Rhinox

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Not to be confused with Rhino (Transformers).

Rhinox is the name of three fictional characters from Transformers series. The first Rhinox is a Maximal defense specialist who first appeared as part of the Beast Wars toy line and animated series in 1996.

Beast Wars

Transformers character
Rhinox-carded.jpg
Beast Wars Rhinox on card
Name Rhinox
Maximal, Predacon
Series Beast Wars
Transformers: Timelines
Transformers: Generations
Transformers: Legends
English voice actor Richard Newman
Japanese voice actor Daiki Nakamura
Information
Alternate modes Cybertronian front-end Loader, northern white rhinoceros, transmetal rhinoceros
Function Defense, Strategic Defense,
Motto "Power in defense of freedom will always triumph over power used for evil."
Rank 5 (original and transmetal), 8 (10th Anniversary and Timelines)
Sub-group Deluxe Beast, Deluxe Vehicles, Transmetals

Rhinox first appears in Beast Wars. He transforms into a Rhinoceros.

Rhinox's original tech spec portrayed him as an immensely tough and territorial Maximal dedicated to battling the Predacons. His Transmetal tech spec showed that he appreciated his increased mobility, pulling high speed attacks on the Predacons and showing off with wheelies. His 10th Anniversary Tech Spec was more in-line with the show portrayal. The show bible for Beast Wars describes Rhinox as a straight man who is inspired by Bud Abbott.

Rhinox's voice actor attended BotCon 2006 at the Lexington Convention Center for the 10th anniversary of the TV series.[1]

Animated series

Beast Wars

Rhinox in Beast Wars

Rhinox's character in the Beast Wars television series is very different from how the toy was depicted. As one of the first year toys, the toy of Rhinox was created before the television series came along, and his character was written by Hasbro. These characterizations were largely thrown out the window by the television series producers.

Rhinox was a Maximal and Optimus Primal's oldest friend, although it seems Rhinox has known Rattrap for even longer, stating he was his best friend in the episode "A Better Mousetrap". His beast mode is in the form of a large brown rhinoceros. He has two machine guns as weapons, which fans have nicknamed the “Chainguns of Doom”, though technically they are more akin to Gatling guns. He usually stays in the base and acts as an engineer and second in command of the Maximals. Rhinox created the Maximal Base's automated defense system, dubbed Sentinel.

Rhinox seems generally as capable of leadership as Optimus Primal, and Optimus Primal has told him as much. However, Rhinox abhors the babysitting and loss of independence that come with being a full-time leader. He is indisputably loyal to Optimus Primal; their mutual respect is so strong that Rhinox is the only Maximal that Optimus Primal seeks advice from (causing mild, intermittent jealousy among a few other Maximals).

Rhinox was defense officer of the Maximal ship called the Axalon, commanded by Optimus Primal. Their mission was one of exploration and to get rid of the abomination called Protoform X, but things didn't go as planned. With crewmates Cheetor and Rattrap, the Axalon chased the Predacon criminal Megatron through transwarp space after the theft of the Golden Disk. The Maximals and Predacons crashed on prehistoric Earth, where high energon levels threatened to destroy the crew unless they adopted organic alternate modes. Rhinox was given the form of a rhino in "Beast Wars Part 1".

Rhinox's talents would be displayed at multiple points in the Beast Wars. He would be the one principally responsible for saving the life of the protoform that would become Airazor, developing a paternalistic bond with her. Rhinox also created Sentinel, a security computer that could defend their base from the Predacons. Later, after being blinded by an energon explosion caused by Scorponok, Rhinox displayed his leadership abilities and coolness under pressure when he guided a similarly blinded Rattrap, Dinobot and Cheetor back to base, showing them how to let their other senses help them and drive off the opportunistic Predacons.

In "The Probe", Rhinox stayed behind the base to make a disc to contact a probe from Cybertron, while the other Maximals were being forced to be in beast mode by Tarantulas's new device. When he got to them was in time for him to knock over Megatron before he could destroy them. But when he was typing the code to contact the probe, he was transformed into beast mode by the "LENS", who then destroyed the Maximal device built to contact the probe. The Maximals too would have been destroyed if only it wasn't for Cheetor and Tigatron's timely arrival.

His most prominent episode in season one was in "Dark Designs", when he was turned into a Predacon by Megatron, only for the personality shift to prompt Rhinox to attempt to usurp Megatron by taking out all the other Predacons. When Megatron found out he sent his last two functioning warriors, Scorponok and Terrorsaur, but Rhinox was able to pit them against each other, defeating both of them before taking out Megatron, only for the Predacon leader to return Rhinox to his Maximal programming when he was gloating. After he was turned back, the other Maximals came and rescued him. They (with Waspinator's inadvertent help) destroyed the machine that turn him into a Predacon during their rescue.

His other prominent episode was in "The Low Road", when he was infected with a cold-like virus which nearly destroyed him and the other Maximals. Dinobot and Rattrap managed to get the counter virus from Tarantulas, resulting in a defeat for the Predacons. Megatron would later describe it as the most humiliating defeat of his career, given that the fight culminated in Rhinox defeating the Predacons by emitting a powerful fart after consuming bean vines that had been growing around the Maximal base to blow the Predacons out of their own headquarters.

Rhinox was damaged by Tarantulas and Blackarachnia during a Predacon attack in the first season’s finale, and was subsequently offline for Primal's heroic sacrifice.[2]

Rhinox was among those unaffected by the Quantum Wave which turned many Cybertronians into Transmetals. It's theorized by fans that he didn't change because he was in a cryo-regeneration chamber at the time (after being damaged by Tarantulas and Blackarachnia), and was protected from it. However in the toy line he WAS released as a Transmetal and his tech spec stated he was changed by the Quantum Surge, but due to limitation in the show production, the producers kept Rhinox in his original form.

Rhinox becomes the new leader of the Maximals after Optimus's apparent death. It was revealed that even the Predacons respect him (perhaps after the events of "Dark Design) when the newly Transmetal Megatron flees rather than face a furious Rhinox, angered by Optimus's death at Megatron's hands. Rhinox even ventured (alone) into the "Other side of the Matrix" ("where all are one") using the hole in space/time left by the Vok Planet Buster's destruction, retrieving Optimus Primal's spark and placing it in a new Transmetal body. After Primals resurrection, he relieved his leadership back to him.

Rhinox continued to battle the Predacons and use his medical skills. When Transmutate's stasis pod fell to Earth it was Rhinox who determined that she could be a potential threat (much to Silverbolt's disgust) and also realized that Dinobot's wounds were fatal after his climactic battle with the Predacons. When Megatron attempted to alter history, Primal and the other Maximals pursued him to the Ark, relying on Rhinox's great strength to force the doors of the damaged Ark open. However, they were too late. Megatron had shot Optimus Prime in the head and all of time began to destabilize.

Megatron's plan was thwarted when Blackarachnia unexpectedly switched sides, allowing Rhinox and the former Predacon to repair Prime's body while Optimus Primal safeguarded his Spark. He then tried to use Teletraan I defense weapons, to only fail and propose to get Sentinel at the old base. He later defended the Ark alongside Rattrap, only being saved by Depth Charge's timely arrival, and managed to help Blackarachnia in her switch to a Transmetal II body.

In the series conclusion, as Megatron attempted to use the Decepticon ship Nemesis to destroy the Ark and humanity, Rhinox realized that the Dinobot Clone’s transmission meant that history was still being written. Taking the Omega Delta Autobot shuttle, Rhinox managed to crash it through the bridge of the Nemesis effectively ending Megatron's threat, and with it, the Beast Wars. After this, Rhinox returned with the other Maximals back to Cybertron.

Beast Machines

Unfortunately for the Maximals, Megatron broke free of his bonds in transwarp and arrived on Cybertron ahead of them, taking over the planet. When the Maximal survivors inside the Autobot shuttle reached Cybertron, it was shot down by Megatron's forces and landed on the planet. The Maximals were chased by Megatron's Vehicon drones, who threw canisters of Megatron's transformation-freezing virus at them. All those Maximals whose bodies had been altered during the Beast Wars were transformed back to their original bodies and frozen in their beast modes. Rhinox and Silverbolt, however, had their sparks captured by Megatron.

Megatron used Rhinox's spark to give life to one of the original three Vehicon generals: Tankor.

Transformers Animated

In Transformers Animated, a rhinoceros appears at the end of the episode "Predacons Rising", paying homage to Rhinox. With the rhino are a gorilla, a cheetah and a rat - each one paying homage to Optimus Primal, Cheetor and Rattrap, respectively.

Comics

3H Enterprises

Rhinox was one of the stars of the 1997 BotCon Convention Comics, a story set near the end of season one of the Beast Wars television series. In the convention comics plot, Inferno and Blackarachnia watched as the Predacon scientist Fractyl attempted to invent energon armor capable of protecting them from energon build up. Although seemingly successful, the armor was stolen by the Maximal thief Packrat. Blackarachnia and Fractyl realized the energon armor was flawed and could destroy the planet if it came in contact with large amounts of energon. Inferno pursued Packrat, but since Packrat didn't need to assume beast mode with the armor on, he got the upper hand in the fight with Inferno. Hearing the battle, Airazor, Cheetor and Rhinox joined Packrat. Fractyl convinced Rhinox that the armor was a threat to them all. Rhinox was able to talk Packrat into giving up the armor, which Fractyl aided them in doing. When Blackarachnia arrived with Megatron, Packrat suggested that Fractyl pretend to be attacking the Maximals, who fled. Megatron was impressed with Fractyl's new found battle prowess.

Even with the death of Tankor in the Beast Machines story line, Rhinox would return in the story of Transformers: Universe.

Rhinox in Transformers: Universe

In Transformers: Universe #3 Alpha Trion and Primus claim they need Primal to choose his troops from any Cybertonians, past or present, and he chooses Rhinox and Depth Charge, who are brought back to life. Although Rhinox is happy to have a second chance to redeem himself for his acts as Tankor, Depth Charge isn't pleased with being brought back from the dead. Subsequently Rhinox would appear as Primal's lieutenant in the 2004 BotCon voice actor play, using his technical expertise to build a device that stops Unicron pulling Transformers from other dimensions. However, this caused an Autobot shuttle piloted by Bumblebee, Cosmos and Tracks to become lost in Rhinox's time. The Autobots would assist Rhinox' forces (Rattrap, Silverbolt and Waspinator) to defeat the Decepticons and send both the Autobots and several other timelost groups back to their own times and realities.

Rhinox would eventually face an alternate Tankor in battle and defeat him; however, "Ask Vector Prime" later revealed that this Tankor was not another version of Rhinox, but rather Scorponok.

Fun Publications

Rhinox appears in the BotCon Timelines tale Dawn of Futures Past, as the engineer of the Axalon. With his work seemingly cut out keeping the other two crew members in line, he was soon called upon to restore the Axalon after it was attacked and crippled by Laserbeak and Buzzsaw. With the former Decepticons distracted by another Maximal ship, Rhinox was able to get the ship's engines and guns online in time to destroy the Predacons. His engineering expertise was soon called upon again to save the lives of the other Maximal ship's pilot and passenger by performing a remote spark transfer to the blank protoforms in the Axalon's cargo hold.[3]

IDW Publishing

The crew of the Axalon in Transformers: Dawn of the Predacus

Rhinox appeared the IDW Publishing BotCon 2016 story Transformers: Dawn of the Predacus. In this story Rhinox served on the Axalon under the command of Optimus Primal at the end of the Great War. The Axalon was sent to do orbital scans of Cybertron. The Axalon crew discovered a hidden installation on Unicron's head just as a Transmatter wave was launched at Cybertron. The shields of the Axalon partly deflected the wave, so only some on Cybertron's population was affected.[4]

Rhinox had a biography printed in the Beast Wars Sourcebook by IDW Publishing.[5]

Games

Toys

  • Beast Wars Deluxe Rhinox (1996)
This Deluxe sized toy came with a mutant mask and a sword which never made it to the animated series. The original toy of Rhinox came with a duel spinning mace weapon, but the show depicted this as an automatic chaingun weapon.[6][7]
  • According to DVD extras from one release of the Beast Wars animated series a working name for this toy was "Ironhide".
  • Beast Wars Transmetal Deluxe Rhinox (1998)
Rhinox did actually have a Transmetal body, despite the series. This figure was available packaged together with Transmetal Tarantulas in Japan. The Hasbro version of this toy has the word Rhinox on it, while the Takara version had the word Cybertron on it.[8][9]
  • Beast Wars Rally's Rhinox (1998)
A simple fast food premium available at Rally's and Checkers restaurants.
  • Beast Wars Fox Kids Deluxe Rhinox (1999)
A recolor of the original Rhinox toy in grey and red.
  • Beast Wars Fox Kids Transmetal Deluxe Rhinox (2000)
A recolor of the Transmetal Rhinox toy in blue and grey.
  • Beast Wars Deluxe 10th Anniversary Deluxe Rhinox (2006)
In 2005 the original Rhinox toy was one of the toys selected for the Beast Wars 10th Anniversary toy line. He was repainted in more show-accurate colors. He came packaged with one of the six pieces used to make the Transmutate toy.[10][11]
  • Timelines Deluxe Rhinox (2006)
A pre-Beast Wars Rhinox toy was made for BotCon 2006. The toy was a recolor of Transformers: Cybertron Landmine.
  • Beast Wars Telemocha Deluxe Rhinox (2007)
  • Generations Voyager Rhinox (2014)
A new mold. Turns from robot to rhino.
  • Legends Voyager Rhinox (2016)
A recolor of Generations Voyager Rhinox.


Transformers: Armada

Transformers character
Rhinox-armada-carded.jpg
Armada Rhinox with Armorhide on card
Name Rhinox/War
Autobot
Series Transformers: Armada
Information
Alternate modes Transmetal Rhinoceros
Motto "Hard work never killed anybody."
Partner Armorhide
Sub-group Deluxe Beast
Transmetals

In the later Transformers: Armada series, which is set in a different Transformers universe from Beast Wars and Beast Machines, Rhinox was one of five Transmetal Beast Warriors who appeared in Armada. Their toys were re-colored and modified to include Mini-Con powerlink points. Each was then partnered with one or more re-colored Mini-Cons from the Adventure and Street Speed Teams. Rhinox was partnered with Armorhide and was the only one of the four to appear in animated form.[12]

Animated series

This Rhinox had a cameo appearance in the cartoon series in episode 52, "Mortal Combat".

Dreamwave Productions

Rhinox appeared among the Autobots in the Dreamwave Productions Armada comic book series. He was among the team of Autobots led by Jetfire who investigated mysterious Space Bridge activity at the Decepticon Headquarters—unaware it had been taken over by the Heralds of Unicron.Bludgeon was still present and stalked Jetfire's team. Rhinox survived relatively unscathed, unlike Blurr and Dropshot, and helped to eventually destroy the samurai-like former Decepticon.

He fought against Unicron at the end of the Armada series and was abducted by the Chaos Bringer along with Airazor, Cheetor, and Terrorsaur.

Armada Rhinox appeared as a minion of Unicron in the Transformers: Energon comic book series. Rhinox became "War", one of the Four Horsemen of Unicron.

Armada Rhinox also was set to appear in the unreleased issue 33 of the Transformers: Energon comic series.[13]

Toys

  • Armada Rhinox with Armorhide (2003)
The transmetal Rhinox toy was remoled and released as an Autobot, partnered with the Mini-Con Armorhide.[14]


Transtech

Transformers character
Rhinox-transtech-art.jpg
Transtech Rhinox art
Name Rhinox
Maximal
Information
Alternate modes Unknown
Function Scientist
Sub-group Transtechs

Rhinox is a scientist on Transtech Cybertron.

Fun Publications

Rhinox appears in "Withered Hope", where he testified to the Senate on matter of the GoBot's dimensional travel.

Rhinox appears in Invasion Prologue by Fun Publications.[15]

Rhinox appears in "A Flash Forward Epilogue" by Fun Publications. He discusses the recent dimensional problems with Prowl.[16]

Shattered Glass

The negative universe version of Rhinox is an evil Maximal serving under Optimus Primal on the Axalon. He first appeared in SD SG issue 6 in 2016.

References

  1. TRANSFORMERS Fans Gather in Kentucky to Celebrate Their Love of 'MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE' Toys. Business Wire September 27, 2006
  2. "Rhinox". Secondtruth.com. http://www.secondtruth.com/bwtf/char4.htm. Retrieved 2012-10-29. 
  3. "Transformers: Timelines #1: "Dawn of Future's Past"". Seibertron.com. 2012-10-15. http://www.seibertron.com/comics/view.php?comic_id=848. Retrieved 2012-10-29. 
  4. John-Paul Bove (w), Corin Howell (a). Transformers: Dawn of the Predacus (March 2016), IDW Publishing
  5. "Creators of Transformers: Beast Wars: The Gathering are back". Monsters and Critics. 2007-08-15. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/books/comics/news/article_1343405.php/Creators_of_Transformers_Beast_Wars_The_Gathering_are_back. Retrieved 2012-10-29. 
  6. [1][dead link]
  7. Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.. p. 121. ISBN 0-7643-1364-9. 
  8. "Rhinox: Transformation". Hasvro.com. http://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/TransformerFuzorsMaximalRhinox.pdf. Retrieved 2012-10-29. 
  9. Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.. p. 125. ISBN 0-7643-1364-9. 
  10. [2][dead link]
  11. "Product Reviews". Mastercollector.com. http://www.mastercollector.com/articles/reviews/bw10thanv.htm. Retrieved 2012-10-29. 
  12. "Rhinox with Armorhide". Unicron.us. http://www.unicron.us/tf2003/toypix/rhinox.htm. Retrieved 2012-10-29. 
  13. "Transformers: Energon #33: "Transformers: Energon"". Seibertron.com. 2012-10-15. http://seibertron.com/comics/view.php?comic_id=787. Retrieved 2012-10-29. 
  14. [3][dead link]
  15. Pete Sinclair & Jesse Wittenrich (w), Will Mangin (p), Jake Isenberg (i). "Invasion Prologue" Transformers Timelines (March, 2012), Fun Publications
  16. Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair (w), Robby Musso (p), Matt Frank (i), Thomas Deer (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair (ed). "A Flash Forward Epilogue" The Transformers Collectors Club (September 2012), Fun Publications
  • Furman, Simon (2004). Transformers: The Ultimate Guide. DK Publishing Inc.. p. 84. ISBN 1-4053-0461-8. 

External links