My headcanon for Hardtop is that he _claims_ to be Bumblebee's rival for the street cred, insisting he's the one who destroyed his voice box (just never when Megatron's in the room), but in reality Bumblebee has no idea who he is.
Hardtop feels like the ultimate "Peaked in High School" guy. He decided to be a sniper because he thought it was cool as whatever the Cybertronian equivalent to a teenager is, and just... never considered doing anything else.
Right up there with the original Rollbar (was a SUV so no rollbar cage, that's a jeep thing) and Camshaft (repeatedly used with models of car that didn't have such a thing). It's kind of like a Cybertronian equivilent to calling a big burly dude 'Tiny'.
I love these instances of toy bios adding these seemingly all-important pieces of lore, that pretty much everything else ignores since...well its a bio on a toy box. See also: all the toys of Jazz released post-2007 movie that describe how he totally came back to life after the movie, honest
I once came up with a Decepticon sniper when I was a kid. His name was Snipes, he could transform into a camo-colored camper van and he eventually switched sides to the Autobots after an encounter with Optimus Prime. Sadly, his story ultimately ended with him being ripped in half by a city-sized Decepticon, fighting it to buy the Autobots he was with time to retreat and come up with a plan.
I'm surprised that Hardtop hasn't been used more. His role as a sharpshooter alone makes him a menace. Perhaps he'd be suitable as a substitute Combaticon.
That's one thing I love about Transformers, you can never say with certainty that a particular character will be forever forgotten, because they can pop up again at any moment in the most surprising places.
I an still amused by how Hardtop and his repaint as a Swindle influenced their depiction in Earthspark. It works good for a Swindle that doesn't have the Combaticons to back him up.
Poor Hardtop was robbed of his chance to shine not once but twice (Blame Megatron and Blitzwing for that). Also, it's kinda funny how one of Hardtop's defining characteristic is the fact that he's Swindle's brother!
The universe toy line was the first time for me to see the character, but aside from a few very unnotable mentions here and there. This has taught me everything that I now know about Hardtop.
Could have been funny if during Combiner Wars, Hasbro would have unexpected use of CW Swindle/Hound mold and make Hardtop of it as kinda reversed callback how Swindle was repaint of Hardtop in Cybertron. Heck, Hardtop should become go-to repaint use for Swindle.
Cybertron Hardtop was one of the first transformers toys I ever got as a kid. Despite being sad he never appeared in the Cybertron show, he still holds a place in my heart, so I squealed with joy seeing him in Earthspark
In the Homebrew Transformers 40K I’m contributing to, Hardtop is Swindle’s twin brother and bodyguard (but isn’t directly part of the Combaticon gestalt team).
Hardtop was one of my favorite characters in the Cybertron line, so I created a backstory in which he was the self proclaimed subcommander of the Earth exiled Decepticons under the watch of the Autobot penal colony supervised by Evac and Crosswise. Thunderblast and Lugnutz deserted Hardtop's command leading to their roles in the Cybertron cartoon, following Starscream's release of the prisoners. After Starscream's defeat Hardtop lead some of the Decepticons: Swindle, Shortround, Runamuck, Brushguard, and Buzzsaw, into starting a new Decepticon colony, until they were defeated and captured by the Autobots once again.
Considering how impactful they can be in actual conflict, you'd think the minds behind Transformers would treat the concept of a sniper with more respect and utilize them more often.
"what kind of fool do you take me for??. He took Bee's voice box, he took Bee's voice box, you took Bee's voice box, I TOOK BEE'S VOICE BOX! Are there any other Bumblebee voice takers I should know about?!"
I'm glad I own this figure of the character in the Transformers Cybertron toyline. Happily on the self with his bother Swindle of my Transformers collection.
Professional crackshot and comic book fan ‘Con surely sounds like a great character to me. Adding him into the Earthspark cast was surely a cool decision and I remember that I was eager to see the show further back there because of that. He wasn’t too obscure for me and I knew he was Swindle's brother but totally didn't expect him to show up on screen. Although, he plays the role of just a brute in duo with con-man Swindle. I think it would be more interesting to give him a Cybertron characteristic ( also, it's funny to imagine what If Swindle became an animalistic savage brawler who uses his gun as a club ). But he is one of the first Transformer characters who showed up in the brand-new and main antagonist of Season 1 constantly use his arm, so Hardtop received his honour from the show As for his recolours, that Bayverse toy is SG Beachcomber and bunch of weird musical quotations forever and ever for me, heh Thank you for the video !!
In my school vr game Hardtop is in the game as basically the Secret detector (in my run hes the reason why I got, The Grey Knight for Apus new Legion) and later assisted in the Wrath Titan boss fight and assisted in a massive evac to prevent the others suffer the same Fate as Goalius and Lute
Well I'm now a "Hardtop took Bumblebee's voice and other high ranking decepticons have just been taking credit for it because who's gonna believe him over them" truther, thanks for that Chris.
I grew up with the Swindle version of the Cybertron Hardtop mold, and invented a Bruticus leg mode for him. What you do is take the vehicle mode, reverse the rear section so the floodlight toes are facing the other way, then attach the sniper rifle to one of the screw holes on the underside to act as the thigh. Sadly, there are no other Combaticons compatible with this fan made combination mode...
Hardtop was the first figure I got from the Cybertron line, and one of my favourites too. I was disappointed that he never appeared in the cartoon, but thanks for explaining why that was
4:03/4:17 Since I'm from Cincinnati, I find this very interesting (almost surreal even). And this might also serve as some inspiration for a Robertverse storyline.
Great video on a character I only ever knew from Transformers Earth Spark. Also the mould for the character got reused a lot. Maybe a mould for an obscure character. But it has to be up there for one of the most used.
Hello there Chris McFeely and fellow Transformers fans. I do apologize for the tardiness of this comment, but I just had a busy day at work and just recently got the chance to check this video out. Anyways, I just wanted to say that this new video was absolutely amazing. I never really heard of this Transformer character before and that is probably because I only watched a few of the more popular Transformers animated series, as well as read a few major Transformers comics So I definitely found this information to be very interesting and helpful to understand this character, who I now want to see in other Transformers media.
At some point as a kid I got the Hardtop/Clocker two-pack, and so he's always had a special little spot in my heart If they ever come out with an Earthspark toy of him, I'll have to be getting it
I find it silly that a lot of Hardtop's depiction showcase him as an open roof buggy. When the term "hardtop" refers to solid roofed, enclosed top vehicles. The only time he wasn't was in Earthspark. 🥴
I know who hardtop is he was a Decepticon sniper and a scout and tracker and I know he was brother of swindle from transformers earthspark and I just hope what happened next for the history ❤
For me the fantastic artwork sold the figure. And for a Scout class toy the paintjob is superb. They don't make figure like the Cybertron toyline anymore.
Swindle’s due for a new toy with the next wave of Combaticons, I wonder if they’ll release a new Hardtop toy to go along side him. I feel like it’d be a pretty easy retool of Beachcomber.
More chances to bank on nostalgia when the show eventually becomes retro. They'll be like: "Look, a Hardtop figure for Earthspark's 10th anniversary" or something.
0:25 Hey, that is one of the two Transformers toys that I know that I had. Was such a nice figure, did manage to break the weapon port on the vehicle mode though... Will be nice to actually learn abot them now.
Knowing Hasbro and their propensity to reuse existing molds, the next time we get a Swindle (which could be soon as there's a new Vortex coming out next year), they could double their money and retool a new Hardtop out of it
Still have my original version of this figure, and the repaint (I got the two pack because I thought both his and Clocker's 'realistic' paint jobs were nicely done). He's a good example of how even the smaller class of figures in that era could still be really good. Having a rifle that converts into a sniper gun predates such a in video games and that's amusing.
What do you think is the best thing about Hardtop? Which one of his powers and abilities do you think is the best? Which movie or TV Show did a great job in portraying him?
Amusingly I just finished binge watching the complete series of C.O.P.S. which has a character with the codename Hardtop. Hasbro und their trademark reuse…. 😂
I want a reimagined bruticus, with hardtop as the sixth combaticon replacing brawl's role as the left leg, swindle still as the right leg, and vortex and blastoff keeping their roles, but with the twist of brawl becoming the upper half of the torso and onslaught as the lower half.
I didn't know Bumblebee had a 3rd origin of how he lost his voice. After the Ki-Adi-Mundi controversy, me and several friends brought up a few examples how old EU stories got rendered non-canon by a later mainstream movie or show, and there hardly any amounts of backlash. Like how Bumblebee had an origin story that for a decade before the 2018 movie. Heck, the Marky Mark films already made the IDW EU stories non-canon to the films long beforehand. I get Acolyte is hated but it's weird people had an issue with the conehead jedi's age despite it was only mentioned in the old timeline and not the new Disney timeline. I don't see people hating on Bumblebee or Rogue One for giving us a different story of the Death Star plans than what was shown in a 90s PC game.
My headcanon for Hardtop is that he _claims_ to be Bumblebee's rival for the street cred, insisting he's the one who destroyed his voice box (just never when Megatron's in the room), but in reality Bumblebee has no idea who he is.
Are you paying his patroneon
That's hilarious
Yes
That would be hilarious lol
@PortalBricks Wtf are you talking about
Hardtop feels like the ultimate "Peaked in High School" guy. He decided to be a sniper because he thought it was cool as whatever the Cybertronian equivalent to a teenager is, and just... never considered doing anything else.
Name is Hardtop. Original alt mode has no roof. No notes.
Classic Aaron Archer Era of name giving.
nooooooooo excusssseeeeessssss
Right up there with the original Rollbar (was a SUV so no rollbar cage, that's a jeep thing) and Camshaft (repeatedly used with models of car that didn't have such a thing). It's kind of like a Cybertronian equivilent to calling a big burly dude 'Tiny'.
I love these instances of toy bios adding these seemingly all-important pieces of lore, that pretty much everything else ignores since...well its a bio on a toy box.
See also: all the toys of Jazz released post-2007 movie that describe how he totally came back to life after the movie, honest
"Look mate, professionals have standards. We must be polite, be efficient, and have plan to kill any Autobot we see." - Hardtop probably
@TheWarmachine375 Now I'm reminded of the fan art of a Transformers Animated version of Onslaught that's modeled on Soldier from Team Fortress 2.
You fucked up the quote
@javelin_if More like paraphrase.
@@darrenheideman2546 that’s not paraphrasing you muppet he’s 2 words off and the quote would’ve been golden
Age of Extinction Lockdown: "Are you challenging me in sniper combat?"
G1 Hardtop: "Yes."
There is no G1 Hardtop, he only started existing during Cybertron
@@jarodnole4618 That's the point. AoE Lockdown extinguished his Spark *SO HARD* that he ceased to exist in our timeline.
I once came up with a Decepticon sniper when I was a kid. His name was Snipes, he could transform into a camo-colored camper van and he eventually switched sides to the Autobots after an encounter with Optimus Prime. Sadly, his story ultimately ended with him being ripped in half by a city-sized Decepticon, fighting it to buy the Autobots he was with time to retreat and come up with a plan.
I'm surprised that Hardtop hasn't been used more. His role as a sharpshooter alone makes him a menace. Perhaps he'd be suitable as a substitute Combaticon.
Especially with his numerous connections to Swindle! Maybe if we want have Swindle be solo, Hardtop would take his place as part of Bruticus.
@predaprime My thoughts exactly.
@@predaprime Or he could take Brawl's place so that the scale discrepancy between a jeep limb and a tank limb is no longer an issue
Decepticon version of deadshot
@@PrimeTemple20 Or both him and Swindle could combine together to make the leg
Hardtop: I was so close to becoming famous and being Bee’s rival then Megs ruined everything!
That's one thing I love about Transformers, you can never say with certainty that a particular character will be forever forgotten, because they can pop up again at any moment in the most surprising places.
I'd like for Hardtop to appear more as Swindle's Brother and the Muscle to Swindle's Brains.
I an still amused by how Hardtop and his repaint as a Swindle influenced their depiction in Earthspark. It works good for a Swindle that doesn't have the Combaticons to back him up.
@@SwiftpawWolffoxit would make an interesting relationship to see if Hardtop was the only person Swindle genuinely cared for, other that himself.
Poor Hardtop was robbed of his chance to shine not once but twice (Blame Megatron and Blitzwing for that).
Also, it's kinda funny how one of Hardtop's defining characteristic is the fact that he's Swindle's brother!
Oh man. What a ride. I went from "who?" to "oh that guy." Definitely an obscure pick. Great episode!
My first ever introduction to this dude was back during ES’s debut, find the little brother dynamic with Swindle very cute & comedic.
Hardtop (Cybertron) was actually the first ever Transformers toy I've ever got! Talk about a nostalgia trip! TY for bringing this dude up!
The universe toy line was the first time for me to see the character, but aside from a few very unnotable mentions here and there. This has taught me everything that I now know about Hardtop.
Swindle having a brother/lackey is pretty cool
Hardtop: "You thought it was Megatron or Blitzwing that took your voice box, but it was me, Hardtop!"
Bumblebee: *beep*
Kono da
Could have been funny if during Combiner Wars, Hasbro would have unexpected use of CW Swindle/Hound mold and make Hardtop of it as kinda reversed callback how Swindle was repaint of Hardtop in Cybertron.
Heck, Hardtop should become go-to repaint use for Swindle.
Cybertron Hardtop was one of the first transformers toys I ever got as a kid. Despite being sad he never appeared in the Cybertron show, he still holds a place in my heart, so I squealed with joy seeing him in Earthspark
In the Homebrew Transformers 40K I’m contributing to, Hardtop is Swindle’s twin brother and bodyguard (but isn’t directly part of the Combaticon gestalt team).
Transformers in 40k? Oh I simply MUST know more about this
Hardtop was one of my favorite characters in the Cybertron line, so I created a backstory in which he was the self proclaimed subcommander of the Earth exiled Decepticons under the watch of the Autobot penal colony supervised by Evac and Crosswise. Thunderblast and Lugnutz deserted Hardtop's command leading to their roles in the Cybertron cartoon, following Starscream's release of the prisoners. After Starscream's defeat Hardtop lead some of the Decepticons: Swindle, Shortround, Runamuck, Brushguard, and Buzzsaw, into starting a new Decepticon colony, until they were defeated and captured by the Autobots once again.
Considering how impactful they can be in actual conflict, you'd think the minds behind Transformers would treat the concept of a sniper with more respect and utilize them more often.
Its 4am, sleep be darned obscure character month is worth it!
Movie Hardtop was actually the earliest Transformers toy I got that was my own. I received him for Christmas and held onto him ever since.
Hardtop: sniping's a good job mate. It's challenging work, out of doors. if you get the reference, well done.
Well NOW Hardtop needs a nagging overseer wife who pUt ThE aCcEnT oN tHe WrOnG sYlLaBlE!
"what kind of fool do you take me for??. He took Bee's voice box, he took Bee's voice box, you took Bee's voice box, I TOOK BEE'S VOICE BOX! Are there any other Bumblebee voice takers I should know about?!"
Always be a hardtop, never a softbottom
✍️🔥🔥
I'm glad I own this figure of the character in the Transformers Cybertron toyline. Happily on the self with his bother Swindle of my Transformers collection.
Now does this mean Hardtop is considered a member of the Combaticons?
And would a retool of Legacy: Beachcomber work as a new toy of the character?
Funny you mention beachcomber retool: I think I saw someone paint that into him on a yt video that's floating around
*sees title "HARDtop*
Abridged Zarbon: "Hmmmmmmmmmmm!"
Professional crackshot and comic book fan ‘Con surely sounds like a great character to me. Adding him into the Earthspark cast was surely a cool decision and I remember that I was eager to see the show further back there because of that. He wasn’t too obscure for me and I knew he was Swindle's brother but totally didn't expect him to show up on screen. Although, he plays the role of just a brute in duo with con-man Swindle. I think it would be more interesting to give him a Cybertron characteristic ( also, it's funny to imagine what If Swindle became an animalistic savage brawler who uses his gun as a club ). But he is one of the first Transformer characters who showed up in the brand-new and main antagonist of Season 1 constantly use his arm, so Hardtop received his honour from the show
As for his recolours, that Bayverse toy is SG Beachcomber and bunch of weird musical quotations forever and ever for me, heh
Thank you for the video !!
We need Thunderwing please.
In my school vr game Hardtop is in the game as basically the Secret detector (in my run hes the reason why I got, The Grey Knight for Apus new Legion) and later assisted in the Wrath Titan boss fight and assisted in a massive evac to prevent the others suffer the same Fate as Goalius and Lute
Well I'm now a "Hardtop took Bumblebee's voice and other high ranking decepticons have just been taking credit for it because who's gonna believe him over them" truther, thanks for that Chris.
Hardtop is getting famous!
I loved his design since Cybertron! I own both twins, and loved to see them in Earth spark!
Your videos always stand out from the crowd. Thank you for your unique vision and professionalism!🖥🗻👀
How come Hardtop never got his arm replaced at all?
Maybe a lack of resources? Same reason why Ultra Magnus got a claw hand instead of a proper one in TFP.
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing
These some my favourite episodes. Its nice being reminded of the lesser known
I grew up with the Swindle version of the Cybertron Hardtop mold, and invented a Bruticus leg mode for him. What you do is take the vehicle mode, reverse the rear section so the floodlight toes are facing the other way, then attach the sniper rifle to one of the screw holes on the underside to act as the thigh. Sadly, there are no other Combaticons compatible with this fan made combination mode...
Hardtop was the first figure I got from the Cybertron line, and one of my favourites too. I was disappointed that he never appeared in the cartoon, but thanks for explaining why that was
More, more MORE!!
To be fair I thought that we'd have a few more characters this month 😢
I first heard from him in Earthspark. Great video as always!
Can’t wait for the autobot counterpart Powerbottom
Lol I was def looking for the right comment... FOUND IT
In Earthspark Hardtop is a Combaticons
Bruticus:
Onslaught (Upper Body)
Hardtop (Lower Body)
Vortex (Left Arm)
Blast Off (Right Arm)
Brawl (Left Leg)
Swindle (Right Leg)
Hardtop has sure come a long way from being just a Cybertron toy.
4:03/4:17 Since I'm from Cincinnati, I find this very interesting (almost surreal even).
And this might also serve as some inspiration for a Robertverse storyline.
I forgot all about hardtop. I had his cybertron toy
Hardtop: i did it i made bumblebee a mute
Everyone: you lyin
I had the Hardtop and Clocker 2-pack. Pretty fun set.
He has had one figure mold in his entire existence bro
Great video on a character I only ever knew from Transformers Earth Spark. Also the mould for the character got reused a lot. Maybe a mould for an obscure character. But it has to be up there for one of the most used.
Earthspark could have reused the toy with a removable arm gimmick.
Hello there Chris McFeely and fellow Transformers fans. I do apologize for the tardiness of this comment, but I just had a busy day at work and just recently got the chance to check this video out. Anyways, I just wanted to say that this new video was absolutely amazing. I never really heard of this Transformer character before and that is probably because I only watched a few of the more popular Transformers animated series, as well as read a few major Transformers comics
So I definitely found this information to be very interesting and helpful to understand this character, who I now want to see in other Transformers media.
At some point as a kid I got the Hardtop/Clocker two-pack, and so he's always had a special little spot in my heart
If they ever come out with an Earthspark toy of him, I'll have to be getting it
I find it silly that a lot of Hardtop's depiction showcase him as an open roof buggy. When the term "hardtop" refers to solid roofed, enclosed top vehicles. The only time he wasn't was in Earthspark. 🥴
I know who hardtop is he was a Decepticon sniper and a scout and tracker and I know he was brother of swindle from transformers earthspark and I just hope what happened next for the history ❤
For me the fantastic artwork sold the figure. And for a Scout class toy the paintjob is superb. They don't make figure like the Cybertron toyline anymore.
I have figures of SG Beachcomber. I never knew his image was modeled after this guy. Great video! Thank you!
Swindle’s due for a new toy with the next wave of Combaticons, I wonder if they’ll release a new Hardtop toy to go along side him. I feel like it’d be a pretty easy retool of Beachcomber.
If only we got a true figure of Hardtop from the Earthspark toyline.
Hardtop was the first Transformers Cybertron toy I brought!
Do THE BASICS on THE TECHNO-ORGANIC next year!
Hardtop: I'm your rival and the one who inflicted damage unto you, remember?
Bumblebee: (Confused Beeping and Radio noise)
Earthspark did such a deep cut and pulled Hardtop's design and bio from the original Cybertron toy, including making him Swindle's brother.
When you said "2005 toyline, Cybertron." Somehow that hit hard. Doesn't feel 20 years ago.
Alright we got hardtop, now all hasbro has to do is make characters named Soft top, drop top, and rag top
The weirdest choice in Earthspark was not making more figures of the obscure characters they included. CHUG versions of them would be instant hits.
More chances to bank on nostalgia when the show eventually becomes retro. They'll be like: "Look, a Hardtop figure for Earthspark's 10th anniversary" or something.
Imagine not having a toy of yourself, but your right arm gets one
Cybertron for me. I didnt want him as a kid. But when I saw him the Earthspark previem. I dicided to get him. Really nice figure too.
HARDTOP IS HERE
0:25
Hey, that is one of the two Transformers toys that I know that I had.
Was such a nice figure, did manage to break the weapon port on the vehicle mode though...
Will be nice to actually learn abot them now.
do a basics on Broadside
Hardtop needs a live action representation besides his appearance in the Bayverse comics.
Knowing Hasbro and their propensity to reuse existing molds, the next time we get a Swindle (which could be soon as there's a new Vortex coming out next year), they could double their money and retool a new Hardtop out of it
Hoping for a Beachcomber remold someday.
Still have my original version of this figure, and the repaint (I got the two pack because I thought both his and Clocker's 'realistic' paint jobs were nicely done). He's a good example of how even the smaller class of figures in that era could still be really good. Having a rifle that converts into a sniper gun predates such a in video games and that's amusing.
Ah, Hardtop. Don't know I why but I always had a soft spot for that guy.
What do you think is the best thing about Hardtop? Which one of his powers and abilities do you think is the best? Which movie or TV Show did a great job in portraying him?
Amusingly I just finished binge watching the complete series of C.O.P.S. which has a character with the codename Hardtop.
Hasbro und their trademark reuse…. 😂
Really ? Now you can tell that Hardtop was in G1 as well ! Technically, phah
It would be funny if when we get AOTP Swindle he'll be designed for his right arm to be easily removeable in preparation for a Hardtop remold lol
I want a reimagined bruticus, with hardtop as the sixth combaticon replacing brawl's role as the left leg, swindle still as the right leg, and vortex and blastoff keeping their roles, but with the twist of brawl becoming the upper half of the torso and onslaught as the lower half.
Hardtop : you guys stole the only thing that people will remember me by!
Megatron and blitzwing: um we don't know you
Fantastic video review 👍👍👍👍👍👍😎😎😎😎🎄🌟🎁🎅
I hope he gets an Age of Primes toy
Fun fact:Hes the 6th Combaticon
Hardtop should have been in Transformers Cybertron. He could have been there to help Megatron take down Starscream.
Is this the first time you’ve looked at a Transformer that didn’t originate in the G1 series (or at least have a namesake in G1)?
As a lefty myself there is nothing wrong about being left handed 😂
Nothing wrong until you have no right hand AT ALL...
Hardtop, thats a name that could be misconstrued into something... risque by a dirty mind.
3:25 “further edging hardtop out” 🤨
Knowing that Cybertron Hardtop is a comics fan, now I just imagine a post-war story where Hardtop became the Cybertronian version of Linkara. lol
I remember my hardtop toy from the cybertron line. One of my favourite toys as a kid
At least he appeared in Earthspark.
where's my SoftBottom hasbro
.... you mean knockout?
Hard Top for Transformers Two.
I didn't know Bumblebee had a 3rd origin of how he lost his voice.
After the Ki-Adi-Mundi controversy, me and several friends brought up a few examples how old EU stories got rendered non-canon by a later mainstream movie or show, and there hardly any amounts of backlash. Like how Bumblebee had an origin story that for a decade before the 2018 movie. Heck, the Marky Mark films already made the IDW EU stories non-canon to the films long beforehand.
I get Acolyte is hated but it's weird people had an issue with the conehead jedi's age despite it was only mentioned in the old timeline and not the new Disney timeline. I don't see people hating on Bumblebee or Rogue One for giving us a different story of the Death Star plans than what was shown in a 90s PC game.
Ever since hardtop appeared in Transformers EarthSpark, I had no idea that he was a Cybertron character.
Very good
I only heard the name HARDTOP from the movie toyline , I had no idea who the character was. Obscure Character Indeed.