Leadfoot (DOTM)

Leadfoot is anAutobotfrom theDark of the Moonportion of themovie continuity family.

BotCon's most popular cosplay subject.

Leadfootis one of theWreckers,a group of former engineers turned fighters who have turned their talents to kickingDecepticontail across the galaxy. His specialty is building bigger and better weapons, WITH SCIENCE! Unsurprisingly, this vocation has led him to strike up a friendship with the Autobots' resident weapons-houndIronhide.The way the two egg each other on towards bigger and better "boom-sticks", the other Autobots fear one day waking up to find a smoking crater where their workshop once stood.

Sometimeshe takesSideswipe's name, and sometime's he's known asFlash.

Fiction

Movies

Dark of the Moonfilm

Voice actor:John DiMaggio(English),Hiroshi Iwasaki(Japanese),Raúl Solo(Latin American Spanish),Ángel Del Río(Castilian Spanish),Renzo Stacchi(Italian),Klaus Lochthove(German),Serge Biavan(European French),Ricardo Schnetzer(Brazilian Portuguese),Aziz Güngör(Turkish)

Get in mah belleh!

Leadfoot, Topspin and Roadbuster, collectively known as theWreckers,byCharlotte Mearing,had arrived with the second wave of Autobots aboard the Autobot ship, theXantium,and were rarely let off of theNASAbase because of their attitude. They would spend most of their time working on repairing their ship along with some human engineers, includingRobert Epps.

WhenSentinel Primeannounced that the current occupation force of Autobots was to be exiled or theEarthwould face the wrath of hundreds of Decepticons, the three prepared the ship for launch and accompaniedOptimus Primeand the others aboard, sending the ship into the atmosphere - where it was then targeted and blown to smithereens byStarscream,seemingly killing all the Autobots aboard. Undaunted by this, the Autobot's human allies nonetheless tried to launch an incursion into Decepticon-heldChicago.

Fortunately for them, the Autobots were not actually aboard the ship, and had only feigned their deaths in order to keep the Decepticons from following up on their global threat. Leadfoot and the other Wreckers swung into action immediately, rescuing Epps,Sam Witwickyand a group of soldiers from aDecepticon fighterand executing the pilot. Leadfoot revealed that they had hidden in theXantium'sbooster rocket which had separated moments before the ship's destruction, stating that they weren't going anywhere.

While the Autobots were scouting a route to the building containing Sentinel'sSpace bridgepillars,Shockwaveand his petDrillerseparated Optimus from his weapons trailer. Optimus ordered Leadfoot and the other Wreckers to create a distraction so that he could retrieve it, and in their armored race car forms fired at Shockwave with their machine guns until being forced to retreat, leaving behindWheelieandBrains,who had hitched a ride with them. After Optimus had become snared in a construction site's cables, the Wreckers set out to free him. After doing so they rejoined the battle, battling againstDevcon.After the battle Leadfoot stood with the other survivors, accepting that Cybertron was gone forever and that Earth was their new home.Dark of the Moon (film)

Age of Extinctionfilm

They're savages, savages
Barely even human!

Voice actor:Robert Foxworth(English, see notes),Jin Urayama(Japanese),Alain Dorval(French),Juan Carlos Gustems(Spanish),Jan Spitzer(German),Angelo Nicotra(Italian),Robert Tondera(Polish)

After the battle for Chicago,Harold Attinger's "Cemetery Wind"was tasked with hunting down the surviving Decepticons on Earth, but also hunted down the Autobots as well. Leadfoot received a message from Optimus Prime, instructing all Autobots to flee for their lives. Leadfoot did so, but Attinger's agents eventually caught up with him. Despite trying to reason with his assailants and attempting to fight back, Leadfoot was brutally killed, and his body's materials were harvested byKSI.

Five years later,Cade Yeagerfound surveillance footage of Leadfoot's demise, and showed it to the surviving Autobots. Upon watching the footage,Houndsadly took off his hat and held it over hissparkin respect for his fallen friend, bitterly cursing the humans responsible as "savages". So deeply hurt that he had to turn away from the footage, Optimus Prime decided that enough was enough: he would revoke his vow to never kill humans to make Attinger pay for his atrocities with his life. Optimus made good on that vow when much later, he killed Attinger andLockdownin battle.Age of Extinction

Target.com profile

Leadfoot single-handedly stormedKaonto rescue a group of Autobot prisoners, defeating or destroying a number of Decepticons, including dueling and defeatingSpace Case,busting up the Decepticon's mental circuits in the process. He was then personally recruited for the Wreckers by Ironhide.

He had since used his mechanical skills to improve the performance of both of Ironhide's arm cannons, as well as reconfigure his companionSteeljawinto a souped-up engine.The Story of Leadfoot

The Creation Revoltech!

Leadfoot and the other Wreckers cheered Optimus Prime on when he used the power of theRevoltech Unitto sendMegatronpacking.The Creation Revoltech!

Age of Extinctiontie-in websites

Flashwent on the run with the rest of the Autobots and in 2014, he was pursued by the NYPD from Grand Central Station to the Chrysler Building. He escaped but not before one badassNew Yorker,in their own words, "flipped him off something fierce".Transformers Are DangerousAt some point, he was found and killed by the Cemetery Wind. The Autobots found out about his death through the KSI drone and mourned him.^[1]

Games

Bot Shots Battle Game!

Leadfoot participated in numerous one-on-one matches against other Autobots and Decepticons, using his fists, his sword, or his gun to defeat his opponents. Sometimes, he even faced off against himself!Bot Shots Battle Game!

Toys

Dark of the Moon

Cyberverse

I'm tubby and short and stubby!

• Leadfoot(Cyberverse Legion Class,2011)

• Series:1
• Number:007
• Japanese ID number:CV17
• Known designers:Joe Kyde(Hasbro)

Part of the second wave ofDark of the MoonCyberverseLegion single-pack toys, Leadfoot is aLegends-scalefigure that transforms into aNASCARSprint Cup Chevy Impalastock car, specificallyJuan Pablo Montoya'sTarget-sponsored #42 car, albeit heavily modified with a ridiculous amount of exposed (non-firing) weaponry and all the various sponsor logos concealed by the modifications. Present on the both sides of the car doors is the Sprint Cup logo found on all the Wreckers.

• More information on Legion Leadfoot at TFU.info

...and now a corporate whore!

• Leadfoot and Ironhide(Target exclusive Cyberverse 2-pack,2011)

• Accessories:Cyberverse blaster

Leadfoot comes as aTarget-exclusiverepaintof the legion figure. His entire hood is now painted red, with the Target Bulls-eye logo prominently displayed. The Sprint Cup logos are moved from his doors to the front fender, and his face and windshield lack the standard release's silverpaint operations.Other minor changes include the addition of a small Autobotinsigniaon his forehead, and the omission of the large Autobot insignia on the left of his left leg. He comes withMachine WarsMegaplex'stwo-piece rifleand aredecoofIronhide.

This set also sold in Turkey as aCarrefourexclusive.

• More information on Target Legion Leadfoot at TFU.info

Deluxe Class toys

Well, bite my shiny metal - OH, NOOO!!!!

• Leadfoot(MechTech Deluxe Class, 2011)

• Japanese ID number:DA34
• Accessories:MechTech Cannon/Power Saw, two small guns, one large gun

ReleasedNovember 17thin Japan, TakaraTomy's single release ofMechTechDeluxe-Class Leadfoot was significantly altered from its planned US Target two-pack release (see below), removing all sponsor logos and racing numbers but adding silver paint to the head and shoulders of the robot mode. Like the canned US release, it also includes a redeco ofRatchet's MechTech saw.

The TakaraTomy stock photography of this toy (seen to the left) did not feature its pair of hood-mounted white Autobot symbols, the white stripes on the transformed rear fenders, the additional silver paint or the MechTech weapon.

This release comes packed with a character card and an accompanying transparent plastic card of his MechTech weapon for the MechTech Wars online game. His weapon accessories were later reused forMovie the BestBumblebee&Ratchet.

He is really tiny compared to almost all Deluxes.

• More information on Deluxe class Leadfoot at TFU.info

I'm forty percent lead-belly!

• Autobot Team Racers(Target exclusive MechTech Deluxe 2-Pack, 2011)

• Accessories:MechTech Cannon/Power Saw, two small guns, one large gun

This two-pack was originally represented at theBotCon 2011Hasbro slide show by stock photography of an unaltered deluxe Topspin (as a new character named Twin Twist) and, uh,Human AllianceLeadfoot (with the text underneath the photo calling it a Deluxe). A latereBayauction of this two-pack revealed that Leadfoot would have come with a completely unalteredTopspinfigure (instead of Twin Twist), while Leadfoot himself would have featured his racing numbers and sponsor logos, such as the bullseye on his gut. Like a handful of otherDark of the Moonproducts (such as DeluxeWheeljack), the two-pack's US release was canceled, but unlike those toys, the "Autobot Team Racers" set didn't come out anywhere else in the world either.

Proceed on your way to oblivion. This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.

Human Alliance

Was anyone surprised that this was aTargetexclusive?

Was anyone surprised that thiswasn'ta Target exclusive?

• Leadfoot /Sergeant Detour&Steeljaw(Human Alliance, 2011)

• Japanese ID number:DA30
• Accessories:Missile, leash
• Known designers:Andrew Scribner(deco artist)

Human AllianceLeadfoot transforms into the same NASCAR Chevy Impala as the Cyberverse toy, although this one does not have any robotic bits showing in car mode. He comes withSergeant DetourandSteeljaw.

As usual, Sergeant Detour (or any other Human Alliance driver figure) can sit on the seats in vehicle mode or peg onto the robot's hands. He can also man two flip-out guns on Leadfoot's hood-chest as well as ride Steeljaw in hiscyber-dogmode.

Steeljaw can convert into a weapon, which is basically his head flipped up and the limbs arranged into a crossbow-shaped missile launcher. The weapon itself can be pegged onto either Leadfoot's forearm or back via MechTech ports. Steeljaw also includes a detachable chain 'leash' which can peg to Steeljaw and be pegged into Leadfoot's hand. The leash itself stores in Leadfoot's right arm.

Finally, as with all of the large Human Alliance figures, he has a gimmick concerning his head. It's essentially the same gimmick as Jazz's and Roadbuster's: when a lever on the back of his head is flipped, he dons a pair of visor-like "sunglasses".

There are also hundreds of ways that Leadfoot's beer-belly and door chest can be arranged.

One can store the missile by pegging it onto the thin ridge on the underside of Leadfoot's crotch in either mode. Somewhat unfortunately, it's not very subtle, with the missile proudly sticking out and erect between the seats in vehicle mode. Even more unfortunately, it's Leadfoot'scrotch,so storing the missile in robot mode will make Leadfoot particularly happy to see you. Also notable is that his top-heaviness makes him prone to falling over when standing completely straight. Placing him in an action-oriented pose can remedy this.

There are two decovariantsof Leadfoot: A Target-exclusive version with the Target logos, car numbers, and other sponsors perfectly visible, especially the bullseye logo on his gut, and theTakaraTomyversion that's beencompletelyde-sponsored, lacking all of his markings, making the car lookverybare as a result. In exchange, the entire car shell has received a shiny coat of paint, and the robot mode's lower legs, forearms and head are painted silver.

The Japanese release comes packed with a character card for the MechTech Wars online game. Interestingly, the card still shows Leadfoot with all of his markings, but with the Target logo on his chest lacking the inner circle, essentially just being a ring.

• More information on Human Alliance Leadfoot at TFU.info

Bot Shots

• Leadfoot(Bot Shot,2012)

• Series:1
• Number:B015
  • Fist strength:425
  • Blaster strength:445
  • Sword strength:750

Part of the fourth wave ofBot Shots,Leadfoot transforms into a grey and red sports car with a spoiler andMechTech-style deployed weapons. A sharp impact to his front bumper will cause him to spring into robot mode. He is loosely-based onDark of the MoonLeadfoot.

This mold was also used to makeDead End.

• More information onBot ShotsLeadfoot at TFU.info

Kre-O

"Is that Leadfoot?" "They made him use Swipe's name." "Savages."

• Lockdown Air Raid(2014)

• Set number:A6956
• Pieces:203
• Kreons:Hound,Lockdown,Sideswipe
• Accessories:Blaster

Named "Sideswipe" for reasons nobody can discern (this was the same year they named aPunchKreon"Nightbeat" ), theKre-Oversion of Leadfoot has a ferrous-metal backpack that lets him be "grabbed" by the magnetic capture claw on Lockdown's ship, or fake-mauled by the magnets embedded in the variousKre-ODinobotsin many sets. He uses the "Transformer" style blaster new to the 2014 sets.

Also inexplicably, he has the number "41" on the torso rather than his standard "42".

Studio Series

Dabbin' at what the humans call "haters".

• Leadfoot(Deluxe Class,2020)

• Movie:Dark of the Moon
• Hasbro ID number:68
• TakaraTomy ID number:SS-58
• TakaraTomy release date:November 28,2020
• Accessories:2 missile pods, 2 guns w/ strips, gatling gun,Steeljawfigure, "Battle ofChicago"backdrop (1st version)

Studio SeriesLeadfoot is heavily accurate to his appearance inDark of Moon,transforming from a robot to a heavily-armored version ofJuan Pablo Montoya'sTarget-sponsored #42NASCARSprint Cup Chevy Impalastock car. Just like his fellow teammates, his wheels feature "ULTRA" and "WRECKERS" labels. He comes with two missile racks, two chain guns, a Gatling gun, a non-transformingfigureofSteeljaw,and a cardboard backdrop display depicting a war-torn Chicago.

This character is aTargetexclusive in the US... for obvious reasons. In Canada, this figure is aToys "R" Usexclusive. It was announced on the official Transformers Instagram, with pre-orders opening 9AM EST on the Target Website on July 21st, 2020. Unlike the Human Alliance toy, the Japanese release of the toy retains the Target logo marking.

Merchandise

Speed Stars

Mini-Vehicles

• Leadfoot(2011)

• Series:Stealth Force
• Number:4 of 5

Speed StarsLeadfoot is a non-transforming NASCAR Sprint Cup Chevy Impala stock car with a sculpted robot mode relief on his underside, and has a deco similar to his Target-exclusive versions. He was sold exclusively at Target, generally in the stocking-stuffer section. In addition to the usual numbers on the bottom of the robot mode (12201 in white paint and #34230 stamped in), he also has the word "Target" stamped in as well.

• More information onSpeed StarsLeadfoot at TFU.info

Let's see what you can see... This article is in need of images.

Notes

• Leadfoot is the odd man out amongst the NASCAR trio in that his real-world counterpart was owned by Earnhardt Ganassi Racing (now Chip Ganassi Racing, which actually left NASCAR after the 2021 season), whileRoadbusterandTopspinare based on Hendrick Motorsports racers.
  • Leadfoot's also the only one of the three whose NASCAR livery was original to the film, withthe real-world carlacking the large swaths of black across the quarter panels.
• It sure is convenient that Leadfoot's Cyberverse toy conspicuously covers up those giant Target logos, isn't it? Much easierto sell toysatWalmartthat way.
• Like his fellow Wreckers, Leadfoot appears to be patterned after a balding, bearded, sunglasses-wearing, beer-gutted NASCAR fan stereotype.
• As part of the promotions forDark of the Moon,the film prop versions of Leadfoot, Roadbuster, and Topspin made appearances at the2011Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway onFebruary 20th.They appeared both off the track as display cars, and on the track, participating in the ceremonial first lap.

So, he's basically a naked, fat, bearded and dirty man with a slobbering dog......creepy.

• Contrary to the various images above, the headlights on real-world NASCAR racers don't work. They're actually justdecals.
• Despite already sporting Chevrolet Impalakibblein robot mode, Leadfoot's concept art featured sponsor decals that were based on the 2008 season'sTarget-sponsored #41 Dodge Chargerdriven byReed Sorenson,the concept art even featured him with the backlights of the Dodge Avenger.^[2]
• Early working names for him includedFlash.^[2]In the movie's end credits, he's listed under two names,Leadfoot/Target,the latter referring to his NASCAR vehicle mode'sprimary sponsor.WhileDark of the Moonneglected to personally name the three Wreckers,Age of Extinctionhas him named by a grieving Hound.
  • This can be seen in the Transformers Collector Cards from Topps, where the card that depicts the scene in which Leadfoot's death is shown refers to him as Flash. Oops.
• No actor is credited as Leadfoot inAge of Extinction,but it's certainly not DiMaggio (who incidentally voicedCrosshairsin the same movie). His single line ( "I'm an Autobot!" ) was originally recorded by Robert Foxworth forRatchet's death scene, and would seem to have been reused by the editors for Leadfoot's, with the dubbers following suit.
• Attinger's playing card of Leadfoot was revealed in a prop auction for theTransformersfilm series held in 2019.^[3][4]
  • While he is confirmed to be dead on-screen, Attinger's card deck uses does not list Leadfoot as deceased.^[5]Either the card itself is a continuity error, or Attinger's deck was made at some point prior to Leadfoot's execution.
• While his vehicle mode prop was spotted during filming ofAge of Extinction,in the final film he only (briefly) appears in robot mode.^[6][7]
• Concept art was produced of Leadfoot andhis dog'sprotoformstages, but ultimately never made its way into the film proper.
• InThe Last Knight,Topspinhas gained a new head resembling Leadfoot's.
• Of course the Wrecker who dies is the one with the giant literal target painted on his chest.

Foreign names

• Japanese:Leadfoot(レッドフットReddofutto)
• Hungarian:Padlógáz( "Full Throttle" )

References