Swoop is an Autobot Dinobot from the Aligned continuity family.

Doing push-ups, running laps, cleaning my weapon and virtually every other available task other than your tragic loss.

Swoop (aka Strafe) very much looks at life as an adventure. Laid back, quick with the jibs, and carefree, Swoop found a new lease on life as a result of Shockwave's experiments. While Slug sees his dinosaur form as his soul made manifest, Swoop is simply in love with the wings. Though he doesn't hate his previous form, he has taken great pride in his newly-found gift of flight. He revels in the freedom his Pteranodon mode offers, as it possesses capabilities that surpass the most advanced fighter jets.

Unfortunately, this sense of pride has all engendered a carelessness in Swoop. He's not always quick at recognizing dangers nor does he show an appropriate maturity in how he handles them. Like the others, he looks up to Grimlock, but he is easily the most likely to give the Dinobot commander reason to worry about them.

Fiction

IDW Aligned comics

Sent by Grimlock to investigate the Decepticons' seemingly neverending supply of energon, Swoop found and infiltrated an enemy base where he overheard Shockwave discussing with Starscream that he was not only responsible for the energon situation, but had also uncovered an army of Insecticon warriors for the Decepticons to use. He was discovered before long and set upon by the Insecticon swarm, which proved too much for him. Secrets Before he went down, Swoop sent an emergency message to Grimlock telling him about his discovery. Good Intentions He was strung up to a harness to serve as bait for the rest of the Lightning Strike Coalition, who were themselves attacked by Insecticons when they came to save him. Siege Mentality After the Insecticons successfully overwhelmed Swoop's would-be-rescuers, the entire Lightning Strike Coalition were carried away by the swarm to Shockwave's laboratories so they could be experimented upon. Last Stand All five members of the Coalition were strung up, painfully vivisected, and altered. By giving them new alternate modes, based off of alien creatures he had observed through a window in space-time, Shockwave hoped to turn Swoop and the others into mindless killing machines for the Decepticons to exploit. Fragmentation

In time, Grimlock managed to escape Shockwave's control, and met back up with his teammates. Swoop and Slug informed Grimlock that the Decepticons' plans revolved around a space bridge tower, where their leader confronted Shockwave. Together, the Lightning Strike Coalition, now calling themselves the Dinobots, held onto their identities and swore to continue protecting Cybertron. Fall

Swoop and the Dinobots aided in helping Impactor's convoy of ships to escape Cybertron's atmosphere. Swoop covered Snarl's back by dealing with the Decepticon ground troops led by Blast Off. When Ultra Magnus ordered the Dinobots to get to their own craft, another squadron of Decepticons drew Swoop into a solo attempt to take them out. Magnus ordered Swoop away and fought the Decepticons off, but his ship was shot down. While some of the other Dinobots were considering leaving Magnus behind, Grimlock refused to do so and commenced a rescue mission. Ser-Ket, however, listened to their conversation.

A Predacon beat the Dinobots to Magnus' ship, and Swoop was taken out. After Grimlock transformed into dinosaur mode to save his comrade, he lost control of himself and turned on his own men. The Predacon flew off with an unconscious Swoop. Rage of the Dinobots #1

Swoop awakened in the prison-base of The Forged. His first sight was of Ser-Ket, who called him "Brother." Upon realizing where he was, Swoop accused her of being a Decepticon. Ser-Ket scoffed at this, saying factions were meaningless now that Megatron and Optimus Prime were gone. Swoop asked of the fate of Ultra Magnus. Ser-Ket said not to worry, he'd be reunited after the Master arrived. Staging a rescue, the Dinobots failed to find Swoop among the prisoners. Reasoning that he too was moving to the roof to escape, they did likewise. Encountering Ser-Ket, Grimlock demanded that she hand over Swoop, but she revealed that he had been re-forged. Hailing his new master Shockwave, Swoop attacked! Rage of the Dinobots #2

Desperate to reclaim Swoop with his free-will intact, Grimlock challenged Ser-Ket to a one-on-one battle. He waged himself and the remaining DInobots in exchange for Swoop's freedom, and the duel began in earnest. Though Ser-Ket began with the upper hand, once Grimlock gave in to her goading and transformed into his more powerful Tyrannosaurus mode, he quickly turned the duel's tables. Swoop then flew in to attack Grimlock, only to be thrown to the ground by Grimlock's violent thrashing. The impact undid the modifications the Forged had dealt to Swoop's circuitry, returning him to his senses. Grimlock then managed to finish his duel, claiming victory. After regaining his composure, Grimlock welcomed back Swoop to the Dinobots alongside the rest of his teammates, and the group took their leave. As the Dinobots scaled their way out of the prison however, Ser-Ket struck again, this time using her own beast mode to carry Grimlock away. Returning the favor he owed, Swoop flew up and freed Grimlock from Ser-Ket's grip, brought him back to the ground, and watched on as Ser-Ket was dispatched by his leader. Though their ordeal seemed to finally be at its end, the Dinobots were then approached by Shockwave. Rage of the Dinobots #3

Though the Dinobots and Ultra Magnus unleashed all of the firepower at their disposal against the new arrival, Shockwave managed to take them all out by strategic use of a force-field and an EMP. While Swoop and the others were put under guard in a force-field-enclosed cell, Grimlock was brought to Shockwave's operating theater to be stripped of his sentience once and for all. Swoop turned to Magnus for a plan, and he quickly concocted one; he and Slug staged an argument to trick their guards into lowering the force-field holding them captive. The Dinobots then trounced the guards and bashed their way into Shockwave's lab. Together, they then tore Shockwave to shreds. Unfortunately, this turned out to merely be an avatar of the real Shockwave, as the Dinobots learned while releasing Grimlock's restraints. Afterwards, the Dinobots saw Ultra Magnus off-planet, telling him they planned to stay behind so as to continue helping whatever Cybertronians still lingered on the dying planet, as well as continue their hunt for Shockwave. As they walked off towards their next adventure, Swoop claimed "dibs" on Sentinel Prime's abandoned palace. Rage of the Dinobots #4

The Dinobots later moved to the settlement of Last Spark to help its struggling inhabitants. When Grimlock took Swoop out on patrol, the flier was excited that they got to spend time alone together, and enthusiastically chatted with his commander. Just as Grimlock was becoming annoyed with Swoop's babble, the pair came upon a crowd of Forged guarding one of Shockwave's abandoned labs. After defeating them, the Dinobots poked around the laboratory. Inside, Swoop accidentally let loose four dinosaurs clones created by Shockwave's experiments. Beast Hunters #3 Though the beasts looked formidable, Grimlock was able to wound his counterpart, sending the whole pack fleeing from the lab. Swoop chased out his own counterpart, discovering that it couldn't survive up in Cybertron's surface atmosphere. Taking pity on the creature, Swoop tried to take it back underground, only for it to dissolve into a puddle of energon on the wat. The Dinobots later found in the lab's computers that Shockwave had brought the dinosaurs to life in the past, but had been unable to sustain them outside of their test-tubes. Beast Hunters #4

While Swoop and Grimlock paid a visit to New Kalis, a planet-wide quake rocked Cybertron. Strangely, in the quake's aftermath, many 'bots were left repaired and re-energized. Additionally, energon had begun to spring up from the ground, to the joy of the many starved survivors. But as Swoop himself re-energized, he found the energon to be pooling at an ever-increasing speed... Swoop, Grimlock, and Chromia soon found themselves corralling the citizens of New Kalis to higher ground before their cavern was completely flooded with energon. Beast Hunters #5 As the group made their way to the surface, Swoop used his flight capabilities to scout the path ahead. As they neared their destination, Swoop and Grimlock encountered a razor snake of gargantuan proportions. They managed to defeat the creature while the rest of the group reached the surface, where rivers of energon were flowing freely. Beast Hunters #6

Swoop's group met with Snarl leading another band of survivors. As everyone was arguing over what to do next, Swoop picked up an Autobot signal coming from Kaon city. Slug then also found his way to the group, but before everyone could get caught up, an army of Forged came charging towards them, guns ablaze. The Dinobots charged back, only for the battle to be interrupted by a Predacon bursting forth from the underground. The beast was sent fleeing when Sludge finally joined the battle, bringing reinforcements along with him: Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead! Beast Hunters #7

The Autobots headed for Kaon together, battling their way through the Forged army. But once the Decepticons had been dealt with, the Predacon resurfaced. The Autobots split into groups to head to Kaon, with Arcee and Swoop taking one group of survivors. Swoop drew off the Predacon when it attacked, allowing Arcee and the other to reach Kaon. He led the beast into a trap so that Grimlock and Bumblebee could blast it before trapping it underground. They then eventually reached Kaon, where Grimlock announced he planned to build an all new city named New Spark. Beast Hunters #8

Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe

Swoop serves under Grimlock as part of the Dinobots. He has yet to understand the strength of his human allies. The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe

Adventure toy bio

Swoop and Slug were liberated by Grimlock, and the three are now close friends. Swoop detested it when Decepticons entered his airspace, having a particular grudge against Dreadwing.^[1]

2015 Robots in Disguise cartoon

Following the restoration of Cybertron from the Great War, Swoop was one of the many Autobots blacklisted by the new High Council for being a supporter of Optimus Prime. Enemy of My Enemy

Rescue Bots Academy cartoon

Swoop once bet Grimlock he couldn't eat thirty seven rocks. Grimlock managed to eat forty. Dino-mite Duo

Games

Transformers: War for Cybertron (DS)

Voice actor: Eric Artell

Like some vast, predatory, overused joke...

Grimlock and Swoop were neutral Transformers who met with the Autobots to discuss joining. Grimlock was keen to have the Autobots test their mettle, however while he was talking, Swoop was kidnapped by a group of Decepticons led by Cyclonus for their Dark Energon experiments. In a lab on the outskirts of Iacon, Swoop was infused with the dark substance, and by the time the Autobots found him, he felt strange and had the urge to eat heads. He began flying around in his vehicle mode but the Autobots discovered that by zapping him with the equipment in the lab, they could purge him of the Dark Energon. Though Swoop resisted violently, they managed to purge him completely and he announced he felt better.

Swoop promised to lead the Autobots out of the labyrinth of tunnels, however unfortunately Cyclonus had started the self-destruct sequence on the laboratory. Swoop and his rescuers were forced to race through hostile tunnels, taking down force-fields blocking their path, until they finally got out before the detonation. Grimlock was so impressed with their work that he let Swoop join the Autobots. War for Cybertron - Autobots/Decepticons

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (Xbox/PS3/PC)

Voice actor: Mark Allan Stewart

"Almost forgot — me Swoop can transform!"

Six days before the launch of the Ark, Swoop and the rest of the Lightning Strike Coalition deserted their post protecting the ship to investigate strange energy readings in the Sea of Rust. Said readings were caused by Shockwave's space bridge experiments at the energon lake, and when they arrived they were set upon by one of Shockwave's other experiments, the Insecticons. Shockwave took the opportunity experiment on them, giving them dinosaur forms and testing the results. Grimlock found and freed Swoop first out of the team, and they went searching for Slug. They first encountered Hardshell, and Swoop used the technology in the room to supply Grimlock with fuel pods for his leader to throw at the bug. Their search for Slug led them to a trashed lab with a hole in the floor, and they split up to continue their search.

Grimlock found Slug first, and they joined Swoop in searching for Snarl. They found Snarl being protected by Sharpshot, and once the Insecticon was defeated, they looked for a place to rest and repair Snarl. They located an observation deck which had logs of Shockwave's experiments on them and the space bridge project. Though Optimus ordered them back to base when they contacted him, Grimlock insisted on trying to take the space bridge tower himself, and had Swoop fly him to the top of the tower. Unfortunately the winds became too much for them and they separated. Swoop later watched from afar as the tower exploded. Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark

Console

The Game Full of Death and Suffering...! This character article is a stub and is missing information on their video game appearances. You can help Transformers Wiki by expanding it.

Rise of the Dark Spark (console)

Transformers: Battle Tactics

Strafe (FOC) participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Super Rare character who first appeared in the "Grimlock's Escape" stronghold event, and could be recruited by collecting 250 units of Cybermetal, 75 units of Transmetal, and 10 cores of this character. Transformers: Battle Tactics

Toys

Adventure

• Swoop (Deluxe, 2015)

• ID number: TAV09
• Release date: March 21, 2015

Part of the initial wave of Takara's Adventure product (their version of the Robots in Disguise series), Swoop is a redeco of Animated Deluxe Class Swoop, transforming into a robotic Pteranodon. He does not come with the original Swoop's flail weapon, however.

He features a scannable badge on his left wing. Scanning the sticker unlocks Swoop in the Transformers Chronicle checklist app. The toy's orientation in-package prevents the badge from being scanned.

Dinobot Adventures

• Dinobot Swoop (Dinobot Striker, 2021)

• Known designers: Marcelo Matere (Packaging artist)^[3]

Dinobot Adventures Swoop is a redeco of the Rescue Bots Mini Dino Blades the Rescue Dinobot figure, in a color scheme very much like his Generation 1 namesake's cartoon deco. He features a single-step autotransformation from robotic Pterodactyl to robot mode. Pressing a button his beast mode back activates a wing flapping gimmick.

He is mistransformed in his stock photography, with his legs still in robot mode configuration.

Notes

• Swoop's War for Cybertron DS appearance was designed by illustrator David White.
• Swoop's beast mode head is available in Fall of Cybertron multiplayer as a Hunter-type component for Scientist-class characters.
• Prior to his transformation into a Dinobot, Swoop's alternate mode was a treaded, tank-like ground vehicle, as shown in the Fall of Cybertron prequel comic. While this may seem like a poor creative choice or outright error, he did seem pretty surprised and elated by his new pterosaur mode, so perhaps John Barber just ran with it.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Swoop (スワープ Suwāpu, スウープ Suūpu)
• Russian: Swoop (Свуп)

References