Skids (G1)
Generation One (1985)
Skids was a character who first appeared in the second year of the original Transformers series. He was an Autobot who transformed into a blue Honda City Turbo compact car, although he was typically rendered as a generic van in the media.
He is noteworthy for his almost complete absence from the original television series.
Tech Spec
Function: Theoretician
Motto: "Deep down, we are more like than unlike humans."
Bio: A daydreamer... often bumps into things at 60 mph while pondering Earth life instead of a Decepticon attack. Considers Earth one vast lab for his research. His findings are often invaluable to fellow Autobots. Enormous memory storage capacity. Carries a liquid nitrogen rifle with 600 foot range. Twin electron blaster of 20,000 volts can short-circuit almost anything. At 60 mph can stop within 25 feet. Not very fast... often in danger due to daydreaming.
Marvel Comics
Cartoon
Like many of the Autobots who first appeared in Season 2, the exact circumstances behind Skids joining the original group of Earth-based Autobots is not known.
Skids first appeared as part of a strike force (composed of himself, Huffer, Inferno, Tracks, and Warpath, led by Smokescreen) that was sent to stop the Insecticons from ravaging a human farm. When the strike force failed to drive off the Insecticons, Skids retreated with the rest of the team.
Although he was not depicted as participating in the battle, Skids was apparently injured in it; upon returning to Autobot Headquarters, he underwent repairs by Hoist.
As he was being repaired, Skids overheard a telecommunication between Bumblebee and Optimus Prime that confirmed Bumblebee had retrieved robotic insecticide from the planet Floron 3. Skids responded to this development quizzically.
Skids next appeared as part of a team (also consisting of Bluestreak, Prowl and Tracks) sent by Optimus Prime to investigate a football stadium that powerful bombs had been emanating from (the work of Triplechanger Blitzwing). Skids responded enthusiastically to the idea of stopping the bombs.
However, the Autobots then encountered Blitzwing's "Zone Defense", a giant highway-maze built by the Constructicons to stop intruders. As they were driving through the maze, Skids and Prowl accidentally collided with each other in vehicle mode; Skids was knocked onto his side.
Before they could transform or otherwise get out of their predicament, they were driven over by Blitzwing in tank mode, which practically reduced them to sheet metal.
After all four Autobots were defeated, Scrapper gathered their remains and constructed a throne out of them, which he then sat on.
Eventually, the four Autobots were rescued by Hoist and Smokescreen, who had Powerglide guide them through the maze from the air.
Apparently, Hoist quickly rebuilt the four of them; Skids was seen in one piece with Bluestreak, Trailbreaker and Prowl on a skyscraper helipad following a massive flood of the city they were all in, which had been accidentally caused by Astrotrain.
The four repaired Autobots (along with Trailbreaker and Ironhide) then joined Optimus Prime to watch a multi-way brawl for Decepticon leadership, which all present refrained from participating in.
Following that skirmish, Prowl opined that Optimus Prime was the greatest leader in the universe, which prompted himself, Bluestreak, Skids and Tracks to form themselves into a throne for Prime; Prime refused to sit, saying that thrones were for Decepticons - he'd rather roll.
All of them then transformed and drove off, presumably back to Autobot Headquarters.
