Tow-Line (RID)

This article is about the Robots in Disguise Autobot tow-truck. For the Energon Autobot van, see Tow-Line (Energon).

Tow-Line is an Autobot from the Robots in Disguise continuity family.

Stop draggin' my, stop draggin' my, stop draggin' my car around!

"'No parking' means 'no parking'!" is Tow-Line's motto, and it allows for no exceptions. He is so single-mindedly fixated on this apparently senseless purpose that he has been known to tow fire engines away from hydrants, seize children's tricycles, and even impound other Autobots who violate human traffic laws in the course of a mission. Such extreme irrationality, coupled with such total predictability, makes him both a hindrance to his fellow Autobots and an easy target for his enemies.

In battle, he wields his mighty Wrecker Hook!

No parking means no parkingTow-Line about every second, Tow-Line Goes Haywire

Japanese name: Wrecker Hook

Fiction

Robots in Disguise cartoon

Voice actor: Lex Lang (English), Masami Iwasaki (Japanese)

Heroic mindless fascist

One of Tow-Line's first acts on arriving on Earth was to tow Side Burn, much to the latter's disgust. Under Prowl's supervision, Tow-Line began towing away Metro City's illegal parkers. Unfortunately his zealousness extended to towing away tricycles, wedding cars, mailmen named Moe, and so on, leading Prowl to reprimand him.

Tow-Line's work was not lost on the Predacons, who ambushed him and dragged him away to do a bit of reprogramming with a disk. Soon Tow-Line considered the other Autobots as villains and began towing X-Brawn. After reasoning failed, X-Brawn attempted to use his grappling hook, causing damage to the other Autobot's circuits, and resulting in Tow-Line dumping him down a hole at the power plant.

Side Burn was also captured easily, but while carrying Rapid Run through the city, Tow-Line was spotted by Prowl and Koji. Intercepted by Optimus Prime and Prowl, he was soon rescued from the disk's control and apologized profusely for kidnapping his fellow Autobots. Even after learning his lesson, Tow-Line still cheerfully hauled off Prowl for parking illegally. Tow-Line Goes Haywire

Tow-Line aided in a deception, helping to disguise Team Bullet Train and Optimus Prime as a transforming dragon in order to trick the Predacons into leaving some statues alone. When Railspike and Optimus toppled over while operating the robot, Tow-Line was able to pull it back into an upright position using his grappling hook. The Ultimate Robot Warrior

Movor briefly tracked Tow-Line from space in an attempt to locate the Autobots' hidden base, but as Tow-Line was spending all of his time towing cars, it wasn't much help. Later Tow-Line and the other Autobots ambushed the Decepticons as they tailed Side Burn. Attack from Outer Space

Tow-Line towed Side Burn to Fortress Maximus' hiding place, so that the Autobot wouldn't get distracted on the way. Maximus Emerges

He was also called in as part of the contingency plan created for the event that Galvatron learned of the location of the Autobot base. Assembling with the rest of the Autobots near a lake, he took part in the battle against the combined Decepticon/Predacon forces. Surprise Attack!

Together with the other Autobots, he shielded Optimus from Galvatron's paralysing beam, allowing the Autobot leader to regroup and form Omega Prime with Ultra Magnus. After the final battle was over, Tow-Line towed some more cars just for the fun of it. The Final Battle

Toys

Robots In Disguise

File:RID Towline toy.jpg

"Scooby Dooby Doo. Where are you?"

• Wrecker Hook (Flipchanger, 2000)
  • Japanese ID number: C-017
  • Accessories: Grill/rifle

Tow-line is a redeco of the Machine Wars tow trucks Hoist and Hubcap. He changes from truck to robot mode with a single-step, spring-loaded transformation activated by lifting his towing hook up, plus he has a (non-firing) blaster weapon stored under his grill.

This mold was also used to make Wrecker Hook.

• More information on Tow-Line at TFU.info

• Super Wrecker Hook (Flipchanger, 2000)
  • Accessories: Grill/rifle

A limited-edition, clear-orange version of Tow-Line in "Super Mode" was made exclusively for Daiei stores in Japan, free with the purchase of the Build Team gift set for a limited time.

• Tow-Line / Skyfire (Deluxe, 2001)
  • Accessories: Grill/rifle

For the Hasbro release of the toy, he was available only in a Deluxe-level two-pack with the Decepticon Skyfire. There are no notable changes between the Hasbro and Takara versions.

Notes

• There is speculation among fans that Tow-Line is the same character as amnesiac Wrecker Hook in the Robot Masters series, due to them sharing names and molds. However, there is little to no actual fictional support for this.... Then again, there is little to contradict it, either, as Wrecker Hook's role in the Robot Masters storyline is minor at best.