Wedge is an Autobot originally from the Robots in Disguise continuity family.

Sadly, we can't make a Star Wars joke because Wedge has never been to Antilla.

"Boy genius" Wedge (aka Build Boy) is leader of the Build Team and chief architect and designer of Earth's subterranean Global Space Bridge. He and his team have never once missed a deadline, and are so devoted to their jobs maintaining and expanding the tunnels that they may go prolonged periods of time underground, totally unseen by either Autobots or Decepticons.

However, Wedge and his team also feel a need to prove themselves as warriors, which drives Wedge to be somewhat gung-ho about charging into battle. He's the definition of a hot head, and he'll ask to be put into battle at any chance he gets - especially when his pride as a builder and an Autobot are on the line. This can put him in harm's way, and also be somewhat obnoxious to his fellow Autobots, but Optimus Prime believes he can be hardened into a capable warrior.

Just how this inexperienced kid came to lead a team full of far more seasoned Autobots is anyone's guess. However it happened, his take-charge attitude and his care for his team have made him a leader they respect.^[1]

When his team merges to form Landfill, Wedge has total mental control over their combined form, lending him new destructive power to back up his usual bravado.

Fiction

Cartoon continuity

2001 Robots in Disguise cartoon

Voice actor: Michael Reisz (English), Yukiko Tamaki (Japanese), Alexandr Novikov (Russian, till Lessons of the Past), Vladimir Gerasimov (Russian, from Lessons of the Past), Luis Alfonso Padilla (Latin American Spanish), Roberto Stocchi (Italian), Marcos Souza (Brazilian Portuguese), Sa Seong-woong (Korean)

Strike a running-esque position!

When the Predacons attacked a diamond mine in Antarctica, the Autobot Brothers were sent through the Global Space Bridge to stop them. The heroes were delayed, however, when they tried to go through a part of the bridge that was still being built by the Build Team. Wedge, the leader of the Build Team, said they would build a link to Antarctica on one condition: They got to go on assignment. Optimus Prime agreed, and T-AI sent them off to the mines.

When the Build Team arrived, the Predacons mistook them for normal construction vehicles that Sky-Byte had sent to help carry out the diamonds. For some odd reason, Wedge and the others were all too happy to help. The Preds soon realized their mistake, and the two teams began to fight. Wedge repeatedly tried to fight, and was repeatedly thrashed; at one point, Sky-Byte grabbed Wedge in his mouth and bit the young Autobot hard enough to make him scream, which caused his teammate Heavy Load to beg for mercy on his behalf. Wedge was only released after the Predacons were tricked into exchanging him for what they thought was a map of the spacebridge tunnels, but which actually was a map of the sewers.... in Antarctica. Wedge's Short Fuse

I'll wager three hundred on the train bot.

After completing work on the Arctic link, Wedge decided that the team needed some battle practice and sent Grimlock to upload the link data into the space bridge computer. A short time later, the space bridge begin malfunctioning and depositing Autobots at random locations, leading to Wedge getting into an argument with Rapid Run — Wedge's contention being that the problem was not the bridge but the Autobots using it. Finally Wedge realised that the Decepticons had tampered with the Global Space Bridge programming, and the problem was quickly repaired.

The Build Team headed for the energy facility facility where Megatron and Scourge were attempting to plunder energy, with Wedge insisting to the other Autobots that the Build Team should deal with the foe as a matter of honor. Forming Landfill, they soon chased off Megatron and Scourge, and there were apologies exchanged for the earlier heated tempers. Landfill

The Build Team were called in to help stabilise the CGA Tower, when Sky-Byte and the Predacons endangered it by damaging the foundations. Although Sky-Byte wouldn't let the rest of the Build Team near, Wedge helped to hold up the tower, pleading with the Predacon not to harm the hostages. With Optimus on the way with the O-Parts, Wedge managed to persuade Sky-Byte to let his hostages go and formed Landfill with the rest of the Build Team in order to dig a new foundation for the tower. Sky-Byte Saves the Day With all repairs and maintenance finally complete, Heavy Load and the Build Team helped test the space bridge. Lessons of the Past

Yeah right. Mega-Octane doesn't have elbows!

After the Decepticon Commandos raided a power station, the Build Team arrived while they were fighting Rail Racer and promptly siphoned off their stolen energy. Enraged, the Decepticons began destroying construction vehicles in an attempt to draw the Build Team out, but Optimus kept it from Wedge and the rest of the team. On finding out, Wedge was enraged and demanded that they be sent into battle, but Optimus told them to keep away. After Hightower sabotaged the space bridge, the Team confronted the Decepticons anyway. The fight did not go well, and Landfill was no match for Ruination in combat. Damaged, Landfill began digging furiously, creating a tunnel which began filling with crude oil. Ruination suggested they call a truce until they could get to safety, but Wedge dismissed those fears and deliberately fired his weapon. Everything exploded and his teammates were set on fire. Thankfully, Optimus was nearby, and was able to put the fire out. A Test of Metal

During an excavation under Metro City, the Build Team experienced strange hallucinations, seeing each other as Predacons, and abandoned the site. They were later called back to that area when information from Doctor Onishi's chip pointed to the area as possibly containing a Cybertronian artifact. Wedge boasted that this time they would not let the hallucinations fool them again. While digging at the site, the hallucinations began again, disrupting their work. Eventually they broke through to a cavern containing Fortress Maximus and formed Landfill to fight the Decepticons who then arrived. Fortress Maximus

You may notice a pattern emerging in these images

Later, as Ruination fought Rail Racer in the middle of Metro City, Wedge spied on them and felt the urge to join in the battle, but was prevented by the more sensible Heavy Load. The Build Team were busy enacting Optimus' plan to hide Fortress Maximus in the city, within a large fake building. Koji Gets His Wish

With Doctor Onishi recovered, the Build Team and Autobot Brothers began a race to locate the last five O-Parts. Wedge and Side Burn engaged in a rivalry over which team would collect the most, and it was Wedge who located the last O-Part under the top-cap of a pyramid, winning the contest. Megatron and the Decepticons soon arrived, with an ill-timed attack from Wedge resulting in the 'bot being taken hostage by Megatron. The Predacon leader demanded the O-Parts in exchange for Wedge's life, but ended up releasing him anyway, after Sky-Byte messed up the exchange. A Friendly Contest

Perhaps he should have been named "Grapple" instead.

The Build Team accompanied the Autobot Brothers on a mission to find Cerebros beneath an ancient temple. This was fortunate, as the Decepticons caved the temple in on top of them, and the Build Team were able to dig the Autobots out. They subsequently helped to guard Fortress Maximus. Even though the Decepticons were able to activate Maximus, Wedge pointed out that the giant didn't have a will of his own, and would only obey orders. To take out Scourge, who he appeared to be taking orders from, the Build Team formed Landfill, though in the end it turned out that Maximus wasn't obeying Scourge anyway.

After Maximus sank into the ground, the Build Team searched fruitlessly for him. Maximus Emerges

When Scourge made a second attempt to control Maximus in the Sahara desert, Wedge, the rest of the Build Team and Team Bullet Train picked up a large number of children and took them to the site via the Global Space Bridge. There the children were able to command Maximus to stop. The Human Element

Wedge was driving along in Metro City when he saw who he thought was Koji being kidnapped by Sky-Byte. Wedge attempted to pursue the Predacon, but got caught in a traffic jam. He reported the bad news to Autobot headquarters, only to learn that it was actually Koji's friend Carl that had been abducted. He was thanked for the update and told to return to base while the other Autobots dealt with the situation.Mistaken Identity

He's had it up to here with all those screencaps of him being grabbed.

When the Decepticons launched an attack on the Autobot base, Wedge was called to a predetermined location with the rest of the Autobots to spring a trap on their foe. When the Megastar joined the fight, Wedge announced the formation of Landfill, who was promptly blown apart by the battle station's firepower. This didn't diminish Wedge's urge to fight, and he once again charged the Megastar, insisting to Galvatron that he'd never ever defeat the Autobots, only to be blown back by laser fire. His courage was enough to inspire Cerebros to activate Fortress Maximus, resulting in the destruction of the Megastar. Surprise Attack!

Although Galvatron was down, he wasn't out as Wedge believed. Soon Landfill was formed again to fight the Decepticons while Omega Prime engaged in combat with the Decepticon leader. After Galvatron unleashed his cyber-bats, Prime called a retreat, and the Autobots found themselves trapped in a space bridge tunnel rapidly filling with molten lava. Although they escaped, Galvatron soon had them at his mercy again. Galvatron's Revenge

As Megatron attempted to attack Optimus Prime, Landfill and the other Autobots blocked his attack and were paralysed by Galvatron's power. They remained in this state until Omega Prime was able to defeat Galvatron in the Earth's core. Afterwards, just for fun, Wedge and the Build Team did some more work on the space bridge. The Final Battle

Legends comic

Wedge was present at the Dimensional Patrol's Neo Brave Maximus when it was attacked by the Commandos as part of Scourge's attempt to rescue Devil Gigatron. He watched as Dark Ai hijacked the Autobots' own T-AI. LGEX Scourge Prologue

The Dimensional Patrol was brought to the Legends World by Skids and Sky-Byte to defend it against the attack of Majin Zarak and the Zamojin. Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One

Universe comic

In Viron 903.0 Beta, Wedge and his team joined the Dimensional Patrol. Ask Vector Prime, 13 September 2015 They were abducted by Unicron to become one of the latest combatants inside the Cauldron. Before this inter-dimensional trek could be completed, however, Rhinox from the Children of Primus attempted to intercept the dimensional transition before Unicron claimed his latest victims. Pulled in two directions, Landfill and his comrades Side Burn and Prowl were instead deposited on a frozen planetoid in space. A rescue team of Children of Primus deployed to the planetoid, but so did a team of Minions of Unicron. Landfill worked together with the rescue team, a group of Autobots accidentally pulled in from the past by Rhinox's device, and his fellow victims to successfully defeat the Minions. Afterwards, the temporally-displaced Autobots were sent back to their proper spacetime Voice Actor Drama while Landfill, Prowl, and Side Burn were sent back to their home reality without further participating in the Universe War. Ask Vector Prime, 13 September 2015

Legends World

Together with Lio Junior and Optimus Minor, a young Wedge got really excited to meet Optimus Prime and wanted to play with him, unaware that it was actually Sky-Byte in disguise. The three kids' innocence and joy was enough to convince Sky-Byte to give up his evil ways. Bonus Edition Vol. 6 Wedge's collection of Transformers toys was a source of jealousy for Lio Junior. Lio Dad He and Minor were later impressed by Junior's new house, made up of his dad's starship mode. Bonus Edition Vol. 41

Shell Game continuity

In Viron 704.31 Epsilon, Build Boy was robo-smashed by Megazarak into Bonecrusher. Ask Vector Prime, 30 July 2015

2005 IDW continuity

The Functionist Universe

Wedge and his three teammates stood in a crowd as Twelve-of-Twelve led a procession of captured AVL dissidents. Anomie

Last Bot Standing

During the Great War, Wedge fought for the the Autobots before the conflict ultimately left the universe drained of energon. To survive, Wedge fell under the command of ex-Decepticon Steeljaw, the pack reconfiguring themselves to run on biofuel, a substance generated by the farming of organic matter. When the group touched down on planet Donnokt, Wedge helped erect the harvesting facilities before Override and Riotgear returned to the group with another of their kind, Rodimus. Last Bot Standing #2

As Riotgear and Scylla their noted disgust at Rodimus' attachment to Shib Wallkis, Wedge explained that their kind had once forged bonds with organics before the Veteran was reactivated. When the group set out to harvest Fembrance, Wedge towed a cattle trailer to the town. As the pack began to collect resources, a rejuvenated Rodimus arrived only to be confronted by a furious Steeljaw who had discovered Rodimus' secrets. Last Bot Standing #3

After it was revealed that Rodimus had been hiding energon, the pack's hunger for true fuel caused them to charge Steeljaw for the energon keys, accidentally shattering one in the process. After Shib Wallkis used the distraction to free the organics and Steeljaw and Sharpclaw had gone off to harvest Donnokt's energon crystals, the rest of the pack combined into Unstoppimus to hold off Rodimus. Starved of fuel though, Rodimus managed to quickly behead Unstoppimus, the shock sending the components into stasis lock. After Rodimus had defeated Steeljaw, he turned what remained of the visitors' ship into an orbiting pod, locking Wedge and the other survivors in stasis as he kept a solitary watch on them. Last Bot Standing #4

Toys

Robots in Disguise (2001)

Bonecrusher never talked again to his son after he came out as an Autobot. (Takara version pictured)

But Wedge is living his best life now. (Hasbro version pictured)

• Build Boy (Deluxe, 2000) / Wedge (Deluxe Class, 2001)

• Takara release date: August ?? 2000
• Takara ID number: C-018
• Accessories: Grill-&-pistons "Double Laser"
• Known designers: Hisashi Yuki (TakaraTomy), Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)

Part of the "Build Team", Wedge transforms into a small orange bulldozer of undetermined model. In robot mode, he is armed with a double-barreled laser cannon formed from his vehicle mode's font grill-guard and pistons for his plow. This weapon can also store on his back. He is one of the smallest Deluxe Class toys made, especially for his era.

He can also the torso and head to the team's combined Landfill mode; he is designed so that the three attached limb-bots are able to swap between which limb they form without detaching from torso-Wedge. Wedge's grill-gun forms the combined mode's pelvic plate.

He was initially released in the sixth wave of Takara's Car Robots toyline, alongside his fellow Build Team members, as "Build Boy". The later Hasbro Robots in Disguise "Wedge" release changes his light-orange paint to light-gray, and adds a few extra bits of dark-gray paint here and there.

This mold was also used to make Universe Bonecrusher.

• More information on Wedge at TFU.info

• Build King (Multi-pack, 2000)

• Takara release date: August ?? 2000
• ID number: C-022
• Accessories: Grill-&-pistons "Double Laser"

In Japan, the entire Build Team was also released as a complete box set of four toys: Build Boy, Build Cyclone, Build Hurricane, and Build Typhoon. Each toy is identical to their individual (Takara) releases.

Sonokong also released this gift set in Korean markets with no differences other than the packaging.

• Landfill (Multi-pack, 2003)

• Release date: November 25, 2003
• Accessories: Grill-&-pistons "Double Laser"

A mainly-yellow redeco of the entire Build Team was released as a Walmart exclusive in November of 2003, as a multi-pack released on "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving, the most hellishly-overcrowded shopping day of the year. The set cost considerably less than four individual deluxes.

• More information on Universe Wedge at TFU.info

Notes

• During the stock footage of Wedge's transformation to robot mode, Landfill's head is briefly visible when Wedge's own head flips out.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Build Boy (ビルドボーイ Birudo Bōi)
• Korean: Build Boy (빌드보이 Bildeu Boi)

References