Tow-Line (Energon)

Tow-Line is anAutobotfrom theEnergonportion of theUnicron Trilogy continuity family.

Because you're mine, Iwalktow the line.

Tow-Lineisn't the strongest Autobot, but what he lacks in muscle he makes up in cleverness. He can out-think and generally out-last most opponents, preferring to use his brains to prevent conflicts, skills that have made him one ofOptimus Prime'smost trusted team members.

Fiction

Energoncomic

When theTerrorconinvasion struck Earth, Tow-Line stepped up to help defend the planet. He joinedJetfireinLos Angeles,California,fighting against a horde ofInsecticondrones.Multiplicity, Pt. 2Tow-Line was seen driving around the burning city asRad WhiteandAlexistried to get to safety.Multiplicity, Pt. 3The team soon began to run out of juice in the battle against the overwhelming numbers of Terrorcons, but thankfully Rad returned with theE.V.A.and charged them up withenergon gas.With some unexpected help fromMegatron,Tow-Line and the others then drove the Insecticons off-planet.Multiplicity, Pt. 4

Energon pack-in comics

When the DecepticonsSharkticonandSlugslingerinfiltrated an Autobot energon refinery plant, Tow-Line was waiting for them, along with his compatriotsBulkheadand the mightyOmega Supreme!Together, they halted the Decepticons' nefarious ploy, Tow-Line contributing to the counter-assault by blasting Slugslinger's wing.Energon Volume 3

Timelines

After the evacuation ofCybertrondue to theUnicron Singularity,Tow-Line served as a crew member on theIron Hope.He installedtranswarpjump coordinates on the computers of the six scout ships searching for the lost Autobot colonies.Force of Habit

Toys

Energon

Ready to broadcast,Rook!

• Tow-Line(Combat Class, 2004)

• Takara release date:August 10,2004
• Accessories:Fold out gun/radar energon weapon
• Known designers:Eric Siebenaler(Hasbro),Takashi Kunihiro(Takara)

Released in the fourth wave of Hasbro'sEnergonCombat Class toys (basically "Deluxes" ), Tow-Line transforms into a large television mobile broadcast van; in this mode, hisEnergon weaponbecomes the telescoping microwave dish/mast used to beam signals back to a TV station. Inrobot mode,his lower vehicle portion becomes a mobile battle/repair platform. He can fold his legs back and up over his shoulders (hel-lo!) and re-attach to this platform for a "battle mode". In this... ahem, position, Tow-Line can also form the top half of a two-robot "Powerlinxcombiner"with anyEnergonDeluxe Autobot, and any of them can also use his platform for their own combination. He is unique amongst theEnergonDeluxe Autobots, as he's the only one who can Powerlinx with himself.

There is a discrepancy in the paint applications shown inEnergonTow-Line's stock photography and the final deco on the figure. The pre-final sample differs from the latter in that it has grey feet (as opposed to cyan feet), a lack of beige paint applications on the waist, and has silver paint on the cyan shins instead of gold. Additionally, the pre-final sample shows the mobile battle/repair platform with silver paint applications to the drive sprockets, road wheels, and idler wheels of the tank treads and hubcaps as well as red paint applications to the rear and side windows of the alternate mode (whereas the finalized deco lacks these additional paint applications).

In Japan, Tow-Line was not released in the standardSuper Linktoyline, but did get a limited release as a "USA Edition"exclusivelythroughToys "R" Us.Basically, the Hasbro toy was imported and new stickers with Japanese-language legal information was applied to the packaging.

This mold wasretooledwith new heads to makeBotCon 2005's versions ofGeneration 1IronhideandRatchet.

• More information on Tow-Line at TFU.info

Notes

• Tow-Line seems to be a medley ofhomages.According to designer Aaron Archer, the concept was based on the originalIronhide/Ratchetmold, with itsbattle platform component.^[1]Additionally, the toy's head resembles that ofSkids,with the van mode using Skids' red stripe pattern—when asked whether Tow-Line's deco was an intentional homage to Skids, Archer responded with "lets go with yes".^[2]Take that as you will.

Foreign names

• Japanese:Tow-Line(トゥ ラインTu Rain)

References