Rumble (Transformers)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rumble (Trompeur in Canada, Tartar in Italy) is a fictional character in the Transformers universes.
Contents |
[edit] Generation 1 (1984)
| Transformers character | |
 |
|
| Rumble | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | Decepticon (Destron) |
| Sub-Group | 'Cassetticons' |
| Rank | 5 |
| Function | Demolitions |
| Motto | "Destroy what's below and what's above will follow." |
| Alternate mode | micro cassette |
| Series | Transformers: Generation 1 Transformers: Alternators |
| Voiced by | Frank Welker (English) |
The toy for Rumble was originally released in an earlier Takara toyline called Microman. In cassette mode, the toy was able to fit inside the body of Cassetteman (who would later become Soundwave). In Transformers, the toy was released in two different colors as two different characters - Rumble and Frenzy.
[edit] Animated series
He is often partnered with Soundwave, along with other cassette Decepticons Ravage and Laserbeak. Because of his coloration on the original cartoon, he is sometimes identified as Frenzy, as their box artwork shows both in the correct coloration - that of the other. The toy is colored red, black and gold, but his cartoon model is blue and purple. The color schemes for Frenzy and Rumble are actually transposed.
Throughout the cartoon he was perceived as tough and full of firepower, but his fellow Decepticons, being much larger, were significantly more powerful. He gave the weakest Autobots, such as Hound, Mirage and Bumblebee hard times on the battlefield, due to their lack of warrior-like capabilities. Due to his small size, and lack of intelligence, he was virtually your average loud-mouth mini-Decepticon whom loves to fight Autobots, break things (mostly with his earthquake producing pistons), and prove his loyalty to Soundwave and Megatron.
In the episode A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court Warpath, Hoist and Spike were battling Starscream, Ramjet, Rumble and Ravage in England. Low on power, the Autobots and Decepticons discovered a magical stone formation called the Dragon Mound and were transported back to the year 543. Although Starscream attempted to take over a castle and build a new empire his himself as lord, the help of local knights and a wizard refueled the Autobots, who defeated the Decepticons. After defeating a dragon who nested in the Dragon Mound the Autobots and Decepticons and returned to their own time where they rejoined the fight in modern day England.
[edit] Marvel Comics
According to the Marvel Transformers comics Rumble and Frenzy are brothers.In the comics Rumble was one of the Decepticons that originally attacked the Ark and subsequently fell to Earth. Reconfigured into the Earth mode of a microcassette he participated in many of the early battles against the Autobots (even being defeated by a robo-suited Buster Witwicky at one point in the UK comics). Until, that is, he was one of those who went with Megatron in his raid against the Autobot base, summarily getting deactivated by Omega Supreme along with Starscream, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Frenzy and Buzzsaw. It would be a while before Rumble was seen again, being freed in US issue 41.
Although he would not be seen being deactivated by the Underbase powered Starscream, Rumble would not appear again until the Generation 2 series, where he, along with many of the original Decepticons, would be restored to prominence by Megatron's return. He would battle both the Autobots (taking out Hot Rod at one point) and Jhiaxus' second generation Decepticons. As he was not seen to be killed it is assumed he survived.
Rumble's Marvel Comics appearance would accomplish a merging of his toy and animated series color schemes. While his body was a deep blue in common with his animated counterpart, his arms and legs had the red color scheme of his toy.
[edit] Audio books
Rumble was featured in the 1985 Transformers audio book Autobots' Lightning Strike. In this story the Autobots are amazed by the power of a thunder storm and Optimus Prime orders Huffer to build a collector to store the energy given off by the next storm. The Decepticon Laserbeak discovers the lightning rod and informs the Decepticons, but Soundwave mistakes it for giant transmission antenna. Although Starscream and Rumble attempt to destroy the object, Megatron stops them and leads the Decepticons to the object in hopes of learning what message the Autobots are sending, and who they are contacting. Once inside the base the Decepticons are caught in the energy of a storm and are forced to retreat. The Autobot plan to use the energy to help them repair their ship and eventually return to Cybertron, leaving humanity with the technology to collect energy from lightning.
[edit] Dreamwave Productions
When the Ark fell to Earth in 1984 Rumble was among the Decepticons on board. Battling the Autobots repeatedly, they were eventually defeated by a combined human-Autobot alliance. They were to be taken back to Cybertron, but were sabotaged by rogue elemets of the U.S. military, who wanted to build weapons using Transformers technology. Unable to do this, they began to control the Transformers themselves.
Rumble was among the Transformers who briefly fell under the control of the terrorist, Lazarus. Bumblebee, Frenzy, Grimlock, Laserbeak, Prowl, Ravage, Soundwave and Starscream were forced to attack the Smitco oil refinery in the Arctic to display their power for sale to the highest bidder.
Rumble would not appear again until the following year, when both sides were lured to the wilderness in Alaska by a mysterious beacon. Both sides battled until the arrival of a force led by Shockwave and Ultra Magnus, who defeated Megatron and arrested all present as war criminals. Desperate to save their own necks, Frenzy and Rumble both joined up with Shockwave and were assigned by him to guard the badly damaged Megatron. They failed as Starscream was able to dump Megatron's body in space (reminiscent of his fate in the movie). They were then sent by Shockwave on a critical mission - reviving the Stunticons.
They were then co-opted by Starscream and head to Earth with him, Soundwave, Skywarp, Thundercracker and the Combaticons. They defeated most of the Autobots still on Earth, but were themselves attacked by Sunstorm.
After Starscream defeated him (with aid from the Autobots) he returned to his base to find Soundwave, Rumble and Frenzy acting oddly. The reason why would soon become clear - Megatron had returned, backed by the Predacons, and Soundwave had been taking orders from him all along. Any further tales of Rumble would never be told, as Dreamwave would go into receivership from there.
[edit] Transformers/G.I. Joe
Rumble also appeared in Dreamwave's Transformers/G.I. Joe series, as one of the Decepticons allied with Cobra. Reconfigured with the alternate mode of a hand grenade, he was sent to help Cobra forces losing to Grimlock and Roadblock, quickly turning the tide of battle with his piledriver arms. He was defeated when Bumblebee and Scarlett were able to destroy his piledrivers with a hand grenade. Rumble was subsequently helpless when the ground around him, weakened by his earthquakes, collapsed into the sea.Not only does Rumble have an intense hatred of humans, calling them "meat", but he and Frenzy are described as brothers in this continuity as well.
[edit] Devil's Due Publishing
In the G.I. Joe vs the Transformers comics printed by Devil's Due Publishing, Rumble was one of the Decepticons discovered by Cobra in the Ark, although they were reactivated later than the others. Frenzy was reprogrammed by Cobra Commander to follow his orders, although he retained his original Cassette and robot alternate modes. Destro used a newly purchased Soundwave, Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage, Laserbeak and Ratbat along with stolen Cybertronian technology to attack a military base - only to be ambushed by the newly formed G.I. Joe.
There is an interesting art error here. Rumble appears to get shot in the head and killed while under Destro's command, yet Rumble is among the Decepticons who break free next issue(and is clearly identified as Rumble by Soundwave). This leads to the possibility that it was intended to be Frenzy, not Rumble, who was killed, and an art error led to their colour schemes being mixed up. In any case, Rumble would soon be killed, crushed by Storm Shadow's S.N.A.K.E battlesuit while chasing Destro.
[edit] Transformers: Alternators (2006)
The first Alternator to be initially created as a Decepticon, Rumble now transforms into a Honda Civic Si. He retains his piledrivers in robot mode, and retains his original toy colors of red and black.
[edit] Transformers: Galaxy Force
The Japanese name for the Decepticon Scrapmetal is Ramble, the Japanese name for G1 Rumble.
His function is Search Soldier and his motto is "I will bury and exhaust planet Seibertron."
When the human Coby converts one of the Rambles into a mech body, he goes by the name Coby-Ramble, or Cobybot in the U.S.
