Robots in Disguise - The Cartoon

The cartoon

The Robots in Disguise cartoon started airing on American television in the autumn of 2001. It was based on the Japanese series Car Robots, and had 39 episodes.

The setting

One major difference compared to earlier versions of Transformers, is that the Autobots are operating in secret. A small group of Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, is secretly guarding the planet in case the planet is attacked by the Predacons.

One of the Autobots'
subterranean roads.

The Global Space Bridge

To better protect the Earth, the Autobots have used space bridge technology and transwarp technology to create an advanced network that allows them to reach any part of the planet in very short time. Some of the roads are actual tunnels, going far beneath the Earth's crust. Other roads make use of advanced Cybertronian technology, opening a road through subspace.

Optimus Prime entering the underground road network through a secret doorway...

Team Bullet Train trying to
catch up with a runaway train.

Yet more roads can be projected wherever they are needed, as in the picture to the left, where extra railways are created for the Team Bullet Train members so they can pursue a runaway train.

The Global Space Bridge can be reached either through secret doorways, or through subspace portals.

...and exiting through a subspace portal.

Cybertron Base

Cybertron Base

The Autobots have built a secret headquarters, with advanced equipment which lets them track enemy activity anywhere in the world.

Everything in Autobot headquarters is monitored by a computer with artificial intelligence. This computer, which is called T-ai, usually interacts with the Autobots and their friends in the form of a hologram with female appearance.

T-ai

As you might have guessed, a substantial part of the series revolves around this technology. The Global Space Bridge is a constant thorn in the flesh to Megatron and his followers, and they soon realize that they have to try to steal the access codes to it.

The new enemy

Another difference from earlier versions of Transformers, is that the Autobots aren't fighting the Decepticons this time, at least not to begin with. Instead, the assailants are the Predacons.

The Predacons were originally introduced in the Beast Wars series, where they were the descendants of the Decepticons. Naturally the Predacons transform too, but instead of transforming into vehicles or robotic animals like the Decepticons, they transform into organic-looking beasts. But are they better equipped to conquer the Earth than the Decepticons of the original Transformers series? You will have to watch the series to find out...

This page was created by Lars Eriksson, groundsplitter@ntfa.net.
The last revision was made on Sunday, September 7, 2003