Cheetor (BW)

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

This article is a featured article, and considered to be one of the most informative on this wiki.

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Cheetor is a Maximal (and later an Autobot) from the Beast Era portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

There he is, your little guy.

Cheetor is full of youthful overconfidence. He's also the fastest Maximal on four legs which, combined with his impulsive nature, often gets him into more trouble than he can handle. It's needless to say that Cheetor's overbearing enthusiasm gets on the nerves of some of his teammates, Rattrap in particular. He's in those awkward formative years. Thankfully, Optimus Primal keeps a steady eye on the young Maximal. In return, Cheetor has grown to idolize Primal, whom he calls "Big Bot." Optimus Primal knows the inexperienced Cheetor needs a good role model, so he doesn't mind too much. And, hey, at spark he's a good kid. Just... keep him away from Dinobot, okay? Impressionable minds, and all. And Matrix help us when Cheetor gets past his "cooties" stage and notices Blackarachnia.

Cheetor also appears to have vague precognitive skills, sensing important events before they actually happen — usually in the form of ominous dreams. With such power and potential, who knows — maybe the lad is destined for great things someday.

I'm not lookin' forward to the day they chronicle my early bonehead adventures onto a datacon for all the world to see.Cheetor, about Rodimus, in "Wreckers: Finale Part II."

Fiction

First wave toy bios

Whose tusks gleam in the night? Not his!

Eyes of a stalker hunting its prey... The super-swift cheetah springs! But food is not on this hunter's mind...Optimus Primal vs Megatron!

Cheetor is a quiet and confident warrior, who constantly stalks jungles in his search for Predacons. He is efficient, striking hard and fast with incredible reflexes in either mode. He is known to openly dare Predacons to challenge him and his laser-powered quasar cannon. Cheetor Bio

In a swamp outside the Fusion Building genetics lab, a fleet of ferocious animals has gathered. Suddenly, the cheetah and his wild comrades are under attack by a massive alligator! Surprise! This is a battle between Optimus Primal and his Maximals and Megatron's Predacons! Cheetor quickly transforms to attack Waspinator, and the Beast Wars have begun! Optimus Primal vs Megatron!

Collect them all!

This comic and the on-package bios of the first wave of Beast Wars toys predate the development of the Beast Wars cartoon and its backstory. They seem to present the characters as a direct continuation of the previous Autobot/Decepticon conflict, with Optimus Primal actually being a new form of Optimus Prime and Megatron being his Generation 1 counterpart, and their battles taking place on present day, human-inhabited Earth, rather than in the distant past. Once the cartoon launched, the toyline adjusted itself to match that continuity instead, relegating this one to an aborted micro-continuity.

Cartoon continuity

The Maximals and Predacons crashed on prehistoric Earth, where high energon levels threatened to destroy the crew unless they adopted organic alternate modes. Cheetor was given the form of a cheetah.

Cheetor served as one of Primal's most trusted warriors for season one, battling against the Predacons on many occasions. However, his brashness and impulsiveness often made him a liability as well. On one notable occasion (“The Web”) Cheetor lost a valuable communications device. Determined to redeem himself in Primal's eyes, Cheetor tried to spy on Megatron's new Megacannon, but was captured by Tarantulas and had to be rescued from being eaten by the spider Predacon by Rattrap. On another occasion, he was goaded into proving his bravery against the Predacons by Dinobot, by planting a series of spy probes. A freak accident with a bolt of lightning meant he was teleported into the Predacon base. Despite being hunted down, Cheetor managed to evade the entire Predacon team and stop the Maximal plan to destroy the Predacon base, realising that an Energon seam ran below both bases and would destroy the Axalon as well if the Predacon ship was detonated. During this period of the Beast War other senses to fight after being blinded in an explosion, and reverted to savagery after being trapped in his beast mode due to the Predacons stealing a component from the Axalon.

Cheetor would also form close relationships with the other Maximals, particularly with the two new Maximal protoforms discovered during this time - Airazor and Tigatron. Cheetor looked up to and respected the wiser Transformer- who he affectionately referred to as "Big Cat", being addressed as "Little Cat" in return-, while he gave some of his circuitry to give life to Airazor, resulting in her taking on a few of Cheetor's personality traits and becoming like a sister to him. Cheetor even became friends with Dinobot, being the only Maximal to express actual enthusiasm when Dinobot returned to the team after their apparent victory over the Predacons (It is even implied that he voted for Dinobot to become the new leader after Optimus was briefly captured by an alien ship). Cheetor also had an unnoticed rivalry against Waspinator/Thrust that went up to the Beast Machines series where their rivalry was more focused.

After Primal's destruction in disabling the lunar alien weapon, the quantum surge of the Transwarp Wave from the destroyed Vok weapon altered Cheetor's structure into a transmetal form, along with Rattrap. After adjusting to his new flight rockets, Cheetor and Rattrap battled a newly Transmetal Megatron, only surviving due to Rhinox's intervention. Along with Dinobot they defended the Axalon against overwhelming odds, until they were saved by Optimus Primal's return.

Cheetor continued to serve as one of the Maximals, witnessing Tigatron and Airazor's capture by the Vok, helping to stop Megatron from returning to Cybertron with a Vok ship, helping to subdue Rampage during his initial appearance, and being present at Dinobot's passing. In the three-part episode "The Agenda", the Maximals teamed up with the former Decepticon Ravage to apprehend Megatron. Sent to locate an Energon cache, Primal and Cheetor were ambushed by Inferno and barely escaped. After Ravage switched sides, the Maximals entered a desperate race to stop Megatron from entering The Ark - but they were too late. Megatron shot the stasis-locked body of Optimus Prime in the head - causing a timestorm that threatened all of history.

The defection of Blackarachnia helped to repair the damage done by Megatron, and Prime's spark survived. However, the Maximals suffered a crippling blow when their base was destroyed by Rampage. The Maximals then moved into the volcano surrounding The Ark.

Cheetor continued to serve as a devoted Maximal soldier, being the first to spot Depth Charge's ship. Shot down by Rampage, he was rescued by the marine Maximal.

Later, Cheetor began exhibiting affections towards Blackarachnia, even going to the trouble of helping her escort the proto-human children home. This greatly displeased Silverbolt and lead to some short lived friction between the two, even though Blackarachnia didn't reciprocate Cheetor's feelings.

After almost inadvertently scrapping Optimus, Cheetor disobeyed orders to help Depth Charge stop Megatron using the Transmetal Driver. Shot into the active unit's overload, Cheetor slowly mutated into a feral Transmetal II werecat. Despite the need for repairs, Cheetor became somewhat fearful of the CR Chamber, as displayed in a dream sequence, mostly in fear that any attempts of repairing his structure with the underlying mutation may cause him to mutate further. Though he tried to suppress it, he transformed fully into his Transmetal II state in order to save Optimus from the Transmetal II clone of Dinobot, the two engaging in a ferocious struggle while in beast mode. Primal then helped him to gain control over his feral beast mode and Maximize at will. It is noticeable that Cheetor's voice became deeper after his change, and also became less willing to listen to Optimus, almost as though he was now an adult who no longer wished to be treated as a child, a state Rattrap referred to as "Cyber Puberty."

As Silverbolt and Cheetor continued to clash over their attraction to Blackarachnia, Blackarachnia did gain an attraction to Cheetor - or rather the powerful new Transmetal body he possessed, which would eventually see her gain one of her own. However, Blackarachnia would put a stop to his affections by declaring she was sick of it (and threatening to shoot him at in the process of this comment). Despite this, Cheetor still appeared to feel something for her, commenting that she was "something special" when mourning her apparent death. Cheetor also became a 'teacher' to the proto-human children he and Blackarachnia helped, as shown in the episode "Go With the Flow", teaching them how to fight Predacons and use basic tools.

After Megatron was captured, Cheetor returned with the other surviving Maximals to Cybertron on board the Autobot shuttle Omega Delta.

After returning to Cybertron, Cheetor was one of the four Maximals to escape having their sparks extracted by Megatron's new Vehicon army, although he was initially trapped in his original beast mode. Reformatted by the Oracle into a techno-organic body, Cheetor's new weapons included enhanced super speed and a pair of sabers, which could be used to deflect incoming energy blasts, thrown as boomerangs, and attached at the hilt to form a glider.

Cheetor continued to mature and grow during the series, to the extent that he was even appointed second-in-command, Optimus recognizing that Cheetor's instincts were correct when the rest of the team made a bad decision. No longer the 'child' of the team, a role that fell to Nightscream, Cheetor was known to argue with Optimus when the team's original leader disagreed with his decisions, with Cheetor soon becoming the team's military leader while Optimus's link with the Oracle made him a spiritual figurehead. At the conclusion of the series, Cheetor apparently became official leader of the Maximals, as well as becoming the new 'liaison' to the Oracle with Optimus's demise.

Beast Wars Metals comic

Off to go train with Piccolo or something, I'm sure.

Following the Quantum surge, Cheetor was upgraded into a Transmetal but left stranded on Energoa far, far away from the other Maximals and believed dead by Rattrap. Following Optimus Primal's return to life, Cheetor could be seen staring poetically at the moon from his distant location. Raise the Curtain for Beast Wars Metals!!

Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic

The Cirrrcle of Liiiife...

After Starscream and Ravage stole energon cubes from Hound, Cheetor appeared on the scene, defeated both of them and got the cubes back, getting the adoration of Hound and random fauna. Cheetor then went to live in a safari park. Henkei! Henkei! volume 8

Games

Beast Wars: Transformers video game

This game takes place in an alternate version of the first season of the Beast Wars cartoon.

My eyes are up here!

Upon arriving on prehistoric Earth, the dangers of Energon radiation forced the Maximals and Predacons to take on beast alternate forms. "Cheetor" promptly grabbed a cheetah by its underbelly, hoisted it up to his optics, and scanned the creature's molecular structure. The indignant cheetah could do nothing but silently ask the robot "Do you mind?" Cheetor transformed into his new organic cheetah mode and darted into Predacon territory. Unfortunately, Cheetor was spotted by Tarantulas, and the two battled until they were forced to return to their beast modes to avoid Energon radiation damage. Beast Wars: Transformers video game advertising comic

Cheetor is a playable character in the Maximal mode of this game for normal gameplay.

I lost weight! Can you tell?

All of the Beast Wars combatants had managed to construct personal bases, customized to their personal tastes, due to the extended duration of the war. Cheetor's own base featured sphinx-like statues bearing his likeness and colour scheme.

Cheetor warred against both the Predacons and the evil extra-dimensional aliens dubbed the Skriix. Beast Wars: Transformers (video game)

Due to the nature of this game, a player may select various individual characters to perform the feats required in every level, and complete the game's narrative. Thus, any playable Maximal can fill the role of protagonist in Maximal Mode, and any playable Predacon can fill the role of protagonist in Predacon Mode. As such, each character's page only lists said character's actions when they fill the role of antagonist during gameplay. To view the various feats Cheetor can accomplish throughout gameplay in Maximal Mode, it is told on the pages of the several Predacons included as opponents in this game, as well as the game's main antagonists, the Skriix, wherein Cheetor fills the role of the nameless Maximal. To view the plot as a whole view the Beast Wars: Transformers (video game) page.

Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals video game

This game takes place in an alternate version of the second season of the Beast Wars cartoon.

Glitch, game stats!

Voice actor: Ian James Corlett (English), ??? (Japanese)

During a decisive battle, Cheetor witnessed Optimus being badly injured. Cheetor’s reaction was to charge into battle with unmatched fury, turning the tide of the war in favor of the Maximals. Thanks to this victory, the Maximals eventually overpowered the Predacons, and established peace on the planet. Following the battle, Optimus and Cheetor had this heartwarming exchange;

SECRET COLORS CHEETOR and also Cheetor's Tigatron cosplay.

Optimus: "You showed a lot of potential out there. Someday you might make one prime leader." Cheetor replied: "Sorry Bigbot, but that's your department... But who knows? Maybe in another universe!" Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals

He liked to pelvic thrust, arms around the back of his neck, after each victory. Hello, pussycat.

Each character possessed an alternate ending, displayed if the Nintendo 64 game was beaten with said character. Each character has only their own ending listed on their pages, see the other characters' pages for Cheetor's fate in those outcomes.

A series of unusual decisions was made regarding Cheetor and Tigatron in the Nintendo 64 game's localization. In the Japanese version of the game, Cheetor had a red-tinged set of "Player 2" colors and an unlockable "Player 3" color scheme obviously based on Tigatron. The North American version of the game added Tigatron as a playable character... but instead of reassigning the pre-existing "Player 3" colors to him, a new color scheme that looked less like Tigatron was created for him. Furthermore, Cheetor's Japanese "Player 2" colors were eliminated entirely and his original Tigatron-themed colors were kept... resulting not only in two primarily white Transmetal Cheetor models in one game, but a Tigatron who looked less like himself than Cheetor did.

Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle video game

Adolescence is so unstable.

Cheetor became involved in a series of one-on-one battles when the discovery of a super-powerful Energon crystal on Earth leads several Maximals and Predacons to attempt obtaining the crystal's powers for their own gain.

Cheetor could also partake in various other tasks, such as a mission to break a boulder to reveal an energon crystal hidden within before sundown, using a block in a mission to defend himself against various incoming projectiles, and missions to run across a pit-riddled field, sometimes involving hideously large bacteria he had to fend off.

Cheetor eventually defeated Megatron, the last bot standing between the crystal and himself. Once the crystal was in his possession, Cheetor absorbed its power, becoming the most powerful of the Maximal. This allowed him to soar through the ranks and become Supreme Commander. This position was more then he could handle, however, and he abandoned his post after only three days. Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle

Each character possessed an alternate ending, displayed if the game was beaten with said character. Each character has only their own ending listed on their pages, see the other characters' pages for Cheetor's fate in those outcomes.

3D Battle-Card Game

Cheetor, in his Transmetal 2 body, was one of Optimus's many allies in a fight against Megatron's own army, in what might possibly have been an inter-universe battle. Energon Wars Expansion Set

Notes

• Cheetor fired the first shots of the "Beast Wars". First he shot at Waspinator, unprovoked, and again at Megatron while Optimus was attempting to negotiate.
• Cheetor has the first line in the show Beast Wars; he also has the last line in the show Beast Machines, closing the arc of the two shows in a coherent development of Cheetor as a young rookie to Cheetor as commander.
• Cheetor and Tigatron are the only characters in Beast Wars who are definitely in the correct scale to the life form they have adopted as a beast mode, since Cheetor specifically was seen near a real cheetah in the pilot episode. As a result, Cheetor and Tigatron have the odd distinction of being the yardstick by which other Beast Wars characters' scale inconsistencies can be measured.
• The animation model for Cheetor's original body (and thus Tigatron's as well) is one of the comparatively more toy-accurate of the Season One cast. His transformation scheme, however, is simplified by having his arms and crotch-piece unfold from his beast mode's belly instead of its back, possibly in order to eliminate the need for a mid-transformation change in the direction he is facing; a rarity in Beast Wars design and something only Terrorsaur does in the actual show.
• Mainframe Entertainment's original plan for Transmetal Cheetor was to have his face mature over the course of the season, from a big-eared, wide-eyed, rounded face into one close to the toy. Also, he would have had a "Hero's Heart" which glowed after completing brave or heroic feats, somewhat akin to the classic anime character Astro Boy. Due to time and financial restrictions, none of these concepts panned out. Thankfully. His toy, however, DOES have a molded heart on the abdomen.

I wonder what Beast Machines Cheetor thinks of this artwork?

• Comic Bom Bom advertisements for the Game Boy Color's Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle feature Cheetor with a slightly different (and much happier) head than the version which appeared in the game's instruction manual. Both are sickeningly cute, though.
• Cheetor has the somewhat dubious honour of being the only Maximal Megatron never refers to by name on the show.

Things usually do look more badass in concept art.

• Though most early artwork for Beast Machines character designs were very different from the final product, Cheetor's design seems to have changed very little, with only the green being downplayed in his color scheme.
• In "Bee in the City", Beast Wars Megatron accidentally calls Bumblebee "Cheetor", the first instance of a running gag where the plucky young yellow kid-appeal bot is called by another kid-appeal bot's name.
  • This is also ironic in being the first and only time his name is spoken by Megatron.
• In the Japanese dub of the Beast Wars cartoon and in the Beast Wars Metals manga, Cheetor had the quirk of ending nearly every sentence in a long, stressed "Jā-n", which is supposed to sound like a cute kitty growl. He maintains it in the Henkei pack-in comic that was packaged with him and Hound.
• According to Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II, Cheetor likes pie.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Cheetus (チータス Chītasu)

• French: Vélocitor (cartoon)
• Indonesian: Sidor
• Italian: Ghepard, Metal Ghepard (Transmetal toy)
• Mandarin: Bàu-tz (Taiwan, 豹子, "Cheetah"), Hūa Bàu (Taiwan Beast Machines, 花豹, "Leopard")
• Polish: Gepardon ("Cheetodon")
• Spanish: Chitor, Chitah (America, "Cheetah")