Spychanger

The Spy Changers are a group of stealthy Autobots from the 2001 Robots in Disguise and the Generation 1 continuity families.

Looks awfully familiar...

The Spy Changers are a special team of Autobot stealth ninjas. They have a number of special abilities: they can drive along almost any surface, turn invisible, and phase through solid objects.

Fiction

Robots in Disguise cartoon continuity

2001 Robots in Disguise cartoon

Air Team, form Strato Fighter!

The six Spy Changers aided Optimus Prime on Earth in his battle against Megatron. Although they were highly intelligent, unfortunately, they weren't very strong in a head-on fight. (The comic relief trio of Gas Skunk, Slapper, and Dark Scream gave them trouble.)

When the Predacons stole a plutonium energy generator, T-AI called in the Spy Changers. Hot Shot, Crosswise, and R.E.V. responded first, pursuing the Predacons onto the beach, where they were joined by the other three Spy Changers, Mirage, Ironhide, and W.A.R.S.. The Predacons eventually escaped with a fake generator which the Spy Changers had swapped for the real one. Spychangers to the Rescue

After Optimus was captured and tortured by Megatron, the Spy Changers joined the Autobot Brothers in rescuing their leader and seeing off the Predacons. Sideburn's Obsession

Later, the team tried to protect a ruby from Predacon theft, and Mirage's failure to take a shot resulted in the Predacons escaping. When Mirage pretended to defect and led the Spy Changers to Megatron's Mega-Laser Cannon, the team destroyed the weapon using the Global Space Bridge. Mirage's Betrayal

The Spy Changers also took part in the International Grand Prix in an attempt to find Skid-Z and were blinded by Megatron a short time into the race. Skid Z's Choice On another occasion, the Spy Changers were called back to base to watch footage of various battles, but had to wrap up a fight with the Predacons first. Hope for the Future

Land Team, form Turbo Terrain Fighter!

The Spy Changers accompanied Optimus Prime to Montrose Island, where Predacon activity was causing the volcano there to become violent. They attempted to keep Scourge and Sky-Byte busy while Optimus went to use his blizzard storm on the volcano. When the volcano was ruptured and lava threatened the nearby resort, the Spy Changers used their Inferno Blast formation to divert its path. Volcano

Sent to stop the Decepticons from finding Fortress Maximus, the Spy Changers jumped out in front of the foe and were soundly trounced by Armorhide and Rollbar. Fortress Maximus

The Spy Changers took part in the ambush of the Decepticons after the Autobot base was discovered. Surprise Attack! After Galvatron's defeat, they celebrated by racing with Skid-Z. The Final Battle

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

e-HOBBY toy bios

The trans-dimensional GoBots used their unique transporter and bio-mechanical technologies to help produce the newest generation of Transformers. The Spy Changers were among them.

Super Spy Changers catalog

With Ultra Magnus having departed Earth aboard Brave Maximus, the Autobots were unable to call upon his power when a new menace suddenly arose to challenge them in 2002. A plan was put into motion to upgrade the Spy Changers with Spark Engines, granting them Super Modes.

Ask Vector Prime

The Spy Changers were the only Autobots left on Earth when Chainsaw led the Mutants there. Utterly outclassed, the Spark Engines were created thanks to Professor Haruma Gō's new substance, go-brillium. They notched up many solo victories but had to relearn the importance of teamwork to finally win: under Super Artfire's newly improved leadership, they mastered the partial invisibility upgrade Super X-Car had been tinkering with and used it to defeat the Mutants.

With the go-brillium used up, they were regular Spy Changers again. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/01

Legends

When Black Convoy's forces attacked Neo Brave Maximus, the Super Spy Changers counterattacked, but the damage they inflicted upon the Destrongers' ship caused it to crash into Maximus. LGEX Black Convoy Prologue

Spy Changer continuity

In Viron 1103.12 Gamma, Optimus Prime and her troops had to downsize with Spy Changer technology after Sky-Byte poisoned Earth's energon supply. Scourge was the only Predacon/Decepticon who also downsized, but she alone was no match for the 13 Spy Changers active on Earth. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/18

Ask Vector Prime

In Primax 085.0 Eta, Optimus Prime and five of his Autobots Jazz, Wheeljack, Silverstreak, Prowl, and Hoist became Spy Changers, hoping to achieve their mission with stealth and diplomacy when they needed to travel to Gargent 087.0 Kappa due to a planet in that universe threatening to overwrite the existence of their Cybertron. They were able to achieve their mission with the help of the Guardians. In a later encounter with the Guardians, Trailbreaker became a Spy Changer as well. Ask Vector Prime, 30/9/2015

In Quadwal 1215.15 Epsilon, these escapades were told in a Fun Publications convention comic called "Brain Problem Solution". Ask Vector Prime, 21/12/2015

Toys

Robots in Disguise (2001)

Hot Shot

File:RID Mirage Toy.JPG

Clear Mirage

• Spy Changers (2001)

Spy Changers are small, 1:64-scale cars with axles designed in the style of "Matchbox" and "Hot Wheels" cars. The concept was first introduced in the Generation 2 toyline with the Go-Bots, but was greatly expanded with Robots in Disguise. The typical Spy Changers feature simple transformations with articulation limited to rotator joints at the shoulders. Most come with hand weapons.

Previously released sculpts

• Crosswise
• Hot Shot
• Ironhide
• Mirage
• R.E.V.
• W.A.R.S.

The first batch of Spy Changers were previously used molds from Generation 2. This group would undergo seemingly endless redecos and re-releases for several years.

Daytonus

Previously unreleased sculpts

• Daytonus & Side Burn
• Prowl 2 & Side Swipe

A second group of Spy Changer toys was created from four molds that were created for Generation 2 but never released. This group is notable for being able to store their hand weapons while in vehicle mode.

File:TF-RID2001-Spychanger-Ultra-Magnus.jpg

Ultra Magnus

New sculpts

• Ultra Magnus
• Optimus Prime
• X-Brawn vs. Scourge

A third group of Spy Changers were created from scratch, based on characters from the series who had larger toys. Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus, while still racetrack-compatible, are considerably larger than the typical Spy Changer toy.

Universe (2003)

• Ultra Magnus & Ironhide two-pack
• Optimus Prime & Prowl two-pack

Four Generation 2 molds already used in 2001 Robots in Disguise toyline were redecoed as Walmart exclusives for the 2003 Universe toyline.

Wave 1 (2004, February 2005)

• Hoist
• Autobot Jazz
• Optimus Prime
• Prowl
• Silverstreak
• Wheeljack

These Spy Changers, found at Dollar General and Family Dollar stores, were unchanged from the "G1" Spy Changers exclusively available from KB toys a year earlier. The only change was the packaging.

Wave 2 (August 2006)

• Autobot Camshaft
• Hoist
• Mirage

The second wave, found at Dollar General, Family Dollar, CVS Pharmacy, and Roses stores, mixed Optimus Prime, Prowl, and Autobot Jazz from the first wave with the new additions Autobot Camshaft, Hoist, and Mirage...which were unchanged from the second version of the KB Toys exclusive clear redecos of the 2001 Robots in Disguise Spy Changers W.A.R.S., Ironhide, and Mirage, respectively, other than the names and the packaging.

Transformers (2007)

• Optimus Prime (2007)

A redeco of Robots in Disguise Spy Changer Scourge as Movie Optimus Prime was released in Japan as a preorder exclusive for the Transformers DVD or HD-DVD.

Notes

Foreign names

• Japanese: Spychanger (スパイチェンジャー Supaichenjā)
• Korean: Spychanger (스파이체인져 Seupaicheinjyeo)