Drift (RID)
| The name or term "Drift" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Drift (disambiguation). |
- Drift is an Autobot from the Robots in Disguise portion of the Aligned continuity family.
While some bounty hunters may be unscrupulous thugs for hire, Drift is a rarity: he's a bounty hunter with a conscience. Dedicated to hunting down wrongdoers and crooks across the galaxy, Drift aims to bring his targets in fairly and honorably, with the goal of rehabilitating them into contributing members of Cybertronian society. This rigid moral code may be an attempt to distance himself from his past as the Decepticon soldier Deadlock and his time with the decidedly amoral Ronin.
Not that he's all sunshine and roses, however. As a result of his training with the Circle of Light, Drift is an exacting perfectionist in everything he does. He adheres to an unbending code of honor he follows to the letter, a level of strictness even Strongarm finds excessive. He is blunt and dismissive, rarely giving even slight praise, which often leaves his two Mini-Con students, Slipstream and Jetstorm, feeling unappreciated. They stick with him because he helped lift them out of the gutter, but....
Drift is an expert in blade combat, eschewing blasters for the up-close approach, leaving his Mini-Cons to handle outside distractions while he focuses on his target. Turns out he needs the backup, as he's quite unpopular with other bounty hunters... particularly Fracture, who's itching to turn Drift into so many metal shavings.
Fiction
2015 Robots in Disguise cartoon
- Voice actor: Eric Bauza (English), Tomokazu Sugita (Japanese), Raffaele Farina (Italian)
In the past, Drift rehabilitated a pair of Mini-Con criminals named Slipstream and Jetstorm, who chose to train under him in return.
Drift and his Mini-Cons headed to Earth to collect on the bounty on Bumblebee's head, however arriving at the same time was Fracture. Drift tangled with the Decepticon at a deserted ranch, however Fracture got the better of him, and it was only through Bumblebee's help that Fracture was sent into a retreat. Drift saw this as a life debt and insisted on protecting Bee, though his following Bumblebee everywhere wore thin fast. After Denny, Strongarm, Sideswipe and Grimlock were captured by Fracture to use as a trade, Drift remained resolute in sticking with Bumblebee who pointed out that there was more to honor. When Fracture was defeated, mostly thanks to Slipstream and Jetstorm hijacking the Decepticon's ship, Drift was released from his life debt, though admitted that as Bumblebee had proven himself to be honorable, he would not pursue the bounty, instead leaving in his ship. Hunting Season
Drift later returned to Earth in search of Jetstorm, who had abandoned his master after polishing his sword incorrectly. Drift and Slipstream met up with Bumblebee's team again and encountered Jetstorm, who had decided to adopt Russell Clay as his new master. Before they could argue the matter any further, Bumblebee recruited all three of them to help re-capture Quillfire and Springload, who had escaped captivity. The Autobots headed out in pursuit of the two Decepticons, and eventually discovered that they had commandeered a human tank. Drift took a blast from the tank, knocking him unconscious, and his two students rushed to his aid instead of contributing to the fight. As soon as he came round, Drift reprimanded his Mini-Cons for disobeying him... until Russell gave him a piece of his mind. Humbled, Drift reluctantly went along with Jetstorm's plan to disable the tank, which turned out to be successful. In the aftermath, Drift welcomed Jetstorm back into the fold, and announced to Bumblebee that he planned to remain on Earth for the time being so that he could learn more about teamwork. One of Our Mini-Cons Is Missing
"I wish! I did one, and they just showed it a thousand times."
Drift and his Mini-Cons participated in a training exercise. They later GroundBridged underwater with the rest of the Autobots, who were in pursuit of Octopunch. After the Decepticon broke into an Cybertronian spaceship, Drift pursued him inside, but wound up trapped in a room with Sideswipe. Undeterred, Drift instructed his two students to meditate, and Sideswipe reluctantly went along with it. Deep Trouble
Drift helped Fixit zero in on a pair of Decepticon signals. They turned out to belong to Groundpounder and Headlock, and the Autobots, sans Grimlock, tried to GroundBridge into Crown City. The bridge malfunctioned and wound up stranding the team in the Arctic. A second GroundBridge had them materialize outside the city limits, and the team were held up by traffic while Grimlock and Fixit fought the two Decepticons. The Champ
When Fixit reverted to his sentry programming and armed the scrapyard's security systems, Drift suggested that Fixit might have to be destroyed. He and his two students were trapped by containment fields, but he managed to escape and pursued Chop Shop's components when they managed to escape from stasis. The Trouble with Fixit Drift and the other Autobots found themselves trapped outside their own base after Steeljaw's team moved in and set up a subsonic field to keep them out. While the others created a diversion, Drift and Bumblebee rigged up a catapult which they used to get Drift's Mini-Cons into the scrapyard, disabling the subsonic field so Drift and the others could retake the base. Lockout
After Grimlock tried to befriend Scowl, Drift joined in the hunt for the villainous Dinobot and did his best to redirect a runaway train. When Scowl attacked a nearby spa, Drift and his two students searched for their quarry in the showers; Scowl managed to get the drop on all three of them and took the trio down. Similarly Different Drift joined up with newcomer Windblade when the team tried to bring in Zizza. The Buzz on Windblade
After some of the Autobots began feeling homesick for Cybertron, Bumblebee decided to take them on a vacation. The team GroundBridged to abandoned Edmondville after an erupting volcano proved unpopular. The team had fun scaring off a group of human tourists, although Drift didn't get the chance to show off his ghost costume. Drift later had to deal with an imposter, who escaped into the town's abandoned mineshaft. With the help of Drift's Minicons, the team managed to flush Pseudo out and incapacitate him. Ghosts and Impostors
When Sideswipe and Strongarm were kidnapped by Decepticons, Drift and the other Autobots set off to rescue their comrades from the Decepticon's base of operations. They discovered that the Decepticons were using the Crown City Colossus to summon Megatronus from another dimension. Battlegrounds, Part 1 With their forces bolstered by the return of Optimus Prime, Drift freed his allies and fought against the Decepticons while Optimus took on Megatronus. After Steeljaw's forces were routed, Drift and Sideswipe hacked off part of the Colossus's arm and pinned Megatronus beneath its weight, allowing Bumblebee, Strongarm, and Sideswipe to power up using their Decepticon Hunters and finish off Megatronus.
Afterwards, Drift returned to their base with the others. Like the other Autobots, he chose to remain on Earth under Bumblebee's command. Battlegrounds, Part 2
As Decepticons were being detected far from the scrapyard, Drift was assigned to be part of an "away team" to hunt them. He and the rest of the team were sent on a mission to the Arctic under Optimus Prime's command, however as they tracked the Decepticon, they found themselves having to deal with Optimus's weakened state as a result of the Primes taking back the power they had bestowed on the Autobot leader. Overloaded, Part 1
 Plot details for Overloaded, Part 2 follow. |
After rescuing Optimus from a cliff and then becoming the victims of an avalanche, the Autobots managed to sneak up on Polarclaw and take down the Decepticon. Overloaded, Part 2
Robots in Disguise shorts
Drift watched Grimlock and Fixit perform in a talent show. Fixit Jam Drift allowed Jetstorm and Slipstream to watch a "training simulation" (really a movie) when Sideswipe came along and explained to them the concept of "dibs". Then, Fixit detected that the two Cyclones Backtrack and Ransack were on the loose and informed the Bee Team as such. Slipstream called "dibs" on recapturing the rogue Mini-Cons, which Drift allowed, despite Bumblebee's concern. The Power of Dibs When Slipstream and Jetstorm returned to base with the Cyclones in hand, Drift met them with an uncharacteristic "welcome back" hug. Though he quickly regained his composure, Drift confided to his students that he was glad they were unharmed. Two Plus Two Equals More
2015 Robots in Disguise books
Drift was once a homeless bot, forced to steal Energon. He came to Megatron's attention and joined the Decepticon army as Deadlock, however when he was nearly destroyed during a battle, he was found and repaired by the Circle of Light. They taught him the ways of the Samurai until the war eventually reached them. Deadlock eventually joined up with a group of bounty hunters known as the Ronin. When they tracked a target to a moon of Athena and Foxtrot's solution was to destroy the moon, Deadlock rebelled against the plan. He destroyed the ship and fled. Drift's Samurai Showdown
Drift was out searching for energon when the rest of Bumblebee's team hunted down Scuzzard and Filch, but arrived back in time to help prevent Filch from escaping captivity a second time. Bumblebee Versus Scuzzard Drift's reluctance to work with the rest of Bumblebee's team did not endear him to 'Bee. When the team caught the Ronin Forager, who recognized Drift as Deadlock, Bumblebee began to doubt Drift's motives, leading Drift to opt to leave the team. When Foxtrot and Stilts later captured Team Bee, Drift posed as his old self, which allowed him to get back into the scrapyard and surreptitiously free the Autobots so that they could defeat the Ronin. Drift's Samurai Showdown
During the incident with Skinkbomb, Drift and his Mini-Cons were off on a scouting mission, and Fixit didn't have any luck contacting them. The Trials of Optimus Prime
Birth! Black Knight Bumblebee
IDW Robots in Disguise comic
When Team Bee was lured to Fort Tucker to fight a pair of Vehicons, Drift was forced to aid Grimlock after the Dinobot was felled while protecting some humans. It later turned out to be a distraction while Steeljaw and Steve abducted Fixit and Russell from the scrapyard. Robots in Disguise #5
Returning to base, the team found empty stasis pods and the computer trashed, and were forced to resort to their own wits to work out where Steeljaw was. After Grimlock reasoned that he was somewhere in the Sierra Vistas, Drift spotted some energon left on Bumblebee by the Vehicons. The team was able to track the source of the energon to the cave in question, rescuing Fixit and Russell before engaging Steeljaw's crew. Drift found himself double-teamed by Fracture and Clampdown, until the three Vehicons realized that Steeljaw was not part of Megatron's command. In the aftermath Team Bee was left with the majority of Steeljaw's team as prisoners. Robots in Disguise #6
Commercial appearances
Drift faced off against Fracture in the middle of some woods, launching his two Mini-Con partners as the Decepticon did the same. Slipstream and Jetstorm were victorious in their fight, and Drift loomed over them proudly as the two smaller robots high-fived. Robots in Disguise Deployers toy commercial
Games
Transformers: Robots in Disguise
- unlock Starter — 500 Energon Cubes or 10 Ultra Sparks
- unlock 1-Step — 2000 Energon Cubes or 40 Ultra Sparks
- unlock Warrior — 4000 Energon Cubes or 80 Ultra Sparks
- unlock Deployer — 6000 Energon Cubes or 120 Ultra Sparks
When Crown City was overrun by Decepticons as a result of a stasis pod modified to clone an army, the Autobots were forced to battle them throughout the city and surrounding landscape. They eventually found that Steeljaw and another Decepticon had constructed a space bridge and defeated the pair. Robots in Disguise (mobile game)
Transformers Super Mini-Con Striker
Drift acted as a goalkeeper in a soccer match between him, Slipstream and Jetstorm; and the Decepticons Fracture, Divebomb and Airazor. Transformers Super Mini-Con Striker
Toys
Robots in Disguise (2015)
- Autobot Drift (Warrior Class, 2015)
- Part of the second wave of Robots in Disguise Warrior-class figures, Drift transforms from a samurai robot into a futuristic orange car that appears to be a cross between AOE Drift's Bugatti Veyron alt-mode and a Gumpert Apollo. In robot mode, his two swords can be stored on his left hip. In car mode, they store on his underside by using the tabs on his legs with the slots in the sword handles.
- His scannable insignia is dead-center on his chest, easily scanned even in-package.
- The Adventure version of Drift features a yellow-y orange plastic, and features extra paint applications on his feet, shoulder and arm panels, chest, & his mustache. Like his Hasbro counterpart, he features a different scannable badge. In-package, this is covered up by a "dummy sticker" to prevent scanning without purchase. Scanning the real sticker unlocks Drift in the Transformers Chronicle checklist app.
- Autobot Drift (One-Step Changer, 2015)
- Japanese ID Number: TED13
- Part of the third wave of Robots in Disguise One-Step figures, Drift transforms from a stumpy samurai robot into a futuristic orange car in just one step!
- His scannable insignia is on his robot mode chest/vehicle mode front, easily scanned even in-package.
- Autobot Drift & Jetstorm (Mini-Con Deployer, 2015)
- Japanese release date: 09-19-2015
- Japanese ID Number: TAV27
- Accessories: Jetstorm Mini-Con (Hasbro only), Slipstream & Jetstorm Microns (TakaraTomy only)
- Packaged with Jetstorm, this new Warrior-sized mold of Drift transforms from a Cybertronian Car to a robot with very limited articulation. He also features a deployer gimmick, which works with any saw blade-type Mini-Con. His mustache is still not painted. He also features 5mm compatible holes on his arms, and a 3mm compatible left hand.
- Although his stock render shows that his scannable insignia is placed on the left side of his vehicle mode, the final product features his badge on his robot mode chest, easily scanned even in-package.
- The Adventure release of Deployers Drift, titled Micron Shooter Drift Set, features additional paint applications, and both of his original Mini-cons Slipstream and Jetstorm.
- Autobot Drift (Legion Class, 2016)
- Part of the new wave of the Robots in Disguise Legion Class lineup, Drift transforms from a robot into a futuristic car in several steps.
- Blizzard Strike Autobot Drift (Hyperchanger Heroes/3-Step Changer, 2015)
- Three-Step Changer Autobot Drift is an entirely new mold, and shares a transformation with Three-step Bumblebee and Sideswipe. Strangely, the toy features a Blizzard-themed deco before he was released in his original colors.
- His scannable insignia is on his robot mode chest/vehicle mode front, easily scanned even in-package.
- Stealth Drift (Warrior Class, 2015)
- Part of the sixth wave of Warrior class figures, Stealth Drift is a redeco of the original Warrior class Drift.
Adventure
- Drift Origin & Jazz Battle Mode (Warrior Class 2-pack, 11-14-2015)
- Japanese ID Number: TAVVS05
- Accessories: Longsword, short sword
- Packaged with Jazz, this Drift is a redeco/retool of the first Warrior Class Drift, featuring a new head which evokes his IDW Generation 1 counterpart.
- Big Drift (Hyperchange Heroes/3-Step Changer, 2-27-2016)
- Japanese ID Number: TED18
- Big Drift is for some reason, a redeco of Blizzard Strike Autobot Drift in his original colors, instead of the other way around. The toy also features a maskless faceplate.
Merchandise
- Drift (Tiny Titans, 2015)
- Number: 1/12
- Part of the third assortment of Tiny Titans, this version of Drift is a soft-plastic, minimally-painted figurine swinging his swords. He comes with a trading card sold in a blind-packed bag (though there is a tiny window to peek into on the back, plus the bag is thin enough to make out the name printed on the card).
- Scanning the insiginia on his card gives the player a random number of energon cube "currency" and a random power-up item.
Notes
- In the Japanese dub of the series, Transformers Adventure, Drift speaks in an archaic dialect associated with the samurai, often ending sentences with "de gozaru" (an honorific that eventually evolved into "desu"). This was also the verbal tic previously used for Tigatron (who was played as a samurai, too), though Drift doesn't ramble it in nearly as much excess (he leaves that goofiness to Slipstream and Jetstorm).
Foreign names
- Japanese: Drift (ドリフト Dorifuto)
- Mandarin: Piāoyí (漂移, "Drift")
