Undermine (Cybertron)

This article is about the Unicron Trilogy Animatronian spinosaur. For the Decepticon spinosaur of undetermined universal origin, see Undermine (TF 2010).

Undermine is a Animatronian Decepticon turned Autobot from the Cybertron portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

"I have no head. I have no head. I have no head..."

Undermine is one of Scourge's enforcers, keeping the Jungle Planet populace pacified, which has put him on his own brother Repugnus' enemy list. He serves as a silent spy and assassin for Scourge, hunting down dissidents, learning their secrets, then usually closing in for the kill. He is said to be one of the greatest hunters in the galaxy.

People never talk about him because he kills those who hear about him.

Fiction

Cybertron cartoon

Voice actor: Mark Oliver (English), Masafumi Kimura (Japanese)

Just after finding out Grimlock finally saw Jurassic Park 3.

Centuries ago, Undermine appeared to a much younger Scourge as an innocent traveller who had been attacked. His mistreatment by extremely vague and undefined aggressors spurred Scourge to abandon Backstop's teachings and wage war against both the ineffectual rulers of Jungle Planet and the criminals that stalk the lawless lands. As Scourge grew in power, Undermine attached himself to the warlord, serving as Scourge's bodyguard alongside Brimstone. Honor

C'mon world, I'll have you for BREAKFAST!

Much later, Undermine and Snarl were doing what they always did, standing around outside Scourge's temple when two strange beings appeared, walking toward the temple entrance. Moving quickly to bar their way, Undermine warned that the strangers should leave this sacred place, lest they face the consequences. When the large being, named Megatron, merely pushed them out of the way, Undermine leapt to attack, only to be effortlessly swatted aside. After Scourge appeared and Megatron explained his search for the Cyber Planet Keys, Undermine joined his fellows in transforming dramatically into beast mode... for no apparent reason as they immediately ceased hostilities afterwards. Search

Later, he watched Megatron and Scourge face off in a friendly duel. He was impressed by the combatants' moves and applauded... and so did his beast mode head! Deep Afterwards, the Autobot Overhaul secured an audience with Scourge. While the two of them talked, Undermine was among those walking ahead, acting as an escort to the group. Race Undermine stood back as Overhaul challenged Scourge to a duel for Jungle Planet's Cyber Planet Key. Scourge won this first brawl, but the Autobot later returned for a rematch. Scourge, deciding he was no longer interested in battling "weaklings," allowed Undermine to have a first go at Overhaul this time around. Overhaul made short work of the bodyguard, proving himself worthy of another bout. Detour

When Optimus Prime arrived on Jungle Planet, Undermine journeyed out to confront the Autobot leader with Scourge. Unwilling to negotiate with anyone who hadn't proved their strength in battle, Scourge demanded that the Autobots and Decepticons fight before he heard any more about the Cyber Planet Key quest. Undermine and Brimstone kept Snarl and Backstop out of the contest at first, but soon it broke into a free-for-all with the Jungle Planet residents each aiding the Autobot and Decepticon camps. Savage

As Scourge's entourage met the Autobots again in a narrow canyon, Undermine matched his horn attack blades against Snarl's fangs. Sand When Optimus faced Scourge again, Undermine watched from the sidelines as the Autobot tried a diplomatic approach to end the ongoing conflict. Scourge would only acknowledge Optimus's requests after a show of strength, and withdrew his troops when it became clear Optimus wasn't ready to comply. Later, Brimstone and Undermine intercepted Backstop as he came to visit Scourge in his temple, only for Scourge to grant his old sensei an audience. It seemed Optimus Prime had changed his mind and would now meet Scourge for battle at a time and place of his choosing. Honor

Cyber Key bio

Scourge had a bodyguard prior to Undermine, a nice guy named Shrapnel. This did not please Undermine, who proceeded to forge evidence of Shrapnel insulting the current administration. This evidence shortly left a vacancy Undermine was more than willing to fill.

TransTech

When the Waruders caused a blackout in Axiom Nexus, an Undermine within the offworlder maximum security prison fought it out with his fellow inmates. Cybertron's Most Wanted

Toys

Cybertron

Whatever you do, don't leave him on display next to any T. rex transformers. You'll just find what they didn't get to eat.

• Undermine (Scout Class, 2005)
  • Japanese ID number: GD-08
  • Accessories: Tail-mace, Jungle Planet Cyber Key

Cybertron Undermine transforms into a robotic Spinosaurus, albeit one with a sail that more resembles a fish's dorsal fin. Plugging a Cyber Key into the back-end of his dino mode sail reveals a spring-out blade, a gimmick also usable in robot mode as a horn. His dino-tail detaches to form a flail-weapon in robot mode, which plugs into holes in the tops of his hand-claws. He comes with a silver-bordered Jungle Planet styled Cyber Planet Key; the Hasbro version has the Key Code "s48a" stamped on the back.

The Hasbro and Takara versions of the toy have a pretty significant difference in their coloration: Hasbro's is a higher-contrast scheme, using a more subdued light-green with a deeper forest-green, while Takara's has a more vibrant light-green but uses a pale camo-olive green rather than the Hasbro version's dark-green.

This sculpt was also used to make Cybertron Repugnus, and the toy in its original deco was rebranded as 2010 Transformers Undermine.

• More information on Undermine at TFU.info

Universe (2003)

• Undermine (Scout Class, 2007)
  • Accessories: Tail-mace, Jungle Planet Cyber Key

Undermine was one of several Cybertron toys repackaged onto Universe cards and sent to discount chains like Kay-Bee Toy Works.

Notes

• Undermine is one of the few Transformers who canonically have more than two arms in robot mode. Though his dino mode forelimbs fold up into his chest in robot mode, in the Cybertron cartoon, they are shown as being just as animate as they are when he's in beast mode.
• It's possible that Undermine and Wreckloose were originally supposed to sport each other's name. An early Collectors' Club announcement of the Hasbro Cybertron names (including the erroneous spellings "Thundercraacker" and "Cloker" and the misattributed name "Leo Breaker" for Live Convoy) listed Dino Shout's U.S. name as "Wreckloose", and when the toys were on display at San Diego Comic-Con 2005, the info signs identified Undermine as "Wreckloose" and Wreckloose as "Undermine". Of course, it's also possible that the names were always intended the way they ended up, and that those examples were just accidental swaps.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Dino Shout (ダイノシャウト Daino Shauto)
• Hungarian: Aknász ("Miner")

External links

• Dino Shout gallery at TFkenkon