Bosch

Bosch is an alien from the cartoon portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

Move over, Kenny Rogers.

Bosch is an alien gambler who travels through the galaxy searching for ways to make a quick energon chip in order to feed his gambling habit. He will even go as far as to enslave unsuspecting travelers whom he picks up from space, as he did with a band of Autobots he stumbled across.

In spite of this, he is not actually evil, just your average alien in need of Gamblers Anonymous. He is able to be reasoned with and ultimately means no harm to anyone. He finds a kindred spirit in Smokescreen, who also appreciates a good gamble.

Fiction

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Voice actor: John Stephenson (English), Toshiro Ishii (Japanese), Henry Djanik (European French), Júlio Chaves (Brazilian Portuguese)

On their way home from an alien planet in a "toy rocket ship", Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Smokescreen, Inferno and Perceptor were picked up by Bosch's starship. The alien introduced himself, then proceeded to trap the Autobots in separate cylindrical chambers, immobilize them and zap them with a ray that robbed them of their free will. Smokescreen's chamber malfunctioned, and he was able to escape.

Knowing that he couldn't free his friends and reinstate their free will without Bosch's cooperation, Smokescreen tried to reason with him. Upon discovering that Bosch was a gambler, Smokescreen bet that he could beat a slot machine that Bosch had created. Bosch naturally accepted. Smokescreen used a cord from his wrist to secretly zap the machine, rigging it so that he won.

Bosch, seeing a chance to make some quick energon chips, made a deal with Smokescreen to free the other Autobots if they made a killing on the gambling planet of Monacus. Smokescreen acquiesced, but being broke, they were forced to use the other Autobots as collateral in exchange for fifty energon chips at 500% interest from Lord Gyconi, an arena owner... the catch being that they had to return in an hour to reclaim the Autobots or they would belong to Gyconi.

Smokescreen won it big for a time, but became reckless and lost it all on one bet when an outsider interfered with Smokescreen's wrist cord. Bosch and Smokescreen went back to Lord Gyconi to discover that he had already arranged for the enslaved Autobots to take part in a match to the death with his "Animaliens."

With the help of Devcon, Bosch, and Slizardo, Smokescreen was able to free his friends before they were taken back to Earth by Astrotrain under Decepticon control. The Gambler

Wings Universe

Wings Universe is based on the Generation 1 cartoon, but deviates from it in cosmetic ways and continuity points.

In 2012, Bosch visited Autobot City as an ambassador and talked to Turbofire. A Flash Forward, Part 2

Energon Universe

Bosch met with the Skuxxoid on Chaar to hire him for a theft on Monacus; the two were unaware that they were being watched. Void Rivals #11

Notes

• The Sunbow Productions cast list entry for "The Gambler" describes Bosch as "a mechorganic humanoid, a gambler-mercenary". Mechorganic? Uh... huh.
• In the European French dub, his name was changed to Basch. Very probably because Bosch sounds like "Boche" which was used during the World Wars as a derogatory term for German soldiers. Its use, which has become rare and rather unfamiliar, can still be considered offensive.
• According to Michael Charles Hill, the name Bosch came from from the famous Dutch painter, Hieronymous Bosch as well as the Bosch spark plugs his 1969 Porsche had.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Bosch (ボッシュ Bosshu)
• French: Basch (Europe)