What is a Combiner? 

Anybody remember an episode when Optimus Prime and some other autobots disguised themselves as Stunticons, and they were also able to merge into an impostor Menasor.

Easiest to describe Combiners, “Individual bots who combine and their shard personalities traits form the personality of the combined mode.” Which is why Devestator is dumb compared to his individual bots, Predaking is a unrelenting killer, and Computron takes forever to compute an answer.

I'm sure we all remember this infamous line. THERE GONNA BUILD AN ARMY OF COMBINERS!

I might as well say it... *THEY'RE GONNA BUILD AN ARMY OF COMBINERS!*

This video did my head in. Not because of your intense research (seriously impressive dedication) but because how bad these companies were at coming up with new ideas.

My favorite Combinders 1. Bruticus 2. Devestator 3. Predaking 4. Defensor 5. Superion

"Why am I under investigation, I'm not a dinobot..."

Devastator: HA HA IM THE MOST POWERFUL COMB- (get squashed) Metroplex: As you were saying? Im not really a combiner but im big! Devastator: (fires gun) Metroplex: *WHY DO YOU FIRE AT ME?*

I've never understood why some people are obsessed with seeing the dinobots combine. Part of their mythos is that they're powerful without needing to combine.

I love that when Predaking Merges he actually mass shifts Bigger.

I would define a combiner as more than one sentient robot that when merged form a single entity that has its own sentience and personality. Thus any character that has drones like Primes roller is not a combiner

Combiners were a great idea to make the g1 cartoons much more interesting.But from Hasbro's point of view it was a gimmick to sell more toys.The only complete combiner I owned in the mid 80s was bruticus even though I owned the leader/centerpiece to many others like silverbolt,motormaster,hotspot,and razorclaw.so I had a ton of heads,hands and feet because the centerpiece came with all the combiner açcessories.I also hate that I didn't own any contructicons because devastator was my favorite combiner in the g1 cartoon plus he was the only one that utilized 6 regular size figures.

lol i thought you and diamond bolt agreed to not speak of the BEAST

I agree with your concept of combiners, but I think not all transformers should have that ability.

“And last but not least, is this unmentionable thing.”

Favorite Autobot combiners that I didn't see enough of: Protectobots/Defensor Favorite Decepticon combiners: Predacons/Predaking. Favorite combiner moment: "Prepare for extermination!" -- Devastator, Transformers: The Movie

Till All Are One. ✌

I think combiners is a neat concept it makes you want to buy them all!!!

I loved it when you showed a picture of the thing that will not be named, for a second I thought I was watching a Diamond Bolt video

That was a well done, informative episode. As a Transformers fan, I pity any complete newcomer who tries to comprehend all of the many series/iterations/storylines/timelines in the mythos. It's enough to make your head spin!

Combiners are cool and all, but when there’s like 50 of them they stop being special. There should only be like 4 or 5 of them.

I have the original Devastator set, its quite a delicate but awesome figure

To be honest, the Beast's combining process reminded of John Carpenter's The Thing. One could say the Dinobots in that story actually fused and not really combined making the Beast more of a fusor rather than a combiner.

This video is excellent. Back in 84 when I saw the constructicons merge I was in awe. Vehicles that transform into Robots that combine together. The play value was and is just epic. Takara Tomy 👏🏾👏🏾👊🏿👊🏿

"Bruticus...Devastate...Devastator..." REKT

...yeah, why can the Decepticons can fly? Can't wait for that video.😉

When someone asks me who is your favorite combiner besides devastator Me: devastator... Them: no besides devastator Me: NOTHING BEATS THE DEVASTATOR! NOTHING!!!

Hooray another high quality transformers discussion video from rodimus primal. I loved the combiners when I was a kid watching G1. They were really well animated, shame the toys couldn't match the look and range of movements shown in the animated series but that just meant I had to use my imagination to fill it in when playing with them. I had a devastator set as a kid and it was really delicate. Too much for the sort of rough and tumble play that kids would subject it to. But in the animation it was good that they gave the combiners a weakness that would see them fall apart when hit in the right spot as that was useful for kids playing with a combiner as it worked well with the delicate bonds between the combiners. It's funny how I remember playing with transformers made me feel more like a director than anything as I was in my mind scripting the action in line with the rules set out by the show so there had to be a reason for conflict (couldn't just be I feel like shooting up some deceptions today, hur hur hur), characters couldn't swap factions at will without some sort of logical explanation and any crossovers with other toys would need some sort of logical explanation too. In fact the more that I recall this, the more that I realize that this is probably one big reason why folks who grew up watching G1 absolutely despise bayformers (for the most part). When I watched revenge of the fallen and saw that garbage heap that Bay passed off as devastator my reaction was the same as how my younger self would have reacted if some cynical jackass had glued some trash together and tried to pass it off as devastator when playing transformers.

The best place to get Transformers news👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏

Ive always called the Drone Combiners as well... "Drone Combiners" or "Singular Combiners" besides that great work and insight as always Primal.

Great video I did not know that they made more combiner robots after the original G1 series was over , thank you .

It is one of the most complete videos i have seen about combiners. Great job!

Ah, a video I’ve been waiting for a lil bit! Much thanks Rodimus!

Great video!! Informative!! I cant wait to see what else you will add!!

I love this one, never gets old.

I like how Swindle sold the other Stunticons for used parts in the episode "B.O.T.". That was hilarious.

this is very thorough and a great analysis too. I've been a fan since their start, but even I wasn't aware of all these combiner robots and their variations. Well done here. I would say the need for a combiner really came out of the smashing success of guys like Voltron which came out in 1984, which sort of passed up the interest of any single transforming robot. So I would say that mold set the quintessence of the genre, and from there lesser versions of that theme popped up like super versions, and double robot modes, etc. These cartoons basically set the mold of what a fantastic cartoon should look like for the rest of time.

Great and complete description of the combiners' team along many section of the entire TF series 10+

I was waiting for this video for a long time thank you very much I’m glad the next episode you are doing is more in depth about the origin I’m really looking forward for protecorbot and The bots starscreen made

Brilliant video as always

This channel really is amazing! The citations, references and examples - absolute gold!

Fantastic video! More discussions please!

Great video. And NO all Transformers should NOT have the ability to combine... Though Hasbro seems to think differently. And thank you for not covering the monstrocity that shall not be named... 😂

Awesome video as always Rodimus keep up the amazing work

Yeah! Thanks for this one! i really love the Combiners!

Nice work my man thinks for making this!

I've been coming up with combiner teams for over 25 years! Many inspired by Power Rangers Zord formations! With some additions that have the teams consist of 9 instead of 5 members. Sometimes the zords' names are good enough for the Autobot name, too! Like Thunder Loader, Star Racer, Pyro Rescue & Med Rescue.

Always loved this video! 💙

0:22 when your friend takes off their glasses

Love that intro!

Am I the only one who realized he forgot about Safegard? Aka Jetfire and Jetstorm from Transformers Animated? 🤔 I love those bois XD.

I loved the combiner Mini-Cons as a kid!

As a G1 fanboy, I'm a bit opposed to the Dinobots being combiners etc., but now that I have the PotP figs, I can't help but love how well they pulled off Volcanicus. Guess that's another vid

Awsome video

Thanks for the information, I've always wanted to know more about gestalts. And I think that the constructions should be rivals of the aerialbots. Since superion and devastator make good rivals.

“What is a combiner?” A transformer that dances with chickens

Reallly informative with lots of stuff cheers.

The Combaticons are my favorite. So far I've only collected 3 of them, Vortex, Swindle and Blast Off. I still need Onslaught and Brawl.

Amazing video! Thank you

Combiners? That's cool, that's really cool.

Thanks Roddy..nice video

That is so much details that you gathered. Not even going to ask how you have possessed so much info on this combiner topic. That was to much info for me. You lost me after G1 Transformers that you mentioned. That sea combiner I never heard of it. Applause for all the work you did on this topic.

You made my day at 11:18

Who else thought diamond bolt would appear when rodimus started to talk about the beast

Love ur vids bud

Great video, dude!

Hey RadiusPrimal I had watch the entire video and your information is amazingly on point my favorite combiners are all the Autobot combiners ✨

Excellent video

great video like always my friend combiners are one of my favorites in transformers and i have been collecting all the combiners wars and titan return combiners

Yaaaay a new video 😁

I have to work in the am but I can't stop watching these videos

The Combiners are an awesome concept.

Hi rodimus. Great video

Combiners are the coolest. But, as with everything: if it is overdone, it becomes lame. So should every Transformers have this ability? Hell no. That would diminish the awesomeness of the G1 combiners. My favorite is Predaking. #2 Abominus. (He's doesn't get mentioned enough and I think he's underrated)

Transformer's engineering has always fascinated Me, But the combiners tech is over the top!!!!

Got the love the 1980's with their half hour long commercials to sell toys.

Magnaboss was in beastwars 2 and was made by combining Lio Junior, Skywarp and Santon

I hope in the future the combiners can transform, like: Devastator can transform into a wrecking ball and crane, Menasor into monster truck, Superion into space shuttle, and Bruticus (sorry for misspelling) into battleship, and etc.

18:00 "Is THIS. UNMENTIONABLE. THING!!!!" XD

"...one of my personal favorites, Liokaiser." MY BROTHER. Subbed for that line alone.

3:45 That's just funny.

A combiner is when 2 or more Transformers, (each with 3 modes, robot/beast + alt mode/beast + combine mode), merge to create a gestalt entity. The gestalt entity has its own unique name, its own unique personality, (which is the result of the individual personalities merging), and the gestalt is more powerful than the sum of its parts. Sky Lynx is not a combiner because he is 1 mind, 1 personality, that is shared between 2 bodies. Reflector is not a combiner because the 3 bots only have 2 modes, and there is no evidence of their minds merging.

Megatron: We're mostly jets, and Autobots are mostly cars... I know! I'll create car desepticons, which can combine! Optimus Prime: *takes notes*

I definitely learned some things. Thanks

Combiners should be a team, with a theme, with alt modes that merge into one entity........the rest should be called “Link Mode” transformers if they can merge with anyone

My favorite combiners were the Seacons and Technobots. The Seacons were cool in the comics.

Another one from the Unicron Triliogy nobody can forget is in Galaxy Force/Cybertron, where Leobreaker can combine with Optimus to activate "Savage Claw Mode" (or as I like to call it, "Optimus Prime's Pimp Hand")

Can't wait to see your video about Nemesis Prime.

18:01 Diamondbolt approved

This was well done. Very informative. For me I stopped watching TF after G1 Season 4 with the Targetmasters and Headmasters. I feel Hasbro has gotten in the way of great lore and storytelling trying to sell toys and ends up ruining great concepts by overdoing them in the name of sales. I also wish the U.S. and Japanese storytelling cannon were more consistent. It seems like we missed out on a lot of cool stories and characters never introduced in the U.S. and Canada. That was a missed opportunity for them. Also them not following the original comic book lore or taking bits and pieces from it made things a bit confusing. Marvel Productions and Hasbro had so much more they could have done after Optimus Prime’s return at the end of G1 Season 3. Keep up the great work!

Another excellent video Rodimus. Devastator was the 1st combiner for me as well....it was delicate but BADASS at the same time. Wish I still had him in my collection today. I also agree with your assessment on what is a combiner....a powered up Transformer like Powermaster Optimus Prime is not a combiner. Keep the videos coming....great work again bro.

When I look at the later versions of the combiners... I begin to see where the Bayformers came from.

They are epic

Combatacons are my favorite

Gonna be honest, though I love this video, it could use an update. You know, with new events and all. The biggest thing that needs to be KEPT though, is Jet pants super shoulders prime

G1 Predaking has always been my favorite combiner by far, although Devastator holds a special place in my heart because he was the first one I ever bought and assembled as child. Predaking's figure looks so solid, imposing, and dangerous. Just a great look for a combiner.

Who is your favorite combiner? Mine are Devastator and Menasor. Anyway, my take on combiners is the definition and bias shown to them in recent toons and books. One of the few modern concepts I enjoy. it makes sense to fear the merging of autonomous robotic organisms. Machines without consciousness would be no big deal to merge. However, they have individualism feared to be lost and corrupted by merging. A "sickness" of wanting to combine into a greater whole. Bloody brilliant.

Four Common Teams: * Combaticons* *Protectobots* *Stunticons* *Aerialbots*

Great vid

Images of stylized robots in the first few minutes starting with the 2:31 courtesy of Shinya Ohira (yes,that Shinya Ohira of that one scene in Howl's Moving Castle with those dancing colors) and 2:53 courtesy of Go Nonaka who would go on to design everything for Zyuranger which would then become MMPR Season 1,both veterans of Studio OX. We could talk about Studio OX in a discussion video too.