.

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==Influence on the ''Transformers'' brand==
{{bigquote|This is a universe of nigh-infinite possibilities, so perhaps...|[[Unicron]] reflects on the possibility of GoBots in Transformers|[[The End|TF Armada #18]] (letters page)}}

Though the Tonka toyline was idle for many years, following Hasbro's acquisition of Tonka, Kenner and the ''GoBots'' intellectual property, the GoBots universe has slowly but steadily bled into mainstream Transformers in a wide variety of ways:

* Hasbro first put the newly acquired trademark to use on the ''[[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' [[Color Changer]] figure [[Gobots (G2)|Gobots]] in 1993, then again (albeit in hyphenated form) on a ''Generation 2'' subline titled [[Go-Bot (G2)|Go-Bots]] in 1995.

* The ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' [[Mini-Con]] [[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]], who was under the control of [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] and shares his name with the [[Leader-1 (GoBots)|leader of the heroic Guardian GoBots]].

* At one point, [[Unicron]]'s Mini-Con [[Dead End (Armada)|Dead End]] was going to be called "Gobotron", in reference to the home planet of the GoBots. The idea, however, was ultimately discarded.

* Unexpectedly, the first direct usage of the GoBots characters in Transformers came not from [[Hasbro]], but [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]. As part of their [[e-Hobby]] line of collector toys, six [[Redeco|redecoed]] [[Mini Vehicle|Mini Vehicles]] were released as the "Dimensional Exploration/Experimentation Team [[GoBots (G1)|G1 GoBots]]". The included [[bio]] alludes to concepts and technology from Tonka ''GoBots'' fiction, with the toys themselves representing various GoBot characters. (The [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] redeco was even drawn on the bio card as a blatantly female mechanoid, the female GoBot [[Small Foot]].) However, the individual character names given in online solicitations were dropped just prior to release, which made their official status somewhat blurry.

* Several GoBots appear in the background in a number of [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] Transformers comics as visual jokes.

* In the ''[[G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers: The Art of War]]'' [[The Art of War issue 5|issue 5]], [[Cobra Commander]] refers to the Autobots as "glorified GoBots".

* [[BotCon 2007]] followed up on the earlier e-Hobby use of the GoBots and continued the story begun there, specifically naming the white [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]] [[redeco]] "[[Bug Bite (G1)|Bugbite]]", thus solidifying the connection that was always implied. ''That'' storyline was then followed up in the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] online-exclusive text story "[[Withered Hope]]", which firmly cemented the G1 GoBots as their GoBot-universe counterparts and further elaborated upon the scenario presented in the [[Games of Deception|BotCon 2007 comic]].

* In [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[Megatron Origin]]'', [[Cy-Kill (G1)|Cy-Kill]] is Megatron's first opponent in the [[Forge]]. He gets a cover appearance and dialogue before being defeated and killed. Further, a robot that is clearly his fellow Renegade [[Crasher (G1)|Crasher]] is part of [[Clench (G1)|Clench]]'s inner circle/gladiatorial team, and later fights alongside Megatron.

* In IDW's ''[[The Ascending issue 2|Beast Wars: The Ascending]]'', the GoBot monster Pincher is shown as a murdered [[Angolmois]] junkie.

* In the ''[[Shattered Glass (fiction)|Shattered Glass]]'' alternate universe, Renegade GoBot Fitor and Guardian GoBot Leader-1 (the latter in Cy-Kill's color scheme) are among the evil Autobot forces.  What looks like Cy-Kill's claw is seen amongst the cheering throngs joining the evil Autobots too. Heroic Renegade [[Crasher (SG)|Crasher]] is described as [[Blurr (SG)|Blurr]]'s cousin in his (Blurr's) tech spec, and even appears (with earthquake-like powers) in "[[Dungeons & Dinobots]]".

* The [[Transformers (2007)|movie toyline]] Wal-Mart [[exclusive]] figure [[Fracture]] is a very clear [[homage]] to Crasher in appearance, powers, and personality profile. According to the [[Hasbro]]'s designer panel at [[BotCon 2008]], Fracture ''is'' Crasher. She would have even been named "Crasher," had it been available.

* In "[[Transcendent: Part 5]]", the two [[Axiom Nexus]] guards who die at Alpha Trion's hands are designed after Cy-Kill and Scooter.

*The canceled movie toyline [[Target]] exclusive figure [[Backtrack (Movie)|Backtrack]] was designed as an homage to the Guardian Night Ranger, and even sported Night Ranger's "MR 37" designation number on his license plate.

* [[Dion|Elite Guard Dion]]'s [[Micromaster]] partner is [[Cop-Tur (Timelines)|Cop-Tur]].

* ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Deadlift]] is an homage to Spoons.

* ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Reverb]] is an homage to the Renegade Dart.

==External links==

*[http://counter-x.net/gobots/index.html Counter-X GoBots coverage]
*[http://www.tfu.info/Gobots/index.htm TFU.info GoBots coverage]

[[Category:External properties]]
[[Category:Franchises]]