It is with the deepest regret I must inform you all I have been pronouncing "Budiansky" wrong all this time. 😭

Bob Buddy-an-ski was introduced halfway through Transformers: The Basics, though no explanation was given. Boody-an-ski was offlined by a cosmically powered Starscream.

Honestly with a name like Smokescreen and his abilities in G1 Im surprised that he has never been portrayed as a ninja

"Out of necessity, he almost passed the Matrix of Leadership to Smokescreen." Ah I can still hear the fandom's collective wails of anguish over that to this very day.

Smokescreen had one of the best character arcs in TF Prime. He starts off as a hot shot rookie who wants to do his best but always gets in the way. He slowly learns how to work better with the team and also learns how to trust his own instincts. This enables him to save Optimus, which is the only thing that keeps the Decepticons from winning the war.

I like the prime version personally.

I like how all of these characters who all have the same name are completely different and have absolutely nothing to do with each other Truly this is peak Transformers

Sometimes I wish the "different bots, same name" thing wasn't just alternate realities and it turns out names like "Smokescreen" are just the Transformer equivalent of "John" or "Patel".

Prime Smokescreen was a really cool character- basically the show's equivalent to Hot Shot/Rod. Makes me almost wish he did end up inheriting the Matrix from Prime (though him saying 'screw it' and using the forge was very in-charactet and a nice subversion of the 'prime always dies' trope). I can see a hypothetical of him becoming the leader for the rest of the show, and in Predacons Rising it would be him sacrificing his spark to save the planet, which would work as a conclusion to his 'I wanna be a hero' arc.

Had no idea that Transformers Prime was originally gonna kill off Smokescreen early on, but decided to kill Cliffjumper instead.

Hasbro: we need an orange truck crane for armada Grapple: well I Smoke screen punches him in the face Smoke screen: please allow me to introduce myself I'm a bot with common taste

I love prime smokescreen. He started as the stereotypical reckless hotshot(heh, get it?), but later became a much more patient and empathetic character and even somewhat of a wise leader in predacons rising.

“Now, THAT was a plan!” “If you think this war is over, Megatron, think again, because I’m just getting warmed up!”

Mirage and or Seaspray need some coverage in this series.

Let’s be honest: Prime Smokescreen is the best Smokescreen

G1 Smokescreen was the 1st Transformer I ever got as a kid. He is still one of my favorite characters in Transformers (G1).

Prowl: w-who are you? Smokescreen: I’m you, but better.

prime Smokescreen is HotRod done right, and has his face lol

Smokescreen has always been great but I really do love his Prime incarnation. They went the right way with him and I only hope that the name continues to be applied to Autobot red, blue and white sports cars in the future.

I adore Prime Smokescreen. He was a well-developed character and had a great character arc. I almost wish they went further with the implication that he had the potential to become a Prime. We had already started watching his character evolve from overconfident brat to clever tactician. It would've been fun to watch him mature, take more and more responsibilities, become a leader, etc. They also never really explored the fact that Smokescreen ignored Optimus' last wish and used the Forge to restore Optimus, rather than restore Cybertron. By the end of the series, Smokescreen is plagued with doubts and regrets that never get adressed. It would be fun for another Smokescreen to get a similar story arc. I love the idea of a "potential Prime" and to watch them grow. Would be nice to see what measures Optimus Prime would take, if he understood ahead of time who was standing in front of him. In Prime, Alpha Trion knew and kept it a secret from everyone, including Optimus and Smokescreen, to keep Smokescreen safe. What if the secret got out, somehow? Definitely more themes to explore with such a story arc. I hope they return to this idea, eventually.

Unfortunately, I think G1 Smokescreen is one of those characters that has a great bio, but probably never has been used properly, aside from him getting to use his signature smoke. I would love a story that shows him forced to use a ton of dirty tricks in order to outthink Decepticons, Quitessons or some other enemy. "The Gambler" doesn't really count for me, as he didn't feel terribly competent in that one. =P

Prowl: Who are you? Smokescreen: I'm you without the police brutality.

God, I’d have hated being Nolan North in whatever alternate timeline Smokescreen died first in Prime. Hope he got a good pay check out of it.

I really liked the Prime Version, but hos personality was more like Hotrod´s one, so I like the Armada version the most since it had more development and was it´s own character, not a copy of someone else. The original will always be the original, but Armada Smokescreen wins it for me.

Yes! My all time favourite Autobot! The one and only Smokescreen! Destiny's only child! I love him!!!❤️

Nothing better than to watch some of the Basics at 4 AM

G1 Smokescreen was the first ever Transformer I got in the 80s, he's always been a favourite for me. Currently got the Earthrise version in front of me on my desk, got a fair few versions of the character - G1, Armada, Cybertron repaint version, Binal Tech, Classics, Masterpiece, Prime, Combiner Wars, Siege, Earthrise. Would love to get more.

Fun fact: the first Transformers figure I ever got was ROTF Smokescreen. So thanks for the special episode this week!

I'd love to see an episode on characters that have only appeared a few times, like Override, Evac and Crosswise from Cybertron

Prime smokescreen is the best. Then armada

Prime Smokescreen is my favorite

Can hotrod be next as he's one of my favourite characters and he's blamed for optimus primes death

Armada was my first and certainly favourite Smokescreen, I still remember his big heroic death episode trying to protect the minicons from Megatron, which considering most of my Armada memory real estate is taken up by Starscream its saying something for him

Every week we get closer to "The basics on going Offline"

“His toy was discontinued in 1986.” “So he was given a violent onscreen death in the movie and was offlined by a cosmically-powered Starscream in the comic?” “He was quietly phased out of the comic and cartoon.” “Impossible.”

Aw, man! you didn't mention how Prime Smokescreen was voiced by Nolan North!

Nice your voice is so calming

He said Budiansky differently than usual and I felt my knees go weak for a moment.

Prime Smokescreen weirds me out. It's like they were all "oh, wait, we made Bumblebee mute because he was mute in the movies, but it turns out that trait is a bit limiting in a multi-season TV series with a decent-sized cast", and so introduced him as a kid-appeal character who could actually talk, and then started angling for him to do the usual kid-appeal character arc of a hothead who grows into the role and becomes an eventual leader-type, but then they decided to just not do that and instead cured Bumblebee in the finale and basically had him go through Smokescreen's intended arc. I'm not sure if it was subversive or just a symptom of how rushed a lot of TFP's later writing ended up being.

Awesome Basics! Every Saturday morning I get my coffee and watch your new ones and sometime rewatch my favorites! Thank you for doing these, very informative and entertaining!

Armada Smokescreen was such a letdown. He survives a point-blank shot from arguably the most powerful weapon in the Unicron Trilogy's universe, and proceeds to do nothing for the rest of the series.

My favourite is his Prime and G1 iterations

I actually re-watched his debut episode in Armada today. Go Smokescreen!

Even Evac's transformation stock footage got the Smokescreen name by accident once, but was later re-dubbed to Crosswise.

Smokescreen, Bluestreak, and Prowl are so cool when their alt modes are Nissan Z-cars, Subaru Imprezas, and Acura RSX’s.

We did it guys we actually did it for once a character wasn't killed off by a cosmically powered underbase Starscream.

Out of all incarnations of Smokescreen his TransFormers Prime Version is by far the Best. For me he is basiclly a modern take of Hot Rod, which i believe you mentioned in Hot Rods Basic's Video. I loved that they really took the Concept of Hot Rod, reworked it and made Smokescreen this Legacy Character who even almost became modern Rodimus Prime. And tbh. I actually think that he should've become a Prime because it wouldn't have been the same as it was with Hot Rod back then since he was more Fleshed out, the Story could even try to indirectly judge him for taking the Matrix instead of Bringing Optimus Back. And if they planed it out correctly and wrote it really engaging etc. He probably would've become the Best Legacy Character ever in TF + fixing the errors back in the 80s (I do like Hot Rod/Rodimus alot don't get me wrong but i can't deny that there were some meh parts to it) My Idea is that After Prime passed Smokescreen would hesitate taking the Matrix knowing it would change his Life for ever. After a while he would overcome his Fears and take it making him either Rodimus Prime or maybe the Next Solus Prime(I know Solus was Female but it would be Kinda cool since he could use her Hammer with the remaining Energy left) So yeah he comes to the Rescue and has some need Tricks up his sleeve, instead if making an Entrance by Flying he goes to the Nemesis and takes Temporary Control over it and Opens a Ground Bridge right Behind Megatron who just Defeated Magnus. Steppin through the Portal and giving Megatron a big fat Smack with Hammer in the Face....and then Design Reveal, from here on out everything should play out the same with the Difference being the Destruction of Dark Mount. Back at the New Base Team Prime would be Surprised and be kinda mixed that he is a Prime now (like the majority of the audience) He himself is not all that happy with it either and does ask Ratchet, Arcee about some Experience they made with Optimus. Magnus on the Other Hand would be the Complete Opposite from his G1 self who supported Rodimus, here he would criticize Smokescreen very often and neither accepts nor calls him Prime which would Change through out the Season and the Movie. Smokescreen would also often Talk with Optimus Spirit through either the Starsaber or the Matrix, asking him a lot of questions. Through out the 3rd Season his bad Desicions would lead to the Kidnapping of Ratchet and letting Megatron Finish the Omega Lock in time. He would be Really Disappointed in himself and kinda Depressed, Team Prime wants to Stop Megatron and even goes without him tho some Hesitate to do so... He would talk with Optimus a lot while the Others Fight for their Lifes but after some time Smokescreen would gather the Courage and swings by and Fights Megatron a Second Time. From here it would also play out the Same with Bee Killing Megatron. The Movie would also be mostly the Same but it would be Smokescreen who would Sacrifice himself so that many more Generations could live on the New and Rebuild Cybertron. I bet here and there it could be more fleshed out, but if it played out similar to my Idea....yeah....it would've been even Better and maybe served as a Redemption for Good old Rodimus^^

that alternators figure is the one that got me collecting the Transformers line again . love that Subaru. so much that when I got my first car is was an impreza (although a wagon type )

The Basics on the Aligned Continuity

I've been binging these episodes, and its come to my attention that "Sadly, he didn't get to do much in the American comics but had a better showing in the comics produced specifically for the UK" would be just as much as a meme as "Offlined by a cosmically powered Starscream" if it were punchier to day.

”The Gambler " was a great episode! I didn't know Wheeljack was Smokescreen's replacement as a dead Autobot in the film. I traded with a friend to get my friend's Smokescreen in the mid Eighties. Always a favorite of mine.

Smokescreen was the first Transformer remember owning, got him Xmas 85 I think, closely followed by Hoist for my birthday in Jan 86. Also had the Alternator version, and now have the MP figure

Yay!

Me watching at 4am bc smokescreen is my favorite autobot like: 👁👄👁

Armada Smokescreen: 1. is a crane, which hoists things 2. becomes an excavator, which does not hoist things 3. acquires the name Hoist Early 2000s Hasbro name-assignment person: "Eh, good enough."

Smokescreen is my one of my favorite transformers ever

Interesting. I was hoping this would shed some light on why he is a sniper in the mobile app game Transformers Earth Wars, but it seems that was just some random idea of the game designers. As always though thanks! It is fun to learn more about characters from my favorite franchise.

Just got the G creation IDW Smokescreen, and I’m hoping to get the MP next. I also just recreated his alt mode in Forza! I have the blue recolour of the Armada figure too. Back when Hasbro didn’t know what knees or elbows were 😂

I think a video over the basics on the various crossovers the transformers have had with other series would be pretty cool. Great work on this video as always. I love learning more about one of my favorite series

Video: *plays Random advertisement: “Wanna Sprite Cranberry?”

Aw hell yeah, you just keep pumping out my favorite bots. Keep up the amazing work.

Keep the good work

I lost my original G1 Smokescreen at a laundromat. Just got me a Earthrise Smokescreen at Aldi's today. Didn't know they had Transformers,ha ha . Good vid,man.

My ideal version of Smokescreen is a mixture of his G1 and G2 versions. A former Decepticon turned Autobot, who isn’t of fan of either side but sees the Autobots as the "lesser evil". He isn’t trust by his comrades due to his views on the war, his Decepticon past, and his deceptive nature. Make him a triple-changer who can transform into a jet and a car.

Do THE BASICS on TRACKS please.

Video became public four seconds ago. Hot damn.

Also in the 1986 movie, there was a small clip where Wheeljack's dead body was coloured with Smokescreens colours! Meaning that the original storyboard was almost animated.

At some point I'd really like to see G1 Smokescreen act out his original bio. It's an interesting position to put a character in (especially a "goodie" character) and could lead to interesting drama and character development

I'll never forget that scene when Megatron killed Smokescreen in Armada, and the autobots were surrounding his body. True fans know what I'm talking about

These comments are gonna be filled with Prime Smokescreen And I don't blame them I LOVE HIM

AS much as I'd LOVE an episode on Crosswise, I feel it'd consist of mostly of the bit from this episode.

The experimental system to control multiple bodies was from the story of Binaltech (the Japanese version of Alternators), where it was used to say that the multiple variants of the figure existed simultaneously in-universe.

Ha! Just noticed smokescreens numbers are the reverse of the real car!

Nothing like having a wack sleep schedule while watching Chris McFeely's videos at 4am lol! Great video as always!

6:23 Really funny there, I honestly Thought that the Smokescreen in Cybertron was the Same Character as the Armada Autobot

7:12 i know this is so random but i remember having that toy along with the jazz one being one of my favorites, i loved the color scheme and the character from the tv show

Gamble guy Rubsign guy Shelfwarmer guy

Can we get bluestreak to complete the Datsun trio?

I only have learned about Smokescreen through the Prime series, but I do wonder what he would have been like as a Prime himself.

I HAVE BEEN WAITING SO LONG FOR THIS

Sup I’m actually going to meat the creator of drift

basics of tfp pls?

Yay i hadnt managed to watch this one yet,i love him hes the best! Im going to be watching a few of these tonight, my blood sugars are low and i need to stay awake. Your really cool. Thanks for doing smokescreen.

I really liked the G-1 version of Smokescreen in his “debut” episode. I don’t know why I just love him. And his Prime incarnation is also something else I just love. Smokescreen is my second favorite Transformer-right behind Grimlock.

Has it occurred to everyone that smokey is quite a gambit? I mean i respect the bot but i hope he won't play any trump cards.

Thank god this doesn't focus way too much into TFP smokescreen

The Transformers Armada episode with the Smokescreen sacrificed really messed me up as a kid, man. And then the Optimus Prime Hydra Cannon episode premieres a few weeks later lmao

I think I'm gonna take the racecar colors a bit literally in my fanfiction for my own take on Smokescreen.

Good morning

Speaking of Destiny’s child, how about you do a basics on Rodimus Prime/Hot Rod

Honestly I see prime Smokescreen as a Hot Rod like character, I wouldn't be surprised if Hot Rod was going to be in TFP instead of Smokescreen, but then the producers swapped them at the last minute

Thanks! His later introduction in the 80’s cartoons might be why I remember his color scheme (I liked more than Bluestreak) more than his personality/function. However, I do remember the episode with the casino. His Transformers: Prime personality seemed like that of a different Autobot...

Smokescreen slept over my house one night in my mum's room and he still hasn't called her back. I miss you Datsun Papa (╯︵╰,)

This is good. I have always liked G1 Smokescreen and Prime Smokescreen. Also, for some reason, I've always thought of G1 Smokescreen and Bluestreak as twin brothers and Prowl as their mutual caretaker and mentor. But that's just me.

Ayyy, you finally covered my favorite character! Love TFP Smokescreen!

I remember when Walmart was advertising the alternators smokescreen, I was only 4 or 5 years old, I thought it was a really cool color scheme, especially with the gold rims. I never got that one but around that time I got a very normal looking figure of smokescreen (I forget which one) and since jazz was my favorite character I pretended it was jazz

I'm more familiar with the TFP version of Smokescreen, but I would've liked to see some of his original depiction mixed in as well. Truth be told, I'm not crazy about that little twist the Legends manga made where they declared the two Smokescreens to be the same bot, just with multiple personalities. Why? Because it kind of goes back to a problem some of the big name comic companies have when they handle characters who don't behave like themselves. Namely, they use this attitude, "We can write these characters however we want as long as they're kuh-RAY-zee!"

And the basics of Sunstreaker too

The Alternators Smokescreen rekindled my love of Transformers and collecting on adulthood. He's still one of my favorite toys.

Love these Basics videos are great! I'd love to see one about Grapple.