The Energon Pub

I was wondering it says on the wikipedia that the Armada characters Sparkplug and Red Alert are homages to Bumblebee and Ratchet... is this true?

I don't know about Redalert, but the first time I saw Sparkplag I sayd look it's Bumblebee!

Well Armada Sparkplug does look a hell of alot like G1 Bumblebee so yes on that one.

Armada Red Alert and G1 Ratchet? I don't think so. There is an Energon character (who's name I can't think of at the moment and don't have the time to look it up till I get back from vacation next week) who I belive Botcon repainted/remolded to look like G1 Ironhide and Ratchet. And it actully looks more like their original cartoon models than their original toys did.

I'm amazed Hasbro didn't do that on their own and use the toys in the classics line. Why'd Botcon have to make them? (at least I think it was Botcon, might have been some other exsclusive figure makers)

Saber Prime wrote:Well Armada Sparkplug does look a hell of alot like G1 Bumblebee so yes on that one.

Armada Red Alert and G1 Ratchet? I don't think so. There is an Energon character (who's name I can't think of at the moment and don't have the time to look it up till I get back from vacation next week) who I belive Botcon repainted/remolded to look like G1 Ironhide and Ratchet. And it actully looks more like their original cartoon models than their original toys did.

I'm amazed Hasbro didn't do that on their own and use the toys in the classics line. Why'd Botcon have to make them? (at least I think it was Botcon, might have been some other exsclusive figure makers)

That was Armada Towline, and I'd kill for them.
No not really.

Uncrazzimatic wrote:

Saber Prime wrote:Well Armada Sparkplug does look a hell of alot like G1 Bumblebee so yes on that one.

Armada Red Alert and G1 Ratchet? I don't think so. There is an Energon character (who's name I can't think of at the moment and don't have the time to look it up till I get back from vacation next week) who I belive Botcon repainted/remolded to look like G1 Ironhide and Ratchet. And it actully looks more like their original cartoon models than their original toys did.

I'm amazed Hasbro didn't do that on their own and use the toys in the classics line. Why'd Botcon have to make them? (at least I think it was Botcon, might have been some other exsclusive figure makers)

That was Armada Towline, and I'd kill for them.
No not really.

You mean Energon Towline. I may not have remembered his name but I know he's an Energon toy. I have all the Armada Toys, there is no Towline.

Ok thanks for the help guys

Armada Red Alert is Ratchet. I believe that's why the toy versions of Ratchet are all named Autobot Ratchet. And if you think about him as Ratchet, then the alt mode makes more since then Red Alert, who was the fire marshal lamborgini in Gen 1.

I always thought the Armada series' Red Alert was a mix of Jazz and Ratchet.

The whole visor, second-in-command status, and arm cannon thing ties him to Jazz. Well Jazz didn't have a permanent arm cannon but close enough

Then because he is the main mechanic/reparirer, that ties him to Ratchet.

damnitmikey wrote:I always thought the Armada series' Red Alert was a mix of Jazz and Ratchet.

The whole visor, second-in-command status, and arm cannon thing ties him to Jazz. Well Jazz didn't have a permanent arm cannon but close enough

Then because he is the main mechanic/reparirer, that ties him to Ratchet.

Jetfire was second in command of the Autobots.

Design-wise, he may have been tied into Jazz too, but I don't really remember Jazz having a arm gun... Ironhide and Sunstreaker I do... but not Jazz.

Dreadwind wrote:

damnitmikey wrote:I always thought the Armada series' Red Alert was a mix of Jazz and Ratchet.

The whole visor, second-in-command status, and arm cannon thing ties him to Jazz. Well Jazz didn't have a permanent arm cannon but close enough

Then because he is the main mechanic/reparirer, that ties him to Ratchet.

Jetfire was second in command of the Autobots.

Design-wise, he may have been tied into Jazz too, but I don't really remember Jazz having a arm gun... Ironhide and Sunstreaker I do... but not Jazz.

Oh I forgot about Jetfire.

I was thinking he (Jazz) used his grapple hook thing as a blaster, switching through weapons. I only remember the hook for sure though

I think Red Alert is meant to be a nod to Ratchet, but Hasbro could not trademark the name as it is too common of a word (like Hotrod amongst others)

I believe that the last figure to be called Ratchet pre movie Ratchet was the Universe toy, and even then, he was referred to as "Autobot Ratchet"

Red Alert is Ratchet in the Japanese version of Armada, Micron Legends.

http://www.seibertron.com/database/character.php?view=hasbro&char_id=581