Bio
The youngest member of the Axalon crew, Cheetor was always impulsive and eager for adventure. While he admired his comrades, he often felt that they underestimated him and did not give him the credit he believed he deserved. This often drove him to try to prove himself even more to those he admires. In particular he looks up to Optimus Primal whom he refers to as “Big Bot”. Cheetor contributed some of his own circuitry to save Airazor, and they share a sibling relationship as a consequence.
Beast Wars
In Dawn of Futures Past, it is shown that Cheetor, along with Rattrap, and Rhinox are members of Optimus Primal’s crew aboard a ship called the Axalon which is in hot pursuit of Megatron and his team of Predacons because they had stolen the Golden Disk. When both the Maximals and the Predacons crash land on Earth, they all take on the shapes of one of Earth’s inhabitants. Cheetor scans the shape of (you guessed it!) a cheetah. Throughout the series, it is shown that Cheetor idolizes Optimus Primal his leader, whom he calls “Big Bot.” Throughout the series, Cheetor seemed to mature a little and became very close to Tigatron and Airazor. Cheetor called Tigatron “big cat” while Tigatron called Cheetor “little cat.”
After season 1 and Optimus Primal’s apparent death, Cheetor gained a new transmetal form which allowed him to fly via flight rockets. A new transmetal Megatron attempted to take advantage of Primal’s death and launched a full-scale Predacon attack on the Maximal’s base. The Maximal team, comprised of Cheetor, Rhinox, Dinobot, and Rattrap almost lost but ended up successfully defending the base when Optimus Primal suprisingly returned. After many events, Megatron was able to board the Ark and shoot Optimus Prime, who was in stasis mode. This event threatened to alter all of Transformer history in the Predacons/Decepticons favor.
At the beginning of season 3 of Beast Wars, it is revealed that Optimus Primal spark is kept alive and the timestorm is stopped, due in part to the betrayal of Blackarachnia. The Maximal base though, is destroyed and the Maximals are forced to set up a new base in a volcano. After Blackarachnia became a member of the team, Cheetor developed a crush on her. This created conflict between Cheetor and Blackarachnia’s “boyfriend”, Silverbolt.
Against Optimus Primal’s orders, Cheetor attempted to help Depth Charge capture Megatron by using his transmetal drive. Cheetor’s direct exposure to the transmetal drive cause him to mutate again into his transmetal II form. When Cheetor became transmetal II, he became feral because he remained in his beast mode. This problem was soon solved though when a clone of Dinobot attacked Optimus Primal and Cheetor transformed into his robot form to fight Dinobot. In time and with Optimus Primal’s help, Cheetor was able to subdue his feral tendencies but he was never the same again. Cheetor in his new transmetal form became more adult-like, his voice deepened, and he became less wiling to follow Optimus Primal’s order.
After Cheetor’s transformation and his apparent maturation, Blackarachnia started to reciprocate Cheetor’s feelings but quickly put a stop to it.
After the Maximals were finally able to capture Megatron, they headed back to their home world of Cybertron aboard the Autobot ship,
Omega Delta.
Beast Machines
Things took a turn for the worst when Megatron escaped his capture and started an army of Vehicons. Cheetor was one of the Maximals who were able to esacape capture along with Rattrap, Blackarachnia, and Optimus Primal. The same could not be said though of Rhinox and Silverbolt who were captured and changed into totally different entities. On Cybertron, the Oracle gave Cheetor a new techno-organic body.
Cheetor retained his maturity on Cybertron and was appointed the second-in-command by Optimus Primal. As the second-in-command, Cheetor was known to clash with Optimus Primal on many occasions. When Optimus Primal became linked to the Oracle, he became more of a spiritual figurehead and Cheetor became the field leader.
At the conclusion of Beast Machines, Optimus Primal and Megatron fell into the core of Cybertron and the planet was reformatted. Cheetor became the leader of the Maximals and gained Optimus Primal’s ability to communicate with the Oracle.
After Beast Machines
After the series’ end and the reformatting of Cybertron, Cheetor was seen welcoming back some of the Autobots and heroes of the Great War. A new threat emerged as Unicron abducted the Autobots, Silverbolt and Blackarachnia. As a response to the new threat, Primus brought Optimus Primal back to life. Cheetor again became Primal’s right hand man. It is mentioned that Unicron was barely defeated by Optimus Primal’s forces (including Cheetor).
Weapons and Abilities
Cheetor possesses the fastest land speed of all the Maximals. Athletic and agile, he is a difficult target to hit. He is armed with to primary weapons: his Quasar cannon, which fires bursts of explosive energy, and his tail section, which transforms into a high-powered rifle that fires concentrated laser beams. In his Tranmetal form he gained Quaser blasters built into his arms, and a bladed whip, which he became quite profecient with. Upon his return to Cybetron and the gaining of his Techno-Organic form, he was gifted with twin blades capable of blocking lasers. Some of Cheetor’s dreams have suggested that he may possess some type of innate precognitive ability.
Beast Form
Cheetor’s possesses the beast form of the fastest mammal: the cheetah.
Transmetal Form
Following the Quantum Surge that struck Earth, Cheetor’s body evolved into a Transmetal form. With this form came new weapons including a bladed whip and Quasar blasters built into his hands. He also gained a third attack configuration: a flying cheetah mode utilizing rocket boosters mounted on either side of his mid-section.
Transmetal II Form
After an accident involving the Transmetal 2 driver, Cheetor’s body mutated into a new form. The rocket pack mounted on his back in beast mode allows him to travel up to speeds of Mach 2 and his primary weapon is a rocket launcher. Cheetor’s metamorphosis also involved an emotional maturing on Cheetor’s part. No longer the young kid among the Maximals, his persona changed to that of a rebellious teenager.
Weakness
His impulsiveness often leads Cheetor to bite off more than he can chew…
Other Media
Video Games
Transformers: Forged to Fight (2017) (Mobile)
Cheetor is a Scout Class playable character and enemy, he is also a 2-5 star rank character.
Game Bio: As the youngest and quickest of the Maximals, Cheetor is one part soldier and one part daredevil. With the addition of rocket boosters and the power of flight, his Transmetal upgrade makes him even more unpredictable.
Cheetor was released on May 10, 2018.