ROTORBOLT

 

 

Rotorbolt... really, there's not much more to say, is there?Appearances:  

US Transformers issue #17 (The Smelting Pool)

 

 

Quote: 

None

 

 

Alt-Mode:

Unknown, it's possible he's in such bad shape he can no longer Transform.

 

 

Description:

Rotorbolt, like Telus, was used to paint a picture of Cybertron as a bleak wasteland of death and destruction. He did a pretty good job. Not that he had to do much to keep that job: all he had to do was die.

 

Rotorbolt died FAST. In fact he didn't even get a chance to SAY anything. His name was given by his companion, who called out to him when he died.

 

However it's hard to say who is who, between him and Telus. They're referred to as a group, not seperately.(As with Corkscrew and Borebit). I've had to use a simple system to determine who is who. Telus appeared first on the page, left-to-right. Rotorbolt appeared second. Telus' name was called first. Rotorbolt's was called second. Therefore, Telus was the first guy, Rotorbolt was the second. A simple roll-call order system. No problem. (Fortunately, in recognisable images, they did not change their left-to-right order on either of the pages they appeared on.)

 

 

Biography:

Rotorbolt was a member of the 'Dead End', Cybertron's bleak wasteland. He was attacked by a Decepticon named Ferak and ran for his life (along with two companions). Unfortunately, Rotorbolt didn't survive. He was slaughtered, then picked up by a Decepticon harvester unit for recycling as a new Transformer. The harvester unit then dumped his body into the smelting pool where he was melted down and made into metal ingots for use as raw materials to build new Decepticons.

 

This brings us to an important little continuity note. If Rotorbolt was to be recycled into a new Transformer, then how would he be given life? It's made clear that he's not just there for spare parts. So where does the new life come from? It's very hard to say, really, but I have three theories.

 

1: They use the 'life force' (or Spark, if you will) of the original Transformer to give life to the new one. This way they are creating new life from old without needing the Matrix. This doesn't really work though because I can't see how they'd do this when the Transformers are actually MELTED down before recycling.

 

2: The Decepticons have access to the Matrix Flame. The Matrix Flame is a powerful vestibule that harnesses the energy of the Matrix without the Matrix actually having to be there. There is never a suggestion that the Matrix Flame is an artefact that is used exclusively by the Autobots. Its guardian is quite clearly a neutral priest. Also it's possible that there are multiple Matrix Flames and that the Decepticons have access to one, while the Autobots have access to another. This falls down mostly because the Matrix Flame is a UK artefact and not a US one.

 

3: It's just a silly continuity error on Budiansky's side. This is probably the most logical and truthful theory. Also the most dissatisfying.

 

Regardless, it's an interesting point to ponder.

 

Run Rotorbolt, run!!

 

Tech Specs/TFU:

Probably he would have fairly poor stats. He didn't get a TFU description though (I wonder why... I mean, he was just SOOO important!)

 

(That was sarcasm. Really.)

 

 

Toy:  

Nothing really to say here. He was a randomly drawn, fairly poor looking, Transformer. Probably wouldn't make a good toy: he doesn't have any alt mode features.

 

 

Over All:  

Not much to say, really, he was there... and yet he wasn't much of a Transformer. Only the question of how he'd be used to make new TFs is important and this question is raised by many other events and TFs anyway.

 

At least, that USED to be the only interesting thing about Rotorbolt. That's changed. Recently in the Botcon comics and mythology a character has surfaced named Rotorbolt. He's a helicopter (based on the 'Obsidian' mould) and a member of the new Wreckers. It's not certain just yet whether this is the same Rotorbolt as the original, though there's some suggestion that the organisers of Botcon might like to make him a reincarnation. How they'll do this with a character who's been smelted I don't know.

 

 

Gallery:

US Issue #17

      Ferak blows away Rotorbolt and Telus. It's hard to say for sure which of the two dying is Rotorbolt, but I'd guess the one on the right.

 

 

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