Kickback (Energon)

Let's see what you can see... This article is in need of images. Specifics: Japanese toy

Kickback is a Decepticon from the Energon portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

A member of the Destruction Team, Kickback combines with his teammates to form the powerful Bruticus Maximus.

Had he not been overly close to his exploding team leader, we might know more about his flipper-footed majesty.

Fiction

Energon cartoon

Shortly after awakening from their long slumber, Bruticus Maximus and Constructicon Maximus were ordered by Galvatron to pursue the fleeing Superion Maximus after the Autobot attempted to attack the Decepticon leader. Both combiners separated into their individual components and gave chase. They later pledged their allegiance to Galvatron, believing him to be the future of Cybertron. Wishes

When Six Shot pinpointed an Autobot signal on the planet's surface, Galvatron sent Constructicon Maximus and Bruticus Maximus out to investigate. The two combiners came upon Autobot refugees looking about the crashed Miranda II for survivors, and decided to have some fun by beating them up. Arcee and Kicker sped by to allow the Autobots to escape, and Bruticus Maximus split into Kickback and his other components to give them chase. They were unable to catch the pair, but came upon them again after the Omnicons had managed to clog up an energon pipeline, hindering the Decepticons' planetary defense grid. Bruticus Maximus assumed his combined form to gun them down, but was countered by the arrival of Optimus Prime and other Autobot reinforcements. Break Through

During a virtual training match between the Autobots and Decepticons, Kickback was part of Barricade's Destruction Team, fighting the Air Team alongside the Construction Team. They combined into Bruticus Maximus to defeat Superion Maximus, only to be defeated in turn by Optimus Supreme. Distribution

Kickback and the other Destruction Team members eventually paid for their treachery during a final show down with the Air Team. Bruticus Maximus and Constructicon Maximus double teamed Superion Maximus, who held his own and destroyed Constructicon's spark before the Autobot was reduced to Storm Jet. However, the ghost of Superion's brother appeared, destroying Blackout, giving Storm Jet the chance to procure Constructicons's dead limbs and recombine into Superion. Before Bruticus could recover, the Autobot pierced his spark causing an explosion which engulfed them all. Spark

Toys

Energon

• Bruticus (Multi-pack, 2004)

• ID number: SD-21
• Release date: October 14, 2014
• Accessories: Dual cannon/radar (combiner foot/hand), Decepticon-style energon star
• Known designers: Eric Siebenaler (Hasbro), Takio Ejima (TakaraTomy)

Takara's Super Link Brawl shares a mold with his teammate Swindle, transforming into a dark green and off-white anti-aircraft tank similar to a Flakpanzer Gepard.

Brawl can form an arm or leg to any Energon-style "Powerlinx Combiner" super robot, though his nominal placement is as the left leg to Bruticus, with his clear-blue Energon weapon forming a hand or foot as needed. Speaking of, that gun features a Mini-Con-compatible Powerlinx post.

All five members of Bruticus were only available in the Takara Super Link line as part of a complete super-robot multi-pack, released in the seventeenth and final wave of toys, of which Bruticus was the only release.

This sculpt was also used to make Fun Publications Transformers Collectors' Club-exclusive Timelines Landquake and 2008 Universe line's Bruticus Maximus team members Blast Off and Brawl, who double as Revenge of the Fallen Blast Off and Brawl. Another planned redeco, movie Gunbarrel, was canceled, but later popped up in the aftermarket in unusually large quantities.

• Comparison between Kickback and his Japanese counterpart Brawl at Autobase Aichi.

Alas, his elaborate backstory as part of the Knights Tankor and doomed romance with Sky Shadow shall never be revealed.

• Kickback (Energon Class, 2005)

• Team ID number: D4
• Accessories: Dual cannon/radar (combiner foot/hand), Decepticon-style energon star
• Known designers: Eric Siebenaler (Hasbro), Takio Ejima (TakaraTomy)

The Hasbro release of Kickback was sold on an individual card, in the seventh wave of Energon "Energon Class" (aka "Basic") toys.

Kickback is is largely identical to Takara's Brawl; the most immediately-noticeable difference is that he has the "Powerlinx" gear symbol on the "hood" of his tank mode, a detail Brawl lacks. He also has "B/12" printed on his tread-covers, where Brawl has "16". His clear-blue plastic is a lighter shade, his dark green plastic is a richer tone, and his blue paint is darker, among other minor paint tweaks.

• More information on Kickback at TFU.info

Notes

Foreign names

• Japanese: Brawl (ブロウル Burōru)