The complex character diversity of The Transformers universe rivals that of the Star Wars saga and those of Marvel and DC Comics — an impressive feat for a bunch of robots that turn into vehicles and other weapons of destruction. Since the franchise’s debut in 1984, both the heroic Autobots and evil Decepticons alike have conscripted a number of like-minded warriors to take up arms in the name of their respective causes, quickly swelling the ranks from a small handful to far too many for even the most dedicated of fans to keep track of. Granted, having such a massive influx of new recruits means that Optimus Prime and Megatron are bound to have a few that, to put it gently, didn’t quite fit the model of the Autobot or Decepticon ideal. In other words, some Transformers were ten kinds of crazy that made their own comrades question their place in the war. That said, it’s time to roll out with 8 of the most bizarre Transformers ever!
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No. 1 | Blot
Transformers may lack human biological systems, but that doesn't mean it frees them from having to suffer through life with a wicked B.O. problem. Case in point: Blot. One of five members of a Decepticon subgroup colorfully named the Terrorcons, Blot -- for reasons unknown to him and his Decepticon comrades -- leaks reeking fluid from various joints on his body, thus gifting him with an offensive stench that even makes the mighty Megatron dry heave. It isn't Blot's fault that fate cruelly decided to make him its chew toy, but his fellow Decepticons insist on addressing their displeasure over inhaling his questionable musk as hurtful as possible. Blot would try to fire back with a clever retort, but his notorious stupidity dooms him to fumble searching for the perfect comeback. When you're this stinky and stupid, the only thing one can do is cry smelly tears... (image via TFWiki.net)
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No. 2 | Cloudraker
Cloudraker -- the one brandishing the pair of red guns -- is one half of the Autobot Clones with his "brother" Fastlane. While the latter is a reckless thrill seeker that relishes in his popularity, Cloudraker's personality is totally diametric. More to the point, he's a big ol' bag of crazy. Aside from experiencing seething jealousy over his brother's celebrity, Cloudraker can't handle the thought of being grounded -- which makes sense given his alternate jet mode -- but yet he suffers from claustrophobia when airborne, believing that the sky's near-endless expanse isn't enough to accommodate his yearning to fly higher. Let's review: Cloudraker can't stand the thought of being grounded, fears flying, and is dangerously close to wiping out his own brother in a fit of jealous rage. Ask yourself, is this the kind of Autobot you want wielding red guns? (image via TFWiki.net)
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No. 3 | Broadside
Similar to Cloudraker, Broadside suffers from mental disorders and illnesses that contradict his vehicular forms. But where Cloudraker is an unstable wreck likely reaching critical mass, Broadside's afflictions kind of make him, well, useless. Flying around in his jet mode is out of the question since he suffers from a fear of heights. Taking to the open ocean in his second aircraft carrier mode makes for a nice alternative... that is, if Broadside didn't get seasick. How Broadside managed to worm his away onto Optimus Prime's team of Autobots is anyone's guess, but we suppose there's always a need for someone to stay glued to the monitors or count ceiling tiles back at HQ -- and no one does those tasks better than Broadside! (image TFwiki.net)
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No. 4 | Apeface
After 1986's The Transformers: The Movie, the franchise took a sharp turn into strange territory when Hasbro attempted to keep things fresh. One such novel concept developed by the toy manufacturer was the "Headmasters" line, featuring Autobots and Decepticons teaming up with an alien race called Nebulans that transformed into their heads of all things. One such Decepticon who went under the Headmaster process was Apeface: An ill-tempered, crass cybernetic ape that was paired with the reluctant Nebulan Spasma. Everything seems fine and dandy at this point, that is until Apeface learned his partner was a stuttering nervous wreck that would freak out in the midst of battle and pretty much conflict with the Decepticon's savage nature. Even worse, a common side effect of being a Headmaster caused Spasma's psyche to fuse with Apeface's, with the latter experiencing stuttering fits and walking about with an awkward, herky-jerky gait. To be blunt, it sucks being Apeface. (image via TFWiki.net)
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No. 5 | Rack'n'Ruin
Unless you're a diehard fan of The Transformers or a child of the '80s living in the U.K., then you most likely won't know who Rack'n'Ruin are. Which is actually nothing to be ashamed of since he isn't exactly memorable, but it doesn't make this Autobot pair any less bizarre and worthy of some kind of recognition. Initially exclusive to Marvel U.K.'s version of The Transformers comic series and possibly inspired by the three-headed knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Rack'n'Ruin were once two separate entities that needed to be fused together in order to save their lives -- which is kind of like a Transformers version of The Thing with Two Heads. The tradeoff for their second chance at life was the inability to transform into their jet modes, leaving them in a robot mode that looks like they're constantly congratulating each other with a hearty pat on the back. (image via TFWiki.net)
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No. 6 | Weirdwolf
Weirdwolf is ferocious, bloodthirsty, and more than lives up to his wild Earthen namesake, so you'd think that would make Weirdwolf the big man on campus back at Decepticon HQ. Yeah, it would, save for the fact that Weirdwolf is oddly inclined to speak in an irritating sing-song manner. Okay, maybe some Decepticons with cooler heads can put up with Weirdwolf's lyrical bull, but there's absolutely no way to tolerate his inclination to loudly verbalize his intent to ambush Autobots -- lending credence to the theory that Weirdwolf has no grasp of the human concept known as "stealth tactics." Now you know why Weirdwolf sits alone in the cafeteria, so don't waste your time being nice to him. (image via TFWiki.net)
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No. 7 | Unnamed Piano Transformer
Like Rack'n'Ruin, this piano Transformer was exclusive to the U.K. comic series and made only one appearance, which is perhaps the reason the writer didn't even bother to come up with a proper name -- not like brainstorming a few piano-themed monikers takes astronomical levels of artistic brilliance. (Ed. note: Crashcendo is my favorite. - Rollin) And his alternate of choice was, as if you really need to be reminded, a piano. Not a futuristic one made of metal, like an actual wooden piano that parents force their overachieving children to play. The Transformer's aesthetic choices and musical tastes didn't exactly go over well with one brutish Decepticon called Fang, a spike-covered robot with parts that look like they were carved from a pickle. Don't believe us? Go look it up and come back here. We'll wait. (image via TFWiki.net)
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No. 8 | Browning
Appearing only in the highly obscure Transformers: Super-God Masterforce, Browning is the smallest Transformer known and the only one to have a name that sounds like some horrid college frat house hazing ritual. Browning's alternate mode is that of small handgun, which is kind of unnecessary since, hey, you have a tiny robot to do your bidding. In fact, his gun mode was actually impractical since rarely did it fire anything lethal. Most of the time Browning would shoot water, confetti, a tiny Japanese flag, and -- we really want to know how this is even feasibly possible -- live birds. Going by this, the only person who find some use for Browning's weapon form is a circus clown with a really demented sense of humor... or someone that, for whatever reason, needs a flock of birds made on the fly. (image via TFWiki.net)
Some Transformers — mostly Decepticons — from the television series and comic books had a tendency to look down at us lowly human beings and our primitive society with antipathy. That said, if the ones highlighted in this slideshow are any indication, it turns out that the robots in disguise are a lot like us in that they face the same set of daily trials and tribulations we do. From dealing with foul body odor to socially crippling phobias, humans and Transformers might as well have been cut from the same cloth!
(image via Bartacus)
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