Now, you guys know all about Knock Out and Breakdown and how they’re all married in the comics, right? And how on Velocitron, speed is everything?
So that sucks for Breakdown from a societal point of view. But from a practical point of view, speed is important to the Velocitronians for other reasons.
And why was that a big deal again?
Right, that.
So if you aren’t super hella fast, you run a significant risk of burning to death in the intense heat of the Velocitronian sun. Now in the comic, the only two Velocitronian bots we ever see chilling outside their city period are Moonracer and Knock Out.
And by virtue of the things we see them talking about, and their high social standing, we can probably assume they’re two of the fastest bots on the planet.
Now… the holiday special issue. We only get a tiny bit of Knock Out and Breakdown, but what do we see them doing?
Awww, they went on a honeymoon out in the Acid Wastes! That’s adorable!
But also, consider. Leaving the city on Velocitron is dangerous. If you’re not naturally fast, you stand a very good chance of dying a fiery death. Moonracer is the first bot to race outside the city in seventy years, and keeping pace with Navitas for a day was an impressive enough feat to get her a position as an interplanetary diplomat.
Breakdown… is not a fast bot. He’s so very not-fast that some people treat him “like a cripple.” Has he ever driven outside? Has he ever even had his wheels on natural ground? From what we hear about Velocitron, it doesn’t seem that likely.
And Knock Out took him to the Acid Wastes. Undeveloped land, stretching for miles and miles, no buildings even in sight, no reason to rush back or worry, no natural hazards that come anywhere near the danger of suddenly burning to death because you couldn’t outrun the sun. Just wide open spaces, and all the time in the world to drive it. I’m pretty sure Knock Out just gave his husband the most romantic present he could ever have imagined.
Different continuity but in Robots in Disguise (2015), Grimlock says the sunsets
in the Acid Wastes
are amazing, which possibly makes KOBD’s vacation even better.
Not a silly question at all! The answer is complicated.
In
the official comics, yes– they’re conjunx endura, which is about as
“together” as two bots can be. Very unambigiously canonically married.
In
the show, which preceded the comics, the exact nature of their
relationship is never made clear. Breakdown is referred to as Knock Out’s “partner” and
“friend,” and while oblique references are made to their intimacy,
they’re never outed as a romantic couple. My guess is the writers didn’t
really want to go there; they enjoyed toying with the idea of Knock
Out’s gayness, but not to the point where they were prepared to take it
seriously. This was a show aimed at selling toys to adolescent boys, and
Hasbro had other priorities.
But even by the time
spinoff merchandise began to appear, there seemed to be a
tacit consensus that KO and BD were more than just friends. Hence the
Japanese Unite Warriors comics, a lighthearted companion to a series of
TFP-inspired toys, depicting the pair in a fairly overtly romantic
relationship.
By the time the Till All Are One came around, I guess management had decided to roll with it.
If what is happening in the TF Unite Warriors comic that I /think/ is happening (because I dont read Japanese) Breakdown has now just burst into tears Twice (2 seperate times) just because Knock Out showed up
Like damn im gay too but oh my god messy boy pull it together. Your sentimental heart will be the death of you.
so first time it was (I think?) a hologram projected by hound? Breakdown was so overcome with emotion that he just starts crying and trying to hug him.
second time is a little more unclear? Breakdown just goes through a ground bridge and (I assume it’s KO, it /could/ be someone else, but I assume it’s KO) is waiting for him.
and hes so happy he just starts crying again. I wanna achieve this level of messy gay devotion jfc
How's it hummin'? 