Synthoid

Fun to play with, but not to eat!

Synthoids are scientific creations of the evil terrorist organization, Cobra. These mindless, artificial creatures are formed from liquid protoplasm, which is sculpted by a complicated system of machinery into the forms of human beings.

Fiction

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Conveniently color-coded!

In the year 2006, after having several of his criminal endeavours foiled by the Autobots, crime lord Victor Drath sought out Old Snake in hopes of acquiring synthoid technology to dispose of his robotic foes. Although his former terrorist organization was little more than a memory, Old Snake still had access to the technology, and was only happy to supply and operate it for Drath. Subsequently, the villains lured Rodimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Springer, and Arcee to Drath's compound, where they were captured in the synthoid-producing machinery, and had their minds transferred into four unformed masses of protoplasm. Drath instructed his goons to dispose of the blobs, but as they attempted to crush the material in a trash compactor, the unexpected happened—the Autobots synthoid bodies took form, and they were able to escape the compactor in time.

Getting over the initial confusion their new bodies created, the Autobots donned overalls acquired from the workers' hut at the garbage dump and quickly formed a plan. While Rodimus headed back to Drath's compound, Ultra Magnus and Arcee attempted to contact Autobot City, and Springer hooked up with Drath's unwitting goons, who were using the Autobots' lifeless bodies to commit heists. Both Rodimus and Ultra Magnus were captured by Drath's men, but things turned out okay in the end when Springer sprung Magnus, and the pair were able to alert Autobot City to the villain's schemes. Perceptor quickly sussed out the synthoid technology, and restored the Autobots' minds to their robotic bodies. The synthoid bodies dissolved back into protoplasm. Only Human

Legends comic

As a member of the Concurrence, Old Snake invaded Tera-Kura Co. in the Legends World so they could take over the company's resources. As part of their takeover, Old Snake reversed the Synthoid process on President Megatron, removing his beast portion and converting Megatron into a fully robotic and evil being loyal to the Concurrence. LG63 G2 Megatron

Alternity

Her new look is truly truly truly outrageous

The Alternity's agent Elita Seven was a synthoid. Arch-Nemesis!

Toys

G.I. Joe and the Transformers

• Autobot Warrior Code Name: Arcee (2016)
  • Accessories: 2 laser pistols, Autobot sky spy unit, display base
• Only Human Rodimus Prime (2016)
  • Accessories: 2 Photon blasters, fishing pole, fishing pole strike, fish, display base

Notes

• Synthoids originally appeared in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero animated series, specifically the Christy Marx-penned "The Synthoid Conspiracy", and Steve Gerber's twisted "There's No Place Like Springfield". Notably, however, neither of these stories involved the minds of the copied individuals being transferred into the synthoids—in fact, that's totally contrary to the entire point of synthoids, which were created for the purposes of infiltration. In "Only Human," this is the key aspect of the technology that Drath is interested in, so presumably Cobra or its remnants developed this ability sometime in the intervening twenty-odd years.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Synthoid (シンソイド Shinsoido)