History Main / MicrobotSwarm

** ''ComicBook/TheTransformers'' had the scraplets -- a mechanical parasite that transforms between a humanoid form and nuts and bolts. Enough of them together can transform into a giant humanoid form.

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Ultimate Spider-Man}}'' version of the supervillain Swarm is made of nanomachines instead of bees like his comic book version.

[[quoteright:350:[[Disney/BigHero6 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/microbots.jpg]]]]

-->-- '''Hiro Hamada''', ''Disney/BigHero6''

* The microbots created by protagonist Hiro Hamada in ''Disney/BigHero6''. These microsized robots are capable of coming together in order to take many different forms, allowing them to perform complex tasks that would normally require many human hands with a thought projected through a transceiver. They are taken by the BigBad of the film, Yokai, for his evil plans, which include forming a swarm of them to travel through town and destroy anything in his way.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'': The biggest threat in [[Disney/BigHero6 San Fransokyo]] is the Darkubes, a conglomeration of Heartless that resemble a cross between [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsCoded Bug Blox]] and Hiro's microbots. The Keychain that Sora gets from this world is the Nano Gear, whose [[MorphWeapon Formchange]] turns into a conglomerate of microbots for combo attacks taken from ''almost'' every other Formchange in the game, plus a [[RocketPunch Baymax rocket fist]] and a [[PortalNetwork set of Kreitech portals]].

* Harvest, a stand that belongs to Shigechi of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'', is a collection of small android-looking bugs that Shigechi usually spreads all over town to collect things ([[WithGreatPowerComesGreatPerks like coins or discarded lottery tickets]]). However, they can form a swarm for offensive attacks or to carry him around, even to crawl up walls. This is especially evident in his video game appearances in ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureAllStarBattle'' and ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureEyesOfHeaven''.

!!Examples

** ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'' has Ammonites, a machine race that's much smaller than most Cybertronians. When [[TokenEvilTeammate Whirl]] meets a few in a bar who are hiding from a different Ammonite faction, he decides to help them out by killing that faction's leader. Except that he didn't really stop to ask any questions before shooting and the ones who were hiding were from the Ammonite equivalent of the Decepticons, and the one he killed [[NiceJobBreakingItHero was the equivalent of Optimus Prime]]. This led to the crew of the Lost Light discovering that A) Ammonites are [[CombiningMecha Combiners]] and B) unlike Cybertronian Combiners there's no restrictions on who they can combine with or how many can combine together. This ultimately led to ''seventy billion'' angry Ammonites attacking Cybertron in a huge swarm during ''ComicBook/TransformersDarkCybertron''.

* Played for laughs with the nanites in ''Series/MysteryScienceTheatre3000'', who regularly go on strike or rebel since they hate their jobs.

Played for laughs with the nanites in ''Series/MysteryScienceTheatre3000''.

* Harvest, a stand that belongs to Shigeshi of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'', is a collection of small android-looking bugs that Shigeshi uses to steal coins through town. However, they can form a swarm for offensive attacks or to carry him around, even to crawl up walls. This is especially evident in his video game appearances in ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureAllStarBattle'' and ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureEyesOfHeaven''.

* In the 2000 version of ''WesternAnimation/ActionMan'', after Doctor X takes over Brandon Cain's body, Brandon's mind accidentally goes into a nanotechnological Trillabug, which takes control of all other Trillabugs, forming a monstrous version of Brandon.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' episode "Nano of the North", the titular girls have to fight off a swarm of nanobots that are eating the town.

* Harvest, a stand that belongs to Shigeshi of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'', is a collection of small android-looking bugs that Shigeshi uses to steal coins through town. However, they can form a swarm for offensive attacks or to carry him around, even to crawl up walls. This is especially evident in his videogame appearances in ''Videogame/JojosBizarreAdventureAllStarBattle'' and ''Videogame/JojosBizarreAdventureEyesOfHeaven''.

* ''ComicBook/{{Lazarus}}'': Alima, [[TheChampion the Lazarus]] of the Meyers-Qasimi family, is a {{Cyborg}} who controls a swarm of tiny drones. In the X+66 [[ADayInTheLimelight side comic]], she employs them to perform reconnaissance on an enemy militia, to hack into a computer system, and to wipe out a Russian Special Forces team with a word. While a close enough look at one of these drone would reveal they are shaped like tiny insects, to the human eye they generally look like a bit of cloud, fog, or even grit/sand hanging in the air.

* ''Series/Supergirl2015'': In the Season Two episode "Ace Reporter", the VillainOfTheWeek gains control of nanobots that are originally intended for medical use and give an instant HealingFactor. However, the nanobots can also do the opposite and destroy a normal human body in an instant. The villain can also use them for mind-control and, in big enough numbers, can even asphyxiate a kryptonian.

* The ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan'' version of the supervillain Swarm is made of nanomachines instead of bees like his comic book version.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{The Powerpuff Girls}}'' episode "Nano of the North", the titular girls have to fight off a swarm of nano bots that are eating the town.

* ''Series/Supergirl2015''" In the Season Two episode "Ace Reporter", the VillainOfTheWeek gains control of nanobots that are originally intended for medical use and give an instant HealingFactor. However, the nanobots can also do the opposite and destroy a normal human body in an instant. The villain can also use them for mind-control and, in big enough numbers, can even asphyxiate a kryptonian.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Benderama", Bender uses the Professor's new matter replicator to make small copies of himself, who then make smaller copies of themselves until the world is beset by millions of microscopic Benders. For the climax, they form together into one giant Bender to fight an alien giant.

The character is in possession of an incredible machine or power the size of a bean and multiplied by a thousand which together can do incredible things. In an action-oriented story they will be used as a swarm to attack someone, but in a more mundane situation, they will be used to move objects or even a person.

With enough strength and power, the character can be carried out by these wonderful creations.

* ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'' has Ammonites, a machine race that's much smaller than most Cybertronians. When [[TokenEvilTeammate Whirl]] meets a few in a bar who are hiding from a different Ammonite faction, he decides to help them out by killing that faction's leader. Except that he didn't really stop to ask any questions before shooting and the ones who were hiding were from the Ammonite equivalent of the Decepticons, and the one he killed [[NiceJobBreakingItHero was the equivalent of Optimus Prime]]. This led to the crew of the Lost Light discovering that A) Ammonites are [[CombiningMecha Combiners]] and B) unlike Cybertronian Combiners there's no restrictions on who they can combine with or how many can combine together. This ultimately led to ''seventy billion'' angry Ammonites attacking Cybertron in a huge swarm during ''ComicBook/TransformersDarkCybertron''.
* ''ComicBook/TheTransformers'' had the scraplets - a mechanical parasite that transforms between a humanoid form and nuts and bolts. Enough of them together can transform into a giant humanoid form.

* ''Series/{{Supergirl|2015}}'', Season Two's episode "Ace Reporter": the VillainOfTheWeek gains control of nanobots that are originally intended for medical use, giving an instant HealingFactor. However, the nanobots can also do the opposite and destroy a normal human body in an instant. The villain can also use them for mind-control and, in big enough numbers, can even asphyxiate a kryptonian.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Powerpuff Girls}} episode "Nano of the North", the titular girls have to fight off a swarm of nano bots that are eating the town.

* The microbots created by protagonist Hiro Hamada in ''Disney/BigHero6''. These microsized robots are capable of forging together in order to take many different forms. They are taken by the Big Bad of the film, Yokai, for his evil plans, which include forming a swarm of them to travel through town.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/microbots.jpg]]
-> ''“This is a Microbot. It doesn't look like much, but when it links up with the rest of its pals, things get a little more interesting.”''
-->-- '''Hiro Hamada explaining his invention, ''Disney/BigHero6'''''

[[AC: Anime and Manga]]

[[AC: Comic Books]]
* In ''ComicBook/{{Lazarus}}'' Alima, [[TheChampion the Lazarus]] of the Meyers-Qasimi family, is a {{Cyborg}} who controls a swarm of tiny drones. In the X+66 [[ADayInTheLimelight side comic]], she employs them to perform reconnaissance on an enemy militia, to hack into a computer system, and to wipe out a Russian Special Forces team with a word. While a close enough look at one of these drone would reveal they are shaped like tiny insects, to the human eye they generally look like a bit of cloud, fog, or even grit/sand hanging in the air.

* ''ComicBook/TransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'' has Ammonites, a machine race that's much smaller than most Cybertronians. When [[TokenEvilTeammate Whirl]] meets a few in a bar who are hiding from a different Ammonite faction, he decides to help them out by killing that faction's leader. Except that he didn't really stop to ask any questions before shooting and the ones who were hiding were from the Ammonite equivalent of the Decepticons, and the one he killed [[NiceJobBreakingItHero was the equivalent of Optimus Prime]]. This led to the crew of the Lost Light discovering that A) Ammonites are [[CombiningMecha Combiners]] and B) unlike Cybertronian Combiners there's no restrictions on who they can combine with or how many can combine together. This ultimately led to ''seventy billion'' angry Ammonites attacking Cybertron in a huge swarm during ''ComicBook/TransformersDarkCybertron''.


[[AC: Film]]

[[AC: Live-Action TV]]
* ''[[Series/{{Supergirl2015}} Supergirl]]'', in Season Two's episode 'Ace Reporter'; the VillainOfTheWeek gains control of nanobots that are originally intended for medical use, giving an instant HealingFactor. However, the nanobots can also do the opposite and destroy a normal human body in an instant. The villain can also use them for mind-control and, in big enough numbers, can even asphyxiate a kryptonian.

[[AC: Tabletop Games]]
* In ''TabletopGame/TranshumanSpace'' microbot swarms tooled for everything from cleaning to construction are in common use.

[[AC: Web Comics]]
* Ofelia's Cryptobots in ''Webcomic/InsectoNocturno'' are small sized robots in the shape of starfish that she can control with her goggles. They are stolen by the titular protagonist and renamed "Crypto Sandstars".

[[AC: Western Animation]]
* In the 2000 version of WesternAnimation/ActionMan, after Doctor X takes over Brandon Cain's body, Brandon's mind accidentally goes into a nanotechnological Trillabug, which takes control of all other Trillabugs, forming a monstrous version of Brandon.
* The WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan version of the supervillain Swarm is made of nanomachines instead of bees like his comic book version.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Benderama", Bender uses the Professor's new matter replicator to make small copies of himself, who then make smaller copies of themselves until the world is beset by millions of microscopic Benders. For the climax, they form together into one giant Bender to fight an alien giant.

* Harvest, a stand that belongs to Shigeshi of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'', is a collection of small android-looking bugs that Shigeshi uses to steal coins through town. However, they can form a swarm for offensive attacks or to carry him around, even to crawl up walls. This is especially evident in his videogame appearances in ''Videogame/JojosBizarreAdventureAllStarBattle" and ''Videogame/JojosBizarreAdventureEyesOfHeaven".

* Harvest, a stand that belongs to Shigeshi of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'', is a collection of small android-looking bugs that Shigeshi uses to steal coins through town. However, they can form a swarm for offensive attacks or to carry him around, even to crawl up walls.