Prowl (G1)

The name or term Prowl refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Prowl (disambiguation).

Prowl is an Autobot and Maximal from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Prick.

Prowl is the Autobot military strategist. As such, Autobot Commander Optimus Prime will keep Prowl near at hand for his indispensable expertise. He does not react well to the unexpected and despises disorder. He believes his dedication to logic and rational thought puts him next in line for Optimus Prime's job and dreams of making grand speeches -- even though in reality he's stoic and uncharismatic.

He really doesn't tend to get along well with his fellow Autobots, many of whom find his strict adherence to military protocol stifling, and his uptight personality sure doesn't help matters. The Dinobot commander Grimlock especially honks Prowl off, and Grimlock feels pretty much the same way in return, only with more swear words.

A possible alternate-universe version of Prowl is active during the Universe conflict.

Spanish name: Cervo

Italian name: Pantera

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Earthforce

(Note: These stories do not fit into the normal Marvel UK continuity. See Earthforce for details.)

Prowl once lamented about the proliferation of newer types of Transformers, claiming these newcomers gave him a headache just thinking about them.

Animated continuity

Voice actor: Michael Bell (US), Toshirō Ishii (Japan)

Prowl was part of the crew of the Ark, the Autobot starship that left Cyberton looking for alternate sources of energy only to crashland on Earth. Four million years later, the Transformers were reawakened by the eruption of the volcano the Ark had crashed in and reformatted by Teletraan-1. Despite being situated in the United States, Prowl was reformatted as a Japanese police car. No one seemed to notice. More Than Meets the Eye, Part 1

On Earth, Prowl continued to serve as Optimus Prime's right hand man, filling the role of military advisor and strategist. His precision thinking and by-the-books planning served as a valuable counterpoint to Jazz's more improvisational style, and it was up to Optimus Prime to weigh their views and come to a decision.

During an attack against Decepticons, Prowl's battle computer was knocked offline by a particularly fierce blow. Crippled, Prowl extended his antenna to seek out an online computer that he could patch into. He found Chip Chase's desktop terminal, and the young human ally momentarily took control of Prowl, animating the massive Autobot warrior with his computer. Roll For It

Skids and Prowl attempted to stop the mayhem caused by Blitzwing's Decepticons, but instead the two Autobots just wrecked into each other. Oops! As if that weren't enough, they were then squished real good by Blitzwing and temporarily rebuilt into a throne by Scrapper. (This would seem to be much more damaging than the fate he met in 2005, but who are we to judge?) Triple Takeover

Prowl met his maker in the year 2005, alongside fellow Autobots Ironhide, Brawn and Ratchet. During a Decepticon assault of a shuttle run to earth from Moonbase One for energon. He was felled by a single blast from Scavenger, proving that a stylish leap when you fire your gun is all that was needed for Decepticon weapons to actually kill someone. Transformers: The Movie

Prowl's body was evidently recovered for interment, as his grave was housed in the interstellar Autobot mausoleum. Along with the mausoleum itself, Prowl's remains were later plunged into a red sun as a side-effect of a Quintesson plot. Dark Awakening

Headmasters cartoon

Prowl appears as an extra on Earth, even though he died in the movie ten years or so previously.

(Note: Prowl's revival can be chalked up to error, especially since the Movie did not actually reach Japan until many years later. However, he was listed as deceased in Dark Awakening, which did air in Japan, so who knows? Maybe he got better like Wheeljack did?)

Kid Stuff Talking Story Books

Voice actor: Unknown

"OUR MISSILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!"

Prowl appears in this storyline as Optimus Prime's over-acting right-hand man.

Dreamwave comics continuity

Prowl was one of many Transformers under the control of rogue government engineer-turned-arms dealer Adam Rook. He, along with several Autobots and Decepticons, attacked the Smitco Oil Refinery Artic facilty during Rook's sales demonstration to several terrorist organizations. Unfortunately, the invasive-program controlled Prowl killed a helpless human refinery worker escaping from the destruction. Prime Directive, Part 2

IDW Beast Wars: Ascending

Prowl appears as one component of Magnaboss.

IDW comics continuity

Prowl is the leader of a detachment of Autobots that has operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency. He almost throws Ratchet in the brig for breaking cover to rescue three humans from the Decepticons, and subsequently refuses to contact Optimus Prime until further evidence of enemy activities is uncovered. He does not willingly believe Ratchet when the medic tells him that the Decepticons have stepped up their presence by constructing a second base.

Toys

Generation 1

• Prowl (Autobot Car, 1984/1985/1990/2002/2003)

Japanese ID number: 09, TFC-02

I ain't fallin' for no banana in the tailpipe...

Prowl was part of the first series of Autobots released in 1984, reusing a mold originally developed for a Diaclone Datsun Fairlady Z (280 ZX) police car, with his decals altered to remove the "Diaclone" marks. (The European "Classic Heroes" re-release retained the Diaclone stickers, for unknown reasons).

In 1985, Mexico imported Transformers, but there were some notable changes on numerous toys. Prowl's helmet, arms, and boots turned black, plus his "POLICE" decals became "POLICIA". There was also a wide running change (or just factory error) that left out the black paint on his car hood.

El Pricko (pronounced "pree-ho")

In 2002, Prowl was re-released as part of the Transformers Collection series in Japan. This version has slightly-altered decals, and fully-functional spring-loaded missile launchers.

In 2003, Prowl was released as part of the Toys "R" Us exclusive "Commemorative Series" line in the US. This version of Prowl uses a softer , unchromed black plastic for his rifle and missiles owing to breakage issues, plus his launchers are completely non-firing. He uses the same decals as the Japanese "bookbox" release.

The same mold was used for Bluestreak and Smokescreen.

• Prowl (Action Master Blaster, 1990)

A non-transforming action figure, Action Master Prowl is modeled after his cartoon model with a few toy-based liberties taken. He came with his Turbo Cycle vehicle, though the main figure was comatible with all other Action Master vehciles and weapons.

Beast Wars

• Magnaboss (Ultra, 1997)

Prowl transforms from a lion into a robot, with his cat-butt turning into a "cyber tail claw" weapon. He is able to combine with Ironhide and Silverbolt, its package buddies, into Magnaboss.

This mold was used to make LioJunior.

(Note: The toy packaging gives absolutely no indication as to who the Magnaboss components are as characters. Their being Generation 1 characters is a retcon from the IDW comic series.)

Machine Wars

• Prowl (Basic, 1997)

Do you have any idea how fast you were going?

Sharing a mold with Machine Wars Mirage, Prowl transforms into a Formula-1 race car, and converts to robot mode with a spring-loaded, one-step transformation. His rifle-halves store in his legs in car mode. He --and the entire Machine Wars line-- was available only at Kay-Bee stores.

Prowl's usual function is strategist, but, in an ironic twist, in this first non-police car form he's described as chief of security.

This mold was also used to make Robots in Disguise Skid-Z.

Smallest Transformers

• Prowl (2003)

Japanese ID number: GTF-09

Its just a little prick.

Released in Wave 2 of Smallest Transformers, STF Prowl is the smallest possible transforming toy based upon the original Prowl toy. He faithfully repoduces the transformation sequence for the most part, but due to parts-cost limitations, he has little articulation, his legs cannot separate and his wheels do not roll.

Alternators

• Prowl (Alternator, 2005/2006)

Alternator ID number: 16

Japanese ID number: BT-15

You better get a lawyer son...

Alternators Prowl transforms into a 1:24-scale Acura RSX car with police lights, opening doors, hood and trunk. His engine becomes a (non-firing) gun, while a clear-plastic nightstick is hidden under his car-mode rear section. He was among the last of the "red box" Alternators, but was included in new "white box" assortments in 2006. The "white box" version of Prowl had additional Acura logos on the rear of the car that the "red box" version did not.

... you better get a real good one.

For his standard Japanse Binaltech release, Prowl got a different vehicle mode deco based on a real Japanese police car (the Hasbro version's deco being based more on the original Generation 1 toy), a different spoiler mold, different rims, right side steering, a Imperial chrysanthemum emblem instead of an Acura logo, and gray plastic instead of stony-blue. He was also labeled as a "Honda Integra Type-R", the model's make in Japan.

• Prowl Vivid Blue Pearl Edition (Binaltech, 2005)

Japanese ID number: BT-15

Prowl on his day off...

Like Jazz, Prowl got two different Binaltech decos released in equal numbers. The second version, known as Vivid Blue Pearl Prowl, is a civilian version with no police lights, a mostly blue interior, a Honda logo (instead of a Imperial chrysanthemum emblem) on the grill, and a solid blue car-shell. His robot-mode parts remained mostly the same color, however.

This mold (the Japanese blue Prowl variant, combined with parts from American police Prowl) was used to make Alternators Camshaft.

• Prowl Satellite Patrol Edition (Binaltech, 2005?)

The Hasbro version of Prowl, using the Hasbro red box packaging, was supposed to have been released in Japan as an exclusive to a satellite TV provider. The only notable difference from the Hasbro version was the "Satellite Patrol" markings on his doors. It is unknown if this toy was ever actually released, however.

Universe

• Prowl (Autobot, 2005)

A redeco of the Robots in Disguise Prowl 2 mold, Universe Prowl transforms into a Chevrolet Caprice police car with through-axle construction for super-speedy rolling on smooth surfaces. His gun hides as his car mode's tailpipe. Originally only available at Kay-Bee stores in packaging with no sub-line markings, his entire assorment was later repackaged under the Universe banner and sold through "dollar store" chains like Family Dollar.

Attacktix

• Prowl (Booster, 2007)

I got a big.... gun.

Introduced in Series 2 of Attacktix, Prowl is a Captain class unit with the special ability to stun an opposing player unit. His sculpt is based upon his G1 cartoon model with some additional details. His weapon is a hugely oversized version of his rifle, capable of firing a large silver projectile.

Trivia

• Prowl's Diaclone predecessor also came with additional optional stickers that would identify him as being part of the police forces from existing Japanese cities, namely "Tokyo City", "Sapporo City", "Sendai City", "Osaka City" and "Fukuoka City".

• The original Transformers instructions booklet shows a visible Japanese label sheet complete with the Imperial chrysanthemum emblem found on Japanese police cars, which did not make it to final product.

• Machine Wars Prowl's card-art is actually an altered version of the art for the Generation 2 Laser Rod Jolt.

• Transmetal 2 Prowl may possibly be the same spark as the G1 character reincarnated... though the IDW series makes this REALLY complicated.

• At OTFCC 2004, Hasbro stated that there was no Prowl Alternators toy in the works, but some other emergency vehicle (which got a chorus of boos). When no non-Prowl emergency vehicle appeared, suspicions arose, and fans speculated that the Prowl mold was originally intended to be Red Alert. The Alternator's general transformation scheme is reminiscent of the Red Alert mold, but that holds little water in the world of Alternators. Later, a listing for "Alternators Red Alert" appeared on Hasbro's web site, with Prowl's image, seemingly confirming the theory. Careful study of his control art in the Binaltech version's booklet also reveals that the Prowl head appears to have been digitally added onto the original line-art, due to differing line-thickness. The official Binaltech guide also contains a tiny picture of the instruction booklet art, complete with a Red Alert head miscolored to look like Prowl.

External links

• Prowl on TFU.info

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