Metroplex (Transformers)

Metroplex (known as Scramble City while transformed) is a giant Autobot in the Transformers franchise. He is depicted as massive compared to other Autobots, dwarfing even the largest Combiners and the giant Omega Supreme, and was originally portrayed as the living embodiment of Autobot City. He has appeared in supporting roles in numerous works of Transformers franchises, and was the focus of his own OVA and toy line, both titled Transformers: Scramble City. He is the rival and parallel of the Decepticon's transforming base, Trypticon.

Transformers: Generation 1

Metroplex is capable of transforming into a battle station or a giant robot. Metroplex has three smaller autonomous components: Six-Gun: an Autobot who is formed from six of the battle station's guns combining with one of the city's towers, Scamper: an Autobot who transforms into a car, and Slammer: a tank which transforms into another of the city's skyscrapers.^[1][2]

Metroplex is considered the Autobots' last line of defense. He spends most of his time in city mode but has the ability to transform into a battle station or a colossal robot depending on the situation. He has been called upon to fight Trypticon on a few different occasions, often using full-body wrestling tactics rather than depending on firepower.

According to the one Japanese Comic Bom Bom article Metroplex is 800 meters tall.^[3] In the Marvel U.K. Transformers comic however it says he's 698 feet (212.8 meters) tall.^[4] He can lift 70,000 tons. His armor is the equal of any Transformer's; to merely scratch it would require at least a low-yield nuclear explosion. He has left shoulder-mounted twin high-energy MASER (microwave amplification through stimulated emission of radiation) cannons and a retractable omnidirectional receiving and transmitting rod antenna in his right shoulder. His chest module contains a storage bay capable of holding a mid-size vehicle. In Autobot City mode, he has a helipad and ramps leading to the storage bay and various repair bays.^[5] Although it is a common misconception that Metroplex is unable to fly, Metroplex was depicted as being able to fly in robot mode in the final episode of the Japanese exclusive Headmasters series as well as in the IDW comics.

Marvel Comics

Metroplex appears in the Marvel UK "Space Pirates" arc. In 2008, the Quintessons invaded and captured Autobot City, but the actions of Hot Rod allowed its living core, Metroplex, to rise up from beneath the city and wipe out their entire fleet.

Metroplex also has a biography printed in the Transformers: Universe series.

Animated series

The volcano headquarters of the Autobots on Earth was destroyed in a Decepticon attack. Now, in the year 2006, Autobot City has become the new Autobot Earth base. Autobot City is also a Transformer, known as Metroplex, with the capacity to transform from city mode to a battle station, or to a giant robot. Metroplex is the Autobots' last line of defense, the robot they depend upon when all other options fail. When Metroplex transforms to a robot, some of his modular components form smaller, separate robots: Six-Gun, the ideal defensive battle scout, Slammer, the tank, and Scamper, the tough little car that berths in Metroplex's city ramp. To counter the power of Metroplex on Earth, the Decepticons have built Decepticon City, known as Trypticon. The city can transform to battle station mode, becoming a mobile menace with X-ray lasers and twin photon cannons. Trypticon also has a dinosaur mode, an immense walking reptilian form that crushes anything in its path. Metroplex and Trypticon are each other's deadliest enemies. Whenever they approach one another, they lock in battle and engage in incredible combat, and the victor and their epic struggles may someday turn the tide of battle in favor of either the Decepticons or the Autobots. Which shall it be?

Metroplex rose out of the ruins of Autobot City after the Battle of Autobot City. During that attack, he was seen transforming from city to battle station by manual control. During the fighting, his Transformation Cog was destroyed. After the battle, he received a new Cog with the help of Sky Lynx, Wheelie, Blurr, and Marissa Faireborn, and it was installed by Pipes. Unfortunately, Metroplex was unable to stop the newly constructed Trypticon from destroying the Ark, but he did defeat the Decepticon afterwards and hurled the dinosaur into the ocean. The next time Metroplex is called into action was to stop Trypticon and Octane from stealing global monuments and bringing them to Carbombya in exchange for "super-energon". During a battle in Moscow, Metroplex caught the Kremlin^[6] which Trypticon hurled at him, and was then attacked by Russian troops. This led the Russians (and other humans) to believe that the Autobots were behind the thefts. All was set straight when the Autobots learned Trypticon's whereabouts in Carbombya and Metroplex defeated Trypticon again. Metroplex subsequently returned all of the monuments to their original residences.

When Starscream made his deal with Unicron for a new body, Unicron requested the eyes of Metroplex in one of the tasks. Starscream possessed the body of Scourge and infiltrated Metroplex, stealing one of his eyes but accidentally destroying the other. In a fit of rage, Metroplex unexpectedly transformed into robot mode and began shooting wildly at anyone in range. A bomb planted by Starscream knocked Metroplex unconscious and caused him to transform back to city mode. His eyes were rebuilt after Unicron's plan was foiled by the combination of some Autobots and Decepticons.

If Metroplex has any weakness, it is the fact that due to his sheer size he requires other Autobots to protect and maintain him when he is in city mode. The Starscream incident is one example, and another is the time when Swindle was able to steal the Transformation Cog while other Decepticons created a diversion. This once again left Metroplex vulnerable. The Autobots (with Spike and Daniel) retaliated by stealing Trypticon's Cog and installing it in Metroplex. The Decepticons naturally used Metroplex's Cog in Trypticon, and this allowed both to at least partially transform and fight each other. Metroplex was in danger of losing the battle when First Aid properly aligned Metroplex's new Cog. This enabled Metroplex to fully transform and defeat the giant dinosaur.

Metroplex is seen only a couple other times in the cartoon continuity. One was when he is attacked by Soundwave with the powerful 'harmonics'. The harmony shorted out Metroplex's circuits, who was saved only when Blaster attacked Soundwave and erased his tapes. Metroplex was also shown being shut down by Rodimus Prime during the Hate Plague outbreak, in order to keep him from also going berzerk and unleashing his power on everything.

Metroplex continued to appear in the Japanese Headmasters series. His role in the series was much the same as in series 3 of the American cartoon, battling Trypticon on numerous occasions.

After the death of Ultra Magnus, Metroplex was appointed the new Autobot Earth Commander by Fortress Maximus.

Dreamwave Productions

In the Dreamwave Productions Generation One series the Autobots had just started to build Autobot City in Alaska before the series ended due to the company going out of business. Holograms of Metroplex in city mode are seen as parts of the plans for Autobot City, so it is assumed he would have been created as part of the city or occupied it.

Devil's Due Publishing

Metroplex would also receive a brief mention in the third G.I. Joe vs. Transformers crossover from Devil's Due Publishing. Near the end Optimus Prime speculates on future threats. In one of these scenes Metroplex confronts his rival Trypticon as part of the background to G.I. Joe Extreme's Sgt. Savage fighting Iron Klaw, thus incorporating the G.I. Joe extreme story line with the mainstream G.I. Joes.

IDW Publishing

In Spotlight: Metroplex Metroplex is found protecting something on the planet Salvvatan VIII when the Throttlebots make their way there while being chased by Sixshot. After stomping on the Decepticon, Metroplex leaves the Throttlebots despite their pleas for help in the war, saying he has a mission. He is last seen flying away in battle station mode.

He is next seen in Transformers: Ironhide as a bodyguard for Alpha Trion on Cybertron.

Toys

• Generation 1 Metroplex with Sixgun, Slammer and Scamper (1986)

Metroplex was redecoed blue for the Japanese exclusive Decepticon Metrotitan.^[7] This toy was reissued by Takara in 2008 as part of their Encore line.^[8]

• Transformers Jr. Metroplex (1987)

Transformers: Cybertron

A different character named Metroplex (called Megalo Convoy in the original Japanese version, Transformers: Galaxy Force) exists in the Transformers: Cybertron toyline and universe. He is the leader of the Giant Planet (also known as Gigantion in Cybertron and Gigalonia in Galaxy Force) where Transformers are much bigger than traditional sizes and the main way of life involves constructing new cities on top of the old ones. Metroplex transforms into a futuristic strip miner and acts somewhat like a foreman on Giant Planet; he's first seen reminding a comrade that "Safety First" is their goal. He and Quickmix (Blender in Japan, another Giant Planet resident and Metroplex's best friend) join the Autobots after a fight with Megatron destroys part of his city. Metroplex is responsible for Megatron being upgraded to Galvatron.

His primary weapon is an axe-like weapon with a sawblade for the head, while his Cyber Key power opens it into a more traditional and powerful axe-blade, which he can also throw like a boomerang.

Though it doesn't appear to be given a name in Japan, the box of the US toy refers to Metroplex's axe-like weapon as 'Sparkdrinker', likely as a reference to his past as a warrior, how some warriors named their favorite weapon, as well as the 'Lifedrinker' axe that appears in versions of the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game ('Spark' being a Transformer equivalent to a soul). He has two robot modes, a large one and a smaller one (called "Work Mode") which is achieved by collapsing his torso and legs, and turning his waist back 180 degrees. While never explicitly referred in the show, that look was used as an "in-between" during his stock footage transformation, as well as whenever Metroplex had to fit in smaller spaces.

Though never stated, the references to his former warrior nature are most likely to Metroplex being a warrior during the invasion by Planet X, and likely his actions both then and afterwards are what eventually earns him the role of leader.

According to exclusive bio information in the Transformers Collectors' Club magazine #15 Drill Bit's function is "Coordinator". He plans all the Mini-Con work on Gigantion, and many of those Mini-Cons consider him the leader of their planet.

Animated series

The most notable thing about Metroplex is that he is one of the few Transformers in the series to be able to defeat Megatron single handedly, making him comparatively one of the more powerful characters in the series. When he refuses to let the Decepticons go to the lower levels of the planet, Megatron attacks him with Nemesis Breaker, then deduces Metroplex to be slow and stupid because of his size and strength. He is promptly proven wrong when Metroplex jumps over his next attack, and stomps on top of the Decepticon leader, then swats away his minions trying to help him. When Megatron gets out finally and tries to attack again, Metroplex activates his Cyber Key Power, and crushes Megatron with such force with his axe that he's knocked through the ground and into a subterranean level, in such a state of disrepair that only Megatron's stubborn will not to give up keeps him alive. Unfortunately, when Megatron was recreated as Galvatron the tables were turned and it was Metroplex's turn to receive a severe beating.

Metroplex also proves to be rather protective of others. Despite being ganged up on by Decepticons, he yells to Quickmix to help the Autobots instead of him, and on at least two occasions saves the lives of the human kids; once by slicing through a steel beam about to fall on them, and later by shielding them from a giant falling rock with his body.

In the final episode of Transformers: Cybertron, Optimus Prime (Galaxy Convoy) proposed a new Space Bridge project using the power of the four Cyber Planet Keys and the four great Cybertronian ships. Many Autobots and former Decepticons joined in the project. Metroplex lead the Lemuria and Gigantia Cyber Planet Key with Drillbit, Signal Lancer, Undermine and Brimstone.

Like the other large robots on Gigantion, Metroplex has a stereotyped European accent that lies somewhere between Irish and Scottish (possibly Ulster-Scots).

Toys

• Cybertron Leader Metroplex with Drillbit

A bonus pack version of Cybertron Metroplex sold in late 2006 included Clocker.^[9]

Transformers

In the video game based on the 2007 Transformers film, there is a mall area of Tranquility, the city in which Sam Witwicky lives. Outside the mall is a sign that says "Metroplex Mall" - a reference to the character.

Transformers Animated

A structure called The Metroplex appears in Transformers Animated season 3. In the episode "Transwarped", the Autobots' Cybertronian headquarters bears a great resemblance to G1 Metroplex's city mode. In "This is Why I Hate Machines", the base is referred to as "The Metroplex". However, the series has not established (or even referred to) an ability to transform into a colossal-sized robot. Since the TV series has ended, it can be assumed that the name is only a reference to G1, and not an indication that it can transform.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

Video games

In Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, Metroplex is activated by Optimus Prime, who asks him to help repel a Decepticon attack on the launch site of the Ark. He later saves Optimus from the Decepticons and kills Megatron, who is rebuilt by Soundwave soon afterwards. He later transfers the last of his energy reservoirs to the Ark so the Autobots can leave Cybertron, but at the cost of his own life.

Toys

• Generations Titan Class Metroplex (2013)

At 26" tall and worth $125.99, this new Metroplex toy is billed as "the biggest ever Transformer", overtaking the previous holder, Fortress Maximus, which was 22 inches tall. The figure is scaled for Legends class toys.^[10]

References

• Furman, Simon (2004). Transformers: The Ultimate Guide. DK Publishing Inc. p. 67. ISBN 1-4053-0461-8. 

External links

• Metroplex on the Transformers Wiki