Swindle is the name given to five different fictional characters in the
Transformers universes.
Transformers - Generation 1 (1986)
Swindle originally appeared as a member of a group of five Decepticons known as the Combaticons who were able to combine
together to form a larger robot known as Bruticus. As a basic sized combiner limb, Swindle
could become the arm or leg to any similar combiner Transformers; he was usually found to be the right leg of Bruticus.
Whereas other Decepticons were motivated by lust for power or sheer love of carnage, Swindle's sole motivation was turning a
profit. With the born personality of a salesman, Swindle would sell anyone anything - be they weapons, parts or bits of his own
comrades. Describing himself as a "one-robot black market", Swindle would even sell his goods to the Autobots if he
thought he could get away with it.
Animated series
Swindle's cartoon redesign. Compare to his boxart on the right.
Swindle is most notable for receiving a new look for his animated appearance. Unlike his toy, the front of the jeep and its
windscreen becomes Swindle's chest. Because of his alternate form, he was the smallest Combaticon despite his toy being the same
size as the others aside from team-leader Onslaught.
Swindle was originally one of five Decepticon criminals that had attempted to overthrow
Megatron on Cybertron. Their personality components
extracted by Shockwave, they were later recovered by Starscream in the episode "Starscream's Brigade", himself exiled from the Decepticons after one clash too
many with Megatron. Hitting on the idea of creating his own loyal troops from the wrecked vehicles on Guadalcanal, he installed their personality components into the rebuilt vehicles, thus creating
the Combaticons, with Swindle having the alternate mode of a jeep. After a series of attacks on both Autobots and Decepticons
they were defeated by Menasor and exiled to space. Ridding themselves of Starscream they
would then attempt to conquer Cybertron, defeating Shockwave's army, and then attempt to destroy Earth by sending it towards the
sun. They were eventually stopped by Optimus Prime, Megatron and Starscream, but they
survived - under Megatron's control.
While he would mostly appear as part of the Combaticons, the episode "B.O.T." would spotlight Swindle near exclusively. After
a gestalt-on-gestalt battle between Bruticus and Defensor the Combaticons were badly
damaged. The ever opportunistic Swindle took the opportunity to sell his comrades' parts - much to the fury of Megatron.
Recovering all but Brawl's components Megatron had him fitted with a bomb to give him extra "motivation". Eventually he located
it installed in a high school science project called B.O.T. (which had gone on the rampage due to Brawl's influence). Eventually
recovering Brawl's personality components the Combaticons merged into Bruticus, but were stopped by Defensor, forcing them to
flee.
Swindle would continue to appear in a limited capacity throughout the third season.
Marvel Comics
The Combaticons first U.S. appearance in Issue 24 of the U.S. Marvel comics was unexplained in the American comic, however it
is assumed that they were created in the same way as the Stunticons were through
Bombshell's cerebro-shell attached to Optimus Prime
tapping the energies of the Autobot Matrix of Leadership.
The company 'Energy Futures Industries' was a hydrothermocline plant which the Decepticons wanted to steal for their own
energy resources. Megatron and the Combaticons launched an assault only to encounter the Protectobots and Optimus Prime. With both teams now combined into
Bruticus and Defensor, the human Ethan Zachary offered a solution - that the two teams battled inside a computer program. Not
wanting to destroy what they had come to steal Megatron agreed. Predictably the Combaticons' bloodlust was turned against them as
their disregard for the programs sentient beings led to Swindle and Brawl being destroyed by First Aid. However, the Decepticons
still won as Optimus Prime felt he had cheated by endangering innocent life in the game and destroyed himself.
Megatron would go increasingly insane after this, infuriated that he hadn't killed Optimus Prime with his bare hands. With
Swindle attempting to warn him of a U.S. army, he was flattened by Shockwave.
Shockwave convinced an increasingly deranged Megatron that Optimus Prime might yet live, Swindle and most of the other
Combaticons were sent to look for Prime, leaving Megatron to be attacked by the Predacons.
Swindle would continue to make sporadic appearances throughout the U.S. and U.K. comics, attempting to place charges to
destroy Galvatron (with Swindle nearly getting scrapped by a rigged jeep in the process),
clashing twice more with the Protectobots as Bruticus, attacking the Autobot leadership contest between Grimlock and Blaster and nearly killing Brawn (commenting on how his parts would have a bright future), and being part of the staff of
Club Con, the Decepticons' fake holiday resort. They were not shown to be deactivated by the Underbase powered Starscream, but as they were not seen again in the G1 comic, it is likely.
Transformers: Generation 2 (1994)
He would appear in the G2 comic a number of times (presumably revived with Nucleon), showing Megatron the scale of Bludgeon's plan to capture the Matrix.
Unfortunately he was destroyed with the rest of the Combaticons when the traitorous Starscream led the forces of Jhiaxus to the Warworld's weak spots.
Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions' 21st Century re-imagining of the Generation 1 universe
took its inspiration for the Combaticons from the original animated series, casting them as Decepticon prisoners who were reduced
to protoform stasis because they were too dangerous to be released.
Onslaught, Brawl, Blast Off and Vortex originally appeared as part of Shockwave's attack on Iacon in the first War Within series. At the same time Swindle was with
Starscream, Motormaster, Runabout and Runamuck after Starscream head sent Megatron and Optimus Prime down further into the depths
of Cybertron.
Later, when Optimus Prime led a rebellion against Shockwave's domination of Cybertron
in 2003, Starscream took the opportunity to form a power base, taking the protoform
Combaticons to Earth and outfitting them with new alternate modes taken from an abandoned military base, then leading them in an
attack on the Ark in order to acquire parts to make the Decepticon space cruiser, the
Nemesis, spaceworthy. Confronted in battle by Brawn, Bruticus was caught in an explosion as Ratchet self-destructed the Ark, but he survived the conflagration, only to be knocked out by
artillery fire from an incoming Autobot shuttle. After a battle with the evil clone, Sunstorm, Brawn opted to work out some of his stress on Bruticus's unconscious body, punching
the gestalt about the head until his comrades yelled at him to stop. Bruticus would return, battling Sky Lynx for Starscream's amusement - until the Predacons appeared in their
combined form of Predaking. The two gestalts battled as Starscream fled and Bruticus lost. The ultimate fate of the Combaticons
in the Dreamwave universe was not revealed, due to the company's closure.
Devil's Due Publishing
Swindle would appear in the third G.I. Joe vs the Transformers crossover from Devil's
Due Publishing as part of the Decepticon force trying to hold back the combined Autobot/G.I. Joe force trying to rescue
Optimus Prime.
IDW Publishing
Swindle made his first chronological IDW Publishing appearance in issue #3 of
The Transformers: Megatron Origin, being seen as part of
Megatron's underground group of gladiators. Spotlight issue on Ultra Magnus would show his later
activities. A Decepticon arms dealer who had broken what few laws govern the Autobot/Decepticon war, Swindle attempted to hide
with his associate Lorcha in his impregnable fortress - to no avail. The Autobot law enforcement official Ultra Magnus tracked him down and apprehended him, making short work of Lorcha's defenses and henchmen in
the process. Destined for a court martial at the hands of his superiors, Swindle bargained his way out of his fate by giving
Magnus information on the whereabouts of a bigger threat - Scorponok. Magnus begrudgingly
agreed, and let Swindle go - after planting a tracer on the unwitting Decepticon. Later, after being captured by Magnus again,
Swindle once again attempted to deal his way out. Whether he will appear again is unknown.
Toys
- The mold of Generation 1 Swindle was released as the Decepticon Rollbar in the Universe line.
- The original Swindle toy was released again for Generation 2, now with a
red jeep mode with purple camouflage and a purple robot chest and is still able to combine with his fellow Combaticons to form
Bruticus. G2 Swindle retained the same tech specs as his original release.
- Alternators/Binaltech Swindle (2005)
- Swindle would reappear in the Alternators line. Alternators Swindle is the remold of Hound. The major differences between Swindle and Hound was Swindle's new head, a grill guard and
larger wheels. Although the toy was announced to be Swindle first, this mold was originally intended to be used for
Trailbreaker before it was decided to introduce Decepticons into the line, evident by the
head which resembles Trailbreaker's. Swindle was the second and also the last Decepticon to use a mold originally intended to be
used by an Autobot.
- Using the deadly Cosmic Rust plague, Swindle orchestrated the decimation of the Earth-based Autobot army, only for the
damaged Autobots to enter into partnership with human corporations and arrange for construction of new bodies for them by major
car companies. Using their new, powerful bodies to strike back against the Decepticons, they injured many of them; Swindle was
not damaged seriously, but with a bit of wheeling and dealing, he quickly moved himself up the list, past worse-off Decepticons,
to be one of the first transplanted into similar new bodies. Stealing an Autobot chassis intended for use by the Autobot
Trailbreaker, Swindle was reborn as an Alternator able to transform into a Jeep Wrangler. Armed with his traditional scatter blaster and now powered by an exponential generator,
Swindle continues his black market dealings, including attempts to re-engineer the cosmic rust.
Transformers: Armada (2002)
Swindle was the Mini-Con partner to Starscream and transformed into an
F-1 racing car. Discovered by Starscream in a forest, the airborne Decepticon used him to test out his shoulder cannons,
decimating a good portion of the forest - and very nearly his fellow Decepticons.
Swindle continued to be partnered with Starscream, developing a respect for his continually downtrodden partner. His powers
managed to reformat Starscream into Starscream Super Mode following the battle with Nemesis
Prime. He managed to survive Starscream's attack on Unicron, being sent to safety by
Starscream while the Chaos-Bringer obliterated his partner. He was consoled by Optimus Prime, and was not seen again.
Combining with Starscream allows the Decepticon to use his secret weapons. In the Japanese series 'Micron Legend', Swindle had
the name 'Grid'.
Dreamwave Productions
Swindle also appeared in the accompanying Armada comic series from Dreamwave,
where his relationship with Starscream was much more antagonistic. Captured by Cyclonus in the
Decepticon attack on the Mini-Con village, Starscream chose him as a partner for the attack on the Cyber City, easily making
short work of the Autobot defenders. While most of the other Mini-Cons eventually escaped, Swindle was doomed to servitude for
the next million years.
Accompanying Starscream to Earth, Swindle's most prominent appearance came in the Dreamwave free comic released on Comic Book
Day, where he pretended to have escaped from the Decepticons in order to lure Rad,
Alexis and Carlo to the Decepticon base, where Megatron planned to recreate
the humans as a power source like the Mini-Cons. Megatron had promised to free Swindle, but predictably double-crossed him. In
response, Swindle managed to free Prime's Autobots, who drove off the Decepticons. Swindle thought he was free - only to be
recaptured by Starscream.
Swindle would subsequently be part of the Mini-Cons who deserted to form a base on the Moon, again being recaptured after the
Decepticons destroyed the base, and was one of the Mini-Cons who combined their powers in order to destroy Unicron. He was not seen again after this.
Toys
Additionally Armada Swindle was repainted along with Armada Starscream for the Energon line, although the character did not
appear in the show.
Transformers: Energon (2005)
Swindle was the Japanese name of a Destructicon combiner limb who was able to combine with the other four Destructicons to
become Bruticus Maximus. Lime green in color, this tank was repainted in yellow and released in Transformers: Energon with the
name Blight. Although these Destructicons shared the same name as the G1 Combaticons, it was not until the toy was released as
Blight that it became a homage to the original Swindle in appearance. Swindle did appear in the Super Link cartoon but his
character was a drone commanded by Destructicon leader Onslaught - himself a homage to an original G1 Combaticon.
Transformers: Universe (2005)
For the first time in Transformers, the name Swindle is given to an Autobot affiliated toy.
This toy is a Railbot, one of a team of six Micromasters who are able to combine to form a
larger robot known as Rail Racer. Aside from being released with a different part to form the larger robot (the left foot), this
toy was originally released in Japan during 2003, itself being a recolor of a toy originating from 1991. Because of the lack of a
bio from Hasbro, it is unknown whether this Swindle's identity is of a new character, the U.S. name for the Japanese train
Micromaster or of a reformed Decepticon or Mini-Con.
Transformers: Cybertron (2006)
The name Swindle has once again been used for a Transformers off-road vehicle and is colored yellow in a homage to the
original Swindle character. This time, Swindle is a repaint of the Cybertron toy called Hardtop. He comes with an Earth Planet
Key with the code s4mr which should be used on the official Transformers site to unlock exclusive content. This exclusive content consists of an image showing Swindle's
color guide and extra bio text. Swindle does not appear in the Cybertron TV series.
His toy bio indicates that he is the brother of Hardtop and somewhat of a cocky thug (similar to G1 Rumble) who lives only to destroy Autobots, although he would rather do it up close. His loyalty
to Megatron is far from absolute, as he'll serve anyone that lets him destroy Autobots.
Toys
In 2006 a special edition of Swindle was available in Walmart stores which contained a DVD with the episode "Cybertron"
as a promotional item - despite the fact that he wasn't in that episode.
Some bonus packs of Cybertron Megatron came with the Decepticon Hardtop as
a bonus item.
He was be recolored for the 2007 Transformers movie as Hardtop, a Decepticon sniper.
2007 Transformers movie
Swindle is the name of a Decepticon who appeared in the toy line and video game tie-ins for the 2007 live action
Transformers movie, though not in the movie itself. He turns into a red
sports coupe that resembles a Chevrolet Cobalt. Swindle's tech spec describes him that
he's not a great fighter, but still takes pleasure in making trouble for the Autobots. He wields an extending torso cannon.
Swindle has the exceptional number 1 on his tech spec intelligence, but a 9 on his fireblast!
Transformers: The Game
In Transformers: The Game, Swindle appears as standard-class drones for
the Autobot & Decepticon armies. Autobot versions have eyes with a mask, & their primary color is green. Decepticon
versions have a lens-head & their color is a dark red.
IDW Publishing
Swindle appears as the Decepticon who tortures Bumblebee to learn the location of the Allspark Cube in the first issue of the Transformers: The
Movie Prequel.
Movie toys
- Movie Deluxe Swindle (2007)
- This Deluxe sized toy measures 14 centimeters long. With an actual Cobalt measuring 470 centimeters this toy is about 1/32
scale.
Links
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