MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)

2011-01-16T22:28:00Z

60.242.199.15: /* Notes */

{{nav-G2}}

'''''Transformers: Generation 2''''' was the first Transformers toy revamp, relaunching the line in 1993, two years after the last of the original ''Transformers'' figures were off the shelves in the United States. It began with recolored versions of Generation 1 toys, but soon consisted entirely of new molds made for the line.

''Generation 2'' saw more-or-less simultaneous release in the US and [[Generation 2 (European toyline)|European markets]], but Japan would not start the line (or even have any ''Transformers'' product at all on shelves, for that matter) until 1995.

==Overview==
[[Image:G2Prime toy.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Optimus Prime's first G2 toy, essentially a re-release of the original toy but with a new [[soundbox]] and weapons.]]
Initially, the line featured re-releases of several [[The Transformers (toyline)|"Generation 1" toys]] with new accessories and tweaked decos, alongside several molds that had been recently released as part of the European-market line (many of which would be ''re''-released in Europe under the ''Generation 2'' banner.)

Because of this early product, and particularly because of the radically redecorated [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] and [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]], ''Generation 2'' is sometimes inaccurately and unfairly remembered by fans as consisting ''solely'' of garishly recolored Generation 1 toys. As the line continued, however, numerous new molds and play features were introduced. Among them were:

* [[Go-Bot (G2)|Go-Bots]] - ''Hot Wheels''-styled figures with simpler transformations and "precision" wheels
* [[Rotor Force]] - featured firing plastic rotor weapons
* [[Laser Rod]]s and [[Laser Cycle]]s - featured light-up LED weaponry
* [[Cyberjet]]s - realistic fighter planes with complex transformations.

These last groups also featured unprecedented articulation.

[[Image:G2Megatron toy.jpg|right|180px|thumb|G2 Megatron, one of the line's more famous molds.]]
Multiple new versions of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] were also released: though Optimus' original toy saw re-release with tweaked deco and new accessories, Megatron received the first all-new mold of the line early on as a colossal tank, as making him a handgun no longer seemed feasible. Both characters would receive multiple toys over the course of the line, in the form of both new molds and redecoes of previous characters' toys. Late in the line's run, [[Hasbro]] would use the same general tactic, applying numerous Generation 1 characters to toy redecoes in the hopes of stirring up nostalgic interest.

Later toys included a pop-up bio card, referred to on the packaging as a "[[Real Action Pop-Ups 3-D Transformer Trading Card]]!"

==Decline and cancelation==
[[Image:G2-toy_MantaRay.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Manta Ray, one of the awesome awesome awesome [[Rotor Force]] toys, which, if we haven't mentioned it yet, are awesome.]]

The series debuted to lackluster sales, despite featuring fan-favorites like the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] and [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]. Some fans blamed [[Neon|color selections]], but it seems ''far'' more likely that it was simply a case of bad timing combined with too much product "your older brother has in the attic". Kids still weren't into robots that turned into cars at the time, it seems, and the "older nostalgic" market (which can rarely sustain a major toy brand at nationwide retail even today) was downright microscopic at the time. Being up against the then-new ''[[Saban Entertainment|Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'', the still-popular ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' brand and the ever-growing popularity of home video game consoles certainly didn't help. The toyline also was not supported by a new cartoon, relying instead on [[Generation 2 (cartoon)|repackaged G1 episodes]].

[[Image:G2 Jolt toy.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Jolt, one of the super-posable [[Laser Rod]] toys.]]
''Generation 2'' was ended after about two and a half years, with several new products trapped in development limbo. A handful saw release in the [[Generation 2 (European toyline)|European market]] (namely the [[Power Master]]s), but most of those canceled new molds stayed unreleased for years. As Hasbro had recently acquired [[Kenner]], and the ''Transformers'' franchise facing extinction, the decision was made to shift the boys'-toy production to Kenner and take ''Transformers'' in a different direction to hopefully revitalize the seemingly-tired concept... ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]''.
{{-}}

==1993==
===[[Autobot]]s===
[[Image:G1G2 Skram toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Skram, a re-used late-Generation 1 mold from Europe.]]
[[Image:G2Bumblebee Minicar toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Bumblebee]]
[[Image:G2 Gobots toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Gobots]]
'''Leader'''
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]]

'''Cars'''
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]
*[[Jazz (G1)/toys|Jazz]]
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]]

'''[[Color Changer]]s'''
*[[Drench (G2)|Drench]]
*[[Gobots (G2)|Gobots]]

'''[[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]'''
*[[Grimlock (G1)/toys|Grimlock]]
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]]
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]

'''[[Mini Vehicle|Mini-Cars]]'''
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]]
*[[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]]
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]]

'''Small Cars''' (sometimes known as [[Axelerator]]s)
*[[Rapido]]
*[[Skram (G1)|Skram]]
*[[Turbofire]]
*[[Windbreaker]]
{{-}}

===[[Decepticon]]s===
[[Image:G2 Ramjet toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Ramjet]]
[[Image:G2Devastator toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Devastator]]
'''Leader'''
*[[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]]

'''[[Color Changer]]s'''
*[[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]]
*[[Jetstorm (G2)|Jetstorm]]

'''[[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]'''
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]]
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]]
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]]
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]]
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]]
''Combine to form [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]''

'''[[Seeker (body-type)|Jets]]'''
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]
*[[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]]

'''[[Skyscorcher]]s''' (also known as the "Skirmish Patrol"){{fact}}
*[[Afterburner (G2)|Afterburner]]
*[[Eagle Eye (G2)|Eagle Eye]]
*[[Terradive (G1)|Terradive]]
*[[Windrazor (G2)|Windrazor]]
{{-}}

==1994==
===Autobots===
[[Image:G2superion toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Superion]]
'''[[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]]'''
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]]
*[[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]]
*[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]]
*[[Slingshot]]
''Combine to form [[Superion (G1)|Superion]].''

'''Heroes'''
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]]

'''[[Laser Rod]]s'''
*[[Electro]]
*[[Volt]]

'''[[Rotor Force]]'''
*[[Leadfoot (G2)|Leadfoot]]
*[[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]]
{{-}}

===Decepticons===
[[Image:G2bruticus.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Bruticus, after a run-in with [[Professor Princess]] perhaps?]]
'''[[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]'''
*[[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]]
*[[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]
*[[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]]
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]
*[[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]
''Combine to form [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]''

'''Heroes'''
*[[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]]

'''[[Laser Rod]]s'''
*[[Jolt (G2)|Jolt]]
*[[Sizzle (G2)|Sizzle]]

'''[[Rotor Force]]'''
*[[Powerdive]]
*[[Ransack (G2)|Ransack]]

'''Others'''
*[[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]] with [[Smokescreen (G2)|Smokescreen]]

'''Exclusives'''
*[[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]
{{-}}

==1995==
===Autobots===
[[Image:G2-toy Firecracker.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Firecracker]]
[[Image:G2RoadRocket-toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Road Rocket]]

'''Leader'''
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Laser Optimus Prime]]

'''[[Cyberjet]]s'''
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]]
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]
*[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]]

'''[[Go-Bot (G2)|Go-Bots]]'''
*[[Blowout]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]]
*[[Double Clutch (G2)|Double Clutch]]
*[[Firecracker]]
*[[Gearhead]]
*[[High Beam]]
*[[Ironhide (G1)/toys|Ironhide]]
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]
*[[Motormouth]]
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]]

'''[[Laser Cycle]]'''
*[[Road Rocket (G2)|Road Rocket]]
{{-}}

===Decepticons===
[[Image:HooliganG2-toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hooligan]]
'''[[Auto Roller]]s'''
*[[Dirtbag]]
*[[Roadblock (G2)|Roadblock]]

'''[[Cyberjet]]s'''
*[[Hooligan (G2)|Hooligan]]
*[[Skyjack]]
*[[Space Case]]

'''[[Go-Bot (G2)|Go-Bots]]'''
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]
*[[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]]

'''[[Laser Cycle]]'''
*[[Road Pig (G2)|Road Pig]]

'''[[Exclusive]]s'''
* [[Nightracer]]

{{note|For toys not released in the United States market but in other markets, see ''[[Generation 2 (European toyline)]].}}

==Unreleased==
'''Advanced Tactical Bomber (A.T.B.)'''
*[[:Image:G2toy_ATB_megs_and_screamer.jpg|A.T.B. Megatron with Starscream]]

'''Auto Rollers'''
*[[:Image:Un autorollers.jpg|General Optimus Prime]]
*[[:Image:Un autorollers.jpg|Sgt. Hound]]
*[[:Image:G2Autolauncher.jpg|Unknown APC]] (later became [[Autolauncher]])
*[[:Image:G2AutoJetter.jpg|Unknown jet]] (later became [[Autojetter]])

'''Combat Heroes'''
*[[:Image:CombatHeroMegatron.jpg|Combat Hero Megatron]]
*[[:Image:CombatHeroPrime.jpg|Combat Hero Optimus Prime]]

'''Go-Bots'''
*[[Greasepit (G2)|Greasepit]] and the [[Go-Bots Racing Rig]]
*"Vinny's Pro Stock" (evidently [[Rumble (G1)#Generation_2_2|Rumble]], later became [[Side Swipe (RID)|Side Swipe]])
[[Image:G2GoBotsUnmadeJeepAndCar.jpg|thumb|300px|And then Skywarp rigged the car wash to spray paint instead! It was ''hi''-larious.]]
*"[[:Image:G2Go-BotGTPRacer.jpg|GTP Racer]]" (later became [[Daytonus]])
*"911 Police Car" (later became [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]]/[[Prowl 2]])
*"Black Viper" (later became [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]])<ref>Designations for four unreleased Go-Bots from the [[BotCon 1996]] "Toys For Tots" charity auction listings. Note that "Vinny's Pro Stock" is an inaccurate reading of the sponsor logos on "Rumble" {{m-}} they actually read "Vinny's Pizza" and "Jerry's Motors", with "Pro Stock" underneath each respective logo.</ref>

{{note|An additional two unmade Go-Bots {{m-}} a Jeep and an unidentified car {{m-}} are known to exist, and made it to what may have been the test-shot stage. However, painted samples have never surfaced, and whether the molds got far enough along for actual production is unknown.}}

'''Laser Cycles'''
*[[:Image:LaserCycleJazz.jpg|Jazz]]
*[[:Image:LaserCycleSoundwave.jpg|Soundwave]]

[[Image:G2 Menasor and G2 Defensor.jpg|thumb|300px|Rare. Rare like a mooing steak.]]

'''Stunticons'''
*S1 Motormaster
*S2 Dead End
*S4 Drag Strip
*S5 Wildrider

'''Protectobots'''
*P1 Hot Spot
*P2 First Aid
*P3 Groove
*P4 Streetwise
*P5 Blades

==Innovations and lasting effects==
* ''Generation 2'' was the first line to sport a uniform, gimmick-spanning sub-title in addition to the main "Transformers" name. (Although the "Generation 2" moniker would be dropped for the tail end of the line, mostly affecting toys that would never be released on the US market)
* Though some earlier toys used them, the [[Cyberjet]]s were the first toys to introduce [[ball joint]]s on a wider scale. By the following toyline, ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'', ball joints had become a regular feature of Transformers [[toy]]s.
*The new molds created for ''Generation 2'' also dropped [[sticker]]s in favor of [[paint operation]]s and [[tampograph]]y for deco details.

==Notes==
*Artwork or packaging mock-ups for various toys seemingly intended for release in the ''Generation 2'' toyline have surfaced over the years. Among them:
**[[:Image:G2SludgeBoxart.jpg|Sludge]], [[:Image:Swoop iconic.jpg|Swoop]], and another version of [[:Image:G2GrimlockArtwork.jpg|Grimlock]].
**Recolored card art of [[Power Master]] Ironhide, in yellow and blue, attached to packaging mock-ups bearing the names [[Belzone]], [[Light Speed]], and [[Pothole]].
* A ''Generation 2'' exists within the fictional [[Unicron Trilogy]] universe, as a ''toyline''! According to the online [[Cyber Key Codes|Cyber Key Code]] bio for the [[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]] Decepticon, [[Shortround]], he is an avid toy collector whose prize pieces are [[Generation 2 Defensor and Menasor]]. However, it is not specified whether or not these items are actually ''Transformers'' toys like their real world counterparts.

* The [[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]] toyline includes two toys marked as "Generation 2 series", [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] and [[Skyjack|Skyfall]].

* The theme for [[BotCon 2010]] was 'Transformers - Generation 2: Redux'. The convention exclusive figures include the formerly European exclusive G2 Transformer [[Pyro]] (under the name Spark), which is a redeco of the 2008 Universe version of Inferno (itself based on G2 Inferno).

* ''Generation 2'' shares some engineering with Takara's other transforming robot toy series from around the same time, the [[Brave (franchise)|Brave Series]]. That line also featured in some instances [[Light-piping|light-piped heads]], [[ball joint|ball joints]], Gatling-style missile launchers, and spinning rotor projectiles.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Earth culture]]
[[Category:Generation 2| Generation 2 (toyline)]]
[[Category:Toys]]

Megabolt

2011-01-10T23:29:05Z

60.242.199.15:

{{factions|decepticon|unicron}}

{{disambig2|the Minion of Unicron|the Robots in Disguise Predacon/Decepticon leader|Megatron (RID)}}
:''Megabolt is a [[Decepticon]] [[Minion of Unicron]] from the [[Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]] conflict.''

[[Image:Megabolt-mag.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Emissary of darkness, Cure Bolt!]]
For countless civilizations, the arrival of '''Megabolt''' means the end of them, though the exact methods vary. Sometimes he appears as a benefactor, though it is only a ruse so his fellow Decepticons can catch the targeted victims by surprise. Other times, he simply wades in like a force of nature, destroying everything in his path. Either way, death and destruction lie in his wake.

Megabolt is utterly convinced of the superiority of the Cybertron race, and sees everything else in the vast multiverse as fuel for the Decepticons' conquest. His incredible strength, massive firepower and troop-carrying abilities make him the first-strike weapon in many of [[Unicron]]'s plans. He is also a cunning strategist and even a politician when need be, having assimilated data from thousands of subjugated and destroyed worlds. Brains ''and'' brawn.

==Toys==
===Robots in Disguise===
*'''Megabolt''' (Deluxe, 2003)
[[Image:Megabolt_rid.jpg|left|220px|thumb]]
: A [[KB Toys]] [[exclusive]] [[redeco]] of the ''original'' KB exclusive [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron Megabolt]], Megabolt transforms from a robot into a large head-shaped tank with six insect-like legs. A gear-wheel mechanism moves the legs up and down as the tank mode is pushed along. Pressing the [[spark crystal]] on the tank's top opens its jaw and fires a spring-loaded missile. In robot mode, this swings the entire cannon assembly up over the robot's head, along with a "battle mask".

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Beast Machines (toyline)|Beast Wars Returns]]'' [[Megatron (BW)/toys|Megahead Megatron]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/Megabolt/megabolt.htm More information on Megabolt at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
*If you remove the insect-legs from Megabolt's tank mode, he fits almost perfectly into the neck-socket of the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] mold. This play feature was mentioned in the original Megatron Megabolt toy's bio, but not Megabolt's.

*This figure has a mild case of [[Gold Plastic Syndrome|GPS]]. It tends to manifest in the form of broken tabs, or cracks at the forearm transformation joints or near the balljoints, but usually just causes things to become loose instead of the usual "shatter into worthless dust" effect.

* Megabolt has not technically appeared in any official fiction. Though he was released under the ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' toy line, his character bio from the [[3H]] fan club magazine places him in the ''[[Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' series.

[[Category:KB Toys exclusives]]
[[Category:Minions of Unicron]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise Decepticons]]
[[Category:Toy-only characters]]
[[Category:Universe Decepticons]]

Powerdasher

2011-01-04T01:44:18Z

60.242.199.15: /* Dreamwave comics */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the three heroic Autobots|the single evil Autobot|Drill Powerdasher (SG)}}
:''The Powerdashers are [[Autobot]]s from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:Powerdasher DWprofile.jpg|right|450px|thumb|Why's the middle one snapping his fingers? 'Cause he's a Jet.]]
The '''Powerdashers''' are here to help! Friendly, cheerful, and obedient, their purpose is to aid the [[Earth|Earthbound]] Autobots and their cause. Little is known about the extent of their abilities, as they are a new form of Autobot whose power is still growing.<ref>Powerdasher profile in [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s [[More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #4]]</ref> Perhaps because of this uncertainty, strange statements have been made about them, such as that they are "able to take on a variety of shapes and forms" and "operate at various levels of kinetic energy."<ref>Powerdasher [[Instruction booklet|instruction-sheet]] [[bio]]s: [http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/autobot/1985/instr_powerdasher_(car).jpg car,] [http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/autobot/1985/instr_powerdasher_(drill).jpg drill,] and [http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/autobot/1985/instr_powerdasher_(jet).jpg jet,] all written identically.</ref> What these intriguing abilities actually ''mean'' is unclear, as is their status in the spectrum between [[Drone|drone]] and sapient [[Transformer]]. Tellingly, they have never been identified by individual names, and even their pronouns have been impersonal: "they" and "it," never "he" or "she." But they have also been said to be "constantly evolving,"<ref>[[:Image:PackIn Reinforcements Inside.jpg|Powerdasher description]] from the [[Pack-in material#Mail-order flyers|mail-order flyer]] "[[Reinforcements from Cybertron!]]</ref> so no apparent limitation will necessarily confine them forever.

==Fiction==
===S.T.A.R.S. pack-in flyers===
[[Image:SkyDasher-Catalog.jpg|left|150px|thumb|He has no elbows, and he must Macarena.]]

The Powerdashers featured in two early [[S.T.A.R.S. continuity|recruiting messages]] sent to [[human]]s by the Autobots. The messages were almost identical in content, claiming that the Autobots marooned on Earth were becoming desperate in their battle against the [[Decepticon]]s, sending an S.O.S. to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] even though they didn't know if anyone would be there to receive it. Luckily, their plea was answered in the form of the Powerdashers, [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibot]]s, and [[Time Warrior]]s. The only Powerdasher seen was the jet-form model, but the message noted that the Powerdashers' state of constant evolution meant that they might not look the same later. {{storylink|Reinforcements from Cybertron!}} {{storylink|The battle is far from over!}}

Future messages did not include mention of the Powerdashers.

{{-}}
===Dreamwave comics===
[[Image:F1Dasher-DW.jpg|right|150px|thumb|"What am I even DOING here? I'm a FLAUTIST, for crying out loud!"]]

The three Powerdashers were created with a primitive design based on the forms of very early Cybertronians. Meant to aid the Autobots on Earth, the Powerdashers' powers and personalities were still growing when they were put into duty. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye}} They were packed in stasis aboard the supply ship ''[[Orion (ship)|Orion]]'', which ended up crashing on Earth after getting shot down by [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]. The crew activated the Powerdashers, who awoke without a word and immediately began working on the ship. When they finished, they packed up their tools and quietly went back on board. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}}

{{note|The car-form Powerdasher was seen on the cover of [[New World Order|the first issue of ''War and Peace'']] but did not appear anywhere in the story.. This, however, is not unusual [[:Image:G1 Vol.1 Issue3 2.jpg|for]] [[:Image:G1 Vol.1 Issue5 1.jpg|Dreamwave]] [[:Image:G1 Vol.1 Issue6 2.jpg|covers]].}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:DrillDasher-Instructions.jpg|right|180px|thumb|He comes from France!]]
*'''Powerdasher''' (car) (Mail-order, 1984)
*'''Powerdasher''' (drill) (Mail-order, 1984)
*'''Powerdasher''' (jet) (Mail-order, 1984)

:There are three types of Powerdasher: a Cybertronic car, a Cybertronic drill, and a Cybertronic jet. All three have a [[pull-back motor]] in vehicle mode, allowing them to quickly roll forward across flat surfaces. They were only available via [[Pack-in material#Mail-order flyers|mail-order]] from [[Hasbro]] for $3 and 2 [[Robot Point]]s. The jet was the only model pictured, but the customer was told that a different "style" might be sent instead.

:The jet-form Powerdasher appears to be the most common.

::*[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/F-1Dasher/f1dasher.htm Car-form Powerdasher information at TFU.info]
::*[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/DrillDasher/drilldasher.htm Drill-form Powerdasher information at TFU.info]
::*[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/SkyDasher/skydasher.htm Jet-form Powerdasher information at TFU.info]

{{picsneeded|Toy photos}}

{{-}}

==Notes==
* The wording in the Powerdasher instruction-sheet bio is choppy and unclear, and it can be interpreted to mean that "Powerdasher" is actually a single being who changes from bodyform to bodyform. However, the mail-order flyers use the term "Powerdashers" in the plural, and their portrayal in the Dreamwave comics confirms this.
* The ''[[Diaclone]]'' names for the toys that became Powerdasher were "F-1 Dasher", "Drill Dasher", and "Sky Dasher". These names are sometimes used by fans to refer to the individual Powerdasher toys.
* The term "Powerdasher" first appeared in [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s US-marketed ''[[Diakron]]'' toyline, and was then apparently carried over by [[Hasbro]] into ''Transformers''.
* In ''Diakron'', [[GiG]]'s Italian ''[[Trasformer]]'' line and [[Joustra]]'s French release of ''Diaclone'', the Powerdasher toys received individual names: "Aragon" (car), "Cromar" (jet), and "Zetar" (drill).
* The Powerdashers were the first Cybertronian (well, non-Earthen) vehicular toys released - and were released in 1984, to boot.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Mail order exclusives]]

Character model

2010-12-21T12:36:14Z

60.242.199.15: /* Variations */

[[Image:Charactermodeloptimusprimeg1.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Deviate from this and invite scorn!]]

A '''character model''' is a stylistic guide created to help animators and licensee artists depict the [[Transformer|Transformers]] in a consistent and recognizable way. A typical character model is illustrated with a series of model sheets, containing two or more line drawings of each of a character's modes, showing the front and back, weapons, and sometimes details as well. Character models are most often derived from a character's [[toy]], though in some instances the toy and character design may be designed simultaneously.

Character models produced in the 80s were typically black & white, with a separate color guide that would often cover just the front of the model. Modern character designs are usually in color, though sometimes the designs for the backs are only produced in black & white.

Character models are not to be confused with [[control art]], which is used in the toy design process.

==Nuances of creation and utilization==
[[Image:Character models.png|right|250px|thumb|"He's not heavy, he's my brother."]]

If the same toy is used for multiple characters, they may be depicted with very different character models—for example, [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]. These two toys are essentially ''identical'', but while the first design conceived, Sideswipe's, is tall and athletic, the second, Red Alert's, is short and stocky.

This pattern of artistically differentiating two very similar toys in order to make distinct characterization easier was particularly common with the 1984/1985 toys, many of which were [[Redeco|redecos]] of other toys. Examples include [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]/[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]/[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]/the [[Conehead|Coneheads]], and others. In general, the 1984 toys were vastly simplified for the screen, while the 1985 character models resembled their toys much more closely, resulting in a stockier group of robots.

The practice of varying the character models of characters who share a bodyform was revisited in ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]].'' Though [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] and [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]] share a bodyform, Ratchet's character model has a paunch while Ironhide's form is more buff. [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] shares a bodyform with roughly a dozen other characters, and their bodyshapes run the gamut from [[Wasp|skinny]] to [[Tap-Out (Animated)|stocky]] to [[Glyph (Animated)|curvaceous]], depending on the character's needs.

[[Image:Ratchet-charactermodel.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Guess which one can actually turn into an ambulance?<ref>'''Answer:''' Neither. While Ratchet's character model clearly can't transform into anything, Ratchet's toy transforms into a Onebox minivan ''pretending'' to be an ambulance.</ref>]]

Character models may vary wildly from the toy itself, leading to greater or lesser degrees of "[[show-accuracy]]". Perhaps the most conspicuous examples are [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]. In those instances, droid-like and "alien" toys were heavily anthropomorphized in the character models, adding humanoid proportions, heads, and faces.

Perhaps the best representation of both of the above factors—character models differing from the toys, and later character models differing from earlier ones based on the same toys—is shown by [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]].

A few exceptions, such as [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and [[Roadbuster]], who only appear in the Marvel UK comics, appear to have no character models at all, and their art is based on their toys. Regardless, even in the later years of the ''Generation 1'' franchise, the creation of character models persisted. One example is the 1989 Pretenders, whose character models are replicated faithfully by [[José Delbo]]. Even though artistic interpretations of Bludgeon, Stranglehold, and Octopunch diversified with later artists, elements taken from the character models continued, such as their individualized melee weapons. (These weapons were not included with the toy.)

[[Image:Bludgeonstrangleholdoctopunchmodelsheet.jpg|right|200px|thumb|We don't have these weapons.]]
Most of the ''Generation 1'' character designs from before 1987 were done by [[Floro Dery]]. The widely distributed model sheets of those characters may have been redrawn from his designs, or they might be his direct work. The first three years' worth of Generation 1 character models formed the basis for the artwork of Marvel's [[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Transformers Universe]] profile books. Additional profiles were later published in the back of [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|the main comic book]], showing character models for some of the 1987 and 1988 characters.

A vast collection of ''Generation 1'' character models are available in the books ''[[The Ark: A Complete Compendium of Character Designs]]'' and ''[[The Ark II — A Compendium of Japanese Character Designs]]''. Many of the same designs are also available in ''[[Transformers Generations]]'', though its pictures are quite small and typically feature only the front of the robot and the alt mode.
{{-}}

==Variations==
When applied to fiction, character designs are often interpreted differently by various artists. Other times, a model may not be available at all, resulting in art based directly on a character's [[toy]], or something entirely made up.

[[Image:Jetfire-SkyfireModels.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Skyfire is Jetfire on 'roids.]]
* [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire / Skyfire]] had two different character models from early ''Generation 1'' series. The toy-accurate one appeared three times "fictionally," once as a miscolored, partially-obscured background character in the [[The Last Stand|fourth Marvel Comics issue]], again in the Marvel Comics as a [[Ashes, Ashes...|spectator at Optimus Prime's funeral]] (right next to his "Skyfire" model), and a third time in the animated portion of the commercial for Jetfire and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. It would also occasionally crop up in secondary media, such as coloring books and [[:Image:Jetfire-Dutch.jpg|Dutch media]].

{{-}}
[[Image:Broadsidecharactermodels.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Broadside on the right has had [[kibble]]-reduction surgery]]
* [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] also had two completely different character models in the ''Generation 1'' series. The earlier model (on the left) was based on his prototype and appeared in the Marvel G1 comic, as well as the episode "[[Carnage in C-Minor]]" (though in the latter, it was colored more like the model on the right). The finalized version was used for most of his other 80s appearances.
{{-}}
[[Image:Grimhead.JPG|right|250px|thumb|Me Grimlock like more chiseled look.]]
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] had an early head design which quickly disappeared from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]], replaced by a more [[show-accuracy|toy-accurate]] model with the episode "[[War of the Dinobots]]". The old design remained in the comics until he became an [[Action Master]] in "[[Still Life!]]".
{{-}}
[[Image:Soundwave uscomics.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Soundwave's having his mouthplate dry-cleaned]]
* Marvel US [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] was drawn without a [[mouthplate]] by artist [[José Delbo]], based on an early version of his character model. Soundwave was also colored purple in nearly every appearance in the US comics, probably due to the early model's [[:Image:Soundwavecommercial.jpg|seemingly lavender coloration]]. The ''UK'' comics coloured him blue in every appearance there and gave him the toy's yellow visor, working off a different model sheet.
{{-}}
[[Image:Nightbeatsirenswappedheads.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Pick a head, any head.]]
* For their character models, the face/Nebulan and helmet/seat pieces of [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Siren]] were inexplicably switched. (It is difficult to tell for sure, but they may have kept the correct antennae/guns judging by the basic shapes involved.) This switch gave comic book Nightbeat the "shades" he's remembered for, as well as the crest on his forehead, while comic book Siren ended up with his trademark combined brow/nosepiece. How or why this switch happened, and in what stage of development it occurred, is unknown. Nightbeat was depicted with his own toy's head (for the first time) in [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[War Within: The Age of Wrath|The War Within: The Age of Wrath]]''. Nightbeat's appearances in [[IDW Publishing]]'s Transformers comics retain the Siren face design, but inside the Nightbeat helmet. In [[Fun Publications]]' "[[Cheap Shots]]," his appearance is based on his new toy, whose head is based on Siren's face and helmet.
{{-}}
[[Image:G1DevastatorHeads.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Shades optional.]]
* [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] had two different animation models in the original ''Transformers'' cartoon; at the least, he had two different head designs, one with a visor and one without. Though the visored version was the finalized model, both head designs would continue to be used (almost at random) in subsequent episodes. The correct visored design was used for his dramatic scene in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', and thus seems to have "won out"; it appears on all modern Devastator merchandise.
{{-}}
[[Image:G1HotSpotHeads.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you! (by erasing it!)]]
* [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] would occasionally switch between having a faceplate or having a mouth drawn '''on''' his faceplate in his appearances on the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]]. He had a mouth in "[[Ghost in the Machine]]" and "[[The Ultimate Weapon]]" — episodes that seem to have been animated by two different animation companies, suggesting that Hot Spot's mouth may have come from an alternate character model.
{{-}}
[[Image:G1ArceeModelComp.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Arcee does Jenny Craig.]]
*''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'': Most of the cast of new characters in the movie had early versions of their character models that changed to varying degrees before the movie was animated. These character models were often used in [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|the Marvel comics]] and occasionally showed up in season 3 episodes of the television series. Since the toy design process had longer lead times, the toys were designed from the earlier models.
{{-}}

==Model sheet poses used in fiction==
Occasionally, animation studios (most notably [[AKOM]]) actually used the character models of certain characters in the episodes themselves in order to spare themselves from having to draw new poses. Examples are the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] when they first appear in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]", various scenes with [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] and [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] in "[[Carnage in C-Minor]]", and at least one shot from "[[:Image:Transfixatron.jpg|The Autobot Run]]". This would also routinely happen in [[Marvel Comics]] stories (most notably by [[José Delbo]] and [[Robin Smith]]) as well.

<center><gallery>
Image:Ravageboxart.jpg|First there was the [[package art]].
Image:RavageG1-TFUart.jpg|Then they used the package art to make the character model. Look for this pose basically everywhere.
Image:RavageRatbat.jpg|See?
Image:G1 1984 backofboxbattle.jpg|There's a whole fleet of 'em!
Image:NewOrder-Ravagepose.jpg|He even hovers like this when he's recuperating.
Image:TimeWars2-Ravagepose.jpg|These are all from two consecutive pages. The bottom two are of Ravage's from-behind character model!
Image:MarvelUK-258.jpg|A textbook "pounce from the shadows".
Image:SGRavage-EvanGauntt.jpg|Okay, this one was on purpose.
Image:Transfixatron.jpg|Skywarp's standing at an angle with the far arm slightly raised and his head turned toward us, you say?
Image:Starscreamdisintegratedcircuits.jpg|Starscream wants in on this, too!
Image:GalvatronTFMMarvel1.jpg|Galvatron's early model sheet pose.
Image:TFTM-Scourgeformed.jpg|That's right, even the movie did it!
Image:BroadsideCarnage.jpg|AKOM showing off their awesome model sheet tracing skills.
Image:Kupdesertisland.jpg|Flip it and paste a gun over one hand and no one will notice!
Image:Desertislandofspace-targetmaster-rollcall.jpg|Recoil and Peacemaker somehow avoid this.
Image:Fortressmaximus-maninthemachine1.jpg|Both Spike and Delbo have Fort Max's character model on the brain!
Image:CerebrosG1-everyCerebrosappearanceever.jpg|How many times can he do it?
Image:Fortressmaximusg1rebirth.jpg|Forearms slightly up. Look to the side. There we go.
Image:Buzzsawyikes4.jpg|Buzzsaw just loves to fly at this exact angle.
Image:Buzzsawyikes3.jpg|It's a hobby he sometimes shares with Laserbeak.
Image:Club Con! Seacons.JPG|It's odd how everyone always arrives in a 3/4s overhead view!
Image:Bludgeon-WarWithoutEndUK.jpg|Compare this to the Bludgeon above.
Image:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|"Okay, now what angle do I have to draw the room at so I can just paste everyone's art in a cascading row?"
Image:RobinSmithGrimlockOptimusFortMax.jpg|It's a [[Robin Smith]] panel. Let's play the popular game named "How many of these characters are recycled from their character models?" (Hint: Fort Max apparently isn't.)
Image:RobinSmithRavageGalvatron.jpg|"I'm a cardboard cut-out now."
Image:RobinSmithHighbrowScorponokSnapdragon.jpg|How to make a character model look dynamic.
Image:RobinSmithHighbrowWeirdwolfSkullcruncherMindwipeScorponok.jpg|Weirdwolf's feet flat on the ground, Skullcruncher's tail forward, that's enough variation for today.
Image:RobinSmithLotsaCharacterModels.jpg|Let's play the Robin Smith game again.
Image:RobinSmithRodimusPrime.jpg|One page later, and he barely raised his arm.
Image:RobinSmithDecepticonCharacterModels1.jpg|Okay, one or two of them may actually be original poses.
Image:RobinSmithDecepticonCharacterModels2.jpg|Hey, editor? Please stop publishing those profiles. They make me look lazy. Thanks.
Image:Arkshuttle12.jpg|The script called for a small shuttlecraft, so let's just copy the Ark's cartoon model.
Image:Actionblast ark.jpg|Take cover! Animation model about to crash!
</gallery></center>

==Footnotes==
<references />

==See also==
* [[Ark series]] - A series of non-fiction guidebooks chronicling Transformers character models.

==External links==
*[http://www.toyarchive.com/Transformers/Cels/ACels1.html Some] of the G1 character model celworks from [http://www.toyarchive.com/ SUPER TOY ARCHIVE].
*[http://www.transformertoys.co.uk/content.php?/transformers-article/transformers-prototypes/106/transformers-prototypes/series+bibles.html Some] Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo character models from [http://www.transformertoys.co.uk/ Transformers At The Moon].

[[Category:Media]]

Emergency Mini-Con Team

2010-11-21T11:41:28Z

60.242.199.15: /* Armada */

{{factions|minicon}}
[[Image:Bios card EMERGENCY.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Let's fight the red stuff with the wet stuff!]]
The '''Emergency Mini-Con Team''' specializes in search-and-rescue operations in (naturally) emergency situations. Each member is dedicated and highly skilled, and have saved countless lives. Naturally, they find themseves more in league with the [[Autobot|Autobots]].

A possibly alternate-universe incarnation of the Team is allied with several different Autobots in the fight against the multidimensional threat of [[Unicron]].

The Emergency Mini-Con Team is composed of...

*[[Firebot (Armada)|Firebot]] the crash-response truck.

*[[Makeshift (Armada)|Makeshift]] the twin-rotor helicopter.

*[[Prowl (Armada)|Prowl]] the Cybertronic police car.

''French-Canadian name:'' '''L'Equipe D'urgence des Minimodus''' 
''Spanish name:'' '''Los Minimodus - Equipo de Emergencia'''

==Toys==
===Armada===
*'''Emergency Mini-Con Team''' (Mini-Cons, 2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MM-20'''

:The Emergency Team was first released as a three-pack in the [[Armada (toyline)|''Armada'' line]], and along with the [[Air Military Mini-Con Team]] were the last new-mold Mini-Con teams released in that line.

:Towards the very end of the [[Hasbro]] ''Armada'' series, the team was [[Redeco|redecoed]] in a theme that was 2/3rds [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] homage; Prowl with a rather [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]]-like racing theme, Firebot in light blue similar to [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]]... and Makeshift as the odd bot out.

:This mold-set was used to make the [[Hazard Mini-Con Team]]; the [[Micron Booster]] Mini-Cons [[Cluster]], [[Groove (Energon)|Groove]], and [[Rotor]]; the [[Hellflame Mini-Cons]], and the ''[[Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' Mini-Cons [[Anti-Blaze]], [[Checkpoint (Cybertron)|Checkpoint]] and [[Scythe]].

[[Image:2003-emergencymicron-xdimension-toys.jpg|thumb]]
*'''X-Dimension Emergency Micron''' (Mini-Cons, 2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MM-21'''
:A somewhat more limited-edition - but still regular retail - [[redeco]] of the Emergency Team was released by [[Takara]] as part of the [[X-Dimension Mini-Cons|X-Dimension]] Mini-Cons. This set uses primarily dark blue and orange.
:*{{external|http://www.tfkenkon.com/collection/act155/|X-Dimension Emergency Micron toy gallery}}

===Universe===
For ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'', the Team was split up between several different releases as [[Autobot]]-allied partners to larger toys.

*'''[[Whirl (Universe)|Autobot Whirl]] with [[Gunbarrel (Armada)|Gunbarrel]] & [[Makeshift (Armada)|Makeshift]]''' (Ultra, 2004)
*'''[[Fireflight (Universe)|Fireflight]] with [[Firebot (Armada)|Firebot]] & [[Thunderwing (Armada)|Thunderwing]]''' (Deluxe, 2004)
*'''[[Stockade (Universe 2003)|Stockade]] & [[Magna Stampede]] with [[Prowl (Armada)|Prowl]] & [[Terradive (Armada)|Terradive]]''' (Ultra, 2004)

[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Mini-Con teams]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]

Rattletrap

2010-11-11T22:11:03Z

60.242.199.15: /* Notes */

{{Factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Autobot informant|the Maximal energon miner/warrior|Rattrap}}

:''Rattletrap is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Rattletrap character model.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Eh, boy. If it ain't [[Ratchet (Animated)|the old fogies]] crawling up yer tailpipe, it's the [[Carmine Fanzone|mucous spoutin' organics.]]]]

'''Rattletrap''' is that one 'bot who will tell you anything if you "persuade" him enough. He's kind of a [[Rattrap|dirty rat]] when you think about it. He is apparently in a relationship with [[Botanica (Animated)|Botanica]]<ref>''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac Volume 2]]''</ref>.

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Tom Kenny]] (English)
[[Image:ThisIsWhyIHateMachines-RattletrapFanzone.jpg|left|thumb|175px|Oh no, not an organic!]]

Rattletrap was among the crowd welcoming home [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel "Magnus"]] and cheering on the capture of several [[Decepticon]] prisoners. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

Rattletrap apparently gave info on [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]'s activation codes to [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]]. He was later interrogated by [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] and [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]], who threatened to slime him if he didn't give them access to a high-security infirmary on Cybertron. This threat proved effective, but the access key card Rattletrap provided turned out not to work. Ultimately it didn't matter, as [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] had been tailing them the whole time, and let them in. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
* Rattletrap's name was not spoken in the episode in which he appeared. It was listed in the end credits.

* Rattletrap is an homage to [[Rattrap]] from ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'', specifically his "[[Dawn of Future's Past]]" Cybertronian form. However, he's much more willing to work with the enemy than the original was...well, [[The Weak Component|most of the time.]]

* Rattletrap's name comes off as a [[Wikipedia:portmanteau|portmanteau]] of Rattrap's American name and his Japanese name (Rattle), but as "rattletrap" is actually a ''word'' (with an [[Wiktionary:rattletrap|amusingly appropriate meaning]]).

* Rattletrap's face was given to ''Transformers'' fan [http://twitter.com/Peaugh Peaugh] in the form of a Twitter avatar as a gift from [[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick Wyatt]]. [http://twitter.com/Peaugh/status/1747165958 Little did he know] it was a spoiler in disguise!

* Rattletrap's voice owes a little more to [[wikipedia:Lou Costello|Lou Costello]] than Rattrap's did.

* Amongst the illegal services Rattletrap is known to provide are [[Shock Pop|shock pop]] [[datatrax]], [[prismaball]] tickets and forged [[S.T.A.R.S.]] indento-cards.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Animated characters]]
[[Category: Cartoon-only characters]]

Screech (Generations)

2010-08-06T13:02:21Z

60.242.199.15: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the exclusive toy for ''[[Transformers Generations 2009]]''|the Action Master partner to Take-Off|Screech (Action Master)}}
:''Screech is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:Screech_generations_manga.jpg|right|thumb|250px|I'm here to give the Wiki headaches.]]

'''Screech''' is a version of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] from an alternate universe, unwittingly pulled into another timeline by the Skids of that world. Together, they fight crime!

Mostly, Screech hopes one day that he can find his way back to his home dimension. Until then, he changed his name and paired up with his "brother" [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] as Quantum Operatives, scouring the [[multiverse]] for anomalies. Screech constantly tries to keep their mood up with jokes and quips.

The Quantam Phase Attack Specialist is well-equipped for his job, having covered himself with a Dimension Slide coating. He also carries a substance accelerator pistol and a Quantum Shield. The doors on his back allow him to glide through the air.

==Fiction==
===''Henkei! Henkei!'' Generations comic===
Along with his fellow "Quantum Operative" Skids, Screech pursued [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s ghost across the multiverse to a [[Henkei! Henkei! (franchise)|parallel dimension]] where he was causing trouble. While the two dimension-hoppers kept the ghost busy with wordplay and pop culture references, the [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] of that world used his illusion casting powers to scare Starscream into fleeing the dimension by projecting an illusion of his greatest fear: [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]! {{storylink|Starscream's New Body}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Exclusives===
[[Image:G1-toy ScreechGenerations.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Who're you calling a cantaloupe, you melon head?]]
*'''Screech''' (Autobot, 2009)
**''Accessories'': Scooter drone, "substance accelerator pistol", "Quantum Shield" (twin-barreled blaster), missile launcher, 3 missiles

: Screech is a orange-red [[redeco]] of [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]], a [[retool]] of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. He transforms into a Honda City R hatchback with a different head and hood. He also comes with a "scooter" accessory that fits in his hatchback. He also has a spring-loaded missile launcher; being a Japanese toy, the launcher works at full strength due to differences in [[for safety reasons|safety laws]] over there.

: Screech was a mail-away [[exclusive]] to those who purchased [[Million Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers Generations 2009]] Vol. 3'', and came in a set with [[Skids (G1)|Skids]].

{{-}}

==Notes==
[[Image:Skidssurvivors.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Well, it's no [[Seafood Louis]], but it'll do.]]
* Screech's deco is an [[homage]] to the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' character [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]. (Skids, naturally, is colored to homage Mudflap's twin [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]].)

* Screech's bio was written by [[Simon Furman]] and appears to be a nod to Skids's appearance in the [[Marvel UK]] "[[Survivors]]" stories, where he had, for unclear reasons, [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]]'s head instead of his own. Surprisingly, this [[Alignment|wouldn't be]] [[:Image:Variablevoltageharness.jpg|the most]] [[universal stream|obscure reference]] Japan has made to stories from foreign lands.

* [[:Image:MillionPublishing-SkidsScreech.jpg|Mockup images]] showed Screech with a red head and black shoulders, shins, and legs, but the final product's head, shoulders, shins, and legs are gray. His face was also shown as gray, but ended up silver.

[[Category: Exclusives]]
[[Category: Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category: Henkei! Henkei! characters]]
[[Category: Autobots]]
[[Category: Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category: Dimension hoppers]]

Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook

2010-04-09T00:59:06Z

60.242.199.15: /* Editing errors */

{{comicstory|seriesissue=''Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook'' #1–4
|image=Bwsourcbook tpbcover.jpg
|caption=Strike a pose!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|coverdate=August, October, December 2007, February 2008
|written by=[[Simon Furman]] and [[Ben Yee]]
|design by=[[Mike Heisler]] and [[Neil Uyetake]]
|art by=[[Robby Musso]], [[Marcelo Matere]], [[Don Figueroa]], [[Nick Roche]], [[Guido Guidi]], [[Dan Khanna]], [[Liam Shalloo]], [[Josh Burcham]], [[Zac Atkinson]], [[Frank Milkovich]], [[Simon Williams]]
|colors by=[[Zac Atkinson]] [[Josh Burcham]], [[Andrew Elder]], [[Guido Guidi]], [[Kieran Oats]], [[Rob Ruffolo]]
|edits by=[[Dan Taylor]]
|TPB ISBN=9781600101595
|continuity=[[Beast Wars cartoon continuity]]
}}
The '''''Beast Wars Sourcebook''''' is a 4-issue limited series by [[IDW Publishing]], featuring expanded profile entries for ''most'' pre-''[[Beast Machines (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'' Transformers from the [[Beast Era]] toy lines (including Hasbro, Takara, [[MicroVerse]], fast-food, and convention [[exclusive]] characters). Entries are in a format roughly borrowed from the [[Dreamwave Productions]]' ''[[More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye]]'' profile books and organized alphabetically.

In theory.

==Issue #1 profiles==
—Release date: [[October 3]], [[2007]]

{{collist|4|
*[[Air Hammer]]
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]]
*[[Antagony]]
*[[Apache]]
*[[Arachnid]]
*[[Archadis]]
*[[Armordillo]]
*[[Autocrasher]]
*[[Autojetter]]
*[[Autolauncher]]
*[[Autostinger]]
*[[Bantor]]
*[[Bazooka (BWN)|Bazooka]]
*[[B'Boom]]
*[[BB]]
*[[Beetle]]
*[[Big Convoy]]
*[[Bighorn]]
*[[Bigmos]]
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]
*[[Bonecrusher (BW)|Bonecrusher]]
*[[Break]]
*[[Bump]]
*[[Buzz Saw]]
*[[Buzzclaw (BW)|Buzzclaw]]
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]
*[[Cicadacon]]
*[[Claw Jaw]]
*[[Cohrada]]
*[[Coelagon]]
*[[Cybershark]]
*[[Crazybolt]]
*[[Dead End (BWN)|Dead End]]
*[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]]
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]]
*[[Dinobot II]]
*[[Dirge (BWII)|Dirge]]
*[[Dirge (BWII)|Dirgegun]]
*[[Diver (BWII)|Diver]]
*[[DJ (BWII)|DJ]]
*[[Drancron]]
*[[Drill Bit (BW)|Drill Bit]]
*[[Double Punch (BW)|Double Punch]]
*[[Drill Nuts]]
}}

==Issue #2 profiles==
—Release date: [[October 31]], [[2007]]

{{collist|4|
*[[Elephorca]]
*[[Fractyl]]
*[[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]]
*[[Megastorm|Gigastorm]]
*[[Gimlet]]
*[[God Neptune]]
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]
*[[Grizzly-1]]
*[[Guiledart]]
*[[Halfshell]]
*[[Hardhead (BWN)|Hardhead]]
*[[Heinrad]]
*[[Starscream (BWII)|Hellscream]]
*[[Hydra (BWN)|Hydra]]
*[[Icebird]]
*[[Iguanus (BW)|Iguanus]]
*[[Ikard]]
*[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]]
*[[Injector]]
*[[Insecticon (BW)|Insecticon]]
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]
*[[Jawbreaker]]
*[[Jetstorm (BW)|Jetstorm]]
*[[K-9]]
*[[Killer Punch]]
*[[Lazorbeak]]
*[[Lio Convoy]]
*[[Lio Junior]]
*[[Longrack (BWN)|Longrack]]
*[[Magmatron]]
*[[Mach Kick]]
*[[Magnaboss]]
*[[Magnaboss II]]
*[[Manta Ray (BW)|Manta Ray]]
*[[Manterror]]
*[[Mantis]]
*[[BB|Max-B]]
*[[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]
*[[Megastorm]]
*[[Motorarm (BWII)|Motorarm]]
*[[Moon (BWII)|Moon]]
*[[Night Glider]]
*[[Noctorro]]
}}

{{note|According to [http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/10/30/beasts-shot/#comment-1624 Simon Furman's blog], Furman wrote the following profiles for this issue: Galvatron, Grimlock, Guiledart, Heinrad, Hydra, Ironhide, Lio Convoy, Magmatron, and Manterror.}}

==Issue #3 profiles==
—Release date: [[January 4]], [[2008]]

{{collist|4|
*[[Onyx Primal]]
*[[Optimus Minor]]
*[[Optimus Primal]]
*[[Orcanoch]]
*[[Packrat]]
*[[Panther]]
*[[Poison Bite]]
*[[Polar Claw]]
*[[Powerhug (BWII)|Powerhug]]
*[[Powerpinch]]
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]
*[[Prowl II]]
*[[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]]
*[[Ram Horn|Ramhorn]]
*[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]]
*[[Ramulus]]
*[[Randy (BWN)|Randy]]
*[[Rattrap]]
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
*[[Rartorata]]
*[[Razorbeast]]
*[[Razor Claw]]
*[[Razorclaw (BW)|Razorclaw]]
*[[Retrax]]
*[[Rhino]]
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]
*[[Rockbuster]]
*[[Saberback]]
*[[Sandstorm (BW)|Sandstorm]]
*[[Santon]]
*[[Scarem]]
*[[Scavenger (BW)|Scavenger]]
*[[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]]
*[[Scissor Boy]]
*[[Scuba]]
*[[Scylla]]
*[[Sea Clamp]]
*[[Sea Phantom]]
*[[Shadow Panther]]
*[[Sharp Edge (BWN)|Sharp Edge]]
*[[Shokaract]]
*[[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]]
}}

==Issue #4 profiles==
—Release date: [[February 6]], [[2008]]
{{collist|4|
*[[Scourge (BW)|Scourge]]
*[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt II]]
*[[Sky Shadow (BW)|Sky Shadow]]
*[[Skywarp (BWII)|Skywarp]]
*[[Snapper]]
*[[Sling]]
*[[Snarl (BW)|Snarl]]
*[[Sonar (BW)|Sonar]]
*[[Soundwave (BW)|Soundwave]]
*[[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]]
*[[Stampy]]
*[[Starscream (BWII)|Starscream]]
*[[Stinkbomb]]
*[[Survive]]
*[[Tasmania Kid|Tasmanian Kid]]
*[[Terragator]]
*[[Tarantulas]]
*[[Terrormander]]
*[[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrosaur]]
*[[Thrust (BWII)|Thrust]]
*[[Thrustor]]
*[[Tigerhawk]]
*[[Tonbot]]
*[[Torca]]
*[[Tigatron]]
*[[Transmutate (character)|Transmutate]]
*[[Tripledacus]]
*[[Transquito]]
*[[Tripredacus]]
*[[Vice Grip]]
*[[Windrazor (BW)|Windrazor]]
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]]
*[[Wolfang (Maximal)|Wolfgang]]
}}

==Items of note and errors==
Sadly, the ''Beast Wars Sourcebook'' was best known for failing to deliver on almost every front. In addition to woefully amateurish design and layout work—featuring massive amounts of whitespace surrounding undersized pictures and small clusters of text—the book was plagued by coloring errors and artwork that was either mismatched or missing outright, arbitrary re-writing of character personalities mostly designed to purge any non-Waspinator-related humor from the ''Beast Wars'' universe, and numerous other editorial errors, such as lesser-known characters like [[Bigmos]] getting double-page spreads, while major figures such as [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] got only one. Produced at a time when the IDW editorial team was in flux, the first two issues received a reception that would be described as lukewarm at best. Despite promises that the stabilized editorial staff would mean the final two issues of the series would be much improved, the general lack of any improvement at all left the series as a distinct black mark for IDW.

In an effort to improve things for the trade paperback collection of the series, a topic was even started on the IDW forums so that all the mistakes could be listed. Artistic and typographic errors were duly amended (though much of the [[Frank Milkovich|badly-drawn art pieces]] remained), and many of the page distribution oddities were amended, but the unsatisfying layout work and rewritten characters remained unaltered.

{{note|In the notes below, ''italic text'' denotes an error that was fixed for the trade.}}

===Art and coloring errors===
[[Image:SourcebookBB.jpg|right|180px|thumb|I spent the night in Vegas and woke up like this.]]
* ''Blackarachnia's images are solid gold-orange and black.''

* ''BB is similarly colored in nothing but gold-orange, with a little white.''

* Dinobot's colors are based on the [[Dinobot (BW)|''Beast Wars 10th Anniversary'' release of the Dinobot toy]], minus the blue kneecaps and face. In the trade version, Dinobot was given completely new art for robot and beast modes.

* ''Gimlet, Lio Junior, Magnaboss II, and Motorarm are all incorrectly colored as their [[Hasbro]] mold-partners Sea Clamp, Prowl, Magnaboss, and Ram Horn.''

* ''The hind legs of Magmatron's combined-beast mode are incorrectly colored as if they belonged to Skysaur, when they are actually the robot-mode arms from his Seasaur portion.''

[[Image:Silverboltbeastwarssourcebook.jpg|right|180px|thumb|What. The. Hell.]]
* All of the robot modes drawn by [[Frank Milkovich]] are drawn almost ''entirely'' mechanical, including all of the ''organic'' beast mode parts. See image on right, then try to un-see it.

* Speaking of which, Milkovich's renditions of both versions of Rhinox, Scissor Boy, Silverbolt, Tigerhawk, and Tripledacus all have visible pencil sketch lines remaining. Additionally, Tigerhawk even has the edge of a comic draft page left underneath, as the word "issue________" can be clearly seen in one of his wing cannon barrels. Tripledacus has an edge guide corner visible in his foremost foot. It is conveniently covered by the IDW logo on the cover of Sourcebook 4.

* Ravage's "original" Predacon body has his Transmetal 2 beast mode head.

* Not really an error, but certainly bizarre: Scissor Boy is just a mirrored version of Powerpinch's art, with his minor detailing changed. At that point, why not just draw entirely new art?

* Silverbolt II has his beast mode head for a face in robot mode.

* Transmetal Tarantulas is colored in the black and white hues of his later "Fox Kids" repaint, instead of his original show-accurate colors.

===Divergence from original sources===
* The books consistently misuse the term "[[technorganic]]" to describe ''Beast Wars''-era characters, when the term should only properly apply to post-reformatting Cybertronians from ''[[Beast Machines (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'' or later.

* Despite a stated policy to not diverge from the names of originally Japanese characters, some names have been altered, such as Elphaorpha to "[[Elephorca]]", Blentron to [[Blendtron|Blen'''d'''tron]], and [[Tasmania Kid]] to "Tasmania'''n''' Kid". ''[[The Ascending]]'' disregarded "Tasmanian Kid", but kept "Elephorca".

* The book makes alterations to the personalities and intelligence levels of a fair number of the Japanese characters. Understandably, the cartoonishly stereotypical "Frito Bandito" aspect of the [[Jointron]]s was dropped, but their core personalities stayed basically the same. However, there are numerous instances of ''fundamental'' changes to characters. Mantis, a cold-blooded killer, is described as a smiling friendly guy. Diver is no longer a skittish coward. Hardhead is no longer dumb as toast. Infinitely loyal Guiledart is described as an utterly distrustful schemer. Moon isn't even remotely comedic. Ben Yee is on record as saying these changes were intentional and designed to fit certain characters better into the overall feel of the merged Japanese/American ''Beast Wars'' universe the books were creating.<ref>Ben's review of issue two. (See link above)</ref>

* Airazor's motto is listed as "She swoops to conquer!", but her actual line of dialogue from the episode had been "She '''stoops''' to conquer!" in "[[Call of the Wild]]", a reference to both the 18th-Century [[wikipedia:She_Stoops_to_Conquer|romantic Irish play of the same name]] and the [[wikipedia:Peregrine_Falcon#Ecology_and_behavior|hunting dive used by peregrine falcons]] (her [[Alternate mode|beast mode]]), called a "stoop" ''only'' in reference to that specific breed of falcon.

* Despite being [[Scuba]]'s cousin in the original material, ''Sourcebook'' states that [[Ikard]] is his brother.

* The book contradicts Injector's original toy bio by saying he puts on a show of liking his beast mode, but really thinks it is ugly and he's ashamed of it.

* Magmatron's three individual beast modes are claimed to have "only loose connections to actual reptilian lifeforms", seemingly ignorant of the existence of Giganotosaurus, Elasmosaurus and Quetzalcoatlus.

* Ramulus is described as "even-tempered", whereas his toy bio and previous comic appearances portray him as a hot-headed jerk.

* Prowl II is described as a reincarnation of ''[[Alternators|Binaltech]]'' Prowl, when ''Binaltech'' is supposed to be separate from ''Beast Wars''.

* The [[Mutant (BW)|Mutant]] [[Soundwave (BW)|Soundwave]] is stated to have been a warrior in the Great War, implying that he is the same character as ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]].

* [[Windrazor (BW)|Windrazor]]'s entry labels the [[Cub]] a Maximal. This is true to the character's original toy bio, but at odds with the Cub's more prominent fictional appearance as a Predacon.

===Editing errors===
* The artists' credits sections in the front of the books have numerous inaccuracies. Notably, [[Dan Khanna]] is credited with numerous pieces he did not draw (Dan himself confirmed this), including Blackarachnia, Dinobot, Hardhead, K-9 and Killerpunch. Blackarachnia was likely drawn by [[Nick Roche]], and the Trade Paperback version identified [[Simon Williams]] as the artist for K-9 and Killer Punch with [[Jamie Snell]] as the artist behind Hardhead.

* The alphabetical order of characters gets out of whack in numerous places. For instance, [[Scourge (BW)|Scourge]] is absent from the third issue, even though it ends with Silverbolt, who should be many characters down the list in alphabetical order. He was included in the fourth issue instead.

* Characters are not consistently placed in subgroups. ''Drancron is apparently not a Blendtron, nor is Longrack a member of the [[Pack]]''. The Trade Paperback version meanwhile neglected to list Autostinger as an [[Autoroller]].

* The entries of ''Beast Wars II'' characters are inconsistent on whether the factions are Maximals and Predacons or "[[Cybertron (BW faction)|Cybertrons]]" and "[[Destron (BW)|Destrons]]". The trade attempted to explain this by including different meanings for the terms in its glossary.

* Issue 2 has a disproportionate number of pointless and incorrectly used parenthetical asides and additions, and sections of sentence between dashes for no good reason. For example:

:''Hydra'': ''"The trouble is, everyone-who's ever had anything to do with Hydra-knows what to expect..."''
:''Injector'': "...his ungainly new ([[Fuzor]]) form..."

*Issue 4 is rife with layout errors, especially on the characters who have multiple-page profiles. None of them follow the Bio-Weapons/Abilities-Weaknesses layout set out by all the other profiles in the books. This seems to be a deliberate attempt to lay the pages out to be read as two-page spread which could be a good ... no, it's just stupid. It's especially painful on the three page (!) profiles like Waspinator and Tigatron.

* Elephorca's beast mode is labeled an elephant, instead of elephant/killer whale.

* ''Gigastorm's "Abilities" section ends with a bizarre sentence fragment: ".. . built into its fists.built into his right arm."''

* Not so much an error, but the first two issues feature cover images of characters ''not in those issues''. Magamatron is on #1, but his bio is in #2, Torca is on #2 but in issue 4. (However, "Elephorca" '''is''' in #2, so it's entirely possible the art is supposed to be him, and it's just miscolored.)

* ''Ravage's cassette mode is labeled "NAME".''

* The back cover of issue 3 states profiles are listed from "Optimus Minor" to "Silverbolt" when the volume in fact starts with Onyx Primal.

* ''[[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]]'s name is misspelled as "Terrosaur" in his page's header.''

* ''[[Wolfang (Maximal)|Wolfang]]'s name is misspelled as "Wolf'''g'''ang" in his page's header and on the back cover.''

* The trade paperback version leaves out [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]]'s weakness, and made [[Break]]'s primary function "PRIMARY FUNCTION".

===Omissions===
* A glossary similar to that of the final issue of Dreamwave's ''[[More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye]]'' was promised by Ben Yee to explain oddities like the inclusion of [[Moon (BWII)|Moon]] with the absence of [[Artemis]], but no such index was included.

* The [[Egg Beast]]s are notably and intentionally absent from the book, as is McDonald's "[[Under-3|the 'Lion Head Optimus Primal' figure]]".

* Fiction-only characters, such as [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]], the [[Cub]], the [[Swoop (G1)|Veteran]], [[Strada]], [[Kuma Kinkin]] and [[Ragé]] are not included.

* Claw Jaw's bio is lacking any mention of his "[[Transmetal]]" form (which was a pack-in [[redeco]] of his original toy and included a ''Beast Wars'' video in various European markets).

* Quite a few characters with triple-changer abilities do not have their tertiary mode pictured, though art was often produced.

* Characters who have had multiple bodies, such as Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Blackarachnia, and Megatron, are depicted with an inconsistent mishmash of their respective bodies' modes, with no profiles managing to include artwork of every mode of each body. This issue was apparently fixed in the trade for everybody (including Cybershark, of all 'bots) except Megatron, who still lacks any post-Season 1 artwork.

* The entry for Magnaboss II states he has the ability to teleport from his member Skywarp, yet oddly the entry for Skywarp doesn't mention any ability to teleport.

==Collections==
* ''Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook'' TPB (May, [[2008]]) ISBN 1600101593 / ISBN 978-1600101595
: Corrects many mistakes made in the individual issues.

* ''Transformers: Beast Wars Omnibus'' ([[March 25]], [[2009]]) ISBN 1600103901 / ISBN 978-1600103902
: Also contains ''[[The Gathering]]'' and the ''[[The Ascending]]''.

==External links==
* [http://www.bwtf.com/comicbooks/idw/bwsourcebook1/ Ben Yee's review of ''Beast Wars Sourcebook'' 1]
* [http://www.bwtf.com/comicbooks/idw/bwsourcebook2/ Ben Yee's review of ''Beast Wars Sourcebook'' 2]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:IDW Beast Wars issues]]
[[Category:IDW titles]]
[[Category:Profile books]]

Gold Plastic Syndrome

2009-12-15T00:03:24Z

60.242.199.15: /* Generation 1 */

[[Image:Electrogoldplasticsyndrome.jpg|right|450px|thumb|Ouch.]]
'''Gold Plastic Syndrome''' (commonly shorthanded to '''GPS''') is fandom terminology used to describe the phenomenon of a toy's [[plastic]] decomposing and becoming brittle to the point of shattering or crumbling under minimal-stress conditions. In the most extreme cases, toys have been reported to spontaneously crumble to small bits without any applied force at all, even if they're fresh out of their [[Mint in sealed box|unopened package]].

This breakage is different from the relatively more common stress-fracture type of plastic breakage that can occur in some [[Toy|Transformers toys]]. The condition takes its name from the gold plastics of late Generation 1 through to ''Beast Wars'', that have proved the most prone to this sort of breakage. However, despite the name, gold plastic syndrome has been known to affect other types of plastic—most of them noted for a pretty metallic swirl in the plastic.

==Notability==
GPS is widespread among toys made in the tail-end of [[Generation 1]], typically the second year of [[Pretender|Pretenders]] and even some European-market exclusives, but examples have surfaced from lines as recent as ''[[Generation 2]]'' and the ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' series. Transformers toys are not the only ones to suffer from this; there have been reports of ''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'' and ''[[Visionaries]]'' toys' gold plastics also crumbling seemingly of their own accord.

The toys most likely to suffer from Gold Plastic Syndrome are those with gold or bronze plastics with a metallic swirl in the plastic. There are other known cases with different colours of plastic—though usually there is a tell-tale swirl.

==Cause of GPS==
Because this is not exactly an area of scientific notability there aren't any causal studies into Gold Plastic Syndrome that we know about. Basically, what we have is a theory that goes something like: Certain plastics weren't mixed as well as others, possibly because of the metallic pigment or colouring, so they break down more quickly.

It's not much of a theory, really. Here's a more detailed attempt:

{{bigquote|The problem likely arises, as with many composites, when the bonding between the polymer and the dye/particles breaks down. This could occur do to a natural chemical/phase change of the plastic, due to oxidation, for example, or by another mechanism, say the forces incurred by the toy being played with, or more likely, due to some combination thereof. In any case, when the bonds between the particles and the polymers break down, you would get small voids in the plastic structure. If this occurs frequently enough, the structure would become effectively porous (that is, it would be filled with lots of tiny voids/cracks where the polymers and particles have come apart). With even a slight amount of force, some of these cracks/voids could expand, even slightly, to the point where they intersect another void and join, making an even bigger crack. Once a critical crack length is reached, the sample fractures.

So effectively, the plastic becomes more brittle, and this would also explain it "crumbling" as well as cracking.}}
:-Aernaroth suggests a cause for GPS [http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=57191&view=findpost&p=1174876 on the Allspark]

So what it amounts to is: "The plastic crumbles a'cause it ain't very good."

Hasbro have attributed it to "the amount of gold fleck included in the plastic", and have apparently reduced the amount in similar plastics of more recent vintage to prevent further occurrences.<ref name="hasbrogps">[http://www.transformerland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3481 Hasbro Transformersland.com Q&A, August 2009:] "When we used gold metallic plastic in the past we discovered, along with many of you, that it becomes brittle over time. As we became aware of this situation, we took the necessary steps to reduce the amount of gold fleck included in the plastic to eliminate this issue. Ultimately, this should no longer be an issue due to these corrective steps that we have taken."</ref>

All in all, the actual causes of Gold Plastic Syndrome aren't a very big deal to Transformers fans—it's really pretty academic. Of more concern is the RESULTS (IE, crumbling like a soggy Tim Tam in a cup of coffee), and what to look out for. There's no cure here, no fix. If a toy has GPS it will die.

==The Symptoms==
Gold Plastic Syndrome usually has a few clear signs. Knowing how to tell the difference between Gold Plastic Syndrome and normal plastic breakage is very important for a Transformers fan who is collecting vintage toys. It's the difference between giving up on that toy completely (since if it has GPS so will any other sample of the toy) and buying a new copy.
[[Image:GPSSkyquakescopeclose.jpg|thumb|Nooo!]]
*GPS usually takes place in metallic coloured plastics, most notably gold plastic and bronze plastic.
*GPS breaks are NOT accompanied by stress fractures. There is usually NOT any visible wear before the breakage. This is really important. Plastic breaks. This is a reality of toy collecting, plastic gets old and it breaks. Gold plastic syndrome is breakage without warning.
*GPS breaks often leave a powdery residue and shards of plastic (though not always), the result of the plastic actually physically crumbling. Take a look at the picture of Skyquake's scope... okay, the bits of his scope... to the right. You can actually see some of the left-over shards of plastic. Keep in mind this picture was taken years after the break actually occurred—these are new shards of plastic which came off these pieces of scope during the process of moving the parts around for photography. Plastic should '''not''' be that brittle or delicate.
*GPS breakages don't need to involve any excess stress or force on a toy—simply handling a toy can cause the breakage. Looking at it funny, sometimes does it. Spitting on it, maybe. Opening its box. ''Anything.'' If your toy breaks despite careful handling it's more likely to be GPS.
[[Image:SkyquakeGPSback.jpg|thumb|Gleargh]]
*GPS breaks often have rough, uneven edges with no stress lines around them. This is important—usually when plastic snaps it snaps cleanly (as is common with clear plastic), or it bends first (leaving a torn-off piece, or clear stresses around the break). If a break is uneven, with different colours and textures in it, yet there are no stress fractures around the wound, and especially if it leaves a powdery residue as well, it's almost certainly a GPS beak. Take a look at the photo of Skyquake to the right for a good example of the ragged break. Okay... not good. What's the other word that's LIKE good, but not actually good? Oh yeah. Horrifying. A HORRIFYING example.
*GPS plastics will sometimes feel brittle to the touch, sometimes making cracking noises as they're handled.

A really easy test to tell if you have GPS breakage is this—if a piece breaks off, try snapping it again. If it's normal plastic breakage the broken piece should bend or bow instead of just snapping like dry wood; there should be some give in the plastic, even if it's a brittle clear plastic—so you should be able to glue it back into place, or at least get a replacement part. On the other hand, if the broken piece snaps like your grandmother's ankles in a rugby match, then you've almost definitely got Gold Plastic Syndrome.

==GPS misconceptions==
[[Image:Brownplasticsyndrome.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The one image for the wiki you don't want to be able to make.]]
'''ALL GOLD PLASTIC WILL DIE!'''
:Not true. It's gold plastic from certain eras that will die. It's plastic from about 1989 (second year Pretenders are notorious for it) and through to about the end of ''Beast Wars''. As far as we know later toys do not suffer from GPS, due to a reduction in the amount of metallic flakes in similar, but more recent toys<ref name="hasbrogps" />. ''As far as we know.'' But just you wait... oh yes, just you wait. Toys with flexible nylon-based gold plastics, such as [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Superbase Optimus Prime's]] elbows, are not susceptible to GPS.

:Even on toys well known for GPS some of their gold plastic is less prone to break. Gold plastic which is nice and thick is much less likely to snap than gold plastic which is thin. Gold plastic which is under constant stress—like that at a joint—is also more likely to break. That said, some really nice solid parts can shatter like eggshell if it's real GPS we're talkin' about.

'''MY TOY BROKE, IT MUST BE GOLD PLASTIC SYNDROME'''
:There are plenty of ways for plastic to break that aren't related to gold plastic syndrome. Repeated stress on a plastic, dropping a toy, a toy with metal parts that damages the plastic parts, thin plastic, or simply the use of transluscent plastic, which is more brittle. Just because a toy breaks doesn't mean it's gold plastic syndrome. Look for the symptoms (listed above) and ask around before assuming that every single copy of this toy is destined to die a painful and horrible death.

'''ONLY GOLD PLASTIC GETS GOLD PLASTIC SYNDROME'''
:Sadly untrue. This sort of plastic breakdown has been reported in other plastics. Notably in the brown plastic (which doesn't even have a metallic sheen!) of Transmetal ''Beast Wars'' Megatron. Just take a look at the horror show to the right. SOMEONE'S TOY HAD TO DIE FOR YOU TO RECEIVE THIS WARNING.

:Most of the time it's plastics with a metallic swirl in them that break—bronze and gold are just ''the most common''. However, any colour of plastic could be susceptible, given time. Keep an eye on your Fire Convoy, kids, that pretty metallic swirl in his plastic isn't promising.

'''MY TOY IS DOOMED!'''
:Okay... not exactly a misconception. Your toy is, in fact doomed... but there is a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

:You see, the thickness of the plastic seems to affect GPS. Also, the amount of stress on it affects it. While some toys are known for breaking just by having their packages opened—guys like Randy, Roadblock and ''Generation 2'' Slingshot—others like Skyquake and Pyro can remain very strongly intact because the parts that are made of GPS plastics are large and thick and otherwise robust. GPS is an inconsistent process—eventually your toy '''will''' crumble, but there's no telling how long it will take. With delicate handling (read: almost none) you can maintain a GPS afflicted toy in your collection for quite some time.

==Toys commonly associated with Gold Plastic Syndrome==
====Generation 1====
* [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]
:Rather depressingly, Black Zarak's feet and shield tend to shatter. Since both parts have to be under stress to function as intended, this particularly expensive toy is almost never intact.
* [[Bristleback]]
:Bristleback on his own isn't in much danger as he has a fairly minimal amount of moving parts. However, when combining with the other Monster Pretenders, sliding the Monstructor fist in place will usually be enough to create a large crack through his legs, sometime even splitting them entirely.
* [[Roadblock (G1)|Roadblock]]
:The innermost robot has three peg holes, two in the fists and one on his back, that are particularly susceptible to cracking and shattering, leaving many a Roadblock hand-less.
* [[Skyhammer (G1)|Skyhammer]]
:One of the most notorious toys. The entire bottom of his large vehicle shell is made of gold plastic and it is very prone to breakage. Not to mention how much gold plastic is on his inner shell and his robot mode.
* [[Slog]]
:Slog is notable because his gimmick requires another toy (Birdbrain) to be inserted up inside his gold sections. His thin gold sides will crumble like a good fruit cake, just not as moist, if Birdbrain jostles around too much.
* [[Killbison]]

[[Image:GPSSkyquakescope.jpg|thumb|Well, crap.]]

====Generation 1-2 Transitional Phase====
* [[Skyquake (G1)|Skyquake]]
:Skyquake is another toy notable for having a gimmick which makes the whole thing worse. Skyquake actually has two colours of metallic plastic on him. One is a dark bronze the other a light bronze. It is the light bronze plastic that is most likely to break. Unfortunately the light bronze plastic also forms Skyquake's scope. You're supposed to put a Predator jet's scope slide into that part of him. But the union is not pleasant for the one on the receiving end. Take a look at the picture to the right. These are the parts left of Skyquake's scope after another Predator tried to unite with him. Actually... that's not even all the parts, that's just all that could be found.

:This is a gimmick which should never be used by modern collectors. Never, ever, ever, ever. Watch out for the moveable panel on the back of his head, too, it's the same light bronze plastic.

* [[Pyro]]
:Although he can be something of a trooper in comparison to other victims on this page, Pyro's waist can break very easily if not handled with care.
[[Image:Electrobrokenknee.jpg|thumb|Oh god my knee! MY KNEEEEEEE!!]]

====Generation 2====
* [[Electro]]

:There's a reason that Electro sits up at the top of this page. Poor guy just can't catch a break.

:Wait... actually, no. That's the entire problem. The poor guy totally can catch a break. All the time. Because he is designed to die.

* [[Slingshot]]
:Slingshot is infamous for being made almost entirely of gold plastic, and has been reported to come apart straight out of the package.<ref>http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/2b8b3dec846e5479?hl=en</ref> Worse, he's known for being another toy whose gimmick will destroy him. Slingshot's head is a post which is designed to plug into [[Silverbolt_(G1)|Silverbolt]] (or any other Scramble City leader), so that Slingshot can form an arm or a leg. Doing this will destroy your Slingshot. This may be the only case of Gold Plastic Syndrome that cripples two transformers at once—Slingshot ''and'' [[Superion_(G1)|Superion]].

====Beast Wars====
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]
[[Image:Goldplasticgrimlock.jpg|thumb|Don't worry, kids! He still has courage!]]
:Take a look at the picture to the right. Grimlock's gold plastic can break pretty damned hard. The fact that he uses a gold plastic ball joint for his hips is not really a good thing.
* [[Randy (BWN)|Randy]]
:Poor Randy. this is one of the legendary Gold Plastic Syndrome toys. Imagine if you will, a toy with an entirely spring-loaded transformation made entirely out of gold plastic. Ouch, right? Well, don't worry. You'll never have to see what a mess that could be, because this toy will shatter into a million pieces the moment you open it. Ouch.
* [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]
:Despite having a dangerously large amount of bronze plastic, Magnaboss Silverbolt IS fairly stable. The main breakage point is where his tail connects to his body. As well, [[Skywarp (BWII)|Skywarp]], his Japanese counterpart is just as likely to suffer from this. That said, just... be careful, okay? Be careful.
* [[Soundwave (BW)|Soundwave]]
* [[Torca]]
:His legs, tail hinge and sides are prone to Gold Plastic Syndrome.
[[Image:Beastwarssilverboltgps.jpg|thumb|My tail! Aslan, how can I live without my tail?]]

====Other notable instances====
* [[Serpentor]]
:While not a Transformer, he is also known to suffer from this problem—especially through his hips, given the leg construction found on G.I. Joe toys of the era.

==Toys often mistaken for having GPS==

A number of toys have gold parts that easily break not due to the plastic used, but due to structural problems with the part design itself.

* [[Predator]] [[missile]] launchers
:The Predator launcher pegs are notorious for breaking off, but this is due to their size. Those pegs are ''tiny''; many other weapons with a similar peg have the same problem. However, the Predator launchers are worse off as they are also used by larger figures like Skyquake. Also, the "false" trigger is known to break off as it doesn't have a hinge, relying on the plastic to bend. (The actual trigger is a small black internal piece.) If the Predator launchers actually had GPS, the strength of the spring would cause them to literally explode.

* [[Thunder Clash]]
:Thunder Clash's gold feet are often broken due to the design of the ratcheting transformation joint. The ratchets are so stiff that you're more likely to pry his feet apart before the ratchets budge. Like the Predator launchers, if this ''was'' due to GPS, Thunder Clash's launcher barrels would literally explode due to the very strong springs.

==Etymology==
The earliest use of the term that can be found in the [[alt.toys.transformers]] archives dates to September 2002 in a post by user Sky Shadow,<ref>http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/2b3d532961b2c2dc</ref> though it is unclear from his usage of the term whether or not it was already in use. A post by Dave "Zobovor" Edwards, meanwhile, made in June of the previous year,<ref>http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/6ed7e0f3586f37e4</ref> is the earliest identifiable acknowledgment of the widespread nature of the phenomenon within the Transformers fan community.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Diseases]]
[[Category:Toys]]

Unpaintable plastic

2009-12-02T08:32:36Z

60.242.199.15: /* Trivia */

[[Image:Unpaintableplasticsticker.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Due to Prowl's mold layout, changing the outer shell of the car while leaving the limbs white for Sideswipe left a white part on the roof that had to be covered by a sticker. All of Sideswipe's white plastic (and the corresponding parts on other versions of the mold) cannot hold paint.]]

Just what its name implies, '''unpaintable plastic''' is [[plastic]] to which the type of [[Paint operation|paint]] [[Hasbro]] and [[TakaraTomy]] use will not properly adhere, due to the chemical compositions of said plastic. This plastic is sometimes used on Transformers toys for structural reasons, due to its durability, flexibility, or resiliency.

The two most common plastics that are unpaintable and often used in Transformers are '''Polyoxymethylene (POM)''' and '''Polyamide (PA)'''. The vast majority of Transformers toys have at least one mold that is unpaintable.

==Examples==
* ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Dinobot (BW)#Toys|Dinobot]]'s beast forelegs, the piece at the back of his beast mode neck, his robot shoulders, and his robot thighs are unpaintable plastic.

* ''[[Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker's]] silver plastic is unpaintable, which is why his eyes are silver and indirectly why his face is painted red. (Thundercracker's face is usually silver, but since his eyes and face would have been the same color, [[Joe Kyde|his deco artist]] changed Thundercracker's face color.)

* ''The Ultimate Battle'' [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]] — Much of his red plastic, especially the upper arms, is made of unpaintable plastic. This is why the [[Autobot]] symbol [[tampograph]] was moved to his forearm.

* [[OTFCC 2003]] [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] — See photo and caption to right.

==Trivia==
* Yes, you can probably get commercially available hobbyist paints to stick to this plastic. You are not a multi-million dollar toy corporation and you are beholden to different budget constraints, not to mention your alterations do not have to hold up to the same [[for safety reasons|testing and durability standard]]s their mass-retail toys do.

[[Category:Toys]]

Mirage (G1)

2009-10-17T13:25:19Z

60.242.199.15: /* Generation 1 */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2}}
{{disambig3|Mirage}}
:''Mirage is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Mirageg1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"The ship was... full."]]
'''Mirage''' is what humans call "old money." Before the war, he was a member of affluent Cybertronian society, with his own large estate and high-priced [[Mirage's friends|friends]]. He enjoyed the finer things in life: vintage [[Energon (fuel)|energon]], swank evening events, and [[turbofox]] hunts on the grounds. But when the war started, he was forced to choose sides and found himself banded with a group of commoners he didn't really understand.

Some of the other Autobots don't trust Mirage. He feels the war, even after all these millions of years, is beneath him. War is not, after all, how civilized, erudite beings conduct themselves. He often questions the Autobots' violent means, and not-so-secretly hopes they and the Decepticons can get along. Because of this, he has been labelled by a few others as a Decepticon sympathizer. Still, he sided with the Autobots for a reason, and he is there for the Autobots when they need him.

Although the details vary by continuity, Mirage has the ability to create illusions which typically either render him invisible or make him appear to be somewhere he isn't.

He sounds like [[wikipedia:Dean Martin|Dean Martin]].

:''Japanese name:'' '''Ligier''' or '''Rijie''' (リジェ ''Rije'')
:''Hungarian name:'' '''Délibáb''' ("Mirage")
:''Italian name:'' '''Mistero''' ("Mystery")
:''Portuguese name:'' '''Miragem''' ("Mirage")
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Hǎi-shr-shèn-lóu''' (海市蜃樓, "Mirage") / '''Hàun-yǐng''' (幻影, "Phantom")

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Miragebluestreakfirst.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Mirage tells the story of how he got his name every five minutes.]]
Mirage was one of the Autobots on board the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] when it crashed, and was subsequently reactivated in 1984. At first, Mirage was reluctant to full-on attack his Decepticon opponents, instead trying to reason with them. However, after a battle with the relentless [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], Mirage learned that sometimes diplomacy is not an option. {{storylink|The Last Stand}}

[[Image:Mirageg1enemywithin.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Punk'd!]]
''During an accident on the Ark, [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] suffered an extreme neuro-shock, causing him to rebel and turn against his teammates. Mirage helped the Autobots hunt him down and tranquilize him. This same accident also amplified Mirage's ability to create illusions, which he later used to trick the Decepticons into believing that a duel between Brawn and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] ended with Brawn's death. The Decepticons felt totally stupid.'' {{storylink|The Enemy Within!}}

In the wake of a disastrous mission to rescue [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s captive head from the Decepticons, most of the Autobots were rendered inoperative. Mirage was one of a handful of Autobots who remained active, accompanying Optimus and various newer Autobots on several subsequent missions. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}} {{storylink|I, Robot-Master!}} {{storylink|Command Performances!}}

''Mirage lucked out during the Dinobot Hunt—he was assigned to B-Team, whose quarry, Snarl, was knocked out by the destruction of a human military base, leaving him inert and easy to capture.'' {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!}}

Long after, he was blown to pieces by [[Octane]] during an Arctic battle arranged by [[Starscream (G1)| Starscream]]. He recovered in time to be destroyed again in [[New York City]] by Starscream himself (empowered by the [[Underbase]]). {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Mirageg2die.jpg|left|120px|thumb|"Got to—" '''SPOOM!''']]
Disobeying [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s orders, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] led a covert team (which included Mirage) onto the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] ship ''[[Twilight (G2)|Twilight]]'' to defeat [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and his army of "evolved Decepticons". Grimlock's plan was an utter failure, ending in [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s death and the Autobots' capture. Mirage was destroyed by enemy fire during the following prison break. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}}

{{-}}
====Classics====
{{note| The Classics comic takes place after the end of the original Marvel Comic, but in a new timeline that does not include the events of the Marvel UK-exclusive stories or Generation 2.}}
Having been revived (presumably by [[Nucleon]]), Mirage was the happiest of them all, until he saw just how badly his way of life was affected by warfare. Mirage found that ages of warfare had made him bitter. Eventually, he decided to join Optimus Prime in returning to Earth, and war with Megatron.<ref>Mirage Classics Profile, [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 13]]</ref>

His actions include evacuating [[Armored Robot Hunters|RUNTs]] and their pilots, holding [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] at gunpoint, and revealing that his illusion powers (in this continuity) now ''include'' invisibility. {{storylink|Crossing Over}}

He later secretly followed [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] to a meeting from his crew of the [[Graviton (Classics)|Graviton]]. Unfortunately, he tried to crash Starscream's meeting with [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]]. [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]]'s infra-red sensors, and [[Weirdwolf]]'s keen nose allowed the Decepticons to find him, and he was gift-wrapped for Megatron. When the Gravitron crew led by Grimlock and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] attacked the Decepticon base, Mirage was rescued by [[Strongarm (Classics)|Strongarm]], [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]], and [[Elita One]]. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Frank Welker]] (English), [[Takurō Kitagawa]] (Japanese)

Mirage was part of the bridge crew of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] when it crash-landed on Earth four million years ago. A volcanic eruption in 1984 awakened the Ark's inhabitants, including Mirage, who was reformatted by [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] to have a terrestrial alternate mode of a Formula-1 racer. With the battle against the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] now transplanted to Earth, Mirage still hated warfare. He longed to return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and simply turn his back to the evil Decepticons, but his loyalty to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] kept him in the fight.

Mirage was instrumental in stopping the Decepticons from returning to Cybertron after amassing enough energon from Earth. The Decepticons had constructed a [[Victory (ship)|new star cruiser]] and were in the process of flying home to tip the scales of the war in their favor. Mirage used his cloaking ability to sneak aboard the Decepticon ship. He uncloaked and opened fire, blasting away at the ship's controls. He then bailed from the doomed cruiser, floating back to Earth's surface on a parasail as the Decepticons crashed into the ocean. Optimus Prime asked Mirage why he—homesick and war-weary Autobot that he was—did not hitch the ride back home. Mirage responded, affirming his loyalty to the Autobots, "The ship was... full." {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

{{charstubfiction}}

Mirage’s role in the Autobots’ battles on Earth was a distinctly minimal one, leaving him confined to the background on the battlefield or not present at all. In early 1985, however, the spotlight shone on Mirage again when [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] suspected him of disloyalty. The discovery of a Decepticon installation in a sector Mirage had recently scouted caused Cliffjumper to leap the incorrect conclusion that Mirage had concealed the information and was a traitor to the Autobots. During a battle with the Decepticons at the site, Mirage was injured, but managed to rip a Decepticon [[Insignia|seal]] off [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]. Mirage risked the trust of his comrades by sneaking away to perform a plan of his own, framing the Decepticons for stealing [[Energon cube|Energon cubes]] from the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]. Spotted carrying the cubes by Cliffjumper, Mirage’s guilt seemed all but confirmed, and before he could reveal his innocence, he was captured and brainwashed by one of [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]’s mind-controlling [[Cerebro-shell|cerebro-shells]]. Under Bombshell’s control, Mirage led the Autobots into an ambush, but at the battle’s end, the assorted manipulations were revealed and Cliffjumper apologized to Mirage. {{storylink|Traitor}}

Toward the end of the year, Mirage was among the team of five Autobots who disguised themselves as the [[Stunticon|Stunticons]], with Mirage’s alternate mode making him the perfect choice to masquerade as [[Drag Strip]]. Penetrating the Decepticon camp, the Autobots ran into trouble when the real Stunticons arrived, trying to prove their identities by forming [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. With a combination of [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]’s magnetic powers and Mirage’s illusion-creating ability, the Autobots were able to appear as Menasor too. Though the deception was soon revealed, they were still able to thwart the Decepticons’ plans. {{storylink|Masquerade}}

{{note|An unused scene from the storyboard for [[The Transformers: The Movie]] showed Mirage wounded (possibly killed) by Megatron after getting back at Bombshell for [[Traitor|jeopardizing his career]]. Given the high body count, his death is still likely.}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Robot Masters'' pack-in comics=====
=====''Robot Masters'' online comics=====
=====''Binaltech''=====
Mirage volunteered for an experimental new Binaltech upgrade that boosted the [[power chip rectifier]] in his revamped body to the Nth degree, making him permanently invisible thanks to his electro-disruptor. This proved to be key in a special mission conceived of by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]. Having uncovered several secrets from the files of the time-traveling [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], the Autobots learned of a mysterious [[Large switch|switch]] hidden away on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] which, when pulled, would instantaneously immobilize all Transformers throughout the universe. Having lost Cybertron to [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s tyrannical rule and facing considerable odds in the Sol System as well, Prime decided it was necessary to activate the switch in order to end the war.

With [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] and several [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] [[GT System|GTs]] awaiting his signal as back-up, Mirage invisibly infiltrated Decepticon-controlled Cybertron and made his way to the switch. After throwing the switch, though, Mirage was surprised to find that he was still mobile. It seemed the Binaltech warriors (both Autobot and Decepticon) were significantly different enough from regular Transformers to be unaffected by the immobilization wave. With the Autobots now vastly outnumbering the Decepticons still in operation, the tide of the war had irreparably shifted.

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{note|Events from the [[Keepers Trilogy]] novels are in italics.}}
Despite his misgiving about the war effort, Mirage's tenure with the Autobot cause dates back to the time of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]. When Shockwave staged a disastrous offensive against [[Iacon]], Mirage was there defending the [[Decagon]] alongside Prowl and the other Autobot soldiers. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5}} During the Dark Ages, he continued serving under Prowl as part of the main Autobot faction at [[Virtue's Forum]], in the remains of Iacon. Alongside Jazz and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], he tried defending their prisoner, [[Blitzwing (G1)|Experiment D-43]], against the intruder known as [[The Fallen]], but failed miserably in the process. {{storylink|War Within: The Dark Ages|The War Within: The Dark Ages}}

Four million years ago, Mirage crash-landed on the planet Earth aboard the shuttle known as the Ark, with more than two dozen of his fellow Autobots and Decepticons. They remained inactive in stasis lock at the base of a volcano until 1984, when volcanic activity shook them back on-line. The war began again, but without reinforcements or connection to Cybertron, Megatron and his Decepticons were eventually defeated and taken prisoner by the Autobots. Mirage and the rest of the Transformers were prepared to fly back to Cybertron in a new spacecraft, the ''[[Ark II]]'', when it exploded on its maiden voyage, leaving them all believed dead.

Not so. Most of the Transformers had been salvaged by a mercenary named [[Lazarus]], who spent the next few years repairing and reprogramming the Cybertronians to use as weapons of mass destruction at his command. Optimus Prime was reactivated by the United States military to oppose Lazarus, and he in turn used the power of the Matrix to revive several other Autobots who had escaped Lazarus' salvage crews, including Mirage. After rescuing some of their number from the human mercenaries, Mirage and the Autobots had to race against time putting their friends back together after the Decepticons escaped to wreak havoc. What's worse, a mechanizing virus had been released by Megatron, turning organic life into inanimate mechanical matter. Mirage exhausted a good percentage of his energon reserves fighting back the tide of the virus, but the Autobots were eventually successful. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

''Mirage was remarkably unhelpful during the war with the [[Keeper (species)|Keepers]]. After Optimus Prime was forced to give the Matrix over to Megatron as a debt of honor, Mirage sniped about the decision worse than any of the Autobots. His criticisms only got louder after a news report from [[Washington, D.C.]] made it clear that Megatron had found one of his warriors, the already mighty [[Omega Sentinel (G1)|Omega Sentinel]], who could actually wield the power of the Matrix directly. Now that Prime had actually strengthened their enemies as well as weakening the Autobots, Mirage just wouldn't shut up about it. The final straw was when [[Franklin Townsend]], a crazed augment working for the Keepers, idly strolled into the Ark, took over control of [[Bluestreak]]'s mind, and made his getaway. Mirage was ready to brazenly disobey Prime's orders and charge right after Bluestreak, until Optimus physically slammed him into a wall and forced him to obey his commanding officer. ''

''When you're being so much of a dick that the legendary patience of Optimus Prime runs out, it's time to rein it in, Mirage. {{storylink|Fusion (novel)|Fusion}}''

When [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] came to Earth and announced that the Autobot/Decepticon wars were over and that the two factions had been united, Mirage was one of the first to fall in with the new regime. The rest of the Autobots were wary of this development, and so a few (especially [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]) considered Mirage a traitor. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} Mirage quickly realigned himself with the Autobot cause when Shockwave's true plan was revealed, and Cliffjumper seemed to forgive him, as Mirage had saved Cliffjumper from [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] by sneaking up on him invisibly. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

Unfortunately for Mirage, the Autobots' acting commander Prowl soon came to the conclusion that they needed to return to Earth and establish a more significant beach-head there for the future. Mirage tried to argue against the idea, as he was more than thrilled to finally be back home on Cybertron, but then [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] cut in and reminded Mirage that Shockwave's united government had sold off his riches and property while he was gone. Ooooh—burn. {{storylink|Atonement}} The Autobots readied themselves for the return mission on a new shuttle, and began construction of Autobot City upon their arrival on Earth. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
[[Image:GIJoevsTF4_Mirage_Ferret.jpg|thumb|left|250px|]]
[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] found Mirage's holo-projector aboard the ''Ark'', and used it to make a better holographic driver for himself than [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] could. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2}}

Meanwhile, Mirage was among the dormant Transformers discovered by [[Cobra]], reprogrammed for nefarious purposes, and given new alternate modes (Mirage now transformed into a Cobra [[Ferret]]). Upon being freed from Cobra's control by Wheeljack, Mirage's group located Optimus Prime and helped fight back against the newly freed Decepticons. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4}} He later stood watch as the damaged Prime was formulating a plan to defeat Megatron. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5}}

{{-}}

===IDW comics continuity===
Mirage was a suspect in the assassination attempts on [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], as he was one of only four Autobots present on the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub|Hub]] during both attacks. He and two of the other Autobots were cleared when it was discovered that a mind-controlled [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] was the true culprit. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

A year later, he delivered information to the Autobots that there was a power-struggle among the Decepticons, information that turned out to be false and drew Optimus and an Autobot team (including the former ''[[Ark-19]]'' crew) into a hideous ambush that left them trapped on Cybertron. Before dumping them on Cybertron, Megatron revealed that there had been a willing traitor collaborator involved in his trap, and Mirage was the prime suspect {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7}} with everyone but [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] believing he'd betrayed them to the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4}}

It's not all bad, though; he got to use his invisibility trick to sneak up on [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]'s crew when Jazz was trying to prove his command skills. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5}} Not long after, a raging Ironhide dragged him into a corner and beat him half to death. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7}}

{{note|The events of ''Spotlight: Mirage'' possibly take place in an alternate/unknown continuity.}}
[[Image:SpotlightMirage trappedHound.jpg|right|200px|thumb|This didn't actually happen. Or did it? No, it didn't.]]
Mirage was haunted repeatedly by dreams of being a Decepticon. Or actually ''is'' a Decepticon from another universe who, after helping kill the last Autobots, got blown back through time and space to the main universe. Or via [[Zodiac]] energy has gained flashbacks of an alternate Decepticon Mirage. God knows what's going on there. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}
{{-}}
===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comic===

{{storylink|Mirage's Rebirth}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' Bun Bun manga===

{{storylink|Enter! The Transformers}} {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Appears!}} {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}} {{storylink|The Enemy from the Arctic}} {{storylink|Wataru's Power}}

{{charstubfiction}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1Mirage toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I don't need to be street-legal; I'm rich.]]
*'''Mirage''' (Autobot Car, 1984/1986)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''07'''
**''Accessories:'' "Rocket-Dart Hunting Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles

: Mirage was part of the original 1984 Autobot car assortment. His mold was originally used for a ''[[Diaclone]]'' F-1 Ligier JS-11 racer. The toy was specifically designed to work with the launcher mechanism contained in the Optimus Prime / Battle Convoy trailer. This toy is easily broken at the waist pivot. The labels on the toy are references to several real-world companies. The largest name, Citanes, is a deliberate corruption of Gitanes, a French cigarette company. (Quite unusual for a child's toy, but not the only [[Marlboor Wheeljack|cigarette reference in ''Diaclone'']].) The toy included Gitanes' logo of a dancing gypsy woman on what ends up as Mirage's belt in robot form. "Ligier" is the name of the company that manufactured the JS-11 chassis and fielded the team, traditionally wearing 25 and 26 on the F1 grid, while "elf" is a reference to a French oil company that has since merged with TotalFina to become TotalFinaElf.

: In 1986, he was made available as a mail-away item (as he was no longer shipping to retail shelves) in multiple offers, including a [[Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction]] flier packed with most boxed ''Transformers'' toys. He cost $8 and two [[robot points]]. In Japan Mirage was also included in the 1986 ''Goodbye Convoy'' [[Giftset|gift set]]. This was the final release of the mold, making Mirage the only one of the original Autobots not to have been reissued in some form.

: Hasbro and/or Takara have announced that the mold for Mirage is [[Gone Forever|either lost or damaged]], so a reissue is unlikely. This presumably excludes the molds obtained by [[Knockoff|certain Chinese companies]] to produce several Mirage "perfect" [[Bootleg|bootlegs]] in a variety of flavors including original, clear, smoke, and red, based on the ultra-rare version from the [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Diaclone Powered Convoy]] giftset.

===Generation 2===
* '''Mirage''' (Go-Bot, 1995)
**''Accessories:'' Gun

: Mirage was released in 1995 as a black and yellow recolor of the [[Go-Bot (G2)|Go-Bot]] [[Double Clutch]]. He was also planned to be released as a flipchanger, but the ''Generation 2'' line was canceled to make way for ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]''. The unreleased mold was first used in ''[[Machine Wars]]''.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Mirage (RID)|Mirage]].

===Machine Wars===
[[Image:Mwmirage.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Gah! I'm teal! Somebody recolor me, please!]]
* '''Mirage''' (Basic, 1997)
**''Accessories:'' 2-part rifle

: Mirage's form in ''[[Machine Wars]]'' transforms into a blue and white Indycar. Like the other Machine Wars basics, the toy is a flipchanger (having a one-step, spring-loaded transformation), and his weapons are hidden in his alt mode. Unlike most of the ''Machine Wars'' toys, the head looks very similar to his Generation 1 form. This is because the mold was originally designed as Mirage for ''[[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]''.

: This mold was also used to make ''Machine Wars'' [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Skid-Z (RID)|Skid-Z]].

{{-}}
===Robot Masters===
[[Image:RMRijie toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Phew. Thanks.]]
* '''Rijie''' (Basic, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''RM-03'''
**''Accessories:'' 2-part "Molecular Bonding Gun", "JS Laser Gun"

: ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' "Rijie" used the ''Machine Wars'' Mirage mold, but in a much more [[Generation 1 (toyline)|Generation 1]]-based coloration and deco. He also came with an extra chrome-silver "JS Laser Gun" (like the other bonus weapons of ''Robot Masters'', it is suspected to be a mold originally developed yet ultimately unused by the cut-short ''[[Microman]] LED Powers'' line).

: Because of legal reasons, "Ligier" could not be used for the name of the ''Robot Masters'' toy, so "Rijie", which has the same pronunciation in Japan, was used instead. Curiously, the toy's instructions still identify it as "Ligier".

{{-}}
===Alternators===
[[Image:AlternatorsMirage toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|This toy is clearly black, red, and silver. You're just deluding yourself.]]
* '''Mirage''' (Alternator, 2006)
**''Alternator ID number:'' '''22'''
**''Accessories:'' Engine/tonfa weapons

: ''[[Alternators]]'' Mirage transforms into a finely detailed 1:24 scale replica of a Ford GT, featuring opening doors, engine bay and trunk, with a realistic interior. As with most Alternators, his car body is mostly unpainted, but the metallic-flake deep blue plastic makes this hard to see.

: Featuring an innovative, different robot mode, Mirage is not a straight re-interpretation of the original Mirage's robot mode, due to the completely different types of vehicles. But coincidentally the Ford GT's hood features a shape that echoes a F1-type racing car's nose and front spoiler. His engine's supercharger forms two separate tonfa weapons that can also be interpreted as guns.

: Mirage was retooled into [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys|Hot Rodimus]] for the ''[[Kiss Players (toyline)|Kiss Players]]'' line, which was further redecoed into ''Alternators'' Rodimus. Later in 2007, he was redecoed in clear plastic colours to represent his 'invisibility mode' as an [[e-Hobby]] exclusive in the ''[[Binaltech]]'' line.

===Universe===
*'''Mirage''' (Spy Changer, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Gun

: For ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'', Mirage is identical to the last Kay-Bee [[exclusive]] redeco of ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots In Disguise]]'' [[Mirage (RID)|Mirage]], transforming into a translucent green Lola Indy car. He was available only on an individual card from discount chains like The Dollar Store.

===Classics===
[[Image:Classics Mirage toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Applied to Revoltech club; rejected.]]
*'''Mirage''' (Classics Deluxe, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Gun/front spoiler

:''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' Mirage was released in November 2006 in wave 2, along with the [[shortpacked]] [[Grimlock (G1)/toys|Grimlock]]. He transforms into a closed-canopy Formula racer concept car. Mirage's paint details contain a few ''Transformers'' in-jokes in the form of sponsor logos such as "[[Sparkplug Witwicky|Witwicky Sparkplugs]]" and "[[Lithone (planet)|Lithonian]] Drivetrain." Additionally, his racing number is still 26, as it was on the original toy. Other logos, which include "Plasma Injection Energy" and "F.P. Racing," refer to "pie" and the initials of [[Joe Kyde|the deco artist]]'s super-secret non-gay friendship cult, respectively.

:The front detaches to become a handheld electro-disruptor weapon which is said to be able to create illusions and allow him to appear invisible. (This is a reconciliation of Mirage's illusion-creation ability from his original tech spec profile and his invisibility power from the animated series.)

: This mold was also used to make [[Fracture]] and ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' [[Drag Strip]].

{{-}}

*'''Hologram Mirage''' (BotCon, 2007)
**''Accessories:'' Gun/front spoiler

:A redeco of Classics Mirage in translucent and opaque blue, Mirage was available only as a "freebie" gift to attendees at BotCon 2007.

{{-}}
===Binaltech===
* '''Rijie''' (e-Hobby exclusive, 2007)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''BT-18'''
**''Accessories:'' Engine/tonfa weapons

:Rijie is a redeco of ''Alternators'' Mirage using mostly transparent plastic. The toy was exclusively available from [[e-Hobby]] in September 2007.

:Even though Takara had briefly contemplated releasing a [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rodimus]] (Hot Rod) retool of Alternators Mirage as the next ''Binaltech'' toy after [[Ginrai]] (both toys would ultimately come out as part of the ''[[Kiss Players (toyline)|Kiss Players]]'' line instead), they apparently never created any [[die-cast]] molds for the Ford GT sculpt. To justify the absence of diecast parts from a ''Binaltech'' toy, Takara decided to use clear plastic parts to represent an "invisible" mode, officially called an "Electro-Disrupter" {{sic}} mode on the packaging.

{{-}}
===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[Image:Henkei Mirage toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Sculpted in 2006. Decoed in the late 70s.]]
*'''Ligier''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-04'''
**''Accessories:'' Gun/front spoiler

: ''[[Henkei! Henkei! (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]] Transformers'' Ligier is a redeco of ''Classics'' Mirage. In an effort to make him appear more accurate to Mirage's cartoon appearances, Ligier lacks most of the sponsorship tampographs that appeared on ''Classics'' Mirage. As with all ''Henkei'' toys, he lacks the heat-sensitive rubsign seen on the ''Classics'' version, but features [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum-metallized]] parts: his rear spoiler and his front spoiler.

{{-}}

*'''Electro Disruptor Ligier''' (Deluxe, 2009)

: Electro Disruptor Ligier is a translucent plastic version of ''Henkei'' Ligier offered as a mail-away exclusive to those who have bought the book [[Transformers Generations 2009|Transformers Generations 2009 Volume 1]].

: This toy was repurposed as Shattered Glass Mirage.

==Merchandise==
===Robot Heroes===
[[Image:RH Mirage vs Starscream.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I'm too rich to be cute.]]
* '''Mirage Vs Starscream''' (2007)

:Packaged with [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], Mirage is a two-inch-high robot sculpted in super deformed style with articulation at the head and shoulders. The toy has a sculpted missile launcher, like the original character, but oddly it is resting on the figure's back instead of the shoulder. This mold was later redecod into ''Hologram'' Mirage.

{{-}}
[[Image:Hologram Robot Hero Mirage.jpg|right|150px|thumb|What he said.]]
* '''Decepticon Sneak Attack''' (2007)

:Hologram Mirage is a recolor of the two-pack Mirage cast in transparent blue with slightly different paint details. Most notably, the Autobot symbols on his arms have been replaced with part of the word "Citanes", to evoke the original toy. Mirage was packed with ''Metallic Finish'' Optimus Prime, ''Metallic Finish'' Megatron, Cliffjumper, and Skywarp. This pack was sold exclusively in Walmart, and Walmart.com.

{{-}}

==Trivia==
*Mirage is absent from the fictional events of 2005 and 2006 without explanation; a storyboarded scene from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' featuring Mirage was cut from the finished film. Amidst the transformation of [[Autobot City]], Mirage was to ambush the Insecticon [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] and then be fired upon by Megatron. Whether or not this would have killed Mirage is not made clear, but given the film's casual body count, it seems highly probable.
*Mirage has been a traitor/suspected traitor in nearly every continuity he's popped up in. You just can't trust those coastal elite.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.toybin.org/search.php?q=1984+Autobot+Mirage ToyBin Mirage Toy Gallery]
* [http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Mirage/mirage.htm Mirage at TFU.info]
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Mirage Mirage's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Go-Bots]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category: Henkei! Henkei! characters]]
[[Category:Machine Wars characters]]
[[Category:Mail order items]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Robot Masters characters]]
[[Category:Spies]]

Mirage (G1)

2009-10-08T00:24:18Z

60.242.199.15: /* Generation 1 */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2}}
{{disambig3|Mirage}}
:''Mirage is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Mirageg1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"The ship was... full."]]
'''Mirage''' is what humans call "old money." Before the war, he was a member of affluent Cybertronian society, with his own large estate and high-priced [[Mirage's friends|friends]]. He enjoyed the finer things in life: vintage [[Energon (fuel)|energon]], swank evening events, and [[turbofox]] hunts on the grounds. But when the war started, he was forced to choose sides and found himself banded with a group of commoners he didn't really understand.

Some of the other Autobots don't trust Mirage. He feels the war, even after all these millions of years, is beneath him. War is not, after all, how civilized, erudite beings conduct themselves. He often questions the Autobots' violent means, and not-so-secretly hopes they and the Decepticons can get along. Because of this, he has been labelled by a few others as a Decepticon sympathizer. Still, he sided with the Autobots for a reason, and he is there for the Autobots when they need him.

Although the details vary by continuity, Mirage has the ability to create illusions which typically either render him invisible or make him appear to be somewhere he isn't.

He sounds like [[wikipedia:Dean Martin|Dean Martin]].

:''Japanese name:'' '''Ligier''' or '''Rijie''' (リジェ ''Rije'')
:''Hungarian name:'' '''Délibáb''' ("Mirage")
:''Italian name:'' '''Mistero''' ("Mystery")
:''Portuguese name:'' '''Miragem''' ("Mirage")
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Hǎi-shr-shèn-lóu''' (海市蜃樓, "Mirage") / '''Hàun-yǐng''' (幻影, "Phantom")

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Miragebluestreakfirst.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Mirage tells the story of how he got his name every five minutes.]]
Mirage was one of the Autobots on board the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] when it crashed, and was subsequently reactivated in 1984. At first, Mirage was reluctant to full-on attack his Decepticon opponents, instead trying to reason with them. However, after a battle with the relentless [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], Mirage learned that sometimes diplomacy is not an option. {{storylink|The Last Stand}}

[[Image:Mirageg1enemywithin.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Punk'd!]]
''During an accident on the Ark, [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] suffered an extreme neuro-shock, causing him to rebel and turn against his teammates. Mirage helped the Autobots hunt him down and tranquilize him. This same accident also amplified Mirage's ability to create illusions, which he later used to trick the Decepticons into believing that a duel between Brawn and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] ended with Brawn's death. The Decepticons felt totally stupid.'' {{storylink|The Enemy Within!}}

In the wake of a disastrous mission to rescue [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s captive head from the Decepticons, most of the Autobots were rendered inoperative. Mirage was one of a handful of Autobots who remained active, accompanying Optimus and various newer Autobots on several subsequent missions. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}} {{storylink|I, Robot-Master!}} {{storylink|Command Performances!}}

''Mirage lucked out during the Dinobot Hunt—he was assigned to B-Team, whose quarry, Snarl, was knocked out by the destruction of a human military base, leaving him inert and easy to capture.'' {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!}}

Long after, he was blown to pieces by [[Octane]] during an Arctic battle arranged by [[Starscream (G1)| Starscream]]. He recovered in time to be destroyed again in [[New York City]] by Starscream himself (empowered by the [[Underbase]]). {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Mirageg2die.jpg|left|120px|thumb|"Got to—" '''SPOOM!''']]
Disobeying [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s orders, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] led a covert team (which included Mirage) onto the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] ship ''[[Twilight (G2)|Twilight]]'' to defeat [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and his army of "evolved Decepticons". Grimlock's plan was an utter failure, ending in [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s death and the Autobots' capture. Mirage was destroyed by enemy fire during the following prison break. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}}

{{-}}
====Classics====
{{note| The Classics comic takes place after the end of the original Marvel Comic, but in a new timeline that does not include the events of the Marvel UK-exclusive stories or Generation 2.}}
Having been revived (presumably by [[Nucleon]]), Mirage was the happiest of them all, until he saw just how badly his way of life was affected by warfare. Mirage found that ages of warfare had made him bitter. Eventually, he decided to join Optimus Prime in returning to Earth, and war with Megatron.<ref>Mirage Classics Profile, [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 13]]</ref>

His actions include evacuating [[RUNT|RUNTs]] and their pilots, holding [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] at gunpoint, and revealing that his illusion powers (in this continuity) now ''include'' invisibility. {{storylink|Crossing Over}}

He later secretly followed [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] to a meeting from his crew of the [[Graviton (Classics)|Graviton]]. Unfortunately, he tried to crash Starscream's meeting with [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]]. [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]]'s infra-red sensors, and [[Weirdwolf]]'s keen nose allowed the Decepticons to find him, and he was gift-wrapped for Megatron. When the Gravitron crew led by Grimlock and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] attacked the Decepticon base, Mirage was rescued by [[Strongarm (Classics)|Strongarm]], [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]], and [[Elita One]]. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

===Cartoon continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Frank Welker]] (English), [[Takurō Kitagawa]] (Japanese)

Mirage was part of the bridge crew of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] when it crash-landed on Earth four million years ago. A volcanic eruption in 1984 awakened the Ark's inhabitants, including Mirage, who was reformatted by [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] to have a terrestrial alternate mode of a Formula-1 racer. With the battle against the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] now transplanted to Earth, Mirage still hated warfare. He longed to return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and simply turn his back to the evil Decepticons, but his loyalty to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] kept him in the fight.

Mirage was instrumental in stopping the Decepticons from returning to Cybertron after amassing enough energon from Earth. The Decepticons had constructed a [[Victory (ship)|new star cruiser]] and were in the process of flying home to tip the scales of the war in their favor. Mirage used his cloaking ability to sneak aboard the Decepticon ship. He uncloaked and opened fire, blasting away at the ship's controls. He then bailed from the doomed cruiser, floating back to Earth's surface on a parasail as the Decepticons crashed into the ocean. Optimus Prime asked Mirage why he—homesick and war-weary Autobot that he was—did not hitch the ride back home. Mirage responded, affirming his loyalty to the Autobots, "The ship was... full." {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

{{charstubfiction}}

Mirage’s role in the Autobots’ battles on Earth was a distinctly minimal one, leaving him confined to the background on the battlefield or not present at all. In early 1985, however, the spotlight shone on Mirage again when [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] suspected him of disloyalty. The discovery of a Decepticon installation in a sector Mirage had recently scouted caused Cliffjumper to leap the incorrect conclusion that Mirage had concealed the information and was a traitor to the Autobots. During a battle with the Decepticons at the site, Mirage was injured, but managed to rip a Decepticon [[Insignia|seal]] off [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]. Mirage risked the trust of his comrades by sneaking away to perform a plan of his own, framing the Decepticons for stealing [[Energon cube|Energon cubes]] from the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]. Spotted carrying the cubes by Cliffjumper, Mirage’s guilt seemed all but confirmed, and before he could reveal his innocence, he was captured and brainwashed by one of [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]’s mind-controlling [[Cerebro-shell|cerebro-shells]]. Under Bombshell’s control, Mirage led the Autobots into an ambush, but at the battle’s end, the assorted manipulations were revealed and Cliffjumper apologized to Mirage. {{storylink|Traitor}}

Toward the end of the year, Mirage was among the team of five Autobots who disguised themselves as the [[Stunticon|Stunticons]], with Mirage’s alternate mode making him the perfect choice to masquerade as [[Drag Strip]]. Penetrating the Decepticon camp, the Autobots ran into trouble when the real Stunticons arrived, trying to prove their identities by forming [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. With a combination of [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]’s magnetic powers and Mirage’s illusion-creating ability, the Autobots were able to appear as Menasor too. Though the deception was soon revealed, they were still able to thwart the Decepticons’ plans. {{storylink|Masquerade}}

{{note|An unused scene from the storyboard for [[The Transformers: The Movie]] showed Mirage wounded (possibly killed) by Megatron after getting back at Bombshell for [[Traitor|jeopardizing his career]]. Given the high body count, his death is still likely.}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Robot Masters'' pack-in comics=====
=====''Robot Masters'' online comics=====
=====''Binaltech''=====
Mirage volunteered for an experimental new Binaltech upgrade that boosted the [[power chip rectifier]] in his revamped body to the Nth degree, making him permanently invisible thanks to his electro-disruptor. This proved to be key in a special mission conceived of by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]. Having uncovered several secrets from the files of the time-traveling [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], the Autobots learned of a mysterious [[Large switch|switch]] hidden away on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] which, when pulled, would instantaneously immobilize all Transformers throughout the universe. Having lost Cybertron to [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s tyrannical rule and facing considerable odds in the Sol System as well, Prime decided it was necessary to activate the switch in order to end the war.

With [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] and several [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] [[GT System|GTs]] awaiting his signal as back-up, Mirage invisibly infiltrated Decepticon-controlled Cybertron and made his way to the switch. After throwing the switch, though, Mirage was surprised to find that he was still mobile. It seemed the Binaltech warriors (both Autobot and Decepticon) were significantly different enough from regular Transformers to be unaffected by the immobilization wave. With the Autobots now vastly outnumbering the Decepticons still in operation, the tide of the war had irreparably shifted.

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{note|Events from the [[Keepers Trilogy]] novels are in italics.}}
Despite his misgiving about the war effort, Mirage's tenure with the Autobot cause dates back to the time of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]. When Shockwave staged a disastrous offensive against [[Iacon]], Mirage was there defending the [[Decagon]] alongside Prowl and the other Autobot soldiers. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5}} During the Dark Ages, he continued serving under Prowl as part of the main Autobot faction at [[Virtue's Forum]], in the remains of Iacon. Alongside Jazz and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], he tried defending their prisoner, [[Blitzwing (G1)|Experiment D-43]], against the intruder known as [[The Fallen]], but failed miserably in the process. {{storylink|War Within: The Dark Ages|The War Within: The Dark Ages}}

Four million years ago, Mirage crash-landed on the planet Earth aboard the shuttle known as the Ark, with more than two dozen of his fellow Autobots and Decepticons. They remained inactive in stasis lock at the base of a volcano until 1984, when volcanic activity shook them back on-line. The war began again, but without reinforcements or connection to Cybertron, Megatron and his Decepticons were eventually defeated and taken prisoner by the Autobots. Mirage and the rest of the Transformers were prepared to fly back to Cybertron in a new spacecraft, the ''[[Ark II]]'', when it exploded on its maiden voyage, leaving them all believed dead.

Not so. Most of the Transformers had been salvaged by a mercenary named [[Lazarus]], who spent the next few years repairing and reprogramming the Cybertronians to use as weapons of mass destruction at his command. Optimus Prime was reactivated by the United States military to oppose Lazarus, and he in turn used the power of the Matrix to revive several other Autobots who had escaped Lazarus' salvage crews, including Mirage. After rescuing some of their number from the human mercenaries, Mirage and the Autobots had to race against time putting their friends back together after the Decepticons escaped to wreak havoc. What's worse, a mechanizing virus had been released by Megatron, turning organic life into inanimate mechanical matter. Mirage exhausted a good percentage of his energon reserves fighting back the tide of the virus, but the Autobots were eventually successful. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

''Mirage was remarkably unhelpful during the war with the [[Keeper (species)|Keepers]]. After Optimus Prime was forced to give the Matrix over to Megatron as a debt of honor, Mirage sniped about the decision worse than any of the Autobots. His criticisms only got louder after a news report from [[Washington, D.C.]] made it clear that Megatron had found one of his warriors, the already mighty [[Omega Sentinel (G1)|Omega Sentinel]], who could actually wield the power of the Matrix directly. Now that Prime had actually strengthened their enemies as well as weakening the Autobots, Mirage just wouldn't shut up about it. The final straw was when [[Franklin Townsend]], a crazed augment working for the Keepers, idly strolled into the Ark, took over control of [[Bluestreak]]'s mind, and made his getaway. Mirage was ready to brazenly disobey Prime's orders and charge right after Bluestreak, until Optimus physically slammed him into a wall and forced him to obey his commanding officer. ''

''When you're being so much of a dick that the legendary patience of Optimus Prime runs out, it's time to rein it in, Mirage. {{storylink|Fusion (novel)|Fusion}}''

When [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] came to Earth and announced that the Autobot/Decepticon wars were over and that the two factions had been united, Mirage was one of the first to fall in with the new regime. The rest of the Autobots were wary of this development, and so a few (especially [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]) considered Mirage a traitor. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} Mirage quickly realigned himself with the Autobot cause when Shockwave's true plan was revealed, and Cliffjumper seemed to forgive him, as Mirage had saved Cliffjumper from [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] by sneaking up on him invisibly. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

Unfortunately for Mirage, the Autobots' acting commander Prowl soon came to the conclusion that they needed to return to Earth and establish a more significant beach-head there for the future. Mirage tried to argue against the idea, as he was more than thrilled to finally be back home on Cybertron, but then [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] cut in and reminded Mirage that Shockwave's united government had sold off his riches and property while he was gone. Ooooh—burn. {{storylink|Atonement}} The Autobots readied themselves for the return mission on a new shuttle, and began construction of Autobot City upon their arrival on Earth. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] found Mirage's holo-projector aboard the ''Ark'', and used it to make a better holographic driver for himself than [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] could. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2}}

Meanwhile, Mirage was among the dormant Transformers discovered by [[Cobra]], reprogrammed for nefarious purposes, and given new alternate modes (Mirage now transformed into a Cobra [[Ferret]]). Upon being freed from Cobra's control by Wheeljack, Mirage's group located Optimus Prime and helped fight back against the newly freed Decepticons. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4}} He later stood watch as the damaged Prime was formulating a plan. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5}}

===IDW comics continuity===
Mirage was a suspect in the assassination attempts on [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], as he was one of only four Autobots present on the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub|Hub]] during both attacks. He and two of the other Autobots were cleared when it was discovered that a mind-controlled [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] was the true culprit. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

A year later, he delivered information to the Autobots that there was a power-struggle among the Decepticons, information that turned out to be false and drew Optimus and an Autobot team (including the former ''[[Ark-19]]'' crew) into a hideous ambush that left them trapped on Cybertron. Before dumping them on Cybertron, Megatron revealed that there had been a willing traitor collaborator involved in his trap, and Mirage was the prime suspect {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7}} with everyone but [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] believing he'd betrayed them to the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4}}

It's not all bad, though; he got to use his invisibility trick to sneak up on [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]'s crew when Jazz was trying to prove his command skills. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5}} Not long after, a raging Ironhide dragged him into a corner and beat him half to death. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7}}

{{note|The events of ''Spotlight: Mirage'' possibly take place in an alternate/unknown continuity.}}
[[Image:SpotlightMirage trappedHound.jpg|right|200px|thumb|This didn't actually happen. Or did it? No, it didn't.]]
Mirage was haunted repeatedly by dreams of being a Decepticon. Or actually ''is'' a Decepticon from another universe who, after helping kill the last Autobots, got blown back through time and space to the main universe. Or via [[Zodiac]] energy has gained flashbacks of an alternate Decepticon Mirage. God knows what's going on there. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}
{{-}}
===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comic===

{{storylink|Mirage's Rebirth}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' Bun Bun manga===

{{storylink|Enter! The Transformers}} {{storylink|Enter the Emperor of Destruction!}} {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}} {{storylink|The Enemy from the Arctic}} {{storylink|Wataru's Power}}

{{charstubfiction}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1Mirage toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I don't need to be street-legal; I'm rich.]]
*'''Mirage''' (Autobot Car, 1984/1986)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''07'''
**''Accessories:'' "Rocket-Dart Hunting Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles

: Mirage was part of the original 1984 Autobot car assortment. His mold was originally used for a ''[[Diaclone]]'' F-1 Ligier JS-11 racer. The toy was specifically designed to work with the launcher mechanism contained in the Optimus Prime / Battle Convoy trailer. This toy is easily broken at the waist pivot. The labels on the toy are references to several real-world companies. The largest name, Citanes, is a deliberate corruption of Gitanes, a French cigarette company. (Quite unusual for a child's toy, but not the only [[Marlboor Wheeljack|cigarette reference in ''Diaclone'']].) The toy included Gitanes' logo of a dancing gypsy woman on what ends up as Mirage's belt in robot form. "Ligier" is the name of the company that manufactured the JS-11 chassis and fielded the team, traditionally wearing 25 and 26 on the F1 grid, while "elf" is a reference to a French oil company that has since merged with TotalFina to become TotalFinaElf.

: In 1986, he was made available as a mail-away item (as he was no longer shipping to retail shelves) in multiple offers, including a [[Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction]] flier packed with most boxed ''Transformers'' toys. He cost $8 and two [[robot points]]. In Japan Mirage was also included in the 1986 ''Goodbye Convoy'' [[Giftset|gift set]]. This was the final release of the mold, making Mirage the only one of the original Autobots not to have been reissued in some form.

: Hasbro and/or Takara have announced that the mold for Mirage is [[Gone Forever|either lost or damaged]], so a reissue is unlikely. This presumably excludes the molds obtained by [[Knockoff|certain Chinese companies]] to produce several Mirage "perfect" [[Bootleg|bootlegs]] in a variety of flavors including original, clear, smoke, and red, based on the ultra-rare version from the [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Diaclone Powered Convoy]] giftset.

===Generation 2===
* '''Mirage''' (Go-Bot, 1995)
**''Accessories:'' Gun

: Mirage was released in 1995 as a black and yellow recolor of the [[Go-Bot (G2)|Go-Bot]] [[Double Clutch]]. He was also planned to be released as a flipchanger, but the ''Generation 2'' line was canceled to make way for ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]''. The unreleased mold was first used in ''[[Machine Wars]]''.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Mirage (RID)|Mirage]].

===Machine Wars===
[[Image:Mwmirage.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Gah! I'm teal! Somebody recolor me, please!]]
* '''Mirage''' (Basic, 1997)
**''Accessories:'' 2-part rifle

: Mirage's form in ''[[Machine Wars]]'' transforms into a blue and white Indycar. Like the other Machine Wars basics, the toy is a flipchanger (having a one-step, spring-loaded transformation), and his weapons are hidden in his alt mode. Unlike most of the ''Machine Wars'' toys, the head looks very similar to his Generation 1 form. This is because the mold was originally designed as Mirage for ''[[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]''.

: This mold was also used to make ''Machine Wars'' [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Skid-Z (RID)|Skid-Z]].

{{-}}
===Robot Masters===
[[Image:RMRijie toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Phew. Thanks.]]
* '''Rijie''' (Basic, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''RM-03'''
**''Accessories:'' 2-part "Molecular Bonding Gun", "JS Laser Gun"

: ''[[Robot Masters]]'' "Rijie" used the ''Machine Wars'' Mirage mold, but in a much more [[Generation 1 (toyline)|Generation 1]]-based coloration and deco. He also came with an extra chrome-silver "JS Laser Gun" (like the other bonus weapons of ''Robot Masters'', it is suspected to be a mold originally developed yet ultimately unused by the cut-short ''[[Microman]] LED Powers'' line).

: Because of legal reasons, "Ligier" could not be used for the name of the ''Robot Masters'' toy, so "Rijie", which has the same pronunciation in Japan, was used instead. Curiously, the toy's instructions still identify it as "Ligier".

{{-}}
===Alternators===
[[Image:AlternatorsMirage toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|This toy is clearly black, red, and silver. You're just deluding yourself.]]
* '''Mirage''' (Alternator, 2006)
**''Alternator ID number:'' '''22'''
**''Accessories:'' Engine/tonfa weapons

: ''[[Alternators (toyline)|Alternators]]'' Mirage transforms into a finely detailed 1:24 scale replica of a Ford GT, featuring opening doors, engine bay and trunk, with a realistic interior. As with most Alternators, his car body is mostly unpainted, but the metallic-flake deep blue plastic makes this hard to see.

: Featuring an innovative, different robot mode, Mirage is not a straight re-interpretation of the original Mirage's robot mode, due to the completely different types of vehicles. But coincidentally the Ford GT's hood features a shape that echoes a F1-type racing car's nose and front spoiler. His engine's supercharger forms two separate tonfa weapons that can also be interpreted as guns.

: Mirage was retooled into [[Hot Rod (G1) toys|Hot Rodimus]] for the ''[[Kiss Players (toyline)|Kiss Players]]'' line, which was further redecoed into ''Alternators'' Rodimus. Later in 2007, he was redecoed in clear plastic colours to represent his 'invisibility mode' as an [[e-Hobby]] exclusive in the ''[[Binaltech]]'' line.

===Universe===
*'''Mirage''' (Spy Changer, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Gun

: For ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'', Mirage is identical to the last Kay-Bee [[exclusive]] redeco of ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots In Disguise]]'' [[Mirage (RID)|Mirage]], transforming into a translucent green Lola Indy car. He was available only on an individual card from discount chains like The Dollar Store.

===Classics===
[[Image:Classics Mirage toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Applied to Revoltech club; rejected.]]
*'''Mirage''' (Classics Deluxe, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Gun/front spoiler

:''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' Mirage was released in November 2006 in wave 2, along with the [[shortpacked]] [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. He transforms into a closed-canopy Formula racer concept car. Mirage's paint details contain a few ''Transformers'' in-jokes in the form of sponsor logos such as "[[Sparkplug Witwicky|Witwicky Sparkplugs]]" and "[[Lithone (planet)|Lithonian]] Drivetrain." Additionally, his racing number is still 26, as it was on the original toy. Other logos, which include "Plasma Injection Energy" and "F.P. Racing," refer to "pie" and the initials of [[Joe Kyde|the deco artist]]'s super-secret non-gay friendship cult, respectively.

:The front detaches to become a handheld electro-disruptor weapon which is said to be able to create illusions and allow him to appear invisible. (This is a reconciliation of Mirage's illusion-creation ability from his original tech spec profile and his invisibility power from the animated series.)

: This mold was also used to make [[Fracture]] and ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' [[Drag Strip]].

{{-}}

*'''Hologram Mirage''' (BotCon, 2007)
**''Accessories:'' Gun/front spoiler

:A redeco of Classics Mirage in translucent and opaque blue, Mirage was available only as a "freebie" gift to attendees at BotCon 2007.

{{-}}
===Binaltech===
* '''Rijie''' (e-Hobby exclusive, 2007)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''BT-18'''
**''Accessories:'' Engine/tonfa weapons

:Rijie is a redeco of ''Alternators'' Mirage using mostly transparent plastic. The toy was exclusively available from [[e-Hobby]] in September 2007.

:Even though Takara had briefly contemplated releasing a [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rodimus]] (Hot Rod) retool of Alternators Mirage as the next ''Binaltech'' toy after [[Ginrai]] (both toys would ultimately come out as part of the ''[[Kiss Players (toyline)|Kiss Players]]'' line instead), they apparently never created any [[die-cast]] molds for the Ford GT sculpt. To justify the absence of diecast parts from a ''Binaltech'' toy, Takara decided to use clear plastic parts to represent an "invisible" mode, officially called an "Electro-Disrupter" {{sic}} mode on the packaging.

{{-}}
===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[Image:Henkei Mirage toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Sculpted in 2006. Decoed in the late 70s.]]
*'''Ligier''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-04'''
**''Accessories:'' Gun/front spoiler

: ''[[Henkei! Henkei! (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]] Transformers'' Ligier is a redeco of ''Classics'' Mirage. In an effort to make him appear more accurate to Mirage's cartoon appearances, Ligier lacks most of the sponsorship tampographs that appeared on ''Classics'' Mirage. As with all ''Henkei'' toys, he lacks the heat-sensitive rubsign seen on the ''Classics'' version, but features [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum-metallized]] parts: his rear spoiler and his front spoiler.

{{-}}

*'''Electro Disruptor Ligier''' (Deluxe, 2009)

: Electro Disruptor Ligier is a translucent plastic version of ''Henkei'' Ligier offered as a mail-away exclusive to those who have bought the book [[Transformers Generations 2009|Transformers Generations 2009 Volume 1]].

: This toy was repurposed as Shattered Glass Mirage.

==Merchandise==
===Robot Heroes===
[[Image:RH Mirage vs Starscream.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I'm too rich to be cute.]]
* '''Mirage Vs Starscream''' (2007)

:Packaged with [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], Mirage is a two-inch-high robot sculpted in super deformed style with articulation at the head and shoulders. The toy has a sculpted missile launcher, like the original character, but oddly it is resting on the figure's back instead of the shoulder. This mold was later redecod into ''Hologram'' Mirage.

{{-}}
[[Image:Hologram Robot Hero Mirage.jpg|right|150px|thumb|What he said.]]
* '''Decepticon Sneak Attack''' (2007)

:Hologram Mirage is a recolor of the two-pack Mirage cast in transparent blue with slightly different paint details. Most notably, the Autobot symbols on his arms have been replaced with part of the word "Citanes", to evoke the original toy. Mirage was packed with ''Metallic Finish'' Optimus Prime, ''Metallic Finish'' Megatron, Cliffjumper, and Skywarp. This pack was sold exclusively in Walmart, and Walmart.com.

{{-}}

==Trivia==
*Mirage is absent from the fictional events of 2005 and 2006 without explanation; a storyboarded scene from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' featuring Mirage was cut from the finished film. Amidst the transformation of [[Autobot City]], Mirage was to ambush the Insecticon [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] and then be fired upon by Megatron. Whether or not this would have killed Mirage is not made clear, but given the film's casual body count, it seems highly probable.
*Mirage has been a traitor/suspected traitor in nearly every continuity he's popped up in. You just can't trust those coastal elite.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.toybin.org/search.php?q=1984+Autobot+Mirage ToyBin Mirage Toy Gallery]
* [http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Mirage/mirage.htm Mirage at TFU.info]
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Mirage Mirage's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Go-Bots]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category: Henkei! Henkei! characters]]
[[Category:Machine Wars characters]]
[[Category:Mail order items]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Robot Masters characters]]
[[Category:Spies]]

Neon

2009-09-21T09:50:59Z

60.242.199.15:

[[Image:G1OmegaSpreem toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Orange Spreem]]
{{bigquote|Why can't we get some more realistic colors fitting a real life vechicle/Animals for a TF? Example: A purple wolf Silverbot for the TF line. A rainbow colored Depth charge for TFU. The badly colored Armada Tidalwave. No ones saying paint everything black+grey. just stop using those neon colors & so forth.|Deathy|alt.toys.transformers (2004)<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/e1afb34ee4f68eb9?dmode=source Important questions to ask Orson/Hasbro]</ref>}}

Unlike the real world, where the word means "fluorescent", '''neon''' is a term used by many in the Transformers online fandom to describe any color on a Transformers product that an individual merely finds ugly. This broad usage means practically any color imaginable can be marginalized as a hated "neon" color. Colors that have been categorized as neon include the following:

*White
*Yellow (unless it is on a [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bug]])
*Red (unless it is on a [[Optimus Prime (G1)|truck]])
*Blue
*Green (unless it is on a [[Constructicon (G1)|construction vehicle]])
*Purple (see above. [[Trypticon (G1)|Or]] a [[Megatron (BW)|dinosaur.]])
*Orange (unless it is on a [[Predacon (G1)|predatory animal]])
*Black

Often a neon color will be a complementary accent color, even if that color is extremely unsaturated. Any color schemes that [[GEEWUN|adhere slavishly]] to a pre-existing [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] character are exempt from all of the above.

==Prominent examples==
<center><gallery>
Image:Tidalwavearmadaremy.jpg|You might think the red is what's neon here, but it's actually the dull green.
Image:Depthcharge-universe.jpg|The aforementioned "rainbow-colored Depth Charge".
Image:Thundercrackeram.jpg|Okay, this one IS kinda hideous.
Image:G2bruticus.jpg|Neon camouflage — easy to be spotted on the battlefield.
Image:G2 Gobot Soundwave toy.jpg|You can see it from space!
Image:Nemesisprimealtrobot.jpg|The teal here is especially neon. As is the black.
Image:Skyquake.jpg|And worst of all...
</gallery></center>

==See also==
*[[Playskool]]
*[[Black repaint]]
*[[Generation 2 (toyline)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Toys]]

Trasformer

2009-08-21T13:02:22Z

60.242.199.15: /* Trivia */

{{picsneeded|logo, box design something.}}
'''''Trasformer''''' {{sic}} was a unique international release of [[Takara|Takara's]] ''[[Diaclone]]'' and ''[[Micro Change|MicroChange]]'' lines by an Italian company named [[GiG]] that was launched in 1984. The toys are infamous for featuring several characteristics of Hasbro's ''Transformers'' versions of those toys, even though GiG initially only had a license from Takara for importing their ''Diaclone'' versions.

==History==
In 1983, GiG had acquired the license for selling imported Diaclone and MicroChange toys on the Italian market from Takara. Initially, GiG simply released the toys under the name ''Diaclone'', such as the Dia-Battles combiner, the Dia-Train or the Power Bases playsets.

However, when [[Hasbro]] had launched their ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|Transformers]]'' version of the line with considerable success the following year, GiG quickly realized the potential. Since GiG didn't want to pay for a second license, they came up with quite an original concept: As they couldn't directly mimick Hasbro's ''Transformers'' toys, they would now release the ''Diaclone'' toys in color schemes based on the Hasbro versions, even using the same sticker sheets as the Hasbro toys, omitting the pilots (in most cases, anyway) and renaming the line into ''Trasformer'', with the ''Diaclone'' "Car Robos" (the Autobot Cars) being called "Auto Robots". The packaging, however, was still more or less based on Takara's ''Diaclone'' packaging, and the toys featured no bios or any kind of fiction that would identify them as Hasbro's Transformers characters. The ''Trasformer'' line also included the ''Diaclone'' [[Triple Changer]], which was never released as part of the ''Transformers'' line. On the other hand, GiG also undertook some bizarre [[For safety reasons|safety modifications]], replacing the toys' regular missiles with all-new missiles that featured ridiculously oversized rubber tips. Interestingly enough, GiG also released their version of the [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] mold as part of the ''Trasformer'' line, even though toy wasn't licensed from Takara, but another company named ToyBox.

Obviously, Hasbro weren't too happy about this and thus quickly pressured GiG into acquiring a proper license. In 1985, GiG then abandoned the ''Trasformer'' line and instead re-released the toys in actual ''Transformers'' packaging, albeit keeping a small remainder of the old ''Trasformer'' logo in addition to the larger ''Transformers'' logo (the small ''Trasformer'' logo would finally be dropped for good starting with the Pretenders toys from 1988). Still, GiG would keep their ties with Takara, which allowed them to release toys as part of the Transformers line which Hasbro would never release (such as a [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] giftset or [[Galaxy Shuttle]]).

==Toys==
===Auto Robot===
*No 1 Countach LP 500S (Pre-[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]])
*No 2 Super Countach LP 500s (Pre-[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]])
*No 3 Fuoristrada J59 (Pre-[[Hound (G1)|Hound]])
*No 4 Ligier JS11 F-1 (Pre-[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]])
*No 5 Fairlady Z 280Z (Pre-[[Bluestreak]])
*No 6 Fairlady Z Police Car (Pre-[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]])
*No 7 Porsche 935 Turbo (Pre-[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]])
*No 8 Fairlady Z Racing Type (Pre-[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]])
*No 9 Ambulance (Pre-[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]])
*No 10 Lancia Stratos Turbo (Pre-[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]])
*No 11 4WD Hilux (Pre-[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]])
*No 12 Honda City Turbo (Pre-[[Skids (G1)|Skids]])
*No 13 Corvette Stingray (Pre-[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], or Pre-[[Road Rage]])
*No 14 New Countach LP500S Police Car (Pre-[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], or Pre-[[Clamp Down]])
*No 15 4WD Hilux Autogru (Pre-[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]])
*No 16 Cherry Vanette (Pre-[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]])
*No 30 Camion Pompieri (Pre-[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]])
*No 31 Camion Gru (Pre-[[Grapple]])
*No 50 Camion Convoy Portauto (Pre-[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]])
*Camion Convoy (Pre-[[Optimus Prime (G1) toys|Optimus Prime]])

===Dinosaur Robots===
*1 Tyrannosaurus (Pre-[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]])
*2 Triceratops (Pre-[[Slag (G1)|Slag]])
*3 Brontosaurus (Pre-[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]])
*4 Stegosaurus (Pre-[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]])
*5 Pteranodon (Pre-[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] NEVER SEEN!)

===Tripla Trasformazione===
*Aereo A Tripla Trasformazione (Pre-[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], or Pre-[[Overcharge]])
*Elicottero A Tripla Transformazione (jet/helicopter Triple Changer; never released as a Transformer)

===Scatter===
*Aragon (Pre-[[Powerdasher]] car)
*Zetar (Pre-[[Powerdasher]] drill)
*Cromar (Pre-[[Powerdasher]] jet)

===Destroy Car===
*[unnamed] (Diaclone Change Attacker "Oneboxcar Vanette"; never released as a Transformer)
*[unnamed] (Diaclone Change Attacker "Starion Turbo 2000"; never released as a Transformer)
*[unnamed] (Diaclone Change Attacker "Lamborghini Cheetah"; never released as a Transformer)

===Others===
*MC-13 Walther P-38 U.N.C.L.E. (Pre-[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]])
*Megarobot multi-azione (Pre-[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]])

==Trivia==
* "Ligier JS11 F-1", the ''Trasformer'' version of [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]], sports "Ligier" decals on the sides of the vehicle mode rather than the standard "Citanes" logos found on the ''Diaclone'' and ''Transformers'' versions. Two known variants exist, with either "Ligier" stickers covering the original tampographed "Citanes" logos, or tampographed "Ligier" logos.
* Although "Camion Convoy", the ''Trasformer'' version of [[Optimus Prime (G1) toys|Optimus Prime]], is shown in catalogs, no packaged sample has surfaced thus far, hence making it impossible to tell whether the toy has actually ever been released or not.
* There was a white police version of Sunstreaker released at the beginning of the line but it may never have made it to real production and only three have been known to exist. The spoiler and the chrome intake were painted white and the Japanese stickers removed; the spoiler sticker read "Polis Countach". This could possibly be one of the rarest of the "pre-Transformers".

==External links==
*[http://www.nijirain.com/Lady-ToysDIA.htm Overview of pre-''Trasformer'' Diaclone releases by GiG]
*[http://digilander.libero.it/tfitalia/toys/trasformer/index.htm Catalog images of GiG's ''Trasformer'' toys]
*[http://www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/vitaly.html Information on Italian Transformers and Pre-Transformers toys]
*[http://www.tf-1.com/articles/eurous_frame.php?art=gig GiG article at TF-1.com]

[[Category:Toys]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]

Trasformer

2009-08-21T12:54:43Z

60.242.199.15: /* Trivia */

{{picsneeded|logo, box design something.}}
'''''Trasformer''''' {{sic}} was a unique international release of [[Takara|Takara's]] ''[[Diaclone]]'' and ''[[Micro Change|MicroChange]]'' lines by an Italian company named [[GiG]] that was launched in 1984. The toys are infamous for featuring several characteristics of Hasbro's ''Transformers'' versions of those toys, even though GiG initially only had a license from Takara for importing their ''Diaclone'' versions.

==History==
In 1983, GiG had acquired the license for selling imported Diaclone and MicroChange toys on the Italian market from Takara. Initially, GiG simply released the toys under the name ''Diaclone'', such as the Dia-Battles combiner, the Dia-Train or the Power Bases playsets.

However, when [[Hasbro]] had launched their ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|Transformers]]'' version of the line with considerable success the following year, GiG quickly realized the potential. Since GiG didn't want to pay for a second license, they came up with quite an original concept: As they couldn't directly mimick Hasbro's ''Transformers'' toys, they would now release the ''Diaclone'' toys in color schemes based on the Hasbro versions, even using the same sticker sheets as the Hasbro toys, omitting the pilots (in most cases, anyway) and renaming the line into ''Trasformer'', with the ''Diaclone'' "Car Robos" (the Autobot Cars) being called "Auto Robots". The packaging, however, was still more or less based on Takara's ''Diaclone'' packaging, and the toys featured no bios or any kind of fiction that would identify them as Hasbro's Transformers characters. The ''Trasformer'' line also included the ''Diaclone'' [[Triple Changer]], which was never released as part of the ''Transformers'' line. On the other hand, GiG also undertook some bizarre [[For safety reasons|safety modifications]], replacing the toys' regular missiles with all-new missiles that featured ridiculously oversized rubber tips. Interestingly enough, GiG also released their version of the [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] mold as part of the ''Trasformer'' line, even though toy wasn't licensed from Takara, but another company named ToyBox.

Obviously, Hasbro weren't too happy about this and thus quickly pressured GiG into acquiring a proper license. In 1985, GiG then abandoned the ''Trasformer'' line and instead re-released the toys in actual ''Transformers'' packaging, albeit keeping a small remainder of the old ''Trasformer'' logo in addition to the larger ''Transformers'' logo (the small ''Trasformer'' logo would finally be dropped for good starting with the Pretenders toys from 1988). Still, GiG would keep their ties with Takara, which allowed them to release toys as part of the Transformers line which Hasbro would never release (such as a [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] giftset or [[Galaxy Shuttle]]).

==Toys==
===Auto Robot===
*No 1 Countach LP 500S (Pre-[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]])
*No 2 Super Countach LP 500s (Pre-[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]])
*No 3 Fuoristrada J59 (Pre-[[Hound (G1)|Hound]])
*No 4 Ligier JS11 F-1 (Pre-[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]])
*No 5 Fairlady Z 280Z (Pre-[[Bluestreak]])
*No 6 Fairlady Z Police Car (Pre-[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]])
*No 7 Porsche 935 Turbo (Pre-[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]])
*No 8 Fairlady Z Racing Type (Pre-[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]])
*No 9 Ambulance (Pre-[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]])
*No 10 Lancia Stratos Turbo (Pre-[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]])
*No 11 4WD Hilux (Pre-[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]])
*No 12 Honda City Turbo (Pre-[[Skids (G1)|Skids]])
*No 13 Corvette Stingray (Pre-[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], or Pre-[[Road Rage]])
*No 14 New Countach LP500S Police Car (Pre-[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], or Pre-[[Clamp Down]])
*No 15 4WD Hilux Autogru (Pre-[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]])
*No 16 Cherry Vanette (Pre-[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]])
*No 30 Camion Pompieri (Pre-[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]])
*No 31 Camion Gru (Pre-[[Grapple]])
*No 50 Camion Convoy Portauto (Pre-[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]])
*Camion Convoy (Pre-[[Optimus Prime (G1) toys|Optimus Prime]])

===Dinosaur Robots===
*1 Tyrannosaurus (Pre-[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]])
*2 Triceratops (Pre-[[Slag (G1)|Slag]])
*3 Brontosaurus (Pre-[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]])
*4 Stegosaurus (Pre-[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]])
*5 Pteranodon (Pre-[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] NEVER SEEN!)

===Tripla Trasformazione===
*Aereo A Tripla Trasformazione (Pre-[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], or Pre-[[Overcharge]])
*Elicottero A Tripla Transformazione (jet/helicopter Triple Changer; never released as a Transformer)

===Scatter===
*Aragon (Pre-[[Powerdasher]] car)
*Zetar (Pre-[[Powerdasher]] drill)
*Cromar (Pre-[[Powerdasher]] jet)

===Destroy Car===
*[unnamed] (Diaclone Change Attacker "Oneboxcar Vanette"; never released as a Transformer)
*[unnamed] (Diaclone Change Attacker "Starion Turbo 2000"; never released as a Transformer)
*[unnamed] (Diaclone Change Attacker "Lamborghini Cheetah"; never released as a Transformer)

===Others===
*MC-13 Walther P-38 U.N.C.L.E. (Pre-[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]])
*Megarobot multi-azione (Pre-[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]])

==Trivia==
* "Ligier JS11 F-1", the ''Trasformer'' version of [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]], sports "Ligier" decals on the sides of the vehicle mode rather than the standard "Citanes" logos found on the ''Diaclone'' and ''Transformers'' versions. Two known variants exist, with either "Ligier" stickers covering the original tampographed "Citanes" logos, or tampographed "Ligier" logos.
* Although "Camion Convoy", the ''Trasformer'' version of [[Optimus Prime (G1) toys|Optimus Prime]], is shown in catalogs, no packaged sample has surfaced thus far, hence making it impossible to tell whether the toy has actually ever been released or not.
* Little known Fact that there was a White Police version of Sunstreaker released at the beginning of the line but few speculate that it ever made it to real production and only three have been known to exist. The spoiler and the chrome intake were painted white and the Japanese stickers removed, the spoiler sticker read "Polis Countach". This could possibly be one of the rarest of the "pre transformers".

==External links==
*[http://www.nijirain.com/Lady-ToysDIA.htm Overview of pre-''Trasformer'' Diaclone releases by GiG]
*[http://digilander.libero.it/tfitalia/toys/trasformer/index.htm Catalog images of GiG's ''Trasformer'' toys]
*[http://www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/vitaly.html Information on Italian Transformers and Pre-Transformers toys]
*[http://www.tf-1.com/articles/eurous_frame.php?art=gig GiG article at TF-1.com]

[[Category:Toys]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]

Gold Plastic Syndrome

2009-08-06T02:16:12Z

60.242.199.15: /* Etymology */

[[Image:Electrogoldplasticsyndrome.jpg|right|450px|thumb|Ouch.]]
'''Gold Plastic Syndrome''' (commonly shorthanded to '''GPS''') is fandom terminology used to describe the phenomenon of a toy's [[plastic]] decomposing and becoming brittle to the point of shattering or crumbling under minimal-stress conditions. In the most extreme cases, toys have been reported to spontaneously crumble to small bits without any applied force at all, even if they're fresh out of their [[MISB|unopened package]].

This breakage is different from the relatively more common stress-fracture type of plastic breakage that can occur in some [[Toy|Transformers toys]]. The condition takes its name from the gold plastics of late Generation 1 through to ''Beast Wars'', that have proved the most prone to this sort of breakage. However, despite the name, gold plastic syndrome has been known to affect other types of plastic—most of them noted for a pretty metallic swirl in the plastic.

==Notability==
GPS is widespread among toys made in the tail-end of [[Generation 1]], typically the second year of [[Pretender|Pretenders]] and even some European-market exclusives, but examples have surfaced from lines as recent as ''[[Generation 2]]'' and the ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' series. Transformers toys are not the only ones to suffer from this; there have been reports of ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' and ''Visionaries'' toys' gold plastics also crumbling seemingly of their own accord.

The toys most likely to suffer from Gold Plastic Syndrome are those with gold or bronze plastics with a metallic swirl in the plastic. There are other known cases with different colours of plastic—though usually there is a tell-tale swirl.

==Cause of GPS==
Because this is not exactly an area of scientific notability there aren't any causal studies into Gold Plastic Syndrome that we know about. Basically, what we have is a theory that goes something like: Certain plastics weren't mixed as well as others, possibly because of the metallic pigment or colouring, so they break down more quickly.

It's not much of a theory, really. Here's a more detailed attempt:

{{bigquote|The problem likely arises, as with many composites, when the bonding between the polymer and the dye/particles breaks down. This could occur do to a natural chemical/phase change of the plastic, due to oxidation, for example, or by another mechanism, say the forces incurred by the toy being played with, or more likely, due to some combination thereof. In any case, when the bonds between the particles and the polymers break down, you would get small voids in the plastic structure. If this occurs frequently enough, the structure would become effectively porous (that is, it would be filled with lots of tiny voids/cracks where the polymers and particles have come apart). With even a slight amount of force, some of these cracks/voids could expand, even slightly, to the point where they intersect another void and join, making an even bigger crack. Once a critical crack length is reached, the sample fractures.

So effectively, the plastic becomes more brittle, and this would also explain it "crumbling" as well as cracking.}}
:-Aernaroth suggests a cause for GPS [http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=57191&view=findpost&p=1174876 on the Allspark]

So what it amounts to is: "The plastic crumbles a'cause it ain't very good."

All in all, the actual causes of Gold Plastic Syndrome aren't a very big deal to Transformers fans—it's really pretty academic. Of more concern is the RESULTS (IE, crumbling like a soggy Tim Tam in a cup of coffee), and what to look out for. There's no cure here, no fix. If a toy has GPS it will die.

==The Symptoms==
Gold Plastic Syndrome usually has a few clear signs. Knowing how to tell the difference between Gold Plastic Syndrome and normal plastic breakage is very important for a Transformers fan who is collecting vintage toys. It's the difference between giving up on that toy completely (since if it has GPS so will any other sample of the toy) and buying a new copy.
[[Image:GPSSkyquakescopeclose.jpg|thumb|Nooo!]]
*GPS usually takes place in metallic coloured plastics, most notably gold plastic and bronze plastic.
*GPS breaks are NOT accompanied by stress fractures. There is usually NOT any visible wear before the breakage. This is really important. Plastic breaks. This is a reality of toy collecting, plastic gets old and it breaks. Gold plastic syndrome is breakage without warning.
*GPS breaks often leave a powdery residue and shards of plastic (though not always), the result of the plastic actually physically crumbling. Take a look at the picture of Skyquake's scope... okay, the bits of his scope... to the right. You can actually see some of the left-over shards of plastic. Keep in mind this picture was taken years after the break actually occurred—these are new shards of plastic which came off these pieces of scope during the process of moving the parts around for photography. Plastic should '''not''' be that brittle or delicate.
*GPS breakages don't need to involve any excess stress or force on a toy—simply handling a toy can cause the breakage. Looking at it funny, sometimes does it. Spitting on it, maybe. Opening its box. ''Anything.'' If your toy breaks despite careful handling it's more likely to be GPS.
[[Image:SkyquakeGPSback.jpg|thumb|Gleargh]]
*GPS breaks often have rough, uneven edges with no stress lines around them. This is important—usually when plastic snaps it snaps cleanly (as is common with clear plastic), or it bends first (leaving a torn-off piece, or clear stresses around the break). If a break is uneven, with different colours and textures in it, yet there are no stress fractures around the wound, and especially if it leaves a powdery residue as well, it's almost certainly a GPS beak. Take a look at the photo of Skyquake to the right for a good example of the ragged break. Okay... not good. What's the other word that's LIKE good, but not actually good? Oh yeah. Horrifying. A HORRIFYING example.
*GPS plastics will sometimes feel brittle to the touch, sometimes making cracking noises as they're handled.

A really easy test to tell if you have GPS breakage is this—if a piece breaks off, try snapping it again. If it's normal plastic breakage the broken piece should bend or bow instead of just snapping like dry wood; there should be some give in the plastic, even if it's a brittle clear plastic—so you should be able to glue it back into place, or at least get a replacement part. On the other hand, if the broken piece snaps like your grandmother's ankles in a rugby match, then you've almost definitely got Gold Plastic Syndrome.

==GPS misconceptions==
[[Image:Brownplasticsyndrome.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The one image for the wiki you don't want to be able to make.]]
'''ALL GOLD PLASTIC WILL DIE!'''
:Not true. It's gold plastic from certain eras that will die. It's plastic from about 1989 (second year Pretenders are notorious for it) and through to about the end of ''Beast Wars''. As far as we know later toys do no suffer from GPS. ''As far as we know.'' But just you wait... oh yes, just you wait.

:Even on toys well known for GPS some of their gold plastic is less prone to break. Gold plastic which is nice and thick is much less likely to snap than gold plastic which is thin. Gold plastic which is under constant stress—like that at a joint—is also more likely to break. That said, some really nice solid parts can shatter like eggshell if it's real GPS we're talkin' about.

'''MY TOY BROKE, IT MUST BE GOLD PLASTIC SYNDROME'''
:There are plenty of ways for plastic to break that aren't related to gold plastic syndrome. Repeated stress on a plastic, dropping a toy, a toy with metal parts that damages the plastic parts, thin plastic, or simply the use of transluscent plastic, which is more brittle. Just because a toy breaks doesn't mean it's gold plastic syndrome. Look for the symptoms (listed above) and ask around before assuming that every single copy of this toy is destined to die a painful and horrible death.

'''ONLY GOLD PLASTIC GETS GOLD PLASTIC SYNDROME'''
:Sadly untrue. This sort of plastic breakdown has been reported in other plastics. Notably in the brown plastic (which doesn't even have a metallic sheen!) of Transmetal ''Beast Wars'' Megatron. Just take a look at the horror show to the right. SOMEONE'S TOY HAD TO DIE FOR YOU TO RECEIVE THIS WARNING.

:Most of the time it's plastics with a metallic swirl in them that break—bronze and gold are just ''the most common''. However, any colour of plastic could be susceptible, given time. Keep an eye on your Fire Convoy, kids, that pretty metallic swirl in his plastic isn't promising.

'''MY TOY IS DOOMED!'''
:Okay... not exactly a misconception. Your toy is, in fact doomed... but there is a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

:You see, the thickness of the plastic seems to affect GPS. Also, the amount of stress on it affects it. While some toys are known for breaking just by having their packages opened—guys like Randy, Roadblock and ''Generation 2'' Slingshot—others like Skyquake and Pyro can remain very strongly intact because the parts that are made of GPS plastics are large and thick and otherwise robust. GPS is an inconsistent process—eventually your toy '''will''' crumble, but there's no telling how long it will take. With delicate handling (read: almost none) you can maintain a GPS afflicted toy in your collection for quite some time.

==Toys commonly associated with Gold Plastic Syndrome==
====Generation 1====
* [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]
* [[Bristleback]]
* [[Roadblock (G1)|Roadblock]]
* [[Skyhammer (G1)|Skyhammer]]
:One of the most notorious toys. The entire bottom of his large vehicle shell is made of gold plastic and it is very prone to breakage. Not to mention how much gold plastic is on his inner shell and his robot mode. This is the original Gold Plastic Syndrome toy.

* [[Slog]]
:Slog is noteable because his gimmick requires another toy (Birdbrain) to be inserted up inside his gold sections. His thin gold sides will crumble like a good fruit cake, just not as moist, if Birdbrain jostles around too much.
* [[Killbison]]

[[Image:GPSSkyquakescope.jpg|thumb|Well, crap.]]
====Generation 1-2 Transitional Phase====
* [[Skyquake]]

:Skyquake is another toy noteable for having a gimmick which makes the whole thing worse. Skyquake actually has two colours of metallic plastic on him. One is a dark bronze the other a light bronze. It is the light bronze plastic that is most likely to break. Unfortunately the light bronze plastic also forms Skyquake's scope. You're supposed to put a Predator jet's scope slide into that part of him. But like a virgin in prison, the union is not pleasant for the one on the receiving end. Take a look at the picture to the right. These are the parts left of Skyquake's scope after another Predator tried to unite with him. Actually... that's not even all the parts, that's just all that could be found.

:This is a gimmick which should never be used by modern collectors. Never, ever, ever, ever. watch out for the moveable panel on the back of his head, too, it's the same light bronze plastic.

* [[Pyro]]
[[Image:Electrobrokenknee.jpg|thumb|Oh god my knee! MY KNEEEEEEE!!]]

====Generation 2====
* [[Electro]]

:There's a reason that Electro sits up the top of this page. Poor guy just can't catch a break.

:Wait... actually, no. That's the entire problem. The poor guy totally can catch a break. All the time. Because he is designed to die.

* [[Slingshot]]
:Slingshot is infamous for being made almost entirely of gold plastic, and has been reported to come apart straight out of the package.<ref>http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/2b8b3dec846e5479?hl=en</ref> Worse, he's known for being another toy whose gimmick will destroy him. Slingshot's head is a post which is designed to plug into [[Silverbolt_(G1)|Silverbolt]] (or any other Scramble City leader), so that Slingshot can form an arm or a leg. Doing this will destroy your Slingshot. This may be the only case of Gold Plastic Syndrome that cripples two transformers at once—Slingshot ''and'' [[Superion_(G1)|Superion]].

====Beast Wars====
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]
[[Image:Goldplasticgrimlock.jpg|thumb|He's hopping mad! ... Okay, fine. YOU do better.]]
:Take a look at the picture to the right. Grimlock's gold plastic can break pretty damned hard. The fact that he uses a gold plastic ball joint for his hips is not really a good thing.
* [[Randy (BWN)|Randy]]
:Poor Randy. this is one of the legendary Gold Plastic Syndrome toys. Imagine if you will, a toy with an entirely spring-loaded transformation made entirely out of gold plastic. Ouch, right? Well, don't worry. You'll never have to see what a mess that could be, because this toy will shatter into a million pieces the moment you open it. Ouch.
* [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]
:Despite having a dangerously large amount of bronze plastic, Magnaboss Silverbolt IS fairly stable. The main breakage point is where his tail connects to his body. As well, [[Skywarp (BWII)|Skywarp]], his Japanese counterpart is just as likely to suffer from this. That said, just... be careful, okay? Be careful.
* [[Soundwave (BW)|Soundwave]]
* [[Torca]]
:His legs, tail hinge and sides are prone to Gold Plastic Syndrome.
[[Image:Beastwarssilverboltgps.jpg|thumb|My tail! Aslan, how can I live without my tail?]]

====Other notable instances====
* [[Serpentor]]
:While not a Transformer, he is also known to suffer from this problem—especially through his hips, given the leg construction found on G.I. Joe toys of the era.

==Toys often mistaken for having GPS==

A number of toys have gold parts that easily break not due to the plastic used, but due to structural problems with the part design itself.

* [[Predator]] [[missile]] launchers
:The Predator launcher pegs are notorious for breaking off, but this is due to their size. Those pegs are ''tiny''; many other weapons with a similar peg have the same problem. However, the Predator launchers are worse off as they are also used by larger figures like Skyquake. Also, the "false" trigger is known to break off as it doesn't have a hinge, relying on the plastic to bend. (The actual trigger is a small black internal piece.) If the Predator launchers actually had GPS, the strength of the spring would cause them to literally explode.

* [[Thunder Clash]]
:Thunder Clash's gold feet are often broken due to the design of the ratcheting transformation joint. The ratchets are so stiff that you're more likely to pry his feet apart before the ratchets budge. Like the Predator launchers, if this ''was'' due to GPS, Thunder Clash's launcher barrels would literally explode due to the very strong springs.

==Etymology==
The earliest use of the term that can be found in the alt.toys.transformers archives dates to September 2002 in a post by user Sky Shadow.<ref>http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/2b3d532961b2c2dc</ref> A post by Dave "Zobovor" Edwards, meanwhile, made in June of the previous year,<ref>http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/6ed7e0f3586f37e4</ref> is the earliest identifiable acknowledgment of the widespread nature of the phenomenon within the Transformers fan community.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Diseases]]
[[Category:Toys]]

Noise

2009-07-14T10:18:15Z

60.242.199.15:

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Noise is an [[Autobot]] [[Autobot Mini-Cassette|Mini-Cassette]] from the [[The Headmasters (franchise)|Headmasters]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:G1 Noise boxart.jpg|right|250px|thumb|I'm not Overkill, dang it!]]
'''Noise''' is one of the Autobot [[Mini-Cassette|Cassettebots]]. A "forest investigation" bot, he is their most violent member (worse than [[Ramhorn]]? ''Yikes''), and his fangs and claws are the strongest out of all of them. Noise idolizes his fellow [[Popular beast alternate modes|dinosaur]], [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]].

As a member of the [[W Cassettebot]] sub-sub-group, he can combine with his partner [[Graphy]] to form the robot [[Decibel]].

==Toys==
===The Headmasters===
*'''Noise''' (W Cassettebot, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-122'''
**''Accessories'': 2 double-barreled cannons (left & right)

[[Image:Headmasters Noise toy.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Contrary to this image, he doesn't have two tails. They're supposed to snap together to form a single tail.]]
: Noise is a mini-cassette that transforms into what appears to be a blue ''Allosaurus''. In tape mode, he fits into the chest compartment of [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] or [[Soundwave (G1) toys|Soundwave]] (and their [[Retool|retooled]] reincarnations). Two silver guns plug into the faux cassette tape holes by his arms.

: Noise combines with Graphy to form the top half of the humanoid(-ish) robot [[Decibel]]. Noise's cannons combine with Graphy's gun-pods become over-shoulder cannons for Decibel.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Cybertron/Noise/noise.htm More information on Noise at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Trivia==
* As one of the vanishingly few toys unique to the ''Headmasters'' toy line and something of a tail-ender within the line, Noise and the other three "dino-cassettes" command ridiculous sums on the secondary market. Their actual ''rarity'' is questionable, though; similar "exclusive holy grails" [[Ricochet (G1 Autobot)|Stepper]], [[Artfire]], [[Blaster (G1)|Twincast]] and [[Soundwave (G1) toys|Soundblaster]] were uncommon, but not vanishingly rare, yet still commanded top dollar due to overseas perception (until they got reissued, at any rate). As there appear to be no plans to reproduce these cassettes, their high-price status is unlikely to change.

==External links==
* [http://www.tf-1.com/articles/jtf_frame.php?art=dinocass W Cassettes toy article at TF-1.com]

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Mini-Cassettes]]
[[Category:Toy-only characters]]

Push-Button

2009-07-04T11:41:53Z

60.242.199.15: /* Generation 1 */

{{faction|autobot}}
{{picsneeded|His fictional appearance in Dreamwave}}
:''Push-Button is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Push-Button.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"This doesn't conform to the traditional Transformers aesthetic. Disown. Disown."]]

'''Push-Button''' is the hopelessly mis-matched [[Targetmaster]] partner to [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]]. You see, while Mainframe is absolutely enthralled by programming and frequently uses Push-Button to debug his programs, Push-Button would rather be on the front lines, destroying [[Decepticon]]s with his alternate proton rifle mode.

__TOC__

==Fiction==
===Dreamwave comics continuity===
On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Push-Button served [[Kremzeek]] beverages and [[Energon goodies]] in the [[Autobase (G1)|Autobase]] war room, just before [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] briefed the assembled Autobots on threat [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] posed to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Original Sin}}
{{-}}
==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1-toy PushButton.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"He's getting away! Mainframe, quick, carry me up the stairs!"]]
*'''Mainframe with Push Button''' (Action Master, 1990)

: Part of the second wave of "basic" Carded Action Masters, Push Button is an adorable little blue and green robot with treads instead of legs. He transforms via spring-loaded mechanism into a "proton rifle" that can be held by his pack-in partner Mainframe (or any other Action Master figure), and can combine with Mainframe's "vibro pulverizer" rifle to form a super weapon mode.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1990/Autobot/Mainframe/mainframe.htm More information on Push-Button (and Mainframe) at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
* The [[Action Master]] partner robots were given the "[[Targetmaster]]" classification [[Retcon|retroactively]] by [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye]]'' profile series.

[[Category:Action Master partners]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Targetmasters]]