Grimlock (G1)
Grimlock (La Menace in France, Tiran in Italy) is the name of various fictional characters in the Transformers Universes.
| Transformers character | |
| Grimlock | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | Autobot (Cybertron) |
| Sub-Group | Dinobots/Pretenders/Action Masters |
| Function | Dinobot Commander |
| Motto | "Among the winners, there is no room for the weak." |
| Alternate mode(s) | Mechanical T-Rex (Cybertronian Tank in War Within) |
| Series | G1 cartoon, Marvel Comics, Dreamwave Comics, Devil's Due Comics |
| Voiced by | Gregg Berger (English) Takuro Kitagawa (Japanese) |
Generation 1
The most fearsome and powerful of the Dinobots, Grimlock is never happier than in battle. Grimlock can be cold, merciless and contemptuous of those he considers beneath him, such as human beings, and at times, even Autobot leader Optimus Prime himself, who Grimlock would gladly supplant as Autobot leader if he were able. Nevertheless, he is a valiant warrior whose actions command respect from all who are witness to them, both friend and foe. One of his most distinguishing features is his famous speech impediment, which leads him to shorten sentences and refer to himself constantly as "Me," never "I" - the reason for this varies from depiction to depiction, with some making it the result of true mental limitations, and others a ruse Grimlock perpetrates to allow others to think of him as less intelligent than he actually is.
Grimlock is among the strongest of the Transformers, possibly an equal to Optimus Prime and Megatron. In Tyrannosaurus Rex mode, his powerful jaws can snap virtually anything that comes between them - from steel cables to a Decepticon limb. In robot mode, Grimlock wields an energo-sword, whose blade is sheathed in crackling Energon and can slice a two-foot thick concrete wall in one slash. He also uses a double-barrelled, self-propelled rocket launcher.
Animated Series
The original character profiles (and the tech specs derived from them) written by Bob Budiansky indicate that Grimlock and the Dinobots were intended to come from Cybertron to Earth like the vast majority of other Transformers. However, the cartoon would diverge wildly from this when it introduced the reptillian robots.
The discovery of fossilised dinosaur bones in a cavern in their volcano base set the Earthbound Autobots on the track to creating the Dinobots. Intrigued by the creatures, and with additional knowledge supplied by Spike, Wheeljack and Ratchet created three "Dinobots" - Grimlock, Slag and Sludge. Unfortunately, their design specs proved to be a little too accurate to the creatures they were modelled on, as their primitive brains went out of control, and Grimlock almost destroyed Teletraan I, before the trio was stopped. Optimus Prime deemed them too dangerous to use again, and had them sealed back up in the cavern, but when the majority of the Autobot force was captured by the Decepticons, Wheeljack freed them to go to their rescue. Equipped with new devices that enhanced their brainpower to functional, yet still impaired, levels (resulting in slow thought processes and simple, clipped speech), the three Dinobots successfully rescued their Autobot comrades, and Optimus Prime admitted his error.
In his private thoughts, however, Grimlock considered Optimus Prime too weak to lead, seeking the position for himself. When Soundwave read his mind and learned of this animosity, Megatron was able to trick Grimlock and the Dinobots into switching sides, attacking and capturing Optimus Prime. To stop the turncoat Dinobots, two new ones were created: Snarl and Swoop. Ultimately, it was when Optimus Prime threw himself into harm's way to save Grimlock from an explosion that he accepted his mistake and rejoined the Autobots.
Although content for the moment to remain a soldier, rather than a leader, Grimlock still had trouble accepting orders, only agreeing to help stem the tide of natural disasters ravaging Earth due to Cybertron being pulled into it's orbit when he realised he'd die if he didn't. Grimlock and the Dinobots were semi-regularly called into action when the Autobots were faced with challenges that required extra strength, such as the Sub-Atlantican invasion of Washington, or the Decepticons' control of the TORQ III supercomputer; with every piece of help he and his troops gave, Grimlock was never slow to add a scathing remark about the inabilities of the Autobots. That said, he was not unwilling to admit the failings of his own troops, either, and willingly took them to the time-displaced "Dinobot Island," where they trained in the wilderness and helped stop a Decepticon raid on the prehistoric paradise.
The final straw for Grimlock came when he and the Dinobots were injured in a Decepticon trap at an airfield. Enraged, Grimlock refused to take orders from Optimus Prime any more, and led the Dinobots away from the Ark. When the Autobots began to suffer from Cybertonium deficiency, Spike Witwicky and his girlfriend Carly attempted to persuade the Dinobots - who continued to function perfectly, as they had been built on Earth without Cybertonium - to steal some of the mineral from a Decepticon shipment coming in from Cybertron. Grimlock instead opted to lead the Dinobots to Cybertron itself, where they were captured by Shockwave and put to work in the Cybertonium mines, until Spike and Carly rescued them. Brought back to Earth, the Dinobots agreed to follow Prime's order again - until such time as Grimlock didn't feel like it.
By the Earth year 2005, it seemed apparent that Grimlock had undergone some degree of a personality change, becoming more childish and petulant, rather than brutish and stubborn. Throughtout 2006, he regularly participated in missions with his fellow Autobots rather than the other Dinobots, battling on the planets of Chaar, Goo, Dredd and Eurythma. He and Daniel Witwicky were transported to the sorcerous other-dimensional realm of Menonia, where Grimlock was duped into fighting on the side of the tyrannical Quintesson, the Red Wizard, and later, he helped to sniff out the "dinosaur transform static" that implicated Trypticon in the theft of world monuments. Later in the year, when Decepticon leader Galvatron had Cybertron infused with function-inverting anti-electrons, a dose of the particles gave Grimlock super-intelligence. During a mission to Unicron's disembodied head, where the Autobots were outmatched by the new Decepticon Terrorcons, Grimlock used components of Unicron's head to construct the Technobots to battle them. Combined as Computron, the Technobots felt they could not match the Terrorcons, until Grimlock transferred his super-intelligence into Computron, reverting to his old self and allowing the Technobots to claim victory.
Grimlock's greatest victory came when he and a large number of other Transformers with animal transformations were summoned to a world at the centre of the galaxy by the ex-assistant of the ancient genius, Primacron, creator of Unicron. The assistant had assembled these "Primitive" Transformers in the hope that their simple instincts could defeat Primacron's newest creation, Tornedron, but one by one they fell to him, with Grimlock apparently crushed under Trypticon. Grimlock survived, however, and followed Tornedron back to Primacron's lab. When Tornedron turned on his master, like his predecessor, Primacron's complicated plans and equations could not find a way to stop him; Grimlock, on the other hand, randomly flicked a switch which reversed Tornedron's energy polarity, undoing the damage he and done and dissipating. Dancing around over his successful saving of the universe, Grimlock decimated Primacron's lab, dubbing it the smartest thing he'd ever done.
Grimlock was voiced by Gregg Berger in the US and by Takurō Kitagawa in Japan.
Marvel Comics
Since Marvel Comics' Transformers series were primarily written by Bob Budiansky in its early years, the writer was able to present his origin for the Dinobots as he had originally conceived it. Hence, when the Ark crashed on Earth four million years ago, it was followed down to the planet by the Decepticon Shockwave, who touched down in the prehistoric region of Antarctica known as the Savage Land. The Ark's computer detected his presence on the planet, and its scans of the Savage Land led it to believe that dinosaurs were the dominant life form. Thus, it reconstructed Grimlock and his troops into dinosaur forms, in order to battle Shockwave. Unfortunately, they were no match for him, and were trapped in a tar pit. With their final strike, they made him fall in the pit along with them, buried under a rockslide.
In 1984, when Shockwave was accidentally reactivated by an Autobot probe and took command of the Decepticons from Megatron, Autobot medic Ratchet entered into an uneasy alliance with the deposed Decepticon leader, agreeing to recover the Dinobots so that they might defeat Shockwave again. Ratchet pulled a double-cross, however, and had the Dinobots attack Megatron instead, resulting in a battle that ended with Megatron's disappearance.
Grimlock steadily grew more and more displeased with Optimus Prime's leadership, and eventually broke his Dinobots away from the main Autobot faction. After a prolonged period living in self-imposed exile, the news of Optimus Prime's death brought Grimlock back to the Autobots. After proving his worth by defeating the Decepticon Trypticon, Grimlock was elected leader of the Autobots.
It soon proved that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Grimlock transformed into a tyrannical ruler who led the Autobots with an iron fist. His policy towards Earth and its inhabitants were vastly different from Optimus Prime's – instead of viewing them as objects of protection, Grimlock expressed a disdain for humanity, viewing them as an inferior species unworthy of their protection. Under Grimlock’s leadership, the Ark, was repaired and made spaceworthy again, but Blaster and Goldbug could not endure Grimlock's leadership any more, and set out on their own, only to have Grimlock mark them as traitors. Blaster was hunted down by the Protectobots and later the Dinobots themselves, and placed under imprisonment and torture.
When the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters arrived from Nebulos, Grimlock refused to recognize the authority of Fortress Maximus and failed to establish an allegiance with his group. This proved to be the last straw for the Autobots under Grimlock's command, who collectively conspired to overthrow him, arranging for Blaster to challenge Grimlock for leadership. During their battle on the moon, the Decepticons took advantage of this weakness in the Autobot ranks and interrupted the duel with an all-out assault. With all Autobots now under attack from their mortal enemies, Grimlock and Blaster put their differences aside and fought alongside each other against the Decepticon horde. Subsequently, Fortress Maximus orchestrated the recreation of Optimus Prime as a Powermaster, and Grimlock stepped down as leader.
Grimlock and the Dinobots were destroyed during the battle against Starscream while the villain was super-powered by the Underbase. After a short time, Grimlock (along with Jazz and Bumblebee) was rebuilt by Ratchet as a Pretender. Ratchet shortly after was lost in a transport incident while taking out Megatron, and was thus unable to continue his work restoring other Autobots in stasis lock (Ratchet later returned, physically merged with Megatron). Grimlock swore to one day find a way to revive his Dinobots.
Under the leadership of Powermaster Optimus Prime, Grimlock proved to be a loyal and powerful Autobot, daring even to battle the Matrix-powered Decepticon Thunderwing during the Matrix Quest. However, he was still obsessed with quickly reviving the Dinobots, a goal which put him at odds with Optimus Prime, who advocated patience in the search for a way to rebuild the fallen Autobots. Grimlock finally lost patience, stole the bodies of the Dinobots and a shuttle from the Ark, and piloted it to the planet Hydrus Four, where scientists had developed a new fuel called Nucleon. It was more powerful than Energon and capable of bringing dead Transformers back to life, but it was unstable and could have unforeseen consequences. Grimlock was unwilling to subject his Dinobots to anything he would not go through himself, and thus decided to test the fuel on himself first. When no ill effects were apparent, he used it to revive the Dinobots, and brought enough back to revive the remaining fallen Autobots.
The Dinobots returned to Cybertron with the Nucleon, and arrived in time for the battle with Unicron. Their arrival, and their reviving the fallen Autobots with Nucleon, was an important part of Transformer victory that day, but Optimus Prime once again lost his life, sacrificing himself to destroy Unicron, and once again naming Grimlock as his successor with his dying breath.
Before Grimlock could celebrate his new position, however, the Nucleon's effect on Transformers became apparent. Grimlock began to experience brief bursts of immobility, his joints locking, which reached a peak when he became completely paralysed in Cybertron's wastelands while he and the Dinobots were under attack by monstrous creatures from beneath Cybertron's surface. Realizing that Grimlock had become trapped in a "chrysalis" stage, Prime's Powermaster partner, Hi-Q, tapped into and accelerated the process, completing Grimlock's evolution into a more powerful "Actionmaster" – but the enhanced power came with a price: Grimlock was now no longer able to transform into dinosaur mode.
At that point, Cybertron was believed to be dying as a result of the battle with Unicron, and the Autobots and Decepticons were co-operating to evacuate. However, the Decepticons had a hidden motive: to escape, and leave the Autobots marooned on the dying planet. Grimlock and the Dinobots were the only ones among the Autobots who saw through the Decepticons’ false pretense of peaceful co-existence and suspected the plan of mass betrayal. When the Decepticons sabotaged the Autobots' ships and fled the planet, Grimlock saved the Autobots. He revealed that he had captured Decepticon ships after a strike against them before the voyage to Earth, and had hidden them away. Thanks to those ships, the Autobots were able to flee Cybertron and follow the Decepticons to the planet Klo for a final showdown.
Earthforce
While the monthly Transformers comic was published in the United States, its sister title in the United Kingdom reprinted its stories, and included many of its own original tales, interspliced with the running American narrative. The author of these stories, Simon Furman, was particularly fond of Grimlock, often using him for his original stories, and even using the character for responses on the readers' letters page. Furman truly transformed Grimlock, from the brutish tyrant of the early American comics into a noble anti-hero.
Towards the end of the series, however, the UK comics began a break-away storyline that branched off from the continuity of the American stories and began telling its own tales, beginning with Grimlock's decision to once again break his Dinobots away from the main Autobot force. Tired of Prime's pacifistic approach to protecting Earth, Grimlock was joined by several older Autobots like Prowl and Wheeljack, who had just recently been reactivated, and longed for the older, simpler days. Under Grimlock's command, they formed the Earthforce, a pro-active Autobot group based in Canada who regularly battled the two Decepticon forces under the commands of Megatron and Shockwave.
There was no specific ending for the Earthforce crew, but the issue of Nucleon was resolved in a one-shot text story contained in the final Transformers annual (a hardback book containing new material released each year). Of the Dinobots, only Slag retained the ability to transform, until the discovery of new Nucleon allowed all the Transformers previously empowered by it to regain their transforming abilities. The place in continuity of this tale is hard to determine. It followed on from the events at the conclusion of the American series, yet cannot fit in with American continuity as it puts Megatron in a situation he cannot possibly be in.
Generation 2
A few years after the conclusion of the original Transformers comic, the line was given a shot in the arm with the release of the new Transformers: Generation 2 toyline and an accompanying comic. Grimlock's toy was re-released for the G2 toyline in several colors including blue, but he continued to appear in his original grey color scheme for his appearances in the G2 comic.
With his transformation capabilities restored (the explanation for which was not offered in the American series), Grimlock was Optimus Prime's second in command in the Generation 2 series, aiding in the Autobots' war against the "second generation" of Cybertronians led by Jhiaxus. However, he remained as rebellious and aggressive as ever, though it proved to be a mixed blessing - at one point his urge to combat Jhiaxus's forces led him and his troops right into a trap, while at another time, his willingless to defy Optimus Prime's orders and launch an all-out attack saved Prime from certain death at the hands of Megatron. When the Autobots and Decepticons united against Jhiaxus and the threat of the Swarm - a destructive by-product of Transformer reproduction - Grimlock was the joint leader of the ground troops as Prime and Megatron fought on other fronts, and survived the brutal conflict.
Years later, writer Simon Furman offered an "unofficial" conclusion to the Generation 2 storyline with "Alignment," a text story available exclusively through the British Transformers convention, Transforce, in 2001 and 2002. In the story, Grimlock is killed while trying to distract the Leige Maximo.
Dreamwave Comics
The 21st century re-imagining of the Generation One universe by Dreamwave Productions chose to depict Grimlock in a manner similar to Marvel Comics - a powerful, cunning warrior who values strength of body and character. Through The War Within, the company shaped a background on Cybertron for Grimlock which showed that he had participated in the planet's underground gladiatorial game in order to unleash the rage and anger he had always overflowed with. When Megatron began using the games to identify suitable soldiers for his burgeoning Decepticon army, Grimlock was recruited by him and initially fought on his side, befriending Starscream and perhaps the scientist, Jetfire, before defecting to the Autobots - not out of any particular fondness for them and their ideals, but rather out of sheer hatred of Megatron and his. He still bears a particularly fierce grudge against Jetfire over an unspecified incident with a cerebro-shell.
Grimlock was an established, respected member of the Autobots at the time Autobot leader Sentinel Prime was killed, but was suitably unimpressed by the new leader, Optimus Prime, questioning his strength and resenting his opening decision to depart Cybertron and leave it for the Decepticons. Witnessing and aiding him in battle with Megatron deep beneath Cybertron, however, Grimlock came to respect Prime as time passed. When Prime and Megatron disappeared in an early test of the experimental spacebridge transport system, disarray struck the Autobot and Decepticon ranks and they splintered off into numerous smaller factions - Grimlock founded the Lightning Strike Coalition to fight the battles he considered the most important.
As the "Dark Ages" came to an end, Starscream's Preadcon faction attacked an attempted peace treaty between the Autobots, the Decepticons and Ratbat's Ultracons. As Grimlock leapt to Ultra Magnus's defence, he apparently perished - naturally, we know he later returned to life, but unfortunately, due to Dreamwave's closure, this story was never resolved, and Grimlock's restoration to life was not explained.
What is known of the remainder of his time on Cybertron, however, is that he, Slag, Sludge, Snarl and Swoop formed a team known as the "Dynobots." The Dynobots remained on Cybertron when Optimus Prime left on the Ark, pursued by Megatron. When Optimus Prime and Megatron's troops vanished four million years ago, they pursued the Decepticons known as the Insecticons, who had set off in search of the missing leaders. The two teams battled on prehistoric Earth, and the battle ended with both sides trapped in stasis. The eventual awakening of Prime and Megatron's forces in 1984 was followed by the Autobots' discovery and reactivation of the Dynobots, now rechristened the "Dinobots" for their new dinosaur alternate modes.
When the Transformers were all believed destroyed in the explosion of the ship that was taking them back to Cybertron, several of them, including Grimlock, were recovered by a rogue military faction and reprogrammed so that they could be operating as killing machines. Bumblebee, Frenzy, Grimlock, Laserbeak, Prowl, Ravage, Soundwave and Starscream were forced at attack the Smitco oil refinery in the Arctic to display their power for sale to the highest bidder (Transformer: Generation One #2).
When Megatron liberated himself and several others from this control, he forced Grimlock to serve him by holding the Dinobots hostage. As part of the charade, Grimlock made it appear to the Autobots that he had become disenfranchised with their cause, ripping off his insignia and joining in the Decepticon attack on San Francisco, during which he was dispatched from behind by Trailbreaker. Left behind by the fleeing Decepticons, he subsequently located and liberated the other Dinobots, and headed for Cybertron. In the four-million-year interim, the planet had been unified by Shockwave for his own sinister ends, but once there, Grimlock lead an assault on Iacon, providing enough chaos and unrest for Optimus Prime's Autobot underground to overthrow Shockwave's rule of Cybertron. Grimlock successfully hauled Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus to safety when Shockwave's citadel exploded.
Dreamwave's closure meant that they would tell no further stories of their Grimlock, although his "War Within"-era design did appear in the Transformers: Universe comic book exclusive to BotCon.
Devil's Due Comics
In 2004 Grimlock was among the Autobots under the leadership Optimus Prime who attempted to take back the planet Cybertron from the Decepticon tyrant Shockwave. After an accident with the teleportational systems of the supercomputer Teletran-3, Grimlock found himself sent back in time and on the planet Earth. He was reformatted in the form of an Earth dinosaur with several other Autobots. A group of humans were able to bring the new Dinobots back to Cybertron and they helped overcome Shockwave (G.I. Joe vs. The Transformers II #4).
Grimlock returned in the Devil's Due third series of G.I. Joe vs. The Transformers. Grimlock, Arcee, Bumblebee and Perceptor were sent to Earth to aid G.I. Joe in removing the influence of Cybertronian technology on the planet. When Cobra attached the base, the Autobots helped repel the Cobra Battle Android Trooper armies.
Transformers: Alternators
Grimlock staged a comeback in 2005 as part of the Transformers: Alternators toyline, known in Japan as "Binaltech." Although the American toys offer no supporting fiction, the Binaltech series tells the story of how Grimlock was reborn in his new form.
While the Autobots on Earth were decimated by Cosmic Rust and restored in new "Binaltech" bodies through a joint partnership with human automotive corporations, Grimlock and the Dinobots were a part of the larger war raging in space. Unfortunately, Megatron struck at their primitive minds with telepathic alien lifeforms known as "Unleashers," which drove them to attack their fellow Autobots; with no other options, the Autobots were forced to counterattack, taking the Dinobots out of commission. Grimlock regained consciousness and vowed to do anything to return to the battle, and was consequently transported to Earth and had his spark was implanted into the Autobots' newest Binaltech bodies, which combined all the aspects of the previous bodies. Now able to transform into a Ford Mustang GT, Grimlock immediately resented his new, non-traditional body, but came to make the best of it. He remains armed with his energo-sword, and also wields a stun laser.
In 1997, the second year of the Beast Wars toyline, a black and white redeco of the Dinobot figure named Grimlock was released. While it was perfectly common for Beast Wars toys to share names with Generation One characters, but bear no other relation to them, Grimlock was one of the exceptions, as his toy's bio card presented him to be the original Grimlock in a new form. Now able to transform into a velociraptor (although in truth, the toy is much more reminiscent of a deinonychus or utahraptor), Grimlock still enters battle with a blade in his hand, except now he wields a spinning "slasher sword," concealed within his tail in beast mode.
A second, grey-and-red version of the Grimlock figure was also released for the "Dinobots" sub-line in 2003, packaged with a Terrorsaur redeco named both Swoop and "Terranotron."
Currently, IDW Publishing is releasing a comic book series which takes place during the Beast Wars animated series, but features the toys and characters who did not appear in the show itself. The Beast Wars incarnation of Grimlock will be appearing in the pages of the comic - no surprise, given that the writer is Simon Furman. Grimlock appeared as a gigantic raptor-type dinosaur. He fought valiantly against the evil Magmatron, but was no match for the Predacon's triple form.
During the run of the comic series it was revealed that Grimlock was among those in protoform stasis on the Axelon, and like the others was launched into space in the series pilot.
The Predacon Magmatron and his troops arrived on Earth on a mission following up Ravage. Magmatron had his own agenda to convert many of the unused protoforms in stasis pods into Predacon soldiers under his command, but the Maximal under cover agent Razorbeast sabotaged him, resulting in many of the protoforms emerging as Maximals. Magmatron also recovered the remains of Ravage and used a blank protoform to bring him back as a transmetal 2. Being displaced slightly chronogically Magmatron and Razorbeast's troops battled without the others noticing. At one point Megatron was captured by Magmatron to be sent back to Cybertron. Due to the intervention of Razorbeast, Optimus Minor and Grimlock, Magmatron was sent back to Cybertron instead. Razorbeast left the unconscious Megatron on Earth, fearing altering the time stream if he captured him (Beast Wars: The Gathering #1-4 by IDW comics).
Transformers: Robots in Disguise
The first completely different character to bear the name of Grimlock was one inhabiting the alternate universe of the 2001 Transformers toyline, Transformers: Robots in Disguise Grimlock (originally named Build Hurricane in the original Japanese version of the series, Car Robots) was a co-leader of the Autobot Build Team, able to transform into a steam shovel. Despite his harsh appearance, Grimlock is a seasoned, upbeat warrior. He judges any situation in a composed, calm manner, and dispenses accurate advice based on his many past experiences in battle to others, particularly his leader, Wedge. He can combine with his fellow Build Team members to create Landfill, able to form either a leg or a pair of arms.
Grimlock is voiced by Hiroki Takahashi (Car Robots) and Tom Wyner (Robots in Disguise). A yellow and grey version of the toy was released as part of a set of the four team members exclusive to Wal-Mart in 2003.
War Within Grimlock
Generation One Grimlock (in War Within form) appeared in the 2003 Botcon voice actor play, as well as issues 1 and 2 of the Transformers: Universe comic.
The Autobots returning to Cybertron along with Blackarachnia and Silverbolt were then abducted via teleportation beams and taken to Unicron. Tap-Out, Transformers: Armada Megatron, Brawn, War Within Grimlock and Snarl were also abducted from various timelines (Transformers: Universe #1).
War Within Grimlock, Armada Megatron and Universe Optimus Primal are each transported to the Unicron world, where they eventually team up and fight Striker and Reptilion. Note, there is a small continuity error in that this story ends with Grimlock, Megatron and Primal standing over Reptilion, but issue #2 of the comic starts with them standing over Striker (2003 Botcon Voice Actor Play).
After the events of the Botcon 2003 voice actor play, Optimus Primal is able to use his spark telepathy to free Striker from Unicron's influence. Optimus Primal, Megatron and Grimlock help break free the slaves from various timelines which are held there and gets them to Cybertron (Transformers: Universe #2).
Robots in Disguise Grimlock
Robots in Disguise Grimlock (in Warmart yellow repaint colors) appeared in the 2004 Botcon voice actor play.
Play Synopsis: Rhinox has built a device to deflect Unicron's attempts to pull victims from other dimensions with his tractor beam. The Autobots deflect two attempts and the victims end up on a frozen planetoid instead of with Unicron. Maximals Rattrap and Silverbolt and the Predacon Waspinator are sent to help the victims, but Reptilion, Thrust, Ruination and Perceptor are sent to get them for Unicron. As a side effect of the device Rhinox built, a vortex opens which sucks in an Autobot shuttle from the past piloted by Bumblebee, Tracks and Cosmos. Thrust attacks the Maximal ship, but they are saved by being transported to the Autobot shuttle. The Autobots and Maximals then go to the planet where they save the victims from the Decepticons. On the planet are two groups of Autobots. One is from the Robots in Disguise story, with Landfill (Walmart recolor), Side Burn (Universe recolor) and Prowl (Universe recolor). The other is from another parallel world with Spychanger Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Prowl and Ironhide. They all fight off the Decepticons. The Autobot shuttle is sent back to its own time.
The mold used for RiD Grimlock was repainted purple and released as the Target Exclusive Decepticon Scavenger in 2006, one of the latest (and possibly last) toys in the Transformers: Universe line.
Transformers: Energon
2005 saw another alternate-universe incarnation of Grimlock enter the fray. Grimlock's toy – packaged with the similarly-redesigned Swoop – was a modern updating of his original figure. It still transformed into a tyrannosaurus rex, but had one major change: Grimlock and Swoop could now combine to form a larger robot named "Mega-Dinobot". The characters' joint biography clearly draws on the cartoon incarnation of the original characters, presenting them as Autobots who are simple in speech and thought, but who make up for it in raw strength. Decepticons have been known to flee in fear when faced with the two Dinobots, as Swoop uses his aerial abilities to confuse and distract them, while Grimlock attacks from behind and stomps them flat before they know what hit them. Though heavily armed, the duo's preferred weaponry is their teeth and talons.
It comes as no surprise that longtime Grimlock fan Simon Furman intended to feature the characters in Dreamwave's Energon comic book, but the company's closure prevented this.
Remolds & Redecos
At several points in time throughout the numerous Transformers toylines, various Grimlock toys have been recolored and/or remolded to become new, non-Grimlock characters.
- Beast Wars Grimlock (himself a recolor of Beast Wars Dinobot) was remolded in silver and orange to appear more cybernetic as Thrustor for the Japanese-exclusive Beast Wars Second line. Later, for Beast Wars Neo, the toy was remolded to become a Hardhead, a blue and purple pachycephalosaurus, and this version of the figure was redecoed in yellow, black and green and released in the Beast Machines Dinobots subline as Dinotron. After being released under the Grimlock name again in 2003, the original version of the mold returned to its roots when it was redecoed into the 10th Anniversary edition figure of Beast Wars Dinobot.
- Robots in Disguise Grimlock and the rest of the Build Team were redecoed for Transformers: Universe as the Constructicons, in the characters' traditional purple and green color scheme. Grimlock became Scavenger, packaged with Hightower.
- Alternators Grimlock was redecoed in white and blue as Wheeljack, complete with a new head designed in the image of the classic character.
Other usages
- In the role playing game Dungeons and Dragons, there are subterranean creatures called Grimlocks which can serve as an antagonist to the player characters.
- In the Table-top wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the Lizardman hero Kroq-Gar rides a Carnosaur named Grymloq (a slightly Aztec-inspired respelling).
- In the MMORPG World of Warcraft, there is a large Trogg named Grimlok who resides in the Uldaman instance. When engaged, he yells "Me, Grimlok, King!" This is likely a nod to the Transformers movie, which at one point features Grimlock proclaiming "Me, Grimlock, not kisser! Me, Grimlock, king!"
