Drift

[GoktimusPrime]

Certainly Drift's backstory is a cut and paste of anime cliches, but in twenty years time maybe it won't look so bad, I mean, is Drift as bad a character concept as say Bludgeon? Bludgeon is aSkull-faced Samurai transformer constantly announcing he's a master of Metallikato. Okay, we get it. If Drift were created by Simon furman 20 years ago would he be so hated by that vocal minority? I thoroughly doubt it.

Simon Furman didn't create Bludgeon, Hasbro did. Sure, Furman made the character cool and popular - but the character existed well before Furman introduced him into G1 canon. And as I said before, that's one thing that threw some people off with Drift -- when he appeared some people were like, "Who is this guy??" (whereas when Bludgeon came along we all knew who he was -- we just wished the toy had a sword )

There have been some good ideas from others here - I like the idea of expanding on his past as well as running into a former Decepticon friend (come nemesis).
"When

I think Bludgeon would be a good candidate because he's also a really good swordsman and is also bound by a Bushido like code of honour (which emphasises loyalty). Lockdown's more of a 'professional' bounty hunter (much like Death's Head) and doesn't strike me as the kind to hunt Drift down for a personal vendetta. Only if someone paid him enough.

"Drift betrayed and murdered Deadlock. When he became an Autobot he ceased being Deadlock and became Drift. So what I told you is true... from a certain point of view."

make him voyager size not deluxe

The thread is about improving the character, not the toy dude.

From post #1:

I started thinking about how Drift could be improved. The character, that is.

[kup]

I've been doing some thinking, and I've got some ideas to improve the character.

1.) Drift needs to be louder, angrier, and have access to a time machine.

2.) Two, whenever Drift's not in frame, all the other characters should be asking "Where's Drift?"

3.)...

Aside from the time machine, Drift actually did manage to live up to those points during the AHM run

However I will admit that IDW's Spike 'Too cool for school' Witwicky is a lot more obnoxious with more direct negative impact to the story than Drift. I haven't picked up or even read a pirated IDW comic since I read that drivel.

[GoktimusPrime]

Thinking about comments people made about fleshing out his background, and particularly tying it in with Bludgeon... it's starting to sound cooler...

Consider the following:
+ Drift is a one-three-three-seven swordsman 1337!
+ Drift's toy has the word "Samurai" printed on his doors
+ The Decepticon martial art of Metallikato, practised by Bludgeon, includes the use of the sword and is similar to the Samurai code of honour (Bushido) - of which one of its core principles is loyalty.
+ Drift defected and became an Autobot; thus seen as a traitor in the eyes of loyal Decepticons
+ If Drift holds any such code of honour demanding loyalty, then how does he justify his defection to himself? Perhaps he's somewhat morally conflicted in this area and has a need to redeem himself from his loss of honour (much like Dinobot in Beast Wars). G1 pointed out that under Decepticon Metallikato, dishonour was a fate WORSE than death (hence why Carnivac decided to avenge Catilla by defeating Bludgeon in battle and letting him live with the shame of defeat!)

...the story almost writes itself really.

P.S.: I personally would like to see at least one moment where Drift speaks Japanese. Maybe a scene where he comes to Earth and is in Japan (I dunno... chasing Kremzeeks or something - maybe he scans a Japanese drift sports car there as his alt mode) and has dialogue in Japanese (with captions in English to translate of course). He could make a shocking revelation like...

This is why I hate science fiction!

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

isnt that something they are kinda trying to maybe possibly in some potential explore with thundercracker he is a decepticon but doesnt quite believe in the way things are going at the moment.

I can't say what the comic is doing now, as I am not reading it, but Thundercracker has always been slightly unsure of the Decepticon cause. He has neven been unsure enough to change alliegences though.

I've been doing some thinking, and I've got some ideas to improve the character.

1.) Drift needs to be louder, angrier, and have access to a time machine.

2.) Two, whenever Drift's not in frame, all the other characters should be asking "Where's Drift?"

3.)...

If you don't like drift so much and won't add anything constructive, why do you keep replying to this thread?

Simply because most people you've spoken to don't like Drift doesn't mean that most of the fandom likes him.

ShrakymcS did say it was a minority that weren't fond of Drift, not the majority.

[griffin]

Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Damned
make him voyager size not deluxe

The thread is about improving the character, not the toy dude.

From post #1:

Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverDragon
I started thinking about how Drift could be improved. The character, that is.

Please leave the moderating to the staff. This topic wasn't even being derailed.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Send him in the kitchen and chop up some onions, were also low on carrot slices and celery stick. He might as well put them 3 swords to good use.

Drift on Iron Chef would be awesome.
Also, he should speak in Japlish, and/or be a creepy otaku.

Even Superman has his Kryptonite (and his greatest flaws are emotional ones; difficulties with social interaction (e.g. Lois Lane) etc.). As Stan Lee often said, it's a hero's flaws that make him (or her) interesting.

Drift fights Superman for the love of Lois Lane - I'd read that.

Easy way to improve Drift, have him screw up royaly. The chracter just seems to perfect as is, as said above he needs some flaws, and to fail all the other Autobots have.

And then after failing he commits seppuku, no wait just kidding but he should fail.

I'd like to see him actualy get a nemesis who can actualy defeat him, a Megatron to his Prime so to speak. Bludgeon would be a good candidate as he's been around for a lot longer and has always been portrayed as a master of Metalikato. Does anyone even know what sort of martial art Drift practices?

This. Whether he's got crippling insecurities and just covers them well, or whether his 'con programming causes him to go on a brutal killing spree/overdo it somehow - characters without any major presonality flaws (as in, intentional flaws rather than mere Gary Stu-ness) are usually pretty poor.

[GoktimusPrime]

ShrakymcS did say it was a minority that weren't fond of Drift, not the majority.

Gah yes... that first "don't" shouldn't have been in that sentence. My bad.

Please leave the moderating to the staff. This topic wasn't even being derailed.

My apologies.

Also, he should speak in Japlish, and/or be a creepy otaku.

KISS Play Drift! I think a KISS Play toy might be cool - considering that KISS Play Transformers are, engineering-wise, akin to Binaltech. Might be better than a Voyager. Ooh... he could come with a figurine of a Verity!

If HasTak made a Voyager then the engineering would just be slightly above that of a Deluxe, and they'd justify the expensive price point with an electronic gimmick - so you could have a sound chip that speaks Japlish. Press a button and hear Drift cry, "To rank first among similar robots new appearance in definitely full real styles to insure a like new form let me throw in the conjectures combat inside!"

[Bartrim]

I'd like to see more wit from Drift instead of just being smug. Like Jensen from "The Losers"

[Sam]

I do not hate Drift as a character, but feel his background of evil-turned-good-and-i-come-with-cool-swords-plus-ninja-skills is derivative and not "different" enough.

The way he was portrayed in the comics (e.g. that issue when he fought against the swarm on Cybertron) made him out to be some super-elite-bot.

What I'd like to see is him go up against a strong Decepticon and come away defeated, as this would give some variation and depth to stories involving him.

[liegeprime]

Drift on Iron Chef would be awesome.
Also, he should speak in Japlish, and/or be a creepy otaku.

Today's challenger has chosen Iron chef Cybertronian .. Drift sama... and the main secret ingredient.... Energon cubes

to segway - I particularly like the way the current ongoing Tf series is putting more input in the characterization of Thundercracker - erm he... Spoiler ( as if anybody reads' the series anyhow) switches sides, from the looks of the next "cover". They shouldve done a Thundercracker spotlight

okay back again to improving Drift topic...