Soundwave's Intelligence Report: Autobots Dinobots

[Soundwave]

The Dinobots are a group of five Transformers, part of the Autobot faction. Their exact origins and abilities vary from one version of Transformers to the next, but they are always exceptionally powerful Autobots, able to sustain heavy abuse and wield heavy firepower against their foes. In all media, they are depicted as being fiercely independent and liable to break away from the main group of Autobots when the mood takes them.

Grimlock is the most fearsome and powerful member of the Dinobots. Grimlock can be cold, merciless and contemptuous of those he considers beneath him, such as human beings, and at times, even Autobot leader Optimus Prime himself, who Grimlock would gladly supplant as Autobot leader if he were able, suggesting he has a superiority complex. Nevertheless, he is a valiant warrior whose actions command respect from all who are witness to them, both friend and foe. One of his most distinguishing features is his famous speech impediment, which leads him to shorten sentences and refer to himself constantly as "Me," never "I" - the reason for this varies from depiction to depiction, with some making it the result of true mental limitations, and others a ruse Grimlock perpetrates to allow others to think of him as less intelligent than he actually is.

Grimlock is among the strongest of the Transformers, possibly an equal to, or even superior of, Optimus Prime and Megatron in certain continuities. In Tyrannosaurus rex mode, his powerful jaws can snap virtually anything that comes between them - from steel cables to a Decepticon limb. In robot mode, Grimlock wields an energo-sword, whose blade is sheathed in crackling energon and can slice a two-foot thick concrete wall in one slash. He also uses a double-barrelled, self-propelled rocket launcher.

[Soundwave]

Slag is very tough, strong and possesses impressive firepower. In dinosaur mode, Slag can spew from his mouth a bolt of 3,000 degrees Celsius flame up to 80 feet (25 m). He possesses enormous strength and can shatter a brick building with a single blow from his armored head. His horns can also shoot high powered lasers. In Autobot mode he carries a high-energy laser rifle, an energo sword and a rocket pod.

Slag's biggest weakness is his over-aggressive behavior, which can cause problems with his relationships with other Autobots. He is also noticed for being the only Dinobot who would dare argue with the leader Grimlock over his commands (ironically, he is usually seen as the group's second in command). He joined the Autobots in the cartoon and comics in their first year, but didn't have a toy until 1985. The other members of the Dinobots are Sludge, Snarl, Swoop and their leader, Grimlock.

[Soundwave]

Sludge is the Brontosaurus Dinobot. Sludge's strength is considered by some to be second only to Grimlock's in the Dinobot faction. Sludge also has the great power to shake the ground violently and make huge tremors when stomping around in his Brontosaurus mode, which is a good weapon for shaking up Decepticons. Sludge's biggest weakness is his belief that the strongest Autobot should lead and not necessarily the smartest. Another weakness of Sludge's is that he is depicted as being mentally slow. He joined the Autobots in the cartoon and comics in their first year, but didn't have a toy until 1985. The other members of the Dinobots are Slag, Snarl, Swoop and their leader, Grimlock.

[Soundwave]

In the original Transformers cartoon series, Snarl was a Stegosaurus Dinobot created by Wheeljack and Ratchet on Earth in 1984. He was created along with Swoop to be the two new Dinobots to go along with the already-created Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge. While Snarl and Swoop were being created, Megatron convinced Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge that Optimus and the Autobots were their enemies and the three original Dinobots kidnapped Optimus Prime. After Wheeljack and Ratchet, with the help of Chip Chase, created Swoop and Snarl, the two new Dinobots were used to rescue Prime from Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge. During that battle, Optimus saved the original Dinobots' lives before the meteorite near them exploded and they then realized that the Autobots were really their friends. Snarl was the only member of the Dinobots to wield an energo sword in robot mode rather than a hand-held gun.

[Soundwave]

Swoop is the Pteradactyl Dinobot. Like all the original Dinobots, Swoop was based on one of the Diaclone toy line toys.

His tech spec indicated that Swoop loved seeing his enemies break and run as he lauched his aerial attack. However, his vicious exterior hid a gentle, good-natured Autobot. He has the ability to fly at 250 mph and is armed with air-to-air missile launchers under each wing. His greatest weakness prehaps are his fragile wings which are vulnerable to enemy firepower.