G1 Names: Wreck-Gar?

The Reverend · Post by **The Reverend** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:51 pm

I always found it interesting that the G1 Transformers appeared to have been given a fair amount of thought in their naming - usually related to their particular abilities, personalities, etc. Especially in the early years (later on, I think they just named the Micromasters randomly). But WTF does "Wreck-Gar" mean?!?

Terome · Post by **Terome** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:47 pm

If I recall correctly, Budiansky named everyone (or at least prepared a shortlist of names to get past Hasbro's legal department) EXCEPT the movie cast. So while 'Hot Rod' and 'Blurr' are fairly standard and 'Ultra Magnus' works as intended, we get nonsense names like 'Arcee,' 'Kup,' and indeed 'Wreck-Gar.' I don't think anyone has so far taken credit for naming them.

That said, 'Cyclonus' is a nonsense name that is pretty cool for some reason.

I wonder if a single human being was responsible for the very silly names of Beast Wars or if they were committeed together with the lights off.

Red Dave Prime · Post by **Red Dave Prime** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:59 pm

Terome wrote:If I recall correctly, Budiansky named everyone (or at least prepared a shortlist of names to get past Hasbro's legal department) EXCEPT the movie cast. So while 'Hot Rod' and 'Blurr' are fairly standard and 'Ultra Magnus' works as intended, we get nonsense names like 'Arcee,' 'Kup,' and indeed 'Wreck-Gar.' I don't think anyone has so far taken credit for naming them.

That said, 'Cyclonus' is a nonsense name that is pretty cool for some reason.

I wonder if a single human being was responsible for the very silly names of Beast Wars or if they were committeed together with the lights off.

Ah, I think Kup is a good fit for the Character.

This probably isnt it but according to a quick search gar in latin means to cause something (I could be very wrong here, the website isnt the best) so is it possible his name means to cause wreckage?

Springer85 · Post by **Springer85** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:10 am

I wouldn't be surprised if Wreck-Gar was short for Wreckage-Garbage. With him being a Junkion and all.

Terome · Post by **Terome** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:22 am

Red Dave Prime wrote:Ah, I think Kup is a good fit for the Character.

I like Kup as a name too. It is fun to say. But it doesn't really mean anything the way that 'Cliffjumper' or 'Sandstorm' does. He might as well be called Keith.

Post by **Clay** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 2:02 am

Kup is a pickup truck.
Arcee is an R/C car, remote control car.
Hot Rod is... a hot rod car.
Wreck Gar could be car wreck, or wrecker/garbage.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 2:50 am

Yeh, I think the TF:TM cast's names are a little bit more nonsensical and tangenty just to sound more futuristic. Most of them sound a bit like words but also largely nicely different from all those shitty extant characters you now hate because they've just been butchered. It's just a crasser version of the 'jam two words together, slap on a tech spec' stuff Bob did with the odd twist. The leaders are the most obvious - Hot Rod Prime and a galvanised Megatron.

The Movie is probably, overall, still the most mental and suicidal thing Hasbro have ever done. Wipe out the successful and popular cast (preferably in the most traumatic way possible), replace them with thumbnail sketches who have really terrible toys. Add Stan Bush and a bunch of 9th-rate celebs (carefully picking ones who are still just about big enough not to do the TV series), make it as violent as possible to exclude 99% of the likely audience - maybe throw in a swear to make sure of the job. Wait for the box office to roll in.

The Reverend · Post by **The Reverend** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 4:21 am

(chuckle) I always thought "Hot Rod" and "Springer" were unfortunate names that might have been better off with the Village People or something. Hey, you see that young guy Hot Rod doin his thing?

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 4:55 am

Arcee is probably has the silliest thinking behind it as she's not remote control.

Mind, Optimus Prime, the one name from the orginal line up that we know for sure wasn't Bob's, doesn't fit the standard naming convention either. I wonder what a Budiansky style name for him would be?

Terome · Post by **Terome** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:06 am

Big Daddy.

- did Bob name the Micromasters? I can believe he did. They come across as the creation of a man on the ropes. Still some good ones in there though. Pity that 'Fixit' has become one of those names that has an extra layer of association to it in the UK.

Red Dave Prime · Post by **Red Dave Prime** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:44 am

I now want the new version of the wreckers to contain Springer, Impactor, Whirl and Keith.

Funny aside: My Mom used to mind the neighbours kid and he loved the cartoon movie (I had the vhs of it and this was a good 5 or so years after the release and he was only 4) but he always thought that Optimus Primes name was "Brian" which I found cute.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 1:06 pm

Red Dave Prime wrote: he always thought that Optimus Primes name was "Brian" which I found cute.

Did he by any chance end up working at a Hong Kong TV station?

Red Dave Prime · Post by **Red Dave Prime** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 1:33 pm

Not to my knowledge. I have to ask.. why?

Jaynz · Post by **Jaynz** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 2:42 pm

Red Dave Prime wrote:Not to my knowledge. I have to ask.. why?

Catch the Headmaster's Hong Kong dub some time...

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 2:43 pm

The Star TV dub of Headmasters has all sorts of brilliant Ingrish dubbing. Blaster is called Billy and other nonsense like that. I don't know if the US version of Headmasters retains the dub on the DVDs, the UK Metrodome release does. Its funny for five seconds and then outstays its welcome.

The Reverend · Post by **The Reverend** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 3:18 pm

"Spaceship Bruce"!

Yeah, the MM's names are a bit cringe-worthy at times. Some of em aren't bad, but others are unfortunate - Heave, especially

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 3:29 pm

The Reverend wrote:
Yeah, the MM's names are a bit cringe-worthy at times. Some of em aren't bad, but others are unfortunate - Heave, especially

Agreed; overall they didn't do badly considering they had to drum up, what, fifty, sixty, seventy new names for the things in a couple of years right at the end of the line. But still, they're either stupid (Cement Head and Terror Tread, who sound like a Nickleodeon cartoon pitched at 14 year old Gen Xers) or just words related to their alt modes with minimal imagination (Stakeout, Flak, Hubs). And some of them just don't really make much sense - Sidetrack, Roadhandler (he handles on roads? Should ****ing think so...), Roadhugger (he has grippy tyres... wow, I'm scared...).

Red Dave Prime · Post by **Red Dave Prime** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 3:48 pm

That spaceship Bruce thing is fantastic.

Maybe when Maximus returns from his breakdown in MTMTE he could have a new personality - the super-camp spaceship Bruce!

I reckon naming Transformers is a tricky enough prospect. The name needs to appeal to kids first and foremost and suit the toy (hence why so many are linked to the alt-mode) As silly as Road Hugger and Cliff Jumper sound (kidding!!!!) they work better for a toy series than Xaaron would.

Terome · Post by **Terome** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 4:05 pm

Red Dave Prime wrote: I reckon naming Transformers is a tricky enough prospect. The name needs to appeal to kids first and foremost and suit the toy (hence why so many are linked to the alt-mode) As silly as Road Hugger and Cliff Jumper sound (kidding!!!!) they work better for a toy series than Xaaron would.

Xaaron is quite a bad name, isn't it? Furman took a while to get the hang of the naming conventions. 'Impactor' is an early one that works, but 'Toomandi,' 'Tornado,' 'Flame,' and 'Triton' just don't cut it.

Always liked 'Flak' from the Micromasters, myself. You're right that there's no imagination to it but it's a good roboty name.

On these thoughts, 'Trainwreck' might have been a good alternate name for Wreck-Gar. Sure, he's not a train, but it sort of links in to the idea of the Junkions as being accustomed to limb-rending damage on a daily basis.

Death's Head · Post by **Death's Head** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 7:31 pm

Rodney the Headmaster Warrior.