Snarl (Transformers)
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Snarl is the name of four different fictional characters in the Transformers universes.
Contents |
[edit] Transformers: Generation 1 (1985)
| Transformers character | |
 G1 Snarl toy boxart |
|
| Snarl | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Autobot  |
| Sub-Group | Dinobot, later Action Masters and Targetmasters, Lightning Strike Coalition |
| Function | Desert Warrior |
| Partner | Tyrannitron (Action Master version only) |
| Motto | "Only in war is there happiness." |
| Alternate Modes | Mechanical Stegosaurus (Cybertronian tank in the War Within series.) |
| Series | Transformers: Generation 1 Transformers: Generation 2 Transformers: Dinobots |
| Voiced by | Hal Rayle (English) Unknown (Japanese) |
Snarl is one of the members of the Autobot sub-group called the Dinobots lead by Grimlock. He turns into a robotic Stegosaurus.
[edit] Animated Series
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. It has not been explained why he or the other dinobots were able to be fitted with personalities which can only be found on Cybertron from Vector Sigma. Apearantly there is a difference between the brain and personalities in Transformers. Their brains are simple, yet still it is the personalities that make them sentient. It is evident that addition of personalities or "sparks" and its origin was after the fact, and was hoped that this inconsistancy would be overlooked.
In 1985, an island with real dinosaurs was found by Powerglide and Bumblebee. Optimus decided that Dinobot Island would be a good place for the Dinobots to train and practice their fighting skills, because the Ark was too small for the giant Dinobots. Megatron and the Decepticons found out about the island and wanted to harvest it for all the energy it produced. The Dinobots were thrown in a pit of tar, but were later rescued and got a bunch of real dinosaurs to help them attack Megatron.
Later, the Cybertronian Autobots and Decepticons began to malfunction because they ran out of Cybertonium, a crystalline substance only found on Cybertron. The Dinobots were made on Earth, so they were the only Transformers not affected and were sent to Cybertron to get some. When they got to Cybertron, they disappeared. Spike and Carly went to Cybertron to find them and found Swoop, who led them to the other Dinobots that were captured and working for Shockwave. Eventually they were freed and brought the Cybertonium back so that the Autobot's bodies could be restored.
In 2005 Grimlock and all the Dinobots except Snarl took part in the Battle of Autobot City and against Unicron as seen in The Transformers: The Movie. Although Snarl was seen among the Autobots in non-combat scenes in the city, he seemingly disappeared during combat.
Snarl was among the primitive Transformers called by Primacron's assistant to battle Tornadron.
[edit] Marvel Comics
Snarl was among the Autobots who came to Earth with on board the Ark under the leadership of Optimus Prime. When the Ark crash landed on Earth it reformatted Snarl in the form of one of the Earth's native creatures, a stegosaurus.
Eventually, Snarl was deactivated, along with the rest of the Dinobots, while facing Starscream who had been empowered by the Underbase. He lay in a life support pod in the Ark for quite some time before Grimlock used the untested energy source known as Nucleon to revive him and his Dinobot comrades.
Snarl was among the united Autobot and Decepticon forces who opposed Unicron's assault on the planet Cybertron in 1991 (Transformers #75).
He subsuquently stayed with the Autobots and appeared in Marvel's Generation 2 comic.
[edit] Devil's Due Comics
In 2004, Snarl was among the Autobots under the leadership Optimus Prime who attempted to take back the planet Cybertron from the Decepticon tyrant Shockwave. After an accident with the teleportational systems of the supercomputer Teletran-3, Snarl found himself sent back in time and on the planet Earth. He was reformatted in the form of an Earth dinosaur with several other Autobots. A group of humans were able to bring the new Dinobots back to Cybertron and they helped overcome Shockwave (G.I. Joe vs. The Transformers II #4).
[edit] IDW Comics
In the Transformers Spotlight issue on Shockwave, Grimlock and the 'Dynobots' (sporting Cybertronian designs much like their War Within designs) appear in a story that partially homages their Marvel G1 origin. Seeking payback for a humiliating defeat by Shockwave, Grimlock pursued him to prehistoric Earth (which Shockwave was seeding with Energon). In order to protect themselves against Energon surges, the Dynobots required alternate modes covered by a layer of synthetic flesh; Grimlock refused to transform into Ice Age mammals and made the decision to go with dinosaurian forms instead as he thought them more impressive. The Dynobots got the initial jump on Shockwave, as their attack was too illogical for him to understand, but he quickly recovered and blasted the entire team into stasis lock with their synthetic skins destroyed. Grimlock got the final laugh, as the Dynobot ship fired a pre-programmed blast into the surrounding volcanoes to unleash a flow of lava that engulfs all six Transformers until they were uncovered by human paleontologists in 2006.
[edit] Action Masters (1990)
Snarl was one of two original Dinobots to receive the Action Master treatment. His partner is called Tyrannitron.
[edit] Generation 2 (1993)
A red repaint of the original, Snarl returns minus his missile launcher. He was also available in a green variant. Despite his recolor as a toy Snarl appeared in his original colors in the Marvel Generation 2 comic.
Snarl appeared in his red Generation 2 form in the short lived UK Generation 2 comic series.
[edit] Transformers: Dinobots (2003)
In 2003, a set of Walmart exclusive toys sold simply as Transformers: Dinobots featured repaints of Beast Wars molds as six Dinobots in sets of two. Snarl (a recolor of Beast Wars Neo Saberback and Beast Machines Striker) was packaged with Sludge (a recolor of Beast Wars Sling).
How the Transformers: Dinobots toy line fits in with the other Transformers lines is still a bit of a mystery. The previous Robots in Disguise and Armada lines contained many non-show recolor toys, but the toys don't mention either line on the boxes. The Dinobots toys came out just before the Transformers: Universe series, which was almost entirely recolors of old toys - so some fans consider it a precursor to that series.
[edit] Beast Wars (1997)
| Transformers character | |
 |
|
| Snarl | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Maximal |
| Sub-Group | Basic Beasts |
| Function | Surprise Attack |
| Alternate Modes | Tasmanian Devil |
| Series | Beast Wars |
In the Beast Wars toyline, Snarl was the name of a Maximal who transformed into a Tasmanian Devil. This character did not appear in the original Beast Wars cartoon. However, in Japan, this toy was recolored released as a different character named Tasmania Kid as part of the Beast Wars II series, and appeared in its cartoon.
Snarl finally made his first official appearance in the 2006 IDW Beast Wars comic, where it was revealed he was a Maximal protoform from the Axalon. In the comics series he is depicted as being able to turn invisible.
[edit] Beast Machines (2000)
| Transformers character | |
 |
|
| Snarl | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Maximal |
| Sub-Group | Deluxe Beasts |
| Function | Strategic Specialist Matrix Templar/Strategist |
| Motto | "They won't even see it coming!" "The greater my adversary, the sweeter the victory." |
| Alternate Modes | Technorganic Lion |
| Series | Beast Machines Transformers: Universe |
In the Beast Machines toyline, Snarl was the name of a Maximal who transformed into a technorganic lion. He did not appear in the television series, but eventually did appear in the Transformers: Universe comic.
[edit] Transformers: Universe (2003)
Beast Machines Snarl was recolored for the Transformers: Universe line. This version of Snarl appeared in the Transformers: Universe comic series.
Snarl is abducted from an alternate timeline by Unicron to particpate in his plan to gather energy. Later, Optimus Primal helps break free the captives, including Snarl, from various timelines which are held there and gets them to Cybertron. There, Optimus Primal pleads with Magnaboss and the Maximal High council (which includes Bantor, Air Hammer, Corahda, Torca and Battle Unicorn) to take the threat of Unicron seriously, but they doubt his claims. Optimus Primal is detained, but Snarl frees him.
There were plans to repaint Snarl as Alpha Trion as a convention exclusive toy, but only hand-painted prototype toys were made.
[edit] Transformers: Cybertron (2005)
A native of the Jungle Planet in Transformers: Cybertron, Snarl is a student under Backstop. A wolf transformer, he joined the Autobots to keep a close eye on his old friend Scourge, the tyrannical ruler of the planet whom he once served until he was branded a traitor. After the Jungle Planet Keys was recovered, he joined the Autobots. He was a little nervous when he set foot in the Autobot base. He thought it was a cave and wanted to see rocks rather than metal. He eventually confronted Scourge with fellow Autobot Leobreaker on Giant Planet, succeeding in shaking the tyrant's resolve enough to force him to rethink his position among the Decepticons. Later, Snarl would return to the service of a kinder and wiser Scourge in the fight to save their home planet from being sucked into the Black Hole. Voiced by Scott McNeil (Cybertron) and Yuuto Kazama (Galaxy Force, in which he is known as Fang Wolf).
In the final episode of Transformers: Cybertron a wrestling match is held to decide the new leader of the Jungle Planet. Scourge defeats Snarl, then Leobreaker in fair combat and is declared the king of the Jungle Planet by Backstop. Scourge decalres he will lead the Jungle Planet into a new era of peace thanks to the example of Optimus Prime and the Autobots.
The release of Snarl in Cybertron Deluxe wave 3.5 was packaged with a DVD containing the third episode of Transformers: Cybertron, called "Hidden". Oddly, he did not appear in that episode.
