Drift (Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)

Drift, formerly known as Deadlock, is a samurai bounty hunter and a protagonist on Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Drift aims to bring his targets in fairly and honorably and rehabilitate them into contributing members of Cybertronian society.

Drift is a perfectionist in everything he does and holds an unbendingly rigid honor code he follows to the letter. Even Strongarm finds his strictness excessive.

Drift is an expert in blade combat, eschewing blasters for the range or up-close approach. He is equipped with two gauntlets that transform into Mini-Cons Slipstream and Jetstorm. He is rivaled by Fracture, another bounty hunter who does not share Drift's code of honor.

History

Drift's Samurai Showdown

Drift was once known as Deadlock, a member of the bounty hunter group known as the Ronin. He joined the group due to having no home or companions, but soon recognized the group lacked conscience in its efforts to apprehend prisoners. During a mission to the planet Athena in which they nearly destroyed it's moon, he finally had enough and destroyed their vessel, leaving the group. He would later confront them again after joining Team Bumblebee.

Robots in Disguise

In the past on Cybertron, Drift had rehabilitated a pair of Mini-Con criminals named Slipstream and Jetstorm. They decided to train under Drift and became his pupils.

Season 1

Drift and his Mini-Cons headed to Earth to collect on the bounty on Bumblebee's head, however arriving at the same time was Fracture. Drift and his two Mini-Con students tangled with the Decepticon and his two Mini-Cons at a deserted ranch, however Fracture got the better of him, and it was only through Bumblebee's help that Fracture was sent into a retreat. Drift mistakes Denny Clay as Bee's pet when Denny introduced himself. Drift stated that he owed Bee a life debt for helping him deal with Fracture and insisted on protecting Bee. Drift and his Mini-Cons went with Bee back at the Autobot's base where Drift kept his word on protecting Bumblebee and was appalled at the scrapyard's lack of defenses and the inexperience of Bumblebee's team. After Denny, Strongarm, Sideswipe and Grimlock were captured by Fracture to use as a trade, Drift remained resolute in sticking with Bumblebee who pointed out that there was more to honor. Drift and Fracture fought when Fracture appeared and incapacitated Bee. Fracture turned the tables on Drift by placing a bomb on the Autobot's back. Fracture was distracted when Russell used his video game as a bluff. As Drift was down, Fracture was close to making a killing blow until Slipstream and Jetstorm arrived in the Decepticon's ship. Fracture was defeated but escaped. Drift was released from his life debt and stated he would not pursue the bounty and instead left with his Mini-Cons in his ship.

In One of Our Mini-Cons Is Missing, Drift returns to Earth with Slipstream to find Jetstorm after Jetstorm had left them without explaining to them first. Drift and Slipstream encountered Bumblebee's team again with Jetstorm following under Russell as his new master. Before Drift could continue further with Jetstorm, Bumblebee invited Drift to tag along in a mission to recapture Quillfire and Springload. Drift agreed as Jetstorm returned to him as they headed out with the Autobots. In pursuit of the escaped captives, who stole a human tank as their transportation, Drift attacked the tank only to be blasted unconscious. His students rushed to Drift's aid to protect him against the tank. When Drift had came to, he scolded his Mini-Cons, mostly towards Jetstorm. When Russell intervened to tell Drift off, Drift listened and Jetstorm revealed that he had polished Drift's sword incorrectly which made Jetstorm feel the need to leave Drift's guidance. Drift somewhat understood Jetstorm's reasoning and reluctantly went with Jetstorm's plan in taking down the tank. When it was a success, Drift managed to cut off some of the tank's weapons and protected Jetstorm when he was able to free himself from being nearly exploded by the tank's explosion. As Quillfire and Springload were being placed back in stasis pods, Drift accepted Jetstorm's apology and welcomed Jetstorm back. Drift also announced to Bumblebee that he and his students will remain on Bumblebee's team so that they could learn more about teamwork. Bumblebee extended his hand to welcome Drift, but Drift inadvertently bowed into his hand instead.

In Deep Trouble, Drift witnessed as both of his pupils were finishing a training exercise in the scrapyard. Later, Drift and his students went with Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Strongarm, and Grimlock to an underwater location to capture Octopunch. After the Decepticon dispatched them and they evaded the lasers Octopunch deployed from the ship that he was planning to use to leave Earth, the team managed to get inside the ship. Octopunch had deployed several traps, which eventually Drift, both of his Mini-Cons, and Sideswipe found themselves trapped in a room. Drift and his students used the time to meditate on their situation, which Drift was trying to explain to a distraught Sideswipe but was caught up with his student's distractions. Drift was able to explain to Sideswipe that meditation can help them calm their minds to find a way out of their predicament. Sideswipe reluctantly went along with and was scolded by Drift for being distracted, which he apologized for. When they were freed, they headed back to the scrapyard with a successful escape from the exploding ship and Octopunch being placed back in a stasis pod.

In The Champ, Drift aided Fixit in locating two Decepticon signals, which belonged to Groundpounder and Headlock. Drift went with Bumblebee, Strongarm, and Sideswipe to capture these Decepticons, but a groundbridge malfunction had placed them in the Arctic. In a second groundbridge, they were outside of city limits of where the two Decepticons were. In the meantime, Bumblebee asked Denny to be in charge of handling and taking Grimlock as a contestant in the Rumbledome so that they could get there to help out. Realizing Denny was placed in charge, Drift, respectively, suggested they get there as soon as possible. They were held up by a train, then traffic and soon were able to get there to witness Grimlock make his finishing move on Groundpounder. Drift also witnessed as Russell awarded Grimlock and Fixit with the winner's trophy.

In The Trouble with Fixit, Drift and his students helped the Autobots look for Fixit. When Fixit came back with Sideswipe and Drift's Mini-Cons, Fixit was placed under operation by Denny in an attempt to "fix" him. However, Fixit was inadvertently reverted back to his sentry programming mode and began to mistake Bumblebee's team as escaped Decepticon fugitives. Drift managed to dispatch some blows from Fixit and they were chased by Fixit with his built in weapons through the scrapyard. Drift suggested that they might have to destroy Fixit to avoid Fixit targeting humans in Crown City. Drift went along with Bumblebee's in an attempt to secure Fixit. Drift, who stated his baseline stasis was about stealth, managed to get himself trapped in a containment field along with his students. They were able to escape and pursued Fixit, who was chasing Chop Shop, along with the other Autobots. Drift and the Autobots attempted to pile onto Fixit, only to be defeated by doing so. However, Denny was able to deactivate Fixit and was soon repaired back to his normal state. Drift was happy Fixit was restored and Drift went to check on the security systems that the scrapyard was equipped with.

In Lockout, Drift helped bring in roller coaster parts that Denny got for a "steal" and install Denny's roller coaster track in the scrapyard. As Bumblebee informed Denny that they were almost complete, Fixit informed them about a signal outside of the scrapyard. It belonged to Kickback who was tied up to a tree and ducked taped over his mouth. When Kickback escaped from them, Bumblebee realized something was not right and attempted to contact Fixit, only for it to fail. Drift was affected by the subsonic pulses that Steeljaw had placed as he and his pack took control over the scrapyard. The Autobots attempted to go under the scrapyard but it was unsuccessful. When they made their way to the side of the scrapyard, Drift suggested that they would require a very tall ladder. As the Autobots made a diversion, Drift went with Bumblebee to set up a catapult that they used to get Drift's Mini-Cons into the scrapyard to disable the subsonic field. They were successful while Drift and the Autobots got into the scrapyard to face off against Steeljaw's pack. Drift faced against Fracture in a one on one fight, which Fracture stated Drift could not beat him alone. Drift countered his comment by stating he was not alone and was soon backed up by his comrades. Drift and the Autobots successfully chased Steeljaw and his pack out of the scrapyard. Drift suggested that they should pursue them but Bumblebee stated that they need to double the scrapyard's defenses and that Steeljaw can wait.

In Similarly Different, after Grimlock had befriended a Dinobot and Decepticon named Scowl, Drift went with the Autobots to hunt Scowl. When Scowl destroyed a train bridge, Drift helped the Autobots redirect the incoming train by turning it the opposite direction. As Scowl invaded a human spa, Drift and his students looked for Scowl in the showers. Though Drift's students were frighten by what they thought was Scowl's noise but was just the showers, Scowl sneaked up behind Drift and got the better of them. They helped bring in the incapacitated Scowl back to the scrapyard where Denny, Russell, and Fixit were dancing.

In The Buzz on Windblade, Drift was there to welcome a newcomer named Windblade. In a mission to capture Zizza, Drift, Bumblebee, and Grimlock avoided confrontation with Zizza's human controlled slaves. The mission proved successful as Zizza was taken into custody.

In Ghosts and Impostors, the Autobots were feeling homesick for Cybertron. Bumblebee decided to take them, including Drift and his Mini-Cons, on a vacation to visit some place on Earth. The groundbridge they used had sent them to an active volcano and they managed to avoid it. They went to a new location called Edmondville, where Bumblebee gave them a brief history of the town. Drift related to how the spirit of a warrior lives on when Bumblebee stated the town could be ghostly. When a tour group of humans came to the town, the team had fun in scaring them away, despite Drift coming out too late in a ghost disguise. The team and his students giggled at Drift's attempt to be scary as a ghost. When a Decepticon impostor named Pseudo disguised himself to look like Drift, Drift was able to get the better of him by deploying Jetstorm and Slipstream out, which Pseudo was unable to and escaped. The team pursued Pseudo in a mine where Pseudo disguised himself to look like Grimlock but was flushed out when Bumblebee asked about Grimlock's favorite thing about the acid wastes. While Pseudo was attempting to escape by transforming into a train, Drift's Mini-Cons were flung at Pseudo and they successfully hit the Decepticon unconscious. Pseudo was placed in cuffs and the team revealed that while Earth may not be like Cybertron, there were some things about it. As they prepared to go home, they observed and admired a sunset.

In Battlegrounds, Part 1, when Sideswipe and Strongarm were kidnapped by Decepticons, Drift and the other Autobots set off to rescue their comrades from the Decepticon's base of operations. They discovered that the Decepticons were using the Crown City Colossus to summon Megatronus from another dimension. In Battlegrounds, Part 2, with their forces bolstered by the return of Optimus Prime, Drift comm Fixit on Megatronus. Later, Drift freed his allies and fought against the Decepticons while Optimus took on Megatronus. After Steeljaw's forces were routed, Drift and Sideswipe hacked off part of the Colossus's arm and pinned Megatronus beneath its weight, allowing Bumblebee, Strongarm, and Sideswipe to power up using their Decepticon Hunters and finish off Megatronus. Afterwards, Drift returned to their base with the others. Like the other Autobots, he chose to remain on Earth under Bumblebee's command.

Season 2

In Overloaded, Part 1, Drift was inspecting and brushing off some dirt from his sword before helping Windblade with a stasis pod. As Decepticons were being detected far from the scrapyard, Drift was assigned to be part of an "away team" to hunt them. He and the rest of the team were sent on a mission to the Arctic under Optimus Prime's command, however as they tracked the Decepticon, they found themselves having to deal with Optimus's weakened state as a result of the Primes taking back the power they had bestowed on the Autobot leader.

In Overloaded, Part 2, after rescuing Optimus from a cliff and then becoming the victims of an avalanche, the Autobots managed to sneak up on Polarclaw after scanning some arctic camouflage that Optimus showed, demonstrated and taught them. Drift took part in the mountain chase, which he saw Polarclaw driven into an ice floe before they all fell in the water below. They started to slowly feel the affects of the cold but with a plan by Optimus, they managed to capture Polarclaw.

In Cover Me, travelling south, the away team switched paintjobs again, this time adopting desert camouflage from an offroad jeep. During the hunt for another Decepticon, Drift had to suffer Sideswipe's ceaseless chattering. When the team was ran across Swelter and Glacius, Drift deployed his students to test their skills, though he had to intervene after they were defeated. Windblade talked with Drift and Sideswipe about protecting Optimus but they both felt that Optimus could take care of himself. Searching for Razorpaw, the Autobots ended up at a military base where Drift and Sideswipe were ambushed by the two Mini-Cons again. Though the pair were trapped in a metal cocoon by their foes, Optimus and Windblade attempted to free them both. Drift was at least grateful for the fact that it had silenced Sideswipe and told them to take their time.

In Graduation Exercises, while investigating possible interference with one of Windblade's caches, Optimus's team found themselves up against Stockade and his army of Mini-Cons. Drift attempted to call his students but they could not "hear" him. Drift's legs were injured while he saved them from being blasted by Stockade's Mini-Cons during the ensuing firefight. Windblade provided Drift some cover by blowing away some of Stockade's Mini-Cons which enabled Drift to seal himself in the cache. Drift reports to his students that he was fine but with his legs temporarily disabled, he had to sit in the cache. He also attempted to fool Stockade into believing there was a "doomsday" device in the cache which provided a distraction for Sideswipe and Drift's Mini-Cons to stop Stockade. Drift successfully used the weapons that the cache contained to hold off the Decepticons which he managed to blast some of Stockade's troops and used a bomb to blow off some troops from behind Slipstream, who went to check on Drift. After witnessing his students acquit themselves against the foes and with Stockade's defeat, Drift informed his students that their education was completed, although they revealed to Drift about pretending to not hear him and they insisted on remaining as his students. Drift was soon carried back to the scrapyard by Grimlock.

In Decepticon Island (Part 1), Grimlock wanted to have a "team within the team" with Drift, who respectfully declines Grimlock's offer. After a chance encounter resulted in Ratchet joining the team and a failed interrogation with Clampdown, the Autobots got a lead to the location of the group of Decepticons from Toolbox. Later, they used a ruse to infiltrate the crashed Alchemor which the Decepticons were using as a base, but were ambushed soon after getting inside.

In Decepticon Island (Part 2), as the Autobots split up, Drift and Ratchet went to free Windblade. They found Overload putting her in a stasis pod and fought with the Decepticon. Drift and Ratchet became trapped in a pod themselves and Drift missed Overload's defeat, but he and the others were able to escape the ship before the cryo-gas bomb went off, freezing all on board. In the aftermath, Drift opted to be Grimlock's "teamie" and to also remain on Earth under Bumblebee's command.

Personality

As a samurai warrior, Drift is honorable, calm, level-headed, compose, strict, and stern. He does not realize when he is being too hard on someone, until that person points it out to him. He knows mentoring his pupils is not easy (though he has proven to work with them through communication and guidance as he seems to act like a father figure to Jetstorm and Slipstream). Drift has often expressed or give compassion, understanding, and caring to his Mini-cons and for Bee's team.

Powers and Abilities

Drift is capable of taking an a opponent, like Fracture, single handed. He is a skilled fighter and uses his swords to combat any foe in most fights. Sometimes, Drift would use his bare hands, quick wits, or any form of weapon at his disposal to take on his enemies as well.

Relationships

Allies/Friends

Jetstorm

Jetstorm is one of Drift's students, next to Slipstream. In Hunting Season, Drift told Jetstorm to never gloat. After the fight, Jetstorm brought Drift his sword but had to clean it when there was a piece of dirt on it. Jetstorm and Slipstream talked about their master to Russell Clay. Slipstream stated to Jetstorm Drift does not give praise easily. After the Autobots defeated Fracture and he escaped, Russell managed to get Drift into complimenting Jetstorm and Slipstream. Drift was angered when Jetstorm had left him and Slipstream without telling him anything, which Jetstorm had revealed he left because he had polished Drift's sword wrong. Drift simply told his pupil to never make assumptions and protected Jetstorm as he evaded the destruction of the tank that Springload and Quillfire had stolen from a military base. When Drift was trapped with Jetstorm, Slipstream, and Sideswipe in a ship that Octopunch was using to try to leave Earth, they tried to meditate despite little incidents where Jetstorm, Slipstream, and Sideswipe were distracted from their meditation as Drift scolded them in doing so.

Jetstorm is under Drift's command and care. Jetstorm is Drift's pupil and acts like a younger son to him.

Slipstream

Slipstream is one of Drift's students, next to Jetstorm. In Hunting Season, Slipstream told Jetstorm that their master does not give praise easily when they were speaking with Russell. After Fracture escaped, Russell was able to get Drift to compliment Slipstream and Jetstorm. Eventually, Drift came back to Earth where he decided to stay in Bumblebee's team. When Drfit was trapped along with Slipstream, Jetstorm, and Sideswipe, in a ship that Octopunch was trying to use to escape Earth, their meditation had little incidents where Jetstorm, Slipstream, and Sideswipe were distracted from their meditation and scolded on by Drift.

Slipstream is under Drift's command and care, along with Jetstorm. Slipstream is Drift's pupil and acts like an.