Smokescreen (Armada)
| The name or term "Smokescreen" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Smokescreen (disambiguation). |
| This article is about the Unicron Trilogy Autobot Smokescreen/Hoist. For the Generation 1 Autobot Hoist, see Hoist (G1). |
Smokescreen is an Autobot in the Armada and Energon portions of the Unicron Trilogy continuity. He took the name "Hoist" upon recieving a new body.
Few Autobots are as tough and steadfast as Smokescreen. He doesn't believe in giving up, and is ready to lay down his life to defend the weak, be they Autobot, Mini-Con or human. Though he's ironheaded and unshakeable in battle, showing no mercy to the Decepticons, around the base is another matter entirely. He's a kind, friendly bot who always seems to have a good word or good-natured joke ready.
Japanese name: Grap
In Japan, Grap was a determined old man, and comedy relief character.
Fiction
Armada Cartoon
Voice Actor: Dale Wilson (US), ??? (Japan)
Dreamwave Armada/Energon Comics
When Megatron attacked the Autobase, Smokescreen was one of the Autobots that fought to repel him. He got blasted in the chest by Megatron's cannon, nearly killing him. He was later rebuilt as Hoist.
3H Universe comics
A presumably alternate-universe incarnation of Smokescreen is shown in a death-duel with a presumably alternate-universe incarnation of Generation 1 Smokescreen within the Cauldron arena. Both robots' minds corrupted by Unicron, crane-Smokescreen killed car-Smokescreen, gaining in power, while Unicron fed off the defeated robot's released spark.
It is possible that this Smokescreen would have turned out to be Universe Smokescreen had the comic series continued.
Toys
Armada
- Smokescreen with Liftor (Deluxe, 2002)
- Japanese ID number: MC-04
- Smokescreen transforms into a heavy Cybertronic truck with a large crane boom and tow-cable. flipping a switch on his back end connects the tow-cable spool to his rear axle, reeling in the cable as he rolls in vehicle mode. Attaching a Mini-Con to the Powerlinx plug on his crane boom allows it to extend and unfold to almost three times its original length, forming a huge spring-loaded missile launcher. He came with the Mini-Con Liftor, while in Japan he was also available in a multi-pack with the Race Mini-Con Team.
- The same mold is used by Universe Smokescreen.
- Grap w/ Lift and Race Microns
- Japanese ID number: MS-02
- Smokescreen (Happy Meal, 2002)
- One of eight McDonald's Happy Meal promotional toys, Smokescreen is an extremely simplified verison of the Armada toy, transforming into a crane. He features a "battle damage" gimmick where hitting a button on his front grill makes his crane-boom pop off, a gimmick simlar to Happy Meal Demolishor.
- Hoist with Refute (Deluxe, 2003)
- Japanese ID number: MC-11
- Smokesceen returned in a new body with the name "Hoist", transforming into a Cybertronic excavator, with a new Mini-Con partner Refute (who, in Japan, was just the upgraded form of Liftor). Plugging a Mini-Con onto his right arm unlocks his shovel-arm punch attack. The Takara version had a fairly significant color difference from the Hasbro version, replacing his dark brown with a swirled gunmetal.
- The same mold (with the molded Autobot sigil replaced by a smooth block for a sigil tampograph) is used by Universe Ransack. A heavily-retooled version of the mold is used by Cybertron Longrack and BotCon 2006 Dinobot.
- It is believed that Hoist was originaly planned to have a gear system that would activate the Adventure team gimmicks when his shovel rod was pushed. This is supported by the gear gimmick on Refute, who is too big to fit onto Cyclonus. Also, when Hoist's mini-con gimmick is activated, a block is flipped which allows the shovel arm to move. The feature remains unlocked untill the block is manually returned to its latched position.
- Grap Supermode w/ Spark Lift and Adventure Microns
- Japanese ID number: MS-07
- (Note: It is widely believed that the Hoist mold was originally designed to be a separate character, but was changed to become a new Smokescreen body at the behest of Takara. Official confirmation or denial of this has not yet been obtained, however.)
Merchandise
A soft-plastic PVC of Smokescreen was made for Act 10 of the SCF line in 2003. It came in both full-color and pewter-finish versions.
External Links
