Waspinator (Fugitive)

Status: Not Released

Release Date: 2009

Size Class: Deluxe

Suggested Age: 5+

Recolors/Reuses: Animated Bumblebee , Elite Guard Bumblebee , Legacy of Bumblebee Animated Bumblebee

Additional Toy Info: Fugitive Waspinator will be a repaint of the Deluxe Animated Bumblebee according to the Hasbro panel at Botcon 2009. He will represent the earth mode Wasp seen in "Where is Thy Sting" and "Predacons Rising", but will not feature the remolded helmet seen on Wasp in these episodes. According to Hasbro copy writer Forest Lee, this will be explained in the bio as being "Wasp, after switching helmets with Bumblebee, but before changing his colors".

The toy is named Fugitive Waspinator to better tie it into the character of Waspinator who the character eventually evolves into.

Voice Actor: Tom Kenny

Cartoon Overview
Wasp was a candidate at the Autoboot Camp at the same time as Bumblebee. From the moment they met, they did not get on, even though they were forged from the same Protoform mold. Their mutual dislike only grew with every mistake that Bumblebee made, making the whole platoon suffer from "Sergeant Sentinel Minor"'s transform up punishments. When Bumblebee discovered that there was a spy among the cadets, he thought that Wasp was the one, and approached intelligence officer-hopeful Longarm to help him. Longarm tipped off Bumblebee about a surprise locker inspection, which enabled Bumblebee to unmask Wasp as a Decepticon Spy, and Wasp was taken away to prison.

Unfortunately, Bumblebee and Wasp were both victims of the real spy's deception - Longarm, aka Shockwave, set up Wasp to take the fall for him! Later, he arranged for Wasp to break out, for as yet unknown purposes (but possibly to distract suspicion from himself that he might be the Decepticon agent). Evading capture from Sentinel Prime, Wasp dived through a Space Bridge. But his time in prison had taken a toll - Wasp was insane, muttering to himself about getting revenge on "Bumble-bot".

Wasp made it to Earth in season 3's "Where is Thy Sting?" and went straight for Bumblebee. His plan was simple - take advantage of how himself and Bumblebee shared many components, and swap paint jobs, helmets and voice synthesizers so he could pass as Bumblebee and Bumblebee would be carted off to the stockade in his place. He managed to fool Sentinel Prime and the Elite Guard, but he could not fool the other Autobots who noticed that something was wrong. Once Bumblebee convinced Bulkhead and Prowl that he was Bumblebee, everyone confronted Wasp. But Wasp had memorized all the Autobot's files and could easily play at being Bumblebee - until Bulkhead brought up how Bumblebee was the best player around at Ninja Gladiator. Wasp (who was useless at the game) cracked under the pressure and grabbed Bumblebee as a hostage, then shot out the lights and dumped Bumblebee (who was back to his old colors thanks to electromagnetic paint) outside. Wasp made good his escape, but reappeared in Predacons Rising, where he was first captured by the Dinobot Swoop, then delivered to Blackarachnia and talked into participating in an experiment that warped the former Autobot into the monstrous Waspinator. As Waspinator, Wasp attacked Sentinel Prime and Bumblebee, before the Transwarp element of his mutation grew unstable and caused him to be shunted to an unknown location along with Blackarachnia.

Powers and Abilities

Like Bumblebee, Wasp possesses Stingers. Unlike Bumblebee, Wasp has more skill with the use of his Stingers, at least back at boot camp. If they met now, it is uncertain if Bumblebee would have improved compared to Wasp.

Contributors: Sol Fury, Magmatron

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