I'm not saying Drift is the traitor. I just used the 'traitor element' as an example of a plot device that would be best suited to *one of several* original characters. Obviously a single original character is like a star trek 'red shirt' - we all know who's gonna die in the episode.
I just think that if a writer was pitching a story idea that included a character with traits not in the first few years of TFs, or wants to have a central character killed off, maybe Hasbro and IDW would prefer a new original character to fill that role.
After all, SMac is saying that Drift isn't exactly his favourite character, just one that he 'kinda has to use' because Hasbro liked it so much (so much they are looking to do a toy of it). How's that for pressure, to include a character that probably wasn't even a significant element of the pitch to IDW and Hasbro to begin with?