''Challenge of the GoBots'' (or ''GoBots'' for short) is an American animated series produced by

Hanna-Barbera Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...

, based on the GoBots toyline released from Tonka. The show was first broadcast in syndication on September 8, 1984, then the show joined the weekday/weekend programming block ''

The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera ''The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera'' is an American animated syndicated programming block produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that ran on a weekly schedule and was performed in live action. The program ran from 1985 to 1994. Overview The ...

'' on September 15, 1985. It was later rerun on the USA Cartoon Express.

Summary

''GoBots'' dealt with two opposing forces of transforming robots from the planet GoBotron: the heroic Guardians and the evil Renegades. The Guardians were led by

Leader-1 This is an alphabetical list of GoBots characters with information on their appearances, fictional biographies and histories. Bad Boy Bad Boy is one of Cy-Kill's minions. He is a rough street punk always ready with an insult and looking for a ...

while the Renegades were led by Cy-Kill. The characters rarely had guns, instead shooting energy blasts out of their fists. The female robots on the series, such as Crasher, were built like the males, but with some distinguishing female features. The GoBots' origin as GoBeings accounted for the presence of genders among the robots. The series generally focused on a small number of robots from each faction (Leader-1, Turbo and Scooter vs. Cy-Kill, Cop-Tur and Crasher) who were virtually ever-present with other characters seeming to rotate in "guest-star" roles. ''GoBots'' had no clear division between the two factions. The characters had no identifying insignias or markings to indicate their allegiance, although it was indicated on the toy packaging. Likewise, there was no commonality of design within each faction. The only "theme" to a side was that anything that turned into a "monstrous-looking" robot or vehicle was a Renegade.

Plot

In the series’ backstory, thousands of years ago on the planet GoBotron of the Proxima System, there lived a race of human-like organic beings called GoBeings. Civil war erupted on the planet when the power-hungry terrorist group known as the Renegades arose, led by a madman dubbed "Stron-Domez the Master Renegade", who waged war against the peaceful Guardians. When a Renegade sabotage operation inadvertently resulted in a gigantic asteroid colliding with GoBotron, the natural disasters that resulted from the asteroid's impact pushed the GoBeings to the verge of extinction. However, the genius referred to as Ex-El the Last Engineer saved his people and took his experiments to replace parts of his own body with mechanical substitutes to the ultimate extent and transferring the essences of the GoBeings into large cyborgs known as GoRobotic Machine Men, or simply GoBotic Machines or GoBots. The GoBots possessed an additional ability; after being run through the device named the Modifier, the GoBots’ bodies were able to transform into other vehicles. His work done, the Last Engineer intended to retreat to a pre-prepared workshop elsewhere in the galaxy, but the Master Renegade stole his ship and escaped in his stead. The Last Engineer placed himself into suspended animation beneath the surface of GoBotron, while above, the war continued to rage between the Guardians and the Renegades, now all encased in GoBot shells. In the last quarter of the 20th Century, the planet Earth became involved in the conflict between Leader-1's Guardians and Cy-Kill's Renegades. During one of these battles, one of Leader-1's lieutenants, Turbo, became severely damaged. Unwilling to let his friend and teammate die, Leader-1 began his quest to find the legendary Last Engineer. Leader-1 found the person he believed to be the Last Engineer, but Leader-1 had unwittingly released the Master Renegade (though he did repair Turbo to gain the Guardians’ trust). The Guardians later found the true Last Engineer, who was instrumental in frustrating the alliance between Cy-Kill's Renegades and the Master Renegade. The Master Renegade later escaped the custody of the Renegades, and plagued both factions, notably attacking the UniCom colony of New Earth.

Characters

Episodes

# "Battle for GoBotron, Part I: Battle for GoBotron" (written by

Alan Burnett Alan Burnett (; born February 17, 1950) is an American television writer-producer particularly associated with Warner Bros. Animation, Hanna-Barbera Productions, DC Comics, and Walt Disney television animation. He has had a hand in virtually ever ...

, Jeff Segal, and Tom Ruegger) # "Battle for GoBotron, Part II: Target Earth" (written by Alan Burnett, Jeff Segal, and Tom Ruegger) # "Battle for GoBotron, Part III: Conquest of Earth" (written by Alan Burnett, Jeff Segal, and Tom Ruegger) # "Battle for GoBotron, Part IV: Earth Bound" (written by Alan Burnett, Jeff Segal, and Tom Ruegger) # "Battle for GoBotron, Part V: The Final Conflict" (written by Alan Burnett, Jeff Segal, and Tom Ruegger) # "Time Wars" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by

Douglas Booth Douglas John Booth (born 9 July 1992) is an English actor and musician. He first came to public attention following his performance as Boy George in the BBC Two film ''Worried About the Boy'' (2010). He also starred in the BBC adaptations of ' ...

) # "It's the Thought that Counts" (written by

Mark Zaslove Mark Zaslove (born June 7, 1959) is an American television and film writer, director and producer and novelist, in live-action and animation. He has won two Emmy Awards and the Humanitas Prize. He has created a wide range of content from the child ...

) # "Trident's Triple Threat" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by David Schwartz) # "Renegade Alliance" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Don Goodman) # "Cy-Kill's Cataclysmic Trap" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, and Peter Anderegg; teleplay by Peter Anderegg) # "Speed is of the Essence" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Jina Bacarr) # "Genius and Son" (written by John Loy and Eric Lewald) # "Dawn World" (written by Don Glut) # "Nova Beam" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Daniel Will-Harris) # "Forced Alliance" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Doug Booth) # "Invasion from the 21st Level, Part I" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Lane Raichert) # "Invasion from the 21st Level, Part II" (written by Lane Raichert) # "Lost on GoBotron" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, and Eric Lewald; teleplay by Eric Lewald) # "Cy-Kill's Shrinking Ray" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Dale Kirby) # "Doppleganger" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Antoni Zalewski) # "The Quest for Roguestar" (story by John Loy, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by John Loy) # "Renegade Rampage, Part I" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Karen Wengrod and Ken Cinnamon) # "Renegade Rampage, Part II" (story by Karen Wengrod, Ken Cinnamon, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Karen Wengrod and Ken Cinnamon) # "Ultra Zod" (written by Jim Bertges) # "Sentinel" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Don Glut) # "Cold Spell" (written by Alan Burnett) # "Crime Wave" (written by Francis Moss) # "Auto Madic" (written by Mark Zaslove) # "Scooter Enhanced" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, and Mark Young; teleplay by Mark Young) # "Tarnished Image" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, and David Schwartz; teleplay by David Schwartz) # "In Search of Ancient Gobonauts" (story by Mark Young, Phil Harnage, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Mark Young) # "Gameworld" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Michael Charles Hill) # "Wolf in the Fold" (story by Michael Reaves, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Michael Reaves) # "Depth Charge" (written by John Bates) # "Transfer Point" (story by Patrick Barry, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Patrick Barry) # "Steamer's Defection" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, and Drew Lawrence; teleplay by Drew Lawrence) # "The GoBot Who Cried Renegade" (story by Eric Lewald, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Eric Lewald) # "The Seer" (written by Eric Lewald and Mark Edens) # "Whiz Kid" (written by Alfred Pegal) # "Ring of Fire" (story by Michael Humm, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Michael Humm) # "The GoBotron Saga, Part 1: Cy-Kill's Escape" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, and Peter Anderegg; teleplay by Peter Anderegg) # "The GoBotron Saga, Part 2: Quest for the Creator" (story by Peter Anderegg, John Loy, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by John Loy) # "The GoBotron Saga, Part 3: The Fall of GoBotron" (story by Peter Anderegg, John Loy, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by John Loy) # "The GoBotron Saga, Part 4: Flight to Earth" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, and Peter Anderegg; teleplay by Peter Anderegg) # "The GoBotron Saga, Part 5: Return to GoBotron" (story by Peter Anderegg, John Loy, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Peter Anderegg and John Loy) # "Pacific Overtures" (story by Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward, teleplay by Jina Bacarr) # "Destroy All Guardians" (written by Don Glut) # "Escape from Elba" (written by Lee Yuro and Linda Yuro) # "Fitor to the Finish" (story by Don Glut, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Don Glut) # "Clutch of Doom" (story by Eric Lewald, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Eric Lewald) # "The Third Column" (written by Eric Lewald and Mark Edens) # "A New Suit for Leader-1" (written by Reed Robbins and Peter Salas) # "Renegade Carnival" (written by Carla Conway) # "The Gift" (written by Karen Wilson and Chris Weber) # "Terror in Atlantis" (story by Kelly Ward, Jeff Segal, and Francis Moss; teleplay by Francis Moss) # "The Last Magic Man" (written by Mark Young) # "Braxis Gone Bonkers" (story by Steve DeKorte, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Mark Zaslove) # "Inside Job" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, and J. Larry Carroll; teleplay by J. Larry Carroll) # "Element of Danger" (written by Gordon Bressack) # "Mission: GoBotron" (story by Eric Lewald, Jeff Segal, and Kelly Ward; teleplay by Eric Lewald) # "Et Tu, Cy-Kill" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, Eric Lewald, and Mark Edens; teleplay by Eric Lewald and Mark Edens) # "The GoBots That Time Forgot" (written by John Loy) # "The Secret of Halley's Comet" (written by Lane Raichert) # "Guardian Academy" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, Mark Young, and Lane Raichert; teleplay by Mark Young and Lane Raichert) # "Quest for New Earth" (story by Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward, and John Loy; teleplay by John Loy)

Cast

* Rene Auberjonois - Dr. Braxis *

Candy Brown Candy Ann Brown (also known as Candy Brown Houston) is an American dancer, choreographer and theatre, film and television actress. Career Brown is known for originating the role of June in the 1975 Bob Fosse-directed Broadway musical ''Chicago' ...

- A.J. Foster (pilot miniseries) * Arthur Burghardt - Turbo *

Ken Hudson Campbell Kenneth Hudson Campbell (born June 5, 1962) is an American television and voice actor. Early life Campbell attended York Community High School in Elmhurst, Illinois, Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Columbia College Chicago. He bega ...

- Van Guard *

Philip L. Clarke Philip Lewis Clarke (September 8, 1938 – April 23, 2013) was an American voice actor. He provided voices in several TV series, films, and video games, including his leading role as Malcolm Betruger in ''Doom 3.'' Roles * ''Oliver Twist'' - ...

- Dr. Go, Tork * Peter Cullen - Pincher, Spoiler, Tank * Paul Eiding - Scorp * Bernard Erhard - Cy-Kill * Dick Gautier - Bugsie, Klaws * Phil Hartman - Baron Von Joy * Bob Holt - Cop-Tur, Geeper-Creeper * Marilyn Lightstone - Crasher, Path Finder *

Sparky Marcus Sparky Marcus (born Marcus Issoglio; December 6, 1967) is an American former actor. Early life Marcus was born in Hollywood, California. Career Marcus was well known for playing the role of the precocious child but also worked extensively as a ...

- Nick Burns * Wayne Mathews - General Lindley *

Gail Matthius Gail Matthius (born December 14, 1953) is an American actress and comedian. She was a cast member of NBC's ''Saturday Night Live'' during its critical and ratings low point at the time (the 1980–1981 season, produced by Jean Doumanian), and ...

- Anya Turgenova *

Morgan Paull Morgan Paull (December 15, 1944 – July 17, 2012) was an American actor most notable for playing Dave Holden in the Ridley Scott film ''Blade Runner''. Early life Morgan Paull was born to a wealthy family in Wheeling, West Virginia and ...

- Matt Hunter * Brock Peters - General Newcastle * Peter Renaday - Master Renegade * Lou Richards, Jr. - Leader-1 * Bob Ridgely - BuggyMan * Leslie Speights - A.J. Foster (regular) * B.J. Ward - Small Foot * Kelly Ward - Fitor * Kirby Ward - Heat Seeker *

Frank Welker Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American voice actor. He began his career in the 1960s, and holds over 860 film, television, and video game credits as of 2022, making him one of the most prolific voice actors of all time. With ...

- Scooter, Blaster, Rest-Q, Screw Head, Zeemon

Home media

Various episodes of the show had been released on VHS and Betamax by

Vestron Video Vestron Video was the main subsidiary of Vestron, Inc., a home video company based in Stamford, Connecticut, that was active from 1981 to 1993, and is considered to have been a pioneer in the home video market. The name is now used for a collecto ...

under its Children's Video Library label in the 1980s. On May 17, 2011,

Warner Archive The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the inte ...

released ''Challenge of the GoBots: The Original Miniseries'' on DVD in Region 1 as part of their

Hanna-Barbera Classics Collection Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video ...

. This is a Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release, available exclusively through Warner's online store and Amazon.com. On May 6, 2014, Warner Archive released ''Challenge of the GoBots: The Series, Volume 1'' on DVD in Region 1. The three-disc set features the first 30 episodes of the series. The final volume ''Challenge of the GoBots: The Series, Volume 2'', which contains the last remaining 30 episodes of the show, was released on March 10, 2015. The 1984

Ruby-Spears Ruby-Spears Productions (also known as Ruby-Spears Enterprises) was a Burbank, California–based American entertainment production company that specialized in animation with another branch in Rome, Italy. This company was founded in 1977 by vete ...

television film, '' Robo Force: The Revenge of Nazgar'', is included as a special feature.

Adaptations

The show spawned an animated, feature-length film '' GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords'' which opened in theaters on March 21, 1986, a little over four months before '' The Transformers: The Movie'' (August 8). Clips from the show were also used in

Errol Morris Errol Mark Morris (born February 5, 1948) is an American film director known for documentaries that interrogate the epistemology of its subjects. In 2003, his documentary film '' The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara ...

’s ''

Fast, Cheap and Out of Control ''Fast, Cheap & Out of Control'' is a 1997 documentary film by filmmaker Errol Morris. Summary The film profiles four subjects with extraordinary careers: Dave Hoover, a wild-animal tamer; George Mendonça, a topiary gardener at Green Animals ...

''. Additional GoBots storyline was later released on the Transformers

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...

pages "Ask Vector Prime" and "Renegade Rhetoric", with GoBots characters also appearing in storyline from

Fun Publications Fun Publications was a publishing company that ran the Transformers Collectors Club and the G.I. Joe Collectors Club under license from Hasbro. Besides releasing comics, Fun Publications released exclusive toys and ran conventions for their clubs. ...

. Where Renegade Rehetoric serveres as a second season to the show in form of text stories told from Cy-Kill's perspective.

Stations

References

External links

*
Challenge of The Gobots: The Original Miniseries
' at WBshop.com * {{USA Cartoon Express Gobots Transformers (franchise) animated television series 1984 American television series debuts 1985 American television series endings 1980s American animated television series American children's animated action television series American children's animated space adventure television series American children's animated science fantasy television series Television series by Hanna-Barbera The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera English-language television shows First-run syndicated television programs in the United States Hanna-Barbera superheroes Animated television series about robots Television shows based on Hasbro toys Television series by Tonka