- "We've got to keep wheely safe!"
- — Jordan Stephens
Dee was a robot which competed in Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars. It was entered by rapper Jordan Stephens, one half of the pop duo Rizzle Kicks, who was mentored by John Reid of Team Hurtz throughout the competition process. Although its final battle was a win over Robo Savage, Dee finished in fourth place within Episode 2.
As a stock robot built by Robo Challenge, Dee would later be repurposed as Rabid M8.
Design[]
Dee with its team
Dee was a thwackbot, with blades on each side of a polearm for sit-and-spin tactics, and an axehead on top for vertical swings. It ran on a large invertible two-wheel drive, and was coloured in glittery pink. It had the thickest armour panel in Battle of the Stars, using a sheet of 25mm HARDOX alongside 3mm steel. Dee was also the fastest competitor in the specials at 15mph, and the lightest at 99kg. However, the robot lacked an active weapon, a necessity to qualify for the main series at the time, and its removable link was visibly exposed. The controls also proved to be the most challenging for a Robot Wars newcomer such as Jordan Stephens, as the driver needed to reverse their inputs each time the robot turned over.
The motors and gearboxes of Dee
Jordan Stephens wanted Dee to be equipped with a water pistol for weaponry, but this was considered to be an illegal weapon.
Etymology[]
Dee's name is based upon a common innuendo, with its colour scheme, general appearance and intended water pistol weapon matching this origin.
The Team[]
Jordan Stephens (centre-left) in Battle of the Stars
Jordan Stephens' career began as one half of the London-based pop duo Rizzle Kicks, alongside bandmate Harley Alexander-Sule. Stephens was the rapper of the duo, and together, they created several Top 10 hits, including "Down with the Trumpets" and "Mama do the Hump". In 2014, Stephens launched an acting career, and in 2016, revealed his intentions to release a solo EP.
The team pose with Dee
John Reid is the captain of Team Hurtz. He had competed in every series of Robot Wars since The Second Wars, first competing with Killerhurtz, before entering with the more successful Terrorhurtz, which reached a Grand Final in the Sixth Wars. For Reid's experience, as well as a heat, third place finish in Series 8, he was chosen as a mentor to guide Stephens to success with his build.
Joined by Joshy and Pete Cannon, each member of the team bar Reid wore personalised sunglasses, with Jordan wearing heart-shaped shades, and another team member wore the environmental peace logo.
As with all Battle of the Stars competitors, Dee was a stock robot built by Robo Challenge, producers of the show who had also built the House Robots. The robot would later be adopted by Team REC, a Portuguese team who competed in Robot Wars: World Series, rebranding and modifying the robot to compete as Rabid M8.
Robot History[]
Battle of the Stars[]
Dee competed in Episode 2, and faced Neil Oliver's Soldier Ant in its first Head-to-Head battle.
- "Jordan, this isn't Glastonbury, this is a whole different ballgame!"
- — Jonathan Pearce as Dee's first battle gets underway
Dee is caught by Soldier Ant...
... and the Arena Spikes
It charged straight into Soldier Ant in the opening seconds, swiping its front wedge with its axe, before spinning and driving round in circles. Dee spun round some more as Soldier Ant attempted to get close, but was caught by Soldier Ant's crusher and briefly pushed back. It escaped, but got caught in between the Arena Spikes, allowing Dead Metal to briefly come out and attack it. Once freed, Dee slammed into Soldier Ant several times, whacking the latter's wheels and evading its crusher, although not without driving itself onto the Flame Pit at one point. Dee struck Soldier Ant a few more times before Soldier Ant grabbed it again, this time pushing it and piercing through a hole in its top panel.
- "And if Soldier Ant picks them up, Jordan will not be Down with the Trumpets, he'll be down in the pit any moment!"
- — Jonathan Pearce references Rizzle Kicks after Dee has one of its tyres punctured by Soldier Ant
Dee has its tyre punctured by Soldier Ant
Dee retreated and made another run for Soldier Ant, sliding across the arena floor. Another head-on slam saw it caught by the wheel by Soldier Ant's crusher, which proceeded to puncture one of its tyres. This severely hampered Dee's manoeuvrability, and it was eventually unable to drive away from the wall as Soldier Ant proceeded to grab and push it a few more times. In doing so, it landed a few more blows on Soldier Ant, again hitting its wheels and disrupting its attacks.
- Archie Oliver: "Stop spinning!"
- Jordan Stephens: "I won't stop spinning!"
- — Jordan Stephens resists the Oliver family's protests
The two robots proceeded to dodge each other in the closing seconds, with the battle going to a Judges' decision. While both robots proved equally matched, the judges unanimously voted for Soldier Ant, leaving Dee with no points. It was revealed in the pits that in addition to the tyre damage, Dee also sustained damage to its top panel, with John Reid discovering that Soldier Ant had come close to piercing through its battery.
In its second Head-to-Head, Dee faced Kadeena Cox and her vertical spinner, Kadeena Machina, in what became one of the quickest battles in Robot Wars history.
- "Did you blink?"
- — Dara Ó Briain on Dee's battle against Kadeena Machina
Dee is sent flying by Kadeena Machina's disc
Sir Killalot burns Dee
John Reid was confident that Dee's 25mm rear armour would withstand the spinner of Kadeena Machina, so he suggested that the back end of the robot be driven directly into its opponent. As planned, it charged straight into Kadeena Machina, whose disc ripped its right-hand wheel off and launched it into a CPZ. The impact left Dee immobilised on one side after four seconds had elapsed, and it was immediately counted out and dumped into the Pit by Sir Killalot.
- "Great battle, long one!"
- — Jordan Stephens
Sir Killalot pits Dee
As a result of its spectacular loss, Dee scored no points once again, leaving it fourth and last in the league table. The impact from Kadeena Machina’s disc had not only ripped its right-hand wheel off, but also cracked the motor it was attached to, which also needed replacement.
- John Reid: "It was a little bit worse than I thought. We've lost the motor."
- Jordan Stephens: "It's just a flesh wound!"
- — Team Dee examine their machine after its run-in with Kadeena Machina
The repairs were completed in time for Dee's last Head-to-Head, against Robbie Savage and his robot Robo Savage. This battle was crucial in determining the latter’s place in the Grand Final, with a victory for Dee potentially denying Robo Savage a chance to progress.
Robo Savage flips Dee
In the opening moments, Dee immediately spun round and hit the floor several times with its axe blade, before eventually slamming head-on into Robo Savage a couple of times, getting itself flipped twice in doing so. Dee weaved close to Dead Metal's CPZ, before whacking the front of Robo Savage and steering itself away from Dead Metal after Robo Savage attempted to push it into him. It briefly lingered over the Flame Pit as it attempted to attack Robo Savage again, before smacking one of its wheels.
Dee's tyre is punctured by Robo Savage's flipper plate
The two robots collided head-on, allowing Robo Savage to puncture one of Dee's tyres by pressing down on it with its flipping arm. All the same, Dee repeatedly hit Robo Savage’s front end as it spun in circles and was pushed into the corner, causing sparks to fly and bending Robo Savage's flipping arm. Another flurry of hits from Dee ensued, with one causing the lower plate of Robo Savage's flipping arm to bend inwards and lift its wheels off the arena floor. As Robo Savage lifted its arm to try and maintain mobility, Dee slammed into it once again seconds before 'cease' was called, and the battle went to the Judges. The split decision went in favour of Dee, provoking surprise and delight from Team Dee and uproar from the Robo Savage team. Stephens responded to Robbie Savage's protest against the decision by constantly interrupting his interviews, at one point even offering to take a selfie with Savage.
Dee sends sparks flying
- "Hey Josh, look, it's that dude we just beat. Oi! It's Robbie. Can I have a selfie with you, boss?"
- — Jordan Stephens interrupts Robbie Savage's protest at the resulting judges' decision
Despite scoring two points as a result of winning the judges' decision, Dee still did not score enough points to qualify for the Grand Final, as Robo Savage had won its second Head-to-Head against Soldier Ant by knock-out. Ultimately, it finished joint-third in the league table with Soldier Ant, although Team Dee later appeared in the Grand Final, entering the control room to jeer at the Robo Savage team following their defeat to Kadeena Machina.
Results[]
| DEE - RESULTS | ||
| Series 9 | ||
| Battle of the Stars Episode 2, Fourth Place | ||
| Episode 2, Head-to-Heads | vs. Soldier Ant | Lost via Judges’ decision (0 points) |
| Episode 2, Head-to-Heads | vs. Kadeena Machina | Lost via KO (0 points) |
| Episode 2, Head-to-Heads | vs. Robo Savage | Won via Judges’ decision (2 points) |
Wins/Losses[]
- Wins: 1
- Losses: 2
Series Record[]
Dee being converted into Rabid M8
| Main Series | Dee Series Record |
|---|---|
| The First Wars | Did not enter |
| The Second Wars | Entered with Killerhurtz |
| The Third Wars | Entered with Killerhurtz |
| The Fourth Wars | Entered with Killerhurtz |
| The Fifth Wars | Entered with Terrorhurtz |
| The Sixth Wars | Entered with Terrorhurtz |
| The Seventh Wars | Entered with Terrorhurtz |
| Series 8 | Entered with Terrorhurtz |
| Series 9 | Battle of the Stars, Fourth Place Entered with Terrorhurtz |
| Series 10 | Entered with Terrorhurtz |
| Robot Wars Extreme | Appearances |
| Series 1 | Did not enter |
| Series 2 | Entered with Terrorhurtz |
- NOTE 1: This series record reflects the performance of mentor John Reid
- NOTE 2: Dee was repurposed to compete as Rabid M8 in Robot Wars: World Series
Trivia[]
- Dee was the first Battle of the Stars entry to be publicly revealed, with Angela Scanlon posting a picture of the robot with its team onto her Instagram on December 2nd, 2016.
External Links[]
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