Snarl (Cybertron)

The name or term "Snarl" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Snarl (disambiguation).

Snarl is an Animatronian Autobot from the Cybertron portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

My, what big teeth I have—on my hand!

Snarl (aka Fangwolf) is a Jungle Planet native loyal to his combat teacher; the wise old warrior Backstop. Skilled, cunning and highly courageous, Snarl leads the Jungle Planet natives loyal to the Autobots. He has a long-standing grudge against the tyrannical Scourge, and is fiercely protective of his newfound allies. Snarl is typically a silent 'bot who craves action.

Fiction

Cybertron cartoon

Voice actor: Scott McNeil (English), Yūto Kazama (Japanese), Pauli Virta (Finnish), Alfredo Martínez (Castilian Spanish), Guillermo García (Latin-American Spanish), Ángel Balam (Latin-American Spanish), Rolman Bastidas (Latin-American Spanish, episode 17), Fredrik Hiller (Swedish), Hyunwoo Byun (Korean)

Snarl and Scourge were once friends, both training under Backstop. At this time, Jungle Planet was a chaotic place, filled with needless and senseless violence. Scourge took it upon himself to bring order to their world, and turned his back to his teacher's pacifist stance to accomplish this task. Though Snarl did not wish to abandon Backstop as well, he accompanied Scourge to better keep an eye on him. Over time, Snarl witness Scourge rise to power, becoming a corrupt dictator in the process. Though Jungle Planet came to know peace, it was the peace of tyranny. Honor Snarl and Undermine came to be Scourge's bodyguards, both of them defending the dragon's temple from aggressors. Their greatest test came when two alien Transformers, known as Megatron and Starscream, arrived on Jungle Planet and demanded entrance to the temple. When the strangers pushed their way past the protesting guards, Undermine attacked from behind, but was quickly subdued by Megatron. As Snarl also transformed to begin his attack, Scourge ordered a cease of hostilities in order to speak with Megatron like civilized beings. Search

Snarl did not trust Megatron's supposedly noble motives in his search for the Cyber Planet Keys and left the temple to seek out his old master, Backstop. He discovered that his master had rescued an alien named Overhaul, who told a very different story about Megatron's quest for the Cyber Keys. This story prompted Snarl to help this "Autobot" seek an audience with Scourge. Deep The audience was granted, and Snarl was among the group escorting Backstop and Overhaul as they walked and talked with Scourge. Unfortunately, the Autobot's aggressive and confrontational demand quickly got on Scourge's nerves. Race

Scourge out-classed Overhaul in their duel and, unable to stand back as the Autobot was being roasted alive, Snarl spirited Overhaul away. While they hid within an active volcano, Overhaul tempered himself to withstand the extreme heat of Scourge’s fiery attacks. The Autobot then challenger Scourge to a rematch, with Snarl watching the fight from the shadows. Overhearing him cheer for the Autobot, Megatron attacked Snarl and threw the "traitor" at Scourge's feet. Too injured to fight back, Snarl was rescued by Overhaul this time around, who managed to tap into Jungle Planet's Cyber Planet Key to upgrade himself into "Leobreaker." Detour Vector Prime and Optimus Prime next arrived on Jungle Planet, and Snarl helped explain what had come to pass for Overhaul to become Leobreaker to the newcomers. Snarl insisted on joining the search for the Cyber-Planet Keys, reasoning that their planet had just as much at stake in the Autobots' mission. Optimus accepted Snarl's request, only for the group to then come under attack by Scourge and his entourage. With Snarl being threatened with termination for his treachery, the Autobots fought against Megatron and his minions, managing to drive them off when Optimus and Leobreaker combined into their "Savage Claw mode." Savage The Autobots were lured into another confrontation against the Decepticons by the trickster Sideways. This brawl was brought to an end once more by Optimus and Leobreaker, and the Autobots interrogated Sideways after pinning him down. Sideways offered a story that he was an undercover Autobot agent, but none of the Autobots fell for his lie. He managed to get away from them nonetheless when a call from Speed Planet distracted the whole team. Sand

Anger and jealousy turned the king of Pride Lands into a Heartless!

After going on an off-world mission, Optimus and his troops returned to Jungle Planet to reconvene with Snarl and their other allies. Optimus tried to again parlay with Scourge, only to be met by the tyrant's usual response: he would only honor requests made by those who could best him in combat. Leobreaker and Optimus clashed over which approach they should take towards reasoning with Scourge, their argument ending with Leobreaker storming off. Snarl followed the lion-bot to the volcano he had previously brought him to train, and recounted his past with Scourge to his ally. Somewhat calmed by the story, Leobreaker reconciled with Optimus, and the Autobots agreed to meet Scourge on his own terms. Honor

Legends World

Break was unimpressed with receiving a Cyber Key from his teacher Big Convoy for coming first in a skating event on sports day. Big tried to explain that the key could be used to make a wolf's mouth open. Hot-blooded Break

Toys

Cybertron

A scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found / And I'm hungry like the wolf

• Snarl (Deluxe, 2005)

• Takara name: Fang Wolf
• Takara ID number: GC-14
• Takara release date: March 17, 2005
• Accessories: Tail/sword/missile launcher weapon, missile, Jungle Planet Cyber Key
• Cyber Key Code: d43j
• Known designers: Shogo Hasui (TakaraTomy), Hirofumi Ichikawa (detailing), Tim Bradley (concept artist)

Part of the "Jungle Planet" theme, Cybertron Snarl transforms into a robotic wolf. His articulated tail (which becomes a hand held sword/rifle in robot mode) features a spring-loaded missile launcher that can fire a transparent yellow projectile, making him one of the few Jungle Planet Transformers with a ranged weapon. Inserting a Cyber Key into the back of his wolf-head causes his lower jaw to open and a pair of transparent yellow fangs to extend from his upper mouth. Unlike other Cyber Key gimmicks, this feature does not automatically lock itself into position, so as to allow the user to open his mouth repeatedly with the Cyber Key. However, his mouth can be locked into the open position by rotating down the two pieces of blue 'fur' on his cheeks.

He was first released in the Takara Galaxy Force line as "Fang Wolf". The later Hasbro Cybertron "Snarl" version loses several paint applications from the Takara version, omitting the yellow on his wolf-claws and some white lining on his thighs. However, the Cybertron cartoon uses the Hasbro version's paint layouts, so if you really care about show-accuracy, well, there you go.

This mold was also used to make BotCon 2007's Weirdwolf.

• More information on Snarl at TFU.info

"People who have no hopes are easy to control. And whoever has the control... has the power!"

• Fang Wolf Black Version (Deluxe, 2005)

• ID number: GC-14
• Release date: September 8, 2005
• Accessories: Tail/sword/missile launcher weapon, missile, Jungle Planet Cyber Key

This "Black Version" of Fang Wolf was released under the Toy's Dream Project exclusive label in Japan, limited to 6,000 pieces. He is a redeco replacing all of the regular Fang Wolf's colors with black and grey with predominantly silver highlights.

Exciting, huh? He didn't even get his own packaging, just the normal Galaxy Force Fang Wolf box with a "Black Version" sticker slapped on the window. Various sources call this toy the "Dark Wolf Version".

• More information on Fang Wolf Black Version at TFU.info

Kre-O

Master of hand-puppet kata.

• Fangwolf (Kreon Micro-Changer, 2014)

• Bag number: 40551 46
• Accessories: Blade, stand brick

Part of the fifth assortment of Kre-O blind-bagged Kreon Micro-Changers (technically under the Age of Extinction branding), "Fangwolf" can be rebuilt from robot mode into a wolf (well, more a generic quadruped beast-thing, but the intent is pretty obviously "wolf"). He even retains the original toy's beast-head-for-a-hand and tail-blade weapon.

While stock imagery shows the wolf-head on his left arm, the pack-in instructions show it on his right arm, which lines up with the original toy's orientation.

This assortment of Micro-Changers was functionally available only at Toys"R"Us stores in the US and Canada, as other large retailers had all but abandoned the Kre-O line. It was later made available in the US through discount chains like Five Below.

Notes

• The details of Snarl's robot mode appears to be patterned after fellow wolf (or rather, half-wolf) Beast Wars Silverbolt, most noticeable in particular with his torso, his lower legs, and his head, along with the general shape and details of his waist replicating the "loincloth" that Silverbolt's waist has as a result of his transformation.
• According to Scott McNeil at BotCon 2006, had he known up front that Snarl was going to be the character he'd be voicing for the majority of the Cybertron run, he'd have given him a more interesting voice than "just a Dinobot variation".
• For some time the official Transformers website had poor Snarl down as a Decepticon before his true allegiance was revealed. Hey, have patience guys, come on!
• A preliminary Japanese name for the character was given as "Wolfang", presumably after the Beast Wars character of the same name.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Fang Wolf (ファングウルフ Fangu Urufu)
• Hungarian: Agyar (1st dub, "Fang"), Vicsorgó (2nd dub, "Snarler", still not correct, because it's G1 Snarler's name)
• Korean: Wildwolf (와일드울프 Waildeuulpeu)