Robots In Disguise: Mark 3

“Robots In Disguise” is not a good name to use. Oh, I’m sure it works for the toyline and of course they’re taking the name from the theme song of the original cartoon. However, there was already a Robots In Disguise line in 2001 and a current comic from IDW that is about as kid-unfriendly as you can be with robots. So that doesn’t seem like the right name to use for these toys and TV show.

A few clips and teasers have been put on Hasbro Studio’s YouTube “shorts” page and this week they had some character profiles. I say “had” because I couldn’t find them but I trust the info source, Ben Yee of BWTF.com, one of the best Transformers fansites on the internet. So we have some ideas about the characters, let’s take a closer look at the latest installment in the Prime universe saga.

At least I think it is. As a reminder, the “Prime” universe is the one Hasbro is creating for kids, rather than continuing a previous continuity. It includes the High Moon Studios games–War For Cybertron, Fall Of Cybertron and the Wii exclusive Cybertron Adventures (I’m not sure how Rise Of The Dark Spark, the Prime/Movieverse crossover, fits into continuity), Rescue Bots and the cornerstone of the continuity, Transformers Prime (including Beast Hunters). Sadly, I have not seen more than a few episodes of Beast Hunters due to various circumstances (I am really behind on stuff, and they didn’t record for some reason being the top two) so I don’t know how that series ended. However, Bumblebee seems to speak to Optimus through a lake. I’m not sure how that works, but there may be an explanation in the show.

Years after we left the Autobots in “Transformers Prime” Bumblebee is summoned by Optimus Prime to save Earth from a new faction of Decepticons. Bumblebee assembles a rogue team of young Autobots including a COOL REBEL “BAD BOY,” an ELITE GUARD CADET, a BOMBASTIC DINOBOT and a hyperactive MINI-CON to chase and capture their new enemies. Each new BOT is a fully capable action hero, but relatively inexperienced in working together in a team. Thus Bumblebee finds himself needing to be equal parts squad leader and coach. Every episode is packed full of action, adventure and comedy as Team Bumblebee strive to complete their new mission.

Season 1 is about establishing a base to reclaim Decepticon prisoners when a prison ship crashlands on Earth (as they do, apparently). As before, the war is to be kept as secret as possible from humans. I do wonder, though, why Bumblebee doesn’t seek the help of the human allies they already have. The US military is aware of the Transformers and they had a liaison, Agent Fowler. I don’t know how much time has passed and they may have a reason not to draw Jack, Miko, and Raf back into the Transformers’ war but warning Agent Fowler seems like a good idea to me. Unless something happened to him in Beast Hunters.

The bios then get into the main Autobot characters. Clips have shown two human characters, a father and his young son who own some kind of car lot, possibly an automobile junk yard. They have no bios, or at least Yee didn’t list any. WARNING: Potential spoilers ahead for the new series!

Optimus Prime

OPTIMUS PRIME returns. He will principally serve as a guide for Bumblebee when he needs OP’s help the most. OPTIMUS PRIME’S real journey, and challenge, will involve meeting his predecessors: The 12 Primes. The story will play itself out during the course of the season. In this series, Bumblebee must learn to fill OPTIMUS PRIME’S shoes as Team Leader. His new Recruits need to function as a well-oiled machine and OPTIMUS PRIME will need to fulfill his destiny and achieve the next step in his evolution into OPTIMUS SUPREME…All before our new baddies join forces and roll out!

All of the clips thus far have focused on Bumblebee and the new recruits. It’s nice to see Optimus will still be involved but in a way that lets others take the focus…WITHOUT KILLING, INCAPACITATING OR OTHERWISE REMOVING OPTIMUS FROM THE STORY ALTOGETHER, which is usually how it goes in the comics. Optimus may take on a mentor role, like he does for Heatwave on Rescue Bots. Actually, I wonder how this will affect the next season of Rescue Bots? I hear they’re becoming dinosaurs.

Bumblebee

Our yellow and black Autobot maintains a boundless optimism and taste for adventure. Although Bumblebee may be completely “no-nonsense” in the field when he’s up against the baddest of the bad, once he’s back on Earth we’ll see his mettle tested by his underlings (think Arnold “Kindergarten Cop”). And while the members of the ’Bee’s Earth-based squad may be loose cannons, they will eventually learn to be “in this together” and apply their talents to the cause of good.

I wonder if Bumblebee will have to convince people it’s not a tumor while telling them to put that cookie down? Seriously, Kindergarten Cop? That’s your reference point? Will Friedle returns as Bumblebee and it’s nice to know they’re not silencing him again after regaining his voice. You know, like Michael Bay annoyingly did with the movie version. Way to ruin your own happy ending, Mike. Also, Bumblebee will be reading a small group, not the entire Autobot group like IDW had him do. Look, Bumblebee’s my favorite G1 AND Prime Autobot (I liked him in the movies but I lean more towards Optimus there and Animated Bumblebee was Rattrap done wrong) but having him lead all Autobots is something even I wouldn’t do. A small team, however, I’m fine with. Granted, according to the clips I’ve seen he isn’t looking forward to it, though. he says this was HIS mission for Optimus, so the other four getting involved isn’t making him happy. Especially the next bot.

Strongarm

Strongarm is staunchly dedicated to her career in law enforcement and can’t imagine a world where everyone doesn’t follow the “letter” of the law (i.e., THE RULES). STRONGARM is completely earnest and possesses a world-view devoid of shades of grey. Exposing Strongarm to any criminal behavior instantly flips the switch that activates her righteous sense of justice, wherein Rip becomes a single minded, unstoppable zero-tolerance machine! Becoming a member of ’Bee’s supreme team is a dream come true and she’ll do everything in her power not to disappoint him. Her personal growth as a ’Bot will be explored throughout this series. Sometimes it’s hard to let go of protocol, but on Earth, she’ll have to learn to bend a little more because not everything is so easy and cut-and-dry. V-mode: Police SUV.

Sounds like Strongarm and Chase (from the Rescue Bots) should get together. My question is who’s Rip? Does she have a partner Mini-Con? Split personality? Another typo by whomever wrote the bios? (Maybe that’s why they’re down.) Strongarm looks up to Bumblebee. In one clip she asks him to teach her like Optimus taught Bumblebee. I don’t think it’s a crush so much as hero-worship. She’s actually my early choice for favorite new Autobot.

Sideswipe

A street-smart, fast-thinking rebellious ’Bot, think of Sideswipe as the “Deadpool” of the group. Our somewhat of a lone wolf feels he needs to look for himself first and wishes Strongarm would cut him a break with all her rules and regulations – but when push comes to shove, he heeds the call to action. He will even be known to try and take advantage of some of the other more gullible ’Bots. Sideswipe is cool under pressure and he’s quick with his words and hands. He’s all about getting the drop on his opponent – and looks cool doing it. He will not only learn that it’s “cool to respect authority” (as Sideswipe gains increasing respect for Bumblebee and his teammates), but that he, in turn, has grown to be something of an “authority” figure to Russell, one of our humans on Earth. V-mode: Flashy, Luxury Sportscar.

Okay, who are these bio’s being written to? Maybe it’s not the typos and off grammar but the fact that they’ve used two references today’s kids aren’t going to get that caused the bios to be taken down. I don’t think Deadpool is that popular with the young protoforms out there. Plus Deadpool is insane and has multiple personalities as part of that insanity, plus breaks the fourth wall like it’s made of paper. They didn’t show a lot of this incarnation Sideswipe but snark is the least of Deadpool’s qualities. In the only clip where he talks he doesn’t seem to want to get involved but is happy to drop a few quips. There’s promise of him growing so we’ll see where he goes from here.

Grimlock

A proverbial “Neanderthal” with a huge heart, Grimlock is a Dinobot that fights hard and plays hard. In fact, he’s the strongest in our new Autobot group. Grimlock was unjustly imprisoned eons ago for his looks and not his deeds. In fact, Grimlock initially joins up with Team ’Bee simply because he didn’t want to miss out on the “fun” of a Monster beat down! On the downside, Grimlock can be a tad gullible, a little too “in the moment,” clumsy, AND then there’s the teeny-tiny detail that a “T-Rex” isn’t exactly the most discreet disguise for an alien ’Bot on Earth. Dinobot mode: T-Rex.

If you’re looking for the traditional “Me, Grimlock”, this isn’t the place. RID TV 2 Grimlock has a full vocabulary. In the only clip he speaks in Grimlock has a score to settle and in a few trailers is seen with a Decepticon symbol. I can’t in good faith compare him to Beast Wars Dinobot because I haven’t seen enough of this Grimlock but what I have has them completely different. Also, the bio suggests he isn’t really a Decepticon so we’ll see how that goes.

Fix-It

The enthusiastic, hyperactive, roughly human-sized MINI-CON mans the tech and provides maintenance for the new Autobot base (read: he’s a nerd). Fix-It is equal parts mechanic/I.T./mascot, and archivist of the “Most Wanted” dossiers – he was the pilot of the Cybertronian Prison Ship, The Alchemor, that crash landed on Earth, and is thus intimate with its former inhabitants, their crimes and attributes. He’s a constant tinkerer and will be responsible for building or retrofitting MONSTER HUNT & CAPTURE DEVICES. Transformation modes: a veritable “Swiss Army Knife” of MECHANIC’S TOOLS.

He transforms into tools. Sounds like they understand the Mini-Con idea better than the Japanese company that produced Transformers Armada, where they were referred to as “smart tools”. I wonder how the toy will represent that? Fix-It appears to stumble on his words sometimes and doesn’t seem too bright sometimes, either. He blames his troubles on faulty wiring. He’s going to be comic relief, isn’t he?

Based on what I have seen I like the animation better than Prime‘s. While the previous series tried to be as realistic as possible this is going for more cel-shaded and more dynamic action, which I think works better for Transformers. The acting seems to be good and so is the premise. We’ll have to wait until 2015 (no other date given) for the show to come out, as Transformers will return to Cartoon Network. I’m not sure why. I know Hasbro and Discovery aren’t working together anymore, with the Hub rebranded “Discovery Family”, but Rescue Bots (which is supposed to be in the same universe) starts season 3 this weekend and other Hasbro properties Littlest Pet Shop, Pound Puppies, and My Little Pony will see their shows remaining. At any rate, I’m excited for the new show and I hope I’m not disappointed. Hopefully the toys are just as good.