“And to think that Optimus almost passed the Matrix down to me. Yeah I said it, but right place, right time, doesn't mean right bot. I know that now.”
―Smokescreen to Bumblebee
Smokescreen is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity of the Transformers franchise. He later appeared in Transformers Armada and Transformers: Prime as one of the main characters (the latter of which takes place in the Aligned series).
Due to his younger age, Smokescreen is both enthusiastic and reckless, but brave enough to fight alongside others his age, such as Bumblebee and Hot Rod. Optimus Prime sees potential in the younger Autobot, who wants to be a Prime like him.