Draft:Dinobots

Dinobots are a type of character in the fictional Transformers Universe. The Dinobots group consists of several subgroups of robots, each of whose transformed mode is that of a dinosaur or similar prehistoric animal. Dinobots are referred to as Dinotrons in the Japanese version, and Dinobots (ダイノボット) in the Japanese dub of Transformers Animated. They were named among the top selling toys in 1985 by Playthings magazine.

Transformers: Generation 1
The Dinobots are a group of Transformers, part of the Autobot faction. Their origins and abilities vary from one version of Transformers to the next, but they are generally depicted as powerful Autobots capable of sustaining heavy damage and wielding heavy firepower against their foes. Like most dinosaurs that existed, they are not very smart. They are the only known Autobot group—other than the Aerialbots—capable of flight in robot mode, a trait they share with the Decepticons. They are always portrayed as fiercely independent, and are prone to diverge from the main group of Autobots to pursue their own agenda. All Dinobots' names (except Grimlock) begin with the letter S.


 * Grimlock - The team leader. Transforms into a Tyrannosaurus. Voiced by Gregg Berger.
 * Slag - The second-in-command. Transforms into a Triceratops. Voiced by Neil Ross.
 * Sludge - The logistician. Transforms into an Apatosaurus. Voiced by Frank Welker.
 * Snarl - The analyst, engineer, and medic. Transforms into a Stegosaurus. Voiced by Hal Rayle.
 * Swoop - The scout (and the only Dinobot to turn into something that's not a dinosaur). Transforms into a Pteranodon. Voiced by Michael Bell.

The Transformers
The Dinobots in the original Transformers cartoon were built on Earth by the Autobots Wheeljack and Ratchet. Seismic activity near the Ark resulted in Ironhide's discovery of dinosaur bones, and Wheeljack was inspired to build three dinosaur-based Transformers: Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge, collectively called the Dinobots. They were incapable of any cognitive reasoning, and even failed their first simple task assigned by Ratchet when activated as seen in episode eight, "S.O.S. Dinobots". They immediately turn on the Autobots like wild animals, and nearly destroyed the Ark, forcing Optimus Prime to order their destruction. Wheeljack's magnetic inducer was the only thing that stopped them. Being nearly indestructible, the next alternative was to seal them away forever, deactivated. That same day the Autobots were caught off guard by a Decepticon ambush. Their friends having been captured and on the verge of destruction, Wheeljack makes a snap decision and installs the upgrades to the Dinobot's brains just before sending them in to their initial engagement against the Decepticons. Upon their arrival and subsequent victory over the Decepticons, Optimus Prime agrees that the Dinobots shall remain among them.

The Dinobots were the cartoon series' first sub-group of Transformers. Unlike all other sub-groups that were introduced later in the series (with the exception of the Insecticons), the Dinobots did not have the ability to combine and form one giant robot, but instead were designed to attack separately but as a unit using their strength and tremendous size to their advantage. Each Dinobot is roughly a third the size of a combiner, and together as a team they could challenge one. This was first seen in the last episode of season one, episode sixteen, "Heavy Metal War" when the Dinobots faced the Constructicons' merged form, the "Devastator".

Each Dinobot has a different attack method and array of weaponry, but are most powerful and effective when in their dinosaur forms, using their build to their advantage, except when trying to fit through small doors. Slag is a Triceratops and favors a deadly frontal charge; Sludge, an Apatosaurus, with being so heavy, favors making earthquakes; Snarl is a Stegosaurus and as such, favors using his dangerous spiked tail; Swoop, a Pteranodon, favors aerial attacks; Grimlock, being a T-Rex, favors any way to get his jaws on an opponent.

The Dinobots were frequently given the task of sorting out situations and other tasks the Autobots were incapable of handling themselves, like forces of nature, which would otherwise destroy any normal Autobot. Examples include giant tidal waves and massive earthquakes, seen in "The Ultimate Doom (Part 2): Search", Torq III's mechanical drone army in "Day of the Machines", and Nergil's magnetic disfunction ray in "Atlantis, Arise!" .

Grimlock, the lead and commander of the Dinobots, noted as having no weaknesses save for arrogance. Slag is extremely rash in action, and Sludge is slow both physically and mentally. Optimus Prime later commissioned Wheeljack and Ratchet to build Snarl and Swoop to aid the Autobots. Megatron devises a plan for Soundwave to discover their weaknesses in "War of the Dinobots". Upon finding out, each one's greatest weakness lie in their individual character flaw. With lies, Megatron convinces them to turn against the Autobots, allowing them to steal an unstable meteorite. They nearly kill Optimus Prime upon arrival at the meteorite landing zone. Only with their combined strength can they manage to defeat their former leader. After realizing that, despite their best efforts to destroy him, Grimlock himself may not be the stronger of the two and spares him. Much to the dismay of Megatron, Prime is brought alive to his camp and warns of the instabilities in the meteorite, and is scoffed at by Megatron. Only when it explodes and Optimus saves Grimlock, does he reject the lies told by Megatron. Grimlock is outraged having been manipulated by him, into fighting such a "good" leader, Optimus Prime. Even risking his own life to save them, despite the fact of having been nearly killed by them in battle earlier. Megatron fled in terror when confronted by the Dinobots' rage. Grimlock then in turn apologized in earnest for his jealousy towards Optimus Prime, asking for forgiveness. This is the one and only time in the series he acknowledges Optimus Prime's superior leadership skills.

From that episode forward, resentment grew among the Dinobots, as stated by Grimlock himself in "Atlantis, Arise!" when asked to rescue Optimus Prime and the other's after Nergil has used his magnetic disfunction ray on them. Dinobots are virtually indestructible in their dinosaur mode. Their robot modes on the other hand, are not. Only Decepticon Combiners could stand against the Dinobots in dino-mode. They were defeated only once by the Decepticons in "Desertion of the Dinobots Part 1". Due to their arrogance, and a boasting Grimlock, they converted to robot mode and were taken by surprise by Megatron, whom they believed to have defeated. However Megatron and Skywarp set off five airline jets filled with jet fuel at once with the Dinobots at "ground zero", damaging them immensely in the process. After consequently being rebuilt, the Dinobots dissention came to a culmination. When requested to return to immediate action, Grimlock snapped, absolutely refusing to do anything else for the "Autobots". He sternly said goodbye, and left with the other Dinobots in tow. They eventually ventured to Cybertron in "Desertion of the Dinobots Part 2". Where they end up enslaved mining Cybertonium, a mineral vital to Cybertronians operational function, for the Decepticons, by having their personality chips disconnected by Shockwave. Swoop was the only one to have escaped imprisonment, due in fact to his assigned surveillance mission. Spike Witwicky and his girlfriend Carly, with the help of Swoop, were able to rescue them. They were easily convinced to help the Autobots obtain the Cybertonium they needed, and return to Earth to rejoin the Autobots permanently. Subsequently, for the rest of the series they are rarely if ever seen in their robot modes.

As a means to hone their skills, Wheeljack helps the Dinobots gain Optimus Prime's approval with a demonstration. It ultimately ends in failure, but with the discovery of "Dinobot Island Part 1", where they are sent there to train until they could harness their powers, Grimlock states that it feels like home upon landing on the prehistoric island, created by time warp. Oddly, after all other occurrences were returned to their respective times by the Part 2's conclusion, this island remained. It is only spoken of again later in the series.

The Dinobots were one of the few Transformers created purely on Earth and exclusively from materials on Earth. Their personalities programmed by Ratchet and Wheeljack and later upgraded. The Dinobots were programmed with instincts similar to what real dinosaurs with simple brains were described to have had, by Wheeljack. In "Grimlock's New Brain", Grimlock builds the Technobots from components of the dead Unicron's head to battle the Terrorcons.

While "Dinobot Island" is mentioned in Season 3 by an irate Galvatron, while hunting after Octane for stealing Trypticon from it, it is in fact, the last time it is heard of. In this episode, entitled "Thief in the Night" where it is discovered that other Transformers were said to have "Dinosaur Transform Static" similar to the Dinobots. This is mentioned for the first time by Grimlock himself. Those Transformers included, were Trypticon whose static it was, and Sky Lynx.

Transformers: Headmasters
The Dinobots make a brief appearance in the opening episodes of Transformers: Headmasters as part of the overall Autobot forces.

Transformers: Power of the Primes
The Dinobots, and their combined form of Volcanicus, appear in episodes of Transformers: Power of the Primes. , where Sludge is later killed by a Unicron possessed Rodimus Prime.

Marvel Comics
The Dinobots are Cybertronian Autobots and function as an Autobot elite special ops team under the direct command of Grimlock. The Dinobots' loyalty to one another comes before their loyalty to other fellow Autobots. On Cybertron, Grimlock and the Dinobots launched successful raids against the Decepticon forces without the knowledge of the Autobot leaders. The Dinobots were aboard the Ark with the other Autobots when they crashed on Earth, were reactivated by the ship's computer, and battled Shockwave when he landed on Earth in search of the Ark. They left before the other Autobots were reactivated.

Two years into the Marvel US series, Optimus Prime was killed, followed soon by Megatron. Grimlock crowned himself king of the Autobots and remained in that capacity until Fortress Maximus arrived on Earth. In the Transformers: Generation 2 comics that followed the US comic, the Dinobots led missions against the Decepticons' mechaforming efforts, and returned to Earth with Optimus Prime and the Autobots in response to an emergency beacon activated by G.I. Joe.

Dreamwave Productions
The Dinobots appeared in Dreamwave's reimagined Generation One Universe, this time with an expanded origin. Shortly before the second story arc of the War Within, "The Dark Ages", Grimlock created a specialized attack group called the Lightning Strike Coalition. Five members of this group would go on to become the Dinobots on Earth. By the time of the "Age of Wrath", they acted as Grimlock's bodyguards, and did not yet have the absolute loyalty that the Dinobots would later be known for.

In their first appearance in the Generation One series, the Dinobots were dispatched to Earth to discover what had happened to the missing Ark. They encountered the Decepticons, who would become the Insecticons, and both sides blasted each other into stasis lock. The Dinobots killed Octane and stole his ship, but they ran into trouble when the local Autobot forces believed them to be traitors and fired on them. Repaired by the Autobots, who were by now convinced of their intentions, they participated in the final assault on Shockwave, where Grimlock rescued Magnus and Optimus Prime.

Devil's Due Publishing
The Dinobots appeared with yet another origin in the second G.I. Joe vs the Transformers series from Devil's Due Publishing. In 2004, the Dinobots were among the Autobots under the leadership of Optimus Prime, who attempted to take the planet Cybertron back from the Decepticon tyrant Shockwave. An accident sent the Dinobots back in time, and they landed on the planet Earth, where they were reformatted in the forms of Earth dinosaurs. A group of humans (which included Gung-Ho, Dusty and a Cobra Viper) brought the new Dinobots back to Cybertron, where they helped overcome Shockwave.

Grimlock had a prominent role in the third series as one of the Autobots who were sent to Earth to deactivate Cybertronian technology, and wound up battling the human-created cyborg Serpentor. Snarl appeared briefly as part of the combined Autobot/G.I. Joe force who attempted to rescue Optimus Prime.

IDW Publishing
The Dinobots made their first chronological IDW Publishing appearance in issue #3 of The Transformers: Megatron Origin, where all five were part of Megatron's gathering of gladiators and insurgents that eventually became the Decepticons. They appeared on Shockwave in The Transformers: Spotlight having, as in other continuities, defected to the Autobots. In this stand-alone tale, the Dinobots sought revenge on Shockwave for having nearly destroyed them. Denied a chance for revenge by Optimus Prime, the Dinobots went rogue and tracked Shockwave to prehistoric Earth, where he had seeded Energon. Unable to survive in the planet's Energon levels, they adopted techno-organic dinosaur modes and teleported to Earth to engage Shockwave. These techno-organic alternate modes, which have a sheath of synthetic flesh over robotic forms, are unique to their IDW appearances. Shockwave took advantage of their impulsive nature, shut down his higher logic functions, and destroyed the group before a volcano buried all combatants in lava.

In The Transformers: Escalation, the bodies of the Dinobots and Shockwave were dug up by the mysterious defense organization called Skywatch. After the events of The Transformers: Devastation, Skywatch dug up Grimlock as a defense measure, but his reawakening was sabotaged by the Machination. The other Dinobots were reactivated by Skywatch, though manipulated by the Machination, who wanted them to kill Grimlock.

UK Comics
An exclusive to the United Kingdom comic entitled "The Beast Within" featured the Dinobots forming a Combiner known as the Beast in order to save their fellow Autobots. However, their gestalt form proved to be a savage, mindless monster who overpowered the Decepticon forces with ease but could not tell friend from foe. As a result, the Autobots were forced to terminate the Dinobots.

Toys
A deluxe-sized Grimlock was released in November 2006, and three Dinobot Minicons were sold in a 3-pack, of which only Swoop carries an original Dinobot name. The Beast Wars Grimlock toy is the same mold as the Maximal Dinobot who appeared in the Beast Wars cartoon, although Grimlock did not. Grimlock in his reimagined raptor form has appeared in IDW Publishing's mini-series Beast Wars: The Gathering. A 2003 set of Wal-Mart exclusive toys sold simply as "Transformers: Dinobots" featured repaints of Beast Wars molds as six Dinobots. One of the Dinobots sets included Grimlock as a repaint of Beast Wars Dinobot, and Swoop as a repaint of Beast Wars Terrorsaur. Some boxes labeled Swoop as Terranotron, because of trademark issues. The other sets in the series were Sludge, who transformers into a Dimetrodon; and Snarl, Triceradon, and Slapper, who transforms into an Ankylosaurus.

Beast Machines
The Beast Machines Dinobots were created from survivors of the Beast Machines techno-organic virus, using DNA schematics derived from the former Maximal warrior Dinobot. Members include:


 * T-Wrecks - A former attack specialist, he is the team leader and a strong defender of the Maximal cause. Transforms into a Tyrannosaurus rex. He is a repaint of the Beast Wars Megatron toy.
 * Triceradon - The second-in-command of the Dinobots who transforms into a Triceratops. He is a recolored version of Guiledart from Beast Wars Neo.
 * Airraptor - He is a perfectionist with supreme precision, a characteristic gained working as the surveyor and navigator of the Axalon. Transforms into an Archaeopteryx, Airraptor is capable of flying at very high speeds, though his wings are very fragile. He is a recolored version of Archadis from Beast Wars Neo.
 * Dinotron - Stubborn and surly, Dinotron is the most uncooperative of the Dinobots. Transforms into a Pachycephalosaurus, Dinotron does not favor his new technorganic design,. Though he is disgusted by Megatron's "new order." He is a recolored version of Hardhead from Beast Wars Neo (who is also a retooled version of Dinobot).
 * Magmatron - Based on the Beast Wars Neo villain of the same name, Magmatron is one of the few known reverse-combiners. Three beasts (consisting of a Giganotosaurus, an Elasmosaurus and a Quetzalcoatlus) can combine into a humanoid robot form or that of a giant Chimera with attributes of all three beasts. While in his beast modes, he is able to maintain a singular consciousness/personality.
 * Rapticon - Transforms into a transmetal II Velociraptor. He is a repaint of the Transmetal II Dinobot.
 * Striker - Transforms into a Stegosaurus, Striker is deeply loyal to the Maximal cause. His hide is constructed of specially treated poly-alloy armor, and plates across his back serve as secondary energy receptors. His tail can cause seismic variations in the gravitational field, and contains a unique grappling rocket that penetrates all Vehicon armor. He is a recolored version of Saberback from Beast Wars Neo.
 * Terranotron - Transforms into a transmetal Pteranodon, Terranotron loves difficult battles and often fights multiple enemies by himself. He focuses on aerial combat, and has an alloy coating that makes him impossible to detect. He is a repaint of the Transmetal Terrorsaur.

3H Publications
The Dinobots are one of several teams of Cybertronians shown to be opposed to Megatron's occupation of Cybertron, before being dispatched by the Oracle to another part of the galaxy.

Transformers: Energon
Two Dinobot figures were released as part of the "Transformers: Energon" toy line: Grimlock and Swoop, who can merge to form the giant robot Mega-Dinobot. They did not appear in the cartoon.

Dreamwave Productions
It comes as no surprise that longtime Dinobot fan Simon Furman intended to feature the characters in Dreamwave's Energon comic book, but the company's closure prevented this.

Fun Publications
Grimlock and Swoop appeared in the Fun Publications text story "Force of Habit", which explained their whereabouts during the events of the Cybertron story. Ultra Magnus was the commander of various Autobot ships sent to other planets in search for the Cyber Planet Keys. He also served as captain of the Iron Hope which was crewed by Bonecrusher, Grimlock, Ironhide, Knock Out, Overcast, Prowl, Quickstrike, RipTide, Skyblast, Smokescreen, Swoop, Wreckage and the Sky Scorcher Mini-Con Team.

Toys

 * Energon Grimlock and Swoop (2005)
 * Can combine into "Mega-Dinobot".

Transformers Animated
The Transformers Animated series depicts the Dinobots as having originally been animatronic dinosaurs at the fictional Dino Drive amusement park who were accidentally smashed by Bulkhead. Professor Sumdac repairs the robotic dinosaurs with the help of Megatron, who secretly intends to use them to create drones who are loyal only to him and possess Transformer abilities and flame breath attacks. The new Dinobots wreak havoc under Megatron's control, and are stopped by the Autobots. The Dinobots become actual Transformers in the process, though they see themselves as actual dinosaurs.

Megatron no longer has complete control over them, but is able to persuade Grimlock, Snarl and Swoop into destroying the Autobots and all fossil fuel-powered vehicles, after which they are trapped and imprisoned in a tar pit. Prowl and Bulkhead secretly transport the Dinobots to a forest island where they can live in seclusion and peace with nature, hidden from the rest of the world by a holographic screen. However, Grimlock accidentally figures out how to transform into robot mode, to the surprise of the other two Dinobots. Prometheus Black, also known as Meltdown, later threatens to melt them unless they serve him. The Dinobots reason that Meltdown is not one of them, so they transform to defeat him, and ally with the Autobots.

The Dinobots return in "Megatron Rising" (part one), where they refuse a request by Optimus Prime, Bulkhead and Prowl for their help against the invading Decepticons. They briefly feature in "The Elite Guard", where they attack Sentinel Prime when he trespasses on their island, but are forced back by Ultra Magnus. In "A Fistful of Energon", Prowl removes a metal spike from Grimlock's foot. The Dinobots next feature in "Black Friday", where they are seduced by Blackarachnia into helping to remove her organic half. After a small cameo at the end of "Three's a Crowd", they appear in "Predacons Rising", where they are brought into conflict with the Autobots after they are again coerced into doing Blackarachnia's bidding.

In "Human Error" (part 2), Grimlock and Swoop appear when a teenaged Sari asks for their help to rescue the Autobots from Soundwave, who wants to reprogram them into serving him. Sari discovers that Slag has been domesticated into a pet by the Constructicon Scrapper, and the two help Sari to defeat Soundwave, though Scrapper calls him Snarl probably as a shoutout to the other Dinobot not featured in the series, and a nod to the fact his naming gives difficulties in British countries due to its slang status.

Transformers: Power Core Combiners
Grimstone is the first Power Core Combiner to use animal forms instead of vehicles like his team members. According to his bio, Grimstone has dreamed of power and the privilege it brings, yet he considers the needs of others before himself. His belief is that it is the responsibility of the powerful to protect those less fortunate; and with his newly formed Power Core team, he will enforce that belief.

A set of dinobots toys were released as part of the "Power Core Combiners" line in 2010. This set was a new mold and came with four Dinobot drones: a Parasaurolophus, a Pachycephalosaurus, an Ankylosaurus, and a Dimetrodon mislabeled as a Spinosaurus, all of which combine with Grimstone to form a larger robot.

Aligned Continuity
Notable members include:


 * Grimlock - leader, Tyrannosaurus, voiced by Crispin Freeman in War for Cybertron, Gregg Berger in Fall of Cybertron, and Khary Payton in Robots in Disguise where he is a different character.
 * Slug - Triceratops
 * Sludge - Apatosaurus, in video game Transformers Battle Tactic, his name Slog
 * Snarl - Stegosaurus
 * Swoop - Pteranodon, in video game Transformers Battle Tactic, his name Strafe

Transformers: Prime
While the Dinobots never appear in the animated series Transformers: Prime, they were briefly referenced once. In the episode "Project Predacon" of the third season, during a discussion about the existence of the Predacons and their relationship to Earth's dinosaurs, Miko asked Bulkhead about the Dinobots. However, Bulkhead assured her that they were entirely different from Predacons. .

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
The Dinobots appear in the 2012 video game Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, belligerent, bullheaded, and rebellious, the Dinobots (formerly the Lightning Strike Coalition Force) are a brutal commando unit of Autobots, who handle the jobs that other Autobots don't have the stomach for. Openly critical of Optimus Prime's conservative tactics, the unit instead defers to their leader Grimlock, who isn't above defying his higher-ups if the need arises. One such rebellion resulted in the team becoming captives of Shockwave, who subsequently experimented on the team by giving with new alternate modes based on dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, intending to turn them into mindless berserkers. The Dinobots managed to escape Shockwave's lab, and their mutual struggle to adjust to and understand their strange new forms has resulted in the team becoming more tight-knit than ever. In the games, Grimlock is playable, and Swoop, Sludge (only shown in his non-Dinobot form and in stasis lock, although there was a model made for his dinosaur mode), Slag (renamed "Slug"), and Snarl appear alongside him.

Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
It is an IDW comic series where the Dinobots are forced to confront Shockwave, linking Transformers Fall of Cybertron to the Transformers Prime continuity and leads into season three of Transformers Prime. The inclusion of Sludge also reveals that he did survive the events of Fall of Cybertron, although it is unexplained how he made it out of the cave or how he received his Dinobot form.

Transformers: Rescue Bots
A human-built robotic Dinosaur called Trex appears in Transformers: Rescue Bots. Trex debuted in "Family of Heroes", the Tyrannosaurus rex at the Griffin Rock Natural History Museum was damaged in a fire attended by the Burns family and their Rescue Bots. The damaged robot came online that night, left the museum, and rampaged through Griffin Rock. The nearby Rescue Bots spotted it, lured it away from town, and worked together to deactivate the dinosaur and return it to the museum.

In "Return of the Dinobot", Doc Greene reprogrammed the dinosaur into "Trex" to guard the lab against break-ins, as well as to fetch coffee, do the "Macarena", and to verify that the mainframe had not been hacked into. A shadowy figure implanted a virus into Trex, who passed it on to the mainframe. Trex stalked Greene and Frankie until he was subdued by the Rescue Bots and Cody Burns used voice commands to override the virus. Trex would continue to be used for various purposes throughout the series, occasionally being ridden for fun by Frankie.

In the third season of Transformers: Rescue Bots, Optimus Prime and the Rescue Bots adopt Dinobot modes. They do so by scanning artificial dinosaurs created by combining robotics with dinosaur DNA. Optimus is the first to do so, scanning Trex in order to save the Rescue Bots from a tar pit on an island that several dinosaurs have taken up residence on. Unfortunately, scanning Trex lowers his supply of Energon, and he is left unable to control the animal instincts of his new mode. After Optimus is captured by big game hunter Quint Quarry and most of the Rescue Bots go after him, Boulder creates a device to replenish Optimus' Energon supply but decides to test it on himself, scanning a triceratops model of the artificial dinosaur series that Trex was a part of. With the test a success, Boulder uses his new mode to restore Optimus and save the others from Quarry, who escapes to hunt them another day.

As an interesting note, Optimus Primal (the toy name for his Tyrannosaurus form) and the four Rescue Bots share their dinosaur modes with the G1 Dinobots: Optimus and Grimlock are a Tyrannosaurus, Heatwave and Sludge are an Apatosaurus, Blades and Swoop are a Pteranodon, Boulder and Slag/Slug are a Triceratops, and Chase and Snarl are a Stegosaurus.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Grimlock is a member of Bumblebee's new team of Autobots on Earth in the 2015 TV series Transformers: Robots in Disguise. As one of many Decepticon prisoners aboard the Autobot ship Alchemor, Grimlock was the only one not to escape when the vessel crashed on Earth. The stasis unit on his cell was damaged however, and he was thus awake when the Autobots were engaging his former fellow inmate Underbite. He was freed after he insulted Underbite, and subsequently engaged the Decepticon in battle to satisfy his destructive impulses. Grimlock then proved an unlikely addition to Bumblebee's team, and with them witnessed the astonishing reappearance of Optimus Prime.

After Underbite was imprisoned, Bumblebee decided to allow Grimlock to join the team on probation. Later, after bringing the cyber-tick Minitron, he was formally inducted into the Autobot ranks and began to sport Autobot symbols instead of the Decepticon ones he sported for the first few episodes. According to Bumblebee, the only reason Grimlock was imprisoned on the Alchemor was due to severe property damage, which Bumblebee deemed to just be him acting like himself and not being a threat.

Grimlock is a different character from the one we saw in Fall of Cybertron and the Aligned Continuity comics, as it was later revealed by one of the show's producers that there is more than just one Grimlock in this continuity. Coincidentally, this incarnation also sports green colors similar to the 2001's incarnation from the series also titled Transformers: Robots in Disguise. He also speaks regularly unlike previous incarnations.

Another Dinobot, Scowl (voiced by Mark Hildreth), is introduced in the episode "Similarly Different", however, unlike the other Dinobots, he is an only Decepticon who appeared and transforms into an Ankylosaurus. On Cybertron, Scowl was a hired muscle who used to work for Thunderhoof, as a wrecker, destroying homes, but until he was arrested and incarcerated on the Alchemor. After he escapes, he becomes friends with Grimlock, promising him not to endanger the humans and happily walks off. However, while wandering in the woods, Scowl attacks the Autobots - Bumblebee, Strongarm, Sideswipe, Drift, Slipstream and Jetstorm - and then angrily confronts Grimlock, being a traitor and betrayed him. While rampaging the train station and a spa, Scowl fights Grimlock, but Grimlock had a change of heart. When they get a tail five, Grimlock defeats Scowl and puts him in a stasis pod.

Mini-Con Dinobot Tricerashot later appeared in the third season, and then in the toyline Dinobot Slug and Dinobot Swoop appeared.

Generation 1 Shattered Glass
Alternative versions of the Dinobots and Dinocons feature prominently in the Shattered Glass continuity, in which they were created by Wheeljack after he used a spacebridge to view prehistoric Earth and witnessed the power of the dinosaurs. Initially mindless creatures-with Grimlock being treated as a pet by Optimus Prime-they eventually gained Embers, the alternative universe equivalent of Sparks, from the Omega Terminus. Grimlock was the first to gain this heightened state of being, and worked to grant all dinosaur based Transformers-regardless of alliance-the same gift.

Beast Wars Shattered Glass
This comic line featured Classics Grimlock as part of an Autobot crew that ended up on Shattered Glass prehistoric Earth. In order to protect themselves from Energon radiation, the Autobots adopted organic Beast Modes, with Grimlock taking on the Raptor form of his Beast Wars incarnation. This group would later be rechristened the Maximals after encountering an alternative version of the Beast Wars character Depth Charge. Some time later, the group also encountered the Shattered Glass incarnation of Beast Wars Dinobot as part of Megatron's crew.

Transformers Cinematic Universe
The Dinobots, including Grimlock, appeared in the fourth Transformers film, Transformers: Age of Extinction. At the climax of the film, Optimus Prime rides Grimlock into battle through Hong Kong, Bumblebee rides Strafe, Drift rides Slug, and Crosshairs rides Scorn. In the film, the Dinobots are also called Legendary Warriors. Unlike their animated counterparts, they don't have the ability to speak. Grimlock, Slug, and  "Mini-Dinobots", appear in The Last Knight. One of The Dinobot original character names back in G1 for the Dinobot was Slag but this was now changed to Slug due to the fact that Slag has the very highly offensive derogatory nature in the word connotations of that word in the United Kingdom (Europe) Internationally in that European Country.

Listings in the toyline and recent box images showed that their alt-modes are the following:
 * Grimlock (The leader) - Transforms into mechanical horned fire-breathing Tyrannosaurus
 * Slug - Transforms into a mechanical spiked and bestial Triceratops
 * Scorn - New member who transforms into a mechanical three-sailed Spinosaurus
 * Strafe - Transforms into a mechanical two-headed and two-tailed Pteranodon

Mini-Dinobots includes:
 * Sharp-T - Transforms into mechanical horned fire-breathing miniature Tyrannosaurus
 * Tops - Transforms into a mechanical spiked fire-breathing miniature Triceratops
 * Pterry - Transforms into a mechanical miniature Pteranodon

In the film, the Dinobots were held prisoner as trophies aboard the Knight ship that is used by Lockdown. They are taken with Optimus and the Autobots when they commandeer a detachable section of the ship, and Optimus later uses the Sword of Judgement to free them from their captivity to save Earth from Galvatron's army. At first they refuse to obey Optimus due to suspicions, but after Optimus defeats Grimlock in single combat, they gain respect for and assist him in the battle of Hong Kong in exchange for their freedom.

Unlike the original Dinobots, they are much larger than the Autobots and the Decepticons, which allowed the Autobots to ride them. But like the originals, they prove to be powerful, destroying and tearing apart the Decepticons with ease and proved able to breathe fire in their alt-modes. They were named as "Legendary warriors" by Optimus Prime. In 2009, Tom DeSanto had the idea to include the Dinobots and Constructicons in Revenge of the Fallen, but Michael Bay decided the Dinobots would not be, but Devastator would.

Although four Dinobots were seen in the movie, there are three more Dinobots in the toy line and promotional images.
 * Slash - Transforms into a mechanical spine-clawed Velociraptor
 * Slog - Transforms into a mechanical spiked Apatosaurus
 * Snarl - Transforms into a mechanical double-spined Stegosaurus