Overload is aDecepticon from theRobots in Disguise portion of theAligned continuity family.

"I was all of history's great acting robots: Acting Unit 0.8, Thespo-mat, David Duchovny!"

Raise the curtain and letOverload take center stage—the most daring, dashingDecepticon saboteur and spyCybertron has ever known. No mere bit player is he; this roguish thespian combines his natural strength and impenetrable armor plating with the quick wit and charisma befitting a lead player. If Overload hasany weakness, it's perhaps that his own vanity overrides his better tactical judgment, particularly when it comes to that utter plebeianOptimus Prime. Sometimes, he's partnered with theCycloneMini-ConsBacktrack andRansack.

Fiction

2015Robots in Disguise shorts

Once, Overload shot a Cyclone at a young Slipstream, which stole his first ball bearing, causing him to go live a life of crime.The Tragedy of Slipstream When theAlchemor crashed on Earth, his stasis pod was lost.The Power of Dibs

2015Robots in Disguise cartoon

Voice actor:Dave Fennoy (English),Masaki Aizawa (Japanese),Tamás Bognár (Hungarian),Giorgio Bonino (Italian),Olivier Francart (French),Frédéric Meaux (French,Decepticon Island),Ronald Nitschke (German),Raúl Solo (Latin-American Spanish),Adam Krylik (Polish),Choi Nak-yoon (Korean)

"Wearing a costume, pretending to be someone else; it goes against my every instinct as an actor."

During the war on Cybertron, Overload was the top spy for the Decepticons and his work resulted in the destruction of a number of Autobot installations, and the injuring ofOptimus Prime’s rookie scout. Eventually,Optimus Prime found Overload out and stopped him. He was placed in stasis and eventually stored aboard theAlchemor.Overloaded, Part 1

While Optimus Prime was training in theRealm of the Primes,Micronus created an illusionary Decepticon resembling Overload to test him. The robot, physically identical to Overload save for his lack of a head, deployed his Mini-Cons to terminate a group of humans who had made their way into theRealm of the Primes. The robot spent most of his time just standing around while his Mini-Cons did most of the dirty work. Overload and the Mini-Cons were ultimately defeated when Optimus climbed a hill to activate hisPrime Decepticon Hunter and it turned out the Decepticons and humans were mere illusions.Out of Focus

"Don't tell me how to do humble! My humble ranks among the greatest in the history of the universe!"

After reviving from stasis, Overload sensed Optimus Prime and went looking for his old foe. Arriving in thescrapyard, he found onlyBumblebee,Strongarm andGrimlock. He dealt with them and opted to head forCrown City, reasoning he could draw out Prime by threatening humans, and on the way teamed up with theCyclone Mini-Cons.Overloaded, Part 1 Overload found a human vehicle which he began smashing as a warm up to the main show, until Bumblebee found him. Though Overload proved more than a match for the Autobot, Bumblebee managed to turn the two Mini-Cons on him, and render him unconscious with a punch. Overload was carted back to the scrapyard to get stored away.Overloaded, Part 2

AfterSteeljaw broke into the scrapyard, he deactivated Overload's stasis pod, alongside several others, as part of a bid to bolsterGlowstrike's forces. WhenThunderhoof brought up Steeljaw's past failures at leadership, Steeljaw informed the Decepticons of his alliance with Glowstrike, and gave them coordinates to follow while he remained at the scrapyard. The escapees later reconvened at Steeljaw's coordinates, where they were inspected by Glowstrike, who seemed pleased by the new cadre of "elite warriors".Misdirection

Overload gathered with Steeljaw's other remaining followers on the roof of theIsland, where Steeljaw updated them on his plans to overthrow Glowstike, until she andSaberhorn arrived to talk with Steeljaw alone.Portals

Overload was present after the Autobots staged a raid on the Decepticon base, and were subsequently surrounded by the base's occupants.Decepticon Island (Part 1) Though the rest of the Autobots managed to escape at this time,Windblade was captured, and Overload was tasked with guarding her (much to his chagrin as he wanted to fight Optimus or at least Bumblebee). He still got to fight someone, asRatchet andDrift came to rescue his prisoner. He was able to subdue them, butSlipstream andJetstorm slipped away as Drift was put in another pod. The Mini-Cons managed to free Windblade and Ratchet, and after delivering a decisive blow to Overload's face, the Autobots were able to stuff their would-be-captor into a pod of his own. Overload's stasis pod was then taken back toCybertron by Optimus Prime, Windblade and Ratchet.Decepticon Island (Part 2)

Games

Robots in Disguise mobile game

Overload could be recruited to help fight off theInsecticon clone army overrunningCrown City.Robots in Disguise mobile game

Toys

Robots in Disguise (2015)

Well, I do owe you for giving me this unholy... ACTING....TALENT!(Hasbro Version Pictured)

If you want Calculon to race to the laser gun battle in his hover-Ferrari, press one. If you want Calculon to double-check his paperwork, press two. Enter now.(TakaraTomy Version Pictured)

• Overload & Backtrack (Deployer, 2016)

• TakaraTomy name:Overload with Micron Backtrack
• TakaraTomy release date:May 28, 2016
• TakaraTomy ID number:TAV46

Part of the second assortment of Hasbro's Robots in DisguiseDeployers, Overload transforms into a Cybertronian tank. In this mode, the front clamp between his treads can be loaded with anyCyclone-style Mini-Con —such as his pack-in partnerBacktrack— and launched by pushing the trigger on Overload's gunbarrel. (Youcan wedge (ha) Torpedo-style Mini-Cons into this launcher, but they don't hold very well.) This launcher will not work if the small "safety" trigger on his tank mode underside is not pushed in, either by setting him on a flat surface or by doing so manually. This launcher is also inoperable in robot mode, ending up on his back, though at least you can still store a Cyclone in it.

His tank barrel also has tabs to mount Backtrack's two "blaster" accessories.

His shoulders have an undocumented feature: small tabs that allow you to attach Mini-Cons to them via the armor-sprue attachment points. Obviously Cyclones fit best, but Torpedos can attach as well, albeit slightly awkwardly. Buzzsaws have ridges that prevent them from attaching securely, however.

Overload also has a battle mask, which is both intended to cover his face in vehicle mode and also homage the rectangle-eye of the illusionary Decepticon warrior from "Out of Focus".

HisRobots in Disguise mobile game scan-badge is located on his right forearm, impossible to scan while still in-box.

The TakaraTomy release of Overload, released in the fifteenth wave of theAdventure toyline, features extensive paint details to better resemble his appearances in the cartoon. His scan-badge unlocks him in the checklist on theTransformers Chronicle app.

He was redecoed and retooled intoTarget-exclusiveTransformers One”Race & Blast” Megatron.

• More information on Deployers Overload at TFU.info

Notes

Overload's vehicle mode in theCyclone Deployers commercial.

• Overload's appearance in "The Power of Dibs" depicts him as having the same headless design as the illusionary Decepticon in "Out of Focus", which is ironic considering his love for his own face. It also seems to suggest he shared the same stasis pod with the Cyclone Mini-Cons, despite them apparently meeting each other for the first time later in the cartoon.
• Though his toy turns into a tank, Overload never transforms in any of his appearances in the series. However, he is seen transforming in a commercial, suggesting he did have an animated model for his alternate mode.

Foreign names

• Japanese:Overload (オーバーロードŌbārōdo)