The Greatest Non-G1 Legacy Transformers Ever.

[Sky Shadow]

I was just thinking this morning, that although most of the iconic, famous and memorable Transformers characters are from Generation 1 or are G1 'legacy' characters*, there are a good handful of Transformers who have made a huge mark on the franchise despite not being GeeWun. This year, Beast Wars Dinobot, who - despite being named after a G1 subgroup - was certainly a Beast-Wars-first character, earned a place in the Transformers Hall of Fame. Other huge 'original' characters who came to mind were G2 Jhiaxus, RID Sky-Byte, Armada Demolishor, Animated Bulkhead, Lockdown and Lugnut (of course :p) and - yes - most of the cast of Beast Wars (Waspinator, Rattrap, Tarantulas, Blackarachnia, Rhinox, Cheetor etc.)

So who do you (and ultimately us as a forum) think are the greatest non-G1/non-G1 legacy Transformers?

*G1 legacy characters are characters conspicuously named after or based on G1 characters. (E.G. Beast Wars Optimus Primal, Movie Bumblebee, Energon Shockblast etc.)

[Bartrim]

Does Drift count? If not then Armada Hot Shot:D

[Sky Shadow]

Does Drift count? If not then Armada Hot Shot:D

Drift is ineligible as he is from G1. And not a great character. :p But yes I believe Hot Shot is his own original character despite his links to Bumblebee and Hot Rod.

[Verno]

Razorbeast. He was written a hero.

[1orion2many]

I found Strika from BM was a good baddie:)

[Sky Shadow]

Razorbeast. He was written a hero.

True - IDW's star characterisation of Razorbeast was a worthy addition to the canon.


I found Strika from BM was a good baddie:)

And yes, I'd say the same of Beast Machines' Strika.

[griffin]

Vector Prime made a significant impact on the ongoing storyline.

Oh, and Dispensor too... :p

[GoktimusPrime]

Well, since we have a female PM atm, I'm gonna go with Blackarachnia. She (and Airazor) opened the door for female TFs in Hasbro markets and no other female TF has had as many toys as her.

[Lord_Zed]

Seeing as how the original post talks about TF's who have had a significant impact on fandom and the TF verse let's not forget ROTF Mudflap

ROTF Mudflap has an ignominious legacy, sure we all hate him, but not since G1 Wheelie has a TF been so despised.

He belongs with Wheelie (and possibly Drift) in the Transformers Hall of infamy.:p

[optimus1]

What about The Fallen?
He had enough of an impact as a comicsverse character to make it into the movieverse

I also support G2 Jhiaxus and the Beast Wars characters as being very characterful

[Sky Shadow]

What about The Fallen?
He had enough of an impact as a comicsverse character to make it into the movieverse

If we count The Fallen, I suppose we have to count Drift. (Sigh). But yes, let's face it, how many Transformers have had films named after them?

[griffin]

Drift is ineligible as he is from G1.

I thought you were just refering to Classic/Original Gen1 (1984-1992), not neo-Gen1 characters 'retroconned' into Gen1 20 years later. As such, I'd have said Drift as well, as it is a significant character that is portrayed to be 'great', but isn't necessarily seen that way by some fans (like Razorbeast, Stryka, and quite a few others already listed).

[Sky Shadow]

I thought you were just refering to Classic/Original Gen1 (1984-1992), not neo-Gen1 characters 'retroconned' into Gen1 20 years later. As such, I'd have said Drift as well, as it is a significant character that is portrayed to be 'great', but isn't necessarily seen that way by some fans (like Razorbeast, Stryka, and quite a few others already listed).

Yeah, I was kind of taking the piss about Drift being ineligible (as a parody of IDW shoehorning Drift into G1 as if he's always been there.) Sadly, I think Poochie counts. :D

[Gutsman Heavy]

the usual suspects like the cast of Beast Wars.

Demolishor (Armada/Energon Demo was the only good thing about the energon toon, the only character to be vaguely interesting. Then they went and lobotomised him. yay :()
Sky-Byte (I'm not 100% on what makes him great, he is just awesome.)
RID Scourge (Awesome enough to forgive the knock-on effect of Nemesis Prime)
BM Strika (Best Fembot Evar!)
Lugnut!
Lockdown!

[dirge]

Let's not forget Prowl2! :D

For me, I'd say probably only Dinobot ranks up there with staples like Starscream, Optimus Prime & the like. BTW BW Primal & Megs are effectively tribute characters.

[1orion2many]

Dinobot is my number 1 character of all TF's but he was already mentioned so thats why I put forward BM Strika as one of the best female Characters around. Boy did I give that vote for Dinobot button a hammering for the hall of fame induction:D

[Tober]

Primus I guess, all the others I can think of have been mentioned.

[heroic_decepticon]

Yeah, I was kind of taking the piss about Drift being ineligible (as a parody of IDW shoehorning Drift into G1 as if he's always been there.) Sadly, I think Poochie counts. :D

In that case then I can say Dreamwave's Sunstorm! :p

[Hursticon]

Wazzzz-pinator has greatest Legacy! :p

[GoktimusPrime]

If we count The Fallen, I suppose we have to count Drift. (Sigh). But yes, let's face it, how many Transformers have had films named after them?

Lio Convoy (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Lio_Convoy_in_Imminent_Danger) ;)

[langzixinxin]

Armada hotshot is the one. He's a start, from then, hotshot made his name.


Another one maybe jetfire? Though G1 figure, but his "second in command" role was not from G1. :cool:

[Tallestblue]

I realise people have said Beast Wars in general but, credit where it's Due-

MEGATRON! No Transformers character post G1 has had as many memorable lines as BW Megatron.

He's the catalyst for the entire series and came very close to to destroying the entire TF universe twice.

Every incarnation of Megatron since Beast Wars owes him a great deal.

Yesssss.

[Sky Shadow]

So at this point we have:

From retconned G1:

Drift and The Fallen.

From G2:

Jhiaxus.

From Beast Wars:

Dinobot, Waspinator, Rattrap, Tarantulas, Blackarachnia, Rhinox, Cheetor, Razorbeast, Airazor and Tigatron.

From Beast Machines:

Stryka.

From Robots In Disguise:

Sky-Byte and Side Burn

From the Unicron Trilogy:

Demolishor, Hot Shot and Vector Prime.

From Animated:

Bulkhead, Lockdown, Lugnut and Oil Slick.

And from the films:

um... we have Mudflap and Dispensor. :p

So is this it? From the past nearly-twenty years we have two dozen iconic characters who aren't G1 legacies? Or are there more that we've overlooked?

(N.B. Tallestblue: despite being one of the greatest Transformers characters full stop, I think it's hard to argue that Beast Wars Megatron isn't a G1 legacy character, since this is a character who named himself after G1 Megatron (and was even intended by Hasbro to be G1 Megatron.) Gutsman: since RID Scourge is a recolour of a G2 mould of a G1 character with a G1 name, I don't think I can add him either, as cool as he is. And sorry Tober, but Primus is totally a G1 dude from the eighties [as is Sunstorm, HD, but I very deeply suspect that was a joke suggestion anyway.];))

[Bartrim]

I think Oil Slick from animated is pretty iconic as he went against teh trend of animated toys and what little fiction he had I found quite interesting

[Sky Shadow]

I think Oil Slick from animated is pretty iconic as he went against teh trend of animated toys and what little fiction he had I found quite interesting

That's true - his comic appearance was very well written, and he stood out on shelves as one of only four animated toy not to be a legacy character of some sort. (I guess he also stood out because he tended to shelfwarm ;).) I'll add him to the list. The one animated character who really could make the list, but doesn't because he has a G1 name is Sentinel Prime. That big-chinned jerk is one of the most iconic new Autobots we've seen in years.

[Tallestblue]

Damn your Logic and well thought out arguments Sky Shadow!!

[Paulbot]

Slipstream is "another seeker" but she's new to Animated and now WFC. I think she could be a winner going forward.

Conflicted Mudflap, evil but girly Thunderblast, hippie Lugnutz, Monster hunter Crosswise, doubleteam Ransack and Crumplezone and brave small Signal Lancer were all nice new nonlegacy characters to come put of the Cybertron series but none really grabbed the fandoms attention to be the greatest. I have a bias against the Beast Planet but Scourge (despite the name) and Backstop could also be considered.

[Tober]

And sorry Tober, but Primus is totally a G1 dude from the eighties ;))

True, but he's barely seen. It wasn't till the Unicron trilogy that he really had a form or was a proper transformer. But indisputably his origins and character are in Marvel G1.

What about Nemesis Prime and/or Black Convoy? :o There are about as many of them as there are Optimus/Convoys these days... Surely he must be the greatest. ;)

Ginrai is probably out...

[Bartrim]

OMG I forgot Leo Breaker. He was the first figure I bought when I started collecting again.

[Paulbot]

What about Nemesis Prime and/or Black Convoy? :o There are about as many of them as there are Optimus/Convoys these days... Surely he must be the greatest. ;)

RID Scourge was the most (only?) interesting of the Black Prime repaints IMHO.

[griffin]

I still object (from a previous discussion topic) that the character of Sunstorm isn't Neo-Gen1. We had mutliple coloured seekers in Gen1, but none had the name Sunstorm, and none definitely had the god-complex character of Sunstorm.
It was a 2003 retcon, so the character of Sunstorm is only 7 years old, which should make it just as eligible as The Fallen (also a Gen1 character only 7 years old), and Drift (only 2 years old).
My opinion anyway, as I have a thing against 'fanboy' retconning of Gen1, decades afterwards...

[Hursticon]

My opinion anyway, as I have a thing against 'fanboy' retconning of Gen1, decades afterwards...

I also share this opinion.
The only way they could truly be legit G1 is if they're time travelers, built with Flux Capacitors. :p

[5FDP]

My opinion anyway, as I have a thing against 'fanboy' retconning of Gen1, decades afterwards...

+2. There is no such thing as a female 'red' Tracks.

[GoktimusPrime]

Retconned G1: Sunstorm. Set the benchmark in terms of an incredibly obscure no-name generic Seeker repaint who was retconned with a new persona by Ichikawa Hirofumi... then the popularity of the character just exploded!

When the toy first came out, it really did NOT appeal to me at all. But I really wanted Hauler, and of course both Sunstorm and Hauler come together. I asked around if anyone wanted Sunstorm and if they were willing to halves with me - but I had _no_ takers. So clearly when the pre-orders for this set came out, there was just no interest for Sunstorm. Now I just cannot believe how some fans fap over this guy... a guy that nobody gave a crap about before the e-Hobby toy!

From Car Robot (RiD) I would say any of the original moulded Autobots (e.g. Super Fire Convoy, Car Robot Bros. etc.) because it was the first time HasTak used contemporary toy engineering developed during Beast Wars, and applied them to licensed vehicles. This in turn inspired the creation of Binaltech/Alternators and has pretty much become a kind of new benchmark for Transformers today; where we have vehicular alt modes, high detailed sculpts, paint apps, articulated robot modes, built-in weapons/accessories etc. If I had to pick a single character, I guess I'd go for Mach Alert/Prowl... just cos I quite like that mould. :p

From Armada I'd say their greatest legacy would be the Mini-Cons. A whole new faction and type of Transformer which persists till this day. And I quite like the concept of Mini-Cons, although the execution in some Armada toys weren't so great. But I do like the idea of smaller Transformers being attached to larger ones and powering them up. It's like the concept of Nebulans, but cooler because unlike Nebulans the Mini-Cons themselves are Transformers in their own right. :) But if I had to name a single toy as the greatest of Armada... awww, as a G1 fan I have to say Unicron. But G1 bias aside, it'd have to be Shockwave/Tidalwave. :D

With Super Link/Energon I would go with Kicker or Snowcat because they kinda represent the earliest examples of Crossover Transformers. Kicker is of course a Microman figure made for the Transformers toyline. His box features both Transformers and Microman logos - as 2004 celebrated the 20th anniversary of Transformers and 30th anniversary of Microman. And of course, Microman is one of the ancestors of Transformers! Snowcat's vehicle mode is of course based on a vehicle from G.I. Joe, another Hasbro franchise; and that's what Crossovers is all about - crossing Transformers over with other Hasbro franchises like Star Wars and Marvel. Yeah, I know Transformers Animorphs came before, but Animorphs isn't a HasTak franchise... plus the Animorph TFs sucked. :p (and before anyone says "But TF Crossovers suck too," -- no seriously, TF Animorphs makes the worst Crossover TF look awesome... they're _that_ crap!).

Cybertron: Primus. Much like Unicron, Primus and indeed planet Cybertron were just dreams come true for G1 fans. :)

Movieverse: Real Gear Robots. Not since the days of G1's Megatron, Soundwave, Browning, Reflector, Blaster, Perceptor etc. have we seen near Transformers with near 1:1 scale alt modes! Okay, there was Armada Laserbeak, but he was crap (even its designer would point and laugh at it :p)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/th_eric_laserbeak.jpg

[Sky Shadow]

I still object (from a previous discussion topic) that the character of Sunstorm isn't Neo-Gen1. We had mutliple coloured seekers in Gen1, but none had the name Sunstorm, and none definitely had the god-complex character of Sunstorm.
It was a 2003 retcon, so the character of Sunstorm is only 7 years old, which should make it just as eligible as The Fallen (also a Gen1 character only 7 years old), and Drift (only 2 years old).
My opinion anyway, as I have a thing against 'fanboy' retconning of Gen1, decades afterwards...

We do know that when Sunstorm was first released by E-Hobby, it was with the intention of being the similarly coloured Seeker from More Than Meets The Eye, and we don't know that the yellowy-orange-and-white Seeker from MTMTE didn't necessarily have a god complex. I can see how his character is only seven years old. However, given that his first appearance is supposed to be the first episode of the cartoon and his body type is one of the most Geewun moulds in existence, I can't see how he could be anything but a G1 legacy Transformer. (If there's enough disagreement, then that's cool, because it would mean Slipstream would count too, and she's awesome. :p)

[Sky Shadow]

Goki, that's a thorough post, but maybe go back to reread the original question, because 90% of your suggestions are G1 inspired.

Although you did indirectly remind me that Side Burn/Speedbreaker was huge in his time - he was well and truly the Bumblebee/Hot Rod/Cheetor/Hot Shot etc. of 2000-2001.

[Tober]

What about Glit (Shattered Glass Ravage) - How many Transformers have a facebook page? :p

Which reminds me, Tigatron has gotten some love since Beast Wars too.

[Sky Shadow]

What about Glit (Shattered Glass Ravage) - How many Transformers have a facebook page? :p

True. Although Kup has a Myspace! http://www.myspace.com/lostkup


Which reminds me, Tigatron has gotten some love since Beast Wars too.

I should definitely add Tigatron to the next update. And I forgot Airazor too, who's notable if nothing else for being first non-recolour female Transformer toy. I think.

[liegeprime]

I should definitely add Tigatron to the next update. And I forgot Airazor too, who's notable if nothing else for being first non-recolour female Transformer toy. I think.

He/she along with Nitro Convoy/Override are firsts for being the first gender bending TFs in all generations:D:D now that's their mark in the hallmarks of TF fame:D:) though not of their own choice, Hasbro and TakTOMY didnt talk that one out properly

[SilverDragon]

Well, aside from the BW characters...

*Armada Hot Shot. He was effectivly Bumblebee for a new generation (until Bumblebee came back). Also, jaAm.
* Movie Bonecrusher. He hates everything. So much depth and personality in three words. His hate was so strong that even the Pit itself couldn't hold him, and any significant film time warped the film itself (which is why he appeared for only five seconds in RotF)

[GoktimusPrime]

Goki, that's a thorough post, but maybe go back to reread the original question, because 90% of your suggestions are G1 inspired.
I'll concede that Sunstorm, Unicron and Primus are G1 inspired, but...

+ Mach Alert/Prowl: is an original character (much like Speedbreaker/Side Burn). Although Hasbro tacked the Prowl name onto him, unlike BW Megatron and Optimus Primal, it was never Takara's original intention for Mach Alert to be Prowl (nor was Fire Convoy meant to be Optimus Prime, nor Gigatron Megatron etc.).
+ I did offer Tidalwave as Armada's greatest non-G1 legacy. Damn he's cool. :)
+ I think my SuperLink/Energon examples still hold. There's no Kicker or Snowcat in G1.

I'm trying to think of examples from each post G1 series... gotta think of some more. ;)

[Sky Shadow]

I'll concede that Sunstorm, Unicron and Primus are G1 inspired, but...

+ Mach Alert/Prowl: is an original character (much like Speedbreaker/Side Burn). Although Hasbro tacked the Prowl name onto him, unlike BW Megatron and Optimus Primal, it was never Takara's original intention for Mach Alert to be Prowl (nor was Fire Convoy meant to be Optimus Prime, nor Gigatron Megatron etc.).
+ I did offer Tidalwave as Armada's greatest non-G1 legacy. Damn he's cool. :)
+ I think my SuperLink/Energon examples still hold. There's no Kicker or Snowcat in G1.

I'm trying to think of examples from each post G1 series... gotta think of some more. ;)

Okay, I can accept Tidal Wave, Mach Alert and Snow Cat (even though he's a bit... how you say... G1 Joe?:))

I'm not convinced that Kicker's a Transformer, though.

[GoktimusPrime]

He's an Almost-Transformer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmw9yEmv1K0)! Just check out his awesome Rock Lord mode!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Tae%20Kwon%20Leap%20Photocomic/taekwonleap20.jpg

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Tidal Wave was awesome.

And I forgot Airazor too, who's notable if nothing else for being first non-recolour female Transformer toy. I think.IIRC her Transmetal form was the first US mold intended to be female.

[SkyWarp91]

Ejector, that scorhin', blazin' crazin' mother of a toasterformer!

[kup]

Ejector, that scorhin', blazin' crazin' mother of a toasterformer!

How about characters that have G1 names but are completely unique?

Like BW Silverbolt, BW Rampage, etc. I can't say that those characters are tributes to their G1 namesakes since aside from the name there is no other identifiable similarity. These characters also have lasting appeal in the fandom.

[Sky Shadow]

How about characters that have G1 names but are completely unique?

Like BW Silverbolt, BW Rampage, etc. I can't say that those characters are tributes to their G1 namesakes since aside from the name there is no other identifiable similarity. These characters also have lasting appeal in the fandom.

I completely get your point, and Beast Wars Fuzor Silverbolt, Rampage, Inferno, etc. are great and unique characters, but just having a Geewun name is something that ties them back to the eighties. The G1 name thing is one of the few black and white rules that can help differentiate whether a character is a legacy or not - otherwise, it's pretty much a shades-of-grey free for all where people will argue that everyone from Armada Jetfire to Super Fire Convoy are not G1 legacy characters.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Gutsman: since RID Scourge is a recolour of a G2 mould of a G1 character with a G1 name, I don't think I can add him either, as cool as he is.

I dont see the logic here.

Are we talking about characters or moulds? On one hand we accept Dinobot (g1 name) and yet reject another of a G1 name, yet different character and body..

If we are talking character and effect, then the fact that RID Scourge is a re-colour shouldn't matter at all should it?

[Sky Shadow]

I dont see the logic here.

Are we talking about characters or moulds? On one hand we accept Dinobot (g1 name) and yet reject another of a G1 name, yet different character and body..

If we are talking character and effect, then the fact that RID Scourge is a re-colour shouldn't matter at all should it?

RiD Scourge is a black, grey and blue evil recolour of an Optimus Prime toy. His name is G1 and he's a repaint of the most identifiable character from G1. To not be a G1 legacy, he'd need to not have conspicuous ties to G1 characters.

[GoktimusPrime]

Ejector, that scorhin', blazin' crazin' mother of a toasterformer!
There was already a toaster Transformer (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Toaster) in G1 -- he even made a brief appearance in the Time Wars!