| “ | Yes, it seems we could use a hand. | „ |
| ~ Goldbug in Dungeons & Dinobots |
Goldbug is an evil Autobot Seeker and a supporting antagonist in the Transformers comic series Transformers: Shattered Glass. He is the Shattered Glass Universe's counterpart to Bumblebee.
He is also the leader of the Autobot Seeker group, which also includes Rodimus and Blurr.
Personality[]
Goldbug is known to be very paranoid. This is due to the fact that he believes that his peers show no respect for him. He is also paranoid about the fact that he will be replaced.
Biography[]
Goldbug was originally an Autobot known as Bumblebee who spent his life as a drifter. As he spent his life on the streets of Polyhex, he learned how to be a blackmailer, pickpocket, and a sneak, which he succeeded in. When Bumblebee joined the Autobots, his bravery put him on the fast track to power, and when Seeker commander Drench was "removed" by Prime, Bumblebee was rebuilt as Goldbug and took his place.
Goldbug was present at the execution of Rumble when Optimus Prime brought their "old friend" Cliffjumper in to view the festivities. Later on, he was discussing the launch of the Ark with Prime and Blurr in the combat training room. Goldbug mentioned that the Old One wouldn't have approved of the current plan, but Optimus quickly shot down his objections. Goldbug and the other Seekers defended the Ark's launch platform from Decepticon attack, but failed to stop Cliffjumper from scuttling the liftoff.
When Wheeljack's new creations, the Dinobots, ran amok, both Autobot and Decepticon alike were forced to chase them down before the other side could modify their A.I.s. Gotta catch 'em all. Goldbug and Jazz located Swoop atop an observation tower. Unfortunately, he could fly and neither of them could. Goldbug volunteered Jazz to climb up and fetch the Dinobot, but J wasn't having none of that. Rodimus and Blurr arrived and made a consensus (with laser rifles) that Jazz would be climbing. In a move that surprised no one except Jazz, Swoop took off flying the moment Prime's bodyguard laid a hand on him. Goldbug got the creature in his sights and shot it down, bringing Swoop and Jazz crashing to Earth. When Blurr inquired why Goldbug didn't just shoot the Dinobot in the first place, Goldbug shrugged and said that now they didn't have to climb up and fetch it.
The Ark was finally repaired and ready for launch when Optimus Prime ran off to deal with Megatron. Goldbug and Blurr caught Rodimus fiddling with a communications console, preventing Prime from calling in. Blurr started to bluster at the insubordination, but Goldbug was willing to hear Rodimus' explanation. Rodimus argued that Optimus' obsession with Megatron was holding them all back. Cybertron was a dead world now, and with Prime out of the picture, Earth would be ripe for their taking. Goldbug agreed, and Blurr was thrown off the ship for remaining loyal to Prime.
Later, when the Ark and the Nemesis were locked in battle above Earth, Goldbug manned the Ark's sensor station. Astrotrain succeeded in severely damaging the Ark. Goldbug had time to curse the coward Rodimus, who fled in an escape pod, before calling for all hands to brace for impact.
After the crash, Goldbug initially hooked up with Big Daddy, Brawn and Beachcomber as they went searching for their "valiant leader". It was fortuitous, wonderful, outstanding when they finally crossed paths with the opportunist, and had the opportunity for revenge. Rodimus did some fast talking, though, and his stories of human allies and the Decepticons getting vaped led Goldbug to hold his fire long enough to hear the Seeker leader out. They returned to the Ark in order to make a proper assessment of the state of the planet. Goldbug and the Autobots had quite a bit of difficulty understanding the concept of "renewable resources" their human allies the Witwickys tried to explain.
Strategy wasn't the only thing on Goldbug's mind, however — using Rodimus's bail-out during the crash as an excuse, he challenged Rodimus for leadership of the Autobots. The two Seekers battled on the bridge of the Ark, with the fully-reenergized Goldbug soon gaining the upper hand. Rodimus was far more crafty, though — he voice-activated Teletraan-X and deleted the ID-recognition file for Goldbug, causing the ship to identify him as an enemy combatant. Goldbug was quickly restrained by the internal security systems, and held helpless before Rodimus Prime. Despite his precarious position, Goldbug agreed to yield only if Rodimus left him as second-in-command. Showing the sort of logic and reasoning positive-matter Decepticon leaders have displayed for eons, Rodimus laughingly agreed to keep the ambitious Goldbug as his right-hand bot. After all, no way Goldbug would let anyone else in the Autobots kill Rodimus before him.
As the Autobots prepared for their strike on the control base for America's GODS space weapon, Goldbug and Wheeljack joined Rodimus for the infiltration mission. Like the Trojan horse, they got captured and taken inside the base along with their "drivers", the Witwickys, just before the rest of the Autobots launched an assault from outside. Striking from both in and outside the base, the Autobots soon controlled the satellite station and its deadly particle beam weapon. Their assault soon drew the attention of the surviving Decepticons, however, and the Cybertronian Civil War officially took up residence on Earth. Goldbug was attacked by the diminutive Frenzy and his two human friends, who used a fire extinguisher to temporarily blind the Seeker and steal his weapon. To add injury to insult, the weaponless Goldbug was then forced to deal with the Incredible fury of Frenzy unleashed. The Decepticons were able to reclaim the military base, and the Autobots were driven off.
Still working for his own advancement, Goldbug commissioned Side Burn and Wheeljack to create a stellar spanner out in the desert without Rodimus Prime's knowledge. They were nearly finished when the Decepticons Blitzwing and Heatwave stumbled upon their location. Seizing the opportunity, Goldbug planned to launch Heatwave through the untested machine to make sure it worked. Blitzwing attempted to stop them by hooking directly into the spanner's digital landscape, but failed due to Wheeljack's electro-shells. The feedback had a side-effect, however, of sending out a cacophony of fleshling music on the Autobots' communications frequency. Unable to even think straight, Goldbug blasted the Spanner to keep the Decepticons from using it and ordered a retreat.
Back at the Ark, Goldbug was forced to answer to Rodimus Prime for his antics. Fearing another clash with Teletraan-X's servo, Goldbug babbled off whatever he could think of to stay Rodimus's fury. Luckily, his only punishment ended up being salvage duty with Seaspray, as the Agonizing Rehabilitation Chambers were conveniently broken.
Goldbug took part in the raid on Blackrock's Mega-Rig, warning everyone to stick to hand-to-hand combat to avoid damaging their prize. He, Side Burn and Beachcomber later joined Rodimus when their leader met with Blackrock to listen to an offer he had for them. Despite Goldbug's strenuous objections, Rodimus accepted the offer. Soon after, the Autobots captured two of the Decepticons' human friends, Sephie Beller and Rick Ottman. Goldbug held Rick at gunpoint when the Decepticons turned up, and the Decepticons were soon bound prisoners. When Soundwave revealed that he wasn't the one who'd put up the jamming field, Goldbug wondered aloud who was doing the jamming. His answer came moments later when the Autobots were attacked by Blackrock in his Centurion mech. Goldbug and Swoop initially managed to restrain the robot, but the Centurion's defenses were too formidable, and the Autobots were eventually forced to retreat.
At some unspecified point in time, Goldbug and a team of Autobots somehow under the command of both Rodimus Prime and Optimus Prime fought Thundercracker and Ravage in the Transformers' greatest battle on Earth, "Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction." According to Ravage, anyway.
Goldbug was among the Autobots captured after Optimus Prime became Nova Prime and overthrew Rodimus, with Goldbug refusing to accept Nova as Prime. Later, he was among the Autobots freed by Rodimus and evacuated by him from Cybertron.
Trivia[]
- Goldbug's toy, which was released as a BotCon Exclusive, is a redeco of the Transformers Cybertron Hot Shot figure, but with a retooled head.
