When it comes to the G1 Transformers, the only other characters that share a similar iconography to Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Megatron are the Dinobots. While they may not always fully understand the situation at hand, they are there to help where they can and squash the Decepticons. However, during their earlier appearances, there came a time where the Dinobots went their own way from the Autobots — and they were right to do so.
The three Dinobots, Grimlock, Slag and Sludge, were introduced in Season 1, Episode 7, “S.O.S. Dinobots.” The final two additions, Snarl and Swoop, appear later in “War of the Dinobots,” following the original three’s outstanding performance with the Autobots. Wheeljack created them to emulate the dinosaur fossils they found buried in the volcano their ship crashed into. At first, the Dinobots are used to help destroy any obstacles in the Autobots’ path, including the Decepticons. But the constant missions eventually get to the Dinobots.
Season 2, Episode 19 and 20, “Desertion of the Dinobots,” marks when their prehistoric allies decide to call it quits with the team. While it seems like a terrible thing to do during the ongoing war with the Decepticons, the Dinobots left due to feeling undervalued and used as allies. However, the Autobots failed to understand before they left that the Dinobots have a child-like mindset. As a result, there is a lot about the Autobots’ past that they are unaware of.
The second part of the episode goes into this idea after the Decepticon, Shockwave, takes the Dinobots and Autobot allies Sparkplug, Spike Witwicky and Carly. Shockwave experiments on all of the Dinobots except Swoop and reprograms them as enemies. As Swoop helps his human allies save his friends, he learns of the ongoing war with the Decepticons. This allows him to finally understand the importance of all the fighting and motivates him to join with the heroes.
After Carly repairs the Dinobot’s memory circuits, the team attacks Shockwave and returns to Earth and the Autobots. Grimlock and his team decide to return to the Autobots and Prime’s leadership but make sure to establish that if they feel like leaving again, they will. However, what’s most disappointing for the Autobots is that none of them ever apologize for constantly using the Dinobots as tools instead of allies.
The Dinobots deserting the Autobots in The Transformers teaches a valuable lesson for both sides. For the Autobots, it’s meant to show that even allies deserve a choice in regard to fighting or risk them becoming an enemy as well. However, they should also take the time to teach the Dinobots about the cause they’re fighting for. On the other hand, while the Dinobots were right to desert when they did, they should also make a point to voice their frustrations sooner. That said, it’s no doubt a good thing that they didn’t remain enemies because no Autobot wants to be on the receiving end of an angry Tyrannosaurus Rex.
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