Smokescreen is the name of several different fictional characters in the Transformers robot superhero franchise.
Transformers: Generation 1
Smokescreen is one of the second year Autobot Cars in the Transformers series. His toy was remolded from Prowl and Bluestreak, itself originating from an earlier Japanese line named Diaclone. Smokescreen's vehicle mode was based on an actual existing car—a 1979 Nissan Fairlady Z race car in the Electramotive team livery. Team founder Don Devendorf's car was accurately recreated, except that his number 83 was changed to a 38.
Smokescreen's bio originally indicated that while he appeared calm and easy-going, he was in reality the closest thing the Autobots had to someone who thought like a Decepticon. He would cheat to win without hesitation, and often covers his true goals from his fellow Autobots. Autobot leaders use him as a spy amongst the ranks at times.
Marvel Comics
Smokescreen first appeared in issue 14 of the Marvel Transformers comic. Here, he was brought to life alongside Grapple, Hoist, Skids and Tracks via the downloading of their personalities and Sparks from storage. Bumblebee took all but Grapple on a tour of the surrounding area—but ended up in a trial by fire when the Decepticons tried to steal sonic energy from a rock concert. The group battled Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker, defeating them, but left when the humans accused them of sabotaging the concert.
After this, Smokescreen played more of a peripheral role, battling the Decepticons, but not having any major roles. He was one of the many casualties when trying to stop the Underbase-powered Starscream. He was not shown to be revived, but returned in the pages of the Transformers: Generation 2 comic, where he accompanied Grimlock on a disastrous raid on Jhiaxus' forces. After this, he battled against Jhiaxus forces under Optimus Prime's command—only to be killed by a squad of Jhiaxus' troopers alongside Ironhide.
The Smokescreen of the post-movie universe appeared in the Marvel UK comics, most prominently in the "Legacy of Unicron" arc. He and Inferno were dispatched to escort Wreck-Gar back to the planet Junk. There, they discovered it had been taken over by the severed head of Unicron. The two escaped to warn Rodimus Prime, leaving Wreck-Gar behind to free his people, with Inferno being badly injured by the mind-controlled bounty hunter Death's Head. The two arrived on Cybertron—only to discover that Unicron's puppets Cyclonus and Scourge had launched an all-out Decepticon assault. The Decepticons badly damaged the shuttle, and Smokescreen refused to leave his injured friend. Inferno had other ideas and bodily threw him through the windshield to safety, before crashing and killing as many Decepticons as he could. Smokescreen returned to Junk with Prime and the Dinobots, determined to avenge Inferno, and contributing to the Chaos-Bringer's eventual defeat.
Animated series
Smokescreen originally appeared in "Dinobot Island (Part 1)". Smokescreen was used quite frequently in season 2. The cartoon made use of his abilities—in "Auto Berserk", for example, he downed the Seekers with his disruptors, and in "The Key to Vector Sigma", his smoke saved the Autobots' super-fuel after Prowl's security detail was compromised. taking the starring role in the episode "The Gambler". This saw him strike a deal with a gambler named Bosch in order to save his fellow Autobots—he would win energon for Bosch if Bosch used some to restore the others. Predictably cheating his way to victory, he was caught and lost all his winnings. With the help of Devcon, he and Bosch ended up battling and defeating Astrotrain, Dirge and Ramjet. After this Bosh freed the other Autobots.
Smokescreen was not among the Autobots whose death were shown in The Transformers: The Movie, and did not appear in the post-movie Season Three, appearing only in the Japanese opening for season 3, as the movie was not shown in Japan at the time. Smokescreen also made a brief appearance in the first episode of Transformers: The Headmasters.
Other media
Smokescreen is one of the characters appearing in the unlicensed comic book Transformers Chronicles Book One by Hirofumi Ichikawa. This story has him working with the Autobot Axelerators against the Skyscorchers, facing Dreadwing, and being reformatted into the Generation 2 Decepticon jet Smokescreen.
Toys
Generation 1 Autobot Car Smokescreen (1985) A red/blue redeco of the Nissan Fairlady robot toy used for Prowl and Bluestreak.