It seems that Grimlock prefers to be in alt. mode all the time, during the G1 cartoons you almost forgot he was a transformer; it felt like he was the Autobots's dino pet instead.
Any ideas why this is so?, has it been mentioned anywhere else? anyone ever offered an explanation for this? Just curious.
Thanks for the reply guys

 

That only happened in Season 3... in the first 2 seasons, and the comic, he spent just as much time, if not more time, in bot mode.

 

Perhaps he just really likes his alt mode. A robot is nice and everything but a robotic T-Rex just totally kicks ass. Heck even Beast Wars Megatron seemed a bit fond of his T-Rex mode, yes.

 

In season one it was explained that the dinosaur alt modes were the dinobots strongest mode. the dino modes were bullet/laser proof & could resist more damage that the robots modes. I'd imagine any transformer would prefer to stay & fight in his strongest mode. since the dinobots were animals there beast modes had just as much joints & flexibilty as there bot modes. unlike vechicles alt modes that are boxy with zero flexible articulated joints.

I think the dinobots were in dino modes in the 1986 movie. due to 2 key factors. (1) It was a lot cheaper from a animated cost stand point to just animate one mode & forget about the other or use it less. to save money in animation. (2) The dinobots had no personalities in seasons 1 & 2. expect for acting like drones or spolied angry brats. Perhaps the 1986 movie writers figured having the 5 dinobots in dino mode most of the time would give them a radical newer funnier personalities. where as that same funny persona would have looked award on the transformed robot modes of the dinobots.

Clearly season 3 grimlock being stuck in dinosaur mode & being a clueless comedian. was taken directly from the 1986 movie & was enhanced to new levels in season 3.

A lot of people complain about grimlock being stuck in dinosaur mode & being too funny in season 3. what most don't realize is,it was either the funny grimlock or no grimlock in season 3. because a lot of the season 1 & 2 transformers were not in season 3. it was simply a case of filling the comedian role that season 3 needed & grimlock was chosen as the best candidate. there certainly wasn't the option available for grimlock to play the
other persona he played in seasons 1 & 2 in season 3

 

To be fair, that's where he was immune from energon buildup  

 

Stronger mode I guess but I just assumed he felt comfortable in T-Rex mode.

 

Kids like dinosaurs. It also made him more unique. When in robot mode, he'd be just another humanoid robot. In T-Rex mode, it gave more variety to the characters around. It also helps he can still walk around, do stuff & talk in dino mode.

 

Because he is so awesome that he can do whatever he wants!

 

I think it's easier to put Grimlock in his T-rex mode for comedy purposes because he can have better expressions than in robot mode.

I'm guessing you've never watched Beast Machines. Megatron became a Organicaphobic Nazi just like everybody in Transformers Animated.

 

Given the choice which would you choose?

 

Beast Machines is to Beast Wars what All Hail Megatron is to early IDW, so you can't expect everyone to accept its existance 

 

Yes I did watch Beast Machines and Megatron ended up with a totally different personality in that series. But in Beast Wars when he got his T-Rex mode and then his Transmetal T-Rex mode he seemed rather taken with it.

 

This isn't quite true. A lot of season 1 and 2 transformers were not in season 3 BECAUSE THEIR TOYS WERE NO LONGER BEING SOLD/MARKETED BY HASBRO. That's why Tracks, Grapple, Mirage etc never showed up again.

However, the Dinobots (who were brisk sellers in 1985, when first released) WERE part of Hasbro's official 1986 lineup, therefore their inclusion in the cartoon was assured. It had nothing to do with Grimlock's personality.

As trivia, Jazz, Starscream and Bumblebee were also still in the 1986 lineup of toys (off the top of my head, the only "first series" characters besides Soundwave and certain cassettes to still be so), and all three make appearances of sorts in season 3. One wonders if Jazz's appearances would have been more had Scatman Crothers not passed away.

 

transmetal megs seemed to love that damned flight mode that is for sure...that and blasting away like a happy sniper with his tail gun at maximals.

 

This! Couldn't said it better myself.

 

LOL that's what i thought.
Thanks guys, all sound explanations.

 

Dinosaurs destroy stuff better than humanoid robot modes. You know how Grimlock is.

Always loved dinosaur alt modes.

 

Because dinosaurs are teh awesome! If you had a choice between robot (still very cool) or Mr. T mode, which would you choose? Then try to selling it to kids...

 

If I had a TREX alt mode I would stay in the too.