Hardtop has been left on Earth to serve as a spy, tracker, and ground-based spotter for the aerial team of Starscream and Thundercracker. He uses his impressive array of sensors not only to pinpoint Autobot targets up to 7,000 miles away, but also to listen to and record the treasonous whining of Starscream. Though he generally prefers to hang back from the front lines of a fight, he finds a certain pleasure in taking pot shots at Autobots with his super-precise, long-range laser rifle.