Mudflap (Transformers)

Mudflap is the name of three fictional characters in the Transformers series. First introduced in 2005 for the Transformers: Cybertron series, Mudflap was an angry young Autobot who joined the Decepticons because of his dislike for humans. He was voiced by Dale Wilson. The second Mudflap was a supporting character in the toy line for the 2007 Transformers movie toy line. A recolor of the original Mudflap toy, Hasbro was unable to get the names Sawtooth or Erector for this new character, so he remained Mudflap. The third Mudflap was a co-star of the 2009 film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, an Autobot who turned into a compact car. This Mudflap was voiced in the film by Reno Wilson.

Transformers: Cybertron
Mudflap transforms into a construction crane. In the Japanese version of the series; Transformers: Galaxy Force, the character is called Demolishor.

In the cartoon, Mudflap was originally one of the Autobot civilian refugees hiding on Earth. Disgruntled with having to exist in secret amongst the lowly human race and stopping at traffic lights, Mudflap was sought out and recruited to join the Decepticons by Starscream, but then he left and wandered Earth. Eventually Mudflap rejoins the Autobots.

His toyline bio, however, tells a different story. In this version of events, Mudflap was an undercover Decepticon operative placed on Earth before the Autobots had even arrived. Having infiltrated the construction industry, he spent his time sabotaging the infrastructure of human society.

Animated series
Mudflap's voice in the Cybertron cartoon is performed with some variation of a French accent.

In episode 15, "Race", the Autobot Mudflap rants about his dislike for the disorderly humans when he is approached by Starscream and Thundercracker. Focusing on his dislike for being forced to live with the humans, Starscream is able to talk him into joining the Decepticons.

In episode 20, "Ice", Starscream and Mudflap confront the Autobot's human allies as the North Pole, but are opposed by Scattorshot. Although Scattorshot gets the better of Mudflap initially, Starscream uses water to freeze up Scattorshot's systems. The humans and Mini-Con Recon Team use Mudflap's dropped gun to signal the other Autobots, who come to their rescue.


 * Ep.23-"Trust": Mudflap battles Snarl and Leobreaker on the Jungle Planet, but loses.


 * Ep.24-"Trap": He got trapped in a stasis field like Megatron.

Landmine discovered that Mudflap had joined the Decepticons in episode 27 "Revelations". They fought in episode 28 "Critical." Mudflap followed Megatron to Starscream's island headquarters in episode 29 "Assault," but Landmine followed him there.

In episode 30, "Starscream", Mudflap aided Megatron in fighting Wing Saber, then fought with Evac.

In episode 31, "United", Scourge, Mudflap, Crumplezone, Ransack and Thundercracker followed Megatron on the Space Bridge to Cybertron. They were joined by Thunderblast, who claimed she'd rather work for Megatron than Starscream.


 * Ep.33-"Balance": When Megatron, Scourge, and Thunderblast head into the debris field surrounding Cybertron, Mudflap, thinking Megatron has betrayed him, heads back to Earth.


 * Ep.37-"Family": As Mudflap is beating up some trees, he wonders to himself why he had joined the Decepticons. Landmine shows up and Mudflap becomes an Autobot again.


 * Ep.49-"End": He helped everyone against Galvatron.

When the Autobots attempted to use a gigantic rocket to move the Jungle Planet back into its orbit, Galvatron attacked and damaged the rocket. The Jungle Planet threatened to crash into Cybertron. The combined strength of Scourge, the Autobots, the former Decepticons (Dark Crumplezone, Ransack, Thunderblast and Thundercracker), and their allies from the various planets (including Mudflap) were able to combine their strength and move the rocket back into place.

When the character of Signal Lancer was animated in the final episode of Cybertron, the animators used a slightly modified transformation sequence from Mudflap.

Toys

 * Cybertron Voyager Mudflap (2005)
 * According to the additional information accessible online by entering the code printed on the back of toy's Cyber Planet Key at the official Transformers website, Mudflap is a former boxer.
 * The toy of Mudflap was sold in the larger "Voyager" size class. The toy was initially sold by itself, and later sold at Target stores with the Mini-Cons Shockwave and Tankor attached as a promotion.
 * Early concept art of Mudflap shown at BotCon 2006 showed concept art of the character done in dark blue with white and gold highlights.

Transformers
Mudflap is described as a vicious Decepticon who likes to use his saw on Autobots, but secretly wishes he was one. Though marketed in the toy line supporting the 2007 film Transformers, he does not appear in it. In addition, he is not related to the Mudflap seen in the 2009 sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Titan Magazines
This version of Mudflap only appeared in issues 23 and 24 of the UK Titan Magazine Transformers series. He was among a group of Decepticons on Earth in an alternate timeline story.

Toys

 * Transformers Voyager Mudflap (2008)
 * A redeco of Cybertron Mudflap available exclusively at Toys "R" Us stores. His colors are a homage to the Generation 1 Autobot Micromaster Erector. During development they considered painting him to resemble an abandoned Cybertron character named Landslide. One name considered for the character was "Sawtooth", but the name was unavailable, so they stuck with Mudflap.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Mudflap appears in the second Transformers installment as an Autobot. This character is not related to Mudflap who appeared in the toy line for the first film. He, like his twin brother Skids, typically speaks in a stereotyped version of African-American "jive." Originally forming an old ice cream truck with Skids, Mudflap gains his own vehicle mode following the Shanghai operation. Their robot modes were revealed for a short time on the web, but were taken off due to the request by Activision.

Mudflap is 11 foot 4 inches tall and weighs 1.2 metric tons. He has an oversized left arm, while his brother Skids has an oversized right arm and had a license plate that reads "MDFLP".

According to the biography and statistics published on the Hasbro web site Mudflap is 8 feet tall and he has a nearly psychic link with his brother allowing them to make coordinated attacks. It also states that Skids and Mudflap used to serve as messengers before becoming warriors.

Skids and Mudflap appeared in commercials for Burger King during the release of the 2009 film.

IDW Publishing
In Tales of the Fallen #6 Arcee is taken by Thundercracker and given to the Decepticon medic Flatline, who experiments on her. Upon waking up she discovers Skids and Mudflap are also captives of the Decepticons.

Mudflap first appeared in Transformers: Alliance #4 as one of the Autobots who responded to Optimus Prime's call to Earth. He joined with Optimus' team as part of NEST.

Mudflap appears in Transformers: Nefarious #1, set months after the events of the 2009 film. Alice steals an RV in Seattle and is chased by Skids and Mudflap, who keep her occupied until Sideswipe arrives and defeats her. She is taken to NEST headquarters on Diego Garcia to be examined by Ratchet. Sideswipe is disgusted by her decision to disguise herself as a human.

In California the Autobots set a trap for Starscream's minions Divebomb, Fearswoop and Skystalker by having Theodore Galloway pose as an arms dealer attempting to purchase Cybertronian technology. The trap is uncovered and the Autobots send in Arcee, Chromia, Elita-One, Ironhide, Mudflap and Skids. Divebomb and Skystalker are killed while Fearswoop is captured by the Autobots and taken back to the NEST base on Diego Garcia.

Mudflap appears in the Transformers: Dark of the Moon graphic novel by IDW Publishing. In it he is killed by Sentinel Prime.

Movie plot
Mudflap, who originally transforms into half of an ice cream truck, fails to capture Sideways in Shanghai, China. When he returns to the N.E.S.T. base on Diego Garcia he scans a new vehicle form, that of a concept car. Initially he wanted the "green one" but his brother beat him to it so he took the red-orange one. They then approach and accompany Bumblebee who rescues Sam Witwicky from Megatron and Starscream. The twins then accompany Wheelie, Sam and friends and in their search for the ancient Seeker Jetfire and is teleported with them to Egypt. Finding themselves at a dead end, Mudflap's brawl with Skids unintenionally causes them to find the Tomb of the Primes before Bumblebee tosses them out. The twins then accompany Simmons and Leo into devising a plan to destroy the Sun Harvester. They encounter Devastator, in which Mudflap is sucked in by Devastator's vortex grinder while attempting in vain to hang on for dear life. Though swallowed, Mudflap breaks out of Devastator as he and Skids battle against the giant before the two are knocked off. The two are briefly seen taking cover under Devastator and are not seen afterwards.

Controversy
There has been a strong negative reaction to Mudflap and Skids in Revenge of the Fallen as the pair were received as emboding racist stereotypes. The characters have been given ape-like appearance, speak in street-slang dialogue, and confess an inability to read (though the novelisation clarifies that they only have difficulty reading the ancient Language of the Primes, not reading in general and in the film itself they admit to not reading often); one of the characters also has a gold tooth. Manohla Dargis of the New York Times said that "the characters [...] indicate that minstrelsy remains as much in fashion in Hollywood as when, well, Jar Jar Binks was set loose by George Lucas." Critic Scott Mendelson said, "To say that these two are the most astonishingly racist caricatures that I've ever seen in a mainstream motion picture would be an understatement." Harry Knowles, founder of Ain't It Cool News, went further, asking his readers "not to support this film" because "You'll be taking [your children] to see a film with the lowest forms of humor, stereotypes and racism around." Director Michael Bay has defended the robots as "good clean fun" and insisted that "We're just putting more personality in the film." Bay stated that he made the robots for the kids, but he did remove them from Dark of the Moon in response.

Video games
Mudflap is among the characters who appear in the TRANSFORMERS CVBERVERSE Battle Builder Game.

Toys
All toys of this character are officially licensed from General Motors.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Legends Mudflap (2009)
 * This toy was later packaged with Autobot Legends Sideswipe and Decepticon Deluxe Fearswoop in a special Walmart exclusive 3-pack, and then later packaged with Legends Skids as a two-pack.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Gravity Bots Mudflap (2009)
 * A small toy car that automatically transforms into robot mode when tilted upright.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Deluxe Mudflap and Autobot Skids (2009)
 * The brothers combine into one ice cream van. Initial releases of the figures were packaged in ice cream van mode split in half; later releases have them packaged in robot modes.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Deluxe Mudflap (2009)
 * Transforms from Chevrolet Trax to robot.
 * This toy was designed by Takara toy designer Hisashi Yuki.


 * Robot Powered Machines Mudflap vs. Autobot Skids (2009)
 * Packaged together with his twin Skids.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Deluxe Mudflap and Autobot Skids (Desert Version) (2009)
 * A Lawson (Japan) exclusive redeco of Deluxe Skids and Mudflap with sand effects, depicting their appearance during their battle with Devastator in Egypt. Sold with the purchase of the Revenge of the Fallen DVD.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Legends Offroad Skids and Rally Mudflap (2010)
 * A Target exclusive featuring a green/white redeco of the Legends figure with Legends Mudflap.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Shanghai Showdown Deluxe Autobot Skids and Mudflap (2010)
 * A Toys "R" Us exclusive gift set featuring the Ice Cream Van Twins and Voyager Demolishor. The twins are redecorated with rust effects and additional stickers.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Human Alliance Mudflap (2010)
 * Packaged with Agent Simmons that can fit inside Mudflap and Chromia whom Simmons can ride upon.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Deluxe Tuner Mudflap (2010)
 * A repaint of the initial Deluxe toy, meant to represent Mudflap after the film.


 * Transformers Starscream's Assault Deluxe Mudflap (2010)
 * A Walmart exclusive tan/red redeco, bundled with a white redeco of Voyager Starscream.


 * Transformers High-Speed Spy Battle Deluxe Autobot Skids and Mudflap (2010)
 * A redeco of ice cream van Mudflap and Skids in gold and pink, bundled with Sideways.


 * Autobot Alliance EZ Collection Delivery Mudflap (2010)
 * A Japan exclusive pink/white redeco of the Legends figure.


 * Dark of the Moon Cyberverse Legion Mudflap (not yet released)
 * An all-new Legion (formerly Legends) mold of Mudflap, now as a Chevrolet Spark.


 * Dark of the Moon Deluxe Mudflap (not yet released)
 * An all-new Deluxe mold of Mudflap. While he and Skids share the same Chevrolet Spark vehicle mode, their robot parts and transformation are completely different. His Mech Tech weapon is a blaster with a retractable axe.