Prowl (Animated): Difference between revisions
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:This heavy [[Retool|retool]] of Prowl includes an all-new sidecar which transforms into the "samurai" armor that appeared in "[[A Fistful of Energon|A Fistful of Energon]]." Roughly 80% of the original robot mode is retooled or replaced, leaving only parts such as the biceps, interior of the arms, and the lower legs untouched. The robot mode "wings" are now designed to fold upwards, and a pair of slots were added to accommodate the body of the samurai armor. A new, smaller head with translucent plastic lightpiping replaces the original head so that the samurai helmet can fit, and either of the new pegs on his forearms can be used to mount the new wheel/blade weapon. The bladed ninja stars can still be removed from his legs, but they have been remolded so they no longer open. | :This heavy [[Retool|retool]] of Prowl includes an all-new sidecar which transforms into the "samurai" armor that appeared in "[[A Fistful of Energon|A Fistful of Energon]]." Roughly 80% of the original robot mode is retooled or replaced, leaving only parts such as the biceps, interior of the arms, and the lower legs untouched. The robot mode "wings" are now designed to fold upwards, and a pair of slots were added to accommodate the body of the samurai armor. A new, smaller head with translucent plastic lightpiping replaces the original head so that the samurai helmet can fit, and either of the new pegs on his forearms can be used to mount the new wheel/blade weapon. The bladed ninja stars can still be removed from his legs, but they have been remolded so they no longer open. | ||
Prowl loses a lot of his original manouverability when you put his samurai armour on, but that's the price you pay for the ability to blind your enemies with pure awesomeness and translucent plastic. | :Prowl loses a lot of his original manouverability when you put his samurai armour on, but that's the price you pay for the ability to blind your enemies with pure awesomeness and translucent plastic. | ||
:A change was made to the wheel/sword weapon between the photography and final production stages. The Hasbro stock photography shows that the wheel was originally able to split down the middle, with each half pegging onto a forearm. However, this is not possible on the production version. The two halves are screwed together, and there's no hint of a second connection piece when disassembled. | :A change was made to the wheel/sword weapon between the photography and final production stages. The Hasbro stock photography shows that the wheel was originally able to split down the middle, with each half pegging onto a forearm. However, this is not possible on the production version. The two halves are screwed together, and there's no hint of a second connection piece when disassembled. | ||
Revision as of 14:19, 21 March 2009
<div id="title-factionicons" style="float: right; display: none;"><div style="position: relative;"><img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/f/fe/Symbol_autobot_reg.png/30px-Symbol_autobot_reg.png" width="30" height="30" border="0"/></div></div>
| The name or term "Prowl" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Prowl (disambiguation). |
- Prowl is an Autobot from the Transformers Animated continuity family.
Some people are team players, and some...well, aren't. Prowl falls into the latter category. A loner at heart, he has little interest in teamwork, something Optimus Prime finds extremely frustrating. Prowl feels cooperation with the loud and unsubtle Autobots around him would cramp his style: a keen cyber ninja prowess with elements of Circuit-Su<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-0" title="">[1]</a></sup> and Metallikato.<sup id="cite_ref-TEG_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-TEG-1" title="">[2]</a></sup>
Seemingly bound up in his martial-arts philosophy is his deep, deep fascination with Earth's natural environment. His quarters on Earth is missing most of its ceiling, allowing him a permanent window into nature. In fact, he seems to have a deeper appreciation of his new surroundings than the humans who grew up with them. The phrase "stop and smell the roses" is a life truth for Prowl, and he can spend hours motionless, watching the organic world play out around him.
When called to battle, Prowl uses an array of throwing weapons, such as cutting discs, that he can hurl with high accuracy. While useful as projectiles, these weapons tend to be far more damaging at close range and will occasionally bounce off their target with little damage if thrown from too great a distance. He can project holograms of himself, using them to misdirect his enemies. He is also the only member of his team with a jetpack, granting him limited flight.
Prowl is probably the most skilled fighter of his comrades, but this might not be saying much, as they were a mere space bridge repair crew before finding themselves suddenly defending the AllSpark against the resurgent Decepticons.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2" title="">[3]</a></sup> In fact, Jazz, witnessing him in action, remarked that Prowl must not have finished his cyber ninja training.<sup id="cite_ref-TEG_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-TEG-1" title="">[2]</a></sup> Perhaps that might provide a clue as to why a martial artist like Prowl was assigned to that oft-maligned repair duty.
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</td><td valign="top" style="padding:4px 10px 5px 10px;font-family: 'lucida console', arial, sans-serif;"> Stillness...then strike.
</td><td width="20" valign="bottom" style="color:#B2B7F2;font-size:35px;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;text-align:right;padding:10px 10px 0px 10px;"> ”
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<td colspan="3" style="padding-top: 0"> <p style="font-size:smaller;line-height:1em;text-align: right"><cite style="font-style:normal;">—Prowl getting past motion detectors, "Home Is Where the Spark Is"</cite>
Fiction
Animated cartoon
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<tr bgcolor="#ececec"> <td><span style="font-size:10px;line-height:1;">This section covers fiction that is ongoing. It will be added to as the story progresses. If it isn't current, you can help by <span class="plainlinks">updating it</span>.</span> </td></tr></table>
- Voice actor: Jeff Glen Bennett (English), Lutz Schnell (German)
Prowl showed a lack of interest in both teamwork (as a loner type) and in the motivational (kinda long-winded) speeches of Optimus Prime. He did not obey orders at first and learned of the consequences firsthand as he was nearly killed by a nanite-enhanced cockroach. After his revival at the hands of Sari and the AllSpark-empowered Key, he showed that he had become a valuable team player when he headed out with Bumblebee and Sari to save Professor Sumdac and Captain Fanzone from Starscream. Transform and Roll Out!
Later, Prowl was watching a cat stalk a bird. He found it fascinating, but was aggravated when he was interrupted by human fans. Returning to base, he hid out in his Japanese-themed room, only to be interrupted by Prime and Bumblebee. Even worse, Sari threw a slumber party, pushing Prowl to the edge with the commotion. Ironically, when Megatron took over the factory, Prowl was able to show Bumblebee the value of stillness in battle, something the pair would work on later in a game of Twister™. Home Is Where the Spark Is
In an attempt to get Bulkhead to be less bumbling and destructive, he tried to teach his comrade how to move with ninja-like grace as he did. It...did not go well. Bulkhead's effectiveness in battle was undermined until Prowl realized Bulkhead's approach had its place and encouraged him to "do what you do." He also sensed sparks within the Dinobots and, unwilling to let them be destroyed, secretly hid them on a small island before they were melted down. As he explained to Bulkhead, "Just because something's big and lumbering and destructive, doesn't mean you give up on it." Blast from the Past
Reasoning correctly that the Decepticons would target Sari to get at the Key, Prowl took to instructing her in the art of "ninja nerve blows." It was shortly after one of these sessions that his decision to save the Dinobots seemingly came back to haunt him when the gargantuan robots kidnapped the girl. He headed to their island home with Bulkhead in tow, the suspicious Captain Fanzone shadowing them somewhat clumsily the whole way. However, the police captain was not prepared for the environmental hazards of the secluded island and had to be rescued by the pair of Autobots. Together, the three of them discovered that the Dinobots had been coerced into kidnapping Sari by Prometheus Black, whose corrosive touch they had come to fear. Forced along with Fanzone to fight the mad geneticist's creations in a gladiatorial arena, Prowl began to develop a bond with the captain, who in turn came to trust Prowl. Survival of the Fittest
When Decepticon energy signals were detected, the Autobots quickly realized that they were outnumbered. Bulkhead mentioned that the Dinobots might be able to help, not aware that Prowl hadn't told Optimus they had moved them to Dinobot Island. Prime was furious and ordered the two to take him there at once. After searching the island, the Autobots found the Dinobots. Prime's introduction was less than friendly, and Prowl was forced to smooth things over with Grimlock. They were unwilling to help, so the Autobots left, unsure of their next move. When Bumblebee contacted Prime, saying that Starscream was at Sumdac Tower, he ordered him to stand down. When they arrived at the tower, they saw Bumblebee fighting Starscream. Prime dryly noted that disobeying orders was becoming a habit, but Prowl wasn't too insulted.
He was too busy being shocked by Megatron bursting through Sumdac Tower. Megatron Rising - Part 1
Quickly regaining their composure, the Autobots attacked, only for Megatron to defeat all three of them himself. After the battle, Sumdac revealed that he had helped rebuild Megatron. Prowl was furious, but Prime said that it was unimportant. Using residual Key energy in Sumdac's lab, the Autobots repaired themselves, and Prime apologized for his harsh words. Ratchet and Sari came in the ship, but it was shot down over Dinobot Island. During the subsequent battle, Prowl noticed that Blitzwing's multiple personalities were connected to his alternate modes. To cause his hotheaded side to emerge and transform into a tank, Prowl suggested that Bumblebee use his greatest strength— his obnoxious personality. Megatron Rising - Part 2
While responding to a report of rampages on Dinobot Island, Prowl and Bulkhead were given Ratchet's EMP generator and stasis cuffs to detain the Dinobots. Discovering that Grimlock had a metal shard wedged in his foot, Prowl used the generator to dull Grimlock's sensors and remove the shard. However, they then received a call from Ultra Magnus that Starscream had escaped. Heading to the Autobots' crashed ship, Prowl used Teletran 1 to scan for Starscream, discovering him on the Moon. Prowl suggested that they go after Starscream, but Bulkhead thought it was suicide. So Prowl stole a shuttle and went off by himself. Locating Starscream on the Moon, he managed to place stasis cuffs on the Decepticon, but Lockdown appeared to take Starscream off Prowl's hands. During their fight, Starscream escaped and destroyed Prowl's shuttle. Stowing away on Lockdown's ship, Prowl suggested an alliance to capture him. Lockdown gave him a set of armor that would assist him in the hunt. Discovering a purple (and frightened) Starscream, they captured him, but Lockdown revealed that he was working for Megatron. Prowl would not allow Starscream to be taken, but Lockdown tied Prowl up and left.
The other Autobots arrived and chewed out Prowl for his actions, but Prowl insisted that they retrieve Starscream first. During their pursuit, Starscream somehow showed up and offered an alliance against Megatron. Prowl took down Starscream, but in his actions, he destroyed a bird's nest. Realizing that the modifications he had were going to his head, he resolved to abandon them... once they got Starscream. Prowl initially flubbed an attempt to spy on the meet between Megatron and Lockdown and quickly found himself outgunned until the other Autobots arrived with the second Starscream. During the standoff that followed, the two Starscreams revealed that they had bombs inside them. Prowl used the armor he had been given to send them into the sky, saving Detroit from destruction. Lockdown then contacted Prowl, offering him a partnership, but Prowl declined and returned Ratchet's EMP generator. A Fistful of Energon
When Bulkhead was kidnapped, Bumblebee brought the Autobot intelligence agent Blurr to the plant, who revealed that Megatron was building a space bridge to conquer Cybertron from within. As Sari and Ratchet went to repair the ship, Prowl went with the others to rescue Bulkhead and shut down the space bridge. However, they were incapacitated by the Constructicons...just in time for Starscream and his clones to attack. A Bridge Too Close, Part I
Escaping the Constructicons, Prowl was able to lock stasis cuffs on a lying clone, but was soon occupied with Mixmaster. When Prowl managed to disengage long enough to check on an injured Prime, a fawning clone managed to place stasis cuffs on him. Once he came back online, Prowl began a processor over matter technique to disable his stasis cuffs, which would theoretically work if he had completed his training. Fortunately, it did work, and Prowl was able to throw a shuriken at Prime's stasis cuffs as he was being thrown through the space bridge. Unfortunately, power problems with the bridge arose, causing Megatron to add Starscream's AllSpark infused head to the mix. This caused a power overload which sucked up Megatron and Starscream, and nearly sucked up the Autobots as well. Fortunately, Omega Supreme arrived and sacrificed himself to save the Autobots by allowing himself to be sucked into the portal. After escaping from the self-destructing bridge, Optimus Prime asked if everyone was okay, and Prowl gave an affirmative nod.
Unfortunately, Sari was not okay, for the skin of her right arm had been torn, revealing robotic circuitry underneath! A Bridge Too Close, Part II
Titan Magazines
When Quake-Maker attacked Detroit with, yep, earthquakes, Prowl was there saving people from falling rubble before the villain temporarily buried him. Once he got out, he found himself following the orders of new arrival Afterburn and helped beat Quake-Maker. Burnout
On his day off, Prowl went to a basketball game with Bulkhead, Sari and Afterburn. The speed, grace and tactics of the game thrilled him, leaving him with the belief they could learn much from basketball. Unfortunately he had to duck out of the game to stop the supervillain Crossroads, who was causing robotic systems across Detroit. Working out with Sari that this was a diversionary tactic so Crossroads could reach Sumdac Tower, Prowl and the others headed for the building and Prowl disabled the villain's robot-controlling gauntlets with well-aimed shurikens. And he spouted basketball terms while doing this for... well, I dunno.
He stood in front of Afterburn while saying they should all keep their eyes out for the enemy. Surely a coincidental posing! Crossroads!
Toys
Transformers Animated
- Prowl (Deluxe, 2008)
- Accessories: 2 bladed ninja stars, 1 street lamp "chain" weapon
- Prowl transforms into a black and gold police motorcycle of made-up model. Two of his hubcaps are removable, and they both can reconfigure into three-bladed shurikens which he can hold in robot mode. The shurikens have a pseudo-automorph feature; pulling out on one blade simultaneously opens the other two. He also comes with a traffic light "chain" weapon which he can hold in robot mode, but it cannot be stowed in vehicle mode. As advertised on the back of the box, his bike mode klaxons can flip forward to form some kind of laser weapon.
- Partly due to his lithe proportions and the double-jointed knees required for his transformation, Prowl is extremely poseable. Additionally, he has a large number of translucent plastic colors, with blue and red translucent beacons, a red, yellow, and green traffic light, and a smoky gray translucent windscreen.
<span id="TargetLOC"></span>
- Rescue Ratchet (Animated 3-pack, 2008)
- A Universe Legends-class Prowl came packaged with this version of Ratchet, as well as a Legends Starscream. It is different from the Universe release in that it has a silver faction symbol instead of the individual release's red-and-white.
<span id="Megatron2pack"></span>
- Battle in Space (Deluxe 2-pack, 2008)
- This two-pack features an unchanged Deluxe Prowl and an unchanged Battle Damaged Deluxe Megatron, from the Battle Begins two-pack.
<span id="Samurai"></span>
- Samurai Prowl (Deluxe, 2009)
- Accessories: Sidecar/battle armor, wheel/"sword"
- This heavy retool of Prowl includes an all-new sidecar which transforms into the "samurai" armor that appeared in "A Fistful of Energon." Roughly 80% of the original robot mode is retooled or replaced, leaving only parts such as the biceps, interior of the arms, and the lower legs untouched. The robot mode "wings" are now designed to fold upwards, and a pair of slots were added to accommodate the body of the samurai armor. A new, smaller head with translucent plastic lightpiping replaces the original head so that the samurai helmet can fit, and either of the new pegs on his forearms can be used to mount the new wheel/blade weapon. The bladed ninja stars can still be removed from his legs, but they have been remolded so they no longer open.
- Prowl loses a lot of his original manouverability when you put his samurai armour on, but that's the price you pay for the ability to blind your enemies with pure awesomeness and translucent plastic.
- A change was made to the wheel/sword weapon between the photography and final production stages. The Hasbro stock photography shows that the wheel was originally able to split down the middle, with each half pegging onto a forearm. However, this is not possible on the production version. The two halves are screwed together, and there's no hint of a second connection piece when disassembled.
Universe (2008)
- Prowl (Legends, 2008)
- A Legends-scale version of Animated Prowl, featuring a simplified transformation scheme. As with all current Legends class toys, it was offered under the Universe toyline.
- This toy can also be found as part of the Animated Rescue Ratchet three-pack with Legends Starscream, and as part of a Universe three-pack with Legends Optimus Prime and Legends Bumblebee.
Trivia
- Prowl's eyes are a reference to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_AD_%28comic%29" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:2000_AD_(comic)">2000 AD</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_Warriors" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:ABC_Warriors">ABC Warriors</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3" title="">[4]</a></sup>
- Prowl's general robot mode design, down to his khaki legs, tall boots, and helmet-shaped head, is meant to evoke a California Highway Police motorcycle cop, circa <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHiPs" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:CHiPs">CHiPs</a>. Eat your heart out, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Estrada" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:Erik_Estrada">Erik Estrada</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4" title="">[5]</a></sup>
- Despite his alternate mode being the smallest among the core cast, Prowl's robot mode is about the same height as Ratchet's, and much taller than Bumblebee's.
- As of "Autoboot Camp", Prowl is the only main cast Autobot who hasn't had an episode dedicated to his past. However, he did reveal in "A Bridge Too Close, Part II" that he never actually completed his cyber ninja training. Perhaps a dedicated episode will happen in Season 3.
- Prowl is the only one of the five main Autobots whose Cybertron vehicle mode hasn't been shown, although according to Derrick Wyatt, it has been designed.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5" title="">[6]</a></sup>
- Amazingly, Hasbro hadn't originally intended to make a Samurai Prowl toy until one of their team saw the episode <sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6" title="">[7]</a></sup>
- Prowl's retractable mouthplate was inspired by Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7" title="">[8]</a></sup>
References
<div class="references-small"> <ol class="references"><li id="cite_note-0"><a href="#cite_ref-0" title="">↑</a> Prowl's on-package bio <li id="cite_note-TEG-1">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-TEG_1-0" title="">2.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-TEG_1-1" title="">2.1</a></sup> "The Elite Guard" <li id="cite_note-2"><a href="#cite_ref-2" title="">↑</a> "Transform and Roll Out!" <li id="cite_note-3">[#cite_ref-3" title="">↑</a> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21975298&postID=8564559979841180115 Comment section for "Back from Botcon" entry in Derrick Wyatt's blog] <li id="cite_note-4">[#cite_ref-4" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/2008/09/hey-everybody-its-prowl.html Derrick Wyatt explains Prowl's design in his personal blog] <li id="cite_note-5">[#cite_ref-5" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/2008/09/hey-everybody-its-prowl.html Derrick Wyatt explains Prowl's design in his personal blog] <li id="cite_note-6"><a href="#cite_ref-6" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/tf_animated/271043.html" class="external free" title="http://community.livejournal.com/tf_animated/271043.html" rel="nofollow">http://community.livejournal.com/tf_animated/271043.html</a> <li id="cite_note-7">[#cite_ref-7" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/2008/09/hey-everybody-its-prowl.html Response to comments in "Hey Everybody, It's Prowl!" article on Derrick Wyatt's blog]</ol></div>
