#16: Hound (1984)

Hound is a funny old thing. For a few reasons. One, I don't think I've ever met anyone who owned him as a kid, two, I've never seen an intact version nowadays, and three, it's strange to think that it was Hound who was supposed to be the 'kiddie interest' character when the G1 cartoon started all of those years ago.

Don't believe me? Watch "More than Meets the Eye" parts 1-3. You'll notice, hardly any Bumblebee and Spike. It's all Hound and Spike. It's also Hound who longs to be human, who loves Earth the most. It even says that on his Tech Specs. It should be Hound sooaking up all of the adoration from kidlets all around the world, and Bumblebee should be nothing more than a footnote. Some unkind souls might say things might be better that way, but I'm not one of them.

Hound then, was one of the Autobots that typified what they were all about to me; they were doctors, cartographers, scientists, all forced into fighting the military might that was the Decepticon army. They didn't want to fight but they did, for the things they truly believed in. That's what made them heroes to kids, ultimately. Still does, in my book.

His toy wasn't bad either, a bit short and stumpy, but then this was 1984, and he transformed into a Jeep. That's pretty darn cool in anyone's book. It's not a bad looking Jeep, either. Admittedly his Universe version would completely blow it out of the water (and most of the Universe line too, it has to be said), but that's another story for another time.

Hound then, is the guy that should be everywhere now. Unlike the yellow guy who eventually got the gig because he sold for less. Such is life. There's a lesson in there somewhere, I'm sure.