This is one of the more curious yet unresolved issues in the GoBots universe. It shouldn't be however. Evidence in the tv series and movie reveal the explanation easily enough. Unlike the "other" transforming line, the Transformers, which are true robots, GoBots are very much cyborgs...part oganic, part robotic beings. This essay will dive into the facts of this and perhaps some theories to other GoBotic life aspects as well. The picture at right is of the Renegade, Crasher here is from the episode, "The Sentinel" and reveals her organic brain while Sentinel is scanning her and also learning that GoBots are not robots at all. So, there's actual series proof that GoBots are NOT pure robots. There is another episode, "Whiz Kid", where Leader-1 has to explain to General Newcastle what jammed and caused GoBots to suddenly convert into their vehicular forms. Quoted from Leader-1, "It jammed our neural interface. It connects our robot bodies to our organic brains. Its frequencies are supposed to be secret."

GoBots are probably at least 90% robot however, sporting only an organic brain and perhaps some organic neural features...nerve nets, a few cells, and the like. But, like humans, this severely flaws the robotic portion of them. The brain in humans, is the most energy dependent, vital organ in the body, evenmoreso than the heart. A human is not considered dead when the heart stops. A human is dead when the brain ceases to function. For a GoBot, having an organic brain means they will likely have a lifespan, mortality, a need to fulfill the organic needs of the brain, and so forth. They are prone to brain-related injuries and issues such as concussions, fever, headaches, mental conditions, and other ailments. But, let's back up a bit first.

The Last Engineer, a humanoid and inhabitant of GoBotron before the Renegade-terrorist asterioid catastrophe that nearly destroyed his race, created the GoBot form to save his race/species from extinction. But this leaves many unresolved questions. We know how the GoBots started. The Last Engineer likely harvested organic brains from dying or voluntary living remaining inhabitants of his species and placed them in robot bodies to sustain their lives. Civilian GoBots of all generations appear to be human sized or just slightly larger. Only modified GoBots such as Guardians and Renegades appear much larger than human size. But, the GoBots species is multi-generational. No one knows how many generations of GoBots have developed since The Last Engineer's first line.  Meaning, there were GoBots created beyond the originals. Scooter also mentions to Matt, Nick, and A.J. in episode, "The GoBots that Time Forgot," that he was programmed and "grew up" in GoBana (an apparent suburb of GoBotron's capital city of GoBotalis). Okay, so where do GoBots get more brains for more generations? It is obvious that each brain is distinctive and unique having its own varying degree of intelligence, personality, etc. just like we humans. That rules out mere environmental changes or cloning. So, where do the new brains come from? How do the brains enlarge or adjust to the modified GoBot form? We are back at the beginning. Where do GoBots come from?

Their bodies are easy to explain--manufactured. But, you cannot simply build an organic, fully functioning, living brain. Perhaps there's a little more biology to GoBots than is revealed to us in the shows,etc. Here's where some of my own theories come in. Using my education and experience in biology (I have a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Zoology), I will propose my own theory. First, a little "survival of a species" in a nutshell. For a species to survive, it needs three basic things: sustainable nutrient/energy resources, livable environment, and reproduction that allows for random assortment/diversity of whatever substance builds their species (for humans, that'd be the genetic code...DNA). In even more simplistic terms that even Cop-tur or Turbo could understand...Food, Shelter, and some form of Sex. Transformers get around the last one to some extent...as it is a 'spark' and technology that develops and programs their individualized forms and personalities. In their live-action movie, they call the creator, the AllSpark. But, Transformers have no organic organs...GoBots do, so such a scenario for GoBots cannot really exist in an exact sense.

First, Food. GoBots do eat and drink in a variety of ways--both organic and synthetic. There are a few episodes where we witness this. In "The GoBotron Saga", we notice that during a meeting, the Guardians are seated at a table. On the table in front of each GoBot is a drink of some sort. We also witness Scooter drinking human soft drinks or whatever it is, at a car show/demonstration in "Scooter Enhanced" (see pic at left). He entwines a bunch of human-sized straws into one large one and drinks an entire tray load of them at once. Plus, it can be assumed that modified GoBots, those with vehicular forms, can take in various fuel sources that pertain to their particular vehicular forms. Turbo and Crasher often joke or reference indirectly, fuel sources they, as cars, might be using. "Lay off the high octane fuel and lose a few quarts" was a line Turbo used describing Crasher once. Though I would guess, that if a GoBot is eating/drinking organic food/drink sources, they'd need an awful lot to convert such forms into usable energy. Based on size and caloric intakes, a GoBot such as Leader-1 or Turbo would have to pack away an entire cow or two on a daily basis! Or on a more vegetarian diet, an entire corn field a day! And that would be just to sustain basic energy levels. If combat or sustained high activity, a GoBot would have to pack in even more on a daily basis. Worse yet, they'd have one heck of a gas/exhaust issue as some of the chemical processes to breakdown organic food into energy do indeed cause the formation of methane and other gases in need of release.

Second, Shelter. GoBots have their own planet, buildings, ships, etc. They have learned how to create artificial environments that best suit them. No further explanation is needed in this aspect of their lives. It's obvious.

Third, Sex/Reproduction. This is the fuzzy part. GoBots must have a means to create organic brains. The robot bodies are not a problem and easily explained. They're manufactured/created/assembled. There's definitely not enough room in their robotic bodies to sustain growing and birthing an offspring...at least from outward appearances. So it's safe to say they do not reproduce like their humanoid ancestors or humans for that matter or even other exo-skeleton species like insects since GoBots do not require the formation of entire bodies and systems, just the main nervous system components. But, they may have evolved a way around this. The fact that they still retain the male and female genders may indicate that they still use some from of organic reproduction. Many hormones in humans are produced in the brain, some of which guide sexual action and productivity. And, the brain is actually the largest sex organ in humans. It gives us the drive, desire, and emotions to seek out mates for reproduction. It signals and prepares our bodies for that function. It's somewhat safe to say that the organic GoBot brain may have similar aspects. It's probably severely modified though and may cease at the cellular/microscopic level. They still may maintain their own individual chromosomes, genes, and form of DNA on a very simplistic/modified scale. That would account for the variations of individuals, genders, etc. Cells could be "harvested" and banked from individual GoBots, then combined and grown in a laboratory setting (thus explaining some of what Scooter said when he pointed to the building where he said he was created and programmed). The genetic code of a GoBot may have been so modified, genetically engineered, and/or mutated that only the Central Nervous System (brain and main neural net) and limited reproductive system (neurally) are created out of the organic cells they produce. They can probably "interface" with each other in some way ('Interface' is a term I often hear in the Transformers-verse to describe relations between bots. It also is a standard term used when we hook up one thing in a computer to another.). I'm sure the Last Engineer would not deny that bit of pleasure out of another living thing otherwise, he might not have too many volunteers to save the species or even for the GoBot species to continue on its own and thrive into a sustainable species beyond that initial generation. For the species to survive, it had to be able and WANT to reproduce, in some, way, shape, form. It also had to have some benefit or reward to encourage such acts to occur. Since the organic brain is the most sexual organ in human bodies, once can say that GoBot brains may follow along similar lines with similar sexual drives and pleasures. Hormones or pheromones may also still be produced by them to enhance or promote this as well since many of such things are also produced by organic brains in most species that contains an organic brain.

"Growing up" may mean in GoBot terms that once the brain is grown from the cells and placed in a robotic body, that it has to be taught (programmed) how to do things like speak, move, and so forth, just like humans. A GoBotic brain has to learn speech, reading, locomotion, an interactions just like human brains. This means GoBots may go through similar aging patterns as humans...infant-child-adolescent-adult...though probably at very different paces due to a much longer life span than humans. Their early stages are probably very rapid, progressing them into adult stages quicker than a human would due to the need to adapt to an adult size robotic body as we never see any "children" GoBots in any episodes that show citizens of the planet. But I could be wrong with this. Using Transformers comparison...there are some robotic looking aliens in that series that show young child-like robots beside adult versions. GoBots may have child-forms...and molt or shed their exo-skeleton just like an insect, lobster, or snake might as it grows. Or a more likely scenario is that the organic cell(s) grown into an organic brain are placed into an already adult body, but still has to 'learn' and be taught the fundamentals of being a GoBot and how to live in GoBotic society/culture.

GoBots appear to socialize in similar ways as humans as well. In an early episode of Challenge of the GoBots (perhaps part 3, Conquest of Earth), the Guardians capture Crasher and put her into the Brainstormer. We see some early visions of her life and she reveals that she had a crush on Leader-1 back then. The Renegade female, Snoop also mentions Leader-1 in "Doppleganger" as she zooms in the downed Guardian, saying "Such a good-looking GoBot. What a waste." In "The GoBotron Saga" Crasher says to some escaped Guardians, "Mark your social calendars. You have a date with a Dissassembler." So, crushes, dating, etc. are regular references in GoBot life. It indicates their social lives are similar to humans. And, again, given their organic brains, the desire or emotion to be close to one another beyond friendship may also emerge. These aspects of life can lead to physical intimacy and even reproduction as many humans do know. GoBots would likely have to have ways to fulfill these basic natural needs and desires as well or they could be driven mad and mentally unstable by needs and desires that would go unfulfilled with no outlet to release them. It would be like chaining up a starving a human and showing that human a slideshow of mouth-watering foods and refreshing drinks, over and over again with no food or even water given to that human at all.

With humans doing this right in front of GoBots, what's a GoBot to do!?

On a slight side aspect, but deals with GoBot biology too...do GoBots breathe? Yes and no. In several episodes we hear GoBots coughing, taking breaths, etc. In the Battle of the Rock Lords movie, Leader-1, Turbo, and Scooter are attacked by insect like magnoids. Leader-1 exclaims, "They're blocking my vents!" just before he collapses/passes out, along with Turbo and Scooter. So, yes, GoBots are breathing in GoBot form. At other times though, we see them working in space,on the moon, etc. with no sort of breathing apparatus while their accompanying humans are wearing space suits with oxygen masks,etc. GoBots in this respect are NOT breathing or at least not normally. Possible theory...GoBots breathe, when air is available to do so--their organic brains and probably portions of their robotic bodies require air. Even in vehicular modes, GoBots need air. Think about our own cars, planes, etc. Air intake vents in grills/front ends of cars and on sides of jet fighter planes and engines. Motors/engines require some air intake to function. You need to buy an air filter for your car afterall right? It's likely GoBot vehicular modes require similar needs to function properly. So how are GoBots are surviving effortlessly in space? Easy...stored or retained air within their bodies that they can use when no available air is present. Or, they can switch to some different chemical conversion system and manufacture their own air within. Used only when necessary, these systems would probably require larger energy usage than just simply breathing in air. Each GoBot may "breathe" differently from the next too...depending on their body style, but nearly all have some sort of air access somewhere. Though all this still doesn't explain why they simply don't just switch to their non-air systems when there's smoke,etc. and cough their way through things instead. Or why they didn't just switch to such a system when attacked by those Magnoids. Maybe that's a humanoid throwback that they are so used to not using it, that when in breathable environments, they 'forget' they can activate it. In space, with no ship, it'd be obvious they'd need it.

Leader-1 catching his 'breath' after an air race against Snoop

And finally, contrary to the "GoBots are immortal" theory that is thrown out there in some GoBot propoganda/marketing schemes, GoBots DO have life spans. They try to avoid death and seek self-preservation/defense. If they were immortal, they wouldn't be so concerned with such. Cy-Kill said in "The Last Magicman", "I had massive injuries. I was done for." In another, Cy-Kill speaks of Leader-1 as the Guardian attacks, "Just a little closer and you're a dead GoBot!" Organic brains and even robot/machine bodies have finite life spans and can only last for so long. How long is debatable and not something I'll even try to figure out. GoBot life spans appear to be much longer than humans however and that makes sense just as Transformers have long life spans too. In "The GoBots that Time Forgot", Wrecks says to Leader-1 when offered to come to the surface world, "Thanks, but I'm old and this is my home." And when Leader-1 describes 'old GoBotron' to the humans, he says "It is a decaying world of which few GoBots of this generation have ever seen..." This further proves the generational concept as well as aging/death. Even Wrecks clearly looks like an older, simpler generation of GoBot than the one Leader-1 and Scooter belong to. "In Search of Ancient Gobonauts", we see remnants of an ancient GoBot (the Evil One) and Leader-1 says "Whoever that was, he powered down long ago." And in "The GoBotron Saga", Nick and Scooter stumble onto the Moon of Knowledge and Nick attempts to pull the head off a long dead GoBot for a souvenier. We've also seen several close calls from the main GoBot characters in many episodes. In The GoBotron Saga, Turbo nearly dies when he's frozen solid then develops a severe fever. Because of his condition the search for the Last Engineer is launched. A GoBotic form of execution is the Dissassembler and Leader-1 nearly met his fate this way, if it weren't for the Last Engineer. As GoBots die, others are created. And thus, the circle of life...GoBot style.

And that concludes today's lesson on GoBot Biology 101. Yes, a lot of it is open to debate and speculation. These are just MY theories on their species' lives and what I follow when I write my own stories about them. It is NOT canon, or whatever. I just give evidence from the series that back my theories well enough for me to even consider them.