Transformers Are Bumblebee and Hot Shot the Same Autobot

Transformers: Are Bumblebee and Hot Shot the Same Autobot?

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In the Transformers franchise, Bumblebee and Hot Shot share color schemes and similar roles, and at one point, the two were the same Autobot.

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Transformers Are Bumblebee and Hot Shot the Same Autobot

With the success of the past decade’s Transformers movies and cartoons, one name is even more well-known than Optimus Prime: Bumblebee. Whether he’s mute or not, this scrappy young yellow Autobot has become the face of the franchise, reclaiming his Generation 1 popularity. For fans of the franchise who grew up with the Unicron Trilogy, however, they might most remember another yellow Autobot.

On paper, Hot Shot is very similar to Bumblebee, especially given the latter’s characterization in the live-action movies and some cartoons. However, there’s much more than meets the eye when it comes to their connection, with them in some ways being the same character. This legacy also extends to other heroic Transformers, bringing the series continually full circle. Here’s how Bumblebee and Hot Shot, as well as a few other Transformers, are basically one in the same.

Was Hot Shot Supposed to Be Bumblebee?

Transformers Are Bumblebee and Hot Shot the Same Autobot

Bumblebee was a pretty prominent character in the first two seasons of the series’ original cartoon The Transformers, where he was the best friend of human ally Spike Witwicky. As one of the smallest and weakest of the Autobots, his character was one kids watching the show could relate to the most. Combined with his yellow Volkswagen Beetle alternate mode, he quickly became one of the most recognizable parts of the franchise.

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Unfortunately, he wouldn’t become a factor in the franchise again until the live-action films, which radically reinterpreted his character. During this time, another yellow “kid” Transformer was introduced in Transformers: Armada. This was Hot Shot, who outside of his age and color scheme was nothing like Bumblebee. Impetuous, hot-headed and sporting an Audi TT vehicle mode, he was lightyears away from the Bumblebee of old.

Despite this, he was actually going to be the first new incarnation of the classic character! The reason that this wasn’t done, however, was due to Hasbro lacking the rights to the name, having ironically lost it around the time of Beast Wars. By the time they would regain it, Hot Shot had become a big part of the franchise. Interestingly enough, Sparkplug (Optimus Prime’s Mini-Con partner in Armada who shared a name with Spike Witwicky’s father) was clearly based on Generation 1 Bumblebee’s design, namely the transformation and horns.

How Are Bumblebee, Hot Shot and Hot Rod Related?

Things would get almost reversed for the Cartoon Network series Transformers: Animated, in which Bumblebee was going to originally be Hot Shot. This was due to that character’s prominence during the Unicron Trilogy, but the success of the 2007 live-action film made the showrunners change their minds. This Bumblebee was hotblooded like Hot Shot, but his design and other elements of his characterization were updates of G1. Eventually, an Animated Hot Shot would also be introduced, with a design mostly based on his Armada incarnation.

Though his character was sort of a mishmash of both of them, the movies’ Bumblebee, outside of his horns, was much more like the taller and robust Hot Shot in appearance. This same design would essentially be used for Transformers: Prime’s Bumblebee, as well. The sequel to Prime had a matured Bumblebee taking a leadership role, something that Hot Shot had also temporarily done. These elements theoretically tie them both with characters like Hot Rod, Cheetor and Side Burn.

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Hot Rod was an arrogant young Autobot from G1 with a great destiny, as he eventually succeeded Autobot leader Optimus Prime as the new Autobot commander, Rodimus Prime. His fiery maroon color scheme would be homaged in both repainted versions of Hot Shot and Side Burn, an air-headed young Autobot from 2000’s Transformers: Robots In Disguise. Also, in the Beast Era when Bumblebee was absent, his place was taken by the yellow-colored Maximal Cheetor. Cheetor’s character was more like Hot Rod/Hot Shot, though he would take over for his Optimus in the leadership role later on. None of these other Transformers have achieved the level of success that Bumblebee has, however, showing once and for that the least likely can be the most dangerous.

Link Source : https://www.cbr.com/transformers-bumblebee-hot-shot-same-autobot/

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