Overload is a Decepticon Constructicon from the Revenge of the Fallen portion of the live-action film continuity family.

This may be the only time you ever see me in robot mode!

Overload transforms into a red modified Caterpillar 776 articulated dump truck. Sometimes, he combines with his fellow Constructicons to form Devastator's lower waist. And no, he's not Bonecrusher.

Fiction

Revenge of the Fallen film

He looks pretty big until you notice Scavenger.

During the climactic battle in Egypt between the Autobots, their human allies and The Fallen's Decepticons, Overload arrived in a quarry with the other Constructicons before merging into Devastator to attack former Sector Seven agent Seymour Simmons, Leo Spitz, Skids and Mudflap. Later, as Devastator smashed away at the Great Pyramid of Giza after shrugging off Skids and Mudflap, Simmons called upon the United States Navy to fire upon the giant Decepticon. The USS Kidd fired her experimental rail gun, smashing one of his arms to pieces and destroying Devastator. Revenge of the Fallen

IDW comics

In the distant past, the AllSpark Cube created a race of powerful, trans-dimensional beings as the first inhabitants of Cybertron. The Cube gave these beings mighty powers, as well as terraforming their world, but it was not limitless, and gradually became depleted. The first beings learned that the AllSpark's power could be replenished by harvesting the energy of stars, but they were unable to locate new stars to suit their purposes, despite their amazing ability to travel between dimensions. Once again, the Cube came to the rescue, creating a race of workers, who had the ability to change their shape.

The "Overload" body-type was among the very first of these new beings, one of several "builders" who would construct a harvester when a suitable sun had been found. Once built, the device would drain the energy of these stars, thus replenishing the AllSpark. Defiance #4

Rise of the Decepticons

Overload was one of the Constructicons that went to the bottom of the ocean to revive Megatron. Rise of the Decepticons

Toy bios

Overload was present in Egypt during Operation: Firestorm. He combined with his fellow Constructicons to form the mighty Devastator, forming the lower torso. Studio Series Constructicon Overload

Toys

Revenge of the Fallen

But he does hate that you think he's Bonecrusher.

• Decepticon Overload (EZ Collection DX, 2009)

• ID number: D1
• Release date: July 23 2009
• Known designers: Hironori Kobayashi (TakaraTomy)

Part of the Takara "EZ Collection" series, Overload transforms into an articulated dump truck. He can also combine with the other six Constructicons (sold separately) to form a tiny little Devastator: Overload becomes the combined mode's lower torso.

• Constructicon Devastator (Legends Class multi-pack, 2010)

In Hasbro's markets, the Legends-class Constructicons were sold together in a 7-pack. They are otherwise identical to the prior Takara releases. In the United States and Canada, said exclusive lies with Walmart. In the United Kingdom, the set was only available through Argos.

This set also included Hightower, Long Haul, Mixmaster, Rampage, Scavenger, and Scrapper.

• More information on Overload at TFU.info

Swap parts with the original to make Christmas Overload.

• Devastator "Origin Color" Set (EZ Collection, 2010)

• Release date: March 20 2010

Takara reissued the complete team of seven Legend class Constructicons in a singular box set. This time around, every toy has been redone in a Generation-1-Constructicon-inspired bright green and purple color scheme.

While the two other Constructicons with names that weren't part of the original team got renamed into their "close enough" Generation 1 doppelgangers for this release, Overload kept his name as, well, there isn't anyone on the original team he's analogous to. Maybe Long Haul, but there's already a Long Haul on the team.

Transformers (2010)

• Constructicon Devastator (Legends Class multi-pack, 2010)

A Toys"R"Us-exclusive Generation 1-themed redeco of Legends Devastator and his components. Unlike Takara's go at the same idea, Overload and the other Constructicons are mostly just lime green and gray, with the only bits of purple being their windshields. They do, however, have brown paint operations on and around their wheels to simulate dirt.

• More information on "Toys'R'Us" Overload at TFU.info

Movie Advanced Series

• Devastator (Gift set, 2014)

• ID number: AD13

Released as part of Takara's Movie Advanced Series Devastator set, Overload is a redeco of the ROTF Legends Overload to closely resemble his on-screen portrayal.

Studio Series

Losing half my legs was worth it for this.

• Constructicon Overload (Leader Class, 2020)

• Movie: Revenge of the Fallen
• Hasbro ID number: 66
• TakaraTomy ID number: SS-54
• TakaraTomy release date: August 1, 2020
• Accessories: Devastator neck armor, "Pyramid Desert Battle" backdrop (2nd version)
• Known designers: Mike Booth (Hasbro), Shogo Hasui (TakaraTomy)

Released to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Revenge of the Fallen, Studio Series "Constructicon Overload" transforms from an articulated dump truck into a robot mode based on different concept art from his Legends class toy or comic renditions (see below).

Overload is roughly as tall as his Voyager-sized teammates like Long Haul and Rampage. As such, Target's stocking system in the United States priced Overload at the Voyager-class price point of $29.99 during his initial release. In truth, he is sold at Leader-class price-point because of his massive secondary arms (rivaling Mixmaster in width). He comes with a removable screen-accurate neck armor piece for Devastator's head mode, which plugs onto Overload's back in robot mode, and a cardboard backdrop display depicting Operation: Firestorm.

Overload can be combined with the rest of the Studio Series Constructicons to form Devastator, becoming the giant's chest, lower torso, thighs and waist. Humorously, this transformation leaves the back of his head exposed in combined mode, right in the middle of Devastator's stomach. When in combined mode, the neck armor included with Overload snaps onto Mixmaster's top barrel.

CG renders depict Overload in a beet red and cool-grey as opposed to the brick red and warmer grey of the final product. He also comes mistransformed to fit in the box, with his shoulders being angled downwards at the joint that serves as Devastator's hips. Like the majority of the Studio Series Constructicons, he lacks a Decepticon symbol.

Overload was planned to be released in Japan on August 29, 2020, but was pushed up to the first of that same month for unknown reasons. His wave-mate, Cliffjumper, was released during the planned original release date. Overload is set to be rereleased in 2025 as a Target exclusive, with brand new packaging.^[1]

• Devastator (Gift set, 2020)

• Movie: Revenge of the Fallen
• ID number: 69

This boxset contains 8 of the Studio Series Constructicons seen in the Revenge of the Fallen film. In order to keep Devastator accurate to his on-screen appearance, Skipjack is included in the set, completely omitting Rampage, as he was busy elsewhere.

This release of Overload features little to no difference to the release above.

The gift set was announced on the October 16 Fan First Friday.

Notes

"People would probably remember me if this was my robot mode. But no, we're just stuck with the boring, traditional version with extra arms made out of meat hooks."

• Like several recent Japanese Transformers toys, TakaraTomy has incorporated Overload's faction with his name in an effort to strengthen his trademark. Hasbro, however, has not had such problems to date with the name Overload in their markets.
• Being the seventh Constructicon, Overload technically does not have a G1 counterpart, but he is a (albeit articulated) dump truck that forms Devastator's lower torso.
• One of Ben Procter's concept art studies for Overload's robot mode is a monstrous—and awesome—four-armed quadruped with claws and hooks up the ying-yang.^[2] A bipedal variant of this design also exists, which would eventually serve as the basis for the Studio Series toy.^[3] Another bipedal design^[4] was also made, serving as the basis for the original Legends class toy and his comic appearances.
• Overload's vehicle mode is identified on various pieces of concept art as a Komatsu HD465 or a Caterpillar 773, but the actual machine used in filming appears to be a Caterpillar 776.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Overload (オーバーロード Ōbārōdo)

References