TRANSFORMERS: THE BASICS on REFLECTOR
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- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
- January is Obscure Characters Month, looking at the cult-fave characters who haven't had much time in the spotlight! But... uh... this one turned out as long as a regular episode! Oh well - it's The Basics on REFLECTOR!
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It feels like the two fates of every character on this show are “killed by a cosmically-empowered Starscream” or “planned to appear in Animated, but were either cut or planned to appear in the cancelled fourth season.”
Just wait until specific characters from 1988 onwards. "Offlined by a Cosmically Powered Starscream" will swiftly be replaced with "Offlined by the Monster Planet Unicron."
Don't forget "dead in hands of a Decepticon controlled copy of Optimus Prime"
There were so many models made for animated it’s crazy
Is that ideon.
Because that robot is many things but not funny.
4:30 no one going to talk about the absolute hilarity of Megatron doing the killing joke cover with Reflecfor as the camera?
Transformer: *Appears in G1*
Transformers fans: This is a fan favourite
More so the pilot miniseries. Hound anyone? What about Huffer?
Yes, you are the only one
Unfortunately Whirl is only popular because of IDW and his first toy was part of the g1 lineup. So it more like since they appear in The G1 show that fans love them.
@@RoyalRotom Whirl did show up in the Marvel Comics in UK as a Wrecker.
@@twistedgaming9185 I kinda like Hound. Not so much Huffer
Reflector dodges Starscream's cosmically powered wrath by, well, *not being a part of the Marvel comics at all.*
Reflector: -taps head- Can't die if you're not part of the continuity in the first place!
When u don't get killed by under base screamer cause u didn't even get into the comics
U just got reflectored
REFLECTOR: *"Yeah, this is big brain time."*
it’s like missing the bus only to find out that the bus would later crash into a tree
He was a part of the continuity, and he may have actually died there. His only other appearance is a battle during the war on Cybertron.
Funny how Reflector didn't *reflect* his toy design
😂
Boo.
Bruh that’s true tho
Get out
Ayyyyyyyyyy
You're telling me Reflector did not:
-die in the '86 movie, but appeared in a Japanese exclusive anime
-die in Marvel comics by Omega Supreme, Decepticon-controlled Optimus Prime, nor Underbase-Powered Starscream
-receive a slightly altered figure in G2 and then a completely different one
-appear in the beast era in a different form and character
-get a reference in the form of anotuer character
-appear in the live-action continuity with major changes
-appear in the aligned continuity with major changes
-recently receive a new figure in the Cyberverse toyline, indicating an appearance in series.
Did I miss anything?
*Edit:
-high-end masterpiece figure
Cant forget the "Unicron trilogy version that was just his name slapped on a new character"
I'm shocked they never resolved the difference in appearance by killing off Spectro and Spyglass early on in a continuity and have Viewfinder start creating clones of himself to compensate.
Ooh that's edgy. I love it!
My young dumbass self use to think that viewfinder was creating clones of himself but find out that they are different cons.
Or they could be clones that came to life, like Starscream's clones in Transformers Prime.
That would be 🔥. Then he would begin to have issues as they spent more and more time apart from each other and had vastly different experiences, creating different responses to problems, and eventually having to separate their minds. He could rename them again to match his fallen comrades
I remember being annoyed as a kid because the pack in flyer to mail order him was distributed with the toys in New Zealand, but the fine print said the offer was only valid in the United States.
We had the same problem in Australia but, finally, we did get an order form that was valid here and boy did we crack out our Robot Points then!
@@originaluddite Was that the same one we got? (Dinobots and Decepticon jets, if I remember right)
@@aldenbates I cannot remember that one. I think ours was dedicated to Reflector and we had to look at the fine print to see that eventually some worked here.
Fun thing is back in 1986 did i buy him in a basement toystore here in Sweden and it was prob not the mail order version but an italian KO which was common at the time but if you liked transformers and live din Sweden you more or less was happy with what you got.
Me too! Canadian here.
Three giant robots merging into a small camera will never not be funny.
But here's the real question: Is it funnier for three giant robots to merge into a GIGANTIC camera?
Or threatening
I personally find it funnier when Shockwave holds a small version of his alt mode as a sidearm.
My idea for Reflector is that Viewfinder, Spectro, and Spyglass possess a connected spark, like in IDW, but Viewfinder also has the ability to generate hard-light clones of himself, like the plans for the cartoon. Thus, Viewfinder has gained the nickname "Reflector", though it becomes associated with the entire trio over time.
“Okay Reflector, let’s see what you can see.”
It's interesting to reflect back on a transformer that was nearly forgotten over time.
Great questions of the universe:
- Why is the sky blue?
- Is there life beyond earth?
- Why was Reflector not released as a part of the first year of the Transformers toyline?
Why there wasn’t a Season 4 of Transformers Animated?
Why did they think it was a good idea to get rid of so many characters in the Marvel comic via the Cosmically Powered Starscream?
-Why does the universe hate waspinator?
Seems like reflector was designed to work alongside Soundwave he gets the visual data and Soundwave gets the audio data
Why can’t we tell which one’s Rumble and Which one’s Frenzy?
2:02
*_"That was the last bit of info needed. Stealing the animatter formula is gonna be a piece of oil cake!"_*
- _Reflector. The Decepticon Camera._
I love oil cake
So he wasn't killed by a cosmically powered starscream?
With that line said so many times in these shows, it's becoming weird when it *doesn't* happen!
No, nor was he killed by Omega Supreme or Deception-controled Optimus Prime.
The Jerry Show Reflector said "can't kill me if I don't exist!"
That would have been more honourable than to die cause of Wheelie, but beggars cant be choosers
If there's anything to say about Reflector, its that his inclusion in in the cartoon was convenient for the animators, given the small number of Decepticon characters compared to the much larger ranks of the Autobots. Need to fill out the ranks somehow I guess.
Which is also why they made the Seekers.
I appreciate the FOCUS on Reflector , that opens an APERTURE on the character and creates a greater EXPOSURE to the fandom with a DEPTH OF FIELD second to none. Say Cheese!
I hate this comment so much, it’s just too punny.
You know each of the Puns you made, would make good Transformer names.
Cheese? How about limburger, specifically, because those puns reek. 😒
Yikes
Personally I like the reflector that was one individual in three different bodies I always thought that the way they speak in unison made them a little creepy and the idea of them sharing a mind is just amazing to me.
I was actually upset when I found out Hasbro lost the trademark for Reflector. It makes me wonder "Who currently has the trademark for Reflector?"
I wonder this for a bunch of the names.
@@originaluddite In fact, so do I.
It may be as simple as the legal team deciding the word "reflector" is too basic to trademark. That happens sometimes.
@@PDComicBookNetwork well so is "bumblebee" and "jazz" but that hasn't stopped them. ussually they just throw "autobot" or "decepticon" in front of names like that.
Honestly I'm ok when they lose the Trademark to some name and use a different name for the TOYS but I REALLY hate when they use that different name in Fiction(Cartoon Comic Movie etc) UNLESS they say something like "My name is [Insert Real Name Here] but some people call me [Insert Trademark Name Here]" or "Everyone calls me [Insert Trademark Name Here] but thats not my real name"
Reflector was a Triocon before even Duocons were a thing.
But the duo con system is vehicle*vehicle=robot.
Reflector is robot•3=alt.
So he's the reverse
Duocons(tfwiki.net/wiki/Duocon ): 2 Vehicles that combine to form 1 Robot
Duobots(tfwiki.net/wiki/Duobot ): Possibly 2 Robots that combine to form 1 Robot
Reflector: 3 Robots that combine to form 1 Camera
So maybe Reflector is an Triobot?
We can all reflect on how Reflector has been reflected throughout the Transformers franchise. :D
Reflecting Back on what you said, it's truly a Reflection of your true Transformer spirit....... And I agree :)
@@chickenfriedsteak3669 Thank you. :D
I always loved this (these) characters. I nearly died waiting in anticipation at the mailbox as a kid after I ordered him!
Love Reflector. I got both the Siege variants and the latter especially is so good.
I'm thinking about getting six of The Siege toy and pretty much use him as vehicon stand-ins
RowZilla 42 just remove the shutter thing on the front and get rid of the shield and he’s a pretty good stand in
@@lonewolf9578 you know they do kind of look like vehicon's don't they.
I think I'm going to keep the shields I think they look pretty cool and I figured I leave the shutter thing on the chest of one of them implying that was the original while the others are all clones.
Not a bad plan.
That is a really good idea I'm thinking of doing that but with helicopter Dropkicks since there cheap on Amazon.
The set with the toy colors would work well as generic decepticons
I love this basics series so much. I’ve been reading my way through phase 1 of the IWD series and your videos really helped find a place to start the series while knowing about different characters. Great video and can’t wait for more.
If possible, it would be awesome if Rachet got a basics vid too.
Can we appreciate the fact that someone made a image in homage with DC'S The Killing Joke by Alan Moore? I thoight that was beautiful.
How much screen time will Refraktor get 2020?
Refraktor: let's find out!
Reflector: Hey! Trademarks don't allow you to steal our line!
Refraktor: But we ARE you....
Who watches Chris's video at 2 am?
Me: Oh boy, 2 am
I was listening to DOOM E1M1 cover songs.
A great episode! Cant wait for the next 3 episodes of Obscure Character month!
That’s wild, I could have sworn Reflector was actually sold in retail stores. Funny how what’s imprinted on your memory can sometimes not *reflect* reality.
I like how Animated Reflector transformed into a tank. In my opinion, a much better vehicle mode than what SIEGE Reflector had.
Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy spot their arch enemy, *Reflecto,* up to no good!
We all love a good underdog story. It's so satisfying when an old character is forgotten but then reappears later and finally after many years it gets a good quality figure.
PS: Basics on Vehicons?
I enjoy looking forward to your Transformers: The Basics now as much as I enjoyed watching cartoons on a Saturday morning.
Your descriptions are both brief, and yet encompassing of your topics... Keep up the great work!
I remember having a version of the toy in the 80's I didn't have a clue who he was. I thought he was a cheap knock off if turn out to be the pre Hasbro release.
@4:17 "being the only further *exposure* the character would have."
I am on to your subtle puns and *shutter* and the thought of more.
I'm sure I don't know WHAT you mean. ::WINK::
I liked Reflector, he was always something of a puzzle. I wasn't ever sure if he was a single robot, a hive mind robot, or some kind of duplicate akin to the Insecticlones. From the looks of things, everyone has their own idea. In many ways, it is perhaps a blessing that so interesting a character appeared so little, because now everyone is free to explore the possibilities.
easily one of my favorite characters in the whole franchise
I finally found the last 2 I needed to finsih him off last week, I have wanted him since I was a kid in the 80's
Reflector really interested since the day someone mentioned him in a “worst Transformers” list. His G1 toy history and how he was portrayed in certain media really fascinated me.
It’s nice to see another video about him, and a great video about him from you 👍.
I wonder what other obscure characters will be featured this month 🤔. Maybe certain comic exclusive characters.
I love these videos. I'm always up for an "obscure" themed month from any channel I follow. Somewhere down the line, would love to see Repugnus/Monsterbots, Skullgrin and Death's Head on here. And the Decoys? What even were they beyond cheap rubber mini-figures? I seem to recall them having some sort of in-story existence, but it's been too many years.
4:23 Man I love these Killing Joke Reference. One of my favourite Megatron Image.
Shortly after the 2007 live action film, there was a "Real Gear Robots" line of transformers toys that became things like cellphones and watches. There was one who was a digital camera, but I think his name was Snapshot.
That line also had the wristwatch "Meantime" and the binoculars "Longview" and a few others. Pretty sure the whole line was inspired by the 2007 film's sequence with the Nokia phone being made into a transformer by the Allspark.
Feels like a missed opportunity to not have the camera be a version of Reflector.
I thought Shatter Glass had a Reflector too. Maybe I was wrong.
It does. As usual, you can consider him glossed under "a handful of other comic books."
The Shattered Glass one is gold.
@@TheSmart-CasualGamer Like a certain yellow scout.
SG Reflector had G1 Bumblebee colours and was a single individual.
Finally a basics video on Reflector
I have the G1 colored Siege toy and it's awesome. The box and instructions art alone was worth the price but by grace do I love the toy. He's a nice addition to my Decepticon collection.
The box and instructions really blew me away! Really added sonething to an already-great set, one of my favourite Seige pieces!
It’s funny how reflector was a mail away
When it comes to Reflector it's all lights, camera and action!
4:22 That homage to The Killing Joke is fucking great.
This is the reason I am so merry and happy.
Reflector will always be one of my favorites
This prove that Transformer fans love obscure characters! There is so much of them, and all of them deserve attention!
Never clicked on a video so fast. Cheers on a new year and your success here on CZcams!
Reflector/Microx is my #1 collection focus. I think i have every single toy and box variation. If its a robot, and it transforms into a camera, transformer brand or not, I have it.
I like the idea of Reflector being 1 conscience amongst 3 bodies vs 3 individual bots. We see the latter quite often & the concept of 1 making up 3 is believable & plausible with a robotic being.
Reflector: I'm not a Vehicon!
About Reflector:
G1 toyline: these divideable decepticons was called Spectro(red), Spyglass(blue) & Viewfinder(central camera part) and was different.
G1 cartoon: the divideable 'cons was same.
Now is celebrating that in Transformers: War For Cybertron: Siege toyline.
the intrigue of espionage always gets me going. i loved the clip of photographing the key code.
Megatron doing the joker camera pose is gold
I have always loved the season 1 Reflector. Such an army builder. Siege finally gave me all three identical ones to make the camera. I need another two to just stand around, or work in the background.
I got the Diaclone version in 1984 from an Asian toy shop in Charleston along with Laserbeak as a kid. Transformers in 1984 were nearly sold out for Christmas. I also got Shackwave that year as well.
Did anyone else notice the killing joke refrence
NotSnarl It’s a homage not plagiarism BIG difference
@@JohnWilliams-wl9px thank you
A strong start to 2020! This clears up so much of the confusion I felt as a kid around this character. Thanks for the clarification and continued great work, Chris!
Just the video that I wanted to see on my birthday 🙂😁
In a Transformers roleplay I'm taking part in, me and a friend depict Reflector as a single bot, with Refractor as a separate character and his Sparkbrother. In our continuity, Reflector was a former architect on Cybertron who sided with Megatron during the war, Refractor soon following from his old job as a security officer. Both have since turned away from the Decepticons after an agreement between Rodimus Prime and Soundwave offered peace to any Decepticons willing to give up fighting. Reflector stayed with Soundwave at their new home in Australia and Refractor has become a Cybertronian member of the Earth Defense Command as a scientist and weapons designer. Oh, both these guys have 3 kids each. Reflector's are based on the component parts of the toy, Viewfinder, Spyglass and Spectro, who live in their old home on Cybertron. Refractor's kids on the other hand live on another more peaceful world away from Cybertron and are OCs I've created, Teardrop, Camcorder and Projector, with the former two being female. Reflector and Refractor also have Micromasters as Minicon Power Link partners inspired by Armada, the former having Roller Force from the Race Track Patrol and the latter with Glorean (Swindler) from the Race Car Patrol.
So yeah, we've given these Photons a lot of spotlight time.
Reflector was great and all but he was one of thoes rarely ever see characters that where the most famous
4:40 nothing like Megatron entering the photography competition
I've been watching ur vids for a while but this was the first video that I started watching the day it came out and waited every week
Gen 1 was strange with alternate modes. Cassette, hand gun, and a three in one camera. Strange, but iconic.
Well, remember they were working off pre existing toys, those mainly from the micro change line. It's because of these alt modes that they had to come up with mass shifting.
@@iBeamer Yeah, the Microchange toys were meant to be small robots that changed into real-life objects - So the Gun Robo that became Megatron was a "real" gun, Casette Robo/Soundwave was a "real" tape deck, the mini-autobots were penny racer-type toy cars in their disguise - as opposed to the Diaclone toys that were meant to be scale models of mecha that transformed into vehicles (and insects and dinosaurs). When Marvel were doing the storyline for the original toys, cartoons and comics they decided that anything that transformed into a recognisable vehicle would be that sort of vehicle, so Bumblebee transforms into a VW Beetle, even though his car mode is a super-deformed version of same. And the rest of the Microchange toys represented robots that could alter size when they transformed.
I think a basics on either Tailgate or Pipes would be good
Megatron had such a tight, efficient, bare bones unit. At least, on paper. He had an aerial guard, two spymasters, and saboteurs. What a crew.
This is a blast from the past! I think that little decoy figure is the only version of Reflector I had as a kid. I never saved up enough robot paints for the other one lol
4:23 Okay, that is too damn good an image reference.
My personal memory of Reflector is finally being able to order him by mail, only to get a letter and check from Hasbro saying that they have cancelled this promotion. This was very early 1989 and "according" to the order form I still had a few months left to order.
Huh, seems that Reflector's history is far more interesting than I originally assumed! Y'know, for a team of triplets that combine into a camera. :)
Reflector deserves a spotlight or arc in galaxies
I can’t wait to find out what four obscure transformers characters are going to get their own episodes of the basics in January 2021.
I admit, I forgot about them until I rewatched the G1 pilot!
Also 4:22 loved the Killing Joke reference!
I have the G1 toy and, because we had to wait a few years for its availability _and_ put the effort of mail-away into getting it, I'm rather fond of Reflector. The three robots to one alt-mode was a bit of a poor design _but_ it helped make the character distinctive _and_ on arriving that package bolstered my small Decepticon ranks rather nicely.
I have my own 'head canon' fate for Reflector. It is he (they) not the Insecticons who, along with Skywarp and Thundercracker, are reformatted into Galvatron's minions. The Insecticons, meanwhile, partake in the Decepticon leadership debate, offering to follow whomever will grant them the most energon, and feature in season three, last being seen as part of the 'Primitives' menagerie. :)
The new Refractor three pack was sold at ToysRus in Canada, so I was able to pick one up on a whim! Absolutely love the little guys as a play set! Interesting how the toy was canceled and then resurrected as a mail away!
Smile at the camera and say cheese, time to go through the photo album of the Decepticon reconnaissance expert; Spectro, Spyglass, and Viewfinder aka Reflector.
-2:20 It's interesting that the early scripts have Reflector being one robot that can duplicate into three. I also really like them talking in unison, as he's one body controlling three minds.
-2:55 It's also cool that the multiple Reflectors seen throughout the show were call the Photons.
4:44 Like the idea of Spectro, Spyglass, and Viewfinder being the security force for Shockwave back on Cybertron.
-6:19 Interesting concept for TF: Animated to have the three Reflector transform into a tank. Would really live to see that actually.
-7:13 TF: Siege Refraktor, I own those three figure and combined them into the G1 camera. And honestly, I'm content with just having those figures from the Siege toyline. The name sounds cooler too.
I like to think that they were once 3 separate Robots... But then something happened and then Viewfinder Spectro and Spyglass became... Reflector!
4:17 "...Being the only further exposure the character would have"
Me: Ayyyyyyy
I can't wait to see who the next obscure character will be.
The Best series on youtube!
I still have my vintage G1 reflector. And the guns!
Seeing little to nothing of Transformers G1 as a kid, I clearly remember Reflector just because I was so confused why three giant robots could become a small camera
Nice... I actually got the Reflector toy from the catalogue (along with a couple Powerdashers, an Omnibot, and a S.T.A.R.S. membership). Spectro was my favourite because he was the only Transformer I owned that was properly articulated!
That picture with Megatron and Reflector has gotta be a reference to the cover of the Killing Joke comic!
I love the fact that siege did the G1 thing of making generic cons reflector clones
a great character that need more connection with soundwave to get more place in the series!
This got me thinking of the Arcade Fire song Reflektor
I so wish Takara would make a Masterpiece version of this! They could make a cartoon colored version as well as a toy colored version and I'd buy both!!
You wouldn’t be alone my friend!
The only one of my favourites you haven’t done yet is whirl. Curious how that one would be?
Honestly, I think Refraktor is a more appropriate name for a Transformer whose alternate mode is a camera. Cameras REFRACT light, not reflect it.
You're my favorite TF'ERS channel by far thank you I watch you videos multiple times each thank you.
Happy to see this video going into the new year!
Could you do twin twist and top spin for an obscure characters
And why they weren't in the cartoon? They were made by Takara, so there's no legal complications of featuring them. Maybe there were already too many Autobots by 1985. Maybe 'instant transformation' is boring in a cartoon that grants everyone that already, even though the Battlechargers managed to get cartoon time.
Twin twist was my first TF I ever owned. A basics episode of him and topspin would be great
originaluddite would the duocons be better then
@@originaluddite I think they didnt appear because...
tfwiki.net/wiki/Jumpstarter#Notes
@@mattydon3218 I guess that instant change is only part of the Duocon charm, as they also have the twin-module characteristic. Apparently they were in the Japanese Headmasters cartoon, which I've never seen.
I created my own backstory of the G1 version by saying they were the prototype Reflector team. They remained on Cybertron and the full production versions from the cartoon became the official Reflector bots.
7:06 For some reason that got a chuckle out of me
Happy New year Chris! Great start for the year.
@4:19
McFeely:...no further exposure...
Captain America: I understand that reference