Bumblebee Transformer

Bumblebee's primary function in the original Transformers animated series and comics was to serve as the "young" character with whom the youthful viewing audience could identify, and he would befriend the Autobots' primary human ally - the young son of the Witwicky family (Buster in the Marvel comic - see issue #1 - and Spike in the cartoon) - to this end, a concept that persists into the 2007 live-action film. Although a well-known character because of this, Bumblebee is quite unusual in that, unlike many other Transformers, his name has not been re-used and applied to unrelated characters throughout the ensuing twenty years of Transformers media, due to the loss of the trademark until recently. His role as the "young yellow character", however, has inspired other Transformers characters with the same role such as Cheetor and Hot Shot.
When the Autobots and Decepticon awakened on Earth in 1984, Bumblebee was part of the first team of Autobots sent out to investigate the planet. Eager to be the first to encounter a local life-form, Bumblebee unfortunately got his wish when he was injured in a battle with the Decepticons at a drive-in movie theater, and - stuck in car mode - was found by the young human, Buster Witwicky. Buster took him back to his family's automotive garage, where his father Sparkplug repaired the car, and was shocked when it transformed into a robot. Bumblebee arranged their first meeting with Optimus Prime, and his role as a "liaison" of sorts between the Autobots and humans continued as he participated in the first meetings with millionaire industrialist G. B. Blackrock, eventually leading to a deal between them that saw Blackrock supply the robots with fuel.
After some smaller roles showing new Autobot recruits around and searching for Decepticon activity, Bumblebee took the spotlight again when he came to question his usefulness to the Autobots, and abandoned them without explanation. Unfortunately, this occurred just as Decepticon leader Shockwave had targeted Bumblebee as the weakest link in the Autobots, planning to mind-control him and use him against his comrades. Taking refuge from Decepticon pursuit in a used car lot, Bumblebee was subsequently stolen by two teenagers, who took him on a joyride through the city. This attracted the attention of both Autobots and Decepticons, and after saving the teens from a Decepticon attack, Bumblebee himself was saved from them by the Autobots, convincing him of his worth to them.