Joyride

**Joyride** (**Ronin** in French dub) is a rare toy robot warrior who can transform into a tank. In "Joyride", he was originally part of Madcap's army, but he managed to redeem himself and have chosen his path to roam the city instead of living with his latest owner Zoe.

## Appearance

In his warrior form, Joyride looks like a samurai with a metallic-like straw hat with talismans hanged around the edge of the hat that each have a Japanese kanji. His head is a giant robotic eyeball and his left arm is bigger than his right arm. In both forms, Joyride has six ball wheels.

## Personality

Although nothing much is known about Joyride, he was originally bitter, unforgiving, stubborn, and rebellious. As a rare toy, Joyride was very resentful to humans because they would always put him on a shelf since he's viewed as a collector item and he never gets to be played with by anyone. He desires for freedom and wants to be himself instead of being told what to do and be kept on a shelf for the rest of his existence. After Madcap applies Minergy to him in the titular episode, he took out his frustration on the Power Players and believed that no one wants to play with him anymore since Madcap has set him free to do what he wants to do and he doesn't belong to anyone.

However, since Joyride is designed similar to a samurai, he is actually very humble and honorable. After Madcap told Joyride that if it wasn't for his Minergy then Joyride would still be stuck sitting on Zoe's shelf, Joyride wanted to repay his debt in return by helping him take Action Axel's Power Bandz. It wasn't until Action Axel managed to convince Joyride that his latest owner Zoe does indeed love him that Joyride decides to change for the better by turning against Madcap. But because of his humble side, he decided to go off on his own instead of staying with Zoe because he wants to experience being an independent toy rōnin and be free.

## Abilities

Joyride can transform himself into a robotic tank at his own will. He can also wield a sword that can fire out light-green blasts.

## Relationship

### Axel Mulligan/Action Axel

When Joyride was in his dormant state, Axel found him at a rummage sale at the park and gave him to his next-door neighbor Zoe as a gift since he is Zoe's childhood favorite toy. However, because of Joyride's bitterness to humans, he doesn't forgive him when Axel slammed him against Zoe's bedroom wall and doesn't view it as an accident. After Joyride came to life by Madcap, Joyride vowed to destroy Action Axel for that incident and later tried to steal his Power Bandz for Madcap after the latter manipulated him to repay the debt. However, after Action Axel revealed that Joyride is never a "worthless piece of junk" to Zoe and that she really does love him since he's her favorite childhood toy, he no longer views him and his teammates as enemies anymore.

### Power Players

At first, Joyride viewed each of the Power Players as his enemies after Madcap manipulated him into joining his side. But after Joyride redeems himself and turned against Madcap, he sees them as his friends even though he decided not to join their team.

### Zoe

Although Joyride didn't get to interact with Zoe a lot, he is extremely fond of her since she's his latest owner after Axel gave him as a gift for her and he got a chance to be played with. After he redeems himself at the end of the titular episode, Joyride returns to Zoe to say good-bye to her since he has chosen his path to roam around the city as an independent toy instead of staying at her house. He also calls Zoe a good person after he leaves to roam the city.

### Madcap

Joyride came to life after Madcap applied Minergy to him and forced him to turn against the Power Players and Zoe. At first, Joyride doesn't want to listen to Madcap since he doesn't want anyone telling him what to do, but he started respecting Madcap after he tells him the reason why he made him come to life so he won't be stuck sitting on Zoe's shelf forever, wishing to honor his debt in return. But after Action Axel convinced Joyride that he's not worthless and instead he's special to Zoe, Joyride turned against Madcap and no longer view him as his "master".

## Trivia

* Joyride is one of the few toys from Madcap's army who has redeemed themselves and is no longer a villain after the *Junior Genetic Spy Lizards* toys from "Sand Trap". However, unlike the toy lizards who have run out of Minergy at the end of "Sand Trap", Joyride manages to continue being alive after redeeming himself.
* Before Joyride's first appearance in the series, he was first mentioned on the TV Tango website.
	+ He is later revealed on Samir Necib's ArtStation page, though his name wasn't known yet before his episode premiere.
* Joyride's chest plate matches with Bishamon's armor, Hannya The Cursed Armor, from *Darkstalkers*.
* He's likely based on the *Transformers* toyline due to his ability to turn from a robot to a vehicle.
* In the English dub, Joyride is known as a "noble knight" despite he's designed similar to a samurai.
* Because Joyride is based on a samurai, there're Japanese motifs seen in his titular episode:
	+ A torii, a traditional Japanese gate, can be seen when Joyride takes out his sword. It is also seen when he leaves Axel's backyard which symbolizes his transition to become a free toy.
	+ Cherry blossom petals can be seen blowing on the screen before Zoe starts playing with him. The petals are also seen after Joyride leaves Axel's backyard.
	+ His decision to roam the city on his own instead of staying with his latest owner is a reference to a rōnin, a samurai without a lord or master.
	+ The scene where Joyride leaves the backyard has him exit by crossing the bridge from the garden decoration of a Japan island.

## References

1. ↑ http://www.tvtango.com/series/power\_players\_2019
2. ↑ https://funnysam.artstation.com/pages/projects

Axel Mulligan/Action Axel • Bearbarian • Bobbie Blobby • Galileo • Masko • Sarge Charge • Slobot

Allies
Bot-Guy • **Joyride** • Thermometron 9000 • The Scratch Pack Cats • Zoe

Dr. Nautilus • Dynamo • Ice Crusher • Madcap • Orangutank • Porcupunk • Princess SugarSalt • Pyramid of Prediction • Pyrant

Other villains
Ice Crusher's clones • Minergy-infused plant • Rufin

Redeemed antagonists
Bot-Guy • **Joyride** • Luka's teddy bear collection • Madcap's Junior Genetic Spy Lizards army • Thermometron 9000 • The Scratch Pack Cats

Cleo LeBall • Craig • Luka • Zoe

Adults
Mr. and Mrs. Mulligan • Uncle Andrew • Zoe's father • Zoe's mother

Smart-toys
Baby • Sergeant Lacharge

Miscellaneous
Salto

Non-Canon characters
Axel's dog • Axel's grandfather