Prowl (G1)

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 and Maximal from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Prowl.

Prowl is the Autobot military strategist. As such, Autobot Commander Optimus Prime keeps Prowl near at hand for his indispensable expertise. Prowl is quiet, competent, loyal, and possessed of almost endless patience.

Prowl's dedication to logic and reason make him an excellent strategist, but not much of a socialite. He really doesn't tend to get along well with his fellow Autobots, many of whom find his strict adherence to military protocol stifling, and his uptight personality sure doesn't help matters. He does not react well to the unexpected, to the point that it can literally scramble his cerebral circuits. The Dinobot commander Grimlock, who is disorder made manifest, especially honks Prowl off, and Grimlock feels pretty much the same way in return, only with more swear words. He's very fond of his acid pellets, though.

“	Listening to you, Blue Streak, taxes even the endless patience of Prowl. I have little to say, but my logic center dictates the most advantageous course of action in any situation.	”
—Prowl begins his long history of prickery, "The Transformers"

French-Canadian name: Cervo, Rôdeur ("Prowler", as Action Master)

Chinese name (Taiwan): Pái-húai (徘徊, "Prowl") / Jǐng-chē (警車, "Police Car")

Hungarian name: Portyázó ("Prowler")

Italian name: Pantera ("Panther")

Portuguese name (Portugal comic): Batedor

Portuguese name (Brazil comic): Espreitador

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Generation 1

Events from the UK-only comic stories are in italics.

Before Optimus became leader, Prowl was part of the self-styled Magnificent Six, a team of Autobot warriors who would be tortured and humiliated by the sadistic Megadeath. The Magnificent Six!

Prowl's character model.

Prowl was one of the select Autobots chosen by Optimus Prime to travel aboard the Ark, and ended up in stasis lock for four million years at the base of Mount St. Hilary with the rest of the crew. Once the volcano exploded, Optimus chose Prowl to lead the first away mission into civilization. The Transformers Like most of the Autobots, though, he soon ran out of energy without any option of refueling on Earth, and suffered even greater injuries when the Ark and the deactivated Autobots aboard were taken over by Shockwave and the Decepticons. He was eventually revived when Ratchet and the Dinobots reclaimed control of the Ark from Shockwave's drone, the Guardian. The Wrath of Guardian!

With Optimus Prime's head still in Decepticon possession, Prowl took command of the Autobots until their true leader could be restored. At Jazz's suggestion, he forged an alliance with human fuel magnate G.B. Blackrock, arranging an exchange of free gasoline for the Autobots for their help in protecting Blackrock's facilities from the Decepticons. DIS-Integrated Circuits! The Autobots were eventually successful in recovering Prime's head, and restoring him to functionality, but Prowl suffered some injuries battling the Decepticons and a false Prime in the process. Prime Time!

Some of Prowl's thoughts

Shortly thereafter, Prowl was the ringleader of a group of Autobots strongly requesting that Prime use his Creation Matrix to create Ultimate Autobot super-warriors to wipe out the Decepticons for them. The lethal efficiency of Prowl's stance was just as strongly opposed by another faction who saw such action as a perversion of their sacred lifeforce, and the potential for laying waste to Earth. Prime's long absence and relative weakness after his recent ordeals left Prowl and the others less deferential than normal to his will, but after he singlehandedly fought through the Decepticons to rescue Bumblebee, Prowl and the other Ultimate Autobot proponents backed down and accepted Prime's final word on the subject. Crisis of Command! When the Dinobots were driven feral by their primitive circuitry, Prowl nearly sacrificed himself crashing a shuttlecraft straight into the feuding Grimlock and Sludge. Dinobot Hunt!

Prowl was displaced to Limbo along with Optimus Prime and Ratchet when Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge time-traveled from the future. Target: 2006 Joined later by Shockwave, Thundercracker and Frenzy, they found themselves in the middle of a war between the peaceful, cat-like Cloran and evil, monkey-like invaders led by Zenag. Distant Thunder! When Galvatron's group returned to their own time, Prowl was released from Limbo.

Prowl was next in action during the Battlechargers' rampage, and attempted to bring them in despite the endangerment of human life. Perchance to Dream Deactivated by means unknown, Ratchet did manage to briefly revive him in order to exploit Prowl's police car mode against a human thief named the Mechanic who had infiltrated the Ark. Funeral for a Friend! Prowl was fully revived in time for Grimlock and Blaster's grudge match on the moon, and fought alongside the combined crews of the Ark and Steelhaven against the Decepticon party-crashers. Totaled! Unfortunately, it wasn't too long afterwards that Prowl was once again knocked off-line, this time battling the Underbase-charged Starscream in New York. Dark Star

You'd be a prick too if Grimlock kept getting promoted over you.

He would remain in stasis for some time, until Grimlock acquired a large supply of super-energy known as Nucleon, and pumped it into all of the Ark's stasis chambers. Prowl found himself revived just in time to engage the Chaos-Bringer known as Unicron for the sake of all Cybertron, and then bury his longterm friend and leader, Optimus Prime, who sacrificed himself to destroy Unicron. On the Edge of Extinction! At Prime's last request, Prowl reluctantly supported Grimlock as new leader of the Autobots. While Grimlock pursued his own interests, though, Prowl found himself working almost alone trying to maintain the tenuous peace between the Autobots and Decepticons. He ended up overplaying his hand, and gave Decepticon leader Bludgeon a chance to betray the Autobots, leaving them trapped on the dying world of Cybertron, without transport, while the Decepticons fled to conquer new civilizations. Luckily for Prowl, Grimlock had anticipated the Decepticons' treachery (by Primus, how'd he manage that?!?) and had secured alternate starships. The Autobots chased their foes to the planet of Klo and, thanks to the resurrection of Optimus Prime and the arrival of the Last Autobot, managed to drive off Bludgeon's forces, sending them into at least temporary exile. End of the Road!

In an alternate 2009, Prowl was one of only seven Autobots left alive after Galvatron and his Decepticons took over America. With Cybertron destroyed by Unicron and the various Primes dead, things looked bleak. Prowl and Jazz led a last-ditch assault on the Decepticon fortress and, miraculously, managed to send a signal to the rest of the world that America was still alive and fighting. When some mysterious travelers shang-haied Galvatron from the field of battle, Prowl joined Jazz and Inferno (the last of their kind) in fighting alongside their human allies with renewed vigor. Perhaps the war could yet be won! Rhythms of Darkness!

Earthforce

These stories do not fit into the normal Marvel continuity. See Earthforce for details.

Prowl was GEEWUN before it was fashionable.

Deactivated following his battle with the Underbase-enhanced Starscream, Prowl lay recuperating within a lifepod in the Ark for months, until the Galvatron of a parallel future intervened. Using a series of dream bug devices, Galvatron manipulated the baser instincts of several Autobots, attempting to revive them as pawns he could use for his own purposes. Instead they revived intent on opposing him. Prowl joined Wheeljack, Sunstreaker, Ironhide and Silverbolt in overpowering and capturing the renegade Decepticon. Wheeljack cobbled together a device that turned Galvatron's own technology against him, and Prowl slapped it on the villain's head, leaving him trapped in his own nightmares. Perchance to Dream

As the days passed, Prowl attempted to readjust to the war, despite how it had changed around him. Along with Wheeljack, he lamented about the proliferation of newer types of Transformers, claiming these newcomers gave him a headache just thinking about them. Luckily, their patrol turned up several familiar enemies, including the Constructicons and Stunticons working under Megatron's command. Megatron had formulated a scheme to destroy Earth's atmosphere with a deadly rocket, and reap the excess energy that would no longer be filtered out before reaching the planet's surface. Starting Over! While Wheeljack engaged the Decepticons, Prowl leaped aboard the flying rocket, knocking it off course so that its deadly poison never reached the proper altitude. Desert Island Risks! He crashed down in the backwoods of Louisiana, and befriended some locals who helped fix him up over the next few days. Prowl also neutralized the rocket's poison, and got a good chuckle out of watching the two Decepticon factions arrive days later and begin fighting over a useless cargo. Life in the Slow Lane

A new team of Autobots called Earthforce had been formed, partly to help recover Prowl and the atmospheric rocket, and he quickly joined the organization once reunited with his fellow Autobots. Working under Grimlock's overall command, Prowl acted as second lieutenant, providing a voice of reason and strategy for the Dinobot Commander. On one occasion, Prowl sabotaged Megatron's attempt to alter the timeline using a Flashback doorway. The two opponents traveled back in time to the battle with Starscream, where Megatron possessed the body of Snaptrap, and attempted to lead the Seacons to safety in order to receive their services in the present. Prowl possessed his own past form and ensured the Seacons' destruction before returning to the present. Flashback! He also talked Grimlock into accepting the Survivors into Earthforce, and joined them in assaulting the island base of the Mayhem Attack Squad. Where Wolf?

When the Autobot Earthbase was finished, Prowl gathered with all the other Autobots outside to witness Wheeljack's handiwork. Ever cautious and critical, Prowl commented on the noticeable lack of defenses. Wheeljack then turned on the defense grid and tossed a rock towards the base, triggering a series of underground weapon systems that annihilated the projectile. Prowl still wasn't convinced, and began asking how the defenses might be knocked off-line once activated. Wheeljack assured him the defenses were so completely fool proof that NO ONE could shut them off once they had been activated unless they were sitting at the control console inside the base. Prowl then gave Wheeljack his "Everybody's dumb but me" look, and did a headcount of the entire Earthforce who had come outside for the demonstration... meaning no one was inside who could shut off the deadly defense grid. In order to get back inside their base, Prowl volunteered to brave the perils and reach the console himself. With Jazz, Bumblebee and the Aerialbots spotting him, Prowl navigated his way through lasers, heat-seeking drones, acid bats, and electrified tentacles before finally shutting off the system. The House that Wheeljack Built!

Later on, Snarl began suffering from a case of Corrodia Gravis, and the Autobots were forced to go to Starscream in order to get a compatible systems boost to save the Dinobot's life. Not destined to be an easy mission in the best of cases, Prowl, Ironhide and the remaining Dinobots walked in on an assassination in progress and the former Decepticon leaders attempted to remove the current ones from their former thrones. As was often the case, it fell on Prowl to re-explain to Grimlock why it wasn't a good thing that Starscream's life was in danger. External Forces! After Megatron, Shockwave and their assassins were chased off, Prowl and Grimlock made a deal with Starscream to gain his help, in exchange for agreeing to step in if Megatron ever tried to overthrow their current Decepticon regime again. The Lesser Evil

When Bombshell injected Superion with a cerebro-shell and caused him to go wild, Earthforce was in dire straits trying to find a means of stopping the warrior juggernaut. Prowl found a human reporter on the scene named Irwin Spoon, and made a deal with him for an exclusive interview in exchange for Irwin's help removing the shell from the inside. Inside Story! Irwin was successful and got his interview. Prowl hoped the good publicity would help the Autobots establish better relations with humanity, despite Grimlock's grumbling. It seemed the Decepticons had the same notion, and so Starscream and Soundwave sent the Stunticons to kidnap Irwin from Earthbase before he could publish his story, taking him right out from under Prowl's olfactory receptor. Front Line! Prowl tried to chase down Motormaster and recover the human, but was bashed off the side of the highway, and had to be recovered by Wheeljack. End of the Road!

Along with the surviving Magnificent Six and Silverbolt, Prowl once more faced Megadeath in 1990 and, encouraged by Silverbolt to overcome the past, helped beat Megadeath half to death.

Another Time and Place

Several months after the incident on Klo, Prowl caught wind of Grimlock running off on his own again, this time back to Hydrus Four. Prowl alerted Optimus Prime to the situation, but was surprised when his leader harshly rebuked him for bringing it to his attention. When Prime made it clear he didn't want anything to do with Prowl's report, the Autobot strategist stormed off to consider the problem himself. After some solitary computation, Prowl decided that the threat of Decepticons following Grimlock to Hydrus Four and acquiring Nucleon was too perilous to ignore. He was rushing out of his chambers, ready to throw together a squad of Autobots regardless of what Optimus Prime thought, when he ran smack into Optimus himself. Prime apologized to Prowl for "hiding his head in the sand"—he had wanted the war to be over so badly, for his fellow Autobots' sake and not his, that he was willing to ignore an obvious threat. The two old friends shook hands and proceeded to gather their strike team.

On Hydrus Four, Prowl joined a small group of commandos including Springer, Blaster, Nightbeat and Ironhide to scout the enemy position. They dispatched Fangry with little effort, and sent in Roadhandler and some Micromasters to free Grimlock and the Dinobots quietly before the main offensive began. Nothing ever goes quietly with the Dinobots, though, and so once the shooting started inside, the Aerialbots were sent in to bomb the facility and let the Decepticons know they were in for it. Prowl and his fellow Autobots assaulted the base and, in little time at all, Bludgeon and his crew were dismantled and the day was won yet again. Another Time and Place

Generation 2

Prowl and Grimlock's sexual tension continues.

When Optimus Prime and Grimlock discovered the threat of the Cybertronian Empire, they called in Autobots scattered across the galaxy, including Prowl. As one of Prime's most loyal supporters, Prowl did not participate in Grimlock's ill-advised strike on the Liege Centuro and his fleet. Devices and Desires! Still, Prowl would not completely ignore Grimlock's opinions: when Optimus Prime decreed that he be left alone to entreat Megatron for peace, Grimlock convinced Prowl that Prime made a bad call, and they arrived with a rescue battalion just in time to keep Megatron from destroying his old nemesis. The Gathering Darkness Prowl continued serving the Autobot cause, and was present when they attempted to stop the genocide of the planet Ethos by the Cybertronian Empire. Escalation!

American cartoon continuity

Voice actor: Michael Bell (English), Toshio Ishii (Japanese)

Prowl and Bluestreak.

Prowl was part of the crew of the Ark, the Autobot starship that left Cybertron looking for alternate sources of energy only to crashland on Earth. Four million years later, the Transformers were reawakened by the eruption of the volcano the Ark had crashed in and reformatted by Teletraan I. Despite being situated in the United States, Prowl was reformatted as a Japanese police car. No one seemed to notice. More than Meets the Eye, Part 1

Prowl fires his weapon.

During an attack against the Decepticons, Prowl's battle computer was knocked offline by a particularly fierce blow. Crippled, Prowl extended his antenna to seek out an online computer that he could patch into. He found Chip Chase's desktop terminal, and the young human ally momentarily took control of Prowl, animating the Autobot warrior with his computer. Chip and Prowl handily defeated the Decepticons, and the Autobot remarked that Chip was a human after his own central processor. Roll for It

After the Dinobots moved to a mysterious prehistoric island, time portals began opening all over North America. Prowl, Inferno and Jazz were sent to deal with a portal from the wild west. Prowl defeated the cattle rustlers by melting their guns with his acid pellets. Dinobot Island, Part 2 Skids and Prowl attempted to stop the mayhem caused by Blitzwing's Decepticons, but instead the two Autobots crashed into each other and were temporarily rebuilt into a throne by Scrapper. After the Decepticons were driven off, Prowl and the others reformed the throne for Prime, but their leader declined the offer. Triple Takeover

Prowl is killed by Scavenger.

Prowl met his manufacturer in the year 2005, alongside fellow Autobots Ironhide, Brawn and Ratchet during a Decepticon assault on their shuttle run to Earth from Moonbase One. He very nearly shot Starscream's head off, but was felled by a single blast from Scavenger, which penetrated his armour, burned his innards horribly, and left him belching fiery smoke as he fell to the floor, dead. The Transformers: The Movie

Prowl's body was evidently recovered for interment, as his grave was housed in the interstellar Autobot Mausoleum. Along with the mausoleum itself, Prowl's remains were later plunged into a red sun as a side-effect of a Quintesson plot. Dark Awakening

Japanese cartoon continuity

The Headmasters cartoon

Prowl cheats death!

See also: Prowl II

Prowl was stationed at Autobot City on Earth in 2011 when he and many other troops were summoned to Cybertron to help repel a Decepticon invasion. Four Warriors Come out of the Sky

Later, Prowl attended a briefing at Metroplex, where Ultra Magnus assigned several Autobot units to run interference with the Decepticons for Hot Rod, as the young Autobot searched for the missing Matrix of Leadership. Prowl accompanied Ultra Magnus's unit, but did not appear again. Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime

Prowl's revival is one of those "WTF?" errors that happened in the Japanese series as a result of the movie not reaching Japan until many years later. However, that's really not an excuse, because he was listed among the deceased in both the English and Japanese versions of "Dark Awakening". The Binaltech fiction tried patching this up (see the Prowl II link above), but it didn't stick.

Binaltech

When Prowl's laser core was lost to subspace in a GT Transfer accident, his longtime friend Chip Chase volunteered to sacrifice his very own soul in order to breathe life into the now-lifeless Prowl 2. With the help of Ratchet and Wheeljack, Chip's consciousness was transported into Prowl's frame. The new entity created in this fusion is virtually indistinguishable from Prowl's old persona, thanks to copies of the original Prowl's memory core and datatrax, while a separate neurocomputer handles Chip's thought processes.

Kid Stuff Talking Story Books

Voice actor: Unknown

“

OUR MISSILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!

”

Prowl is Optimus Prime's over-acting right-hand man. When Continents Collide

Dreamwave comics continuity

Who are you, and what did you do with Prowl?

Prowl was an Autobot from Praxus. After the death of Sentinel Prime, Grimlock called him, Jazz, and others to the ruins of Praxus, where he declared that if the new Prime was insufficient, they would take control of the Autobot military. Prowl was present at the ceremony when Optronix became Optimus Prime, and was restrained by Grimlock when Prime was attacked. The War Within issue 1 Prowl became Optimus Prime's immediate subordinate and advisor. When Optimus ordered a planetary evacuation, Prowl told Prime that there were many voices raised in opposition against it. When Prime asked if Prowl's own voice was raised in opposition, Prowl looked away but did not reply. The planetary turbines were activated by Megatron, and Prime left to investigate. The War Within issue 2 As Shockwave led an assault on Iacon, Prowl and Jazz led the defense, and Prowl sent out an order to all Autobots outside Iacon to regroup and dig in elsewhere, The War Within issue 3 while those with him made a final stand. The War Within issue 5 After Iacon was devastated by the mecha-forming process, Prime aborted the evacuation. The War Within issue 6

Cheese it! It's the cops!

After Prime and Megatron disappeared in a space bridge test, the Autobots fractured, leading to the Lightning Strike Coalition and Wreckers leaving the main Autobot army. Prowl took over leadership of the Autobots. Fragmentation He worked with Shockwave, who had assumed command of the Decepticons, to prevent the Fallen's plans from coming to fruition. He and Shockwave agreed to let the Well of All Sparks remain sealed "'Til all are one," as Shockwave put it. Prowl thought the line was catchy. Conflagration Eventually, however, Ultra Magnus took command of the Autobots, and reunited the three factions. The Age of Wrath issue 1

DULL MIND CONTROL! Wait...that actually kinda makes sense...

While those left on Cybertron endured the Great Shutdown, a group of Autobots under Optimus Prime's command left on board the Ark in search of new energy sources. Unfortunately, Megatron led an attack on the Autobot flagship from the Nemesis, and both ships crash-landed on a planet called Earth. Millions of years later in the Earth year of 1984, the Autobots and Decepticons awoke and resumed the Great War. The Decepticons were eventually defeated by the Autobots and their human allies, and the Transformers were set to return home on the Ark II, but it was sabotaged by General Robert Hallo and rogue government engineer-turned-arms dealer Adam Rook.

In the year 2002, Prowl was one of many Transformers under the control of Rook. He, along with several Autobots and Decepticons, attacked the Smitco Oil Refinery Arctic facility during Rook's sales demonstration to several terrorist organizations. Unfortunately, the invasive program that controlled Prowl killed a helpless human refinery worker escaping from the destruction. Prime Directive issue 2 After Megatron reactivated himself and freed the other Decepticons from Rook's slavery, he used Prowl and the Autobots as power sources for his metallic cyberforming virus. Prime Directive issue 4

Transformers Legends anthology

When Optimus Prime accidentally killed a fellow Autobot, Prowl—who never liked the dead guy anyway—covered it up so the rest of the team wouldn't lose faith in their leader. He swore that if the accidental killing was ever discovered, he would take the blame. Parts

IDW comics continuity

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 updating it.

File:MegatronOrigin4 Prowlfreakout.jpg

Sentinel, you've got to tell me what to do. I can't make decisions! I'M AN OFFICER!

Prowl has served the Autobots for a long time, dating back to the days of Sentinel Prime, if not earlier. Megatron's rise as the most popular and violent pit fighter in videos of Kaon's illegal gladiatorial combat attacted Prowl's attention, and he formed a Autobot Security Services team to crack down on them, though to the chagrin of his fellow officers, he tended to blather on about his theories about how somebody was making a fortune distributing on these inexpensive to produce videos. Megatron Origin issue 2

After the murder of Bumper and Fastback, Sentinel and Prowl led a security forces deployment that arrested much of Megatron's pit fighters and those that they were attempting to recruit. Prowl personally attached the inhibitor claw to Megatron once he was overwealmed by security forces. While processing the prisoners, he delivered the galling news that due to senate orders, the one known as Soundwave was to be freed without charge. Megatron Origin issue 3 Unfortunately, it was all part of Megatron's mad plans. He allowed himself and his men to be captured so Starscream could feign turning coat murder the senate members who questioned him. During the ensuing jail break that devastated the Security Team HQ and following street battle, Prowl lost his usual cool composure in the face of such onslaught and looked to Sentinel Prime for directions. When Prime left to face Megatron personally and was brutally defeated, it was Prowl who took control and ordered the evacuation of security forces from Kaon. Megatron Origin issue 4

Talk to the hand, the prick ain't listening.

In more recent times, he was the leader of a detachment of Autobots that operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency led by Starscream and blindly following the Autobot rules of counterinsurgency. He almost threw Ratchet in the brig for breaking cover to rescue three humans from the Decepticons, and subsequently refused to contact Optimus Prime until further evidence of enemy activities was uncovered. He did not willingly believe Ratchet when the medic told him that the Decepticons had stepped up their presence by constructing a second base. However, Ironhide ended up sending a pulsewave transmission to Optimus Prime behind Prowl's back. Infiltration issue 3 Prowl was forced to face reality when Megatron arrived on Earth to confront Starscream, and he finally agreed to call in Optimus Prime. Thing was, Prime had already arrived. Infiltration issue 6

When Springer ordered several Autobots on a lethal mission to rescue the damaged and deranged Kup from an alien world, Prowl evidently helped conceal Springer's efforts from Optimus. However, he still felt it was a misguided effort, asking Springer if Kup would want other Autobots killed rescuing him. Spotlight: Kup

Yeah, let the irresponsible loner look after the MacGuffin. Good call.

After Sunstreaker was kidnapped by a mysterious group of humans, Escalation issue 1 Prowl was still obsessed with the rules of the counterinsurgency war and thus did not understand why Optimus Prime requested reinforcements to Earth. Prowl was furious when Ironhide dared to go around him and volunteer himself to track down clues on Sunstreaker's disappearance, and subsequently forced him to stay behind while the Autobots not on his grievance list left for Brasnya to confront the Decepticons. Escalation issue 3 When everything kicked off in the former Soviet nation, Prowl led Jazz and Wheeljack (and later Hot Rod and Hardhead) into battle, attempting to capture Georgi Korska, a Decepticon facsimile. Escalation issue 4 He clashed with Hot Rod over the capture of Korska as both of them were of equal rank, but when Optimus Prime was temporarily offline and believed dead, Prowl assumed full command and came up with a strategy for fighting Megatron (shoot him, then run away). Escalation issue 6

Under orders from Optimus, Prowl oversaw the moving of Ark-19 to a more secure location. He turned to Prime rather than order the launch on his own discretion. (Prime had to order him to use his own discretion.) Devastation issue 1 When Sixshot blew them out of the sky, Optimus took command of the situation until the Ark-19 was destroyed. Devastation issue 2

Once on the Ark-32, Prowl found that, due to injuries from the battle with Sixshot Devastation issue 4 and separate missions, he and Hardhead were the only active Autobots. He was mildly annoyed that Optimus Prime and Nightbeat were otherwise preoccupied during this crisis. He was then shocked when Optimus abruptly ordered their unit to withdraw from Earth to handle a situation at the Garrus-9 secure facility. Devastation issue 5

Optimus Prime and Prowl met with Fortress Maximus and Jetfire on Garrus-9 to discuss the prisoners' breakout and how a surviving Decepticon had been tortured. Prime left Maximus in charge and said that he and Prowl had unfinished business aboard the Ark-32. When Thunderwing was reported guarding a cave on Corata-Vaz, Optimus Prime recognized this had something to do with his infraspace encounter in Brasnya. He ordered Prowl to summon the Wreckers to find out what Thunderwing was guarding. Spotlight: Cyclonus He judged the subsequent battle between the Wreckers and Thunderwing as suicidal, and felt that they were wasting their time given everything seemed to be coming at them at once. Spotlight: Hardhead

Ironhide, lacking Deceptichops to bust, settles for Prowl's.

One year later, Prowl shared command of a small group of Autobots stranded on Cybertron with the special-ops trained Jazz. All Hail Megatron issue 1 Jazz also proved necessary to shore up Prowl's authority, which was severely disregarded by his men. Jazz's reputation helped keep them in line, particularly the recalcitrant Ironhide, who had taken to striking superior officers including Prowl himself. After the situation with Ironhide was defused, Prowl got Jazz to admit the energon searches he'd been sending troops out on were just to keep the men busy. Prowl worried that Prime would soon die, and about the details of their commander's condition that they had kept from the troops at large. All Hail Megatron issue 4

In particular, what Jazz and Prowl were withholding was the fact that the Matrix of Leadership was not within Prime anymore, and had been absconded with by Megatron. All Hail Megatron issue 5

IDW Hearts of Steel continuity

With Optimus Prime in stasis lock, Prowl and Ratchet appeared to be the co-leaders of the Autobots in the 19th century. Hearts of Steel issue 1 Despite Bumblebee's pleading, he was reluctant to interfere with the humans, but nevertheless participated in the pursuit of the Astrotrain as it headed to New York. Hearts of Steel issue 4

His "Ice Age Wars" altmode is uncertain, but it is spiky, and possibly aquatic. His 19th century altmode is a small black-and-white locomotive with a glowing red smokestack.

IDW Beast Wars comics

Prowl is a member of the Maximal counterpart to the Tripredacus Council, the Maximal Imperium, alongside former Autobot teammates Ironhide and Silverbolt. The Ascending #2

Timelines

Prowl (in his Machine Wars body) is a member of the Axiom Nexus Security Administration. He, Prowl and Prowl were part of the group investigating the discovery of Comet's body. Withered Hope

Commercial appearances

Prowl has appeared in several television commercials:

• He features in the very first Transformers animation, a commercial for Issue #1 of Marvel's The Transformers comic book. He is seen hanging around with Jazz and Sideswipe on Cybertron, where all three transformed to robot mode and flew away into the air. Later on Earth, the same three bots drive out to (from?) a power plant to defend it from Decepticon attack.

• Much later, he appears in the Action Masters commercial; he's with a band of Autobots who agree to join Optimus Prime as he gives up transformation powers to become "more alive".

• In an ad for Starscream and Prowl, Action Master-form Prowl battles Starscream aboard his Turbo Cycle on Cybertron.

Toys

Generation 1

I ain't fallin' for no banana in the tailpipe...

• Prowl (Autobot Car, 1984/1985/1990/2002/2003)
  • Japanese ID number: 09, TFC-02
  • Accessories: "Acid pellet gun", left & right missile launchers, 3 "wire-guided missiles"

Prowl was part of the first series of Autobots released in 1984, reusing a mold originally developed for a Diaclone Datsun Fairlady Z (280 ZX) police car, with his decals altered to remove the "Diaclone" marks. (The European "Classic Heroes" re-release retained the Diaclone stickers, for unknown reasons).

In 1985, Mexico imported Transformers, but there were some notable changes on numerous toys. Prowl's helmet, arms, and boots turned black, plus his "POLICE" decals became "POLICIA". There was also a wide running change (or just factory error) that left out the black paint on his car hood.

Also known as "El Pricko".

In 2002, Prowl was re-released as part of the Transformers Collection series in Japan. This version has slightly-altered decals, and fully-functional spring-loaded missile launchers.

In 2003, Prowl was released as part of the Toys "R" Us exclusive "Commemorative Series" line in the US. This version of Prowl uses a softer, unchromed black plastic for his rifle and missiles owing to breakage issues, plus his launchers are completely non-firing. He uses the same decals as the Japanese "bookbox" release.

The same mold was used for Bluestreak and Smokescreen.

• Prowl (Action Master Blaster, 1990)
  • Accessories: Turbo Cycle, small cannon, 2 x missiles, 2 x engine covers (left & right), shield/gas tank cover

A non-transforming action figure, Action Master Prowl is modeled after his cartoon model with a few toy-based liberties taken. He came with his Turbo Cycle vehicle, though the main figure was compatible with all other Action Master vehicles and weapons.

Beast Wars

Prick with claws. Gitit, gitit, huh huh huh?

• Magnaboss (Ultra, 1997)
  • Accessories: Tail

Prowl transforms from a lion into a robot, with his cat-butt turning into a "cyber tail claw" weapon. He is able to combine with Ironhide and Silverbolt, his package buddies, into Magnaboss.

This mold was used to make Lio Junior.

The Magnaboss toy included no information about its 3 components beyond their names. The character was finally established by IDW to be Generation 1 Prowl a decade after its release in 2007.

Machine Wars

File:Mwprowl.jpg

Do you have any idea how fast you were going?

• Prowl (Basic, 1997)
  • Accessories: Gun (gun body & barrel)

Sharing a mold with Machine Wars Mirage, Prowl transforms into a Formula-1 race car, and converts to robot mode with a spring-loaded, one-step transformation. His rifle-halves store in his legs in car mode. He—and the entire Machine Wars line—was available only at Kay-Bee stores.

Prowl's usual function is strategist, but, in an ironic twist, in this first non-police car form he's described as chief of security.

This mold was also used to make Robots in Disguise Skid-Z.

Smallest Transforming Transformers

Wee-woo-wee-woo-wee-woo.

• Prowl (2003)
  • Japanese ID number: GTF-09

Released in Wave 2 of Smallest Transforming Transformers, this Prowl is the smallest possible transforming toy based upon the original Prowl toy. He faithfully reproduces the transformation sequence for the most part, but due to parts-cost limitations, he has little articulation, his legs cannot separate and his wheels do not roll.

This mold was also used to make the Smallest Transforming Transformers version of Bluestreak.

Alternators

You better get a lawyer, son...

• Prowl (Alternator, 2005/2006)
  • Alternator ID number: 16
  • Japanese ID number: BT-15
  • Accessories: Engine/gun, traffic direction baton

Alternators Prowl transforms into a fully-licensed 1:24-scale Acura RSX with police lights, opening doors, hood and trunk. His engine becomes a (non-firing) gun, while a clear-plastic nightstick is hidden under his car-mode rear section. He was among the last of the "red box" Alternators, but was included in new "white box" assortments in 2006. The "white box" version of Prowl has additional Acura logos on the rear of the car that the "red box" version did not.

...you better get a real good one.

For his standard Japanese Binaltech release, Prowl got a different vehicle mode deco based on a real Japanese police car (the Hasbro version's deco being based more on the original Generation 1 toy), a different spoiler mold, different rims, right-side steering, a Japanese police cherry blossom emblem instead of an Acura logo, and gray plastic instead of stony-blue. He was also labeled as a "Honda Integra Type-R", the model's make in Japan.

Prowl on his day off.

• Prowl Vivid Blue Pearl Edition (Binaltech, 2005)
  • Japanese ID number: BT-15
  • Accessories: Engine/gun, traffic direction baton

Like Jazz, Prowl got two different Binaltech decos released in equal numbers. The second version, known as Vivid Blue Pearl Prowl, is a civilian version with no police lights, a mostly blue interior, a Honda logo (instead of the cherry blossom emblem) on the grill, and a solid blue car-shell. His robot-mode parts remained mostly the same color, however.

This mold (the Japanese blue Prowl variant, combined with parts from American police Prowl) was used to make Alternators Camshaft.

• Prowl Satellite Patrol Edition (Binaltech, 2005?)
  • Accessories: Engine/gun, traffic direction baton

The Hasbro version of Prowl, using the Hasbro red box packaging, was supposed to have been released in Japan as an exclusive to a satellite TV provider. The only notable difference from the Hasbro version was the "Satellite Patrol" markings on his doors. It is unknown if this toy was ever actually released, however.

Universe (2003)

• Prowl (Autobot, 2005)
  • Accessories: Gun

A redeco of the Robots in Disguise Prowl 2 mold, Universe Prowl transforms into a modified Chevrolet Caprice police car with through-axle construction for super-speedy rolling on smooth surfaces. His gun hides as his car mode's tailpipe. Originally only available at Kay-Bee stores in packaging with no sub-line markings, his entire assortment was later repackaged under the Universe banner and sold through "dollar store" chains like Family Dollar.

This mold was also used to make another Prowl for Universe, who is neither Robots in Disguise "Prowl 2" or Generation 1 Prowl. Confused yet?

Attacktix

I got a big... gun.

• Prowl (Booster)
  • Accessories: Missile

Planned to be in part of the Series 2 wave of Attacktix, Prowl is a Captain class unit with the special ability to stun an opposing player unit. His sculpt is based upon his Generation 1 cartoon model with some additional details. His weapon is a hugely oversized version of his rifle, capable of firing a large silver projectile.

Your bargaining posture is highly dubious. Proceed on your way to oblivion. This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.

Universe (2008)

Classic Series

Sticky prick.

• Prowl (Deluxe, 2008)
  • Accessories: Gun

Prowl transforms into a modified Nissan 350Z similarly to Prowl's appearance in IDW Publishing's Generation 1 comics. Like previous Generation 1 Prowl toys, his paint job is based upon that of a Japanese police car. The prototype and pre-production versions of Prowl featured a traditional American-style rectangular light bar, but the production toy features a swept-back modern light bar.

Many buyers have reported that after repeated handling of the toy, the paint on the pieces of Prowl molded from translucent plastic (his doors, his roof, the sides of his hood and front bumper) quickly becomes sticky to the touch and begins to smear and rub off. Presumably, this owes something to the plastic and paint failing to bond properly, although what allowed the toy to leave factories with this flaw undetected is unknown. Sticky paint has not been reported on every Prowl; there is some suggestion that temperature and humidity play a role in whether or not it occurs. It has been suggested that the problem only affects the first run of Prowl figures, but sticky figures have been purchased at retail when the line was launched in the United Kingdom just over a month after its American debut.

This mold was retooled to make Universe Silverstreak and Smokescreen.

Henkei! Henkei!

Shiny prick.

• Prowl (Deluxe, 2008)
  • Japanese ID number: C-09
  • Accessories: Gun

The Japanese Henkei! Henkei! Prowl is a retool and partial redeco of Universe Prowl, changing the swept-back American light bar with a more rounded Japanese lightbar, and having a more consistent coating of white paint. He also features vacuum-metallized silver parts such as his gun, Acid Blasters and his vehicle mode spoiler. Universe Prowl's orange Autobot symbol was changed to the more standard red for the Henkei release.

Soon after his release, some customers have reported that Henkei Prowl suffers from the same sticky paint problem that plagued many Universe Prowls.

Titanium Series

• War Within Prowl (2008)
  • Accessories: Display stand

This version of Prowl transforms into a Cybertronic hovercar, based on his design from the Dreamwave The War Within comics. Initially canceled due to the end of the Titanium Series line, Hasbro eventually released this figure as a Toys "R" Us exclusive in the fall of 2008.

The vehicle mode as pictured on the packaging for this toy contains two transformation errors (compared to the instructions). His toes (sticking up at the rear of the vehicle) should be folded back, revealing small red and blue emergency lights. Also, the left and right sides of the vehicle should be slid outwards, turning them into nacelles rather than integral parts of the main body.

Merchandise

Hard Hero

Who needs legs when one has LOGIC??

• Prowl (2002)

A cold-cast porcelain bust labelled as number 3 in Hard Hero's series of Transformers busts, Prowl is six inches tall with a seven-inch wide "wingspan" and wielding his acid pellet gun in his left hand. 100 copies of this product were signed by sculptor Jason Ray.

3D Battle-Card Game

• Prowl (2007)

A 25-point "uncommon" character in the 3D Battle-Card Game's "Energon Wars" expansion, Prowl "transforms" into a black and white police car that vaguely resembles a Nissan Z. He uses the same parts layout as Movie Barricade and Bumblebee.

Transformers - Mini Bust

The Prowl 2 of Prowl busts.

• Prowl (Diamond Select, 2009)

Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2009, Prowl was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum and limited to 250 pieces. Prowl, along with his "brothers" Bluestreak and Smokescreen, is exclusive to online retailer Toyrocket.com. The bust features Prowl's acid pellet gun and twin missile launchers. The missile launchers can be attached via magnets on either side of his head.

Robot Heroes

He's smiling—must have his DVDs alphabetized.

• Prowl and Laserbeak (2009)

Your bargaining posture is highly dubious. Proceed on your way to oblivion. This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.

Trivia

• Prowl's Diaclone predecessor also came with additional, optional stickers that would identify him as being part of the police forces from existing Japanese cities, namely Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Osaka and Fukuoka.

• The original Transformers instruction booklet shows a visible Japanese label sheet, complete with the cherry blossom emblem found on Japanese police cars, which did not make it to final product.

• Machine Wars Prowl's card-art is actually an altered version of the art for the Generation 2 Laser Rod Jolt.

• Transmetal 2 Prowl may possibly be the same spark as the Generation 1 character reincarnated...though the IDW series makes this REALLY complicated. Urgh.

Be too prickish, and you end up like this.

• A very Prowlish computer model was used for one of the generic Transformers in Beast Machines. It is seen in a Vehicon factory as a corpse. A similar thing happens with Soundwave, too. Revelations Part I: Discovery

• At OTFCC 2004, Hasbro stated that there was no Prowl Alternators toy in the works, but some other emergency vehicle (which got a chorus of boos).

• The Acura RSX Alternators mold was originally supposed to be Red Alert, with a different head sculpt. Eventually, however, it was decided to release the toy as Prowl instead, even though the Subaru Impreza model had more resemblance to Prowl and the Acura RSX model had more resemblance to Red Alert. Control drawings of the figure with the originally intended Red Alert head sculpt can be found in the Japanese Transformers Collection 2007 book, among other places.

Turns out he didn't know his vocalizer from his exhaust port.

• Instead of having a normal gunshot death, Prowl is shown having orange smoke coming from his mouth as he dies. Hardcore.

External links

• Prowl on TFU.info
• Prowl's Universe profile on NTFA.net