Smokescreen (G1)

The name or term "Smokescreen" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Smokescreen (disambiguation).

Smokescreen is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Liar. Cheater. Compulsive gambler. Meet Heroic Autobot Smokescreen, kids!

Every Autobot has a purpose, be it as a leader, a warrior, a healer, or a scout. Smokescreen's purpose, however, is to charm and deceive. His job is to conceal the Autobots' true mission and lead the enemy astray, and he's not above flat-out cheating to get the job done. Off the battlefield, he uses his naturally friendly and sociable nature to get in close with his Autobot comrades... then reports back to Optimus Prime, giving the Autobot leader an on-the-ground perspective on what his troops are thinking.

Smokescreen's armaments are similar to his tactics. If he can't outthink, charm, or just plain outrun you, he'll surround you with a magnetized cloud of smoke, and blast you with his circuit-scrambling weapons while you're stumbling around blindly. Smokescreen affectionately refers to his teammate Powerglide as "P.G."

Fiction

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Voice actor: Jack Angel (English), Masashi Ebara (Japanese), Crock Krumbiegel (German, Generation 2 "Kremzeek!"), Juan Carralero (Latin American Spanish), Jesús Brock (Latin American Spanish, "Kremzeek!")

How'd we never notice those extra Autobots over there in the corner?

Smokescreen joined the Ark's Autobots during their second year after reactivation on Earth. Where he was beforehand remains a mystery. He was first seen watching from the sidelines during the latest disaster caused by the Dinobots' "training". Dinobot Island, Part 1 Smokescreen was chosen by Optimus Prime to join a strike force headed for Dinobot Island, after some mysterious temporal disturbances were traced there. They were nearly overrun by the Decepticon invaders on the island, until Grimlock marshalled a cavalry of rampaging dinosaurs. Dinobot Island, Part 2

On their day off, Smokescreen played a game of 2-on-2 with Prime, Inferno and Tracks, shooting hoops and shooting the breeze. It, of course, didn't last—soon Optimus Prime summoned a strike force to deal with a Disaster: Code Blue. It should've been a Code Green: green for Constructicons! Grapple had been conned into building a Solar Power Tower for the Decepticons, and now Devastator was protecting it from Autobot interference. Smokescreen stepped up in his role as a diversionary specialist, creeping up on the tower so that Devastator couldn't see him. Once he was close enough, Smokescreen taunted the giant Decepticon into throwing a size 60 kick in his direction, but darted aside at the last moment, letting the tower take the blow instead. An off-balance Devastator was then knocked into the already-damaged tower by the Autobots, bringing it all tumbling down. The Master Builders

Smokescreen was part of the Autobot team overseeing the Negavator project. When the Decepticons staged an ambush on the Negavator convoy in a canyon, Smokescreen was easily the most effective defender out of all the Autobots. As Megatron swooped to purloin the unguarded Negavator during the battle, Smokescreen unleashed his magnetic cloud of smoke, completely obscuring the weapon. Megatron ended up flying face-first into the Negavator (Smokescreen - 1, Megatron - 0). The Seekers also got caught in his cloud, and the magnetic vapor stuck to them even as they flew free. A few well-placed disruptor beams later, and Smokescreen rendered the jets totally helpless, unable to see or use their radars or instruments for guidance. Smokescreen singlehandedly held off the Decepticon attack until the other Autobots could regroup and drive them off completely. Auto Berserk

Because "Smokescreen" is a better name than "Doesn't Pass Emissions Tests."

After Megatron acquired power from the Heart of Cybertron, the Autobots were being slaughtered by his constant barrage of energy beams. At Optimus Prime's request, only Smokescreen could save the day. Once again, Smokescreen managed to blind Megatron with his smoke clouds, leaving the Decepticon leader unable to aim his death rays. Smokescreen was still clipped by a stray shot, but he had valiantly bought the other Autobots enough time to regroup, and their combined laser power collapsed the hillside on top of Megatron, giving them a chance to retreat. For those keeping score, let's call that one a draw. Microbots

As the Decepticons attacked a newly-minted solar power plant, Smokescreen and the Autobots arrived to thwart their efforts. Some sustained firepower kept Starscream at bay, and Smokescreen's disruptor beams blew out Thrust's guidance systems. As the hopelessly outmatched Decepticons fled, the human onlookers flocked to the Autobots, showering them with praise and adoration. Of course, 72 hours later, the Autobots were being led into a rocket ship at gunpoint, forced into exile away from planet Earth. Fickle little creatures. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1 Smokescreen and the Autobots eventually returned to Earth and cleared their good name, driving off the Decepticons and ending their stranglehold on Central City. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2

"So you're saying you're a tank and this guy's a jet, and I'm just a tiny race car?"

When the Decepticons kidnapped Perceptor and Seaspray, Smokescreen volunteered for the rescue mission. Acting in his duty as the Autobots' devious and covert morale officer, Smokescreen showed considerable concern for the laconic Beachcomber. While Warpath shrugged him off as being "a thinker, not a fighter", Smokescreen was a bit suspicious about how Beachcomber was isolating himself from his fellow Autobots. Still, more immediate concerns took precedence: the electrum-enhanced Decepticon armada. When it became clear that the Decepticons were impervious to their assault, Mirage went back to base for reinforcements, and Smokescreen stayed behind to cover his retreat. He unleashed his signature cloud of smoke to discourage the Decepticons, but unfortunately Megatron had learned something from previous fights with Smokescreen, and just ordered his troops to shoot up the cloud until they got 'em. Painfully for Smokescreen, it was a rousing success (Smokescreen - 1, Megatron - 1). He barely managed to stumble weakly back to base and recruit Omega Supreme for combat. The Golden Lagoon

Smokescreen was part of a group of Autobots who confronted the Insecticons and their clones during their raid on Earth's food supplies. Shrapnel had produced the largest army of Insecticlones yet, however, and the Autobots were quickly driven away by their sheer numbers. Quest for Survival When San Francisco was attacked by an alien creature, Smokescreen lent his own unique ability to the Autobot defensive effort. Although his smokescreen drove the creature off the streets, it was still only a delaying action until Omega Supreme arrived to drive the alien off planet Earth. The Secret of Omega Supreme

"So I said, 'You can't trust any of 'em.' Big guy didn't listen."

After being transported to a planet of giant aliens, Optimus Prime failed to introduce Smokescreen to the alien boy Aron. Smokescreen didn't seem to mind. Child's Play After fleeing the planet in a modified toy rocket ship, the group of Autobots were captured by a freelance entrepreneur named Bosch. Bosch planned to sell them into slavery and make a tidy profit in the bargain. He sealed the Autobots inside special chambers to disable their weapons, their transforming cogs, and their free will. Unfortunately for Bosch, he was low on energon and the last tube failed to operate properly, giving Smokescreen a chance to break free. The Autobot was paralyzed by a ray beam before he could disable Bosch, and so he changed tactics. Smokescreen showed Bosch how to win (well, cheat) at a game of chance, thanks to his built-in override wire. Seeing the profit in Smokescreen's l33t cheating skills, Bosch arranged for them to go to the gambling world of Monacus. Once they won enough energon chips to pay off Bosch's debts, he would free Smokescreen's fellow Autobots. Problem was, Bosch was virtually spent already, and so the will-sapped Autobots needed to be used as collateral to get enough money up front to play.

On Monacus, no one seemed interested in Bosch and Smokescreen's collateral, until they were forced to deal with the sinister Lord Gyconi, of Gyconi's Pit of Destruction in Sheol. Gyconi offered them a meager price, at 500% interest to be paid within the hour. Horrible as the deal was, they were forced to take it. At the gambling palace, Smokescreen quickly proved to be just the sort of sucker casinos love to have around. He continued playing long after they had won enough money, and lost it all on one bet when a small Jawa looking creature noticed his "cheatin' wire" and pulled it loose. Well done, Smokescreen.

The best way to cheat is to make ambiguously suggestive comments about your cheating. Extra points for making sly winks and nudging your friends.

While drowning their sorrows in the local speakeasy, Smokescreen and Bosch met another Autobot named Devcon. Having left Cybertron long ago, Devcon became a bounty hunter, pursuing Decepticons throughout known space. His recent travels had brought him into the path of Astrotrain and some Decepticons from Earth, whom he had traced to Sheol. Parting from Devcon, Smokescreen and Bosch returned to Gyconi's empty-handed. Forced to watch as Gyconi put the Autobots into pit-fighting competition with a horde of Animaliens, Smokescreen resolved to do something to help his friends. Backing up to the edge of the arena floor in car mode, Smokescreen unleashed his cloud into the pit, ending the fights for the moment. As he and Bosch tried to get away, they were intercepted by Gyconi's Decepticon allies, Dirge and Ramjet. Luckily, Devcon returned in time to lend them a hand, blowing the 'Cons out of the sky. With the bounty hunter as backup, Smokescreen and Bosch decided to force Gyconi to give back the Autobots (essentially, making them welshers as well as cheats). After the Autobots were safely recovered and reactivated, Smokescreen showed he had learned a valuable lesson about gambling by suggesting the Autobots take in some R & R...at the casino. The Gambler

Smokescreen was one of the first Autobots scrambled by the energy creature known as Kremzeek. He was sent running in circles, jumping between modes and emitting copious amounts of smoke every time he landed in car mode. Kremzeek! When Blitzwing and the Constructicons captured several Autobots in their "zone defense", Smokescreen joined Hoist and Powerglide on a mission to get their friends out of the sinister maze. With Powerglide calling out the right route from his aerial vantage point, the two groundbound Autobots easily made their way to the center of the maze. Smokescreen's smoke blinded Scrapper long enough for Hoist to lasso their damaged friends and begin pulling them to safety. When Blitzwing tried to intervene, the smoke ended up sending him flying into Scrapper while the Autobots got away. Triple Takeover Smokescreen was assigned to a guardian convoy when the Autobots were given samples of a new Earth super-fuel to test out. Naturally, Megatron and the Decepticons tried to steal it, but the Autobots largely managed to outmaneuver the Decepticons from the road. When Megatron flew in close and threatened to blow them all to kingdom come by igniting the super-fuel, Smokescreen launched into his signature move. Hey, if it works, it works—Megatron was blinded yet again by the Autobot's magnetic smoke, and flew when he started taking heavy fire from the Autobot convoy (Smokescreen - 2, Megatron - 1). The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 Later on, Smokescreen was among the Autobots who battled the Stunticons in an attempt to retrieve the key to Vector Sigma. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2

He might actually be street legal here.

Smokescreen was amongst the Autobot participants in the Europa 2000, a charity race from Paris to Istanbul. While the Autobots were ostensibly there to try and win extra money for charity, they were secretly assigned to protect the arrogant American driver Auggie Cahnay. Smokescreen was making good progress in the race until he was rammed off the road by Wildrider and Drag Strip, then broadsided by the other Stunticons. After crawling back onto the road, he was discovered by Bluestreak. Trans-Europe Express

Although hidden behind Hound, Smokescreen was among the Autobots assembled to rescue Perceptor from Fox Creek Canyon. He was temporarily infected with cosmic rust, but recovered thanks to the miraculous powers of Corrostop (at least this time). Cosmic Rust

Japanese cartoon continuity

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers comic

When Starscream and the Seekers attacked Tokyo, Smokescreen accompanied Optimus Prime and a unit of Autobot vehicles to defend the city. After Prime rescued a small boy named Kenji, Smokescreen was put in charge of protecting the child. As Kenji buckled up inside Smokescreen's vehicle mode, the talkative Autobot immediately began yammering on about himself, telling Kenji about his function, vehicle mode and loads of other tedious crap. His speech was cut short by the sudden arrival of Menasor, however. While Sideswipe and Trailbreaker took Menasor's punches to the face, Kenji recommended Smokescreen, Prime and Wheeljack drive up a nearby ramp and use the speed and height to punch Menasor in the face. The plan worked swimmingly, as Smokescreen socked Starscream in the chest (somehow transforming to robot mode without crushing Kenji) and sent the Decepticons into retreat. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #1

Full Throttle Scramble Power! comic

After the Autobots had foiled the Decepticons' latest plan, Smokescreen and dozens of other Autobots arrived at the villains base alongside Scramble City to punish them for their misdeeds. Full Throttle Scramble Power!

The Headmasters cartoon

Smokescreen was present on Athenia to hear Hound's theories about the Vector Sigma supercomputer. Four Warriors Come out of the Sky

Story of Binaltech

When the Decepticons unleashed Cosmic Rust on Earth, Smokescreen was one of the many Autobots infected with the virus. As Earth Defense Command created the Binaltech Project in order to help the Autobots, Smokescreen was the first patient to undergo transference into an electro-cell powered new body. Story of Binaltech, Chapter 1 With the help of his fellow Binaltech Autobots, Smokescreen and his new power helped drive the Decepticons off the planet. Arise! Evil Binaltechs He remained part of the soldiers based at Autobot City on Earth. As Chip Chase developed the new Genetronic Translink system, Smokescreen volunteered to be the first Autobot outfitted with the tech. Thanks to the GT system, his spark was transplanted into subspace, allowing him to connect with multiple autonomous Binaltech bodies simultaneously. GT Units Online!

Many months later, two Smokescreen GT units served alongside Tracks as back-up for Mirage as he infiltrated Cybertron. Kill Switch

Wings Universe

Smokescreen was present at the first "meeting" of Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus. Battle Lines, Part 6

Marvel Comics continuity

Generation 1

He's here to replace Bluestreak.

When the Autobot forces on Earth were severely depleted by several battles, Optimus Prime instructed Wheeljack to construct five additional warriors using a device called the Mind Bank. It seems that before the Ark left Cybertron, Smokescreen and four other Autobots allowed their minds to be encoded on crystalline containment vessels, in case reinforcements were needed on the starship's mission. Left in storage for the last few million years after the crash, the crystals were miraculously still intact, and the Ark had constructed new Earthly bodies for the Autobots. Upon their revival, Smokescreen and his fellows were entrusted to Bumblebee's care, to act as their guide in adapting to Earth roads and customs.

Smokescreen's facsimile circuitry driver is Burt Bacharach!

As their training and acclimation mission continued, Prime contacted the group and ordered them on an additional reconnaissance mission to watch out for a Decepticon attempt to steal sonic energy at a local rock concert. Naturally, their "reconnaissance only" mission quickly turned into a battle with Shockwave and the Seekers, but Smokescreen and the others acquitted themselves well on their first terrestrial mission. Rock and Roll-Out!

Later, Smokescreen was assigned by Optimus Prime to surreptitiously guard Buster Witwicky from harm, after the young human personally humiliated the Decepticon commander Shockwave in battle using a mech suit. Taking Ironhide, Tracks, Brawn, and Buster's worried father Sparkplug Witwicky with him, Smokescreen followed Buster and Jessie to a demolition derby. Smokescreen was fascinated by the spectacle, seeing it as a form of gladiatorial combat. In fact, he was SO fascinated that he reactivated his facsimile construct circuitry in his front seat without realizing that Sparkplug had climbed back inside. An unpleasant silence followed. Devastation Derby!

Smokescreen was among the Autobots who witnessed the debut of Omega Supreme, and he participated in the subsequent attack on the Decepticons' coal strip mine base. Once Bumblebee had extracted combiner technology data from Devastator, Smokescreen and the others retreated. Command Performances!

File:Target2006p3-Smokescreen.jpg

Look at me! I'm doing something!

When Optimus Prime, Prowl and Ratchet mysteriously vanished in a flash of light, Smokescreen shone under adversity and, alongside the likes of Jetfire and Ironhide, rose to a command position among the Autobots during their battles with the evil Galvatron and his minions. He and the others suffered a severe pounding at the hands of the future Decepticons and the Autobot Jazz, who had been temporarily turned into a zombie-drone by Galvatron after being taken prisoner. At one point, Jetfire was ready to pack it in and lead the Autobots in a retreat, but Smokescreen rallied them into continuing the fight. Target: 2006

Despite Smokescreen's valiance, Optimus Prime wasn't thrilled by how fragile the Autobots were during his absence, so he faked his death to force the Autobots to learn how to carry on without him. Smokescreen was among those who gathered for Prime's "funeral". Resurrection! Soon after, Optimus Prime died for real, and Smokescreen watched with the other online Autobots as Ratchet failed to restore their leader to life. Funeral for a Friend! Grimlock was nominated their new leader, and his decisions grew increasingly unpopular among the Autobots. Smokescreen was among those who were visibly not pleased when Grimlock sentenced four Earth children to death. Spacehikers!

Smokescreen joined all of the other Earth-bound Autobots on the Moon in watching Blaster and Grimlock battle for leadership of the Autobots. Totaled!

Marvel UK future timelines

Gotta keep the shippers happy.

In 2008, Smokescreen and Inferno were assigned a simple taxi mission to bring Autobot ally Wreck-Gar back home to the planet of Junkion. That "simple mission" turned ugly when they discovered Unicron's head, alive and functioning, had taken over the minds of the Junkion populace and was forcing them to rebuild his body. Cutting out in an attempt to get back to Cybertron and warn Rodimus Prime, the Autobots were seen and came under fire from Unicron's puppet, Death's Head. Inferno was injured and Wreck-Gar stayed behind to cover their retreat, leaving only Smokescreen to pilot the shuttle back to Cybertron. Without a co-pilot, he was hard pressed to keep the ship in the air AND evade Unicron's other puppets, Scourge and Cyclonus, when they tried to shoot him down before he reached Prime. With the ship going down, Inferno hauled himself out of the medical bay long enough to toss Smokescreen to safety and guide the shuttle down in a suicide crash atop the nearby Decepticon forces.

Once Smokescreen made his report, he joined Rodimus, Scattershot and the Dinobots in returning to Junk to deal with Unicron. While Prime and the Dinobots hit the ground to deal with the Junkions, Smokescreen and Scattershot stayed aboard the shuttle to distract Unicron. Much to Scattershot's dismay, Smokescreen adapted a rather devil-may-care attitude, swooping in too close to Unicron's massive head and barely avoiding his eye-beams. Smokescreen's attitude came from his guilt over leaving Wreck-Gar along on Junk and letting Inferno get killed, but luckily his rashness didn't cause any lasting damage, and Unicron's evil was ultimately contained inside the Creation Matrix by Rodimus. The Legacy of Unicron!

Some months later, Smokescreen was part of the band of Autobots who came to Earth to free Autobot City from an occupying force of Quintessons. Space Pirates!

Generation 2

Smokescreen was fighting alongside his friend, Inferno, and some former Wreckers against a Cybertronian raiding party. However, he suffered heavy damage and was killed in battle. Escalation!

Regeneration One

Template:Noterg1 In 2012 Smokescreen was among the detachment of Autobots that Optimus Prime brought to Earth to confront Megatron. In the aftermath of the battle, he was assigned to clean up the remains of Megatron's zombie army of "Ex-Bots" alongside Red Alert, Cosmos and Wheeljack, throwing the bodies into a huge pit where they could be vaporized from orbit. Natural Selection, Part 1

Find Your Fate Junior

Early in the war, Smokescreen's home back on Cybertron was almost sent flying off into space when the Decepticons attacked with an unstable anti-gravity weapon. He recalls this event vividly. Desert Flight

Universe comics

During the Universe war, some incarnation of Smokescreen was abducted by Unicron and placed in the Cauldron arena, where he was pitted in a duel to the death against another Smokescreen. He was given a gun to use by Striker, but ended up losing to the crane-Smokescreen's energy spear. After car-Smokescreen was mercilessly executed by his opponent, Unicron feasted on his spark in order to grow stronger. Abduction

Dreamwave Generation One comics

Smokescreen and Inferno were under Grimlock's leadership in the Lightning Strike Coalition during the Dark Ages. War Within: The Dark Ages

After the Great Shutdown, Smokescreen returned to civilian life while the Unified Cybertronian government rose up around him. Initially complacent about shared rule with the Decepticons, Smokescreen's optics were opened thanks to the revolutionary actions of the young Autobot Hot Rod and his followers. Smokescreen gathered a resistance unit of his own with Tracks, Devcon, and several Minibots. Several of his compatriots watched the footage of the battle of San Francisco that Shockwave had released in an attempt to paint Optimus Prime and his Autobots as violent savages that must be executed for the good of society. Cold War Thanks to his Autobot connections in the Triple Changer Strike Force, Smokescreen managed to get Prowl and the rest of the Ark's crew released from custody to join up with his cell. Passive Aggression Smokescreen fought alongside Kup and Arcee when the Autobot rebellion launched its insurrection, Countdown to Extinction leading to the end of Shockwave's rule and his corrupt influence, leaving Cybertron under peaceful Autobot control. Revelation

IDW Generation 1 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.

You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em...

Shortly after the Battle of Thunderhead Pass which saw the apparent end of Thunderwing's rampage across Cybertron, the Autobot-Decepticon war resumed. Smokescreen was in the trenches with Jazz and Landfill waiting for Blaster's troop-rousing broadcast when the Decepticons began their big push into Autobot territory, coinciding with an attempt on Blaster's life. Spotlight: Blaster

Hundreds of years later, Smokescreen had made his way to Earth and was part of the Autobots under the command of the new Autobot leader Bumblebee. When the Combaticons were used as hired muscle by North Korea to attack the south, Skywatch deployed the Autobots to assist the beleaguered American and South Korean forces. However, as the President of the United States had unwittingly declared Cybertronians to be weapons of mass destruction, the Autobots were forced to fight the Combaticons whilst restricted to vehicle mode (albeit with heavy weapons provided by Skywatch). Smokescreen was the first to hit the enemy, riddling Vortex with cannon fire and generating smoke to confuse his opponent. Unfortunately, Vortex noted that Smokescreen couldn't see through his own smoke either, and used it against him. After the Combaticons escaped, Smokescreen awaited repairs while Ratchet tended to the more seriously damaged. Ranks of Bronze The Autobots quickly regrouped and attacked the Combaticons again. Despite some interference from the Predacons, Smokescreen and the others came out on top. All My Sins Remembered

As the Autobots returned to America, they learned that a human had almost killed Bumblebee using Cybertronian-based weaponry. Smokescreen was pissed off, accusing Skywatch of letting their technology fall into the hands of civilians, but Optimus Prime ordered him to stand down. Then without warning, the plane carrying the team was suddenly shot down above the Pacific Ocean. The Demolished Man Upon surfacing, the Autobots learned that Megatron was responsible, having returned to Earth after an earlier defeat. As they moved out to confront him near Albuquerque, Smokescreen was responsible for scouting ahead. Burning Chrome

After the Chaos War on Cybertron, Rodimus assembled a team of Autobots to search for the fabled Knights of Cybertron, in the hopes off restoring balance to their world. Smokescreen was among the Autobots who volunteered to crew the Lost Light on this mission. Hangers On After Rodimus announced that a minor issue needed to be taken care of, and everyone on the Lost Light needed to go to rooms in pairs, Smokescreen talked to Animus on the way to a room. The Chaos of Warm Things He later somehow got a huge nail embedded in his chest, leaving ship medic Ambulon speechless. As he was being treated, a weapon invented by Brainstorm backfired and paralyzed them along with almost everyone else on the ship. The Reluctant Specialist

When Overlord went on a rampage in the Lost Light, Smokescreen and the rest of the crew attacked him en masse to little effect. Under Cold Blue Stars

Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic

Henkei! Henkei! #12

Games

The Transformers (PS2)

Smokescreen is a non-playable character. He appears among the legion of Autobot duplicates in the Decepticon campaign.

The Transformers

Transformers G1: Awakening

Transformers G1: Awakening

Toys

Generation 1

He can only get away with those colors because he's from the 1980s.

• Smokescreen (1985, 2002, 2003)
  • Japanese ID number: 45
  • Accessories: "Electro-Disruptor Rifle", 2 missile launchers (left & right), 3 missiles

Smokescreen transforms into a Datsun 280ZX Turbo based upon the Electramotive Davendorf/Sharpe touring car. Contrary to popular belief, the 38 decal is not a reversed "83" (often said to be an attempt to avoid legal issues). In truth, the real life car has raced under both numbers. Though Smokescreen is a Datsun 280ZX, he is a retool of the standard body used by both Bluestreak and Prowl, featuring a much larger front fender and a rear spoiler, although the Mexican IGA variant has a fender and design more akin to Bluestreak and Prowl. He is predominantly blue, red and white in both vehicle and robot modes. Like Bluestreak and Prowl, he features two spring-loaded missile launchers mounted either side of his head, and is armed with a silver "Electro-Disruptor Rifle".

On December 20 of 2002, Smokescreen 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, Smokescreen was released as part of the Toys "R" Us exclusive "Commemorative Series" line in the US. This version of Smokescreen 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 stickers as the Japanese "bookbox" release.

• More information on Smokescreen at TFU.info

Alternators/Binaltech

We're gellin'! Are you gellin'?

• Smokescreen (2003)
  • Alternator ID number: 1
  • Japanese ID number: BT-01,
  • Accessories: Turbo intercooler/gun

Alternators Smokescreen transforms into a 2003 Subaru Impreza WRC rally car, with opening hood, trunk, and all four doors as well as a detailed interior. He also features working steering and rubber tires. His robot mode is based upon his original toy, as well as his cartoon model, but with changes made to reflect modern standards of Transformers toys, as well as his new vehicle mode. He is armed with a laser rifle formed from his turbo intercooler, and has the capacity to mount two spring-loaded rocket launchers on either side of his shoulders, though these were only included with his 2004 Binaltech retool, Smokescreen GT.

There are several major differences between the Takara Binaltech Smokescreen and Hasbro's Alternators version. While the Binaltech version of Smokescreen is constructed partially out of die-cast metal and painted in a metallic electric blue paint job, Hasbro's Alternators release has plain blue plastic. Additionally, Takara released two variants, namely the number 07 Solberg / Mills and the number 08 Makinen / Lindstrom versions of the 2003 WRC car. Hasbro, meanwhile, only released the number 08 version. There have been complaints within the collector community, however, of Binaltech Smokescreen's paint being very easy to scratch, chip and scrape. (Reportedly, early batches of the production run were particularly prone to outright flaking, while later batches had somewhat more stable paint jobs)

In their December 11, 2003 website Q&A, Hasbro stated that they were intending to release the "#7" variant Smokescreen stateside as a running change. However, possibly due to the "#8" version ending up as a shelfwarmer, those plans never came to fruition.

Both decos of Takara's version of Smokescreen saw a running change in the blue paint on his upper thighs. Earlier releases featured additional paint while later releases had a paint deco that matched the molded lines (and Hasbro's version).

Smokescreen was actually a retool of Alternators/Binaltech Silverstreak, a stock Subaru WRX. However, the marketing department at Takara felt that the flashier Smokescreen would make a more suitable debut toy and would grab more attention than the plain silver Streak would.

• More information on Alternators Smokescreen at TFU.info

• Smokescreen GT (Japan 2004)
  • Japanese ID number: BT-07
  • Accessories: Turbo intercooler/gun, missile launcher with missile

Oh, we're gellin'!

In 2004, Takara retooled Smokescreen for their Binaltech series into Smokescreen GT. He received a new front end, hood, roof, spoiler and wheels to reflect the changes made to the Team Subaru WRC car in the 2004 World Rally Championship. He also included a single spring-loaded missile launcher (with missile) that could be attached either side of his head via two small holes.

Like the original Binaltech Smokescreen release, Smokescreen GT was also released in two variants, reflecting the number 1 Solberg and the number 2 Hirvonen versions of the 2004 WRC car.

• More information on Binaltech Smokescreen at TFU.info

Universe (2008)

File:Smokescreenuniversedeluxe.jpg

Surprise! He looks like this!

• Smokescreen (Deluxe, 2009)
  • Series: Generation 1 Series
  • Accessories: Gun

A redeco of Universe Silverstreak (who is a retool of Universe Prowl), of course. He transforms into a modified Nissan 350Z and features twin non-removable and non-firing "rocket launchers" that can swing over his robot-mode shoulders. His fold-out gun stores in the car mode's undersides.

Smokescreen was the first professional work of deco designer Alex Androski for Hasbro. Androski reportedly shares many a fan's disappointment with how the deco turned out, stating that he had already wished he could go back and redo the deco before anyone else had even seen it.

The original version of this mold was used to make Timelines Streetstar and the Silverstreak retool was made into Rapido.

• More information on Universe Smokescreen at TFU.info

Henkei! Henkei!

Smokescreen won his old colors and tasteful layout back in a game of Cybertronian Poker

• Smokescreen (Deluxe, 2009)
  • Japanese ID number: C-21
  • Accessories: Gun

The Henkei! Henkei! version of Smokescreen features a more accurate deco to the original Generation 1 toy and has a more cartoon accurate deco compared to Universe Smokescreen. Like all Henkei! Henkei! toys, he features vacuum-metallized plastic, including his shoulder-mounted missile launchers and his spoiler.

Masterpiece

• Smokescreen (December 14-2013)
  • Japanese ID number: MP-19
  • Accessories: "Electro-Disruptor Rifle", 2 missile launchers (left & right), 3 missiles

Retool of the standard body used by both Prowl and Streak

Merchandise

Decoy

File:Decoy Smokescreen.jpg

Red & Rubbery Smokescreen

• Smokescreen #8

Titanium Series

Squatmaster Smokescreen

• Smokescreen (3-inch Robot Masters, 2006)
  • Accessories: Gun, Autobot-sigil display stand

This version is of the Alternators toy, but lacks the Alternator's Subaru racing deco. While all Titanium mini-figures are somewhat squatty, Smokescreen may, in fact, be the squattiest of them all.

Transformers - Mini Bust

Far from the only person to lose his legs over gambling debts.

• Smokescreen (Diamond Select, 2009)

Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2009, Smokescreen was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum and limited to 250 pieces. Smokescreen, along with his "brothers" Prowl and Bluestreak, is exclusive to online retailer Toyrocket.com. The bust features Smokescreen's electro-disruptor rifle and twin missile launchers. The missile launchers can be attached via magnets on either side of his head. The car doors are also magnetically attached, and are optional for display. The missile launchers given to Smokescreen do not match the ones on his animation model though the ones given to Bluestreak do. It is unknown if this change was intentional or a mistake.

Notes

Not cast in the '07 movie.

• Smokescreen's original deco has been used for multiple homage toys. Armada Prowl, Cybertron Smokescreen and live-action movie Smokescreen all use the red-and-blue deco with "38" on the hood, and it was also intended to be used for a canceled Universe Smokescreen.
• In late 2005, Subaru displayed a life-size robot-mode prop of Binaltech Smokescreen GT using body shell parts of the then-current Impreza WRC for a corporate event. Interestingly, this prop had the same parts fitting problems in vehicle mode that the increasingly worn-out Binaltech Smokescreen and Streak toolings would exhibit in the then-current Binaltech Asterisk Alert release.
• In the original storyboards for The Transformers: The Movie, it was Smokescreen who lay dead, rather than Wheeljack. The establishing shot of the launcher near where Wheeljack's remains lie even shows a Smokescreen-colored Wheeljack corpse.

Foreign names

• French: Écran de Fumée (Canada)
• Hungarian: Füstfelhő ("Smokecloud")
• Italian: Leo
• Portuguese: Cortina de Fumo (Portugal comic), Cortina (Brazil comic)
• Russian: Dymovik (Дымовик, "Smokeman")

External links

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