Swindle (G1)
From Transformers Wiki
| The name or term "Swindle" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Swindle (disambiguation). |
- Swindle is a Decepticon Combaticon from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Capitalist first, Decepticon second, Swindle is a con-man, an opportunist, a hustler—or as he would put it, an entrepreneur. Unlike his fellow Combaticons, he considers the Autobot-Decepticon war to be merely an opportunity for networking, cutting deals, and making profit. He's an expert on all manner of weaponry and their market prices, and he prides himself on being able to sell anything to pretty much anybody.
Despite being a weaselly, opportunistic sneak, Swindle is one of the few Decepticons who could adapt to a post-war Cybertron. After all, there will always be demand for a black market, regardless of whoever wins. He knows all he has to do is keep his chin up, and he'll always have a customer. All he needs is a smile.
Swindle can combine with the other Combaticons to form Bruticus.
Fiction
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Johnny Haymer (English), Osamu Saka (Japanese), Kōki Kataoka (Japanese, "Aerial Assault"), Ken Shiroyama (Japanese, 2010), Yoku Shioya (Japanese, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2"), Minoru Inaba (Japanese, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3"), Takurō Kitagawa (Japanese, "Webworld"), Xia Zhiqing (Chinese), Alejandro Abdalah (Latin American Spanish), Bernd Simon (German, "Five Faces of Darknes, Part 2 - 4" & "The Rebirth, Part 3"), Gerhard Acktun (German, "Webworld"), Imo Heite (German, "The Ultimate Weapon"), Ulf-Jürgen Wagner (German, Generation 2 dub of "Starscream's Brigade"), Peter Zilles (German, Generation 2 dub of "The Ultimate Weapon"), Georges Atlas (European French), Albert Augier (European French, "The Revenge of Bruticus"), Michel Barbey (European French, "Five Faces of Darkness", Parts 2 & 4), Unknown (European French, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3"), François Leccia (European French, "Webworld"), Júlio César (Portuguese), Marcos Miranda (Portuguese, "The Revenge of Bruticus"), Carlos Marques (Portuguese, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2"), André Filho (Portuguese, "The Ultimate Weapon")
Swindle was one of the five renegade Decepticons liberated by Starscream in the Air Commander's latest attempt to unseat Megatron. As an element of their imprisonment, they had been reduced to mere personality components, so Starscream installed them into abandoned World War II military vehicles. Swindle in particular was put in a Willys Jeep,[1] and unlike his teammates, he didn't immediately reconfigure himself into a different vehicle form. Starscream called them "Combaticons" and announced their names as they transformed, but they didn't recognize him. Nor did they feel particularly indebted to him for their release; in the end, Starscream only guaranteed their loyalty though having given them bodies bereft of energy absorbers, so they would be dependent upon him to refuel. While their first missions for Starscream were initially successful, the Stunticons' intervention meant the brigade's defeat, and Megatron exiled all six to a remote asteroid. Starscream's Brigade
The Combaticons later escaped the asteroid and attacked Cybertron together as Bruticus. After being defeated again, Swindle and the Combaticons were reprogrammed to be loyal to Megatron. It's debatable how well that reprogramming took with Swindle. The Revenge of Bruticus
Megatron next ordered the Combaticons to steal fighter planes by using Middle-Eastern criminals as go-betweens. Swindle was the personal ride of Ali, the thief leader, and led the caravans with parts to Megatron. He later merged with the others to form Bruticus, who was defeated by the Aerialbots as Superion. Aerial Assault
Bruticus was next defeated by Defensor, and Swindle was the sole survivor of the team. He proceeded to sell the parts of his comrades to various people for a sweet finder's fee. Megatron was less than happy with this, however, as he had just constructed a giant death-ray for Bruticus to wield for him. No Combaticons, no Bruticus. Swindle tried to plead off his greed as a programming flaw, but Megatron wasn't having any of it. He installed a bomb in Swindle's head and gave him 15 hours to rebuild his fellow Combaticons or suffer their fate. The most elusive piece was Brawl's personality component, which had been raided from a junkyard by some high school kids building a homemade robot. Swindle had to fight through a trio of Autobots in order to recover the personality component, but succeeded in time to have the bomb removed. B.O.T.
Swindle is plainly a team player.
After the Decepticons were exiled to a burnt-out husk of a planet called Chaar in 2006, they dropped dangerously low on energon. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1 When they spotted Rodimus Prime and Grimlock spying on them, Swindle and the other Decepticons charged, only to find that their weapons were next to useless through lack of energon. The two Autobots were picked up by a Skuxxoid spaceship, and Swindle commented that the Skuxxoids would sell out to anyone, unaware that the ship had been commandeered by Autobots. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2 When the Quintessons arrived on Chaar, Dead End went out to meet them, and when they announced they wanted to make a deal, Dead End deferred to Swindle's negotiating skills. After determining that the energon the Quintessons were offering was good, Swindle talked to the Quintessons about a deal, and when it turned out they wanted the Decepticons to help them destroy the Autobots, the Decepticons were happy to volunteer their services. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3
The Decepticons were taken to Goo to attack the Autobots, only for Galvatron to arrive partway through the battle and demand the Decepticons return to him. Swindle, perhaps foolishly, asked what Galvatron would provide for them that the Quintessons hadn't. After some more "negotiations", Galvatron entered into an alliance with the Quintessons too. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4 As part of a two-pronged attack, Swindle was part of the Decepticon forces who went to Earth. They were unable to prevent Metroplex gaining a new transformation cog however. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5
Swindle and the other Combaticons accompanied Galvatron to Paradron, where at one point they were assigned to guard the Paradronian prisoners and failed to fend off an Autobot assault. Fight or Flee When the Autobots threw a surprise party for Daniel Witwicky, the Combaticons threw a surprise attack on the Autobots, however Ultra Magnus proved too much for them and they retreated in Blast Off. Surprise Party
Later, Swindle, along with Motormaster and Laserbeak, finally became so dissatisfied with Galvatron leadership that he openly grumbled that the Autobots would be doing the Decepticons a favor by killing Galvatron. Cyclonus interpreted this as treason, but Swindle brushed him off. Both he and Motormaster warned Cyclonus that if Galvatron's madness wasn't cured, the Unicron-forged pair would face rebellion. Webworld
On another occasion, Swindle singlehandedly infiltrated Metroplex for Galvatron and miraculously managed to fend off a lone Autobot pacifist like First Aid to steal the Titan's transformation cog. After returning from his mission, though, Swindle's greed got the best of him, and he attempted to make Galvatron bid for the cog. After Megatron put a bomb in his head, why Swindle thought bargaining with the even less stable Galvatron was a good idea is anyone's guess. Lucky for Swindle, Galvatron was in one of his less manic phases at the time and only blasted the greedy Combaticon a few times instead of ripping out his primary fuel pump with his teeth. The Ultimate Weapon
In their combined Bruticus form, the Combaticons fought Defensor but had to split up and flee when Rodimus Prime and Sky-Lynx arrived to provide backup. The Burden Hardest to Bear Also as part of Bruticus, Swindle was one of the victims of the Hate Plague. The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1
Swindle took part in a major assault on Cybertron, when the Headmasters and Targetmasters arrived, resulting in an Autobot defeat. The Combaticons were then put to work building a rocket engine to move Cybertron to Earth's solar system. The Rebirth, Part 3
Japanese cartoon continuity
Scramble City
When the Stunticons were dispatched to hinder the Autobots from constructing Scramble City, they were held up by the Aerialbots, so the Combaticons were sent to aid them. Swindle combined with the others to form Bruticus, who teamed up with Menasor to defeat Superion. Unfortunately, Scramble City was finished in the meantime, and soon arrived on the scene and defeated Bruticus. Scramble City: Mobilization
Story of Binaltech
In 2003, Swindle used his contacts to reverse-engineer the Cosmic Rust virus and ensure a large percentage of the Autobot force on Earth was incapacitated. Binaltech Is... When the Autobots joined forces with Earth's manufacturing industries to create the Binaltech project, Swindle worked with Starscream and his Decepticon faction to infiltrate the project for their own ends. Using modified cerebro-shell technology to turn human workers into sleeper agents, the Decepticons managed to sneak some of their own personality components into the facilities and replace them with those of the Autobots planned for the new bodies. Arise! Evil Binaltechs
Thanks to the Decepticons' efforts, the Central City Institute of Technology thought they were upgrading the Autobot Trailbreaker, only to have Swindle come online instead. Swindle's bait-and-switch wasn't totally effective, though—the Binaltech warriors only had their weaponry fully equipped and activated after coming online and arriving at Autobot City, so Swindle was not equipped with functioning versions of Trailbreaker's force field and other abilities, having to instead outfit himself with armaments from his own munitions depots. He was also banned from the Binaltech electro-cell recharging centers after his ruse was uncovered, and therefore had to rely on the Exponential Generator technology provided by Starscream's human ally, Doctor Arkeville. Though upgraded since its inception, the generators were historically unstable (like, "might blow up an entire planet" unstable). Expose All of Evil's Designs!
BT World
A team of Autobots zeroed-in on a base of operation of the Concurrence, finding Swindle working alongside the humans. Together, Swindle and the Concurrence had built an enormous artificial transformer, powered by the energies of Prowl's Spark, currently lost across dimensions. After the giant's defeat, Swindle was taken into custody. He pleaded his innocence, stating that building the artificial transformer was the humans' idea, and that he had merely advised them throughout the process. Unfinished Business, Part 2
The Headmasters cartoon
Swindle and the Combaticons were among Galvatron's troops when he ordered an all-out Decepticon invasion of Cybertron, Four Warriors Come out of the Sky but even the power of Bruticus couldn't stand up to the newly arrived Fortress Maximus. The Mystery of Planet Master The Combaticons were subsequently sent to Earth to stop Hot Rod from bringing the Matrix of Leadership to Optimus Prime, but were ambushed by the Protectobots and buried in a rockfall. Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime They were next seen defending Trypticon's city mode from an Autobot spy, but were distracted by the Aerialbots. The Great Cassette Operation
Galvatron eventually managed to invade Cybertron once more, and Swindle and the others were again part of the attack. They soon encountered those pesky Protectobots again, Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1 and were taken out of action by Defensor. Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2 As Galvatron was thought lost in the battle, Scorponok took control of the Decepticon forces and ordered the Combaticons and Stunticons to protect a giant carnivorous plant he had planted in San Francisco. When the Autobots arrived to kill it, Bruticus dueled with the Trainbot combiner Raiden. Head On!! Fortress Maximus The Combaticons later fell under Sixshot's command, and he ordered them, along with the Terrorcons and Horrorcons, to attack an Autobot energy facility in Miami. Ultra Magnus Dies!! They unleashed Bruticus as Sixshot continued his reign of terror over the Autobots on Earth. The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg
Swindle was later present at Scorponok's inauguration as Decepticon leader after Galvatron had died for real. I Risk My Life for Earth The Combaticons were then stationed at the planet Master, where they failed to lure Fortress Maximus away from their base. The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide As Scorponok's plan to destroy Earth came close to fruition, Swindle was part of Bruticus as the combiner sunk the luxury liner Queen World and defended a Death Tower in Australia from Defensor. The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1) As Bruticus, the Combaticons participated in the final battle with the Autobots at the North Pole, and retreated into space when Scorponok's energy-absorbing satellite started tearing the Earth apart. The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)
Unite Warriors
Trickdiamond was rumored to have dealings with Swindle. Unite Warriors Trickdiamond bio During an illegal arms trading market hosted by the Combaticons, Swindle decided to sell some home-made missiles... as well as Brawl's weapons. He was seen trying to explain his actions after his angry comrade noticed what was going on. Shopping at the Dark Bazaar!
Zone cartoon, manga, and story pages
Seeking to create a Decepticon Zone to counter the Autobot Zone, Decepticon Emperor Violengiguar gathered together the Nine Great Demon Generals, upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. Swindle was of those summoned, but only as part of Bruticus. Zone Part 1 Transformers: Zone Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!
TV Magazine comic continuity
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers story pages
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers comic
Swindle and the rest of the Combaticon team came to assist Menasor when he got into trouble with Superion and Defensor. As Bruticus, the team broke Defensor apart easily enough, but fell victims to Superion's electrostatic discharger rifle. The weapon hit Swindle and Brawl, who disconnected from Bruticus, allowing two Protectobots to steal their positions as Bruticus's legs. Swindle was left chasing after Bruticus as the Autobots took control of the combiner's flight systems and flew away with him. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5
Megatron later ordered the Combaticons to capture an escaped Battle Dog which he had imbued with energy. Powerglide eventually arrived to stop them, leading to the dog using its energy to give the Autobot Scramble Power. Swindle combined with his teammates to destroy Powerglide, but he and his Minibot friends used Scramble Power to combine and drill a hole straight through Bruticus, forcing him to retreat. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #8
The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers
In the year 2010, Swindle participated in a Decepticon attack on the planet Feminia. He and his team merged into Bruticus in order to battle alongside Menasor and Devastator against their Autobot counterparts Superion, Defensor and Omega Supreme. The fight was fairly evenly matched until Galvatron called up his ace-in-the-hole, Predaking, whose power was unmatched by any of the Autobots... except for the Omnibots, who essentially tied Predaking's shoelaces together until he fell over, straight into Bruticus and his chums, sending them all toppling to the ground and knocking them to bits. The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #5
The Great Transformer War
Galvatron kidnapped Doctor Dalton of Eran to upgrade the might of his combiner warriors. When the Autobot combiners arrived to save Dalton, Swindle and his teammates were deployed at high speeds from Onslaught's launcher mode. They met Superion in mid-air, and the force of their deployment enabled the combiner teams to tear him apart. The Combaticons then merged into Bruticus to move in for the kill. They were ultimately outwitted by the Autobots, however, who rescued Dalton and safely returned to Metroplex. The Great Transformer War #1
Wings Universe
Swindle was part of a Cybertron Elite Guard special ops unit created by Magnum to take out the various leaders of the new Decepticon faction, in the hopes of ending the war quickly. The Coming Storm: Part 2 During introductions, Swindle admired Dion's Nitronium launchers and offered him an Ajax P-9000 Grade-B Jump Launch Accelerator (Swindle had named his own "Thunderblast" after an old flame). The Combaticons were teamed with Metalhawk's Strike Team for a mission to an archeological dig in Median. The dig had uncovered the Heart of the Dragon, a powerful artifact coveted by the Decepticon Rage and his Stormtroopers. When the teams arrived and discovered that the archaeologists were all females, he announced the odds were high that they would all score.
They began to fortify the site, though Onslaught had to remind Swindle that he wasn't there to sell them the fortifications. He still managed to organize a trade with Over-Run, providing the Autobot with a drone. He also lent Lancer his Gyro-Gun and a dose of sexual harassment. The Decepticons still managed to break in to steal the urn, and even Swindle's idea of having the autoturrets shoot anyone trying to escape the city failed when the autoturrets apparently malfunctioned.
Tracking the Stormtroopers back to their mobile base, the Metrotitan, Swindle and the others were confronted by Rage's bizarre creations, the Minotorons. Dion suggested that Swindle use a device he'd removed from Over-Run's drone to produce a high-pitched noise and subdue the beasts. Seeing an opportunity to sneak inside, Blast Off, Swindle and Dion mounted the creatures when they were summoned back inside the Metrotitan.
The teams reassembled inside the base, only to be confronted by Brimstone, a small but powerful Transformer with atom-smashing breath, brought to life by the Heart of the Dragon. In the face of this new threat, they were forced to retreat while attempting to find a way to destroy it. Even Ironfist's explosives weren't enough to stop the creature, but the small frame proved to be insufficient to contain Brimstone's energies, and it soon exploded, destroying the Metrotitan. Swindle and the Elite Guard managed to escape the blast radius, and reported back to Magnum about a job well done. Swindle's report apparently read like a romance holo-pulp. Flames of Yesterday
The Combaticons and Strike Team continued to be teamed up for missions. They tracked down the Decepticon Shadowcaster's base and Swindle was given the task of dropping a fog grenade in to drive the officers out into the open. He hoped there was something he could loot, but Onslaught reminded him he was on a mission. He still managed to enlist Vortex's help in looting a particularly large piece of machinery, once the mission was completed. While the Strike Team went back to base, the Constructicons stuck around to investigate the area, and were captured by Decepticons. The Coming Storm: Part 3
Swindle was mostly impressed by the energy bars on their cell, as he knew someone who'd pay a small fortune for the technology. The Combaticons were brought before Deathsaurus, though Swindle was unable to take his eyes off the mountains of gold the Decepticon possessed. Deathsaurus persuaded the team to join his group of Decepticons. The Coming Storm: Part 4 He bestowed on the team new armor, and the ability to merge into Bruticus. A week later, the Combaticons took part in an attack on Elite Guard HQ, and when confronted by Sentinel Major, showed off their new Combiner mode. The Coming Storm: Part 5 Bruticus managed to slaughter pretty much all of the Guard before Dion blinded the giant, forcing them to separate. They headed back to Deathsaurus's base for repairs. The Coming Storm: Part 6
Repairs proceeded, but the Combaticons were startled to learn that Deathsaurus could force them to combine into Bruticus at will. Battle Lines, Part 1 Battle Lines, Part 2 They still turned out to help defend the base against the remnants of the Elite Guard. In mid battle, Swindle tried to interest Dion in a supply of quasar weapons, much to the Autobot's surprise. As the Combaticons gained the upper hand, they attempted to merge, only to be blasted mid-combination. Battle Lines, Part 3 They picked themselves up only to find that Blast Off was missing, so they couldn't make another try at forming Bruticus. Swindle was almost attacked by Dion, but another Decepticon surprised the Autobot from behind. At the end of the fight, the Combaticons failed to retreat fast enough and were subsequently taken into Elite Guard custody. Battle Lines, Part 4
In the hands of the compromised Gyronian Sentry Team, the Combaticons were whisked away to Deathsaurus's fortress, now under Megatron's control. Though Megatron gave them the option, none of them cared to help Deathsaurus, and they were imprisoned and their personality components subsequently interred in the Decepticon Detention Center. Battle Lines, Part 5
Marvel Comics continuity
Marvel The Transformers comics
Thanks to his brief time housing the Matrix in his mind, Buster Witwicky experienced a series of dreams outlining the future of Cybertronian technology: the Special Teams. These dreams were random and chaotic at first, as he was chased through his dreamscape by Combiner robots and witnessed the Combaticons merge into Bruticus. After Optimus Prime joined Buster in his dreams, the information became more linear, and the Autobot and human beheld a future scenario in which Swindle and the Combaticons joined forces with the Stunticons against the Protectobots and the Aerialbots. Working off this information, Wheeljack began to conceive a way to reverse-engineer and improve upon Devastator's combination technology. Unfortunately for the Autobots, Soundwave had managed to tap into Buster's dream frequency, and the Decepticons received the same information to build their own Special Teams. The Special Teams Have Arrived Second Generation!
On his first mission on Earth, Swindle joined the Combaticons and Megatron on a mission to invade the company Energy Futures Industries in order to steal a hydrothermocline, which the Decepticons wanted to take for their own energy resources. When they arrived, they were met by Optimus Prime and the Protectobots, laying in wait for them. Swindle combined with his team to form Bruticus, but before the giant got a chance to brawl with Defensor, a human suggested that they'd play a video game over the plant instead. Optimus Prime and Megatron both agreed, and Swindle was sent into the video game along with the other Combaticons, Protectobots, and faction leaders. Swindle teamed up with Brawl to destroy Streetwise and First Aid in the "Vineland" area of the game. However, they were tripped up by a bunch of vine creatures, crystallized, and blown to smithereens. Game over. Afterdeath! These events were observed by the time travelling Dicet Alpha-zero. The Quest!
Swindle was idling about in Megatron's throne room, where he witnessed the now mentally unhinged faction leader lash out erratically to all those around him. He soon accompanied his fellow Decepticons to a new base in the Caribbean, during which time Megatron disappeared and Shockwave assumed command of the Earth-bound Decepticons. Gone but Not Forgotten! Shortly afterwards, Shockwave dispatched Swindle and the other Combaticons to assassinate Galvatron, who had been buried under cooled lava at Mount Verona. The Combaticons made short work of the human military camped around the site, then proceeded to set up explosive charges to eliminate the potential usurper once and for all. As Swindle was setting his share of the charges, he was struck down by the combined efforts of three human women, out to save Ultra Magnus, also buried within the volcano. The rest of the Combaticons were driven off with the additional help of the Throttlebots, earning them the ire of Swindle and his teammates. Ladies' Night
Swindle and his team tracked the Throttlebots to a used car lot, finding their prey immobilized in their vehicle modes. But to get to them, the Combaticons had to contend with both the Protectobots and a squadron of RAAT operatives. In order to avoid wholesale destruction of his lot, the proprietor of the dealership suggested each faction put in a bid for the Throttlebots, and all present accepted. Onslaught had nothing to bargain with however, and zero intention of actually following through with the agreement. He instructed Swindle to simply terminate the auctioneer, Big Steve Ludwig, only for Blaster to leap forth from a hiding spot and toss Swindle away before he got his shot in. This triggered an all-out brawl to start, ending with the Combaticons retreating and the Throttlebots in RAAT custody. Used Autobots The Combaticons decided to ambush the Protectobots once more, this time meeting them in a sprawling train yard. The group was forced to regroup and combine into Bruticus early in the fight, the combiner's brute strength securing them a victory over the similarly merged Defensor. But the dim-witted Bruticus was then tricked by Blaster into lowering his guard, and the Autobot collapsed an electrical tower onto his opponent, knocking his components into unconsciousness. Child's Play
Swindle had better success during the Decepticon ambush of the Autobots on the moon, where the Autobots had gathered to resolve a leadership dispute. Swindle attacked Brawn with his Scatter Blaster and commented that although Brawn was not a great Autobot warrior, he would have a bright future as spare parts (presumably to be sold at a premium by Swindle himself). When the combined forces of Blaster and Grimlock managed to pierce the ship's protective force field, Ratbat commanded all Decepticons on the surface of the Moon to return to the ship and retreat. Totaled!
Swindle also served as part of the "friendly" staff on the beach of the Decepticons' Caribbean island when the Decepticons used the base as a human vacation resort. Swindle was there to serve every need that the humans might require. Club Con!
Eventually, the Combaticons fell under the command of Scorponok. On his orders, Swindle's team staged a raid on the Rutter U.S. Military Base. There, they secured two armed warheads and components from an advanced guidance computer. The Protectobots intervened part-way through the theft, but once Blast Off cleared the area with the loot, the rest of the team used hit-and-run tactics to fend their rivals off, eventually managing their own getaway.
Afterwards, the remaining Combaticons went to check on Darkwing and Dreadwind's progress at Alternate Reality, Inc., where Scorponok had likewise tasked them to steal a floppy disk containing a back-up copy of Optimus Prime's mind. They found Defensor about to shoot the jets out of the sky, and blasted the Combiner in the back, crippling him before he could pull the trigger. With the mission a success, Swindle's group then made themselves scarce. Prime Bomb!
Transformers Comic-Magazin
Marvel Generation 2 comic
Swindle gave Megatron a tour of the Warworld when the Decepticon leader forcibly took command of the Decepticons back from Bludgeon. This ultimately led to a chamber where many new Decepticon bodies awaited, needing the Matrix to give them life. Tales of Earth Part Three
He was later seen briefly as part of the first wave of defenders when the Warworld was attacked by the next-generation Cybertronians commanded by Jhiaxus after the Autobots and Decepticons had forged an alliance of necessity against said forces. Swindle's fate was not revealed, but considering the Cybertronian troops—led by the traitor Starscream—killed several Decepticons and ultimately overtook the battleship, it didn't look too good for Swindle. Total War!
The Special Teams
Swindle and the rest of the Combaticons were created by Starscream on a remote Pacific island, by combining military vehicles with Energon cubes. They then drove to the Pullen Power Plant, passing Optimus Prime en route, though the Autobot leader was none-the-wiser to the Decepticons in disguise. Onslaught, Brawl and Swindle arrived first on the battlefield, coming upon Menasor already engaged in battle with Defensor. Onslaught then ordered to rest of his team to merge with him to form Bruticus. The Special Teams
Ladybird Books continuity
Swindle was among the Decepticons under Galvatron's leadership who set up a secret base in a human industrial estate within striking distance of Metroplex. When Bumblebee came snooping around, Swindle spotted him and gave chase, but Bumblebee hid among the wrecked cars in a wreckers yard. Apparently Swindle never told anyone their base had been found, as it was a complete surprise when the Autobots later attacked and drove the Decepticons off. Decepticon Hideout
St. Michael The Transformers Sticker Book
Swindle and the rest of the Combaticons served under Galvatron on a Decepticon ship, when they managed to shoot down the ship being captained by Ultra Magnus. After the Autobots crash-landed on planet Barrenikon, the Decepticons landed their ship nearby to finish off their enemies. In the many possible adventures that followed, Swindle and the other Decepticons often underestimated you, which often led to them losing to the Autobots, leaving them either stranded on Barrenikon, or fleeing after they received too much damage. That is, if you somehow didn't get yourself killed at their hands. The Transformers Sticker Book
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
Swindle sided with Starscream when the Seeker briefly usurped command of the Decepticons from Megatron, shortly after the onset of the Cybertronian civil war. He assisted in forcibly extracting data from Laserbeak so that Starscream could uncover the full extent of Megatron's plans before his supplanting. The War Within #4
Millions of years later, Swindle, along with his fellow Combaticons, was imprisoned by Shockwave, presumably as war criminals under the terms of the new peace treaty with the Autobots. Cold War He was sprung by Starscream after the Nemesis's crew returned to Cybertron, though, in a bid to plunder Earth of its ressources while the Autobots were too busy overthrowing Shockwave's regime. Revelation
Returning to the Nemesis via an uncooperative Sky Lynx, Starscream realized he needed to take parts from the Autobots' Ark if he ever hoped to get the Nemesis flying again, and for that he needed considerable firepower. Fortunately, there was a nearby abandoned military testing ground from which the Combaticons could scan Earth-based alternate modes. Black Sunshine When the attack on the Ark was launched, the Autobots had little problem defending against the first wave, successfully capturing Soundwave, Skywarp and Thundercracker, but several of the Autobots were soundly beaten when the Combaticons showed up and combined into the mighty Bruticus. The behemoth attacked the Ark freeing his Decepticon compatriots before going after Brawn and Ratchet. Unfortunately, the Autobots activated their ship's self-destruct before escaping, damaging the Combaticons in the resulting explosion. Night of the Combaticons
Damaged or not, the Combaticons soon had to face a powerful enemy when the crazed zealot Sunstorm appeared on Earth, but before they could attack him, Bruticus' head was blown apart by Cliffjumper in the Autobot supply ship Orion. In the aftermath, Bruticus's barely-conscious body was battered upon by an angry Brawn. Black Sunshine
The repaired Combaticons were brought to Guadalcanal, where they could hone their somewhat lackluster combat skills and listen to Starscream's long-winded aspirations of glory. When Swindle commented on Starscream's mental state, Brawl agreed, stating that he'd like to pull the Air Commander's cerebro circuits straight out of his faceplate so they could get a better look at them, to which Swindle suggested a "deal" for this to happen. Starscream overheard their conversation and informed the smaller Decepticon that the only "deal" he needed to worry about was how Starscream would deal with Swindle for his scheming. Starscream nevertheless let it pass for the moment in order for the Combaticons to test themselves against the magnificent Autobot Sky Lynx. Unfortunately, the Combaticons did not fare well when the crafty Autobot split into his two forms, with Swindle, Brawl and Onslaught nearly getting crushed by the Lynx's right paw.
This was the least of their troubles, however, as Predaking showed up as soon as Sky Lynx was deactivated. As the Combaticons closed in on the Predacon combiner, Swindle had trouble keeping up with the rest of the group before they formed Bruticus. This encounter also did not end well. The Route of All Evil
The Beast Within
During a particularly violent battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons, Swindle combined with his fellow Combaticons in order to square off against The Beast. It didn't go well, to say the least. The Beast Within
2005 IDW continuity
- First Appearance: Spotlight: Ultra Magnus
"Maybe it's the fact his office is an SUV with the engine running."
Shortly prior to the formation of the Decepticons, Swindle was working as a lackey for Megatron during the height of his gladiator period. Megatron Origin #3 During the tenure of Zeta Prime, Swindle was busted by Orion Pax's officers for peddling simultronics. Post He was soon back on the street, now running a weapons-manufacturing warehouse and creating weapons that were later used to kill forty-three citizens of Peptex. His operations were soon busted by Orion Pax's officers again.Endless Forever
Later, Swindle was once again the target of Orion Pax's team in the streets of Nyon, where he was selling stolen Autobot materials to some sleepers. He fought against Orion Pax, who quickly overpowered him and ordered him to give more details about Megatron. However, Swindle preferred to explain how the Decepticons were about to bring Cybertron to a new era, freed from oppression and corruption, and how, by using uncontrolled violence, Orion Pax was proving him right. The latter, about to shoot Swindle in the head, was stopped by Bumblebee, and Swindle was captured alive. Law and Disorder When he failed to provide any useful intel on the Decepticons during interrogation, Zeta Prime decided to use Swindle as an example of the vamparc ribbon's power. He was taken to the Primacy Auditorium, where Zeta used a vamparc unit to drain his energy in order to demonstrate its powers to the Senate. Parasites
Establishing the Raw Deal pawn broker, Swindle began selling information gathered from other Decepticons, though his sources dried up after Megatron's first defeat. This got him into trouble with Grimlock, who was using his info to plan heists, but luckily the Dynobot thought he might come in handy later and opted not to send the Autobots after him. Derelicts Swindle was present when Scorponok declared himself the new Decepticon leader, but doubted his claim to have exiled Megatron to the mythical planet Junkion. Wreckage He and the other Combaticons opposed Scorponok's ruthless reign and left Cybertron, making their way to the Presidium, the location of an old armory Swindle had bought access codes to. Within they found Starscream, who had leaked the codes to Swindle for a chance to meet the Combaticons and let them know Megatron was back. Primacy #2
As the war began in earnest between the Autobots and Decepticons, Swindle, Sky-Byte, and the Constructicons were stationed on Varas Centralus. The Constructicons committed some atrocity that was enough to cause Sky-Byte to abandon the Decepticon cause. A Better Tomorrow
In modern times, Swindle was an arms dealer being hunted down by Ultra Magnus for violating the Tyrest Accord. After failing to hide from Magnus on the planet Zull 29 solar cycles in the past, he managed to deal for his freedom by selling Magnus information on the whereabouts of Scorponok. Magnus later caught Swindle again, but it would seem he managed to bargain for his freedom once again. Spotlight: Ultra Magnus
Quite some time later, Swindle was one of several Decepticons who were stranded on Earth after Megatron's defeat in New York City. Ever the opportunist, he saw a market open to him in the chaos that had followed, and made contact with Spike Witwicky of Skywatch to secretly supply the human organization with Cybertronian weaponry. A Second Chance at Eden
Swindle then joined a small band of other stranded Decepticons. At first, the group tried to follow the high-ranking Thundercracker, but his disenchantment with the Decepticons and the war led them to fall in behind Swindle, the fast-talking cheat, the one who could always survive against all odds. Seasons in Flight For three months Swindle led them into a canyon where they stalked the mighty Autobot Omega Supreme, waiting for a chance to strike. However, when they observed a group of Autobots led by Hot Rod in discussions with Omega, Swindle realized he could fool the hot-headed and naive Autobot for his own designs. Launching a seemingly ill-conceived attack on the Autobots, Swindle quickly manipulated Hot Rod by asking the very question that had been on the Autobot's mind: What were they fighting about? What reason was there to continue fighting? Posing these questions to all the assembled transformers, Swindle proposed an alliance between the two groups with the aim of getting off-planet. New Arrivals, Old Encounters After the alliance was made, while Hot Rod tried to enlist the assistance of Jetfire to help them build their starship, Red Alert and Mirage had their doubts about working with the Decepticons, and Swindle grinning at them didn't improve their mood any. A Rude Awakening
While their ship was under construction, Swindle attempted to pressure Hot Rod into allowing the Decepticons to retrieve the Constructicons who had been imprisoned by Skywatch, but Hot Rod wisely refused. Seeing this path going nowhere, Swindle instead suggested the Stunticons rescue Breakdown, and before Hot Rod was able to voice opposition, Swindle smoothly massaged Hot Rod's ego, claiming the Autobot was the "architect of a new age", that the others admired him, and that these "followers" had given him a new moniker: "Rodimus Prime". With Hot Rod distracted by these praised and accolades, Swindle was given the go-ahead to rescue Breakdown. Unfortunately, as he was discussing his plans with the Stunticons, Ultra Magnus showed up, forcing Swindle to hide. When Magnus discovered and tried to arrest the Decepticon criminal, "Rodimus Prime" stepped in and refused to allow his fellow Autobot to capture Swindle. The Decepticon was seemingly grateful to Rodimus, but Thundercracker knew he was up to something, but wasn't sure what. Seasons in Flight
Soon afterwards, the Stunticons successfully rescued Breakdown from the clutches of Spike Witwicky, an officer in Skywatch. Bringing him back to base, Swindle worked on Breakdown for over three hours, under the pretense that the battered Decepticon needed significant repairs, much to the ire of the Autobots, bar the ever-naive Hot Rod. Ultra Magnus returned, this time with Bumblebee and several of his Autobots. When the Autobots started arguing, Swindle stepped in, revealing that the Decepticons had always planned to steal the space ship after killing as many Autobots as they could. When Ultra Magnus countered that the Autobots had them outnumbered, Swindle unveiled his latest creation—the Stunticons combined into the powerful gestalt Menasor. As the Autobots gaped, Swindle ordered Menasor to kill Magnus first. Enemies of the System
Swindle gloated in triumph as Menasor tore through the assembled Autobots. He was so enamored with this that he failed to notice Optimus Prime being air-dropped by Skywatch until he had landed on him. Heavily damaged, Swindle climbed from the impact crater and watched in horror as Prime led the Autobots against Menasor, resulting in the destruction of the escape ship. Despite his damages, Swindle was able to slip away before Skywatch seized control of the area, much to Ultra Magnus's chagrin. Earthworks
In need of energy, Swindle traveled to North Korea and struck a deal with local ruler Kim Jong Du, offering him the Combaticons as an invasion force in exchange for energon. He then got out of there as soon as he got what he needed, leaving the other Combaticons behind. A Second Chance at Eden
Returning to America, Swindle created Ben Simpson, a facsimile construct who would act as a spokesman of the anti-Transformer group Earth's Children. Using Simpson, he fanned the flames of human hatred against Autobots, allowing him to sell them powerful and mind-corrupting weapons built from Megatron's parts. A Second Chance at Eden When Prowl began investigating Spike Witwicky, Swindle had Brawl try to kill him, but the attempt failed. He had, however, planted a failsafe in Brawl's body that shut him down when Prowl tried to find out who sent him. Only Forward Soon afterwards, Ultra Magnus decided that the Autobots had had enough of Ben Simpson's campaign against them, and went with Skywatch to his home to detain him. Swindle, based nearby, tried to make his escape, but was beaten down by Ultra Magnus, had his arm ripped off and was dragged back to Autobot HQ. During interrogation he revealed everything about his schemes, including the fact that Witwicky had been playing both sides, causing the Autobots to sever their connections with Skywatch. A Second Chance at Eden
Believing that Starscream was getting too friendly with the Autobots to represent Decepticon interests, Swindle instead brought Dirge and his witness testimony to Shockwave in hopes that he would become Decepticon leader. Dinobot Hunt Following a bombing on Omega Supreme, Dirge began to worry that Shockwave had orchestrated the attack after hearing what he had to say, making him indirectly responsible. Swindle advised him to just let things happen and not try to make things about him, a lesson he himself had learned after his experiences on Earth, but Dirge couldn't just stand by and spilled the beans to Starscream, who in turn help hide him and Swindle from Prowl and Shockwave. The End of the Beginning of the World
When the return of Megatron was causing the other Decepticons to riot in the streets, the two were plucked out of their hiding place by Arcee and brought to Maccadam's Old Oil House. There, Dirge announced that he was willing to testify against Prowl directly to Autobot leader Bumblebee, against Swindle's protests that it was a terrible idea. The Verge Convinced that something was up with Prowl, Bumblebee took Dirge, Swindle and several others with him to investigate, but as the group was attacked by Decepticons as they approached Prowl's quarters. Run down by Astrotrain, Swindle lost an arm and leg and was left behind as the others were taken away to see Megatron. Before the Dawn
Having survived only thanks to Blurr pushing him out of the train's way, a grateful Swindle brought him and several other injured Autobots to safety away from the Decepticon riots. In the process he was discovered by Needlenose, who was unimpressed by his empathy and prepared to execute the Autobots, only to be chased away by some neutrals. Heavy Is the Head Having had enough of all the fighting, Swindle renounced his faction and remained in Iacon when Starscream, now leader of the neutrals, had all Autobots and Decepticons banished from the city. Second Exodus He was among those who helped Blurr rebuild Maccadam's Old Oil House after it was burned down during the riots, Three Monologues and was standing guard at the city walls when the light of the Necrotitan's arrival lit up Iacon. Dark Dawn
Several months later, Swindle was at Blurr's bar when Windblade stopped by looking for information on Starscream, and let her know that even he was disgusted by the Seeker's way of selling people out. A 'Bot and Her City When Windblade's snooping got her, Blurr and others imprisoned by Starscream, Swindle helped Chromia bust them out. Windblade #3 He continued to visit Maccadam's and seemed to be becoming very good friends with Blurr. The World of Tomorrow During an investigation into several murders in the Decepticon ghetto, Swindle provided intel on where to find the Firecons, the main suspects. Quest for Fire
After an enjoyable day watching the Stunticons try and fail to take on Optimus Prime, he was approached by Starscream who offered him use of the Enigma of Combination in robbing the colony world Caminus of its riches. Despite having told himself he had put his glory days behind him, Swindle was blinded by greed and accepted, using the Enigma to turn the Stunticons back into Menasor and bringing him to Caminus. First Contact Finding none of the promised riches, however, he quickly realized Starscream had tricked him. Failing to convince the raging Menasor to return to Cybertron, he tried to sneak away by himself only to be captured by one of Starscream's Badgeless. The Sum and Its Parts His pleas that it was all Starscream's idea were, of course, in vain, and he was spirited away to Starscream's secret prison. The Possible Light
Before long, Swindle was broken out by Rattrap, who told him to cause a diversion while he stole the Enigma. Agreeing to the deal, he took Menasor and set out to occupy the city's space bridge chamber, recruiting all manner of unhappy Decepticons with the promise that they could start a new life on Caminus. You, Me, and the Universe During their stand-off with the bridge's guards, Windblade and Wheeljack, Starscream arrived and shot Swindle in the back, mortally wounding him. He whispered to Rattrap that there was proof of his deal with Starscream, then seemingly expired. All That Remains Rattrap and Wheeljack secretly moved his body into the depths of Metroplex, where Wheeljack tried his best to save Swindle's life so that they might learn what evidence Swindle had against Starscream. He did, sorta: Swindle was alive, but brain dead. Things We Said We'd Never Do
The other Combaticons would later begin spray-painting the phrase "Swindle Lives" on walls as a symbol of their resistance against the Council of Worlds The Will of the Few because a mysterious informant known as "DC-357" sent Onslaught a message regarding Swindle's possession of information against Starscream. 07:00:00 Later, Rattrap and Wheeljack were forced by the Combaticons to lead them to Swindle. Unperturbed by his brain-dead status, Onslaught had Rattrap retrieve the Enigma of Combination, Things We Said We'd Never Do which he used on his team so that they might find Swindle's evidence. Swindle became the left leg of their combined form, Bruticus, but his brain dead mind wreaked havoc on the combiner's psyche. After rampaging through Iacon, Bruticus was eventually brought down. The Line Between Us
Starscream, wanting another combiner on his side, had the Eukarian mnemosurgeon Airachnid repair Swindle's body, and try to manipulate the Combaticons' minds so that he would have Bruticus under control. Because the Combaticons minds had imprinted on each other during their combination, Airachnid found them more susceptible to the process, and she and Starscream bribed the aware-of-the-manipulation Blast Off into covering any holes in the story. As a result, Swindle would believe that he and the other Combaticons were Starscream's secret bodyguards, and that he had been blasted in the line of duty with some angles making it appear that Starscream had shot him, with the Combaticons forming of Bruticus having been a last-ditch attempt to save Swindle's life. The Price of You After a few days, Blast Off demanded to see Swindle himself. As Airachnid was finishing up on manipulating and repairing him, Swindle greeted his teammate, thanking Blast Off for how far he and the others had apparently gone to save him. If I Know You
During the final debate before the election to decide the new leader of Cybertron, Starscream revealed all of his crimes to the public, including the manipulation of the Combaticons. As a result, Swindle and the other Combaticons were imprisoned for their rampage as Bruticus. The Chosen One
Transformers Legends anthology
Swindle stumbled onto a goldmine—selling off the Decepticon arsenal to the humans. Unfortunately one of his clients, Faghadi, was pushy and demanded his weapons now, at length, while Swindle was trying to work. Swindle realized there was a way he could turn even this to his advantage. With the help of one of his other clients, he was able to set Faghadi up to be captured by NATO, demonstrating the weapons in the process, and making an even bigger sale to the Japanese into the bargain. Everything went perfectly, except Megatron found out where the Decepticon weapons had been disappearing to, and dispatched Skywarp to bring Swindle in. Two for the Price of One
TransTech
There are three Swindles running the pawn shop "Swindle, Swindle and Swindle". The jingle says it all. As does the image of three grinning Swindle heads on their sign.
"Three times the Swindle means three times the deal. Come on down, it's a total steal!"
- Swindle the first: He's red!
- Swindle the second: He's tan but purple-chested.
- Swindle the third: He's tan but gray-chested.
Bad Boy and Treds stumbled on Swindle, Swindle and Swindle while looking for a bodyshop Bug Bite had visited. They managed to persuade one of the Swindles that it would be in his best interest if he told them about Bug Bite's visit. Swindle showed them to the repair bay where they discovered Bug Bite had adopted a new C1186-P0019 body. Before the pair left, Swindle raised the matter of Bug Bite's outstanding account, and they reluctantly paid it. Withered Hope
Finding himself trapped in a lowtech body, Bulletbike dropped in to Swindle, Swindle and Swindle for an examination to prove he'd been spark transplanted. Though the Swindles didn't seem to quite believe his story, they conducted the tests and found nothing. After getting the trio to make some repairs to himself, Bulletbike continued on his quest. I, Lowtech
During his time as a columnist for Axiom Nexus News, Vector Prime bought a hyper-frame manifold from Swindle, Swindle and Swindle on one day, Ask Vector Prime, 02/08/2015 and a cyberforcep on another day. Ask Vector Prime, 24/08/2015 After Vector Prime abdicated the position Axiom Nexus News Editor, 01/10/2015 and Grimlock's tenure was abruptly cut short Axiom Nexus News Editor, 03/10/2015, one of (or perhaps all of) the Swindles took the post, answering questions while advertising the many products available at Swindle, Swindle & Swindle. Swindle's Spiel After a few days, Swindle was fired from the column due to subverting the terms of his paid contract, which specified that he would only answer questions. Axiom Nexus News Editor, 06/10/2015
Transformers: All Spark
Starscream's New Power
Swindle attempted to apprehend Starscream, only to be driven back when the latter got his hands on weapons from Shockwave's lab. Starscream's New Power
Kre-O online comic
Summoned by Starscream to act as his elite squad (whose first mission, of course, was to overthrow Megatron), Swindle rolled onto the scene alongside Onslaught, Brawl, and a repainted Vortex. When Onslaught and Brawl declared their specialties (strategy and destruction respectively), Swindle proudly offered to sell-off any blocks they recovered. Like Onslaught and Brawl, Swindle was irritated when Vortex offered to stay behind and guard the base. Even though the Combaticons combined into Bruticus, Vortex constant worry for the base's safety compelled the team to withdraw. When Starscream, under imminent threat of a beating from Megatron, contacted the team to demand to know where they were, Swindle joined his teammates in happily informing their illustrious leader they were all protecting the base together. Aww. New Military Unit Combaticon! Bruticus, Combine!
Swindle was able to steal Metroplex's transformation cog, but his looking forward to being rewarded was interrupted when the Protectobots tracked him down to take back his loot. He combined with his team to form Bruticus, but was defeated by the Protectobots' own combined form, Defensor, and taken back to the Autobot base to have his injuries treated by the gentle First Aid. Bad at Fighting? Rescue Team Protectobots, Dispatch!
Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
The Combaticons infiltrated G.I. Joe disguised as their vehicles, with Swindle taking on the form of an APC. During the Decepticon-Cobra attack on the United Nations, the Combaticons revealed themselves and combined into Bruticus to fight GIJONIN. Expelled from the Garden
Combiner Wars cartoon
Swindle was among the Decepticon troops who bore witness to a pivotal duel between Optimus Prime and Megatron, one meant to end the war before the never-ending arms race between the two factions spiralled further out of control. Prelude to Transformers: Combiner Wars - Optimus Prime
Beast Wars: Uprising
Swindle served as the defense lawyer for Galvatron, Scourge, and their binary bond partners at their trial following the disastrous Great Push. Thanks to his efforts, the defendants were acquitted of some of the charges, but Galvatron and Scourge were ultimately sentenced to execution. A Brush With Infamy–Prologue
Bumblebee graphic novels
Although he'd been kicked out of the Decepticons, Swindle remained in touch with his Combaticon allies and sought to get himself back into Megatron's good graces by stealing human military secrets, a mission that led him to stake out a small Californian town where the United States Air Force prepared to test their new B-2 stealth bomber, a secret anti-Decepticon weapon, at the Sierra Station airbase. Swindle and the other Combaticons moved into an abandoned airfield on the outskirts of town by strongarming the owner Herman into complying, and turned the run-down facility into a makeshift base while the team planned their heist—stealing and applying the plane's stealth technology would make them invisible to human and Autobot sensors.
In between spying on the military, Swindle blew off steam by participating in illegal street races in Yosemite National Park. During one such race, Swindle nearly ran his competitor Mateo Cruz off the road, and the teenager likely would've died if not for the surprise intervention of Bumblebee. The next morning, Swindle spied on project director Angela Cruz as she prepared to unveil the project the next day, unaware that his target was also Mateo's mother. Later that day, Bumblebee and Mateo headed into town to find the "mystery Jeep" from the previous night for a rematch, and a tipoff from Mateo's friend Nicole led the duo to Herman's museum. Mateo confronted Herman and accidentally uncovered evidence of the Combaticon plot; momentarily fearing that the Autobots had caught onto his plan, Swindle fled the base, successfully outmaneuvered his foe at a railroad crossing, and warned the little yellow Autobot to stay out of his way.
That night, Swindle sabotaged the road to Sierra Station to blow Angela Cruz's tires, then masqueraded as a military police vehicle to lure her inside his alternate mode. Once she took the bait, Swindle captured her and took her back to Herman's museum, where he and three of the Combaticons intended to intimidate Angela into handing over the secrets behind the human stealth process. However, while Swindle was momentarily distracted by footage of Vortex battling Bumblebee, Angela momentarily distracted the Decepticon jeep long enough to make her escape and commandeer one of the decommissioned planes to make a daring escape. Swindle and the other Combaticons gave chase and confronted Bee outside of Sierra Station; with the compound now on high alert and their careful plan falling apart, the Combaticons decided to throw caution to the wind, form Bruticus, and simply smash the base to take what they wanted. Agile as ever, Bumblebee proved able to outwit the combiner, and a second barrage from the human military reduced the combiner back into his components. Onslaught advised simply stealing the aircraft and reverse-engineering the process later, but Swindle refused, shouting that he needed this win to prove himself to Megatron. Amidst the chaos, the Combaticons didn't notice Bumblebee and his human friends piloting the bomber they sought to steal, and a subsequent barrage of electromagnetic pulse bombs knocked the five out cold. The next morning, Optimus Prime and the other Autobots arrived to take the incapacitated Decepticons into custody. Win If You Dare
2019 IDW continuity
- First appearance: Transformers Valentine's Day Special (cameo); Transformers #20 (full)
At some point, Swindle posed in a group photo with many Cybertronians, including Blast Off. Open Comms Swindle owned and operated Swindle's, an illicit entertainment venue where patrons could bet on skitter races and enjoy under-the-table energon. As the proprietor, Swindle employed a variety of like-minded 'bots to help run numbers, work the crowd, and procure black market goods; these included Trickdiamond, Gutcruncher, Headlock, and Singe. Swindle's various business ventures made him known to Security Operations, and Prowl enjoyed a particularly contentious relationship with him; despite Swindle's borderline criminal activities, Prowl was never able to nail him on concrete charges. Swindle's In fact, some in Security Operations even found Swindle useful. Back when Streetwise was running Sec-Ops, Smokescreen went to work for Swindle, using him to eliminate the more dangerous criminal, Motormaster. Smokescreen learned a good deal about Swindle's operation during this "seconding". Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Two
Forever seeking new avenues of profit, Swindle began stealing and selling energon to the terrorist group known as The Rise; when the Tether fell, Singe and Gutcruncher were outsourcing some stolen energon for their new client Mindwipe. Swindle's However, Singe ran afoul of Arcee and wound up in police custody; Arcee/Greenlight: Run when Mindwipe arrived at Swindle's to pick up his shipment, Swindle informed him that his agents had been intercepted during the heist. Furious, Mindwipe shouted that Security would have already traced them back to Swindle. When Prowl's team did arrive, Swindle feigned innocence during the scuffle, but Prowl had Swindle taken into custody regardless. Swindle's
As Swindle was cooling his heels in jail, however, the sitting government fell before the Rise and the Ascenticon party, forming the Decepticons in its wake. Trickdiamond and Headlock haggled with Swindle to free him from lock-up, blowing out his bars and the wall of his cell. Hearing that his muscle Gutcruncher had run off to join the revolution, Swindle decided to do some quick shopping before they left. Surveying the other cells, Swindle decided there was no profit left in Singe, and Storm Cloud was a zealot who wouldn't play ball. Roughstuff, however, was a scorned ex-member of the Rise, and a nice source of muscle. Finally, Swindle was impressed with Bumblebee's story, killing a veteran soldier like the Rise's Quake. In exchange for getting Bumblebee next to his new target, Barricade, Swindle negotiated for the little yellow bot's services. War World: Hunt
As Iacon quickly became a city for Decepticons only, Swindle negotiated with Sixshot of the Decepticon Guard to stay open. Once their license for business was secured, Swindle had Trickdiamond prep their favorite game of pumping loud-mouthed customers for information they could sell or otherwise profit from. Twirl, Nautilator and Refraktor were three inebriated Decepticon ripe for the questioning. Swindle learned that Elita-1 (Bumblebee's sympathetic former boss from the Ascenticon Guard) was being moved through Decepticon custody. In exchange for further debt, Swindle arranged for Charger and Fire Beast to help Bumblebee spring her. Bumblebee was surprised to find Barricade guarding Elita-1. While he let go of his vendetta and didn't kill Barricade given the chance, he was suspicious of Swindle setting him up. Swindle denied it when confronted, pointing out he would have made Bumblebee pay more if he knew Barricade was involved. When Swindle mentioned his "targeted questioning" had uncovered information about the Enigma of Combination, Bumblebee convinced him to expand his list of contacts. By selling this information to Optimus Prime and the Autobots, Swindle would be able to hedge his bets against either side winning the war. Seeing the appeal, Swindle allowed Bumblebee to use tech to pass the intelligence on to Prime. Swindle's II
Swindle kept his business running, although martial law under the Decepticons gave him new, sterner overlords that cut back on his illegal activities. Roughstuff wasn't doing his job as bouncer once, forcing Swindle to step in directly and escort the non-aligned Cyclonus from his bar. Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part One
Another nasty surprise came when Smokescreen got back in touch with Swindle through the old tunnels. The charming former Sec-Ops agent offered to pay Swindle for a speedy and discreet exit from Iacon, after he acquired a "bulky package". Swindle needed the profit, and working under the Decepticons meant his bar was practically a charity, so he closed down for the rest of the cycle. Trickdiamond couldn't believe it, though, and when she heard about the side deal with Smokescreen, she passed on the info to Decepticon Intelligence. As it happened, Smokescreen was less than forthcoming too—he arrived at the door with armed Autobots and the prisoner, Ultra Magnus, escaping from Megatron's dungeons. Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Two Swindle was caught redhanded dealing with Autobots when Sixshot blew in his wall with a squad of Decepticons. Roughstuff saw an opportunity and "detained" Swindle for Sixshot, switching sides to get back in his old Rise lieutenant's good graces. Swindle was allowed to remain useful for the Decepticons as a supplier, but his days of independence seemed to be numbered. Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Three
My Little Pony/Transformers
Swindle was one of the many Decepticons brainwashed by King Sombra during his invasion of Cybertron. Along with Sombra's other slaves, he fired on the Seekers and Wonderbolts until Rainbow Dash's powerful "Sonic Rainboom" manoeuvre disoriented him and the others long enough for the Seekers to entangle him with net missiles. Stunt Flying
Energon Universe
Swindle and the Combaticons chased down Elita One, cornering her. Before he could follow Onslaught and Brawl, the Autobot shot the spacebridge severing the connection between the two worlds. Transformers (2023) issue 9
Commercial appearances
- Swindle, Onslaught, and Brawl were part of a Decepticon attack force that assaulted the Autobots' launch site. All three were rammed by Ultra Magnus in his vehicle mode as he entered the fray. Ultra Magnus commercial
- Swindle and the rest of the Combaticons charged down a ravine to face-off against Metroplex. As they neared him, the Combaticons combined into Bruticus and took to the skies. Bruticus and Metroplex commercial
- Swindle was part of a massive battle between Kreons. After being knocked around by the Autobots some, he and the Combaticons combined into Bruticus. They then chased the Autobots off alongside Predaking. KRE-O Transformers Micro Changers and Combiners Construction Sets commercial
Games
Transformers Legends
When a team of Autobots led by Mirage went on the offensive, Blast Off, Swindle, and Vortex used superior military tactics to fight them off. War Dawn Swindle was among the Decepticons who joined with the Quintessons in an attempt to destroy the Autobots. Five Faces of Darkness: Part 2
Transformers: Battle Tactics
Swindle participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Rare character who could be recruited by collecting 160 units of Cybermetal, and 95 units of Transmetal. Transformers: Battle Tactics
Transformers Online (2017 video game)
| “ | Let's make a deal without starting a war. | ” |
Looks can be deceiving, as one may perceive when dealing with Swindle. If it's anything Swindle desired the most, it would be Megatron's right hand firearm, Carnage. However, the key question is whether Swindle can deal for Megatron's bazooka without batting an eye. In comparison to his comrades, Swindle is not a devoted militant. Rather, he prefers to never miss an opportunity to profit, even if it means dealing with the Autobots... so long as Swindle, himself, is confident enough to take action.
In battle, Swindle wielded a pair of "Nether Claws" and the "Saboteur" grenade launcher. His active skill was "Spider Mine":
- Spider Mine—Swindle dispatches a Spider Mine unit. When this unit comes in contact with enemy targets, the Spider Mine wreaks havoc by jettisoning into the air and showering Swindle's opponents with a flurry of projectiles that deal 110 points of damage every 0.2 seconds. Transformers Online [2]
Transformers: Earth Wars
With Swindle, it's always deal - never no deal. He'd trade Megatron's right arm for a toaster if he saw both opportunity and profit.
Swindle is the first Combaticon to make it to Earth. Starscream wanted the location of a fragment of the Fractal Map, and Swindle found it for him, but there was an Autobot outpost in the way, so he took care of the short-range Laser Turrets. After the battle, Swindle traded insults with some of the Autobots posted there, and then reminded Starscream that he owes him. Big time. Power Play Campaign
When Swindle caught wind that the Autobots were on the move towards a signal in the arctic first discovered by that one guy that still hates him, Swindle was ready to leave. But Brawl didn't help though because he attracted the attention of Starscream. Starscream took direct control of Swindle's operation and took them to the Arctic, but not before Swindle offered him a de-icer for sale. But unknown to him, Swindle had an arrangement with Megatron, so he let him in on their plan so Megatron could get there first and tell them what they found was a Planet-Destroying Fortress. Arctic Signal
When Shockwave selected the next candidates for the Decepticons' next combiner, Swindle asked what was in it for him. Megatron responded by threatening to strangle the energon from his inner spark if he didn't comply. As they were slowly making progress on the combining process, Swindle made a deal: If the Combaticons successfully combined at maximum strength before the Autobots, he'll give back everything he had taken from everyone (including his angry comrades), or else pay him equivalent value.
Megatron decides to push the Combaticons to their limits and combines the Combaticons prematurely. The result is Bruticus, the Combaticons highly mentally unstable combined form. Megatron honestly doesn't care anymore what the other Combaticons say, he just wants them to stay in their combined form. Unfortunately, the celebrations are cut short when Megatron receives word Optimus has perfected his own second combiner, and so sends out Bruticus to fight against this new combiner. Countdown to Combination
When Shockwave announced his plan to recruit allies from alternate realities, Swindle saw a profitable, glowing opportunity. He contacted Hot Rod to meet on neutral ground for the location and encryption key for the Decepticon's Space Bridge project in exchange for pure unaltered Energon. He was dismayed that Hot Rod brought Dinobot muscle along just as the Combaticons, who have been tracking Swindle, ambushed them. Rogue Trader Amidst the fighting between the Dinobots and Combaticons, Hot Rod made the exchange with Swindle. Starscream, who had been following Swindle the whole time, offered him a lift out, which he gladly accepted. Event Horizon
Swindle offered Soundwave a deal. Optimus Prime and Megatron were stuck in the past, with Deathsaurus gaining power, something Swindle knew Soundwave didn't want. He offered the cassette tape player a way to accomplish his goals. He knew of a way to get the Dark Star Saber away from Bomb-Burst. Soundwave accepted Swindle's offer. Target: 1984
Swindle stole the Dark Star Saber away from Deathsaurus by whistling. The Dark Ages
- Class: Gunner
- Lowest Star Rating: 1 star
- Weapons: Swindle uses a standard grenade launcher to damage defenses from a long distance.
- Ability: Incendiary Barrage - Shoots 6 rockets that engulf a large area in flames dealing damage over time.
- Cost: 7 ability points +2 cost increase.
Swindle at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki
Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive
Swindle was in command of the eleventh Decepticon base attacked and destroyed by the Autobots during a series of raids. He pursued the invaders in jeep mode launching several bombs and missiles against his target, but foolishly ran over his own bombs and blew himself up. Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive
Transformers Roleplaying Game
Swindle was a member of the Combaticons. Decepticon Directive
On Earth, Swindle and the other Combaticons acted as a liaison between the Decepticons and the forces of Cobra, offering them advanced alien technology in exchange for their full cooperation. While meeting with Chameleon in southern France, the Autobots attacked; in the ensuing fight, Swindle and Chameleon fled, leaving the other Combaticons unable to form Bruticus. The pair retreated to the small town of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, which had been acquired by Cobra and turned into a covert staging ground for future operations. Ultimately, however, a joint Autobot-G.I. Joe taskforce entered the city and successfully captured the two villains as they tried to flee. Cobra/Con Fusion
Toys
The Transformers
- Swindle (Combaticon, 1986/1987)
- Team ID number: C2
- Takara/GiG ID number: D-68
- Accessories: Large "Scatter blaster" gun, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol
- The Transformers Swindle transforms into a tan FMC XR311 combat support vehicle. He features a large, back-mounted cannon with a small pistol attached to its side. In robot mode, he is armed with both weapons, which are used as hand-held artillery. Swindle normally operates as Bruticus's right leg, but as a Scramble City-style combiner toy, he can also be used in any other available limb slot with any torso-robot.
- There are two different versions of the original release. The initial version uses purple-painted die-cast metal for his chestplate. This was later replaced with gray plastic.
| The Transformers combiner team mold: Combaticons | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Bruticus
Version 1 (Bruticus):
Version 2 (Baldigus):
GS = Gift set release
In = Individually released Onslaught (leader)
Version 1 (Onslaught):
Version 2 (Dolrailer):
Blast Off
Version 1 (Blast Off):
Version 2 (Shuttler):
Brawl
Version 1 (Brawl):
Version 2 (Dangar):
Swindle
Version 1 (Swindle):
Version 2 (Greejeeber):
Vortex
Version 1 (Vortex):
Version 2 (Hepter):
| ||
- Bruticus (Gift set, 1985)
- Takara ID number: D-69
- In addition to his single release, Swindle was also sold in a "Bruticus" giftset alongside the other Combaticons. The gift set was never available in the USA or Canada, but only in Japan and Italy.
- In 1988, GiG also re-released the Bruticus set in Italy, with five random "Exogini Transformers" (Decoys) added.
- Decepticon Swindle (1991)
- Accessories: Large "Scatter blaster" gun, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol
- Swindle was re-released in 1991 as part of the European-market Classics line. This version (which uses the plastic chestplate) was retooled to remove the rubsign indent from his vehicle mode hood, a change made to a lot of the toys in this series.
Generation 2
- Swindle (1994)
- Team ID number: C2
- Accessories: Large "Scatter blaster" cannon, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol
- For the Generation 2 toyline, Swindle had all of his tan parts redecoed to bright red with purple camouflage paint and his windshield painted black. (This latter color was a sticker on the original release.) In robot mode, he has a bright purple torso, making this release quite garish.
| The Transformers combiner team mold: Combaticons | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Bruticus
Version 1 (Bruticus):
Version 2 (Baldigus):
GS = Gift set release
In = Individually released Onslaught (leader)
Version 1 (Onslaught):
Version 2 (Dolrailer):
Blast Off
Version 1 (Blast Off):
Version 2 (Shuttler):
Brawl
Version 1 (Brawl):
Version 2 (Dangar):
Swindle
Version 1 (Swindle):
Version 2 (Greejeeber):
Vortex
Version 1 (Vortex):
Version 2 (Hepter):
| ||
- Bruticus (Box set, 2012)
- Accessories: Blaster
- Known designers: Andrew Franks (deco artist)
- Part of a giftset exclusive to Amazon and BigBadToyStore, this version of Swindle is a redeco of Generations Fall of Cybertron Swindle in Generation 2 colors. Swindle transforms into a Cybertronic jeep-like vehicle. He can form any arm or leg of Bruticus, but his nominal placement is as the right leg, as usual. Some of the purple camo was lost between the stages of stock photography and final production.
- This mold was later retooled into Roadbuster.
Alternators
- Swindle (2004)
- Alternator ID number: 8
- Binaltech ID number: BT-09
- Accessories: Handgun
- Known designers: Mark McCall (Hasbro), Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)
- Alternators Swindle is a retool of Hound from the same line, with his alternate mode being a licensed 1:24 scale yellow Jeep Wrangler Sport. Changes from Hound include larger rubber tires and a modified front bumper with an added bullbar, plus a new head sculpt in robot mode. In vehicle mode, Swindle's doors open to reveal a realistic interior, his hood opens to reveal a fake (and inaccurate) engine bay, and his tailgate opens by hinging up at one end. As with Hound, he lacks the steering feature common in other Alternators toys but has spring-loaded suspension instead.
- In robot mode, Swindle is armed with a small laser pistol that can be stored in his spare tire. He is otherwise mostly identical to Hound except for the changed parts and color. The new head sculpt head is actually based on a cross between Generation 1 Trailbreaker's original toy head and his cartoon model's head, since this retool was originally intended for an Alternators version of Trailbreaker, which was canceled due to trademark issues, among other things.
- The main difference between Hasbro's Alternators version and the Japanese Binaltech version is that the latter features parts made of die-cast metal for some of its vehicle mode shell, and has the entire vehicle shell painted.
- Swindle was later redecoed into the Alternators-only Rollbar.
| Alternators mold: Hound | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
Universe (2008)
- Bruticus Maximus (2008)
- Series: G1 Series
- Accessories: Quad blaster (hand/foot), Decepticon-type energon star
- Universe Swindle is a redeco of the Energon Blackout/Stormcloud sculpt, transforming into a tan assault helicopter somewhat similar to an AH-1 Cobra. Appropriately enough, his markings include dollar signs ($) on the air intake housings flanking his cockpit. When combined with the other Combaticons, Swindle is nominally Bruticus Maximus's right leg, though he can be used in any other limb position.
- He was only available as part of the Universe Bruticus Maximus giftset, which also contains Vortex, another redeco of the same sculpt used for Swindle. The Universe version of the giftset was initially intended to be released as a Target exclusive in the United States, but ultimately ended up being only available in some non-American markets such as Australia and Singapore. Instead, American markets eventually received a rebranded version of this giftset (with no changes to the toys themselves) in Revenge of the Fallen packaging (thereby creating new live-action film series Swindle and Vortex characters), exclusively available at Target stores in the United States and at Zellers stores in Canada.
- This sculpt was also used to make Timelines Topspin, as well as the United versions of Swindle (see below) and Vortex. Another planned redeco, Movie Reverb, was canceled.
Henkei! Henkei!
- Swindle? (Deluxe Class,
200?)
- Accessories: Missile launcher
- A redeco of Universe Deluxe Class Autobot Hound in Swindle colors (with a deco layout based on Henkei! Henkei! Hound), with a Decepticon insignia, was displayed as part of an exhibit at Transformers Expo in 2014, including a seemingly unchanged Ravage.[3][4][5]
 Proceed on your way to oblivion. |
Encore
- Bruticus (2009)
- ID number: 16
- A reissue of the original G1 Swindle toy at first sight, this toy is actually a redeco of the Robots in Disguise Rollbar retool of the sculpt. This version of Swindle was only available as part of a Bruticus gift set released under TakaraTomy's Encore line of reissues.
| The Transformers combiner team mold: Combaticons | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Bruticus
Version 1 (Bruticus):
Version 2 (Baldigus):
GS = Gift set release
In = Individually released Onslaught (leader)
Version 1 (Onslaught):
Version 2 (Dolrailer):
Blast Off
Version 1 (Blast Off):
Version 2 (Shuttler):
Brawl
Version 1 (Brawl):
Version 2 (Dangar):
Swindle
Version 1 (Swindle):
Version 2 (Greejeeber):
Vortex
Version 1 (Vortex):
Version 2 (Hepter):
| ||
Generations
- Swindle (Deluxe, 2012)
- Series/number: 01/#005
- PART 4 OF 5!
- TakaraTomy ID number: TG06
- TakaraTomy release date: January 26, 2013
- Accessories: Blaster
- A redeco of Swindle from the Decepticon Bruticus gift set was available individually alongside his fellow Combaticons as part of the second wave of the Fall of Cybertron-themed 2012-onwards Deluxe Class Generations assortment. These versions of the Combaticons replace the game-accurate, Generation 1-inspired decos with more "flashy" colors apparently homaging the color scheme of Bruticus Maximus. Swindle replaces the ocher from his gift set release with a bright shade of yellow.
- Aside from the colors, mass retail Swindle is identical to the version from the Decepticon Bruticus gift set.
- The Takara release of Swindle has the yellow plastic from Hasbro's release covered in a gold paint. He features more game-accurate colors, including a painted purple visor, more detailed shoulderpads, and silver feet.
- Unsurprisingly for an Aligned toy inspired by Generation 1, Fall of Cybertron Swindle was used in multiple Generation 1-based stories, with the Hasbro deco appearing in the short comic "Starscream's New Power" and the TakaraTomy deco appearing in the Transformers: All Spark manga series and the Transformers Cloud stories.
United
- Bruticus (November 7, 2012)
- Accessories: Quad blaster (hand/foot), Decepticon-type energon star
- Released exclusively by TakaraTomy in non-Japanese Asian markets, this redeco of the Energon Bruticus Maximus set has colours similar to the previous Universe (2008)/Revenge of the Fallen release, but with a greater emphasis on G1-accuracy. Swindle is monochromatic compared to the previous release, replacing the sand and brown plastic with a uniform tan colour scheme. Additionally, the quad blaster/combined mode foot/hand previously cast in translucent coloured plastic is now opaque grey, though his energon star remains red.
Bot Shots
- Combaticons (Multi-pack, 2013?)
- Number: T0??
- Known designers: Andrew Scribner (deco artist)
- Fist strength:
- Blaster strength:
- Sword strength: 537
- A redeco of Bot Shots Ironhide, Swindle automatically transforms from spoiler-equipped pickup truck to robot when a sharp impact is applied to his front end. He was to be sold in a five-pack with Onslaught, Decepticon Brawl, Blast Off, and Vortex, but this never saw release.
- This mold was also used to make Super Bot Dirt Boss and Blitz Shot Autobot Hound.
Proceed on your way to oblivion. |
Kre-O
- Decepticon Bruticus (Micro-Changer Combiner, 2013)
- Set number: A2225
- Pieces: 79
- Accessories: Pistol
- Known designers: Ed Masiello (Hasbro)
- Kreon Swindle can be rebuilt from his robot mode into a jeep. He can also contribute his bricks to form Bruticus. He was only available as part of the Bruticus Micro-Changer combiner set, part of the first assortment of Combiners available.
- Interestingly, he is the only one in the set to be based on his original animation model, with his fellow Kreon Combaticons painted to resemble their original toys instead.
- Combiner Robot Mega Pack (3-pack, 2016)
- Set number: B6425
- Pieces: 245
- Accessories: Pistol
- In 2016, Dollar General stores in the US got a three-pack of Superion, Bruticus, and Menasor that sold for a mere $14. Given the original kits retailed at $10 apiece, wow. While a couple of the Kreons inside had small changes, Swindle was one of the ones identical to his original release.
Combiner Wars
- Swindle (Deluxe Class, 2016)
- Accessories: Gun, double-barreled gun/fist/foot
- Known designers: Shogo Hasui (TakaraTomy)
- Released as part of wave 5 of the Combiner Wars Deluxe Class figures, Swindle is a heavy retool of Combiner Wars Rook, featuring a significant alternate mode alteration to look like a teched-out military SUV. He comes with a three-barreled minigun-rifle and a hand/foot/gun for limb mode. Later versions of Swindle featured a running change in the form of a slight retool to his smaller weapon, adding nubs to its end allowing it to attach over his shoulder (for Hound, his later retool). If the seat and steering wheel visible in his alt-mode are intended for humans, his jeep is supposed to be the same size as Brawl's tank.
- Being a Combiner Wars figure, Swindle can combine with his fellow Combaticons to form Bruticus as either an arm or a leg. He can also combine with any Combiner Wars-style Voyager Class figure or even form one of Legends Godbomber's legs.
- Unfortunately, due to the internal molding of his shins, repeatedly transforming Swindle will eventually create horizontal scratch marks across the hip joints. Swindle also has a hard time holding together solidly; when squeezing his legs together for vehicle mode, the vehicle mode front angles down. When tabbing the hood section into the legs, it pops the legs apart, but straightens up the front of the vehicle. The details between the arms, the hood section, and the legs also never line up completely in vehicle mode. It is entirely likely that this is all caused by the aforementioned internal molding of the shins.
- An early "gray model" resin prototype of Swindle featured a different version of his handheld weapon with a single, large barrel. Images of this appeared in both the Japanese Figure Ō magazine,[6] and the behind-the-design "On Deck Genesis" section in the back of Combiner Wars Swindle's pack-in comic, which also featured early sketches of the figure wielding the same weapon. Very early solicitations of Unite Warriors Bruticus also displayed Swindle with this weapon. These are the only instances this version of his weapon have ever been used, as the gray model prototype on display at Wonder Festival 2016 Winter, the official promotional Hasbro CG render for the Combiner Wars figure and all stock photos for both the Combiner Wars and the Unite Warriors version depict the regular weapon.
- Though Swindle's wave was scheduled for a first quarter 2016 release, it arrived on U.S. store shelves in late 2015.
- In the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, Swindle came in English-only packaging including a copy of "Combiner Wars #4" (actually Robots in Disguise #12). In Canada, Latin America, and Europe, he was available in different types of multilingual packaging including a character card featuring his comic book cover/package art instead. He and the last three waves of Combiner Wars Deluxe and Voyager figures later showed up at TJ Maxx at reduced prices with the collector card.
| Combiner Wars mold: Rook | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Version 1:
Version 2:
Version 3:
| ||
- Bruticus (Collection Pack, 2016)
- Accessories: Gun, double-barreled gun/fist/foot
- The entire Combiner Wars Combaticon team was redecoed into close approximations of their Generation 2 colors; Swindle turned out more a reddish-orange than the more pure-red of the "original", plus his optics are red rather than his normal spiffy purple. Unfortunately, he still has the original Decepticon faction symbol, not the Generation 2 style one.
- This version of the team was only available as a large boxed set, which also included a Generation 2-ish version of Shockwave. This was the fourth of five different combiner "Collection Pack" box sets, which were "shared exclusives" sold by numerous online retailers... though many ultimately ended up at US discounters like Ross and TJ Maxx.
Unite Warriors
- Unite Warriors Swindle is a redeco of the Combiner Wars mold in a color scheme based on his cartoon appearance, most obviously by painting his lower torso and hood purple and his face silver. He also features additional paint details on places like his hands and rims, and his hand-foot-gun is cast in the same yellow as his body. Swindle was sold only in a multi-pack with the other Combatrons. As with the G2 Bruticus set, Swindle does not use the retooled blaster from the later releases of the mold.
- As a Deluxe Class Unite Warriors figure, he can combine to form the leg or arm of any combiner from Hasbro's Combiner Wars subline or any Unite Warriors figure, but would usually be associated with Bruticus.
| Combiner Wars mold: Rook | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Version 1:
Version 2:
Version 3:
| ||
Notes
- The character models of the Combaticons are kinda... okay, heavily made-up. Swindle is particularly glaring, as his original 1986 toy was based on an XR311 combat vehicle (a predecessor to the AM General Humvee), whereas his character model was a much smaller Jeep, including a Jeep front on his robot chest, which the fiction has stuck with ever since. Early models of the team which were a bit more accurate to the toys—except for the heads, oddly enough—have shown up in various sourcebooks, though Swindle's is still off in some very odd ways.
- Swindle is the only Combaticon that doesn't have a faceplate or visor.
- In the Wings of Honor continuity the Combaticons are swayed to the Decepticon side by Deathsaurus appealing to their darker natures, represented by one of the Seven Deadly Sins. Swindle's vice is, predictably enough, his Greed.
- Unlike his fellow Combaticons, Swindle did not notably sport a redesign in "season 1" of the 2012 Robots in Disguise comic series based on his Aligned counterpart's video game model in High Moon Studios' Fall of Cybertron.
- The packaging of the 1990 European Classics release of the original Onslaught toy depicted the Combaticons in new color schemes, despite the fact that the actual toys looked identical to their original releases. While it may never be known for certain, it has been theorized that these colors originated from a packaging printing error rather than a legitimate attempt to redeco the Combaticons.
Foreign names
- Japanese: Swindle (スィンドル Swindoru)
- French: Filou (Canada, "Swindler")
- Hungarian: Svindli ("Spoof")
- Italian: Crasher
- Mandarin: Zhàpiàn (诈骗, "Swindle")
- Russian: Fingal (Фингал, "Black Eye")
- Portuguese: Vígaro
Gallery
Combiner Wars comic packaging art
Earth Wars Generation 2-themed skin
References
- ↑ "Starscream's Brigade" shooting script
- ↑ Swindle on the Transformers Online website
- ↑ "TF Expo Pics - Masterpiece Star Saber In Color and More!" at TFW2005.
- ↑ "TF Expo Pics Part 2 - G1 Prototypes, Movie Props, and More Masterpiece!" at TFW2005.
- ↑ "TF Expo Pics Part 4 - Prototypes and Figure Displays from Diaclone, G1, G2, Beast Wars" at TFW2005.
- ↑ Figure Oh! 216 scans at The Allspark (via the Internet Archive).
- Character stubs missing fiction
- Unreleased toys
- Alternators Decepticons
- Beast Wars: Uprising Decepticons
- Combaticons
- Combiner Wars Decepticons
- Dreamwave Generation 1 Decepticons
- Elite Guard
- Energon Universe Decepticons
- Generation 1 cartoon Decepticons
- Generation 1 Decepticons
- Generation 2 Decepticons
- IDW (2005) Decepticons
- IDW (2019) Transformers
- Kre-O Decepticons
- Kreons
- Marvel Generation 1 Decepticons
- Merchants
- The Headmasters Decepticons
- Transformers Roleplaying Game Autobots
- TransTech Decepticons
- Turncoats
- Unite Warriors Decepticons
- United Decepticons
- Wings Universe Autobots
- Wings Universe Decepticons
