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skids-mudflapFirst of all, I want to remind the world that the last time Michael Bay excitedly released new robots with any kind of personality, we got what many considered to be exceptionally racist characters Skids and Mudflaps from ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ (pictured right). I’m not saying that is going to happen again, I’m just saying we should all be careful before getting too excited about a new robot that Bay is showing off on his Twitter feed.

The new robot in question, which is being called Squeaks, to me already has the potential to be an insufferable character full of juvenile comedy and nonsense to pander to kids just based on the name alone. The picture that Bay released of the new robot shows what appears to be an elderly robot (lots of rust stains), whose main body is a Vespa of some kind, and who looks to be using his kickstand as a kind of cane to prop himself up. What is interesting about Squeaks is that it appears he is being done with mostly practical effects (like BB-8 in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens), which you have to admire in a franchise where practical elements are few and far between.

Included with the picture are a couple of videos released from the production where crew members are discussing Squeaks, though the little robot is hardly seen at all. The idea might be just to get people used to hearing the name Squeaks, and understanding how much work has gone into bringing him to life. Check out the image and the videos for yourself, and then let us know if you think Bay is just pandering to children, or if Squeaks might be a fun addition to the movie, and a worthy Transformer all on his own. Share any opinions you come up with down in the comments section below.

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Nick is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, who belongs to the privileged few who enjoyed the ending to ‘Lost.’ For more of Nick’s thoughts and articles, follow him on Twitter.