Roller (G1)
| This article is about the Generation 1 drone unit. For the Dark of the Moon Autobot, see Roller (DOTM). |
- Roller is a component of Autobot leader Optimus Prime from the Generation 1 continuity family.
In robot mode, Optimus Prime splits into three components:
- A sentient robot module, the Brain Center
- A wheeled drone module known as Roller.
- A Combat Deck.
Although Optimus Prime can function as three independent modules, injury to any one module is felt by the other two.
Roller is a small, cart-shaped device that Optimus Prime uses to slip unobtrusively behind enemy lines. He can maintain radio control over Roller at distances up to 1200 miles. Having Roller present somewhere is like being there himself.
Roller is a droid, able to function autonomously without Optimus's active oversight. But without Optimus, by far the most important of the three modules, Roller would not survive. Optimus shows great attachment and concern for Roller, who is left particularly vulnerable by the behind-the-scenes situations in which it specializes.
Fiction
Cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
When Bumblebee and Sparkplug Witwicky were caught by Decepticons, and with the clock ticking on the bomb they planted, Optimus Prime sent Roller into the mine. When the bomb exploded, Optimus was nearly destroyed, More than Meets the Eye, Part 2 but Roller emerged cheekily unscathed, prompting Jazz to observe "Roller's one tough little Autobot!" More than Meets the Eye, Part 3
Another of Megatron's schemes involved sabotaging the Autobots' recharging chamber with a personality destabilizer device, turning a good number of them, including Optimus Prime, "evil". When the unaffected Autobots attempted to restore Prime back to normal, he split into his three components. Both Roller and the Combat Deck attempted to take the Autobots out, but Hound was able to nail them both with attitude exchangers. However, that left then with only one more exchanger. Not wanting to chance a miss, Bumblebee risked his life to attach it to Prime personally. Luckily, he was successful. Attack of the Autobots
The Autobots were stuck in automotive mode by the evil Transfixatron. With Ironhide in the claws of Megatron's car-crushing machine, only Roller could save the day! Roller led the Decepticons on a merry chase, allowing Optimus to rescue Ironhide from the jaws of undignified death! The Autobot Run
Japanese cartoon continuity
e-Hobby toy bio
Several million years ago on Cybertron, when Optimus Prime was a mere transport and delivery worker known as Orion Pax, Roller was an industrial droid known as Barrelroller.[1] He transformed into an electromagnetic lift handle that helped Orion in his warehouse work moving heavy cargo. When Orion was fatally wounded by Megatron and rebuilt by Alpha Trion as Optimus Prime, Barrelroller was rebuilt into the Roller we all know and love.
Return of Convoy
When Optimus Prime was restored to life as Star Convoy, he was equipped with an upgraded version of Roller known as the Tread Unit.
Marvel Comics continuity
Generation 1
Optimus Prime used his Roller unit to command a battle in Washington, D.C. while actually sneaking away from the action to find Ravage. Kickback swooped in and destroyed Roller, causing Optimus Prime to double over in pain, and ironically saving him from the Insecticon Bombshell's cerebro-shell. Plague of the Insecticons!
Generation 2
Roller provided covering fire for Optimus Prime and Megatron as they fled the Cybertronian army. Total War!
Ladybird continuity
Spike's sally to sneakily sabotage the Solar Station was stymied by a sealed storage-door. Roller to the Rescue! Sent scuttling through the sage, secreted from Soundwave's sight, to supply a Cybertronian sonic multi-tool. Roller had saved the day!
Spike's subsequent sabotage of the solar station and ensuing detonation of the energon cubes in it could be construed (in some small way) to save the day as well. Megatron's Fight for Power
IDW comics continuity
 Spoiler warning: Plot details for Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc follow. of the next episode/issue in the series or 30 days after release, whichever is sooner |
During the waning days of Cybertron's Golden Age, Orion Pax (who would later become Optimus Prime) had a friend named Roller who seemed to have an obsession with television. One day, Orion Pax had recovered a robot that had overdosed on drugs in the Dead End and had defended him from some attackers. He ordered Roller to help him get the bot back to a medic using a containment trailer. Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc
Roller was being considered for an exploring mission, but lost out to Wheelie. Spotlight: Wheelie Later, when Megatron ordered Blitzwing to wait for Optimus Prime to come into range before firing on him, Optimus discreetly sent Roller ahead to intercept Blitzwing, and at the last moment, Roller blew him up good. Escalation issue 4 Unfortunately, the same trick didn't work on Megatron, who buried the poor guy under a pile of rocks. However, this bought Optimus Prime the time to transfer his consciousness to his trailer section. Escalation issue 5
Wings Universe
Nine million years ago, Barrelroller was carried around by Orion Pax, who worked at storage yard 67 along with his friends Ariel and Dion. Battle Lines, Part 1
Toys
Generation 1
- Optimus Prime (1984)
- Japanese ID number: C-01
- Roller was included with the original Optimus Prime toy (as well as its many rereleases). Roller is a small, six-wheeled vehicle that is stored in the trailer portion. The seats are scaled to allow Roller to carry Diaclone figures, due to its use in the prior toyline. The trailer/Combat Deck features a spring-loaded device that is capable of launching Roller out of the combat deck. Roller has a hole on top to hold the included oil pump or Optimus's gun. As a result of the original Optimus Prime's production variants (prior to rerelease), Roller was molded in silver plastic (the trailer's exterior color) as well as various shades of blue, indigo and purple (mold colors of the corresponding Optimus's fists/legs/Combat Deck unit).
- As an homage to the silver Roller pictured in the G1 cartoon, some 2000s re-issues of Optimus Prime/Convoy have included Roller molded in that Prime's blue color, only painted silver. (Only the New Year Special and 25th Anniversary Rollers have been left blue, and unpainted.)
- JAFCon 2000 Convoy's Roller was black, along with the rest of him.)
- Orion Pax (2006)
- Japanese ID number: 67
- This Japanese e-Hobby exclusive was a redeco of Targetmaster Recoil. As Orion Pax is meant to represent an early version of Optimus Prime, his Targetmaster partner, Barrelroller, is meant to represent an early version of Roller. This is the first version of Roller actually to transform, from robot to an electromagnetic lift handle.
Return of Convoy
- Star Convoy (Powered Master, 1991, 2005)
- Japanese ID number: C-372
- This toy from the Return of Convoy line included an upgraded Roller named Tread Unit, patterned after a tracked ballistic missile carrier.
Generation 2
- Optimus Prime (1993, 1994)
- A slightly altered version of the original Generation 1 Optimus Prime, it included Roller.
Smallest Transforming Transformers
- G1 Convoy Trailer (2003)
- Japanese ID Number: GTF-01B (trailer)
- The Combat Deck was available separately as a shortpacked figure. Included was a tiiiiny Roller. Awww!
- In wave 2.5, it was again available in cartoon colors as a chase figure.
Hybrid Style
- G1 Convoy (2006)
- Japanese ID number: THS-02
- THS-02 G1 Convoy is a finely detailed, partially die-cast metal transforming toy of G1 Optimus Prime. It comes with a fully transforming and highly detailed trailer that opens up into its Combat Deck/repair bay, as well as Roller, who features four-wheel steering.
Encore
- Convoy (2007)
- Japanese ID number: 01
- Roller is included in this reissue of the original Optimus Prime toy, painted in "anime" colors (light gray).
Universe (2008)
- Optimus Prime 25th Anniversary Pack
- Roller is reissued with Optimus in blue, as Hasbro wanted the unit to match Prime's fists. It was originally intended to be grey.
Masterpiece
- Convoy (2011)
- Japanese ID number: MP-10
- MP-10 Convoy is an entirely new, smaller tooling of Generation 1 Optimus Prime, and comes with a new version of Roller. Roller is silver, is capable of towing Prime's trailer, can be ridden by the included Spike Witwicky figurine, and the included Ion blaster can mount on its back.
Transformers (2010)
- Masterpiece Optimus Prime (2012)
- The Hasbro release of MP-10 Convoy also redecoes Roller, this time in blue. It retains all of the functionality and gimmickry from the previous release.
Notes
- Prime's original character description, as seen in the Transformers Universe profile comic, named the robot module "Optimus" and the drone module "Prime", noting that the Prime module is also known as Roller. However, in practice, these names were never used. The robot module was always treated as if named "Optimus Prime", with "Prime" even being his most common nickname.
- A reference to this "Prime module" was retained in Universe's Powermaster Optimus Prime profile, so the little guy must still be around, despite not being included with the Powermaster toy.
- Early concept drawings for Powermaster Prime, as seen in Transformers Generations, made him a Headmaster/Powermaster, with a four-wheeled Roller forming the head.
- When the Powermaster Optimus Prime toy was re-released as part of the Commemorative Series in 2003, it included the "Apex Bomber", a rechristened Godbomber. In the on-package bio, Apex Bomber was described as a "roller drone" under Prime's control.
- Roller was renamed "Scout Car" in a profile in issue #1 of the UK Generation 2 comic.
- Roller was supposed to have a minor role in Ginrai's Binaltech toy bio (written by Hirofumi Ichikawa), but the toy was ultimately used as Optimus Prime and so the bio went unused. In this storyline, a new Dodge Ram Binaltech body was built for Roller, but was instead possessed by Ginrai as he travelled through time to save his own future.
- The so-called "Complete Edition" of the first Masterpiece Convoy toy did not come with Roller (the indignity!), and it would be around half a decade before a newer, more complete version of the Convoy toy was released that included Roller.
External links
- Optimus Prime's Universe profile at NTFA.net
- Powermaster Optimus Prime's Universe profile at NTFA.net
- Orion Pax's e-HOBBY bio.
Footnotes
- ↑ The name "Barrelroller" only appears in the official English-language translations of Orion Pax's bio on Takara's e-Hobby site. In the Japanese-language version of the bio—both online and on the pack-in bio card from the toy—Barrelroller is called simply "Roller".
