Monday, November 10, 2008

Dinobots





















































The Dinobots are a group of five Transformers, part of the Autobot faction. Their exact origins and abilities vary from one version of Transformers to the next, but they are always exceptionally powerful Autobots, able to sustain heavy abuse and wield heavy firepower against their foes. In all media, they are depicted as being fiercely independent and liable to break away from the main group of Autobots when the mood takes them.

Grimlock Tyrannosaurus rex He is the team leader.

Due to their unique alternative modes, their memorable personalities and their fighting prowess, they are fan favorites in their cartoon, comic book and toy incarnations.

The creation of the Dinobots was almost happenstance. One particular day at Autobot Headquarters, the Autobots detected unusual seismic activity from within the walls of the cave. Ironhide investigated the disturbance and found the fossilized bones of dinosaurs. After researching more dinosaurs, Wheeljack made the suggestion that, because of their brute force and power, dinosaurs working for the Autobots would shake up the Decepticons. Ratchet agreed, suggesting robotic forms and Optimus Prime authorized the project.

Shortly after, Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge were created and unveiled, but during the presentation, the Dinobots went awry due to their lack of intelligence. They began to ransack Autobot Headquarters, inflicting major damage to Teletraan I. Wheeljack managed to subdue the Dinobots with his shoulder-mounted magnetic inducer. The Dinobots were deactivated and stored in the cavern where they were constructed. Later, when many of the Autobots were in peril, the Dinobots were given cerebral upgrades increasing their intelligence, but only to the point of possessing broken language, and rudimentary logic. This did not make them "civilized", but the upgrade allowed them to follow instructions and be sent into combat.

The Dinobots performed admirably in combat, saving the Autobots, forcing the Decepticons into retreat, and earning a permanent place in the Autobot ranks. They proved very useful when Megatron brought Cybertron into Earth's orbit through the Decepticon Space Bridge. Dismayed by his losses to the Dinobots, Megatron discovered and briefly exploited weaknesses that turned the Dinobots against the Autobots. To counter this, two new Dinobots were created - Snarl and Swoop. Grimlock reconsidered his betrayal after being saved by Optimus Prime from an exploding meteorite.

They are often brought in to face the largest threats. They have tangled with Devastator numerous times, defeated or stalemated Megatron (Grimlock was often able to battle him on his own), and even survived an assault against Unicron.

In the comic version, the Dinobots are quite different from their cartoon equivalents. They were not created on Earth, but are in fact Cybertronian Autobots. The Dinobots are something like an Autobot elite special ops team, under Grimlock’s direct command. It is made quite clear that the Dinobots’ first loyalty is to each other over their fellow Autobots.

During the series, not much is said about the Dinobots’ time on Cybertron. Most of what is learned comes as hints or references in dialogues. We learn Swoop has a grudge against the Decepticon Divebomb, caused by a number of defeats the Dinobot suffered to the Decepticon in fights over the name 'Divebomb', Swoop's original moniker. We also learn Grimlock and the Dinobots were as powerful and rebellious on Cybertron as they are on Earth, going so far as launching successful raids against the Decepticon forces without the knowledge of the Autobot leaders. In one such raid, the Dinobots stole a number of Decepticon spaceships and hid them away so well they were still intact when the Autobots returned to Cybertron 5 million years later.

The Dinobots were aboard the Ark with the other Autobots when they originally crashed on Earth. However, soon after the crash, Shockwave landed on Earth in search of the Ark, and the ship’s computer (A.U.N.T.I.E.) reactivated the Dinobots.

This would be all the US comics would see of the Dinobots for some time, but in the UK comics, Ratchet led the Dinobots back to the Ark, only to encounter a deranged Guardian robot. They beat him, but lose Swoop in the process, prompting the Dinobots to walk out.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Trypticon




































Affiliation Decepticon

Japanese name Dinosaurer

Sub-Group Micro Beasts

Function Assault Base

Partner Full-Tilt, Brunt

Motto "Total victory requires total destruction."

Alternate Modes City/Battle Station

English voice actor Brad Garret

Japanese voice actor Daisuke Gōri
Trypticon is the Decepticons' principal command base. He has three modes: a city, a mobile battle station, and a Tyrannosaurus rex. In each mode, he has a variety of weapons. As an added gimmick, the toy's Tyrannosaurus Rex mode can actually walk, operated with a battery-powered motor.

Although Trypticon appeared to be a ruthless killer, delighting in his battles, Trypticon was in fact insecure wondering if the Decepticon cause was in fact the right one for him. Trypticon is aided with two remote-controlled drones, called Full-Tilt and Brunt. Trypticon’s Autobot counterpart is Metroplex.

In the American cartoon, Trypticon was created in 2005 from a human city by the Constructicons, to act as the main weapon in the Earth-based half of the Decepticon-Quintesson alliance’s two-pronged strike on the Autobots. Trypticon’s first action was the destruction of the Ark, and he then proceeded to attack the helpless Autobot City. The city’s sub-section, the colossal Autobot known as Metroplex, had been left unable to transform by the destruction of his transforming cog, but just in time, Blurr, Wheelie, Sky Lynx and Marissa Faireborn returned with the replacement, allowing Metroplex to transform to robot mode and dispose of Trypticon, defeating him in battle and hurling him into the ocean.

Trypticon survived the encounter, however, and walked across the seabed to the prehistoric Dinobot Island, where he recuperated. In short order, however, he was located by the Decepticon wheeler-dealer, Octane, who took him to the Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya, where the country’s ruler, Supreme Military Dictator, King of Kings, and President for Life Abdul Fakkadi paid for their military services. When Fakkadi tired of spending his country’s oil on the two Decepticons, Trypticon began to steal national monuments to placate him, but eventually the arrival of Galvatron forced Fakkadi to call in the Autobots. Once again, Metroplex battled Trypticon and defeated him.

One of Trypticon’s eyes was stolen by Starscream's ghost and Scourge for Unicron, and Starscream then possessed Trypticon himself in order to deliver the behemoth's Transforming Cog to Unicron. Before Starscream could direct Trypticon to make the connections that would give Unicron a new body, however, the Decepticons inside Trypticon disconnected some of his systems, leaving him immobile and preventing Starscream from making him move.

In preparation for a later attack on Autobot City, the Decepticons successfully stole Metroplex’s transforming cog. In retaliation, however, the Autobots had their human allies appropriate Trypticon’s. With each of the cities now fitted with the other's incompatible cog, Trypticon and Metroplex battled again, partially transforming back and forth from mode to mode, until First Aid correctly aligned the cog within Metroplex, allowing him to fully transform and defeat Trypticon yet again.

Trypticon's last appearance saw him called to a dead world in an ancient region of the galaxy along with many other Transformer "primitives" (those possessing animal alternate modes), where they were charged with defeating Tornedron, the creation of insane genius Primacron, who had also built Unicron. Unfortunately for Trypticon, he was the first to fall to Tornedron, and, drained of all his energy, nearly crushed his comrades as he collapsed. When Tornedron was defeated, the energy he absorbed was released, restoring Trypticon. Nevertheless, he did not make any further appearances in the American cartoon series. Trypticon was voiced by Brad Garret.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Metroplex
















































Affiliation Autobot

Japanese name Metroflex

Partner Six-Gun, Scamper, Slammer

Motto "Vigilance is the foundation on which victories are built."

Alternate Modes City/Battle Station

English voice actor Bud Davis (Metroplex)Maurice LaMarche (Six-Gun)Christopher Collins (Slammer)Dan Gilvezan (Scamper)

Japanese voice actor Osamu
Metroplex is a smaller sub-section of Autobot City, capable of transforming into a battle station or a giant robot comparable in size only with Trypticon (or, later, Fortress Maximus and Scorponok). In Japan, he is called Metroflex. Metroplex has three smaller autonomous components: Six-Gun: an Autobot who is formed from six of the battle station's guns combining with one of the city's towers, Scamper: an Autobot who transforms into a car, and Slammer: a tank which transforms into another of the city's skyscrapers.
Metroplex was recolored blue for the Japanese exclusive Decepticon Metrotitan.

Metroplex is the living core of Autobot City in the year 2005. He is the largest and most powerful of all the Transformers, and is considered the Autobots' last line of defense. He spends most of his time in city mode but has the ability to transform into a battle station or a colossal robot depending on the situation. He is rivaled in size only by Trypticon (or, later, Fortress Maximus and Scorponok), and has been called upon to fight the Decepticon on a few different occasions, often using full-body wrestling tactics rather than depending on firepower.

There is some disagreement amongst fans, as to whether Metroplex, or Fortress Maximus are bigger. This also varies greatly depending on the continuity of Transformers in question, as Fortress Maximus can range from normal Autobot size in the comics to city-sized in the animated series. In the animated series in Japan, Fortress Maximus is considered larger. In the US comics, Metroplex was considered larger. The US cartoon never showed the two together, yet it has been shown that the inside of Metroplex's head is large enough for a many transformers to walk around in, while the head of Fortress Maximus is a normal sized Autobot.

Metroplex rose out of the ruins of Autobot City after the Battle of Autobot City. During that attack, he was seen transforming from city to battle station by manual control. During the fighting, his Transformation Cog was destroyed. After the battle, he received a new Cog with the help of Sky Lynx, Wheelie, Blurr, and Marissa Faireborn, and it was installed by Pipes.
Unfortunately, Metroplex was unable to stop the newly-constructed Trypticon from destroying the Ark, but he did defeat the Decepticon afterwards and hurled the dinosaur into the ocean. The next time Metroplex is called into action was to stop Trypticon and Octane from stealing global monuments and bringing them to Carbombya in exchange for "super-energon". During a battle in Moscow, Metroplex caught the Kremlin which Trypticon hurled at him, and was then attacked by Russian troops. This led the Russians (and other humans) to believe that the Autobots were behind the thefts. All was set straight when the Autobots learned Trypticon's whereabouts in Carbombya and Metroplex defeated Trypticon again. Metroplex subsequently returned all of the monuments to their original residences.

When Starscream made his deal with Unicron for a new body, Unicron requested the eyes of Metroplex in one of the tasks. Starscream possessed the body of Scourge and infiltrated Metroplex, stealing one of his eyes but accidentally destroying the other. In a fit of rage, Metroplex unexpectedly transformed into robot mode and began shooting wildly at anyone in range. A bomb planted by Starscream knocked Metroplex unconscious and caused him to transform back to city mode. His eyes were rebuilt after Unicron's plan was foiled by the combination of some Autobots and Decepticons.

If Metroplex has any weakness, it is the fact that due to his sheer size he requires other Autobots to protect and maintain him when he is in city mode. The Starscream incident is one example, and another is the time when Swindle was able to steal the Transformation Cog while other Decepticons created a diversion. This once again left Metroplex vulnerable. The Autobots (with Spike and Daniel) retaliated by stealing Trypticon's Cog and installing it in Metroplex. The Decepticons naturally used Metroplex's Cog in Trypticon, and this allowed both to at least partially transform and fight each other. Metroplex was in danger of losing the battle when First Aid properly aligned Metroplex's new Cog. This enabled Metroplex to fully transform and defeat the giant dinosaur.

Metroplex is seen only a couple other times in the cartoon continuity. One was when he is attacked by Soundwave with the powerful 'Harmonics'. The harmony shorted out Metroplex's circuits, who was saved only when Blaster attacked Soundwave and erased his tapes. Metroplex was also shown being shut down by Rodimus Prime during the Hate Plague outbreak, in order to keep him from also going berzerk and unleashing his power on everything.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Brawl































































































































Affiliation Decepticon

Sub-Group Combaticons, Scouts

Function Ground Assault

Motto "I was built to be wild."

Alternate Modes Leopard 1 tank

Voiced by Tony St. James (English)Masashi Ebara (Japanese)
Brawl originally appeared as a group of five Decepticons known as the Combaticons who were able to combine together to form a larger robot known as Bruticus. As a basic sized combiner limb, Brawl could become the arm or leg to any similar combiner Transformers; he was usually found to be the left leg of Bruticus.

According to his original bio, he was noisy, has hair-trigger temper, belligerent, and irritable. He is resistant to most conventional artillery. He shoots 200 Ibs TNT-equivalent shells from his turret, and twin sonic guns shoot 300-decibel bursts of concentrated sound energy. In robot mode, he wields 10-megawatt electron gun.

The Combaticons first U.S. appearance in Issue 24 of the U.S. Marvel comics was unexplained in the American comic, however it is assumed that they were created in the same way as the Stunticons were through Bombshell's cerebro-shell attached to Optimus Prime tapping the energies of the Autobot Matrix of Leadership.

The company 'Energy Futures Industries' was a hydrothermocline plant which the Decepticons wanted to steal for their own energy resources. Megatron and the Combaticons launched an assault only to encounter the Protectobots and Optimus Prime. With both teams now combined into Bruticus and Defensor, the human Ethan Zachary offered a solution - that the two teams battled inside a computer program. Not wanting to destroy what they had come to steal Megatron agreed. Predictably the Combaticons' bloodlust was turned against them as their disregard for the programs sentient beings led to Swindle and Brawl being destroyed by First Aid. However, the Decepticons still won as Optimus Prime felt he had cheated by endangering innocent life in the game and destroyed himself. Shortly after this Brawl made the mistake of questioning Megatron's belief that Prime was still alive. The increasingly deranged Decepticon leader crushed Brawl's head with his bare hands.

Brawl would continue to make sporadic appearances throughout the U.S. and UK comics, clashing twice more with the Protectobots as Bruticus and attacking the Autobot leadership contest between Grimlock and Blaster. The Combaticons were not shown to be deactivated by the Underbase powered Starscream, but as they were not seen again in the G1 comic, it is likely. Brawl did reappear in the Transformers: Generation 2 comic, where he and the other Combaticons were destroyed by the forces of Jhiaxus.

Brawl was originally a Decepticon criminal that had his personality component extracted by Shockwave. In "Starscream's Brigade" he was one of five later recovered by Starscream, exiled from the Decepticons after one clash too many with Megatron. Hitting on the idea of creating his own loyal troops from the wrecked vehicles left on Guadalcanal after World War II battles there, he installed their personality components into the rebuilt vehicles, thus creating the Combaticons, with Brawl having the alternate mode of a Leopard 1 tank. After a series of attacks on both Autobots and Decepticons, they were defeated by Menasor and exiled to space.

In "The Revenge of Bruticus", ridding themselves of Starscream they would then attempt to conquer Cybertron, defeating Shockwave's army, and then attempt to destroy Earth by sending it towards the sun. They were eventually stopped by Optimus Prime, Megatron and Starscream, but they survived - under Megatron's control.

While he would mostly appear as part of the Combaticons, the episode "B.O.T." would spotlight Swindle and Brawl near exclusively. After a gestalt-on-gestalt battle between Bruticus and Defensor the Combaticons' combined form was demolished, with only Swindle remaining intact. The ever opportunistic Swindle took the opportunity to sell his comrades' parts - much to the fury of Megatron. Recovering all but Brawl's personality component, Megatron had him fitted with a bomb to give him extra "motivation". Eventually he located it installed in a high school science project called B.O.T. (which had gone on the rampage due to Brawl's influence).
Eventually recovering Brawl's personality components the Combaticons merged into Bruticus, but were stopped by Defensor, forcing them to flee.

Brawl would continue to appear in a limited capacity throughout the third season.

Wheeljack
























Affiliation Autobot

Sub-Group Autobot Cars, Lightning Strike Coalition, Action Masters, Spy Changers

Motto "Never do what your enemy expects you to do."

Alternate Modes Cybertronian Car 1973 Lancia Stratos Turbo 1987 Porsche 962 2006 Ford Mustang

Voiced by Chris Latta (English)Osamu Saka (Japanese)
Wheeljack (Saetta in Italy, and Kerék (which simply means Wheel) in the Hungarian translation of the early comics) is the scientist (and warrior) of the Autobots in the Transformers television and comic series based on the popular toy line produced by Takara and Hasbro. His vehicle mode is a Lancia Stratos Turbo racing car.

Wheeljack is described as the mad scientist of the Autobot forces as he is always inventing new weapons and gadgets. These weapons and gadgets, while derived from the desire to benefit the Autobot cause, often bring great danger and introduce unpredictable elements into critical situations. He is the most accomplished driver (while in car mode) among the Autobots and enjoys displaying his skill level through various road stunts. Wheeljack possesses the ability to fly for relatively short distances (800 miles) using solid-fuel rockets in his arms. From his shoulder mounted cannons, Wheeljack can shoot magnetic inducer, shrapnel-needle, and gyro-inhibitor shells which can disrupt a target's sense of balance. He is often his own worst enemy due to the explosive and potentially damaging nature of his experiments.

Wheeljack, who was voiced by Chris Latta, was the first Transformer ever shown in the G1 cartoon series. Also, his is one of the few Cybertronian vehicle forms shown - in his case, a boxy vanlike vehicle. His robot form is distinguished by large bulbs on either side of his head that light up when he speaks. In most episodes, he was seldom seen at the front lines in battle - but he was often fundamental to the plot. He, and the Autobot medic Ratchet occasionally, in cooperation with the human Sparkplug Witwicky were often shown working together creating various devices, weaponry, and even additional Autobots. Often, these devices were sought and sometimes obtained by the Decepticons and used against the Autobots. In the episode "The Immobilizer", he created a device capable of "immobilizing" anything and Decepticon forces were able to capture and use the device against the Autobots.

Wheeljack was the primary architect of the Dinobots, although they rarely seemed to have any particular affinity for him. Along with Ratchet he also helped to create the Aerialbots out of old Cybertronian shuttles. As the series progressed, Wheeljack's responsibilities were increasingly taken on by the Autobot scientist Perceptor.

In The Transformers: The Movie, set in the year 2005, Wheeljack was assigned to Autobot City on Earth. Wheeljack was killed in the invasion of Autobot City by Megatron’s forces, and his injured or possibly deceased body dragged to cover by Arcee. In the storyboards for the movie, it is Smokescreen, not Wheeljack, who lies dead, and Wheeljack himself can be seen alive amidst Devastator's attack. It is also worth noting that Wheeljack's (and Windcharger's) body does not change colour to a grey black colour associated with Transformers when they die. Wheeljack has an anomalous appearance in Transformers: Victory.