Transformers: Cybertron

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

Demolishor

Demolishor is the name of several different fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Armada:Demolishor is one of the earliest created Decepticons of the toyline; and in the storyline, also one of the first to come to Earth from his homeworld - the fictional planet...

.

In the cartoon, Mudflap was originally one of the Autobot civilian refugees hiding on Earth

Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

. 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 Decepticon

Decepticon

The Decepticons are usually depicted as the antagonists in the fictional universes of the Transformers stoyline and related comics and cartoons, and the enemies of the Autobots and the University of California Davis Aggies...

s 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

French language

French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

 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

Shockwave (Transformers)

Shockwave is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers series. Throughout his incarnations, he is usually distinguished by a laser cannon in lieu of one of his hands and his distinctive face, which is featureless save a single robotic eye...

 and Tankor

Tankor

Tankor is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:This version of Tankor, initially called Octane, is the Decepticons' fueler, in charge of storing and distributing fuel among Decepticons with vehicle modes. He is characterized as...

 attached as a promotion.

Early concept art of Mudflap shown at BotCon

BotCon

BotCon, briefly known as "The Official Transformers Collectors' Convention" , is an annual convention for Transformers fans and collectors. BotCon has been held annually since 1994...

 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

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a 2009 American science fiction-action film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is the sequel to the 2007 film Transformers and the second installment in the live-action Transformers series...

.

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

Erector (Transformers)

Erector is a fictional character in the Transformers series introduced in 1989. He was nominated as a fan's choice for the Transformers Hall of Fame in 2011. He is sometimes called "Autobot Erector" for trademark purposes by Hasbro, and is called Cragun in Japan.- Transformers: Generation 1...

. 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

Autobot

Autobot, a faction of sentient robots from the planet Cybertron, are usually the main protagonists in the fictional universe of the Transformers, a collection of various toys, graphic novels, paperback books, cartoons and movies first introduced in 1984. In all but one Transformer story, the...

. 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

Burger King

Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...

 during the release of the 2009 film.

IDW Publishing

In Tales of the Fallen #6 Arcee

Arcee

Arcee is the name of a fictional character in the Transformers franchise. She is a female Autobot, usually pink in color. Being the most famous of the Female Transformers, she has two primary forms...

 is taken by Thundercracker

Thundercracker

Thundercracker is the name given to multiple fictional characters in the Transformers universes. Thundercracker is almost always depicted as a blue color Decepticon who turns into a jet fighter.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

 and given to the Decepticon medic Flatline, who experiments on her. Upon waking up she discovers Skids

Skids (Transformers)

Skids is the name used for four characters in the Transformers Universes. Due to trademark reasons, the name was modified to "Skid-Z" for it to be used on new characters and an "Autobot" prefix was added when the original Skids toy was reissued and when he became an Alternator.-Transformers:...

 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

Skids (Transformers)

Skids is the name used for four characters in the Transformers Universes. Due to trademark reasons, the name was modified to "Skid-Z" for it to be used on new characters and an "Autobot" prefix was added when the original Skids toy was reissued and when he became an Alternator.-Transformers:...

 and Mudflap, who keep her occupied until Sideswipe arrives and defeats her. She is taken to NEST

NEST

NEST is an abbreviation for one of the following:*The Nuclear Emergency Support Team, a team "prepared to respond immediately to any type of radiological accident or incident anywhere in the world"....

 headquarters on Diego Garcia

Diego Garcia

Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....

 to be examined by Ratchet

Ratchet (Transformers)

Ratchet is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ratchet was named after the character of Nurse Ratched from the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The name Ratchet is almost always portrayed as...

. 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

Fearswoop

Fearswoop is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Fearswoop is cunning and completely evil.-Toys:* Generation 1 Trakkon Fearswoop...

 and Skystalker

Skystalker

Skystalker is the name of several fictional characters in various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Skystalker is the highest ranking Micromaster Decepticon. He is obsessed with power and leading the Decepticons.-Animated series:...

 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

Diego Garcia

Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....

.

Mudflap appears in the Transformers: Dark of the Moon graphic novel by IDW Publishing, as well as the junior novel. In it, after Skids is killed by Sentinel Prime, Mudflap becomes enraged and runs at Sentinel, but is shot in the mouth and killed. In the junior novel, after Skids dies, Mudflap, enraged at Skids' death, kicks Bumblebee

Bumblebee (Transformers)

Bumblebee is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. In most incarnations, Bumblebee is a small, yellow Autobot with the altmode of a compact car.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...

 in the head and knocks Ratchet

Ratchet (Transformers)

Ratchet is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ratchet was named after the character of Nurse Ratched from the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The name Ratchet is almost always portrayed as...

 and Sideswipe out of the way. He then jumps on top of Sentinel and beats on him until Sentinel shoots him in the mouth with the cosmic rust blaster, and Mudflap disentigrates from the inside, killing him.

Movie plot

Mudflap, who originally transforms into half of an ice cream truck, fails to capture Sideways in Shanghai

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

, China. When he returns to the N.E.S.T. base on Diego Garcia

Diego Garcia

Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....

 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

Chevrolet Trax

The Chevrolet Trax is one of three small car concepts introduced on 4 April 2007 at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. The Trax showcases a new style of small car from General Motors with a two-tone exterior. The mini car was completely designed by GM Daewoo in South Korea...

. They then approach and accompany Bumblebee who rescues Sam Witwicky from Megatron and Starscream. The twins then accompany Wheelie

Wheelie (Transformers)

Wheelie is the name of two different fictional characters in the Transformers series.-Generation 1:The first Wheelie is a young Autobot who turns into a car. He has a distinctive style of speech, in which he rhymes his sentences while speaking in a high pitched voice, making him sound like a child....

, Sam and friends and in their search for the ancient Seeker Jetfire

Jetfire

Jetfire is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers universes. He is nearly always depicted as an Autobot with jet or space shuttle alternate mode.-Transformers: Generation 1:...

 and is teleported with them to Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

. 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

Devastator (Transformers)

Devastator is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. For legal-political reasons, Hasbro now adds a modifier to the character's name on newer toy packages, such as Constructicon 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.

Mudflap and Skids were originally set to appear in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, but they were cut from the final film due to many fans considering them to be racist and due to time restraints. Despite this, he and Mudflap do appear in vehicle form at the end of two Autobot convoys at the beginning of the film. They have been upgraded into Chevrolet Sparks

Daewoo Matiz

-M100 :The production of Daewoo Matiz started in 1998 and it was sold in South Korea and many European markets with the code name M100. The exterior design is based on the Lucciola, a Fiat Cinquecento concept by Italdesign Giugiaro which had been rejected by Fiat. The 0.8-litre gasoline engine and...

.

Controversy

There has been a strong negative reaction to Mudflap and Skids

Skids (Transformers)

Skids is the name used for four characters in the Transformers Universes. Due to trademark reasons, the name was modified to "Skid-Z" for it to be used on new characters and an "Autobot" prefix was added when the original Skids toy was reissued and when he became an Alternator.-Transformers:...

 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

Jar Jar Binks

Jar Jar Binks is a fictional character from the Star Wars Saga , and the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His primary role was to provide comic relief, but many reacted negatively to his character...

 was set loose by George Lucas

George Lucas

George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...

." 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

Harry Knowles

Harry Knowles is known for his website called Ain't It Cool News. Knowles is a member of the Austin Film Critics Association.-Biography:...

, founder of Ain't It Cool News

Ain't It Cool News

Ain't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...

, 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

Michael Bay

Michael Benjamin Bay is an American film director and producer. He is known for directing high-budget action films characterized by their fast edits, stylistic visuals and substantial practical special effects...

 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

General Motors

General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

.

• 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

Takara

Takara Co., Ltd. was a Japanese toy company founded in 1955, that merged with another prominent Japanese toy company, Tomy Co., Ltd., on March 1, 2006 to form Takara Tomy, also known in English as TOMY Company Ltd....

 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

Lawson (store)

Lawson, Inc. is a convenience store franchise chain in Japan. The store originated in the U.S. State of Ohio, but today exists as a Japanese company and is the second largest convenience store chain in the country....

 (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

Target Corporation

Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...

 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

Redeco

A redeco is a re-released version of an existing toy with a color scheme that is significantly different from the original release. Redecos normally include changes to the toy's paint application scheme, as opposed to a more straightforward repaint, which only alters the colors, not the ways in...

 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 (2011)

An all-new Legion (formerly Legends) mold of Mudflap, now as a Chevrolet Spark.

• Dark of the Moon Deluxe Mudflap (2011)

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.