Hoist (RB)

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

Hoist the Tow-Bot is an Autobot from the Rescue Bots portion of the Aligned continuity family.

Hoist was once a spaceship repair-bot and aspiring inventor. Now he's putting his engineering skills and towing abilities to new use as a potential Rescue Bot. Studying at the Rescue Bot Training Center on Earth, Hoist is learning to have more confidence in himself and work as part of a team with his fellow students Hot Shot, Medix, Wedge, and Whirl.

Fiction

2015 Robots in Disguise cartoon

Following the restoration of Cybertron from the Great War, Hoist was one of the many Autobots blacklisted by the new High Council for being a supporter of Optimus Prime. Enemy of My Enemy

Rescue Bots Academy cartoon

Whatever you do, do not eat the free pistachio ice cream! It has turned.

Voice actor: Alan Trinca (English)

Hoist was selected to be a new recruit at the Rescue Bot Training Center on Earth. Shortly after Hot Shot joined the team, Heatwave had them undertake a test rescue, with Hoist and Medix extracting Tough Luck Chuck from a burning building, however the test ended in failure thanks to Hot Shot. Recruits Part I Whirl and Hoist unsuccessfully tried to find Hot Shot, who appeared to be headed back to Cybertron, however their fellow recuit later turned up with two extra alternate modes bestowed on him by Optimus Prime. The recruits went on to successfully carry out a cave rescue. Recruits Part II

After a rescue turned out to be more difficult than expected, the other recruits got Hoist to create new rescue tools for them to use, including a winch whip for himself. Hoist was discouraged when the first test of the tools was a dismal failure, but the other recruits got Boulder involved, and Hoist successfully perfected the tools. If at First... After Hot Shot was assigned to look after Tough Luck Chuck when the test robot was damaged, Wedge and Hoist found Chuck roaming the training center. Chuck managed to slip off Hoist's hook and escape through the GroundBridge, forcing the Rescue Bots to hunt for him in Milford. Tough Luck Chuck Bored by Chase's class on police codes, Hoist and the other recruits persuaded Chase to let them try to do a practice rescue, and ended up being rescued themselves by Whirl when they got stuck in the snow. Whirl'd View When the recruits didn't understand why Boulder was having them plant flowers, the Rescue Bot set them a task which taught them that all parts of nature are important. Plan Bee

Toys

Rescue Bots

Fist-bump?

• Hoist the Tow-Bot (2012)

Part of the fifth wave of the original Rescue Bots toyline, Hoist transforms from robot into a tow truck. Pulling the tow truck's hook up converts him back into a robot.

The wave with Hoist and Medix was originally a bit scarce on retail shelves (though it hit Target clearance in some places), and as such the two demanded some hefty prices on the secondary market thanks to a surge of interest in the line as a result of the cartoon). However, there must have been a warehouse find or something, as eBay sellers eventually started listing them in large numbers for roughly original retail.

This figure was redecoed and given a new head to create the tow-truck version of Optimus Prime, currently an Amazon-exclusive.

• More information on Hoist at TFU.info

Neon!

• Hoist the Tow-Bot (Rescan Series, 2016)

Part of the eleventh wave of "Rescan" figures (second wave of the 2016 assortment), Hoist is a re-working of his original toy in a smaller scale. He transforms from robot to tow truck (and back) in a single step, activated by swinging his legs down (or up), which swings out (or in) his arms and head. His tow-winch is adjustable and can in theory tow another toy in vehicle mode, but the hook sits pretty dang close to his rear bumper and prevents some toys from hooking up with him; Quickshadow and Bumblebee both work for this.

He has 5mm post-holes on his tow-winch and both sides of his fists, though the ones on the bottoms of his fists have considerably more clearance for large "accessories" like the Rescue Bots Mini-Cons.

He's not fat, his alt-mode just makes him look that way.

• Hoist the Tow-Bot (Flip Racer, 2017)

Part of the first wave of individually packed Flip Racers, Hoist transforms automatically from tow-truck to robot when the vehicle mode is lifted up and placed on its end.

Notes

• The original Hoist's package art shows him teamed with an unnamed human partner in the shape, but not colors, of the original Charlie Burns figure. This character never materialized as a toy.
• His Rescan series artwork is a trace-over of the original rendered in style to match the cartoon's look. It also omits the human partner and changes a handful of details to line up more with the new toy.