Crosswise (RID)

Crosswise is an Autobot Spychanger from the Robots in Disguise continuity family.

Some spell it Xwise.

Crosswise is one of the elite Spychangers, the Autobots' team of ninja-like warriors. The brains of the group, he busies himself with working on his teammates' maintenance and upgrading, researching the potential of the Spark Engines. His specialty is the manipulation of gravity, using his gravity-beam gun to great effect; when he charges up into super mode, his gravity-manipulation powers expand to being able to bend his own personal gravity, allowing him to fly.

Fiction

2001 Robots in Disguise cartoon

Voice actor: Dan Woren (English), Junichi Miura (Japanese), Vladimir Gerasimov (Russian), Wan-gyeong Seong (Korean)

Displaying about twelve points of articulation not found on the actual toy.

When the Predacons stole the Plutonium Energy Generator, T-AI called in the Spychangers. Hot Shot, Crosswise and R.E.V. responded first, pursuing the Predacons onto the beach where they were joined by the other three Spychangers. During the "cyber-jousting", Crosswise gave R.E.V. a lift. The Predacons eventually escaped with a fake generator which the Spychangers had swapped for the real one. Spychangers to the Rescue

After Optimus was captured and tortured by Megatron, the Spychangers joined the Autobot Brothers in rescuing their leader and seeing off the Predacons. Sideburn's Obsession

Later, the team tried to protect a ruby from Predacon theft and Mirage's failure to take a shot resulted in the Predacons escaping. When Mirage pretended to defect and led the Spychangers to Megatron's Mega-Laser Cannon, Crosswise was able to formulate a plan to destroy it using the Global Space Bridge. Mirage's Betrayal

The Spychangers also took part in the International Grand Prix in an attempt to find Skid-Z and were blinded by Megatron a short time into the race. Skid Z's Choice On another occasion, the Spychangers were called back to base to watch footage of various battles, but had to wrap up a fight with the Predacons first. R.E.V. rode on Crosswise again. Hope for the Future

Oddly enough, one of the few scenes you can replicate with the toys.

The Spychangers accompanied Optimus Prime to Montrose Island where Predacon activity was causing the volcano to become violent. They attempted to keep Scourge and Sky-Byte busy while Optimus went to use his blizzard storm on the volcano. When the volcano was ruptured and lava threatened the nearby resort, Crosswise took point in the Spychangers' Inferno Blast to divert its path. He warned that his engine was in danger of redlining, but it survived long enough to complete the maneuver. Volcano

In between all their adventures, the Autobots still had to perform some of the more menial tasks, such as regularly testing out the global space bridge. Lessons of the Past

Sent to stop the Decepticons from finding Fortress Maximus, the Spychangers jumped out in front of the foe and were soundly trounced by Armorhide and Rollbar. Fortress Maximus

The Spychangers took part in the ambush of the Decepticons after the Autobot base was discovered. Surprise Attack! After Galvatron's defeat, they celebrated by racing with Skid-Z. The Final Battle

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Super Spychanger Lottery

With God Magnus having departed Earth aboard Brave Maximus, the Autobots were unable to call upon his power when a new menace suddenly arose to challenge them. In order to combat this threat, a plan was put into motion to upgrade the Spychangers with Spark Engines, granting them Super Modes.

Super X-Car had improved gravity abilities and now could fly using this power. In his free time, he researched methods to improve the Spark Engine. The Secret of the Birth of the Super Spychangers

Ask Vector Prime

According to a story heard by Vector Prime at Axiom Nexus, the threat was Chainsaw and his Mutants. Super X-Car battled Gangrene, who had attempted to disrupt the 2002 World Cup with shamanic magic. His improved abilities came in handy when Chainsaw and the rest of his Mutants attempted to overrun the Autobot base. Using the power of teamwork, the Super Spychangers defeated and captured the villains. Though the Go-Brillium which powered them was used up and they were no longer Super, they retained new color schemes. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/01

Legends comic

When Scourge and his Combatrons attacked the Dimensional Patrol's Neo Brave Maximus to rescue Devil Gigatron, the Super Spychangers were sent out to the front lines. Their damage to the Combatrons' ship led to it crashing into the base. LGEX Scourge Prologue

Toys

Robots in Disguise (2001)

A transparent concept car? That's almost too inconspicuous!

• X-Car (Spychanger, 2000)

• ID number: C-008
• Release date: March ??, 2000
• Accessories: Gun
• Known designers: Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)

Released in the first wave of Car Robots product, "X-Car" is a redeco of the Generation 2 Go-Bots High Beam mold, transforming into a concept car with an exposed rear engine that looks exactly like the Speed Blaster car from Mattel's Hot Wheels line that was first released in 1991 under the names "Back Burner" and "Sonic Special". His car panels are colorless clear plastic with blue paint applications on the inside. He features through-axle construction, allowing for super-speedy racing on smooth surfaces, and his car mode is compatible with many tracks and playsets from Hot Wheels and Matchbox. His left front window has heat-sensitive paint that reveals an Autobot insignia, in a method similar to the original rubsigns.

This mold was also used to make the Generation 2 Go-Bot versions of Bumblebee and BotCon-exclusive Nightracer.

• More information on X-Car at TFU.info

• Spychanger DX 6-Piece Set (Multi-pack, 2000)

• ID number: C-011
• Release date: March ??, 2000
• Accessories: Gun

All six Spychangers were not only sold as individuals in Japan, but in a six-piece giftset as well. The toys in the set were identical to their individual releases, and all six bio cards were included.

Sonokong also released this giftset in Korean markets in new windowless packaging, with each member lacking the heat-sensitive insignia.

• Korean blog post detailing the Sonokong release

Robin, no!

• X-Car (Original Spychanger, 2000)

• Release date: August ??, 2000
• Accessories: Gun

An exclusive "Original Spychanger" redeco of X-Car in transparent blue and red plastics, this version was only available from JUSCO stores in Japan as a direct-mail premium to members of their "Peppy Kids Republic" (元気キッズ共和国, Genki Kidzu Kyōwakoku), a sort of subsidiary/offshoot for selling baby goods and children's clothing. Since membership was open only to kids 12 and under and this version was shipped blind-packed, getting the entire set of six was extremely difficult.

• More information on Clear X-Car at TFU.info

Well, the plainly-visible Autobot symbol just gives it all away, don't it?

• W.A.R.S. / Crosswise (Basic Class two-pack, 2001)

• Accessories: Gun

The Hasbro Robots in Disguise version of "Crosswise" was available only in a two-pack with W.A.R.S.. This version replaces the heat-sensitive insignia with a normal Autobot insignia tampograph on the roof of the car. He also features three extra red stripes: one on his spoiler and two underneath the doors.

The initial releases of this set have W.A.R.S. packaged in robot mode with Crosswise in vehicle mode, pointed straight upward. Later releases have both toys in vehicle mode, tilted to a 1 o'clock position.

• More information on Crosswise at TFU.info

• Crosswise (Spy Changer, 2002)

• Accessories: Gun

All six original Spychangers were redecoed in clear versions of their normal plastic colors (while keeping their normal paint applications), and released on individual cards through KB Toys and Target chains. Crosswise's blue ended up a fair bit brighter than his normal release thanks to the plastic changes. This packaging was the first to identify the team as "Spy Changers" in Hasbro's markets.

• More information on Kay-Bee clear Crosswise at TFU.info

• Crosswise (Spy Changer, 2003)

• Accessories: Gun

A second round of KB Toys-exclusive "Spy Changers" was released on individual Armada-style cards, this time with (mostly) different colors in clear plastics. Crosswise got a candy-like clear red and purple coloration, and lost the overwhelming majority of his paint applications, including his "signature" X and all of the internal paint.

• More information on Kay-Bee Crosswise #2 at TFU.info

• Crosswise (Tiny Tins, 2003)

• Accessories: Rifle, carrying tin

The normal Hasbro version of Crosswise was released as part of the first assortment of Tiny Tins Transformers, coming with a carrying tin. The actual toy was identical to the normal retail release.

Super Spychanger Lottery

• Super X-Car (Spychanger, 2003)

• Release date: March ??, 2003
• Accessories: Gun

Three years after the Car Robots line ended in Japan, Takara put out individually blind-boxed redecoes of the Spychangers, this time as part of the Super Spychanger Lottery line. These particular redecos represented Super Mode versions of the Spychangers. Crosswise was done in clear-green (without the internal paint) with light gray inner parts. He also retained the Hasbro-added faction symbol on his roof, rather than using the Takara heat-sensitive windshield.

In every case of twelve Super Spychangers, two were done in entirely colorless-clear plastics with their normal paint applications remaining. All six Spychangers were done in these "chase" clears, and while you knew which model you were getting thanks to numbers on the packaging, you did not know if you got a clear version until you opened the baggie inside.

• More information on Super X-Car at TFU.info
• More information on clear Super X-Car at TFU.info

Notes

• When ambushing the Predacons in "Mirage's Betrayal", Crosswise cunningly concealed himself on a billboard advertising his alternate mode, with his license plate number and name (albeit his Japanese name) prominently displayed.
• Crosswise's preliminary Hasbro name was X-Tech.^[1]
• In the Latin Spanish version of the show, Crosswise seems to have a German accent.

Foreign names

• Japanese: X-Car (エックスカー Ekkusu Kā)
• Korean: X-Car (엑스카 Ekseu Ka)
• Russian: Umnik (Умник, "Know-All")

References