History Main / TelescopingRobot

** ''Anime/UFORoboGrendizer'': Grendizer had one scythe stored into each shoulder could be joined to shape a double-edged shaft. The blades also worked like a GuidedPrecissionBoomerang. And that is not counting all weapons hid into its flying device.

** Gundam [[spoiler:0080]] has a puzzling example of this [[spoiler:near the end of the series]], where [[spoiler:the Gundam prototype's forearm-plate opens up to expose a set of minigun barrels that, themselves, could not fit in the forearm. How it receives ammo is anyone's guess]].

* ''MastersOfTheUniverse'' featured several such characters, usually cyborgs rather than robots. While the toys obviously kept the telescoping to the realm of physical possibility, their depictions in comics and cartoons frequently threw reason out the window.

* KOS-MOS from ''{{Xenosaga}}.'' A mild subversion. While KOS-MOS does have a tendency to pull weapons out of "thin air" she actually justifies it for them. Her Knife and Gun are pre-equipped in compartments (she IS a robot and thus is not physically limited by the flesh rule) and her R-blade/Drill/Cannon are morphed from existing body parts. Her REALLY flashy weapons though are explained that she calls them through the U.M.N. and thus is essentially warping new weapons in from another place (not actually carrying them on her person) much in the same way as characters summon A.G.W.S. and E.S. units.

* Many of the megadeuses in ''TheBigO'' (including the title robot) can do this.

* Finally, in ''{{Excalibur}},'' Karima Shapandar looked like an ordinary human until she deployed her ''endless'' array of instruments of destruction. She got a redesign upon her move to ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}},'' though, sadly.

** ''TurnAGundam'': Turn A Gundam can similarly fit tons of weapons and other junk inside of it. Unlike most examples, this is justified, however, as the Turn A is almost completely hollow. It has virtually no internal mechanisms, using special magnetic field generators to move around.

* In the ''MarvelUniverse'', Machine Man is an android who is best known for his telescoping limbs in addition to other functions. {{If you know what I mean}}. He is [[DoAnythingRobot full of useful devices!]]

* The Clumsy Robot from ''{{Earthbound}}'' is a cute little thing that would probably come up to your knee, and also contains enough ordnance to level a city block. And ''still'' has enough room for some sandwiches.

* ''{{Adventurers}}': Played straight by the "infinity" form of Spybot.

[[caption-width-right:320:[[WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys Where does she keep all those wonderful toys?]]]]

When in trouble, or in need of opening a file of whoop-ass, a SuperRobot's limbs extend, armor appears, {{Death Ray}}s will sprout up from nowhere, hatches will open up in various parts of their bodies to reveal missiles (beware the missile ''codpiece'' and ''bustier!)'' and they become 10 metric tons heavier than before. The cooler sequences will qualify as TechnologyPorn.

[[AC: {{Anime}}]]

** Interestingly, this technology isn't limited to SuperRobots. For example, [[spoiler:increasing Jupiter's mass a hunderedfold so that it could be converted into a second sun]].
* ''[[{{Gundam}} Gundam]] [[spoiler:0080]]'' has a puzzling example of this [[spoiler:near the end of the series]], where [[spoiler:the Gundam prototype's forearm-plate opens up to expose a set of minigun BARRELS that, themselves, could not fit in the forearm. How it receives ammo is anyone's guess]].
** TurnAGundam can similarily fit tons of weapons and other junk inside of it. Unlike most examples, this is justified, however, as the Turn A is almost completely hollow. It has virtually no internal mechanisms, using special magnetic field generators to move around.
* [[TengenToppaGurrenLagann Gurren Lagann! GIGA DRILL BREAKER!!!]]
** They actually give it a HandWave in the that they're using "[[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning Spiral Energy]]", which is explicitly able to create matter out of nothing. [[spoiler:Which is also something of a deconstruction, as overuse of this will eventually result in "Spiral Nemesis", which will create so much energy and mass as to ''make the entire universe implode'']].
** But played straight with Viral and Kamina's second fight, wherein Viral responds to the Gurren-Lagann's boost of power by ''turning his Ganmen's face into '''guns'''''.
* In ''[[GenesisOfAquarion Genesis of Aquarion]]'', the titular robot has an attack called the Infinite Punch, which causes Aquarion's arm to open up and another arm to extend out of it. Now imagine that new arm opening up and extending out its own. Repeat the process until Aquarion is able to stand 10 miles away from the enemy, throw a punch, then have that chain-punch extend to the point that it ''smashes the enemy into the moon''.
* ''GetterRobo'' - the three forms of each Getter tend to look very little like their [[CombiningMecha component parts]] as well as nothing like each other, then there's the issue of [[ThisIsADrill all]] [[AnAxeToGrind its]] [[MacrossMissileMassacre weapons]]. [[HandWave Hand-waved]] by the use of Getter Rays which, in an idea later recycled by TengenToppaGurrenLagann, will cause the universe to collapse if overused.
** The use of advanced [[{{Nanomachines}} nanotechnology]] is also show to be on effect for this case, if [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erc_qlppQaA Getter-1's transformation sequence]] from the OVA is to be believed.
*** Nanomachines are an OVA-only explanation, the manga chalks it up to Getter Rays. That's also why Getter Go has no hidden weapons or illogical combinations - it runs on plasma.
* Many of the megadeuses in ''TheBigO'' (including the title robot) can do this.
** To be fair, though, the series does include sequences of Big O's equipment being swapped out and the bot never sprouts more than one type of weapon from each hardpoint. That said, it still does a lot of telescoping.
* Both the anime and the manga versions of Chachamaru from MahouSenseiNegima. Although she's primarily a quiet girl, at times she reveals anything from gatling guns to massive swords. These weapons can be as big as she is, at times. [[AWizardDidIt She is a ]]''[[AWizardDidIt magical ]]''[[AWizardDidIt robot, though]].

[[AC: ComicBooks]]
* In the ''MarvelUniverse'', Machine Man is an android who is best known for his telescoping limbs in addition to other functions. {{If you know what I mean}}.
** He is [[DoAnythingRobot full of useful devices!]]
* Also from Marvel, the villain Stilt-Man wears a suit of robotic armor with extending legs. And this is his ''[[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway only]]'' [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway super power]].
** The second Scourge had telescoping legs in his bag of second-hand villain tricks, presumably based on Stilt-Man's design. The depowered mutant Tattoo showed up in the post-MarvelCivilWar NewWarriors team using PoweredArmor with extendable arms and legs, although she fared even worse than old Stilty, dying in one of the team's first battles.
** At least she didn't [[{{GroinAttack}} take an anti-tank missile to the nuts]].

[[AC: {{Film}}]]

[[AC: {{Live Action TV}}]]
* Plweeeeaaase lets not forget VICI from ''{{Small Wonder}}''. Once she even began malfunctioning after extending her neck too much and getting a thingymagig disconnected

[[AC: TabletopGames]]

[[AC: Toys]]
* ''MastersOfTheUniverse'' featured several such characters, usually cyborgs rather than robots. While the toys obviosuly kept the telescoping to the realm of physical possibility, their depictions in comics and cartoons frequently threw reason out the window.

[[AC: VideoGames]]
* KOS-MOS from ''{{Xenosaga}}.''
** A mild subversion. While KOS-MOS does have a tendency to pull weapons out of "thin air" she actually justifies it for them. Her Knife and Gun are pre-equipped in compartments (she IS a robot and thus is not physically limited by the flesh rule) and her R-blade/Drill/Cannon are morphed from existing body parts. Her REALLY flashy weapons though are explained that she calls them through the U.M.N. and thus is essentially warping new weapons in from another place (not actually carrying them on her person) much in the same way as characters summon A.G.W.S. and E.S. units.

[[AC: WebComics]]
* Played straight by the "infinity" form of Spybot in ''{{Adventurers}}!''

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]
* Brainiac 5 in the ''Series/{{Legion Of Super-Heroes}}'' cartoon.
* Soundwave in ''{{Transformers Generation 1}}'' could go from a tape player to a 5 story robot, where does the extra mass come from, where does it go? [[ShapeshifterBaggage Who can know]]!

** [[RuleThirtyFour ALL parts, you say...]] Say, [[FreudWasRight what types of tools extend out?]]
* ''{{Dynomutt}}'', the Dog Wonder!
* A short-lived SaturdayMorningCartoon called "The Robonic {''sic''} Stooges" had TheThreeStooges as cyborg/robot/android secret agents with telescoping limbs and other built-in gadgets. Really.
* ''MegasXLR'' is a perfect example of this trope. Super-Destructo Mode anyone?
* [=GIR=] of InvaderZim will occasionally deploy a plethora of weapons from his head.
** Zim's pak (kept on his back) also contain an array of devices as needed, mainly his telescoping spider legs.
*** It also contains ''Zim.'' His mind runs on the hardware inside the PAK. The Irken body is an organic husk attached to their real computer brain. Yes, this is canon (and the reason Tak's consciousness could end up in her cruiser).
*** More accurately, that's Tak's "downloaded personality interface". Dib overwrites it later, though.
**** It's not quite his true mind. In the beginning of one episode, Zim is seen working in his base without the PAK on, and then puts the PAK back on when he leaves. In ''"Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy"'', Zim [[spoiler:accidentally replaces his organic brain with a rubber piggy, reducing him to a drooling vegetable.]]
**** That explains the Squeedly-spooge.
* ''SuperRobotMonkeyTeamHyperforceGo'' loves this trope. Not only the Super Robot himself has it byt also the monkeys, all able to transform their small hands into much larger weapons.
* RobotBoy goes from doll sized to adult human sized regularly and has a small armies worth of weapons.
* Parodied in the Dy-Na-Mo episode of ''ThePowerpuffGirls''.
* The Sentinels became like this in ''XMenEvolution''.

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<<|AnimatedTrope|>>
<<|AnimeTropes|>>
<<|HyperspaceIndex|>>
<<|RobotRollCall|>>
<<|SpeculativeFictionTropes|>>

[[MyLifeAsATeenageRobot http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TeenageRobot_telescoping.jpg]]
[[caption-width:320:[[WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys Where does she keep all those wonderful toys?]]]]

* The first in anime was the "Synchron System" in the J9 Trilogy (''[[{{Braiger}} Buraigar]]'', ''Bakushingar'', and ''Sasuraigar''), which enabled ordinary-sized cars and motorcycles to change into hundred-ton mecha.

Fast Eddie is a dictator! Rise up against the tyrant! -EA

[[Bong milk is good for the brain.:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/werewolf_9693_8856.jpg]]

But you can't tell your boyfriend about it! He'd freak out and leave you, or worse. But then, you can't keep it a secret forever, either. At some point, one of your supernatural incidents will inevitably happen exactly when you were having a romantic dinner. Or maybe your relationship has simply reached the next level, and you feel that you need to be completely honest with him.

So what now? How will he react? Well, it turns out he's perfectly okay (well, for the most part he's perfectly okay) and understanding with it! That's right, as a reward for your sacrifices, the PowersThatBe will make sure that you end up with a truly noble and loving soul who loves you for who you are and doesn't care what you are. So no worries!

This trope is a DoubleStandard, in that wives and girlfriends are pretty much automatically accepting of their ActionHero husband/boyfriend's actions, whereas the number of husbands/boyfriends who automatically accept that their significant other is an ActionGirl are pretty thin on the ground. For the guy who is a super and needs a girlfriend, his powers are often a plus for her (because AllGirlsWantBadBoys). For women, finding a guy who truly doesn't have a problem with dating someone with superpowers when he's a {{Muggle}} is the bigger issue, because, well, NoGuyWantsAnAmazon.

Compare ButYourWingsAreBeautiful, when a disguise forms part of the powers. Compare to ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend for the ActionGirl [[InvertedTrope variant.]] Compare and contrast BoyMeetsGhoul, for the guy/girl who is on the other end of this trope. See also TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife, which is an aversion of this trope.

!!Examples:
[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* The central premise of ''[[NogizakaHarukaNoHimitsu The Secrets of Haruka Nogizaka]]''. The titular girl is an otaku.
* Ditto with ''[[OreImo My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute]]''. Except that the guy is not a boyfriend, but the big brother... [[{{Squick}} yeah]].
* Austria from ''AxisPowersHetalia'', in regards to his VictoriousChildhoodFriend Hungary. While he's concerned for her well-being, in the end he knows that if she wants to fight, he better lets her... since she will go [[OneManArmy One Woman Army]] and destroy the enemy. Considering their childhood, [[LoveAtFirstPunch he knows it beforehand]]!
* [[ShamanKing Keiko Asakura]] had been dumped by ''every'' single boyfriend she had when they learnt she was able to see spirits. Until the last JerkAss left her and a penniless musician with similar abilities comforted her. That guy was Mikihisa, and she would marry him.
* Horribly deconstructed with [[spoiler: Shiso and Ceres]] in ''AyashiNoCeres''. [[spoiler: Shiso started like this, but being left helpless when he and Ceres got attacked [[IJustWantToBeSpecial made him very frustrated]], so he asked Ceres to give him a part of her powers [[IWillProtectHer so he wouldn't be a burden on her.]] But then, [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity said powers turned out to be too much to handle]], and ItGotWorse...]]


[[AC:{{Comic Books}}]]
* [[NiceGuy Kong]] is this to [[XMen Kitty Pryde]] in UltimateMarvel, even going so far as to yell "You're welcome!" at AllOfTheOtherReindeer for not thanking her when she saves their lives.
* Back in the GoldenAge, Steve Trevor was this for WonderWoman (a remarkably progressive move for the times), and not at all threatened by the idea of getting rescued by or mooning over a woman who was twenty times stronger than him. The Silver and Bronze Age characterizations of him were...[[TooDumbToLive unfortunately]] [[JerkAss less so]], which probably led to him being deleted from continuity PostCrisis.
* In an old What If comic, Jimmy Olsen married Supergirl because of amnesia. Once she recovers and lets him know, he's totally fine with being married to Superman's cousin.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* In ''InnocentBlood'', FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire Marie has her understanding CopBoyfriend Joe.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* Elend in Brandon Sanderson's ''{{Mistborn}}''. At least [[spoiler:until he gets superpowers himself.]]
* Seth in ''WickedLovely''. When Aislinn tells him that she can see faeries, he has exactly one moment of "Is this a joke?" before accepting it and trying to help her with her faery situation.

[[AC:{{Live Action TV}}]]
* The ''GhostWhisperer'' features Jim the Understanding Husband.
* Both [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] and played straight in ''{{Bewitched}}''. The original Darrin (Dick York) was less than understanding, to the point of being downright hostile to Samantha when she used her magic. TheOtherDarrin (Dick Sargeant), on the other hand, tried his hardest to be understanding, the point that it was more the fault of Endora and the rest of Samantha's family that TheOtherDarrin didn't get along with witches.
* Played with in the ''SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' TV series. Harvey ''does'' leave Sabrina when he finds out she's a witch, not out of intolerance but because she'd been using magic to mess with his life for years. He eventually does come back to her, though, and says he never had a problem with her being a witch per se.
* Zack was the "gay best friend" equivalent of this in ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', at least until ExecutiveMeddling got in the way.
* Unless she's dating one of the undead, Buffy never got this on ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' (even Riley, who was himself a demon fighting super-soldier, had an inferiority complex due to dating a genuine superhero). It's Willow who hit the boyfriend jackpot with Oz; upon being told the truth about the supernatural world she runs in, he replies, "Actually, it explains a lot," and just goes with the flow from there.
* Tyler Ford in ''TheMiddleman'''s unaired season finale (released as a comic)...[[spoiler:at least, until MM pushes the ResetButton]].
* Allison's husband Joe on ''{{Medium}}'' believes in her powers and is understanding and accepting of them.
* In ''{{Series/Merlin}}'', 2x09. Merlin discovers [[spoiler: Freya turns into a bastet at night, but he isn´t afraid and stills takes care of her. He even pets her cat´s head...]]
[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]
* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in [[http://wapsisquare.com/comic/understanding/ this]] ''WapsiSquare'' comic. Also the page quote.
* {{Subverted}} (although this may be a retrospective way of seeing it) in ''SluggyFreelance''. Leo seems to be accepting of all the weird things Zoë tells about happening to her - but it turns out that was only because he thought she was lying. In the words of another jerk he hangs out with, "You've got to respect a girl who realizes romantic relationships are based on lies and goes to town with it!" As soon as Leo finds out it was all true, he feels betrayed, and they eventually break off.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* [[PhineasAndFerb Candace]] seems to have this with Jeremy. Despite all of Candace's attempts to put a stop to PhineasAndFerb's projects, the guy never, ever seems to lose his cool, and they're still an item.
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[[MyLifeAsATeenageRobot http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TeenageRobot_telescoping.jpg]]
[[caption-width:320:[[WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys Where does she keep all those wonderful toys?]]]]

When in trouble, or in need of opening a file of whoop-ass, a SuperRobot's limbs extend, armor appears, {{Death Ray}}s will sprout up from nowhere, hatches will open up in various parts of their bodies to reveal missiles (beware the missile ''codpiece'' and ''bustier!)'' and they become 10 metric tons heavier than before. The cooler sequences will qualify as TechnologyPorn.

See also TransformingMecha, HyperspaceMallet, SwissArmyWeapon and ShapeshifterBaggage. Can lead to a MacrossMissileMassacre. Human-sized robots with this power are usually SuperPoweredRobotMeterMaids and/or [[DoAnythingRobot Do Anything Robots]].

[[AC: {{Anime}}]]
* The first in anime was the "Synchron System" in the J9 Trilogy (''[[{{Braiger}} Buraigar]]'', ''Bakushingar'', and ''Sasuraigar''), which enabled ordinary-sized cars and motorcycles to change into hundred-ton mecha.
* ''[[{{Gundam}} Gundam]] [[spoiler:0080]]'' has a puzzling example of this [[spoiler:near the end of the series]], where [[spoiler:the Gundam prototype's forearm-plate opens up to expose a set of minigun BARRELS that, themselves, could not fit in the forearm. How it receives ammo is anyone's guess]].
** TurnAGundam can similarily fit tons of weapons and other junk inside of it. Unlike most examples, this is justified, however, as the Turn A is almost completely hollow. It has virtually no internal mechanisms, using special magnetic field generators to move around.
* [[TengenToppaGurrenLagann Gurren Lagann! GIGA DRILL BREAKER!!!]]
** They actually give it a HandWave in the that they're using "[[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning Spiral Energy]]", which is explicitly able to create matter out of nothing. [[spoiler:Which is also something of a deconstruction, as overuse of this will eventually result in "Spiral Nemesis", which will create so much energy and mass as to ''make the entire universe implode'']].
** But played straight with Viral and Kamina's second fight, wherein Viral responds to the Gurren-Lagann's boost of power by ''turning his Ganmen's face into '''guns'''''.
* In ''[[GenesisOfAquarion Genesis of Aquarion]]'', the titular robot has an attack called the Infinite Punch, which causes Aquarion's arm to open up and another arm to extend out of it. Now imagine that new arm opening up and extending out its own. Repeat the process until Aquarion is able to stand 10 miles away from the enemy, throw a punch, then have that chain-punch extend to the point that it ''smashes the enemy into the moon''.
* ''GetterRobo'' - the three forms of each Getter tend to look very little like their [[CombiningMecha component parts]] as well as nothing like each other, then there's the issue of [[ThisIsADrill all]] [[AnAxeToGrind its]] [[MacrossMissileMassacre weapons]]. [[HandWave Hand-waved]] by the use of Getter Rays which, in an idea later recycled by TengenToppaGurrenLagann, will cause the universe to collapse if overused.
** The use of advanced [[{{Nanomachines}} nanotechnology]] is also show to be on effect for this case, if [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erc_qlppQaA Getter-1's transformation sequence]] from the OVA is to be believed.
*** Nanomachines are an OVA-only explanation, the manga chalks it up to Getter Rays. That's also why Getter Go has no hidden weapons or illogical combinations - it runs on plasma.
* Many of the megadeuses in ''TheBigO'' (including the title robot) can do this.
** To be fair, though, the series does include sequences of Big O's equipment being swapped out and the bot never sprouts more than one type of weapon from each hardpoint. That said, it still does a lot of telescoping.
* Both the anime and the manga versions of Chachamaru from MahouSenseiNegima. Although she's primarily a quiet girl, at times she reveals anything from gatling guns to massive swords. These weapons can be as big as she is, at times. [[AWizardDidIt She is a ]]''[[AWizardDidIt magical ]]''[[AWizardDidIt robot, though]].

[[AC: ComicBooks]]
* In the ''MarvelUniverse'', Machine Man is an android who is best known for his telescoping limbs in addition to other functions. {{If you know what I mean}}.
** He is [[DoAnythingRobot full of useful devices!]]
* Also from Marvel, the villain Stilt-Man wears a suit of robotic armor with extending legs. And this is his ''[[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway only]]'' [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway super power]].
** The second Scourge had telescoping legs in his bag of second-hand villain tricks, presumably based on Stilt-Man's design. The depowered mutant Tattoo showed up in the post-MarvelCivilWar NewWarriors team using PoweredArmor with extendable arms and legs, although she fared even worse than old Stilty, dying in one of the team's first battles.
** At least she didn't [[{{GroinAttack}} take an anti-tank missile to the nuts]].
* Yet another Marvel example: M-11, from ''{{Agents of Atlas}}'', a robot who's equipped with telescopic limbs, a DeathRay, and Electro-Hands, among other things.
* Finally, in ''{{Excalibur}},'' Karima Shapandar looked like an ordinary human until she deployed her ''endless'' array of instruments of destruction. She got a redesign upon her move to ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}},'' though, sadly.
* ''Robotboy's'' Super Mode. When activated, asskicking ensues.

[[AC: {{Film}}]]
* ''TheIronGiant'' when in war mode.
* R2-D2 from ''[[StarWars Star Wars]]''. Every hatch, detail, bolt and panel opens up and has an improbable number of really nifty devices behind them.

[[AC: {{Live Action TV}}]]
* Plweeeeaaase lets not forget VICI from ''{{Small Wonder}}''. Once she even began malfunctioning after extending her neck too much and getting a thingymagig disconnected

[[AC: TabletopGames]]
* The ''{{Mekton}} Zeta'' RPG called this "Expanding Plasma" as a shout out to {{Braiger}}. (It's a line from its theme song.)

[[AC: Toys]]
* ''MastersOfTheUniverse'' featured several such characters, usually cyborgs rather than robots. While the toys obviosuly kept the telescoping to the realm of physical possibility, their depictions in comics and cartoons frequently threw reason out the window.

[[AC: VideoGames]]
* KOS-MOS from ''{{Xenosaga}}.''
** A mild subversion. While KOS-MOS does have a tendency to pull weapons out of "thin air" she actually justifies it for them. Her Knife and Gun are pre-equipped in compartments (she IS a robot and thus is not physically limited by the flesh rule) and her R-blade/Drill/Cannon are morphed from existing body parts. Her REALLY flashy weapons though are explained that she calls them through the U.M.N. and thus is essentially warping new weapons in from another place (not actually carrying them on her person) much in the same way as characters summon A.G.W.S. and E.S. units.
* The Clumsy Robot from ''{{Earthbound}}'' is a cute little thing that would probably come up to your knee, and also contains enough ordnance to level a city block. And ''still'' has enough room for some sandwiches.
* In ''James Pond 2: Codename Robocod'', Robocod can extend his midsection to grab onto ceilings and high platforms.

[[AC: WebComics]]
* Played straight by the "infinity" form of Spybot in ''{{Adventurers}}!''

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]
* Brainiac 5 in the ''Series/{{Legion Of Super-Heroes}}'' cartoon.
* Soundwave in ''{{Transformers Generation 1}}'' could go from a tape player to a 5 story robot, where does the extra mass come from, where does it go? [[ShapeshifterBaggage Who can know]]!
** This is indicative of Transformers in general. For instance, [[{{Transformers Generation 1}} the original]] Megatron turns into a ''pistol'' which ''is then used by Starscream''.
** Or more absurdly, by a human!
** In ''TransformersAnimated,'' Longarm earns his name by being able to extend his arms to great length (legs as well.) [[spoiler: This is only a small part of his shapeshifting abilities, which let him change his robot mode almost entirely, to hide the fact that he's actually Shockwave, Megatron's eyes and ears on Cybertron.]]
*** Swindle [[spoiler: and Sari after her upgrade]] display the more standard variant of massive amounts of weaponry folding out of their bodies.
** Transformers actually justifies it, if never explicitly in the shows. They all have a personal pocket dimension that holds the extra mass when they're not using it.
*** Including guns, optional hand attachments, all the various cassettes Soundwave and Blaster store in their chests, and Optimus Prime's trailer (before becoming a Powermaster)
* ''MyLifeAsATeenageRobot''.
** Ironically, despite appearing in the picture at the top of this page, Jenny could count as a subversion. In one episode she continually upgrades herself, but at the same time adds a ''lot'' of mass.
** Another time, it's played straight - she can telescope to ridiculous proportions but can't "retract" (if that's the right word) without some hardware work.
* Bender in ''{{Futurama}}'' seems to have whatever abilities the plot needs, including arms that extend well beyond the plausible.
** Also in Futurama, the Masked Unit could do this: his day-to-day form is an unassuming robot, until Bender starts to insult him and he telescopes into his ''pro-wrestler'' form.
* ''InspectorGadget'', while technically a cyborg, has telescoping arms and legs, as well as various tools that extend of all parts of his body.
** [[RuleThirtyFour ALL parts, you say...]] Say, [[FreudWasRight what types of tools extend out?]]
* ''{{Dynomutt}}'', the Dog Wonder!
* A short-lived SaturdayMorningCartoon called "The Robonic {''sic''} Stooges" had TheThreeStooges as cyborg/robot/android secret agents with telescoping limbs and other built-in gadgets. Really.
* ''MegasXLR'' is a perfect example of this trope. Super-Destructo Mode anyone?
* [=GIR=] of InvaderZim will occasionally deploy a plethora of weapons from his head.
** Zim's pak (kept on his back) also contain an array of devices as needed, mainly his telescoping spider legs.
*** It also contains ''Zim.'' His mind runs on the hardware inside the PAK. The Irken body is an organic husk attached to their real computer brain. Yes, this is canon (and the reason Tak's consciousness could end up in her cruiser).
*** More accurately, that's Tak's "downloaded personality interface". Dib overwrites it later, though.
**** It's not quite his true mind. In the beginning of one episode, Zim is seen working in his base without the PAK on, and then puts the PAK back on when he leaves. In ''"Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy"'', Zim [[spoiler:accidentally replaces his organic brain with a rubber piggy, reducing him to a drooling vegetable.]]
**** That explains the Squeedly-spooge.
* SuperRobotMonkeyTeamHyperforceGo loves this trope. Not only the Super Robot himself has it byt also the monkeys, all able to transform their small hands into much larger weapons.
* RobotBoy goes from doll sized to adult human sized regularly and has a small armies worth of weapons.
* Parodied in the Dy-Na-Mo episode of ''ThePowerpuffGirls''.
* The Sentinels became like this in ''XMenEvolution''.
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<<|AnimatedTrope|>>
<<|AnimeTropes|>>
<<|HyperspaceIndex|>>
<<|RobotRollCall|>>
<<|SpeculativeFictionTropes|>>

* Both the anime and the manga versions of Chachamaru from MahouSenseiNegima. Although she's primarily a quiet girl, at times she reveals anything from gatling guns to massive swords. These weapons can be as big as she is, at times.

* ''[[{{Gundam}} Gundam]] [[spoiler:0080]]'' has a puzzling example of this [[spoiler:near the end of the series]], where [[spoiler:the Gundam prototype's forarm-plate opens up to expose a set of minigun BARRELS that, themselves, could not fit in the forearm. How it receives ammo is anyone's guess]].

**** Not quite. In the beginning of one episode, Zim is seen working in his base without the PAK on, and then puts the PAK back on when he leaves. In ''"Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy"'', Zim [[spoiler:accidentally replaces his organic brain with a rubber piggy, reducing him to a drooling vegetable.]]

* Brainiac 5 in the ''LegionOfSuperheroes'' cartoon.