Sideswipe (Animated)

The name or term "Sideswipe" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Sideswipe (disambiguation).

Sideswipe is an Autobot from the Transformers Animated continuity family.

In Animated, G2 came early.

Sideswipe is a senior investigator for Cybertron Police Defense Command in Iacon Central. He's been on the force for 30,000 stellar cycles and has all the accumulative experience that's implied. Though he's a rough, jaded old-timer who's seen it all, somewhere deep inside his spark are the remnants of the idealistic, impulsive, loose-cannon youth he was long, long ago. He's hardest on those who share these lost qualities, but only because they remind him of himself.

For some reason, he's really, really hard on Cheetor.

If I sound cynical, it's because I am. Thirty thousand stellar cycles on the force will do that to you.Sideswipe monologues for the audience, The Stunti-Con Job

Fiction

Animated cartoon continuity

Voice actor: Neil Ross

Events in italics occurred exclusively in BotCon 2011's "The Stunti-Con Job" script reading.

Sideswipe spotted an enemy ship during the Great War. Good job! Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II

The Stunti-Con Job

Toys

Timelines

Considering their ages, Rodimus is biting Sideswipe's style, not vice versa!

• Sideswipe and Toxitron (Souvenir set, 2011)
  • Accessories: crossbow/missile launcher, 2 missiles

Sideswipe is a redeco of Animated Breakdown (itself a retool of Deluxe Class Animated Rodimus Minor), transforming into a futuristic sports car. Sideswipe's colors are an homage to the Generation 2 version of Generation 1 Sideswipe: the design on his doors is even "SS" in Cybertronix, with the second "S" flipped around to make it more visually appealing. A panel on the car's hood, which is also the figure's chest, can be flipped to either show an engine block or the figure's Autobot insignia. The figure comes with a spring-loaded missile-launching double crossbow. His bow can be tabbed to the roof of his car mode or snapped on his hand. The tabs that secure his bow in vehicle mode are 5mm wide, making it usable by other figures as well. Sideswipe was available only at BotCon 2011, sold in a set with Toxitron and limited to 1500 pieces.

The original version of the mold was redecoed into Black Rodimus.

Notes

Puberty is an awkward time for many youngsters.

• Sideswipe is seen in the "The Great War" boardgame in the Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II. If an Autobot player lands on his spot, he gets 1000 Victory Points.
• Like a lot of the random incidentals in The AllSpark Almanac II, Sideswipe's first head was designed by Bill Forster.
• The bag Souvenir Set #1 comes in (though not the instructions nor Tech Specs) refer to the figure as Sideswiper.
• Afterburn was originally advertised as the Animated version of Sideswipe. But by the time the Titan Books comic featuring the character came out, the name had been changed. The reason for this has never been officially stated, but aside from the overwhelmingly negative fan reaction, it's very likely Hasbro intervened; after all, they wouldn't allow Cliffjumper even to be framed as a traitor.
• This is the second year in a row that a BotCon-exclusive Sideswipe has shared a mold with a Breakdown from the year's box set.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Sideswipe (サイドスワイプ Saidosuwaipu)