Iron Barbie

Iron Barbie
Participation Information
Series	S2 (King of Bots)
Team Information
Team Members	Liu Yugang Liu Huixin
Robot Statistics
Weapons	Rear-hinged flipper

Iron Barbie, or Steel Barbie, was a Chinese competitor robot which fought in Season 2 of King of Bots. Entered by a female-led team, Iron Barbie caught the attention of celebrity captain Tu Ziya, and fought against White Tiger Guardian and Twin Panthers for a place on her team, but was swiftly immobilized.

Design

Front view of Iron Barbie

Iron Barbie with its team

Iron Barbie uses a design seemingly inspired by competitive flippers such as Tánshè, using a wide curved wedge, powered pneumatically to travel almost 180 degrees across the robot's length. Although the flipper was not particularly powerful, functioning as more of a lifter, it provided an excellent self-righting mechanism, and an effective wedge. The flipper was decorated by a red ribbon, and also featured two prongs at the front for a lower ground clearance, but the robot was lacking in top armor, which caused its internals to spill out during its first battle.

Robot History

King of Bots II (Season 2)

Iron Barbie's team enter the arena

Iron Barbie made its King of Bots debut in Episode 2 of Season 2. Iron Barbie's female-led team resonated with the celebrity captain Tu Ziya, who nominated it to enter a three-way rumble against White Tiger Guardian and Twin Panthers on her behalf.

"Oh I like them so much, I hope you win, they're so great!"

— Emma Dumont compliments the Iron Barbie team

Iron Barbie is first attacked by White Tiger Guardian

Iron Barbie and the smaller Twin Panthers team up on a motionless foe

At the start of the battle, Iron Barbie and White Tiger Guardian moved off the mark, as did the smaller half of Twin Panthers - the main body of Twin Panthers, meanwhile, did not move at all, and it was quickly counted out. White Tiger Guardian focused its attacks on Iron Barbie, which flailed its flipper about in response to the first blow. Strangely, the next time White Tiger Guardian was seen, it had ground to a halt in the center of the arena, and Iron Barbie charged into it, as did the recovered smaller half of Twin Panthers, but Iron Barbie missed with its lift, and White Tiger Guardian launched another sequence of attacks on Iron Barbie.

"Come on girls, flip 'em!"

— Emma Dumont encourages her opponent Iron Barbie to self-right

Iron Barbie is thrown over

Iron Barbie is punished by White Tiger Guardian

By the end of its barrage, White Tiger Guardian had thrown Iron Barbie onto its back, and Iron Barbie slid into the Grinders, which were not currently active. Although the Grinders turned on after this, Iron Barbie managed to self-right, with some encouragement from Emma Dumont. However, Iron Barbie opened its flipper again immediately after self-righting, which afforded White Tiger Guardian another opportunity to attack the side of Iron Barbie, hitting it into the side of the arena, where the spikes were lined.

"Ooh, danger, danger!"

— Emma Dumont

The gas bottle falls out of Iron Barbie

Iron Barbie sheds a drive motor

Iron Barbie struggled to recover from this attack, and only made small movements, while White Tiger Guardian's driver held back and waited to see if it was immobile. However, Iron Barbie was still capable of controlled movement, so White Tiger Guardian struck it from behind, causing a gas bottle and more to fall loose from Iron Barbie. This attack also caused Iron Barbie to lose drive on one side, and it could only turn in circles with its gas bottle hanging loose, until Iron Barbie spun so fast that its own damaged drive motor fell out of the machine. The referee completed his count, and Iron Barbie lost the battle, failing to join Tu Ziya's team.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 0
• Losses: 1

Series Record

Iron Barbie's statistics

Series	Iron Barbie Series Record
Season 1	Did not enter
Season 1.5	Did not enter
Season 2	Entered

Trivia

• Iron Barbie is one of the only Chinese competitors which features an English "word" in its name, with Barbie being an American brand that inspired the robot's design.