Galaxial rocket launcher

The magnificently named galaxial rocket launcher is one of Dinobot leader Grimlock's weapons or another. Possibly both.

Fiction

Marvel The Transformers comics

In "Autobot mode", Grimlock wielded an energo-sword and a double-barrelled, self-propelled rocket launcher. Grimlock's Universe profile

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

Grimlock carried an energo-sword and a self-loading rocket launcher that fired explosive plasma and shrapnel rounds. Grimlock's More than Meets the Eye profile

Toys

The Transformers

• Grimlock (Dinobot, 1985/1986/1990)
  • Accessories: energo sword, "stunner" lasers, rocket launcher, 3 rockets

The Transformers Grimlock came with a red energo sword, a black double-barrelled rifle (called "stunner" lasers in the instructions), and a rocket launcher with three chromed silver rockets. His packaging bio reveals that he carries an energo sword and galaxial rocket launcher in "Dinobot mode".

Grimlock was reissued as part of the European/Australian Classics line and in Japan, he was offered as a mail-away item during Operation Combination.

• Grimlock (Classic Pretender, 1989)
  • Accessories: Pretender shell, helmet, atom-smashing submachine gun, rocket launcher tail

The Classic Pretender version of Grimlock's dino tail becomes a weapon (generically described as a laser in the instructions) that his inner robot can hold. His bio further describes his inner robot weapon as a double-barrelled, self-propelled rocket launcher despite it only having one barrel, though this is not without precedent.

The inner robot with laser/tail/rocket launcher was released separately as a Kmart exclusive Legends figure by Hasbro and in a boxed "Hero Set" with the Legends versions of Bumblebee, Jazz and Starscream in Japan and Italy.

Generation 2

Pictured: a galaxial rocket launcher. Possibly.

• Grimlock (Dinobot, 1993)
  • Accessories: energy sword, twin laser gun

Grimlock's original toy was redecoed for release in Generation 2, this time lacking the rocket launcher and rockets, and with his remaining weapons more generically labelled as an energy sword and a twin laser gun in the instructions. While the packaging bio reflects this name change for his sword, it maintains that he carries a galaxial rocket launcher in "Dinobot mode".

Notes

• Despite its awesome name, the galaxial rocket launcher is strange, elusive, and difficult to pin down. From Grimlock's original bio, it appears that the rocket launcher included with his toy was supposed to be his primary ranged weapon, as his "stunner" lasers are not mentioned at all. However, on his package art Grimlock is drawn only holding his energo sword, and in practice he was almost always depicted carrying the double-barrelled "stunner" lasers in commercials, catalog images, and other marketing material, possibly due to missile-firing toys being out of favour. Grimlock's The Transformers Universe profile compounds the confusion between the two weapons, as he is drawn holding the "stunner" lasers and described as carrying a double-barrelled, self-propelled rocket launcher—effectively repurposing one weapon as another, though sadly without the "galaxial" designation. This would then feed back into Pretender Grimlock's bio, leading to his single-barrelled laser/tail also being described as a double-barrelled, self-propelled rocket launcher. Generation 2 Grimlock's bio resurrected the original galaxial rocket launcher name despite the toy not coming with the original rocket launcher, which again effectively repurposed the toy's double-barrelled twin laser gun.