Robotix - The 1985 animated series

December 9 2020

The Transformers: Robotix, or Transformers: Robotix for short, is a 1985 American animated series, spin-off of the Transformers series based on the original Milton Bradley action figure toy from toyline. The toyline is of the type of construction that includes motors, wheels and tongs and similar to Erector Set and K'Nex. The series follows the conflict between the peaceful white Protectons and the black Terrakor warmongers over the prehistoric alien world Skalorr V in an alternate universe in the distant future and two groups of humans who become involved.

The show was produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions, and was animated in Japan by Toei Animation, who also animated other cartoons featured in Super Sunday.

Characters

Protects

Imperius Argos: Emperor of Protectors. Prior to his transfer to his Robotix corps, he was the chief-in-command of the Imperial Protectonian space city Zanadon and had a romantic relationship with Nara. He is compassionate and courageous and tries to help humans. He despises killing to the point that he would rather harm himself than allow anyone to use it to kill another being. He nearly suffered a nervous breakdown after discovering that his mind and life force had been discharged into his robotic shell. It resembles a monstrous dog with a head on a long neck that can be used as a wand and a hook for the right hand that turns into a gun. Transformations and memorable features include a car-like shape, a compact mode with shrunken arms and legs, laser cannons that unfold from its chest, and an additional K-series drone barge known as the K-9. Favorite driver: Exeter.
Bronte: The strongest and toughest member of the Protectons. Prior to his transfer to his Robotix corps, he retained Zanadon's command center and initiated his battle mode. He is a close friend of Jerrok, who often teased him in the past due to his small size. Their confidence was severely tested when Bront was wrongly accused of sabotaging the Zanadon reactor and nearly attacked Kontor and Jerrok, but their collaboration was soon re-established. His Robotix body is a monstrous worm with four wheels on extendable swivel legs to cross the river that transform into feet. Transformations and memorable features include a car-like shape with a deployable grabber, an extreme torso extension to form a ladder, a deployable double-shell laser cannon on the forehead, and hands that transform into smaller legs and combine into a drill, a space cockpit capsule for two people, a cam-operated jaw, swivel joints and articulated elbows. Pilot of choice: Tauron.
Jerrok : Second in command of the Protectons and friend of Bront, he helped him activate the battle mode of Zanadon. He made fun of Bront because he was twice his height, but after his move he acquired the smaller Robotix body. It has the shape of a motorcycle with two legs. Since the robot shell is the fastest and most manageable, he likes to play with his opponents while fighting them. Transformations and memorable features include hands with built-in laser cannons and extreme arm extensions. Pilot of choice: Sphero.
Nara: Robotix female character from the series. Before being transferred into her Robotix body by Compu-Core, who is the queen of the Protectons and daughter of Argus, she was his assistant and shared a romantic relationship with him. She is caring and wants to help humans as she understands how fragile they are compared to their robot shells. He is also very bright, being the first Protecton to see through Venturak's masquerade. His Robotix body is a small, monstrous dome-shaped torso with a face mounted on four powerful legs that can also be used as arms. Its body is significantly resilient and it can remain fully operational and mobile even when some of its legs are badly damaged or even removed. Transformations and memorable features include a hoverjet-like shape, the ability to slide off the ground, grab cranes deployable from its legs, and deployable laser cannons from its feet. Favorite driver: Steth.
Boltar : Gentle beast of the Protectors, he is kind and sympathetic to his allies, but can be a serious threat to his enemies. On one occasion, he was able to take out four Terrakors on his own. He may be slightly underdeveloped mentally, as he always talks about himself in the third person and uses simple, short sentences (just like the Dinobots of Transformers). His Robotix body is a bulky monstrous torso on six thin walker legs and he can use the front ones as arms. It is the last robot shell created in the series and was assembled and animated by Zarru and Compu-Core during their stay in Zanadon, when they found an unfinished and partially missing Robotix in one of the hangars. Apparently, the body used by Boltar was still under construction when Skalorr's sun became a supernova and was abandoned by its creators. Transformations and memorable features include a humanoid combat mode, a helicopter mode and multiple onboard weapon systems, including laser cannons and flamethrowers. Boltar did not choose his pilot, during his first battle he was piloted by Zarru, but later Exeter assigns Flexor as his partner, without any objection from Protecton himself.
Imperius Kontor : Prior to the supernova cataclysm, Kontor was the foremost architect, designer, guardian and co-emperor of the Protectors that Argus found trustworthy. He had a very brief appearance, as he was ambushed by Nemesis and Tyranix in the Capsule Chamber soon after being transferred to his Robotix body and sent back to Compu-Core's essence bank to be replaced by Venturak. It was built by the Protectons with spare parts found in the Capsule Chamber and resembles a monstrous bear with shovel-like arms that also double as walker legs and an additional drone barge. He has never had any pilot or the ability to use any of his body features.

Terrakors

Nemesis: Merciless ruler of the Terrakor who seeks to take over Skalorr. In one of the flashbacks, he is seen trying to attack Zanadon with his army, but then fails and swears death to the deserters and revenge to Argus. When it was discovered that the sun would turn nova, he opted for the crew of the Terrastar and the abandonment of the dead planet, and even after moving into his body Robotix is willing to carry out the plan. He has an obsession with obtaining Compu-Core and using it to control Terrastar, which he admires and treats with great care (as seen when Goon fails to rescue the ship from a lake, being nearly torn apart by a raging Nemesis). Unlike Argus, Nemesis sees his new body as a better chance to escape the planet and conquer space, which helps him use his robotic shell more efficiently. He only trusts Tyrannix, even if he's not always willing to show it or even throw it away. His Robotix body is a blue monstrous lizard. Memorable transformations and features included a left hand capable of extreme extension (first encounter with Kanawk continues to tease him with 'that thing' and to Kanawk's insolence drops him from great height only to catch him at the last moment with said extension) and moving in a laser gun, circular saw, super sharp beam whips built into the hands and small steps built into its feet for high speed rolling functions. Favorite driver: Kanawk. self's insolence causes him to drop from a great height only to catch him at the last moment with the aforementioned extension) and switching to a laser gun, circular saw, super sharp beam whips embedded in his hands and small steps embedded in his feet for high-speed rolling functions. Favorite driver: Kanawk. self's insolence causes him to drop from a great height only to catch him at the last moment with the aforementioned extension) and switching to a laser gun, circular saw, super sharp beam whips embedded in his hands and small steps embedded in his feet for high-speed rolling functions. Favorite driver: Kanawk.
Tyrannix: A cold and calculating second-in-command of the Terrakor who has been transferred to his Robotix body, has the greatest firepower and is also their communications expert. He is mostly loyal to Nemesis, though he overturns him when he tires of Nemesis' failed attempts to find the Terrastar. There is no trace of him prior to his awakening as a Robotix specializing in communications and medium-range combat. It has highly sensitive sensor systems, making it capable of detecting targets approaching miles away and even accurately tell who exactly the target is. Its Robotix body has oversized wheels, wing-like radar solar panels, thrusters on the legs, and a double-shell plasma engine on the left arm. As such, it sometimes walks on the ground and other times it prefers to hover and fly, as shown when running in the air when the leg pods are active. Its arm motor also doubles as a flamethrower, laser cannon, and connection thruster in zero gravity. He often chooses Nara in combat. Pilot of choice: Gaxon. As an appropriate choice for Tyrannix, he is just merciless and cunning. He suggests stealing the last rations from the Exeter crew with considerable cruel glee and even later tries to force Argus to destroy a rock creature while briefly piloting it.
Steggor : The Terrakor smarter and more serpentine of all, he has a rivalry with Bront. His Robotix body is a monstrous snake. Pilot of choice: Nomo. Steggor's relationship with him is the least cordial of all Robotixes.
Goon : Dull terrakor who possesses little intelligence. Its Robotix body is shaped like a tank with two arms. It's a sturdy construction and is even used as a ram's head for the Robotix with which to escape the rocky creatures. Pilot of choice: Loopis, he also doesn't get along very well with his Robotix.
Imperius Venturak : When they attack the stasis chamber, Nemesis and Tyrannix manage to subdue Kontor, replacing his mind with that of Venturak, who acts as a Terrakor spy until he finally reveals his nature during the assault on Zanadon. Arguably the weakest Robotix, having no ranged weapons at least on screen and never beating any Robotix in unassisted combat. It appears that he has not been given a crystal of Siliton, instead when he protests this point with Nemesis he is unceremoniously thrown to the ground, with Nemesis saying they will honor his molten remains throughout Terrakor's history. Favorite driver: Traxis.
Imperius Terragar : seen briefly when Nemesis captures Argus and attempts to eliminate his personality, replacing him with a Terrakor to deceive the Protectors. Once discovered, Terragar's mind is returned to Compu-Core.

Human

Exeter Galaxon : Textbook leader and father of Zarru, he is brave, compassionate, intelligent, resourceful and stands up to adversity, never again in the climate battle where in an oxygen-free spaceship he is still able to guide the Terrastar to an asteroid for destruction mutual intentional of friends and enemies.
Tauron Oxus : Logician, wise and oldest member of the crew, it is he who asserts to his captain that it is in their best interest to assist the Protectors in their battle.
Canawk Creant : traitor man who often opposes his captain splits the crew to join the Terrakor in an attempt to leave the planet with their ship. Although he mediates the alliance with the Terrakor, he often takes the evil side of Nemesis, nearly being killed on their first encounter.
Gaxon Gaves : Ruthless and quiet officer who is not above sadism. He suggests stealing what little food his former crewmates have on their ship when they consume the illicit loot and Nomo asks if they should save a portion from double agent Traxis, says "You're kidding." After his Robotix Tyrannix detonates Argus, he hears himself laughing, even when he briefly pilots Argus in an attempt to escape the rocky creatures he tries to kill, but Argus points the gun at himself and expels Gaxon because he just wants to escape, not destroy. He then throws Gaxon out of his control pod.
Loopis Cur : Character who often whines and speaks sarcastically, unable to give him the command of the weaker Robotix. He briefly exits his faction after nearly dying with Goon, when used as a guinea pig to reactivate the Terrastar. Loopis even tries to escape when they prepare, but Tyrannix stops him.
Name Ares Yel : pessimistic and often at odds with his Robotix. He is not as bad or as willing to fight as his group, especially when they have Protectons without an interface. Nomo is the only one who cares that maybe they are not as helpless as they seem and when Steggor is savoring the moment before hurting Nara he scolds him saying 'Go on, right?!?'.
Traxis Lyte Janussen : Dual agent who works for the Terrakors, it is unclear why he openly refused to join Kanawk, but later secretly agrees by saying "I was hoping you would ask!". He is the only character in the series without an American accent.
Steth Allo : medical officer, conducts tests showing Skalorr food is poisonous to humans, but is later revealed to only apply to their region. When Kanawk reveals his intention to leave the group and takes most of the group with him, Steth immediately says he will share the food, although Exeter replies by saying "These traitors can eat the earth for whatever interests me."
Flexor Tul : He is the only one present when the Terrakor steal food rations from the spaceship known as USS Daniel Boone, which was once a submarine. He boldly confronts Tyrannix's hand with a saucepan and his legs are crushed by a refrigerator for his efforts. It appears to have had no lasting effects as it is fully mobile for the duration of the show. He is probably afraid of the big cats as he shows the utmost fear by seeing the monstrous feline in the volcano of the Rock creature.
Sphero Sol : Burly crew member, mistakenly assures Flexor is not looking for their ship before Tyrannix steals their food.
Zarru Galaxon : Son of Exeter, he is, at times, a cheeky kid who gets into trouble. One point proves itself, when Flexor is chosen to be Boltar's driver. He briefly manages to take control of a disgraced Goon, but Goon overthrows him, the first time in the show we see Robotix's free will is stronger than the orders given by the pilot.

Battle of the Titans

After being chased by an Ejoornian Zanque Battle-class cruiser, a starship referred to as the USS Daniel Boone crashes into a desert on the ruined planet Skalorr and its occupants left for dead. However, the crew survives, only to immediately find themselves embroiled in a battle between two factions of giant Android monster-creature-like dreadnoughts created to rebuild the planet known as Robotix - the Protectons and the Terrakors - emerging from the ground. As the Terrakors flee the scene, the Protectons befriend Captain Exeter and crew and repair their ship. During the repair, Nara and Zarru discover that humans can interface with Robotix to enhance their abilities, while a new Terrakor attack forces Bront to test the new discovery.

Lost paradise

Interfaced with Exeter, Bront uses his new abilities to rescue Argus, who, interfaced with Tauron, helps him fend off the Terrakors. In the next brief moment of peace, Argus takes the humans to the Protecton underground base, where the story of Skalorr is told by Compu-Core, the planet's central intelligence. Three million years earlier, the proto-Auric organic races of the Galactisaurian Protecton and the Serpesaurian Terrakor were forced to put aside their hostilities as their sun began to innovate. While Nemesis planned to use Compu-Core to launch its ship, the Terrastar, to transport a select few from the planet to safety, Compu-Core himself suggested the use of underground stasis tubes to preserve the entire population.

Traitor among us

The telling of Skalorr's story continues as the entire population of the planet seals itself in stasis tubes. However, a radiation leak threatens their lives and ruins their bodies beyond repair and Compu-Core is forced to transfer and store their essences within itself. When the radiation levels finally return to normal several years later, he transfers the essences of four Protectons and four Terrakors to the Robotix. The ensuing battle led to current events.

As the Daniel Boone's repair continues, Kanawk, Gaxon, Loopis and Nomo become impatiently dissatisfied with Exeter's leadership and are forced to set out on their own to find the Terrastar and offer their services to the Terrakor.

A spy is born

Nemesis accepts the offer of Kanawk and the renegade humans and the Terrakor interface. Shortly after the Protectons complete the construction of a new Robotix, infused with the essence of Kontor, the Terrakors organize a diversion to lure the Protectons off their base. With the battle raging outside, Nemesis and Tyrannix penetrate the base and replace Kontor's essence with Venturak's, who then interfaces with another human turncoat, Traxis, and is named a spy within Protecton's ranks. . He reveals to the Terrakor that the humans' food supplies are dwindling, resulting in an attack on their ship and the theft of their remaining rations.

Emergency landing

Repair of the Daniel Boone continues apace and success is finally achieved. However, the Terrakors attack the Protectons just as Exeter's crew take off. Defenseless before the interfaced Terrakors, the Protectons face certain doom until the crew of Exeter returns to save them, only to discover that the Terrakors have stolen their guidance system when they have taken their food. Humans crash back into the planet's desert.

Firestorm at the Oasis

With their interfaces restored, the Protectons repel the Terrakor, but the ship of Exeter is now irreparable and the humans are still without food. Compu-Core releases probes to locate consumable vegetation, uncovering an oasis that humans and Protectons are heading towards, while Argus and Venturak remain to guard Compu-Core. While the other Terrakors raze the oasis in hell, Nemesis invades Protecton's base with the help of Venturak and captures Argus, obliterating his essence.

Caught

The Protectons and humans of the oasis manage to survive by digging a way out, but Argus's inability to respond to his radio signal prompts Bront to return to base to investigate. Meanwhile, Nemesis infuses Argus' body with Terragar's essence, and they escape with Compu-Core. Bront pursues them, but is almost deceived by Terragar, posing as Argus, with the deception revealed only by Loopis' presence at the controls. Bront seizes Compu-Core and escapes into the crystalline Desert of Illusions, but, one after another, the illusions are dissolved, leaving Bront staring at the barrel of Terragar's cannon.

The lost cities

Nara and Jerrok come to Bront's aid and the Terrakors flee, leaving Terragar's deactivated body behind. Compu-Core is able to restore Argus using a backup copy of its essence and the Protectons begin searching for their old city, Zanadon. At the same time, however, the Terrakors seek out their city, Terrakordia, and send Steggor to pursue the Protectors. The Terrakors then discover that it has been crushed by a glacier and that Terrastar is nowhere to be found. Enraged, Tyrannix attacks Nemesis and claims command of the Terrakor for himself, leaving with Goon to join Steggor.

Meanwhile, the Protectors try to reactivate Zanadon, turning to Kontor, as he was responsible for creating the city. However, as his essence has been replaced inside the Robotix by Venturak, he sabotages the turbo flow generator and blames Bront when the generator threatens to explode and destroy the entire city.

Bront is accused

The Protectons barely manage to escape from Zanadon as Compu-Core seals the dome of the city to contain the explosion in only one of its multiple sectors. The situation is made worse by Venturak, who accuses Bront as a traitor, forcing the other Protectons to imprison him until his innocence is proven. In the ensuing confusion, Tyrannix and Goon once again attempt to steal Compu-Core, but Venturak reacts, fearing the wrath of Nemesis. Nemesis and Steggor then rejoin the fray and Zarru frees Bront, who convinces the other Protectons that he is not a traitor by helping them claim victory in the battle.

Exploring inside Zanadon, Zarru discovers an incomplete Robotix body that requires additional parts. Venturak directs the Protectors to a nearby factory that contains the parts they need, but unbeknownst to them, the Terrakors have already set up an ambush there.

The factory of death

The Protectons battle the various machines in the factory, while Zarru and Flexor put together the unfinished Robotix in the best possible way. A distress call from Argus forces them to activate the new Robotix, infusing it with the essence of Boltar, who rushes to the aid of the captive Protectons and rescues them. However, Exeter refuses to leave Zarru to be Boltar's pilot and instead appoints Flexor and, in an attempt to prove Exeter that he is skilled enough, Zarru sets out to locate the Terrakors.

Zarru dives

Zarru crashes somewhere in the freezing tundra region of Skalorr, where the Terrakors have managed to locate the submerged Terrastar in a lake. While attempting to reactivate the ship, the Protectons, low on energy, set out in search of Zarru. Goon is assigned the unenviable task of launching the Terrastar and quickly loses control of the ship, burying it under an avalanche. As he moves quickly, Zarru invades Goon's control pod, but is later thrown from it and rescued by the Protectons. The Terrakors are forced to flee due to their own dwindling energy levels, and both factions head to Siliton Mountain to locate the crystals they need to recharge. However, the Terrakors have an advantage and organize a flood to wipe out the Protectons.

The attack of the creatures of the rock

Boltar's mass protects the Protectons from flooding and they continue their search for crystals. However, both races are captured by a bizarre race of rock creatures, which also feed on the crystals. The creatures separate the humans from their Robotix partners and imprison them in their underground kingdom within a volcano. As the humans watch, they see the rocky creatures sniff their ship (it is unexplained how the ship that returned to the Protectons ended up where everyone was being held hostage), and it soon becomes apparent that the Robotix must share the same fate, with Jerrok which goes first.

All for one

Held captive in a pit by the creatures of the rock, humans are threatened by a monstrous, many-eyed feline, which Exeter uses to escape. After ripping a crystal of Siliton, he reloads Jerrok, who rescues himself and keeps the rocky creatures at bay while the humans reload the other Robotix and interface with the closest ones they can find. This leads to some unstable collaborations, as Argus expels Gaxon from his control capsule to force him to kill the rocky creatures. Goon and Bront merge into a ram that opens a path to freedom, but when Tyrannix opens fire on the rocky creatures, it ignites the volcano, forcing all Robotixes and humans to work together properly to most efficiently save themselves and the rock creatures from destruction. The rocky creatures carry the Protectors to safety, but the Terrakor manage to survive on their own and attack Zanadon once again, while Tyrannix buries the city in a landslide.

Battle for Zanadon

After a brief concern from the Terrakor that the landslide may have destroyed Compu-Core, Zanadon takes off and the Protectons try to move him out of range. While Venturak and Compu-Core control the functions of the city, the other Protectons explore various regions of the city. However, when Argus is attacked by Nemesis, he realizes that Kontor has opened the dome of the city to allow access to the Terrakors. Tyrannix and Bront fight in the city's sports stadium, while Steggor chases Nara into the infirmary. Defeating Steggor, Nara discovers Venturak, the finished farce, preparing to escape with Compu-Core. No match for either Venturak or Tyrannix, Nara is defeated and Nemesis and the Terrakor escape, with Compu-Core in their clutches. While the Protectors even struggle to close the domes of the city without Compu-Core,

The final attack

The Terrastar razed Zanadon to the ground, but in the ensuing conflagration, the Protectons attempt to penetrate the Terrastar's hull. Nemesis directs the ship into space, into a nearby asteroid belt, knocking everyone but Argus and Nara into the void. They make their way into the ship and Nara is quickly thrown into space by Tyrannix, leaving Argus and Exeter alone to face the gathered Terrakor. Struggling against the airless void, Exeter directs the Terrastar towards a giant asteroid, then battles Kanawk, while Argus overtakes the Terrakors and comes to his aid by hurling Kanawk sideways against the wall (though any apparent human deaths do not come. shown on screen) and escaping the ship with Exeter and Compu-Core as it crashes into the asteroid, exploding into a giant fireball.

Floating in space, Argus is picked up by the other Protectons, who have survived by combining. They return to the surface of Skalorr and begin plans to rebuild their world, with the help of the humans, who all agree to stay and help their new allies. However, in the vacuum of space, Nemesis still lives, along with Kanawk.

Robotix: the movie

In 1987, the fifteen six-minute shorts were joined together and released on video as Robotix: The Movie, a 90-minute feature film. On 28 July 2003 it was re-released on DVD for Region 2 in the UK and Ireland

Technical data

Transformers: The Robotix: The Movie
Directed by John Gibbs, Terry Lennon
Written by Alan Swayze
Produced by Joe Bacal, Tom Griffin, Don Jurwich
Music by Robert J. Walsh
Production companies Hasbro
Productions Sunbow, Marvel, Toei Animation
Distributed by Claster Television
Exit date 1987
Duration 90 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org