Dinobot

Dinobots are a type of character in the fictional Transformers Universe. The Dinobots group consists of several subgroups of robots, each of whose transformed mode is that of a dinosaur or similar prehistoric animal.^[1] Dinobots are referred to as Dinotrons in the Japanese version, and Dinobots (ダイノボット, Dainobotto) in the Japanese dub of Transformers Animated. They were named among the top selling toys in 1985 by Playthings magazine.^[2]

Transformers: Generation 1

Dinobots
The five original Dinobots.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics, Devil's Due Publishing, IDW Publishing
First appearance	"S.O.S. Dinobots" (October 27, 1984)
Created by	Hasbro
In-story information
Base(s)	The Ark
Member(s)	Grimlock Slag Sludge Snarl Swoop

The Dinobots are a group of Transformers, part of the Autobot faction.^[3] Their origins and abilities vary from one version of Transformers to the next, but they are generally depicted as powerful Autobots capable of sustaining heavy damage and wielding heavy firepower against their foes. They are the only known Autobot group—other than the Aerialbots—capable of flight in robot mode, a trait they share with the Decepticons. They are always portrayed as fiercely independent, and are prone to diverge from the main group of Autobots to pursue their own agenda. All Dinobots' names (except Grimlock) begin with an letter S.

• Grimlock - The team leader. Transforms into a Tyrannosaurus.^[4] Voiced by Gregg Berger.
• Slag - The second-in-command. Transforms into a Triceratops. Voiced by Neil Ross.
• Sludge - Transforms into an Apatosaurus. Voiced by Frank Welker.
• Snarl - Transforms into a Stegosaurus. Voiced by Hal Rayle.
• Swoop - Transforms into a Pteranodon. Voiced by Michael Bell.

Animated series

The Transformers

The Dinobots in the original Transformers cartoon were built on Earth by the Autobots Wheeljack and Ratchet. Seismic activity near the Ark resulted in Ironhide's discovery of dinosaur bones, and Wheeljack was inspired to build the dinosaur-based Transformers: Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge, collectively called the Dinobots. They were incapable of any cognitive reasoning, and even failed their first simple task assigned by Ratchet when activated as seen in "S.O.S. Dinobots".^[5] They immediately turn on the Autobots like wild animals, and nearly destroyed the Ark, forcing Optimus Prime to order their destruction. Wheeljack's Magnetic Inducer was the only thing that stopped them. Being nearly indestructible, the next alternative was to seal them away forever, deactivated. That same day the Autobots were caught off guard by a Decepticon ambush. Their friends having been captured and on the verge of destruction, Wheeljack makes a snap decision and installs the upgrades to the Dinobot's Brains just before sending them in to their initial engagement against the Decepticons. Upon their arrival and subsequent victory over the Decepticons, Optimus Prime agrees the Dinobots shall remain among them.^[6]

The Dinobots were the cartoon series' first sub-group of Transformers and made their first appearance in episode eight, S.O.S. Dinobots. Unlike all other sub-groups that were introduced later in the series (with the exception of the Insecticons), the Dinobots did not have the ability to combine and form one giant robot, but instead were designed to attack separately but as a unit using their strength and tremendous size to their advantage. Each Dinobot is roughly a third the size of a combiner, and together as a team they could at least challenge a combiner. This was first seen in the last episode of season one, episode sixteen, "Heavy Metal War"^[7] when the Dinobots faced the "newly built" Constructicons merged form, the "Devastator".

Each Dinobot has a different attack method and array of weaponry, but are most powerful and effective when in their dinosaur forms, using their build to their advantage. Slag is a Triceratops and favors a deadly frontal charge; Sludge an Apatosaurus, with being so heavy, favors making earthquakes; Snarl is a Stegosaurus and as such, favors using his dangerous spiked tail; Grimlock, being a T-Rex, favors any way to get his jaws on an opponent; and Swoop, a Pteranodon, favors aerial attacks.

The Dinobots were frequently given the task of sorting out situations such as that, and other tasks the Autobots were incapable of handling themselves, like forces of nature, which would otherwise destroy any normal Autobot; such as giant tidal waves and massive earthquakes, seen in "The Ultimate Doom (Part 2): Search".^[8] "Day of the Machines"^[9] Torq III's mechanical drone army, and Nergil's magnetic disfunction ray in "Atlantis, Arise!"^[9] as a few shining examples during the series.

Grimlock, the Commander of the Dinobots, noted as having no weaknesses save for arrogance. Slag is extremely rash in action, and Sludge is slow both physically and mentally. Optimus Prime later commissioned Wheeljack and Ratchet to build Snarl and Swoop to aid the Autobots. Megatron devises a plan for Soundwave to discover their weaknesses in War of the Dinobots. Upon finding out, each one's greatest weakness lie in their individual character flaw. With lies, Megatron convinces them to turn against the Autobots, allowing them to steal an unstable meteorite. They nearly kill Optimus Prime upon arrival at the meteorite landing zone. Only with their combined strength can they manage to defeat their former leader. After realizing that, despite their best efforts to destroy him, Grimlock himself may not be the stronger of the two and spares him. Much to the dismay of Megatron, Prime is brought alive to his camp and warns of the instabilities in the meteorite, and is scoffed at by Megatron. Only when it explodes and Optimus saves Grimlock, does he reject the lies told by Megatron. Grimlock is outraged having been manipulated by him, into fighting such a "good" leader, Optimus Prime. Even risking his own life to save them, despite the fact of having been nearly killed by them in battle earlier. Megatron fled in terror when confronted by Grimlock's rage. He then in turn apologized, in earnest, for his jealousy towards Optimus Prime asking for forgiveness. This is the one and only time in the series he acknowledges Optimus Primes superior leadership skills.

From that episode forward, resentment grew among the Dinobots, as stated by Grimlock himself in "Atlantis, Arise!" when asked to rescue Optimus Prime and the other's after Nergil has used his magnetic disfunction ray on them. Dinobots are virtually indestructible in their dinosaur mode. Their robot modes on the other hand, are not. Only Decepticon Combiners could stand against the Dinobots in dino-mode. They were defeated only once by the Decepticons in "Desertion of the Dinobots Part 1".^[10] Due to their arrogance, and a boasting Grimlock, they converted to robot mode and were taken by surprise by Megatron, whom they believed to have defeated. It required Megatron and Skywarp, destroying 5 airline jets filled with jet fuel at once, with them at "ground zero" to do it though. In every other instance, where the (non-combining) Decepticons faced the Dinobots, they were easily defeated. After consequently being rebuilt, the Dinobots dissention came to a culmination. When requested to return to immediate action, Grimlock snapped, absolutely refusing to do anything else for the "Autobots". He sternly said goodbye, and left with the other dinobots in tow. They eventually ventured to Cybertron in "Desertion of the Dinobots Part 2".^[11] Where they end up enslaved mining Cybertonium, a mineral vital to Cybertronians operational function, for the Decepticons, by having their personality chips disconnected by Shockwave. Swoop was the only one to have escaped imprisonment, due in fact to his assigned surveillance mission. Luckily the persistent Spike Witwicky and Carly Witwicky although only dating at this point, with the help of Swoop were able to rescue them. They were easily convinced to help the Autobots obtain the Cybertonium they needed, and return to Earth to rejoin the autobots permanently. Subsequently, for the rest of the series they are rarely seen in their robot modes. Grimlock is seen once on Menonia during Season 3, but was never shown transforming into robot mode, only briefly being in robot mode for about 2 seconds in "Madman's Paradise".^[12]

As a means to hone their skills Wheeljack helps the dinobots gain Optimus Prime's approval with a demonstration. It ultimately ends in failure, but with the discovery of "Dinobot Island Part 1",^[13] where they are sent there to train until they could harness their powers, Grimlock states that it feels like home upon landing on the pre-historic island, created by time warp. Oddly, after all other occurrences were returned to their respective times by the Part 2's^[14] conclusion, this island remained. It is only spoken of again later in the series.^[15]

The Dinobots would be the only Transformers made purely on Earth. The Constructicon's were said to have been built, or rebuilt by Megatron on Earth in season 1's "Heavy Metal War", but were later given Cybertronian origin's in "The Secret of Omega Supreme",^[16] set millions of years prior. But in the episode "Starscream's Brigade"^[17] the Combaticons new crude forms were fashioned from damaged/destroyed military vehicles and planes, abandoned in the "Guadal Canal" after WWII. Their "Renegade" Decepticon personality components were taken from a Decepticon Detention Center, from Cybertron, and were installed in them, by Starscream. Whilst the Dinobots were created exclusively from materials on Earth, and their personalities programmed by Ratchet and Wheeljack and later upgraded. Those created by Vector Sigma, are given sentience and their own personalities. Dinobots were programmed with instincts similar to what real Dinosaurs with simple brains were described to have had, by Wheeljack.

While "Dinobot Island" is mentioned in Season 3 by an irate Galvatron, while hunting after Octane for stealing Trypticon from it. It is in fact, the last time it is heard of. In this episode, entitled "Thief in the Night"^[15] where it is discovered that other Transformers were said to have "Dinosaur Transform Static" similar to the Dinobots. This is mentioned for the first time by Grimlock himself. It is interesting that he would have such knowledge, or be that intuned in the first place, but after 20 years a lot can happen. Those Transformers included, were Trypticon who's static it was, and Sky Lynx, who has a "superior intellect", never even realizes he is a primitive.^[18] Two of Soundwaves' cassettes Overkill and Slugfest, seen only, and their names never disclosed, appeared only once in the series, during "Call of the Primitives",^[19] they were fashioned after a "Ceratosaurus" and "Stegosaurus" respectively. Overkills tech spec. reads, as Tyrannosaurus....but none were ever discovered with a horn. Though not affiliated with the "Autobots/Dinobots" at this time, it should be noted they would have had "dinosaur transform static" and could have potentially been Dinobots at one point. It was mentioned in a Fun Publications text story that they were in fact created by Wheeljack as Autobots/Dinobots, and possibly captured by the Decepticons and reprogrammed to their "cause".

Transformers: Headmasters

The Dinobots make a brief appearance in the opening episodes of Transformers: Headmasters as part of the overall Autobot forces.

Comics

Marvel Comics

The Dinobots are Cybertronian Autobots and function as an Autobot elite special ops team under the direct command of Grimlock.^[20] The Dinobots' loyalty to one another comes before their loyalty to other fellow Autobots. On Cybertron, Grimlock and the Dinobots launched successful raids against the Decepticon forces without the knowledge of the Autobot leaders. The Dinobots were aboard the Ark with the other Autobots when they crashed on Earth, were reactivated by the ship's computer, and battled Shockwave when he landed on Earth in search of the Ark. They left before the other Autobots were reactivated.^[21]

Two years into the Marvel US series, Optimus Prime was killed,^[22] followed soon by Megatron. Grimlock crowned himself king of the Autobots and remained in that capacity until Fortress Maximus arrived on Earth. In the Transformers: Generation 2 comics that followed the US comic, the Dinobots led missions against the Decepticons' mechaforming efforts, and returned to Earth with Optimus Prime and the Autobots in response to an emergency beacon activated by G.I. Joe.

Dreamwave Productions

The Dinobots appeared in Dreamwave's reimagined Generation One Universe, this time with an expanded origin. Shortly before the second story arc of the War Within, "The Dark Ages", Grimlock created a specialized attack group called the Lightning Strike Coalition. Five members of this group would go on to become the Dinobots on Earth. By the time of the "Age of Wrath", they acted as Grimlock's bodyguards, and did not yet have the absolute loyalty that the Dinobots would later be known for.

In their first appearance in the Generation One series, the Dinobots were dispatched to Earth to discover what had happened to the missing Ark. They encountered the Decepticons, who would become the Insecticons, and both sides blasted each other into stasis lock. The Dinobots killed Octane and stole his ship, but they ran into trouble when the local Autobot forces believed them to be traitors and fired on them. Repaired by the Autobots, who were by now convinced of their intentions, they participated in the final assault on Shockwave, where Grimlock rescued Magnus and Optimus Prime.

Devil's Due Publishing

The Dinobots appeared with yet another origin in the second G.I. Joe vs the Transformers series from Devil's Due Publishing. In 2004, the Dinobots were among the Autobots under the leadership of Optimus Prime, who attempted to take the planet Cybertron back from the Decepticon tyrant Shockwave. An accident sent the Dinobots back in time, and they landed on the planet Earth, where they were reformatted in the forms of Earth dinosaurs. A group of humans (which included Gung-Ho, Dusty and a Cobra Viper) brought the new Dinobots back to Cybertron, where they helped overcome Shockwave.^[23]

Grimlock had a prominent role in the third series as one of the Autobots who were sent to Earth to deactivate Cybertronian technology, and wound up battling the human-created cyborg Serpentor. Snarl appeared briefly as part of the combined Autobot/G.I. Joe force who attempted to rescue Optimus Prime.

IDW Publishing

The Dinobots made their first chronological IDW Publishing appearance in issue #3 of The Transformers: Megatron Origin, where all five were part of Megatron's gathering of gladiators and insurgents that eventually became the Decepticons. They appeared on Shockwave in The Transformers: Spotlight having, as in other continuities, defected to the Autobots. In this stand-alone tale, the Dinobots sought revenge on Shockwave for having nearly destroyed them. Denied a chance for revenge by Optimus Prime, the Dinobots went rogue and tracked Shockwave to prehistoric Earth, where he had seeded Energon. Unable to survive in the planet's Energon levels, they adopted techno-organic dinosaur modes and teleported to Earth to engage Shockwave. These techno-organic alternate modes, which have a sheath of synthetic flesh over robotic forms, are unique to their IDW appearances. Shockwave took advantage of their impulsive nature, shut down his higher logic functions, and destroyed the group before a volcano buried all combatants in lava.

In The Transformers: Escalation, the bodies of the Dinobots and Shockwave were dug up by the mysterious defense organization called Skywatch. After the events of The Transformers: Devastation, Skywatch dug up Grimlock as a defense measure, but his reawakening was sabotaged by the Machination. The other Dinobots were reactivated by Skywatch, though manipulated by the Machination, who wanted them to kill Grimlock.^[4][24]

UK Comics

An exclusive to the United Kingdom comic entitled "The Beast Within" featured the Dinobots forming a Combiner known as the Beast in order to save their fellow Autobots. However, their gestalt form proved to be a savage, mindless monster who overpowered the Decepticon forces with ease but could not tell friend from foe. As a result, the Autobots were forced to terminate the Dinobots.

Toys

A deluxe-sized Grimlock was released in November 2006, and three Dinobot Minicons were sold in a 3-pack, of which only Swoop carries an original Dinobot name. The Beast Wars Grimlock toy is the same mold as the Maximal Dinobot who appeared in the Beast Wars cartoon, although Grimlock did not. Grimlock in his reimagined raptor form has appeared in IDW Publishing's mini-series Beast Wars: The Gathering. A 2003 set of Wal-Mart exclusive toys sold simply as "Transformers: Dinobots" featured repaints of Beast Wars molds as six Dinobots. One of the Dinobots sets included Grimlock as a repaint of Beast Wars Dinobot, and Swoop as a repaint of Beast Wars Terrorsaur. Some boxes labeled Swoop as Terranotron, because of trademark issues. The other sets in the series were Sludge, who transformers into a Dimetrodon; and Snarl, Triceradon, and Slapper, who transforms into an Ankylosaurus.

Beast Wars

Dinobot

Predacon, turned Maximal
Information
Sub-group	Deluxe Beasts, Deluxe Vehicles, Transmetals
Function	Front-Line Combat
Rank	6
Motto	"Honor does not need to be won, but it must never be lost."
Alternate modes	Cybertronian Excavator, Velociraptor (though resembles a Dromaeosaurus)
Series	Beast Wars Transformers: Timelines
English voice actor	Scott McNeil
Japanese voice actor	Keiji Fujiwara

Dinobot is an individual transformer rather than a team, who debuts in the series' premiere as a subordinate of Megatron, leader of the villainous Predacons.^[25] However, Dinobot challenges Megatron's leadership, and is shortly expelled from his crew. He eventually joins the ranks of Optimus Primal and the Maximals. He is driven by a code of honor somewhat modeled from the Samurai Bushido code. He fights alongside the Maximals as part of their crew before ultimately sacrificing himself to save a group of primates from a Predacon onslaught. In the following season, Megatron creates a new Dinobot with transmetal technology, who is completely loyal to Megatron. Outside of the television series, Dinobot's likeness was used to create several toys. The character was one of the most complex in the series and proved to be a much bigger hit than the creators expected.

Reception

Dinobot was named the 3rd best upgrade in Beast Wars history Topless Robot.^[26]

The WTF@TFW podcast for February 26, 2009 selected the Henkei Dinobot toy as one of the New Picture Picks.^[27]

Dinobot won the Transformers Hall of Fame Fan's Choice Award at BotCon 2010.

Animated series

Season one

In season one, Dinobot originally arrives on prehistoric Earth with Megatron and the rest of the Predacons aboard the Darksyde.^[28] When the Predacons scan the planet for local beings, in order to create beast modes for themselves, Dinobot receives the form of a velociraptor (though his appearance makes him more similar to a dromaeosaurus). After their arrival, Dinobot believes that Megatron has led the Predacons to the wrong planet and attempts to usurp him in a duel.^[28] However, Scorponok, one of Megatron’s loyal crew members, blasts Dinobot away.^[28] Determined to find the abundant amounts of energon, he confronts the Maximals outside their base, and challenges Optimus Primal’s leadership in a duel. When Optimus loses his footing, Dinobot has the opportunity to defeat him, but chooses not to saying that a victory like that would lack honor.^[29] The engagement is interrupted by a surprise attack from the Predacons. Optimus saves Dinobot's life during the attack, prompting the two to come to terms.^[29][30] From then on, Dinobot serves alongside the Maximals during the Beast Wars, and proves to be a valuable ally in both strength and cunning, as well as in his knowledge of his former Predacon comrades, which helps him anticipate what each one of them would do. However, Dinobot frequently clashes with Optimus over the Maximals' morals, and has a rocky relationship with Rattrap, who normally refers to him as "Chopperface," to which Dinobot replies by calling him "Vermin." Despite this, he grows to respect the Maximals, and forges strong friendships with Optimus and Rattrap, though the relationship between him and Rattrap tends more towards them being frenemies, as the two seem to enjoy their verbal sparring and engage in it at every opportunity, yet despite their apparent dislike will consistently come to one another's aid.

Season two

In season two, Dinobot is one of the few Transformers who does not become a Transmetal, but he still remains a strong asset to the Maximals. Following the destruction of an artificial moon that hovered around Earth, Dinobot researches the strange goings-on and realizes that Megatron had in fact landed on the correct planet: Earth.^[31] He infiltrates the Predacon base, and steals two golden discs which contain information pertaining to the planet’s vast supply of Energon, as well as the location of The Ark.^[31] The disks also trouble Dinobot, as he believes they can predict the future.^[32] Dinobot eventually contemplates rejoining the Predacons after realizing that Megatron was going to triumph over the Maximals.^[32] He returns one of the disks to Megatron, but defies an order to destroy Rattrap, realizing that the scale of Megatron's ambition is too dangerous.^[32]

Consumed with guilt, Dinobot returns to the Maximals. He eventually discovers that the future written on the discs can be altered after witnessing Megatron destroy a mountain, and watching the writings on the disc change.^[33] After Megatron also realizes this, he orders the Predacons to eradicate all the primitive ancestors of humankind, on the planet, believing the attack would deny the Autobots an important ally in their future battle against the Decepticons. Although he is now aware that the future can be changed, Dinobot chooses to preserve history instead, and proceeds to single-handedly defeat all of the Predacons. He then subdues Megatron himself with a makeshift maul and retrieves the golden disc that he had previously given back.^[33] However, Dinobot sustains mortal wounds during the conflict, and destroys the disc with the last of his energy.^[33] His fellow Maximals arrive shortly after and stand by his side as he passes away. His final words are, "Tell my tale to those who ask. Tell it truly, the ill deeds along with the good and let me be judged accordingly. The rest is silence." As his Spark leaves his body, Optimus gives a proper eulogy; "He lived a warrior and died a hero. Let his Spark join the Matrix with the greatest of Cybertron." Out of respect for their fallen comrade, the Maximals give Dinobot a proper funeral, performing the missing man flyover, in which his body is placed in a suspended animation pyre that disintegrates him.^[33] The hominid that Dinobot saved find his makeshift maul and makes use of it, beginning humanity's technological development.^[33]

Season three

Using a blank protoform, a fragment of Rampage's spark, alien technology, and DNA of the original Dinobot, Megatron is able to create a clone of Dinobot in Transmetal II form, possessing Dinobot's combat experience and skills but none of his honour, willing to mount sneak attacks against weaker opponents rather than engage in fair combat. However, following the destruction of Rampage, Dinobot II is somehow infused with the spirit of his predecessor, causing him to regain the original Dinobot's honour and turn against Megatron at a crucial moment, providing the Maximals with the key to defeating him. He dies once more in the final struggle, remaining on board the shattered Decepticon ship the Nemesis as it crashes, but is honoured by the Maximals for his role in their victory.^[34]

Dreamwave Productions

Dinobot's earliest fictional depiction in comics was in a two part short story told in Dreamwave's Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye series. In this tale Dinobot and his leader enter an ancient Autobot library housing a node of the super computer Vector Sigma where they view the datatracks concerning the Autobots and Decepticons of The Great War. As Dinobot dispatches a Maximal security agent his leader obtains the Golden Disk artifact and announces he wishes to be addressed as Megatron from now on.

Fun Publications

Dinobot's early story would continue in the Timelines tale Dawn of Futures Past, where he was seen escaping with the disc alongside Megatron and Scorponok, outraged because he was not able to battle the Maximals honorably, having to be cowed into fleeing by Megatron. Dinobot was further outraged when Megatron planned to flee into Transwarp, but was delighted when Megatron opened fire on the Axalon while doing so. In this story, Dinobot was never named. In the subsequent story Dawn of the Predacus, Dinobot would be seen looking upon the protoformed Grimlock, possibly an indication of where he took his name from.

IDW Publishing

Dinobot appears along the rest of the Maximals in the series Beast Wars: The Gathering, which takes place during season 3 of the animated Beast Wars series.

Dinobot had a biography printed in the Beast Wars Sourcebook by IDW Publishing.^[35]

Other media

Dinobot appears in the TFcon 2012 live script reading prelude comic. In this story, Cheetor, Dinobot, Rattrap, and Silverbolt discover three Constructicons and some Predacons on prehistoric Earth and are joined by the Wreckers.^[36]

Toys

• Beast Wars Deluxe Dinobot (1996)

The Dinobot toy came with a mutant mask that was not utilized in the animated series, although it was seen on early prototypes of the animation. Because the toy was made before the show, it was not an exact match for the colors.^[37]

This toy was later recolored as Beast Wars Grimlock and as Dinobots Grimlock.^[38][39]

Dinotron was a remold of the original Dinobot.

• Beast Wars Takara Deluxe Dinobot (1997)

When the toy was sold in Japan it was repainted with lighter stripes and a gold head to match the television model. In Japan Dinobot was sold alone and packaged with Tarantulas. The Japanese version of this toy had the head painted with metallic colors to more closely match the animated appearance of Dinobot.

• Beast Wars McDonalds Dinobot (1998)

A premium toy included with Happy Meals, this Dinobot is a transmetal, although he did not become a transmetal in the animated series.

• Beast Wars Transmetal Dinobot (Unreleased)

During the original Transmetal Line, A Transmetal version of Dinobot was made and made it to the prototype stage before being scraped and replaced with a Transmetal Terrorsaur.^[40]

• Beast Wars Fox Kids Deluxe Dinobot (1999)

A redeco of Dinobot done in browns with red stripes across the back.

• Beast Wars Transmetal II Deluxe Dinobot (1999)

The Transmetal II toy of Dinobot came in three variants. The first was released as a post-Christmas edition in late 1998 (for the 1999 release year) in show-accurate colors (this version being the model for the series), identifiable due to all pre-1999 Transmetal 2s having a "Transmetal II" logo. The second version makes use of navy blue and metallic maroon detailing on an ivory-colored body, as opposed to brown and maroon. The "II" logos are replaced with a "Transmetal 2" logo. The third and final Transmetal II Dinobot was nearly as commonplace as the second, with the ivory tooling replace with a whiter colored plastic. The remaining parts were decorated in a brighter blue and vacuum-metallized red. (The white, red and blue Dinobot is said to have been exclusive to Wal-Mart, but K-Mart stores in 2002 were shown to also have them in stock.)

The transmetal II Dinobot was repainted into the Dinobot Rapticon.

• Beast Wars 10th Anniversary Dinobot (2006)

In 2006 the original Dinobot toy was one of the toys selected for the Beast Wars 10th Anniversary toyline. He was repainted in more show-accurate coloring. He came packaged with one of the six pieces used to make the Transmutate toy plus a DVD of his most famous episode "Code of Hero".^[41][42]

• Timelines Deluxe Darksyde Dinobot (2006)

One of the BotCon 2006 exclusive figure is a remold of Armada Hoist which is a homage to Beast Wars Dinobot. This figure is supposed to represent Dinobot before he was reformatted into an animal form. He turns into a backhoe.^[43]

This toy was featured on page 19 of the book Transformers: The Fantasy, The Fun, The Future by Erin Brereton published by Triumph Books.

• Beast Wars Takara 10th Anniversary Dinobot (2007)

In 2007, Takara Tomy is releasing their version of the 10th Anniversary of Beast Wars toys. Selected molds have included Dinobot who will be painted show accurate along with something Hasbro's version did not have: teeth are painted to give him more of a look like the show. According to the DVD enclosed with the toy, he may be sold with Blackarachnia at a sale price. (Like how Optimus Primal is sold with Megatron as a special offer.)

• Universe Deluxe Dinobot (2009)

As part of the 25th Anniversary commemoration, the Transformers Universe series released a new mold of Dinobot. Like the Beast Wars figure, the Universe figure lacked show-accurate coloration. The transformation is also slightly different, with the arms tucking into the chest rather than the legs.^[44][45]

Honors

At BotCon 2010, Hasbro named Dinobot as one of the first five robot inductees in the Transformers Hall of Fame. He was also the first "fan's choice" inductee, as fans around the world submitted nominees for the spot. After the nominees were narrowed down to the top five, Dinobot beat Soundwave, Grimlock, Jazz and Shockwave with 31,000 votes.^[46]

Beast Machines

Dinobots
T-Wrecks, leader of the Beast Machines Dinobots.
Publication information
Publisher	3H Enterprises, Fun Publications
In-story information
Base(s)	None
Member(s)	Airraptor Dinotron Magmatron Rapticon Striker T-Wrecks Terranotron Triceradon

The Beast Machines Dinobots were created from survivors of the Beast Machines techno-organic virus, using DNA schematics derived from the former Maximal warrior Dinobot. Members include:

• T-Wrecks - A former attack specialist, he is the team leader and a strong defender of the Maximal cause. Transforms into a Tyrannosaurus rex. He is a repaint of the Beast Wars Megatron toy.
• Triceradon - The second-in-command of the Dinobots who transforms into a Triceratops. He is a recolored version of Guiledart from Beast Wars Neo.
• Airraptor - He is a perfectionist with supreme precision, a characteristic gained working as the surveyor and navigator of the Axalon. Transforms into an Archaeopteryx, Airraptor is capable of flying at very high speeds, though his wings are very fragile. He is a recolored version of Archadis from Beast Wars Neo.
• Dinotron - Stubborn and surly, Dinotron is the most uncooperative of the Dinobots. Transforms into a Pachycephalosaurus, Dinotron does not favor his new technorganic design,. Though he is disgusted by Megatron's "new order." He is a recolored version of Hardhead from Beast Wars Neo (who is also a retooled version of Dinobot).
• Magmatron - Based on the Beast Wars Neo villain of the same name, Magmatron is one of the only 6 known reverse-combiners (the others being Sky Lynx and the Duocons in the original series, Overlord from Transformers Super God Masterforce, and Tidal Wave in Transformers: Armada series). Three beasts (consisting of a Giganotosaurus, an Elasmosaurus and a Quetzalcoatlus) can combine into a humanoid robot form or that of a giant Chimera with attributes of all three beasts. While in his beast modes, he is able to maintain a singular consciousness/personality.
• Rapticon - Transforms into a transmetal II Velociraptor. He is a repaint of the Transmetal II Dinobot.
• Striker - Transforms into a Stegosaurus, Striker is deeply loyal to the Maximal cause. His hide is constructed of specially treated poly-alloy armor, and plates across his back serve as secondary energy receptors. His tail can cause seismic variations in the gravitational field, and contains a unique grappling rocket that penetrates all Vehicon armor. He is a recolored version of Saberback from Beast Wars Neo.
• Terranotron - Transforms into a transmetal Pteranodon, Terranotron loves difficult battles and often fights multiple enemies by himself. He focuses on aerial combat, and has an alloy coating that makes him impossible to detect. He is a repaint of the Transmetal Terrorsaur.

3H Publications

The Dinobots are one of several teams of Cybertronians shown to be opposed to Megatron's occupation of Cybertron, before being dispatched by the Oracle to another part of the galaxy.

Transformers: Energon

Mega-Dinobot

Autobot
Information
Sub-group	Dinobots, Gestalts
Function	Super Warrior
Alternate modes	2 Autobots
Series	Transformers: Energon

Two Dinobot figures were released as part of the "Transformers: Energon" toy line: Grimlock and Swoop, who can merge to form the giant robot Mega-Dinobot. They did not appear in the cartoon.

Dreamwave Productions

It comes as no surprise that longtime Dinobot fan Simon Furman intended to feature the characters in Dreamwave's Energon comic book, but the company's closure prevented this.

Fun Publications

Grimlock and Swoop appeared in the Fun Publications text story "Force of Habit", which explained their whereabouts during the events of the Cybertron story. Ultra Magnus was the commander of various Autobot ships sent to other planets in search for the Cyber Planet Keys. He also served as captain of the Iron Hope which was crewed by Bonecrusher, Grimlock, Ironhide, Knock Out, Overcast, Prowl, Quickstrike, RipTide, Skyblast, Smokescreen, Swoop, Wreckage and the Sky Scorcher Mini-Con Team.

Toys

• Energon Grimlock and Swoop (2005)

Can combine into "Mega-Dinobot".

Transformers Animated

The Transformers Animated series depicts the Dinobots as having originally been animatronic dinosaurs at the fictional Dino Drive amusement park who were accidentally smashed by Bulkhead. Professor Sumdac repairs the robotic dinosaurs with the help of Megatron, who secretly intends to use them to create drones who are loyal only to him and possess Transformer abilities and flame breath attacks. The new Dinobots wreak havoc under Megatron's control, and are stopped by the Autobots. The Dinobots become actual Transformers in the process, though they see themselves as actual dinosaurs.

Megatron no longer has complete control over them, but is able to persuade Grimlock, Snarl and Swoop into destroying the Autobots and all fossil fuel-powered vehicles, after which they are trapped and imprisoned in a tar pit. Prowl and Bulkhead secretly transport the Dinobots to a forest island where they can live in seclusion and peace with nature, hidden from the rest of the world by a holographic screen. However, Grimlock accidentally figures out how to transform into robot mode, to the surprise of the other two Dinobots. Prometheus Black, also known as Meltdown, later threatens to melt them unless they serve him. The Dinobots reason that Meltdown is not one of them, so they transform to defeat him, and ally with the Autobots.

The Dinobots return in "Megatron Rising" (part one), where they refuse a request by Optimus Prime, Bulkhead and Prowl for their help against the invading Decepticons. They briefly feature in "The Elite Guard", where they attack Sentinel Prime when he trespasses on their island, but are forced back by Ultra Magnus. In "A Fistful of Energon", Prowl removes a metal spike from Grimlock's foot. The Dinobots next feature in "Black Friday", where they are seduced by Blackarachnia into helping to remove her organic half. After a small cameo at the end of "Three's a Crowd", they appear in "Predacons Rising", where they are brought into conflict with the Autobots after they are again coerced into doing Blackarachnia's bidding.

In "Human Error" (part 2), Grimlock and Swoop appear when a teenaged Sari asks for their help to rescue the Autobots from Soundwave, who wants to reprogram them into serving him. Sari discovers that Slag has been domesticated into a pet by the Constructicon Scrapper, and the two help Sari to defeat Soundwave, though Scrapper calls him Snarl probably as a shoutout to the other Dinobot not featured in the series, and a nod to the fact his naming gives difficulties in British countries due to its slang status.

Transformers: Power Core Combiners

Grimstone

Autobot
Information
Sub-group	Dinobots, Power Core Combiners, Scouts
Rank	8
Partner	Four Dinobot drones
Alternate modes	Robotic Styracosaurus (misspelled as a Triceratops)
Series	Transformers: Power Core Combiners

Grimstone is the first Power Core Combiner to use animal forms instead of vehicles like his team members. According to his bio, Grimstone has dreamed of power and the privilege it brings, yet he considers the needs of others before himself. His belief is that it is the responsibility of the powerful to protect those less fortunate; and with his newly formed Power Core team, he will enforce that belief.^[47][48][49]

A set of dinobots toys were released as part of the "Power Core Combiners" line in 2010. This set was a new mold and came with four Dinobot drones: a Parasaurolophus, a Pachycephalosaurus, an Ankylosaurus, and a Dimetrodon mislabeled as a Spinosaurus, all of which combine with Grimstone to form a larger robot.

Aligned Continuity

Belligerent, bullheaded, and rebellious, the Dinobots (formerly the Lightning Strike Coalition Force) are a brutal commando unit of Autobots, who handle the jobs that other Autobots don't have the stomach for. Openly critical of Optimus Prime's conservative tactics, the unit instead defers to their leader Grimlock, who isn't above defying his higher-ups if the need arises. One such rebellion resulted in the team becoming captives of Shockwave, who subsequently experimented on the team by giving with new alternate modes based on dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, intending to turn them into mindless berserkers. The Dinobots managed to escape Shockwave's lab, and their mutual struggle to adjust to and understand their strange new forms has resulted in the team becoming more tight-knit than ever.

Transformers: Prime

The Dinobots do not appear in the animated series Transformers: Prime.^[50][51] However, they were briefly referenced once. In the episode "Project Predacon" of the third season, the Predacons were referred to as analogous to Earth's dinosaurs. Miko asks what Dinobots were and Bulkhead replies with "Totally different", implying that they exist and appear in the show's universe. Members include:

• Grimlock - leader, Tyrannosaurus, voiced by Crispin Freeman in War for Cybertron, Gregg Berger in Fall of Cybertron, and Khary Payton in Robots in Disguise.
• Slug - Triceratops
• Sludge - Apatosaurus
• Snarl - Stegosaurus
• Swoop - Pteranodon

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

The Dinobots appear in the 2012 video game Transformers: Fall of Cybertron as former members of the elite task force known as the Lightning Strike Coalition. Grimlock is playable, and Swoop, Sludge (only shown in his non-Dinobot form and in stasis lock, although there was a model made for his dinosaur mode), Slag (renamed "Slug"), and Snarl appear alongside with him. The Lightning Strike Coalition are captured by Shockwave during the Decepticon attack on Iacon. Shockwave then opens a space bridge to Earth millions of years in the past and reconfigures the group as the Dinobots in order to destroy the Autobots. However, the Dinobots could not be controlled and rebelled against Shockwave.

Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots

It is an IDW comic series where the Dinobots are forced to confront Shockwave, linking Transformers Fall of Cybertron to the Transformers Prime continuity and leads into season three of Transformers Prime. The inclusion of Sludge also reveals that he did survive the events of Fall of Cybertron, although it is unexplained how he made it out of the cave or how he received his Dinobot form.

Transformers: Rescue Bots

Dinobot/Trex

Dinobot
Information
Function	Guard and Butler.
Partner	Doc Greene
Motto	"Trex is good boy."
Alternate modes	Robotic T-Rex
Series	Transformers: Rescue Bots
Voiced by	LeVar Burton

A human-built robotic Dinosaur called Trex appears in Transformers: Rescue Bots. Trex debuted in "Family of Heroes", the Tyrannosaurus rex at the Griffin Rock Natural History Museum was damaged in a fire attended by the Burns family and their Rescue Bots. The damaged robot came online that night, left the museum, and rampaged through Griffin Rock. The nearby Rescue Bots spotted it, lured it away from town, and worked together to deactivate the dinosaur and return it to the museum.

In "Return of the Dinobot", Doc Greene reprogrammed the dinosaur into "Trex" to guard the lab against break-ins, as well as to fetch coffee, do the "Macarena", and to verify that the mainframe had not been hacked into. A shadowy figure implanted a virus into Trex, who passed it on to the mainframe. Trex stalked Greene and Frankie until he was subdued by the Rescue Bots and Cody Burns used voice commands to override the virus. Trex would continue to be used for various purposes throughout the series, occasionally being ridden for fun by Frankie.

In the third season of Transformers: Rescue Bots, Optimus Prime and the Rescue Bots adopt Dinobot modes. They do so by scanning artificial dinosaurs created by combining robotics with dinosaur DNA. Optimus is the first to do so, scanning Trex in order to save the Rescue Bots from a tar pit on an island that several dinosaurs have taken up residence on. Unfortunately, scanning Trex lowers his supply of Energon, and he is left unable to control the animal instincts of his new mode. After Optimus is captured by big game hunter Quint Quarry and most of the Rescue Bots go after him, Boulder creates a device to replenish Optimus' Energon supply but decides to test it on himself, scanning a triceratops model of the artificial dinosaur series that Trex was a part of. With the test a success, Boulder uses his new mode to restore Optimus and save the others from Quarry, who escapes to hunt them another day.

As an interesting note, Optimus Primal (the toy name for his Tyrannosaurus form) and the four Rescue Bots share their dinosaur modes with the G1 Dinobots: Optimus and Grimlock are a Tyrannosaurus, Heatwave and Sludge are an Apatosaurus, Blades and Swoop are a Pteranodon, Boulder and Slag/Slug are a Triceratops, and Chase and Snarl are a Stegosaurus.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise

Grimlock is a member of Bumblebee's new team of Autobots on Earth in the 2015 TV series Transformers: Robots in Disguise. As one of many Decepticon prisoners aboard the Autobot ship Alchemor, Grimlock was the only one not to escape when the vessel crashed on Earth. The stasis unit on his cell was damaged however, and he was thus awake when the Autobots were engaging his former fellow inmate Underbite. He was freed after he insulted Underbite, and subsequently engaged the Decepticon in battle to satisfy his destructive impulses. Grimlock then proved an unlikely addition to Bumblebee's team, and with them witnessed the astonishing reappearance of Optimus Prime.

After Underbite was imprisoned, Bumblebee decided to allow Grimlock to join the team on probation. Later, after bringing the cyber-tick Minitron, he was formally inducted into the Autobot ranks and began to sport Autobot symbols instead of the Decepticon ones he sported for the first few episodes. According to Bumblebee, the only reason Grimlock was imprisoned on the Alchemor was due to severe property damage, which Bumblebee deemed to just be him acting like himself and not being a threat.

Grimlock's personality is much different then what was seen in Fall of Cybertron and the Aligned Continuity Comics, and he sports a Decepticon emblem on his Tyrannosaurus legs, suggesting that he switched sides twice and got a personality overhaul sometime between Prime and Robots in Disguise. Coincidentally, this incarnation also sports green colors similar to the 2001's incarnation from the series also titled Transformers: Robots in Disguise. He also speaks regularly unlike previous incarnations.

Another Dinobot, Scowl (voiced by Mark Hildreth), is introduced in the episode "Similarly Different", however, unlike the other Dinobots, he is an only Decepticon that appeared and transforms into an Ankylosaurus. On Cybertron, Scowl was a hired muscle who used to work for Thunderhoof, as a wrecker, destroying homes, but until he was arrested and incarcerated on the Alchemor. After he escapes, he becomes friends with Grimlock, promising him not to endanger the humans and happily walks off. However, while wandering in the woods, Scowl attacks the Autobots - Bumblebee, Strongarm, Sideswipe, Drift, Slipstream and Jetstorm - and then angrily confronts Grimlock, being a traitor and betrayed him. While rampaging the train station and a spa, Scowl fights Grimlock, but Grimlock had a change of heart. When they get a tail five, Grimlock defeats Scowl and puts him in a stasis pod.

Generation 1 Shattered Glass

Alternate versions of the Dinobots and Dinocons feature prominently in the Shattered Glass continuity, in which they were created by Wheeljack after he used a spacebridge to view prehistoric Earth and witnessed the power of the dinosaurs. Initially mindless creatures-with Grimlock being treated as a pet by Optimus Prime-they eventually gained Embers, the alternate universe equivalent of Sparks, from the Omega Terminus. Grimlock was the first to gain this heightened state of being, and worked to grant all dinosaur based Transformers-regardless of alliance-the same gift.

Beast Wars Shattered Glass

This comic line featured Classics Grimlock as part of an Autobot crew that ended up on Shattered Glass prehistoric Earth. In order to protect themselves from Energon radiation, the Autobots adopted organic Beast Modes, with Grimlock taking on the Raptor form of his Beast Wars incarnation. This group would later be rechristened the Maximals after encountering an alternate version of the Beast Wars character Depth Charge. Some time later, the group also encountered the Shattered Glass incarnation of Beast Wars Dinobot as part of Megatron's crew.

Transformers Cinematic Universe

The Dinobots, including Grimlock, appeared in the fourth Transformers film, Transformers: Age of Extinction.^[52] At the climax of the film, Optimus Prime rides Grimlock into battle through Hong Kong, Bumblebee rides Strafe, Drift rides Slug, and Crosshairs rides Scorn.^[53] In the film, the Dinobots are also called Legendary Warriors. The Dinobots, and "Mini-Dinobots", will appear in The Last Knight

Listings in the toyline and recent box images showed that their alt-modes are the following:

• Grimlock (The leader) - Transforms into mechanical horned fire-breathing Tyrannosaurus.
• Strafe - Transforms into a mechanical two-headed and two-tailed Pteranodon.
• Slug - Transforms into a mechanical spiked and bestial Triceratops.
• Scorn - New member who transforms into a mechanical three-sailed Spinosaurus.

In the film, the Dinobots were held prisoner as trophies aboard the Knight ship that is used by Lockdown. They are taken with Optimus and the Autobots when they commandeer a detachable section of the ship, and Optimus later uses the Sword of Judgement to free them from their captivity to save Earth from Galvatron's army. At first they refuse to obey Optimus, but after he defeats Grimlock in single combat, they respect him and assist him in the battle of Hong Kong in exchange for their freedom.^{[54][55][56][57][58]}

Unlike the original Dinobots, they don't speak and aren't referred to as "the Dinobots" or by their names, and they are much larger than the Autobots and the Decepticons, which allowed the Autobots to ride them. But like the originals, they prove to be powerful, destroying and tearing apart the Decepticons with ease. They were named as "Legendary warriors" by Optimus Prime. In 2009, Tom DeSanto has the idea to include the Dinobots and Constructicons in Revenge of the Fallen, but Michael Bay decided the Dinobots would not be, but Devastator would.

Although four Dinobots were seen in the movie, there are three more Dinobots in the toy line and promotional images.

• Slash - Transforms into a mechanical spine-clawed Velociraptor.
• Slog - Transforms into a mechanical spiked Apatosaurus.
• Snarl - Transforms into a mechanical double-spined Stegosaurus.

Angry Birds Transformers

In the puzzle video game Angry Birds Transformers, Grimlock will appear portrayed by Hal (also known as the Toucan Bird). Grimlock/Hal's alt mode in this reality is a motorcycle/ATV with his original form already being a T-Rex.

References