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Is this Bedminster robot Robot Wars’ worst?
A robot made in a Bedminster garage might go down in history as the worst ever to compete in Robot Wars.
Foxic was constructed by mechanical engineer Craig Danby, aka Team Danby, who first appeared on Robot Wars at the age of 12.
is needed now More than ever
Sadly, however, nothing much went to plan in episode two of the new series.
In the first round, Foxic skulks around on the periphery of the arena, staying out of trouble as the other three robots tear strips of metal from each other.
Co-host Dara O’Briain doesn’t mince his words: “You, possibly the least impressive robot that has ever qualified from a big battle. You were hiding in the corner for large chunks of it, just flapping your hat around.”
Craig even seems to incur the wrath of his fellow co-host, the usually mild-mannered Angela Scanlon.
“You see, this is the thing,” she tells Craig. “I find your confidence borderline arrogant, considering you just ran around the ring.”
Foxic is basically me in robot form, but with less balls… #RobotWars
— Angela Scanlon (@angelascanlon) July 31, 2016
In the first head-to-head battle, Foxic pushes house robot Dead Metal around much to the delight of their team and the crowd, before being pushed into the pit by Shockwave.
“In all my years, this has been one of the dullest Robot Wars contests I’ve ever seen,” says commentator Jonathan Pearce.
“Go on, drive into the pit!”
Craig travels in style from the arena before promising to go after the house robots again in the next round, which was lost to Shockwave in a unanimous judge’s decision.
Craig then engages in some trash talking with Jason from Thor: “I’m going to cut his bloody axe off… I’ve killed them all and he’s the last one to kill.”
Jason, however, is not impressed:
The inevitable then happens as Pearce continues his own lament: “The Danby boys of Foxic have made 132 robots so far. I have to say, this one possibly isn’t the best.
“Have to be cruel to be kind. You might have to go back to the drawing board.”
The buzzer saves Foxic from annihilation against Thor, time ticking away as the robot is being hacked at by Dead Metal while flames burst from underneath the arena floor.
After the allocated three minutes, Matilda then unceremoniously flips Foxic into the pit.
So. Farewell then, Foxic. It’s been emotional.
Read more: Sector spotlight: Robotics