Character Discussion: Cheetor.

Autobloke · Post by **Autobloke** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:46 pm

Cheetor. Beast Wars and Beast Machines.
Annoying kid?
Cool toy?
Potential leader?
Making being yellow not as embarressing as being Bumblebee?

Take it away...

Señior's Covenant · Post by **Señior's Covenant** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 9:00 pm

I never thought Cheetor was really annoying, just headstrong as a teenager. He's one of those characters I loved all through BW and BM. His maturing was done quite well me thinks, and he always had the coolest feline modes. Can't say much about the toys as I've never laid hands on one. Beast Machines did well with the grown Cheetor I believe. While (since the apparent goal of the heroes was to find the balance) he opted against Primal's judgements on things, it was never simply for the sake of argument. I could always identify with his line of thinking. Still though, I think there's a grumpbot of a savage left over from the days of Transmetal 2 Cheetor and his forced maturing that should have come out a bit more in Beast Machines. Perhaps were there ever a series set after BM they could explore that aspect of him. His adulthood was forged in war, he's a fighter damnit.

And yes, he made being yellow okay in my book. I almost considered picking up a yellow tee for the first time in my life the other day while visions of TFs (namely Cheets) were dancing through my head (story ideas, boredom sets in, so the mind wanders yo). Then I remembered someone once told me the favorite color found in a poll of clinically insane people is yellow. I still do not have a yellow t-shirt. My canary yellow suit on the other hand... ...J/K!!!

AHH!

*whew*

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 9:35 pm

Cheetor rocked.

He most definitely made yellow cool. (heh, geddit? A 'cool' colour?) His alt-modes were pretty snazzy. I haven't gotten till TM2 Cheetor yet, so I can't say that I know all that much about it.

I have seen the first 3 eps of BM tho, and there it would seem as if he's improved his fighting-skills quite a bit. And I suppose he did seem a bit less teenage.

I think he creates a good balance in the maximal-team. What with the authoritary or grumpy types that there are, and oppose to Silverbolts somewhat too serious and sometimes strungup view on things.

Autobloke · Post by **Autobloke** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:20 pm

My first thoughts after the first ep of BW was 'Argh! Yellow Hotrod!" Somehow though, he seemed to crawl into my heart and become a less annoying kid after a time. His crush on Black Arachnia was funny, considering he hated her so much to begin with, and it was nice to have tension between him and Silverbolt. It was also nice that he seemed to choose mentors like Primal and Tigertron, instead of being a sulky teenager all the time. At least he had respect for someone.
With BM, Cheetor seemed to go all 'Matrix' with his fast-moving, slo-mo blade fighting. I was surprised when he took command away from Primal, but he seemed to take to the role well, and probably kept a leader role after the series finished and all the sparks were restored.
The toys were cool, although who ever really used the water-squirting feature? I did have to file part of his animal head down to get it to rest properly on his chest (anybody else have to do that?). The Transmetal version of him was the best, what with its rocket pods - they gave his character more to do in the show and gave us two funny scenes (when he zipped uncontrollably around base when he first used them. And when they failed to deploy until he hit the ground during 'Agenda' (part 3, I think)).
Transmetal 2 Cheetor was less exciting for me 'cos he lost his rockets (well, the flying ones), and the Frankenstein's monster story to introduce his new body was pump.
BM cheetor was too spindly to stand properly as a toy, but the Supreme Cheetor I bought was at least more show accurate.

All in all, it was nice to see a young Transformer go from eager kid to matured commander - and how often do we see that in a TF show? Properly done?

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:47 pm

Probably my least fave member of the original Axalon crew. The surf talk was a bit cliche. Good foil for Rattrap at times if I remember. His transmetal 2 mode was ugly.

Never saw BM.

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:50 pm

Good idea for a thread.

Eeep, I have to go slightly against the flow and say that Cheetor did bug me sometimes, most specifically at the start of the show and right after he became a TM2.
It's not a fault in the character, it's my deal with being irritated by 'young cavalier' types. Can't stand 'em. I just dislike characters who's thing is to ignore perfectly good advice or instructions 'because'.
Also, yellow. Urgh.
However, I do think they can be great for stories, which Cheetor obviously was. In the end, he was a pretty neat character, and yeah, his maturation and development from a boring archetype to a proper character is noteworthy.
I disliked TM2 Cheetor - although Feral Scream is pretty damn cool - because that seemed to be a retrograde step in his development. Fake Badass Cheetor was stupid; but then that was pointed out by Rattrap on the show, so you gotta laugh and go with it, don't you?

edit: agree on TM2 mode also being ugly. He got a furry love patch on his chin as well ffs.

TM Cheetor is my fave version, both in looks and character. I'm fond of the rocket pod moments myself.
"Catbot cannot fly!"
Poor Waspinator

Warcry · Post by **Warcry** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 6:31 am

Cheetor...

My first instinct is to say that he's crap, because he really, really bugged me in the first season of BW. After that, though, he became gradually more and more tolerable. By the time BM rolled around, he was actually my favourite Maximal (though that was largely due to the fact that Rhinox and Silverbolt were Vehiconified most of the time, BA and Rattrap got butchered by the writers, and Primal turned into Buddha Munky...).

In retrospect, the annoying brat that he started out as was a necessary evil that made his eventual maturation all the more powerful. I expect that he would have grown up even more after BM...with Primal gone he would have been all alone at the top of his small crew, and probably would have been one of the more important figures on Cybertron as the reawakened TFs tried to get used to their new techno-organic planet and bodies. And the scary thing is, I'm actually OK with that. Over the five years of the Beast series, Cheetor believably developed to a point where he could realistically step up and take a major role in leading his race.

If Universe had had a proper story, I expect (Night Slash) Cheetor would have been one hell of a character. But, alas...

Autobloke · Post by **Autobloke** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 6:05 pm

Night Slash.
Sounds like a nocturnal weak bladder problem.

Primal: "Night Slash Cheetor?"
NS Cheetor: "Number two actually."

Sorry, off-topic, I know. Just couldn't resist.

Señior's Covenant · Post by **Señior's Covenant** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 4:35 pm

I'm sort of surprised on the thoughts here about Transmetal 2 Cheetor. Are these mostly toy-related comments? I thought the concept and execution of TM2 Cheets was done very well. One could only wish new toy concepts could be introduced so good in any series. I didn't have a problem with his look. No it wasn't the best or most aesthetically pleasing, but I've never had trouble with that. I don't want every TF to be the be all of gorgeous design I guess.

Autobloke · Post by **Autobloke** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 6:55 pm

Perhaps it was just the overtly asymmetrical nature of his design - I wasn't that fond of Dinobot's TM2 design either. (Oh! I know who's BW character discussion next!)

Señior's Covenant · Post by **Señior's Covenant** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:04 pm

Autobloke wrote:...I wasn't that fond of Dinobot's TM2 design either. (Oh! I know who's BW character discussion next!)

*Descends to the floor to sit 'indian-style' immediately. Meditates as he waits for next week.*

Autobloke · Post by **Autobloke** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:12 pm

You like that, don't you bitch?
Sorry - first thing to jump into my head.
Don't abandon Cheetor just yet though.
Then again, you'll notice that I didn't say thies were weekly discussions - we can run several side-by-side. Magnus is still running along with Megatron and the Quintessons.

I just want to bring some life to the BW/BM forum.
Next stop RID/Armada/Energon etc.

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 7:30 am

Señior's Covenant wrote:I'm sort of surprised on the thoughts here about Transmetal 2 Cheetor. Are these mostly toy-related comments?

For me, it's specifically the toon robot mode.
The cat mode is pretty wicked, and the way they have him pace around and stuff is cool.
But the robot mode is just bleh. There's something about actually giving him a furry love patch on his chin that just makes me shudder, sorry.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:11 am

Agreed.

But I wasn't overly thrilled with Black Arachnia's either. It's not that I don't like change tho, as I thought dragon-Megatron looked utterly badass.

Autobloke · Post by **Autobloke** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 7:23 pm

Especially with that Judge's wig on (that WAS in his dragon body, wasn't it?).

TransFans.co.uk

Character Discussion: Cheetor.

Re: Character Discussion: Cheetor.