Prowl (Transformers)

Prowl is a popular and recurring character in the Transformers franchise. 
==Canon Background==
Unlike other notable legacy 1980s Transformer characters, much of Prowl's personality in the early days of the canon came from the UK Marvel Comics, not the cartoon or the American Marvel Comics, where he played a mostly background role.Also talked about in Prowl, Original Fandom Ghost These comics established him as prickishas described often on the TFWiki, which was primarily created by UK fans. American fans may describe him as more of a dick, but these describe the same character traits. and very rule-abiding. This characterization later got expanded in the 2005 IDW Continuity, which was penned by several former UK Marvel writers/UK fans of the Marvel comics, where he became very pragmatic to the point that he'd do anything for the Autobot cause, considering everyone else as pawns he could move around freely in order to keep himself in power.
Prowl's personality in Transformers Animated took on a different spin on the legacy character and differed greatly from the IDW comics. (05 February 2023) This makes the shipping dynamics between canons very different, even if the same two characters are involved, such as the popular Jazz/Prowl in both canons, which pairs him with Jazz. This isn't seen with most other G1-based Animated characters. 
===Major Appearances===
*The Transformers TV series 
*The Transformers Generation One Marvel Comics
*The Transformers Generation One IDW Comics
*Transformers Robots in Disguise (2001)
* The Transformers Unicron Trilogy
*Transformers Animated
*Transformers Cyberverse
*Transformers Earthspark
See on TFWiki.net for more of his appearances.
==Popular Tropes & Fanon ==
TBA
== Subjects of Fannish Interest & Meta ==
=== Jazz/Prowl and Fanon Prowl ===
Jazz/Prowl, Prowl's most popular ship, originated in early 90s as a crack ship in the G1 canon, later becoming one of the most popular pairings in the fandom overall. It predated following continuities, so when they released, many shippers adapted their new personalities to fix the ship rather than the other way around. Prowl in particular was heavily influenced by this fanon in fanworks, as he was originally the least developed personality-wise between him and Jazz. He can be considered one of the first fandom ghosts.As said in Prowl, Original Fandom Ghost by multiple fans
The ship's appeal largely comes from the opposites attract angle. Jazz is seen as laid back, fun-loving, sociable and adaptive while Prowl is stricter, more uptight, as seen as someone who takes everything literally. The black/white angle plays into this, with Jazz representing black and Prowl representing white -- coming from Jazz being black-coded, (Scatman Crothers as his VA in the G1 cartoon, his love of a black-made music genre, his way of talking, etc, has made him be consistently black-coded since the 80s,) and to a lesser extent Prowl being colored white and having a white VA in the G1 cartoon.
==Relationships==
This is purposefully an incomplete list, as Prowl is shipped with many of the other Transformers. He's also popular for self-insert shipping.
Please add any notable relationships in fanworks if they are missing.
Primary Canon	With... 	Who is a(n)...	Full Label 	Type	Ship Name(s) 	Information
various 	Jazz 	Autobot 	Jazz/Prowl 	M/M 	マイプロ | プロマイ 	Juggernaut ship for both Jazz and Prowl; crack-ish w/ little canon backing
various 	Jazz 	Autobot 	Jazz & Prowl 	Gen 	(n/a) 	(n/a)
Earthspark 	Megatron 	Decepticon 	Megatron/Prowl 	M/M 	Megaprowl 	Enemies, but share touchy-feely scenes
various 	Optimus Prime 	Autobot 	Optimus Prime/Prowl 	M/M 	オププロ | プロオプ 	Close allies
IDW Comics 	The Constructicons 	Decepticons x6	The Constructicons/Prowl 	Poly	Constructiprowl 	Prowl temporarily joined their gestalt bond
IDW Comics 	Tarantulas 	Unaligned 	Prowl/Tarantulas 	M/M 	Taraprowl 	Prowl and Tarantulas were former work partners
Animated 	Lockdown 	Unaligned 	Lockdown/Prowl 	M/M 	Lockprowl 	Enemyslash
various 	Ratchet 	Autobot 	Prowl/Ratchet 	M/M 	(n/a) 	Close allies
G1 Cartoon 	Sideswipe 	Autobot 	Prowl/Sideswipe 	M/M 	(n/a) 	Opposites Attract
IDW Comics 	Fortress Maximus 	Autobot 	Fortress Maximus/Prowl 	M/M 	Prowlmax 	(n/a)
IDW Comics 	Chromedome 	Autobot 	Chromedome/Prowl 	M/M 	Prowldome 	Originally had a "stronger bond" than just being partners in canon. by The Underbase Podcast, 17:17 - 14:58
various 	Starscream 	Decepticon 	Prowl/Starscream 	M/M 	Prowlscream 	Rarepair, but possible in multiple continuities
various 	Jazz, Optimus Prime 	Autobot x2 	Jazz/Optimus Prime/Prowl 	Poly	Jazzprowlop 	All three non-poly versions of this ship are popular
G1 Cartoon 	Bluestreak, Jazz 	Autobot x2 	Bluestreak & Jazz & Prowl 	Gen 	(n/a) 	Bluestreak is sometimes their child in Jazz/Prowl works
G1 Cartoon 	Bluestreak; Smokescreen	Autobot x2 	Bluestreak & Prowl & Smokescreen	Gen 	Datsun | Fairlady Trio	All three share a mold/body type and are considered a trio
==Example/Notable Fanac==
===Fan Communities/Fan Events===
* , a club on Deviantart
* , a club on Deviantart
* , a club on Deviantart for Lockdown/Prowl
* , a club on Deviantart for Prowl/Ratchet
* , a club on Deviantart for Prowl/Sideswipe
* , a fanweek held in 2020
* , a fanweek held in 2021
==== Collections ====
* , a community on FanFiction.Net
* , a community on FanFiction.Net for Lockdown/Prowl
===Wikis===
* on PixivEncyclopedia
* on the TFWiki
===Fan Fic===
===Fan Art===
===General Fanworks===
==== Stimboards ====
* (2023)
==== Fan Mixes ====
* (IDW) (2015)
* (TFA) (2014)
* (TFA) (2014)
* (IDW) (2017)
* (IDW) (2016)
===Meta===
==== IDW ====
* (2020), on how various IDW writers handled his character.
*Prowl, Original Fandom Ghost by ckret2, ferenofnopewood (2019), discussing how Prowl qualifies as a fandom ghost, a term created by wildehack to describe popular character fanon.
* (2018), comparing Prowl to Getaway.
* (2023)
* (2021), on why Prowl joined with Devestator.
* (2024)
* (2021)
* (2024)
==== Animated ====
* (2022)
==Notes==
==References==
Category:Transformers Characters