Removable link

A removable link (often just called a link and sometimes referred to as a killswitch) consists of a method of removing all power from a robot by physically removing part of the main power supply circuit. If removed, all electrical power to the drive and weapons of a robot would stop. They became a required safety device in series 4 of Robot Wars, as previously the main power switch for a robot could take any form, and in some robots - such as Disruptor - there was no power switch at all.

"A safety link that every robot has, so it can be immobilised, in the pits, for security reasons. Pull that out, and the machine will stop."

- Jonathan Pearce

It was not uncommon for the link to either come loose or fall out completely mid-way through a battle if a robot was hit in the area where the link was housed, which is usually the main reason for a robot suddenly becoming immobilised. This is what happened to Hot Pants in Series 6 and Major Tom in Series 4.

The term failsafe - referring to a completely different component - was frequently conflated with link, even on Robot Wars itself, which led to occasional confusion.