Wedge (RID)
| This article is about the Build Team leader from Robots in Disguise. For the Autobot from Animated, see Wedge Major. |
- Wedge is an Autobot from the Robots in Disguise continuity family.
"Boy genius" Wedge is leader of the Build Team and chief architect and designer of Earth's subterranean Global Space Bridge. He and his team have never once missed a deadline, and are so devoted to their jobs maintaining and expanding the tunnels that they may go prolonged periods of time underground, totally unseen by either Autobots or Decepticons.
However, Wedge and his team also feel a need to prove themselves as warriors, which drives Wedge to be somewhat gung-ho about charging into battle. He's the definition of a hot head, and he'll ask to be put into battle at any chance he gets - especially when his pride as a builder and an Autobot are on the line. This can put him in harm's way, and also be somewhat obnoxious to his fellow Autobots, but Optimus Prime believes he can be hardened into a capable warrior.
When his team merges to form Landfill, Wedge has total mental control over their combined form, lending him new destructive power to back up his usual bravado.
Just how this inexperienced kid came to lead a team full of far more seasoned Autobots is anyone's guess.
- Japanese name: Build Boy
Fiction
Robots in Disguise cartoon
- Voice actor: Michael Reisz (English), Yukiko Tamaki (Japanese)
When the Predacons attacked a diamond mine in Antarctica, the Autobot Brothers were sent through the Global Space Bridge to stop them. The heroes were delayed, however, when they tried to go through a part of the bridge that was still being built by the Build Team. Wedge, the leader of the Build Team, said they would build a link to Antarctica on one condition: They got to go on assignment. Optimus Prime agreed, and T-AI sent them off to the mines.
When the Build Team arrived, the Predacons mistook them for normal construction vehicles that Sky-Byte had sent to help carry out the diamonds. For some odd reason, Wedge and the others were all too happy to help. The Preds soon realized their mistake, and the two teams began to fight. Wedge repeatedly tried to fight, and was repeatedly thrashed; at one point, Sky-Byte grabbed Wedge in his mouth and bit the young Autobot hard enough to make him scream, which caused his teammate Heavy Load to beg for mercy on his behalf. Wedge was only released after the Predacons were tricked into exchanging him for what they thought was a map of the spacebridge tunnels, but which actually was a map of the sewers.... in Antarctica. Wedge's Short Fuse
After completing work on the Arctic link, Wedge decided that the team needs some battle practice and sent Grimlock to upload the link data into the space bridge computer. A short time later, the space bridge begin malfunctioning and depositing Autobots at random locations, leading to Wedge getting into an argument with Rapid Run — Wedge's contention being that the problem was not the bridge but the Autobots using it. Finally Wedge realised that the Decepticons had tampered with the Global Space Bridge programming, and the problem was quickly repaired.
The Build Team headed for the energy facility facility where Megatron and Scourge were attempting to plunder energy, with Wedge insisting to the other Autobots that the Build Team should deal with the foe as a matter of honor. Forming Landfill, they soon chased off Megatron and Scourge, and there were apologies exchanged for the earlier heated tempers. Landfill
The Build Team were called in to help stabilise the CGA Tower, when Sky-Byte and the Predacons endangered it by damaging the foundations. Although Sky-Byte wouldn't let the rest of the Build Team near, Wedge helped to hold up the tower, pleading with the Predacon not to harm the hostages. With Optimus on the way with the O-Parts, Wedge managed to persuade Sky-Byte to let his hostages go and formed Landfill with the rest of the Build Team in order to dig a new foundation for the tower. Sky-Byte Saves the Day
After the Decepticon Commandos raided a power station, the Build Team arrived while they were fighting Rail Racer and promptly siphoned off their stolen energy. Enraged, the Decepticons began destroying construction vehicles in an attempt to draw the Build Team out, but Optimus kept it from Wedge and the rest of the team. On finding out, Wedge was enraged and demanded that they be sent into battle, but Optimus told them to keep away. After Hightower sabotaged the space bridge, the Team confronted the Decepticons anyway.
The fight did not go well, and Landfill was no match for Ruination in combat. Damaged, Landfill began digging furiously, creating a tunnel which began filling with crude oil. Ruination suggested they call a truce until they could get to safety, but Wedge dismissed those fears and deliberately fired his weapon. Everything exploded and his teammates were set on fire. Thankfully, Optimus was nearby, and was able to put the fire out. A Test of Metal
Wedge and the Build Team helped test the Global Space Bridge (even though they obviously knew it would work). Lessons of the Past
During an excavation under Metro City, the Build Team experienced strange hallucinations, seeing each other as Predacons, and abandoned the site. They were later called back to that area when information from Doctor Onishi's chip pointed to the area as possibly containing a Cybertronian artifact. Wedge boasted that this time they would not let the hallucinations fool them again.
While digging at the site, the hallucinations began again, disrupting their work. Eventually they broke through to a cavern containing Fortress Maximus and formed Landfill to fight the Decepticons who then arrived. Fortress Maximus
Later, as Ruination fought Rail Racer in the middle of Metro City, Wedge spied on them and felt the urge to join in the battle, but was prevented by the more sensible Heavy Load. The Build Team were busy enacting Optimus' plan to hide Fortress Maximus in the city, within a large fake building. Koji Gets His Wish
With Doctor Onishi recovered, the Build Team and Autobot Brothers began a race to locate the last five O-Parts. Wedge and Side Burn engaged in a rivalry over which team would collect the most, and it was Wedge who located the last O-Part under the top-cap of a pyramid, winning the contest. Megatron and the Decepticons soon arrived, with a ill-timed attack from Wedge resulting in the 'bot being taken hostage by Megatron. The Predacon leader demanded the O-Parts in exchange for Wedge's life, but ended up releasing him anyway, after Sky-Byte messed up the exchange. A Friendly Contest
The Build Team accompanied the Autobot Brothers on a mission to find Cerebros beneath an ancient temple. This was fortunate, as the Decepticons caved the temple in on top of them, and the Build Team were able to dig the Autobots out. They subsequently helped to guard Fortress Maximus. Even though the Decepticons were able to activate Maximus, Wedge pointed out that the giant didn't have a will of his own, and would only obey orders. To take out Scourge, who he appeared to be taking orders from, the Build Team formed Landfill, though in the end it turned out that Maximus wasn't obeying Scourge anyway.
After Maximus sank into the ground, the Build Team searched fruitlessly for him. Maximus Emerges
When Scourge made a second attempt to control Maximus in the Sahara desert, Wedge, the rest of the Build Team and Team Bullet Train picked up a large number of children and took them to the site via the Global Space Bridge. There the children were able to command Maximus to stop. The Human Element
When the Decepticons launched an attack on the Autobot base, Wedge was called to a predetermined location with the rest of the Autobots to spring a trap on their foe. When the Megastar joined the fight, Wedge announced the formation of Landfill, who was promptly blown apart by the battle station's firepower. This didn't diminish Wedge's urge to fight, and he once again charged the Megastar, insisting to Galvatron that he'd never ever defeat the Autobots, only to be blown back by laser fire. His courage was enough to inspire Cerebros to activate Fortress Maximus, resulting in the destruction of the Megastar. Surprise Attack!
Although Galvatron was down, he wasn't out as Wedge believed. Soon Landfill was formed again to fight the Decepticons while Omega Prime engaged in combat with the Decepticon leader. After Galvatron unleashed his cyber-bats, Prime called a retreat, and the Autobots found themselves trapped in a space bridge tunnel rapidly filling with molten lava. Although they escaped, Galvatron soon had them at his mercy again. Galvatron's Revenge
As Megatron attempted to attack Optimus Prime, Landfill and the other Autobots blocked his attack and were paralysed by Galvatron's power. They remained in this state until Omega Prime was able to defeat Galvatron in the Earth's core. Afterwards, just for fun, Wedge and the Build Team did some more work on the space bridge. The Final Battle
Toys
Robots in Disguise
- Wedge (Deluxe, 2000/2001)
- Japanese ID number: C-018
- Accesories: Double-beam guns
- Wedge transforms into a small orange bulldozer with slightly "super deformed" proportions. He is also one of the smallest Deluxe-class toys ever made. Wedge can move his shovel up and down in this mode. In robot mode, he is armed with a double-barrel laser cannon. He forms the upper torso and chest of Landfill.
- He was initially released as part of the Takara Car Robots line. The Hasbro Robots in Disguise version adds several small paint applications to him for detail.
- This mold was also used to make Universe Bonecrusher.
- Build King (Multi-pack, 2000)
- Japanese ID number: C-022
- In Japan, the entire Build Team set of Wedge, Heavy Load, Hightower and Grimlock was made available. The toys included were identical to the individual Takara releases.
- Landfill (Multi-pack, 2003)
- A mainly-yellow redeco of the entire Build Team was released as a Wal-Mart exclusive in November of 2003, as a multi-pack released on "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving, the most hellishly-overcrowded shopping day of the year. The set cost considerably less than four individual deluxes.
Notes
- Despite being prominently displayed on his chest, Wedge's Autobot symbol is typically rendered in a very basic fashion in the cartoon.
- During the stock footage of Wedge's transformation to robot mode, Landfill's head is briefly visible when Wedge's own head flips out.
