Crosswise (RID)
| The name or term "Crosswise" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Crosswise (disambiguation). |
- Crosswise is an Autobot from the 2001 Robots in Disguise continuity family.
Crosswise is one of the elite Spy Changers, the Autobots' team of ninja-like warriors. The brains of the group, he busies himself with working on his teammates' maintenance and upgrading. His specialty is the manipulation of gravity, using his gravity-beam gun to great effect.
Fiction
2001 Robots in Disguise cartoon
- Voice actor: Dan Woren (English), Junichi Miura (Japanese), Vladimir Gerasimov (Russian), Wan-gyeong Seong (Korean)
When the Predacons stole the Plutonium Energy Generator, T-AI called in the Spy Changers. Hot Shot, Crosswise and R.E.V. responded first, pursuing the Predacons onto the beach where they were joined by the other three Spy Changers. During the "cyber-jousting", Crosswise gave R.E.V. a lift. The Predacons eventually escaped with a fake generator which the Spy Changers had swapped for the real one. Spychangers to the Rescue
After Optimus was captured and tortured by Megatron, the Spy Changers joined the Autobot Brothers in rescuing their leader and seeing off the Predacons. Sideburn's Obsession
Later, the team tried to protect a ruby from Predacon theft and Mirage's failure to take a shot resulted in the Predacons escaping. When Mirage pretended to defect and led the Spy Changers to Megatron's Mega-Laser Cannon, Crosswise was able to formulate a plan to destroy it using the Global Space Bridge. Mirage's Betrayal
The Spy Changers also took part in the International Grand Prix in an attempt to find Skid-Z and were blinded by Megatron a short time into the race. Skid Z's Choice On another occasion, the Spy Changers were called back to base to watch footage of various battles, but had to wrap up a fight with the Predacons first. R.E.V. rode on Crosswise again. Hope for the Future
The Spy Changers accompanied Optimus Prime to Montrose Island where Predacon activity was causing the volcano to become violent. They attempted to keep Scourge and Sky-Byte busy while Optimus went to use his blizzard storm on the volcano. When the volcano was ruptured and lava threatened the nearby resort, Crosswise took point in the Spy Changers' Inferno Blast to divert its path. He warned that his engine was in danger of redlining, but it survived long enough to complete the maneuver. Volcano
In between all their adventures, the Autobots still had to perform some of the more menial tasks, such as regularly testing out the global space bridge. Lessons of the Past
Sent to stop the Decepticons from finding Fortress Maximus, the Spy Changers jumped out in front of the foe and were soundly trounced by Armorhide and Rollbar. Fortress Maximus
The Spy Changers took part in the ambush of the Decepticons after the Autobot base was discovered. Surprise Attack! After Galvatron's defeat, they celebrated by racing with Skid-Z. The Final Battle
Super Spy Changers catalog
With God Magnus having departed Earth aboard Brave Maximus, the Autobots were unable to call upon his power when a new menace suddenly arose to challenge them. In order to combat this threat, a plan was put into motion to upgrade the Spy Changers with Spark Engines, granting them Super Modes.
Super Crosswise had improved gravity abilities and now could fly using this power. In his free time, he researched methods to improve the Spark Engine.[1][2]
Ask Vector Prime
The threat was Chainsaw and his Mutants. Super Crosswise battled Gangrene, who had attempted to disrupt the 2002 World Cup with shamanic magic. His improved abilities came in handy when Chainsaw and the rest of his Mutants attempted to overrun the Autobot base. Using the power of teamwork, the Super Spy Changers defeated and captured the villains. Though the Go-Brillium which powered them was used up and they were no longer Super, they retained new color schemes. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/01
Legends comic
When Scourge and his Commandos attacked the Dimensional Patrol's Neo Brave Maximus to rescue Devil Gigatron, the Super Spy Changers were sent out to the front lines. Their damage to the Commando's ship led to it crashing into the base. LGEX Scourge Prologue
Toys
Car Robots
- X-Car (Spy Changer, 2000)
- Japanese ID number: C-008
- Accessories: Gun
- A redeco of the Generation 2 Go-Bots High Beam mold, Car Robots X-Car transforms into a concept car with an exposed rear engine that looks exactly like the Speed Blaster car from Mattel's Hot Wheels line that was first released in 1991 under the names "Back Burner" and "Sonic Special". His car panels are colorless clear plastic with blue paint applications on the inside. He features through-axle construction, allowing for super-speedy racing on smooth surfaces, and his car mode is compatible with many tracks and playsets from Hot Wheels and Matchbox. His left front window has heat-sensitive paint that reveals an Autobot insignia, in a method similar to the original rubsigns.
- This mold was also used to make the Generation 2 Go-Bot versions of Bumblebee and BotCon-exclusive Nightracer.
| Generation 2 mold: High Beam | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
- Spy Changer Deluxe 6 Piece Set (Multi-pack, 2000)
- Japanese ID number: C-011
- Accessories: Gun
- All six Spy Changers were not only sold as individuals in Japan, but in a six-piece gift set as well. The toys in the set were identical to their individual releases.
- Sonokong also released this gift set in Korean markets with no differences other than the packaging.
- X-Car clear version (Spy Changer, 2000)
- Accessories: Gun
- An exclusive redeco of X-Car in transparent blue and red plastics, this version was only available from JUSCO stores in Japan as a direct-mail premium to members of their "Peppy Kids Republic" (元気キッズ共和国, Genki Kidzu Kyōwakoku), a sort of subsidiary/offshoot for selling baby goods and children's clothing. Since membership was open only to kids 12 and under and this version was shipped blind-packed, getting the entire set of six was extremely difficult.
| Generation 2 mold: High Beam | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
- Super X-Car (Spy Changer, 2003)
- Spy Changer ID number:
- Accessories: Gun
- In a bizarre move, Takara released a new set of Spy Changers in individual boxes, in a manner similar to the Micromaster toys, well after the end of Car Robots. Crosswise was done in clear-green (without the internal paint) with light gray inner parts. He also retained the Hasbro-added faction symbol on his roof, rather than using the Takara heat-sensitive windshield.
- In every case of twelve Super Spy Changers, two were done in entirely colorless-clear plastics with their normal paint applications remaining. All six Spy Changers were done in these "chase" clears, and while you knew which model you were getting thanks to numbers on the packaging, you did not know if you got a clear version until you opened the baggie inside.
| Generation 2 mold: High Beam | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
Robots in Disguise (2001)
- W.A.R.S. / Crosswise (Spy Changer, 2001)
- Accessories: Gun
- Available only in a two-pack with W.A.R.S., the Hasbro Robots in Disguise version of Crosswise replaces the heat-sensitive insignia with a normal Autobot insignia tampograph on the roof of the car. He also features three extra red stripes: one on his spoiler and two underneath the doors.
- The initial releases of this set have W.A.R.S. packaged in robot mode with Crosswise in vehicle mode, pointed straight upward. Later releases have both toys in vehicle mode, tilted to a 1 o'clock position.
| Generation 2 mold: High Beam | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
- Crosswise (Spy Changer, 2002)
- Accessories: Gun
- All six original Spy Changers were redecoed in clear versions of their normal plastic colors (while keeping their normal paint applications), and released on individual cards, originally exclusive to KB Toys but later also found at Target stores. Crosswise's blue ended up a fair bit brighter than his normal release thanks to the plastic changes.
| Generation 2 mold: High Beam | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
- Crosswise (Tiny Tins, 2002)
- Accessories: Rifle, carrying tin
- The normal Hasbro version of Crosswise was released as part of the first assortment of Tiny Tins Transformers, coming with a carrying tin. The actual toy was identical to the normal retail release.
- Crosswise (Spy Changer, 2003)
- Accessories: Gun
- A second round of KB Toys exclusive Spy Changers was released in 2003, this time with (mostly) different colors in clear plastics. Crosswise got a candy-like clear red and purple coloration, and lost the overwhelming majority of his paint applications, including his "signature" X and all of the internal paint.
| Generation 2 mold: High Beam | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
Notes
- When ambushing the Predacons in "Mirage's Betrayal", Crosswise cunningly concealed himself on a billboard advertising his alt-mode, with his license plate number and name (albeit his Japanese name) prominently displayed.
- No, his Japanese name is "X-Car", not "Racer X".
- Crosswise's preliminary Hasbro name was X-Tech.[3]
Foreign names
- Japanese: X-Car (エックスカー Ekkusu Kā), Crosswise (クロスワイズ[4] Kurosuwaizu)
- Korean: X-Car (엑스카 Ekseu Ka)
- Russian: Umnik (Умник, "Know-All")
