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Omega Supreme (Animated)

2026-04-25T22:55:47Z

1levichurch: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambigm|Omega Supreme (disambiguation)|Teletraan (disambiguation)|Orion (disambiguation)}}
:''Omega Supreme is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Animated continuity family]].''

[[File:TFA Omega Supreme.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|Deus ex machina? I wouldn't want to be presumptuous.]]

First in a line of [[Omega Sentinel (Animated)|Omega Sentinel]] weapons, '''Omega Supreme''' was grimly aware of the heavy combat toll his friends must have suffered for him to even be activated in the first place. Omega Supreme does not hesitate to unleash his colossal firepower and risk his own life and safety on their behalf.

After being left grievously wounded in a victorious battle against the Decepticons, Omega Supreme was put into [[stasis lock|stasis]]. His starship [[alternate mode]] was put into service as a repair/maintenance vessel under the command of [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]].

As the starship '''''Orion''''', Omega Supreme has a crew of five, including its captain, and its systems are managed by a female-voiced artificial intelligence which is addressed as '''Teletran-1'''. The ship's equipment includes a set of six emergency [[stasis pod]]s, an extendable boarding/docking tube, and a pair of large manipulator arms that emerge from roof panels and are controlled manually from the bridge. While it also possesses some offensive weaponry, these systems were disabled when it was turned into a repair ship. Its navigation protocols include automatic course-correction for navigating through obstructions such as asteroid fields. It is also meant to have an emergency defence system codenamed "Omega," but in the interests of conserving energon, said system is currently disabled. However, it still has active sensors for detecting unwanted or unauthorized invasion by foreign objects.

{{bigquote|I am programmed to protect, and sacrifice if necessary.|Omega Supreme|"[[A Bridge Too Close, Part II]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Kevin Michael Richardson]] (English, season 2), [[Phil LaMarr]] (English, season 3), [[Tara Strong]] (English, Teletran-1), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese), [[Ayahi Takagaki]] (Japanese, Teletran-1)| [[Gerald Paradies]] (German), [[Silvia Mißbach]] (German, Teletran-1), [[Pietro Ubaldi]] (Italian), [[Agnieszka Wajs]] (Polish, Teletran-1), [[Zeca Rodrigues]] (Portuguese, seasons 1 and 2), [[Renan Gonçalves]] (Portuguese, season 3), [[Mario Olguín]] (Latin American Spanish, seasons 1 and 2), [[Oscar Fernando Gómez]] (Latin American Spanish, season 3), [[Ximena Marchant]] (Latin American Spanish, Teletran-1), [[Elise Langenoja]] (Finnish, Teletran-1), [[Bruno Lähteenmäki]] (Finnish), [[Frédéric Cerdal]] (French, seasons 1, 2 and first half of 3), [[Gérard Rouzier]] (French, second half of season 3), [[Anne Plumet]] (French, Teletran-1), [[Sin-hui Park]] (Korean, Teletran-1)}}

{{idw-tfa}}

[[File:TransWarpedOmegaBirth.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left|I am... [[Iron Man|IRON MAN]]!]]

Omega Supreme was the end product of "[[Project Omega]]", an Autobot attempt to create a weapon of mass destruction that would serve as their last, best hope of defeating the Decepticons and ending the Great War. Built with a simple processor so that he would be able to perform his duties as a death-bringer without ethical or emotional qualms, Omega was to be partnered with a mentor that would guide him in his actions. This mentor was intended to be Autobot intelligence officer [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]], who was carrying in her processor the codes to bring Omega online, but when an encounter with [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] and [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] wiped her memory core, a failsafe program transferred the codes to Ratchet, and the medic was left with no choice but to become Omega's teacher. Omega was brought online and introduced himself to Ratchet as his to command; his pupil, dependent and servant. Ratchet merely introduced himself as Omega's friend.

[[File:TransWarpedDefeatedOmega.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Help, I've fallen, and I can't get up!]]

Omega Supreme successfully carried out his mission, bringing an end to the Decepticon threat in a mighty [[Battle for Iacon|battle]] that left him fatally wounded. At Ratchet's instruction, Omega transformed into spaceship mode, and Ratchet placed his friend into a modified form of stasis until he could eventually be repaired. {{storylink|TransWarped}} For reasons unknown (possibly the simple lack of need the Autobots had for his power, now that the war was won), Omega was never brought back online, and his body became a simple ship in the Autobot [[space bridge]] repair fleet. Ratchet stayed by his friend's side, serving as a member of the crew that came to populate Omega's inactive body. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

[[File:Teletran-1 bridge.jpg|left|upright=1.67|thumb|Just like {{w|Herman's Head}}, if Herman were a giant robot spaceship. And dead.]]

Long after the war, while piloting the ship on a standard [[space bridge]] repair mission in a remote sector of Autobot-controlled space, Optimus Prime and his crew discovered the lost, legendary [[AllSpark]]. Almost immediately, they were located by the Decepticon warship ''[[Nemesis (Animated)|Nemesis]]''. The Decepticons' leader, [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], assaulted the Autobots' ship directly, attempting to melt through its hull, but he was sabotaged with a bomb by his lieutenant, [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]. After the bomb went off, the ship went careening through an asteroid field almost totally out of control. From within the ship's hold, the AllSpark activated a nearby space bridge portal, which exploded after the ship plunged through it.

The ship emerged from warp in low orbit over the planet Earth, with all hands still on board—along with Megatron. Once Prime managed to force Megatron out through the docking tube, he piloted the ship through its last stages of reentry, steering it clear of a populated area while the rest of the crew got into their emergency stasis pods. Once the ship was past the city and over water, Prime too got into a stasis pod, and the ship crashed into Lake Erie. Fifty years later, an invading glob of nanites penetrated a crack in the hull, activating the ship's intruder alarm system, which wakened the crew. In the aftermath of investigating the glob and helping the natives it was threatening, the Autobots set up a base in an abandoned car factory in downtown [[Detroit]]. The ship remained on the bottom of Lake Erie, should they need it. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

When Decepticons tracking the AllSpark's energy signature became a problem, Optimus Prime ordered the Autobots to repair their ship so that it could be moved away from Earth. Ratchet was seen to speak to the ship as an "old friend," though not even its AI was active. Sari questioned this, but Ratchet became defensive, and in the end, all he would say was that the ship used to be a military vessel. This fact came in handy when the ship came under Decepticon attack; utilizing the [[AllSpark Key]], he was able to bring the decommissioned weapons systems back online and defeat them. {{storylink|Lost and Found (Animated)|Lost and Found}}

[[File:Ark in mountain.jpg|right|thumb|Not a proper burial, per se.]]
Ultimately, Ratchet was forced to take the vessel airborne, first to evade the Decepticons, and subsequently to try to transport the AllSpark offworld. Both of these attempts failed, resulting in the ship ultimately crashing into the caldera of the dormant volcano on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 2}}

[[File:Teletran-1Animated.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|left|Why wear a Che Guevara T-shirt when you can ride around in his taxidermized corpse?]]

And there it remained until [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] alerted [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s crew to the fact that [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] was on the verge of constructing a working space bridge to Cybertron. Optimus then ordered Ratchet and [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] to attempt to revive Omega Supreme. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}}

Through "open-[[spark]] surgery", using four AllSpark fragments and making heavy use of the [[AllSpark Key]], Ratchet finally managed to revive his old friend. Omega was initially delirious and confused, thinking he was still fighting his dying battle on Cybertron and telling Ratchet that he was surrounded by Decepticons and didn't think he would make it. He soon got his bearings, but he was still slow and unsure after being offline for two million stellar cycles, and he needed heavy prompting from Ratchet to move. When he finally did get himself airborne, he was shocked and happy at his return to life, but he was at a loss as to how he got on a world other than Cybertron.

His reverie was quickly interrupted by an attack from several Decepticons. Following further hefty prompting from Ratchet and power boosts from his magnets and the AllSpark Key, he was able to transform and strike back. Declaring his name to the Decepticons, he made short work of the villains, and proceeded to enter Megatron's base. There, he found the space bridge in overdrive, threatening to pull the entire [[Michigan|state]] and transport it to some random co-ordinates. Ejecting Sari and Ratchet over Ratchet's vocal protests, he absorbed the [[unspace|transwarp]] energy and was sucked into the malfunctioning portal, which then fully self-destructed. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

Not long after, Omega's inactive body was discovered by Megatron and [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], who had both also been pulled through the space bridge portal before it was destroyed. Seeing an opportunity, Megatron forced his way into the slumbering giant's body, but in doing so, caused Omega to reactivate. Omega's internal systems seized and disarmed Megatron, but the charismatic Decepticon exploited Omega's simple mind and convinced him that it was his duty to take him back to Cybertron to "face justice". Omega transformed back into ship mode and revealed a heretofore unseen ability to transwarp under his own power, without a space bridge, but one short jump drained him of all his power, and he returned to sleep mode before reaching the planet. Unable to escape Omega's heavily armoured body, Megatron instead used a pair of [[stasis cuffs]] to "hotwire" Omega's body, opening up his control cockpit and taking manual control of the giant Autobot. Before Megatron could do anything, however, Omega was beset by [[Rock Lord|some strange, space-borne alien rock monsters]], and the Autobot transwarped away to safety, once again draining all his power.

[[File:TransWarpedOmegaMegatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|right|Omega(TRON) Supreme.]]

Megatron fixed that problem by inserting Starscream's head—and the AllSpark fragment it contained—into Omega's systems, charging him up. Megatron transwarped Omega to Earth, where he transformed the titan to [[robot mode]] and took control of his body to attack Optimus Prime's Autobots. Prime and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] were able to infiltrate Omega's body, and Prowl accessed Omega's internal processor in order to help Omega's suppressed consciousness fight back against Megatron's control. Omega succeeded in rejecting Megatron, but Starscream then promptly seized control and turned Omega's power on both the Autobots and Megatron. Even as Omega fought against Starscream and begged the other Autobots to take him offline again, Megatron talked Starscream into an alliance. The pair were about to transwarp Omega to Cybertron when the Autobots planted a [[plasma dynamic thruster]] on their friend's body, which sent him and his two Decepticon passengers randomly warping across space. {{storylink|TransWarped}} Eventually, the transwarping ship would come across Lugnut, reuniting him with Megatron as he had wanted. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

Sometime after that, Megatron disabled the plasma dynamic thruster and gained control of Omega's transwarping and transformation capacity—though couldn't get the weapons online. The giant Autobot then came to rest in robot mode over Cybertron. While the inhabitants panicked, Megatron directed [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] to continue searching out Omega's activation codes. All that constant transwarping had built up such a surplus of transwarp energy in Omega Supreme's body that—when combined with the effects of a random energy storm in space—it simulated the effect of a [[space bridge]] and teleported Ratchet and [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]] to Cybertron. Sentinel Magnus wanted to destroy Omega Supreme and the Decepticons inside him, but the [[Autobot High Council]] was swayed towards patience by Ratchet's pleas (and the eensy little fact that shooting Omega, in his transwarp-infused state, might take out all of Cybertron with him). Shockwave succeeded in capturing Arcee and her activation codes and bringing her onto Omega Supreme; when Sentinel heard this, he ordered [[Fortress Maximus (Animated)|Fortress Maximus]] to destroy Omega Supreme, but it was too late: Omega transwarped into Earth orbit. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

After Omega Supreme landed on the moon near the ''Nemesis'', Bumblebee transwarped onto Omega in a failed attempt to rescue Arcee, but had to retreat. As it happened, Omega's activation codes were quite well-protected within Arcee: despite Shockwave trying everything from tricking her with his "Longarm" persona, to using machines to scan her thought patterns, to electrically seizing control of her body and forcing her to bring the giant under Decepticon control, he was unable to get the necessary security patches and so Omega's weapons remained unavailable to Megatron. Which led to plan B: construct a trio of [[Lugnut Supreme|Omega clones under the control of Lugnut]]. Shockwave hooked Lugnut into the real Omega's computer relays, from which he would then direct the actions of the clones. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

Shockwave kept trying and failing to extract Omega's activation codes. While the dark clones assaulted Earth, Ratchet, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Sari transwarped to the moon and rescued Arcee. Once she was fully awakened, Arcee brought Omega Supreme back on-line. Omega ejected Lugnut from his body, then hurried to Earth. By that time one of the Lugnut Supremes had already been deactivated, and Omega valiantly battled against the remaining two. He showed surprising speed and dexterity in combat, quickly transforming to spaceship mode in order to cushion his fall after being knocked backwards by his enemies. Omega managed to destroy one of the clones, but was struck from behind and disabled by the last one (which also spun him around like a pinwheel, leveling much of Detroit in the process). Eventually, the Autobots triumphed, and Omega Supreme carried them and the captured Decepticons back home to Cybertron. The cheering onlookers in the parade thought they were happy upon seeing the return of their victorious heroes—but when Omega Supreme transformed to robot mode at ground level, right in front of them, they were momentarily astonished into silence. Then, even more cheering! {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

''Omega Supreme flew above the [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] arena where [[Team Stunticon]] was having their show, promoting the event. {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}}''

===''The Cool'' comic===

[[File:TheCoolOmegaSupreme01.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|right]]

[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] and [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] piloted the ''Orion'' toward the battle for the Decepticon [[space bridge#Animated cartoon|Space Bridge]], feverishly hoping that their comrades could hold out until their arrival. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 7}}

They made it in time, though they came under attack from the [[Starscream clone (Animated)|Starscream clones]]. Ratchet immediately activated Code Omega, transforming the ''Orion'' into Omega Supreme. Omega Supreme vanquished the clones, then decided to stop the overloading Space Bridge by absorbing all its power. Ratchet pleaded with him not to, as it would destroy him, but Omega explained that it was the only solution. Thanking his friend for everything, Omega dove into the vortex and vanished. After the battle, the Autobots joined into bidding their friend farewell. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 8}}

Omega Supreme found himself warped to the same coordinates as [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], however. Thanks to him, Megatron lost his fusion cannon. {{storylink|The Cool Episode Final}} But Megatron escaped his clutches, and intended to turn Omega Supreme into "Omegatron" and use him to conquer [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Megatron made the mistake of trying to boost Omega's power with Starscream's [[spark]], which allowed Starscream to take possession of Omega. Using a warp, Starscream returned to [[Earth]] in Omega's body and attacked. He was defeated when Megatron and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] fried Starscream's link system with a combined attack. Omega toppled over, deactivated, his life status unknown. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 9}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
* As with most of the characters in the show, Omega Supreme shares many similar details with his [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Generation 1 counterpart]], specifically his clear orange face mask, the cannon at the back of his head, his three-fingered right hand and his massive left-hand blaster. Ratchet also describes him as the Autobots' "last line of defense", a role which was also given to the original.
* At [[BotCon 2007]], the [[Hasbro]] representatives repeatedly named the Autobots' ship the ''[[Ark (disambiguation)|Ark]]''. At [[BotCon 2008]], lead writer [[Marty Isenberg]] claimed the ship is not the ''Ark'', but merely a repair vessel. However, lead artist [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] immediately responded that it very much ''is'' the ''Ark'' (a conversation that some fan sites failed to report accurately). The model sheet for the ship even labels it the ''Ark''. However, no fictional depictions ever referred to the ship as the Ark and it was eventually revealed to be Omega Supreme.
* In the cartoon, the crew of the stasis locked Omega Supreme avoided calling the ship by name entirely, only referring to the computer as "Teletran-1".<ref>In the episode [[TransWarped]] Bumblebee says "We don't have Teletran-1 'cause we don't have a ship", suggesting "Teletran-1" refers to the on-board computer only.</ref> But in [[Transformers Animated Volume 1|the comic adaptation of the cartoon]], the ship itself was referred to as "Teletran-1". ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|The AllSpark Almanac]]'' backs up the idea that "Teletran-1" is indeed the name of the on-board computer only. ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II]]'' gave the ship the codename '''''Orion'''''.
* This of course isn't the [[Ark (G1)|first Autobot ship]] to end up embedded in the craggy face of a [[Mount St. Hilary|dormant volcano]].
* The non-traditional manner of rendering Teletran-1's name (hyphenated, with one only "a" and an Arabic numeral instead of a roman I) is more than likely derived from [[DK Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'', which misspelled the name of the computer's [[Teletraan I|Generation 1 counterpart]] in this fashion.
* A Leader Class toy of Omega Supreme (and a Lugnut Supreme [[retool]]) was conceptualized by [[Eric Siebenaler]], but was cancelled alongside the fourth season of ''Animated'' and its accompanying toys.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtNaT7h6Fh4 HasCon 2017 - EXCLUSIVE Interview With Rik Alvarez (Formally With Hasbro)]</ref>
* Marty Isenberg conceptualized Omega Supreme's characterization and origins with the mantra of "what if the atom bomb had a soul".<ref>{{citesocial|quote=We didn't even know we were going to do the backstory on Omega Supreme. I always kind of had it in my head that that was his backstory. Or a version of that was his backstory. My mantra on Omega Surpreme was what if the atom bomb had a soul.But I figured we would never be able to tell that story, that's way too dark. I think I crypt it from The Iron Giant.|link=https://youtu.be/iZoqjnVp65s?si=AEpE0R4Wm-V8TsfI&t=2768|name=Marty Isenbergz|site=YouTube|year=2023|month=January|day=28}}</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Omega Supreme''' (オメガスプリーム ''Omega Supurīmu'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Omega Sentinels]]

Mini-Con

2026-04-19T14:20:08Z

1levichurch: /* Transformers Roleplaying Game */

{{factions|minicon|{{factions/icons|custom=PotP-MicronusPrime.png|cSize=30px|cLink=Micronus Prime}}|unicron}}
{{disambig3|Minicon}}
[[File:Minicon symbol.png|upright=1.4|thumb|Intentionally designed to look like the letter "M", the Mini-Con symbol is also reflected in the design of Unicron's helmet.]]

'''Mini-Cons''' (aka '''Minicons''') are a race of small [[Transformer]]s. Like the [[Micromaster]]s they resemble, Mini-Cons are roughly human-sized—quite small compared to most [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s—but while the Micromasters deliberately downsized into smaller bodies to conserve fuel, the naturally diminutive Mini-Cons overflow with energy. Most Mini-Cons possess the ability to impart a portion of this power on larger Cybertronians, granting them extra abilities or greatly increasing their strength through a process known as [[Powerlinx]]ing.

Various stories have connected these mystical abilities to the influence of various godly beings: across the ''Transformers'' [[multiverse]], different continuities have depicted them as the children of [[Unicron]], the [[Last Autobot]], or [[Micronus Prime]]. Regardless of their origins, however, their abilities make them useful allies and valuable partners—valuable to the point where different factions have come into conflict over these deceptively powerful beings.

{{bigquote|Our presence is a '''catalyst''' for war. It follows us around like a bad smell.|[[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]]|[[Dreamwave Armada issue 9|''Armada'' #9]]}}

==Conceptual history==
[[File:Metamorphcontact.JPG|thumb|left|250px]]

Mini-Cons debuted as the signature [[gimmick]] of the ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' franchise and in doing so resurrected the "micro [[play pattern]]" that began with the [[Micromaster]]s and [[Mini-Cassette]]s from the original ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' toyline. Compared to these predecessors, however, the Mini-Cons sported increased articulation, a wide variety of [[alternate mode]]s, and relatively complex transformation schemes, with some even able to [[combiner|combine]] into an accessory or a larger super robot. Each Mini-Con figure included a [[Powerlinx]] port, a [[5 mm post|5mm]] round peg-slot that allowed them to connect to a larger toy and, in most cases, activate a spring-loaded play feature.

While every piece of tie-in ''Armada'' fiction featured Mini-Cons in some capacity, individual stories offered radically different portrayals of the Mini-Cons and their role in the conflict. The ''Armada'' cartoon initially portrayed them as artificial "smart tools" who communicated using [[R2-D2]]-style bleeps and bloops, occasionally manifested supernatural powers, and later revealed that [[Unicron]] had created them to deliberately agitate the raging Autobot-Decepticon war. [[Hirofumi Ichikawa]]'s ''[[Linkage (comic)|Linkage]]'' manga, a midquel set around the same time as the ''Armada'' television show, substantially expounded upon their biology and psychology, and explained various developments in the cartoon by introducing new concepts like [[Digital Entity Frame]]s and the eponymous [[Linkage (dimension)|Linkage dimension]]. [[Dreamwave Productions]]' [[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|''Armada'' comic]], on the other hand, merely depicted the Mini-Cons as an ordinary Cybertronian subgroup unconnected to Unicron. Unlike their cartoon counterparts, these Mini-Cons were fully articulate beings who resented their role in the war, to the point where extremists like [[Dualor (Armada)|Dualor]] renounced both factions in the name of Mini-Con independence.

[[File:11MicronusPrime.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Although ''Armada'''s early storylines—which generally focussed on capturing small, colourful characters with limited vocabularies—drew [[Pokeformers|unfavourable comparisons]] from cynical members of the adult fandom, the concept proved a smash hit with the target audience, and Hasbro and Takara extended the gimmick into both ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]''. After that, however, Mini-Cons faded into the background; promotional material from the [[Live-action film series|live-action films]] identified a number of small Decepticons like [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] as Mini-Cons, and the vaguely film-adjacent ''[[Power Core Combiners]]'' line featured Mini-Cons who could become either weapons or armor for their larger partners. From this point on, most stories dropped the conceit that Mini-Cons were a third faction unto themselves; like Micromasters before them, Mini-Con was used merely to describe their abilities rather than a factional designation.

Although some subsequent stories batted around other origins for the Mini-Cons that never caught on, it would be the launch of the [[Aligned continuity family]] in [[2010]] that pushed the Mini-Cons back into the forefront. As per the [[Binder of Revelation]] created to underpin the endeavour, the Mini-Cons were a diminutive race of Cybertronians who inhabited the planet's [[Moonbase One|two]] [[Moonbase Two|moons]]. In a notable departure from what had come before, Hasbro backported the term to apply to basically ''all'' small Transformers, including characters like [[Ratbat (WFC)|Ratbat]] and [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]]. The Aligned continuity would go on to introduce a new origin story for the Mini-Cons that would carry forward into the next decade and largely eclipse ''Armada's'' Unicron mythology: 2013's ''[[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus]]'' introduced [[Micronus Prime]], a member of the [[Thirteen]] and the first Mini-Con. Comments from Hasbro representatives at the time clarified that, in this continuity, all Mini-Cons were his descendants. 2015's ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' cartoon featured a number of new Mini-Con characters; carrying on from [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]'s relationship with [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] in the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Prime]]'' cartoon, the show used the pre-existing term "[[Deployer (WFC)|Deployer]]" to describe those Cybertronians who formed a partnership with one or more Mini-Cons, and later "[[Weaponizer (RID)|Weaponizer]]" in reference to a different group of Mini-Cons who transformed into weapons for their partners to wield.

With the end of the Aligned continuity in 2020 and the subsequent rise of heavily-[[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]]-focused media like the ''[[War for Cybertron Trilogy (franchise)|War for Cybertron Trilogy]]'', franchise, Mini-Cons again fell by the wayside after Hasbro shifted back to marketing small characters as Micromasters and Mini-Cassettes. 2022's ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]'' toyline featured the release of other "[[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]" characters like [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]] and [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]], but without their partner Mini-Cons, leaving the future of the concept ambiguous.

{{--}}

==Powerlinx==
{{Main|Powerlinx}}
[[File:HotShotPowerlinx.gif|thumb|left|250px]]

Across the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]], all Mini-Cons possess the ability to [[Powerlinx]] with other forms of technology—including both sentient [[Transformer]]s and mundane machines—and instantly reconfigure their physical construction by sharing their own supernatural power. In this way, a Mini-Con for instance, modify ordinary cars into jet-powered assault vehicles, or upgrade Transformers with new weapons or additional functions. The Mini-Con is not required in order to activate these weapons again, but linking to a Mini-Con again simply enhances their firepower.

The Japanese ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Legends of the Microns]]'' dub called the phenomenon "Evolution", and had Autobots call out the phrase when they Powerlinxed. This has caused some confusion in the Armada viewing audience due to dub issues and the downplaying of the "Evolution" theme, although the term was used twice in the American series by Megatron.

Other [[continuity family|continuity families]] have offered alternate interpretations of the process. Many of the Mini-Cons who have appeared in "[[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]]"-based stories appear to lack the ability entirely; in the [[Aligned continuity family|"Aligned" continuity family]], meanwhile, Mini-Cons can voluntarily interlock with larger Transformers but require genetic augmentation to access the ability to share their energy with their partners.

{{--}}

==Fiction==
===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===

====Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity====
[[File:Armada3-wooooosh.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The ultimate friends to the boys and girls.]]

Mini-Cons were a second race of Transformer whose diminutive proportions and physical fragility led to Cybertronians treating them as second-class citizens. Despite their lowly status on pre-war Cybertron, each Mini-Con can naturally tap into a unique extradimensional power source, but most, naturally wary of this seemingly unlimited power, have installed inhibitors designed to prevent them from accessing this ability. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye: Transformers: Armada|More than Meets the Eye #3}}

In the years before the Autobot-Decepticon war, the Mini-Cons inhabited a designated Mini-Con Sector on Cybertron and divided that sector into a number of loose, largely autonomous "villages". However, this isolation left them open to attack when [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] led his Decepticons on capture raids. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 1|Dreamwave Armada #1}} Through experimentation on Mini-Con prisoners, the Decepticons used an ancient technological process to forcibly rewire their prisoners so that they could [[Powerlinx]] with them against their will. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye: Transformers: Armada|More than Meets the Eye #3}} Fleeing the Decepticon advance, a small group of Mini-Cons escaped to the planet's abandoned [[Garbage Disposal District]] salvaged [[Exodus (Armada)|a junked ship]] with the intent of rescuing as many Mini-Cons as they could. As Megatron and his army used their new slaves to conquer [[Cyber City]], [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]], [[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]], [[Runway (Armada)|Runway]], and [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]] led a raid on Megatron's primary prison complex, freed as many Mini-Cons as they could, and escaped Cybertron. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 2|Armada #2}}

[[File:Armada11-moonbasedestroyed.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Y'know, Megatron, most people just bring a gift basket when they come over.]]

While Megatron and the Decepticons used their monopoly on the remaining Mini-Cons to run amok, the ''Exodus'' suffered a debilitating engine failure that ended with the ship breaking apart—half the ship crash-landed on ancient Earth and scattered dormant Mini-Cons across the planet, while the other half landed on the Moon. One million years later, [[Rad White]] and his friends discovered the crashed starship and inadvertently tripped the ship's restoration protocols, which alerted the Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron to the location of the remaining Mini-Cons. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 3|Armada #3}} When the Autobots and Decepticons arrived on Earth to find the Mini-Cons, Sparkplug and a number of recently reactivated Mini-Cons made the decision to Powerlinx with the Autobots to defeat the Decepticons, but made it clear that this alliance had to be a two-way partnership: if the Autobots treated them like slaves, they'd walk. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 5|Armada #5}}

Not all Mini-Cons willingly fell in with the Autobots, however: some, like the [[Land Military Mini-Con Team|Land Military Team]], remained free agents who openly distrusted both the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 7|Armada #7}} Others took the concept of Mini-Con independence to its logical extreme: marooned on the Moon with a small group of Mini-Cons who'd survived the crash, [[Dualor (Armada)|Dualor]] took command of the group and spent the next million years establishing a concealed [[Mini-Con Moonbase]]; ostensibly a place where Mini-Cons could live freely. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 9|Armada #9}} The reactivation of the Earthbound Mini-Cons prompted Dualor to forcibly de-escalate the situation by sending a specialized "[[Mini-Con Ark]]" to Earth, which hypnotized the Mini-Cons and brought them back to Dualor's lunar fortress. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 8|Armada #8}} Despite his attempts to convince [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]], [[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]], and [[Runway (Armada)|Runway]] of his good intentions, Sparkplug felt that the paranoid, abusive Dualor would force them to join his cause, just as the Autobots and Decepticons had. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 9|Armada #9}}

Although Dualor's followers successfully repelled the first Decepticon incursion, a full-scale assault ended with the destruction of their moonbase; while many Mini-Cons boarded escape pods to Earth, Dualor, [[Buzzsaw (Armada)|Buzzsaw]], and [[Drill Bit (Armada)|Drill Bit]] fell into a triumphant Megatron's clutches. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 11|Armada #11}} However, thanks to a cleverly integrated failsafe program, they were able to prevent Megatron from using their power against their will and allowed Dualor to strike a deal: they'd help him in exchange for a degree of leadership. {{storylink|Fire & Ice}} After their combined power drove Cyclonus insane, Megatron mused that he knew that the Mini-Cons would betray him as he retrieved them. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 13|Armada #13}}

[[File:Mini-cons.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Gotta catch 'em all!]]

Fleeing the advance of a dimension-hopping [[Unicron]], the Mini-Con [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] abandoned his native universe aboard a [[null-reality pod]] in the hopes of finding another dimension that could stand up to the planet-eater. He brought with him the [[Mini-Con Matrix]], an artifact into which all the Mini-Cons of his universe had placed their spark essences. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 13|Armada #13}} Upon arriving, he immediately set up a beacon which attracted the attention of [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s alike. [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] and [[Mirage (Armada)|Mirage]] arrived first but were shot down by [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], who attempted to claim Over-Run for himself, seeing him merely as another Mini-Con to be used for battle and not realizing his origins. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}} After realizing Over-Run's true nature, he joined the Autobots as they tried to locate Optimus Prime, who'd been cast adrift in the [[multiverse]] by Over-Run's arrival. Upon rallying Sparkplug and a number of other Mini-Cons to break into the Decepticon's base and retrieve the pod, the Mini-Cons transported themselves to [[Primax 703.09 Gamma|another dimension]] and rescued Optimus and Jetfire moments before Unicron destroyed that reality's Cybertron. The Mini-Con Matrix powered up all five of their forms, allowing Optimus Prime and Jetfire to combine, while the Mini-Cons linked with them, and together they blasted Unicron hard enough to make him notice them before warping back to their universe. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}

After bringing together all of [[Earth]]'s Mini-Cons, Over-Run led them through a space bridge portal to Cybertron, where they channeled all of their spark essences through the Mini-Con Matrix and destroyed Unicron. {{storylink|The End (Armada)|The End}}

====Cartoon continuity====
[[File:Prehistory-MiniCons.jpg|thumb|left|250px|It's time to battle, for a battle, 'till you drop.]]

Mini-Cons are unique "digital entities": while other Cybertronians comprised of [[living metal]] derive life and sentience from their individual [[spark]]s, Mini-Cons are entirely comprised of a unique form of self-sustaining energy known as a "[[Digital Entity Frame]]", Part soul, part genome, this inexhaustible power source dictates a Mini-Con's programming and physical appearance and allows them to physically alter an object's molecular structure or [[Powerlinx]] with larger Transformers. {{storylink|Linkage Part 7}} If needed, a Mini-Con can enter a unique form of low-power [[stasis lock|stasis]] by dissipating their physical forms and converting back into pure energy stored within a tiny, nearly-indestructible "[[Mini-Con storage panel|storage panel]]". {{storylink|Prehistory}}

All Mini-Cons possess a "[[Servility Program]]" that compels them to imprint upon the "[[bulk]]" who activates them and obey their new partner, no matter how cruelly they might be treated. {{storylink|Linkage Part 5}} Although all Mini-Cons are creations of Unicron, "free" Mini-Cons who have developed the capacity for thought and free will are connected through a metaphysical dimension known as the [[Linkage (dimension)|Linkage]]. Without a physical form to ground them in the material world, they will diffuse into the sea of consciousness. The [[Master Key]] acts as a final failsafe; should a Mini-Con deviate from their original programming by connecting to the Linkage, they will lose access to their full power. {{storylink|Linkage Part 7}}

Although the vast majority of Mini-Cons spoke an indecipherable binary language, {{storylink|Force of Habit}} Mini-Cons can choose to form a mental link with other beings to allow for a more direct medium of communication. {{storylink|Linkage Part 2}}

{{--}}

=====''Armada'' cartoon=====
[[File:Drift-MiniConBirth.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Unicron created the Mini-Cons from his own cells, mindless drones who would agitate and amplify the civil war raging on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Once unleashed on Cybertron, the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s would battle for control of these power-enhancing "smart tools"; the negative psychic energy unleashed by the rampant death and destruction would indirectly fuel Unicron; once he'd gathered enough power, the Mini-Cons would incapacitate their partners and Unicron would fully awaken to consume Cybertron and eliminate his biggest obstacle to devouring all of existence. {{storylink|Origin}} Unicron invested a large portion of his power into three Mini-Con teams who combined into weapons: the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]], and the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]]. This not only made them weapons of unimaginable power and potent sources of energy, but also the key to awakening Unicron from his hibernation. {{storylink|Portent}}

A number of other Mini-Cons displayed unusual powers: some could [[combiner|combine]] to form a larger robot, {{storylink|Comrade}}, others could Powerlinx with and control inanimate machines like [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s trailer, {{storylink|Jungle}}, and one, [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]], displayed the ability to manipulate time. Through this ability, three [[human]] children from the future--[[Rad White]], [[Carlos Lopez]] and [[Alexis Thi Dang]]—were sent to the Mini-Cons' birthing chamber inside [[Unicron]] just seconds before the small robots emerged from their pods. As the Mini-Cons had been designed to form mental bonds with other life forms, Rad's contact with a newborn High Wire caused the newborn race to develop free will, empathy, and the capacity for self-determination. {{storylink|Drift (episode)|Drift}}

[[File:Street action team.JPG|thumb|left|250px|Catch you, catch me.]]

At some point after this, the Mini-Cons emerged on Cybertron in the midst of the Autobot-Decepticon civil war. The Decepticons quickly discovered the power offered by Powerlinxing and began enslaving every Mini-Con they encountered; in response, a group of Mini-Cons [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] formed an alliance with the heroic Autobots and willingly shared their power with their partners. As the war dragged on, both sides realized the Mini-Cons had become the centerpiece of their conflict, and an agreement was made: the Mini-Cons would receive a [[Exodus (Armada)|ship]] that would let them leave Cybertron and find a new home somewhere else in the universe. To make the trip, the majority of Mini-Cons converted themselves into storage panels, leaving only a skeleton crew to pilot and maintain their ship. However, when the ''Exodus'' launched, the Decepticons ambushed the ship in an attempt to claim all the Mini-Cons, but the Autobots provided enough cover fire for the ship to safely warp out of Cybertronian space. {{storylink|Prehistory}} Unfortunately, the Decepticon attack and strain of passing through multiple [[warp gate]]s damaged the ship and sent it and its cargo drifting aimlessly through space for many millions of years until the ''Exodus'' finally collided with [[Earth]]'s [[Moon (moon)|moon]] and broke apart. As half of the ship fell into Earth's atmosphere, emergency systems fired Mini-Con panels in every direction and scattered them across the planet. {{storylink|First Encounter}}

While most of the Mini-Cons remained hidden over the intervening millennia, an advanced ancient culture discovered the three Mini-Cons who formed the Star Saber; when they unleashed its power during a war with another nation, the energies unleashed sunk their city beneath the sea and gave rise to the legend of [[Atlantis]]. {{storylink|Ruin}} Another civilization in the [[Sahara]] discovered [[Bonecrusher (Armada)|Bonecrusher]]'s panel and built a temple around it. {{storylink|Palace}}

[[File:Origin-Unicrons.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Everybody Polkamon!]]

In the year [[2010]], Rad, Carlos, and Alexis discovered the wreckage of the ''Exodus'' buried beneath [[Lincoln (city)|Lincoln]] and inadvertently activated a beacon that summoned both the Autobots and Decepticon to Earth in search of the newly reactivated Mini-Con panels. {{storylink|First Encounter}} {{storylink|Prehistory}} The two factions hunted Mini-Con after Mini-Con, but the three Mini-Con weapons eventually ended up in the hands of the Decepticons thanks to Unicron's servant [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] and the conflicted loyalties of [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Crack (episode)|Crack}} They'd be used to power the Decepticon's planet-destroying [[Hydra Cannon]], which was only prevented from destroying Earth by Optimus Prime's sacrifice {{storylink| Threaten}}{{storylink|Crisis (Armada)|Crisis}} By pooling their power with the [[Matrix of Leadership]], the Autobot-allied Mini-Cons were capable of restoring Optimus to life. {{storylink|Miracle (episode)|Miracle}}

When the Autobot and Decepticons found themselves under assault by Unicron's minion [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]], the assembled Mini-Cons used their powers as a group to restore and empower their larger partners. {{storylink|Puppet}} When their creator finally reared his head to assault Cybertron, the Mini-Cons would merge into [[Unicron of Light|a giant doppelganger]] to face him. {{storylink|Union}} However, Unicron was able to temporarily reset the Mini-Cons and return them to their original mindless states, although the deep connection between the Rad and his Mini-Con friend High Wire permanently broke Unicron's hold over them. {{storylink|Origin}}

{{--}}

=====''Linkage'' comic=====
[[File:Arm-art Linkage01-UnderAttack.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

When humanity interfered with the newly born Mini-Cons at the moment of their creation and granted them something akin to a soul, not ''all'' the Mini-Cons were freed. A small number of Mini-Cons remained loyal to their creator and made it their mission to hunt down their "renegade" brethren—specially programmed [[Fixer Bug]]s forcibly Powerlinxed with their victims and cut them off from the Linkage by overwriting their core programming and reducing them back to a storage panel form. Once reactivated and released, the "new" Mini-Con would once again be a slave to Unicron. {{storylink|Linkage Part 5}}

In the modern day, Unicron loyalists [[Midship]] and [[Top Gear]] travelled to Earth to capture and reprogram the Mini-Cons recently loosed upon the planet. After forcibly recruiting [[Tailslide]] to their side, the trio pursued the recently reacitvated [[Super Stunt Team]], who'd recently taken shelter with the [[human]] [[Stella Holley]] after using their powers to hastily reconfigure her car into a weapon. {{storylink|Linkage Part 2}} In between trying to elude their Unicronian brethren activating other Mini-Cons, [[Redline]] began searching for a way to truly free his people, inspired by a vision of "the terrible one" while freeing [[Twirl (Armada)|Twirl]]'s spirit from the Linkage, he turned his attention to finding a way to unlock the [[Master Key]]: when Mini-Cons gained sentience and free will, Unicron's failsafe would activate and "lock away" much of their power. {{storylink|Linkage Part 8}}

[[File:Arm-art Linkage13-City.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Thanks to obtaining scans of the Unicron-allied Mini-Cons, Redline devised an "evolution" device that would allow them to finally unlock the Master Key programming, break their Servility Programs, and awaken their true abilities. {{storylink|Linkage Part 9}} However, as they prepared for this momentous leap forward, the [[Aqua Raider Team]] unleashed the murderous, [[Doomstone]]-enhanced [[Ravenus]] on the free Mini-Cons; using his enhanced [[Powerlinx]] abilities, he forcibly Powerlinxed witih [[Twirl (Armada)|Twirl]] and [[Servo (Armada)|Servo]] with the intent of using this link to unleash the Doomstone's negative psychic energy into the Linkage and permanently return the Mini-Cons to their original state by destroying the Linkage. {{storylink|Linkage Part 10}} The upgraded Mini-Cons, now growing in number as the Master Key spread to all "free" Mini-Cons through the Linkage, used their new powers to reverse the mutations and return Ravenus to his original form, as well as safely remove the Doomstone from his body. Following this, the remaining Mini-Cons on Earth departed to meet up with the Autobots as they prepared for their battle against Unicron. {{storylink|Linkage Part 12}}

After Unicron's destruction, all of the Mini-Cons created [[Mini-Con city|a city]] somewhere on Earth, safe from the machinations of Unicron or the Decepticons, and extended an invitation to their friend Stella to join them. {{storylink|Linkage Part 13}}
{{--}}

=====''Cloud''=====
The existence of Mini-Cons as a great source of power was not known to the denizens of the [[Cloud World]] till the [[Starscream (Cloud)|Starscream]] of that world forced a pursuit into the [[spacetime]] known as 15-MD. The native [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] of that spacetime was seeking a Mini-Con when the Cloud Worlders arrived, and so Cloud Starscream joined his counterpart to find the Mini-Con in some [[South America]]n ruins. {{storylink|Encounter}} In the resulting battle that ensued between [[Optimus Prime (Cloud)|Optimus Prime]], [[Brawn (Cloud)|Brawn]], and the two Starscreams, the [[Mini-Con storage panel]] was destroyed by Cloud Starscream, angering everybody else involved. {{storylink|Hammer (Cloud)|Hammer}} However, the soul of the Mini-Con within the panel—[[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]]—was able to contact [[SARA]], and the Cloud World entity was able to tap into the power of the Mini-Cons through incorporating this soul within her. Using the Mini-Cons' energy as a form of "[[spacetime energy]]", SARA was able to return all of the visitors to their home reality. {{storylink|Return}}

=====''Energon'' cartoon=====

Ten years after Unicron's defeat, most of the Mini-Cons had left Earth, although the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team|Street Action Team]] remained active in [[Ocean City]]. {{storylink|Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City}} Later, the [[Energon Saber|Energon Saber Mini-Con Team]] fled [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] and [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]]'s attack on [[Mars City]], and used their combined form to great effect as [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]] 's private weapon. {{storylink|Megatron's Sword}}

{{--}}

=====''Cybertron'' cartoon=====
{{note|[[Fun Publications]] fiction has linked the ''Cybertron'' Mini-Cons, who otherwise had no real origin story in the cartoon, to the original group from ''Armada'' by implying that an ancestral population of Mini-Cons migrated to planets like [[Gigantion]], [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Jungle Planet]], and [[Velocitron]] along with full-sized Cybertronian colonists. However, this does not fully line up with the fiction, as the Mini-Cons in ''Armada'' are explicitly shown appearing during the Autobot-Decepticon war, long after the collapse of the galactic [[space bridge]]s.}}

[[File:Scourge-BudMiniCons.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Aloha e komo mai.]]

During the war against the forces of [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]], the citizens of [[Gigantion]] used their [[Cyber Planet Key]] to grow to colossal sizes and emerged triumphant. However, the sudden size discrepancy left them unable to interact with many of the computers and delicate machines they utilized. Thus, the Mini-Cons who'd arrived with the original colonists found a new role as “little detail” workers who assisted their larger companions with the delicate tasks and intricate work they could no longer perform as they toiled away on their endless construction projects. As a result of these unique selective pressures, future generations of Mini-Cons would convergently evolve a brain structure similar to a [[human]]’s, which offered an increased capacity for creative thought and lateral thinking. {{storylink|Scourge (episode)|Scourge}} As on Cybertron, individual Cybertronians could Powerlinx and formed symbiotic partnerships with their larger comrades. {{storylink|Giant}}

The citizens of Gigantion built an entire Mini-Con scaled city to house these smaller workers in-between construction projects; to accommodate the unique, human-like needs of its citizens, it featured ample greenery, playgrounds, museums, and even an amusement park. In time, however, this city, like all the other cities created by the citizens of Gigantion, would be quietly abandoned and sealed over millennia. {{storylink|Scourge (episode)|Scourge}}

During the [[Unicron Singularity]] crisis, [[Vector Prime]] brought [[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]] and the [[Recon Mini-Con Team]] to Earth, where they quickly befriended the human children [[Coby Hansen|Coby]], [[Bud Hansen|Bud]], and [[Lori Jiménez|Lori]]. {{storylink|Fallen (episode)|Fallen}} When the search for the four Cyber Planet Keys brought Optimus Prime and his allies to Gigantion, several Mini-Cons accompanied Bud to the lower levels of their homeworld, where [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]] taught his human friend their history. {{storylink|Scourge (episode)|Scourge}}

After reaching the ''[[Lemuria (Cybertron)|Lemuria]]'' at the core of Giant Planet, Gigantion leader [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] was forced to fight the renegade [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]]. Their battle ended when their respective Mini-Cons [[Drill Bit (Cybertron)|Drill Bit]] and [[Heavy Load (Cybertron)|Heavy Load]] leapt in the way and forced the pair to come to a peaceful resolution. {{storylink|Optimus (episode)|Optimus}} After [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]’s final defeat, a number of Mini-Cons, both Cybertron and Gigantion, took part in the ceremony that marked the rebirth of the long-abandoned [[space bridge]] project. {{storylink|Beginning}}

{{--}}

=====''Cybertron'' comic=====
[[File:RevelationsPart5-MiniConCivilWar.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

By the time of the [[Unicron Singularity]] crisis, most of the Mini-Cons living on Cybertron had relocated to Cybertron's moons, where they established a number of self-sufficient colonies under the governance of an appointed [[Mini-Con Council of Sages|Council of Sages]] who desired independence from both the Autobots and Decepticons. As the Singularity threatened to consume Cybertron and its myriad satellites, Council member [[Anti-Blaze]] began work on a self-sufficient evacuation fleet that would take every Mini-Con to the [[S-K System]]... only for [[Thrust (Cybertron)|Thrust]], agent of a group of Mini-Con insurgents, to destroy six stellar cycles of work in an hour. This opening salvo heralded the beginning of the [[Mini-Con Civil War]] between Anti-Blaze's independents and a group of malcontents led by the [[Sky Terror Mini-Con Team]] and abetted by the [[Decepticon]]s. Although Anti-Blaze quickly marshalled a fighting force and pushed the rebels back into a neighbouring asteroid field, {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 11|Anti-Blaze, Scythe, & Checkpoint's profile in Club magazine #11}} rumours of a Decepticon superweapon prompted Anti-Blaze to swallow his pride and contact Cybertron for help. {{storylink|Revelations Part 4}}

Aided by a dimension-hopping [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]], [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Sentinel Maximus]], the remaining Autobots on Cybertron took the fight to the insurgents; the brief war came to a swift end shortly afterwards, when a reborn [[Unicron]] arrived on the battlefield and killed many of the rebel Mini-Cons while absorbing the life forces of their Decepticon partners. After Primus's reactivation and the subsequent closure of the Unicron Singularity, [[Alpha Trion]] and [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] promised to assist Anti-Blaze in hunting down the remaining Mini-Con separatists. {{storylink|Revelations Part 6}} After the fall of the Sky Terror Team, [[Perceptor (Armada)|Perceptor]] assisted in mopping up the remainder of the rebels. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 12|Street Action Team's profile in Club magazine #12}}
{{--}}

=====''Timelines''=====
[[File:Astrotrain-CybComic.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

A hidden arsenal on [[Combatron (planet)|Combatron]] housed many of the most dangerous weapons known to Cybertronians, including several Mini-Con storage panels. {{storylink|Force of Habit}}

The Powerlinx process involved a data transfer protocol; through this, a full-sized Cybertronian could obtain information from one or more Mini-Cons by linking with their data banks and reading their memories. The Powerlinx process could also prove extremely addictive, {{storylink|The Dark Heart of Sandokan}} to the point where some Cybertronians who'd completely succumbed to their addiction would force unwilling Mini-Cons to bond with them. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/18}} A few 'bots like [[Ultra Magnus (Energon)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]] would turn a mere partnership into a true symbiosis by undergoing a [[binary bonding]] process that physically merged the two together into a single shared robot form. {{storylink|Force of Habit}} {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/18}}

In the years after Unicron's second defeat, some Mini-Cons switched over to speaking [[Cybertronian Standard]] to facilitate communication with their larger partners, {{storylink|The Dark Heart of Sandokan}} although by this time some Cybertronians eschewed Mini-Cons and [[Energon star|energon chip]]s in favour of the more reliable [[Cyber Key]]s. {{storylink|Force of Habit}}

{{--}}

====Panini ''Armada'' comic====
[[File:CounterStrike MirageCaptured.jpg|thumb|right|300px|They'll trip you up, give you a flat tire, or make your socks go missing in the dryer.]]

The war on Cybertron began with a series of Decepticon raids upon the planet's Mini-Con villages. Decepticons found ways to forcibly re-engineer the Mini-Cons so that they would power-link with unwilling partners. Although the Autobots rose up to fight back, some Mini-Cons viewed both sides with distrust—on one occasion, the Mini-Con separatist Dualor engineered a phony crisis that would wipe out both Optimus Prime and Megatron, but [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] warned Optimus of the ruse and foiled his plan. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 9|Counter-Strike!}} Eventually, Sparkplug and most of the remaining free Mini-Cons departed Cybertron aboard a spaceship, which later crashed on Earth's moon and scattered multiple Mini-Cons across Earth. {{storylink|First Encounter!}}

In [[1959]], the United States military chanced across the [[Land Military Mini-Con Team]], who'd they found buried underneath [[Los Angeles]]. The top-secret [[Extra-Terrestrial Response Division]] made an effort to understand the aliens, and later used [[inhibitor clamp]]s to turn them into mindless weapons, but the trio overrode the clamps, went rogue, and escaped to the nearby town of [[Stillwater]] before the ETRD recaptured their assets, but not before the team passed along a message to local human [[Amos Hume]]. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 6|Blast from the Past!}} Fifty years later, Rad White and his friends chanced across the crashed spaceship and triggered a planetary reactivation beacon that reached Cybertron. {{storylink|First Encounter!}}

[[File:FriendsAndFoes-MiniCons.jpg|thumb|left|300px|From the stars and the ancient past; they come to play, but they'll never last.]]

As the Autobots and Decepticons arrived to locate the lost Mini-Cons, Sparkplug and his allies initially declined to choose a side in the war, but later joined forces with Optimus and his troops. {{storylink|Friends and Foes!}} Despite the misgivings of both the humans and the Mini-Cons, Optimus Prime later decided to send the Mini-Cons back through a [[space bridge]] to Cybertron for safekeeping, but when they stood their ground against a Decepticon attack Optimus let them stay. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 4|No Way Back!}} Although Sparkplug, [[Longarm (Armada)|Longarm]], and [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]] tried to free the Decepticon Mini-Cons, they found that Leader-1 and his compatriots were quite happy to serve the Decepticons. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 4|Into the Lions' Den}} Other Mini-Cons like the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] were quite happy to remain independent from the war, {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 5|Devices and Desires!}} but later found themselves captured by the ETRD and learned what had befallen their brethren in the Land Military Team. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 5|'We Are Not Alone!'}} The team eventually crashed an ETRD auction and rescued their fellow Mini-Cons with the assistance of Rad and Amos. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 7|Sale of the Century!}}

In the meantime, Optimus and his forces rescued a number of dormant Mini-Cons from Megatron on the moon. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 6|Between Two Worlds!}} [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] later tried to force the Air Defense team to form the mighty Star Sabre by deactivating their personality chips, but without their individual personalities to modulate the sword's power Starscream nearly lost control of his weapon. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 7|[The Two-Edged Blade!}} Later, Optimus pretended to surrender the Mini-Cons in exchange for amnesty; {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 8|Earthshaker!}}after his successful doublecross, the Mini-Cons adrift aboard a [[solar barge]] rescued themselves from [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]]. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 8|Lost in Space!}} Dualor and the other members of the [[Destruction Mini-Con Team]], seeking vengeance against ''all'' Cybertronians, Powerlinxed with Cyclonus and overrode his own motor functions until Starscream used a [[Sonic destabiliser]] to forcibly disengage the Powerlinx. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 9|Dawn of Destruction!}}

====Reader's Digest ''Armada'' novels====
Four million years ago, the Mini-Cons found themselves caught in the middle of the Autobot-Decepticon war, which came to a head when the Mini-Cons were gathered in a giant orbiting storage facility as the ultimate prize. However, after the destruction of Cybertron's moon, both sides called a truce and sent the Mini-Cons away aboard a starship. To keep the Mini-Cons from being used by other alien races, their ship included a [[warp gate]] that would teleport representatives from both the Autobots and Decepticons should the need arise. However, gathering the Mini-Cons together had an unexpected side effect; their collective intelligence grew, and they developed feelings of independence and solidarity. By the time that their ship crashed on the Moon, the Mini-Cons' existence became a half-forgotten legend amongst the other Transformers as war reignited between the two factions; when humans discovered the Mini-Cons, the warp gate brought Cybertronians to Earth to continue their battle. {{storylink|Transformers Armada: The Battle Begins|The Battle Begins}}

====''Transformers Legends'' anthology====
In one reality, many thousands of years after their return to Cybertron, the Mini-Cons remembered and honoured the generosity of their long-dead human friends by celebrating [[Halloween]]. {{storylink|Something Robotic This Way Comes}}

In another universe, the Mini-Con [[QuickFire]] brought his comatose partner [[Riptide (Armada)|Riptide]] to Earth to recover. While Riptide's body and mind healed, Quickfire, who transformed into Riptide's engine block, could remotely control his larger partner's alternate mode. {{storylink|Lonesome Diesel}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
In a unique variation of {{w|Batesian mimicry}}, a number of Mini-Cons have adopted the names of particularly powerful or dangerous Cybertronians in an attempt to intimidate those who might otherwise capture them. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/15}}

In universe [[Aurex 1104.30-DB Zeta]], [[Brian Jones|Dr. Jones]] reverse-engineered [[combiner]] technology and applied it to a number of Mini-Cons. The upgrade changed them into [[Micromaster]]s, an entirely new breed of Transformer; with six beings Powerlinxing together, they packed tremendous energy into a frame no larger than the average Cybertronian. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 31/7/2015}}

The Mini-Cons of [[Aurex 304.0 Epsilon]] were creations of [[Primacron]], and sparked a three-way war between the Autobots, Decepticons, and [[Omnicon]]s until [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]] and the [[Destructicon (RID)|Destructicon]]s invaded. From this conquest, Megazarak acquried [[Caliburn (Armada)|Caliburn]] as his personal Mini-Con. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/11}}

In [[Aurex 1104.30-JH Zeta]], time-travelling [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s fought the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] for control of the Mini-Cons hidden on Earth. Although some Mini-Cons willingly joined forces with the Beast Warriors, others remained neutral. The conflict ended with [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and his followers rescuing all the Mini-Cons in [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s custody. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 8, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/13}} Another parallel-universe iteration of the Beast Wars in [[Aurex 615.03 Epsilon]] had the Mini-Con crews of the ''[[Hyperion (Armada)|Hyperion]]'' and ''[[Doomsday]]'' journey to [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]]'s [[Alpha Q's universe|universe]] to provide reinforcements. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/23}}

[[Vector Prime]] observed the many similarities between Mini-Cons, [[Micromaster]]s, and [[Cyberdroid]]s, and noted that, due to [[trans-dimensional harmonic resonance]], a Mini-Con might have identical counterparts who belonged to one of these other groups in other universal clusters, while small Autobots like [[Minimus Ambus]] had Mini-Con, Micromaster, and Cyberdroid counterparts elsewhere in the [[multiverse]]. More than once, Vector opined that the distinction between the three subgroups boiled down to linguistics—in his opinion, different realities used different names to describe the same core concept. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/20}} {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/07}}

====Spacewarp's Log====
Early in her career, [[Spacewarp]] spent her time searching for a rumoured "lost tribe" of Mini-Cons who'd fled the war and established a colony somewhere in the vicinity of the planet [[Tasumo|Tasmos]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Spacewarp's Log (1), 2015/10/30}}

===Generation 1 continuity family===
====3H comics====
[[Ramulus]] sardonically compared the timid [[CatSCAN]] to an "apologetic Mini-Con". {{storylink|Betrayal}}

====''Classics''====
[[File:Lastautobotnewworld.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]

In the aftermath of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s devastating attack on Cybertron in [[1991]], [[Hi-Q]] and a group of humans discovered the mythical [[Last Autobot]] and roused him from his slumber. Although the Last Autobot realized that his power would be needed elsewhere, he recognized that Cybertron had suffered severe damage and created a race of stewards who would gradually rebuild Cybertron and nurse the wounded world back to health. Using data acquired from the [[binary bonding|binary-bonded]] fusion of Hi-Q and the rebuilt [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s [[Action Master]] body, he created the Mini-Cons, and imbued each with a fragment of his own [[spark]] so that they could access his own formidable powers. [[Modus Prime]], the first Mini-Con created, became the leader of this new race. {{storylink|The New World}}

An explosion at a [[Nucleon (substance)|nucleon]] processing plant mutated the full-sized [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] into a Mini-Con form. Despite his dramatic loss in physical size, he enjoyed his new form's speed and accuracy. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 18|Swoop's profile in Club magazine #18}}

Over the next fifteen years, the Mini-Cons worked to repair Cybertron, in anticipation of the day when all Cybertronians could return home; in addition to rebuilding the planet's infrastructure, the Mini-Cons waged a brutal extermination campaign against the [[Demon]]s and [[Mutant (G1)|Mutant]]s who dwelt in the planet's labyrinthine underlevels. However, as their work neared completion, a number of Mini-Cons began questioning their appointed roles after one Mini-Con, [[Broadside (Classics)|Broadside]], discovered the Decepticon philosophy; after more than a decade of waging war against Primus's discarded experiments, he grew fearful that Primus would cast ''them'' aside too. In the name of preserving the world they'd built for Mini-Cons and Mini-Cons alone, Broadside orchestrated the assassination of Modus Prime, silenced anyone who'd seen the crime, and lied about a fabricated "madness plague" to justify the quarantine of Cybertron. However, news of Broadside's role in the murder soon spread, and before long Cybertron collapsed back into a new civil war between Broadside's rogue faction and the loyalists. {{storylink|The New World}}

{{--}}

====Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
[[File:LegendsVol19-Groundshaker.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
The Mini-Cons of this universe are a sub-set of the diminutive [[Micromaster]]s. When most of the Micromaster population fell under the command of [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] to found their own civilization on [[Micro|Planet Micro]], some elected to remain with the Autobots to help them continue the war. These little 'bots partnered up with larger Transformers, adopting weapon and equipment [[alternate mode]]s (in addition to their vehicular forms) which their partners could wield. Like the Mini-Cons from other universes, they provide their partners with a power-up by connecting to them when in weapon mode. Some of the earliest known include [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]'s partners [[Groundshaker (Legends)|Groundshaker]] and [[Phaser (G1)|Phaser]]. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter|Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter}}

Evidence suggests that Mini-Cons would persist into the [[Beast Era]]: the enigmatic [[Wedge Shape]], as well as several of the combatants involved in the "[[Micron Booster#Micron Booster Ver. 4: Endless Battle—Eternal Prisoner|Eternal Prisoner]]" conflict, professed [[Maximal]] and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] allegiances. {{storylink|Micron Booster|Micron Booster Ver. 4}} Additionally, Mini-Con [[Dragoyell]] took part in the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]. {{storylink|Dragoyell|Dragoyell's bio}}
{{--}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
[[File:ThePermanentRevolution-toocooltoenunciate.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]

After the conclusion of the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]], [[Micronus Prime]] left Cybertron aboard the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Prion (Titan)|Prion]] and together they colonized a [[Prion (planet)|distant world]]. {{storylink|White Heat}} Using the [[Hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]] within his body, Prion birthed a civilization of Mini-Cons. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} Approximately seven million years ago, Micronus left the colony to fend for itself while he retreated into a unique sub-atomic realm known as [[Microspace]]. {{storylink|Crisis Intervention}}

In the 21st century, the peaceful planet met its end when the robo-phobic [[Black Block Consortia]] discovered and promptly sterilized the planet. The sole survivor, a female four-changer named [[Nickel]], joined up with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] when they chanced across the ruined world a few days after the attack. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

When the ''Lost Light'' encountered the [[Stentarian]] species, they mistook the tiny [[Ammonite]]s for miniature Decepticons, and [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] attempted to nickname them "Minicons". {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} Some time later, [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] referred to the Ammonites as such, only to be corrected on her nomenclature by Whirl. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

===Fun Publications ''Shattered Glass'' continuity===
[[Sideswipe (SG)|Sideswipe]] referred to his Micromaster partner [[Whisper (SG)|Whisper]] as his "Mini-Con", short for "mini-Decepticon". {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 25|Whisper's profile in Club magazine #25}}

{{--}}

===Live-action film series===
[[File:HeavyweightvsAutotrooper-CMW.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

Mini-Cons are a mysterious group of small Transformers. Known Mini-Cons include [[Longarm (Movie Mini-Con)|Longarm]], [[Scalpel (ROTF)|Scalpel]], [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]], [[Chopster]], and [[Bomb-Burst (PCC)|Bomb-Burst]].

In a reality where [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] won the battle of [[Chicago]], he recruited a trio of Mini-Cons that included [[Boombox]], Scalpel, and [[Heavyweight]]. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}} The whole lot of them were transported to [[Axiom Nexus]] when Megatron plummeted off a space bridge after a battle against [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Rodimus Prime]]. Though Heavyweight and the other Mini-Cons were identified by the TransTechs, they overlooked Megatron himself, believing his truck mode to simply be a derelict heap. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)#TransTech|BotCon 2015 Megatron bio card}}

Over at the [[NEST]] base in [[Beijing]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] turned [[Metrobase (Movie)|Metrobase]]'s Medi-Bay facility into a dance floor for a group of Mini-Cons while [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] was away. {{storylink|Bumblebee Boogie}}

{{--}}

===''Power Core Combiners''===
[[Commander (PCC)|Commander]]s had the ability to combine with Mini-Cons, which powered up their abilities in vaguely defined ways.<ref>[[Smolder (PCC)|Smolder]]'s bio, [[Sledge (PCC)|Sledge]]'s bio, [[Heavytread (PCC)|Heavytread]]'s bio, and [[Salvage (Movie)|Salvage]]'s bio.</ref> Some power ups are given more specific descriptions: [[Huffer (PCC)|Huffer]] became faster, stronger, and smarter; [[Searchlight (PCC)|Searchlight]] got extended operational duration; [[Leadfoot (PCC)|Leadfoot]] became invisible to sensors; and [[Darkstream]] received enhanced maneuverability.<ref>See respective toy bios.</ref>

{{--}}

===''Animated''===
[[File:TheStunticonJob-Mini-Cons.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

The Minicons pledged neutrality during the [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} The Autobots used Mini-Cons to guard high-security prison facilities like [[Trypticon Prison]] in [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}} Although Mini-Cons were supposedly loyal to the Autobot regime, a few cynics like [[Sideswipe (Animated)|Sideswipe]] had their doubts. {{storylink|The AllSpark Almanac Addendum}}

{{--}}

===Aligned continuity family===
[[File:Deployer DarknessRising3.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

'''Mini-Cons''' (sometimes spelled '''Minicons''') are a race of small, human-sized Transformers who inhabit Cybertron's two moons. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} Descendants of [[Micronus Prime]], the first Mini-Con,<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2011-hasbro-story-building-panel-172316/ TFW coverage of Botcon 2011 Hasbro Story Building Panel]</ref> they come in a great variety of shapes; though some adopt humanoid forms, others possess animalistic [[beast mode]]s instead.

In these realities, the majority of Mini-Cons do not Powerlinx with larger Transformers, and only Mini-Cons who have been specifically altered at the [[CNA|genetic level]] can utilize a variation of this power. Instead, Mini-Cons who form partnerships with the Autobots or Decepticons adopt specialized [[alternate mode]]s that allow them to interlock with their larger partners to form an additional layer of armor. These specialized "[[Deployer (WFC)|Deployer]]s", as they are known, can be summoned into action by their larger partner, whereupon they detach and transform back into their robot configurations. By the time of Cybertron's restoration following the end of the war, such Mini-Cons are subdivided into three groups: Autobot "buzzsaws," Decepticon "torpedoes," and unaligned "Cyclones," who have spherical alternate modes. {{storylink|Knock, Knock!}}

{{--}}

====Aligned novels====
Although some Cybertronians displayed prejudice against Minicons—[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] despised them, while [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Orion Pax]] associated them with distrust—they nevertheless had a political presence in the pre-war era, with representative [[Ratbat (WFC)|Ratbat]] serving on the planet's [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. Minicons could choose to communicate with other Cybertronians, but while conducting espionage or sabotage missions they usually communicated via a series of tightly coded electronic pulses.

During the buildup to the planet's Great War, the nascent Decepticon movement made extensive use of Minicons in various terrorist acts: thirty-six Decepticon-allied Minicons bombed the [[Six Lasers Over Cybertron]] amusement park, and another destroyed [[Fort Scyk]]. A number of Mini-Cons attended the fateful meeting of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] that saw Orion Pax promoted to the rank of [[Prime (rank)|Prime]].

When war broke out in earnest, a pair of Autobot-allied Minicon saboteurs stole the secrets of Decepticon [[combiner]] technology, which allowed the Autobots to create [[Defensor (WFC)|Defensor]]. Multiple Decepticon Minicons served aboard the [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] facility during the final battle before the exodus to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

====Cartoon continuity====
=====''Prime'' cartoon=====
[[File:DeusExMachina AMT-Party.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Did you bring hummus?]]

{{note|The Arms Micron backstory was told specifically in reference to the "partner" Microns packed in with larger toys, but it is assumed that it holds true for all toys called "Arms Microns" regardless of release type.}}

A new group of Mini-Cons were created on [[Earth]] when the planet's [[energon]] infused the Transformers' weapons with life and the power to transform. These new robots became known as the [[Arms Micron]]s. {{storylink|Arms Micron Theater}}

{{--}}

=====2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon=====
[[File:HuntingSeason Mini-Cons.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

During the Great War, Decepticon scientists captured and genetically modified seven Mini-Cons into "[[Weaponizer (RID)|Weaponizer]]s", an aberrant group of Mini-Cons who could transform into weapons and override the motor functions of the Transformers who Powerlinxed with them. Anyone who could Powerlinx with all seven at once would become even stronger than even a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]. {{storylink|Mini-Con Madness (RID)|Mini-Con Madness}} {{storylink|Worthy}} The project was incomplete when Megatron dissolved the Decepticons, and [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] discovered their stasis-locked bodies in the depths of [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]] while fleeing [[Skylynx (Prime)|Skylynx]] and [[Darksteel (Prime)|Darksteel]]. Before he could turn them to his own ends, however, the Weaponizers escaped and fell in with the [[Scavengers (RID)|Scavengers]] to take them somewhere off Cybertron before Starscream could find them. {{storylink|Mini-Con Madness (RID)|Mini-Con Madness}}

Another group of Mini-Cons, known as [[Caretaker Mini-Con|Caretaker]]s, appear to have been mass-produced through some unknown process. While some members of this group, including those found aboard a wrecked spaceship from the Great War, acted like pre-programmed [[drone]]s, {{storylink|Deep Trouble (RID)|Deep Trouble}} the [[Autobot High Council]] considered them self-sufficient to the point where they could autonomously run large prison ships such as the ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]''. Some of these Caretakers, most prominently [[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]], possessed the capability for free will and independent thought, but reverted to a mindless "sentry mode" when [[Denny Clay]] tampered with his internal workings. {{storylink|The Trouble with Fixit}} When the ''Alchemor'' crashed on Earth, the freed Decepticon prisoners revolted and enslaved the Mini-Cons. When the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]] arrived to take the ship, they joined in overthrowing their captors and eventually returned to Cybertron. {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 1)}} {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 2)}}

[[File:MightyBigTrouble-Weaponizers.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Shortly after this, the Weaponizers arrived on Earth, pursued by Starscream and a number of rogue agents; after clashing with the Scavengers a few times, the Weaponizers sided with the Autobots. Starscream attempted to merge with the Mini-Cons, only for it to fail because [[Tricerashot (RID)|Tricerashot]] was missing, but even after obtaining the power of all seven Fixit was able to activate a signal and separate [[Aerobolt]]. Aerobolt Powerlinxed with Optimus, and gave the Autobot leader the last boost of power he needed to destroy the super-powered Starscream. Afterwards, Aerobolt and his fellow Mini-Cons left Earth aboard the Scavenger's sub-orbital ship to find a new planet where they could live in peace. {{storylink|Worthy}}

The [[Autobot High Council|Cybertronian High Council]] experimented on the Mini-Cons [[Stuntwing]], [[Trickout]], [[Goldgear]], and [[Hi-Test (RID)|Hi-Test]]; in addition to erasing their memories, they also received the power to upgrade Transformers through Powerlinxing and open [[GroundBridge]]s to the [[Shadowzone (dimension)|Shadowzone]] in order to assist Soundwave in his escape. {{storylink|Collateral Damage}}

{{--}}

=====''Rescue Bots'' cartoon=====
[[File:TheNeedForSpeed Bounce.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Back against the wall, you gonna give it your all.]]

After escaping the prison ship ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]'', the rogue Mini-Con [[Bounce]] fled through the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]]'s [[GroundBridge]] and made a mess of [[Griffin Rock]] until [[Blurr (Prime)|Blurr]] and [[Sideswipe (RID 2015)|Sideswipe]] recaptured him. {{storylink|The Need for Speed}}

{{--}}

===''TransTech''===
The first dimensionally-displaced Mini-Cons to arrive in the city of [[Axiom Nexus]] were misidentified as [[Micromaster]]s until the discovery of the [[Aurex]] cluster. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/09}} During the "Mass Reemergence", numerous Mini-Cons in the Aurex Cluster suddenly appeared on the [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s' scanners. These Mini-Cons became pawns in the Autobot-Decepticon war and eventually attracted [[Unicron]], who sought to use them to make himself more powerful. However, the Mini-Cons combined their power to single-handedly defeat Unicron, and an unlikely peace prevailed when the Mini-Cons demanded to be left alone. The [[Transcendent Technomorph]] [[Heinrad (TransTech)|Heinrad]] emerged into this Aurex universe and offered the Mini-Cons a choice: stay and help the Autobot-Decepticon war effort, or leave to live in peace in [[Axiom Nexus]]. Most chose the latter option. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/09}}

Upon arriving in Axiom Nexus, many Mini-Cons who hailed from "Alpha" universal clusters, where Mini-Cons spoke their own unique language, failed the [[Ambus Test]] used to gauge the sentience of mechanical beings. Eventually, the Mini-Con [[Sprite]], native of a "Gamma" universe in which Mini-Cons spoke intelligibly, campaigned for increased awareness of Mini-Con rights. Thanks to her efforts, the Ambus Test was subsequently phased out and replaced with the more inclusive [[Turtler Test]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/16}}

Mini-Cons who hailed from [[Aurex 906.29 Alpha]] were known for their crude humor. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/04}}

===''Cyberworld''===
[[Megatron (Cyberworld)|Megatron]] compared the hit the targets challenge he and [[Bumblebee (Cyberworld)|Bumblebee]] were in to taking Energon from a Mini-Con. {{storylink|Prime Target (Cyberworld)|Prime Target}}

==Games==
===''Transformers'' (PS2)===
{{gamestub}}{{storylink|Transformers (Armada PS2)}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
During the Earth Wars, groups such as the [[Race Mini-Con Team]] and the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Team]] became [[C.O.M.B.A.T. System|C.O.M.B.A.T. bots]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Autobots and Decepticons who formed a symbiotic bond with Mini-Con Allies are generally referred to as "Microlinked". Mini-Cons could dock with their partner's frame or be deployed to take action or help. [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] used their [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Mini]] [[Autobot Mini-Cassette|Cassets]] for both infiltration and for battle. Overtime [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] had become one of Soundwave's most famous and skilled Mini-Con Cassettes.{{storylink|Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook|Core Rulebook}}

==Toys==
[[File:Armada Blackout toy.jpg|thumb|150px|Blackout connecting with Demolishor]]
:Mini-Con toys debuted as the signature element of the ''Armada'' franchise, bringing the "micro [[play pattern]]" back to ''Transformers'' after many years' absence. Much like ''Armada'' itself, the Mini-Cons proved to be a smash hit with fans and kids, and Hasbro scrambled to include them in the subsequent franchises.

:Most Mini-Cons stand around 2" tall, roughly the same size as their [[Micromaster]] predecessors. Most Mini-Cons are considerably more complex, as well; unlike Micromasters, there's no single dominant transformation scheme. With dozens of molds, Mini-Cons cover a wide range of articulation, size, [[alternate mode]]s, and complexity. Aesthetically, their facial designs tend toward the unorthodox.

:Each Mini-Con includes one or more [[Powerlinx]] ports somewhere on their body, a [[5 mm post|5mm]] round peg-slot that allows them to be attached to any "[[Bulk]]" figure with a corresponding Powerlinx peg. These pegs were standard-issue on the larger, original-mold ''Armada'' toys, where at least one such peg could be used to activate various gimmicks on each large figure. Toys from subsequent franchises have featured Powerlinx pegs only as a static feature. Due to the center-peg of the Powerlinx port, they are incompatible with normal 5mm posts. Later Mini-Cons (starting with the ''[[Power Core Combiners]]'' series) would sometimes have 5mm holes without the "signature" center-peg.

{{note|Because of the overwhelming number of Mini-Con redecos—we're talking well into the hundreds—the following list is of unique first-use ''molds'' only. For a full list of Mini-cons, including the redecos, see [[Transformers: Armada (toyline)]].}}

===''Armada''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''3-pack team molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Adventure Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Dune Runner (Armada)|Dune Runner]] (dune buggy), [[Iceberg]] (snowcat), [[Ransack (Armada)|Ransack]] (jeep)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]] (Concorde jet), [[Runway (Armada)|Runway]] (supersonic bomber), [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]] (space shuttle)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Air Military Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Gunbarrel (Armada)|Gunbarrel]] (cargo jet), [[Terradive (Armada)|Terradive]] (recon jet), [[Thunderwing (Armada)|Thunderwing]] (stealth bomber)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Destruction Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Buzzsaw (Armada)|Buzzsaw]] (excavator), [[Drill Bit (Armada)|Drill Bit]] (mining vehicle), [[Dualor (Armada)|Dualor]] (tank)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Emergency Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Firebot (Armada)|Firebot]] (fire engine), [[Makeshift (Armada)|Makeshift]] (VTOL plane), [[Prowl (Armada)|Prowl]] (police cruiser)}}
|
|width="40%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Land Military Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Bonecrusher (Armada)|Bonecrusher]] (missile transport), [[Knock Out (Armada)|Knock Out]] (armored personnel carrier), [[Wreckage (Armada)|Wreckage]] (tracked missile platform)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Race Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Dirt Boss (Armada)|Dirt Boss]] (rally SUV), [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]] (Le Mans racer), [[Mirage (Armada)|Mirage]] (Indy racer)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Sea Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Oceanglide]] (solar-powered boat), [[Stormcloud (Armada)|Stormcloud]] (speedboat), [[Waterlog (Armada)|Waterlog]] (hovercraft)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Space Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Astroscope]] (space station), [[Payload (Armada)|Payload]] (rocket transporter), [[Sky Blast (Armada)|Sky Blast]] (rocket)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Street Action Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (skateboard), [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] (dirtbike), [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] (motor scooter)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Street Speed Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Backtrack (Armada)|Backtrack]] (sportscar), [[Oval]] (sportscar), [[Spiral]] (sportscar)}}
|[[File:Armada airmilitaryteam toys.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Air Military Mini-Con Team]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] (partner: [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Super Optimus Prime]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Longarm (Armada)|Longarm]] (partner: [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]] (partner: [[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys|Hot Shot]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Liftor]] (partner: [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] (partner: [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Supercon Optimus Prime]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Rollbar (Armada)|Rollbar]] (partner: [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Incinerator (Armada)|Incinerator]] (partner: [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Comettor (Armada)|Comettor]] (partner: [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Nightbeat (Armada)|Nightbeat]] (partner: [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Refute (Armada)|Refute]] (partner: [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Hoist]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Rollout (Armada)|Rollout]] (partner: [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]])}}
|
|width="40%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]] (partner: [[Megatron (Armada)/toys|Megatron]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]] (partner: [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Blackout (Armada)|Blackout]] (partner: [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Crumplezone (Armada)|Crumplezone]] (partner: [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Inferno (Armada)|Inferno]] (partner: [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ramjet (Armada)|Ramjet]] (partner: [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Wind Sheer (Armada)|Wind Sheer]] (partner: [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Thunderclash (Armada)|Thunderclash]] (partner: [[Skywarp (Armada)|Skywarp]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Dead End (Armada)|Dead End]] (partner: [[Unicron/toys|Unicron]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Rook (Armada)|Rook]] and [[Crosswise (Armada)|Crosswise]] (partner: [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]])}}
|
[[File:Armada Leader1 toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Leader-1, with wider hips than were entirely necessary.]]
</ul>
|}

===''Legends of the Microns''===
[[File:Armadatoy unicron of light.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Unicron of Light]]
*'''Hikari no Unicron''' (campaign prize item)
**''Accessories:'' Chest missile, 6 leg missiles

: The "[[Unicron of Light]]" toy is a [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' [[Unicron/toys|Unicron]] in an emerald, light green, blue, and white color-scheme. This Unicron was the prize for a lucky-draw contest in Japan.
{{-}}

===''Energon''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''3-pack team molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Energon Saber]] Team''': [[Scattor (Energon)|Scattor]] (Concorde), [[Skyboom (Energon)|Skyboom]] (space shuttle), [[Wreckage (Energon)|Wreckage]] (supersonic bomber)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Street Action Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (hoverboard), [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] (motorbike), [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] (four-wheeler)}}
|[[File:Energon saber.JPG|thumb|upright=1.4|The Energon Saber]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Other'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|Kicker/Highwire 2-pack}}
</ul>
|}

===''Cybertron''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Drill Bit (Cybertron)|Drill Bit]] (partner: [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Stripmine]] (partner: [[Quickmix (Cybertron)|Quickmix]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Heavy Load (Cybertron)|Heavy Load]] (partner: [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]] (partner: [[Vector Prime]])}}
|
[[File:Cyb-toy HeavyLoad.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Menasor's partner Heavy Load]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''3-packs'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|'''[[Recon Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]] (helicopter), [[Six-Speed (Cybertron)|Six-Speed]] (LeMans race car), [[Reverb (Cybertron)|Reverb]] (pickup truck)}}
{{Bp-d1|'''[[Giant Planet Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Deepdive (Cybertron)|Deepdive]] (submarine), [[Longarm (Cybertron)|Longarm]] (double-crane truck), [[Overcast (Cybertron)|Overcast]] (military cargo plane)}}
|
[[File:Cyb-toy SixSpeed Kabaya.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Kabaya Six-Speed]]
</ul>
|}

===''Classics''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''3-packs'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|'''[[Demolition Team]]''': [[Broadside (Classics)|Broadside]], [[Sledge (Classics)|Sledge]], [[Wideload (Classics)|Wideload]]}}
{{Bp-a1|'''[[Dinobot (Classics)|Dinobots]]''': [[Knockdown (Classics)|Knockdown]], [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], [[Terrorsaur (Classics)|Terrorsaur]]}}
{{Bp-a1|'''[[Night Rescue Team]]''': [[Divebomb (Classics)|Divebomb]], [[Firebot (Classics)|Firebot]], [[Strongarm (Classics)|Strongarm]]}}
{{Bp-a1|'''[[Clear Skies Team]]''': [[Nightscream (Classics)|Nightscream]], [[Steel Wind]], [[Thunderwing (Classics)|Thunderwing]]}}
{{Bp-d1|'''[[Dirt Digger Team]]''': [[Dirt Rocket (Classics)|Dirt Rocket]], [[Grindor (Classics)|Grindor]], [[Oil Slick (Classics)|Oil Slick]]}}
{{Bp-d1|'''[[Predator Attack Team]]''': [[Dreadwing (Classics)|Dreadwing]], [[Overbite (Classics)|Overbite]], [[Snarl (Classics)|Snarl]]}}
|[[File:TFC Clear Sky.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Clear Skies Team]]
</ul>
|}
{{-}}

===''Star Wars Transformers''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Cons'''
<ul class="iconlist">
*[[TIE Fighter]]s (partner: [[Darth Vader]])
|[[File:SWTIE Fighter.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|TIE Fighters]]
</ul>
|}
{{-}}

===''Universe'' (2008)===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]] (partner: [[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys#Universe .282008.29|Hot Shot]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Nightstick (G1)|Nightstick]] (partner: [[Cyclonus (G1)/toys|Cyclonus]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Drill Bit (Universe)|Drill Bit]] (partner: [[Heavy Load (Universe)|Heavy Load]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Blight (Universe)#SingleCard|Blight]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Bodyblock (Universe)#SingleCard|Bodyblock]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Boltflash#SingleCard|Boltflash]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Brimstone (Universe)#Single|Brimstone]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Makeshift (Universe)#SingleCard|Makeshift]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Suppressor (Universe)#SingleCard|Suppressor]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Blockrock]]}}
|
[[File:TFU08-toy Knockdown.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Knockdown]]
</ul>
|}
{{note|Nightstick, despite being a [[Nebulan]] [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]], is oddly identified as a Mini-Con on the "Battle in Space" packaging.}}
{{-}}

===''Power Core Combiners''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Airlift (PCC)|Airlift]] (partner: [[Skyhammer (PCC)|Skyhammer]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Backwind]] (partner: [[Searchlight (PCC)|Searchlight]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Caliburst (PCC)|Caliburst]] (partner: [[Huffer (PCC)|Huffer]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Chainclaw (PCC)|Chainclaw]] (partner: [[Icepick (PCC)|Icepick]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Chopster]] (partner: [[Smolder (PCC)|Smolder]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Groundspike]] (partner: [[Heavytread (PCC)|Heavytread]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Pinpoint]] (partner: [[Leadfoot (PCC)|Leadfoot]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Throttler]] (partner: [[Sledge (PCC)|Sledge]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Waterlog (PCC)|Waterlog]] (partner: [[Undertow (PCC)|Undertow]])}}
|
[[File:PCC-toy Chopster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Chopster (with Smolder)]]
</ul>
|}
{{-}}

===''Prime''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Mini-Cons'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] (Partner: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ravage (WFC)|Ravage]] (Partner: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]])}}
|[[File:Primetoy-HasbroTakaraTomy-Laserbeaks.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Laserbeak with Soundwave]]
</ul>
|}
{{note|Neither Laserbeak or Ravage were branded as Mini-Cons on-package, with Ravage instead being referred to as a "mini-figure".}}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Arms Microns'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Arc]] (Partner: [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Arcee Blade]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[B.B. (Prime)|B.B.]] (Partner: [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Baro (Prime)|Baro]] (Partner: [[Skywarp (WFC)|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[B.H.]] (Partner: [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Bido (Prime)|Bido]] (Partner: [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Bogu]] (Partner: [[Unicron]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Bulkhead Knuckle]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Bumblebee Sword]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[C.L. (Prime)|C.L.]] (Partner: [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Dado (Prime)|Dado]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Dago]] (Partner: [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]] and [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Dobo]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Giza (Prime)|Giza]] (Partner: [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|Nemesis Prime]])}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Gobu]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Gora]] (Partner: [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Guru]] (Partner: [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Hades]] (Partner: [[Megatron (WFC)|Darkness Megatron]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ida]] (Partner: [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Igu]] (Partner: [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Iro]] (Partner: [[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Jaze (Prime)|Jaze]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Jida]] (Partner: [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Jigu]] (Partner: [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Moon (BW)|L.P.]] (Partner: [[Lio Convoy (BW)|Leo Prime]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Magi]] (Partner: [[Silas|Silas Breakdown]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Megatron Cannon]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Noji]] (Partner: [[Vehicon (Prime)|Jet Vehicon]])}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[O.P.]] (Partner: [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Optimus Prime Blaster]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ozu (Prime)|Ozu]] (Partner: [[Wildrider (Prime)|Wildrider]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Pral]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[R.A.]] (Partner: [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Ratchet Spanner]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[S.S.]] (Partner: [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Sise]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Sou]] (Partner: [[Swerve (Prime)|Swerve]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Ulma]] (Partner: [[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Wheeljack Kunai]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Wuji]] (Partner: [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Zado]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Zori (Prime)|Zori]] (Partner: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]])}}
|[[File:Prime-toy OP.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|O.P.]]
</ul>
|}
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''3-pack team molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Mini-Con Assault Team]]''': [[Heavytread (Generations)|Heavytread]], [[Runway (Generations)|Runway]], [[Windshear]]}}
|[[File:Generationstoy-TakaraTomy-Centuritron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Centuritron and the Mini-Con Assault Team]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Cons'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)#Generations|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Jetstorm (Armada)#Generations|Jetstorm]], [[Runway (Armada)#Generations|Runway]], [[Sonar (Armada)#Generations|Sonar]] (partner: [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)#Generations|Nemesis Prime]])}}
</ul>
|}
{{-}}

===''Robots in Disguise'' (2015)===
{{stub|All the new Minicon toys, plus partners/enemies must be included}}
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Individual Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Aerobolt]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Bashbreaker (RID)|Bashbreaker]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Beastbox (RID)|Beastbox]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Back|Decepticon Back]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Anvil (RID)|Decepticon Anvil]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Bludgeon (RID 2015)|Decepticon Bludgeon]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Divebomb (RID)|Divebomb]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Dragonus]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Glacius]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Lancelon (RID)|Lancelon]]}}
|
|width="40%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Major Mayhem]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ransack (RID Mini-Con)|Ransack]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ratbat (WFC)|Ratbat]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Sandsting]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Sawback]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Sawtooth (RID)|Sawtooth]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Slipstream (RID)|Slipstream]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Tricerashot (RID)|Tricerashot]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Velocirazor]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Windstrike (RID)|Windstrike]]}}
|
[[File:Slipstream RID 2015 toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Slipstream]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Cons'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] (Partner: [[Drift (RID)|Drift]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Airazor (RID)|Airazor]] (Partner: [[Fracture (RID)|Fracture]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Hammer (RID)|Decepticon Hammer]] (Partner: [[Crazybolt (RID)|Crazybolt]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Backtrack (RID)|Backtrack]] (Partner: [[Overload (RID)|Overload]])}}
|[[File:RID15-toy Backtrack.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Overload's partner Backtrack]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Other'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]] (One Step Changer)}}
{{Bp-a1|Fixit (Legion Class)}}
|[[File:2015 RID One-Step Fixit.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|One-Step Fixit]]
</ul>
|}

===''Legacy''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Jolt (Armada)#Legacy|Jolt]] (partner: [[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys#LegacyPowerlinx|Powerlinx Hot Shot]])}}
|
</ul>
|}

===''Age of the Primes''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Rook (Armada)#Age of the Primes|Rook]] and [[Crosswise (Armada)#Age of the Primes|Crosswise]] (partner: [[Sideways (Armada)#AOTPArmada|Sideways]])}}
{{Bp-a1|'''[[Space Mini-Con Team#Age of the Primes|Space Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Astroscope#Age of the Primes|Astroscope]], [[Payload (Armada)#Age of the Primes|Payload]], [[Sky Blast (Armada)#Age of the Primes|Sky Blast]] (partner: [[Jetfire (Armada)#Age of the Primes|Jetfire]])}}
|
</ul>
|}

==Merchandise==
===''Attacktix''===
[[File:AttacktixMiniConS1.jpg||thumb|Goooood.]]
*'''Mini-Con''' (Booster, 2006)

{{attacktix
|ID=TF01
|faction=Autobot
|class=Trooper
|special=Attackback - 4/26 (15%) success ratio
|cost=10
|speed=4
|attacktype=Shooter (small missile)
}}
{{-}}

: The first assortment of Transformers ''[[Attacktix]]'' figures included a "generic" Mini-Con, based on [[Skyboom (Energon)|Skyboom]]. Each Mini-Con figure has 3 points of articulation, including waist and shoulders; however, their shoulders move together due to their gun. One of the shortest, most squat ''Attacktix'' figures, the Mini-Con is very stable despite its small base.

:Its Special Power, "Attackback", allows a free move and attack for any of your in-play Autobot pieces. Mini-Con is an excellent support figure for [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]], whose "Shootback" power allows up to three Mini-Cons to make a free attack.

{{-}}
[[File:AttackitxMiniConS2.jpg||thumb|Eeeevil.]]
*'''Minicon''' (Booster, 2007)

{{attacktix
|ID=TF03
|faction=Decepticon
|class=Trooper
|special=Attackback
|cost=10
|speed=4
|attacktype=Shooter (small missile)
}}
{{-}}

:An as-yet unreleased redeco of the ''Attacktix'' "Minicon" (''sic'') piece is set for the second series' Booster Packs, though this time as a Decepticon-aligned piece. It features a color scheme not on any incarnation of the actual [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]]/Skyboom toy, but wouldn't that be neat? The exact details of its Attackback special power are as yet unknown.

: This piece was later characterized as "[[Bunker-Buster]]" in the members-only portion of the [[Fun Publications]] [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] website.

{{canceledattacktix}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Why are they called Mini-Cons, with a "con" as in Decepticons? According to [[Aaron Archer]], the thought just didn't occur to Hasbro!<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Mini-Bot was too generic, for sure... I don't think we thought of it that deep! The way you just described it, I don't think we realized that maybe we should have considered that nomenclature?|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNgWvNmMJfE&t=1894s|name=Aaron Archer|site=The Toy Armada|year=2021|month=12|day=14}}</ref>
*During the ''[[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' line, the term "Mini-Con" was also the name of a [[size class]] which consisted of three-packs of small toys (which were also individually referred to as "Mini-Cons"). Other size classes from the ''Armada'' line were named "Super-Con", "Max-Con" and "Giga-Con". However, the name "Mini-Con" was the only one actually used in the corresponding fiction. In the toyline, it was ''also'' used for other small figures of the same size that were available as companion figures with the larger toys. Due to its use in fiction, the name was also carried over into subsequent lines such as ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'', and was used as (part of) the name of a price point again in the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' toyline, the "Mini-Con Class" consisting of two-packs. The later ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' toyline returned to the original three-pack style.
* Perceptor, the Star Saber, the Skyboom Shield and the Requiem Blaster were the earliest Mini-Con products developed, with a common combining play-pattern, before the decision was made to pack an individual Mini-Con in with each larger robot.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=The idea that they combined was an early idea, and I think they combined with almost those forms too! Takara had those in 2D concept when we were going over different things. Because we did the Requiem Blaster, the [Skyboom] Shield, Star Saber and Perceptor here—we did all those at the same time. We wanted to turn three of the Mini-Cons into a combining robot, and then that could be another type of protector for the kids as well.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow2iKv7DrL4&t=2217s|name=Aaron Archer|site=The Toy Armada|year=2022|month=10|day=25}}</ref> These toys ended up being split across the first three waves of the line.
* There have been a number of characters or toys that either have Powerlinx "catcher" ports but are not Mini-Cons, or are recolored from Mini-Con molds (often even having the molded-in faction symbol) but who are nonetheless, according to their associated bios or fiction, not actually Mini-Cons. These include ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' [[Caliburn (Universe)|Caliburn]]; ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' [[Laserbeak (Cybertron)|Laserbeak]]; the [[Search and Destroy Robot]]; and the ''[[Transformers United EX|United EX]]'' [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]] partners [[Spanner (United)|Spanner]], [[Firebug (United)|Firebug]], [[Groundbreak (United)|Groundbreak]], [[Deduce (United)|Deduce]], [[Wheezel (United)|Wheezel]], and [[Rotorbolt (United)|Rotorbolt]].
**Conversely, the ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (franchise)|Rescue Bots]]'' [[Transformers: Rescue Bots (toyline)|toyline]] credits [[Servo (RB)|Servo]] as a Mini-Con, while in the actual television show he's merely referred to as a "Cybertronian Helper Bot".
*Hasbro and Takara's design departments originally conceived the [[Omnicon]]s and [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] as being "evolved" forms of the ''Armada'' Mini-Cons. Takara's marketing department, the only people directly talking to [[We've]], completely ignored this, so the [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon]] established an entirely different backstory for the group.<ref name="ichikawa">{{citesocial|link=http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/43847f79db724831|name=Hirofumi Ichikawa|site=alt.toys.transformers|quote=One of the most useful pieces of background info was that the Omnicons and Terrorcons were evolved Mini-Cons. At that point, which was just before SUPER LINK started airing, I had a discussion with We've in which I asked them, "Would it be okay if I drew several Mini-Cons in the final episode of 'Linkage' in their evolved state as Omnicons or Terrorcons?" Surprisingly, though, they knew nothing about this background info and had already created their own explanation for the origin for the Omnicons. Apparently, in the meetings between the anime production staff and Takara, the only people attending from Takara were from the Marketing Department, so none of the ideas or requests from the Development Deparment people were conveyed.|year=2004|month=11|day=20}}</ref> A vestige of this idea ''may'' have persisted into [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: Energon (comic)|Energon]]'' comic, which depicts the Omnicons inhabiting the former Mini-Con villages, and features a scene in which the Mini-Con [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] describes them as the product of an artificially-induced "evolutionary step". However, the comic never explicitly confirms that they ''are'' evolved Mini-Cons, so draw your own conclusions. Fun Publications would later canonise the idea for the pack-in comics continuity with [[Armada Volume 5|''Armada'' Volume 5]].
* A proposed episode of ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'''s [[Transformers Animated season 4|unproduced fourth season]] would've focused on the Mini-Cons, who nominally ran Trypticon Prison, running amok in [[Detroit]] after Megatron teleported the prison complex to [[Earth]]. Another episode, conceived as a broad spoof of ''{{w|Gulliver's Travels}}'', would've seen [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] transported to a planet of Mini-Cons that worshipped him as a god.
* In ''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]'', many Mini-Cons were reinterpreted as [[Micromaster]]s and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]], probably in reference to how the line between the concepts has blurred substantially over the years. This happened exclusively to those with vehicle modes, any Mini-Con [[Beast mode|beastformers]] were instead [[Maximal]]s or [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] in this continuity.
* In recent years, the practice of Mini-Con partners included with mainline figures has generally been phased out. Potentially, this is due to designers not wanting to compromise on the [[articulation]]/detail of the primary figure included.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Micron''' (マイクロン ''Maikuron''), '''Mini-Con''' (ミニコン ''Minikon'')
*''Dutch:'' '''Miniteam'''
*''French:'' '''Minican''' (France, cartoon dub), '''Minimodus''' (Canada and France, toys)
*''Korean:'' '''Micron''' (마이크론 ''Maikeuron'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mínǐ Jīn'gāng''' (迷你金刚, "Mini Vajra")
*''Spanish:'' '''Minimodus'''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

[[Category:Animated subgroups]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Attacktix]]
[[Category:Beast Wars species]]
[[Category:Classics species]]
[[Category:Components of Unicron]]
[[Category:Cybertron species]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Factions]]
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Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

2026-04-19T05:38:24Z

1levichurch: /* Transformers references */

{{Nav-dotm}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)
|next=Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)
|title=''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''
|image=DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
|caption="Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."
|production companies=[[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Films]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|written by=[[Ehren Kruger]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Amir Mokri]]
|edited by=[[Roger Barton]] [[William Goldenberg]] [[Joel Negron]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 29]], [[2011]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=154 minutes
|budget=$195 million
|box office=$1.124 billion
}}
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

Three years after [[Operation: Firestorm]] and the defeat of [[The Fallen]], the Autobots continue to work for NEST, but no longer in secret, and for the goal of keeping peace between humans by taking out volatile overseas political targets. But after discovering a strange artifact during a mission in Chernobyl, it becomes apparent to Optimus Prime that the United States government has been less than forthright with them.

And SCENE!

{{bigquote|Aw, shit, I seen this one. It's the one where [[Spock]] goes nuts.|Wheelie|''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''}}

==Synopsis==
[[File:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

In the distant past, during the later days of the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] civil war, [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] attempted to leave the planet with groundbreaking technology on board the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]''. However, his ship was shot down by the Decepticons and, after being sent hurling through space for a while, eventually crashed on the [[Earth]]'s [[Moon (moon)|moon]] in 1961. The crash is noticed by the humans on Earth, leading to the {{w|Space Race}} under President [[John F. Kennedy]]. Landing on the Moon as part of the [[Apollo 11]] mission in 1969, astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] use several minutes of [[radio]] silence to investigate the spaceship and discover that Mankind is not alone in space.

[[File:DOTM - ShockwaveDriller.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"When I swing around, I mean to deprive you of your life."]]
In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in its local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the {{w|Chernobyl disaster}}. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his "pet", the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the {{w|Director of National Intelligence}}, about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with Ratchet, Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

Meanwhile, [[Sam Witwicky]], the Autobots' human friend, is suffering from everyday problems. Even though President [[Barack Obama]] has awarded him a medal for saving the Earth twice, Sam has trouble finding a job. Together with his new girlfriend [[Carly Spencer]], whom he had met in the [[White House]] (after his former girlfriend [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] had left him), he also gives the stranded Autobots [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] and [[Brains]] a home. After a long search, he finally finds a position as a mail carrier at a telecommunication company named [[Accuretta Systems]]. From his colleague, [[Jerry Wang]], he learns about a conspiracy by humans who collaborate with the Decepticons. Before Jerry can tell Sam more, however, he is killed by Laserbeak.

[[File:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Upon arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime betrays them, revealing that he made a deal with Megatron to ensure Cybertron's survival. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and most of the NEST soldiers, Sentinel claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows dozens of Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[File:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]], my old friend, do you know the [[Klingon]] proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

In the meantime, Sam is worried about Carly and searches for her. He finds her with her employer, [[Dylan Gould]], who reveals to Sam that he not only arranged for Sam to get a job with Accuretta, but is also a collaborator with the Decepticons. At their request, his father had used his influence to ensure that [[NASA]] would not conduct any more missions to the Moon. When Sam and Carly attempt to flee, they discover Carly's car is a disguise for Soundwave, who takes her captive. Dylan instructs Sam to ask Optimus about the Autobots' strategy, otherwise Carly will die. To ensure that Sam will not try to warn the Autobots, he attaches a Decepticon disguised as a [[Watch-bot|watch]] on Sam's wrist, and it taps into his nervous system.

Meanwhile, Sentinel Prime has given Mankind an ultimatum to exile the Autobots from Earth, since he is supposedly only trying to save Cybertron. The US government promptly passes a bill to this effect. Before the Autobots leave Earth aboard their spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', Sam asks Optimus about his plan. Optimus replies that there is no plan, and Mankind is on its own now. With all Autobots on board, the ''Xantium'' takes off, but is promptly intercepted and destroyed by Starscream, who was waiting in Earth's orbit. With the ''Xantium'' destroyed, the Decepticons believe the Autobots to be dead and let Sam go.

[[File:DarkoftheMoon-Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|left|"Let them eat static. "]]
Dylan takes Carly to [[Chicago]], informing her that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport the planet into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet. With the Autobots seemingly out of the way, the Decepticons arrive and lay waste to the city and its population before setting up the control pillar for the space bridge and sending the other pillars around the world.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, accompanied by [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, and other former NEST members. They are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[File:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

The Autobots and human soldiers make their way to the skyscraper where Dylan is located in order to destroy the space bridge's control pillar. Sam and Bumblebee rescue Carly, killing Laserbeak in the process, during which they find a damaged UAV and alert the military to the Decepticons' plans. Due to another attack by a team of Decepticons led by Shockwave, they are separated once more. While the Autobots battle the Decepticons, Epps and his team try to destroy the pillar from another skyscraper. However, they are attacked by Shockwave and the Driller, who brings the skyscraper crashing down. Optimus comes to their aid and destroys the Driller, but is shot by Shockwave and becomes trapped in crane cables.

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and Sam destroys Starscream with Lennox's help using weapons provided to him by the Autobot scientist Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have taken several Autobot prisoners, but Dylan convinces them to execute them on the spot. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] kills Que, and Soundwave moves to take Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee to overpower and kill him, freeing the other Autobots. Most of the remaining Decepticons are slaughtered by the Autobots and human soldiers. Optimus kills Shockwave and uses the Decepticon's arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[File:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

Optimus Prime then confronts Sentinel Prime and the two engage in a ferocious battle of Student vs Master, but Optimus can't get past Sentinel's shield. Not wanting to take any chances, Sentinel calls in an airstrike, which is soon destroyed by long-range missiles. With Optimus reinforced by the other Autobots and humans, Sentinel tries to make a run for it only for Optimus to knock him off his wheels on a bridge. Meanwhile, Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between him and Sentinel, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel is alive.

Sentinel gains the upper hand over Optimus and severs his right arm, but before he can execute his former pupil, an infuriated Megatron attacks and severely damages him, declaring that Earth is ''his'' planet to rule. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam and hurled against the pillar, which kills him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Seeing this, Megatron half-heartedly offers Optimus Prime a truce on the condition that he will remain in charge of the Decepticons, questioning what Optimus would be without him. Realizing that the offer is less than sincere, Optimus refuses and attacks Megatron, decapitating him with an axe. The weakened Sentinel Prime tries to excuse his actions, but Optimus executes the treacherous Prime with Megatron's shotgun.

[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

With the battle over, Sam and Carly are reunited, and Simmons takes an opportunity to kiss Mearing, who he still has feelings for, and she has him arrested. With their home planet now forever beyond reach, and the forces of the Decepticons destroyed, the remaining Autobots finally accept Earth as their new home, as Optimus Prime states that the Autobots will always be here, to protect the Earth and all who live on it.

[['Til all are one|'Til all are]] [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|one?]]
{{--}}

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Dino]] ([[Francesco Quinn]])<ref group=note name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref>
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]] ([[George Coe]])<ref group=note name="credits"/>
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])

'''[[Twins (ROTF)|Twins]]'''
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film.</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap/>

'''[[Wreckers]]'''
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] ([[Ron Bottitta]])<ref group=note>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref>
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]] ([[John DiMaggio]])<ref group=note>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Driller]]
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (''Frank Welker'')<ref group=note>Barricade doesn't ''technically'' speak in the movie, an editing gaffe as he kicks Que around before executing him sees Soundwave's voice (provided by Frank Welker) coming out of his mouth for the scene.</ref>
*[[Loader]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Hatchling]]s
*[[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*Two [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]s
*[[Garagebot]]
*[[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*[[Protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref group=note>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''</ref>
*[[Pickup Decepticon]]
*[[Police car Decepticon]]

'''[[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]]'''
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon

'''[[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]]'''
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] (''[[Jimmie Wood]]'')<ref group=note>During the highway battle scene where Crowbar flips over a sign, recycled screams and grunts from Jimmie Wood's [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] performance in ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' can be heard.</ref>
*[[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]]

|h3=[[Human]]s|c3=
*[[Sam Witwicky]] ([[Shia LaBeouf]])
*[[Carly Spencer]] ([[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] ([[John Turturro]])
*[[Charlotte Mearing]] ([[Frances McDormand]])
*[[Dylan Gould]] ([[Patrick Dempsey]])
*[[Bruce Brazos]] ([[John Malkovich]])
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] ([[Alan Tudyk]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Judy Witwicky]] ([[Julie White]])
*[[Jerry Wang]] ([[Ken Jeong]])
*[[Neil Armstrong]] ([[Don Jeanes]])
*[[Buzz Aldrin]] ([[Cory Tucker]]/himself)
*[[Walter Cronkite]]
*[[Bill O'Reilly]] (himself)
*[[Alexi Voskhod]] ([[Ravil Isyanov]])
'''[[United States Army|US Military]]/[[NEST]]'''
*[[William Lennox]] ([[Josh Duhamel]])
*[[Morshower]] ([[Glenn Morshower]])
*[[Baby Face]] ([[Markiss McFadden]])
*Former members
**[[Robert Epps]] ([[Tyrese Gibson]])
**[[Hardcore Eddie]] ([[Lester Speight]])

|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group=note/>

==Quotes==

"We were once a peaceful race of intelligent, mechanical beings. But then came the war, between the Autobots who fought for freedom and the Decepticons who dreampt of tyranny. Overmatched and outnumbered, our defeat was all but certain. But in the war's final days, one Autobot ship escaped the battle. It was carrying a secret cargo, which would have changed our planet's fate. A despearate mission. Our final hope. A hope that vanished."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' opening narration.

'''Mission Control''': We are not alone after all, are we? 
'''Buzz Aldrin''': No, sir. We are not alone.
:—'''Buzz Aldrin''' makes history, and raises the hackles of conspiracy theorists.

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "We've seen that and this is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide taps Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—'''Ironhide''' discusses '''Optimus Prime's''' foul mood.

"Who wants some chicken dinner now, bitch? Huh? 'Cause somebody messed with the wrong Wang today!"
:—'''Jerry Wang''', being crazy. But also awesome.

"My poor, poor master, how it pains me to see you, so wounded... so weak..."
:—'''Starscream''' jeering at a wounded Megatron

"The thing about Russians is, they never like to talk. Gonna take a little of the 'international language.'" <Doorman opens sliding hatch> "''Do svidaniya''." 
"That means 'goodbye!'" <closes hatch>
:—'''Simmons''' tries to reason with a '''Russian''', to no avail.

"It's a Cyrillic alphabet; it's like all the buttons you never push on a calculator!"
:—'''Dutch''' tries to translate Russian, also to no avail.

"Woah! Little Mexican standoff we got here!"
:—'''Sideswipe''', talking to Ironhide and the Dreads.

"Class dismissed."
:—'''Ironhide''', after dispatching the Dreads.

"What you must realize, my Autobot brothers, is that we were never going to win the war. For the sake of our planet's survival, a deal had to be made...with ''Megatron''."
:—'''Sentinel Prime''' reveals his treachery.

[[File:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he]]'s [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]] 
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliché on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

"If you go in this building, that's if she's even still alive, there's no way you're going to reach her!" 
"What do you suggest I do?!" 
"...it's over. I'm sorry, but it's over."
:—'''Robert Epps''' tells '''Sam Witwicky''' that they've run out of plans.

"We will kill them all."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' offers an alternative plan.

"They got my trailer. I ''need'' that flight tech!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''', valiantly [[To sell toys|selling toys]].

"I bring you Cybertron, your home—and still you choose humanity." 
"You are the one who taught me [[Bio|freedom is everyone's right]]."
:—'''Sentinel''' VS '''Optimus Prime'''.

"Your Decepticons are finally conquering this planet, and yet their leader won't be you." 
"IT WILL BE ME! It will ''always'' be me! 
"In any minute now, you'll be nothing but Sentinel's bitch."
:—'''Carly Spencer''' tells '''Megatron''' that if he's going to be the Starscream, he should ''act'' like it.

"Who would you be without me, Prime?" 
"Time to find out."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime''' exchange pre-fight banter one last time.

"Optimus. All I ever wanted...was the survival of our race. You must see why I had to betray you..." 
"You didn't betray me. You betrayed yourself..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s final exchange with '''Sentinel Prime''' before effectively ''double-tapping'' him.

"In any war, there are calms between storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come that we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' closing narration, [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|which predicts what will]] [[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|happen to them years later]].

==Continuity notes==
*Sam has since graduated from college, being three months out of school, and is currently looking for a job. Since the events of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Sam and Mikaela had broke up (despite having to spend an entire film of Sam needing to say the L-word). Prior to the events of this film, he started a relationship with Carly Spencer.
*Megatron's camp is full of salvaged artifacts from the previous film, along with several Decepticon corpses laying around the area. While most are unrecognizable, one of them is a headless Long Haul; his head was presumably used to create Igor. Megatron's new right hand appears to be salvaged from a fallen Decepticon, as the matching left hand can be seen laying around the campsite.
*The Wreckers, according to Charlotte Mearing arrived on Earth aboard the ''Xantium'' and brought the second wave of Autobots with them. The Wreckers were not seen in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', which is given an in-universe explanation that their bloodthirsty attitudes mean they are usually confined to base.
*Barricade makes a surprising return during the final battle in Chicago, last seen driving alongside Bonecrusher on the highway before the latter engaged the Autobot Leader in the first film.
*Megatron is still critically wounded after the final battle of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', notably still missing half of his head.
*Optimus Prime's main moral compass that "freedom is the right of all sentient beings", is revealed to have been taught to him by his predecessor and mentor, Sentinel Prime.
*Introduced in the second film, Optimus uses The Matrix of Leadership to revive Sentinel Prime, having retrieved it from the remains of the Star Harvester sometime following the climax of the second film. In the same previous film, Megatron had suspected the Matrix could be used to revive Optimus and was proven right when Sam succeeded, a fact Megatron exploits in his master plan enacted this film.
*Sentinel Prime was first mentioned in the previous film, by Sam Witwicky during one of his many Allspark induced exposition dump.
*In the previous film, [[Theodore Galloway]] asked Optimus that if humanity asked the Autobots to leave whether they'd cooperate, and Optimus promised to do so. This film sees them seemingly comply with such demands, only to reveal themselves to have stayed behind anyway to defeat the Decepticons.
*Ironhide no longer has his cannons, having lost them in the final battle of the previous film.

==Errors==
===Filming, animation and technical errors===
*When Sam is holding Brains in his hand after catching him spying on him and Carly, there is a short shot in which Sam is briefly seen in the background, holding nothing in hand, Brains is missing. In the next shot, Brains is back in the hand.
*After killing Ironhide, while Sentinel Prime is storming the NEST base, Sentinel Prime, Ironhide and most likely Bumblebee are all missing in a short shot in which we see two cars projected by an explosion, supposed to be a result of one of Sentinel's gun shots.
*Ironhide in alt-form appears in a short shot among the Autobots in Chicago, riding ahead of Optimus, at 01:43:21-01:43:22, but after that he disappears completely.
*Bits of Megatron's right shoulder clip through each other in the shot where he's demanding a truce.

===Astronomical and historical errors===
*The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
*The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
*When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
*In real life, Apollo 11 did not land on the far side of the Moon. Tranquility Base is on the near side of the Moon.
*One of the directors of NASA says that all six Apollo missions recovered parts of the Ark but this not possible as the six missions all had different landing sites which were all a significant distance apart.
*Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere"; at that size, it would be more like bringing ''Earth'' into ''Cybertron's'' atmosphere, but see below for the problem with that.
*The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
*The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of {{w|Pripyat}}, and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
*Furthermore, Pripyat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Pripyat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
*Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
*When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
*{{w|Mount Kilimanjaro}} is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[File:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
*In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
*Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
*NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
*Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
*When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the {{w|China Central Television Headquarters}} in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
*Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
*Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
[[Image:DOTM-SoundwaveMercedesStar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Is this the reverse of hidden faction insignias in vehicle mode?]]
*Soundwave has [[kibble]] from his [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]] alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes star is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward. This is most likely a deliberate choice made to avoid spoiling the plot twist.
*After Megatron pulls out his shotgun for the first time, he holsters it on the right side of his back. In the next scene it is on his left side.
*In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Crowbar smashes into some traffic signs and knocks them over. In the next shot when the other two Dreads use them as ramps, the angle at which the signs fell has changed. After Hatchet and Crankcase transform, the signs revert into their original position.
*Also in the highway battle, Bumblebee enhances only his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next shot he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
*When Hatchet is killed by Bumblebee and Dino, the last shot shows him being thrown onto a car (using footage recycled from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''{{w|The Island (2005 film)|The Island}}'', as elaborated on below), with Dino's grappling hook cables still attached to Hatchet, which would imply that Dino is still in robot mode at this point. However, the very next shot shows Dino in the far background, driving behind Bumblebee in vehicle mode.
*Immediately after crashing into Ironhide, two of Crowbar's hair strands fall to the ground, but he has all six strands from the next shot onwards.
*During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
*In addition, the spear impaled in Ironhide disappears when he shoots Crowbar, only to reappear in subsequent shots.
*Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes (but still wearing high heels!) after arriving at Dylan's place, and has yet another outfit following the attack on Chicago the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
*When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
*The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
*Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
*Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
*As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
*Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
*The sequence beginning with Sam, Carly, Epps and the rest of the soldiers jumping out of the windows of the tilted skyscraper is one giant continuity headache: First they jump out of the windows, then slide down several stories, then the camera angle changes and they're sliding down several more stories, and ''then'' a wide shot shows the top of the skyscraper from an angle where the characters cannot be seen, then slowly pans around and eventually shows them all sliding down from one of the topmosts floors all over again! Eventually, they crash back into one of the lowest floors near the break. After the Driller has toppled the top portion of the skyscraper over, the group is ''again'' shown to escape from one one of the topmost floors to the neighboring building!
*Though it is Barricade who kicks and shoves Que along before executing him, the voice heard is Soundwave's. Presumably, this was an artifact of the early alternate version of the scene, in which Soundwave was to kill Dino, and they just re-used the audio.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
*When Sam and Dylan are fighting, the clock behind them changes to different times every shot. It starts at 00:40, then 02:25, 00:15 and 11:00 in the following shots.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*[[File:SkidsMudflap in Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Skids & Mudflap in Chicago]]Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film in their vehicle modes. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle. However footage filming in Chicago confirms were involved in the Battle of Chicago.<ref name="transformerslive.blogspot.com">[https://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/07/mpea-busway-set-pics-explosions-and.html]</ref>
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured. (Unless this observation was made ''before'' Bumblebee arrived after saving Sam and Lennox), possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script in where [[Dino]] and/or [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] were supposed to already be dead by this point.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for Dino during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film,<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref> as noted above possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Megatron's head wound alternates between "moderately repaired" and "extra mangled" from scene to scene after Sentinel tears another chunk of his scalp off.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
*New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime (disambiguation)|Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|predecessor]]'s [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|legacy]] of being a giant jerk.

*"Carly" was the name of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]'s [[Carly (G1)|girlfriend and eventual wife]] in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]].

*The ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' gets its name from the Autobots' crashed spaceship in the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''Transformers'' comics]].

*The ''[[Xantium (G1)|Xantium]]'' is the name of the [[Wreckers]]' spaceship in the [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''Transformers'' comics.

*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] being members of the Wreckers recalls their original G1 counterparts being likewise part of the Wreckers.

*Optimus's new trailer is based on the trailer that [[Optimus Prime (G1)|his Generation 1 counterpart]] hauled around, including its ability to open up into a weapons base.

*Optimus now carries the Matrix around in his chest as he has in past incarnations.

*The corrosive end met by Ironhide comes at the hands of [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]], the oxidizing pathogen that first appeared in the Generation 1 cartoon episode [[Cosmic Rust (episode)|of the same name]]. Though not named in the film, its identity is made clear by production artwork by [[Josh Nizzi]] which labels Sentinel Prime's gun a "Cosmic Rust gun".

*Megatron removing [[Abraham Lincoln]] from his chair at the {{w|Lincoln Memorial}} and then sitting in it is a scene taken directly from the Generation 1 cartoon episode, "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]", and the Decepticon ending for ''[[Transformers The Game]]'' (sort of).

*The idea of bringing Cybertron to Earth via space bridge and enslaving humans was the plot of the Generation 1 multi-part episode "[[The Ultimate Doom]]".

*Likewise, the idea of an influential and powerful human joining forces with the Decepticons, resulting in the Autobots being exiled from Earth by the government via a spacecraft, only for that spacecraft to be destroyed, was the plot behind another Generation 1 cartoon multi-part episode, "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1|Megatron's Master Plan]]."

*Megatron's first line—a weary "[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All hail Megatron]]"—is the title of IDW's direction-changing comic maxi-series, which had just wrapped up when production on the film was beginning.

*When the worker at Accureta Systems is trying to make the [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|photocopier]] work, it beeps the "more than meets the eye" refrain from the original cartoon's [[theme song]].

*The [[Transformation#The noise|transformation noise]] can be heard at the end of the film when Bumblebee transforms to robot mode, the final onscreen transformation, just as it was heard during [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]'s transformation, which was also the first onscreen transformation in the first film.

*The technique of shooting at a skyscraper until it breaks in half and the top falls horizontally on other buildings has been done by [[Megatron (BW)|another Megatron]] in [[Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|another city]].

*Sentinel Prime was designed to have a similar body type as Optimus Prime and he converts into a fire truck as a reference to [[Optimus Prime (RID)|previous]] [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|versions]] [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|of]] Optimus who were fire trucks.

==Real-world references==
*When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''{{w|Star Trek: The Original Series}}'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is the famous ''TOS'' episode "{{w|Amok Time}}", although for some inexplicable reason, the first of the two clips shown on-screen is mirrored.
*Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''{{w|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan}}'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.
*To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to {{w|Dutch India}}.
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to {{w|Q (James Bond)|Q}} from ''{{w|James Bond}}'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.
*When Bumblebee is being dragged around by Soundwave to be executed, he plays a clip of Matt Damon saying "Get off me!" from ''Saving Private Ryan.''
*When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the {{w|Wedding March}} (or, more correctly, the {{w|Bridal Chorus}} from {{w|Richard Wagner}}'s 1850 opera ''{{w|Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin}}'').
*Before Sentinel gets attacked by Megatron, he says "There can only be one", a popular misquote of the line "There can be only one" from the film Highlander. Sentinel is also modeled after one of the film's lead stars Sean Connery.

==Other editions==
*The version of the film available for streaming on Star+ removes all scenes that include humans being killed by Decepticon laser fire, significantly cutting down the initial invasion of Chicago.
{{stub}}
{{--}}

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
A five-issue limited mini-series chronicling the foundation of [[Sector Seven|Sector 7]] leading up to ''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set during the events of ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]'' telling the events that lead-up to the original ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set after ''[[Transformers: Nefarious|Nefarious]]'' cronicling Shockwave's arrival and the task given to him by Megatron.
*''[[Cyberglyphics pack-in comics]]''
A six-issue miniseries by IDW, produced in cooperation with [[Target]], available only in printed form as [[pack-in material]] with a small Target-[[exclusive]] [[Target#Dark of the Moon|range of toys]], following [[Space Case (DOTM)|Space Case]]'s encounters with the Autobots and the Decepticons and leads up to ''Rising Storm''.
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
A four-part prose story exclusive to the individual issues of IDW Publishing's ''Dark of the Moon comic adaptation'', chronicles both the Simmons lineage in the aftermath of ''Sector 7'' and Soundwave's activites on Earth, tying the remaining loose ends and setting the stage for ''Dark of the Moon''.
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
A video game developed by [[High Moon Studios]] for [[Xbox 360]] & [[PlayStation|PS3]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
A [[Wii]] & [[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]] port of the game developed by [[Behaviour Interactive]] focusing only on [[Stealth Force]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
A [[Nintendo DS]] port of the game also developed by Behaviour Interactive, with each factions separated in two titles.
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
A monthly title by Titan in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (another rebranding of their existing comic).
*''[[Transformers Classified]]''
A prequel novel trilogy in the same vein as ''Ghosts of Yesterday'' and ''[[Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The veiled Threat]]'' that was published after the movie, composed by ''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears]]'', ''[[Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain]]'' & ''[[Transformers Classified: Satellite of Doom|Satellite of Doom]]'', later published together as ''[[Transformers Classified: The Complete Mission]]'' it cronicles how the Autobots & Decepticons fight against each other on Earth in the aftermath of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|The Fallen's death]].

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''
The novelization of the film by [[Peter David]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
IDW Publishing's comic adaptation of the movie.

'''Children's adaptations'''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''
The movie novelization for kids.

==Sequels==
{{main|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Bumblebee (film)}}

==Soundtrack==
{{main|Dark of the Moon: The Album}}

==Score==
{{main|Dark of the Moon: The Score}}

==Home video releases==
{{main|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)/home video}}
''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was released on DVD, Blu-Ray, and Digital Download on September 30, 2011, followed by the 2-Disc Special Edition in December.<ref>[TFW2005 - Official Transformers Movie Website Updated With Transformers 3 Home Release Info http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/official-transformers-movie-website-updated-with-transformers-3-home-release-info-173245/]</ref>

===Additional Information===
*Close Captions in English
*Audio Description as Audio Description in English <ref>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005G4TJUC/audiodescriin-20</ref>

==Theatrical posters==
<center>
<gallery perrow="3">
DOTM-OPbillboardposter.jpg
DOTM-Bumblebeebanner.jpg
DOTM-Shockwavebanner.jpg
DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
</gallery>
</center>

==Reception==
{{quote|Time will tell whether Transformers: Dark of the Moon really is the final Transformers film for both director Michael Bay and star Shia LaBeouf, but it's certainly the best one in this hugely successful, but widely loathed franchise.|[https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/27/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-review They've Fallen, but can the Transformers get up?], Jim Vejvoda|[https://www.ign.com ign.com] [[June 27]] [[2011]]}}

{{quote|Rarely has a movie had less of a soul and less interesting characters.|Richard Roeper, [http://www.richardroeper.com/reviews/transformersdarkofthemoon.aspx richardroeper.com] [[June 28]], [[2011]]}}

On June 23, 2011, the world premiere of ''Dark of the Moon'' was held in [[Moscow]], [[Russia]], with band [[Linkin Park]] performing a concert that included their title song for the movie, "Iridescent".

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''{{w|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2}}''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX in the US.

The film received a generally mixed critical reception, who praised the visual effects, action sequences, musical score, voice acting, and use of 3D, while criticizing the runtime, storyline, the performances of [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]], and screenplay. ''Dark of the Moon'' was considered at least an improvement from ''Revenge of the Fallen'', receiving a tomatometer score of 35% and an audience score of 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>https://rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon</ref>

''Dark of the Moon'' launched with nearly 10,000 copies in 4011 theaters nationwide. On its opening day, the movie earned $37.3 million, making not only for the best opening day of 2011 up to that point, but also ranking as the sixth most successful opening on a Wednesday ever, while at the same time ranking well behind ''Revenge of the Fallen'', with $60 million on its opening day (also a Wednesday).<ref name="openingday">[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3197&p=.htm "'Transformers' Suboptimal on Wednesday"], Box Office Mojo, June 2011.</ref> (Of course, a lot of the print material still listed the release date as [[July 1]]st, the following Friday.)

On [[August 2]], it crossed the $1 billion mark in worldwide gross, just under 5 weeks after its release, landing it in the #9 spot for worldwide gross of all time.<ref>http://www.deadline.com/2011/08/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-crosses-1-billion-worldwide-mark-for-paramount/ Deadline Hollywood</ref> Of that, $338 million came from the US. It is currently one of two Paramount pictures to have made the $1 billion mark, the other being [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|its sequel]]. (While ''Titanic'' also made over $1 billion worldwide, it was only a Paramount movie ''domestically'', where it made "only" $620 million.)

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #5 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

Upon its' release, the ''Transformers'' fanbase generally had a warmer reception to the film over its' predecessor, with praise going to the action, score, and particularly [[Leonard Nimoy]]'s performance and role as [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. Several moments in the film caused no shortage of discussion, with Optimus Prime's more ruthless, violent actions ([[Peter Cullen]] himself disliked the "we will kill them all" line) and the handling of the deaths of major franchise characters being notable sore spots for the film's detractors. Over a decade since its' release, ''Dark of the Moon'' still retains the warmest reception to a Bay film outside of the first film, though those more ambivalent towards the series don't consider it that different from the lesser films.

===Awards and recognition===
''Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for three Academy Awards, in the categories of Best Visual Effects, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing, losing all to ''{{w|Hugo (film)|Hugo}}''.<ref>[http://oscar.go.com/nominees#t Official 2012 Oscar nominees page]</ref>

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight {{w|Golden Raspberry Award}}s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''{{w|Jack & Jill (2011 film)|Jack & Jill}}''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Technical details==
'''Length:''' 154 minutes
'''Audio:''' Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS 
'''Content Rating:'''
{{collist|4|
*PG-13 (USA/MPAA)
*G (Japan)
*12A (United Kingdom)
*PG (Canada; Ontario)
*G (Canada; Quebec)
*PG-12 (Taiwan)
*PG13 (Singapore)
*PG-13 (Philippines/MTRCB)
*IIA (China)
*PG-13 (Malaysia)
*M (Australia)
*M (New Zealand)
*12 (Brazil)
*K-11 (Finland)
*12 (Germany)
*12A (Ireland)
*12 (Netherlands)
*M/12 (Portugal)
*12 (South Korea)
*B (Mexico)
*12+ (Russia)}}

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

===Visual effects===
{{stub}}

===Locations department===
{{quote|The Decepticons' decision to attack Chicago<ref>http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-471495</ref> seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[File:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

[[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]], two of the previous two movies' screenwriters, had already announced in March 2009 that they would not return for a third part.<ref name="noorcikurtz">[http://www.slashfilm.com/orci-and-kurtzman-not-returning-for-transformers-3-will-leonard-nimoy-voice-the-fallen/ Slashfilm quoting Roberto Orci that he and Kurtzman would not return for a third movie], March 2009. (Original post on Don Murphy's message board appears to no longer exist.)</ref> In September 2009, their ''Revenge'' co-writer [[Ehren Kruger]] was confirmed as the screenwriter of ''Transformers 3''.<ref name="krugernelson">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/09/14/transformers-3-pain-gain-bad-boys-3/ Michael Bay's website admin Nelson Lauren sorta-confirms Ehren Kruger as TF3's screenwriter], September 2009.</ref> Kruger had already impressed both director Michael Bay and [[Hasbro]] CEO [[Brian Goldner]] with his knowledge of ''Transformers'' mythology prior to working on ''Revenge''.<ref name="writersr">[http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-transformers2writers,0,1938976.story Zap2it story about the ROTF writers]</ref>

In an interview with ''Wonderland'' magazine in September 2009, [[Megan Fox]], the main female star of the previous two movies, discussed the harsh conditions on the sets and compared director Michael Bay to [[Adolf Hitler]].<ref name="latimesfox">[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2009/09/megan-fox-on-michael-bay-he-wants-to-be-hitler.html Los Angeles Times article about Megan Fox's fatal interview with ''Wonderland'' magazine], September 2009.</ref> Bay initially played down the affair and still welcomed Fox back for the third installment a month later.<ref name="bay3-2011"/> Even though Fox was still spotted on the ''Transformers 3'' set in May 2010,<ref name="foxonset">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/100786-megan-fox-on-set-for-transformers-3-previz Megan Fox on the DOTM set], May 2010.</ref> Paramount announced a few weeks later that she wouldn't return for a third movie after all.<ref name="nomorefox">[http://www.deadline.com/2010/05/michael-bays-revenge-no-more-megan/ Deadline article confirming that Megan Fox had been dropped off ''Transformers 3''], May 2010.</ref> Still that same month, [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] was confirmed to replace her as the lead female actress.<ref name="rosierepl">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1640047/model-rosie-huntingtonwhiteley-cast-transformers-3.jhtml MTV.com article confirming Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as the new female star of ''Transformers ''], May 2010.</ref> Her character's name was confirmed as "[[Carly Spencer|Carly]]" by Nelson Lauren, the webmaster of Michael Bay's official website, in July 2010.<ref name="nelsonchicagojul">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?7566-Transformers-3-Chicago-Set-Photos Nelson posts about his visit to the Chicago set at shootfortheedit.com's forums], July 2010.</ref> In 2011, Michael Bay finally confirmed in an interview with ''GQ'' magazine that it had been [[Steven Spielberg]], executive producer of the ''Transformers'' movies, who had urged him to fire Fox following the Hitler comparison.<ref name="baygq">[http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201107/michael-bay-steven-spielberg-fired-megan-fox-transformers GQ interview with Michael Bay], June 2011.</ref> In a later interview, however, he claimed this statement had been taken out of context.<ref name="baych">[http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/kultur/kino/Diese-Autos-muessen-zerstoert-werden--und-da-bin-ich-der-richtige-Mann/story/23997460 Interview with Michael Bay from Switzerland] (German language), July 2011.</ref>

In March 2010, Oscar winners [[John Malkovich]] and [[Frances McDormand]] as well as comedian [[Ken Jeong]] were confirmed having signed on for supporting roles.<ref name="malkomcdor">[http://michaelbay.com/2010/03/22/transformers-3-update-from-michael-bay/ Michael Bay confirming John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and Ken Jeong for ''Transformers 3''], March 2010.</ref>

In April 2010, [[Kevin Dunn]] and [[Julie White]] were confirmed to return as Sam Witwicky's parents.<ref name="varietydunnwhite">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118017329.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1 'Dunn, White sign on for 'Transformers 3''], Variety, April 2010.</ref>

In May 2010, Paramount confirmed that [[Patrick Dempsey]] was cast in ''Transformers 3'' to play Mikaela Banes' boss (this was before Megan Fox was fired from the production).<ref name="dempsey">[http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/05/04/patrick-dempsey-confirmed-for-transformers-3/ "Patrick Dempsey confirmed for Transformers 3"], Hollywood Insider, May 2010.</ref>

In July 2010, Nelson Lauren confirmed that former American footballer [[Lester Speight]] would play a soldier in the movie.<ref name="nelsonchicagophotos">[http://michaelbay.com/2010/07/20/transformers-3-chicago-set-photos/ Photos of the Chicago set by michaelbay.com webmaster Nelson Lauren], July 2010.</ref>

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and was married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call,<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref> it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''[[Star Trek]]'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref> ''Dark of the Moon'' would be Nimoy's final performance in the ''Transformers'' franchise before his death in early 2015.

===Writing and production===
After having defended the almost universally critically panned ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for a long time, Michael Bay finally acknowledged flaws of the script, but blamed the {{w|2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike}} prior to the movie for many problems. As a definite error, he singled out the "dork comedy", which he promised to avoid with ''Dark of the Moon''.<ref name="bayvisit">[http://collider.com/michael-bay-interview-transformers-dark-moon-edit-bay-visit/63824/ Collider.com article about DOTM], December 2010.</ref>

Principal shooting began in May 2010. Shooting locations included [[Chicago]] (and nearby East Chicago and Gary Indiana), Moscow,<ref name="locations">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=63682 "Transformers 3 Headed to Chicago and Moscow"], Comingsoon.net, February 2010.</ref> the [[Kennedy Space Center]] in Florida,<ref name="kennedyspace">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/101114-the-transformers-3-shoot-at-kennedy-space-center "The Transformers 3 Shoot at Kennedy Space Center"], SuperHeroHype.com, May 2010.</ref> Milwaukee (Wisconsin),<ref name="milwaukee">[http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/movies/98266574.html "'Transformers 3' takes over Milwaukee Art Museum"], Journal Sentinel Online, July 2010.</ref> Detroit,<ref name="detroit">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/107775-photos-from-the-detroit-transformers-3-set "Photos From the Detroit Transformers 3 Set"], SuperHeroHype.com, September 2010.</ref> [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="militaryextras">[http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=473674758199&id=114648515718 US Department of Defense casting call for ''Dark of the Moon''], October 2010.</ref> and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.<ref name="angkor">[http://www.akp.gov.kh/?p=1184 "'Transformers 3' To Be Shot in Cambodia"], Agence Kampuchea Presse, January 2011.</ref>

For the scene where Lennox and his soldier jump out of a V-22 Osprey using wingsuits, Michael Bay used real parachutists and thus avoided unnecessary CG effects. In fact, he had been inspired for this scene in the first place by watching the parachutists in their wingsuits on television<ref name="wingsuits">[http://blog.movies.yahoo.com/blog/1498-transformers-wingsuits-no-cgi-required Yahoo! Movies article on the wingsuit parachutists], June 2011.</ref> and wrote the scene with the intention of using the parachutists in the movie.<ref name="bayvisit"/>

For the Apollo 11 moon landing mission in the flashback sequence at the beginning of the movie, astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] are played by actors Don Jeanes and Cory Tucker, respectively. In the present day timeline, Aldrin himself appears briefly as his own older self.<ref name="aldrin">[http://movies.yahoo.com/news/yahoo-contributor-network/astronaut-buzz-aldrin-hangs-out-with-optimus-prime-transformers-dark-moon Yahoo! Movies article on Buzz Aldrin's appearance in DOTM], July 2011.</ref>

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>
[[Image:ROTFvsDOTMUSNavyHollenbeck.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Wherever General Morshower goes, I go.]]

Two accidents happened during shooting: In September 2010, while shooting in East Chicago, Indiana, a female extra was severely injured when a stunt scene went wrong, leaving her with permanent brain damage, the left side of her body paralyzed and her left eye stitched shut. Paramount was subsequently sued for damages by the victim's family.<ref name="extrastunt">[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-10-05/news/ct-met-transformers-lawsuit-20101005_1_gabriela-cedillo-stunt-welding Chicago tibune article on the injured extra and the subsequent lawsuit], October 2010.</ref> She was eventually granted an $18.5 million settlement in May 2012.<ref name="settlement">[http://www.tmz.com/2012/05/23/transfomers-3-injured-extra-gets-18-million-settlement/ TMZ story about Gabriela Cedillo's settlement]</ref> As a consequence, part of the scene of the car chase battle in Washington, D.C. (which would have included the shoot that had led to the accident) was instead "[[Stock footage|borrowed]]" from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''{{w|The Island (2005 film)|The Island}}''.<ref name="island1">[https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/07/04/transformers-3-re-uses-car-crash-from-the-island "Transformers 3 Re-Uses Car Crash From The Island"], IGN Movies, July 2011.</ref> While shooting in Washington, D.C., in October 2010, one of the Chevrolet Camaro prop cars that served as Bumblebee's [[alternate mode]] crashed into a {{w|Metropolitan Police}} SUV. Nobody was seriously injured this time, though Bumblebee sustained severe front-end damage.<ref name="camarocrash">[http://jalopnik.com/5661321/bumblebee-smashes-cop-car-in-yet-another-transformers-3-accident Jalopnik article on the Camaro crash], October 2010.</ref> Hasbro would later "commemorate" this latter event with the [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] [[Cyberverse (toyline)|Cyberverse]] "Cybertronian Warriors Pack". Fans, meanwhile, joked that the SUV was Barricade getting revenge.

Another (brief) instance of recycled footage occurs during the Chicago battle: When the Navy fires several Tomahawks at the Decepticons, the mission control room scene was previously used to depict the interior of the [[USS Kidd]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The most obvious similarity is the [[Hollenbeck|same operator]] saying "Target acquired" both times.<ref name="recycled">[https://youtube.com/watch?v=6tSMdR8vH0s YouTube video] featuring brief clips from ''Dark of the Moon'' and ''Revenge of the Fallen'', highlighting the recycled footage.</ref>

''Dark of the Moon'' is the first of the ''Transformers'' movies to be released in 3D. Despite early considerations to shoot the movie in 2D and convert it into 3D later, Michael Bay ultimately shot 60% of the film in native 3D, another 15% were done digitally, and the rest was shot in 2D and converted later. [[James Cameron]] assisted Michael Bay with the 3D effects. The movie's budget amounted to $195 million, which is about the same budget ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had. About $30 million went into the 3D effects.<ref name="cameron">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-bay-reveals-james-camerons-191774 "Michael Bay Reveals James Cameron's Secret Role in the Making of 'Transformers'"], The Hollywood Reporter, May 2011.</ref>

===Sponsors and partners===
====Hasbro====
Hasbro, licensor of the [[Transformers brand]], hoped that the third movie would once again boost toy sales, after profits had dropped in the first quarter of 2011.<ref name="hasbroq12011">[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-1Q-profit-drops-71-pct-apf-664090076.html?x=0&.v=11 Yahoo! Finance article about weak Hasbro toy sales in 2011's first quarter], April 2011.</ref> For the second quarter of 2011, Hasbro reported a net revenue growth of 23 percent to $908.5 million, citing brands such as ''Transformers'' and ''[[Beyblade]]'' as the main sources of the increased income.<ref name="hasbro2nsq">[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-Reports-Revenue-and-bw-4063497156.html?x=0&.v=1 "Hasbro Reports Revenue and Earnings Growth for the Second Quarter 2011"], Yahoo! Finance, July 2011.</ref>

====US military and NASA====
Like the previous two movies, ''Dark of the Moon'' featured real military personnel as extras, supported by the [[United States Department of Defense]].<ref name="militaryextras"/> Shooting locations were Hurlburt Field and [[Edwards Air Force Base]].<ref name="hurlburt">[http://www.shadowspear.com/special-operations-entertainment/105725-transformers-filmed-at-hurlburt.html "'Transformers 3 Filmed at Hurlburt, 1SOW Included as 'Extras'"], ShadowSpear Special Operations, July 2011.</ref>

In addition, ''Dark of the Moon'' was also supported by NASA, and NASA employees appear as extras in the movie as well.<ref name="nasa">[http://www.space.com/12142-transformers-film-nasa-space-program-touches.html "'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' Has Real-Life NASA Touches"], Space.com, July 2011.</ref>

====General Motors and other car manufacturers====
[[General Motors]] once again provided several vehicles. All recurring Autobots retain their [[alternate mode]]s from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' despite some minor tweaks, such as Sideswipe now being a convertible, and Bumblebee now sporting a rear spoiler. Once again, the cooperation was mutual, with General Motors using Bumblebee for TV commercials. The first of those, aired during the 2011 Super Bowl, also revealed some minor tweaks to Bumblebee's robot mode.<ref name="bumblebeead1">[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/02/-bumblebee-appears-in-a-chevrolet-camaro-super-bowl-ad/1 "'Bumblebee' appears in Chevrolet's Super Bowl ad"], USA Today, February 2011.</ref><ref name="bumblebeead2">[http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/06/chevy-drops-new-ad-touting-transformers-3-tie-in/ "Video: Chevy drops new ad touting Transformers 3 tie-in"], Autoblog.com, June 2011.</ref> According to Chevrolet, the ''Transformers'' movies notably affect car sales, as about ten percent of all Camaros sold in the preceding year were yellow, twice as many as with other models.<ref name="carstarscast">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/transformers-dark-moon-how-sequels-204557 "'Transformers: Dark of the Moon': How the Sequel's Star Cars Were Cast"], The Hollywood Reporter, June 2011.</ref>

New additions for ''Dark of the Moon'' are a Ferrari 458 Italia and a Mercedes-Benz E550 as Autobots ([[Dino]] and [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], respectively) and a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG as a Decepticon ([[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]). In the movie, both Autobots sport names which aren't recycled from existing Hasbro toys. In the Ferrari's case, the reason for this is that Hasbro's greatest competitor, Mattel, has an exclusive license for Ferrari toys.<ref name="ferrarimattel">[http://www.ferrari.com/English/Pages/Mattel.aspx Mattel license information], Ferrari.com.</ref><ref name="nelsonnomirage">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/409844-mirage-no-longer-name-red-italia-dotm-3.html#post6103423 Michael Bay's website admin, Nelson Lauren, explaining why the Ferrari isn't named "Mirage"], TFW2005, May 2011.</ref> "Dino" is named in reference to {{w|Alfredo Ferrari|Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari}}, as per Ferrari's request. The Mercedes-Benz E550, meanwhile, was specifically customized for the movie.<ref name="e550tuning">[http://www.eurotuner.com/news/eurp_1102_mercedes_benz_e550_for_next_transformers_movie/index.html "Mercedes-Benz E550 for Next Transformers Movie - Web Exclusive"], Eurotuner.com, February 2011.</ref> "Que" is named in homage to {{w|Q (James Bond)|Q}} from ''{{w|James Bond}}''. A Maybach 62S Landaulet is also featured in the movie, albeit not as a Transformer, but merely as a regular car used by [[Seymour Simmons]] and his assistant [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]].

Unlike Optimus Prime, whose alternate mode was not licensed for any of the three movies, the Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 airport fire truck used for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] was officially provided by the Rosenbauer International AG and entirely repainted specifically for the film, at a cost of thousands of dollars, as real-world aircraft fire-fighting vehicles are required by FAA regulations to have a much lighter color scheme, which didn't appeal to director [[Michael Bay]].<ref name="rosenbauer">[http://www.rosenbaueramerica.com/press/2011/06/rosenbauer-panther-6x6-to-be-f/ Rosenbauer America press release, June 28, 2011]</ref>

Since the heavily armed Chevrolet Impalas that serve as the [[Wreckers]]' alternate modes are directly based on existing NASCAR race cars, the prop versions of [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]], [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] made an appearance at [[2011]] Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on [[February 20]], four month before the movie's release, appearing both off the track as display cars, and on the track, participating in the ceremonial first lap.<ref name="daytona">[http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/news/photos/2011/02/18/TRANSFORMERS-cars-on-display-at-Daytona "'TRANSFORMERS' cars on display at Daytona"], Hendrick Motorsports, February 2011.</ref> Director Michael Bay, actor [[Josh Duhamel]] and actress [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] also attended the event, and during the television broadcast of the race, a new ''Dark of the Moon'' television spot was aired.

====Other product placement====
As always, various companies have their products and names prominently displayed throughout the movie, such as {{w|Northrop Grumman}}, [[CNN]], [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]], {{w|Cisco}} and {{w|Superfund}}.<ref name="brands1">[http://www.brandchannel.com/brandcameo_films.asp?movie_year_az=2011 "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"] at brandchannel.com.</ref> Paper manufacturer Double A also cooperated with Paramount and even had Michael Bay direct a commercial that features scenes from ''Dark of the Moon'', notably [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]].<ref name="paper">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/167497-transformers-featured-in-double-a-paper-ad "Transformers Featured in Double A Paper Ad"] at SuperHeroHype, June 2011.</ref> Of particular note is the large number of Chinese brands such as {{w|Lenovo}}, {{w|Yili Group|Yili}} Shuhua Milk, {{w|Metersbonwe Group|Metersbonwe}} Mtee shirts and {{w|TCL Corporation|TCL}} HDTV screens.<ref name="chinesebrands">[http://advertising.chinasmack.com/2011/transformers-the-rise-of-chinese-product-placement.html "Transformers: The Rise Of Chinese Product Placement"] at Chinasmack.</ref><ref name="brands2">[http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2011/07/05/Brandcameo-070411-Transformers-3.aspx "Transformers 3 Product Placement: If Tom Hanks Gets a Pass, Michael Bay Does Not"] at brandchannel, July 2011.</ref>

For [[Nokia]], the product placement turned out to be dated by the time the movie came out, as a mobile phone featured in the movie ran on {{w|Symbian}}, despite Nokia mostly dropping Symbian as an operating system due to their recent partnership with {{w|Microsoft}}.<ref name="nokiaobit">[http://www.thenoisecast.com/2011/07/nokia-x7-product-placement-in-transformers-3-feels-like-an-obituary/ "Nokia X7 Product Placement In Transformers 3 Feels Like An Obituary"], Noisecast, July 2011.</ref>

===Changes before, during and after production===
[[File:DOTM Skids, Mudflap, Que and Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Eat this, Megan Fox.]]
*In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

*As stated above, [[Megan Fox]] was originally intended to reprise her role as [[Mikaela Banes]] from the previous two movies. She was still spotted on the ''Dark of the Moon'' set during the previsualization stage in May 2010,<ref name="foxonset"/> but was fired from the production shortly afterwards due to a falling out with director [[Michael Bay]]. [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]]'s character of [[Carly Spencer]] was written in as a replacement, though the fact that her part was originally written for Mikaela still shows in some parts: For example, Carly is overseeing [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]]'s car collection, which could be viewed as an extension of Mikaela's history with working with cars. Furthermore, Sam and Carly not only have [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] (who had been previously "domesticated" by Mikaela) as a "pet", but also her dog [[Bonecrusher (dog)|Bonecrusher]] (played by Michael Bay's eponymous real-life dog).

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://web.archive.org/web/20120401095240/http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20151107012047/http://www.examiner.com/article/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

*In January 2011, an Idaho newspaper<ref>[http://magicvalley.com/news/local/article_d4f374a4-d960-5589-8d0c-be37df66fc40.html?mode=story "Rupert's Fagerbakke finds a voice that is truly golden"]</ref> announced voice actor [[Bill Fagerbakke]] as the voice of a "Chevy Impala stock car" that would appear in ''Dark of the Moon'' (presumably meaning one of the three [[Wreckers]], who share that base altmode). Why Fagerbakke did not end up voicing any of the Wreckers in the final cut of the film is unknown.

[[File:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]
*Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, {{w|David Warner (actor)|David Warner}}, was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

*In an earlier draft of the movie's script, Megatron is sincere when he offers Optimus Prime a truce at the end. Optimus accepts, and Megatron and the remaining Decepticons leave Earth to rebuild Cybertron. This ending is used for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novelization]] and the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|comic adaptation]]. According to Michael Bay's website administrator Nelson, the ending was changed because the studio didn't want the adaptations to share the same ending with the film.<ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/members/nelson-47919.html#vmessage284191</ref>

*Furthermore, it was originally supposed to be [[Dino|Mirage/"Dino"]] rather than [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack/"Que"]] who would have been executed by [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] in Chicago. This version made it into the comic adaptation and the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel|junior novelization]].

*Another scrapped death for Mirage is seen in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novelization]], in which he's decapitated by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. His severed head is subsequently used by Soundwave to mock the Autobots before they are executed.

*A scrapped death for Wheeljack/"Que" involved the Autobot being run off of a Chicago street and into a river by the [[Driller]], where he would have been torn to pieces by Decepticon troopers lying in wait in the river.

*The [[Twins (ROTF)|Twins]], [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], were originally supposed to return for ''Dark of the Moon'', and to die at the hands of Sentinel Prime shortly after Ironhide. Even though [[General Motors]] provided two Chevrolet Sparks to serve as their alternate modes<ref name="chevyspark">[http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrolet-spark-transformers-3.html Left Lane News article on two Chevrolet Sparks spotted on the DOTM set], May 2010.</ref> which were still spotted on the set as late as October 2010,<ref name="dcparking">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/10/transformers-3-dc-parking-lot-gallery.html "Transformers 3 DC Parking Lot Gallery"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, October 2010.</ref> the two were mostly edited out of the final movie (their vehicle modes can barely be glimpsed in a few brief shots). Michael Bay even went so far as to offer a $25,000 reward for anyone who would see the Twins "perform" in the movie.<ref name="reward">[http://collider.com/transformers-3-twins-skids-mudflap-michael-bay/91104/ Collider.com article on Michael Bay's "reward" for spotting Skids and Mudflap "perform" in DOTM], May 2011.</ref> In the novelization and the comic adaptation, Skids and Mudflap still appear.

[[File:DOTMSuperBowlvsTrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|So does this qualify as a retcon?]]
*Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

*Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]],<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref> "Enzo" (after {{w|Enzo Ferrari}})<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan (disambiguation)|Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "[[Clench (G1)|Colossus]]" for the [[Driller]],<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref> "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine (Cybertron)|Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "[[Cyclonus (disambiguation)|Cyclonus]]".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>

*Roadbuster was originally intended to have {{w|Jeff Gordon}}'s #24 {{w|DuPont}}-sponsored Chevrolet Impala as his alternate mode, rather than {{w|Dale Earnhardt, Jr.}}'s #88 Impala sponsored by {{w|AMP Energy}}.<ref name="nizzi"/>

*Que/Wheeljack's head was once considered to be based on {{w|Christopher Lloyd}}'s [[Doc Brown]] from ''[[Back to the Future]]'', rather than [[Albert Einstein]].<ref name="wburt"/>

*The Wreckers were originally intended to have a robot pet dog, whose working names also included "Warpath".<ref name="nizzi"/> Hasbro released a toy of the dog with the [[Human Alliance]] version of Leadfoot, named "[[Steeljaw (DOTM)|Steeljaw]]".

*Megatron was originally supposed to appear in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' form.<ref>http://joshnizzi.com/images/TF3/JoshNizzi_TF3_56.jpg</ref>

*In an interview with MTV.com, actors [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[John Malkovich]] hinted at some smaller scenes that were cut from the final edit of the movie. In addition to some ad-libbing by the actors, one scene would have featured Malkovich's character, [[Bruce Brazos]], attempting to get Carly's phone number.<ref name="deletedmtv">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666772/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-dvd-deleted-scenes.jhtml MTV.com on deleted scenes], July 2011.</ref>

*In the original announcement trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red, his left shoulder was lowered, his facial expression was changed to look more droopy, and the whole scene was given a considerable blue tint.

*Similar to the announcement trailer, the Super Bowl spot also features footage that contains unfinished CG effects. Most notably, the shot that depicts Optimus Prime, equipped with his flight pack, swooping down on the Decepticons before starting his epic rampage on the ground was changed by the time the first full trailer was released: Optimus himself and the first [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]] are both rescaled and moved to different positions on-screen; a Decepticon using the same [[body-type]] as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] is removed entirely; and a Decepticon using the same body-type as Long Haul, as well as other [[generic]]s, are added. The final movie uses pretty much the same version as seen in the trailer.
{{-}}

===Leaks and disinformation===
[[File:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] was heavily touted as the new main villain, no doubt in an attempt to conceal [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]'s unexpected betrayal halfway through the movie. A piece of information that commonly popped up in media coverage was the claim that Shockwave was the ruler of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] while the other Autobots and Decepticons were duking it out on Earth.<ref name="pushpops">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-plot-summary-revealed-170756/ "Transformers 3 Plot Summary Revealed"], TFW2005, October 2010.</ref> The last bit could be written off as a case of {{w|Chinese whispers}}: Shockwave got announced as the villain for ''Dark of the Moon'', mainstream media (such as USA Today<ref name="usatodayswitch">[http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-06-11-Transformers11_ST_N.htm "Next 'Transformers' is due for a switch"], USA Today, June 2010.</ref>) who aren't versed in Transformers lore looked up the character, found out about his ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' [[Shockwave (G1)|namesake]]'s role in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]], included it as a piece of trivia to show they did their research, and then the trivia note got picked up as gospel by other media. Nevertheless, it was included in the ''official plot summary'' by Paramount's German branch (which also claimed that ''Shockwave'' was the robot discovered inside the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' as seen in the trailer).<ref name="germansite">[http://www.transformers3-film.de/ Official German DOTM site] including faulty plot summary.</ref>

[[File:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|upright=1.66|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it,<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref> the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 2|issue 2]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest, yet in [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]], he appeared in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' design again. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, six days before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered at [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning. The fact that, even without this leak, the trade paperback of the comic adaptation was released well over a month before the film's theatrical release probably didn't help matters either.

==Notes==
*A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009,<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref> causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
*In April 2010, shortly before on-set production began, the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam ran a security drill on detecting phishing scams as part of their operational readiness exercises. However, the base's security team decided to make the phishing email appear to be a casting call for US airmen to appear as extras in the then-untitled ''Transformers 3'' film. One airman thought it was an actual casting call and shared the phishing link to ComicBookMovie.com, which was then picked up by several fan forums and websites that shared the link even ''further''.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=We all know how much Michael Bay loves to use the military in his movies and Transformers 3 will be no different. But this time he is coming to Guam and Andersen AFB. I'm an Airman in the worlds greatest air, space and cyberspace force on Guam. I received an email stating that Dreamworks is looking for 20 airmen for Andersen to be extras.|link=https://comicbookmovie.com/transformers/transformers-3-shooting-in-guam-a17457|title=Transformers 3 Shooting in Guam|site=ComicBookMovie.com|name=Andersen Air Force Base airman "supershaggy"|day=25|month=04|year=2010}}</ref> After local news media in Guam contacted the air base for information, the exercise was immediately ended by Anderson AFB, hoping this exercise showed everyone the danger of phishing scams.<ref>[https://www.postguam.com/news/local/movie-deal-false-alarm/article_ce7aa728-3c16-516a-ba1a-1a24acdf2ca3.html The Guam Daily Post - Movie deal false alarm]</ref> Mission accomplished!
*When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [https://youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [https://youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
*Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor for a more traditional, ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
**In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule. ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' would also later depict the Autobots as stranded on Earth after the destruction of the ''Xantium'' in this film, further pointing towards the "comet" transportation as an abandoned concept. ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' would also show this idea when the Autobots again declare themselves stranded, as they don't know where the [[Knight Ship]] is, only being able to finally go home after they acquired it.
**Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though he still carries some on his person). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has a hand-held shotgun. Though it can be argued that Optimus still has his swords in his arms during the Chicago battle, and both Ironhide and Megatron lost their integrated weapons in the previous film, the general change is still noticeable. The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.
*Another change from the previous movies (though not rooted in ''Generation 1'') is that Transformers that take damage in battle now spill a red liquid that is very obviously meant to resemble human blood.
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.
*For eleven years, ''Dark of the Moon'' held the record for the biggest Independence Day opening weekend at $115.9 million, until it was beaten by ''{{w|Minions: The Rise of Gru}}'', ranking in $128 million.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2022/07/03/box-office-minions-the-rise-of-gru-breaks-records-with-128-million-holiday-weekend/ Box Office: ‘Minions 2’ Breaks Records With $128 Million Holiday Weekend - Forbes]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā Dākusaido Mūn'')
*''Arabic:'' '''''Almtahawilun: Aljanib Almuzlim Lilqamar''''' (المتحولون: الجانب المظلم للقمر, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Croatian:'' '''''Transformeri: Tamna strana Mjeseca''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3 : La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Greek:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Hebrew:'' '''''Rvvvtrkm 3. Flt hrch''''' (רובוטריקים 3: אפלת הירח, "Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Hindi:'' '''''Traansaphormars: Chaand ka Andhera''''' (ट्राँसफॉर्मर्स: चांद का अंधेरा, "Transformers: Darkness of the Moon")
*''Hungarian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Korean:'' '''''Teulaenseupomeo 3''''' (트랜스포머 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Latvian:'' '''''Transformeri 3: Mēness no otras puses''''' ("Transformers 3: The Moon on the Other Side")
*''Lithuanian:'' '''''Transformeriai: tamsioji Mėnulio pusė''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng 3''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Portugal)
*''Romanian:'' '''''Transformers: Fața ascunsă a Lunii''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Face of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (Latin American, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Spain)
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Tamil:'' '''''Ṭirāṉsḥpārmas: Ṭārk op ti mūṉ''''' (டிரான்ஸ்ஃபார்மஸ்: டார்க் ஒப் தி மூன், "Transformers: Dark of the Moon")
*''Thai:'' '''''Thrāns̄̒ fxr̒m me xr̒s̄ 3''''' (ทรานส์ฟอร์มเมอร์ส 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Ayın Karanlık Yüzü''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''''Transformery: Temnyy bik Misyatsya''''' (Трансформери: Темний бік Місяця, "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon")

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
*[http://www.imdb.com/tt1399103/ ''Dark of the Moon'' at IMDB.com]
*{{w|Transformers: Dark of the Moon|''Dark of the Moon'' film on Wikipedia}}
*[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon/ ''Dark of the Moon'' on RottenTomatoes.com]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Official ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' website]
*[http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/transformersdarkofthemoon/ Trailers.Apple.com ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' page]
*Designer portfolios: [http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi], [http://www.warrenmanser.com/WarrenManser.com/PORTFOLIO_M/Pages/TRANSFORMERS_3.html Warren Manser], [http://www.joelchang.com/index.php?/projects/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ Joel Chang], [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8293 The Aaron Sims Company] (at Concept Art World), [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt] (at Concept Art World), [http://massiveblack.com/MBwebolution/blog/?p=301 Massive Black], [http://www.ghull.com/#/125195 George Hull]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dark of the Moon (film)}}
[[Category:Dark of the Moon| Dark of the Moon (film)]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon media| ]]
[[Category:Real world films]]

HasCon 2017

2026-03-09T04:27:48Z

1levichurch:

{{officialcon|
|seriesissue=[[HasCon]] 2017
|prev=
|next=HasCon 2019
|image=Hascon-logo.jpg
|caption=And then there is even more wailing, and stronger gnashing of teeth from the [[BotCon|fans]].
|title=
|date=[[September 8]], [[2017]]
|city=Providence, Rhode Island.
|venue=Rhode Island Convention Center and Dunkin' Donuts Center
}}
'''HasCon 2017''', the first (and probably only) [[HasCon]] convention, was held in Providence, Rhode Island from [[September 8]] through [[September 10|10]], [[2017]]. As an expo/celebration of ''all'' brands that [[Hasbro]] owns or licenses across all age groups, ''Transformers'' had a significant presence.

==Venue==
[[File:HasCon17 TF Area 1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|MY TINY HANDS AND I WELCOME YOU TO HASCON.]]
[[File:HasCon17 DunkinDonutsCenter.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]

The convention was held at the [http://www.riconvention.com/ Rhode Island Convention Center] for the main show floor, gaming rooms and smaller panels, with the adjacent [http://www.dunkindonutscenter.com/ Dunkin' Donuts Center] arena used for the larger presentations and concerts. Several of the snack vendors at the arena were open for business that weekend.

The main show floor, on the first level of the Convention Center, was broken up into large areas for each brand. These "Brand Experience" areas contained toy display cases, prop displays, and numerous play-tables covered in toys, along with small stages for presentations, autographs sessions, and audience-participation games. There were face-painting and hair styling stations scattered throughout the floor as well. ''Transformers'' was the first section seen from the main entrance to the floor (and yes there was a face-painting station there to robot-ize up your kids); going forward led to [[Marvel Comics]] and ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'', while going right went through the games area and into ''[[My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Hanazuki]]'', and the like, with [[Nerf]] on the far wall opposite, with plenty of firing ranges and an inflated enclosed combat zone. The not-actually-owned-by-Hasbro licenses were of course pushed more to the back of the hall but still given lots of space.

In the center of the floor was the "Boutique", where Hasbro sold retail toys (at wholesale price), as well as convention-exclusive posters, clothing and other swag, with a separate booth specifically for HasCon-exclusive "collector" toys and items (though over the course of the weekend that stock would filter into the normal checkout areas).

The main hallway outside the show floor was filled with guest services kiosks, food vendors, and other companies on display, as well as autograph areas for the less-directly-Hasbro-related guests. Near the escalators, a number of ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' display cases held concept art, double-sized paint masters, movie props and other memorabilia. The back end of the hall was the "Hascade", featuring free-play stations for numerous Hasbro-branded mobile games, arcade games, and the like.

The upper floor held the ''Magic: The Gathering'' play room, full of tables where a tournament went on all weekend. Next to it was both "Artist's Alley" (containing [[Ken Christiansen]], [[Dan Khanna]], and [[Marcelo Matere]], among others) and a small dealer section, primarily populated by people selling their art and hand-crafted wares, but there were a few of the normal toy resellers there to boot. Most importantly in that room though was the Dunkin' Donuts tent that offered free donut holes and small cups of Monster energy drinks all weekend. On the other end of the hall was the "FANmily Stage Room" and the "Discovery Family Stage", smaller conference rooms that held panels all weekend. The hall on this floor also contained the VIP and press lounges, a secondary HasCon "Boutique", other companies displaying their services, and food vendors.

Outside, the area between the convention center and arena was dedicated to picnic tables with a barbecue lunch vendor, as well as the original 2007 [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] truck. On the street in front were a few other vehicles, including a large [[Tonka]]-branded dump truck.

==Guests==
{{collist|4|
* Action Movie Kid
* {{w|Danny Amendola}}
* {{w|Ogie Banks}}
* Mary Jane Begin
* [[Susan Blu]]
* [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]]<ref>Lorenzo di Bonaventura's attendance was initially revealed via a press release rather than on the site itself.</ref>
* Mark Boudreaux (Hasbro designer on [[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]])
* {{w|Jackie Bradley Jr.}}
* [[Stan Bush]]
* {{w|Len Cabral}}
* Vic Cook
* {{w|Jamie Costa}}
* [[Peter Cullen]]
* {{w|Daya (singer)|Daya}}
* Derryl DePriest (Hasbro VP on [[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]])
* {{w|Jessica DiCicco}}
* {{w|Dude Perfect}}
* {{w|Eh Bee Family}}
* {{w|James Gunn}}
* Summer Hayes ([[My Little Pony]] historian)
* {{w|Zach King}}
* {{w|Walter Koenig}}
* {{w|Stan Lee}}
* {{w|Andrea Libman}}
* [[Marcelo Matere]]
* [[Meghan McCarthy]]
* {{w|Scott Menville}}
* [[Isabela Merced]]
* {{w|David Ortiz}}
* {{w|Candace Payne}} ("[[Chewbacca]] Mom")
* {{w|Flo Rida}}
* {{W|Mark Rosewater}}
* [[Chris Ryall]]
* Charisma Star
* [[Mark Wahlberg]]
* [[John Warden]]
* [[Frank Welker]]
* [[Cathy Weseluck]]
* James White
* [[Chris Wyatt|Chris "Doc" Wyatt]]
* [[Hideaki Yoke]]
* {{w|Maddie Ziegler}}
}}

Semi-technically, Hasbro's whole staff were guests, as they were brought in to cover their brands' booths and answer questions, just as they did during [[BotCon]]s. Many also attended panels for their brands and fields of work, including several [[TakaraTomy]] employees. Artist [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]] was also originally scheduled to attend, but unfortunately could not make it.

==Fiction==
* [[When Worlds Collide]] minicomic, included in brochure

==Events==
HasCon had a very full and very varied schedule of panels and events all weekend, but we'll keep our focus on the ''Transformers''-related stuff. The complete ''planned'' schedule can be found [https://hascon.hasbro.com/schedule here] (with a caveat that some panels and such changed times over the course of the weekend for one reason or another).

{{stub}}
===Friday September 8===
[[File:HasCon17 ToyPanel-crew.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
:'''More than Meets the Eye'''
:*''Location'': HASCON Main Stage, 11:30am
:*''Panel Guests'': [[Michelino Paolino]], [[Lenny Panzica]], [[Shogo Hasui]], [[Sean Carmine Isabella]], [[Takashi Kunihiro]], [[Daizo Uehara]], [[John Warden]], [[Hideaki Yoke]]

:Hasbro and [[TakaraTomy]] employees discussed their work on the various ''Transformers'' toylines of 2016, with a look into 2017. Began with talking about the technical issues of designing two ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (toyline)|The Last Knight]]'' sublines; the [[Transformers: The Last Knight (toyline)#AllSpark Tech figures|AllSpark Tech]] series and [[Transformers: The Last Knight (toyline)#Knight Armor Turbo Changers|Knight Armor Turbo Changers]]. With AllSpark Tech, the physical space needs of the activation cube had to be accounted for, plus ''every'' phrase and sound effect for ''every'' toy had to be plotted out for each motion, as the whole point of the line was that a single cube will work with every figure. The Knight Armor helmets needed to be impressive reveals, with the helmets matching the characters' aesthetics; [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]'s was meant to evoke a necromancer, while [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]]'s blended the medieval with military.

:Next they discussed the ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' combiners, which were designed from the get-go to ensure kids got a complete combiner with every single purchase. The design process actually started with sketching the combined robot modes, melding the components' design cues and blending them together, then refining those looks with the show production crew. There were multiple mechanical issues to work out: they wanted an emphasis on "big action" and interchangeability. They had to design a new universal joint to make that work (forgiving of course some toys only changing into certain combiner parts), as well as where one holds the toy when combining, to avoid auto-transforming parts pinching unwary fingers. Sean, the Senior Designer for ''Robots in Disguise'', elaborated on his love of jet-robots and his desire to add to their ranks with the all-new character [[Stormshot]], even if he wasn't a combiner.

:Then it was ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'', which was largely a new product reveal, focusing primarily on the new [[Dinobot (G1)#Power of the Primes|Dinobots]]. A number of small but important details got revealed here, including Slash being a female Dinobot, and the group's use of clear plastic with gold-painted inner walls to simulate the original toys' distinct clear-plastic-over-vac-metal look. The Dinobots were also revealed as combiners, forming [[Volcanicus (POTP)#Toys|Volcanicus]]. They noted some improvements over the ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' combiners, with a big priority of hiding the combiner joints in robot mode, plus the new combiner foot-parts would include rocker-ankle joints of the kind found on [[Victorion#Toys|Victorion]].

:Next came the Leader-class figures, with the reveal of the new [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Power of the Primes|Leader-class Orion Pax/Optimus Prime]] toy! The truck cab becomes the first Orion Pax toy sculpted to resemble the original [[Floro Dery]] animation model, and forms the core of the larger Optimus Prime toy, whose very ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]''-like body is made up from the trailer unit. These designs required some trickery to get the weight balances and silhouettes right, which results in Optimus having an "outer" window-chest that opens to reveal an "inner" window-chest which opens to reveal a socket for the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] accessory. Speaking of silhouettes, the section ended with a silhouette "teaser" for [[Predaking (G1)#Power of the Primes|Predaking]], to be "properly" revealed at [[Toy Fair]].

:This panel was not originally in this timeslot, but was moved within a few days of the event due to a travel issue with the Marvel team that was originally slated for this spot. As the very first panel of the show on a Friday with people in an exclusives line, it was lightly attended (and in the huge used-for-basketball-games Dunkin' Donuts Center), leading to a worrying first impression... but the next day's attendance would shatter those impressions. On the other hand, the Hasbro crew remarked that it was nice to be able to put everything into the display cases so early in the weekend.

:'''IDW - Transformers Comics: How Artists and Writers Bring Stories to Life'''
:*''Location'': HASCON Main Stage, 12:30pm
:*''Panel Guests'':

:'''From Unicron to Megatron - Explore the Villains of Transformers'''
:*''Location'': HASCON Main Stage, 2:30pm
:*''Panel Guests'': John Warden (moderator), David Erwin, [[Matt Clarke]], Mikiel Houser, Chris Mowry, Michael Kelly, Vinnie D'Alleva

:'''Autographs'''
:*''Location'': Transformers Brand Experience Area
* TakaraTomy designers Shogo Hasui, Takashi Kunihiro, and Hideaki Yoke took place at 1:30pm.
* IDW talent Chris Mowry and Marcelo Matere took place at 4pm.

===Saturday September 9===
:'''IDW: The Hasbro Comic Revolution'''
:*''Location'': Discovery Family Stage, 11am
:*''Panel Guests'':

:'''Peter and Frank Sound Off: The Voices of Optimus Prime & Megatron!'''
:*''Location'': HASCON Main Stage, 12pm
:*''Panel Guests'': [[Ben Montano]] (moderator), [[Peter Cullen]], [[Frank Welker]]

:'''Transformers: 'The Last Knight' in the Making'''
:*''Location'': HASCON Main Stage, 3pm
:*''Panel Guests'': [[John Warden]], [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]], [[Isabela Moner]], [[Mark Wahlberg]]

:This one brought 'em in. Opened with Lorenzo di Bonaventura and John Warden discussing the beginnings of the movie franchise and its evolution, up to the in-production [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] spin-off movie. Discussion covered how they were trying for a different feel to the movie altogether, not looking to replicate the "Bayhem", and the horrendous hairstyles of the 1980s.

:Isabela Merced was brought out, and talked about her experiences on the set. She sent in her audition tape somewhat late in casting, and was almost immediately picked over the production team's then-current top contender out of a field of over 50 actresses. She really wanted the role and felt that her being so physically small but playing such a tough, determined character would be inspirational to kids. And there was plenty of gushing over [[Anthony Hopkins]]. Moner noted Mark Wahlberg being a protective guy, including staring down some of her male friends ("emphasis on ''friends''") who were visiting on-set.

:And then Wahlberg came out and the crowd went ''ballistic''. He talked about being brought in after working on Bay's ''Pain & Gain'', the physical challenges of being on a Bay shoot... and some chuckling over how his kids are a little grumpy over daddy being so recognizable as a big-time movie star. Makes it hard to not be swamped when picking them up from school.

:'''Transformers: Special Dinner Event'''
:*''Location'': HASCON Main Stage & Dunkin' Donuts Center Overlook Lounge, 6:30pm-11pm
:*''Panel Guests'': [[Mark Wahlberg]], [[Isabela Merced]], [[Peter Cullen]], [[Frank Welker]], [[John Warden]], [[Hideaki Yoke]], [[Stan Bush]]

:'''Autographs'''
:*''Location'': Transformers Brand Experience Area
* Musician Stan Bush took place at 10am.
* Voice talent Peter Cullen and Frank Welker took place at 4pm.
* Voice talent and voice director Susan Blu at 5pm.

===Sunday September 10===
While Sunday saw several panels repeat, there were some new panels and events on the schedule:

:'''The Prime Wars Trilogy: See the story come to life!'''
:*''Location'': FANmily Stage Room, 11am
:*''Panel Guests'':

:'''Peter and Frank Sound Off: The Voices of Optimus Prime & Megatron!'''
:*''Location'': HASCON Main Stage, 12pm
:*''Panel Guests'':

:'''IDW - Transformers Comics: How Artists and Writers Bring Stories to Life'''
:*''Location'': Discovery Family Stage, 1pm
:*''Panel Guests'':

[[File:HasCon17 WomenOfTFs-crew.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
:'''The Women of Transformers'''
:*''Location'': FANmily Stage Room, 2pm
:*''Panel Guests'': [[Sonal Majmudar]] (moderator), [[Samantha Lomow]], [[Susan Blu]], [[Ashley Creedon]], [[Miru Shim]], [[Lynsey Bernier]]

:'''More than Meets the Eye'''
:*''Location'': Discovery Family Stage, 3pm
:*''Panel Guests'':
: A repeat of the Friday toy panel, minus most of the TakaraTomy employees, but Hideaki Yoke was still there! No new information was given out.

:'''Autographs'''
:*''Location'': Transformers Brand Experience Area
* Musician Stan Bush took place at 10am.
* Voice talent and voice director Susan Blu at 12:45pm.
* Voice talent Peter Cullen and Frank Welker took place at 2pm.

==Merchandise==
[[File:TR-toy Arcee.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
[[Exclusive]] items from multiple brands were available at the show, but we'll focus on the ''Transformers''-related stuff...

Purchase-at-show items included:

*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Power Bank|Optimus Prime Converting Power Bank]]
*''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Arcee (G1)/toys#Titans Return|Arcee]] w/ [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)#Generations|Leinad]] & [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#HasCon|Ultra Magnus]] Titan Masters
*"2017 ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' HasCon Collection" 3-card promo set w/ [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Magic: The Gathering|"Grimlock Dinobot Leader"/"Grimlock, Ferocious King"]] reversible card
* [[San Diego Comic-Con]] Primitive Skateboarding [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Primitive Skateboarding|Optimus Prime]] w/ [[Shreddicus Maximus]] Titan Master
* San Diego Comic-Con ''The Last Knight'' [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#SDCC17|Optimus Prime]] with tire chunk
* San Diego Comic-Con '''Revolution Set''' w/ [[Jetfire (G1)/toys#Revolution|Jetfire]], [[Matt Trakker]] of ''[[M.A.S.K.]]'', [[Ian Noble|Action Man]], ''[[Visionaries]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> Leoric, [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] of ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', [[Rom]] & a [[Dire Wraith]], and 9 ''[[Micronauts]]'' mini-figurines

The Hasbro "Boutique" sold regular-retail Hasbro toys at wholesale cost. Several of these items were either not yet available at retail or had only just started hitting... and largely sold out by end of show:
{{collist|2|
* ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' wave 1 & 2 Deluxes
* ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (toyline)|The Last Knight]]'' wave 1 & 2 Deluxes
* ''The Last Knight'' wave 1 & 2 1-Step Changers
* ''The Last Knight'' [[Sqweeks#RD|Remote Control Sqweeks]]
* ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' wave 1 & 2 Team Combiner box sets
* ''Robots in Disguise'' wave 1 & 2 [[Crash Combiner]]s
* ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (toyline)|Rescue Bots]]'' wave 1 Flip-Racer 3-packs
}}

There were also a lot of posters and apparel on sale, both ''Transformers'' specific and HasCon-branded with ''Transformers'' characters on them (usually Optimus).

The Boutique eventually added the HasCon exclusives to their available stock over the weekend. Free shipping was offered by having the orders be fulfilled by [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] online ordering at checkout.

Throughout the weekend, numerous posters, art cards and other small swag was given away free at the various booths. This included the "[[Trypticon's Titan Master Crunch]]" poster that was also available at [[San Diego Comic-Con#2017|San Deigo Comic-Con 2017]].

==Run-up==
*HasCon was announced in a [[Hasbro]] [http://newsroom.hasbro.com/mediakit/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=994176 press release] on [[October 18]], [[2016]].
*On [[April 10]], 2017, a [https://www.facebook.com/transformers/posts/1429975457072644 video] featuring [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] was released to promote the event. Hasbro also revealed that the convention would include exclusive products as well as autograph and panel sessions.
*At 12:01am on [[May 23]], 2017, fan media were allowed to announce that the HasCon site was live and tickets were on sale. The official site and subsequent [http://newsroom.hasbro.com/mediakit/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1027554 press release] revealed that producer [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] and voice-actors [[Peter Cullen]] and [[Frank Welker]] would be in attendance for ''Transformers'' media, as well as Product Design Manager [[John Warden]].
*On [[August 8]] 2017, [[Susan Blu]] and [[Stan Bush]] were announced as guests for autographs.<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/08/08/susan-blu-stan-bush-hascon-346630 ]</ref>
*The following day, [[Isabela Moner]] was confirmed for attendance.<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/08/09/isabela-moner-confirmed-hascon-346677 ]</ref> A week later, co-star [[Mark Wahlberg]] was announced as attending as well.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170803052318/https://hascon.hasbro.com/ Official HasCon site] (Archived)

[[Category:Conventions]]

Oracle (BM)

2025-11-08T20:30:30Z

1levichurch: /* Notes */

{{disambig3|Oracle}}
[[Image:Oracle %28The Reformatting%29.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]

In the era of the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], three hundred years after the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s, the legendary, forgotten supercomputer [[Vector Sigma]] had evolved into something... ''else'', transcending physical form to become the '''Oracle''', an immaterial mainframe that continued to act out the will of [[Primus]] to shape [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s future. Where Vector Sigma responded to anyone who wielded its [[Key to Vector Sigma|key]], the Oracle was responsive only to those Transformers with a "receptive [[spark]]", allowing them to access its systems, and through it, commune with the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]].

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Carol Savenkoff]] (English), [[Nobutoshi Canna]] (Japanese)|[[Fang Shuqiao]] (Chinese), [[Emanuela Damasio]] (Italian), [[Martina Treger]] (German), [[Isabelle Loison]] (French), [[Jesús Barrero]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Carlos Comério]] (Portuguese)}}

According to legend, the Oracle was older than all Cybertronian civilization, and predicted the coming of Transformers to Cybertron. Long forgotten by Maximal and Predacon civilization, the computer lay hidden within the planet until [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] conquered the planet with his Vehicon hordes. The Oracle summoned [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] to its chambers in order to talk to him, granting the Maximal leader a vision of Cybertron, mixed with vague words on "unleashing the warrior within". To protect Primal's Maximals from the effects of the [[transformation virus]] Megatron had used to conquer Cybertron, the Oracle [[reformatting|reformatted]] them into new [[technorganic]] forms. On doing so, it promptly vanished. {{storylink|The Reformatting}}

[[Image:Vector sigma core.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"I am also know as the oracle".]]
Through the Oracle, Optimus Primal came to commune with the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]], the extradimensional source of all Transformer life to which the computer was revealed to be connected, and believed that it was the will of the Allspark that Cybertron be restored to its organic beginnings. {{storylink|Survivor}} In truth, Primal was incorrect—the Oracle actually desired a ''balance'' between the organic and the technological—but it would take the disastrous unleashing of the power buried within the computer to make him realize this. When Megatron's treacherous general, [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], discovered that Vector Sigma and the Oracle were one and the same, he used the sparkless [[Diagnostic Drone]] to circumvent the Oracle's "receptive spark" requirement, tapping into the Oracle's "Vector Sigma core" and acquiring from it the code for the mega-computer's legendary key, which held the power to convert organics into [[living metal|technomatter]]. {{storylink|The Key}} When Optimus next attempted to contact the Oracle, he found himself unable to do so, due to Tankor's tampering. {{storylink|The Catalyst}}

Tankor proceeded to arm his [[Tank Drone]]s with the power of the Key to Vector Sigma, intending to use it to scour Cybertron of all traces of organic matter, but soon discovered that Megatron had taken control of the drones away from him. In order to trick Megatron into unleashing the key, Tankor had the Diagnostic Drone tap the Oracle once more and send Optimus Prime a false vision, guiding him to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. Tankor gambled that Primal would never unleash the Chamber's descructive energy, but that the ''threat'' of it in his control would goad Megatron into activating the key. Tankor gambled wrong; after Megatron triggered the key, Optimus retaliated by unleashing the power of the chamber, and two energies violently cancelled each other out. {{storylink|End of the Line}} Primal was killed by the energy backlash and travelled to the Allspark, but chose not to join it, now understanding what the Oracle truly desired. Primal returned to reality via the Oracle, and the computer vanished. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}} Though, it was anomalously visible again a few times. {{storylink|A Wolf in the Fold}} {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike|The Strike}} {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege|The Siege}}

It would be some time before Primal realized it, but the Oracle had, in fact, transplanted itself into Primal's body. Megatron was first to realize this and targeted Primal, tricking him with a hologram of Optimus Prime and downloading a portion of the Oracle for himself. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}} Using the power of the Oracle, Megatron attempted to merge all the spark he had stolen from Cybertron's population with his own, but Primal's Maximals halted his scheme. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege|The Siege}}

Optimus sought to consult with the Oracle one last time before his final showdown against Megatron's forces. The Oracle informed Primal that he already held the wisdom and strength of conviction to triumph and see Cybertron through to its destiny. It then relayed the strength of the sparks contained within the Matrix to give the Maximals new powers, to aid them in the upcoming confrontation. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall|When Legends Fall}} As it would soon turn out, the Oracle had actually orchestrated this entire scenario, so that Optimus Primal and Megatron would both control a portion of its power: with its power split thusly, neither one would be able to obtain their goal without the other. It was Optimus Primal who ultimately claimed victory, driving Megatron into Cybertron's [[organic core]] and sacrificing both of them as he activated the Oracle and triggered a [[Great Transformation|planet-wide reformatting]] of Cybertron into a technorganic paradise. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}}

====3H comics====
[[Image:Departure Oracle.jpg|upright=1.2|right|thumb|"Blah blah blah, Mr. Freeman."]]
The Oracle was a shell program created by the [[Quintesson]]s during their occupation of Cybertron twelve millions years ago, which they developed as a means of controlling Vector Sigma and cutting Primus off from his creations. Seeing a new opportunity to retake Cybertron, the Quintessons used the Oracle to feed Optimus Primal the visions he experienced through the computer, guilding him to orchestrate the technorganic reformatting of Cybertron in the belief it would leave the Cybertronians weak and disoriented, opening the planet up to an easy conquest. {{storylink|Disclosure}} In truth, however, the Quintessons were unwittingly being manipulated by Primus himself, who used the greedy aliens as a means of instigating this great evolutionary leap for his children. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

The Oracle gave missions to groups other than Optimus Primal's. In addition to Primal's Maximals, the Oracle called forth the [[Wreckers]], the [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobots]], and the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutants]]. It sent the Dinobots and the Mutants on odd-sounding quests, but before it could give orders to [[Primal Prime]] and his Wreckers, an odd bit of interference happened. Primal Prime received his orders as well, but there was something different about these orders. {{storylink|Departure}}

The Dinobots and Mutants were actually sent on fools errands. Most of the Dinobots met their doom on a remote planet at the hands of the [[Trans-Organic]]s. The Mutants were sent to [[New Quintessa]], where they were seemingly devoured by [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. Overseeing the death of the Mutants was the Predacon gangster [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]] and the [[Supreme Imperial Magistrate]] [[Derodomontatus]]. Cryotek revealed that the Oracle was in fact a creation of the [[Quintesson]]s themselves. Soon, Cryotek expected the planet to be reformatted into a technorganic world, all according to their plan. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

The Wreckers eventually found themselves on a planet with an exiled Quintesson named [[Al-badur]], who explained the history of the Oracle to them. {{storylink|Disclosure}} The Quintessons would discover they had been tricked when Primus spoke through [[Icebird]], revealing to [[Heirodyus]], that despite what the aliens thought, all had transpired according to ''his'' will. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

One year later, the Oracle had come under the full control of Primus and [[Alpha Trion]]. When Unicron started abducting Cybertronians from across the [[multiverse]] to consume their Sparks for his resurrection, Primus used the Oracle to summon Optimus Primal back to life to serve as his champion and take the fight to Unicron. {{storylink|Abduction}} The Oracle then sent Optimus into the depths of Unicron to rescue the captured Transformers and return them to their respective home dimensions. {{storylink|OTFCC Live-Action Drama}} Afterward, with input from Optimus, Primus and Alpha Trion used the Oracle to bring [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] and [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] back from the Matrix, as well as to summon [[Omega Prime]] from [[Viron 903.0 Beta|another universe]]. {{storylink|Homecoming (Universe)|Homecoming}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{wingsnote}}
[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] used the lessons of his departed teacher to interface with the Oracle, becoming Alpha Trizer, living embodiment of the Oracle's ancient wisdom and spiritual leader of Cybertron. {{storylink|Hoist the Flag|Alpha Trizer's profile}}

====Waspscream continuity====
In [[Primax 208.06 Zeta]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspscream]], [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]], [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], and [[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]] were drawn to the Oracle while fleeing from Megatron's Vehicons. The Oracle reformatted the Predacons into technorganic bodies, which they used in their valiant [[Spark War]] against Megatron's forces. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/16}}

===Shell Game===
[[Ultra Trion]] guarded the Oracle. The Decepticon tyrant [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]] sought the Oracle, believing it to contain the location of [[Base Sigma]], the last pocket of Autobot resistance, but Ultra Trion gave his life to delay Megazarak a while longer. {{storylink|Shell Game}}

===Legends World===
When [[Tigatron]] prayed for a chance to meet a real female Transformer, the divine Oracle granted his wish and made all kinds of females to appear and fight for Tigatron's affection. Except not really; it was all a dream. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 11|Bonus Edition Vol. 11}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Viron 102.0 Beta]], the guardians of causality known as the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]], communed with [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] through the Oracle and guided him in stopping [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] from taking over that universe's Cybertron. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/0/30}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
The Oracle and Vector Sigma were apparently separate entities. While Vector Sigma was destroyed during the Great War, centuries later, the Oracle dwelled within Cybertron, far beneath the surface for a "receptive spark". It found one in the rogue Maximal [[Overshoot]], and summoned him to its chambers. It granted him a vision of Cybertron as it presently was, and told him it was in pain. When he tried explaining about the [[Grand Uprising|war going on]], it informed him that ''that'' was necessary, designed to sweep away the evil "masquerading as good", the birth pangs of a new order, followed by a vision of seemingly unconnected vignettes of history, then told him about [[Monster GoBot|those who sought to hijack]] Cybertron's destiny, followed by mentioning that one day Cybertron and Earth would stand against a foe "beyond imagination". When Overshoot mentioned he thought humans were the enemy, the Oracle retorted that one hand couldn't be the enemy of the other, and that while Overshoot didn't understand him, his descendants would. It then returned him to the real world.

When Overshoot died at the hands of the threat the Oracle had warned him about, a few cycles later, it welcomed him to the Allspark. When Overshoot hesitated to enter, it warned him that his choice could prevent him ever joining the Matrix. He still chose to go back. {{storylink|Cultural Appropriation}}

==Notes==
*In Japanese continuity, the Oracle and Vector Sigma are the same being as [[Primus]], and the Generation 1 [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]]. See those articles for more details.
*According to [[Marty Isenberg]], early on they did not have access to watch the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|1984 TV series]] when writing ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' until late into the process of writing the show. After learning about Vector Sigma, it was decided that the Oracle was the same computer as they wanted to keep the same names to stay inline with the previous [[continuity]].<ref>{{citesocial|quote=So we kind of had to [[retcon]] as we went and say "well this thing we were calling the Oracle, that was actually Vector Sigma and it got renamed". It was important to us that we be at least accurate in the naming conventions of what had come before.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOg-xTTPMQc&t=4481s|name=Marty Isenberg|site=YouTube|year=2023|month=09|day=25}}</ref>
*In ''[[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus]]'', the Oracle is seen in artwork behind [[Quintus Prime]].<ref>{{citesocial|quote=It's supposed to be the Oracle.|link=https://youtu.be/ebNUj8Z_TaM?si=QF-19uqdxPSExwCX&t=2648|name=Rik Alvarez|site=YouTube|year=2025|month=11|day=8}}</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Oracle''' (オラクル ''Orakuru'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Shén-yǜ''' (Taiwan, 神諭, "Oracle"), '''Shèngxián Diànnǎo''' (China, 圣贤电脑, "Sage Computer")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Machines technology]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising technology]]
[[Category:Legends characters]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001) technology]]
[[Category:Wings Universe technology]]

Vok

2025-08-26T07:05:37Z

1levichurch: /* Games */

[[File:Purple vok.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|These are the tales of the Skeleton Warriors!]]

The '''Vok''' are a mysterious race of energy-based [[alien]]s who transcend space and time, a highly-evolved species who reached an apex of technological sophistication as far beyond the [[Transformer]]s as the Transformers are to [[human]]ity. Vast, cool, unsympathetic, and firmly committed to their enigmatic agenda, the Vok use primitive worlds like [[Earth]] as enormous laboratories to conduct strange and sometimes contradictory terraforming experiments intended to accelerate and alter the development of sapient life. However, these lofty goals rarely survive contact with the warlike Cybertronians, whose careless blunderings invariably contaminate and jeopardize the Vok's long-term ambitions.

Although the Vok guard their secrets jealously, they rarely take direct action unless the situation calls for it. More often, the Vok will deploy autonomous weapons or a network of empowered proxies; in extreme situations, they may "sterilize" a failed experiment by deploying [[Planet Buster|planetary superweapons]].

{{bigquote|A simple name for so arrogant a race.|[[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]]|"[[Other Victories]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Blu Mankuma]] and [[Richard Newman]] (English), [[Hidetoshi Nakamura]] and [[Takehito Koyasu]] (Japanese)|[[Carlos Campanile]] (Portuguese), [[Wolf Frass]] (German), [[Eduardo Borja]] and [[Luis Loria]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Michel Vigné]] (French)}}
[[File:VokUnicronHead.jpg|upright=0.85|left|thumb|"You could not comprehend our floating head forms, so we shall address you in this floating head form."]]

Early into the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]], the Vok were alerted to the Transformers' presence. They abducted and scanned [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]], then returned him a day later, their business done. {{storylink|Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command}} Later, the destruction of [[Brigadoon]], the Vok's testing ground for any sentient life, sent a warning signal to them. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 2}} Tarantulas immediately started to work on a way to escape the planet, darkly warning that it was "doomed". {{storylink|Spider's Game}} The discovery of an alien Golden Disk would reveal he was right: The Vok were on their way ''and were not happy.'' {{storylink|Before the Storm}}

Once they arrived, they carried out further scans and briefly faced off with Optimus, taking the form of [[Unicron]] to do so; they claimed they had no physical form he could comprehend, and so were assuming the form of a "figure of authority" in his mind. They informed him that the Beast Wars had irreversibly contaminated their experiment and, due to unspecified danger if this was allowed to continue, they were going to cut their losses. The nature of the second moon was now revealed: It was an immense cannon designed to destroy the planet! {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}} Optimus Primal sacrificed himself in order to destroy the [[Planet Buster]]. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}

As a result of the Planet Buster's explosion, a [[quantum surge]] was released. The surge caused a mutation in several of the Transformers (notably, [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] and [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]]) turning them into [[Transmetal]]s. {{storylink|Aftermath (BW episode)|Aftermath}} The destruction of the Planet Buster also released a [[transwarp wavefront]] that traveled through space and time, eventually reaching [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the era from which the ''Axalon'' and ''Darksyde'' crews originated. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}

[[File:OtherVictories BirthofTigerhawk.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Playing head games.]]

Later, the Vok made another attempt to wipe out the Transformers. A second weapon, the [[Metal Hunter]], appeared on the planet to knock the Transformers unconscious, and the [[Maximal]]s [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] and [[Tigatron]] were abducted. Megatron and Tarantulas, meanwhile, had both gained knowledge about the aliens from the Vok Disk. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 1)}} {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 2)}} Megatron would go on to capture and alter an alien device he called the "[[Transmetal driver]]", which he used to create [[Transmetal#Transmetal 2|Transmetal 2's]]. {{storylink|Feral Scream Part 1}} It could also raise the dead somehow! {{storylink|Crossing the Rubicon}}

Near the end of the Beast Wars, the Vok sent an emissary, [[Tigerhawk]] (a newly created fusion of Airazor and Tigatron), to Earth to deal with Megatron's disruption of the timestream. Tigerhawk was able to destroy the [[Darksyde (BW)|Predacon base]], but was eventually subdued and captured by Tarantulas. Tarantulas was able to draw the Vok out of Tigerhawk's frame and into his own, but this led to his own destruction. {{storylink|Other Victories}}

====3H comics====
[[File:Primal Prime Vok.jpg|thumb|left|Primal Prime's Punisher costume is rather minimal.]]

Established as the enlightened descendants of [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]], the Vok's goal in guiding Earth's development was to atone for their shameful and destructive past. As servants of Primus, whom they knew as both the "Source" and the "Core", the Vok were tasked guarding their master's [[Grand Plan]] for "[['Til all are one|the one and the all]]." They had spread to many worlds in many dimensions, seeding each one (including the prehistoric Earth of the Beast Wars) with mysterious projects designed for the purpose of fulfilling Primus's vision of a completely harmonized and organized [[multiverse]]. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 3}}

Knowing that Tarantulas was reborn and had stolen their own power for his evil plans, the Vok turned to the Ark, creating [[Primal Prime]] (from the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], a [[Transmetal driver|Datasphere]] and Quickstrike's control harness) and restoring the sparks of Airazor and Tigatron to separate Transmetal bodies, hoping they could defeat Tarantulas. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}} {{storylink|Primeval Dawn II}}

Later, when they lost the Matrix to the zombified arachnid, the Vok merged themselves with Primal Prime in order to provide a temporary substitute for the Matrix. Primal Prime gained a snazzy new Vok-shaped breastplate out of the deal. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 3}}

Later still, when the Quintessons launched their invasion force on Cybertron, Tigatron called upon the power of the Vok to restore the critically injured [[Fractyl]]. In exchange for this boon, Tigatron agreed to release the Vok from the bind to his spark, and was left without their mystical might henceforth. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

====''Transformers Legends'' anthology====
While his spark was untethered from his body, [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] bemoaned the organic infection he and the Maximals had brought back to Cybertron after fighting the Beast Wars on Earth. He posited that maybe the Vok had been involved in changing the Cybertronians from within to "infect" them with the biological contamination. {{storylink|Singularity Ablyss}}

====Razorclaw continuity====
In a splinter timeline of [[Primax 496.22 Alpha]], the Vok also abducted Airazor and Tigatron, the last two surviving Maximals, to create their emissary Tigerhawk to stop Megatron, whose machinations continued to threaten the Vok's presence on Earth. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 7, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 07/08/2015}} Corrupted by the Vok's influence, Tigerhawk succeeded in killing Megatron {{storylink|Abduction|''Universe'' Razorclaw profile}} but not before Megatron had absorbed the spark of his namesake, causing a [[timestorm]] which tore that reality apart. From the remains of Tigerhawk's reality, {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 7, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 07/08/2015}} [[Unicron]] would pluck Tigerhawk to serve as his final [[Minion of Unicron (Universe)|Minion]] general, [[Razorclaw (Universe)|Razorclaw]]. Razorclaw would actively utilize his Vok powers in service to the Chaos-Bringer. {{storylink|Abduction|''Universe'' Razorclaw profile}}

====2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity====
The Vok were the enlightened evolution of the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]], a combination of [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian]], [[human]], and mysterious lizard species life. Their aim is to find the optimal path of development for the sources of their components, especially Cybertronians.

After [[Tigerhawk]] was destroyed, the Vok granted [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] a [[Transmetal]] body using a [[blank]] [[protoform]]. [[Tigatron]] gained a new Transmetal body as well, and his experience with the Vok expanded his awareness of Nature to the entire Universe. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook #4}}

[[Antagony (BW)|Antagony]] was "reconstructed" by the Vok to act as a provocateur in whatever realities they toss her into, to test the upper limits of Cybertronians. Antagony, however, believed that she was from a future ruled by [[Shokaract]], and did work for him at one point. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook #1}}

When [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] was close to death, a Transmetal "Vok alternate body" was created in [[null-space]]. When Blackarachnia lived, the body was sidelined. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook #1}}

After [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]'s death as [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], the Vok took his spark from the [[Transformer afterlife|Matrix]], gave him a new body, and dropped him into different realities, supposedly to combat [[Unicron]]'s chaos, but really to manipulate Cybertronian history. Rhinox realizes this and does not trust the Vok, but, out of guilt for his actions as Tankor, still helps any Cybertronian he comes across. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook #3}}

====Waspscream continuity====
In [[Primax 208.06 Zeta]], the machinations of the [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] from [[Primax 206.15 Gamma]] resulted in a decisive Predacon offensive against the Maximals. The Vok responded by trying to sterilize their experiment, but Megatron tricked Blackarachnia into destroying the Planet Buster. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 16, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 16/08/2015}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[File:Vok Dark Nova.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9]]

====''Generations Selects Special Comic'' (1)====
After the seven universes guarded by the [[Primus Vanguard]] were merged into one in an attempt to purify them of the [[Specter]]s that acted as shadows to their [[Star Power|Matrices' light]], the Specters evolved into the Vok. They made their return in front of [[Primus]] after his insane ravings caused the factions of the Primus Vanguard to scatter. {{storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic Finale Prelude|Finale Prelude}}

====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
:''See [[#Beast Wars cartoon]]''

====''Legends'' comic====
The Vok that seemingly perished in the confrontation between Tigerhawk and Tarantulas would recover and emerge millions of years later as two [[Dark Nova]]s to threaten the Maximals' and Predacons' ancestors to avert the Beast Wars. {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 5: LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part Two|LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part Two}}

====''Generations Selects Special Comic'' (2)====
After they didn't succeed in the Beast Wars, the Vok and their [[Novaroid]] army attacked planets in [[Precursor World|the universe]] prior to the [[G1 World]] in an attempt to recreate the universe to their liking. The [[Primus Vanguard]] traced their origins to the future, so [[Primus]] used the [[Black Legendisc]] to peer into the next universe, where he discovered the origins of the Vok. Fearing that defeating them would just cause them to evolve again, Primus devised a complex plan {{storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic Finale Prelude|Finale Prelude}} that brought in [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] to defeat the Vok with the help of the [[Silver Matrix]]. He was able to do so and stop their attack on the [[Blue Planet (GS)|Blue Planet]]. {{storylink|Star Convoy comic}} {{storylink|Super Megatron comic 2}}
{{--}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
The Vok are an alien race which hails from [[Nexus Zero]]. Little is known about them save that they've developed [[Negatronic force field]] emitters. According to [[Swindle (Animated)|a certain arms dealer]], they're "nice creatures". If you're ever in the Nexus Zero area, look them up—you won't be sorry. {{storylink|SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy}}

===''Shattered Glass''===
[[File:SGVokface.jpg|thumb|left|Great. You left your stuff behind for the ''original'' Megatron to find???]]

After the [[Thirteen]] hid the [[Origin Matrix]] on prehistoric Earth of [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon]], [[Vector Prime]] placed a time lock on the local spacetime so that [[The Fallen|evil]] could not get their hands on the Matrix. The Vok, already present on Earth to conduct their experiments, were entrusted with guarding the Matrix. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 18, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 18/05/2015}}

While [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] and his dimensionally-displaced Decepticons were fighting similarly displaced Autobots on prehistoric Primax -408.24 Epsilon, Megatron was knocked down into a ravine by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. After Megatron was dug out by his "Predacon" troops, he was then excited to find a giant Vok face carved into a rock. {{storylink|Shattered Paths}} He utilized the equipment found inside the adjoining cave to build the [[Gigastorm Armor]], {{storylink|Shattered Hope}} which he then used to great effect in a battle against the "Maximals". {{storylink|Shattered Balance}} {{storylink|Shattered Destiny}}

The [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] of [[Primax 209.0 Gamma]], having been sent by the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTech]]s to keep the [[Origin Matrix]] out of evil hands, had some knowledge of the Vok, commenting during the hunt that "sneaky death-faced creeps" must have been involved in hiding the Origin Matrix. {{storylink|Shattered Balance}}
{{-}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
[[Vector Prime]] stated that the Vok created [[Megatron X (BW)|Megatron X]] as an emissary in [[Primax 1099.01-N6 Kappa]] and [[Primax 700.12-N4 Kappa]], enhancing him in the image of the [[Megatron (BW)|most potent spark]] in the conflict. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 15, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 15/05/2015}} He also noted that the Vok were uninterested in [[Aurex 1104.30-JH Zeta]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 13, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 13/08/2015}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
A decade after the [[Vehicon Apocalypse]], the Vok showed up at [[Trypticon (G1)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Dinosaur City]] on [[Metascan Omega]], to tell the inhabitants that mortals weren't allowed to live there (either unaware or uncaring that the [[Logicon|former occupants]] had said it was okay) and that in order to stay, they would have to prove their "cosmic worth". {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

===2021 IDW ''Beast Wars'' comic===
At some indeterminate point in the past, a trio of Vok—[[Pakak]], [[Tonrar]], and [[Tikaani]]—used an uncharted planet as a testbed for multiple biological and geological experiments, which included seeding the planet with vast supplies of [[energon]], {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 2}} importing alien fauna like [[Ironwolf|ironwolves]], {{storylink|Thicker Skin}} and genetically altering other creatures while patiently observing the results from the extradimensional realm of [[unspace]]. {{storylink|Primal Rage}} As they had done before on other worlds, the three installed a [[reversion device]] as a failsafe. {{storylink|The End (BW)|The End}}

Eventually, however, the starships ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' and the ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'' crashed on this pristine world, bringing with them two warring factions of [[Transformer|Cybertronian]] lifeforms. Having never encountered Transformers before, Pakak was eager to study the Cybertronians, though Tonrar remained adamant that they could not be allowed to contaminate their long-term experiments; Tikaani proposed a compromise of observing the intruders until they proved too disruptive. Not long after the Vok returned to their own realm, [[Skold]] performed a scan of the ''Darksyde'' and accidentally picked up the unspace signatures that the Vok had left in their wake. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 2}}

After the Maximals and Predacons' initial battle, the Vok observed [[Razorbeast]]'s birth and the Maximal's friendship with [[Skold]], giving Tikaani an idea for an experiment. {{storylink|Thicker Skin}} However, the continued Cybertronian conflicts eventually eroded Pakak's goodwill towards the interlopers. Intruding into [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]'s mind, Pakak tricked the Maximal into revealing information on the [[protoform]]s. Though Pakak wiped Cheetor's mind to prevent him from warning the Maximals of the full plan, Cheetor managed to impart the aliens' name to [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]. {{storylink|The Speedway of Central Consciousness}}

Using Cheetor's knowledge, the Vok reprogrammed nineteen of the ''Axalon''{{'}}s protoforms as the "[[Children of the Vok (group)|Children of the Vok]]", {{storylink|The End (BW)|The End}} sending [[Polar Claw]] and [[Saberback]] to abduct the two leaders. {{storylink|Primal Rage}} When the two leaders managed to escape, Pakak and Tikanni decided to allow them to live, eager to see how the two rivals would work together, and sent the Children against them. After Megatron killed Polar Claw and Saberback, Pakak used the former's corpse as an avatar with which to speak to the Predacon only to be fired upon. Angered, the three Vok appeared in their true forms and were about to kill Megatron before Primal intervened, offering the three the chance to see how Maximal and Predacon would behave when faced with a common foe. Despite Tonar's protests, Pakak and Tikaani agreed to Primal's proposal and gave the Cybertronians seven cycles to prepare. {{storylink|Children of the Vok}}

As the Maximals and Predacons drew up battle plans, [[Skold]] and [[Nyx]] discovered the connection between the Vok and unspace energy. The Vok themselves contacted [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] and offered him their knowledge if he destroyed the ''Darksyde''{{'}}s transwarp drive. After Tarantulas' deception had been discovered, {{storylink|The Beginning of the End}} he summoned the totality of the Children of the Vok to reinforce him against the Maximal-Predacon alliance.

Their attention drawn by the battle, the Vok trio materialized and decided that all Cybertronians were too disruptive, immobilizing them as they activated the reversion device. As the superweapon charged, the Vok were fired on by the ''Axalon''. With Rattrap and Waspinator having routed the energies of the ship's transwarp drive into its weapon systems, its unspace blasts dissipated the Vok's energy forms, ending their threat. {{storylink|The End (BW)|The End}}
{{--}}

==Games==

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
The Vok implanted secrets into Starscream's head. Optimus Primal believed that he would be critical in the coming months, and that the Maximals would need to know where to find him when that time came.{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|All Angles}}{{Charstubgames|{{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Cheetor once spoke about the Vok when he gave an address to the [[Confederated Terran Colonial Fleet|CTC Fleet Academy]] on [[New Earth]]. Cheetor told them his theories that the Vok could have been attempting to influence the evolution of humanity, or they could have known that Cybertronians would be drawn to travel to Earth. He had also heard whispers about a war which involved the Children of the Vok. {{storylink|Technorganic Secrets}}

==Behind the scenes==
[[File:Swarmoptimus.jpg|thumb|Basically, when a Mummy Matrix and a Daddy Swarm love each other very much...]]

In the course of writing the ''Beast Wars'' television show, the co-story editors had conflicting ideas on who the Vok were. [[Bob Forward]] liked to imagine the Vok as the evolutionary endpoint of all sentient life in the universe, shaping the development of other races in order to guide them eventually into becoming Vok themselves. [[Larry DiTillio]] wanted to link the Vok to the Swarm, who, in his version of the events of the ''Generation 2'' comic book, had completely wiped out humanity and wished to atone for their crimes. Neither origin made it into the television show before it completed.

Note that a Swarm-based origin raises continuity questions, as the Swarm were shown to have become enlightened only after an intervention of sorts from [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] in "[[A Rage in Heaven!]]"...whom the Vok would have preemptively killed 4 million years earlier when their Planet Buster weapon destroyed prehistoric Earth (''but see below'').

Ultimately, the Swarm origin was published as backstory for 3H's "Primeval Dawn" storyline and IDW's ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook]]''.

The ''[[Beast Wars Universe]]'' book, working off interviews and notes from the series writers, says that the Vok's experiments on Earth were part of an attempt to further evolve Humanity, as the Vok had destroyed the human race while existing as the Swarm, and they wished to rebuild all the races they'd destroyed. It states that the [[energon crystal]]s were seeded so that they would become [[energon cube]]s by the time Humanity came about. This would give them a reliable fuel source which wouldn't harm the environment, as energon actually provided nutrients to the soil of the planet and didn't harm its animals. The Vok also attempted to play the role of God for humans, intending to guide their development and reveal their true nature once the Vok felt the humans were ready. It also states that the Vok had been forced to destroy and recreate Earth several times before the events of "[[Other Voices, Part 2]]", all the while subtly manipulating the timestream after they did. Only contact with [[Tigatron]] made them unsure if this was a good idea.

One of their other motivations was to turn the Transformers into a smaller race that could better interact with organics, and therefore become the friends and protectors of the galaxy. To do this, they created [[protoform]]s and dumped them on Cybertron, forcing the evolution into Maximal and Predacon. Only high-ranking figures like the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] and Optimus Prime know that protoforms have an alien origin.<ref>[http://www.camphortree.net/tf/tidbits/vok.txt Translated section from Beast Wars universe]</ref> Another idea was that [[spark]]s are pieces of Vok—that the composite bits of the Vok want to be individuals, so they separate into good and evil sparks, entering newly built Transformers. Once the Transformer dies, their spark rejoins the Matrix, properly known as the Vok Nebula, and becomes a new, changed Vok. Obviously, this idea has been totally nullified by later Hasbro-published [[canon]], though the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]] has some similarity to the Vok Nebula idea.

The canonicity of these claims is dubious at best, as they are basically all wish-lists of [[authorial intent]] published years after the fact in obscure, non-English media, they never appeared in any actual story material, and some items (such as the notion that the Vok created sparks too) were rendered flatly impossible by later in-fiction revelations. But one thing is for sure: Old habits die hard.
{{--}}

==Symbols==
[[File:Vok Golden Disk Symbols - Beast Wars.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|"It's Sumerian." "Can you read Sumerian?" "In my sleep, underwater and with the lights out. Of course I can read Sumerian."]]
The [[Golden Disk (Vok)|golden disk]] that the Vok left on prehistoric Earth displayed ten symbols at a time, five on each side. Symbols spontaneously changed from one to another; there were 15 unique symbols. The first four symbols on the upper left row each represented an alien artifact.

*The first symbol represented [[Brigadoon]] from "[[The Trigger, Part 1]]" and "[[The Trigger, Part 2|Part 2]]".
*The second symbol represented the [[Standing Stones]] from "[[Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command]]".
*The third symbol represented the [[Planet Buster]] from "[[Other Voices, Part 1]]" and "[[Other Voices, Part 2|Part 2]]".
*The fourth symbol represented the [[Metal Hunter]] from "[[Other Visits (Part 1)]]" and "[[Other Visits (Part 2)|Part 2]]".

The fifth symbol on the top row was used to mark traps on Brigadoon. The meaning of the other ten symbols was not explained.

'''File'''
*[[:File:Vok Glyphs.TTF|Vok Symbols True Type Font]]
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Most of the ''Beast Wars'' episodes involving the Vok begin with the word "Other", followed by a word starting with the letter V. See: "Other Voices" Parts [[Other Voices, Part 1|1]] and [[Other Voices, Part 2|2]], "Other Visits" (Parts [[Other Visits (Part 1)|1]] and [[Other Visits (Part 2)|2]]), and "[[Other Victories]]"; with "[[Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command]]" and "[[The Trigger, Part 1]]" and "[[The Trigger, Part 2|Part 2]]" being the exceptions.
*The Vok claimed to possess a physical form no one could comprehend. This idea appears to have been dropped, as floating skulls aren't that incomprehensible. The idea of a greater danger coming from a contaminated experiment would also go unmentioned in later appearances.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Alien''' (エイリアン ''Eirian''), '''Voke''' (ボーク ''Bōku''), '''Vok''' (ヴォック ''Vokku'')<ref>"Vok" has two different pronunciations in Japanese media; those that hew closely to Hasbro material, such as ''[[Beast Wars Universe]]'', rhyme it with "rock". The ''Beast Wars Metals'' dub and media following this, however, interpret the name to rhyme with "woke".</ref>
*''Mandarin:'' '''Vok''' (Taiwan, 沃克 ''Wòkè'')
*''Spanish:'' '''Valk''' (America)

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Alien species]]
[[Category:Animated species]]
[[Category:Beast Wars species]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass species]]
[[Category:Vok]]

Titan (group)

2025-08-26T06:49:06Z

1levichurch: /* Games */

{{disambig3|Titan}}
[[File:MtMtEAnn2012-Metrotitans.jpg|upright=2.5|thumb|[[Solomus|Gotta catch'em all!]]]]

'''Titans''', also known as '''cityformers''', '''Metrotitans''', or '''Megamasters''', are gigantic 'bots, capable of transforming into colossal starships and even entire cities. More powerful than even the strongest [[combiner]] and capable of bringing an entire army's worth of firepower to bear, Titans are living arsenals of exotic weapons and arcane technologies that outmatch a score of lesser Cybertronians. Indeed, one of the only things capable of stopping a Titan is another Titan—the reason why both [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s across the [[multiverse]] have sought to recruit these mighty warriors into their ranks—and when Titans ''do'' clash, the fallout from their apocalyptic battles can prove devastating.

Though most Cybertronians view these awe-inspiring giants as enigmatic beings who exist on a fundamentally different scale from themselves, the tradition of "[[Cityspeaker|cityspeaking]]" allows certain Transformers to communicate with and even control the giants.

{{bigquote|Wonderful creatures, hard to shop for—almost impossible to find hats in their size.|[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]]|"[[New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|A Lonely Pillar on the Plain]]"}}

==Conceptual history==
[[File:Predacons-ColdWar.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] made the decision to depict Scorponok and Fortress Maximus as "normal" Transformers.]]
Transformers who turn into cities and buildings have formed an integral part of the ''Transformers'' mythos for years, beginning in 1986 with the release of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and continuing into the next year with the debut of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Despite their many similarities, however, this group of Transformers did not receive an official designation and so the [[fandom]] contrived ad hoc terms such as "city-bot" or "cityformer;" these nicknames stuck, and some eventually found their way back into some official media. Early incarnations played fast and loose with [[scale]], with the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel ''Transformers'' comic]] and even the [[2005 IDW continuity]] eschewing the "giant" aspect of some of the characters completely and instead depicting Maximus and Scorponok as slightly above-average sized 'bots.

[[File:FOC-Metroplexheedsthecall.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (video game)|Fall of Cybertron]]'' video game established many of the traits that would find their way into the Titans of the IDW continuity.]]

Though a number of Japanese-exclusive stories and toys would introduce other cityformers into the mix, [[redeco]]ing Metroplex and Fortress Maximus into new characters like [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]] and [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]], the concept gradually fell by the wayside until [[2010]], when the [[Aligned continuity family]] brought a new version of [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] back into the fore as one of the final bosses of the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' video game. Two years later, ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (video game)|Fall of Cybertron]]'' would similarly reintroduce [[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]], depicting him as an ancient Transformer from a bygone era of the planet's history.

This depiction of Metroplex would go on to inform the original IDW continuity, and the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 ''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]] applied this concept to an entire "species" of gigantic, city-sized Transformers. Originally, author [[James Roberts]] described them as "Metrotitans", repurposing the name of the [[Metrotitan (G1)|''Zone'' Decepticon]], but this was abandoned almost immediately: in the [[Primus: All Good Things|2012 ''Robots in Disguise'' annual]], released the same month, the species were called only "Titans", and the single Titan involved in the story was referred to as "The Metrotitan"; soon after, [[The End of the Beginning of the World|''Robots in Disguise'' #11]] dropped the "The" when referring to him, using the word as an individual's name. Nobody really noticed, though, and the subject didn't come up again until Metrotitan [[All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|returned]] in the build-up to the 2016 ''[[Titans Return (comic)|Titans Return]]'' event, and his name being different to that of the species was clearly reiterated. In 2014, ''[[The Transformers: Windblade|Windblade]]'' writer [[Mairghread Scott]] was the first author to introduce the idea that the Titans were capable of [[Cybertronian colonies|colonizing]] other planets, and used this when developing the culture of Windblade's home planet of [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]], introducing the concept of [[Cityspeaker|cityspeaking]]—the ability to pseudo-telepathically communicate with sleeping Titans—that would inform Windblade's early characterization.

Adopting this term from the IDW continuity, Hasbro seems to have finally settled on the "Titan" moniker for all subsequent works of fiction, beginning with [[2016]]'s ''[[Titans Return (franchise)|Titans Return]]'' franchise and even extending into retro-styled universes such as 2018's ''[[Star Trek vs. Transformers]]'' miniseries: generally, this term is now understood to describe a group of gigantic Transformers, sometimes but not always predating the modern [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s, and capable of [[Transformation|transforming]] into cities or colossal starships.

==Biology==
===Alternate modes===
[[File:G1 Autobot City.JPG|thumb|left|250px|The G1 cartoon depicted [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] as a component of the much larger [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]].]]
Almost all Titans are capable of transforming into a configuration that might charitably be called a "city." In order to maintain a credible size, their dimensions rarely match those of ''real'' cities, which can sprawl for many, many miles, their "city modes" usually resemble tightly packed clusters of buildings, generally scaled to the dimensions of "normal" Transformers and more akin to a large fortress or capitol building.

In this form, however, different continuities have depicted city-mode Titans has having the ability to combine their own infrastructure with those of ordinary, non-sentient Cybertronian cities for support; the Generation 1 cartoon, for instance, depicted Metroplex as existing within [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], {{storylink|Thief in the Night}} while the 2005 IDW continuity had Metroplex link himself into the ruins of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] to provide housing and infrastructure for the city's inhabitants. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}}

[[File:AllThatRemains-Carcer.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Vigilem]] in his starship mode.]]

Additionally, most Titans possess a secondary mode that allows for reasonably-faster travel, transforming from a static fixture into a mobile fortress of sorts. Many Titans transform into gigantic starships, granting them the ability to travel independently from planet to planet, though some, such as [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], transform into kaiju-sized [[beast mode]]s instead. While most Titans possess humanoid [[robot mode]]s, exceptions exist, such as [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and [[Chela]].

{{-}}

===Component Transformers===
{{See|Multi-component Transformer}}

[[File:Slammer sixgun scamper.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Slammer]], [[Scamper]], and [[Six-Gun]] can all transform into [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s towers, turrets, and other static artillery emplacements.]]

Titans are sometimes shown to have developed a quasi-symbiotic relationship with a variety of smaller Transformers, who dwell within the Titan's cavernous workings, perform maintenance on their much larger partners, and sometimes transform into the city's own components. Fictional appearances of these Transformers are rarer; when they do appear, some are depicted with individual personalities, while others appear to be mindless drones, mere extensions of the Titan's own body designed to interact with smaller lifeforms.

While the original four Titan toys came with several such smaller characters, which have infrequently found their way into associated fiction, more recently introduced Titans, such as those in the pages of the 2005 IDW continuity, lack these accessories. In the ''[[Prime Wars Trilogy]]'' toylines and associated fiction, however, ''all'' Titans are shown to share a relationship with the much smaller [[Titan Master]]s; despite this vast difference in size, these Titan Masters are capable of piloting the bodies of the much larger Titans.
{{--}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
=====''The Transformers'' cartoon=====
[[File:FFOD5 Metroplex Trypticon.JPG|thumb|left|250px|Let them fight!]]

By the year [[2005]], Metroplex was integrated into the structure of Autobot City; {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} in order to attack Autobot headquarters, the Decepticons created Trypticon, with the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s building him out of an ordinary human city. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} [[File:Rebirth 3 FortMax Scorponok.JPG|thumb|right|250px|This town ain't big enough for the both of us, or either of us, really.]] With Metroplex out of action due to missing his [[transformation cog]], Trypticon prepared to attack Autobot City, but the timely intervention of [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] restored Metroplex to full functionality, allowing him to hurl his enemy into the Pacific Ocean. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

The pair next clashed in [[2006]], when Trypticon and [[Octane]] teamed up to steal various famous Earth landmarks, {{storylink|Thief in the Night}} and again after [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] stole Metroplex's transformation cog; with [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'s help, Metroplex was able to properly align Trypticon's stolen cog within his own body and overpower Trypticon for a third time. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

Fortress Maximus and Scorponok were first brought online not long afterwards when the war inadvertently spread to the planet [[Nebulos]]; in contrast to Metroplex and Trypticon, they were depicted as non-sentient battlestations, mere extensions of their [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] partners [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]]. The two first clashed on Cybertron, in the final battle of the Great War, where a bolt of stray [[plasma energy]] struck Scorponok's alternate mode, sending the Decepticons hurtling into deep space. Fortress Maximus was redeployed to Nebulos to oversee the dismantling of the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]]'s machines and eventually serve as the planet's guardian. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{-}}

=====Japanese cartoon continuity=====
Though they wouldn't become an active part of the Transformers' war until the 20th century, cityformers were extremely ancient beings. The oldest known was [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]], who was created by the Transformers' god, [[Primus]] himself, millions of years ago to be the guardian of the [[Angolmois Energy]] sealed away on prehistoric [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 5}} A subcategory of cityformer known as the "'''[[Metrotype]]'''" had also been in existence for millions of years; {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} one known as [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]] slumbered beneath the surface of [[Saturn]]'s moon [[Titan (moon)|Titan]] since ancient times, {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)#Part 7|Zone story page #7}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} and another, named [[Metrobase (G1)|Metrobase]] was stationed on [[Earth]] in the early 1980s, serving as the headquarters of a group of Autobot [[Micromaster]]s who were protecting the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot spacecraft]] buried on the planet. {{storylink|The Menace of Landcross's Combining Formation!}}

In the mid-1980s, the Autobots on Earth led by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] began the construction of their own "Metrotype" cityformer, Metroplex. The Decepticons responded by commencing creation of their own cityformer, Trypticon. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 3|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #3}} The pair's first battle would be their last for some time; {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}} Metroplex was able to destroy Trypticon, but not before the Decepticon city tore out his transforming cog, leaving Metroplex trapped in city mode. {{storylink|LG-43 Trypticon Project Chapter}}

Around the turn of the century, Brave Maximus was uncovered and reactivated by a group of Autobots and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s who had traveled back in time from the future. {{storylink|Fortress Maximus (episode)|Arise! Cybertron City}} {{storylink|Maximus Emerges|Stolen Plasma}} After aiding [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Fire Convoy]]'s Autobots in defeating the villains, the robots who comprised Maximus's operating system, [[Cerebros (RID)|Plasma]] and [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]], were taken to Cybertron and used as the basis to develop a more powerful cityformer, "[[Neo Brave Maximus]]", who served as the mobile headquarters for [[Dimensional Patrol|Fire Convoy's team]]. {{storylink|LGEX Scourge Prologue}} The original Brave Maximus was returned to Earth, and when construction of the larger "Autobot City" began there in 2003, both he and the city-mode Metroplex were integrated into the complex. In 2007, however, Maximus was whisked away on a time-travel adventure with the human singing group, the [[Kiss Players (singing group)|Kiss Players]]. {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 1}} In the course of their travels, Brave Maximus became separated from his companions and was lost in time. He crash-landed on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]] many millions of years ago, where his remains were discovered by a group of Autobot refugees led by the diminutive [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]]. Studying Brave Maximus's technology, Fortress developed "[[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]" technology, and built a giant transforming city-battleship in Brave Maximus's image to function as a body for himself, becoming "Fortress Maximus". {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 5}}

Fortress and his Autobot Headmasters went on to leave Master and join the larger Autobot/Decepticon war in 2011, whereupon his rival, Decepticon leader Scorponok, built a cityformer body for himself as well. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}} Fortress destroyed Scorponok's body, {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}} but over the next several years, the Decepticon rebuilt it in a new, smaller form; no longer city-sized, he renamed the large mode "BlackZarak". {{storylink|The Headmasters Now!!}} A smaller version of Fortress's giant body was also constructed for use by his little brother, [[Grand Maximus|Grand]]. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon}}

At some point in the decade between 2025 and 2035, the dormant Metrotitan was discovered on Titan by the Decepticons and reprogrammed for evil. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)#Part 7|Zone story page #7}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} He subsequently defeated Metroplex and Metrobase in battle, but Metroplex was then rebuilt into a new, larger, more powerful form, {{storylink|Metrowars}} and went on to defeat Metrotitan for good. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

The Decepticons later stole the new Metroplex's transforming cog for Trypticon, who had also been reconstructed in a larger, stronger form. {{storylink|LG43 Trypticon Mobilization Chapter: Decepticon Civil War|Decepticon Civil War}} Fortress Maximus donated his own transforming cog to Metroplex so that he could transform to robot mode and defeat his old enemy once again. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 43|Bonus Edition Vol. 43}}

====Marvel Comics continuity====
{{noteukonly}}

[[File:Metroplex-UK.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]

Trypticon was considered to be the most powerful Decepticon, and after [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] took control of the Decepticons, [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] petitioned him for one last use of the [[space bridge]] in the hopes that Trypticon could attack the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' and plunder its energy. Despite this, Trypticon and [[Wipe-Out]] were both defeated by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. {{storylink|King of the Hill!}}

''Trypticon later saw action when [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] threatened Cybertron with a [[zombie]] army, teaming up with [[Flywheels]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s forces.'' {{storylink|Meltdown!}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
Metroplex served as the "living core" of Autobot City, integrated into the city in [[2003]] and endowing it with the power to transform into a battle station. When the [[Quintesson]]s invaded and took control of Autobot City in [[2008]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] activated Metroplex, and the Titan immediately burst free from beneath the city and launched an unstoppable counterattack, seeing off the alien invaders but largely destroying Autobot City in the process. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}

=====''Transformers '84''=====
Upon seeing the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] for the first time, [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] noted that there hadn't been a ship so large since the era of the Titans. {{storylink|Transformers '84 issue 0|'84 #0}}
{{--}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
[[File:YouAreHere-KnightsOfCybertron.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

A mysterious group of ancient Transformers, the Titans were city-sized Cybertronians of unspeakable power, "living starships" who hailed from the earliest days of the Cybertronian species. Notably, they were the only Transformers to possess a built-in [[space bridge|spacebridge]], which allowed them and their occupants to instantaneously travel across vast stretches of space. All Titans possessed "super-sparks" which spanned multiple planes of existence, {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things}} and supposedly shared a degree of "interconnectedness" that linked one Titan to the rest. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

Cybertronian legend venerates three particular Titans who are regarded as the original three Titans: [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], the "First Titan", [[Chela]], the "Golden Warrior", and [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]]. Those same stories hold that these three Titans joined [[Primus]] when he battled against [[Unicron/Generation 1#2005 IDW continuity|his opposite]]. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} These first three Titans were supposedly joined by many other, lesser Titans, though the exact origins of the Titans has never been specified. One such Titan was [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]; legends claimed that he had been raised by the deity Mortilus to combat the Titans of Primus during the "[[God War]]" that marked the end of the reign of the [[Guiding Hand]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Salvation|Salvation}} Ten million years ago, in the wake of this conflict the legendary Transformers known as the [[Knights of Cybertron]]—acolytes of the Guiding Hand—led their followers off Cybertron aboard a fleet of Titans in the hopes of spreading enlightenment across the universe. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

Over time, the Titan fleet dispersed across the galaxy, and though at least one Titan found its way to the planet [[Mederi]] along with the Knights of Cybertron, {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} the rest fell into disrepair over the millennia, growing increasingly decrepit and weak from underfuelling. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

[[File:OP10-Titans.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Those Titans that chose not to undergo this voyage remained on Cybertron for a time, lying dormant until the unification of the [[Thirteen Tribes]]. In a conflict between the forces of the [[Crystal City]] and the barbaric hordes of [[The Fallen|Megatronus]]'s [[Darklands|Darklanders]], [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]] was somehow able to "summon" the first three Titans from the ground, and their arrival gave the battling warriors pause long enough for Onyx to halt the fighting, with the three Titans standing vigil over the village during the subsequent celebrations. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} As the Thirteen rose, Alpha Trion befriended Metroplex, and the pair set off to explore Cybertron before the rise of civilization changed everything. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} {{storylink|Origin Myths}}

In the age that followed, each member of the Thirteen won the allegiance of at least one Titan: [[Prima]] and [[Emissary (IDW)|Emissary]], [[Vector Prime]] and [[Tempo]], [[Alpha Trion]] and [[Nemesis (BW)|Nemesis]], [[Solus Prime]] and [[Caminus (Titan)|Caminus]], [[Micronus Prime]] and [[Prion (Titan)|Prion]], [[Maccadam|Alchemist Prime]] and [[Metrobase (G1)|Metrobase]], [[Nexus Prime]] and [[Devisiun (Titan)|Devisiun]], Onyx Prime and Chela, [[Amalgamous Prime]] and [[Navitas]], [[Quintus Prime]] and [[Necrotitan|Quintessa]], [[Liege Maximo]] and [[Vigilem]], and Megatronus and Metroplex. The thirteenth Titan, Metrotitan himself, supposedly belonged to the mysterious figure known only as the "[[Thirteenth Prime|The Arisen]]". {{storylink|Ceremony}} Devout Transformers, such as [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]], sometimes prayed in the shadow of the Titans. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

[[File:TimeWillRust-DevisenTitan.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

As "Onyx Prime" was, in reality, a convenient alter-ego assumed by a time-travelling [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]], the Decepticon scientist saw the Titans and their abilities as one more pawn in his long game to manipulate Cybertronian history; encouraging the expansion of the [[Pax Cybertronia]], several Titans belonging to the Thirteen departed their planet on missions of colonization. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} These Titans were sent to prepare new worlds into suitable colonies, so that each Prime could rule one planet. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}} The first such planet targeted for colonization was the nearby world of [[Antilla]], with the Titan Nemesis taking part in the war against the native [[Antillan]]s alongside [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|Our Finest}}

When the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]] swept their world, however, the remaining Titans were forced to turn on Vigilem, whose treacherous master had helped orchestrate the conflict. After Onyx severed Vigilem's higher functions, it was decided that the pair would be cast into space, striking them from history, with Vigilem renamed "Carcer" to conceal his true identity. {{storylink|Rubicon}} {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} Shortly thereafter, Onyx, Alpha Trion and Prima departed aboard Emissary to track down Megatronus, and during the subsequent battle on the planet [[Tsiehshi]], Prima was easily slain by Megatronus, who was in turn slain by Shockwave. In the aftermath, Shockwave sabotaged Emissary, who had voluntarily repurposed himself into a living morgue for his slain master, so that the Titan would crash land on the distant organic world of [[Elonia]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} Subsequent colonization missions lead to the settlement of other worlds such as Caminus, [[Prion (planet)|Prion]], and [[Devisiun (planet)|Devisiun]]. {{storylink|Time Will Rust}} In many cases, these colonies developed unique adaptations that set them apart from Cybertronians; the Titans themselves were often repurposed into cities and building materials. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}} {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}} On Caminus, the colonists developed the practice of [[Cityspeaker|cityspeaking]], a way of communicating with the Titans via interpreting the patterns of light running across their [[brain module]]s. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}}

As part of a much, much longer game to ensure a future for the Cybertronian species, Shockwave had deliberately engineered events so that each of these thirteen Titans—and the [[Cybertronian colonies|colonies]] that they established—would come to be associated with the thirteen worlds his younger self had once seeded with his thirteen [[Regenesis]] ores, including [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Our Darkest}} While Chela went on to found the colony of [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Eukaris]], Shockwave himself eventually retreated to the ruins of Antilla with his inner cadre of [[Maximal]]s, adopting Nemesis as the flagship of his impromptu fleet. {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}}

[[File:ReluctantSpecialist-LeviathansOfTheSky.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|"The bigger they are, the more you can charge."]]

By the time Cyclonus had become part of [[Nova Prime]]'s inner court, only three Titans remained on Cybertron, all in hiding. One, [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]], slumbered in secret beneath [[Crystal City]], and was guarded by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. When Nova discovered the upper city and allied himself with Omega, the guardian hid the Metrotitan's existence from the Prime. His recalcitrance paid off when Nova fell into megalomania and departed Cybertron to conquer other worlds, at which point Omega revealed Metrotitan to Nova's more respectful former follower, [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]]. Omega explained that the Titan would only awaken in the presence of a great Cybertronian, but that it would be Dai Atlas's task to protect it until then. When the Autobot/Decepticon war subsequently broke out in the following millennia, Dai Atlas became a conscientious objector and gathered together many like-minded Transformers to form the [[Circle of Light]], and used Metrotitan's energies to power their departure from Cybertron. {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}} Settling on the planet [[Theophany]], the Circle built a new Crystal City atop the still-sleeping Metrotitan, continuing to use his energies to power their new home. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

During [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s initial rise to power, then-current Prime [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], in reality a disguise assumed by the Titan Master [[Infinitus]], mused over the possibility of obtaining a Titan to quash the nascent rebellion. {{storylink|Last Light (issue)|Last Light}}

The second Titan on Cybertron, Metroplex, entered a deep slumber as the "[[Acropolex]]" of Nyon, until the early days of the [[Great War (G1)|Autobot/Decepticon war]] when the new [[Prime (rank)|Prime]], the former [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]], woke him with the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to aid him against [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Rise}} Megatron became obsessed with the idea of harnessing the Titans' space bridges for his own personal use, and ordered a group of Decepticons to find a Titan. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

Metroplex served as Autobot headquarters for some time until he departed the planet with Alpha Trion to investigate and counteract [[Regenesis|Shockwave's star-spanning project]]. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} One group of Decepticons, led by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], attempted to follow, and travelled to a planet where he was refuelling, but [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] woke him rather than inform his superior, and prompted Metroplex to teleport onward before Bludgeon discovered his presence. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}} That same group of Decepticons would later stumble on the Titan Quintessa, and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] would inadvertently warp him to [[Gorlam Prime]]. {{storylink|Homecoming (IDW)|Homecoming}}

The last Titan on the planet was Trypticon; whom [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] awoke in the early stages of the Great War. {{storylink|Unleashed}} The bestial Titan cut a swath of destruction across Cybertron before being felled by both Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Belly of the Beast (issue)|Belly of the Beast}} Megatron then revived Trypticon and had him branded a Decepticon. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} Trypticon's true nature as a Titan, however, would remain unknown to his fellows until after the war had ended. {{storylink|The Transformers: Salvation|Salvation}}

At some point during the space based phase of the Great War, [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] obtained Metroplex's space bridge nodes to install them in Megatron's new body, {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}} apparently forcing the Titan to travel physically through space thereafter.

[[File:PrimusAllGoodThings-MetrotitanEmbedded.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7|This is why Metrotitan hates Mondays.]]

Believing that the ancient giants held the key to reaching [[Cyberutopia]], the supposed location of the Knights of Cybertron, Chief Justice [[Solomus|Tyrest]] hired [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] to hunt down and kill Titans so that he could use their parts to cobble together a space bridge, one that he hoped would lead directly to the mythical Cyberutopia. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} Lockdown and his group of [[Titan Hunter]]s tracked down the weakened Titans, killed them, and stripped them for parts before using their remains to find their next target.{{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}} The leftovers were sent to [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], Tyrest's headquarters, in a veritable elephants' graveyard of Titan corpses. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} At one point Lockdown's hunters followed a Titan signal to the ''[[Lost Light]]'', which had a sloughed-off piece of Metroplex aboard that had recently struck the ship, and aimed to use it to detect Metroplex himself, before being forced off by [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] without their prize. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

At some point, Crystal City was razed by Tyrest's [[Legislator]]s, leaving no sign of life, save the Titan slumbering underneath. When the crew of the ''Lost Light'' arrived to investigate, a subsidence sent them tumbling into the cavern beneath the city where Metrotitan lay, and they decided to enter his body so that the their resident [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] could tap his brain and hopefully find out what had befallen the Circle of Light. Doing so, Chromedome discovered that Metrotitan was still alive and screaming in frustration—he had heard the call sent out by Cybertron upon the planet's reformatting to "come home", but having been drained by the Circle for so long, he lacked the necessary power to teleport his giant bulk across space. With Metrotitan desperate enough to separate his [[spark]] from his body in order to return to Cybertron, [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] used miniaturization technology to shrink the giant down to a size small enough so that he now had the power reserves necessary for the journey. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

[[File:RID26 MetroplexPunchingNecrotitan.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.7|"NOW HERE I GO!"]]

The shrunken Metrotitan successfully quantum jumped back to Cybertron, to his old home in Crystal City, but wound up physically enmeshing his molecules into those of the city, causing a destabilization of local reality. As Autobot scientist [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] worked to contain the impending disaster, [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] and [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] got closer to the Titan. Neither were aware that Metrotitan had himself been brainwashed by "Onyx Prime," using supplies of [[Ore-10]], and in his addled state the Titan proclaimed Starscream as the mythical "Chosen One" who would unite Cybertron before he was seemingly killed by an antimatter explosion; {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}} in reality, however, "Onyx" had used a mixture of [[Ore-1]] and [[Ore-9]] to warp Metrotitan to [[Earth]], beneath the surface of [[Monument Valley]], all to further his own goals. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}} {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}}

When the ''Lost Light'' found its way to the Missing Miracle Moon of Luna 1 via a portal in space, [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] and the rest of the away team discovered Tyrest's Titan graveyard and unsuccessfully tried to take refuge from Lockdown and crew inside of the huge relics. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} Tyrest was finally able to activate his Titan-made space bridge, but rather than the promised land, the portal led to the mind of [[Adaptus]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

[[File:RID19 metrotitan & monstructor.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

Meanwhile, on a decaying [[Gorlam Prime]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] summoned the Titan [[Necrotitan|Quintessa]] from the ground in order to fight off [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]]. However the combiner attack was a ruse, as the Decepticon scientist [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] desired to bring the [[Ore-2]] and [[space bridge]] technology the Titan contained to Shockwave. Via the marooned Titan Hunter [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] Jhiaxus took control of the Titan and teleported back to Cybertron. {{storylink|Homecoming (IDW)|Homecoming}} The Titan was brought to Shockwave's lair, the [[Crystal City]], {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}} where its Ore-2 reacted with the [[Ore-14]] of the city, turning it into the undead "Necrotitan". {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} The Necrotitan was eventually felled by a reinvigorated Metroplex. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

With the [[Dark Cybertron (prophecy)|Dark Cybertron]] crisis over, Metroplex integrated himself into the ruins of Iacon while his body recuperated from the effects of an [[alchemical virus]]. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} {{storylink|Earthfall Part 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} As he recovered, he began scanning the galaxy, searching for his lost siblings. He located Chela on Eukaris, Navitas on Velocitron, and the dead Titan on Devisiun; when [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] tapped into his brain, she too received glimpses of these other Transformer colonists. {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}} After Metroplex's spacebridge was repaired, Cybertron reached out to its forgotten Titan colonies to form the [[Council of Worlds]]. Several Titans played key roles in the formation of the Council: Windblade hacked into Navitas's brain module to manipulate a Velocitronian racetrack, {{storylink|Race Against the Light}} while on Eukaris she and Starscream were forced to put down the berserk Chela. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}

The reunion of Cybertron and the colonies proved beneficial for the isolated Titans. Carcer's crew was able to begin ordering parts from Cybertron to repair him while Camien cityspeakers were able to conduct therapy on Navitas. {{storylink|07:00:00}}

[[File:AsAboveSoBelow-metrotitanawakens.jpg|thumb|right|300px| “A tremendous head made of metallic protodermis rises from beneath the shattered remains of the once-beautiful island. Water, soil, and rock cascade off its face as it rises higher and higher into the sky]]

Meanwhile, on Earth, Optimus Prime and his forces combatted the machinations of [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]], and at the Autobot bivouac in [[Monument Valley]], Optimus sensed a presence. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} Soon thereafter, Optimus realized what he had felt, and reawoke Metrotitan. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}} Subsequently, Metrotitan became the Cybertronian embassy on Earth, an [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. As a result of [[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] and [[Longtooth]] capturing Metrotitan's revival on live camera, opinion among the Cybertronian public and the Council of Worlds became more positive towards Optimus's activities, Optimus seemingly having proved himself a divine true Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}} Pleased by this turn of events, Metrotitan broadcasted a beacon of information across the universe immortalizing the deeds of Optimus Prime, unaware that this same broadcast would awaken [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]—in reality the diminutive and ancient [[Titan Master]] [[Infinitus]]—slumbering beneath the ruins of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. Disgusted by what Cybertron had become in his absence, Sentinel cut a swathe through Cybertron and Earth as he hatched a new plan to wipe Cybertron clean and begin anew. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}{{storylink|White Light}}

[[File:LastLight Titanarmy.jpg|thumb|left|350px|Sentinel Prime will make Cybertron great again by returning it to the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|neon era]].]]

Joined by his fellow Titan Master [[Sovereign]], the two travelled to Luna 1 and the Titan graveyard. Using Blackrock as an amplifier, Sentinel awoke the entire population of the graveyard and ordered the [[zombie]] army to return to Cybertron via [[space bridge]] and kill everything that moved. {{storylink|Ten to Midnight}} Though Sentinel Prime was killed by the skeleton crew of Autobots on the moon—[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]], [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], and [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]–the vast majority of the undead Titans made it through the space bridge portal, materializing far away from Cybertron. {{storylink|Last Light (issue)|Last Light}}

Several months later, the Titan army arrived near Cybertron, where Carcer's long-range scanners picked them up. The [[Council of Worlds]] convened to strategize against the upcoming threat and eventually decided to stand and fight against the menace. Metroplex transformed into his robot mode once more to do battle against his undead brethren, but even though he and the population of Iacon fought hard they were unable to stave off the endless waves of building-sized zombies. {{storylink|Ping}} The zombie army was ultimately defeated only after Windblade seized control of Vigilem and used his heavily armed body to rescue Metroplex and mop up the last stragglers of the invasion; though Vigilem perished, it wasn't before he disgorged the evil [[Liege Maximo]] from his innards, who promised to avenge the death of his Titan. {{storylink|Rubicon}}

Shortly thereafter, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] was able to use a replica of the ancient [[Void Scepter]] to bring Trypticon back online, learning in the process that Trypticon was more than a mere monster; in reality, he was a bestial Titan. Thanks to the intervention of [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s, however, Trypticon was foiled before his master could use his space bridge to conquer other worlds, and, desiring to become a force for good in the world, Trypticon absorbed the sparks created in [[Alyon]]'s hot spot, birthing a new generation of [[protoform]]s from his own [[living metal|''sentio metallico'']]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Salvation|Salvation}}

[[File:TheGround-Metrotitan.jpg|thumb|right|350px]]

In [[2018]], "Onyx Prime" returned to Cybertron aboard Nemesis, ready to enact the final stage of his plan. As his machinations plunged the planet into chaos, Nemesis was able to blow Metrotitan apart, fatally wounding him, {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 3: The Ground|The Ground}} and though his coconspirator Liege Maximo wanted to attack Metroplex and Trypticon next, Shockwave overruled him, claiming to need Metroplex and accurately predicting Trypticon's retreat from Cybertron to protect his [[protoform]]s. After sending Maximo to slay Metrotitan's crew, Shockwave confronted [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] at the Titan's head where he revealed that he'd utilized his Regenesis ores to brainwash Metrotitan into believing Starscream's divinity before slaying the wounded Titan. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}}

[[File:Unicron6_All_Out_War.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

When [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] began consuming the galaxy, Navitas perished when Velocitron was devoured while Nemesis took the Maximals to meet with the monster. {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}} When the Chaos Bringer attacked [[Elonia]] for its stockpile of [[Ore-12]], the Transformers arrived to evacuate the [[Elonian]]s via space bridge. When the device failed to activate, Optimus Prime, Arcee, and [[Rom]] discovered the paralyzed form of Emissary, partially unearthed by Unicron's attack, who was transmitting a space bridge counter-frequency. Arcee solved that problem by thrusting her swords directly into Emissary's brain module, killing him and cancelling the counter-frequency. Now familiar with the energy of the Titans, Wheeljack recognized what had happened but declined to inform [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]]. {{storylink|Our Darkest}} During the monster planet's assault on [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]], Nemesis touched down on its surface whereupon Bumblebee rammed a one-man craft through the Titan's alternate mode, seemingly killing it but clearing a path into Unicron. When Optimus, Arcee and Bumblebee ventured within the monster, they discovered the remains of the Titans it had consumed. {{storylink|Last Stand (Unicron)|Last Stand}}

Left on Unicron's surface, Nemesis's corpse was assimilated by the Chaos Bringer, who managed to access the [[transformation cog]] and gain a robot mode which Unicron used to mount an hands-on attack on Cybertron. Carcer acted as flagship of the defense fleet but was ultimately destroyed by the Chaos Bringer. {{storylink|Our Finest}} {{storylink|Road's End}}

As Unicron made his final approach over Earth, Metroplex and Trypticon joined in the fight, the latter depositing his cargo of unborn sparks planetside to do so. {{storylink|Assembly (Unicron)|Assembly}} Trypticon was slain by Unicron early into the fight, however, and when the dust settled, Metroplex was seemingly left as the last of the Titans. {{storylink|Ceremony}}
{{-}}

====''Beast Wars: Uprising''====
[[File:HeadGames-ResistanceScaleFortMaxFace.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
The ancient Titans coexisted with a different group of artificially-built, city-sized Transformers, who called themselves '''Megamasters'''. {{storylink|Intersectionality}} One such Megamaster, the aggregate intelligence [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], mused that if he had wished to conquer Cybertron or invade other planets, few could have stood in his way other than [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] or those long since vanished Titans. {{storylink|Head Games}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
Once upon a time, a Metrotitan had [[Scanning|scanned]] a boulder as an [[alternate mode]]. Witnessing this, a passing [[Malignus (G1)|Malignus]] commented that such an alternate mode was unbecoming for a being of such power, something he demonstrated by scanning a jackhammer. Embarrassed, the Metrotitan then scanned a military bunker, the Malignus responding by scanning a missile launcher. Seeing the Rainbow City in the distance, the giant scanned it, gaining its impenetrability prompting the Malignus to try and scan entropy itself. Horrified, the Metrotitan conceded defeat and begged him not to go through with the scan but could not deter the Malignus whose [[spark]] was subsequently scattered to the winds. Deeply regretful, the Metrotitan went off, swearing to never bring harm to another of his kind. One of the [[Thirteen]] became aware of this tale and recounted it to [[Vector Prime]] who passed it on to a [[human]] curious about the upper limits of the scanning process. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Faceboook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/17}}

====''Titans Return'' marketing material====
[[File:TR_Titan_Force_map.jpg|thumb|left|200px|"SEEK THE THIRTEEN" is this generation's "[[:File:SENDTHEBOOKS.jpg|SEND THE BOOKS]]".]]
When the universe was still forming, before Autobots or Decepticons existed, the Titans were created and sent out to discover the powers and mysteries of the universe. Each Titan was crewed by [[Titan Master]]s, tiny robot caretakers charged with up-keeping their systems. The Titan Masters also had a greater purpose: Each had a unique superpower they could grant to other Transformers, a gift intended to forge links with other civilizations they might discover. The Titans and their crews were eventually forgotten by all but a few power-hungry and entirely unsuccessful legend hunters. Until the Titans mysteriously returned, and the Titan Masters partnered up with Autobots and Decepticons alike. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}}

There were at least thirteen Titans scattered throughout the universe, with possible locations including [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Unicron]], [[Master (planet)|Dominius]], [[Nebulos]], [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]], [[Antilla]], [[Paradron]], [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]], [[Earth]], [[Velocitron]], [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Biosfera]], [[Aquatron]], [[Botropolis]], [[Micro]]n, and [[Gigantion]].<ref name="TRTF">''Titans Return'' ''[[Titans Return (toyline)#Summer convention exclusives|Titan Force]] 3-pack'' bio material/instructions.</ref>

Searching for info on the mysterious return of the Titans and their crews Alpha Trion followed a trail of clues to the "Beast Planet" Eukaris. Amid jungle-covered buildings, Alpha Trion and Titan Master Clobber located a mysterious ancient artifact that was linked to the Titans and Titan Masters. Mindwipe led Astrotrain, Wolfwire, and Titan Master Apeface in an ambush to steal the artifact.

Later, back on Cybertron, Soundwave led an all-out assault. Scourge, Astrotrain, Skullsmasher, Laserbeak, Rumble, and Ravage, among others, pressed the attack while Powermaster Prime, Chromedome, Highbrow, Wheelie, Blaster, and Hardhead were among the defenders. The battle was interrupted when what first seemed like an earthquake attack by Rumble was actually the landscape itself transforming into the Legendary Titan: Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}}

[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] was one of only a handful of Titans known to still exist. As a city, his ability to expand and grow was essentially limitless as he links up with other Transformers. Fortress Maximus himself is unique as the only Titan with the ability to link with a [[Titan Master]] partner.<ref>''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus's on-package bio.</ref> When Fortress Maximus returned to full size and unleashed his power on the universe, the scientists [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] and [[Arcana|Teslor]] and Cityspeaker [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] fought against the rogue Autobot [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], who sought to use a loyal Titan Master to bend the Titan to his will as part of his own misguided agenda.<ref name="TRTF"/>

In the depths of space the monster Titan Trypticon and his Titan Master [[Wipe-Out|Necro]] traveled in starship mode between worlds, landing as a dark fortress or a terrible giant beast, bringing doom and ultimate destruction wherever they passed. Trypticon ever hungered for Titan Masters to devour the way another robot would Energon cubes, while the macabre Necro longs to harvest and devour the sparks of all Transformers who cross his dark path.<ref>''Titans'' Return Trypticon on-package bio</ref>

====''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons====
[[File:Metropunchw.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
Long ago, the "original" Titans spread Cybertronian life to other worlds, seeding new worlds with young Transformer civilizations and acting as their cities while laying inert. When this society had proven that they could sustain themselves, the Titan departed for another world, beginning the cycle anew. Other Titans came online during the Great War between the Autobots and Decepticons, such as Fortress Maximus and the Titan Master [[Emissary (IDW)|Emissary]], and the Decepticon battle station Trypticon. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}}

Upon the conclusion of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], Windblade recruited Metroplex to help defeat [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], but declared that a new problem lay on the horizon: the Titans were returning. {{storylink|Destruction's Dawn}} Indeed, Starscream's disembodied spark was able to bring Trypticon back to life, and he rampaged through Iacon, slaying Metroplex in the process, {{storylink|At the Last Second}} while [[Victorion]] led a group of combiners in search of Fortress Maximus, the only being on Cybertron capable of defeating Starscream. {{storylink|Overlord and Emissary}} Fortress Maximus returned to action and took on Trypticon, refusing help from Emissary, until Trypticon swallowed Victorion and the [[Enigma of Combination]] to take control of the other combiners. Between attacks from the powered-up Trypticon and the now mind-controlled Combiners, Maximus found himself at a disadvantage until Trypticon swallowed [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] and the [[Matrix of Leadership]], the surge of power knocking him out. {{storylink|Consumed}} Unable to control the surge of energy, Trypticon was himself killed by the Matrix, releasing Starscream and his hostages, {{storylink|All Things Must Pass}} and Fortress Maximus was gravely wounded shortly thereafter by [[The Fallen|Megatronus]]. {{storylink|Collision Course}}

In the aftermath, Fortress Maximus survived and worked with Windblade, who became the Magistrate of Cityspeakers and aided those who communicated with the Titans. {{storylink|Saga's End}}

====''Star Trek vs. Transformers''====
[[File:STvsTF3-FortressTiberious.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
When the outbreak of [[World War III]] posed an existential threat to the Transformers, the Autobots chose to flee Earth entirely aboard Fortress Maximus, with the Decepticons following behind in Trypticon. The Decepticons caught up with their foes over [[Cygnus Seven]], and when Megatron and his forces boarded the ship to do battle with the Autobots, the Titan was damaged and crashed on the barren planet, with Trypticon going dormant on a nearby moon. Centuries later, [[Federation]] miners stumbled across the inert Titan, and inadvertently brought his passengers back to life. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}}

The Decepticons allied with the [[Klingon Empire]], and as part of their opening moves against the Autobots, Trypticon [[Scanning|scanned]] a downed Klingon [[Warbird (Star Trek)|warbird]], launching a successful attack on the ''[[USS Enterprise|Enterprise]]''. In the meantime, [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[James T. Kirk|Captain Kirk]] joined forces to bring Fortress Maximus back online, allowing him to transform into a copy of the ''Enterprise'' and becoming "Fortress Tiberius" in the process. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Three}}

The clash between the two Titans ended in a dead heat when Megatron ordered a retreat so that he could pursue [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] who'd ran off with a bounty of [[dilithium]]. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Four}} The two Titans clashed once again on [[Kronos]] only for Maximus to be taken out of the fight by Soundwave's audio disruptor waves. As the frequency of the weapon had no effect on [[Klingon]] biology however, they were able to call in a fleet of warbirds that overwhelmed Trypticon, defeating the Decepticons. In the aftermath, Trypticon, along with the rest of the Decepticons, was left a prisoner of the Klingons while Maximus resumed his duties as the Autobot starship. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Five}}

{{--}}

====2019 IDW continuity====
[[File:Titans-Lodestarforging.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Titans were a rare variety of Transformer, massive living starships who existed on an order of magnitude beyond ordinary Cybertronian life. Titans possessed unique "Titansparks" that distinguished them from ordinary Cybertronians; when one emerged from the [[Well of All Sparks]], it took a vast amount of time and, more importantly, [[energon]] and raw material to shape that newborn spark into a Titan-sized bodyframe. {{storylink|War World: Titans|Titans}} Traditionally, vast open-air celebrations accompanied the forging of a new Titan as the reigning [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] introduced the new Titan to the people of Cybertron. Like other newborn Cybertronians, the new Titan worked with a [[mentor]] to help then understand the world and find their place in it: unlike traditional Cybertronian mentorships, however, choosing to work with a Titan required a lifelong commitment and a fundamentally different approach. {{storylink|Arcee/Greenlight: Run}}

In life, Titans formed symbiotic relationships with their [[cityspeaker]]s, specialized Cybertronians who managed and maintained their internal systems, weapons, and engines. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Five}} In death, Titans could choose to go "[[immersant]]" like other Cybertronians, and peacefully merge with Cybertron's living geography. The [[Cybertronian Mountains]] that lay just beyond [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] was the largest known concentration of this phenomenon—a mass graveyard where dozens of Titans had died and merged into a geographic feature. {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part One}} The devout [[Reversionist]]s worshipped Titans and viewed their resting places as holy. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part One}}

[[File:EscapePartOne-Titans.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

The Titans frontlined Cybertron's [[Expansion|Age of Expansion]] in both military and civilian roles—these included dispatching spaceborne threats like rogue comets, {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Five}} escorting [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]-class colony ships to new planets, {{storylink|Escape Part One}} and, when needed, fighting wars of expansion against other sentient species. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Five}} Spaceborne facilities like the [[Black Hub]] allowed crews of engineers and technicians to refit and repair Titans in a zero-gravity environment. {{storylink|Light/Star}} In time, other races came to both revere and fear them in equal measure, viewing them as living embodiments of Cybertronian might. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Five}} {{storylink|Escape Part Four}} The most notable of their deeds were immortalized in [[Codexa]]'s book, ''[[The Way We Were, by One Who Saw It]]''. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Five}}

When [[Exarchon]] attacked Cybertron, the Titans initially took part in the [[War of the Threefold Spark]] against him and his followers—this backfired on them, however, when Exarchon successfully usurped the Titan [[Croaton (G1)|Croaton]]. {{storylink|Wheeljack: Orbital Decay}} It took the efforts of another Titan, [[Citadel (Titan)|Citadel]], to kill Croaton and reduce him to a cloud of debris around Cybertron's star. {{storylink|Wheeljack: Orbital Decay}} After that near miss, Autobot leader [[Nominus Prime]] chose to keep the Titans in reserve for the remainder of the war and did not deploy any during the final battle for Iacon. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part One}}

[[File:TheWorldInYourEyes1-titan.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]

After the end of the war and the ratification of his landmark [[Nominus Edict]], Nominus Prime grew to fear what would happen if another Titanspark emerged from the [[Well of All Sparks]]: forging and fuelling a Titan required resources that Cybertron and its colony worlds could not afford, and gathering those resources would mean a new wave of expansion that would potentially bring them back into conflict with other alien species. Instead, Nominus ordered the staff of the Pyramid to simply divert the Titansparks that emerged into a hidden chamber, where they would be kept in indefinite storage until some future date. {{storylink|War World: Titans|Titans}} When Nominus stepped down as Prime, he told his successor [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]] about the Titansparks, who agreed to keep the policy going. This knowledge somehow found its way to [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] whose silence Sentinel Prime bought with the job of Head of Intelligence. Over the next two kilocycles, [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] and his team stored sixteen Titansparks in this way; {{storylink|War World: Titans|Titans}} as the policy had never been made public, the people of Cybertron simply assumed that the Well had stopped producing new Titans, {{storylink|Arcee/Greenlight: Run}} which further increased the reverence the Reversionists held for the remaining Titans. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Two}}

With no wars to fight or colonies to found, the Titans no longer took an active role in Cybertronian affairs and went dormant: they now formed a reserve force that would only be roused to protect Cybertron from spaceborne threats like asteroids. {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part One}} Dormant Titans were slaved to the global [[Titan Net]] where cityspeakers and technicians could autonomously carry out routine low-orbit manoeuvres. By Sentinel Prime's era, the Titan Net's ground-based infrastructure had largely dwindled to a single central hub in Iacon, {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Four}} and in the days leading up to the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] most of the Titans had not awoken for at least ten megacycles {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part One}} [[Lodestar (Titan)|Lodestar]], the sole active Titan, served as Sentinel's flagship during offworld trips. {{storylink|The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Five}} {{storylink|Nautica: Home}}

[[File:TheChangeInYourNaturePartFive-LodestarVsVigilem.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

As part of a [[The Rise|Rise]] plot, [[Team Stream]] detonated a [[data-bomb]] that prevented the staff of the Titan Net from reactivating any of the Titans. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Four}} Using a backdoor in the system, the group coerced the cityspeaker [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] to awaken his partner [[Vigilem]] and use him to attack the [[Winged Moon]] and the [[Tether]]. Although Lodestar attempted to intercept and deter Vigilem, the old warhorse's arsenal proved too much for her, and Vigilem was able to incapacitate Lodestar, destroy the Tether, and escape into deep space. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Five}} Titan Net operators continued to try and rouse her fellows as their decaying orbits pushed them closer and closer into the atmosphere. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Tremors|Tremors}} [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] witnessed one of the Titans skim the atmosphere with Hoist opining that the data-bomb had been terminal. {{storylink|Escape Part One}}

Moments before Sentinel Prime died following [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s takeover of the Senate, the Prime deduced that Starscream had cooperated with the Decepticons and warned his successor Orion to kill Starscream and warn Perceptor. {{storylink|War World: Prime|Prime}} Sentinel's fears were quickly justified as Starscream quickly went to the [[Decepticon leader]] and attempted to barter information on the hidden Titansparks, only to be forced to tell what he knew for free. {{storylink|War World: Awakenings|Awakenings}} As this resulted in physical injuries from the Decepticons, Starscream made sure to have his agents point the Autobots on the same trail. {{storylink|War World: Hunt|Hunt}}

[[File:Titans-KalisDestroyed.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

The prospect of adding a Titan to his growing Decepticon army soon became a driving goal for Megatron. However, he was disappointed to learn that the Rise's sabotage had been ''too'' effective, and it was impossible to reverse their terminal orbits. Acting on his predecessor's instruction and Starscream's tip, the newly minted Optimus Prime came to the Pyramid where Perceptor told him about the hidden sparks. Concurrently, Megatron ordered an assault on the Pyramid to seize the dormant sparks within. Having already been damaged by the increasingly frequent and powerful quakes, molten plasma flooded the pyramid and destroyed almost all of the sealed Titansparks; {{storylink|War World: Titans|Titans}} although Megatron claimed that ''all'' of the sparks had been destroyed, {{storylink|War World: We Are Not Meant To Be Darkness|We Are Not Meant To Be Darkness}} the Decepticons had in fact managed to abscond with just one Titanspark. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Two}} Fearing that the Autobots might find some way to reactivate the Titans when he could not, Megatron ordered their orbital decay be hastened. Forcing the giants to deploy their aero-brakes, the Decepticons brought down the Titans and fatally crashed them across Cybertron. {{storylink|War World: Titans|Titans}} {{storylink|Escape Part Four}}

Off in space, Vigilem had made his way to the asteroid colony of [[Hexagon]], being welcomed and given repairs by the ambitious [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]; however, a refitted Lodestar and her team of [[Technobot (G1)|Technical Specialists]] pursued him and eventually disengaged him from his berth. With no way to talk him down, Lodestar was forced to kill him with an [[imploder]]; on her way back to the Black Hub, she learned that she was seemingly the last of her kind. {{storylink|Light/Star}}

When Exarchon returned, Mindwipe's team came up with a plan to use the caged Titanspark as bait to trap the Threefold Spark in the spark cage, though this would come at the cost of the Titanspark. {{storylink|War's End Part Two}} Agreeing to the plan, Megatron sent his technicians to the [[Sonic Canyons]] where Mindwipe hypnotized Exarchon into usurping the Titanspark before [[Pyra Magna]] destroyed it. {{storylink|War's End Part Four}}

====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material====
Located at the [[Praetorus Wharf]], an advanced, mobile, weaponized Decepticon base had been discovered by the Autobots. [[Teletraan I|Teletraan-1]]'s scanners indicated that this base was actually the Titan [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. Stationed there was also the Decepticon [[C.O.M.B.A.T. System|Weaponizer]], [[Brunt (G1)|Brunt]]. {{storylink|Source:Teletraan-1 Data Files|''Siege'' Teletraan-1 Data Files}}

====''My Little Pony/Transformers''====
[[File:TheBeautyOfCybertron-Titan.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

The Titans were an ancient breed of large-scale Cybertronians. While most had gone into slumber to serve Cybertron in their city forms or other similar functions, {{storylink|The Beauty of Cybertron}} one Titan, the monstrous [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], was buried beneath the plains of Cybertron after "the one who controlled him" was gone.

When the [[unicorn]] tyrant [[King Sombra]] was unleashed on Cybertron, he had his enthralled forces free Scorponok, possessing the Titan's body. Before Sombra could fully integrate himself into Scorponok's systems, Optimus Prime and Megatron used the power of friendship to overload them, the Titan exploding in a cloud of magical energy. {{storylink|Finale (The Magic of Cybertron)|Finale}}

{{--}}

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
[[File:Bravemax giant.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
[[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Fortress Maximus]] was a colossal, ancient Transformer believed by many to have been only a legend. He was hidden on Earth eons ago to protect the planet's energy from the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] leader [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]]. Over time, his place of rest would come to be hidden beneath the site where [[Metro City]] would exist by the early 21st Century. His fateful discovery by the modern day Autobots, Predacons, and Decepticons proved his existence to be much more than mere myth. {{storylink|Koji Gets His Wish}} He would only activate once all of the various keys to his reactivation were gathered: the [[O-Part]]s, the [[Orb of Sigma]], and his Headmaster component, [[Cerebros (RID)|Cerebros]], which had all been hidden beneath various ancient structures. {{storylink|A Friendly Contest}} {{storylink|Peril from the Past}} {{storylink|Maximus Emerges}} Fortress Maximus was notable in that he could be controlled directly by [[human]]s, with children particularly adept at controlling the giant. {{storylink|The Human Element}} Likewise, the young Autobot [[Wedge (RID)|Wedge]], through his courage and selflessness, could also stimulate Maximus's activation. {{storylink|Surprise Attack!}}

{{note|''Robots in Disguise'' "Fortress Maximus" is the American version of the Japanese "Brave Maximus" character, who technically exists in a separate continuity from his American counterpart. See "[[#Japanese cartoon continuity|Japanese cartoon continuity]]" above for more on the history of this character.}}
{{--}}

===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
The Titan Metroplex awakened to buy Optimus Prime time so that the Autobot leader could retrieve the Matrix of Leadership from the core of Cybertron, standing with the Autobots against the Decepticons. Despite this, he was eventually wounded, and his spark returned to the core of Cybertron to cleanse it. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====''Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe''====
Metroplex could act as a mobile fortress for his allies. {{storylink|Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe|The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe}}

====''Rescue Bots Academy'' cartoon====
[[File:TheEmptyCity Citadel Secundus robot mode.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
An ancient breed of city-sized Cybertronians, the Titans were Cybertron's first explorers, charting the other planets and settling [[Cybertronian colonies|colonies]] in the [[Golden Age]]. Without the later advent of star charts, the Titans who left rarely returned to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Empty City}} Roughly four to five thousand years before 2020, a signal was sent out for the Titans to gather beyond a planetary nebula, an area they eventually left. {{storylink|The Lonely Titan}}

After the recruits of the [[Rescue Bot Training Center|Rescue Bot Academy]] had discovered [[Citadel Secundus]], {{storylink|The Empty City}} he followed the old Titan signal but found his kind was long gone. Though offered a spot on Earth, he sought to make another attempt to find the other Titans. {{storylink|The Lonely Titan}}

Secundus later hosted the year two anniversary graduation party for the recruits only to be struck by an asteroid that created an anti-energon field. {{storylink|Space Party}} The recruits managed to take manual control of the Titan however and landed him safely on Earth where he became a new wing for the academy. {{storylink|Crash of the Titan}}
{{-}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
[[File:EndOfTheUniverse3-IaconusVCroaton.jpg|left|thumb|300px]]
In days past, during the Age of [[Expansion]], the Titans spearheaded the development of several [[Cybertronian colonies]], travelling to distant worlds and settling on them with a crew of colonists. One such Titan was [[Croaton (Cyberverse)|Croaton]], who settled on a red planet near the [[Aquatron|Sharkticon homeworld]]. Though the colony initially prospered, alien beings invaded the planet, abducting the colonists and severely damaging Croaton with an orbital bombardment. {{storylink|Ghost Town}}

A special group of Titans were known as the War Titans. These giants ferried detachments of warriors to alien planets to wage war against the inhabitants. When the Age of Expansion eventually came to an end, [[Iaconus]] was the only War Titan who lived to see Cybertron again. Unable to cope with the peacetime, Iaconus went mad and attacked his own kind, eventually being felled by the efforts of his crew. The crew's only survivor, [[Maccadam]], locked Iaconus beneath what would one day become Iacon, hiding the Titan with his own cloaking device. {{storylink|The Citizen}}

One of the Titans, known only as [[Dweller (Cyberverse)|The Dweller]], was banished to the depths of the [[Argon Sea]], locked in deep stasis and guarded by [[Hammerbyte]]. {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}}

The Titans evidently had some influence in the era prior to the [[Great War (Cyberverse)|Great War]], as there existed [[cityspeaker]]s who were trained to telepathically commune with the giants. {{storylink|Memory (Cyberverse)|Memory}} {{storylink|Maccadam's}}

As the [[Ark (Cyberverse)|''Ark'']] sailed back to the Cybertron, they passed by [[Croaton's planet]]. Detecting the [[AllSpark]], the Titan had [[Windblade (Cyberverse)|Windblade]] bring it to him so he could be repaired. Once he was healed, he parted ways with the Autobots as he went to go find his colonists, unknowingly taking on the escaped [[Starscream (Cyberverse)|Starscream]] as a passenger. {{storylink|Ghost Town}} As the two sailed into the cosmos, they were found by the [[Quintesson]]s, {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}} Croaton being forcibly turned into an enforcer for the aliens. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe III}}

When the Quintessons had invaded Cybertron, the resistance found Iaconus's slumbering form only for Maccadam to bar them from awakening the giant, fearful of the damage that the Titan's bloodlust would bring to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Citizen}} After Starscream revealed himself as the new Quintesson [[Judge (Cyberverse)|Judge]], Windblade activated Iaconus, {{storylink|The End Of The Universe II}} who quickly came to blows with the brainwashed Croaton. The last War Titan very nearly won the battle until Starscream killed him with some [[unspace]] goo. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe III}} Soon afterwards, Windblade freed Croaton from Quintesson control. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe IV}}

In the aftermath of the Quintessons' invasion, the alternate modes of the two Titans became the capital cities of the Autobots and Decepticons as part of a tentative truce. {{storylink|Enemy Line}}

In freeing her friend, Windblade's mind had been scattered across the planet, one of these psychic shards reactivating the Dweller who tried to assimilate all Cybertronians via Windblade only for her to be rescued and him to remain immobilized at the bottom of the sea. {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}}

===IDW ''Shattered Glass'' comic===
Before the Great War, the Titan [[Metroplex (SG)|Metroplex]] had become buried beneath what would later be known as the [[Static Zone]]. {{storylink|Shattered Glass issue 1|Shattered Glass #1}} The scientists [[Starscream (SG)|Starscream]] and [[Jetfire (SG)|Jetfire]] came to believe that Metroplex was only in [[stasis lock]], hoping to reactivate him for the wealth of knowledge he contained about Cybertron's past. After shopping around for funds, they received them from Senator [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Orion Pax]]. When it became apparent that Pax only sought Metroplex as a weapon for his ambitions, Starscream downloaded all the data that been gleamed from Metroplex into his own spark. Over the course of the war, the Autobots tried to awaken Metroplex, {{storylink|Shattered Glass issue 3|Shattered Glass #3}} and scuttled Cybertron's [[Titan Net]] to prevent the Decepticons from taking control of it and the other Titans. {{storylink|Shattered Glass II issue 4|Shattered Glass II #4}}

After the conflict ended in Autobot victory, Starscream returned to Metroplex and discovered that his spark could activate the Titan. {{storylink|Shattered Glass issue 3|Shattered Glass #3}}

Though Starscream had hoped that the Titan on their side would allow the Decepticons to take back Cybertron, {{storylink|Shattered Glass issue 2|Shattered Glass #2}} his spark was carved out by [[Goldbug (SG)|Goldbug]]. After the fall of [[Kaon (polity)|Gold City]], Goldbug managed to use the spark to revive Metroplex. {{storylink|Shattered Glass issue 5|Shattered Glass #5}} [[Ultra Magnus (SG)|Ultra Magnus]] brought this news to Optimus Prime only to find that the Prime didn't appreciate the seriousness of the situation. {{storylink|Shattered Glass II issue 1|Shattered Glass II #1}}

When Jetfire had killed Goldbug, Metroplex fully reactivated. {{storylink|Shattered Glass II issue 4|Shattered Glass II #4}} Fuelled by Starscream's spark, Metroplex lumbered through the Static Zone before Jetfire and Soundwave managed to remove the spark, sending Metroplex back into stasis. {{storylink|Shattered Glass II issue 5|Shattered Glass II #5}}

===''EarthSpark'' cartoon===
Millions of years ago, when [[Quintus Prime]] arrived on [[Earth]] pursued by the [[Quintesson]]s—vengeful creations seeking his [[Emberstone]]—Quintus created the the Titan [[Terratronus]] from the resources of Earth to guard the relic from the forces that the Quintessons had left behind.

Millions of years later, [[Starscream (ES)|Starscream]] tried to use the [[Cyber Slayer]] to corrupt Terratronus' [[spark]] to have her [[cyberforming|cyberform]] Earth before the Titan was disabled and placed in a [[Chaos Dome]]. {{storylink|Witwicky, Part 1}} {{storylink|Witwicky, Part 2}}

When the Quintessons invaded Earth once more, {{storylink|Judgment Day, Part 1}} [[Mo Malto]] used the [[Spark Regenerator Key]] to restore Terratronus's spark so she could help them fight the Quintessons. Though the firepower of the Quintesson ship shattered her helmet, Terratronus cyber-synced with Mo and a number of the other Terrans, granting her the power needed to destroy the ship. {{storylink|Judgment Day, Part 2}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''===
{{voiceactor|[[Fred Tatasciore]] (English)}}
Metroplex had been lying dormant in what would become Autobot City for thousands of years, and was inadvertently activated during the last days of the war between the Autobots and Decepticons, during the launch of the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]''. [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] was able to bring the giant back online, who heeded the call of the "last Prime" by spearheading the counterattack against the Decepticon forces and eventually flattening [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] in the process. Unfortunately, the [[energon]] required to fuel Metroplex depleted the reserves necessary to launch the ''Ark'', and following the loss of an Autobot energon transport Metroplex sacrificed himself to launch the ship, glad that his sacrifice would get Prime and his Autobots offworld. {{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (video game)|Fall of Cybertron}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
When the [[Quintesson]]s dosed Windblade with [[Dark Energon]], she began to have hallucinations that the titans {{Sic}} were demanding her to destroy her comrades. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight|Voices}} Later, [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] attempted to harness the power of the Necrotitan, but their sparks were merged into one and became the powerful and unstable [[Necrotronus]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight|And I Saw}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
{{stub|{{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
At the height of the Great War, when combiner technology appeared, the Autobots had to defend their Titans, such as [[Rails]] and [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] from Decepticon aggression. {{storylink|Enigma of Combination}}

In a lecture on [[New Earth]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] cited [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and [[Zod]] as examples of beast-form Titans. {{storylink|Technorganic Secrets}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Metrotitan''' (メトロタイタン ''Metorotaitan''), '''Titan''' (タイタン ''Taitan'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Jīdì Jīngāng''' (China, 基地金刚, "Base {{w|Vajra}}"), '''Titan''' (China, 泰坦 ''Tàitǎn'')
*''Portuguese:'' '''Titã''' ("Titan")
*''Spanish:'' '''Titán''' ("Titan")

==See also==
*[[Metrotype]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising subgroups]]
[[Category:Cyberverse subgroups]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) legends]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) subgroups]]
[[Category:Mass-produced Transformers]]
[[Category:Titans| ]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Siege subgroups]]

Omniverse

2025-08-26T06:41:37Z

1levichurch:

[[File:FortniteWilds.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66]]

The '''Omniverse''' lies beyond the farthest boundaries of the ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' [[multiverse]] and its satellite [[Megaverse]], a multiverse of multiverses that contains every possible world imaginable. While many dimensions within the omniverse are inimical to both [[human]] and [[Transformer]] life, the Omniverse also contains an infinite panoply of strange and wonderful universes: worlds of [[Marvel Comics|avenging heroes]], [[Star Wars (franchise)|galactic warriors]], [[Batman|caped crusaders]], [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|time-travelling doctors]], [[Archie Andrews|teenage heartthrobs]], and many, many, more.

Travel between the ''Transformers'' multiverse and the wider omniverse is very rare, although not entirely unheard of. When these distant universes do align, beings, concepts, and objects from the wider Omniverse may overlap with some of the many universal clusters within the multiverse and propagate themselves across multiple [[universal stream]]s, sometimes creating entirely new realities.

{{bigquote|Imagine the strangest inhabited universe you can conceive of, places where gravity operates linearly and electromagnetism by the inverse cubed rule and topology has 13 basic dimensions instead of 17. How alien it must be. Then ponder the wildest universes those beings could articulate. Then realize that even these musings fail to capture the uncountable infinities that exist in the Omniverse.|[[Vector Prime]]|[[Ask Vector Prime]]}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[Primus]] wished to join the [[Omniversal Matrix]] when he had completed his cosmic mission. {{storylink|The Primal Scream}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
The Omniverse encompasses an uncountable number of possible realities, somewhere in the tens of quadrillions. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/21/05}} Although [[Vector Prime]] could not directly travel to these distant realms, he possessed a limited ability to perceive notable beings from elsewhere in the Omniverse; from these occasional glimpses into infinity, he grew familiar with the exploits of [[Ben 10|Benjamin Tennyson]], {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/10/06}} and speculated that beings like [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|the Doctor]] {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/28/05}} and [[Xal]] hailed from beyond the multiverse. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/12/05}}

[[Vector Prime]] noted that, while the Cybertronian race was confined to a relatively small subset of "Cybertronian-compatible" dimensions within the greater Omniverse, humans possessed a much greater reach and existed across the Omniverse in many different forms, a fact that led Vector Prime to speculate that his race was tied to humanity in some way that he could not fathom. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/21/05}}

Occasionally, quantum-string vibrations can cause other realities in the Omniverse to temporarily merge with the [[universal stream]]s within the ''Transformers'' multiverse. Some universes are particularly susceptible to this "quantum alignment" phenomenon; Lambda-class universes are particularly notable for this dimensional bleed. Likewise, universes in the [[Lukas]] Cluster have particularly thin dimensional barriers, and overlap with [[Star Wars (franchise)|other realities]] in the Omniverse. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/21/05}} In rare cases, a dramatic multiversal catastrophe can forcibly pull distant realities into the ''Transformers'' multiverse; in universe [[Primax 787.3 Alpha]], the destruction of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] caused shockwaves in the quantum foam of the multiverse, which allowed the inhabitants of an [[Sandra (planet)|alternate-universe version of Earth]] to open cross-dimensional contact with the Transformers of that reality. {{Storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/19}} Another quantum alignment event, this time between Ben Tennyson's home reality and the [[Malgus]] cluster, allowed the alien bounty hunter [[Khyber]] to collect certain Cybertronian artifacts. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/10}}

===''TransTech''===
When an [[Axiom Nexus Security Administration|Offworlder Zone Security Administration]] team led by [[Cheetor (TransTech)|Cheetor]] arrived at [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]]'s hideout in the [[Heap]], they found their way into the building blocked by an [[Absolute Terror Field]], which had somehow been back-doored into Axiom Nexus by an extra-multiversal source by [[Transformers × Evangelion|a recent quantum alignment event]]. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 8/7/2015}}

==Games==
===''Fortnite''===
A mysterious group of individuals known as the "Imagined Order" abducted many heroes and villains from across the omniverse—including [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Batman]], [[Thor]], and [[Snake-Eyes]]—and brought them to a dimension known as "Reality Zero". {{storylink|Fortnite}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
As guardian of time and space, very little in the Omniverse escaped Vector Prime's notice. {{storylink|Timeless Champions#Vector Prime|Vector Prime arrival}}

==Notes==
* In the real world, the concept of "the {{w|Omniverse}}" originated from analysis of comic-book continuities. As coined by {{w|Mark Gruenwald}}, it meant the collection of all {{w|Multiverse#Other fictional uses|multiverse}}s; for example, [[Marvel Comics]] had one multiverse, [[DC Comics]] had another, and the Omniverse encompassed both.<ref>[http://www.chrisroberson.net/2007/07/mark-gruenwald-father-of-modern.html Blog post detailing Gruenwald's Omniverse-related work]</ref> While there have been crossovers between ''Transformers'' and non-[[Hasbro]] properties, such as ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' and some Marvel superheroes, the term "Omniverse" had never been specifically used around or within them. "[[Ask Vector Prime]]" would embrace this interpretation of the Omniverse in a series of 2015 answers and establish that the Omniverse contained every non-''Transformers'' story ever created. However, the ''Transformers'' franchise has generally played fast and loose with trying to establish any kind of definitive multiversal cosmology, particularly when it comes to in-fiction crossovers. Using this framework, one could interpret various crossover stories involving dimensional travel—''[[Infestation (IDW)|Infestation]]'', ''[[Mazinger Z versus Transformers]]'', or ''[[My Little Pony/Transformers: Friendship in Disguise!|My Little Pony/Transformers]]''—as the characters travelling to and from other realities within the Omniverse, but with the end of "Ask Vector Prime" and the subsequent dissolution of [[Fun Publications]], it's unlikely these stories will ever be classified as such.
* Author [[Simon Furman]] has used the term interchangeably with the more common "multiverse". His original pitch to [[IDW Publishing]] used the term to describe a crossover between the "[[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1 ]]" and "[[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]" universes; <ref>''Transformers, a New Direction'', Simon Furman's Transformers proposal printed in [[The Transformers: The Best of Simon Furman|The Best of Simon Furman]]</ref>, and a [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe|''Revenge of the Fallen'' guidebook]] classifies [[The Fallen]] as an "Omniversal Tyrant". <ref>''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe]]''</ref>

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.marvunapp.com/ohotmu/appendixes/omnapp.htm The Omniverse explained on Marvel Appendix (the fansite of the Official Marvel Handbook writers)]
[[Category:Continuities| ]]
[[Category:Stories]]
[[Category:Universes]]

Talk:Cartoons

2025-08-19T03:23:04Z

1levichurch:

== Prime Wars Trilogy should have its own section ==

While it began with short episodes in ''Combiner Wars'', the episodes in ''Titans Return'' and ''Power of the Primes'' run for as long as ''Cyberverse'' episodes. It might've aired on a relatively obscure platform, but it's still a full-on cartoon attached to a large toyline. It's not miscellaneous. --[[User:Leo1452|King Kid]] ([[User talk:Leo1452|talk]]) 07:49, 2 June 2020 (EDT)

==Victory and Beast Wars II captions==

Ok, to me, both of these look like pretty low-grade captions that aren’t informative on the shows, don’t have jokes, and are kinda backhand insults. I’d like to suggest we change them to something better. [[User:ZeroSD|ZeroSD]] ([[User talk:ZeroSD|talk]]) 19:27, 18 January 2024 (EST)
:No. Most of the captions are snarky backhanded compliments, even about the American shows. Victory and BWII don't get special treatment. -- [[User:Cyberlink420|Cyberlink420]] ([[User talk:Cyberlink420|talk]]) 20:10, 18 January 2024 (EST)
::Then can we be less snarky? (Source of complaints: https://twitter.com/PaperPlaneTF/status/1747760712129343497?t=sPFE8halua37PXOfoPp_IQ&s=19)[[User:Poliwag06|Poliwag06]] ([[User talk:Poliwag06|talk]]) 20:20, 18 January 2024 (EST)
:::Yes, we're all *very* aware. And no. Now everything gets to be equally snarky across all shows. -- [[User:Cyberlink420|Cyberlink420]] ([[User talk:Cyberlink420|talk]]) 20:21, 18 January 2024 (EST)
::::Yea, to be equally snarky we need to tune them down, that’s the point. The Beast Wars II one is just lazy for that matter. Is there an argument for keeping them rather than inertia? We can make them both funnier and more informative and it wouldn’t even be hard.[[User:ZeroSD|ZeroSD]] ([[User talk:ZeroSD|talk]]) 00:40, 20 January 2024 (EST)

==Animated movies==
Since the 1986 movie is on the list of cartoons should Predacons Rising and Transformers One also be on the list? [[User:1levichurch]] ([[User talk:1levichurch|talk]]) 03:21, 19 August 2025 (UTC)

Transformers The Game (console)

2025-08-18T17:15:24Z

1levichurch: /* Cut and unused content */

{{nav-movie-game}}
{{videogame
|title=''Transformers The Game''
|image=Transformers The Game cover.jpg
|caption=If you're a mid-to-late-00s kid and remember this game, then your childhood was... Probably pretty average, I guess?
|developer=[[Traveller's Tales]]
|publisher=[[Activision]]
|date=[[June 19]], [[2007]] (NA) [[June 20]], 2007 (AU) [[July 20]], 2007 (EU) [[February 7]], [[2008]] (JP, PS3/PS2) [[March 13]], [[2008]] (JP, Wii)
|platform=[[PlayStation]] 2, [[Wii]], PlayStation 3, [[Xbox]] 360, PC DVD-ROM
|ratings=ESRB: T PEGI: 12+ CER0:B
}}
{{--}}
'''''Transformers The Game''''' is the video game adaptation of the [[Transformers (film)|2007 live-action movie]]. Developed by [[Traveller's Tales]] with cinematic cutscenes animated by [[Blur Studio]] for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii and PC via DVD-ROM, the game follows several of the movie's robotic characters through a loose approximation of the movie's plot. The game has two campaigns, one for each faction. It was the first Transformers game published by [[Activision]] in 21 years.

Several '''[[Transformers The Game|other versions]]''' of the title were released for other platforms.

==Synopsis==
===Autobots===
====Level 1: The Suburbs====
[[file:BumblebeeBarricadeGameFight.jpg|upright=1.25|thumb|left|BONK!]]
[[Bumblebee (Movie)/games|Bumblebee]] crashes down to [[Earth]], ending up in [[Bay Demolitions]]. The Autobot [[Scanning|scans]] a yellow Camaro, and is contacted by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/games|Optimus Prime]], who tells him to find an object that will help lead them to the missing [[AllSpark]], but warns him to beware [[Decepticon]] drones. Bumblebee zooms off to a construction site and defeats some of the drones, but even more drones fall from the sky, destroying major parts of the town until Bumblebee defeats them. After defeating them, he scans the corpses and discovers the Decepticons have found a [[Transformer]] code linked to [[Megatron (Movie)/games|Megatron]] in a [[Archibald Witwicky's glasses|family artifact]] of [[Sam Witwicky]]. Seeking to protect him the Decepticons, Bumblebee drives to his home and he overhears Sam's [[Ron Witwicky|father]] promise him he will buy him a car the next day. On Optimus's orders, Bumblebee races to [[Bobby Bolivia]]'s [[Bolivia's Finest Quality Used Cars and Petting Zoo|used car lot]], defeating more Decepticon drones marching through the streets along the way. With the path cleared, Bumblebee reaches Bolivia's and gets himself purchased by Sam.

The next day while Sam is at school, [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] attacks him, but Bumblebee stops the Decepticon, pursuing him to prevent further human casualties. After defeating Barricade, Bumblebee is ordered to destroy radio towers that have been hacked by the Decepticons to prevent the [[Autobot]]s from landing, then clear a landing zone. The Autobots touch down and scan new [[alternate mode]]s before gathering at the rendezvous point.

====Level 2: More Than Meets the Eye====
[[File:Shockwave movie.jpg|thumb|upright=1.45|Logic, etc. etc.]]
[[file:JazzIsUselessMovie.jpg|upright=1.30|left|thumb|You... wouldn't happen to know where the Taco store is, would you?]]
After a very brief explanation of what is going on, [[Sector Seven]] finds the Autobots. In his new alt mode, Bumblebee takes Sam and [[Mikaela Banes]] to safety, while [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] distracts Sector Seven. Unfortunately, Jazz's luck runs out and he is eventually caught, only to be saved from the humans and a subsequent Decepticon drone attack by Ironhide.

Sector Seven manages to catch Bumblebee in a net and parades him around the city, but Optimus follow in vehicle mode and eventually catches hold. Before he can rescue his comrade, he is dislodged by the arriving Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], who begins to destroy the city. Optimus and Shockwave clash, ultimately resulting in Shockwave's destruction. Investigating Shockwave's body, Optimus finds the glasses and intercepts a transmission from [[Starscream (Movie)/games|Starscream]] that the Decepticons have found Megatron in [[Hoover Dam]], along with the AllSpark. Their mission now clear, Optimus rolls out with the rest of the Autobots.

====Level 3: Inside Hoover Dam====
[[file:BumblebeeBay.jpg|upright=1.45|thumb|Micheal Bay endorses this message]]
In [[Hoover Dam]], Bumblebee is being held in a force field, but manages to escape when a power surge disables it. While exploring, Bumblebee discovers the AllSpark hidden behind a 'laser grid. Commanded by Prime to retrieve the relic, Bumblebee battles the security robots and destroys the command center consoles, only to discover this would not be enough to disable the grid. Next, Bumblebee desroyed a set of cooling fans, causing the generators powering the grid to overheat and explode. After destroying the last of the generators, Bumblebee entered the holding chamber andbegan to shrink the AllSpark to portable size fending of the security drones as he did so. Unfortunately, Megatron begins to thaw out and attacks Bumblebee as well. Bumblebee manages to escape with Sam, Mikaela, and the AllSpark, but Starscream and [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] arrive at the dam shortly there after to release their leader.

====Level 4: The Last Stand====
[[file:JazzStarscreamBattle.jpg|thumb|left|Walk up to him slowly with your gun out, [[Starscream_(G1)/Generation_1_cartoon_continuity|because that ALWAYS works.]]]]
Upon arriving in [[Mission City]], the Allspark becomes overloaded with energy and creates some energon drones. Bumblebee loses control and gets himself stuck in a building, but is rescued by Ironhide. Starscream appears and begins attacking, but is swiftly engaged by Jazz, who kills Starscream, Blackout, and their drone minions. Unfortunately, [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] arrives and manages to finally finish Jazz off, angering Ironhide. After chasing Brawl throughout the city, Ironhide finally kills him and his drones, avenging Jazz's death.

Barricade tries to take the AllSpark, but Bumblebee confronts and kills him. Before he can savor his victory, Bumblebee is effortlessly flicked aside by Megatron. Fearing for their lives, Sam and Mikaela take the AllSpark and hide in one of the nearby buildings.

====Level 5: The Ultimate Doom====
Megatron manages to find Sam and Mikaela, but before he can grab the AllSpark, Optimus arrives and engages him in a final battle. After a long and grueling fight, Megatron finally goes down. Believing his foe vanquished, Optimus turns to Sam as the human hands him the AllSpark. However, Megatron reveals himself to still be alive and leaps at the heroes. Grabbing Megatron's flail, Optimus pulls the Decepticon towards him and shoves the cube into his chest, killing him.

Later, Optimus and the other Autobots reflect on the events that have transpired. Though the AllSpark is lost, they have found themselves a new home, one which Optimus now vows to protect.

===Decepticons===

====Level 1: SOCCENT Military Base====
[[File:VGBlackoutE1M3Intro.jpg|thumb|left|"Time for a delicious, cool... what? [[Pepsi]]?!"]]

Blackout shot down an MH-53 and scanned it as his vehicle mode, and then proceeded to the [[SOCCENT Forward Operations Base]] in [[Qatar]]. At [[Starscream (Movie)/games|Starscream's]] command, he destroys the entire base.

[[File:VGBlackoutE1M4Intro.gif|thumb|"Damn it, Scorponok, that is NOT my [[Powerlinx]] plug!"]]
Some humans managed to scramble their communication vehicles, and [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]] was dispatched to deal with the situation and succeeded. Meanwhile, Blackout went to destroy a communication array, hoping to steal their mainframes and data, since they contained important information about the location of the AllSpark.

Scorponok then returned to Blackout, whereupon Starscream informed that some human reinforcements were on the way to prevent their escape, but Blackout managed to destroy them all. After that, Starscream informed them that there wasn't any concrete information on the data, but a human was in possession of an artifact whose origin matched with the information they acquired. Blackout and Scorponok then leave Qatar.

====Level 2: The Hunt For Sam Witwicky====

Barricade landed in Tranquility, and scanned a Saleen S281 police car near a donut store (because cops like donuts) and got in contact with Starscream. Starscream informed him he was there to find the artifact, which happened to be a pair of glasses. and that Barricade must do it before the Autobots do.

[[File:VGBarricadeE2M2Intro.jpg|thumb|This is what is technically known as a bad idea.]]
Starscream informed Barricade that they might not be the only Transformers in the area, and ordered him to investigate. Driving around town, he was attacked by Autobot drones. After destroying all the drones in the area, Starscream told him to head to the power plant in order to find [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]], who discovered interesting information about their mission. Upon arrival, Barricade encountered Sector Seven, who had captured Frenzy. Finding himself dealing with a Sector Seven SUV which could enter buildings, Barricade tore down all the nearby buildings in his search for Frenzy. However, he became trapped inside a Sector Seven SUV whose drivers used the explosions caused by the Decepticon to their advantage, escaped the building and hid inside another one without causing damage (because they're Sector Seven, they knew how to do that).

After repeating this several times, Barricade eventually cornered Frenzy's captors at the local shopping mall, destroying the entire building and killing everyone inside. After freeing Frenzy, he passed all the information that he gathered to Barricade, who then contacted Starscream with the information. Frenzy discovered that a human named Sam Witwicky was in possession of the artifact that revealed the location of Megatron.

[[File:VGBarricadeE2M4Gameplay.gif|left|thumb|This is what you'll be doing for approximately 90% of the time you're in Tranquility, so get used to it.]]
Bumblebee then showed up heading for the police station, forcing Barricade stop the Autobot in order to find Sam. This forced Bumblebee to use a shockwave attack that destroyed a huge area of town by accident every time he used it and stunned Barricade. Still, Barricade won the upper hand against Bumblebee, then chased him down to the local [[Bay Demolition]], only to be ambushed by Autobot drones who were hiding there. Barricade defeated all of them.

Barricade collected information about Sam through the databank in the police station. There, he cornered Sam with Mikaela, but when he was about to attack them, Bumblebee intervened, picked them both up and escaped to safety. Then, Bumblebee returned to engage him.

By using the same tactics from their last encounter, Barricade defeated Bumblebee. Knowing what will happen if he kept fighting, Bumblebee drove off, Barricade followed, and they battled again. Bumblebee was eventually killed. Barricade then threatened to harm the humans if Sam didn't give him the glasses. Sam then gave up the glasses and fled. Sam and Mikaela were then surrounded by Sector Seven and placed under arrest.

====Level 3: A Gathering Force ====

With the location of Megatron and the AllSpark now known, Starscream gathered the remaining Decepticons. He approached a secret human airbase to search for [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] and Brawl, but upon arriving his radar was jammed by local human communications equipment. Frenzy, who decided to speak in [[Cybertronian language|Cybertronian]] to be annoying, came in contact with Starscream to request locations to destroy. After doing that, Bonecrusher was located.

[[File:VGStarscreamE3M4Gameplay.jpg|thumb|"Brawl! You're a tank! Use your tank parts!" "I can't, I'm shy." "What?!"]]
[[File:VGStarscreamE3M3Intro.jpg|left|thumb|"None shall stand in my way!" "Your talking privileges are hereby revoked, Bonecrusher."]]
Bonecrusher had stealthily hidden himself until he was surrounded by turrets firing paralyzing electrical energy at him. Starscream, rather than reprimanding him for this idiocy, destroyed turrets and escorted him onto the runway. They found themselves surrounded by flying drones, which upon careful inspection (actually consisting of shooting down the aircraft, picking it up and then throwing it away) had actually been made using technology based on Megatron's biology. Realizing this, Starscream no doubt viewed destroying these vehicles as useful practice.

Following on from this, Brawl got the courage to move out, and Bonecrusher went to meet with him. They immediately encountered` human tanks that fires the same electricity that paralyzed Bonecrusher earlier. Starscream then went to do everything himself again, flying back and forth using everything he has to destroy the tanks and save his rather apathetic comrades from self-imposed doom. With the base destroyed and all the Decepticons united, Starscream then ordered them all to make for the rendezvous point.

Starscream and Blackout arrived at the [[Hoover Dam]] and started to destroy it, some Autobot Drones who managed to secretly follow Sam and Mikaela's kinnapers to their base tried to defend it but to no avail, as in the end, Megatron was finally free. Starscream and Blackout then bowed before their lord, who then declared they have much to do.

====Level 4: City of the Machines====

Because of everything that happened in Hoover Dam, the Autobots managed to set the humans free and they got the cube. Megatron sent his Decepticons ahead of him except for Starscream, Brawl and Bonecrusher, who would proceed to Mission City. Barricade arrived there and informed Megatron that Sam went into hiding with the AllSpark, Megatron asks him if he knows what will be at stake if he fails, but Barricade stated that it will be done.

[[File:VGBlackoutE4M3Gameplay.jpg|left|thumb|"I didn't touch anything!"]]
Jazz was protecting Sam and Mikaela when Barricade arrived. Jazz ordered both of them to get away so that he and Barricade could fight. After taking too much damage, Jazz knew that he would suffer Bumblebee's fate if he kept fighting and decided to run away.

[[File:VGMegatronE4M4Guitar.jpg|thumb|Megatron prepares to unleash his impression of [[Soundwave (Animated)|someone else]].]]
Barricade managed to catch up to Jazz and killed him, his last words being "Optimus, I tried". Megatron detected an huge energy signature coming from the city's park and ordered Scorponok to determine what it was. There, they discovered the AllSpark caused various machines to come to life. Scorponok had to kill all the [[Energon drone|Energon drones]] in the area before more were generated. After all of them were destroyed, Scorponok threatened the humans if they don't give the AllSpark to him. Sam was about to hand over the AllSpark when Ironhide intervened and ordered Sam to flee while he took care of the scorpion-esque Decepticon. Blackout was angered by this mistreatment of his pet, and vowed to give Ironhide the honor of dying by his blade.

[[File:BlackoutIronhideFightE4M4.jpg|thumb|This is what is technically known as CHEATING.]]
Ironhide used every weapon he had: every Autobot drone type except for Mixmaster and Dreadwing, and Ironhide himself used the dastardly tactic of being invincible for most of the battle, unleashing a never-ending torrent of rockets which Blackout could do nothing about whenever he approached Ironhide too closely. He only became vulnerable after all the drones in the area were destroyed. Despite this, Blackout finally killed him; Mikaela and Sam finally find Optimus to inform him of the rest of the Autobots demise, leaving Optimus alone to defend them and the Allspark as he drives off to hide Sam and Mikaela.

Megatron finally arrived in the city, where he formulated a plan to take possession of the AllSpark once and for all. This plan consisted of Megatron trying to coax Optimus out of hiding by destroying the city at random, and after destroying a huge part of it, Megatron followed a beacon sent by Prime, thinking he would fight him there, only to be ambushed by some Autobot drones. This led to Megatron destroying multiple waves drones across the city; he finally found Optimus Prime at the top of the tallest building in the city, and climbed it. When he reached the top, they both battled and fell back to the streets.

====Level 5: Day of the Machines====
[[File:TFTG Decepticon Ending Megatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]

Back on the ground, the final battle began. This largely consisted of Megatron attacking Prime with every melee attack he had. After some attacking, Optimus would run away while Megatron fought the drones. After the Drones were destroyed, Megatron then flew around, trying to find Optimus who was with Sam, protecting the AllSpark. Soon, Megatron found them and Sam escaped, allowing both of them to continue the battle. Starscream and Blackout each attempt to ambush Optimus but are no match for him and are quickly knocked out. Eventually, Optimus got exhausted and Megatron hit him in the head using his whip-chain with all his strength, killing him right in front of Sam. Megatron finally took the cube and absorbed it, creating a fire wave that killed everyone in the area.

Life on Earth as we know is now over. Megatron decided that the [[Atlantis, Arise!|Lincoln Memorial would make a fine throne from which to rule the world]]. All the Decepticons who were absent from the battle joined together to watch the eradication of the human race. After sitting in his new throne, Megatron sent his Decepticons to finish conquering the planet, since they were done here. Barricade thought himself suitable for the job and obliged, and promptly got up while the others watched.

==Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|nonumbering=true
|c1=
'''Playable'''
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)/games|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)/games|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Mark Ryan]])
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] ([[Andrew Kishino]])

'''Non-playable'''
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Fred Tatasciore]])
|c2=
'''Playable'''
*[[Megatron (Movie)/games|Megatron]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)/games|Starscream]] ([[Daniel Ross]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] ([[Keith David]])
*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] ([[Noah Nelson]])
*[[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]]

'''Non-playable'''
*[[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]]
*[[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] ([[Daniel Riordan]])*
*[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] ([[David Sobolov]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]]
|h3=Drones|c3=
*[[Dropkick (Movie)|Dropkick]]
*[[Payload (Movie)|Payload]]
*[[Scrapper (Movie)|Scrapper]]
*[[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]]
*[[Longarm (Movie)|Longarm]]
*[[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]]
*[[Mixmaster (Movie)|Mixmaster]]
*[[Energon drone]]
|h4='''[[Human]]s'''|c4=
*[[Sam Witwicky]] ([[Shia LaBeouf]])
*[[Mikaela Banes]] ([[Megan Fox]])
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>While Bonecrusher does not speak in the game, Riordan is credited with voicing him in the game's credits. Unused voice clips of his (and Brawl's) can be found in the game's files.

==Gameplay==
In each chapter, players control a pre-determined Autobot or Decepticon, and are placed in a small open-world area they can freely explore. All the robots can walk, run, evade, jump, transform into a vehicle and vice-versa, climb walls, block attacks and have six attack types: light ranged weapon, heavy ranged weapon, melee attack, and the abilities to grab and throw objects such as cars, lamp posts, trees, etc, use a long object like a lamp post as a sword, and to use an special attack which can only be executed when pressing the melee attack button while holding the block button.

Each of the playable characters have different statistics and properties. For example, Barricade and Bumblebee are the most evenly balanced, Starscream does higher weapon damage and lower melee damage, and Ironhide has the highest ammo capacity of any character.

===Drone Variants===
Both sides of the conflict have access to drones, and thus each side has random encounters that you will occasionally have to battle in small skirmishes. Each has their own AI and attack pattern, along with set weaknesses.

* '''Scrappers''': The grunts of this game, but not necessarily the most common. Their AI is a relatively simple one in that they just shoot a missile at you, and than charge at you and try to melee you the rest of the way. They cannot shield themselves from gunfire which makes these guys easy to destroy in hordes.
*'''Swindles''': The common mooks of this game, and the most frequently encountered not just in missions but in those small little out-of-story skirmishes. They frequently charge at you 1 missile at a time, and once in melee range they will try to punch you. They can shield themselves, but it's very uncommon, and they can easily be dispatched.
*'''Dropkicks''': The "heavy lifters" of the common drone type, they're usually seen using Swindles as cannon fodder and firing missiles at you from a distance. They are also the only drones smart enough to throw stuff at you, and autoblock attacks from all ranged weapons except for Blackout’s heavy weapon.
*'''Longarms''': The most common of the "Throw stuff at them to make them stop" types, these guys walk up to you slowly while flailing around a giant and long wire cable with a hook attached to it, knocking the poor player all over the place. Throwing cars is not advisable though, unless you are Optimus Prime, seeing as when most characters throw cars, it's thrown from above, so it will usually hit the top of the hitbox instead of hitting the Longarm drone.
*'''Payloads''': These drones charge at you headfirst, but their reckless charge means you can jump around them. Once they start looking around aimlessly, throw something at them or punch them to knock them out of the AI state. They will go back into charging phase after you land a hit, so be sure to combo them before running away. Be prepared, since they always come in pairs.
* '''Dreadwings''': Dreadwings are uncommon drones that, when encountered, will fly in and land in a ring of expanding fire that will launch you away from them. They will then have the audacity to run at you nonstop, and spam their flamethrowers. And the flamethrowers have a deceptively ''large'' range, making it hard for you as the player to throw items at them. And once you land a decent combo on them, they fly away, regain about 5% of their health, and come back at you, forcing you to repeat the same process until they are defeated.
* '''Mixmasters''': The most uncommon type of drone encountered, these guys cannot be damaged by conventional means, and require that you grab an object, throw it at them, knock them over, pick them up, and throw them at a random building or onto the floor. Their slow speed makes them relatively easy to fight though, as you can usually knock them down extremely easily, but they can easily kill an unprepared player as their missiles deal some massive damage.

===Sub Missions===
Represented by large glowing boxes containing symbols of said Sub Mission, they provide challenges for those who wanted to pay energon cubes to play a "mini-game" where the player must complete the objective before time runs out. So if you want to unlock everything, or just take a break from what's happening in the story mode? Well, good news for you; every single time you beat a Sub Mission, a new mini-game opens up, offering more energon cubes in exchange for more energon cubes and maybe the occasional bonus content.

Sub Missions come in six types:
*Hunt: Hunt down all the vehicles and destroy them. (You just chase down and destroy a bunch of cars within the time limit. It would be easier were it not for the driving).
*Scavenger: Find all the cogs within the marked area. (They're not really well hidden, and the map shows them in little green blips, so it's pretty easy).
*Attack: Defeat all the enemies. (It's very easy, mostly because this is just a challenge version of the average drone battles in the game).
*Sumo: Push all the opponents out of the ring. Careful you don't get knocked out! (It's WAY harder than it looks, mostly due in fact that Longarms just exist, and Mixmasters are the most common enemy types faced here. You heard that right, '''MIXMASTER DRONES.''').
*Race: Race to the finish line. (Every checkpoint does lower the timer, but you lose time for transforming, which happens often because the buildings are coated with a substance that makes you transform the moment you touch it. And you have to race in order to reach the checkpoints in time. Are you mad? '''''YOU WILL BE''''').
*Destruction: Destroy the place within the marked area. (This is a challenge version of the missions in the Decepticon campaign where you have to destroy the area. No wonder why this Sub Mission isn't available to play in the Autobot campaign).

===Cybertron Levels===
A "Bonus Level" set on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] is unlocked after completing all oher levels, one for each campaign. Players control Optimus Prime or Megatron, with their ability to transform disabled, and must destroy 35 drones to complete the level. Unfortunately, Cybertron's look in both levels doesn't resemble the G1 cartoon, nor the opening cinematic or the scenes from the movie.

===Unlockables===
The game includes a "Bonus Features" menu with several items to be unlocked. These unlockables can be obtained via any or all of the following methods:
*Collecting 15 glowing yellow cubes (100 hidden per level). Technically some levels do contain only 95 cubes, but when playing the level 'A Gathering Force', the player is automatically awarded 5 cubes.
:Note: One does not need to collect 15 cubes in a single level to unlock a bonus feature; the game counts total cubes found, and once 15 are collected, a bonus feature is unlocked. This explains why there are 100 cubes in each level, even though bonus features are only unlocked every 15 cubes.
*Collecting a hidden Autobot or Decepticon faction symbol, with five hidden on each level.
*Completing a chapter.
*Completing a sub mission.
*Completing a level, including the bonus Cybertron levels
*Completing a skill, including: Throw, Speed (when in land vehicle mode), Slide (when in land vehicle mode), Jump (when in land vehicle mode), Evil (for Decepticons), Heroic (for Autobots) and Destruction (for Decepticons).

The unlockable bonus features are separated into three sections:
* Bonus Movies: consisting of four commercials for the 2007 movie and the intro sequences of the ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'', ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' cartoons.
* Bonus Gallery: an image gallery with 158 images in total. Featuring concept art, toy box art images, models of the characters seen in game, and covers of past Transformers comics by [[Marvel Comics]], [[Dreamwave Productions]], and [[IDW Publishing]].
* G1 characters: five alternate character skins, including the following:
**Three toy-inspired "skins" can be unlocked, including [[Jazz (Movie)#Deluxe Class toys|Generation 1 Jazz]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys|Robo-Vision Optimus Prime]] (minus flames) and [[Starscream (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys|Generation 1 Starscream]] (minus the resculpted head).
*(Similarly, one can unlock Generation 1 [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], replacing their movie counterparts with new 3D models as opposed to simple skin recolors. Optimus Prime converts into his original truck mode, but [[Transformers: Go-Bots (franchise)|fires from his fists]] rather than using his trademark [[ion blaster]]. Megatron cannot transform into his gun mode, but instead starts flying in robot mode when the "transform" button is pressed.

==Achievement list==
When completing various goals and tasks during the game, Xbox 360 players will be rewarded as part of the "Achievement" meta-goal system. Each Achievement has a Gamerscore value that adds to the player's total Gamerscore across all games played; up to 42 Achievements collectively worth 1000 Gamerscore can be earned in ''Transformers The Game''. The other versions do not feature any in-game achievements, as the game was not released on Steam and predates the implementation of the Trophy system on PlayStation 3.

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5
| '''Icon'''
| '''Achievement name'''
| '''Achievement description'''
| '''Gamerscore'''
| '''Icon'''
| '''Achievement name'''
| '''Achievement description'''
| '''Gamerscore'''
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Suburban Hero
|Bumblebee helped protect Sam in The Suburbs (Secret)
|25 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Neighbourhood Watch
|You continued your defense of The Suburbs as Jazz and Optimus Prime (Secret)
|25 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Could You Describe the Ruckus?
|Bumblebee caused a disturbance in order to escape the Hoover Dam with the AllSpark. (Secret)
|25 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Downtown Defender
|The Last Stand has been made. There's only one thing left to do… (Secret)
|25 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Look to the Stars
|Megatron and the Decepticons are finished. Earth is safe...for now… (Secret)
|50 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Sand Blaster
|The humans have much to fear. Qatar is destroyed. (Secret)
|25 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Surburban Scourge
|The Autobots fall before you. The Suburbs are done for. (Secret)
|25 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Air Traffic Destroyer
|Starscream's power knows no bounds. The airbase's defenses are obsolete. (Secret)
|25 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Downtown Demolisher
|The city is in ruins. There's only one thing left to do… (secret)
|25 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Finish this Planet
|Optimus and the Autobots are but a memory. Earth is yours. (Secret)
|50 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|What Challenge?
|You have handled a challenge with ease. Complete your first Challenge sub-mission.
|10 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Suburban Hero Challenger
|Completed all challenge sub-missions in The Suburbs (Secret)
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Neighborhood Watch Challenger
|Completed all challenge sub-missions in the suburbs (Secret)
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|The Ruckus? Challenger
|Completed all challenge sub-missions in Inside Hoover Dam (Secret)
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Downtown Defender Challenger
|Completed all challenge sub-missions in Autobot City. (Secret)
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Sand Blaster Challenger
|Completed all challenge sub-missions in Qatar Desert. (Secret)
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Suburban Scourge Challenger
|Completed all challenge sub-missions in The Hunt for Sam Witwicky. (Secret)
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Air Traffic Destroyer Challenger
|Completed all challenge sub-missions in the Airbase. (Secret)
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Downtown Demolisher Challenger
|Completed all challenge sub-missions in the Decepticon City. (Secret)
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Transform and Roll Out
|You've transformed for the first time.
|10 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Robots in Disguise
|You've transformed 500 times.
|25 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Pride of Optimus Prime
|200 Decepticon Drones have met their match.
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Pride of Megatron
|200 Autobot Drones have fallen before you.
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Wrong Way!
|You're living dangerously. Ram 250 Cars.
|15 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Pride of Bumblebee
|You've scouted the world thoroughly. All the secret icons have been collected.
|60 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Shot Putter
|You've sent objects flying. Achieved full Throw Skill.
|15 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Speed Demon
|You've really burned rubber. Achieved full Speed Skill.
|15 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Sideways Motion
|You can handle turns with ease. Achieved full Slide Skill.
|15 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|We Don't Need Roads
|Who needs roads when you can fly through the air? Achieved full Jump Skill.
|15 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Root of all Evil
|You take pride in destroying your enemies. Achieved full Evil Skill.
|15 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Pride of Ironhide
|You are the epitome of an Autobot. Achieved full Heroic Skill.
|15 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Pride of Brawl
|Your destruction comes naturally as a Decepticon. Achieved full Destruction Skill.
|15 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Mad Skillz
|You are skilled beyond belief. Achieved all Skill items on all levels.
|40 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Batter Up
|Find a bat and make your enemy fly. (Secret)
|10 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Ring-A-Ding-Ding
|Dial up some pain for your enemy. Use the Helio phone as a weapon. (Secret)
|10 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Pit Crew
|Stop your enemy in their tracks!! Use a large tire to harm your enemy. (Secret)
|10 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|I know Kung-Fu
|You are quite skilled Grasshoppa. Perform 1000 punches. (Secret)
|30 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Weapon Systems Inactive
|Your enemy knows the might of your fist. Complete Suburbs Chapter 1 using only melee attacks. (Secret)
|20 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Land Shark
|The enemy can't hit you if they can't see you. Spend 2 minutes underground. (Secret)
|10 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Sharp Shooter
|You're destructive and efficient. Complete Airbase Chapter 3 with more than 2:30 minutes remaining. (Secret)
|40 {{gamerscore}}
|-
|[[File:Transformers The Game secret achievement.jpg]]
|Turbo? We don’t need no turbo!
|You've got a lead foot and it shows. Complete Hoover Internal Chapter 2 without using boost. (Secret)
|30 {{gamerscore}}
|[[File:Transformers The Game achievement.jpg]]
|Keeper of the AllSpark
|There is no Transformer that stands greater than you. You have achieved 100% completion.
|75 {{gamerscore}}
|}

==Cut and unused content==

Perhaps owing to a somewhat rushed development cycle, ''Transformers the Game'' has a staggering amount of beta content that did not make it into the final game. A good portion of this content has been datamined from the game's many multiplatform releases and can be found extensively listed on the ''The Cutting Room Floor''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s page for the game <ref>[https://tcrf.net/Transformers:_The_Game_(Windows) Transformers: The Game (Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii)] on ''The Cutting Room Floor''</ref>, but down below we'll only list some of the more interesting examples (as well as a few others not featured on TCRF as a result of being discovered from other sources beyond datamining). Writer [[Flint Dille]] said that most of his work for the project did not end up in the game. <ref>{{citesocial|quote=I did have a one brief foray, two actually, for the first Michael Bay Transformer game. That most of what I did ended up on, you know, not in the game. Because the game got stunted.|link=https://youtu.be/nS-7a3jIBGc?si=riXqYL_k7mmCF4tK|name=Flint Dille|site=YouTube|year=2019|month=11|day=19}}</ref>

===Levels===
[[File:HooverExt-TransformersTheGame.jpg|thumb|250px|If you saw this video as a kid and couldn't find this place in-game, then you know the pain — especially when Tim from school kept lying about this being a secret level screw you Tim I want my Legends Class Optimus Prime back and -]]
*An entire level set in the exterior of Hoover Dam was to be featured in both campaigns, internally named HOOVEREXT for the Autobots and HOOVERDAM for the Decepticons. It was first discovered through surviving text strings assigned to a nonexistent level with the aforementioned name, describing a Decepticon attack culminating in a fight against Bonecrusher for the Autobots and the resurrection of Megatron for the Decepticons, corresponding with the order of events shown in the film. This was further corroborated by multiple making-of featurettes, where footage of an earlier beta build of the game shows what clearly is an exterior map of Hoover Dam that isn't featured anywhere in the actual retail release.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I97UImtAQ6g</ref> For a while, these appeared to be the only surviving remains of Hooverext, leading the small but dedicated modding community for the game to speculate that whatever was left of the map would never get to see the light of day - that is, until TT Games founder Jon Burton streamed a look at two prototype builds featuring the fabled level on his GameHut YouTube channel.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5d9G0SQw_8</ref> This reinvigorated the interest of modders, which until now had primarily worked on the PC version of the game, and led to the idea of instead datamining the console releases. Finally, only a couple of weeks later, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE01Os_O76c the entire playable level was surprisingly discovered lurking in the Wii version all along!] In another note, the entire playable level was also discovered on the PS3 version, but it has two versions, a default one for Hi-Res with broken mountains, and a Low-Res version, which is a copy of the Xbox 360 prototype version of the level for some reason. Both levels suffer from their programming being from an outdated version of the engine, which makes these levels from [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rg3YJeqWLM easy to straight up unplayable.]
**There are also [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M83Dwx-AGQY two] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTxxmOckjFg cutscenes] surviving from the deleted stage (with one of them being briefly featured in one of the aforementioned making-of videos), as well as multiple strings of dialogues for the Chapters in the Level. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDm710zwUxg</ref>
***The final retail version includes the dam in a pre-rendered cutscene at the end of Mission 3 on both campaigns. This uses the once playable map as a basis, similarly to how most other FMVs in the game were rendered using pre-existing maps as background.
**On a complimentary note, both the [[Transformers The Game (PSP)|Playstation Portable]] and [[Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|Nintendo DS]] versions of the game feature levels set in the exterior of Hoover Dam, making the removal of this one an interesting oddity.
**There are unused voicelines relating to the HooverExt missions by Optimus Prime on the PS3 version of the original game.
*There are also other unused <s> Tranquility </s> levels in this game, such as BLACKOUTTRANQUILITY, TESTTRANQUILITY, AUTOBONUS1, CVIEW, and STARTSCREEN. CVIEW and STARTSCREEN are thought to be the character model viewer and the early version of the start screen, but only have one file and that is their LEVEL.CFG, making them completely unplayable. The other levels, however, are playable. BLACKOUTTRANQUILITY doesn't have accessible missions, but the SPLINE.DAT reveals that the level has early data of The Hunt for Sam Witwicky level. TESTTRANQUILITY is a test level used for testing the various AI of each of the characters and submissions. AUTOBONUS1 was possibly going to be a bonus level unlockable after completing the Autobot campaign, in which you collect and throw 10 dounts. The counter is broken, so that means if you do what the level wants you to do, the level doesn't end, and you'll be stuck until you exit the level or the timer runs out.
*As seen in the aforementioned GameHut livestream, other levels also suffered substantial alterations between their early builds and the final retail version. Whereas some locations like Tranquility and Mission City remain pretty much identical in alphas dating back as far as November 2006, others like the interior of Hoover Dam and the bonus Cybertron levels were entirely redesigned from the ground up. The former featured a tighter, somewhat more movie-accurate look and layout that ended up being discarded in favor of the wider industrial area seen in the final game, whereas the latter was a surprisingly massive map directly based on artwork from the brief flashback sequence in the film.
[[File:TFTG_Unused_City_BurgerKing_Megatron.jpg|250px|thumb|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxhjAiP9hk8 "Yeah, a whopper. No cheese, no onions."]]]
*If you play with the High-Res city files on Low-Res mode on PC, a weird early and unfinished city appears when you load into the level. It features cut [[Pepsi]] signs and even a [[Burger King]] replacing Chip Chase's!

===Character models===
[[File:TFTG_Unused_EvilBumblebee.jpg|thumb]]
*A strange retexture of Bumblebee in the classic Camaro form that replaces most of his distinctive yellow with a muddy dark red, oddly titled as "evilbumblebee" in the game files. We have no idea how it got there or what its purpose was, though it does sound heavily exploitable for a creepypasta if anyone's interested in writing one.
*A variant of the [[Payload (Movie)|Payload]] drone crudely textured with a shoddily compressed [[Pepsi]] livery, most likely cut early in development.
*On the PS3 version, there are also ''A LOT'' of unused character files and folders, including Bumblebee_BCK, an early version of the Hi-Res Bumblebee model with it's own animations. This was primarily seen in promotional screenshots of the game.

===Weapons and abilities===
*An unused version of Optimus Prime's gun with animations, based on concept art. A picture of Optimus with this gun out can be seen on the back of the packaging for the game. Oops.
*There are tons of unused dialogue on all versions, with the most notable being the PS3 version, with prototype grunt sounds, Optimus saying you've won a mission or lost voiced by [[Peter Cullen]] himself, and alternate takes of all of Ironhide's lines.
*There are unused special abilities in the game's files, with most of them based on concept art, including:
**A reel in ability for the Longarm Drones, being able to reel the player in with their hook and attack them.
**A special shield ability for the Mixmaster Drones, being able to ricochet shots to the player and having a more powerful counter attack.
**An electrocute ability for the Scrapper Drones, being able to jump on the player and electrocute them.
**A pickup ability for the Dropkick Drones, being able to pick up and throw the player while standing.
**A healing ability possibly meant for Ratchet, being able to heal the player.
**An unknown "SapEnergy" ability with no mention of it anywhere other than the combat script file, leaving it a mystery as to how it would work or who would use it. A common theory is that it was intended to be used by Ratchet to damage enemies in the Decepticon campaign.

===Sound===
*Two orchestral tracks, "mx_city_barricade_1" and "mx_city_skorponok_1", were cut from the final Mission City chapters. Both are still available in full as .wav files.
*Some of the music tracks in the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' videogame]] have their in-game files labelled with the prefix "mx_hoover_ext", suggesting that they might have been directly re-purposed from the previously-mentioned extinct exterior Hoover Dam level from ''Transformers The Game''. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhaoVtEPfO0</ref>
*There are also some unused SFX files, such as splashing into water.

===Others===
[[File:CONTROLLERSCREEN SKORPONOK PC.jpg|220px|thumb]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkwobdKzzQA&list=PL3XAX4htSEIU01KK49biOAMbXCFLWEJO6&index=80 There are a few debug options leftover in all versions of the game.]
*Seven cutscenes (one for '''More Than Meets The Eye''', one for '''Inside Hoover Dam''', one for '''The Ultimate Doom''', and four for '''A Gathering Force'''.) were cut from the final release. All of these can be found on Youtube. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKD7jCplFNo</ref>
*A cut controller screen for Scorponok exists on all platforms with their respective console controllers. Controller screens are used for loading into a level, so maybe there was a cut Scorponok level? We'll let this wiki decide.
*There are multiple unused VFX listings in the files, but almost none of them exist, such as a VFX listing for a Grenade.
*A buttload of unused animations. Brawl, Bonecrusher, Blackout, Optimus, Megatron, and Starscream all have downed animations, but none for being picked up. Starscream has a scrapped climbing animation, and Brawl, Bonecrusher, and most of the drones have unused object-grabbing animations.

==Release==
===Versions===
[[File:TransformersTheGame 2007 consolecovers.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|One of these things is not like the others...]]
*'''PlayStation 2'''
**The PS2 version is the highest-reviewed, despite limitations on draw distance, physics and damage persistence. In this version, Blackout, Starscream and Barricade start missions 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Decepticon campaign in their altmodes, while for some reason the PS3 version has them start as robots. Reviews noted it suffers from fewer frame rate issues than other versions.
*'''Nintendo Wii'''
**The Wii version is very similar to the PS2 version, with the addition of motion-sensor gimmicks that [http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/wii/transformersthegame?q=transformers reviewers were resoundingly unimpressed by].
*'''Xbox 360'''
**The 360 version featured improved graphics, more persistent environmental damage, and more physics objects, including ridiculous clouds of rubble that eject themselves from buildings if you so much as look at them funny. The latter is generally annoying, since they get in the way when driving.
**The 360 version, as might be expected, also features Achievements, though calling them that is somewhat of an exaggeration. There's one for pressing the "transform" button once. This version suffers less from frame rate issues and has better lighting than the PS3 version.
**It was also available in a limited "Cybertron Edition" that featured exclusive packaging art, a "Making Of" DVD, a code to unlock the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] bonus levels early, and [[Movie Prequel issue 1|issue 1 of the ''Transformers'' movie prequel comic]] by [[Simon Furman]], [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Josh Burcham]]. It was exclusive to Gamestop/EB stores.
**For 500 Microsoft points, players can download an add-on that unlocks everything in the game. While this does not disable Achievements like the cheat codes do, a message that reads ''"This item has been unlocked by a downloadable content pack"'' appears below any bonus features that have not been earned through gameplay.
*'''PlayStation 3'''
**The PS3, like the 360 version, featured the same improved graphics, environmental damage, and extra physics objects. The same flaws, however, still apply to how the environmental damage and physics objects interact with the player. Oops.
**The PS3 version suffers from more frame rate issues than the 360 version, typical of lazy porting. For some reason, this includes frame rate issues in the FMV cinematics when the console itself ''isn't doing anything''.
**SixAxis motion control is also added for Decepticons with aircraft altmodes ([[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Starscream (Movie)/games|Starscream]] and [[Megatron (Movie)/games|Megatron]]). It's disabled by default.
*'''PC DVD-ROM'''
**The PC version is exactly like the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. It, however, does not feature the same exclusive flaws or bonuses of either console version. The physics are still crazy, though. The loading screens replaces the instructions of how to play with images from the opening and cinematics and allow players to setup the controller the way it so chooses.
**High-Detail mode on PC suffers from a multitude of issues. The projectile models are missing on PC for High-Detail, meaning you'll be shooting nothing but special effects. High-Detail Airbase suffers from broken road textures, rendering most of the roads in pitch black. None of these issues are present on PS3/360.

==Differences between the Game and Movie==

[[File:VG-E3Allspark.jpg|thumb|The Quarterspark.]]
*Almost all plotlines relating to humans have been removed; the game has nothing involving [[William Lennox|soldiers]] (replaced by communication trucks, helicopters and tanks), [[Seymour Simmons|agents]] (replaced by [[Landmine (Movie)|Buggies]] and [[Stockade (Movie)|SUVs]]), or [[Glen Whitmann|comic relief]] (replaced by the cutscenes). Even Sam has barely any role beyond "holder of the MacGuffins."
*Video game Bumblebee breaks free inside Hoover Dam and has to deactivate a silly laser grid to get to the AllSpark. Sam turns up at the end of the mission just in time to leave.
*The game's AllSpark is tiny, only four or five times taller than Bumblebee, unlike the movie's city block-sized cube. It's housed in the same room as Megatron. Whoever wanted things to be this way could be asking for the end of the world!
*In the Autobot Campaign, Barricade is present at the Mission City battle. Same for Scorponok in the Decepticon Campaign.
*Autobot Campaign: Brawl is killed by Ironhide after the former killed Jazz. In the movie, he is killed by Bumblebee.
*Autobot Campaign: Brawl kills Jazz after the latter kills Blackout and Starscream. In the Decepticon campaign, Barricade kills him. Either way, Megatron doesn't.
*Autobot Campaign: Blackout is killed by Jazz. In the movie, he is killed by [[William Lennox|Lennox]].
*Autobot Campaign: Starscream and Barricade are killed. In the movie, they both survive.
*Frenzy has [[FIRRIB|red eyes]]!
*Shockwave makes an appearance!
*Autobot Campaign: Optimus, rather than Sam, kills Megatron with the AllSpark.
*Decepticon Campaign: Shoving the All Spark cube into his ''own'' chest does not kill Megatron.
*Decepticon Campaign: [[The Agenda (Part III)|The Autobots lose! Evil triumphs!]]

==Technical errors and oddities==

===Glitches===
*The PS2 version sometimes features a bizarre error; in the opening cinematic to Barricade's first mission in Mission City, after Jazz's door slams there is no further post-recording sound work. This means Barricade's voice is completely unaltered. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h3KWLGt5-w He sounds like Sideshow Bob]. The Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 versions have the effects added correctly.
*In the final Chapter of "A Gathering Force", it's just this side of entirely possible to be ''too good'' at it. If the final set of gun turrets facing Bonecrusher is destroyed too fast, he'll reach the last checkpoint before Brawl does and transform. Unfortunately, the turrets' ability to actually take damage is pretexted on ''Brawl'' transforming, so all you can do is stand around waiting for Bonecrusher to drop dead. Bonecrusher hates poor bug testing.
*The Dreadwing AI doesn't properly turn off when activating a Chapter during Mission 3, but thankfully the drone will despawn once you actually start the mission. <s>Doesn't stop them from being pesky and persistent motherfragging pains in the aft. </s>
**To make Dreadwings even more annoying, someone didn't do a proper bug test, so the Spawn variable for Dreadwings is active '''AT ALL TIMES''' during "A Gathering Force". This means that a Dreadwing is able to spawn ANYWHERE, during ANY CHAPTER if you even so much as decide to land and walk around in robot mode. Oh yeah, you heard us right. Dreadwings can spawn during the BRAWL AND BONECRUSHER ESCORT CHAPTERS. WHERE YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BE IN ROBOT MODE TO DESTROY THOSE ELECTRICITY TURRETS. '''''ARGH.'''''
*Barricade's shield attack's hitbox extends beyond his arm for some reason.
* In a rather '''frustrating''' case of poor bug testing for all of the main consoles, any drone encountered in Mission City will cause you ''HOURS'' upon '''HOURS''' of Frustration. There are many spots and even frame perfect PIXELS on buildings that do not have collision hitboxes, which means if a drone is in free-fall (you throwing them, or slapping them with a heavy enough object during which their Hitboxes move at a rate that can allow their hitbox to warp past those of other larger hitboxes simply because that's what they were programmed to do) they WILL get stuck in the buildings if their collison hitboxes end up stuck behind those of the collision hitboxes of buildings. Which means you have to memorize which buildings in Mission city don't have those missing collision hitboxes, because if you don't you'll end up having to reset the entire level, all because a single Payload or Longarm got stuck behind a building. This coincidentally includes a MAJORITY of the buildings during the Ironhide fight in Mission Park, and all of the buildings in the far corner map where Megatron has to fight Payloads and Longarms. <s> Many controllers have been lost. Let their noble cause be remembered. </s>
* As a rather weird side-effect of the game's Physics engine, nitro-boosting at a certain angle as Bumblebee or Jazz over the destructible bridge portions of the Mission City Train System will cause the Vehicle Mode to get launched straight into the stratosphere.
*Because the end of mission "mission complete" screens follow straight on from the game play, some very strange things can happen in them. A good example is the above mission; if Scorponok ends the mission firing at the ground in front of the statue at one end of the park, the "mission complete" screen will show ''his own bullets hitting him''. (The same thing can happen anywhere in the game.)

===Developer oversights===
*In the second chapter of "The Suburbs", Swindle drones are ''walking down the street'' to Sam's house. '''WHY''' they even bother to have altmodes is not clear.
*The final Autobot mission in Hoover Dam's depiction of the defrosting Megatron is all kinds of screwy:
**Before the mission is triggered, he's shown covered in a layer of ice.
**In the pre-mission cutscene, there's suddenly not a hint of ice on him at all. When Bumblebee walks near him, his head turns to look at the Autobot, despite the fact he's supposed to be frozen and immobile.
**As the mission starts, he's encased in ice again, save his left arm which is shifted to the left (his left) of the section of ice that should be around it, which is just kind of hanging there.
**When the cutscene plays during the mission, Megatron breaks the ice surrounding his left arm, and there's clearly none on his face.
**When gameplay resumes, there's ice on his face again.
**In the end of mission cutscene, he's suddenly defrosted right down to his hips.
**[[B.O.T. (episode)|Argh.]]
* Regarding the Battle logistics for the Autobots...
** Despite the fact that the Human military is allied with the autobots at this current moment in time, they'll still attack the autobots even though the decepticons are the ones causing all the damage to everything.
** Despite the fact you can destroy the building Bumblebee is stuck in... he'll still be stuck in there somehow.
** During the cutscene, Starscream uses his regular Jet-mode missiles, but in the actual game he uses some form of super-explosive missiles. Michael Bay must've had a say in that.
** In that same mission, when Blackout joins in the cutscene, he fires his bot-mode missiles instead of the usual rapid fire missiles that he has in Helicopter mode.
**When the game cuts back to the action, Blackout is firing his Rapid Fire missiles.
*Regarding Time for the Autobots...
** When Starscream starts desecrating buildings, the time is morning.
** When Jazz confronts Starscream the sun is setting...
** Midway through the fight, Starscream is "damaged" but it's now Noon.
** At the end of the mission Brawl shows up and it's Sunset again.
** When Ironhide confronts Brawl, it's sunset, but by the time Ironhide kills Brawl it's Noon again.
** Bumblebee drives off to confront Barricade at Noon. He faces off against Barricade at Sunset.
**Midway through the fight, Bumblebee knocks Barricade into a bus, and it's noon again. It stays this way for a while (Thankfully.)
**Bumblebee defeats Barricade by Sunset. Than Megatron shows up, and Megatron and Optimus fight at Sunset. In the final mission, it's still noon.
**It goes back to sunset when Optimus defeats Megatron.
** Regarding the Decepticons...
** Bonecrusher, Brawl, and Starscream are completely absent from the fight.
** Jazz is seen transporting Sam and Mikaela, but Sam doesn't have the Allspark. Barricade must really hate fleshlings.
**When Barricade confronts Jazz it's Sunset.
** When Barricade knocks down Jazz, it's Noon.
** When Barricade kills Jazz... you should already know at this point.
**'''[[B.O.T. (episode)|Argh.]]'''
*After the last mission of Chapter 3, a cutscene will trigger of Blackout and Starscream trashing Hoover Dam, Blackout tosses a gas tank at three defending Autobots who seem to be red Swindles... Which is the color of the Decepticon Swindle drones, not their Autobot variants.
**This cutscene in the Autobot Campaign is also the only time in the game where drones aligned with the player's faction are seen. This could be an oversight from recycling footage.
**Also, they appear to be shooting from their ''fingers''.
*The opening infographic of "City of the Machines" states that Bumblebee has escaped to the city with the Allspark. Of course Bumblebee was already killed in "The Hunt for Sam Witwicky", and likewise isn't seen for the rest of the game with Jazz now transporting Sam and Mikaela. This is referring to the Bumblebee fight that would've taken place in the scrapped "Megatron, Arise!" level, where Bumblebee is probably dead ''for good''. Since the level was scrapped, this is likely an oversight the developers forgot to correct.
*In Decepticon Chapter 4, mission 2's intro cinematic has Scorponok firing from a Gatling gun in his tail. This weapon doesn't exist (although he can use it for melee attacks).
*Starscream was probably the most rushed character in this entire game. His normal fall animation doesn't occur in the game properly, which means if he falls after he jumps, he'll still be in his jump animation unlike everyone else in the game. The animation can only trigger when falling from a building. On top of that, he doesn't use his Playerland animation at all, meaning that if you get in a Dreadwing drone's landing radius and get knocked away fall, he won't roll back up like everyone else, and will just stand there waiting for him to get back up.
*Before the final battle in the Autobot campaign, Energon drones are ''just lying around on the street'' waiting to be brought to life by the AllSpark.
*Scorponok is the only playable character that can't jump, climb or pick up debris. This means that there are several Decepticon insignias and glowing yellow cubes that are unattainable when playing as him.
*In the opening cinematic for Blackout, the entire army personnel fires at him, without any consequence whatsoever. However, when playing as any character in Tranquility or Mission City, police officers with standard pistols can damage you.
*In Chapter 2, Mission 2 of the Autobots campaign, a cutscene has a Dropkick and Swindle drone tossing Jazz next to a house. As they are about to finish him off, Ironhide attacks the two drones by slamming into them in vehicle mode. When he transforms, the drones just magically disappear.
*Speaking of cutscene oddities, Blackout is sand colored during the SOCCENT cutscenes, but during gameplay he is [[Grindor (ROTF)|light gray]].
**Even more so, in the initial cutscene of Plight of the Bumblebee, as Barricade scans the humans, Mikaela is misspelled as "Mikela".
*In the final chapter of City of the Machines right before reaching the tallest building in Mission City, Megatron speaks in Starscream's voice. Maybe they switched bodies.
*There are many size errors revolving around Bonecrusher and Brawl. During ''Sinister Saviour'' and ''Warpath'', they are shown to be about the same height as Starscream (31 ft), while during the opening cutscene of ''Fireworks'', Bonecrusher is half his size and during ''For The Fallen'' Brawl is the same height as Ironhide (22 ft).
*Optimus Prime has color issues between his truck and robot modes, such as the cab's roof: In robot mode it's red, while in vehicle mode it's blue with red flames. Robo-vision Optimus's truck mode's front half is red and back half is blue, but the back half (Sleeper and back fenders) forms his back and part of his arms, which are '''[[FIRRIB|red]]''', while the front fenders form his ankles, which are '''blue'''.
*The Decepticon Cybertron level actually has no music or ambience coded to play. The game defaults to playing the main menu theme.

===Other oddities and quirks===
[[File:TFTG city tint on & off.jpg|thumb|Wouldn't be a 2000s game without the old piss filter ''(Left: Brightness filter on / Right: Brightness filter off)'']]
*For whatever reason, Bonecrusher is immortal when you play as him.
* You cannot destroy the top halves of buildings, but the bottom halves of the buildings are susceptible to all sorts of damage.
** Alongside that, you can climb on thin air.
*Transformer Protoforms have to [[Scanning|scan]] their altmodes after landing as per the movie; however, drones have an Earth vehicle altmode the instant they land; presumably, so does Shockwave, since Tranquility is a little light on purple Apaches or purple howitzers.
*Curiously, there is an added brightness layer with a green-ish tint on all of the city levels. It's not noticeable on PS2 or Wii, but it's very noticeable on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, and requires modding to be disabled.
*The residents of Tranquility are apparently capable of rebuilding a power station's gas tank farm within less than an hour, then rebuilding the entire tank farm and three of the chimneys ''again'' within less than six.
*Autobots still have the "Destruction" unlock gauge appear, but it crosses out faction symbols rather than having them appear. If it's filled, a large red X goes to the left side of the screen instead of a faction symbol; however, whether by accident or design, this doesn't actually do ''anything'', and the Autobots are free to be as destructive as the Decepticons. It doesn't help that this gauge is filled by causing damage to ''any'' scenery and has to be maxed out multiple times while destroying, for example, the clamps that hold the All Spark.
*Other cars are like cardboard. Jazz can ram into a truck, and it will go ''flying in the air''. However, Bumblebee, who should be much heavier doesn't knock them over with such ease. The same can be said about drones and Bot alt-modes. Ironhide, Jazz, or any other character in game can ram into any alt-mode and send them flying. Although you yourself will fly too.
*Guns are often useless in this game. Any drone beyond a Swindle drone will shield themselves from your gunfire, and anything that can be shot at can be destroyed five times faster if you punch it, throw something at it or whack it with a random piece of debris.
** This makes playing as Ironhide a little more difficult, as Ironhide has a 50% ''chance'' to replace the last melee hit with a cannon shot.
*** Doesn't make it better that when a projectile hits a barrier or shield, it will reflect and '''can deal damage to you!''' ''Great.''
*Starscream sounds a lot like {{w|Grover}}.
*Since ''Generation 1'' Optimus Prime is a skin of Optimus Prime, many would think ''Generation 1'' Megatron would be a skin of Megatron with his attributes. Instead, he has Optimus Prime's attributes, featuring his moves, weapons, and even features a blue Autobot shield instead of a red Decepticon one, making him more like an Optimus Prime who can fly. Weird.
*During cutscenes where the respective character doesn't speak, they will be modelled using their highly detailed PS3/Xbox 360/PC version. In cutscenes where they do, they'll use their low resolution Wii/PS2 counterparts. This is most notable with Ironhide's realistic model oddly being blue and having a visible mouth instead of the faceplate of the Low-Res counterpart, and Optimus Prime and Megatron looking far more cinematic in both ending cutscenes.
{{--}}

==Toys inspired by this game==
===Direct game tie-ins===
A first for ''Transformers'' videogames, a handful of toys would be released [[Transformers (2007 toyline)|under the 2007 movie toyline]] as direct tie-ins to ''Transformers The Game'', with the packaging featuring a label above the toys that describes them "''As seen in the TRANSFORMERS Video-Game''" (or its equivalent in [[Multilingual packaging|multilingual versions]]). This small [[subline imprint]] consisted of five unique molds, all based around the enemy drone characters for the videogame.

{|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Deluxe Class'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Swindle (Movie)#Toys|Swindle]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Dreadwing (Movie)#Toys|Dreadwing]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Longarm (Movie)#Toys|Longarm]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Payload (Movie)#Toys|Payload]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Dropkick (Movie)#Toys|Dropkick]]}}
|
|width="100%" valign="top"|[[File:Movie_Deluxe_Swindle_toy1.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Deluxe Swindle]]
|}

===Other figures===
A few other figures in the 2007 toyline are also de facto game tie-ins despite not being marketed with the aforementioned "''As seen in the TRANSFORMERS Video-Game''" subline imprint. These include Robo-Vision Optimus Prime and the Generation 1 redecos of Jazz and Starscream, all of which, as mentioned, are special unlockable skins in ''Transformers The Game''. A pair of redecos for the aforementioned drone molds - released under the 2008 ''[[AllSpark Power]]'' subline imprint - are also seemingly inspired by the opposing factions' versions of their respective units.

{|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Deluxe Class'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Jazz (Movie)#TargetG1|Autobot Jazz (G1 deco)]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Salvage (Movie)#Toys|Salvage]] (Inspired by the Autobot Dropkick unit)}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Overcast (Movie)#Toys|Overcast]] (Inspired by the Autobot Dreadwing unit)}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Voyager Class'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Robovision|Robo-Vision Optimus Prime]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Starscream (Movie)/toys#TargetG1|Starscream (G1 deco)]]}}
|
|width="100%" valign="top"|[[File:Movie G1Jazz toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Deluxe Autobot Jazz with G1 deco]]
|}

Beyond the 2007 toyline, [[Dirt Boss (ROTF)|Dirt Boss]] from the [[2009]] ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]'' line-up would also feature a design distinctively based on the Scrapper drone. He would later be repainted into orange as [[Deadlift]], making the similarities between the two designs all the more evident.

==Reception==

The game's Metacritic scores [http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/wii/transformersthegame?q=transformers hover] [http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/transformersthegame?q=transformers around] [http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/transformersthegame?q=transformers fifty-five] [http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/transformersthegame?q=transformers percent]. It was criticised for poor driving controls, blocky graphics, repetitive missions and dull combat but generally praised by the random destruction.

==Notes==
*''Transformers The Game'' is one of only two Activision-published ''Transformers'' games, alongside ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark]]'', to be released in Japan, albeit only on PS3, PS2, and Wii.
*The Autobots and Decepticons ''really'' like transforming into robots. Optimus likes it so much, he jumps thirty feet into the air every time he does it.
* Some of the transformation animations seem to be based on their contemporary mainline toys. For example, Bumblebee's arms are formed from his car roof like his deluxe class 2008 Camaro toy, and Optimus's arms flip out from his truck cabin while his legs are formed from his truck nose (despite being the opposite in the movies) like his leader class toy.
*It's assumed that both sides of the conflict are cannibals, seeing as how killing a Cybertronian opponent somehow replenishes your health.
*Rather than do the sane thing and pan away, we get to watch a robot-mode protoform Bumblebee and Barricade grow kibble after scanning their respective car modes. This looks roughly twice as ridiculous as what you're currently imagining.
*Punching your enemies in the face repeatedly is "heroic" when Autobots do it, but "evil" when Decepticons do it. Sounds like a double standard!
*Blackout is [[Show-accuracy|toy accurate]] in the game, in that his main rotor is his melee weapon, rather than his tail rotor as in the movie.
*Tranquility features a large number of Generation 1 references, with adverts for "[[Hound (G1)|Hound]]'s Hotdogs," "[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]]'s Fish and Chips," a [[Tranquility Mall|local mall]] called "[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]" and a fast food restaurant named "[[Chip Chase|Chip Chase's]]". As a more recent reference, there is also a building site belonging to "[[Bay Demolition]]". There is also a place called [[Frank Welker|Frank]] & [[Peter Cullen|Peter]]'s cafe.
*One Autobot isn't explicitly killed in the Decepticon campaign: Ratchet (who does die in the [[Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|DS Version]]). Three Decepticons aren't killed in the Autobot campaign: Bonecrusher, Scorponok and Frenzy. The only character who dies in ''both'' campaigns is, unsurprisingly enough, Jazz.(Though Blackout isn't present in the final Decepticon cutscene after he was last being punched out by Optimus Prime, making his status uncertain) Even when every other bit of movie canon is thrown out the window, he ''still'' can't make it out alive.
*Jazz's last words of 'Optimus... I tried' are the same as in the DS version.
*Bumblebee uses some kind of [[axe (weapon)|axe]] when he fights with a three-punch combo, probably referencing one of his earlier concept designs.
*Jazz's special attack is a sword, which he had in early concept art and his Deluxe Class toy.
*Ratchet, Bonecrusher, Brawl, and Frenzy aren't playable. However, Ratchet has a model and lacking necessary animations to make him fully playable. It's possible that, had he made it into the final game, he would've been just a health dispenser.
*Throwing vehicles at buildings barely puts a dent in the structure. Instead of making a hole or even damaging it at all, cars and trucks thrown at buildings bounce off the building and often hit you instead.
*G1 Megatron flies rather than turning into a gun.
*Movie Megatron has the largest hitbox of any transformer in the game, which unfortunately makes it so that his hitbox extends outside his shield.
*If you stand in front of a building, you automatically start climbing it. If you idle while doing this as Blackout, they will scratch their butt. Optimus looks like he's doing the same, but he's just shaking his arm.
*In Mission City, there's a giant guitar on a building. If you grab it as Bumblebee or Barricade, it looks like they're playing it.
*Dreadwings are an absolute nightmare. Did we ever tell you how much we hate Dreadwings in this game?

==External links==

*[http://www.transformersgame.com Official website for Transformers: The Game]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Movie video games]]

Mini-Con

2025-08-14T16:02:13Z

1levichurch:

{{factions|minicon|{{factions/icons|custom=PotP-MicronusPrime.png|cSize=30px|cLink=Micronus Prime}}|unicron}}
{{disambig3|Minicon}}
[[File:Minicon symbol.png|upright=1.4|thumb|Intentionally designed to look like the letter "M", the Mini-Con symbol is also reflected in the design of Unicron's helmet.]]

'''Mini-Cons''' (aka '''Minicons''') are a race of small [[Transformer]]s. Like the [[Micromaster]]s they resemble, Mini-Cons are roughly human-sized—quite small compared to most [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s—but while the Micromasters deliberately downsized into smaller bodies to conserve fuel, the naturally diminutive Mini-Cons overflow with energy. Most Mini-Cons possess the ability to impart a portion of this power on larger Cybertronians, granting them extra abilities or greatly increasing their strength through a process known as [[Powerlinx]]ing.

Various stories have connected these mystical abilities to the influence of various godly beings: across the ''Transformers'' [[multiverse]], different continuities have depicted them as the children of [[Unicron]], the [[Last Autobot]], or [[Micronus Prime]]. Regardless of their origins, however, their abilities make them useful allies and valuable partners—valuable to the point where different factions have come into conflict over these deceptively powerful beings.

{{bigquote|Our presence is a '''catalyst''' for war. It follows us around like a bad smell.|[[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]]|[[Dreamwave Armada issue 9|''Armada'' #9]]}}

==Conceptual history==
[[File:Metamorphcontact.JPG|thumb|left|250px]]

Mini-Cons debuted as the signature [[gimmick]] of the ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' franchise and in doing so resurrected the "micro [[play pattern]]" that began with the [[Micromaster]]s and [[Mini-Cassette]]s from the original ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' toyline. Compared to these predecessors, however, the Mini-Cons sported increased articulation, a wide variety of [[alternate mode]]s, and relatively complex transformation schemes, with some even able to [[combiner|combine]] into an accessory or a larger super robot. Each Mini-Con figure included a [[Powerlinx]] port, a [[5 mm post|5mm]] round peg-slot that allowed them to connect to a larger toy and, in most cases, activate a spring-loaded play feature.

While every piece of tie-in ''Armada'' fiction featured Mini-Cons in some capacity, individual stories offered radically different portrayals of the Mini-Cons and their role in the conflict. The ''Armada'' cartoon initially portrayed them as artificial "smart tools" who communicated using [[R2-D2]]-style bleeps and bloops, occasionally manifested supernatural powers, and later revealed that [[Unicron]] had created them to deliberately agitate the raging Autobot-Decepticon war. [[Hirofumi Ichikawa]]'s ''[[Linkage (comic)|Linkage]]'' manga, a midquel set around the same time as the ''Armada'' television show, substantially expounded upon their biology and psychology, and explained various developments in the cartoon by introducing new concepts like [[Digital Entity Frame]]s and the eponymous [[Linkage (dimension)|Linkage dimension]]. [[Dreamwave Productions]]' [[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|''Armada'' comic]], on the other hand, merely depicted the Mini-Cons as an ordinary Cybertronian subgroup unconnected to Unicron. Unlike their cartoon counterparts, these Mini-Cons were fully articulate beings who resented their role in the war, to the point where extremists like [[Dualor (Armada)|Dualor]] renounced both factions in the name of Mini-Con independence.

[[File:11MicronusPrime.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Although ''Armada'''s early storylines—which generally focussed on capturing small, colourful characters with limited vocabularies—drew [[Pokeformers|unfavourable comparisons]] from cynical members of the adult fandom, the concept proved a smash hit with the target audience, and Hasbro and Takara extended the gimmick into both ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]''. After that, however, Mini-Cons faded into the background; promotional material from the [[Live-action film series|live-action films]] identified a number of small Decepticons like [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] as Mini-Cons, and the vaguely film-adjacent ''[[Power Core Combiners]]'' line featured Mini-Cons who could become either weapons or armor for their larger partners. From this point on, most stories dropped the conceit that Mini-Cons were a third faction unto themselves; like Micromasters before them, Mini-Con was used merely to describe their abilities rather than a factional designation.

Although some subsequent stories batted around other origins for the Mini-Cons that never caught on, it would be the launch of the [[Aligned continuity family]] in [[2010]] that pushed the Mini-Cons back into the forefront. As per the [[Binder of Revelation]] created to underpin the endeavour, the Mini-Cons were a diminutive race of Cybertronians who inhabited the planet's [[Moonbase One|two]] [[Moonbase Two|moons]]. In a notable departure from what had come before, Hasbro backported the term to apply to basically ''all'' small Transformers, including characters like [[Ratbat (WFC)|Ratbat]] and [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]]. The Aligned continuity would go on to introduce a new origin story for the Mini-Cons that would carry forward into the next decade and largely eclipse ''Armada's'' Unicron mythology: 2013's ''[[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus]]'' introduced [[Micronus Prime]], a member of the [[Thirteen]] and the first Mini-Con. Comments from Hasbro representatives at the time clarified that, in this continuity, all Mini-Cons were his descendants. 2015's ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' cartoon featured a number of new Mini-Con characters; carrying on from [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]'s relationship with [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] in the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Prime]]'' cartoon, the show used the pre-existing term "[[Deployer (WFC)|Deployer]]" to describe those Cybertronians who formed a partnership with one or more Mini-Cons, and later "[[Weaponizer (RID)|Weaponizer]]" in reference to a different group of Mini-Cons who transformed into weapons for their partners to wield.

With the end of the Aligned continuity in 2020 and the subsequent rise of heavily-[[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]]-focused media like the ''[[War for Cybertron Trilogy (franchise)|War for Cybertron Trilogy]]'', franchise, Mini-Cons again fell by the wayside after Hasbro shifted back to marketing small characters as Micromasters and Mini-Cassettes. 2022's ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]'' toyline featured the release of other "[[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]" characters like [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]] and [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]], but without their partner Mini-Cons, leaving the future of the concept ambiguous.

{{--}}

==Powerlinx==
{{Main|Powerlinx}}
[[File:HotShotPowerlinx.gif|thumb|left|250px]]

Across the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]], all Mini-Cons possess the ability to [[Powerlinx]] with other forms of technology—including both sentient [[Transformer]]s and mundane machines—and instantly reconfigure their physical construction by sharing their own supernatural power. In this way, a Mini-Con for instance, modify ordinary cars into jet-powered assault vehicles, or upgrade Transformers with new weapons or additional functions. The Mini-Con is not required in order to activate these weapons again, but linking to a Mini-Con again simply enhances their firepower.

The Japanese ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Legends of the Microns]]'' dub called the phenomenon "Evolution", and had Autobots call out the phrase when they Powerlinxed. This has caused some confusion in the Armada viewing audience due to dub issues and the downplaying of the "Evolution" theme, although the term was used twice in the American series by Megatron.

Other [[continuity family|continuity families]] have offered alternate interpretations of the process. Many of the Mini-Cons who have appeared in "[[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]]"-based stories appear to lack the ability entirely; in the [[Aligned continuity family|"Aligned" continuity family]], meanwhile, Mini-Cons can voluntarily interlock with larger Transformers but require genetic augmentation to access the ability to share their energy with their partners.

{{--}}

==Fiction==
===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===

====Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity====
[[File:Armada3-wooooosh.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The ultimate friends to the boys and girls.]]

Mini-Cons were a second race of Transformer whose diminutive proportions and physical fragility led to Cybertronians treating them as second-class citizens. Despite their lowly status on pre-war Cybertron, each Mini-Con can naturally tap into a unique extradimensional power source, but most, naturally wary of this seemingly unlimited power, have installed inhibitors designed to prevent them from accessing this ability. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye: Transformers: Armada|More than Meets the Eye #3}}

In the years before the Autobot-Decepticon war, the Mini-Cons inhabited a designated Mini-Con Sector on Cybertron and divided that sector into a number of loose, largely autonomous "villages". However, this isolation left them open to attack when [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] led his Decepticons on capture raids. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 1|Dreamwave Armada #1}} Through experimentation on Mini-Con prisoners, the Decepticons used an ancient technological process to forcibly rewire their prisoners so that they could [[Powerlinx]] with them against their will. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye: Transformers: Armada|More than Meets the Eye #3}} Fleeing the Decepticon advance, a small group of Mini-Cons escaped to the planet's abandoned [[Garbage Disposal District]] salvaged [[Exodus (Armada)|a junked ship]] with the intent of rescuing as many Mini-Cons as they could. As Megatron and his army used their new slaves to conquer [[Cyber City]], [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]], [[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]], [[Runway (Armada)|Runway]], and [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]] led a raid on Megatron's primary prison complex, freed as many Mini-Cons as they could, and escaped Cybertron. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 2|Armada #2}}

[[File:Armada11-moonbasedestroyed.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Y'know, Megatron, most people just bring a gift basket when they come over.]]

While Megatron and the Decepticons used their monopoly on the remaining Mini-Cons to run amok, the ''Exodus'' suffered a debilitating engine failure that ended with the ship breaking apart—half the ship crash-landed on ancient Earth and scattered dormant Mini-Cons across the planet, while the other half landed on the Moon. One million years later, [[Rad White]] and his friends discovered the crashed starship and inadvertently tripped the ship's restoration protocols, which alerted the Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron to the location of the remaining Mini-Cons. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 3|Armada #3}} When the Autobots and Decepticons arrived on Earth to find the Mini-Cons, Sparkplug and a number of recently reactivated Mini-Cons made the decision to Powerlinx with the Autobots to defeat the Decepticons, but made it clear that this alliance had to be a two-way partnership: if the Autobots treated them like slaves, they'd walk. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 5|Armada #5}}

Not all Mini-Cons willingly fell in with the Autobots, however: some, like the [[Land Military Mini-Con Team|Land Military Team]], remained free agents who openly distrusted both the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 7|Armada #7}} Others took the concept of Mini-Con independence to its logical extreme: marooned on the Moon with a small group of Mini-Cons who'd survived the crash, [[Dualor (Armada)|Dualor]] took command of the group and spent the next million years establishing a concealed [[Mini-Con Moonbase]]; ostensibly a place where Mini-Cons could live freely. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 9|Armada #9}} The reactivation of the Earthbound Mini-Cons prompted Dualor to forcibly de-escalate the situation by sending a specialized "[[Mini-Con Ark]]" to Earth, which hypnotized the Mini-Cons and brought them back to Dualor's lunar fortress. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 8|Armada #8}} Despite his attempts to convince [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]], [[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]], and [[Runway (Armada)|Runway]] of his good intentions, Sparkplug felt that the paranoid, abusive Dualor would force them to join his cause, just as the Autobots and Decepticons had. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 9|Armada #9}}

Although Dualor's followers successfully repelled the first Decepticon incursion, a full-scale assault ended with the destruction of their moonbase; while many Mini-Cons boarded escape pods to Earth, Dualor, [[Buzzsaw (Armada)|Buzzsaw]], and [[Drill Bit (Armada)|Drill Bit]] fell into a triumphant Megatron's clutches. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 11|Armada #11}} However, thanks to a cleverly integrated failsafe program, they were able to prevent Megatron from using their power against their will and allowed Dualor to strike a deal: they'd help him in exchange for a degree of leadership. {{storylink|Fire & Ice}} After their combined power drove Cyclonus insane, Megatron mused that he knew that the Mini-Cons would betray him as he retrieved them. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 13|Armada #13}}

[[File:Mini-cons.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Gotta catch 'em all!]]

Fleeing the advance of a dimension-hopping [[Unicron]], the Mini-Con [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] abandoned his native universe aboard a [[null-reality pod]] in the hopes of finding another dimension that could stand up to the planet-eater. He brought with him the [[Mini-Con Matrix]], an artifact into which all the Mini-Cons of his universe had placed their spark essences. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 13|Armada #13}} Upon arriving, he immediately set up a beacon which attracted the attention of [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s alike. [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] and [[Mirage (Armada)|Mirage]] arrived first but were shot down by [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], who attempted to claim Over-Run for himself, seeing him merely as another Mini-Con to be used for battle and not realizing his origins. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}} After realizing Over-Run's true nature, he joined the Autobots as they tried to locate Optimus Prime, who'd been cast adrift in the [[multiverse]] by Over-Run's arrival. Upon rallying Sparkplug and a number of other Mini-Cons to break into the Decepticon's base and retrieve the pod, the Mini-Cons transported themselves to [[Primax 703.09 Gamma|another dimension]] and rescued Optimus and Jetfire moments before Unicron destroyed that reality's Cybertron. The Mini-Con Matrix powered up all five of their forms, allowing Optimus Prime and Jetfire to combine, while the Mini-Cons linked with them, and together they blasted Unicron hard enough to make him notice them before warping back to their universe. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}

After bringing together all of [[Earth]]'s Mini-Cons, Over-Run led them through a space bridge portal to Cybertron, where they channeled all of their spark essences through the Mini-Con Matrix and destroyed Unicron. {{storylink|The End (Armada)|The End}}

====Cartoon continuity====
[[File:Prehistory-MiniCons.jpg|thumb|left|250px|It's time to battle, for a battle, 'till you drop.]]

Mini-Cons are unique "digital entities": while other Cybertronians comprised of [[living metal]] derive life and sentience from their individual [[spark]]s, Mini-Cons are entirely comprised of a unique form of self-sustaining energy known as a "[[Digital Entity Frame]]", Part soul, part genome, this inexhaustible power source dictates a Mini-Con's programming and physical appearance and allows them to physically alter an object's molecular structure or [[Powerlinx]] with larger Transformers. {{storylink|Linkage Part 7}} If needed, a Mini-Con can enter a unique form of low-power [[stasis lock|stasis]] by dissipating their physical forms and converting back into pure energy stored within a tiny, nearly-indestructible "[[Mini-Con storage panel|storage panel]]". {{storylink|Prehistory}}

All Mini-Cons possess a "[[Servility Program]]" that compels them to imprint upon the "[[bulk]]" who activates them and obey their new partner, no matter how cruelly they might be treated. {{storylink|Linkage Part 5}} Although all Mini-Cons are creations of Unicron, "free" Mini-Cons who have developed the capacity for thought and free will are connected through a metaphysical dimension known as the [[Linkage (dimension)|Linkage]]. Without a physical form to ground them in the material world, they will diffuse into the sea of consciousness. The [[Master Key]] acts as a final failsafe; should a Mini-Con deviate from their original programming by connecting to the Linkage, they will lose access to their full power. {{storylink|Linkage Part 7}}

Although the vast majority of Mini-Cons spoke an indecipherable binary language, {{storylink|Force of Habit}} Mini-Cons can choose to form a mental link with other beings to allow for a more direct medium of communication. {{storylink|Linkage Part 2}}

{{--}}

=====''Armada'' cartoon=====
[[File:Drift-MiniConBirth.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Unicron created the Mini-Cons from his own cells, mindless drones who would agitate and amplify the civil war raging on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Once unleashed on Cybertron, the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s would battle for control of these power-enhancing "smart tools"; the negative psychic energy unleashed by the rampant death and destruction would indirectly fuel Unicron; once he'd gathered enough power, the Mini-Cons would incapacitate their partners and Unicron would fully awaken to consume Cybertron and eliminate his biggest obstacle to devouring all of existence. {{storylink|Origin}} Unicron invested a large portion of his power into three Mini-Con teams who combined into weapons: the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]], and the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]]. This not only made them weapons of unimaginable power and potent sources of energy, but also the key to awakening Unicron from his hibernation. {{storylink|Portent}}

A number of other Mini-Cons displayed unusual powers: some could [[combiner|combine]] to form a larger robot, {{storylink|Comrade}}, others could Powerlinx with and control inanimate machines like [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s trailer, {{storylink|Jungle}}, and one, [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]], displayed the ability to manipulate time. Through this ability, three [[human]] children from the future--[[Rad White]], [[Carlos Lopez]] and [[Alexis Thi Dang]]—were sent to the Mini-Cons' birthing chamber inside [[Unicron]] just seconds before the small robots emerged from their pods. As the Mini-Cons had been designed to form mental bonds with other life forms, Rad's contact with a newborn High Wire caused the newborn race to develop free will, empathy, and the capacity for self-determination. {{storylink|Drift (episode)|Drift}}

[[File:Street action team.JPG|thumb|left|250px|Catch you, catch me.]]

At some point after this, the Mini-Cons emerged on Cybertron in the midst of the Autobot-Decepticon civil war. The Decepticons quickly discovered the power offered by Powerlinxing and began enslaving every Mini-Con they encountered; in response, a group of Mini-Cons [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] formed an alliance with the heroic Autobots and willingly shared their power with their partners. As the war dragged on, both sides realized the Mini-Cons had become the centerpiece of their conflict, and an agreement was made: the Mini-Cons would receive a [[Exodus (Armada)|ship]] that would let them leave Cybertron and find a new home somewhere else in the universe. To make the trip, the majority of Mini-Cons converted themselves into storage panels, leaving only a skeleton crew to pilot and maintain their ship. However, when the ''Exodus'' launched, the Decepticons ambushed the ship in an attempt to claim all the Mini-Cons, but the Autobots provided enough cover fire for the ship to safely warp out of Cybertronian space. {{storylink|Prehistory}} Unfortunately, the Decepticon attack and strain of passing through multiple [[warp gate]]s damaged the ship and sent it and its cargo drifting aimlessly through space for many millions of years until the ''Exodus'' finally collided with [[Earth]]'s [[Moon (moon)|moon]] and broke apart. As half of the ship fell into Earth's atmosphere, emergency systems fired Mini-Con panels in every direction and scattered them across the planet. {{storylink|First Encounter}}

While most of the Mini-Cons remained hidden over the intervening millennia, an advanced ancient culture discovered the three Mini-Cons who formed the Star Saber; when they unleashed its power during a war with another nation, the energies unleashed sunk their city beneath the sea and gave rise to the legend of [[Atlantis]]. {{storylink|Ruin}} Another civilization in the [[Sahara]] discovered [[Bonecrusher (Armada)|Bonecrusher]]'s panel and built a temple around it. {{storylink|Palace}}

[[File:Origin-Unicrons.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Everybody Polkamon!]]

In the year [[2010]], Rad, Carlos, and Alexis discovered the wreckage of the ''Exodus'' buried beneath [[Lincoln (city)|Lincoln]] and inadvertently activated a beacon that summoned both the Autobots and Decepticon to Earth in search of the newly reactivated Mini-Con panels. {{storylink|First Encounter}} {{storylink|Prehistory}} The two factions hunted Mini-Con after Mini-Con, but the three Mini-Con weapons eventually ended up in the hands of the Decepticons thanks to Unicron's servant [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] and the conflicted loyalties of [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Crack (episode)|Crack}} They'd be used to power the Decepticon's planet-destroying [[Hydra Cannon]], which was only prevented from destroying Earth by Optimus Prime's sacrifice {{storylink| Threaten}}{{storylink|Crisis (Armada)|Crisis}} By pooling their power with the [[Matrix of Leadership]], the Autobot-allied Mini-Cons were capable of restoring Optimus to life. {{storylink|Miracle (episode)|Miracle}}

When the Autobot and Decepticons found themselves under assault by Unicron's minion [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]], the assembled Mini-Cons used their powers as a group to restore and empower their larger partners. {{storylink|Puppet}} When their creator finally reared his head to assault Cybertron, the Mini-Cons would merge into [[Unicron of Light|a giant doppelganger]] to face him. {{storylink|Union}} However, Unicron was able to temporarily reset the Mini-Cons and return them to their original mindless states, although the deep connection between the Rad and his Mini-Con friend High Wire permanently broke Unicron's hold over them. {{storylink|Origin}}

{{--}}

=====''Linkage'' comic=====
[[File:Arm-art Linkage01-UnderAttack.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

When humanity interfered with the newly born Mini-Cons at the moment of their creation and granted them something akin to a soul, not ''all'' the Mini-Cons were freed. A small number of Mini-Cons remained loyal to their creator and made it their mission to hunt down their "renegade" brethren—specially programmed [[Fixer Bug]]s forcibly Powerlinxed with their victims and cut them off from the Linkage by overwriting their core programming and reducing them back to a storage panel form. Once reactivated and released, the "new" Mini-Con would once again be a slave to Unicron. {{storylink|Linkage Part 5}}

In the modern day, Unicron loyalists [[Midship]] and [[Top Gear]] travelled to Earth to capture and reprogram the Mini-Cons recently loosed upon the planet. After forcibly recruiting [[Tailslide]] to their side, the trio pursued the recently reacitvated [[Super Stunt Team]], who'd recently taken shelter with the [[human]] [[Stella Holley]] after using their powers to hastily reconfigure her car into a weapon. {{storylink|Linkage Part 2}} In between trying to elude their Unicronian brethren activating other Mini-Cons, [[Redline]] began searching for a way to truly free his people, inspired by a vision of "the terrible one" while freeing [[Twirl (Armada)|Twirl]]'s spirit from the Linkage, he turned his attention to finding a way to unlock the [[Master Key]]: when Mini-Cons gained sentience and free will, Unicron's failsafe would activate and "lock away" much of their power. {{storylink|Linkage Part 8}}

[[File:Arm-art Linkage13-City.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Thanks to obtaining scans of the Unicron-allied Mini-Cons, Redline devised an "evolution" device that would allow them to finally unlock the Master Key programming, break their Servility Programs, and awaken their true abilities. {{storylink|Linkage Part 9}} However, as they prepared for this momentous leap forward, the [[Aqua Raider Team]] unleashed the murderous, [[Doomstone]]-enhanced [[Ravenus]] on the free Mini-Cons; using his enhanced [[Powerlinx]] abilities, he forcibly Powerlinxed witih [[Twirl (Armada)|Twirl]] and [[Servo (Armada)|Servo]] with the intent of using this link to unleash the Doomstone's negative psychic energy into the Linkage and permanently return the Mini-Cons to their original state by destroying the Linkage. {{storylink|Linkage Part 10}} The upgraded Mini-Cons, now growing in number as the Master Key spread to all "free" Mini-Cons through the Linkage, used their new powers to reverse the mutations and return Ravenus to his original form, as well as safely remove the Doomstone from his body. Following this, the remaining Mini-Cons on Earth departed to meet up with the Autobots as they prepared for their battle against Unicron. {{storylink|Linkage Part 12}}

After Unicron's destruction, all of the Mini-Cons created [[Mini-Con city|a city]] somewhere on Earth, safe from the machinations of Unicron or the Decepticons, and extended an invitation to their friend Stella to join them. {{storylink|Linkage Part 13}}
{{--}}

=====''Cloud''=====
The existence of Mini-Cons as a great source of power was not known to the denizens of the [[Cloud World]] till the [[Starscream (Cloud)|Starscream]] of that world forced a pursuit into the [[spacetime]] known as 15-MD. The native [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] of that spacetime was seeking a Mini-Con when the Cloud Worlders arrived, and so Cloud Starscream joined his counterpart to find the Mini-Con in some [[South America]]n ruins. {{storylink|Encounter}} In the resulting battle that ensued between [[Optimus Prime (Cloud)|Optimus Prime]], [[Brawn (Cloud)|Brawn]], and the two Starscreams, the [[Mini-Con storage panel]] was destroyed by Cloud Starscream, angering everybody else involved. {{storylink|Hammer (Cloud)|Hammer}} However, the soul of the Mini-Con within the panel—[[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]]—was able to contact [[SARA]], and the Cloud World entity was able to tap into the power of the Mini-Cons through incorporating this soul within her. Using the Mini-Cons' energy as a form of "[[spacetime energy]]", SARA was able to return all of the visitors to their home reality. {{storylink|Return}}

=====''Energon'' cartoon=====

Ten years after Unicron's defeat, most of the Mini-Cons had left Earth, although the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team|Street Action Team]] remained active in [[Ocean City]]. {{storylink|Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City}} Later, the [[Energon Saber|Energon Saber Mini-Con Team]] fled [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] and [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]]'s attack on [[Mars City]], and used their combined form to great effect as [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]] 's private weapon. {{storylink|Megatron's Sword}}

{{--}}

=====''Cybertron'' cartoon=====
{{note|[[Fun Publications]] fiction has linked the ''Cybertron'' Mini-Cons, who otherwise had no real origin story in the cartoon, to the original group from ''Armada'' by implying that an ancestral population of Mini-Cons migrated to planets like [[Gigantion]], [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Jungle Planet]], and [[Velocitron]] along with full-sized Cybertronian colonists. However, this does not fully line up with the fiction, as the Mini-Cons in ''Armada'' are explicitly shown appearing during the Autobot-Decepticon war, long after the collapse of the galactic [[space bridge]]s.}}

[[File:Scourge-BudMiniCons.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Aloha e komo mai.]]

During the war against the forces of [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]], the citizens of [[Gigantion]] used their [[Cyber Planet Key]] to grow to colossal sizes and emerged triumphant. However, the sudden size discrepancy left them unable to interact with many of the computers and delicate machines they utilized. Thus, the Mini-Cons who'd arrived with the original colonists found a new role as “little detail” workers who assisted their larger companions with the delicate tasks and intricate work they could no longer perform as they toiled away on their endless construction projects. As a result of these unique selective pressures, future generations of Mini-Cons would convergently evolve a brain structure similar to a [[human]]’s, which offered an increased capacity for creative thought and lateral thinking. {{storylink|Scourge (episode)|Scourge}} As on Cybertron, individual Cybertronians could Powerlinx and formed symbiotic partnerships with their larger comrades. {{storylink|Giant}}

The citizens of Gigantion built an entire Mini-Con scaled city to house these smaller workers in-between construction projects; to accommodate the unique, human-like needs of its citizens, it featured ample greenery, playgrounds, museums, and even an amusement park. In time, however, this city, like all the other cities created by the citizens of Gigantion, would be quietly abandoned and sealed over millennia. {{storylink|Scourge (episode)|Scourge}}

During the [[Unicron Singularity]] crisis, [[Vector Prime]] brought [[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]] and the [[Recon Mini-Con Team]] to Earth, where they quickly befriended the human children [[Coby Hansen|Coby]], [[Bud Hansen|Bud]], and [[Lori Jiménez|Lori]]. {{storylink|Fallen (episode)|Fallen}} When the search for the four Cyber Planet Keys brought Optimus Prime and his allies to Gigantion, several Mini-Cons accompanied Bud to the lower levels of their homeworld, where [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]] taught his human friend their history. {{storylink|Scourge (episode)|Scourge}}

After reaching the ''[[Lemuria (Cybertron)|Lemuria]]'' at the core of Giant Planet, Gigantion leader [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] was forced to fight the renegade [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]]. Their battle ended when their respective Mini-Cons [[Drill Bit (Cybertron)|Drill Bit]] and [[Heavy Load (Cybertron)|Heavy Load]] leapt in the way and forced the pair to come to a peaceful resolution. {{storylink|Optimus (episode)|Optimus}} After [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]’s final defeat, a number of Mini-Cons, both Cybertron and Gigantion, took part in the ceremony that marked the rebirth of the long-abandoned [[space bridge]] project. {{storylink|Beginning}}

{{--}}

=====''Cybertron'' comic=====
[[File:RevelationsPart5-MiniConCivilWar.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

By the time of the [[Unicron Singularity]] crisis, most of the Mini-Cons living on Cybertron had relocated to Cybertron's moons, where they established a number of self-sufficient colonies under the governance of an appointed [[Mini-Con Council of Sages|Council of Sages]] who desired independence from both the Autobots and Decepticons. As the Singularity threatened to consume Cybertron and its myriad satellites, Council member [[Anti-Blaze]] began work on a self-sufficient evacuation fleet that would take every Mini-Con to the [[S-K System]]... only for [[Thrust (Cybertron)|Thrust]], agent of a group of Mini-Con insurgents, to destroy six stellar cycles of work in an hour. This opening salvo heralded the beginning of the [[Mini-Con Civil War]] between Anti-Blaze's independents and a group of malcontents led by the [[Sky Terror Mini-Con Team]] and abetted by the [[Decepticon]]s. Although Anti-Blaze quickly marshalled a fighting force and pushed the rebels back into a neighbouring asteroid field, {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 11|Anti-Blaze, Scythe, & Checkpoint's profile in Club magazine #11}} rumours of a Decepticon superweapon prompted Anti-Blaze to swallow his pride and contact Cybertron for help. {{storylink|Revelations Part 4}}

Aided by a dimension-hopping [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]], [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Sentinel Maximus]], the remaining Autobots on Cybertron took the fight to the insurgents; the brief war came to a swift end shortly afterwards, when a reborn [[Unicron]] arrived on the battlefield and killed many of the rebel Mini-Cons while absorbing the life forces of their Decepticon partners. After Primus's reactivation and the subsequent closure of the Unicron Singularity, [[Alpha Trion]] and [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] promised to assist Anti-Blaze in hunting down the remaining Mini-Con separatists. {{storylink|Revelations Part 6}} After the fall of the Sky Terror Team, [[Perceptor (Armada)|Perceptor]] assisted in mopping up the remainder of the rebels. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 12|Street Action Team's profile in Club magazine #12}}
{{--}}

=====''Timelines''=====
[[File:Astrotrain-CybComic.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

A hidden arsenal on [[Combatron (planet)|Combatron]] housed many of the most dangerous weapons known to Cybertronians, including several Mini-Con storage panels. {{storylink|Force of Habit}}

The Powerlinx process involved a data transfer protocol; through this, a full-sized Cybertronian could obtain information from one or more Mini-Cons by linking with their data banks and reading their memories. The Powerlinx process could also prove extremely addictive, {{storylink|The Dark Heart of Sandokan}} to the point where some Cybertronians who'd completely succumbed to their addiction would force unwilling Mini-Cons to bond with them. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/18}} A few 'bots like [[Ultra Magnus (Energon)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]] would turn a mere partnership into a true symbiosis by undergoing a [[binary bonding]] process that physically merged the two together into a single shared robot form. {{storylink|Force of Habit}} {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/18}}

In the years after Unicron's second defeat, some Mini-Cons switched over to speaking [[Cybertronian Standard]] to facilitate communication with their larger partners, {{storylink|The Dark Heart of Sandokan}} although by this time some Cybertronians eschewed Mini-Cons and [[Energon star|energon chip]]s in favour of the more reliable [[Cyber Key]]s. {{storylink|Force of Habit}}

{{--}}

====Panini ''Armada'' comic====
[[File:CounterStrike MirageCaptured.jpg|thumb|right|300px|They'll trip you up, give you a flat tire, or make your socks go missing in the dryer.]]

The war on Cybertron began with a series of Decepticon raids upon the planet's Mini-Con villages. Decepticons found ways to forcibly re-engineer the Mini-Cons so that they would power-link with unwilling partners. Although the Autobots rose up to fight back, some Mini-Cons viewed both sides with distrust—on one occasion, the Mini-Con separatist Dualor engineered a phony crisis that would wipe out both Optimus Prime and Megatron, but [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] warned Optimus of the ruse and foiled his plan. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 9|Counter-Strike!}} Eventually, Sparkplug and most of the remaining free Mini-Cons departed Cybertron aboard a spaceship, which later crashed on Earth's moon and scattered multiple Mini-Cons across Earth. {{storylink|First Encounter!}}

In [[1959]], the United States military chanced across the [[Land Military Mini-Con Team]], who'd they found buried underneath [[Los Angeles]]. The top-secret [[Extra-Terrestrial Response Division]] made an effort to understand the aliens, and later used [[inhibitor clamp]]s to turn them into mindless weapons, but the trio overrode the clamps, went rogue, and escaped to the nearby town of [[Stillwater]] before the ETRD recaptured their assets, but not before the team passed along a message to local human [[Amos Hume]]. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 6|Blast from the Past!}} Fifty years later, Rad White and his friends chanced across the crashed spaceship and triggered a planetary reactivation beacon that reached Cybertron. {{storylink|First Encounter!}}

[[File:FriendsAndFoes-MiniCons.jpg|thumb|left|300px|From the stars and the ancient past; they come to play, but they'll never last.]]

As the Autobots and Decepticons arrived to locate the lost Mini-Cons, Sparkplug and his allies initially declined to choose a side in the war, but later joined forces with Optimus and his troops. {{storylink|Friends and Foes!}} Despite the misgivings of both the humans and the Mini-Cons, Optimus Prime later decided to send the Mini-Cons back through a [[space bridge]] to Cybertron for safekeeping, but when they stood their ground against a Decepticon attack Optimus let them stay. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 4|No Way Back!}} Although Sparkplug, [[Longarm (Armada)|Longarm]], and [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]] tried to free the Decepticon Mini-Cons, they found that Leader-1 and his compatriots were quite happy to serve the Decepticons. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 4|Into the Lions' Den}} Other Mini-Cons like the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] were quite happy to remain independent from the war, {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 5|Devices and Desires!}} but later found themselves captured by the ETRD and learned what had befallen their brethren in the Land Military Team. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 5|'We Are Not Alone!'}} The team eventually crashed an ETRD auction and rescued their fellow Mini-Cons with the assistance of Rad and Amos. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 7|Sale of the Century!}}

In the meantime, Optimus and his forces rescued a number of dormant Mini-Cons from Megatron on the moon. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 6|Between Two Worlds!}} [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] later tried to force the Air Defense team to form the mighty Star Sabre by deactivating their personality chips, but without their individual personalities to modulate the sword's power Starscream nearly lost control of his weapon. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 7|[The Two-Edged Blade!}} Later, Optimus pretended to surrender the Mini-Cons in exchange for amnesty; {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 8|Earthshaker!}}after his successful doublecross, the Mini-Cons adrift aboard a [[solar barge]] rescued themselves from [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]]. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 8|Lost in Space!}} Dualor and the other members of the [[Destruction Mini-Con Team]], seeking vengeance against ''all'' Cybertronians, Powerlinxed with Cyclonus and overrode his own motor functions until Starscream used a [[Sonic destabiliser]] to forcibly disengage the Powerlinx. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 9|Dawn of Destruction!}}

====Reader's Digest ''Armada'' novels====
Four million years ago, the Mini-Cons found themselves caught in the middle of the Autobot-Decepticon war, which came to a head when the Mini-Cons were gathered in a giant orbiting storage facility as the ultimate prize. However, after the destruction of Cybertron's moon, both sides called a truce and sent the Mini-Cons away aboard a starship. To keep the Mini-Cons from being used by other alien races, their ship included a [[warp gate]] that would teleport representatives from both the Autobots and Decepticons should the need arise. However, gathering the Mini-Cons together had an unexpected side effect; their collective intelligence grew, and they developed feelings of independence and solidarity. By the time that their ship crashed on the Moon, the Mini-Cons' existence became a half-forgotten legend amongst the other Transformers as war reignited between the two factions; when humans discovered the Mini-Cons, the warp gate brought Cybertronians to Earth to continue their battle. {{storylink|Transformers Armada: The Battle Begins|The Battle Begins}}

====''Transformers Legends'' anthology====
In one reality, many thousands of years after their return to Cybertron, the Mini-Cons remembered and honoured the generosity of their long-dead human friends by celebrating [[Halloween]]. {{storylink|Something Robotic This Way Comes}}

In another universe, the Mini-Con [[QuickFire]] brought his comatose partner [[Riptide (Armada)|Riptide]] to Earth to recover. While Riptide's body and mind healed, Quickfire, who transformed into Riptide's engine block, could remotely control his larger partner's alternate mode. {{storylink|Lonesome Diesel}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
In a unique variation of {{w|Batesian mimicry}}, a number of Mini-Cons have adopted the names of particularly powerful or dangerous Cybertronians in an attempt to intimidate those who might otherwise capture them. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/15}}

In universe [[Aurex 1104.30-DB Zeta]], [[Brian Jones|Dr. Jones]] reverse-engineered [[combiner]] technology and applied it to a number of Mini-Cons. The upgrade changed them into [[Micromaster]]s, an entirely new breed of Transformer; with six beings Powerlinxing together, they packed tremendous energy into a frame no larger than the average Cybertronian. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 31/7/2015}}

The Mini-Cons of [[Aurex 304.0 Epsilon]] were creations of [[Primacron]], and sparked a three-way war between the Autobots, Decepticons, and [[Omnicon]]s until [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]] and the [[Destructicon (RID)|Destructicon]]s invaded. From this conquest, Megazarak acquried [[Caliburn (Armada)|Caliburn]] as his personal Mini-Con. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/11}}

In [[Aurex 1104.30-JH Zeta]], time-travelling [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s fought the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] for control of the Mini-Cons hidden on Earth. Although some Mini-Cons willingly joined forces with the Beast Warriors, others remained neutral. The conflict ended with [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and his followers rescuing all the Mini-Cons in [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s custody. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 8, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/13}} Another parallel-universe iteration of the Beast Wars in [[Aurex 615.03 Epsilon]] had the Mini-Con crews of the ''[[Hyperion (Armada)|Hyperion]]'' and ''[[Doomsday]]'' journey to [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]]'s [[Alpha Q's universe|universe]] to provide reinforcements. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/23}}

[[Vector Prime]] observed the many similarities between Mini-Cons, [[Micromaster]]s, and [[Cyberdroid]]s, and noted that, due to [[trans-dimensional harmonic resonance]], a Mini-Con might have identical counterparts who belonged to one of these other groups in other universal clusters, while small Autobots like [[Minimus Ambus]] had Mini-Con, Micromaster, and Cyberdroid counterparts elsewhere in the [[multiverse]]. More than once, Vector opined that the distinction between the three subgroups boiled down to linguistics—in his opinion, different realities used different names to describe the same core concept. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/20}} {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/07}}

====Spacewarp's Log====
Early in her career, [[Spacewarp]] spent her time searching for a rumoured "lost tribe" of Mini-Cons who'd fled the war and established a colony somewhere in the vicinity of the planet [[Tasumo|Tasmos]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Spacewarp's Log (1), 2015/10/30}}

===Generation 1 continuity family===
====3H comics====
[[Ramulus]] sardonically compared the timid [[CatSCAN]] to an "apologetic Mini-Con". {{storylink|Betrayal}}

====''Classics''====
[[File:Lastautobotnewworld.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]

In the aftermath of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s devastating attack on Cybertron in [[1991]], [[Hi-Q]] and a group of humans discovered the mythical [[Last Autobot]] and roused him from his slumber. Although the Last Autobot realized that his power would be needed elsewhere, he recognized that Cybertron had suffered severe damage and created a race of stewards who would gradually rebuild Cybertron and nurse the wounded world back to health. Using data acquired from the [[binary bonding|binary-bonded]] fusion of Hi-Q and the rebuilt [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s [[Action Master]] body, he created the Mini-Cons, and imbued each with a fragment of his own [[spark]] so that they could access his own formidable powers. [[Modus Prime]], the first Mini-Con created, became the leader of this new race. {{storylink|The New World}}

An explosion at a [[nucleon]] processing plant mutated the full-sized [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] into a Mini-Con form. Despite his dramatic loss in physical size, he enjoyed his new form's speed and accuracy. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 18|Swoop's profile in Club magazine #18}}

Over the next fifteen years, the Mini-Cons worked to repair Cybertron, in anticipation of the day when all Cybertronians could return home; in addition to rebuilding the planet's infrastructure, the Mini-Cons waged a brutal extermination campaign against the [[Demon]]s and [[Mutant (G1)|Mutant]]s who dwelt in the planet's labyrinthine underlevels. However, as their work neared completion, a number of Mini-Cons began questioning their appointed roles after one Mini-Con, [[Broadside (Classics)|Broadside]], discovered the Decepticon philosophy; after more than a decade of waging war against Primus's discarded experiments, he grew fearful that Primus would cast ''them'' aside too. In the name of preserving the world they'd built for Mini-Cons and Mini-Cons alone, Broadside orchestrated the assassination of Modus Prime, silenced anyone who'd seen the crime, and lied about a fabricated "madness plague" to justify the quarantine of Cybertron. However, news of Broadside's role in the murder soon spread, and before long Cybertron collapsed back into a new civil war between Broadside's rogue faction and the loyalists. {{storylink|The New World}}

{{--}}

====Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
[[File:LegendsVol19-Groundshaker.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
The Mini-Cons of this universe are a sub-set of the diminutive [[Micromaster]]s. When most of the Micromaster population fell under the command of [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] to found their own civilization on [[Micro|Planet Micro]], some elected to remain with the Autobots to help them continue the war. These little 'bots partnered up with larger Transformers, adopting weapon and equipment [[alternate mode]]s (in addition to their vehicular forms) which their partners could wield. Like the Mini-Cons from other universes, they provide their partners with a power-up by connecting to them when in weapon mode. Some of the earliest known include [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]'s partners [[Groundshaker (Legends)|Groundshaker]] and [[Phaser (G1)|Phaser]]. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter|Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter}}

Evidence suggests that Mini-Cons would persist into the [[Beast Era]]: the enigmatic [[Wedge Shape]], as well as several of the combatants involved in the "[[Micron Booster#Micron Booster Ver. 4: Endless Battle—Eternal Prisoner|Eternal Prisoner]]" conflict, professed [[Maximal]] and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] allegiances. {{storylink|Micron Booster|Micron Booster Ver. 4}} Additionally, Mini-Con [[Dragoyell]] took part in the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]. {{storylink|Dragoyell|Dragoyell's bio}}
{{--}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
[[File:ThePermanentRevolution-toocooltoenunciate.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]

After the conclusion of the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]], [[Micronus Prime]] left Cybertron aboard the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Prion (Titan)|Prion]] and together they colonized a [[Prion (planet)|distant world]]. {{storylink|White Heat}} Using the [[Hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]] within his body, Prion birthed a civilization of Mini-Cons. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} Approximately seven million years ago, Micronus left the colony to fend for itself while he retreated into a unique sub-atomic realm known as [[Microspace]]. {{storylink|Crisis Intervention}}

In the 21st century, the peaceful planet met its end when the robo-phobic [[Black Block Consortia]] discovered and promptly sterilized the planet. The sole survivor, a female four-changer named [[Nickel]], joined up with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] when they chanced across the ruined world a few days after the attack. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

When the ''Lost Light'' encountered the [[Stentarian]] species, they mistook the tiny [[Ammonite]]s for miniature Decepticons, and [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] attempted to nickname them "Minicons". {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} Some time later, [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] referred to the Ammonites as such, only to be corrected on her nomenclature by Whirl. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

===Fun Publications ''Shattered Glass'' continuity===
[[Sideswipe (SG)|Sideswipe]] referred to his Micromaster partner [[Whisper (SG)|Whisper]] as his "Mini-Con", short for "mini-Decepticon". {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 25|Whisper's profile in Club magazine #25}}

{{--}}

===Live-action film series===
[[File:HeavyweightvsAutotrooper-CMW.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

Mini-Cons are a mysterious group of small Transformers. Known Mini-Cons include [[Longarm (Movie Mini-Con)|Longarm]], [[Scalpel (ROTF)|Scalpel]], [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]], [[Chopster]], and [[Bomb-Burst (PCC)|Bomb-Burst]].

In a reality where [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] won the battle of [[Chicago]], he recruited a trio of Mini-Cons that included [[Boombox]], Scalpel, and [[Heavyweight]]. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}} The whole lot of them were transported to [[Axiom Nexus]] when Megatron plummeted off a space bridge after a battle against [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Rodimus Prime]]. Though Heavyweight and the other Mini-Cons were identified by the TransTechs, they overlooked Megatron himself, believing his truck mode to simply be a derelict heap. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)#TransTech|BotCon 2015 Megatron bio card}}

Over at the [[NEST]] base in [[Beijing]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] turned [[Metrobase (Movie)|Metrobase]]'s Medi-Bay facility into a dance floor for a group of Mini-Cons while [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] was away. {{storylink|Bumblebee Boogie}}

{{--}}

===''Power Core Combiners''===
[[Commander (PCC)|Commander]]s had the ability to combine with Mini-Cons, which powered up their abilities in vaguely defined ways.<ref>[[Smolder (PCC)|Smolder]]'s bio, [[Sledge (PCC)|Sledge]]'s bio, [[Heavytread (PCC)|Heavytread]]'s bio, and [[Salvage (Movie)|Salvage]]'s bio.</ref> Some power ups are given more specific descriptions: [[Huffer (PCC)|Huffer]] became faster, stronger, and smarter; [[Searchlight (PCC)|Searchlight]] got extended operational duration; [[Leadfoot (PCC)|Leadfoot]] became invisible to sensors; and [[Darkstream]] received enhanced maneuverability.<ref>See respective toy bios.</ref>

{{--}}

===''Animated''===
[[File:TheStunticonJob-Mini-Cons.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

The Autobots used Mini-Cons to guard high-security prison facilities like [[Trypticon Prison]] in [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}} Although Mini-Cons were supposedly loyal to the Autobot regime, a few cynics like [[Sideswipe (Animated)|Sideswipe]] had their doubts. {{storylink|The AllSpark Almanac Addendum}}

{{--}}

===Aligned continuity family===
[[File:Deployer DarknessRising3.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

'''Mini-Cons''' (sometimes spelled '''Minicons''') are a race of small, human-sized Transformers who inhabit Cybertron's two moons. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} Descendants of [[Micronus Prime]], the first Mini-Con,<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2011-hasbro-story-building-panel-172316/ TFW coverage of Botcon 2011 Hasbro Story Building Panel]</ref> they come in a great variety of shapes; though some adopt humanoid forms, others possess animalistic [[beast mode]]s instead.

In these realities, the majority of Mini-Cons do not Powerlinx with larger Transformers, and only Mini-Cons who have been specifically altered at the [[CNA|genetic level]] can utilize a variation of this power. Instead, Mini-Cons who form partnerships with the Autobots or Decepticons adopt specialized [[alternate mode]]s that allow them to interlock with their larger partners to form an additional layer of armor. These specialized "[[Deployer (WFC)|Deployer]]s", as they are known, can be summoned into action by their larger partner, whereupon they detach and transform back into their robot configurations. By the time of Cybertron's restoration following the end of the war, such Mini-Cons are subdivided into three groups: Autobot "buzzsaws," Decepticon "torpedoes," and unaligned "Cyclones," who have spherical alternate modes. {{storylink|Knock, Knock!}}

{{--}}

====Aligned novels====
Although some Cybertronians displayed prejudice against Minicons—[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] despised them, while [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Orion Pax]] associated them with distrust—they nevertheless had a political presence in the pre-war era, with representative [[Ratbat (WFC)|Ratbat]] serving on the planet's [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. Minicons could choose to communicate with other Cybertronians, but while conducting espionage or sabotage missions they usually communicated via a series of tightly coded electronic pulses.

During the buildup to the planet's Great War, the nascent Decepticon movement made extensive use of Minicons in various terrorist acts: thirty-six Decepticon-allied Minicons bombed the [[Six Lasers Over Cybertron]] amusement park, and another destroyed [[Fort Scyk]]. A number of Mini-Cons attended the fateful meeting of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] that saw Orion Pax promoted to the rank of [[Prime (rank)|Prime]].

When war broke out in earnest, a pair of Autobot-allied Minicon saboteurs stole the secrets of Decepticon [[combiner]] technology, which allowed the Autobots to create [[Defensor (WFC)|Defensor]]. Multiple Decepticon Minicons served aboard the [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] facility during the final battle before the exodus to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

====Cartoon continuity====
=====''Prime'' cartoon=====
[[File:DeusExMachina AMT-Party.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Did you bring hummus?]]

{{note|The Arms Micron backstory was told specifically in reference to the "partner" Microns packed in with larger toys, but it is assumed that it holds true for all toys called "Arms Microns" regardless of release type.}}

A new group of Mini-Cons were created on [[Earth]] when the planet's [[energon]] infused the Transformers' weapons with life and the power to transform. These new robots became known as the [[Arms Micron]]s. {{storylink|Arms Micron Theater}}

{{--}}

=====2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon=====
[[File:HuntingSeason Mini-Cons.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

During the Great War, Decepticon scientists captured and genetically modified seven Mini-Cons into "[[Weaponizer (RID)|Weaponizer]]s", an aberrant group of Mini-Cons who could transform into weapons and override the motor functions of the Transformers who Powerlinxed with them. Anyone who could Powerlinx with all seven at once would become even stronger than even a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]. {{storylink|Mini-Con Madness (RID)|Mini-Con Madness}} {{storylink|Worthy}} The project was incomplete when Megatron dissolved the Decepticons, and [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] discovered their stasis-locked bodies in the depths of [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]] while fleeing [[Skylynx (Prime)|Skylynx]] and [[Darksteel (Prime)|Darksteel]]. Before he could turn them to his own ends, however, the Weaponizers escaped and fell in with the [[Scavengers (RID)|Scavengers]] to take them somewhere off Cybertron before Starscream could find them. {{storylink|Mini-Con Madness (RID)|Mini-Con Madness}}

Another group of Mini-Cons, known as [[Caretaker Mini-Con|Caretaker]]s, appear to have been mass-produced through some unknown process. While some members of this group, including those found aboard a wrecked spaceship from the Great War, acted like pre-programmed [[drone]]s, {{storylink|Deep Trouble (RID)|Deep Trouble}} the [[Autobot High Council]] considered them self-sufficient to the point where they could autonomously run large prison ships such as the ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]''. Some of these Caretakers, most prominently [[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]], possessed the capability for free will and independent thought, but reverted to a mindless "sentry mode" when [[Denny Clay]] tampered with his internal workings. {{storylink|The Trouble with Fixit}} When the ''Alchemor'' crashed on Earth, the freed Decepticon prisoners revolted and enslaved the Mini-Cons. When the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]] arrived to take the ship, they joined in overthrowing their captors and eventually returned to Cybertron. {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 1)}} {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 2)}}

[[File:MightyBigTrouble-Weaponizers.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Shortly after this, the Weaponizers arrived on Earth, pursued by Starscream and a number of rogue agents; after clashing with the Scavengers a few times, the Weaponizers sided with the Autobots. Starscream attempted to merge with the Mini-Cons, only for it to fail because [[Tricerashot (RID)|Tricerashot]] was missing, but even after obtaining the power of all seven Fixit was able to activate a signal and separate [[Aerobolt]]. Aerobolt Powerlinxed with Optimus, and gave the Autobot leader the last boost of power he needed to destroy the super-powered Starscream. Afterwards, Aerobolt and his fellow Mini-Cons left Earth aboard the Scavenger's sub-orbital ship to find a new planet where they could live in peace. {{storylink|Worthy}}

The [[Autobot High Council|Cybertronian High Council]] experimented on the Mini-Cons [[Stuntwing]], [[Trickout]], [[Goldgear]], and [[Hi-Test (RID)|Hi-Test]]; in addition to erasing their memories, they also received the power to upgrade Transformers through Powerlinxing and open [[GroundBridge]]s to the [[Shadowzone (dimension)|Shadowzone]] in order to assist Soundwave in his escape. {{storylink|Collateral Damage}}

{{--}}

=====''Rescue Bots'' cartoon=====
[[File:TheNeedForSpeed Bounce.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Back against the wall, you gonna give it your all.]]

After escaping the prison ship ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]'', the rogue Mini-Con [[Bounce]] fled through the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]]'s [[GroundBridge]] and made a mess of [[Griffin Rock]] until [[Blurr (Prime)|Blurr]] and [[Sideswipe (RID 2015)|Sideswipe]] recaptured him. {{storylink|The Need for Speed}}

{{--}}

===''TransTech''===
The first dimensionally-displaced Mini-Cons to arrive in the city of [[Axiom Nexus]] were misidentified as [[Micromaster]]s until the discovery of the [[Aurex]] cluster. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/09}} During the "Mass Reemergence", numerous Mini-Cons in the Aurex Cluster suddenly appeared on the [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s' scanners. These Mini-Cons became pawns in the Autobot-Decepticon war and eventually attracted [[Unicron]], who sought to use them to make himself more powerful. However, the Mini-Cons combined their power to single-handedly defeat Unicron, and an unlikely peace prevailed when the Mini-Cons demanded to be left alone. The [[Transcendent Technomorph]] [[Heinrad (TransTech)|Heinrad]] emerged into this Aurex universe and offered the Mini-Cons a choice: stay and help the Autobot-Decepticon war effort, or leave to live in peace in [[Axiom Nexus]]. Most chose the latter option. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/09}}

Upon arriving in Axiom Nexus, many Mini-Cons who hailed from "Alpha" universal clusters, where Mini-Cons spoke their own unique language, failed the [[Ambus Test]] used to gauge the sentience of mechanical beings. Eventually, the Mini-Con [[Sprite]], native of a "Gamma" universe in which Mini-Cons spoke intelligibly, campaigned for increased awareness of Mini-Con rights. Thanks to her efforts, the Ambus Test was subsequently phased out and replaced with the more inclusive [[Turtler Test]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/16}}

Mini-Cons who hailed from [[Aurex 906.29 Alpha]] were known for their crude humor. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/04}}

===''Cyberworld''===
[[Megatron (Cyberworld)|Megatron]] compared the hit the targets challenge he and [[Bumblebee (Cyberworld)|Bumblebee]] were in to taking Energon from a Mini-Con. {{storylink|Prime Target (Cyberworld)|Prime Target}}

==Games==
===''Transformers'' (PS2)===
{{gamestub}}{{storylink|Transformers (Armada PS2)}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
During the Earth Wars, groups such as the [[Race Mini-Con Team]] and the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Team]] became [[C.O.M.B.A.T. System|C.O.M.B.A.T. bots]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Autobots and Decepticons who formed a symbiotic bond with Mini-Con Allies are generally refered to as "Microlinked". Mini-Cons could dock with their partner's frame or be deploed to take action or help. [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] used their [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Mini]] [[Autobot Mini-Cassette|Cassets]] for both infiltration and for battle. Overtime [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] had become had become one of Soundwave's most famous and skilled Mini-Con Cassettes.{{storylink|Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook|Core Rulebook}}

==Toys==
[[File:Armada Blackout toy.jpg|thumb|Blackout Powerlinxing with Demolishor]]
:Mini-Con toys debuted as the signature element of the ''Armada'' franchise, bringing the "micro [[play pattern]]" back to ''Transformers'' after many years' absence. Much like ''Armada'' itself, the Mini-Cons proved to be a smash hit with fans and kids, and Hasbro scrambled to include them in the subsequent franchises.

:Most Mini-Cons stand around 2" tall, roughly the same size as their [[Micromaster]] predecessors. Most Mini-Cons are considerably more complex, as well; unlike Micromasters, there's no single dominant transformation scheme. With dozens of molds, Mini-Cons cover a wide range of articulation, size, [[alternate mode]]s, and complexity. Aesthetically, their facial designs tend toward the unorthodox.

:Each Mini-Con includes one or more [[Powerlinx]] ports somewhere on their body, a [[5 mm post|5mm]] round peg-slot that allows them to be attached to any "[[Bulk]]" figure with a corresponding Powerlinx peg. These pegs were standard-issue on the larger, original-mold ''Armada'' toys, where at least one such peg could be used to activate various gimmicks on each large figure. Toys from subsequent franchises have featured Powerlinx pegs only as a static feature. Due to the center-peg of the Powerlinx port, they are incompatible with normal 5mm posts. Later Mini-Cons (starting with the ''[[Power Core Combiners]]'' series) would sometimes have 5mm holes without the "signature" center-peg.

{{note|Because of the overwhelming number of Mini-Con redecos—we're talking well into the hundreds—the following list is of unique first-use ''molds'' only. For a full list of Mini-cons, including the redecos, see [[Armada (toyline)]].}}

===''Armada''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''3-pack team molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Adventure Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Dune Runner (Armada)|Dune Runner]] (dune buggy), [[Iceberg]] (snowcat), [[Ransack (Armada)|Ransack]] (jeep)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]] (Concorde jet), [[Runway (Armada)|Runway]] (supersonic bomber), [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]] (space shuttle)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Air Military Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Gunbarrel (Armada)|Gunbarrel]] (cargo jet), [[Terradive (Armada)|Terradive]] (recon jet), [[Thunderwing (Armada)|Thunderwing]] (stealth bomber)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Destruction Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Buzzsaw (Armada)|Buzzsaw]] (excavator), [[Drill Bit (Armada)|Drill Bit]] (mining vehicle), [[Dualor (Armada)|Dualor]] (tank)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Emergency Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Firebot (Armada)|Firebot]] (fire engine), [[Makeshift (Armada)|Makeshift]] (VTOL plane), [[Prowl (Armada)|Prowl]] (police cruiser)}}
|
|width="40%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Land Military Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Bonecrusher (Armada)|Bonecrusher]] (missile transport), [[Knock Out (Armada)|Knock Out]] (armored personnel carrier), [[Wreckage (Armada)|Wreckage]] (tracked missile platform)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Race Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Dirt Boss (Armada)|Dirt Boss]] (rally SUV), [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]] (Le Mans racer), [[Mirage (Armada)|Mirage]] (Indy racer)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Sea Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Oceanglide]] (solar-powered boat), [[Stormcloud (Armada)|Stormcloud]] (speedboat), [[Waterlog (Armada)|Waterlog]] (hovercraft)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Space Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Astroscope]] (space station), [[Payload (Armada)|Payload]] (rocket transporter), [[Sky Blast (Armada)|Sky Blast]] (rocket)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Street Action Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (skateboard), [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] (dirtbike), [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] (motor scooter)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Street Speed Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Backtrack (Armada)|Backtrack]] (sportscar), [[Oval]] (sportscar), [[Spiral]] (sportscar)}}
|[[File:Armada airmilitaryteam toys.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Air Military Mini-Con Team]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] (partner: [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Super Optimus Prime]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Longarm (Armada)|Longarm]] (partner: [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]] (partner: [[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys|Hot Shot]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Liftor]] (partner: [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] (partner: [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Supercon Optimus Prime]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Rollbar (Armada)|Rollbar]] (partner: [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Incinerator (Armada)|Incinerator]] (partner: [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Comettor (Armada)|Comettor]] (partner: [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Nightbeat (Armada)|Nightbeat]] (partner: [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Refute (Armada)|Refute]] (partner: [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Hoist]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Rollout (Armada)|Rollout]] (partner: [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]])}}
|
|width="40%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]] (partner: [[Megatron (Armada)/toys|Megatron]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]] (partner: [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Blackout (Armada)|Blackout]] (partner: [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Crumplezone (Armada)|Crumplezone]] (partner: [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Inferno (Armada)|Inferno]] (partner: [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ramjet (Armada)|Ramjet]] (partner: [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Wind Sheer (Armada)|Wind Sheer]] (partner: [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Thunderclash (Armada)|Thunderclash]] (partner: [[Skywarp (Armada)|Skywarp]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Dead End (Armada)|Dead End]] (partner: [[Unicron/toys|Unicron]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Rook (Armada)|Rook]] and [[Crosswise (Armada)|Crosswise]] (partner: [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]])}}
|
[[File:Armada Leader1 toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Leader-1, with wider hips than were entirely necessary.]]
</ul>
|}

===''Legends of the Microns''===
[[File:Armadatoy unicron of light.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Unicron of Light]]
*'''Hikari no Unicron''' (campaign prize item)
**''Accessories:'' Chest missile, 6 leg missiles

: The "[[Unicron of Light]]" toy is a [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' [[Unicron/toys|Unicron]] in an emerald, light green, blue, and white color-scheme. This Unicron was the prize for a lucky-draw contest in Japan.
{{-}}

===''Energon''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''3-pack team molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Energon Saber]] Team''': [[Scattor (Energon)|Scattor]] (Concorde), [[Skyboom (Energon)|Skyboom]] (space shuttle), [[Wreckage (Energon)|Wreckage]] (supersonic bomber)}}
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Street Action Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (hoverboard), [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] (motorbike), [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] (four-wheeler)}}
|[[File:Energon saber.JPG|thumb|upright=1.4|The Energon Saber]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Other'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|Kicker/Highwire 2-pack}}
</ul>
|}

===''Cybertron''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Drill Bit (Cybertron)|Drill Bit]] (partner: [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Stripmine]] (partner: [[Quickmix (Cybertron)|Quickmix]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Heavy Load (Cybertron)|Heavy Load]] (partner: [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]] (partner: [[Vector Prime]])}}
|
[[File:Cyb-toy HeavyLoad.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Menasor's partner Heavy Load]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''3-packs'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|'''[[Recon Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]] (helicopter), [[Six-Speed (Cybertron)|Six-Speed]] (LeMans race car), [[Reverb (Cybertron)|Reverb]] (pickup truck)}}
{{Bp-d1|'''[[Giant Planet Mini-Con Team]]''': [[Deepdive (Cybertron)|Deepdive]] (submarine), [[Longarm (Cybertron)|Longarm]] (double-crane truck), [[Overcast (Cybertron)|Overcast]] (military cargo plane)}}
|
[[File:Cyb-toy SixSpeed Kabaya.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Kabaya Six-Speed]]
</ul>
|}

===''Classics''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''3-packs'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|'''[[Demolition Team]]''': [[Broadside (Classics)|Broadside]], [[Sledge (Classics)|Sledge]], [[Wideload (Classics)|Wideload]]}}
{{Bp-a1|'''[[Dinobot (Classics)|Dinobots]]''': [[Knockdown (Classics)|Knockdown]], [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], [[Terrorsaur (Classics)|Terrorsaur]]}}
{{Bp-a1|'''[[Night Rescue Team]]''': [[Divebomb (Classics)|Divebomb]], [[Firebot (Classics)|Firebot]], [[Strongarm (Classics)|Strongarm]]}}
{{Bp-a1|'''[[Clear Skies Team]]''': [[Nightscream (Classics)|Nightscream]], [[Steel Wind]], [[Thunderwing (Classics)|Thunderwing]]}}
{{Bp-d1|'''[[Dirt Digger Team]]''': [[Dirt Rocket (Classics)|Dirt Rocket]], [[Grindor (Classics)|Grindor]], [[Oil Slick (Classics)|Oil Slick]]}}
{{Bp-d1|'''[[Predator Attack Team]]''': [[Dreadwing (Classics)|Dreadwing]], [[Overbite (Classics)|Overbite]], [[Snarl (Classics)|Snarl]]}}
|[[File:TFC Clear Sky.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Clear Skies Team]]
</ul>
|}
{{-}}

===''Star Wars Transformers''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Cons'''
<ul class="iconlist">
*[[TIE Fighter]]s (partner: [[Darth Vader]])
|[[File:SWTIE Fighter.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|TIE Fighters]]
</ul>
|}
{{-}}

===''Universe'' (2008)===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]] (partner: [[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys#Universe .282008.29|Hot Shot]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Nightstick (G1)|Nightstick]] (partner: [[Cyclonus (G1)/toys|Cyclonus]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Drill Bit (Universe)|Drill Bit]] (partner: [[Heavy Load (Universe)|Heavy Load]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Blight (Universe)#SingleCard|Blight]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Bodyblock (Universe)#SingleCard|Bodyblock]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Boltflash#SingleCard|Boltflash]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Brimstone (Universe)#Single|Brimstone]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Makeshift (Universe)#SingleCard|Makeshift]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Suppressor (Universe)#SingleCard|Suppressor]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Blockrock]]}}
|}
{{note|Nightstick, despite being a [[Nebulan]] [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]], is oddly identified as a Mini-Con on the "Battle in Space" packaging.}}
{{-}}

===''Power Core Combiners''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Airlift (PCC)|Airlift]] (partner: [[Skyhammer (PCC)|Skyhammer]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Backwind]] (partner: [[Searchlight (PCC)|Searchlight]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Caliburst (PCC)|Caliburst]] (partner: [[Huffer (PCC)|Huffer]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Chainclaw (PCC)|Chainclaw]] (partner: [[Icepick (PCC)|Icepick]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Chopster]] (partner: [[Smolder (PCC)|Smolder]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Groundspike]] (partner: [[Heavytread (PCC)|Heavytread]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Pinpoint]] (partner: [[Leadfoot (PCC)|Leadfoot]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Throttler]] (partner: [[Sledge (PCC)|Sledge]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Waterlog (PCC)|Waterlog]] (partner: [[Undertow (PCC)|Undertow]])}}
|
[[File:PCC-toy Chopster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Chopster (with Smolder)]]
</ul>
|}
{{-}}

===''Prime''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Mini-Cons'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] (Partner: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ravage (WFC)|Ravage]] (Partner: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]])}}
|[[File:Primetoy-HasbroTakaraTomy-Laserbeaks.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Laserbeak with Soundwave]]
</ul>
|}
{{note|Neither Laserbeak or Ravage were branded as Mini-Cons on-package, with Ravage instead being referred to as a "mini-figure".}}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Arms Microns'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Arc]] (Partner: [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Arcee Blade]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[B.B.]] (Partner: [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Baro]] (Partner: [[Skywarp (WFC)|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[B.H.]] (Partner: [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Bido]] (Partner: [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Bogu]] (Partner: [[Unicron]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Bulkhead Knuckle]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Bumblebee Sword]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[C.L.]] (Partner: [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Dado (Prime)|Dado]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Dago]] (Partner: [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]] and [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Dobo]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Giza (Prime)|Giza]] (Partner: [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|Nemesis Prime]])}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Gobu]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Gora]] (Partner: [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Guru]] (Partner: [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Hades]] (Partner: [[Megatron (WFC)|Darkness Megatron]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ida]] (Partner: [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Igu]] (Partner: [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Iro]] (Partner: [[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Jaze]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Jida]] (Partner: [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Jigu]] (Partner: [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[L.P.]] (Partner: [[Lio Convoy]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Magi]] (Partner: [[Silas|Silas Breakdown]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Megatron Cannon]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Noji]] (Partner: [[Vehicon (Prime)|Jet Vehicon]])}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[O.P.]] (Partner: [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Optimus Prime Blaster]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ozu (Prime)|Ozu]] (Partner: [[Wildrider (Prime)|Wildrider]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Pral]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[R.A.]] (Partner: [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Ratchet Spanner]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[S.S.]] (Partner: [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Sise]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Sou]] (Partner: [[Swerve (Prime)|Swerve]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Ulma]] (Partner: [[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]])}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Wheeljack Kunai]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Wuji]] (Partner: [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Zado]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Zori]] (Partner: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]])}}
|[[File:Prime-toy OP.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|O.P.]]
</ul>
|}
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''3-pack team molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-mc|'''[[Mini-Con Assault Team]]''': [[Heavytread (Generations)|Heavytread]], [[Runway (Generations)|Runway]], [[Windshear]]}}
|[[File:Generationstoy-TakaraTomy-Centuritron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Centuritron and the Mini-Con Assault Team]]
</ul>
|}
{{-}}

===''Robots in Disguise'' (2015)===
{{stub|All the new Minicon toys, plus partners/enemies must be included}}
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Individual Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Aerobolt]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Bashbreaker]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Beastbox (RID)|Beastbox]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Back|Decepticon Back]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Anvil (RID)|Decepticon Anvil]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Bludgeon (RID 2015)|Decepticon Bludgeon]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Divebomb (RID)|Divebomb]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Dragonus]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Glacius]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Lancelon]]}}
|
|width="40%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Major Mayhem]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ransack (RID Mini-Con)|Ransack]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ratbat (WFC)|Ratbat]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Sandsting]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Sawback]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Sawtooth (RID)|Sawtooth]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Slipstream (RID)|Slipstream]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Tricerashot]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Velocirazor]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Windstrike]]}}
|
[[File:Slipstream RID 2015 toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Slipstream]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Cons'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] (Partner: [[Drift (RID)|Drift]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Airazor (RID)|Airazor]] (Partner: [[Fracture (RID)|Fracture]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Hammer (RID)|Decepticon Hammer]] (Partner: [[Crazybolt (RID)|Crazybolt]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Backtrack (RID)|Backtrack]] (Partner: [[Overload (RID)|Overload]])}}
|[[File:RID15-toy Backtrack.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Overload's partner Backtrack]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Other'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]] (One Step Changer)}}
{{Bp-a1|Fixit (Legion Class)}}
|[[File:2015 RID One-Step Fixit.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|One-Step Fixit]]
</ul>
|}

===''Legacy''===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Partner Mini-Con molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Jolt (Armada)#Legacy|Jolt]] (partner: [[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys#LegacyPowerlinx|Powerlinx Hot Shot]])}}
|
</ul>
|}

==Merchandise==
===''Attacktix''===
[[File:AttacktixMiniConS1.jpg||thumb|Goooood.]]
*'''Mini-Con''' (Booster, 2006)

{{attacktix
|ID=TF01
|faction=Autobot
|class=Trooper
|special=Attackback - 4/26 (15%) success ratio
|cost=10
|speed=4
|attacktype=Shooter (small missile)
}}
{{-}}

: The first assortment of Transformers ''[[Attacktix]]'' figures included a "generic" Mini-Con, based on [[Skyboom (Energon)|Skyboom]]. Each Mini-Con figure has 3 points of articulation, including waist and shoulders; however, their shoulders move together due to their gun. One of the shortest, most squat ''Attacktix'' figures, the Mini-Con is very stable despite its small base.

:Its Special Power, "Attackback", allows a free move and attack for any of your in-play Autobot pieces. Mini-Con is an excellent support figure for [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]], whose "Shootback" power allows up to three Mini-Cons to make a free attack.

{{-}}
[[File:AttackitxMiniConS2.jpg||thumb|Eeeevil.]]
*'''Minicon''' (Booster, 2007)

{{attacktix
|ID=TF03
|faction=Decepticon
|class=Trooper
|special=Attackback
|cost=10
|speed=4
|attacktype=Shooter (small missile)
}}
{{-}}

:An as-yet unreleased redeco of the ''Attacktix'' "Minicon" (''sic'') piece is set for the second series' Booster Packs, though this time as a Decepticon-aligned piece. It features a color scheme not on any incarnation of the actual [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]]/Skyboom toy, but wouldn't that be neat? The exact details of its Attackback special power are as yet unknown.

: This piece was later characterized as "[[Bunker-Buster]]" in the members-only portion of the [[Fun Publications]] [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] website.

{{canceledattacktix}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Why are they called Mini-Cons, with a "con" as in Decepticons? According to [[Aaron Archer]], the thought just didn't occur to Hasbro!<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Mini-Bot was too generic, for sure... I don't think we thought of it that deep! The way you just described it, I don't think we realized that maybe we should have considered that nomenclature?|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNgWvNmMJfE&t=1894s|name=Aaron Archer|site=The Toy Armada|year=2021|month=12|day=14}}</ref>
*During the ''[[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' line, the term "Mini-Con" was also the name of a [[size class]] which consisted of three-packs of small toys (which were also individually referred to as "Mini-Cons"). Other size classes from the ''Armada'' line were named "Super-Con", "Max-Con" and "Giga-Con". However, the name "Mini-Con" was the only one actually used in the corresponding fiction. In the toyline, it was ''also'' used for other small figures of the same size that were available as companion figures with the larger toys. Due to its use in fiction, the name was also carried over into subsequent lines such as ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'', and was used as (part of) the name of a price point again in the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' toyline, the "Mini-Con Class" consisting of two-packs. The later ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' toyline returned to the original three-pack style.
* Perceptor, the Star Saber, the Skyboom Shield and the Requiem Blaster were the earliest Mini-Con products developed, with a common combining play-pattern, before the decision was made to pack an individual Mini-Con in with each larger robot.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=The idea that they combined was an early idea, and I think they combined with almost those forms too! Takara had those in 2D concept when we were going over different things. Because we did the Requiem Blaster, the [Skyboom] Shield, Star Saber and Perceptor here—we did all those at the same time. We wanted to turn three of the Mini-Cons into a combining robot, and then that could be another type of protector for the kids as well.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow2iKv7DrL4&t=2217s|name=Aaron Archer|site=The Toy Armada|year=2022|month=10|day=25}}</ref> These toys ended up being split across the first three waves of the line.
* There have been a number of characters or toys that either have Powerlinx "catcher" ports but are not Mini-Cons, or are recolored from Mini-Con molds (often even having the molded-in faction symbol) but who are nonetheless, according to their associated bios or fiction, not actually Mini-Cons. These include ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' [[Caliburn (Universe)|Caliburn]]; ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' [[Laserbeak (Cybertron)|Laserbeak]]; the [[Search and Destroy Robot]]; and the ''[[Transformers United EX|United EX]]'' [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]] partners [[Spanner (United)|Spanner]], [[Firebug (United)|Firebug]], [[Groundbreak (United)|Groundbreak]], [[Deduce (United)|Deduce]], [[Wheezel (United)|Wheezel]], and [[Rotorbolt (United)|Rotorbolt]].
**Conversely, the ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (franchise)|Rescue Bots]]'' [[Transformers: Rescue Bots (toyline)|toyline]] credits [[Servo (RB)|Servo]] as a Mini-Con, while in the actual television show he's merely referred to as a "Cybertronian Helper Bot".
*Hasbro and Takara's design departments originally conceived the [[Omnicon]]s and [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] as being "evolved" forms of the ''Armada'' Mini-Cons. Takara's marketing department, the only people directly talking to [[We've]], completely ignored this, so the [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon]] established an entirely different backstory for the group.<ref name="ichikawa">{{citesocial|link=http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/43847f79db724831|name=Hirofumi Ichikawa|site=alt.toys.transformers|quote=One of the most useful pieces of background info was that the Omnicons and Terrorcons were evolved Mini-Cons. At that point, which was just before SUPER LINK started airing, I had a discussion with We've in which I asked them, "Would it be okay if I drew several Mini-Cons in the final episode of 'Linkage' in their evolved state as Omnicons or Terrorcons?" Surprisingly, though, they knew nothing about this background info and had already created their own explanation for the origin for the Omnicons. Apparently, in the meetings between the anime production staff and Takara, the only people attending from Takara were from the Marketing Department, so none of the ideas or requests from the Development Deparment people were conveyed.|year=2004|month=11|day=20}}</ref> A vestige of this idea ''may'' have persisted into [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: Energon (comic)|Energon]]'' comic, which depicts the Omnicons inhabiting the former Mini-Con villages, and features a scene in which the Mini-Con [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] describes them as the product of an artificially-induced "evolutionary step". However, the comic never explicitly confirms that they ''are'' evolved Mini-Cons, so draw your own conclusions. Fun Publications would later canonise the idea for the pack-in comics continuity with [[Armada Volume 5|''Armada'' Volume 5]].
* A proposed episode of ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'''s [[Transformers Animated season 4|unproduced fourth season]] would've focused on the Mini-Cons, who nominally ran Trypticon Prison, running amok in [[Detroit]] after Megatron teleported the prison complex to [[Earth]]. Another episode, conceived as a broad spoof of ''{{w|Gulliver's Travels}}'', would've seen [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] transported to a planet of Mini-Cons that worshipped him as a god.
* In ''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]'', many Mini-Cons were reinterpreted as [[Micromaster]]s and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]], probably in reference to how the line between the concepts has blurred substantially over the years. This happened exclusively to those with vehicle modes, any Mini-Con [[Beast mode|beastformers]] were instead [[Maximal]]s or [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] in this continuity.
* In recent years, the practice of Mini-Con partners included with mainline figures has generally been phased out. Potentially, this is due to designers not wanting to compromise on the [[articulation]]/detail of the primary figure included.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Micron''' (マイクロン ''Maikuron''), '''Mini-Con''' (ミニコン ''Minikon'')
*''Dutch:'' '''Miniteam'''
*''French:'' '''Minican''' (France, cartoon dub), '''Minimodus''' (Canada and France, toys)
*''Korean:'' '''Micron''' (마이크론 ''Maikeuron'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mínǐ Jīn'gāng''' (迷你金刚, "Mini Vajra")
*''Spanish:'' '''Minimodus'''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Attacktix]]
[[Category:Beast Wars species]]
[[Category:Classics species]]
[[Category:Cybertron species]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 subgroups]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Gimmicks]]
[[Category:Mini-Cons| ]]
[[Category:Unicron]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron subgroups]]

Decepticon Mini-Cassette

2025-08-14T04:23:18Z

1levichurch:

{{factions|decepticon|sgDecepticon|minicon}}
{{disambig2|the subgroup sometimes referred to as Recordicons|the comic strip about them|Recordicons}}
{{groupstub|rest of the fiction, up-top links and maybe short descriptions, toy section needs fleshing out}}

[[File:Soundwave&Minions.jpeg|upright=2.5|thumb|Eject! Operation: Illustration.]]
The '''Decepticon Mini-Cassettes''' (also known as '''Spy Cassettes''', '''Recordicons''', the '''Soundwave Spy Patrol''') are [[Decepticon]]s who, on [[Earth]], transform into analog [[Mini-Cassette|audio cassettes]]. They can fit into [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s chest compartment, though their apparent relationship to Soundwave varies depending on continuity.

Many of these troops have communication or espionage roles. Recycling of body designs is common among them as well. Their counterparts amongst the [[Autobot]]s are the [[Autobot Mini-Cassette]]s.

{{quote|In the days of Megatron, Decepticons developed the art of espionage using cassette technology.|[[Teletraan II]]|"[[Secret Files of Teletraan II]]"}}

==Known Decepticon Mini-Cassettes==
===Generation 1===
{{collist|4|
*[[Autoscout]]
*[[Beastbox (G1)|Beastbox]]
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Enemy (G1)|Enemy]]
*[[Flip Sides (G1)|Flip Sides]]
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]
*[[Garboil (G1)|Garboil]]
*[[Glit (KP)|Glit]]
*[[Howlback (G1)|Howlback]]
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]]
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]
*[[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]]
*[[Squawktalk (G1)|Squawktalk]]
*[[Sundor]]
*[[Wingthing (G1)|Wingthing]]
*[[:File:Ravage clones gi joe vol 2.jpg|Ravage clones]]
*Many [[Palette swap|other]] [[generic]]s.
}}

===''Shattered Glass''===
{{collist|4|
*[[Beastbox (SG)|Beastbox]]
*[[Buzzsaw (SG)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Enemy (SG)|Enemy]]
*[[Frenzy (SG)|Frenzy]]
*[[Garboil (SG)|Garboil]]
*[[Glit (SG)|Glit]]
*[[Howlback (SG)|Howlback]]
*[[Laserbeak (SG)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Overkill (SG)|Overkill]]
*[[Ratbat (SG)|Ratbat]]
*[[Ravage (SG)|Ravage]]
*[[Rumble (SG)|Rumble]]
*[[Slugfest (SG)|Slugfest]]
*[[Squawktalk (SG)|Squawktalk]]
*[[Stage-Dive]]
}}

===Live-action film series===
*[[Uriad]]
*[[Uruaz]]

===EarthSpark===
*[[Frenzy (ES)|Frenzy]]
*[[Laserbeak (ES)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Ravage (ES)|Ravage]]

==Fiction==
{{groupstub}}
===Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics===
For the most part, the Decepticon Mini-Cassettes did not appear to have a particularly special or unique relationship with Soundwave. Soundwave occasionally carried Laserbeak within his chest compartment, releasing him for surprise attacks. {{storylink|Warrior School!}}

More often, the Mini-Cassette troops used their small alternate modes for stealth, disguise and transportation by other characters. Rumble and Frenzy frequently hitched rides in the cockpit of the Decepticon jets, for example. {{storylink|DIS-Integrated Circuits!}} Ravage used his cassette form on several occasions to spy on humans. {{storylink|Power Play!}} Three of the cassette troops were taken out of play by Omega Supreme {{storylink|Command Performances!}} and remained inoperative for quite some time, while Ravage was dropped into a mine shaft by the Autobot [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], {{storylink|Showdown!}} taking him out of play for even longer. Only Laserbeak remained operative, acting as a sort of totem of Decepticon leadership. {{storylink|Command Performances!}}

Ratbat assumed a cassette form upon traveling to Earth, and used this disguise to monitor his human accomplices. {{storylink|Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:TIS laserbeak and buzzsaw.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
[[File:Rumble and frenzy.jpg|thumb|200px|The Wumbles of Rimbledon]]
The Mini-Cassettes acted as a sort of special-missions force, under the command of their host Soundwave. Soundwave could store numerous cassettes within his chest, at times ejecting as many as four at once. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}} {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}

[[File:RavageRatbat.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
Laserbeak was frequently sent to spy on the [[Autobot]]s at [[Ark (G1)|Autobot Headquarters]], once using his cassette form to sneak in. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}} Ravage likewise used his cassette mode to infiltrate [[Teletraan I]] and steal information about Earth's resources. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} Rumble was used more often to destroy stuff, though all three frequently engaged in battle.

The less-seen Buzzsaw and Frenzy also appeared on occasion, usually acting in conjunction with Laserbeak and Rumble, respectively. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}} {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!}} {{storylink|The Immobilizer}}

Years later, Ratbat joined the cassette forces; like Laserbeak, he specialized in spy work and reconnaissance, particularly in tight quarters inaccessible to Laserbeak. {{storylink|Secret Files of Teletraan II}}

Some time after that, Overkill and Slugfest also joined Soundwave's troops. {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}
{{-}}

====Madman ''The Transformers'' comic====
In the year 2001, Soundwave unleashed his army of new Mini-Cassettes to steal the Autobot [[Matrix of Leadership]] from a secure bunker at the construction site of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] on Earth. They were interrupted during their excavation by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]], who successfully disabled Soundwave and his various helpers, retrieving the Matrix. {{storylink|The Transformers (Madman)|The Transformers}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga=====
[[File:FSRLTFIssue2Cover01.jpg|thumb|150px]]
Ravage attacked [[Kenji]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] in Tokyo while the rest of the Autobots were occupied by Megatron's forces. [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] managed to sweep Kenji to safety, but Bumblebee was then confronted by Rumble, Laserbeak and Ratbat as well. Bumblebee managed to evade the Cassettes long enough for [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] to arrive as back-up. Using a patented Bumble Kick, the small Autobot damaged Soundwave's chest compartment, so that when Ravage and the others attempted to hide from the Autobots inside their master, they bounced fruitlessly off of Soundwave. Cliffjumper was able to grab them while they were still in their cassette forms, pulling out their magnetic tape. Harsh. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 2|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2}}

When the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]]s attempted to frame the Autobots for their evil deeds, Rumble and Frenzy appealed directly to the human race for Decepticon support. Disguised in full-body cloaks and masks, they staged rallys against the Autobots and convince mankind that the Decepticons were their true friends. Their ruse was soon uncovered by [[Eject (G1)|Eject]] and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]], who ripped off the Decepticons' robes to reveal their true selves. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 7|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #7}}

=====''Scramble City'' cartoon=====
{{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
{{groupstub|{{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}} {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}} {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}} {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}}}

=====''The Headmasters'' manga=====
As the Autobots prepared to leave Earth and pursue [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s forces into space, Soundblaster of all the Decepticons stayed behind to continue tormenting humanity. He dispatched Overkill and Slugfest to attack the Witwickys but they were, um...overpowered by [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]]. After [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] blasted Soundblaster into the distance, his remaining Cassettes crowded around the Decepticon tapedeck as he shook the stars from his eyes. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 8|The Headmasters #8}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
The origin of the Mini-Cassettes as a whole is unknown. Warriors like Laserbeak and Ravage were seen working with Soundwave in their standard capacity since the beginning of the war. {{storylink|Transformers: The War Within|The War Within}} The sole exception is Ratbat, who was once a high-ranking Decepticon, and the leader of his own independent faction during the [[Dark Ages]]. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages}} At an unknown point in history, Ratbat was apparently converted into a Mini-Cassette as punishment for some unknown offense. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (issue)|Countdown to Extinction}}

Besides Ratbat, the Mini-Cassettes were sent into stasis lock with Soundwave and the rest of the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> crew for four million years on the planet Earth. They reawakened in 1984 to battle [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and the crew of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''. {{storylink|Prime Directive}} When the Transformers eventually returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the Mini-Cassettes went with Soundwave under the new command of [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. After [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] made a proposal to strike out on their own, however, they turned against Shockwave. Part of the deal was Starscream reuniting Soundwave with Ratbat, whom he had apparently already used as a Mini-Cassette in the past. The Mini-Cassettes returned to Earth with Soundwave and the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s. {{storylink|War and Peace}} Megatron eventually returned, reclaiming leadership from Starscream, with the help of Soundwave and the Mini-Cassettes. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

{{note|After returning to Earth, only Rumble and Frenzy made express appearances. Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, and Ratbat were presumably present inside Soundwave.}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Dreadwing v cassettes soundwaves.jpg|left|thumb|180px]]
In Cybertron's pre-war [[Functionism|functionist]] society, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], and [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] were targets of oppression because of their beastly forms. When their friend [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] was employed by [[Ratbat (G1)|Senator Ratbat]], the three came with him and were modified into the Cybertronian equivalent of mini-cassettes. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] were originally energon miners like [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]. They were the first pre-Decepticons to hitch their wagons to the rising star of Megatron. Once Soundwave joined the Decepticons, Megatron had them both reformatted into cassettes in order to participate in Soundwave's surprise attack on the [[Senate]]. They weren't entirely happy about it, but agreed out of fear and loyalty to Megatron. [[Squawkbox]] also participated in that operation, possibly being reformatted alongside Rumble and Frenzy.

In the process of killing the Senate, Soundwave also attacked his former boss Ratbat, but preserved his spark in a Cybertronian mini-cassette. {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}}

During an Autobot manhunt for Soundwave early in the war, the information officer released his cassettes to distract his pursuers whenever they closed in. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}}

Much later, Squawkbox served on the same space station as [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sixshot}}

Ravage and Laserbeak traveled with Soundwave to Earth while keeping an eye on [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. Buzzsaw, Frenzy, and Rumble were not seen during this period, but the possibility that Soundwave was keeping one or more of them in reserve cannot be ruled out. (You never ''really'' know who he has hidden in there.) It was at this time that Soundwave and at least Ravage and Laserbeak picked up [[1984]]-era Earth [[alternate mode]]s. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}}

Ratbat spent some time as a regular member of Earth's [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] doing reconnaissance work. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1}} He had a non-mini-cassette alternate mode.

Laserbeak, Ravage, Frenzy, Rumble, and Ratbat all participated in Megatron's full-scale invasion of Earth as Soundwave's mini-cassette minions. {{storylink|The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron}}

After the war, Ratbat lead the Decepticons for a time before his assassination by Arcee. {{Storylink|The World & Everything in It}}

When Megatron defected to the Autobots and joined the crew of the [[Lost Light]], Soundwave sent Ravage to monitor him. {{storylink|Slaughterhouse}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
Soundwave, Ravage, Squawkbox, and Rumble and/or Frenzy were among the Decepticons who were awakened on nineteenth century Earth and took on alternate modes from that era. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel}}

It was not revealed what those alternate modes were, but textual notes in Squawkbox's concept art included in the trade paperback indicate that his "upper body transforms into a mechanical gorilla" and his "lower part transforms into mechanical eagle."

===''Shattered Glass''===
After [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]'s disastrous demonstration of his new [[Dinobot (SG)|Dinobot]]s, the Decepticons managed to retrieve a handful. Shortly afterwards, a newly intelligent [[Grimlock (SG)|Grimlock]] surreptitiously took them on a trip to the [[Omega Terminus]], which gave them embers and alternate modes. {{storylink|Dungeons & Dinobots}} In the case of the smaller ones, such as [[Slugfest (SG)|Slugfest]], these took the form of octoidal data-cassettes. Once the Decepticons got over their surprise, Slugfest and Overkill were added to Soundwave's gang. {{storylink|Do Over}}
{{groupstub|{{storylink|Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass}} {{storylink|Dungeons & Dinobots}} {{storylink|Do Over}} {{storylink|Eye in the Sky}} {{storylink|Recordicons}}}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
[[File:WeHaveDecievedYou-InfiltrationTroopers.jpg|thumb|250px]]
Among the [[Mini-Cassette|Infiltration Troopers]], a large population supported [[Decepticon#2019 IDW continuity|Ascenticon]] [[Ratbat (G1)#2019 IDW continuity|Senator Ratbat]]. {{storylink|Wheeljack: Orbital Decay}} A group of Troopers followed him as the faction became the Decepticons. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: We Have Deceived You}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material===
Cassette troops were one of Soundwave's powers and weapons. {{storylink|War for Cybertron: Kingdom|''Kingdom'' webpage}}<ref>[https://transformers.hasbro.com/en-us/brands/kingdom ''Kingdom'' webpage]</ref>
{{--}}

===''EarthSpark'' cartoon===
{{groupstub|{{storylink|Decoy (episode)|Decoy}}}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Soundwave was a commander of Decepticon Cassette [[Mini-Cons]] who were loyal to him and had strong personalities of their own.{{storylink|Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook|Core Rulebook}}

==Toys==
{{Note|Due to the sheer number of resissues and redecos of each mold, only the original use of the mold for that character, plus any new characters made with said mold, will be included. Also only the toys of these characters that can transform into cassettes are included.}}
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''The Transformers'' Frenzy mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Frenzy (G1)/toys#Toys|Frenzy]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Rumble (G1)/toys#Toys|Rumble]]}}
{{bp-d1|[[Enemy (G1)#Toys|Enemy]]}}
|[[File:G1-toy Rumble.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|1984 cassette Rumble]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''The Transformers'' Laserbeak mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Laserbeak (G1)/toys#Toys|Laserbeak]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Buzzsaw (G1)/toys#Toys|Buzzsaw]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Garboil (G1)#Toys|Garboil]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Sundor]]}}
|[[File:LaserbeakG1toy.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|1984 cassette Laserbeak]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''The Transformers'' Ratbat mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ratbat (G1)/toys#Toys|Ratbat]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Wingthing (G1)#Encore|Wingthing]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Ratbat (SG)#Toys|Ratbat]]}}
|[[File:SGtoy-Ratbat.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Shattered Glass'' Ratbat]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''The Transformers'' Ravage mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ravage (G1)/toys#Toys|Ravage]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Howlback (G1)#Toys|Howlback]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Glit (KP)#Toys|Glit]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Ravage (SG)#Kiss Players|Ravage]]}}
|[[File:G1 Howlback-toy.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|e-Hobby Howlback]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''The Transformers'' Slugfest mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Slugfest (G1)#Toys|Slugfest]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Slugfest (SG)#Toys|Slugfest]]}}
|[[File:SGtoy-Slugfest.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|''Shattered Glass'' Slugfest]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''Universe'' Ravage mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ravage (G1)/toys#Universe (2008)|Ravage]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Ravage (SG)#Timelimes|Ravage]]}}
|[[File:TFU08-toy Ravage.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Universe'' Ravage]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''Masterpiece'' Laserbeak mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Laserbeak (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Laserbeak]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Buzzsaw (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Buzzsaw]]}}
|[[File:MP-toy Buzzsaw.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Masterpiece'' Buzzsaw]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''Masterpiece'' Rumble mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Rumble (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Rumble]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Frenzy (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Frenzy]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Enemy (G1)#Masterpiece|Enemy]]}}
|[[File:TF-MP-Enemy.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Masterpiece'' Enemy]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''Masterpiece'' Ratbat mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ratbat (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Ratbat]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Wingthing (G1)#Masterpiece|Wingthing]]}}
|[[File:TF-MP-Wingthing.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Masterpiece'' Wingthing]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''War for Cybertron: Siege'' Rumble mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Rumble (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Rumble]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Frenzy (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Frenzy]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Knok #Generations_Selects|Knok]]}}
|[[File:TF-Generations-Selects-Frenzy.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' Frenzy]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''War for Cybertron: Siege'' Ratbat mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ratbat (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Ratbat]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Wingthing (G1)#Generations|Wingthing]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Skar_(G1)#Generations_Selects|Skar]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Nightstrike#Legacy|Nightstrike]]}}
|[[File:Siegetoy-Ratbat.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''War for Cybertron: Siege'' Ratbat]]
</ul>
|}
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''War for Cybertron: Siege'' Laserbeak mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Laserbeak (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Laserbeak]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Laserbeak (SG)#Shattered Glass Collection|Laserbeak]]}}
|[[File:TF-Shattered-Glass-Collection-Laserbeak.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Shattered Glass Collection'' Laserbeak]]
</ul>
|}
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' Laserbeak mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Laserbeak (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Laserbeak]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Buzzsaw (G1)/toys#LeaderClass|G1 Universe Buzzsaw]]}}
</ul>
|[[File:TF-DCS-Laserbeak.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Dramatic Capture Series'' Laserbeak]]
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''War for Cybertron: Siege'' Ravage mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ravage (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Ravage]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Ravage (SG)#Shattered Glass Collection|Ravage]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Bullseye_(Target)#Generations|Bullseye]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ravage_(G1)/toys#Legacy|G1 Universe Ravage]]}}
|[[File:TF-Shattered-Glass-Collection-Ravage.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Shattered Glass Collection'' Ravage]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''Studio Series'' Rumble mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Rumble (G1)/toys#Studio Series|Decepticon Rumble]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Frenzy (G1)/toys#Studio Series|Decepticon Frenzy]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Rumble_(G1)/toys#Legacy| G1 Universe Decepticon Rumble]]}}
|[[File:TF-SS-86-Core-Frenzy.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Studio Series'' Frenzy]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Other molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|''The Transformers'' [[Beastbox (G1)#Toys|Beastbox]] and [[Squawktalk (G1)#Toys|Squawktalk]] (combine to form [[Squawkbox#Toys|Squawkbox]])}}
{{Bp-d1|''The Transformers'' [[Overkill (G1)#Toys|Overkill]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|''Collector's Edition'' [[Flip Sides (G1)#Toys|Flip Sides]] ([[redeco]]ed from the [[Rewind (G1)#Toys|Rewind]] mold)}}
{{Bp-d1|''Smallest Transforming Transformers'' [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Smallest Transforming Transformers|Ravage]]}}
{{Bp-d1|''Titanium Series'' [[Laserbeak (G1)/toys#Titanium Series|Laserbeak]]}}
{{Bp-d1|''Masterpiece'' [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Ravage]]}}
|
|width="40%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|''Studio Series'' [[Uruaz]] (redecoed from [[Zaur (G1)#Toys|Zaur]])}}
{{Bp-d1|''Studio Series'' [[Uriad]] (redecoed from [[Dile#Toys|Dile]])}}

|
[[File:G1-toy Squawkbox.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Squawkbox (Squawktalk + Beastbox)]]
</ul>
|}

==Notes==
[[File:DiamondStickerbookRecordicons.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*This sub-group was called '''Decepticon Cassettes''' in the 1984 toy [[catalog]], but '''Decepticon Mini-Cassettes''' in all subsequent catalogs.
*The term "Spy Cassettes" was used in advertisements and the [[Who's Who]] featured in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Overview 2|Marvel UK comics]], while "Recordicon" was used in a 1986 [[Diamond]] ''Transformers: The Movie'' stickerbook to describe Laserbeak. "Recordicon" has seen recent use in the ''Shattered Glass'' profiles for Ravage and Ratbat as well as in the [[Energon Universe]].
*The term "Cassetticon" is an unofficial term that crops up amongst the fanbase.
*The [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2009 reissue of Soundwave refers to the cassettes as "[[Deployer (WFC)|Deployer]]" figures. The term "Deployer" had previously been used for the [[Deployer (BM)|small animal-to-weapon figures]] from the [[Beast Machines: Transformers (toyline)|''Beast Machines'' toyline]].
*In "[[The Agenda (Part 2)|The Agenda]]", Ravage still has his cassette alternate mode, despite undergoing a complete rebuilding. He fits into a compartment on his [[Transwarp cruiser|ship]].
*In addition to being retconned as Deployers, Soundwave's [[Transformers Hall of Fame]] bio also presented Ravage, Laserbeak, and all of Soundwave's other partners as [[Mini-Con]]s. That'll rattle a few cages.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140123021224/http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/news/TRANSFORMERS-HALL-OF-FAME-Nominee-1.cfm]</ref>
*The Hall of Fame bio also revealed that Laserbeak and Ravage are Soundwave's favorite partners. It's okay, [[Wingthing (G1)|Wingthing]], we still love you.
*In 2019 during ''[[War for Cybertron: Siege|Siege]]'', the Decepticons Mini-Cassettes become part of another group when Laserbeak & Ravage, and later Rumble & Ratbat, are sold as [[Micromaster#War for Cybertron: Siege|Micromasters]]!

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cassettron''' (カセットロン ''Kasettoron'')

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 subgroups]]
[[Category:EarthSpark subgroups]]
[[Category:Generation 1 subgroups]]
[[Category:Mini-Cassettes| Decepticon]]

Punch of Kill Everything

2025-08-14T01:49:29Z

1levichurch:

[[File:Lugnutfist.JPG|right|upright=2|thumb|This is how you start it.]]
When [[Lugnut (Animated)|various]] [[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]]s across the [[Multiverse]] need things to go boom really good (it happens often), they make use of their handy-dandy trump card, the '''Punch of Kill Everything''' (or '''The POKE''' for short).

By retracting what can generously be called his "hand" and replacing it with a pressure-sensitive Gravity Generator, Lugnut can slam the POKE into the ground, instantly leading to highly-destructive explosions and (usually) lots of robot-part-shaped shrapnel. Isn't science a glorious thing?

As long as the move is completed properly, the shock wave will neither affect Lugnut nor [[Blitzwing (Animated)|those]] near him, although it can rattle their circuits a bit. Unfortunately, if the trigger is activated prematurely, the move has a tendency to backfire and the force will hit Lugnut instead. Ouch.

{{bigquote|I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times: ''GIVE ME SOME WARNING BEFORE YOU USE ZE PUNCH!''|[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Hothead Blitzwing]], sick of being buried alive|"[[Lost and Found (Animated)|Lost and Found]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{note|Events from [[IDW Publishing]] occurring in italics.}}
[[File:TFA Punch 2.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|This is how you do it.]]
''[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] asked the [[upgrade]]-collecting bounty hunter [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] to hunt down the Transformer that destroyed [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. Lockdown's price for the job was Lugnut's Punch of Kill Everything. Blitzwing was '''outraged, insulted, scandalized''' that Lockdown would even '''imply''' he could betray his fellow Decepticon (steal from him) like that! He then agreed to the price, '''provided''' that the job was successful.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 4#A Few Loose Strands|A Few Loose Strands}}

During his first encounter with the Autobots, the suggestion that [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] had been killed infuriated Lugnut, and he used the Punch of Kill Everything to level the Autobots, shaking Blitzwing up in the process. {{storylink|Lost and Found (Animated)|Lost and Found}}.

The Punch of Kill Everything was again seen during a brief battle with [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], in which it was used to knock Ratchet through a wall after he refused to hand over [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]]'s [[AllSpark Key]]. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 1}}. Later, during an open assault on the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Autobots' ship]], Lugnut engaged in one-on-one combat with [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]. He prepared to use his Punch to finish off the weaker Autobot, but he was so busy talking, Bulkhead triggered it early, and the force of it sent Lugnut flying. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 2}}

[[File:TFA Punch 3.JPG|right|upright=1.1|thumb|This is what you get.]]
While attempting to recover a fragment of the [[AllSpark#Animated continuity family|AllSpark]], Lugnut ended up "converting" [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]] to the Decepticons. When Ratchet and Bumblebee tracked Wreck-Gar down, Lugnut prepared to use the Punch...which Wreck-Gar took to be [[Universal greeting|a high-five]], so he set the Punch off. Lugnut actually came out of this one without being blown away. {{storylink|Garbage In, Garbage Out}}

After duping [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] and [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] into doing some heavy lifting for him and Blitzwing, Lugnut attempted to take out the poor saps with his mighty Punch. Unfortunately, Megatron interrupted it, surprising Lugnut and causing him to stumble into a mine shaft, where his punch backfired upon him. Again. Ever the trooper, he made sure everyone knew he was OK. {{storylink|Rise of the Constructicons}}

Lugnut later showcased the ability to fire his fists in a manner akin to missiles, using the Punch from long range. It didn't do him much good, as [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] demolished him with ease. Along with the rest of the Decepticons. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

Although the Autobots removed the Punch of Kill Everything when Lugnut was captured, {{storylink|Five Servos of Doom}} [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] was happy to supply a replacement—which Lugnut used to blow a hole in the side of the Elite Guard's ship. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
[[Vector Prime]] noted that Lugnut's body type and [[Lugnut (WFC)|identity]] was shared across [[Tyran]], [[Primax]], and [[Uniend]] streams. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/29}} Perhaps this would mean that their favorite weapon of choice (i.e. the POKE) is also shared across these [[universal stream|universal clusters]].

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
{{stub|{{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

==Toys==
===''Transformers'' (2010)===
[[Image:TF2010toy-Lugnut.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Hit the floor!]]
*'''Lugnut''' (Voyager Class, [[2011]])
**''Accessories'': Missile
{{toydesigner|[[Hisashi Yuki]] (TakaraTomy)}}

:[[Lugnut (TF 2010)#Toys|Lugnut]]'s "Punch of Kill Everything" is represented in his ''[[Transformers (2010 toyline)|Reveal the Shield]]'' toy by a spring-loaded extending gimmick built into both of his arms, activated by buttons on his elbows.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Decepticon/Lugnut/lugnut.htm More information on the Gravity Generators (with Lugnut) at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
* In his Cybertronian body, ''Animated'' Lugnut's elbow transformed, revealing a rocket nozzle to slam the arm into the ground. This hasn't been seen since he took his Earth body, although since then, he's rarely succeeded in using the thing ''at all''.
* At Botcon 2008, Marty Isenberg took a liking to the term "Punch of Kill Everything" used in the fandom to refer to Lugnut's attack, and said he would find a way to work it in. Sure enough, in the comic [[The Arrival issue 4|''The Arrival'' #4]] penned by Isenberg, Lugnut's attack was [[Canonizing|canonized]] and named as such.
** The pressure-sensitive pads went unnamed until the ''Reveal the Shield'' Lugnut toy named them "Gravity Generators".
** The [[Character model|model]] sheet name for The Punch is "Explosive Punch".
** In spite of its evocative name, we have not yet in fact witnessed the "Punch of Kill Everything" actually kill ''any''thing.
* The Punch of Kill Everything is useful for [[Explosive Fist|making a swimming pool]].
* In ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|Transformers: War for Cybertron]]'', one of the [[Leader (WFC)|Leader class]]'s Killstreaks is the '''P.O.K.E. V2.0'''; when equipped, the commander announces, "'''Punch of Kill Everything''' equipped!" The in-game description calls it a "Deadly melee attack that causes enemies to explode."
** The [[Soldier (WFC)|Soldier class]] has an upgrade called P.O.K.E. Alpha, and it increases the damage of their Whirlwind special attack.
** The final upgrade of the [[Neutron assault rifle]] in ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (video game)|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]'' is '''P.O.K.E. Beta''', which deals 75% extra melee damage. This effectively one-hits basic enemies in the campaign while on "Easy".
* Thus far only the ''Animated'' and G1 Lugnuts are shown using the POKE, but is strongly implied by Vector Prime (via the Ask Vector Prime comment above) that the "movie series" and "Aligned" Lugnuts also possess this weapon.
** [[Clobber (Cyberverse)|''Cyberverse'' Clobber]], who is modeled after ''Animated'' Lugnut, possesses a supercharged punch attack based off the POKE.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Megaton Punch''' (メガトンポンチ ''Megaton Panchi'')
*''Brazilian:'' '''O Soco''' (''The Punch'')

[[Category:Animated weapons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 weapons]]
[[Category:Melee weapons]]

Oracle (BM)

2025-08-12T16:49:55Z

1levichurch: /* Notes */

{{disambig3|Oracle}}
[[Image:Oracle %28The Reformatting%29.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]

In the era of the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], three hundred years after the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s, the legendary, forgotten supercomputer [[Vector Sigma]] had evolved into something... ''else'', transcending physical form to become the '''Oracle''', an immaterial mainframe that continued to act out the will of [[Primus]] to shape [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s future. Where Vector Sigma responded to anyone who wielded its [[Key to Vector Sigma|key]], the Oracle was responsive only to those Transformers with a "receptive [[spark]]", allowing them to access its systems, and through it, commune with the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]].

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Carol Savenkoff]] (English), [[Nobutoshi Canna]] (Japanese)|[[Fang Shuqiao]] (Chinese), [[Emanuela Damasio]] (Italian), [[Martina Treger]] (German), [[Isabelle Loison]] (French), [[Jesús Barrero]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Carlos Comério]] (Portuguese)}}

According to legend, the Oracle was older than all Cybertronian civilization, and predicted the coming of Transformers to Cybertron. Long forgotten by Maximal and Predacon civilization, the computer lay hidden within the planet until [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] conquered the planet with his Vehicon hordes. The Oracle summoned [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] to its chambers in order to talk to him, granting the Maximal leader a vision of Cybertron, mixed with vague words on "unleashing the warrior within". To protect Primal's Maximals from the effects of the [[transformation virus]] Megatron had used to conquer Cybertron, the Oracle [[reformatting|reformatted]] them into new [[technorganic]] forms. On doing so, it promptly vanished. {{storylink|The Reformatting}}

[[Image:Vector sigma core.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"I am also know as the oracle".]]
Through the Oracle, Optimus Primal came to commune with the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]], the extradimensional source of all Transformer life to which the computer was revealed to be connected, and believed that it was the will of the Allspark that Cybertron be restored to its organic beginnings. {{storylink|Survivor}} In truth, Primal was incorrect—the Oracle actually desired a ''balance'' between the organic and the technological—but it would take the disastrous unleashing of the power buried within the computer to make him realize this. When Megatron's treacherous general, [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], discovered that Vector Sigma and the Oracle were one and the same, he used the sparkless [[Diagnostic Drone]] to circumvent the Oracle's "receptive spark" requirement, tapping into the Oracle's "Vector Sigma core" and acquiring from it the code for the mega-computer's legendary key, which held the power to convert organics into [[living metal|technomatter]]. {{storylink|The Key}} When Optimus next attempted to contact the Oracle, he found himself unable to do so, due to Tankor's tampering. {{storylink|The Catalyst}}

Tankor proceeded to arm his [[Tank Drone]]s with the power of the Key to Vector Sigma, intending to use it to scour Cybertron of all traces of organic matter, but soon discovered that Megatron had taken control of the drones away from him. In order to trick Megatron into unleashing the key, Tankor had the Diagnostic Drone tap the Oracle once more and send Optimus Prime a false vision, guiding him to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. Tankor gambled that Primal would never unleash the Chamber's descructive energy, but that the ''threat'' of it in his control would goad Megatron into activating the key. Tankor gambled wrong; after Megatron triggered the key, Optimus retaliated by unleashing the power of the chamber, and two energies violently cancelled each other out. {{storylink|End of the Line}} Primal was killed by the energy backlash and travelled to the Allspark, but chose not to join it, now understanding what the Oracle truly desired. Primal returned to reality via the Oracle, and the computer vanished. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}} Though, it was anomalously visible again a few times. {{storylink|A Wolf in the Fold}} {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike|The Strike}} {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege|The Siege}}

It would be some time before Primal realized it, but the Oracle had, in fact, transplanted itself into Primal's body. Megatron was first to realize this and targeted Primal, tricking him with a hologram of Optimus Prime and downloading a portion of the Oracle for himself. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}} Using the power of the Oracle, Megatron attempted to merge all the spark he had stolen from Cybertron's population with his own, but Primal's Maximals halted his scheme. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege|The Siege}}

Optimus sought to consult with the Oracle one last time before his final showdown against Megatron's forces. The Oracle informed Primal that he already held the wisdom and strength of conviction to triumph and see Cybertron through to its destiny. It then relayed the strength of the sparks contained within the Matrix to give the Maximals new powers, to aid them in the upcoming confrontation. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall|When Legends Fall}} As it would soon turn out, the Oracle had actually orchestrated this entire scenario, so that Optimus Primal and Megatron would both control a portion of its power: with its power split thusly, neither one would be able to obtain their goal without the other. It was Optimus Primal who ultimately claimed victory, driving Megatron into Cybertron's [[organic core]] and sacrificing both of them as he activated the Oracle and triggered a [[Great Transformation|planet-wide reformatting]] of Cybertron into a technorganic paradise. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}}

====3H comics====
[[Image:Departure Oracle.jpg|upright=1.2|right|thumb|"Blah blah blah, Mr. Freeman."]]
The Oracle was a shell program created by the [[Quintesson]]s during their occupation of Cybertron twelve millions years ago, which they developed as a means of controlling Vector Sigma and cutting Primus off from his creations. Seeing a new opportunity to retake Cybertron, the Quintessons used the Oracle to feed Optimus Primal the visions he experienced through the computer, guilding him to orchestrate the technorganic reformatting of Cybertron in the belief it would leave the Cybertronians weak and disoriented, opening the planet up to an easy conquest. {{storylink|Disclosure}} In truth, however, the Quintessons were unwittingly being manipulated by Primus himself, who used the greedy aliens as a means of instigating this great evolutionary leap for his children. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

The Oracle gave missions to groups other than Optimus Primal's. In addition to Primal's Maximals, the Oracle called forth the [[Wreckers]], the [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobots]], and the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutants]]. It sent the Dinobots and the Mutants on odd-sounding quests, but before it could give orders to [[Primal Prime]] and his Wreckers, an odd bit of interference happened. Primal Prime received his orders as well, but there was something different about these orders. {{storylink|Departure}}

The Dinobots and Mutants were actually sent on fools errands. Most of the Dinobots met their doom on a remote planet at the hands of the [[Trans-Organic]]s. The Mutants were sent to [[New Quintessa]], where they were seemingly devoured by [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. Overseeing the death of the Mutants was the Predacon gangster [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]] and the [[Supreme Imperial Magistrate]] [[Derodomontatus]]. Cryotek revealed that the Oracle was in fact a creation of the [[Quintesson]]s themselves. Soon, Cryotek expected the planet to be reformatted into a technorganic world, all according to their plan. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

The Wreckers eventually found themselves on a planet with an exiled Quintesson named [[Al-badur]], who explained the history of the Oracle to them. {{storylink|Disclosure}} The Quintessons would discover they had been tricked when Primus spoke through [[Icebird]], revealing to [[Heirodyus]], that despite what the aliens thought, all had transpired according to ''his'' will. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

One year later, the Oracle had come under the full control of Primus and [[Alpha Trion]]. When Unicron started abducting Cybertronians from across the [[multiverse]] to consume their Sparks for his resurrection, Primus used the Oracle to summon Optimus Primal back to life to serve as his champion and take the fight to Unicron. {{storylink|Abduction}} The Oracle then sent Optimus into the depths of Unicron to rescue the captured Transformers and return them to their respective home dimensions. {{storylink|OTFCC Live-Action Drama}} Afterward, with input from Optimus, Primus and Alpha Trion used the Oracle to bring [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] and [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] back from the Matrix, as well as to summon [[Omega Prime]] from [[Viron 903.0 Beta|another universe]]. {{storylink|Homecoming (Universe)|Homecoming}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{wingsnote}}
[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] used the lessons of his departed teacher to interface with the Oracle, becoming Alpha Trizer, living embodiment of the Oracle's ancient wisdom and spiritual leader of Cybertron. {{storylink|Hoist the Flag|Alpha Trizer's profile}}

====Waspscream continuity====
In [[Primax 208.06 Zeta]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspscream]], [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]], [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], and [[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]] were drawn to the Oracle while fleeing from Megatron's Vehicons. The Oracle reformatted the Predacons into technorganic bodies, which they used in their valiant [[Spark War]] against Megatron's forces. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/16}}

===Shell Game===
[[Ultra Trion]] guarded the Oracle. The Decepticon tyrant [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]] sought the Oracle, believing it to contain the location of [[Base Sigma]], the last pocket of Autobot resistance, but Ultra Trion gave his life to delay Megazarak a while longer. {{storylink|Shell Game}}

===Legends World===
When [[Tigatron]] prayed for a chance to meet a real female Transformer, the divine Oracle granted his wish and made all kinds of females to appear and fight for Tigatron's affection. Except not really; it was all a dream. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 11|Bonus Edition Vol. 11}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Viron 102.0 Beta]], the guardians of causality known as the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]], communed with [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] through the Oracle and guided him in stopping [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] from taking over that universe's Cybertron. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/0/30}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
The Oracle and Vector Sigma were apparently separate entities. While Vector Sigma was destroyed during the Great War, centuries later, the Oracle dwelled within Cybertron, far beneath the surface for a "receptive spark". It found one in the rogue Maximal [[Overshoot]], and summoned him to its chambers. It granted him a vision of Cybertron as it presently was, and told him it was in pain. When he tried explaining about the [[Grand Uprising|war going on]], it informed him that ''that'' was necessary, designed to sweep away the evil "masquerading as good", the birth pangs of a new order, followed by a vision of seemingly unconnected vignettes of history, then told him about [[Monster GoBot|those who sought to hijack]] Cybertron's destiny, followed by mentioning that one day Cybertron and Earth would stand against a foe "beyond imagination". When Overshoot mentioned he thought humans were the enemy, the Oracle retorted that one hand couldn't be the enemy of the other, and that while Overshoot didn't understand him, his descendants would. It then returned him to the real world.

When Overshoot died at the hands of the threat the Oracle had warned him about, a few cycles later, it welcomed him to the Allspark. When Overshoot hesitated to enter, it warned him that his choice could prevent him ever joining the Matrix. He still chose to go back. {{storylink|Cultural Appropriation}}

==Notes==
*In Japanese continuity, the Oracle and Vector Sigma are the same being as [[Primus]], and the Generation 1 [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]]. See those articles for more details.
*According to [[Marty Isenberg]], early on they did not have access to watch the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|1984 TV series]] when writing ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' until late into the process of writing the show. After learning about Vector Sigma, it was decided that the Oracle was the same computer as they wanted to keep the same names to stay inline with the previous [[continuity]].<ref>{{citesocial|quote=So we kind of had to [[retcon]] as we went and say "well this thing we were calling the Oracle, that was actually Vector Sigma and it got renamed". It was important to us that we be at least accurate in the naming conventions of what had come before.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOg-xTTPMQc&t=4481s|name=Marty Isenberg|site=YouTube|year=2023|month=09|day=25}}</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Oracle''' (オラクル ''Orakuru'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Shén-yǜ''' (Taiwan, 神諭, "Oracle"), '''Shèngxián Diànnǎo''' (China, 圣贤电脑, "Sage Computer")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Machines technology]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising technology]]
[[Category:Legends characters]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001) technology]]
[[Category:Wings Universe technology]]

Oracle (BM)

2025-08-12T16:47:27Z

1levichurch:

{{disambig3|Oracle}}
[[Image:Oracle %28The Reformatting%29.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]

In the era of the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], three hundred years after the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s, the legendary, forgotten supercomputer [[Vector Sigma]] had evolved into something... ''else'', transcending physical form to become the '''Oracle''', an immaterial mainframe that continued to act out the will of [[Primus]] to shape [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s future. Where Vector Sigma responded to anyone who wielded its [[Key to Vector Sigma|key]], the Oracle was responsive only to those Transformers with a "receptive [[spark]]", allowing them to access its systems, and through it, commune with the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]].

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Carol Savenkoff]] (English), [[Nobutoshi Canna]] (Japanese)|[[Fang Shuqiao]] (Chinese), [[Emanuela Damasio]] (Italian), [[Martina Treger]] (German), [[Isabelle Loison]] (French), [[Jesús Barrero]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Carlos Comério]] (Portuguese)}}

According to legend, the Oracle was older than all Cybertronian civilization, and predicted the coming of Transformers to Cybertron. Long forgotten by Maximal and Predacon civilization, the computer lay hidden within the planet until [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] conquered the planet with his Vehicon hordes. The Oracle summoned [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] to its chambers in order to talk to him, granting the Maximal leader a vision of Cybertron, mixed with vague words on "unleashing the warrior within". To protect Primal's Maximals from the effects of the [[transformation virus]] Megatron had used to conquer Cybertron, the Oracle [[reformatting|reformatted]] them into new [[technorganic]] forms. On doing so, it promptly vanished. {{storylink|The Reformatting}}

[[Image:Vector sigma core.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"I am also know as the oracle".]]
Through the Oracle, Optimus Primal came to commune with the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]], the extradimensional source of all Transformer life to which the computer was revealed to be connected, and believed that it was the will of the Allspark that Cybertron be restored to its organic beginnings. {{storylink|Survivor}} In truth, Primal was incorrect—the Oracle actually desired a ''balance'' between the organic and the technological—but it would take the disastrous unleashing of the power buried within the computer to make him realize this. When Megatron's treacherous general, [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], discovered that Vector Sigma and the Oracle were one and the same, he used the sparkless [[Diagnostic Drone]] to circumvent the Oracle's "receptive spark" requirement, tapping into the Oracle's "Vector Sigma core" and acquiring from it the code for the mega-computer's legendary key, which held the power to convert organics into [[living metal|technomatter]]. {{storylink|The Key}} When Optimus next attempted to contact the Oracle, he found himself unable to do so, due to Tankor's tampering. {{storylink|The Catalyst}}

Tankor proceeded to arm his [[Tank Drone]]s with the power of the Key to Vector Sigma, intending to use it to scour Cybertron of all traces of organic matter, but soon discovered that Megatron had taken control of the drones away from him. In order to trick Megatron into unleashing the key, Tankor had the Diagnostic Drone tap the Oracle once more and send Optimus Prime a false vision, guiding him to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. Tankor gambled that Primal would never unleash the Chamber's descructive energy, but that the ''threat'' of it in his control would goad Megatron into activating the key. Tankor gambled wrong; after Megatron triggered the key, Optimus retaliated by unleashing the power of the chamber, and two energies violently cancelled each other out. {{storylink|End of the Line}} Primal was killed by the energy backlash and travelled to the Allspark, but chose not to join it, now understanding what the Oracle truly desired. Primal returned to reality via the Oracle, and the computer vanished. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}} Though, it was anomalously visible again a few times. {{storylink|A Wolf in the Fold}} {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike|The Strike}} {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege|The Siege}}

It would be some time before Primal realized it, but the Oracle had, in fact, transplanted itself into Primal's body. Megatron was first to realize this and targeted Primal, tricking him with a hologram of Optimus Prime and downloading a portion of the Oracle for himself. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}} Using the power of the Oracle, Megatron attempted to merge all the spark he had stolen from Cybertron's population with his own, but Primal's Maximals halted his scheme. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege|The Siege}}

Optimus sought to consult with the Oracle one last time before his final showdown against Megatron's forces. The Oracle informed Primal that he already held the wisdom and strength of conviction to triumph and see Cybertron through to its destiny. It then relayed the strength of the sparks contained within the Matrix to give the Maximals new powers, to aid them in the upcoming confrontation. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall|When Legends Fall}} As it would soon turn out, the Oracle had actually orchestrated this entire scenario, so that Optimus Primal and Megatron would both control a portion of its power: with its power split thusly, neither one would be able to obtain their goal without the other. It was Optimus Primal who ultimately claimed victory, driving Megatron into Cybertron's [[organic core]] and sacrificing both of them as he activated the Oracle and triggered a [[Great Transformation|planet-wide reformatting]] of Cybertron into a technorganic paradise. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}}

====3H comics====
[[Image:Departure Oracle.jpg|upright=1.2|right|thumb|"Blah blah blah, Mr. Freeman."]]
The Oracle was a shell program created by the [[Quintesson]]s during their occupation of Cybertron twelve millions years ago, which they developed as a means of controlling Vector Sigma and cutting Primus off from his creations. Seeing a new opportunity to retake Cybertron, the Quintessons used the Oracle to feed Optimus Primal the visions he experienced through the computer, guilding him to orchestrate the technorganic reformatting of Cybertron in the belief it would leave the Cybertronians weak and disoriented, opening the planet up to an easy conquest. {{storylink|Disclosure}} In truth, however, the Quintessons were unwittingly being manipulated by Primus himself, who used the greedy aliens as a means of instigating this great evolutionary leap for his children. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

The Oracle gave missions to groups other than Optimus Primal's. In addition to Primal's Maximals, the Oracle called forth the [[Wreckers]], the [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobots]], and the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutants]]. It sent the Dinobots and the Mutants on odd-sounding quests, but before it could give orders to [[Primal Prime]] and his Wreckers, an odd bit of interference happened. Primal Prime received his orders as well, but there was something different about these orders. {{storylink|Departure}}

The Dinobots and Mutants were actually sent on fools errands. Most of the Dinobots met their doom on a remote planet at the hands of the [[Trans-Organic]]s. The Mutants were sent to [[New Quintessa]], where they were seemingly devoured by [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. Overseeing the death of the Mutants was the Predacon gangster [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]] and the [[Supreme Imperial Magistrate]] [[Derodomontatus]]. Cryotek revealed that the Oracle was in fact a creation of the [[Quintesson]]s themselves. Soon, Cryotek expected the planet to be reformatted into a technorganic world, all according to their plan. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

The Wreckers eventually found themselves on a planet with an exiled Quintesson named [[Al-badur]], who explained the history of the Oracle to them. {{storylink|Disclosure}} The Quintessons would discover they had been tricked when Primus spoke through [[Icebird]], revealing to [[Heirodyus]], that despite what the aliens thought, all had transpired according to ''his'' will. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

One year later, the Oracle had come under the full control of Primus and [[Alpha Trion]]. When Unicron started abducting Cybertronians from across the [[multiverse]] to consume their Sparks for his resurrection, Primus used the Oracle to summon Optimus Primal back to life to serve as his champion and take the fight to Unicron. {{storylink|Abduction}} The Oracle then sent Optimus into the depths of Unicron to rescue the captured Transformers and return them to their respective home dimensions. {{storylink|OTFCC Live-Action Drama}} Afterward, with input from Optimus, Primus and Alpha Trion used the Oracle to bring [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] and [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] back from the Matrix, as well as to summon [[Omega Prime]] from [[Viron 903.0 Beta|another universe]]. {{storylink|Homecoming (Universe)|Homecoming}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{wingsnote}}
[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] used the lessons of his departed teacher to interface with the Oracle, becoming Alpha Trizer, living embodiment of the Oracle's ancient wisdom and spiritual leader of Cybertron. {{storylink|Hoist the Flag|Alpha Trizer's profile}}

====Waspscream continuity====
In [[Primax 208.06 Zeta]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspscream]], [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]], [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], and [[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]] were drawn to the Oracle while fleeing from Megatron's Vehicons. The Oracle reformatted the Predacons into technorganic bodies, which they used in their valiant [[Spark War]] against Megatron's forces. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/16}}

===Shell Game===
[[Ultra Trion]] guarded the Oracle. The Decepticon tyrant [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]] sought the Oracle, believing it to contain the location of [[Base Sigma]], the last pocket of Autobot resistance, but Ultra Trion gave his life to delay Megazarak a while longer. {{storylink|Shell Game}}

===Legends World===
When [[Tigatron]] prayed for a chance to meet a real female Transformer, the divine Oracle granted his wish and made all kinds of females to appear and fight for Tigatron's affection. Except not really; it was all a dream. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 11|Bonus Edition Vol. 11}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Viron 102.0 Beta]], the guardians of causality known as the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]], communed with [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] through the Oracle and guided him in stopping [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] from taking over that universe's Cybertron. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/0/30}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
The Oracle and Vector Sigma were apparently separate entities. While Vector Sigma was destroyed during the Great War, centuries later, the Oracle dwelled within Cybertron, far beneath the surface for a "receptive spark". It found one in the rogue Maximal [[Overshoot]], and summoned him to its chambers. It granted him a vision of Cybertron as it presently was, and told him it was in pain. When he tried explaining about the [[Grand Uprising|war going on]], it informed him that ''that'' was necessary, designed to sweep away the evil "masquerading as good", the birth pangs of a new order, followed by a vision of seemingly unconnected vignettes of history, then told him about [[Monster GoBot|those who sought to hijack]] Cybertron's destiny, followed by mentioning that one day Cybertron and Earth would stand against a foe "beyond imagination". When Overshoot mentioned he thought humans were the enemy, the Oracle retorted that one hand couldn't be the enemy of the other, and that while Overshoot didn't understand him, his descendants would. It then returned him to the real world.

When Overshoot died at the hands of the threat the Oracle had warned him about, a few cycles later, it welcomed him to the Allspark. When Overshoot hesitated to enter, it warned him that his choice could prevent him ever joining the Matrix. He still chose to go back. {{storylink|Cultural Appropriation}}

==Notes==
*In Japanese continuity, the Oracle and Vector Sigma are the same being as [[Primus]], and the Generation 1 [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]]. See those articles for more details.
*According to [[Marty Isenberg]], early on they did not have access to watch the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|1984 TV series]] when writing ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' until late into the process of writing the show. After learning about Vector Sigma, it was decided that the Oracle was the same computer as they wanted to keep the same names to stay inline with the previous [[continuity]].<ref>{{citesocial|quote=So we kind of had to retcon as we went and say "well this thing we were calling the Oracle, that was actually Vector Sigma and it got renamed. It was important to us that we be at least accurate in the naming conventions of what had come before.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOg-xTTPMQc&t=4481s|name=Marty Isenberg|site=YouTube|year=2023|month=09|day=25}}</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Oracle''' (オラクル ''Orakuru'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Shén-yǜ''' (Taiwan, 神諭, "Oracle"), '''Shèngxián Diànnǎo''' (China, 圣贤电脑, "Sage Computer")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Machines technology]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising technology]]
[[Category:Legends characters]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001) technology]]
[[Category:Wings Universe technology]]

Mechanimal

2025-08-12T16:11:42Z

1levichurch:

The planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] is home to more than just [[Transformer]]s. Throughout the [[multiverse]] living Cybertronic fauna of many varieties fill its metal ecosystems. Dubbed '''mechanimals''', these beasts fill many of the same niches (and take many similar shapes) as flesh and bone animals on [[Earth]] and other organic planets.

Interestingly, though they can be [[Turbofox|wild]] or [[Driller|tamed]] as with organic animals, mechanimals, due to their mechanical nature can also be easily [[Minotoron|upgraded]], altered, or [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|even]] [[Ravage (ROTF)|granted]] [[Insecticon (Movie)|sentience]].

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====''Wings Universe''====
[[Rage (G1)|Rage]] created the part-mechanimal [[minotoron]]s. {{storylink|Flames of Yesterday}}

====''Beast Wars: Uprising''====
The mechanimals had nearly been rendered extinct by the millennia upon millennia of war that had torn Cybertron. It wasn't until [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] inadvertently returned the [[Underbase]] to Cybertron that mechanimals began returning, blooming while the rest of Cybertron suffered. The Builders, as was pretty typical of them, saw the ever-increasing animal population just as an infestation. {{storylink|Derailment}}

Over the next four centuries, the mechanimals only went from strength to strength.

Four cycles into the [[Grand Uprising]], [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] noticed mechanimals could metabolise their own [[energon]]. It was this that inspired him to implement the [[Beast mode|Beast Upgrade]], wherein all Maximals and Predacons would take on far more energy-efficient beast modes based on mechanimals. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}}

===Live-action film series===
During the Great War, the [[Decepticon]]s experimented on several specimens from Cybertron's wildlife, turning the beasts into reconnaissance scouts. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}} {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe}} {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}} Other creatures, such as [[Driller]]s, {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}} or [[turbofox]]es were turned into beasts of war. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5.5|Creature of Chaos}}

===Cyberverse cartoon===
{{stub}}
{{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Cheetor believed that what made [[BioGenetic Beast]]s different from Mechanimals, such as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s and [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s, was that they had alternate forms with real flesh and blood while Mechanimals were purely made out of tutonium casings and cybertonium circuitry.
{{storylink|Technorganic Secrets}}

[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising]]
[[Category:Cybertronic wildlife]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Wings Universe]]
[[Category:Cyberverse]]

Technorganic

2025-08-12T15:56:11Z

1levichurch:

{{disambig2|the part organic, part mechanical Transformers|the part organic, part mechanical creations of the Quintessons|Trans-Organic}}

[[File:Thereformattingmaximalsmaximize.jpg|right|upright=1.95|thumb|They changed bodies...''[[To sell toys|again]]''?]]

Although many view the [[Transformer]]s as a purely-mechanical race, this is not always the case. '''Technorganic''' (also '''techno-organic''', '''technoorganic''', and '''bio-mechanical''') Cybertronians incorporate both organic and technological components into their construction; depending on the universe, these unique upgrades run the gamut of technological sophistication, from basic cybernetic implants all the way up to a true cellular symbiosis that can be classified as an entirely new kind of life-form. Already intrinsically linked to the natural world, it should come as no surprise that almost all Cybertronians who adopt a technorganic form possess some kind of [[beast mode]].

While traditionalists view these upgrades with distrust or even outright disgust, many of the most ambitious intelligences across the ''Transformers'' [[multiverse]] have artificially accelerated the development of the Cybertronian species—and sometimes the entire galaxy—by spearheading a technorganic revolution in an attempt to bring together the best of both worlds.

{{bigquote|So what are we? Robots, or animals?" "Both... and neither.|[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] and [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]]|"[[Master of the House]]"}}

==Etymology==
[[File:BeastWarsPart2-InjuredOptimus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66|In his original beast configuration, organic tissue conceals [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]'s robot mode circuitry.]]

The concept of hybridizing the purely-mechanical Transformers with organic components dates all the way back to the [[Pretender]]s, and, more debatably, the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]], and [[Powermaster]] characters from the original ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|The Transformers]]'' franchise, but it would be the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon, and its cast of characters that transformed from mechanical robots into wholly organic creatures, that really brought the concept to the forefront. The specific term "technorganic" debuted in the [[The Reformatting|first episode]] of the ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' cartoon and, initially, described a very specific kind of symbiosis that blended Cybertronian technology with organic matter at the cellular level. However, subsequent media produced under the ''Beast Wars'' banner, most prominently the ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook]]'' and ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'', co-opted the term to describe ''Beast Wars''-era [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] physiology, alongside the lesser-used term "'bio-mechanical".

The original ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon never provided an in-fiction explanation behind the Transformers' ability to convincingly mimic real, flesh-and-blood creatures, but comments by story editor [[Larry DiTillio]] suggest that the original Maximals and Predacons were ''{{w|Terminator (franchise)|Terminator}}''-style cyborgs with robotic bodyframes surrounded by a layer of organic tissue that allowed them to eat and breathe while in [[alternate mode]]. <ref>[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/authormsg$3Aalt.toys.transformers$2C-GCtfsO_cVoJ$20after$3A1997$2F1$2F1$20before$3A1997$2F2$2F1%7Csort:date%7Cspell:false/alt.toys.transformers/Tbk9A-giwV8/HpG751F9KAwJ "When BW's transform into beast mode, they become FULLY organic. This means they are vulnerable to anything the animal they become is. They get hurt worse when hit in beast mode, they have to breathe and eat, they are for all and intents and purposes animals." <nowiki>[...]</nowiki> "Take any G1 who was a car or truck. They had glove compartments, they had mirrors, they had tires, they had uh, car stuff. BW's have animal stuff... It's their "outer shell" you might say, it is what makes them "robots in disguise". When the shell is pierced (such as when Megatron bites into it), you get to circuitry underneath (yes there is metal beneath the fur and skin and the bones are metallic superstructure)... And no Cheetor doesn't have real blood, just mech fluid."] </ref> Subsequent seasons of the show would introduce [[Transmetal]] characters, which transformed from strange, quasi-organic robots into entirely-mechanical creatures, while Cybertronians exposed to the [[Transmetal driver]] became monstrous "[[Transmetal 2]]"s that haphazardly blended flesh and metal together. Different sources, most notably the ''Ultimate Guide'', have retroactively described all of these states of being as "technorganic".

The ''Beast Machines'' episode "[[Revelations Part III: Apocalypse|Apocalypse]]" would seemingly confirm DiTillio's interpretation, as Optimus explained that the Oracle had used the organic material already present within their beast modes to [[reformatting|reformat]] them into technorganic beings. Thus, while subsequent works of fiction have muddied the term, it can be inferred that a clear divide exists between these two kinds of Transformers.
In the years since, the terms "technorganic" and "biomechanical" have been used interchangeably to describe characters from other, non-[[Beast Era]] ''Transformers'' franchises—often characters based on redecoed [[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|''Beast Wars'' toys]]. Different works of ''Transformers'' media have depicted this kind of intimate, organic-machine interface in a variety of ways: some have depicted these kinds of Transformers as something repulsive, while other works of fiction have hewed closer to ''Beast Machines'' and how it depicted the technology in a more positive light.

{{--}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity====
=====''Beast Machines'' cartoon=====
[[File:TheReformatting-technorganicoptimus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]

Shortly after [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and his [[Maximal]]s arrived on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] drones attacked the Maximals and infected them with a [[transformation virus]] that would've proven fatal if not for the intervention of the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] supercomputer. {{storylink|The Reformatting}} By drawing upon the pre-existing organic matter already integrated into their [[beast mode]]s, {{storylink|Revelations Part III: Apocalypse|Apocalypse}} the Oracle successfully reformatted Optimus, [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] into technorganic forms that melded organic tissue with advanced nanotechnology at the cellular level. {{storylink|Master of the House}}

Maximals who underwent this transformation possessed a suite of extremely advanced abilities that bordered on the supernatural. Conventional [[CR chamber]]s had no effect on them; while in robot mode, they could utilize biologically-enhanced nanosurgical capabilities, allowing them to heal faster, {{storylink|Survivor}} and their quasi-organic nature rendered them impervious to anti-Transformer weapons like [[plasma energy]]. {{storylink|End of the Line}} On different occasions, both Optimus Primal {{storylink|Mercenary Pursuits}} and Blackarachnia manifested telepathic abilities. {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent|Descent}} Transforming to beast mode masked their [[energy signature]]s, which allowed them to avoid detection by conventional scanners. {{storylink|Fires of the Past}}

[[File:EndOfTheLine-transformation.gif|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]

While in combat, most technorganic Maximals utilized powerful built-in weapons that included energy-based deflector shields, sonic attacks, and electrical blasters. {{storylink|Master of the House}} The technorganic Maximal [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] possessed other unusual abilities—in addition to the ability to create technorganic plants at will, she developed a connection to Cybertron's [[organic core]]; when cut off from its energy, she grew sick and eventually fell unconscious. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. I: The Downward Spiral|The Downward Spiral}}

Technorganic Transformers possessed unique, differently-coloured [[spark]]s with a strong connection to the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]]. While they still possessed the ability to shift between robot and beast modes, this new form of [[transformation]] involved a burst of spark energy and fluid shapeshifting. Transformation now involved conscious thought and effort, an ancient practice which had originally fallen out of favor after the introduction of [[onboard computer]]s. Initially, Optimus and his team had to find a mental "still point" that would allow them to transform, and used the mantra "I am transformed" until they'd mastered their new forms. If this balance was lost, a technorganic Transformer would simply revert back to their alternate form. {{storylink|Master of the House}} Conversely, other technorganics—[[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]], {{storylink|Forbidden Fruit}} [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]], {{storylink|In Darkest Knight}} and Botanica—appeared to instinctually master the process moments after evolving into a technorganic state. {{storylink|Home Soil}}

[[File:Maximals endofBMac.JPG|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]

Despite these many advantages, technorganic Transformers were still vulnerable to conventional firepower {{storylink|Mercenary Pursuits}} and the same sort of [[Spark extractor]]s which [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] used on conventional Transformers. On one occasion, ingesting wholly organic fruit caused Primal and his team to lose their higher functions and revert to a primitive, bestial sate. Upon returning to normal, Primal concluded that the fruit's purely-organic nature was devolving their bodies. {{storylink|Forbidden Fruit}} Exposure to the [[Key to Vector Sigma]]'s ability to convert organic material into [[living metal|technomatter]] metallized their bodies and caused pain and hysteria, eventually resulting in deactivation if its effects were not reversed. {{storylink|The Key}}

As they battled Megatron and his Vehicon armies, Optimus and the Maximals slowly realized that Cybertron had once been an organic world until the arrival of the Cybertronian race. {{storylink|Survivor}} Primal initially believed that the Oracle had chosen him to eliminate all technology from Cybertron and return the planet to its primordial state; {{storylink|End of the Line}} in time, however, the Maximals realized that the Oracle's mission was one of ''balance'', bringing Cybertron's two states of being together into a harmonious technorganic whole. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}}. At the end of the conflict, Optimus Primal plunged himself and Megatron into the planet's [[organic core]] and triggered a [[Great Transformation|planet-wide reformatting]] that transformed Cybertron into a verdant technorganic world filled with plants, animals, and green cities. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}}

{{--}}

=====3H comics=====
[[File:WreckersFinalePartI-rook.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]
The newly-technorganic Cybertron possessed cities of varying construction; some were largely technorganic in nature, while others retained inorganic metal and stonework construction. Not all Cybertronians chose to undergo the technorganic transformation; many Maximals, Predacons, Autobots and Decepticons retained their purely-mechanical frames. {{storylink|Abduction}} The reformatting created new lifeforms, such as trees that bore [[Energon]] fruits, and highly polluted cities like [[Ankmor Park|Ankmor]] became green spaces full of technorganic plants and animals. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

Evidence arose that the [[Quintesson]]s had seemingly orchestrated the entire Great Transformation in the belief that they could invade the planet and gain the upper hand against its weakened, disoriented inhabitants.{{storylink|Disclosure}} When they followed through on their plan, however, they quickly discovered that the technorganic Maximals had developed beyond their specifications—not only could their beast mode bodies, invisible to Quintesson sensors, outmanoeuvre [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] invaders, but their rapid nanotechnological healing abilities allowed them to quickly recover from otherwise-fatal injuries, and these traits allowed the Cybertronians to blunt the Quintesson advance.

Soon afterwards, the Quintessons learned that [[Primus]] had indeed masterminded the entire plan by fooling the duplicitious aliens into guiding his children through their evolutionary crisis, and the Light God thanked the aliens for playing a part in his grand plan. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

{{--}}

====2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity====
Cybertronians who adopted conventional [[beast mode]]s during the Beast Wars were described as "techno-organic" in nature. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook}}

=====''Wings Universe''=====
[[File:HtF-RookUnicronandUnicorn.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Cybertron's transition to a technorganic state meant that it no longer operated on pure energon. As a result, the [[Star Seeker]]s couldn't use [[Unicron]]'s head to drain all of Cybertron's energon in [[2984]]. {{storylink|Hoist the Flag}}

{{--}}

=====Waspscream continuity=====
In [[Primax 208.06 Zeta]], the Oracle reformatted [[Starscream (G1)|Waspscream]], [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]], [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], and [[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]] into technorganic forms to fight Megatron’s Vehicon armies. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 16/8/2015}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
[[File:SinsoftheWreckers2-teethtentaclesfurrybutt.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66]]

Over a period of generations, [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] slowly modified the [[Gorlamite]]s of [[Gorlam Prime]] into [[Micromaster|mechanical beings]]. As part of this artificially-induced evolution, they first passed through through a transitional techno-organic state until wholly robotic bodyframes permanently supplanted their cybernetic implants. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

The mad scientist [[Tarantulas (BW)|Mesothulas]] invented mass-shifting "bio-disguises" that integrated organic material atop mechanical frames. While in their beast modes, Cybertronians like [[Mayhem Attack Squad|Mayhem]], who adopted this "[[Chimeracon]]" refit, were invisible to conventional Cybertronian technology. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 3|Sins of the Wreckers #3}} The upgrade was not permanent, however; after [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] took command of the team, they shifted back to conventional vehicle modes to better operate in urban terrain. {{storylink|Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers|Requiem of the Wreckers}}

{{--}}

====''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''====
[[File:FormFollowsFunction-strangefruit.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Taking root on Cybertronian soil, the leaves sprouted from the [[G.I.Rocket|green bombs]] were technorganic in nature. {{storylink|Form Follows Function}} Eventually, after the end of the conflict, the Autobot [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and the [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] operative [[Cover Girl]] used [[binary bonding|binary-bonding]] and [[technoactive core]] technology to conceive a “cyber-human” child. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

{{--}}

====''Beast Wars: Uprising''====
In the 24th century CE, [[Overshoot]], while interfacing with the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], experienced a vision of Earth and Cybertron orbiting the same star. The Oracle prophesied a time when Earth and Cybertron would stand together against a common threat, and, later, a time when the two diametrically opposed planets would merge into a single technorganic world. {{storylink|Cultural Appropriation}}

In the 34th century CE, at least some [[Commandron]]s and [[Maladroid]]s were technoorganic, such as those who crewed the stolen ''[[Terrastar (BWU)|Terrastar]]'' and the pursuing ''[[Hyperborea (BWU)|Hyperborea]]''. Upon arriving over [[Energoa]], the local [[Skriix]] took offense to the Cybertronians "contaminating" the planet with their hybrid forms and tried to kill them. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

====''Legends'' comic ====
After Cybertron had existed as a technorganic world for millennia, [[Primus#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Vector Sigma]] foresaw a renewal of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and removed the organic, turning Cybertron back into a wholly mechanical planet so it would be strong enough to endure the coming conflict. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Blue Big Convoy)}}

====2021 ''Beast Wars'' comic====
While stranded on a remote planet, the Maximals and Predacons were rebuilt with beast modes, whose techno-organic casing would nullify the effects of ambient [[energon radiation]]. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 1}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic===
[[File:MTMTEArmada-Predacon.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|]]

The Decepticon [[Predacon (Armada)|Predacon]] developed an "organic grafting process" that allowed him to directly integrate biological tissue into his Cybertronian body. Although most other Transformers found the concept of fusing flesh with metal repulsive, the charismatic Predacon amassed a cult of like-minded followers to advance his own enigmatic agenda. However, despite their zealotry, not all the Cybertronians who followed, including the [[Mini-Con]] [[Skid-Z (Armada)|Skid-Z]], were eligible for this biomechanical upgrade. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye: Transformers: Armada|''More Than Meets The Eye'' bio}}\

{{--}}

===''Animated'' continuity family===
====''Animated'' cartoon====
[[File:TFAni Predacons Rising Blackarachina sans Helmet.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Not a being currently found at your local rave club.]]

When [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] was attacked by [[Archa Seven arachnid|alien spiders]] on the planet [[Archa Seven]], she attempted to use her ability to download and replicate the abilities of other mechanoids on the creatures, which wound up mutating her into a technorganic form. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}} Taking the name "Blackarachnia", she was initially revulsed by her unnatural new form—as were many around her—but she eventually embraced her transformation and sought to replicate it on other Transformers, successfully cross-mutating the fugitive Autobot [[Wasp]] with an ''actual'' wasp and creating "Waspinator". {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Animated)|Predacons Rising}}

Technology and organics were also blended in a different manner when a Cybertronian [[protoform]] materialized in [[Isaac Sumdac (Animated)|Isaac Sumdac]]'s lab and scanned the scientist's DNA, rather than a customary mechanical [[alternate mode]]. The result was [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari Sumdac]], outwardly an ordinary organic human by all appearances whose true nature was unknown even to her, but whose Cybertronian abilities were unlocked when she was upgraded by the [[AllSpark Key]]. {{storylink|TransWarped}} {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

{{--}}

====''Shattered Glass Animated''====
In [[Shattered Glass Animated|another universe]], another [[Isaac Sumdac (SG Animated)|Isaac Sumdac]] encountered a protoform that attacked him and assimilated his DNA, becoming [[Sari Sumdac (SG Animated)|Sari Sumdac]]. He adopted her as his daughter, but raised her as a captive and a test subject for scientific experiments. Her true powers were unlocked by forcible implantation of AllSpark fragments, which remained visibly protruding from her body. {{storylink|The 'Bots and The 'Cons|The 'Cons}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
[[Reptilion]] believed that perfect Technorganics possessed equal power and balance, which made them special. {{storylink|Technorganic Secrets}}

==Notes==
* Although later ''Beast Machines''-adjacent fiction would tie the concept of Cybertron's technorganic evolution back to Primus, whose body is usually depicted as Cybertron itself, [[Marv Wolfman]], who did the series outline for ''Beast Machines'', did not have this origin in mind when developing the series: "No thoughts were ever made re: the Marvel version while I worked on the concept. Fact is, I never even read that. I did what I thought would make a good series concept."<ref>[http://tfarchive.com/fandom/interviews/marvwolfman/ Interview with Marv Wolfman at TFarchive.com]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Techno-Organic''' (テクノ・オーガニック ''Tekuno Ōganikku'')

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Transformer culture]]

Energon Universe

2025-08-12T02:06:07Z

1levichurch:

{{disambig2|the shared universe from [[Skybound Entertainment]]'s comics|the [[Transformers: Legacy#"Universe" designations|universe]] from ''[[Transformers: Legacy]]''|Transformers: Energon (franchise)}} 
[[File:Energon Universe logo.png|center|500px]] 

[[File:EU2ndAnniversary.jpg|thumb|right|upright=3|Well, it's not quite ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'', and it's not quite ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'', but man...]]

The '''Energon Universe''' is the name for the shared universe in which [[Skybound Entertainment]]'s comic books featuring licensed properties from [[Hasbro]] take place. Launched in [[2023]], these properties currently include [[Transformers (2023 comic)|an ongoing ''Transformers'' series]], a line of ''[[G.I. Joe (2024 comic)|G.I. Joe]]'' comics, and the original series ''[[Void Rivals]]''.

==Overview==
The aliens [[Darak]] and [[Solila]], members of two warring factions, become stranded on a deserted planet and are forced to work together to survive. While attempting to escape, the two come across the derelict form of the [[Transformer|Cybertronian]] [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], who is restored to functionality and leaves to check on the state of his homeworld, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

Jetfire's journey brings him to the planet Earth, where he finds and reactivates the dormant [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s and they resume their war. In response to their awakening, events are set into motion that will lead to the formation of the special ops team [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and the terrorist organization [[Cobra]].

==Development==
[[Robert Kirkman]] first began developing the Energon Universe in [[2021]] after Hasbro approached Skybound about taking over the licenses for ''Transformers'' and ''G.I. Joe'' from [[IDW Publishing]]. Wanting to do something unique, Kirkman proposed launching the universe with a new property that would feature a surprise reveal in the first issue, which eventually became ''Void Rivals''. Along with writing ''Void Rivals'', Kirkman acts as a sort of "showrunner" for the rest of the Energon Universe line, with other creators working on the main ''Transformers'' and ''G.I. Joe'' comics.<ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/robert-kirkman-void-rivals-shared-energon-universe-transformers-gi-joe How Robert Kirkman's Void Rivals Secretly Launches a Massive Shared Universe — IGN]</ref> It was named the Energon Universe after [[Joshua Williamson]] pitched the idea of integrating Energon into the ''Cobra Commander'' mini series.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=We were actually struggling for a name for the line, as Josh was developing Cobra Commander. He was like "I think I think they could find some Energon in the swamp here". And I was like "oh, Energon's in G.I. Joe now. I can put Energon in Void Rivals, super easy."
|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMTfuouxzEg&t=2889s|name=Robert Kirkman|site=YouTube|year=2025|month=05|day=12}}</ref>

In the letters page for [[Void Rivals issue 3|''Void Rivals'' #3]], Kirkman stated that there are currently no plans to integrate other Hasbro properties into the Energon Universe, though that could change in the future. He also confirmed that they don't plan to have more than four series running at once. As of [[Void Rivals issue 15|''Void Rivals'' #15]], Kirkman has affirmed that the Energon Universe will "for the foreseeable future" consist solely of the ''Void Rivals'', ''Transformers'' and ''G.I. Joe'' ongoing titles to keep the line at a manageable, easy-to-follow size, with no plans to publish any additional miniseries in the style of the four ''G.I. Joe'' origin stories.

==List of featured intellectual properties==
* ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]''
* ''[[M.A.S.K. (franchise)|M.A.S.K.]]''
* ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]''
* ''[[Void Rivals]]'' (original)

==Titles==
===Ongoing series===
* ''[[Void Rivals]]''
* ''[[Transformers (2023 comic)|Transformers]]''
* ''[[G.I. Joe (2024 comic)|G.I. Joe]]''

===Limited series===
* ''[[Duke (comic)|Duke]]''
* ''[[Cobra Commander (comic)|Cobra Commander]]''
* ''[[Scarlett (comic)|Scarlett]]''
* ''[[Destro (comic)|Destro]]''

===Specials===
* ''[[Energon Universe 2024 Special]]''
* ''[[Energon Universe 2025 Special]]''

===Other===
* ''Energon Universe 2025 Aschan''

==Distribution and localization==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Publisher
!Country
!Language
|-
|[[Ades Media]]
|Sweden
|Swedish
|-
|Moztros Editorial
|[[Spain]]
|Spanish
|-
|Nagle Comics
|Poland
|Polish
|-
|OVNI Press
|Latin America
|Spanish
|-
|Panini Comics
|[[Germany]]
|German
|-
|saldaPress
|[[Italy]]
|Italian
|-
|Szukits Kiadó
|[[Hungary]]
|Hungarian
|-
|Tiandi Press
|[[China]]
|Chinese
|-
|Urban Comics
|[[France]]
|French
|}

==Toyline==
===Void Rivals===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''San Diego Comic-Con 2025'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Jetfire (G1)/toys#Void Rivals|Autobot Jetfire]] (w/ [[Solila#Toys|Zertonian Solila]] and [[Darak#Toys|Agorrian Darak]])}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|[[File:SDCC 2025 Void Rivals box set.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|right|Autobot Jetfire (w/ Zertonian Solila and Agorrian Darak), the first toys to be released to coincide with the new comic series.]]
|}

==Notes==
Previously, G.I. Joe comics fell out of this wiki’s purview unless they featured Transformers characters in them. For example, [[IDW Publishing]]’s [[G.I. Joe vol. 5]] is covered on this wiki due to the presence of [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]], but the preceding volumes are not. However, unlike prior publishers such as IDW and [[Marvel Comics]], the Energon Universe's non-Transformers properties are being incorporated into one coherent storyline right from the get-go, with Cybertronians appearing as recurring characters in ''Void Rivals'' and driving the plots of the various G.I. Joe series (and later appearing in them as well). As such, we at TFWiki.net have, at least for now, opted to cover the non-''Transformers'' titles in the Energon Universe in full, in order to keep everything nice and simple.

==See also==
* [[Hasbro Universe]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Crossovers]]
[[Category:Skybound Entertainment]]

Daniel Warren Johnson

2025-08-01T18:23:27Z

1levichurch:

{{disambigm|Dan (disambiguation)|Johnson (disambiguation)}}

[[File:Daniel Warren Johnson.jpg|right|280px|thumb|The man who killed Reflector.]]

'''Daniel Warren Johnson''' (born [[March 23]], [[1987]]) is an American comic book writer and artist based in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]. After breaking onto the scene with his self-published webcomic ''[https://www.space-mullet.com Space Mullet]'', Johnson gained wider notoriety with his [[2017]] series ''Extremity'', which also marked the beginning of his collaboration with frequent colorist [[Mike Spicer]] and [[Skybound Entertainment]], both of whom he would continue working with for his subsequent series ''Murder Falcon'' and the Eisner Award-winning ''Do A Powerbomb''. He has also worked on such titles as ''Beta Ray Bill'' for [[Marvel Comics]] and ''Wonder Woman: Dead Earth'' and ''Jurassic League'' (with Juan Gedeon) for [[DC Comics]].

In 2023, Johnson and Spicer returned to Skybound to helm the new [[Transformers (2023 comic)|''Transformers'' series]] as part of their [[Energon Universe]]. On [[July 26]], [[2024]], Johnson won two Eisner Awards (Best Writer/Artist and Best Continuing Series) for his work on ''Transformers'', becoming the first author to receive this recognition for his involvement in the franchise.

==Writer==
* ''[[Transformers (2023 comic)|Transformers]]'' [[Transformers (2023) issue 1|#1]]–[[Transformers (2023) issue 24|24]]
* ''[[Energon Universe 2024 Special]]'' ([[Transformers Energon Universe 2024 Special story|''Transformers'' story]])
* ''[[Energon Universe 2025 Special]]'' ([[Transformers Energon Universe 2025 Special story|''Transformers'' story]])

==Artwork==
===Interior Artwork===
* ''[[Transformers (2023 comic)|Transformers]]'' [[Transformers (2023) issue 1|#1]]–[[Transformers (2023) issue 6|6]]
* ''[[Energon Universe 2025 Special]]'' ([[Transformers Energon Universe 2025 Special story|''Transformers'' story]])

===Cover Artwork===
* ''[[Void Rivals]]'' [[Void Rivals issue 1|#1]] (Cover G; SDCC Exclusive)
* ''[[Transformers (2023 comic)|Transformers]]'' [[Transformers (2023) issue 1|#1]] (Covers A, B & C; SDCC Exclusive Ashcan; Felix Comic Art Exclusive), [[Transformers (2023) issue 2|#2]]-current (A Covers)
* ''[[Energon Universe 2024 Special]]'' (Cover A)
* ''[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|The Transformers]] [[The Transformers Compendium|Compendium]] [[The Transformers Compendium Volume 1|Volume 1]]''

==Convention appearances (''Transformers'' related)==
* [[San Diego Comic-Con#2024|San Diego Comic-Con 2024]]
* [[San Diego Comic-Con#2025|San Diego Comic-Con 2025]]

==Hasbro Pulse livestream appearances==
* [[July 27]], [[2024]]'s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4wS4pyX4rU Exploring Skybound's Energon Universe Comic Books with Robert Kirkman, Joshua Williamson, and more!] on YouTube, with [[Jordan Hembrough]], [[Robert Kirkman]], [[Tom Reilly]], [[Joshua Williamson]], and [[Sean Mackiewicz]].

==Gallery==
<center><gallery>
File:EnergonUniversePoster.jpeg
File:Transformers 2023 1 cvr.jpg
File:Transformers01B Cover.jpg
File:Transformers01C Cover.jpg
</gallery>

''[[:Category:Images by Daniel Warren Johnson|Extended Daniel Warren Johnson gallery]]''</center>

==Notes==
* His favorite Autobot is [[Optimus Prime]], while his favorite Decepticon is [[Starscream]]. His second-favorite Autobots are [[Bluestreak]] and [[Grimlock]], and his second-favorite Decepticon is [[Bruticus]]. Presumably, this influenced the name of the main character’s band in ''Murder Falcon'', as it is called ''Brooticus'' (which is awesome).
* Johnson's love for wrestling heavily influenced the comic's fight sequences.
* Johnson keeps a number of Transformers figures, both official and 'third-party', on or near his desk to use as drawing references.
* Johnson has recieved two {{w|Eisner Awards}} for his work on Skybound's ''Transformers'' ongoing, namely "Best Writer/Artist" and "Best Ongoing Series" for 2024.

==External links==
* [https://www.danielwarrenart.com Official website]
* [https://twitter.com/danielwarrenart Twitter account]
* [https://www.instagram.com/danielwarrenart/ Instagram account]
* [https://www.youtube.com/@DanielWarrenJohnson1 YouTube account]

===Interviews===
* June 2023—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZb0DxckuqY ComicPop Returns]
* August 2023—[https://sktchd.com/podcast/off-panel-411-til-all-are-one-with-daniel-warren-johnson/ Off Panel]
* September 2023—[https://www.skybound.com/interviews/transformers/we-talk-transformers-eisner-winner-daniel-warren-johnson Skybound]
* September 2023—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOY0VESIuRM The Short Box Podcast]
* September 2023—[https://www.comicsbeat.com/daniel-warren-johnson-transformers/ The Beat]
* September 2023—[https://www.cbr.com/daniel-warren-johnson-transformers-interview/ CBR]
* September 2023—[https://www.gamesradar.com/daniel-warren-johnsons-transformers-is-a-thrilling-fresh-start-for-the-robots-in-disguise/ Newsarama]
* October 2023—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGksI3XJkpM The Comicon]
* October 2023—[https://comicbookclublive.com/2023/10/04/comic-book-club-bonus-daniel-warren-johnson-on-transformers-1/ Comic Book Club]
* October 2023—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqkDOXb64M0 ComicsOnline]
* October 2023—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksNx7dvyBOY Will88 Reviews]
* October 2023—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SHwZJ4Tb3o Coliseum of Comics] (with [[Robert Kirkman]] and [[Joshua Williamson]])
* October 2023—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adqC1KT3Pl4 The Felix Comic Art Podcast]
* October 2023—[https://gatecrashers.fan/2023/10/19/daniel-warren-johnson-talks-transformers/ GateCrashers]
* October 2023—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix5pcSKg6zs The Comics Pals]
* November 2023—[https://www.tcj.com/thank-god-for-comics-the-daniel-warren-johnson-interview/ The Comics Journal]
* March 2024—[https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/comments/1boc5vb/im_daniel_warren_johnson_writerartist_of/ Reddit]
* March 2024—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NumtnvJ79z0 Near Mint Condition]
* April 2024—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73rZ1Ar2g3E Blake's Buzz]
* April 2024—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7t9h6Ifn-0 Direct Edition]
* April 2024—[https://cbccpodcast.podbean.com/e/daniel-warren-johnson-on-transformers-robots-in-disguise Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast]
* June 2024—[https://www.tripletakeover.com/e/81-skybound-transformers-featuring-daniel-warren-johnson Triple Takeover Toycast]
* June 2024—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgtE_RhGbgU TF ToyBox]
* June 2024—[https://comicspowercom.wordpress.com/2024/06/14/interview-daniel-warren-johnson-la-vitesse-du-succes-sans-precipitation/ Comics have the Power!]
* August 2024—[https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/comments/1eypl34/hey_its_the_daniel_warren_johnson_and_riley/ Reddit] (with [[Riley Rossmo]])

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Daniel Warren}}
[[Category:Illustrators]]
[[Category:Skybound Entertainment]]
[[Category:Writers]]

Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)

2025-07-31T14:57:41Z

1levichurch:

{{disambig3.5|the 2015 cartoon|the 2001 cartoon|Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise}}
{{Nav-rid2015}}
[[File:TFRID2015promoposter.jpg|300px|thumb|Now featuring more beast-hunting than [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)#Season 3: Beast Hunters|Beast Hunters]]!]]

'''''Transformers: Robots in Disguise''''' is an animated television series that acts as the sequel to ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''. Set three years after its predecessor, the show follows [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] as he travels back to [[Earth]] after the prison ship ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]'' crash-lands on the planet. Charged with rounding up the escaped [[Decepticon]] prisoners, he reluctantly takes command of a new team of [[Autobot]]s.

The show made its worldwide debut in late December 2014, with the first 13 episodes released as pay-to-view content on Chinese video streaming website [http://www.1905.com M1905]. The series subsequently debuted on Cartoon Network in numerous countries before the first 26-episode season finally premiered in the US on [[March 14]], [[2015]]. A second season of 13 episodes began screening on [[February 20]], 2016, followed by a 6-episode "mini-series"/"TV event" later in the year. The third and final season was rebranded as ''Combiner Force'', and ran for 26 episodes before concluding on November 11, 2017.

The Canadian broadcast of the series has been undertaken by Corus Entertainment, and the show aired on Teletoon from [[March 21]], 2015 to [[November 26]], 2017.

The mini-series has caused some confusion over how the seasons of ''Robots in Disguise'' should be counted. It was initially promoted as "season 3"<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmBE1YgV0yM Botcon 2016 - Q& A Interview with Hasbro Transformers Team]</ref> before viewers properly understood it was only six episodes in length, but when "Combiner Force" was announced, it was also treated as the third season.<ref>[http://comicbook.com/popculturenow/2016/10/06/exclusive-transformers-robots-in-disguise-renewed-for-season-3/ "Transformers: Robots In Disguise Renewed For Season 3," Comicbook.com]</ref> There has been no obvious consensus; Amazon and Roku group it in with season 2, while Netflix and the Transformers YouTube channel have labeled it season 3. For bookkeeping purposes, TFWiki refers to it as "Season 2½."

==Overview==
[[File:RID Season 2 Team.jpg|thumb|400px|CHEESE!]]
Three years after the end of the [[Great War (Prime)|Great War]], the Autobot prison ship ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]'' crashes on [[Earth]] near [[Crown City]], sparking a mass [[Decepticon]] jailbreak. Meanwhile, on a rebuilt [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], war veteran [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] is now working as a street cop, mentoring Cadet [[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]]. Bumblebee is alerted to the danger on Earth by a vision of a ghostly [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]], who directs them to a nearby [[space bridge]].

Bumblebee unwillingly finds himself accompanied to Earth by Strongarm, and the delinquent [[Sideswipe (RID 2015)|Sideswipe]], where they encounter [[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]], sole caretaker of the former prison ship. They're joined by the ex-Decepticon prisoner [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]], [[human]] scrapyard owner [[Denny Clay]] and his son [[Russell Clay|Russell]]. Although he's not confident in his leadership abilities, Bumblebee nevertheless pledges to round up the inmates of the ''Alchemor''. Chief among the Decepticon threat is the charismatic [[Steeljaw (RID)|Steeljaw]], who seeks to organize the escaped prisoners into an [[Steeljaw's Pack|effective cabal]] to conquer the planet.

The first season had a "villain of the week" approach, in which most episodes would follow a pattern: it would feature a new Decepticon foe, usually with an animal-motif, that would prove to be a threat to the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]], only to be taken down by the end of the episode and be placed back into a [[stasis pod]]. Most Decepticons featured, barring those who became part of Steeljaw's Pack, had little-to-nothing to do with each other besides being ''Alchemor'' immates. Early episodes rarely deviated from this pattern, but this theme was effectively toned down in later seasons when larger, overarching threats came into play.

Most episodes also featured recurring subplots and running-gags focusing on certain characters: Bumblebee's trouble coming up with a [[Roll out|rallying cry]] and trouble leading his team in general, Strongarm and Sideswipe's rivalry with each other, Grimlock's difficulty finding an appropriate Earth disguise (because being a giant metal dinosaur would attract a lot of attention) and Fixit's glitching problem. These smaller stories would often affect the main plot, causing Bee's Team to face additional obstacles in several episodes.

Over the course of the first season, new Autobots bolster the ranks of the team, including the bounty hunter [[Drift (RID)|Drift]], his two Mini-Cons [[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] and [[Slipstream (RID)|Slipstream]], the mysterious [[Windblade (RID)|Windblade]], and finally Optimus Prime himself, returned to life by the [[Thirteen]] to defeat [[The Fallen|Megatronus]].

Season 2 sees Bumblebee's team split into two groups: an "away team" to search the world for far-ranging Decepticons while Bumblebee, Strongarm, Grimlock, and Fixit hold the fort near Crown City. Still recovering from his humiliating rout at the hands of Megatronus, Steeljaw allies with a mysterious group of Decepticons led by [[Saberhorn]], [[Glowstrike]] and [[Scorponok (WFC)|Scorponok]], operating out of the crashed ''Alchemor'', which they call "Decepticon Island". True to form, Steeljaw plots to rise through the ranks of this new army and seize control of the group for himself.

The second season features more frequent references to predecessor series ''Prime'' in an effort to forge a stronger sense of continuity between the two. Coinciding with this, the season sees the return of multiple regulars from ''Prime'' in special guest appearances: [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]], now partnered with a silent Mini-Con named [[Undertone]], and [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], still accompanied by [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]. This season also begins to drop the "villain of the week" theme, though it is still present, in favor of having a larger overarching threat in the form of Decepticon Island.

This season was also very [[To sell toys|toy-driven]] in that it featured several returning Decepticons from the first season, as well as new Mini-Con and Deployer characters, who had newly received toys. As such, Mini-Cons were also a big focus of this season, with at least one (besides Fix-It) appearing in every episode. Following the Season 2 proper, this trend would continue into a "mini-series" of sorts, referred to as "Season 3" by several official sources before the announcement of a full third season. This six-episode run sees the return of [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], who seeks the mysterious Mini-Con [[Weaponizer (RID)|Weaponizer]]s, who have reluctantly partnered with a group of Decepticon [[Scavengers (RID)|Scavengers]] searching Earth for abandoned Cybertronian relics.

The actual Season 3 is titled "Combiner Force". Bumblebee and his crew must harness the power of combination and form [[Ultra Bee]] in order to defeat the [[Stunticon (Prime)|Stunticon]]s. At the same time, Soundwave has sent a group of Minicons to steal the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]]'s Decepticon Hunters, with this subplot playing a small background role until the Stunticons are captured and returned to Cybertron by the end of the first half of the season. In order to keep the "Con of the Week" theme present after the Alchemor's departure, caches set up by Windblade after her arrival on Earth contain Decepticons who end up getting free and require recapture. Some filler episodes feature Decepticons who managed to escape the Alchemor before it left Earth. Others feature [[Shadow Raker|Decepticons]] [[Nightra|or]] [[Blastwave|others]] coming to Earth due to connections to members of the Bee Team or other reasons, the one exception being [[Flamesnort]] who was left on Earth during the Great War. This season also does a first and ties in with the ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Rescue Bots]]'' series by featuring the Rescue Bot [[Blurr (Prime)|Blurr]] for a few episodes.

Corruption on Cybertron, which had been building up conflict in the background for the entire series and has generally served as a way introduce new characters, seems to finally take the center stage during the second half of the season where mysterious benefactors on Cybertron free Steeljaw and his pack and grant them full pardons. They are sent back to Earth, where they ally with Soundwave and are tasked with capturing the Autobots. Steeljaw and the others make a grand return to Earth by nearly destroying the Scrapyard and forcing the Autobots and Clays to find a new base. By this point, the "villain of the week" approach is only used a few more times, but is otherwise abandoned in favor of having the Autobots face off against recurring teams of enemies such as the Stunticons and then Steeljaw's Pack. The tail end of the season also features the return of [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] from ''Prime'' as a temporary ally to the Bee Team.

The two-part series finale features the Bee Team returning to Cybertron to fight Steeljaw's benefactors, the new corrupt [[Autobot High Council|High Council]], who are revealed to be a group of Decepticons disguised as Autobots, led by [[Cyclonus (WFC)|Cyclonus]]. The Autobots once again form Ultra Bee to take down the Council's [[Galvatronus (RID)|combined form]], finally freeing Cybertron. Optimus decides not to lead Cybertron into this new era as he "is a leader of warriors", and decides to leave Ratchet in charge of the new temporary High Council, which is now to be composed of Bulkhead, Windblade and [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]], while the Bee Team returns to Earth as "ambassadors" to the planet.

==Main cast==
(Recurring characters only, in order of appearance.)
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
;Main Cast
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] ([[Will Friedle]])
*[[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]] ([[Constance Zimmer]])
*[[Sideswipe (RID 2015)|Sideswipe]] ([[Darren Criss]])
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]] ([[Mitchell Whitfield]])
*[[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]] ([[Khary Payton]])
*[[Drift (RID)|Drift]] ([[Eric Bauza]])
**[[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] ([[Roger Craig Smith]])
**[[Slipstream (RID)|Slipstream]] (Roger Craig Smith)

;Other Recurring
*[[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] ([[Arif S. Kinchen]])
*[[Windblade (RID)|Windblade]] ([[Kristy Wu]], [[Erica Lindbeck‏]])
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] ([[Jeffrey Combs]])
** [[Undertone]]
*[[RoughEdge]]
*[[Blurr (Prime)|Blurr]] ([[Max Mittelman]])
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] ([[Kevin Michael Richardson]])
*[[Dropforge]] ([[David Sheinkopf]])

;Combined forms
*[[Ultra Bee]] (Will Friedle)

|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
;Main Antagonists
*[[Steeljaw (RID)|Steeljaw]] ([[Troy Baker]])
*[[The Fallen|Megatronus]] ([[Gil Gerard]])
*[[Saberhorn]] ([[Fred Tatasciore]])
*[[Scorponok (WFC)|Scorponok]] ([[Victor Brandt]])
*[[Glowstrike]] ([[Grey Griffin]])
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] ([[Steve Blum]])
*[[Motormaster (WFC)|Motormaster]] ([[Travis Willingham]])
*[[Cyclonus (WFC)|Cyclonus]] ([[Harry Lennix]])

;Major Recurring
*[[Underbite]] ([[Liam O'Brien]])
*[[Bisk (RID)|Bisk]] (Khary Payton)
*[[Chop Shop (RID)|Chop Shop]] ([[David Hunt]])
**[[Chop Shop (RID)|Righty]] (Will Friedle)
*[[Thunderhoof (RID)|Thunderhoof]] ([[Frank Stallone]])
*[[Springload (RID)|Springload]] ([[John Steven Rocha]])
*[[Quillfire (RID)|Quillfire]] ([[Andy Milder]])
*[[Clampdown (RID)|Clampdown]] ([[Jim Cummings]])
*[[Kickback (RID)|Kickback]] (Liam O'Brien)
*[[Paralon (RID)|Paralon]] ([[Jason Spisak]])
*[[Scatterspike (RID)|Scatterspike]] ([[Robin Weigert]])
*[[Thermidor]] (Jim Cummings)
*[[Clawtrap]] ([[André Sogliuzzo]])
*[[Heatseeker]] ([[Mikey Kelley]])
*[[Dragstrip (WFC)|Drag Strip]] ([[Maurice LaMarche]])
*[[Wildbreak]] ([[Dave Wittenberg]])
*[[Slashmark]] ([[David Kaye]])

{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}

;Other Recurring
*[[Fracture (RID)|Fracture]] ([[Kevin Pollak]])
**[[Airazor (RID)|Airazor]] (Roger Craig Smith)
**[[Divebomb (RID)|Divebomb]] (Khary Payton)
*[[Groundpounder (RID)|Groundpounder]] ([[John DiMaggio]])
*[[Overload (RID)|Overload]] ([[Dave Fennoy]])
**[[Backtrack (RID)|Backtrack]] (Steve Blum)
**[[Ransack (RID Mini-Con)|Ransack]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Crazybolt (RID)|Crazybolt]] ([[James Arnold Taylor]])
**[[Slicedice]] ([[Gary Anthony Williams]])
*[[Simacore]] ([[Matthew Yang King]])
*[[Shadelock]] ([[Kirk Thornton]])
*[[Razorhorn]]
*[[Skyjack (RID)|Skyjack]]
*[[Treadshock]]
*[[Riotgear]]
*[[Cyberwarp]] ([[Brooke Goldner]])

;Combined forms
*[[Dragbreak]] (Maurice LaMarche)
*[[Heatmark]] (Mikey Kelley)
*[[Menasor (RID)|Menasor]] (Travis Willingham)
*[[Galvatronus (RID)|Galvatronus]] (Harry Lennix)
{{!}}}

|c3=
'''Main Cast'''
*[[Denny Clay]] ([[Ted McGinley]])
*[[Russell Clay]] ([[Stuart Allan]])

'''Other Recurring'''
*[[Butch (RID)|Butch]] (Will Friedle)
*[[Hank]] ([[Bailey Gambertoglio]])
*[[Arnold]] (Troy Baker, James Arnold Taylor)
*[[Casey (RID)|Casey]] ([[Kate Bond]])
*[[Hermit]] ([[Trevor Devall]])

|c4=
'''Thirteen'''
*[[Micronus Prime|Micronus]] ([[Adrian Pasdar]])

'''Weaponizer Mini-Cons'''
*[[Buzzstrike]] ([[Rick Pasqualone]])
*[[Sawtooth (RID)|Sawtooth]] ([[Crispin Freeman]])
*[[Aerobolt]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Tricerashot]] ([[Robbie Rist]])
*[[Windstrike]]
*[[Bashbreaker]]
*[[Lancelon]]

'''Activator Mini-Cons'''
*[[Stuntwing]]
*[[Trickout]]
*[[Hi-Test (RID)|Hi-Test]]
*[[Goldgear]]
|nonumbering=true}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Robots in Disguise (2015) episodes}}
===Season 1===
{{collist|3|
#"[[Pilot (Part 1)]]"
#"[[Pilot (Part 2)]]"
#"[[Trust Exercises]]"
#"[[More than Meets the Eye (RID)|More than Meets the Eye]]"
#"[[W.W.O.D.?]]"
#"[[As the Kospego Commands!]]"
#"[[Collect 'Em All]]"
#"[[True Colors]]"
#"[[Rumble in the Jungle]]"
#"[[Can You Dig It?]]"
#"[[Adventures in Bumblebee-Sitting!]]"
#"[[Hunting Season]]"
#"[[Out of Focus]]"
#"[[Sideways (episode)|Sideways]]"
#"[[Even Robots Have Nightmares]]"
#"[[Some Body, Any Body]]"
#"[[One of Our Mini-Cons Is Missing]]"
#"[[Deep Trouble (RID)|Deep Trouble]]"
#"[[The Champ]]"
#"[[The Trouble with Fixit]]"
#"[[Lockout]]"
#"[[Similarly Different]]"
#"[[The Buzz on Windblade]]"
#"[[Ghosts and Impostors]]"
#"[[Battlegrounds, Part 1]]"
#"[[Battlegrounds, Part 2]]"
}}

===Season 2===
{{collist|3|
#"[[Overloaded, Part 1]]"
#"[[Overloaded, Part 2]]"
#"[[Metal Meltdown]]"
#"[[Suspended]]"
#"[[Cover Me]]"
#"[[Brainpower]]"
#"[[Misdirection]]"
#"[[Bumblebee's Night Off]]"
#"[[Impounded]]"
#"[[Portals]]"
#"[[Graduation Exercises]]"
#"[[Decepticon Island (Part 1)]]"
#"[[Decepticon Island (Part 2)]]"
}}

===Season 2½=== 
{{collist|3|
#"[[History Lessons]]"
#"[[Strongarm's Big Score]]"
#"[[Pretzel Logic]]"
#"[[Mighty Big Trouble]]"
#"[[Mini-Con Madness (RID)|Mini-Con Madness]]"
#"[[Worthy]]"
}}

===Season 3: Combiner Force===
{{collist|3|
#"[[King of the Hill (Part 1)]]"
#"[[King of the Hill (Part 2)]]"
#"[[Defrosted]]"
#"[[Blurred]]"
#"[[Sphere of Influence]]"
#"[[Bee Cool]]"
#"[[The Great Divide]]"
#"[[Get a Clue]]"
#"[[Out of the Shadows]]"
#"[[Disordered Personalities]]"
#"[[Guilty As Charged]]"
#"[[The Golden Knight]]"
#"[[The Fastest Bot Alive!]]"
#"[[Railroad Rage]]"
#"[[Combine and Conquer]]"
#"[[Moon Breaker]]"
#"[[Exiles]]"
#"[[Breathing Room]]"
#"[[Prepare for Departure]]"
#"[[Prisoner Principles]]"
#"[[Collateral Damage]]"
#"[[Something He Ate]]"
#"[[Sick as a Bot]]"
#"[[Five Fugitives]]"
#"[[Enemy of My Enemy (RID)|Enemy of My Enemy]]"
#"[[Freedom Fighters]]"
}}

===Shorts===
{{Collist|3|
#"[[Fixit Jam]]"
#"[[To Catch a Phrase]]"
#"[[Sticky Situation]]"
#"[[Carjacked!]]"
#"[[Perfect]]"
#"[[Knock, Knock!]]"
#"[[The Power of Dibs]]"
#"[[Back and Forth]]"
#"[[The Tragedy of Slipstream]]"
#"[[A Level Playing Field]]"
#"[[Two Plus Two Equals More]]"
}}

==Production==
Crew members returning from ''Prime'' include executive producer [[Jeff Kline]] and writer [[Steven Melching]], now story editor, and [[Mairghread Scott]], serving as Script Coordinator/Writer's Assistant.<ref>[http://mscottwrites.tumblr.com/post/93785539366/out-of-curiousity-are-you-going-to-be-part-of-the/ Mairghread's Tumblr Post]</ref> [[Adam Beechen]] serves as the producer. [[Kevin Manthei]] and [[Kevin Kiner]] serve as series composers.<ref>[http://kevinmantheimusic.tumblr.com/post/93347443424/the-secret-project-i-announced-earlier-can-be Kevin Manthei's Tumblr post]</ref> Once again, [[Polygon Pictures]] handled the animation,<ref>{{citesocial|quote=トランスフォーマーの新テレビシリーズ、タイトルが発表されました。2015年春放送開始。再びPPIで映像制作を担当しています。 http://t.co/DJL5QbVY8E|link=https://twitter.com/da_shooz/statuses/477375126682341376|name=Shuzo Shiota|site=Twitter|year=2014|month=06|day=13|(defunct=)}}</ref> with 2D animation duties handed off to [[GONZO]] and [[drop]]. Before ''Robots in Disguise'' was produced, work on a different follow up to ''Prime'' was developed by Jeff Kline and [[Duane Capizzi]] that "had some interesting plans for Starscream".<ref>{{citesocial|quote=There was some initial development for a follow up series on Prime that Duane and Jeff did, prior to what turned into Robots in Disguise and it had some interesting plans for Starscream.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9PNlsE0w10&t=706s|name=Steven Melching|site=YouTube|year=2019||month=11||day=24}}</ref>

==Reception==
As a sequel of sorts to the critically acclaimed and largely-beloved ''Transformers: Prime'' cartoon, ''Robots in Disguise'' initially debuted with some fanfare amongst the older segments of the ''Transformers'' fandom, particularly those who had joined the fandom ''because'' of the ''Prime'' cartoon. While some aspects of the show—including an artstyle that allowed for more flexible and dynamic animation, a decreased focus on the Autobots' human sidekicks, and the creative designs and personalities of the animalistic Decepticons—were well received by the fandom, fans hoping to see the majority of the ''Prime'' cast return found themselves disappointed by the first season's general disinterest in referencing ''anything'' related to the ''Prime'' cartoon. The lighthearted tone of ''Robots in Disguise'' stood in stark contrast to the darker direction of ''Prime''.

For fans coming off the back of the heavily arc-driven storytelling of ''Prime'', the more traditional episodic format of ''Robots in Disguise'' was a disappointment: though later seasons did eventually experiment with various multi-episode story arcs, most episodes were self-contained "monster-of-the-week" stories involving a rogue Decepticon and the Bee Team's efforts to recapture the villain. In particular, the show's final season descended into the use of extremely rote kids' cartoon stock-plots (like mind-swaps, characters getting superpowers, and "teleporter accident" doubles), and often incorporated a heavy-handed B-plot involving one or more protagonists having to learn a lesson about teamwork, cooperation, or self-control (sometimes drawing strange equivalencies between them and the villain of the week), which did little but lower the show's already wobbly standing with the adult fandom.

Ultimately, while the reception of ''Robots in Disguise'' in the adult fandom was largely informed by comparisons to ''Prime'', it was still a success with children and (when taken on its own terms) has come to be regarded as a decent show, if not a particularly ambitious one. Several original characters such as Strongarm and Steeljaw have proven popular enough to make the jump into other ''Transformers'' media.

==Awards and nominations==
===2016 Daytime Emmy Awards===
*Outstanding Special Class Animated Program

==Japanese release==
''Robots in Disguise'' was released in Japan as two separately branded series. The "[[#Season 3: Combiner Force|Combiner Force]]" arc was not dubbed in Japan.

===''Transformers Adventure''===
[[Image:TransformersAdventureJapaneseLogo.jpg|300px|right]]

'''''Transformers Adventure''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā'') aired on the satellite network [[Animax]] with a Sunday, 9am timeslot. ''Adventure'' was the first Transformers cartoon to be relegated directly to satellite since ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release|Beast Wars Returns]]''. It premiered on [[March 15]], 2015... only a ''day'' after the US premiere.

The localization for the series was headed by [[Keiichirō Miyoshi]], who headed the localization of the [[live-action film series|live-action ''Transformers'' films]] for Japanese markets. This also makes ''Adventure'' the first American ''Transformers'' cartoon to be released in Japan ''without'' the oversight of [[Yoshikazu Iwanami]] since [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1]]. While an effort was made to emulate the dubbing style of Iwanami, which has become synonymous with Transformers cartoons in Japan, the adlibbing was not nearly as extensive and fourth wall-breaking humor was non-existent.

Since ''Adventure'' aired on a satellite network and not a broadcast network, it was not edited for time like previous ''Transformers'' cartoons. The episodes were fully uncut and featured extended opening and ending sequences. The [[title sequence]] was composed mostly of clips from episodes, but new animation (mostly group shots) was provided by [[LandQ Studio]]. The end credits sequence featured a newly animated "stage performance" from the cast ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZE2jqYoTTc which really must be seen to be believed]), animated by [[Nakano Design]].

''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)#Japanese release|Transformers: Prime]]'' did not complete its run in Japan, ending at 52 episodes and excluding the ''[[Beast Hunters]]'' episodes and the ''[[Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising]]'' film. The ''Adventure'' series does not alter the scripts to account for this, although it mostly plays as a separate entity from ''Prime''.

Animax aired the episodes using the Australian broadcast order rather than the US order, which is actually the incorrect continuity sequence. As a result, "[[Sideways (episode)|Sideways]]" is placed before "[[Out of Focus]]".

The [[theme song]] for the series is "[[Save the Future!!]]" by [[Mitsuhiro Oikawa]] and the ending theme is "[[Try☆Transformers Adventure↑↑↑]]" performed by the primary cast of the show (Bumblebee, Strongarm, Sideswipe, Fixit, Grimlock, and Optimus Prime).

===''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron-'' (''New Enemies'')===
[[File:Prime of Micron logo.jpg|right|300px]]

The season 2 and "season 2½" (or "miniseries") episodes of ''Robots in Disguise'' were combined into a newly branded sequel series which began airing on [[July 3]], [[2016]]<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/05/09/transformers-adventure-returns-japanese-screens-july-315264]</ref> under the title '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron-''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō-''). Incidentally, the "Maikuron no Shō" portion of the Japanese title actually translates to "Micron Chapter", but nobody tell them that. Like the previous season/series, it aired on Animax with a Sunday morning, 9:00am timeslot.

In November 2016, the "season 2½" episodes of ''Robots in Disguise'' were given a special distinction under the modified title '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron- New Enemies''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- 新たなる敵 ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō- Aratanaru Teki''). The title which appears on-screen does not display the "New Enemies" distinction, with the phrase instead appearing in broadcast schedule listings for Animax.

The rebranding for this sequence of episodes to include the word ''Prime'' in the title was likely a measure to create stronger ties with the continuity of the previous series, ''Transformers: Prime'', as the season 2(½) episodes begin making more direct references to the events of the past series. While the continuity is maintained, the guest characters from ''Prime'' are not played by their previous voice actors in the dub and are instead substituted with sound-alikes.

''Prime of Micron'' includes a newly cobbled together title sequence (composed of clips from episodes), but maintains the same theme song as ''Adventure''. Likewise, the end credits sequence and song are the same.

==Home video releases==
{{main|Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)/home video}}
;United States
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - A New Autobot Mission (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Mission Discovery (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Season One (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Overloaded & Decepticon Island (2017)

;United Kingdom
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - A New Mission (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Rumble in the Jungle (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - The Champ (2017)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Optimus Returns (2017)

;Australia
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Collect 'em All (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Complete Season One (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Rumble in the Jungle (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - The Champ (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Battlegrounds (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Overloaded (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Misdirection (2017)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Decepticon Island (2017)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Combiner Force (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - King of the Hill (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - The Golden Knight (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Combine & Conquer (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Freedom Fighters (2018)

==Notes==
*"'''TF2'''" was an early working name for the series.
*''Robots in Disguise'' did not have the most successful record when it came to premiering new episodes, with most of the show airing through various international venues before being broadcast on U.S. television, including the ''entire'' first season.
**The first 13 episodes of the series were released, dubbed in Mandarin Chinese, on [[December 31]], [[2014]] in mainland China, but not Hong Kong, several weeks in advance of their US broadcast. The episodes were made available on website 1905.com, with five-minute previews being free and the whole episodes available until [[January 15]] for CNY/RMB ¥19.5, which is around US$3–4. [[You]] could even win a "fabulous" assortment of Hasbro toys (legion class) and a RMB¥30 digital coupon if you paid for the episodes!
**The show went on to premiere on Canal J in France, Biggs in Portugal, and Cartoon Network in Hungary before the U.S. airings began. In particular, the English-language version of the show premiered on Cartoon Network in Australia and New Zealand about a month before the US airing; the channel aired two episodes a week instead of one, and so quickly tore through the first thirteen episodes of the season.
**The fourteenth episode debuted on Singaporean television two months before its US airing.
**The final twelve episodes of the season were then released in two six-episode chunks via Australian iTunes in the first two weeks of [[June]], [[2015]], allowing viewers to see the season finale three months before it aired in the US.
**The first six episodes of season 2 premiered on US television, but Cartoon Network UK—airing two new episodes a week instead of just one—quickly caught up to, and overtook, the US broadcast. The full remainder of the season premiered in the UK, with the season finale around a month before the US.
**The "season 2.5" mini-series aired in its entirety on Teletoon in Canada before a US premiere date had even been announced.
**The first four episodes of season 3 aired on French channel Gulli on the Tuesday before the US premiere.
**Episodes 11-13 of Combiner Force premiered on Cartoon Network UK weeks before they premiered in the US.
**Episodes 14-17 of Combiner Force premiered on Teletoon several weeks before their US release air dates.
**''Just'' pipping the US to the post, the final two episodes of the series aired in the United Kingdom a week in advance of their American broadcast dates.
*Further to [[Shout! Factory]]'s DVD release of the complete first season of Robots in Disguise in 2016, Shout! only released one further DVD featuring both two-part stories from the series' second season before dropping the series. This makes Robots in Disguise one of the few US-produced Transformers television series to not see a complete release on home video in the US. The series ''was'' granted a complete release on home video in Australia, across individual volumes, by [[Beyond Home Entertainment]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers Adventure''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā'', season 1), '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron-''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō-'', season 2), '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron- New Enemies''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- 新たなる敵 ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō- Aratanaru Teki'', "season 2½")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers: Roboti v utajení''''' ("Transformers: Robots in Disguise")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers Robots in Disguise : Mission Secrète''''' ("Transformers Robots in Disguise: Secret Mission")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers: Getarnte Roboter''''' ("Transformers: Disguised Robots")
*''Korean:'' '''''Transformers Adventure''''' (트랜스포머 어드벤처 ''Teuraenseupomeo Eodeubencheo'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Lǐngxiù de Tiǎozhàn''''' (变形金刚：领袖的挑战, "Transformers: Leader's Challenge")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery: Roboty pod prikrytiyem''''' (Трансформеры: Роботы под прикрытием, "Transformers: Robots in Disguise")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvMHCfwLXJRYIRyiyKJx2B_pXPf8PdvPt Complete ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' playlist on YouTube]
*[http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/hasbro-to-launch-transformers-robots-in-disguise-series-in-spring-2015-exclusive-1201219103/ ''Variety: Hasbro to Launch ‘Transformers: Robots in Disguise’ Show in Spring 2015'']
*[https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=683133768423487 SDCC footage]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)}}
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2015) media| ]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Prime (cartoon)

2025-07-31T14:50:50Z

1levichurch: /* Production */

{{Nav-Prime}}

[[Image:TransformersPrimePremierePoster.jpg|thumb|300px|We finally have toys... we think.]]
'''''Transformers: Prime''''' is a multiple Daytime Emmy Award-winning [[computer-generated imagery|computer-animated]] television series that premiered on [[Hub Network|The Hub]] on [[November 26]], [[2010]] with a five-part mini-series, which was followed by a season of another 21 episodes beginning on [[February 11]], [[2011]]. Season 2 began screening [[February 18]], [[2012]], and a third season of thirteen episodes with the subtitle ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)#Season 3: Beast Hunters|Beast Hunters]]'' began screening on [[March 22]], [[2013]]. ''[[Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising]]'', a TV movie, concluded the show on [[October 4]], 2013.

The Canadian broadcast of the series has been undertaken by Corus Entertainment, and the show aired on Teletoon from [[January 9]], 2011 to [[August 16]], 2013, with the TV movie Predacons Rising premiering on [[November 15]], 2013.

The series premiered in the UK on [[September 5]], 2011 on [[Cartoon Network]]'s "[[Action Heroes]]" block. It began airing in Japan on [[April 7]], 2012 on [[TV Aichi]].

A follow-up series called ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' aired from early 2015 to late 2017.

==Story==
[[Team Prime]] lives on [[Earth]], three years after their last confrontation with [[Decepticon]]s. [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|Autobot Central Command]] is located in a converted [[missile]] silo in [[Nevada]] provided by the [[United States of America|United States]] government, with Special Agent [[William Fowler]] acting as their liaison. However, the presence of [[Transformer]]s on Earth is not generally known among the civilian population.

When the Decepticons resurface, the Autobots take three teenage witnesses, [[Jack Darby]], [[Miko Nakadai]], and [[Raf Esquivel]] under their protection. [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] returns, having discovered [[Dark Energon]], which grants him the power to resurrect the dead, but is injured, with [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] taking command in his absence. After Megatron's revival, Starscream flees after repeatedly showing he is unable to prove his loyalty to the [[Decepticon leader]].

The Autobots and Decepticons eventually make the startling discovery that Earth is in fact the body of [[Unicron]], forcing them to ally and prevent his consciousness from reasserting control over the planet. [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] unleashes the [[Matrix of Leadership]], but at the cost of losing his memory, thereby allowing Megatron to manipulate him into joining the Decepticons' ranks. By using information from [[Vector Sigma]] downloaded to the [[Key to Vector Sigma|Key]], Jack restores Optimus's memory.

The Autobots also contend with the human terrorist organization, [[MECH]], headed by former military operative Leland Bishop, aka [[Silas]], who targets the Cybertronians for their technology, capturing [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]], [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], and Starscream for parts, and building a [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|doppelgänger]] controlled by Silas. In the ensuing confrontation, Silas is fatally injured, forcing MECH to graft him into Breakdown. With this new body, Silas destroys his own organization and attempts to join the Decepticons, only to become [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]]'s new dissection study.

The Autobots and Decepticons' struggle becomes a competition for Cybertronian artifacts strewn across the planet, which turn out to have been placed there by [[Alpha Trion]], who foresaw the Autobots coming to Earth. Trion also orders them to find the [[Omega Key]]s, which will activate the [[Omega Lock]] and restore Cybertron. Though the keys are successfully gathered, Megatron gains possession of them and attempts to use the Omega Lock to [[cyberforming|cyberform]] Earth, forcing Optimus to destroy the Lock to save Earth.

Megatron responds by destroying the Autobot base, and Optimus is mortally wounded staying behind to ensure everyone else escapes through the [[GroundBridge]]. From his newly erected fortress [[Darkmount (Earth)|Darkmount]], Megatron reestablishes contact with [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]], learning the scientist has cloned a [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]] for the intent of hunting down the Autobots. The Autobots regroup following [[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]]'s arrival, while [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] restores Optimus with the [[Forge of Solus Prime]].

After destroying Darkmount, the status quo is restored, with the Autobots based at a [[Unit:E]] [[Hangar E|facility]], while the Decepticons retreat to orbit Earth in the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'' once more. The Autobots learn of Project Predacon and race the Decepticons for the location of Predacon fossils, to prevent Shockwave from cloning more of the beasts. Ultimately, Megatron manipulates the Autobots into destroying the project when he discovers [[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]] is intelligent, and therefore a potential power rival. Instead, he turns his attentions to rebuilding the Omega Lock.

After the Decepticons kidnap [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] to help in their plan, the Autobots assault the ''Nemesis'' and capture the ship, killing Megatron before he can use the Omega Lock to cyberform Earth. The Autobots use the Omega Lock to restore Cybertron and settle back on their homeworld. The new peace doesn't last, as Cybertron's revival reawakens the slumbering Unicron, who takes Megatron's lifeless body as his own and seeks to destroy Primus. As Optimus retrieves the [[AllSpark]], Autobots, Decepticons, and Predacons unite under Bumblebee and Predaking to face the Chaos Bringer in defense of their home. Optimus sacrifices himself to seal away Unicron and restore the AllSpark to its rightful place while Megatron disbands the Decepticons and goes into self-imposed exile.

==Cast==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
;Main Cast
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] ([[Frank Welker]]<ref>''Frank Welker records actual words written for Bumblebee which are later replaced with sound effects.'' -- Revealed in "The Autobits Edition" of [[Darkmount, NV|episode 53]].</ref>/[[Will Friedle]])
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] ([[Jeffrey Combs]])
*[[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] ([[Sumalee Montano]])
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] ([[Kevin Michael Richardson]])
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] ([[James Horan]])
*[[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] ([[Nolan North]])
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Michael Ironside]])

;Others
*[[Alpha Trion]] ([[George Takei]])
*[[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Dwayne Johnson]]/ [[Billy Brown]]/Frank Welker)
*[[Tailgate (Prime)|Tailgate]] ([[Josh Keaton]])

|c2=
;Main Cast
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] ([[Steve Blum]])
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] (Frank Welker)
**[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] ([[Daran Norris]])
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] ([[David Sobolov]])
*[[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] ([[Gina Torres]])
*[[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]] ([[Adam Baldwin]])
*[[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] ([[Tony Todd]])

;Others
*[[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] ([[Richard Green]]/Frank Welker)
*[[Makeshift (Prime)|Makeshift]] (Kevin Michael Richardson)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (Various)
*[[Decepticon Miner]]s (Kevin Michael Richardson)
*[[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticons]] (Various)
**[[Hardshell]] ([[David Kaye]])
**[[Bombshock (Prime)|Bombshock]] (Steve Blum)

|c3=
;Main Cast
*[[Jack Darby]] (Josh Keaton)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] ([[Tania Gunadi]])
*[[Raf Esquivel]] ([[Andy Pessoa]])
*[[William Fowler]] ([[Ernie Hudson]])

;Others
*[[Silas]] ([[Clancy Brown]])
*[[June Darby]] ([[Markie Post]])
*[[Sierra]] ([[Alexandra Krosney]])
*[[Vince]] ([[Brad Raider]])
*[[Bryce|General Bryce]] ([[Robert Forster]])
*[[Vogel]] ([[John DiMaggio]])

|c4=
*[[Unicron]] ([[John Noble]])
*[[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|Nemesis Prime]] (Peter Cullen/Clancy Brown)
*[[Trypticon (WFC)|''Nemesis'']] (Kevin Michael Richardson)
*[[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcons]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Scraplet]]s
|h5=[[Predacon (Prime)|Predacons]]|c5=
*[[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]] ([[Peter Mensah]])
*[[Darksteel (Prime)|Darksteel]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Skylynx (Prime)|Skylynx]] (Nolan North)
|nonumbering=true}}

==Episodes==
{{see|List of Prime episodes}}
===Season 1===
{{columnlist|3|
#[[Darkness Rising, Part 1]]
#[[Darkness Rising, Part 2]]
#[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]
#[[Darkness Rising, Part 4]]
#[[Darkness Rising, Part 5]]
#[[Masters & Students]]
#[[Scrapheap (episode)|Scrapheap]]
#[[Con Job]]
#[[Convoy (episode)|Convoy]]
#[[Deus ex Machina]]
#[[Speed Metal]]
#[[Predatory]]
#[[Sick Mind]]
#[[Out of His Head]]
#[[Shadowzone (episode)|Shadowzone]]
#[[Operation: Breakdown]]
#[[Crisscross (episode)|Crisscross]]
#[[Metal Attraction]]
#[[Rock Bottom]]
#[[Partners (Prime)|Partners]]
#[[T.M.I.]]
#[[Stronger, Faster]]
#[[One Shall Fall]]
#[[One Shall Rise, Part 1]]
#[[One Shall Rise, Part 2]]
#[[One Shall Rise, Part 3]]
}}

===Season 2===
{{columnlist|3|
#[[Orion Pax, Part 1]]
#[[Orion Pax, Part 2]]
#[[Orion Pax, Part 3]]
#[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 1]]
#[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 2]]
#[[Loose Cannons]]
#[[Crossfire (Prime)|Crossfire]]
#[[Nemesis Prime (episode)|Nemesis Prime]]
#[[Grill (episode)|Grill]]{{dag|red}}
#[[Armada (episode)|Armada]]
#[[Flying Mind]]
#[[Tunnel Vision (episode)|Tunnel Vision]]
#[[Triangulation]]
#[[Triage (episode)|Triage]]
#[[Toxicity]]
#[[Hurt]]
#[[Out of the Past]]
#[[New Recruit]]
#[[The Human Factor]]
#[[Legacy (episode)|Legacy]]
#[[Alpha/Omega]]
#[[Hard Knocks]]
#[[Inside Job]]
#[[Patch (episode)|Patch]]{{dag|red}}
#[[Regeneration (Prime)|Regeneration]]
#[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]
}}

===Season 3: Beast Hunters===
{{columnlist|3|
#[[Darkmount, NV]]
#[[Scattered]]
#[[Prey (episode)|Prey]]
#[[Rebellion (Prime)|Rebellion]]
#[[Project Predacon]]
#[[Chain of Command (Prime)|Chain of Command]]
#[[Plus One (Prime)|Plus One]]
#[[Thirst]]
#[[Evolution]]
#[[Minus One]]
#[[Persuasion]]
#[[Synthesis]]
#[[Deadlock (episode)|Deadlock]]
}}

===TV movie===
*''[[Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising]]''

{{dag|red}} ''[[Clip show]]''

==Production==
[[Image:TFP montage poster.jpg|thumb|GET OFF MY FACE!!!]]
After the [[live-action film series]], screenwriters [[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]] signed to become show runners with [[Jeff Kline]] and [[Duane Capizzi]] of The Hub's ''Transformers'' cartoon, explaining the TV show would not have the constraints of a two-hour film in delving into the mythology.<ref name="botcon2011">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2011-transformers-prime-panel-172315/ TFW coverage of Hasbro Studios panel at BotCon 2011]</ref> (Orci's employees [[Steven Puri]] and [[Mandy Safavi]] were also credited as producers.)<ref name="castcrewlist">[http://tformers.com/transformers-exclusive-transformers-prime-voice-cast-revealed-which-includes-the-rock/14278/news.html TFormers cast and crew announcement] including Dwayne Johnson exclusive.</ref> The show runners were given the "[[Binder of Revelation]]", a near 400-page [[production bible]] that [[Hasbro]] had been working on since the movies, that combined elements of the most popular [[continuity|continuities]].<ref>[http://collider.com/roberto-orci-jeff-kline-interview-transformers-prime/75039/ Collider transcript]</ref> The show's title was based on the desire to create a master continuity and a literal {{w|Earth Prime|Prime continuity}}.<ref name="botcon2011"/> Whereas the movies were about a [[Sam Witwicky|boy]] and his [[Bumblebee (Movie)|car]], the dynamic between the kids and the robots on the show was meant to be more like ''{{w|The Iron Giant}}''.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21Pb3MeUDdY Roundtable interview with ''Prime'' staff at BotCon 2011]</ref>

The writing staff was headed by Capizzi, with [[Marsha Griffin]] as the story editor. The staff consists of [[Nicole Dubuc]], [[Joseph Kuhr]], and [[Steven Melching]]. Kline said they wanted the show to be very cinematic, with tension, suspense, and danger (as marked by Cliffjumper's death in the pilot) as children are more media savvy than they were in the past. Regardless, they had to be considerate as the show still had a broad audience.<ref>[http://parrygamepreserve.com/newsDetail.php?jID=1642 PGP January 2011 Q&A]</ref> As part of the [[aligned continuity family]] with ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|War for Cybertron]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Exodus|Exodus]]'', the producers strove to maintain many of the common elements (e.g. Optimus and Megatron's past friendship, Dark Energon's origins as [[Unicron]]'s blood, [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] sharing his film counterpart's backstory), but were allowed contradictions if it served the storytelling. By using the mammoth story bible, the writers could plan events years in advance. The large number of episodes per season meant they could pace and establish characters during season 1 slowly, while saving the more momentous, less stand alone episodes that delved into the backstory for season 2. Some of the plot ideas (namely the [[Terrorcon (Prime)|zombie robots]]) were based on stories they came up with when playing with the [[The Transformers (toyline)|toys]] as kids.<ref name="botcon2011"/> [[Bob Skir]] has written some episodes.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/9248/20/ Allspark.com coverage of Shout and Hasbro's "Evolution of Transformers Animation" panel at 2011's Comic-Con.]</ref>

Designers include [[Christophe Vacher]] (colors), [[Vince Toyama]] and [[Jevon Bue]] (backgrounds), and [[Jose Lopez]] (lead character designer). Vacher wanted to do something different from traditional animation and saw something edgy about ''Prime''.<ref name="botcon2011"/> According to [[Ken Christiansen]], the show's characters were formed by [[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Studios]] hiring freelance conceptual artists like himself. The submitted artwork was given Lopez's staff to be examined, and they incorporated the ideas they liked best.<ref>[http://badflipblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/me-and-transformers-prime.html August 2010 blog post by Ken Christiansen]</ref> Other concept artists include [[Augusto Barranco]] and [[Walter Gatus]].

Supervising director [[Dave Hartman]] headed a team including [[Todd Waterman]], [[Shaunt Nigoghossian]], [[Vinton Heuck]], and [[Kirk Van Wormer]]. [[Polygon Pictures]] provided the [[computer-generated imagery|CG animation]], for which [[Digitalscape]] performed a recruitment drive for before the show began production.<ref>[http://www.dsp.co.jp/pr/contents/000178.html Announcement on Digitalscape, also asking for job applicants.]</ref> Lopez said the animation would be a "groundbreaking mix of 2D animation and CGI".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/san-diego-comic-con-33/jose-lopez-breaks-the-silence-talks-about-transformers-prime-at-san-diego-comic-con-2010-170217/ Jose Lopez speaks about Prime's animation style]</ref> Each character has three CG models: the robot mode, their alternate mode, and one for the transformation.<ref>[http://www.cybertron.ca/boards/showthread.php?t=29224 Cybertron.ca January 2011 Q&A]</ref> Lopez said the designs were personality driven, and that the 3D animation allowed them to go "crazy" with the transformation schemes. In contrast, the characters were given realistic textures,<ref>[http://www.asmzine.com/geekly-rewind/2011/02/07/hasbro-transformers-qa-bonus-round-answer/ ASM Geekly Rewind January 2011 Q&A]</ref> and are subject to battle damage during episodes.<ref name="botcon">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-prime-39/botcon-2010-transformers-prime-panel-coverage-170054/ Botcon 2010 Transformers Prime Panel Coverage]</ref> A show on the level of ''Prime'' would take two years to produce, but the animators only had ten months. Five episodes are animated at a time (hence the monthly gaps during the first season).<ref name="botcon2011"/>

[[Image:Beasthunters-logo1.png|300px|left]]
The staff had three years of story planned, but while writing it became clear that the escalating storylines made it impossible to maintain self-contained episodes and they burned through those planned three years within the second season. The idea of incorporating Beasts into the third season was a late idea.<ref>[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/10/25/transformers-prime-producer-talks-beasts-mythology-michael-bay/ ‘Transformers: Prime’ producer talks Beasts, mythology, Michael Bay]</ref> The ending of Season 2 was also changed to feature Optimus Prime being heavily damaged to set up the story of obtaining a new body in the third season.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=So it was a crazy meeting, but you know, we initially uh, I think the way season 2 ended as scripted as storyboarded it was wisping smoke from the Autobot base. Cut to black. And uh see ya next season. And what we sort of improvised in the meeting is, oh and they also wanted a new Optimus Prime to sell, a new body. So we said well look we were you know we were gonna open season 3 to show how everybody secretly escaped through secret passages that kind of thing and they on the run. But we said what if, brainstormed in the meeting with Jeff and I, oh what if we see Optimus' body lying in the rubble. He was the last one to leave, to make sure everybody else was safe and we leave him for dead. We see his eye blink out we see a destroyed hand sticking out of the rubble.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT6tvD6NyzY&t=14459s|name=Duane Capizzi|site=YouTube|year=2021|month=08|day=14}}</ref>

[[Susan Blu]] was the casting director, but was replaced as voice director by [[Jamie Simone]] following a death in her family.<ref>[http://tformers.com/transformers-sdcc-2010-the-hub-transformers-panel-1st-looks-at-prime-designs/13975/news.html Tformers.com's coverage of the SDCC Transformers Prime panel, July 22, 2010.]</ref> [[Brian Tyler]] composed the show's [[theme song]] and background music. [[Matthew Margeson]] served as music arranger. According to an interview with Tyler, the first five episodes of the series were scored "to picture" (i.e. writing music that syncs up to the on-screen action) while the rest made use of a music library containing variations on character, action, and suspense themes.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJrCglN2QMQ Brian Tyler - Transformers Prime HD Composer Interview - Lakeshore Records]</ref>

[[Rik Alvarez]] said in 2015 that ''Prime'' and Hasbro's design team had often clashed on story (the writers wanted more autonomy from the "[[Binder of Revelation]]" and Hasbro wanted a more streamlined franchise), which came to a head on ''Beast Hunters''. The show also went overbudget (each episode cost $1.6 million)<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-robots-disguise-prime-discussion/1053596-aligned-continuity-panel-tf-con-charlotte-5.html#post13037062 Aligned Continuity panel at TF Con Charlotte notes]</ref> and The Hub itself didn't have as many people as planned, dooming the show despite plans for a fourth year.<ref>Rik Alvarez panel, slide show - [http://sunnybutte.tumblr.com/post/131367083128/that-explains-a-lot-of-the-mess-that-was See fan photos]</ref><ref name="See fan photos">Rik Alvarez panel, slide show on Beast Hunters - [http://sunnybutte.tumblr.com/post/131368170623/and-if-you-were-wondering-why-beast-hunters-was See fan photos]</ref> Dropped plans included a S3 set mostly on Cybertron, with Maximals and Predacons in a 'wild west' set up <ref>[http://sunnybutte.tumblr.com/post/131384199723/hey-all-getting-a-lot-of-questions-about-those Fan report of panel]: "Actual Maximals and Predacons were set to appear on a revitalized Cybertron in Season 3 (he described it as a ‘taming the wild west’ setting)."</ref> and an idea for [[Star Seeker|pirates]] in S4.<ref name="See fan photos"/> In turn, this also derailed plans for a massive ''Avengers''-style crossover project for Hasbro properties, launching off the end of ''Prime'' called ''Unit:E'', which began as a [[Unit:E (issue)|one-off comic in 2011]], and had seeds planted in various episodes (implying Agent Fowler worked for [[Unit:E|Unit:E itself]], plus mentioning [[Skystriker (G.I. Joe)|Skystrikers]] and [[M.A.S.K.]]).

==Reception==
''Transformers: Prime'' has received widespread acclaim, even from outside of the Transformers fandom. Over the course of the show's run-time, it won nine Daytime Emmy Awards,<ref>[http://tformers.com/article.php?sid=15644 Transformers Prime Nabs 6 of 8 Hasbro Studios Daytime Emmys]</ref><ref>[http://hasbrostudios.com/news/page/title/transformers-prime-honored-with-two-emmy-awards Transformers Prime’ Honored With Two Daytime EMMY® Awards ]</ref><ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2013/05/01/three-early-wins-for-transformers-prime-at-the-2013-daytime-emmy-awards-177383 Three Early Wins For Transformers: Prime At The 2013 Daytime Emmy Awards ]</ref> two CINE Awards,<ref>[http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Four-Series-on-The-Hub-TV-Network-Win-2012-CINE-Golden-Eagle-Awards-20120709# Four Series on The Hub TV Network Win 2012 CINE Golden Eagle Awards]</ref> and was nominated for several more, as well as consistently ranking as one of the Hub's most popular programs. Within the fandom, the show quickly won fans over, an impressive feat for the chronological successor to the widely loved ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''. Qualities particularly celebrated include the cinematography, visuals and animation, voice acting (including the return of [[Peter Cullen]] and [[Frank Welker]] to the roles of Optimus Prime and Megatron, something the actors themselves rejoiced over), and characterization. There is also a great deal of praise given to the serious, more mature storytelling of ''Prime'' that had not been attempted in Transformers media since ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]''. For all of these reasons, it is usually considered one of the best Transformers cartoons.

That said, the show is not ''universally'' loved, and not just because [[GEEWUN|Bumblebee was better when he could speak]]. In the second season, the show's aforementioned budget problems were the cause of some of the most common complaints: in addition to necessitating ''two'' [[clip show]]s (an all-but-extinct concept in cartoons in the 2010s), the cashflow crisis caused several plot threads to suddenly be dropped or truncated in order to shrink the cast; [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]] and [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] were abruptly killed or written out (respectively) despite being a feature of active subplots in order to eliminate the cost of their celebrity voice actors, as were characters performed by actors that were not part of the "main" cast, like [[Silas]], [[Hardshell]], and [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]]. Other complaints focused on the lack of buildup or foreshadowing for certain major threats like [[Unicron]] and the Predacons; in the case of the latter, former Hasbro employee [[Rik Alvarez]] confirmed that this was the result of Hasbro staff changes forcefully altering the direction of the show from what was intended.<ref name="tfcon1">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-robots-disguise-prime-discussion/1053596-aligned-continuity-panel-tf-con-charlotte-post13037062.html Notes from the TFCon Charlotte panel] at TFW2005.</ref> Another criticism had been made towards the lack of weight given to character deaths beyond Cliffjumper, usually resulting in anticlimax. A minority also lamented that the expensive animation budgeted the number of character models they could render, and thus led to a relatively small cast and an isolated setting, not unlike ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''.

==Awards and nominations==
===2011 Daytime Emmy Awards===
*Outstanding Performer In An Animated Program - [[Peter Cullen]] as [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]]
*Outstanding Directing In An Animated Program - [[Dave Hartman|David Hartman]], Supervising Director; [[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]; [[Todd Waterman]]; [[Vinton Heuck]]; [[Susan Blu]], Voice Director
*Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation - [[Vince Toyama]], Background Designer '''(WINNER)'''
*Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation - [[Christophe Vacher]], Colour Designer '''(WINNER)'''
*Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction And Composition - [[Brian Tyler]]
*Outstanding Writing In Animation - [[Duane Capizzi]], Writer/Producer; [[Steven Melching]]; [[Nicole Dubuc]]; [[Joseph Kuhr]]; [[Marsha Griffin]]

===2012 Daytime Emmy Awards===
*Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing (Animation) - Robbi Smith, Dialogue Editor, Robert Poole II, Sound Effects Editor, Roy Braverman, Foley Editor
*Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing (Animation) - Ray Leonard, Re-Recording Mixer, Mike Bieriger, Re-Recording Mixer
*Outstanding Special Class Animated Program - [[Roberto Orci]], [[Stephen J. Davis|Stephen Davis]], [[Shuzo Shiota]], [[Alex Kurtzman]], [[Jeff Kline]], [[Duane Capizzi]], [[Mandy Safavi]], [[Rafael Ruthchild]], [[Shinji Santoh]], [[Meiko Sato]], [[Therese Trujillo]] '''(WINNER)'''
*Outstanding Directing in an Animated Program - [[Dave Hartman|David Hartman]], [[Vinton Heuck]], [[Shaunt Nigoghossian]], [[Todd Waterman]], [[Jamie Simone]]
*Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation - [[Christophe Vacher]] '''(WINNER)'''<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-prime-wins-one-daytime-emmy-award-also-nominated-in-four-other-categories/24811/ Hub Press Release for 2012 Daytime Emmy Nominations]</ref>

===2013 Daytime Emmy Awards===
*Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation - [[Jason Park]], background design for "Orion Pax, Part 3". '''(WINNER)'''
*Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation - [[Arato Kato]], character animation for "Hard Knocks". '''(WINNER)'''
*Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation - [[Kirk Van Wormer]], storyboard art for "Nemesis Prime". '''(WINNER)'''

===2014 Daytime Emmy Awards===
*Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation - [[Jose Lopez]], Character Design '''(WINNER)'''
*Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation - [[Yasuhiro Motoda]], Character Animator '''(WINNER)'''

==Japanese release==
[[Image:Transformers-Prime-Japan-Logo.png|center|300px]]

'''''Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Prime''''' (超ロボット生命体トランスフォーマープライム ''Chō Robot Seimeitai Transformers Prime'') began airing in Japan on [[TV Tokyo]] affiliate [[TV Aichi]], beginning [[April 7]], 2012, with an 8am Saturday morning timeslot (the same channel and timeslot as the previous two ''Transformers'' cartoons to air in Japan). It ended its 52-episode run on [[March 30]], 2013.

To reflect Takara's unique marketing strategy for the toyline—the prominent gimmick of the non-show [[Arms Micron]]s—the series included CGI-animated cartoon shorts starring those little robots, called "[[Arms Micron Theater]]", at the end of every episode. The shorts centered around the Arms Microns maintaining an undercover presence amongst the Autobots, who are not even aware that their weapons are alive.

Another additional segment titled "[[From the Cybertron Satellite, Transformers Division]]", hosted by the popular J-pop idol group, [[Tokyo Girls' Style]], was also tacked onto each episode. These segments featured the idol girls interacting with [[Vector Sigma]] in order to relay important facts about the ''Transformers'' franchise to the audience. These facts usually involved promoting the newest toys and merchandise available as well as offering tutorials on how to transform the toys (much like the [[Otoboto family]] segments from ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'').

Due to the longer [[title sequence]] and end credits, as well as the two additional bonus segments, each episode had approximately three minutes of content removed for time constraints. Many of these edits were to reduce environment pans or establishing shots. However, as the show was reworked to appeal to a younger audience (as all Western ''Transformers'' cartoons are when localized for Japan), the violence during the fight sequences was edited for content.

Like all Japanese dubs of Western ''Transformers'' cartoons, transformation commands were added, such as shouting "Transform!" Additionally, whenever a character popped their weapon out of their hands/arms, they screamed "Arms Up!" Text was overlayed on the screen whenever a character first appeared in each episode, providing their name and function. In addition, promotional text for various ''Transformers''-specific campaigns from TakaraTomy scrolled by over the episode as things were happening, which could be kind of... distracting.

Like the dubs of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'', ''Beast Wars Metals'', ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars Returns]]'', and ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'', the localization of ''Prime'' was headed up by [[Yoshikazu Iwanami]]. As is his way, Yoshikazu had the humor ratcheted up considerably. Self-aware, Fourth Wall-breaking jokes were added. An example occurs as early as the end of "[[Darkness Rising, Part 2]]", when the manipulator arm turns into a spider-like creature and starts crawling around. In the dub, Ratchet thinks he hears the audience telling him to watch his back, but brushes their concerns off as unimportant.

Characters were also fundamentally altered to be more humorously quirky. [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]], for example, was changed into a female parody of {{w|Pepé Le Pew}}; boy-crazy and single-mindedly amorous in her pursuit of [[Jack Darby|Jack]]. As with Yoshikazu's previous efforts, ad-libbing was utilized extensively to soften tension and suspense; the characters talk ''a lot''.

On [[August 12]], 2012, TV Tokyo aired the "[[Transformers Prime Perfect Transformation Late Night 2-Hour Special]]" hosted by [[Chisato Mori]], [[Nozomi Furuki]] and [[Yūki Tai]]. The special featured a recap of "[[Darkness Rising, Part 1]]" thru "[[Rock Bottom]]", brand new "From the Cybertron Satellite, Transformers Division" and "Arms Micron Theater" segments, various cast interviews and commentary, and a special comparison between the original English language version of "[[Predatory]]" and the radically different Japanese language version.<ref>[http://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/toy/event/2012/tv-tokyo/ Official TakaraTomy ad site for the TV special]</ref>

The Japanese version of ''Prime'' only ran for 52 episodes (the first two seasons of the original English language version). "[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]" was edited and reworked to function as a series finale. This mainly involved rescripting the ending and cutting the cliffhanger so as to give the show a more ambiguously positive send off; Optimus Prime valiantly holding the line as Megatron looms over him in the Nemesis. The ''Beast Hunters'' era of the ''Prime'' franchise was rebranded by TakaraTomy as a new franchise, '''''[[Triple Combination: Transformers Go! (franchise)|Triple Combination: Transformers Go!]]'''''. While the ''Beast Hunters'' toys were marketed and sold in Japan, it is unlikely that the remaining 13 episodes of ''Prime'' and the ''[[Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising]]'' film will ever be released in Japan.

The [[theme song]]s are:
*OP 1: "[[FEELING]]" by [[BIGBANG]]
*ED 1: "[[I Believe in All]]" by [[CLUTCHO]]
*OP 2: "[[TRANSFORMERZ]]" by [[m-flo]]
*ED 2: "[[A Little Bit]]" by [[CLUTCHO]]
*OP 3: "TRANSFORMERZ (version 2.0)" by [[m-flo]] feat. Ken Oshima
*ED 3: "[[Discord (song)|Discord]]" by [[Tokyo Girls' Style]]

==Home video releases==
{{main|Transformers: Prime (cartoon)/home video}}
;United States
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Darkness Rising (2011)<ref>[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Transformers-Prime-Darkness-Rising/15916 Press release: Transformers Prime - 'Darkness Rising', the Newest Program's Original 5-Part Mini-Series, Announced!]</ref>
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Hub promotional DVD [Walmart Exclusive] Includes 3 episodes (2011)<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-prime-39/special-transformers-prime-dvd-released-at-walmart-173588/ Transformers Prime DVD released at Walmart]</ref>
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Season One (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - One Shall Stand (2012)<ref>http://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Prime-One-Shall-Stand/dp/B007RMQ4H2</ref>
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Season Two (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Dawn of the Beast [Target Exclusive] (2013)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Predacons Rising (2013)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Season Three (2013)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Ultimate Bumblebee (2014)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Ultimate Autobots (2014)

;Germany
*''Transformers: Prime'' #1 - Die dunkle Macht erhebt sich (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #2 - Meister und Schüler (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #3 - Nur dieses eine Mal (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #4 - Die vierte Dimension (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #5 - Metallische Anziehung (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #6 - Die Prophezeiung (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' Staffel 1 (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #7 - Orion Pax (2013)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #8 - Der falsche Prime (2013)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #9 - Angriff auf Megatron (2013)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #10 - Bulkheads Mission (2013)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #11 - Die Omega-Schlüssel (2013)
*''Transformers: Prime'' #12 - Die Entscheidung (2014)
*''Transformers: Prime - Beast Hunters'' - Schlacht um Darkmount (2015)

;Australia
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Volume 1: Darkness Rising (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Volume 2: Unfamiliar Enemies (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Volume 3: Alien Threat (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Volume 4: Strength in Numbers (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Volume 5: One Shall Fall, One Shall Rise (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Season 2, Volume 1: Orion Pax (2013) <ref>http://www.madman.com.au/series/home/17523</ref>

;France
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Saison 1, Volume 1 - Le retour des Decepticons (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Saison 1, Volume 2 - Terrain miné (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Saison 1, Volume 3 - L'attaque des Decepticons (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Saison 1, Volume 4 - Une alliance inattendue (2012)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Saison 1, Volume 5 - Un seul vaincra (2013)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Saison 2, Volume 1 - Orion Pax (2014)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Saison 2, Volume 2 - Nemesis Prime (2014)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Saison 2, Volume 3 - La course aux reliques (2014)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Saison 2, Volume 4 - Bataille épique (2014)
*''Transformers: Prime - Beast Hunters'' - Saison 3, Volume 1 - Le règne de Megatron (2015)
*''Transformers: Prime - Beast Hunters'' - Saison 3, Volume 2 - L'ultime affrontement (2015)
*''Transformers: Prime - Beast Hunters'' - Predacons Rising (2015)

*''Transformers: Prime'' - Intégrale Saison 1 (2014)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Intégrale Saison 2 (2015)
*''Transformers: Prime'' - Intégrale Saison 3, inclus le film "Predacons Rising" (2015)

==Soundtrack==
{{main|Transformers Prime: Music from the Animated Series}}

==Notes==
*Unlike most ''Transformers'' shows, episodes do not have an episode title card. Episode titles are from [[Hub Network|The Hub]] website.
*The series has also been advertised as '''''Transformers: Prime - The Animated Series'''''.
*The show was said to be "rightfully huge" at the [[BotCon 2010]] panel.<ref name="tformersbotcon10">[http://tformers.com/article.php?sid=13779 BotCon 2010 - Hasbro Studios Panel - Bucket Head is Back!]</ref> Later, at the Hasbro designers' panel, the [[Thirteen|Thirteen original Transformers]] were described as being "rightfully huge".<ref>[http://tformers.com/article.php?sid=13797 BotCon 2010 Hasbro designers' panel.]</ref>
*Executive Producer [[Jeff Kline]] confirmed they talked about producing a theatrical ''Prime'' film.<ref>[http://tformers.com/transformers-botcon-2011-transformers-prime-interview-with-executive-producer-jeff-kline/15863/news.html TFormers BotCon 2011 interview with Kline]</ref>
*The ''Prime'' show was originally intended to kickstart "[[Unit:E]]", a massive shared universe involving several largely-forgotten Hasbro properties. These included ''[[Jem]]'', ''[[M.A.S.K.]]'', ''[[Inhumanoids]]'', ''Stretch Armstrong'', and even ''Candyland''(!), which would later unite in an ''Avengers''-style crossover.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-robots-disguise-prime-discussion/1053596-aligned-continuity-panel-tf-con-charlotte-4.html#post13037062 TF2005.com] "More tidbits from a friend of mine who took notes at the panel: ... TFP was going to lead into a massive Avengers style Unit: E crossover to jumpstart the other brands participating. Ratchet and Fowler from TFP; Duke from GI Joe; Synergy from Jem and the Holograms; Princess Lollipop from Candyland; also characters from MASK, Stretch Armstrong, Micronauts, Sectaurs, Primordia (the renamed Inhumanoids) and more."</ref> For one reason or another, this idea didn't pan out, so we'll forever be denied the sight of Optimus Prime battling against the nefarious Lord Licorice, although [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] would pick up the idea again several years later with ''[[Revolution]]''.

===Foreign names===
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Lǐngxiù zhī Zhèng''''' (China, 变形金刚：领袖之证, "Transformers: Proof of Leader", Season 1 & 2), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Shòu Mó zhī Zhàn''''' (China, 变形金刚：狩魔之战, "Transformers: War of Demon Hunting", Season 3, ''Beast Hunters'')
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Prime''''' (Same name translation of original name), '''''Transformers: Prime: Canavar Avcıları''''' ("Transformers: Prime: Beast Hunters")
*''Korean:'' '''''Teuraenseupomeo Peuraim''''' (트랜스포머 프라임, "Transformer Prime", Season 1 & 2), '''''Teuraenseupomeo Peuraim Biseuteu Heonteo''''' (트랜스포머 프라임 비스트 헌터, "Transformer Prime Beast Hunter")

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvMHCfwLXJRZGsGopibi04rx4ilDTc_1p Complete ''Transformers: Prime'' playlist on YouTube]
*[http://www.hubnetwork.com/shows/transformers-prime Hub Network page]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3iKDbKQwKI Behind the scenes video]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prime (cartoon)}}
[[Category:Prime media]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)

2025-07-30T09:12:33Z

1levichurch:

{{disambig3.5|the 2015 cartoon|the 2001 cartoon|Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise}}
{{Nav-rid2015}}
[[File:TFRID2015promoposter.jpg|300px|thumb|Now featuring more beast-hunting than [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)#Season 3: Beast Hunters|Beast Hunters]]!]]

'''''Transformers: Robots in Disguise''''' is an animated television series that acts as the sequel to ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''. Set three years after its predecessor, the show follows [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] as he travels back to [[Earth]] after the prison ship ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]'' crash-lands on the planet. Charged with rounding up the escaped [[Decepticon]] prisoners, he reluctantly takes command of a new team of [[Autobot]]s.

The show made its worldwide debut in late December 2014, with the first 13 episodes released as pay-to-view content on Chinese video streaming website [http://www.1905.com M1905]. The series subsequently debuted on Cartoon Network in numerous countries before the first 26-episode season finally premiered in the US on [[March 14]], [[2015]]. A second season of 13 episodes began screening on [[February 20]], 2016, followed by a 6-episode "mini-series"/"TV event" later in the year. The third and final season was rebranded as ''Combiner Force'', and ran for 26 episodes before concluding on November 11, 2017.

The Canadian broadcast of the series has been undertaken by Corus Entertainment, and the show aired on Teletoon from [[March 21]], 2015 to [[November 26]], 2017.

The mini-series has caused some confusion over how the seasons of ''Robots in Disguise'' should be counted. It was initially promoted as "season 3"<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmBE1YgV0yM Botcon 2016 - Q& A Interview with Hasbro Transformers Team]</ref> before viewers properly understood it was only six episodes in length, but when "Combiner Force" was announced, it was also treated as the third season.<ref>[http://comicbook.com/popculturenow/2016/10/06/exclusive-transformers-robots-in-disguise-renewed-for-season-3/ "Transformers: Robots In Disguise Renewed For Season 3," Comicbook.com]</ref> There has been no obvious consensus; Amazon and Roku group it in with season 2, while Netflix and the Transformers YouTube channel have labeled it season 3. For bookkeeping purposes, TFWiki refers to it as "Season 2½."

==Overview==
[[File:RID Season 2 Team.jpg|thumb|400px|CHEESE!]]
Three years after the end of the [[Great War (Prime)|Great War]], the Autobot prison ship ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]'' crashes on [[Earth]] near [[Crown City]], sparking a mass [[Decepticon]] jailbreak. Meanwhile, on a rebuilt [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], war veteran [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] is now working as a street cop, mentoring Cadet [[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]]. Bumblebee is alerted to the danger on Earth by a vision of a ghostly [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]], who directs them to a nearby [[space bridge]].

Bumblebee unwillingly finds himself accompanied to Earth by Strongarm, and the delinquent [[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]], where they encounter [[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]], sole caretaker of the former prison ship. They're joined by the ex-Decepticon prisoner [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]], [[human]] scrapyard owner [[Denny Clay]] and his son [[Russell Clay|Russell]]. Although he's not confident in his leadership abilities, Bumblebee nevertheless pledges to round up the inmates of the ''Alchemor''. Chief among the Decepticon threat is the charismatic [[Steeljaw (RID)|Steeljaw]], who seeks to organize the escaped prisoners into an [[Steeljaw's Pack|effective cabal]] to conquer the planet.

The first season had a "villain of the week" approach, in which most episodes would follow a pattern: it would feature a new Decepticon foe, usually with an animal-motif, that would prove to be a threat to the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]], only to be taken down by the end of the episode and be placed back into a [[stasis pod]]. Most Decepticons featured, barring those who became part of Steeljaw's Pack, had little-to-nothing to do with each other besides being ''Alchemor'' immates. Early episodes rarely deviated from this pattern, but this theme was effectively toned down in later seasons when larger, overarching threats came into play.

Most episodes also featured recurring subplots and running-gags focusing on certain characters: Bumblebee's trouble coming up with a [[Roll out|rallying cry]] and trouble leading his team in general, Strongarm and Sideswipe's rivalry with each other, Grimlock's difficulty finding an appropriate Earth disguise (because being a giant metal dinosaur would attract a lot of attention) and Fixit's glitching problem. These smaller stories would often affect the main plot, causing Bee's Team to face additional obstacles in several episodes.

Over the course of the first season, new Autobots bolster the ranks of the team, including the bounty hunter [[Drift (RID)|Drift]], his two Mini-Cons [[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] and [[Slipstream (RID)|Slipstream]], the mysterious [[Windblade (RID)|Windblade]], and finally Optimus Prime himself, returned to life by the [[Thirteen]] to defeat [[The Fallen|Megatronus]].

Season 2 sees Bumblebee's team split into two groups: an "away team" to search the world for far-ranging Decepticons while Bumblebee, Strongarm, Grimlock, and Fixit hold the fort near Crown City. Still recovering from his humiliating rout at the hands of Megatronus, Steeljaw allies with a mysterious group of Decepticons led by [[Saberhorn]], [[Glowstrike]] and [[Scorponok (WFC)|Scorponok]], operating out of the crashed ''Alchemor'', which they call "Decepticon Island". True to form, Steeljaw plots to rise through the ranks of this new army and seize control of the group for himself.

The second season features more frequent references to predecessor series ''Prime'' in an effort to forge a stronger sense of continuity between the two. Coinciding with this, the season sees the return of multiple regulars from ''Prime'' in special guest appearances: [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]], now partnered with a silent Mini-Con named [[Undertone]], and [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], still accompanied by [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]. This season also begins to drop the "villain of the week" theme, though it is still present, in favor of having a larger overarching threat in the form of Decepticon Island.

This season was also very [[To sell toys|toy-driven]] in that it featured several returning Decepticons from the first season, as well as new Mini-Con and Deployer characters, who had newly received toys. As such, Mini-Cons were also a big focus of this season, with at least one (besides Fix-It) appearing in every episode. Following the Season 2 proper, this trend would continue into a "mini-series" of sorts, referred to as "Season 3" by several official sources before the announcement of a full third season. This six-episode run sees the return of [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], who seeks the mysterious Mini-Con [[Weaponizer (RID)|Weaponizer]]s, who have reluctantly partnered with a group of Decepticon [[Scavengers (RID)|Scavengers]] searching Earth for abandoned Cybertronian relics.

The actual Season 3 is titled "Combiner Force". Bumblebee and his crew must harness the power of combination and form [[Ultra Bee]] in order to defeat the [[Stunticon (Prime)|Stunticon]]s. At the same time, Soundwave has sent a group of Minicons to steal the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]]'s Decepticon Hunters, with this subplot playing a small background role until the Stunticons are captured and returned to Cybertron by the end of the first half of the season. In order to keep the "Con of the Week" theme present after the Alchemor's departure, caches set up by Windblade after her arrival on Earth contain Decepticons who end up getting free and require recapture. Some filler episodes feature Decepticons who managed to escape the Alchemor before it left Earth. Others feature [[Shadow Raker|Decepticons]] [[Nightra|or]] [[Blastwave|others]] coming to Earth due to connections to members of the Bee Team or other reasons, the one exception being [[Flamesnort]] who was left on Earth during the Great War. This season also does a first and ties in with the ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Rescue Bots]]'' series by featuring the Rescue Bot [[Blurr (Prime)|Blurr]] for a few episodes.

Corruption on Cybertron, which had been building up conflict in the background for the entire series and has generally served as a way introduce new characters, seems to finally take the center stage during the second half of the season where mysterious benefactors on Cybertron free Steeljaw and his pack and grant them full pardons. They are sent back to Earth, where they ally with Soundwave and are tasked with capturing the Autobots. Steeljaw and the others make a grand return to Earth by nearly destroying the Scrapyard and forcing the Autobots and Clays to find a new base. By this point, the "villain of the week" approach is only used a few more times, but is otherwise abandoned in favor of having the Autobots face off against recurring teams of enemies such as the Stunticons and then Steeljaw's Pack. The tail end of the season also features the return of [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] from ''Prime'' as a temporary ally to the Bee Team.

The two-part series finale features the Bee Team returning to Cybertron to fight Steeljaw's benefactors, the new corrupt [[Autobot High Council|High Council]], who are revealed to be a group of Decepticons disguised as Autobots, led by [[Cyclonus (WFC)|Cyclonus]]. The Autobots once again form Ultra Bee to take down the Council's [[Galvatronus (RID)|combined form]], finally freeing Cybertron. Optimus decides not to lead Cybertron into this new era as he "is a leader of warriors", and decides to leave Ratchet in charge of the new temporary High Council, which is now to be composed of Bulkhead, Windblade and [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]], while the Bee Team returns to Earth as "ambassadors" to the planet.

==Main cast==
(Recurring characters only, in order of appearance.)
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
;Main Cast
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] ([[Will Friedle]])
*[[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]] ([[Constance Zimmer]])
*[[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]] ([[Darren Criss]])
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]] ([[Mitchell Whitfield]])
*[[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]] ([[Khary Payton]])
*[[Drift (RID)|Drift]] ([[Eric Bauza]])
**[[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] ([[Roger Craig Smith]])
**[[Slipstream (RID)|Slipstream]] (Roger Craig Smith)

;Other Recurring
*[[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] ([[Arif S. Kinchen]])
*[[Windblade (RID)|Windblade]] ([[Kristy Wu]], [[Erica Lindbeck‏]])
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] ([[Jeffrey Combs]])
** [[Undertone]]
*[[RoughEdge]]
*[[Blurr (Prime)|Blurr]] ([[Max Mittelman]])
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] ([[Kevin Michael Richardson]])
*[[Dropforge]] ([[David Sheinkopf]])

;Combined forms
*[[Ultra Bee]] (Will Friedle)

|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
;Main Antagonists
*[[Steeljaw (RID)|Steeljaw]] ([[Troy Baker]])
*[[The Fallen|Megatronus]] ([[Gil Gerard]])
*[[Saberhorn]] ([[Fred Tatasciore]])
*[[Scorponok (WFC)|Scorponok]] ([[Victor Brandt]])
*[[Glowstrike]] ([[Grey Griffin]])
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] ([[Steve Blum]])
*[[Motormaster (WFC)|Motormaster]] ([[Travis Willingham]])
*[[Cyclonus (WFC)|Cyclonus]] ([[Harry Lennix]])

;Major Recurring
*[[Underbite]] ([[Liam O'Brien]])
*[[Bisk (RID)|Bisk]] (Khary Payton)
*[[Chop Shop (RID)|Chop Shop]] ([[David Hunt]])
**[[Chop Shop (RID)|Righty]] (Will Friedle)
*[[Thunderhoof (RID)|Thunderhoof]] ([[Frank Stallone]])
*[[Springload (RID)|Springload]] ([[John Steven Rocha]])
*[[Quillfire (RID)|Quillfire]] ([[Andy Milder]])
*[[Clampdown (RID)|Clampdown]] ([[Jim Cummings]])
*[[Kickback (RID)|Kickback]] (Liam O'Brien)
*[[Paralon (RID)|Paralon]] ([[Jason Spisak]])
*[[Scatterspike (RID)|Scatterspike]] ([[Robin Weigert]])
*[[Thermidor]] (Jim Cummings)
*[[Clawtrap]] ([[André Sogliuzzo]])
*[[Heatseeker]] ([[Mikey Kelley]])
*[[Dragstrip (WFC)|Drag Strip]] ([[Maurice LaMarche]])
*[[Wildbreak]] ([[Dave Wittenberg]])
*[[Slashmark]] ([[David Kaye]])

{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}

;Other Recurring
*[[Fracture (RID)|Fracture]] ([[Kevin Pollak]])
**[[Airazor (RID)|Airazor]] (Roger Craig Smith)
**[[Divebomb (RID)|Divebomb]] (Khary Payton)
*[[Groundpounder (RID)|Groundpounder]] ([[John DiMaggio]])
*[[Overload (RID)|Overload]] ([[Dave Fennoy]])
**[[Backtrack (RID)|Backtrack]] (Steve Blum)
**[[Ransack (RID Mini-Con)|Ransack]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Crazybolt (RID)|Crazybolt]] ([[James Arnold Taylor]])
**[[Slicedice]] ([[Gary Anthony Williams]])
*[[Simacore]] ([[Matthew Yang King]])
*[[Shadelock]] ([[Kirk Thornton]])
*[[Razorhorn]]
*[[Skyjack (RID)|Skyjack]]
*[[Treadshock]]
*[[Riotgear]]
*[[Cyberwarp]] ([[Brooke Goldner]])

;Combined forms
*[[Dragbreak]] (Maurice LaMarche)
*[[Heatmark]] (Mikey Kelley)
*[[Menasor (RID)|Menasor]] (Travis Willingham)
*[[Galvatronus (RID)|Galvatronus]] (Harry Lennix)
{{!}}}

|c3=
'''Main Cast'''
*[[Denny Clay]] ([[Ted McGinley]])
*[[Russell Clay]] ([[Stuart Allan]])

'''Other Recurring'''
*[[Butch (RID)|Butch]] (Will Friedle)
*[[Hank]] ([[Bailey Gambertoglio]])
*[[Arnold]] (Troy Baker, James Arnold Taylor)
*[[Casey (RID)|Casey]] ([[Kate Bond]])
*[[Hermit]] ([[Trevor Devall]])

|c4=
'''Thirteen'''
*[[Micronus Prime|Micronus]] ([[Adrian Pasdar]])

'''Weaponizer Mini-Cons'''
*[[Buzzstrike]] ([[Rick Pasqualone]])
*[[Sawtooth (RID)|Sawtooth]] ([[Crispin Freeman]])
*[[Aerobolt]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Tricerashot]] ([[Robbie Rist]])
*[[Windstrike]]
*[[Bashbreaker]]
*[[Lancelon]]

'''Activator Mini-Cons'''
*[[Stuntwing]]
*[[Trickout]]
*[[Hi-Test (RID)|Hi-Test]]
*[[Goldgear]]
|nonumbering=true}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Robots in Disguise (2015) episodes}}
===Season 1===
{{collist|3|
#"[[Pilot (Part 1)]]"
#"[[Pilot (Part 2)]]"
#"[[Trust Exercises]]"
#"[[More than Meets the Eye (RID)|More than Meets the Eye]]"
#"[[W.W.O.D.?]]"
#"[[As the Kospego Commands!]]"
#"[[Collect 'Em All]]"
#"[[True Colors]]"
#"[[Rumble in the Jungle]]"
#"[[Can You Dig It?]]"
#"[[Adventures in Bumblebee-Sitting!]]"
#"[[Hunting Season]]"
#"[[Out of Focus]]"
#"[[Sideways (episode)|Sideways]]"
#"[[Even Robots Have Nightmares]]"
#"[[Some Body, Any Body]]"
#"[[One of Our Mini-Cons Is Missing]]"
#"[[Deep Trouble (RID)|Deep Trouble]]"
#"[[The Champ]]"
#"[[The Trouble with Fixit]]"
#"[[Lockout]]"
#"[[Similarly Different]]"
#"[[The Buzz on Windblade]]"
#"[[Ghosts and Impostors]]"
#"[[Battlegrounds, Part 1]]"
#"[[Battlegrounds, Part 2]]"
}}

===Season 2===
{{collist|3|
#"[[Overloaded, Part 1]]"
#"[[Overloaded, Part 2]]"
#"[[Metal Meltdown]]"
#"[[Suspended]]"
#"[[Cover Me]]"
#"[[Brainpower]]"
#"[[Misdirection]]"
#"[[Bumblebee's Night Off]]"
#"[[Impounded]]"
#"[[Portals]]"
#"[[Graduation Exercises]]"
#"[[Decepticon Island (Part 1)]]"
#"[[Decepticon Island (Part 2)]]"
}}

===Season 2½=== 
{{collist|3|
#"[[History Lessons]]"
#"[[Strongarm's Big Score]]"
#"[[Pretzel Logic]]"
#"[[Mighty Big Trouble]]"
#"[[Mini-Con Madness (RID)|Mini-Con Madness]]"
#"[[Worthy]]"
}}

===Season 3: Combiner Force===
{{collist|3|
#"[[King of the Hill (Part 1)]]"
#"[[King of the Hill (Part 2)]]"
#"[[Defrosted]]"
#"[[Blurred]]"
#"[[Sphere of Influence]]"
#"[[Bee Cool]]"
#"[[The Great Divide]]"
#"[[Get a Clue]]"
#"[[Out of the Shadows]]"
#"[[Disordered Personalities]]"
#"[[Guilty As Charged]]"
#"[[The Golden Knight]]"
#"[[The Fastest Bot Alive!]]"
#"[[Railroad Rage]]"
#"[[Combine and Conquer]]"
#"[[Moon Breaker]]"
#"[[Exiles]]"
#"[[Breathing Room]]"
#"[[Prepare for Departure]]"
#"[[Prisoner Principles]]"
#"[[Collateral Damage]]"
#"[[Something He Ate]]"
#"[[Sick as a Bot]]"
#"[[Five Fugitives]]"
#"[[Enemy of My Enemy (RID)|Enemy of My Enemy]]"
#"[[Freedom Fighters]]"
}}

===Shorts===
{{Collist|3|
#"[[Fixit Jam]]"
#"[[To Catch a Phrase]]"
#"[[Sticky Situation]]"
#"[[Carjacked!]]"
#"[[Perfect]]"
#"[[Knock, Knock!]]"
#"[[The Power of Dibs]]"
#"[[Back and Forth]]"
#"[[The Tragedy of Slipstream]]"
#"[[A Level Playing Field]]"
#"[[Two Plus Two Equals More]]"
}}

==Production==
Crew members returning from ''Prime'' include executive producer [[Jeff Kline]] and writer [[Steven Melching]], now story editor, and [[Mairghread Scott]], serving as Script Coordinator/Writer's Assistant.<ref>[http://mscottwrites.tumblr.com/post/93785539366/out-of-curiousity-are-you-going-to-be-part-of-the/ Mairghread's Tumblr Post]</ref> [[Adam Beechen]] serves as the producer. [[Kevin Manthei]] and [[Kevin Kiner]] serve as series composers.<ref>[http://kevinmantheimusic.tumblr.com/post/93347443424/the-secret-project-i-announced-earlier-can-be Kevin Manthei's Tumblr post]</ref> Once again, [[Polygon Pictures]] handled the animation,<ref>{{citesocial|quote=トランスフォーマーの新テレビシリーズ、タイトルが発表されました。2015年春放送開始。再びPPIで映像制作を担当しています。 http://t.co/DJL5QbVY8E|link=https://twitter.com/da_shooz/statuses/477375126682341376|name=Shuzo Shiota|site=Twitter|year=2014|month=06|day=13|(defunct=)}}</ref> with 2D animation duties handed off to [[GONZO]] and [[drop]]. Before ''Robots in Disguise'' was produced, work on a different follow up to ''Prime'' was developed that "had some interesting plans for Starscream".<ref>{{citesocial|quote=There was some initial development for a follow up series on Prime that Wayne and Jeff did, prior to what turned into Robots in Disguise and it had some interesting plans for Starscream.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9PNlsE0w10&t=706s|name=Steven Melching|site=YouTube|year=2019||month=11||day=24}}</ref>

==Reception==
As a sequel of sorts to the critically acclaimed and largely-beloved ''Transformers: Prime'' cartoon, ''Robots in Disguise'' initially debuted with some fanfare amongst the older segments of the ''Transformers'' fandom, particularly those who had joined the fandom ''because'' of the ''Prime'' cartoon. While some aspects of the show—including an artstyle that allowed for more flexible and dynamic animation, a decreased focus on the Autobots' human sidekicks, and the creative designs and personalities of the animalistic Decepticons—were well received by the fandom, fans hoping to see the majority of the ''Prime'' cast return found themselves disappointed by the first season's general disinterest in referencing ''anything'' related to the ''Prime'' cartoon. The lighthearted tone of ''Robots in Disguise'' stood in stark contrast to the darker direction of ''Prime''.

For fans coming off the back of the heavily arc-driven storytelling of ''Prime'', the more traditional episodic format of ''Robots in Disguise'' was a disappointment: though later seasons did eventually experiment with various multi-episode story arcs, most episodes were self-contained "monster-of-the-week" stories involving a rogue Decepticon and the Bee Team's efforts to recapture the villain. In particular, the show's final season descended into the use of extremely rote kids' cartoon stock-plots (like mind-swaps, characters getting superpowers, and "teleporter accident" doubles), and often incorporated a heavy-handed B-plot involving one or more protagonists having to learn a lesson about teamwork, cooperation, or self-control (sometimes drawing strange equivalencies between them and the villain of the week), which did little but lower the show's already wobbly standing with the adult fandom.

Ultimately, while the reception of ''Robots in Disguise'' in the adult fandom was largely informed by comparisons to ''Prime'', it was still a success with children and (when taken on its own terms) has come to be regarded as a decent show, if not a particularly ambitious one. Several original characters such as Strongarm and Steeljaw have proven popular enough to make the jump into other ''Transformers'' media.

==Awards and nominations==
===2016 Daytime Emmy Awards===
*Outstanding Special Class Animated Program

==Japanese release==
''Robots in Disguise'' was released in Japan as two separately branded series. The "[[#Season 3: Combiner Force|Combiner Force]]" arc was not dubbed in Japan.

===''Transformers Adventure''===
[[Image:TransformersAdventureJapaneseLogo.jpg|300px|right]]

'''''Transformers Adventure''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā'') aired on the satellite network [[Animax]] with a Sunday, 9am timeslot. ''Adventure'' was the first Transformers cartoon to be relegated directly to satellite since ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release|Beast Wars Returns]]''. It premiered on [[March 15]], 2015... only a ''day'' after the US premiere.

The localization for the series was headed by [[Keiichirō Miyoshi]], who headed the localization of the [[live-action film series|live-action ''Transformers'' films]] for Japanese markets. This also makes ''Adventure'' the first American ''Transformers'' cartoon to be released in Japan ''without'' the oversight of [[Yoshikazu Iwanami]] since [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1]]. While an effort was made to emulate the dubbing style of Iwanami, which has become synonymous with Transformers cartoons in Japan, the adlibbing was not nearly as extensive and fourth wall-breaking humor was non-existent.

Since ''Adventure'' aired on a satellite network and not a broadcast network, it was not edited for time like previous ''Transformers'' cartoons. The episodes were fully uncut and featured extended opening and ending sequences. The [[title sequence]] was composed mostly of clips from episodes, but new animation (mostly group shots) was provided by [[LandQ Studio]]. The end credits sequence featured a newly animated "stage performance" from the cast ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZE2jqYoTTc which really must be seen to be believed]), animated by [[Nakano Design]].

''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)#Japanese release|Transformers: Prime]]'' did not complete its run in Japan, ending at 52 episodes and excluding the ''[[Beast Hunters]]'' episodes and the ''[[Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising]]'' film. The ''Adventure'' series does not alter the scripts to account for this, although it mostly plays as a separate entity from ''Prime''.

Animax aired the episodes using the Australian broadcast order rather than the US order, which is actually the incorrect continuity sequence. As a result, "[[Sideways (episode)|Sideways]]" is placed before "[[Out of Focus]]".

The [[theme song]] for the series is "[[Save the Future!!]]" by [[Mitsuhiro Oikawa]] and the ending theme is "[[Try☆Transformers Adventure↑↑↑]]" performed by the primary cast of the show (Bumblebee, Strongarm, Sideswipe, Fixit, Grimlock, and Optimus Prime).

===''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron-'' (''New Enemies'')===
[[File:Prime of Micron logo.jpg|right|300px]]

The season 2 and "season 2½" (or "miniseries") episodes of ''Robots in Disguise'' were combined into a newly branded sequel series which began airing on [[July 3]], [[2016]]<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/05/09/transformers-adventure-returns-japanese-screens-july-315264]</ref> under the title '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron-''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō-''). Incidentally, the "Maikuron no Shō" portion of the Japanese title actually translates to "Micron Chapter", but nobody tell them that. Like the previous season/series, it aired on Animax with a Sunday morning, 9:00am timeslot.

In November 2016, the "season 2½" episodes of ''Robots in Disguise'' were given a special distinction under the modified title '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron- New Enemies''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- 新たなる敵 ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō- Aratanaru Teki''). The title which appears on-screen does not display the "New Enemies" distinction, with the phrase instead appearing in broadcast schedule listings for Animax.

The rebranding for this sequence of episodes to include the word ''Prime'' in the title was likely a measure to create stronger ties with the continuity of the previous series, ''Transformers: Prime'', as the season 2(½) episodes begin making more direct references to the events of the past series. While the continuity is maintained, the guest characters from ''Prime'' are not played by their previous voice actors in the dub and are instead substituted with sound-alikes.

''Prime of Micron'' includes a newly cobbled together title sequence (composed of clips from episodes), but maintains the same theme song as ''Adventure''. Likewise, the end credits sequence and song are the same.

==Home video releases==
{{main|Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)/home video}}
;United States
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - A New Autobot Mission (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Mission Discovery (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Season One (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Overloaded & Decepticon Island (2017)

;United Kingdom
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - A New Mission (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Rumble in the Jungle (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - The Champ (2017)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Optimus Returns (2017)

;Australia
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Collect 'em All (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Complete Season One (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Rumble in the Jungle (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - The Champ (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Battlegrounds (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Overloaded (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Misdirection (2017)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Decepticon Island (2017)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Combiner Force (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - King of the Hill (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - The Golden Knight (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Combine & Conquer (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Freedom Fighters (2018)

==Notes==
*"'''TF2'''" was an early working name for the series.
*''Robots in Disguise'' did not have the most successful record when it came to premiering new episodes, with most of the show airing through various international venues before being broadcast on U.S. television, including the ''entire'' first season.
**The first 13 episodes of the series were released, dubbed in Mandarin Chinese, on [[December 31]], [[2014]] in mainland China, but not Hong Kong, several weeks in advance of their US broadcast. The episodes were made available on website 1905.com, with five-minute previews being free and the whole episodes available until [[January 15]] for CNY/RMB ¥19.5, which is around US$3–4. [[You]] could even win a "fabulous" assortment of Hasbro toys (legion class) and a RMB¥30 digital coupon if you paid for the episodes!
**The show went on to premiere on Canal J in France, Biggs in Portugal, and Cartoon Network in Hungary before the U.S. airings began. In particular, the English-language version of the show premiered on Cartoon Network in Australia and New Zealand about a month before the US airing; the channel aired two episodes a week instead of one, and so quickly tore through the first thirteen episodes of the season.
**The fourteenth episode debuted on Singaporean television two months before its US airing.
**The final twelve episodes of the season were then released in two six-episode chunks via Australian iTunes in the first two weeks of [[June]], [[2015]], allowing viewers to see the season finale three months before it aired in the US.
**The first six episodes of season 2 premiered on US television, but Cartoon Network UK—airing two new episodes a week instead of just one—quickly caught up to, and overtook, the US broadcast. The full remainder of the season premiered in the UK, with the season finale around a month before the US.
**The "season 2.5" mini-series aired in its entirety on Teletoon in Canada before a US premiere date had even been announced.
**The first four episodes of season 3 aired on French channel Gulli on the Tuesday before the US premiere.
**Episodes 11-13 of Combiner Force premiered on Cartoon Network UK weeks before they premiered in the US.
**Episodes 14-17 of Combiner Force premiered on Teletoon several weeks before their US release air dates.
**''Just'' pipping the US to the post, the final two episodes of the series aired in the United Kingdom a week in advance of their American broadcast dates.
*Further to [[Shout! Factory]]'s DVD release of the complete first season of Robots in Disguise in 2016, Shout! only released one further DVD featuring both two-part stories from the series' second season before dropping the series. This makes Robots in Disguise one of the few US-produced Transformers television series to not see a complete release on home video in the US. The series ''was'' granted a complete release on home video in Australia, across individual volumes, by [[Beyond Home Entertainment]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers Adventure''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā'', season 1), '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron-''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō-'', season 2), '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron- New Enemies''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- 新たなる敵 ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō- Aratanaru Teki'', "season 2½")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers: Roboti v utajení''''' ("Transformers: Robots in Disguise")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers Robots in Disguise : Mission Secrète''''' ("Transformers Robots in Disguise: Secret Mission")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers: Getarnte Roboter''''' ("Transformers: Disguised Robots")
*''Korean:'' '''''Transformers Adventure''''' (트랜스포머 어드벤처 ''Teuraenseupomeo Eodeubencheo'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Lǐngxiù de Tiǎozhàn''''' (变形金刚：领袖的挑战, "Transformers: Leader's Challenge")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery: Roboty pod prikrytiyem''''' (Трансформеры: Роботы под прикрытием, "Transformers: Robots in Disguise")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvMHCfwLXJRYIRyiyKJx2B_pXPf8PdvPt Complete ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' playlist on YouTube]
*[http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/hasbro-to-launch-transformers-robots-in-disguise-series-in-spring-2015-exclusive-1201219103/ ''Variety: Hasbro to Launch ‘Transformers: Robots in Disguise’ Show in Spring 2015'']
*[https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=683133768423487 SDCC footage]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)}}
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2015) media| ]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)

2025-07-30T09:08:34Z

1levichurch: /* Production */

{{disambig3.5|the 2015 cartoon|the 2001 cartoon|Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise}}
{{Nav-rid2015}}
[[File:TFRID2015promoposter.jpg|300px|thumb|Now featuring more beast-hunting than [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)#Season 3: Beast Hunters|Beast Hunters]]!]]

'''''Transformers: Robots in Disguise''''' is an animated television series that acts as the sequel to ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''. Set three years after its predecessor, the show follows [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] as he travels back to [[Earth]] after the prison ship ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]'' crash-lands on the planet. Charged with rounding up the escaped [[Decepticon]] prisoners, he reluctantly takes command of a new team of [[Autobot]]s.

The show made its worldwide debut in late December 2014, with the first 13 episodes released as pay-to-view content on Chinese video streaming website [http://www.1905.com M1905]. The series subsequently debuted on Cartoon Network in numerous countries before the first 26-episode season finally premiered in the US on [[March 14]], [[2015]]. A second season of 13 episodes began screening on [[February 20]], 2016, followed by a 6-episode "mini-series"/"TV event" later in the year. The third and final season was rebranded as ''Combiner Force'', and ran for 26 episodes before concluding on November 11, 2017.

The Canadian broadcast of the series has been undertaken by Corus Entertainment, and the show aired on Teletoon from [[March 21]], 2015 to [[November 26]], 2017.

The mini-series has caused some confusion over how the seasons of ''Robots in Disguise'' should be counted. It was initially promoted as "season 3"<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmBE1YgV0yM Botcon 2016 - Q& A Interview with Hasbro Transformers Team]</ref> before viewers properly understood it was only six episodes in length, but when "Combiner Force" was announced, it was also treated as the third season.<ref>[http://comicbook.com/popculturenow/2016/10/06/exclusive-transformers-robots-in-disguise-renewed-for-season-3/ "Transformers: Robots In Disguise Renewed For Season 3," Comicbook.com]</ref> There has been no obvious consensus; Amazon and Roku group it in with season 2, while Netflix and the Transformers YouTube channel have labeled it season 3. For bookkeeping purposes, TFWiki refers to it as "Season 2½."

==Overview==
[[File:RID Season 2 Team.jpg|thumb|400px|CHEESE!]]
Three years after the end of the [[Great War (Prime)|Great War]], the Autobot prison ship ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]'' crashes on [[Earth]] near [[Crown City]], sparking a mass [[Decepticon]] jailbreak. Meanwhile, on a rebuilt [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], war veteran [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] is now working as a street cop, mentoring Cadet [[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]]. Bumblebee is alerted to the danger on Earth by a vision of a ghostly [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]], who directs them to a nearby [[space bridge]].

Bumblebee unwillingly finds himself accompanied to Earth by Strongarm, and the delinquent [[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]], where they encounter [[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]], sole caretaker of the former prison ship. They're joined by the ex-Decepticon prisoner [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]], [[human]] scrapyard owner [[Denny Clay]] and his son [[Russell Clay|Russell]]. Although he's not confident in his leadership abilities, Bumblebee nevertheless pledges to round up the inmates of the ''Alchemor''. Chief among the Decepticon threat is the charismatic [[Steeljaw (RID)|Steeljaw]], who seeks to organize the escaped prisoners into an [[Steeljaw's Pack|effective cabal]] to conquer the planet.

The first season had a "villain of the week" approach, in which most episodes would follow a pattern: it would feature a new Decepticon foe, usually with an animal-motif, that would prove to be a threat to the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]], only to be taken down by the end of the episode and be placed back into a [[stasis pod]]. Most Decepticons featured, barring those who became part of Steeljaw's Pack, had little-to-nothing to do with each other besides being ''Alchemor'' immates. Early episodes rarely deviated from this pattern, but this theme was effectively toned down in later seasons when larger, overarching threats came into play.

Most episodes also featured recurring subplots and running-gags focusing on certain characters: Bumblebee's trouble coming up with a [[Roll out|rallying cry]] and trouble leading his team in general, Strongarm and Sideswipe's rivalry with each other, Grimlock's difficulty finding an appropriate Earth disguise (because being a giant metal dinosaur would attract a lot of attention) and Fixit's glitching problem. These smaller stories would often affect the main plot, causing Bee's Team to face additional obstacles in several episodes.

Over the course of the first season, new Autobots bolster the ranks of the team, including the bounty hunter [[Drift (RID)|Drift]], his two Mini-Cons [[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] and [[Slipstream (RID)|Slipstream]], the mysterious [[Windblade (RID)|Windblade]], and finally Optimus Prime himself, returned to life by the [[Thirteen]] to defeat [[The Fallen|Megatronus]].

Season 2 sees Bumblebee's team split into two groups: an "away team" to search the world for far-ranging Decepticons while Bumblebee, Strongarm, Grimlock, and Fixit hold the fort near Crown City. Still recovering from his humiliating rout at the hands of Megatronus, Steeljaw allies with a mysterious group of Decepticons led by [[Saberhorn]], [[Glowstrike]] and [[Scorponok (WFC)|Scorponok]], operating out of the crashed ''Alchemor'', which they call "Decepticon Island". True to form, Steeljaw plots to rise through the ranks of this new army and seize control of the group for himself.

The second season features more frequent references to predecessor series ''Prime'' in an effort to forge a stronger sense of continuity between the two. Coinciding with this, the season sees the return of multiple regulars from ''Prime'' in special guest appearances: [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]], now partnered with a silent Mini-Con named [[Undertone]], and [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], still accompanied by [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]. This season also begins to drop the "villain of the week" theme, though it is still present, in favor of having a larger overarching threat in the form of Decepticon Island.

This season was also very [[To sell toys|toy-driven]] in that it featured several returning Decepticons from the first season, as well as new Mini-Con and Deployer characters, who had newly received toys. As such, Mini-Cons were also a big focus of this season, with at least one (besides Fix-It) appearing in every episode. Following the Season 2 proper, this trend would continue into a "mini-series" of sorts, referred to as "Season 3" by several official sources before the announcement of a full third season. This six-episode run sees the return of [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], who seeks the mysterious Mini-Con [[Weaponizer (RID)|Weaponizer]]s, who have reluctantly partnered with a group of Decepticon [[Scavengers (RID)|Scavengers]] searching Earth for abandoned Cybertronian relics.

The actual Season 3 is titled "Combiner Force". Bumblebee and his crew must harness the power of combination and form [[Ultra Bee]] in order to defeat the [[Stunticon (Prime)|Stunticon]]s. At the same time, Soundwave has sent a group of Minicons to steal the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]]'s Decepticon Hunters, with this subplot playing a small background role until the Stunticons are captured and returned to Cybertron by the end of the first half of the season. In order to keep the "Con of the Week" theme present after the Alchemor's departure, caches set up by Windblade after her arrival on Earth contain Decepticons who end up getting free and require recapture. Some filler episodes feature Decepticons who managed to escape the Alchemor before it left Earth. Others feature [[Shadow Raker|Decepticons]] [[Nightra|or]] [[Blastwave|others]] coming to Earth due to connections to members of the Bee Team or other reasons, the one exception being [[Flamesnort]] who was left on Earth during the Great War. This season also does a first and ties in with the ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Rescue Bots]]'' series by featuring the Rescue Bot [[Blurr (Prime)|Blurr]] for a few episodes.

Corruption on Cybertron, which had been building up conflict in the background for the entire series and has generally served as a way introduce new characters, seems to finally take the center stage during the second half of the season where mysterious benefactors on Cybertron free Steeljaw and his pack and grant them full pardons. They are sent back to Earth, where they ally with Soundwave and are tasked with capturing the Autobots. Steeljaw and the others make a grand return to Earth by nearly destroying the Scrapyard and forcing the Autobots and Clays to find a new base. By this point, the "villain of the week" approach is only used a few more times, but is otherwise abandoned in favor of having the Autobots face off against recurring teams of enemies such as the Stunticons and then Steeljaw's Pack. The tail end of the season also features the return of [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] from ''Prime'' as a temporary ally to the Bee Team.

The two-part series finale features the Bee Team returning to Cybertron to fight Steeljaw's benefactors, the new corrupt [[Autobot High Council|High Council]], who are revealed to be a group of Decepticons disguised as Autobots, led by [[Cyclonus (WFC)|Cyclonus]]. The Autobots once again form Ultra Bee to take down the Council's [[Galvatronus (RID)|combined form]], finally freeing Cybertron. Optimus decides not to lead Cybertron into this new era as he "is a leader of warriors", and decides to leave Ratchet in charge of the new temporary High Council, which is now to be composed of Bulkhead, Windblade and [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]], while the Bee Team returns to Earth as "ambassadors" to the planet.

==Main cast==
(Recurring characters only, in order of appearance.)
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
;Main Cast
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] ([[Will Friedle]])
*[[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]] ([[Constance Zimmer]])
*[[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]] ([[Darren Criss]])
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]] ([[Mitchell Whitfield]])
*[[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]] ([[Khary Payton]])
*[[Drift (RID)|Drift]] ([[Eric Bauza]])
**[[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] ([[Roger Craig Smith]])
**[[Slipstream (RID)|Slipstream]] (Roger Craig Smith)

;Other Recurring
*[[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] ([[Arif S. Kinchen]])
*[[Windblade (RID)|Windblade]] ([[Kristy Wu]], [[Erica Lindbeck‏]])
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] ([[Jeffrey Combs]])
** [[Undertone]]
*[[RoughEdge]]
*[[Blurr (Prime)|Blurr]] ([[Max Mittelman]])
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] ([[Kevin Michael Richardson]])
*[[Dropforge]] ([[David Sheinkopf]])

;Combined forms
*[[Ultra Bee]] (Will Friedle)

|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
;Main Antagonists
*[[Steeljaw (RID)|Steeljaw]] ([[Troy Baker]])
*[[The Fallen|Megatronus]] ([[Gil Gerard]])
*[[Saberhorn]] ([[Fred Tatasciore]])
*[[Scorponok (WFC)|Scorponok]] ([[Victor Brandt]])
*[[Glowstrike]] ([[Grey Griffin]])
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] ([[Steve Blum]])
*[[Motormaster (WFC)|Motormaster]] ([[Travis Willingham]])
*[[Cyclonus (WFC)|Cyclonus]] ([[Harry Lennix]])

;Major Recurring
*[[Underbite]] ([[Liam O'Brien]])
*[[Bisk (RID)|Bisk]] (Khary Payton)
*[[Chop Shop (RID)|Chop Shop]] ([[David Hunt]])
**[[Chop Shop (RID)|Righty]] (Will Friedle)
*[[Thunderhoof (RID)|Thunderhoof]] ([[Frank Stallone]])
*[[Springload (RID)|Springload]] ([[John Steven Rocha]])
*[[Quillfire (RID)|Quillfire]] ([[Andy Milder]])
*[[Clampdown (RID)|Clampdown]] ([[Jim Cummings]])
*[[Kickback (RID)|Kickback]] (Liam O'Brien)
*[[Paralon (RID)|Paralon]] ([[Jason Spisak]])
*[[Scatterspike (RID)|Scatterspike]] ([[Robin Weigert]])
*[[Thermidor]] (Jim Cummings)
*[[Clawtrap]] ([[André Sogliuzzo]])
*[[Heatseeker]] ([[Mikey Kelley]])
*[[Dragstrip (WFC)|Drag Strip]] ([[Maurice LaMarche]])
*[[Wildbreak]] ([[Dave Wittenberg]])
*[[Slashmark]] ([[David Kaye]])

{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}

;Other Recurring
*[[Fracture (RID)|Fracture]] ([[Kevin Pollak]])
**[[Airazor (RID)|Airazor]] (Roger Craig Smith)
**[[Divebomb (RID)|Divebomb]] (Khary Payton)
*[[Groundpounder (RID)|Groundpounder]] ([[John DiMaggio]])
*[[Overload (RID)|Overload]] ([[Dave Fennoy]])
**[[Backtrack (RID)|Backtrack]] (Steve Blum)
**[[Ransack (RID Mini-Con)|Ransack]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Crazybolt (RID)|Crazybolt]] ([[James Arnold Taylor]])
**[[Slicedice]] ([[Gary Anthony Williams]])
*[[Simacore]] ([[Matthew Yang King]])
*[[Shadelock]] ([[Kirk Thornton]])
*[[Razorhorn]]
*[[Skyjack (RID)|Skyjack]]
*[[Treadshock]]
*[[Riotgear]]
*[[Cyberwarp]] ([[Brooke Goldner]])

;Combined forms
*[[Dragbreak]] (Maurice LaMarche)
*[[Heatmark]] (Mikey Kelley)
*[[Menasor (RID)|Menasor]] (Travis Willingham)
*[[Galvatronus (RID)|Galvatronus]] (Harry Lennix)
{{!}}}

|c3=
'''Main Cast'''
*[[Denny Clay]] ([[Ted McGinley]])
*[[Russell Clay]] ([[Stuart Allan]])

'''Other Recurring'''
*[[Butch (RID)|Butch]] (Will Friedle)
*[[Hank]] ([[Bailey Gambertoglio]])
*[[Arnold]] (Troy Baker, James Arnold Taylor)
*[[Casey (RID)|Casey]] ([[Kate Bond]])
*[[Hermit]] ([[Trevor Devall]])

|c4=
'''Thirteen'''
*[[Micronus Prime|Micronus]] ([[Adrian Pasdar]])

'''Weaponizer Mini-Cons'''
*[[Buzzstrike]] ([[Rick Pasqualone]])
*[[Sawtooth (RID)|Sawtooth]] ([[Crispin Freeman]])
*[[Aerobolt]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Tricerashot]] ([[Robbie Rist]])
*[[Windstrike]]
*[[Bashbreaker]]
*[[Lancelon]]

'''Activator Mini-Cons'''
*[[Stuntwing]]
*[[Trickout]]
*[[Hi-Test (RID)|Hi-Test]]
*[[Goldgear]]
|nonumbering=true}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Robots in Disguise (2015) episodes}}
===Season 1===
{{collist|3|
#"[[Pilot (Part 1)]]"
#"[[Pilot (Part 2)]]"
#"[[Trust Exercises]]"
#"[[More than Meets the Eye (RID)|More than Meets the Eye]]"
#"[[W.W.O.D.?]]"
#"[[As the Kospego Commands!]]"
#"[[Collect 'Em All]]"
#"[[True Colors]]"
#"[[Rumble in the Jungle]]"
#"[[Can You Dig It?]]"
#"[[Adventures in Bumblebee-Sitting!]]"
#"[[Hunting Season]]"
#"[[Out of Focus]]"
#"[[Sideways (episode)|Sideways]]"
#"[[Even Robots Have Nightmares]]"
#"[[Some Body, Any Body]]"
#"[[One of Our Mini-Cons Is Missing]]"
#"[[Deep Trouble (RID)|Deep Trouble]]"
#"[[The Champ]]"
#"[[The Trouble with Fixit]]"
#"[[Lockout]]"
#"[[Similarly Different]]"
#"[[The Buzz on Windblade]]"
#"[[Ghosts and Impostors]]"
#"[[Battlegrounds, Part 1]]"
#"[[Battlegrounds, Part 2]]"
}}

===Season 2===
{{collist|3|
#"[[Overloaded, Part 1]]"
#"[[Overloaded, Part 2]]"
#"[[Metal Meltdown]]"
#"[[Suspended]]"
#"[[Cover Me]]"
#"[[Brainpower]]"
#"[[Misdirection]]"
#"[[Bumblebee's Night Off]]"
#"[[Impounded]]"
#"[[Portals]]"
#"[[Graduation Exercises]]"
#"[[Decepticon Island (Part 1)]]"
#"[[Decepticon Island (Part 2)]]"
}}

===Season 2½=== 
{{collist|3|
#"[[History Lessons]]"
#"[[Strongarm's Big Score]]"
#"[[Pretzel Logic]]"
#"[[Mighty Big Trouble]]"
#"[[Mini-Con Madness (RID)|Mini-Con Madness]]"
#"[[Worthy]]"
}}

===Season 3: Combiner Force===
{{collist|3|
#"[[King of the Hill (Part 1)]]"
#"[[King of the Hill (Part 2)]]"
#"[[Defrosted]]"
#"[[Blurred]]"
#"[[Sphere of Influence]]"
#"[[Bee Cool]]"
#"[[The Great Divide]]"
#"[[Get a Clue]]"
#"[[Out of the Shadows]]"
#"[[Disordered Personalities]]"
#"[[Guilty As Charged]]"
#"[[The Golden Knight]]"
#"[[The Fastest Bot Alive!]]"
#"[[Railroad Rage]]"
#"[[Combine and Conquer]]"
#"[[Moon Breaker]]"
#"[[Exiles]]"
#"[[Breathing Room]]"
#"[[Prepare for Departure]]"
#"[[Prisoner Principles]]"
#"[[Collateral Damage]]"
#"[[Something He Ate]]"
#"[[Sick as a Bot]]"
#"[[Five Fugitives]]"
#"[[Enemy of My Enemy (RID)|Enemy of My Enemy]]"
#"[[Freedom Fighters]]"
}}

===Shorts===
{{Collist|3|
#"[[Fixit Jam]]"
#"[[To Catch a Phrase]]"
#"[[Sticky Situation]]"
#"[[Carjacked!]]"
#"[[Perfect]]"
#"[[Knock, Knock!]]"
#"[[The Power of Dibs]]"
#"[[Back and Forth]]"
#"[[The Tragedy of Slipstream]]"
#"[[A Level Playing Field]]"
#"[[Two Plus Two Equals More]]"
}}

==Production==
Crew members returning from ''Prime'' include executive producer [[Jeff Kline]] and writer [[Steven Melching]], now story editor, and [[Mairghread Scott]], serving as Script Coordinator/Writer's Assistant.<ref>[http://mscottwrites.tumblr.com/post/93785539366/out-of-curiousity-are-you-going-to-be-part-of-the/ Mairghread's Tumblr Post]</ref> [[Adam Beechen]] serves as the producer. [[Kevin Manthei]] and [[Kevin Kiner]] serve as series composers.<ref>[http://kevinmantheimusic.tumblr.com/post/93347443424/the-secret-project-i-announced-earlier-can-be Kevin Manthei's Tumblr post]</ref> Once again, [[Polygon Pictures]] handled the animation,<ref>{{citesocial|quote=トランスフォーマーの新テレビシリーズ、タイトルが発表されました。2015年春放送開始。再びPPIで映像制作を担当しています。 http://t.co/DJL5QbVY8E|link=https://twitter.com/da_shooz/statuses/477375126682341376|name=Shuzo Shiota|site=Twitter|year=2014|month=06|day=13|(defunct=)}}</ref> with 2D animation duties handed off to [[GONZO]] and [[drop]]. Before ''Robots in Disguise'' was produced, work on a different follow up to ''Prime'' was developed that "had some interesting plans for Starscream".<ref>{{citesocial|quote=There was some initial development for a follow up series on Prime that Wayne and Jeff did, prior to what turned into Robots in Disguise and it had some interesting plans for Starscream.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9PNlsE0w10&t=706s|name=Steven Melching|site=YouTube|year=2019||month=11||day=24}}

==Reception==
As a sequel of sorts to the critically acclaimed and largely-beloved ''Transformers: Prime'' cartoon, ''Robots in Disguise'' initially debuted with some fanfare amongst the older segments of the ''Transformers'' fandom, particularly those who had joined the fandom ''because'' of the ''Prime'' cartoon. While some aspects of the show—including an artstyle that allowed for more flexible and dynamic animation, a decreased focus on the Autobots' human sidekicks, and the creative designs and personalities of the animalistic Decepticons—were well received by the fandom, fans hoping to see the majority of the ''Prime'' cast return found themselves disappointed by the first season's general disinterest in referencing ''anything'' related to the ''Prime'' cartoon. The lighthearted tone of ''Robots in Disguise'' stood in stark contrast to the darker direction of ''Prime''.

For fans coming off the back of the heavily arc-driven storytelling of ''Prime'', the more traditional episodic format of ''Robots in Disguise'' was a disappointment: though later seasons did eventually experiment with various multi-episode story arcs, most episodes were self-contained "monster-of-the-week" stories involving a rogue Decepticon and the Bee Team's efforts to recapture the villain. In particular, the show's final season descended into the use of extremely rote kids' cartoon stock-plots (like mind-swaps, characters getting superpowers, and "teleporter accident" doubles), and often incorporated a heavy-handed B-plot involving one or more protagonists having to learn a lesson about teamwork, cooperation, or self-control (sometimes drawing strange equivalencies between them and the villain of the week), which did little but lower the show's already wobbly standing with the adult fandom.

Ultimately, while the reception of ''Robots in Disguise'' in the adult fandom was largely informed by comparisons to ''Prime'', it was still a success with children and (when taken on its own terms) has come to be regarded as a decent show, if not a particularly ambitious one. Several original characters such as Strongarm and Steeljaw have proven popular enough to make the jump into other ''Transformers'' media.

==Awards and nominations==
===2016 Daytime Emmy Awards===
*Outstanding Special Class Animated Program

==Japanese release==
''Robots in Disguise'' was released in Japan as two separately branded series. The "[[#Season 3: Combiner Force|Combiner Force]]" arc was not dubbed in Japan.

===''Transformers Adventure''===
[[Image:TransformersAdventureJapaneseLogo.jpg|300px|right]]

'''''Transformers Adventure''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā'') aired on the satellite network [[Animax]] with a Sunday, 9am timeslot. ''Adventure'' was the first Transformers cartoon to be relegated directly to satellite since ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release|Beast Wars Returns]]''. It premiered on [[March 15]], 2015... only a ''day'' after the US premiere.

The localization for the series was headed by [[Keiichirō Miyoshi]], who headed the localization of the [[live-action film series|live-action ''Transformers'' films]] for Japanese markets. This also makes ''Adventure'' the first American ''Transformers'' cartoon to be released in Japan ''without'' the oversight of [[Yoshikazu Iwanami]] since [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1]]. While an effort was made to emulate the dubbing style of Iwanami, which has become synonymous with Transformers cartoons in Japan, the adlibbing was not nearly as extensive and fourth wall-breaking humor was non-existent.

Since ''Adventure'' aired on a satellite network and not a broadcast network, it was not edited for time like previous ''Transformers'' cartoons. The episodes were fully uncut and featured extended opening and ending sequences. The [[title sequence]] was composed mostly of clips from episodes, but new animation (mostly group shots) was provided by [[LandQ Studio]]. The end credits sequence featured a newly animated "stage performance" from the cast ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZE2jqYoTTc which really must be seen to be believed]), animated by [[Nakano Design]].

''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)#Japanese release|Transformers: Prime]]'' did not complete its run in Japan, ending at 52 episodes and excluding the ''[[Beast Hunters]]'' episodes and the ''[[Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising]]'' film. The ''Adventure'' series does not alter the scripts to account for this, although it mostly plays as a separate entity from ''Prime''.

Animax aired the episodes using the Australian broadcast order rather than the US order, which is actually the incorrect continuity sequence. As a result, "[[Sideways (episode)|Sideways]]" is placed before "[[Out of Focus]]".

The [[theme song]] for the series is "[[Save the Future!!]]" by [[Mitsuhiro Oikawa]] and the ending theme is "[[Try☆Transformers Adventure↑↑↑]]" performed by the primary cast of the show (Bumblebee, Strongarm, Sideswipe, Fixit, Grimlock, and Optimus Prime).

===''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron-'' (''New Enemies'')===
[[File:Prime of Micron logo.jpg|right|300px]]

The season 2 and "season 2½" (or "miniseries") episodes of ''Robots in Disguise'' were combined into a newly branded sequel series which began airing on [[July 3]], [[2016]]<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/05/09/transformers-adventure-returns-japanese-screens-july-315264]</ref> under the title '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron-''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō-''). Incidentally, the "Maikuron no Shō" portion of the Japanese title actually translates to "Micron Chapter", but nobody tell them that. Like the previous season/series, it aired on Animax with a Sunday morning, 9:00am timeslot.

In November 2016, the "season 2½" episodes of ''Robots in Disguise'' were given a special distinction under the modified title '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron- New Enemies''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- 新たなる敵 ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō- Aratanaru Teki''). The title which appears on-screen does not display the "New Enemies" distinction, with the phrase instead appearing in broadcast schedule listings for Animax.

The rebranding for this sequence of episodes to include the word ''Prime'' in the title was likely a measure to create stronger ties with the continuity of the previous series, ''Transformers: Prime'', as the season 2(½) episodes begin making more direct references to the events of the past series. While the continuity is maintained, the guest characters from ''Prime'' are not played by their previous voice actors in the dub and are instead substituted with sound-alikes.

''Prime of Micron'' includes a newly cobbled together title sequence (composed of clips from episodes), but maintains the same theme song as ''Adventure''. Likewise, the end credits sequence and song are the same.

==Home video releases==
{{main|Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)/home video}}
;United States
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - A New Autobot Mission (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Mission Discovery (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Season One (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Overloaded & Decepticon Island (2017)

;United Kingdom
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - A New Mission (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Rumble in the Jungle (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - The Champ (2017)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Optimus Returns (2017)

;Australia
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Collect 'em All (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Complete Season One (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Rumble in the Jungle (2015)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - The Champ (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Battlegrounds (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Overloaded (2016)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Misdirection (2017)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Decepticon Island (2017)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Combiner Force (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - King of the Hill (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - The Golden Knight (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Combine & Conquer (2018)
*''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' - Freedom Fighters (2018)

==Notes==
*"'''TF2'''" was an early working name for the series.
*''Robots in Disguise'' did not have the most successful record when it came to premiering new episodes, with most of the show airing through various international venues before being broadcast on U.S. television, including the ''entire'' first season.
**The first 13 episodes of the series were released, dubbed in Mandarin Chinese, on [[December 31]], [[2014]] in mainland China, but not Hong Kong, several weeks in advance of their US broadcast. The episodes were made available on website 1905.com, with five-minute previews being free and the whole episodes available until [[January 15]] for CNY/RMB ¥19.5, which is around US$3–4. [[You]] could even win a "fabulous" assortment of Hasbro toys (legion class) and a RMB¥30 digital coupon if you paid for the episodes!
**The show went on to premiere on Canal J in France, Biggs in Portugal, and Cartoon Network in Hungary before the U.S. airings began. In particular, the English-language version of the show premiered on Cartoon Network in Australia and New Zealand about a month before the US airing; the channel aired two episodes a week instead of one, and so quickly tore through the first thirteen episodes of the season.
**The fourteenth episode debuted on Singaporean television two months before its US airing.
**The final twelve episodes of the season were then released in two six-episode chunks via Australian iTunes in the first two weeks of [[June]], [[2015]], allowing viewers to see the season finale three months before it aired in the US.
**The first six episodes of season 2 premiered on US television, but Cartoon Network UK—airing two new episodes a week instead of just one—quickly caught up to, and overtook, the US broadcast. The full remainder of the season premiered in the UK, with the season finale around a month before the US.
**The "season 2.5" mini-series aired in its entirety on Teletoon in Canada before a US premiere date had even been announced.
**The first four episodes of season 3 aired on French channel Gulli on the Tuesday before the US premiere.
**Episodes 11-13 of Combiner Force premiered on Cartoon Network UK weeks before they premiered in the US.
**Episodes 14-17 of Combiner Force premiered on Teletoon several weeks before their US release air dates.
**''Just'' pipping the US to the post, the final two episodes of the series aired in the United Kingdom a week in advance of their American broadcast dates.
*Further to [[Shout! Factory]]'s DVD release of the complete first season of Robots in Disguise in 2016, Shout! only released one further DVD featuring both two-part stories from the series' second season before dropping the series. This makes Robots in Disguise one of the few US-produced Transformers television series to not see a complete release on home video in the US. The series ''was'' granted a complete release on home video in Australia, across individual volumes, by [[Beyond Home Entertainment]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers Adventure''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā'', season 1), '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron-''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō-'', season 2), '''''Transformers Adventure -Prime of Micron- New Enemies''''' (トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー -マイクロンの章- 新たなる敵 ''Toransufōmā Adobenchā -Maikuron no Shō- Aratanaru Teki'', "season 2½")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers: Roboti v utajení''''' ("Transformers: Robots in Disguise")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers Robots in Disguise : Mission Secrète''''' ("Transformers Robots in Disguise: Secret Mission")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers: Getarnte Roboter''''' ("Transformers: Disguised Robots")
*''Korean:'' '''''Transformers Adventure''''' (트랜스포머 어드벤처 ''Teuraenseupomeo Eodeubencheo'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Lǐngxiù de Tiǎozhàn''''' (变形金刚：领袖的挑战, "Transformers: Leader's Challenge")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery: Roboty pod prikrytiyem''''' (Трансформеры: Роботы под прикрытием, "Transformers: Robots in Disguise")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvMHCfwLXJRYIRyiyKJx2B_pXPf8PdvPt Complete ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' playlist on YouTube]
*[http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/hasbro-to-launch-transformers-robots-in-disguise-series-in-spring-2015-exclusive-1201219103/ ''Variety: Hasbro to Launch ‘Transformers: Robots in Disguise’ Show in Spring 2015'']
*[https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=683133768423487 SDCC footage]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)}}
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2015) media| ]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Field Guide to Action and Adventure

2025-05-07T20:35:14Z

1levichurch: Added link

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''Field Guide to Action and Adventure''
|prev=Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook
|next=Decepticon Directive
|image=
|caption=
|publisher=[[Renegade Game Studios]]
|written by=[[Ryan Costello]], [[Ben Heisleer]], [[Ginny Loveday]], & [[Bryan C.P. Steele]]
|date= [[April 27]], [[2023]]
|pagecount=283
|price=$55.00 USD 
|ISBN=ISBN 978-1-957311-19-7 
}}

The '''Field Guide to Action and Adventure''' is a sourcebook for the [[Transformers Roleplaying Game]] (as well as the ''[[Power Rangers (franchise)|Power Rangers]] Roleplaying Game'' and the ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]] Roleplaying Game''), released in [[August]] [[2023]].

The book contains rules, tools, and advice for each of the games using the Essence 20 ruleset, but also includes guidelines for crossover adventures between the different games. Additionally, the book provides a multitude of new character options, new Game Master resources, and a standalone crossover adventure.

==Contents==
===Chapter 1: Introduction to Action & Adventure===
{{collist|2|
*Welcome to Field Guide to Action & Adventure
*What's In This Book
*Action-Adventure Settings
}}
===Chapter 2: Crossover Character Creation===
{{collist|2|
*Essence20 Character Creation
*Expanding Your Character with Existing Options
*Advanced Crossover Character Creation
*Sample Crossover Character
}}
===Chapter 3: New Crossover Options===
{{collist|2|
*Influences
*Origins
*New Role
*Factions
*General Perks
}}
===Chapter 4: Action-Adventure Game Masters===
{{collist|2|
*Why GM?
*The Art of Game Mastering
*Game Manager: The Other Side of GMing
*GMing Essence20
*GMing Power Rangers
*GMing G.I. Joe
*GMing Transformers
}}
===Chapter 5: Creating Threats===
{{collist|2|
*What Makes a Threat?
*Understanding Stat Blocks
*Contacts
*Power Rangers Threat Design
*G.I. Joe Threat Design
*Transformers Threat Design
*Crossover Threat Design
}}
===Chapter 6: Creating Scenes===
{{collist|2|
*Designing Scenes
*Making a Scene
*Power Rangers Scene Design
*G.I. Joe Scene Design
*Transformers Scene Design
*Crossover Scene Design
}}
===Chapter 7: Creating Adventures===
{{collist|2|
*Starting by Concluding
*The Call to Action
*Developing a Narrative
*Building A Narrative Flowchart
*Fleshing Out the Middle
*Landing the Ending
*Leveling and Other Rewards
*Adventures and Your Players
*Bringing Adventures Together
*Power Rangers Adventure Design
*G.I. Joe Adventure Design
*Transformers Adventure Design
*Crossover Adventure Design
}}
===Chapter 8: Crossover Adventure===
{{collist|2|
*[[Memories and Salvation]]
}}

==External links==
*[https://renegadegamestudios.com/essence-20-roleplaying-system-field-guide-to-action-and-adventure-crossover-sourcebook/ Product listing on Renegade Game Studios' website]

[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game]]
[[Category:Generation 1 multipath adventures]]
[[Category:G.I. Joe media]]
[[Category:Power Rangers franchise]]

Continuity

2025-04-21T05:47:58Z

1levichurch:

[[File:Continuities.png|upright=2.5|thumb|Now you put all that in a blender and you get the Japanese continuity. ''Note: This chart was quickly out-of-date shortly after its publication, and has only gotten more so over the years. Fun!'']]
A '''continuity''' is a fictional universe or timeline that is characterized by recurring characters and settings and an internal consistency with regards to characterization and depicted events. Typically a licensor will establish a fictional universe and stick with it, keeping the stories they produce ''in continuity'' with each other, meaning that they are meant to all take place in the same "world".

A continuity is typically established in a single medium, be it cartoon, movie, comic or novel, however it's common for additional material to be produced by licensors which fit into an already-existing continuity. For example, [[IDW Publishing]] produced a series of comics which are intended to fit with the [[Movie continuity family|live-action movie series]]. Meanwhile, [[Fun Publications]]'s "[[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]]", explicitly takes place in a continuity extremely similar to but not quite the same as the [[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]] as seen in ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]''. On the other end of the scale, [[Blackthorne Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers in 3-D]]'' comics maintained no continuity at all with each other, and could be taken to each present a separate universe.

Still, while all of these continuities are intended to present separate sets of events, there are important similarities which allow us to categorize them in groups. Though [[2005 IDW continuity|IDW's original continuity]], ''The Transformers'' cartoon, and [[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel Comics's universe]] present incompatible events, they feature the same characters and agree on many other points as well, allowing them to be categorized as being members of a [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] "[[continuity family]]".

{{quote|Urgh, it's one of those [[Fandom|pedantic historical types]]. To be honest, Rich, you'd be better off discussing this with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], or [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Prime]], or someone who cares. |[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], [[Transformers Comic issue 2.7|#7's Law and Disorder]]}}

{{quote|It's not [[Hasbro|Hasbro's]] goal to make everything matchy-matchy; it's to tell the best stories we can, and if we can all squint and go 'yeah, they connect,' then we're happy. Most people aren't engaged in every aspect of what we do.|[[Aaron Archer]]<ref>{{citesocial|quote=|link=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825184140/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/27/true-to-character-transformer-fall-of-cybertron.aspx|name=Ben Reeves|site=Game Informer|title=True To Form: Safeguarding The Transformers License|year=2011|month=10|day=27}}</ref>}}

{{quote|Do you know that there are more than fifteen quadrillion concurrent universes? It's true!|[[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]]|"[[Games of Deception]]"}}

==Multiverse==
More so than most science-fiction franchises, ''Transformers'' has been, from the very start, a collection of many varied continuities. Even before the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|G1 cartoon]] premiered, there was the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel Comics series]] and an array of Marvel-produced storybooks which cannot be reconciled with each other, resulting in myriad [[Micro-continuity|micro-continuities]]. There have been ''so many'' mutually exclusive Transformers continuities that a truly exhaustive list would be nearly impossible to complete. However, it is relatively easy to list the major continuity "families".

There is a subjective component to all of this, and each fan decides for themselves how "fine-grained" they want their own personal list of continuities to be. Ultimately, it could be argued that almost every story exists in its own exclusive continuity, even different stories that were clearly intended to be set in the same universe. For example, two episodes of the G1 cartoon series that make no explicit references to events in each other, but are both "descendants" of the three-part "[[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More than Meets the Eye]]", could arguably exist in different universes. There may be no particular reason to assert that they don't share continuity, but there is also no clear internal evidence that the events of one affected the world of the other. They might conceivably be set in different branches of a timeline that started with "More than Meets the Eye".

The most inclusive perspective is to consider all [[canon]]ical Transformers stories as existing within a [[multiverse]] which contains countless—perhaps infinite—alternate universes. Some of these universes are more closely related to each other than others, but they are all part of the same whole. This approach has been officially sanctioned in a number of stories:

*The [[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|2003 ''Transformers: Universe'' franchise]], which takes the existence of an overall ''Transformers'' multiverse as the core of its story.
* The [[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|''Armada'' comic]] storyline "[[Worlds Collide]]" made explicit multiple parallel universes able to sometimes interact. 75,890,008 realities are scanned in the course of the story, though [[Astroscope]] claims that there are an infinite number of alternate realities.
* Several of the [[Fun Publications]] ''[[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|Timelines]]'' tales, most notably the "[[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTech]]" stories, expand on the multiversal concept by treating the continuity families as "clusters" of [[universal stream]]s that have been studied and catalogued for millennia.
*The joint [[e-HOBBY]]/[[TakaraTomy]] franchise ''[[Transformers Cloud]]'' took a slightly different spin on the multiverse concept, presenting each individual ''Transformers'' franchise as a discrete "[[Multiverse#Spacetimes|spacetime]]" reality, with wider continuities being connected in "[[flow of time|flows of time]]."

==Meta-continuity==
[[File:TFUjailbreak.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Hey, there's Waldo!]]
The [[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|2003 ''Transformers: Universe'']] franchise (sometimes referred to as "TFU") attempted to create an overarching structure to the ''Transformers'' multiverse. It was helmed, fiction-wise, by [[3H Productions]], who then held the license to run the official ''Transformers'' convention, [[BotCon]]. Convention fiction starting in the year 1997 was directly incorporated into ''Universe'', although it wasn't until [[BotCon 2002]] that the term ''Transformers: Expanded Universe'' appeared on a BotCon toy box, and the name was shortened to just ''Transformers: Universe'' afterwards. The [[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|''Universe'' toyline]] eventually became the home of not just convention-exclusive toys, but also other redecos and store [[exclusive]]s that were sold in normal retail outlets. The [[bio]]s for the ''Universe'' characters were primarily the responsibility of 3H.

The ''Universe'' meta-continuity officially established the idea of a ''Transformers'' multiverse and pulled together many elements from other ''Transformers'' continuities, focusing heavily on variations of ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'' and [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]. 3H's comic book series, ''Primeval Dawn'', ''The Wreckers'', and ''Universe'', brought together characters from many parallel universes and are the primary sources of information about this meta-continuity. Character bios published in convention programs, fan club newsletters, and on the 3H and Hasbro websites also contribute.

Among other things, the ''Universe'' universe makes some reconciliation between conflicting origins for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and the Transformers race that were presented in the original comics, cartoon, and [[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Machines'' cartoon]]. It also incorporates the otherwise ignored sub-toylines ''[[Mutant (BW)|Mutant Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Dinobots|Dinobots]]'' into its fiction, and is the earliest example of a story that asserts (or implies) that there is only one [[Unicron]] who travels from one universe to another, rather than an infinite array of Unicrons in different universes.

[[Fun Publications]], the company that followed 3H in running the official convention and fan club, continued this approach. The Fan Club comic storyline "[[Balancing Act]]" took place primarily during the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' cartoon, but featured a multiversal battle fought by characters culled from other continuities. The setting changed after each arc ended as characters migrated from continuity to continuity. The "science" of the multiverse was further expanded upon in the stories set within the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTech]] "hub" universe.

The multiverse has been explored within the ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' cartoon with the series using [[Unspace]], and new versions of the [[Quintesson]]s, [[Megatron X (Cyberverse)|Megatron X]] and [[Tarn (Cyberverse)|Tarn]]. It connects to the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|War for Cybertron Trilogy]]'' cartoon by showing key moments in the multiverse match when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] threw the [[AllSpark]] into a space bridge the same way his [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|''Cyberverse'' counterpart]] did.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/clip/Ugkx6P6rESRS1-NzLYzf5xUTCz8FFMaa8JXl</ref> ''War for Cybertron'' also brought back the [[Dead Universe]] from the 2005 IDW continuity.
{{stub|[[Transformers: Alternity|Alternity]], [[Transformers Cloud|Cloud]]}}

==Major continuity families==
As of {{CURRENTYEAR}}, the wiki recognizes nine primary continuity families. These are:

*'''[[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1 / Beast Era]]''' (the "[[Primax]] Cluster", according to the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTechs]])
*'''[[Robots in Disguise continuity family|Robots in Disguise]]''' ("[[Viron]] Cluster")
*The '''[[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]''' ("[[Aurex]] Cluster")
*The '''[[Movie continuity family|live-action film series]]''' ("[[Tyran]] Cluster")
*'''[[Animated continuity family|Animated]]''' ("[[Malgus]] Cluster")
*'''[[Aligned continuity family|Aligned]]''' ("[[Uniend]] Cluster")
*'''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (franchise)|Cyberverse]]'''
*'''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (franchise)|EarthSpark]]'''
*'''[[Transformers One (franchise)|One]]'''

Additional continuity families include:
*[[Pre-Transformer|Pre-''Transformers'']] and [[Brave (franchise)|other]] [[Starriors|related]] [[Zoids|franchises]] ("[[Cymond]] Cluster")
*The original ''[[GoBots]]'' ("[[Gargent]] Cluster")
*''[[Robotix]]'' ("[[Xobitor]] Cluster")
*''[[Animorphs]]'' (Elsewhere in the [[Megaverse]])
*The [[Playskool]] ''[[Go-Bots continuity family|Go-Bots]]'' ("[[Yayayarst]] Cluster")
*''[[Star Wars Transformers|Star Wars]]'' ("[[Lukas]] Cluster")
*''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]'' ("[[Primax -408.24 Epsilon]]")
*''[[Transformers: TransTech|TransTech]]'' ("[[Nexus]] Cluster")
*''[[Kre-O]]'' ("[[Fornax]] Cluster")
*''[[Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds]]'' ("[[Rovio (universal cluster)|Rovio]] Cluster")
*''[[Transformers Cloud|Cloud]]'' ("[[Cloud World|Primax 514.29 Gamma]]")
*''[[Transformers: BotBots (franchise)|BotBots]]''
*Side merchandise ("[[Iocus]] Cluster")
*The real-world universes ("[[Quadwal]] Cluster")

Every (or nearly every) ''Transformers'' story can be easily fit into one of these families, even if its precise continuity can't be pinned down.

For further information about these continuity families and families in general, please see '''[[Continuity family]]'''.

==Prominent Generation 1 continuities==
Within Generation 1, there are an almost uncountable number of established alternate universes. Some of these continuities are extremely obscure, such as the timeline which houses [[The Transformers: Battle to Save the Earth|the second Commodore 64 video game]]. On the other hand, the G1 cartoon is so widely known that even many members of the general public (i.e., not fans) would be familiar with it, and quite possibly be unaware that there even ''are'' other Transformers stories besides it and the 2007 live-action film.

Following is a ''very'' incomplete list showing only the most prominent G1 continuities and their relationships to each other. For the purposes of this list, only G1-proper will be considered, and not the extended-G1 that includes G2, MW, and the ''Beast'' series. Additionally, in keeping with Transformers Wiki's policy, the live-action film is not included, as it is treated as an independent continuity family rather than a part of G1.

*[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Cartoons (American)]] - Three complete seasons of varying length, ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', and a 3-episode "fourth season". Probably the best known of all continuities.
*[[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cartoons (Japanese)]] - Includes the first three seasons of the American cartoons and the movie, as well as three additional TV series, two OVAs and various [[manga]] series.
*[[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel U.S. comics]] - Includes ''[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|The Transformers]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters]]'', and the character profile series ''[[The Transformers Universe (Marvel)|The Transformers Universe]]''. The comic book adaptation of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' is out of continuity with the other Marvel comics.
*Marvel UK comics - Includes both the American comics and UK-originated material, amounting to a similar total volume, that was published exclusively in the UK until being reprinted internationally in the 2000s.
*[[Dreamwave Generation One continuity]] - A new continuity with much of the flavor of the original cartoon series, but a very different history. Includes the three "G1" volumes as well as three volumes of ''The War Within'' and a ''Micromasters'' miniseries.
*[[2005 IDW continuity]] - Yet another new continuity, based on earlier versions of G1 featuring classic characters but with some large revisions of basic story premise and character designs. This universe, which began with 2005's ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration]]'', ran for more than thirteen years and briefly ballooned into an entire "[[Hasbro Universe]]" of interconnected titles, before finally concluding in late 2018 with the ''[[Transformers: Unicron]]'' miniseries.
*[[2019 IDW continuity]] — a rebooted continuity that began in early 2019 with ''[[Transformers (2019 comic)|Transformers]]'' and concluded in 2022 with the ''[[Transformers: Fate of Cybertron]]'' one-shot.
*The [[Energon Universe]] – a new continuity that began in 2023, focused on creating a shared universe for ''Transformers'', ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', and an original property – ''[[Void Rivals]]'' – all united by a focus on the substance [[energon]]. This continuity began with a stealth launch in the pages of ''Void Rivals'' followed by a new ''[[Transformers (2023 comic)|Transformers]]'' ongoing series released in October of that year.

==Unified Japanese continuities==
[[File:Japaneseflowchart.jpg|upright=2.5|thumb|So that's where Machine Wars goes.]]
In Japan, every Transformers cartoon until the release of ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Legends of the Microns]]'' can, with a little elbow grease, be fit into a single unified continuity, much like the unified American G1/Beast continuity. This includes the American G1 cartoon (minus Season 4, which Japan did not air) and Beast series as well as ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'', ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'', ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'', ''[[Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!|Zone]]'', ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and even ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|Car Robots]]'' (the original, Japanese version of ''Robots in Disguise''). In the 21st century, [[TakaraTomy]] developed a fondness for new fiction that was retroactively inserted into available gaps in the G1 timeline, like ''[[Transformers: Alternators#Binaltech|Binaltech]]'', ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]'', and ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]''. Despite this rapidly accumulating additional story material, all of these stories managed to more or less hang together (save for Binaltech, which was spun off into its own alternate timeline as its story progressed).

In Japan, then, ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Legends of the Microns]]'' was the first full reboot, connecting with ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Super Link]]'' into the second major Japanese continuity, and then, as noted above, ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Galaxy Force]]'' started a third.

In 2007, TakaraTomy performed some significant retcons to their Generation 1 timeline, most visible in a timeline posted on their website (accompanied by a flowchart, at right), and ''much'' more extensively in [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline|another one]] printed in the ''[[Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!|Kiss Players/15 Go! Go! Compilation]]'' graphic novel. The most significant aspect of this retcon was to exploit the events of ''[[Transformers: The Battle of the Star Gate|The Battle of the Star Gate]]'', an unfinished manga from ''[[Super Robot Magazine]]'', to nail down a precise destination for the time travelers of ''Car Robots'' and explain why the Generation 1 cast was not present during the events of the series. The website timeline also made the rather ''bizarre'' claim that the 2007 live-action movie also somehow took place in the Japanese Generation 1 continuity in 2007, but this was not reflected by the accompanying flow-chart, and was established to ''not'' be the case by the ''Kiss Players'' timeline (which noted that the movie-verse Autobots and Decepticons came from another universe).

In addition to this serious working-over of the Generation 1 universe, the website timeline also took a moment to re-establish ''Galaxy Force'' as in the same timeline as ''Legends of the Microns'' and ''Super Link'' (as had been [[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)#Galaxy Force|initially intended]] and how the series had always been presented in the West).

In addition to the above, nearly every Japanese TF franchise has had ancillary manga published in magazines such as ''[[TV Magazine]]'' and ''[[Comic BomBom]]''. The relationship between the manga and cartoons varied. For example, the manga associated with the first two years of ''Transformers'' (pre-movie) can easily fit into the cartoon continuity, but would not contribute much of substance to the timeline. Some of the later G1 manga, however, such as those associated with ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)#Transformers: Super-God Masterforce|Super-God Masterforce]]'' and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)#Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory|Victory]]'', contradict the cartoons bearing the same names.
{{stub|everything that happened after 2007 (particularly [[Transformers Legends (comic)|Legends]] and the [[Precursor World continuity|Precursor World]].)}}

==Continuity soup==
[[File:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Optimus Prime's spark isn't naked. It has decency.]]
With the labyrinth of branching and criss-crossing timelines, it can be difficult at times to say exactly what makes up the history of any given ''Transformers'' universe. Over and over through the history of the ''Transformers'' brand, stories have been written which both extend pre-existing stories and also "fill in" pre-existing stories, adding details and retcons big and small. These extensions may be written years or even decades after the stories from which they are descended. There may be multiple extensions which conflict with each other, written at different times by different people for different licensees, targeting different markets. ''Branching'' timelines, on their own, are not that difficult to keep straight, but the relationship between various ''Transformers'' stories is much more complex than that because of the way new stories will pick and choose elements from old stories. There are no real answers to the questions that arise from this practice. It becomes a very messy question of subjective tastes and opinions, leading to the idea of a [[personal canon]].

Consider the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' television series]]: It borrows elements from the American G1 cartoon and G1 comics. The history of the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon's timeline is a mishmash, something that probably resembles the G1 cartoon more than anything else, but which differs from the cartoon in unknown ways and may include more (or less) of what we see in the Marvel Comics. BW is set in '''''a''''' G1 universe for which we have never seen—and probably will never see—more than tiny glimpses of the "G1 part". The history of that universe ''is not known'', even though we presumably know its broad outline.

So, what significance does information from ''Beast Wars'', such as the idea of the [[spark]], hold for those older stories? Since being introduced in "[[The Spark]]", sparks have become one of the most important and unifying concepts in all ''Transformers'' fiction, yet fiction which predates ''Beast Wars'', of course, never mentions them. G1-era fiction which was written post-''Beast Wars'' almost always includes them. Retconning sparks into most vintage G1 fiction is not all that difficult, but should it be done? Obviously, the G1-esque universe in which the Beast series are set has sparks, but what about the ''actual'' G1 cartoon and comic universes? Do they have sparks? Does the G1 cartoon's future (and past) look like ''Beast Wars'' or like something else?

What if a new story instead claimed that its past was ''exactly'' like an old story rather than merely similar to it? The main storyline of the ''Universe'' and ''Wreckers'' comics is ostensibly set in the BW/BM cartoon continuity, happening alongside and immediately afterwards. Are revelations from ''Universe'' "true" in ''Beast Machines'', or is ''Universe'' actually set in a timeline which is identical to the BM timeline aside from those extra events occurring? Does your answer change when [[IDW Publishing]] releases a [[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|''Beast Wars'' comic]] which ''also'' claims to occur alongside the BW cartoon, but which cannot be reconciled with ''Universe''?

What do you do with something like the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|''Classics'' comics]] published in the official fan club newsletter? Those stories are set in the future of the US G1 comic, except...that they ignore the UK G1 comic ''and'' the US G2 comic. According to G2, there is an [[Cybertronian (faction)|offshoot race of Decepticons]] running around in space who have been away from Cybertron for millions of years. Is that still true in ''other'' offshoots of the G1 comic? Is [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] out there in ''Classics''-comics space somewhere, and simply not visiting, or does he not exist at all? He ''could'' exist...but there is no way to know.

Another curious case is that of ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]''. While there are divergent continuities, such as the UK published [[Transformers Animated (Titan)|Titan stories]], there is also [[Transformers Animated: The Arrival|a comic series]] and a brace of [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|guide]] [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|books]] that are explicitly set in the same continuity as the cartoon. Since these books were produced concurrently with the cartoon, and by many of the same creators, does that influence our understanding of how continuity works for this series?

The only objective way to deal with all of this would be to take a very strict viewpoint on every story and never assume that anything is "true" unless it is explicitly stated in that story. Taken to an extreme, though, this stance can make it impossible to declare ''any'' two stories to share continuity, even two sequential episodes of a given TV series. For all we know, the new episode is set in a universe closely parallel to that of the previous episode but a little different. We wouldn't want to ''assume'' that a scene which wasn't shown in the recap actually occurred, after all. Especially if there's a continuity glitch of some sort, like the dialog in a recap being slightly different than the dialog from the earlier episode. So an absolutist "only what they showed" viewpoint can't really work. There has to be ''some'' concession; even "I'm going to treat all the episodes of this series as if they are one big story" is a subjective decision, one which another fan may find too restrictive or too liberal (especially if two of those episodes directly contradict each other!).

==We... are family?==
[[File:RG1 93 rodimii.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Lotta Rods.]]
Lastly, all of this means that it is difficult to tease out questions of which continuities are subsets of others, how closely related two different continuities are, etc. A significant example of this is the categorization of the various [[IDW Publishing]] and [[Transformers (2007 franchise)|Movie]] continuities. Both are clearly beholden to Generation 1 in many ways, but are generally thought to be notably "further out" from the G1 "core" than most other G1 continuities. Should they be considered new families or not? How do you quantify this? Do differences in physical form such as the movie's drastically different aesthetic make a difference? If so, should it also make a difference that most IDW characters have had their alt-modes altered slightly? What ratio of character rehashes to original characters is required to count as part of the old family instead of the start of a new one? What if, instead of a straight-up rehash, it's more of an amalgamation of a few old characters, as in the case of [[Frenzy (Movie)|''Movie'' Frenzy]]?

Again, the reader is referred to the article on continuity families, in particular the section [[Continuity family#Quirks and gray areas|"Quirks and gray areas"]], for a brief explanation of the categorizations that have been adopted on this wiki.

==Notes==
* Many other fictional "universes" are explicitly Multiverses, among these is the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] Universe, which in the manner of a Venn diagram also overlaps to include a portion of the Transformers Multiverse ([[Primax 984.0 Gamma|Earth-91274]] for instance).
* Due to crossovers between properties, it has been argued by some fans that all (or nearly all) Hasbro toy properties (including all fiction published under ''The Transformers'', ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', ''[[Inhumanoids]]'', ''[[Jem|Jem and the Holograms]]'', ''{{w|C.O.P.S. 'n' Crooks|C.O.P.S.}}'', ''[[Beastformers (franchise)|Battle Beasts]]'', ''[[Action Man]]'', ''[[M.A.S.K.]]'', ''[[GoBots|Challenge of the GoBots]]'', ''[[My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Robotix]]'', ''[[Visionaries]]'', and ''Air Raiders'') may be part of the same extended multiverse. (Sadly ''{{w|Sky Commanders}}'' has yet to join the fun.)
* Countless external properties have been inserted into some ''Transformers'' continuity or another, either via [[:Category:Crossovers|direct crossovers]] or inside jokes and winking nods.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Jikū Renzokutai''' (時空連続体, "spacetime continuity")

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Continuities| *]]

Continuity

2025-04-21T05:47:18Z

1levichurch: Added Transformers One and removed dead link

[[File:Continuities.png|upright=2.5|thumb|Now you put all that in a blender and you get the Japanese continuity. ''Note: This chart was quickly out-of-date shortly after its publication, and has only gotten more so over the years. Fun!'']]
A '''continuity''' is a fictional universe or timeline that is characterized by recurring characters and settings and an internal consistency with regards to characterization and depicted events. Typically a licensor will establish a fictional universe and stick with it, keeping the stories they produce ''in continuity'' with each other, meaning that they are meant to all take place in the same "world".

A continuity is typically established in a single medium, be it cartoon, movie, comic or novel, however it's common for additional material to be produced by licensors which fit into an already-existing continuity. For example, [[IDW Publishing]] produced a series of comics which are intended to fit with the [[Movie continuity family|live-action movie series]]. Meanwhile, [[Fun Publications]]'s "[[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]]", explicitly takes place in a continuity extremely similar to but not quite the same as the [[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]] as seen in ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]''. On the other end of the scale, [[Blackthorne Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers in 3-D]]'' comics maintained no continuity at all with each other, and could be taken to each present a separate universe.

Still, while all of these continuities are intended to present separate sets of events, there are important similarities which allow us to categorize them in groups. Though [[2005 IDW continuity|IDW's original continuity]], ''The Transformers'' cartoon, and [[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel Comics's universe]] present incompatible events, they feature the same characters and agree on many other points as well, allowing them to be categorized as being members of a [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] "[[continuity family]]".

{{quote|Urgh, it's one of those [[Fandom|pedantic historical types]]. To be honest, Rich, you'd be better off discussing this with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], or [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Prime]], or someone who cares. |[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], [[Transformers Comic issue 2.7|#7's Law and Disorder]]}}

{{quote|It's not [[Hasbro|Hasbro's]] goal to make everything matchy-matchy; it's to tell the best stories we can, and if we can all squint and go 'yeah, they connect,' then we're happy. Most people aren't engaged in every aspect of what we do.|[[Aaron Archer]]<ref>{{citesocial|quote=|link=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825184140/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/27/true-to-character-transformer-fall-of-cybertron.aspx|name=Ben Reeves|site=Game Informer|title=True To Form: Safeguarding The Transformers License|year=2011|month=10|day=27}}</ref>}}

{{quote|Do you know that there are more than fifteen quadrillion concurrent universes? It's true!|[[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]]|"[[Games of Deception]]"}}

==Multiverse==
More so than most science-fiction franchises, ''Transformers'' has been, from the very start, a collection of many varied continuities. Even before the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|G1 cartoon]] premiered, there was the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel Comics series]] and an array of Marvel-produced storybooks which cannot be reconciled with each other, resulting in myriad [[Micro-continuity|micro-continuities]]. There have been ''so many'' mutually exclusive Transformers continuities that a truly exhaustive list would be nearly impossible to complete. However, it is relatively easy to list the major continuity "families".

There is a subjective component to all of this, and each fan decides for themselves how "fine-grained" they want their own personal list of continuities to be. Ultimately, it could be argued that almost every story exists in its own exclusive continuity, even different stories that were clearly intended to be set in the same universe. For example, two episodes of the G1 cartoon series that make no explicit references to events in each other, but are both "descendants" of the three-part "[[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More than Meets the Eye]]", could arguably exist in different universes. There may be no particular reason to assert that they don't share continuity, but there is also no clear internal evidence that the events of one affected the world of the other. They might conceivably be set in different branches of a timeline that started with "More than Meets the Eye".

The most inclusive perspective is to consider all [[canon]]ical Transformers stories as existing within a [[multiverse]] which contains countless—perhaps infinite—alternate universes. Some of these universes are more closely related to each other than others, but they are all part of the same whole. This approach has been officially sanctioned in a number of stories:

*The [[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|2003 ''Transformers: Universe'' franchise]], which takes the existence of an overall ''Transformers'' multiverse as the core of its story.
* The [[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|''Armada'' comic]] storyline "[[Worlds Collide]]" made explicit multiple parallel universes able to sometimes interact. 75,890,008 realities are scanned in the course of the story, though [[Astroscope]] claims that there are an infinite number of alternate realities.
* Several of the [[Fun Publications]] ''[[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|Timelines]]'' tales, most notably the "[[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTech]]" stories, expand on the multiversal concept by treating the continuity families as "clusters" of [[universal stream]]s that have been studied and catalogued for millennia.
*The joint [[e-HOBBY]]/[[TakaraTomy]] franchise ''[[Transformers Cloud]]'' took a slightly different spin on the multiverse concept, presenting each individual ''Transformers'' franchise as a discrete "[[Multiverse#Spacetimes|spacetime]]" reality, with wider continuities being connected in "[[flow of time|flows of time]]."

==Meta-continuity==
[[File:TFUjailbreak.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Hey, there's Waldo!]]
The [[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|2003 ''Transformers: Universe'']] franchise (sometimes referred to as "TFU") attempted to create an overarching structure to the ''Transformers'' multiverse. It was helmed, fiction-wise, by [[3H Productions]], who then held the license to run the official ''Transformers'' convention, [[BotCon]]. Convention fiction starting in the year 1997 was directly incorporated into ''Universe'', although it wasn't until [[BotCon 2002]] that the term ''Transformers: Expanded Universe'' appeared on a BotCon toy box, and the name was shortened to just ''Transformers: Universe'' afterwards. The [[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|''Universe'' toyline]] eventually became the home of not just convention-exclusive toys, but also other redecos and store [[exclusive]]s that were sold in normal retail outlets. The [[bio]]s for the ''Universe'' characters were primarily the responsibility of 3H.

The ''Universe'' meta-continuity officially established the idea of a ''Transformers'' multiverse and pulled together many elements from other ''Transformers'' continuities, focusing heavily on variations of ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'' and [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]. 3H's comic book series, ''Primeval Dawn'', ''The Wreckers'', and ''Universe'', brought together characters from many parallel universes and are the primary sources of information about this meta-continuity. Character bios published in convention programs, fan club newsletters, and on the 3H and Hasbro websites also contribute.

Among other things, the ''Universe'' universe makes some reconciliation between conflicting origins for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and the Transformers race that were presented in the original comics, cartoon, and [[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Machines'' cartoon]]. It also incorporates the otherwise ignored sub-toylines ''[[Mutant (BW)|Mutant Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Dinobots|Dinobots]]'' into its fiction, and is the earliest example of a story that asserts (or implies) that there is only one [[Unicron]] who travels from one universe to another, rather than an infinite array of Unicrons in different universes.

[[Fun Publications]], the company that followed 3H in running the official convention and fan club, continued this approach. The Fan Club comic storyline "[[Balancing Act]]" took place primarily during the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' cartoon, but featured a multiversal battle fought by characters culled from other continuities. The setting changed after each arc ended as characters migrated from continuity to continuity. The "science" of the multiverse was further expanded upon in the stories set within the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTech]] "hub" universe.

The multiverse has been explored within the ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' cartoon with the series using [[Unspace]], and new versions of the [[Quintesson]]s, [[Megatron X (Cyberverse)|Megatron X]] and [[Tarn (Cyberverse)|Tarn]]. It connects to the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|War for Cybertron Trilogy]]'' cartoon by showing key moments in the multiverse match when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] threw the [[AllSpark]] into a space bridge the same way his [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|''Cyberverse'' counterpart]] did.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/clip/Ugkx6P6rESRS1-NzLYzf5xUTCz8FFMaa8JXl</ref> ''War for Cybertron'' also brought back the [[Dead Universe]] from the 2005 IDW continuity.
{{stub|[[Transformers: Alternity|Alternity]], [[Transformers Cloud|Cloud]]}}

==Major continuity families==
As of {{CURRENTYEAR}}, the wiki recognizes nine primary continuity families. These are:

*'''[[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1 / Beast Era]]''' (the "[[Primax]] Cluster", according to the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTechs]])
*'''[[Robots in Disguise continuity family|Robots in Disguise]]''' ("[[Viron]] Cluster")
*The '''[[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]''' ("[[Aurex]] Cluster")
*The '''[[Movie continuity family|live-action film series]]''' ("[[Tyran]] Cluster")
*'''[[Animated continuity family|Animated]]''' ("[[Malgus]] Cluster")
*'''[[Aligned continuity family|Aligned]]''' ("[[Uniend]] Cluster")
*'''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (franchise)|Cyberverse]]'''
*'''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (franchise)|EarthSpark]]'''
*'''[[Transformers One (film)|One]]'''

Additional continuity families include:
*[[Pre-Transformer|Pre-''Transformers'']] and [[Brave (franchise)|other]] [[Starriors|related]] [[Zoids|franchises]] ("[[Cymond]] Cluster")
*The original ''[[GoBots]]'' ("[[Gargent]] Cluster")
*''[[Robotix]]'' ("[[Xobitor]] Cluster")
*''[[Animorphs]]'' (Elsewhere in the [[Megaverse]])
*The [[Playskool]] ''[[Go-Bots continuity family|Go-Bots]]'' ("[[Yayayarst]] Cluster")
*''[[Star Wars Transformers|Star Wars]]'' ("[[Lukas]] Cluster")
*''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]'' ("[[Primax -408.24 Epsilon]]")
*''[[Transformers: TransTech|TransTech]]'' ("[[Nexus]] Cluster")
*''[[Kre-O]]'' ("[[Fornax]] Cluster")
*''[[Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds]]'' ("[[Rovio (universal cluster)|Rovio]] Cluster")
*''[[Transformers Cloud|Cloud]]'' ("[[Cloud World|Primax 514.29 Gamma]]")
*''[[Transformers: BotBots (franchise)|BotBots]]''
*Side merchandise ("[[Iocus]] Cluster")
*The real-world universes ("[[Quadwal]] Cluster")

Every (or nearly every) ''Transformers'' story can be easily fit into one of these families, even if its precise continuity can't be pinned down.

For further information about these continuity families and families in general, please see '''[[Continuity family]]'''.

==Prominent Generation 1 continuities==
Within Generation 1, there are an almost uncountable number of established alternate universes. Some of these continuities are extremely obscure, such as the timeline which houses [[The Transformers: Battle to Save the Earth|the second Commodore 64 video game]]. On the other hand, the G1 cartoon is so widely known that even many members of the general public (i.e., not fans) would be familiar with it, and quite possibly be unaware that there even ''are'' other Transformers stories besides it and the 2007 live-action film.

Following is a ''very'' incomplete list showing only the most prominent G1 continuities and their relationships to each other. For the purposes of this list, only G1-proper will be considered, and not the extended-G1 that includes G2, MW, and the ''Beast'' series. Additionally, in keeping with Transformers Wiki's policy, the live-action film is not included, as it is treated as an independent continuity family rather than a part of G1.

*[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Cartoons (American)]] - Three complete seasons of varying length, ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', and a 3-episode "fourth season". Probably the best known of all continuities.
*[[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cartoons (Japanese)]] - Includes the first three seasons of the American cartoons and the movie, as well as three additional TV series, two OVAs and various [[manga]] series.
*[[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel U.S. comics]] - Includes ''[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|The Transformers]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters]]'', and the character profile series ''[[The Transformers Universe (Marvel)|The Transformers Universe]]''. The comic book adaptation of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' is out of continuity with the other Marvel comics.
*Marvel UK comics - Includes both the American comics and UK-originated material, amounting to a similar total volume, that was published exclusively in the UK until being reprinted internationally in the 2000s.
*[[Dreamwave Generation One continuity]] - A new continuity with much of the flavor of the original cartoon series, but a very different history. Includes the three "G1" volumes as well as three volumes of ''The War Within'' and a ''Micromasters'' miniseries.
*[[2005 IDW continuity]] - Yet another new continuity, based on earlier versions of G1 featuring classic characters but with some large revisions of basic story premise and character designs. This universe, which began with 2005's ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration]]'', ran for more than thirteen years and briefly ballooned into an entire "[[Hasbro Universe]]" of interconnected titles, before finally concluding in late 2018 with the ''[[Transformers: Unicron]]'' miniseries.
*[[2019 IDW continuity]] — a rebooted continuity that began in early 2019 with ''[[Transformers (2019 comic)|Transformers]]'' and concluded in 2022 with the ''[[Transformers: Fate of Cybertron]]'' one-shot.
*The [[Energon Universe]] – a new continuity that began in 2023, focused on creating a shared universe for ''Transformers'', ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', and an original property – ''[[Void Rivals]]'' – all united by a focus on the substance [[energon]]. This continuity began with a stealth launch in the pages of ''Void Rivals'' followed by a new ''[[Transformers (2023 comic)|Transformers]]'' ongoing series released in October of that year.

==Unified Japanese continuities==
[[File:Japaneseflowchart.jpg|upright=2.5|thumb|So that's where Machine Wars goes.]]
In Japan, every Transformers cartoon until the release of ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Legends of the Microns]]'' can, with a little elbow grease, be fit into a single unified continuity, much like the unified American G1/Beast continuity. This includes the American G1 cartoon (minus Season 4, which Japan did not air) and Beast series as well as ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'', ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'', ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'', ''[[Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!|Zone]]'', ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and even ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|Car Robots]]'' (the original, Japanese version of ''Robots in Disguise''). In the 21st century, [[TakaraTomy]] developed a fondness for new fiction that was retroactively inserted into available gaps in the G1 timeline, like ''[[Transformers: Alternators#Binaltech|Binaltech]]'', ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]'', and ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]''. Despite this rapidly accumulating additional story material, all of these stories managed to more or less hang together (save for Binaltech, which was spun off into its own alternate timeline as its story progressed).

In Japan, then, ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Legends of the Microns]]'' was the first full reboot, connecting with ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Super Link]]'' into the second major Japanese continuity, and then, as noted above, ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Galaxy Force]]'' started a third.

In 2007, TakaraTomy performed some significant retcons to their Generation 1 timeline, most visible in a timeline posted on their website (accompanied by a flowchart, at right), and ''much'' more extensively in [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline|another one]] printed in the ''[[Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!|Kiss Players/15 Go! Go! Compilation]]'' graphic novel. The most significant aspect of this retcon was to exploit the events of ''[[Transformers: The Battle of the Star Gate|The Battle of the Star Gate]]'', an unfinished manga from ''[[Super Robot Magazine]]'', to nail down a precise destination for the time travelers of ''Car Robots'' and explain why the Generation 1 cast was not present during the events of the series. The website timeline also made the rather ''bizarre'' claim that the 2007 live-action movie also somehow took place in the Japanese Generation 1 continuity in 2007, but this was not reflected by the accompanying flow-chart, and was established to ''not'' be the case by the ''Kiss Players'' timeline (which noted that the movie-verse Autobots and Decepticons came from another universe).

In addition to this serious working-over of the Generation 1 universe, the website timeline also took a moment to re-establish ''Galaxy Force'' as in the same timeline as ''Legends of the Microns'' and ''Super Link'' (as had been [[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)#Galaxy Force|initially intended]] and how the series had always been presented in the West).

In addition to the above, nearly every Japanese TF franchise has had ancillary manga published in magazines such as ''[[TV Magazine]]'' and ''[[Comic BomBom]]''. The relationship between the manga and cartoons varied. For example, the manga associated with the first two years of ''Transformers'' (pre-movie) can easily fit into the cartoon continuity, but would not contribute much of substance to the timeline. Some of the later G1 manga, however, such as those associated with ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)#Transformers: Super-God Masterforce|Super-God Masterforce]]'' and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)#Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory|Victory]]'', contradict the cartoons bearing the same names.
{{stub|everything that happened after 2007 (particularly [[Transformers Legends (comic)|Legends]] and the [[Precursor World continuity|Precursor World]].)}}

==Continuity soup==
[[File:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Optimus Prime's spark isn't naked. It has decency.]]
With the labyrinth of branching and criss-crossing timelines, it can be difficult at times to say exactly what makes up the history of any given ''Transformers'' universe. Over and over through the history of the ''Transformers'' brand, stories have been written which both extend pre-existing stories and also "fill in" pre-existing stories, adding details and retcons big and small. These extensions may be written years or even decades after the stories from which they are descended. There may be multiple extensions which conflict with each other, written at different times by different people for different licensees, targeting different markets. ''Branching'' timelines, on their own, are not that difficult to keep straight, but the relationship between various ''Transformers'' stories is much more complex than that because of the way new stories will pick and choose elements from old stories. There are no real answers to the questions that arise from this practice. It becomes a very messy question of subjective tastes and opinions, leading to the idea of a [[personal canon]].

Consider the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' television series]]: It borrows elements from the American G1 cartoon and G1 comics. The history of the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon's timeline is a mishmash, something that probably resembles the G1 cartoon more than anything else, but which differs from the cartoon in unknown ways and may include more (or less) of what we see in the Marvel Comics. BW is set in '''''a''''' G1 universe for which we have never seen—and probably will never see—more than tiny glimpses of the "G1 part". The history of that universe ''is not known'', even though we presumably know its broad outline.

So, what significance does information from ''Beast Wars'', such as the idea of the [[spark]], hold for those older stories? Since being introduced in "[[The Spark]]", sparks have become one of the most important and unifying concepts in all ''Transformers'' fiction, yet fiction which predates ''Beast Wars'', of course, never mentions them. G1-era fiction which was written post-''Beast Wars'' almost always includes them. Retconning sparks into most vintage G1 fiction is not all that difficult, but should it be done? Obviously, the G1-esque universe in which the Beast series are set has sparks, but what about the ''actual'' G1 cartoon and comic universes? Do they have sparks? Does the G1 cartoon's future (and past) look like ''Beast Wars'' or like something else?

What if a new story instead claimed that its past was ''exactly'' like an old story rather than merely similar to it? The main storyline of the ''Universe'' and ''Wreckers'' comics is ostensibly set in the BW/BM cartoon continuity, happening alongside and immediately afterwards. Are revelations from ''Universe'' "true" in ''Beast Machines'', or is ''Universe'' actually set in a timeline which is identical to the BM timeline aside from those extra events occurring? Does your answer change when [[IDW Publishing]] releases a [[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|''Beast Wars'' comic]] which ''also'' claims to occur alongside the BW cartoon, but which cannot be reconciled with ''Universe''?

What do you do with something like the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|''Classics'' comics]] published in the official fan club newsletter? Those stories are set in the future of the US G1 comic, except...that they ignore the UK G1 comic ''and'' the US G2 comic. According to G2, there is an [[Cybertronian (faction)|offshoot race of Decepticons]] running around in space who have been away from Cybertron for millions of years. Is that still true in ''other'' offshoots of the G1 comic? Is [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] out there in ''Classics''-comics space somewhere, and simply not visiting, or does he not exist at all? He ''could'' exist...but there is no way to know.

Another curious case is that of ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]''. While there are divergent continuities, such as the UK published [[Transformers Animated (Titan)|Titan stories]], there is also [[Transformers Animated: The Arrival|a comic series]] and a brace of [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|guide]] [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|books]] that are explicitly set in the same continuity as the cartoon. Since these books were produced concurrently with the cartoon, and by many of the same creators, does that influence our understanding of how continuity works for this series?

The only objective way to deal with all of this would be to take a very strict viewpoint on every story and never assume that anything is "true" unless it is explicitly stated in that story. Taken to an extreme, though, this stance can make it impossible to declare ''any'' two stories to share continuity, even two sequential episodes of a given TV series. For all we know, the new episode is set in a universe closely parallel to that of the previous episode but a little different. We wouldn't want to ''assume'' that a scene which wasn't shown in the recap actually occurred, after all. Especially if there's a continuity glitch of some sort, like the dialog in a recap being slightly different than the dialog from the earlier episode. So an absolutist "only what they showed" viewpoint can't really work. There has to be ''some'' concession; even "I'm going to treat all the episodes of this series as if they are one big story" is a subjective decision, one which another fan may find too restrictive or too liberal (especially if two of those episodes directly contradict each other!).

==We... are family?==
[[File:RG1 93 rodimii.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Lotta Rods.]]
Lastly, all of this means that it is difficult to tease out questions of which continuities are subsets of others, how closely related two different continuities are, etc. A significant example of this is the categorization of the various [[IDW Publishing]] and [[Transformers (2007 franchise)|Movie]] continuities. Both are clearly beholden to Generation 1 in many ways, but are generally thought to be notably "further out" from the G1 "core" than most other G1 continuities. Should they be considered new families or not? How do you quantify this? Do differences in physical form such as the movie's drastically different aesthetic make a difference? If so, should it also make a difference that most IDW characters have had their alt-modes altered slightly? What ratio of character rehashes to original characters is required to count as part of the old family instead of the start of a new one? What if, instead of a straight-up rehash, it's more of an amalgamation of a few old characters, as in the case of [[Frenzy (Movie)|''Movie'' Frenzy]]?

Again, the reader is referred to the article on continuity families, in particular the section [[Continuity family#Quirks and gray areas|"Quirks and gray areas"]], for a brief explanation of the categorizations that have been adopted on this wiki.

==Notes==
* Many other fictional "universes" are explicitly Multiverses, among these is the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] Universe, which in the manner of a Venn diagram also overlaps to include a portion of the Transformers Multiverse ([[Primax 984.0 Gamma|Earth-91274]] for instance).
* Due to crossovers between properties, it has been argued by some fans that all (or nearly all) Hasbro toy properties (including all fiction published under ''The Transformers'', ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', ''[[Inhumanoids]]'', ''[[Jem|Jem and the Holograms]]'', ''{{w|C.O.P.S. 'n' Crooks|C.O.P.S.}}'', ''[[Beastformers (franchise)|Battle Beasts]]'', ''[[Action Man]]'', ''[[M.A.S.K.]]'', ''[[GoBots|Challenge of the GoBots]]'', ''[[My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Robotix]]'', ''[[Visionaries]]'', and ''Air Raiders'') may be part of the same extended multiverse. (Sadly ''{{w|Sky Commanders}}'' has yet to join the fun.)
* Countless external properties have been inserted into some ''Transformers'' continuity or another, either via [[:Category:Crossovers|direct crossovers]] or inside jokes and winking nods.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Jikū Renzokutai''' (時空連続体, "spacetime continuity")

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Continuities| *]]

User talk:1levichurch

2024-10-29T01:25:18Z

1levichurch: /* Citing sources */

{{welcome}}

==Citing sources==
Hi! Just saw your edit to Andy Schmidt's page. I had no idea that was the case until just now, and am genuinely curious to see the interview in question. When adding information like that, it's beneficial to directly cite the source on the page itself. If you don't know how, take a look at [[Help:Citing sources]]; the citesocial template is probably what you need. Hope that can be of some help to you! —[[User:The Wadapan|wadapan]] ([[User talk:The Wadapan|talk]]) 18:15, 28 October 2024 (EDT)

At 4:47, they said Andy Schmidt worked on War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron. https://youtu.be/E0C1MoUOOOk?si=V8F7JKh_zXeY1IFf&t=287 I didn't include the link on the wiki article because I figured Schmidt was credited and just simply no one added it to the wiki. —[[User:1levichurch|Levi]] ([[User talk:1levichurch|talk]]) 01:23, 29 October 2024 (UTC)

Andy Schmidt

2024-10-28T21:37:48Z

1levichurch: An interview I watched said Schmidt worked on War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron

{{disambig3|Andrew}}
[[Image:Andy Schmidt.jpg|right|thumb|200px|He's not smug, he just photographs that way!]]
'''Peter Andrewes "Andy" Schmidt''' (born [[August 3]], [[1976]]) is a comic book writer and former Senior Editor for [[IDW Publishing]].

Before working for IDW, he was an editor at [[Marvel Comics]], where he handled most titles under the "Marvel Heroes" brand as well as numerous other top titles, and oversaw the multi-title "Annihilation" crossover event.

He moved to IDW Publishing in 2008, starting out editing their ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' and ''[[Star Trek]]'' titles before leaving ''Star Trek'' to work on the ''Transformers'' brand, first as co-editor, and then taking over as full editor when [[Denton J. Tipton]] moved on to other projects. To say that he was overwhelmed with how obsessive Transfans are with the continuity would be an understatement. He would create a short-lived "brain trust" of Transformers writers, modelled on the [[Spider-Man]] "Brand New Day" team, in large part to keep the continuity on track.<ref>[https://www.mixcloud.com/GuernseyGeekOnPodcast/guernsey-geekon-james-roberts-interview-in-full/ Guernsey GeekOut interview with James Roberts, 1:12:30 to 1:17:10]</ref>

In 2011, he was hired by Hasbro directly to work in their new [[HasLab (Hasbro department)|HasLab]] division, and has since been replaced as editor on IDW's Hasbro-licensed properties by [[John Barber]]. In 2013, it was revealed that he was among the Hasbro employees who were affected by a major layoff wave a few months earlier.

He also owns and teaches at the Comics Experience school of comics in California.

{{quote|I'm just constantly surprised at how you guys keep track of all this stuff. It's really impressive. And yes, it's a part of my job, but it's not how my brain works naturally. I have to really work at it. This is part of the job that doesn't come easily to me. ... Back at Marvel we just didn't care ;)|Andy Schmidt<ref>[http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/viewtopic.php?p=178902#p178902 Tongue-in-cheek comment made on the IDW forums, on April 20, 2010]</ref>}}

{{quote|If I could go back to the 70s and 80s and stop Marvel and DC from ingraining in comics fans{{sic}} brains that continuity is paramount, I would.|Andy Schmidt<ref>[http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/viewtopic.php?p=214908#p214908 December 3, 2010]</ref>}}

==Bibliography==
===IDW Publishing===
====Writer====
* ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight]]'' [[Spotlight: Metroplex|#24 "Metroplex"]]
* ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron]]'' [[Rebirth|#14 ("Rebirth")]]
* ''[[The Transformers Continuum]]''
* [[Unit:E (issue)|Unit:E Special Edition Comic Book]]

====Editor====
(many with [[Denton J. Tipton]])
* ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron]]'' [[All Hail Megatron issue 9|#9]], [[All Hail Megatron issue 10|#10]], [[All Hail Megatron issue 11|#11]], [[All Hail Megatron issue 12|#12]], [[All Hail Megatron issue 13|#13]], [[All Hail Megatron issue 15|#15]], [[All Hail Megatron issue 16|#16]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Bumblebee]]'': all issues.
* ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'': all issues.
* ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight]]'' [[Spotlight: Jazz|#22 "Jazz"]], [[Ride-Along|#25 "Prowl"]].
* ''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]'' (ongoing): #1–22
* ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)|Transformers: War for Cybertron]]''
* ''[[Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)|Transformers: Prime]]''
* ''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
* ''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
* ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
* ''[[Transformers: Jazz]]''

===Games===
* ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)]]''
* ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]''
* ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark]]''
* ''[[Transformers: Battle Tactics]]''
* ''[[Transformers: Devastation]]''

==Notes==
===Stealth bomber Megatron controversy===
[[File:DonFigStealthMegatronPitchedDesign.jpg|thumb|right|250px|We're sure it was all just a misunderstanding...]]

* According to [[Don Figueroa]] via his now-defunct Deviant Art account, he designed the stealth bomber Megatron which appeared in IDW's [[Heart Like a Wheel|''The Transformers'' #13]] comic. However, he originally designed it as part of a story pitch which editor Andy Schmidt rejected. Schmidt later told Figueroa he wanted the pitched concept and the two made plans to work out a deal at the Long Beach Comic-Con. Schmidt stood Figueroa up, not attending the Comic-Con, and then proceeded to use the pitched design in ''The Transformers'' #13 with no compensation to Figueroa whatsoever. When Figueroa heard about this, and that Hasbro would be turning the design into a toy (again, with no compensation or credit), Figueroa was less than thrilled.<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/energonpub/don-figueroa-designed-idw-s-stealth-bomber-megatron-but-wasn-t-compensated--t96022s0.php DeviantArt message from Figueroa, archived via Seibertron messageboard post]</ref>

* Presumably, Schmidt doesn't teach any ethics courses at his Comics Experience school.

==External links==
* [http://www.comicsexperience.com Comics Experience]

===Interviews===
*June 2009—[https://www.cbr.com/schmidt-on-khan-transformers-g-i-joe/ CBR]
*September 2009—[https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/comics/2009-09-14-transformers_N.htm USA Today]
*October 2009—[https://moonbase2.libsyn.com/episode-76 Moonbase 2]
*November 2009—[http://web.archive.org/web/20091107063055/http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23606 CBR]
*November 2009—[https://news.tfw2005.com/2009/11/15/tfw2005-interviews-idw-publishing-editor-andy-schmidt-168776 TFW2005]
*November 2009—[https://tformers.com/transformers-interview-tformers-talks-with-transformers-comic-writer-andy-schmidt/12679/news.html TFormers] (addressing criticism about ''Transformers: Continuum'')
*November 2009—[https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/seibertron-interviews-idws-transformers-lead-editor-andy-schmidt/17393/ Seibertron]
*July 2010—San Diego Comic-Con ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FVuLZOsTmU Part 1], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S54yFs_Dx8U Part 2], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLgbWSK-jro Part 3], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3SDDXeJLWQ Part 4]) (with [[Larry Hama]], [[Robert Atkins]], [[Mike Costa]], [[Denton J. Tipton]], [[Michael Kelly (writer)|Michael Kelly]], and [[Alex Irvine]])
*October 2010—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r4lD5-f7pc Silver Cheese]
*April 2011—[https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/seibertron-interview-setting-up-some-chaos-with-andy-schmidt/21255/ Seibertron]
*April 2011—[https://moonbase2.libsyn.com/the-underbase-interviews-andy-schmidt The Underbase]
*April 2011—[https://www.cbr.com/schmidt-brings-order-to-transformers-chaos/ CBR]
*June 2011—[https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2fzric BotCon] (with [[Chris Ryall]], [[Mike Costa]], [[Livio Ramondelli]] and [[Flint Dille]])
*March 2016—[https://nerdforaliving.com/episode-56-writing-for-video-games-andy-schmidt/ Nerd For A Living]

==Reference==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Andy}}
[[Category:Editors]]
[[Category:IDW Publishing]]
[[Category:Writers]]

Quintesson

2024-10-23T02:17:35Z

1levichurch: /* Games */

{{factions|quintesson|quintessonwfc|unicron|{{factions/icons|custom=PotP-QuintusPrime.png|cSize=40px|cLink=Quintus Prime|cPretty=Quintus Prime}}}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 alien race|their home planet which is called "Quintesson" in the Marvel Comic UK continuity|Quintessa (planet)}}
[[File:Quint.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Hahahaha—[whir] —hahahahaha—[whir] —–hahahahaha—[whir] ——hahahahahaha—[whir] ——–hahahahahaha!"]]

The '''Quintessons''' are a bizarre and ancient race, whose dark history and shadowy machinations are bound up with the history of the [[Transformer]]s, with connections to both [[Primus]] and [[Unicron]]. They are known galaxy-wide as traders, entrepreneurs and businessmen, but their dealings are very rarely on the level, often laced with intrigue and betrayals. They prefer subtle manipulation, scheming, and advanced technology over brute force, but if those don't work, they can fall back on the legion of deadly [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] and [[Allicon]]s at their command and a fleet of battle-ready [[Quintesson spacecraft|spaceships]] as well. However, the Quintessons themselves have zero fighting abilities and are absolute cowards if they have nothing to hide behind. For example, they are seen to be powerless against a Sharkticon revolt.

{{quote|[We] are ''Quintessons''! ''Arrogance'' is our life’s blood, ''ambition'' is our food and drink, but most of all, ''hubris is the air we breathe!!''|[[Al-badur]]|"[[Wreckers: Finale Part II]]"}}

{{quote|Deceivers! Betrayers! Five-faced slime of the nebula!|[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] on the Quintessons|"[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"}}

==Types of Quintessons==
The Quintessons appear to be mostly (if not entirely) mechanical beings. They come in several distinct forms, some of which are identified by their place in the Quintessons' bizarre court system.
*[[Quintesson Judge]]
*[[Quintesson Bailiff]]
*[[Quintesson Executioner]]
*[[Quintesson Prosecutor]]
*[[Quintesson Scientist]]

[[File:Quint two faced.jpg|125px|thumb|My tentacles are on fire!]]
The Judges are not the only Quintessons to have multiple faces, though the only known exception is the '''two-faced scientist''' who was the primary creator of the [[Trans-Organic]]s. One of his faces was grievously damaged, a scar left by the [[Dweller (G1)|Dweller]], which he covered with a mask.

This scientist instigated a plan to get the [[Decepticon]]s to unwittingly release the trans-organics from their prisons deep within [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] so they would wipe out all Transformer life. The plan ultimately backfired; the Dweller killed the other trans-organics, and was launched into space by the [[Autobot]]s... where it smashed into the scientist's ship, which was en-route to Cybertron. Presumably, the scientist finally met his end as the Dweller drained the energy from the ship and everyone within it. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}}

[[File:Quint rentacops.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|"Game over, man! Game over!"]]
'''Security officers''' appear to have been an ancient model of Quintesson, and possibly the only kind with built-in offensive capabilities, some having one set of arm-tentacles replaced with over-sized blasters. These blasters availed them naught, however, against the Trans-Organic beasts. It is unknown if any of this model of Quintesson exist in "modern" times. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}}

[[File:Quint humanoid.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|No one remembers we exist.]]
Non-bailiff, non-executioner '''Humanoid''' Quintessons are exceedingly rare. One accompanied [[Inquirata (G1)|Inquirata]] on his mission to use a [[Time Window]] to change Cybertron's history, stopping the slave revolt that drove the Quintessons off-planet. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

And then there's [[Mirdane]]. A rarity among Quintessons, in that he has a name, and that's ''it''. He has only ever been mentioned by others, never seen, so what body type he has/had is unknown. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}} {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}
{{-}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
=====''The Transformers'' cartoon=====
{{voiceactor|[[Regis Cordic]], [[Roger C. Carmel]] and [[Jack Angel]] (English, primary recurring voices), [[Stan Jones]] ("[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]"), [[Dick Gautier]] ("[[The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar]]"), [[Tony Pope]] ("[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]" and "[[The Dweller in the Depths]]"), [[Paul Eiding]] ("[[The Quintesson Journal]]"), [[Charlie Adler]] ("[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]"), [[Corey Burton]] ("[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]," "[[Madman's Paradise]]"), [[Aron Kincaid]] ("[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|The Return of Optimus Prime]]")|[[Paulo Flores]] (Portuguese, "The Movie" TV dub), [[André Filho]], [[Magalhães Graça]] and [[Ronaldo Magalhães]] (Portuguese, "The Movie" VHS dub), [[Fabio Tomasini]] (Portuguese, "The Movie" Fox Kids dub), [[André Luiz Chapéu]], [[Domício Costa]], [[Dario Lourenço]], [[Sílvio Navas]], [[Jomeri Pozzoli]] and [[Márcio Seixas]] (Portuguese, season 3)}}
{{quote|We Transformers have looked into the face of our creators... and seen the face of an enemy.|[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]]|"[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"}}

[[File:FFOD4 Early Quintessons.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|The new Powerpuff Girls series never really got off the ground.]]
In ages long past, a race of aliens called the Quintessons existed on the planet-sized factory known as [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} Some of their early experiments in creating artificial life resulted in the [[Trans-Organic]]s. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}} Some Quintessons turned to forbidden arts, and were banished to other dimensions. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}} The Quintessons eventually created two lines of sentient robots: one was a line of robots designed for domestic duties and labor (known as [[Autobot]]s), and the other was a line designed for military use (known as [[Decepticon]]s). {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} The Quintessons were exceptionally cruel to their creations, eventually leading to wide-spread rebellion, a rebellion started by the Autobot [[Alpha Trion (G1)|A-3]]. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}} Forced to flee the planet, the Quintessons eventually settled on the small, twisted planet of [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], but fostered an undying hatred of all Transformers for the next eleven million years. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

They also spent this time productively, selling technology to other races, and often manipulating the political and military climate of regions of space to increase their sales, all the while diligently keeping track of their work by recording it in [[Quintesson Journal|journals]]. {{Storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} Occasionally a race as the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] would arise that could potentially threaten the Quintessons, and they would deal with it by sealing off whole sections of space with [[quadrant lock]]s. {{storylink|The Face of the Nijika}}

[[File:FFOD2 Quintesson court.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Believe it or not, you really do have better chances in Texas.]]
In 2005, they were shown to capture prisoners for trial and feeding to their army of [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. The mock trials held by the Quintesson Court seemed to have no purpose at all, except maybe for the Quintessons' amusement, as defendants were still immediately fed to the ravenous Sharkticons even when the Judge determined them to be innocent. However, the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] managed to rescue the pair of Autobots the Quintessons had captured. Worse, [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] inspired the Sharkticons to rebel... by stomping his foot on the ground and telling them to do so. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}
{{note|The Quintessons' involvement in these events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the comic mini-series "[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]" and the storybook "[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|Transformers the Movie]]."}}

One year (or possibly five years, [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline|depending on whom you ask]]) after the defeat of [[Unicron]], the Quintessons reappeared. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} They first sent a commando team of Sharkticons to abduct various Autobots (as well as [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], though that may have been unintentional). Upon capturing the 'bots, the Quintessons seemed more interested in interrogating their prisoners than feeding them to the Sharkticons. However, they eventually did find the captured Transformers to be guilty of the crime of... being Transformers (Spike was guilty by association). {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}

[[File:FFOD4 Quintessons raised tentacles and Galvatron.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"Look out, it's Galvatron! Quick, make yourselves look big and maybe he'll leave us alone!"]]
After [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus]] and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] mounted a rescue for their captive friends, the Quintessons attempted to kill the would-be rescuers by destroying the entire planet of Quintessa. After this plan failed, the surviving Quintessons approached the currently leaderless Decepticons, offering them [[energon]] in exchange for attacking the Autobots who had fled to the planet [[Goo Number 8739-B|Goo]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}} When the newly revived [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] arrived intending to reclaim his army, the Quintessons made an alliance with him to attack Cybertron in return for the [[Decepticon Matrix|Decepticon Matrix of Leadership]], an object which didn't actually exist outside the Quintessons' fertile imaginations. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

The Quintessons betrayed Galvatron almost immediately after the battle had been won, sending the Sharkticons to pull a [[Large switch|switch]] which would cause all Transformers the galaxy over literally to freeze where they stood. Though the Sharkticons were fought off, Galvatron pulled the lever anyway. The Quintessons landed on Cybertron, intending to reclaim the planet, however Spike destroyed the switch and the Quintessons were forced to abandon the planet in an escape pod. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

Later plots by the Quintessons were no less nefarious. A rogue Quintesson scientist abducted three Transformers and a [[Marissa Faireborn|human]] for behavioral study, a scheme that nearly killed the entire group after they drifted into a black hole. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar}} Later, the Quintessons revived the deceased [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] in an attempt to lure all the Autobots into a trap and destroy them with a supernova. However, the Quintessons did not count upon Hot Rod forcing Optimus Prime to overcome his programming, nor Optimus Prime's ability to sacrifice himself to save the Autobots. {{storylink|Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

[[File:ForeverLongTimeComing various Quintessons.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"Damn it! Who ate my yogurt?!"]]
Later still, the Quintessons attempted to rewrite history by preventing their loss of Cybertron, creating a [[Time Window]] on an asteroid, directed at Cybertron eleven million years in the past. The Autobots attacked the asteroid, occupying it as several of their number passed through the Time Window and resulting in the very fabric of reality starting to unravel the longer the window remained open. The Quintessons made several desperate attempts to retake the asteroid before convincing Rodimus Prime to shut the Time Window down, though their plans were still ruined as the time-displaced A-3 returned to the past to take his part in the rebellion. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

After a Quintesson journal was lost on [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], the Quintessons began inserting subliminal messages into the Junkions' [[television]] in an attempt to make them tidy and instill a distrust of other life forms. Unfortunately the equipment sending the subliminal signal was damaged during an attempt to retrieve the journal, resulting in the Junkions transmitting subliminal messages to the rest of the galaxy. In the ensuing battle, the Quintessons again tried to retrieve the journal, only to lose it when a stray shot knocked it loose from their tractor beam. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}} The journal resurfaced again in the [[Angarrix sector]] at the same time that the Autobots were conducting peace talks with [[Xetaxxis]] and [[Lanarq]], two planets whom the Quintessons had manipulated into war so that they could sell weapons. Despite the Quintessons' best attempts the journal reached the conference where their interference was exposed, and the Autobots destroyed the Quintesson ship as it tried to deliver two [[omega bomb]]s intended to destroy the planets. {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}}

The Quintessons would try other schemes to destroy the Autobots. One involved kidnapping [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and hooking him to a device which manifested his dreams in real life. Unfortunately the dream constructs turned on them when Rodimus was able to reach Daniel's sleeping mind. {{storylink|Nightmare Planet}} Another was to manipulate Galvatron into releasing the Trans-Organics. Though Galvatron succeeded, releasing the [[Dweller (G1)|Dweller]], the Autobots managed to expel the creature into space, where it attacked the Quintesson ship. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}}

[[File:MadmansParadise Mara-Al-Utha.jpg|thumb|left|240px|''"Why not Zoidberg?!'']]
Finding Galvatron interfering with the quadrant lock sealing [[Quadrant X]], the Quintessons entered the lock, taking a number of Transformers through with them. Unfortunately their [[isolator key]], needed to reopen the lock, was damaged, forcing them to obtain [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]'s [[universal emulator]]. Perceptor was able to program the emulator so that when the Quintessons used it, it disabled the quadrant lock for good. {{storylink|The Face of the Nijika}} In another dimension on [[Menonia]], the Autobots found the rogue Quintesson scientist [[Mara-Al-Utha]], and defeated him with the help of local wizard named the [[Golden One]]. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}

[[File:ReturnOptimusPrime Quintesson holding tool.jpg|thumb|upright=1.45|"Right, where am I sticking this?"]]
The Quintessons suggested to Cyclonus that he take Galvatron to [[Torkulon]], believing the experience would prove fatal for the Decepticons. It didn't. {{storylink|Webworld}} A group of Quintessons based on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]] made a deal with [[Dirk Manus]] to deliver them the [[Recreator]], while also sending the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] to attack him. Multiple double-crosses ensued until in one final double-cross, Manus set [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] on the Quintessons and they retreated without the Recreator. {{storylink|Money Is Everything (episode)|Money Is Everything}}

When Rodimus asked [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] to find him a Quintesson, Sky Lynx complained that the Quintessons had gone into hiding in the farthest reaches of the galaxy and would be difficult to find. Nonetheless Sky Lynx managed to find [[Klementia|one being chased]] by [[Hate Plague]] infected Sharkticons, and took him to Earth to restore life to the body of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}} The lone Quintesson also restored a number of other Autobots to help Optimus retrieve the Matrix from Rodimus. He did his best to hold off the infected Transformers while Optimus journeyed into the Matrix and found a way to cure the Hate Plague. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}
{{--}}

=====Japanese cartoon continuity=====
======''Legends'' comic======
Millions of years ago, the Quintessons arrived on the planet that would become Cybertron and discovered the essence of the [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]] as well as the [[Matrix of Leadership|vessel]] that had once kept it. They subjugated the Oracle by encasing him within [[Vector Sigma]] and creating the [[Key to Vector Sigma]] to control his powers, which they used to transform the planet into a metallic world. They went on to use Cybertron as a factory for [[Transformer|robotic slaves]] until their creations rebelled and drove them off the planet, claiming the Oracle's vessel and finding it full of malicious energy after years of accumulating the wisdom of its Quintesson owners. They promptly dumped out the Quintesson wisdom, which would one day go on to become [[Devil Z]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

In need of new territory after being driven off Cybertron, the Quintessons opened a portal to another dimension, the [[Legends World]], and invaded it with an army of [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharges]] led by a lone Quintesson. They were beaten back by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], leading to the Quintessons labeling the Legends World dangerous and sealing away its creators, the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]], with a [[quadrant lock]]. However, the Quintessons were unaware that their portal had in fact spanned time as well as space and led to the far future, and the Legends World would only be created ''after'' the Zamojin were released from the lock. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 59|Bonus Edition Vol. 59}}

======BT World======
The Quintessons monitored [[Binaltech (technology)|Project: Binaltech]] on Earth with great trepidation. When they detected the Autobots moving on towards the enhancement of humans as well, they became afraid of the ramifications and initiated a [[quadrant lock]] on that world. {{storylink|Outlier (comic)|Outlier}}

As a result of the quadrant lock, the planet was frozen in time until the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]] were born and broke through it 900,000 years later. During the intervening time, however, a tragic fate befell the Quintessons. {{storylink|Alternation}}

======''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010'' story pages======
Teaming up with the Decepticons, the Quintessons began developing new warriors for their "allies". {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 2}} The [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s were constructed by the Quintessons during this alliance. The Sharkticons, also considered to be part of the Predacon faction, were leased to the Decepticons to bolster their ranks. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 3}} The Quintessons evidently consider the Sharkticons to be "the Pride of the Quintessons" and developed [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] specifically to outdo all previous Decepticon [[combiner]]s. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 4}}

During [[Dark Awakening (episode)|the time they had Optimus Prime's corpse in their clutches]], the Quintessons copied his schematics. They also received schematics of Megatron from their alliance with the Decepticons and developed the Colossal Cannon Soldier [[Gilthor]]. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 4}}

======''Macrocosmic Seekers''======
The [[Seeker (United)|Seeker]], during the enslavement of Transformers, realized the potential for Transformer evolution and noted that rebellion was imminent. He was laughed at, but the Seeker got the last laugh when he left Cybertron before the rebellion and evolved beyond his Quintesson origins. {{Storylink|A Treasure's True Worth}}

======Controverse======
When [[Primacron]] was taken into custody for unleashing [[Tornedron]] into the cosmos, the galactic council appointed the Quintesson judge [[Adveraros]] to preside over the scientist's trial. To guard the prisoner, the Quintessons brought along several Bailiffs and Sharkticons. Though Adveraros at first seemed to give a sensible ruling (acquittal by reason of insanity) in truth the Quintessons were planning to harvest Primacron's brain once he had been sent to [[Doruka III]], an asylum planet. The plot was foiled by Primacron himself, who fashioned a high-tech whistle out of his mechanical manacles, and took control of all nearby "[[Primitive]]" Transformers. Having restrained Adveraros with his own Sharkticon guards, Primacron revealed that he had once created bacterial machines, which he proposed was the Quintessons' distant ancestors. Adveraros loudly denounced this claim as the Autobots came in to take protective custody of Primacron. {{storylink|Controverse}}

======''Kiss Players''======
[[File:KPQuints.jpg|thumb|This is all kinds of crazy.]]
The [[Kiss Players (singing group)|Kiss Players]] [[Marissa Faireborn]], [[Atari Hitotonari]], and [[Shaoshao Li]], together with the [[Sparkbot]]s [[Angela]], [[Star Dust]], and [[Zangetsu]], were traveling through time aboard [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]] when the space fortress suddenly went out of control.

The six found themselves on a strange, alien world in the year 2011. With their ship ensnared, they were herded by [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] to the Space Tribunal, where the Quintessons put them on trial for time-traveling without their permission.

When Shaoshao asked if being cute was a crime, the Quintessons threatened to charge her with contempt of court. Atari suggested using their Kiss Play abilities to transform into cute costumes and ask the "octopusses" nicely to let them go. But turning into a swimsuit-clad elementary school girl and asking the judge's permission to go to the potty only resulted in Atari and her friends being found "not guilty" and dropped into the Sharkticon pit below.

Rescued by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Goldbug]], they fled back to Brave Maximus and re-entered the time portal. Sucked into the maelstrom along with them, the Quintessons demanded that the process stop, saying that they were the last of their kind. But it was too late, and the aliens were trapped inside the hole in space-time. {{storylink|Kiss Players Picture Story Show}}

======''Generations Selects Special Comic''======
In the universe's early days, the Quintessons were ruled by [[It]]. After developing a cyberforming ray, the Quintessons discovered a barren rocky world at the galaxy's centre. Testing their invention on this world, the Quintessons dubbed it "Cybertron" and enslaved the [[Primus|energy being]] that resided in its core, shackling it within a [[Vector Sigma|supercomputer]] through which they granted life to their Transformer creations. Though the Quintessons had intended to sell the Transformers as slaves, they'd built their robots too well, their creations rebelling and driving them off-world. {{storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic Finale|Finale}}

The Quintessons continued to experiment with creating robotic life, creating the [[Terrorbot]]s. This led to the creation of the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], an elite form of Terrorbot that would seek out [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s energy and allow them to build a second of him with which to conquer the universe. {{storylink|Abominus comic 1}}

In [[2050]], thanks to humanity discovering and evacuating [[Earth]]'s [[Angolmois Energy]] and the unique temporal properties of [[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]], the Quintessons managed to escape from their dimensional prison and immediately set out to subdue the island's [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] residents to sell as merchandise. The Dinobots weren't keen on this idea, and so the leading Judge released the [[Recreator]] to bring forth a reborn [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] when the [[Allicon]]s weren't up to the task. Predaking had the Dinobots on the ropes, but they managed to tap into an [[Energon Matrix]] and Angolmois Energy to combine into [[Volcanicus (POTP)|Volcanicus]]. The Dinosaur combiner was able to easily defeat Predaking, although the Quintessons fled before they could be taken care of. {{storylink|Volcanicus comic 1}}

With the myriad of Cybertronian politics being drawn into the humanity/Selector conflict, Spike took the Judge to the [[Mother Computer]] who advised that the humanity and the Quintessons join forces. {{storylink|Volcanicus comic 2}}

To celebrate this, the Quintesson Judge called down the Terrorcons and the [[Slitherfang]]s. When the Judge explained his race's plans for Angolmois, Spike furiously denounced the aliens, prompting the Judge to shoot him in the chest, laughing that the Quintessons' malignant Angolmois had corrupted the Mother Computer. {{storylink|Abominus comic 1}}

As the Judge continued to laugh at the Quintesson victory, [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and Spike joined forces, the former being reborn as Neo Autobot X. Working together, the two Earthly species overpowered the Judge and incapacitated him with an [[energon enema]]. When the Decepticons began fighting over the Angolmois Energy, the Judge screamed as, through [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]'s defection, another of the Quintessons' creations had turned on them. {{storylink|Abominus comic 2}}

=====''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers'' manga=====
[[File:2010manga04-title.jpg|left|thumb|200px|"Great Guns", "Colossal Cannons", it's all semantics.]]

The Quintessons feigned to have created Gilthor as a subordinate for Galvatron, but in reality they had allied themselves with the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who gave the robot life. Gilthor quickly turned on Galvatron during an ambush on Rodimus Prime. He would have won, had Rodimus and Galvatron not worked together to defeat him, foiling the plans of the Quintessons. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 4|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #4}}
{{--}}

=====''Wings Universe''=====
{{wingsnote}}
Very early in the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the Autobot ship ''[[Van De Graaff]]'' was shot down over [[Beta-Nine]] while transporting a [[Matrix of Leadership|vital cargo]]. The Autobots initially believed that the crash was the result of a Decepticon attack, but [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], a crewmember of the rescue ship ''[[Eight Track (G1)|Eight Track]]'', discovered the truth when he found green tentacled remains alongside the corpses of the murdered ''Van De Graaff'' crew. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

The Quintessons created [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] to lead a new generation of Sharkticons. In [[2010]], they sent Sky-Byte and several Sharkticons to Earth in an alliance with the [[Decepticon Syndicate]]. {{storylink|Generation 2: Redux}}

By [[2984]], Quintesson space had come under the control of the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutant]]s. In that year, the temporally-displaced pirates known as the [[Star Seeker]]s traveled near former Quintesson space on their way to find the immortal spark of the infamous Decepticon [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]. The Star Seekers eventually gained access to a [[Shut-Up-Tornado-I'm-Trying-To-Think|planetoid]] existing in a pocket of space surrounded by black holes. In a chamber on the planetoid, they encountered a lone Quintesson who claimed to have been betrayed and marooned by Starscream on the planetoid some time earlier. The Star Seekers gave the Quintesson passage off of the planetoid in exchange for telling all that he knew of Starscream's last known destination. However as it turned out, the Quintesson was long dead, and Starscream's immortal spark had been using the Quintesson's body as a puppet. Forming an alliance with the Decepticon Star Seeker [[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]], Starscream discarded the Quintesson's body and hijacked Captain [[Cannonball (G1)|Cannonball]]'s body for himself, simultaneously allowing Flamewar to take control of the Star Seekers for herself. {{storylink|Tornado - Decepticon Saboteur}}

=====''Transformers: All Spark''=====
{{groupstub}}
{{storylink|Another Episode, Part 2}} {{storylink|Conclusion}}

=====Ask Vector Prime=====
In an unstable [[Iocus]] universe engineered by the machinations of [[Sideways (AVP)|Sideways]] and [[Renegade#Gong|Gong]], the Quintessons on Quintessa were replaced by the [[Master Renegade]] and the [[Monster GoBot]]s on [[Antares 3|Antares III]] during the events of the [[Unicron War]]. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

=====''Deviations''=====
A group of Quintessons were presiding over the execution of Kranix when Optimus Prime and the Autobots intervened, forcing the Quintessons to abandon their kangaroo court and flee. Optimus noted a feeling of familiarity towards the aliens and their planet but could not place it. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations|Deviations}}

====Big Looker storybooks====
[[File:Wildboyofquintessonbattle.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Rarely do encounters with Autobots work out well for the Quintessons.]]
An Autobot ship crashed on Quintesson, with [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] the only survivor. The Quintessons captured him, throwing him in a dungeon. They intended to execute him, taking him to a Sharkticon pit, however he managed to evade them and escaped into the jungles of Quintesson. When Hot Rod's ship also crashed on the planet, the Quintessons tried to mount a sneak attack, only for Wheelie to appear and fight them off single-handed. The Quintessons returned with Sharkticon backup, stalking the Autobots as Wheelie tried to lead them away from the crash site, however as it turned out even with their Sharkticons, the Quintesson were no match for the Autobots and most of them were killed in the battle that ensued. {{storylink|The Story of Wheelie, the Wild Boy of Quintesson}}

{{--}}

====''Transformers in 3-D''====
A Quintesson sent two [[little informant|aliens]] to spy on the Autobots and Decepticons, and download the contents of their databases. The two aliens were puzzled, but the Quintesson remained cagy about what the data was for. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

{{--}}

====Beast Era====
=====''Beast Machines''=====
The [[Maximal]] [[Beast Rider]] [[Che]] was encased in a unique Quintessian{{sic}} alloy found in the lower levels of Cybertron.<ref>Che's packaging bio</ref>

=====3H comics=====
Millennia ago, the Quintessons were the minions of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], send out to locate [[Primus]]. The Quintessons succeeded, but rather than turn Primus over to Unicron, they instead constructed barriers around him, intending to make use of him to create consumer product lines. They eventually succeeded in doing so through [[Vector Sigma]], though some of their number such as [[Al-badur]] warned of the danger of trying to control Primus's creations. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

Out on the arm of the Orion Cluster, [[New Quintessa]] sat awaiting the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutant Beast]]s, Cybertronians without [[robot mode]]s who had been dispatched by the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] of [[Vector Sigma]] to regain what they had lost. [[Icebird]] believed they were on a sacred mission; in truth, it was a fool's errand. The Quintesson Supreme Imperial Magistrate [[Derodomontatus]] fed the Mutants to the Sharkticons before continuing his discussions with the free trader, [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]]. Plans proceeded apace, as both the Mutants and the [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobot]]s were dealt with by this deadly alliance, and Cryotek assured Derodomontatus that the last Cybertronian team, the [[Wreckers]], would soon be extinguished as well. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

Meanwhile the Wreckers encountered Al-badur on an icy world, and he filled them in on the origin of Cybertron and bargained for his departure from the planet in exchange for information about the [[Divine Light]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

The invasion of Cybertron soon began, and [[Snarl (BM)|Snarl]], [[Longhorn]], and [[Skydive (BM)|Skydive]] spotted Quintessons herding mass hordes of Sharkticons towards the Cybertronian settlements.

{{Note|The following is unofficial material for the intended script to the Wreckers #4, never published.}}

Derodomontatus cheered on the advancing troops with his fellow Quintessons, before proceeding with Cryotek and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] to complete his part of their bargain. The fighting intensified on the surface as [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]] and the Dinobots arrived, shortly before the Wreckers returned to Cybertron as well. [[Primal Prime]] and [[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]] led a contingent after Cryotek and the Quintessons deeper into Cybertron's core. They arrived in time to see Cryotek had successfully mutated himself into a god-like being with the power of the [[Divine Light]]. {{storylink|The Wreckers: Finale Part 1}}

{{note|And now, back to the official material.}}
Derodomontatus, realizing the extent to which Cryotek had now surpassed the Quintessons, begged the free trader to remember their contract and honor it. In response, Cryotek sent his pet [[Chro]] to rip the Quintesson's faces off.

As their Imperial Magistrate faced a hostile takeover beneath the planet's surface, the Quintesson troops on open ground found their advancement equally stymied. Expecting the newly reformatted Cybertron to be filled with docile and disoriented cattle, the Quintessons were ill-prepared for the resistance they faced from all corners of the globe and all sectors of the populace. In [[Ankmor Park|Ankmor]], Judge [[Brinn]]'s patrol were stalked by the Maximal techno-organic, [[Night Viper]]. In a deserted city, a contingent led by Overseer [[Rexian]] were overcome by Decepticons criminals recently restored to their bodies. Overseer [[Vashik]] and [[In-Saba Nur]] assaulted the new Predacon capital of [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]] with predictable results, as Lord [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]] squashed them beneath his heel ([[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] helped). Oh yes, and then there were ''Dinobots''. Admiral [[Krahulik]] was prepared to initiate orbital bombardment from the ''Paradigm'' hovering over [[Polyhex]] before [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] and [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] brought down the Quintesson warships as well. The Quintessons began to retreat in hordes, returning to their landing ships and launching out into space...right into the path of the planetary defense systems, recently brought back on-line.

All in all, the invasion of Cybertron was an unmitigated disaster. Judge [[Heirodyus]] watched the annihilation from New Quintessa with a mixture of horror and smugness, silently congratulating himself for escaping the fate of his brothers. He hadn't. The Mutant Beasts Icebird and [[Poison Bite]] had survived their dip in the Sharkticon pools, and returned imbued with the light of Primus himself. Heirodyus and the Quintessons were soon wiped from the surface of New Quintessa. Icebird and Poison Bite assumed control of the planet, spreading the techno-organic plant life made from Cybertron's reformatting, and teaching the Sharkticons the ways of peace. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

=====''Beast Wars: Uprising''=====
Several millennia ago, the Cybertronians bought some surplus [[Terrorbot]] drones from the Quintessons, including the cumbersome and inefficient [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]] drones. {{storylink|Burning Bridges}}

Following the failed [[Great Push]] of [[2033]], a Quintesson court found Galvatron and his compatriots guilty of their many war crimes, sentencing them to death. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}} By the 24th century, the Quintessons were among the few species still allowed to travel in and out of the [[Allowed Zone]] due to pre-existing contractual relationships with Cybertron; the [[Human Confederacy]] regarded the Quintessons with suspicion.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/133737-beast-wars-uprising-ama/?p=3361342 Post by Jim S on the Allspark Forums]</ref>

====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
=====Marvel UK future timeline=====
{{note|The movie adaptation and Universe bio, originally published by Marvel US, is in italics}}
''Like those creepy little pilotfish that swarm behind sharks, snapping at stray scraps, the Quintessons were vile enforcers for [[Unicron]], savagely hunting down and picking off those who attempted to escape his maw.'' {{storylink|The Transformers Universe (Marvel)#Issue #4|Transformers Universe}}

''In an alternate future of 2005, the Quintessons took Hot Rod, Kup and several other Autobots hostage on their homeworld and chucked them into the Sharkticon pits for punishment. The Autobots were able to escape, however, and the Sharkticons quickly turned on their cruel masters.'' {{storylink|Judgment Day!}}

In 2008, Quintesson scientists realized that their planet, Quintesson, was threatened with destruction by a time rift that was caused by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]'s time-traveling. Though they scoped out several other worlds to move their civilization to, the [[Quintesson Journal|journal]] containing the records on these planets was lost on the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}} In an attempt to retrieve it, they captured [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] and had him interrogated by the [[Mister Regan|Galaxy's greatest torturer]]. After being left to the torturer's tender mercies for some time, Wreck-Gar "confessed," in an elaborate story, that the journal was lost in the void of space. The Quintessons quickly deduced that whole tale had been nothing but [[Quintesson#The Big Broadcast of 2006|a fabrication]], and executed the torturer for failing to deliver the journal's true location. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

Desperate for their race to survive, they launched a surprise attack on Autobot City, capturing it for themselves. Most of the Autobots were deactivated, except for [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]], who was outside the city at the time of the attack, and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]], [[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]] and [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]], who were hidden inside [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s cassette compartment.

Using [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] as bait, the Quintessons captured the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] from Rodimus, and he reverted to Hot Rod. Out of options, Hot Rod activated the core of Autobot City, a giant Autobot called [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who transformed and drove the Quintessons off but caused massive damage to the city in the process.

The Quintessons fled, but were ordered by Lord Kledji ''not'' to return to Quintesson, but to roam the stars instead to rebuild their forces and seek revenge on the Transformers, since their home planet was doomed beyond hope. How that went for them is unknown, but as they'd managed to cheese off most of the known metallic species by that point, it probably didn't go too well. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}

=====The Big Broadcast of 2006=====
{{NoteMarvelBB2006}}
After a [[Quintesson Journal|journal]] of great importance to the Quintessons was lost on the planet Junkion, the Quintessons sent down a school of [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] planet-side to retrieve it. Though the Sharkticons came close to completing their mission, they were chased off at the last moment by the planet's natives, much to the Quintessons' frustration. Deciding to make another attempt at its retrieval through more surreptitious means, the Quintessons sent down a television set the next day, knowing of the Junkions' fondness for Earth broadcasts. Their television set, however, also broadcasted a subliminal message, which caused the Junkions to act aggressively towards all outsiders, and made compelled them to clean up their planet. The Quintessons hoped this would allow them to more easily find their journal amidst Junkion's heaps of garbage, while keeping any other parties who might interfere at bay.

As soon as the Junkions found the Quintessons' journal, the latter moved in. But the Autobots and Decepticons had caught wind that something was amiss on Junkion by this time, and both factions also became involved, forcing the Quintessons to attack them. The Autobot [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] proved too mighty for them however, and the Quintesson were forced to retreat without their prize in hand. Worse yet, during the Autobots' and the Decepticons' scuffle in Junkion's orbit, the Quintessons' transmitter was damaged, ultimately resulting in its broadcast being sent all around the galaxy. Various species gathered around the planet to duke it out between themselves as a result. Seeing another opportunity to seize their lost journal, the Quintessons sent down a shuttle-craft to retrieve it while everyone else was distracted in the melee. But as the journal was captured in the shuttle-craft's tractor beam, a wild shot hit it, sending the journal off into the void of space, and out of the Quintessons' reach. The Quintesson tasked with retrieving the journal was sentenced to death for failing to fulfill his mission. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

====''The Invisibility Factor''====
{{notemultipath}}
In one possible scenario, the Quintessons, currently allied with the Decepticons, sent a messenger craft to Earth. They informed Galvatron that they were ready to send in troops to help in a full-scale invasion of the Earth. Without any Autobots around to interfere with the messages they were relaying the Quintessons and the Decepticons soon turned Earth into one giant refuelling station. {{storylink|The Invisibility Factor}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity====
The Quintessons were an alien race which appeared to have conquered Cybertron at some point, but were driven off. However, they continued to maintain watch over Cybertron, eventually coming to manipulate the [[Council of Ancients]]. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] claimed this was the reason that he started the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

Megatron's animosity towards the Quintessons did not stop him from making a deal with the aliens, who provided him with the [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]] and a bunch of [[Piranacon (Quintesson)|Piranacons]]. Knowing Megatron and the Quintessons, both were planning to betray each other when the time was right. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2}}

{{Unreleased WW comic}}
Megatron had promised to deliver Cybertron's core to the Quintessons in exchange for the army they had provided him, but Megatron forestalled on completing the deal once he had conquered Cybertron. The Quintessons grew annoyed, and began to rightly suspect that Megatron planned to renege on their transaction. Little did they know that [[Flash (G1)|Flash]], having been accidently been transported to Quintessa, was eavesdropping on their conversation, learning the true nature of Cybertron's conquest. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.4}} The Quintessons discovered Flash spying on them, but he escaped thanks to his superior speed. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.5}} The Quintessons then attempted to remotely extract Cybertron's core, only for their efforts to be thwarted by Starscream. Though their plans ended in failure, the Quintessons learned that the power they sought was also contained within Optimus Prime, a target much more attainable than Cybertron's core. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.6}}

The Quintessons began plotting further in earnest against Cybertron after a totalitarian regime headed by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] was toppled by the Autobots. {{storylink|Generation 1 issue 0|Generation 1 #0}} Noting that [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] might stand in their way, the Quintessons readied to put into use one of their agents on Cybertron, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], who they could use to "distract" him. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}} When Arcee informed that Hot Rod would soon be put in a mostly isolated position, the Quintessons excitedly put their plans of conquest in motion ahead of schedule. They called upon [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] to ready herself {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}} and her [[Female Autobots|extraction team]] to invade Cybertron. {{storylink|Unreleased Dreamwave issues|Generation One #11}}

{{Unreleased DW G1 comic}}

Under the Quintessons' supervision, the extraction team successfully knocked out Hot Rod and retrieved the unconscious Autobot. {{storylink|Unreleased Dreamwave issues#Issue 11|Generation 1 #11}}

====''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''====
[[File:Historyofcybertron.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|What order is this read in?!]]
When [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] downloaded information on Cybertron's history from [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s databanks, he saw the Quintessons create the [[Trans-Organic|transorganics]] and the Transformers. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}}
{{-}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
[[File:Last Stand - Quintesson Inscription.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

An enigmatic Quintesson historian named [[Pentius]] was shipwrecked on [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] for centuries until he was freed by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], who needed a guide to get off the planet. {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}} During their time together, the Quintesson nurtured Megatron's evil ambitions in order to shape him into a true monster, though his motives for doing so were clouded in mystery. The Decepticon eventually killed Pentius to use his [[spark]]'s energy as fuel, but he was content with his death as it proved Megatron's training was complete. {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}} After inserting Pentius's spark into [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Megatron accessed the giant's jumbled memories and saw other Quintessons, which he described as "devils" that preyed upon and destroyed entire civilizations. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}}

Some time after [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'s [[Ore-1]] [[Regenesis]] missiles struck the planet [[LV-117]], someone painted the Death face of a Quintesson Judge on top of the [[Decepticon]] insignia adorning it. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}} A strange inscription of a Quintesson judge was also present inside the ruins of some unknown ancient civilization on the planet. Through the cracks in the stone it was carved into, its eerie eyes glowed... {{storylink|Spotlight: Wheelie}}

As [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] began consuming LV-117, [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and [[Varta]] planned to flee the planet on a [[Quintesson Cruiser|familiar screw-shaped ship]]. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}} {{storylink|Our Darkest}} After crashing the ship on [[LV-118]], Wheelie claimed to have stolen it from someone, but didn't specify who. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|Out of the Silent Planet}}

A similar ship - this one chock full of Sharkticons - was used by Wreck-Gar and [[Rum-Maj]]'s group of Junkions to travel to Earth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

When a trio of Autobots entered Unicron's internals, they found the remains of the Quintesson engraving. [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] questioned its significance only for [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] to point out the painting's presence meant they were nearing Unicron's core. {{storylink|Last Stand (Unicron)|Last Stand}}
{{-}}

====''Kre-O'' online comics====
[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] attacked a Quintesson and spun it around by the tentacles during his rampage. {{storylink|Enter the New Emperor of Destruction!? Stop Galvatron's Rampage!}}

====''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''====
[[File:Everybody Hates Metroplex - Quintesson Holding Trial.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]
The mysterious fifth dimensional beings known only as "the Makers" created the universe and with it [[Daiakuron]], a living planet which they imbued with the power to create life on its own. They went on to merge together, five at a time, into [[combiner|gestalt]] forms, becoming the Quintessons. {{storylink|Earth: R.I.P.}} Taking up residence in the [[unspace|Void]], the Quintessons were displeased that the life spawned from Daiakuron had developed sentience, something they had not intended. They seized [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimal Prime]], [[Snake-Eyes]], and [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]], putting them all on trial for theft of the body and the soul. Reviewing their memories: acquiring the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], being trained by the Blind Master in martial arts, and living at odds with his step-father, respectively, the trio was found guilty! However, before punishment could be dealt, the trio escaped back into reality. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} After learning the identity of their creators, the Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] sent a joint crew to [[Quadrant X]] to find the Quintessons. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}
{{-}}
====''Transformers/Ghostbusters''====
When [[Gozer]] appeared on Cybertron, the [[Temple of Gozer|temple]] it summoned was adorned with Quintesson visages. {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 1}}

====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon====
[[File:EarthriseEpisode2-Deseeus.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"As I was your beginning, so shall I be your end."]]

The rulers of the Quintesson Empire, the Quintessons were an ancient enemy of the Cybertronian race, having enslaved Cybertron and sold off its citizenry as property in ages past. The [[Scorponok (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Scorponok]] remaining on the [[Nebulos]] space station referred to them as the "creators". The Cybertronians eventually rose up against the Quintessons and drove them off Cybertron. The [[Quintesson Judge|Judge]] [[Deseeus]], who referred to the Cybertronians as his "children", would later claim credit for emancipating the Cybertronians though the veracity of this claim is unknown. By the era of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the Quintessons had been absent for so long that the younger generations of Cybertronians viewed them as nothing but myths.

Whether Deseeus was a uniquely fractured individual or a representative of the default among Quintesson Judges, each of his faces had a separate personality, who debated among the "council" to reach "consensus" before making a decision. Whether the Quintessons were the enemy driven off by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] is unknown, but by the present age they were remembered enough for Optimus to know of them, and for Megatron to fly into a rage upon being compared to a Judge. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 2}} {{storylink|Earthrise episode 5}}

In the past, the Quintessons ruled over a Cybertronian population that included the last Scorponok on Nebulos, who never rebelled against them, and ultimately all save that single Transformer were destroyed. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 5}}

Sometime around the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s launch, Judge Deseeus would hire out members of the [[Mercenary]] faction, who would bring the crew of the ship to him, where he proclaimed his desire to reunite with his "children", although his threats and arguing faces made his goals unclear. Deseeus' face of Wrath would reach "consensus" by ''slicing off the other faces'' and deciding to slaughter the Autobots. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 2}} Manipulating the body of the Mercenary leader [[Doubledealer]], Deseeus took command of the Mercenary faction, pursuing the ''Ark'' and the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. [[Fool's Fortune|The Mercenaries' ship]] was eventually destroyed but it is unknown if Deseeus was still aboard when it exploded. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 6}}

{{--}}

====''My Little Pony/Transformers''====
[[File:Finale-Quintesson.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]

Following the defeat of [[King Sombra]] on Cybertron, a Quintesson Judge observed the [[Pony|Equestrians]] with interest. {{storylink|Finale (The Magic of Cybertron)|Finale}}

{{--}}

====2019 IDW continuity====
[[File:WarsEndPartTwo ExarchonOrigin.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

During his fateful voyage beyond Cybertronian space, the explorer [[Exarchon]] came into contact with enigmatic beings who dwelt beyond the "Quintessence". Fearing the destructive potential of the Cybertronian race if they were allowed to spread unchecked, the aliens mutated Exarchon into a new form of life entirely, a "living virus" capable of remotely extinguishing the [[spark]]s of other Cybertronians, armed him with the advanced weapons and exotic technologies required to wage war on his homeworld, and showed him a glimpse of a possible future where he ruled Cybertron unopposed. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part One}} Upon returning to Cybertron, Exarchon explained that he'd been sent to permanently curtail the unchecked cycles of violent conquest and colonization that characterized Cybertron's [[Expansion|Age of Expansion]] by destroying the [[AllSpark]] itself. {{storylink|War's End Part Three}}

====''King Grimlock''====
When he found himself in [[Menonia]], [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] made an enemy of the [[Mara-Al-Utha|Red Wizard]], finding him to be a Quintesson whom he quickly overthrow. Menonian lore speculated that the Red Wizard was an exile among his own people. {{storylink|Grimlock the Avenger}}

{{--}}

====Energon Universe====
Native to the planet [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 5|Void Rivals #5}} the Quintessons were responsible for the [[Age of Wrath]], a reputation that gave them many enemies, {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 3|Void Rivals #3}} [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and the Cybertronians among them. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 4|Void Rivals #4}}

In the modern day, the [[Quintesson Judge]] assigned [[Quintesson Prosecutor|a Prosecutor]] to take a [[Quintesson Scorpia]] to the fighting pits of the planet [[Master (planet)|Dominus]]. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 5|Void Rivals #5}} On his journey, the Prosecutor crossed paths with the [[Skuxxoid]], a financial partner of the species. Discovering that the Prosecutor had a bounty on him, Skuxxoid held him prisoner. During [[Darak]] and [[Solila]]'s quest to return to the [[Sacred Ring]], they briefly joined forces with the Quintesson Prosecutor but ultimately left the alien in Skuxxoid's custody in exchange for a spaceship. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 3|Void Rivals #3}}

Skuxxoid first took the Prosecutor to Cybertron, hoping to sell him to [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], only to be told to get out in no uncertain terms. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 4|Void Rivals #4}} Undeterred, the Skuxxoid took the Prosecutor back to Quintessa, finding an even less sympathetic audience from the Judge. Before the Skuxxoid could be prepared for a trial, he managed to save his skin by mentioning that he had a ship made from [[Zertonian]] metals. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 5|Void Rivals #5}}

Delivered the craft, the Judge ordered it taken to a laboratory to be scanned for any hints that could lead them to [[Zertonia]]. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 6|Void Rivals #6}}

===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
[[File:AlphaQ1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
'''Alpha Quintesson''' (or simply "'''Alpha Q'''") had varying origins within the [[Aurex]] cluster. In some realities he came from [[Planet Q]] and was the only known Quintesson. {{storylink|Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon}} While in others, he came from [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]] and was part of a larger race of Quintessons. {{storylink|Transformers: Energon (comic)|''Energon'' comic}} Regardless of his origins, his main motive and driving force remained mostly the same.

{{see|Alpha Quintesson}}
{{--}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
Three hundred million years ago, give or take, the Autobots, engaged in a major colonization push, had border skirmishes with the [[Quintesson Pan Galactic Co-Prosperity Sphere]]. This conflict ended the Age of [[Expansion]]. The [[Autobot Commonwealth]] and the Co-Prosperity Sphere still border each other, as well as the [[Nebulon Republic]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

[[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] received his [[Sonic Jammer 3000]] from the Quintessons. According to him, they are nice folks that give you a good deal and all the oil you can drink. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

===Fun Publications ''Shattered Glass'' continuity===
[[File:Quintesson aquarius.jpg|upright=0.85|left|thumb|Dude.]]

{{quote|We are all one or we are all gone.|[[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]]|[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]}}

This universe's Quintessons are an enigmatic and benevolent species holding sway over a large section of space known as the '''Quintesson Collective'''. They share technology and cooperate with many other species, whether organic, [[technorganic]], or mechanical, using culture as a unifying notion instead of evolutionary origins. They long ago perfected zero-point energy engines, food and parts replication technologies, and advanced biomedics, allowing any individual to change features, organs, and overall designs, eliminating such things as [[Exclusive|scarcity]], and thus material value, "mortality", and even the concept of "species". These technological advances are shared and freely available to all those who join their "ultra-species".

The Quintessons usually rely on [[Federation|cautious observation before making first contact]] with other unenlightened peoples, demanding years of study and careful cultural guidance before even considering allowing membership into the Collective. They rarely use direct means to steer a culture onto the enlightened path, but have been known to occasionally take [[Fortress Maximus (SG)|more direct action]] to protect their interests, doing the "dirty work" themselves. {{storylink|Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass}}
{{-}}

====Shattered Expectations====
When [[Starscream (SG)|Starscream]] and [[Razorclaw (SG)|Razorclaw]] confronted the evil Autobots [[Goldbug (SG)|Goldbug]], [[Jazz (SG)|Jazz]], and [[Grimlock (SG)|Grimlock]], Starscream ordered the Autobots to surrender in the name of the '''[[Quintesson Federation]]'''. {{storylink|Shattered Expectations (SG)|Shattered Expectations}}

===Aligned continuity family===
When the [[Age of Primes]] ended and new Cybertronians began to populate the metallic world, [[Quintus Prime]] chose to leave the planet, hoping to use his [[Emberstone]] on other worlds and create peaceful, space-faring civilizations that would one day contact Cybertron to form friendly alliances. When he reached the planet [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], Quintus created the Quintessons; a species of small organic squids. Physically frail, easily injured, and extremely cowardly, what the Quintessons lacked in physical strength, they made up for in intelligence and cunning. [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] suspected that when the Quintessons found no further use of Quintus Prime, they turned on their creator.

When the Quintessons developed interstellar travel, they began conquering other worlds. They were rarely seen during their conquests, doing most of their dirty work through various proxies, willing or unwilling. When the Quintessons did need to expose themselves to further their own ends, they frequently encased themselves in mechanical suits styled after their various slave races, often claiming to be representatives of other races.

At some point before discovering Cybertron, the Quintessons stole the schematics for [[space bridge]] technology from an unknown source but did not fully understand the science behind the device. They eventually discovered Cybertron toward the end of the planet's Age of Origins. As the first alien beings ever to make contact with the planet, the arrival of their ships awed the young Cybertronian race. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} The Quintessons claimed to be benevolent entities sent to "uplift" the Cybertronians from their primitive existence, so that they could join the galactic community. By giving Cybertronians the "gift" of transformation and the power to assume [[alternate mode]]s, the Quintessons won Cybertron's public support. In reality, though, the Quintessons had simply learned to remotely trigger the dormant [[transformation cog]]s present in every Transformer. The dispersal of Quintesson technology and tutelage turned the feudal, tribe-based planet into a sophisticated spacefaring civilization almost overnight. The Quintessons established rule of law and eventually a global order overseen by the [[Elite Guard]] member [[Sentinel Zeta Prime]] and the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]].

Secretly, the Quintessons aimed to slowly rob the Cybertronians of their individuality, then sell them into slavery as mindless drones. To further this goal, they began implanting various Cybertronians, such as the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], with cockpits intended to house Quintesson pilots. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} The Quintessons organized other Cybertronians into working collectives and attempted to tamper with the Well of All Sparks itself; newborn Transformers began emerging without names or identities, and instead received alphanumeric designations. The Quintesson's twisted, bizarre sense of justice led to the construction of the [[Supreme Court]] on Cybertron, a kangaroo court where innocents could be sentenced to life imprisonment or death. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

Eventually, a resistance movement formed, and the Quintessons were defeated in a rebellion led by Sentinel Prime, who led Cybertron into a subsequent [[Golden Age]]. Traces of their rule, such as the cockpits implanted in many Cybertronians, would remain even as Cybertron slowly rid itself of their influence. Some of the Cybertronians who had lived through this disturbing period- including a young librarian named [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Orion Pax]]- suppressed their traumatic memories of Cybertron's occupation, and eventually forgot about the Quintessons almost entirely. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} Generations later, Orion Pax claimed Sentinel and the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] had enslaved Cybertron with the [[Functionism|caste system]] instead of having it forced on them by the Quintessons. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

The Quintessons never forgot about their humiliating rout at the hands of their former servants, and for many centuries the embittered race enviously regarded the planet and its inhabitants as rightfully theirs. At some point after Cybertron's [[Golden Age]], the Quintessons discovered and colonized the Transformers's ex-colony world of [[Aquatron]], modifying the bodies of its inhabitants to produce techno-organic monstrosities such as the [[Gamekeeper]] and the [[Hydratron]]. Aquatron was eventually subsumed into the Quintesson Imperium, and the Quintessons used their new [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] slaves as aquatic shock troopers.

When the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' entered the Aquatron system during Optimus Prime's search for the [[AllSpark]], the Quintessons awakened [[Inquirata (Prime)|Inquirata]] and his associate [[Xeros]] to carry out their deception that would eventually lead to the second invasion of Cybertron. Manipulating both Optimus and [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] to the planet's surface under the guise of a peace treaty, the Quintessons were eventually able to place both Autobots and Decepticons under arrest and take them to court. During the trial, the Quintessons claimed that they had colonized Cybertron and literally built the first Transformers; Optimus quickly saw through their deception and maintained that all Cybertronians were creations of [[Primus]] alone. The Quintesson judges found Optimus innocent, and forced him to duel to the death with Megatron; siphoning energy from the two leaders, they powered a Space Bridge to Cybertron and launched a second invasion force to re-colonize and enslave Cybertron. Their genetically engineered leader [[Tyrannicon]] spearheaded the Sharkticon invasion and was able to swiftly overwhelm the weakened planet. The invasion was only defeated after Megatron, forced into a temporary truce with his archenemy, discovered the [[Sharkticon Matrix of Leadership]] and used it to override Tyrannicon's hold on his troops. In the ensuing fight, Xeros, Tyrannicon, and Inquirata were all killed, and Aquatron itself was freed of Quintesson control. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}}

The [[Mutacon]]s knew of the Quintessons but considered the law-bound Quintesson way of life to be boring and a worse fate than death. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
[[File:Cyberverse Judge Judging.jpg|thumb|250px]]
The Quintessons were a strange race of aliens, interdimensional beings who travelled the [[multiverse]] using their [[multiverse drive]] and passed judgement on which universes deserved to live or be destroyed. (spoiler alert: they always get destroyed.) {{storylink|The Trial}} To do so, the Quintessons would create "[[Judge (Cyberverse)|Judges]]", hybrid beings based on the native lifeforms of that universe; if the universe was found guilty, then the Judge would oversee the destruction of the universe by using [[unspace]] to obliterate all matter. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}} The [[Scientist (Cyberverse)|Scientist]] traditionally oversaw the process, and in his travels developed a fondness for collecting various iterations of [[Soundwave (Cyberverse)|Soundwave]] he plucked from the various doomed universes his kind had passed judgement upon. {{storylink|The Scientist}} While Judges were hybrids from native lifeforms, the Scientist himself was some kind of organic creature that acted through mechanical proxies. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe III}}

[[File:CyberverseScientistOrganic.jpeg|thumb|left|200px]]
When exactly it is that the Quintessons found this particular universe is not clear; hieroglyphs inside the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Croaton (Cyberverse)|Croaton]] suggested that the aliens had invaded his colony and abducted his inhabitants long before the present day, {{storylink|Ghost Town}} with [[Wheeljack (Cyberverse)|Wheeljack]] referencing the Quintesson reputation for engineering when affecting repairs to a disused [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|The Crossroads}}

Either way, the Quintessons had established an outpost in a distant region of the galaxy at some point before [[2007]]. Having previously encountered the [[Velgrox]] and the [[Gray]], incorporating a member of both races into their latest Judge, the Quintessons discovered that Cybertronians existed in this universe after Croaton, in search of his missing citizens, flew past the outpost, taking the hapless [[Starscream (Cyberverse)|Starscream]] with him. Although the current Judge planned to simply judge and dispose of their new prisoner, the ambitious Seeker tried to win over his captors by revealing the existence of the [[AllSpark|Allspark]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Seeing this as a power source to fuel the creation of the new Judge, the Quintessons made for Cybertron and "rewarded" Starscream with their highest honor: assimilation into the next Judge. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}}

Arriving shortly after [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]]'s defeat, the Quintessons quickly conquered the planet and ensnared the city of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] in the tendrils of their command tower. The Cybertronians were rounded up and placed in a virtual reality simulation designed to keep them happy and docile while the Scientist both drained their [[spark]]s and tapped into the Allspark's energy itself to fuel the creation of this new Judge. {{storylink|The Loop}} {{storylink|The Scientist}} Unfortunately, their machinations were upset by [[Hot Rod (Cyberverse)|Hot Rod]], who the Quintessons had overlooked during their conquest of the planet. The ad hoc Cybertronian resistance he assembled operated out of [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam]]'s, invisible to Quintesson sensors, and threatened to undermine their control of the planet. Although the Quintesson forces eventually captured Hot Rod, the Autobot leader proved uncooperative and was found guilty. {{storylink|The Trial}}

Soon, the resistance infiltrated the command tower and clashed with the Scientist himself, their battle putting the unborn Judge at risk and severing their hostages' connection to the virtual reality loop. {{storylink|The Scientist}} Freed of their prison, [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]], and their respective forces rebelled against the Quintessons, with the conflict escalating into open war between the two forces. Despite their best efforts, the Cybertronians proved unable to breach the force field that protected the Quintesson headquarters, but the partial activation of [[Iaconus]] pushed their [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] warriors into a retreat. {{storylink|The Alliance}}

The Quintessons eventually gained the advantage, primarily by the Judge's rage at Megatron's theft of their multiverse escape pod, disabling nearly all enemy combatants. However, the Judge was attacked and overwhelmed by the resistance leaders and, in their damage and frenzy, they crashed into the command tower, seemingly perishing as it exploded and collapsed. Although the prior Judge was killed, it had survived long enough for the gestation of their new Judge to finish. {{storylink|The Judge (episode)|The Judge}}

The new Judge Starscream rounded up nearly all his enemies, only to monologue over them while Optimus Prime and Megatron were being located. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}} Iaconus was soon awakened and battled the enslaved Croaton under Judge Starscream's command. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe II}} Despite the Scientist being killed off by Wheeljack, Judge Starscream used unspace to slay Iaconus. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe III}}
[[File:Cyberverse EOTU I JudgeStarscream.jpg|230px|thumb|left| Somehow the Quints found the literal WORST person to judge the universe. It's impressive, really.]]

Despite his victory over Iaconus, Judge Starscream soon lost control of Croaton. As his enemies broke free and rallied, he was soon overwhelmed and seemingly destroyed by the dual [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices]] of Optimus Prime and a returned Megatron. The Quintesson invasion was effectively overthrown, and the remainder of their forces were subsequently dealt with by the Autobots and Deceptions. No trace of their occupation remained by the time of the factions' split control of the planet. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe IV}}

====Alternate universe====
In the universe from which [[Megatron X (Cyberverse)|Megatron X]] hailed from, the tyrant used a [[laser snare]] to destroy the Quintesson flagship as it descended onto Cybertron before salvaging its technology for his own ends. {{storylink|The Other One}}

===''EarthSpark'' cartoon===
The Quintessons were the first creations of Quintus Prime following his departure from Cybertron. After creating them, Quintus eventually returned to space. When the Quintessons developed space travel, they followed their creator, seeking to know the purpose of their existence. Finding that they were just one of many creations of Quintus, the embittered Quintessons sought to destroy Quintus and all his creations, and take the power of the [[Emberstone]] for themselves. The Quintessons chased Quintus to a primordial [[Earth]], detecting their creator launching away. Unaware that this was a ruse, the Quintessons left behind a force to breach the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Terratronus]] and claim the Emberstone while they pursued what they thought to be Quintus. {{storylink|Witwicky, Part 1}}

Millenia later, a [[Quintesson Executioner]] was reactivated in [[Witwicky (town)|Witwicky]], attempting to capture [[Mo Malto]] to stand trial before the Quintessons. {{storylink|In Ruins}}

===''One'' film===
{{spoiler|Transformers One (film)|October 21, 2024}}
[[File:QuintessonHighCommander.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Tell your people, as of today, their workload has been doubled, thanks to your [[Primus|god]]. Or is it thanks to [[Sentinel Prime (One)|you?]]]]
For thousands of cycles, the Quintessons fought the Cybertronians for control of their planet. The war was at a stalemate until [[Sentinel Prime (One)|Sentinel]], the chief advisor of the [[Thirteen]] Primes, brokered a deal with the Quintessons: if he led the Primes into an ambush to be slaughtered, the Quintessons would allow him to appoint himself the new leader of Cybertron under their thumb, so long as he provided them with a constant supply of [[energon]]. Sentinel reported to the Primes that he'd intercepted a message about an important meeting of the high command of the Quintessons in a distant cave on the planet's surface. The Primes, eager to bring the war to an end by eliminating the Quintesson leadership in a single strike, followed Sentinel to the cave, only to be besieged by the aliens. The Primes nearly triumphed over their attackers until Sentinel turned on his superiors, slaying most of them himself. With the battle over, Sentinel tore open [[Zeta Prime (One)|Zeta Prime]]'s chest to claim the Matrix of Leadership, but having proven himself unworthy it crumbled to dust in his hands. Undeterred, Sentinel declared himself Prime and announced to Cybertron that the Quintessons were defeated and that he was the last survivor of the Primes. With the planet failing to produce fresh energon in the absence of the Matrix, Sentinel removed the transformation cogs of most of Cybertron's lower classes and put them to work mining for energon to produce a tribute to the Quintessons. Sentinel and his retinue made periodic trips to the surface to deliver the energon, telling the populace that they were searching for the Matrix.

Fifty cycles later, the Quintessons maintained control over Cybertron's surface, their ships obliterating any lifeforms that they detected. On one particular delivery, after Sentinel bowed before the [[Quintesson High Commander]] and presented his offering of energon, the High Commander noticed the tribute was light and grew hostile, grabbing and restraining Sentinel with his tentacles. Sentinel begged for mercy, insisting that Cybertron's mines were depleted, and the High Commander only begrudgingly spared Sentinel's life and departed when he pleaded for more time to collect the rest of the tribute. The High Commander departed with his forces, and Sentinel vowed to work the miners even harder. However, the altercation was witnessed by [[Optimus Prime (One)|a]] [[Megatron (One)|group]] [[Bumblebee (One)|of]] [[Elita-1 (One)|miners]]. Having discovered that the history they had been told was a lie, they brought down Sentinel Prime and his regime. The newly-raised Optimus Prime, now in possession of the Matrix, used it to reignite the flow of energon and sent a warning to the Quintessons not to return.
{{storylink|Transformers One (film)|Transformers One}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
[[File:TFLegends Quintesson.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|You spin me right round baby, right round.]]
The Quintessons put [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] and [[Kup (G1)|Sergeant Kup]] on trial. Unfortunately [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] arrived and promptly turned the [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] on their masters. {{storylink|Mockery of Justice}} Intending to disrupt the [[Galactic Olympics|Galactic Games]], the Quintessons allied with [[Slipstream (G1)|Slipstream]] and sent her in to cause trouble. {{storylink|The Galactic Games}} They also send [[Skuxxoid]]s to the games to kidnap [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 1}} When the trio were rescued post-sentencing by the other Autobots, the Quintessons destroyed their own home planet, Quintesson, in an attempt to eliminate them. The Quints then tried to enlist the help of the Decepticons to wipe out the Autobots, only for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] to arrive and reclaim his troops. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 2}} They soon struck an alliance with Galvatron and attacked Cybertron, with the end result that they activated an ancient device to deactivate all Transformers. After the device was destroyed by Spike, the Quintessons were forced to retreat. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 3}}

The Quintessons observed from afar Ultra Magnus and his Autobots celebrated the activation of a new power core. Enraged by the sight, the Quintessons plotted to get revenge on both Autobots and Decepticons. They then approached Galvatron and gave the Decepticon leader false coordinates to a power core. The Quintessons had in truth led Galvatron to the location of their old creations, the Dweller and the Trans-Organics. After the ensuing battle that took place between the Autobots, the Decepticons and the Quintessons' ancient creations, a faint Quintesson cry for help was broadcast from deep underground... {{storylink|Dweller in the Depths (Legends)|Dweller in the Depths}}
{{--}}

===Transformers: Forged to Fight===
[[File:Quintessons-Forged-to-Fight.jpg|thumb|450px|Like a color-changing lamp!]]
{{charstubgames}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
{{charstubgames}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
The Quintessons were mechanoids with powerful psionic abilities that manipulated all Transformers factions as they saw fit.{{storylink|Field Guide to Action and Adventure}}
{{charstubgames}}

==Toys==
===''Energon''===
*'''[[Alpha Quintesson]]''' (Mega, [[2005]])
**''Accessories:'' Missile launcher, missile, base, three tentacles
[[File:En-toy AlphaQuintesson.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|I do hope you'll bring these gadgets back in one piece, 007.]]

:One of the last toys in the [[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|''Energon'' line]], Alpha Quintesson is fairly unique in that he is one of the only toys in the history of the main ''Transformers'' line that does not transform in any manner or even come with any kind of transforming accessory (like the [[Action Master]]s).

:Alpha Quintesson requires quite a bit of assembly out of the box, coming in six separate pieces: his main body, a solid "bed of tentacles" that serves as a wheeled base that the body plugs into, a firing missile launcher which plugs into his back (via a standard 5mm peg that also allows other characters to wield it) and points up over his head, and three rubber, wire-poseable tentacles which attach to the base. The tentacles end in a large yellow clamp, a red chainsaw, and a purple energy arc, and spin around via a gear-wheel system when the base is rolled back and forth. The figure features nine circular ports (three on each arm and three on the base), to which either [[Energon star|energon chip]]s or any weapons featuring 5mm pegs can be attached.

:The main body is notably very [[Show-accuracy|accurate]] to the CGI model from the animated series, save for its coloration and the addition of the missile launcher. As a toy that was entirely dull green from top to bottom would not have been a very interesting sight, the figure features several shades of green with yellow highlights, plus a red paint wash on its "underbelly" and arms. The main body contains its own gimmick, involving Alpha Q's spinning faces as seen in the cartoon. Opening the armor's jaws reveals Alpha Q's head, recessed within the body (though unable to move forward into a more prominent position as seen in the show), and pressing the trigger on the back of the body, disguised as one of the spinal fins, causes the head to spin from face to face. The toy only features the character's first three faces (Angry, Whiny and Crazy); the purple, calm face is not featured.

:As an allegiance was needed to brand the figure with for marketing purposes, Alpha Quintesson's toy is sold as a Decepticon, despite that faction not really being where his loyalties lie. There were also many reports of the toy coming misassembled, missing the hard point where the figure connected to the base, making it nigh impossible for the toy to stand up on its own.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/AlphaQuintesson/alphaquintesson.htm More information on Alpha Quintesson at TFU.info]''
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===''Cyberverse''===
[[File:CV-toy QuintessonJudge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|The Big Surprise of 2019]]
*'''Quintesson Invasion''' (Multi-pack, [[2019]])
**''Accessories'': 2 mind-control helmets

:The ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (toyline)|Cyberverse]]'' [[Judge (Cyberverse)|Quintesson Judge]] is a roughly deluxe-sized, non-transforming mold, with five different faces that rotate when the top of the body is pushed down and released. The molded tentacle base/body has four ball-jointed tentacles that can pose freely, but are hard-plastic so there's no bendy-bendy happening. As the Judge is supposed to be freakin' huge, it works better when set next to the ''Cyberverse'' [[Tiny Turbo Changers]].

:It was only available in a store-exclusive three-pack. Also included in the set are the Spark Armor [[Prowl (Cyberverse)#BattleForCybertron3Pack|Prowl]] and [[Shockwave (Cyberverse)#BattleForCybertron3Pack|Shockwave]] figures, now ''sans'' the spark armor and with new mind control helmet accessories. Additionally, the mind control helmets can plug into any Battle Class spark armor figure. Ironically, Shockwave and Prowl both died before encountering the Quintessons in the actual cartoon.

:The set was [[exclusive]] to [[Target]] in the United States and [[Toys"R"Us]] in Canada, and appeared at retail in December 2019 with no prior announcement by [[Hasbro]].
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===''War for Cybertron: Earthrise''===
[[File:ER-toy QuintessonJudge.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"It is a day so long in coming that I am uncertain how to celebrate it."]]
*'''Quintesson Judge''' (Voyager Class, [[2020]])
**''Hasbro ID number'': '''WFC-E22'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''ER EX-08'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': [[August 29]], 2020
**''Accessories:'' Blaster, cage, throne, levitation beam
{{toydesigner|[[Ken Christiansen]] (concept artist)}}

:The ''[[War for Cybertron: Earthrise|Earthrise]]'' Quintesson Judge is the first release of a "Generation 1" Quintesson toy. A trigger on his "back" activates a face-spinning gimmick. The faces of Death, Wisdom, and Wrath have opening jaws; the faces of Wrath and Doubt come detached in the package, requiring owners to clip them into their respective sides, with Wrath reported by many owners to be quite a challenge to attach correctly.

:The order of the faces matches the arrangement from ''The Transformers: The Movie'', with Wisdom and Wit surrounding Death, which is slightly different from that used in the cartoon, which flanked Death with Wrath and Doubt. Unscrewing and detaching every face except Wrath can be used to replicate [[Deseeus]] cutting off his faces in the [[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|Netflix cartoon]], although the bare plastic under the faces can be considered unsightly.

: To replicate the ability of the Judge to levitate, the figure also includes a transparent "levitation beam", which pegs onto the throne via a 5mm post-hole, then attaches to the Judge's underside via a clip; it does not function as an effects part. Promotional renders color the beam in translucent yellow, but on the finalized figure, it is instead sculpted in clear plastic and is therefore uncolored.

:The lower body's five soft-plastic tentacles are on swivel joints to raise and lower, and each has three 3mm effects pegs designed to accommodate ''War for Cybertron'' blast effects parts. Using these pegs, the Quintesson can hold its blaster accessory, and the tentacles can also be pegged into specifically-positioned holes on the Judge's body to better "aim" the weapon forward. If one so wishes, the blaster can also be plugged into one of two ports underneath the throne for... sneakier judgement passing.

:Because it has to transform into ''something'', the Judge converts via [[partformer|partforming]] into a tower with a prison cage in 16 steps. The top of the tower and the cage do not actually attach to the base; they only balance on it. The cage and the tower are large enough to fit a [[Battle Master#Toys|Battle Master]] (or other similarly-sized figures). Additionally, the cage also has two ports into which the blaster can be fitted. One on the top, as well as another in its interior. The latter might be preferable as a form of storage if one is wary of misplacing the blaster, as it is a small accessory that does not peg well into the figure's arms. The throne/platform and the panel under the Death face have [[A.I.R. Lock System]] ramp connections, allowing it to connect to ramps from other compatible toys, notably the Quintesson-allied [[Slitherfang#Toys|Slitherfang]].

:Like all ''Earthrise'' toys, the inside of the back of the Judge's package includes an exclusive clip-and-save piece of a larger star map. Also in the box is a thin red piece of transparent plastic with which to read the star map. The Judge's piece of the map contains the labeled location of the planet "[[Quintessa (planet)|QUINTESSA]]". Like most ''Earthrise'' figures from wave 2 onward, however, it is misprinted, and overlays the "decodable" red graphics from the map piece included with [[Starscream (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Earthrise|''Earthrise'' Starscream]] on top of the details unique to the Judge's piece.

:The Judge was originally supposed to be released in the second wave, but was pushed back to the third for unknown reasons, with Starscream taking his place in wave 2 cases. In Japan, the Quintesson Judge was released as a [[TakaraTomy Mall]] exclusive.
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===''War for Cybertron Trilogy''===
[[File:QuintPitOfJudgment.jpeg|upright=1.66|thumb|They've got this case all wrapped up.]]
*'''Quintesson Pit of Judgement''' (Multi-pack, 2020)
**''Accessories:'' Judge's blaster, cage, seat, blast effect; Bailiff's staff; Sharkticon's tail/mace
{{toydesigner|[[Ken Christiansen]] (concept artist), [[Mario Carreiro]] and [[AJ Piejko-Brown]] (packaging)}}

:This [[giftset]] represents the "trial" of [[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]] during ''The Transformers: The Movie''. The set includes a Quintesson Judge (a brighter [[redeco]] of the ''Earthrise'' toy above, now packaged with all its faces attached); a [[Quintesson Bailiff|Bailiff]] (a [[retool]] of the ''Earthrise'' [[Allicon#Toys|Allicon]] with a new head, chest, shoulders, and axe); a non-transforming [[Quintesson Prosecutor|Prosecutor]]; a [[Sharkticon (species)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Sharkticon]] (a redeco of ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Gnaw (G1)#Titans Return|Gnaw]]); and a non-transforming Kranix. The interior packaging forms the Sharkticon execution pit.

:This piece was [[exclusive]] to [[Hasbro Pulse]] in the United States. It was announced to the public before the "standard" versions of the Judge and Allicon were released, and was available first for people who attended the Hasbro Fans Expo in [[Hong Kong]] and preordered the set. The box was designed by [[AJ Piejko-Brown]].

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===''Buzzworthy Bumblebee''===
[[File:Legacy-toy QuintessonTrooper.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|]]
*'''Troop Builder Multipack''' (4-pack, 2023)
**''Accessories:'' Axe, mace, tail-sword, [[Allicon]] head
{{toydesigner|[[Mark Maher]]}}

:One of four figures in the ''[[Buzzworthy Bumblebee]]'' "[[Army-building|Troop Builder]] Multipack", the Quintesson Trooper is a redeco of the ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' Quintesson Bailiff in a more cartoon-accurate color scheme, retaining that figure's accessories. Additionally, the Trooper also includes a copy of the ''Earthrise'' Allicon's head, with additional paint compared to the original release. While the multipack's packaging and instructions suggest optionally swapping this head onto the Quintesson Trooper to create a sort of Bailiff/Allicon hybrid, a savvy purchaser can instead substitute it onto an original ''Earthrise'' Allicon toy to give it a more cartoon-accurate head... if they don't mind the plastic colors not matching. Due to sitting up higher than the Allicon release of the mold, you should turn the Allicon head so the fin rests in the gap of the chest when transforming to avoid the fin becoming bent.

: This is also the first ever Hasbro-initiated toy<ref>Takara & e-HOBBY released [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]] in 2004, which included a Quintesson sticker</ref> to feature the Quintesson insignia (albeit very small). Nice!

:The Troop Builder Multipack also included a [[Air Warrior#Buzzworthy Bumblebee|Decepticon Seeker]], a [[Cybertronian (faction)#Buzzworthy Bumblebee|G2 Universe Cybertronian Trooper]], and an [[Autotrooper (Animated)#Buzzworthy Bumblebee|Animated Universe Autotrooper]].

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===''One''===
*'''Quintesson High Commander''' (Prime Changers, [[2024]])
**''Accessories:'' [[Energon cube]]

[[File:Quintesson-High-Commander-Toy.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|"Death mocks life! Mocks Skeksis! But no more! Skeksis conquer death!"]]
: A Walmart-exclusive, the Quintesson High Commander is a Deluxe Class-ish figure that transforms into a Quintesson space cruiser in 18 steps. The toy features ball-jointed shoulders and elbows, though the chest molding makes it impossible for the figure's arms to point forward. The toy lacks [[5 mm post|5 mm]] compatible hands, or ''any'' hands for that matter. In lieu of legs, the robot mode rests atop a structure sculpted to look like a mass of tentacles, which is fleshed out with additional soft-plastic tentacles flowing out from hinges beneath the torso.

:The figure's only accessory is a single rubberized Energon cube which can be stored in a square recess inside the Quintesson's torso.

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==Merchandise==
===''ReAction''===
[[File:Squidbillies.jpeg|upright=1.66|thumb|]]
*'''Quintesson''' (2023)
**''Accessories'': Repair tool

: Released in the sixth wave of [[Super7]]'s line of multi-property 3.75-inch "retro" action figures, ''[[Super7#ReAction|ReAction]]'' Quintesson is a non-converting figure of a Quintesson Judge. It does feature face-turning articulation, though that joint is notably tighter than the connection between the body and the clear-red "energy beam" stand. Unusual for ''ReAction'' figures, its four tentacles are actually on balljoints, though their range of motion is pretty limited. Two of these tentacles end in loops, enabling him to hold the "repair tool" the [[:File:ReturnOptimusPrime_Quintesson_holding_tool.jpg|Judge carries]] in "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2]]".

: As with all releases in the ''ReAction'' toyline, Quintesson comes packaged on a small cardback that emulates the nostalgic packaging style of [[Kenner]]'s ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' action figures from the late 1970s to early '80s.
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==Notes==
[[File:FloroDery originalquintesson.jpg|thumb|Touch the Rainbow, Taste the Rainbow!]]
*The Quintessons were named after a local restaurant.<ref>Flint Dille interview at TFcon 2016</ref>
*In the [[The Transformers: The Movie (first draft)|original 1984 draft]] of The Transformers: The Movie, the Quintessons had a radically different appearance having spindly bipedal bodies with large heads. At this point they also had psychic abilities, being able to create swarms of Sharkitcons from a pile of scrap. After escaping from them, Hot Rod forced their leader to use his "mind scan" to create a holographic space map to find his missing friends. While these abilities were removed for the April 1985 draft their appearance would stay the same. Per this draft, the Autobots would have been shocked to discover that, in reality, they were all head; when Hot Rod grabbed one, its head would disconnect from its body, fly off, and link up to another body in waiting. Somewhere along the way, the body idea got dropped, but not before designer [[Floro Dery]] produced a design seemingly based on this early idea, seen at right, revealed through his [https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/FDartstudio?ref=l2-shopheader-name Etsy store] in October 2014.
**The mini-series "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]" which had several references to this early draft, appeared to feature this in a scene where one of [[Deliberata]]'s faces detaches—seemingly derived from the idea of a removable head. But this detail is not mentioned in the episode script suggesting that it's an animation/storyboarding mistake.
* According to Dery's concept art each of the Judges' five faces have a specific inspiration:"Death" is inspired by an Egyptian Pharaoh (it's possible he meant a death mask) to 'suggest kingly authority and death'; "Smiling" is a "fat face with a sun-like-rays headgear" to create the appearance of a smile, "Angry" is based on a devil, "Grimacing" a stern barbarian, and "Suspicion" on an old woman.
*When asked about the finalized Quintesson design in an interview, Dery stated they were based on a cylindrical toy he designed at some point.<ref>[http://transformersph.blogspot.com/2007/06/interview-with-floro-dery.html TransFormers Philippines: Interview With Floro Dery]</ref>
*Since [[The Transformers: The Movie|the movie]] never explains what the characters are being charged with, and offers no logical progression to a verdict, it's often interpreted that Quintesson justice simply operates on reverse terminology for the sake of humor—that the Quintessons ''say'' "innocent", but dohohoho, they're aliens, and to them, that ''means'' "guilty", so the accused is sentenced to death. This was certainly the assumption [[Simon Furman]] was working off of when he first used the Quintessons in the UK-only framing sequence of "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]" and had a Quintesson find [[Mister Regan|an interrogator]] to be "innocent" of things which he is unambiguously guilty of. The 2014 novel ''[[Transformers: Retribution|Retribution]]'' also followed this path, with the note that "innocent" must "mean something different" to the aliens, as the characters on trial are indeed entirely guilty of what they are being accused of. What is consistently overlooked, however, is the one instance in all Transformers canon of the Quintessons actually finding someone guilty, which happens to Kup and Ultra Magnus in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]". And they ''are'' guilty of the charges put before them: being Autobots, the race who stole Cybertron from the Quintessons. While it may have started out that way at some point in the script process of the movie, the cartoon universe made clear very early on that Quintesson justice isn't supposed to operate on reverse terminology for humor's sake; the aliens know the difference between the two terms, and the trials are just trivial, for their own amusement, before they kill you anyway. The iteration of the Quintessons depicted in the ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' cartoon do use guilty in its (relatively) correct meaning, destroying those they judge as such. Notably, we never see them pronounce anyone ''innocent''; while they create Judges to deliver verdicts, they seem to view guilty as the only possible result.
*In a Q&A, [[Simon Furman]] said he considered making the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] a Quintesson artifact but changed his mind.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=5032 SIMON FURMAN - Q&A Nov/Dec 2008 at IDW Publishing Forums]</ref> Early in the development of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'', the [[Knights of Cybertron]] would've eventually become the Quintessons, but this plot thread was eventually dropped as the series evolved.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Early ''More than Meets the Eye'' story bible|link=https://twitter.com/InflatableDalek/status/1561045807951904768|name=Stuart Webb|site=Twitter|year=2022|month=08|day=20}}</ref>
*The ''Animated'' Quintessons are just off-screen mentions, but as their empire's name is near-identical to [[Japan|Imperial Japan]]'s {{w|Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere}}, we can assume they're ''very nasty''.
*For whatever reason, the ''Cyberverse'' pronunciation of Quintesson consistently differs from the original in that the stress is now on the middle syllable ("Quin-TES-son") instead of the last ("Quin-tes-SON") in other media.
*Although the Quintessons weren't named in [[2019 IDW continuity|IDW's rebooted ''Transformers'' continuity]] before its conclusion, multiple lines of dialogue and a single panel in 2022's ''[[Transformers: War's End|War's End]]'' miniseries ''heavily'' imply that the Quintessons are the aliens responsible for mutating [[Exarchon]] into his current-day self. Had the series continued, Ruckley would've expounded on the "Quintessence", which he described as a quarantined region of space populated by Quintessons and barricaded behind a shield of electrical energy;<ref>Brian Ruckley at TFNation 2022</ref> they might have also been somehow connected to the [[Voin]], another race of squid-like creatures.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Not intrinsic, but there was/would have been a connection of some sort - if only because the Voin are my favourite alien babies and part of my original conception was that they tend to get involved, usually as individuals, somehow, sometime, in pretty much everything.|link=https://twitter.com/Brian_Ruckley/status/1556973833353138177|name=Brian Ruckley|site=Twitter|year=2022|month=08|day=09}}</ref>
*Concept art for an unidentified animated movie depicts what seems to be [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] facing a giant Quintesson, it is wrongly attributed online to be from ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' due to the appearance of Optimus & the date of publication from said artwork. <ref>https://zerply.com/r/29Fe3WvG/transformers-quintesson-chamber Transformers Pitch concept art for an animated movie.</ref> [[File:TLK Quintesson.jpg|thumb|]]

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Quintessa-seijin''' (クインテッサ星人, "Planet Quintessa People"), '''Quintesson''' (クインテッサン ''Kuintessan'')
*''Italian:'' '''Quintessenziali''' ("Quintessentials"; used only in the G1 cartoon and in ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Wǔ Miàn Guài''' (五面怪, "Five-faced Monster")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Quintessiano''' ("Quintessian", ''Cyberverse'' dub)

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Alien species]]
[[Category:Cyberverse species]]
[[Category:Energon Universe species]]
[[Category:Generation 1 aliens]]
[[Category:Generation 1 factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 species]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon species]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) species]]
[[Category:Kiss Players]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 species]]
[[Category:Quintessons| ]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass species]]
[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game species]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron species]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Earthrise subgroups]]
[[Category:Wings Universe species]]

Stardrive

2024-10-14T06:37:42Z

1levichurch: /* Notes */

:''Stardrive is a [[Transformer|Cybertronian]] [[Space Knight]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:NickRoche-Stardrive.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.7|Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...]]

'''Stardrive''' knows that she's not like her fellow members of the [[Solstar Order]]. Orphaned as a [[protoform]] after her ship ran afoul of the [[Galactic Council]], she was rescued by [[Rom]] and raised in isolation from the rest of her species, growing up amongst the myriad organics under the protection of the Order. Eventually, Stardrive rose to become one of the many [[Space Knight]]s of the Solstar Order, dedicating the rest of her life to battling the malicious [[Dire Wraith]]s that plague the galaxy.

But although she's a competent, dedicated warrior, Stardrive struggles under the burden of her Cybertronian heritage in a civilization of carbon-based lifeforms. Having grown up hearing the horror stories of the Cybertronian [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], Stardrive is aware just ''why'' her comrades are prone to view her with such mistrust. Should the destructive Autobot/Decepticon war reach Solstar shores, Stardrive will have to decide where her true loyalties lie...

{{quote|I'm only '''alive''' because Rom gave me a chance. I became a knight to give '''everybody''' one.|Stardrive|[[Shining Armor issue 1|''Shining Armor'' #1]]}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:RomVsTF02-RomAndStardrive.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Caminus (planet)|Doomed planet.]] Desperate scientists. Last hope. [[Rom|Kindly couple.]]]]

In the mid-19th century,<ref>[https://www.cbr.com/exclusive-transformers-rom-crossover-new-character-hasbro/] In the announcement interview, co-writer [[Christos Gage]] identified ''[[Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor|Rom vs. Transformers]]'' as transpiring "not quite 200 years ago, but around 175, 180 years in the past", placing the timeframe circa [[1837]] to [[1842]]</ref> a [[Caminus (planet)|Camien]] [[Stardrive's ship|vessel]] containing a cargo of [[protoform]]s attracted the attention of a [[Galactic Council]] warship; misidentifying the vessel as a [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] ship, they pursued and shot it down in the [[Gray Area]] between Council space and the neighboring [[Solstar Order]]. The altercation caught the attention of the Space Knight [[Rom]], who investigated the crash site and discovered that all but one of the protoforms had perished. Rom rescued the survivor and brought it to his home planet of [[Elonia]]. There, scientists managed to stabilize the injured "Gray Area Anomaly," and created an [[energon synthesizer]], reverse engineered from [[energon]] samples recovered at the crash site, to nourish it.

The protoform soon developed into a healthy young female Transformer; she was raised alongside other alien youngsters and soon discovered her ability to [[transformation|transform]] into a car {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 1|Shining Armor #1}} and space fighter, {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 2|Shining Armor #2}} from which her classmates nicknamed her "Stardrive." Raised in isolation from her species, Stardrive learned about the destructive legacy of the Cybertronians in her school, with teachers suggesting that with the "proper upbringing," she could do better than the rest of her species. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 1|Shining Armor #1}}

On a graduation field trip to [[Mato Grosso (planet)|Mato Grosso]], Stardrive was attacked by the [[Dire Wraith]] [[Vekktral]], who tried to assimilate her. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 1|Shining Armor #1}} {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 2|Shining Armor #2}} She was saved by Rom and a group of Space Knights, and the experience convinced her to join the Space Knights to emulate her hero Rom, and after graduating from the Space Knight's academy, she was bonded to a suit of [[Ore-12|crystalline armor]] and granted a pair of [[Neutralizer]]s.

[[File:ShiningArmor1-peacewiththecybertronians.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Five years after her "birth", Stardrive was deployed to stake out [[Mining Colony 25-6-41]] in the [[Farouko Cluster]], where she spent a week in her car [[alternate mode]] to spring a trap for the Wraiths. When [[Rom]], [[Livia]], and some new cadets arrived and engaged the Wraiths, Stardrive preemptively revealed herself to rescue [[Auxin]] from an ambush. Auxin wasn't particularly thankful for her timely rescue, angry at losing his first kill to "the machine." Stardrive's popularity didn't improve after she argued against Livia's proposal to sterilize the entire colony. Rom agreed with Stardrive's assessment; the matter settled, the two senior Knights brought Stardrive with them on their next mission: negotiations with the Galactic Council regarding the threat of a potential Wraith migration into Council territory.

Arriving at the space station ''[[Orchid Crossing]]'' over [[Xetaxxis]], Stardrive was hurt when Rom and Livia revealed that they had deliberately brought along Stardrive to be paraded in front of the Council—proof that the Solstar Order was capable of keeping Cybertronians "in their place"—and Rom's words of encouragement did little to alleviate it.

The next morning's meeting quickly went off the rails when the Council's representatives revealed themselves as Wraiths in disguise and their ship transformed into [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], vanguard for a larger Decepticon insurgency led by [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], who had formed an alliance with [[Vekktral]] to steal Stardrive's energon synthesizer. A terrified Stardrive was cornered by Starscream, who nearly got his hands on his prize before the [[Autobot]]s [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], who had been tracking the Decepticons across space, joined the battle. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 1|Shining Armor #1}}

[[File:ShiningArmor2-stardrivemeetstheautobots.jpg|thumb|left|250px|''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc3MnoSS5Hw Something's familiar 'bout these strangers like me...]'']]

The appearance of the Autobots threw the battle lines into chaos; mistaking Stardrive for a Decepticon, Magnus blew her, Rom, and Starscream through the wall. Bumblebee tried to mediate with her, but Stardrive assumed that it was another attack, fighting off him and [[Sky Blast (G1)|Sky Blast]]. Seconds later, Sky Blast was forcibly assimilated by a Wraith, and the resulting fusion mutated out of control and threatened the space station's structural integrity. While Rom and the other Space Knights bought time for the crew to evacuate, Bumblebee again tried to talk to Stardrive as the two Autobots headed for their [[Autobot shuttle|shuttle]] at the same time that Rom told her to evacuate. When the Autobot ship exploded, Stardrive used her starfighter mode to scoop them up and carry them to safety, crash-landing on the icy planet below. On the surface, Ultra Magnus placed Stardrive under arrest for violating Article Three of the [[Tyrest Accord]]; Stardrive agreed to surrender if the Autobots helped her find the other [[Space Knight]]s. Before they could start searching Rom and the other Space Knights found them, and Stardrive watched sadly as Rom shot Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 2|Shining Armor #2}}

[[File:ShiningArmor3-StardrivesRescue.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Magnus recovered quickly, and the Autobots and Space Knights quickly came to blows before Stardrive intervened, furious that she'd seemingly been lied to about her species and her recent treatment to appease the Council. Magnus managed to clear up the matter—clarifying that, unlike the Solstar Order, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] had never permanently unified and different factions of Cybertronians stood for different principles—Stardrive introduced herself and the two groups agreed to a tentative alliance. When Livia suggested razing the world to prevent the spread of more hybrids, Stardrive revealed the existence of her energon synthesizer, and the three Knights flew to the crash site to try and recover it, Stardrive trying to convince Livia to see otherwise on the way.

They arrived at the wreckage of the ''Orchid Crossing'' at the same time as Starscream's Decepticons; ignoring her orders to engage the Seekers, Stardrive used her car mode to evacuate some [[Xetaxxan|Xetaxxian]] scavengers, taking to the air to escape... only for Starscream to outmaneuver her and kill the aliens inside her cockpit. A despairing Stardrive retreated to the wreckage of her quarters and eventually struck a deal with Starscream. She would give him the energon synthesizer if he took his forces and left Xetaxxis. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 3|Shining Armor #3}}

Claiming to need her knowledge of the Wraiths to fight off the organic shapeshfiters, Starscream invited Stardrive to join the Decepticons, a pitch that Stardrive flatly refused before Rom and Livia's fight against [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] spilled into the wreckage and sent the Seekers fleeing. In a last-ditch effort to win the battle, Livia suggested detonating Stardrive's energon synthesizer to keep it out of Decepticon hands and eliminate the Wraith presence on the planet. Stardrive, her patience finally exhausted, snapped and declared that she was no longer a Space Knight, taking the synthesizer and flying off...only for Livia to shoot out her engine. Ignoring Rom's attempts to mediate, Stardrive simply transformed into her car mode and rammed Livia into some nearby vines, preparing to slay her before Bumblebee and Sata arrived.

[[File:ShiningArmor4-haveyoulostyourmind.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Isn't it embarrassing when you both show up wearing the same tires?]]

While Sata only increased Stardrive's rage at the Knights, Bumblebee made her stand down when he revealed Magnus sacrificed himself to keep the synthesizer out of Decepticon hands. With so many dead, Stardrive agreed to work with the others as long as nobody sacrificed anymore innocent lives... a deal that was cut short when Vekktral, now possessing the body of Ultra Magnus, returned, bringing with him an army of Wraiths. The heroes were soon pinned down and surrounded by Wraiths and Decepticons, only for, much to Stardrive's confusion, the Wraiths to turn on their erstwhile allies. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 4|Shining Armor #4}}

Out of options and patience, Stardrive resorted to using Sata as a sword as she battled Vekktral, slicing off one of his arms to free Starscream. Their previous alliance forgotten, the Decepticons briefly teamed up with the Autobots and Space Knights to blast the Wraiths so as to prevent any more hybrids from coming into existence... only for Starscream and his Decepticons to immediately retreat in the hopes of grabbing the energon synthesizer. Stardrive pursued the Decepticons and managed to rip Starscream's wings off. In response, Starscream simply set the energon synthesizer to detonate so that the Autobots couldn't get their hands on it either—a solution that Livia found more than convenient, as it would simply sterilize half the planet as she had proposed earlier.

[[File:ShiningArmor5-stardriveleavesthespaceknights.jpg|thumb|right|300px|At least find a phone booth first, sheesh!]]

The Knights and Autobots prepared to flee the planet, Stardrive briefly contending with a wounded Vekktral and abandoning him to his fate after scraping him off her wing. Safely in orbit once more, the heroes watched as the energon explosion ripped across the icy world, cauterizing the Dire Wraith infection but also killing thousands of innocent Xetaxxians. Unable to process what she had done, Stardrive ignored Livia's protests that their actions were in the name of the greater good and declared that she was no longer a Space Knight. Able to shed her metallic armor by virtue of her Transformer physiology, Stardrive assumed her starfigher form and flew away.

Some time later, Stardrive had arrived on a distant, idyllic planet as she mused to herself that, while her entire life had been shaped by the prejudices of others, now was the time to start anew—unaware that a trace of the malicious Dire Wraith infection lingered within her.
{{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}} Over the next two hundred years, the Wraith biomatter would proceed to spread through her systems; though not enough to fully transform her into a Wraith, Stardrive developed the ability to voluntarily mutate herself into a monstrous, Wraith-like form capable of channeling their dark [[magic]]. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 2}}

[[File:UnstoppedAndUnstoppable-wraithstardrive.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Just a few more spikes and extraneous weapons and she can audition for a part in the Bayverse.]]

In the present day, the rogue Autobot [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]], tracking the activities of [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]]'s [[Maximal]]s across the galaxy, stumble into Stardrive in deep space, {{storylink|Road's End}} and invited her to join his makeshift crew of Autobots and their allies aboard the starship ''[[Peaceful Revolution]]''. Circa 2018, the group tracked their foes to the backwater planet of [[Regalis V]], where they discovered that the bestial Transformers had attacked the marooned [[Throttlebot]]s. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}} Though resentful of their mission and her new leader, Stardrive used her Wraith powers to easily slay [[Drancron]] and [[Hydra (BW)|Hydra]]. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 2}}

Now joined by the surviving Throttlebots, the group followed the Maximal Titan [[Nemesis (BW)|Nemesis]] as it travelled through space; soon afterwards, Stardrive felt a surge of inexplicable pain, warning her that Elonia was in grave danger. Prowl brushed off her concerns, but Stardrive remained convinced that "something big" was coming. Shortly afterwards, the group discovered where the Nemesis was heading... the planet [[Devisiun (planet)|Devisiun]], the latest planet to be targeted by [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. Though the crew fought to defend the planet, the sheer number of Maximals forced them to retreat, and Prowl opted to fall back, hoping that that they could lead Unicron into a trap when he moved to consume the ''next'' planet in line. {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}}

[[File:RoadsEnd-Stardrive.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Indeed, Stardrive soon reported that they had lost contact with [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] as Unicron moved to consume the Transformer homeworld, and Prowl simply opined that the Transformers were destined to make their last stand on [[Earth]]. By the time that the ''Peaceful Revolution'' arrived in the [[Solar System]], however [[Sanctuary Station]] had already fallen. A vengeful Stardrive brought her hybrid power to bear, slaughtering her way through a hundred and fifty six Maximals... before Unicron himself tore through [[Jupiter]]'s atmosphere on a direct course for Earth to complete his mission of Cybertronian extinction. {{storylink|Road's End}}

The ''Peaceful Revolution'' caught up with Unicron as the monster planet entered Earth orbit; when Prowl wondered why Unicron didn't consume the planet then and there, Stardrive theorized that it was waiting until all of the stragglers had regrouped on Earth, unaware that Unicron was ''really'' waiting because it had sensed the presence of the corrosive [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]] somewhere on the planet. Pilot [[Goldbug (IDW)|Goldbug]] brought their ship in for a landing on Earth, but accidentally warped directly ''into'' the planet's crust, materializing underneath [[Mount Rushmore]] in the middle of a battle between the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s and the [[Colonist Soldiers]]. {{storylink|A Sunrise Dark}} When that battle was done with, the Autobots boarded the ''Peaceful Revolution'' and flew to [[Victoria Falls]] to regroup with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] and the other survivors of Cybertron. During a briefing, Bumblebee attempted to reconnect with her after their adventure so long ago, but she promptly and rudely told him to shut it.

[[File:Unicron5-wraithhybrids.jpg|thumb|left|350px|David Cronenberg powers, ACTIVATE!]]

Soon afterwards, the Autobots, joined by the heroes and villains of Earth, put their final gambit into play; as part of their opening attack, Stardrive joined Prowl in [[Toronto]] to take out Unicron's engineer, [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]. Bolstered by fellow Wraith hybrids the [[Red Shadows]], Stardrive joined the ninjas in the streets of Toronto to keep the Maximals busy, taking on [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] in the ensuing melee. {{storylink|Assembly (Unicron)|Assembly}}

As the battle intensified, Prowl, having taken Shockwave prisoner, regrouped with Stardrive so that she could play her role in Prowl's complex plan: using her Wraith powers to invade Shockwave's body and mind, [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] was able to connect her into the energies of the [[Enigma of Combination]]—its powers amplified by [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]'s copy of the relic's code. Together, their powers were sufficient to make contact with the spirits of the deceased, their presence linked to [[Infraspace]] through the Talisman, and into the immaterial consciousness of Optimus Prime as he dealt with [[Unicron's creator|Unicron's original consciousness]]. When the threat had passed, Stardrive helped Prowl escort the defeated Shockwave into custody before joining Rom and Livia outside Metroplex, gazing happily out on her new homeworld. {{storylink|Ceremony}}
{{-}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
Stardrive was considered to be brave and loyal by [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], being counted among his potential recruits for the [[Wreckers]]. {{storylink|Tread & Circuits Part 4}}

==Notes==
[[File:Shining armor 1 baby stardrive.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1|"I'm just a baby. Baby baby baby. I'm a baby! I'm zero years old! Gotta love me!"]]
* Having developed from a "[[Reproduction#2005 IDW continuity|forged]]" protoform into a naturally female Transformer, Stardrive and her ship could not have been from Cybertron in the timeframe of the story. Her world of origin is never actually revealed in the comic itself, only fleetingly referred to as a "Cybertronian colony" in the prologue, but sharp-eyed readers will note that Stardrive's energon is bright blue rather than purple—an evolutionary trait shared by all Transformers born on [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]], and first alluded to in [[The Last Autobot|the ''Titans Return'' one-shot comic]]. Author [[John Barber]] would later confirm this theory.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Colony (Caminus), but nobody in the issue actually knows that. You and I and the readers of all the comics have the inside scoop!|link=https://twitter.com/TheJohnBarber/status/887466438033686528|name=John Barber|site=Twitter|year=2017|month=07|day=19|(defunct=)}}</ref>
*Barber pitched the idea of a Cybertronian who was raised in isolation from their species. This not only led to Stardrive but also [[Centurion (IDW)|Centurion]].<ref>John Barber Q&A at TFcon Canada 2017</ref>
*Stardrive's "natural" color scheme, seen to the right, was inspired by [[Priscilla Tramontano]] and her then-turquoise hair.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Stardrive's colors were inspired by @Pr1ps! https://t.co/6lUHguEZRP|link=https://twitter.com/dyemooch/status/887394339084697602|name=Josh Perez|site=Twitter|year=2017|month=07|day=18|(defunct=)}}</ref>
*While not the first [[female Transformer]] to have more than one [[alternate mode]], Stardrive ''is'' the first female to be explicitly labeled as a [[Triple Changer]].
*[[Alex Milne]] named Stardrive as a reference to the ''[[Star Trek]]'' [[USS Enterprise|Enterprise]].<ref>{{citesocial|quote=And Stardrive was a name that they chose, they really liked it, and I'm like "I'm glad you really like that because it's from Star Trek.|link=https://youtu.be/p94H-eJunLQ?si=DCoAFp1dFTk5SSsf&t=2186|name=Alex Milne|site=YouTube|year=2020|month=11|day=02}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Caminus]]
[[Category:Comic-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Dire Wraiths]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:Space Knights]]
[[Category:Triple Changers]]

Multiverse

2024-10-14T04:42:11Z

1levichurch: /* Transformers: Earth Wars */

{{featured}}

[[File:TransformersCollisionCourse-multiverse.jpg|thumb|right|300px|One encouraging thing the Guide does have to say on the subject of parallel universes is that you don't stand the remotest chance of understanding it. You can therefore say "What?" and "Eh?" and even go cross-eyed and start to blither if you like without any fear of making a fool of yourself.]]

The '''multiverse''', aka the '''Universal Continuum''', the '''Multi-Verse of Eternity''', the '''Cybertronian Multiverse''', or the '''Spacetime World''' (時空界 ''Jikūkai''), is the overall collection of [[Continuity|universes and timelines]] related to the [[Transformer]]s and their adventures. The multiverse consists of a very large number of universes, and millions of them have been classified and categorized as [[universal stream]]s. Between these streams, outside of time and space, exists the interdimensional void of [[unspace]]. Many, but not all, realities within the multiverse can be characterized by the presence of shapeshifting mechanoid lifeforms—most often the Cybertronians themselves, but also [[Robotix]], [[Waruder]]s, [[Planicron]]s, [[GoBot]]s, or [[Go-Bot (species)|Go-Bot]]s—and the existence of either the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] or [[Skalorr|some]] [[Gobotron|suitable]] [[Botropolis|analogue]].

Although some have theorized that the prevalence of Cybertron across the dimensions means that it acts as a kind of "stable axis" upon which the entire multiverse spins, many individual Cybertrons and their inhabitants might never know that they exist on a larger continuum; on a cosmic scale, travel between individual universes is comparatively rare, and often accidental. However, there exist certain groups and individuals dedicated to monitoring, moving between, and/or protecting the many worlds of the multiverse, including [[Vector Prime]], the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]] and their successors the [[Planicron|Flaternity]], the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTechs]], and the [[Autobot#Cloud|Spacetime Police]] of [[Cloud World]]. There are also others who are a threat to the multiverse including [[Unicron]], [[The Fallen]], the [[Megatron Aggregate]], the [[Elder God]]s, the [[Quintesson#Cyberverse cartoon|Quintessons]], and [[Megatron (Cloud)|Megatron]] of the Cloud World.

Beyond the multiverse lies the [[Megaverse]], a larger collection of universes primarily unrelated to but still thinly connected to the Transformers, and beyond that, the [[Omniverse]], which contains all the many myriad realities that exist across infinity.

{{bigquote|The Multiverse is indeed a complicated and wonderful place, is it not? The moment you start to believe you understand its grand celestial mechanics, a new exception gives you cause for pause.|[[Vector Prime]]|[[Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/05]]}}

==Conceptual history==
[[File:Nyc-alternate-future1.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

The idea of parallel worlds, alternate dimensions, and different realities is older than the science-fiction genre itself, although the term "multiverse" was not used to describe the idea of multiple simultaneous realities until 1963. As a broad science-fiction pastiche, it should come as no surprise that the ''Transformers'' franchise would touch on the idea: while the third season of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''The Transformers'' cartoon]] featured a brief jaunt to a strange "[[negative universe]]", it would be the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] that hewed closer to what was to come when its [[Rhythms of Darkness!|67th issue]] spotlighted a dystopian "possible future" where [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] ruled supreme and ended with [[Hook, Line, and Sinker|Unicron's minions]] dragging Galvatron back to the primary timeline. From day one, the cartoon and comic book were never meant to overlap; they diverged almost immediately by adding or killing off characters as needed while ancillary media like storybooks and coloring books freely mixed and matched characters at will: today, we refer to these strange little offshoots as "[[micro-continuity|micro-continuities]]". Early fans divided these two primary timelines into the "Marvel" or "Sunbow" universes; at this point in time, of course, all of the ''Transformers'' fiction took place in what would later become the "[[Generation 1 continuity family]]"—although 1996's ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' featured an entirely new cast of [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s, it soon became clear that they hailed from another such "possible future" and that their timeline had experienced a version of the classic Generation 1 storyline in their past.

[[File:Universe1afull.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

After the conclusion of the "[[Beast Era]]" in 2000, Hasbro returned to basics by porting the Japanese ''Car Robots'' anime and redubbing it into ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' to become the brand's first complete reboot. Two years later, ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' upped the ante by taking a page from the early days of the brand: a [[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|cartoon]], a [[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|mutually irreconcilable comic book]], plus the usual swathe of books, video games, and mini-comics all set in their own little continuities brought the number of major continuities up to seven. In 2002, when developing what would become ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'', [[Aaron Archer]] proposed a franchise known as ''[[Transformers: Super Cross|Super Cross]]'', which would've featured a damaged [[Unicron]] kidnapping heroes and villains from many different realities, including ''Armada'', ''Beast Wars'', ''Robots in Disguise'', and "Generation 1", in a bid to restore his damaged body.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3687399744633791&id=247519665288500&m_entstream_source=permalink ''Super Cross'' pitch binder]</ref> Parts of the scrapped ''Super Cross'' backstory evolved into 2003's ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' storyline; this first true exploration of the "multiverse" concept expanded the concept to include [[Shell Game|several entirely]] [[Transformers: Universe CD-ROM|new realities]]. Around the same time, author [[Simon Furman]] penned the "[[Worlds Collide]]" storyline in Dreamwave's ''Armada'' comic book, which featured "Generation 1" Galvatron and a group of Decepticons jumping realities to serve as Unicron's heralds. Indeed, Unicron would play a key role in the multiverse meta-lore to come: around the same time as ''Universe'', multiple Furman works established that certain key figures in the ''Transformers'' mythos, most prominently Unicron and his benevolent opposite [[Primus]], were unique beings who transcended dimensional barriers and could exist or travel to multiple timelines simultaneously. Hasbro copywriter [[Forest Lee]] extrapolated on Furman's work, extended the concept to encompass [[Vector Prime]], [[The Fallen]], and the rest of the [[Thirteen|thirteen original Transformers]], and coined the term "[[multiversal singularity]]" to describe this phenomenon.

Shortly after [[IDW Publishing]] brought Simon Furman on to develop a pitch for their then-newly acquired ''Transformers'' license in 2005, he originally proposed a crossover story that would've brought together the casts of both ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' and [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] in response to a Unicron-based threat and an "omniverse in chaos". Evidently, IDW turned down the pitch, and Furman wound up writing the ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' miniseries instead.<ref>''Transformers, a New Direction'', Simon Furman's Transformers proposal printed in [[The Transformers: The Best of Simon Furman|The Best of Simon Furman]]</ref>

[[File:Axiomnexusgonetoofar.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

It would take another few years before the multiverse concept returned to the forefront: in early [[2008]], [[BotCon]] licensee [[Fun Publications]] introduced the ''[[Transformers: TransTech|TransTech]]'' setting as a means of exploring the increasingly vast ''Transformers'' multiverse. Co-opting its name and cast from Hasbro's [[Transtech|aborted ''Beast Machines'' sequel]], the ''TransTech'' prose stories and comic books introduced the hyper-advanced city of [[Axiom Nexus]], inhabited by both highly evolved "[[Transcendent Technomorph]]s" and "offworlder" travellers who hailed from every conceivable corner of the ''Transformers'' multiverse, ranging from mainstream "Generation 1" realities to obscure offshoots like the original ''[[GoBots|Challenge of the GoBots]]'' television show. ''TransTech'' stitched together throwaway bits of lore: notably, it tied together throwaway concepts like "subspace" and "transwarp" into [[Unspace|a single unifying concept]] that occupied the space between individual realities. Most notably for the purposes of this article, the ''TransTech'' stories featured scientists observing and classifying different realities under a specific alphanumeric system. Although author [[Greg Sepelak]] has gone on record to say that this "[[universal stream]]" system was originally conceived as a way of making the TransTech seem detached and alien,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201113130526/https://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/101932-tfwikinet-thread-or-the-all-new-all-different-community-portal/page-320#entry3411810 The Allspark Forums, 2nd January 2016]</ref> this did not stop both fans and other creatives from using it as a definitive system of universal classification—a home-grown substitute for the elaborate cosmologies of the {{w|Multiverse (Marvel Comics)|Marvel}} and {{w|Multiverse (DC Comics)|DC}} multiverses.

From 2009 to 2010, the [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|Allspark Almanac]] expanded the ''Transtech'' notation to, among other things, include a [[Gargent|proper universal cluster]] for ''GoBots'', [[Nexus|another]] for the TransTech themselves, and even one for [[Quadwal|the "real world"]]. For the next eight years, the multiverse would define Fun Publications' time on the brand; stories would frequently involve characters crossing into different realities or embarking upon epic cross-dimensional quests.

[[File:MarceloMatere-continuities.jpg|thumb|right|250px| I keep changing it, don't I? Which do you prefer: Universe? Multiverse? Omni-fragging verse - ohh it doesn't really fragging matter, does it?]]

As most adult-oriented Japanese fiction tends to play in the margins of the complicated [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Japanese cartoon continuity]], the idea of exploring the entire ''Transformers'' multiverse as a concept did not crop up as frequently in most Japanese fiction. However, different works of fiction featured time-travel plots and branching timelines—the most prominent of these splinter realities would be the [[BT World]], which would give rise to the powerful, multiverse-spanning "[[Alternity (species)|Alternity]]", until they were superseded by the two-dimensional [[Planicron]]s from [[Flatworld]] in a [[pack-in material|pack-in]] epic spanning from 2003 all the way to 2012. The ''[[Transformers Cloud]]'' prose stories from 2014 to 2015 featured by far Takara's most extensive flirtation with the concept, introducing another hub reality in the form of the artificially induced "[[Cloud World]]" inhabited by "Spacetime Police" who took a much more active role in the multiverse than their Transtech cousins and utilized their own, simpler, "[[Multiverse#Spacetime|Spacetime]]" system of universe classification.

That same year, Fun Publication's [[Ask Vector Prime]] feature offered the most definitive look at the multiverse yet: in addition to fleshing out obscure realities, delving into the history of the TransTech and the multiverse itself, tying together bits of ''TransTech'', ''Cloud'', and ''Alternity'' lore, and exploring the lives of other pan-dimensional beings like the [[Hytherion]], the column took a stab at laying out a definitive multiversal cosmology by establishing both the [[Megaverse]] and the wider [[Omniverse]], and providing in-fiction explanations for things like [[animation error]]s and fictional crossovers. Ultimately, however, with their time on the brand winding down, Fun Publications introduced the "[[Shroud]]" in late 2015: after years of increasingly contentious debate about their position in the multiverse meta-lore, the Shroud provided an in-fiction means of retroactively nullifying the concept of multiversal singularities entirely while also "strengthening the dimensional boundaries" and rendering further dimensional travel much harder.

With the end of BotCon as an officially-licensed convention in [[2016]], as well as the eventual dissolution of Fun Publications, the multiverse again took a back seat. It would not be until 2019 that the [[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|''Cyberverse'' cartoon]] returned to the concept over the course of its second, third, and fourth seasons, although these multiverse tales were smaller in scope compared to what had come before, hearkening back to the possible futures and alternate timelines of Marvel's ''Transformers'' comic. In [[2022]], however, Hasbro brought the concept back in a big way: the [[Transformers: Legacy|''Legacy'' toyline]], a celebration of the brand as a whole, features characters from across the ''Transformers'' multiverse <ref>"Universes collide! TRANSFORMERS: LEGACY brings together fan-favorite characters from across the TRANSFORMERS multiverse with figures featuring deco inspired by their universe."</ref>—as of writing, the toyline features characters from "Generation 1", the "[[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]", "[[Animated continuity family|Animated]]", and the [[Aligned continuity family|"Aligned"]] continuity families.

In a moment of supreme irony, IDW Publishing—whether through coincidence or an attempt to capitalize on ''Legacy'''s main marketing push—attempted to tackle the multiverse again in 2022's ''[[Transformers: Collision Course]]'' miniseries; due to unclear circumstances, however, the comic would be scrapped at the last moment. With IDW's loss of the ''Transformers'' license at the end of 2022 and [[Skybound Entertainment]]'s subsequent launch of the [[Energon Universe]] in 2023, it is unclear if future licensees will touch upon this corner of the ''Transformers'' mythos.

==Multiversal cartography==
{{quote|It is only natural for my species (and yours) to attempt to name, label, classify and clarify, build a taxonomy. But there will always be realms that defy understanding, always be mysteries left to uncover, always be exceptions to every rule. Isn't it glorious?|[[Vector Prime]]|[[Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 5/21/2015]]}}

[[File:WotT Cybertron.jpg|thumb|left|400px|There are many worlds, but they share the same sky...]]

The ''Transformers'' multiverse is vast, but just ''how'' vast is not entirely clear. As a subset of the endless [[Omniverse]], the multiverse encompasses an extremely large number of potential realities: according to [[Vector Prime]], this number lies somewhere in the millions,<ref>[[Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 5/21/2015]]</ref> the [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s of [[Axiom Nexus]] claim to have discovered at least 15,962,782 different universes,<ref>"[[Withered Hope]]"</ref> the Autobots of [[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|one universe]] analyzed 75,890,007 realities while searching for [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|their Optimus Prime]],<ref>"[[Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4]]"</ref> [[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]] once put the number at a whopping fifteen quadrillion,<ref>"[[Games of Deception]]"</ref> and other stories have described the multiverse as infinite.<ref>[[Balancing Act, Part 2]]</ref><ref>[[Transformers: Deviations]]</ref><ref>[[The Trial]]</ref> Regardless of how many potential realities might exist, there exist a finite number of beings with the technological sophistication and drive to explore and chart them, and as a result groups of Transformers and Transformer-analogues across the dimensions have come up with different ways to chart and classify these parallel realities.

{{--}}

===Universal streams===
{{main|Universal stream|List of universal streams}}
Within the fictional ''Transformers'' multiverse, the advanced [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s of [[Axiom Nexus]] identify individual timelines with in the multiverse as specific "[[universal stream]]s", each encompassing a specific cartoon, comic book, video game, movie, toy commercial, or just about any other form of ''Transformers'' media. Each universal stream receives a specific name regarding the continuity family of origin (known in-fiction as a "universal cluster"), a number that indicates its "real-world" date of creation, and a Greek letter that denotes the specific form of media. Using this notation, one could identify the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''Transformers'' cartoon]] and [[The Transformers: The Movie|the animated film]] as taking place in universe "[[Primax 984.17 Alpha]]". A universal stream might encompass a single work of fiction, or many interconnected franchises; for example, the [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|''Transformers Prime'']], ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Rescue Bots]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' cartoons all take place in "[[Uniend 911.05 Alpha]]". A single universal stream might also form the foundation for multiple divergent timelines, all mutually contradictory in their own way: so it is that universe "[[Primax 984.0 Gamma]]", the reality of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel comic]], branches off at different points into [[Primax 490.0 Gamma]], [[Primax 512.5 Gamma]], [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]], or [[Primax 290.03 Gamma]].

Thanks to a simple and relatively intuitive classification scheme, it became easy for both official creators and fans to retroactively identify basically every universe and continuity that had appeared up to that point, and due to its prominence in official fiction compared to other forms of universal classification, we usually default to Axiom Nexus notation when categorizing universes on this wiki. From 2015 to 2016, the [[Ask Vector Prime]] Facebook feature namedropped ''hundreds'' of universal streams—some based upon mainstream cartoons and comics, others on obscure toy commercials and storybooks, still others spinning off out of original stories or outlandish "what-if" scenarios. However, Vector Prime was careful to inform his readers that the efforts of the TransTech, while admirable, were but arbitrary labels attempting to tidily categorize a nigh-infinite phase space. Universal clusters and the beings that dwell within them blur, overlap, and do not always fall into clear-cut categories, as evidenced by the existence of realities like [[Primax 610.17 Kappa]] or [[Iocus 1012.30 Gamma]].

Ultimately, however, with the termination of the Fun Publications/Hasbro partnership at the end of [[2016]], no new TransTech fiction has been or likely ever will be published. New stories or continuities introduced after this cut-off date—including ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (franchise)|Cyberverse]]'', ''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (franchise)|EarthSpark]]'', or ''[[Transformers: BotBots (franchise)|BotBots]]''—do not possess in-fiction universal stream designations and probably never will.

===Worlds===
For most TakaraTomy fiction that involves different universes (notably ''[[Transformers Legends (comic)|Legends]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Alternity|Alternity]]''), many characters utilize a dirt simple system whereby the more plot-relevant universes are designated short names based on content and referred to as X "World"(世界 ''Sekai''). A prominent example is the "[[G1 World]]" (G1世界), containing the main Japanese Generation 1 timeline. Universes are also described more generically, such as "the world of ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''" (トランスフォーマーアニメイテッドの世界).<ref>"[[LG-16 Slipstream Sequel]]"</ref>

The higher dimensional [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]] use the universal stream system in conjunction with the simpler names. Residents of the [[Cloud World]] may appear to use this system, but their usage of "World" is very different ([[#Spacetimes|see below]]).

===Spacetimes===
In ''[[Transformers Cloud]]'', the multiversal regulators of [[Cloud World]] organize the multiverse, which they call the "Spacetime World", under a system of "Spacetimes" (時空 ''Jikū''). Each spacetime falls under a two-letter code designating its general dimensional category, such as "[[The Transformers (franchise)|OG]]" or "[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|MD]]", representing real world franchises rather than continuity. These categories can also be referred to as "Worlds" (世界 ''Sekai'') or unnumbered spacetimes. Individual timelines are then numbered via two digit time coordinates. As such, you get designations like "24-BW Spacetime" (第24BW時空 ''Dai-Nijūyon Bīdaburyū Jikū''). This does not indicate strict separation, as many spacetimes are connected in greater "flows of time" (時の流れ ''toki no nagare''), representing continuities, that can cross different world categorizations; the numerical designations indicate branches in this flow.

These relatively well-behaved spacetimes have a tendency to indicate somewhere in the vicinity of a franchise's cartoon. In the event an "irregular spacetime" does not have a cartoon, Cloud's "Spacetime Police" have been known to just kind of wing it, producing designations such as "EX-LG Spacetime" (indicating [[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Deadlock)|Deadlock's ''Legends'' comic]]) and "15-OGSS Spacetime" (a divergent spacetime that spun out of 01-OG Spacetime due to the events of ''[[Transformers: The Battle of the Star Gate|The Battle of the Star Gate]]'').

One very special spacetime that does not quite follow the system established above is OG001 Spacetime (OG001時空), representing the very first episode of a ''Transformers'' cartoon—the English version of "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]". Consequentially, this spacetime is regarded by Cloud natives as the origin point of the multiverse as a whole.

===Levels===
The [[GoBot]]s of several Gargent realities, such as [[Gargent 984.08 Alpha]], refer to an alternate reality as a "Level", as depicted in the ''Challenge of the GoBots'' cartoon and later ''Transformers''-[[canon]]ized by [[Ask Vector Prime#Renegade Rhetoric|Renegade Rhetoric]]. Unlike a "stream", a "level" can refer to a main universe's entire timeline in addition to all of its splinter timelines. The GoBots' home universe is the 1st level while the dread reality ruled by Queen [[Exor]]'s [[Insectoid]]s is the 21st level. [[Primax 984.0 Gamma]], as well as its splinter [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]], is dubbed the 22nd level in "[[Withered Hope]]", and one or more [[Viron]] realities is dubbed the 44th level in "[[Echoes and Fragments]]". Other GoBot-populated realities or reality systems include the 8th, 13th, 17th, 19th, 25th, 28th, 30th, 33rd, and 52nd levels; as per hidden text in "[[Cultural Appropriation]]", the GoBots identify other ''Transformers''-affiliated realities as Levels 16, 29, 34, 39, 51, 59, 63, 69, 72, and 77, though it's not clear how these map onto the standard TransTech notation.

===Strata===
Riffing off the aforementioned system of "levels", the Autobots of [[Primax 085.0 Eta]] call universal streams "Strata", with reference to their specific reality as "Strata 1". Only one other designation is known: [[Gargent 087.0 Kappa]] is referred to as Strata 22 in both Ask Vector Prime and [[Transformers: Renegade Rhetoric|Renegade Rhetoric]].

===Cybertrons===
The Cybertronians who inhabit the negative-polarity version of [[Axiom Nexus]] utilize a slightly modified version of the standard universal stream notation: under their system, universes are classified as "Cybertron-[x]", with [x] using the first letter of its cluster name, the first letter of its universe type, and the year of its creation. Using this system, the [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|original "Shattered Glass" universe]] would be "Cybertron-PE08".<ref>"[[Epilogue Two]]"</ref>

===Universes===
Promotional material for the multiverse-themed ''[[Transformers: Legacy]]'' toyline classifies its characters under a system of "origin universes" that roughly correspond to when and where they originally appeared. Under this schema, the versions of [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] who debuted in the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' cartoon hail from the "Prime Universe"; likewise, ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]] belongs to the "Cybertron Universe". What exactly constitutes a single "universe" is unclear and sometimes inconsistent: for instance, ''Legacy'' considers characters like [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] and [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] to be denizens of the "G1 Universe", which covers a [[Generation 1 continuity family|vast swathe of mutually contradictory cartoons, comics, storybooks, and more]]; fellow G1 character [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]], meanwhile, comes from the "Comic Universe", a veiled reference to the specific [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Marvel UK universe]] in which Impactor first appeared. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generations toys#Legacy|''Legacy'' Laser Optimus Prime]], on the other hand, hails from the "G2 Universe", which would, at least in theory, identify him as a member of the 1990s [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Generation 2'' comic]]... a comic in which he never actually ''appeared'' in this body. Additionally, there are some instances where two characters that come from different universes have the same label, and ones who come from the same universe having different labels. As mentioned, Impactor originated in Marvel UK, while [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] hails from [[IDW Publishing]]’s 2005 continuity, yet both have the same label, Comic Universe. The flip side of this is with Unicron Trilogy characters, such as [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Cybertron Metroplex]] and [[Starscream (Armada)|Armada Starscream]], who technically are from the same universe, but are labeled for their cartoons of origin (although that’s probably due to the differing styles between the series).

Suffice it to say that Hasbro, and indeed most of the toy-buying public, cares very little about these kinds of inconsistencies.

===Timelines===
The ''[[Transformers: Forged to Fight]]'' mobile game describes alternate universes as "timelines", with a corresponding alphanumeric designation. Thus far, only [[Timeline G1-700-110b|one timeline]] has been identified in this way, an original universe loosely based on the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''The Transformers'']] episode "[[Grimlock's New Brain]]".

===Others===
Some alternate realities are given more descriptive names by their discoverers or the inhabitants who live there. Examples include the "[[X-Dimension]]", "[[Limbo]]", "the [[Dead Universe]]", "[[Alpha Q's universe]]", or "[[Menonia]]".

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:Newcolors KillingJar.jpg|thumb|250px]]

During their reign over [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the [[Quintesson]]s used a specialized portal chamber to exile prisoners to alternate dimensions, including an ice world, a place with no physical substance, and the magical land of [[Menonia]]. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}

While trying to escape a [[Quintesson]] scientist, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], and [[Marissa Faireborn]], accidentally flew the Quintesson's ship into a [[black hole]] that led to a strange “[[negative universe]]”. By travelling back through that universe's “white hole”, the group returned to their original reality. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar}}

====Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
[[File:Precursor World Planets.jpg|thumb|left|400px]]
The [[Precursor World]] came into existence as a multiverse unto itself, composed of seven monochromatic universes, each containing its own variant of a mysterious energy known as [[Star Power]]. In the final battle between the native [[Primus Vanguard]] and their nemeses the [[Specter]]s, the Primus Vanguard pooled all their Star Power into a [[Silver Matrix|single vessel]] to obliterate the Specters, and in so doing fused their multiverse into a single shared reality. {{storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic Finale Prelude|Finale Prelude}}

When the Precursor World eventually met its end in the [[Big Bang (event)|Big Bang]], at least one daughter universe was birthed in the form of the [[G1 World]]. {{storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic Finale|Finale}} The denizens of these two closely intertwined realities subsequently bothered each other via [[time travel]]. Like, a lot. {{storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic}}

In [[2004]], [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] travelled to the [[Legends World]] following a [[solitarium]] explosion. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 6|Bonus Edition Vol. 6}} The Autobot returned with [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] and [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] in tow {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7|Bonus Edition Vol. 7}} and the Destronger was forced to leave by [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

The meddling of the time traveler [[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] to tip history in favor of the [[Decepticon]]s irrevocably altered the timeline of the G1 World from [[2005]] onwards, eventually producing a splinter universe known as the [[BT World]]. {{storylink|Changing Lanes}} This BT World would lead to the creation of the truly multidimensional [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]], who protected the universes against threats like the [[Hytherion]] {{storylink|From Here to Alternity}} and [[Megatron (G1)|those who sought to control the beast]]. {{storylink|To Mega Therion}} The Alternity's battles spanned multiple universes till a plot by Megatron forced the Alternity to be replaced by the [[Planicron]]s. {{Storylink|Alternation}}

The [[Binaltech (technology)|Binaltech]]s and [[Protector]]s traveled to G1 World to attend the trial of [[Primacron]] by the [[Quintesson]]s in [[2011]]. Upon the conclusion of proceedings, Primacron departed the G1 World for dimensions unknown. {{storylink|Controverse}} In the same year, the Autobots traveled to a parallel dimension to assist the inhabitants of [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]], a parallel version of Earth. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[File:Skids and screech.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

At some point, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] bathed in [[Dimension Slide]] particles, giving him new abilities that allowed him to transverse the multiverse. He, with another version of himself called [[Screech (Generations)|Screech]], leapt to another universe to deal with an errant ghost of Starscream from Skids's own universe. {{storylink|Starscream's New Body}} Becoming a "Dimensional Investigator", Skids policed the dimensions with his [[Skids Squadron]], made up of Skidses from across dimensions. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 20|Bonus Edition Vol. 20}}

In [[2015]], the G1 World was accessed by the Legends World's Rattrap via his dreams. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 8|Bonus Edition Vol. 8}} {{storylink|2015's Swerve}} {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter|Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|Bonus Edition Vol. 9}} {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|Brainstorm Chapter}}

In [[2021]], [[Unicron]] summoned [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] and [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]] from their native dimensions to aid in the resurrection of his G1 World incarnation, reformatting them into fodder for [[Grand Galvatron]]. {{storylink|Grand Galvatron Chapter}} Unicron later summoned [[Grand Scourge]] to the G1 World in an attempt to bamboozle [[Ruination (RID)|Ruination]] into fighting alongside his warriors. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part One}} Unicron's tampering with the timeline and universe threatened to destabilize the multiversal barriers, so everybody banded together to stop Unicron's plans, but not before Grand Scourge and [[Galvatron II]] were tossed to locations unknown through a crack in spacetime. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}} Around this time, many beings went back and forth to the Legends World for various reasons.

During the 2030s, many beings also went to the Legends World for various reasons. It was during this time that the Legends World was properly created by the Zamojin. After that world was destroyed, its refugees found shelter in the G1 World during this era till the Legends World's recreation.

Breakdown returned to his home universe and Slipstream (having went to the G1 World following her stint in the Legends World) also returned to her proper reality. {{Storylink|Transformers Legends Final Chapter "Epiloge"|Epiloge}}

Upon his purification of [[Angolmois Energy|malicious Angolmois]] by [[Lio Convoy]] in [[2050]], [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s unhindered [[spark]] traveled back in time to the Precursor World under its own power to save both universes. {{storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic Finale|Finale}}

Centuries later [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] were revived after [[Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|their deaths]] by [[Logos Prime]] and had some trippy adventures aboard his multiversal pyramid ship thing before being deposited on a [[Jungle Planet (colony)#Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Jungle Planet]] somewhere in the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Aurex cluster]]. {{storylink|Beast Wars Reborn}}

After the [[Great Transformation]], Cheetor sent Rattrap and Waspinator to recover Rhinox's spirit from the Legends World. Despite interference from the ghost of Starscream, they succeeded. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rattrap)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Waspinator)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rhinox)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

=====Legends World=====
[[File:Legendsvol30-RattrapTigatron.jpg|thumb|250px]]

As an experiment to study [[Beast Power]], the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] sought to use their [[spirit energy|telepathic powers]] to create a universe from scratch. In the 2030s of the [[G1 World]], the Zamojin had [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] and [[Twin Twist (G1)|Twin Twist]] assist them by procuring the [[Zodiac]]. With that, the Zamojin's telepathic powers, and [[proton energy]] from the [[Space Pirates]], the Legends World was created. The two Autobots felt obligated to help as their comrades, [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]], were from the Legends World, but had migrated to the G1 World in [[2004]]—time was a meaningless consideration in inter-universal travel. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 66|Bonus Edition Vol. 66}} The Beast Power used was copied from beast Transformers from across the G1 World and duplicated in the Legends World, forming deformed versions of those same Beast Transformers who would go on to populate the universe's [[Earth]]. The Legends World also had an interesting property in that the adventures of Transformers from across the multiverse were extant as ''Transformers''-branded media, with accompanying toys. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 41|Bonus Edition Vol. 41}}

The Legends World's [[spirit energy|inherent properties]] allowed its [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] to access the G1 World through dreaming. There, he was able to meet various Autobot heroes in the [[2015]] of the G1 World that he knew from media in his native universe. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 8|Bonus Edition Vol. 8}} {{storylink|2015's Swerve}} {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter|Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|Bonus Edition Vol. 9}} {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|Brainstorm Chapter}} [[Tigatron]] would later join Rattrap in another "dream", this time to the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|''Adventure'' cartoon]]. {{storylink|Go! Adventure}}

[[File:LegendsVol16-Slipstream.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

In the G1 World's 2004, the [[Predacon (BW)|Destronger]] [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] and the [[Autobot]] [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] were thrown into the [[Legends World]] by a [[solitarium]] explosion. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 6|Bonus Edition Vol. 6}} Jetfire would return to his proper universe with Whirl and Roadbuster in tow. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7|Bonus Edition Vol. 7}} Seeking allies in his mission to recover [[Megatron (RID)|Devil Gigatron]] from the [[Dimensional Patrol]]'s clutches, [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] arrived in the Legends World and convinced Sky-Byte to leave the life he'd established for the regular G1 World. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

When [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] threatened to destroy the Legends World on the behalf of its creators, the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]], the denizens of the universe were able to pull in [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] from the late 2030s through a portal to handle her. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 12|Bonus Edition Vol. 12}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} He would soon be followed by [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], who found a portal to the Legends World and established his presence there. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 23}} [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Another Megatron]] arrived with a seemingly resurrected [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]]. Together, they attempted to rob the world of its [[Mini-Con]] "toys". {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Armada Megatron)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} To counter them, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] travelled to the Legends World with the [[10.2 ultra-drill|ultra-drill]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 14|Bonus Edition Vol. 14}} Escaping inevitable imprisonment by the Autobot authorities on her [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]] used transdimensional gyro-rotors acquired from [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] to flee to the Legends World. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 16|Bonus Edition Vol. 16}} Due to the growing Decepticon power on the Legends World, Alpha Trion brought in [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 17|Bonus Edition Vol. 17}} Armada Megatron and Armada Starscream would be finally sent back to their universe when Alpha Trion used the ultra-drill to bring in [[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]] to calm down Starscream before he sacrificed himself again. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 18|Bonus Edition Vol. 18}}

[[File:LegendsComic SkidsSquadron.jpg|thumb|200px]]

To alleviate his recent weight gain, the [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] of the 2030s went to the Legends World to get a new body from that universe's [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]. {{storylink|LG19 Sprung Prologue}} Jealous of the attention Springer was getting from the women of the Legends World, Tigatron stole the ultra-drill and brought in women from across the multiverse. His plan didn't work out, as they all ended swooning over Springer anyway. Except one. The Legends World's own [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]; this rejection sent Springer crying back home. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}} This universe was soon visited by the [[Deadlock (Cloud)|Deadlock]] of [[Cloud World]], with [[SARA]] in tow. After some angst about not being like the [[Drift (disambiguation)|Drift]] of other universes, he was sent on his way back by [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], who was now a dimensional investigator. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Deadlock)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} The Legends World was in turn visited by [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] from after the [[Great Transformation]], who were in search of the spirit of [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rattrap)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s ghost arrived to possess Waspinator again, {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Waspinator)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} but was foiled by the resurrected Rhinox. Together, the three Beast Warriors returned to their proper world and time. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rhinox)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

Sick of the constant universal incursions, Skids attempted to expel all foreign beings from the Legends World with the assistance of the multiversal [[Skids Squadron]] and seal it, but the natives fought against this effort and convinced Skids that he was the one destroying the peace of this universe. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 20|Bonus Edition Vol. 20}}

In [[2021]], one of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s plots involving a [[black hole]] led a group of Autobots and Decepticons being forced to become small [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] in order to escape their continually shrinking bodies. {{storylink|Headmaster Chapter Prologue}} Knowing of Whirl and Roadbuster's origins in the Legends World and that its natives could easily build new bodies for them, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] pinpointed the world's spacetime coordinates from the two [[Wreckers]]' residual radiation and used solitarium to travel there. The Decepticons had the same idea, joining up with [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] in the Legends World to get new bodies. {{storylink|Headmaster Chapter Prologue}} To keep the former [[Headmaster Junior|Headmasters Jr]] (and [[Clouder]]) safe, [[Grand Maximus]] sent them over to the Legends World into Fortress's care. Shockwave, having detected Megatron in the same universe, travelled there as well. {{storylink|LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue}} [[Devil Z]], having died in the G1 World, was resurrected in the Legends World through dark magic. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 34|Bonus Edition Vol. 34}}

Through means unknown, the [[Precursor World]]'s [[Convobat]]'s [[transtector]] travelled to the [[Legends World]], where it acted in a move chronicling Convobat's adventures. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Convobat)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

When a mysterious transtector appeared in the Legends World, the Autobot Headmasters Jr summoned [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]] to that world to claim it. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 35|Bonus Edition Vol. 35}} Soon, Rattrap visited [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] again in his sleep, inspiring the Headmaster to finally come over to the Legends World. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 39|Bonus Edition Vol. 39}}

[[Zarak (G1)|Lord Zarak]], of a universe similar to the G1 World, attempted to invade the Legends World with his Scorponok, but was foiled with the help of heroic [[Nebulan]] Headmasters from the villain's universe. {{storylink|LGEX Headmaster Set Chapter}} Having travelled through many worlds, [[Lio Convoy|Leo Prime]] came face to face with [[Katsu Don]] over the fate of the Legends World, for Transformers in his time had eventually realized it existed and were inspired by children cheering on the heroes while watching and reading ''Transformers'' media. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 41|Bonus Edition Vol. 41}} In preparation for civil war between the Decepticon factions on the Legends World, [[Full-Tilt (G1)|Full-Tilt]] came over to act as the black box for a new [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|LG-43 Trypticon Project Chapter}}

Turned good by a reformed Devil Gigatron, [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] attempted to use the might of the Dimensional Patrol to control the Legends World and hunt down the [[Commando (RID)|Combatrons]] who were hiding out in that universe. He and Skids banned the use of transtectors, which made the other denizens of the Legends World turn against them and help [[Dark Ai]] restore all six Combatrons' evil personalities. All involved were forced out the universe. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Scourge 2)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

To explain Ginrai's mysterious transformation into [[Magna Convoy]], [[Delta Magnus]] and [[Marissa Faireborn|Marissa]] were brought in by Waspinator using the ultra-drill. They had no idea what the wasp was talking about. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Magna Convoy)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} In the wake of Trypticon's devastation of [[Tokyo]], Alpha Trion brought in the G1 World's [[Disaster Relief Team]] to assist in rebuilding. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 43|Bonus Edition Vol. 43}}

The smaller Targetmaster partners, lost since the [[black ball]] incident, were transported to the Legends World when the Decepticon Targetmasters forced Alpha Trion to use his ultra-drill. {{storylink|Mutant Targetmaster Birth Chapter}} Not knowing of this, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] and [[Shaoshao Li]] arrived in the Legends World in search of the Targetmasters. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Prologue}} Also present on the world were [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] and [[Sue Faireborn]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 46|Bonus Edition Vol. 46}} Hearing of [[Blowpipe (G1)|Blowpipe]]'s new ability to clone beings with his beam, [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] traveled to the Legends World to use it to create [[Insecticon clone]]s. Also present were [[Mega]] and [[Giga]], resurrected by Devil Z from their deaths in the G1 World. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 47|Bonus Edition Vol. 47}}

The Legends World faced an invasion by evil [[Kreon]]s. They were quickly stopped by good Kreons and they all returned to their universe of Kre-O blocks. {{storylink|Transformers Legends Special Chapter|Special Chapter}} Seeking redemption and escape from the authorities, the [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] of [[2022]] came to the Legends World with [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]]. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 50|Bonus Edition Vol. 50}} [[White Leo]] had the same idea, but to use the Legends World's native to build a bestial army against the [[Laser Beast]]s that threatened to conquer [[Beast (planet)|Beast]] in the G1 World. He was followed by his rival [[Tigerburn]], but the warring beasts were forced back home. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 51|Bonus Edition Vol. 51}}

To assist the Legends World against future threats, the [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] of the 2030s were sent there. Desiring the power of Broadside's enormous transtector, [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] and [[Trickdiamond]] followed. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 53|Bonus Edition Vol. 53}} To build up defenses against an expected return of [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]], Ginrai went to the G1 World's [[G Nebula 89]] to upgrade his transtector and returned to the Legends World. Unbeknownst to him, he brings over [[White Lune]], sister of White Leo, as "delivery". {{storylink|TF Legends Late Xmas Present Chapter|Late Xmas Present Chapter}}

Pursued by the [[Concurrence]]-controlled [[Universal Peace Alliance]] and its [[Throttlebot]]s, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]] came to the Legends World to throw them off. The Throttlebots nevertheless followed with Spike's impostor (in actuality [[Cobra Commander|Old Snake]]) coming along. The impostor was foiled and sent back to the G1 World. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|Bonus Edition Vol. 54}} To investigate the Zamojin's hand in the Legends World, [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] crossed over, only to run into Katsu Don. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 56|Bonus Edition Vol. 56}} Desiring to become a Headmaster, the bodiless [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] convinced [[Lunaclub]] and [[Moonheart]] to facilitate travel there, which they did. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 57|Bonus Edition Vol. 57}}

Working against the fake Spike Witwicky, the Autobot [[Clone (subgroup)|Clones]] arrived in the Legends World to escape pursuit by "Spike" and [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]. "Spike" was revealed as Old Snake in disguise and he returned to the G1 World. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 58|Bonus Edition Vol. 58}}

Seeking worlds to conquer, the [[Quintesson]]s (of times ancient compared to the Legends World immigrants) attempted to invade the Legends World, only to be sent back their way by [[Big Convoy|Big Fight]] and their former servant, [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]. As the Quintessons were from a time long before the actual creation of the Legends World, they investigated who they knew to be the universe's creators, the Zamojin, and sealed their region of space with a [[quadrant lock]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 59|Bonus Edition Vol. 59}} Seeking the proton energy that created the Legends World, the Decepticon Clones came to pilfer it. They discover that the Autobot Targetmaster partners have absorbed it. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 61|Bonus Edition Vol. 61}}

[[File:Epiloge-Multiverse.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

After his multiple trips to the Legends World, Old Snake decided to use the full might of the Concurrence to conquer it so that they could use the planet's resources to fight against the Universal Peace Alliance. Thanks to the efforts of G1 Megatron, the Concurrence were defeated and they fled back to the G1 World. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 63|Bonus Edition Vol. 63}} Losing the war on Beast, Tigerburn returned to the Legends World in an effort to conquer it and transform its denizens into Laser Beasts, but was stopped by the visiting [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] and [[Alana]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 64|Bonus Edition Vol. 64}}

When the world came under attack by a Zamojin-controlled Windblade and the Targetmasters, Springer, Roadbuster, Whirl, Topspin, and Twin Twist came to help in its defense. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 65|Bonus Edition Vol. 65}} After using [[spirit energy|Shinchōkon]] to resurrect [[Jack (G1)|Jack]], Sixshot, now "Greatshot", returned with his new partner to the G1 World. After the Concurrence was defeated, Spike, Daniel, and Bumblebee also returned. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Greatshot)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

Putting his revenge in action, Devil Z pulled in Scorponok so that the two of them could reunite as a new "BlackZarak" and conquer all universes after consuming the Legends World. (Such a scenario happening was why the Zamojin wanted to destroy the Legends World.) Fortunately, Grand Maximus was able to come over and defeat BlackZarak. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} Surviving, Scorponok decided to simply blow up the Legends World and established forces consisting of his loyal Decepticons, [[Majin Zarak]], and the Zamojin. They were fought against by everybody else and the Dimensional Patrol. As a final resort, Scorponok engineered the Targetmasters to create a planetary-sized explosion. {{Storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One}} Scorponok's forces were defeated and Majin Zarak forced out of the universe, but Devil Z, having also survived, pushed the Targetmasters to continue with the explosion. Using the [[Drill Base]] to create portals all around the world, all living beings were evacuated to the G1 World as the Legends World was destroyed. Those who travelled to the Legends World were returned to their proper times. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two}}

After some turmoil, the Legends World was restored through the efforts of many and through the collection of the Zodiac, the last remaining soil of the Legends World, [[Energon Z]], the Zamojin's telepathy, and White Leo's [[MVP Weapon]]. Megatron, who had died in the interim, was resurrected and left the Legends World to its own devices after some time. Leo Prime, his job finished, also left for parts unknown. {{Storylink|Transformers Legends Final Chapter "Epiloge"|Epiloge}}

====''Deviations''====
The multiverse contained an infinite number of quantum universes with every single possible outcome, including a reality where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] did not die in the [[Battle of Autobot City]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations|Deviations}}
{{--}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
''[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] was tricked into blowing up what he thought was [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]], twenty years before the Seeker was ''meant'' to die. He believed this meant he'd created an alternate timeline, and what he did in the past wouldn't affect the future of ''his'' reality.'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

''Individuals displaced by [[time travel]] wound up in a bizarre [[limbo]] dimension, a black void populated by [[Limbo parasite|parasitic life-forms]] who fed on the emotions of their victims.'' {{storylink|Distant Thunder!}}

[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s minions [[Hook, Line, and Sinker]] travelled to an alternate timeline to fetch [[Galvatron II|that reality's Galvatron]], who'd ruled the bombed-out ruins of America ever since "his" Unicron had triumphed and destroyed Cybertron. {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{NoteRG1}}
[[File:RG1 93 rodimii.jpg|thumb|250px|Everyone stop arguing and listen to Rodimus-One!]]

When [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] returned to the [[Primus]] chamber with the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], he had a vision of numerous multiversal versions of himself. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Three}} Primus, using [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] as a vessel, sent Hot Rod on a journey through [[Zero Space]], the void that exists between realities. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}} While the journey through Zero Space took him to three periods of his own timeline's past, the final stop was on a [[Junkion (planet)|planet of junk]] in [[Primax 490.0 Gamma|Galvatron II's home timeline]], where the Unicron-empowered Decepticon destroyed Hot Rod's counterpart, Rodimus Prime. Unobserved by the victorious Decepticons, Hot Rod recovered his counterpart's [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] and returned to his own timeline, reborn as Rodimus Prime himself. {{storylink|Less Than Zero}}

However, "Primus" turned out to be the corrupted fragment of Matrix energy that had empowered the [[Deathbringer (Marvel)|Deathbringer]] more than two decades earlier. {{storylink|Dark Creation}} Rodimus had witnessed that this energy had survived the destruction of the Deathbringer, {{storylink|Less Than Zero}} and this "Dark Matrix creature", having gained sentience, had been manipulating events ever since. When Primus brought the Transformers on Earth back to Cybertron in order to confront Unicron {{storylink|The Void! (US)}}, he had inadvertently brought the creature back as well. It had hidden itself in the shadows, stirring up the [[Demon]]s in the aftermath of the conflict, and hoping to draw upon the chaos that followed the demise of Primus. But when the [[Last Autobot]] was activated and able to stabilize the planet, the creature found it could not thrive on the ensuing peace. It had manipulated [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] into restarting the war; it had reawakened Galvatron on Earth and brought him back to Cybertron; and it had affected events on [[Nebulos]], culminating in the possession of the original head of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and kidnapping [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Circuit Smasher]] from Earth. And when it was ready to launch its endgame, it corrupted nearly every Transformer left on Cybertron, turning them all into [[shadow-leech]]es.

The creature was now using Spike, whom to it represented the "trinity"—a fusion of the worlds of Earth, Cybertron, and Nebulos (having undergone the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster process]])—as a focal point for the chaos energies generated on those worlds. The creature intended to use those energies to shatter the barriers of Zero Space and spread itself throughout the multiverse, so that it could create even more chaos.

[[File:Gas skunk blackarachnia jetstorm leobreaker starscream war to end all wars.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Rodimus Prime, using the [[Covenant of Primus]] to reenter Zero Space and bearing the [[Sword of Primus]], confronted the creature, who beset upon Rodimus three versions of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]—his present self, alongside two past forms, all corrupted by the creature, although the present Optimus struggled to resist the corruption. The weakened dimensional barriers, however, allowed Rodimus Prime's multiversal counterparts to enter Zero Space and join the fray. As the other Rodimuses attacked the creature, Optimus regained his senses long enough to reveal what he'd learned of Primus's grand plan—that it would ultimately result in the creation of an optimum universe made up of the best elements of the other universes. Since the creature could not be destroyed, only contained, the only way to prevent it from corrupting the grand plan was to seal off their own universe forever. Using this knowledge, Rodimus was able to snap Spike out of his fugue, allowing him to break free. Rodimus then prevented the creature from escaping into the closing crack by sealing it with the Sword of Primus. With the creature trapped, Optimus, Rodimus, and Spike were returned to the Primus chamber, and the other Rodimuses returned to their home realities. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 5}}

===3H comics===
[[Image:TFUjailbreak.jpg|350px|thumb]]
Upon purification by the Matrix, the newly enlightened [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]] evolved into new beings known as the [[Vok]]. Having been given a new purpose by [[Primus]], the Vok spread across the multiverse, seeding every plane of existence in preparation for the fulfillment of Primus's [[Grand Plan]]: The unification of all worlds balanced and organized into perfect harmony and synchronicity. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 3}}

As [[Windrazor (BW)|Windrazor]] was about to disappear due to the nullification of his timeline of origin, {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}} [[Primus]] divinely intervened, preserved him from being nullified. Windrazor was then deposited in a new location to function as a "spirit guide" for other champions of Primus from various realities. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

[[Unicron]] abducted Transformers from the various universes in order to fight in gladiatorial combat. Consequently, Primus and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] resurrected [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] from the dead to lead [[Child of Primus|an army]] in the [[Universe War|multiversal war]] against Unicron. {{storylink|Abduction}} Optimus Primal conducted his opening salvo by traveling into the [[Cauldron]], and with the help of some abductees, initiating a mass jailbreak. Subsequently, Primal and the abductees returned to his native technorganic Cybertron, from which most of the abductees were sent back to their home universes. {{storylink|OTFCC Live-Action Drama}} {{storylink|Escape (Universe)|Escape}} {{storylink|Homecoming (Universe)|Homecoming}}

During the Universe War, [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] built a device to counteract Unicron's attempts to abduct Transformers from other universes. Two attempts at deflection only partially succeeded, stranding the victims on an icy planetoid. The Children deployed a rescue team, but Unicron sent a team of [[Minion of Unicron (Universe)|Minion]]s as well. Teaming up with the victims, the rescue team was able to drive off the Minions, and everyone was sent back to their proper eras and realities. {{storylink|Voice Actor Drama}}

After a long conflict rivaling the intensity of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 9|Beast Wars 10th Anniversary Optimus Primal's profile}} the Children of Primus emerged victorious when Unicron himself disappeared (as a result of the [[Unicron Singularity]]). {{storylink|Revelations Part 2}}

===Universe CD-ROM===
[[Unicron]] kidnapped Decepticons from various universes in order to assemble an army. Meanwhile, [[Primus]] recruited his own army of Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers: Universe CD-ROM}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic===
[[File:Armada17 spacebridges to other dimensions.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Cybertronian science had an understanding of the multiverse and parallel realities. One million years before the war, [[Astroscope]] and the [[Space Team]] experimented with dimensional travel, but they proved unable to breach the dimensional barriers and contact one of these other timelines. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}}

As he slowly devoured his way across the multiverse, Unicron developed a grisly habit of sending a fatally wounded [[Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|Optimus Prime]] from one universe to the next, a kind of warning to its inhabitants that he'd soon arrive. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}} To aid his endless quest, Unicron assembled a legion of five "[[Herald of Unicron|heralds]]" plucked from different realities, who would prepare new dimensions for his arrival. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}}

As Unicron prepared to devour [[Aurex 402.24 Gamma|the next reality]], the [[Mini-Con]] [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] escaped his universe in an experimetal [[null-reality pod]] with the [[Mini-Con Matrix]] and hoping to stop Unicron from devouring yet another reality. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}} The heralds of Unicron were tasked with defeating Cybertronian leadership and centers of power and capture the Mini-Con Matrix. They used the Decepticons' [[space bridge]] network to open portals to other realities in order to initiate "phase two" of Unicron's plan, but were ultimately defeated one by one. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}} As a result, Unicron encountered a unified alliance of Autobots, Decepticons, and Mini-Cons, who defeated him with the help of the Mini-Con Matrix. {{storylink|The End (Armada)|The End}}
{{--}}

===Unicron Trilogy cartoon continuity===
[[File:Cyb ep43 planet x vs gigantion.jpg|thumb|250px]]

When Megatron recklessly released Decepticon-flavored energon from Unicron's body, it interacted with the Autobot-flavored energon from Unicron's head. The resultant catastrophic reaction opened a [[Rift|rift in space]], a tear in the fabric of space which led to an alternate dimension. {{storylink|Ripped Up Space}} Within the [[Alpha Q's universe|new universe]], [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] released the seeds of the many planets destroyed by Unicron and used [[energon]] to restore them. {{storylink|Protection}}

After his return, [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] utilized another pocket dimension known as the [[fire dimension]] as his headquarters. {{storylink|Fallen (episode)|Fallen}}

At the onset of the search for the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, alternate universes were only considered theoretical by Autobot scientists. The Singularity's uniquely strange readings, however, prompted some scientists to worry that the Singularity could spread to the hypothetical alternate universes. {{storylink|Force of Habit}}

[[File:Cyb ep38 warp.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

In an alternate dimension, the denizens of the crime-ruled [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]] learned that all life in their universe was slowly dying out. Utilizing their mastery of science, they discovered the planet [[Gigantion]] in another, more healthy dimension. Plotting to make Gigantion their new homeworld, Planet X's residents used a space warp to pull it into their own dimension and commenced a full-scale invasion. Unfortunately, Gigantion's residents fought back, utilizing the power of their [[Cyber Planet Key]] to successfully repel the invaders. The residents of Planet X ultimately proved to be their own undoing as they unleashed their ultimate weapon on Gigantion, only for the superweapon to backfire and blow their homeworld up. {{storylink|Challenge}} Despite this fact, the survivors of Planet X swore vengeance against Gigantion by any means necessary. [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (Cybertron)|Laserbeak]], and [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] were among those who traversed space for a way to destroy Gigantion, eventually entering into the service of the planet destroyer [[Unicron]] in exchange for Gigantion's assured destruction. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 9|''Cybertron'' Soundwave's profile}}

{{note|The ''Cybertron'' cartoon never clarified whether the native dimension of Planet X was a parallel universe of its own or simply a pocket dimension such as the fire dimension.}}

Centuries later, the Autobots of Cybertron utilized the space warp in the [[Skeleton Nebula]] to travel to the dimension where Gigantion had been transported to, seeking the Cyber Planet Key to end the [[Unicron Singularity]] crisis. {{storylink|Warp}} After securing the key, the Autobots built an enhanced [[space bridge]] to get them home again, though the difficulties of bending spacetime to get back cost [[Vector Prime]] his life. {{storylink|Guardian (episode)|Guardian}}

Sideways and Soundwave (and Laserbeak) later tried to make their own grab for the Cyber Planet Keys, but they were consumed in a huge reality-bending explosion from a clash between [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Showdown (Cybertron)|Showdown}} This turned out to be good for them, though, as when they were last seen, they had apparently found their way to a dimension containing an intact version of their homeworld! {{storylink|Beginning}}

A group of dimensionally-displaced Maximals and Predacons waged some version of the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] in Alpha Q's universe, until the Alternity got involved to avert a catastrophic spacetime crash. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/03}}
{{--}}

===''Timelines''===
[[File:InTheBeginning-VectorPrime.jpg|thumb|300px]]
The ''Transformers'' multiverse is but a fragment of the greater [[Omniverse]], an infinite set that contains every conceivable reality imaginable. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/21}} Between the multiverse and the omniverse lies the vaguely-defined "[[Megaverse]]", which encompasses both the primary ''Transformers'' multiverse and tangentially-connected realities that include [[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]], the [[Animorphs]], and [[M.A.S.K.]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/11}} These are not clear-cut boundaries, however; different realities within the ''Transformers'' multiverse, such as [[Primax 984.0 Gamma]] or [[Lukas 577.25 Beta]], overlap with different omniversal dimensions. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/21}}

When and how the multiverse came into being is not clear, and [[Vector Prime]] has speculated that its true history may be unknowable—indeed, it might have retroactively appeared after [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|one iteration of Perceptor]] tampered with a duplicate of [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]]'s [[time case]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/27}} More common theories include the original [[Big Bang (event)|Big Bang]] spawning multiple pocket universes which then budded off to form their own full-fledged realities, [[The One]]'s creation of both Primus and Unicron causing multiple dimensional schisms, or the idea that the multiverse always existed in its present state, and that new realities only form when a [[Forest Lee|sufficiently powerful outside observer]] identifies and classifies them. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/25}} The [[Primax]] universal cluster is the largest and oldest of the group, which has led Vector Prime to speculate that it might contain the original universe from which all other realities spring from, {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/11/01}} although the discovery of the [[Cymond]] cluster on the very edge of the multiverse suggests that it might be the "common ancestor" of all ''Transformers'' realities. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/15}}

[[File:BalancingActPart2-InfiniteCybertrons.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

A higher-dimensional phenomenon known as "[[trans-dimensional harmonic resonance]]" means that certain concepts, characters, and ideas repeat throughout the multiverse: in this way do most realities feature some version of Optimus, Megatron, and a war between their respective factions. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/24}} This kind of pattern may have something to do with how the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] acts as the "stable axis of the multiverse"; every iteration of the planet is connected on an infinite curve,{{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 2}} {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 22/06/2015}} and the destruction of the planet in any one reality threatens the inherent stability of that entire universe. The cascading ripple effect caused by one Cybertron's destruction can potentially jeopardize multiple timelines, as was the case when [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]] destroyed the Cybertron of [[G1 World|Primax 785.06 Alpha]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 22/06/2015}} {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}} When a reality is destroyed, vicious creatures emerge from the [[unspace|swirling void]] sandwiched between dimensions to consume whatever remains. The dreaded [[Hytherion]], who once drove [[Logos Prime]] mad, {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/14}} is the most infamous of these beings, other notorious entities include [[House (entity)|House]], the [[Teeth With No Eyes]], the [[Langolier]]s, the [[Beforite]]s, the [[After All]]s, the [[Antevishnum]], the [[Abbadontus Hunger]], and the [[Ravagers of Time]]. Although these creatures are rightly feared for their malevolence and destructive potential, they play an important role in maintaining the overall health and stability of the multiverse by "pruning" damaged universes from the overall fabric of space-time. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/08/16}} Worse still were the cruel and inscrutable [[Elder God]]s, extra-dimensional beings who dwarfed even Primus and Unicron in power. {{Storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 5|Ramjet's profile in Club magazine #5}}

As the guardian of time, [[Vector Prime]] patrolled the multiverse for eons, and intervened when needed to preserve its essential stability; {{storylink|Vector Prime: In the Beginning}} on one occasion, he and his [[Time Warrior (AVP)|Time Warriors]]s contended with [[Mogahn the Mass]], who absorbed entire star systems until Vector and his followers defeated him in a reality-spanning battle. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/12}} While Primus and Unicron slumbered, Vector, [[Nexus Prime]], [[Alpha Trion (disambiguation)|Alpha Trion]], and [[Solus Prime]] made the decision to split Nexus Prime into five pieces to conceal the location of the five fragments of Prima's [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] sword, a weapon that could destroy star systems, from their evil brother [[The Fallen|Megatronus]]. Using the blade of the Star Saber, Nexus Prime was cut into five other robots: [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]], [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]], [[Breakaway (Classics)|Breakaway]], [[Topspin (Classics)|Topspin]], and [[Heatwave (Timelines)|Heatwave]], who were subsequently scattered across the multiverse and lost to the ages. {{Storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

[[File:ProcessingRR.jpg|thumb|250px]]

The higher-dimensional geography of the multiverse is loosely organized around the small [[Nexus]] universal cluster; as a result, dimensional travellers have a higher-than ordinary chance of ending up in the city of [[Axiom Nexus]] in universe [[Nexus 208.0 Epsilon]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 05/14/2015}} At first, the native [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s assumed these travelers were confused extraplanetary travelers and gave them passage off-planet. However, the natives of Cybertron soon realized that they were from entirely different realities; this discovery caused the TransTech to realize the pettiness of their internal disputes and sparked a dramatic shift in their culture in which they began to study other realities. The TransTechs became the watchers of the multiverse, welcoming travelers from the various universes in the city of [[Axiom Nexus]] and sifting [[unspace|transwarp]] for beings who would otherwise die in mundane accidents involving transwarp-based transportation. Spearheaded by the efforts of [[Rhinox (TransTech)|Rhinox]], [[Prowl (TransTech)|Prowl]], and [[Silverbolt (TransTech)|Silverbolt]], they compiled an extensive, continually expanding catalog of the [[universal stream]]s, both existent and no longer existent. {{storylink|Withered Hope}} {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist}}

Some universal clusters, like [[Xobitor]] and [[Cymond]], are considered "distant", and lie on the transitional boundary between the edge of the multiverse and the wider Megaverse. It is very rare, although not entirely unheard of, for travellers from these distant realities to end up in Axiom Nexus. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/06/29}} {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/19}} Other universal clusters with their own unique cosmology include the [[Malgus]] cluster, which lacks multiversal singularities due to the effects of the "the "non-linear WY-att pulse function", {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/22}} and the [[Lukas]] cluster, which overlaps with [[Star Wars (franchise)|other realities in the Omniverse]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/13}}

[[File:BalancingAct-UnicronSingularity.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

Eventually, however, the "war of balance" between Primus and Unicron began again when the [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] of [[Primax 984.0 Gamma|one particular reality]] accidentally blasted Primus as he slumbered. His "cosmic scream" reverberated across the multiverse, allowing Unicron to find Primus and begin his battle against his ancient foe anew. Although the Cybertronians weakened Unicron when he attacked one such universe, the wounded but still living god kickstarted the dimension-spanning [[Universe War]] as he abducted beings from across the multiverse in a bid to restore his physical form. {{storylink|Vector Prime: In the Beginning}}

Beyond the TransTech, other prominent multiversal guardians include the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]] and the Autobots of [[Cloud World]]; although they did not take a direct role in the Universe War, they worked in a behind-the-scenes capacity to defend stricken realities from the Hytherion. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/08}} The [[Unicron Singularity]] created by Unicron's destruction briefly posed an existential threat to the multiverse: its pull was so strong that even alternate Unicrons were drawn into it. The self-replicating singularity spread across many universes, merged their histories into a single messy timeline, and eventually threatened the entire multiverse. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 2}} [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]], recently arrived on this Cybertron from the [[Universe War]], revealed that that conflict had abruptly ended when Unicron was destroyed as a result of the Singularity's effects spreading throughout the multiverse. Vector Prime understood that this indicated the threat posed by the black hole was more urgent than the inhabitants of one universe might be able to perceive. {{storylink|Revelations Part 2}} Fortunately, the local Autobots of were able to restore Primus to power so that he could close the Singularity. {{storylink|Revelations Part 6}}

One particular universe would go onto enjoy a particularly fraught history: when universal stream [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]] branched off from [[Primax 984.0 Gamma|its parent timeline]], this new universe possessed a nearly identical frequency to [[Primax 984.0 Gamma|a completely unrelated timeline]]. After first destroying [[Primax 1291.0 Zeta|another tangent universe]], Primax 207.0 Espilson then began "overwriting" this sister universe. {{storylink|Withered Hope}} {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac|The Complete AllSpark Almanac}} At first, the native [[GoBot]]s who inhabited this dimension sent a group of agents to Primax 207.0 Epsilon to try and intervene; they first wound up in Axiom Nexus by accident, {{storylink|Withered Hope}} and only [[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]] eventually made it to their intended destination. When he failed in his mission, however, {{storylink|Games of Deception}} the GoBots put a contingency plan into play and coordinated a vast [[Diaspora|multiversal evacuation]] in which teams of dimension-hopping GoBots infiltrated other realities and posed as native Cybertronians. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/14}} As a result of repeated dimensional travel, however, some refugees like [[Crasher (GoBots)|Crasher]] were refracted and duplicated across multiple simultaneous universes. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/17}}

[[File:InvasionPrologue-Primes.jpg|thumb|250px]]

In this same universe, the native [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] encountered [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]] and [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]], who'd been drawn together on an elaborate multiversal quest. Together, the three encountered [[Breakaway (Classics)|Breakaway]], who'd been sequestered in this universe and protected by the [[Caretaker]]. With the multiverse spiralling into entropy, the Caretaker supercomputer sent the group on to meet with another component of Nexus Prime: while Skyfall, Breakaway, and Landquake travelled on to Axiom Nexus, {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 1}} Cliffjumper wound up stranded in a [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|bizarre mirror universe]]. {{storylink|Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass}} After all of his components reformed into Nexus Prime, he and the heroic Quintesson [[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]] spent some time travelling the multiverse in search of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]]. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 6}} Some years later, a group of evil Autobots from that same mirror universe invaded Primax 207.0 Epsilon and used [[Rarified Energon]] to destroy it. The Transformers on Earth wound up teleporting the entire planet into the negative-polarity universe, {{storylink|Invasion (issue)|Invasion}} while all of the humans on the planet wound up shunted onto the Earth of [[Of Masters and Mayhem|a different alternate reality]] where [[Thunder Mayhem|an out-of-control Decepticon combiner]] had prematurely ended the Cybertronian war. {{storylink|Assembly (OMAM)|Assembly}}

The destruction of this universe proved a double-edged sword: thanks in part to the efforts of [[Lio Convoy]], who'd passed through the dimension and helped the remaining inhabitants of that universe buy some more time, {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/14}} {{storylink|Sunrise}} the Cataclysm was ultimately forestalled. However, the destruction of that same reality caused entire dimensions to fold together or simply be ripped apart. To address the crisis, TransTech [[Optimus Prime (TransTech)|Optimus Prime]] broke the standard rules of [[Axiom Nexus]] and assembled the [[Convoy (group)|Convoy]]. {{storylink|Invasion Prologue}} The Convoy's formation was also necessitated by the defeat of the [[Hytherion]] by the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]], as there was no longer a beast of time to consume weakened and damaged universes. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist}} One of the Convoy's first actions was to deploy [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] to the past of [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon]] to protect the [[Origin Matrix]]. {{storylink|Invasion: Epilogue}}

[[File:AnotherLight-Thirteen.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

For a long period of time, an impenetrable "quantum membrane" isolated the [[Uniend]] universal cluster from the rest of the multiverse until the passage of the [[Dark Spark]] from that reality to the [[Tyran]] cluster revealed its existence to the inhabitants of Axiom Nexus. Because of this, multiversal singularities like Vector Prime began absorbing the memories and traits of their Uniend counterparts. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/18}} However, this process would prove short-lived: by the time that a reunified Nexus Prime reunited the [[Origin Matrix]], reassembled the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]], and seized the [[Terminus Blade]] from [[Ultra Magnus (SG)|its previous owner]], it was clear that the fabric of the multiverse had been irreparably damaged, {{storylink|Restoration}} and the defeat of the Hytherion at the hands of the Alternity left no natural mechanism to deal with dead and dying realities. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/08}}

In a last-ditch attempt to stabilize spacetime, Nexus Prime brought together the relics he'd gathered at a key point in interdimensional space and used them to rewrite the fabric of reality: his attempt to "seal the doorways between universes" would have a unique effect on [[Multiversal singularity|multiversal singularities]] like himself, and he would be forever altered by his actions. {{storylink|Out of the One, Many}} From this point on, the concept of multiversal singularies ceased to exist and multiversal travel was rendered much harder, effectively stranding all of the many Offworlders in Axiom Nexus with no way to return home. The TransTech dubbed this phenomenon "the [[Shroud]]", and its effects proved retroactive—multiversal singularities had ''never'' existed, and each universe could now contain a new version of Primus, Unicron, or the Thirteen or none at all. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist}} {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

[[File:EpilogueTwo-NegativeMultiverse.jpg|thumb|300px]]

While trying to recalibrate their monitoring arrays to adjust to the new reality they faced, Rhinox and Vector Prime identified nine specific universes as "pillar realities", streams with an unusually high number of branching points and quantum echoes: [[Primax 984.0 Gamma]], [[Primax 984.17 Alpha]], [[Primax 496.22 Alpha]], [[Viron 901.8 Alpha]], [[Aurex 802.23 Alpha]], [[Primax 1005.19 Gamma]], [[Tyran 707.04 Delta]], [[Malgus 1207.26 Alpha]], and [[Uniend 911.05 Alpha]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/11/05}}

Later that year, fear spread across Axiom Nexus when it looked like the entire multiverse had been destroyed. As it turned out, [[Waspinator (TransTech)|Waspinator]] had merely misinterpreted the sight of Rhinox shutting down some now-obsolete monitoring equipment in the wake of the Shroud and had phoned in a panicked tip. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/12/31}} The creation of the Shroud had a final, unexpected consequence: in a negative-polarity Axiom Nexus, [[Rhinox (SG TransTech)|Rhinox]] and [[Airazor (SG TransTech)|Airazor]] successfully discovered an entire, previously hidden, negative multiverse that corresponded to the positive-polarity multiverse. {{storylink|Epilogue Two}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:HoD2-UniversalContinuum.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

Conventional Cybertronian science held that parallel universes, such as those created through [[time travel]], did not exist. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue}} At some point, [[Micronus Prime]] abandoned his original reality and created his own personal dimension, the realm of [[Microspace]]. {{storylink|Informed}}

An extradimensional [[Elder God]], summoned to this universe by the writings of [[H.P. Lovecraft|Howard Lovecraft]], briefly awoke sometime in the 19th century and was subsequently defeated by [[Domitius Major]] in the guise of "Optimus Prime". {{storylink|Strange Visitors}}

In the year [[2014]], [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] used a time machine to reach back through history to the moment time began in another universe, and used a time machine to siphon off its life energy from the moment of its creation to fulfill his grand scheme. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} This stillborn "[[Dead Universe]]" was somehow able to reach out to the reality that had originally created it: some six million years ago, [[Nova Prime]] and the crew of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]]'' were drawn through a portal in the [[Benzuli Expanse]] that led to the Dead Universe. There, they were corrupted by the realm's immortal darkness; their original mission of exploration and conquest was twisted into a malevolent plot of "[[Expansion]]" meant to merge the two universes together. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}} When Nova Prime, now "Nemesis Prime", and his minions met the Autobots in battle on [[Gorlam Prime]], their beachhead for their eventual invasion of the universe, Optimus Prime's forces triumphed and most of the invaders were banished back to the Dead Universe. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

[[File:Infestation1-Multiverse.jpg|thumb|250px]]

Years later, [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]]—one of the few architects of the Dead Universe invasion to escape this fate—stumbled across an anomalous mass of metal and frozen flesh in deep space. He and his followers brought the strange object on board, but soon realized that they'd accidentally loosed a horde of ravenous [[zombie]]s. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|Infestation #1}} Both the zombies and their undead leader [[Britt]] hailed from outside their universe: in her home timeline, she'd been corrupted into serving the dread [[Undermind]] in its pan-dimensional invasion, which spread to [[Ghostbusters|multiple]] [[Star Trek|divergent]] [[G.I. Joe (franchise)|universes]]. {{storylink|Infestation issue 1|Infestation #1}} Once they'd crash-landed on [[Earth]], Galvatron and his followers fought back, even recruiting some grudging Autobot assistance, {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|The Transformers: Infestation #1}} but Britt transformed into a living [[space bridge]] to send her horde back in time to devour pre-war Cybertron. However, Galvatron used [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s remote mind-link to instruct [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] to sabotage the space bridge and send the zombies to the Dead Universe, where the Undermind would have nothing to feed upon. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|The Transformers: Infestation #2}} Once she returned to her native dimension, Britt threw off the Undermind's influence and banished it for good. {{storylink|Infestation issue 2|Infestation #2}}

As part of a plan to change history, [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] attempted to travel backwards in time in the hopes of changing Megatron's future and preventing the Great War entirely. However, his efforts created a dystopian alternate timeline in which the [[Functionist Council]] ruled Cybertron. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue}} Using a quantum duplicate of his [[time case]], the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' managed to prevent Brainstorm from killing Megatron and permanently overwriting history with this new series of events. As a result of [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'s tampering with the time case's anti-paradox locks, however, the would-be "new history" branched off into its own separate timeline, the "[[Functionist Universe]]", and Perceptor speculated that the event might've given rise to an infinite set of branching histories. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide}}

After communing with the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] had her consciousness hurled through the multiverse—glimpsing various alternate versions of herself along the way—before entering [[Microspace]]. {{storylink|Informed}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
[[The Fallen]] told [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] that he was assembling forces in other dimensions.{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen: The Junior Novel}}

===''Animated''===
[[Image:Blackarachnia_Venus_Mag_by_BillForster.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
The destruction of [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]] left a quantum vacuum that [[Primax 512.5 Gamma]] went on to occupy. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac|Ask Vector Prime, The Complete AllSpark Almanac}} [[Tyran]] universes undergo a particularly high rate of divergence, perhaps due to the malign influence of [[The Fallen]], whose evil spans multiple dimensions. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac|Ask Vector Prime, The Complete AllSpark Almanac}}

A trans-dimensional [[Vector Prime]] observed some of the events in the [[Transformers Animated (comic)|''Transformers Animated'' comic]] and identified that they took place in the same reality as the [[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|cartoon]]: universal stream [[Malgus 1207.26 Alpha]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|The AllSpark Almanac}} A time-traveller from the distant future named [[Natasha Pyraniac]] interfered with the timestream, and Vector Prime explained that as a result outside observers would notice minor changes in that universe's history. Multiple iterations of [[Sideways (disambiguation)|Sideways]] have been known to hop dimensions; {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac|Ask Vector Prime, The Complete AllSpark Almanac}} according to the unreliable testimony of one Sideways, he had [[Sideways (Animated)|previously visited this universe]] and escaped to the Tyran cluster by using a black hole. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Sideways, 8/7/2015}}

''[[Venus (magazine)|Venus]]'' was a trans-dimensional magazine, {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|The AllSpark Almanac}} while ''[[ALTernity Today]]'' covered newsworthy events from across the multiverse. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} [[Jim Sorenson (Animated)|Jim Sorenson]] and [[Bill Forster (Animated)|Bill Forster]] traveled from their home universal stream of [[Quadwal -3760.925 Theta]] where they wrote the ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|AllSpark Almanac]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|The AllSpark Almanac}}

===''Unit:E''===
[[File:UnitE-multiverse.jpg|thumb|250px]]

The world of the Transformers was just one universe in a multiverse of limitless possibilities. (Other possibilities included [[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]], [[M.A.S.K.]], [[Jem]], and {{w|Stretch Armstrong|a couple}} [[Micronauts (franchise)|other guys]] [[Action Man|you]] {{w|Drizzt Do'Urden|might}} {{w|Candy Land|know}}.) The mysterious organization known as "Unit: E" operated in the "slipstream" beyond the spacetime continuum and used this vantage point to explore and protect different worlds. {{storylink|Unit:E (issue)|Unit:E}}
{{--}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
[[File:Infestation2 issue1 eldergods.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Despite being trapped in a dimensional prison, the [[Elder God]]s had the power to reach out to sensitive beings. Among them was [[H. P. Lovecraft|Howard Lovecraft]], who channeled the Elder Gods' call into horror prose. Despite the clandestine organization [[Oblivion]] succeeding at killing Lovecraft before his art could threaten to allow the Elder Gods into the universe, his stories spread into popular culture. This collective imagination, with the help of [[Artillica]], let loose the Elder Gods. Free and unencumbered, they rampaged across [[Covert Vampiric Operations|one plane of existence]] along with [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles|infinite]] {{w|Dungeons & Dragons (IDW Publishing)|other}} [[G.I. Joe (franchise)|ones]] throughout the multiverse. {{Storylink|Infestation 2 issue 1|Infestation 2 #1}} One Elder God invaded a [[Hearts of Steel|universe]] in which the Transformers had awoken in the 19th century and forced the Autobots to reactivate Optimus Prime to meet the threat head-on. {{storylink|Infestation 2: The Transformers issue 1|Infestation 2: The Transformers #1}} {{storylink|Infestation 2: The Transformers issue 2|Infestation 2: The Transformers #2}}

[[Covert Vampiric Operations|CVO]] ended the threat of the Elder Gods by using Artillica and the [[Relic]] to seal the tear in their reality. {{Storylink|Infestation 2 issue 2|Infestation 2 #2}} {{storylink|The X-Files: Conspiracy: The Transformers|The X-Files: Conspiracy}}

{{IDW HOS}}

===''Cloud''===
At the beginning of all time and space, the "Spacetime World" came into being in a [[Big Bang (event)|massive explosion]]. Seeking a means of maintaining the integrity of the many fractal dimensions composing this multiverse that would come to be known as "Spacetimes," the [[Creator of Life]] made a universe, "[[Cloud World]]" full of machines designed to maintain the multiversal fabric, and dispatched to it an emissary named [[SARA]] to guide them. In time, the robots of Cloud World evolved into [[Transformer|sapient super-robot lifeforms]], complete with transformation abilities. The Transformers of the Cloud World cherished SARA and embraced the task the Creator asked of them using [[Dimension Gate]]s created by SARA. In addition to their other duties they gathered surplus energy from a myriad of sources in different universes for SARA so that she might continue to maintain Cloud World's integrity. In time, these Transformers came to be known as the [[Autobot#Cloud|Spacetime Police]]. Unsurprisingly, the people of Cloud World regarded SARA as holy and their rulers saw that she was kept under strict guard. {{storylink|Prologue}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
[[File:AngryBirdsTransformers1-quantumtunnel.jpg|thumb|300px]]

During a battle in space between the Autobots and Decepticons, the [[AllSpark]] briefly tumbled into a [[unspace|quantum tunnel]] into another universe populated by angry birds and mischievous pigs. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers issue 1|Angry Birds Transformers #1}} Eventually, however, the transformed "Autobirds" sent the AllSpark back through the tunnel from whence it had came, and accidentally sent one of the [[Minion Pig]]s to this [[Generation 1 continuity family|alternate universe]]. {{storylink|Hard Boiled}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
Trapped in the white-hot core of the Earth's [[Sun]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] tried to flee this dimension by tapping the power of his black hole heart to open a portal and escape into another reality to rebuild his strength. Megatron's body survived the trip, but not his spark: in [[Equestria|another dimension]], a group of confused [[Pony|ponies]] discovered his charred corpse. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Portal''===
{{stub|[[Transformers: Portal]]}}

===''Go-Bots'' comic===
[[File:GoBots5-Multiverse.jpg|thumb|250px]]

After assuming leadership over the [[GoBot|Go-Bots]], [[Road Ranger]] announced that they would create a [[Transformer|new race of Go-Bots]], who would populate [[Cybertron (planet)|copies of their metal homeworld]] across the entire multiverse. {{storylink|Go-Bots issue 5|Go-Bots #5}}

===''Mazinger Z versus Transformers''===
[[File:MazingerZvsTransformers-realities.jpg|thumb|left|250px|You got your Mazinger in my Transformers! You got your Transformers in my Mazinger!]]

While observing different realities, group of mysterious hooded figures including [[Go Nagai]] opened dimensional gates and sent a group of Autobots and Decepticons to the world of [[Mazinger Z]] for their amusement. {{storylink|Mazinger Z versus Transformers}}
{{--}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
[[File:TheScientist-AlternateSoundwaves.jpg|thumb|300px|This place is a real who's-who of who's you and me.]]
The [[Quintesson]]s were a trans-dimensional race of beings who used their [[multiverse drive]] technology to travel across infinity and assimilate beings native to that timeline into new [[Judge (Cyberverse)|Judges]], who would pass judgement on individual universes. Realities that did not pass judgement were destroyed with vast quantities of lethal [[unspace]], which collapsed realities from within. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}} The Quintesson [[Scientist (Cyberverse)|Scientist]] developed a hobby of abducting different iterations of [[Soundwave (Cyberverse)|Soundwave]] from the many doomed realities he'd destroyed. {{storylink|The Scientist}}

After the [[Ark (Cyberverse)|''Ark'']] wound up stranded in [[unspace]], the Autobots encountered multiple versions of themselves from other realities who had all met the same fate, including a crew of Autobots from a reality where [[Rack'n'Ruin (Cyberverse)|Rack'n'Ruin]] led the Autobots. [[Wheeljack (Cyberverse)|Wheeljack]] and his alternate-universe counterpart theorized that unspace must be the meeting place of the multiverse. {{storylink|The Crossroads}}

During the Quintesson invasion of Cybertron, [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]] and [[Dead End (Cyberverse)|Dead End]] stole the multiverse drive and travelled to other realities. {{storylink|The Judge (episode)|The Judge}} Their journey gave Megatron the ability to channel exotic energy, {{storylink|The End Of The Universe IV}} before he landed in a reality where he'd won the [[Great War (Cyberverse)|Great War]] and stole the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from his [[Megatron X (Cyberverse)|that universe's Megatron]]. {{storylink|Silent Strike}} Along with his [[Decepticon supersoldier]]s, that alternate Megatron crossed over to the primary universe to reclaim his Matrix only to be defeated and left paralyzed. Eager for vengeance on his old master, [[Astrotrain (Cyberverse)|Astrotrain]] took the alternate Megatron within him and announced his intention to keep him trapped forever. {{storylink|The Other One}} After Megatron X perished, the remaining Decepticon supersoldiers invaded the dimension that they'd once imperiled, but eventually laid down their arms after the death of their leader [[Tarn (Cyberverse)|Tarn]]. {{storylink|The Perfect Decepticon}}
{{--}}

===''My Little Pony/Transformers''===
Rather than connecting two points in space, a malfunctioning [[space bridge|spacebridge]] attempted to reach out across dimensions—when its energies somehow overlapped with [[Queen Chrysalis]]'s [[magic]], it wound up transporting multiple Autobots and Decepticons to the land of [[Equestria]]. {{storylink|Transformation Is Magic}} Later, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] refined the technology and used it to create a deliberate cross-dimensional bridge between the two universes. {{storylink|The Magic of Cybertron}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon===
[[File:EarthriseEpisode5-SkyLynxfloating.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Sorry, Jimbo, looks like you're going to the shadow realm.]]

In ancient times, [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] banished the arrogant [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] into the Dead Universe when he laid claim to the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. After passing through that same universe in the present day and crash-landing on Earth, {{storylink|Earthrise episode 5}} the shipwrecked Autobots and Decepticons encountered the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s: Cybertronains who had time-travelled back to Earth's past to prevent a dystopian future from ever coming to pass. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 1}} The AllSpark made a projection of [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] that passed through the Dead Universe and mentioned a "Dead Multiverse".{{storylink|Kingdom episode 4}} Although the Maximals wondered if securing the AllSpark and changing history would consequentially erase them from the timeline, this was not the case, suggesting that this reality operates on a multiversal model of [[time travel]]. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 5}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
[[File:TestFlightII-unspace.jpg|thumb|250px]]

When [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]'s experimental teleport harness malfunctioned, it wound up sending [[Jumpstream]] through [[unspace]] and stranded her on an alternate Cybertron where [[Exarchon]] had conquered the planet. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Test Flight I|Test Flight I}} Although both Perceptor and Jumpstream assumed that they'd somehow crossed over into an alternate timeline, Perceptor soon realized that Jumpstream had actually travelled through ''time'', not ''space'', and had glimpsed a possible future of their own universe. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Test Flight II}}

===''King Grimlock''===
In eons past, Optimus Prime visited the other-dimensional realm of [[Menonia]] and helped establish the [[Golden One]] as the land's new ruler. Many years later, when the Golden One had been corrupted by the power of his deity [[Soltron]], the citizens of [[Valerift]] used [[energon]] to bring him back to their dimension. It didn't go as planned, however, and they wound up summoning [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] instead. {{storylink|Grimlock the Rebel}}

===''Legacy''===
{{stub|TakaraTomy toy bios}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''DreamMix TV World Fighters''===
To boost the ratings of the ''[[World Fighters]]'' TV show, [[Mujoe]] invited beings from several different worlds, including [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], to compete on the show. {{storylink|DreamMix TV World Fighters}}

===''Transformers Battle Universe''===
At the edge of time, the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] summoned warriors from [[Generation 1 continuity family|multiple]] [[Movie continuity family|different]] [[Animated continuity family|realities]] to choose a new host. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}

===''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark''===
[[File:RiseOfTheDarkSpark-G1OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

In [[Aligned continuity family|one universe]], the Autobots battled to keep the malevolent [[Dark Spark]], a trans-dimensional artifact of pure malice, out of [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]'s hands. The subsequent battle blasted the Dark Spark into [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (franchise)|another universe]], where the bounty hunter [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] briefly seized it. However, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|that universe's Optimus Prime]] was able to keep Lockdown occupied long enough for [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] to remove the Dark Spark, and Prime subsequently used the Matrix to send the Dark Spark through time and space into [[Generation 1 continuity family|yet another universe]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
{{gamestub|[[Transformers: Earth Wars]]}}
Nova Prime attempted to wipe all timelines in the multiverse clean and start again in effort to prevent the war between the Autobots and Decepticons from ever happening. Vector Prime stepped in to stop Nova Prime from causing untold devastation to the fabric of all realities. {{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Mayhem: Enemy of my Enemy}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
A spatial warp field pulled [[Marissa Faireborn]] and the Autobots aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] crash-landed on an [[New Quintessa|unknown planet]] in another universe, where they encountered multiple Autobots and Decepticons from [[Live-action film series|another reality]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}

===''Transformers: Battlegrounds''===
Upon using an unstable [[space bridge|spacebridge]], [[Wheeljack (Cyberverse)|Wheeljack]] warned them that the passage could strand them in unspace, a nexus point where multiple timelines collided, and excitedly theorized about the existence of other universes before [[Arcee (Cyberverse)|Arcee]] reined him in. {{storylink|Transformers: Battlegrounds}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
A freak accident pulled together many different worlds from across the multiverse into a single realm known as the [[Apex (RPG)|Apex]], which also merged [[Doctor Mindbender]], [[Lord Zedd]], and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] into the monstrous [[Lord MindWaveZ]]. By constructing a [[Multidimensional Collider]], Lord MindWaveZ sought to permanently fuse these worlds into a single realm to rule over, but a cross-dimensional alliance of Autobots, [[Power Rangers (group)|Power Rangers]], and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]s destroyed the machine, collapsed the Apex, and ultimately saved the multiverse. {{storylink|Worlds Collide: Battle for the Multiverse}}

==Notes==
*When originally developing what would become the [[Aligned continuity family]], [[Aaron Archer]] and [[Rik Alvarez]] suggested that it was entirely separate from the rest of the ''Transformers'' multiverse.<ref name="allspark2011botcon">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=79726 AllSpark.com live transcript of Archer and Alvarez's 2011 BotCon panel]</ref> When asked about [[The Fallen]] and how his status as a [[multiversal singularity]] would relate to the new fiction, Hasbro replied "anything you know from past generations of the brand may or may not be factual in the new continuity".<ref name="fallen">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=74182&view=findpost&p=1675011 Allspark.com Hasbro Q&A, Nov. 2010]</ref> Notably, its version of the [[Thirteen]] included characters like [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] and [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]], choices that were largely irreconcilable with the lore that [[Fun Publications]] had previously laid out. Eventually, however, this conceit would be quietly dropped: the profile cards for Aligned [[Slipstream (WFC)#TransTech|Slipstream]]'s [[Transformers Figure Subscription Service|TFSS]] toy and the online comic "[[Timeless]]" involved the cast of ''TransTech'' glimpsing events from the Aligned universe. After multiple creative shakeups and a [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|new direction]] for the Aligned continuity as a whole, the ''[[Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac|Complete AllSpark Almanac]]'' and [[Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter]] confirmed that Aligned took place in the "[[Uniend]]" universal cluster; that same year, any and all singularity-related discrepancies were later handwaved away via the introduction of the [[Shroud]].
*2011's ''[[Infestation (IDW)|Infestation]]'' crossover event featured [[Britt]] invading and corrupting four separate universes: ''[[2005 IDW continuity|Transformers]]'', ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', ''[[Star Trek]]'', and ''[[Ghostbusters]]''. Just five years later, however, IDW's "[[Hasbro Universe]]" initiative retconned both ''Transformers'' and ''G.I. Joe'' together by revealing that they'd always taken place in the same reality, meaning that Britt attacked the same universe twice. Less than a year later, ''[[Revolutionaries]]'' [[Strange Visitors|#5]] established that events identical to "[[Infestation 2]]" had also played out in the past of IDW's primary ''Transformers'' timeline—meaning that the [[Elder God]]s simultaneously attacked two nigh-identical realities.
*A dropped plotline in ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets the Eye]]'' would've featured the original [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] travelling the multiverse, searching for a way to return to his original timeline. At some point, he would've jumped into the world of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]] in the midst of the "[[Target: 2006]]" storyline and encountered that reality's [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]].<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/james-roberts-ama-mtmte-ll-questions-answered-transcript.1164603/ Transcription of 30 November 2018 James Roberts Q&A on Instagram]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Tagen'uchū''' (多元宇宙), '''multiverse''' (マルチバース ''maruchibāsu''), '''Multi-Verse of Eternity''' (無限の世界 ''Mugen no Sekai'')<ref>[[World of the Transformers]]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Cyberverse (2018)]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Regeneration One]]
[[Category:TransTech]]
[[Category:Unicron Trilogy]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:Universes]]

Vector Prime

2024-10-14T04:32:33Z

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[[File:VectorPrime dvd.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|He gives a new meaning to the term "grandfather clock".]]
'''Vector Prime''' is [[Primus]]'s appointed guardian of time and space. Though recorded history pegs him as 25 million years old,<ref>[[Revelations Part 4]]</ref> he has identified himself as 9 billion years old,<ref name="AVP">[[Ask Vector Prime]]</ref> making the clockwork-covered Transformer one of the [[Thirteen]]. He's so old that in many timelines, the locals have called him "the First Autobot".<ref>[[Ask Vector Prime]], 11 September 2015: "Come to think of it, in many timelines, I was not called "Vector Prime" but "The First Autobot." Indeed, this was from time-to-time shortened to simply "Autobot," though usually as an invective hurled at me."</ref> Despite his age, Vector Prime is very powerful, and can warp both space and time, though excessive use of this power can severely weaken him. His powers allow him to traverse the [[multiverse]] at will, allowing Vector Prime to track and record events across a countless number of realities.

Vector Prime was once a holder of the [[Matrix of Leadership]]<ref name="AVP">[[Ask Vector Prime]]</ref> before he left [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to guard space and time, a lonely job which isolated him from Cybertronian culture for tens of millions of years. Though he has rejoined the timestream on occasion to protect it from large-scale dangers,<ref>[[Vector Prime: In the Beginning]]</ref> his extraordinary exile has left him emotionally, culturally, and politically disconnected from his race. He speaks in archaic terminology steeped in chivalry from an age long past, which has led [[Transcendent Technomorph|some]] to believe him to be little more than a doddering relic (a front he admittedly finds useful at times). Despite this disconnect, Vector Prime never forgets that these strange modern creatures are the reason he guards space and time so fiercely. It is the miracle of time that allows these precious lives to continue and flourish across the multiverse.

Vector Prime has a "Guardian [[Mini-Con]]" called [[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]], and is also responsible for the [[Recon Mini-Con Team]].

{{bigquote|I finally understand the true value of time, for it is the bonds between us that give time its meaning.|Vector Prime's last words|"[[Guardian (episode)|Guardian]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
====Fun Publications comics====
[[File:Vectorprimeut.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Hey, I can see THE DAWN OF TIME from here! Hi, Phil!]]
Vector Prime was created by Primus at the very beginning of its struggle with Unicron, 'drawn from the sublime material of a multiverse at the far end of entropy'. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 5|Vector Prime's profile in Club magazine #5}} During the long dormancy of [[Primus]] and [[Unicron]] at the beginning of time, Vector Prime retreated from the march of history to prepare for when his skills would once again be called upon. From this isolation he watched the greatest victories and defeats of the Transformers across various timelines, intervening only when his hand was needed to preserve the balance of time. (For example, Vector Prime helped mend [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and repair the [[The Agenda (Part III)|timestorm]] that [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] had unleashed in the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]].) However, the awakening of Primus and Unicron returned Vector Prime to active service, following the wake of Unicron across the multiverse to prevent or restore what damage the Dark God had inflicted with its contaminating presence.

After the [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Powerlinx Battles]], Primus attempted to lock Unicron's essence away in the center of a newborn sun, but this plan backfired and the sun collapsed into a black hole, also known as the [[Unicron Singularity]]. This threatened the multiverse itself, so Vector Prime was called back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to assist the Autobots in locating artifacts which would destroy the black hole. {{storylink|Vector Prime: In the Beginning}}

[[File:Vectorprimeutramjet.jpg|thumb|Hey, we got swords. Let's parry.]]
During the Autobots' search, Vector Prime would routinely confer with [[Alpha Trion (Energon)|Alpha Trion]] on their progress. During one such visit, Unicron's heralds [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] and [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|Nemesis Prime]] attacked Cybertron, prompting Alpha Trion to recruit some extra-dimensional help in the form of [[Sentinel Maximus]]. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}} No sooner had Maximus arrived than Ramjet and Nemesis came blasting into Alpha Trion's chamber; Vector duelled with Ramjet, but was unable to prevent him from heavily damaging Alpha Trion and destroying [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|Balancing Act}} After placing Alpha Trion in a repair chamber, Vector Prime explained to Sentinel Maximus the extent of the peril they faced; it was Ramjet's plan that Nemesis Prime would unleash his [[Dead Matrix]] to destroy their Creator. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 2}} Deducting that their opponents would likely next strike at the [[Kalis Primary Energon Reserves Control]], Vector Prime and his allies preemptively traveled there to defend it. Sure enough, another one of Unicron's pawns, [[Scorponok (Energon)|Dark Scorponok]], soon turned up and attacked the facility. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 3}} Dark Scorponok was felled, but Vector Prime came to realize that the shambling creature had acted as a distraction while Ramjet and Nemesis Prime had made their way towards their true target: the chamber housing Primus's essence, deep within Cybertron. Vector Prime opened a warp gate and traveled with Sentinel Maximus to head off their enemies before the wicked machinations came to fruition. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 4}} Vector Prime and Ramjet's fight left the chamber and took them high above Cybertron. Ramjet offered Vector Prime another option to his plan: it was within Vector Prime's power to restore Unicron from the Singularity, dooming this Cybertron but saving all others. Vector Prime refused, claiming that they could restore balance to the multiverse without saving Unicron. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Pt 5}} Though Vector Prime was able to defeat Ramjet and seal him away in another dimension, {{storylink|Revelations Part 1}} this act weakened him considerably. The guardian of space and time returned to the Autobots on [[Earth]] and left Cybertron in the care of [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]], a Mini-Con who had taken the reins of what remained of Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Revelations Part 2}}

While on Cybertron of [[Primax 509.28 Epsilon]], [[Nexus Prime]] decided to tell his companion [[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]] about the ancient artifact he was trying to find, the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]]. As he explained to Aquarius that the artifact was originally intended to serve good Transformers, the face of Vector Prime flashed through his mind. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 1}} Eventually, Nexus succeeded in finding all the pieces of the shattered sword, and united the rebuilt blade with the [[Terminus Blade]] with the intention of strengthening the multiverse and making the walls between dimensions less permeable. Vector Prime and the rest of the Thirteen were drawn to this momentous event from across space and time, but as a consequence of Nexus's actions, Vector and his brothers and sisters ceased to exist as multiversal singularities. They were splintered into infinite variations of themselves and scattered throughout the multiverse, sentient reoccurring themes each appearing in their own way, if at all, in all the worlds of the multiverse. {{storylink|Out of the One, Many}}

====''Cybertron'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Richard Newman]] (English), [[Show Hayami]] (Japanese)|[[Joscha Fischer-Antze]] (German), [[Sepuh Apikian]] (Armenian), [[Ossi Valo]] (Finnish), [[Fredrik Beckmann]] (Swedish), [[Michel Dodane]] (French), [[Davide Marzi]] (Italian), [[Salvador Serrano]] (Castilian Spanish), [[José Mendez]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Mariusz Leszczyński]] (Polish), [[Phil Cruz]] (Tagalog, HERO TV dub)}}

[[File:Cyb ep47 outside of time.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Twelfth Doctor, Transformerfied]]

Vector Prime spent much of his existence outside the linear flow of time, observing reality from afar. When he sensed the effect of the [[Unicron Singularity]] upon the timestream, he attempted to voyage further into the future to see what the outcome would be, only to strike a barrier which he found he could not pass beyond. Peering through the barrier and seeing only endless nothingness, Vector Prime realized that the black hole would go on to consume all space and time if he did not finally leave the safety of his extra-dimensional realm and re-enter the linear flow of time to help seal it. {{storylink|Guardian (episode)|Guardian}} Appearing in the skies over Cybertron, Vector Prime immediately made contact with Optimus Prime and his Autobot team, making them aware of the Cyber Planet Keys and how they could stop the black hole. As Vector Prime then synchronized his map of the keys’ locations to the current arrangement of the cosmos, he was approached by the evil [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]], who exploited Vector Prime's diminished memory of the Autobot/Decepticon conflict and convinced him to hand over the map. Alas, Vector Prime realized his mistake just as the other Autobots arrived to attack Megatron. The villain made good his escape, but not before his lieutenant [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] caused Autobot warrior [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] to be caught in the black hole's gravitational pull, forcing Vector Prime to open a portal to save him, transporting him to [[Earth]].

[[File:Cyb ep1 loris shirt.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"This is Clara, my carer. She cares so I don't have to."]]

Vector Prime joined with [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s Autobots in relocating to Earth. En route, Vector Prime explained to Optimus that the black hole threatened not only Cybertron, but would go on to swallow all of creation if not dealt with. He then doubled back, explaining he had to retrieve the cosmic map Megatron had stolen. Optimus Prime insisted on having [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]], [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]], and [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul]] accompany him, deeming the task too dangerous for Vector Prime to handle on his own. Vector Prime's team came upon Megatron and Starscream inside an asteroid belt. While Jetfire and Vector Prime dealt with Starscream, Overhaul and Hot Shot tackled Megatron. Unfortunately, the Decepticons proved to be simply too powerful, and the Autobots were unable to prevent them from escaping once more. Vector Prime then rendezvoused with Optimus back on Earth, where the Autobots had already befriended three human children. Upon meeting these humans, Vector Prime recognized a symbol decorating the T-shirt of the female, [[Lori Jiménez|Lori]], as the pattern of the Omega Lock, the device that focused the power of the Cyber Planet Keys, and deduced that it lay in hiding somewhere on Earth. {{storylink|Fallen (episode)|Fallen}} {{storylink|Inferno (episode)|Inferno}}

Vector Prime then aided his Autobot allies in building their base of operations on Earth. During the blasting that preceded construction, he discovered that the children were able to hear the [[Omega Frequency]], the trans-sonic signal given off by the Omega Lock that was inaudible to the Autobots. This would make them invaluable in the search for the artifact. As the base neared completion, Megatron and Starscream were detected heading towards Earth once again. The base's stealth coating had yet to be fully applied, and so Vector Prime joined Optimus, Jetfire, and Hot Shot in keeping the villains out of sensor range while the rest of the team finished this task. Vector Prime used the power of a Cyber Planet Key to send the Decepticon leader and his lackey fleeing, awing his comrades. Having deemed them worthy, Vector Prime then granted Optimus, Hot Shot, and Jetfire the ability to also summon their own Cyber Planet Keys. {{storylink|Haven}}

Walking in on the Autobots receiving word that the latest attempt at collapsing the black hole had failed, Vector Prime reiterated that they needed to track down the keys to the Omega Lock. The Autobots were doubtful at first, but Red Alert spoke up on Vector Prime's behalf, convincing his comrades that the keys should be their priority. Thundercracker was then detected by the airforce, forcing Vector Prime to help take him down before he caused too much trouble. He saved two human pilots from the Decepticon by opening a temporal portal for them to escape through. Megatron and Starscream then joined the battle, and explained that they had already found the first of the Cyber Planet Keys before they were forced away. {{storylink|Hidden}}

Further studies on the Omega Lock's pattern around the world led the Autobots to a museum in Mexico. While Vector Prime studied the artifacts within it, the rest of the team held off Thundercracker and Starscream, who had been tracking them. This Omega Lock turned out to be merely an imitation, but Vector Prime's scans yielded the co-ordinates of [[Velocitron]], the Speed Planet, resting place of the first Cyber Planet Key. Using his sword in conjunction with Optimus Prime's Matrix, Vector Prime opened a portal to this other world, through which Hot Shot and Red Alert were sent as an advance party. {{storylink|Landmine (episode)|Landmine}} The search for the Omega Lock next took the Autobots to the [[United Kingdom|British Isles]]. They excavated an ancient druid site, only to be met with another dead end. Once more, they were pestered by Starscream and Thundercracker, who managed to isolate Vector Prime and Optimus from their ground-based reinforcements. Though Starscream was fighting more strategically however, the Primes managed to lure their opponents close enough to the ground to overpower them and force them into another retreat. {{storylink|Space (episode)|Space}} Vector Prime teamed up with Landmine to continue searching for the Omega Lock, but returned from their excursion with nothing to show for it. That evening, Lori alerted the Autobots to a strange beacon emanating from a nearby forest, depicting the Lock's "Atlantis Pattern". Vector Prime and the team sped off to what seemed like a lucky break at last, only to find that the signal had been created by the Decepticons to lure them into a trap. As Optimus took on the enemy, Jolt reported that humans were inbound to their location. As neither side wanted to be discovered by more of the locals, the battle was brought to an abrupt halt, and all combatants withdrew. {{storylink|Speed}}

[[File:Cyb ep9 time slip.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|But where's Cringer, his fearless friend?]]

Jetfire and Vector Prime were contacted by Scattorshot and Optimus to alert them of an emergency in [[Rockville]]: the nearby [[Mount McDermott]] was about to collapse into an underwater reservoir, which would lead to a catastrophic flooding of the entire town. Thankfully, Coby came up with a plan to drain the reservoir, and the Autobots created a controlled collapse of the mountain to prevent further harm from coming to Rockville. After this plan was successfully implemented, Vector Prime congratulated his comrades on a job well done. {{storylink|Collapse}}

Returning to the search for the Omega Lock, Vector Prime next headed for a tropical island, allowing the children to tag along for a mini-vacation of sorts. This turned out to be another false lead. Before heading off to their next destination, Vector Prime took the time to discuss his temporal powers with the children, informing them that though they might seem impressive, they had become limited in his old age. The group next headed for the [[Sahara]], where they were joined by Optimus and Jetfire. There, they found what appeared to be the Omega Lock on open display within some ancient ruins. But the Decepticons had been following them, and the battle for the artifact had catastrophic consequences: Megatron's managed to kill the Mini-Cons! Distraught over their untimely demise, Vector Prime drew on a greater portion of his powers for the first time in ages. He rewound time to save the Mini-Cons, though the resulting drain on his systems left him too weak to continue fighting. The lock in question was proven to be a fake. {{storylink|Time (episode)|Time}}

[[File:Cyb ep11 control room.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]

After rescuing an Autobot civilian from Thundercracker, the Autobots were led to another iteration of the Atlantis pattern. The inscription detailed the coordinates to the next planet where a Cyber Planet Key was hidden: the [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Jungle Planet]]. Vector Prime opened a dimension gate to transport Overhaul and Landmine to this new world, but was struck by the returning Thundercracker before Landmine could traverse the portal. Due to his injuries, Vector Prime couldn't open up another dimension gate, leaving Overhaul stranded on an alien world alone. {{storylink|Search (episode)|Search}} Shortly afterwards, another Autobot civilian alerted Optimus Prime's team to another sighting of the Atlantis seal, this time on the ocean bottom in the [[Bermuda Triangle]]. Making their way underwater, the Autobots explored the area. Vector Prime, the Mini-Cons and the children found an entrance leading to a control room, and the elder Cybertronian concluded that Atlantis was in fact an ancient Cybertronian ship that had crashed in Earth's prehistory. In order to keep it out of the Decepticons' reach, Vector Prime activated the craft and teleported it away with only himself, the kids and Mini-Cons aboard. {{storylink|Deep}} Using the children's sensitivity to the Omega Frequency, Vector Prime tracked down the Omega Lock in the bowels of the ''Atlantis''. Though Megatron appeared to claim the relic for himself, activating the ship's self-destruct mechanism in the process, Optimus caught up to his old foe and dueled him for the Omega Lock. Meanwhile, Vector Prime took the children to safety. Optimus emerged victorious. When Vector Prime laid hands on the Omega Lock afterwards, it created a new spacebridge network, linking all of the planets hosting Cyber Planet Keys. Vector Prime accompanied Optimus and Landmine to the Speed Planet in response to a distress call from Red Alert. {{storylink|Ship}}

There, he observed [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] try to win the world's Cyber Planet Key in a racing tournament. {{storylink|Hero (episode)|Hero}} He did not actually participate-mainly because his vehicle mode lacked wheels-but he offered encouragement and advice when he could. {{storylink|Race}} The races were intense enough to get even him worked up, although he did his best to restrain his enthusiasm to Optimus Prime's mild amusement. {{storylink|Detour (episode)|Detour}}

[[File:Cyb ep16 feed me seymour.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|But whatever they offer you, don't feed the plants!]]

While Hot Shot trained for a particularly grueling track, the Autobots received a transmission urging them to come to the [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Jungle Planet]] to help [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul]], sent there in advance to seek out the second Cyber Planet Key. [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] offered to go, but Vector Prime and Optimus decided to make the trip, as they could open the dimension gate necessary to go there anyway. When they arrived, they were attacked by a massive plant monster, but Overhaul-now in the form of Leobreaker-saved them with his claws. Vector Prime joined Optimus in explaining the black hole's threat to Leobreaker's new friends, [[Snarl (Cybertron)|Snarl]] and [[Backstop (Cybertron)|Backstop]], but was confused to learn that they had not, in fact, sent a distress signal at all. He then joined the others in confronting world leader [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]], battling [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] (who had sent the distress signal simply to watch the factions battle) and witnessing Optimus and Leobreaker's first combination into Savage Claw Mode. {{storylink|Savage}}

[[File:Cyb ep9 meteor attack.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Hitting you where the sun definitely shines.]]

Soon after, Vector Prime and the other Autobots met Scourge and Megatron's forces in another battle, lured into a canyon thanks to Sideways's trickery. He was also among the 'bots who watched Leobreaker's attempted interrogation of the two-faced trickster when the battle ended, {{storylink|Sand}} and returned to Velocitron in time to stop Megatron from stealing the Planet Cup after Hot Shot defeated Override in the final race. {{storylink|Champion}}

While most of the Autobots went back to Earth to investigate a disturbance created by the Omega Lock, Vector Prime returned to the Jungle Planet with Optimus Prime and Leobreaker, intending to secure the second Cyber Planet Key. {{storylink|Ice}} Their attempt to reason with Scourge failed miserably, leading to Leobreaker separating from Optimus mid-speech and futilely attacking the dragon-bot himself. With the lion storming off in a huff, Vector Prime accompanied Optimus back to Backstop's cave, where he learned of Scourge's beginnings as a student of Backstop's. Vector Prime was also present at the volcano Leobreaker had chosen to seclude himself in, and witnessed his reconciliation with Optimus Prime, the latter at last deciding to face Scourge in battle. {{storylink|Honor}} The Autobots ran into a Decepticon ambush en route to Scourge's temple, and Vector Prime had to use his sword to free the beast 'bots and Hot Shot from a net. He later stood back and watched Optimus and Leobreaker finally defeat Scourge in battle, winning the right to take the Cyber Planet Key. {{storylink|Primal (Cybertron)|Primal}}

[[File:Cyb ep22 autobots together.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]

Unfortunately, Megatron led his Decepticons on an immediate counterattack, desperate to obtain the Planet Key. While most of the Autobots fended off Starscream and Thundercracker, Vector Prime came up with a plan to splinter the Decepticons. He distributed boxes amongst the Autobots, with the key's location unknown to even them, and bade them scatter to force the Decepticons to spread out. Vector Prime himself came face-to-visor with Sideways, intent on acquiring the "key". The enigmatic jet managed to steal the box, warping around Vector Prime and bypassing Safeguard with his faction-switching abilities, but learned it was a fake when he found naught but a rock inside. He later joined the rest of the Autobots in fending off Megatron and Starscream's attempted theft of the true key. {{storylink|Trust (Cybertron)|Trust}}

[[File:Cyb ep22 shell game.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]

The insertion of the Jungle Planet Key into the Omega Lock transported the Autobots into a strange dimension that Vector Prime identified as the consciousness of Primus. The god himself briefly spoke to them through the Mini-Cons before fading away, and a signal again alerted them to something in the North Pole. {{storylink|Trap}} Unfortunately, what came out of the North was Starscream, Sideways, and ''legions'' of [[Ancient Decepticon]]s, hell-bent on finding the Cyber Planet Key hidden on Earth. Vector Prime soon joined the fray, using his sword to warp in the main Autobot forces to back Snarl up. The Autobots were eventually forced to fall back, but made two new allies in the form of [[Crosswise (Cybertron)|Crosswise]] and [[Evac (Cybertron)|Evac]]. {{storylink|Invasion (episode)|Invasion}}

Knowing that Starscream would come looking for the Omega Lock and the other two Keys, the Autobots established a communications blackout, using a direct link to the human telephone network to keep the refugee Autobots calm. Vector Prime soon brought up another worry, however-the children and Mini-Cons were missing! The kids soon returned, bringing the eccentric scientist [[Lucy Suzuki]] with them, but [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]]'s advance transmission about the government's knowledge of the Autobots allowed Sideways to find the Autobot's base. With no other option, Optimus Prime led a full retreat to Velocitron while Evac retrieved the Cyber Planet Key of Earth, but Starscream followed them up the space bridge and launched a one-bot assault to claim the artifacts for himself. Vector Prime was the last to stand in the Decepticon's way, vowing to give up his spark before he relinquished the Lock. Despite being blackened and battered from previous attacks, Starscream still managed to take down the ancient guardian of time, stealing the Lock and all three Planet Keys. {{storylink|Retreat}}

Vector Prime was present at the Autobot's base when it received a strange signal after Starscream inserted the third Cyber Planet Key. Enlisting the aid of [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] to decrypt it, he reported that it came from Cybertron itself, instructing them to return the Lock and Keys to the planet itself. Unfortunately, the part about ''what'' happens when the Lock is returned was lost due to interference from the black hole-and worse yet, Megatron's Decepticons were on their way to Earth to settle their own grudge with Starscream. Vector Prime generated a warp to speed his allies' trip to [[Niagara Falls]], and found himself battling the traitorous Autobot [[Mudflap (Cybertron)|Mudflap]]. He was shocked to discover that Landmine had practically raised the disgruntled warrior back on Cybertron...and even more dismayed to see Megatron cut down Hot Shot, Red Alert, and Scattorshot with a single volley from his newly unlocked Cyber Key machine gun. {{storylink|Revelation (episode)|Revelation}}

[[File:Cyb ep27 giant vector.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtkGtXtDlQA Lets go on a journey / a journey through all time / a TIME that's changing all the TIME / it's TIME to go to TIME!]]]

While others kept Megatron busy, Vector Prime evacuated the fallen warriors, assuring the pessimistic Scattorshot that they'd be fine. Upon returning to the battlefield, however, he grimly informed Optimus Prime that the situation of the trio was dire at best. Thankfully, Hot Shot, Scattorshot, and Red Alert recovered and reformatted, returning as the powerful [[Cybertron Defense Team (Cybertron)|Cybertron Defense Team]]. They kept the Decepticons occupied while Vector Prime warped Optimus, Override, and Evac to Starscream's newly discovered island base. {{storylink|Critical}}

Megatron's forces soon made a break for the island, causing Vector Prime to warp the rest of his team into the fray as well. He and Optimus pursued Megatron into a volcano, and Vector Prime saved Optimus' life by blocking Megatron's shots with his own body. They would have both met their ends nonetheless, had [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]] not chosen that moment to join the party as well. In response to Coby's warning that the black hole was distorting the space around Cybertron, Vector Prime would suggest sending an advance team to clear a path for the return of the Omega Lock. {{storylink|Assault}}

[[File:Cyb ep28 vector takes the hit.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]

The two Primes continued their descent into the volcano, soon joined by Leobreaker. Vector Prime used a small warp to redirect one of Sideways's traps, hitting Scourge instead of them. When they finally met Sideways in battle, Vector Prime had the novel idea of attaching Safeguard to the warping enigma's back, allowing him to detect where Sideways would appear. When Starscream manifested himself as a giant, courtesy of Primus' stolen power, Vector Prime was trapped in the volcano, unable to move and with his sword out of reach. Wing Saber came to his rescue, and the pair escaped with the Omega Lock after fending off [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]]. {{storylink|Starscream (episode)|Starscream}} After seeing the Lock off with Leobreaker, Evac, and Override, he continued fighting against Starscream, and witnessed Optimus' combination with Wing Saber into Sonic Wing Mode to defeat the behemoth. {{storylink|United (episode)|United}}

With Starscream defeated, Vector Prime joined the rest of the Autobots in crossing the space bridge to Cybertron. They engaged Megatron, who managed to escape with the Omega Lock, but Optimus Prime battled him for possession of the Lock and keys within [[Fire dimension|Megatron's personal fiery dimension]]. At Optimus' order, Vector Prime used his portal-generating abilities to collapse the dimension in upon itself, forcing Megatron to use all his power just to keep it open. Combining his own power with that of the Lock, Vector Prime fired a beam straight into the occupied Decepticon, apparently destroying Megatron. Vector Prime later encouraged Optimus to place the Lock within Cybertron-and the planet started coming apart beneath their feet. After evacuating the team to a nearby moon, Vector Prime realized that the planet wasn't separating; it was transforming into Primus himself! {{storylink|Cybertron (episode)|Cybertron}}

After Primus revealed that the fourth Cyber Planet Key rested on [[Gigantion]], homeworld of the Recon Mini-Con Team, Vector Prime recounted how he met the diminutive Transformers when they were lost playing hide-and-seek. He joined his friends in confronting the Decepticons (tenuously led by Scourge), and then joined everyone in gaping at Starscream's brazen attack on Primus himself. Vector Prime doubted Starscream's sanity for daring to attack their creator, but Primus' disposal of the treacherous jet allowed Vector Prime to finally regain the Planet Map. {{storylink|Balance}}

Sadly, a series of problems presented themselves after this small victory; Megatron returned in a mysterious ghost-like form, and the Mini-Cons seemingly disappeared along with the children. Vector Prime left to investigate the latter development, and reviewed the security camera footage at their headquarters. Discovering that Sideways had stolen the Mini-Cons and that the children had pursued him, Vector Prime requested Scattorshot and Red Alert's aid in locating them. {{storylink|Darkness (episode)|Darkness}} Continuing to work as the battle raged outside {{storylink|Memory (Cybertron)|Memory}}, they finally received a signal from the kids, reporting that they were trapped on the ''Atlantis'' in the shadow of Earth's moon. Vector Prime led Scattorshot and Red Alert through a warp gate to the ship and caught an escape pod carrying Coby, Lori, and [[Six-Speed (Cybertron)|Six-Speed]]. Unfortunately, the other pod (carrying Bud, Jolt, and [[Reverb (Cybertron)|Reverb]]) was caught in the warp field of the ''Atlantis'' before the Autobots could retrieve it and was teleported away to parts unknown. {{storylink|Escape (episode)|Escape}}

[[File:Cyb ep36 autobots revealed.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Predicting that the ''Atlantis'' would be heading for Gigantion, Vector Prime reassured Coby and Lori that their friends would be fine in the warp gate to the planet, thanks to their flexible minds. Transformers, however, are not so flexible, and so Red Alert began working on a stabilizing program, partially based on Vector Prime's sword. Vector Prime would join Optimus Prime in convincing the kids' doubting parents to allow Coby and Lori to join them on the trip to Gigantion. He also denied their fathers' wish to go as well, citing the requirement of an open mind (which the adults had just proven they lacked), but joined Optimus in promising to protect the children with his life. {{storylink|Family}}

With the children's assistance cemented, Vector Prime began rigorously studying the Planet Map for the location of the dimensional rift that led to Gigantion. He discovered the gate just after Primus defeated a superpowered Starscream, {{storylink|Titans}} informing the others that the gate was open for only a few days every year. After again reminding Coby and Lori about their immunity to the warp's effects, he helped load supplies onto the newly arrived ''[[Ogygia (Cybertron)|Ogygia]]'' starship. After receiving his copy of the stabilizing program via injection (and observing Primus shooting down Jetfire's attempt to avoid getting one), Vector Prime boarded the ''Ogygia'' as it entered the warp, warning everyone that even the slightest moment of doubt or fear could destabilize the tunnel. After an unpleasant encounter with the Starscream-controlled ''Atlantis'', he joined his comrades in blasting a hole through a massive asteroid in the ''Ogygia''{{'}}s path before finally arriving in the dimension of Gigantion. {{storylink|Warp}}

After landing on the Giant Planet, Vector Prime joined the search for the Cyber Planet Key, and came up empty-handed. When the Autobots met planet leader [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]] and his lieutenant [[Quickmix (Cybertron)|Quickmix]], neither of whom allowed them access to the lower levels of the planet, Vector Prime attempted to create a warp, but found he could not due to security measures around the planet. After a confrontation with Megatron's goons, now including rebellious Gigantion native [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]] and enigmatic impersonator [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]], Metroplex and Quickmix were more willing to cooperate, {{storylink|Giant}} but admitted that they deleted all data on the lower levels from their memories to escape their past.

[[File:Cyb ep45 save the universe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Undeterred, the team set up equipment to help Vector Prime determine the general location of the Cyber Planet Key. Using the Omega Lock, Vector Prime found the Key, but also realized that someone else had drawn power from it. Fearing the worst, the Autobots split into teams, with Vector Prime accompanying Optimus and Metroplex. Unfortunately, this allowed them to be picked off by Megatron, who had used the Cyber Planet Key to upgrade himself. By the time Optimus's team caught up with the Decepticon leader, he had dealt with every other Autobot, completed his transformation, and renamed himself Galvatron! In this state, he struck down Vector Prime with a single blow, and only the combined strength of Optimus Prime and Metroplex was enough to force his retreat. {{storylink|Fury (Cybertron)|Fury}}

When Scattorshot determined that there were four potential routes to the Cyber Planet Key, the Autobots again split up to cover all of the paths. Vector Prime teamed up with Optimus, Metroplex, Bud, and the Mini-Cons to travel down one of the trails. He joined Optimus in pursuit of Ransack and Crumplezone when the bumbling lackeys snatched Jolt, unable to fire for fear of hurting his friend, and gave Coby an approving thumbs-up when he dramatically transformed [[Cobybot|his personal mech]] to save Jolt. {{storylink|City}} After that, the journey was mostly uneventful, save for watching the Velocitronian partners in grime get beaten up and sent off (repeatedly), {{storylink|Ambush (episode)|Ambush}} and meeting up with Lori and Override. {{storylink|Challenge}}

When Bud and the Mini-Cons accidentally fell down a secret passage, Vector Prime remained with the group, as Optimus claimed they would be more effective as a team searching for their lost comrades. When they found their small friends, Bud had given Scourge an eye-opening talk, and the Jungle Planet leader immediately challenged them all to a duel (for reasons only they seemed to understand). Vector Prime was the second opponent, and easily defeated the dragon, who nonetheless challenged the next comer with enthusiasm. {{storylink|Scourge (episode)|Scourge}}

[[File:Cyb ep45 matrix glow.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Two hearts beat as one..."]]

At last, the Autobots reached the central, organic layer of Gigantion, where the Cyber Planet Key rested in the ancient starship ''[[Lemuria (Cybertron)|Lemuria]]''. Unfortunately, both Galvatron and Starscream chose that moment to make their appearances, and the former's taunts were enough to force Optimus into a breakdown of self-doubt. Finding his best logic to the contrary useless, Vector Prime was forced to drastic measures: ''punching'' Optimus in the face. Berating his peer for his arrogance, Vector Prime explained that Optimus' men trust him with their lives, but ''he'' has to trust ''them'' to do their jobs. His words snapped Prime out of his momentary funk, and the duo continued on in time to see a super-sized Landmine defeat Starscream and engage Galvatron. The combined strength of the Autobots was enough to send the Decepticon leader into retreat, leaving Optimus to claim the Cyber Planet Key and thank Vector Prime for his support (and comment on his mean right hook). {{storylink|Optimus (episode)|Optimus}}

Vector Prime personally inserted the final key into the Omega Lock, opening a path to their home universe (via opening the planet layers and creating a space bridge). Barring their path, however, was Galvatron, intent on taking the now-completed Lock and achieving his dark plans. Vector Prime moved to stop him, but was aghast to learn that Galvatron could warp-as well as summon a massive blast that sent all the Autobots sprawling. With the Lock in Decepticon hands, Vector Prime made a final attempt to take it back, but Galvatron simply electrocuted the ancient Transformer through his own sword and knocked him back. Perhaps due to this beating, Vector Prime was only able to watch Galvatron's apocalyptic confrontation with Starscream and subsequent escape through the space bridge. He theorized that Starscream (and the two Planet X survivors also caught in the final clash of superpowered Decepticons) had been blasted into ''another'' dimension rather than destroyed, but bigger concerns arose when the gate between universes closed, leaving the Autobots stranded on Gigantion. {{storylink|Showdown (Cybertron)|Showdown}}

[[File:Cyb ep47 vector prime dies.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|I'll see you in another life, brother!]]

In the wake of this shock, Vector Prime was the only Autobot with any ideas on what to do, but Jolt, seemingly aware of what was coming, insisted against it. Instead, an attempt to create a space bridge generator was made, but Vector Prime was forced to destroy it after it released hordes of [[Laserbeak (Cybertron)|bird-like drone robots]]. Optimus assured Vector Prime that he had done the right thing, but it was realized by all that the only way back was through the warp, which would not open again for a year. With no other options, Vector Prime revealed the only way to get back to Cybertron was for him to reverse time to the point where the warp to Gigantion was open. Jolt cut in to point out that the effort would be enough to destroy him-in the conventional sense, anyways. Despite this, Vector Prime was adamant, knowing that the black hole would destroy all of time itself if left unchecked. In preparation for this final act, he released Safeguard, telling his old partner to live on Cybertron with the other Mini-Cons, gave his Planet Map to Bud, and told Optimus Prime that it was an honor to work with him. As the three Autobot starships took off, Vector Prime gave it his all to get his allies back to Cybertron, finally returning them to their own dimension before his energy gave out and his body dissolved into green particles of light. {{storylink|Guardian (episode)|Guardian}} Primus was aware of Vector Prime's sacrifice and assured Optimus Prime that Vector Prime would live on and that he would be honoured by the closing of the black hole. {{storylink|Homecoming (episode)|Homecoming}}

[[File:Cyb ep49 vector ghost.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Remember, the force will be with you. Always...]]

However, as Vector Prime had already explained to the Autobots, since he had existed for most of his life outside of time, he would ''always'' exist there, able to observe the passage of time, even though he could now no longer enter the linear universe. He swore to always watch over Optimus Prime and the Autobots, and would be there for them in spirit when their need was greatest. The first such moment came during Optimus Prime's pivotal moment within the black hole, as he appeared alongside the Autobot leader as he reached for the Omega Lock. {{storylink|End}}

[[File:Vector Primevs.Megatron.JPG|upright=1.4|thumb|Battling... IN THE NEXT DIMENSION!]]
Subsequently, the black hole was sealed, but Galvatron was not yet through, and challenged Prime to a final one-on-one duel. During the battle, as Galvatron stood poised to deliver the final blow, Vector Prime's Planet Map flew from the pocket of the watching Bud and moved between the two combatants, blocking Galvatron's blow. Vector Prime spoke to Optimus once more, promising to always be there for him, and bestowing upon him the greatest of gifts—his own sword, [[Rhisling]], with which Optimus Prime defeated and destroyed Galvatron once and for all. {{storylink|Unfinished}} Not long afterwards, as the Autobots departed on a mission across the universe to create a new [[space bridge]], Vector Prime appeared to Optimus once more, smiling at his old friend. {{storylink|Beginning}}

Vector Prime was last seen dueling Galvatron in an existence after death. {{storylink|Beginning}}
{{-}}

====''Cybertron'' toy bios====
Inspired by {{w|The Time Machine (1960 film)|an old movie he once saw on Earth}}, Vector Prime once picked up a hobby whereby he would phase in and out of time to visit a small-town store in the Midwest, looking in the window every day. In 1896, he "befriended" a gentleman in a fine suit who was always standing still in the window. For the next 110 years, Vector Prime visited the store to see the gentleman's different outfits. Eventually, after changing owners, the store closed down, but Vector Prime regarded this temporary diversion fondly.<ref>Galaxy Force Vector Prime's [[Cyber Key Codes|Cyber Key Code]] [http://tfwiki.net/~fortmax/codes/index.html secret bio content]</ref>

====''Galaxy Force'' manga====
When the [[Unicron Singularity|Grand Black Hole]] began to devour Cybertron, Vector Prime opened a warp and sent [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] to Earth. When the humans Coby, Bud, and Lori failed to repair Landmine, Vector Prime arrived through a warp and thanked the kids for their efforts before repairing Landmine himself. Vector Prime revealed he was unable to save Optimus Prime, but his despair was distracted by the human children bombarding him with questions about Transformers (sound familiar?). Then Megatron showed up and used his hypnotic powers to mesmerize Vector into handing over the Map to the [[Cyber Planet Key|Ancient Power]]. Luckily, Coby was able to yell loud enough to snap Vector out of it. And then Optimus Prime showed up, alive and well, and forced Megatron into retreat. {{storylink|Touchdown! Optimus Prime}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Devil's Dogfight! Coby's Courage}} {{storylink|Deep Sea Discovery! Vector Prime}} {{storylink|Galaxy Force Mission.8}} {{storylink|Galaxy Force Mission.9}}}}

====''Beast Wars Reborn''====
[[File:Bwreborn text.jpg|thumb|"Do you have any idea at all why you and I are currently divided into first and second ranks? It’s because there’s a complete wall between us that you’ll never get past."]]

When his brother [[Logos Prime]] plucked the [[spark]]s of [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] out of their home dimension following [[Great Transformation|their deaths]] and brought them into the "Unicron Trilogy" dimension with the intention of choosing one of them to be his successor and the recipient of his power, Vector Prime was forced to intervene. {{storylink|Master of the Game}} Remembering his sibling as a noble being, Vector was horrified to learn that he planned to pass his power to the evil Megatron, and the two did battle on the astral plane. {{storylink|Planetfall (BWR)|Planetfall}}

====''Kiss Players''====
[[File:KPVectorPrime.jpg|left|thumb|"Scary-Faced Gear Man", she calls him.]]
When the human [[Kiss Players (singing group)|Kiss Players]] became scattered across the dimensions after their vessel [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]] collided into the "wall of time" while pursuing a mysterious golden hand through the timestream, [[Shaoshao Li]] found herself in another universe, around [[Aurex 105.08 Alpha|the time of the search]] for the Cyber Planet Keys. Finding herself on the deserted Cybertron, she was set upon by a horde of [[Scrapmetal (race)|Scrapmetal]], but was then saved by Safeguard. He explained what had befallen her, then Vector Prime showed up and used his sword to slash a hole in spacetime itself, from which the golden hand—actually that of Primus himself—emerged to pull Shaoshao through. {{storylink|Kiss Players episode 50|Kiss Players #50}} {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 3}}
{{--}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
====As a multiversal singularity====

[[File:Ask Vector Prime Facebook.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Vector Prime: causing wiki headaches since 2015.]]

At some undetermined point in Vector Prime's life, he took the time to answer a series of questions about himself, other Transformers, and the ''Transformers: Cybertron'' toyline in a recurring feature on Hasbro's official ''Transformers'' website, to be reprised in ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II]]'', ''[[Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac|The Complete AllSpark Almanac]]'', and a [[Fun Publications]]-provided Facebook account, called [[Ask Vector Prime]]. Because of his mastery of time and space, it is impossible to determine when exactly he communicated with our universe, but it may have been during the course of events in the ''Cybertron'' animated series, as he answered questions regarding those events and other characters who he had not met before the series began.

Vector revealed much about himself in these pages, including much new information about his early life. He fondly remembered all his brothers, even knowing how three of them turned into dread monsters, and listened with rapt attention to the [[Liege Maximo]]'s tales of the [[Covenant (group)|Covenant]] and [[Primon]], stories he was not even sure were real or just legends. He and his brothers and sisters spent an extended period of time on Earth in ancient Greece, where the [[holomatter]] avatar he used formed the basis for human legends of {{w|Hermes}}, while Rhisling was likewise interpreted as the {{w|Caduceus}}.

[[File:WatchRoboCard.jpg|188px|thumb|right|Available in the finest vending machines across the country.]]

Following the final falling out between the Primes, after the shattering of the Star Saber, Vector helped hide away the five components that [[Nexus Prime]] had split himself into, then went into hiding in the universe [[Aurex 404.11 Kappa]] and locked away all memories of his trauma. Out of necessity, he took a much simpler form, one that turned into a device similar to a wristwatch. There, he became the Autobot leader and wielded the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. He had a bodyguard, [[Scorpia (G2)|Scorpia]], during his Matrix-bearer days, and the two became [[Transformer romance|close]] despite the difference in rank (and his initial reluctance to act on his feelings for a subordinate). After leading the Autobots to victory in the [[second Cybertronian war (Armada)|second Cybertronian war]] against such foes as [[Devron (Armada)|Devron]], [[Megazarak (Armada)|Megazarak]], and the [[Destructon]]s, he was called on by the [[Chronarchitect]] to help fix damage to Time itself! Reluctantly, he passed the Matrix to [[Guardian Major]].

With a group of fellows, the [[Time Warrior (AVP)|Time Warriors]]—Scorpia, medical officer [[Kaltor]], intelligence officer [[Autoceptor]], and quantum scientist [[Deceptor]]—Vector Prime faced foe and threat innumerable, with some timelines only knowing him as "First Autobot" or, when shortened, "Autobot" as a slur, meaning his watch self has often been mistaken for a person ''called'' Autobot. Eventually the Warriors discovered their true enemy, [[Mogahn the Mass]], an indescribable entity that absorbed entire star systems into itself. In the final battle, Vector found his mind entering the [[Realm of the Primes]] and learning his true identity once more; [[Amalgamous Prime|Adaptus]] gifted him the power to create the mighty sword Rhisling, and he smote Mogahn so hard that his remains went back in time and detonated in [[the Big Bang]]. Now once more aware of his true role in the multiverse, Vector Prime had to say a tearful goodbye to Scorpia. He tries not to remember her and does not like talking about it. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/10 and 2015/07/12}}

In another adventure, the GoBot '''Vec-Tor''' was forced to intervene after the always-mischievous [[Sideways (AVP)|Sideways]] recruited [[Renegade#Gong|Gong]] to destabilize two universes, using the [[Omega Lock]]s far beneath [[Gobotron]]. After warping to a [[Primax]] universe, Vector Prime managed to undo the damage before Unicron could devour Cybertron, allowing history to progress along its proper course. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

Notable other revelations:

*His favorite human authors were [[Peter David]] and [[Alan Dean Foster]], though he seldom had time to read.
*He was a fan of the [[Dinobot (disambiguation)|Dinobot]]s.
*His favorite planet was Cybertron, and his favorite city there was [[Apophenia]].
*He was over nine billion years old, almost as old as the galaxy itself.
*He did not need to shave.
*He used to "boogie down" with [[Disco ball]] when he was younger, but not so much any more. He still enjoyed the symphonies created by the [[Eurythma]] natives. On the other hand, he was not a fan of the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]], since he found their name tasteless.
*He found the [[Viron]] universal cluster to be underrated.
*He was unable to visit the [[Quadwal]] universal cluster.
*He knows which universes have manifested as fiction in Quadwal.
*Despite having traveled far and wide, he could not see why kids loved [[Cinnamon Toast Crunch]].
*He feared the [[Elder God]]s.
*He missed Safeguard, as well as Lori, Bud, and Coby.
*If he had to choose an Earth mode, he would choose a dirigible, though he didn't because he was "not here to blend."
*If he had to choose a beast mode, it would be a large sea mammal.
*He was not a fan of dragons.
*He was definitely not [[Santa Claus]].
*He held several misconceptions about humans, such as how long we could survive decapitation, and whether or not they enjoyed molten boron.
*Though he vehemently dismissed the Decepticon ideology, he did find his species too quick to jump to philosophical extremes, and wished they were more apt to find a middle ground.
*He could view events from elsewhere in the [[Omniverse]], and was impressed by the adventures of [[Ben 10]].
*He cherished his relationship with each of his fellow Thirteen original Primes, though he acknowledged that some of them had gone bad.
*He enjoyed [[Energon Z]] and Stanixian energon wine, but did not care for [[Red Energon]].
*The large glowing hole in his chest was a [[Critias Gate]]way.
*He answered to many names, including [[GoBots|Vec-Tor]], [[Convoy (disambiguation)|Vector Convoy]], Vector Maximus, Vector Maximo, and [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Vector Prima-Vectorum]].
*He was in the process of absorbing the memories and experiences of his [[Vector Prime#Aligned continuity family|Uniend counterpart]], which would eventually alter his physical appearance.
*Since there were constant threats across the multiverse, he had no intentions of retiring anytime soon. If Vector Prime ever got the opportunity to settle down without jeopardizing space or time, however, he would like to become a factory and help build useful things.
*He eventually grew tired of having people ask him about the identities of nameless Transformers, and politely suggested that his audience could ask him more cosmically significant questions.
*In his downtime, he enjoys the art galleries of [[Axiom Nexus]].
*Everyone he ever cares about will grow old and die in what, to him, is just the pulse of a spark. Sometimes, he feels alone even when he's in a crowd.
*He had bravely faced down many threats during his life, but he dreaded the prospect of going up against [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|KSI]]'s legal department.
*He found biological functions confusing, and thus he had no wish to become a [[synthoid]].
*His favorite anime was ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)#Galaxy Force|Galaxy Force]]''. (don't think about this one too hard)
*His favorite character from [[Babylon 5]] was the ambassador {{w|Kosh Naranek|Kosh}}.
*In some universes, Vector is female. She would purchase ''[[Venus (magazine)|Venus]]'' as a guilty pleasure more often than when she is male. She sounds like [[Star Trek|Kate Mulgrew]].
*Though he doesn't have a birthday, per se, he suggests that a celebration could be held on [[September 19]], the day he first arrived on Earth (and, not coincidentally, the day [[Fallen (episode)|the first episode]] of Cybertron aired in the U.S.)
*He doesn't like talking about the various conflicts and tribulations that his species regularly undergo. He'd rather discuss music, art, and the beautiful things that he's seen across the multiverse; he rarely has the opportunity to talk about the nature of his work to someone on an equal level.
*His favourite human movie was ''[[Back to the Future]]'', due to the performance of lead actor {{w|Eric Stoltz}}.
*Among his favorite human television shows are ''[[Doctor Who]]'', ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'', ''[[Sliders]]'', and ''[[Quantum Leap]]''.
*He revealed himself as a [[Point One Percenter]] (after the Shroud).

The answers Vector Prime gave on Facebook were delivered at a time when he was living in [[Axiom Nexus]], and was employed to write an advice column position with [[Axiom Nexus News]] in [[Nexus 208.0 Epsilon]]. {{storylink|Axiom Nexus News Editor|Axiom Nexus News Editor, 2015/05/13}} He was viewed by the TransTech public as a respected if a bit eccentric elder 'bot, but ANN journalist [[Rook (TransTech)|Rook]] (correctly) suspected that Vector Prime was merely putting on an act. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/06/05}}

At one point during his tenure at ANN, he was kidnapped and tortured by [[Sideways (AVP)|Sideways]]. While Vector Prime was indisposed, Sideways took over his inventory of unanswered questions, and offered decidedly unhelpful answers. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Ask Sideways|Ask Sideways, 2015/06/27}} He was able to escape the clutches of Sideways when a [[David Willis|particularly infuriating question]] caused the head of the Herald of Unicron to suddenly explode. However, [[Rook (Armada)|Rook]] was part of the [[Axiom Nexus Security Administration|OZSA]] team sent to rescue Vector Prime, and the Mini-Con initiated a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] sequence with Sideways, allowing the Herald of Unicron to escape capture via a [[Dimensional Interfacer]]. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/07/08}}

After a few decades of recovery in other universes, Vector Prime resumed his advice columnist position in Axiom Nexus but, after [[Nexus Prime]] summoned him {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/30}}, the column fell into the hands of [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|a Grimlock]]. After being falsely told that Vector Prime lied about Dinobots and said they looked like jerks, Grimlock snarled "him look like jerks!" and, in a burst of wit, said Vector was ''old''. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Grim Grams|Grim Grams, 2015/10/03}} When [[Cy-Kill (GoBots)|Cy-Kill]] took over the column, he was dismayed to note that he was filling in for a "filthy Guardian do-gooding dunce" and refused to answer any questions about Vec-Tor. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Renegade Rhetoric|Renegade Rhetoric (1), 2015/10/18}}

====As a TransTech====
{{voiceactor|[[Richard Newman]] ("Special Guest")}}

Vector Prime returned to Axiom Nexus soon after "the [[Shroud]]" had cut it off from every other universe. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|ANN live coverage, 2015/10/29}} Little did anyone in the city know, this "Shroud" was the product of Nexus Prime's unification of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] and [[Terminus Blade]], and the Vector who returned was not truly the same being as the one who had left: per the results of Nexus Prime's actions, the Vector who resumed his duties as host of the column was no longer a multiversal singularity, but a single incarnation of the many that now existed throughout the multiverse. This was a TransTech Vector Prime, native to Axiom Nexus, a "mere" 25 million years old, with a unique history of his own as a professor at the [[Academy of Science and Technology]] who had been the teacher of [[Rhinox (TransTech)|the local Rhinox]], and who had come up with the theoretical foundation of the [[universal stream]] classification system. Accordingly, he was left with only unclear memories of exactly had happened, much like a dream, and was no longer aware of his original nature: he believed his exploits as one of the Thirteen had happened to the (possibly newly created) other Vector Primes.

[[Image:AVP Vector and Scorpia do Nebulos.jpg|thumb|300px|right|That's Vector's holomatter disguise in the centre, but we get the feeling he'll change it a few times.]]

Briefly leaving his column in the hands of [[Spacewarp]] while he responded to a summons from the city's Ministry of Higher Dimensional Sciences, Vector Prime's experience with multiversal travel led to him taking part in an Axiom Nexus scheme to try to establish contact with one of the nine fundamental realities: specifically, [[Primax 984.0 Gamma]], requiring him to be stationed on [[Nebulos]] as a factory manufacturing [[hoverboard]]s, binary bonded to a local codenamed [[Safeguard (TransTech)|Safeguard]] and with a bodyguard known as [[Scorpia (TransTech)|Scorpia]]. He hoped he'd got on well with them!

In the interim, he endeavoured to answer questions and among his answers:

*He has 'dreams' of the exploits of other Vector Primes and believes this is down to an unusual physiology of his. While he has a vague sense of having been greater once, these memories "are but oneiric wisps, gossamer threads that vanish when I touch them."

*He's ''dramatically'' less interested in questions about who came from what universal stream. Stop wasting his time, nerds!

*He has visited a few other realities as a scholar. It was Rhinox that challenged him into getting out into the field.

*The students he remembers the most fondly after Rhinox are [[Perceptor (TransTech)|Perceptor]], [[Apelinq (TransTech)|Apelinq]], [[Proxima (TransTech)|Proxima]], and [[Brainstorm (TransTech)|Brainstorm]], who all did great things in their respective fields. [[Shockwave (TransTech)|Shockwave]], on the other hand, often challenged him to excel but they did not go on, each believing the other had deep problems. [[Deluge (TransTech)|Deluge]] and [[Herr Fiend]] were frustrating as neither seemed likely to do nice things with their skills.

Not long into his voyage on [[Galaxy Shuttle]], he started to develop tentative feelings for Scorpia. Unfortunately, his trip was interrupted by an abduction. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/11/19}} [[Spacewarp]] came to his aid on behalf of the wounded Galaxy Shuttle. {{storylink|Transformers: Spacewarp's Log|Spacewarp's Log (2), 2015/11/21 and 2015/11/22}} During the long, meandering journey, he fell in love with Scorpia and they became [[Conjunx Endura]]. He eventually arrived safely at Nebulos. He looked forward to exploring its wonders with his new guide and binary bonded Target/Powermaster, Safeguard. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2016/02/14 and 2016/02/15}}

===''Animated'' cartoon continuity===
When the battle between [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] caused the [[AllSpark]] to discharge an energy flare, this massive surge of cosmic power caught Vector Prime's attention. Peering through the dimensions, he observed the growing conflict between these Autobots and Decepticons and recorded his thoughts in a journal. {{storylink|Dispatches}} {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|The AllSpark Almanac}} When he manifests in this dimension, Vector is known by the grandiose name of "Vector Prima-Vectorum".<ref>Originally an idea of [[Derrick J. Wyatt]]'s that never made it into any official media; later referenced in [[Ask Vector Prime]] (2015/06/24)</ref>

===''Revenge of the Fallen'' film===
After the Fallen was caught trying to harvest a [[Sun|star]] from a system with life, he turned on the other Primes and made war on them. In order to prevent the Fallen from harvesting the star, the remaining Primes (including Vector Prime) hid the [[Matrix of Leadership|key to the harvester]] inside a tomb made of their own bodies and sealed it with their own life essence. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
{{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

[[File:ROTF-sixprimes.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|I was the handsome one.]]

{{note|Vector Prime was among the [[Dynasty of Primes]], though it was unclear which exact Prime he was. However, since he simply claims that he was the "handsome one", this may have all been a joke. If not, Vector Prime's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novel "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]."}}

===Generation 1 continuity family===
====''Alternity''====
Vector Prime was contacted by his fellow defenders of space and time, the hyper-evolved Autobots known as the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]], when they were facing their final hours. At the Alternity's behest, Vector Prime communicated with a race of two-dimensional beings called [[Planicron]]s who were under threat from [[Megatron (G1)#Alternity|Megatron]], and discovered that they were attempting to evolve beyond their two-dimensional existence. To do so, they had to pass through a doorway that took the form of a diagram somewhere on the Earth of [[universal stream]] [[Story of Binaltech|Primax 903.0 Beta]]. A team consisting of [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], [[Arcee (Energon)|Elita Seven]], and [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|Nemesis Prime]] successfully located the diagram, and Vector Prime proceeded to lead the Planicrons through it, successfully evolving them into higher-dimensional lifeforms that took the Alternity's place as defenders of reality. {{storylink|Alternation}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|''Transformers vol. 2'' #47]] (mentioned); [[Heavy|''Transformers: Till All Are One'' #9]] (obscured image); [[Origin Myths|''Optimus Prime'' #10]] (full appearance)

Vector Prime was one of the Thirteen Primes, who led the [[Thirteen Tribes]] of Cybertron that formed after the [[Knights of Cybertron]] left the planet. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} He joined his tribe with those of [[Solus Prime]], [[Alchemist Prime]], [[Nexus Prime]], and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], the quintet commissioning the construction of [[Crystal City]], on the site where [[Primus]] had supposedly delivered his [[Prime Pastoral]], as a way of honoring their creator.

After [[Septimus Prime]] perished, Vector ran to his fellow Primes to inform them of the development that the [[The Fallen|killer]] had conquered Septimus's lands and was on the warpath. There was a mixed reception to this news. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} In the era that followed, Vector would come to command the loyalty of the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Tempo]]. {{storylink|Ceremony}}

The death of [[Nexus Prime]] at the hands of [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] prompted all the remaining Primes, except [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], to flee Cybertron. Eons later, [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] would send one of his [[Regenesis]] ores, [[Ore-1]], to [[LV-117]], a planet associated with Vector. {{storylink|The Crucible}} {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} {{storylink|Ceremony}}

In the modern day, Vector Prime's name was remembered in the [[Way of Flame]], the religion of [[Solus Prime]]'s colony [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]]. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

====''Beast Wars: Uprising''====
In the 34th century CE, '''Vector Convoy''' was one of the [[Convoy Council]]. He usually abstained from voting the same as his peers. When the stolen ship ''[[Terrastar (BWU)|Terrastar]]'' left the Milky Way Galaxy, in violation of the Council's decree, Vector took part in the vote to send [[Astral Knight (BWU)|Astral Knight]] and his crew after them. Surprisingly, he agreed, though Astral noted it was with "infinite sadness". {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

====''Prime Wars Trilogy'' marketing material====
Vector Prime's [[Spark]] passed into the possession of one of the twelve [[Prime Master]]s; hidden within a suit of decoy armor, they safeguarded the abilities of the Primes until the present day. By uniting with a larger Transformer, the Prime Master could channel the powers of Vector Prime's Spark and grant them unique abilities that varied with each new partner. {{storylink|#Generations|''Power of the Primes'' Metalhawk / Vector Prime online bio}}

{{note|For a list of every permutation of Vector Prime's abilities, see [[Prime Master/Combinations|this link]].}}

====2019 IDW continuity====
Vector Prime was one of the Thirteen. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Sea of Rust I|Sea of Rust I}}

===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
[[File:VectorPrime-CovenantOfPrimus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|"The only mystery worth solving here is how this thing passed its MOT."]]
Stern, serious, Vector Prime considered himself a force of order and balance in the universe, a mere extension of his creator [[Primus]]. His powers over time and space allowed him to create and prevent temporal paradoxes to suit his needs, and even distort reality as he saw fit. His personal artifact of power was the [[Blades of Time]], which he could use to travel through other dimensions. He also had [[Badge of Vector Prime|a badge]], seemingly for decoration.

The second of the Thirteen Primes to be created, Vector was a warrior Prime, joining Prima, Onyx, Amalgamous and Megatronus in the groupings among the Thirteen. After [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus]] had caused [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]] to fall into stasis, Vector Prime created a time loop around the inert form of the Chaos Bringer ensuring he would never awaken. Like the others however, Vector Prime was tainted by a touch of Unicron's darkness, which would mark the downfall of the Thirteen.

In the aftermath, Vector joined with Prima and [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] to create rules and order for a new community and the upcoming birth of the Cybertronian species, though their rules were found restrictive by the other Primes. Along with Trion and Prima, Vector was greatly confused by the romance between Solus and Megatronus. Despite this however, Vector commissioned a new mandala from Solus.

The end of the Thirteen came after [[Prima]] discovered that Megatronus, [[Quintus Prime]], and [[Liege Maximo]] had worked on a secret "farm" of robotic creatures, which Alchemist found troubling. Suspecting a sinister motive, Prima forced the rest of the Thirteen into a vote on the matter, and Vector voted against letting the project continue. Furious with the results of the debate, Megatronus inadvertently killed Solus in a dispute that [[Liege Maximo]] had orchestrated. Drawn by the commotion, the rest of the Thirteen arrived in time to see Solus's body return to the [[Core]], its passage creating the [[Well of All Sparks]].

Even after Megatronus offered his side of the story, accusations began to fly. The investigation degenerated into a free-for-all brawl between the remaining twelve siblings, which ended with Maximo getting killed by the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]] through uncertain means.

The survivors buried Liege Maximo's remains in a chasm and held a memorial to Solus Prime in deep space. Hoping to put their ugly past behind them, the Primes then turned their attention to Cybertron and their plans for the future. They decided to use [[Onyx Prime]]'s [[Triptych Mask]] to create a new race of robotic beings, as Primus had created them, with Onyx, Micronus, and Optimus travelling into the Well resulting in the creation of a new wave of Cybertronian creatures which the surviving Primes oversaw. Vector Prime's faith in his siblings however had long since been shattered and he quietly retreated to [[Realm of the Primes|another dimension]] when no one was looking.

One way or another his badge wound up in [[Vector Sigma]]'s possession. Millenia later, Alpha Trion would gift it to Sentinel Prime. Millenia after that, Optimus reassembled the Blades of Time.
{{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}
{{-}}

====Aligned novels====
In the past, the once idealistic Vector Prime held the Thirteen together with his idealism, but despaired as his fellow Primes fell to fighting and backstabbing. He could understand a moment of anger that caused [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] to lash out and kill [[Solus Prime]], but when he discovered [[Liege Maximo]] actively scheming against his brothers, he could tolerate no more, and created a miniature pocket dimension for himself. This could only be accessed through the [[Blades of Time]], which were scattered across the [[Cybertronian colonies]] and guarded by [[Nexus Prime]]'s fractured selves. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

When he defeated [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Sentinel Prime]] in combat, [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] noticed he wore the sigil of the noble myth of Vector Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

After discovering and assembling the Blades of Time, Optimus stepped through into Vector Prime's pocket dimension. Vector Prime had been expecting him, and called Optimus "Prime". He agreed to aid the [[Autobot]]s, and seemed surprised that Alpha Trion was still alive. He wondered how many of the Thirteen were still around. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
[[File:OneShallRise1-VectorPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]

According to legend, at the beginning of time, [[Unicron]] and [[Primus]] battled each other for eons, with neither side remaining victorious for long. Till, that is, Primus created the [[Thirteen]]. These Thirteen defeated Unicron and cast him into space. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}}

At some point, statues of Vector Prime and his brothers were made. They were placed in the chamber of the High Council. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
The [[Uniend]] incarnation of Vector Prime was initially not part of the "multiversal singularity" Vector, as the Uniend Cluster was separated from the rest of the multiverse by a quantum membrane. When this membrane was punctured by the [[Dark Spark]], Uniend Vector began to be absorbed into the wavestructure of the living quantum event that was the singularity incarnation. As this process carried itself out, the singularity Vector began to experience and absorb the memories of the Uniend Vector, recalling how he had convinced [[Ironfletch]] to join the Autobot cause, and briefly worked alongside [[Rampart Punch]] and [[Avatar Brave]]. In particular, he expressed a fondness for his Uniend equivalent's [[Facial hair|beard]], and wondered if he would adopt it into his own facial structure. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

====2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Troy Baker]] (English), [[Yasuhiro Kikuchi]] (Japanese)|[[Xavier Percy]] (French), [[Glauco Marques]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}
[[File:BattlegroundsPt1 vector prime.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|He knows about Setsuna Meiou being demoted to a dwarf planet.]]
When the evil of [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] threatened to return, endangering both Earth and Cybertron, [[Micronus Prime]] brought [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] before Vector and the other four Primes who dwelled within the [[Realm of the Primes]]. Speaking for the group, Vector announced that they could sense Optimus had not yet completed the necessary preparations that would allow him to safely receive a portion of power from each of the assembled Primes so that he could effectively combat Megatronus, but an impassioned speech from Optimus convinced them to go through with the power transfer. {{storylink|Battlegrounds, Part 1}}

{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online comic===
[[File:KreO vectorprime.jpg|right|thumb|upright=.75]]
In [[Fornax 813.0 Gamma|a universe]] built out of blocks, Vector Prime witnessed a Decepticon attack on [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Two Giant Bases! Everybody Getting Along, Come On, Fight!}}
{{-}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
Vector Prime was one of the [[Thirteen]]. {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}} {{storylink|Silent Strike}} {{storylink|The Other One}}

===''One'' film===
{{spoiler|Transformers One (film)|October 20, 2024}}
[[File:One-Vector-Prime.jpg|thumb|Hey 2000s kids! It's me! I'm back.....just to be killed off in a brief flashback for shock value...]]
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Transformers One (film)|Transformers One}}}}

==Games==
===Transformers Power Up: The Game===
{{Note|Vector Prime is one of four Transformers that can be built over the course of the game.}}
{{storylink|Transformers Power Up: The Game}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
When [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] and [[C.L. (G1)|C.L.]] were approached by Decepticons, Vector Prime stopped time and stepped in to have a talk with the two bots. Vector told the Autobots to forgive him as it was was necessary to create a localized temporal front to facilitate his egress into the time stream. Vector would prefer to limit his interactions in the linear flow of events but he couldn't stand by as [[Nova Prime]] destroyed all timelines in the multiverse.
{{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Mayhem: Enemy of my Enemy}}
{{Charstubgames}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===''Generation 2''===
[[File:G2AutobotGenerations.jpg|100px|thumb|Sadly not featured in a hilarious rap-filled commercial.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a2|'''Autobot''' (Watch, 1993)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Watchband
{{toydesigner|[[Takashi Matsuda]] (TakaraTomy)}}
{{note|This toy was [[Repurposing|repurposed]] into an older form of Vector Prime via an entry of [[Ask Vector Prime]].}}

: [[Autobot (G2)|Autobot]] originated in the [[1983]] ''[[Microman]]'' ''[[Micro Change]]'' line as MC-06 Watch Robo, where he was available in four different colors. In [[1993]], he was released directly by [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] in North America as part of ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'', alongside [[Scorpia (G2)|Scorpia]] and the wristwatches of [[Superion (G1)|Superion]], [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]].

: He transforms from a boxy silver chrome robot to a boxy functional digital watch that attaches to a plastic wristband.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1993/Autobot/Autobot/autobot.htm More information on Autobot at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Cybertron''===
[[File:Cybertrontoy hasbro and takara vector primes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|The [[Last Autobot]]'s beiger cousin. (Hasbro Vector Prime at left, Takara release on the right, and their respective Cyber Keys from top to bottom at center.)]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Vector Prime''' (Voyager, 2004/2005)}}</ul>
:*''Takara ID number'': '''GC-03'''
:*''Takara release date'': [[December 28]], 2004
:*''Accessories'': [[Rhisling|Sword]], missile, [[Zeonomicon|Cyber Key]]
:*''Cyber Key Code'': '''v38g'''
{{toydesigner|[[Aaron Archer]] and [[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro), [[Takashi Kunihiro]] (TakaraTomy)|[[Hirofumi Ichikawa]] (detailing)}}

: Part of the first wave of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]/[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)#Takara Galaxy Force toyline|Galaxy Force]]'' toys, Vector Prime transforms into a large Cybertronic space cruiser with "solar panel" wings and a ''ton'' of clockwork/filigree detailing. His nosecone has a spring-loaded missile launcher at the tip, and an indented area over his cockpit for his pack-in Mini-Con partner [[Safeguard (Cybertron)#Toys|Safeguard]] to attach in jet/cannon mode. The nosecone ''also'' holds his [[Rhisling|sword]], the guard sticking out of the side to form a small stabilizer fin (with an immobile matching fin on the other side). In robot mode, raising his right arm triggers electronic laser sounds; inserting his unique [[Cyber Key]] into his <s>fly</s> abdomen in either mode activates a vague electronic charging sound, and replaces his arm-activated laser sounds with those of a clashing sword.

: First made available in Japan by [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] several months ahead of [[Hasbro]]'s release, ''Galaxy Force'' Vector Prime has some significant differences between these two separate releases. Where Hasbro's release features a high-contrast color scheme of stark white and rich chocolate-brown plastics, Takara's uses a softer metallic-tinged grey and burgundy. [[For safety reasons]], Hasbro uses a softer, bendable translucent plastic for Vector Prime's wings and sword, where Takara was able to cast these parts in firmer materials. Finally, there are numerous [[paint operation]] differences between the two: Takara's version features a burgundy trim that runs all around the figure's wings, extra red circles on his shoulders, silver paint on the thigh vents, and several additional gold details on his forearm guards, helmet crest, and the sides of his legs, while Hasbro's does away with these and adds instead a larger gold application around his midriff and Cyber Key slot, and an Autobot [[insignia]] on his vehicle-mode cockpit. Hasbro's Cyber Key is entirely unpainted translucent blue with a [[Cyber Key Codes|Cyber Key Code]] printed on the back, Takara's features a generous metallic silver paint coating and no code.

: Unhelpfully, [[:File:VectorPrime toy.jpg|stock photos of Vector Prime]] depicted a conglomerated version of the figure with Hasbro's white plastic, Takara's burgundy, and all the different paint applications from both versions.

: The Korean [[Mocom Toy]] version of Takara Vector Prime replaces the silver paint of his Cyber Planet Key with a light gray.

: This mold was also used to create [[BotCon 2007]] [[Alpha Trion (SG)#Toys|Alpha Trion]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Autobot/VectorPrime/vectorprime.htm More information on Vector Prime at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|VsStarscream}}
[[File:Cybertrontoy vprime vs sscream.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1d1|'''Starscream vs. Vector Prime''' (Multi-pack, 2005)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': [[Rhisling|Sword]], missile, [[Zeonomicon|Cyber Key]]
:*''Cyber Key Code'': '''v38g'''

: The Vector Prime in this [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] set is identical to the regular-retail version. He comes with a unique version of [[Starscream (Armada)/toys#VsVector|Starscream]], a Voyager-class mold that was otherwise not available at normal US retail, and in an entirely new deco to boot.

{{-}}{{anchor|LOC}}
[[File:Cyb-toy VectorPrime LOC.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|And I'm his poorer cousin who can't afford paint.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Vector Prime''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2006)}}</ul>

: As part of the ''[[Legends Class (2005)|Legends of Cybertron]]'' line, Vector Prime is a miniature, heavily-simplified version of the Voyager-class toy, yet retaining much of the sculpted detailing. He was part of the third wave of product, the first wave to be sold outside of "[[market six]]" stores and in "big box" chains like Toys 'R' Us and Kmart.

: Some stock photos of this figure, including the ones on the back of its packaging,<ref name="locvprime">[http://www.shmax.com/product_details/271/vector_prime Legends of Cybertron Vector Prime's packaging] at Shmax.com</ref> depict Vector Prime with functional elbows. Evidently, a [[design change]] was implemented at some point; on the final release, the arms are cast as one piece, with ''fake elbow joints'' as moulded detail. OK then.

: This mold was [[redeco]]ed into ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Scattershot (G1)#Universe (2008)|Scattershot]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Autobot/LOCVectorPrime/vectorprime.htm More information on ''Legends of Cybertron'' Vector Prime at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|CGFVectorPrime}}
[[File:Cyb GFVectorPrime toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Safeguard pimps his ride. Fo sho.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Galaxy Force Vector Prime''' (Voyager, 2006)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Sword, missile, Cyber Key
:*''Cyber Key Code'': '''vz74'''
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro)}}

: Not to be confused with the ''Galaxy Force'' release of Vector Prime, Hasbro's "Galaxy Force Vector Prime" is a matte gold & clear-orange [[redeco]] of Vector Prime released in the eighth and final wave of ''Cybertron'' Voyagers, the only new toy in that assortment. The packaging photography shows the [[prototype]] as considerably more blinged out than the rather yellowish matte gold plastic actually used for the production run. He retains all of his normal gimmickry from the original release.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Autobot/GFVectorPrime/vectorprime.htm More information on Galaxy Force Vector Prime at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Universe'' (2008)===
[[File:Universe2008 VectorPrime.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Last Autobot [[homage]]: Denied!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Vector Prime with Mini-Con Safeguard!''' (Voyager, 2009)}}</ul>
:*''Series'': Cybertron Series
:*''Accessories:'' Sword, missile, Cyber Key
{{toydesigner|[[Andrew Scribner]] (deco artist)}}

: Vector Prime was re-released in the fourth wave of the [[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|2008 ''Universe'' series]] Voyagers, redecoed in black, brown, and blue. Notably, this is the first Hasbro iteration of the figure to have painted wings like the Takara Galaxy Force version, as well as being the only version with a painted sword blade. Like [[BotCon]] exclusive [[Alpha Trion (SG)#Toys|Alpha Trion]], sadly, he has been gutted of his electronic features, rendering the Cyber Key pointless; though the battery compartment can be opened.

:This toy was shipped in extremely low quantities, and as a result was a very rare sight at U.S. retail stores.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/TFUVectorPrime/vectorprime.htm More information on ''Universe'' Vector Prime at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Power of the Primes''===
[[File:TF-POTP-Prime-Master-Vector-Prime-with-Metalhawk.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Vector Prime''' (Prime Master, [[2017]])}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''PP-03'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[May 25]], [[2018]]
:*''Accessories'': [[Metalhawk (G1)#Power of the Primes|Metalhawk]] decoy armor, cannon
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)}}

:''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' Vector Prime is a [[Prime Master]] with [[Metalhawk (G1)#Toys|Metalhawk]] "decoy armor", visually based on the original [[Pretender]]'s inner robot and shell.

: This toy has identical features to the other Prime Masters in the line. The decoy armor has a weapon piece which can fold out to create a weapon mode, or detach and be held in the armor's 3 mm-compatible hand. The [[Titan Master]]-like robot can store inside the decoy armor or ride [[Size class|Legends Class]] figures in vehicle mode, and is fully compatible with toys from the previous ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' line. The "Power Swap" gimmick means its [[spark]] form can plug onto any decoy armor's weapon form (which has a [[5 mm post]] to be held by larger figures), Deluxe Class figures' chest armor, Voyager Class figures' bucklers, Leader Class figures' [[Matrix of Leadership/toys#Power of the Primes|Matrix]] (in place of their Matrix core), [[combiner]]s' torsos (in place of their [[Enigma of Combination]]), or the [[Scepter of Sparks]]. With the power of [[you]]r imagination, this bestows the Prime Master's [[Prime Master/Combinations|unique power]] on the larger figure.

: Unlike every other Titan Master/Prime Master, Vector Prime and his fellow first wave Prime Masters feature backpacks/symbols secured by pins instead of screws.

: Though designated for a first quarter 2018 release, Vector Prime/Metalhawk's wave reached U.S. store shelves in November 2017.

:Vector Prime/Metalhawk was retooled with a new [[Prime Master]] sigil and decoy armor front as [[Alpha Trion (G1)#Power of the Primes|Alpha Trion]]/[[Landmine (G1)#Power of the Primes|Landmine]], and again replacing the entire gray sprue with new parts for [[Quintus Prime#Power of the Primes|Quintus Prime]]/[[Bludgeon (G1)#Power of the Primes|Bludgeon]]. Vector Prime alone was given a different replacement sprue for the [[Thirteenth Prime#Power of the Primes|Thirteenth Prime]].
{{-}}

===''Legacy''===
[[File:TF-Legacy-United-Voyager-Vector-Prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Retooled with direction ''and'' magnitude.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Cybertron Universe Vector Prime''' (Voyager, [[2024]])}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy Release Date:'' [[December 28]], [[2024]]
:*''TakaraTomy ID Number:'' '''TL-80'''
:*''Accessories'': "[[Rhisling#Legacy|Rhisling]]" sword, [[Zeonomicon#Legacy|Cyber Key]]
{{toydesigner|[[Mark Maher]] (Hasbro), [[Yūya Ōnishi]] (TakaraTomy)}}<ref>[[April 25]], [[2024]]'s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s06YE02e844 Hasbro Pulse Transformers Fanstream | April 2024] on YouTube, with [[Ben MacCrae]], [[Mark Maher]] and [[Evan Brooks]].</ref>

: Part of the third wave of ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy United]]'' Voyagers, Vector Prime is a partial [[retool]]ing of [[Jhiaxus (G2)#Legacy|G2 Universe Jhiaxus]], retaining the legs, arms and part of the chest. While teased at Hasbro's [[WonderCon 2024 fan media event|WonderCon]] panel with his ''[[Binder of Revelation]]'' appearance, the toy itself is based on his ''Cybertron'' design. He transforms into a chunkier take on his original spaceship alt-mode.

: He comes with his [[Rhisling#Legacy|Rhisling sword]] and his personal [[Zeonomicon#Legacy|clockwork-style Cyber Key]]. Like most ''Cybertron''-derived ''Legacy'' figures with Keys, it is only there as a callback to its functionality on the original toy, not activating any gimmicks. The key is inserted in a different location than as before, as it doesn't plug into his waist like his original toy, instead attaching to his chest (presumably to not block his new waist articulation). His wing panels can also be taken off their pegs fairly easily, if one wants to make use of the [[Powerlinx]] posts on them to equip him with shields.

: Like with most characters partnered with Mini-Cons, [[Safeguard (Cybertron)#Toys|Safeguard]] is omitted from this release, though Vector Prime’s jet mode has a port for the original to plug into and rest.

: Vector Prime was revealed on the [[April 25]] fanstream, with pre-orders going up later that same day.

::*''[https://www.instagram.com/p/C6TodbUuVLy/ Designer commentary on ''Legacy'' Vector Prime from Mark Maher on Instagram'']''
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===''Attacktix''===
[[File:Attacktix VectorPrime.jpg||thumb|upright=1.1|Go ahead. Ask me again about how well I blend.]]
*'''Vector Prime''' (Booster, 2006)
{{attacktix
|ID=TF11
|faction=Autobot
|class=Leader
|special=Vengeance—2525 (77%) success ratio
|cost=40
|speed=4
|attacktype=Shooter (Energy Blast)
}}
:Part of the first assortment of ''[[Attacktix]]'' Transformers-series Booster packs, Vector Prime is one of the less stable shooters of his size. He has three points of articulation (shoulders and waist) which you can use to put him in a more stable stance than his default, though it doesn't look very comfortable.

:Vector Prime appears to have been created as the counterpart to the powerful Decepticon [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] figure. His Special Power is the antithesis of Scorponok's, allowing you to instantly remove up to two of your opponent's in-play [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticons]]. Who knew Vector Prime hated Terrorcons so much?

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Autobot/AttacktixVectorPrime/vectorprime.htm More information on ''Attacktix'' Vector Prime at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===Jollibee===
{{anchor|Jollibee}}
[[File:JollibeeCybVector.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|The Guardian of Shakes and Fries]]
*'''Vector Prime''' (Jollibee Kids Meal, 2007)
**''Accessories'': Cup topper stand

:Released under the "Robot Blasters" promotion from [[Jollibee]], Vector Prime is a simplified rendition of the [[Vector Prime#LOC|Legends of Cybertron]] figure, missing several joints and shaving off a few transformation steps in the process. Like all four pieces in this set, Vector includes a stand with his name and faction symbol sculpted on one side and the ''Cybertron'' logo on the other. This stand can also be used to cover up a regular-sized cup from a fast food joint.

{{--}}

==Notes==
===General===
[[File:VectorPrimeGoldCG.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Vector Prime goes Super Saiyan.]]
* Like other members of the Thirteen, Vector Prime was once established as a [[multiversal singularity]], existing as one being across all of time and space, but that is [[Shroud|no longer the case]].
* The original concept for Vector Prime was for him to be a character who could cut through spacetime to summon different characters from across the multiverse.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Multiverse travel was really what he was created for, he was initially created as a character that could cut through the Multiverse with his sword and potentially bring characters from different versions of the franchise together. Now that changed a little bit in the execution of ''Cybertron'' and how that finished up, but initially he would have been a character that would have helped the Autobots, or guided somehow them getting to the different places, and meeting up with different versions of different characters that maybe they would have brought forward.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQLQ4VzuCGA&t=281s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=Toy Armada Friday night LIVE: Creating characters and lore|year=2023|month=05|day=26}}</ref> In keeping with the idea of him being a much older Transformer than had ever been seen before, his design drew heavily from Egyptian imagery and {{w|Swiss made}} watches.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=One of my favorite character designs. He was created for Cybertron animation and incorporated into the TF aligned continuity project. Heavily based on Egyptian influences as well as swiss watches, we wanted his age to show in his design that he came from an much older time than #Optimus and the gang. I altered his head colors to create a more uniform look.|link=https://www.instagram.com/p/CEuFhNtA5bn/|name=Aaron Archer|site=Instagram|year=2020|month=09|day=04}}</ref> He was originally going to have two swords (as seen in the image to the right), representing the hands of a {{w|clock face}}.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=So his initial concept was that he was somehow going to be the controller of [...] time and space. That is why he was designed with clocklike gears and mechanism, 'cause he's a time machine, and the two swords that he was supposed to have represent like, a clock arm—the two clock arms—and that he would cut through, you know, the reality of time and space around him, to enter into other Transformer realities. So that was the original, like, ''need'' for the character. As we thought about that, that seemed pretty epic, that seemed like a skill set that no other Transformer seems to have—so are we going too far, right? You gotta be fair. And that's when it was like, "well what if this guy is even bigger than Autobot/Decepticon? What if he's one of the Thirteen? Then we can get away with a god power.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlVUQbW01Ys&t=938s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=17 - Transformers Created To SELL A STORY | Vector Prime & Thundertron|year=2024|month=06|day=14}}</ref>
** During pre-production of the ''Cybertron'' franchise, [[Don Figueroa]] iterated on early concept art for Vector Prime. [http://www.unicron.us/tf2007/figueroa/DonceptVector-b.jpg Figueroa's design] depicted the character as much older and with a noticeable hunch, and ultimately went unused in favor of his final design.
** The vaguely pharaonic head of one of the earliest known sketches of Vector Prime had a resemblance to {{w|Giant Robo (OVA)|Giant Robo}}, but [[Aaron Archer]] had no idea what Giant Robo was when questioned about it—although, to be fair, the sketch was not one Archer had done himself.<ref>http://tfu.info/issue12/aaronsdesk.htm Stuff From Aaron's Desk, Day 22</ref>
** His final head design was largely based on the [[Autobot]] insignia.<ref>[[Hasbro]] panel at [[BotCon 2006]]</ref> During development, a few possibilities were explored to give him a much more slavish version of the insignia for a face, such as a flip-down<ref>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/naladahc/256973979/in/set-72157594305640507/ BotCon - Friday - Vector Prime's original head]</ref> or opening<ref>{{citesocial|quote=His head has a bit of an Egyptian vibe to it. It was the Autobot logo at one point, and that was just a little too on-the-nose for Hasbro, you know, we didn't want to define that [...] logo on a character forever. [...] And then the face was going to open up, like it was a shield kind of thing.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlVUQbW01Ys&t=1081s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=17 - Transformers Created To SELL A STORY | Vector Prime & Thundertron|year=2024|month=06|day=14}}</ref> battle mask.
* Vector Prime's spaceship mode was based directly on the [[Sith Infiltrator]],<ref>{{citesocial|quote=The Sith Infiltrator was obviously part of the visual of the alt-mode.
|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlVUQbW01Ys&t=1138s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=17 - Transformers Created To SELL A STORY | Vector Prime & Thundertron|year=2024|month=06|day=14}}</ref> and needed to undergo revisions by [[Eric Siebenaler]] to reduce the resemblance for the final product.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=I know I did an image board with Swiss watches and this that and the other, Chris took that to a level, Don was working on the heads a little bit more, Eric was working on the spaceship after we got the first version back—we needed some refinement to get it away from the Sith Infiltrator vibe, and so that's when Eric did some overlays on the vehicle—so this is toy design, and this is classic character design when you have a big corporation: a lot of people are going to touch them.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlVUQbW01Ys&t=1953s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=17 - Transformers Created To SELL A STORY | Vector Prime & Thundertron|year=2024|month=06|day=14}}</ref> Aaron Archer feels that Vector Prime's vehicle mode was a little undercooked, in comparison to the robot mode.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=I wish we worked on the vehicle mode as much as we did the bot....|link=https://www.instagram.com/p/CEuFhNtA5bn/c/17860106990087566/r/17913964018469268/|name=Aaron Archer|site=Instagram|year=2020|month=09|day=04}}</ref>
* The "Galaxy Force Vector Prime" color scheme appears to have been inspired by a [[GONZO]] CGI color mock-up done before Vector Prime's final coloration was decided. A Hasbro design chart showing this and other concepts was first seen at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2005, and was present at [[BotCon 2005]] later that same year. The image also made an appearance during a slideshow at one of Hasbro's [[BotCon 2006]] presentations, and in Galaxy Force Vector Prime's unlockable online Cyber Key content.
** Aaron Archer's personal [[Authorial intent|headcanon]] regarding Vector Prime's color scheme was that he originally had a [[Vacuum metallizing|shiny]] gold finish—as seen in this concept art and in ''[[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus]]''—but that the chrome flaked away over the years.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=In my headcanon, he was shimmery shiny gold at some point—like you see in the ''Covenant'' book, he is gold in that book—and his VM has worn off over the millenniums, you know? tAnd that's why he's white and brown now, because the the chrome has flaked off of him! [*Laughs*]|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlVUQbW01Ys&t=2301s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=17 - Transformers Created To SELL A STORY | Vector Prime & Thundertron|year=2024|month=06|day=14}}</ref>
* "Vector Prime" was the originally proposed name for [[Sentinel Maximus]], going so far as to be printed on Sentinel Maximus's shipping cases.
* The released version of the Vector Prime ''Attacktix'' figure featured the Takara coloration of the ''Cybertron'' toy, gray with a metallic burgundy. [[:File:WhiteVectorPrimeAttacktix.jpg|A more Hasbro-release-like white-and-brown redeco]] was seen through various avenues, such as Toy Fair 2006 and Hasbro publicity photos, but ultimately never came out at retail.
* Vector Prime is [[Aaron Archer]]'s favorite character he's created.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=mine too|link=https://www.instagram.com/p/Bubcs5Kn9dr/c/17978356441205690/r/17907536086292250/|name=Aaron Archer|site=Instagram|year=2019|month=05|day=03}}</ref>

===''Generation 2'' "Autobot" watch toy===
[[File:RobotTimeMachineSixModes.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Robot Time Machine in watch, "battle station", "galactic shuttle", "cosmic tank", "solar creature", and robot forms. No, this time we're not joking.]]
* After being released in ''Micro Change'', Autobot was sold by Takara in a line called ''Watch Q'' in 1984. The watches who would become [[Kaltor]] and [[Scorpia (G2)|Scorpia]] were also sold in ''Watch Q'', as were a bunch of other transforming watches who were never sold as Transformers. Autobot was also sold as part of Takara's North American ''[[Kronoform]]'' line, where he was called "Robot Time Machine" and had the unique honor of appearing in a television commercial that advertised him as being, at the least, a [[Six Changer]] (albeit a highly unconvincing one).
* He has the distinction of being THE prototypical transforming watch toy of the 1980s, with scores of knock-offs produced during that era. Surprisingly, one of these was advertised ''within'' an issue of Marvel's ''Transformers'' series! "[[The Next Best Thing to Being There!]]" featured [[:File:BonkersRobotWatch.jpg|an ad from the Nabisco company]] for a "Robot-Watch" (plainly Autobot, with "Quartz" replacing "Takara" on his chest) at the cost of $3.95 and 3 "Bonkers" candy labels.
* Two versions of Autobot's packaging are depicted in ''[[Transformers Generations (guidebook)|Transformers Generations]]'', one using his ''Micro Change'' art with an Autobot symbol slapped on and the other with original art. According to the text, the former was a packaging mock-up; the one shown on this page is how he was released.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Vector Prime''' (ベクタープライム ''Bekutā Puraimu'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Vector Fővezér'''
*''Korean:'' '''Mega Vector Prime''' (메가 벡터 프라임 ''Mega Bekteo Peuraim'')
*''Indonesian:'' '''Dexter Prime'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Vector''' (Taiwan, 貝克達 ''Bèikèdá''), '''Yǐn Tiān Xíng''' (China, 引天行)
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Vektor Naykrashchyy''' (Вектор Найкращий, "Vector the Best")

==External links==
*[http://www.insecticons.com/vector-qa-00.html Ask Vector Prime archive at ''In Space, No One Can Hear Starscream'']
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNlb0h6qig8 Kronoform Robot Time Machine commercial on youtube]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Thirteen}}

[[Category:Attacktix]]
[[Category:Alternity Autobots]]
[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Autobots]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Transformers]]
[[Category:Council members]]
[[Category:Cybertron Autobots]]
[[Category:Cyberverse Transformers]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Elderly Transformers]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Autobots]]
[[Category:Guardians]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
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[[Category:Watches]]

Nova Prime

2024-10-14T04:06:20Z

1levichurch: /* Games */

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=PotP-Prima.png|cSize=40px|cLink=Prima|cPretty=Prima}}|autobot|decepticon|unicron}}
{{disambigm|Nova Prime (disambiguation)|Nemesis Prime (disambiguation)}}
:''Nova Prime is a [[Transformer]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Novaprime.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|[[Furmanism|Ahead, hovering, like some vast, predatory bird...]]]]
'''Nova Prime''' was the predecessor to [[Nominus Prime]]. Once the elite soldier '''Nova Major''', he led the unification of a divided [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], ascending to leadership of his people. An expansionist and a supremacist, Nova Prime believed that [[Transformer]]s were the greatest among all life forms and that they should bring their glory to the myriad of lesser races throughout the universe.

After being sucked into the [[Dead Universe]], Nova was chosen to be the host for [[Darkness (G1)|the Darkness]], an otherworldly counterpart of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] which worked by transforming the inhabitants of the Dead Universe into [[Zombie|undead wielders of anti-life]]. Upon merging, Nova was reborn as the sinister and extremely powerful '''Nemesis Prime'''. He now sees it as his mission to fulfil the Darkness' imperative by expanding the Dead Universe's hold into the living realm.

Nemesis may seem to hold sway over both his troops and the Darkness, but nothing could be further from the truth. The powerful [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] sees the Darkness as his rightful inheritance. And then, there is the fear. The fear that the Darkness has more in common with the Matrix than Nemesis is comfortable with. He feels he has earned this power, and isn't willing to see it follow its natural path. It is for this reason he must eliminate Optimus Prime. And it is for this reason he fears to face his successor.

{{bigquote|Nova was forever seeking, forever testing the limits of science and faith. He had a certain moral...ambiguity about the Cybertronian ideal.|[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]|"[[Spotlight: Optimus Prime]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Escalation issue 6|''Escalation'' #6]]}}

{{quote|'''I AM THE LEGACY OF PRIMUS!'''|Nova Prime|"[[Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things]]"}}

[[File:TheCrucible NovaMajorEucryphia.jpg|thumb|right|upright=2.4]]
Long ago in [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron's]] past, there was a [[First Cybertronian Civil War|great war]] (no, not [[Great War (G1)|that one]]) and Nova Major fought for his tribe's leader [[Prima]]. Ten million years ago, Prima flew the coop and Nova was left as the last soldier standing at the Siege of the [[Citadel of Light]] until [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] arrived out of the wilderness. The two fought against the beast hordes and drove them back, turning the siege into a by-word for courage. [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], the last Prime on the planet, was the one who brought them together in the hope that they could end the war.

Realizing the Primes were gone, Nova went out and united the tribes (starting with [[Rhinox (BW)|the beasts]]) to create a unified Cybertronian society, one for all Cybertronians and where everyone would be "[[functionism|in their place]]." Trion later claimed that this did not sound sinister at the time.

[[File:PrimusAllGoodThings-introdump.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|"I, '''Nova Prime''', stand ready to use my '''homage''' powers to enforce a pleasing '''metafictionality!'''"]]

With Trion's blessing, Nova took the mantle of Prime. {{storylink|The Crucible}} With the war over, he and his closest friends and advisors Galvatron, [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]], and [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]] went on a quest in Cybertron's underground, hoping to rediscover the lost principles of their gods, the [[Guiding Hand]]. Nova found the Hand's old home: [[Crystal City]], with its guardian [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. Omega joined Nova's crew and they worked to bring about the legendary [[Golden Age]]. {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}}

Soon, Nova's ambition grew and he secretly began planning the [[Expansion]], the Cybertronian conquest of the universe. Obsessed with the Hand's prophecy that "[['Til all are one|all shall be one]]", he intended to enslave all other lifeforms in order to "free" them from their individual wills and make them part of something greater—Nova's empire. He formed the [[Primal Vanguard]] for off-world peacekeeping and began work on the first ''[[Ark (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Ark]]'', claiming it was meant for trade and exploration when it was in truth the first step of the Expansion. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}} However, his plans hit a snag when [[Vector Sigma]]'s flow of new [[spark]]s began to cease. Fearing that his Expansion would be impossible with a limited population of Cybertronians at his disposal, Nova had a team of scientists led by [[Solomus|Tyrest]] tap into the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and use its power to create new life, a process that was covered up as a "population augmentation program" that made use of [[Reproduction#2005 IDW continuity|"spark splicing"]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} Nova Prime also wished to evolve Cybertronians in preparation for their destiny as rulers of the universe, and against Omega's wishes, he had Jhiaxus re-engineer [[Pretender Monster|six Transformers]] to be able to [[Combiner|combine]] into a being of higher intellect and strength, in hopes of uncovering the secret of [[Nexus Prime]]'s [[Enigma of Combination]]. However they were driven mad by the merging, and they devolved into [[Monstructor (G1)|a monster]] that tore through Crystal City before they were stopped. Nova didn't care about the destruction though, feeling the city had outlived its usefulness. {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}} {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}} {{storylink|The Crucible}}

[[File:DarkCybertron1 NovaOrdersEntryIntoDU.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.7|Their "Prime Directive" is the literal opposite of [[Star Trek]]'s.]]
Nova Prime and his closest comrades boarded the ''Ark'' to enact the Expansion, making their way to the [[Benzuli Expanse]] where they discovered a portal to the [[Dead Universe]]. Seeing it as just ''another'' universe to conquer, Nova ordered the ship to pass through, not worried at all by the fact that the portal itself was pulling them in. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} The ship never reappeared and the crew was presumed dead, but Nova's aggressive intentions never came to light, and the Transformers honored his memory with a statue. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} The Matrix he once carried remained on Cybertron, hidden in the [[Underworld|Undergrid]] {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}}, with a fake one (that everyone believed was real) left behind for his successor, [[Nominus Prime]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Meanwhile, his population expansion had left Cybertron with energon shortages and caused an outburst of racism, complete with a period of apartheid, against the constructed Transformers created by his spark splicing program. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}

[[File:Escalation6 OptimusNemesisInfraspace.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|[[Lightbright (G1)|Lite-Brite]], Lite-Brite, make a face to glow at night!]]
The Prime was thought dead but countless years later, when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] downloaded himself into [[infraspace]] to survive an attack from [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], he sensed the presence of Nova Prime... and was filled with an incredible sense of dread. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}} These feelings led Optimus Prime to seek information from Omega Supreme, and shared with him his belief that Nova might still be alive, and his feelings of dread. In turn, Omega told Optimus of Nova's story, and later learned of Monstructor. Optimus was left with the knowledge that the [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] lineage had been corrupt from the start, and it gave the Autobot leader something to ponder about. {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}}

It was later learned that Optimus Prime's assessment was right: Nova Prime was still functioning, though in a strange half-dead state in the [[Dead Universe]], and was now the fearsome figure known as Nemesis Prime, powered by the almighty mind-altering anti-Matrix, the [[Darkness (G1)|Darkness]], which ruled the Dead Universe. His grand plan, the Expansion, was now intended to merge the Dead Universe with the real one, allowing him to both return home at long last ''and'' direct the merged universe into a new, more ''ordered'' era.

[[File:Jhiaxusnemesisprimedevastation.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.3|Not even a toy yet and he's already got a [[black repaint]].]]
He already had an outpost and minions on [[Gorlam Prime]], ready to direct his coming Expansion. He had [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] captured by [[Sports Car Patrol|some of his minions]] and programmed {{storylink|Spotlight: Nightbeat}} to assassinate Optimus Prime at a set time, {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} as he subconsciously knew the Darkness would behave like the Matrix and jump from him to Optimus if given the chance. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

With that secured, Nemesis Prime decided that the Expansion was ready to begin. He dispatched [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in a mission to secure [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], kill the Autobots guarding him, and bring the [[Pretender]] to the Dead Universe. Galvatron secured Thunderwing, but spared the Autobots, viewing it as a small rebellion against Nova. {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron}} After observing the [[Reaper]]s about to destroy [[Earth]], he ordered Galvatron there to stop them, since the Earth was part of their expansion plan. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} Galvatron performed his task well, but Prime remarked to Jhiaxus that he was aware that Galvatron had his own agendas and secrets. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

After [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] secured the [[Nega-Core]] and activated its guardian, Nemesis Prime initiated the Expansion with the rest of the [[Dead Universe]] crew. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

Nemesis Prime was found by Jhiaxus on the remains of the ''Ark'', thinking back on old times and planning for the future. Upon receiving the latest intelligence on both Cyclonus and Nightbeat, he dismissed the former and requested Jhiaxus take care of the Nightbeat situation personally. When Jhiaxus reported Nightbeat's death, Nemesis was unmoved, deciding he would take over Nightbeat's mission and deal with Optimus Prime himself. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}}

[[File:DarknessNemesis.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|left|He's an 8.5 on the Kirby Dot Scale!]]
Nemesis Prime attacked the prison facility on [[Garrus-9]] while Optimus Prime was inspecting it. The Autobot defense forces were helpless against him: Nemesis was immune to all their firepower and used his deadly decaying touch to instantly snuff out their lives. Seeing that conflict was futile, Optimus Prime ordered all the defenders to retreat, then faced Nemesis Prime directly. Nemesis gloated about the upcoming Expansion, then revealed to Optimus Prime the nature of the Darkness and channeled it as a weapon against Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

Unfortunately for Nemesis, the Darkness ''did'' want to leap to Optimus as he had feared, and it would do so if he either used it or touched Optimus. Enraged, Nemesis backed off and resorted to firing a torrent of normal energy. Optimus was able to withstand the blast however, but their fight ended abruptly when Nemesis, distracted by the battle, was shot in the back and killed by Galvatron, as part of his plan to claim the Darkness for himself. Though Optimus Prime soon destroyed the Darkness-infused Galvatron (or so he thought), Optimus remarked that he could not mourn his predecessor, noting that Nova Prime was long dead. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

[[File:HoD3 NemesisPrimeRevealed.jpg|thumb|right|Now filled with Black Moon clan essence.]]
Nemesis's body was taken back to Cybertron, where [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] took custody of it and began studying it in his lab in hopes of finding out more about the Dead Universe. He eventually came to speculate that Nemesis had not actually perished, but rather, that his life-essence had returned to the Dead Universe. What Brainstorm was ''not'' aware of, however, was the bolt of energy that had leapt from Nemesis's corpse to his own body, leaving him in a living-dead state of his own. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}}

Brainstorm's supposition was proven correct when Nemesis Prime reappeared on the planet [[Dykayra]], emerging from a portal to the Dead Universe to confront Galvatron. His wounds pulsating with dark energy, he now served the greater being of which the Darkness had always been but a small part: the [[D-Void]]. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 3|Heart of Darkness #3}} Apparently seeking to retake the Darkness from Galvatron, Nemesis briefly battled him and his army, brushing off their firepower and destroyed several of Galvatron's minions by devouring their energy. He then mutated into a gigantic, horrible monster, seemingly falling under the D-Void's direct control in the process, and continued the fight against Galvatron. In the end, Galvatron was able to summon his army and force the malformed Nemesis Prime back through the portal, which he then destroyed. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 4|Heart of Darkness #4}}

[[File:FinestHour NovaGalvatronExitMegatron.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|left|"Hey, what's the big idea? Move it, chowdah-head!"{{-}}"''Whoob whoob whoob''!"]]
As it transpired, however, Nemesis had not sought to reclaim the Darkness, but had rather only been used a pawn by D-Void in its attempts to motivate Galvatron into using the Darkness to destroy Cybertron. Following the D-Void's destruction and Galvatron's own consignment to the Dead Universe, Nemesis was at last free of its influence, and reverted to being "Nova Prime" in name and appearance once more. Working with Galvatron, he made contact with Jhiaxus and his old pupil [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] in the living universe, and began an apparent plot to conquer Cybertron and return it to Nova's leadership. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Initially hoping to use the [[space bridge]] of Shockwave's [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]] as transport out of the Dead Universe, {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} Nova and Galvatron were forced to use Megatron's personal space bridge when that plan faltered. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} However, as Nova was about to emerge in the living universe, the united forces of [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]]'s Autobots and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s Decepticons attacked Shockwave's lair, and in the chaos, Nova was punched by [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] back into the Dead Universe.

[[File:NoExit NovaAndOrion.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6]]
Trapped yet again, Nova Prime directed his rage upon a group of intruders who had entered the Dead Universe while he had been occupied: Orion Pax and his band. {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}} Amused with Orion's choice to no longer call himself a Prime, Nova proceeded to mock Cyclonus, claiming that his former crewmate had been nothing but a hanger-on. After [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] broke out of the containment field Nova had sealed the group in, Nova destroyed his protective forcefield generator, allowing the Autobot to be consumed and disintegrated by the Dead Universe. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} Demonstrating his growing ability to manipulate the energies of the Dead Universe, Nova took the remainder of the group to his citadel, where he kept [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]], whom he had been attempting to convert into a living spacebridge. In the energy of his captives' [[spark]]s, Nova Prime finally saw a chance to escape the universe. {{Storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}}

[[File:RID26 my name is optimus prime.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7|Blue blazes!]]
However, the prisoners were able to liberate Nightbeat, still under Nova's control after all these years, and he then helped them escape their cage. Confronting them, Nova Prime took the opportunity to challenge his successor to battle once more. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Nova employed some psychological warfare on Pax, using his control of the Dead Universe to make himself shape-shift into each member of the Prime lineage to mock Orion with its tainted legacy. After Nova became a mirror image of him, Pax sank into temporary despair as Nova began gaining the upper hand. However, [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] delivered a pep talk that got Pax back on his feet, just before being blasted by Nova. Re-accepting his role as Prime and his duty to brighten that dark lineage, Optimus promptly tore Nova's arm off and finally slew his evil predecessor with a punch clear through the villain's chest. Upon expiring, Nova Prime's crumbling body reverted to its natural appearance. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}}

Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Orion, this was exactly what Shockwave had wanted all along; with Nova dead, the Dead Universe's energies were now Shockwave's to control as part of his ''true'' plan to end all life in the universe. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Nova's corpse had one final use to serve, though: when Optimus's team heard singing emanating from it, they realized that it contained a link back to the living universe, and used the technology of his citadel to convert his body into a space bridge home. They emerged through a portal in Brainstorm's own chest, thanks to his own living-dead link to the Dead Universe. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}}

[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] later cited Nova Prime—along with [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]] and [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]—as examples of the corrupt lineage of the Primes, to discredit Optimus and sway the opinion of the [[Council of Worlds]]. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} After being removed from power and receiving a life sentence, Starscream defended his reign of Cybertron to Bumblebee by bringing up Nova Prime trying to destroy the universe multiple times. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}}

====The Functionist Universe====
In an [[Functionist Universe|alternate timeline]] where the [[Functionist Council]] overthrew Nominus Prime and ruled Cybertron, they discovered the truth behind Nova Prime's spark splicing program and declared it heresy. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
At some point during Cybertron's history, Nova Prime held the Matrix. When he inherited the talisman, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Orion Pax]] glimpsed Nova's spirit along with his other predecessors during a trip through the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]]. {{storylink|War World: Prime|Prime}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
The peace of Nova Prime's rule over Cybertron was shattered by the arrival of a future version of himself named Nemesis Prime. Though Nova Prime rallied [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] in an attempt to quell this future shade, Nemesis Prime triumphed over the Autobots. {{storylink|Prime Evil}}

===''Transformers: Devastation''===
[[File:Devastation-Nova-Madness.jpg|right|thumb|Insane in the Mainframe]]

Nova Prime was known as the conqueror of the [[Benzuli Expanse]], greatest Autobot to bear the Matrix, and all around great guy. He inspired [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Bad Bots]] to be good and [[Kranix (G1)|Good Bots]] to be better. It was he who led the Mission of Cybertronian Expansion, hoping to create [[Cybertronian colonies|colonies]] on cyberformed planets for future Cybertronians to inhabit, thereby preserving their culture forever.

The mission started out as a tremendous success. The crew would find uninhabited planets and using the [[Ferrotaxis]], a [[Plasma Core]], and the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon Swarm]] aboard Nova Prime's ship, the ''[[Proudstar]]'', a planet could be quickly cyberformed and ready for colonization. After [[Lithone (planet)|Lithone]] had been cyberformed, resources began to wane and the ''Proudstar'' made a supply run on a [[Unicron/Generation 1|mysterious planet]]. [[File:Devastation-Nova-Awakens.jpg|left|thumb|Nova Prime is awake, and he's mad you broke all his stuff.]] As the crew resupplied, a darkness fell over them and their ship, causing them to become corrupt and mad. Before the crew left the planet, Nova Prime pointed it in the direction of Cybertron. As the ''Proudstar'' sailed through the galaxy, the darkness began to grow in Nova Prime, with righteous pride, as opposed to once peaceful intentions, beginning to guide his mission. Nova Prime eventually began targeting inhabited planets for cyberforming, wiping out several civilizations. One of these planets was [[Earth]] where, thanks to some sabotage courtesy of a guilt-ridden [[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]], the ''Proudstar'' crashed into the surface and trapped its crew and resources in stasis. Unaware of what had transpired on his fateful mission, the populace of Cybertron declared Nova Prime as missing in action while heralding him as one of the greatest heroes their race had ever produced.

In the late 20th century, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] discovered the ''Proudstar'' and tried to use it to cyberform Earth only for his plot to be foiled by Nova's eventual successor Optimus Prime. Though Optimus had believed the ''Proudstar'' to be offline once again, some unseen power supply still thrummed deep within its bowels and, within a broken [[stasis pod]], reawakened Nova Prime! {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation|Devastation}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:Battle-Tactics-Nova-Prime.jpg|thumb|400px|I ''am'' the most powerful Prime!]]
Nova Prime participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a an Epic character who was available in the (last) February Daily Campaign, and could be recruited by collecting 20 Alpha cores, 20 Beta Cores, 20 Omega cores, and 10 cores of this character. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Frontiers''===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Frontiers}}}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
{{Charstubgames|{{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Mayhem: Enemy of my Enemy}}}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===''Timelines''===
[[File:Timelinestoy-NovaPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|That's weird, this doesn't look anything like Glenn Close.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Nova Prime''' (Deluxe Class, [[2015]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': "[[Fusion cannon|Quantum Fusion cannon]]", "[[G-Metal]] Battle Axe"

: The first of two [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] exclusives for 2015, Nova Prime is a [[redeco]] of that same year's member incentive figure, [[Lio Convoy#Timelines 2|Lio Convoy]]. Both were retooled from ''Thrilling 30'' [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generations toys#Deluxe|Orion Pax]] and feature a new head. Nova still comes with the blaster and axe, which can store via a 5mm peg on either side of the vehicle mode. Although not depicted on the instructions, the Quantum Fusion cannon can also peg into the hole on the larger blade of the Energon Axe.

: The foam insert in Nova Prime's box features an extra slot to store either the aforementioned incentive figure Lio Convoy, or the [[BotCon 2015]] customization class exclusive [[Galva Convoy#Timelines|Galva Convoy]], both of whom are featured in the exterior [[package art]].

: This figure officially [[Repurposing|doubles]] as ''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]'' [[Optimus Prime (SG)#NovaPrime|Nova Prime]]. This mold was also used to make Galva Convoy.
{{--}}

===''Legacy''===
[[File:LegacyNovaPrime.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66|Estuans interius! Ira vehementi! '''SEPHIROTH!''']]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-multi|'''Nova Prime''' (Leader Class, [[2023]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Armor pieces, 2 missile launchers, laser cannon/truck cannon barrel, 2 front wheels/armguards
:*''Known designers'': [[Evan Brooks]] (Hasbro), [[Takashi Kunihiro]] (TakaraTomy)<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBqMyy6HYxE San Diego Comic-Con 2023 Generations panel recording] at the "Memo's collection" YouTube channel</ref>

:Part of the [[Amazon_(website) | Amazon]]-exclusive ''Pre-Cybertronian War Collection'' imprint, ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy: Evolution]]'' Nova Prime is a [[retool]] and [[redeco]] of ''[[War for Cybertron: Siege]]'' [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generations toys#S40|Galaxy Upgrade Optimus Prime]], itself an extensive retool of ''Siege'' [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Ultra Magnus]], based on Nova's appearance in ''[[Transformers: Devastation]]''. He transforms into a heavily-armed, futuristic truck.

:Compared to Optimus, Nova has new wings, new shoulders, a new headsculpt, and a new chest, all in "super" mode. He includes all of Optimus's accessories, redecoed into Nova's regular color scheme. Being a retool of the ''Siege'' Magnus/Optimus mold, Nova is compatible with either of the two's armor sets, and Optimus and Magnus likewise are more or less compatible with Nova's armor pieces. The stock images (seen on the right) released after his reveal show a broken sample, where the figure's right ear tip is shown to be broken.

:Like Galaxy Upgrade Optimus Prime, Nova Prime also features flip-out support struts on the leg armor to compensate for the back's weight. While they're hardly needed since the armor's bulk is heavy enough to support the weight, the pieces also prevent the leg armor from standing flat when folded in.

:In vehicle mode, the trailer does not actually attach to the truck in a way that keeps its wheels lined up and consequently part of the trailer/armor section risks scraping if pushed across a surface.

:Nova Prime was revealed at [[San Diego Comic-Con#2023|San Diego Comic-Con]] on [[July 20]], 2023, and went up for pre-order on Amazon the following day, with [[Hasbro Pulse]] also receiving a limited supply of the figure.
{{WFCSiegeUltraMagnusMold}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:NovaPrime variousmodes.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|I would have waited an eternity for this… it’s Nova Prime!]]
*Nova Prime's design began life as an Optimus Prime toy concept that artist [[Don Figueroa]] had drawn for [[Hasbro]], but ultimately went unused. In fact, part of the combined "[[Super Mode]]" concept art was first seen on the [[BotCon 2005]]-exclusive cover for [[Infiltration issue 0|''Infiltration'' #0]] (and the full art was seen in ''[[Spotlight: Optimus Prime]]''). Figueroa credits [[Simon Furman]] for the creation of Nova Prime as a character and reused the unused Optimus Prime design for Nova as he was not aware a new character needed to be designed before receiving the script for ''Spotlight: Optimus Prime'';<ref>{{citesocial|name=Don Figueroa|site=Twitter|quote=Nova was solely a @SimonFurman3 creation, I just simply repurposed a rejected Optimus design I did much earlier because I wasn’t told a new character needed to be created/designed for this issue prior to me receiving the script|link=https://twitter.com/SketchyFig/status/1639697794750619651|year=2023|month=03|day=23}}</ref> given enough time, Figueroa would have made Nova's vehicle mode more Cybertronian.<ref>{{citesocial|name=Don Figueroa|site=Twitter|link=https://twitter.com/SketchyFig/status/1639753581233606656|quote=If I had advanced notice, I would have given him a more Cybertronian looking vehicle mode, preferably one without Earth looking tires. But I just straight up pulled him out of my portfolio as is (except for the head)|year=2023|month=03|day=23}}</ref> The head design, which had appeared prior as a vision in [[Escalation issue 6|''Escalation'' #6]], is by [[E. J. Su]].<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://twitter.com/SketchyFig/status/1639754070713057280|site=Twitter|name=Don Figueroa|quote=The head, btw is based on the one designed by @ejsu28 which appeared as a hologram in an earlier issue|year=2023|month=03|day=25}}</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Nova Prime''' (ノバ・プライム ''Noba Puraimu'', ノヴァ・プライム ''Nova Puraimu''), '''Nemesis Prime''' (ネメシス・プライム ''Nemeshisu Puraimu'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Yào Tiān Wēi''' (耀天威, "Sky-deterrence Shine" )

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{IDWPrimes nav}}

[[Category:Amazon exclusives]]
[[Category:Dead Universe]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:Legacy Autobots]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Primes]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]

Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)

2024-10-09T20:00:14Z

1levichurch: /* Notes */

{{disambig3|War for Cybertron}}
{{nav-WarForCybertronSiege}}

[[File:Netflix-WFC-Siege-season-poster.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Transformers: War for Cybertron|Haven't we been here before?]]]]

'''''Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy''''' (also known as ''War for Cybertron'') is an animated series produced by [[Hasbro]] and [[Rooster Teeth]] based on the ''[[War for Cybertron Trilogy (franchise)|War for Cybertron Trilogy]]'' toyline, with animation by [[Polygon Pictures]] and voice production by [[Horseless Cowboy]]. [[F.J. DeSanto]] acts as the series showrunner, a role he previously, partially held for the ''[[Prime Wars Trilogy]]'' web series, with [[George Krstic]], [[Gavin Hignight]], [[Brandon M. Easton]], [[Tim Sheridan]], and [[Mae Catt]] as writers. The show also sees [[Jake Foushee]], [[Jason Marnocha]], and [[Frank Todaro]] reprising their respective roles as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], as well as previous ''Transformers'' alumni [[Keith Silverstein]] and [[Jessica DiGiovanni]] returning for voicework. Three seasons aired on [[Netflix]], one for each of the franchise's three toylines; the first season was released on [[July 30]], [[2020]], the second season on [[December 30]], 2020, and the third on [[July 29]], [[2021]].

In conjunction with the series, Hasbro and [[TakaraTomy]] released a Netflix-branded [[War for Cybertron Trilogy (toyline)#Netflix|toyline]] featuring more battle-worn decoes for pre-existing ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' toys, as well as toys based on characters introduced in the show. Leading up to the release of the final chapter, TakaraTomy announced the ''[[Transformers Premium Finish|Premium Finish]]'' line, half of which features characters from the Netflix show with extremely [[show-accuracy|animation accurate]] paint jobs.

==Overview==
The planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] has been ravaged by an endless civil war between [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and his [[Autobot]]s and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and his [[Decepticon]]s, with the former in ruins but refusing to stand down. Frustrated, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] surrenders to Megatron shortly before they learn of the life-giving [[AllSpark|Allspark]], and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s plan to reformat all Autobots on the planet into Decepticons. Ultra Magnus overhears everything and relays it to the Autobots, launching a hunt for the Allspark from both factions. After an imprisoned Ultra Magnus is murdered by Megatron, neutral scavenger [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] obtains the [[Alpha Trion Protocols]] containing the location of the Allspark and reluctantly joins the Autobots. Despite warnings of dooming the planet itself, Optimus Prime forms a plan to flee Cybertron aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' with the Allspark. The Autobots cautiously trust ex-Decepticon [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] to lead them into the dangerous [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]] to obtain the Allspark, while [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and Decepticon [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] repair a derelict [[space bridge]], and Bumblebee steals raw [[energon]] from the [[Mercenary|Mercenaries]] to power the ''Ark''. The synchronous plan succeeds, though [[Elita One (G1)|Elita-1]] is left to continue the war effort on Cybertron, the Allspark is lost among the stars, and the ''Ark'' is left adrift as an unknown ship approaches...

With Cybertron unable to sustain life, Megatron and the Decepticons plan to search for a new world aboard the newly-constructed ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', though Elita-1 and her team cause trouble by freeing prisoners whose sparks power the ship. The ''Ark'' Autobots are captured by the ''[[Fool's Fortune]]'' Mercenaries led by [[Doubledealer]] and contracted by [[Quintesson Judge]] [[Deseeus]], though he betrays them, motivating the thieves help the Autobots escape, while secretly selling out their location to Megatron. After the ''Nemesis'' departs to follow the ''Ark'', Shockwave lures other weak Decepticons to [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon Arena]] to harvest their sparks, prompting Elita-1 and Decepticon [[Scrapface]]'s forces to detonate the harvester, though they are all killed in the blast. Elsewhere, the ''Ark'' locates the Allspark and travels to the derelict [[Nebulon Station]], but their attempts to destroy it and pass through the accompanying space bridge come to a stop by the Decepticons. After a united brawl against the [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] uses the ''Nemesis'' cannons to destroy everyone present, but the resulting explosion opens a rift to the [[Dead Universe]]. Inside, the ''Ark'' crew finds the jaded [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]], who helps Optimus open an exit rift to [[Earth]]. Meanwhile, Megatron temporarily meets his future self [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], who urges him to use his [[Hate Plague|hatred]] to kill Optimus Prime, leading to Sky Lynx's sacrifice to save the Autobots. The ''Ark'', ''Nemesis'', and the in-pursuit ''Fool's Fortune'', now piloted by Deseeus, escape the Dead Universe and lock into a dogfight, culminating in Megatron stealing the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. The ''Fool's Fortune'' warp-drive explodes, causing the remaining ships to crash—though they are not the only Cybertronians on the planet...

The bestial [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s locate their ancestors, the Autobots and Decepticons respectively, in the harsh landscape of prehistoric [[Earth]]. While the Decepticons and Predacons consolidate their troops together under the command of ''two'' Megatrons (who get along surprisingly well), the Autobots and Maximals initially face each other with hostility. Ultimately, the two heroic factions set aside their differences to beat the two bands of 'cons to capturing the Allspark. The mystical artefact creates a series of unsettling illusions to mislead the two sides. However, the Predacon [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] betrays his comrades and steals the Matrix of Leadership back from the original Megatron, returning it to Optimus before giving in to his wounds from Predacon Megatron. The Allspark's eerie illusions culminate in a duel between Optimus Prime and a projection of Ultra Magnus. The spirit of the Allspark ultimately sides with Optimus; guiding him to its physical resting place. Upon reaching the Allspark temple, Optimus is greeted by both Megatron and [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], the former waging a climactic battle between the two rivals. An Allspark projection of Elita-1 tells Optimus to surrender the Matrix to Megatron against Primal's advice, resulting in the Matrix rejecting Megatron and sending him into a [[Sparkless|nightmarish vision]]. As Prime and Primal return with both the Matrix and the dying Allspark in hand, the ''Nemesis'' crew attacks the ''Ark'', resulting in a desperate struggle to get the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s systems online while fending off the 'cons. Incredibly, the ''Ark'' gains consciousness and transforms into robot mode, having been given schematics for conversion within the Dead Universe and enabled by the Allspark. The transformed ''Ark'' completely turns the tables on the ''Nemesis''; with the Decepticon and Predacon troops being sealed within the ship's stasis field. The defected Predacon [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] forms a temporary alliance with the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew.

As the ''Ark'' lands on a desolate, frozen-over Cybertron via a [[space bridge|spacebridge]] network, Megatron is freed from his imprisonment by Galvatron. The Autobots and Maximals emerge from the ship and plan to return the Allspark to its rightful place within Cybertron before the planet is lost for good. As Bumblebee and Optimus set out together, they encounter Optimus's deranged future self [[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis Prime]], who lashes out at his past self for the Allspark. While Megatron and Galvatron join forces with Nemesis Prime, Bumblebee finds the [[Temple of the Allspark]] hidden within a canyon, and manages to enter the temple. As the four factions arrive under Optimus Primal, Megatron turns on Galvatron at Optimus's and Starscream's encouragement. As Bumblebee replaces the Allspark in its altar, the golden spirits of many deceased Cybertronians appear, and magically transport Galvatron and Nemesis Prime away. As the spirits reunite with the Allspark, Cybertron is saved, and the Decepticons and Predacons reconcile their conflict with the Autobots and Maximals on the condition the two sides stay apart, leading to an uncertain age of peace. Meanwhile, Unicron punishes Galvatron and Nemesis Prime for their failure, and reformats them...

==Cast==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Autobot]]s / [[Maximal]]s|c1=
;''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' crew
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Jake Foushee]])
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] ([[Joe Zieja]])
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] ([[Bill Rogers]])
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] ([[Jessica DiGiovanni]])
*[[Cog (G1)|Cog]] ([[Brian Robert Burns]])
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] ([[Rafael Goldstein]])
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] ([[Shawn Hawkins]])
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] ([[Aaron Veach]])
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] ([[Kaiser Johnson]])
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] ([[Mark Whitten]])
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] ([[JW Stafford]])

;[[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] group
*[[Elita One (G1)|Elita-1]] ([[Linsay Rousseau]])
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] ([[Keith Silverstein]])
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] ([[Todd Haberkorn]])
*[[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] ([[Georgia Reed]])

;Maximals
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] ([[Justin Pierce]])
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] ([[Erin Ebers]])
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] ([[Andy Barnett]])
*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] ([[Frank Todaro]])
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] ([[Joe Hernandez]])
*[[Tigatron]] ([[Beau Marie]])

;Other
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Edward Bosco]])
*[[Teletraan I]]/[[Ark (G1)|Arkbot]] ([[Miles Luna]])
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] ([[Sean Wright]])
*[[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]] ([[Ellie Main]])
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (Miles Luna)
*[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]
*[[Comms Officer]]s ([[Brook Chalmers]])
*[[Security Officer (G1)|Security Officers]] (Rafael Goldstein)

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s / [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s|c2=
;''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' crew
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] ([[Jason Marnocha]])
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (Frank Todaro)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (Edward Bosco)
**[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (Frank Todaro)
**[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (Frank Todaro)
*[[Barricade (IDW)|Barricade]] ([[Alexander Dilallo]])
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] ([[Danny Hansen]])
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] ([[Marcus Clark-Oliver]])
*[[Hotlink (G1)|Hotlink]] (Marcus Clark-Oliver)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Refraktors]] (Edward Bosco, Shawn Hawkins, Kaiser Johnson, Frank Todaro, Mark Whitten)

;Cybertron group
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (Todd Haberkorn)
*[[Scrapface]] ([[Adin Rudd]])
*[[Flywheels|Skytread]] ([[Philip Bache]])
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] ([[Gray Haddock]])
*[[Shamble]] (Frank Todaro)
*[[Acid Storm (G1)|Acid Storm]]
*[[Nova Storm (G1)|Nova Storm]]
*[[Ion Storm]]

;Predacons
*[[Megatron (BW)|Predacon Megatron]] ([[Marqus Bobesich]])
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] ([[Krizz Kaliko]])
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] ([[Jeanne Carr]])
*[[Scorponok (BW)|Predacon Scorponok]] (Danny Hansen)

;Other
*[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (Jason Marnocha)
*[[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis Prime]] (Jake Foushee)
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (Brook Chalmers)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (Mark Whitten)
*[[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] (Kaiser Johnson, Sean Wright)
*[[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]]

|h3=[[Mercenary|Mercenaries]]|c3=
;''[[Fool's Fortune]]'' crew
*[[Doubledealer]] ([[Michael Schwalbe]])
*[[Exhaust]] ([[Ken Rogers]])
*[[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]] ([[Alex Taber]])
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] ([[Michael Jones]])
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] ([[Jay Sanford]])
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]

;Cybertron group
*[[Soundblaster (G1)|Soundblaster]] (Rafael Goldstein)
**[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Dome Guard]]s (Jason Marnocha)

|c4=
*[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] ([[Jonathan Lipow]])
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] ([[Michael Dunn]])
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (Keith Silverstein)
*[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] ([[Ben Jurand]])
*[[Sparkless]] (Brook Chalmers, Kaiser Johnson, Frank Todaro)
*[[Guardian robot|Guardians]]

;[[Quintesson]]s
*[[Deseeus]] ([[Jolene Andersen]], [[Joseph Noughton]], Linsay Rousseau, Jay Sanford, Keith Silverstein)
*[[Deseeus Army Drone]]s
|nonumbering=true
}}

==Episodes==
===Chapter 1: ''Siege''===
{{collist|3|
# [[Siege episode 1|Episode 1]]
# [[Siege episode 2|Episode 2]]
# [[Siege episode 3|Episode 3]]
# [[Siege episode 4|Episode 4]]
# [[Siege episode 5|Episode 5]]
# [[Siege episode 6|Episode 6]]
}}

===Chapter 2: ''Earthrise''===
{{collist|3|
# [[Earthrise episode 1|Episode 1]]
# [[Earthrise episode 2|Episode 2]]
# [[Earthrise episode 3|Episode 3]]
# [[Earthrise episode 4|Episode 4]]
# [[Earthrise episode 5|Episode 5]]
# [[Earthrise episode 6|Episode 6]]
}}

===Chapter 3: ''Kingdom''===
{{collist|3|
# [[Kingdom episode 1|Episode 1]]
# [[Kingdom episode 2|Episode 2]]
# [[Kingdom episode 3|Episode 3]]
# [[Kingdom episode 4|Episode 4]]
# [[Kingdom episode 5|Episode 5]]
# [[Kingdom episode 6|Episode 6]]
}}
{{note|Evocative titling, huh?}}

==Reception==
With the same production team as the notoriously unpopular ''[[Prime Wars Trilogy#Cartoons|Prime Wars Trilogy]]'' cartoon series, fan expectations for the ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' were lukewarm prior to its release, but it was generally considered to be an improvement over its predecessor, though not without flaws of its own.

===Voice acting===
Like contemporary shows ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (cartoon)|Rescue Bots Academy]]'', the ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon used a non-union (a.k.a. ''cheaper to hire'') cast of voice actors, meaning that many major characters—such as Optimus Prime and Megatron—lack their iconic voices, and some of the performances were criticised as being amateur, inexpressive, or otherwise ill-suited to the characters. The performances were especially noticeable for actors who had appeared in other series such as Jake Foushee; Jason Marnocha or Jessica DiGiovani, whose performances in other series were generally either well received or at least considered superior to what was delivered in the ''War For Cybertron Trilogy''. In most cases, it seems the actors received poor voice direction; for example, [[Megatron (BW)|Predacon Megatron]]'s dialogue was scripted with [[David Kaye]]'s delivery in mind, which is not borne through in the performance. Notably, the same voice director worked on the ''Prime Wars Trilogy'', which had similar issues with delivery.

===Animation===
In terms of visuals also, the show exhibits clear budget limitations when compared to previous ''Transformers'' cartoons of the 2010s, having more in common with the 2005 ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' cartoon. Nonetheless, the show is distinctly a visual upgrade over the ''Prime Wars Trilogy'', with detailed backgrounds and character models (the latter usually based on CAD models for the toys, although not all characters from [[War for Cybertron Trilogy (franchise)|the toylines]] appear) and a deliberate murky style. However, character animation is generally just passable at best.

===Pacing and story direction===
Despite cramming an absurd number of characters and concepts into its short 18-episode-miniseries run, the ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon feels ''slow''. Dialogue is drawn-out, both in terms of constantly reiterating exposition (drink every time someone says "Allspark") and in terms of the delivery itself. The plot of ''Siege'' in particular is highly protracted, while ''Kingdom'' conversely is rushed in many places. Characters often have little if anything in common with their previous incarnations beyond appearance; some of the reimagined portrayals were well-received by some fans, others less so. The three ''Kingdom'' episodes written by [[Mae Catt]] markedly stand out from the rest, with clear fan appeal in how the likes of [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] are portrayed.

==Notes==
* Originally planned for a June 2020 release, the series premiere was delayed one month, reportedly due to production delays with its foreign-language dubs caused by the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}}.
* ''Siege'' was promoted with several motion posters highlighting members of the main cast. In each of these posters, a letter from the [[Cybertronian language|"Ancient Autobot" alphabet]] created by [[Jim Sorenson]] can be seen flashing in the background. When the letters are put in order, they spell out the word "KINGDOM", the name of the trilogy's third subline/season.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Did you crack the code? We're excited to reveal the title for the third chapter: KINGDOM. 🦍 Get ready to go ape and get your claws out for KINGDOM! 🦖 Till then, the war continues. https://t.co/dcQLik11qp|link=https://twitter.com/nxonnetflix/status/1283960126613774338|name=NetflixGeeked|site=Twitter|year=2020|month=07|day=17|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* During production, the animation team utilized Hasbro's original CAD files for the ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' toyline. As a result, certain character models are absurdly [[show-accuracy|toy-accurate]], down to several even retaining their [[5 mm post]] holes and 3 mm pegs. Most of these models are in the ''Siege'' chapter, as the production of the show was far later in the toyline's development compared to ''Earthrise'' and ''Kingdom'' and their respective seasons. Non-toy character models are heavily based on ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' toy concept art created by [[Ken Christiansen]]<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/ken_christiansen_art/ Ken Christiansen's Instagram]</ref>, except for Elita-1, Arcee, Alpha Trion, the Cybertronian-body Predacons, and Galvatron, the last of which was created far before the [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Kingdom|''Kingdom'' toy]]'s development, and used concept art based on ''The Transformers: The Movie'', with additional input from Hasbro.<ref name="interview">F.J. DeSanto in a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6j5HAAwRa4?t=2630 July 14, 2021 interview] stated, "We based it on the con-so we didn't have the CAD data for that, 'cause-uh, we knew he was gonna be in the third one, in ''Kingdom'', but they hadn't done the toy yet, 'cause ''Kingdom'' was so far out, like I mentioned earlier. We designed a version of-the version you see was our design, but it was based on the concept art they gave us, which I think is from the '86 movie, but we updated it a little bit to fit the um-the tone of the show and also based on some things Hasbro told us they were doing with the toy." "Y'know in the early things, the Cogs were the soldiers, and the Seekers and-y'know, we would have these different soldiers and Hasbro sort of designated like these are the ones who can be soldiers, and Scorponok was, y'know, the sort of footsoldiers for the, uh-Predacons. That's why you see a bunch of them."</ref>
[[File:WFC-Siege-Ep3-Generics-in-camp.jpg|thumb|250px|It's been alleged the robots featured in this show are 80% clones by volume.]]
* The series features extensive use of [[generic]]s, though both sides use different character models as the base for their troops. The Autobots use Cog, Sideswipe, Mirage, Ironhide, and Hound to pad their forces while the Decepticons use Impactor, Refraktor, Barricade, and, as usual, the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. All of these generics except for Cog and Impactor are used for the Sparkless, with Laserbeak used for the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]] birds, Omega Supreme for the Guardians, Impactor for the Dome Guards and a gladiator, Ironhide for the Deseeus Army Drones, and Scorponok for the Predacons. Hasbro decides which characters can be used as generic soldiers.<ref name="interview"/>
* In addition to generic character models, many characters use generic firearms based on certain toy accessories as opposed to a dedicated weapon. The weapons are [[Cog (G1)#Generations|Cog]]'s "RT-5 Circuit Welder", [[Reflector (G1)#War for Cybertron: Siege|Refraktor]]'s "EMM Distortion Blaster", [[Chromia (G1)#War for Cybertron: Siege|Chromia]]'s "RT-5 Anti-thermo Blaster" with the "SR Hushfuze" barrel, the Seekers' "HPI [[Null-ray|Null-Ray]] Laser Launcher", [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Ultra Magnus]]'s (who ironically does not use this weapon) "RT-15 Stethoscopic Detector" with an extended "SR Hushfuze" barrel, and [[Rattrap (BW)/toys#War for Cybertron: Kingdom|Rattrap]]'s fusion blaster.
* Upon its initial release in the United States, ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' was given a TV-Y7 designation, despite the show's dark tone, violence, and brief use of coarse language in the first episode. Presumably due to these very criteria, the series was later re-rated to TV-14, making it the first ''Transformers'' television series to carry that designation. Due to the separation of seasons into separate listings (below), ''Earthrise'' and ''Kingdom'' keep the TV-Y7 rating.
* Despite the three parts being advertised as three chapters of one series when the second ''Earthrise'' trailer was released, it also received a separate page on Netflix, and ''Kingdom'' followed suit. The original ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' page's title graphic was also changed to include ''Siege'' and the number 1 behind it. This also means that Netflix calls the ''Earthrise'' and ''Kingdom'' episodes each "Chapter 1" as well.
*While the ''Siege'' chapter received a recap on the ''Earthrise'' page, the ''Kingdom'' page featured no such recap for ''Earthrise''. Drat!
*A proposed sequel series based on ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]'' was in the discussion stage at one point, but Netflix passed on the pitch.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Per FJ DeSanto: they had a series for Transformers Legacy planned out, but Netflix passed on it. #TFconLA|link=https://twitter.com/MikeSibertRadio/status/1502847896458170375|name=Mike Seibert|site=Twitter|year=2022|month=3|day=13|(defunct=)}}</ref>
**The sequel series bible had been written by [[Gavin Hignight]], who said the show was ready to go before Netflix pulled the plug on it.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=We had all but had a sequel series green lit. It was like ready to go. I had written the bible, I was working with FJ on it, and we were really excited about what was to come, and Hasbro was like "toys are ready, let's do it" and Netflix didn't want to do it.|link=https://youtu.be/ptqvScphqzo?si=46NLY4APR_aTI5_k&t=900|name=Gavin Hignight|site=YouTube|year=2024|month=10|day=09}}</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Chinese:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Sàibótǎn Dàzhàn Sānbùqǔ''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛：賽博坦大戰三部曲 "Transformers: Cybertron War Trilogy")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy: Die Belagerung''''' (''Siege''), '''''Erdaufgang''''' (''Earthrise''), '''''Eine neue Welt''''' (''Kingdom'')
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy - L'assedio''''' (''Siege''), '''''Il Sorgere della Terra''''' (''Earthrise''), '''''Il Regno''''' (''Kingdom'')
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy''''' (トランスフォーマー: ウォー・フォー・サイバトロン・トリロジー ''Toransufōmā: Wō fō Saibatoron Torirojī'')
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy - O Cerco''''' (''Siege''), '''''O Nascer da Terra''''' (''Earthrise''), '''''O Reino''''' (''Kingdom'')

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.netflix.com/title/81002438 ''Siege'' on Netflix]
* [https://www.netflix.com/title/81393633 ''Earthrise'' on Netflix]
* [https://www.netflix.com/title/81393636 ''Kingdom'' on Netflix]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYDB6skUqYw First ''Siege'' trailer on YouTube]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UksT5I1lvJM Second ''Siege'' trailer on YouTube]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoK4_Tng29E First ''Earthrise'' trailer on YouTube]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s00QLjolFg Second ''Earthrise'' trailer on YouTube]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNSI65vInMo ''Kingdom'' trailer on YouTube]

{{DEFAULTSORT:War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)}}
[[Category:War for Cybertron Trilogy| Cartoon]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Quintesson

2024-09-27T11:06:55Z

1levichurch: /* Games */

{{factions|quintesson|quintessonwfc|unicron|{{factions/icons|custom=PotP-QuintusPrime.png|cSize=40px|cLink=Quintus Prime|cPretty=Quintus Prime}}}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 alien race|their home planet which is called "Quintesson" in the Marvel Comic UK continuity|Quintessa (planet)}}
[[File:Quint.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Hahahaha—[whir] —hahahahaha—[whir] —–hahahahaha—[whir] ——hahahahahaha—[whir] ——–hahahahahaha!"]]

The '''Quintessons''' are a bizarre and ancient race, whose dark history and shadowy machinations are bound up with the history of the [[Transformer]]s, with connections to both [[Primus]] and [[Unicron]]. They are known galaxy-wide as traders, entrepreneurs and businessmen, but their dealings are very rarely on the level, often laced with intrigue and betrayals. They prefer subtle manipulation, scheming, and advanced technology over brute force, but if those don't work, they can fall back on the legion of deadly [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] and [[Allicon]]s at their command and a fleet of battle-ready [[Quintesson spacecraft|spaceships]] as well. However, the Quintessons themselves have zero fighting abilities and are absolute cowards if they have nothing to hide behind. For example, they are seen to be powerless against a Sharkticon revolt.

{{quote|[We] are ''Quintessons''! ''Arrogance'' is our life’s blood, ''ambition'' is our food and drink, but most of all, ''hubris is the air we breathe!!''|[[Al-badur]]|"[[Wreckers: Finale Part II]]"}}

{{quote|Deceivers! Betrayers! Five-faced slime of the nebula!|[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] on the Quintessons|"[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"}}

==Types of Quintessons==
The Quintessons appear to be mostly (if not entirely) mechanical beings. They come in several distinct forms, some of which are identified by their place in the Quintessons' bizarre court system.
*[[Quintesson Judge]]
*[[Quintesson Bailiff]]
*[[Quintesson Executioner]]
*[[Quintesson Prosecutor]]
*[[Quintesson Scientist]]

[[File:Quint two faced.jpg|125px|thumb|My tentacles are on fire!]]
The Judges are not the only Quintessons to have multiple faces, though the only known exception is the '''two-faced scientist''' who was the primary creator of the [[Trans-Organic]]s. One of his faces was grievously damaged, a scar left by the [[Dweller (G1)|Dweller]], which he covered with a mask.

This scientist instigated a plan to get the [[Decepticon]]s to unwittingly release the trans-organics from their prisons deep within [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] so they would wipe out all Transformer life. The plan ultimately backfired; the Dweller killed the other trans-organics, and was launched into space by the [[Autobot]]s... where it smashed into the scientist's ship, which was en-route to Cybertron. Presumably, the scientist finally met his end as the Dweller drained the energy from the ship and everyone within it. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}}

[[File:Quint rentacops.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|"Game over, man! Game over!"]]
'''Security officers''' appear to have been an ancient model of Quintesson, and possibly the only kind with built-in offensive capabilities, some having one set of arm-tentacles replaced with over-sized blasters. These blasters availed them naught, however, against the Trans-Organic beasts. It is unknown if any of this model of Quintesson exist in "modern" times. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}}

[[File:Quint humanoid.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|No one remembers we exist.]]
Non-bailiff, non-executioner '''Humanoid''' Quintessons are exceedingly rare. One accompanied [[Inquirata (G1)|Inquirata]] on his mission to use a [[Time Window]] to change Cybertron's history, stopping the slave revolt that drove the Quintessons off-planet. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

And then there's [[Mirdane]]. A rarity among Quintessons, in that he has a name, and that's ''it''. He has only ever been mentioned by others, never seen, so what body type he has/had is unknown. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}} {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}
{{-}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
=====''The Transformers'' cartoon=====
{{voiceactor|[[Regis Cordic]], [[Roger C. Carmel]] and [[Jack Angel]] (English, primary recurring voices), [[Stan Jones]] ("[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]"), [[Dick Gautier]] ("[[The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar]]"), [[Tony Pope]] ("[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]" and "[[The Dweller in the Depths]]"), [[Paul Eiding]] ("[[The Quintesson Journal]]"), [[Charlie Adler]] ("[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]"), [[Corey Burton]] ("[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]," "[[Madman's Paradise]]"), [[Aron Kincaid]] ("[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|The Return of Optimus Prime]]")|[[Paulo Flores]] (Portuguese, "The Movie" TV dub), [[André Filho]], [[Magalhães Graça]] and [[Ronaldo Magalhães]] (Portuguese, "The Movie" VHS dub), [[Fabio Tomasini]] (Portuguese, "The Movie" Fox Kids dub), [[André Luiz Chapéu]], [[Domício Costa]], [[Dario Lourenço]], [[Sílvio Navas]], [[Jomeri Pozzoli]] and [[Márcio Seixas]] (Portuguese, season 3)}}
{{quote|We Transformers have looked into the face of our creators... and seen the face of an enemy.|[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]]|"[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"}}

[[File:FFOD4 Early Quintessons.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|The new Powerpuff Girls series never really got off the ground.]]
In ages long past, a race of aliens called the Quintessons existed on the planet-sized factory known as [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} Some of their early experiments in creating artificial life resulted in the [[Trans-Organic]]s. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}} Some Quintessons turned to forbidden arts, and were banished to other dimensions. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}} The Quintessons eventually created two lines of sentient robots: one was a line of robots designed for domestic duties and labor (known as [[Autobot]]s), and the other was a line designed for military use (known as [[Decepticon]]s). {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} The Quintessons were exceptionally cruel to their creations, eventually leading to wide-spread rebellion, a rebellion started by the Autobot [[Alpha Trion (G1)|A-3]]. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}} Forced to flee the planet, the Quintessons eventually settled on the small, twisted planet of [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], but fostered an undying hatred of all Transformers for the next eleven million years. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

They also spent this time productively, selling technology to other races, and often manipulating the political and military climate of regions of space to increase their sales, all the while diligently keeping track of their work by recording it in [[Quintesson Journal|journals]]. {{Storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} Occasionally a race as the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] would arise that could potentially threaten the Quintessons, and they would deal with it by sealing off whole sections of space with [[quadrant lock]]s. {{storylink|The Face of the Nijika}}

[[File:FFOD2 Quintesson court.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Believe it or not, you really do have better chances in Texas.]]
In 2005, they were shown to capture prisoners for trial and feeding to their army of [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. The mock trials held by the Quintesson Court seemed to have no purpose at all, except maybe for the Quintessons' amusement, as defendants were still immediately fed to the ravenous Sharkticons even when the Judge determined them to be innocent. However, the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] managed to rescue the pair of Autobots the Quintessons had captured. Worse, [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] inspired the Sharkticons to rebel... by stomping his foot on the ground and telling them to do so. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}
{{note|The Quintessons' involvement in these events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the comic mini-series "[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]" and the storybook "[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|Transformers the Movie]]."}}

One year (or possibly five years, [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline|depending on whom you ask]]) after the defeat of [[Unicron]], the Quintessons reappeared. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} They first sent a commando team of Sharkticons to abduct various Autobots (as well as [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], though that may have been unintentional). Upon capturing the 'bots, the Quintessons seemed more interested in interrogating their prisoners than feeding them to the Sharkticons. However, they eventually did find the captured Transformers to be guilty of the crime of... being Transformers (Spike was guilty by association). {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}

[[File:FFOD4 Quintessons raised tentacles and Galvatron.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"Look out, it's Galvatron! Quick, make yourselves look big and maybe he'll leave us alone!"]]
After [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus]] and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] mounted a rescue for their captive friends, the Quintessons attempted to kill the would-be rescuers by destroying the entire planet of Quintessa. After this plan failed, the surviving Quintessons approached the currently leaderless Decepticons, offering them [[energon]] in exchange for attacking the Autobots who had fled to the planet [[Goo Number 8739-B|Goo]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}} When the newly revived [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] arrived intending to reclaim his army, the Quintessons made an alliance with him to attack Cybertron in return for the [[Decepticon Matrix|Decepticon Matrix of Leadership]], an object which didn't actually exist outside the Quintessons' fertile imaginations. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

The Quintessons betrayed Galvatron almost immediately after the battle had been won, sending the Sharkticons to pull a [[Large switch|switch]] which would cause all Transformers the galaxy over literally to freeze where they stood. Though the Sharkticons were fought off, Galvatron pulled the lever anyway. The Quintessons landed on Cybertron, intending to reclaim the planet, however Spike destroyed the switch and the Quintessons were forced to abandon the planet in an escape pod. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

Later plots by the Quintessons were no less nefarious. A rogue Quintesson scientist abducted three Transformers and a [[Marissa Faireborn|human]] for behavioral study, a scheme that nearly killed the entire group after they drifted into a black hole. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar}} Later, the Quintessons revived the deceased [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] in an attempt to lure all the Autobots into a trap and destroy them with a supernova. However, the Quintessons did not count upon Hot Rod forcing Optimus Prime to overcome his programming, nor Optimus Prime's ability to sacrifice himself to save the Autobots. {{storylink|Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

[[File:ForeverLongTimeComing various Quintessons.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"Damn it! Who ate my yogurt?!"]]
Later still, the Quintessons attempted to rewrite history by preventing their loss of Cybertron, creating a [[Time Window]] on an asteroid, directed at Cybertron eleven million years in the past. The Autobots attacked the asteroid, occupying it as several of their number passed through the Time Window and resulting in the very fabric of reality starting to unravel the longer the window remained open. The Quintessons made several desperate attempts to retake the asteroid before convincing Rodimus Prime to shut the Time Window down, though their plans were still ruined as the time-displaced A-3 returned to the past to take his part in the rebellion. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

After a Quintesson journal was lost on [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], the Quintessons began inserting subliminal messages into the Junkions' [[television]] in an attempt to make them tidy and instill a distrust of other life forms. Unfortunately the equipment sending the subliminal signal was damaged during an attempt to retrieve the journal, resulting in the Junkions transmitting subliminal messages to the rest of the galaxy. In the ensuing battle, the Quintessons again tried to retrieve the journal, only to lose it when a stray shot knocked it loose from their tractor beam. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}} The journal resurfaced again in the [[Angarrix sector]] at the same time that the Autobots were conducting peace talks with [[Xetaxxis]] and [[Lanarq]], two planets whom the Quintessons had manipulated into war so that they could sell weapons. Despite the Quintessons' best attempts the journal reached the conference where their interference was exposed, and the Autobots destroyed the Quintesson ship as it tried to deliver two [[omega bomb]]s intended to destroy the planets. {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}}

The Quintessons would try other schemes to destroy the Autobots. One involved kidnapping [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and hooking him to a device which manifested his dreams in real life. Unfortunately the dream constructs turned on them when Rodimus was able to reach Daniel's sleeping mind. {{storylink|Nightmare Planet}} Another was to manipulate Galvatron into releasing the Trans-Organics. Though Galvatron succeeded, releasing the [[Dweller (G1)|Dweller]], the Autobots managed to expel the creature into space, where it attacked the Quintesson ship. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}}

[[File:MadmansParadise Mara-Al-Utha.jpg|thumb|left|240px|''"Why not Zoidberg?!'']]
Finding Galvatron interfering with the quadrant lock sealing [[Quadrant X]], the Quintessons entered the lock, taking a number of Transformers through with them. Unfortunately their [[isolator key]], needed to reopen the lock, was damaged, forcing them to obtain [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]'s [[universal emulator]]. Perceptor was able to program the emulator so that when the Quintessons used it, it disabled the quadrant lock for good. {{storylink|The Face of the Nijika}} In another dimension on [[Menonia]], the Autobots found the rogue Quintesson scientist [[Mara-Al-Utha]], and defeated him with the help of local wizard named the [[Golden One]]. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}

[[File:ReturnOptimusPrime Quintesson holding tool.jpg|thumb|upright=1.45|"Right, where am I sticking this?"]]
The Quintessons suggested to Cyclonus that he take Galvatron to [[Torkulon]], believing the experience would prove fatal for the Decepticons. It didn't. {{storylink|Webworld}} A group of Quintessons based on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]] made a deal with [[Dirk Manus]] to deliver them the [[Recreator]], while also sending the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] to attack him. Multiple double-crosses ensued until in one final double-cross, Manus set [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] on the Quintessons and they retreated without the Recreator. {{storylink|Money Is Everything (episode)|Money Is Everything}}

When Rodimus asked [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] to find him a Quintesson, Sky Lynx complained that the Quintessons had gone into hiding in the farthest reaches of the galaxy and would be difficult to find. Nonetheless Sky Lynx managed to find [[Klementia|one being chased]] by [[Hate Plague]] infected Sharkticons, and took him to Earth to restore life to the body of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}} The lone Quintesson also restored a number of other Autobots to help Optimus retrieve the Matrix from Rodimus. He did his best to hold off the infected Transformers while Optimus journeyed into the Matrix and found a way to cure the Hate Plague. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}
{{--}}

=====Japanese cartoon continuity=====
======''Legends'' comic======
Millions of years ago, the Quintessons arrived on the planet that would become Cybertron and discovered the essence of the [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]] as well as the [[Matrix of Leadership|vessel]] that had once kept it. They subjugated the Oracle by encasing him within [[Vector Sigma]] and creating the [[Key to Vector Sigma]] to control his powers, which they used to transform the planet into a metallic world. They went on to use Cybertron as a factory for [[Transformer|robotic slaves]] until their creations rebelled and drove them off the planet, claiming the Oracle's vessel and finding it full of malicious energy after years of accumulating the wisdom of its Quintesson owners. They promptly dumped out the Quintesson wisdom, which would one day go on to become [[Devil Z]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

In need of new territory after being driven off Cybertron, the Quintessons opened a portal to another dimension, the [[Legends World]], and invaded it with an army of [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharges]] led by a lone Quintesson. They were beaten back by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], leading to the Quintessons labeling the Legends World dangerous and sealing away its creators, the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]], with a [[quadrant lock]]. However, the Quintessons were unaware that their portal had in fact spanned time as well as space and led to the far future, and the Legends World would only be created ''after'' the Zamojin were released from the lock. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 59|Bonus Edition Vol. 59}}

======BT World======
The Quintessons monitored [[Binaltech (technology)|Project: Binaltech]] on Earth with great trepidation. When they detected the Autobots moving on towards the enhancement of humans as well, they became afraid of the ramifications and initiated a [[quadrant lock]] on that world. {{storylink|Outlier (comic)|Outlier}}

As a result of the quadrant lock, the planet was frozen in time until the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]] were born and broke through it 900,000 years later. During the intervening time, however, a tragic fate befell the Quintessons. {{storylink|Alternation}}

======''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010'' story pages======
Teaming up with the Decepticons, the Quintessons began developing new warriors for their "allies". {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 2}} The [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s were constructed by the Quintessons during this alliance. The Sharkticons, also considered to be part of the Predacon faction, were leased to the Decepticons to bolster their ranks. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 3}} The Quintessons evidently consider the Sharkticons to be "the Pride of the Quintessons" and developed [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] specifically to outdo all previous Decepticon [[combiner]]s. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 4}}

During [[Dark Awakening (episode)|the time they had Optimus Prime's corpse in their clutches]], the Quintessons copied his schematics. They also received schematics of Megatron from their alliance with the Decepticons and developed the Colossal Cannon Soldier [[Gilthor]]. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 4}}

======''Macrocosmic Seekers''======
The [[Seeker (United)|Seeker]], during the enslavement of Transformers, realized the potential for Transformer evolution and noted that rebellion was imminent. He was laughed at, but the Seeker got the last laugh when he left Cybertron before the rebellion and evolved beyond his Quintesson origins. {{Storylink|A Treasure's True Worth}}

======Controverse======
When [[Primacron]] was taken into custody for unleashing [[Tornedron]] into the cosmos, the galactic council appointed the Quintesson judge [[Adveraros]] to preside over the scientist's trial. To guard the prisoner, the Quintessons brought along several Bailiffs and Sharkticons. Though Adveraros at first seemed to give a sensible ruling (acquittal by reason of insanity) in truth the Quintessons were planning to harvest Primacron's brain once he had been sent to [[Doruka III]], an asylum planet. The plot was foiled by Primacron himself, who fashioned a high-tech whistle out of his mechanical manacles, and took control of all nearby "[[Primitive]]" Transformers. Having restrained Adveraros with his own Sharkticon guards, Primacron revealed that he had once created bacterial machines, which he proposed was the Quintessons' distant ancestors. Adveraros loudly denounced this claim as the Autobots came in to take protective custody of Primacron. {{storylink|Controverse}}

======''Kiss Players''======
[[File:KPQuints.jpg|thumb|This is all kinds of crazy.]]
The [[Kiss Players (singing group)|Kiss Players]] [[Marissa Faireborn]], [[Atari Hitotonari]], and [[Shaoshao Li]], together with the [[Sparkbot]]s [[Angela]], [[Star Dust]], and [[Zangetsu]], were traveling through time aboard [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]] when the space fortress suddenly went out of control.

The six found themselves on a strange, alien world in the year 2011. With their ship ensnared, they were herded by [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] to the Space Tribunal, where the Quintessons put them on trial for time-traveling without their permission.

When Shaoshao asked if being cute was a crime, the Quintessons threatened to charge her with contempt of court. Atari suggested using their Kiss Play abilities to transform into cute costumes and ask the "octopusses" nicely to let them go. But turning into a swimsuit-clad elementary school girl and asking the judge's permission to go to the potty only resulted in Atari and her friends being found "not guilty" and dropped into the Sharkticon pit below.

Rescued by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Goldbug]], they fled back to Brave Maximus and re-entered the time portal. Sucked into the maelstrom along with them, the Quintessons demanded that the process stop, saying that they were the last of their kind. But it was too late, and the aliens were trapped inside the hole in space-time. {{storylink|Kiss Players Picture Story Show}}

======''Generations Selects Special Comic''======
In the universe's early days, the Quintessons were ruled by [[It]]. After developing a cyberforming ray, the Quintessons discovered a barren rocky world at the galaxy's centre. Testing their invention on this world, the Quintessons dubbed it "Cybertron" and enslaved the [[Primus|energy being]] that resided in its core, shackling it within a [[Vector Sigma|supercomputer]] through which they granted life to their Transformer creations. Though the Quintessons had intended to sell the Transformers as slaves, they'd built their robots too well, their creations rebelling and driving them off-world. {{storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic Finale|Finale}}

The Quintessons continued to experiment with creating robotic life, creating the [[Terrorbot]]s. This led to the creation of the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], an elite form of Terrorbot that would seek out [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s energy and allow them to build a second of him with which to conquer the universe. {{storylink|Abominus comic 1}}

In [[2050]], thanks to humanity discovering and evacuating [[Earth]]'s [[Angolmois Energy]] and the unique temporal properties of [[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]], the Quintessons managed to escape from their dimensional prison and immediately set out to subdue the island's [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] residents to sell as merchandise. The Dinobots weren't keen on this idea, and so the leading Judge released the [[Recreator]] to bring forth a reborn [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] when the [[Allicon]]s weren't up to the task. Predaking had the Dinobots on the ropes, but they managed to tap into an [[Energon Matrix]] and Angolmois Energy to combine into [[Volcanicus (POTP)|Volcanicus]]. The Dinosaur combiner was able to easily defeat Predaking, although the Quintessons fled before they could be taken care of. {{storylink|Volcanicus comic 1}}

With the myriad of Cybertronian politics being drawn into the humanity/Selector conflict, Spike took the Judge to the [[Mother Computer]] who advised that the humanity and the Quintessons join forces. {{storylink|Volcanicus comic 2}}

To celebrate this, the Quintesson Judge called down the Terrorcons and the [[Slitherfang]]s. When the Judge explained his race's plans for Angolmois, Spike furiously denounced the aliens, prompting the Judge to shoot him in the chest, laughing that the Quintessons' malignant Angolmois had corrupted the Mother Computer. {{storylink|Abominus comic 1}}

As the Judge continued to laugh at the Quintesson victory, [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and Spike joined forces, the former being reborn as Neo Autobot X. Working together, the two Earthly species overpowered the Judge and incapacitated him with an [[energon enema]]. When the Decepticons began fighting over the Angolmois Energy, the Judge screamed as, through [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]'s defection, another of the Quintessons' creations had turned on them. {{storylink|Abominus comic 2}}

=====''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers'' manga=====
[[File:2010manga04-title.jpg|left|thumb|200px|"Great Guns", "Colossal Cannons", it's all semantics.]]

The Quintessons feigned to have created Gilthor as a subordinate for Galvatron, but in reality they had allied themselves with the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who gave the robot life. Gilthor quickly turned on Galvatron during an ambush on Rodimus Prime. He would have won, had Rodimus and Galvatron not worked together to defeat him, foiling the plans of the Quintessons. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 4|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #4}}
{{--}}

=====''Wings Universe''=====
{{wingsnote}}
Very early in the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the Autobot ship ''[[Van De Graaff]]'' was shot down over [[Beta-Nine]] while transporting a [[Matrix of Leadership|vital cargo]]. The Autobots initially believed that the crash was the result of a Decepticon attack, but [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], a crewmember of the rescue ship ''[[Eight Track (G1)|Eight Track]]'', discovered the truth when he found green tentacled remains alongside the corpses of the murdered ''Van De Graaff'' crew. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

The Quintessons created [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] to lead a new generation of Sharkticons. In [[2010]], they sent Sky-Byte and several Sharkticons to Earth in an alliance with the [[Decepticon Syndicate]]. {{storylink|Generation 2: Redux}}

By [[2984]], Quintesson space had come under the control of the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutant]]s. In that year, the temporally-displaced pirates known as the [[Star Seeker]]s traveled near former Quintesson space on their way to find the immortal spark of the infamous Decepticon [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]. The Star Seekers eventually gained access to a [[Shut-Up-Tornado-I'm-Trying-To-Think|planetoid]] existing in a pocket of space surrounded by black holes. In a chamber on the planetoid, they encountered a lone Quintesson who claimed to have been betrayed and marooned by Starscream on the planetoid some time earlier. The Star Seekers gave the Quintesson passage off of the planetoid in exchange for telling all that he knew of Starscream's last known destination. However as it turned out, the Quintesson was long dead, and Starscream's immortal spark had been using the Quintesson's body as a puppet. Forming an alliance with the Decepticon Star Seeker [[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]], Starscream discarded the Quintesson's body and hijacked Captain [[Cannonball (G1)|Cannonball]]'s body for himself, simultaneously allowing Flamewar to take control of the Star Seekers for herself. {{storylink|Tornado - Decepticon Saboteur}}

=====''Transformers: All Spark''=====
{{groupstub}}
{{storylink|Another Episode, Part 2}} {{storylink|Conclusion}}

=====Ask Vector Prime=====
In an unstable [[Iocus]] universe engineered by the machinations of [[Sideways (AVP)|Sideways]] and [[Renegade#Gong|Gong]], the Quintessons on Quintessa were replaced by the [[Master Renegade]] and the [[Monster GoBot]]s on [[Antares 3|Antares III]] during the events of the [[Unicron War]]. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

=====''Deviations''=====
A group of Quintessons were presiding over the execution of Kranix when Optimus Prime and the Autobots intervened, forcing the Quintessons to abandon their kangaroo court and flee. Optimus noted a feeling of familiarity towards the aliens and their planet but could not place it. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations|Deviations}}

====Big Looker storybooks====
[[File:Wildboyofquintessonbattle.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Rarely do encounters with Autobots work out well for the Quintessons.]]
An Autobot ship crashed on Quintesson, with [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] the only survivor. The Quintessons captured him, throwing him in a dungeon. They intended to execute him, taking him to a Sharkticon pit, however he managed to evade them and escaped into the jungles of Quintesson. When Hot Rod's ship also crashed on the planet, the Quintessons tried to mount a sneak attack, only for Wheelie to appear and fight them off single-handed. The Quintessons returned with Sharkticon backup, stalking the Autobots as Wheelie tried to lead them away from the crash site, however as it turned out even with their Sharkticons, the Quintesson were no match for the Autobots and most of them were killed in the battle that ensued. {{storylink|The Story of Wheelie, the Wild Boy of Quintesson}}

{{--}}

====''Transformers in 3-D''====
A Quintesson sent two [[little informant|aliens]] to spy on the Autobots and Decepticons, and download the contents of their databases. The two aliens were puzzled, but the Quintesson remained cagy about what the data was for. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

{{--}}

====Beast Era====
=====''Beast Machines''=====
The [[Maximal]] [[Beast Rider]] [[Che]] was encased in a unique Quintessian{{sic}} alloy found in the lower levels of Cybertron.<ref>Che's packaging bio</ref>

=====3H comics=====
Millennia ago, the Quintessons were the minions of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], send out to locate [[Primus]]. The Quintessons succeeded, but rather than turn Primus over to Unicron, they instead constructed barriers around him, intending to make use of him to create consumer product lines. They eventually succeeded in doing so through [[Vector Sigma]], though some of their number such as [[Al-badur]] warned of the danger of trying to control Primus's creations. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

Out on the arm of the Orion Cluster, [[New Quintessa]] sat awaiting the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutant Beast]]s, Cybertronians without [[robot mode]]s who had been dispatched by the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] of [[Vector Sigma]] to regain what they had lost. [[Icebird]] believed they were on a sacred mission; in truth, it was a fool's errand. The Quintesson Supreme Imperial Magistrate [[Derodomontatus]] fed the Mutants to the Sharkticons before continuing his discussions with the free trader, [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]]. Plans proceeded apace, as both the Mutants and the [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobot]]s were dealt with by this deadly alliance, and Cryotek assured Derodomontatus that the last Cybertronian team, the [[Wreckers]], would soon be extinguished as well. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

Meanwhile the Wreckers encountered Al-badur on an icy world, and he filled them in on the origin of Cybertron and bargained for his departure from the planet in exchange for information about the [[Divine Light]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

The invasion of Cybertron soon began, and [[Snarl (BM)|Snarl]], [[Longhorn]], and [[Skydive (BM)|Skydive]] spotted Quintessons herding mass hordes of Sharkticons towards the Cybertronian settlements.

{{Note|The following is unofficial material for the intended script to the Wreckers #4, never published.}}

Derodomontatus cheered on the advancing troops with his fellow Quintessons, before proceeding with Cryotek and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] to complete his part of their bargain. The fighting intensified on the surface as [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]] and the Dinobots arrived, shortly before the Wreckers returned to Cybertron as well. [[Primal Prime]] and [[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]] led a contingent after Cryotek and the Quintessons deeper into Cybertron's core. They arrived in time to see Cryotek had successfully mutated himself into a god-like being with the power of the [[Divine Light]]. {{storylink|The Wreckers: Finale Part 1}}

{{note|And now, back to the official material.}}
Derodomontatus, realizing the extent to which Cryotek had now surpassed the Quintessons, begged the free trader to remember their contract and honor it. In response, Cryotek sent his pet [[Chro]] to rip the Quintesson's faces off.

As their Imperial Magistrate faced a hostile takeover beneath the planet's surface, the Quintesson troops on open ground found their advancement equally stymied. Expecting the newly reformatted Cybertron to be filled with docile and disoriented cattle, the Quintessons were ill-prepared for the resistance they faced from all corners of the globe and all sectors of the populace. In [[Ankmor Park|Ankmor]], Judge [[Brinn]]'s patrol were stalked by the Maximal techno-organic, [[Night Viper]]. In a deserted city, a contingent led by Overseer [[Rexian]] were overcome by Decepticons criminals recently restored to their bodies. Overseer [[Vashik]] and [[In-Saba Nur]] assaulted the new Predacon capital of [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]] with predictable results, as Lord [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]] squashed them beneath his heel ([[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] helped). Oh yes, and then there were ''Dinobots''. Admiral [[Krahulik]] was prepared to initiate orbital bombardment from the ''Paradigm'' hovering over [[Polyhex]] before [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] and [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] brought down the Quintesson warships as well. The Quintessons began to retreat in hordes, returning to their landing ships and launching out into space...right into the path of the planetary defense systems, recently brought back on-line.

All in all, the invasion of Cybertron was an unmitigated disaster. Judge [[Heirodyus]] watched the annihilation from New Quintessa with a mixture of horror and smugness, silently congratulating himself for escaping the fate of his brothers. He hadn't. The Mutant Beasts Icebird and [[Poison Bite]] had survived their dip in the Sharkticon pools, and returned imbued with the light of Primus himself. Heirodyus and the Quintessons were soon wiped from the surface of New Quintessa. Icebird and Poison Bite assumed control of the planet, spreading the techno-organic plant life made from Cybertron's reformatting, and teaching the Sharkticons the ways of peace. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

=====''Beast Wars: Uprising''=====
Several millennia ago, the Cybertronians bought some surplus [[Terrorbot]] drones from the Quintessons, including the cumbersome and inefficient [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]] drones. {{storylink|Burning Bridges}}

Following the failed [[Great Push]] of [[2033]], a Quintesson court found Galvatron and his compatriots guilty of their many war crimes, sentencing them to death. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}} By the 24th century, the Quintessons were among the few species still allowed to travel in and out of the [[Allowed Zone]] due to pre-existing contractual relationships with Cybertron; the [[Human Confederacy]] regarded the Quintessons with suspicion.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/133737-beast-wars-uprising-ama/?p=3361342 Post by Jim S on the Allspark Forums]</ref>

====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
=====Marvel UK future timeline=====
{{note|The movie adaptation and Universe bio, originally published by Marvel US, is in italics}}
''Like those creepy little pilotfish that swarm behind sharks, snapping at stray scraps, the Quintessons were vile enforcers for [[Unicron]], savagely hunting down and picking off those who attempted to escape his maw.'' {{storylink|The Transformers Universe (Marvel)#Issue #4|Transformers Universe}}

''In an alternate future of 2005, the Quintessons took Hot Rod, Kup and several other Autobots hostage on their homeworld and chucked them into the Sharkticon pits for punishment. The Autobots were able to escape, however, and the Sharkticons quickly turned on their cruel masters.'' {{storylink|Judgment Day!}}

In 2008, Quintesson scientists realized that their planet, Quintesson, was threatened with destruction by a time rift that was caused by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]'s time-traveling. Though they scoped out several other worlds to move their civilization to, the [[Quintesson Journal|journal]] containing the records on these planets was lost on the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}} In an attempt to retrieve it, they captured [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] and had him interrogated by the [[Mister Regan|Galaxy's greatest torturer]]. After being left to the torturer's tender mercies for some time, Wreck-Gar "confessed," in an elaborate story, that the journal was lost in the void of space. The Quintessons quickly deduced that whole tale had been nothing but [[Quintesson#The Big Broadcast of 2006|a fabrication]], and executed the torturer for failing to deliver the journal's true location. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

Desperate for their race to survive, they launched a surprise attack on Autobot City, capturing it for themselves. Most of the Autobots were deactivated, except for [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]], who was outside the city at the time of the attack, and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]], [[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]] and [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]], who were hidden inside [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s cassette compartment.

Using [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] as bait, the Quintessons captured the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] from Rodimus, and he reverted to Hot Rod. Out of options, Hot Rod activated the core of Autobot City, a giant Autobot called [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who transformed and drove the Quintessons off but caused massive damage to the city in the process.

The Quintessons fled, but were ordered by Lord Kledji ''not'' to return to Quintesson, but to roam the stars instead to rebuild their forces and seek revenge on the Transformers, since their home planet was doomed beyond hope. How that went for them is unknown, but as they'd managed to cheese off most of the known metallic species by that point, it probably didn't go too well. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}

=====The Big Broadcast of 2006=====
{{NoteMarvelBB2006}}
After a [[Quintesson Journal|journal]] of great importance to the Quintessons was lost on the planet Junkion, the Quintessons sent down a school of [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] planet-side to retrieve it. Though the Sharkticons came close to completing their mission, they were chased off at the last moment by the planet's natives, much to the Quintessons' frustration. Deciding to make another attempt at its retrieval through more surreptitious means, the Quintessons sent down a television set the next day, knowing of the Junkions' fondness for Earth broadcasts. Their television set, however, also broadcasted a subliminal message, which caused the Junkions to act aggressively towards all outsiders, and made compelled them to clean up their planet. The Quintessons hoped this would allow them to more easily find their journal amidst Junkion's heaps of garbage, while keeping any other parties who might interfere at bay.

As soon as the Junkions found the Quintessons' journal, the latter moved in. But the Autobots and Decepticons had caught wind that something was amiss on Junkion by this time, and both factions also became involved, forcing the Quintessons to attack them. The Autobot [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] proved too mighty for them however, and the Quintesson were forced to retreat without their prize in hand. Worse yet, during the Autobots' and the Decepticons' scuffle in Junkion's orbit, the Quintessons' transmitter was damaged, ultimately resulting in its broadcast being sent all around the galaxy. Various species gathered around the planet to duke it out between themselves as a result. Seeing another opportunity to seize their lost journal, the Quintessons sent down a shuttle-craft to retrieve it while everyone else was distracted in the melee. But as the journal was captured in the shuttle-craft's tractor beam, a wild shot hit it, sending the journal off into the void of space, and out of the Quintessons' reach. The Quintesson tasked with retrieving the journal was sentenced to death for failing to fulfill his mission. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

====''The Invisibility Factor''====
{{notemultipath}}
In one possible scenario, the Quintessons, currently allied with the Decepticons, sent a messenger craft to Earth. They informed Galvatron that they were ready to send in troops to help in a full-scale invasion of the Earth. Without any Autobots around to interfere with the messages they were relaying the Quintessons and the Decepticons soon turned Earth into one giant refuelling station. {{storylink|The Invisibility Factor}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity====
The Quintessons were an alien race which appeared to have conquered Cybertron at some point, but were driven off. However, they continued to maintain watch over Cybertron, eventually coming to manipulate the [[Council of Ancients]]. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] claimed this was the reason that he started the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

Megatron's animosity towards the Quintessons did not stop him from making a deal with the aliens, who provided him with the [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]] and a bunch of [[Piranacon (Quintesson)|Piranacons]]. Knowing Megatron and the Quintessons, both were planning to betray each other when the time was right. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2}}

{{Unreleased WW comic}}
Megatron had promised to deliver Cybertron's core to the Quintessons in exchange for the army they had provided him, but Megatron forestalled on completing the deal once he had conquered Cybertron. The Quintessons grew annoyed, and began to rightly suspect that Megatron planned to renege on their transaction. Little did they know that [[Flash (G1)|Flash]], having been accidently been transported to Quintessa, was eavesdropping on their conversation, learning the true nature of Cybertron's conquest. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.4}} The Quintessons discovered Flash spying on them, but he escaped thanks to his superior speed. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.5}} The Quintessons then attempted to remotely extract Cybertron's core, only for their efforts to be thwarted by Starscream. Though their plans ended in failure, the Quintessons learned that the power they sought was also contained within Optimus Prime, a target much more attainable than Cybertron's core. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.6}}

The Quintessons began plotting further in earnest against Cybertron after a totalitarian regime headed by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] was toppled by the Autobots. {{storylink|Generation 1 issue 0|Generation 1 #0}} Noting that [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] might stand in their way, the Quintessons readied to put into use one of their agents on Cybertron, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], who they could use to "distract" him. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}} When Arcee informed that Hot Rod would soon be put in a mostly isolated position, the Quintessons excitedly put their plans of conquest in motion ahead of schedule. They called upon [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] to ready herself {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}} and her [[Female Autobots|extraction team]] to invade Cybertron. {{storylink|Unreleased Dreamwave issues|Generation One #11}}

{{Unreleased DW G1 comic}}

Under the Quintessons' supervision, the extraction team successfully knocked out Hot Rod and retrieved the unconscious Autobot. {{storylink|Unreleased Dreamwave issues#Issue 11|Generation 1 #11}}

====''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''====
[[File:Historyofcybertron.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|What order is this read in?!]]
When [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] downloaded information on Cybertron's history from [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s databanks, he saw the Quintessons create the [[Trans-Organic|transorganics]] and the Transformers. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}}
{{-}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
[[File:Last Stand - Quintesson Inscription.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

An enigmatic Quintesson historian named [[Pentius]] was shipwrecked on [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] for centuries until he was freed by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], who needed a guide to get off the planet. {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}} During their time together, the Quintesson nurtured Megatron's evil ambitions in order to shape him into a true monster, though his motives for doing so were clouded in mystery. The Decepticon eventually killed Pentius to use his [[spark]]'s energy as fuel, but he was content with his death as it proved Megatron's training was complete. {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}} After inserting Pentius's spark into [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Megatron accessed the giant's jumbled memories and saw other Quintessons, which he described as "devils" that preyed upon and destroyed entire civilizations. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}}

Some time after [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'s [[Ore-1]] [[Regenesis]] missiles struck the planet [[LV-117]], someone painted the Death face of a Quintesson Judge on top of the [[Decepticon]] insignia adorning it. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}} A strange inscription of a Quintesson judge was also present inside the ruins of some unknown ancient civilization on the planet. Through the cracks in the stone it was carved into, its eerie eyes glowed... {{storylink|Spotlight: Wheelie}}

As [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] began consuming LV-117, [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and [[Varta]] planned to flee the planet on a [[Quintesson Cruiser|familiar screw-shaped ship]]. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}} {{storylink|Our Darkest}} After crashing the ship on [[LV-118]], Wheelie claimed to have stolen it from someone, but didn't specify who. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|Out of the Silent Planet}}

A similar ship - this one chock full of Sharkticons - was used by Wreck-Gar and [[Rum-Maj]]'s group of Junkions to travel to Earth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

When a trio of Autobots entered Unicron's internals, they found the remains of the Quintesson engraving. [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] questioned its significance only for [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] to point out the painting's presence meant they were nearing Unicron's core. {{storylink|Last Stand (Unicron)|Last Stand}}
{{-}}

====''Kre-O'' online comics====
[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] attacked a Quintesson and spun it around by the tentacles during his rampage. {{storylink|Enter the New Emperor of Destruction!? Stop Galvatron's Rampage!}}

====''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''====
[[File:Everybody Hates Metroplex - Quintesson Holding Trial.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]
The mysterious fifth dimensional beings known only as "the Makers" created the universe and with it [[Daiakuron]], a living planet which they imbued with the power to create life on its own. They went on to merge together, five at a time, into [[combiner|gestalt]] forms, becoming the Quintessons. {{storylink|Earth: R.I.P.}} Taking up residence in the [[unspace|Void]], the Quintessons were displeased that the life spawned from Daiakuron had developed sentience, something they had not intended. They seized [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimal Prime]], [[Snake-Eyes]], and [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]], putting them all on trial for theft of the body and the soul. Reviewing their memories: acquiring the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], being trained by the Blind Master in martial arts, and living at odds with his step-father, respectively, the trio was found guilty! However, before punishment could be dealt, the trio escaped back into reality. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} After learning the identity of their creators, the Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] sent a joint crew to [[Quadrant X]] to find the Quintessons. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}
{{-}}
====''Transformers/Ghostbusters''====
When [[Gozer]] appeared on Cybertron, the [[Temple of Gozer|temple]] it summoned was adorned with Quintesson visages. {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 1}}

====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon====
[[File:EarthriseEpisode2-Deseeus.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"As I was your beginning, so shall I be your end."]]

The rulers of the Quintesson Empire, the Quintessons were an ancient enemy of the Cybertronian race, having enslaved Cybertron and sold off its citizenry as property in ages past. The [[Scorponok (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Scorponok]] remaining on the [[Nebulos]] space station referred to them as the "creators". The Cybertronians eventually rose up against the Quintessons and drove them off Cybertron. The [[Quintesson Judge|Judge]] [[Deseeus]], who referred to the Cybertronians as his "children", would later claim credit for emancipating the Cybertronians though the veracity of this claim is unknown. By the era of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the Quintessons had been absent for so long that the younger generations of Cybertronians viewed them as nothing but myths.

Whether Deseeus was a uniquely fractured individual or a representative of the default among Quintesson Judges, each of his faces had a separate personality, who debated among the "council" to reach "consensus" before making a decision. Whether the Quintessons were the enemy driven off by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] is unknown, but by the present age they were remembered enough for Optimus to know of them, and for Megatron to fly into a rage upon being compared to a Judge. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 2}} {{storylink|Earthrise episode 5}}

In the past, the Quintessons ruled over a Cybertronian population that included the last Scorponok on Nebulos, who never rebelled against them, and ultimately all save that single Transformer were destroyed. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 5}}

Sometime around the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s launch, Judge Deseeus would hire out members of the [[Mercenary]] faction, who would bring the crew of the ship to him, where he proclaimed his desire to reunite with his "children", although his threats and arguing faces made his goals unclear. Deseeus' face of Wrath would reach "consensus" by ''slicing off the other faces'' and deciding to slaughter the Autobots. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 2}} Manipulating the body of the Mercenary leader [[Doubledealer]], Deseeus took command of the Mercenary faction, pursuing the ''Ark'' and the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. [[Fool's Fortune|The Mercenaries' ship]] was eventually destroyed but it is unknown if Deseeus was still aboard when it exploded. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 6}}

{{--}}

====''My Little Pony/Transformers''====
[[File:Finale-Quintesson.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]

Following the defeat of [[King Sombra]] on Cybertron, a Quintesson Judge observed the [[Pony|Equestrians]] with interest. {{storylink|Finale (The Magic of Cybertron)|Finale}}

{{--}}

====2019 IDW continuity====
[[File:WarsEndPartTwo ExarchonOrigin.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

During his fateful voyage beyond Cybertronian space, the explorer [[Exarchon]] came into contact with enigmatic beings who dwelt beyond the "Quintessence". Fearing the destructive potential of the Cybertronian race if they were allowed to spread unchecked, the aliens mutated Exarchon into a new form of life entirely, a "living virus" capable of remotely extinguishing the [[spark]]s of other Cybertronians, armed him with the advanced weapons and exotic technologies required to wage war on his homeworld, and showed him a glimpse of a possible future where he ruled Cybertron unopposed. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part One}} Upon returning to Cybertron, Exarchon explained that he'd been sent to permanently curtail the unchecked cycles of violent conquest and colonization that characterized Cybertron's [[Expansion|Age of Expansion]] by destroying the [[AllSpark]] itself. {{storylink|War's End Part Three}}

====''King Grimlock''====
When he found himself in [[Menonia]], [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] made an enemy of the [[Mara-Al-Utha|Red Wizard]], finding him to be a Quintesson whom he quickly overthrow. Menonian lore speculated that the Red Wizard was an exile among his own people. {{storylink|Grimlock the Avenger}}

{{--}}

====Energon Universe====
Native to the planet [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 5|Void Rivals #5}} the Quintessons were responsible for the [[Age of Wrath]], a reputation that gave them many enemies, {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 3|Void Rivals #3}} [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and the Cybertronians among them. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 4|Void Rivals #4}}

In the modern day, the [[Quintesson Judge]] assigned [[Quintesson Prosecutor|a Prosecutor]] to take a [[Quintesson Scorpia]] to the fighting pits of the planet [[Master (planet)|Dominus]]. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 5|Void Rivals #5}} On his journey, the Prosecutor crossed paths with the [[Skuxxoid]], a financial partner of the species. Discovering that the Prosecutor had a bounty on him, Skuxxoid held him prisoner. During [[Darak]] and [[Solila]]'s quest to return to the [[Sacred Ring]], they briefly joined forces with the Quintesson Prosecutor but ultimately left the alien in Skuxxoid's custody in exchange for a spaceship. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 3|Void Rivals #3}}

Skuxxoid first took the Prosecutor to Cybertron, hoping to sell him to [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], only to be told to get out in no uncertain terms. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 4|Void Rivals #4}} Undeterred, the Skuxxoid took the Prosecutor back to Quintessa, finding an even less sympathetic audience from the Judge. Before the Skuxxoid could be prepared for a trial, he managed to save his skin by mentioning that he had a ship made from [[Zertonian]] metals. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 5|Void Rivals #5}}

Delivered the craft, the Judge ordered it taken to a laboratory to be scanned for any hints that could lead them to [[Zertonia]]. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 6|Void Rivals #6}}

===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
[[File:AlphaQ1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
'''Alpha Quintesson''' (or simply "'''Alpha Q'''") had varying origins within the [[Aurex]] cluster. In some realities he came from [[Planet Q]] and was the only known Quintesson. {{storylink|Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon}} While in others, he came from [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]] and was part of a larger race of Quintessons. {{storylink|Transformers: Energon (comic)|''Energon'' comic}} Regardless of his origins, his main motive and driving force remained mostly the same.

{{see|Alpha Quintesson}}
{{--}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
Three hundred million years ago, give or take, the Autobots, engaged in a major colonization push, had border skirmishes with the [[Quintesson Pan Galactic Co-Prosperity Sphere]]. This conflict ended the Age of [[Expansion]]. The [[Autobot Commonwealth]] and the Co-Prosperity Sphere still border each other, as well as the [[Nebulon Republic]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

[[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] received his [[Sonic Jammer 3000]] from the Quintessons. According to him, they are nice folks that give you a good deal and all the oil you can drink. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

===Fun Publications ''Shattered Glass'' continuity===
[[File:Quintesson aquarius.jpg|upright=0.85|left|thumb|Dude.]]

{{quote|We are all one or we are all gone.|[[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]]|[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]}}

This universe's Quintessons are an enigmatic and benevolent species holding sway over a large section of space known as the '''Quintesson Collective'''. They share technology and cooperate with many other species, whether organic, [[technorganic]], or mechanical, using culture as a unifying notion instead of evolutionary origins. They long ago perfected zero-point energy engines, food and parts replication technologies, and advanced biomedics, allowing any individual to change features, organs, and overall designs, eliminating such things as [[Exclusive|scarcity]], and thus material value, "mortality", and even the concept of "species". These technological advances are shared and freely available to all those who join their "ultra-species".

The Quintessons usually rely on [[Federation|cautious observation before making first contact]] with other unenlightened peoples, demanding years of study and careful cultural guidance before even considering allowing membership into the Collective. They rarely use direct means to steer a culture onto the enlightened path, but have been known to occasionally take [[Fortress Maximus (SG)|more direct action]] to protect their interests, doing the "dirty work" themselves. {{storylink|Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass}}
{{-}}

====Shattered Expectations====
When [[Starscream (SG)|Starscream]] and [[Razorclaw (SG)|Razorclaw]] confronted the evil Autobots [[Goldbug (SG)|Goldbug]], [[Jazz (SG)|Jazz]], and [[Grimlock (SG)|Grimlock]], Starscream ordered the Autobots to surrender in the name of the '''[[Quintesson Federation]]'''. {{storylink|Shattered Expectations (SG)|Shattered Expectations}}

===Aligned continuity family===
When the [[Age of Primes]] ended and new Cybertronians began to populate the metallic world, [[Quintus Prime]] chose to leave the planet, hoping to use his [[Emberstone]] on other worlds and create peaceful, space-faring civilizations that would one day contact Cybertron to form friendly alliances. When he reached the planet [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], Quintus created the Quintessons; a species of small organic squids. Physically frail, easily injured, and extremely cowardly, what the Quintessons lacked in physical strength, they made up for in intelligence and cunning. [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] suspected that when the Quintessons found no further use of Quintus Prime, they turned on their creator.

When the Quintessons developed interstellar travel, they began conquering other worlds. They were rarely seen during their conquests, doing most of their dirty work through various proxies, willing or unwilling. When the Quintessons did need to expose themselves to further their own ends, they frequently encased themselves in mechanical suits styled after their various slave races, often claiming to be representatives of other races.

At some point before discovering Cybertron, the Quintessons stole the schematics for [[space bridge]] technology from an unknown source but did not fully understand the science behind the device. They eventually discovered Cybertron toward the end of the planet's Age of Origins. As the first alien beings ever to make contact with the planet, the arrival of their ships awed the young Cybertronian race. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} The Quintessons claimed to be benevolent entities sent to "uplift" the Cybertronians from their primitive existence, so that they could join the galactic community. By giving Cybertronians the "gift" of transformation and the power to assume [[alternate mode]]s, the Quintessons won Cybertron's public support. In reality, though, the Quintessons had simply learned to remotely trigger the dormant [[transformation cog]]s present in every Transformer. The dispersal of Quintesson technology and tutelage turned the feudal, tribe-based planet into a sophisticated spacefaring civilization almost overnight. The Quintessons established rule of law and eventually a global order overseen by the [[Elite Guard]] member [[Sentinel Zeta Prime]] and the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]].

Secretly, the Quintessons aimed to slowly rob the Cybertronians of their individuality, then sell them into slavery as mindless drones. To further this goal, they began implanting various Cybertronians, such as the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], with cockpits intended to house Quintesson pilots. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} The Quintessons organized other Cybertronians into working collectives and attempted to tamper with the Well of All Sparks itself; newborn Transformers began emerging without names or identities, and instead received alphanumeric designations. The Quintesson's twisted, bizarre sense of justice led to the construction of the [[Supreme Court]] on Cybertron, a kangaroo court where innocents could be sentenced to life imprisonment or death. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

Eventually, a resistance movement formed, and the Quintessons were defeated in a rebellion led by Sentinel Prime, who led Cybertron into a subsequent [[Golden Age]]. Traces of their rule, such as the cockpits implanted in many Cybertronians, would remain even as Cybertron slowly rid itself of their influence. Some of the Cybertronians who had lived through this disturbing period- including a young librarian named [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Orion Pax]]- suppressed their traumatic memories of Cybertron's occupation, and eventually forgot about the Quintessons almost entirely. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} Generations later, Orion Pax claimed Sentinel and the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] had enslaved Cybertron with the [[Functionism|caste system]] instead of having it forced on them by the Quintessons. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

The Quintessons never forgot about their humiliating rout at the hands of their former servants, and for many centuries the embittered race enviously regarded the planet and its inhabitants as rightfully theirs. At some point after Cybertron's [[Golden Age]], the Quintessons discovered and colonized the Transformers's ex-colony world of [[Aquatron]], modifying the bodies of its inhabitants to produce techno-organic monstrosities such as the [[Gamekeeper]] and the [[Hydratron]]. Aquatron was eventually subsumed into the Quintesson Imperium, and the Quintessons used their new [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] slaves as aquatic shock troopers.

When the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' entered the Aquatron system during Optimus Prime's search for the [[AllSpark]], the Quintessons awakened [[Inquirata (Prime)|Inquirata]] and his associate [[Xeros]] to carry out their deception that would eventually lead to the second invasion of Cybertron. Manipulating both Optimus and [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] to the planet's surface under the guise of a peace treaty, the Quintessons were eventually able to place both Autobots and Decepticons under arrest and take them to court. During the trial, the Quintessons claimed that they had colonized Cybertron and literally built the first Transformers; Optimus quickly saw through their deception and maintained that all Cybertronians were creations of [[Primus]] alone. The Quintesson judges found Optimus innocent, and forced him to duel to the death with Megatron; siphoning energy from the two leaders, they powered a Space Bridge to Cybertron and launched a second invasion force to re-colonize and enslave Cybertron. Their genetically engineered leader [[Tyrannicon]] spearheaded the Sharkticon invasion and was able to swiftly overwhelm the weakened planet. The invasion was only defeated after Megatron, forced into a temporary truce with his archenemy, discovered the [[Sharkticon Matrix of Leadership]] and used it to override Tyrannicon's hold on his troops. In the ensuing fight, Xeros, Tyrannicon, and Inquirata were all killed, and Aquatron itself was freed of Quintesson control. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}}

The [[Mutacon]]s knew of the Quintessons but considered the law-bound Quintesson way of life to be boring and a worse fate than death. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
[[File:Cyberverse Judge Judging.jpg|thumb|250px]]
The Quintessons were a strange race of aliens, interdimensional beings who travelled the [[multiverse]] using their [[multiverse drive]] and passed judgement on which universes deserved to live or be destroyed. (spoiler alert: they always get destroyed.) {{storylink|The Trial}} To do so, the Quintessons would create "[[Judge (Cyberverse)|Judges]]", hybrid beings based on the native lifeforms of that universe; if the universe was found guilty, then the Judge would oversee the destruction of the universe by using [[unspace]] to obliterate all matter. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}} The [[Scientist (Cyberverse)|Scientist]] traditionally oversaw the process, and in his travels developed a fondness for collecting various iterations of [[Soundwave (Cyberverse)|Soundwave]] he plucked from the various doomed universes his kind had passed judgement upon. {{storylink|The Scientist}} While Judges were hybrids from native lifeforms, the Scientist himself was some kind of organic creature that acted through mechanical proxies. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe III}}

[[File:CyberverseScientistOrganic.jpeg|thumb|left|200px]]
When exactly it is that the Quintessons found this particular universe is not clear; hieroglyphs inside the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Croaton (Cyberverse)|Croaton]] suggested that the aliens had invaded his colony and abducted his inhabitants long before the present day, {{storylink|Ghost Town}} with [[Wheeljack (Cyberverse)|Wheeljack]] referencing the Quintesson reputation for engineering when affecting repairs to a disused [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|The Crossroads}}

Either way, the Quintessons had established an outpost in a distant region of the galaxy at some point before [[2007]]. Having previously encountered the [[Velgrox]] and the [[Gray]], incorporating a member of both races into their latest Judge, the Quintessons discovered that Cybertronians existed in this universe after Croaton, in search of his missing citizens, flew past the outpost, taking the hapless [[Starscream (Cyberverse)|Starscream]] with him. Although the current Judge planned to simply judge and dispose of their new prisoner, the ambitious Seeker tried to win over his captors by revealing the existence of the [[AllSpark|Allspark]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Seeing this as a power source to fuel the creation of the new Judge, the Quintessons made for Cybertron and "rewarded" Starscream with their highest honor: assimilation into the next Judge. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}}

Arriving shortly after [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]]'s defeat, the Quintessons quickly conquered the planet and ensnared the city of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] in the tendrils of their command tower. The Cybertronians were rounded up and placed in a virtual reality simulation designed to keep them happy and docile while the Scientist both drained their [[spark]]s and tapped into the Allspark's energy itself to fuel the creation of this new Judge. {{storylink|The Loop}} {{storylink|The Scientist}} Unfortunately, their machinations were upset by [[Hot Rod (Cyberverse)|Hot Rod]], who the Quintessons had overlooked during their conquest of the planet. The ad hoc Cybertronian resistance he assembled operated out of [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam]]'s, invisible to Quintesson sensors, and threatened to undermine their control of the planet. Although the Quintesson forces eventually captured Hot Rod, the Autobot leader proved uncooperative and was found guilty. {{storylink|The Trial}}

Soon, the resistance infiltrated the command tower and clashed with the Scientist himself, their battle putting the unborn Judge at risk and severing their hostages' connection to the virtual reality loop. {{storylink|The Scientist}} Freed of their prison, [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]], and their respective forces rebelled against the Quintessons, with the conflict escalating into open war between the two forces. Despite their best efforts, the Cybertronians proved unable to breach the force field that protected the Quintesson headquarters, but the partial activation of [[Iaconus]] pushed their [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] warriors into a retreat. {{storylink|The Alliance}}

The Quintessons eventually gained the advantage, primarily by the Judge's rage at Megatron's theft of their multiverse escape pod, disabling nearly all enemy combatants. However, the Judge was attacked and overwhelmed by the resistance leaders and, in their damage and frenzy, they crashed into the command tower, seemingly perishing as it exploded and collapsed. Although the prior Judge was killed, it had survived long enough for the gestation of their new Judge to finish. {{storylink|The Judge (episode)|The Judge}}

The new Judge Starscream rounded up nearly all his enemies, only to monologue over them while Optimus Prime and Megatron were being located. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}} Iaconus was soon awakened and battled the enslaved Croaton under Judge Starscream's command. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe II}} Despite the Scientist being killed off by Wheeljack, Judge Starscream used unspace to slay Iaconus. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe III}}
[[File:Cyberverse EOTU I JudgeStarscream.jpg|230px|thumb|left| Somehow the Quints found the literal WORST person to judge the universe. It's impressive, really.]]

Despite his victory over Iaconus, Judge Starscream soon lost control of Croaton. As his enemies broke free and rallied, he was soon overwhelmed and seemingly destroyed by the dual [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices]] of Optimus Prime and a returned Megatron. The Quintesson invasion was effectively overthrown, and the remainder of their forces were subsequently dealt with by the Autobots and Deceptions. No trace of their occupation remained by the time of the factions' split control of the planet. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe IV}}

====Alternate universe====
In the universe from which [[Megatron X (Cyberverse)|Megatron X]] hailed from, the tyrant used a [[laser snare]] to destroy the Quintesson flagship as it descended onto Cybertron before salvaging its technology for his own ends. {{storylink|The Other One}}

===''EarthSpark'' cartoon===
The Quintessons were the first creations of Quintus Prime following his departure from Cybertron. After creating them, Quintus eventually returned to space. When the Quintessons developed space travel, they followed their creator, seeking to know the purpose of their existence. Finding that they were just one of many creations of Quintus, the embittered Quintessons sought to destroy Quintus and all his creations, and take the power of the [[Emberstone]] for themselves. The Quintessons chased Quintus to a primordial [[Earth]], detecting their creator launching away. Unaware that this was a ruse, the Quintessons left behind a force to breach the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Terratronus]] and claim the Emberstone while they pursued what they thought to be Quintus. {{storylink|Witwicky, Part 1}}

Millenia later, a [[Quintesson Executioner]] was reactivated in [[Witwicky (town)|Witwicky]], attempting to capture [[Mo Malto]] to stand trial before the Quintessons. {{storylink|In Ruins}}

===''One'' film===
{{spoiler|Transformers One (film)|October 21, 2024}}
For thousands of cycles, the Quintessons fought the Cybertronians for control of their planet. The war was at a stalemate until [[Sentinel Prime (One)|Sentinel]], the chief advisor of the [[Thirteen]] Primes, brokered a deal with the Quintessons: If he led the Primes into an ambush to be slaughtered, the Quintessons would allow him to appoint himself the new leader of Cybertron under their thumb, who could provide them with a constant supply of [[energon]]. The Quintessons agreed, and Sentinel reported to the Primes that he'd intercepted a message about an important meeting of the high command of the Quintessons in a distant cave on the planet's surface. The Primes, eager to bring the war to an end, followed Sentinel to the cave, only to be besieged by the aliens. The Primes nearly triumphed over their attackers until Sentinel chose a critical moment to turn on his superiors, slaying several including [[The Fallen|Megatronus Prime]] himself. After killing [[Zeta Prime (One)|Zeta Prime]], the battle was over. Sentinel went to claim his prize of the Matrix of Leadership, but it faded to dust due to his not being worthy. Undeterred, Sentinel declared himself Prime, took the deceased Megatronus' [[transformation cog]] as his own, and announced to Cybertron that the Quintessons were defeated and that he was the last survivor of the Primes. With the planet failing to produce fresh energon in the absence of the Matrix, Sentinel removed the transformation cogs of most of Cybertron's lower classes and put them to work mining for energon to produce a tribute to the Quintessons.

Fifty cycles later, the Quintessons maintained control over Cybertron's surface, their ships obliterating any lifeforms that they detected. The [[Quintesson High Commander]] handled the latest tribute from Sentinel. After Sentinel bowed before the High Commander and presented his offering of Energon, the High Commander quickly noticed the tribute was light and grew hostile, grabbing and restraining the false Prime with his tentacles. Sentinel begged for mercy, insisting that Cybertron's mines were depleted, and the High Commander only begrudgingly spared Sentinel's life and departed when he pleaded for more time to collect the rest of the tribute. The High Commander departed with his forces, and Sentinel vowed to work his miners harder, shaken from the encounter. However, the altercation was witnessed by [[Optimus Prime (One)|a]] [[Megatron (One)|group]] [[Bumblebee (One)|of]] [[Elita-1 (One)|miners]] who would bring about the fall of Sentinel, the rise of a new Prime, and the end to the Quintessons' tributes.
{{storylink|Transformers One (film)|Transformers One}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
[[File:TFLegends Quintesson.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|You spin me right round baby, right round.]]
The Quintessons put [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] and [[Kup (G1)|Sergeant Kup]] on trial. Unfortunately [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] arrived and promptly turned the [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] on their masters. {{storylink|Mockery of Justice}} Intending to disrupt the [[Galactic Olympics|Galactic Games]], the Quintessons allied with [[Slipstream (G1)|Slipstream]] and sent her in to cause trouble. {{storylink|The Galactic Games}} They also send [[Skuxxoid]]s to the games to kidnap [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 1}} When the trio were rescued post-sentencing by the other Autobots, the Quintessons destroyed their own home planet, Quintesson, in an attempt to eliminate them. The Quints then tried to enlist the help of the Decepticons to wipe out the Autobots, only for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] to arrive and reclaim his troops. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 2}} They soon struck an alliance with Galvatron and attacked Cybertron, with the end result that they activated an ancient device to deactivate all Transformers. After the device was destroyed by Spike, the Quintessons were forced to retreat. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 3}}

The Quintessons observed from afar Ultra Magnus and his Autobots celebrated the activation of a new power core. Enraged by the sight, the Quintessons plotted to get revenge on both Autobots and Decepticons. They then approached Galvatron and gave the Decepticon leader false coordinates to a power core. The Quintessons had in truth led Galvatron to the location of their old creations, the Dweller and the Trans-Organics. After the ensuing battle that took place between the Autobots, the Decepticons and the Quintessons' ancient creations, a faint Quintesson cry for help was broadcast from deep underground... {{storylink|Dweller in the Depths (Legends)|Dweller in the Depths}}
{{--}}

===Transformers: Forged to Fight===
[[File:Quintessons-Forged-to-Fight.jpg|thumb|450px|Like a color-changing lamp!]]
{{charstubgames}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
{{charstubgames}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}

==Toys==
===''Energon''===
*'''[[Alpha Quintesson]]''' (Mega, [[2005]])
**''Accessories:'' Missile launcher, missile, base, three tentacles
[[File:En-toy AlphaQuintesson.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|I do hope you'll bring these gadgets back in one piece, 007.]]

:One of the last toys in the [[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|''Energon'' line]], Alpha Quintesson is fairly unique in that he is one of the only toys in the history of the main ''Transformers'' line that does not transform in any manner or even come with any kind of transforming accessory (like the [[Action Master]]s).

:Alpha Quintesson requires quite a bit of assembly out of the box, coming in six separate pieces: his main body, a solid "bed of tentacles" that serves as a wheeled base that the body plugs into, a firing missile launcher which plugs into his back (via a standard 5mm peg that also allows other characters to wield it) and points up over his head, and three rubber, wire-poseable tentacles which attach to the base. The tentacles end in a large yellow clamp, a red chainsaw, and a purple energy arc, and spin around via a gear-wheel system when the base is rolled back and forth. The figure features nine circular ports (three on each arm and three on the base), to which either [[Energon star|energon chip]]s or any weapons featuring 5mm pegs can be attached.

:The main body is notably very [[Show-accuracy|accurate]] to the CGI model from the animated series, save for its coloration and the addition of the missile launcher. As a toy that was entirely dull green from top to bottom would not have been a very interesting sight, the figure features several shades of green with yellow highlights, plus a red paint wash on its "underbelly" and arms. The main body contains its own gimmick, involving Alpha Q's spinning faces as seen in the cartoon. Opening the armor's jaws reveals Alpha Q's head, recessed within the body (though unable to move forward into a more prominent position as seen in the show), and pressing the trigger on the back of the body, disguised as one of the spinal fins, causes the head to spin from face to face. The toy only features the character's first three faces (Angry, Whiny and Crazy); the purple, calm face is not featured.

:As an allegiance was needed to brand the figure with for marketing purposes, Alpha Quintesson's toy is sold as a Decepticon, despite that faction not really being where his loyalties lie. There were also many reports of the toy coming misassembled, missing the hard point where the figure connected to the base, making it nigh impossible for the toy to stand up on its own.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/AlphaQuintesson/alphaquintesson.htm More information on Alpha Quintesson at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Cyberverse''===
[[File:CV-toy QuintessonJudge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|The Big Surprise of 2019]]
*'''Quintesson Invasion''' (Multi-pack, [[2019]])
**''Accessories'': 2 mind-control helmets

:The ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (toyline)|Cyberverse]]'' [[Judge (Cyberverse)|Quintesson Judge]] is a roughly deluxe-sized, non-transforming mold, with five different faces that rotate when the top of the body is pushed down and released. The molded tentacle base/body has four ball-jointed tentacles that can pose freely, but are hard-plastic so there's no bendy-bendy happening. As the Judge is supposed to be freakin' huge, it works better when set next to the ''Cyberverse'' [[Tiny Turbo Changers]].

:It was only available in a store-exclusive three-pack. Also included in the set are the Spark Armor [[Prowl (Cyberverse)#BattleForCybertron3Pack|Prowl]] and [[Shockwave (Cyberverse)#BattleForCybertron3Pack|Shockwave]] figures, now ''sans'' the spark armor and with new mind control helmet accessories. Additionally, the mind control helmets can plug into any Battle Class spark armor figure. Ironically, Shockwave and Prowl both died before encountering the Quintessons in the actual cartoon.

:The set was [[exclusive]] to [[Target]] in the United States and [[Toys"R"Us]] in Canada, and appeared at retail in December 2019 with no prior announcement by [[Hasbro]].
{{-}}

===''War for Cybertron: Earthrise''===
[[File:ER-toy QuintessonJudge.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"It is a day so long in coming that I am uncertain how to celebrate it."]]
*'''Quintesson Judge''' (Voyager Class, [[2020]])
**''Hasbro ID number'': '''WFC-E22'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''ER EX-08'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': [[August 29]], 2020
**''Accessories:'' Blaster, cage, throne, levitation beam
{{toydesigner|[[Ken Christiansen]] (concept artist)}}

:The ''[[War for Cybertron: Earthrise|Earthrise]]'' Quintesson Judge is the first release of a "Generation 1" Quintesson toy. A trigger on his "back" activates a face-spinning gimmick. The faces of Death, Wisdom, and Wrath have opening jaws; the faces of Wrath and Doubt come detached in the package, requiring owners to clip them into their respective sides, with Wrath reported by many owners to be quite a challenge to attach correctly.

:The order of the faces matches the arrangement from ''The Transformers: The Movie'', with Wisdom and Wit surrounding Death, which is slightly different from that used in the cartoon, which flanked Death with Wrath and Doubt. Unscrewing and detaching every face except Wrath can be used to replicate [[Deseeus]] cutting off his faces in the [[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|Netflix cartoon]], although the bare plastic under the faces can be considered unsightly.

: To replicate the ability of the Judge to levitate, the figure also includes a transparent "levitation beam", which pegs onto the throne via a 5mm post-hole, then attaches to the Judge's underside via a clip; it does not function as an effects part. Promotional renders color the beam in translucent yellow, but on the finalized figure, it is instead sculpted in clear plastic and is therefore uncolored.

:The lower body's five soft-plastic tentacles are on swivel joints to raise and lower, and each has three 3mm effects pegs designed to accommodate ''War for Cybertron'' blast effects parts. Using these pegs, the Quintesson can hold its blaster accessory, and the tentacles can also be pegged into specifically-positioned holes on the Judge's body to better "aim" the weapon forward. If one so wishes, the blaster can also be plugged into one of two ports underneath the throne for... sneakier judgement passing.

:Because it has to transform into ''something'', the Judge converts via [[partformer|partforming]] into a tower with a prison cage in 16 steps. The top of the tower and the cage do not actually attach to the base; they only balance on it. The cage and the tower are large enough to fit a [[Battle Master#Toys|Battle Master]] (or other similarly-sized figures). Additionally, the cage also has two ports into which the blaster can be fitted. One on the top, as well as another in its interior. The latter might be preferable as a form of storage if one is wary of misplacing the blaster, as it is a small accessory that does not peg well into the figure's arms. The throne/platform and the panel under the Death face have [[A.I.R. Lock System]] ramp connections, allowing it to connect to ramps from other compatible toys, notably the Quintesson-allied [[Slitherfang#Toys|Slitherfang]].

:Like all ''Earthrise'' toys, the inside of the back of the Judge's package includes an exclusive clip-and-save piece of a larger star map. Also in the box is a thin red piece of transparent plastic with which to read the star map. The Judge's piece of the map contains the labeled location of the planet "[[Quintessa (planet)|QUINTESSA]]". Like most ''Earthrise'' figures from wave 2 onward, however, it is misprinted, and overlays the "decodable" red graphics from the map piece included with [[Starscream (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Earthrise|''Earthrise'' Starscream]] on top of the details unique to the Judge's piece.

:The Judge was originally supposed to be released in the second wave, but was pushed back to the third for unknown reasons, with Starscream taking his place in wave 2 cases. In Japan, the Quintesson Judge was released as a [[TakaraTomy Mall]] exclusive.
{{-}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy''===
[[File:QuintPitOfJudgment.jpeg|upright=1.66|thumb|They've got this case all wrapped up.]]
*'''Quintesson Pit of Judgement''' (Multi-pack, 2020)
**''Accessories:'' Judge's blaster, cage, seat, blast effect; Bailiff's staff; Sharkticon's tail/mace
{{toydesigner|[[Ken Christiansen]] (concept artist), [[Mario Carreiro]] and [[AJ Piejko-Brown]] (packaging)}}

:This [[giftset]] represents the "trial" of [[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]] during ''The Transformers: The Movie''. The set includes a Quintesson Judge (a brighter [[redeco]] of the ''Earthrise'' toy above, now packaged with all its faces attached); a [[Quintesson Bailiff|Bailiff]] (a [[retool]] of the ''Earthrise'' [[Allicon#Toys|Allicon]] with a new head, chest, shoulders, and axe); a non-transforming [[Quintesson Prosecutor|Prosecutor]]; a [[Sharkticon (species)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Sharkticon]] (a redeco of ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Gnaw (G1)#Titans Return|Gnaw]]); and a non-transforming Kranix. The interior packaging forms the Sharkticon execution pit.

:This piece was [[exclusive]] to [[Hasbro Pulse]] in the United States. It was announced to the public before the "standard" versions of the Judge and Allicon were released, and was available first for people who attended the Hasbro Fans Expo in [[Hong Kong]] and preordered the set. The box was designed by [[AJ Piejko-Brown]].

{{-}}

===''Buzzworthy Bumblebee''===
[[File:Legacy-toy QuintessonTrooper.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|]]
*'''Troop Builder Multipack''' (4-pack, 2023)
**''Accessories:'' Axe, mace, tail-sword, [[Allicon]] head
{{toydesigner|[[Mark Maher]]}}

:One of four figures in the ''[[Buzzworthy Bumblebee]]'' "[[Army-building|Troop Builder]] Multipack", the Quintesson Trooper is a redeco of the ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' Quintesson Bailiff in a more cartoon-accurate color scheme, retaining that figure's accessories. Additionally, the Trooper also includes a copy of the ''Earthrise'' Allicon's head, with additional paint compared to the original release. While the multipack's packaging and instructions suggest optionally swapping this head onto the Quintesson Trooper to create a sort of Bailiff/Allicon hybrid, a savvy purchaser can instead substitute it onto an original ''Earthrise'' Allicon toy to give it a more cartoon-accurate head... if they don't mind the plastic colors not matching. Due to sitting up higher than the Allicon release of the mold, you should turn the Allicon head so the fin rests in the gap of the chest when transforming to avoid the fin becoming bent.

: This is also the first ever Hasbro-initiated toy<ref>Takara & e-HOBBY released [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]] in 2004, which included a Quintesson sticker</ref> to feature the Quintesson insignia (albeit very small). Nice!

:The Troop Builder Multipack also included a [[Air Warrior#Buzzworthy Bumblebee|Decepticon Seeker]], a [[Cybertronian (faction)#Buzzworthy Bumblebee|G2 Universe Cybertronian Trooper]], and an [[Autotrooper (Animated)#Buzzworthy Bumblebee|Animated Universe Autotrooper]].

{{-}}

===''One''===
*'''Quintesson High Commander''' (Prime Changers, [[2024]])
**''Accessories:'' [[Energon cube]]

[[File:Quintesson-High-Commander-Toy.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|"Death mocks life! Mocks Skeksis! But no more! Skeksis conquer death!"]]
: A Walmart-exclusive, the Quintesson High Commander is a Deluxe Class-ish figure that transforms into a Quintesson space cruiser in 18 steps. The toy features ball-jointed shoulders and elbows, though the chest molding makes it impossible for the figure's arms to point forward. The toy lacks [[5 mm post|5 mm]] compatible hands, or ''any'' hands for that matter. In lieu of legs, the robot mode rests atop a structure sculpted to look like a mass of tentacles, which is fleshed out with additional soft-plastic tentacles flowing out from hinges beneath the torso.

:The figure's only accessory is a single rubberized Energon cube which can be stored in a square recess inside the Quintesson's torso.

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===''ReAction''===
[[File:Squidbillies.jpeg|upright=1.66|thumb|]]
*'''Quintesson''' (2023)
**''Accessories'': Repair tool

: Released in the sixth wave of [[Super7]]'s line of multi-property 3.75-inch "retro" action figures, ''[[Super7#ReAction|ReAction]]'' Quintesson is a non-converting figure of a Quintesson Judge. It does feature face-turning articulation, though that joint is notably tighter than the connection between the body and the clear-red "energy beam" stand. Unusual for ''ReAction'' figures, its four tentacles are actually on balljoints, though their range of motion is pretty limited. Two of these tentacles end in loops, enabling him to hold the "repair tool" the [[:File:ReturnOptimusPrime_Quintesson_holding_tool.jpg|Judge carries]] in "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2]]".

: As with all releases in the ''ReAction'' toyline, Quintesson comes packaged on a small cardback that emulates the nostalgic packaging style of [[Kenner]]'s ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' action figures from the late 1970s to early '80s.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:FloroDery originalquintesson.jpg|thumb|Touch the Rainbow, Taste the Rainbow!]]
*The Quintessons were named after a local restaurant.<ref>Flint Dille interview at TFcon 2016</ref>
*In the [[The Transformers: The Movie (first draft)|original 1984 draft]] of The Transformers: The Movie, the Quintessons had a radically different appearance having spindly bipedal bodies with large heads. At this point they also had psychic abilities, being able to create swarms of Sharkitcons from a pile of scrap. After escaping from them, Hot Rod forced their leader to use his "mind scan" to create a holographic space map to find his missing friends. While these abilities were removed for the April 1985 draft their appearance would stay the same. Per this draft, the Autobots would have been shocked to discover that, in reality, they were all head; when Hot Rod grabbed one, its head would disconnect from its body, fly off, and link up to another body in waiting. Somewhere along the way, the body idea got dropped, but not before designer [[Floro Dery]] produced a design seemingly based on this early idea, seen at right, revealed through his [https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/FDartstudio?ref=l2-shopheader-name Etsy store] in October 2014.
**The mini-series "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]" which had several references to this early draft, appeared to feature this in a scene where one of [[Deliberata]]'s faces detaches—seemingly derived from the idea of a removable head. But this detail is not mentioned in the episode script suggesting that it's an animation/storyboarding mistake.
* According to Dery's concept art each of the Judges' five faces have a specific inspiration:"Death" is inspired by an Egyptian Pharaoh (it's possible he meant a death mask) to 'suggest kingly authority and death'; "Smiling" is a "fat face with a sun-like-rays headgear" to create the appearance of a smile, "Angry" is based on a devil, "Grimacing" a stern barbarian, and "Suspicion" on an old woman.
*When asked about the finalized Quintesson design in an interview, Dery stated they were based on a cylindrical toy he designed at some point.<ref>[http://transformersph.blogspot.com/2007/06/interview-with-floro-dery.html TransFormers Philippines: Interview With Floro Dery]</ref>
*Since [[The Transformers: The Movie|the movie]] never explains what the characters are being charged with, and offers no logical progression to a verdict, it's often interpreted that Quintesson justice simply operates on reverse terminology for the sake of humor—that the Quintessons ''say'' "innocent", but dohohoho, they're aliens, and to them, that ''means'' "guilty", so the accused is sentenced to death. This was certainly the assumption [[Simon Furman]] was working off of when he first used the Quintessons in the UK-only framing sequence of "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]" and had a Quintesson find [[Mister Regan|an interrogator]] to be "innocent" of things which he is unambiguously guilty of. The 2014 novel ''[[Transformers: Retribution|Retribution]]'' also followed this path, with the note that "innocent" must "mean something different" to the aliens, as the characters on trial are indeed entirely guilty of what they are being accused of. What is consistently overlooked, however, is the one instance in all Transformers canon of the Quintessons actually finding someone guilty, which happens to Kup and Ultra Magnus in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]". And they ''are'' guilty of the charges put before them: being Autobots, the race who stole Cybertron from the Quintessons. While it may have started out that way at some point in the script process of the movie, the cartoon universe made clear very early on that Quintesson justice isn't supposed to operate on reverse terminology for humor's sake; the aliens know the difference between the two terms, and the trials are just trivial, for their own amusement, before they kill you anyway. The iteration of the Quintessons depicted in the ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' cartoon do use guilty in its (relatively) correct meaning, destroying those they judge as such. Notably, we never see them pronounce anyone ''innocent''; while they create Judges to deliver verdicts, they seem to view guilty as the only possible result.
*In a Q&A, [[Simon Furman]] said he considered making the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] a Quintesson artifact but changed his mind.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=5032 SIMON FURMAN - Q&A Nov/Dec 2008 at IDW Publishing Forums]</ref> Early in the development of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'', the [[Knights of Cybertron]] would've eventually become the Quintessons, but this plot thread was eventually dropped as the series evolved.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Early ''More than Meets the Eye'' story bible|link=https://twitter.com/InflatableDalek/status/1561045807951904768|name=Stuart Webb|site=Twitter|year=2022|month=08|day=20}}</ref>
*The ''Animated'' Quintessons are just off-screen mentions, but as their empire's name is near-identical to [[Japan|Imperial Japan]]'s {{w|Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere}}, we can assume they're ''very nasty''.
*For whatever reason, the ''Cyberverse'' pronunciation of Quintesson consistently differs from the original in that the stress is now on the middle syllable ("Quin-TES-son") instead of the last ("Quin-tes-SON") in other media.
*Although the Quintessons weren't named in [[2019 IDW continuity|IDW's rebooted ''Transformers'' continuity]] before its conclusion, multiple lines of dialogue and a single panel in 2022's ''[[Transformers: War's End|War's End]]'' miniseries ''heavily'' imply that the Quintessons are the aliens responsible for mutating [[Exarchon]] into his current-day self. Had the series continued, Ruckley would've expounded on the "Quintessence", which he described as a quarantined region of space populated by Quintessons and barricaded behind a shield of electrical energy;<ref>Brian Ruckley at TFNation 2022</ref> they might have also been somehow connected to the [[Voin]], another race of squid-like creatures.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Not intrinsic, but there was/would have been a connection of some sort - if only because the Voin are my favourite alien babies and part of my original conception was that they tend to get involved, usually as individuals, somehow, sometime, in pretty much everything.|link=https://twitter.com/Brian_Ruckley/status/1556973833353138177|name=Brian Ruckley|site=Twitter|year=2022|month=08|day=09}}</ref>
*Concept art for an unidentified animated movie depicts what seems to be [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] facing a giant Quintesson, it is wrongly attributed online to be from ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' due to the appearance of Optimus & the date of publication from said artwork. <ref>https://zerply.com/r/29Fe3WvG/transformers-quintesson-chamber Transformers Pitch concept art for an animated movie.</ref> [[File:TLK Quintesson.jpg|thumb|]]

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Quintessa-seijin''' (クインテッサ星人, "Planet Quintessa People"), '''Quintesson''' (クインテッサン ''Kuintessan'')
*''Italian:'' '''Quintessenziali''' ("Quintessentials"; used only in the G1 cartoon and in ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Wǔ Miàn Guài''' (五面怪, "Five-faced Monster")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Quintessiano''' ("Quintessian", ''Cyberverse'' dub)

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Alien species]]
[[Category:Cyberverse species]]
[[Category:Energon Universe species]]
[[Category:Generation 1 aliens]]
[[Category:Generation 1 factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 species]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon species]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) species]]
[[Category:Kiss Players]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 species]]
[[Category:Quintessons| ]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass species]]
[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game species]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron species]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Earthrise subgroups]]
[[Category:Wings Universe species]]

Quintus Prime

2024-09-22T16:37:53Z

1levichurch:

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=PotP-QuintusPrime.png|cSize=40px|cLink=Quintus Prime|cPretty=Quintus Prime}}}}
{{featured}}
[[File:12QuintusPrime.jpg|thumb|250px|I went into space to create alien species who could act as allies to the [[Transformer]] race! And made [[Quintesson|these guys]]... whoops.]]

The scientist of the [[Thirteen]], '''Quintus Prime''' possesses a mind second to none. His idealism and perfectionist tendencies means that he frequently butts heads with the less imaginative members of the Thirteen. Something of a daydreamer, Quintus believes that life, in all its forms, is the most important thing in the universe, and that life should be encouraged to grow and thrive at all costs throughout the galaxy. Accordingly, he wields the [[Emberstone]], an [[Artifacts of the Primes|artifact]] which can accelerate biological processes in base elements.

{{TOCclear}}

==Fiction==
===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
Quintus was the tenth Prime created by [[Primus]] to fight against [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]]. His artifact was the [[Emberstone]], and he became one of the Strategists of the Thirteen, alongside [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]], [[Micronus Prime]] and [[Liege Maximo]]. To defeat Unicron, [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] exposed his [[spark]], its frequency almost identical to Primus's own, to Unicron's own Anti-Spark knocking both into [[stasis lock]]. Quintus subsequently used his Emberstone to awaken Optimus. After Unicron's defeat, Quintus drifted freely between the cliques formed in the group alongside [[Alchemist Prime]] and Optimus Prime.

After Maximo revealed that [[Prima]] had been plotting how likely each member of the Thirteen was to be corrupted by Unicron's presence, it came to light that Quintus had worked alongside Maximo and Megatronus to create new robot beasts – Prima was suspicious of these beasts and ordered the three to shut down their "Farm". A conflict broke out between the Thirteen over whether or not Maximo had the right to create new life – a conflict that eventually came to a head when Optimus demanded a full vote on the matter.

The vote came to a tie until [[Solus Prime]] voted against allowing Maximo to create new beasts. After Megatronus accidentally killed Solus, Quintus was among the members of the Thirteen that demanded that Megatronus be found and made to pay for his crime, but the group was surprised when Solus's dead body began to glow and melted an opening to the deep core of Primus, creating the [[Well of All Sparks]]. When Maximo was confronted at the Farm, Quintus refused to accept any personal responsibility for the beasts' creation. The Thirteen then proceeded to fight, their battle spilling into the caverns with the beasts.

With the [[Age of Primes]] over, Quintus went into space to seed life, hoping to create new races that might one day form peaceful alliances with Cybertron. His first stop was a metal-rich planet he named [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]]. There, he created the first [[Quintesson]]s, a manipulative, deceitful race which would become less than friendly with Primus's new creations. When the Quintessons arrived on Cybertron, Alpha Trion wondered what became of his brother, idly speculating that Quintus's own creations may have disposed of him when they no longer required him. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
According to legend, at the beginning of time, Unicron and Primus battled each other for eons, with neither side remaining victorious for long. Till, that is, Primus created the [[Thirteen]]. These Thirteen defeated Unicron and cast him into space. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}}

===Generation 1 continuity family===
====2005 IDW continuity====
{{first|[[Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|''Transformers'' #47]] (mentioned), [[Heavy|''Till All Are One'' #9]]}}
[[File:OP18 Thirteen in Crystal City.jpg|thumb|left|375px|Second from the right, and fashionably green.]]
Quintus was one of the Thirteen Primes who led the [[Thirteen Tribes]] that arose on Cybertron following the departure of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} Like four others he was attracted to the alliance at [[Crystal City]], forming the [[Thirteen]] Primes. Unbeknownst to the Primes, one of their number, the bestial [[Onyx Prime]], was in fact a time-travelling [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] from twelve million years in the future, who was manipulating history to ensure the rise, and subsequent fall, of the Primes' society. Goaded on by Shockwave's machinations, [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] and [[Liege Maximo]] turned on the group, killing [[Solus Prime]] and starting the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]]. Though Megatronus managed to flee Cybertron, Quintus and [[Nexus Prime|Nexus]] were able to restrain Maximo, eventually banishing him aboard [[Vigilem]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}}

As the war wound down, Nexus Prime met his end at the hands of [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]], prompting all the remaining Primes, except [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], to flee Cybertron. Eons later, the younger Shockwave would send one his [[Regenesis]] ores, [[Ore-2]], to [[Gorlam Prime]], {{storylink|The Crucible}} {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} the resting place of [[Quintessa (IDW)|Quintessa]], a [[Titan (group)|Titan]] somehow affiliated with Quintus. {{storylink|Ceremony}}

In the modern day, Quintus Prime's name was remembered in the [[Way of Flame]], the religion of Solus Prime's colony [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]]. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

====''Power of the Primes'' toy bios====
Quintus Prime's [[Spark]] passed into the possession of one of the twelve [[Prime Master]]s; hidden within a suit of decoy armor, they safeguarded the abilities of the Primes until the present day. By uniting with a larger Transformer, the Prime Master could channel the powers of Quintus's Spark and grant them unique abilities that varied with each new partner. {{storylink|#Generations|Quintus Prime toy bio}}

{{note|For a list of every permutation of Quintus Prime's abilities, see [[Prime Master/Combinations|this link]].}}

====2019 IDW continuity====
Quintus Prime was one of the Thirteen. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Sea of Rust I|Sea of Rust I}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
Quintus Prime was one of the [[Thirteen]]. {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}} {{storylink|Silent Strike}} {{storylink|The Other One}}

===''EarthSpark'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Clancy Brown]] (English), [[Naofumi Ichihashi]] (Japanese, as the [[Emberstone]]), [[Yasunori Masutani]] (Japanese, [[Prime Time (episode)|#44]])|[[Gabriel Bueno]] (Brazilian Portuguese), [[Dan Osorio]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Augustin Jacob]] (French)}}

[[File:ESQuintusPrime PrimeTime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|"Squidward, you're even ''more'' handsome now!"]]
After helping to establish Cybertronian culture, Quintus Prime left his homeworld on a mission to seed life on planets all across the galaxy, intending to create new races that could be allies of Cybertron in the future. Using the power of his Emberstone, he would trigger the evolution of life on a planet, then quickly move on to the next world, leaving the races he spawned to fend for themselves. His first creations, the [[Quintesson]]s, desired to know the purpose of their existence, and so set off into space in search of their absent creator—but when they discovered that they were just one of many experiments Quintus had abandoned, they grew bitter and sought to destroy Quintus and all his creations, and take the power of the Emberstone for themselves. Fleeing the Quintessons, Quintus took refuge on primordial Earth, where he fused his spark with the Emberstone, and used its power one last time to create the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Terratronus]], who would protect the stone from all who would misuse its power. Terratronus deceived the Quintessons into thinking Quintus and the stone had left Earth, then placed the stone in a subterranean cave marked with Quintus's insignia. {{storylink|Age of Evolution, Part 1}} {{storylink|Witwicky, Part 1}}

Millions of years later, when later generations of Cybertronians came to be stranded on Earth, the [[human]] siblings [[Robby Malto|Robby]] and [[Mo Malto]] found the Emberstone beneath the town of [[Witwicky (town)|Witwicky]]. {{storylink|Age of Evolution, Part 1}} Judged worthy of its power by Quintus's spirit, {{storylink|Witwicky, Part 1}} the pair's touch activated the stone, and as Quintus's voice rang out, dubbing the children the "legacy of hope," the stone's power created two new Transformers, [[Twitch]] and [[Thrash (ES)|Thrash]] from a pool of water, and manifested [[cyber-sleeve]]s on Mo and Robby's arms that emotionally bonded them to the robots. {{storylink|Secret Legacy, Part 1}} When they later explored the cave system with [[Bumblebee (ES)|Bumblebee]], the scout found a message in Ancient Cybertronian but failed to notice Quintus' insignia. {{storylink|Friends and Family}}

After [[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]] was informed of how the [[Terran]]s had come to life, he recognized the Emberstone and, with [[Alex Malto]]'s aid, explained Quintus Prime to the younger audience. When the Maltos and Terrans were surrounded by [[Arachnamech]]s, Mo beseeched Quintus for aid, and the Prime's voice responded and activated the Emberstone to create [[Hashtag (ES)|Hashtag]], [[Jawbreaker (ES)|Jawbreaker]], and [[Nightshade (ES)|Nightshade]]. {{storylink|Age of Evolution, Part 1}}

When Robbie fell ill, and Optimus theorized that only the Emberstone would be able to help him, a distressed Mo tried to use her cyber-sleeve to contact Quintus Prime. In frustration, Mo wished that she'd never touched the Emberstone at the same time that [[Mandroid]] claimed the artifact. Bringing the Malto family to his starship, which had been orbiting Earth abandoned for millions of years, Quintus's spirit showed Mo a simulation of what her life would have been like had she never touched the stone. Mandroid then teleported aboard, hoping to crash the ship to end the Maltos, only for the Emberstone to empower Mo's cyber-sleeve enough that she managed to defeat him. Quintus then appeared to the Maltos, thanking Mo for answering his call but warning that there were still trials ahead. {{storylink|Prime Time (episode)|Prime Time}}

==Toys==
===''Power of the Primes''===
[[File:POTP-Prime-Master-Quintus-Bludgeon.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The [[Octopunch_(G1)#Power_of_the_Primes|one with tentacles]] was too obvious.]]
*'''Quintus Prime''' (Prime Master, [[2018]])
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''PP-20'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': '''[[August 25]], 2018'''
**''Accessories'': [[Bludgeon (G1)#Power of the Primes|Decepticon Bludgeon]] decoy armor, {{w|kanabō}}/gun
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)|[[Marcelo Matere]] (packaging artist)}}

:''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' Quintus Prime is a [[Prime Master]] with [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] decoy armor, visually based on the original [[Pretender]]'s inner robot and shell. Quintus Prime/Bludgeon is a [[Retool|partial tooling]] of [[Vector Prime#Power of the Primes|Vector Prime]]/[[Metalhawk (G1)#Power of the Primes|Metalhawk]], swapping that toy's grey sprue for yellow parts with new detailing. The new weapon piece is modeled after a kanabō (a metal stick), and uniquely can be wielded as such with the alternate 3mm plug on the end.

:This toy has identical features to the other Prime Masters in the line. The decoy armor has a weapon piece which can fold out to create a weapon mode, or detach and be held in the armor's 3 mm-compatible hand. The [[Titan Master]]-like robot can store inside the decoy armor or ride [[Size class|Legends Class]] figures in vehicle mode, and is fully compatible with toys from the previous ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' line. The "Power Swap" gimmick means its [[spark]] form can plug onto any decoy armor's weapon form (which has a [[5 mm post]] to be held by larger figures), Deluxe Class figures' chest armor, Voyager Class figures' bucklers, Leader Class figures' [[Matrix of Leadership/toys#Power of the Primes|Matrix]] (in place of their Matrix core), [[combiner]]s' torsos (in place of their [[Enigma of Combination]]), or the [[Scepter of Sparks]]. With the power of [[You|your]] imagination, this bestows the Prime Master's [[Prime Master/Combinations|unique power]] on the larger figure.
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Quintus Prime's name derives from, naturally, the [[Quintesson]]s, his creations in various continuities.
*The ''Covenant'' implies that Quintus Prime may have also invented [[space bridge]] technology; the Quintessons are said to have reverse-engineered its incredibly advanced principles from a mysterious source, but they themselves did not fully understand how the device worked.
*Quintus Prime was inspired by Johnny Appleseed, going out through the universe to spread new life.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=I thought of him as the Johnny Appleseed character.
For those of you who don't know, kind of a guy spreading apple seeds around as he walked. So this guy was spreading Cybertronian life...|link=https://www.youtube.com/live/WoJyX1XusVE?si=gDKcAaAlUI26da-9&t=1715|name=Aaron Archer|site=YouTube|year=2024|month=02|day=24}}</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Quintus Prime''' (クインタスプライム ''Kuintasu Puraimu'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Quintus Fővezér''' ("Supreme Commander Quintus")<ref>''EarthSpark''</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Thirteen}}

[[Category:EarthSpark Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:One Transformers]]
[[Category:Prime Masters]]
[[Category:Prime Transformers]]
[[Category:Thirteen]]

David Wise

2024-09-16T03:55:51Z

1levichurch:

{{disambig3|David}}

[[File:DavidWiseRhinoDVD01.jpg|thumb|300px|Created all of your favorite mutants and machines through recyling.]]

'''David Wise''' ([[February 1]], [[1955]] — [[March 3]], [[2020]]) was an American television animation writer. He was perhaps best known as the head writer for the 1987 ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' series, where he wrote or co-wrote over one hundred episodes (and story-edited many more). Other animated shows he help wrote include ''[[Star Trek|Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'', ''[[Batman|Batman: The Animated Series]]'', ''He-Man and the Masters of the Universe'', ''Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers'', ''Cadillacs and Dinosaurs'', and the infamous ''Battletoads'' pilot. He was also the single most prolific writer for the ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]'' cartoon, penning fifteen episodes.

Wise passed away after a nine year battle of lung cancer at the age of 65 on March 3, 2020.

==Episodes written==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
{{collist|3|
*"[[Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots]]"
*"[[Day of the Machines]]"
*"[[Microbots]]"
*"[[Make Tracks]]"
*"[[The Secret of Omega Supreme (episode)|The Secret of Omega Supreme]]"
*"[[Kremzeek!]]"
*"[[Auto-Bop]]"
*"[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]"
*"[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1]]"
*"[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2]]"
*"[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]"
*"[[Trans-Europe Express]]"
*"[[The Rebirth, Part 1]]"
*"[[The Rebirth, Part 2]]"
*"[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]"
|}}

==Convention appearances==
*[[BotCon 1998]]
*[[BotCon 2004]] (unofficial)
*[[BotCon 2009]]

==Notes==
*Wise was a big fan of ''[[Doctor Who]]'', and claimed to have inserted the line "reverse the polarity" whenever he could in his writing; in ''Transformers'', that happened in "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]". Meanwhile, in "[[The Rebirth, Part 2]]", one of the [[Nebulan]] [[Hive (G1)|Hive]] rallies that they must "[[Dalek|exterminate! exterminate!]]" the newly created [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]].
*Wise was interviewed as a special feature for [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]]'s ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]'' Season 3 Part 2 and Season 4 DVD set.
*The character of [[Sōji Yoshikawa]] is named after the real-life animator {{w|Sōji Yoshikawa|of the same name}}, who was a co-worker of Wise's during his time working at DiC Entertainment.
*Before writing ''Transformers'' David Wise had visited Japan and fell in love with giant robots, which made him very excited to work on the show.<ref>[https://rss.com/podcasts/all-things-transformers/1502831/ All Things Transformers interview] February 10, 2010</ref>

===Recycle-o-matic===
David Wise frequently recycled concepts and ideas from older work for use in later scripts. As a result, many Transformers set pieces, concepts and even plots wound up appearing in other series, ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' in particular, while many other ideas seem to have actually started life as plots for earlier series, such as ''He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.''

Which ''Transformers'' stories were recycled? ''Wellll...''

*"[[Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots]]" — Recycled for the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' episode "Slash - The Evil Turtle from Dimension X" (specifically, the rocket chase sequence during the climax).
*"[[Day of the Machines]]" — Recycled from the ''He-Man and the Masters of the Universe'' episode "Day of the Machines" (specifically, the computer program that takes over other machines). Later recycled for the ''Defenders of the Earth'' episode "Audie and Tweak" (specifically, an evil supercomputer—represented by a giant ugly face on a screen—that remotely controls or influences other machines and taunts the heroes as they enter its lair), ''The New Adventures of Speed Racer'' episode "B.O.S.S." (specifically, an evil computer system controlling other machines by placing remote command devices on them), and the ''Mighty Ducks'' episode "The Return of Dr. Droid" (specifically, an evil computer that takes control of various machines and makes them attack the heroes).
*"[[Microbots]]" — Recycled from the ''He-Man and the Masters of the Universe'' episode "Day of the Machines" (specifically, the sequence where a character shrinks down and enters a machine to fix/sabotage it). Recycled again for the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' episode "Shredder & Splintered".
*"[[Kremzeek!]]" — Recycled from the ''He-Man and the Masters of the Universe'' episode "Day of the Machines" (specifically, the little energy-based monster that makes trouble). Later recycled almost completely for the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' episode "The Big ZIPP Attack", and once again for ''The Mighty Ducks'' episode "Zap Attack". Also recycled for the ''Defenders of the Earth'' episode "Audie and Tweak" (specifically, the heroes' computer babbling nonsensically after being affected by an outside force).
*"[[Auto-Bop]]" — Recycled for the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' episode "Corporate Raiders from Dimension X" (specifically, the villains brainwashing people in New York to build a doomsday device via a phony business).
*"[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]" — Recycled wholesale for the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' episode "Poor Little Rich Turtle" (specifically, every character, motivation and set piece).
*"[[Trans-Europe Express]]" — Recycled for the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' episode "Hot Rodding Teenagers from Dimension X" (specifically, the weather machine that goes out of control in the climax and has to be destroyed in midair).
*"[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]" - Recycled for the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' episode "Shredder & Splintered" (specifically, the circumstances where [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and [[Zarak (G1)|Lord Zarak]] bicker over leadership being nearly identically reused for Krang and Shredder, right down to the dialogue, "We shall see...").

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936335/ David Wise on the Internet Movie Database]
*[http://princeospace.blogspot.com/ A Spy in the House of Tomorrow - David Wise's blog]
*[http://moonbase2.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=553015 Interview with David Wise on the Moonbase 2 podcast]
*[http://geewunner.com/?p=87 Interview with David Wise at Geewunner]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wise, David}}
[[Category:Convention guests]]
[[Category:Writers]]

Shockwave (G1)

2024-07-12T14:30:11Z

1levichurch: /* Energon Universe */ fixed typo

{{factions|decepticon|{{factions/icons|custom=CybertronGuard.png|cSize=40px|cLink=Cybertron Guard}}|decepticong2|senator|sgAutobot|{{factions/icons|custom=Autobotsecretpolice.png|cLink=Secret Police}}|autobot|onyxprime|ascenticon|exarchon|primusvanguard|hofsilver}}
{{disambigm|Shockwave (disambiguation)|Longarm (disambiguation)|Onyx (disambiguation)}}
{{suite}}
:''Shockwave is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Shockwavearealldead.jpg|thumb|upright=2|Transformers images don't get much more awesome than this. [[:File:1_blitzwing_war_within.jpg|Or]] [[:File:R0S 1 b.jpg|more]] [[:File:OP1 Riptcvr.jpg|imitated]].]]

'''Shockwave''' has been referred to as "a computer on legs." This is not far from the truth. Logic rules Shockwave's thought processes and is the source of his every inspiration. He sees emotion as a weakness and a distraction. His cold and calculating ''modus operandi'' is supported by his frightening and exceptionally powerful form.

Shockwave is possibly even more powerful than [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. Perhaps logic may one day dictate that the time to replace Megatron's flawed, emotion-fueled rule is at hand. After all, the only logical choice for [[Decepticon leader]] would be Shockwave himself.

When he is an [[Action Master]], he is [[Action Master partner|partnered]] with [[Fistfight (G1)|Fistfight]].

Pretty much everything is his fault.

{{bigquote|Ultimately, I serve only one master... pure logic.|Shockwave on his true loyalties|''[[Spotlight: Shockwave]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{main|Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity}}
[[File:ShockwaveSecondGeneration1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|Yep, that about sums him up.]]
An adherent of his twisted version of logic, Shockwave was Military Commander of the Decepticons, conceiving the original plan to assault the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. However, when the Ark crashed onto [[Earth]], Shockwave followed in [[Nemesis (G1)|the Decepticon ship]], but the planet's magnetic fields caused that ship to crash in the [[Savage Land]]. There, he was confronted by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] and their battle brought them to a tar pit that held them in stasis for millions of years. When Shockwave was reawakened in [[1984]], he immediately set out to disable the Autobots and take Decepticon leadership away from [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]. Using Earth's infrastructure and resources, Shockwave sought to create powerful Decepticon soldiers, but was foiled by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] hiding the life-giving [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] in the human boy [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]]. At the end of this caper, Shockwave ended up in a swamp.

What followed was a struggle for Decepticon leadership between Shockwave and Megatron that finally reached a climax when both leaders were defeated in battle by the Autobots. Megatron argued that his aggressive leadership was superior to Shockwave's hesitant and slow action. Conceding to his logic, Shockwave gave him full command of the Decepticon troops on Earth. However, when Optimus Prime seemingly died, Megatron lost his sanity and, with some help from Shockwave, apparently killed himself in a [[space bridge]] explosion. With his rival completely out of the way, Shockwave took up leadership again. He would soon collude with Decepticon fuel auditor [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], who was leading the Decepticons on Cybertron. Together, they conceived of the [[Club Con]] plot, but a battle with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] in space sent Shockwave plunging through the atmosphere.

In one chain of events, Shockwave would quickly get back on his feet, and fight against Decepticons from the future whose apparent successes against him in the present and the future would make Shockwave lose his mind. He regained his sanity enough to help seal the [[time rift]] that threatened all of reality.

He would soon fully resurface and act against [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]]'s leadership of the Decepticons. The coup was interrupted when [[Unicron]] threatened all [[Transformer]]s. After Unicron was defeated and [[Primus]] destroyed, Shockwave and [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] hijacked the Ark to escape the quickly decomposing Cybertron. Unknown to him, Megatron was in stasis aboard the ship and [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] boarded it. Both fought against Shockwave while [[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]], who also emerged from stasis, crashed the ship onto Earth.

In one timeline, Shockwave ended up as a head kept in Megatron's chambers. In yet another timeline, Shockwave again joined forces with Starscream after being jury-rigged into the Ark to serve as its operating system. Once restored, Shockwave was witness to a great upheaval in Cybertron's population that left Transformers an endangered species. With the Decepticon faction functionally extinct, Shockwave converted to the ways of peace, serving as emissaries along with Starscream and [[Ravage (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ravage]].
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[File:ShockwaveDesertionOfTheDinobots1.jpg|thumb|left|My toy's so great, I bought one myself!]]
{{main|Shockwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity}}

Appointed as Guardian of Cybertron by Megatron, the loyal Shockwave remained stationed on the planet for millions of years, even while his teammates slumbered on Earth. He was singlehandedly (ha) responsible for menacing the remaining Autobot resistance movements on Cybertron, and when Megatron was reactivated in 1984, assisted in the development of Space Bridge technology. In 2005, Shockwave may or may not have been killed during the [[Unicron War]], though either way he was never seen again afterward.

In a [[Transformers Legends (comic)|splinter timeline]], Shockwave was shown to have definitively survived Unicron's attack on Cybertron. Travelling to another dimension to aid Megatron, Shockwave formed a friendship with [[Cancer (G1)|Cancer]] and the two resolved to conquer the world of business and entertainment via shadowy corporate dealings and pop music.

===Kid Stuff Talking Story Books===
Shockwave constantly attempted to usurp Megatron as leader of the Decepticons. In his latest attempt at a coup, he promised Megatron's minions an abundance of oil if they were to follow him. {{storylink|Jaws of Terror}}

===Marvel coloring books===
Shockwave led an attack on a human village, intending to raze it and build a fuel plant in its place. Confident that the Autobots wouldn't learn about the attack until it would be too late for them to do anything about it, Shockwave tasked the Constructicons with building his installation. Little did he suspect that [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] was spying on them from orbit. A convoy of trucks and cars soon arrived, claiming to be hauling supplies for Shockwave and his troops. Angered and confused by this interruption, Shockwave demanded to see the supplies he was certain he had never ordered. From within the vehicles stepped out the Dinobots. Alongside the Autobots in disguise, they proceeded to trounce Shockwave's troops. Shockwave ordered Ravage and Kickback to flank the new arrivals and attack them from behind, but this tactic proved futile, as Cosmos was still spying down on the scene. Shockwave was tied up, shoved down into a hole with his troops, and had quick-drying cement poured on them to stop them from going anywhere. {{storylink|The Autobot Spy in the Sky}}

===''Big Looker'' storybooks===
Shockwave was present when the Decepticons tormented their new toy, [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]], after the architect was cerebro-shelled by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]. {{storylink|Insecticon Attack!}}

===Find Your Fate Junior===
{{notemultipath}}
====Battle Drive====
In one possible scenario, where Megatron and his troops had tracked down Sparkplug to a cave in the mountains, Shockwave was amongst the Decepticons present, ready to pounce on the human. Then a small squadron of Autobots arrived to rescue Sparkplug. In the event that Megatron was destroyed by Swoop, Shockwave, along with the rest of the Decepticons, were easily defeated by the Autobots. In the event that Swoop retreated, Shockwave was amongst the Decepticons who remained at the cave instead of pursuing the Dinobot. Shockwave stood next to Megatron in a military formation, along with Buzzsaw, Ransack, Frenzy, Skywarp and Thundercracker, while Megatron delivered his sanction to the Autobots in the cave; "Prepare to die!" The battle that ensued lasted for two full days before the Decepticons were ready to move in for the kill. In the event that Swoop returned in time with reinforcements, Shockwave and the rest of the Decepticons were forced to retreat, but not before Shockwave got "The shock of his life!"{{storylink|Battle Drive}}

====Decepticon Poison====
In one possible sequence of events, Shockwave accompanied Megatron in order to take out the recently poisoned Autobots. They found themselves fighting against the now-cured Autobots, but gained the upper hand early in the fight nonetheless. Shockwave was downed by a hit from Optimus Prime himself when the Autobot leader led a back-up squadron of Autobots into battle.

In another possible scenario, Megatron and his Decepticon squad were tricked into thinking that the Autobots were already dead, and strode into the Autobots’ base. The Decepticons lay down their weapons in order to carry out the Autobots’ "corpses," but were ambushed once they had disarmed themselves. Shockwave and the others were then quickly defeated.

In yet another possible scenario, where the Autobots weaponized the tainted fuel and created a toxic cloud by burning it, the Decepticons were forced to retreat before their attack was fully underway. {{storylink|Decepticon Poison}}

====Project Brain Drain====
Shockwave was involved in a Decepticon plot to use a [[Brain Drain device]] on the crowd goers of a rock concert to syphon their intelligence into Decepticon fuel.

In one possible scenario, Galvatron had to recall his troops from the concert at the last minute when Ultra Magnus and his troops began a timely assault on the Decepticons’ headquarters. Shockwave participated in the battle that ensued, which ended in a loss for the Decepticons when Ultra Magnus triggered an avalanche, burying Galvatron and shattering the Brain Drain device {{storylink|Project Brain Drain}}

====The Invisibility Factor====
[[File:InvisibilityFactorGalvatronShockwaveandScavenger.jpg|thumb|]]
In one possible scenario, Shockwave accompanied Galvatron on a patrol in a desert at night. Upon spotting a spaceship that flickered in-and-out of sight, the patrol investigated. Finding the Autobots Kup and Hot Rod conversing with a woman at the ship's landing site, Shockwave and the others fired upon them, causing them to scramble away. Galvatron then ordered his troops to stay and scrutinize the spaceship instead of pursuing the Autobots.

If Hot Rod and Kup decided to attack immediately, the Autobots were easily defeated and destroyed by Shockwave and the rest of the Decepticon patrol.

If the Autobots did not attack immediately, Shockwave took care of taking the Invisibility device as the Decepticons headed back to their headquarters. Hot Rod and Kup silently followed the Decepticons back to their hide-out in a nearby canyon, where they managed to tricked Shockwave and the others into thinking that they were being ambushed by a whole squadron of Autobots. Panicking, the other Decepticons attempted to retaliate by firing in all directions, while Shockwave looked around bewildered, still clutching the Invisibility Device.

If Hot Rod snuck down and snatched the device out of Shockwave's grasp, Shockwave called his fellow Decepticons to give chase to the young Autobot. They were unable to catch him before Kup fired down onto the canyon's walls, causing it to collapse and burying the Decepticons under an avalanche of earth and rocks.

In an alternate scenario, Shockwave and the other Decepticons decided to take off into space in [[Sarah Sanders]]'s ship after acquiring the Invisibility Device. Whether the Decepticons succeeded in mastering the Invisibility Device and subsequently destroyed the Autobots, or were destroyed or defeated themselves depended on what choices the Autobots made from this point on.

In another possible scenario, Shockwave and the other Decepticons happened upon Sarah Sanders's ship before any Autobots had come in contact with her. While Scavenger held the woman captive, Shockwave and the other Decepticons dragged the ship itself to a hidden location. In whichever scenario that followed, the Autobots managed to steal the Invisibility Device from the Decepticons, either dazzling Shockwave and the others with their headlights while Hot Rod took the device right out of their hands, or tricking most the other Decepticons into leaving the spaceship behind while they pursued the young Autobot on a wild goose chase. Now outnumbered, Shockwave was quick to fall to the Autobots. {{storylink|The Invisibility Factor}}
{{-}}

===Frito-Lay posters===
While fighting the Autobots to gain a powerful energy source, the sinister Shockwave decided it was time to betray Megatron and seize control. {{storylink|The Power Struggle}}

===The Official ''Transformers: Generation 2'' Annual===
Shockwave participated in the Decepticons' attack to capture a crashed spaceship from the Autobots atop [[Table Mountain]], blasting Optimus Prime with a laser. Alas, the "spaceship" was an Autobot trap that fired Shockwave and the other Decepticons randomly into space. {{storylink|Day of the Decepticons}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:Shockwavedwtww1.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Dreamwave is all his fault.]]
When Optimus Prime was first inaugurated as leader of the Autobots and bestowed the Matrix of Leadership, he was bestowed visions of the many enemies he would one day face. Among the foes he saw in these prophetic visions was Shockwave. {{storylink|The War Within issue 1|The War Within #1}} After Optimus had been goaded into seeking out Megatron, following the destruction of the [[Forum of Enlightenment]], Shockwave led the main attack on the Autobots' stronghold in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. {{storylink|The War Within issue 2|The War Within #2}} He instructed the troops following him to give the Autobots no mercy or quarter in their assault on the Autobot stronghold. {{storylink|The War Within issue 3|The War Within #3}} Mid-battle, Shockwave contacted the [[Kolkular|Cradle]] only to find that Starscream was sitting in the command room instead of Megatron. He claimed he would rectify this after having taken Iacon, and then sent his soldiers for the final push against the Autobots. {{storylink|The War Within issue 4|The War Within #4}} In this penultimate attack, Shockwave personally destroyed two [[guardian robot]]s with one blast in his alternate mode. With the Autobots' last defenses now felled, Shockwave had his troops penetrate the Autobots' stronghold, where he gunned down Prowl upon entry. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}} Unfortunately for Shockwave, at that point, a [[planetary engine]] activated under Starscream's orders caused Iacon's destruction. Shockwave ordered a hasty retreat back to [[Kolkular]] in order to avoid annihilation. {{storylink|The War Within issue 6|The War Within #6}}

[[File:Decepticonsdarkages.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
After Megatron's apparent death in an early space bridge test, the Decepticon faction splintered, with [[Air Commander]] [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] creating the [[Predacon (War Within)|Predacons]] and High Auditor [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] the [[Ultracon]]s, while Shockwave led the Decepticons through the [[Dark Ages]] of Cybertron. During this period he was contacted by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]. The Autobot had uncovered behavioral patterns in each faction, indicating that they were all being manipulated by an outside force. Shockwave's penchant for logic allowed him to put aside his differences with Jetfire, and he agreed to meet up with his fellow scientist in a neutral zone to further discuss the matter. {{storylink|Devastation (issue)|Devastation}} During their conference, the two of them were attacked by the [[Chaos Trinity]], and Shockwave was taken down by [[Bugly (G1)|Bugly]]'s [[electro-stinger]]s. {{storylink|Revelation (The Dark Ages)|Revelation}} He rebooted shortly after the three mystics and The Fallen left with both Grimlock and Jetfire in hand. {{storylink|Confrontation (issue)|Confrontation}} Recovered by the newly built [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Shockwave organized a counter strike against the three mystics that included Trypticon, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], and the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. Exactly how logic dictated that Shockwave bring an entire army to deal with three rogue Decepticons is unknown. Grimlock's [[Lightning Strike Coalition]] arrived, saying that they had a stake in this, and Shockwave agreed to a temporary ceasefire. After the Autobots managed to defeat The Fallen, Shockwave and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] agreed to seal the [[Well of All Sparks]] with six coded barriers for each faction. They were to remain in place until Cybertron was united. Or, as Shockwave put it, [['Til all are one|until all are one]]. {{storylink|Conflagration}}

[[File:AgeOfWrath3 ShockwaveRumbleFrenzy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|"Well if it's not your fault, and it's not ''my'' fault, then whose fault is it?!"]]
At some point, Ultra Magnus took command of the Autobots, and reunited them into a single faction. Under his leadership, the Autobots gained a significant hold over Cybertron's resources and territories. No longer able to hold his own against the Autobots, Shockwave was forced to sign a peace treaty, and put an end to hostilities between his own faction, the Ultracons, and the Autobots. Despite this being the most logical course of action, Shockwave made no attempt to hide his contempt for Ultra Magnus, making it clear he was only ceding to his forces out of necessity. The ceremony was interrupted by a bombing engineered by Starscream and his forces, though Shockwave was spared any harm thanks to the defensive measures put into place by the Autobots. This act of aggression only served to further unite the Autobots, Ultracons, and Decepticons... until Megatron made a dramatic return, accompanied by an army of [[Air Warrior]]s. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath}} Megatron easily subdued Ultra Magnus while Shockwave and Ratbat looked on, and all of the splintered Decepticon factions united under the rule of their returned ruler. Afterwards, Shockwave was tasked with reverse engineering these [[Quintesson]]-created clones Megatron had brought back to the planet with him. He ran into difficulties accomplishing this due to Megatron's refusal to divulge their origin, though he was greatly intrigued by the warrior units nonetheless. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2|The Age of Wrath #2}} Progress wasn't helped by [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]], who seemingly thrashed his whole lab after he stepped out of it for a few moments. Shockwave cooly informed the two diminutive Decepticons that Megatron would not be pleased now that his project couldn't be completed on schedule, and dismissed them. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.3|The Age of Wrath #3}}

{{Unreleased WW comic}}

Shockwave nonetheless managed to modify some drones in his possession to Megatron's requirements; they would now only obey the Decepticon leader, and not their [[Quintesson|original creators]]. After sharing his find with Megatron, Shockwave was assaulted by one of the drones, though it had become horribly mutated... for it contained the persisting essence of Grimlock! {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.4}}

[[File:DestinedForNothing ShockwaveRaceTrackPatrol.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|left]]
Shockwave was left behind on Cybertron while Megatron's forces pursued Optimus Prime and were subsequently lost on Earth for four million years, and became Decepticon leader on the planet. He began experimenting with cloning, and through studies of [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], began to conceive the idea of a Transformer with multiple [[alternate mode]]s. Cybertron, however, was steadily growing lower and lower on energy, and in an attempt to create new energy-conservative Transformers, Shockwave allied with the Autobots for a pooling of resources that created the [[Micromaster]]s. One of the Decepticon Micromasters working for Shockwave, [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]], transmitted back to Cybertron news that the Autobot [[Countdown (G1)|Countdown]] had appropriated an important artifact while on an interstellar mission. After receiving this message, Shockwave set about manipulating Micromasters on both sides to acquire the artifact for himself. {{storylink|Recipe for Hate}} After one of the Decepticons' Micromaster patrols returned from an Energon-gathering mission, [[Barricade (G1)|Barricade]] approached Shockwave, complaining that he and the other Decepticons of his size weren't getting their fair share of fuel. Instead of taking their appeal in consideration, Shockwave dismissively shooed the Micromasters away and partook in a conference with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and Ratbat. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} Barricade and his comrades then opted to desert the Decepticon army, and headed out for [[Little Iacon]]. Shockwave caught up with the group partway there, after the diminutive robots had narrowly avoided being devoured by some vampiric [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]. Shockwave informed them that he had taken it upon himself to check up on them as a "show of good faith," but they were otherwise free to continue on their own path if so they chose. {{storylink|The Gray Race}} At this time, Shockwave planted a transmitter on one of smaller 'bots, as he knew that the group had already been contacted by Countdown. {{storylink|Recipe for Hate}} All of the Micromasters left, save for [[Flanker]], who was convinced to return to the Decepticon army by Shockwave's gesture. With no witnesses around, Shockwave tossed Flanker to the Insecticons as a snack. In return, he asked the cannibals to complete a mission for him: invade Little Iacon. {{storylink|The Gray Race}}

[[File:VictimsOfTheRevolution CountdownVSkystalker.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2]]
Shortly thereafter, Skystalker and [[Skyhopper]] returned to Cybertron. Shockwave welcomed them back to the Decepticons' base, updating them on the progressing retrieval of the Golden Disk they coveted. Shockwave then overlooked Blitzwing, and upon his analysis, found that internal mutation in his fellow Decepticon were making him stronger. But Shockwave was unaware to what extent Skystalker had come to resent him in his absence... and how much more powerful the Micromaster had become. As he and Blitzwing were discussing the changes happening inside the latter, they were ambushed by the Skystalker, who managed to overpower both of the guzzlers. {{storylink|Recipe for Hate}} Skystalker overthrew Shockwave's command, knocking him offline and decapitating him to use in a grotesque puppet show, giving orders to the other Decepticons by holding Shockwave's severed noggin up to a video screen. {{storylink|Victims of the Revolution}} When Skystalker was defeated, Shockwave was repaired, but eventually, he and all the other Transformers on Cybertron succumbed to stasis as the planet's energy ran out, and it entered a hibernation phase known as the "[[Great Shutdown]]".

[[File:RevelationWaP ShockwaveAwakens.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left]]
3000 years ago, Unicron's herald [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] located the dead planet, and reactivated Shockwave for study purposes. {{storylink|Generation 1 issue 0|Generation 1 #0}} However, when Shockwave was attacked by a swarm of [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]], Scourge intervened and saved him, {{storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}} only to be shot in the back by the Decepticon and captured. Dissecting and studying Scourge, Shockwave learned many secrets about the function and purpose of Transformers and Cybertron from the secrets hidden within him. Using that knowledge, Shockwave steadily worked to restore Cybertron, reactivating its population and solving their energy needs, ending the war and unifying the planet. He also continued his experiments into multiple transformations, yielding the unstable [[Duocon]]s, and then successfully mastering the process with [[Triple Changer]]s. Capturing [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], Shockwave sought to unlock the full secrets of [[Vector Sigma]], having already learned of the mysterious significance of Earth to the Transformer race. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}} In preparation for the invasion of the planet, Shockwave subliminally influenced the population of Cybertron to become more violent, {{storylink|Passive Aggression}} and prevented the return of Optimus Prime and Megatron aboard the ''[[Ark II]]'' by having a [[Robert Hallo|human agent]] blow it up. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

{{note|''[[The Transformers Trilogy]]'' novel ''[[Transformers: Hardwired|Hardwired]]'' made a brief reference to Shockwave being part of the Decepticons on Earth, but having been incommunicado for months prior to the disappearance of Megatron in [[Tokyo]]. This statement is at odds with continuity established in [[War and Peace|''Transformers: Generation 1'' vol. 2: War and Peace]], after the novels' publication.}}

[[File:Shockwavedwwarandpeace.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6|Déjà vu all over again.]]
In [[2003]], Shockwave made his move, heading to Earth with his Triple Changer troops and capturing Megatron and Optimus's forces, planning to try the two leaders as war criminals. Megatron was jettisoned into space by Starscream, {{storylink|New World Order}} provoking Shockwave in disciplining the Seeker. After making it clear he would not tolerate further insubordination, Shockwave presented his new recruits to a unified Iacon, cementing his claims that Cybertron was finally at peace. To better assimilate the Decepticons into his new society, Shockwave told them of a new device he had devised to render them more energy-efficient, but his presentation was interrupted by a report from Perceptor. Shockwave dismissed his audience to speak with Perceptor in private. Afterwards, he approached Soundwave, claiming that his plans for Cybertron was moving at a faster pace than anticipated, and offered him a position as his lieutenant. He left Soundwave to ruminate on his options, and next contacted Ultra Magnus, ordering to deactivate the Autobots in his custody, Optimus among them, once they made planet-fall. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} Ultra Magnus refused the order outright and Shockwave's plans were now meeting resistance on multiple fronts, with the Autobot's insubordination and the captive Alpha Trion's continued resistance to his probing. In a bid to deal with at least one of these problems, Shockwave had Rumble and Frenzy free the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] from prison, hoping the chaos they'd generate would be distraction enough for Ultra Magnus to be out of the picture while Optimus was dealt with. Shockwave also broadcasted footage of the Autobots' battles on Earth all around Cybertron, to turn public opinion against Optimus Prime's troops. But more unforeseen interference propped up; between the Dinobots arriving to sow their own brand of havoc, and Sandstorm and Broadside turning traitor, Prime managed escape from Shockwave's clutches and fell in with a rebel group. {{storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}}

[[File:RevelationWaP ShockwaveDidIt.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|left|''How I Did It'' by Shockwave.]]
Shockwave was next forced to deal with Grimlock personally, but even with the help of [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], found himself being overpowered by his opponent. Ultra Magnus's timely arrival helped tip the scales in Shockwave's favor, and Shockwave then unleashed the [[Guardian robot|Omega Sentinels]] to quell further insurrections. {{storylink|Passive Aggression}}

Mobilizing the planet's Autobots, Prime led an attack on [[Shockwave's Tower]]. As news of the insurrection reached Shockwave, he finished supercharging himself in anticipation to an inevitable confrontation against the rebels. He was first met by Ultra Magnus in his throne room, but after declaring that he no longer had a use for him, shot Magnus in the back. Shockwave was next confronted Shockwave by Optimus himself, whom he defeated with ease. He then proceeded to rip the Matrix free from Optimus's chest compartment. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (issue)|Countdown to Extinction}} Using the Matrix to activate Vector Sigma, Shockwave downloaded the compressed contents of the mega-computer into his network, but before he had an opportunity to view the data, he was pulled into a battle with the returned [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. In the course of the fight, the fuel line to his cannon was severed, and the resulting explosion destroyed his citadel and knocked him into a chasm. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

[[File:LostAndFound MegatronShockwave.jpg|thumb|right|Megatron '''IS'''.]]
While the rest of Cybertron believed Shockwave to be deceased, he had actually survived the explosion and gone underground in the wastelands of Cybertron. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}} In addition to re-establishing communications with the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] on Earth (who had been operating there as an advance squad preparing the way for his invasion), {{storylink|Extermination}} Shockwave continued his experimentation, resulting in the creation of [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]. Soon after, however, Megatron returned to Cybertron and bested Shockwave, crippled his offensive capabilities, and took control of his troops. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}} Shockwave was then taken to Earth, where Megatron similarly overpowered Starscream. But now, the three players were assembled, each knowing certain dark secrets of Cybertron's past... {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

{{Unreleased DW G1 comic}}
During his reign over Cybertron, Shockwave had discovered the Well of All Sparks, and broken the [[Seal of Primus]] itself to siphon from within it the power needed to create life. Little did he know that he had loosened the essence of The Fallen in the process, a consciousness which had gone on to take root inside Sunstorm. {{storylink|The Enemy Within}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[File:Shockwave Trenches TF GI Joe.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1]]
As one of the Decepticons who crashed to [[Earth]] in the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' millions of years ago, Shockwave was retrieved by [[Cobra]] and pressed into service, taking on the alternate form of a massive artillery cannon. Chafing under the leadership of [[Cobra Commander]], he was ordered to transform and destroy the [[Autobot]] [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. {{storylink|Trenches}}
[[File:Shockwavetfjoetrenches.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.55|First guy to call him "Big Bertha" gets it in the face.]]
Although he did so, he was forced to fire sixteen consecutive times, despite needing to repair himself after every shot. The resulting strain on his structure irrevocably damaged him, and Cobra Commander refused to allow [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] to use the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] to restore him. {{storylink|The Iron Fist}}
{{-}}

===''The Beast Within''===
Shockwave participated in a savage all-out Decepticon offensive against the Autobots. With the Decepticons maintaining the advantage throughout the battle, Shockwave was amongst those who approached a crippled Optimus Prime, ready to dispatch the Autobot leader. {{storylink|The Beast Within}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:Shockwave-ddp2-2b1.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|There are so many ways to make him look awesome.]]
In the absence of Megatron, Shockwave had assumed command of the Decepticons on Cybertron, and had successfully driven the Autobots into an underground resistance movement. When a number of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and [[Cobra]] troops, along with the captive Starscream, accidentally arrived on Cybertron via an overloaded wormhole gate, Shockwave and his troops immediately surrounded them. The same wormhole malfunction blasted a number of Transformers away from Cybertron and into random points of Earth's past, a temporal anomaly that threatened to scour the Earth's face with fire if the Transformers were not brought back.

Ultra Magnus and Perceptor arrived and were able to hold off the Decepticons for a time with a force field, while teams of humans were time-ported away to retrieve the missing Transformers and end the anomaly. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} Magnus's force field power ran out before all the teams had returned, and Shockwave had his troops capture the Autobots. He took personal pleasure in blasting Ratchet when he was returned through the gate.

[[File:Shockwave and Starscream GIJoevsTFsII4.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0]]
Revealing that he had intended all along for the humans to discover the wormhole gate technology, Shockwave set the gate to continue operating but blocked the last remaining group from returning—thus condemning Earth to destruction, easy pickings for conquest. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3}} Fortunately for Earth, two members of the G.I. Joe team were able to reactivate the gate, allowing the newly created Dinobots to return to Cybertron. The Dinobots' power quickly drove Shockwave's Decepticons into retreat.

Regrouping on the other side of the planet, Shockwave had the long-missing Starscream brought before him. As Starscream attempted to explain his way out of being seen as a traitor, a recording of Cobra Commander's voice suddenly began to play, explaining that he had lined Starscream's hull with explosives. Shockwave leapt to try and stop the process, but the entire building exploded, apparently taking the two Decepticons with it. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4}}

With Shockwave's defeat, peace returned to Cybertron, and the Decepticons were driven back to a region known as the [[Gladiator Zone]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}} One of the mish-mash of robot parts known as the [[cannibalizer]]s had Shockwave's blaster hand grafted onto its arm. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}}

In an [[Hell Day|erased future]], Shockwave would've led a Decepticon conquest of Earth. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
In one reality, Shockwave fought under the command of [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] in the war over control of the [[Mini-Con]]s. {{storylink|Lonesome Diesel}}

During a gladiatorial match in the depths of Cybertron, Shockwave detected incoming security forces and raised the alarm. When Megatron mused that perhaps it was time to start their rebellion by destroying the incoming forces, Shockwave suggested they wait and build up their numbers. Megatron agreed and the pair departed. {{storylink|Parts}}

===''Q-Robo Transformer''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Q-Robo Transformer}}}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
{{main|Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity}}
[[File:Spotlight Shockwave cvrB.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|IDW is so much [[Regenesis|his]] [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity#Onyx Prime|fault]], it might be a record.]]
Once a right-hearted [[Senate|senator]] of the corrupt pre-[[Great War (G1)|Great War]] [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Shockwave ran the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology|Academy of Advanced Technology]], protecting "[[Outlier (group)|outliers]]" from the [[functionism|functionists]] who held sway and secretly retrofitting several 'Bots who he felt were of good character, including [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]], to carry [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] chambers. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory}} With his influence waning and the ruling caste unhappy with such activities, he was sent to the [[Institute]] to undergo [[Empurata]] and a "[[shadowplay|total personality inversion]]", leaving him a faceless, handless, and emotionless mech. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Shadowplay}} Later, he became a [[Decepticon]] and helped [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] to overthrow the corrupt government. {{storylink|The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy}}

Millions of years later, he predicted the demise on Cybertron due to the energy consumption of the Autobot/Decepticon war. Knowing that control of resources would be crucial, he initiated a project he called [[Regenesis]] to "seed" several planets with potent [[Energon]] distillates, generating "crops" for him to harvest. Deserting when the time came to stabilise the planets, he was stymied on [[Earth]] by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobot]]s—out for revenge on an unrelated matter—and fell into stasis-lock, {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}} but not before reconditioning a crew of lost [[Maximal]]s into re-enacting the Great War in miniature. {{storylink|Strange Visitors}}

10,000 years later, his body was discovered and he was reawakened by [[Skywatch]]. Forming an alliance with [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] to disable the bomb they placed in his head, he fought [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], and [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] until the blue Decepticon managed to disable it, but was stopped from leaving by the Dynobot leader's bomb. Subsequently, they were taken to [[Garrus-9]] by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots}}

Freed from the prison by [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]], Shockwave ultimately chose to rejoin his fellow Decepticons and returned to Earth. During [[D-Void]] war, he was summoned to Cybertron by Megatron. Once [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] was defeated, the weakened Shockwave was captured by [[Autobot]]s along with other Decepticons. {{storylink|Chaos (IDW)|Chaos}}

Forming a surreptitious alliance with his old master [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and their student [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to aid them in a quest for the remains of his Regenesis program while remaining on Cybertron himself, he was convinced to act on the planet by [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], but was illegally rendered into [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s custody by [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]]. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}} His capture was part of a charade, however, as Prowl was being controlled by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] at the behest of Megatron, who would use the Autobot strategist as a component in a newly recreated [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. {{storylink|The Verge}} {{storylink|Before the Dawn}}

Shockwave ultimately opted out of Megatron's latest insurrection, however, and retreated to the site of the previously destroyed [[Crystal City]]. Shockwave found that the city had been restored by the Energon ore he had seeded there long before, which he now dubbed [[Ore-14]]. Shockwave successfully tested Ore-14's restorative properties on [[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]]. {{storylink|Shockwaves}} In light of recent events, Soundwave confronted Shockwave over the latter's abandonment of Megatron and betrayal of the Decepticon leader's ideals, but to no avail. {{storylink|Shockpoint}} {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

Shockwave's endgame was now in motion. Gathering the various Ores together would give him the power to manipulate reality itself. With the aid of Jhiaxus' [[chronal drive]], and harnessing the energy of the [[Dead Universe]] itself, Shockwave intended to collapse all of reality into a singularity, save for Cybertron itself, which would be eternally powered by the singularity. Shockwave nearly succeeded, thanks in part to the distractions of his [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]] and the [[Ammonite]] legions he set loose upon Cybertron, but there was one thing he did not anticipate: Megatron having a change of heart, and befriending [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] in the process. After Shockwave killed Bumblebee, Megatron took the fallen Autobot's [[insignia]] for himself, renouncing the Decepticon cause; this distraction allowed Optimus Prime to reach Shockwave and cause the former Senator to recall his pre-Shadowplay self. Horrified at what he had become, but unable to shut down the drive himself, Shockwave allowed Optimus and Megatron to save reality by destroying the drive, and him along with it. {{storylink|Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron}}

Or so it was believed. In truth, the Ore-1 within the drive allowed the singularity to manipulate time as well as space, the gravity dragging Shockwave's broken body to twelve million years in the past, in the era following the departure of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Aimlessly wandering the Sea of Rust for years, Shockwave chanced upon the shepherd Onyx, slaying him and taking on the identity of "[[Onyx Prime]]" so as to engineer a perpetual [[Decepticon Empire]]. Masterminding a war to bring together the [[Thirteen]] Primes, then using the failed conquest on [[Antilla]] to trigger the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]] that tore them apart, Shockwave fled Cybertron and returned to the dead Antilla with his [[Maximal]] army. There, Shockwave found that the planet had been refashioned into a dormant anti-Cybertronian superweapon, making plans to use it. Recovering the core of the transmutation device, Shockwave dubbed it the "[[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]]" and sent it to Earth while he and the majority remained on Antilla.

In late [[2017]], Antilla was activated, dubbed [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] by the Talisman. Putting the final phases of his plan into motion, Shockwave reunited with [[Liege Maximo]], the two returning to Cybertron atop [[Nemesis (BW)|Nemesis]]. After sowing chaos across the planet, Shockwave revealed his true identity to the populace, revealing that the Primes and the Chosen One prophecy were nothing but fictions, as was all of Cybertron's religion. Though taken prisoner, Shockwave was unconcerned as Unicron was already consuming the [[Cybertronian colonies]]. When the Chaos Bringer arrived at Cybertron, Shockwave teleported himself to Earth so he could begin building his new empire only for Unicron to follow. Deducing that the Talisman had been brought to Earth, Shockwave quickly located it, ordering his servants to retrieve and use it against Unicron only to find that his grand plan had shattered ''their'' faith in him as well. Taken prisoner by [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] and [[Stardrive]], Shockwave played a brief role in Optimus's plan to defeat Unicron before his limbs were taken from him and he was chained up in the [[Nemesis (G1)|''Lemuria'']]. Suffering an identity crisis after wearing so many faces, Shockwave confessed to Prowl that he did not know which persona was the "real" him. With little sympathy, Prowl said that they'd all been him.

What Shockwave had always failed to realize was that people were judged, and defined, by their actions, not the intentions that they'd set out with. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (comic)|Optimus Prime}} {{storylink|Transformers: Unicron|Unicron}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
[[File:ShockwaveVictorianbody-HOS2.jpg|thumb|left|"There's a giant cyclops who guards the outskirts of the city and preys on innocent sea creatures."]]
After awakening in 19th century America, Shockwave took on the form of an ironclad warship and recruited inventor [[Tobias Muldoon]] to the Decepticon side (by pretending to be a friend to humanity). {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 1|Hearts of Steel #1}} He took Muldoon to his Decepticon comrades underwater, where he was questioned by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2|Hearts of Steel #2}}

Years later in [[1888]], the surviving Decepticons came under the influence of the invading [[Elder God]]s. Shockwave was among those who accepted the beings as their new masters and defended [[Port Cenotaph]] on their behalf from intruders. {{storylink|Infestation 2: The Transformers issue 1|Infestation 2: The Transformers #1}} He soon defended the town against an international fleet, but was shot down. {{Storylink|Infestation 2: The Transformers issue 2|Infestation 2: The Transformers #2}}

{{note|"[[Strange Visitors]]" establishes that events identical to those of ''Hearts of Steel'' and ''Infestation 2'' occurred in the [[2005 IDW continuity]]; however, they happened to [[Maximal]] explorers brainwashed by the IDW Shockwave into believing they were the Autobots and Decepticons of the Great War. Shockwave reconstructed [[Maximal Shockwave|one of these Maximals]] into a duplicate of himself.}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Timelines''====
[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] alternatively served the Decepticon cause on Cybertron under Shockwave's command or on Earth during the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. {{storylink|Buzzsaw (G1)#Timelines|BotCon 2006 Buzzsaw profile card}}

====2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity====
Early in the Great War, the nonaligned Cicadacon was gravely wounded. Shutting off his emotional processes, he was able to successfully self-repair, but he lost much of his memory. Joining the Decepticons, he served as one for centuries until [[The Transformers: The Movie|Unicron's attack on Cybertron in 2005]] reawakened his true self. {{storylink|Cicadacon#Combiner Wars|General Cicadacon profile card}}

{{note|Cicadacon's profile card does not specify his Decepticon identity, but who else does this description match?}}

===''Mini Mayhem!''===
Shockwave participated in an infiltration of [[BotCon]] to track down next year's toy designs, and use them to conquer the Autobots once and for all! Unfortunately, Shockwave forgot to mention to Megatron that their main target, [[Eric Siebenaler]] wouldn't be in attendance, and the plot wound up falling apart.

After being nominated two years in a row, Shockwave was sure he'd be a shoe-in for [[2011]]'s [[Transformers Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]]. He discussed the topic with Jazz and Grimlock until [[Erector (G1)|Erector]] and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] came along. The trio mistook Erector for Bumblebee, and so spared him any ridicule, but verbally tore into Waspinator. After insisting that the Predacon would never stand a chance against them, Shockwave and the others walked off in a huff. {{storylink|Mini Mayhem!}}

===Robot Heroes===
Shockwave was one of the Decepticons who helped Megatron start trouble on Earth, though he only fought for himself. When they ran into the Autobots, Shockwave was beaten up by Prowl. {{storylink|I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|I Am Optimus Prime}}

===''Kre-O'' cartoon===
[[File:BotStars-Shockwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|"Algebra? Really?"]]
During a robot dance competition, Shockwave was among the three judges, all of whom were Decepticons. Despite [[Bumblebee (Kre-O)|Bumblebee]]'s phenomenal performance, he scored the Autobot at 1/2. For [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], despite awful technique and a nasty fall, he scored the Decepticon a 10². The commentator was skeptical. {{storylink|Bot Stars}}

He was present in the audience during Optimus, Bumblebee, and Megatron's boxing match. He also cheered when Megatron lost... {{storylink|Last Bot Standing}}

Shockwave, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] enjoyed a picnic by the side of a road. When Bumblebee and Megatron raced by them, the picnickers waved at them. {{storylink|The Big Race}}

He was among the minions who passed Megatron his presents during the holiday season. {{storylink|A Gift For Megatron}}

Shockwave helped Megatron get back into shape after a string of humiliating defeats by standing on top of him while the Decepticon leader did some push-ups, and holding on to his weights while he did some reps. {{storylink|Megatron's Revenge}}

===San Diego Comic Con tech specs===
Shockwave ran through all the variables and decided that if he was going to further his goals of conquest, it would be rational to work with the human weaponeer [[Destro]]. He now sports a snazzy [[HISS tank]] [[alternate mode]] with his astroblaster integrated into the design <ref>[http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/12/shockwavehiss/ Shockwave H.I.S.S. page at yojoe.com]</ref> and in return, he gives Destro loads of money. When Shockwave and Destro's goals no longer mesh, Destro will 'deal' with the Decepticon himself (yeah, good luck with that, mate).<ref>[http://www.yojoe.com/action/12/destro28.shtml Destro v.28 page at yojoe.com]</ref>

===''Transformers: All Spark''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Another Episode, Part 1}} {{storylink|Revenge (All Spark)|Revenge}} {{storylink|Ray of Hope}} {{storylink|Great Aspirations}}}}

===Starscream's New Power===
[[File:Starscream's New Power Starscream vs. Decepticons.jpg|thumb|100px|left]]
Shockwave attempted to apprehend Starscream as the latter infiltrated his [[Shockwave's Tower|personal lab]] on Cybertron. He was driven back once Starscream got his hands on some of his weapons. {{storylink|Starscream's New Power}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
Shockwave was part of a massive Decepticon invasion force intended to ruin the Autobots' picnic. However, [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]] plowed through them with his truck and left them scattered... and then left. Returning to the scene after.. ''ahem'', taking care of some pressing business, Optimus gathered up the still-wiped-out Kreons, bound them up on a flatbed trailer, and took them to the picnic. {{storylink|Emergency! Hurry to the Base, Optimus!}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[File:ISawThreeShips-shockwavealtmode.jpg|thumb|]]
Together with Starscream and his [[Relatives|brother]] Soundwave, Shockwave traveled from Cybertron to Earth to demand the humans surrender to Megatron. They were met with resistance from their welcomers, [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]], leading to a battle that ended with their defeat. {{storylink|I Saw Three Ships}} Retreating and forming an alliance with [[Cobra]], Shockwave and Starscream attacked the aircraft carrier [[USS Flagg|U.S.S. ''Flagg'']], which supposedly contained the body of Soundwave killed during the last battle. Enraged by his brother's death, Shockwave immolated many a Joe with an eye beam before tearing into the ship to retrieve his remains, but retreated with the others when they found no trace of Soundwave. {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend}}

[[File:ExpelledFromTheGarden-unattack.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]

Shockwave, Starscream, and Cobra next attacked the [[United Nations]] headquarters, arriving at the same time as a vengeful Optimus Prime attacked G.I. Joe and was met with [[Doctor Venom]], who had [[Binary bonding|binary bonded]] with Soundwave's body to control it as a weapon. Shocked and disgusted by this desecration, Shockwave began grappling with Prime over his brother's reanimated remains, shouting that he'd take Soundwave home where Megatron could make him whole again. After Venom had been separated from Soundwave, Shockwave calmed down and declared that he wouldn't let such sentimental emotions get to him again. {{storylink|Expelled from the Garden}}

In spite of his emotionless façade, Shockwave couldn't help but feel somewhat remorseful for the death of his brother. Shockwave, Rumble, and Laserbeak collected what they could of Soundwave and travelled to the city of Kalis. There, they presented Soundwave's remains to the Autobot apostate [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]], who used his knowledge to bring the spymaster back to life. However, Soundwave returned as a mere shell of his former self, an emotionless machine who could no longer recognize his brother. Watching Soundwave coldly defeat [[Snake-Eyes]] and seize Ravage for reprogramming, Shockwave sadly mused that ''he'' was now the compassionate one of the duo. {{storylink|Black Cybertron}}

===''Angry Birds'' comic===
[[File:ABTF1 Optimus+HeatwavevsShockwave.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
Shockwave was among the Decepticon troops who attacked the Autobot vessel carrying the [[AllSpark]], but they were blasted into space by [[Heatwave (G1)|Heatwave]]'s water cannon and the Autobots escaped via [[Quantum generator|quantum jump]]. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers issue 1|Angry Birds Transformers #1}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Shockwave developed the [[infiltration protocol]], {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}} and was recorded as having posed a challenge to Megatron's leadership position. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}}

[[Eject (G1)|Eject]] lamented that all the great and famous Cybertronians, including Shockwave, were long gone by the time Cybertron was controlled by the [[Builder Assembly]]. {{storylink|Broken Windshields}}

Shockwave had a secret lab in [[Ultrix]]. A year after the [[Grand Uprising]], [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] had based himself in the lab where he operated on [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicons]]. He was tracked down by [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] who killed the scientist and destroyed the lab. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
When [[Violengiguar|Bio Ranger Iga]] formed the [[Thirteen Great Demon Generals#Ask Vector Prime|Thirteen Great Demon Generals]], he summoned Shockwave to join. He declined and sent his brother, [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], in his stead. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 27, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 27/06/2015}}

===''Q-Transformers: Mystery of Convoy'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Kaito Ishikawa]] (Japanese)}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Road to More Popularity than Autobots}}}}

===''Of Masters and Mayhem''===
[[File:Of Masters and Mayhem flashback.jpeg|thumb|300px]]
In one universe, Shockwave fought alongside his fellow Decepticons against [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s Autobots. {{storylink|History}}

As scientific research supervisor for the Decepticons, Shockwave monitored an experiment by [[Loudpedal]] and [[Oil Slick (G1)|Oil Slick]] that engineered a test subject resembling a twisted version of Optimus Prime. Although initially designed as a potential new [[Combiner]] component, the test subject somehow developed an entirely unexpected ability to produce toxic sludge. This "[[Toxitron (Universe)|Toxitron]]" subject was overseen for a time, until he escaped and murdered his creators, causing Shockwave to abandon the project. {{storylink|The Toxic Transformer}}
[[File:KnockOutShockwave TheToxicTransformer.jpg|thumb|left|"I was built by a group of mad scientists, looking to make everything their fault. But it seems ''they failed!''"]]

Earlier, however, experiments with Toxitron had used whatever connection he had to Optimus Prime to grow the "shell" of a Matrix inside his body. Shockwave acquired this shell before the research bunker was destroyed, and used it to contain the mutated spark of the scientist known as [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. This creation, later known as the [[Matrix of Malice]], became the centerpiece of the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]]'s new combination form as [[Thunder Mayhem]], much to the horror of all of Cybertron. {{storylink|Foundation and Wreckage Part 1: Deadly Aim|Deadly Aim}}{{-}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' marketing material===
[[File:POTP vote Shockwave.jpeg|thumb|right|upright=0.5]]
{{quote|The rashness of action has led us here. Now is the time that clarity of thought shall rule.}}

Shockwave created [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. {{storylink|Shockwave (G1)/toys#CombinerWars|Combiner Wars Shockwave toy bio}}

Shockwave was a potential bearer of the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. As a force for order, Shockwave planned to create a new, strict civilisation to save Cybertron, declaring himself to be the only bot with the technical prowess to mastermind it. Instead, the Matrix went to [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]. {{storylink|Source:Power of the Primes Fan Vote|''Power of the Primes'' fan poll}}
{{--}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' continuity===
====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material====
[[File:Siege-Shockwave-art.jpg|thumb|100px]]
During the war for Cybertron, Shockwave was a [[Cybertronian military insignia|Space Force Applied Sciences Major]], whose function was a scientist. {{storylink|War for Cybertron: Siege|''Siege'' webpage}}<ref name=Siege>[https://transformers.hasbro.com/en-us/brands/siege ''Siege'' website]</ref> Being one of the most secure and heavily fortified zones on Cybertron, Shockwave would spend most of his time in the Decepticon-conquered city of [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]]. {{storylink|Source:Teletraan-1 Data Files|''Siege'' Teletraan-1 Data Files}}<ref name=Siege/>

Shockwave was also known to make and upgrade Decepticon weapons during the war. He designed both [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s "D50-R35 Fusion Cannon" and "HPR Telescopic Laserstrike Launcher". Both of these could combine and modlock into the "NFM Particle Beam Megalauncher" using the [[C.O.M.B.A.T. System]]. {{storylink|Source:Teletraan-1 Data Files#Weapons database|Decepticon weapons database on Hasbro Pulse}}<ref>[https://hasbropulse.com/blogs/unboxed/transformers-wfc-siege-megatron-combat-weapons-guide "''Siege'' Megatron C.O.M.B.A.T. Weapons Guide" on Hasbro Pulse]</ref>

====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Todd Haberkorn]] (English), [[Chafūrin]] (Japanese)|[[Hercules Fernando]] (Portuguese), [[Jérémy Prévost]] (French), [[Nicolai Tegeler]] (German), [[Txema Moscoso]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Eduardo Tejedo]] (Latin-American Spanish)}}
[[File:WFC-Siege-Ep2-Shockwave-proposes-a-plan.jpg|thumb|300px|left]]
A scientist, Shockwave deleted his emotions to improve his capacity for logically processing data. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 1}} During the era of the Great War, Shockwave joined with the Decepticons, becoming the faction's chief scientist. For cycles, Shockwave had been researching the ancient secrets of Cybertron. By the time that Ultra Magnus had surrendered himself to Megatron, Shockwave had confirmed using [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'s studies that the Allspark, the mystic source of all Cybertronian life, was real. Convinced that he could manipulate the Allspark's creation powers into a reformation wave to turn all Autobots into Decepticons, Shockwave brought this information to Megatron. Uneasy about such a drastic measure, Megatron took the idea under consideration.

Soon afterward, Soundwave detected Magnus passing information about the Allspark onto the Autobots. After a failed attempt to bait the Autobots, Megatron gave Shockwave the approval to enact his plan. {{storylink|Siege episode 2}}

Until the Allspark could be found, Shockwave was tasked with interrogating Ultra Magnus for the location of [[Autobot High Command]]. Despite Shockwave's best efforts, the Autobot commander remained steadfast, even breaking free at one point. When Magnus was recaptured, Shockwave increased the torture's intensity until the Autobot finally gave in, revealing the location of Autobot Command. {{storylink|Siege episode 3}}

In short order, however, Magnus lied and Megatron executed him outright. When Magnus' death unleashed the [[Alpha Trion Protocols]], Megatron had his corpse delivered back to Shockwave so the scientist could determine how to counter them. Shockwave was later present when Megatron promoted [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] to the command of the Seekers, fearing that such an act would not bode well. {{storylink|Siege episode 4}}

[[File:WFC-Earthrise-Ep1-Shockwave-hologram.jpg|thumb|300px]]
When Soundwave and Shockwave understood how the Alpha Trion Protocols functioned, the latter proposed using a special virus to destroy the Protocols, even as Soundwave warned that such an act could adversely affect a large portion of the planetary infrastructure. Granted permission to proceed, Shockwave used Ultra Magnus' corpse as a transmitter and unleashed his virus. As the virus disabled Autobot systems, Shockwave and Soundwave rushed to tell Megatron that it had uncloaked the ''Ark'' and the Autobots. {{storylink|Siege episode 5}}

In the aftermath of the Battle of the Space Bridge, which saw both the ''Ark'' and the Allspark leave Cybertron, Shockwave was tasked with Project: Nemesis, designing a star cruiser capable of carrying the Decepticons to a new world. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 2}} With Cybertron dying, however, the Decepticons began harvesting the remaining population, Autobot and Decepticon, to fuel their escape ship. At Shockwave's request, Megatron inspected Sector 12, which had fallen behind on production, and gave Shockwave the authority to shut it down and harvest its resources. As Shockwave brought Sector 12's staff to the gladiatorial arena to be harvested, Megatron brought Elita-1's Autobots to bear witness, declaring that they would be Shockwave's next victims. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 1}}

[[File:WFC-Earthrise-Ep6-Shockwave-vs-Elita-1.jpg|thumb|300px|left]]
Before Shockwave could harvest the Autobots, a power outage caused by [[Scrapface]] allowed them to escape. Though Shockwave noted that another Sector would have to be harvested, Soundwave soon discovered that the ''Ark'' still functioned. At Megatron's command, Shockwave then activated the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' ahead of schedule. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 2}}

Shockwave did not board the ''Nemesis'' however, remaining behind to maintain order on Cybertron. He called for all Decepticons to present themselves to [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] arena under the guise of helping them, but in actuality, so he could harvest their sparks to power himself and his guards. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 3}}

By the time that Elita-1's forces returned to sabotage the arena, Shockwave had developed cloaking technology for himself. Having bolstered himself on the harvested sparks, Shockwave was quickly able to overpower Elita and restrained her for experimentation. Before he could do anything, however, he was called away to oversee the capture of the other rebels before the explosives that they had planted detonated, consuming the arena and killing all present. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 6}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers/Ghostbusters''===
[[File:GhostsOFCybertronPart4-youstillfunction.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

After the Decepticons won the Great War, the malevolent entity known as [[Gozer]] appeared on Cybertron to Decepticon High Command. Though Shockwave advocated caution, especially given that Gozer's power was beyond his sensors' ability to categorize, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] fired his [[null-ray]] at the entity who reflected its power back at the Decepticons. When [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] approached the invader, it offered him the choice of which form it would assume to destroy Cybertron before it disappeared, declaring that the choice had been made. It was then that a guilty Starscream spoke up, his mind having drifted to his first conception of a being capable of destroying Cybertron which was revealed to be himself as Gozer rematerialized as a titanic version of the Seeker. After an enraged Megatron shot Starscream, Shockwave tended to the Seeker as the Decepticons fought back against the extradimensional menace. {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 1}} Even with their mightiest [[combiner]]s however, the Decepticons could not match Gozer's power, before [[Decepticon High Command]] was approached by [[Kremzeek]] the Scavenger who turned the quartet into [[ghost]]s. In return for this however, Kremzeek wanted their aid in finding and absorbing the [[AllSpark]]. Along with Megatron and Soundwave, Shockwave refused, resulting the trio being absorbed into Kremzeek's being. {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 2}} {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 4}}

Roughly a thousand years later on Earth, Kremzeek's physical body was destroyed when the Scavenger made physical contact with [[Killerwatt|an electricity consuming ghost]], freeing Shockwave's spirit. {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 4}} Though Shockwave, along with Soundwave, was initially willing to work with the Autobots to get his physical body back, the conflict quickly escalated and the scientist opened fire on the [[Ghostbusters]]. Being retained by an overeager [[Ectotron]], Shockwave fired his cannon, declaring that he no longer wished to owe his life to such a cretin. While his stray shots broke [[Peter Venkman]]'s focus and allowed Starscream to flee the planet, Shockwave himself was soon sealed within a [[ghost trap]]. Once the battle ended, Optimus Prime took Shockwave's trap, along with Megatron and Soundwave's, hoping to one day rehabilitate the three and use the [[AllSpark]] to revive them. {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 5}}

{{--}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Four|''Transformers'' #10]]}}

[[File:Escape-3-Skywarp cloning procedure.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"Time to make everything my fault again!"]]
During the [[War of the Threefold Spark]], Shockwave voluntarily collaborated with the evil [[Exarchon]] as the mad tyrant waged war against Cybertron, with the promise of Shockwave being allowed to indulge his every scientific curiosity. Together, the pair experimented with [[cloning]], with one of their early results being [[Soundblaster (G1)|Soundblaster]]. {{storylink|Escape Part Two}} {{storylink|War's End Part One}} In an effort to mass-produce an army of teleporting warriors Shockwave attempted to clone his fellow collaborator [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]. The resulting [[Skywarp drone|clone army]] lacked Skywarp's teleportation powers, but proved valuable warriors all the same. {{storylink|Escape Part Three}}

After the end of the war, Exarchon vanished and his co-conspirators were banished from Cybertron by [[Nominus Prime]]. Eventually, however, [[Decepticon|Ascenticon]] senator [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] contacted Shockwave and put him in control of the radical group known as "[[the Rise]]", in the hopes that Shockwave's logic would rein in their worst impulses while stoking preexisting societal tensions so as to legitimize the [[Decepticon|Ascenticons]] in the optics of the public. Eventually, Megatron was able to smuggle Shockwave back to Cybertron, who set up shop in one of Exarchon's abandoned bunkers in the deepest reaches of the badlands. {{storylink|The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Four}}

[[File:ConstructiconsRisingPart2 ShockwaveBombshellChat.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.2|"Status report! What percentage of stuff is my fault so far??"]]
While coordinating the activities of the Rise on Cybertron, Shockwave also began reaching out to other Cybertronians who'd been banished from the planet. These included the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s, with whom he struck a bargain: in exchange for their service, he'd clone them so that they could eat as much as they desired. A battery of experiments revealed that the trio were ideal candidates for cloning; although he obtained all the necessary data required to clone an army of Insecticons, Shockwave chose to keep this information to himself out of fear that the ambitious Insecticons were more powerful than anyone, including themselves, realized. {{storylink|Escape Part Two}} To accomplish this plan, he reunited with his old minion [[Soundblaster (G1)|Soundblaster]], who recruited [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] and a group of mercenaries to establish a profitable "splice-thieving" operation on the planet [[Kworia]], an organ-harvesting scheme that stripped Cybertronian victims for parts and shipped them back to Cybertron for use in Shockwave's experiments. Eventually, Shockwave constructed a number of Insecticon clones, but chose to keep this knowledge a secret for the time being. {{storylink|Storm Horizon Part 3}} {{storylink|Escape Part Two}}

In the meantime, Shockwave had the original three Insecticons recruit the exiled [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] into assisting his goals. Shockwave contacted their leader [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] when progress on that front was taking too long, but Bombshell shrugged off his concerns. {{storylink|Constructicons Rising, Part 2}} Bombshell eventually convinced the group to rebel against the [[Senate]], and Shockwave sent the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] to extract them from Mayalx along with a stockpile of [[Energon]] they had harvested. {{storylink|Constructicons Rising, Part 4}} Shockwave allowed the Constructicons to go off on their own, but planned to one day bring them back to Cybertron when the time was right in the belief that [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]'s loyalty gave him a monopoly on [[combiner]] power. {{storylink|Constructicons Rising, Part 4}}

After [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] had been murdered, [[Security Operations]] officer and Ascenticon sympathizer [[Barricade (IDW)|Barricade]] discovered that a [[Voin]] scavenger might have witnessed the murder. {{storylink|The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Three}} Reporting this to Soundwave, Barricade was instructed to inform Shockwave who dispatched [[Quake (G1)|Quake]] to tie up the loose end. Though Quake killed the Voin, this gruesome act was witnessed by [[Rubble]], the zealous veteran killing the newborn to prevent his crime from being reported. {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part Five}} {{storylink|The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Five}}

[[File:TheChangeInYourNaturePartThree MegatronBeatsShockwave.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Awww, c'mon. I had barely even started..."]]
Following a Senate meeting, Megatron visited Shockwave and told him to get the Rise under control lest the Ascenticon deliver him to the authorities. As Megatron drove off, Shockwave mused on other ideas. {{storylink|The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Four}} When Megatron found that Soundwave had given Barricade sanctuary, he sent a message to Shockwave to come collect the rogue Security officer, but to do it neatly. Shockwave sent [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], [[Whisper (G1)|Visper]], and [[Storm Cloud (G1)|Storm Cloud]] to retrieve Barricade, the trio performing to Megatron's expectations. {{storylink|The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Five}}

Still, Shockwave continued to assert the Rise independently of Megatron's control. The evacuation of the memorial crater left the Rise's energon reserves dangerous low. Shockwave sent out Ruckus and three others to acquire fresh supplies, but they were spotted by Security and got caught up in a stand-off at an [[immersant]] Titan. After Soundwave surreptitiously killed the Risers to keep them from talking, Megatron made another personal appearance at Shockwave's hideout. After summoning the Rise lieutenants Sixshot and [[Slipstream (G1)|Slipstream]], Megatron brutally beat down Shockwave in a show of dominance. The Ascenticon senator made it abundantly clear to Shockwave and his officers that the Rise was NOT a separate organization in league with the Ascenticons. They were all, unquestioningly, under Megatron's control and Megatron's alone. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Three}} Shockwave began to recover from his injuries thanks to [[Flatline (G1)|Flatline]]'s services. He was enraged when Sixshot informed him that [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] had requisitioned troops and left the base without permission. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: All Fall Down|All Fall Down}} Mindwipe later called in to report that their base was compromised by Storm Cloud. Shockwave began evacuations and swore to rip Mindwipe's wings off. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|Swindle's}}

[[File:StormHorizonPart3-InsecticonClones.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6|"Okay, back on track!"]]
At some point after Shockwave relocated his base of operations to another of Exarchon's hidden bunkers, Soundblaster returned from deep space after his defeat at the hands of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Though Soundblaster did not perform to Shockwave's high standards, he had brought back enough materials for the scientist to create an army of [[Insecticon clone]]s, a performance that Shockwave found acceptable. {{storylink|Storm Horizon Part 3}}

As Shockwave tended to his machines, the original three Insecticons entered and demanded an audience, only for the cyclops to wave them off. As the three left, Shockwave confided in Soundblaster that the project no longer needed the Insecticons and that they would have to keep an eye on Bombshell. {{storylink|Escape Part Two}} After learning that the Insecticons had betrayed him, stolen some of his old cloning equipment, and gone rogue, Shockwave dispatched [[Rage (G1)|Rage]] and [[Hydradread]] to hunt them down. {{storylink|Escape Part Three}}

[[File:SeaOfRustII-Shockwave.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|Shockwave Rebake Full City.]]
Despite his best efforts to exterminate the traitors, the Insecticons and their new clone army proved too numerous to exterminate and as a result Shockwave was forced to admit defeat and leave the three to their own devices, under the stipulation that they'd obey his commands when ordered. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Sea of Rust I|Sea of Rust I}} After Slipstream's [[Team Stream|team]] returned from the [[Winged Moon]], Shockwave took custody of the radioactive and insane [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] and spent time analyzing his growing abilities. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Test Flight I|Test Flight I}} Shockwave contacted Bombshell and ordered his Insecticon swarm into action to take out [[Termagax]]'s walking [[House (building)|House]] and seize the [[Enigma of Combination]], a battle that would assuredly leave their clone army weakened. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Sea of Rust I|Sea of Rust I}} When a recently returned Skywarp arrived, Shockwave adopted a powerful new suit of armor to confront his old partner, but upon hearing about the Enigma, Skywarp teleported away once more. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Sea of Rust II|Sea of Rust II}}

[[File:DarknessOnceGazedUponPart3 ShockwaveExarchon.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.9|SHOCKWAVE'S SUSSY-SENSE TINGLING!]]
Following Skywarp being grievously injured in his attempt to retrieve the Enigma, Shockwave tended to him, mainly just to see if he could, before Flatline arrived. Though initially dismissing the medic's strange speech pattern, Shockwave quickly realized that Exarchon had returned, the warlord declaring that they had unfinished business to complete. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Three}} After sufficiently repairing Skywarp, Shockwave spoke with Exarchon enough to confirm his identity. When Skywarp awoke, Exarchon attempted to win back his subordinates, promising Shockwave to reveal more arcane sciences when the scientist noted that the Decepticons were offering the same deal. Following the arrival of the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] and Skywarp teleporting away, Exarchon identified a hidden base of his in the [[Sonic Canyons]], where he was already dealing with the Autobot interlopers. {{storylink|War's End Part One}} As Shockwave sent his forces to reinforce Exarchon, Skywarp informed the Decepticons that the scientist had betrayed them. When Team Stream attempted to confirm this by informing him of their mission against Exarchon, Shockwave told them to stand down, the unusual order dividing the team. {{storylink|War's End Part Two}}

On Shockwave's order, Devastator returned to Cybertron, being given the instructions to find Soundblaster. As the combiner made his way to the Sonic Canyons, Shockwave showed Exarchon around the bunker, though he adamantly refused the Threefold Spark's request to release Sunstorm so that Exarchon could usurp him. When Megatron arrived, Shockwave was sent to collect him, bringing the Decepticon leader to Exarchon. Returning, Shockwave demanded that Exarchon return Sunstorm to his tube, though he was largely ignored as the warlords talked. After Megatron had shot Exarchon into Sunstorm's arms, killing that iteration of the Threefold Spark, the Decepticon ordered Shockwave to tell him all that had been transpiring. {{storylink|War's End Part Three}} Subordinate to Megatron once again, Shockwave was part of the Decepticon leader's entourage as he made to meet with Optimus Prime. {{storylink|End of Time}}

[[File:FateOfCybertron ShockwavePlatform.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.9|He's something of a scientist himself.]]
After the Decepticons were forced to allow the Autobots to reach [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]], a frustrated Megatron reminded Shockwave that he'd only overlook the scientist's past uncertain loyalties if the Constructicons arrived to serve him. Shockwave assured the Decepticon leader that he still had Megatron's interests foremost in his mind. Soon, after rendezvousing with the Constructicons, the entire Decepticon army arrived at Darkmount's gates and launched an attack to prevent the Autobots from leaving the planet. Shockwave joined a concentrated attack on [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] after the combiner made a last stand to buy time for his comrades to blast off. Computron was defeated, but the Autobots managed to escape Cybertron, and in the aftermath Shockwave offered his congratulations to Megatron on what seemed an incomplete victory. {{storylink|Transformers: Fate of Cybertron|Fate of Cybertron}}

====Alternate future====
In an alternate future where Exarchon returned to Cybertron and conquered the planet, Exarchon killed Shockwave and stole his body to become one-third of his latest iteration, alongside Megatron and Onslaught. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Test Flight I|Test Flight I}}
{{-}}

===Precursor World===

A [[Primus Vanguard|Warrior of the Seven Lights]] resembling a particularly bricky Shockwave was a member of the [[Purple Order]]. He oversaw the containment of Megatron and his turncoat [[Straxus (G1)#Precursor World|Straxus]] followers by the Order's [[Pretender Monster]] creations such that Wicked could propose an alliance. {{storylink|God Neptune comic 1}}

{{--}}

===''My Little Pony/Transformers''===
[[File:TheyEatPoniesDontThey-Shockwave.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

During a battle, Shockwave briefed Megatron that a malfunctioning [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] was reaching into another reality, instead of other planets. The portal eventually connected with the [[magic]] of [[Queen Chrysalis]] in the realm of [[Equestria]], the combination of energies dragging all combatants, Shockwave included, to the magical realm. {{storylink|Transformation Is Magic}}

Still able to use the space bridge to teleport around Equestria, Shockwave crashed the set of ''[[Preppin' with Pinkie]]'' to determine how many equines it took to make [[energon cube]]s only for [[Gauge]] and [[Pinkie Pie]] to chaotically force him back through the portal using a variety of kitchen appliances. {{storylink|They Eat Ponies, Don't They?}}

[[File:Finale-Shockwave.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"If anyone gets to do a TRON reference it should be me, dammit!"]]

The Decepticons and changelings eventually launched an attack on the [[Crystal Empire]], the Autobots and ponies coming to its defense. At Megatron's order, Shockwave attempted to procure samples of the arcane from the castle but found his firepower outmatched by the power of friendship. When the Decepticons eventually returned to Cybertron, Shockwave revealed that they had not managed to claim any magic but that he had saved Equestria's coordinates. Rather than return to the realm, however, he proposed bringing magic to Cybertron. {{storylink|Finale (Friendship in Disguise!)|Finale}}

Some time later, Shockwave and the other Decepticons constructed a second spacebridge and used it to return to Equestria. However, their activities in the magic realm provoked [[Twilight Sparkle]] and the other ponies into chasing them through the portal and back to Cybertron; the brief battle freed the evil [[King Sombra]] from his prison, who set about mind-controlling as many Decepticons as he could find. By the time that Optimus Prime arrived to investigate, [[Applejack]] and [[Rarity]] told Shockwave and Optimus that the only way to survive what came next was to team up. {{storylink|The Magic of Cybertron}}

In the final battle against King Sombra, who'd stolen the body of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], Shockwave and Rarity worked together to restrain Pinkie Pie and [[Fluttershy]]. After attuning the pony's emotion-powered [[exosuit]]s to match Scorponok's natural frequencies, the pair helped battle and eventually vanquish the brainwashed [[Titan (group)|Titan]]. {{storylink|Finale (The Magic of Cybertron)|Finale}}

{{--}}

===''Transformers/Back to the Future''===
Shockwave was one of the Decepticons who boarded the ''Ark'', winding up in stasis-lock when the ship crashed on Earth. {{storylink|Transformers/Back to the Future issue 2|Transformers/Back to the Future #2}}

===''Transformers Go! Go!''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Villains' Strategy Conference, Indeed!}} {{storylink|The Transformers' Explosive New Years' Battle!}} {{storylink|Go! Go! issue 26}} {{storylink|Go! Go! issue 32}} {{storylink|Running Wild with Hologram Ninjutsu!}} {{storylink|Transformers Go! Go! Shushupopo!! (part 2)|Shushupopo!! part 2}}}}
{{--}}

=== Energon Universe ===
{{spoiler|Transformers (2023) issue 10|August 10, 2024}}
[[File:Shockwave VoidRivals4.jpg|150px|thumb|right]]
Known and feared by every Autobot, Shockwave was a cold, calculating, and brilliant strategist who was infamous for taking his time when pulling Autobots apart. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 10|Transformers #10}} The only Decepticon active on Cybertron, Shockwave had spent all his currency on resources to sustain himself. When the [[Skuxxoid]] arrived with a [[Quintesson Prosecutor]], a furious Shockwave told the organic to leave before he began stripping the [[Rockeroid]] for parts. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 4|Void Rivals #4}}

Some time later, Shockwave was contacted by newly appointed Decepticon leader [[Soundwave (G1)#Energon Universe|Soundwave]], who was in need of reinforcements on [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 8|Transformers #8}} Ecstatic at having reestablished contact with his brothers and the discovery of a new source of energy, Shockwave used a space bridge to travel to Earth, arriving in the midst of a battle with [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Energon Universe|Optimus Prime]] and the Autobots.

[[File:TF2023 no 9 - Soundwave wields Shockwave.jpg|thumb|left]]
Declaring that the Decepticons had much work to do on this new world, Shockwave transformed to gun mode and was aimed by Soundwave at a fallen [[Cliffjumper (G1)#Energon Universe|Cliffjumper]], but his shot hit an intercepting [[Ratchet (G1)#Energon Universe|Ratchet]] instead. In the midst of his glee at seemingly off-lining another Autobot, Shockwave was kicked from Soundwave's grip by Optimus, who recalled Shockwave begging for mercy the last time they had met, much to Shockwave's outrage. Aided by his fellow 'cons, Shockwave overpowered Prime, gloating about finally having brought down the Autobot leader.

His victory was short-lived, however, due to the arrival of [[Elita One (G1)#Energon Universe|Elita One]] from the space bridge portal, carrying a badly damaged [[Ultra Magnus (G1)#Energon Universe|Ultra Magnus]]. Knocking Shockwave aside, Elita loaded Magnus onto Optimus and the three fled the battle, with Elita blasting the space bridge as they left to prevent the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] from following her through. Though Soundwave wanted to pursue, Shockwave stated that it was of much greater importance to reestablish their link with Cybertron. Walking over to a damaged [[Jazz (G1)#Energon Universe|Jazz]] and Cliffjumper, Shockwave declared that he had many experiments he wished to conduct on the two – ''painful'' experiments. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 9|Transformers #9}}

Within the ''Nemesis'', Shockwave came upon Soundwave attempting to repair the damaged [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]. Seizing the recordicon, the cyclopian commander chastised his leader for distracting himself with unimportant tasks during such an important time. Moving to throw Ravage into a nearby recycler, Shockwave was distracted by the sudden appearance of a massive whale. Marveling at the majestic creature and musing about how it would soon aid their cause, Shockwave was informed that the Constructions had finished building a huge energy feeder, which promptly sucked in the whale and all other nearby sea life upon its activation.

Following through on his earlier promise, Shockwave paid a visit to the captured Cliffjumper and Jazz and stated he wished to have a chat with them about Earth and the Autobots' role in it and proceeded to show the two a collection of tools he had brought along to help speed up the process...

Shockwave gathered his fellow Decepticons and announced that gathering enough energy for their dying world would take far too long with their current tech and that moving faster was paramount. Re-activating the recently repaired space bridge with energy from the feeder, a portal opened up above Earth's atmosphere through which Cybertron emerged. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 10|Transformers #10}}
{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
*When the Autobots unleashed their newest super-warrior [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], the Decepticons retaliated by revealing their own secret weapon, Shockwave! {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Jetfire and Shockwave|Jetfire and Shockwave commercial}}
*Shockwave created a "continuum transmorpher" for Megatron, a device capable of breaching dimension barriers. He then showed Megatron around his lab, pointing out all the upgrades he made for the place. {{storylink|Who is the Greatest Starscream Of All Time?}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
{{voiceactor|[[Barry Gjerde]] (English)}}

[[File:Ps2tatakai shockwave1.jpg|thumb|Absolute Power, etc., etc.]]

{{bigquote|Megatron's personal watchdog. With the ability to transform into a laser gun, Shockwave boasts a powerful attack!|The [[narrator]]|''[[The Transformers (G1 PS2)|The Transformers]]''}}

In an alternate future, the Shockwave of that time grew frustrated with [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s increasingly abusive leadership, and when he discovered the [[Zel Quartz]], which could vastly boost the power of a Transformer, he implanted it into himself and staged a one-robot mutiny. Unfortunately, the power proved too much for Shockwave's systems and he ran wild. Neither the Autobots nor the Decepticons could stop him and they took massive casualties in the attempt. Shockwave eventually destroyed Cybertron, then set out on a quest to destroy all planets with life. Elite teams of Autobots and Decepticons traveled to the past to prevent these events by either destroying or seizing the Zel Quartz years before Shockwave would find it.

[[File:Ps2tatakai shockwave2.jpg|thumb|left|{{w|Dynasty Warriors 3|Feel the power of my magic!}}]]
In the Autobot story, the present-day Shockwave was the main boss in the geothermal power plant, protecting the main turbine of the plant. When Optimus Prime and his team reached the main turbine, Shockwave slowly descended from the ceiling in his alternate form. He then changed to his robot form and dropped to the floor, announcing that he was collecting energy for Megatron. He warned the Autobots that anyone who stood in his way should not expect any mercy from him. When Optimus Prime stated that the Autobots were going to stop the Decepticon's plundering of [[Zel Samine]]'s energy, Shockwave suggested that they should settle this feud, by fighting. Eventually, the Autobots over-powered the Decepticon, and a battered Shockwave warned Optimus that he would remember the outcome of the fight before disengaging and fleeing the power plant. Later, Shockwave appeared in the valley where the Autobots detected an SOS signal and had a rematch with the Autobots, but was defeated again.

During the Decepticon storyline, Shockwave was a member of a team that Megatron sent to investigate a mysterious UFO that was spotted in the area of Zel Samine. Something caused the team to lose contact with the main Decepticon forces, and they found out that they could not leave the planet, as Zel's sun, Paradius, emitted electromagnetic rays that was harmful to them. Unable to contact Megatron and with no way to leave the planet safely, Shockwave and the others scattered across Zel, with Shockwave himself eventually finding his way to the Atalstan gem mine. When the Galvatron of the alternate timeline told the Megatron of the present the "truth" about the Zel Quartz, he asked his past self if Shockwave was around before telling it.

Once the main Decepticon forces arrived at the Atalstan gem mine and found the giant ore that they suspected to be the Zel Quartz, Shockwave analyzed the group and when he concluded that they were Decepticons. He hovered downward in his handgun mode. Transforming into [[robot mode]], he made a short drop to the floor and announced that he had finally achieved rendezvous with his fellow warriors. When Megatron expressed partial surprise in the fact that Shockwave had survived, Shockwave confirmed him and announced that he was awaiting Megatron's orders.

For the remainder of the game, Shockwave remained ignorant of the circumstances that prompted their arrival. What's more, despite which side won, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] accidentally negated the quartz's powers, and Shockwave's reign of terror in the future was averted. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}

===''Transformers G1: Awakening''===
[[File:Gluawakening shockwave.jpg|thumb|[[Doctor (Doctor Who)|Logic allows me to be wrong with authority]].]]
When the Autobots and Decepticons left Cybertron, Shockwave remained on the planet and enslaved every Autobot left behind. He ruled for four million years before the Transformers on Earth revived. He planned a "welcome party" for the returning Autobots when they arrived through the space bridge, captured them, confiscated their weapons, and put them in a prison which used to be a field hospital. The Autobots then escaped back to Earth, but later returned to assault the Decepticon fortress. Shockwave defeated Optimus Prime and Bumblebee in combat, but they were saved by the arrival of Grimlock, who beat Shockwave, freeing the Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers G1: Awakening|Awakening}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
Shockwave experimented on the Lightning Strike Coalition, transforming them into the monstrous Dinobots. This backfired against the Decepticon Scientist when the Dinobots used their newfound power to rise up against Shockwave and thrash his lab. Shockwave escaped, swearing revenge against Grimlock and his team {{storylink|Rescue the King}}

Shockwave uncovered ancient [[CNA]] and used it to clone [[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Gurrr]] and the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]]. The beasts promptly escaped, and Shockwave had to recapture them with the help of [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] and [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] before Megatron found out. {{storylink|Unleash the Beasts}} When the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] marched on the Decepticon base, Shockwave spotted them approaching and grabbed [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]. This fearsome Decepticon team was able to stop the Dinobots in their tracks. {{storylink|Day of the Dinobots - Part 2}} Shockwave and [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] were dispatched to rein in the Constructicons when the team started getting friendly with the Autobots. {{storylink|The Master Builders (Legends)|The Master Builders}} When the Decepticons used [[Chronogon]] portals to send the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] back in time, Shockwave was part of an operation to try and prevent Orion Pax's recreation as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|Golden Age (Legends)|Golden Age}}

Megatron and Shockwave slyly suggested to Grimlock that he should be leader of the Autobots, believing that if he took over, it would make their job of overcoming the Autobots easier. As it happened, once Grimlock took over, the two Decepticons were instead captured by his forces, and only escaped once he turned the reins back over to Optimus. {{storylink|Me, Grimlock, King}}

Shockwave took part in an all-out assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{storylink|One Shall Fall...}} He later aided [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] when the planet-eater attacked [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|'Til All Are One (Legends)|'Til All Are One}} Shockwave was among a handful of Decepticons who ventured inside Unicron to search for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. After encountering [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]], then falling foul of Unicron's internal defenses, the Decepticons resumed their search. {{storylink|Belly of the Beast (Legends)|Belly of the Beast}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
{{main|King Pig#As Shockwave}}
Shockwave appears as a character unlockable in Challenge Events. He is portrayed by King Pig. He also appears as [[King Pig#As Energon Shockwave|Energon]] and [[King Pig#As Major Shockwave|Major]] versions. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}

===''Transformers: Devastation''===
[[File:Devastation-Shockwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Technodrome: The Final Shell-Shock!]]
{{voiceactor|[[Darryl Kurylo]]}}
Shockwave assisted Megatron in his efforts to control the [[Plasma Core]] and use it to cyberform Earth. He later confronted the Autobots after they reached Cybertron. Finding the logic in their arguments about the dangers of the Plasma Core to be flawed, Shockwave attacked them, claiming that the Decepticons would not only control the Plasma Core, but also use it to save Cybertron. During the fight, he demonstrated the ability to create clones of himself that fought for him. He also could open portals to redirect the beams from his gun mode, allowing him to cover much of the arena. He was ultimately defeated, but revealed to the Autobots that [[Nova Prime]] was the one who originally conceived the idea of cyberforming populated worlds with the Plasma Core, which Optimus refused to believe. After his defeat, the "Shockwave Blaster" weapon became unlocked as a new weapon that could be found. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}

===''Transformers: Frontiers''===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Frontiers}}}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[file:ShockwaveEarthWars.jpg|thumb|All Medical terminology and processing is logical.]]

Shockwave is a creature of pure logic, untroubled by distracting emotions and ambitions.
Cold, brutal and efficient, Shockwave views warfare through wholly scientific optical receptors, finding the path of least resistance and executing his strategy without vanity or bloodlust.
He regards Megatron's passion for conquest with something approaching disdain, believing it only hinders achievement of his goals. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Shockwave bio}}

Shockwave came to Earth after Megatron found the Enigma of Combination, although he kept in contact with Megatron during the hunt for the [[Fractal Map]].

He then advised Megatron it would be logical to create Devastator as soon as possible. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Combiner Wars Campaign}}

At some point, he created [[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis Prime]] via cloning.

*'''Class''': Medic
*'''Lowest star rating''': 3 star
*'''Weapons''': Shockwave shoots a heal beam to heal other friendly units. He also uses his signature arm cannon to neutralize targets where there are no other allies.
*'''Ability: Combat Stimulants'''- Amplify the movement speed and attack speed of friendly Cons for 8 seconds!
**'''Cost''': 3 ability points +2 points for reuses.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:shockwave Shockwave at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:Shockwave-Forged to Fight.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|It is logical to use my mini-me-gun for ranged attacks.]]

Shockwave was one of the Decepticons pulled from [[The Transformers (franchise)|his universe]] by the [[Quintesson]]s. He seemingly didn't fall under their influence, however, and began plotting to unite the Decepticons and take over [[New Quintessa]]. He was working on two devices: one which would allow him to harness Unstable Energon, and an Aim Enhancer, though the Commander and his party became a problem. He sent [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] to keep them busy, though they ultimately failed, resulting in Shockwave being forced to face the Commander's party himself. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight|A Shocking Revelation - Chapter 1: Here All Along}}

There are at least a few of him running around, some of which join the Commander! As a Tech bot, He absorbs energy attacks as Energy Charges which he can then shoot back at enemies to Shock them and drain their Power. In addition, he Repair Blocks and sometimes Undo damage on him. He also gets some Synergy Bonus from literally every Tech bot. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}

{{chargamestub}}

===''Transformers: Heavy Metal''===
Shockwave was one of the Decepticons under Starscream's command during an invasion of Earth. He could be found overseeing the Decepticons' mining efforts, forcing the Autobots to fight through his underlings before he could be confronted. {{storylink|Transformers: Heavy Metal}}

{{-}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Shockwave was a cold and logical engineer, one of Megatron's most trusted compatriots, {{storylink|Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook|Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook}} a high-ranking member of the [[Conclave]], {{storylink|Decepticon Directive}} and a powerful combatant in his own right. However, his over-reliance on logic could leave him blindsided when events didn't go to plan. {{storylink|Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook|Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook}} A firm believer in logic and science, Shockwave was an unpleasant perfectionist who couldn't tolerate others interfering with his experiments. {{storylink|Catch a Falling Starscream}} During the war on Cybertron, Megatron tasked Shockwave with creating many [[combiner]]s. {{storylink|The Enigma of Combination}} As the conflict ground on, Shockwave compiled a report to Megatron explaining their deteriorating Energon stores and concluded that they would need to seek out more energon on other worlds.

Some time after reactivating on Earth, Shockwave conducted research on the cathedral in the human city of [[Mérida]]. He found that some of the bricks possessed a unique energon signature, which led him to discover a mysterious underwater pyramid in the Gulf of Mexico which had somehow absorbed energon raditation from the crash of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook|Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook}} Seeking a means of returning to Cybertron, Shockwave was responsible for spearheading the construction of the ''[[Victory (G1)|Victory]]'' using a mixture of cannibalized parts from the ''Nemesis'' and various locally manufactured components, but the Autobots sabotaged the launch and foiled this plan. {{storylink|Decepticon Directive}}

At some point, Shockwave modified his alternate mode so that he transformed into a hovertank, instead of a gun. {{storylink|Decepticon Directive}}

While experimenting on [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] in an attempt to reverse-engineer his teleportation powers, Shockwave wound up tapping into a rift of dimensional energy, which merged him, [[Lord Zedd]], and [[Doctor Mindbender|Dr. Mindbender]] into the nefarious [[Lord MindWaveZ]]. After a group of heroes destroyed the [[Multidimensional Collider]] and collapsed the [[Apex (RPG)|Apex]], Lord MindWaveZ's individual components were sent back to their home realities. {{storylink|Worlds Collide: Battle for the Multiverse}}

A group of low-ranking Decepticons once played a prank on Shockwave by hacking into his computer and rearranging his files. {{storylink|Catch a Falling Starscream}}

==Toys==
{{main|Shockwave (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Shockwave (G1)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
* [[Bob Budiansky]] said Shockwave was "my attempt to take [[Spock]] from ''[[Star Trek]]'' and make him into a Decepticon".<ref>[http://rustingcarcass.yuku.com/topic/954/t/Bob-Budiansky.html Rusting Carcass interview]</ref>
[[File:StudioOxCybertronBattleCons.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|It's not easy being grey. It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things.]]
* Shockwave's cartoon portrayal is highly inconsistent with his appearances in all other fictional media. Instead of a coldly logical, power hungry rival to Megatron, in the cartoon Shockwave is consistently loyal and subservient. In a [[Shout! Factory|2009 retrospective documentary about the brand]], [[Hasbro]] staff said this disparity was a simple—though extreme—result of there not having been enough time during the production of the Generation 1 cartoon and comic to get all the story basics firmly and consistently established from the outset. The character descriptions in the cartoon's [[production bible]] are mostly abridged versions of [[Bob Budiansky]]'s original character writeups, which went on to become the toys' [[Tech Spec|tech specs]]... yet Shockwave's show bible description is entirely different from his tech spec [[bio]]. At [[BotCon]] 2022, Bob Budiansky confirmed that as far as he recalls, the published bio for Shockwave was his original version, and he has no knowledge of a different bio. Later versions of the character would split the difference between the two interpretations.
* According to early drafts of the script for the series's [[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|pilot episode]], Shockwave was at one point to be called "'''Flash Beam'''". At TFcon Los Angeles in [[2019]], [[Jim Sorenson]] and [[Bill Forster]] displayed an early model sheet labeled "Decepticon's Flash Beam", using a preliminary color scheme inspired by Astro Magnum/Galactic Man.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Revealed at Jim Sorenson and @Bill_Forster's panel last weekend, Decepticons' Flash Beam finally makes theirself known to the fandom! This oddly colored proto-Shockwave animation model is a heck of a curiosity... to say the least! https://t.co/PzDV1MjSSA|link=https://twitter.com/JesseWittenrich/status/1107973728179290112|name=Jesse Wittenrich|site=Twitter|year=2019|month=03|day=19|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* A Cybertronian battle scene illustrated circa [[1985]] by [[Studio OX]] for ''[[TV Magazine]]'' (reprinted in the [[2001]] guidebook ''[[Transformers Generations (guidebook)|Transformers Generations]]'' and ''[[Transformers Visualworks]]'') depicts Shockwave not in purple, but in the original grey color scheme of the Astro Magnum/Galactic Man toy.
* Shockwave has been periodically drawn with two hands in various media. He first shows up this way in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]", and the condition briefly reappears in "[[Divide and Conquer]]". He also wound up this way on the cover of [[Ashes, Ashes...|''G.I. Joe and the Transformers'' #3]].
* Voice actor Corey Burton based Shockwave's voice on that of actor {{w|David Warner (actor)|David Warner}}, specifically his role as evil computer thingy {{w|Sark (Tron)|Sark}} in ''{{w|Tron (film)|Tron}}''.<ref>[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/60-astrominutes/corey-burton/corey-burton-1.html Corey Burton interview on the Cybertron Chronicle]</ref> Burton even provided the voice of Sark in the video game ''{{w|Kingdom Hearts II}}''.
* In the Japanese dub of the Generation 1 cartoon, Shockwave's personality was altered from the American interpretation—he was presented like a grizzled old man with a loud, raspy voice and a very short temper.
* A company named Lanard Toys held the "Shockwave" [[trademark]] in the "toys" field for several years. For that reason, the ''Energon'' character was given the substitute name "[[Shockblast]]". The same name was later given to the ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' version of Shockwave for the same reason. However, by that point Lanard had abandoned their "Shockwave" trademark, making it available to Hasbro again. Unfortunately, the packaging for ''Alternators'' Shockwave had already been printed by that point, so Hasbro decided to go with the substitute name. They then slapped the name "Shockwave" onto the [[Shockwave (Cybertron)|next available]] [[Mini-Con]] just so they could reclaim the trademark. Subsequently, all new toys of Shockwave, as well as [[Shockwave (Animated)|homage]] [[Shockwave (Movie)|characters]], were released under the name "Shockwave" again. (Ironically, [[Hasbro]] later used the name "[http://www.yojoe.com/action/08/shockblast.shtml Shockblast]" for new toys of a ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' character originally also named "[http://www.yojoe.com/action/88/shockwave.shtml Shockwave]", possibly in order to avoid brand confusion; apparently, Hasbro view the name "Shockwave" as more iconic for the ''Transformers'' character than his ''G.I. Joe'' namesake.)

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Laserwave''' (レーザーウェーブ ''Rēzāwēbu''), '''Shockwave''' (ショックウェーブ ''Shokkuwēbu'')
*''Czech:'' '''Razič'''
*''French:'' '''Onde de Choc''' (Canada, "Shockwave"), '''Clignotant''' (Canada, ''More than Meets the Eye, Part 1'', "Blinker"), '''Choc''' (France, "Shock")
*''Hebrew:'' '''Gal Hellem''' (גל הלם, "Shock Wave")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Sokkoló''' ("Shocker")
*''Italian:'' '''Brutal'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Zhènbō''' (Taiwan, 震波, "Shockwave"), '''Zhèndàngbō''' (China, 震荡波, "Shockwave"), '''Zhèndàngbō''' (Taiwan, ''Siege'', 震盪波, "Shockwave")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Onda-Choque''' (Portugal comic, "Shock-Wave"), '''Onda de Choque''' (Brazil comic, "Shock Wave")
*''Russian:'' '''Vzryvala''' (Взрывала, "Blaster")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Shokun''' (Шокун, "Shocker")

==See also==
{{OtherVersions
|charname=Shockwave
|disambig=Shockwave (disambiguation)
|body=
*[[Shockblast]], the murderous Decepticon berserker from [[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|''Energon'']].
*[[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]], the loyal Decepticon spy from [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|''Animated'']].
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], the Decepticon beastmaster and killing machine from [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|''Dark of the Moon'']].
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]], the logical Decepticon scientist from the [[Aligned continuity family]].
*[[Shockwave (Cyberverse)|Shockwave]], the Decepticon mad scientist from [[Transformers: Cyberverse (franchise)|''Cyberverse'']].}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Decepticons]]
[[Category:Decoys]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Energon Universe Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Ghosts]]
[[Category:Go! Go! Decepticons]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Purple Order]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Strategists]]
[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game Decepticons]]
[[Category:Void Rivals characters]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Earthrise Decepticons]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Siege Decepticons]]

Wildrider (G1)

2024-07-08T03:13:14Z

1levichurch: /* Transformers: Earth Wars */

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2}}
{{disambigm|Wildrider (disambiguation)|Brake-Neck (disambiguation)}}
:''Wildrider is a [[Decepticon]] [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:MTMTEWildrider.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|When slow people race Wildrider, THE TERRORISTS WIN.]]
What [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]] does for air travel, '''Wildrider''' (aka '''Wild Rider'''<ref name="classic">Though Wildrider's name was spelled as one word on his own packaging (including the "[[bio]]"/[[Tech Spec]]s on the back of the packaging, as well as in his profile published in issue 4 of [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]]'s ''[[The Transformers Universe (Marvel)|The Transformers Universe]]'', he was spelled "Wild Rider", as two words, in the [[cross-sell]] featured on the back of all the Stunticons' packaging, including his own. This applied not only to the English-only packaging version available in the United States, but also to the [[multilingual packaging|bilingual]] English/French verson sold in Canada and the multilingual version available in continental Europe. The same spelling was used ''again'' for all packaging versions of the 1990 "[[Classics (Europe)|Classic]] Stunticon" release of the figure (except for the Italian version released by [[GiG]], which called him "Squalo"), but this time it was not just limited to the cross-sell, but was in fact the default name featured ''everywhere'' on his packaging. The ultimately [[unreleased toy|unreleased]] ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' redeco once again spelled his name as one word (this time including the cross-sell!). In 2022, the spelling as two words was also used as a more [[trademark]]-friendly name for his ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]'' toy.</ref> and '''Brake-Neck''') does for the roadways. The difference is that the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]] honestly means no harm and this insanely wild-riding [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]] most ''definitely'' does. Some of his Decepticon comrades suspect him of playing insane to enhance his street cred, but those who have come to know him the best realize that it's no act. Wildrider really is as crazy as they come and a very real danger to anything on the road with him. Even his fellow Stunticons are wary of driving anywhere near him.

Which is a problem because if things get too quiet, if all he can hear is ''himself'', Wildrider becomes afraid there's enemies closing in on him, waiting to get him...

Wildrider combines with his fellow Stunticons to form [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]].

{{bigquote|I'm Wildrider, and I wanna bust something up!|Wildrider, speaking his first words|"[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Terry McGovern]] (English), [[Ken Shiroyama]] (Japanese), [[Yū Shimaka]] (Japanese, "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1"), [[Takurō Kitagawa]] (Japanese, "Trans-Europe Express"), [[Yoku Shioya]] (Japanese, ''2010'')|[[Hans-Rainer Müller]] (German, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1"), [[Peter Musäus]] (German, "The Burden Hardest to Bear"), [[Willy Schäfer]] (German, ''Generation 2'' "Starscreams Brigade"), [[Niko Macoulis]] (German, ''Generation 2'' "Masquerade"), [[Georges Atlas]] (European French), [[François Leccia]] (European French, "Trans-Europe Express" & "Masquerade"), [[Paulo Flores]] (Portuguese), [[Júlio Chaves]] (Portuguese, "Trans-Europe Express"), [[Orlando Drummond]] (Portuguese, "Starscream's Brigade")}}

[[File:KeyVectorSigma1 Wildrider fly.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
After a failed attempt to steal experimental rocket fuel from [[United States military]], [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] realized that while the Decepticons controlled the skies, the Autobots had supremacy on the ground, and so they needed new ground-based warriors who could out-drive and out-fight the Autobots on their terms. [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] was sent to steal various [[human]] vehicles that would be rebuilt in the new Stunticons. The Decepticons journeyed to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], beat the [[Key to Vector Sigma]] out of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'s possession and ordered the [[Vector Sigma|ancient supercomputer]] to give life to the Stunticons. While the other Stunticons pledged their loyalty to Megatron, Wildrider merely stated his desire for destruction. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}} Whilst the Autobots were trapped on Cybertron, the Decepticons returned to [[Earth]] with the newly awakened Stunticons, who began wreaking havoc and damaging the Autobots' good name by attacking the US military base containing the experimental rocket fuel. Eventually, the Autobots returned with the newly built [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] whose combined form Superion defeated the Stunticon combiner Menasor. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2}}

[[File:TransEuropeExpress riding Wildrider.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Not Mr. Toad.]]
When the Autobots got involved in the fake [[Europa 2000]] charity race he had set up, Megatron needed them removed from the playing field to stop any interference with his plans to dig up the [[Pearl of Bahoudin]] and steal an experimental car engine from [[Auggie Cahnay (G1)|Auggie Cahnay]], the top US driver. He had the Stunticons intercept and eliminate the Autobots, and Wildrider helped disable [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] with his fellow Decepticons. [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] refused to just lay down, though, dodging the Stunticons' ramming attacks and jumping atop Wildrider's hood. The crazy Stunticon eventually shook Bluestreak off by just crashing hood-first into a mountain at over 150 mph. Afterwards, the Stunticons were defeated when Cahnay rammed his car into Menasor's face. {{storylink|Trans-Europe Express}}

[[File:CosmicRust Wildrider speedboat.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|left|The Hate Boat/Soon will be making another round...]]
When Megatron was infected with [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] after a trip to the lost Autobot colony of [[Antilla]], the Stunticons were assigned to capture the Autobot scientist [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], who had developed the powerful anti-corrosion [[Corrostop]]. Wildrider drove a speedboat while Drag Strip water skied behind him. After Megatron cured himself and infected the Autobots with the Cosmic Rust, Menasor attacked the Statue of Liberty in [[New York City]] with the ancient [[Lightning Bug]] heat ray, trying to stop the Autobots from [[Matter duplicator|matter-duplicating]] more Corrostop from the layer they sprayed on the statue. Superion defeated Menasor and destroyed the Lightning Bug. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

After [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] was banished for yet another failed coup, he returned with a powerful new Decepticon team called the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]], who were able to outfight Autobot and Decepticon alike. With Megatron needing a trump card, [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] attempted to call on the Stunticons to help, but they refused as they were having a demolition derby with various human-owned cars. However, the Stunticons belatedly arrived after the Combaticons' combined form of [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] defeated [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and forced Megatron to acknowledge Starscream as the new Decepticon leader. Realizing that Starscream would not stop at Megatron, the Stunticons merged into Menasor and disabled Bruticus in one mighty punch. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

[[File:Masquerade BreakdownWildriderdefeated.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|How mortifrying!!]]
In his next scheme, Megatron charged the Stunticons with bringing him the last key items for his new molecular disrupter cannon. Wildrider and his partner [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] broke into an optics laboratory and robbed a scientist of his experimental lenses for Megatron's weapon. Upon their escape, though, the Stunticons ran into [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]], [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], and [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] blocking the road. Wildrider took the challenge and managed to just miss hitting the Autobots with his crazy driving, and dodge the missiles fired at him by Inferno. He tested his luck on a second drive-by, though, and was blasted into submission by Hoist. The Stunticons were all captured and imprisoned inside the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], while several Autobots employed camouflage paint to disguise themselves as the Stunticons in a Trojan Horse ploy to find out what Megatron wanted with the components. The Autobot warrior [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] took Wildrider's place. After the Autobots took off, however, Breakdown managed to free his fellow Stunticons, and they all joined up to form Menasor, easily smashing through the remaining Autobots guarding them. As Menasor, they returned to Megatron and attempted to convince him they were the true Stunticons. Though ultimately successful, the Autobots had made alterations to the stolen components which caused Megatron's weapon to blow up in his face, and the Decepticons beat a hasty retreat. {{storylink|Masquerade}}

[[File:BurdenHardesttoBear Stunticons Matrix.jpg|upright=1.1|left|thumb|And now I am Wildimus Prime!!]]
After their exile to [[Chaar]] in 2006, the Stunticons had been reduced to fighting over scraps of energon with the other Decepticons. When [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] returned with the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]], Wildrider expressed the threat that they had better have brought some energon with them. When questioned by Dead End what he would do if they hadn't, Wildrider was at a loss. Nevertheless, he donated his share of energon to revive [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} When the Quintessons arrived offering them energon in exchange for defeating the Autobots, Wildrider was among those Decepticons who were incredulous of the terms due to their weakened state, but signed on regardless. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}

Later, Wildrider and Dead End got into a street race with [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] in [[Japan]], ultimately forcing him off the road. After the crash, the two Stunticons found the [[Matrix of Leadership]] had been blown clear by the impact, and Wildrider brought it back to his leader, Galvatron. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}}
{{-}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}} {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' story pages=====
{{charstubfiction}}

=====Scramble City=====
Wildrider and the Stunticons were summoned by Megatron to put an end to the [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] project, and succeeded where [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] had failed. Their first strike was impressive, holding back Optimus Prime and a cadre of Autobots and shooting the Aerialbots out of the skies. When the Aerialbots formed Superion, Wildrider and his teammates followed suit and merged into Menasor. {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
[[File:Sixshot first app.jpg|thumb|200px]]
Wildrider fought the Autobots on Earth under [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]'s command. They tried to prevent [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s troops from reaching the Space Bridge, but failed. He and the Stunticons soon arrived on Cybertron to participate in Galvatron's siege. They managed to gain the high ground against the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] and [[Throttlebot]]s, and rained laser fire down on their opponents. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Wildrider and his team formed Menasor to fight their Autobot counterparts, but were steamrolled by the might and firepower of the Battleship Maximus. Transporting back to Earth, they attempted to interfere with [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]]'s quest for the Matrix. Wildrider and the Stunticons were confronted by the Aerialbots in the desert, but the battle of their combiner forms eventually led them to the Arctic. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

[[File:Hm9 Stunticons.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
When [[Vector Sigma]] began perfecting the new super-metal [[Cybertonuron]] on Cybertron, Galvatron ordered another all-out attack on the planet to seize the metal for the Decepticons before the Autobots could make use of it. Wildrider and the Stunticons journeyed to Cybertron with the strike force, and confronted their old enemies, the Aerialbots. The Aerialbots got the drop on Wildrider's group by forming Superion and lashing out before the Stunticons could form Menasor as well. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} Wildrider and the Stunticons were still in a firefight sometime later, as [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] passed by looking for [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] and the Decepticon [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}} In [[San Francisco]], Wildrider and the Stunticons assisted Bruticus in using [[buridanka|a carnivorous plant]] to distract the Autobots from [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s plans on [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. They fought against the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] and [[Computron (G1)|Computron]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

Sometime later, Wildrider and the Stunticons gathered in the desert as their Ninja Commander Sixshot began issuing orders. They assembled as Menasor, and took part in the escalating Decepticon war effort as five separate Autobot outposts were attacked simultaneously at Sixshot's command. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

=====''Zone''=====
Seeking to create a [[Decepticon Zone]] to counter the [[Micro|Autobot Zone]], [[Emperor of Destruction|Decepticon Emperor]] [[Violengiguar]] gathered together the Nine Great Demon Generals, upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. Wildrider was among those summoned, but only as a part of Menasor. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}} {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

=====''Unite Warriors''/''Legends''=====
[[File:UniteWarriorsOffshot Wildrider Riding Car.jpg|thumb|180px]]
Sometime beyond the year [[2036]], Wildrider and the other Stunticons enjoyed themselves with their own personal annual event: stealing human cars and use them to race each other. {{storylink|Today Is Us Stunticons' Annual Holiday Demolition Race!}}

Soon afterwards, the Stunticons as Menasor were involved in a fight wherein [[Grand Scourge]] dropped in through a tear in space-time and used his [[Matrix Breaker]] sword to disassemble Menasor with a single blow. After grappling Dead End, the dimensional intruder realized he could forcefully combine with the Stunticons. Though Wildrider attempted to flee, Grand Scourge managed to have him form the right leg of his gestalt mode. {{storylink|Decepticon Dark Commander Grand Scourge}} He was freed when Grand Scourge was defeated by [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], and fled with the other Stunticons. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 53|Bonus Edition Vol. 53}}

=====''Legacy VS500 Collection Special Comic''=====
Wildrider was one of many spectators for the [[Speedia 500]] race on [[Velocitron]]. {{Storylink|Velocitron Speedia 500 Part 2}} He remained for the second week of the race. {{storylink|Velocitron Speedia 500 Part 3}}

====''TV Magazine'' comic continuity====
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic=====
Wildrider listened to Megatron boast about how [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] would trounce [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] once its construction was complete. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 3|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #3}}

Wildrider and the Stunticons decided to have a little fun and tear up a baseball stadium in Japan. Luckily, the Autobots' plucky young ally [[Kenji]] was present to radio for assistance. All the combiner teams assembled, and it was Menasor and Bruticus against Superion and Defensor! Defensor was forced to break apart by the combined Decepticon attack, but Superion and Kenji got the idea to shoot out the Decepticons' legs. [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] and [[Blades (G1)|Blades]] took advantage of the empty combiner ports and took over as Menasor's legs, launching him into the ocean. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5}}

While posing as Autobots, Wildrider, [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] and the Stunticons rampaged through the city streets, smearing the good name of their adversaries. Later, [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] posed as humans to rally people against the Autobots, and Motormaster's brigade staged an attack on the rally to drive the point home. The Autobot fire engines [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] arrived, however, and used their water hoses to wash off the Decepticons' fake insignia. Enraged, Motormaster planned to combine into Menasor...only to see Wildrider and the rest of his men were already retreating into the distance. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 7|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #7}}

=====''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers''=====
In the year [[2010]], Wildrider participated in a Decepticon attack on the planet Feminia. He and his team merged into Menasor in order to battle alongside Bruticus and Devastator against their Autobot counterparts Superion, Defensor and Omega Supreme. The fight was fairly evenly matched until Galvatron called up his ace-in-the-hole, [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]], whose power was unmatched by any of the Autobots... except for the [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibots]], who essentially tied Predaking's shoelaces together until he fell over, straight into Menasor and his chums, sending them all toppling to the ground and knocking them to bits. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 5|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #5}}
{{note|Wildrider only appears as a component of Menasor}}

=====''The Great Transformer War''=====
Galvatron kidnapped Doctor [[Dalton]] of [[Eran]] to upgrade the might of his combiner warriors. When the Autobot combiners arrived to save Dalton, Wildrider and his teammates were deployed at high speeds from Motormaster's launcher mode. They met Superion in mid-air, and the force of their deployment enabled the combiner teams to tear him apart. The Stunticons then merged into Menasor to move in for the kill. They were ultimately outwitted by the Autobots, however, who rescued Dalton and safely returned to Metroplex. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 1|The Great Transformer War #1}}

=====''Zone'' comic=====
Seeking to create a [[Decepticon Zone]] to counter the [[Micro|Autobot Zone]], [[Emperor of Destruction|Decepticon Emperor]] [[Violengiguar]] gathered together the Nine Great Demon Generals, upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. Wildrider was among those summoned, but only as a part of Menasor. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}} {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (manga)|Zone}}

====Full Throttle Scramble Power!====
The Decepticons constructed a new weapon to pursue their energy-plundering campaign on Earth, the [[Omega Wave Cannon]]. With the device at the ready, the Stunticons headed out to retrieve some energy from a power plant. They were met with the Aerialbots, and both teams combined into the gestalt forms. Though Superion was crippled by the Omega Wave Cannon, the Autobots turned the tide of the battle by sending out massive amounts of reinforcements into the field. Superion then gained the upper hand against Menasor by dislodging Wildrider as the combiner's leg, and having Slingshot take his place. Menasor was beaten down, and the Decepticons were sent packing. {{storylink|Full Throttle Scramble Power!}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
''When [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] began having strange visions of combiner robots following [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] stashing the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] in his head, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] rigged up a device to monitor his dreams.'' {{storylink|Second Generation!}} ''Together, Optimus and Buster watched these new "[[Special Teams]]" fighting over the abandoned [[Pullen Power Plant]]'' {{storylink|The Special Teams Have Arrived}} ''unaware that [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] were also listening in. Their futuristic combining technology impressed Shockwave so much that he immediately ordered his troops to begin plans for the Stunticons' construction.'' {{storylink|Second Generation!}}

[[File:Stunticonsmarvelg1.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb]]
Wildrider was given life by the Creation Matrix at the same time as the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]]. Through [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]'s [[cerebro-shell]] in Optimus Prime's mind, [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] was able to tap into and divert some of the Matrix energy to bring an equal number of his own troops to life. The Stunticons' first mission was to tail the Autobot [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and besmirch the Autobot's good reputation by causing carnage on a freeway. They were engaged by [[Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team|RAAT]] forces and Wildrider received a nasty shock from [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|Circuit Breaker]] before [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] managed to knock her out of the air. When the Aerialbots arrived, the Stunticons pretended to defend their "comrade" Skids, convincing Circuit Breaker and the human forces that there were no good robots. As both teams combined into their gestalt forms and did battle, Circuit Breaker used up all her power disabling [[Superion (G1)|Superion]], leaving [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] victorious. {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!}}

[[File:Vortex drag strip wildrider thrust starscream club con.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
''Wildrider was stationed at the Decepticons' [[Wyoming base]] when Motormaster ill-advisedly suggested that the Stunticons could take out Optimus Prime, earning Megatron's ire. Wildrider and the others looked on as Megatron nearly crushed the Stunticon leader with a boulder.'' {{storylink|Prey!}} Later, Wildrider served aboard the Decepticons' [[Club Con|island starship]] under the command of [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] and took part in a massed ambush of the Autobots on the [[Moon (moon)|moon]], where he was seen tangling with [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]]. [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], then squabbling over leadership of the Autobots, managed to put aside their differences long enough in order to rally their troops into a counter-attack, sending the Decepticons packing. {{storylink|Totaled!}} When the Decepticons converted their base into a human holiday resort, Wildrider was posted on the beach to warn bathers not to swim out too far. After [[Jesse (G1)|Jessie]] ignored his advice and provoked the wrath of the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]], causing a battle on the beach, Wildrider stood by as [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] apologised to the traumatised holidaymakers. {{storylink|Club Con!}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:Stunticons ark duty.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
In [[2003]], the Stunticons were recruited by [[Ravage (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ravage]] to steal some classified documents from the Autobots, about their upcoming plans for [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. Wildrider and his cronies ran the courier, [[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]], off the side of the road and beat him till he gave up the information. Then they beat up [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] when he tried to interfere because, well, it was fun. Ultimately, the plans turned out to be fakes, so the Decepticons didn't gain anything from them. {{storylink|Ark Duty}}

[[File:SpacePiratesSoundwaveLeader.JPG|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Soundwave's defensive driving classes are wasted on Wildrider.]]
By [[2008]] the Stunticons were stationed on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] under the command of Shockwave. They combined into Menasor in an attempt to protect him from an assassination attempt by [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]] but were unsuccessful so leadership of the Decepticons passed to [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]. {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}}

Later, Wildrider was among the Decepticon soldiers aboard [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] when [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] was leading them in an assault on [[Autobase]]. They were themselves attacked by the [[Quintesson]]s en route. Previous information that Decepticon commander Soundwave had received, informing him that the Autobots were mostly off-world, turned out to be a ruse orchestrated by the aliens to ambush his troops. The Decepticons were forced to call upon the Autobots for assistance in thwarting the Quintessons' forceful colonization of their homeworld. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}
{{-}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[File:Secrets Wildrider at console.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Wildrider worked on [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s team when he and [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] were vying for control of the Decepticons. When the conflict between the two Decepticon factions reached its peak, both leaders called for an [[Enclave]], where they could negotiate an alliance. The peace-talks were sabotaged by the Autobots, and Wildrider was swept up in the fracas that broke out afterwards. {{storylink|The Bad Guy's Ball!}}

A poisoned [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] staggered into Wildrider's quarters, and gave him a tape of battle plans to transmit to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Wildrider assumed that Soundwave had been betrayed by traitors in Megatron's faction of Decepticons, and attempted to send the plans in secret. When Megatron saw him doing so, however, he assumed that the Stunticon was trying to send them to his rival Shockwave, making him the traitor who had betrayed him to Shockwave earlier. With one blast from his [[fusion cannon]], Megatron promptly killed him. Which was exactly what Soundwave (who had not been poisoned and was, in fact, the traitor) had planned. Harsh. {{storylink|Secrets (G1)|Secrets}}
{{-}}

====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
Wildrider and the Stunticons fought the Autobots while trying to steal from Earth's resources. They formed Menasor in battle with Defensor, but were soon dismantled. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 11|Transformers in Action: He Who Laughs Last ...}}

===The Special Teams===
Wildrider and the rest of the Stunticons were being kept a secret from the Autobots until Megatron was ready to dispatch them on a raid on the [[Pullen Power Plant]]. Once in position, the Stunticons raced forward, ready to take whatever Autobots might be guarding the location by surprise. Encountering the Protectobots en route, Motormaster ordered Wildrider and the other Stunticons to combine into Menasor to do battle. The fight soon began to weigh in the Autobots’ favour, prompting Menasor to split up into individual robots once more, who dispersed away from the battlefield. {{storylink|The Special Teams}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
At some point in Cybertron's recent history, the Stunticons were deemed psychotic and too dangerous to function in society, and as a result were placed into perpetual stasis lock inside of a [[Detention Banks|prison facility]]. Later, in an attempt to create a diversion while he set his final plans in motion, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] arranged for the release of the Stunticons. {{storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}} They formed into Menasor and ran amok for a while, until [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrived and began insulting them. Unable to reconcile with this, the five Stunticons began to bicker with each other over whose fault it was that they were failing, temporarily stopping Menasor and allowing Ultra Magnus to ram the combiner in the chest, forcing him to separate into his component parts and disabling the Stunticons. {{storylink|Passive Aggression}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
Wildrider, the other Stunticons and [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] were sent to 1930s [[Chicago]] when [[Teletran 3]] malfunctioned, and were left dormant in the forms of cars from that time. They were soon found and used by a criminal gang led by [[Tommy Fingers]], until a group of [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] and [[Cobra]] members arrived from the future to retrieve the lost Transformers and prevent the apocalypse. Wildrider, Dead End and Drag Strip were awakened by Breakdown, who wasn't so dormant after all, and started chasing Optimus Prime and the humans across the city. Eventually the two groups ran into Motormaster, and everyone were promptly transported back to present-day Cybertron. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}}

When [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] started reunifying the Decepticons into his own army, Wildrider and the other Stunticons were among his earliest recruits. They helped capture a group of Autobots and Joes that followed Serpent O.R. to Cybertron, then attacked an Autobot peace ceremony in the form of Menasor. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} The giant used his Wildrider leg to stomp at least one innocent civilian to death. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}}

===''The Beast Within''===
During a particularly violent battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons, Wildrider joined with the other Stunticons to form Menasor and do battle with [[Beast (G1)|The Beast]], the Dinobots’ combined form. {{storylink|The Beast Within}}

===''Mystery of Convoy'' strategy guide manga===
{{see|#Games}}
The five Stunticons confronted Ultra Magnus as he reached the end of the [[Floating City]], combining into Menasor and opening fire on the Autobot. {{storylink|Transformers (Mystery of Convoy)#Menasor's Weak Point is His Forehead!|Menasor's Weak Point is His Forehead!}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3]]; [[Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|Transformers vol. 1 #3]] (modern era)
[[File:MegatronOrigin3 DeadEnd Wildrider.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|An optimistic Dead End? A mellow Wildrider?! What is this, some kind of alternate universe?!]]
Wildrider was seen with other Stunticons entering the [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] arena to join the newly formed Decepticons for some good ol' fashioned civil disobedience. He also did us all a favor and told [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] to be quiet because, let's face it, a cheery and optimistic Dead End signals the coming of [[Unicron|the End of Days]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}}

[[File:Broadcast-BreakdownWildrider.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
During the brief Decepticon reign of Cybertron, Wildrider and Breakdown set out to take out the anti-Decepticon pirate news broadcaster, [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], according to [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'s location. They attacked Blaster only to be defeated by the arriving [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|Broadcast}} When [[Scorponok (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Scorponok]] usurped [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] as Decepticon leader, the Stunticons protested and left both the Decepticons and Cybertron to become highwaymen on [[Magmara Nine]]. While robbing [[Strongbox]] there, they were approached by [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] who told them Megatron had taken back command. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}} Returning to the fold, the Stunticons participated in Megatron's assault on [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], during which they tried to attack Optimus Prime only to get blown away by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

Millions of years later, Wildrider was among the Decepticons captured by [[Skywatch]] after the Stunticons were abandoned on Earth. {{Storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}} Luckily for him, he was soon rescued by [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]]'s splinter faction of Autobots and Decepticons trying to get off the planet. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}

[[File:Wildrider Enemies of the System.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right]]
Wildrider and [[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]] went on a mission to retrieve [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], the only Stunticon missing from their group. They were disgusted to find that their comrade was being driven by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|a human]], and Wildrider rammed him, telling Drag Strip that they could always fix him later. They met with some resistance from the human, but eventually recovered Breakdown and took him back to base. A few hours later, the Stunticons revealed that [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] had given them the ability to combine, and attacked their former Autobot allies in the form of [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}}

However, despite Menasor's power, his effectiveness as a warrior was stunted by the fact that his components kept arguing amongst themselves. The Autobots took note of this weakness and distracted the combiner by targeting the individual Stunticons, and eventually he was taken down by Optimus Prime. Like most of the Decepticons, Wildrider was taken into custody by Skywatch. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}}

Months later, the Stunticons were freed from their captivity when Decepticons under Megatron's command returned to Earth and attacked the Skywatch facility where they were held. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man|The Demolished Man}} The Decepticons intended to rejoin Megatron on Cybertron, but were interrupted by [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]]'s attempts to sabotage their [[space bridge]]. Wildrider and the other Stunticons stayed behind to take care of the Autobot, but were knocked out by an energy surge when Bumblebee interrupted the bridge's power flow. {{storylink|The Question}} The Autobots subsequently captured the Stunticons and brought them to a restored Cybertron, where they were imprisoned alongside the rest of the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}} Following their release, Wildrider was among a Cybertronian crowd recruited by [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] to pressure [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] into revealing one of his secret discoveries below ground on Cybertron. Later underground, they witnessed a [[Titan (group)|Titan]] declare that Starscream was the Cybertronian destined to unite their whole race. He and the other Cybertronians celebrated afterwards with Starscream. {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things}}

Wildrider was so disappointed in his team for losing to Bumblebee that he up and left the Stunticons altogether, leaving his space to be filled by [[Offroad (CW)|Offroad]]. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}
{{-}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
Wildrider was presumably present as part of Menasor during the Battle for [[Sherman Dam]] in [[Primax 096.0 Beta]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/06}}

==Commercial appearances==
Wildrider and the rest of the Stunticons drove over a barren, rocky terrain to meet against the Aerialbots. Both teams combined, and their gestalt forms engaged in a no-holds-barred slug-fest. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Aerialbots and Stunticons|Aerialbots and Stunticons commercial}}

==Games==
===''Bot Shots Battle Game!''===
[[Image:BotShots Brake-Neck.jpg|thumb|right]]
Wildrider participated in numerous one-on-one matches against other Autobots and Decepticons, using his fists, his sword, or his gun to defeat his opponents. Sometimes, he even faced off against himself! {{storylink|Bot Shots Battle Game!}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
Even [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] had trouble controlling the Stunticons. The team went on a crime spree in the back alleys of human cities until they were tracked down and stopped by [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and his team. {{storylink|The Thin Blue Line}} Wildrider and Breakdown were sent to stop a convoy of Autobots from delivering a vital component to a power station to prevent it exploding. Possibly because they were the only ones crazy enough not to realize they'd be in danger if they were near the station when it exploded. They failed anyway. {{storylink|Rushdown Road}}
{{-}}
===''Transformers: Frontiers''===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Frontiers}}}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
When Offroad arrived on Earth, Breakdown asked what happened to Wildrider, and he replied he didn't want to know. {{storylink|Offroad (CW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Offroad Research}}

With Megatron stuck in 1984, Soundwave decided to send Wildrider and a team of [[C.O.M.B.A.T. System|C.O.M.B.A.T. bots]] back in time to find him. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Crossroads of Time}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Wildrider was a member of the Stunticons. {{storylink|Decepticon Directive}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
{{anchor|Generation 1}}[[File:G1Wildrider toy.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|If you don't buy this toy, then the terrorists have... lost, I guess?]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Wildrider''' (Stunticon, [[1986]])}}</ul>
:*''Team ID number'': '''S3'''
:*''Japanese ID number'': '''D-53'''
:*''Accessories'': [[scattershot gun]], [[plasma-energy blaster]], connector
:''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' Wildrider transforms into a dark grey Ferrari 308 GTB sports car. He comes with a large, black double-barreled plasma-energy blaster that attaches onto the back of his vehicle mode.

:In [[robot mode]], Wildrider is armed with a black scattershot gun. He usually forms Menasor's left leg, but as a [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1986 (Scramble City and 2010)|Scramble City]]-style combiner limb, he can also occupy any other limb position.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Wildrider/wildrider.htm More information on Wildrider at TFU.info]''

{{anchor|G1Menasor}}
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Menasor''' (Gift set, 1986)}}</ul>
:*''Japanese ID number'': '''D-55'''
:Wildrider was also made available as part of a full Stunticon five-pack in the US, European, and [[Japan]]ese markets. All of the figures inside were identical to their individual releases.

{{anchor|1990Classic}}
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Wild Rider'''<ref name="classic"/> ([[1990]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': scattershot gun, plasma-energy blaster, connector
:"Wild Rider" and the other Stunticons were rereleased without changes in 1990 as part of the European/Australian [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] reissue line.
{{--}}

===''Generation 2''===
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d2|'''Wildrider''' (Stunticon, Unreleased)}}</ul>
:*''Team ID number:'' '''S5'''
[[File:G2-Wildrider.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Watch out! I'm bright!]]
:For the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|''Generation 2'' line]], Hasbro intended to release [[redeco]]es of the Stunticons in [[1994]], with Wildrider being cast primarily in yellow plastic, with blue and black accents. Ultimately, however, the toys never went into mass production and remained officially unreleased. Only the four limbs are known to have made it to the sample packaging stage, having turned up in very limited numbers over the years (with the exception of ''Generation 2'' [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], who was available at [[BotCon 1994]] in somewhat larger quantities). All the ''Generation 2'' Stunticons are known to catch high prices on the secondary market.<ref>[http://www.toyarchive.com/Transformers/Prototypes/Generation2/StuntsWilderiderProtoMOSC1.html Photos of Generation 2 Wildrider in sample packaging at Toyarchive.com]</ref><ref>[http://www.transformertoys.co.uk/content.php?/transformers-toys/toy-gallery/1533/Generation+2/Wildrider.html Mirrored photos of Generation 2 Wildrider in sample packaging at Transformers @ The Moon]</ref>
{{canceledtoy}}
{{--}}

===''Gentei! Gentei!''===
{{anchor|Gentei}}
[[File:Wildrider gentei.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Just give him the [[facial hair|goatee]] and be done with it...I mean, "''Lettle Lady, non!''"]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Stuntron Wildrider''' ([[August 30]], [[2008]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories:'' rocket engine/missile launcher, flame missile
:An [[exclusive]] item from the "Chara Hobby 2008" show in Japan on August 30th, 2008, ''Gentei! Gentei!'' (Japanese for "Exclusive! Exclusive!") Wildrider is a [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Deluxe Class [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Classics|Rodimus]] with a very vaguely Wildrider-inspired color scheme (but retaining all of ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' Rodimus' [[paint operation]]s, including the flames), transforming into a Dome Zero concept car. His rear "thruster" fires a spring-loaded missile, and the back section can be flipped up to turn it into a roof-mounted weapon. The thruster becomes a hand-held blaster in robot mode, and can also be mounted on his back as a "jetpack". His left arm hides a flip-out (non-spinning) buzzsaw.
{{ClassicsRodimusMold}}
{{--}}

===''Bot Shots''===
[[File:BSToy-Brake-Neck.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Stunticons''' (Multi-pack, [[2013]])}}</ul>
:*''Number'': '''T009'''
::*''Fist strength'': '''345'''
::*''Blaster strength'': '''655'''
::*''Sword strength'': '''610'''
:A redeco of the [[Topspin (DOTM)#Bot Shots|Topspin]] Bot Shot in dark grey, Brake-Neck (Wildrider renamed for [[trademark]] issues) automatically transforms between car and robot mode, when a sharp impact is applied to his front end. He was sold in a five-pack with [[Motormaster (G1)#Bot Shots|Motorbreath]], [[Drag Strip (G1)#Bot Shots|Decepticon Dragstrip]], [[Dead End (G1)#Bot Shots|Dead End]], and [[Breakdown (G1)#Bot Shots|Breakdown]].
::*[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/BSBrake-Neck/brake-neck.htm Brake-Neck at TFU.info]

===''Kre-O''===
[[File:KreO-Toy BrakeNeckKreon.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|Wait, ''I'm'' the one they didn't want in [[Menasor (G1)#Kre-O|Menasor]]?!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Brake-Neck''' (Kreon Micro-Changer, [[2014]])}}</ul>
:*''Bag number'': '''33501 44'''
:*''Accessories'': stand brick, small pistol
{{toydesigner|[[Ed Masiello]] (Hasbro)}}

:Part of the fourth assortment of [[blindpacking|blind-bagged]] [[Kreon]] [[Micro-Changer]]s, Brake-Neck can be rebuilt from a robot to a low-and-lean street racer.

:He uses the [[Sideswipe (G1)/toys#Kre-O|Sideswipe]] helmet.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Decepticon/Kre-OBrake-Neck/brake-neck.htm More information on ''Kre-O'' Brake-Neck at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Unite Warriors''===
[[File:Unite-Warriors-UW02-Wildrider.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Yes, but does it come with a stolen Matrix of Leadership?]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Menasor''' (giftset, [[August 22]], [[2015]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number:'' '''UW-02'''
:*''Accessories'': exhaust pipe/battle club, weapon/fist/foot
{{toydesigner|[[Hisashi Yuki]] and [[Hisao Nishimoto]] (TakaraTomy)}}
:Takara's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors|Unite Warriors]]'' iteration of [[Menasor (G1)#Unite Warriors|Menasor]] features Wildrider, a retool and redeco of [[Dead End (G1)#Unite Warriors|Dead End]] from the same set, sporting a new head sculpt. However, unlike the Hasbro release (see below), Wildrider has more paint details and plastic color changes on his vehicle and robot modes to better resemble his Generation 1 design.

:This toy is also officially associated with [[Grand Scourge#Toys|Scourge Grand Prime]].
{{CWDeadEndMold}}
{{--}}

===''Combiner Wars''===
{{anchor|Generations}}
[[File:GenerationsBrake-NeckPromoPic.jpg|thumb|300px|You know you'll get me instead of the [[Offroad (CW)|guy]] with the totally new mold.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Brake-Neck''' (Deluxe Class, 2015)}}</ul>
:*'''2 of 5: [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]'''
:*''Accessories'': exhaust pipe/battle club, weapon/fist/foot
:Hasbro's release of the ''Unite Warriors'' Wildrider figure, (again) renamed for [[trademark]] issues. ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' Brake-Neck is a retool of ''Combiner Wars'' [[Dead End (G1)#Combiner Wars|Dead End]] which transforms from a supercar resembling a Ferrari 458 Italia to robot and back. As a Combiner Wars Deluxe limb, he is able to combine with any ''Combiner Wars''-style Voyager Class figure or form one of [[Godbomber#Legends|Godbomber]]'s legs but is, of course, intended to be combined with [[Motormaster (G1)#Combiner Wars|Motormaster]], [[Breakdown (G1)#Generations|Breakdown]], [[Drag Strip (G1)#Generations|Dragstrip]], and [[Dead End (G1)#Combiner Wars|Dead End]] to create [[Menasor (G1)#Generations|Menasor]] (though his cardback and instructions show him replacing Dead End rather than [[Offroad (CW)#Toys|Offroad]]). His cardback bio contains a cute reference to his original name, citing how 'even the unpredictable Stunticons see him as an out-of-control ''wild rider'''.

:Like Dead End, Brake-Neck comes with a copy of "''Combiner Wars'' #8" (actually [[Heavy Is the Head|''Robots in Disguise'' #16]]).

:This toy served as the basis for the ''Earth Wars'' character [[Brake-Neck (G1)|Brake-Neck]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2015/Decepticon/CWBrake-Neck/brake-neck.htm More information on ''Combiner Wars'' Brake-Neck at TFU.info]''
{{CWDeadEndMold}}
{{-}}
{{anchor|CWG2}}{{anchor|GenerationsG2}}
[[File:TF-Combiner-Wars-G2-Brake-Neck.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Chiquita Dave's robotsona.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d2|'''Menasor''' (Collection Pack, 2015)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories:'' exhaust pipe/battle club, weapon/fist/foot
:A [[redeco]] of the ''Combiner Wars'' Stunticons, this Brake-Neck is based on his cancelled ''Generation 2'' toy. Well, okay, technically, this set is based on [http://air-hammer.deviantart.com/art/G2-Stunticons-Digibash-471989649 somebody's digibash] based on [http://cybertron.ca/boards/showthread.php?p=76573 somebody's hand-painted recreation] of the cancelled ''Generation 2'' toys, including an [[Circular reporting|erroneous]] purple and silver [[Breakdown (G1)#CWG2|Breakdown]] and some other errors (most relevant to this article, the original ''Generation 2'' Wildrider's face was evidently going to be [https://www.deviantart.com/transfan2/art/TF-G2-Stunticons-Pics-002-G2-Wildrider-V2-005-379525903 cyan] or [https://tfwiki.net/~fortmax/random/G2/Stunticons/Wildrider%20back.JPG red] rather than purple). Compared to his fellow G2 ''Combiner Wars'' Stunticons, Wildrider is the most accurate to [[#Generation 2|his G2 toy]].
{{CWDeadEndMold}}
{{--}}

===''Legacy''===
[[File:TF-Legacy-Deluxe-Class-Wild-Rider.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|All… my… friends… know the Wild Rider.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Decepticon Wild Rider''' (Deluxe Class, [[2022]])}}</ul>
:*'''2 of 5: [[Menasor (G1)#Legacy|Menasor]]'''
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''TL-07'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[October]], [[2022]]
:*''Accessories'': 2 Energon blasters
{{toydesigner|[[Mark Maher]] (Hasbro), [[Takio Ejima]] (TakaraTomy)|[[Dan Khanna]] (concept artist)}}
:Part of the second wave of ''[[Transformers: Legacy]]'' Deluxe Class toys, "Decepticon Wild Rider" (he got his name back!) transforms into a close approximation of a Ferrari 308 GTB sports car mode in 17 steps. His accessories include two blasters, which can mount to his race car mode (reminiscent of the attack vehicle mode of his Generation 1 toy). The blasters are also molded after his Generation 1 "Scattershot Gun" and also named "Dual Energon Scattershot Blasters" in his bio, which is accessible by scanning the QR code on the back of his [[packaging]].

:The last step of Wild Rider's [[instructions]] depicts tabs and slots to secure his inner legs that do not actually exist on the toy itself. Also, the panels forming the car rear cannot open as wide as the instructions show, and forcing the hinges can result in stress marks or breakage. In addition, it is practically impossible to peg the feet into the car undercarriage as the instructions suggest, as the plastic tolerances will inevitably cause the very short pegs to slip out of the holes they are supposed to connect to. However, the ankle hinges have enough friction to ensure the feet do not drag on the ground when the vehicle mode is rolled on a flat surface. The back of his head has a port for [[light-piping]], though his eyes are painted over in silver, neutering the effect.

:This figure is not compatible with any prior systems of combination. As ''Legacy'' Menasor is designed with a specific limb configuration in mind, Wild Rider is limited to being one of Menasor's legs, but unlike Drag Strip and Dead End as the arms, he can be used for either the left or right leg.

:This figure was revealed by CBR a day prior to the [[April 12]], [[2022]] Fan First Tuesday. <ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/new-transformers-generations-legacy-figure-line-announced-by-hasbro ''EXCLUSIVE: Transformers Debuts Wild Rider, Blitzwing Legacy Figures'' - on CBR</ref>

:Wild Rider was retooled into his Stunticon teammate [[Breakdown (G1)#Legacy|Breakdown]].
{{-}}
{{anchor|LegacyGiftset}}
[[File:TF-Legacy-ToyDeco-Wildrider.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Stunticon Menasor''' (Giftset, [[2023]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': 2 Energon blasters
{{toydesigner|[[Mark Maher]] (Hasbro)}}<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBqMyy6HYxE San Diego Comic-Con 2023 Generations panel recording] at the "Memo's collection" YouTube channel</ref>

:A redeco of the above standard-release ''Legacy'' figure, "Decepticon Wild Rider" is based on the original 1986 Generation 1 toy's deco and decals.

:Wild Rider was released in a giftset with the other four ''Legacy'' Stunticons, each done in a toy-accurate deco. This set was revealed at San Diego Comic Con 2023, and went up for preorder as a [[Hasbro Pulse]] exclusive on [[August 1]].
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:Generations Scout DeadEnd.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*In 2005, the mold used for ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' [[Decepticharge]] was presented as an upcoming release for the Japanese ''Binaltech'' line. Originally, Takara intended to name their version of the toy "Wildrider", possibly because the Hasbro version's deco resembled the unreleased ''Generation 2'' Wildrider toy's color scheme. However, Takara ultimately had to abandon that idea because they couldn't get the trademark. Instead, they decided to give the toy an entirely new deco, as the Hasbro toy's deco didn't meet their ideal of "real-life accuracy". In robot mode, the toy was given a color scheme based on the Transmetal 2 incarnation of Beast Wars [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], with the toy's name being changed to "Blackwidow", Takara's name for the character. Ultimately, however, Takara decided to cancel the toy altogether, as they were fearing that another redeco (in addition to the upcoming ''Binaltech Asterisk'' toys) would be too repetitive. Plans to release the toy as part of a different line were dropped.<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_thread/thread/5d6d41f6d6b3f57e/ Doug Dlin relaying a response from Hirofimi Ichikawa regarding the fate of the Honda S2000 redeco at alt.toys.transformers]</ref> [[Arcee (G1)/toys#Binaltech|Then they apparently changed their minds again.]]
*A redeco of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Brakedown (ROTF)|Brakedown]] in the Asian-exclusive ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' line (later picked up for American release by Toys"R"Us) in 2012 is named Dead End and has a bio fitting the character's name. However, his color scheme and tech specs are both clearly patterned off of Wildrider.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Wildrider''' (ワイルドライダー ''Wairudoraidā''), '''Brake-Neck''' (ブレークネック ''Burēkunekku'')
*''French:'' '''Faroucho''' (Canada, 1986 release), '''Chauffard''' (Canada, 1990 "Classic" version)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Féktelen''' ("Boisterious")
*''Italian:'' '''Squalo''' ("Shark")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mǎngzhuàng''' (莽撞, "Reckless")
*''Russian:'' '''Bezumec''' (Безумец, "Madman")

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Wildrider/wildrider.htm Wildrider at TFU.info]

[[Category:Bot Shots Decepticons]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Exclusives]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 combiners]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 toy Decepticons]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legacy Decepticons]]
[[Category:Legends Decepticons]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Stunticons]]
[[Category:Terrorists]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game Decepticons]]
[[Category:Unreleased toys]]
[[Category:Unite Warriors Decepticons]]

Cliffjumper (G1)

2024-07-08T03:10:35Z

1levichurch: /* Transformers: Earth Wars */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|cobra|sgDecepticon|protector}}
{{disambig3|Cliffjumper}}
{{suite}}
:''Cliffjumper is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Cliffjumperg1.jpg|upright=2|thumb|He's got a piece of paper that he claims contains a list of 200 known traitors.]]
Nobody hates Decepticons more than '''Cliffjumper'''. He's always ready to charge into battle, a gung-ho little hero who'll take on any threat with a cry of "Lemme at 'em!" He's daring, dedicated, and determined, and takes the business of fighting evil seriously, but he's not a patient 'bot; he'll often act without thinking, shooting first and asking questions later, or picking fights that he really can't hope to win. He's even been known to blow out his own tires by speeding into action too quickly!

Cliffjumper doesn't ''dislike'' Earth, but any concern he has for it comes in a distant second to taking down a 'Con, and that means he'll often cause damage to the surrounding area in battle without really thinking about it, which in turn leads to lectures from [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. But that's far from the worst disagreement he's been known to have with his fellow Autobots: his hatred for the Decepticons is so great that, if he gets the sense one of his team-mates isn't fully committed to the Autobot cause, he'll be quick to point an accusing finger and even cry "traitor!", as [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] has found out more than once.

Cliffjumper's special weapon is his [[glass gas]], which embrittles metals on contact so that they shatter like glass.

{{quote|Look at Megatron. I'm gonna blast that smile off his faceplate.|Cliffjumper, raring to go|"[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 3]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Cliffjumper starscream thundercracker the transformers.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Cliffjumper was a part of the crew on board the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] when it crashed into [[Earth]] four million years ago while clearing an asteroid field in the path of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Upon reviving in [[1984]], Cliffjumper was chosen as part of the first field expedition into the world under [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]]'s command. Their simple recon mission to a [[Community Drive-In|drive-in movie theatre]] quickly turned into a battle when the Decepticons arrived. Cliffjumper acquitted himself well in combat, single-handedly driving off [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Thundercracker]] with his glass gas. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}} [[Ravage (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ravage]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] reviewed this battle when they learned of the existence of [[human]]s. {{storylink|Power Play!}}

Later, Cliffjumper joined [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] on the mission to rescue their human friend [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] from the Decepticons' [[Fortress Sinister|fortress]]. Unfortunately, the human military got in the way, distracting Cliffjumper and [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] long enough for [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'s [[Earthquake (event)|earthquakes]] to throw them for a loop. {{storylink|Prisoner of War!}} Whether because of this or just a general lack of fuel, Cliffjumper was unable to stand up and fight against the Decepticons in the next battle at the Ark. {{storylink|The Last Stand}} He was deactivated and strung up from the ceiling when [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] subsequently occupied the Ark, {{storylink|The New Order}} on full display for [[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]] to see when he managed to infiltrate the now Decepticon-controlled ship. Ratchet managed to reclaim the Ark for the crew, {{storylink|Warrior School!}} and Cliffjumper and most of the other Autobots were quickly repaired and restored to operational status. {{storylink|DIS-Integrated Circuits!}} However, the head of Optimus Prime was still missing and during an attempt to retrieve it an impostor head took control of Prime's body, firing on Cliffjumper. {{storylink|Prime Time!}}

[[File:Cliffjumperuk.jpg|thumb|Don't ask, don't tell, don't laugh.]]
''Presumably repaired, Cliffjumper was at the Ark when the Autobots came under attack from the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] [[Swoop (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Swoop]], who was under the control of the human [[Peter Anthony Morris|Professor Morris]].'' {{storylink|The Icarus Theory}} ''Consequently, he participated in the Dinobot Hunt, forming the "A-Team" along with [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]. Although they found [[Sludge (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Sludge]] in the swamps of [[Littlewood]], [[California]], all three were immediately thereafter ambushed and shot by Soundwave and the Decepticons. Held captive aboard their own booby-trapped [[Ark shuttlecraft|shuttle]] in [[Doonstown]] while [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and Sludge rampaged outside, they were ultimately rescued by [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]].'' {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!}}

Shortly after [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] joined the Autobots, Cliffjumper was lying on a slab in Ratchet's repair bay. Although Ratchet vowed to try and help the wounded Autobots, he was not optimistic about being able to revive all of them. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

{{GIJoeTransformersfiction}}
Presumably repaired, Cliffjumper was present when [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Serpentor]] forged an alliance between [[Cobra]] and the Autobots against the Decepticons. Shortly afterwards, [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] joined them as well. {{storylink|Ashes, Ashes...}}

Much later, he was one of the observers to Blaster and Grimlock's battle for Autobot leadership on the [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. How he fared in the following [[Decepticon]] attack is unknown, but he was not seen again in the present day. {{storylink|Totaled!}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:Autobots wanted galvatron dead or alive.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
In one future timeline, Cliffjumper was serving alongside Optimus Prime on one of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s [[Moonbase One|moons]]. Lacking the [[energon cube]]s to power a full-scale assault on the Decepticon-controlled planet, they sent [[Ironhide (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ironhide]] and a team of Autobots to make a run to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] on Earth to get some. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}} Not long afterwards, a "[[Unicron/Generation 1|gi-normous, weird-lookin' planet]]" showed up and consumed the moon, along with [[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]] and Cliffjumper's escape craft. {{storylink|Judgment Day!}}

After surviving the destruction of Moonbase One, Cliffjumper had returned to the Autobot combat movement on Cybertron by [[2007]]. He joined [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]] in a concerted effort to surprise a [[Airborne hunter squad|group of Decepticon skyraiders]], using [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] as bait to draw them in close for a crossfire. {{storylink|Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!}}
{{-}}

====''Classics''====
{{noteclassics}}

[[File:CrossingOver3-CliffjumperSkyfall.jpg|thumb|right|200px|You have no idea.]]

Cliffjumper suffered severe damage during [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]'s infamous [[Underbase]] rampage; lacking the resources on Earth to repair him, the Autobots shipped his body to Cybertron, where he languished on life support for fifteen years until he could be repaired. When he first woke up, however, he immediately flatlined again after learning that the war had ended without him. Consoled by the idea that some Decepticons were still left in the universe, Cliffjumper was sadly too late to join [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]'s crew on the ''[[Graviton (Classics)|Graviton]]'', so when reports of [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s return reached Cybertron, Cliffjumper was the first to join Optimus Prime in returning to Earth to vanquish him. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 17|Cliffjumper's profile in Club magazine #17}}

On Earth, the Autobots encountered a dimension-hopping [[Velocitron]]ian named [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]] shortly after he and the Decepticon [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]] arrived in their universe. Cliffjumper came with them when they travelled south to locate a mysterious energy signature that resonated on the same wavelength as Skyfall's own emanations, but Cliffjumper, who pointed out that Skyfall freely associated with a Decepticon, remained distrustful of the pair. As it turned out, Cliffjumper and Skyfall were the only two small enough to fit through the crevice that would lead them to the source of the anomalous readings; while battle raged overhead, [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] triggered a cave-in that sent Landquake toppling into the caverns below. Eager for the chance to scrap a Decepticon, Cliffjumper gleefully leveled his pistol at Landquake as Skyfall tried to stop him. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 3}} Protecting a 'Con was all the proof Cliffjumper needed to turn on Skyfall too, but another cave-in sent the robots tumbling deeper underground before anyone could get shot. A falling boulder crushed Cliffjumper's leg, but that didn't stop him from trying to blast the other two from where he lay on the ground. However, his shot disturbed the pool of [[Rarified Energon]] they landed next to and awakened a curiously-similar robot known as [[Breakaway (Classics)|Breakaway]]. Using his own unique abilities, the pacifistic Breakaway healed Cliffjumper's leg in moments just by laying hands on him. As the Decepticon Cassettes arrived in search of the energon, Cliffjumper and the others drove them back while retreating further into the caverns. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 4}}

Allowing a temporary cease fire due to the strangeness of the situation, Cliffjumper started looking for a way to protect the Rarified Energon from the Decepticons up above. Skyfall accidentally triggered a secret passage, though, and he, Landquake and Breakaway felt compelled to respond to the voice of the "[[Caretaker]]" emanating from the passage, who claimed to speak for [[Primus]] himself. Cliffjumper felt the "purity" of the place as well; although his basic nature still warned him it could all be a trap, he eventually agreed to follow them after first setting a booby tap to deter any pursuers. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 5}} The Caretaker spoke to Skyfall, Landquake and Breakaway about the greater destiny that awaited elsewhere in the [[multiverse]], and beckoned them to pass through the dimensional barriers to the next leg of their journey. Skyfall balked at the idea more than the others, but ultimately he and Cliffjumper passed through the dimensional space bridge together. Meanwhile, [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] arrived at the Rarified Energon pool and set off the laser-trip wire Cliffjumper had left behind, detonating the entrance and burying the chambers behind them. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 6}}

[[File:Optimusshatteredhallway.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

While Skyfall, Landquake, and Breakaway arrived in [[Axiom Nexus]], Cliffjumper wound up in a [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|mirror dimension of evil Autobots and heroic Decepticons]]; as [[Cliffjumper (SG)|this reality's original Cliffjumper]] had died some time ago, [[Rodimus (SG)|Rodimus]], mistaking this Cliffjumper for his own, brought him to [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]] in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. Unaware of the backwards nature of this universe, the sight of Optimus executing [[Rumble (SG)|Rumble]] disgusted Cliffjumper, and when he protested Optimus shot him and had him dumped in the deadly [[Rad Zone]]. Fortunately, however, the heroic Decepticons discovered his broken body and brought him back to their base. A number of physiological anomalies, including the presence of a positively-charged [[spark]] instead of an "ember", convinced them that he was not ''their'' Cliffjumper. Although Cliffjumper assumed the worst when he came to and tried to escape, [[Megatron (SG)|Megatron]] and [[Sideswipe (SG)|Sideswipe]] explained the nature of their universe and requested Cliffjumper's assistance in foiling Optimus's plan to launch the ''[[Ark (SG)|Ark]]'' and invade [[Earth]].

Although Cliffjumper was confused to learn that the 'bots of this universe did not believe in [[Primus]], he and [[Starscream (SG)|Starscream]] nevertheless devised a plan to duplicate Cliffjumper's [[glass gas]] to weaken the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s launch platform and render it vulnerable to conventional weaponry. While [[Razorclaw (SG)|Razorclaw]] and [[Rampage (SG)|Rampage]] dispatched the Autobot guards, and Starscream, [[Divebomb (SG)|Divebomb]], and [[Whisper (SG)|Whisper]] dropped the "glass gas bombs" on the ''Ark'', Cliffjumper and the others attacked the launch platform. However, their weapons failed to destroy the platform, resulting in an all-out brawl between the two sides. When Optimus spotted Cliffjumper, he attempted to destroy the "traitor", but Megatron took the hit instead, and this selfless act spurred Cliffjumper to destroy the launch platform. The triumphant Decepticons retreated, and Cliffjumper, his loyalties assured for the time being, left with them. {{storylink|Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass}}

[[File:Cliffjumper&SGGoryu Dungeons&Dinobots.jpg|thumb|right|200px|There's always a bigger fish...]]

Some time later, Cliffjumper helped the Decepticons battle the Autobots for control of the [[Arch-Ayr]] fuel dump by firing large amounts of both artillery and insults at Optimus Prime, although his enthusiasm disturbed Starscream and Megatron. When [[Soundwave (SG)|Soundwave]] called in the [[Mayhem Suppression Squad]], Cliffjumper helped the Squad force the Autobots into a retreat before [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]] and his army of [[Dinobot (SG)|Dinobots]] attacked. When the Dinobots turned on each other and scattered across Cybertron, Megatron ordered Cliffjumper and a number of other Decepticons to capture them so that they could be reprogrammed into Decepticons. He and Sideswipe located and subdued [[Slugfest (SG)|Slugfest]], only for the hulking [[Goryu (SG)|Goryu]] to come to Slugfest's aid. Cliffjumper jumped onto and rode Goryu as he chased after Sideswipe, and eventually tricked Goryu into knocking himself out. The two then noticed [[Huffer (SG)|Huffer]] on the horizon and cornered him; after Sideswipe "convinced" Huffer to admit what he was up to by warning that Cliffjumper was insane because he believed in Primus, the pair used his information to track [[Grimlock (SG)|Grimlock]] to an old bunker, the place where this universe's Cliffjumper had died. While the two examined hieroglyphics just inside the bunker's entrance, a booming voice ordered them to get out. The two were more than willing to comply, but found they couldn't, as the tunnels around them had changed; with no way out, the pair continued heading deeper into the planet's surface and encountered several traps, one of which injured Cliffjumper's leg.

Later, the two met up with Rodimus and [[Blurr (SG)|Blurr]]. Cliffjumper and Rodimus tumbled into a hidden passage; despite activating another trap, Rodimus deactivated the trap before it could crush them by yanking out and using the spear that had become embedded in Cliffjumper's leg earlier. Their trek led them into the [[Omega Terminus]]'s central chamber, but although Rodimus enthused at the prospect of animating an army from the robot corpses around them, Cliffjumper had no interest in an alliance. After using mirror-universe [[scraplet]]s to heal his damaged leg, the two met back up with Blurr and Sideswipe on a narrow bridge overlooking a deep chasm. Rodimus tried again to recruit the others into a new team of [[Wreckers]], but was interrupted by the arrival of Grimlock, who explained he had been guided there by a strange voice that didn't want the others there. The Omega Terminus started spinning and shot a bolt of energy at Grimlock, giving him an [[spark|ember]] and the ability to [[transformation|transform]]. When Cliffjumper challenged him, the Omega Terminus itself attacked by reanimating four corpses, including [[Drench (SG)|Drench]] and the other Cliffjumper. In the ensuing fight, Cliffjumper came up with the idea of destroying the [[zombie]]s using scraplets, who promptly reduced them to dust. Although Grimlock swept the quartet off a ledge, managed to distract Grimlock enough for Cliffjumper and Sideswipe to knock the evil Dinobot off the cliff; when they pulled themselves back up, Omega Terminus again ordered them to leave, which they promptly did.
A short time later, Megatron asked Sideswipe and Cliffjumper if the Dinocons' recently discovered transformation ability had something to do with their recent adventure, but they found they couldn't recall exactly what had happened while underground. {{storylink|Dungeons & Dinobots}}

[[File:SGDemolishorHeatwaveCliffjumper DoOver.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Are you my "second Ego"? What a nasty sight!]]

The Decepticons launched their next major offensive when it became clear that Optimus planned to rebuild the ''Ark'' for a second launch before Cybertron drifted into the [[Plait Expanse]]. Although Cliffjumper briefly despaired, thinking that his hard work had been for nothing, Megatron reassured him that the delay had given the Autobots enough time to build the ''[[Nemesis (SG)|Nemesis]]'', a ship that could pursue the evil Autobots offworld. Owing to his prior familiarity with [[Earth]], Megatron put Cliffjumper in charge of screening volunteers to crew the ''Nemesis'', but discovered that not all the Decepticons who volunteered, including [[Demolishor (SG)|Demolishor]] and [[Heatwave (Timelines)|Heatwave]], corresponded to Decepticons from his native timeline. Later, when the Decepticons received word that [[Ricochet (SG)|Ricochet]] had kidnapped Megatron, Starscream wanted to mount a full raid. Cliffjumper reminded him that prepping the ''Nemesis'' for launch should be their top priority. Indeed, the Decepticons failed to rescue Megatron in time; with both Megatron and Optimus stranded on Cybertron, Starscream took command and launched the ''Nemesis'' moments before the planet entered the outer reaches of the Plait Nebula.

Although the Decepticons caught up with the Autobots, a human-built [[fusion bomb]] interrupted the firefight between the two ships. Heatwave's ability to "talk" with their damaged ship amazed him, but as their damaged ship spiralled towards the planet, the majority of Decepticons boarded escape pods and fled, while Cliffjumper volunteered to stay behind with Starscream to steer their disabled ship away from any major population centers. {{storylink|Do Over}}

Cliffjumper and Starscream survived the crash intact, and were found by Heatwave, Soundwave, [[Frenzy (SG)|Frenzy]], [[Ravage (SG)|Ravage]], and [[Henri Arkeville|some]] [[Will Hayes|humans]] [[Rick Ottman|who had discovered]] [[Sephie Beller|the ''Nemesis'']]. As they all discussed their current situation, Cliffjumper was suspicious of the humans--especially Arkeville, who bothered him for some reason he couldn't place. The idea that Cliffjumper came from another reality fascinated Arkeville; when Cliffjumper asked what happened to this Earth's [[California]], he learned that this iteration of Earth had experienced [[World War III]] in the 1980s. Starscream figured that the Autobots had perished in the crash, but Cliffjumper wasn't sure, and sent him out with the other survivors to look for fallen Decepticon escape pods. Cliffjumper found [[Crasher (SG)|Crasher]]'s [[stasis pod]] in [[Bay Demolition|a junkyard]], he booted her back online, but became flustered when part of their conversation afterwards involved him trying to explain his unfamiliarity with [[female Transformer]]s.

When the Autobots made themselves known by hijacking the recently-launched [[Global Orbiting Defense Satellite]] and holding the Earth hostage, Cliffjumper helped plan the liberation of the [[Burpleson Air Force Base|military base]] the Autobots had captured. After Heatwave used his unusual talents to turn the Autobot's own stolen satellite against the base and destroy it, Cliffjumper comforted the larger mech, who was mournful that he had to also destroy the transmitter. {{storylink|Eye in the Sky}}

After rescuing [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] from the Autobots and their new [[Space bridge|Stellar spanner]], Cliffjumper wondered why Blitzwing hadn't been captured or killed after they incapacitated him. Blitzwing revealed that he had fused with an [[oPod]] and disrupted them with its signal, and Cliffjumper found Arkeville's comparison to human bodies being able to make bone out of coral to be creepy. As Blitzwing's new disruptive signal ability eventually spread from the Autobots' emergency frequency to the Decepticons', Cliffjumper was irritated that his normal-universe Autobot emergency frequency just happened to be the same as the Decepticons' in this universe. Starscream suggested everyone but Soundwave (who was unaffected) going into emergency [[stasis lock]] to protect them from being damaged by the signal while their human friends protected them until Soundwave could find Blitzwing and cure his broadcasting; although Cliffjumper was paranoid about both ideas, his concerns were overruled. When Soundwave was successful and everything went back to normal, Cliffjumper was also glad that they could now build their own Stellar Spanner with the schematics Blitzwing had stolen. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

Once the Decepticons got their Stellar Spanner working, they were joined on Earth by [[Shockwave (SG)|Shockwave]], whom Cliffjumper was surprised to learn was interested in hearing more about [[Primus]]. Cliffjumper attended an unveiling ceremony with the other Decepticons as [[R.J. Blackrock]] presented his new [[Mega-Rig]], and got an opportunity to fight the Autobots when they attacked it. When Sephie Beller had herself augmented with Cybertronian technology, Cliffjumper announced he had seen this [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|happen before]] and they needed to stick Sephie in cryo so they could work on a cure. She went off to fight the Autobots on her own, and Cliffjumper stopped Rick from going after her, suggesting they build a [[Nebulan]]-esque exosuit for the boy first.
A team of Decepticons, plus Cliffjumper, went to try and help Sephie, but instead found themselves captured by the Autobots. Bound, they only avoided being terminated when Blackrock arrived in his [[Centurion (SG)|Centurion]] battle mech and started attacking the Autobots. Unfortunately Blackrock also regarded the Decepticons as viable targets, and Cliffjumper's leg was damaged by stray fire. Sephie freed Cliffjumper, knowing he would feel compelled to unchain his comrades rather than stop her from going after Blackrock. He was forced to concede and began releasing Starscream. Sephie, meanwhile, put the Centurion into overload and flew it a safe distance, saving Cliffjumper and the Decepticons. Back at base, he apologized for doubting her and said she would have a place on the Decepticon team if she wanted it, though she turned it down. {{storylink|Transhuman}}

Months later, Cliffjumper was present at the Decepticon base when Landquake, Breakaway, [[Topspin (Classics)|Topspin]], and [[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]] arrived with Skyfall's corpse. He said that, though he never thought he'd say such to a Decepticon, he was glad to see Landquake, and the feeling seemed to be mutual. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 4}}
After Landquake and his gestalt members were reborn into [[Nexus Prime]], Nexus offered to take Cliffjumper along on the next leg of his interdimensional journey, but Cliffjumper decided to stay and continue fighting the evil Optimus Prime instead. He bid the Landquake and Skyfall parts of Nexus Prime goodbye as the gestalt stepped through the Decepticons' Stellar Spanner. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 6}} {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 1}}

[[File:FallingIntoPlace-Cliffjumper.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Cliffjumper had no love for traitors, and he fumed at the idea of Megatron's intended assassin, [[Cyclonus (SG)|Cyclonus]], being pardoned by the newly reborn Galvatron. When Cyclonus brought the ''[[Annex]]'' on a supply mission to Earth, Cliffjumper insisted on keeping the 'Con in his sights at all times. {{storylink|Coalescence}} At some point, Cliffjumper learned of the ultimate fate of the [[Underbase]]-linked 'bots Demolishor and [[Side Burn (SG)|Side Burn]]. {{storylink|Falling into Place}}

When Cliffjumper's home universe was invaded by evil Autobots, he and Galvatron sent a squad of heroic Decepticons to back up Cliffjumper's comrades. Unfortunately, his universe was destroyed thanks to a relic of the Thirteen, the [[Terminus Blade]]. Only the Earth and the humans and Transformers living on it at the time were saved, transported into a dual orbit around negative-Cybertron. {{storylink|Invasion (issue)|Invasion}}

As the [[DBN|Decepticon Broadcasting Network]] sought a statement from the heroic Autobot refugees, Cliffjumper made the pushy reporter [[Punch (SG)|Counterpunch]] back the scrap off. {{storylink|Solar Requiem}}

Cliffjumper caught the GoBots' [[Interdimensional Exploration Team]] outside the Ironworks after a conflict with the evil Autobot, [[Stepper (SG)|Stepper]]. {{storylink|High Noon (SG)|High Noon}} He reluctantly brought them inside for conference with Metalhawk after the insistence of the Autobot leader. The GoBots explained that their universe was decaying due to an inter-dimensional transference effect between this universe and theirs. After Wheeljack confirmed their idea that Rarified Energon could be used to reverse the process if a powerful enough supercomputer monitored the process, Cliffjumper proposed they use the [[Caretaker]] node he once encountered. {{storylink|Journey's Eve}} By the time [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Mammoth]] and a team of late-coming positive-Autobots arrived on negative-Cybertron, Cliffjumper was tired of explaining the negative polarity universe to newcomers, and just provided them the "Cliff's Notes" version on a data pack. {{storylink|Falling into Place}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Casey Kasem]] (English), [[Gregg Berger]] (English, "[[Transformers 40th Anniversary Event]]"), [[Takurō Kitagawa]] (Japanese)|[[Liu Qin]] (Chinese), [[Carlos Nieto]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Juan Cuadra]] (Latin American Spanish, ''Transformers: The Movie''), [[Peter Bertram]] (German, "Transport to Oblivion" and "The Autobot Run"), [[Gerd Wiedenhofen]] (German, "The Autobot Run"), [[Ulrich Frank]] (German, ''The Movie'' TV dub, ''Generation 2''), [[Frank Muth]] (German, ''Generation 2'', "S.O.S. Dinobots"), [[Ulf-Jürgen Wagner]] (German, ''Generation 2'', "Starscreams Brigade"), [[Thomas Albus]] (German, ''Generation 2'', "Transport to Oblivion" and "Roll for It"), [[Albert Augier]] (European French), [[Olivier Destrez]] (European French, episodes 1 to 7), [[François Leccia]] (European French, "Traitor"), [[Henry Djanik]] (European French, "The Immobilizer"), [[Edgar Givry]] (European French, "Enter the Nightbird"), [[Georges Atlas]] (European French, "The Autobot Run" & "Starscream's Brigade"), [[Jacques Ferrière]] (European French, "A Prime Problem"), [[José Luccioni]] (French, ''The Movie''), [[Stefano Onofri]] (Italian, ''40th Anniversary Event'' dub), [[Ionei Silva]] (Portuguese), [[Garcia Neto]] (Portuguese, "Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1", "The Movie" TV dub) [[Wellington Lima]] (Portuguese, "The Movie" Fox Kids dub)}}

[[File:Cliffgun.JPG|upright=1.4|thumb|left|"Where do you keep that giant cannon, Cliffjumper?!" "None of your damn business, Hound."]]

Cliffjumper was a part of the crew on board the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' when it crashed into [[Earth]] four million years ago during a search for new energy sources. His [[alternate mode]] was reformatted into an oddly-proportioned Porsche 924 Turbo.

When the Autobots awakened from their four million-year slumber, Cliffjumper was eager for action. He volunteered to tag along on [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]'s recon mission to scout out Decepticons because he was itching to "boot some Decepticon right in his [[Anatomic euphemism#Turbocharger|turbocharger]]". Though [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s orders were only to find the Decepticons, Cliffjumper brashly tried to engage the enemy once Hound sniffed them out.

Cliffjumper missed his shot, and the Decepticons dispatched [[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] to chase off the Autobot eavesdroppers. Hound got pasted by Laserbeak's laser blasts and ended up requiring extensive repair from Autobot medic [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] after being pulled out of a ditch by [[Hauler]]. It worked out in the end, though, since Cliffjumper was remorseful for having acted without thinking, and Hound didn't hold a grudge anyway. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

[[File:Hufferg1animated.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]

Cliffjumper was among the Autobots that stormed [[Sherman Dam]] to fight off the Decepticons. During the siege, Cliffjumper charged at [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] and was easily overpowered until [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] came to his aid. Cliffjumper complimented his pacifist friend on his fighting skills. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} Later, when Optimus Prime was injured in an explosion at the [[ruby crystal mines of Burma]], Cliffjumper cheered his leader on as Prime tried to recover from his injuries. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

Cliffjumper mistook [[Decepticon-shaped rock|a rock formation]] for a Decepticon and fired at it, nearly smooshing [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] and Optimus Prime in the resulting avalanche. Embarrassed, the little hothead admitted his mistake and apologized, while Ironhide scoffed at the notion that the Decepticons were still on Earth. But the Decepticons ''were'' still on Earth, and they took over a human power station. Alerted to the attack by a citywide blackout, Cliffjumper and the Autobots responded. Cliffjumper immediately confronted [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and declared he'd "take care" of the Decepticon leader. Megatron swatted him away like a fly. Cliffjumper obviously didn't learn his lesson, since he took on [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] only moments later, with similar results. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion (episode)|Transport to Oblivion}}

At a hydroelectric power plant, Cliffjumper and the Autobots interfered with the Decepticons' attempt to fill their energon cubes. With most of their supply damaged in the fight, the Decepticons were forced to retreat having gained little additional energy. {{storylink|Roll for It}} Cliffjumper was among the Autobots who looked on as Ratchet attempted to repair Optimus Prime after a severe battle. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}}

[[File:FireintheSky Cliffjumper vs Ravage.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.34|Ravage heartily disapproves of Cliffjumper's operatic solo.]]

During a mission to the Arctic to stop the Decepticons, Cliffjumper was the first to hear [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]] and [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] calling for help after the father-and-son team were trapped on an ice floe. Before the Autobots could get to them, the humans were scooped up by [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]], who was a bit confused about which faction was good or evil. When Cliffjumper and Ironhide made moves to rescue the pair, Optimus Prime stopped them, fearing the humans would be hurt. Opting for an underground rescue, Cliffjumper joined Prime, [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] in an ice cave and was the first to discover the humans in an icy prison. After, as the Autobots tried to find Ironhide's team, Cliffjumper pointedly defied Prime's order to stick to a search pattern and ran on ahead. He was promptly tackled by [[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]], and Optimus had to rescue him. The Autobots regrouped while Ratchet tried to repair Skyfire after an attack by Starscream. When Cliffjumper questioned the wisdom of repairing the large Decepticon, Hound and Ratchet explained that Skyfire had tried to help them. {{storylink|Fire in the Sky}}

[[File:TUD1 Cliffjumper depth gauge.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Are you picking up a signal, or just happy to see me?]]
After the construction of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], Cliffjumper was present for the unveiling, and found himself being battered by the new creations as they ran wild. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}} He also took part in the mission in [[Peru]] to stop Megatron from using the [[Crystal of Power]] as an energy source for a cannon. {{storylink|Fire on the Mountain (episode)|Fire on the Mountain}} After Sparkplug was kidnapped by Laserbeak, Cliffjumper, [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]], and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] burrowed under [[Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Earth)|Decepticon HQ]]. Cliffjumper used his glass gas to make a hole in the underside of the base, so the three Autobots could retrieve Sparkplug and hightail it back to Autobot Headquarters. Unfortunately the Decepticons had already planted a [[hypno-chip]] on Sparkplug, and during the next Decepticon attack, Cliffjumper and the other Autobots discovered that their weapons had been sabotaged. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}}

When the Autobots caught up with Megatron, who was preparing to take energy back to Cybertron — energy collected as a result of Cybertron being pulled into Earth's orbit by the [[space bridge]] — Cliffjumper was raring to exact some payback, but Optimus restrained him as they couldn't risk injuring the hypno-chipped humans. Once the humans were safely out of the way, the Autobots attacked, though Ironhide had to remind Cliffjumper to conserve some ammo for later in the fight. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}} Some time later, Cliffjumper congratulated [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] for getting [[Teletraan I]] repaired (again!), only for the computer to detect the Decepticons on the move. The Autobots started the pursuit and, after a brief stop in a quicksand trap, reached [[Doctor Arkeville]]'s secret lab, where Starscream had rigged the [[Exponential Generator]] to explode. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}}

[[File:ChangingGears Cliffjumper hits forcefield.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|left]]

When Ironhide detected Megatron inbound to Autobot Headquarters, Cliffjumper blasted the Decepticon with glass gas, but Megatron merely shrugged it off. Megatron challenged Prime to one-on-one combat and, despite Cliffjumper's misgivings, Prime accepted. Cliffjumper turned out with the rest of the Autobots to spectate, and was horrified when Optimus lost. When they returned to Headquarters, a quick scan by Teletraan I revealed the truth — Megatron had cheated. The Autobots subsequently blasted the Decepticons into a lava-filled crevasse. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}} After the Decepticons began using a [[Solar Needle]] to tap into the Sun, the Earth became unstable. Cliffjumper was saved from a falling boulder by Ironhide. The Autobots drove to [[Africa]] where they discovered that the needle was protected by an energy field. Despite the others' protests, Cliffjumper flung himself into the force field, shorting it out. He recovered a short time later in the jungle nearby, and rejoined the fight which eventually resulted in the destruction of the Solar Needle and rescue of [[Gears (G1)|Gears]]. {{storylink|Changing Gears}}

[[File:Traitorcjaccusesmirage.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|right|"J'accuse!"]]

Soon afterward, Cliffjumper made a very public display of his paranoia by accusing fellow Autobot and reluctant soldier [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] of being a traitor on some very flimsy evidence, much to the (correct) disbelief of the other Autobots. He kept up his rhetoric even after Optimus Prime ordered him to can it. So determined was he to prove his theory true that he followed Mirage when the latter returned to the Decepticon power station to sow seeds of discontent within the Decepticon ranks. Fortunately, in the end, it was proven that Mirage was a loyal Autobot all along, and Cliffjumper fell across Mirage's body, asking Ratchet to fix him for not trusting a comrade. This prompted a rather awkward laugh from the other Autobots present. {{storylink|Traitor (episode)|Traitor}}

Cliffjumper was the first to ask what the [[Wheeljack Instant Immobilizer|Immobilizer]] did as Wheeljack prepared a demonstration. Unfortunately the test was aborted when Ironhide mistook the holographic Laserbeak for the real thing. The second demonstration didn't go much better, resulting in Wheeljack himself being immobilizer, and the Decepticons stealing the device. Gears and Cliffjumper loaded Wheeljack into Ratchet for the return trip to Headquarters, and were both among the Autobots who later attempted to get the Immobilizer back. {{storylink|The Immobilizer}} Cliffjumper took part in an Autobot charity event, racing and participating in stunts. The Decepticons took the opportunity to test out their [[Transfixatron]] on the Autobots, locking them all in their vehicle modes before forcing them to drive to a ghost town. A small group of Autobots along with [[Chip Chase]] and Spike, came to the rescue, using a grenade to undo the transformation lock. Though the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] formed [[Devastator (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Devastator]], Cliffjumper immediately attacked the Combiner, and was tossed into a nearby building. He and Wheeljack teamed up to seize the Transfixatron and use it on Devastator, resulting in the Constructicons splitting apart and sending the Decepticons into a retreat. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}}

[[File:EntertheNightbird Cliffjumper glass gas.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Happiness is a warm gun.]]

While the other Autobots were constructing [[detection plate]]s, Cliffjumper ran up to Optimus with the news there was an incoming call from [[Doctor Fujiyama the Famous Scientist]]. The Autobots ended up guarding [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]], the ninja robot that the doctor had built. During the inevitable Decepticon attack, Cliffjumper lost no time in blasting [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] once all of the humans were safely out of the way. Nightbird was still stolen and sometime later, the reprogrammed ninja broke into Autobot HQ to steal the [[World Energy Chip]]. The Autobots pursued, though Optimus had to restrain Cliffjumper from merely blasting Nightbird, as they'd promised to return her safely to her inventor. Also, Cliffjumper proved the only Autobot who failed to jump up a particular cliff. When they eventually cornered the ninja, Cliffjumper attempted to use his glass gas on her, only for her to plug the nozzle. They eventually did manage to capture her and return her to Dr. Fujiyama. {{storylink|Enter the Nightbird}}

[[File:DinobotIsland2 Cliffjumper firing.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|(Bang Bang Shoot Shoot)]]

When the Autobots found a crevasse filled with [[korlonium crystal|glowing crystals]], Cliffjumper was prepared to jump straight in, but Prime cautioned him to take readings first. As it happened, the Decepticons picked that time to attack. The Autobots returned to base following a seemingly victorious battle, but soon discovered a conundrum — they had two identical Optimus Primes. Cliffjumper had the bright idea to decide which one was the real Optimus by holding a race, which unsurprisingly proved inconclusive. {{storylink|A Prime Problem}} The discovery of [[Dinobot Island (G1)|an island full of dinosaurs]] by Bumblebee and [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] led Cliffjumper to exclaim that they already had enough problems with Dino''bots''. Wheeljack claimed he'd been teaching Grimlock some finesse, and attempted to prove Cliffjumper wrong by getting [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] to show off. When this turned into the usual Dinobot chaos, Cliffjumper was all too ready to fight them, but Optimus got things under control. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} The Decepticons found Dinobot Island and began draining its energy, which caused freak time portals to open up across the world. A pirate ship that passed through one such portal menaced a small pleasure ship, until Cliffjumper, [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], and [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] arrived. Cliffjumper disarmed the pirates before they shoved the ship back through the time portal. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}}

[[File:MasterBuilders Cliffjumper glass gas gun.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.34|Now it's a different color and comes out of a gun. So? It's sparkly!]]
During a battle with Devastator after the Constructicons helped [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] and [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] build the [[Solar Power Tower]], Cliffjumper fired his glass gas gun at the giant. Devastator merely swept his arm, causing a wind which dissipated the burst of gas. After the battle, Cliffjumper helped dig Grapple and Hoist out of the pile of rubble that their tower had become. {{storylink|The Master Builders (episode)|The Master Builders}} He later took part in an excursion to [[South America]], where Megatron had found the [[Heart of Cybertron]]. Unfortunately they arrived too late — Megatron had installed the crystal in himself. Though Cliffjumper initiated a charge, the Autobots were no match for the powered-up Decepticon leader. They retreated under a smokescreen and limped back to Headquarters. {{storylink|Microbots}}

Cliffjumper took part in an [[Autobot Day]] parade organised by the humans in [[Central City (Earth)|Central City]], paying a visit to City Hall. Things quickly turned sour when a video recording of the Autobots apparently raiding an [[oil rig|oil field]] was played, and the humans turned hostile. The Autobots returned to Headquarters, but while they were still trying to work out what was going on, the mayor turned up to arrest them. Though Cliffjumper was ready to fight, Optimus insisted they comply with the humans' demands. Taken to a sports stadium, the Autobots were put on impromptu trial, which concluded with them being found guilty and sentenced to exile from Earth. They were duly shot into space in a spaceship supplied by [[Shawn Berger]]. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} On further reflection, Optimus decided he'd made a hasty decision, and Cliffjumper tried to turn the ship around, only to find it was locked on course for the Sun. They escaped the ship in the nick of time, using Trailbreaker's forcefields linked to [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] so they could return to Earth and exact some revenge on the Decepticons. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

[[File:StarscreamsBrigade Jazz Cliffjumper chained.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|"Sorry, Mother." "It won't happen again."]]
All of the Autobots, including Cliffjumper, were rendered inoperative by [[Cybertonium]] depletion, until Spike, [[Carly]], and the Dinobots retrieved a fresh supply from Cybertron. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}} Cliffjumper's audio receptors took a pounding when [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] decided to retransmit a rock concert over Autobot frequencies. {{storylink|Blaster Blues}} He was also present when the Autobots discovered that Optimus was heading to Cybertron [[Female Autobots|for some reason]], but opted not to join Ironhide's pursuit. {{storylink|The Search for Alpha Trion}}

Cliffjumper and Jazz attended the opening of an [[Optimus Prime memorial]], resulting in Cliffjumper getting his name mangled by the news reporter covering the event. The memorial was attacked by Starscream and his newly minted [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s. As they overwhelmed the two Autobots, Cliffjumper suggested radioing for help, but too late, as they were both captured. Stripped of their [[energy absorber]]s to provide parts for the Combaticons, Jazz and Cliffjumper were chained up at the [[Amalgamated Water and Power Plant]]. The Autobots later rescued them while the Combaticons were occupied fighting [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and the rest of Megatron's forces. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

[[File:TFTM Cliffjumper countdown.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|Such are Jazz's hidden political passion...]]

By 2005, the Decepticons had retaken Cybertron, and the Autobots had set up secret bases on Cybertron's moons. Cliffjumper was stationed on [[Moonbase One]] under Optimus Prime's command. He and Jazz stayed behind while Optimus took the Dinobots to reinforce [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], and they were first to spot the approach of [[Unicron]]. Unicron began to devour the moon and, after a hasty communique to Autobot City, the pair tried to escape in a ship. The attempt proved futile, and the ship was dragged back into Unicron's maw. Jazz and Cliffjumper somehow ended up on a conveyor headed for a vat of acid, along with Spike and Bumblebee, but all four of them were saved by Spike's son [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]. As Unicron began to break apart under the energies released from the [[Matrix of Leadership]], the newly risen Autobot leader, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]], led the Autobots on an escape through the massive Transformer's eye. Cliffjumper survived the adventure and Rodimus' subsequent speech, but for [[Casey Kasem#Notes|some reason]] was never seen again. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}} {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}}
{{note|Cliffjumper’s involvement in these events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the comic mini-series "[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]" and the storybook "[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|Transformers the Movie]]."}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' story pages=====
Cliffjumper was a participant in a battle in New York City, early in the Autobot/Decepticon war taking place on Earth. The Autobots were victorious that day. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)|Broadcasting on TV! Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers}}

=====''Legends'' comic=====
Cliffjumper was among the Autobots who demanded that Optimus Prime talk some sense into the [[Jumpstarter]]s. {{storylink|Jumpstarter Chapter}}

=====Full Throttle Scramble Power!=====
After the Decepticons' latest plan, involving their [[Omega Wave Cannon]], was foiled, Cliffjumper was among the massive Autobot platoon that arrived at the villains base with [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] to give them a well-deserved pummelling. {{storylink|Full Throttle Scramble Power!}}
{{--}}

=====''The Battle of the Star Gate''=====
Cliffjumper was part of the Autobot battalion who battled the Decepticons in space for control of the [[Warp gate|interstellar teleportation system]] known as the ''[[Trigger]]''. During the battle, [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] fused with the ''Trigger'', transforming into a massive, monstrous robot form determined to wipe out Autobots and Decepticons. A combination of Optimus Prime and Megatron's power defeated the treacherous Decepticon, but all the Transformers were caught in the backwash of the colossal explosion that resulted, and were left injured and inactive for many months. {{storylink|The Battle of the Star Gate}}

=====e-HOBBY comics=====
Cliffjumper was among the Autobots gathered on [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] to investigate a string of shipping vessel attacks. They soon learned that the ships were being seized by sea monsters created by the Decepticons in an undersea lab. {{storylink|MP-1B Cybertron Commander / Convoy Black Ver.}} When the first group to investigate (led by an [[Eldedroid]]) went missing, Cliffjumper accompanied Sideswipe and Warpath on a rescue mission. There, they came face to face with the sea monster holding the Elderdroid captive. {{storylink|MP-3G Destron Air Commander / Starscream Ghost Ver.}}

=====''Alternity''=====
[[File:Alternity cliffjumper boxart.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.2]]
In 2005, thanks to the actions of a space-and-time-traveling being known as [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|the Protector]], a parallel universe was created that branched out of this timeline. In this parallel world, [[universal stream]] designation [[BT World|Primax 903.0 Beta]], technological advancements eventually caused the Autobots to evolve into the cross-dimensional super-race known as the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]]. Cliffjumper, however, declined the offer to become a member of the Alternity, as he could not be bothered dealing the troublesome complexities of hyperdimensional life. Instead, Cliffjumper joined the ranks of the Alternity's elite force of Protectors, taking on a new body of the same model used by Bumblebee's [[auto-avatar]]. {{storylink|Cliffjumper (G1)/toys#Alternity|Alternity Cliff profile}} Cliffjumper was assigned the task of aiding in the suppression of the Alternity's arch-enemy, the time-eating god-beast [[Hytherion]], in the distant past, in regions of time beyond the reach of the Alternity themselves.

Learning that the Hytherion's next goal was to consume a galaxy at the moment of its birth 2.4 billion years in the past, Cliffjumper was dispatched back in time to safeguard the lives of all the beings that would be erased from time if the galaxy was destroyed. Arriving before the Hytherion, Cliffjumper did not have long to wait before the beast materialized before him. Overcoming his fear at the terrifying sight of the giant creature by remembering that the Hytherion's strength was not determined by his size, Cliffjumper used his wave-functional pointer-guns to mark the Hytherion's location with markers that transmitted co-ordinates back through time to the Alternity in the future. Using these signal pointers, the Alternity targeted an incredible space-time weapon on the beast, which they triggered at Cliffjumper's signal. The lights and gases of space coalesced into a breathtaking "sword of the heavens" that slashed into the Hytherion and then wrapped around it, dispelling the beast from that time period. Although elated over the victory, Cliffjumper remarked to himself that the Alternity were still full of it, but reasoned that if he could pull the trigger on a weapon like that, he'd probably be full of it too.

Some time later, the revived Megatron was able to shackle the Hytherion's power and confer abilities like those of the Alternity upon himself. The idea that the Alternity's war might be shifting back to the traditional "Autobot vs. Decepticon" status quo was considered great news by Cliffjumper. {{storylink|Ace of Swords}}

The Alternity ultimately vanquished Megatron, but at the cost of their pan-dimensional aggregate. In the battle's aftermath, they met on the planet Athenia, where Elita Seven teased Cliffjumper over missing out on his chance to become a godlike super-being. The now-former members of the Alternity then parted ways, returning to their proper place in the multiverse. {{storylink|Alternation}}

=====''Generations Selects Special Comic''=====
[[File:VolcanicusComic2 SlagDisarmsCliffjumper.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|Slag has learned from [[:File:Cliffgun.JPG|Hound's mistakes]].]]
In [[2050]], Cliffjumper and the Autobots supported the [[Selector]]s' revolution against the humans. The [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s remained loyal to their friend Carly and the Witwickys, and so Cliffjumper was forced to fight them. Even his biggest cannon was no match for [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], and Cliffjumper lost an arm to the fiery Dinobot. {{storylink|Volcanicus comic 2}}
{{-}}

====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic====
[[File:Fsrlf cliffy and ironhide.jpg|thumb|]]
While the majority of the Autobots were occupied dealing with a Decepticon attack upon Autobot Headquarters, Cliffjumper was part of a small team searching [[Japan]] for [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and his [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|cassettes]], who were conspicuous by their absence from the assault. [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Kenji]] found the Decepticon communicator first, but Bumblebee was able to get the drop on him and shattered his chest door with a "Bumble Kick". Cliffjumper and [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] then arrived to take care of the cassettes, who cut their losses and tried to take refuge in Soundwave's chest compartment, only to find that they couldn't get in through the broken door. Cliffjumper snatched them up, and being the big jerk that he is, pulled out their tape spools and wrapped them around his fingers. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 2|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2}}

====''Transformers Legends'' anthology====
Cliffjumper was assigned with Ironhide to be Starscream's escorts after the Decepticon became amnesiac and fell in with the Autobots. He got the opportunity to use his glass-gas gun against Megatron and the Decepticons who turned up to reclaim Starscream. Later on, Starscream regained his memory and rejoined the Decepticons, prompting Cliffjumper to assert that you can't trust a Decepticon. {{storylink|Redemption Center}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}

[[File:Cliffjumper road rocket flash forward.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]

In [[2012]], after a group of Autobots were exposed to [[forestonite]] and developed strange powers, Cliffjumper made it his business to find out what they were capable of. Despite several reminders from [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] that they were still Autobots, he grilled them at length and had them all demonstrate their powers on target dummies. {{storylink|A Flash Forward, Part 2}}
{{--}}

====''Mars Attacks: The Transformers''====
[[File:Mars Attacks The Transformers - Cliffjumper bitchslap.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.85]]

Following a battle in which Cliffjumper and the other Autobots defeated the Decepticons, the city was abruptly invaded by [[Martian]]s. Cliffjumper was amused by [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] losing an arm after underestimating the invaders, but earned himself a slap. When the Martians double-crossed the Decepticons, trapping both factions in a force field, Cliffjumper wondered how a group that called itself "the Decepticons" could not see that coming. Both sides entered into an alliance, which lasted just long enough for them to repel the Martian invaders. {{storylink|Mars Attacks: The Transformers}}
{{--}}

====''Cloud''====
Prior to his departure on the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', Cliffjumper was witness to the incursion into their spacetime by another [[Optimus Prime (Cloud)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (Cloud)|Megatron]] from [[Cloud World]]. He got knocked around as the foreign Megatron unleashed the power of [[SARA]]. {{storylink|Rampage (Cloud)|Rampage}} {{storylink|TFC-A01}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
In one divergent universe, Cliffjumper reported Unicron's attack on Moonbase One to Autobot City. Then, as the universe unraveled, he was briefly replaced by the [[Guardian (GoBots)|Guardian]] [[GoBot]] [[Night Ranger]], only to reassert his normal role. Although he and [[Turbo (GoBots)|Turbo]] tried to escape Moonbase One, they were gobbled by Unicron. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

===Sticker Adventures books===
During a Decepticon attack, Cliffjumper pleaded with Optimus to let him jump into the fray. Optimus denied his request, telling him that they already had the Decepticons on the run. He and the other Autobots then enjoyed an unusual lull in Decepticon activities for the next several days, only to find out they had been lulled into a false sense of security; the Decepticons had stolen the Autobots’ entire supply of fuel during this quiet time. Cliffjumper and the other Autobots nonetheless attempted to fend off the Decepticons when they attacked once more. Thankfully, Optimus returned just in time with a new shipment of fuel. Re-energized, the Autobots forced the Decepticons to flee once again. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons}}

Cliffjumper was helping fix a spaceship when the Decepticons attacked the Autobots’ construction site. He managed to land a hit on Thundercracker. {{storylink|Return to Cybertron}}
{{-}}

===Marvel Storybooks continuity===
[[File:Autobothuddle-ASW.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.0|left]]
Cliffjumper was present when [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] conveyed a message to Optimus from Megatron. The Autobots learned that Megatron had taken [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] captive, and was demanding the Autobots to surrender. Cliffjumper was amongst the Autobots who afterward helped defeat the Decepticons by using a statue of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] as a {{w|Trojan Horse}} of sorts. {{storylink|The Autobots' Secret Weapon}}
{{-}}

===Marvel coloring books===
As the Autobots left [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Cliffjumper loaded a crate of [[energon cube]]s onto the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. {{storylink|The Lost Treasure of Cybertron}} Cliffjumper was a fighting Autobot. When the Decepticons tried to raid sunken ships full of treasure, he and the other Autobots attacked them. When [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] pursued him, Cliffjumper blasted the Decepticon with [[glass gas]]. The Autobots triumphed. {{storylink|Search for Treasure Under the Sea}} [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] and [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] were captured by the Decepticons, and Cliffjumper took part in the battle to rescue them, zapping their captors with glass gas so the two humans could escape. He and the other Autobots also stopped the Decepticons from attacking [[Hoover Dam]]. {{storylink|The Deadly Fuel Shortage}}

{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|The Big Book of Coloring Fun}}

Cliffjumper was among the Autobots rallied by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] to repel [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s forces from [[Oil Valley]]. {{storylink|Battle at Oil Valley}}

===Big Looker storybooks continuity===
[[File:KidsCliff1.jpg|thumb|The Adventures of Scary Eyes and Awesome Car!]]
Upon awakening on Earth, and taking the form of a Porsche, Cliffjumper met Sparkplug and his son Spike. With the Decepticons still not in the know of what forms the Autobots had taken, Cliffjumper was one of the troops that Optimus led into the desert in order to ambush their enemies. Though they successfully took by surprise a squadron of Decepticons, the Autobots had not anticipated a second group flying in from the opposite direction. Thanks to a warning from Spike and Sparkplug, the Autobots managed to fend off the Decepticons and came to accept Earth as their new home. {{storylink|Battle for Cybertron}}

One day, a bunch of [[human]]s held a rally race for which first prize would be a year's supply of [[oil]] and gasoline. Rather than follow their usual tack, attempting to cheat their way to the fuel, the Decepticons decided to sneak into the race simply for the sake of giving the Autobots a thrashing. Cliffjumper was one of the Autobots driving in the rally, and he was unaware that the [[big black car|scary black Cadillac]] was actually being driven by Megatron until he tried to pass it. Megatron dogged the Minibot for quite a while until a telephone pole-wielding Optimus Prime swatted the Decepticon leader out of the race. Cliffjumper won the race and everybody smiled, even Optimus Prime. {{storylink|The Great Car Rally}}

===Listen 'n Fun audiobooks continuity===
{{voiceactor|??? (English)}}
Cliffjumper had an 18-wheeler truck alternate mode. Sent to find Doctor [[Heath Blaisedale]], Cliffjumper had trouble convincing her to come along and eventually had to abduct her, fighting off [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]. He returned to headquarters where [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] apologized to Blaisedale for the whole thing and persuaded her to help them. With the news that the Decepticons wanted to get their hands on the doctor's solar reactor, the Autobots went to the solar plant and began to re-energize. When Ravage kidnapped Blaisedale, energy-low Cliffjumper stayed at the plant and was, therefore, one of the few Autobots still there when Megatron attacked it. Luckily [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] arrived, and once Cliffjumper used the last of his energy to [[glass gas]] Megatron's cannon, they attacked. Cliffjumper was left sitting helplessly in the middle of the battle, and when Optimus's rescue team returned with Blaisedale, [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] had to push Cliffjumper to safety. After the battle, Optimus scolded Cliffjumper for running out of power, and Cliffjumper drove Doctor Blaisedale home. {{storylink|Sun Raid (Listen 'n Fun)}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
Cliffjumper was part of a battle unit assembled by Optimus Prime to stop the Decepticons from seizing control of...a single windmill. (No, really.) {{storylink|Laserbeak's Fury}}

===The Battle for Planet Earth===
Cliffjumper, along with [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] maintained a 24-hour watch on the Decepticon hideout. Cliffjumper was once almost spotted by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]. {{storylink|Menace at the Dam}}

===''S.T.A.R.S.'' continuity===
Before the construction of Autobot City on Earth, Optimus led a convoy of Autobots to find the ideal location for their new base's construction. Cliffjumper was amongst the troops accompanying Optimus. As they drove along, the Autobots were ambushed by the Decepticons. The battle that ensued later came to be known as "[[Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction (G1)|Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction]]." {{storylink|Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers greatest battle on Earth.}}
{{note|Cliffjumper is not seen in the image illustrating the Digital Doom battle in the first installment of the story. However, it is later revealed that he was a part of the battle, as is seen in the next installment. Maybe he was just "off-panel"?}}

Optimus ordered Cliffjumper, Warpath and Cosmos to flee the battle in order to fetch reinforcements. {{storylink|Transformers Combat Data}} {{storylink|The Autobots Are Under Attack!}}
{{-}}

===Decepticon Poison===
{{notemultipath}}
Cliffjumper was amongst the Autobots getting topped up with their latest batch of fuel when Red Alert burst into Autobot headquarters, warning everyone about Ramjet being spotted nearby. The Autobots’ latest batch of fuel had been poisoned by the fleeing Decepticon, leaving Cliffjumper unable to transform.

In one possible sequence of events that ensued, Perceptor gave out the right amount of an antidote the Autobot scientist had created, allowing Cliffjumper to resume his robot form and take arms against an incoming squadron of Decepticons. The antidote having given Cliffjumper and the rest of the cured Autobots a case of battle fever, the bunch were eager to take on the Decepticons head-on in combat. The more level-head Prowl suggested instead a more conniving approach, where the Autobots would ambush their assailants.

If Optimus allowed Cliffjumper and the rest of the refueled Autobots to venture headlong into battle, the group fond themselves fighting against Megatron himself, accompanied by a squad of Decepticon jets. Though Cliffjumper's squad started out strong, they soon found themselves overpowered by Megatron, prompting Optimus to lead a second wave into battle. The second wave soon ran out of fuel, prompting the Autobots to call a retreat. Thankfully, the Decepticons were damaged enough through the course of the battle, causing them to retreat as well.

If Optimus instead followed Prowl's plan, he instructed Cliffjumper and the others to transform into vehicle mode and play dead. The Decepticons, believing the Autobots to be already dead, disarmed themselves in order to carry out the Autobots’ “carcasses.” Now with the element of surprise against an unarmed opponent, the Autobots Transformed and were able to easily defeat the evil robots.

In another possible turn of events, Perceptor gave out too much of his antidote to each Autobot. Though Cliffjumper initially cheered, finding himself able to transform once more, he soon found himself literally falling to pieces. The Autobots finding themselves completely outmatched against an all-out Decepticon attack were made short work of by the Decepticons.

In yet another possible scenario, the Autobots used the tainted fuel to create a toxic cloud that successfully fended off the Decepticons attack. This plan gave Perceptor the time he needed to cure Cliffjumpers and the others with his antidote. Their ranks fully replenished and the Decepticons turning tail meant the Autobots had earned themselves another victory.

In completely different possible sequence of events, Optimus successfully retrieved the antidote to the poison from the Decepticons’ poison lab, and with Ratchet's help, brought Cliffjumper and the rest of the poisoned Autobots back from the precipice of death. Now cured, the Autobots discussed their next course of action; they had to prevent the Decepticons from poisoning the nearby water reservoir. {{storylink|Decepticon Poison}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
{{notekeepers}}
[[File:Prowldarkagesvehicle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Cliffjumper briefly appeared during [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s assault on [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], avoiding Decepticon fire. {{storylink|The War Within issue 3|The War Within #3}}

Cliffjumper was active during the [[Dark Ages]] on Cybertron, when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] were missing and the two armies had split up into multiple smaller factions. He was working primarily with [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s contingent of soldiers. {{storylink|Fragmentation (G1)|Fragmentation}} He accompanied Prowl's team out to the [[Praetorus Wharf]] in search of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], only to discover that the battle station was already operational and battle-ready. {{storylink|Devastation (issue)|Devastation}} Still in vehicle mode, he was knocked over during the initial salvo, and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] had to right him. After the arrival of Autobot reinforcements, they tried to concentrate their firepower to find any sort of weakspot on the enemy, only for Trypticon to suddenly up and leave as he had other orders. {{storylink|Revelation (The Dark Ages)|Revelation}}

During the Age of Internment, during which Megatron managed to take control over Cybertron, Cliffjumper was held at [[Internment Camp Pi]] in [[Praxus]]. He was about to be disciplined for tripping (laying down on the job was a punishable offense) when Brawn stepped in and bashed the guards about to assault him. This little insurrection was quickly quelled by the [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]] overlooking the camp. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2}}

{{unreleased WW comic}}
Optimus returned to Cybertron, and the Autobots were freed from slavery. {{Storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.6}}

[[File:PrimeDirective5-neverfear.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
Cliffjumper was a part of the crew on board the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] when it crashed into [[Earth]] four million years ago while clearing an asteroid in the path of Cybertron. He was one of many Transformers captured and reprogrammed by arms dealer [[Lazarus|Adam 'Lazarus' Rook]] for lease to terrorist organizations and shady governments requiring brutal military might. Fortunately, Autobots under the command of Optimus Prime repaired and re-reprogrammed Cliffjumper and the remaining captive Autobots. Immediately, they were put to work on fighting Megatron's metallic virus, which had spread deep into [[Canada|Canadian]] territory, using their own internal power as the anti-virus. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 5|Prime Directive #5}}

As Cliffjumper collapsed into the snow out of exhaustion, the Canadian military arrived. Unfortunately, due to the recent attacks by both enslaved Autobots and Decepticons under the command of Rook, the Canadians attempted to stop the Autobots doing what they perceived to be an attack on their soil. Knowing that the virus fed upon weapons fire, Cliffjumper tried to stop a tank crew from causing further harm by bending the tank's main gun. The commander panicked, thinking Cliffjumper was attacking, and fired, destroying himself and seriously damaging the Autobot. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 6|Prime Directive #6}}

''When the U.S. military attacked the Autobots and Decepticons at a staged ambush in the Nevada desert, Cliffjumper was among the soldiers present. He took semi-critical damage from the [[deconstructionite]] attack, losing a great deal of available processing power to the weaponized nanites employed by the armed forces, and had to be carted away to safety inside Prime's trailer. {{storylink|Transformers: Fusion|Fusion}}''

Sometime later, the unified Cybertronian army arrived on Earth and demanded the surrender of all active Autobots and Decepticons. After the initial encounter left several Autobots damaged, Optimus Prime brought most of his crew back to the ''Ark'' for repairs while Prowl organized a small detachment for reconnaissance purposes. Cliffjumper and Mirage were teamed together for the recon assignment but were captured by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and his contingent of soldiers. Mirage gave up without a fight, eager to return home to Cybertron, which led Cliffjumper to declare him a traitor to the Autobot cause. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}}

Cliffjumper and Mirage settled their differences on the battlefield during the Autobot uprising on Cybertron; Cliffjumper first attempted to rescue Mirage from [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], only for the Decepticon to knock him aside... allowing Mirage to use his invisibility powers to save him from Dirge in turn. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

Following the toppling of Shockwave's regime, Cliffjumper was assigned to the shuttle ''[[Orion]]'' under [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s command, bringing supplies back to [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and his troops on Earth. Their routine mission was almost immediately interrupted by one of [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s rogue creations, the super-clone known as [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] who was engaging Autobot and Decepticon alike on Earth. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}}

[[File:Atonement-CliffjumperOmegaSupreme.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66]]
Cliffjumper tried to gun down the radioactive Decepticon, only for Sunstorm to overload the ''Orion'' with energy, causing it to crash. The ''Orion''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew walked away from their rough landing unharmed, however, and Sunstorm left in pursuit of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. Cliffjumper and his team set about repairing their ship and accomplished the task in a few hours. The Autobots were getting ready for some well-earned rest when Starscream returned, now accompanied by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}} The Autobots allied themselves with Starscream to combat Sunstorm's greater evil, with Cliffjumper donning a jet-pack to participate in [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]'s plans to disable the solar-powered Decepticon. {{storylink|Skyfire (issue)|Skyfire}} Unfortunately, upon returning to the ''Orion'', Cliffjumper and the others discovered that their one-time ally Starscream betrayed them, disabling all of the Autobots on-board before fleeing the scene. As they were tending to their wounded, the Autobots heard a distant explosion, signifying that their last ace-in-the-hole, [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], had tracked down and engaged Sunstorm. {{storylink|The Omega Effect}} Unfortunately, Omega did not emerge victorious from this confrontation. Though Omega Supreme rebooted in short order after his defeat, he was still very weak. Cliffjumper was left behind to defend him while he recovered. Meanwhile, Jetfire and Bumblebee headed off to track down Sunstorm once more. Cliffjumper argued against this arrangement but was made to accept it when Bumblebee pulled rank on him. {{storylink|Original Sin}} Omega Supreme commented that Cliffjumper was expending energy unnecessarily as he paced about, causing the little 'bot to snap at the titan. Omega revealed that he shared Cliffjumper's concerns over the danger their friends were in, and Cliffjumper apologized, admitting that he simply felt useless in their present situation. {{storylink|Atonement}}
{{-}}

===''The Beast Within''===
Cliffjumper participated in a savage battle against the Decepticons, though he did not fare too well, being on the receiving end of a beat-down courtesy of Headstrong. {{storylink|The Beast Within}} Cliffjumper's corpse would later be one of many that littered the battlefield as Autobot survivors tried to escape the Beast. {{storylink|The Beast Within Part 2, Consequences}}
{{-}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
[[File:Cliffjumperdinosaur-HOS1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0]]
Cliffjumper, who appeared to transform into some sort of ankylosaurid, was seen by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s side as the Autobots waged battle against the Decepticons on prehistoric Earth. When an approaching ice age came close to deactivating both sides, further combat was deemed unwise, and the Autobots went into hiding deep underground. They remained in stasis until the mid-19th century, at which point the battles with the Decepticons flared up again, though Cliffjumper was not seen partaking in any of the action. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 1|Hearts of Steel #1}}

{{IDW HOS}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:Cliffjumper GIJoevsTFs2.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.7]]
Cliffjumper was aboard the ''Ark'' when it crashed on Earth in the past, and lay dormant when it was discovered by [[Cobra]] in the present. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #1}} The terrorist organization subsequently reprogrammed the Transformers to serve them, [[reformatting]] Cliffjumper into a Cobra vehicle in the process. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2}} Luckily, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] eventually undid the reprogramming, freeing Autobot and Decepticon alike. As the factions continued their war on [[Cobra Island]], Cliffjumper helped [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] fight [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5}}

Years later, having returned to Cybertron, Cliffjumper was part of an Autobot team led by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], waiting for a chance to beat up [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] and his Decepticon army. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} When that chance came, the team fought the Decepticons alongside [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]], eventually defeating them. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}
{{-}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Megatron Origin issue 3|''Megatron Origin'' #3]]; [[All Hail Megatron issue 1|''All Hail Megatron'' #1]] (modern era)

[[File:SpotlightCliffjumper introductions.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"So, this is how Bumblebee does this 'making friends' thing, right?"]]
Before the war, Cliffjumper was best buddies with [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]], forming a trio of friends who'd enjoy [[Cybertronian sport#Races|the races]] together. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}} He was seen mourning [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]] at the Security Services HQ in [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} At one point in the early days of the Decepticon uprising, Cliffjumper and Hubcap were weirded out when Bumblebee started acting odd and stopped hanging out with them. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}}

As the war spread across Cybertron, Cliffjumper embraced the path of a warrior as a few other Autobots did. He became a weapons expert, skilled in both ranged and melee combat. His skills earned him a dubious role as an assassin, but it was a job he took to easily. On one occasion, he broke into a Decepticon outpost and executed the ranking commander, along with five other warriors who got in his way. As his ship was damaged during his escape, Cliffjumper was forced down on an undeveloped world to hide out and wait for back-up.

[[File:SpotlightCliffjumper CliffjumperAttacks.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|LEE-ROOOOOOOY JUMP-ER!!!]]
While securing his position, Cliffjumper met a young innocent farm girl named [[Kita]], and her little brother [[Coll]]. Kita marveled at the metal man she had discovered, and Cliffjumper was quite taken with her as well. He told her he was one of the good guys but had to gloss over the details of his job when she said: "there is no greater evil" than to hurt another being. With nothing else to do while waiting for transport home, Cliffjumper helped out around the farm and grew quite close with Kita and Coll. The Decepticons eventually found him, however, and Cliffjumper was forced to resume his role as a warrior. He killed three 'Cons before they even knew he was there, but had to reveal himself when the lead Decepticon took Kita and Coll hostage. Despite Cliffjumper's willing surrender, the Decepticon still struck down Kita, and Cliffjumper rushed Coll and the dying Kita to temporary safety in the barn as the Decepticons' reinforcements arrived. With Kita dead and Coll secured...Cliffjumper no longer had any reason to hold back. He killed at least seven Decepticons before hijacking their ship. Before he left, Cliffjumper brought Coll to a new family and buried Kita, leaving flowers on her grave and banging her tombstone into place with the severed head of one of his enemies. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cliffjumper}}

Cliffjumper was a participant in the [[Battle for Hell's Point]]. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

[[File:AHM4CliffjumperConsole.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|right|Ha-ppi-ness, ha-ppi-ness...]]
After the [[Expansion]] battles, Cliffjumper came to Earth with several other Autobots as reinforcements for Optimus Prime and the crew of the ''Ark-19'' who had been stationed there. Acting on intelligence reports, they entered a deep canyon and were ambushed by the Decepticons. Cliffjumper was one of the bots to rally against the Decepticons and start turning the tide—until [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] turned up and slagged them all. The defeated Autobots were banished to Cybertron through a one-way space bridge after the battle. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}} {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} The Autobots were trapped on their home planet afterwards, watching over the critically wounded Optimus Prime while desperately searching for some traces of Energon to keep him and themselves alive. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} They had little to occupy themselves with during downtime, and often resorted to telling old war stories to keep up the faith. {{storylink|Spotlight: Jazz}}

Cliffjumper proved just how desperate he was for a good rumble when he spent hours staring at a screen on the off chance of an emergency, then got excited over a signal that lasted 1/100th of a second! Taking a ticked off [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] along for the ride, he found the suspected threat... which turned out to be [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]]. Neither Cliffjumper or Ironhide realized this before the big guy decked Roddy. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}}

[[File:AHM8 Hound Cliffjumper.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.9]]
Joining up with Hot Rod and the crew of the ''Trion'', Cliffjumper and the others began to trek towards the fallen ship and its energy supply. When fleeing from [[Insecticon swarm|the Swarm]], he helped hold them off while riding Hound, who was in his jeep mode. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} The convoy eventually made it to the barracks where Kup and the ''Trion'' crew had been squatting. While Mirage talked of giving up, Cliffjumper just expressed his satisfaction at having weapons again. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} Cliffjumper fought the raging Swarm when they got over the other bridge (that had not been bombed by the late Sunstreaker), and was close to losing until the ''very'' timely intervention of [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. He went with the other Autobots to Earth. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} Then, on Earth, when the Autobots retreated from the Decepticon attack, he corrected a deluded [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] by saying that they weren't running away, that they were making room—making room for Omega, who promptly slagged Devastator. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} He survived the great battle. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

[[File:NewArrivalsOldEncounters Cliffjumper.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Cliffjumper, the true face of [[Democracy]].]]
Two years later, the Autobots were left in disarray when Optimus Prime surrendered himself to [[Skywatch]], leaving them leaderless. When the Autobots decided to hold nominations for the new leader, Cliffjumper stated that he planned to nominate himself. Despite what was surely a vigorous campaign that lasted all of five minutes, Cliffjumper was one-upped by Bumblebee, who was surprisingly elected the new Autobot leader by a majority of the voters. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} He was among the troops who lined up when [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] dropped by to investigate Prime's surrender, and had to remind Bumblebee that he was supposed be in charge. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}} After Bumblebee organized an alliance with [[Gordon Horiuchi]], a rogue Skywatch officer, Cliffjumper helped captured [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] for the humans. However, when Horiuchi revealed that their next target was [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], he got ticked off and made it perfectly clear that they weren't capturing any of their fellow Autobots for Skywatch. In response, Horiuchi used the Skywatch badge given to Cliffjumper to temporarily trap him in vehicle mode until he calmed down. {{storylink|The Hanging Sword}}

The Autobots were none too pleased with Skywatch's ability to incapacitate any of them at any given time and thought up a plan to deactivate the badges once Bumblebee's malfunctioned. Cliffjumper almost ruined it, however, when he cheered for Bumblebee's rousing "We Shall Overcome" speech even though they were being monitored. {{storylink|The Impossible Knot}} He had learned his lesson a while later and used internal text messages to speak to his comrades instead. {{storylink|The Gift Horse}} As the Autobots continued to covertly monitor Bumblebee's progress, however, Cliffjumper could no longer restrain himself and yelled out a warning when Bumblebee bravely but foolishly threw himself into battle with the elite Decepticon, [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]. {{storylink|Wings of Wax}}

After the Horiuchi incident concluded and the badges were destroyed, Cliffjumper was present when Ultra Magnus returned, looking for deputies to bring in Hot Rod for colluding with the Decepticons. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}} Cliffjumper fought alongside Bumblebee and Hot Rod's teams against the new Decepticon gestalt, [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}}

[[File:Ratchet fixes Cliffjumper-The Land Ironclads.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3]]
After Bumblebee made arrangements to ally the Autobots with Skywatch full-time under [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]'s authority, the Autobots moved into the humans' bunkers. In an attempt to smooth relations and promote cultural exchange, [[Campolongo]] introduced Cliffjumper and the other Autobots to his DVD collection. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}} CJ was undergoing some repairs with Ratchet in the med-bay when Spike alerted them to the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]] presence along the demilitarized zone in Korea. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}}

Cliffjumper was one of the Autobots deployed to [[South Korea]] as part of Skywatch's clandestine operation to counter-attack the Combaticons without contradicting the [[President of the United States]]' decree that Cybertronians were considered to be weapons of mass destruction. As the Autobots were unpacked from shipping containers, Cliffjumper overheard Spike's sarcastic remark about Optimus Prime being Patton and wondered aloud if he was referring to [[Patton Oswalt]], eliciting a laugh from Campolongo. During the subsequent battle against the Combaticons, Cliffjumper assisted Smokescreen in trying to prevent [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] from getting airborne but was slashed by the Decepticon's rotor blade for his trouble. In the aftermath, while he waited for repairs, he wondered why Bumblebee wasn't out on the field with the Autobots he was supposed to be in command of. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}} Cliffjumper then participated in the second assault on the Combaticons, though he and the others unexpectedly ended up fighting the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] as well. They were ultimately victorious (or rather, the Predacons left willingly when the humans attempted to [[Nuclear weapon|nuke]] all combatants). {{storylink|International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"|All My Sins Remembered}}

Cliffjumper and the other members of the Korea team were sent home on a plane but were shot down by unknown assailants on the way. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man|The Demolished Man}} They survived crashing in the sea and managed to walk along the ocean bottom to the nearest shore. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} The Autobots soon learned that [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] had returned to Earth, and was responsible for shooting their plane down. Cliffjumper and the others moved to confront him, but were told to stay back by Optimus, who wanted to confirm what was going on before they attacked the Decepticons. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}}

[[File:Orphans of the Helix Welcome back Sunstreaker.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5]]
Some six weeks later, Hot Rod (now known as Rodimus) returned to the Autobot base from space, bringing with him a revived Sunstreaker. Cliffjumper was still wary around him, seeing as how his betrayal had stranded them on Cybertron years earlier, but all the feelings of happiness floating around the camp made him more forgiving. Like most other Autobots, Cliffjumper presumably boarded Omega Supreme's rocket mode to return to Cybertron the next day. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}}

[[File:Kings Wheelie Cliffjumper.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left]]
After arriving on Cybertron, Optimus Prime ordered Cliffjumper to coordinate the landing party while he and the others made contact with [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] and his forces. As they arrived, Galvatron demonstrated his control over the [[Kimia Facility]] by converting it into a space-based weapon and launching a strike on Cybertron's surface. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}} Optimus dispatched Cliffjumper and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] to scout Galvatron's army and, before Cliffjumper could stop him, Wheelie began sniping the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] from cover, alerting Galvatron to their position. The duo got pinned down and badly turned to worse when "salvation" arrived in the form of Megatron. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} Luckily, Megatron was more interested in killing Sweeps than Autobots, but Cliffjumper and Wheelie still fled to a safe distance to avoid getting caught in the slaughter. The situation became even direr when Galvatron's chosen nemesis, [[D-Void]], took control of the united Sweeps and Megatron's Decepticon reinforcements, forcing them all into [[Deceptigod|a humongous construct]]. Cliffjumper and the other Autobots fell beneath its massive destructive power, leaving only Megatron to defend the surface of Cybertron. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} Cliffjumper could do little more than keep his head down as forces beyond his ken grappled for control of Cybertron. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

As the Transformers began rebuilding their civilization on a restored Cybertron, Cliffjumper went to the reopened [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] and had a drink with [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] and [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}} When Megatron showed up in their city, the Autobots feared he'd ruin their budding peace and attacked him, though they were prevented from killing him by the Decepticon population. {{storylink|City on Fire}} Megatron's return inevitably led to the Decepticons trying to conquer Cybertron ''again'', and so Cliffjumper took to the streets to fight them once more. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} The battle ended with both Autobots and Decepticons banished from Iacon by the third faction, the [[NAIL|neutrals]], and Cliffjumper and his pals were forced to go live in a camp in the wilderness. {{storylink|Second Exodus}} {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} He later returned to the city to help defend it from the [[Ammonite]]s invading Cybertron. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}}

[[File:Cliffjumper Dead on Unicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right|Oh look, he's dead just like [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|the other Cliffjumper.]] And the [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|the other ''other'' Cliffjumper.]]]]
Cliffjumper was among the Autobots who returned to Earth under Optimus Prime's command to save the planet from Galvatron's Decepticons and ended up being blasted by Galvatron. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}}

When [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] began his galactic rampage, Cliffjumper was part of a team dispatched to [[Velocitron]] and was subsequently killed when the Chaos Bringer consumed the colony. {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}} His corpse remained in Unicron's maw and was noticed by [[Rom]] and [[Livia]] as they skimmed the destroyer's surface. Bumblebee was quite saddened to learn of his friend's demise. {{storylink|Our Darkest}} Later during the final battle on Earth, [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] glimpsed Cliffjumper's spirit as the Decepticon used the Enigma of Combination to assist Optimus against Unicron.{{storylink|Ceremony}}

{{-}}

===''Lil Formers''===
Cliffjumper was frustrated by Prowl's inability to assess the fact that the Decepticons were responsible for some graffiti, despite all of the slogans spray-painted on the walls making it obvious who were the ones responsible. {{storylink|Lil Formers}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in manga===
One day, the Minibot Attack Team (Cliffjumper, [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]], and [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]) and the Minibot Spy Team ([[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]], [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]) found an offline [[Hot Shot (Henkei!)|Hot Shot]] buried underground. Cliffjumper suggested they report their discovery back to base, but before they had a chance to, Cosmos found [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] also laying unconscious in the area. Assuming his [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] insignia to be a Decepticon one, the Minibots fought him until Hot Rod awoke and convinced the dinosaur to join the Autobots. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 11}}
{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Transformers -Visualize-''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Visualize Shot 13}}}}

{{-}}
===''Kre-O'' cartoon===
Cliffjumper put on a cunning disguise and joined [[Wheeljack (G1)/toys#Kre-O|Wheeljack]] in infiltrating a [[Decepticon]] worksite. Though the pair were quickly surrounded, they were merely acting as a diversion. The pair used their umbrellas to shield themselves from the ensuing grilled cheese explosion. {{storylink|Quest for Energon, Part 2}}

{{-}}

===''Transformers: All Spark''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Another Episode, Part 1}} {{storylink|Another Episode, Part 2}} {{storylink|Plans of the Emperor of Destruction}} {{storylink|Revenge (All Spark)|Revenge}} {{storylink|The False Power}} {{storylink|Ray of Hope}} {{storylink|Conclusion}}}}

===''Q-Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Shouta Aoi]] (Japanese)}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Road to Winning a New Fanbase}}}}

===''Transformers/Ghostbusters''===
[[File:GhostsOfCybertronPart1-autobots.jpg|thumb|300px]]
Cliffjumper was among the Autobots who fled Cybertron at the end of the Great War, being spared the destruction of Cybertron and the near-extinction of the Cybertronian race at the hands of [[Gozer]]. A thousand or so years later, Cliffjumper and Bumblebee's attention was seized by [[Ectotron|Ectronymous Diamatron]]'s eager shout. Running the two minibots were shocked to see that a Cybertronian signal had been picked up from the nearby Earth, Cliffjumper running ahead to the bridge to inform Optimus Prime of these findings. {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 1}}
{{-}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' continuity===
====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material====
[[File:Earthrise-Cliffjumper-art.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.6]]
{{bigquote|Strike first, strike fast, strike hard.}}
After Cybertron fell, the Autobots left their homeworld aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', traveling through space in pursuit of the [[AllSpark]]. Cliffjumper was a [[Cybertronian military insignia|Ground Command Infantry Private]], {{storylink|Cliffjumper (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Earthrise|''Earthrise'' toy packaging}} whose function was a warrior. His primary objective was to dive headfirst into danger, and his primary weapon was his [[Glass gas|Glass Gas Blaster]]. {{storylink|War for Cybertron: Earthrise|''Earthrise'' webpage}}<ref>[https://transformers.hasbro.com/en-us/brands/earthrise ''Earthrise'' website]</ref>

====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Miles Luna]] (English)|[[Cédric Ingard]] (French), [[Luis Leonardo Suárez]] (Latin-American Spanish)}}

[[File:WFC-S Cliffjumper.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|”So I'm a repaint once more... But then again, so is everyone else.”]]
In order to wipe out a code set by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] unleashed a virus that sabotaged the electronic equipment on multiple Autobot outposts. Cliffjumper attempted to contact the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] but only managed to get a few words in before the connection cut out. {{storylink|Siege episode 5}}
{{--}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Wannabee, Part 1|''Galaxies'' #5]]}}
[[File:WannabeePart2-CliffjumperForging.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"It all began on the day of my actual birth. Both of my parents failed to show up."]]

Like all Cybertronians, Cliffjumper's life began when he emerged from the [[Forge Pyramid]] in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. Unlike everyone else however, his birth was an accident, emerging mere hours after [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] to an empty courtyard, save a rather rude [[Voin]] and [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]]. {{storylink|Wannabee, Part 2}} The rest of Cliffjumper's life would largely follow the same pattern; in his job as a sanitation engineer, his co-workers would constantly mistake him for his more famous lookalike. {{storylink|Wannabee, Part 1}}

[[File:WannabeePart2-Cliffjumper.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]

Before the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], Cliffjumper was chosen by Ambassador [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]] to accompany him to the planet [[Probat (planet)|Probat]]. Upon arriving at the bleak organic world, Cliffjumper soon discovered that [[Probat (species)|the native species]] all but worshipped Bumblebee, who had helped set-up the planet's energon refinery, and Deathsaurus had brought him along to act as a shiny distraction for the serfs, whose echolocation based vision blinded them to the chromatic difference between Cliffjumper and Bumblebee. Brought to a Probat dwelling, Cliffjumper learnt that evolution had led to the [[alien]]s being capable of secreting energon and that, when superheated, their leavings became ultra-refined [[energon crystal]]s. Running off to share this discovery with Deathsaurus, Cliffjumper arrived in time to see that the ambassador had murdered [[Natalus]]. After Cliffjumper explained his discovery, Deathsaurus sampled the crystal and decided to burn the Probat civilization to the ground, promising Cliffjumper a portion of the bounty if he cooperated. {{storylink|Wannabee, Part 1}}

When Cliffjumper refused to take part in a genocide however, he found himself shoved into a wall. No sooner had he extradited himself did he learn that Deathsaurus had exposed him as a "false 'Bee" who had slain Natalus. Fleeing an angry mob, Cliffjumper managed to pick up a Probat child who explained more of Natalus and Deathsaurus' machinations on her society. Cajoled into taking the child with him, Cliffjumper charged at Deathsaurus, receiving a boost of energy when the girl delivered an ultra-refined crystal into his system, and managed to impale the draconic ambassador on one of the newly catalyzed energon spires. After scuttling the energon facility, Cliffjumper gave the Probats their wings back, becoming the planet's ''new'' hero and getting a statue made in his likeness. {{storylink|Wannabee, Part 2}}

After returning to Cybertron, Deathsaurus rented a [[Simultronic|multiworld simulation]] from [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and spent many cycles dreaming about repeatedly killing Cliffjumper. {{storylink|War World: Hunt|Hunt}}

===''My Little Pony/Transformers''===
[[File:Finale-Cliffjumper.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Cliffjumper took part in the final battle against [[King Sombra]] and his mind-controlled soldiers. {{storylink|Finale (The Magic of Cybertron)|Finale}}

{{--}}

===Energon Universe===
{{spoiler|Transformers (2023) issue 9|July 10, 2024}}
[[File:Transformers2-Cliffjumper.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Running gag, schmunning gag!"]]
During the 200 year war on Cybertron, Cliffjumper's entire clan was killed by [[Starscream (G1)#Energon Universe|Starscream]], prompting Cliffjumper to join the war the very next day. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 4|Transformers #4}}

Cliffjumper was among the Autobots who fled Cybertron aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)#Energon Universe|Ark]]'' and among the Autobots who (unsuccessfully) engaged [[Megatron (G1)#Energon Universe|Megatron]] as the ship crashed to Earth. {{storylink|Transformers Energon Universe Special story}}

After [[Jetfire (G1)#Energon Universe|Jetfire]] reactivated [[Teletraan 1|Teletraan One]] and the battle recommenced, his body was taken by [[Ratchet (G1)#Energon Universe|Ratchet]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Energon Universe|Optimus Prime]] as they escaped from the attack of the newly reconstructed Decepticon forces. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 1|Transformers #1}}

He was revived by Ratchet using leftover materials found in the Autobot's quarry hideout. Cliffjumper went outside to greet his leader, but was surprised and afraid to see so much organic life on the planet, including [[Spike Witwicky (G1)#Energon Universe|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Carly (G1)#Energon Universe|Carly]], although Carly talked enough sense into him to accept a handshake (uh... fingershake?) from her. Cliffjumper was present as Ratchet explained how the Autobot's dangerously low fuel levels meant that he could not revive any other Autobots, Cliffjumper reasoning that the Decepticons would have the same problem. After the Decepticons attacked a nearby power plant to rectify that problem, Cliffjumper was ordered to remain at the quarry to protect Ratchet and the dormant Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 2|Transformers #2}}

[[File:TF2023 – Cliffjumper Ain't Welcome 'Round Here.jpg|thumb|left|It's tough being the [[kid-appeal character]] when you aren't very appealing and there aren't many kids.]]
Instead, he followed Carly's van out of concern for her safety. His concern was warranted, as Carly was also being trailed by the Decepticon cassette [[Laserbeak (G1)#Energon Universe|Laserbeak]] to her home. Cliffjumper rammed through the wall to tackle the Decepticon, dispatching him with a kick. Unfortunately, Cliffjumper was then himself dispatched by [[Sparkplug Witwicky#Energon Universe|"Sparky"]] via shotgun to the face. (He was fine, though he did ruin Carly's other wall). Later, Cliffjumper tracked Carly and Sparky to the nearby bar, hoping to start off on the right foot with the humans this time. So, of course, Sparky shot him, but with an assault rifle this time. The situation was not improved by the arrival of [[Skywarp (G1)#Energon Universe|Skywarp]], who attacked Cliffjumper and the humans. The red Autobot was in no position to defend himself, so Carly put herself between Cliffjumper and Skywarp. Luckily, both were saved by the arrival of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 3|Transformers #3}}

Following the battle, Cliffjumper and Carly caught up to Optimus as the Autobot leader rushed Sparky and the injured Spike to a nearby hospital, all while under fire from Starscream. Cliffjumper gave the girl one last chance to back out before the pair swiped Starscream's feet out from under him, allowing the Autobots to escape to the hospital. However, Laserbeak attacked from above. Cliffjumper returned fire to the skybound Decepticon, but was blindsided by [[Rumble (G1)#Energon Universe|Rumble]] from behind. However, as Starscream began to fire on the hospital, Ratchet and [[Jazz (G1)#Energon Universe|Jazz]] arrived, Cliffjumper happy to see them. Now with the advantage, the Decepticons retreated, and Cliffjumper saw them off with a pair of rude gestures.

[[File:TF2023 no. 4 – Cliffjumper & Carly.jpg|right|An obvious one, I guess?|thumb]]
Later, Cliffjumper sat with Carly, asking if she was ok and relaying his experience losing his clan to Starscream. He was then approached by a newly armed Optimus, asking if he was ready to go on the offensive. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 4|Transformers #4}}

And so Cliffjumper and Carly helped out in an operation to use a scratchbuilt turbine and water from Farmingham Dam to power up and revive more Autobots. Cliffjumper aided from the top of the dam, letting water flow down to the turbine. They'd just succeeded in reviving [[Arcee (G1)#Energon Universe|Arcee]] when the Decepticons attacked. Carly tried to join in defending the turbine, despite Cliffjumper's protests, which got the human tossed off the side of the dam by an explosion. Cliffjumper tried to catch her but failed. Thankfully, Arcee was able to save Carly from her fall. Cliffjumper was so distracted by this that he failed to notice Rumble sneaking up behind him to do a repeat of his "sneak-attack piledriver" from before, but this time Cliffjumper was saved by a freshly revived Jazz.

In the end, the Decepticons managed to damage the turbine before any more Autobots could be revived, but Optimus figured now was the time to launch a counteroffensive to retake the ''Ark''. Carly, eager to avenge her father and Spike, wanted to come along, but Prime and Sparky vetoed the idea. Cliffjumper however, agreed that Carly had a right to be there when the Decepticons were finished for good, and sneakily grabbed her and pulled her into his vehicle mode to bring her along.

[[File:TF2023 no. 6 – Cliffjumper's Alt. Mode.jpg|left|Not the paint! ''Not the paint!''|thumb]]
The Autobots had just reached the ''Ark'' when an explosion rocked Cliffjumper and Ratchet off their wheels, signalling the arrival of the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 5|Transformers #5}} Cliffjumper and Carly raced towards [[Devastator (G1)#Energon Universe|Devastator]], but Carly swerved the Autobot off away from the combiner stating that they were vastly underpowered and needed to use their heads to get some more firepower. The pair then made their way to the ship and up to the opening, they made it up and Cliffjumper told Carly to find something to use. However they were followed in by Starscream, who proceeded to face down against the Autobot. The Seeker had gained the upper hand until she shouted for Carly to fire at Starscream, freeing Cliffjumper from Starscream's grasp. He then lamented on the day Starscream had killed his clan, pondering out loud what the moment killing Starscream would be like. He then pointed his blaster at Starscream's face before realizing that this isn't what he wanted. This short amount of time gave Starscream enough leverage to grab Carly, to which Cliffjumper demanded her release. Devastator was then thrust upon the Decepticon leader and Cliffjumper caught the falling Carly. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 6|Transformers #6}}

For some time after the battle, Carly refused to speak to Cliffjumper, disappointed by his refusal to kill Starscream. Jazz tried to console the red Autobot, telling him there's no shame in not killing and that even Optimus was dealing with the same guilt. Later, Cliffjumper watched as [[Wheeljack (G1)#Energon Universe|Wheeljack]] explained how Skywarp was locking the Autobots out of Teletraan One's repair functions, then as Optimus revealed his plan to find the Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 7|Transformers #7}} When Spike and Carly tried clearing their heads at a lake, Cliffjumper tried joining in, bearing drinks. However, Carly was still upset with Cliffjumper, and stormed off, leaving Cliffjumper to be consoled by Spike.

[[File:TF2023 no 9 - Cliffjumper No .jpeg|right|thumb|Sorry Cliff. But it's the price you have to pay for no longer being a red shirt.]]
The Autobots then detected renewed Decepticon activity, and Prime had Cliffjumper pilot the mode-locked Jetfire to the scene. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 8|Transformers #8}} When they arrived, Jetfire's wing was shot off by a [[Space bridge]] energy pulse, and they wound up crashing. After being thrown clear in the impact, Cliffjumper found himself accosted by the newly arrived [[Shockwave (G1)#Energon Universe|Shockwave]], who transformed into gun mode so that Soundwave could level him at the Mini Vehicle, but at the last moment, Ratchet leapt in front of him and took the shot. Prime leapt to Cliffjumper's aid, but even with backup from Jazz, the Decepticons gained the upper hand. It was then that [[Elita One (G1)#Energon Universe|Elita One]] arrived on the scene with the emaciated [[Ultra Magnus (G1)#Energon Universe|Ultra Magnus]], and Jazz and Cliffjumper were caught up in the chaos that followed. Optimus wanted to rescue them, but Elita told him that there was no helping them, and a reluctant Prime carried her and Magnus away. Meanwhile, Shockwave was curious what effects prolonged time on Earth had on Cybertronians, and figured the two wounded Autobots would make perfect guinea pig-a-trons for painful experimentation. Cliffjumper could only cry out as he and Jazz were dragged away. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 9|Transformers #9}}
{{ongoing}}
{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
Cliffjumper and [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] once allowed a [[Mini-spy]] access to the Autobot base, only for the little rascal to start mucking around with [[Teletraan I]]. The two Autobots then rushed in to check the Mini-spy's true allegiance, discovering it to be a Decepticon. The spy fled, with the two Autobots in pursuit. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Mini-Spies|Mini-spies commercial}}

==Games==
===Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons===
Optimus Prime embarked on a mission to rescue Cliffjumper, along with several other Autobots being held captive inside the Decepticons' maze-like base. {{storylink|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game}}

===The Transformers: Battle to Save the Earth===
[[File:C64Cliffjumper.gif|thumb|upright=1.4|:\]]

Along with his fellow Autobots, Cliffjumper protected Earth from the menace of the Decepticons. He was ostensibly under the command of [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Battle to Save the Earth}}
{{-}}

===''Bot Shots Battle Game!''===
Cliffjumper participated in numerous one-on-one matches against other Autobots and Decepticons, using his fists, his sword, or his gun to defeat his opponents. Sometimes, he even faced off against himself! {{storylink|Bot Shots Battle Game!}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
During the war on Cybertron, Cliffjumper was among a group of Autobots led by [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], who went to [[Tyrest]] in an attempt to reason with [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. They were ambushed by the Decepticons, and Sentinel Prime was killed. {{storylink|The War Within}} On their way back to Iacon after an energon scavenging mission, Cliffjumper and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] were forced to evade a Decepticon team headed by [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye (Legends)|More than Meets the Eye}} Cliffjumper was amongst the Autobots who fought back against the Decepticon Seekers when they went on a world-wide rampage. {{storylink|Robots in the Sky}} Following a Decepticon attack on [[New York City]], Cliffjumper joined [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]'s team of infiltrators on a hunt for Decepticons. They were thwarted by three of the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. {{storylink|War Dawn (Legends)|War Dawn}}

Cliffjumper was still fighting the good fight when the Aerialbots were sent back in time and helped Orion Pax and Ariel become Optimus Prime and Elita-One respectively. {{storylink|Golden Age (Legends)|Golden Age}} [[Bluestreak (G1)|Silverstreak]], Cliffjumper and [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] were sent to [[South America]] where the Decepticons were attempting to build a cannon to harness the energy of the [[Crystal of Power]]. Even joined by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], the Autobots were unable to prevent the cannon's completion, but later destroyed it and capped the shaft on which the crystal had stood. {{storylink|Fire on the Mountain (Legends)|Fire on the Mountain}}

Cliffjumper and a few other Autobots were heading back from a charity event when they received a distress signal from a nearby human military base. Arriving on-scene, they found Decepticons scouring the base for the [[MacGuffin Generator]]. Cliffjumper and the Autobots fought the Decepticons to a stalemate, until the evil robots got their hands on the device and activated it. It proved more volatile than they expected however, and blew them all off into the distance. Cliffjumper helped repair the base in the battle's aftermath. {{storylink|Raiding Party}}

Cliffjumper was caught up somehow in a [[Quintesson]] plot to kidnap several Autobots during the [[Galactic Olympics|Galactic Games]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 1}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsCliffjumper.jpg|thumb|400px|:D]]
[[File:Battle-Tactics-Cliffjumper-(Gen).jpg|thumb|400px|Am I holding my hand as a gun?]]
Cliffjumper participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He appeared in two different bodies:
*''Cliffjumper'' — This Common character could be recruited by collecting 8 units of Cybermetal.
*''Cliffjumper (Gen)'' — This Epic character was available as a reward to 50 leagues in the "Transform and Roll Out!" event.
{{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Frontiers''===
{{Charstubgames|{{Storylink|Transformers: Frontiers}}}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:Cliffjumper-Earth-Wars.jpg|thumb|300px|"'''SHOTGUN!'''" "I outrank you, get in the back."]]

Though physically one of the smaller Autobots, Cliffjumper has the gung-ho attitude of much bigger bots, and the impatient, straining-at-the-leash growl of "let me at 'em!" can be heard prior to any engagement with the Decepticons. His eagerness and daring have no equal, but he does tend towards impulsiveness, especially when it comes to any kind of stealthy approach.
Cliffjumper is prone to go through things rather than over or around them.
{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Cliffjumper Bio}}

Cliffjumper arrived on earth in time to participate in the battle for the Codex Key. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars| Codex Showdown Campaign}}

Cliffjumper also witnessed the creation of Superion, and participated in many key battles for the Autobot cause.

With Optimus Prime [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] stuck in 1984, Ultra Magnus and Prowl decided to send Cliffjumper and a team of [[C.O.M.B.A.T. System|C.O.M.B.A.T. Bots]] back in time to find them. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Crossroads of Time}}

*'''Class:''' Gunner
*'''Lowest Star Rating:''' 2 star
*'''Weapons:''' Cliffjumper uses a standard issue [[grenade launcher]] to bombard defenses from afar.
*'''Ability: Glass Gas Rockets''' Cliffjumper can shoot out 4 rockets of glass gas towards key defenses. Upon impact, the affected buildings take 40% more damage for 7 seconds.
**'''Cost''': 4 ability points +3 for reuses.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:cliffjumper Cliffjumper at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
While confronting a [[Quintesson]]-brainwashed [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] remarked that all those years ago, Cliffjumper was right about Mirage being a traitor. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight|Appearing Act}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Cliffjumper was a tenacious Autobot who always had the right weapon for any situation. {{storylink|Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook|Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook}}

==Toys==
::''Main article: [[Cliffjumper (G1)/toys]]''

==Merchandise==
::''Main article: [[Cliffjumper (G1)/toys#Merchandise]]''

==Notes==
*Cliffjumper's pre-production name '''Blow-Out''' was mentioned in a Marvel Age article announcing the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic series]] in 1984,<ref name="marvelage">[http://www.electric-escape.net/node/590 Article from Marvel Age #17.]</ref> and also appeared at one point in ''[[The Great Car Rally]]''. The second instance is particularly peculiar considering he's referred to as Cliffjumper throughout the rest of the book.
*In "[[Laserbeak's Fury]]", Cliffjumper's only appearance in the [[Ladybird Books]], he is colored yellow like his original toy's variant.
*Like many of his compatriots in "[[Crossing Over]]", Cliffjumper is depicted as his [[Cliffjumper (G1)/toys#Classics|contemporaneous ''Classics'' toy]]. However, from "[[Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass]]" onwards, Cliffjumper lacks that toy's silver vehicle mode highlights, essentially making him an all-red "virtual redeco"... of himself. Maybe travelling to a negative polarity universe strips your paintjob?

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cliff''' (クリフ ''Kurifu''), '''Cliffjumper''' (クリフジャンパー ''Kurifujanpā'')
*''Czech:'' '''Skokan'''
*''Danish:'' '''Klippespringer''' (Danish cartoon, "Cliffjumper")
*''French:'' '''Cliff''' (Europe cartoon), '''Matamore''' (Canada cartoon), '''Rapido''' (Canada toys)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Sziklaugró''' ("Cliffjumper"), '''Ugró''' (first dub of ''The Movie'', "Jumper")
*''Italian:'' '''Grillo''' ("Cricket")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Tiàoyá''' (Taiwan, 跳崖, "Cliff Jumping"), '''Fēigùoshān''' (China, 飞过山, "Flying across a Mountain")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Salta-Penhascos''' (Portugal comics), '''Saltador''' (Brazil comics), '''Carrera''' (Brazil toys)
*''Russian:'' '''Skalolaz''' (Скалолаз, "Rock-climber")
*''South American:'' '''Carrera'''
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Strybun''' (Стрибун, "Jumper")
*''Polish:'' '''Skoczek Skalny''' (TM Semic Comic, "Mountain Skipper")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Alternity Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Cloud Autobots]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Energon Universe Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon Autobots]]
[[Category:Generations Selects Autobots]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Mini Vehicles]]
[[Category:Second Cybertron Alliance]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass Decepticons]]
[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game Autobots]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Siege Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]

Swindle (G1)

2024-07-01T04:50:07Z

1levichurch: /* Transformers: Earth Wars */

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig3|Swindle}}
:''Swindle is a [[Decepticon]] [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Swindleg1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|He'd sell you for a nickel, that schemer.]]

Capitalist first, Decepticon second, '''Swindle''' is a con-man, an opportunist, a hustler—or as he would put it, an entrepreneur. Unlike his fellow Combaticons, he considers the Autobot-Decepticon war to be merely an opportunity for networking, cutting deals, and making profit. He's an expert on all manner of weaponry and their market prices, and he prides himself on being able to sell anything to pretty much anybody.

Despite being a weaselly, opportunistic sneak, Swindle is one of the few Decepticons who could adapt to a post-war Cybertron. After all, there will always be demand for a black market, regardless of whoever wins. He knows all he has to do is keep his chin up, and he'll always have a customer. All he needs is a smile.

Swindle can combine with the other Combaticons to form [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]].

{{quote|Make deals, not war.|Swindle's [[bio]] quote}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Johnny Haymer]] (English), [[Osamu Saka]] (Japanese), [[Kōki Kataoka]] (Japanese, "Aerial Assault"), [[Ken Shiroyama]] (Japanese, ''2010''), [[Yoku Shioya]] (Japanese, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2"), [[Minoru Inaba]] (Japanese, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3"), [[Takurō Kitagawa]] (Japanese, "Webworld")|[[Xia Zhiqing]] (Chinese), [[Alejandro Abdalah]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Bernd Simon]] (German, "Five Faces of Darknes, Part 2 - 4" & "The Rebirth, Part 3"), [[Gerhard Acktun]] (German, "Webworld"), [[Imo Heite]] (German, "The Ultimate Weapon"), [[Ulf-Jürgen Wagner]] (German, ''Generation 2'' dub of "Starscream's Brigade"), [[Peter Zilles]] (German, ''Generation 2'' dub of "The Ultimate Weapon"), [[Georges Atlas]] (European French), [[Albert Augier]] (European French, "The Revenge of Bruticus"), [[Éric Etcheverry]] (European French, "Five Faces of Darkness, Parts 2 - 4"), [[François Leccia]] (European French, "Webworld"), [[Júlio César]] (Portuguese), [[Marcos Miranda]] (Portuguese, "The Revenge of Bruticus"), [[Carlos Marques]] (Portuguese, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2"), [[André Filho]] (Portuguese, "The Ultimate Weapon")}}

[[File:StarscreamsBrigade CombaticonsMegs.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Step right up! Step right up! Everyone's a winner; bargains galore!]]
Swindle was one of the five [[renegade Decepticon]]s liberated by [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] in the Air Commander's latest attempt to unseat [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. As an element of their imprisonment, they had been reduced to mere [[personality component]]s, so Starscream installed them into abandoned [[World War II]] military vehicles. Swindle in particular was put in a {{w|Willys Jeep}},<ref>"Starscream's Brigade" shooting script</ref> and unlike his teammates, he didn't immediately reconfigure himself into a different vehicle form. Starscream called them "Combaticons" and announced their names as they transformed, but they didn't recognize him. Nor did they feel particularly indebted to him for their release; in the end, Starscream only guaranteed their loyalty though having given them bodies bereft of [[energy absorber]]s, so they would be dependent upon him to refuel. While their first missions for Starscream were initially successful, the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]' intervention meant the brigade's defeat, and Megatron exiled all six to a remote asteroid. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

[[File:AerialAssault Swindle Ali.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|It picks up the kids from school; it gets rid of unwanted facial hair; it gets rid of embarrassing ink spots; it delivers a pizza!]]
The Combaticons later escaped the asteroid and attacked Cybertron together as Bruticus. After being defeated again, Swindle and the Combaticons were reprogrammed to be loyal to Megatron. It's debatable how well that reprogramming took with Swindle. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

Megatron next ordered the Combaticons to steal fighter planes by using Middle-Eastern criminals as go-betweens. Swindle was the personal ride of [[Ali (Sunbow)|Ali]], the thief leader, and led the caravans with parts to Megatron. He later merged with the others to form Bruticus, who was defeated by the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] as [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. {{storylink|Aerial Assault}}

[[File:BOT Swindle grabbed.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Act now! Act now! And receive as our gift to you, they come in all colors, one size fits all!]]
Bruticus was next defeated by [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], and Swindle was the sole survivor of the team. He proceeded to sell the parts of his comrades to various [[El Presidente|people]] for a sweet finder's fee. Megatron was less than happy with this, however, as he had just constructed a giant death-ray for Bruticus to wield for him. No Combaticons, no Bruticus. Swindle tried to plead off his greed as a programming flaw, but Megatron wasn't having any of it. He installed a bomb in Swindle's head and gave him 15 hours to rebuild his fellow Combaticons or suffer their fate. The most elusive piece was [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]'s personality component, which had been raided from a junkyard by [[Elise Presser|some]] [[Martin and Roland|high school kids]] building a [[B.O.T. (G1)|homemade robot]]. Swindle had to fight through a trio of Autobots in order to recover the personality component, but succeeded in time to have the bomb removed. {{storylink|B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.}}

Swindle is plainly a team player.

[[File:FiveFaces2 Scourge and Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.34|Fifty percent off original retail price, skip the middle man!]]
After the Decepticons were exiled to a burnt-out husk of a planet called [[Chaar]] in 2006, they dropped dangerously low on energon. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} When they spotted [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] spying on them, Swindle and the other Decepticons charged, only to find that their weapons were next to useless through lack of energon. The two Autobots were picked up by a [[Skuxxoid]] spaceship, and Swindle commented that the Skuxxoids would sell out to anyone, unaware that the ship had been commandeered by Autobots. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} When the [[Quintesson]]s arrived on Chaar, [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] went out to meet them, and when they announced they wanted to make a deal, Dead End deferred to Swindle's negotiating skills. After determining that the energon the Quintessons were offering was good, Swindle talked to the Quintessons about a deal, and when it turned out they wanted the Decepticons to help them destroy the Autobots, the Decepticons were happy to volunteer their services. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}

The Decepticons were taken to [[Goo 8739-B|Goo]] to attack the Autobots, only for [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to arrive partway through the battle and demand the Decepticons return to him. Swindle, perhaps foolishly, asked what Galvatron would provide for them that the Quintessons hadn't. After some more "negotiations", Galvatron entered into an alliance with the Quintessons too. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} As part of a two-pronged attack, Swindle was part of the Decepticon forces who went to Earth. They were unable to prevent [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] gaining a new [[transformation cog]] however. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

[[File:WebWorld Swindle and Cyclonus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Get away from me, kid; ya bother me.]]
Swindle and the other Combaticons accompanied Galvatron to [[Paradron]], where at one point they were assigned to guard the Paradronian prisoners and failed to fend off an Autobot assault. {{storylink|Fight or Flee (episode)|Fight or Flee}} When the Autobots threw a surprise party for [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]], the Combaticons threw a surprise attack on the Autobots, however [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] proved too much for them and they retreated in Blast Off. {{storylink|Surprise Party}}

Later, Swindle, along with [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], finally became so dissatisfied with Galvatron leadership that he openly grumbled that the Autobots would be doing the Decepticons a favor by killing Galvatron. [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] interpreted this as treason, but Swindle brushed him off. Both he and Motormaster warned Cyclonus that if Galvatron's madness wasn't cured, the Unicron-forged pair would face rebellion. {{storylink|Webworld}}

[[File:UltimateWeapon FirstAid Swindle.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|You got it buddy; the large print giveth, and the small print taketh away!]]
On another occasion, Swindle singlehandedly infiltrated [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] for Galvatron and miraculously managed to fend off a lone Autobot pacifist like [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to steal the [[Titan (group)|Titan]]'s [[transformation cog]]. After returning from his mission, though, Swindle's greed got the best of him, and he attempted to make Galvatron bid for the cog. After Megatron put a bomb in his head, why Swindle thought bargaining with the even less stable Galvatron was a good idea is anyone's guess. Lucky for Swindle, Galvatron was in one of his less manic phases at the time and only blasted the greedy Combaticon a few times instead of ripping out his primary fuel pump with his [[teeth]]. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

In their combined Bruticus form, the Combaticons fought Defensor but had to split up and flee when Rodimus Prime and Sky-Lynx arrived to provide backup. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}} Also as part of Bruticus, Swindle was one of the victims of the [[Hate Plague]]. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}

Swindle took part in a major assault on Cybertron, when the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]]s arrived, resulting in an Autobot defeat. The Combaticons were then put to work building a rocket engine to move Cybertron to Earth's solar system. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{--}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====

=====Scramble City=====
When the Stunticons were dispatched to hinder the Autobots from constructing [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]], they were held up by the Aerialbots, so the Combaticons were sent to aid them. Swindle combined with the others to form Bruticus, who teamed up with Menasor to defeat Superion. Unfortunately, Scramble City was finished in the meantime, and soon arrived on the scene and defeated Bruticus. {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

=====''Story of Binaltech''=====
[[File:Swindleart.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Nice to meet you! Please disregard the gun.]]
In 2003, Swindle used his contacts to reverse-engineer the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] virus and ensure a large percentage of the Autobot force on Earth was incapacitated. {{storylink|Binaltech Is... (Chapter 1)|Binaltech Is...}} When the Autobots joined forces with Earth's manufacturing industries to create the Binaltech project, Swindle worked with Starscream and his Decepticon faction to infiltrate the project for their own ends. Using modified [[cerebro-shell]] technology to turn human workers into sleeper agents, the Decepticons managed to sneak some of their own personality components into the facilities and replace them with those of the Autobots planned for the new bodies. {{storylink|Arise! Evil Binaltechs}}

Thanks to the Decepticons' efforts, the Central City Institute of Technology thought they were upgrading the Autobot [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], only to have Swindle come online instead. Swindle's bait-and-switch wasn't totally effective, though—the Binaltech warriors only had their weaponry fully equipped and activated after coming online and arriving at Autobot City, so Swindle was not equipped with functioning versions of Trailbreaker's [[force field]] and other abilities, having to instead outfit himself with armaments from his own munitions depots. He was also banned from the Binaltech [[electro-cell]] recharging centers after his ruse was uncovered, and therefore had to rely on the [[Exponential Generator]] technology provided by Starscream's human ally, [[Doctor Arkeville]]. Though upgraded since its inception, the generators were historically unstable (like, "might blow up an entire planet" unstable). {{storylink|Expose All of Evil's Designs!}}

======BT World======
A team of Autobots zeroed-in on a base of operation of the [[Concurrence]], finding Swindle working alongside the humans. Together, Swindle and the Concurrence had built an enormous artificial transformer, powered by the energies of Prowl's Spark, currently lost across dimensions. After the giant's defeat, Swindle was taken into custody. He pleaded his innocence, stating that building the artificial transformer was the humans' idea, and that he had merely advised them throughout the process. {{storylink|Unfinished Business, Part 2}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
[[File:Hm4 Swindle Gun.jpg|thumb|200px]]
Swindle and the Combaticons were among Galvatron's troops when he ordered an all-out Decepticon invasion of Cybertron, {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} but even the power of Bruticus couldn't stand up to the newly arrived [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} The Combaticons were subsequently sent to Earth to stop [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] from bringing the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to Optimus Prime, but were ambushed by the Protectobots and buried in a rockfall. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} They were next seen defending [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s city mode from [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|an Autobot spy]], but were distracted by the Aerialbots. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

Galvatron eventually managed to invade Cybertron once more, and Swindle and the others were again part of the attack. They soon encountered those pesky Protectobots again, {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} and were taken out of action by Defensor. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}} As Galvatron was thought lost in the battle, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] took control of the Decepticon forces and ordered the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] and [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] to protect a giant carnivorous plant he had planted in [[San Francisco]]. When the Autobots arrived to kill it, Bruticus dueled with the [[Trainbot]] combiner [[Raiden]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}} The Combaticons later fell under [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]'s command, and he ordered them, along with the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] and [[Horrorcon (G1)|Horrorcons]], to attack an Autobot energy facility in [[Florida|Miami]]. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} They unleashed Bruticus as Sixshot continued his reign of terror over the Autobots on Earth. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

Swindle was later present at Scorponok's inauguration as [[Decepticon leader]] after Galvatron had died for real. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}} The Combaticons were then stationed at the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], where they failed to lure Fortress Maximus away from their base. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} As Scorponok's plan to destroy Earth came close to fruition, Swindle was part of Bruticus as the combiner sunk the luxury liner ''[[Queen World]]'' and defended a [[Death Tower]] in [[Australia]] from Defensor. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} As Bruticus, the Combaticons participated in the final battle with the Autobots at the [[Arctic|North Pole]], and retreated into space when Scorponok's energy-absorbing satellite started tearing the Earth apart. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

=====''Unite Warriors''=====
[[Trickdiamond]] was rumored to have dealings with Swindle. {{storylink|Trickdiamond#Unite Warriors 2|''Unite Warriors'' Trickdiamond bio}} During an illegal arms trading market hosted by the Combaticons, Swindle decided to sell some home-made missiles... as well as Brawl's weapons. He was seen trying to explain his actions after his angry comrade noticed what was going on. {{storylink|Shopping at the Dark Bazaar!}}

=====''Zone'' cartoon, manga, and story pages=====
Seeking to create a [[Decepticon Zone]] to counter the [[Micro|Autobot Zone]], [[Emperor of Destruction|Decepticon Emperor]] [[Violengiguar]] gathered together the [[Nine Great Demon Generals]], upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. Swindle was of those summoned, but only as part of Bruticus. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}} {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (manga)|Transformers: Zone}} {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}
{{-}}

====''TV Magazine'' comic continuity====
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' story pages=====
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)|Parts 13, 14, 16}}}}
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic=====
Swindle and the rest of the Combaticon team came to assist [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] when he got into trouble with [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] and [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]. As Bruticus, the team broke Defensor apart easily enough, but fell victims to Superion's [[electrostatic discharger rifle]]. The weapon hit Swindle and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]], who disconnected from Bruticus, allowing two [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] to steal their positions as Bruticus's legs. Swindle was left chasing after Bruticus as the Autobots took control of the combiner's flight systems and flew away with him. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5}}

Megatron later ordered the Combaticons to capture an escaped [[Battle Dog]] which he had imbued with energy. [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] eventually arrived to stop them, leading to the dog using its energy to give the Autobot [[Scramble Power]]. Swindle combined with his teammates to destroy Powerglide, but he and his [[Mini Vehicle|Minibot]] friends used Scramble Power to [[Minibot combiner|combine]] and drill a hole straight through Bruticus, forcing him to retreat. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 8|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #8}}

=====''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers''=====
In the year [[2010]], Swindle participated in a Decepticon attack on the planet Feminia. He and his team merged into Bruticus in order to battle alongside Menasor and Devastator against their Autobot counterparts Superion, Defensor and Omega Supreme. The fight was fairly evenly matched until Galvatron called up his ace-in-the-hole, [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]], whose power was unmatched by any of the Autobots... except for the [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibots]], who essentially tied Predaking's shoelaces together until he fell over, straight into Bruticus and his chums, sending them all toppling to the ground and knocking them to bits. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 5|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #5}}
{{note|Swindle only appears as a component of Bruticus}}

=====''The Great Transformer War''=====
Galvatron kidnapped Doctor [[Dalton]] of [[Eran]] to upgrade the might of his combiner warriors. When the Autobot combiners arrived to save Dalton, Swindle and his teammates were deployed at high speeds from Onslaught's launcher mode. They met Superion in mid-air, and the force of their deployment enabled the combiner teams to tear him apart. The Combaticons then merged into Bruticus to move in for the kill. They were ultimately outwitted by the Autobots, however, who rescued Dalton and safely returned to Metroplex. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 1|The Great Transformer War #1}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
[[File:EliteGuardCombaticons TheComingStorm2.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Roll up! Roll up! Buy ten packets of Energon for only E999.99! Contents may have settled during transit...]]
Swindle was part of a [[Elite Guard|Cybertron Elite Guard]] special ops unit created by [[Magnum]] to take out the various [[Decepticon leader|leaders]] of the new Decepticon faction, in the hopes of ending the war quickly. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}} During introductions, Swindle admired [[Dion (G1)|Dion]]'s [[Nitronium launcher]]s and offered him an [[Ajax P-9000 Grade-B Jump Launch Accelerator]] (Swindle had named his own "[[Thunderblast (G1)|Thunderblast]]" after an old flame). The Combaticons were teamed with [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]]'s Strike Team for a mission to an archeological dig in [[Median]]. The dig had uncovered the [[Heart of the Dragon]], a powerful artifact coveted by the Decepticon [[Rage (G1)|Rage]] and his [[Stormtrooper (G1)|Stormtrooper]]s. When the teams arrived and discovered that the archaeologists were all females, he announced the odds were high that they would all score.

They began to fortify the site, though Onslaught had to remind Swindle that he wasn't there to sell them the fortifications. He still managed to organize a trade with [[Over-Run (G1)|Over-Run]], providing the Autobot with a drone. He also lent [[Lancer]] his [[Gyro gun|Gyro-Gun]] and a dose of sexual harassment. The Decepticons still managed to break in to steal the urn, and even Swindle's idea of having the autoturrets shoot anyone trying to escape the city failed when the autoturrets apparently malfunctioned.

Tracking the Stormtroopers back to their mobile base, the [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]], Swindle and the others were confronted by Rage's bizarre creations, the [[Minotoron]]s. Dion suggested that Swindle use a device he'd removed from Over-Run's drone to produce a high-pitched noise and subdue the beasts. Seeing an opportunity to sneak inside, [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]], Swindle and Dion mounted the creatures when they were summoned back inside the Metrotitan.

The teams reassembled inside the base, only to be confronted by [[Brimstone (G1 Decepticon)|Brimstone]], a small but powerful Transformer with atom-smashing breath, brought to life by the Heart of the Dragon. In the face of this new threat, they were forced to retreat while attempting to find a way to destroy it. Even [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'s explosives weren't enough to stop the creature, but the small frame proved to be insufficient to contain Brimstone's energies, and it soon exploded, destroying the Metrotitan. Swindle and the Elite Guard managed to escape the blast radius, and reported back to Magnum about a job well done. Swindle's report apparently read like a romance holo-pulp. {{storylink|Flames of Yesterday}}

[[File:ComingStorm3 Swindle looks for loot.jpg|thumb|upright=0.95|Come on, buddy. [[Swindle (Animated)|This should be a no processor...er]] for you.]]
The Combaticons and Strike Team continued to be teamed up for missions. They tracked down the Decepticon [[Shadowcaster]]'s base and Swindle was given the task of dropping a [[fog grenade]] in to drive the officers out into the open. He hoped there was something he could loot, but Onslaught reminded him he was on a mission. He still managed to enlist Vortex's help in looting a particularly large piece of machinery, once the mission was completed. While the Strike Team went back to base, the Constructicons stuck around to investigate the area, and were captured by Decepticons. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 3}}

Swindle was mostly impressed by the energy bars on their cell, as he knew someone who'd pay a small fortune for the technology. The Combaticons were brought before [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]], though Swindle was unable to take his eyes off the mountains of gold the Decepticon possessed. Deathsaurus persuaded the team to join his group of Decepticons. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 4}} He bestowed on the team new armor, and the ability to merge into [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. A week later, the Combaticons took part in an attack on Elite Guard HQ, and when confronted by [[Sentinel Major]], showed off their new [[Combiner]] mode. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 5}} Bruticus managed to slaughter pretty much all of the Guard before Dion blinded the giant, forcing them to separate. They headed back to Deathsaurus's base for repairs. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 6}}

Repairs proceeded, but the Combaticons were startled to learn that Deathsaurus could force them to combine into Bruticus at will. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 1}} {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 2}} They still turned out to help defend the base against the remnants of the Elite Guard. In mid battle, Swindle tried to interest Dion in a supply of quasar weapons, much to the Autobot's surprise. As the Combaticons gained the upper hand, they attempted to merge, only to be blasted mid-combination. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 3}} They picked themselves up only to find that Blast Off was missing, so they couldn't make another try at forming Bruticus. Swindle was almost attacked by Dion, but another Decepticon surprised the Autobot from behind. At the end of the fight, the Combaticons failed to retreat fast enough and were subsequently taken into Elite Guard custody. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 4}}

In the hands of the compromised [[Gyronian Sentry|Gyronian Sentry Team]], the Combaticons were whisked away to Deathsaurus's fortress, now under Megatron's control. Though Megatron gave them the option, none of them cared to help Deathsaurus, and they were imprisoned and their personality components subsequently interred in the Decepticon Detention Center. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 5}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Buster combaticons second generation.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7]]
''Thanks to his brief time housing the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] in his mind, [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] experienced a series of dreams outlining the future of Cybertronian technology: the [[Special Teams]]. These dreams were random and chaotic at first, as he was chased through his dreamscape by [[Combiner]] robots and witnessed the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] merge into [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] joined Buster in his dreams, the information became more linear, and the Autobot and human beheld a future scenario in which Swindle and the Combaticons joined forces with the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] against the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]]. Working off this information, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] began to conceive a way to reverse-engineer and improve upon [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]'s combination technology. Unfortunately for the Autobots, [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] had managed to tap into Buster's dream frequency, and the Decepticons received the same information to build their own Special Teams.'' {{storylink|The Special Teams Have Arrived}} {{storylink|Second Generation!}}

[[File:Swindle brawl afterdeath.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
On his first mission on Earth, Swindle joined the Combaticons and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] on a mission to invade the company Energy Futures Industries in order to steal a [[hydrothermocline]], which the Decepticons wanted to take for their own energy resources. When they arrived, they were met by Optimus Prime and the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]], laying in wait for them. Swindle combined with his team to form Bruticus, but before the giant got a chance to brawl with [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], [[Ethan Zachary|a human]] suggested that they'd play a [[Multi-World|video game]] over the plant instead. Optimus Prime and Megatron both agreed, and Swindle was sent into the video game along with the other Combaticons, Protectobots, and faction leaders. Swindle teamed up with [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] to destroy [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] in the "Vineland" area of the game. However, they were tripped up by a bunch of vine creatures, [[Decrystallizer cannon|crystallized]], and blown to smithereens. Game over. {{storylink|Afterdeath!}} ''These events were observed by the [[time travel]]ling [[Dicet Alpha-zero]].'' {{storylink|The Quest!}}

[[File:Swindle marvel uk 137.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|This is all kinds of wrong.]]
Swindle was idling about in Megatron's throne room, where he witnessed the now mentally unhinged faction leader lash out erratically to all those around him. He soon accompanied his fellow Decepticons to a new base in the [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean]], during which time Megatron disappeared and Shockwave assumed command of the Earth-bound Decepticons. {{storylink|Gone but Not Forgotten!}} ''Shortly afterwards, Shockwave dispatched Swindle and the other Combaticons to assassinate [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], who had been buried under cooled lava at [[Mount Verona]]. The Combaticons made short work of the human military camped around the site, then proceeded to set up explosive charges to eliminate the potential usurper once and for all. As Swindle was setting his share of the charges, he was struck down by the combined efforts of [[Joy Meadows|three]] [[Susan Hoffman|human]] [[Cindy Newell|women]], out to save [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]], also buried within the volcano. The rest of the Combaticons were driven off with the additional help of the [[Throttlebot]]s, earning them the ire of Swindle and his teammates.'' {{storylink|Ladies' Night (issue)|Ladies' Night}}

[[File:Swindle marvel uk 138.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Lamb bhuna last night?]]
Swindle and his team tracked the Throttlebots to a used car lot, finding their prey immobilized in their vehicle modes. But to get to them, the Combaticons had to contend with both the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and a squadron of [[Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team|RAAT]] operatives. In order to avoid wholesale destruction of his lot, the proprietor of the dealership suggested each faction put in a bid for the Throttlebots, and all present accepted. Onslaught had nothing to bargain with however, and zero intention of actually following through with the agreement. He instructed Swindle to simply terminate the auctioneer, [[Big Steve Ludwig (G1)|Big Steve Ludwig]], only for Blaster to leap forth from a hiding spot and toss Swindle away before he got his shot in. This triggered an all-out brawl to start, ending with the Combaticons retreating and the Throttlebots in RAAT custody. {{storylink|Used Autobots}} The Combaticons decided to ambush the Protectobots once more, this time meeting them in a sprawling train yard. The group was forced to regroup and combine into Bruticus early in the fight, the combiner's brute strength securing them a victory over the similarly merged [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]. But the dim-witted Bruticus was then tricked by Blaster into lowering his guard, and the Autobot collapsed an electrical tower onto his opponent, knocking his components into unconsciousness. {{storylink|Child's Play (issue)|Child's Play}}

Swindle had better success during the Decepticon ambush of the Autobots on the [[Moon (moon)|moon]], where the Autobots had gathered to resolve a leadership dispute. Swindle attacked [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] with his Scatter Blaster and commented that although Brawn was not a great Autobot warrior, he would have a bright future as spare parts (presumably to be sold at a premium by Swindle himself). When the combined forces of [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] managed to pierce the ship's protective force field, [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] commanded all Decepticons on the surface of the Moon to return to the ship and retreat. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

Swindle also served as part of the "friendly" staff on the beach of the Decepticons' Caribbean island when the Decepticons used the base as a human vacation resort. Swindle was there to serve every need that the humans might require. {{storylink|Club Con!}}
{{-}}

''Eventually, the Combaticons fell under the command of [[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]]. On his orders, Swindle's team staged a raid on the [[Rutter U.S. Military Base]]. There, they secured two armed warheads and components from an advanced guidance computer. The Protectobots intervened part-way through the theft, but once Blast Off cleared the area with the loot, the rest of the team used hit-and-run tactics to fend their rivals off, eventually managing their own getaway.''

''Afterwards, the remaining Combaticons went to check on [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]] and [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]]'s progress at [[Alternate Reality, Inc.]], where Scorponok had likewise tasked them to steal a [[floppy disk]] containing a back-up copy of Optimus Prime's mind. They found [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] about to shoot the jets out of the sky, and blasted the Combiner in the back, crippling him before he could pull the trigger. With the mission a success, Swindle's group then made themselves scarce.'' {{storylink|Prime Bomb!}}

====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 11|Transformers in Action: He Who Laughs Last ...}}}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:TheGatheringDarkness-Swindle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|The skull of the former Decepticon leader is always the highlight of Swindle's tour of their headquarters.]]
Swindle gave [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] a tour of the [[Warworld]] when the Decepticon leader forcibly took command of the Decepticons back from [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. This ultimately led to a chamber where many [[Bludgeon's new army|new Decepticon bodies]] awaited, needing the Matrix to give them life. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness|Tales of Earth Part Three}}

He was later seen briefly as part of the first wave of defenders when the Warworld was attacked by the next-generation Cybertronians commanded by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] after the Autobots and Decepticons had forged an alliance of necessity against said forces. Swindle's fate was not revealed, but considering the Cybertronian troops—led by the traitor [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]—killed several Decepticons and ultimately overtook the battleship, it didn't look too good for Swindle. {{storylink|Total War!}}
{{-}}

===The Special Teams===
Swindle and the rest of the Combaticons were created by Starscream on a remote Pacific island, by combining military vehicles with Energon cubes. They then drove to the [[Pullen Power Plant]], passing Optimus Prime en route, though the Autobot leader was none-the-wiser to the Decepticons in disguise. Onslaught, Brawl and Swindle arrived first on the battlefield, coming upon Menasor already engaged in battle with Defensor. Onslaught then ordered to rest of his team to merge with him to form Bruticus. {{storylink|The Special Teams}}
{{-}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
Swindle was among the Decepticons under [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s leadership who set up a secret base in a [[human]] industrial estate within striking distance of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. When [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] came snooping around, Swindle spotted him and gave chase, but Bumblebee hid among the wrecked cars in a wreckers yard. Apparently Swindle never told anyone their base had been found, as it was a complete surprise when the Autobots later attacked and drove the Decepticons off. {{storylink|Decepticon Hideout}}

===St. Michael ''The Transformers'' Sticker Book===
{{notemultipath}}
Swindle and the rest of the Combaticons served under [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] on a Decepticon ship, when they managed to shoot down the ship being captained by Ultra Magnus. After the Autobots crash-landed on planet [[Barrenikon]], the Decepticons landed their ship nearby to finish off their enemies. In the many possible adventures that followed, Swindle and the other Decepticons often underestimated you, which often led to them losing to the Autobots, leaving them either stranded on Barrenikon, or fleeing after they received too much damage. That is, if you somehow didn't get yourself killed at their hands. {{storylink|The Transformers Sticker Book (St. Michael)|The Transformers Sticker Book}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Swindle sided with Starscream when the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] briefly usurped command of the Decepticons from Megatron, shortly after the onset of the Cybertronian civil war. He assisted in forcibly extracting data from [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] so that Starscream could uncover the full extent of Megatron's plans before his supplanting. {{storylink|The War Within issue 4|The War Within #4}}

Millions of years later, Swindle, along with his fellow Combaticons, was imprisoned by Shockwave, presumably as war criminals under the terms of the new peace treaty with the Autobots. {{Storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}} He was sprung by Starscream after the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'''s crew returned to Cybertron, though, in a bid to plunder Earth of its ressources while the Autobots were too busy overthrowing Shockwave's regime. {{Storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

Returning to the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' via an uncooperative [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]], Starscream realized he needed to take parts from the Autobots' [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] if he ever hoped to get the ''Nemesis'' flying again, and for that he needed considerable firepower. Fortunately, there was a nearby abandoned military testing ground from which the Combaticons could scan Earth-based alternate modes. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}} When the attack on the ''Ark'' was launched, the Autobots had little problem defending against the first wave, successfully capturing [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], but several of the Autobots were soundly beaten when the Combaticons showed up and combined into the mighty Bruticus. The behemoth attacked the ''Ark'' freeing his Decepticon compatriots before going after [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]. Unfortunately, the Autobots activated their ship's self-destruct before escaping, damaging the Combaticons in the resulting explosion. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}}

Damaged or not, the Combaticons soon had to face a powerful enemy when the crazed zealot [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] appeared on Earth, but before they could attack him, Bruticus' head was blown apart by [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] in the Autobot supply ship ''[[Orion]]''. In the aftermath, Bruticus's barely-conscious body was battered upon by an angry Brawn. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}}

[[File:G1 DWSwindle deal routetoallevil.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Who wouldn't trust a bot named "Swindle"?]]
The repaired Combaticons were brought to Guadalcanal, where they could hone their somewhat lackluster combat skills and listen to Starscream's long-winded aspirations of glory. When Swindle commented on Starscream's mental state, Brawl agreed, stating that he'd like to pull the Air Commander's cerebro circuits straight out of his faceplate so they could get a better look at them, to which Swindle suggested a "deal" for this to happen. Starscream overheard their conversation and informed the smaller Decepticon that the only "deal" he needed to worry about was how Starscream would deal with Swindle for his scheming. Starscream nevertheless let it pass for the moment in order for the Combaticons to test themselves against the magnificent Autobot [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Unfortunately, the Combaticons did not fare well when the crafty Autobot split into his two forms, with Swindle, Brawl and Onslaught nearly getting crushed by the Lynx's right paw.

This was the least of their troubles, however, as [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] showed up as soon as Sky Lynx was deactivated. As the Combaticons closed in on the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]] [[combiner]], Swindle had trouble keeping up with the rest of the group before they formed Bruticus. This encounter also did not end well. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{-}}

===''The Beast Within''===
During a particularly violent battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons, Swindle combined with his fellow Combaticons in order to square off against [[Beast (G1)|The Beast]]. It didn't go well, to say the least. {{storylink|The Beast Within}}
{{-}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Spotlight: Ultra Magnus]]

[[File:LawAndDisorder-Swindle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Honest Swindle seems nice enough, but there's something about him I don't trust." "Maybe it's the fact his office is an SUV with the engine running."]]
Shortly prior to the formation of the Decepticons, Swindle was working as a lackey for [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] during the height of his gladiator period. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} During the tenure of [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]], Swindle was busted by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]'s officers for peddling [[simultronic]]s. {{storylink|Post}} He was soon back on the street, now running a weapons-manufacturing warehouse and creating weapons that were later used to kill forty-three citizens of [[Peptex]]. His operations were soon busted by Orion Pax's officers again.{{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}}

Later, Swindle was once again the target of Orion Pax's team in the streets of [[Nyon]], where he was selling stolen Autobot materials to some sleepers. He fought against Orion Pax, who quickly overpowered him and ordered him to give more details about Megatron. However, Swindle preferred to explain how the Decepticons were about to bring Cybertron to a new era, freed from oppression and corruption, and how, by using uncontrolled violence, Orion Pax was proving him right. The latter, about to shoot Swindle in the head, was stopped by Bumblebee, and Swindle was captured alive. {{storylink|Law and Disorder}} When he failed to provide any useful intel on the Decepticons during interrogation, [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] decided to use Swindle as an example of the [[vamparc ribbon]]'s power. He was taken to the [[Primacy Auditorium]], where Zeta used a vamparc unit to drain his energy in order to demonstrate its powers to the [[Senate]]. {{storylink|Parasites}}

Establishing the [[Raw Deal]] pawn broker, Swindle began selling information gathered from other Decepticons, though his sources dried up after Megatron's first defeat. This got him into trouble with [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]], who was using his info to plan heists, but luckily the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobot]] thought he might come in handy later and opted not to send the Autobots after him. {{storylink|Derelicts}} Swindle was present when [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] declared himself the new Decepticon leader, but doubted his claim to have exiled Megatron to the mythical planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. {{storylink|Wreckage (issue)|Wreckage}} He and the other Combaticons opposed Scorponok's ruthless reign and left Cybertron, making their way to the [[Presidium (planet)|Presidium]], the location of an old armory Swindle had bought access codes to. Within they found [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], who had leaked the codes to Swindle for a chance to meet the Combaticons and let them know Megatron was back. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}}

[[File:SpotlightUltraMagnusSwindle.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Swindle: Master salespitcher.]]
As the war began in earnest between the Autobots and Decepticons, Swindle, [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]], and the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] were stationed on [[Varas Centralus]]. The Constructicons committed some atrocity that was enough to cause Sky-Byte to abandon the Decepticon cause. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}}

In modern times, Swindle was an arms dealer being hunted down by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] for violating the [[Tyrest Accord]]. After failing to hide from Magnus on the planet [[Zull]] 29 solar cycles in the past, he managed to deal for his freedom by selling Magnus information on the whereabouts of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Magnus later caught Swindle again, but it would seem he managed to bargain for his freedom once again. {{storylink|Spotlight: Ultra Magnus}}

Quite some time later, Swindle was one of several Decepticons who were stranded on Earth after Megatron's defeat in [[New York City]]. Ever the opportunist, he saw a market open to him in the chaos that had followed, and made contact with [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike Witwicky]] of [[Skywatch]] to secretly supply the human organization with Cybertronian weaponry. {{storylink|Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|A Second Chance at Eden}}

[[File:TF Ongoing issue 3 Swindle.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Cool story, bro.]]
Swindle then joined a small band of other stranded Decepticons. At first, the group tried to follow the high-ranking [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]], but his disenchantment with the Decepticons and the war led them to fall in behind Swindle, the fast-talking cheat, the one who could always survive against all odds. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}} For three months Swindle led them into a canyon where they stalked the mighty Autobot [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], waiting for a chance to strike. However, when they observed a group of Autobots led by [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] in discussions with Omega, Swindle realized he could fool the hot-headed and naive Autobot for his own designs. Launching a seemingly ill-conceived attack on the Autobots, Swindle quickly manipulated Hot Rod by asking the very question that had been on the Autobot's mind: What were they fighting about? What reason was there to continue fighting? Posing these questions to all the assembled transformers, Swindle proposed an alliance between the two groups with the aim of getting off-planet. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} After the alliance was made, while Hot Rod tried to enlist the assistance of [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] to help them build their starship, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] had their doubts about working with the Decepticons, and Swindle grinning at them didn't improve their mood any. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}

While their ship was under construction, Swindle attempted to pressure Hot Rod into allowing the Decepticons to retrieve the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] who had been imprisoned by [[Skywatch]], but Hot Rod wisely refused. Seeing this path going nowhere, Swindle instead suggested the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] rescue [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], and before Hot Rod was able to voice opposition, Swindle smoothly massaged Hot Rod's ego, claiming the Autobot was the "architect of a new age", that the others admired him, and that these "followers" had given him a new moniker: "Rodimus Prime". With Hot Rod distracted by these praised and accolades, Swindle was given the go-ahead to rescue Breakdown. Unfortunately, as he was discussing his plans with the Stunticons, Ultra Magnus showed up, forcing Swindle to hide. When Magnus discovered and tried to arrest the Decepticon criminal, "Rodimus Prime" stepped in and refused to allow his fellow Autobot to capture Swindle. The Decepticon was seemingly grateful to Rodimus, but Thundercracker knew he was up to something, but wasn't sure what. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}}

[[File:Enemies of the System Swindle combiner tech.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Remember, no refunds!"]]
Soon afterwards, the Stunticons successfully rescued Breakdown from the clutches of Spike Witwicky, an officer in Skywatch. Bringing him back to base, Swindle worked on Breakdown for over three hours, under the pretense that the battered Decepticon needed significant repairs, much to the ire of the Autobots, bar the ever-naive Hot Rod. Ultra Magnus returned, this time with [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] and several of his Autobots. When the Autobots started arguing, Swindle stepped in, revealing that the Decepticons had always planned to steal the space ship after killing as many Autobots as they could. When Ultra Magnus countered that the Autobots had them outnumbered, Swindle unveiled his latest creation—the Stunticons [[combiner|combined]] into the powerful gestalt [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. As the Autobots gaped, Swindle ordered Menasor to kill Magnus first. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}}

[[File:PoliceAction3-Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|left|Swindle's disarming smile backfires.]]
Swindle gloated in triumph as Menasor tore through the assembled Autobots. He was so enamored with this that he failed to notice Optimus Prime being air-dropped by Skywatch until he had landed on him. Heavily damaged, Swindle climbed from the impact crater and watched in horror as Prime led the Autobots against Menasor, resulting in the destruction of the escape ship. Despite his damages, Swindle was able to slip away before Skywatch seized control of the area, much to Ultra Magnus's chagrin. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}}

In need of energy, Swindle traveled to [[North Korea]] and struck a deal with local ruler [[Kim Jong Du]], offering him the Combaticons as an invasion force in exchange for energon. He then got out of there as soon as he got what he needed, leaving the other Combaticons behind. {{storylink|Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|A Second Chance at Eden}}

Returning to America, Swindle created [[Ben Simpson]], a [[facsimile construct]] who would act as a spokesman of the anti-Transformer group [[Earth's Children]]. Using Simpson, he fanned the flames of human hatred against Autobots, allowing him to sell them powerful and mind-corrupting weapons built from Megatron's parts. {{storylink|Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|A Second Chance at Eden}} When [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] began investigating Spike Witwicky, Swindle had [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] try to kill him, but the attempt failed. He had, however, planted a failsafe in Brawl's body that shut him down when Prowl tried to find out who sent him. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|Only Forward}} Soon afterwards, Ultra Magnus decided that the Autobots had had enough of Ben Simpson's campaign against them, and went with Skywatch to his home to detain him. Swindle, based nearby, tried to make his escape, but was beaten down by Ultra Magnus, had his arm ripped off and was dragged back to Autobot HQ. During interrogation he revealed everything about his schemes, including the fact that Witwicky had been playing both sides, causing the Autobots to sever their connections with Skywatch. {{storylink|Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden|A Second Chance at Eden}}

[[File:HowToSayGoodbyeAndMeanIt-Swindle.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.2|"I don't want to sell you death sticks. I want to go home and rethink my life."]] When the Autobots returned to Cybertron, they brought Swindle with them and imprisoned him alongside the other Decepticons. He tried to strike a deal with Optimus Prime to get out, but was unsuccessful. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime}} It wasn't long before he got back in business, however, selling [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] [[Golden Disk (disambiguation)|golden discs]] containing footage of Cybertronians dying. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} {{storylink|Interiors}} Swindle was later working with cleaning trash out of the reclamation tunnels and annoyed [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] by rambling nonstop about how Starscream was making things better for the Decepticons by getting them jobs and such. {{storylink|Devisive}} After witnessing Prowl's murder of [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] and the Constructicons, Dirge shared his story with Swindle who in turn shared it with Sky-Byte when he came looking for information on Cybertron's post-war society. Swindle took him to meet Dirge and Needlenose only to be discovered by Prowl's Autobots, though he and Dirge managed to escape during the confusion of the ensuing fight. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}}

Believing that Starscream was getting too friendly with the Autobots to represent Decepticon interests, Swindle instead brought Dirge and his witness testimony to [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] in hopes that ''he'' would become Decepticon leader. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|Dinobot Hunt}} Following a bombing on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], Dirge began to worry that Shockwave had orchestrated the attack after hearing what he had to say, making him indirectly responsible. Swindle advised him to just let things happen and not try to make things about him, a lesson he himself had learned after his experiences on Earth, but Dirge couldn't just stand by and spilled the beans to Starscream, who in turn help hide him and Swindle from Prowl ''and'' Shockwave. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}}

[[File:BeforeTheDawn AstrotrainSkracratssh.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|"Astrotrain, you're costing me an arm and a leg!"]]
When the return of Megatron was causing the other Decepticons to riot in the streets, the two were plucked out of their hiding place by [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] and brought to [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]]. There, Dirge announced that he was willing to testify against Prowl directly to Autobot leader Bumblebee, against Swindle's protests that it was a terrible idea. {{storylink|The Verge}} Convinced that something was up with Prowl, Bumblebee took Dirge, Swindle and several others with him to investigate, but as the group was attacked by Decepticons as they approached Prowl's quarters. Run down by [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Swindle lost an arm and leg and was left behind as the others were taken away to see Megatron. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}}

Having survived only thanks to [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] pushing him out of the train's way, a grateful Swindle brought him and several other injured Autobots to safety away from the Decepticon riots. In the process he was discovered by [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]], who was unimpressed by his empathy and prepared to execute the Autobots, only to be chased away by some neutrals. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}} Having had enough of all the fighting, Swindle renounced his faction and remained in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] when Starscream, now leader of the neutrals, had all Autobots and Decepticons banished from the city. {{storylink|Second Exodus}} He was among those who helped Blurr rebuild Maccadam's Old Oil House after it was burned down during the riots, {{storylink|Three Monologues}} and was standing guard at the city walls when the light of the [[Necrotitan]]'s arrival lit up Iacon. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}}

Several months later, Swindle was at Blurr's bar when [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] stopped by looking for information on Starscream, and let her know that even ''he'' was disgusted by the Seeker's way of selling people out. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}} When Windblade's snooping got her, Blurr and others imprisoned by Starscream, Swindle helped [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] bust them out. {{storylink|Windblade issue 3|Windblade #3}} He continued to visit Maccadam's and seemed to be becoming very good friends with Blurr. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}} During an investigation into several murders in the Decepticon ghetto, Swindle provided intel on where to find the [[Firecon]]s, the main suspects. {{storylink|Quest for Fire}}

[[File:FirstContact SwindleEnigma.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|right|"It surges, it merges. It turns a quintet into a boxset!"]]
After an enjoyable day watching the Stunticons try and fail to take on Optimus Prime, he was approached by Starscream who offered him use of the [[Enigma of Combination]] in robbing the colony world [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]] of its riches. Despite having told himself he had put his glory days behind him, Swindle was blinded by greed and accepted, using the Enigma to turn the Stunticons back into Menasor and bringing him to Caminus. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} Finding none of the promised riches, however, he quickly realized Starscream had tricked him. Failing to convince the raging Menasor to return to Cybertron, he tried to sneak away by himself only to be captured by one of Starscream's [[Badgeless]]. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} His pleas that it was all Starscream's idea were, of course, in vain, and he was spirited away to Starscream's secret prison. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

Before long, Swindle was broken out by [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], who told him to cause a diversion while he stole the Enigma. Agreeing to the deal, he took Menasor and set out to occupy the city's [[space bridge]] chamber, recruiting all manner of unhappy Decepticons with the promise that they could start a new life on Caminus. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}} During their stand-off with the bridge's guards, Windblade and [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]], Starscream arrived and shot Swindle in the back, mortally wounding him. He whispered to Rattrap that there was proof of his deal with Starscream, then seemingly expired. {{storylink|All That Remains}} Rattrap and Wheeljack secretly moved his body into the depths of Metroplex, where Wheeljack tried his best to save Swindle's life so that they might learn what evidence Swindle had against Starscream. He did, sorta: Swindle was alive, but brain dead. {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}}

[[File:ThingsWeSaidWedNeverDo SwindleBrainDead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left|''zzzzzzzzz...no refunds...zzzzzzzzz'']]
The other Combaticons would later begin spray-painting the phrase "Swindle Lives" on walls as a symbol of their resistance against the [[Council of Worlds]] {{storylink|The Will of the Few}} because a mysterious informant known as "[[Rattrap (BW)|DC-357]]" sent Onslaught a message regarding Swindle's possession of information against Starscream. {{storylink|07:00:00}} Later, Rattrap and Wheeljack were forced by the Combaticons to lead them to Swindle. Unperturbed by his brain-dead status, Onslaught had Rattrap retrieve the Enigma of Combination, {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}} which he used on his team so that they might find Swindle's evidence. Swindle became the left leg of their combined form, [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], but his brain dead mind wreaked havoc on the combiner's psyche. After rampaging through Iacon, Bruticus was eventually brought down. {{storylink|The Line Between Us}}

Starscream, wanting another combiner on his side, had the [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Eukarian]] [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] [[Airachnid (G1)|Airachnid]] repair Swindle's body, and try to manipulate the Combaticons' minds so that he would have Bruticus under control. Because the Combaticons minds had imprinted on each other during their combination, Airachnid found them more susceptible to the process, and she and Starscream bribed the aware-of-the-manipulation Blast Off into covering any holes in the story. As a result, Swindle would believe that he and the other Combaticons were Starscream's secret bodyguards, and that he had been blasted in the line of duty with some angles making it appear that Starscream had shot him, with the Combaticons forming of Bruticus having been a last-ditch attempt to save Swindle's life. {{storylink|The Price of You}} After a few days, Blast Off demanded to see Swindle himself. As Airachnid was finishing up on manipulating and repairing him, Swindle greeted his teammate, thanking Blast Off for how far he and the others had apparently gone to save him. {{storylink|If I Know You}}

During the final debate before the election to decide the new leader of Cybertron, Starscream revealed all of his crimes to the public, including the manipulation of the Combaticons. As a result, Swindle and the other Combaticons were imprisoned for their rampage as Bruticus. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

{{--}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
Swindle stumbled onto a goldmine—selling off the Decepticon arsenal to the [[human]]s. Unfortunately one of his clients, [[Abdul Fakkadi (G1)|Faghadi]], was pushy and demanded his weapons ''now'', at length, while Swindle was trying to work. Swindle realized there was a way he could turn even this to his advantage. With the help of one of his [[Sato Noriko|other clients]], he was able to set Faghadi up to be captured by [[NATO]], demonstrating the weapons in the process, and making an even bigger sale to the Japanese into the bargain. Everything went perfectly, except Megatron found out where the Decepticon weapons had been disappearing to, and dispatched [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] to bring Swindle in. {{storylink|Two for the Price of One}}

===''TransTech''===
[[File:Swindleswindleandswindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Perhaps you'd be interested in something every homeowner cannot be without: volcano insurance!"]]
There are three Swindles running the pawn shop "[[Swindle, Swindle and Swindle]]". The jingle says it all. As does the image of three grinning Swindle heads on their sign.
<blockquote>"Three times the Swindle means three times the deal.
Come on down, it's a total steal!"</blockquote>

*Swindle the first: He's red!
*Swindle the second: He's tan but purple-chested.
*Swindle the third: He's tan but gray-chested.

[[Bad Boy]] and [[Treds]] stumbled on Swindle, Swindle and Swindle while looking for a bodyshop [[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]] had visited. They managed to persuade one of the Swindles that it would be in his best interest if he told them about Bug Bite's visit. Swindle showed them to the repair bay where they discovered Bug Bite had adopted a new [[C1186-P0019]] body. Before the pair left, Swindle raised the matter of Bug Bite's outstanding account, and they reluctantly paid it. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

Finding himself trapped in a lowtech body, [[Bulletbike (TransTech)|Bulletbike]] dropped in to Swindle, Swindle and Swindle for an examination to prove he'd been [[spark]] transplanted. Though the Swindles didn't seem to quite believe his story, they conducted the tests and found nothing. After getting the trio to make some repairs to himself, Bulletbike continued on his quest. {{storylink|I, Lowtech}}

During his time as a columnist for [[Axiom Nexus News]], [[Vector Prime]] bought a [[hyper-frame]] [[Anatomic euphemism#Manifold|manifold]] from Swindle, Swindle and Swindle on one day, {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 2, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 02/08/2015}} and a [[cyberforcep]] on another day. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 24, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 24/08/2015}} After Vector Prime abdicated the position {{storylink|Source:Axiom Nexus News Editor#October 1, 2015|Axiom Nexus News Editor, 01/10/2015}} and Grimlock's tenure was abruptly cut short {{storylink|Source:Axiom Nexus News Editor#October 3, 2015|Axiom Nexus News Editor, 03/10/2015}}, one of (or perhaps all of) the Swindles took the post, answering questions while advertising the many products available at Swindle, Swindle & Swindle. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Guest column#Swindle's Spiel|Swindle's Spiel}} After a few days, Swindle was fired from the column due to subverting the terms of his paid contract, which specified that he would only answer questions. {{storylink|Source:Axiom Nexus News Editor#October 6, 2015|Axiom Nexus News Editor, 06/10/2015}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: All Spark''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Another Episode, Part 1}} {{storylink|Another Episode, Part 2}}}}

===Starscream's New Power===
[[File:Starscream's New Power Combaticons.jpg|thumb|100px|left]]
Swindle attempted to apprehend Starscream, only to be driven back when the latter got his hands on weapons from [[Shockwave's Tower|Shockwave's lab]]. {{storylink|Starscream's New Power}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online comic===
[[File:KreoComic7 swindle hydra oldsnake.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66]]
Summoned by Starscream to act as his elite squad (whose first mission, of course, was to overthrow [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]]), Swindle rolled onto the scene alongside [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]], and a repainted [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]. When Onslaught and Brawl declared their specialties (strategy and destruction respectively), Swindle proudly offered to sell-off any blocks they recovered. Like Onslaught and Brawl, Swindle was irritated when Vortex offered to stay behind and guard the base. Even though the Combaticons combined into Bruticus, Vortex constant worry for the base's safety compelled the team to withdraw. When Starscream, under imminent threat of a beating from Megatron, contacted the team to demand to know where they were, Swindle joined his teammates in happily informing their illustrious leader they were all protecting the base together. Aww. {{Storylink|New Military Unit Combaticon! Bruticus, Combine!}}

Swindle was able to steal [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[transformation cog]], but his looking forward to being rewarded was interrupted when the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] tracked him down to take back his loot. He combined with his team to form Bruticus, but was defeated by the Protectobots' own combined form, [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], and taken back to the Autobot base to have his injuries treated by the gentle [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]. {{storylink|Bad at Fighting? Rescue Team Protectobots, Dispatch!}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
The Combaticons infiltrated [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] disguised as their vehicles, with Swindle taking on the form of an APC. During the Decepticon-[[Cobra]] attack on the [[United Nations]], the Combaticons revealed themselves and combined into Bruticus to fight [[GIJONIN]]. {{storylink|Expelled from the Garden}}
{{-}}

===''Combiner Wars'' cartoon===
Swindle was among the Decepticon troops who bore witness to a pivotal duel between Optimus Prime and Megatron, one meant to end the war before the never-ending arms race between the two factions spiralled further out of control. {{storylink|Prelude to Transformers: Combiner Wars - Optimus Prime}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Swindle served as the defense lawyer for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and their [[binary bonding|binary bond]] partners at their trial following the disastrous [[Great Push]]. Thanks to his efforts, the defendants were acquitted of some of the charges, but Galvatron and Scourge were ultimately sentenced to execution. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

===''Bumblebee'' graphic novels===
[[File:WinIfYouDare-Swindle.jpg|thumb|right|250px|PEPE SILVIA!]]
Although he'd been kicked out of the Decepticons, Swindle remained in touch with his Combaticon allies and sought to get himself back into Megatron's good graces by stealing [[human]] military secrets, a mission that led him to stake out a small [[California]]n town where the United States Air Force prepared to test their new [[B-2 stealth bomber]], a secret anti-Decepticon weapon, at the [[Sierra Station]] airbase. Swindle and the other Combaticons moved into an [[Herman's Military Surplus and Museum|abandoned airfield]] on the outskirts of town by strongarming the owner [[Herman]] into complying, and turned the run-down facility into a makeshift base while the team planned their heist—stealing and applying the plane's stealth technology would make them invisible to human and Autobot sensors.

In between spying on the military, Swindle blew off steam by participating in illegal street races in [[Yosemite National Park]]. During one such race, Swindle nearly ran his competitor [[Mateo Cruz]] off the road, and the teenager likely would've died if not for the surprise intervention of [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]. The next morning, Swindle spied on project director [[Angela Cruz]] as she prepared to unveil the project the next day, unaware that his target was also Mateo's mother. Later that day, Bumblebee and Mateo headed into town to find the "mystery Jeep" from the previous night for a rematch, and a tipoff from Mateo's friend [[Nicole]] led the duo to Herman's museum. Mateo confronted Herman and accidentally uncovered evidence of the Combaticon plot; momentarily fearing that the Autobots had caught onto his plan, Swindle fled the base, successfully outmaneuvered his foe at a railroad crossing, and warned the little yellow Autobot to stay out of his way.

[[File:WinifYouDare-SwindleAltMode.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Dude, those animals are so slagging funny they make me wanna merge without looking! YEAH, RUMSFELD!!"]]

That night, Swindle sabotaged the road to Sierra Station to blow Angela Cruz's tires, then masqueraded as a military police vehicle to lure her inside his [[alternate mode]]. Once she took the bait, Swindle captured her and took her back to Herman's museum, where he and three of the Combaticons intended to intimidate Angela into handing over the secrets behind the human stealth process. However, while Swindle was momentarily distracted by footage of Vortex battling Bumblebee, Angela momentarily distracted the Decepticon jeep long enough to make her escape and commandeer one of the decommissioned planes to make a daring escape. Swindle and the other Combaticons gave chase and confronted Bee outside of Sierra Station; with the compound now on high alert and their careful plan falling apart, the Combaticons decided to throw caution to the wind, form Bruticus, and simply smash the base to take what they wanted. Agile as ever, Bumblebee proved able to outwit the combiner, and a second barrage from the human military reduced the combiner back into his components. Onslaught advised simply stealing the aircraft and reverse-engineering the process later, but Swindle refused, shouting that he ''needed'' this win to prove himself to Megatron. Amidst the chaos, the Combaticons didn't notice Bumblebee and his human friends piloting the bomber they sought to steal, and a subsequent barrage of electromagnetic pulse bombs knocked the five out cold. The next morning, Optimus Prime and the other Autobots arrived to take the incapacitated Decepticons into custody. {{storylink|Transformers: Bumblebee - Win If You Dare|Win If You Dare}}
{{-}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Open Comms|''Transformers'' Valentine's Day Special]] (cameo); [[Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|''Transformers'' #20]] (full)}}

[[File:Swindles-SwindleTeam.jpg|thumb|right|350px|"Trademark "''Team Swindle''", I want a [[shanix]] every time someone says it!"]]

At some point, Swindle posed in a group photo with many Cybertronians, including [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]]. {{Storylink|Open Comms}} Swindle owned and operated [[Swindle's]], an illicit entertainment venue where patrons could bet on [[skitter]] races and enjoy under-the-table [[energon]]. As the proprietor, Swindle employed a variety of like-minded 'bots to help run numbers, work the crowd, and procure black market goods; these included [[Trickdiamond]], [[Gutcruncher (G1)|Gutcruncher]], [[Headlock (G1)|Headlock]], and [[Singe]]. Swindle's various business ventures made him known to [[Security Operations]], and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] enjoyed a particularly contentious relationship with him; despite Swindle's borderline criminal activities, Prowl was never able to nail him on concrete charges. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|Swindle's}} In fact, some in Security Operations even found Swindle useful. Back when [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] was running Sec-Ops, [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] went to work for Swindle, using him to eliminate the more dangerous criminal, [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]]. Smokescreen learned a good deal about Swindle's operation during this "seconding". {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Two}}

Forever seeking new avenues of profit, Swindle began stealing and selling energon to the terrorist group known as [[The Rise]]; when the [[Tether]] fell, Singe and Gutcruncher were outsourcing some stolen energon for their new client [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]]. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|Swindle's}} However, Singe ran afoul of [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and wound up in police custody; {{storylink|Arcee/Greenlight: Run}} when Mindwipe arrived at Swindle's to pick up his shipment, Swindle informed him that his agents had been intercepted during the heist. Furious, Mindwipe shouted that Security would have already traced them back to Swindle. When Prowl's team ''did'' arrive, Swindle feigned innocence during the scuffle, but Prowl had Swindle taken into custody regardless. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|Swindle's}}

[[File:WarWorldHunt-jailbreak.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]

As Swindle was cooling his heels in jail, however, the sitting government fell before the Rise and the Ascenticon party, forming the Decepticons in its wake. Trickdiamond and Headlock haggled with Swindle to free him from lock-up, blowing out his bars and the wall of his cell. Hearing that his muscle Gutcruncher had run off to join the revolution, Swindle decided to do some quick shopping before they left. Surveying the other cells, Swindle decided there was no profit left in Singe, and [[Storm Cloud (G1)|Storm Cloud]] was a zealot who wouldn't play ball. [[Roughstuff]], however, was a scorned ex-member of the Rise, and a nice source of muscle. Finally, Swindle was impressed with [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s story, killing a veteran soldier like the Rise's [[Quake (G1)|Quake]]. In exchange for getting Bumblebee next to his new target, [[Barricade (IDW)|Barricade]], Swindle negotiated for the little yellow bot's services. {{storylink|War World: Hunt}}

As Iacon quickly became a city for Decepticons only, Swindle negotiated with [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] of the Decepticon Guard to stay open. Once their license for business was secured, Swindle had Trickdiamond prep their favorite game of pumping loud-mouthed customers for information they could sell or otherwise profit from. [[Twirl (G1)|Twirl]], [[Nautilator]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Refraktor]] were three inebriated Decepticon ripe for the questioning. Swindle learned that [[Elita One (G1)|Elita-1]] (Bumblebee's sympathetic former boss from the [[Ascenticon Guard]]) was being moved through Decepticon custody. In exchange for further debt, Swindle arranged for [[Charger]] and [[Fire Beast]] to help Bumblebee spring her. Bumblebee was surprised to find Barricade guarding Elita-1. While he let go of his vendetta and didn't kill Barricade given the chance, he was suspicious of Swindle setting him up. Swindle denied it when confronted, pointing out he would have made Bumblebee pay more if he knew Barricade was involved. When Swindle mentioned his "targeted questioning" had uncovered information about the [[Enigma of Combination]], Bumblebee convinced him to expand his list of contacts. By selling this information to Optimus Prime and the Autobots, Swindle would be able to hedge his bets against either side winning the war. Seeing the appeal, Swindle allowed Bumblebee to use tech to pass the intelligence on to Prime. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Swindle's II|Swindle's II}}

[[File:DarknessOnceGazedUponPartTwo-Swindle.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]

Swindle kept his business running, although martial law under the Decepticons gave him new, sterner overlords that cut back on his illegal activities. Roughstuff wasn't doing his job as bouncer once, forcing Swindle to step in directly and escort the non-aligned Cyclonus from his bar. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part One}}

Another nasty surprise came when Smokescreen got back in touch with Swindle through the old tunnels. The charming former Sec-Ops agent offered to pay Swindle for a speedy and discreet exit from Iacon, after he acquired a "bulky package". Swindle needed the profit, and working under the Decepticons meant his bar was practically a charity, so he closed down for the rest of the cycle. Trickdiamond couldn't believe it, though, and when she heard about the side deal with Smokescreen, she passed on the info to Decepticon Intelligence. As it happened, Smokescreen was less than forthcoming too—he arrived at the door with armed Autobots and the prisoner, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], escaping from Megatron's dungeons. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Two}} Swindle was caught redhanded dealing with Autobots when Sixshot blew in his wall with a squad of Decepticons. Roughstuff saw an opportunity and "detained" Swindle for Sixshot, switching sides to get back in his old Rise lieutenant's good graces. Swindle was allowed to remain useful for the Decepticons as a supplier, but his days of independence seemed to be numbered. {{storylink|Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Three}}

{{--}}

===''My Little Pony/Transformers''===
[[File:StuntFlying-net.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|A literal green-eyed monster.]]

Swindle was one of the many Decepticons brainwashed by [[King Sombra]] during his invasion of Cybertron. Along with Sombra's other slaves, he fired on the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s and [[Wonderbolt]]s until [[Rainbow Dash]]'s powerful "Sonic Rainboom" manoeuvre disoriented him and the others long enough for the Seekers to entangle him with net missiles. {{storylink|Stunt Flying}}

{{--}}

===Energon Universe===
{{spoiler|Transformers (2023) issue 9|July 10, 2024}}
Swindle and the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] chased down [[Elita One (G1)#Energon Universe|Elita One]], cornering her. Before he could follow [[Onslaught (G1)#Energon Universe|Onslaught]] and [[Brawl (G1)#Energon Universe|Brawl]], the [[Autobot]] shot the [[Space Bridge|spacebridge]] severing the connection between the two worlds. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 9}}

{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
*Swindle, [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] were part of a Decepticon attack force that assaulted the Autobots' launch site. All three were rammed by Ultra Magnus in his vehicle mode as he entered the fray. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Ultra Magnus|Ultra Magnus commercial}}
*Swindle and the rest of the Combaticons charged down a ravine to face-off against [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. As they neared him, the Combaticons combined into Bruticus and took to the skies. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Bruticus and Metroplex|Bruticus and Metroplex commercial}}
*Swindle was part of a massive battle between Kreons. After being knocked around by the Autobots some, he and the Combaticons combined into Bruticus. They then chased the Autobots off alongside [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]]. {{storylink|Commercial#Kre-O|KRE-O Transformers Micro Changers and Combiners Construction Sets commercial}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
When a team of Autobots led by [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] went on the offensive, Blast Off, Swindle, and Vortex used superior military tactics to fight them off. {{storylink|War Dawn (Legends)|War Dawn}} Swindle was among the Decepticons who joined with the Quintessons in an attempt to destroy the Autobots. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 2}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsSwindle.jpg|thumb|400px|If you order now, I'll throw in a second beating absolutely free!]]
Swindle participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Rare character who could be recruited by collecting 160 units of Cybermetal, and 95 units of Transmetal. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Online'' (2017 video game)===
[[File:Swindle TFO.jpg|thumb|upright=.66|[insert random Wolverine reference here]]]
{{bigquote|Let's make a deal without starting a war.}}

Looks can be deceiving, as one may perceive when dealing with Swindle. If it's anything Swindle desired the most, it would be Megatron's right hand firearm, Carnage. However, the key question is whether Swindle can deal for Megatron's bazooka without batting an eye. In comparison to his comrades, Swindle is not a devoted militant. Rather, he prefers to never miss an opportunity to profit, even if it means dealing with the Autobots... so long as Swindle, himself, is confident enough to take action.

In battle, Swindle wielded a pair of "[[Nether Claws]]" and the "[[Saboteur]]" [[grenade launcher]]. His active skill was "Spider Mine":
*'''Spider Mine'''—Swindle dispatches a Spider Mine unit. When this unit comes in contact with enemy targets, the Spider Mine wreaks havoc by jettisoning into the air and showering Swindle's opponents with a flurry of projectiles that deal 110 points of damage every 0.2 seconds. {{storylink|Transformers Online (2017 video game)|Transformers Online}} <ref>[http://tfol.qq.com/act/a20160726data/hero6.shtml Swindle on the Transformers Online website]</ref>
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:Swindle-Earth-Wars.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.75| What's the point of me having a fusion cannon if I am never going to use it? Oh right I was gonna sell it! One fusion cannon for 150000 cyber coins!]]
With Swindle, it's always deal - never no deal. He'd trade Megatron's right arm for a toaster if he saw both opportunity and profit.

Swindle is the first Combaticon to make it to Earth. Starscream wanted the location of a fragment of the [[Fractal Map]], and Swindle found it for him, but there was an Autobot outpost in the way, so he took care of the short-range Laser Turrets. After the battle, Swindle traded insults with some of the Autobots posted there, and then reminded Starscream that he owes him. Big time. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Power Play Campaign}}

When Swindle caught wind that the Autobots were on the move towards a signal in the arctic first discovered by [[Cyclonus (G1)|that one guy that still hates him]], Swindle was ready to leave. But Brawl didn't help though because he attracted the attention of Starscream. Starscream took direct control of Swindle's operation and took them to the Arctic, but not before Swindle offered him a de-icer for sale. But unknown to him, Swindle had an arrangement with Megatron, so he let him in on their plan so Megatron could get there first and tell them what they found was a [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events| Arctic Signal}}

When Shockwave selected the next candidates for the Decepticons' next combiner, Swindle asked what was in it for him. Megatron responded by threatening to strangle the energon from his inner spark if he didn't comply. As they were slowly making progress on the combining process, Swindle made a deal: If the Combaticons successfully combined at maximum strength before the Autobots, he'll give back everything he had taken from everyone (including his angry comrades), or else pay him equivalent value.

Megatron decides to push the Combaticons to their limits and combines the Combaticons prematurely. The result is Bruticus, the Combaticons highly mentally unstable combined form. Megatron honestly doesn't care anymore what the other Combaticons say, he just wants them to stay in their combined form. Unfortunately, the celebrations are cut short when Megatron receives word Optimus has perfected his own second combiner, and so sends out Bruticus to fight against this new combiner. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Countdown to Combination}}

When Shockwave announced his plan to recruit allies from alternate realities, Swindle saw a profitable, glowing opportunity. He contacted Hot Rod to meet on neutral ground for the location and encryption key for the Decepticon's Space Bridge project in exchange for pure unaltered Energon. He was dismayed that Hot Rod brought Dinobot muscle along just as the Combaticons, who have been tracking Swindle, ambushed them. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Rogue Trader}}
Amidst the fighting between the Dinobots and Combaticons, Hot Rod made the exchange with Swindle. Starscream, who had been following Swindle the whole time, offered him a lift out, which he gladly accepted.
{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Event Horizon}}

Swindle offered Soundwave a deal. Optimus Prime and Megatron were stuck in the past, with [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]] gaining power, something Swindle knew Soundwave didn't want. He offered the cassette tape player a way to accomplish his goals. He knew of a way to get the [[Dark Star Saber]] away from [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]]. Soundwave accepted Swindle's offer. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Target: 1984}}

*'''Class:''' Gunner
*'''Lowest Star Rating:''' 1 star
*'''Weapons:''' Swindle uses a standard grenade launcher to damage defenses from a long distance.
*'''Ability:''' '''Incendiary Barrage''' - Shoots 6 rockets that engulf a large area in flames dealing damage over time.
**'''Cost:''' 7 ability points +2 cost increase.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:swindle Swindle at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive''===
[[File:BBOSwindle.jpg|thumb|100px]]
Swindle was in command of the eleventh Decepticon base attacked and destroyed by the Autobots during a series of raids. He pursued the invaders in jeep mode launching several bombs and missiles against his target, but foolishly ran over his own bombs and blew himself up. {{storylink|Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Swindle was a member of the Combaticons. {{storylink|Decepticon Directive}}

On Earth, Swindle and the other Combaticons acted as a liaison between the Decepticons and the forces of Cobra, offering them advanced alien technology in exchange for their full cooperation. While meeting with [[Chameleon (G.I. Joe)|Chameleon]] in southern [[France]], the Autobots attacked; in the ensuing fight, Swindle and Chameleon fled, leaving the other Combaticons unable to form Bruticus. The pair retreated to the small town of [[Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges]], which had been acquired by Cobra and turned into a covert staging ground for future operations. Ultimately, however, a joint Autobot-[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] taskforce entered the city and successfully captured the two villains as they tried to flee. {{storylink|Cobra/Con Fusion}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
{{anchor|Generation 1}}
[[File:G1-toy Swindle.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Eh, I'd rather have elbows than shoulders anyway.]]
*'''Swindle''' (Combaticon, [[1986]]/[[1987]])
**''Team ID number'': '''C2'''
**''Takara/GiG ID number'': '''D-68'''
**''Accessories'': Large "[[Scatter blaster]]" gun, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol

:''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' Swindle transforms into a tan {{w|FMC XR311}} combat support vehicle. He features a large, back-mounted cannon with a small pistol attached to its side. In robot mode, he is armed with both weapons, which are used as hand-held artillery. Swindle normally operates as Bruticus's right leg, but as a [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1986 (Scramble City and Transformers 2010)|Scramble City]]-style combiner toy, he can also be used in any other available limb slot with any torso-robot.

:There are two different versions of the original release. The initial version uses purple-painted [[die-cast]] metal for his chestplate. This was later replaced with gray plastic.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Swindle/swindle.htm More information on Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{G1CombaticonMold}}

{{-}}{{anchor|G1Bruticus}}{{anchor|Bruticus}}
*'''Bruticus''' (Gift set, [[1985]])
**''Takara ID number'': '''D-69'''

:In addition to his single release, Swindle was also sold in a "Bruticus" [[giftset]] alongside the other Combaticons. The gift set was never available in the USA or Canada, but only in [[Japan]] and [[Italy]].

: In 1988, [[GiG]] also re-released the Bruticus set in Italy, with five random "Exogini Transformers" ([[Decoy]]s) added.

{{-}}{{anchor|1991Classic}}
*'''Decepticon Swindle''' ([[1991]])
**''Accessories'': Large "[[Scatter blaster]]" gun, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol

:Swindle was re-released in 1991 as part of the [[Europe]]an-market ''[[Classics (Europe)|Classics]]'' line. This version (which uses the plastic chestplate) was [[retool]]ed to remove the [[rubsign]] indent from his vehicle mode hood, a change made to a lot of the toys in this series.
{{-}}

===''Generation 2''===
[[File:G2-toy Swindle.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Swindle''' ([[1994]])
**''Team ID number'': '''C2'''
**''Accessories'': Large "[[Scatter blaster]]" cannon, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol

: For the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|''Generation 2'' toyline]], Swindle had all of his tan parts redecoed to bright red with purple camouflage paint and his windshield painted black. (This latter color was a sticker on the original release.) In robot mode, he has a bright purple torso, making this release quite garish.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1994/Decepticon/Swindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Generation 2'' Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{G1CombaticonMold}}

{{-}}{{anchor|G2FOC}}{{anchor|Amazon}}
[[File:G2toy-SwindleAmazon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|So yeah, don't expect a [[Leyland]] homage from this mold anytime soon.]]
*'''Bruticus''' (Box set, [[2012]])
**''Accessories'': Blaster
{{toydesigner|[[Andrew Franks]] (deco artist)}}

:Part of a giftset [[exclusive]] to [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]] and [[BigBadToyStore]], this version of Swindle is a redeco of ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)#Fall of Cybertron (2012–2013)|Generations]] [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'' [[Swindle (FOC)#Generations|Swindle]] in ''Generation 2'' colors. Swindle transforms into a Cybertronic jeep-like vehicle. He can form any arm or leg of Bruticus, but his nominal placement is as the right leg, as usual. Some of the purple camo was lost between the stages of [[:File:Generationstoy-G2Swindle.jpg|stock photography]] and final production.

:This mold was later retooled into [[Roadbuster (Prime)#Generations|Roadbuster]].
{{-}}

===''Alternators''===
{{anchor|Alternators/Binaltech}}
[[File:Alternators Swindle toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|If you buy from this Jeep, it won't be cheap.]]
*'''Swindle''' ([[2004]])
**''Alternator ID number'': '''8'''
**''Binaltech ID number'': '''BT-09'''
**''Accessories'': Handgun
{{toydesigner|[[Mark McCall]] (Hasbro)}}

:''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' Swindle is a retool of [[Hound (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Hound]] from the same line, with his [[alternate mode]] being a [[licensed vehicle alternate modes|licensed]] 1:24 scale yellow {{w|Jeep Wrangler}} Sport. Changes from Hound include larger [[rubber tires]] and a modified front bumper with an added bullbar, plus a new head sculpt in robot mode. In vehicle mode, Swindle's doors open to reveal a realistic interior, his hood opens to reveal a fake (and inaccurate) engine bay, and his tailgate opens by hinging up at one end. As with Hound, he lacks the steering feature common in other ''Alternators'' toys but has spring-loaded suspension instead.

:In robot mode, Swindle is armed with a small laser pistol that can be stored in his spare tire. He is otherwise mostly identical to Hound except for the changed parts and color. The new head sculpt head is actually based on a cross between ''Generation 1'' [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]'s original toy head and his [[character model|cartoon model]]'s head, since this retool was originally intended for an ''Alternators'' version of Trailbreaker, which was canceled due to [[trademark]] issues, among other things.

:The main difference between Hasbro's ''Alternators'' version and the Japanese ''Binaltech'' version is that the latter features parts made of [[die-cast]] metal for some of its vehicle mode shell, and has the entire vehicle shell painted.

:Swindle was later redecoed into the ''Alternators''-only [[Rollbar (G1)#Alternators|Rollbar]].

::*[[Source:Transformers Binaltech bios#9|Archive of ''Binaltech'' Swindle's bio and tech specs]]
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/AltSwindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Alternators'' Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{AlternatorsHoundMold}}
{{-}}

===''Universe'' (2008)===
[[File:Universe-ROTF-toy Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Dolla dolla bill y'all]]
*'''Bruticus Maximus''' ([[2008]])
**''Series'': '''G1 Series'''
**''Accessories:'' Quad blaster (hand/foot), Decepticon-type [[energon star]]

:''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Swindle is a redeco of the ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Blackout (combiner)#Toys|Blackout]]/[[Stormcloud (Energon)#Toys|Stormcloud]] sculpt, transforming into a tan assault helicopter somewhat similar to an AH-1 Cobra. Appropriately enough, his markings include dollar signs ($) on the air intake housings flanking his cockpit. When combined with the other Combaticons, Swindle is nominally [[Bruticus (G1)#Universe (2008)|Bruticus Maximus]]'s right leg, though he can be used in any other limb position.

:He was only available as part of the ''Universe'' Bruticus Maximus [[giftset]], which also contains [[Vortex (G1)#Universe (2008)|Vortex]], another redeco of the same sculpt used for Swindle. The ''Universe'' version of the giftset was initially intended to be released as a [[Target]] exclusive in the United States, but ultimately ended up being only available in some non-American markets such as Australia and Singapore. Instead, American markets eventually received a [[rebranding|rebranded]] version of this giftset (with no changes to the toys themselves) in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' packaging (thereby creating new [[live-action film series]] [[Swindle (ROTF)|Swindle]] and [[Vortex (Movie)|Vortex]] characters), exclusively available at Target stores in the United States and at Zellers stores in Canada.

:This sculpt was also used to make ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Topspin (Classics)#Toys|Topspin]], as well as the ''[[Transformers United|United]]'' versions of Swindle (see [[#United|below]]) and [[Vortex (G1)#United|Vortex]]. Another planned redeco, ''[[Transformers (2007 toyline)|Movie]]'' [[Reverb (Movie)#Toys|Reverb]], was canceled.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Decepticon/TargetSwindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Universe'' Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!''===
[[File:TF-Henkei-Deluxe-Detritus.jpg|upright=.66|thumb|Hey, [[Shortround (Cybertron)|you!]] Can I interest you in an unreleased Transformers toy?]]
*'''Swindle'''? (Deluxe Class, <s>200?</s>)
:*''Accessories'': Missile launcher

:A redeco of ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Deluxe Class [[Hound (G1)/toys#Univ2008Dx|Autobot Hound]] in Swindle colors (with a deco layout based on [[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|''Henkei! Henkei!'']] [[Hound (G1)/toys#Henkei! Henkei!|Hound]]), with a Decepticon insignia, was displayed as part of an exhibit at [[Transformers Expo]] in 2014, including a seemingly unchanged [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Universe (2008)|Ravage]].<ref name="tfexpo1">[https://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/tf-expo-pics-masterpiece-star-saber-in-color-and-more-180923/ "TF Expo Pics - Masterpiece Star Saber In Color and More!"] at TFW2005.</ref><ref name="tfexpo2">[https://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/tf-expo-pics-part-2-g1-prototypes-movie-props-and-more-masterpiece-180925/ "TF Expo Pics Part 2 - G1 Prototypes, Movie Props, and More Masterpiece!"] at TFW2005.</ref><ref name="tfexpo3">[https://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/tf-expo-pics-part-4-prototypes-and-figure-displays-from-diaclone-g1-g2-beast-wars-180933/ "TF Expo Pics Part 4 - Prototypes and Figure Displays from Diaclone, G1, G2, Beast Wars"] at TFW2005.</ref>
{{canceledtoy}}
{{-}}

===''Encore''===
*'''Bruticus''' ([[2009]])
**''ID number:'' '''16'''

:A reissue of the original G1 Swindle toy at first sight, this toy is actually a redeco of the ''Robots in Disguise'' Rollbar retool of the sculpt. This version of Swindle was only available as part of a Bruticus gift set released under [[TakaraTomy]]'s ''[[Transformers Encore|Encore]]'' line of reissues.
{{G1CombaticonMold}}
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
[[File:Generationstoy-RetailSwindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|(''Hasbro Version Pictured'')]]
[[File:TF-Generations-JP-TG06-Swindle.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Remember folks, always stay gold. With a bang. (''TakaraTomy Version Pictured'')]]
*'''Swindle''' (Deluxe, 2012)
**''Series/number'': '''01/#005'''
**'''PART 4 OF 5!'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''TG06'''
**''TakaraTomy release date:'' [[January 26]], [[2013]]
**''Accessories'': Blaster
{{note|The Aligned [[Swindle (FOC)#FOCDeluxe|Swindle]] toy was [[repurposing|repurposed]] as Generation 1 Swindle.}}

:A [[redeco]] of Swindle from the [[Bruticus (WFC)#FOCDeluxe|Decepticon Bruticus]] gift set was available individually alongside his fellow Combaticons as part of the second [[wave]] of the ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]''-themed 2012-onwards Deluxe Class ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' assortment. These versions of the Combaticons replace the [[show-accuracy|game-accurate]], ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-inspired decos with more "flashy" colors apparently homaging the color scheme of [[Bruticus Maximus (Energon)|Bruticus Maximus]]. Swindle replaces the ocher from his gift set release with a bright shade of yellow.

:Aside from the colors, mass retail Swindle is identical to the version from the Decepticon Bruticus gift set.

:The Takara release of Swindle has the yellow plastic from Hasbro's release covered in a gold paint. He features more game-accurate colors, including a painted purple visor, more detailed shoulderpads, and silver feet.

:Unsurprisingly for an Aligned toy inspired by Generation 1, ''Fall of Cybertron'' Swindle was used in multiple Generation 1-based stories, with the Hasbro deco [[Swindle (G1)#Starscream's New Power|appearing]] in the short comic "[[Starscream's New Power]]" and the TakaraTomy deco [[Brawl (G1)#Transformers: All Spark|appearing]] in the ''[[Transformers: All Spark]]'' manga series and the ''[[Transformers Cloud]]'' stories.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Decepticon/Swindle/swindle.htm More information on retail Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''United''===
[[File:United Bruticus Maximus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
*'''Bruticus''' ([[November 7]], [[2012]])
**''Accessories:'' Quad blaster (hand/foot), Decepticon-type [[energon star]]

:Released exclusively by TakaraTomy in non-Japanese Asian markets, this redeco of the ''Energon'' Bruticus Maximus set has colours similar to the previous ''Universe'' (2008)/''Revenge of the Fallen'' release, but with a greater emphasis on G1-accuracy. Swindle is monochromatic compared to the previous release, replacing the sand and brown plastic with a uniform tan colour scheme. Additionally, the quad blaster/combined mode foot/hand previously cast in translucent coloured plastic is now opaque grey, though his energon star remains red.
{{--}}

===''Bot Shots''===
[[Image:BotShots Swindle.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
*'''Combaticons''' (Multi-pack, 2013?)
**''Number'': '''T0??'''
{{toydesigner|[[Andrew Scribner]] (deco artist)}}
***''Fist strength'':
***''Blaster strength'':
***''Sword strength'': '''537'''

:A redeco of ''[[Bot Shots (toyline)|Bot Shots]]'' [[Ironhide (Movie)/toys#Bot Shots|Ironhide]], Swindle automatically transforms from spoiler-equipped pickup truck to robot when a sharp impact is applied to his front end. He was to be sold in a five-pack with [[Onslaught (G1)#Bot Shots|Onslaught]], [[Brawl (Movie)#5Pack|Decepticon Brawl]], [[Blast Off (G1)#Bot Shots|Blast Off]], and [[Vortex (G1)#Bot Shots|Vortex]], but this never saw release.

:This mold was also used to make [[Dirt Boss (Cybertron)#Bot Shots|Super Bot Dirt Boss]] and [[Hound (G1)/toys#Bot Shots|Blitz Shot Autobot Hound]].

{{canceledtoy}}

===''Kre-O''===
[[File:KreO-toy SwindleKreon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Sneaky little bastard. He probably rips open blind-packs at the store and sells the contents for double the price.]]
*'''Decepticon Bruticus''' (Micro-Changer Combiner, [[2013]])
**''Set number'': '''A2225'''
**''Pieces'': '''79'''
**''Accessories'': Pistol
{{toydesigner|[[Ed Masiello]] (Hasbro)}}

:[[Kreon]] Swindle can be rebuilt from his robot mode into a jeep. He can also contribute his bricks to form [[Bruticus (G1)#Kre-O|Bruticus]]. He was only available as part of the Bruticus [[Micro-Changer]] combiner set, part of the first assortment of Combiners available.

:Interestingly, he is the only one in the set to be based on his original [[Character model|animation model]], with his fellow Kreon Combaticons painted to resemble their original toys instead.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/Kre-OSwindle/swindle.htm More information on Swindle at TFU.info]''

{{anchor|Combiner3pack}}
*'''Combiner Robot Mega Pack''' (3-pack, 2016)
**''Set number'': '''B6425'''
**''Pieces'': '''245'''
**''Accessories'': Pistol

:In 2016, Dollar General stores in the US got a three-pack of [[Superion (G1)#Kre-O|Superion]], Bruticus, and [[Menasor (G1)#Kre-O|Menasor]] that sold for a mere $14. Given the original kits retailed at $10 apiece, wow. While a couple of the Kreons inside had small changes, Swindle was one of the ones identical to his original release.
{{--}}

===''Combiner Wars''===
[[File:CW-toy Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Hey, a swindler remolded from a rook! Geddit? Geddit?]]
*'''Swindle''' (Deluxe Class, [[2016]])
**''Accessories:'' Gun, double-barreled gun/fist/foot
{{toydesigner|[[Shogo Hasui]] (TakaraTomy)}}

:Released as part of wave 5 of the ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' Deluxe Class figures, Swindle is a heavy [[retool]] of ''Combiner Wars'' [[Rook (CW)#Toys|Rook]], featuring a significant alternate mode alteration to look like a teched-out military SUV. He comes with a three-barreled minigun-rifle and a hand/foot/gun for limb mode. Later versions of Swindle featured a [[variant#Running changes|running change]] in the form of a slight retool to his smaller weapon, adding nubs to its end allowing it to attach over his shoulder (for [[Hound (G1)/toys#Combiner Wars|Hound]], his later retool). If the seat and steering wheel visible in his alt-mode are intended for humans, his jeep is supposed to be [[scale#|the same size]] as Brawl's tank.

:Being a ''Combiner Wars'' figure, Swindle can combine with his fellow [[Combaticon (G1)#Combiner Wars|Combaticons]] to form [[Bruticus (G1)#Combiner Wars|Bruticus]] as either an arm or a leg. He can also combine with any ''Combiner Wars''-style Voyager Class figure or even form one of [[Godbomber#Legends|''Legends'' Godbomber's]] legs.

:Unfortunately, due to the internal molding of his shins, repeatedly transforming Swindle will eventually create horizontal scratch marks across the hip joints. Swindle also has a hard time holding together solidly; when squeezing his legs together for vehicle mode, the vehicle mode front angles down. When tabbing the hood section into the legs, it pops the legs apart, but straightens up the front of the vehicle. The details between the arms, the hood section, and the legs also never line up completely in vehicle mode. It is entirely likely that this is all caused by the aforementioned internal molding of the shins.

[[File:UWSwindlePrototype.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|left|Don't worry, I know where I can get a better gun.]]

:An early "gray model" resin [[prototype]] of Swindle featured a different version of his handheld weapon with a single, large barrel. Images of this appeared in both the Japanese ''[[Figure Ō]]'' magazine,<ref name="figureoh216">[http://www.allspark.com/2016/01/figure-king-215-216-hi-res-transformers-scans-unite-warriors-blast-off-mp-primal/ Figure Oh! 216 scans] at The Allspark.</ref> and the behind-the-design "On Deck Genesis" section in the back of ''Combiner Wars'' Swindle's pack-in comic, which also featured early sketches of the figure wielding the same weapon. Very early solicitations of ''Unite Warriors'' Bruticus also displayed Swindle with this weapon. These are the only instances this version of his weapon have ever been used, as the gray model prototype on display at [[Wonder Festival]] 2016 Winter, the official promotional Hasbro CG render for the ''Combiner Wars'' figure and all [[stock photography|stock photo]]s for both the ''Combiner Wars'' and the ''Unite Warriors'' version depict the regular weapon.

:Though Swindle's wave was scheduled for a first quarter 2016 release, it arrived on U.S. store shelves in late 2015.

:In the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, Swindle came in English-only packaging including a copy of "''Combiner Wars'' #4" (actually [[City on Fire|''Robots in Disguise'' #12]]). In Canada, Latin America, and Europe, he was available in different types of [[multilingual packaging]] including a character card featuring his comic book cover/[[package art]] instead. He and the last three waves of Combiner Wars Deluxe and Voyager figures later showed up at TJ Maxx at reduced prices with the collector card.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2016/Decepticon/CWSwindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Combiner Wars'' Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{CWRookMold}}

{{-}}{{anchor|CWG2}}{{anchor|G2BruticusSet}}
[[File:TF-Combiner-Wars-G2-Swindle.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Bruticus''' (Collection Pack, 2016)
**''Accessories'': Gun, double-barreled gun/fist/foot

:A ''Generation 2''-themed redeco of ''Combiner Wars'' Swindle is packed along with the other Combaticons (including [[Shockwave (G1)/toys#CWG2|Shockwave]]), and sold together in a massive box. Despite being released 4 months after ''Combiner Wars'' Hound, Swindle does not use the retooled blaster from the later releases of the mold.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2016/Decepticon/CWG2Swindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Combiner Wars'' Generation 2 Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Unite Warriors''===
[[File:TF-Unite-Warriors-UW07-Swindle.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Bruticus''' (Giftset, [[June 25]], [[2016]])
**''ID number:'' '''UW-07'''
**''Accessories'': Gun, double-barreled gun/fist/foot

:''[[Transformers Unite Warriors|Unite Warriors]]'' Swindle is a redeco of the ''Combiner Wars'' mold in a color scheme based on his cartoon appearance, most obviously by painting his lower torso and hood purple and his face silver. He also features additional paint details on places like his hands and rims, and his hand-foot-gun is cast in the same yellow as his body. Swindle was sold only in a multi-pack with the other Combatrons. As with the G2 Bruticus set, Swindle does not use the retooled blaster from the later releases of the mold.

:As a Deluxe Class ''Unite Warriors'' figure, he can combine to form the leg or arm of any combiner from Hasbro's ''Combiner Wars'' subline or any ''Unite Warriors'' figure, but would usually be associated with [[Bruticus (G1)#Unite Warriors|Bruticus]].
{{CWRookMold}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:G1OddCombat.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
*The [[character model]]s of the Combaticons are kinda... okay, heavily made-up. Swindle is particularly glaring, as his original 1986 toy was based on an {{w|FMC XR311|XR311}} combat vehicle (a predecessor to the {{w|High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle|AM General Humvee}}), whereas his character model was a much smaller Jeep, including a Jeep front on his robot chest, which the fiction has stuck with ever since. [[:File:G1OddCombat.jpg|Early models of the team]] which were a bit more accurate to the toys—except for the heads, oddly enough—have shown up in various sourcebooks, though Swindle's is still off in some very odd ways.
*Swindle is the only Combaticon that doesn't have a faceplate or visor.
*In the Wings of Honor continuity the Combaticons are swayed to the Decepticon side by Deathsaurus appealing to their darker natures, represented by one of the Seven Deadly Sins. Swindle's vice is, predictably enough, his Greed.
*Unlike his fellow Combaticons, Swindle [[:File:A better tomorrow Swindle Sky Byte.jpg|did not notably sport]] a redesign in "season 1" of the 2012 ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' comic series based on [[Swindle (FOC)|his Aligned counterpart]]'s [[:File:FOC-Swindlecap.jpg|video game model]] in [[High Moon Studios]]' ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]''.
[[File:EuroClassicsCombaticons.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Beware the (neon) green<s>-eyed</s>-hued monster.]]
*The packaging of the 1990 European [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] release of the original [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] toy depicted the Combaticons in new color schemes, despite the fact that the actual toys looked identical to their original releases. While it may never be known for certain, it has been theorized that these colors originated from a packaging printing error rather than a legitimate attempt to [[redeco]] the Combaticons.
{{--}}
==Foreign names==
*''Japanese:'' '''Swindle''' (スィンドル ''Swindoru'')
*''French:'' '''Filou''' (Canada, "Swindler")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Svindli''' ("Spoof")
*''Italian:'' '''Crasher'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Zhàpiàn''' (诈骗, "Swindle")
*''Russian:'' '''Fingal''' (Фингал, "Black Eye")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Vígaro'''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Alternators Decepticons]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Decepticons]]
[[Category:Combaticons]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]
[[Category:Energon Universe Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Merchants]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game Autobots]]
[[Category:TransTech Decepticons]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]
[[Category:Unite Warriors Decepticons]]
[[Category:United Decepticons]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]

Smelting pool

2024-07-01T04:37:37Z

1levichurch: /* Games */

{{disambig2|the Decepticon torture and recycling device|issue 17 of the Marvel US comic|The Smelting Pool!}}
[[File:TheSmeltingPoolUS17.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Cross the Decepticons and you could find yourself in hot <s>water</s> metal.]]
The '''Smelting Pool''' is a combined torture and recycling device used by the Decepticons to melt down their enemies. The pool is a fiery red color as a result of all the molten metal from its victims.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====Marvel Comics continuity====
The Smelting Pool was located on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the province of [[Polyhex]] in the shadow of the Decepticon stronghold of [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]]. Captured Autobots and [[Empty|Empties]] from [[Dead End (place)|the Dead End]] were thrown into the smelting pool to die in agony as they were gradually melted by the extreme heat. Their molten remains were then pressed into ingots for reuse. The perimeter of the pool was lined with Decepticons and [[laser sentinel tower]]s to ensure that none that went in ever came out again. Harvester units constantly flew overhead depositing victims into the pool.

The Smelting Pool was a favorite device of the Decepticon tyrant [[Straxus (G1)|Lord Straxus]]. After Straxus learned that [[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]] had discovered that the Decepticons at Darkmount had received a radio message from the Decepticons on [[Earth]], he ordered the Autobot spy be thrown into the pool. Before Scrounge died he was able to pass the evidence of the message to [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] who had come to rescue him. {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}}

The pool apparently took walk-ins, as [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and his group were driving prisoners towards the smelting pool once, before [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] intervened. On the other hand, it is possible that there were multiple pools on Cybertron, in each Decepticon controlled area of the planet, and Scorponok was not traveling to the same smelting pool as the one in Polyhex. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}

=====''Transformers '84''=====
[[File:SecretsAndLies2 StraxusCounterpunch.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
As part of [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]]'s plan to become the new [[Decepticon leader]], he had [[Punch (G1)|Counterpunch]] promote Straxus to Regional Liege and give him Darkmount, provided that Straxus commit his forces to an immediate assault on Iacon. The sight of the facility's smelting pool sealed the deal for the tyrant who ordered the taking of prisoners, {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 2|Secrets & Lies #2}} which he used to break in his new smelting pool. He and Counterpunch later had a discussion by the pool where Straxus ordered the spy to complete [[Project Dreadnought]]. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 3|Secrets & Lies #3}}
{{--}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity====
The Smelting Pools were originally erected in the city state of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] as a way of breaking down raw materials. They were later used as a way executing violent criminals. The Government of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] banned the use of the Smelting Pools, and their use ceased for several [[Units of time|vorns]].

During the rise of the Decepticons, the Smelting Pools were reactivated as a way of disposing of the losers of gladiatorial combat. Later, as the Decepticons' power increased, the Smelting Pools were used to dispose of Autobot prisoners. New pools were built in other cities across Cybertron, including Iacon itself. The molten metal is drawn down to the bottom of the pool where it is divided into different elements and extracted for reuse.

====2005 IDW continuity====
Prior to the [[Great War (G1)|Cybertronian Civil War]], the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] were depicted using a portable Smelting Pool to melt down a hapless victim for the construction of a gladiatorial arena for [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] to fight in. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}}

[[Helex (G1)|Helex]], a member of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], has one equipped ''inside his chest.'' {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

On [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], [[Solomus|Chief Justice Tyrest]] had built himself a giant Smelting Pool over which he suspended his equally impressive prison, just in case he needed to dunk the whole complex. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

In [[Grindcore (prison)|Grindcore Prison]], [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] told the prisoners they were entering a teleport room, but it was really a smelting chamber. {{storylink|Speak, Memory! (Part 2)}}

On [[Velocitron]], the inhabitants traditionally [[Transformer funerary practices|disposed of their dead]] by melting them down in a smelting pool. {{storylink|The Next Day, and the Next}}

====''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''====
Located at Cybertron's north pole, the smelting pits were maintained by the former Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]. When [[planetary engine]]s sprouted at the pole, [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] marked the site for a [[G.I.Rocket|green bomb]] strike. The [[human]]s were caught by one of Hot Rod's [[turborat]] traps and grimly observed the pits claim their latest victims. As Hot Rod hovered past the pits, he was confronted by an enraged [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] only for him to defeat the rebel fighter. The praise he received from [[Apeface]] and [[Demolisher (G1)|Demolisher]] was enough for the deposed king to realize how low he'd fallen and he shoved the two Decepticons into the pools while he carried Blaster away. {{storylink|Form Follows Function}}

===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
====Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity====
[[Astroscope]] compared finding the [[Continuity|dimension]]-lost [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] to finding a diode in a smelting pool. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4}}

====Panini ''Armada'' continuity====
As [[Dualor (Armada)|Dualor]] fought with [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], he listed [[mecha-pit]]s, smelting pools, and disassembly as terrible things he and the [[Destruction Mini-Con Team]] would pay him back for inflicting upon them. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 9|Dawn of Destruction!}}

===''Shattered Glass''===
It is pretty obvious as to which side uses the smelting pool. (Hint: [[Autobot|still the bad guys]]) {{storylink|Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass}}

===Live-action film series===
====Titan ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comic====
[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] first met [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] when they were about to be thrown into a smelting pool. It was fun times! {{Storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.2|Dogfight!}}

====''Revenge of the Fallen'' toy bios====
[[Deadlift]]'s former job was transporting inoperative Decepticons to the smelting pool. {{storylink|Deadlift|Deadlift's ''Road Rival Showdown'' toy bio}}

===''Animated'' cartoon continuity===
Various Smelting Pools were built on the planet [[Lucifer]] under the rule of [[Straxus (Animated)|Straxus]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

===Aligned continuity family===
====Aligned novels====
[[Polyhex]] had a Lower Pool. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
Megatron's fortress, [[Darkmount (Earth)|Darkmount]], has a smelting pool located near the spire, used to dispose of prisoners that have served their purpose. {{storylink|Scattered}}

The [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]] on Cybertron also possessed a smelting pit. While fleeing from [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]], [[Team Prime]] was chased to the pit nearly falling to their deaths, only saved by a timely [[GroundBridge]]. [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] was rather incredulous that the pit had remained burning throughout the entirety of the [[Great Exodus]]. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}

===''Knights of Unicron''===
The Smelting Pool was the twenty-fifth venue for the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]] on their 2014 "Till All Are One" tour. {{storylink|Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron}}

==Games==
===Risk===
[[File:RiskBoard.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
The area containing the Smelting Pool is surrounded by [[Praxus]], [[Kolkular]], [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], and [[Altihex]]. {{storylink|Risk: Transformers — Cybertron Battle Edition|Risk}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] told [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] that if he double crossed him he would throw him into the Smelting pool. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Target: 1984}}

==Merchandise==
*'''RISK TRANSFORMERS CYBERTRON Battle Edition''' (2007)
:The Smelting Pool is one of the purple zones on the board.

==Notes==
*The original draft for ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' makes mention of a [[spare parts bank]], which fulfils a similar role as the smelting pools.
*A specific smelting pool may be reference in the expletive "By the [[Great Smelter]]!"

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Smelting Pool''' (スメルティング・プール), '''Seiren Pool''' (製錬プール), '''Kussai Pool''' (くっさいプール)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{w|Smelting}} at Wikipedia.

[[Category:Animated locations]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) locations]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 technology]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) technology]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 technology]]
[[Category:Torture and execution devices]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen locations]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass locations]]

Jaze (G1)

2024-07-01T04:30:31Z

1levichurch: /* Transformers: Earth Wars */

{{faction|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 character|the Aligned character|Jaze (Prime)}}
:''Jaze is an [[Autobot]] [[Battle Master|C.O.M.B.A.T. Bot]] from the [[Transformers: Earth Wars|Earth Wars]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Jaze-EW.jpg|300px|thumb|]]

'''Jaze''' is as feisty and gung-ho as they come, and, in lance/weapon form, lives for battle. And yet, his presence often counters the effects of other weapons in the vicinity, causing misfires and other operational problems. Even he doesn’t quite know why.
<ref>''Earth Wars'' mobile game bio for Jaze</ref>

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
While they were searching for [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] in the past, Jaze suggested to send a small team of [[C.O.M.B.A.T. System|C.O.M.B.A.T.]] bots to [[1984]] rather than a huge squad of Autobots. [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] both voted for Jaze's idea. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Target: 1984}}

{{stub|{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]

Shining Armor issue 1

2024-06-27T21:23:20Z

1levichurch:

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor]]'' #1
|prev=
|next=Shining Armor issue 2
|image=RomvsTF1 cvrA.jpg
|title=
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 19]], [[2017]]
|coverdate=July 2017
|written by=[[John Barber]] and [[Christos Gage]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Perez]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#1830s|Late 1830s or early 1840s]]
}}

'''Stardrive is a 'bot of two worlds, orphan from a Cybertronian colony planet raised by the Solstar Order. But when the Decepticons team up with the order's ancient enemies the Dire Wraiths, on which side of the conflict will Stardrive fall?'''

==Synopsis==
In the [[Gray Area]], the border region of space between the areas of the galaxy governed by the [[Galactic Council]] and the [[Solstar Order]], a [[Galactic Council]] vessel pursues a [[Stardrive's ship|fleeing ship]] from a [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] colony world. The Cybertronian ship is shot down by the Council and crashes on an asteroid, but the scene is witnessed by the Solstar Order's [[Rom]] the Space Knight, who demands the Council explain themselves. Uninterested in justifying their hatred of Cybertronians to the Space Knight, but nevertheless unwilling to risk conflict with the Order, the Council ship warps away when Rom is distracted by signs of life from the Cybertronian wreckage. Picking through the debris, he discovers a lone still-functional [[protoform]], still in the process of taking shape.

At the insistence of Rom, doctors of the Solstar Order repair the protoform, which is kept fueled and healthy by [[energon]] the Order is able to synthesize based on a sample recovered from the wreckage of the ship. The protoform takes the form of a female Cybertronian and is enrolled in school, where she is taught the destructive history of her own race, and is dubbed "[[Stardrive]]" by her classmates for her car [[alternate mode]]. One day, on a class field trip to the planet [[Mato Grosso (planet)|Mato Grosso]], Stardrive is attacked by a [[Dire Wraith]], one of the shape-shifting alien wizards who are the Solstar Order's greatest enemies. Once more, she is saved by Rom and a team of Space Knights, and though the Wraith is able to escape, the encounter convinces Stardrive to join the ranks of the Space Knights.

Five years later, Rom, fellow knight [[Livia]], and cadets [[Auxin]] and [[Sata]] arrive on [[Mining Colony 25-6-41]] in the [[Farouko Cluster]]. Though they inform the colony personnel that they are on a routine visit, Rom privately notes that the mission is a dangerous one, and orders Sata to stay with their ship (about which the young knight-in-training is not happy). Using their Analyzers, the Knights soon locate numerous Dire Wraiths hiding amongst the populace of the colony; as battle breaks out, Auxin takes off alone after a Wraith that attempts to escape, only to be lured into an ambush in an alleyway. Unfortunately for the Wraiths, they have overlooked the unattended car sitting nearby—which reveals itself to be Stardrive in disguise as she transforms and takes them all out! Despite the fact Stardrive has likely just saved his life, Auxin is angry at being deprived of the honor of his first Wraith-kill, but Stardrive just about manages to restrain her own annoyance at his attitude. However, she fails to hold her tongue when Livia proposes that they destroy the entire colony to ensure the Wraith infestation has been wiped out, and speaks out against the idea. Rom agrees with her, and orders the Knights to withdraw.

With Stardrive now joining them aboard their ship, the Knights head off on their next mission, but it is not a pleasant journey for Stardrive; she has never been truly accepted by any of the Knights besides Rom, and as Livia and Rom argue (the former fearing the latter has been softened by Stardrive's naive idealism, the latter believing the former has become too bloodthirsty), Sata and Auxin badmouth her behind her back. Presently, the group arrives on Solstar Order station [[Orchid Crossing]], orbiting the planet [[Xetaxxis]]. As Stardrive recharges, Rom and Livia explain to her the full reason for their presence on the station. As the Solstar Order pushes them back further and further, the Dire Wraiths are increasingly likely to flee into Galactic Council, or even Cybertronian space. As the Knights must be free to pursue them, the Order intends to open negotiations with the Galactic Council after years of avoidance, in order to secure passage for the Knights into Council space, and to prevent potential interference from them in any dealings that may become necessary with Cybertronians. Representatives of the Council will be arriving at the station he next morning, and Stardrive is there to serve as proof of the fact that the Solstar Order is capable of keeping Cybertronians "in their place."

When the Council representatives arrive the next morning, pleasantries are short and they immediately begin pouring scorn upon Stardrive and the very notion of working peacefully with Cybertronians. But disrespect for one of their Knights soon proves to be the least of the Order's worries when the Council representatives reveal that they are, in fact, Dire Wraiths, and that their ship is the Cybertronian [[Decepticon]] [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]! As Auxin perishes under an onslaught on Astrotrain's firepower, a team of Decepticons led by [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] comes blasting through the station walls, and joins the Wraiths in assaulting the Knights. Stardrive appears to be the reason for this alliance of evil, as the Wraith leader [[Vekktral]] points her out to Starscream; Stardrive in turn recognizes the Wraith as the one who attacked her on Mato Grosso, and fights to overcome her fear. Before she can get her wits together, she is seized by Starscream, who quickly realizes that she has never seen another Cybertronian in person before, and tries to tempt Stardive over to their side. When she refuses, Starscream kicks her through a wall, revealing the true object of his interest on the other side: the [[energon synthesizer]] Stardrive uses to recharge, which Starscream had deduced the Order must possess. Before anyone can make another move, however, another hole is blasted in the station's hull as [[Autobot]]s [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] arrive to stop Starscream's plans!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (21)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] (22)

|c2=
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (13)
* [[Ursa Major (G1)|Ursa Major]] (14)
* [[Doomwings (G1)|Doomwings]] (15)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] or [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (16)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (17)
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] or [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (18)
* [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (19)
* [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (20)

|h3=[[Solstar Order]]|c3=
* [[Rom]] (4)
* [[Stardrive]] (5)
* [[Nikomi]] (7)
* [[Livia]] (8)
* [[Orphion]] (9)
* [[Sata]] (10)
* [[Auxin]] (11)

|c4=
* [[Caminus (planet)|Camien]] colonists (1)
* [[Galactic Council]] captain (2)
* Galactic Council ship's crew (3)
* [[Vekktral]] (6)
* Assorted [[Dire Wraith]]s (12)
}}

==Quotes==
"You've been '''enchanted''' by a '''machine woman''' as '''soft''' as you. You cling to '''emotions''' we should '''rise above.'''" 
"A hard heart does not elevate us, it '''lowers''' us. We must not become like the '''Wraiths''' we fight."
:—'''Livia''' and '''Rom'''

"There, Starscream! There is the Cybertronian, as promised!" 
"You know what, '''Vekktral?''' I could actually '''tell''' which one wasn't '''six feet tall''' and made of '''flesh.'''"
:—'''Vekktral''' and '''Starscream'''

"Organics live but a '''fleeting moment,''' then fade away. But '''we''' have eternity."
:—'''Starscream''' extols the virtues of Cybertronians in an attempt to sway Stardrive

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* This story takes place "around 175, 180 years in the past," according to Christos Gage.<ref>[https://www.cbr.com/exclusive-transformers-rom-crossover-new-character-hasbro/] Series announcement interview</ref> This places it in the little-explored period of time after Cybertron was rendered uninhabitable and the Transformers scattered to the stars, devoid of any sources of true energon, as originally explored in ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'', but before significant modern-day Transformer activity on Earth. Starscream and Bumblebee both appear here before their eventual relocation to Earth, where they were stationed in ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]''. It's not immediately clear if the Ultra Magnus in this story is [[Minimus Ambus]] inside the armor, though that will be clarified further next issue...
* Which of the multiple known Transformer colony worlds Stardrive hails from is left unsaid in the story, though John Barber clarified on Twitter<ref>[https://twitter.com/TheJohnBarber/status/887466438033686528] Tweet by @TheJohnBarber, 18 July 2017</ref> that it was [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]], which is supported in-story by her energon being blue (a distinction from normal, pink-purple Cybertronian energon originally made in the [[The Last Autobot|''Titans Return'' one-shot]]). The dictates of continuity necessitate that she is from a colony world rather than Cybertron itself, because a) she is a cisgender female Transformer (that is to say, one who identifies as female and whose metal has naturally shaped itself into a female physical form) and such Transformers do not exist on Cybertron at this point in time, per lore originally laid down in ''[[Spotlight: Arcee]]'' (though [[An Axe to Break the Ice|''Lost Light'' #8]] would reveal soon after the publication of this issue that male-to-female transgender Transformers do); and b) she starts out as a protoform, a "natural" Cybertronian birth, the like of which has most recently been described as not occurring on Cybertron since over four million years ago, per [[Ghost Stories|the 2017 ''Transformers'' annual]].
* The Galactic Council captain in this issue at first appears to be of the same species as [[K'gard]], another Galactic Council captain introduced in [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|the 2012 ''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]], which was also the first appearance of the Council itself. However, Alex Milne clarified on TFW2005<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/rom-vs-transformers-shining-armor-1-ibooks-preview.1114693/page-2#post-14804901/] markerguru (Alex Milne) on The TFW2005 Forums, 10 July 2017</ref> that they are actually a related-but-distinct species: K'gard towered over Ultra Magnus in the annual, while the captain here is small enough that Astrotrain is capable of transforming into a shuttle for him and his crew.
* As members of the species are quite hard to tell apart, it's not clear if the captain of the Galactic Council vessel who shoots down the ship carrying Stardrive's protoform at the beginning of the story, and the being whose form Vekktral has stolen years later, are one and the same individual, or different members of the same race. But that said, the Council ship warps off for the sinister-sounding "Shadow System" after their run-in with Rom; could they have encountered and been taken over by Wraiths there?
* The masked bear and snake-like knight who are present when Rom and Livia rescue Stardrive from Vekktral go unnamed here, but they are [[Nikomi]] and [[Orphion]], pre-existing characters from IDW's ''ROM'' series.
* Livia mentions the death of Rom's family at the hands of the Dire Wraiths, a story told in {{i|Cold Fire|the 2017 ''ROM'' annual}}.
* Like the other knights, Stardrive dons crystalline armor, which becomes bonded to her. The ''ROM'' annual explained this armor is formed from a symbiotic ore, and given that ''[[Revolution]]'' implied a connection between the armor and [[Ore-13]], the implication is that it is one of [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'s other [[Regenesis]] ores.
* As established in {{i|Earthfall: Part Four|''ROM'' #4}}, the Dire Wraiths have never acquired a [[Neutralizer]] and are eager to examine the weapon.

===Transformers references===
* The planet Xetaxxis originally appeared in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[The Quintesson Journal]]".
* Blitzwing has a pair of "goggles" on his helmet that evoke the design of his [[Blitzwing (Animated)|''Animated'' counterpart]].
* The two other Decepticons accompanying the more famous squad of Starscream, the Triple Changers, and the [[Conehead]]s are, in fact, ''not'' [[generic]]s, but a pair of characters from the defunct 2012 Chinese MMO ''[[Transformers Online (2012 video game)|Transformers Online]]''. The green one, [[Ursa Major (Prime)|Ursa Major]] is identified by name when he is quickly killed by Livia; the other, in purple and peach, is [[Doomwings (Prime)|Doomwings]]. They had Chinese-language names in the game, but were later given these English ones by [[Ask Vector Prime]]—a rare, if not the actual first, example of something from that feature crossing over into "mainstream" Transformers fiction.

===Real-life references===
* The planet Mato Grosso is named after the {{w|Mato Grosso|real-life Brazilian state}}. Its name means "thick bushes" in Portuguese.
* Stop us if you think we're reaching on this one, but it seems like Mining Colony 25-6-41 is named in reference to June 25, 1941, the date on which {{w|Executive Order 8802}} was signed into law by [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|President Roosevelt]]. The order prohibits racial discrimination in the military-industrial complex, which sure seems relevant to Stardrive and the obvious racism she is a victim of while serving in the Solstar Order's equivalent of the military.
* The "W" logo of the [[wikia:avp|Weyland-Yutani Corporation|Weyland-Yutani Corporation]] from the {{w|Alien (franchise)|''Alien'' film series}} can be seen on the side of a building on the colony on page 7. Among the ships docked at the colony is the ''{{w|Discovery One}}'' from the movie ''{{w|2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey}}''.
* In keeping with Rom's name being derived from {{w|read-only memory}}, Stardrive's fellow cadets also have names taken from computer terminology: Sata from {{w|Serial ATA|SATA connections}} and Auxin from "aux-in" electrical connectors.
* Trinkets and toys on Stardrive's "bedside table" include the {{w|Enterprise (NX-01)|NX-01}} and {{w|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|NCC-1701}} versions of the starship ''[[USS Enterprise|Enterprise]]'' from ''[[Star Trek]]'', Super [[GoBots|GoBot]] action figure [[Zeemon]], and a kabuki mask that looks rather like the one worn by the villain Amon from ''{{w|The Legend of Korra}}'' animated series.
* Among the crowd in Stardrive's flashbacks are individuals coloured like a [[Stormtrooper (SW)|Stormtrooper]], an [[X-wing Fighter|X-Wing]] pilot, and a {{w|Kamen Rider}}.

===Other trivia===
* Stardrive was originally intended to be [[Strongarm (G1)|Strongarm]], but after creating her backstory it was decided to make her a new character and save Strongarm for a different story.<ref>{{citesocial|"At one point it came up to use Strongarm from the RID cartoon as sort of the character who become like a space knight type character, but it was rightly pointed out that the character was, by the time we written the outlines had nothing to do with Strongarm as a character. So we just decided, save Strongarm for later."|link=https://youtu.be/q0tl4q0qCH8?si=a1GJsUB3N-e2NX2e&t=103|name=John Barber|site=YouTube|year=2018|month=7|day=19}}</ref>

===Covers (5)===
* '''Cover A:''' Space Knights, Autobots, and Wraiths, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Starscream and the Dire Wraiths versus the lone Rom, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover C:''' Rom and Stardrive, by [[Paolo Villanelli]] and [[Alessandra Alexakis]]
* '''Retailer incentive cover:''' Rom versus Bumblebee, by [[David Lafuente]] and [[Lovern Kindzierski]]
* '''Convention exclusive cover:''' Partially black-and-white version of Cover C, available from IDW's booth at various 2017 conventions

<gallery>
File:RomvsTF1 cvrA.jpg|Episode VII: The Farce Awakens.
File:RomvsTF1 cvrB.jpg|Starscream loves a fair fight.
File:RomvsTF1 cvrC.jpg|Riding baked potatoes is the latest craze.
File:RomvsTF1 cvrRI.jpg|I'm rooting for Rom.
File:RomvsTF1 concvr.jpg|Hey, who turned off the colors?
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''Shining Armor'' #2
* "The Hasbro Tribune" editorial page promoting July's [[Hasbro Universe]] titles, including this issue, [[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 8|''G.I. Joe'' #8]], [[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 3|''Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook'' #3]], [[The Life of Sideswipe|''Optimus Prime'' #9]], [[Ghost in the Machine (IDW)|''Revolutionaries'' #8]], [[An Axe to Break the Ice|''Lost Light'' #8]], and [[Your First Mistake|''Till All Are One'' #12]].
* ''[[G.I. Joe vol. 5|G.I. Joe]]'' Vol. 1 TPB
* ''[[Revolutionaries]]'' Vol. 1 TPB
* IDW ''{{i|Clue (comic)|Clue}}'' comic
* ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo'' one-shot

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cbr.com/rom-vs-transformers-shining-armor-1-exclusive-preview/ Preview]

[[Category:Shining Armor issues]]

Quintesson Scientist

2024-06-26T22:59:04Z

1levichurch: /* Energon Universe */

{{disambig3|Scientist}}
:''Quintesson Scientists are a type of [[Quintesson]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Quint scientist.jpg|right|upright=1.66|thumb|Yes, I have a question.]]

Dedicated to the scientific advancement of their greedy race, the '''Quintesson Scientists''' stand ready to help the other [[Quintesson]]s in their pursuits with their knowledge.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[File:Quint dweller.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|left|I had to walk 15 miles in the snow to school! Uphill both ways!]]
{{voiceactor|[[Dick Gautier]] (English)}} ("[[The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar]]")
[[Inquirata (G1)|Inquirata]] {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}} and [[Mara-Al-Utha]] were Scientist-type Quintessons. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}
{{charstubfiction}}

===3H comics===
[[Al-badur]] {{storylink|Disclosure}} and [[Extempaxia]] were Scientist-type Quintessons. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

===Energon Universe===
A ship made from both Agorrian and Zertonian technology was transported to a laboratory on [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]] by an [[Quintesson Executioner|executioner]] so its alloys could be scanned. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 6|Void Rivals #6}} The lab's scientist determined that the alloy contained a formula possibly connected to [[Zerta Trion]]. Once the scientist told the [[Quintesson Judge]] about it, he was killed for speaking the name of Zerta Trion. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 9|Void Rivals #9}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Kagakusha''' (科学者, "scientist")

[[Category:Quintesson Scientists| ]]
[[Category:Scientists]]

Metalhawk (G1)

2024-06-24T08:29:10Z

1levichurch: /* Transformers: Earth Wars */

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig3|Metalhawk}}
:''Metalhawk is an [[Autobot]] [[Pretender]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Metalhawk boxart.jpg|upright=1.85|thumb|"Why does that fat guy insist on cosplaying as ME?!"]]
'''Metalhawk''' (メタルホーク ''Metaruhōku'') is the leader of the [[Autobot]] [[Pretender]]s. Like all great Autobot leaders, he's a warm, noble being with a great love of life, liberty and all of that, and like all those other great leaders, he also got his crew stranded on [[Earth]] when they pursued a group of [[Decepticon]]s there during the Stone Age. Metalhawk was deeply moved by the burgeoning humanity: at first seeing only frail beings that needed defending, he soon came to realize their amazing potential for love, compassion and courage, and was so struck by them that he, and his fellow Autobots, used their Pretender powers to transform themselves into human beings. With the aid of these disguises, they defended early man against the Decepticon Pretenders, who had taken the forms of monsters. They eventually defeated and sealed away the villains, inspiring a few legends themselves in the process, and then went on to help guide the evolution of Earth's society and culture.

By the early 21st century, Metalhawk had adopted the simple human alias of '''Hawk''' (ホーク ''Hōku''), and now works as an astrophysicist at the observatory run by [[Haruma Gō|Professor Gō]]. He is close friends with both the professor, with whom he has entrusted the secret of his true identity, and with the professor's son [[Shūta Gō|Shūta]], who looks up to him and aspires to be like him when he grows up.

Metalhawk transforms into a jet so fast that it can travel from Earth to the [[Moon (moon)|moon]] and back in only fifteen minutes. In [[robot mode]], he has remarkable short-range leaping abilities, and is armed with the mighty Titanium Saber. His ultimate attack technique is the "Shining Arrow", which sees him leap into the air and charge his body with energy which he then rains down on his opponent in a hail of powerful bolts.

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====A Tale of the Pretenders====
[[File:Tale of Pretenders Bludgeon.jpg|thumb|left]]
Metalhawk initially did not enjoy his mission on [[Earth]] away from his homeworld of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. While wandering [[Japan]] in human form, Metalhawk leapt to the rescue when a cadre of Decepticon Pretenders threatened two human children. He was attacked by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] for his trouble and the Decepticon was about to strike a killing blow when the human children stood in defense of their rescuer. Fortunately for Metalhawk and the children, the other Autobot Pretenders found them and fought off the Decepticons. Inspired by the bravery of the children, Metalhawk transformed into robot mode and opened a pit of lava to sink Bludgeon in. When all was said and done, Metalhawk went back to his mission, but this time with a new passion. {{storylink|A Tale of the Pretenders}}

====''Super-God Masterforce Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. While investigating the re-emergence of [[Scorponok (G1)|Megazarak]], Fortress left guardianship of the planet in the hands of Metalhawk and his [[Pretender]]s. {{storylink|The Headmasters Now!!}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Katsuji Mori]] (Japan)|[[John Culkin]] (English, Omni Productions dub), [[Marco Balzarotti]] (Italian)}}
[[File:Metalhawk human and robot.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Pretenders HIDE the Transformer INSIDE... wait, what?]]
Having lived among humankind on Earth for epochs, Metalhawk was the natural choice to serve as protector of the planet when the Autobot forces operating in outer space received word of renewed Decepticon activity brewing on the planet from the former Decepticon, [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]. Unable to spare any troops to bolster Metalhawk's forces on Earth, the Autobots in space sent a cargo ship carrying six [[Transtector]]s to the planet instead, to which human beings could bond to become new Transformers themselves. Although three of the Transtectors were stolen en route by the Decepticons, Metalhawk safely received the rest, and stored them in the [[Autobot Base|fortified base]] that Professor Gō had arranged the construction of. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

[[File:Metalhawk suiton.jpg|thumb|left|"It's Morphin' Time!"]]
Some time later, Metalhawk was returning to the observatory after attending one of Shūta's soccer games with Professor Gō when he received a communiqué from fellow Autobot [[Diver (G1)|Diver]] informing him of a Decepticon attack on a cruise ship. Realizing that the villains had escaped their imprisonment at last, Metalhawk knew that the time had come to fight once again. Concerned for Shūta's safety, he elected to at last reveal his true identity to the boy, and told him the full story of the Pretenders' history on Earth. The next day, news of another Decepticon attack on a city reached Metalhawk, and he at last dropped his Pretender disguise, transforming back into his robotic form again and flying to the scene in [[alternate mode|jet mode]]. The [[Tentakil (Masterforce)|Tentakil]] [[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacons]] which confronted him were not particularly impressive opponents, but things took a turn for the worse when Shūta, who had followed Metalhawk to the battlefield, was captured by one of the creatures. Metalhawk was able to destroy one of the drones with his Titanium Saber, but as he moved on the second, the Decepticon Pretenders entered the fray and attacked the outnumbered Autobot. Luckily, the other Autobot Pretenders arrived to save Metalhawk, allow him to rescue Shūta and destroy the Seacon, prompting the Decepticons to flee. {{storylink|Rise Up!! Pretenders}}

While investigating Decepticon activity in the [[Karin Islands]], Metalhawk battled [[Dauros]] and a swarm of [[Lobclaw]] Seacons. The fight, however, was witnessed by the islands' prince, [[Cab (human)|Cab]], who fled from the Autobot, and was followed by Shūta, who hoped to explain the situation. Calmed by Shūta, Cab tracked the Decepticons to the nearby "Isle of the Gods," and Metalhawk and the Autobots followed him there and successfully dispatched the Decepticons. Unfortunately, during their absence, [[Blood]] had attacked Professor Gō's observatory, and Metalhawk's team returned too late to save the professor's life. With his last breath, the professor handed the key to the base he had created to Shūta, and the Autobots took up residence there. {{storylink|Terror! The Decepticons' Manhunt}}

Seeking to capture [[Blanieux|Professor Blanieux]], the prize-winning biologist from the Republic of [[Mont Parta]], the Decepticons attacked a jumbo jet, which crashed in Corsica. Metalhawk headed out with the Autobots to investigate, and posed as a government investigator in order to question [[Minerva (human)|Minerva]], daughter of Mont Parta's ambassador to Japan. After learning what they could from her, Metalhawk and the Autobots sped to Rome to quell an attack by the Decepticons' [[Destroid]]s there, and then accompanied Minerva's family and Professor Blanieux on the last leg of their trip to Japan. Metalhawk's suspicions proved right, as Blood and some [[Overbite (Masterforce)|Overbite]] Seacons attacked the craft, and he and [[Phoenix (G1)|Phoenix]] engaged them in battle and defeated them. The true threat, however, was a Destroid [[stewardess]] planted aboard the plane, which was bested by Cab and Shūta, but not before it sent the jet into a nosedive. Metalhawk and Phoenix saved the jet by lifting it to safety on their own backs. The Autobots apologized for lying to Minerva, and she decided to attend the [[International School]] alongside Cab and Shūta. {{storylink|Kidnapping!? The Targeted Jumbo Jet}}

[[File:Metalhawk pretender.jpg|thumb|Awl beh bawk.]]
Seeing Shūta, Cab and Minerva's determination to aid the Autobot cause and battle the Decepticons, Metalhawk made them an offer to become true Autobot warriors. The three kids accepted and were bonded to the Transtectors sent by the space-faring Autobots, becoming [[Headmaster Junior]]s. Alas, the Decepticons had created their own Headmaster Juniors with the Transtectors they had stolen, and Metalhawk had to teach the Autobot Juniors to put rescuing humans before fighting their villainous counterparts. Shūta, in particular, had some trouble living up to the promise when all three Decepticon Juniors ganged up on him when he was attempting to save a baby from a burning building, but Metalhawk arrived to dispatch the three punks. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}} To prepare the Juniors for combat situations, Metalhawk then sent them to America to train with Diver, {{storylink|Rage!! Little Devils with No Need for Rules}} and when they returned, he led them and the other Autobots in defending Africa's wildlife against another Decepticon plot. {{storylink|Panic! Protect the Wild Animals!!}}

[[File:Metalhawk puretendaaaaa.jpg|thumb|left|, so shiny!]]
When two new Decepticons, the [[Godmaster (lifeform)|Godmaster]] brothers [[Hydra (G1)|Hydra]] and [[Buster (G1)|Buster]], attacked the [[Mt Fuji Foothills Hang Gliding Competition Tournament]] in which the Autobot Headmaster Juniors were participating, Metalhawk and [[Lander]] raced to aid their young teammates, but took a severe beating from the powerful new warriors. After the villains withdrew upon the arrival of Phoenix, {{storylink|Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers|Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers}} Metalhawk examined videotaped footage of the battle and realized that the two Decepticons had incredible, instantaneous healing powers, proving his suspicion that they were neither Transformer nor human, but some new kind of lifeform. This information didn't offer the Autobots much of an advantage in their next battle with the Godmasters in the Karin Islands, but during that fight, Metalhawk was able to use his Shining Arrow attack to distract Buster, allowing Diver to lodge his Sea Axe in the Decepticon's arm, forcing the brothers to retreat. {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Autobots Are in Trouble}}

When Diver recruited the first Autobot Godmaster, a trucker named [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]], in America, Metalhawk invited him to the Autobots' base in Japan where they studied the three sets of [[Master-Brace]]s Ginrai had found in his [[Transtector]]. {{storylink|A Strange Friendship: Cancer and Minerva|A Strange Friendship: Cancer and Minerva}} After helping Minerva to reconcile her differences with Ginrai after she had an argument with him, Metalhawk joined in another battle against Hydra and Buster at Mount Yatsugatake {{storylink|Friend or Foe!? The True Form of the Monster!!}} and helped the other Autobots rescue a group of captive children from the Decepticons' clutches. {{storylink|Heroism!! The Birth of Super Ginrai}}

As summer settled in, Metalhawk permitted the Headmaster Juniors to take a vacation from their duties, but the two objectives soon dovetailed with the discovery of the next Autobot Godmaster, [[Lightfoot (G1)|Lightfoot]]. {{storylink|Lightfoot: A Dramatic Encounter}} Metalhawk and the Juniors, together with Lander, Ginrai and Lightfoot went on a camping expedition into the Rocky Mountains to search for leads on the next Godmaster, ultimately discovering that he was a forest patrolman named [[Ranger]]. {{storylink|An Enemy? The Third Godmaster, Ranger}} Metalhawk thought the final Godmaster had been found when he misinterpreted a news report on [[Sixknight]] {{storylink|A Powerful Foe!! Sixknight the Wanderer}} but the true Godmaster, [[Road King]], was soon found, at which point Metalhawk decided to step down as Autobot leader, and appointed Ginrai to command in his place. {{storylink|The Autobot Warrior, Sixknight?!}}

Soon thereafter, word came from the Autobots in space that the Decepticon super-weapon, [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]], was headed for Earth. Metalhawk, Diver and Lander met with their old comrade [[Grand Maximus]] atop a mountain, and were given the plans and materials necessary to construct "[[Godbomber]]", a drone that would merge with Ginrai, endowing him with the ability to fly and fight in space, allowing him to best BlackZarak before he reached the Earth. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}} Metalhawk elected to keep the construction of Godbomber secret from the Headmaster Juniors at first, but once this "Bomber Project" began in a [[British Motors]] factory donated by Lightfoot's father, he soon summoned them to the facility and told them the whole story. {{storylink|Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!?}} The course of the Bomber Project did not run smoothly, as the Decepticons badly injured Ginrai and attacked the facility, but through it all, Metalhawk remained at the forefront of construction, speeding the project to completion while his fellow Autobots handled the Decepticon threat. {{storylink|Will the Bomber Project Be Destroyed!?}} Although Godbomber was soon successfully completed, Metalhawk was unwilling to let the injured Ginrai combine with the drone, telling him that he could not save the Earth on his own. The support of the Pretenders and Headmaster Juniors drowned Metalhawk out, however, and Ginrai fused with Godbomber, speeding into space to battle BlackZarak and [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!}} Like the other Autobots, Metalhawk was helpless to do anything but wait for updates on the battle down on Earth, but with the aid of Grand Maximus, Ginrai was able to triumph. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon}}

[[File:Metalhawk robot.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Buns of die-cast.]]
Subsequently, Metalhawk and his fellow took something of a back seat as Ginrai and the other Autobots battled the Decepticons across the Earth, but his wits were not dulled by this period of inactivity, and he was quick to suspect [[Clouder]], the newly discovered final Autobot Godmaster, when he discovered that the main computer in the Autobot base had been tampered with. Although Minerva took the blame, Metalhawk could tell she was covering for her new friend, and his suspicions were soon proved correct when he caught Clouder handing over information on the base to the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors. Unfortunately, exposing Clouder's true nature as a Decepticon spy did not prevent the information he had stolen from making its way into the hands of the Decepticons, who soon launched a full-scale assault on the Autobot base. {{storylink|Secret Orders! Destroy the Autobot Base!!}} A missile strike on the base's control room knocked Metalhawk unconscious, leaving the Headmaster Juniors alone in the base. After hooking Metalhawk up to some medical equipment, Minerva advocated abandoning the base, and ultimately, the Autobots were forced to do just that, as the Decepticons' attack destroyed their headquarters. {{storylink|Disaster! The Autobot Base Explodes}}

In the wake of this disaster, things only got worse for the Autobots, as BlackZarak returned and successfully landed on Earth. Metalhawk arrived too late to save [[New York City|New York]] from the villain's wrath, and soon received word from Diver of an attack on [[Paris]] by Overlord, relaying news of the devastation to Lightfoot. {{storylink|BlackZarak - Destroyer from Space}} The battle that ensued carried the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors into space, where BlackZarak unleashed the unholy [[Death Para-Machine]] upon the Earth. Metalhawk was stationed in a human observatory at the time, where the staff quickly deduced that the evil device had drastically eroded Earth's ozone layer. Thankfully, Ginrai was able to destroy the Death Para-Machine before any further damage could be done. {{storylink|Crisis! The Day of Human Extinction}}

Following a battle with the Decepticon Pretenders in Latin America, {{storylink|God Ginrai - Save Cancer!?}} Metalhawk got a bit more proactive, positioning sonar probes across the world in hopes of locating the Decepticon base. Unfortunately, while on a mission to recover one of the probes, Shūta was kidnapped by the Decepticons, and Metalhawk had to triangulate the location of the Decepticon base in order for Ginrai to rescue him. {{storylink|God Ginrai: Showdown at the Decepticon Base}} With the location of the Decepticons' base now known to the Autobots, Metalhawk and the Pretenders hung back while the rest of their allies initiated an all-out attack on the villains' headquarters, which concluded with the base's destruction. {{storylink|The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform}}

With their headquarters destroyed, the Decepticons relocated to the Alps, and the Autobots pursued, splitting into teams to search for the villains. Metalhawk and the Headmaster Juniors were quickly attacked by [[King Poseidon]], and Metalhawk was badly wounded saving Minerva from the Seacon combiner's blasts. Ginrai soon arrived to save them, but the injured quartet was forced to remain behind as Ginrai scaled the mountain to confront BlackZarak in final battle. {{storylink|Malevolent and Inhuman! The True Form of Devil Z}} After his wounds were tended to by Minerva, Metalhawk was insistent that he be allowed to accompany Grand Maximus and Shūta as they went to observe Ginrai's battle, but Grand talked him down and left him to recuperate. Ginrai's fight, meanwhile, culminated with the destruction of BlackZarak and the Decepticon emperor, [[Devil Z]]. The death of Devil Z caused the humans to become separated from their Transtectors, while the Transtectors themselves were brought to life as true super-robot lifeforms. The new-born Transformers all promptly departed the Earth to rejoin their respective factions in space, but Metalhawk elected to remain on Earth and continue his life there. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Ginrai: God On of Rage!!}} {{storylink|Save the Little Girl! The Chōjin Warriors, the Godmasters}} {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}} {{storylink|Battle to the Death!! God Ginrai VS Darkwings Reborn}}}}

====''Zone'' cartoon====
Metalhawk was among the Autobots standing on stage when the injured [[Star Saber (G1)|Victory Saber]] passed the mantle of [[Supreme Commander]] on to [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]]. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

====''Legacy VS500 Collection Special Comic''====
Metalhawk was one of many spectators for the second week of the [[Speedia 500]] race on [[Velocitron]]. {{storylink|Velocitron Speedia 500 Part 3}}

===''TV Magazine'' comic continuity===
====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic====
[[File:Metalhawk manga.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Spaaaaace Ghooooost!]]
After escaping their imprisonment, the Decepticon Pretenders made their first attack on the modern world by laying siege to the Karin Islands. Metalhawk and Shūta responded to the attack, and Metalhawk stunned the assembled islanders by transforming from human form to robot mode. Easily evading Blood's "Bloody Moon" attack, Metalhawk dispatched the Decepticons with his Shining Arrow, and island elder [[Donq]] proceeded to lead the islanders in praising Metalhawk, recognizing him as a god from Karin Island mythology. Metalhawk attempted to explain that he wasn't a god, merely a Pretender, but the islanders continued to chant "Pretender" despite his protests. {{storylink|Gods? Demons? The Pretenders}}

Metalhawk and Shūta were accompanied back to Japan by the islands' prince, Cab, and the two boys, along with their schoolmate Minerva, all requested that Metalhawk allow them to become formal members of the Autobots. Metalhawk eventually capitulated, and after a tough training regimen, transformed the three youngsters into Headmaster Juniors. Their first battle, against a Lobclaw, did not go so well, and Metalhawk had to arrive to bail them out, admonishing them for a lack of teamwork. {{storylink|The Birth of the Junior Headmasters}}

Responding to an attack by Blood on [[Tokyo]], Metalhawk called on the Headmaster Juniors to perform rescue operations in the surrounding area. Unfortunately, Metalhawk did not realize that this was a trap laid by the Decepticons, and his young charges ran afoul of the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors. Thankfully, they were able to defeat them, and Metalhawk arrived in time to see the punks fleeing the scene. As the sun began to rise, Shūta and Cab groaned that it would soon be time for school, but Metalhawk calmed them down by pointing out it was Sunday. {{storylink|The Battle of Destiny - Children of Good and Evil}}

News of the discovery of the first Autobot Godmaster, [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]], in America soon reached Metalhawk, and he and the Headmaster Juniors gathered at Harumi Wharf to greet their new comrade when he arrived. Concerned by Ginrai's late arrival, Metalhawk contacted Diver, but was assured that everything would be fine, because Ginrai resembled a "hero". The four Autobots were soon attacked by the Decepticon Godmasters Hydra and Buster and Metalhawk was quickly taken down, but at that moment, Ginrai arrived, and Metalhawk understood Diver's words—for Ginrai was the very image of the legendary [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. After Ginrai sent Hydra and Buster packing, Metalhawk wondered if Ginrai could be Prime's reincarnation, but Ginrai dismissed the notion, explaining that he had chosen to do this specifically because he had only one life to live, and wanted to use it in service of the forces of good. {{storylink|On Scene! Our Savior's Name Is Ginrai!}}

[[File:Metalhawk shell manga.jpg|upright=1.15|thumb|left|Metalhawk wants YOU!]]
Later, Metalhawk joined with the other Autobots in charging out to investigate a mysterious Decepticon plot, only to be stunned by the sight of [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and a legion of legendary Decepticons barring their way. Metalhawk could immediately tell that something was off, since he knew that Galvatron was supposed to be dead, but after a battle with King Poseidon, it was soon revealed that they had been duped with holographic images. {{storylink|Burn, Chokon! New Commander Super Ginrai!}}

In unison with the spacebound Autobots, the Earthbound Autobots started the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]], with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] personally assisting. When [[Jin (Masterforce)|Jin]] and [[Mirai]] appeared to threaten the project, Metalhawk and Chromedome set out to defend it, only to be defeated when the two "Getmasters" combined with the mysteriously appearing [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Super Megatron]]. A quick rescue by Chromedome's Headmaster comrades with the Godcannon managed to chase away the [[Decepticon]], who left behind the humans. Later, Metalhawk saw the redeemed pair enjoying Christmas festivities and bade them to care for one another. {{Storylink|Headmasters VS Masterforce}} After this, Metalhawk and the Pretenders monitored a two-pronged attack by the Decepticons against Earth. {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Divine Combination!}}

They returned to the front lines during Ginrai's final battle with the Decepticons, during which the Decepticon emperor, Devil Z, turned on his subordinates, and attempted to absorb their [[Chōkon Power|Jinchōkon]] in order to transform himself into the ultimate lifeform. Metalhawk and the Pretenders hurled themselves into the path of the villain's Jinchōkon-absorbing beam, saving Ginrai and the Decepticons from its effects, and remaining unharmed themselves, since, as true robots, they possessed no Jinchōkon of their own. Metalhawk subsequently joined with all the other Autobots and Decepticons in combining their energies into the "Perfect Transform Attack", which destroyed Devil Z once and for all. With the alien's death, the humans were separated from their Transtectors, and the Transtectors themselves were brought to life as true super-robot lifeforms. While the new-born Transformers departed Earth to rejoin their respective factions in space, Metalhawk elected to remain on Earth and continue his life there. {{storylink|The Birth of the Super Life-Forms}}

====''Victory'' comic====
[[File:Metalhawk meets jean.jpg|thumb|upright=0.66]]
When Shūta and Cab befriended [[Jan Minakaze]], the adopted human son of the new Autobot Supreme Commander [[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]], they introduced him to Metalhawk as well.<ref>[[TV Magazine]] artwork, reprinted in [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Comics]].</ref>

===Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics===
[[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] had never heard of Metalhawk. {{storylink|End of the Road! (UK)#Notes|Dread Tidings}}

===''Wings Universe''===
Before the War, Metalhawk served aboard a cargo vessel known as the ''[[Starduster]]''. Hearing about the newly formed [[Elite Guard]], Metalhawk resigned his commission and entered the [[Autobot Military Academy]], eager to serve his planet. Thanks in part to his impressive knowledge of alien martial arts techniques, 'Hawk rose quickly through the ranks and, in just under two cycles, became the faster recruit to advance to command status. He also underwent the flying upgrade process, taking to the air with natural ease. Metalhawk's friendly demeanor and skills earned him the respect and admiration of his men and fellow command officers, even the normally unapproachable [[Halonix Maximus]]. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 34|Metalhawk's profile in Club magazine #34}}

[[File:Metalhawk TheComingStorm2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|left|Sometimes he wears a helmet over his helmet.]]
Metalhawk received command of the 201st division, the Strike Team. During one of the Guard's battles, Metalhawk's squad found themselves facing a horde of [[Virulent Clone]]s along with [[Thunder Clash]]'s squad. He was just a little peeved when his subordinate [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'s explosives nearly took them out along with the Clones. When it turned out that the Clones could also ''fly'', Metalhawk ordered another squadmate, [[Over-Run (G1)|Over-Run]], to provide them with some aerial support.

[[Landshark (G1)|Landshark]] hoped to see the two "upgrades" show off their new flying abilities, but Over-Run took out the Clones with his personal remotely-controlled helicopter instead. The two squads then relaxed for a moment, with Metalhawk removing his helmet and chest armor while chit-chatting with Thunder Clash.

Their chit-chat was soon interrupted, however, by a call from [[Magnum]] ordering Metalhawk to escort Thunder Clash's squad to [[Space Port Bravo]]. After giving Thunder Clash a bit of friendly teasing, the two squads loaded up their gear onto the ''[[Hawk's Claw]]'' and disembarked. Once they arrived at the spaceport, the two squads' leaders bid their goodbyes to each other, and Thunder Clash's squad headed inside.

Upon being asked by Over-Run what he thought their next assignment would be, Metalhawk expressed a hope for something quiet. He was amused by Dion's teasing about how ''he'' would be happy to beat up some Decepticons, but was displeased by Over-Run's snide question about whether Dion had ever seen a Decepticon up-close, and troubled by Dion stalking off in response.

They eventually headed over to Elite Guard HQ. There they were greeted by Magnum, who noted that he thought Metalhawk's squad was performing above expectations, and sometimes even better than Thunder Clash's squad at that—which Metalhawk was all too happy to note for his and Thunder Clash's "boasting contest". Magnum then explained that, as a result, he was sending Metalhawk's squad on a special mission—one that would involve a [[Combaticon (G1)|new special ops group]] Magnum had formed. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}}

This mission was supposed to be an oilcake-walk, a gesture of good will towards the civilian guilds to keep them from interfering too seriously in Elite Guard operations. An archeological dig in [[Median]] had uncovered a number of relics from Cybertron's forgotten history and, according to their civilian guest [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], some expertise with explosives and demolition was needed to help clear out the dig site. Hardly enthused with the assignment, Metalhawk nonetheless did Magnum proud and very diplomatically told Alpha Trion they would be honored to assist his team of scientists, in the name of Cybertron and the Elite Guard.

[[File:ComingStorm3-Metalhawk.jpg|thumb|Autobots can't fly!]]

Lending aid to Median turned out to be less simple than they expected. The team led by [[Glyph (Universe)|Glyph]] and [[Flip Sides (G1)|Flipsides]] had unearthed a powerful artifact called the [[Heart of the Dragon]], and were expecting to be attacked by Decepticon raiders within a few solar cycles. Thank [[the One]] for good intel. Metalhawk and the Combaticon leader [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] quickly began working to fortify Median, alongside the dig team's security chief, [[Strika (BM)|Strika]]. They arranged several traps and pitfalls for the [[Stormtrooper (G1)|Stormtrooper]]s and their advance guard, and set up to greet their inevitable foes.

The groups separated for the assault, with Metalhawk and most of his team with [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] as Squad B, while Ironfist joined Strika, Onslaught and the Combaticons. After Squad A dealt with the Stormtroopers' "hitter", [[Roadgrabber]], they fell back for Metalhawk's group to oppose the next wave. Metalhawk used their scientist recruit [[Lancer]] as a decoy, drawing [[Rage (G1)|Rage]] and his Stormtroopers into a snare. Unfortunately, he then made several mistakes in a row. Firstly, he gave the Decepticons an honest chance at surrender. Secondly, he didn't take Rage's chemical cannon seriously. And thirdly, he didn't anticipate that the fuzzy...the fuzzy p-petro-rabbits tasted like...yellow...grishy boushy vroom vroom...

By the time Metalhawk recovered from the chemically induced stasis lock, the battle was basically over and the Decepticons had successfully stolen the Heart of the Dragon. The Elite Guard began pursuit, and tracked the Stormtroopers back to their mobile fortress, the [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]]. They made their way past the boastful bash brothers, [[Terror-Tread]] and [[Cement-Head]], the menacing [[Minotoron]]s, and the bombastic [[Brimstone (G1 Decepticon)|Brimstone]], empowered by the Heart of the Dragon itself. The Heart proved to be too much for his tiny frame, however, unleashing an explosion of such indescribable power that the Elite Guard, the Metrotitan, and everything in a 50 hic radius was consumed in a fiery inferno and consigned to the Pit.

...or so Metalhawk's incident report read. In fact, the Elite Guard survived and made their way to safety with a new recruit, the former Stormtrooper [[Drench (G1)|Drench]]. Artistic license aside, Magnum congratulated Metalhawk and Onslaught on a job well done. The two teams were almost immediately reassigned to another mission in [[Praxium]]. {{storylink|Flames of Yesterday}}

[[File:ComingStorm5-Metalhawkjet.jpg|thumb|left|Autobots can't fl—dammit, Metalhawk, cut that out!]]

As time passed, Metalhawk's team and the Combaticons continued to work in close proximity with each other, developing a strong bond. Metalhawk and Onslaught even got into a habit of exchanging war stories, like the one about [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'s failed grenade, or the amusing fate of [[Blue Bacchus]]. They separated after a mission against [[Shadowcaster]], as Metalhawk's strike team reported back to Magnum while the Combaticons remained in the field. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 3}}

[[File:ComingStorm6-isthatso.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|The helmet wasn't lonely. He had all this other armor, too. Look how well it served him.]]

When the Combaticons never returned from the field, they were listed as MIA and potential casualties. Magnum reassigned Metalhawk and the 201st away from the front lines, fearing emotion over the loss of his comrades might cloud his judgement. {{storylink|A Team Effort}} While on a tedious search for possible Decepticon activity in the wastelands, Metalhawk and the Strike Team received an SOS from Elite Guard Headquarters—Sentinel Major was under attack! They raced back to base but found the rest of the Elite Guard had succeeded in disabling most of the attackers. Surprisingly, the ''Combaticons'' were among the Decepticon warriors left standing. They apparently chose to switch sides after being captured, and worse, were altered by [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]]'s technology. As Metalhawk watched aghast over [[Ricochet (Timelines)|Ricochet]]'s holo-imager, the Combaticons merged to form [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], destroying Sentinel Major with one fist as the battle began anew. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 5}}

Racing to the side of their fellow Guardsmen, Metalhawk's team arrived at a scene of carnage, as Bruticus obliterated all opposition in his path. Over-Run and Ironfist fell in battle alongside the rest of the Guard. The crazed giant was only halted when Dion boosted into Bruticus's face and blew out his optics. Dion was swatted away from the battlefield, but the damage was enough to force the Combaticons to revert to their individual forms. As Onslaught and his comrades prepared to return to Deathsaurus for repairs before heading out after Magnum and the council, Metalhawk placed himself in his former friends' path, bravely ordering them to stand down. Metalhawk got into trouble at Median for giving his foes an honorable chance to surrender, and this was no different. After a moment's hesitation, Onslaught drew on his friend and fellow soldier, gunning Metalhawk down in cold blood. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 6}}
{{--}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Drift issue 1|''Drift'' #1]]}}

[[File:Drift1-Metalhawk.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|Wonder why he left.]]
Metalhawk and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] were two survivors of the Autobots' battle with [[Drift (G1)|Deadlock]]'s forces on [[Dabola]]. {{storylink|Drift issue 1|Drift #1}} The massacre caused him to despise [[Turmoil]], the Decepticons' commander, but he refused to be consumed by anger and become a killer. {{storylink|Interference Patterns}} Inspired by the [[Circle of Light]], he instead abandoned the [[Great War (G1)|war]] and left [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with many others, feeling that although the [[Senate]] was corrupt, the Autobots and Decepticons' war was no better. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} His group settled in a region that allowed them to use [[Shanix]] as currency. {{storylink|Stick Together}}

[[File:DoOP Optimus Metalhawk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|Metalhawk has spent the last few millennia on a hunger strike.]]
More than 2,600 years later, Metalhawk returned to Cybertron. In the aftermath of [[D-Void]]'s attack on the planet, he arrived as part of the first wave of [[NAIL]]s, and served as their de facto representative in negotiations with [[Autobot High Command]]. When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] returned after his short disappearance following the battle with the Darkness, Metalhawk had some choice words for the "hero". Behind the scenes, Metalhawk admitted to [[Zetca]] that he understood how the Autobots felt, but he still wished to maneuver them into a situation he felt was better for the future of Cybertron.

Soon, the returning NAILs grew frustrated with the Autobots' "occupation" of Cybertron, and they began rioting outside their headquarters. When the Autobots let the imprisoned Decepticons loose to enforce crowd control, Metalhawk was hit in the crossfire. Optimus Prime ordered [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]] to bring him inside. As tempers flared amongst the Autobots, with Metalhawk's presence inflaming things even further, Optimus Prime decided that (as a living symbol of the war) he should leave Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} Metalhawk and [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] later greeted some NAILS who arrived on Cybertron. [[Hipotank]] stated that the planet attacked them and Metalhawk took this as an advantage to convince them the Autobots weren't trustworthy. Metalhawk later talked about Tappet's release and the ''[[Lost Light]]'' memorial. {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}} Metalhawk and Bumblebee later discussed the [[Horri-Bull]] incident and said he will not endorse Bumblebee if he harmed another Cybertronian—no matter what kind. He was interrupted by the arrival of [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]]. Later, during the ''Lost Light'' memorial, Metalhawk pledged his devotion to a new Cybertron. {{storylink|The World & Everything in It}} When mysterious explosions issued from all around Cybertron, Metalhawk rebuked [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s blaming of the Decepticons and vouched for allowing Starscream to take part in the interim government. {{storylink|Stick Together}} Bumblebee, Metalhawk, and Starscream held a speech on their government though Starscream did most of the talking, much to Bumblebee's disagreement on most of his statements. {{storylink|Devisive}}

[[File:ABetterTomorrow-reputation.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6|"Hi, Screamer. Hi, Fatso."]]
Later, Metalhawk went to greet a [[Sky-Byte (RID)|new arrival]] and introduced him to the NAILs after Starscream left him in Metalhawk's hands. There, Sky-Byte learned of recent events from [[Zetca]]. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}} Later, when the Decepticon captain, [[Turmoil]], had landed on Cybertron and revealed himself, Metalhawk changed his original decision of sparing the ship and told them to kill Turmoil due [[Drift issue 1|the disaster that happened because of him]]. Turmoil then informed everyone that it had been the then Decepticon, now Autobot known as Drift's work. Starscream later took Metalhawk to [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] to talk to the bartender, [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] about his experience with Turmoil. When [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] got caught sneaking around in the ship, Metalhawk rescued him from Turmoil's forces and once they had escaped, he ordered the Autobot forces surrounding the ship to move in and capture the Decepticons. {{storylink|Interference Patterns}}

[[File:Metalhawk and Omega Supreme Primus All Good Things.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3]]
Metalhawk later confronted Bumblebee at Autobot High Command alongside Starscream, inquiring as to when free elections were finally going to begin. When Bumblebee promised to have elections once the Autobots were ready, the pair begrudgingly left. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|Dinobot Hunt}} Later that night, Metalhawk and Starscream went to Wheeljack's lab to check up on how he had been recovering, and offered Bumblebee their assistance in finding [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] after they had gone missing in the wilderness. Bumblebee argued that the two would just get in the way of the Autobots' own rescue efforts, and Metalhawk expressed his doubts at Starscream's claim that Bumblebee just didn't want them looking in case one of them found the missing Autobots and increased their chances of winning the election. {{storylink|Night and the City}}

The next morning, while searching for Ironhide's wayward team, Metalhawk and Starscream came across Blurr, who was also looking for the team. Metalhawk was saddened that Bumblebee had indeed apparently not wanted he or Starscream to find Ironhide and the Dinobots, and went to help Blurr when he was caught in a blast. Blurr refused to share what was in the hole he had found, and Metawlhawk watched solemnly as Prowl, Sideswipe, and Wheeljack arrived to investigate and continued to keep what Blurr had found off-limits. Later on, after Starscream called in several NAILs and Decepticons to the area to pressure the Autobots into telling them what was underground, Metalhawk followed them all inside to the ruins of the ancient [[Crystal City]] and witnessed a [[Titan (group)|Titan]] declare Starscream to be the "conqueror" destined to unite all Cybertronians. After fleeing the city's destruction and arriving back in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], a contemplative Metalhawk found himself unable to join in the celebration over his friend's apparent destiny. He was then surprised to find himself approached by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], who told Metalhawk of how he knew the Titan and conversed with the NAIL representative on its last words. When Omega speculated that the Titan had actually returned to pose questions in Cybertronians' minds about their species' destiny and perhaps force them to change, Metalhawk came to the realization that change is something brought about by the individual, and perhaps he could bring it about for Cybertron. {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}}

[[File:TheEndOfTheBeginningOfTheWorld MetalhawkDefends.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|IDW's ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' Season 1, folks.]]
Metalhawk later visited Starscream and tried to convince the schemer that the Titan's words had greater implications than just facilitating the seeker's ambitions. Starscream dismissed this interpretation as nonsense, making it clear that he saw the prophecy as a means to fulfill his own ends. The brief conversation was interrupted by a huge explosion with Omega Supreme at the centre. Starscream was frustrated at the inconvenient timing of this and flew off to the scene before Metalhawk could determine what he knew. Metalhawk quickly followed and discussed the implications with the Autobot responders. When a crowd of NAILs started to blame Starscream, Metalhawk tried to defend the Decepticon only to be lambasted by an angry Bumblebee. Metalhawk managed to calm Bumblebee by telling him that he trusted the Autobot leader to carry out a fair investigation, though he managed to make his distrust of Prowl and his methods clear too. When Prowl responded angrily to the accusation, Metalhawk made his disdain for him quite clear, stating he did not want to turn into another [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] and that he was willing to serve the city if that was what was needed. This statement was picked up by the news services leading [[Swindle (G1)|some]] to speculate on Metalhawk's own political manoeuvring. However, such considerations had to be put aside when soon after [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] returned. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}}

[[File:TheVerge MetalhawkJetMode.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Moonlights as Wonder Woman's Highly-Visible Plane.]]
Starscream alerted everyone to his former leader's approach and Metalhawk joined a large force of Autobots who went to intercept him. Metalhawk watched as, in spite Megatron's peaceful claims, the Autobots opened fire on their nemesis. [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] managed to stop the Autobots, claiming that Megatron was no longer a threat. When Starscream retorted that Megatron is always a threat, Metalhawk agreed but pointed out that Starscream was motivated by his own desire for leadership. Once Megatron was taken into custody, Metalhawk bemoaned the likely fate of the NAILs if hostilities were to resume. Initially annoyed, Bumblebee soon agreed and together with Wheeljack the three realised that there had been some strategy at play with big hitters from both factions being recently removed. Considering who could be behind such a plot, Metalhawk's first instinct was to accuse his friend, Starscream. {{storylink|City on Fire}}

As the city descended into violence and revolt, Bumblebee seemed powerless to take control. Metalhawk urged him to stop shouting at the situation and told him though his [[spark]] was in the right place, that counted for little. Bumblebee agreed and they resolved that things would change if they could get through this crisis. Bumblebee acknowledged the need for prompt elections and conceded that Metalhawk would likely win due to the NAIL majority, a majority that could be mobilised to quell the rioting. Bumblebee urged Metalhawk to go to Maccadam's and broadcast a rallying cry to the NAILs. Upon arriving, Metalhawk got [[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] to relay a message of hope and unity to the populace; encouraging them stand against factionalism, violence and hatred. {{storylink|The Verge}}

Metalhawk's impassioned speech done, Circuit asked him how it might affect the election. The NAIL leader tried to brush aside the implication but was soon left hanging as the news service had found a bigger story to cover. On the comm, Bumblebee explained that there had been a breakout at the prison holding Megatron and that Starscream was present. Metalhawk was concerned that the two Decepticons would join forces but Blurr interrupted with information implicating Prowl. Looking for answers, the Autobots and Metalhawk converged on Prowl's quarters. Upon arrival they were surprised by [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], the latter managing to hit and injure Metalhawk. Bumblebee helped the wounded bot into the cover of the [[Black Room]], only to be confronted by a large contingent of supposedly dead Decepticons and their ally Prowl holding Wheeljack and Starscream prisoner. Initially accusing Starscream of causing the current chaos, Metalhawk soon accepted that Prowl had been to blame all along. Megatron then entered and revealed the truth; that Prowl had been mind controlled by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] to manipulate events in the Decepticons favour. Metalhawk was forced to watch on helplessly as the modified Prowl combined with the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] to form [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and Megatron crushed Bumblebee's head. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}}

[[File:HeavyIsTheHead StarscreamKillsMetalhawk.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|Curse your sudden-slash-inevitable betrayal!]]
As Devastator attacked the city, Metalhawk and Bumblebee remained captive until [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] showed her true colors and rescued them. Barely able to speak, Metalhawk encouraged Bumblebee to go and save Starscream finally believing that all three of them had stood together for something important. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} Metalhawk fought with the Autobots in an attempt to rescue his friend. While Bumblebee concentrated on Megatron, the NAIL leader went alone to save a shocked Starscream, successfully defending the Decepticon from Astrotrain before Turmoil shot his left arm off. Already in a weakened state there was nothing Metalhawk could do, but Starscream, ever the opportunist, used Metalhawk's severed arm to attack Turmoil, cutting off his cannon arm and slicing his head open. Elsewhere Devastator had been neutralized and Bumblebee managed to disable Megatron. The battle over, Metalhawk explained to Starscream that he had rescued him because he believed the Seeker could grow to accept the responsibility placed on him by the Titan's words, rather than seeing them as a chance to get ahead. Unfortunately, Metalhawk had misjudged the Decepticon, who saw another opportunity to further his own cause. Lifting Turmoil's cannon, Starscream aimed it at his former ally and, to the NAIL's disappointment, killed him with a single shot through the spark. The opportunist then used the apparent death of his friend at the hands of a faction-related battle to implore the population of the city to follow him into a new era. Using Metalhawk's words, he claimed he had accepted the responsibility handed to him by the Titan, removed his [[insignia]], renounced factions and encouraged all others to do the same. Spurred on by Starscream's impassioned words, Metalhawk's former supporters accepted Starscream as leader and turned on the Autobots.
{{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}} {{storylink|Second Exodus}}

Starscream later apologised to Metalhawk's dead body, thanking him for his advice and explaining that he wasn't used to having friends. In the end though, while he was sorry for killing him, it really was in the greater good, which apparently is OK then. {{storylink|Three Monologues}}

Starscream paid another visit to Metalhawk's body to mull over the appearance of a [[Quintessa (IDW)|Titan]]. A wave of energy unleashed by said Titan abruptly returned Metalhawk to life, and after kicking Starscream around a bit, he grabbed the imprisoned Megatron and took the former Decepticon leader to [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} He stood by Shockwave as the Decepticon used the [[space bridge]] in Megatron to link to the [[Dead Universe]] and begin to bring [[Nova Prime]] and [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] through. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} When a combined Autobot/Decepticon force arrived, Metalhawk defended the lab against them. Bumblebee attempted to appeal to Metalhawk to help them, only for Metalhawk to accuse him of letting Starscream take over. The battle abruptly ended when Shockwave called on the Titan for help. {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}}

[[File:TheBecoming MetalhawkBlastsStarscream.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"Metalhawk? Is that you?" "HERE'S A HINT!"]]
Metalhawk was still hanging around as [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] arrived with his men. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} With the plan swiftly coming to a head, Shockwave ordered Metalhawk to dispose of [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], however Metalhawk instead listened in as Shockwave began to outline his real goal. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} With the enormity of the plan becoming plain, Metalhawk resolved to warn the others, and received help from [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] in teleporting to [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. After failing to resist the urge to shoot Starscream on arrival, Metalhawk was witness to the arrival of billions of [[Ammonite]]s over Cybertron. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

They soon found Bumblebee preparing to take a team into Shockwave's inner sanctum and joined the party. Utilizing Skywarp's teleportation, they warped directly there. Metalhawk headed for Jhiaxus's laboratory with Starscream and Rattrap in tow, only to run into Jhiaxus himself on the threshold. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} While Starscream kept the scientist busy, Metalhawk entered the laboratory and discovered that Shockwave was using the many [[Energon]] Ores in balance to collapse the Universe. Realizing that the only way to stop the process was to throw it off balance, and that the [[Ore-14]] that remained in his system after his resurrection would do just that, Metalhawk sacrificed his own life to thwart Shockwave's plan. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}
During the final battle for [[Earth]], [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] glimpsed Metalhawk's spirit as the Decepticon used the [[Enigma of Combination]] to assist Optimus Prime against [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. {{storylink|Ceremony}}
{{--}}

===''Classics''===
[[File:Invasion-cannotwillnot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|Never lead a bunch of guys with newer toys into battle.]]
Metalhawk's calmness and adherence to formality earned him the leadership of the Pretenders and the rank of Skyhammer Commander. From the Autobots' [[Skyhammer (G1)|Skyhammer]] base, he kept vigil over the nation of [[Japan]]. {{storylink|#Timelines|BotCon 2012 Metalhawk profile card}} Frequently he clashed with [[Overlord (G1)|Gigatron]] and his Decepticons, particularly during Gigatron's search in [[Kitakyushu]] for [[Musashi Miyamoto|Musashi]]'s sword. But more recently, Gigatron had been attempting to steal the cache of [[Rarified Energon]] guarded within [[Ironworks (facility)|Ironworks]]. Thankfully, Metalhawk and his troops thus far impeded Gigatron's efforts. {{storylink|Invasion Prologue}}

It was during the reconstruction following one of these raids that a portal opened up above Ironworks and strange, evil Autobots from [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|another dimension]] appeared. Metalhawk was on hand, and he took a squad with him to counter this attack. Unfortunately, nearly all of this squad was wiped out by an evil [[Ultra Magnus (SG)|Ultra Magnus]] and his [[Terminus Blade]]. Metalhawk and his remaining soldier, [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]], were rescued from certain doom by another raiding party from another dimension, this time heroic Decepticons. Via [[Autobot Regulation R71-B]], Metalhawk demanded to know what was going on, and their rescuers were content to oblige.

[[File:Invasion-whatistha.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Metalhawk and Gigatron working together, mass hysteria.]]
The evil Ultra Magnus intended to use the Rarified Energon and his Terminus Blade to bring Earth to his dimension's Cybertron. Metalhawk, his Autobots, and the Heroic Decepticons battled the evil Autobots at all costs to prevent this. Even Gigatron's Decepticons fell in against the invaders, and Metalhawk and his frequent foe teamed up against Ultra Magnus, dealing him a devastating blow. But, ultimately, Magnus succeeded... mostly. Though a heroic [[Soundwave (SG)|Soundwave]] was able to save Earth itself, Magnus managed to destroy the rest of the entire universe! With Earth now in a new dimension near the invaders' [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Magnus and his remaining troops fled.

Metalhawk despaired for the fate of his home universe, giving in to sorrow, so a heroic [[Straxus (SG)|Straxus]] recited a hopeful poem. {{storylink|Invasion (issue)|Invasion}}

Metalhawk helped the Autobots of his universe adjust to cooperating with the heroic Decepticon faction in their new home. {{storylink|Solar Requiem}} Metalhawk attended to the arrival of another group of interdimensional explorers from the planet GoBotron. He gave support and respite to the GoBots at Iron Works as they continued their quest to restore the fabric of their home universe. Cliffjumper directed them towards the Caretaker supercomputer as a means to do so. {{storylink|Journey's Eve}} To speed them on their journey, Metalhawk provided the GoBots with a ship and their own pilot, named [[Skyklik]]. {{storylink|Last Sunset}}

Shortly after their Earth was displaced, it also started to come alive. Calling itself [[Gaea]], the Earth mysteriously transported the entire human population to another Earth in another universe. For reasons unknown, Metalhawk and his Pretender companions were displaced with them. {{storylink|The Future Buried...}}

Metalhawk took up the codename "Hawk," and he and his allies set out to uncover the mysteries of their new world; while all the cities and animals on this planet were the same as their old one, no humans appeared to have called this Earth home prior to their arrival. All the while, they had to conceal their Cybertronian nature to avoid anti-Transformer sentiments from the humans. After being alerted that [[Vroom (G1)|Vroom]], [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], [[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]], and [[Lisa|Elizabeth]] were slacking off in their own investigation, Metalhawk joined their group to get them back on track. He met up with them and discussed their mission statement over dinner, only to be accosted by a mugger after their meal. Spike wound up getting shot during the altercation. {{storylink|Assembly (OMAM)|Assembly}} The bullet wound caused Metalhawk little damage, but it was enough for his attacker to realize he wasn't human. Crossblades and Vroom restrained the mugger, but before Metalhawk could come up with any ideas on how to deal with him, a couple of officers from the local police force turned up. The whole group was taken to the Mérida Police Station. While they were waiting to be questioned on the incident, Metalhawk's self-repair systems were able to cover up his tell-tale wound. To his relief, he learned that his attacker, [[Mendez|Sr. Mendez]], hadn't talked at all after his capture, for fear of implicating himself in his crime. Metalhawk and his friends weren't quite off the hook yet though, as the two officers who interviewed them knew that a gunshot had been fired, but no bullet had been found on the crime scene. Despite this, there was no reason for them to be held, and Metalhawk's group were told they were free to go. As soon as they exited the police station, they were met with a mysterious man who claimed he knew the truth about the Cybertronians' identities, and that [[Ramjet (Universe)|an evil force]] was coming... {{storylink|Insight}}

Though Metalhawk and company were highly suspicious of the man, they agreed to follow him nonetheless, as he claimed to have a spaceship stashed nearby. Upon coming upon the craft however, the man revealed himself to be a Decepticon Pretender, and opened fire on Spike to provoke the Autobots into unveiling their true natures as well. Metalhawk was first to "suit on" and fought off the Decepticon as the latter explained the recent history of the Autobot/Decepticon war in the local universe. Metalhawk demanded to know who they were dealing with, and the Decepticon complied, revealing himself to be none other than Megatron! {{storylink|History}}

{{Charstubfiction|{{storylink|Divination}} {{storylink|Pandora's Gift}} {{storylink|Finale (OMAM)|Finale}}}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-6-Metalhawk.jpg|75px|thumb]]
Metalhawk was one of several Autobots reeling from the appearance of the mighty [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. {{Storylink|A New Menace! The Giant Soldier Devastator Appears!}}

===''TransTech''===
General [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] clarified that while Metalhawk was a Pretender, he was not. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}
{{--}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
[[File:SiegeOnCybertron-Pounce versus Metalhawk.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.9]]

Metalhawk was partnered with the [[Titan Master]] [[Haruma Gō|Professor Go]], who granted him the power to manipulate cosmic matter.<ref>[[Trypticon's Titan Master Crunch]]</ref> In a mission led by [[Ginrai (robot)|Magnus Prime]] on Cybertron, Metalhawk clashed with [[Pounce]].<ref>''Titans Return'' Siege on Cybertron pack-in blurb</ref>
{{--}}

===''Power of the Primes'' marketing material===
[[File:PowerOfThePrimes-MetalhawkVectorPrime-CardArt.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3]]

Metalhawk was a [[Prime Master]] who housed the spark energy of [[Vector Prime]], able to grant time travel abilities to other Transformers. {{storylink|#Power of the Primes|''Power of the Primes'' Metalhawk / Vector Prime online bio}}
{{note|For a list of powers manifested by Metalhawk, see [[Prime Master/Combinations|this chart]].}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
Metalhawk was stationed aboard the [[Black Hub]], a maintenance, supply and transit station for what remained of Cybertronian space and its colonies. {{storylink|Light/Star}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] told the story that long ago a whole universe was annihilated by the dark god Unicron, with Metalhawk and his rival [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] being the sole survivors. He could have fled to another universe, but instead chose to remain in the resultant Cosmic Void to safe guard the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]]. Metalhawk was summoned by [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] into another reality as the Star Saber was moved there. He interrupted a battle between Autobots, Maximals, Predacons and Decepticons over the [[Dark Star Saber]]. [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimal Optimus]] had a feeling that the Star Saber did rightfully belong to Metalhawk. Optimus told him to take it and end the conflict, but Metalhawk feared it was already too late as Bomb-Burst was there. However, all the Decepticons and Predacons stood against Bomb-Burst in addition to the Autobots and Maximals. {{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Void Rivals (Earth Wars)}} Metalhawk warned everyone they face an extinction-level event. He told them that Bomb-Burst was enslaved by the Dark Star Saber and that perhaps he and Optimal Optimus should go pay their respects to [[Sentius Magnus]] and [[Sentius Malus]], who [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] had mentioned. {{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Countermeasures}}

{{Charstubgames|{{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

==Toys==
===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers''===
{{anchor|Super-God Masterforce}}
[[File:MF-toy Metalhawk.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Who needs feet when you can stand on sticks?]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Metalhawk''' (''Pretenders'', [[1988]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number:'' '''C-201'''
:*''Accessories'': 2-piece Pretender shell, helmet, "Titanium Saber", "Jet Rifle," left & right "Rifle Wings"
:*''Known designers'': [[Kōjin Ōno]] (TakaraTomy)

: Available [[exclusive]]ly in Japan, Metalhawk is the only Pretender to feature [[die-cast]] metal (a lost art, nowadays). The figure transforms into a blue, gold, red and gray Cybertronic jet (something like a souped-up F-15 Eagle), the gray tailfins of which double as two handheld "Rifle Wing" blasters for his [[robot mode]]. Metalhawk is the only 1987-88 regular Pretender where the vehicle mode seems to be prioritized over the robot mode, having a robot mode with jet wings hanging off and limbs with jet engine or vent detailing, as opposed to a vague vehicle with obvious robot limbs hanging off like the others.

: Metalhawk's outer Pretender shell resembles a human in a red, white, and blue armored space suit, distinguished from other 1988 Pretenders by the presence of a full human face, unobscured by armor like the other Autobots of the year, as well as boxier armor lacking a belt accessory, and having much more heroic proportions compared to the more bulbous original Pretender shells. The Metalhawk shell's helmet is removable and is used to help "lock" the two shell-halves together. The shell is armed with the Titanium Saber and Jet Rifle; the Rifle Wings can also plug into the sides of the Jet Rifle when the robot is stored within the shell, transforming it into the "Wing Blaster". Like his contemporary Japanese exclusive cohort, [[Grand Maximus]], Metalhawk has silver paper decals as opposed to clear plastic decals like the other Pretenders.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/Metalhawk/metalhawk.htm More information on Metalhawk at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Timelines''===
[[File:Timelinestoy-BC2012Metalhawk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Metalhawk, in the flesh!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-multi|'''Invasion''' (Box set, [[2012]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles, recon drone

:A [[retool]] of ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' [[Thunderwing (G1)#Generations|Thunderwing]], Metalhawk is a blue and red fighter jet loosely based on an [[United States Air Force#F-22 Raptor|F-22 Raptor]], with different wings but retaining the F-22's characteristic zigzag patterns sculpted on the hull. In addition to a new fleshy head, the nose of the jet can detach and become a separate aerial drone, while the two missile launchers can detach from the wings and become handheld weapons or clip together into one massive gun. The middle section of the sculpted missiles on the sides of the guns are also compatible with [[C joint]] accessories. Metalhawk's colors are based on the original toy's Pretender shell rather than the inner robot, much like other recent new toys of Pretender characters.

: Metalhawk was released in a [[BotCon 2012]] exclusive box set with [[Soundwave (SG)#Toys|Soundwave]], [[Tracks (SG)#Toys|Tracks]], [[Treadshot (SG)#Toys|Treadshot]], [[Overlord (G1)#Timelines|Gigatron]], and [[Ultra Magnus (SG)#Toys|Ultra Magnus]].

:This sculpt was also retooled to make ''Generations'' [[Black Shadow (G1)#Generations|Sky Shadow]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Autobot/BCMetalhawk/metalhawk.htm More information on BotCon Metalhawk at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Titans Return''===
{{anchor|Generations}}
[[File:TF-Titans-Return-Siege-on-Cybertron-Deluxe-Metalhawk.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"He traded his entire body made out of awesome lost art material to Rodimus? That's so lameeee!"]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1d1|'''Siege on Cybertron''' (Gift set, [[2017]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': 2 blaster weapons, [[Haruma Gō#Generations|Professor Go]] Titan Master

:A retool of ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Triggerhappy (G1)#Generations|Triggerhappy]], Metalhawk transforms from a robot based on his [[#Super-God Masterforce|original inner robot mode]] into a Cybertronian starfighter based on Triggerhappy's [[Triggerhappy (G1)#The Transformers|original vehicle mode]]. Metalhawk has 5mm post holes on the underside of his wings and the inside of his built-in non-firing blasters, accessible in robot mode. The holes on his shoulders can also accept 5mm posts, but are covered by his wings or blasters in both modes. Like most ''Titans Return'' figures, he has a port for a generic pose/flight stand on his backside.

:He includes two blasters that can combine into a larger weapon that his Titan Master partner [[Haruma Gō|Professor Go]] can sit in. Unlike most Deluxe and larger figures, however, there does not appear to be a way to mount the combined weapon in vehicle mode, and while Professor Go can peg in, it does not appear to have a proper seat.

:Metalhawk and Professor Go were only available as part of the "Siege on Cybertron" set, which also includes [[Ginrai (human)#Generations|Ginrai]] & [[Ginrai (robot)#Titans Return|Magnus Prime]], [[Fathom#Generations|Fathom]] & [[Tidal Wave (G1)#Generations|Tidal Wave]], [[Pounce#Generations|Decepticon Pounce]], and [[Thunderwing (G1)#SiegeOnCybertron|Thunderwing]]. In the United States, this set was exclusive to [[BigBadToyStore]], but it saw a wider release in Canada where it was available at [[Toys"R"Us]], [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]], the Canadian [[Walmart]] online store, book store chain Indigo and several PC retailers (seriously!). Additionally, it was also available at retail in Hong Kong and Singapore and even saw an official release in the Netherlands, where it was exclusively available from BOL.

::*''[http://www.transformers-universe.com/i.php?ID=6839 More information on Metalhawk at Transformers-Universe.com]''
{{--}}

===''Power of the Primes''===
[[File:TF-POTP-Prime-Master-Vector-Prime-with-Metalhawk.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Sadly, does not give the toy the power of lost art.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Vector Prime''' (Prime Master, [[2017]])}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''PP-03'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[May 25]], [[2018]]
:*''Accessories'': Metalhawk decoy armor, cannon
:*''Known designers'': [[John Warden]] (Hasbro)

:''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' [[Vector Prime]] is a [[Prime Master]] with Metalhawk decoy armor, visually based on the original [[Pretender]]'s inner robot and shell.

:This toy has identical features to the other Prime Masters in the line. The decoy armor has a weapon piece which can fold out to create a weapon mode, or detach and be held in the armor's 3 mm-compatible hand. The [[Titan Master]]-like robot can store inside the decoy armor or ride [[Size class|Legends Class]] figures in vehicle mode, and is fully compatible with toys from the previous ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' line. The "Power Swap" gimmick means its [[spark]] form can plug onto any decoy armor's weapon form (which has a [[5 mm post]] to be held by larger figures), Deluxe Class figures' chest armor, Voyager Class figures' bucklers, Leader Class figures' [[Matrix of Leadership/toys#Power of the Primes|Matrix]] (in place of their Matrix core), [[combiner]]s' torsos (in place of their [[Enigma of Combination]]), or the [[Scepter of Sparks]]. With the power of [[you]]r imagination, this bestows the Prime Master's [[Prime Master/Combinations|unique power]] on the larger figure.

:Unlike every other Titan Master/Prime Master, Vector Prime and his fellow first wave Prime Masters feature backpacks/symbols secured by pins instead of screws.

:Though designated for a first quarter 2018 release, Vector Prime/Metalhawk's wave reached U.S. store shelves in November 2017.

:Vector Prime/Metalhawk was retooled with a new [[Prime Master]] sigil and decoy armor front as [[Alpha Trion (G1)#Power of the Primes|Alpha Trion]]/[[Landmine (G1)#Power of the Primes|Landmine]], and again replacing the entire gray sprue with new parts for [[Quintus Prime#Power of the Primes|Quintus Prime]]/[[Bludgeon (G1)#Power of the Primes|Bludgeon]]. Vector Prime alone was given a different replacement sprue for the [[Thirteenth Prime#Power of the Primes|Thirteenth Prime]].
{{--}}

===''Legacy''===
[[File:TF-Legacy-Voyager-Class-Metalhawk.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The lost art was forsaken in the name of screen accuracy.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Metalhawk''' (Voyager Class, [[2023]])}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''TL-34'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[August 26]], 2023
:*''Accessories'': Sword, twin blasters
:*''Known designers'': [[Evan Brooks]] (Hasbro), [[Shogo Hasui]], [[Ittoku Kuwazu]] (TakaraTomy)<ref>Hasbro Pulse Transformers Fanstream on [[January 31]], 2023 on the official ''Transformers'' [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l33J9hIaQm8 YouTube channel ]</ref> / [[John Warden]], Evan Brooks (''Kingdom'' Cyclonus, Hasbro)

:Part of the fifth wave of ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]'' Voyager Class toys, ''Legacy: Evolution'' Metalhawk is an extensive [[retool]] of ''[[War for Cybertron: Kingdom|Kingdom]]'' [[Cyclonus (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Kingdom|Cyclonus]] that transforms into a Cybertronian jet in 18 steps. Compared to the previous ''Legacy'' Pretenders, his robot mode is accurate to the ''Super-God Masterforce'' anime, invoking the inner robot rather than the outer shell. His jet mode is also based more on its cartoon appearance than the original toy.

:Metalhawk includes two blasters based on his original toy that form a pair of tailfins of his jet mode or can combine into a double-barreled weapon as part of the "[[Evo-Fusion]]" gimmick. He also includes his signature sword associated with his Pretender shell. It can store on his back or the top of the jet.

:Like his wavemates, Metalhawk was revealed on the 2023 [[January 31]]st [[Hasbro Pulse]] stream. He and his wavemate [[Twincast]] were shipped from [[BigBadToyStore]] within a few days of their reveal.
::*''[https://www.instagram.com/p/CoKnodbOSHH/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D Designer commentary on ''Legacy'' Metalhawk from Evan Brooks on Instagram'']''

{{-}}{{anchor|LegacyUnited}}
[[File:TF-Legacy-United-Voyager-Metalhawk.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Not today, [[Gold Plastic Syndrome|Satan]]!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''G1 Universe Metalhawk''' (Voyager Class, [[2024]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Sword, twin blasters
:*''Known designers'': [[Mark Maher]] (Hasbro)

:Part of the final wave of 2024 ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]'' Voyager Class toys, ''Legacy: United'' G1 Universe Metalhawk is a [[redeco]] of the above ''Evolution'' release, now shifted into hues more indicative of his original toy.<ref>[[May 14]], [[2024]]'s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOXZGDHebTk Hasbro Pulse | Transformers Fanstream | May 2024] on YouTube, with [[Ben MacCrae]], [[Evan Brooks]] and [[Kelly Rose]].</ref>

:While initially intended to be a mere [[package refresh]], designer Mark Maher managed to rework the release into a color variant, albeit with the obligation to keep the deco layout as close to the original release as possible. The lack of gold tint from the original toy is noted as a deliberate design choice, due to potential longevity issues caused by the use of molded gold plastic.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=honestly molded plastic gold is kind of a headache in production and there is only a few pantone golds I know are solid in terms of color pop and longevity.|link=https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8IeCdNuHMS/|name=Mark Maher|site=Instagram|year=2024|month=06|day=12}}</ref> The [[Hasbro Pulse]] listing repeatedly refers to the figure as "Super-God Masterforce Metalhawk," though that lengthy term does not appear on the packaging.

:This figure was revealed by Maher via his social media account on [[June 12]], as a part of daily product reveals hosted by the Transformers design team, with pre-orders going up on [[June 13]].<ref>{{citesocial|quote=The team will be bringing you reveals each day starting #TransformersTuesday June 11th which will all lead up to pre-orders on Thursday June 13th.|link=https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8Ce_TauWGd/|name=Ben MacCrae, Mark Maher, and Evan Brooks|site=Instagram|year=2024|month=06|day=11}}</ref>

::*''[https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8IeCdNuHMS/ Designer commentary on ''Legacy: United'' G1 Universe Metalhawk from Mark Maher on Instagram'']''
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers Gum===
[[File:TFgum metalhawk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Metalhawk''' (Candy toy, 1988)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories:'' 2-piece Pretender shell, 2 shell arms, helmet, "Titanium Saber", "Jet Rifle," left & right "Rifle Wings"

:Released in the eighth wave of [[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Transformers Gum]]'' line of snap-together "[[candy toy]]" model kits, this version of Metalhawk stands at about four inches tall in robot mode, and is cast in red, white, and blue plastic. He includes all the accessories and features of his larger figure, save one difference: the arms of his Pretender shell are removable, and used to hold the shell closed. As a ''Transformers Gum'' kit, he featured no paint applications, but came with stickers for detail, and a piece of terrible gum.

::*''[http://bowbowdaijin.blog96.fc2.com/blog-entry-36.html More information on Transformer Gum Metalhawk at a Japanese fansite]''
{{--}}

===Super Collection Figure===
[[File:SCF Metalhawk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Halt or I'll fall off my stand!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Metalhawk (with Minerva)''' (2001)}}</ul>
:*''Act'': '''5'''
:*''Accessories'': Stand

: A PVC figurine of Metalhawk in his Pretender armor was available in the fifth, ''Masterforce''-centric "Act" of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s [[Heroes of Cybertron (toyline)|Super Collection Figure]] line. He came packaged with a figurine of [[Minerva (human)#SCFhuman|Minerva]] in her human form; the pair were available in both full color and metallic silver "pewter" versions, at a ratio of one per each case of twelve [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] figures. His incredibly wide stance makes it nigh-impossible to properly use the stand he comes with, as one foot will always be at least on the very edge of the stand.

: In eight out of every ten cases, the pewter version of the figures came with the right arm of the wave's collectible [[Scorponok (G1)#Super Collection Figure|BlackZarak]] "build-a-figure". This part could be in either full-color or clear plastic, packed at a ratio of 4:4.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Cybertron/Metalhawk/metalhawk.htm More information on Super Collection Figure Metalhawk at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Cybertron/PewterMetalhawk/metalhawk.htm More information on pewter Metalhawk at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
*In the design stage, Metalhawk took inspiration from ''{{w|Magne Robo Gakeen}}''.<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://twitter.com/KanedaMasumi/status/1626943448652861441|quote=玩具のスタイルを『超神マスターフォース』でどう新しくデザインするか、原案の段階で参考にした一つが「ガ・キーン」でした。逞しい多くのロボットと違って人型のスマートなデザインがプリテンダーTFの特徴です。|name=Masumi Kaneda|site=Twitter|year=2023|month=02|day=18}}</ref>
*Like all non-toy robot Kreons in the ''Kre-O'' manga, Metalhawk is made from existing ''Kre-O'' parts. He uses the [[Sideswipe (G1)/toys#Kre-O|Sideswipe]] helmet, and has a clip-on wing attached to each arm. He also carries a katana-style sword.

===Foreign names===
*''Italian:'' '''Optor'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Hank''' (China, 汉克 ''Hànkè'')
*''Russian:'' '''Kogot'''' (Коготь, "Claw")
*''Spanish:'' '''Hook''' (Latin America)

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:BotCon exclusives]]
[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Autobots]]
[[Category:Japanese-original Transformers]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legacy Autobots]]
[[Category:Neutrals]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Prime Masters]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Titans Return Autobots]]
[[Category:TransTech Autobots]]
[[Category:Victory Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]
[[Category:Zone Autobots]]

Mission to Cybertron

2024-06-24T02:27:18Z

1levichurch:

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''Transformers: Mission to Cybertron''
|prev=Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)
|next=Transformers: The Last Knight (film)
|image=MissiontoCybertroncover.jpg
|publisher=[[Avalanche Comics Entertainment]]
|date=[[September 26]], 2017
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|chronology=[[Movie continuity|Current era]]
}}

'''Optimus Prime arrives on Paradron to refuel, but is confronted by a lone guard.'''

==Synopsis==
On the planet of [[Paradron]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] is set upon by vicious [[Guard Cat|guard cats]] when trying to access a vault containing [[energon]]. The beasts stand down when their master arrives: a long-lost [[Gyronian Sentry]], who explains that the energon Prime seeks is in fact the very last reservoir of the substance on the entire planet. Hoping to convince the Sentry of his good intentions, Optimus explains what has brought him to Paradron, detailing the [[Autobot]]s' battles to defend [[Earth]] from the [[Decepticon]]s, and how he has now set out to find his creator and restore [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], so that [[human|humanity]] can be left in peace. Needing to refuel in order to continue the journey, he has come to Paradron, which he had always known as a world rich in energon.

The Gyronian Sentry is uninterested in Prime's story—either the Autobot leader has the passcode for the energon vault, or he's an unwanted interloper who needs to be eliminated. Optimus recognises that the passcode is inscribed upon the vault door in [[Ancient Cybertronian|Old Cybertronian]], and while he does not speak the ancient language himself, his status as [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] means he possesses a decoder device. Prime speaks the code aloud in Old Cybertronian, but the door doesn't budge. The Sentry suggests the decoder may need to be inserted into a socket on the door, and insists that he do this himself, claiming that Optimus could have turned traitor. Prime insists that this is impossible, prompting the irate Sentry to sic his guard cats on the Autobot once more.

While Optimus fends off the beasts, the Sentry grabs the decoder, and it becomes clear that the lonely warrior seeks to take the vault's energon for himself, so that he can leave Paradron and end his eternal vigil. Transforming to [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], Prime barrels away from the guard cats, but the Gyronian Sentry converts to his own chariot mode and gives chase, pulled by his pet creatures. The two engage in a high-speed duel, the Sentry ignoring Prime's pleas that they can share the energon and leave together. Unwilling to allow more of the conflict that has claimed so many worlds, Optimus abruptly ends the confrontation by shifting to robot mode and slicing the connection between his opponent and his guard cats, sending the Sentry tumbling to the ground.

Reclaiming the decoder, Prime returns to the vault door, even as the defeated Sentry tries to convince Optimus to abandon his mission to Cybertron and settle down on Paradron. Inserting the decoder into the door, Prime again speaks the passcode, this time giving its translation: "in [[Primus]] we trust". The vault opens, revealing a solitary [[energon cube]], from which Optimus drinks just enough to continue his journey in stasis mode. As he promised, he offers the rest to the Gyronian Sentry, thanking the weary warrior for his millennia of service, however misguided his recent actions may have been. Telling the Sentry to go find the rest that he deserves, Optimus rockets back into space, resolving to complete his mission and bring ''all'' his people home.

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashback. 
{{Featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Guard Cat]]s (2)
*[[Gyronian Sentry]] (3)
*''[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]'' (4)
*''[[Hound (Movie)|Hound]]'' (5)

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*''[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]'' (6)
*''[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]'' (7)
*''[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]]'' (8)
}}

==Quotes==
"'''Surprise!''' Here I am, guardian of the '''last remaining''' reservoir of '''energon''' on the late, great planet '''Paradron'''."
:—The '''Gyronian Sentry''' introduces himself

"It did not work. The gate is not opening." 
"See that hole? Maybe you need to '''insert''' the decoder. Give it to me, I'll show you." 
"Am I not capable?" 
"How do I know you're not a '''Decepticon''' in '''disguise'''? Even the '''Autobot-in-chief''' can be '''turned'''." 
"I am '''Optimus Prime'''. I cannot be '''brain-washed'''." 
"Stubborn and self-righteous. You're definitely a '''Prime'''. Guard cats, '''attack!''' Get me that '''decoder!'''"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' indulges in some [[Quintessa (TLK)|irony]] while the '''Sentry''' responds with violence.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Optimus Prime stated that "war destroyed [[Chicago]]", a clear call back to the ending of ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]''.
*Prime mentioned that tolerance for the Autobot's presence on Earth was in doubt, referencing the previous films in which humans were growing more hostile against Cybertronians.
* Optimus says that he will continue his journey in stasis mode, linking up to ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'', where he arrives at Cybertron frozen and inactive.
===Trivia===
* This comic was available exclusively at [[Toys"R"Us]], bundled with Blu-ray/DVD combo packs of ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight]]''. The issue ties into Toy"R"Us's exclusive ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (toyline)#Mission to Cybertron|Mission to Cybertron]]'' [[subline imprint|toy range]] for ''The Last Knight'', which saw Cyberglyphics messages printed on the figures and their packaging, and decoder cards distributed in stores.
*Bumblebee's alternate mode is depicted as a Ford Mustang-inspired vehicle instead of the Chevrolet Camaro 2014 concept that he logically should be, per ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]''.
*The Gyronian Sentry is made up of parts of various existing live-action [[Transformer]] designs, including the legs of Optimus Prime's original design, and the head of [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]].
*The energon cube is based on the AllSpark Tech cubes from ''The Last Knight''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s toyline.
* Three lines of dialogue are printed in Old Cybertronian, using the Cyberglyphics font. They translate to:
**"IN PRIMUS WE TRUST"
**"PASSCODE ACCEPTED WELCOME OPTIMUS PRIME"
**"I AM OPTIMUS PRIME AND I AM TAKING MY PEOPLE HOME"

[[Category:Live-action film series issues]]

Antagony (BW)

2024-06-23T01:59:11Z

1levichurch: /* Transformers: Earth Wars */

{{factions|predacon|liegemaximo|unicron}}
{{disambig2|the ''Beast Wars'' character|the ''Animated'' character|Antagony (Animated)}}
:''Antagony is a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] from the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:BW Antagony boxart.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|A ''female'' worker ant? This is unheard of!]]
The mysterious future-Predacon '''Antagony''' is the [[Herald Maximo]] of the fearsome Predacon warlord [[Shokaract]], second only to Shokaract himself. She is utterly ruthless and without a shred of pity or mercy, and harbors a secret death-feud against the upstart Predacon [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]] who threatens her position. Though utterly loyal to Shokaract, she will do anything short of open revolt to make sure she remains the Herald Maximo. Antagony's armor makes her virtually invulnerable to pain and it has been speculated that she enjoys inflicting it so much just so she can attempt to understand the utterly alien sensation.

==Fiction==
===3H comics===
{{voiceactor|[[Susan Blu]] (English)}}

[[File:Herald Cataclysm's Ko-tu.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|left|I. Am. VERY. Happy. For. You. Cataclysm.]]

In the 32nd century, Antagony rose to become one of the elite [[Herald of Shokaract|Heralds of Shokaract]]. {{storylink|Schism (story)|Schism}} One of her campaigns led to the conquest of the [[Kolar]]. {{storylink|Paradox}} Ambitious and coveting the title of [[Herald Maximo]], Antagony quickly forged a mutual hatred with her rival for the position, [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]]. Their private feuding nearly went public during the all-important [[Horus Campaign|campaign]] against [[Horus]], an immensely powerful warlord and self-proclaimed god who drew limitless power from the sun itself, and opposed Shokaract's expansion. Whereas Antagony committed her forces to an elaborate diversion in order to get in close and battle Horus face-to-face, Cataclysm simply blew up the sun. With his power source gone, Horus quickly fell before Antagony, but her personal victory was stolen from her, as Shokaract gave credit to both her and Cataclysm for the win. Antagony and Cataclysm continued their vendetta, with Antagony scoring several minor victories. First, she arranged for Cataclysm's favored [[Cub|fission-brother]] to be given a nearly impossible assassination before he could prove his worth as a potential Herald. She also exposed Cataclysm's fear of time travel, thus securing a prized mission for herself. {{storylink|Herald}}

Traveling back in time, Antagony was seeking to preserve the [[Dark Essence]]. The Maximals [[Packrat]] and [[Onyx Primal]] managed to temporarily divert her attention towards [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], but Megatron in turn painted the incoming [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] as his ally, leading Antagony to attack him. She was damaged in battle with Primal, and fell at Megatron's feet. Antagony described herself as [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s doom, his destruction, and his worst enemy. Megatron naturally assumed this meant she was [[Raksha]]. She corrected this misunderstanding and attempted to take [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] hostage in order to make Megatron back off. It surprisingly worked for a few moments, but then a stray cloud of dust made her sneeze and blow Waspinator's head clean off. This last energy discharge consumed what was left of her energy, and she went into [[stasis lock]]. {{storylink|Visitations}}

[[File:Antagony megatron.jpg|thumb|Antagony didn't last too long.]]

Megatron spent long hours in his torture chamber attempting to break Antagony and uncover her secrets. When conventional methods failed, he turned towards one of [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]]'s favorite toys—a [[mind-drill]] that employed invasive nano-probes. Antagony ultimately succumbed to the nano-invasion, but a failsafe device built into her skull by Shokaract utterly destroyed her mind before Megatron could retrieve any useful information. {{storylink|Herald}}

Antagony continued to serve Shokaract even after death. Once Shokaract himself traveled back in time to [[Point Omega]] in order to protect the Dark Essence, he was assaulted by the united Beast Warriors and [[Covenant (group)|Covenant]]. To clear away the distractions, Shokaract retrieved Antagony and restored her mind. Alongside a similarly revived Cataclysm, she was sent to destroy her master's foes while Shokaract himself defended the Dark Essence. Both eventually perished in battle, Antagony at the hands of Leonicus and Ariex. {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}}
{{--}}

===2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity===
[[File:BWAscending4 Antagony capsule.jpg|thumb|left|Hi, I'm here to make myself expensive again.]]
Though Antagony believed herself to be an agent of [[Shokaract]] from a distant future where her master ruled Cybertron, this was in reality only a false memory implanted in her mind by her true creators, the [[Vok]]. She was unknowingly an experimental creation sent through various realities by the enigmatic aliens to cause trouble and test the limits of the Cybertronian organism. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook #1}} Appearing on present-day Cybertron, she aided in the rise to power of Shokaract's past self, travelling the universe to gather capsules of [[Angolmois Energy]]. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 3|The Ascending #3}} While Shokaract engaged the Maximals in battle, Antagony and the other Heralds spread the energy amongst Cybertron's population in an effort to sow dissent and chaos, in turn empowering Shokaract. The Heralds were defeated and ultimately fled when [[Magmatron]] pulled Shokaract into limbo and convinced him to destroy himself to prevent Unicron's rebirth. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 4|The Ascending #4}}

===Theft of the Golden Disk===
A statue of Antagony was kept in the [[Cybertropolis Maximal Data Archive]]. {{storylink|Theft of the Golden Disk}}

===''TransTech''===
Antagony scuttled about the Under City in [[Axiom Nexus]], in a crowd of countless off-worlders. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Antagony was a chief to [[Shokaract]], a warlord who seized power for himself in the region of [[Hyperious]] during the [[Grand Uprising]]. After the war ended, Shokaract's reign was officially recognized and Hyperious was granted a seat in the new [[Cybertronian Parliament]]. At Shokaract's direction, Antagony battled her fellow [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]] in the [[Hyperious Arena]] for the right to represent him. To the relief of many, this Game was not to the death, but Antagony claimed victory after seizing Cataclysm's tail-whip as a trophy. She took her place in the Parliament. {{storylink|Derailment}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:FirstStrike2-Antagony.jpg|thumb|200px]]
Antagony was present in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] on the date of the ceremony commemorating [[Earth]]'s formal induction into the [[Council of Worlds]]. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} When [[Iron Ring|a group of villains]] led by [[Joe Colton|Baron Ironblood]] attacked, disrupting the ceremony, she was among those who attempted to flee, but she was attacked by [[Tempest (G.I. Joe)|Storm Shadow]], who managed to disable and capture her so that the [[Microspace]]-native [[Shazraella]] could [[enerchange]] with her in order to gain the advantages of Cybertronian size. {{storylink|First Strike issue 2|First Strike #2}}

Shazraella was eventually arrested and reduced to her original form, {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}} though Antagony perished soon afterwards as a result of the enerchange. A skeptic doubted [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] would be present at her funeral. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}}

Another Antagony was a [[Maximal]].<ref>Writer [[John Barber]] did not specify the background characters to appear on page 11 of ''Unicron'' #6, leaving line artist [[Andrew Griffith]] to choose the Maximals for the scene. Alas, Griffith was evidently never informed that Antagony had appeared separately and died in ''First Strike''.</ref> During [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s attack on Earth, Antagony and several comrades battled Autobots in orbit. {{storylink|Ceremony}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
Unicron's minion [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] was searching for allies and discovered Antagony. They were now twin agents of chaos against the world. While Bomb-Burst was doing battle with [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]] and the [[Sentius Magnus|Sentius]] [[Sentius Malus|Twins]], Antagony appeared and struck a blow against Sentius Malus with her venom. Metalhawk tried to take her out with the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] but he was detracted by her ability to create decoys of herself. While the decoys were allusions, they could still deal physical damage to their opponent. Sentius Magnus told Metalhawk then and there the battle was over and they needed to prepare. Bomb-Burst then told Antagony their primary concern was the use a door opened to the past. It was their opportunity to trigger the end of everything. {{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|The Last Stand}}
{{Charstubgames|{{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

==Toys==
===''Beast Wars''===
[[File:BWtoy-Antagony.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|I like my Inferno redecoes like I like my coffee: black, and thousands of dollars on the secondary market.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-p1|'''Antagony''' (Mega Class, 1998)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories:'' Mandible claw, missile launcher, 2 leg-segment missiles

: One of two exclusive toys from the [[BotCon 1998]] convention in Anaheim, California, USA, ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' Antagony is a black and lavender [[redeco]] of [[Inferno (BW)#Toys|Inferno]], transforming into an ant. Her [[beast mode]] mandibles conceal a missile launcher weapon, plus her abdomen splits open to form spinning blades surrounding a quad-jet thruster. Only 600 pieces were made of her and [[Vice Grip#Toys|Vice Grip]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Predacon/Antagony/antagony.htm More information on Antagony at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Generations Selects''===
[[File:Generations-Selects-Voyager-Class-Antagony.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Vice Grip not included.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-p1|'''Antagony''' (Voyager Class, 2023)}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy name:'' '''Antagony''' (アンタゴニー)
:*''TakaraTomy release date:'' [[2024]] [[February 24]]
:*''Accessories:'' Missile gun, alternate head
:*''Known designers'': [[Mark Maher]] (Hasbro), [[Shuhei Umezu]] (TakaraTomy)<ref>[[June 20]], [[2023]]'s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjLY0uamTKM Hasbro Pulse Transformers Fanstream] on YouTube, with [[Ben MacCrae]], [[Mark Maher]], [[Evan Brooks]], and [[Rich Pellegrino]]</ref>

:A ''[[Generations Selects (toyline)|Generations Selects]]'' add on for ''[[Transformers: Legacy#Evolution|Legacy: Evolution]]'', Antagony is a black and lavender redeco of ''Legacy'' [[Inferno (BW)#Legacy|Inferno]]. Her ant mode features movable mandibles, and her "default" robot mode head has a moving jaw. Her abdomen can split into a four bladed propeller, with the accompanying missile gun being able to plug into her rear port.

:Antagony includes a second robot head sculpted and painted to resemble [[Transmetal]] [[Scavenger (BW)|Scavenger]], which can be swapped onto Antagony or, for a more direct Scavenger recreation, ''Legacy'' Inferno. Opening up the ant head halves on either figure's chest will also reveal sculpted detail inspired by Scavenger's original toy.

:Antagony was released as a [[TakaraTomy Mall]] exclusive in Japan.

::*''[https://www.instagram.com/p/CwjAXLwM7-a/ Designer commentary on ''Legacy'' Antagony from Mark Maher on Instagram]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
* Just as [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]]'s name refers to his cat alternate mode, so too does Antagony for her ant mode, presumably riffing on the term "{{w|agony aunt}}"—a colloquialism for an advice columnist in a newspaper. The word "antagony" itself is [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Antagony an archaic synonym for antagonism].
*While Antagony is drawn with a more "human" face by [[Andrew Wildman]] (as such anthropomorphizing is usual for him) throughout most of her 3H appearances, [[Geoff Senior]] draws her with a typical take on Inferno's head for [[Terminus (issue)|her final appearance in the same storyline]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Antagony''' (アンタゴニー ''Antagonī'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://botconarchives.com/archive/story/characters/antagony.html Antagony's BotCon: Beyond profile on the BotCon Online archives]

[[Category:Beast Wars Predacons]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Predacons]]
[[Category:BotCon exclusives]]
[[Category:Convention-original characters]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Generations Selects toy Predacons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Maximals]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:Legacy Predacons]]
[[Category:TakaraTomy Mall exclusives]]
[[Category:TransTech Predacons]]
[[Category:Vok]]

Antagony (BW)

2024-06-23T01:44:43Z

1levichurch:

{{factions|predacon|liegemaximo|unicron}}
{{disambig2|the ''Beast Wars'' character|the ''Animated'' character|Antagony (Animated)}}
:''Antagony is a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] from the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:BW Antagony boxart.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|A ''female'' worker ant? This is unheard of!]]
The mysterious future-Predacon '''Antagony''' is the [[Herald Maximo]] of the fearsome Predacon warlord [[Shokaract]], second only to Shokaract himself. She is utterly ruthless and without a shred of pity or mercy, and harbors a secret death-feud against the upstart Predacon [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]] who threatens her position. Though utterly loyal to Shokaract, she will do anything short of open revolt to make sure she remains the Herald Maximo. Antagony's armor makes her virtually invulnerable to pain and it has been speculated that she enjoys inflicting it so much just so she can attempt to understand the utterly alien sensation.

==Fiction==
===3H comics===
{{voiceactor|[[Susan Blu]] (English)}}

[[File:Herald Cataclysm's Ko-tu.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|left|I. Am. VERY. Happy. For. You. Cataclysm.]]

In the 32nd century, Antagony rose to become one of the elite [[Herald of Shokaract|Heralds of Shokaract]]. {{storylink|Schism (story)|Schism}} One of her campaigns led to the conquest of the [[Kolar]]. {{storylink|Paradox}} Ambitious and coveting the title of [[Herald Maximo]], Antagony quickly forged a mutual hatred with her rival for the position, [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]]. Their private feuding nearly went public during the all-important [[Horus Campaign|campaign]] against [[Horus]], an immensely powerful warlord and self-proclaimed god who drew limitless power from the sun itself, and opposed Shokaract's expansion. Whereas Antagony committed her forces to an elaborate diversion in order to get in close and battle Horus face-to-face, Cataclysm simply blew up the sun. With his power source gone, Horus quickly fell before Antagony, but her personal victory was stolen from her, as Shokaract gave credit to both her and Cataclysm for the win. Antagony and Cataclysm continued their vendetta, with Antagony scoring several minor victories. First, she arranged for Cataclysm's favored [[Cub|fission-brother]] to be given a nearly impossible assassination before he could prove his worth as a potential Herald. She also exposed Cataclysm's fear of time travel, thus securing a prized mission for herself. {{storylink|Herald}}

Traveling back in time, Antagony was seeking to preserve the [[Dark Essence]]. The Maximals [[Packrat]] and [[Onyx Primal]] managed to temporarily divert her attention towards [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], but Megatron in turn painted the incoming [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] as his ally, leading Antagony to attack him. She was damaged in battle with Primal, and fell at Megatron's feet. Antagony described herself as [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s doom, his destruction, and his worst enemy. Megatron naturally assumed this meant she was [[Raksha]]. She corrected this misunderstanding and attempted to take [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] hostage in order to make Megatron back off. It surprisingly worked for a few moments, but then a stray cloud of dust made her sneeze and blow Waspinator's head clean off. This last energy discharge consumed what was left of her energy, and she went into [[stasis lock]]. {{storylink|Visitations}}

[[File:Antagony megatron.jpg|thumb|Antagony didn't last too long.]]

Megatron spent long hours in his torture chamber attempting to break Antagony and uncover her secrets. When conventional methods failed, he turned towards one of [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]]'s favorite toys—a [[mind-drill]] that employed invasive nano-probes. Antagony ultimately succumbed to the nano-invasion, but a failsafe device built into her skull by Shokaract utterly destroyed her mind before Megatron could retrieve any useful information. {{storylink|Herald}}

Antagony continued to serve Shokaract even after death. Once Shokaract himself traveled back in time to [[Point Omega]] in order to protect the Dark Essence, he was assaulted by the united Beast Warriors and [[Covenant (group)|Covenant]]. To clear away the distractions, Shokaract retrieved Antagony and restored her mind. Alongside a similarly revived Cataclysm, she was sent to destroy her master's foes while Shokaract himself defended the Dark Essence. Both eventually perished in battle, Antagony at the hands of Leonicus and Ariex. {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}}
{{--}}

===2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity===
[[File:BWAscending4 Antagony capsule.jpg|thumb|left|Hi, I'm here to make myself expensive again.]]
Though Antagony believed herself to be an agent of [[Shokaract]] from a distant future where her master ruled Cybertron, this was in reality only a false memory implanted in her mind by her true creators, the [[Vok]]. She was unknowingly an experimental creation sent through various realities by the enigmatic aliens to cause trouble and test the limits of the Cybertronian organism. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook #1}} Appearing on present-day Cybertron, she aided in the rise to power of Shokaract's past self, travelling the universe to gather capsules of [[Angolmois Energy]]. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 3|The Ascending #3}} While Shokaract engaged the Maximals in battle, Antagony and the other Heralds spread the energy amongst Cybertron's population in an effort to sow dissent and chaos, in turn empowering Shokaract. The Heralds were defeated and ultimately fled when [[Magmatron]] pulled Shokaract into limbo and convinced him to destroy himself to prevent Unicron's rebirth. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 4|The Ascending #4}}

===Theft of the Golden Disk===
A statue of Antagony was kept in the [[Cybertropolis Maximal Data Archive]]. {{storylink|Theft of the Golden Disk}}

===''TransTech''===
Antagony scuttled about the Under City in [[Axiom Nexus]], in a crowd of countless off-worlders. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Antagony was a chief to [[Shokaract]], a warlord who seized power for himself in the region of [[Hyperious]] during the [[Grand Uprising]]. After the war ended, Shokaract's reign was officially recognized and Hyperious was granted a seat in the new [[Cybertronian Parliament]]. At Shokaract's direction, Antagony battled her fellow [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]] in the [[Hyperious Arena]] for the right to represent him. To the relief of many, this Game was not to the death, but Antagony claimed victory after seizing Cataclysm's tail-whip as a trophy. She took her place in the Parliament. {{storylink|Derailment}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:FirstStrike2-Antagony.jpg|thumb|200px]]
Antagony was present in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] on the date of the ceremony commemorating [[Earth]]'s formal induction into the [[Council of Worlds]]. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} When [[Iron Ring|a group of villains]] led by [[Joe Colton|Baron Ironblood]] attacked, disrupting the ceremony, she was among those who attempted to flee, but she was attacked by [[Tempest (G.I. Joe)|Storm Shadow]], who managed to disable and capture her so that the [[Microspace]]-native [[Shazraella]] could [[enerchange]] with her in order to gain the advantages of Cybertronian size. {{storylink|First Strike issue 2|First Strike #2}}

Shazraella was eventually arrested and reduced to her original form, {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}} though Antagony perished soon afterwards as a result of the enerchange. A skeptic doubted [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] would be present at her funeral. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}}

Another Antagony was a [[Maximal]].<ref>Writer [[John Barber]] did not specify the background characters to appear on page 11 of ''Unicron'' #6, leaving line artist [[Andrew Griffith]] to choose the Maximals for the scene. Alas, Griffith was evidently never informed that Antagony had appeared separately and died in ''First Strike''.</ref> During [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s attack on Earth, Antagony and several comrades battled Autobots in orbit. {{storylink|Ceremony}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
Unicron's minion [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] was searching for allies and discovered Antagony. They were now twin agents of chaos against the world. While Bomb-Burst was doing battle with [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]] and the [[Sentius Magnus|Sentius]] [[Sentius Malus|Twins]], Antagony appeared and stroked a blow against Sentius Malus with her venom. Metalhawk tried to take her out with the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] but he was detracted by her ability to create decoys of herself. While the decoys were allusions, they could still deal physical damage to their opponent. Sentius Magnus told Metalhawk then and there the battle was over and they needed to prepare. Bomb-Burst then told Antagony their primary concern was the use a door opened to the past. It was their opportunity to trigger the end of everything. {{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|The Last Stand}}
{{Charstubgames|{{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

==Toys==
===''Beast Wars''===
[[File:BWtoy-Antagony.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|I like my Inferno redecoes like I like my coffee: black, and thousands of dollars on the secondary market.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-p1|'''Antagony''' (Mega Class, 1998)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories:'' Mandible claw, missile launcher, 2 leg-segment missiles

: One of two exclusive toys from the [[BotCon 1998]] convention in Anaheim, California, USA, ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' Antagony is a black and lavender [[redeco]] of [[Inferno (BW)#Toys|Inferno]], transforming into an ant. Her [[beast mode]] mandibles conceal a missile launcher weapon, plus her abdomen splits open to form spinning blades surrounding a quad-jet thruster. Only 600 pieces were made of her and [[Vice Grip#Toys|Vice Grip]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Predacon/Antagony/antagony.htm More information on Antagony at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Generations Selects''===
[[File:Generations-Selects-Voyager-Class-Antagony.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Vice Grip not included.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-p1|'''Antagony''' (Voyager Class, 2023)}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy name:'' '''Antagony''' (アンタゴニー)
:*''TakaraTomy release date:'' [[2024]] [[February 24]]
:*''Accessories:'' Missile gun, alternate head
:*''Known designers'': [[Mark Maher]] (Hasbro), [[Shuhei Umezu]] (TakaraTomy)<ref>[[June 20]], [[2023]]'s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjLY0uamTKM Hasbro Pulse Transformers Fanstream] on YouTube, with [[Ben MacCrae]], [[Mark Maher]], [[Evan Brooks]], and [[Rich Pellegrino]]</ref>

:A ''[[Generations Selects (toyline)|Generations Selects]]'' add on for ''[[Transformers: Legacy#Evolution|Legacy: Evolution]]'', Antagony is a black and lavender redeco of ''Legacy'' [[Inferno (BW)#Legacy|Inferno]]. Her ant mode features movable mandibles, and her "default" robot mode head has a moving jaw. Her abdomen can split into a four bladed propeller, with the accompanying missile gun being able to plug into her rear port.

:Antagony includes a second robot head sculpted and painted to resemble [[Transmetal]] [[Scavenger (BW)|Scavenger]], which can be swapped onto Antagony or, for a more direct Scavenger recreation, ''Legacy'' Inferno. Opening up the ant head halves on either figure's chest will also reveal sculpted detail inspired by Scavenger's original toy.

:Antagony was released as a [[TakaraTomy Mall]] exclusive in Japan.

::*''[https://www.instagram.com/p/CwjAXLwM7-a/ Designer commentary on ''Legacy'' Antagony from Mark Maher on Instagram]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
* Just as [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]]'s name refers to his cat alternate mode, so too does Antagony for her ant mode, presumably riffing on the term "{{w|agony aunt}}"—a colloquialism for an advice columnist in a newspaper. The word "antagony" itself is [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Antagony an archaic synonym for antagonism].
*While Antagony is drawn with a more "human" face by [[Andrew Wildman]] (as such anthropomorphizing is usual for him) throughout most of her 3H appearances, [[Geoff Senior]] draws her with a typical take on Inferno's head for [[Terminus (issue)|her final appearance in the same storyline]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Antagony''' (アンタゴニー ''Antagonī'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://botconarchives.com/archive/story/characters/antagony.html Antagony's BotCon: Beyond profile on the BotCon Online archives]

[[Category:Beast Wars Predacons]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Predacons]]
[[Category:BotCon exclusives]]
[[Category:Convention-original characters]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Generations Selects toy Predacons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Maximals]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:Legacy Predacons]]
[[Category:TakaraTomy Mall exclusives]]
[[Category:TransTech Predacons]]
[[Category:Vok]]

Tasmania Kid (BW)

2024-06-23T01:28:16Z

1levichurch:

{{picsneeded|toys}}
{{factions|maximal|predacon|jungleplanet}}
:''Tasmania Kid is a [[Maximal]] from the [[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars II]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:BWIITasmaniaKidColorModel.jpg|right|upright=1.5|thumb|Where's Digeri Dingo and Wendell T. Wolf?]]

There's the young, there's the restless, and then there's '''Tasmania Kid''' (タスマニアキッド ''Tasumania Kiddo'', aka '''Tasmanian Kid'''), who has both of those qualities to spare. A fairly green recruit, Kid's enthusiasm to prove himself and bask in the spotlight is as unbridled as it is ''dangerously stupid''. Kid is desperate to see himself recognized and honored as one of the greatest Maximal warriors of all time, but he wants that recognition ''now'' and preferably without all that training, strategy and diplomacy stuff.

Mischievous, reckless, insubordinate and disrespectful, his fool-hardy search for a "big break" on the battlefield often lands him in hot water... both with the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s ''and'' the Maximals. Despite his shortcomings, Kid's ambition and enthusiasm are seen by his superiors as qualities to be molded and directed rather than fully discouraged. And with each catastrophic mistake, he learns another valuable lesson about what it means to be a soldier.

Tasmania Kid's closest friend is the unmotivated slacker [[Diver (BW)|Diver]], whom he often leads astray into his hare-brained schemes. Kid also has a kindred spirit in [[Scissor Boy]], who shares in many of his youthful interests.

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars II'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Katashi Ishizuka]] (Japanese)}}

[[File:NewForces CybertronDiverKid.JPG|left|upright=1.3|thumb|"Once again, Apache's [[Myths#Drunk Apache|crippling alcoholism]] amuses us all."]]

Tasmania Kid, simply known as '''Kid''' at the time, was under the command of [[Lio Convoy]] (who similarly was just named "Convoy") on a Maximal Space Station. When Convoy went missing, Kid was unwilling to go on missions without him, instead spending his time losing at [[chess]] against [[Diver (BW)|Diver]]. Eventually [[Bighorn]] took charge of the team and they went to investigate a suspicious energy flare on the planet [[Gaia]]. Upon arrival, [[Yukikaze (BW)|their ship]] was shot down by [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]]'s [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], so Kid took an escape pod down to the planet's surface.

Gaia's atmosphere proved hazardous to [[Transformer]]s, so Kid was forced to scan himself an [[beast mode]] in order to survive. He considered either a leopard or a bird, and soon settled on a nearby eagle. However, a Tasmanian devil jumped in his face as he activated his scanners, and Kid accidentally scanned its DNA and became Tasmania Kid. He wasn't very happy with this turn of events, since, well, Tasmanian devils just aren't ''cool''. Tasmania Kid soon met up with Diver, [[Scuba]], [[Apache]] and Bighorn, and together they investigated a mysterious black fog that had enshrouded the area.

The fog turned out to be emanating from the Predacons' spaceship, the ''[[Galvaburg II]]'', but before they could do anything about it, Tasmania Kid and the others were attacked and pinned down by the Predacons. They were rescued by the emergence of a large white lion, and heavily damaged the ''Galvaburg II'' before following the lion into the wilderness. {{storylink|The New Forces Arrive!}}

[[File:Tasmaniakid pee.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb|Cybertronians pee from their hands.]]

The Maximals were led back to their crashed spaceship, where they took up headquarters. The lion then revealed itself to be Lio Convoy, whose earlier disappearance was due to crashing on Gaia. Reunited with their leader, the Maximals prepared to stop the Predacons' plot to drain the planet of energy. They were quickly sent out to stop the [[Autoroller (BW)|Autoroller]]s from destroying a jungle, and Tasmania Kid contributed by extinguishing a fire by peeing on it. {{storylink|White Lion, Run!}}

While picking flowers in a meadow, Tasmania Kid was surprised to learn Bighorn was deeply enraged by the very sight of a red flower. Kid found it funny following Bighorn around the rest of the day as he tried to pick fight with various Predacons, only to be turned down each time because they weren't interested in fighting him. As funny as the day was, when the unsuspecting Diver thought to give Bighorn a nice red flower as a gift after he had calmed down, Tasmania Kid quickly tried to wave the flower away before it started another mess. {{storylink|Bighorn's Rage}}

On a routine patrol, Tasmania Kid located the Autorollers building a fortress base near a lake. Eager to take the glory for himself, Kid radioed the base and told the Maximals to expect great things from him in the future, but wouldn't elaborate. Getting an idea from his Tasmanian namesake, Kid dug a series of tunnels around the base and rigged them with explosive booby traps. When he was set, Tasmania Kid set off his traps, devastating the Autorollers' work.

His victory was short-lived, though, as an electrified cage sprung up around him. The lake base had been a trap set by Starscream to lure in unsuspecting Maximals. Tasmania Kid was held hostage to bring the other Maximals running to the real, underwater base. Kid "escaped" into the ventilation shafts, only to discover those were rigged with death traps as well, keeping him off-balance. Eventually, Diver, Scuba, and his Tasmanian devil friend entered the base and helped free Kid from the Predacons' traps. Tasmania Kid apologized for the trouble he had caused his fellow Maximals, and thanked the furry friend who helped lead the Maximals to his rescue. {{storylink|The Lake Trap}}

The Maximals were hard pressed to stop Megastorm's latest ploy to capture the planet's energy, dispatching an overwhelming quantity of autonomous robot drones to build fortresses for the Predacons. This became the least of their problems, however, when [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]] emerged for the first time on Gaia. His dragon and drill tank modes proved virtually unstoppable, and Tasmania Kid and the Maximals were barely able to slow him down. In the end, it was a sneak attack by Megastorm that upset his brother's footing and sent him tumbling into an open volcano, leaving the Maximals confused over who their secret ally was.{{storylink|Galvatron Revived}}

Next, Tasmania Kid and the Maximals moved on to the Southern Continent to investigate a new string of energy readings. A mysterious signal from the ancient ruins prompted an investigation by Lio Convoy, and all the Maximals volunteered to go. Apache arranged for the team to draw straws but, after he won and left with Lio Convoy, Kid examined the straws and found Apache had cheated. Still, he cried real tears when the Maximals thought Apache had died in an explosion at the ruins, and cried even harder when he learned the old nag was still alive after all. {{storylink|Mystery of the Ancient Ruins}}

[[File:ApacheAnime1.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb|left|My attempt to flatten your head works too well.]]

With the [[Insectron]]s as a new potential threat, Lio Convoy cautioned the Maximals not to make enemies of the Insectrons unnecessarily. As a result, he sent out teams of two to locate the Insectrons, and ordered his men not to fire on them, but engage in dialogue. Kid and Lio Convoy were nearby when Bighorn and Apache were attacked by the Insectrons [[Bigmos]] and [[Tonbot]], who had been fed false information on the Maximals by Starscream. They tried to stop the fighting when they arrived, but Starscream and BB opened fire on both parties to avoid any peaceful dialogue. The Maximals warned the Insectrons of the incoming missiles, and threw their own bodies on top of their opponents' delicate insect modes for protection. Confused by the act of self-sacrifice, Bigmos and Tonbot departed without further conflict. {{storylink|The Insect Corps Arrive}}

Lio Convoy maintained that the Insectrons were potential allies, not enemies, and ordered the Maximals to try and make peaceful contact with them again. Tasmania Kid joined Bighorn and Diver on patrol, when Starscream and BB used missiles to lure them into a conflict with another nest of Insectrons. Once Bighorn heedlessly launched into the fray, Kid and Diver had no choice but to follow. Tasmania Kid fought against [[Scissor Boy]], the youngest of the Insectrons. Despite the supposedly serious combat, Boy and Kid remained good-natured during the back-and-forth, and Tasmania Kid jokingly tried to beat Scissor Boy with a rock because "Rock beats Scissors!" Once the matches between Bighorn and [[Powerhug (BW)|Powerhug]] and Diver and [[Drill Nuts]] stopped on their own, Tasmania Kid and Scissor Boy shrugged and stopped fighting as well. The Predacons interrupted the downtime, driving the Insectrons away, but the encounter only reinforced Lio Convoy's position that the Insectrons weren't all that bad after all. {{storylink|Friend or Foe? The Insect Robos}}

Hoping to mend fences, build bridges, and a third metaphor, Tasmania Kid brought a sack of oil into Insectron territory for a peaceful get-together. The ever-territorial [[Mantis]] had no interest in oil, but Scissor Boy stopped Mantis from flaying Kid alive by saying he was the weakest and least-threatening of the Predacons. Once he got over his indignation, Tasmania Kid realized the Insectrons called him a Predacon, too, and reviewed the false data Starscream gave the Insectrons. After explaining that HIS team were the Heroic Maximals and Starscream was an Evil Predacon, Scissor Boy and Mantis mentioned maybe the other Insectrons shouldn't have gone to a party Starscream was throwing them. Kid, Boy, and Mantis met up with the other Maximals and eventually managed to not only sober up the Insectrons drunk on Starscream's "special" oil, but also joined forces against the return of Galvatron. With that, the Maximals and Insectrons finally made peace. {{storylink|The Strongest Tag Team?}} Kid was surprised when the Insectrons refused to aid the Maximals in combat against the Autorollers. After Bigmos cleared up the debt to [[Autostinger]] that was tying his hands, Tasmania Kid witnessed the duel between the two. {{storylink|Autorollers Roll Out!}}

[[File:NewForces TasmaniaKid.JPG|upright=1.3|thumb|He puts the Taz in Taz-Mania.]]

One day, Tasmania Kid was hopping merrily through the forest, ready to bring a pretty bouquet of flowers to his good friends, the Insectrons. But his day was no longer a happy one when Scissor Boy charged him and knocked Kid down a cliff. It seemed poor Scissor Boy had gotten himself captured by the Autorollers, and needed Tasmania Kid to pretend to lose in combat to him, or else the Autorollers would blow them both up with missiles! Tasmania Kid reluctantly surrendered, although he balked when he heard Scissor Boy called him the weakest of the Maximals. Kid and Boy tried to lure the Autorollers into a trap in Maximal territory, but Scissor Boy's fellow Insectrons tried to rescue them before the trap was sprung, leaving all combatants at the feet of Megastorm and the ''Galvaburg II''. Fortunately, the Maximals and Insectrons rallied their forces and drove off Megastorm and the Autorollers. {{storylink|Danger! Scissor Boy}}

Tasmania Kid and the Maximals later joined forces with the Autorollers when Galvatron went on a rampage while engorged on [[Angolmois Energy]]. The two groups overfed Galvatron with Angolmois Energy until his bloated form nearly exploded from within, rendering him harmless. {{storylink|Galvatron Rampages}}

When the Predacons launched a massive offensive on the Southern Continent, Tasmania Kid and the Maximals teamed up with the Insectrons to foil their plans once again. {{storylink|Predacon General Offensive!}}

Bighorn, Diver, and Tasmania Kid located a crashed spaceship on Gaia's Eastern continent, and soon encountered the [[Jointron]] brothers and their combination form, [[Tripledacus]]. Maximals by name, the Jointrons nevertheless proved to be irresponsible and short-sighted, acting outside Lio Convoy's authority and without regard for their fellow Maximals. Tasmania Kid and the others were concerned the Jointrons would make favorable reports to Maximal HQ that highlighted their "accomplishments" to the detriment of the crew of the ''Yukikaze''. {{storylink|The Combined Giant, Tripledacus}} Bighorn and Kid snubbed the Jointrons on patrol to avoid getting caught up in their antics, only to return later and find the Jointrons had overtaken the Maximal base and then ''lost'' it to Predacon raiders, leaving Diver and Apache trapped inside. They helped Lio Convoy retake the base, but the Jointrons were unfazed by their actions, celebrating the minor victory of temporarily capturing Dirge and Thrust (only to lose them again). {{storylink|The Festive Jointrons}}

While the Maximals were searching for the latest Predacon fortress, Diver and Tasmania Kid were exploring with the Jointrons. When they spotted a black smoke cloud like those typically unleashed by the Predacons' dealings with Angolmois Energy, the flying Jointrons decided to send in a reconnaissance patrol...by dropping Kid and Diver into the cloud. The Maximals only found a smoke machine on the ground, signifying a Predacon trap. Indeed, Starscream and BB arrived and exposed them all to a bacteria bomb that robbed them of their power. The Jointrons' teamwork fell apart, as [[Gimlet]] was free of the bacteria and refused to combine with the others and risk exposure to the bacteria. Lio Convoy and the other Maximals saved the Jointrons by posing as the massive Jointron II. They compensated for Kid and Diver's exposure to the bacteria by sharing energy between one another, in a proud display of teamwork. {{storylink|A Fearsome Combination Plan?}}

The Jointrons caused more chaos when they stole one of the base ships to approach a Predacon fortress from the air. Tasmania Kid and the Maximals followed them in the second ship, and Kid leapt aboard the Jointrons' ship only to find them fighting over the controls because they couldn't decide who was their leader. The Predacons were engaged in an operation to kidnap the Jointrons and study their combination transformation. While the other Maximals held back the Autorollers, Kid raced after [[BB]] to try and free the captive Jointrons. Fortunately, Scuba appeared to save the day, the Jointrons were rescued, and the installation was soon destroyed. {{storylink|Who Is the Leader!?}}

One day, Tasmania Kid found a [[Copy Machine]] that scanned objects to create three-dimensional duplicates of the subject. Believing the Machine could be used to bolster the Maximals' ranks, Kid shined the Machine's ray on Lio Convoy, creating "[[Black Lio Convoy|Copy Convoy]]". Unfortunately, the machine only created ''evil'' copies, and so Kid and the Maximals were forced to deal with a malevolent usurper that had all of Lio Convoy's knowledge and skills. He even captured the Copy Machine and used it to create "[[Copy Tasmania Kid]]" and other copy Maximals. Fortunately, Diver's [[Niagara Base]] enhancements turned the tide in favor of the original Maximals. {{storylink|The Black Lio Convoy}}

Alerted to a new arrival on Gaia, Tasmania Kid and the Maximals traveled to the Sea Continent and discovered a [[Photon sailer|pirate ship from space]]. The Maximals were soon confronted by [[Halfshell]], captain of the [[Seacon (BW)|Space Pirate Seacons]] who intended to plunder the world of Angolmois Energy. Lio Convoy had the idea of flipping the snapping turtle on his back, rendering him helpless, but Halfshell's beast mode was designed to counter that strategy, turning him into the Big Wheel Cutter that rampaged over the hills. Matters only deteriorated further when Halfshell called his crew and formed the colossal [[God Neptune]]. Outmatched by the combiner's sheer power, Lio Convoy directed Diver and Scuba to seize control of the deserted pirate ship while the land-based Maximals kept God Neptune busy. The distraction worked, as God Neptune chased after his stolen ship, only to get caught in a detonation of Angolmois Energy that the Maximals had rigged before abandoning ship. {{storylink|The Space Pirate Seacons!}}

When [[Artemis]] and [[Moon (BW)|Moon]] got into a discussion over who was the strongest of the Cybertronians, they contacted the Maximals and Predacons for input. As the weakest of the Maximals, Diver and Tasmania Kid were compared to the Combatron officers Dirge and Thrust. Diver's...unorthodox soap bubble power and extendo-neck led Galvatron to declare victory for the Predacons in this particular match-up. It doesn't seem he was very impressed with Kid, either. {{storylink|Who Is the Strongest Warrior!?}}

One day, Tasmania Kid and Diver were bemused to discover Bighorn searching for a four-leafed clover to bring himself luck. Their amusement turned to exasperation when Bighorn fell wildly in love with the Space Pirate named [[Scylla]], concocting an elaborate fantasy where she was a space princess being held hostage by the other Pirates. Kid and Diver had to follow along behind to make sure Bighorn didn't inadvertently start a war with the Seacons while Convoy was still sorting out their allegiance (and remind the love-sick Bighorn that he couldn't swim when he repeatedly tried following Scylla into the water). {{storylink|The Tentacular Scuba}}

When Megastorm and the Seacons teamed up, each of the Maximals was lured to a separate location by an Angolmois Energy signal transmitter. Tasmania Kid was surprised to find a squid hanging upside-down from a tree at the site of his transmitter, but his amusement quickly fell away under the barrage of Scylla and her Scylasers. Scylla chased Kid back and forth like a [[Warner Bros.]] cartoon until they were interrupted by Megastorm's ineptitude. {{storylink|Megastorm's Reckoning}}

Kid was once again caught up in Bighorn's lovelorn folly when the buffalo received a love letter from Scylla, seemingly drawing him to a romantic interlude by the beach. In fact, Bighorn fell into a trap set by the Seacons, and Kid fell with him. They were set adrift on a stone raft when [[Sea Phantom]] cut them loose from shore, and had to be rescued by Scuba and Diver. Tasmania Kid tried to ride Diver's back to safety, but they were pursued by [[Terrormander]]. The amphibious Seacon could electrify Kid on Diver's back from the air, or fire aquatic missiles at them if they dove underwater, leaving kid hapless and helpless to defend himself. Eventually, Scuba pulled the entire team to shore on a small rocky island, but that only left them isolated for God Neptune to deliver the final strike. As luck would have it, the Insectrons soon arrived as reinforcements, and helped the Maximals drive off the Seacons. {{storylink|Showdown in the Sea}}

As Diver and Kid were on patrol with Bighorn, he suddenly got a call and suspiciously raced off with a bouquet of roses. Fearing something stupid and/or violent was about to happen, Diver and Kid tracked him down and found Bighorn intended to engage in some playacting with the Jointrons in order to win Scylla's affections, but the Predacons and other Seacons had gotten involved in the mess too. As the fiasco degenerated into a battle between Tripledacus and God Neptune, the Maximals provided cover for their combiner comrade. {{storylink|Face the Setting Sun}} When the Seacons prepared to leave Gaia, Halfshell arranged to fight Lio Convoy one-on-one for the energy they needed to depart. Well, God Neptune is ''technically'' a "one". When Tasmania Kid and the other Maximals heard about this technicality, they tried to race to the battleground, but were diverted by Dirge and Thrust. In the end, Lio Convoy survived and the Seacons departed the planet. {{storylink|The Final Battle (BWII)|The Final Battle}}

While surveying the unstable changes in Gaia's Angolmois Energy, Diver and Kid ran across a lion cub that they initially mistook for Lio Convoy himself. After a short encounter, they realized the youngster was actually a new Maximal who only bore a startlingly resemblance to Lio Convoy. Tasmania Kid started joking that the cub was a real "[[Lio Junior]]", but Diver cautioned him to be serious in case the cub took what he said to heart. Sure enough, when Lio Convoy caught up to them, Lio Junior ran right up to their Commander and called him "mama". Kid tried to walk back what he had said, but the damage was done—he had embarrassed his commander and caused the first meeting between Lio Convoy and Lio Junior to start off incredibly awkward. {{storylink|Enter Lio Junior}} Kid also joined the Maximals in their first confrontation with the powered-up Megastorm, now the Angolmois-Energy-infused [[Megastorm|Gigastorm]]. {{storylink|Megastorm Reborn}}

Tasmania Kid was part of a Maximal plan to destroy Gigastorm. The Archduke of Destruction was lured into a mountain pass where the Maximals destroyed the ground under his feet, then set off a natural gas explosion. Unfortunately, even this amount of devastation wasn't enough to deal with Gigastorm. The conflict was interrupted by the arrival of Scuba's new vehicle, the [[Tako Tank]], which helped turn the tide against Gigastorm when the initial plan fell apart. {{storylink|The New Weapon, Tako Tank}}

After detecting a faint distress signal from space, Kid and the Maximals recalled their encounters with the Seacons. {{storylink|The Artificial Planet Nemesis}}

Scuba was in the process of demonstrating the Tako Tank's capabilities to Tasmania Kid and the others when Lio Junior detected evil Angolmois Energyemissions. Kid followed Lio Junior as he tracked the Angolmois Energy to a mining facility being run by the Autorollers. Kid played the sensible one for once, trying to get the impulsive Lio Junior and Bighorn to wait for back-up before attacking, but had no luck. The Maximals charged into battle, only to learn a lesson about planning and overconfidence when the Predacons locked them inside the base and then blew it up. Miraculous, Tasmania Kid and the others survived. {{storylink|Gigastorm's Treachery}}

While snooping around Scuba's Tako Tank, Tasmania Kid found the biggest, brightest, flashiest button on the whole console. Unfortunately, pushing the button didn't activate the cassette player, or even the ejector seat...it locked Kid in the cockpit, sent the Tank on a runaway trajectory, and revved up the self-destruct sequence. Stupid button. Fortunately, Scuba managed to grapple aboard the Tako Tank and get inside to deactivate the self-destruct before Kid was a goner. Fighting upgraded versions of the Combatrons, [[Starscream (BW)|Hellscream]] and [[BB|Max-B]], was almost a relief for Tasmania Kid after that. {{storylink|The End of Starscream}} Dirge and Thrust soon underwent their own upgrades, becoming [[Dirge (BW)|Dirgegun]] and [[Thrust (BW)|Thrustor]]. They confronted Bighorn and Tasmania Kid to test their new abilities, and Kid was nearly undone by Dirgegun's ultrasonic wave attack. {{storylink|The Lio Convoy Assassination Plot}}

When a mysterious ship landed on Gaia, the Maximals prepared to investigate. The ever-eager Lio Junior tried to volunteer for the mission, but the other Maximals laughed off his inexperience. Knowing how it felt to be the youngest and least-proven of the team, Tasmania Kid volunteered to look out for Lio Junior on the scouting mission, encouraging Lio Convoy to send them to investigate. Kid, Lio Junior and his mentors, Santon and Skywarp, located the ship and discovered a powerful teleport gate inside, controlled by a command key. The [[Combatron (BW)|Cyborg Beast]]s arrived to steal the key, and Lio Junior started a fight with them. During the fight, Hellscream was about to finish Lio Junior off with a missile, but Tasmania Kid jumped in the way, suffering a serious blow to his chest.

As Kid recovered, Lio Junior was harangued by his fellow Maximals and dressed down by Lio Convoy, leading him to run off on his own. Lio Junior was found by Galvatron, who tempted him into coming back to the teleport gate with the Predacons to use the command key, claiming the planet was in danger. Tasmania Kid had crawled off his sickbed to check on Lio Junior, and warned him not to trust Galvatron's honeyed words, but remember what he was fighting for. Lio Junior was too caught up in proving himself, however, and left with Galvatron to either save the planet or stop Galvatron's machinations himself. Kid was shot down again, this time by Galvatron's Galvatling Lasers.

When they found Kid injured once more, the other Maximals were furious at the traitor Lio Junior. Tasmania Kid stopped his friends from blaming Junior, however, and laid out for them how difficult it was when a young soldier felt he hadn't earned his comrades' respect yet. The Predacons summoned the monster [[Majin Zarak]] from the gate, but Lio Junior freed himself from their dungeon and used his own energies to recharge the gate and bring forth [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] to aid the Maximals. Even as Magnaboss, Lio Junior was injured in efforts, as so the fully healed Tasmania Kid once again offered to team up with Lio Junior. Kid lent his own energy to Magnaboss, allowing the combiner to draw upon their joint strength to upend Majin Zarak and remove Galvatron from the great beast. Majin Zarak was finished and the legendary warriors were sent home before the Maximals destroyed the temptation of the teleport gate. {{storylink|Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!}}

With the artificial planet Nemesis creeping ever closer to Gaia, its influence on the Angolmois Energy was ever more keenly felt. Tasmania Kid and the Maximals tried using freeze devices to cool the unstable Angolmois Energy before it upset the planet's core. {{storylink|The Great Angolmois Freezing Tactic}} They also constructed an artillery cannon to feed off of the Angolmois Energy as a weapon to destroy Nemesis before it reached the planet. Although the Maximals enacted a complicated plan with several decoys to prevent the Predacons from interfering, the cannon ultimately failed to sustain power and Nemesis continued unabated. {{storylink|Knock Out Nemesis}} Tasmania Kid was also present when Lio Junior temporarily turned against the Maximals, poisoned by corrupted Angolmois Energy forced into his system by Galvatron. Fortunately, the effects weren't permanent and no serious harm was done. {{storylink|Lio Junior's Revolt!?}}

Tasmania Kid and the Maximals were working on breaking down the ''Yukikaze'' for Lio Convoy's latest plan against Nemesis when a UFO robot crashed nearby. NAVI determined the robot was sent by automatic signal from a Gaian colony temple on Mars in response to Nemesis's arrival. The emissary robot claimed it could stop the corrupted Angolmois Energy, and so Lio Convoy told Kid and the others to keep working while he investigated. {{storylink|Emissary of the Fourth Planet}} Unfortunately, it turned out the robot planned to stop the corrupted Angolmois Energy by crashing the moon into Gaia and destroying everyone on it. Tasmania Kid and the Maximals joined Lio Convoy at the mother computer to break through its defenses so that NAVI could reprogram it, saving the moon, Gaia, and everyone on both. {{storylink|The Crisis of Planet Gaia}}

NAVI and Drill Nuts assisted the Maximals in retrofitting Skywarp and Santon's spaceship so that it could be used to reach the artificial planet Nemesis. An underground launch tunnel was built in secret under the [[Rocky Mountains|Rock Mountains]] to launch the ship into space. Secrecy was paramount, and so when Hellscream and Max-B began snooping around the mountains, Lio Convoy had Tasmania Kid and the team "reveal" the location of their Niagara Base to Dirgegun and Thrustor, drawing the Predacons' attention away. The Rock Mountains launch tube was uncovered soon anyway, leading Kid and the others to race from Niagara to the mountains in order to make the launch window. They were opposed by Galvatron, but their friends Magnaboss and Tripledacus helped clear the path. Tasmania Kid and the ''Yukikaze'' crew made it on board the ship with Lio Convoy and Apache at the last moment, clearing the atmosphere and flying out into space. {{storylink|Fly Out! Planet Gaia}}

Tasmania Kid and the crew were cut down in their flight to Nemesis by the Seacons, who had been mesmerized into Galvatron's service. They crashed on an asteroid and battled God Neptune and his component parts. After God Neptune was defeated and the Seacons restored to normal, they offered the Maximals their energon to recharge their ship, and [[Moon (BW)|Moon]] and [[Artemis]] led the Maximals through a slingshot maneuver around the moon that got them back on track to Nemesis. {{storylink|Revenge of the Space Pirates}}

As the Maximals arrived on Nemesis, they abandoned ship so the Predacons shot down an empty vessel. Tasmania Kid and the others gathered by an exhaust port, which NAVI calculated could lead to Nemesis's core. While Lio Convoy and Scuba went spelunking to shut down Nemesis at the core, Kid and his fellow Maximals remained behind to defend their rear flank. {{storylink|Breaking into Nemesis}} After Galvatron pulled the full force of Gaia's Angolmois Energy into Nemesis, he emerged from the core claiming Lio Convoy was dead. Despite this disheartening news, Tasmania Kid and the Maximals continued to fight on in the name of their commander. {{storylink|Legend! The Green Warrior}}

In the end, Lio Convoy was not dead, but had combined with Lio Junior into a powerful Green Warrior. Moreover, Scuba and the Tako Tank had reached the core and arranged for Nemesis's destruction. As Galvatron and the Green Warrior battled, the Cyborg Beasts continued to hassle the Maximals. When Nemesis finally erupted, Lio Convoy used all the strength of his Energon Matrix to preserve the lives of Tasmania Kid and his Maximal brethren. Although Gaia was saved, the Maximals were left floating in the void, caught in a wormhole created by Nemesis's destruction. They took heart, however, in the appearance of a great light Lio Convoy said would lead them to their next adventure. {{storylink|Farewell! Lio Convoy}}

====The Maximal Brainwashing Operation====
Tasmania Kid and [[Diver (BW)|Diver]] were out on a scouting mission (much to Diver's chagrin, as he wanted to relax) when [[Apache]], popping out of the bushes, quietly called them over. The confused pair followed, only to find Apache to be an illusion, baiting them into a net laid out by [[BB]]. BB then took the two Maximals back to [[Starscream (BW)|Starscream]], who told them he would release them after they ran an "errand" for him.

When the duo didn't report back, the Maximals left in search of the missing Diver and Tasmania Kid, eventually finding them collapsed at the edge of a valley. However, it was all part of Starscream's trap. Diver and Tasmania Kid, now brainwashed into thinking they were Predacons, sprang into action and attacked the Maximals. [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]] soon entered the scene and stacked the odds tremendously against the Maximals.

As the fight raged on, [[Megastorm]] got to a vantage point and prepared to fire his cannon at both Lio Convoy and Galvatron, killing two birds with one stone. [[Scuba]] intervened by creating a geyser beneath him from an underground river, throwing Megastorm's aim off. The blast knocked Tasmania Kid and Diver back to their senses, though they were angry at the (rightfully) confused Apache, whom they blamed for ambushing them. {{storylink|The Maximal Brainwashing Operation}}

====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
After the defeat of [[Unicron]], Tasmania Kid returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. There, he got caught up in a tussle between [[Big Convoy]] and [[Magmatron]]. {{storylink|Graduation Ceremony!!}}

===''Bom Bom'' manga continuity===
====''Beast Wars II'' manga====
[[File:Cyborgkid.GIF|right|upright=0.95|thumb|Tasmania Kid is the Road Warrior.]]
When the rainy season came about, Tasmania Kid used the foul weather as an excuse not to go out on his regular patrols, infuriating Apache. Though the troops showed little respect to their sub-commander, they all snapped to attention when Lio Convoy came about. When Apache demanded to know why this was, Tasmania Kid informed him bluntly that Apache simply had no class. The troops had to shape up though, as they then received a report from Diver that the Predacons were heading their way aboard a giant tank! Lio Convoy led Tasmania Kid into an infiltration of the vehicle, in which they were helped by Tonbot and Bigmos, who flew them up and allowed them to bypass the tank's defenses. Once inside, Tasmania Kid uncovered the tank's power source: it was running off the Angolmois Energy stored within an unconscious Galvatron! The rest of the Maximals succeeded in flooding the tank, and Tasmania Kid scampered away rather than going down with the ship. Lio Convoy then took over the battle, and defeated Megastorm, making him accidentally trigger the tank's self-destruct mechanism in the process. Afterwards, the clouds in the overcast sky began parting, signaling the end of the rainy season. {{storylink|Demolish the Superdreadnought Tank!}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Infiltrate the Mystery Island!}} {{storylink|Free the Captured Matrix!}} {{storylink|Realize the Forbidden Love!}} {{storylink|Make a Surprise Attack on the Super Weapon Base!}} {{storylink|Recover the Bonds Lost!}} {{storylink|All Hands, Make a Special Attack on the Evil Planet!}} {{storylink|Win the Battle of Light and Darkness!}} {{storylink|The Beast Wars "Neo" Begin!!!}}}}
At another time, When Lio Convoy wrecked [[Apache]]'s room in a drunken rampage, Apache scolded Kid, who decided to run away. Kid was attacked and captured by the [[Combatron (BW)|Cyborg Beast]]s, who planned to make him one of them. This plan failed when Apache singlehandedly annihilated the Predacon forces Rambo-style.{{fact}}

{{-}}

====''Beast Wars Neo'' manga====
Tasmania Kid was worshiped as a god on the planet of rabbit-formers from which [[Stampy (BW)|Stampy]] hailed. {{storylink|A Battle Fought Alone}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity===
[[File:BWAscendTasmaniaKidCybertronMode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right]]
Tasmanian Kid {{sic}} was the class clown at [[Maximal Military Academy]], often performing pranks on classmates and instructors. Despite this, [[Lio Convoy]] saw potential in Tasmania Kid and took him into his unit to [[Gaia|Gaea]], where they battled [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook #4}}

Later, Tasmania Kid was one of [[Big Convoy]]'s subordinates on Cybertron. He helped investigate the strange rash of [[Angolmois Energy|Angolmois]]-related murders. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 2|The Ascending #2}}

Along with [[Survive]] and [[Colada|Cohrada]], he joined Big Convoy in investigating [[Shokaract]]'s tower. Unfortunately, Shokaract emerged from within and grabbed Tasmania Kid in his claws. Kid was torn in two pieces and killed. Big Convoy and the others were summarily defeated as well.

Fortunately, the Earthbound Maximal and Predacon teams took the [[Pack]]'s transwarp cruiser and returned to the point in the time stream that Shokaract emerged from his tower. Unfortunately, it was still too late to save Tasmania Kid, who was torn in two pieces ''again'' just before Big Convoy and Shokaract noticed the newly arrived transwarp cruiser.

Sheesh. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 3|The Ascending #3}}
{{--}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Tasmania Kid was on the Maximal team in a fateful match of the [[Games (competition)|Games]], which was interrupted by [[Lio Convoy]]'s assassination of [[Supersonic]] and call for an uprising against the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builder]]s. {{storylink|Broken Windshields}}

===Legends World===
Tasmania Kid was present at the announcement of [[Tera-Kura Co.]]'s new product, the ninja maid robot [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird Shadow]], and like everyone else he was taken by how cute and clumsy she was. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 15|Bonus Edition Vol. 15}} He was later part of a crowd trying to claim [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Armada Megatron]]'s discarded [[Unicron of Light]] toy for themselves, {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 18|Bonus Edition Vol. 18}} and witnessed [[Drift (G1)|Deadlock]]'s visit to an internet cafe. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Deadlock)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} Tasmania Kid was watching fireworks when [[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]] exploded in the sky, {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 26|Bonus Edition Vol. 26}} and cheered on "[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]" after his victory over [[Devil Z]] (unaware that it was actually [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]]). {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 35|Bonus Edition Vol. 35}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:TimeWillRust-Eukaris.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.7]]
Tasmania Kid was a fellow [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Eukarian]] friend of [[Gimlet]], [[Bump]], and [[Longrack (BW)|Longrack]]. {{Storylink|Time Will Rust}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
Leo Prime introduced [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], and [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] to his newest recruit Tasmania Kid, who quickly ran off to fight [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]]. Prowl realized Leo was putting the Pack back together, with Tasmania Kid being the first. [[Jaze (G1)|Jaze]], [[Victory Leo]] and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] were also joining in. Although Rattrap commented that he wasn't joinning long-term. Tasmania Kid meanwhile lured Onslaught into a puddle of oil, then used his sonic screem on him. {{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|The Last Stand}}

{{Charstubgames|{{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}
==Toys==
===''Beast Wars''===
[[File:Snarl bw toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-m1|'''Tasmania Kid''' (Basic, [[1998]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''C-14'''
:*''Release date'': [[March]] ??, 1998
:*''Accessories'': "Tasmanian Gun" arm-mounted cannon
{{toydesigner|[[Yuichiro Hira]] (Takara)}}

: Part of the first wave of ''Beast Wars II'' products in the [[Japan]]ese ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars (Japanese toyline)#BWII|Beast Wars]]'' toyline, Tasmania Kid is virtually identical to the [[Hasbro]] [[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|''Beast Wars'']] Basic Class [[Snarl (BW)#Toys|Snarl]] toy, transforming into a {{w|Tasmanian devil}}. Holding the toy by its tail in [[beast mode]] and pulling the trigger makes his body leap forward in a spring-loaded lunging attack of dubious strength. In [[robot mode]], his tail becomes his arm-mounted non-firing "Tasmanian Gun".

: Oddly, an extra hole molded in a similar shape to that of the spring-loaded one is located underneath the robot mode crotch and can also have the tail inserted into it.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' [[Bound Rogue#Toys|Bound Rogue]], whose coloration bears a striking resemblance to the contest-prize version of Tasmania Kid (below).

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Cybertron/TasmaniaKid/tasmaniakid.htm More information on Tasmania Kid at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|VS14}}{{anchor|Vspack}}
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-m1p1|'''Chiheisen no Taiketsu: Tasmania Kid vs. Dirge''' (Vs Pack, 1998)}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''VS-14'''
:*''Release date'': March ??, 1998
:*''Accessories'': "Tasmanian Gun" arm-mounted cannon

: Tasmania Kid was also available in the "Land Horizon Showdown" (地平線の対決) multi-pack with the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Dirge (BW)#VS14|Dirge]].

: Both toys are identical to their individual releases.

{{-}}{{anchor|contest}}
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-m1|'''Telemaga Special Cybertron 6-piece Set''' ([[1999]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': "Tasmanian Gun" arm-mounted cannon

: A blue and yellow version of Tasmania Kid was part of a six-piece set of unique redecoes of the main Cybertron cast of ''Beast Wars II'', the grand prize in the "New Beast Warriors Contest" in the February 1999 issue of ''[[TV Magazine]]''. The details of this contest are currently unknown.
{{-}}

===''Legacy''===
[[File:TF-Legacy-United-Core-Tasmania-Kid.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Somebody's about to lose some fingers.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-m1|'''Beast Wars II Universe Tasmania Kid''' (Core Class, [[2024]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': "Tasmanian Gun" Tail/Cannon
{{toydesigner|[[Evan Brooks]] (Hasbro), [[Takashi Kunihiro]] (TakaraTomy)}}<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL4YRFesAdo ''Transformers'' panel] with [[Ben MacCrae]], [[Mark Maher]], [[Evan Brooks]], [[Takio Ejima]] and [[Thew Adams]] at [[Hasbro Pulse Con 2023]].</ref>

: Released in the eighth wave of ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]'' cores, ''Legacy: United'' "Beast Wars II Universe Tasmania Kid" is an updated version of his original ''Beast Wars II'' design (or an updated version of the original ''Beast Wars'' Snarl if you wanna get into semantics), transforming into a more-accurate depiction of a Tasmanian devil. He retains the "Tasmanian Gun" arm-mounted cannon, which aside from being compatible with [[Fire Blast effect]]s, can be used as a weapon for other, larger figures with the [[5 mm post|5 mm port]] at its base. Additionally, he has 3mm ports on his palms, either for use with a flight stand (for pouncing poses) or for compatible weapons, though most look odd mounted this way since they're molded vertically onto his flat open palms.

: Tasmania Kid's robot mode chest features a faux lower beast-mode jaw, with the beast mode's actual jaw transforming into heel spurs instead, somewhat matching the original toy's fang-like heels. Additionally, his beast mode's hind legs secure into the back by way of molded tabs, which can be damaged if transformed from beast to robot mode improperly, so always detach the back legs first. The toy's [[instructions]] also erroneously give him the name "Beast Wars Universe II Tasmania Kid".

: Whether by design or pure coincidence, Tasmania Kid shares all of the same ball-jointed articulation points as his original toy in robot mode! (Neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, and knees). All of these joints also have the same range of movement as the original toy too, with the exception of the head, which gains the ability to tilt back more. This figure does, however, gain two more ball joints in his ankles, instead of the hinges of the original toy, which allows for more movement. Even the leg [[kibble]] on his back is mounted on rivets like the original toy!

: Tasmania Kid was revealed at PulseCon 2023 with the rest of ''United''{{'}}s first wave, and went up for preorder shortly afterwards for a first quarter of 2024 release. Despite this lead time, he and his assortment arrived at Walmart in Canada in late November 2023.

: ''[https://www.instagram.com/p/C6XDNytOTvw/ Designer commentary from Evan Brooks on'' Legacy ''Beast Wars II Universe Tasmania Kid]''.
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
{{anchor|bluePVC}}
*'''Beast Collection Special 10''' (PVC set, 1998)

: A clear-blue super-deformed PVC of robot-mode Tasmania Kid, based on his animation model, was included as part of a ten-piece set of PVCs.

: This set was also marked as a "Clear Version Special Set", but it's unknown if an opaque set was ever released.

: This set also includes PVCs of [[Lio Convoy#bluePVC|Lio Convoy]] in both robot and beast modes, [[Galvatron (BW)#bluePVC|Galvatron]] in both robot and dragon modes, [[Apache#bluePVC|Apache]], [[Bighorn#bluePVC|Bighorn]], [[Scuba#bluePVC|Scuba]], [[Megastorm#bluePVC|Megastorm]], and [[Starscream (BW)#bluePVC|Starscream]].

{{-}}
===Beast Fighters===
*'''Tasmania Kid''' (candy toy, 1997)

:[[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Beast Fighters]]'' Tasmania Kid was a small, [[super deformed]] PVC model which was hollow inside, designed to be used as a finger-puppet. It was available in a [[Blindpacking|blindpack]] with fizzy "Ramune" candy.

{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:NewForces LeopardKid.JPG|thumb|upright=.8|Tasmania Kid showing off his [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] cosplay.]]
*In the first episode of ''Beast Wars II'', Tasmania Kid imagines how cool he'd look scanning the forms of a cheetah and a falcon, fantasizing himself as looking like ''Beast Wars'' season 1 Cheetor and Airazor in the process.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars Maximals]]
[[Category:Beast Wars II Maximals]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Neo Maximals]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Maximals]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:Japanese-original Transformers]]
[[Category:Jungle Planet]]
[[Category:Legacy Maximals]]
[[Category:Legends World natives]]