| “ | Tabuu has had his eye on the advanced technology developed on the Isle of Ancients. This mysterious island hangs suspended in the sky and gives home to a group of robots. No one knows how long they have been there, but they have existed for ages without interfering with other civilizations.
But now Tabuu has taken the entire island hostage. The Master Robot wants to avoid losing so many of his brethren to Tabuu, so he reluctantly agrees to be the main front of the Subspace offensive, and begins development work on the Subspace Bombs. |
„ |
| ~ Smash Bros. DOJO!!, mentioning the synopsis of the Master Robot and his fellow R.O.B. Squad.[1] |
The R.O.B. Squad are major antagonists of Super Smash Bros. Brawl's story mode, The Subspace Emissary.
As the name implies, the R.O.B. Squad consists of a countless number of robotic sentries accompanied by the leader of their own image, the Master Robot (also known as Robotic Operating Buddy himself), and are also the guardians of the Subspace Bomb Factory. The R.O.B. Squad sought to dominate the world into the Subspace by arranging and activating Subspace Bombs all across the World of Trophies to engulf the latter under the influence and orders of the story's main antagonist, Tabuu.
The R.O.B. Squad are, like the Ancient Minister, tragic anti-villains (antagonists who does not intend to be a villain in reality) who are reluctant in their villainous actions of bringing the World of Trophies into Subspace under the orders and influence of Tabuu, being threatened of mass genocide as punishment should they refuse. The R.O.B. Squad were also brainwashed into doing so as well.
Biography[]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]
The R.O.B. Squad were once living a once traditional life on the Isle of Ancients, a floating island of advanced technology that is inhabited by a society of peaceful R.O.B.s. In this sense, neither the Master Robot himself or the R.O.B. Squad have ever interacted with other races/species. The R.O.B. Squad had unwavering loyalty to the Master Robot, and lived in peace. One day, Tabuu intervened and ordered the robots to be his servants, requiring the floating island's technology for the access to productive weapons capable of cutting the world apart, threatening to dwell into violence and unleash mass genocide should the R.O.B. Squad and the Master Robot refuse. The Master Robot is forced to reluctantly surrender to accept Tabuu's offer. Using the technology of their island, the robots made Subspace Bombs to bring parts of the World of Trophies into Subspace. In shame of being forced to follow Tabuu's bidding, the Master Robot took the disguise of the Ancient Minister to conceal his own identity for his actions, and reluctantly allows Tabuu to take the technological island hostage and brainwash the R.O.B. Squad.
Throughout the Subspace Emissary, the R.O.B. Squad were assigned to detonate Subspace Bombs all across the World of Trophies. Whenever a Subspace Bomb is set to be detonated, a pair of R.O.B. Sentries were required to arm it, being sacrificed in the subsequent detonation while being unable to detach themselves from it. Additionally, the R.O.B. Squad have also guarded the Subspace Bomb Factory.
As more of the R.O.B. Squad gets annihilated by the explosion of the Subspace Bombs, the Ancient Minister progressively becomes more melancholic. This reaches a certain point when Samus Aran and Pikachu break into the Subspace Bomb Factory and confront the Ancient Minister, he does not desire to fight, much to the former two's confusion. Soon, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Olimar, and Captain Falcon arrive at the Subspace Bomb Factory, but the dejected Ancient Minister still does not intend to fight. As a result, a hologram of Ganondorf rings in, and commands the R.O.B. Squad to activate the Subspace Bombs. However, having had enough of the sacrifices of his family, the Ancient Minister betrays the Subspace Army and preventing the R.O.B.s from activating further Subspace Bombs. Enraged by the Ancient Minister's betrayal, Gannondorf brainwashes the R.O.B. Squad and forces them to activate the Subspace Bombs. The Ancient Minister continues his desperate attempts to prevent them, but this causes Ganondorf to lose his patience over his disobedience. In response, the R.O.B. Squad, under Ganondorf's orders, undergo an override that causes them open fire towards the Ancient Minister, causing his cloak to burst into flames. The heroes also attempt to stop the R.O.B.s, but no avail. Ganondorf's hologram disappears, but not before he sends an onslaught of Auroros to defeat the heroes. The Ancient Minister, still alive, annihilates them using his Robo Beam, as his cloak burns off into an ash, revealing his true identity (R.O.B.), the Master Robot himself. Redeemed, R.O.B. fights against the Subspace Army.
After the battle, R.O.B. attempts to communicate to them and command them to detach themselves from the Subspace Bombs, but the response is a pair of R.O.B.s turning toward the direction of the leading R.O.B. in motionlessness (with the blue eyes representing sleep mode), unable to detach themselves from the Subspace Bombs. Believing his race's annihilation is inevitable, R.O.B. becomes nihilistic and decides to get engulfed with them, even refusing Diddy Kong's offer to escape. However, he is forcefully dragged away from the R.O.B. Squad by Donkey Kong. Captain Falcon calls for his Falcon Flyer, and the heroes evacuate from the Subspace Bomb Factory, and escape in a nick of time before the Isle of the Ancients is engulfed into Subspace, wiping the rest of the R.O.B. race out of existence in the process, leaving the Master Robot the last of his kind.
After the other fighters manage to defeat Tabuu, all of the colonies composing the Great Maze (World of Trophies) are restored to their rightful positions in the real world, with the rifts of Subspace all being sealed off. However, due to the copious and numerous amount of Subspace Bombs that were simultaneously detonated on it, the Isle of Ancients (along with the entire R.O.B. Squad) is annihilated and is impossible for it to return; a giant luminous cross of light is now in its place, serving as the eradicated R.O.B. Squad's metaphorical cemetery. This, along with R.O.B. and the other fighters looking at it in triumph and victory, defines that R.O.B. defeating Tabuu has avenged the deceased R.O.B. Squad.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[]
An Advanced-class support spirit spirit, "Subspace Bomb," appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, referencing how the R.O.B. Squad has activated Subspace Bombs in the Subspace Emissary to engulf the world into Subspace. It can only be purchased at Sheldon's Place.
Members[]
R.O.B. Sentry[]
The R.O.B. Sentry.
| “ | A robot with a two-armed shot. This R.O.B. uses the booster on its base to propel its jumps. Often used in the Subspace Army bomb factory in defense or labor roles, the R.O.B. Sentry also works as a detonator. Its emotional capacity is unknown, but it has utter trust in the Ancient Minister and obeys him unwaveringly. This production model has been made in great numbers. | „ |
| ~ Trophy description. |
The R.O.B. Sentry is the R.O.B. Squad equivalent of the [[Primids, excelling in melee-oriented combat. Like Primids, there are variations of the R.O.B. Sentry that attack in different methods. According to the trophy description for the R.O.B. Blaster, R.O.B. Sentries are equipped with beam-firing capabilities, but they choose to only participate in hand-to-hand combat.
R.O.B. Blaster[]
The R.O.B. Blaster.
| “ | A R.O.B. model boasting robo-beam-blasting eye lenses suited for long-range combat. There are two types--one acts like a stationary gun, sitting in place and lining up targets, and the other is mobile. Actually, the R.O.B. Sentry also features beam-firing capabilities, but because the roles of the R.O.B. Squad are so well defined, there's no conflict between the ranks. | „ |
| ~ Trophy description. |
The R.O.B. Blaster is a member of the R.O.B. Squad whose coloration scheme is overall based on R.O.B.'s North American design, but with a more purplish tint. Unlike the R.O.B. Sentry, the R.O.B. Blaster chooses to attack using its beam-firing capabilities, attacking from afar. There are a pair of varieties of this unit, one which remains stationary and another which moves around by hovering with its booster rockets. The mobile R.O.B. Blaster can be difficult to battle as it is the fastest member of the R.O.B. Squad and will attack from a distance.
R.O.B. Launcher[]
The R.O.B. Launcher.
| “ | An upgraded R.O.B. model with a missile-launcher head that bolsters firepower. The standard coloring has also been refinished with a green and brown military motif, stylishly accented with a blue cord connecting the arm sections and base. This R.O.B. does not use its arms--attacks are limited to the missiles fired from its head. | „ |
| ~ Trophy description. |
R.O.B. Launchers have a heavily dark green coloration and the cord on their back is light blue. One of R.O.B.'s alternate costumes bears a strong resemblance to this coloration scheme, but the cord has a different color. R.O.B. Launchers fire tracking missiles at the player, targeting them. The missiles deal devastating damage and knockback. The missiles cannot be absorbed due to being physical projectiles, but cannot be reflected either. The R.O.B. Launchers have the reputation of being the toughest members of the R.O.B. Squad to deal with.
Giant R.O.B.[]
The Giant R.O.B.
The Giant R.O.B. is, evident by the name, the biggest member of the entire R.O.B. Squad. He has only one sole appearance during a pre-cutscene of Outside the Ancient Ruins.
A frightened Olimar watches his Pikmin fruitlessly attempt to attack the Giant R.O.B. by headbutting it, only to awaken the Giant R.O.B. and perform Arm Rotor to shake the Pikmin off him, effortlessly killing all of them. Captain Falcon eventually ejects from his Blue Falcon and annihilates the R.O.B. using Falcon Punch.
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