Clampdown (RID)

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

Clampdown is a Decepticon from the Robots in Disguise portion of the Aligned continuity family.

oh no. crabes!

The skittering scumbag Clampdown is always looking to make a deal to save his own shell. Despite his impressive claw strength, he's a massive coward, always ready to run for the hills, or failing that, squeal on others to the authorities in the hopes of weaseling out of punishment.

In fact, it was his big mouth that got Thunderhoof locked away on the Alchemor. And now they're forced to work together as part of Steeljaw's plan. Yeah, that's gonna go over real well.

Fiction

2015 Robots in Disguise cartoon

Voice actor: Jim Cummings (English), Francesco Orlando (Italian)

Clampdown was responsible for Thunderhoof being arrested on Cybertron. Thanks to his trying to blackmail a member of the High Council, Clampdown himself was also imprisoned on the ship Alchemor Sideways and eventually escaped when the ship crashed on Earth. Pilot (Part 1) He concealed himself in the storm drains under Crown City, frightening off anyone who got near.

Bumblebee's team attempted to arrest him in his sewer hideout, but the panicked crab managed to escape by tearing apart a main pipe, washing the Autobots away. As he left thew sewer, he was approached by Steeljaw, who had been watching him a while and invited him to his group. Returning to Steeljaw's hideout, Clampdown failed to impress fellow refugees Underbite and Fracture... and then Thunderhoof arrived, recognizing Clampdown as the bot who got him shipped ont the Alchemor in the first place. Though Steeljaw tried to cut hostilities short, Thunderhoof was having none of that and charged after the snitch. Clampdown fled with Thunderhoof in pursuit, Steeljaw chasing them both, and Underbite and Fracture following along (possibly out of morbid curiosity).

Both the Autobots and Decepticon found Clampdown hiding in a garbage dump, leading to a massive brawl. All of the Autobots were occupied by Steeljaw's gang, leaving Clampdown free to book it... and Thunderhoof free to chase. Clampdown was finally cornered in a water-drenched sinkhole, and in the struggle with Thunderhoof, they both slipped, bashing their heads together and knocking them both offline.

The entire gang was put into stasis cuffs, but Steeljaw was able to free himself and the others. Returning to their hideout, the other Decepticons were still very dubious about accepting Clampdown into their number, but Steeljaw assured them he'd convinced Clampdown to stay and stay loyal... because otherwise, he "wouldn't rest until I'd made him eat his own claws". Sideways

Toys

Hero Mashers

• Clampdown (2015)
  • Pieces: 8

Part of the third wave of Transformers Hero Mashers —and the first of the Robots in Disguise-themed product— Clampdown is a non-transforming action figure with ratchet-joints, about six inches tall. He has multiple peg-holes all over that can be used to mount any Hero Mashers accessory.

He is designed with a removable head (well, top of his head, at least), biceps, claw-arms, and legs, all of which use the same clip-peg/hole joint. This means his pieces can be swapped around in any order, as well as swapped with any other Hero Mashers figure... which includes figures from Marvel Comics, Star Wars and Jurassic World, meaning you can make some pretty freaky combinations.

Clampdown's normal construction differs from all the humanoids in the entire line, in that his arms use two removable parts each instead of just one, and his legs only have a single piece each instead of two. This has confused the hell out of the Hero Mashers product photography team.

Merchandise

• Clampdown (McDonald's Happpy Meal toy, 2015)
  • McNumber: 8

Part of the 2015 McDonald's Transformers/My Little Pony Happy Meal promotion, Clampdown is a non-transforming action figure. His left claw is actually a spring-loaded missile tied to his arm by a string. The claw itself also has a spring-loaded gimmick, clamping shut when the trigger panel between the claw-blades is struck.

Amusingly, this version of Clampdown is pretty much to proper scale with the normal Robots in Disguise Warrior-class figures.