I'm sensing the overall theme for pretty much every secondary G1 character is "they were just kinda there for most of TF history, and then when IDW got the license they did awesome things with them". Not that I'm complaining, of course.
Funny how the same fans who are obsessed with characters like this criticize the live action movies for not doing much with certain characters... (not that it isn't a valid complaint for the movies in general)
I remember watching them all die and thinking "woah they are getting thier asses kicked awesome go deceptions!" I still like deceptions more than Autobots
spongebob roundshirt you’re fucking stupid,he was obviously a kid,he’s not gonna cry as a teen everybody should know he’s talking about his past when being a kid 🤦🏾♂️
Another cool thing about prowl is that they often didnt "cheat" his transformation in the G1 cartoon. The same way you transformed the toy is how he would often change on the show.
my favorite Prowl has to be from Animated, he's very different from all the other incarnations, which is not always a bad thing, he was his own character. tho i have to say his alternate design look pretty cool.
IDW Comic book Prowl is definitely my favorite. He certainly is morally gray and not one to be fully trusted with your own safety, but dependable to do what he feels was necessary for the survival of the Autobot cause. Even if that means breaking some of their core tenets. SPOILER: I loved how they made him to be a re-creator of sorts to both Springer and Kup, one for morally light reasons, the other for his more grayed reasons. And how no table is safe from his fury.
Prowl has always been a favorite. Considering I also like characters like Cyclops and USAgent I suppose I have a soft spot for characters the fandom usually hate.
Hot Rod and Wheelie ( the child Cybertronian) for me. I also love the idea of a Cybertronian child and wish there was more of them. We have the Lithone kids but they aren't Cybertronians. There were kids in Beta rebel autobot group in Forever Is A Long Time Coming ( picture below) , but they're dead now or grown now or both. I did my research and did found a few more-->www.deviantart.com/shark235/journal/Child-Cybertronians-Updated-12-773471673. However the kiddieformers that I did my homework on seem to expections instead of the rule. Should all Cybertronians start out as kids? No, but it won't be a problem to see more kiddieformers and not just see them as an the few expections to the rule. Most people won't mind the baby Cybertronians. I mean most don't complain about Wheelie and the Lithone Childern, nor the other kids on my journal.
See an owl beast mode to me just seems way more fitting then a loin. Owls are a lot less aggressive and more strategic with how they hunt and just in general calmer which seems more like him to me.
Don’t you just love how IDW can make any Transformer memorable like Prowl? G1 Prowl was the start and IDW just you know… made him a compelling war criminal for the Autobots
What I loved most about IDW Prowl was that he actually came full circle. He was well on the path to finally being himself again by the time the Unicron issues rolled around, perhaps even better because he was able to face his past and not get consumed by it. It's partly why I adore his Spotlight issue so much. We get to see the Prowl that pretty much always was. We got to see that he was still an Autobot, and always would be no matter what he did, and he was recognizable as an Autobot again by the time that particular IDW universe concluded.
My first Transformer toy and favorite Transformer since 1984. I love his role as second in command, keeping things together behind the scenes. Quiet, competent and endlessly loyal. In my opinion they should really play up those qualities from his original tech specs more, alongside his logic processing capabilities. He has really been short served over the years as various incarnations pull him further and further away from those original attributes. In the G1 comic, towards the end he was shown to be emotionally unbalanced and filled with rage rather than patient and persevering. IDW made him the opposite of loyal. In both the cartoons and the comics he was shown to be anything but competent as most of his strategies ended in futility and his battle prowess resulted in a gruesome death at the hands of the Decepticons. Such a waste. Nevertheless, he remains my favorite. I feel he has tremendous potential as a character if any one could just get him right. His design is awsome too. Red forehead crest, wing doors, black & white (or blue and white) color scheme. Such an iconic look with japanese flair. My favorites: #1) Prowl #2) Ultra Magnus #3) Silverbolt (Beast Wars) Great video! Thanks!
That's funny...I've always assumed that Sideswipe's face/head look more similar to the Autobot insignia than Prowl did in the G1 Transformers cartoon. ( I dunno why I think that, but I do/did.) As for Soundwave, even as a little kid way back then, I couldn't help but notice how his head is a dead ringer for the Decepticon insignia.
Prowl was always my favorite from the beginning of the Marvel comic. I have an affinity for the second in command guys, the black and white police car mode is just cool, his robot mode reminded me of a Gundam and he has those doors that look like wings! Giving him a rational, intelligent strategic mind just sealed the deal for me.
IDW comics really needs to become animated into a cartoon/anime their storylines are just so much better than the generic action shovelware shows we usually get to sell toys and I’d argue that an IDW comics toy line with lesser known favorites would sell Better than the generic old Optimus and bumblebee we get every year. It’s weird to think that the face of the autobot insignia is such a dark character when fully fleshed out on the IDW storyline, but in a way I think it’s fitting. The noble hero Optimus and Ironhide would realistically never win against the incompetent but deadly Decepticon war machines so Prowl does what he can. Whilst a ninja police officer bike Prowl was cool within the series he was featured in I much prefer the more pessimistic and pragmatic Prowl who knows he needs to fight dirty. It also helps that he has some of the coolest car modes as a Nissan Z-car and Honda Integra DC5/ Acura RSX in binaltech
Prowl was a background character Animated prowl was a main character with great character development and made a sacrifice that made us all sad when he died
I heard another story that Barricade and Prowl were two of the three brothers, and when one of those brothers died after an apprenticeship exercise, Barricade was charged and fired from the academy and then recruited by Megatrons early in the War
I'm a fan of G1 Prowl but Animated Prowl has to be the best iteration of the character and has become my favorite. His death caught me off guard and had to be the most significant Transformers death, at least to me, since Optimus Prime in the 86 movie.
Prowl has always been my joint favourite Autobot along with Rodimus Prime. I hate the prick aspect of not just IDW but the latter issues of Marvel US. I preferred Budiansky's and Dreamwave's more reasonable but still logical portrayals closer to his tech specs. The tech specs portrayed him as quiet and I've just realised his underuse in the G1 cartoon could be seen to tie in with that. I did really like the Animated portrayal. I like the idea of Prowl being a skilled warrior. Only thing I didn't like was the visor. I liked the RID version too. I'm surprised to see a few omissions from this video as Chris is usually good for obscure references. In the Collector's Club magazine, Machine Wars Prowl and other members of that line were said to be clones of the G1 characters. There was no mention of his Dreamwave appearances and despite not having a toy he did appear in the G2 comics. IDW also used his movie incarnation in the movie tie in comics. Also Energon Checkpoint is a blatant homage to G1 Prowl. Personally I'd like future incarnations to drop the prick aspect. He can be sneaky and smarter than everyone else without being a prick. Like Batman. Anyway an enjoyable and interesting video as always.
Elijah Watson That is true but I just think Prowl has become one note with too much focus on the prick aspect. I always liked his tech spec portrayal depicting him as logical, patient and quiet but these are usually ignored in the fiction.
In IDW, I think he (mostly) maintained a moral high ground until Bombshell. Everything after that is an escalating response to trauma. He's shattered when he realizes what everyone thinks of him and that no one thought to question his actions while he was under Bombshell's control; I think that does as much harm, in its own way, as the mental manipulation and experimentation. It certainly distanced him even more than he'd already been. Add to that the influence of the constructicons and it's no wonder he ended up in a very dark place. I don't know how anyone can read him in Combiner Wars and not see someone who's just... very badly damaged. My heart goes out to him, and I don't think anyone ever addresses him with the compassion he needs (though Optimus tries.) I hope he gets a kinder fate in the new iteration.
@@fuzzygoldfish but that doesn't justify forcing your comrades and your Primus forsaken leader! Into forming a combiner. If you are miserable, keep it to yourself. But don't drag the ones that try to help you in your misery!!!
I remember the animated series episode where bumblebee prowl and sari went camping, with the space barnacles the one with the zombie-ish properties. I was terrified to even think of going camping, and had nightmares of the infected prowl comming in my room and searching for me, while I hid in my bunk bed.
Thanks Kyran, I'm glad to hear you say that! That's exactly what I try to do - I don't want this series to just be a list of one series/toy after another, you know? I'm glad it's coming through! :D
Prowl was always a cool character! Love the police theme! It just makes sense to blend in as a cop. My favorite was probably animated prowl! Him and the whole concept of a ninja like with jazz, was so badass! He had fun interactions with the rest of his comrades, and had that cool, calm, and focused personality that made him really stand out in the cast! ❤😁👍🏻
Prowl's my favorite G1 character and I may be biased, but I think you undersold his original incarnation. His legacy before IDW wasn't limited to "He's important because he's G1". People do tend to remember that he was just "Nice Police Car Guy" in the cartoon but his role in the Marvel comics, both US and UK, was fairly iconic. Especially in those later years with Earthforce and the end of the US run. He was the main character of several Earthforce stories, and a constant presence otherwise.
I have a love-hate relationship with this character and it pains me to say it but he's admittedly my most "favorite" autobot due to how complex his character was in the IDW version (which was the first version of Prowl I was introduced to apart from animated). Every time he's in an issue, I always try to grasp on the little traces and semblances of the "Prowl" before the war, those moments of him being kind and altruistic before he was traumatized by all the betrayals that followed him one after another, though some of which he brought upon himself. While he did become a real pain in the aft that deserved all the punches he got from the friends he manipulated and exploited, the story gradually reveals that he isn't this purely logical, cool-headed, tywin lannister-like character, but instead someone whose mind has been warped and damaged by the civil war they've had for the last four million years. He developed "The fear of something you can see, some threat, that no one else does. It eats at you until it becomes so clear, so certain, it's easier to think that everyone else is wrong." And while yeah, that can be said for the majority of the transformers, imo, Prowl's "damage" was one of the most interesting IDW explored in the story, and I'm glad that by the end of the series, he's come to accept that at the end of the day, people will judge others not for their hopes and intentions, but by their actions and the consequences of those actions. He's lost his path numerous times, but by the end of the IDW series, he has once become an autobot and perhaps the bot he used to be before the great war.
Other interesting facts about Prowl One, a Minicon named Prowl was released in the Transformers: Armada toyline, though he was colored like fellow G1 Datsun Smokescreen. Two, the Beast Wars lion figure of Prowl would make it into Japanese media as a different character, Lio Junior, a rookie Maximal who appears in the Beast Wars II anime. Three, while he may not have been a movie character for reasons mentioned here, Prowl toys have a consistent history of being retooled and/or recolored into new versions of Barricade.
Lost Age Comics something something drama in comics, something something that plague almost every comics character. Even Onyx Prime, who was one of the most friendliest Primes became a huge asshole in IDW.
Elijah Watson - Something something IDW overusing the trope in TF, something not drama only bad branding, something something no difference between Autobots and Decepticons anymore.
Starsaber. Origianlly a heroic leader of the Autobots. IDW turned him into a psycho fanatic. Usually, IDW does good things with characters. THIS one, though? Triggered, man.
Prowl and Jazz have always been favourites of mine. Same with Smokescreen and Bluestreak. Hopefully, they get some screen time in the new upcoming movie though my hopes aren't very high.
I'm gonna make Prowl my first on-screen Transformer in my fanfiction, working as cop on Earth alongside human ally Marissa Faireborn, keeping in contact with his bros Bluestreak and Smokescreen.
I believe this episode is in need of an update. Prowl has now appeared in Transformers: Cyberverse, and newer toys have since come out, including a new one of Animated Prowl in the Legacy line.
Prowl was my first and favorite Transformer toy, and I bet I am not alone. So it could explain why they keep bringing him back. As a kid, I was quite disappointed to see him used so little in the TV show. I mean he's supposed to be the Autobots' master strategist, he should have been at least as important as Wheeljack. And yeah I was rather shocked to see how he got killed... Anyway, I rather liked Prowl in Animated.
Had the second most brutal and heartbreaking Death in the series. The first transformers episode i watched from G1 had him in it and i loved him and Bluestreak!
Awesome video as always, and one I've been waiting for since forever. Lol. Thank you so much for this!! Prowl is one my absolutely favourite characters. As to which incarnation is best in my opinion? IDW Prowl for certain. I may not agree with his actions or attitude, but he has personality. He has character development, which makes him very interesting. Animated Prowl and G1 Prowl on second and third on my list. Now I'm only waiting for the Basics on Ratchet and Jazz. Please keep up this amazing series. It's absolutely fantastic and such a joy to watch.
Yeah. IDW Prowl is an interesting character and not every character has to be "likable". Without characters like Prowl, you wouldn't have someone for other more pleasant characters to bounce off of.
4:02 Transformers Alternators/Binaltech Acura RSX and Honda Integra was the coolest car toy ever. 7:58 I think IDW Prowl was a Nissan 350Z at one point.
You know, a storyline feuding Prowl and Barricade would be very interesting. Specially presenting Prowl as a goody-two shoes cop and Barricade as a ruthless corrupt cop.
If they reboot the movie franchise I would love to see prowl as a Nissan GTR. Hey and can you please do one on Wheeljack and before you research Wheeljack is a lancia Stratos.
I laughed when I found out the Lancia is infamous in the car world for being full of attempted innovations which mostly failed. That reputation became the basis for Wheeljack's "mad scientist" personality.
I didn't know much of Prowl as I grew up within the movie era but seeing this video makes me wanna know more about him. It's a unique take for an Autobot I have never seen and hope that he makes his live action debut in the reboot
Ah good ol Prowl never forgot when I had this toy it was sad he died in the 1986 movie it would have been nice if he was in one of the movies instead of Barricade
As a character, I gotta go with Animated. Because ninjas...and he was actually legit likeable, something perhaps *NO* other iteration can claim. As a toy, I'm torn. My first experience with the G1 Datsun Fairlady Z/Datsun 280 ZX mold as a kid wasn't Prowl, but Smokescreen. Now, it's easily the Masterpiece mold...to an extent; I got KOs of Prowl & Smokescreen and a Hasbro Asia Bluestreak...Prowl's door broke off shortly after I got him, Bluestreak's chest doesn't wanna lock into place, and yet Smokescreen is fine except for one of his shoulder cannons sitting oddly. (Sure, there's Siege & Earthrise, but those don't do it for me like the MP...)
I like what they did with him in Siege, using him as a vessel to peak into how Cybertron, even before the deception uprising, wasn’t always a great place, and having a budding bromance with the former deception Jetfire. Unfortunately, he fell back into the background in Earthrise.
It seems I'm the only one who likes IDW Prowl. He was my first introduction to the character and I love morally gray characters, I find them more interesting than the more black and white basic characters. He's an asshole but he's also one of my all time favorite characters.
Prowl had the potential to be one of the more popular characters of the original G1 lineup. I remember when they just came out, kids liked Prime, Megatron,Soundwave, Starscream and Prowl. Kids were really drawn to his design. It’s just that the cartoon never did anything with him. So he faded away into obscurity along with so many of the other characters.
Lamar Taitt Transformers usually don’t fall in love, but develop platonic or family relationships. If they born and came from the same place like the twins transformers then their siblings. But they usually be brothers in arms like Bumblebee/Cliff Jumper.
I'd love to see a Sideways episode. He's easily one of the most under rated characters in transformers and deserves a new figure ( preferably a new Armada figure. Personally I like that design more than the Cybertron one. )
roderickuw Yes we need Basics of Sideways, and he truly deserves reappereance in future preferable closer to his Armada incarnation. Cybertron was just goofball and Bayverse he excisted only to be killed in seconds.
IDW version of Prowl actual sounds like he would make a good villain, I could see he adapted in something like the Bumblebee movie and play him as a autobot who not longer sees the ling between right and wrong just enemies, Deceptacons, humans, and those who won't help him fight.
So if the Autobot Logo Is based Prowl's toy head and the deception's logo is based of Soundwave's toy head thats goes tho show that the leaders of the both factions trust them
Prowl to me was always a breakout hero type waiting to happen, but then the trigger was just never pulled on his “push” to the forefront. Love the idea of him as RoboCop type hero.
There were always some ideas that would be abandoned in the transition between a pilot mini and a full cartoon series back in the 80's. Prowl was probably the biggest casualty of jettisoning the Autobot command structure established by Marvel, in favour of just focusing on whoever they thought was cooler.
Prowl's smile at the end of Animated will always be a gut punch
I'm sensing the overall theme for pretty much every secondary G1 character is "they were just kinda there for most of TF history, and then when IDW got the license they did awesome things with them". Not that I'm complaining, of course.
BlueScarabGuy dreamwave fleshed out a few of them too. Grimlock for instance
how was this comment posted before the video was uploaded whaaat
DarkBowser 21 Probably donators get early access.
Counterpoint: Beachcomber and Seaspray. They didn't get to do anything in IDW either!
Funny how the same fans who are obsessed with characters like this criticize the live action movies for not doing much with certain characters... (not that it isn't a valid complaint for the movies in general)
The Original Prowl was my very first Transformer toy. I remember how I almost cried when he was killed in the movie.
Same for me. I remember watching the TF movie with Prowl in my hand and then watching him die.....quite traumatising as a 4 year old
I remember watching them all die and thinking "woah they are getting thier asses kicked awesome go deceptions!" I still like deceptions more than Autobots
To add insult to injury, he was taken out by the weakest Constructicon Scavenger.
Wow what a bitch
spongebob roundshirt you’re fucking stupid,he was obviously a kid,he’s not gonna cry as a teen everybody should know he’s talking about his past when being a kid 🤦🏾♂️
Another cool thing about prowl is that they often didnt "cheat" his transformation in the G1 cartoon. The same way you transformed the toy is how he would often change on the show.
TheBd62 It definitely helped keep his Masterpiece figure relatively simple.
Pretty quick in part 2 tho.
never really thought about it...but you are right!
Not one mention of his archnemesi: unflipped tables.
Chaos Spartan575 i laughed out loud. Well done
He really loves flipping tables. It's a hobby for him
When did he start doing that?
Prowl was probbably pissed when he got replaced
I was very sad to see that there was no mention of his love of flipping tables. Glad to see it was mentioned in the comments though!
Animated Prowl was my introduction to the character.
My introduction to him was The Movie...
Same here. MY FAVORITE BOI ;^;
That's probably my fav version of the character
Mine too
My was animated later G1 and RID 2001 and now cyberverse and heroes
my favorite Prowl has to be from Animated, he's very different from all the other incarnations, which is not always a bad thing, he was his own character. tho i have to say his alternate design look pretty cool.
Animated Prowl is my favorite too! ☺️
yeah! not the stupid-ass version in Transformers IDW comics
He was one of the of my first tf toys I was ever got
Yes! My favorite too! No other transformer can take his place.
same
Prowl: exists
Tables: *worried laughter*
*"I'm in danger"*
My time had come
Prowl: "how about a magic trick?"
Long live the king
Ironically enough, Prowl's one of my favorite characters.
*My namesake says it all on the fear I live in.*
“-who felt only in facts and logic.”
Shockwave: Finally, a worthy opponent. Our battle will be *legendary!*
IDW Comic book Prowl is definitely my favorite. He certainly is morally gray and not one to be fully trusted with your own safety, but dependable to do what he feels was necessary for the survival of the Autobot cause. Even if that means breaking some of their core tenets.
SPOILER:
I loved how they made him to be a re-creator of sorts to both Springer and Kup, one for morally light reasons, the other for his more grayed reasons. And how no table is safe from his fury.
If you take a look at IKEA's rules and policies under "No smoking aloud in the store" is "For Primus sake DON'T LET PROWL NEAR A TABLE OF ANY KIND!"
Try to remember that the Decepticon; Santa Cruz County Sheriff's patrol car 2 Bits, is one of Starscream's allies.
Prowl has always been a favorite. Considering I also like characters like Cyclops and USAgent I suppose I have a soft spot for characters the fandom usually hate.
Hot Rod and Wheelie ( the child Cybertronian) for me. I also love the idea of a Cybertronian child and wish there was more of them. We have the Lithone kids but they aren't Cybertronians. There were kids in Beta rebel autobot group in Forever Is A Long Time Coming ( picture below) , but they're dead now or grown now or both. I did my research and did found a few more-->www.deviantart.com/shark235/journal/Child-Cybertronians-Updated-12-773471673. However the kiddieformers that I did my homework on seem to expections instead of the rule. Should all Cybertronians start out as kids? No, but it won't be a problem to see more kiddieformers and not just see them as an the few expections to the rule. Most people won't mind the baby Cybertronians. I mean most don't complain about Wheelie and the Lithone Childern, nor the other kids on my journal.
@@Nothin2seehere-e4z you mean the hatchlings. I think the films got that
I’m kinda the same way as a Cyclops fan myself.
Animated was my big Transformers show as a kid so Prowl’s always been cool to me.
Love Cyclops. US Agent was ok. Prowl… IDK, he was always forgettable [>
@@kaineshigaraki5253 I'm a Cobra-La fan...and I don't hate Beast Machines... >_
Sees this video
*flips table*
Umbrellaguy was waiting for it. Didn't happen.
If been waiting for that joke.
I guess you beat me to the table flip joke...
..You lucky son of a-
*flips table*
Umbrellaguy IDW Prowl flips more tables than Bad Cop from The Lego Movie does with chair stools.
He kicks them tho, but then again, what's the difference?
See an owl beast mode to me just seems way more fitting then a loin. Owls are a lot less aggressive and more strategic with how they hunt and just in general calmer which seems more like him to me.
It also rhymes with Prowl
Don’t you just love how IDW can make any Transformer memorable like Prowl? G1 Prowl was the start and IDW just you know… made him a compelling war criminal for the Autobots
On other hand you have the case where IDW turned a character into a war criminal and everyone hated them for it.
The second Beast wars prowl was a
Pr-OWL **Laugh track intensifies**
*face-palm* that was painful!
RIP TFA Prowl, never forget
He was wise and sarcastic
He was the best out of all of thrm
That was just sad
IDW Prowl:
"I cherish peace with all my spark. I don't care how many Autobots, Decepticons, or protoforms I need to offline to get it"
Someone’s gonna have to explain the whole table flipping thing to me.
same lol
Prowl flipped a few tables in anger in the IDW comic, and the fandom latched onto it as a running gag.
@@magnusprime962 ah thank you
i don't own/read idw comics so i have no idea
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@@kibathemechanic4967 LMAO
How he used Kup in All Hail Megatron was jus messed up. I'm glad Springer punched him for it cuz somebody had to do it
Zen Brown
What comic issue? Nevermind I'll find it.
IDW messed up his image like a lot of other mistakes
A perfect choice of image to use for "morally grey", given what's on that data-slug.
What's on it?
I guess we'll never know. :o
@@hellokev6645 3 weeks later and I still don't know lol
What’s on it?
What's on the slug Pennpenn, ma boy...
I just realised that RID Prowl was also invoking a samurai theme with his design. So Animated wasnt actually too far fetched.
What I loved most about IDW Prowl was that he actually came full circle. He was well on the path to finally being himself again by the time the Unicron issues rolled around, perhaps even better because he was able to face his past and not get consumed by it. It's partly why I adore his Spotlight issue so much. We get to see the Prowl that pretty much always was. We got to see that he was still an Autobot, and always would be no matter what he did, and he was recognizable as an Autobot again by the time that particular IDW universe concluded.
RIP TFA PROWL
"Cold and calculating." That's sounds a lot like Shockwave with an Autobot badge.
Prowl: the natural enemy of all tables
Prowl: Flips a table
Ratchet: I needed that
My first Transformer toy and favorite Transformer since 1984.
I love his role as second in command, keeping things together behind the scenes. Quiet, competent and endlessly loyal. In my opinion they should really play up those qualities from his original tech specs more, alongside his logic processing capabilities. He has really been short served over the years as various incarnations pull him further and further away from those original attributes. In the G1 comic, towards the end he was shown to be emotionally unbalanced and filled with rage rather than patient and persevering. IDW made him the opposite of loyal. In both the cartoons and the comics he was shown to be anything but competent as most of his strategies ended in futility and his battle prowess resulted in a gruesome death at the hands of the Decepticons. Such a waste.
Nevertheless, he remains my favorite. I feel he has tremendous potential as a character if any one could just get him right. His design is awsome too. Red forehead crest, wing doors, black & white (or blue and white) color scheme. Such an iconic look with japanese flair.
My favorites:
#1) Prowl
#2) Ultra Magnus
#3) Silverbolt (Beast Wars)
Great video! Thanks!
I know i personally wanted prowl to return solely because of Barricade. It's a neat idea for both sides to have a cop based member on the team
I didn't know his face was the basis of the Autobot symbol. Great episode as always!
That's funny...I've always assumed that Sideswipe's face/head look more similar to the Autobot insignia than Prowl did in the G1 Transformers cartoon. ( I dunno why I think that, but I do/did.) As for Soundwave, even as a little kid way back then, I couldn't help but notice how his head is a dead ringer for the Decepticon insignia.
Prowl was always my favorite from the beginning of the Marvel comic. I have an affinity for the second in command guys, the black and white police car mode is just cool, his robot mode reminded me of a Gundam and he has those doors that look like wings! Giving him a rational, intelligent strategic mind just sealed the deal for me.
Animated prowl will forever be the best prowl
In my heart
TF Animated prowl is by far my favorite incarnation of the character i felt actual sadness and proud when he sacrificed his life yo sabe the world💖
IDW comics really needs to become animated into a cartoon/anime their storylines are just so much better than the generic action shovelware shows we usually get to sell toys and I’d argue that an IDW comics toy line with lesser known favorites would sell Better than the generic old Optimus and bumblebee we get every year.
It’s weird to think that the face of the autobot insignia is such a dark character when fully fleshed out on the IDW storyline, but in a way I think it’s fitting. The noble hero Optimus and Ironhide would realistically never win against the incompetent but deadly Decepticon war machines so Prowl does what he can. Whilst a ninja police officer bike Prowl was cool within the series he was featured in I much prefer the more pessimistic and pragmatic Prowl who knows he needs to fight dirty. It also helps that he has some of the coolest car modes as a Nissan Z-car and Honda Integra DC5/ Acura RSX in binaltech
I always thought it the triad of Optimus, Prowl, jazz made for great interaction and balance in the civil war.
I’d say for his spotlight adaptation we dive into the reasons the way he is not just during but before the war
An IDW storyline getting adapted would be cool, but why ar you gotta insult the other various cartoons we’ve gotten.
Hasbro should make like DC and make comic based animated movies. Easy money!
Prowl was a background character
Animated prowl was a main character with great character development and made a sacrifice that made us all sad when he died
I heard another story that Barricade and Prowl were two of the three brothers, and when one of those brothers died after an apprenticeship exercise, Barricade was charged and fired from the academy and then recruited by Megatrons early in the War
TFA is my favorite Prowl too. He reminded me a lot of characters from Star Trek, so it's no wonder he's from "deep space".
I'm a fan of G1 Prowl but Animated Prowl has to be the best iteration of the character and has become my favorite. His death caught me off guard and had to be the most significant Transformers death, at least to me, since Optimus Prime in the 86 movie.
Prowl has always been my joint favourite Autobot along with Rodimus Prime.
I hate the prick aspect of not just IDW but the latter issues of Marvel US.
I preferred Budiansky's and Dreamwave's more reasonable but still logical portrayals closer to his tech specs.
The tech specs portrayed him as quiet and I've just realised his underuse in the G1 cartoon could be seen to tie in with that.
I did really like the Animated portrayal. I like the idea of Prowl being a skilled warrior. Only thing I didn't like was the visor.
I liked the RID version too.
I'm surprised to see a few omissions from this video as Chris is usually good for obscure references.
In the Collector's Club magazine, Machine Wars Prowl and other members of that line were said to be clones of the G1 characters.
There was no mention of his Dreamwave appearances and despite not having a toy he did appear in the G2 comics.
IDW also used his movie incarnation in the movie tie in comics.
Also Energon Checkpoint is a blatant homage to G1 Prowl.
Personally I'd like future incarnations to drop the prick aspect. He can be sneaky and smarter than everyone else without being a prick. Like Batman.
Anyway an enjoyable and interesting video as always.
Mark McDonnell Um Batman can be a huge prick depends on who writing him.
Elijah Watson That is true but I just think Prowl has become one note with too much focus on the prick aspect.
I always liked his tech spec portrayal depicting him as logical, patient and quiet but these are usually ignored in the fiction.
I like Prowl a lot, too. Although, I do agree on the statement of his prick side.
In IDW, I think he (mostly) maintained a moral high ground until Bombshell. Everything after that is an escalating response to trauma. He's shattered when he realizes what everyone thinks of him and that no one thought to question his actions while he was under Bombshell's control; I think that does as much harm, in its own way, as the mental manipulation and experimentation. It certainly distanced him even more than he'd already been. Add to that the influence of the constructicons and it's no wonder he ended up in a very dark place.
I don't know how anyone can read him in Combiner Wars and not see someone who's just... very badly damaged. My heart goes out to him, and I don't think anyone ever addresses him with the compassion he needs (though Optimus tries.)
I hope he gets a kinder fate in the new iteration.
@@fuzzygoldfish but that doesn't justify forcing your comrades and your Primus forsaken leader! Into forming a combiner.
If you are miserable, keep it to yourself. But don't drag the ones that try to help you in your misery!!!
I remember the animated series episode where bumblebee prowl and sari went camping, with the space barnacles the one with the zombie-ish properties. I was terrified to even think of going camping, and had nightmares of the infected prowl comming in my room and searching for me, while I hid in my bunk bed.
Dude, this could be a dryest, most lame nerd video... But the way you tell a story with the facts. Hawt Damn!!! Please keep up the great work!
Thanks Kyran, I'm glad to hear you say that! That's exactly what I try to do - I don't want this series to just be a list of one series/toy after another, you know? I'm glad it's coming through! :D
RiD and Energon ones were given the same name as Prowl just because they had police car modes. Their original names were Mach Alert and Red Alert.
Prowl was always a cool character! Love the police theme! It just makes sense to blend in as a cop. My favorite was probably animated prowl! Him and the whole concept of a ninja like with jazz, was so badass! He had fun interactions with the rest of his comrades, and had that cool, calm, and focused personality that made him really stand out in the cast! ❤😁👍🏻
Prowl's my favorite G1 character and I may be biased, but I think you undersold his original incarnation. His legacy before IDW wasn't limited to "He's important because he's G1". People do tend to remember that he was just "Nice Police Car Guy" in the cartoon but his role in the Marvel comics, both US and UK, was fairly iconic. Especially in those later years with Earthforce and the end of the US run. He was the main character of several Earthforce stories, and a constant presence otherwise.
The animation is the version that comes to mind when I think of prowl
I have a love-hate relationship with this character and it pains me to say it but he's admittedly my most "favorite" autobot due to how complex his character was in the IDW version (which was the first version of Prowl I was introduced to apart from animated). Every time he's in an issue, I always try to grasp on the little traces and semblances of the "Prowl" before the war, those moments of him being kind and altruistic before he was traumatized by all the betrayals that followed him one after another, though some of which he brought upon himself.
While he did become a real pain in the aft that deserved all the punches he got from the friends he manipulated and exploited, the story gradually reveals that he isn't this purely logical, cool-headed, tywin lannister-like character, but instead someone whose mind has been warped and damaged by the civil war they've had for the last four million years. He developed "The fear of something you can see, some threat, that no one else does. It eats at you until it becomes so clear, so certain, it's easier to think that everyone else is wrong."
And while yeah, that can be said for the majority of the transformers, imo, Prowl's "damage" was one of the most interesting IDW explored in the story, and I'm glad that by the end of the series, he's come to accept that at the end of the day, people will judge others not for their hopes and intentions, but by their actions and the consequences of those actions. He's lost his path numerous times, but by the end of the IDW series, he has once become an autobot and perhaps the bot he used to be before the great war.
I remember as a kid I grew up with Aninated and liked Bulkhead, but when I was older I found myself acting more like Prowl.
Other interesting facts about Prowl
One, a Minicon named Prowl was released in the Transformers: Armada toyline, though he was colored like fellow G1 Datsun Smokescreen.
Two, the Beast Wars lion figure of Prowl would make it into Japanese media as a different character, Lio Junior, a rookie Maximal who appears in the Beast Wars II anime.
Three, while he may not have been a movie character for reasons mentioned here, Prowl toys have a consistent history of being retooled and/or recolored into new versions of Barricade.
The Basics on why IDW makes them transform into pricks.
Lost Age Comics something something drama in comics, something something that plague almost every comics character. Even Onyx Prime, who was one of the most friendliest Primes became a huge asshole in IDW.
Elijah Watson - Something something IDW overusing the trope in TF, something not drama only bad branding, something something no difference between Autobots and Decepticons anymore.
Lost Age Comics Actually I was joking about how just every comic company make their characters complete assholes.
Starsaber. Origianlly a heroic leader of the Autobots. IDW turned him into a psycho fanatic. Usually, IDW does good things with characters. THIS one, though? Triggered, man.
I prefer light gray autobot over white autobot.
Prowl and Jazz have always been favourites of mine. Same with Smokescreen and Bluestreak. Hopefully, they get some screen time in the new upcoming movie though my hopes aren't very high.
I'm gonna make Prowl my first on-screen Transformer in my fanfiction, working as cop on Earth alongside human ally Marissa Faireborn, keeping in contact with his bros Bluestreak and Smokescreen.
I believe this episode is in need of an update.
Prowl has now appeared in Transformers: Cyberverse, and newer toys have since come out, including a new one of Animated Prowl in the Legacy line.
Hes in earthspark as well!! So glad hes a main character in that show.
Prowl was my first and favorite Transformer toy, and I bet I am not alone. So it could explain why they keep bringing him back. As a kid, I was quite disappointed to see him used so little in the TV show. I mean he's supposed to be the Autobots' master strategist, he should have been at least as important as Wheeljack. And yeah I was rather shocked to see how he got killed... Anyway, I rather liked Prowl in Animated.
Had the second most brutal and heartbreaking Death in the series. The first transformers episode i watched from G1 had him in it and i loved him and Bluestreak!
The basics on transformers animated please
I loved that beast wars owl prowl. That was a great sculpt. But yeah the bio confused the heck out of me
Awesome video as always, and one I've been waiting for since forever. Lol. Thank you so much for this!! Prowl is one my absolutely favourite characters. As to which incarnation is best in my opinion? IDW Prowl for certain. I may not agree with his actions or attitude, but he has personality. He has character development, which makes him very interesting. Animated Prowl and G1 Prowl on second and third on my list.
Now I'm only waiting for the Basics on Ratchet and Jazz.
Please keep up this amazing series. It's absolutely fantastic and such a joy to watch.
bewrtyuigw
Ok but idw didn't had to make him a villain just to give him "personality" and "character DeVeLOpMenT"
@@ilikeapples1824 Well, he was more of a morally ambiguous Autobot at the start
Yeah. IDW Prowl is an interesting character and not every character has to be "likable". Without characters like Prowl, you wouldn't have someone for other more pleasant characters to bounce off of.
4:02 Transformers Alternators/Binaltech Acura RSX and Honda Integra was the coolest car toy ever.
7:58 I think IDW Prowl was a Nissan 350Z at one point.
Prowl: I’m the good cop
Barricade: I’m the bad cop
You know, a storyline feuding Prowl and Barricade would be very interesting. Specially presenting Prowl as a goody-two shoes cop and Barricade as a ruthless corrupt cop.
Animated Prowl: We all love you man
IDW Prowl: We all love (to hate) you man
I’m someone who knows jack about Transformers. This helps me a lot. Keep doing this. Hopefully they make a character based off of you
TFA Prowl is sexy as hell. When I first saw Drift in the live action movies, I fangirled thinking it was Prowl - only to find out it wasn't haha!
Wonderful video as ever Chris, Great to see you talk about my favorite Transformer.
I did like animateds version of prowl as he was the most different out of all of the autobots, he was also the only one that sacrificed himself
Ironic a heroic Autobot who transforms into a vehicle of a symbol of justice would eventually become one of the most twisted on Cybertron.
The first version of Prowl I saw was from RiD. The sleek car mode and cool looking robot mode really stuck with me.
If they reboot the movie franchise I would love to see prowl as a Nissan GTR. Hey and can you please do one on Wheeljack and before you research Wheeljack is a lancia Stratos.
They would give them modern equivalent of those vehicle modes, since they would be outdated now, unless of course the movies will be set in the 80s
I laughed when I found out the Lancia is infamous in the car world for being full of attempted innovations which mostly failed. That reputation became the basis for Wheeljack's "mad scientist" personality.
My favorite is animated prowl. Which was my first experience with prowl. So it's my base line for him.
Animated prowl: 😀
IDW prowl: 😐
I didn't know much of Prowl as I grew up within the movie era but seeing this video makes me wanna know more about him. It's a unique take for an Autobot I have never seen and hope that he makes his live action debut in the reboot
I had no idea that G1 Prowl had a face design that matched the Autobots insignia
TM2 Prowl is one of my all time fav Maximal figs, right up there with BM Dinotron & pre-TM Cybershark.
Anazing please make for jazz
Ah good ol Prowl never forgot when I had this toy it was sad he died in the 1986 movie it would have been nice if he was in one of the movies instead of Barricade
Oooh, I get it. PrOWL, hah!
Don't know how I didn't catch that, lol.
(Insert tidus laughter here)
As a character, I gotta go with Animated. Because ninjas...and he was actually legit likeable, something perhaps *NO* other iteration can claim. As a toy, I'm torn. My first experience with the G1 Datsun Fairlady Z/Datsun 280 ZX mold as a kid wasn't Prowl, but Smokescreen. Now, it's easily the Masterpiece mold...to an extent; I got KOs of Prowl & Smokescreen and a Hasbro Asia Bluestreak...Prowl's door broke off shortly after I got him, Bluestreak's chest doesn't wanna lock into place, and yet Smokescreen is fine except for one of his shoulder cannons sitting oddly. (Sure, there's Siege & Earthrise, but those don't do it for me like the MP...)
These are such a treat to watch, Chris. Thanks for making this awesome series.
Also, the guy who disliked is a megadingus.
I like what they did with him in Siege, using him as a vessel to peak into how Cybertron, even before the deception uprising, wasn’t always a great place, and having a budding bromance with the former deception Jetfire. Unfortunately, he fell back into the background in Earthrise.
It seems I'm the only one who likes IDW Prowl. He was my first introduction to the character and I love morally gray characters, I find them more interesting than the more black and white basic characters. He's an asshole but he's also one of my all time favorite characters.
I absolutely cannot get enough of these videos.
My first Deluxe g1 Transformer
*It still hurts me his death in Animated serie,but it was for a good ending at least.He will be always My favorite of all time!!!*
One day will we have the basics on wreck gar
Prowl had the potential to be one of the more popular characters of the original G1 lineup. I remember when they just came out, kids liked Prime, Megatron,Soundwave, Starscream and Prowl. Kids were really drawn to his design. It’s just that the cartoon never did anything with him. So he faded away into obscurity along with so many of the other characters.
Or the concept of transformers siblings like sideswipe/sunstreaker, topspin/twin twist, bumblebee/ cliff jumper etc.......
Bumblebee and Cliffjumper were never siblings, they only shared the molds
Either way I just wanna hear more about the sibling relationships between transformers
Lamar Taitt Transformers usually don’t fall in love, but develop platonic or family relationships. If they born and came from the same place like the twins transformers then their siblings. But they usually be brothers in arms like Bumblebee/Cliff Jumper.
Absolutely fantastic summary of his IDW persona. I think this is one of the best in this series. Great job.
Gen 1: Cop
Animated: Ninja
IDW: Asshole
Prowl's R.I.D. and Transformers animated was my favorite
Can you do basics on Vector Prime and Sideways.
Sideways would be a good one, considering he's one of the first characters to exist through multiple universes at once.
I'd love to see a Sideways episode. He's easily one of the most under rated characters in transformers and deserves a new figure ( preferably a new Armada figure. Personally I like that design more than the Cybertron one. )
Tom Klemke, nautica would make a good base as she's the same color scheme from the titans return line
roderickuw Yes we need Basics of Sideways, and he truly deserves reappereance in future preferable closer to his Armada incarnation. Cybertron was just goofball and Bayverse he excisted only to be killed in seconds.
I'd say we could blame Zeta Prime.
IDW version of Prowl actual sounds like he would make a good villain, I could see he adapted in something like the Bumblebee movie and play him as a autobot who not longer sees the ling between right and wrong just enemies, Deceptacons, humans, and those who won't help him fight.
Protect autobot Prowl and autobot Chase from cancel culture
I dont know about barricade
Agree, Prowl is my favorite Autobot too.
Prowl and Chase need to be protected at all cost!
So if the Autobot Logo Is based Prowl's toy head and the deception's logo is based of Soundwave's toy head thats goes tho show that the leaders of the both factions trust them
The Basics On: Table Flips
Prowl to me was always a breakout hero type waiting to happen, but then the trigger was just never pulled on his “push” to the forefront. Love the idea of him as RoboCop type hero.
Yes my favourite Autobot!
When the camera panned over that Energon toy i honestly thought it was a rescue hero bot. Man, that shows bot design was something else
I would really like to see a basics video on Starscream.
Prowl was one the earliest G1 toys I got back in my youth so I’ve always had a soft spot for him.
Great video Prowl is mine second favorite autobot after Prime ever since I was kid. today i am police officer
There were always some ideas that would be abandoned in the transition between a pilot mini and a full cartoon series back in the 80's.
Prowl was probably the biggest casualty of jettisoning the Autobot command structure established by Marvel, in favour of just focusing on whoever they thought was cooler.