Snarl (TFA)


 * Snarl is an Autobot from the Transformers Animated continuity family.



Snarl is a Triceratops Dinobot. Built quite a bit better than a tank, there's nothing he enjoys more than taking the nearest solid object and headbutting it. It's not so much the mindless destruction he likes, it's just that Snarl thoroughly enjoys being strong, and smashing things to powder seems like the best way of expressing this. And if he needs to mix things up a little, being able to breathe fire hot enough to melt a garbage truck helps.

Animated cartoon


Snarl, like the other two Dinobots, began life as an animatronic robot at Dino Drive, where he/it was damaged by an over-enthusiastic Bulkhead. He was upgraded with Cybertronian technology in Isaac Sumdac's lab (with the help of Megatron), and further modified by a burst of AllSpark energy. He then spent his time breathing fire and breaking things such as Captain Fanzone's car. He also swallowed a missile, which is just beyond cool.

He, along with Swoop, did not transform during the course of his early life. It is possible he didn't know he could do it until Grimlock discovered he could.



He was later forced by the villain Meltdown to guard the research facility Meltdown had commandeered on an island in Lake Erie, and to attack the Autobots Prowl and Bulkhead. Once Meltdown was trapped and unable to hurt him, he demonstrated he'd learned to transform and joined his fellow Dinobots in threatening the acid-thrower. However, before Meltdown could be hurt, Snarl's attention was diverted to Colossus Rhodes and two of Meltdown's mutants, and he and the other Dinobots had fun beating up on them instead.

Following a sharp increase in Decepticon activity on Earth, Optimus Prime, Bulkhead, and Prowl went to Dinobot Island to ask the Dinobots to help fight the coming invasion. Grimlock first ordered the Dinobots to attack, and Snarl started to obey, but Prowl got them all to stop. Grimlock then insisted that the Dinobots could "destroy robots" by themselves, to which Prime retorted that the Dinobots were robots too. Grasping this concept with gusto, Snarl then started fighting Grimlock but was easily tossed aside by his leader. The three Dinobots began to tackle the robot problem... starting with the 'bot in the mirror. The Autobots left them to their task.

When investigating Dinobot Island for traces of the Allspark and any Decepticons, Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus and Sentinel Prime were confronted by the Dinobots. After insulting them, Sentinel was floored by Grimlock whilst Snarl looked on, brandishing his club. After Ultra Magnus held aloft his mighty hammer, the Dinobots transformed and backed off into the forest.

Some time later, Grimlock was rampaging due to a foot injury, and Snarl seemed to be staying out of his way. Whether he was scared or just confused is unknown.

After aiding with rescuing Blackarachnia, Snarl as well as the other Dinobots saw her as an item of worship, doing her every bidding. He assisted in the prison break of Meltdown. However, upon returning with the prize, the only reward he and Swoop got was a scorching stream of stolen special power. He didn't seem too put out by this, though, as later he loyally guarded his mistress's Autobot  captives. Snarl also helped saved the day by bonking Meltdown's ruffians over the head, scaring them off. After Blackarachnia abandoned them, Snarl didn't seem too fussed.

Later, Snarl and the other Dinobots witness an oil rig, with the Constructions on it, get transwarped to the sea in front of Dinobot Island and explode. They probably liked the fireworks.

Quite a while after that, some small flying thingie came to Dinobot Island. Snarl was being ignored by the other Dinobots as a traitor. The flying thingie seached for Snarl, finding that he was Scrapper's pet. Then it recruited Scrapper, Snarl, and later some guy who literally just came out of the ocean as Substitute Autobots. The Substitute Autobots then attempted to destroy Soundwave and free the real Autobots from his control (with a little help), but they failed. The flying thingie then decided that the Substitute Autobots should split up, because Soundwave couldn't control all the Autobots separately. Its plan worked, but the truck robot almost sliced it in half with his axe. The Substitute Autobots were probably disbanded after this incident.

Transformers Animated



 * Snarl (Deluxe, 2008)
 * Accessories: Club


 * Part of the third wave of Animated Deluxes, Snarl transforms into a robotic Triceratops. His shoulderpads/foreleg shoulders feature spring-loaded pop out "flames". He comes with a large club which does not store in his beast mode anywhere. Unlike promotional stock photos, his club and forehead are unpainted, though in the latter case this is actually more accurate to the animation model. Also unlike promotional photos, his front horn is upside down. Also, while there are pegs intended to keep his waist together, they do not click, and so the legs are quite loose. The toy features orange light-piping engineered into the head, but the gimmick is disabled by the eyes being painted blue.

Trivia

 * Snarl was obviously designed to be the Animated incarnation of the Generation 1 Dinobot named Slag, and preproduction shots even bore that name (though his split tail in humanoid mode is a nod to his G1 namesake). Hasbro holds the United States trademark for "Slag" unopposed, and renewed it as recently as Xmas 2007.  As revealed by Hasbro representatives at BotCon 2008, they are not using "Slag" as a product name because it is a negative slang term in the United Kingdom (meaning, roughly, "slut") which might have affected toy sales. This is referenced in Human Error, Part 2, when Scrapper adopts Snarl as a pet, telling Sari he was "gonna call him Slag, but I think he took it as an insult."


 * Snarl and Swoop have yet to have any lines in the cartoon. Slag! Reportedly, this is due to limitations on the number of voice actors that can be used in an episode, and the number of characters they can voice in one as well. Derrick J. Wyatt remarked at BotCon 2008 that his ideal voice for Snarl would be comedian Louie Anderson.


 * As with Grimlock and Swoop, Snarl's beast mode much more closely matches the proportions and anatomy of a real Triceratops compared with his G1 counterpart.


 * The "air duct" and the chin make his head slightly resembles Gundam.