Grappling hook
From MediaWiki
Whether it be for infiltrating an enemy base, getting to high altitudes quickly or even just blasting an enemy with it, grappling hooks are bound to come in handy for Transformer and human combatants.
Fiction
G.I. Joe and the Transformers
- The human G.I. Joe team member Scarlett uses a grappling hook launcher. G.I. Joe and the Transformers
The Transformers cartoon
- Nightbird possessed a grappling hook, in her bag of robo-ninja tricks. Enter the Nightbird
- Ironhide had a grappling hook stored within his arm. Traitor
- Mirage also uses a grappling hook once in a while. The Core
Beast Era
Beast Wars
- Both Tarantulas and Blackarachnia had a grappling hook launcher that could also double as a blaster. Though upon upgrading to his Transmetal body, Tarantulas no longer possessed a grappling hook, Blackarchnia still had access to this weapon well into her Transmetal 2 body, her beast mode mandibles becoming a hand-held grappling hook weapon upon transformation.
3H comics
- After the reformatting of Cybertron, Arcee acquired a body similar to Blackarachnia's Transmetal 2 body, presumably complete with the grappling hook weapon.
Robots in Disguise 2001
- X-Brawn has a grappling hook device.
- Tow-Line possesses a grappling hook formed from his vehicle mode's towing cable and hook. The Ultimate Robot Warrior
IDW Generation 1
- Skids might be a brilliant theoretician, but more importantly he has a grappling hook! Woah! An Intimate Beheading
Animated
- Optimus Prime often uses forearm-mounted grappling hook cables.
- Due to possessing the same body-type, Toxitron used the same grapplers as Optimus. The Stunti-Con Job
Dark of the Moon
- As the name implies, grapple gloves include a grappling hook feature, which fires out of the knuckles area.
Toys
Beast Wars
- Tarantulas (Deluxe, 1996/1997)
- Japanese ID number: D-4
- Accessories: Launcher, 4 spider-leg missiles
- Part of the first wave of Beast Wars product, Tarantulas transforms into an organic generic spider (not a tarantula). His abdomen contains a spring-loaded missile launcher, which fires the anchor-missile kept in his spider-butt. This missile is attached by a string so he can hang from things like a real spider. The launcher can be removed and used as a robot mode weapon, using any of his front four spider-legs as missiles.
- The Takara release of Tarantulas was originally identical to the Hasbro release. Later, a slightly color-altered version was released, using a brighter shade of green and a slightly darker gray.
- Blackarachnia (Deluxe, 1996/1997)
- Japanese ID number: D-8
- Accessories: Launcher, 4 leg-missiles
- Blackarachnia's original toy is a redeco of the Tarantulas mold, transforming into a rather generic-looking organic spider. It features a removable spring-loaded launcher hidden in its beast mode abdomen. It nominally fires the "grappling hook" attached to its abdomen by a string, but its front four beast mode legs can also be removed and used as ammunition.
- The Takara release of the toy has numerous color differences from the Hasbro version, but they are of dubious merit as far as making her more "show-accurate" go.
- Blackarachnia (Transmetal 2, 1999)
- Japanese ID number: C-48
- Accessories: Mandible grapnel-line
- The Transmetal 2 version of Blackarachnia transforms into a large, organic/mechanical, monstrous spider, featuring a grappling hook, switching faction symbols activated by rotating her spark crystal around, and a spring-loaded spin-kick action feature.
- Arcee (Mega, 2001)
- The very first true transforming Arcee toy is a redeco and minor retooling of the Beast Wars Transmetal 2 Blackarachnia, transforming into a malformed mish-mash of machine and organic parts in the form of a large spider. The spider mode fangs become a grappling weapon for her robot mode which extend on a retractable string.
- Leatherhide Vs. Blackarachnia (Halloween Horrorcon value pack, unreleased)
- Accessories: Launcher, 4 leg-missiles
- In 2004, a group of test-shots made their way onto eBay, among them a redeco of the original Beast Wars Tarantulas/Blackarachnia mold in black with silver spider-legs and salmon-colored robot parts.
 Proceed on your way to oblivion. |
Beast Wars 10th Anniversary
- Predacon Tarantulus (Deluxe, 2006)
- Accessories: Launcher, 4 spider-leg missiles
- This toy is a slight redeco of the original Tarantulas toy, more closely resembling Tarantulas's appearance in the cartoon (save the big Predacon faction sigil tampograph).
Beast Wars Telemocha Series
- Blackwidow (Deluxe, 2007)
- Japanese ID number: TM-06
- Accessories: Launcher, 4 leg-missiles
- As part of the Beast Wars Telemocha line, the original Blackarachnia toy was extensively redecoed with a ridiculous number of gold paint operations, making her closer to show-accurate in coloration than the other versions of the mold, but still not quite there. (Her shoulders are silver in the show.) All of the gimmicks of the original toy were retained.
Animated
- Blackarachnia (Deluxe, 2008)
- Japanese ID number: TA-09
- Accessories: Grapnel-hook
- Blackarachnia transforms into a mechanical spider with some organic aesthetic. She comes with a grapnel hook accessory to represent her web-producing abilities in the television show. This is spring-loaded, with a jointed claw at the end of it. Pressing a button causes it to retract along the string. It may be mounted under her abdomen in spider mode or on her back in robot mode, via two different sets of pegs. There is also a peg hole in each wrist, for web-slinging action.
Revenge of the Fallen
- Mudflap/Chromia/Seymour Simmons (Human Alliance, 2010)
- Japanese ID number: RA-31
- A larger-scale figure, Human Alliance Mudflap has a very similar transformation to his twin which is understandable on a canonical level since they're from the same spark.
- The left seat of his vehicle mode has a pop-up control panel for Simmons to operate, presumably to control the small grappling hook set above Mudflap's left hand, which a small winch can reel out and pull in.
- Grapple Grip Mudflap (Fast Action Battler, 2009)
- Fast Action Battlers Mudflap has a simplified transformation for younger buyers. His left hand's middle finger can be extended (yes, ha ha) on a rope to function as a grappling hook.
- Rally Mudflap (Fast Action Battler)
- Rally Mudflap is a redeco of Grapple Grip Mudflap, decorating him with a gray racing stripe on his roof and his name on his windshield.
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