Grimlock

"Among the winners, there is no room for the weak."

The most fearsome and powerful of the Dinobots, Grimlock resents any authority but his own. Although he is dedicated to the Autobot cause, he'd gladly ursurp Optimus Prime's role as the Autobot commander if he thought he could get away with it. For now he's happy to tear into the Decepticons whenever he can and wait for a more opportune moment to try for command. He can be cold and merciless, and shows contempt for those he views as weak, such as humans and even some fellow Autobots. But he is a valiant warrior and his actions command respect from all who are witness to them, both friend and foe. Grimlock's strength is said to be second only to Optimus Prime's, and even that is arguable.

In Tyrannosaurus Rex mode he can use his powerful jaws to snap in two virtually anything that comes between them - from a four foot diameter steel cable to a Decepticon leg. In robot mode he wields a energo-sword, which can slice through a 2 foot thick concrete wall with one sweep of its crackling blade. He also uses a double-barrelled self-propelled rocket launcher. His only real weaknesses are his lack of speed, and his great arrogance.

Canonical/Pre-MUX/Theme History:
"You don't frighten me, you mechanical throwbacks! ” 
 * — Megatron

''“Good, Megatron! We love stupid enemies.” ''
 * —Grimlock, "Atlantis, Arise!"

S.O.S. Dinobots
When mysterious tremors shook the Autobot base, Wheeljack's investigation revealed strange objects behind a rock wall. After removing the wall, the Autobots found a cave full of dinosaur bones. The Autobots decided the idea of dinosaurs was interesting and researched the prehistoric beasts. Wheeljack and Ratchet asked Optimus Prime if they could build robot dinosaurs, and Prime agreed. Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge were built and unveiled to the Autobots, but the Dinobots were dimwitted and violent, and they attacked their makers, Frankenstein's-monster-style. Grimlock blasted Teletraan I with his fire-breath, damaging it. Optimus Prime decreed that the Dinobots "must be destroyed." However, Wheeljack convinced him instead to lock them away, and the trio were herded back into the cave and buried alive.

Later, the Decepticons took over a hydroelectric plant, and when the Autobots arrived to stop them, the Autobots were defeated and captured. Wheeljack, Ratchet, and Bumblebee, left behind at the Autobot base to finish repairing Teletraan I, decided to go against Optimus' orders and release the Dinobots, but not before upgrading their brains to be smarter and more obedient. After the Dinobots were reactivated, Wheeljack asked them to save their friends. Grimlock said he would obey... this time. They successfully attacked the Decepticons and freed the imprisoned Autobots. Optimus forgave Wheeljack, Ratchet, and Bumblebee for disobeying his orders and welcomed the victorious Dinobots back to the Autobots.

War of the Dinobots
After a meteor surging with unknown energies struck the Earth, Optimus ordered the three Dinobots to guard it. He was so pleased with the Dinobots he asked Ratchet and Wheeljack to build two more. Meanwhile, Megatron was frustrated at the Dinobots' success and sent Soundwave to probe them for potential weaknesses. Reading the Dinobots' minds, he discovered that Grimlock was arrogant and believed he would make a better leader than the weak Optimus Prime. Megatron decided to use this to his advantage and approached them himself. He played to Grimlock's jealousy and agreed with him that the strongest should be leader. The Dinobots declared Optimus Prime their enemy.

Realizing the meteorite was due to explode, Optimus left to warn the Dinobots, but they attacked him. Instead of destroying him completely, however, Grimlock carried him to the Decepticons, who had stolen the meteorite during the battle. Megatron was angry that Optimus Prime was not destroyed, and Starscream suggested that despite Grimlock's arrogance, inside he was still compassionate (or as compassionate as Grimlock could get). Grimlock didn't take this well and blasted Starscream right in the chest. They were interrupted by the two new Dinobots, Snarl and Swoop, whom Megatron ordered the original three Dinobots to attack. At the climax of the battle, the meteorite exploded, but Optimus Prime pushed Grimlock out of the way, saving him. Grimlock realized the error of his ways, and the Dinobots forced the Decepticons into retreat. Grimlock then apologized for his jealousy.

The Ultimate Doom
When Cybertron was brought into Earth's orbit, wreaking havoc, Optimus asked the Dinobots to help control the damage. Grimlock announced he didn't much care if the planet fell apart, but Wheeljack quickly pointed out that he was still on the planet. Defeated by superior logic, Grimlock agreed to help and the Dinobots were soon attempting to stop a tsunami. After Cybertron left Earth's orbit, the Dinobots even helped to rebuild the shattered human cities.

Heavy Metal War
Teletraan I activated the Dinobots when the newly-built Constructicons breached Autobot headquarters. With the battle moving outside, Grimlock commanded the Dinobots to transform, only to find themselves facing Devastator. Attempting to bite the combiner, Grimlock was swatted aside. The Dinobots were able to hold Devastator off long enough for the Autobots to discover that Megatron had defeated Optimus by cheating during their single combat. The Autobots were then able to help defeat the Constructicons and the rest of the Decepticons, driving them into a lava-filled chasm.

Atlantis, Arise!
"Autobots bite off more than they can chew. Then send for Dinobots!"
 * - Grimlock, "Atlantis, Arise!"

The Decepticons joined forces with Sub-Atlantica and staged a full-scale attack on Washington, D.C.. The Autobots were overwhelmed, forcing Wheeljack to call for the Dinobots' assistance. Grimlock expressed his frustration at being called whenever the Autobots were in over their heads. With their help, the Autobots were able to overturn the Decepticons' advance and plunge the now-burning city of Sub-Atlantica back into the sea.

Day of the Machines
"Always get Autobots out of messes they get into."
 * -Grimlock, "Day of the Machines"

This pattern of the Autobots' dependence on the Dinobots repeated when the artificial intelligence TORQ III, put under Decepticon control, turned all machines against Mankind. With every piece of help he and his troops gave, Grimlock was never slow to add a scathing remark about the inabilities of the Autobots.

Dinobot Island
That said, he was not unwilling to admit the failings of his own troops, either. And despite his occasional VERY vocal criticism of Optimus Prime, he apologized to the leader for almost blowing up Teletraan One. He willingly took them to the time-displaced "Dinobot Island," where they trained in the wilderness and helped stop a Decepticon raid on the prehistoric paradise, with Grimlock inspiring the native dinosaurs to help them fight the Decepticons. The feat was so impressive that Optimus Prime welcomed the Dinobots back to the Ark with open arms.

Megatron's Master Plan
When the Autobots were "exposed" by Shawn Berger as being the true perpetrators of the various attacks conducted by the Decepticons, they were banished from Earth. Grimlock (and presumably the Dinobots) were among the Autobots that voluntarily stepped onto a rocket that eventually blasted them towards the Sun.

Desertion of the Dinobots
"NO! Dinobots no go! Dinobots no take orders, never!"
 * -- Grimlock, "Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1"

The final straw for Grimlock came when he and the Dinobots were injured in a Decepticon trap at an airfield. Enraged, Grimlock refused to take orders from Optimus Prime any more and led the Dinobots away from the Ark. When the Autobots began to suffer from Cybertonium deficiency, Spike Witwicky and his girlfriend Carly attempted to persuade the Dinobots—who continued to function perfectly, as they had been built on Earth without Cybertonium—to steal some of the mineral from a Decepticon shipment coming in from Cybertron. Although Grimlock was willing to let the Autobots die and decided to crush the humans, he recognized the Cybertron connection to the Cybertonium. Instead of securing the element, Grimlock opted to lead the Dinobots to Cybertron itself, where they were captured by Shockwave.

Shockwave altered the Dinobots' memory circuits and put them to work in the Cybertonium mines, where they remained until Spike and Carly repaired them. Grimlock and Spike faked having an argument, compelling the guards to lower the energy fences to remove the troublesome humans — only to be obliterated by the Dinobots. Grimlock led the group back to Earth, where the Dinobots agreed to follow Prime's orders again — until such time as Grimlock didn't feel like it.

MUX History:
On the MUX, Grimlock has become smarter and move sophisticated over the years, but he's still Grimlock. While he's matured into an able commander, he's still quick to clash with Prime about being "soft," and still thinks he knows best how to proceed in any given situation. The Dinobots have established their own "base" in a cave near the Ark landing pad in Oregon.

Players
Grimlock is available for application.