The Omnibots: Underused Transformers Characters

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Camshaft, Downshift, and Overdrive are from the original years of G1 but have never been given any real fictional appearance, but they have a great chance to be a lot of fun for writers.
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Outro Music: Ginger Grant by Derek R. Audette
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#Transformers #GenerationOne #EntertainmentEarth #TransformersG1

[@violagreene4643]

Isn't that tfwiki's motto? "TFWIKI: We know Transformers better than you"

[@jasonschneider7224]

I love that concept! The Omnibots always struck me as unfulfilled potential and I love that cat and mouse between them and Sideways. That alone could make for a great series - heh, imagine doing it in a bit of a "Quantum Leap" style, where they just "end up" in different times and Universes and have to figure out why Primus sent them there - once in a while realizing there is another very dangerous traveller trying to work against them as Sideways (and therefore Unicron) slowly becomes more and more central to the story. Great idea man!

[@shala6541]

Also known as Sliders for Transformers. (Anyway, yeah, that sounds like a really cool idea.)

[@torrancemoore6152]

Like exiles in marvel. Sounds cool

[@WendythePuppet2023]

The Wheeljack mold being used for Downshift might have somewhat influenced his Cybertron and Energon design

[@thatonebritishidiot3037]

well, that looked like the generations wheeljack/turbo tracks mold to me

[@medafan53]

@@thatonebritishidiot3037 I assume he meant, given that my mind went there as well, is that Energon Downshift was a direct Wheeljack homage, and while the Cybertron version was toy only and green, his head was very clearly Wheeljack, presumably they didn't use that name because of Armada Wheeljack, who of course is a very different character, and that this prior connection with Wheeljack is why the proposed figure used the wheeljack mold.

[@thatonebritishidiot3037]

@@medafan53 ah, I think the wording confused me

[@wsc0tt]

What I really like about this idea is that it grew naturally out of the official text about them fighting in another universe. It also does an excellent job of explaining their overall absence from stories, despite how important they would theoretically be for the Autobots. And even still, it gives real meaning behind their team name. It really ties everything together really well.

[@reyc6710]

Interesting fact about Camshaft (hopefully it hasn’t been mentioned already). His alt mode was a Mazda Rx7. The Mazda Rx7 is powered by a rotary engine, which doesn’t contain a camshaft. Just a fun fact from a transformers/ Mazda Rx7 fanatic.

[@tracer497]

To make things interesting, The names were switched in Japan so that Camshaft was the Toyota and the RX-7 was Downshift

[@Adrahoth]

Always glad to learn more about obscure characters

[@EternityKingdomsHeadHoncho]

The fact these guys aren’t in Legacy (you know, the line about the multiverse) is a crime. Imagine if they were part of a clandestine force (composed of them and fellow obscure G1 mailaways Aragon, Zetar and Cromar) trying to contain the chaos of worlds colliding, especially as threats to the space-time continuum like Transmetal II Megatron start to make themselves known. That’d be a fantastic use of them that not only does something new with them by making them multiversal guardians, but it’d finally fulfill their original role as dimension hoppers.

[@E24gamer]

This is a really good idea, if they ever make a legacy comic, this should be used.

[@Cdr2002]

I can see these three as a special unit Prowl uses for his shadier ends

[@CelesticViolet]

I think I like the idea of sideways being the 4th omnibot, created as multidimensional protectors for Primus but then Sideways betraying the rest after being corrupted by Unicron and that causing their main character flaws aka wanting to win, trying to beat enemies before they can act in evil and paranoia

[@rayvenkman2087]

It would make sense when you consider how the number 4 is regarded as unlucky in Japan due to sounding similar to their word for death.

[@jmautobot]

Love the Omnibots. Really wish we had stories with them. Great topic! Wish the video showed good pics of the G1 versions. Thanks for such great content.

[@walterlopez5054]

Ok, toywise, I thinknthe Omnibots need their own molds. However, that doesn't mean we can't get some repaints out of them. Downshift, with his muscle car made, front end feet, and trunk/backpack maps pretty well to Velocity from idw 1. Especially her earth mode from Tf vs Terminator. Overdrive at first seems like an obvious Tracks repaint. But we already have Red Tracks via Road Rage. But we do have another idw ladybot with a winged car alt mode: Stardrive. Paint her silver and sell her as a Rom collab. Or use her native blue and teal deco and 2-pack her with a Fossilizer to mimic her Dire Wraith Body Horror powers. Camshaft is the tricker one. no one immedietly springs to mind as a convenient repaint for a subcompact with an artillery mode. So let's just throw Gauge (arcees's daughter from idw 2) at Camshaft.

[@TornaitSuperBird]

Hopefully you do the Powerdashers in this series as well. They're surprisingly old characters, but they've never actually gotten the chance to have proper characterization.

[@NovaSaber]

They didn't even get names until their IDW cameo appearance.

[@johnnymason3265]

How about the Minispies? They deserve some kind of recognition as well.

[@serPomiz]

@@NovaSaber not quite, GiG gave them names, with the paternity contended between the france and italian division, as the package with the name on was made by both aragon appeared named as far back as dreamwave still, from gachapon-level diaclone to the only actually recognized weaponizers is one hell of a jump

[@TornaitSuperBird]

@@serPomiz Cog was in the comics too.

[@serPomiz]

@@TornaitSuperBird he was a background charather, cromar actually weaponized on-pannel

[@stel7425]

Actually there were plans for camshaft to get his own original figure in alternators, the Rx-8 mold that became meister, was initially supposed to be camshaft, since alternators was supposed to direct updates to g1, where camshaft was a Rx-7

[@haydenreviewscustomcombos]

Who would’ve thought that Transformers Energon would be the only TV debut of these characters.

[@Loremastrful]

Well, this had me bust out my character notes I made for the Omnibots some 7-8 years ago. I hope you don't mind if I share. Every so often, I just get it in my head a Transformer or a whole group of them could use a treatment. This is for the Omnibots. Since they are kind of like Diaclone (Gen 0.1), I took inspirations from the 70's. Camshaft: This is what got me started. Camshaft had me thinking about John Shaft. For those not up on their Blaxplotation films, Shaft was a film in the 70's, revived in the early 200s. Shaft is a former cop, current PI (channeling detective noir), girls can resist him and boys want to be him. So I put a lot of that into Camshaft. Think of every iconic scene with Samuel L. Jackson and you are 3/4 of the way to Camshaft. The last quarter goes back to that Noir aesthetic. He has been knocked down several times, but he's still optimistic. As cynical as he can be, he still believes there's good in bots and good in the city. Overdrive: Overdrive is the Transformer equivalent of Jackie Chan. I should be more specific, Jackie Chan's character in his movies. Movies like Supercop and Rumble in the Bronze, Jackie is an all around nice guy. He is always willing to help out. He is unendingly patient even with difficult people. And he always looks to diffuse a conflict and not engage. But if you've seen a Jackie Chan flick, his best intentions can't prevent every fight and thats when he throws hands. Overdrive is a master of using the environment in his fight. Most Decepticons overly rely on their blasters which puts them on the back foot when they have to fight hand to hand. Downshift: Downshift is the loner of the group. He is patterned heavily after Snake Plissken from Escape of New York. He doesn't respond well to authority, but he listens to his fellow Omnibots. Both could kick his can from Iacon to Kaon, but both would respect him enough that it wouldn't be necessary. I also grafted a bit of Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop. He's was once an enforcer for a Decepticon general. When things turned ugly, he left before becoming the next target. But aside from Camshaft and Overdrive, no one knows about his Decepticon past. As a group, they keep the City safe in their own way. The City is a stand in for 1970's New York. A place that is dirty, crowded and seemingly up to is armpits in crime, corruption and violence. The Omnibots look out for the little bots. They aren't superheroes just bots with a certain set of skills. Skills they use to help the downtrodden and forgotten. That's my idea.

[@Wolfie1262]

I had the same thought connecting the Omnibots to Sideways. Never thought about making them connected to Primus though lol

[@darkseidthedestroyer]

I really enjoyed this video. The story aspect is my favorite that you do and you have a great imagination. Thanks for sharing and I'm looking forward to more like this in the future.

[@RangerOkie88]

Love the Cubbies shirt!! Didn’t know you were a fan too!!

[@NovaSaber]

Someone recently analyzed all the Robot Masters material and it seems like Doubleface was just intended to be a G1 counterpart of the Armada character, not a dimension-crosser. (And in fact the Robot Masters story in general only involved time travel within the Japanese G1/BW universe, not dimension-hopping.) The idea of Sideways being a dimension-crosser didn't really take off until the Allspark Almanac.

[@christopherpara6183]

it's amazing how often you call Devastator "Defensor" in your videos.

[@sarahquinn6849]

I’d love to see a decepticon version of the protectobots (riotcons maybe) could be an interesting concept

[@EternityKingdomsHeadHoncho]

Smolder (based on the PCC character; torso) Flatline (from IDW; right arm) Swift (also IDW; right leg) Barricade (based on his evergreen design; left arm) Wreckage (based on the unused 2007 movie Decepticon; left leg) Flamewar (breastplate) Together they form a combiner known as “Tempest”

[@balucious]

Yes, do more. I thought this was great. I love hearing about people's ideas for new takes on this stuff.

[@rayvenkman2087]

Fascinating characters but IDW thought we needed more corrupt Autobots as if we didn’t already have enough of those in fiction...

[@GrimSqueaker]

TJ defo got to do more narrative stuff - it's always a good time

[@robrice7246]

16:06/20:21 You just gave me an idea of how I might give the Omnibots some spotlight in my Robertverse (although they're planet hoppers, not dimensional ones).

[@MrNetWraith]

What struck me at first was the colored art pieces, where I couldn't stop noticing how much their faces looked like that of Optimus Prime. Great effort to breathe an interesting idea into a forgotten trio from the early days of Transformers lore!

[@Avarstia_Owain]

Overdrive is actually the only one with a flight mode, but I love the Heralds of Primus idea, so a story of them hunting Sideways or maybe other Heralds of Unicron would be fairly amazing to see, like give them their own miniseries where each comic is in a different universe, different artist, all the same writer as the Omnibots have to deal with different versions of the war, maybe even give them a Beast Era encounter with possibly Sandstorm seeing them and being like "PRIMUS! Heralds of my creator is here! Have you finally come to seek the help of my bretheren!" Since Sandstrom is apart of the Constalation guys who preceeded the Primes, like maybe even have them having to fight Shockaract too as he and Sideways Team up in the finale and Shockaract destroys that universe but the chase between the two forces carries on. Maybe even they visit the Axiom Nexus after it was thought the Multiverse closed just to see some Funpub characters again being stuck there, maybe thats where it starts even.

[@maxbrandt6]

The Omnibots are indeed dimension hoppers, they could easily jump to any alternate realities and I could see them jumping into the Armada universe, Prime universe, Shattered Glass, they should be appearing everywhere!

[@robrice7246]

6:01 I thought the people from Million Publishing was making the nod that UT Downshift is based on G1 Wheeljack.

[@holonet1]

I had wondered for decades why these Autobots were neglected from Transformers media. I distinctly remember playing with a class mate's Omnibots in first grade. On another note, I tried to order my own, but didn't know how. I remember putting a 10 dollar bill in an envelope with the promo slip, but when I told my parents, they didn't agree & made me keep the money instead! Lol

[@Xarxes81]

- The Omni bots didn't get many figures. - Tell that to Sureshot.

[@hotwheelsbrothers687]

The kingdom Tracks mold would work for the red guy. Because he has this flying car mode 17:41

[@jessehorn6180]

Come on Hasbro, give us Omnibots!

[@DragonxFlutter]

YES. More of this type of content, please!

[@katsomeday1]

What's sad is that the Mini-Spies have received more love than the Omnibots. That and Camshaft's alt-mode doesn't have a camshaft.

[@hotwheelsbrothers687]

6:50 isn’t that the gun Ravage (Bumblebee movie) came with?!

[@CrimsonKnight]

Didn't transformers energon have a wheeljack lookalike called downshift?

[@RedneckOgre9000]

I would have liked to see pics of their G1 toys in the vid.

[@albertorodrigomolinasortiz471]

The Omnibots got literally Isekai'd! I imagine them driving to their next battle when suddenly they are hit by a truck (Optimus?), and wake up in a fantasy medieval world with rpg-like mechanics.

[@rayvinson1414]

With the main toy line heading towards “Legacy Evolution” it would make sense to have at least one wave with original molds of Sideways and the Omnibots. I believe they would be pretty popular and besides if we’re getting the likes of Pointblank and Crankcase then why not?

[@diegodankquixote-wry3242]

Considering they can travel through dimensions and time and destory universes with a flip of there windshield im glad they are underused. When they actually show up in something and save all of fiction it will feel much more important.

[@hotwheelsbrothers687]

I would use the Sideswipe/Grabble/Ironhide molds for these characters!

[@wildetimes-anunofficialzoo5983]

Another idea on how to bring back the Omnibots? Market them as M.A.S.K crossover figures.

[@horrorboyhonorboy727]

The Omnibots’ personalities actually work very well with the idea of them always chasing Sideways. Overdrive has an obsession of catching him, perhaps no matter the cost. Downshift constantly tries to find a pattern to Sideways’s path of destruction, and predict where he might strike next. And Camshaft has been victim to so many of Sideways’s deceptions, he’s not sure who or what to trust anymore.

[@tracer497]

In 1985 I got Camshaft (the RX-7), I wanted the other 2 but never had the chance. But I liked to imagine they were MASK affiliate Transformers. I imagined that Overdrive and Downshift were flyers they would be bait for the seeker and coneheads to chase them into a canyon and Camshaft would be waiting with ground to air missiles to take them out. I also imagined that Downshift armored mode had submarine capabilities. Also it is of note the Japanese market had the names Camshaft and Downshift switched. Since the RX-7 didn't have a camshaft. But it would also be the right name since Camshaft had the down the earth armored mode instead of a flyer.

[@RialVestro]

The multiversal singularities aren't even canon anymore... and never should have been a thing in the first place. Also the Primes are already the Autobot equivalent of Unicron's Herolds. It's also funny they planned to make a Wheeljack in Downshift colors considering Energon/Cybertron Downshift was intended to be Wheeljack. They also reused the name Omnibots in Energon for the Autobots that process raw Energon into usuable material. Though that team of Omnibots has nothing to do with the original Omnibots.

[@TJOmega]

It's actually Omnicons in Energon, which was always weird since none of them were Decepticons.

[@RialVestro]

@@TJOmega The Terrorcons were the Decepticon equivelent which is also weird since none of them have anything to do with the G1 Terrorcons. Also weird that the Autobots have actual personalities while the Decepticons are just mindless drones except for Scorponok. I can't remember if Scorponok himself shared the ability to manipulate raw Energon or if he was included as a Terrorcon just because he was given command over the drones.

[@DrepaChorusTCG]

ideas for the remolds prowl remold for overdrive sunstreaker/wheeljack for downshift and either crankcase from legacy or hoist as remolds for camshaft. crankcase for the squared off front and hoist for the roof orientation.

[@jupiterlair4968]

They should hire you to make the fiction things TJ

[@DarkSilverHedgehog]

I'm assuming you meant to say Devastator when you made the list of combiners at 11:45. For all of my understanding Defensor was an autobot Gestault

[@TJOmega]

Yeah, slip of the tongue.

[@jasonparis5635]

@@TJOmega I wish that the omnibots could be released in the legacy line that would be great they never get any love in the transformers universe.

[@XenotHedgehog]

Camshaft would make a great sunstreaker retool, I think.

[@the_collector_of_different_toy]

I feel cool video idea would be going through and talking about all the transformers mail away figure and miscellaneous stuff

[@dark-paradox2223]

I've always thought of the weponizer autobots and them working as a sub group with what they do loke cog/ red cog are working with fortress/grand maximus

[@disrupter8318]

Just want to let you know your an amazing KZbin content creator I would love to have a convo about transformers with you your an amazing and wholesome guy❤🎉

[@jwilliams3493]

I could see if Hasbro made a mold for Snowcat they could retool it to make Camshaft.

[@bungieman2810]

XTransbots made a really nice set of Masterpiece Omnibots

[@mattr75]

Your take on the Omnibots sounds very interesting

[@Theover4000]

I have one of the Omnibots as a hand me down from my brother, love him. Would love to see them used better.

[@harrisonwhaley7872]

Studio Series Bumblebee Movie Ratchet and Ironhide have a similar sort of chest that Camshaft would need, but it would have to be a heavy retooling of them I feel like

[@KodyCrimson]

That's a great way to reuse these guys. But I think it'd be best if a Camshaft figure compromised to achieve the unique shape.

[@robrice7246]

I kinda wanted to see a Selects release that's based on the proposed 2014 mail-away concept (similar to what happened to Alpha Trion).

[@TomMSTie1138]

🎵TJOmega Incorporate!🎵 (Lights go out) 🎵After hours 🎵

[@jacobrydstrom6565]

wasnt energon wheeljack called downshift or no? I may be wrong though

[@OptimusPhillip]

15:17 It's not even a different name. Double Face was Sideways's Japanese name in _Legend of the Microns_

[@gabrielthompson6124]

Shoot if sideways is the same in every universe they could make that the movie sideswipe was one of the Omnibots

[@thatonebritishidiot3037]

I'd have them known as the agents of primus instead of heralds, and have camshaft being the one to unmask the different guises of sideways, maybe pair sideways with a character inspired by armada thrust

[@EternityKingdomsHeadHoncho]

Throw in Tarantulas and you’ve got a perfect dark mirror to the Omnibots

[@serPomiz]

I've always seen the omnibot as the counterpart to the powerdasher with the recent reuse of "titan connected mold" for the powerdasher, I would go on the same line: the powerdasher are connected to a lost power-titan, that became lost after randomly learning how to dimension-travel, and ther long term objective is to get him back while they learn abilities and information from the world around them, becoming more powerfull everyday, but still somewhat bumbling as to never become divinities the omnibot, on the other hand, care capable of doing everything, but only a few things at the time, cycling their needed know how as needed. for that, they were chosen by nexus prime as enforcer and given the ability to dimension travel. they are very specific gods of a single thing at the time, only reigned back by their earhtly limitation of their egos

[@autobotzapof0002]

Imagine the movie before or the movie of the bumblebee movie universe time for unicron comes the omnibots tell the autobots of that universe that he’s coming.

[@Firebyte27]

I love the concept you proposed… however, the idea of a single character being the same person across multiple continuities has been officially vetoed by Hasbro because it makes things way too complicated.

[@nobodyimportant5140]

You had the proposed Downshift and Camshaft pictures mixed up

[@TJOmega]

Nope, the names are in english at the bottom.

[@Godzillawolf1]

I love this concept and would love it.

[@SamuelWright-j6o]

There was a Green Camshaft figure in Diaclone, so….

[@Ranma_Leopard]

Very enjoyable video

[@fbomb7184]

Camshaft, Downshift and OverDrive and uhh… Power Dasher. Yup. Spent my share of robot points on these guys.

[@samuelspencer9321]

I will say, I do agree with your fiction for these characters, I think it would be fun. But I have an alternative idea. So their alt modes are a bit like Tracks, right? So why not have Tracks used to be one of them, like a quartet. But Tracks felt he was too good for it, or something like that. The idea isn’t perfectly, just a random idea I had

[@abrahampedroza7246]

Ironic about them beating all those combiners. In Dreamwave they were killed by Menasor.

[@Steve-em5xt]

Can we see your designs and logos for your transformers roll out

[@iodaspark]

Neat idea! 💡

[@haydenreviewscustomcombos]

Why would superion want to be fighting alongside the Decepticon combiners anyway?

[@omegamaximus1727]

I hope we get the Omni-Bots In Transformers Legacy.

[@dotmbarricade3424]

can you also make video about throttlebots

[@jimmyjeff1777]

It's a shame that the only character in an animated series to use the name downshift had absolutely nothing to do with the original character

[@jeffreytempleton3213]

I think omnibots and omnicons should be from the planet omnicron which was founded by nexus prime. Nexus Prime gave them the ability to jump universes and manipulate energon.

[@zoltanperei4789]

11:46 Defensor was a Decepticon in the manga?

[@TJOmega]

Slip of the tongue, meant Devastator.

[@zoltanperei4789]

Are you gonna continue the Beast Wars episode reviews?

[@OptimusPhillip]

I can work with this, yeah.

[@alanguages]

Too bad the Omnibots were not in the cartoon. I really thought they would show up, as they were called the re-enforcements from Cybertron. I also looked forward to seeing the Jumpstarters and powerdashers also. When the movie came out and saw Megatron turn into Galvatron, I thought the Insecticons were going to turn into the Deluxe Insecticons.

[@Skaarjy]

I remember ordering those guys!

[@zaaknicolas7638]

it would be interesting if the Omnibots met deaths head [ i know hasbro can't use deaths head its a what if ]

[@joseaustin2692]

👋🏾 hi there

[@robrice7246]

16:15/17:26 Don't you mean "Children of Primus"?

[@brokenserenity01]

dont think the omnibots ever got a release in the uk/eu so that'd be why marvel uk didnt use them

[@sebastianthomsen2225]

i like this idea! 🤔😉👍

[@Alverant]

Hasbro needs to re-release these molds like they did for other G1 toys.

[@Thunderwing88]

Thu moulds probably have degraded too much by now.

[@masterfarr8265]

the mail aways motorists

[@RobinSwede]

Not even Chris Mcfeely has touched these guys.

[@p.g89]

Defencor isn't a decepiticon

[@Rizzzacks]

Reminds me of transtech wasted potential

[@damien5748]

Thank god fir Dreamwave....yes they were a crapy company to work for and pat lee taking credit for other peoples work is disgusting but DW put transformers firmly back in vogue...loved (and still do) their books and their 8 issue "more than meets the eye" series of character profile and tf tech books are AMAZING......hell DW even did a 3 issue Armada version of the more than meets they eye character profile books.

[@johnyumping8421]

Legacy Evolution Release

[@Cdr2002]

I’ve always held that figures with a same gimmick not in the exact range for that gimmick still count Tracks is an Omnibot Overlord is a duocon