Pardon me if I have missed this, as this isnt a part of the forum I frequent. but after seeing the images on the front page, i have to wonder something. For a show thats an extended toy commercial, why add Smokescreen to the ranks when he doesnt have a toy even?(save the knockout repaint).
I was always under the impression that the toy comes first in the creative process and the show charecter is modeled from it. So is this the new norm or is Prime just running backwards?

 

I remember them saying that they didn't want to make this show "a glorified toy commercial."

If its primary role really was as a toy commercial we'd probably have a voyager Breakdown, Jet Vehicon, Insecticon, Shockwave, and a deluxe Smokescreen toy released or even just announced for a US release by now.

 

He has an upcoming Cyberverse toy.   Because we need new characters in the show?

 

This.

There haven't been any new Autobots, excluding throwaway dead guys like Tailgate and Seaspray, since Wheeljack way back into episode 8. It's about time we got another Autobot to join the ranks, if only for the show's sake and not just for the toys.

 

Not disputing the need for new charecters at all and in fact that kind of turned me off to first season and I havent caught much of season 2.

 

Hopefully the beast hunters line goes better, RID has been underwhelming at best between absent toys here in the US, and terrible distribution

 

Takara wanted a figure of him out as soon as possible, so they decided to just put a new head on the Knock Out mold and reuse it for Smokescreen. I'm confident Hasbro has a new mold Deluxe class figure for Smokes in the works. I would be surprised if he wasn't a part of Beast Hunters wave 2.

 

Early on The Hub said that they wanted to make shows that put itself before toy-making. It's probably a Hasbro move to avoid looking like their channel is nothing but a way to advertise even more Hasbro toys at once.

 

Alongside Voyagers for Shockwave and the Insecticons in Beast Hunters Voy. Wave 2?

Sounds legit.

 

Transformers Prime is a rather odd show that we are two seasons in and there still aren't figures for some characters. Thus it wasn't odd at all for the show to add a new character without a toy to hit shelves at the same time.

As to why they needed Smokescreen the show really needed something to shake up the Autobot team dynamic a bit. Characters were getting a little too grim with a little too much doom and gloom so a new guy that is all gung ho because he's not worn down by war is kind of a breath of fresh air.

 

They just wanted to.

 

I know this isn't exactly what we're discussing but I feel like Hasbro should stop making shows just to sell toys. I'm a huge fan of the fiction and barely care about the toys. I feel like Hasbro is taking an approach where they care alot about the mythology and story telling of Transformers. In fact, series like BW, BM, Animated, Prime and some of the comics are examples that Transformers fiction is more than an advertisment for Hasbro. Of course, they should use every series to "sell toys" because they are a toy company but because alot of fans care more about the fiction maybe they can make it a 50-50 thing rather than being 60-40 or something like that in favor of the toys

 

Ok so like why are they releasing breakdown in Japan when he's 1 of the main characters. Their like doing that the good characters that some of us actually like!

 

Because they had created the model for Season 1, but they replaced him with Cliffjumper.

And now they're milking his model for all it's worth before they never use it again...

 

I'd be happy if they would just get at least 5 of each faction for both the cartoon and as a figure:

1. Brawn
2. Dinobots (Grimlock, Slag, Sludge, Snarl & Swoop)
3. Drift
4. Hotrod
5. Hound
6. Jazz
7. Jetfire
8. Mirage
9. Perceptor
10. Prowl
11. Red Alert
12. Sideswipe
13. Sunstreaker
14. Tracks
15. Trailbreaker

1. Astrotrain
2. Blackout
3. Blitzwing
4. Cyclonus
5. Devastator (Scrapper, Bonecrusher, Scavenger, Mixmaster, Long Haul & Hook)
6. Dragstip
7. Galvatron
8. Insecticons (Shrappnel, Bombshell, Kickback & Hardshell)
9. Motormaster
10. Reflector
11. Scorponok
12. Scourge
13. Sixshot
14. The Cassettes (Bigger versios of Buzzsaw, Laserbeak, Ratbat & Ravage)
15. The Coneheads (Ramjet, Thrust & Dirge)

 

Why exactly did they put cliffjumper in instead of smokescreen? Was it just an excuse for Dwayne to make a few extra bucks? Because honestly his death in the first episode had zero impact.

 

Oh it has....on Arcee.

 

I mean impact on the audience...

 

Wasn't it because the writers wanted to give the viewers the impression anything could happen?

When I first watched season 1 saw watched Cliffjumper get skewered by Screamer, I was expecting a resurrection gimmick in a few episodes to bring Cliffjumper back. Then when it didn't come and Megatron cleaved him in half, I was surprised. But now that we're at the end of the second season and the Autobots have lost anything since, I think it's safe to say the impact on the audience wore off.

 

They used "Cliffjumper" to show they might "jump off cliffs" once in a while, but they have "been away from the ledge" (Autobot wise) for a while.