Why Grimlock Proves Strength Without Wisdom Is a Curse - Transformers Deep Dive

What if the very thing that made you powerful—

Was also what made you dangerous?

Grimlock was built to be a weapon. A force of fury and steel. A leader who could crush armies. But his story across Transformers lore reveals a harsher truth: strength without wisdom doesn’t build—it destroys.

In this episode of Disassembled: Heroes and Villains, we explore Grimlock’s legacy:

– His origin as a weapon forged for battle

– His rise and fall as the Dinobot commander

– The struggles between rage, leadership, and restraint in Marvel and IDW

– Why true strength isn’t in power—but in knowing when not to use it

Because Grimlock proves that without wisdom, strength becomes a curse.

🔥 New episodes of Disassembled: Heroes and Villains every Thursday

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🎙 Written and hosted by Tom Bedford | Handsome Comics

Chapters

• 0:00 What If Strength Was a Curse?
• 0:56 The Burden of Being Strong
• 4:37 Pride Always Precedes the Fall
• 9:03 Call To Action
• 9:56 Wisdom Must Temper Strength
• 15:49 We Are More Than Our Instincts
• 19:09 Becoming the Kind of Man Who Doesn’t Need to Roar
• 22:36 The Warrior Who Chose Restraint

Transcript

0:00

WHAT IF THE VERY THING THAT MADE YOU POWERFUL WAS ALSO WHAT MADE YOU DANGEROUS? WHAT IF STRENGTH WASN'T JUST A GIFT, BUT A BURDEN? GRIMLOCK WAS BUILT FOR BATTLE, A TOWERING FORCE OF RAGE, STEEL, AND FURY. BORN TO CRUSH, PROGRAMMED TO WIN, FEARED BY FRIEND, FEARED BY FOE. BUT RAW POWER ISN'T THE SAME AS LEADERSHIP. GRIMLOCK WASN'T FORGED FOR LEADERSHIP. HE WAS BUILT FOR BATTLE, BUT DEEP DOWN, HE KNEW SOMETHING MOST WARRIORS NEVER LEARN. THAT WITHOUT WISDOM, STRENGTH BECOMES A CURSE. AND WITHOUT RESTRAINT, POWER ONLY LEAVES RUIN IN ITS WAKE. THIS IS THE STORY OF A WARRIOR WHO CHOSE RESTRAINT. A KING WHO HAD TO LOSE EVERYTHING TO LEARN WHAT IT MEANT TO PROTECT. A BEAST WHO BECAME MORE THAN INSTINCT. BECAUSE TRUE STRENGTH ISN'T FOUND IN HOW LOUD YOU ROAR, BUT IN WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO STAY SILENT FOR. THIS IS DISASSEMBLED, HEROES AND VILLAINS. AND TODAY, WE EXPLORE THE STORY OF THE KING OF THE DINOBOTS AND ANSWER THE QUESTION, WHAT IF STRENGTH WASN'T ENOUGH? THE STORY OF GRIMLOCK IS DEFINED BY HIS STRENGTH AND TOUGHNESS. THE QUESTION WAS NEVER IF GRIMLOCK WAS STRONG. IT WAS WHETHER THAT STRENGTH COULD BE TRUSTED. WHETHER IT COULD BE GUIDED, OR WHETHER IT WOULD CONSUME EVERYTHING AROUND HIM. BECAUSE THE EARLY GRIMLOCK WE MEET ISN'T A MONSTER, BUT HE ISN'T A LEADER EITHER. HE'S PRIDEFUL, BRASH, PROTECTIVE YES, BUT REACTIVE, POWERFUL, BUT NOT YET PRINCIPLED. AND IN THE AGE OF G1 IN THE MARVEL COMICS SERIES, THE POWER COMES WITH THE QUESTION EVERY WARRIOR MUST FACE. CAN YOUR MIGHT ALONE SAVE YOUR PEOPLE? EVERY KING'S STRENGTH HAS TO START SOMEWHERE. FOR SOME, IT BEGINS WITH THEIR LINEAGE. FOR OTHERS, SELF-APPOINTED LEADERS, IT BEGINS WITH INSTINCT. AND FOR GRIMLOCK, THOSE INSTINCTS WERE ANYTHING BUT GENTLE, LONG BEFORE HE WAS A KING, BEFORE THE DINOBOTS ROARED ONTO BATTLEFIELDS AND ETCHED THEIR NAMES INTO LEGEND. GRIMLOCK WAS SOMETHING RAW, UNTAMED, UNREFINED, A WEAPON WITHOUT WISDOM. HE WASN'T FORGED IN THE HALL OF HEROES, HE WAS BUILT IN RESPONSE TO TERROR. IN THE G1 CARTOON CONTINUITY, GRIMLOCK IS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL DINOBOTS, CONSTRUCTED BY WHEELJACK AND RATCHET, NOT BORN OF WAR BUT SCULPTED BY IT. HIS STRENGTH WAS IMMENSE. HIS MIND, LESS SO. IT WAS SIMPLE, DIRECT, PROUD. HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS, AND HE DIDN'T HIDE IT. AND IN A WORLD OF LOGIC-DRIVEN BOTS AND BATTLE-HARDENED SOLDIERS, GRIMLOCK STOOD APART. HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT POLITICS OR PROTOCOL. HE CARED ABOUT VICTORY, ABOUT PROTECTING HIS TEAM, ABOUT SHOWING AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT NO ONE COULD STAND AGAINST HIM. BUT THAT PRIDE CAME AT A COST. IN THE EPISODE WAR OF THE DINOBOTS, GRIMLOCK CHALLENGES OPTIMUS PRIME HIMSELF. NOT FOR GLORY, BUT BECAUSE HE SEES STRENGTH AS THE ONLY QUALIFICATION FOR LEADERSHIP. HE DOESN'T BETRAY OPTIMUS, BUT HE QUESTIONS HIM. NOT OUT OF A THIRST FOR POWER, BUT OF ARROGANCE. BECAUSE IN. GRIMLOCK'S MIND, THE STRONGEST SHOULD LEAD. AND THAT BELIEF WOULD ECHO FAR MORE DANGEROUSLY IN. MARVEL'S CONTINUITY. THERE, GRIMLOCK'S ROLE EVOLVES WHEN OPTIMUS PRIME DIES, AND IT'S GRIMLOCK, NOT ULTRA MAGNUS, NOT PROWL, WHO CLAIMS COMMAND OF THE AUTOBOTS. NOT BECAUSE HE WAS CHOSEN, BUT BECAUSE HE TOOK IT. THE MARVEL VERSION OF GRIMLOCK IS SMARTER, MORE ARTICULATE, BUT ALSO MORE AUTHORITARIAN. HE DOESN'T JUST LEAD, HE RULES. HE DECLARES HIMSELF KING GRIMLOCK, LITERALLY WEARING A CROWN IN THE UK COMICS AND ENFORCING HIS VISION OF ORDER WITH BRUTAL RESOLVE. HE PUNISHES DISSENT. HE WITHHOLDS MEDICAL AID FROM INJURED AUTOBOTS UNLESS THEY EARN IT. AND IN HIS OBSESSION WITH STRENGTH, HE ALIENATES THE VERY WARRIORS HE ONCE CALLED BROTHERS. IT'S NOT A RISE TO GLORY, IT'S A SLOW DESCENT INTO ISOLATION. THE DINOBOTS BREAK AWAY, THE AUTOBOTS GROW DISILLUSIONED, AND GRIMLOCK, FOR ALL HIS POWER, IS LEFT ALONE ON A THRONE OF SILENCE, FEARED, NOT FOLLOWED. BECAUSE STRENGTH MAY EARN OBEDIENCE, BUT IT DOESN'T EARN LOYALTY. AND LEADERSHIP, WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF WISDOM, CAN QUICKLY TURN TOWARDS TYRANNY. AND YET, EVEN THEN, GRIMLOCK'S HEART ISN'T EVIL. HIS INTENTIONS WEREN'T CONQUEST. HE WANTED TO PROTECT HIS PEOPLE. HE WANTED TO WIN. BUT HE NEVER ASKED THE DEEPER QUESTION, WHAT DOES STRENGTH MEAN IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO WIELD IT? BOTH VERSIONS OF GRIMLOCK, G1, AND MARVEL GRAPPLE WITH THE SAME FLAW. THEY MISTAKE FORCE FOR FITNESS. THEY BELIEVE POWER ALONE IS ENOUGH. BUT POWER, WITHOUT RESTRAINT, BECOMES RECKLESSNESS. AND STRENGTH, WITHOUT HUMILITY, BECOMES A BURDEN TOO HEAVY TO CARRY. BECAUSE GRIMLOCK THOUGHT RULING MEANT FIGHTING HARDER. THAT BEING KING MEANT NO COMPROMISE, NO SOFTNESS, NO SURRENDER. BUT LEADERSHIP DEMANDS SOMETHING MORE. IT DEMANDS LISTENING, SACRIFICING, CHOOSING PATIENCE WHEN INSTINCTS SCREAM FOR DOMINANCE. THE TRUTH IS, GRIMLOCK WAS NEVER THE VILLAIN. HE WAS NEVER THE MONSTER. HE WAS A WARRIOR, TRYING TO LEAD WITHOUT KNOWING HOW. A PROTECTOR, WHOSE INSTINCTS STILL PULLED HIM TOWARDS CONTROL. AND IN THE END, IT WASN'T THE BATTLEFIELD THAT TESTED HIM THE MOST. IT WAS THE MIRROR. BECAUSE BEING STRONG IS EASY. BUT LEARNING WHEN NOT TO USE THAT STRENGTH, THAT'S WHERE THE REAL BATTLE BEGINS. STRENGTH MAY EARN A CROWN, BUT IT CAN'T TEACH YOU HOW TO WEAR IT. AND BOTH MARVEL AND THE EARLIEST APPEARANCES IN IDW, GRIMLOCK CROSSES A THRESHOLD THAT EVERY POWERFUL MAN FACES. HE STOPS QUESTIONING HIS INSTINCTS AND STARTS OBEYING THEM. AND WHEN INSTINCT BECOMES LAW, PRIDE FOLLOWS CLOSE BEHIND. IN MARVEL, WE SAW IT WHEN HE SEIZED THE AUTOBOTS' COMMAND. IN IDW, WE SEE ECHOES OF THE SAME PATTERN. GRIMLOCK'S POWER DRAWING HIM INTO ALLIANCES AND DECISIONS THAT ERODE HIS PRINCIPLES PIECE BY PIECE. HE'S NO LONGER JUST A WARRIOR. HE'S A RULER. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, HIS GREATEST BATTLES AREN'T AGAINST THE SEPTICONS, THEY'RE AGAINST HIMSELF. BECAUSE PRIDE DOESN'T JUST RISE, IT ISOLATES. AND IN GRIMLOCK'S CASE, IT ALWAYS STARTS THE SAME WAY, WITH A CROWN NO ONE GAVE YOU. IN THE AFTERMATH OF OPTIMUS PRIME'S DEATH IN THE MARVEL COMICS SERIES, GRIMLOCK DIDN'T WAIT FOR VOTES. HE DIDN'T HOLD COUNCIL OR SEEK WISDOM. HE CROWNED HIMSELF KING. IT WASN'T SOME SUBTLE COUP. HE RULED BY DECREE. AND WHEN SOMEONE DISOBEYED, EVEN BLASTER OR GOLDBUG, HE PUNISHED THEM LIKE TRAITORS, NOT COMRADES. HE EXILED DISSENTERS, SENT AUTOBOTS ON DOOMED MISSIONS, PRIORITIZED CONTROL OVER MORALE. HE BECAME OBSESSED WITH RECOVERING THE ARK, NOT FOR STRATEGY, BUT FOR PRIDE. AND WHILE HIS ENEMIES FEARED HIM, HIS ALLIES BEGAN TO REBEL. BECAUSE WHEN THE THRONE IS BUILT ON POWER INSTEAD OF PURPOSE, IT IS JUST A HOUSE OF CARDS. AND EVENTUALLY, IT COLLAPSES. THIS WASN'T THE GRIMLOCK WE SAW IN THE CARTOONS. THIS WAS SOMETHING DARKER, SHARPER. HE STILL FOUGHT FOR THE AUTOBOTS. HE STILL BELIEVED IN THE CAUSE, BUT HE CONFUSED LOYALTY WITH OBEDIENCE, AND LEADERSHIP WITH CONTROL. BECAUSE DEEP DOWN, HE WASN'T FIGHTING MEGATRON ANYMORE. HE WAS FIGHTING OPTIMUS' GHOST, TRYING TO PROVE HE WAS WORTHY, TRYING TO PROVE HE COULD LEAD BETTER, STRONGER, HARDER. BUT THE HARDER HE RULED, THE MORE ISOLATED HE BECAME. BLASTER FORMED A REBELLION. THE DINOBOTS FRACTURED. THE AUTOBOTS LOST MORALE. AND GRIMLOCK, ONCE THE LOUDEST VOICE IN THE ROOM, FOUND HIMSELF SPEAKING INTO SILENCE. AND IN THE END, THE CROWN DIDN'T MAKE HIM A KING. IT MADE HIM A CAUTIONARY TALE. NOT BECAUSE HE LACKED STRENGTH. NOT BECAUSE HE LACKED THE WISDOM TO KNOW WHEN TO SHARE THE WEIGHT. HIS PRIDE DIDN'T COMMAND. BECAUSE STRENGTH MAY WIN BATTLES, BUT IT'S HUMILITY THAT HOLDS ARMIES TOGETHER. AND IN THE WORLD OF IDW, THIS LESSON GETS EVEN HARSHER. THIS GRIMLOCK WASN'T JUST ANOTHER SELF-PROCLAIMED LEADER. HE WAS A HAUNTED ONE. IT BEGAN WITH GUILT. GUILT OVER LOSING CONTROL. GUILT OVER KILLING. SKAR, THE DINOBOT MEDIC, DURING A RAGE-FUELED TRANSFORMATION. GUILT OVER DRAGGING HIS TEAM INTO EXILE. INTO BATTLES THEY DIDN'T NEED TO FIGHT. INTO PAIN THEY NEVER FULLY RECOVERED FROM. LIKE ALL PROUD MEN AND BOT ALIKE, HE BURIED THE GUILT BENEATH MORE VIOLENCE. HE DEFIED ORDERS. HE HUNTED SHOCKWAVE ACROSS TIME AND WORLDS. AND WHEN THE DINOBOTS FELL, WHEN THEY SUFFERED, WHEN THEY WERE CAPTURED OR REPROGRAMMED, GRIMLOCK BLAMED HIMSELF. BUT HE DIDN'T BREAK. NOT YET. IN THE MAXIMUM DINOBOT ARC, WE SEE HIM AT HIS MOST CONFLICTED. SCORPONOK TURNS HIS OWN TEAM AGAINST HIM. THE AUTOBOTS QUESTION HIS LOYALTIES. EVEN THE DINOBOTS, HIS BROTHERS-IN-ARMS, LOSE FAITH. SUNSTREAKER REACHES OUT. HOT ROD OFFERS BACKUP, BUT GRIMLOCK REFUSES. HE WON'T RISK ANYONE ELSE. NOT AGAIN. NOT AFTER WHAT HAPPENED TO SKAR. AND SO, HE CHARGES IN, ALONE, AGAINST SCORPONOK'S ARMY AND HIS OWN TWISTED CREATIONS. BECAUSE SOME WARRIORS WOULD RATHER FALL THAN ADMIT THEY'RE BROKEN. GRIMLOCK DOESN'T BEG FOR FORGIVENESS. HE DOUBLES DOWN. HE ACTS ALONE. HE RISKS EVERYTHING, NOT FOR JUSTICE, BUT FOR ATONEMENT. AND THAT'S THE KEY DIFFERENCE WITH THIS VERSION. HE NEVER WANTED POWER. HE WANTED REDEMPTION. BUT INSTEAD OF HEALING THE WOUND, HE KEPT RIPPING IT OPEN, TRYING TO BLEED THE GUILT OUT. EVEN WHEN IMPRISONED IN GARRUS-9, TORTURED, STRIPPED OF LANGUAGE, AND LEFT A SHELL OF WHO HE WAS, GRIMLOCK KEPT ONE TRUTH BURIED DEEP WITHIN HIS SPARK. HE FAILED THE ONES HE SWORE TO PROTECT. AND WHEN HE FINALLY ESCAPES, WHEN HIS MIND BEGINS TO RETURN, WE DON'T SEE A MONSTER. WE SEE A BOT STILL TRYING TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. BECAUSE HERE'S THE QUIET TRUTH BOTH CONTINUITIES SHARE. GRIMLOCK WAS NEVER CORRUPTED BY AMBITION. HE WAS CRUSHED BY RESPONSIBILITY. AND IN TRYING TO CARRY IT ALONE, HE BROKE. BECAUSE PRIDE DOESN'T ALWAYS SCREAM. SOMETIMES, IT JUST REFUSES TO ASK FOR HELP. AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES GRIMLOCK SO TRAGIC. HE WASN'T CHASING CONQUEST LIKE MEGATRON. HE WASN'T SEEKING PURITY LIKE SHOCKWAVE, HE WANTED TO PROTECT HIS BROTHERS, TO LEAD THEM, TO SAVE THEM. BUT HE NEVER LEARNED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SACRIFICE AND SELF-DESTRUCTION. AND IN TRYING TO BE EVERYTHING, HE LOST THE VERY THING THAT MADE HIM STRONG, HIS TEAM. BEFORE WE CONTINUE OUR LOOK AT THE KING OF THE DINOBOTS, MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW OR SUBSCRIBE TO DISASSEMBLED HEROES AND VILLAINS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST APP. EVERY WEEK WE DIVE INTO THE MINDS OF MONSTERS, LEGENDS, AND FALLEN GODS TO UNCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND THEIR POWER AND THE PAIN BEHIND THEIR PURPOSE. AND NEXT WEEK, DISASSEMBLED DEEP CUTS RETURNS TO UNVEIL ONE OF CYBERTRON'S MOST CURSED CREATIONS, A VESSEL OF PRIMORDIAL CHAOS, A SOLDIER TWISTED BY DARKNESS AND REBORN THROUGH CORRUPTION. WE TRACE THE RISE AND FALL OF THUNDERWING. THEN WE TURN TO A DIFFERENT KIND OF MONSTER IN NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE OF DISASSEMBLED HEROES AND VILLAINS, A WEAPON WITH A SOUL, A DEMON WITH A DESTINY, A HERO FORGED IN HELLFIRE. WE FACE THE UNHOLY MIGHT OF HELLBOY. AND IF YOU WANT TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF DISASSEMBLED, VOTE EVERY WEDNESDAY IN THE. HANDSOME COMICS YOUTUBE COMMUNITY POLL. NOW, BACK TO THE THRONE AND THE KING WHO NEVER ASKED TO WEAR THE CROWN. WHILE GRIMLOCK'S STORY HAS BEEN MARKED BY RAGE, RAGE ONLY TAKES YOU SO FAR. AND IN TIME, EVEN THE FIERCEST WARRIORS MUST ASK A DIFFERENT QUESTION. WHAT NOW? IN THE AFTERMATH OF BETRAYAL, EXILE, AND GRIEF, GRIMLOCK BEGINS TO CHANGE. NOT SUDDENLY, NOT COMPLETELY, BUT IN THE FINAL YEARS OF IDW'S FIRST UNIVERSE, WE DON'T SEE A TYRANT CLAWING FOR CONTROL. WE SEE A SURVIVOR, SCARRED BY HIS OWN FAILURES, FIGHTING TO RECLAIM PURPOSE. THIS GRIMLOCK DOESN'T SCREAM FOR DOMINANCE. HE FOLLOWS HIS TEAM, PROTECTS THE WEAK, AND WHEN THE GALAXY BEGINS TO UNRAVEL, HE DOESN'T SEEK VENGEANCE. HE QUIETLY JOINS THE FIGHT. NOT TO PROVE HE'S THE STRONGEST, BUT TO PROVE HE STILL MATTERS. AND ACROSS THE MULTIVERSE, IN THE WAR FOR CYBERTRON AND ALIGNED TIMELINES, WE FIND THAT SAME QUIET EVOLUTION. THIS IS NO LONGER THE GRIMLOCK WHO CHALLENGED OPTIMUS FOR COMMAND. HE'S NOT THE BRUTE HE SEES COMPASSION AS WEAKNESS. THIS GRIMLOCK IS STRATEGIC, TACTICAL, A COMMANDER WHO LEARNED TO SLOW DOWN. NOT BECAUSE HE'S WEAKER, BUT BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS THE COST OF HASTE. EVEN AFTER BEING BRUTALIZED BY SHOCKWAVE'S EXPERIMENTS, EVEN AFTER LOSING CONTROL OF HIS MIND AND BODY, HE FIGHTS HIS WAY BACK, NOT JUST FOR FREEDOM, BUT TO CLARITY. BECAUSE RAW POWER IS JUST NOISE WITHOUT WISDOM TO GUIDE IT. AND IN THIS AGE OF WAR, WHERE EVERY WARRIOR IS A WEAPON, GRIMLOCK BECOMES SOMETHING GREATER. A WEAPON THAT CHOOSES WHEN NOT TO STRIKE. THERE'S A MOMENT IN EVERY WARRIOR'S LIFE WHERE THE FIST STOPS SWINGING LONG ENOUGH FOR REFLECTION TO CREEP IN. FOR GRIMLOCK, THAT MOMENT DIDN'T COME AT THE HEIGHT OF BATTLE. IT CAME IN THE RUINS THAT FOLLOWED. LATE IN IDW'S INITIAL CONTINUITY, GRIMLOCK ISN'T A KING. HE ISN'T EVEN A LEADER. HE'S A RELIC, FORGOTTEN, EXILED, AND BARELY REMEMBERED BY THE CAUSE HE ONCE GAVE EVERYTHING FOR. BUT TIME HAS SOFTENED SOMETHING IN HIM. NOT HIS STRENGTH, BUT HIS IMPULSE. NOT HIS INSTINCTS, BUT HIS JUDGMENT. WHEN THE GALAXY BEGINS TO COLLAPSE, WHEN UNICRON RETURNS AND CYBERTRON TEETERS ON THE EDGE OF OBLIVION, GRIMLOCK DOESN'T ROAR INTO THE SPOTLIGHT. HE STEPS FORWARD QUIETLY. NO CROWN, NO DECLARATION, JUST PURPOSE. WE SEE HIM RESCUE ARCEE AND AILERON FROM ANNIHILATION. WE SEE HIM STAND BESIDE SOUNDWAVE, NOT AS A RIVAL, BUT AS AN EQUAL. AND WHEN OPTIMUS SPEAKS, GRIMLOCK LISTENS. NOT WITH DEFIANCE, BUT WITH UNDERSTANDING. BECAUSE THIS GRIMLOCK ISN'T FIGHTING FOR CONTROL ANYMORE. HE'S FIGHTING TO PROTECT. NOT TO DOMINATE. NOT TO PUNISH. NOT TO PROVE HIMSELF. BUT TO PRESERVE WHAT'S LEFT OF A DYING WORLD. AND THAT SHIFT, THAT MATURITY, DOESN'T ERASE HIS PAST. IT REFRAMES IT. HE STILL CARRIES THE SCARS OF THE WAR HE WAGED ON HIMSELF, STILL MOURNS THE TEAM HE FAILED, STILL SHOULDERS THE BURDEN OF CHOICES HE CAN'T UNDO. BUT HE NO LONGER LETS PRIDE STEER THE SHIP, BECAUSE HE LEARNED SOMETHING THAT STRENGTH ALONE COULD NEVER TEACH. THAT THE GREATEST WARRIORS KNOW WHEN TO FIGHT, AND WHEN TO STAND DOWN. EVEN THE WAY HE MOVES FEELS DIFFERENT. THE RAGE IS STILL THERE, BUT IT'S BEEN RESHAPED, POLISHED INTO SOMETHING COLDER, SHARPER, MORE CONTROLLED. GRIMLOCK HASN'T GROWN WEAKER, HE'S GROWN DISCIPLINED. WE SEE THAT EVEN MORE CLEARLY IN THE WAR FOR CYBERTRON CONTINUITY. IN FALL OF CYBERTRON, GRIMLOCK'S ORIGIN IS REWRITTEN. HE'S NO LONGER THE RESULT OF AUTOBOT SCIENCE. HE'S A SOLDIER. BRUTAL, EFFICIENT, AND DEEPLY LOYAL. CHOSEN FOR A SPECIAL MISSION TO INVESTIGATE THE RISE OF SHOCKWAVE'S MONSTROUS EXPERIMENTS. BUT HE NEVER MAKES IT BACK. CAPTURED, TORTURED, REFORGED. SHOCKWAVE DOESN'T JUST ALTER HIS FRAME, HE VIOLATES HIS AUTONOMY. HE MUTATES GRIMLOCK INTO SOMETHING UNRECOGNIZABLE. A BEAST, A DINOSAUR, A WEAPON STRIPPED OF WILL. BUT IT'S NOT THE TRANSFORMATION THAT BREAKS HIM, IT'S MEMORY. THE MEMORY OF HIS TEAM. SLAG, SNARL, SWOOP, AND SLUDGE. THE MEMORY OF HIS ORDERS. THE MEMORY OF WHO HE WAS BEFORE THAT CAGE. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHO HE CHOSE TO BE AFTER IT. BECAUSE IN THIS UNIVERSE, GRIMLOCK IS NO LONGER RULED BY INSTINCT. HE'S INTELLIGENT, TACTICAL, DELIBERATE. HE DOESN'T FLY INTO RAGE BLINDLY, HE WEAPONIZES IT. HE HOLDS IT IN RESERVE, WAITS, STUDIES HIS ENEMY, THEN HE UNLEASHES IT WITH SURGICAL PRECISION HE'S DANGEROUS NOT BECAUSE HE'S WILD BUT BECAUSE HE'S FOCUSED AND WHEN HE FINALLY ESCAPES WHEN HE REUNITES WITH THE DINO BOSS AND JOINS THE FINAL DEFENSE OF CYBERTRON HE DOESN'T DEMAND A THRONE HE DOESN'T NEED ONE HE TAKES THE FIELD LIKE A ROLL HE LISTENS HE LEADS HE WAITS FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT THE RIGHT STRIKE THE RIGHT TARGET BECAUSE BY NOW GRIMLOCK KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POWER AND PURPOSE HE KNOWS THAT RAGE MAY BURN HOT BUT IT BURNS OUT BUT DISCIPLINE DISCIPLINE ENDURES EVEN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH OPTIMUS SHIFTS NO LONGER A CHALLENGER TO THE HEAD OF THE AUTOBOTS LIKE IN OTHER TIMELINES GRIMLOCK NOW FIGHTS BESIDE PRIME WITH MUTUAL RESPECT THEY DON'T ALWAYS AGREE BUT THEY UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BECAUSE BOTH HAVE CARRIED BURDENS NO ONE ELSE COULD SEE BOTH HAVE MADE CHOICES THAT TORE THEIR TEAMS APART BOTH HAVE PAID THE PRICE FOR LEADING IN A WORLD THAT DOESN'T FORGIVE MISTAKES AND GRIMLOCK ONCE DEFINED BY REBELLION BECOMES SOMETHING MORE ENDURING A SYMBOL NOT OF DOMINANCE BUT OF DETERMINATION NOT A BRUTE FORCE BUT A BATTLE-HARDENED WISDOM NOT A TYRANT NOT A RULER BUT A PROTECTOR BY CHOICE AND PERHAPS THAT'S THE GREATEST TESTAMENT TO HIS GROWTH HE NEVER STOPPED BEING STRONG HE JUST STOPPED NEEDING TO PROVE IT BECAUSE IN THE END GRIMLOCK'S JOURNEY ISN'T ABOUT BECOMING THE STRONGEST IT'S ABOUT BECOMING THE MOST COMPLETE VERSION OF HIMSELF HE WAS FORGED IN VIOLENCE TEMPERED BY FAILURE AND REDEFINED THROUGH DISCIPLINE NOT BY CHANGING WHAT HE WAS BUT BY FINALLY LEARNING WHO HE WANTED TO BE BUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE WAR WHEN THE RAGE COOLS WHEN THE ENEMIES ARE GONE WHEN THERE'S NO MORE THRONE TO CHALLENGE NO BATTLEFIELD TO CLAIM WHAT DOES A WARRIOR BECOME WHEN THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO FIGHT FOR GRIMLOCK THE ANSWER DIDN'T COME FROM A CROWN OR A KILL COUNT IT CAME FROM SOMETHING FAR MORE DIFFICULT CONNECTION BECAUSE THERE'S ONE FINAL EVOLUTION THAT STRENGTH ALONE CAN UNLOCK THE COURAGE TO BE GENTLE AND IN CONTINUITIES LIKE CYBERVERSE AND EARTHSPARK WE WITNESS A VERSION OF GRIMLOCK WHO ISN'T DEFINED BY HIS FURY BUT BY HIS FRIENDSHIPS HE DOESN'T LEAD THROUGH DOMINANCE HE LEARNS THROUGH HUMILITY HE SACRIFICES HE TRUSTS HE GROWS NOT HARDER BUT SOFTER AND IN DOING SO GRIMLOCK BECOMES SOMETHING WE NEVER EXPECTED NOT JUST A WARRIOR NOT JUST A PROTECTOR BUT A SYMBOL OF HOW FAR EVEN THE FIERCEST CAN RISE WHEN THEY STOP FIGHTING THE WORLD AND START CHOOSING TO SERVE IT THERE'S A VERSION OF GRIMLOCK MANY FANS NEVER EXPECT TO SEE NOT THE WAR MACHINE NOT THE TYRANT SLAYER NOT THE TOWERING BEAST STOMPING HIS ENEMIES INTO SLAG BUT THE GUARDIAN THE FRIEND THE GENTLE GIANT WHO LEARNS THAT REAL STRENGTH ISN'T ABOUT DOMINATION IT'S ABOUT ACTION WE SEE THIS MOST CLEARLY IN EARTHSPARK HERE GRIMLOCK ISN'T AN OUTSIDER OR A WEAPON OF LAST RESORT HE'S PART OF SOMETHING DEEPER A FAMILY HE BAKES WITH HUMANS HE HELPS TRAIN YOUNG TERRANS HE USES HIS FIRE BREATH TO COOK NOT CONQUER BUT HIS PAST STILL LINGERS HAUNTED BY MIND CONTROL RAGE FLASHBACKS AND THE TRAUMA OF WAR GRIMLOCK DOESN'T BURY HIS INSTINCTS HE WRESTLES WITH THEM AND WHEN THOSE INSTINCTS FLARE THREATEN THE ONES HE'S GROWN TO LOVE HE LISTENS HE TRUSTS HE LETS OTHERS IN BECAUSE TRUE COURAGE ISN'T JUST CHARGING INTO BATTLE SOMETIMES IT'S STEPPING BACK LETTING OTHERS RISE BELIEVING THAT LOVE CAN BE STRONGER THAN VIOLENCE THIS VERSION OF GRIMLOCK DOESN'T REJECT WHO HE WAS HE REFRAMES IT HE TURNS PAIN INTO PATIENCE POWER INTO PURPOSE FURY INTO FAITH BUT TO TRULY UNDERSTAND HOW FAR GRIMLOCK HAS COME WE NEED TO GO BACK BACK TO CYBERVERSE BECAUSE THERE WE MEET A GRIMLOCK WHO HAS ALREADY FACED THE WAR WITHIN AND EMERGED WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHO HE WANTS TO BE HE'S STILL PROUD STILL POWERFUL STILL WILDLY CAPABLE OF LEVELING HALF A BATTLEFIELD WHEN THE SITUATION CALLS FOR IT BUT HE'S ALSO KIND HE FORGES FRIENDSHIPS WITH EARTH DINOSAURS HE THROWS PARTIES ON THE ARK TO LIFT MORALE HE LOOKS OUT FOR HIS TEAMMATES NOT WITH BRUTE FORCE BUT WITH HEART WHEN THE AUTOBOTS CRASH ON EARTH GRIMLOCK DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY REJOIN THE FIGHT INSTEAD HE LIVES AMONG THE WILDLIFE LEARNING ADAPTING EVEN BUILDING A HOME FOR HIMSELF HE CHOOSES EXILE NOT OUT OF SHAME BUT OUT OF REVERENCE BECAUSE HE KNOWS HE'S DANGEROUS AND RATHER THAN RISK HARMING OTHERS HE BUILDS A LIFE WHERE HIS POWER CAN BE CHANNELED INTO SOMETHING PEACEFUL SOMETHING MEANINGFUL EVEN WHEN HE EVENTUALLY REJOINS THE AUTOBOTS HE DOESN'T SEEK GLORY OR RECOGNITION HE'S JUST HAPPY TO BE USEFUL HAPPY TO PROTECT AND WHEN DANGER STRIKES WHEN THE EARTH IS THREATENED WHEN THE ALLSPARK IS STOLEN WHEN CHAOS ERUPTS GRIMLOCK DOESN'T ROAR FOR COMMAND HE QUIETLY STEPS BACK INTO HIS ROLE HE SHIELDS THE WEAK HE HOLDS THE LINE HE VOLUNTEERS FOR MISSIONS NO ONE ELSE CAN SURVIVE BECAUSE NOW HE FIGHTS NOT BECAUSE HE'S ANGRY BECAUSE HE CARES AND MAYBE THE MOST POWERFUL TRANSFORMATION HE UNDERGOES ISN'T MECHANICAL IT'S MORAL BECAUSE IN CYBERVERSE WE SEE A BOT WHO HAS WRESTLED WITH HIS INSTINCTS AND CHOSEN SOMETHING BETTER A NEW IDENTITY FOR IS NOT IN RAGE BUT IN RESPONSIBILITY EVEN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER DINO BOTS REFLECTS THE SHIFT THEY DON'T JUST FOLLOW HIM BECAUSE HE'S THE STRONGEST THEY FOLLOW HIM BECAUSE HE TRAINS THEM GUIDES BUILDS VOLCANICUS NOT JUST AS A COMBINER OF BODIES BUT AS A UNION OF WILLS AND IN FIGHTS WITH TRYPTICON AND FINAL BATTLES AGAINST THE QUINNISSONS IT'S NOT GRIMLOCK'S RAGE THAT TURNS THE TIDE IT'S THE UNITY HE FOSTERS THE SELFLESSNESS HE MODELS WHEN THE WAR IS FINALLY OVER WHEN PEACE IS SIGNED AND CYBERTRON BEGINS TO HEAL GRIMLOCK ISN'T ON THE THRONE HE'S IN MCADAMS LAUGHING WITH HIS FRIENDS RAISING A TOAST TO THE FUTURE AND THAT FUTURE EXISTS BECAUSE HE HELPED PROTECT IT NOT WITH FEAR BUT WITH FAITH BECAUSE THE STRONGEST VERSION OF GRIMLOCK ISN'T THE ONE WHO BITES THE HARDEST IT'S THE ONE WHO KNOWS WHEN NOT TO BITE AT ALL WHO TRUSTS HIS TEAM WHO BELIEVES IN SECOND CHANCES WHO SERVES SOMETHING GREATER THAN HIMSELF AND MAYBE THAT'S THE VERSION WE ALL NEED TO SEE BECAUSE IF EVEN GRIMLOCK THE WALKING EMBODIMENT OF FURY AND FIRE CAN LEARN TO LEAD WITH LOVE WHAT'S STOPPING US WE'VE SEEN THE BEAST WE'VE SEEN THE WARRIOR WE'VE SEEN THE KING WHO CONQUERS HIS ENEMIES BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ONE WHO CONQUERS HIMSELF BECAUSE ACROSS EVERY BATTLEFIELD EVERY CONTINUITY EVERY TIMELINE GRIMLOCK'S GREATEST EVOLUTION ISN'T A NEW FORM OR A NEW WEAPON IT'S WHAT HE'S CHOSEN TO BECOME HE DOESN'T ABANDON HIS POWER HOUR, HE REFINES IT, HE LEARNS RESTRAINT, HE CHOOSES HUMILITY, HE TRANSFORMS FROM A FORCE OF DESTRUCTION INTO A PROTECTOR, A MENTOR, EVEN A FRIEND. AND IN DOING SO, HE REFLECTS SOMETHING WE RARELY EXPECT TO SEE FROM A CHARACTER BUILT FOR WAR, REDEMPTION. THIS ISN'T JUST THE STORY OF. GRIMLOCK, IT'S THE STORY OF ANYONE WHO'S EVER STRUGGLED WITH ANGER, WITH PRIDE, WITH THE INSTINCT TO LASH OUT INSTEAD OF LEAN IN. BECAUSE WHILE THE WORLD TEACHES US TO FIGHT FOR DOMINANCE, GRIMLOCK SHOWS US THE REAL WAR IS WITHIN, AND THE REAL VICTORY IS BECOMING THE KIND OF MAN WHO DOESN'T NEED TO ROAR TO BE STRONG. WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO ROAR, TO RAISE OUR VOICE IN ANGER, TO THROW OUR WEIGHT AROUND, TO MAKE THE WORLD FEEL OUR PRESENCE, BECAUSE WE'RE AFRAID IT MIGHT IGNORE US OTHERWISE. AND FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE, GRIMLOCK DID JUST THAT. HE ROARED WHEN HE FELT OVERLOOKED, WHEN LEADERSHIP FAILED HIM, WHEN TRUST WAS BROKEN, WHEN HE DIDN'T HAVE THE WORDS TO EXPLAIN THE PAIN UNDERNEATH THE FURY, BUT SOMETHING CHANGED. ACROSS EVERY CONTINUITY, FROM THE BATTLEFIELD TO THE INNER SANCTUM OF MCADAMS, GRIMLOCK DIDN'T JUST TRANSFORM IN THE MECHANICAL SENSE, HE EVOLVED. NO LONGER A BRUTE, HE BECAME THE KIND OF WARRIOR WHO NO LONGER NEEDED TO SHOUT TO BE HEARD. THE KIND OF LEADER WHO NO LONGER DEMANDED LOYALTY THROUGH FEAR. THE KIND OF BOT WHO NO LONGER SAW GENTLENESS AS WEAKNESS. BECAUSE SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, HE REALIZED REAL STRENGTH ISN'T ABOUT DOMINATION, IT'S ABOUT DISCIPLINE. IT'S ABOUT THE POWER TO BREAK, AND THE DECISION NOT TO. ABOUT BEING STRONG ENOUGH TO LIFT OTHERS UP WITHOUT NEEDING TO STAND ON THEM. AND THAT'S A LESSON FAR TOO MANY OF US LEARN TOO LATE. WE THINK STRENGTH IS CONTROL, THAT LEADERSHIP IS COMMAND, THAT BEING A FATHER, A FRIEND, A MAN IN THIS WORLD MEANS BEING LOUD, UNMOVABLE, AND UNTOUCHABLE. BUT GRIMLOCK TEACHES US SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THAT HUMILITY TAKES MORE COURAGE THAN RAGE. THAT PROTECTION DEMANDS MORE ENDURANCE THAN CONQUEST. THAT RAISING OTHERS, CHILDREN, STUDENTS, SOLDIERS, MEANS LETTING GO OF PRIDE AND EMBRACING PATIENCE. IT'S THE FATHER WHO DOESN'T EXPLODE WHEN HIS KID PUSHES BOUNDARIES. IT'S THE LEADER WHO STEPS BACK SO SOMEONE ELSE CAN RISE. IT'S THE MAN WHO WALKS AWAY FROM THE FIGHT, NOT BECAUSE HE'S WEAK, BUT BECAUSE HE KNOWS WINNING ISN'T WORTH LOSING HIS SOUL. GRIMLOCK HAS THE POWER TO DESTROY CITIES, BUT HIS TRUE LEGACY LIES IN WHAT HE CHOSE NOT TO DESTROY. INSTEAD OF VENGEANCE, HE CHOSE PURPOSE. INSTEAD OF INSTINCT, HE CHOSE IDENTITY. AND THAT IDENTITY WASN'T BUILT ON FURY, IT WAS FORGED IN RESTRAINT. AND THAT IS A MODEL FOR MANHOOD. IN A WORLD THAT STILL GLORIFIES AGGRESSION AND DOMINANCE, GRIMLOCK STANDS AS SOMETHING FAR MORE POWERFUL. A SYMBOL OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN POWER IS TEMPERED BY LOVE. WHEN LEADERSHIP IS ROOTED IN SERVICE. WHEN FIRE BECOMES LIGHT, NOT JUST HEAT. BECAUSE ANYONE CAN ROAR. ANYONE CAN SWING THE BIGGEST WEAPON IN THE ROOM AND DEMAND TO BE FEARED. BUT THE ONES WHO RULE THE WORLD, THE ONES WHO RAISE FAMILIES, WHO LEAD COMMUNITIES, WHO STAND IN THE GAP WHEN EVERYTHING'S FALLING APART, ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW WHEN TO STAY SILENT, WHEN TO LISTEN, WHEN TO BE STILL. GRIMLOCK'S GREATEST LESSON ISN'T HOW TO WIN, IT'S HOW TO WIELD STRENGTH WITHOUT LOSING YOURSELF. HOW TO LEAD WITHOUT CRUSHING. HOW TO LOVE WITHOUT FEAR. HOW TO BECOME THE KIND OF MAN WHO DOESN'T NEED TO ROAR, BECAUSE HIS LIFE ALREADY SPEAKS LOUDER THAN ANY BATTLE CRY EVER COULD. SO THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE FACED WITH THAT CHOICE, TO FIGHT OR FORGIVE, TO DOMINATE OR PROTECT, TO SPEAK OR STAY SILENT, ASK YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD GRIMLOCK DO? AND WHAT KIND OF MAN DO YOU WANT TO BECOME? BECAUSE EVEN IF A FIRE-BREATHING WAR MACHINE CAN LEARN TO LEAD WITH WISDOM, WITH COMPASSION, WITH SACRIFICE, THEN MAYBE WE CAN TOO. THANK YOU FOR WALKING WITH US THROUGH THE RAGE, RECKONING, AND REDEMPTION OF GRIMLOCK. THROUGH THE BATTLES HE'S WAGED, THROUGH THE INSTINCTS HE'S WRESTLED, THROUGH THE QUIET CHOICES HE'S MADE WHEN NO ONE ELSE WAS WATCHING. WE'VE SEEN A MONSTER FORGED IN FURY LEARN TO MASTER HIMSELF. A DESTROYER OF TYRANTS BECOME A PROTECTOR OF PEACE. AND IN THAT STILLNESS, BETWEEN ROARS, HE REVEALS SOMETHING DEEPER. THAT TRUE STRENGTH ISN'T MEASURED BY HOW LOUD YOU SHOUT, BY WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO STAY SILENT ABOUT. THAT REAL LEADERSHIP DOESN'T ALWAYS STAND AT THE FRONT. SOMETIMES IT WAITS IN THE SHADOWS, SO OTHERS CAN RISE. GRIMLOCK DOESN'T ERASE HIS PAST. HE HONORS IT. HE GROWS FROM IT. HE CHOOSES TO BE MORE. NOT BECAUSE IT'S EASY, BUT BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT. BECAUSE BECOMING BETTER ISN'T ABOUT PERFECTION. IT'S ABOUT RESTRAINT. ABOUT SERVING INSTEAD OF CONQUERING. LOVING INSTEAD OF LASHING OUT. BECOMING THE KIND OF MAN WHOSE POWER LIFTS OTHERS, RATHER THAN CRUSHING THEM. SO BEFORE WE GO, ASK YOURSELF, WHO ARE YOU PROTECTING? WHAT IS YOUR STRENGTH REALLY FOR? BECAUSE THE LOUDEST WARRIORS DON'T ALWAYS SPEAK, AND THE STRONGEST LEADERS DON'T ALWAYS LEAD. SOMETIMES, THEY LISTEN. THEY TRUST. THEY BUILD. THEY CHOOSE. AND SO CAN YOU. SO STAY STRONG, STAY STEADY, AND AS ALWAYS, STAY HANDSOME. AND REMEMBER, YOU ARE NOT YOUR ANGER, YOU ARE NOT YOUR SCARS, YOU ARE WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO BECOME, STARTING NOW.