Grimlock
Grimlock is a character in the Transformers Fictional Universe. He is the leader of the Dinobots, and transforms into a Tyrannosaurus rex. He is always depicted as a powerful warrior with an unexplained speech impairment, who receives unwavering loyalty from his Dinobot troops.
Generation One Cartoon
Created by the Ark transformers, the Dinobots were wild and uncontrollable until some reprogramming and a new brain made them a reliable fighting force. Grimlock, as the leader of this group, was provided with the most battle knowledge.
In 2005 Grimlock and all the Dinobots (except Snarl) took part in the Battle of Autobot City and against Unicron as seen in Transformers: The Movie.
In the Earth year 2006, Grimlock was temporarily gifted with super-intelligence, after exposure to anti-electrons. In this state, he created the Technobots. After donating his intelligence to Computron, Grimlock returned to his old self.
In the US Cartoon Grimlock is voiced by Gregg Berger
Generation One Comic, Marvel
Grimlock is a Cybertronian Transformer. A powerful and cunning warrior, he is a high-ranking member of the Autobot army, and sometimes depicted as Optimus Prime’s second-in-command. He took leadership of the Autobots after both of Optimus Prime’s deaths.
After Prime's first death, Grimlock was elected as Autobot commander by the Autobots. At first he reluctantly accepted this role, but it soon proved that absolute power corrupts absolutely and Grimlock ruled over the Autobots with an iron fist. His policy towards Earth and its inhabitants were vastly different from Optimus Prime's policies; while Optimus Prime viewed these as objects of protection, Grimlock expressed a disdain for humanity, viewing them as an inferior species unworthy of their protection. Under Grimlock’s leadership, the Autobot's starship, the Ark, was repaired made spaceworthy again. If Grimlock even suspected any fellow Autobot of conspiring to treason he would order their arrest. One such Autobot was Blaster, who was hunted down and arrested by the Protectobots and later the Dinobots themselves. Blaster was placed under imprisonment and torture. Grimlock refused to recognise the authority of Fortress Maximus and failed to establish an allegiance with the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters aboard the Steelhaven. The Autobots under Grimlock’s command soon grew tired of his malevolent rule and collective conspired to overthrow him. They chose Blaster as their champion, who, fuelled by lust for vengeance, agreed to challenge Grimlock for leadership. The Decepticons took advantage of this weakness in the Autobot ranks and interrupted Grimlock and Blaster's battle for leadership with an all-out assault upon the Autobots on the Moon. With all Autobots now under attack from their mortal enemies, Grimlock and Blaster put their differences aside and fought alongside each other against the Decepticon horde.
Grimlock and the Dinobots were destroyed during the battle against Starscream, while the villain was super-powered by the Underbase. Grimlock was later rebuilt by Ratchet along with Jazz and Bumblebee as Pretenders. Rachet died shortly after while taking out Megatron, and was thus unable to continue his work restoring other Autobots in stasis lock. Grimlock swore to one day find a way to revive his Dinobots.
Under the leadership of Powermaster Optimus Prime, Grimlock proved to be a loyal and powerful Autobot, daring even to battle the Matrix-powered Decepticon Thunderwing during the Matrix Quest. However, he was still obsessed with quickly reviving the Dinobots, a goal which put him at odds with Optimus Prime, who advocated patience in the search for a way to rebuild the fallen Autobots. Grimlock finally lost patience, stole the bodies of the Dinobots and a shuttle from the Ark, and piloted it to the planet Hydrus Four. Scientists on this planet had developed a new fuel called Nucleon. This fuel is more powerful than Energon and capable of bringing dead Transformers back to life, but it is unstable and can have unforeseen consequences. So Grimlock tested the fuel on himself before using it to revive the Dinobots, then brought enough back to revive the remaining fallen Autobots.
The Dinobots returned to Cybertron with the Nucleon, and arrived in time for the battle with Unicron. Their arrival, and their reviving the fallen Autobots with Nucleon, was an important part of Transformer victory that day. However, the fuel later caused Grimlock to evolve into a more powerful Action Master, and thus lose his ability to transform, getting stuck in humanoid form forever. It is hinted that the other Transformers revived with the Nucleon will suffer the same fate.
When Optimus Prime sacrificed himself to destroy Unicron, he named Grimlock as his successor with his dying word. At that point, Cybertron was believed to be dying as a result of the battle with Unicron, and the Autobots and Decepticons were cooperating to evacuate. However, the Decepticons had a hidden motive – to escape, and leave the Autobots marooned on the dying planet. Grimlock and the Dinobots were the only ones among the Autobots who saw through the Decepticons’ false pretence of peaceful co-existence and suspected the plan of mass betrayal. As a result, it was only through the actions of the Dinobots that the Autobots were able to flee Cybertron and follow the Decepticons to the planet Klo for a final showdown.
Generation Two Comic, Marvel
At the onset of the G2 comic, Grimlock is Optimus Prime’s second-in-command, and leads an Autobot’s space exploration team into enemy territory. He has regained his transforming ability, which he had lost because of the Nucleon at the end of the G1 comic, though how that happened is never made clear.
G2 Grimlock has changed a little since from his G1 incarnation. He is still rebellious, preferring an all-out attack to Optimus Prime’s more patient and peaceful approach to the war. However, he also shows more restraint, and more loyalty to the Autobots. Grimlock’s rebellious and aggressive nature is a mixed blessing. At one point it leads him right into a Decepticon trap, while another time he breaks orders and launches an all-out attack that saves Optimus Prime from certain death at the hands of Megatron.
Transformers: The War Within
Grimlock here was portrayed as any normal transformer, only with a slight speech impediment. He was around at least as far back as the time Sentinel Prime was killed, and Orion Pax received the title Prime. Grimlock resented Optimus Prime's initial decision to leave Cybertron, but gained a respect after the end of the first series.
In the War Within, Grimlock transformed into a large Cybertronian chariot/tank. He also had a as-yet-unexplained grudge against the Autobot scientist Jetfire, even going so far as trying to take his life.
Transformers: Generation One, Dreamwave
In this series, Grimlock appears to finally become completely disinfranchized from the Autobots, as he rips his insigna off and temporarily joins with the Decepticons. When abandoned in battle, he leaves the ranks, but it transpired that he had been forced into Megatron's service by the capture of the other four Dinobots.
Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Grimlock(Build Hurricane in Japan) was a co-leader of the Autobot BuildMasters. Despite his appearance, he is actually a smart guy. He judges any situation in a composed, calm manner, and dispenses accurate advice to others. He spends numerous days wondering how best to pass his experience onto his leader Wedge.
He is voiced by Hiroki Takahashi(Japan) & Tom Wyner(US).
Other usages
In the role playing game Dungeons and Dragons, there are subterranean creaters called Grimlocks which serve as an antagonist to the player characters.
In the Table-top wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the Lizardman hero Kroq-Gar rides a Carnosaur named Grymloq (a slightly Aztec-inspired respelling).