It's been a while since I last watched anything from the original series, post-movie. Just curious, how many characters were actually built by the Autobots vs getting created before the great war?

I remember the Ark crew building the Aerialbots ("Key to Vector Sigma") and the Dinobots, and I know Grimlock built the Technobots ("Grimlock's New Brain"), but I can't remember if any other characters were built as well.

For example, was Metroplex built on Earth, or was he a character who came to Earth off-screen, and Autobot City was built around him to help hide him from the Decepticon's? What about the other combiner's? I've been trying to find the info, but I can't seem to find any specific details.

 

The Transformers (cartoon) - Transformers Wiki

List of Generation 1 comics - Transformers Wiki

 

Thank you @The621, but neither link actually answer the questions I have.

 

There's not really a definitive answer.
Some guys just showed up without ANY explenation.
That's why we have headcanon.
Make up a list for yourself.

 

That might be because it really is no other answers

At least when it comes to Metroplex the Japanese version of the cartoon added an episode in which where he was built on Earth at a secret base , but it never aired in the Hasbro cartoon so technically it's not part of the history so how he's created is up in the air

As to your other question no other Autobots we're fully created in the show the Ariel Bots the technobots and the Dinobots were the only teams that we know for sure were created by other Autobots, several other characters and teams just seem to appear without any explanation

bumblebee was rebuilt into gold-bug buy a Quintason, and Alpha Trion rebuilt Orion Pax and Ariel into Optimus Prime and Elita 1.

That's pretty much all we got

 

Ah, okay. I thought that I may have been missing something with some of the characters. All I could find were links similar to what The621 shared (only having lists or breakdowns of individual episodes). So having the characters just pop-up, helps explain why I thought I was missing details. Thank you.

 

Ouch! burn!  

Most just showed up or were "around". I presume you mean from the G1 cartoon, from your above mentions of
Dinobots, Arialbots, Technobots. There were other characters who were re-built into new bodies, regardless of given new life force or not. These include:

Other characters had new temporary bodies built, while some had no life force at all, but still were built with names.

So full continuity (episode) order:

S1
Dinobots 1-3
Dinobots 4 & 5

S2
Autobot Spike
Arialbots
Optimus Prime - 9 Million years ago, by Alpha Trion
Elita 1 - 9 Million years ago, by Alpha Trion

Movie
Rodimus Prime -created by the Autobot Matrix

S3
Technobots

S4
The Nebulan Autobot Headmasters
Human Headmaster Daniel
The Nebulan Autobot Targetmasters
Human Headmaster Spike
Fortress Maximus


Don't count Alannah and merman Seaspray, as the Autobots didn't create their bodies.
Metroplex
Goldbug, Optimus Prime built by a Quintesson

 

I personally wouldn't count the humanoid Target and Headmasters because they were not exactly created they are just very special suits

and I'm not sure I would call what happened to Rodimus a rebuild

 

Don't forget the Decepticons. Megatron build the Stunticons and Constructicons. The Constructicons also build Megatron. And Starscream built the Combaticons, although he had less work to do then everyone else in the show  

And Unicron rebuilt Megatron into Galvatron and he built Cyclonus, Scourge and the sweeps.

 

As I said about Rodimus I'm not sure what I would call unicron's actions as rebuilding

 

The post is just about the Autobots.
If you consider Decepticon constructions then Unicron wouldn't count, as he was not a Decepticon.

I draw the line after exo suits. Spike and Daniel from the movie wouldn't count, even with Transforming suits cause they weren't integrated with Autobots.
Once they became headmasters, that changed. Same with Fort Max being a giga power suit for Cerebros.

And Rodimus Prime is definitely a rebuild, as his size, face, strength, and Transform were altered.
The main issue would be if the Matrix counts as Autobots rebuilding him.

 

I wouldn't count Prince Adams transformation into He-Man a true grow into adulthood nor would I call reallyBilly baxtons transformation into captain Marvel / Shazam growing up

Likewise I cannot call the Rodimus Prime upgrade a rebuild particularly when you consider that he revertz back when he no longer has the Matrix

as for the headmaster's since we are talking the cartoon I see very little difference between the Headmaster suits and the EXO suits that Daniel and Spike wore. true enough the comic books and the toy bios explained and more intricate connection with the connections being called bioengineering but if you look at the cartoon there's no evidence of that and in fact we could see them taking the suits off like you and I would take off a pair of underwear with absolutely no effort or ill effects

 

The revert back is a good point.
I still see Rodimus Prime as a build, even if there's an un-build when the Matrix is removed. It's like he's Transforming. Except this Transform was not there before.

As for the headmasters, you are right there was no bioengineering they were just power suits.
Which changes nothing for my previous reasons.

 

The links I provided were meant to be explored and messed around with and to visit the pages related to said subject.

Actually, when you boil down to exploring the comics and cartoon origin, they do give definitive answers on who's who and who's what in comparison and contrast, in addition with the whole idea of who's built or who's not. Grimlock and his team were already functioning members of Cybertron and participants of the war who happened to have been reactivated last moment as a plot device in the Marvel Comics.

Take Sky Lynx, a new character in the cartoon, introduced at random. Boastful and bluffing through battle, he comes in to "save the day" at the right time. Cartoon-wise of course. The comics explain he was around the same time with the Autobots when Wheeljack rescues him on many mentioned occasions in the past. Sky Lynx appears mostly in 1986 related media. However, his implication of Wheeljack rescuing him on multiple occasions leaves open ends whether he's an actual byproduct of Cybertron from the early day or Autobot-made. That's just one.

Another case involves the Technobots' origins. We all know them as the byproduct of Grimlock's enhanced super science brain, couple with his meddling in Unicron's parts to engineer and cast the Technobots. In the comics, they're already functional members of Fortress Maximus's faction of war waging brutes who, along with Fort Max, got tired of war and couldn't have been a byproduct of reverse engineering.

The Protectobots appeared outta nowhere in The Revenge of Bruticus as last moment cavalry. Comicwise, they were created and reverse-engineered from the same schematics of the Aerialbots, in turn, were created from Vector Sigma's authority of Optimus Prime's use of the Matrix on 5 machines, parts, and Cybertronian tech. Except the Protectobots were scratchbuilt by maniacal genius Wheeljack and his cadre.

Let's not forget the Headmasters. Those guys were part of Fortress Maximus' team alongside the Targetmasters who were fighting to end war in other parts of the galaxies to defend peace for millions of years. Way before they met up with Optimus Prime's team. Except, they got tired of war and suddenly wanted to become pacifists. This group was a militia fighting before Optimus and his crew and wanted to tap out of the war before even the awakening of the Autobots on Earth back then. So these guys couldn't be built from Autobot tech.

Still a "burn"?

These are all the cartoon origins of "built" Autobots. There's not even a list or decent mention of a Marvel Comics Autobot being built and some of the mentions are modifications, partnerships, powerboosts, redux, or upgrades. Good job looking smug.

 

that's not completely accurate, the UK comics may have done some explaining as to where the protectabots came from but that was not the case in the u.s. comics they just appeared and a story with Optimus Prime with little explanation as to where they came from or if they were newly created

 

So are characters like the Dinobots, that were built on Earth, without Vector Sigma actually "alive"? Or are they just advanced A.I. but without a spark or a lasercore, or life force, or whatever?

 

Metroplex was shown being constructed in the Japanese Scramble City cartoon.

The 3rd Marvel UK annual had the story Ark Duty, where the Autobots were preparing to build Metroplex/Autobot City.

 

Pretty much Metroplex's only origin that makes sense in the G1 toon is that he was created on Earth for Autobot city. Given the fact that Perceptor build a new Cog and First Aid was "the only one who knew about his internal construction" they were both instrumental in his creation.

 

When they were created, the concept of a Laser Core had been thought out (same season ep), but how Transformers regularly got life had not yet been established.
in Later eps, the Dinobots' life force was never detailed or an issue as being different from the others'.

Personal canonly, there's a reason why new life was hardly made on the show. This means it must be very difficult to succeed, especially since the Dinobots were originally concluded to be a failed experiment.
Of course the next ep they Easily made 2 more, ruining my conclusion!  

While that's a separate continuity, I Personal canonly consider Metroplex's creation woulda bin very close to that ep's depiction.

Very true!  

 

The other two were not Built in the next episode