Crosswise (Cybertron)

Crosswise is an Autobot from the Cybertron portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

Oh, friend John, it is a strange world, a sad world, a world full of miseries, and woes, and troubles.

Let's see what you can see... This article is in need of images. Specifics: TV series screencaps

Being a professional monster hunter, Crosswise possesses an array of weaponry, a tough-talking and gruff attitude, and a strong sense of justice. He loves a good fight, but isn't against using cheap tricks in order to take down his targets. Although typically working off of payment, if need be, he'll help Optimus Prime to help track and defeat any marks that he may miss.

He sometimes calls himself Smokescreen, for some reason.

Fiction

Cybertron cartoon

Voice actor: Michael Donovan (English), Kenichi Mochizuki (Japanese), Veeti Kallio (Finnish), Clemens Gerhard (German), Stefan Berglund (Swedish), Francisco Andrés Valdivia (Castilian Spanish), Jerzy Dominik (Polish), Sim Seung-han (Korean)

Crosswise was descended from the original crew of the Atlantis, who came to Earth millennia ago to establish the great Space Bridge project. He was one of the few Cybertronians who did not turn towards evil and torment early Humanity. Just the opposite: Crosswise fought valiantly against these "Ancient Decepticons" in their monstrous forms, establishing a reputation for himself as a metallic knight and "Monster Hunter". Using specialized technology, he reduced his quarry to their spark cores, compressing them inside sealed stasis pod containers and housing them in a prison at the North Pole. Trap

For some unknown reason, Crosswise himself was entombed in ice for over a thousand years. He was uncovered by a scientific expedition run by Lucy Suzuki after her first encounter with the Transformers. The excavation reawakened Crosswise, and he quickly scanned a new sports car mode to reformat himself before breaking free of the ice and taking off into the night. Trust

Just how tougher than me are you?

Immediately concerned for the status of his prisoners, Crosswise raced to the hidden ice cavern at the North Pole where he had entrapped them centuries earlier. He quickly managed to make it to the cavern and was relieved to see it was undisturbed. Unfortunately, his haste drew the attention of Starscream and Sideways, and Crosswise was drawn into a confrontation with the Decepticons. Hoping to lead them away from the cavern, Crosswise popped off a few shots at the evildoers to get them mad, and then sped away as fast as his wheels could carry him. Starscream wasn't fooled by the display, however, and he entered the caverns, unleashing the Ancient Decepticons in full on Earth once again. Trap

Crosswise went deep into the desert to Evac's roost in order to gather support against his foes. He was tracked by Sideways, but together he and Evac made short work of the noisemaker. Afterwards, the duo located Starscream amidst his Seeker ships and presented themselves for battle. Starscream fired off a cheap shot at Crosswise and Evac, but it was intercepted by Optimus Prime of the Autobots, who had also been warring with the Decepticons. Crosswise and Evac helped get the injured Optimus to safety for repairs and marveled at the fact that their new comrades-in-arms were from Cybertron, the legendary homeworld of their people. Invasion Crosswise joined Optimus Prime and his team to protect the Omega Lock and the other Cyber Planet Keys. They planned to leave Earth aboard the space bridge and draw the Decepticons away from the humans. Starscream was relentless in his pursuit of the Omega Lock, however, and stormed his way through a dozen Autobots to reach it. He downed Crosswise and Scattorshot in a single move. Retreat

The return of Megatron left the Autobots with another threat to deal with, and Starscream's theft of the Omega Lock took a back seat to the Decepticon invasion. Crosswise and Override took to the streets and disabled the partners in grime, Ransack and Crumplezone. Revelation Later on, Crosswise helped Jetfire against his old sparring partner, Thundercracker. Critical As the fighting continued, the Autobots finally managed to break free from Megatron's men and journey to the volcano in the South Pacific where Starscream was communing with the Omega Lock. Optimus Prime was making a run at Starscream, but a horde of Ancient Decepticons got in his path. Crosswise told Prime to go on ahead and leave the Decepticons to him. After all, in case you hadn't heard, they called him the Monster Hunter! Self-congratulations aside, Crosswise proved to be amazingly effective, downing a dozen Decepticons with as many shots. After that, the only challenge in fighting Ransack was staying awake while doing so. Assault

Crosswise continued to aid in the fight against Megatron and the Decepticons. Starscream When the Autobots managed to retrieve the Omega Lock, Crosswise provided cover fire to distract the non-gargantuan Starscream while Evac and a small team transported the Lock to Cybertron to use against the black hole. United All the Autobots eventually made their way to Cybertron to put the Omega Lock into place. Before the ceremony began, Crosswise stood with Evac, Override and Snarl and marveled at standing on their true homeworld for the first time. Cybertron He attended the awakening of Primus and fought against the returning Starscream as well. Balance

When Megatron first reappeared after his death, he was little more than a dark shadow. Crosswise, Snarl and Landmine tried to get his attention with laser fire, but failed. Darkness After Megatron fully resurrected himself, Crosswise and the Autobots raced to keep him from claiming the power of the now-massive Omega Lock plugged into Primus. Memory He continued to fight randomly with different Decepticons, though characters with newer or bigger roles overshadowed his presence. Escape

Eventually, Crosswise returned to Earth to continue his role as Monster Hunter(!) and beloved protector. While Evac joined the other Autobots in journeying to Gigantion the Giant Planet for the final Cyber Planet Key, Crosswise remained behind to protect the Earth in their absence, alongside Mudflap and the other civilian Autobots. The Ancient Decepticons had all been recaptured, and Crosswise entombed them once more at the North Pole. Family As the threat of the black hole continued to loom ever closer, Crosswise was seen on Earth with Mudflap, regarding it with intense trepidation. Challenge

The black hole soon brought down the wrath of God upon Earth, with harsh storms and falling meteors threatening the populace. Crosswise and Mudflap helped organize the civilian Autobots for rescue operations around the globe, but it was all little more than a stopgap measure against the true threat. Realizing they needed allies anywhere they could be found, Crosswise teamed up with Evac again, and the two old comrades journeyed to the North Pole, where they released the Ancient Decepticons from confinement. In exchange for their freedom, Lugnutz and the rest agreed to fight at the Autobots' side against Galvatron and the black hole. Homecoming Crosswise and Evac even teamed up with Lugnutz against his former pal, Galvatron's super-sized floozy, Thunderblast. End

Once the black hole was closed and Galvatron defeated, Crosswise and the others helped with the planetary thrusters that brought Jungle Planet back into its proper orbit. Unfinished Afterward, he chose not to join the Space Bridge project with Evac and Lugnutz. Instead, he remained behind on Earth, living a life of peace amidst the humans he had protected for so very long. But if the hydra of trouble ever raised its nine heads again, it would know that his name is Crosswise, the once and future monster hunter. Beginning

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Toys

Cybertron

I've come to slay your monster. (Hasbro stock image, back gun struts removed)

What a horrible night to have a curse. (Takara version)

• Crosswise (Deluxe Class, 2006)

• Takara name: Autovolt
• Takara ID number: GC-17
• Takara release date: June 9, 2005
• Accessories: Thruster-cannon, flame-missile, Earth Cyber Key
• Cyber Key Code: d9f2
• Known designers: Takashi Kunihiro (TakaraTomy), Hirofumi Ichikawa (detailing)

Cybertron Crosswise transforms into a sports car which heavily resembles a Bugatti EB 16.4 Veyron. The spoiler contains a spring-loaded missile launcher that can fire a translucent turquoise flame-shaped projectile out of the rear "thruster"; this assembly becomes a hand-held weapon in robot mode. Plugging a Cyber Key in his tailgate makes a pair of missile racks pop up from the engine bay and flip over onto his roof. These racks can also be deployed in robot mode, where they flip up over his shoulders. Two more (non-firing) guns are sculpted into his inner running boards. They normally point up from his back, but can swing around to be front-facing hip blasters in robot mode.

There are some minor yet notable differences between the Takara Galaxy Force "Autovolt" release (curiously the only toy released in wave 9 of Galaxy Force) and Hasbro's Crosswise. The Autovolt version has entirely gold painted hands, silver detailing on his missile racks, extra gold highlights on the shins, and his roof vent as well as more of his rear lights are painted. While the Hasbro version's main color is a deep gloss black, Takara's is a slightly more screen-accurate warm gloss black. The long gun struts on Autovolt's back are pinned on permanently as opposed to Crosswise's mushroom pegs. And of course, his Cyber Key lacks the Cyber Key Code of the Hasbro version. Additionally, the plate on which Autovolt's head sits is installed backwards, leaving his head angled slightly upwards in robot mode. This flaw is easily remedied by knocking out the pin and reversing the plate; it is properly assembled on the Hasbro version and subsequent redecoes.

Crosswise was later redecoed to make Cybertron Smokescreen and live-action movieverse Jolt, and retooled into BotCon 2008's Shattered Glass Jazz and Ricochet.

• More information on Crosswise at TFU.info

• Ground To Air Blast Pack! Crosswise vs Thundercracker (Multi-pack, 2006)

• Accessories: Thruster-cannon, flame-missile, Earth Cyber Key
• Cyber Key Code: d9f2

In 2006, Target got multiple exclusive toys and reduced-price multi-packs, among them a set with unaltered versions of Thundercracker and Crosswise for about 75% of the cost of two Deluxes normally.

Notes

• In Crosswise's early appearances on the Cybertron cartoon, he was called "Smokescreen", as this was an early name for the character that had apparently lasted long enough to appear on dubbing studio Voicebox's scripts. The name was soon replaced by his proper one, but the earlier name did provide inspiration for the later Smokescreen redeco of Crosswise's toy.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Autovolt (オートボルト Ōtoboruto)
• Hungarian: Füstfelhő (as Smokescreen, "Smoke-cloud"), Haránt (Crosswise)
• Korean: Autovolt (오토볼트 Otobolteu)