VOICE ACTOR: (movie) Judd Nelson (t.v.) Dick Gautier
ALLEGIANCE: Autobots
FUNCTION: (as HOT ROD) warrior, later TARGETMASTER (as RODIMUS) Autobot leader
1ST APPEARANCE: (HOT ROD, RODIMUS PRIME) TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE (as a TARGETMASTER) REBIRTH
HOT ROD is a youthful Autobot warrior who started out as a member of ULTRA MAGNUS'S team based in Autobot City on Earth. He became a "big brother" to the child DANIEL. His daredevil attitude sometimes got him in trouble with his fellow Autobots especially KUP.
HOT ROD started the great battle at Autobot City by firing on the shuttle the Decepticons were using to sneak in. He tried in vain to stop MEGATRON from tricking OPTIMUS PRIME and ended up being used as a living shield by the Decepticon leader. Later he and KUP ended up prisoners on QUINTESSA, but were saved by the DINOBOTS and WHEELIE. During the attack on UNICRON, HOT ROD confronted GALVATRON for the MATRIX. He almost lost but the MATRIX empowered him and he transformed into RODIMUS PRIME. He beat GALVATRON. and used the MATRIX to destroy UNICRON. He then led the Autobots towards a new age of peace.
The peace was shattered when the QUINTESSONS launched an attack a year later. RODIMUS used the MATRIX to discover the QUINTESSONS were the creators of the TRANSFORMERS.
RODIMUS always knew he was never as good a leader as OPTIMUS and that knowledge sometimes hurt his ability to led. GALVATRON was once able to stalemate him by claiming to have a superweapon. RODIMUS eventually realized if that were true, he'd have used it by then.
RODIMUS once suffered a stress attack and drove off in a fit. He got ambushed by STUNTICONS and the MATRIX was stolen. At first he didn't want to get it back, but he finally came to his senses and recovered it. When OPTIMUS appeared alive and well, he gave the MATRIX back. After it was revealed to be a QUINTESSON trick, HOT ROD battled his leader and conivinced him to give back the MATRIX.
RODIMUS was shocked to find out MARK MORGAN had OPTIMUS PRIME'S body after he thought it was permently destroyed. He went to rescue it and witnessed the breakout of the HATE PLAGUE. He escaped at first but was infected while trying to shut down METROPLEX. His last command was to find a way to revive OPTIMUS. SKY LYNX was able to get a QUINTESSON to do it and OPTIMUS fought RODIMUS for the MATRIX. He then used the MATRIX to cure everyone. HOT ROD thought the wisdom of the MATRIX was lost. OPTIMUS told him the wisdom was actually now within all of them.
HOT ROD was one of those who journeyed to NEBULOS. There he bacame a TARGETMASTER. His partner became the Nebulan Firebolt. He is still fighting alongside the Autobots to this day.
(Note: HOT ROD never becomes RODIMUS in the American comics, although he does in the British comics. In the Japanese HEADMASTERS cartoon, he never becomes a TARGETMASTER. He does however return to the role of RODIMUS PRIME after OPTIMUS dies again.)
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