Pretender

"Pretenders hide the Transformers inside."

Disguise has always been a key component of Transformer operations on other worlds. Pretenders attempt to take this concept to the next level. Pretenders are transformers fitted with special external armor shells that disguise their very nature and make them appear organic. Rather than hiding themselves as the machinery or vehicles of a world, Pretender Shells alow a robot to take on the appearance of a native lifeform itself.

On top of their exploration and infiltration uses the shells can also function as powerful battle armor, aid in self-repair, and function independently of their robot as a second combatant mentally controled by their "wearer." A major downside of the technology is that the robot will feel whatever pain is inflicted on the shell. Some would debate the shell's pain is felt more by the robot than pain imparted on the robot itself.

The most common style of Pretender is an inner robot with a single humanoid shell (usually resembling a monster for Decepticons or a human in battle armor for Autobots). Known varient types of Pretenders include:

• Pretender Beasts

Pretenders with quadropedal animal-based shells.

• Pretender Vehicles

Pretenders whose shells are vehicles that transform into combat decks for their inner robots.

• Mega Pretenders

Both the inner robot and the humanoid shell transform and can combine their alternate modes into a larger vehicle.

• Ultra Pretenders

Pretenders whose outermost shell is a large vehicle. This contains another secondary humanoid pretender shell that is itself able to transform into a vehicle that can be piloted by the inner robot.

• Pretender Monsters

Smaller pretenders with super-deformed rubbery monster shells. Their inner robots can combine to form Monstructor.

(Prototypes for "Double Pretenders," two small robots in one shell, were designed by Hasbro but never produced.)

From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.