Grimlock

Grimlock is the leader of the Dinobots.^[1] Grimlock can be merciless and contemptuous of those he considers beneath him, such as human beings and, at times his fellow Autobots . The character's initial sense of superiority was changed by the relationships he formed with Spike and Wheelie, as he got to know them on a personal level and started to see them as equals.

Grimlock is among the strongest of the Transformers, possibly equal to or even superior to Optimus Prime and Megatron in most continuities. In Tyrannosaurus rex mode, his jaws can snap virtually anything that comes between them. He is able to breathe fire and shoot an energy ray from his mouth. He has no significant weaknesses, except for a relatively slow top speed and arrogance.

Grimlock was ranked by IGN as one of their favorite Autobots.^[2]

According to X-Entertainment, Grimlock was the 2nd best Transformers figure of all time.^[3]

One of the original Grimlock toys was on display in the Natural History Museum, London. It has since been removed.

The original character profiles written by Bob Budiansky and Dan Bobro indicate that Grimlock and the Dinobots were intended to come from Cybertron to Earth like most of the other Transformers. However, the cartoon would disregard this entirely.

After the animated series ended in the US Grimlock appeared in animated form one last time in the commercial for the Classic Pretenders.

Grimlock was featured in the 1985 Find Your Fate Junior book called Dinobots Strike Back by Casey Todd.^[4]

Grimlock appeared in the 1986 story and coloring book The Lost Treasure of Cybertron by Marvel Books.

Grimlock was featured in the 1993 Transformers: Generation 2 coloring book "Decepticon Madness" by Bud Simpson.^[5]

Both Grimlock and his Transformers: Robots in Disguise counterpart appeared in the storyline.

The Autobots returning to Cybertron, along with Blackarachnia and Silverbolt were then abducted via teleportation beams and taken to Unicron. Tap-Out, Transformers: Armada Megatron, Brawn, War Within Grimlock and Snarl were also abducted from various timelines (Transformers: Universe #1). Within Grimlock, Armada Megatron and Universe Optimus Primal are each transported to the Unicron world, where they eventually team up and fight Striker and Reptilion. Note: There is a small continuity error in that this story ends with Grimlock, Megatron and Primal standing over Reptilion, but issue #2 of the comic starts with them standing over Striker (2003 Botcon Voice Actor Play).

After the events of the Botcon 2003 voice actor play, Optimus Primal is able to use his spark telepathy to free Striker from Unicron's influence. Optimus Primal, Megatron, and Grimlock help break free the slaves from various timelines that are held there and gets them to Cybertron (Transformers: Universe #2).

In a story called "By their Blasters, you shall know them...!" from Transformers Comic-Magazine issue #12 by German comic publisher Condor Verlag, Optimus Prime instructs Backstreet, Bumblebee and Ruckus on how to identify Autobots from Decepticons in battle using the Ark's computer. Pretender Grimlock is one of those he displays to the Autobots. He is identified as a Decepticon.^[6]

Grimlock also appeared in several of the G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers series from Devil's Due Publishing.

Grimlock returned in the third series as a main character. Grimlock, Arcee, Bumblebee, and Perceptor were sent to Earth to aid G.I. Joe in removing the influence of cybertronian technology on the planet. There is a notable disparity in Grimlock's speech patterns between the second and third series. In the second series, he is seen to speak normally, referring to himself as "I.". However, in the third series he speaks in his more normal "Me Grimlock" speech.

The 21st century re-imagining of the original universe by Dreamwave Productions depicted Grimlock in a manner similar to his depiction in Marvel Comics: a powerful, cunning warrior who values strength of body and character. Through Transformers: The War Within, the company shaped a background on Cybertron for Grimlock, which showed that he had participated in the planet's underground gladiatorial game in order to unleash the rage and anger he had always overflowed with.

Dreamwave's closure meant that they would tell no further stories of their Grimlock, although his "War Within"-era design did appear in the Transformers: Universe comic book exclusive to BotCon. Grimlock also appeared in the Dreamwave Transformers/G.I. Joe comic. Although not one of the Dinobots in this continuity, transforming into a Sherman Tank, this Grimlock shared the rebellious attitude and speech mannerisms of other incarnations of the G1 character, although he had a softer attitude towards humans.

Based on the Transformers Classic 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). Grimlock appears in "Beast Wars Shattered Glass, Chapter One: Shattered Time" by Fun Publications.

Kup told the Dinobots and Rodimus the story of how he became a member of the Autobot Elite Guard.^[7][8]

Grimlock was also featured in the Beast Wars: Uprising storyline as a member of the Maximal-Predacon resistance movement instigated by Lio Convoy.

In a flashback in Maximum Dinobots #1 Grimlock leads the Dinobots in taking a Decepticon energon silo in Sub-Sector Nine on Cybertron.

In the Transformers Spotlight issue on Shockwave, Grimlock and the 'Dinobots' (sporting Cybertronian designs much like their War Within designs) appear in a story that partially pays homage to their Marvel G1 origin. Following this, Skywatch, a government agency that knew about Transformers, took over the site. Later, following escalating Transformer activity on Earth (as seen in The Transformers: Devastation) and losing control of their other captive Transformers Ravage and Laserbeak, Skywatch reactivated Grimlock as a response.^[9] Following their acquisition of the Transformers licence in 2005, IDW Publishing released a comic book series that takes place during the Beast Wars animated series but features the toys and characters who did not appear in the show itself. The Beast Wars incarnation of Grimlock appeared as a gigantic white Velociraptor-type dinosaur, and it was revealed that Grimlock was among those in protoform stasis on the Axalon and, like the others was launched into space in the series pilot.

He appears among the Maximals on the cover of the first issue of the sequel story, Beast Wars: The Ascending. In the beginning of Beast Wars, The Ascending Razorbeast speaks to Prowl and Wolfang about how he feels there is no rescue mission coming for them from Cybertron as Grimlock hunts in the nearby woods. In Beast Wars: The Ascending #4, Grimlock was among the Maximals and Predacons returned to Cybertron to battle Shokaract.

Grimlock had a biography printed in the Beast Wars Sourcebook by IDW Publishing.^[10]

Grimlock also features briefly in the comic story "Dawn of the Predacus," in which his exposure to transmatter turns him into a protoform, heralding his eventual role in Beast Wars fiction. As he is placed in a stasis pod, he is looked upon by Predacon-and future Maximal-Dinobot, possibly indicating where the warrior took his future name.

In the Japanese manga "Big War" #2, the Autobots Rodimus Prime, Grimlock, Kup, and Wheelie, along with their human allies Spike Witwicky and Daniel Witwicky send Computron into battle against Galvatron's new warrior combiner Abominus. The Terrorcons spit "corrosive control liquid" against Computron, taking control of him and turning him into a Decepticon. Spike luckily uses his new Exosuit to free Computron with "defense spray". Defeated, Galvatron retreats.^[11]

Since Marvel Comics' Transformers series were primarily written by Bob Budiansky in its early years, the writer was able to present his origin for the Dinobots as he had originally conceived it. Grimlock appeared in his blue Generation 2 form in the short-lived UK. Generation 2 comic series.

Grimlock appears in the TFcon 2008 voice-play prelude comic called "Ground Effects," where Perceptor informs him about a repeat repeat wave. Grimlock orders the other Dinobots to dig up a Transformer on Dinobot Island.^[12] Grimlock appeared in the TFcon 2008 voice play "Primitive Recall."^[13]

The Classic line appeared in a simple Flash-based video game on the Hasbro web site called Transformers Battle Circuit. In this one-on-one fighting game, you press the right and left arrow keys to try to overpower your opponent. In the game, you can play Rodimus, Bumblebee, Grimlock, Jetfire, Starscream, Astrotrain, Trypticon or Menasor. Optimus Prime and Megatron each appear as the boss you must defeat to win the game.^[14]

Grimlock is featured in the webcomic Twisted Kaiju Theater. Grimlock appears as a play on the word gridlock in the popular webcomic Least I Could Do. Grimlock is portrayed as Hal the Boomerang Bird in Angry Birds Transformers. This version is not a humanoid who can change into a Tyrannosaurus, but rather a Tyrannosaurus who can change into a motorcycle.

The first completely different character to bear the name of Grimlock was one inhabiting the alternate universe of the 2001 Transformers toyline, Transformers: Robots in Disguise.

Grimlock first appeared in episode #18, "Wedge's Short Fuse," and last appeared in episode #38, "The Final Battle Part 2".

Robots in Disguise Grimlock (in Walmart yellow repaint colors) appeared in the 2004 BotCon voice actor play.

Another alternate-universe incarnation of Grimlock entered the fray in the Transformers: Energon line. Grimlock's toy, packaged with the similarly redesigned Swoop, was a modern updating of his original figure.

It comes as no surprise that longtime Grimlock fan Simon Furman intended to feature the characters in Dreamwave's Energon comic book, but the company's closure prevented this.

Grimlock appeared in the text story from Fun Publications called "Force of Habit". This story explains where he was during the events of the Cybertron story. Ultra Magnus was the commander of various Autobot ships sent to other planets in search of the Cyber Planet Keys. He also served as captain of the Iron Hope which was crewed by Bonecrusher, Grimlock, Ironhide, Knock Out, Overcast, Prowl, Quickstrike, RipTide, Skyblast, Smokescreen, Swoop, Wreckage, and the Sky Scorcher Mini-Con Team. Grimlock and Swoop were sent to stop an attack by Predacon on the ship.

Producer Tom DeSanto has stated that he had an idea on how to include the Dinobots and Constructicons in a possible sequel,^[16] although director Michael Bay has confirmed that they will not be.^[17] However, the Constructicons and their combined form, Devastator, do appear in the 2009 movie.

In a USA Today online fan poll, Grimlock was one of the 10 Transformers that the fans wanted in the sequel, tied for second with 16% of the votes.^[18]

Later reports revealed that Grimlock and other Dinobots would be featured in the fourth film, with images surfacing of Optimus Prime riding Grimlock into battle in Hong Kong.^[19]

In Transformers: Age of Extinction, Grimlock and the Dinobots are captured by Lockdown as trophies, referred to as legendary knights. After the Autobots escape with the part of the ship holding them, Optimus releases the Dinobots for backup and engages in a battle for dominance with Grimlock which Optimus wins.

Grimlock returned in Transformers: The Last Knight. Grimlock is among the Autobots taking sanctuary at Cade Yeager's junkyard. He has taken up the personality of a dog, often eating the local police chief's car. Mini-Grimlock, a baby dinosaur, also appears in The Last Knight as one of the Autobots in Cade's junkyard. It gains Grimlock's fire breath, which it uses in Cade's trailer. Mini-Grimlock is seen snuggling with Izabella and around the other Autobots.

The Sector 7 viral marketing web site featured several videos recording supposed evidence of Transformers on Earth. These featured cameos by Generation 1 Transformers, including scenes of Grimlock destroying a construction site, as well as scenes of Kickback and Laserbeak being video taped by people accidentally, and a security video showing bits of a robot looking a lot like Generation 1 Bumblebee transforming in a parking garage.^[20]

Grimlock's Age of Extinction incarnation is a playable character in Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark. In the earth story, he helps out Optimus, Bumblebee, and Drift destroy Lockdown's mercenary grunts and only makes growling and roar sounds in the main story. In gameplay, his controls are very identical to his counterpart in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron.

Grimlock is one of the main playable characters in Transformers: Devastation, and the only one who does not transform into a motor vehicle.

A character named Grimlock appears in Transformers: Animated, which began airing in 2007. He is similar to his animated Generation 1 incarnation in persona and form, but with his face modified to have a feral look. His beast mode now looks more like how an actual Tyrannosaurus is thought to look and his roar sounds much like the T. rex's roar from Jurassic Park.

Gimlock has appeared in "Blast From the Past".

Grimlock appears among the characters in Re-Unification, the 2010 TFCon voice actor play prelude comic.^[21]

This Grimlock is an evil version of the Generation 1 character. It should also be noted that this Grimlock has Trypticon's colors.^[22]

The Botcon 2008 set was chosen as the "Action Figure Digest Hot Pick."^[23]

Grimlock appears in the 2008 April Fool's comic "Shattered Expectations" by Fun Publications. Grimlock appears as a member of Optimus Prime's forces in the Transformers: Timelines story "Shattered Glass.". He helps defend the Ark from a Decepticon attack but is overcome by the Predacons. Grimlock appears in the preview to "Dungeons & Dinobots", printed in the Transformers Collectors Club magazine issue #22. Huffer attempts to capture Grimlock, but Grimlock chases him away while following a strange voice into the depths of Cybertron. Grimlock appears in the text fiction "Dungeons & Dinobots". The mad autobot scientist Wheeljack duplicates Grimlock's design to create an army of dinobots, which he uses to attack the Decepticons. In Reunification Grimlock is seen gnawing on the body of Blurr, who was punished by Optimus Prime for failing to stop Rodimus from taking the Ark.

There are two characters with the name Grimlock in the Aligned continuity. The first, featured in the video game, is known for not following orders or trusting in Optimus Prime's ability to be an effective leader.^[24]

The second Grimlock is part of Bumblebee's new team of Autobots in Transformers: Robots in Disguise, and is a more lighthearted version of the character with a love of smashing but a fear of kittens.

The first Grimlock appears in the Transformers: Prime spinoff comic series, Rage of the Dinobots.

Grimlock appears as a minor character in the portable version of Transformers: War for Cybertron and as one of the main characters of subject in the 2012 game Transformers: Fall of Cybertron.

In Transformers: Robots in Disguise, as one of many Decepticon prisoners aboard the Autobot ship Alchemor, Grimlock was the only one not to escape when the vessel crashed on Earth. In Transformers: Power of the Primes and (2018 video Game) Earth Wars, the Dinobots get to combine into Volcanicus for the first and only time to fight against Predacons' Predaking.

Grimlock is one of the characters who appeared in Transformers: Cyberverse, and unlike past versions of the character, he is shown to be charismatic and civilized, but only when in his Dino mode does he show impediments in speech (akin to Bruce Banner / The Incredible Hulk). Grimlock, now alone on prehistoric Earth, scanned a Tyrannosaurus alt. mode and became known as the King of the Dinosaurs.^[25]

Grimlock is one of the physically strongest and most imposing Autobots, whether in his robot mode or his fire-breathing tyrannosaurus rex beast mode. As scary as he may seem, he's a good guy through and through, and happy to nurture and encourage the new generation of Cybertronians. He values strength, not just physical, but filling his charges with confidence and the spirit to find themselves. This guidance has brought him close to the Terran gentle Jawbreaker, who scanned a dinosaur alternate mode in emulation of him.

Grimlock's most powerful and dangerous trait, however, is his anger. Able to channel his fury into a "rage mode" that makes him an unstoppable engine of destruction, he becomes a potential threat to even his closest allies when his optics go from blue to red. While he's usually able to control his anger, prolonged time in his dinosaur mode can disrupt his system, and the traumas he's suffered carry triggers, meaning those around him have to be careful not to set him off.

• Furman, Simon (2004). Transformers: The Ultimate Guide. DK Publishing Inc. pp. 30, 65. ISBN 1-4053-0461-8.