Anatomic euphemism: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:03, 24 March 2009

Because most Transformers fiction is aimed at kids, and most Transformers don't have organic squishy bits, the fiction has introduced a lot of anatomic euphemisms for assorted bits of human anatomy, especially the one you sit on. Most are real mechanical or electronic terms, and also presumably real parts of Transformer anatomy. A few are also the names of Transformers. Presumably, this is akin to being named <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Clark" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:Dick_Clark">Dick Clark</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Mosher_Butts" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:Alfred_Mosher_Butts">Alfred Butts</a>.

Actuator

"Blow it out your actuator, three-face."

—Blackarachnia, "Transform and Roll Out!", Transformers Animated

Afterburner

"Now, let's kick afterburners!"

—Slingshot, "Aerial Assault", Generation 1 cartoon

"Say uncle, or I'll shove your nose in your afterburner!"

—Sideswipe, "City of Steel", Generation 1 cartoon

"Kiss your afterburners goodbye, Decepticon slime!!"

—Spike Witwicky, "The Rebirth, Part 3", Generation 1 cartoon

See also Afterburner (G1), Afterburner (G2).

Bearing

"This guy's got bearings of chrome steel."

—Rhinox, "Beast Wars (Part 1)", Beast Wars

"I can't believe that dino-dummy has got the bearings to show his backstabbing mug around here."

—Ironhide, New World Order, Dreamwave Generation 1 comic

Boron compressor

"We were brilliant in battle, Megatron. The Dinobots overwhelmed us with sheer brute force!" "Brilliant, my boron compressor!"

—Starscream and Megatron, "War of the Dinobots", Generation 1 cartoon

Command module

"Stick it in your command module, eight-eyes."

—Rattrap, "Power Surge", Beast Wars

Crankcase

"Sorry about yankin' your crankcase."

—Bulkhead, "Total Meltdown", Transformers Animated

See also Crankcase.

Diode

"Aw, go ding your diodes and get defunct, Megatron. I'm not helping you do zilch."

—Gears, "Changing Gears", Generation 1 cartoon

"Me Grimlock here again, Optimus Prime, to pull your diodes out of laser fire."

—Grimlock, "Atlantis, Arise!", Generation 1 cartoon

"Chumley, you're one royal pain in the diode."

—Optimus Prime, "Prime Target", Generation 1 cartoon

"I'll rip you to pieces with my bare claws, tear out your circuits with my teeth, and spit your diodes back at you!"

—Scorponok (hopefully using a different definition of "diodes") to Unicron, "On the Edge of Extinction!", Generation 1 Marvel comic

Drivetrain

"All right, we're heading back to the plant. I'll alert Ratchet he's got some repairs to do. Including a full diagnostic on your drivetrain."

—Optimus Prime<a href="#cite_note-0" title="">[1]</a>, "SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy", Transformers Animated

Exhaust port

"Tell Megatron to blow it out his exhaust port. We're having a demolition derby."

—Drag Strip mouthing off, "Starscream's Brigade", Generation 1 cartoon

"Have you got your processor up your exhaust port?"

—Ratchet, "Nanosec", Transformers Animated

"You overgrown Autobot! I will scramble your circuits so bad you'll need a GPS scanner to find your own exhaust port—" :-Hothead Blitzwing to Omega Supreme, "A Bridge Too Close, Part II, Transformers Animated

Fan belt

"Optimus! Elita-1! Get your fan belts in gear!"

—Sentinel Prime, "Along Came a Spider", Transformers Animated

Gearbox

"What's with you two? [Gestures toward pants area.] Is my gearbox hangin' out or somethin'?"

—Rattrap, "Aftermath", Beast Wars

Hard drive

"So, Sentinel Prime, take your order, and your condescending attitude, and stick 'em in your hard drive! You're on my turf now!"

—Optimus Prime, "The Elite Guard", Transformers Animated

Joystick

"They're on my tail!" "Oh, pussycat, you really know how to tickle my joystick."

—Cheetor and Rattrap, "Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)", Beast Wars

Lugnuts

"The other equipment has been salvaged, but you took the alien Transmetal driver. Where is it?" "Gone. Ain't that a kick in the lugnuts?"

—Megatron and Depth Charge, "Feral Scream Part 2", Beast Wars

See also Lugnut, Lugnutz.

Magna fuses

"Kiss your magna fuses goodbye, Autobots!"

—Megatron, "Fire on the Mountain", Generation 1 cartoon

Manifold

"I've got the plan, if all of you've got the cast-iron manifolds for it."

—Prowl, "The Ultimate Doom, Part 1", Generation 1 cartoon

"I don't like the idea of Megatron getting the antimatter formula. He can't be trusted!" "Sure can't, manifold-mouth!"

—Starscream and Bluestreak, "Roll For It", Generation 1 cartoon

Nodes

"Way to go, numb nodes!"

—Wasp, "Autoboot Camp", Transformers Animated

Piston rod

"We wanted to thank you for all that extra punishment, piston rod!"

—Wasp, "Autoboot Camp", Transformers Animated

Reactor linkage

"I repeat, Decepticons—surrender, or face the consequences!" "Yeah, and we repeat—go stuff it up your reactor linkage!"

—Optimus Prime and Tailwind, "The Resurrection Gambit!", Generation 1 Marvel comic

Skidplate

"Yeah? And you can just kiss my skidplate, fearless leader. 'Cause I ain't goin' out there and gettin' my pelt punctured!"

—Rattrap,<a href="#cite_note-1" title="">[2]</a> "Beast Wars (Part 1)", Beast Wars

"You know me, I can't resist the upgrades." "And you know me, Masterson. I can't resist kicking your skidplate!"

—Headmaster and Optimus Prime, "The Return of the Headmaster", Transformers Animated

Solenoid

"That's 'cause we kicked their sorry solenoids!"

—Bumblebee, "The Elite Guard", Transformers Animated

"The Elite Guard has done nothing but bust our solenoids since they got here!"

—Bumblebee, "Mission Accomplished", Transformers Animated

Strut

"Strutless cowards!"

—Starscream, Infiltration issue 6, IDW Comics

Tailpipe

"Now they've got their tailpipes between their legs!"

—Bombshell, "Quest for Survival", Generation 1 cartoon

"Hey, if you took that broomstick out of your tailpipe every once in a while, you might have some fun for a change!"

—Rattrap, "The Agenda (Part 1)", Beast Wars

"Whoa! What crawled up your tailpipe?"

—Bumblebee, "The Thrill of the Hunt", Transformers Animated

Thruster

"Fine. Whatever makes you a happy Decepticon. Just watch your rear thruster."

—Rodimus Prime, "The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1", Generation 1 cartoon

Transistor

"If you guys don't give me my circuit back, I'm gonna start kickin' transistor!"

—Gears, "Changing Gears", Generation 1 cartoon

"We are in deep transistor parts!"

—Skyfire, "Day of the Machines", Generation 1 cartoon

Turbocharger

"I'm goin', too. I'm gonna boot some Decepticon right in his turbocharger."

—Cliffjumper, "More Than Meets the Eye, Part 1", Generation 1 cartoon

Footnotes

<ol class="references"><li id="cite_note-0"><a href="#cite_ref-0" title="">↑</a> Of course, since Bumblebee had just screeched to a halt in front of him, Optimus may have been speaking literally here. <li id="cite_note-1"><a href="#cite_ref-1" title="">↑</a> We sure do get a lot of these from Rattrap, don't we?</ol>