Groove (G1)

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

Groove is a dirty hippie an Autobot Protectobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.

File:Groove-robotmode.jpg

Lay back and dream on a rainy day.

Groove is a free spirit, man. A full fuel tank and an open sky above him is all this chopper needs to mellow out and enjoy whatever good vibrations the open road brings his way. One relaxed, easy-going dude, Groove is also a bit of a loner in his soul. He doesn't make a lot of attachments to others, preferring the freedom of an empty highway, but he is always sure to be there with the love when his Protectobot teammates need his help. Groove doesn't like combat or conflict in general, and is always ready to give peace a chance.

Groove combines with his fellow Protectobots to form Defensor, Gaia Guardian or God Guardian.

Fiction

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Voice actor: Frank Welker (English), Osamu Saka (Japanese, "The Revenge of Bruticus"), Show Hayami (Japanese, "B.O.T."), Masashi Ebara (Japanese, "Ghost in the Machine"), Ken Yamaguchi (Japanese, "The Ultimate Weapon") , Wolfgang Mascher (German, Ghost in the Machine), Michael Rüth (German, The Ultimate Weapon), Claus Brockmeyer (German, Generation 2 Dub of The Revenge of Bruticus)

If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air...

When the Insecticons attacked an inhabited city on Earth, Optimus Prime called upon the Protectobots to evacuate the civilians caught in the crossfire. Later, as Earth's orbit was diverted to the Sun by the Combaticons, Streetwise and Groove commandeered a meat locker to keep the overheated humans cool. Groove was worried that the humans would freeze in there, but Streetwise assured him that given the constantly rising temperatures outside, the humans would be fine. The Revenge of Bruticus

Groove, as part of Defensor, totally blew up Bruticus. Afterwards, he was with the Protectobots when they helped save some window-washers from a burning skyscraper, Groove extinguishing the flames with his liquid nitrogen. Later still, Groove and the other Protectobots were ordered to help defend Autobot Headquarters from a Decepticon attack. They merged into Defensor and activated his useless force field, which almost immediately deactivated, allowing the Decepticons to blast Defensor back into his component parts. B.O.T.

Let this groove / light up your fuse / it's all right, alllll right!

In the year 2006, Groove and the Protectobots were frequently active on both Earth and Cybertron. Shortly before the first Cybertronian peace conference, Groove attended a surprise birthday party for Daniel Witwicky. He was therefore available to help Ultra Magnus and the other Autobots fend off a Combaticon assault on the conference's shuttle bay. Surprise Party On another occasion, Metroplex's eyes were stolen under unusual circumstances at Autobot City, and so Rodimus Prime had Cybertron on high alert. When the Decepticon Astrotrain began brazenly flying into their air space, Rodimus ordered Groove and Hot Spot to man the defensive laser batteries and blow him out of the sky.

The pacifistic Groove's response? "Locked and loaded!"

After pummeling Astrotrain with laser fire, the Autobots realized the stolen eyes weren't for Galvatron, but Unicron. Groove joined Ultra Magnus and a squad of Autobots who traveled aboard Sky Lynx to investigate their artificial moon. Unicron awakened while they were inside him, however, and unleashed an electron storm which blasted the Autobots out into space. Ghost in the Machine

Back on Earth, the Autobots were asked to help the Dutch authorities deal with French rebels. After dispersing the human aggressors by driving at them in a scary fashion, Groove and the other Autobots defended the human civilians and covered First Aid, who was carrying the downed Blades back to Metroplex. Later, it turned out the battle was only a diversion to allow Swindle to steal Metroplex's transformation cog. First Aid left the Autobots when he failed to stop the theft. Unfortunately, just as First Aid left, the Autobots were called upon to deal with a rampaging Trypticon. Hot Spot ordered the remaining Protectobots to combine into Defensor without First Aid, and they still successfully saved a train full of civilians. The Ultimate Weapon

Later in 2006, the Protectobots arrived at the aftermath of the battle between the Technobots and Terrorcons at Mark Morgan's laboratory. They transported the injured Jessica Morgan to County General Hospital and watched over her as the doctors restored her ability to walk with an exo-skeletal structure, enraging the robo-phobic senior Morgan. This had negative consequences. What a jerkface. The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1

For Tommy Kennedy's birthday, Groove, among other Autobots, presented to the human boy a cake. Season 5: Surprise Party

Japanese cartoon continuity

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers manga

Groove and his fellow Protectobots joined forces with the Aerialbots when the Decepticon combiners attacked a baseball stadium. Hot Spot was damaged in battle, leaving the Protectobots unable to remain combined as Defensor. Kenji, the Autobots' human friend, devised a plan to shoot out the leg components of the Decepticon super warriors. Groove transformed into motorcycle mode and drove Kenji through a flying jump, letting the boy get close enough to Superion to yell out his plan. After Superion zapped out the Decepticons' legs, Groove and his fellow Protectobots slipped on in their place, forcing Bruticus and Menasor to move according to the Autobots' commands. The poor Decepticons were last seen being led out to sea by their own disobedient legs. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5

Scramble City: Mobilization

Groove and the Protectobots participated in the Scramble City project under Ultra Magnus's direction, working towards the construction of Metroplex. After the Decepticons uncovered their secret building site, the Protectobots rode into battle alongside the newly completed Metroplex. Groove and his comrades arrived and formed Defensor just in time to act as the harbinger of Metroplex and his really big gun. Scramble City: Mobilization

The Great Transformer War

When Galvatron kidnapped Doctor Dalton, the famous scientist, the Protectobots and Aerialbots sped off to rescue the doctor from Trypticon. Working with Onslaught and Motormaster, however, Trypticon's Scramble City launcher power allowed the Decepticons to disable Superion before he got close enough to attack. With the Aerialbots seriously injured, the Protectobots had to formulate a new plan. Hot Spot quickly got to work in repair bay mode bringing the Aerialbots back to full status. While Blades snuck into Trypticon alone to rescue the doctor, Groove, First Aid and Streetwise had the unenviable task of defending Hot Spot against both Bruticus and Menasor until he could finish his repair work. Although they took a serious pounding, Groove and his valiant comrades held the line long enough for the Aerialbots to recover and Blades to save Dalton. The Protectobots and Aerialbots left Trypticon victorious, and escorted the thankful doctor back to Metroplex, where he began work on the new Technobots. The Great Transformer War #1

The Headmasters cartoon

Voice actor: Masato Hirano (Japanese)

In 2011, Galvatron attacked Cybertron looking to take control of Vector Sigma. Groove and the Protectobots were active in Cybertron's defense as Defensor during the assault. Four Warriors Come out of the Sky The Mystery of Planet Master Later, Groove's team assembled on Earth at Ultra Magnus's command. Their mission was to stop the Decepticons from interfering with Hot Rod and the Headmasters, who were searching for the hidden location of the Matrix of Leadership. On a security sweep, the Protectobots ran across their old nemeses, the Combaticons, and went into battle. The two teams quickly assumed their combined forms as Bruticus and Defensor, as the fighting escalated. Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime

When Galvatron made another strike on Cybertron, this time to steal the super-metal Cybertonuron, Groove and the Protectobots assembled before the space bridge on Earth to be transported into battle. Seeking out the Combaticons on the battlefield, the Protectobots soon formed Defensor and fought once more with Bruticus. Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1 Defensor and Bruticus's battle continued as Defensor delivered a devastating smash to Bruticus's back. For at least part of the battle, the two teams disassembled again for man-to-man combat, Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2

Groove and the Protectobots were dispatched to Peru with the Trainbots when a volcano erupted, leaving a mountainside village in dire peril. Their rescue mission was blocked by the Predacons. Shouki and the Trainbots occupied the fiends so that the Protectobots could proceed on to the village and protect the innocent lives. Nevertheless, the Protectobots failed to reach the village, as they were intercepted by the Decepticons' second wave, the Headmasters. Groove and the Protectobots briefly struggled with the Headmasters before forming Defensor, but that left them grouped together and vulnerable to an underhanded attack. Defensor was taken out of action by Mindwipe's paralysis ray, which was strong enough to force Groove and the Protectobots apart and leave them completely immobilized. The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts

Groove and the Protectobots were part of a strike team that flew to the moon to disrupt Scorponok's gathering of Decepticons. They immediately formed Defensor upon entering the battle. Return of the Immortal Emperor When the planet Sandra sent out a distress call asking for energy, the Autobots of Earth responded. While they were loading the Trainbots full of supplies, however, Galvatron and the Decepticons arrived to take the energy for themselves. Groove and the Protectobots fought back against the enemy, and formed Defensor to counter Devastator on the battlefield. SOS from Planet Sandra

After the death of Ultra Magnus, the Autobots were desperately trying to pick up the slack during Sixshot's campaign of destruction around the globe. Groove and the Protectobots assembled as Defensor to go out and confront Sixshot at one of the attack sites, but they apparently didn't fare too well. The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg When the Decepticons seemingly abandoned Earth, Groove and the Protectobots assisted Spike in rebuilding the planet after the enemy's departure. On one occasion, they located Sixshot's old command base. By combining into Defensor, the Protectobots helped Raiden and Computron obliterate the base, wiping out all trace of the Decepticons' presence. Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)

Following a lengthy period of inactivity, the Decepticons renewed their attacks on Earth. With Fortress still off in space, Spike Witwicky dispatched Groove and the Protectobots to attend to the threats. In Canberra, Australia, the Protectobots confronted Bruticus at one of Scorponok's new Death Towers. As Defensor, the Protectobots were beaten severely by Bruticus. The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1) As part of Defensor, Groove participated in the Autobots final battle with Scorponok's Decepticons at the North Pole. He lent his energies to the Headmasters' Head Formation to revitalize Fortress Maximus at the critical moment. The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)

Marvel Comics continuity

Marvel The Transformers comics

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

Down a crowded avenue.

Streetwise and the other Protectobots were created on Earth by Wheeljack and the Autobots after they stole a recording of Devastator's combiner transformation sequence and modified it (and after Optimus Prime and Buster Witwicky shared a Matrix-induced vision of the future with the Special Teams in it). Second Generation!

After being brought on-line by Optimus Prime, Groove and his team went on a mission to intercept the Decepticons before they could steal the hydrothermocline from a human industrial plant. Both sides ended up agreeing to do battle in a virtual landscape maintained by the powerful computer system at the plant, so that the Decepticons wouldn't damage their prize and the Autobots could insure the safety of innocent lives. Patrolling the computer-generated area of Multi-World known as the Cloud-Steppes, Groove and Blades were attacked by Combaticons Blast Off and Vortex. When the Decepticon fliers severed the floating roadway Groove was driving on, he shouted at Blades to let him save himself and instead catch the Cloud-Steppers who fell with him. In gratitude, the humanoids unleashed a cloud cover which distracted the Combaticons long enough for Groove to blast them with his photon pistol. Afterdeath!

Many months later, Groove happened to put the mode-locked Autobot Blaster down in a storm drain. This simple act set in motion a chain of events that led to words like "Spacehikers" and "Cosmic Carnival". It is Groove's secret shame. Child's Play

Marvel Generation 2 comic

And my soul's been psychedelicized.

Groove returned to working with the Autobots after Prime and Grimlock uncovered the Cybertronian army and their threat to the universe. He participated in Grimlock's ill-fated sabotage attempt on the Liege Centuro's warships. Devices and Desires! Later, he joined the Aerialbots in a training exercise against Hot Rod and the Dinobots. The Power and the Glory

Regeneration One

It was so, you know, groovy to come back here this way.

Around twenty years after supposed end of the war, Groove found himself on the front lines defending Cybertron from Bludgeon's Blitz Engines alongside Rollbar, Guzzle and Jackpot. Destiny, Part Five Later, Groove formed part of the crew of Lancer One alongside Blades, Powerglide, Scattershot and Wheeljack as part of Rodimus Prime's attack on Jhiaxus and his forces at the Hub Network. Although they successfully completed their mission, Jhiaxus had anticipated the Autobots' strategy and his retaliation forced Rodimus Prime to declare an Autobot surrender. The War to End All Wars, Part 3

The Special Teams

Groove and the rest of the Protectobots were posted at the Pullen Power Plant to defend it while its human workers had been evacuated due to the possibility of a landslide in the area. Blades soon spotted the Stunticons heading towards their position. Racing to meet their incoming foes, Groove was surprised to witness these newcomers combine into Menasor.To combat this new threat, the Protectobots merged once more into Defensor. The Decepticons soon found himself losing the battle and dispersed, though the storm around them had gotten too bad for the Autobots to give chase. The Special Teams

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

War Within! Yeah! What is it good for? Absolutely nothin'!

Groove, despite his freewheeling ways, stuck with his team during the Dark Ages and took part in the battle against Devastator. Groove was the go-between bot for First Aid and Streetwise, taking pride in his great speed. As a team, they toppled the giant. Later, to his credit, Groove was the last Protectobot to be defeated by The Fallen's acolytes, with the exception of Hot Spot, whom they were not targeting. War Within: The Dark Ages

In modern times, Groove and the Protectobots were damaged while battling Menasor as Defensor and had to be rescued by Ultra Magnus and the Wreckers. Passive Aggression Defensor later joined the united Autobot forces in overthrowing Shockwave's control of Cybertron. Revelation In the aftermath, Groove and the Protectobots processed the forensics at one of Shockwave's labs, where a mysterious energy discharge had disabled the Battlechargers and shot out into the sky. Black Sunshine

With Dreamwave's bankruptcy, the Protectobots never solved this case.

IDW Generation 1 continuity

Groove don't need this fascist thing.

Four million years ago, Groove was a soldier in the Autobot army working under Optimus Prime. He, Prowl, and Windcharger held the line to prevent the Decepticon advancement in one of Cybertron's major cities. At the celebration that followed the Autobots' victory, he was seen chatting with Gizmo and Download. The Iron Age

In the modern day, Groove was among Bumblebee's team of Autobots on Earth. He worked under Bumblebee to locate the Decepticons remaining on the planet until Prowl butted in and recruited him into the investigation on Spike Witwicky. The Question As part of this task, he and Streetwise brought former Skywatch agent Sandra to their headquarters for interrogation. Only Forward

Groove was of the 'bots who Swerve refused a place on the Lost Light during the "Crewditions" (Which later turned out to be fake). Six months later, Groove had joined the ship's crew, and was outside Rung's office when the psychiatrist was interviewing Megatron. Towards Peace During some downtime, Groove and Streetwise indulged in a bout of wrestling at Swerve's but when an inebriated Trailcutter set off a silent alarm breaking into the medibay they were called into action as part of a security team alongside Megatron, Aquafend and Ultra Magnus. Ascertaining that there was no immediate threat, Megatron dismissed the rest of the team to deal with Trailcutter himself. Words Hang in the Air

Hey, you guys, combine into a larger guy, but not in a way that looks like Groove is involved!

Groove was in Swerve's bar when the Lost Light began paradoxing itself out of existence piece by piece. Predestination: A Beginner's Guide Some time after the Lost Light was restored, Groove and four other crewmembers were chosen to escort Mirage back to Cybertron after he started seeing apocalyptic visions. Streetwise joked that the five of them were "Protectobots." The Possible Light Once they arrived, Mirage led them hurriedly to Optimus Prime to tell them about his vision, when suddenly Prowl's Devastator attacked, who was hoping to destroy the space bridge to Cybertronian colonies. Superion countered him, but Starscream feared the Autobot combiner wouldn't be enough, so he used the Enigma of Combination to create another. Groove, the other four "Protectobots," and Rook, who had wandered into the group, were all combined into the mighty Defensor. Mistakes and Mayhem

Commercial appearances

• Groove and the rest of the Protectobots rushed the Decepticon fortress Trypticon, undaunted by its enormous size. When Trypticon assumed its battle station mode, the Protectobots merged into Defensor to better fight back. Defensor and Trypticon commercial
• After the Protectobots received a message from Optimus Prime alerting them that Menasor was wrecking havoc in a human city, Groove and the rest of the team combined into Defensor to better combat the Decepticon. Transformers Generations: Combiner Wars commercials

Games

Transformers Legends

During a Decepticon attack on a major human city, Ratchet, Inferno and the Protectobots launched rescue operations. Unfortunately their efforts were hampered by Thundercracker and Dirge, who unleashed all manner of sonic attacks on them. To the Rescue

Groove, alongside Blades, Hot Spot and Streetwise, responded to an emergency call that was in actuality a trap set by the Decepticons Skullcruncher and Snapdragon. Despite the duo's schemes, the Autobots were able to send the Decepticons packing. False Alarm

Transformers: Battle Tactics

If you choose the wrong Groove, you may just lose!

Groove participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! Transformers: Battle Tactics

Toys

Generation 1

• Groove (Protectobot, 1986/1987)
  • Team ID number: P2
  • Japanese ID number: C-74
  • Accessories: "Photon pistol", left and right "Twin Vaporators"

Generation 1 Groove transforms into a motorcycle, and is one of the most incredibly simplistic Transformer toys ever released. He has virtually nothing recognizable as legs; only the seat halves split apart to form his feet. His arms are formed from the chrome engine pieces on his sides, which swing up from the shoulder and would otherwise not be recognizable as arms. He comes with two "Vaporator" cannons, which are pegged onto posts at the rear of the bike mode. He also comes with a "photon pistol" which he can hold, only sideways. As a Scramble City-style combiner member, he can form any of Defensor's limbs, though he nominally forms Defensor's right leg. Finally, he has a rubsign on his windshield... despite the fact that he has an Autobot insignia on the front wheel covering just below the windshield. Okay then.

Like all Scramble City-style combiner limbs, Groove was sold on carded packaging. Subsequent releases of him in the "Classics" line omitted the rub sign gimmick. This mold was also used to make Operation Combination Sparkride.

• More information on Groove at TFU.info

• Defensor (giftset, 1986)
  • Japanese ID number: C-76
  • Accessories: "Photon pistol", left and right "Twin Vaporators"

Groove was also available as part of the Defensor giftset, unchanged from his individual release. It is currently unknown which construction variants came in the set.

• More information on Defensor at TFU.info

Generation 2

I'm day-glo playskool and yet cost more than your house. Chew on that.

• Groove (Unreleased)
  • Team ID number: P3

A very orange redeco of his Generation 1 toy was planned, but was canceled after a few production samples were made.

• Image gallery of Generation 2 Groove at Seibertron.com

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

Transformers (2014)

• Protectobots Emergency Response (three-pack, 2014)

"Protectobot Groove" (named so for trademark reasons) is a redeco of Transformers: Prime Cyberverse Legion Class Arcee, sporting two blue blasters (whereas Arcee had just included one). His color scheme might be based on Universe Groove.

Groove is only available in three-pack with Protectobot Streetsmart and Protectobot First Aid, which was released as a Toys"R"Us exclusive in Hasbro's Asian markets, while in the United States, it was officially an Amazon exclusive that was later also stocked by other online retailers such as BigBadToyStore for a hefty markup.

• More information on Protectobots Groove at TFU.info

Generations

59th Chest Plate Bot (Feelin' Groovy)

• Protectobot Groove (Legends class, 2015)

Part of the third wave of Combiner Wars Legends class figures, Groove is a modernized version of the character, transforming into a motorcycle. As Rook has taken his place as a limb of Defensor, the now-much-more-to-semi-proper-scale Groove now forms Defensor's chestplate. The instructions have you assemble the chestplate mode upside-down (to match the stock photography), but the proper assembly is to attach Groove to Defensor with the wheel facing upwards, connecting a small peg on Defensor's chest into a peghole behind Groove's pelvis and the pegs on Groove's arms to pegholes in Defensor's chest.

This mold was retooled into Wreck-Gar, and redecoed into Rust Dust and Override

Unite Warriors

How Defensor Got His Groove Back

• Guardian (12-12-2015)
  • ID Number: UW-03

Takara's iteration of Combiner Wars Defensor is sold in a gift set including all five original Protectobots, with Groove (as a new Deluxe-sized mold) included instead of Rook. Groove transforms into either an oversized bike or a limb for any combiner within the Unite Warriors line, although he would normally be associated with Guardian.

Unite Warriors Guardian was released as a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive, rather than being a regular release. Preorders were open from May 25 to July 6, 2015, and it was shipped the following December.

Merchandise

G Guardian

• Groove (Candy toy, 2012)

  

  I can roll!!!

Groove is a snap-together candy toy model kit produced by Kabaya for their G Guardian series, coming in an individual box packed with a stick of (chalky) gum. He can combine with his five wave-mates to form Gaia Guardian. He, along with Graze, First Aid, and Streetwise, can also combine with Kabaya's Transformers Gum Hot Spot to form Guardian. G Guardian's Heatrock and Skyfeather attach to Guardian to create God Guardian.

Notes

• Groove had the pre-production name Cruiser.
• Sometimes First Aid likes to steal Groove's pacifism and run off with it.
• During the dream sequence of Second Generation!, Groove described himself as being "fast and flashy", wanting in on the action busting Decepticon heads. These are not character traits that Groove displayed outside of this.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Groove (グルーブ Gurūbu)
• French: Le Sillon (Canada)
• Italian: Chips
• Mandarin: Chēzhé (车辙, "Rut")
• Russian: Drug (Друг, "Friend")

External links

• Groove at TFU.info
• Generation 2 Groove photogallery @ Seibertron.com