Bumblebee is one of the smallest and physically weakest Autobots. While his stature allows him to do his job better than most Autobots could manage, he is self-conscious about his size. Maybe this is why he makes fast friends among the humans. He looks up (so to speak) to the other Autobots, especially Optimus Prime, but what he doesn't realize is that they look up to him. He may be small, but he's brave, and he's one of the most well-liked Autobots around. Bumblebee already has the respect he craves.
Fiction[]
Marvel Comics continuity[]
This iteration's not too fond of freelance peacekeeping agents.
- Main article: Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity
Bumblebee was one of the several Autobots who were carving a path through space for their planet Cybertron when the Decepticons attacked their spacecraft, the Ark, forcing them to crash-land on Earth 4 million years ago. When Bumblebee and the others were awoken in 1984, Bumblebee quickly befriended the human teenager Buster Witwicky.
A few years later, Bumblebee was destroyed either by G.I. Joe or Death's Head and rebuilt into a more formidable form, Goldbug. In this form he joined Blaster and the Throttlebots and exiled the Autobots while they were under the rule of Grimlock. After being destroyed by Starscream and the Underbase, Goldbug was rebuilt by Ratchet into a Pretender form and was restored as Bumblebee. He participated in the Matrix Quest and survived their race's united battle against the Chaos Bringer, Unicron.
Generation 1 cartoon continuity[]
I wonder if he wanted a job as a mechanic?
- Main article: Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity
Bumblebee was one of the several Autobots who were searching for energy when the Decepticons attacked their spacecraft, forcing them to crash-land on Earth 4 million years ago. When Bumblebee and the others were awoken in 1984, Bumblebee quickly befriended the human teenager Spike Witwicky.
Bumblebee and Spike would remain friends up through Spike's adulthood, and were stationed on one of Cybertron's moons in 2005 after the Decepticons conquered Cybertron. Bumblebee survived Unicron's attack on Cybertron, and remained in action during the leadership of Rodimus Prime.
When Bumblebee was damaged badly during the Hate Plague outbreak in 2006, he had to be rebuilt into a new form, Goldbug. Goldbug would live to see the next Cybertronian Golden Age.
Kid Stuff Talking Story Books[]
Bumblebee spied on Megatron and Soundwave in Mato Grosso, Brazil. He overheard the two Decepticons talking about their latest scheme; they were planning to use an enormous diamond-lens attached to a satellite to melt the Rockies and use the oil that would gush forth to destroy the Autobots and conquer the galaxy. With this information, he reported back to Optimus Prime. Satellite of Doom
Bumblebee was sent out to stop the Decepticons’ deforestation operation in Mato Grosso. When Skyfire managed to pinpoint Megatron’s location, Bumblebee accompanied him and Optimus in forcing the Decepticons into retreating once again. Storms of Destruction
Bumblebee was sent out on a patrol mission in the southwest pacific. During the mission, he was captured by the Insecticons, and made into a mindless slave. He was presumably rescued after Optimus, Prowl and the Dinobots defeated the Insecticons controlling the island of Buru. Slaves of the Insecticons
Sticker Adventures books[]
While continuing their ongoing repairs on the Autobots’ ship, Bumblebee commented how odd it was that the Decepticons had not attack for an extended period of time. Taking advantage of the situation, Optimus left on a trip. After his leader had left, Bumblebee and Gears discovered to their horror that the Autobots’ entire fuel supply had been stolen.Thankfully, Optimus returned just in time with a new shipment of fuel.Re-energized, the Autobots forced the Decepticons to flee once again. Revenge of the Decepticons
After Optimus had been knocked unconscious during a Decepticon attack, Bumblebee stood by his bedise in the Autobots’ medi-bay. He was relieved to see his commander reawaken after the Autobots repaired him. Return to Cybertron
Deadly Paradise[]
Sideswipe was convicted of destroying the Nova Suspension Bridge and deactivated, despite his pleas of innoncence, in order to ease the strain on human/Autobot relations. Prowl became suspicious of the Decepticons being somehow involved, and sent Bumblebee to investigate the crime scene. There, Bumblebee found a suspicious piece of jagged metal and return to base with it. After being scanned, the piece of metal was found to be made out of a very rare ore, only found on one island on the planet. Bumblebee accompanied Prowl, Windcharger, Brawn, Hound and Ratchet and headed to Carob Island. Upon landfall, Prowl discovered a cave from where suspicious sounds were coming from. Leaving Bumblebee and Hound behind to guard the entrance, Prowl, Windcharger, Brawn and Ratchet went inside. While they were standing guard, Bumblebee and Hound were somehow captured and deactivated by Madame Cee and her army of pig-robots. They were eventually reactivated inside Madame Cee's workshop, where they learned that the Decepticons were forcing her to help build Autobot duplicates. After learning of the location of Megatron's temporary base on the island, Bumblebee and the rest of the group entered it, finding themselves wandering in a vast, underground labyrinth. They finally came upon an open area, only to be captured in force cages by the Decepticons. Prowl managed to free the rest of the group, and Bumblebee helped them defeat Starscream and Skywarp while Prowl dealt with Megatron. The Autobots managed to escape Megatron's megamaze when it turned out that Ratchet's lubricant container had earlier been damaged, and left them a trail to find their way out of the maze. The Autobots returned to their headquarters where they were able to clear Sideswipes name, and presumably reactivated him. Deadly Paradise
Marvel storybooks continuity[]
Bumblebee was one of the thirty-five active Autobots on Earth. When Megatron put into motion his latest plot to take over the planet, Bumblebee joined in on the battles that ensued. Once the Autobots had emerged victorious, he drove back to Autobot base alongside Optimus and the other Autobots. Battle for Earth
Bumblebee was present when Blaster conveyed a message to Optimus from Megatron. The Autobots learned that Megatron had taken Sunstreaker captive, and was demanding the Autobots to surrender. Though the Autobots sent out a rescue party, it failed to liberate their comrade. Bumblebee and the other Autobots became frightened as the situation appeared hopeless, but thanks to an inspirational speech courtesy of Swoop, they regained their courage. Bumblebee then helped the Autobots build a statue of Devastator to act as a Trojan Horse of sorts. The statue was wheeled up before the Decepticons' base, and the Autobots burst forth from it at the exact right moment to take the Decepticons by surprise. The Autobots emerged victorious from the battle that ensued. The Autobots' Secret Weapon
Marvel coloring books[]
I've heard of toy-accuracy, but this is overdoing it a bit.
Bumblebee overheard the Decepticons plotting to raid sunken ships and warned the Autobots. The Autobots headed out in a ship built by Wheeljack, and Bumblebee was sent on an underwater scouting mission. Unfortunately he ran into Soundwave and Rumble, who took him prisoner. The Autobots prevailed anyway. Search for Treasure Under the Sea On another occasion, Bumblebee was the only Autobot to escape being captured and put in a special Autobot prison. With Spikeand Sparkplug's help, he created a diversion for the Decepticons in the form of a giant fake Autobot so he could rescue the others. Bumblebee to the Rescue!
Optimus sent Bumblebee and Mirage out scouting, and they spotted Laserbeak mistaking a factory for an Autobot production plant. Decepticon Patrol After rescuing Sparkplug and Buster Witwicky from the Decepticons, Bumblebee and Houndwere sent scouting and spotted the Decepticons attacking Hoover Dam. The pair went and alerted the other Autobots, and the dam was eventually saved. The Deadly Fuel Shortage When the Decepticons started draining gasoline using their molecular transfer device, Bumblebee was one of the Autobots who broke into the Decepticon stronghold. He turned the weapon on the Decepticons, disabling them. Summertime Coloring Book
Bumblebee was left guarding the base one day when he had to respond to a call from a rescue mission soon to arrive on Earth, leaving the base unguarded. He discovered too late that it was a diversion so the Decepticons could conquer the Ark and had to get the other Autobots to help him retake the base. A Message From Outer Space Bumblebee and the other Autobots were on vacation in the forest when they stumbled on the Decepticons wrecking the place. After a short battle, including Bumblebee causing Ravage to plunge off a cliff, the Decepticons retreated and the Autobots started cleaning up the forest. Forest Rescue Mission
Upset at being dismissed by the other Autobots, Bumblebee drove into the nearby mountains. There, he spotted some incoming Decepticons who were using jet engine silencers, and rushed back to warn the others. Though Prowl ignored his worries, Optimus Prime paid attention and the Decepticon attack was routed. Bumblebee's Dangerous Mission.
Some Autobots, including Bumblebee and Daniel Witwicky, were out driving when they stopped for a break and Kup told a story about a lost shipment of energon cubes. The Lost Treasure of Cybertron
Big Looker storybooks[]
When Optimus Prime called for volunteers to help save their endangered world of Cybertron, Bumblebee was the first to speak up. Their ship was attacked by Decepticons and crashed on Earth, where the Transformers lay dormant for four million years. When they were finally repaired by the Ark, Bumblebee ventured outside and ran into Sparkplug and Spike Witwicky and persuaded them to help repair the rest of the Autobots. When the Autobots subsequently had to go into battle, the two humans were left in Bumblebee's care. The trio were able to warn the other Autobots when the Decepticons tried to flank them. Battle for Cybertron
When the Autobots entered the Big Car Rally, Bumblebee and Optimus waited at the finish line. Bumblebee spotted the fact that Megatron was interfering with Cliffjumper, enabling the Autobot leader to lend a hand. The Great Car Rally Bumblebee was one of the Autobots who responded when the Decepticons tried to hi-jack a truck, and drove the confused drivers back to the city. Decepticon Hijack
Bumblebee saw some Decepticons driving through a mountain pass, but waited until the next day when he, Optimus and Hound were sitting under a tree to mention it. When Grapple was captured by the Decepticons, Bumnblebee was among the Autobots who attacked the Decepticon base. Afterwards he joked that the Decepticons must have worse headaches than Grapple. Insecticon Attack! Bumblebee and Windcharger took part in building work on Metroplex. When Hot Rod and Kup stumbled on a Decepticon plan, Bumblebee and the other Autobots entered a car show and turned the tables on their foe. Car Show Blow Up
Ladybird Books continuity[]
Assigned a scouting mission by Optimus, Bumblebee sneaked into the Decepticon mountain stronghold and spied on them discussing plans to test their ion drive. Though he was spotted, he eluded Ravage by blinding the cat in his headlights and returned to base to report to Prime. Bumblebee's subsequent scouting mission revealed that the Decepticons had already relocated to a testing site. Autobots Fight Back
After a Decepticon attack on Metroplex, Bumblebee and Spike tailed Onslaught as he carried away his wounded comrades. While spying on the Decepticons, Bumblebee had to evade Swindle by hiding in his Volkswagen form. While hiding, he was so deep in thought that he was almost picked up by a magnet, but Spike managed to save him and he reported back to Ultra Magnus. Decepticon Hideout
Listen 'n Fun audiobooks continuity[]
Optimus Prime ordered Bumblebee and Huffer to plant false information indicating that the Autobots had located a new source of energy in order to mislead the Decepticons. Unfortunately the Autobots were still left with the problem that they actually needed to locate a new source of energy. Sun Raid (Listen 'n Fun)
The Battle for Planet Earth[]
- Voice actor: Peter Marinker (English)
When the Autobots discovered that the Decepticons were kidnapping humans, Bumblebee volunteered to be the one to scout the enemy base. After sneaking inside thanks to the carelessness of Skywarp, he spotted the missing humans being used for slave labor, and also managed to steal the global crystal from the Decepticons' computer. He managed to escape the Decepticon base and hid at the bottom of a lake while the Decepticons searched fruitlessly. Bumblebee's report and the stolen global crystal allowed Optimus Prime to force the Decepticons to free their prisoners. Bumblebee to the Rescue
Bumblebee, along with Windcharger, Cliffjumper and Beachcomber maintained a 24-hour watch on the Decepticon base in shifts. Menace at the Dam He didn't like the very idea of Starscream defecting to the Autobots. Bumblebee spied on the Decepticon base until he saw Megatron's forces leaving on the wild goose chase which Optimus and Prowl had tricked Starscream into sending them on. The Autobots were then able to destroy the Decepticon base. Espionage!!!!!
Find Your Fate Junior[]
The following summarizes one or more multipath adventures. Details vary depending on the paths taken in-story. See the book's page for information on alternate paths.
Dinobots Strike Back[]
"What's the plan?" "Track him. Find him. Kill him."
In a path where Mirage used a hologram of Optimus Prime to lure the four cerebro-shell-controlled Dinobots over the edge of Bandit's Bluff and into the ocean, Bumblebee was one of the Autobots crewing Seaspray's that helped haul the unconscious quartet aboard for safe transport back to the Ark.
In an alternate path, Optimus Prime assigned Skids and Bumblebee to investigate suspicious activity in Dolphin's Bay using Wheeljack's new mini-sub. Sludge, considering himself the best water-fighter, also wanted in on the mission, but Optimus could tell that Bumblebee and Skids didn't want him along.
If Optimus sent the pair without Sludge, they faced the option of detouring down a suspicious trail through the woods. If they did, a trap landed them in a cell in a supermodern lab, where Scrapper and Gravedigger disassembled them and used their remains as the first components of the Autobot Memorial Power Plant.
If they continued to Dolphin's Bay and the sub, they traced electromagnetic waves back to some black coral. Bumblebee exited the hatch to break a piece off, triggering an explosion which trapped him in a canyon beneath broken columns of crimson coral. Without underwater gear, Skids's only options were to use the computer to translate some nearby dolphins' language and ask them for help, or go back to the channel where he could radio Seaspray. If he went back for help, Seaspray used his laser to free Bumblebee, but then Starscream blew all three of them up with a cluster bomb. If Skids tried translating the dolphins' language, he succeeded in five minutes, talking the three largest dolphins into moving the broken coral. Bumblebee brought the black coral and his report back to Optimus Prime, ensuring an Autobot victory.
If Prime did include Sludge on Bumblebee and Skids's mission, Bumblebee used an underwater cave to infiltrate Mount Lomas, where he heard Megatron making a speech about Operation Black Coral vanquishing the Autobots in less than a day. He radioed the info to Skids, but Soundwave intercepted the transmission. Bumblebee dove back into the water, only to be paralyzed by the sonic attack of Frenzy. From that point, there are four possible endings, all of which include an Autobot victory and Bumblebee's rescue. Dinobots Strike Back
Battle Drive[]
Bumblebee was on a scouting mission, looking for signs of Decepticon activity. Just before Bumblebee decided to head back to base, several vehicles sped past him, being chased by the Decepticon planes Blitzwing and Starscream. As the two flying Decepticons wreaked havoc on the farmland, Bumblebee had to decide whether he would fight them or hide. If Bumblebee decided to take on the Decepticons by himself, he managed to sucker-punch Blitzwing, causing him to fall out of the sky and crash. Bumblebee then managed to overpower Starscream, but not before Starscream called for reinforcements. With Bombshell arriving on-scene to backup Starscream, Bumblebee was forced to flee. If Bumblebee decided to make a dash through a nearby cornfield, he was stunned by Starscream's null rays and is left to the Decepticon's mercy. If he decided to double back to a nearby town and hide in a used-car parking lot instead, he managed to evade the Decepticons' fire long enough to successfully conceal himself. With Bumblebee hiding in plain sight, he overheard Starscream talking to Megatron over the radio; the Decepticons planned to destroy the humans' food supply by destroying their farmlands. As soon as the coast was clear, Bumblebee decided to return to Autobot headquarters, only to run into Prowl, Hound and Swoop. The Autobots debated whether it would be smarter to return to Autobot headquarters and inform Optimus of the situation, or to take on the Decepticons immediately before they caused more damage.
If they decided to report back to Optimus, they became stranded in the middle of nowhere due to a sudden storm, unable to deliver their message. Because of this, humans were doomed to either slavery or starvation at the Decepticons' hands.
If the small troop of Autobots instead decided to take on the Decepticons on their own, they are spied upon by Soundwave, who warns Megatron of their approach. Before they encountered any Decepticons, however, Bumblebee and company ran into Buster Witwicky. Buster informed them that the Decepticons were after his father, who had discovered of a fatal flaw in Decepticon circuitry. With this new information presented to them, Bumblebee and the Autobots had to make yet another decision; stick to their original plan, or rescue Sparkplug immediately.
If Bumblebee decided that the Decepticons destroying farmland was a more important matter to attend to, they are ambushed by the Decepticons almost immediately, and are subsequently destroyed.
If Bumblebee and company went after Sparkplug instead, they soon found him hiding in the hills, trapped in a cave surrounded by Decepticons. In one sequence of events, Bumblebee's team manages to rescue Sparkplug mainly due to Swoop's heroic actions. In another version of the events that followed, Swoop led as many Decepticons as he could away from the cave, leaving Bumblebee, Prowl and Hound to defend the humans in the cave from the remaining evil robots.
If the remaining team decided to stick together, they had to fend off over a dozen Decepticons, including Megatron, on their own. The ensuing battle lasted for two days before Sparkplug noticed a light coming from the rear of the cave. If the Autobots decided to attempt to escape the cave by driving towards this light however, they doomed themselves by tumbling down a pit concealed by the cave's darkness. If Bumblebee and company held out a little longer instead, their reinforcements finally arrived, and drove away the Decepticons. Unfortunately, Sparkplug's blueprints were destroyed in battle, leading to Bumblebee to bemoan that the whole ordeal they suffered through was for nothing. If Bumblebee had earlier decided to send out Prowl with Sparkplug to reach the rest of the Autobots, the whole adventure turned out to be nothing but a dream...
If Bumblebee's initially had decided to pretend to be a damaged car on the side of the road instead of fighting Blitzwing and Starscream, the two Decepticons transform to overlook their handiwork, and discuss between each-other their plan to starve the humans by burning their farmland, within earshot of Bumblebee. With this newly acquired knowledge, Bumblebee returned to Autobot headquarters and reported back to Optimus. Although Optimus initially wished to leave Bumblebee behind as he redeployed Autobots to stop the Decepticons, Bumblebee's insistence on coming along convinced the Autobot leader to allow Bumblebee to join them. Unfortunately, Blitzwing and Starscream's discussion turned out to be a ruse; the Decepticons' true ploy was to goad the Autobots into open farmland, where they would be easy targets for the airborne Decepticons. Any attempt youmade in helping the Autobots only yielded their doom, and so Bumblebee and the Autobots had to take on the Decepticons by themselves if they were to have a chance at success. Left to their own devices, the Autobots soon found themselves in a vulnerable position as the Decepticon jets approached them. If Optimus decided to keep his forces together, Bumblebee and the rest of the Autobots made a break for a nearby bridge, only for them to be blasted before they reached it. If however, Optimus decided to split his forces, Bumblebee and the rest of the Autobots managed to live to fight another day. Battle Drive
Attack of the Insecticons[]
Bumblebee was present while Ironhide was testing a new device of Sparkplug's invention, the Sun-Pak. When the Decepticons subsequently ambushed the Autubots' underground testing facility to steal the Sun-Pak, Bumble found a tunnel and possible escape route for the Autobots to use. He informed Optimus Prime of this passage, and awaited his leader's decision on whether to use the escape route, or continue to fight the Decepticons, despite the Autobots' waning power levels.
If the Optimus decides to not only fight the Decepticons, but have all the Autobots concentrate their fire upon Starscream, refusing the Decepticon's surrender even once the odds have turned against the leader of the Decepticons' raiding party, the Decepticons manage to kidnap Sparkplug. Bumblebee, alongside Blaster and Buster, are sent on a rescue mission while the rest of the Autobots return to base to recharge. Tracking Starscream's location to a museum in the suburbs, Bumblebee is forced to wait outside, in the museum's parking lot, while Buster and a disguised Blaster investigate. If Blaster and Buster later return to Bumblebee for assistance, informing the little yellow Autobot that Starscream and Bombshell are alone in the museum with their captive, and intend to use a Cerebro-Shell to mind-control Sparkplug, Bumblebee formulates a plan. Using Bumblebee's speed and Blaster's Electro-Scramblers, the Autobots spoil Bombshell's aim and have him hit Starscream with his Cerebro-Shell in-lieu of Sparkplug. The easily manipulated Seeker is then tricked by the Autobots to release Sparkplug and forestall Bombshell, as Bumblebee, Blaster, Buster and Sparkplug make their way to Autobot base, laughing all the way at the Decepticons' misfortune.
If Optimus decides to have his Autobots follow Bumblebee into the tunnel the little yellow Autobot discovered at any point during their initial encounter with the Decepticon forces, Bumblebee encounters a fork in the tunnel that he admits was not there when he first discovered the tunnel. Not knowing which leads to the surface, the Autobots are once again forced to make a choice. And though one tunnel does indeed lead to the surface, the other leads to the Insecticons' nest!
In the event that the Autobots choose the tunnel leading to the surface, the Autobots lose possession of the Sun-Pak to the Insecticons nonetheless. If Optimus decides to have the Autobots return to base to refuel in light of these events, Bumblebee is the one to discover the booby-trapped Sun-Pak in Decepticon territory once the Autobots have ventured there in an attempt to diplomatically retrieve the device from the Decepticons. Attack of the Insecticons
Desert Flight[]
Bumblebee was part of a group of the Autobots’ best scouts, led by Optimus on a fuel-finding mission. When the convoy heard a large explosion in the distance, Optimus sent Cosmos to investigate the noise.
If Cosmos radioed his findings to Optimus immediately, Optimus’s convoy moved in to investigate a nearby Decepticon base. En route, the Autobots passed near a human town, but began floating in mid-air before being able to reach it. Evidently, the phenomenon was caused by a Decepticon anti-gravity weapon.
If Optimus ordered his troops to come to the humans’ aid, they found themselves taking part in a struggle in futility, as the entire town was near-weightless, meaning they couldn’t put the humans anywhere where they wouldn’t float away once more. Then, the Autobots heard Decepticons approaching. Helpless in their current position, the Autobots were quickly eradicated by the Decepticons.
If Optimus ordered his troops to attack the Decepticon base, they soon reached an area free of the anti-gravity beam’s influence, though not before Bumblebee took the time to goof off a bit in the gravity-deprived environment. They were then attacked by a small fleet of Decepticons. The Decepticons were quickly forced to break off their attack and retreated. But with the battle over, the Autobots noticed a small human boy at their feet. The Autobots then headed for the Decepticon base, with their stowaway. Megatron delivered an ultimatum; if the Autobots did not surrender Optimus Prime to the Decepticons immediately, he would use his gravity beam to have the nearby humans float off into space.
If the Autobots decided to continue with their initial plan to simply attack the Decepticon base, their advance was halted by a force field. Megatron then fired his beam in all directions, causing a ripple effect that sent everything not fastened down to the Earth’s surface to float helplessly out into space.
Alternatively, the Autobots could concoct a plan where Optimus would pretend to allow himself to be taken prisoner, per Buddy’s suggestion. In actuality, Bumblebee and the rest of the Autobots were hidden away inside Optimus’s trailer. The Autobots then led a surprise attack on their unsuspecting foes.
In the event that Buddy tampered with the gravity gun in the ensuing battle, the Autobots would emerge victorious.
In the event that Buddy instead entered a space-time anomaly created throughout the course of the battle, the Autobots would lose their fight against the Decepticons, and Bumblebee wound up either injured or dead.
If Optimus destroyed the duplicate Cosmos, the real one would inform the Autobots of the Decepticons’ schemes, and the convoy would roll out to take on their adversaries. They were soon met by a squad of flying Decepticons, but were at a strict disadvantage against their adversaries as their vehicle modes possessed no weapons. The Autobots nonetheless managed to fight their way to the Decepticons’ base, one way or another, and defeated the Decepticons by using their own gravity weapon against them. Desert Flight
Decepticon Poison[]
Bumblebee was amongst the Autobots about to be topped up with their latest batch of fuel when Red Alert burst into Autobot headquarters, warning everyone about Ramjet being spotted nearby. Red Alert’s warning came in just in time, as the Autobots’ fuel had been poisoned, and Bumblebee would have been left unable to transform had he ingested any of it.
In one possible scenario that ensued, Bumblebee was part of the Autobots’ back-up squadron, as they attempted to defend the Autobot base against the Decepticons. In one version of the ensuing events, the Autobots were able to beat back the Decepticons, though not without receiving some grievous injuries themselves.
In another possible scenario, where Optimus followed a plan courtesy of Prowl, the Autobot leader instructed his troops to transform into vehicle mode and play dead. The Decepticons, believing the Autobots’ ruse, disarmed themselves in order to carry out the Autobots’ “carcasses.” Now with the element of surprise against unarmed opponent, the Autobots Transformed and were able to easily defeat the evil robots.
In another possible turn of events, Perceptor gave out too much of his antidote to cure each poisoned Autobot. The Autobots who received the antidote soon found themselves falling apart, leaving Bumblebee and the rest outmatched against the greater number of Decepticons.
In yet another possible scenario, Optimus opted to use the tainted fuel as a weapon against an encroaching Decepticon squadron. Bumblebee was impressed by Grapple powerful crane, as the later lifted the vat of liquid and carried it outside Autobot headquarters. The plan was carried out successfully, and the Autobots celebrated another victory over the Decepticons.
In a completely different scenario, Optimus agreed to Prowl’s plan to go on the offensive and try and discover the full extent of the Decepticons’ plans. Optimus nominated Prowl, Bumblebee and Mirage to go along with him on the mission. The group refuelled with the gas that Sparkplug brought back from the Autobots’ secret storage area, and took off on their mission. The group soon happened upon the Decepticons’ lab in the middle of a barren, polluted wasteland.
If all four Autobots ventured together into the Decepticons’ lab, they first encountered Laserbeak, only to quickly dispatch him. Venturing further into the lab, the group soon spotted the antidote they were after, and sent Mirage to fetch it. Mirage returned with the beaker and news; he had heard Ramjet and Starscream talking about using a new poison to turn humans into mindless slaves. Bumblebee suggested that the Autobots return to base and cure the allies in order to combat the Decepticons’ newest ploy.
If Optimus ordered his squad to instead return to Autobot headquarters immediately, his squad returned to find their comrades nearly dead from the poison. But with Ratchet’s help, the antidote was quickly distributed, and the Autobots sprung back to life.
If Optimus led his troops back to the Decepticons’ poison lab, Bumblebee was amongst the Autobot convoy that drove into action. Happening upon the Decepticons hauling barrels of poison out of their base, the Autobots devised a couple of possible plans to take them out.
One such plan had Windcharger, Prowl, Jazz and Warpath work together to ignite the poison over the Decepticons, forcing them to retreat back within their base before destroying the lab. Bumblebee was giddy watching his fellow Autobots perform their tasks. The Autobots then drove back to base victoriously.
If however Optimus ordered his troops to deal with the Decepticons before returning to base with the antidote, the Autobots were faced with another decision; deal with Starscream and Ramjet first, or to attempt to destroy the containers of poison first, as per Prowl’s suggestion.
If the Autobots went along with Prowl’s strategy, the resulting heat from the explosion caused the Autobots’ circuits to overheat, rendering them unconscious. Upon reawakening, the Autobots found themselves captives of Megatron, who informed them that their fellow Autobots would soon perish, and that the humans would be conquered by the Decepticons shortly after.
If Optimus instead decided to deal with Ramjet and Starscream first, his troop easily overpowered the pair, Bumblebee stuffing a rock in Starscream’s mouth in order to keep him quiet. After having destroyed the lab, the Autobots returned to their headquarters with the antidote.
If instead of going into the Decepticons’ poison lab together, the Autobots sent Bumblebee to go in alone, the little Autobot snuck by Laserbeak, sleeping at his post, before finding the antidote to the poison coursing through the Autobots’ fuel lines. Though he attempted to escape the laboratory without incident, Laserbeak awoke before he could leave, and the cruel Decepticon ordered Bumblebee to surrender.
If Bumblebee made a break for it, he narrowly escaped the Decepticons’ lab and rejoined Optimus and the others. Together, the Autobots escaped from the Valley of Poison and returned to Autobot headquarters. Once the other Autobots were cured, they all drank a toast to Bumblebee, to celebrate his part in the mission.
If Bumblebee heeded Laserbeak’s commands, the cruel Decepticon retrieved the antidote before beginning his torture of the little Autobot, in order to make him talk. Bumblebee refused to break, thinking only of his hero, Optimus Prime, as Laserbeak presumably did unspeakable things to the little Autobot. Decepticon Poison
Autobot Alert![]
While out on patrol, Bumblebee spotted Astrotrain hovering about in a valley near Autobot headquarters. Assuming it was nothing more than Astrotrain acting as a transport for his fellow Decepticons, he paid the sighting no heed.
The next day, Bumblebee was watching a game of baseball on television when the broadcast was highjacked by the Decepticons. He informed the Autobots’ commander, Ultra Magnus of this development immediately. Though the Autobots learned that in addition to the crisis in Earth orbit, the Decepticons had also attacked a nearby research base, Bumblebee still considered the attack on Earth’s satellites to be a more urgent matter.
If Ultra Magnus decided to prioritize the Decepticons satellite hijacking plot, Bumblebee caught sight of Hot Rod in a nearby corner, sulking over not being picked for the mission. As Bumblebee had not been picked for the mission either, he informed Hot Rod on what he had seen the previous night, and suggested the two of them go on their own clandestine mission to investigate Astrotrain’s activities. Hot Rod gladly obliged. They brought along a supply of “laser-ignited explosives” and went on their way. Soon happening upon the Decepticons’ control centre, the pair set out to sabotage the Decepticons’ operation. While Bumblebee wanted to sabotage the Decepticons’ communication centre on Earth, Hot Rod was in favour of sneaking aboard Astrotrain before he launched, and sabotage the Decepticons out in space.
If Hot Rod convinced Bumblebee to go along with his plan, the pair snuck aboard Astrotrain by concealing themselves within a trailer filled with bombs. As Astrotrain launched, Hot Rod drew Bumblebee’s attention to a room filled with Decepticon space gear. The two Autobots donned the suits in order to disguise themselves. The disguises proved effective as Thrust and Starscream walked past the pair, none the wiser. Bumblebee was nonetheless unwilling to push their luck too much, and suggested that they find a hiding spot and use the weapons they brought along as soon as possible. Just then, Hot Rod spotted the Autobots’ shuttle heading into a Decepticon trap through one of Astrotrain’s windows.
If Hot Rod decided to try and commandeer Astrotrain’s military control station, Bumblebee nervously followed him, advising the young Autobot to act like he knows what he’s doing in order to fool the guards. The pair bypassed the guards easily, but were not able to fool Scourge, who happened upon them soon after. Bumblebee alerted Hot Rod of Scourge’s approach, and urged him to fire Astrotrain’s weapons as soon as possible. Hot Rod succeeded in firing Astrotrain’s weapons at Cyclonus, warning the Autobot shuttle of the Decepticons, but both he and Bumblebee were quickly overpowered by Scourge. They were then flung out into the blackness of space by Scourge, stranded in zero-gravity, waiting for a rescue that might never come.
If instead Hot Rod and Bumblebee decided to find themselves a hiding spot, the pair snuck into a room labelled “Dirty Tricks Department” in order to dodge the incoming Laserbeak. After Hot Rod successfully shot down Cyclonus from their hiding spot, Hot Rod and Bumblebee hid out for the rest of the mission inside the Dirty Tricks department room, finding a way to escape later when it docked.
If instead of boarding Astrotrain, Hot Rod and Bumblebee decided to infiltrate the Decepticons’ command centre on Earth, the two used Astrotrain’s take-off as cover for sneaking into the facility. The pair soon found themselves overhearing Galvatron’s latest pirate broadcast. As the nearby Decepticons troops were busy bowing the their leader’s image, Bumblebee and Hot Rod managed to find the Decepticons’ main computer room. Now in a position to thoroughly sabotage the Decepticons’ operation, Bumblebee strained to remember a code he had learned in Advanced Espionage which would, when input, scramble the Decepticons’ computer program. Hot Rod was more in favour of pressing a button labelled “TOP SECURITY/DESTRUCT SYSTEM!”
If Bumblebee insisted on them using his code, the Decepticons’ plan fell into disarray, and Bumblebee and Hot Rod made their way back to the Autobots’ base safely as the command centre blew itself apart behind them.
If Hot Rod went ahead and pressed the button, he and Bumblebee soon discovered that it was a Decepticon trap, as sirens began blaring across the Decepticon base and iron bars prevented them from escaping. Galvatron’s image appeared on a nearby monitor, explaining that both Hot Rod and Bumblebee would be used as hostages in order to secure a Decepticon victory.
In a completely different possible sequence of events, wherein Ultra Magnus decided to prioritize the theft of the coded message, Bumblebee was part of the captive audience that listened to Kup divulge information about an ancient Autobot formula. Bumblebee took off towards the Autobots’ desert research centre along with a number of other Autobots. Once there, they learned from Springer that the Cybertite sphere containing the formula was discovered by humans during the 16th century. If the Decepticons had decoded Springer's message, they would be searching off the coast of California, where the ship containing the sphere had sunk. If they hadn’t decoded the message, the Decepticons would still be digging in the nearby crater.
If Ultra Magnus decided to assume that the Decepticons had already decrypted the message, he ordered his forces to split up to more efficiently address the situation. Bumblebee was part of the main group of Autobots led to the coast by Ultra Magnus. Ultra Magnus’s troops were informed by Powerglide (who had flown ahead of the land-bound group) that he had discovered the location of the sunken ship containing the cybertite sphere. Simultaneously, Blurr caught up with the group to inform them that the Decepticons were quickly approaching. The Autobots then needed to decide whether they would raise the ship themselves, or try and ambush the Decepticons after they had done so.
In one of the possible plans concocted by Ultra Magnus, Bumblebee was to work with Grapple and Hot Rod to retrieve the sphere. Bumblebee rode down the boom at the end of Grapple’s crane, and fastened it to the sunken ship. He then signalled Grapple to un-submerge the ship, only to find himself and the ship remain immobile. Grapple’s crane had suffered a mechanical breakdown, and though the Autobots managed to fix it, valuable time was lost. The Autobots were unable to retrieve the sphere before the Decepticons arrived, and Bumblebee and his friends found themselves being pummelled by superior Decepticon fire raining down upon them. Autobot Alert!
Project Brain Drain[]
In one possible scenario, Bumblebee ran into Sparkplug on the way to Metroplex city. Sparkplug informed Bumblebee that he had learned of a Decepticon plot to use a Brain Drain device to rob a crowd of concertgoers of their intelligence, and the two of them rushed to inform Ultra Magnus of this development.
If Ultra Magnus decided to head for the rock concert and deal with the Decepticons there, Bumblebee brought Sparkplug along to the concert location. Once there, he was ordered to blend in with the various cars parked around the concert, and lie in wait for the Decepticons to show themselves.
Once the Decepticons appeared, Ultra Magnus ordered his troops to transform in unison and open fire on their enemies. But Galvatron had planned to light afire the parking lot in which the Autobots were standing in order to trap the humans. Being drenched from above by Decepticon jets dumping gasoline upon them, Ultra Magnus needed to decide whether the Autobots needed to retreat, or to keep on fighting and hope that they could defeat the Decepticons before the fire consumed them.
If Ultra Magnus decided on a retreat, Bumblebee rushed out of the blazing inferno and moved in closer to the humans in order to protect them. As the other Autobots battled the Decepticon jets swooping down towards them, Bumblebee noticed Galvatron beyond the wall of flame preparing to activate the Brain Drain device. Despite the fire between them, Bumblebee transformed into vehicle mode and darted towards Galvatron in order to stop him. Knowing that none of the weapons on him would harm Galvatron, Bumblebee devised two possible plans of attack, even as the fire around him began to break him down. He could either ram into Galvatron, hoping to make him drop the Brain Drain device, shattering the delicate instrument, or he could transform at the last moment and throw a flaming car towards the device to destroy it while in Galvatron’s grasp.
If Bumblebee decided to crash directly into Galvatron, his initial assault fails, with Galvatron managing to regain his balance before he drops the device. However, having been reduced to a burning heap by the inferno, Bumblebee exploded after his gas tank catches fire, destroying the device in the process. Bumblebee sacrificed himself, but the Decepticons’ plot has been stopped.
If Bumblebee decided to launch a truck at Galvatron instead, the oil tanker he grabbed hold of exploded before Bumblebee had a chance to launch it, reducing the little Autobot to nothing more than a smouldering windshield whipper.
In another possible scenario wherein the Autobots remained in the parking lot to battle the Decepticons at close-quarters, both Bumblebee and Hot Rod saw Soundwave pass the Brain Drain device to Galvatron after the latter had flung Ultra Magnus away.
If Bumblebee attempted to stop Galvatron, the Decepticon leader laughed at Bumblebee’s efforts, and effortlessly crushed him underfoot before he had a chance to stop them.
If Hot Rod attempted to stop Galvatron, the Autobots were eventually successfully in destroying the device, and Bumblebee and the other Autobots received a standing ovation as the Decepticons retreated. Project Brain Drain
Dreamwave Generation One continuity[]
Events from The Transformers Trilogy novels are in italics.
At the death of Sentinel Prime, Bumblebee was part of an Autobot unit defending Altihex from the Decepticons, but it was ultimately declared a lost cause. Trailbreaker had to pull him aboard the shuttle once they realized there was nothing left to do. Grimlock ordered him, Jazz, Prowl, and others to the ruins of Praxus, where Grimlock declared that if the new Prime was unable to lead successfully, they would take control of the war's leadership... and take out the Prime. Bumblebee was among the group that was present for the Matrix transfer ceremony, where Optronix became Optimus Prime. When a Decepticon assassination squad arrived and Optimus kicked some exhaust port, Bumblebee declared that he was "awesome". However, Prime then ordered the Autobots to prepare an evacuation of Cybertron. The War Within #1 When Prime went underground looking for Megatron, Bumblebee was surprised he'd gone alone, but the Autobots suddenly had bigger problems, as Shockwave attacked Iacon with a host of Decepticons. The War Within #2 During the attack, Bumblebee manned a turret in the Decagon. The War Within #3 Eventually, Prowl ordered the Autobots to take them on individually, and Bumblebee went out carrying a cannon that was as big as him. At this time, Optimus also beheld a vision of a possible future, in which Bumblebee helped defend a hydro-electric dam on Earth against the forces of the Decepticons. The War Within #5 Back in reality, Bumblebee survived the destruction of Iacon, and escaped to its outskirts. Prime then met with his troops, and reversed his order of evacuation. The War Within #6 During the Dark Ages and the disappearance of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee remained with Prowl's faction of Autobots, huddled in the ruins of Iacon. He was present in the Autobase when The Fallen broke in to abduct Blitzwing, then being held within one of the Autobots' cells. Though Bumblebee attempted to contain the villain with a forcefield, The Fallen proved to be more than the base's systems could handle. Feedback shot back through its computers struck Bumblebee as The Fallen made his escape with his prize in-hand. Confrontation Though left relatively unharmed, Bumblebee did not head back into the field afterwards, when The Fallen's base of operations was uncovered and a cross-faction army rushed it. Instead, he stayed behind at the Autobase to coordinate the troops. At Jetfire's prompting, Bumblebee erected a forcefield around The Fallen once more, this time trapping him atop of the Seal of Primus. Primus's essence was then able to reach out and smite The Fallen, putting an end to his scheme. Conflagration
Bumblebee would later aid Ultra Magnus in his struggle to re-unite Cybertron under the Autobot banner. The unification of their race nearly succeeded... only for Megatron to return. The Age of Wrath
Someone has to pay for the little things.
Bumblebee was one of the Ark crew that crashed on Earth and awoke in 1984. During that time, he met Spike Witwicky, becoming close friends with the human. In 1999, the Autobots and humans allied and managed to capture the Decepticons, taking them in the Ark II back to Cybertron, along with seven humans, including Sparkplug Witwicky, Spike's father. However, the Ark II was sabotaged by rogue elements of the United States military (apparently as part of a plan by Shockwave). Prime Directive #1 The humans were all killed, but a number of Transformers, including Bumblebee, survived, but in stasis lock. Bumblebee's body was recovered by General Hallo and Adam Rook, but Rook stole Bumblebee and a number of other Transformers, intent on selling them to various terrorists to feed his greed. As part of a demonstration to prospective buyers, Rook had Bumblebee join an assault against the Smitco Oil Refinery alongside half a dozen Transformers. Soon after this exercise in carnage, Megatron wrestled his mind free from Lazarus's control, and brought ruin onto the human's organization. Prime Directive #2 Once they had been freed from Lazarus's control as well, the Seekers, to satisfy their sadism, disassembled and played with Bumblebee's various components. Prime Directive #3
Optimus Prime's team later rescued Bumblebee and the remaining Autobots. Bumblebee was reassembled while the bulk of the Autobot forces travelled to San Francisco to stop a large-scale Decepticon assault on the city. Prime Directive #4 All Autobots left behind at Lazarus's base were put to work in combating Megatron's latest doomsday weapon, a techno-virus rapidly enveloping the globe. Using devices designed by Wheeljack, Bumblebee and the others began pushing back the virus, at the expense of their own energy supplies. Unfortunately, the Canadian military, skittish over the recent Transformer violence, attacked the Autobots as they worked. Prime Directive #5 Despite this, Bumblebee tried to save as many of the soldiers as he could before the virus could kill them. The virus was ultimately neutralized, though Wheeljack had to put himself in a deep state of stasis lock to accomplish the task. Prime Directive #6
In the following weeks, the Autobots tried their best to re-establish good relations with the people of Earth, but had little luck. After Optimus Prime, Megatron, Jazz and Bluestreak vanished from the streets of Tokyo with roughly 200 human civilians, the public was understandably critical of the Transformers and their war. Bumblebee didn't help any when Chris Killah, a reporter for MNT, interviewed him on the scene while he and Prowl were looking for clues to the disappearance. Bumblebee's knowledge of Earth idioms and slang normally worked to the Autobots' benefit, but he got "stage fright" in front of the TV cameras and referred to the massive property damage and loss of human life as a "bummer". Duuuuude...no.
With both sides effectively leaderless at first, Bumblebee and Prowl did their best to contain the fallout of Megatron and Prime's disappearance. Acting on a tip, they tracked Thundercracker to an airport in Mesa Verde, Mexico, where he was running guns with some human terrorists. The battle was memorable, but brief, thanks largely to the arrival of the renegade Autobot known as Grimlock. Having heard the Starscream had taken over the human city of Las Vegas, Grimlock had commissioned a human black ops army and invited Bumblebee and Prowl to join him in assaulting the Decepticon position. Already frustrated at the United Nations' orders to stay out of Vegas, for fear of civilian casualties, Bumblebee and Prowl accepted the offer. After fighting their way through Bonecrusher and the other Constructicons on the outskirts of town, the Autobots managed to make it to the center of the Strip to confront Soundwave. Fortunately, the Autobots had long since developed internal jammers to prevent Soundwave from reading their thoughts during a battle, but that didn't make things easy. Fighting their way around the casinos, Bumblebee finally collapsed a massive neon sign on top of Soundwave, temporarily ending the fight. Bumblebee and Prowl's luck turned sour, though, with the arrival of Starscream and the mighty Devastator. The sudden appearance of a spatial gateway depositing Optimus and the other lost Transformers, along with their captors the Keepers, was just one set of complications on top of another. Hardwired
Sometime later, as they were entrenched against the Decepticons on the Alsakan shore, the Autobots received visitors from Cybertron. Representing a united Cybertronian government of both Autobots and Decepticons, they claimed the Transformers on Earth were a throwback to darker days, and wanted to take them into custody to prevent their "anachronistic" feud from upsetting Cybertron's populace. Shockwave, leader of the united Cybertronians, unleashed his triple-changing troops to take in both Optimus and Megatron's followers by force, and though the Decepticons were taken in, the Autobots escaped. New World Order The Autobots under Optimus Prime split into two groups, with Bumblebee and several others joining their leader in surrendering to Ultra Magnus (another member of the United Cybertron force), while Jazz led a small group away from the Ark to continue monitoring activities on Earth. Brothers' Burden Once they arrived on Cybertron, it became clear that there was a rotten core to the new government, namely Shockwave. Thankfully, there were dissidents in Shockwave's government, and Bumblebee, Optimus, Prowl, and Gears were freed from their holding cell by Sandstorm and Broadside. Cold War The liberated Autobots were then ferried away to meet with the leaders of Cybertron's underground resistance. Passive Aggression They then helped overthrow Shockwave's reign, reinstating Autobot rule over Cybertron. War and Peace
25 years before someone realized his toy has no face.
After Cybertron settled down, Bumblebee commanded the Autobot Shuttle Orion and a small crew, traveling back to Earth with supplies for Jazz's team at the Ark. Starscream and the Combaticons were in the midst of an attack on the Ark when the Orion arrived. Night of the Combaticons The little ship managed to damage Bruticus significantly before the super-powerful zealot Sunstorm shorted out its engines and it crashed. Bumblebee and his crew walked away from their rough landing unharmed however, and Sunstorm flew off in pursuit of Starscream. Bumblebee set about returning his ship to operational status, and a few hours later, the Orion was once more in working order. Bumblebee was ready to lie back and recharge... only for Starscream to return to the scene, now accompanied by Jetfire. Black Sunshine The Autobots were forced into an uneasy alliance with Starscream to combat Sunstorm's greater threat. Pooling their knowledge with Jetfire's, the Autobots were able to concoct a plan that had a chance of disabling their powerful foe. But all throughout their preparations, Bumblebee had to put up with his crew's doubts towards his capabilities. Bumblebee retorted that though he was "no Prime," none of them were, and that they'd have to pull through nonetheless. Deciding that he would once and for all prove to the others that he "had what it took," Bumblebee led the assault against Sunstorm when he inevitably returned. His shuttle was downed again by Sunstorm's radiation, but thanks to Jetfire distracting the clone at a pivotal moment, Bumblebee was able to attach an energy-siphon onto the super-clone, forcing him to flee as his power began to drain. But Jetfire warned Bumblebee that so long as Sunstorm was on the loose, he was a potential source of trouble. Skyfire Bumblebee and the others returned to the Orion, finding all of its remaining crew disabled by Starscream, who had himself fled. While the Autobots were tending to the injured, they heard a distant explosion, signifying that their last ace-in-the-hole, Omega Supreme, had tracked down and engaged Sunstorm. The Omega Effect
Unfortunately, Omega Supreme did not emerge victorious from this confrontation. Bumblebee and the others found him unconscious, with the energy-siphon they had attached to Sunstorm nearby, broken and disabled. Omega Supreme rebooted, and began recovering, but Bumblebee still felt guilty about not leading the Autobots towards more favorable results. He accompanied Jetfire in tracking down Sunstorm, and Bumblebee admitted he had begun to feel disillusioned in his role as the two flew off. They then came upon Starscream opening an ancient Cybertronian bunker, and swooped down to stop whatever machinations he was partaking in. Despite Sunstorm's interference, the two Autobots managed to follow Starscream underground. Jetfire managed to subdue Starscream once more, but Bumblebee received a disabling dose of radiation from Sunstorm. Before he briefly slipped into unconsciousness, Bumblebee witnessed Starscream defeat both his clone and Jetfire. Original Sin
Opening his optics, Bumblebee found himself staring down Starscream's gun-barrel. Starscream mocked the young Autobot, telling him how utterly clueless he was about the events unfolding around him. In the midst of his rant, Sunstorm re-emerged, the energies within him now erupting more violently than ever. Tired of his "brother's" constant betrayals, Sunstorm denounced Starscream, and instead claimed that Bumblebee had divine purpose to him. As Sunstorm readied to strike Bumblebee for apparently having usurped his divine mission, an explosion tore through the clone's arm.. from within! Jetfire recovered, and both he and Bumblebee tried to pin down Sunstorm to no avail. Jetfire was forced to grab Sunstorm and push him up into orbit to prevent his inevitable melt-down from causing further harm to the Earth. Starscream, out of begrudging gratitude towards his former friend, returned Bumblebee to the surface. Bumblebee then begged Starscream to take him up so they could both help Jetfire escape as Sunstorm went critical. But Starscream refused, stating that he wasn't looking to help anyone beyond himself. Bumblebee was forced to watch helplessly as Jetfire was blown to oblivion. Thoroughly distraught over what had transpired, Bumblebee deserted the Autobot army. Atonement He headed to Spike's house, but Spike, resentful of the death of Sparkplug, lashed out at him. Extermination Afterward, Spike finally realized he was being harsh on his old friend, and the two went for a night on the town, where they stopped a mugging.