Transformers Animated/Characters

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Main Autobots

Optimus Prime

Voiced by: David Kaye / Hiroki Takahashi

My name...is Optimus Prime, and I'm prepared to sacrifice my life to defend the Allspark.
—Optimus, after Starscream calls him "Autobot scum" in the pilot. He's gonna get this a lot...

The leader of a small maintenance crew, Optimus Prime is a well-meaning young 'bot who dreams of a bigger, more heroic lifestyle. He gets his wish when his crew stumbles upon the elusive Allspark. A run-in with Megatron and his Decepticon crew causes Prime and his crew to land on Earth where they try to adapt while saving the world on a daily basis. Though Optimus gets the "hero" life he asked for, he is inexperienced. He is a dogged nice guy who does the best he can despite some insecurity and reluctance.

Bumblebee

Voiced by: Bumper Robinson / Daisuke Kishio

Fastest thing on wheels, coming through!

Bumblebee is a speedy, impatient, and impulsive young Cybertronian. He thinks on his wheels and less on his head and tends to goof-up and have fun with his human friend, Sari. Despite it, he's ready for battle when the situation calls, even if he tends to rush in without thinking first.

Bulkhead

Voiced by: Bill Fagerbakke / Kenta Miyake

But I did dream big, Bumblebee. I dreamed of being your friend.

Bulkhead may be big and strong and he may enjoy smashing things around here and there, but he wants you to know he has a sensitive side, too. Ever the Gentle Giant, he is often taken for granted, thinking because of his brawny nature, he isn't all that smart. Though unsubtle, Bulkhead is an insightful 'bot with a natural gift for art.

Ratchet

Voiced by: Corey Burton / Toru Okawa

It's not that I don't want to remember. I have to remember - for those who can't.

Ratchet suffered through the Great War millions of years back, experiences which have caused him to be grumpy 24/7. He refuses to talk about his time there (especially with an eager Optimus Prime) and suffers Vietnam-style flashbacks due primarily to two traumatic incidents of failing in his profession: accidentally wiping Arcee's memory core and having to participate in the near-death of Omega Supreme that reduced the giant to a mere spaceship. Despite his constant angry outbursts, however, Ratchet possesses a sweet side deep down.

"I am your pupil. Your dependant. Your obedient servant."
"I am Ratchet. I am...your friend."

Prowl

Voiced by: Jeff Bennett / Koji Yusa

Stillness... then strike.

Prowl is a lone Ninja-Bot who doesn't play well with others, preferring to rely on only himself. Stuck with Optimus and crew, he is forced to learn how to work as part of a team. Prowl is sneaky and clever due to his occupation and spends countless hours meditating. He enjoys observing nature and the organic life that most of his kind fear. He later develops from a stoic warrior into a true hero.

Other Autobots

Arcee

Voiced by: Susan Blu (the original Arcee) / Ayahi Takagaki

Wipe my memory core. Ratchet, the access codes in my processor are crucial to the war effort. If Megatron gets them...

Formerly a schoolteacher to young Autobots, Arcee became an intel courier during the Great War, tasked with carrying the important codes for Project: Omega, a valuable resource that the Decepticons wanted. This job came to an abrupt end when Ratchet accidentally wiped her memory during the Great War, causing her to suffer amnesia. She isn't seen until later on when Megatron and crew manage to get their hands on her and the code. Fortunately, Sari and Ratchet restore her memory afterwards.

Grimlock

Voiced by: David Kaye / Keiji Fujiwara

Dinobots RULE!

Grimlock is the leader of the Dinobots. He and the other Dinobots are simpleminded and aggressive creatures who started out as animatronic dinosaurs for a theme park, which Megatron upgraded with weapons in the hopes of using one of them as a new body. This plan went off the rails when they were brought to life in an accident involving the Key. They tend to get violent very fast the moment they sense hostility, and Prowl is the only one who can calm them down...usually.

"Whoopsie. Fire bad."

Snarl and Swoop

Sentinel Prime

Voiced by: Townsend Coleman / Junichi Suwabe

If I need a trash-can emptied or a floor mopped, I'll call on my buddy Optimus Prime. Or should I say "Maintenance Prime"?

Sentinel Prime is, plain and simple, a jerkass. He is an egotistical, boisterous bot who uses his high position to issue orders and command high respect, especially towards Optimus (despite sharing the same rank). Years back, the two and Elita-1 were best friends until an incident on a foreign organic planet, during which Elita was separated from them and assumed dead. Their relationship has been strained since.

Jazz

Voiced by: Phil LaMarr / Hideo Ishikawa

The classic Metallikato "Five Servos of Doom" attack! But have you seen this one?

Jazz is calm and collected and just plain cool. He is a graduate of the Cyber-Ninja Corps and later on, befriends fellow ninja Prowl. Jazz, like Prowl, has an interest in organic life.

Supreme Commander Ultra Magnus

Voiced by: Jeff Bennett / Banjo Ginga

We're at war, soldier. We do what we must.

Current leader of the Autobots, Ultra Magnus is a straightforward leader. He usually makes decisions that would benefit the Autobots no matter how unethical they may seem, though he has his soft spots, mainly concerning Optimus Prime, in whom he sees potential. He is tragically damaged by traitor Longarm Prime aka Shockwave, and according to the Allspark Almanac, dies would have died in season four, making his current position nebulous.

Wreck-Gar

Voiced by: "Weird Al" Yankovic / Mitsuo Iwata

Did someone say HERO? I am Wreck-Gar! I am a hero!

Wreck-Gar means well, he really does. When he first arrives, he has no idea who he is and what his purpose in life is. He spends the entire episode switching between hero and villain in an effort to find what his life goal is, though in a somewhat unintentional manner. Wreck-Gar literally does whatever he hears—good or evil—with hilarious results. He later becomes an Autobot and tries his darnedest to be the hero he thinks he is. His head is not in the right place, but his spark is.

  • Actor Allusion - Almost as blatant as Sentinel. He references "Dare to be Stupid" (which was used for the G1 film, making it a double reference) and plays an accordion in "Human Error".
  • Chaotic Stupid - His insanity manifests as doing whatever someone says, regardless of how inconsistent it is from his previous actions.
  • Cloudcuckoolander
  • Funny Schizophrenia
  • Hammerspace - His trash bucket.
  • Heel Face Revolving Door - Because he does whatever someone tells him to.
  • Ink Suit Actor - His face was drawn to resemble Weird Al's.
  • Line-of-Sight Name - Mixed together from stuff people were yelling at him. "They call me Angry Archer." "They call me "Worthless-wreck-walking-pile-of-garbage"." "Oh, really? Bit of a mouthful..."
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning: His eyes turn red for a brief time in "Garbage In, Garbage Out" when he declares that he's going to destroy the city, a nod to The Movie and the original Wreck-Gar's toy commercial.
  • Verbal Tic - "I am Wreck-Gar!"

Omega Supreme

Voiced by: Kevin Michael Richardson (season two), Phil LaMarr (season three) / Tessho Genda

I AM...OMEGA SUPREME. 

The current ship of Optimus Prime's crew, Omega Supreme was part of a huge project against the Decepticons during the Great War. He nearly lost his spark during the Final Battle and ended up comatose in ship form. Ratchet is his linked partner and constantly keeps him well maintained.

Wasp/Waspinator

Voiced by: Tom Kenny / Kenji Nojima (as Wasp), Kenso Kata (as Waspinator)

Wasp not thing, Wasp upgrade! Spider-bot Wasp friend....make Wasp powerful...make Wasp....Waspinator!

A former Autobot who worked alongside Bumblebee and Bulkhead in Autoboot Camp, Wasp is a cocky little guy who often got on the latters' nerves. After overhearing a Decepticon spy communicating with Megatron, Bumblebee accused Wasp of being said spy, leading to his imprisonment—thanks to some evidence planted by the real deal. Wasp eventually escapes (again with the help of the real spy) but he's not the bot he used to be. One thing is clear: He will get his revenge on Bumblebee!

Blurr

Voiced by: John Moschitta (another G1 reprisal) / Takahiro Sakurai

I'llwarnthemevenifIhavetorunhalfwayacrossthegalaxytoCybertrontodoit!

Blurr is a member of the Autobot Elite Guard—specifically, a spy tasked with watching over Optimus and crew. With his lightning-fast speed (and speech), no one can keep him down ...except Shockwave.

Jetfire and Jetstorm

Jetfire voiced by: Tom Kenny / Kappei Yamaguchi
Jetstorm voiced by: Phil LaMarr / Wataru Takagi

Is time to...double up!

Twin brothers (if you're wondering how that works for robots, they come from a single spark that split in two) who became the first official flying Autobots after a risky experiment. They are lively and work together.

Yoketron

Voiced by: George Takei / Kinryu Arimoto

You must not sacrifice a piece of the future to bring back the past.

Prowl's former master, Master Yoketron was the head of the Cyber-Ninja Corps. He trained a then-punkish Prowl in the ways of the ninja, humbling him in the process. He planned to make Prowl his successor after his pupil mastered the Processer-over-Matter technique, but he was brutally murdered by Lockdown while Prowl was on an optics quest. Oh, and he's Robot Ninja Sulu. 'Nuff said.

Warpath

Voiced by: David Kaye / Atsushi Imaruoka

Any Autobot who won't fight Decepticons is no better than a 'Con himself. We're at war.

An Elite Guard member who answered to Yoketron during the Great War. The loss of his master hit him hard, and he's had trouble finding an outlet for his anger since the end of the War. He's even been known to rough up prisoners when he's in a bad enough mood. He does manage to have a healthy relationship with Flareup, thanks to their mutual love of Stuff Blowing Up.

Afterburn

If your first thought was "Who?", this guy only appeared in the UK comics.


Team Athenia

Rodimus Prime

Voiced by: Judd Nelson (G1 Rodimus's movie VA) / Hiroya Ishimaru

You'll have to get past me first, Decepticreeps!

Hot Rod, later Rodimus, earned the attention of the higher-ups before he even finished boot camp, and he was accepted into Autobot Academy long before any of his campmates. Everyone seems to agree he's destined for big things...if he survives his first encounter with the Decepticons, that is.

  • The Ace - If his magazine bio is to be believed, Rodimus is popular, well-versed in several forms of armed and unarmed combat, and was even nicknamed "The Chosen One" in the Academy (see below).
  • The Archer - He designed his own energy bow.
  • The Chosen One - Additional material indicates that Rodimus is most likely to become the next Magnus.
  • Determinator: His entire team is defeated while defending a space bridge, and he winds up surrounded by much larger Decepticons. His response?

"You'll have to get past me first, Decepti-creeps!"

  • Jumping on a Grenade - He did this in boot camp to protect his drill sergeant (Kup) from a stray grenade. It turned out to be a dud, but neither of them had any way of knowing that.
  • You Shall Not Pass / Go Through Me - After the rest of his team has been disabled, he tells Team Chaar they'll have to get past him to get to the space bridge. Oil Slick, unimpressed, takes him out with a vial of cosmic rust.

Hot Shot

Voiced by: Bill Fagerbakke /

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?

Team Athenia's own Bumblebee, Hot Shot's speed and recklessness lead to him spending more time in the medbay than any other member, much to Red Alert's exasperation. Why Rodimus thinks he has command potential, she can't imagine.

Brawn

Might over microchips.

Smaller than Bumblebee, stronger than Bulkhead. Do not cross.

Red Alert

Voiced by: Tara Strong,

I'm gonna have to amputate. Don't worry, Cybertron Service will issue a replacement leg within six to eight solar cycles.

R.A is less of a Combat Medic than Ratchet, but she lived through the height of the Great War and created a cure for Gold Plastic Syndrome along the way. Her teammates appreciate her dedication, although her bedside manner leaves something to be desired.

Ironhide

Voiced by: Corey Burton /

Hit me with everything you got, sir!

Ironhide was protoformed in a rural prefecture on one of Cybertron's moons, and he was in the same boot camp squad as Bumblebee, Bulkhead, "Longarm" and Wasp. His pranks can get a little crude, but he's generally a decent "country" bot.

Main Decepticons

Megatron

Voiced by: Corey Burton / Norio Wakamoto

With the power of the Allspark, I will reclaim Cybertron for all Decepticon-kind - but not before I lay waste to the miserable world that held me captive for so long.

Megatron likes to think of himself as a freedom fighter, leading his troops to reclaim their home from the Autobots who exiled them after the Great War. This claim is somewhat undermined by his complete lack of concern for anyone not useful to him and his willingness to manhandle his own soldiers to remind them who's in charge... or to field-test weapons of mass destruction on defenceless human cities. In a surprising turn from the regular "Optimus Prime vs. Megatron" setup of most Transformers toons, here Megatron regards Optimus as a minor nuisance, in fact, up until the last episode he NEVER even calls him by name! Despite the fact that Optimus (no matter how physically outmatched) has stopped him three times so far thanks to pure ingeniuity and luck, Megatron still considers Ultra Magnus his main adversary - though the two never meet face to face.

Starscream

Voiced by: Tom Kenny / Jin Yamanoi

YES! Right then, solemn face, solemn face...

Starscream is an actual threat to the Autobots this time around, capable of flooring even Ultra Magnus with a close enough shot, but he has about as much chance of winning a fair fight with Megatron as his G1 self. Of course, being a Starscream, a "fair fight" is generally the last thing on his mind.

Lugnut

Voiced by: David Kaye /

Stasis lock itself could not deter me from your grand and glorious plan, o wise and noble Megatron!
Just...go.

A powerful Decepticon and former gladiator, Lugnut is extremely and utterly devoted to Megatron. During the Grand Finale, he becomes the imprint for Megatron's Omega Sentinel clones, transforming them into a trio of Lugnut Supremes.

Blitzwing

Voiced by: Bumper Robinson /

(Hothead): AUTOBOTS! I WILL CRUSH THEM INTO IRON FILINGS!
(Icy): But my orders are to retrieve the Constructicons...
(Random): Oooh, but I like iron filings! Especially sprinkled on top of servo salad!

At first glance, Blitzwing seems to be a stoic, no-nonsense Decepticon. However, he is a master Mood Swinger, able to change from stoic to anger to insanity depending on his mood.

Blackarachnia

Voiced by: Cree Summer / Ryoka Yuzuki

It'll be a long time before I ever trust another Autobot. Especially you, Optimus. 

Formerly Elita-1 - Optimus and Sentinel's best friend -  Blackarachnia joined up with the Decepticons to find a cure for her cursed techno-organic form. Though she uses her spider abilities to her advantage, she can't stand her hideous appearance and is desperate for a cure. She tends to use her beauty to seduce those around her to get what she wants - just...don't look under the helmet.  She's currently stuck in an unknown jungle with Waspinator.

Other Decepticons

Soundwave

Voiced by: Jeff Bennett / Nobuo Tobita

I am Soundwave. I am Decepticon. The revolution begins now.

Soundwave was another of Megatron's attempts to regain a body during his tenure as a talking head. He presented the plans to Isaac as a walking music player he could give Sari for her birthday, anticipating that Sari would use the Key on it and programming Soundwave to upgrade into a specific form. What he didn't expect was that Soundwave would become sentient, although he was only too willing to take up the Decepticon emblem.

Shockwave/Longarm Prime

Voiced by: Corey Burton / Nobuyuki Hiyama

At long last, I serve you, my liege... under my true colours.

Shockwave is a Decepticon spy taking on the form of Autobot Longarm Prime. When rumors of a spy were floating around Autoboot camp, Longarm secretly plotted for Wasp to take the fall, succeeding admirably. He later becomes leader of Cybertronian Intelligence and uses his position to spy for the Decepticons. He gloatingly reveals himself to Bumblebee in the season two finale, only for Megatron's space-bridge plan to fail, leaving him terrified of discovery. Shockwave eventually attacks and severely damages Ultra Magnus, stealing his hammer in the process.

Scrapper and Mixmaster

Voiced by: Jeff Bennett (Mixmaster) and Tom Kenny (Scrapper) /

Mix: Who puts the "crude" in "crude oil"?
Scrap: Mixmaster and Scrapper, that's who!

Two 'bots brought to life by Allspark fragments, Mixmaster and Scrapper (known as the Constructicons) want two things: hot cars and oil. Though Bulkhead tries his best to befriend them, their minds drift right back into trouble just searching for those two things. They later join the Decepticon side by building Megatron a space bridge in exchange for oil. They're later caught in a massive explosion alongside their boss, Dirt Boss, but only Scrapper is currently shown to be alive. The whereabouts of the other two are unknown. During their separation, Scrapper ended up on Dinobot Island, befriended Snarl, and briefly joined the "Subtitute Autobots", with poor effects.

Dirt Boss
What're you cogs lookin' at? You wanna piece 'a me? Try it and you'll be goin' to the scrapyard in a crankin' box!
—Dirt Boss's first words

Mixmaster and Scrapper's self-appointed boss, also a product of an Allspark fragment (combined with a damaged Headmaster unit and a forklift). He is a no-nonsense, strict and nasty piece of work who keeps the Constructicons busy.

"Stop hittin' yourself! Stop hittin' yourself!"

Lockdown (technically unaffiliated)

Voiced by: Lance Henriksen
I know you...EMP generator, right? I'm not good with names and faces, but I never forget a trophy.

A neutral bounty hunter, Lockdown caters to whoever pays him the most (usually the Decepitcons). He is a mish-mash of different mods and body-parts and a hoarder of trophies from various 'bots he has stripped and robbed over the years. He was also a former student of Yoketron before he realized he didn't like all that spiritual crud. As his first act as a bounty hunter, Lockdown killed him and took the protoforms Yoketron was tasked to guard. He has a history with Ratchet and a rivalry with Prowl, in whom he sees a Worthy Opponent and kindred spirit.

Swindle (technically a Decepticon)

Hmmm, maybe I should help them - or maybe I should just help myself!

The Decepticon equivalent of a used car salesman. Swindle is a charming individual who sells weaponry and whatever business he can get his hands on - as long as he can make a profit, it doesn't matter! Voiced, fittingly enough, by the CEO of Buy & Large.

Starscream Clones

Ah, never before have I seen a more impressive group of lethal fighting machines...and pretty good-looking if I do say so myself.

Stolen protoforms + Starscream personality mod suits + Allspark slivers from the chunk keeping the real Starscream online = trouble (and hilarity). While they have the same weapons and speed as the original, they each represent an exaggerated (er, even more so) aspect of his personality, which makes some of them a lot less effective than they could be. Two of them show up in A Fistful of Energon, but are revealed to be walking bombs. Starscream builds five more during the season two finale for his assault on Megatron.

The second Almanac adds another two - Dirge (toy-only) and Thrust (who never showed up at all), created by Swindle to act as bodyguards. All in all, not one of his best ideas. You want them? He can let them go cheap!

  • All There in the Manual/Mythology Gag - None of them are ever named in the cartoon, although if you're a fan of the original series, you can guess all but one or two based on color scheme.
  • Bad Liar - Ramjet, who literally cannot say anything except outright contradictions.

"Oh, I would never do that."

Team Chaar

Strika

Oooh, the Autobot Elite Guard. This should be fun.

A big, hulking fembot who is just as loyal to Megatron as Lugnut is. Makes sense, too - they're married.

Spittor

Are you going to eat that?

A Decepticon who can suck in Autobots with his tentacles and either "eat them" or chew them out, covered in burning acid. He's kind of horrible.

Blackout

Lights out.

An extremely large Decepticon - in fact, until the advent of Project: Omega, he was the single largest Cybertronian ever protoformed. He fought during the Great War and was essentially a one-man army.

  • The Brute: Moreso than even Lugnut, whom he exceeds in both size and stupidity.
  • Canon Immigrant - Based heavily on his live-action counterpart. His transformation sound is deeper and more metallic than the other characters, very much like the movies' sound.
  • Dumb Muscle - He's the biggest, most heavily-armed Decepticon alive, but isn't much help without supervision.
  • EMP
  • One-Man Army: His custom Decepticon sigil means he is the Decepticon Heavy Brigade: the rest of his unit died fighting Zeta Supreme. Blackout went on to kill three other Omega Sentinels during the War.
  • Percussive Maintenance - He can use his stomp to knock out electronics, and then reactivate them by doing it again.
  • Weapon of Choice

Oil Slick

Rodimus Prime: You'll have to get past me first, Decepticreeps!
Oil Slick: You say that like it's a difficult thing, Autobot.

An expert chemist, Oil Slick invented the deadly weapon "cosmic rust", is a master of vehicle-to-vehicle combat and claims to have trained in Circuit-Su with an Autobot motorcycle, although he's not giving out any details.

  • Canon Immigrant - He started as an unrelated sketch, got produced as a toy, made an appearance in a side-comic, and was introduced in the third season.
  • Cool Bike - Based on the 'Dodge Tomahawk' concept motorcycle, with a goat skull at the front.
  • Epic Flail
  • Evil Counterpart - Was intended to be this for Prowl, having been specifically designed to be the "evil motorcycle." He lost out on the position to Lockdown, though.
  • Evil Genius
  • Lean and Mean
  • Mad Scientist
  • Ninja Pirate Robot Zombie - A ninja robot chemist, though the 'ninja' part is only mentioned in secondary material: he apparently studied Circuit-Su with Prowl. How that could happen is unclear, but there is a big gap in Prowl's past...
  • Phil LaMarr
  • Spikes of Villainy - More notably in his Cybertronian mode, where he's practically covered in them.
  • We Have Reserves - In the comic he was introduced in, he tested his "Cosmic Rust" chemical in the middle of a battle, taking out soldiers from both sides.

Cyclonus

Compassion is the Autobots' downfall.

The stoic Cyclonus appeared in the skies of New Kaon in a storm of light and tachyons some time after the Great War ended, and has remained a complete mystery ever since. He has sworn loyalty to Megatron, but even that seems somehow abstract - and just who is this "Galvatron" he keeps talking about?

Humans

Sari Sumdac

Voiced by: Tara Strong /

Listen up, oil brain! My family needs your help, and you are going to help, get me?

The young daughter of Issac Sumdac, Sari is what anyone her age is; precocious and spunky. She is immediately drawn to the Autobots (especially Bumblebee) and serves as their representative and educator of Planet Earth. When she comes in contact with the Allspark, Sari's access key turned into a literal key that can fix damaged Autobots and allow her to manipulate nearly any type of machinery. 

We later find out why the Allspark chose her: Sari is really a Cybertronian protoform turned half-human, half-robot after Issac accidentally input his DNA into said protoform. Naturally, she doesn't take this well at first. Sari then gets a system upgrade that ages her up to a sixteen-year-old to make her more powerful. She continuously uses her skills in battle and later helps out during the final battle.
  • Action Girl: Season 3 gives her quite the fighting prowess with a plenty of tools to use on Decepticreep scum. Downplayed after Ratchet shuts almost all of her weapon systems down - she's still quite good, especially with her palm blasters, but direct fights are almost a complete no-no. Thankfully she's savvy enough to kinda make up for it.
  • Aesop Amnesia - It took quite a few lessons before she scaled back her abuse of the Key.
  • Alliterative Name
  • Arm Cannon: The first of her many weapons systems to activate, and also the only system Sari actually masters before deciding to give herself a jump-start with the AllSpark key. Ratchet also leaves them online (with somewhat reduced output) after he EMPs her.
  • Badass Abnormal
  • Badass Adorable: For the first 2 seasons, definitely more on the Adorable side. Had the show not been cancelled, she would've grown into an outright Badass by a Season 5, which was thrown around by Marty Isenberg.
  • Batman Can Breathe in Space: Post-upgrade, switching to her robot alt-mode is sufficient to protect her from the vacuum of space. Notable because Blackarachnia, also a techno-organic, threw a fit about her own organic parts not being able to survive underwater long enough to reach the Autobots' sunken spaceship. It's possible Sari is a far more perfect techno-organic Transformer than Blackarachnia, who essentially absorbed some spider tissue - Sari's protoform was likely built to accept organic material from the start.
  • Blade Below the Shoulder - Her upgrade includes a pair of pop-out tonfa blades that can do some serious damage, as poor Bumblebee found out the hard way. Ratchet apparently had to shut most of her weapons down after she nearly overloaded.
  • Curtains Match the Window: Until her upgrade, when she gets Autobot-style eyes.
  • Dark-Skinned Redhead: Indian skin tone, metallic red hair. Justified because she's a Transformer.
  • Drop the Hammer - The Almanac II even calls it a Hyperspace Mallet! Also shut down per the above.
  • Every Girl Is Cuter With Hair Decs
  • Expressive Hair
  • Friendless Background
  • Genki Girl - Until Season 3, when she gets a much more Let's Get Dangerous-attitude thanks to her updates.
  • Girlish Pigtails - Even in her robot mode!
  • Half-Human Hybrid
  • Has Two Mommies - Or rather she eventually has five robot daddies, adopted. Primus only knows how many actual daddies she has. Isaac Sumdac plus however many it takes to make a protoform.
  • Hyperspace Mallet: Sari has one of those as her strongest weapon - it did fairly short work of a Rock Lord, and they're no slouch when it comes to their durability.
  • I Got Bigger: Sari has a near instantaneous growth spurt after she jump-starts herself with the AllSpark key at the start of Season 3. Her body goes from that of an 8-year-old prepubescent girl to that of an teenage-bordering-on-adult woman of above average stature.
  • Jet Pack: That forms out of a scooter.
  • Jumped At the Call: In season 1, and her first reaction to her new gizmos in season 3 was a non-verbal "Awesome!" until she stabs Bumblebee while also being dangerously close to overloading.
  • Kid Appeal Character
  • Killer Rabbit - Ask Mixmaster and Scrapper.
  • Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me - A weapon that never made it to air.
  • Luke, I Am Your Father - Inverted and otherwise played with with Isaac Sumdac.
  • Magic Skirt - Did Isaac install decency-preserving nanomachines in it or something?
  • Missing Mom - Averted - she never had one due to her 'birth'.
  • Mundane Utility - There is virtually no situation in which she wouldn't use the Allspark key to make things easier.
  • Puberty Superpower - Played with: She unlocks an entire arsenal of weapons but they end up being disabled due to her nearly overloading.
  • Out of Focus: Like with most humans in season 3. A potential season 4 would still have had her out of focus (going with Bulkhead to learn more about Cybertron) but a season 5 (which was the planned endpoint for the show) would've brought her back in an outright Badass status.
  • Raised by Robots
  • Redheaded Hero
  • Robot Girl - Before the upgrade, she could eat, sleep, cry and catch colds, but just happened to have metal under her skin and hidden palm blasters. Post-upgrade, she's still at least partly human, but has a lot more tricks up her Transformer sleeves.
  • Robotic Reveal - In the finale of Season 2. Season 3 then reveals she's a Transformer herself.
  • Rich Bitch: Subverted. She's Isaac's intended heir to Sumdac Enterprises (which would make her one of the wealthiest women in the world given how Sumdac practically made a new industrial revolution out of advanced robotics). However, Sari is an incredibly kind girl who's a Deadpan Snarker at worst (and even then she keeps the snark for Decepticons around 90% of the time).
  • Sixth Ranger - At least, she was by the time of the finale. She grew into the role over the course of Season 3.
  • Socially Awkward Hero - Has a much better time getting along with giant robots than kids her age. Turns out she gets along with Transformers because she's a Transformer herself.
  • Team Pet - Until her upgrade, anyway.
  • Technopath
  • Tinman Typist - Ghost in the Shell-style
  • Took a Level in Badass - Came free with her system upgrade. Subverted as she nearly overloads from the AllSpark energy, and, after stabbing Bumblebee, Ratchet has to EMP her and then shut down all her weapons besides the blasters.
  • Twofer Token Minority: Female, Indian, Transformer.
  • Uncanny Valley: Wealthy, relatively good looking, no major mental defects, heiress of a company that makes robots and yet other children are inexplicably hateful towards her. Somehow, they instinctively know there's something a little off about her.
  • Undead Tax Exemption: Averted. When she takes over her father's company in season 2, she's quickly ousted because there are no documents proving she legally exists. This also serves to explain why she was so sheltered. It's not that he didn't want to send her to regular schools, he simply couldn't.

Professor Isaac Sumdac

Voiced by: Tom Kenny /

I should be more careful when reverse-engineering alien technology.

Isaac Sumdac is the head of Sumdac Systems, the business at the heart of 22nd century Detroit, which relies heavily on his "tireless mechanical helpers". He managed to create these elusive robots by reverse-engineering technology from Megatron, whose head he discovered as a teenager. When Megatron reactivated, he convinced Isaac, who had no idea he was talking to a Decepticon, to keep him a secret from the Autobots. When they found out, they weren't pleased. Megatron later kidnapped Isaac to work on his space bridge, leaving Sari to take over Sumdac Systems briefly before Porter C. Powell kicked her out. He is eventually freed - just in time for Sari to learn the truth about herself.

He is the classic absent-minded professor, forgetting to eat in order to get his robotics in tune. He is well-meaning despite it and remains a loving father to Sari.

Captain Carmine Fanzone

Voiced by: Jeff Bennett /

A technophobe is someone who fears technology. *smashes a phone* Does THIS look like fear to you?!

The loud captain of the Detroit Police (and master of yelling into megaphones), Fanzone dislike one thing and one thing only: machines. This hits him over the head when Detroit's heroes turns out to be giant robots. Still, for the sake of peace, he tries and learns to live with it, relying on them when he has to. Irony of irony, Fanzone is also the first person to visit Cybertron and most of the residences there fear him because of his Organic stature.

"This is why I hate machines." (looks at Sentinel) "Certain machines more than others."

  • Reasonable Authority Figure: All things considered, yeah.
  • Running Gag - His car is regularly crushed and was once blown up by Blitzwing, but it keeps coming back, complete with its characteristic rust. Is it possible for a non-sentient object to be The Chew Toy?
  • Tuckerization - According to Marty Isenberg, he's named after Detroit native Carmen Fanzone, a former neighbour of his who used to play for the Chicago Cubs.
  • Walking Techbane: This is why he hates machines.
  • Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Parodied when the Elite Guard make a public arrival in Detroit.

"Robots. Why did it have to be robots?"

Prometheus Black/Meltdown

Voiced by: Peter Stormare / Fumihiko Tachiki

Are you ready to feel the burn?

An expert biologist, Prometheus Black used his talents to manufacture "biochemical makeovers", but lost his funding when a PR stunt involving Bumblebee and Colossus Rhodes went badly wrong. Angry that he has to compete with the likes of Sumdac and his machinery (which he hates), Prometheus vows vengeance. He gets it when he's accidentally turned into essentially walking acid. He's one of the few who can melt Cybertronians without even trying, making him a deadly foe.

Fanzone: Prometheus Black?!
Meltdown: The name is Meltdown!

Porter C. Powell

Oh, I don't think I'm in charge, young lady: I know it.

A shrewd business man who uses every dirty trick in the book to gain power and money. He works in Sumdac Systems, but briefly takes over it when Isaac "mysteriously disappears".

  • Ascended Extra: He originally appeared as one of Prometheus Black's investors in "Total Meltdown." He wasn't going to appear afterwards, but the crew were taken by his design and wanted to see more of him.
  • Corrupt Corporate Executive
  • Jerkass - Bordering on Too Dumb to Live. He was screwing over Cybertronian representatives and claimed they couldn't touch him because "Alien Robots Don't Have Rights". Never mind that he was picking a fight with interstellar powers who could very well level the planet from orbit were they so inclined.
    • Don't forget kicking a little girl out of her home and mocking her for not legally existing.
  • Laser-Guided Karma: After being a Karma Houdini throughout Season 2, "Black Friday" saw him tormented by Grimlock, lose a valuable piece of equipment and Fanzone threatening to arrest him for "disturbing the peace." Later in Season 3's "Human Error," he sells Soundwave toys based on Sumdac's original design. After the real Soundwave's villainous actions, however, Powell is financially ruined by the returns/refunds.
  • Making a Spectacle of Yourself
  • Smug Snake
  • Villain with Good Publicity

Henry Masterson/Headmaster

Get ready for T.O.T.: Total Ownage Time!

A young scientist who has created a robotic head that can take over any other living robots' body (he's kind of a control freak that way), controlling them under his will. Headmaster speaks in computer leet speak (retro leet speak, considering this is the 22nd century).

A. A. Archer/Angry Archer

An Autobot! Verily the arrows of outrageous misfortune seek to pierce me to the quick - exeunt!

A Robin Hood-ish figure who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, namely himself. The Angry Archer also has a habit of speaking in quasi-Shakespearean diction.

Mayor Edsel

.....

A silent mayor who lets his secretary do all the talking.

Penny Princess, Ph.D./Professor Princess

Explosions aren't nice... EXCEPT WHEN THEY LOOK LIKE BEAUTFIUL RAINBOWS!

A bratty "princess" whose goal in life is to destroy anything "boyish" so the world can be a happier, pinker place.

The Witwicky Family

A family of in-jokes, the Witwickys are generally somewhere in the background, although they briefly join the main plot in "Garbage In, Garbage Out", during which Carly is giving birth and is unlucky enough to be picked up by Ratchet in ambulance mode. Spike and/or Carly work for Isaac, since Daniel is one of the few kids at Sari's birthday party.

Nino Sexton/Nanosec

I ain't nobody's errand boy...unless the price is right.

Nino was once a common thief until he was given a speed suit secretly by Megatron, causing him to create wanton havoc until the suit aged him up. He is eventually restored to his youth by Slo-Mo, whom he falls for.

Slo-Mo

I'm the leader of this syndicate. The head honcho, the big cheese, see?

Speaking in 1930s moxie speak, Slo-Mo is a woman with the ability to slow down time, thanks to a watch embedded with an Allspark fragment. She rounds up all the other human villains and forms the S.U.V (Society of Ultimate Villainy). She also has a thing for Nanosec.

  1. ↑ As an aside, that Ironhide gets renamed "Armorhide".
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