Initially, I was really glad as to how much Hasbro seemed to be pushing Cliffjumper for this series: he's in the prequel comic, he's featured as a serious badass in the promo vids, he's played by the freakin' Rock. Though, he's not being featured in so many promotional pictures as I'd hope. Unfortunately, a speculative thought I fear to be accurate comes to mind due to this: Cliffjumper may not be a main cast member of the series. He may be all awesome in the first five episodes, then he "sacrifices" himself or gets stuck in a wormhole trying to help the Autobots or some other excuse. Then if he ever shows up again in future episodes, it very well may be for 'special occasions' like, "oh wow, here's some miracle or plot device, and hey, Cliff's back!"

This speculation is fueled mainly because of the main characters of the show, he's not usually featured in the videos standing side by side with any of them, nor in most pictures (aside from these two, and the comic, which seems to be supplementing us of CJ because he won't appear in the show as often).

Thoughts? Comments? Rebuttals?

 

They couldn't afford to hire The Rock for the entire season?

 

My thoughts exactly, Dwayne Johnson is still a surprise to say the least, and he isn't the guardian of one of the humans like the others (Bumblebee and Raf, Arcee and Jack, Bulkhead and Miko). Writing out Cliffjumper after how much the fans have invested in him is certainly more shocking than well, movie Jazz (Orci and Kurtzman making it up to us again then). I keep thinking of how Torchwood set up Indira Varma as a member of the main cast, only for her to be in the pilot and a later episode of the series.

 

It's not too hard for actors to work in voice acting with all the other projects they have running. I've lost count of the voice roles someone like Tina Fey has done.

We've seen the clip where it looks like Cliffjumper is fighting on his own so I've been wondering if maybe the plot is that he is somehow separated from the other Autobots at first and it's only later that he can joint up with the other Autobots to fight the Decepticons.

It would be a darn shame to loose the jabroni beating, pie eating, trail blazing, eyebrow raising, Autobot champ, Cliffjumper after only a few episodes.

 

Damnit, that was a point I meant to add but had to leave the house.

Yeah, I think because The Rock isn't a regular voice actor, his pay would be considerably higher, and thus so would Cliffjumper's dialogue (if not his appearance).

 

i agree, i feel he will be there for the mini-seies beginning, but not stick around. which makes me sad.

 

I was thinking the same thing, but we don't have any real facts to back it up. I wouldn't be surprised if Cliffjumper turns out to be a character that only pops up occassionally.

 

I see if Cliffjumper went as a Bounty Hunter for the Autobots.

 

cliffjumper is already my favorite bot of the series and all he has done so far is yell!

 

Same here, I want a toy really badly.

 

He has been my favorite since the first image of him it be damn depessing if he is not a major character

 

For once since G1 they actually made a Cliffjumper that wasn't just a red Bumblebee! I really hope he stays a main character and eventually gets a toy!

 

Energon Cliffjumper says hi.

 

Don't you mean Downshift  

 

yea, but that wasn't even meant to be cliffjumper, they just named it that, because it was a name they already owned, *or wanted to re"own", either way it was not meant to be cliffjumper, if anything it looked more like sandstorm lol



MrSoundwaveGuy: haha   thanks to that damn energon dub.    

 

he could just not talk mutch. or maybe change his voice actor after the miniseries

 

As long as the figure has one eyebrow raised then I want one.

 

I think u guys are reading into it too much. The Rock isn't THAT expensive, and it is probably a fun side project for him. Cliffy will probably be a regular cast member and keep the voice.

 

Yeah yeah I think you guys are kind of overreacting about The Rock's price, I mean, would they really hire somebody if they couldn't pay 'em? They apparently also have a pretty good budget for VA because of ERNIE HUDSON, JEFFREY CROMB and I also heard that Frank Welker isn't the cheapest around either!

 

Ernie Hudson isn't a surprise, I don't know who Cromb is, Welker isn't the cheapest, but he's still a VA. The Rock is a world-known star, known far more than either of those three, continuously starring in big-budget movies. I don't think this speculation of Johnson's availability is unreasonable.