Hot Rod's Transformers 5 Movie Origin Revealed

Kofi Outlaw

11/09/2017 05:38 pm EST

Transformers: The Last Knight introduces a much wider Transformers movie universe, including new Autobots and Decepticons that are carrying on the battle over earth, in the absence of Optimus Prime and Megatron.

One of the new Transformers characters that fans were hyped for going into The Last Knight's release was no doubt Hot Rod, who appears in the film as an orange-and-black-colored Lamborghini Centenario. Hot Rod has remained an iconic character in Transformers lore largely do to his leading role in the 1986 Transformers: The Movie animated film. In that storyline, Hot Rod takes the all-powerful "Matrix of Leadership" from a dying Optimus Prime, eventually transforming into the Transformers' new leader, Rodimus Prime.

Transformers 5 takes a much different approach to the Hot Rod character, while still retaining his brash and headstrong nature. In The Last Knight, Hot Rod gets a secret origin that's tied to one of the film's main characters; read below for that SPOILERY explanation.

Hot Rod's Movie Origin

In Transformers: The Last Knight, it is hinted that Hot Rod has been operating on Earth for quite some time, as he seemingly appears (in a different vehicle form) in a flashback to Bumblebee's days as a covert operative for the Allied Forces in WWII.

During Transformers 5, it is revealed that Hot Rod was assigned by the secret order of the "Witwiccans" to be the personal guardian of Vivian Wembley (Laura Haddock), who is revealed to be the last living descendant of King Arhtur Legend, Merlin. Since Vivian is the only person left who can operate the staff that's the key to a great Cybertronian weapon, Hot Rod stays with her from her childhood, until adulthood, where she and Cade Yeager must fulfill their destiny to stop Cybertronian God Quintessa from consuming Earth, in order to revitalize a Cybertron.

Hot Rod hangs around Vivian disguised as a 1963 Citroën DS that belonged to her father. When he finally reveals himself to be her Autobot protector, Vivian freaks out and tries to run, forcing Hot Rod to kidnap her and bring her to Witwiccan leader Sir Edmund Burke (Anthony Hopkins). Along the way, Vivian screams for help from a nearby Lamborghini Centenario - prompting Hot Rod to take on the car's form.

In Robot form, this movie version of Hot Rod speaks with a French accent (just because he likes it), and has the unique weapon of a "Time Blaster," which allows him to project a bubble of compressed time (or something), which slows down time for anyone, or anything, trapped within the bubble.

At the end of Transformers: The Last Knight, Hot Rod is still alive and well, carrying on his mission.

More Transformers News

SYNOPSIS: In Transformers: The Last Knight, humans are at war with the Transformers, and Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving the future lies buried in the secrets of the past and the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Now, it's up to the unlikely alliance of Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), Bumblebee, an English lord (Anthony Hopkins) and an Oxford professor (Laura Haddock) to save the world.

Transformers: The Last Knight is directed by Michael Bay. The film stars Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci reprising their roles from Transformers: Age of Extinction, with Josh Duhamel, and John Turturro reprising roles from the first three Transformers movies.

Transformers: The Last Knight's voice cast includes Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime, John Goodman as Hound, and John DiMaggio as Crosshairs. Other transformers appearing the film include Bumblebee, Drift, Hot Rod, Cogman, Canopy, Sqweeks, Grimlock, Megatron, Barricade, Onslaught, Hooligan, and Mohawk.

Transformers: The Last Knight is now in theaters.

More Transformers: The Last Knight News:

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.

Latest News