Rodimus
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Rodimus is a fictional character from the Transformers series. He was initially called Hot Rod.
Contents
Transformers: Generation 1
Reception
Hot Rod was named the 14th top unfortunately named Transformer by Topless Robot.[1]
Hot Rod was one of the favorite Autobots of IGN.[2]
According to X-Entertainment Rodimus Prime was the 6th top Transformers figure of all time.[3]
Animated series
Hot Rod has a youthful attitude, and serves as an older brother figure to Daniel Witwicky, son of Autobot ally Spike Witwicky. He has a sort of mentor-student relationship with the veteran Autobot Kup. He was also good friends with Springer and Arcee. Later in life, he temporarily bears the Autobot Matrix of Leadership and becomes Rodimus Prime (Rodimus Convoy in Japan), and leader of the Autobots.
Hot Rod first appeared in the American animated series during the events of The Transformers: The Movie (as the main protagonist), where he was one of the many Autobots stationed at Autobot City.[4] He fought in the Autobot city battle and saved the autobot city for if he had not attacked Megatron, he would have destroyed the city. Due to his attempted intervention in the battle between the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime and Megatron, Prime was killed. He fled the city with Kup and the Dinobots when Galvatron, a recreated Megatron, attacked the city after being reformatted by Unicron. After meeting up with the other Autobots after a series of adventures on the planets Quintessa and Junk, Hot Rod returned to the other Autobots and rushed to Cybertron to save it from being eaten by Unicron. After facing Galvatron inside Unicron's body, Hot Rod was able to get his hands on the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, as the voice of Optimus Prime was heard saying, "Arise, Rodimus Prime". The power of the Matrix reformatted Hot Rod into Rodimus Prime, with a larger body, deeper voice, and different vehicle mode. It also destroyed Unicron's body, bringing the events of the film to a close with Rodimus Prime as the new Autobot leader.
After the film, Rodimus did not have time to rest on his laurels as commander, immediately finding himself and the Autobots targeted by the Quintessons, who lured him to their planet of Quintessa and detonated it in hopes of destroying the Matrix. Rodimus and the Autobots survived, however, and Rodimus proceeded to voluntarily short-circuit himself to allow his life-force to enter the Matrix, feeling that the answer to the mystery of the Quintessons' identity lay within it. His hunch proved correct – the Quintessons, he discovered, were the Transformers' creators, and Rodimus knew that the future would be a difficult time for the Autobots.
At this point in the future, the Autobots had become something of a group of peacekeepers among the many races in the galaxy, and Rodimus would attend many meetings, parties and conferences to this end, most notably chairing the peace conference between the planets of Xetaxxis and Lanarq. Despite the brave public face he wore at these events, his own doubts continued to plague him, and he was particularly fazed by Galvatron’s threat of an "ultimate weapon", though the revelation that this was a bluff stirred him to action. Later still, Rodimus was among the Autobots who had their minds transferred into synthetic human forms by crime lord Victor Drath, who used their Transformer bodies to commit crimes. While Ultra Magnus, Arcee and Springer tackled this problem, Rodimus returned to Drath's compound where he was aided by Drath's mole, Michelle, between whom a spark of romance seemed to bloom, until she betrayed him to Drath. Through a combined effort, however, Drath was brought to justice and the Autobots regained their bodies.
Hot Rod only appeared three more times: once when he gave the Matrix to a Quintesson-controlled Optimus Prime. When he lost the Matrix, Rodimus was forced to face down his fears once and for all when the Decepticons began a series of attacks on Japan. Overwhelmed by the different responsibilities and directions he was being pulled in, Rodimus went joyriding and was attacked by the Stunticons, losing the Matrix in the ensuing crash, which was acquired by the Decepticon Scourge. While Rodimus became Hot Rod again – and was not eager to change back – Scourge was warped and enhanced by the Matrix and led another attack on Japan. Counseled by a martial arts master on giri – the burden hardest to bear – Rodimus realized that the Matrix was his burden, and that he had been chosen to bear it; battling Scourge, he recovered the Matrix and resumed his role as leader, and finally when Optimus Prime was resurrected and Rodimus Prime was able to return to being Hot Rod for good. In all three occasions, his return to Hot Rod took place because he lost or passed the Matrix to someone else.
In the 3-part finale to the American Transformers animated series, "The Rebirth", Hot Rod became a Targetmaster.
In the Japanese exclusive Transformers: The Headmasters storyline (which replaced the "Rebirth" finale in Japanese continuity), Hot Rod appeared as part of Optimus Prime's inner circle. When Galvatron and his Headmaster warriors launched a devastating attack on Cybertron, Vector Sigma was damaged, and Hot Rod was sent to Earth to retrieve the Matrix. Recovering it, he returned it to Prime, only to be surprised when the ghost of Alpha Trion once again reformatted him into Rodimus Prime to help Optimus. After Optimus' death, Rodimus once again took command of the Autobots. However, when Scorponok destroyed Vector Sigma, Rodimus decided to leave the war, and left Fortress Maximus in command of the Autobots.
Although Rodimus would leave the dying Cybertron to find a new homeworld in the Headmasters series, he returned in the pages of the Battlestars manga. Once again going by the name Hot Rod, he was now a Micromaster, and aided Star Convoy (the once again reborn Optimus Prime) in his battles against Super Megatron.
Books
Ladybird books
Hot Rod is among the Autobots who appeared in the 1988 audio book Decepticons at the Pole by John Grant.[5]
Hot Rod is among the Autobots who appeared in the 1988 Ladybird Books story Autobots Strike Oil by John Grant.[6]
Hot Rod appeared in the 1986 Ladybird Books story Decepticon Hideout by John Grant.[7]
Marvel Books
Hot Rod appeared in the 1986 story and coloring book The Lost Treasure of Cybertron by Marvel Books.
Comics
3H Enterprises
In the Transformers: Universe storyline, Rodimus (as he is now called) gets upgraded into a Maximal (looking like his Autobot form, but slightly smaller and more energy efficient). He serves as a member of the Wreckers, third in command after Primal Prime and Apelinq. He serves as the Matrix Templar for the group.
According to the script for the unreleased issue #4 of Transformers: Universe - The Wreckers the Wreckers returned to Cybertron where they helped repel the an invasion by the Quintessons.
Binaltech
Due to alterations to the original G1 timeline caused by Ravage, Optimus Prime does not die, and the Matrix is not passed to Hot Rod.
As the Binaltech saga unfolds, the multiverse is threatened with destruction, until the original continuity is restored and the Binaltech universe is split into and preserved within its own separate universe. Overdrive confirms that the threat is over by visiting the dimension occupied by the original timeline, and reveals that in that world, Hot Rod had received the Matrix and taken over leadership of the Autobots as Rodimus Prime.
Devil's Due Publishing
Hot Rod would also appear in the G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers crossover comics from Devil's Due Publishing. He made his first appearance in the second crossover, where he was transported to Earth by a malfunctioning Teletran-3 and reformatted into the form of an Earth sports car.
He reappeared in the third crossover, where he apparently acted as Optimus Prime's right hand man. Putting a team together to look for the missing team that had journeyed to Earth (who had been captured by Serpentor and the Decepticons), he would later lead the combined G.I. Joe/Autobot force that rescued Optimus Prime. It is interesting to note that in contrast to his usual "youthful rookie" portrayal here Hot Rod seems to be in a high command position, outranking Ultra Magnus, Prowl and Ironhide among others. However, by the fourth crossover Hot Rod is forced to wait on Cybertron under Magnus's command as Optimus Prime journeys to Earth.
Dreamwave Productions
Hot Rod led a cell of Autobots in resistance to the leadership of Shockwave on Cybertron until Shockwave was overthrown by Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus. Later, he was part of Ultra Magnus's team to fortify one of Cybertron's moons, and clashed with Springer over Arcee.
Although Targetmaster Hot Rod and Rodimus Prime received bio pages in Dreamwave's More Than Meets The Eye series, they never appeared in the comic stories before the company closed, barring one flash Optimus Prime had of the future when the Matrix was damaged, where he saw Hot Rod as a Targetmaster.
Fun Publications
Rodimus has appeared in three different storylines from Fun Publications.
Rodimus and Cyclonus appear together in the story Wreckers: Finale Part II from 2007. During the invasion of Cybertron, Cyclonus and Rodimus come to final blows, fighting each other to a stand-still. Both severely wounded, Cyclonus is about to kill Rodimus when the Predacon Rotorbolt arrives and kills Cyclonus for betraying him. Rodimus then helps Cheetor to drain the power of the Divine Light from Cryotek. When Rodimus is dying from wounds he received battling Cyclonus, Tigatron is unable to save the former Autobot leader, having given up the power of the Vok to save the Predacon Fractyl.[8]
Based on the Classics toy line, the Timelines 2007 story is set 15 years after the end of the Marvel Comics story (ignoring all events of the Marvel UK and Generation 2 comics). According to exclusive bio information in the Transformers Collectors' Club magazine #15, Hot Rod followed Optimus Prime back to Cybertron from the Planet Klo. Once back, Hot Rod took up racing, but after a while found it pointless. Optimus Prime assigned to help organize the millions of Cybertronian refugees who returned to their home world. Hot Rod chaired the Cybertron Grand Challenge race, a race which featyred combined Autobot/Decepticon teams. With his maturing Hot Rod changed his name to Rodimus and was chosen to return with Optimus Prime to Earth to stop Megatron. Optimus Prime returned to Earth commanding Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Grimlock, Jetfire, Mirage and Rodimus. When the Cybertronians Skyfall and Landquake arrive on Earth unexpectedly, Megatron attempts to destroy them, but Optimus Prime and his Autobots are able to drive Megatron away. Rodimus is wounded on a mission with Optimus Prime, before being brought back to the Autobot base.
Kup told the Dinobots and Rodimus the story of how he became a member of the Autobot Elite Guard.[9] His body is based on the Universe Legends toy in this story.[10]
Most of the Classicverse universe was destroyed in the BotCon 2012 story Invasion. Rodimus has not been depicted as one of the survivors and is presumed destroyed in that continuity.
Kiss Players
Hot Rodimus also appeared in the Japanese exclusive Kiss Players storyline. In the alternate timeline of Kiss Players, Hot Rodimus has given up the Matrix to Ultra Magnus after his actions in hurling Galvatron out of Unicron's body resulted in the Decepticon leader crashing into and devastating Tokyo, rather than landing on Thrull, as seen in the original continuity. He subsequently came to Earth to try to repair relations with the humans, but was instead attacked and nearly killed by a Legion Creature, a hybrid created from Galvatron's Unicron-corrupted cells fusing with local creatures. He was saved by a kiss from the human Li Shao-Shao and reformatted into a body resembling a Ford GT. He went on to battle the Earth Defense Command (an anti-Transformer organization), the Legion - and Optimus Prime himself. Prime had been resurrected in a Kiss Player body, but Hot Rodimus, believing his commander to be dead, thought it was a trick.
Marvel Comics
Hot Rod first appeared in the Headmasters limited series as one of the Autobot crew led by Fortress Maximus. He became a Targetmaster in the fourth and final issue of the series. However, his Targetmaster partner is called Sparks, instead of Firebolt (though the UK comic would occasionally call him Firebolt). Hot Rod made sporadic appearances, with a few UK stories starring him as the lead, but most of those were set in the past or future. Kup's Story revealed the first meeting between Kup and Hot Rod, and how Hot Rod's influence shook Kup out of depression; and Ark Duty starred Hot Rod and set up the creation of Autobot City. Hot Rod debuted in the main continuity after the loss of many wars to the Underbase powered Starscream, as part of Fortress Maximus' group. He served as an eager soldier who idolized Optimus. However, he was killed during the Decepticon ambush on Klo in the last issue of the Marvel G1 comic, only to be resurrected by Prime and the Last Autobot.
He continued to appear in the Transformers: Generation 2 comic as one of Prime's right-hand men.
Hot Rod would appear in the UK Marvel comic issue #234, "Prime's Rib!" This story is set in the near future, 1995, where Optimus Prime, Jazz and Hot Rod introduced the latest Autobot, Arcee, to the human feminists. She was met with displeasure by the humans, being called a token female and disliked for her pink color. They were then attacked by Shockwave, Fangry, Horri-Bull and Squeezeplay, who thought the Autobots would be unveiling a new weapon. The Autobots fought off the Decepticons, who escaped, but nothing seemed to please the human feminists.
The Hot Rod from the future animated movie continuity would also appear. Target: 2006 had Hot Rod, Kup and Blurr timejump from 2006 (specifically partway through the Transformers movie) to 1986 to thwart Galvatron's scheme, under the influence of Unicron; later post-movie stories revealed that Firebolt had died on Earth years before 2007, and Space Pirates had Rodimus Prime briefly reverting back to Hot Rod during the Quintesson attack on Autobot City. This Hot Rod also appeared in several of the "Aspects of Evil" stories. Told from the flashbacks of an aged Rodimus Prime, these had Hot Rod come up against some of the greatest Decepticon villains. He accepted the surrender of Scorponok - only to wind up defending him and a human town against the Micromaster Air Strike Patrol: defending Autobot City from a full scale attack by Shockwave: and being captured and used as a pawn by Megatron to flush out an Autobot spy in his ranks. (Marvel UK #223-227)
Transformers: Mosaic
Rodimus appeared in the Transformers: Mosaic story "Flesh & Blood" by Senex Prime.[11]
Toys
References
- ↑ Kevin Guhl (December 16, 2009). "The 30 Most Unfortunately Named Transformers". http://www.toplessrobot.com/2009/12/the_30_most_unfortunately_named_transformers.php.
- ↑ http://movies.ign.com/articles/992/992629p1.html
- ↑ http://www.x-entertainment.com/messages/364.html
- ↑ "A brief history of the Transformers". Malaysia Star. http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/11/9/features/20041108160036&sec=features. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
- ↑ Grant, John (1988). Decepticons at the Pole. Ladybird Books. ISBN 0721410685.
- ↑ John Grant (1988). Autobots Strike Oil. Ladybird Books. ISBN 0721410693.
- ↑ Decepticon Hideout. Ladybird Books. 1986. ISBN 0-7214-0989-X.
- ↑ Greg Sepelak & S. Trent Troop (2007). Wreckers: Finale Part II. Illustrator Guido Guidi, Colorist Drew Eiden. Fun Publications.
- ↑ Forest Lee & Rik Alvarez (w), Guido Guidi & Dan Khanna (p), Guido Guidi & Josh Warner (i), Thomas Deer & Josh Perez (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair & Brian Savage (ed). "Wings of Honor" Transformers Timelines v2, 4 (Spring 2009), Fun Publications
- ↑ BotCon 09
- ↑ http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&q=Flesh+%26+Blood+mosaic#/d1c0v3c
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