AARNHAAD SEZ "GO CHEW ONNA MAAHCROCHIP, DEE-CEPTICREEPS!"

Man, I thought Cyclonus and Dinobot were pretty damn bad-ass, but then I picked up this double-hard bastard. I mean, a bright red SUV isn't quite as threatening as a space fighter or a raptor, but Ironhide makes up for that in spades. For one thing, he's a rugged-as-hell SUV. He's equipped with bull-bars, and I seriously thought these are illegal, because they would certain-kill rather than potentially-maim people if they get hit by them. It's almost like he doesn't care about the safety of humans around, but it's Ironhide. 1: He's not going to endanger defenceless organics, and 2: HE'S IRONHIDE! He's not wearing that thing to minimise damage to his front-end in crashes, he's practically indestructible. No way, that shit is for RAMMIN' DECEPTICHUMPS!

And he's one of the few guys in this line to have a melee and ranged weapon. Hell, it's the SAME weapon! His gatling-looking cannon can flip around, and a blade extends. It fits over his forearm nicely too. I've heard a lot of people complain about the way his hand doesn't retract or anything when you attach the cannon, but I like it like that. This is Ironhide, he's not supposed to be fancy. He's practically a relic, after all. So while I could understand people might complain about this sort of thing on another character, I reckon it suits Ironhide pretty well.

Look at that face. In a line full of uncomfortable grumps (and Bumblebee), he manages to stand out with a look of grim determination. It like he knows he got offed by Megatron in the opening scenes of the 80s version of the movie. He's very clear on the matter of it being because he was making way for new toys, when his didn't even look like him, and this is his first real one in over twenty years. Poor guy didn't even get an Action Master. The Bayformers version is nothing like him, and the TFA version probably won't ever get a toy.

But if you ask me, he's wearing this expression because he's fully aware that by getting taken out so early in the movie, he was ultimately unable to fulfill his duty as Optimus Prime's bodyguard. Sure, he probably wouldn't have been able to turn the tide in the end, but that's not the point. "Ah shoulda been thar to at least trah", as he would probably say.

It is important to know that while he is quite grim, he is most certainly not grimdark.

I will track down a Classics Prime just for this guy to guard, I love him so much...