When I was a kid, I remember the whole Duke/Hawk controversy. The comics had been around longer, so I liked Hawk. Soon the cartoon came out and suddenly Duke shows up. They were very similar looking characters so I assumed they just changed Hawk's name for no good reason.

BUT, Duke joined the Comic's team in a very grandstanding way and said he was "Taking charge". This really turned me off to the character. He seemed like a slightly suspicious showboating outsider trying to interfere in Hawk's already successful team.

This disconnect between Cartoon Duke and Comic Duke always made him annoy me. Although Optimus Prime is loved by most transformers fans, Duke is far less widely supported.

As years have passed though, my opinion has changed. Where he might have once been this outsider in 84... over 20 years on the "team" still makes him one of the ranking veterans no matter how you look at it.

As far as loyalty... Might the other Officers prefer Hawk to Duke? Would officers like Flint, Psych-Out, or Ace be happy taking orders from an Enlised Man?