TRANSFORMERS: THE BASICS on the PROTECTOBOTS

Long before Heatwave's team were rolling to the rescue, there was the original Autobot emergency response team - the PROTECTOBOTS!
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[@CRONNOS95]

I love that in their introductions they’re mostly really either chill or caring and then there’s blades who’s basically “his job on the team keeps him from his real passion, Violence.”

[@cylasbreakdown6140]

I love that Rook was so last-minute in the comics that it was later established that he was just a random guy who was standing in the wrong place when Starscream used the Enigma.

[@ltb1345]

A random guy who was perfectly "in sync" with the team. Lol.

[@LankySanky]

"well I guess I'm doing this now"

[@XboxTF2Tidbits]

Imagine walking down the street and suddenly you’re a leg.

[@lul911]

@@XboxTF2Tidbits relatable

[@XboxTF2Tidbits]

@@lul911 it is, happened to me this morning

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

with defensor and the protectbots being one of my fan favourite characters,i'm really glad to see them get attention and a basics episode,defensor was a unique character especially in the idw,the idw defensor will be never forgotten and he always holds a special place in my heart

[@phillipmoghaddam7240]

Good thing they all survived sans Rook. Hope they can combine with just five.

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

defensor is seriously a underrated great combiner,with a unique team and design,defensor is actually one of the few combiners that i personaly liked after bruticus-victorion-potp inferno combiner(city guard) and volcanicus,great thing that he has the best combiner toys ever

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

@AOS what's your favourite team After the protectbots ?

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

@AOS too bad computron was a tribble character in the prime wars trilogy,he killed so easily by menasor and rodimus cron(rodimus unicronus)

[@agent_meister477]

I like your avatar. Put her there buddy 👊

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

@@agent_meister477 ricochet is honestly one of my favourite characters,its a shame that he didn't appear in a lot of medias and he has some toys (like the power of the primes and the newage one),i actually love shattered glasd ricochet,my issue with him is the character write,i mean they make him a crazy sports car autobot who has a heavy rocket lunachers on his shoulders

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

@AOS i just wish if we can see him again in masterpiece or on any modern japanese toyline like artfire(artfire is even got a wfc kingdom toy tho)

[@DamonBurrus]

Defensor was my favorite combiner as a kid. I remember when I got the box set for Christmas in the 80s while my younger brother received the Menasor set. We had a blast. My Defensor is still standing proudly in one of my cabinets now, all these years later. :)

[@reptongeek]

You and your brother were the luckiest kids ever. I only ever saw one of the box sets when I was younger - the Menasor set. I only bought the individual robots, until I collected them as an adult when they were easier to come by!

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

the fact that the protectbots are the first rescue bots ever and they are the classic that started it all,make it more funnier

[@crimsondynamo615]

When you put it like that i still wonder why they weren’t the main cast for rescue bots. They easily would have belonged given their nature.

[@Gaia_BentosZX5]

@@crimsondynamo615 And people on social media simp the more timid version of Blades, which is funny as hell.

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

@@Gaia_BentosZX5 what do you mean ?

[@gent777]

Even funnier when you know how polar opposite G1 and RB Blades are.

[@henriquedearruda8902]

rescue Bots is still going maybe we will get to see a fight against the Decipticons including Megatron they keep mentioning them in the show but they still have not appeared in rescue bots.

[@agent_meister477]

"Yo 'Screamer! Your pilot's license just expired!" -- Streetwise Best line in G1, ever. 🚓

[@chrisedwards3214]

A hint of what was to come in the movie

[@krausercruz2780]

I like the fact that they got new members that each combine into different parts other than limbs, such an underused idea for a team

[@carloblanch3893]

I remember i used to own Groove. I think my brother owned Hotspot... thats as far as we got with the protectabots

[@foxfireinferno197]

I had (and still have) the whole set from the original release WAY back when.

[@austinmorrison6953]

After reading Blades’ bio I have to ask, how the heck does a violent sociopathic thug wind up on a rescue and law enforcement unit?!

[@slightlyuncomfortable]

He's more of a cop than the actual cops.

[@jasonsumma1530]

Probably was assigned to Hot Spot so Blades could learn how to cool off. Blades also balances out the pacifist nature of Groove or First Aid.

[@thedesucomplex4365]

Part of me still wishes the Rescue Bots had explicitly been a new iteration of the team and connected to them in some way, like mentoring under them or having them be the head of the organization. I get the creative decisions to distance them though.

[@FangZeronos]

I had a knockoff Protectobots in an easter basket as a kid. Thought they were the coolest things ever. Fell apart after a couple of months because of cheap plastic, but they were still fun

[@daverage4729]

Always thought that Hotspot was the best looking of all the combiner commanders. And that baby blue fire engine mode with flames down the side....Magnificent! Defensor always struck me as the best looking combiner of all the originals. Good looking bunch of boys the Protectobots.

[@gregorylieber8362]

The protectobots stand out to me because of their prominent role in The Return of Optimus Prime. And first aid was one of the few G1 toys I had

[@willkerr7395]

same! i only ever had first aid, swindle and bumblebee.

[@jasonsumma1530]

First Aid was the only G1 Protectobot I got as a kid. I somehow broke Wildrider's head so the Stunticons had brainwashed First Aid into joining the team filling in the missing limb piece. I didn't realize how ugly the other team members with the exception of Hot Spot were in robot mode for the G1 Protectobots.

[@angryvikings]

It does feel like they are full of missed opportunities with these guys.

[@JessicaSueO]

The idw's version really disappointed me, I hadn't read their origin so I discovered that they were defensor and saw them killed off in the span of only two issues I think. It was so abrupt and jarring and honestly one of the few things I didn't like while reading the series. I hope to see more of them in the future, maybe even get a movie appearance? (one can dream lol)

[@abraveastronaut]

I especially hate how Roberts went out of his way to immediately kill off Rook (the Protectobot who'd never actually been in anything before so people were looking forward to seeing how he was depicted) so he could go HEY LOOK, IT'S MY OC AMBULON, HE'S DEAD BUT HE'S STILL IMPORTANT, HE TURNS INTO A LEG, REMEMBER THAT?

[@Cole_Clawheart-Clips]

I kind of want to see a future installment that has the Protectobots go up against the Stunticons as their rivals. A sort of Cops and Robbers type of rivalry

[@liokizer]

We almost got Defensor (with 1 arm) vs Menasor in the g1 cartoon kinda

[@barricadethedecepticon1350]

I don't know I like Sky vs Land with Menasor and Superion better

[@Lastjustice]

That could be fun as the combiner teams do fight around. (Combaticons and the Aerialbots duked it out in Aerial assault.)

[@GabrielJCasaus]

With so little in the media spotlight it's no wonder this team is forgotten about. Most fans love Decepticon combiner teams more than Autobot combiner teams. Then as far as Autobot teams, the Protectobots are usually the least favorite. I quite like the Protectobots as far as design and characterization. Defensor is a really cool looking combiner. Definitely my favorite Autobot combiner.

[@peterdanior4538]

I’m surprised First-Aid never teamed up with Lifeline from GIJOE. They seem like a natural partnership, even down to matching colors.

[@leroypowell3]

I always expected that too. Even to this day it's never been done. Not even just fan art with them standing together.

[@davidm4566]

They need to get it done in the next crossover

[@vilvile]

Blades was my first transformer toy in the 80s. I didn’t have much growing up, and transformers were not very easily available in Argentina for a while. A friend of the family that traveled to the US gave it to me as a gift. While for many he was only an arm, it holds a dear place for me.

[@ShadowWingTronix]

I mentioned this in the announcement but the Protectobots are my favorite Combiner (though I haven't owned all the Combiners in G1) because their personal weapons can be added to Defensor depending on who is which limb, giving Defensor multiple ways to battle, and I didn't even know about the Japanese bonus characters, which now I wish I had. For some reason Hasbro and their media partners do a terrible job utilizing combination (see also the Mini-Cons and Energon's Powerlinking), treating it more like Voltron than the play range the Scramble style combination offers.

[@lenabrokaw714]

"To mend and defend"... if that's not a Reboot reference...

[@DevinGates]

To defend their newfound friends. Their hopes and dreams. To defend them from their enemies. (Score ramps up and swirls)

[@lenabrokaw714]

@@DevinGates never actually seen reboot, I just know that's a thing they say lol

[@DevinGates]

@@lenabrokaw714 it's in the opening credits, spoken, as is the rest of what I typed.

[@TerryTurner]

The perfect Transformers spinoff and in a later season have the Rescue Bots joining the series. That would be an interesting series, IMO.

[@hpred97123]

The Protectbot's were the only combiner team that I had completed as a kid. They were also the first team that I completed during the Combiner Wars as well.

[@doctorfives]

Poetry

[@Samuel_Loegan]

Nice :D. So that means you got Rook and Deluxe Groove too?

[@hpred97123]

@@Samuel_Loegan I don't have Rook, but he was never a G1 member so personally I don't count him. I was able to find Hotspot, Blades, & both versions of Groove in store. Had to procure First-Aid & Streetwise online.

[@Samuel_Loegan]

@@hpred97123 oh I see. Nice :D. If me? I have both Rook and the Deluxe Groove. The mini Groove however? Nah, coz Defensor isn't meant to have a chest armor

[@spartan1512]

That’s cool. My first complete combiner was Optimus Maximus, which I got for Christmas. A year later I got Superion and Defensor

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

as a person who loved bruticus a lot as a kid,i can confirm that the protectbots are just the shattered glass version of the combaticons,first aid=swindle and hot spot=onslught

[@HORRIOR1]

And Blades = Vortex.

[@toysmostwanted]

Thinking about that, it's kinda funny how Combiner Wars Defensor and Bruticus share a couple of molds.

[@rodneyholmes5260]

You know, I always thought these guys matched up better against the Stunticons. Think of it as law and order vs crime and violence.

[@sonicguyver7445]

Oh! That's a cool angle to take.

[@SwiftpawWolffox]

BotCon played with that take in the Generation 2 Redux sets. The rest of their teams had been destroyed but Breakdown escaped and Streetstar (They couldn't use the Streetwise name at that point for some reason) was trying to track him down out of a sense of duty and revenge.

[@auberginemanproductions1608]

I think they go well with Bruticus. Protecting and rescuing against miltary vehicles that are only built to attack

[@liokizer]

@@auberginemanproductions1608 Why not both?

[@rodneyholmes5260]

@@auberginemanproductions1608 Superion also goes well with Bruticus. It's safe to say that if you switched their supposed "rivalries", it would be no less epic.

[@sivanlevi3867]

My favorite member of this team is Hot Spot for his attitude towards people and his convincing of First Aid to come back to the team in that one episode of G1.

[@foldabotZ]

2:34 "... In _Central City_ " Must be great working along side The Flash.

[@foxfireinferno197]

I'm just trying to figure out why it's called Central City when the cartoon looks like it takes place primarily in the American Southwest. Central City should be like where Kansas City is.

[@rodneyholmes5260]

@@foxfireinferno197 Actually, much of the action in the original cartoon takes place in Oregon, since that's where the Ark crashed.

[@AllenMS828]

@@foxfireinferno197 The city could be at the center of the state it's in, or even the center of its county. It doesn't necessarily have to be at the center of the country. 🙂

[@President_Starscream]

Christmas!? Don't you mean "Chosen One Day"?

[@haydenreviewscustomcombos]

Medix was also in rescue bots Academy.

[@bradtobin839]

And he's portrayed in season 2 as Ratchet's nephew.

[@omarsalem1219]

It's not official but I am glad the stop motion movie "roll out" by TFI creations gave these guys some spotlight

[@TFICreations]

I love the Protectobots.

[@omarsalem1219]

Oh My God

[@TFICreations]

@@omarsalem1219 0.0

[@danielmedela8725]

I can understand the Groove becoming chestplate thing, as the bike would be oversized otherwise.... unless you leave the mass displace as must.

[@maddocmonkey]

what about groove as a weapon like a nitrogen freeze gun(to reference his use of liquid nitrogen in the show )

[@danielmedela8725]

@@maddocmonkey While that would work in theory and relative size, I pity the designer that needs to craft a figure that can turn into both a bike and a gun.... Still, interesting idea.

[@maddocmonkey]

@@danielmedela8725 i see that. but with a flip-out pig and some tabs. I think it can work along with rearranging it.

[@Joseph_Drew_III]

Idea (that I don’t remember if I suggested before): The basics on Ginrai/Victory Leo

[@TFICreations]

I love the Protectobots to death, but First Aid will forever be my favourite autobot.

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

Oh my god the chad himself,thank for giving the protectbots more attention in the "roll out" movie

[@TFICreations]

@@bilal_Hadjlaoui907 They deserved it!

[@redalert923]

I love what a character you gave first aid.

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

"the protectbots,the original rescue bots"-rodimus primal

[@bilal_Hadjlaoui907]

"Defensor,the counter to the mighty bruticus !"

[@goodputin4324]

Superion is better off to counter Bruticus

[@originaluddite]

This is my favourite of the Scramble City style teams. What's not to love about emergency service vehicles, although I've never seen a blue fire engine. The lack of a proper cartoon debut was a shame, but thanks for filling me in on them having a retcon colonial origin, much like Sandstorm did. I remember seeing the brand-new Protectobots in stores and thinking that maybe the writing was on the wall for Ratchet, Prowl and Inferno, even if the last still felt like a fresh new character. The greater simplicity of the toys seemed a downgrade, but there was something undeniably exciting and colourful about them. One thing that makes Defensor the best of the same-era combiner toys is that you cannot lose his head. :)

[@Lastjustice]

Defensor was probably the sturdiest of the combiner teams, since Hotspot was a large enough vehicle to most of the body and didn't have super skinny legs. Superion and Abominus both had very flimsy as toys due to their skinny legs of their main toys.

[@jasonsumma1530]

@@Lastjustice You couldn't stand Superion up due to the hinges on Silverbolt's legs. Most of the 1980's line of TF toys were bulky which made them solid but looks were a bit lacking.

[@Lastjustice]

@@jasonsumma1530 I know as Superion/The aerialbots were among my favorites. It was infamous for breaking very easily. I considered picking up a newer version at some point just have one because still a favorite of mine, despite owning it myself.

[@FortressMunkimus1985]

The Protectobots really did deserve better. They're my favourite Autobot sub team.

[@bradtobin839]

Ranking them from high to low, I'd say: Hot Spot, Blades, First Aid, Streetwise, Groove, Medix, and Rook.

[@DarkknightChris]

Back in the day, if the groups of characters didn't have an origin in the cartoon, I take their comic origin as their canon story. However the Protectobots didn't have one in the comic as well, making his origin as an mystery. It is true that they was foreshadowed UK comics and it flew over my head at the time. Looking back, it is silly to try to assume all this because it's two different lores and fan theories. Nothing official. Heck, I took Furman's original plans to have the coneheads in the BW finale as canon evidence how they came to be and that's why they weren't present in Mircobots. It's fun to have theories but don't take it as canon evidence.

[@maddocmonkey]

understandable

[@chrisedwards3214]

Lots of transformers didn't have origin stories they just popped up

[@havokan45]

My friend as a kid tried telling the Protechobots where some of the Aubobots killed of in the movie and rebuilt . But he didn't see most of the season 2 end episodes and the 2 they was in tell after Season 3 aired .He had the Protechobots toys as a kid and said some of their bios sound like some of the ones killed in the movie .

[@JMurdochNZ]

You know you drew the alt-mode short straw when you turn into a shield for some other guy.

[@foxfireinferno197]

Yep. Your entire job is for everybody else to hide behind you while you get the slag kicked out of you.

[@warlordsquerk5338]

@@foxfireinferno197 That said, maybe that's what he would have wanted. As a protector bot maybe he'd rather be the one to take the bullets than see his team take them.

[@librarianseth5572]

It's a shame these guys haven't been given the spotlight they deserve

[@liammentoor1472]

They and the Technobots are the most underrated Autobots.

[@skids5454]

no

[@barricadethedecepticon1350]

@@skids5454 eh don't worry I didn't forget you,it could be worse? Could be like your friends the MONSTERBOTS! Which chrismcfeely has a basics video on.

[@bowelrupture]

After years of not collecting transformers, the CW version of Defensor sparked the interest for the modern Transformers again. Until then i only had old G1 versions of Cliffjumper, Warpath and Ultra Magnus.

[@TheMrbigtires]

I didn't know that Heatrock and Flamefeather could replace Hotspot as a torso! That's one of the coolest things I've seen in a while.

[@Bluecrest5]

I was hoping they would make them to do at least that for Combiner Wars/Unite Warriors in addition to 2 more limb bots to give a us a second full combiner.

[@Gearoidmcnaught]

I think they make the best rescue team back in the 80s and I still like Rescue Bots too.

[@chrisedwards3214]

The protectobots seem to be least liked of the autobot teams First aid wasn't that popular as a medic they tried to replace ratchet and didn't work Liked blades and hound argument in g2 issue 1

[@DBWalks2010]

I had no idea Hot Shot could transform into a Repair bay! That wasn’t in the instruction book! Fantastic video review 👍👍🙏😃

[@DBWalks2010]

Thanks 🙏 I hope the Protectorbots will have a more roles in upcoming series!

[@DBWalks2010]

I’m thinking Transformers: Earth Spark.

[@DBWalks2010]

Your Welcome 🙏

[@jasonsumma1530]

I believe most if not all of the Scramble City commanders technically had a third form making them triple changers. Admittedly, I don't remember the third form ever being used in any media but could be mistaken since I've yet to see every instance of the combiner teams.

[@javiersantanaaviles5885]

The Rescuebots are the spiritual succesor of the Protectobots, but never as memorable as the originals

[@madmerlinsart]

Was nearly tempted to Patreon this episode just for myself, but nice to see me beaten to the punch. As for my favourite, there is really only one and that is my first ever TF figure First Aid. It was during my primary school years that I first found out about the Transformers at a birthday party and I asked mum to get me one. So she picked up one of the cheaper figures Argos had at the time which was a reissue First Aid figure. The toy has stayed with me for close to 30 years. He's a little time/play worn, but he's still special to me. Upon finding out he was part of a team I made it my duty to gather the rest of the team. A task I finally completed back in 2018 at a local Comic & Sci-Fi Convention I managed to pick up a complete Hot Spot, a unsealed but on card Groove and a loose Streetwise. The last part of the puzzle took so work to get but I finally got Blades off ebay complete save for his pistol. Owning these has inspired me to try and make a G1 Rust Renegades/Victorion set, but it'd mean hunting down and repainting some already hard to get figures. There is one thing I'd like to do and that's restore First Aid, Streetwise and the faded chrome Groove to new condition. Maybe one day.

[@jamesmcateer6992]

Petition for Chris to make a team chaar or Stricka basics

[@aderose]

I’d love to see you talk about Pyra Magna and the Torchbearers one day. The group Who would make Transformers history by being the first fully formed, all female combiners who all together form Victorion.

[@LordArikado]

I really hope that Victorion and by extension Megatronia get some better representation in the future, both media-wise and toy-wise. Victorion was hit the hardest IMO by her only major appearance being in the disaster that was the Prime Wars cartoon, and her color scheme being legendarily awful in toy form. I'd also like to see Megatronia come back with her team being fleshed out as more than just fangirls, because I'd argue the Combiner Wars Victorion design looks better in the Megatronia set due to its more visually pleasing color scheme, and the idea of a team led by a genderbent counterpart to Megatron is ripe for new material.

[@nrmtf]

When I completed the "new" Protectobots toys, I initially felt that Rook, as the "new" team member, did not quite belong to the team, as his alt mode (an armored SWAT vehicle) seemed more of an "attack" vehicle, rather than a "rescue" vehicle. Eventually, I realized that his alt mode is the only one in the team that directly fits the team's name, as his alt mode can literally protect its human passengers from gunfire. :)

[@mokeymokey1035]

I’ll mention it because no one else is talking about it. Hotspot’s Combiner Wars toy was one of the worst ever made. Seriously, what kind of idiot allowed those crappy leg joints on a combiner torso?

[@AllenMS828]

The Protectobots have a special place in my heart, because they were the first (and maybe only) full-sized Combiner team I was able to complete back in the day. Kid-me was devastated that I never found a Hook to complete the Constructicons.

[@VillainHunter]

I like defensor hey Chris I like this video

[@harlanPerry]

First aid is my favourite one.

[@OldDirtyCollector]

I always dug hotspots design. Especially his IDW design. I thought the team was good! Only issue I ever had was groove. He would have to be a world largest motorcycle to work as a combiner. Rook worked better.

[@Ocorydon-WCO]

The toy made by maketoy (yes, that's their name) is pretty awesome, but I wouldn't get it with the others because most of them are low quality

[@OldDirtyCollector]

@@Ocorydon-WCO I don’t have that one but I can say I do have the generation toy version and it’s awesome!

[@kingvagar]

Ah, one of my favorite Autobot combiner (Superion is the second one)... sadly I could not form Defensor, I only had Hot Spot (Christmas gift) when I was a child. Nice video!

[@TheRealDustinNunn]

Hasbro reminds me a lot of Fawcett Comics and DC Comics. They forget to copyright and trademark their characters. Ever heard of Shazam (aka Captain Marvel/Billy Batson)? If not, look him up. He is a good example of why crooked copyrighting and crooked trademarking exists in the world of fiction.

[@overdalcy]

Like the guardian/defensor so much, I think all kids that parents were firemen, cops, medics, would love to have them, I never play with them as rivals of devastator or bruticos, always they are chasing stunticons in a classic cars vs cars! Loved the groove new model but I think prowl, ratchet, inferno, red alert and strong arm need make a team they are much more famous!

[@thatrandomstopmotion3727]

Fun fact, in transformers revenge of the fallen the game the protectobots Blades, Hotspot, and I believe Streetwise were drones in it. Just taking the spot as cannon fodder

[@TonySalazar933]

I've always had a soft spot for the Protectbots. I had Blades and First Aid and I always liked their vibe.

[@hotrodsreviews5148]

my favorite protecterbot is first aid

[@HERITAGE12]

FIRST combiner team to have the superbot head be part of the the team leaders body IIRC. Everyone else having to have a head or mask slapped on them to complete the look. and one of the last of the bots to have a "superpower" with his forceshield. i miss the aul special abilities that was a legacy of marvel doing the characters and treating em like superheros.

[@eyeseer1]

Defensor would been incredible to the Michael Bay Transformers films in correlation from the Constructicons. Notable as a foe of Bruticus and Menasor, First Aid was given a good upgrade to Transformers Animated.

[@MarkusSeaberry]

I only had Streetwise and Blades back in the G1 days. Streetwise just looked so cool to me.

[@TFfangeek]

The Protectobots are the best of Cybertron's first responders. Whenever a crisis emerges the Autobots can count on Defensor to bring an end to any emergency.

[@tombrand236]

Just realised I had Hotspot but no idea he could combine! I was only about 5-6 at the time. This channel along with your Sonic podcast is like a direct link to my youth. Thanks for doing these Chris

[@Lastjustice]

I never had a full team of combiners to make them as a kid.

[@sharkwithfreakinlaserattac5913]

Just got the combiner wars roys a few days ago.😄

[@Renkencen]

Wow how did I not know they are rivial to the Combaticon? I mean it made sense that the Protobots are defensive while the Combaticon are offence! Also eventhought it was super minor but you forgot that they make a brief cameo in the Transformers Devatastor game too!

[@FireboltPrime]

Most Protectobots: "serve and protect" Blades: "my hobby is committing war crimes >:)"

[@rarewolf4913]

I suppose it didn’t help that we already had an autobot Ambulance and Police car in the original line up, with the Fire Engine not far behind. And why was Hotspot blue? Because Inferno was still available?

[@aguynamedlynx6397]

3:18 Completely unrelated, but I immediately went “SDF-1??” When I saw this

[@ReligiousPrime]

Amazing. With a name like protectbots, was thinking rescue bots. And that's basically the first thing he mentions in the video.

[@DavidWilson-tr2qj]

G1 Hotspot was always one of my absolute favorite Autobots from when I had him as a kid!!! I was so excited to have found him again almost 35 years later!!!

[@Lastjustice]

One of the fun aspects as when the combiner teams merge, they typically had some drawback as a result of their fusion of all the team coming together. Such as Superion has tunnel vision, as they just decide to do a thing, and keep doing it till they succeed or fail. They couldn't improvise very well they tune out all thoughts that weren't related to the mission. Menasor was a reckless berserker due to it's self loathing and hatred for their leader motormaster. They weren't the smartest group, as they were greatly confused by the autobots in the episode Masquerade. The technobots were the smartest, but took their sweet time to come to a conclusion. The Protectobots as Defensor were most mentally well adjusted as they didn't have any major quirks against them when merged as the violent nature of blades and pacifist nature of groove balanced out as a combiner. While the Aerial bots were probably strong fighters of the autobot combiners as they were much more geared for combat making the ideal offensive team, but protectobots were the best on defense, as they were capable making more complex decisions and a powerful force field to shields others.

[@stiglapoint5672]

First Aid is still my favorite Protectobot. Thanks MTMTE for giving me a sweet innocent bot for him

[@MrDEMarq]

Shame the G1 series didn't give them a proper origin.. Great video as always 👍🏻

[@elijahbegay8661]

I hope we get the entire combiners collection for Transformers: Legacy. (Besides Menasor)

[@IrishRay2006]

Additional: In the mobile game Transformers: Earth Wars, the Protectobots were brought in as an equaliser, not to the Combaticons as is usual, but to the Stunticons. During the events that introduced new original twin characters Sentius Magnus and Sentius Malus into the game, Groove was killed off trying to save First Aid's life and his place as Defensor's right leg was taken by Rook. Also, Rook is made of a hyper-alloy of a rare form of Durabyllium, making him practically indestructible. He can also project a holographic decoy of himself.

[@tomipcfto]

Marvel comics did them and the Aerialbots dirty. Rather than letting the Protectobits shine, they let Blaster have an outsized role in defeating Bruticus. Hated it.

[@o.8.p149]

Rook is a figure I still want or at least a new version of him like how we’ll probably get new versions of the others

[@schmian95]

I dont know if theres an official answer. But its always been my headcannon that a variation on Defensor was the forth combinor in Energon (the one blasted by Galvatron)

[@bladerunner3314]

While the vehicle modes of Bruticus are way out of scale to each other, IMO the cake has and always will be taken by Groove.

[@TheOvervoid]

Had no idea First Aid was a character, been using the name for an OC, based on a loadout from FOC of all things 🤣 A medical officer that transforms into a jet, he tries to get to his patients as fast as possible. He is constantly recording and challenging his response time as a way to get better. Edit. Thinking about renaming him to Responder or something. Got an idea for a "Prime" version and "Responder Prime" does sound cool (First Aid version was Prime Aid).

[@syabilaazri7834]

Ah yes....the first Rescue Bots of the G1.... glad to know that this version still exsist and still remember the history

[@jessicamurphy5553]

I’ve been rewatching rescue bots and went down the rabbit whole with Blades, which lead me to the protectobots, and I love that I wasn’t the only one who noticed the parallels between the two rescue teams. Also this will never not be funny to me: Blades hates flying, why? RB: He’s afraid of heights G1: He can’t gut mechs from the sky RB Blades feels like a combination of, well, his G1 Version and First Aid, leaning more towards the latter’s personality and job in a way, since he’s the field medic. Also I’m RBA, Medix becomes Blades student. They knew what they were doing

[@jasonsumma1530]

The whole afraid of flying bit reminded me of G1 Silverbolt. The fear of flying never made sense to me for Silverbolt.

[@gabrielchee8470]

​@@jasonsumma1530probably to add more depth to him.

[@stevenhamilton5427]

The Protectobots were the first Rescue Bots and the first Classic/retroboot Autobot combined teams ever and my most favorite Autobot combiner/subgroup teams ever but also Defensor is also one of my favorite gestal Autobots ever also thanks for sharing Chris 👌 them coming have a good day until next time till all are one

[@tommyboy161]

Defensor is my favourite combiner

[@hopexiaorosetheroyal3588]

5:43 Ah yes, Power Core Combiners. A shining example of combining toys throughout the ages.

[@ArmouredPhalanx]

Will always have a soft spot for the Prectobots, and they'll always be my favourite combiner group because it was the only complete combiner set I had as a kid (got the complete gift set).

[@robertreese5031]

Thank you for all your videos and hard work.

[@FrisktheFurret]

Due to the model of rook's head a voice out of him with a Russian accent because he looks like he has that one of those weird Russian hats on.

[@foldabotZ]

An _Ushanka_ is what it's called.

[@FrisktheFurret]

@@foldabotZ thanks I really needed that. I'm not very versed in anything from Russia except for the current war.

[@SabirMixy91]

No FREAKING WAY !!! I had these minis like 20 years ago, and did not know the whole story. SWEET ! Sadly, only the cop car bot is handy, donno what happened to the others...

[@gozenfrost1012]

Honestly, it is a shame that Rescue Bots didn't try to make use of the Protectobots, they could've been interesting supporting characters in the series.

[@Ocorydon-WCO]

Or even the original main cast

[@NightmareZerogbs]

I know it was an error, but it would have been hilarious to also include Grotusque and Mainframe in the team, considering their inclusion in te Combiner Wars comics xD

[@adianolkonen8488]

When the Combiner Wars toy series was at it's height, Santa saw it fit to bestow to me a complete set of all 5 Protectobots at once. I didn't get Chest Groove for another 2 months, and Limb Groove for another 3 months after that. They all are still my personal favorite Combiner/Gestalt.

[@duncannicholls9669]

If I remember correctly, the combiner wars toys for the protectobots were retooled and recoloured to become the six transformers who formed Victorion, the first fully female combiner

[@lokcoadv]

Also, defensor is the most stable combiner. Or so I heard.

[@tridentsilver766]

I can’t wait to get an updated version of this guy in the upcoming waves or lines after legacy.