Pretender

“	Pretenders hide the Transformers inside.	”
—Pretenders subline tag

We don't know exactly how this works, and the artist probably didn't either, but it sure does look cool!

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 can disguise their very nature as robots. Rather than hiding themselves as the machinery or vehicles of a world, Pretender Shells allow a robot to take on the appearance of a native life form itself.

On top of its exploration and infiltration uses, a shell can also function as powerful battle armor, aid in self-repair, and even function independently of its robot as a second combatant mentally controlled by its "wearer". The major drawback of the technology is that the core robot will feel whatever pain is inflicted on the shell, sometimes even more strongly than pain inflicted 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).

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

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

What a pervert.

Pretender technology was created by Scorponok and Lord Zarak to help their troops operate quasi-anonymously on an Earth that had become openly and publicly hostile towards giant alien robots (partially due to the influence of the Z Foundation). The idea was that giant, organic-looking alien monsters would somehow attract less attention. Strangely enough, he was right.

Despite Scorponok and Zarak's claims, subsequent stories showed Longtooth and Thunderwing using Pretender technology long ago in Cybertron's past.

Sproing!

This technology was stolen by Optimus Prime (at the time reduced to a computerized personality) and replicated by the Autobots. The Autobots fashioned their shells after humans, with the stated rationalization that the Decepticons were rather unobservant and wouldn't notice that these humans were many stories tall. Just as strangely, they were also right. The attacking Decepticon Pretenders, encased in their giant, fleshy monster shells, were shocked when the giant, fleshy humans turned out to have Autobots inside them. Pretender to the Throne!

When the star wants a "tall latte", he means TALL.

Pretender technology allowed Skullgrin to become first a rural legend, then a movie star. Sent to Earth to establish a fuel depot while hidden in his outer shell, he attracted the attention of a B-movie producer, who wrote him into the script of his latest feature. The giant devil-goat monster became a nationwide phenomenon. When Skullgrin revealed his true robotic nature to one of his human co-stars, however, he drew the ire of Circuit Breaker, an encounter which may have ended his movie career. Monstercon from Mars!

During the Underbase Saga, the quasi-flesh nature of the Pretenders' outer shells saved them from the energy blasts of the Underbase-possessed Starscream, even as innumerable Autobots and Decepticons were being destroyed around them. Dark Star

Pretender shells were considered a sufficiently valuable resource that Scorponok was able to offer the technology to Carnivac and Snarler as payment for an assassination job. Survivors! The job didn't go so well; even two shell-equipped Decepticons weren't enough to defeat Fortress Maximus. The Man in the Machine!

"No, no, my shell isn't that well-equipped!"

The Autobots Landmine and Cloudburst were able to make good use of their Pretender shells while on a mission to acquire spare parts for their fallen comrades. Traveling to a space station where giant humans were common but robots were unwelcome, they were able to bargain for microchips without tipping off their robotic natures. Later, when faced with seeing fellow Autobot Sky Lynx devoured by the Mecannibals, Landmine's robot form was able to attack, free Sky Lynx, and then disappear by hiding inside his own shell. The entire scheme would have gone without a hitch if not for a tip-off from Hi-Test and Throttle, alerting the Mecannibals that the two giant "humans" were in fact robots. Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?

"Most Pretender figures had a poor alt mode but this guy does not even have a proper robot mode!"

After bargaining their way free from the Mecannibals, Landmine and Cloudburst continued to make use of their shells, negotiating with the inhabitants of the planet Femax, who also just happened to be giant humans. Cloudburst almost got to experience a little giant human nookie, before revealing to the Femaxians' First One that he was a robot, and therefore not a particularly desirable mate. Recipe for Disaster!

Pretender technology showed another face when Megatron returned to power. New shells he had developed would repair and restore even the most severely damaged robots. The Resurrection Gambit! Ratchet was compelled to resurrect Starscream with this technology, but also managed to bring back Grimlock, Jazz and Bumblebee; all four now had their own Pretender shells. These new shells not only enabled disguise, but also served as great power-boosting enhancements for their wearers and allowed them to fight in two places at once. All the Familiar Faces!

Thunderwing had his mechanical Pretender shell eons ago on Cybertron, indicating that some form of the technology predated Scorponok's use of it. The Magnificent Six! Thunderwing mostly remained inside his shell, only emerging on rare occasions. The Big Shutdown!

An adorable minion of evil.

Carnivac, meanwhile, used his shell in his initial solo assault on the Mayhem Attack Squad. When he was caught off guard, outnumbered and nearly surrounded, he sent the shell on a suicide run, allowing it to be destroyed. Wolf in the Fold! Though the feedback nearly killed him, the ruse worked, and his pursuers believed him to be dead, allowing him to regain the element of surprise. Where Wolf?

In an alternate future where Galvatron had triumphed, Pretender technology was still in use by his troops, the Pretender Monsters. These Pretenders could apparently somehow phase through their shells, without the shells having to split open like most others. Rhythms of Darkness!

Japanese cartoon continuity

Super-God Masterforce cartoon

If you can find them, maybe you can hire...

Eight thousand years ago, a starship containing the Autobot Pretenders Metalhawk, Lander, Diver and Phoenix pursued the Decepticon Pretenders Blood, Dauros and Gilmer to neolithic-era Earth, where they crashed. Using their Pretender abilities, the Autobots adopted the form of humans. They transformed the very structure of their bodies into an organic equivalent, shrinking down to normal human size to hide in plain sight among burgeoning Humanity.

A Pretender could transform from a human in two stages. Touching his left wrist and yelling "suit on!" would cause him to don his Pretender suit. From this state, he could touch his left wrist and yell "Pretender!" to size-change and revert to his robot mode.

The Pretender suit corresponded to the toy's Pretender shell, while their robot modes were the inner robot.

The Decepticon Pretenders, on the other hand, adopted the forms of monstrous creatures, becoming feared as demons by early Man. After many battles, the Autobots succeeded in defeating their enemies and sealing them away—Blood in the pyramids of Egypt, Gilmer in the ruins of Atlantis, and Dauros beneath the Nazca Lines in Peru—for thousands of years.

The Autobot Pretenders continued to live among humanity. By the early twenty-first century, Hawk was working at the Space Astronomy Research Center in Japan, while Diver was running the Ocean Research Institute of California. When the three Decepticon Pretenders were liberated by the mysterious Decepticon "god", Devil Z, the four Autobots were drawn out of hiding to fight them. Rise Up!! Pretenders

The Decepticons began a plan to convert humans into zombie-like Destroids. The Autobots sought to foil their plan, leading them to the Karin Islands. Meanwhile Blood destroyed the Astronomy Research Center and killed Professor Gō. The Autobots subsequently took residence in a new Autobot Base. Hawk would act as base coordinator until its later destruction. Terror! The Decepticons' Manhunt The Decepticons began hijacking planes to provide bodies for their Destron experiments. The Autobot Pretenders fought the new creations in Rome, before Hawk and Phoenix fought to protect another plane against Blood. Kidnapping!? The Targeted Jumbo Jet

The three young humans whom the Autobots had befriended were given Headmaster transtectors by Hawk. He intended them to be used only for search and rescue, and later had to come to the Headmaster Juniors' aid when they were faced with three Decepticon Headmaster Juniors. Birth! Headmaster Jrs Hawk later sent them to Diver in California for training. Rage!! Little Devils with No Need for Rules When the Decepticon Pretenders started interfering with wildlife in Kenya, the Autobots went to stop them. The Autobot Pretenders were kept busy fighting Seacons. Panic! Protect the Wild Animals!!

Unexpectedly, the Decepticon trio found themselves being supplanted by Buster and Hydra, two Godmasters. The Decepticon Pretenders attacked a hang gliding competition to draw out Hawk and Lander, who were promptly set upon by the Godmasters and almost beaten until Phoenix and Diver arrived to help. Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers The Pretenders were involved in another Decepticon plan to attack a new power plant in the Karin Islands. Again, the Autobots fought the two Godmaster brothers, and were able to win. A Fierce Battle!! The Autobots Are in Trouble

A short time later, Diver encountered a Godmaster, Ginrai, in California, and helped the young man understand what he'd taken on. A Hero Is Chosen - His Name Is Ginrai Diver and Lander briefed Ginrai on the Decepticons, and came to his aid when he fought the Godmaster brothers. Ginrai: God On of Rage!! Ginrai found some Master-Braces in his Transtector cab, which Hawk unsuccessfully tried to analyse. A Strange Friendship: Cancer and Minerva After Ginrai got hold of a trailer for his Transtector, he showed it to Diver and Lander. The two Pretenders later came to his aid when he was attacked by the Godmaster brothers. Eliminate the Godmaster Ginrai

The Decepticon Pretenders captured a group of humans and held them on an island. When Diver went to investigate, he was captured by Gilmer and Dauros, who bound his arms so he couldn't touch his wrist, effectively trapping him in human form. He was, with the help of a young boy, able to get a signal back to the rest of the Autobots, who came to the rescue. Heroism!! The Birth of Super Ginrai After the discovery of a second Autobot Godmaster, Lightfoot, Hawk and Lander accompanied the two Godmasters and the Headmaster Juniors to Canada, where they found a third Godmaster, Ranger. An Enemy? The Third Godmaster, Ranger When Sixknight came to Earth looking to prove himself, the Decepticon Pretenders were happy to show him how to draw the Autobots out. Hawk didn't fare terribly well against Sixknight in battle. A Powerful Foe!! Sixknight the Wanderer

With the arrival of Road King, the Autobot Pretenders opted to turn defence of the Earth over to Ginrai and the Godmasters. The Autobot Warrior, Sixknight?! The three Decepticon Pretenders set about enacting a plan dreamed up by the Godmaster brothers, kidnapping doctors from across the planet and holding them on Atlan Island. Once the plan was discovered, the Autobot Godmasters defeated the trio. Save the Little Girl! The Chōjin Warriors, the Godmasters

Another Pretender, Grand Maximus, arrived from space to join the Autobot forces, providing plans for a Godbomber drone unit. Life? Death? Lightfoot Must Choose The Autobot Pretenders soon began construction on Godbomber at a British Motors factory in Canada. Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!? They raced to complete it as the Decepticons attacked the factory. Will the Bomber Project Be Destroyed!? They immediately turned it over to Ginrai so he could use it to reach a moonbase under attack from Overlord God Ginrai - Into the Sky!! and could only observe from the Autobot Base as he and Grand Maximus duked it out with Overlord and BlackZarak. Lander opted to celebrate the victory with some wine. God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon

Gilmer took part in the construction of an undersea base, but took a back seat to King Poseidon when it came to doing any fighting. Escape!! The Underwater Volcano Erupts The Decepticon Pretenders searched in North America for the final Godmaster, but all they found was a bear. Meanwhile a distress call from a ship damaged by the real final Godmaster was picked up by Diver, who relayed the information to Ginrai. Appearance!! The Final Godmaster After the Autobots took in Clouder, Hawk became suspicious of the last Godmaster, and he was proved right when he caught Clouder passing information to the Decepticons. Unfortunately the damage was already done, and the Decepticons launched an attack on the Autobot Base. Secret Orders! Destroy the Autobot Base!! Hawk was subsequently injured while trying to undertake damage control, and the base was destroyed. Disaster! The Autobot Base Explodes

Hawk, Phoenix and Diver fought Overlord over the ocean, but were no match for the Decepticon. BlackZarak - Destroyer from Space The Pretenders continued to scan the globe for Decepticon activity. Grand Maximus joined an assault on the Decepticon's space-borne Death Para-Machine. Crisis! The Day of the Downfall of Humanity The Autobot and Decepticon Pretenders clashed in Latin America God Ginrai - Save Cancer!? and again in various places around the world while Ginrai launched an attack on the Decepticon base to rescue Shūta Gō. God Ginrai: Showdown at the Decepticon Base

While everyone else went to trash the Decepticon base, the Autobot Pretenders were left to monitor the planet for Decepticon activity. The Decepticon Pretenders made a brief attempt to defend the base against Ginrai, which didn't end well for them. The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform As Ginrai and the Autobots closed in on BlackZarak, Lightfoot and Road King fought Gilmer and Dauros, defeating them before being attacked by Hydra and Buster, who inadvertently fragged Blood. Autobots! Desperate Attack!! The three Decepticon Pretenders spotted Road King, Ranger and Lightfoot, and alerted BlackZarak to their location. Hawk fought King Poseidon, defeating the combiner with a lot of help from Ginrai. Malevolent and Inhuman! The True Form of Devil Z Following the destruction of Devil Z, the Decepticon Pretenders did not appear to depart Earth with the other Decepticons, and presumably went back into hiding. A Battle... and Then...

Victory cartoon

Pretender technology had advanced to the point that the shells gained sentience, as seen in the shells of the Dinoforce, and could be employed simultaneously with the Transformers' robot modes.

Dreamwave comics continuity

Pretender technology was originally developed as a form of additional body armour. Pretender shells could enhance their wearer’s physical strength and resistance to damage. More advanced shell designs could shrink down to human size and enable their wearer to blend into Earth society unnoticed.

It is possible that the Pretender technology was later adapted to develop the Maximal and Predacon beast modes.

Pretenders were only depicted in Dreamwave Productions's Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye profile books and did not appear in the actual storylines.

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.

It's just not natural, I tell you!

The technology was the invention of the Decepticon Thunderwing and used living tissue painfully culled from live (and quite likely unwilling) subjects to create a powerful symbiotic, living carapace. The goal of this technology was to allow Transformers to survive an impending environmental collapse on their home planet, Cybertron. Even Megatron rejected the concept as unnatural and repulsive. The first experiences were not that encouraging. Both cases where the technology was implemented ended in disaster, as the melding of the robot's mind with the shell was improperly aligned or hastily executed. Subject one, Thunderwing, became unfathomably powerful but totally insane and destructive, ultimately rendering Cybertron too hostile for Transformer habitation. Subject two, Bludgeon, tried to rush the process and ended up comatose inside his new shell. Stormbringer

Surprisingly, Jetfire, formerly aghast at the details of what the process entailed, decided that they needed the technology to penetrate the portal at the Benzuli Expanse. Optimus Prime was a little hesitant on the subject, but Jetfire managed to convince the Autobot leader. The Autobots selected for the process were Cloudburst, Landmine, Groundbreaker, and Waverider. Spotlight: Hardhead

Robots wearing space suits?

After a long process Spotlight: Doubledealer, the Technobots finally completed the four shells. Unlike the hideous and pseudo-organic look of Thunderwing and Bludgeon, these shells were simply large, bulky armor suits. Suiting up, Cloudburst's team were able to fight off a raging Cyclonus and took the Nega-Cores through the Expanse into the Dead Universe for disposal. The shells proved effective in combating the deadly energies of the dimension, protecting the Cybertronians within. However it was apparent that they could only do so for a limited amount of time under such harsh conditions. Spotlight: Sideswipe

Later, Prowl ordered that Jetfire's research be taken to the Kimia Facility where the scientists there (along with Perceptor) were able to create a new body for Kup, whose former body hadn't been upgraded in so long that it was incompatible with current tech. Lost & Found

The term "Pretender" is not used at all during the Stormbringer series. Instead the term "polydermal grafting" is used to further illustrate how repulsive, grotesque and dangerous the process appears to be.

Timelines

Black Shadow made good use of his Pretender-style Crossformer shell, which allowed him to simultaneously pursue Hubcap and Jackpot even as they fled in opposite directions. Rather than requiring him to operate it remotely and divide his attention, the entirely robotic shell was equipped with an artificial intelligence which allowed it to function independently, if a bit stiltedly. When Black Shadow's robot form was destroyed, the shell also ceased to function - though this may have been the work of a saboteur, rather than a feature endemic to the shell. Gone Too Far

Shattered Glass

Goldbug, Grimlock, and Jazz snuck into a Pretender laboratory. There were at least six Pretender shells, including the four Classic Pretender Shells and two Double Pretender Shells.

Also, Dirge appeared as a Pretender. Shattered Expectations

Revenge of the Fallen

Alice tried to get information from Sam Witwicky by getting close to him, but later she revealed her true nature as a Pretender.

Alice was not a traditional Pretender in that she transformed into an "organic" humanoid mode instead of having an outer shell. The confirmation of her as a Pretender came from an interview with Roberto Orci.

Toys

Generation 1 (US)

Finback

Splashdown

• Pretenders (1988)

• Bomb-Burst
• Bugly
• Cloudburst
• Finback
• Groundbreaker
• Iguanus
• Landmine
• Skullgrin
• Sky High
• Splashdown
• Submarauder
• Waverider

The basic Pretenders (often called the "large Pretenders" to distinguish them from the smaller toys released in 1989) are the default: a single robot with a single humanoid shell. The shells split into front and back halves. All are essentially statues, articulated only at the shoulder with swivel joints. The inner robots, by comparison, tend to be highly articulated for their time, though they are generally thin-limbed and have simplistic transformations.

The large Pretenders were released in two waves (Cloudburst, Landmine, Waverider, Bomb-Burst, Skullgrin, and Submarauder making up the first wave, and the remainder the second). Each wave consists of an air, sea, and land themed character for each faction. There is a distinct design variation noticeable between the first and second wave Autobot Pretenders. The first wave shells feature a largely single-color "space suit" style design with the "human" heads partially concealed by the suits. The second wave had brighter, more "Power Ranger"-ish, armor suits with large animal-themed chest plates and fully-visible "human" heads.

The second wave in general appears to have had production problems or delays; the initial 1988 catalogs omitted their photographs, showing only a "COMING SOON" silhouette (though common in Kenner's Star Wars toyline, such an unfinished "preview" was rare for Transformers); additionally, several of these toys have minor engineering problems, in the form of limbs which don't fold away completely in vehicle mode.

The first wave of these toys was released in Japan with new names and characterizations, but otherwise unaltered. The second were never sold there.

File:G1 Chainclaw toy.jpg

Chainclaw

• Pretender Beasts (1988)
  • Carnivac
  • Catilla
  • Chainclaw
  • Snarler

The Pretender Beasts are Pretenders with quadrupedal Earth animal-based shells.

Gunrunner

• Pretender Vehicles (1988)
  • Gunrunner
  • Roadgrabber

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

Longtooth

• Pretenders (1989)
  • Bludgeon
  • Doubleheader
  • Longtooth
  • Octopunch
  • Pincher
  • Stranglehold

The 1989 Pretenders (often called the "small Pretenders") were sold carded. Like their larger 1988 brethren, the shells are articulated only at the shoulder and split front-back. Their inner robots are much more thick-limbed than the large Pretenders; they are also small, about the same size as the Mini Vehicles. A portion of each robot's alternate mode detaches and serves as a weapon or shield for the outer shell, rather than being concealed within. There has been some speculation that the designs for Longtooth and Stranglehold may have been switched between factions at some point, as the former better fits the Decepticon monster motif and the latter better matches the Autobots "human" stylings.

File:Pretender Grimlock toy.jpg

Grimlock

• Pretender Classics (1989)
  • Bumblebee
  • Grimlock
  • Jazz
  • Starscream

Classic Pretenders are smaller-sized figures of 1984-85 characters (except for Bumblebee, whose inner robot figure was actually larger than his original toy), the first subline to focus on reinventing previous characters. The inner robots were also released without their shells as Kmart exclusive Legends.

Thunderwing

• Mega Pretenders (1989)
  • Crossblades
  • Thunderwing
  • Vroom

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

Skyhammer

• Ultra Pretenders (1989)
  • Roadblock
  • Skyhammer

The Ultra Pretenders have two Pretender shells. The outermost shell is a large vehicle that can transform into a combat deck for the inner robot. This outermost shell contains a secondary, humanoid Pretender shell that is itself able to transform into a vehicle that can be piloted by its inner robot.

File:Birdbrain-toy.jpg

Birdbrain

File:Slog-toy.jpg

Slog

• Pretender Monsters (1989)
  • Birdbrain
  • Bristleback
  • Icepick
  • Scowl
  • Slog
  • Wildfly

The Pretender Monsters are smaller Pretenders with rubbery monster shells. Their inner robots can combine to form Monstructor.

...Tarantulas? Optimus Primal?

• Double Pretenders
  • Unnamed ape duo.
  • Unnamed spider-bandito duo.

Prototypes for "Double Pretenders", two small robots in one shell, which splits top and bottom at the waist, were designed but never put in production.

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

Generation 1 (Japan)

Metalhawk

• Pretenders (1988)
  • Blood
  • Dauros
  • Diver
  • Gilmer
  • Grand
  • Lander
  • Metalhawk
  • Phoenix

The bulk of the Japanese Pretenders are exactly the same as their US counterparts. Metalhawk was an entirely new mold, however, and Grand featured a new-mold Pretender shell designed to hold the existing Cerebros mold.

Blue Bacchus. Not to be confused with Violet Vulcan, Silver Saturn, Cyan Cupid, etc...

• Crossformers (1989)
  • Black Shadow
  • Blue Bacchus

The Crossformers are the Takara counterpart to the Hasbro Mega Pretenders; the shells were remolded to be less organic.

• Dinoforce (1989)
  • Doryū
  • Gairyū
  • Gōryū
  • Kakuryū
  • Rairyū
  • Yokuryū

The Dinoforce reuses the inner robot forms of the Pretender Monsters, but with cyborg dinosaur outer shells. The inner robots can combine to form Dinoking.

Notes

..."Drillrider" just didn't sound right.

• Despite the fact that nearly all of the toys split front/back, most Marvel Comics portrayals of the Pretenders show the shells splitting down the middle.
• In the Marvel Comics, it may have been intended that only the Decepticon Pretenders with wings on their Pretender shells could fly with their shells on. In their first appearance they are all flying, but it sort of looks like Bomb-Burst and Bugly were supposed to be carrying the others (maybe something went wrong with the art?). Later, Scorponok specifically ordered Bomb-Burst and Bugly to fly Iguanus around.
• The Pretender Shell is also known as "Pretender Suit" in Japan.
• Transformers: The Ultimate Guide categorizes humanoid Pretender shells into three types: Human shells with thermostatic plating such as Cloudburst's are "Space-Defense Pretender Shells"; monstrous humanoid shells like Bomb-Burst's are called "Predator-Class Pretender Shells"; and shells like Bludgeon's are "Warrior-Grade Pretender Shells".
• Twin Twist has been found in a piece of Pretender concept art, which was likely used to pitch the Pretender toy concept. Given that a large number of the first Pretenders transform similarly to Twin Twist, (bend over at the waist) it seems to have been a successful conceptual model.
• In most parts of Europe, the second wave of the large 1988 Pretenders was never released.
• Not to be confused with reverse-pretender technology, where a Human disguises himself as a Transformer.

External links

• Some photos of unreleased Double Pretenders from SUPER TOY ARCHIVE