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Minerva (human)

2012-09-27T01:31:13Z

60.50.8.200:

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{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the ''Super-God Masterforce'' character|the ''Animated'' character|Minerva (Animated)}}

:''Minerva is a sexy slut [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster Junior]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[Image:Minerva nekotom.jpg|right|thumb|375px|She's cute and all, but can she pull off a [[Nightbeat (G1)|trenchcoat and fedora]]?]]

'''Minerva''' (ミネルバ ''Mineruba'') is [[Minerva's parents|the daughter of]] [[Mont Porte]]'s ambassador to [[Japan]], half-French on her mother's side, and a happy, charming, friendly, talented girl brimming with idealism and care for her fellow man. But Minerva's idealism is a naive kind: petitioning to join the Autobots out of a desire to "fight evil", she quickly found that the reality of war was a lot more than she was prepared for. Already very uncomfortable with violence and now thrown into the heart of a war in which ''children'', of all beings, are so casually made a part of the conflict, Minerva is left struggling to rationalize her role as a warrior, even one on the side of good. As such, she usually refrains from entering battle herself unless circumstances absolutely demand it, instead operating as a battlefield medic and tending to the human victims of the [[Transformer]]s' battles. In the final analysis, Minerva's timidness leaves her simply treating the symptoms of the disease, rather than fighting the cause.

As an Autobot Headmaster Junior, Minerva is bonded to a [[Transtector]] from the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], which takes the form of an emergency rescue vehicle. Using her [[Master-Brace]]s, she can summon a suit of armor that enhances her physical strength, speed and reflexes, which allows her to transform into a head for her Transtector and function as a full-size Transformer robot armed with a paralyzing "Shock Gun". Outside of combat situations, Minerva is a much more easy-going girl. Clearly raised in an overly "traditional" manner befitting an ambassador's daughter and tutored in various "feminine skills", she is a talented dancer, painter, cook and medic, and has inherited the poise, grace and beauty of her mother, making her the object of many of her male teammates' affections. A word or two of praise from Minerva is enough to bring any Autobot out in a hot flush.

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor'': [[Yuriko Yamamoto]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Minerva_uniform.jpg|left|180px|thumb|The name is Minerva and I'll be your host this page.]]
When the news came that her family was moving to Japan, Minerva was especially excited at the prospect of learning traditional Japanese dance, but she could never have guessed that the plane on which they flew would be attacked by the [[Decepticon]] [[Pretender]], [[Blood]], who was searching for Mont Porte's prize-winning biologist, [[Blanieux|Professor Blanieux]]. Their jet crashed in Corsica, but Minerva and her family escaped with only minor injuries, and she was only too happy to talk to the "government investigators" who came to her in the hospital where [[Minerva's parents|her parents]] were being treated. In particular, the two young boys that accompanied the investigators, [[Shūta Gō|Shūta]] and [[Cab]], were very taken with Minerva. The following day, when Professor Blanieux arrived to rendezvous with Minerva's father before he and the family headed on to Japan, the investigators, Shūta and Cab accompanied them on their private jet for fear of any further Decepticon attacks. Blood did indeed strike at the plane, and to combat him, the investigators revealed that they were, in fact, the Autobot [[Pretender]]s. Although Minerva was initially angry with Shūta and Cab for lying to her, she was impressed with their bravery when the jet's [[stewardess]] turned out to be a Decepticon [[Destroid]] and they fought and incapacitated her. With the Decepticons' plan foiled, Shūta and Cab suggested that Minerva could join them in attending the [[International School]], and she happily agreed. {{storylink|Kidnapping!? The Targeted Jumbo Jet}}

[[Image:Minerva_armor.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Does this [[transtector]] make me look fat?]]
Having seen the evil of the Decepticons firsthand, Minerva was only to happy to say yes when Autobot leader [[Metalhawk]] asked if she wanted to help the Autobots in their fight against them. At first, Hawk was unsure if she was up to the task, but Minerva obtained her parents' permission and assured Hawk that she was willing to spend her life saving the lives of others. Together with Shūta and Cab, Minerva was given Masterbraces and a Transtector and became a Headmaster Junior warrior. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

While [[Holographic battle drone|training]] with [[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]] in America, however, Minerva displayed her lack of confidence with her new power, but was soon forced to face up to the responsibilities it carried when the Decepticons' Headmaster Juniors attacked a nearby city. Unable to summon the courage to join Shūta and Cab in the fight, Minerva was only galvanized into action when she saw a [[little girl (Masterforce)|young girl]] become buried under rubble on news coverage of the battle. Racing into action without a second thought, Minerva followed the girl's [[Pis|dog]] to her side and rescued her, but tragedy then struck when [[Wilder]] killed the poor animal. Finally filled with the emotional fury that drove her to fight, Minerva transformed to robot mode and took out two of the three villains, forcing them to retreat. After the battle, Minerva helped the girl bury Pis and promised to buy her a new puppy just like him. {{storylink|Rage!! Little Devils with No Need for Rules}}

[[Image:Minerva mf.jpg|left|180px|thumb|What? Lightrays naturally form and angle like that!]]
On a mission to Kenya, Minerva's choice of ensemble definitely made the trip for Shūta and Cab, but it also left her quite open for a deadly scorpion sting. Thankfully, this was prevented by a well-timed shot from [[Ricky]]. While the other Autobots battled the Decepticons in the area, Minerva put her medical talents to use treating an injured fawn for which Ricky was caring. {{storylink|Panic! Protect the Wild Animals!!}} Upon returning to Japan, the trio participated in the [[Mt Fuji Foothills Hang Gliding Competition Tournament]], only for it to be attacked by the Decepticon [[Godmaster]]s [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] and [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]]. Minerva treated the injured hang-gliders while the battle raged. {{storylink|Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers}}

Not long thereafter, the Autobots were joined by their own Godmaster, [[Ginrai]], whom Minerva and the other Juniors were eager to meet. {{storylink|Ginrai: God On of Rage!!}} They arrived to welcome him at the harbour when he came to visit them, but during the drive back to the headquarters, the team was attacked by the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors, and Ginrai kidnapped [[Cancer (Masterforce)|Cancer]] for interrogation. Minerva attempted to make the boy's imprisonment bearable, appalled by Ginrai's use of handcuffs. Even when Cancer shattered a glass of juice that she attempted to offer him, cutting her with the shards, she refused to let Shūta and Cab hurt him. When Ginrai threatened Cancer with physical force, she tried to stop him, but was ordered out of the room, so she watched the ensuing interrogation on a viewscreen. [[Image:Minerva_cancer.jpg|right|thumb|225px|First [[Mayumi]], then Minerva... Cancer might be scared [[Mega]] will be next.]] Learning what they needed from him, the Autobots released Cancer into the hands of Hydra and Buster, but Hydra immediately discovered a homing beacon on Cancer's back and attacked the Autobots in retaliation. Buster seized Minerva and placed his blaster to her head, but surprisingly, Cancer snatched her away, begging the Godmasters not to kill anyone. The surprised Decepticons were overpowered by Ginrai and retreated, with Cancer shouting back that his act of kindness was simply payback for the drink. {{storylink|A Strange Friendship: Cancer and Minerva}}

Worrying that Ginrai would hate her after her argument with him, Minerva went to Metalhawk with her concerns, and he encouraged her to talk it out with him. Heading out to join Ginrai, Shūta and Cab at a barbecue, Minerva arrived in time to overhear Ginrai praise her honesty, and she consequently plucked up the courage to join them and apologize, setting things right once more. She was subsequently with Ginrai when he discovered the trailer for his Transtector {{storylink|Friend or Foe!? The True Form of the Monster!!}} and was part of the battle when he unleashed its power against [[King Poseidon]]. During this fight, Minerva appealed to Cancer to abandon the Decepticons and join the Autobots, but she was struck down by [[Bullhorn]] before her words could sink in. {{storylink|Heroism!! The Birth of Super Ginrai}}

[[Image:Minerva_robotmode.jpg|left|thumb|Able was I, ere I saw Minelba.]]

The Headmaster Juniors' summer break coincided with the discovery of another Autobot Godmaster, [[Lightfoot]], {{storylink|Lightfoot: A Dramatic Encounter}} and as such, they were able to accompany Ginrai, Metalhawk and [[Lander]] on their search for the next Godmaster, camping in the Rocky Mountains. While picking mushrooms, Minerva spotted a forest patrolman named [[Ranger]] talking with Bullhorn and immediately suspected he was a Decepticon, but was unable to tell the other Autobots when she returned to the camp and found Shūta and Cab fishing with him. When a storm lashed the campsite that night, the group took Ranger up on his offer of taking refuge in his cabin, where Minerva was able to tell her fellow Juniors her suspicions. She was soon proven wrong, however, when Ranger revealed a strange, glowing rock that he had discovered, which turned out to be a Transtector with which he then bonded, becoming the next Autobot Godmaster. {{storylink|An Enemy? The Third Godmaster, Ranger}}

When the [[Six Changer]] [[Sixknight]] arrived on Earth, allied himself with the Decepticons and challenged Ginrai to a duel, Minerva was among the spectators of the battle, but found herself playing a more important role when she was captured by Blood and [[Gilmer]]. The Pretender duo threatened her life in order to make Ginrai stand down, but as they argued over who gets to hold her Sixknight was enraged at their interference and forced them to let her go so that they could duel honourably. {{storylink|A Powerful Foe!! Sixknight the Wanderer}} Sixknight ultimately lost to Ginrai, but returned soon after, attempting to comprehend how he'd lost to a human. As he and Ginrai were in the middle of talking, the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors attacked a nearby city in order to draw the Autobots out, as part of a plan by Cancer to prove to his fellow Juniors that Minerva meant nothing to him. Sixknight responded to their attack with deadly force, and the horrified Minerva was forced to team up with Cancer's little Decepticon buddy [[Browning]] to blind Sixknight with a smokescreen, allowing the Decepticon Juniors to escape. {{storylink|The Autobot Warrior, Sixknight?!}}

[[Image:Minerva_karin.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Never thought you'd see the GIRL wearing the least skimpy swimsuit, did you?]]

With the summer break coming to a close, Minerva joined Shūta and Cab on a trip to Cab's home in the [[Karin Islands]], where her beauty particularly struck Cab's elderly guardian [[Donq]]. Minerva's medical talents were required to help treat a sick friend of Cab's named [[Copo]], as all the local doctors had been kidnapped by the Decepticons as part of an outlandish plan, but the Autobots rescued them and all was set right. {{storylink|Save the Little Girl! The Chōjin Warriors, the Godmasters}} Crazy Decepticon plans were still the order of the day when the Juniors returned to school to hear stories of a mysterious fortune-teller on television who predicted disasters across the planet. Minerva dismissed it all as made-up nonsense, but had to eat her words when all the predictions came true and she and the other Juniors had to protect a town from a raging flood, only for it all to turn out to have been yet another Decepticon scheme. {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}}

Soon thereafter, Minerva, Shūta and Cab were at last let in on a secret the other Autobots had been keeping from them: the "Bomber Project", a plan to construct a power-up drone known as "[[Godbomber]]" for Ginrai to help him fight [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]], a mighty Decepticon presently approaching from space. {{storylink|Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!?}} Ginrai was subsequently injured by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] in a battle in the desert, and Minerva treated his wounds before he was admitted to a hospital. {{storylink|Will the Bomber Project Be Destroyed!?}} Ginrai was insistent on going through with the mission despite his injuries, so Minerva had Shūta and Cab spar with him a little to help him work through the pain. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!}} Alas, the three Juniors and the other Autobots could do nothing but watch as Ginrai and [[Grand Maximus]] battled Overlord and BlackZarak on [[Earth]]'s [[moon (moon)|moon]], but in the end, the Autobots triumphed. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon}} After he returned to Earth, Godbomber even revealed a new power, transforming into a robot that Minerva and the Juniors discovered they could combine their [[Chōkon Power]] to control. {{storylink|Destroy Godbomber!!}}

[[Image:Minerva_clouder.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Bad touch!]]

When the Autobots tracked the Decepticons down to an island in the Pacific, Minerva was injured by a blast from Overlord, but was suddenly swept up and carried to safety by a new robot named [[Clouder]], who introduced himself as the final Godmaster. {{storylink|Appearance!! The Final Godmaster}} Minerva welcomed Clouder into the Autobot ranks and gave him a tour of their headquarters, even covering for him when his apparent curiosity led him to fiddle with the base computer. She dismissed Shūta and Cab's suspicions of Clouder, but Hawk shared in the boys' doubts and trailed Clouder, proving that he was, in fact, a Decepticon spy. Unfortunately, this did little to help the Autobots, as the Decepticons soon attacked using the information Clouder had provided, while bombs he had planted in the base crippled its defences. {{storylink|Secret Orders! Destroy the Autobot Base!!}} With Hawk injured and the other Autobots occupied in battle, Minerva and the Juniors were left to defend the base alone, but ultimately, the Autobots were forced to abandon it before it was destroyed. {{storylink|Disaster! The Autobot Base Explodes}}

Soon after, BlackZarak was able to reach the Earth, and the conflict took a step up as cities all over the world were targeted. When Cancer was buried in a pile of rubble during an attack on his home country of China, Minerva began to dig him out. Shūta and Cab were only to happy to let him rot until Ginrai ordered them to help. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Save Cancer!?}} At last convinced by this display of concern and respect, Cancer defected to the Autobots. {{storylink|God Ginrai: Showdown at the Decepticon Base}}

[[Image:Ginrai_juniors.jpg|right|250px|thumb|That is one intense séance.]]

When BlackZarak, now merged with Decepticon emperor [[Devil Z]], threatened North American with his [[Devil Power]] from his staging point within the Grand Canyon, Minerva was part of a team along with Shūta, Cab and Ranger who were attacked by King Poseidon. {{storylink|Autobots! Desperate Attack!!}} The Juniors got a chance at a rematch in the Alps, where King Poseidon nearly cut Minerva in two before Metalhawk stepped in to rescue her. Ginrai arrived to defeat the combiner, but Metalhawk and the Juniors were badly wounded and forced to remain behind as Ginrai headed to the summit of the Matterhorn to face BlackZarak. {{storylink|Malevolent and Inhuman! The True Form of Devil Z}} Minerva used the time to take care of Metalhawk's injuries, but soon, Ginrai and BlackZarak's fight carried them down the mountain, where BlackZarak transformed into an even more powerful serpent mode. Minerva, Shūta and Cab could feel the burning energy of Ginrai, and all three Juniors found themselves transported into his chest cockpit, where their energies helped him destroy BlackZarak. His host destroyed, Devil Z raged impotently until Ginrai and the Juniors united every last drop of their power in the Final Fire Guts attack, which completely destroyed the arch-villain. In the aftermath of the battle, the Autobots were all immediately enveloped in a glow and transformed from robots back into their human forms. Minerva was the first to realize that their Masterbraces had disappeared, and moments later, the truth of the situation was revealed: the death of Devil Z had caused their bond to their Transtectors to be severed. Their Transtectors, however, all lived on, evolved into true super-robot lifeforms through the power of their bond. Minerva's Transtector departed for space with all the others to carry on the fight against the Decepticons. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}

====''Victory'' cartoon====
[[Image:Minerva_victory.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Odds are, you only like two of these characters.]]
:''Voice actor'': [[Tomoko Maruo]] (Japanese)

Several years later, when Ginrai's now-living Transtector was fatally wounded in battle with Decepticon leader [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], Minerva's own Transtector, having taken its partner's name for its own, was summoned to Earth along with [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] for medical support. Unfortunately, it was soon determined that nothing could be done for Ginrai, save to rebuild him in an entirely new form. {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} Using a design crafted by Autobot [[Supreme Commander]] [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]], Minerva, Wheeljack and Perceptor rebuilt Ginrai as [[Victory Leo]] {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} and subsequently implanted a circuit in Star Saber's head that would allow him and Victory Leo to combine. {{storylink|Awaken! Victory Leo}} Perceptor was wary of the strain on Star Saber's body when the combination was first used, but when Minerva pressed him for details, he assured her everything would turn out fine. {{storylink|The Tide Is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}}
{{-}}

===''Super-God Masterforce'' comic===
[[Image:Minerva_manga.jpg|left|thumb|In the name of [[Unicron|The Moon]], I will punish you!]]

Minerva was a schoolfriend of Shūta and Cab's, who joined them in begging Metalhawk to allow them to become members of the Autobots. After a period of intense training, the trio were given Master-Braces and Transtectors and became Headmaster Juniors, but didn't fare very well in their first battle against a [[Lobclaw]]. Minerva was first to fall to the [[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacon]], and Metalhawk had to leap in to bail them out. {{storylink|Headmaster Jrs Are Born}}

During a battle between Metalhawk and Blood in the dead of night, Hawk called upon the Juniors to provide rescue operations in the city. Minerva and Shūta had to silently sneak out of the International School dorms, and once they arrived on the scene, they were attacked by the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors. Although outmatched, they were able to overpower their foes when Cancer was distracted by some injured humans nearby, and with their enemies dispatched, Minerva dispensed first aid. {{storylink|Destined Confrontation: The Children of Good and Evil}}

When news came from America of the discovery of the first Autobot Godmaster, Minerva and the other Autobots waited at the harbor for his arrival, only to be attacked by the Decepticon Godmasters, Buster and Hydra. Ginrai arrived to save them, and Minerva and the Juniors became fast friends with him, {{storylink|Enter on the Stage! The Name of the Savior Is Ginrai!}} later travelling to [[Athenia]] to see him appointed [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}

[[Image:Ginrai_juniors_manga.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The creepiest smiles ''ever''. Yikes.]]

The Juniors' relationship with Ginrai grew closer with the creation of Godbomber, a drone piloted by Minerva, Shūta and Cab that combined with Ginrai and allowed him to defeat Overlord and BlackZarak. {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Super-God Combination!}} When Shūta and Cab were captured by the Decepticons, however, Minerva had to pilot Godbomber alone and crashed it through the walls of Overlord's base mode in order to save her friends. As their injuries were bandaged back at the Autobot base, Minerva was embarrassed by the two boys' jokes about how she was like a mother to them. {{storylink|The Earth Family of Good and Evil}}

Minerva and the Juniors accompanied Ginrai into battle aboard Godbomber for several further conflicts, including the recruitment of the final Godmaster, Clouder, who Minerva welcomed into the Autobot ranks with a big home-cooked meal. {{storylink|Decepticons' Great Counterattack!}} In the final battle against BlackZarak, now fused with Decepticon emperor Devil Z, the villain turned on his fellow Decepticons, leading them to unite with the Autobots in defeating him. Minerva and all the other Transformers united their energies in the “Perfect Transformer Attack,” which obliterated both villains. The death of Devil Z caused the bond between the humans and their Transtectors to be broken, and Minerva became a normal kid again as her now-living Transtector and those of all the other Autobots headed into space to continue the fight against the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Birth of the Super Lifeforms}}

===''Classics''===
[[Image:Minervabusinessproposition.jpg|left|thumb|250px|That neckline says otherwise!]]

Minerva, the daughter of a French mother and a Japanese father, was chosen out of the [[Japanese Self Defense Core]] to be part of [[Project Transtector|Project: Transtector]]. For a while she piloted a battle armor suit fashioned from Transformer scrap found around the globe, until the project ended when most of its subjects collapsed under psychological stress. Minerva survived seemingly unscathed, except for that one time she stole a starfighter and followed "visions" directly to the Autobot, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], and began dating [[Muzzle|his head]]. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 22|Minerva's ''Classics'' profile}}

She ended up joining Muzzle and Nightbeat's team, which also included [[Siren]] and [[Quig]], [[Lug]], and the disgruntled [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] and [[Slag (G1)|Slag]]. While traveling the universe, they set their ship down on the planet [[Azure]] for repairs. If "setting the ship down for repairs" means "getting shot down in high orbit and crashing it into the only repair bay equipped to fix it".

[[Image:Minervaneedlenose.jpg|right|thumb|225px|If "[[Cheap Shots]]" were the Beatles, I'd be its Yoko Ono!]]

Nightbeat found that he was a person of interest to a potential client, a sentient ship named ''[[Amory]]'', but not before Minerva and the others battled her hired "thugs". ''Amory'' required the services of Nightbeat and his team in finding her pilot, [[Phyrion]]. Minerva and the other humans pored over the evidence, but they could find no lead. Ultimately, the entire arrangement was revealed to be a setup put together by the Decepticons [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] and [[Needlenose]], who had assembled an alleged "new [[Mayhem Attack Squad]]" by promising payment to [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] and [[Stranglehold]] for their assistance. Ruckus wasn't very smart, however, and had brought his hostage with him. The Decepticons were brutalized and Phyrion was returned to Amory. Regretting her involvement, Amory paid the Autobots for her services.

Despite their short run-in with good luck, Minerva and the rest of the crew were still stranded on Azure without a working ship. In the meantime, surely someone was in need of a detective... {{storylink|Cheap Shots}}

==Toys==
===Super-God Masterforce===
[[Image:MF-toy Minerva.jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[Cobra Commander| I was once a man]]!]]
*'''Minelba''' {{sic}} (Headmaster Junior, 1988)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-303'''
**''Accessories'': Transtector, seat/helmet, left & right "Shock Blasters", "Shock Gun"

:Minerva's Transtector is referred to as an ambulance, but let's be honest - it's a Porsche 959 with an emergency rescue color scheme that wouldn't likely be very useful in transporting patients around. The roof is hinged and can be opened to reveal an interior cockpit that Minerva herself can sit inside of; the prominent hinge itself is rather cleverly disguised as a lightbar, something that Minerva's American mold-partner, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], lacks. Her Shock Blasters plug in just above the vehicle's headlights, while her larger Shock Gun can be plugged onto the roof.

:In robot mode, Minerva's cockpit seat becomes a helmet, into which the small Shock Blasters plug as antennae. Like all Headmaster toys, Minerva has a flip-down panel on her chest which covers a spring-loaded mini-Tech-Spec-meter which gives readings for Speed, Strength and Intelligence. The tumblers are activated when Minerva (or any other Headmaster unit) is plugged into the neck socket. Minerva has her robot mode face plainly visible on her back because, as a smaller Headmaster toy, she lacks the flip down panel that covers the face featured on larger Headmasters. As another consequence of being a smaller Headmaster, Minerva's chest cavity was apparently too small for 3 individual tumblers. As a result, all Headmaster heads inserted will display her pre-molded (and painted) Speed, Strength, and Intelligence readings (7, 5, 8) on one large sliding plate.

:As noted above, Minerva shares a mold with the American Headmaster Nightbeat, but it is unclear which character came first in the design process.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/Minerva/minerva.htm More information on Minerva at TFU.info]''
{{-}}
{{anchor|Nightbeat}}
[[Image:G1Nightbeat toy.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Not-Beat.]]
*'''Minerva Night Beat''' (Headmaster Junior, 1988)
**''Accessories'': Transtector, seat/helmet, left & right Shock Blasters, Shock Gun

: Essentially just a Japanese release of [[Hasbro]]'s Nightbeat toy, this version of the Minerva toy was only available by mail order, for the price of 1800 yen and four [[Robot Point]]s. It is unknown if this version of the toy came in a simple mailer box or in [[Hasbro]] packaging.
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
[[Image:Minerva-PVC.jpg|thumb|100px|I will NOT make the Knee Test!]]
===Super Collection Figure===
*'''Minerva''' (2001)

:A PVC figurine of Minerva, based on her robot mode character model, was available in the second "act" of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Super Collection Figure]]'' line. Like all the figures in the act, it was available as both a standard full-color figure, and as a colorless clear plastic version, one of each in a case of twelve blind-packed PVCs.

*'''Metalhawk & Minerva''' (2001)

:A second Minerva figurine was released in the fifth, ''Masterforce''-centric act of the line, this time as an unarmored human in her school uniform. Only available packaged with the act's [[Metalhawk]] figurine, it was available in both full-color and metallic silver "pewter" versions, again at a ratio of one each per case of twelve. In eight out of every ten cases, the pewter version of the figures came packaged with the right arm of the BlackZarak "Build-A-Figure".
{{-}}

===Gutto Kuru Figure Collection===
[[Image:CMs gutto kuru minerva.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Minelba''' {{sic}} (2012)
**''Accessories:'' Helmet, smiling face, gleeful face, angry face, 4 pairs of hands

:A posable figure of Minerva in her Headmaster Junior armor was made by [[CM's Corporation]] as part of their [[Gutto Kuru Figure Collection]]. She comes with a removable helmet and several swappable faces, and the robot face molded onto her backpack can be compressed and hidden to leave room for her long hair.
{{comingsoontoy}}
*'''Minelba Special Color Ver.''' ([[Wikipedia:Wonder Festival|Wonder Festival Summer 2012]] exclusive, 2012)
**''Accessories:'' Helmet, smiling face, gleeful face, angry face, [[Hi-Q]] head

:A recolor of Minerva in the blue and yellow of her American counterparts Nightbeat and Muzzle will be available exclusively at the Summer Wonder Festival 2012 convention in Japan. In addition to the regular figure's accessories, this exclusive comes with an extra head based on Hasbro Powermaster [[Hi-Q]], which can be attached to CM's separately-sold Ginrai figurine.
{{comingsoontoy}}

==Notes==
*Upon her release, Minerva was the first female Transformer toy. Many years later, though, her position would be retroactively usurped when [[Freezon]] was retconned into being female.
* Minerva's name is consistently [[romanization|mis-anglicized]] as "Minelba" in every English instance of the name on Japanese packaging and [[bio]] material. There is essentially no difference between the "L" and "R" sounds in Japanese, and at the time it was standard practice to substitute "ba" for the "va" sound (though this has changed in later years).
* According to her supplementary [[bio]] card, Minerva was 15 years old, making her the oldest Autobot Headmaster Junior.
* Minerva's precise nationality is a bit ambiguous. Her mother is stated to be French, but whether her ambassador father is Japanese or from the Republic of Mont Porte is not made explicitly clear in the cartoon. Her father is, at least, explained to be Mont Porte's ambassador to Japan, which would suggest he is a Mont Porte native, but some sources, including ''[[Transformers: The Ark II|The Ark II]]'', have claimed that he is Japanese (by way of describing Minerva as "half-French, half-Japanese").

[[Image:Chromia Minerva toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Probably buddies with [[Arcee (Energon)|Ariel Paradron-Type]].]]
* Although Minerva's Transtector doesn't have room to ferry patients like a real ambulance would (which is what it's referred to being as), it would qualify as a [[Wikipedia:Fly-car|fly-car]] due to it having a faster response time to emergencies (and saving ambulance resources if the situation is minor).
* Minerva's living transtector was the only one of the Headmaster Junior trio to return in the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|''Victory'' cartoon]]. Conversely, while Shūta and Cab returned in the pages of the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (manga)|''Victory'' manga]], Minerva did not beyond [[Warrior of Love, Star Saber!|one flashback]]. According to writer [[Masumi Kaneda]], the reason for this was because the manga would then have been "buried in female characters".<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20050207000229/www.tfpulp.com/archive/interview/interview.html Interview with Masumi Kaneda on TFPulp.Com, courtesy of the Wayback Machine]</ref> Besides the obvious sexism, there was all of [[Patty Minakaze|''one'' regular female character]]; the three others ([[Illumina]], [[Esmeral (Victory)|Esmeral]], and [[Lyzack]]) only briefly appeared in one issue.
* Minerva's color scheme was used for the DVD-exclusive "Minerva-Type" [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]]. It made her look quite like [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]].

===Foreign names===
*''English:'' '''Nightbeat''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''Italian:'' '''Phantom'''
*''Russian:'' '''Vetochka''' (Веточка, "Tree Branch")
*''Spanish:'' '''Cher''' (America)

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Classics humans]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Japanese-original Transformers]]
[[Category:Mail order exclusives]]
[[Category:Medics]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce humans]]
[[Category:Victory Autobots]]

Wheeljack (Prime)

2012-09-27T01:30:04Z

60.50.8.200:

{{disambig3|Wheeljack}}
{{factions|autobot|wreckers|hofsilver}}
:''Wheeljack is an bad ass and [[Wrecker]] from the [[Aligned continuity family]].''
[[Image:PrimeWheeljack-HowToDraw.jpg|right|thumb|325px|"I'm here to build gizmos and be a badass loner, and I'm all out of knowing how to build gizmos!"]]

'''Wheeljack''' is one of the roughest Autobots around. As a former member of the [[Wrecker]]s, he's seen plenty of action, and he's got the snarky one-liners to prove it. If there's anything he likes more than slicing up [[Decepticon]]s with his swords or inventing new gadgets to slice Decepticons in different ways, it's hanging with his old buddy, [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (who calls him '''Jackie''').

Wheeljack doubts [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]]'s leadership capabilities, believing he's more of a stuffy old figurehead than a warrior. Wheeljack also chafes under too much supervision. That's why he usually takes off shortly after he's arrived. He'd rather be on his own.

{{bigquote|If you're trying to ruin my day, you're gonna have to try harder.|Wheeljack|"[[Con Job]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Aligned novels===
Wheeljack was a member of the Wreckers black ops. After the [[Great Exodus]], the Autobots remaining on Cybertron encountered the inventor and engineer wandering outside [[Crystal City]]. They took him in, with [[Alpha Trion (Prime)|Alpha Trion]] theorizing that he had escaped from [[Shockwave (Prime)|Shockwave]]'s facilities there. Wheeljack proceeded to equip the resistance with new gadgets and weaponry, but his true loyalty remained to science, rather than the Autobots.

Eventually, Wheeljack, along with [[Ultra Magnus (Prime)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Springer (WFC)|Springer]] approached Alpha Trion to propose re-creating [[space bridge]] technology on a personal scale, and using the energies from the space bridge explosion to trace the locations of the vanished ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' and ''[[Trypticon (Prime)|Nemesis]]''. The project proceeded, and the inventor was able to find a way of opening a brief passageway through space-time, utilising the remaining energies of the [[Well of All Sparks]] and the damaged consciousness of [[Vector Sigma]]. Wheeljack suggested they send a message of some sort through the gateway to [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]], but Alpha Trion advocated sending an actual bot. Eventually, the Autobot called [[Chaindrive]] was sent, equipped with a device to track the [[Matrix of Leadership]], a piece of the [[Blades of Time]], and a warning for Optimus regarding the [[Requiem Blaster (Prime)|Requiem Blaster]]. {{Storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

===''Prime'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[James Horan]] (English), [[Yūki Tai]] (Japanese)|[[Lorenzo Scattorin]] (Italian), [[Dennis Schmidt-Foß]] (German), [[Ricardo Sawaya]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}
[[Image:ConJob-Wheeljackgun.jpg|left|thumb|200px|"Steve! I built a machine that builds guns that shoot Vehicons. Come see!"]]

Wheeljack was a member of the [[Wrecker]]s alongside [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]], {{storylink|Con Job}} [[Impactor (Prime)|Impactor]], [[Roadbuster (Prime)|Roadbuster]], [[Rotorstorm (Prime)|Rotorstorm]], [[Seaspray (Prime)|Seaspray]] and [[Pyro (Prime)|Pyro]]. {{storylink|Loose Cannons}} He took part in an unnamed battle where he and Bulkhead became surrounded by Decepticons and low on Energon. However, Wheeljack threw a grenade into a smelter, causing it to explode and take out the attackers.{{storylink|Con Job}} Him and Bulkhead also had an altercation on [[Sandokan]].{{storylink|Loose Cannons}}. However, early on in the war, Bulkhead left the Wreckers to join [[Team Prime]] while Wheeljack continued to serve in the Wreckers. Wheeljack took part in the Battle of [[Darkmount]] Pass, where he took out a group of Decepticons to get the Wreckers across a smelting pit. When [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] went dark, he began traveling the stars alone in the ''[[Jackhammer (Prime)|Jackhammer]]''. {{storylink|Con Job}}

Eventually he reached [[Earth]]'s [[Solar System]] and was hailed by the Autobots stationed there, including Bulkhead. As he was coming in to land at the coordinates provided by [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]], his ship was attacked and shot down by [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]]. Wheeljack emerged from the ''Jackhammer'' and proceeded to trash the Decepticons, but was eventually overwhelmed and taken back to the ''[[Trypticon (Prime)|Nemesis]]'' where he was imprisoned. He was amused to find that [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] was in command of the Decepticons, and almost goaded Starscream into killing him.

[[Image:ConJob-Wheeljackswords.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Wheeljack: determined to make [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] redundant.]]

An opportunity allowed him to kill his guard and break free from his bonds. He scaled to the top of the ship, where Starscream was waiting for [[Makeshift (Prime)|Makeshift]], who'd taken on Wheeljack's appearance, to open the Autobot [[GroundBridge]]. Wheeljack smashed a bunch of Vehicons and assaulted Starscream before escaping through the GroundBridge to the [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|Autobot base]]. There he confronted Makeshift and the pair dueled with swords until Wheeljack was victorious. Bulkhead tossed Makeshift back through the GroundBridge along with a "present" for the 'cons.

Though the Autobots welcomed Wheeljack, he revealed that he intended to return to space. He invited Bulkhead along, but Bulkhead was too attached to his friends on Earth to leave. Bulkhead was sure Wheeljack would return someday... {{storylink|Con Job}}

When [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] was trying to stir Bulkhead's memory after he absorbed the data from the [[Cybertronian data cylinder]] she mentioned Wheeljack, and showed Bulkhead the picture she took of them together before he left. Sadly, this did not jog Bulkhead's memory. {{storylink|T.M.I.}}

[[Image:LooseCannons Wheeljack fires back.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Who shoots first?]]
During his travels, Wheeljack made contact with fellow Wrecker [[Seaspray (Prime)|Seaspray]] only for [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] to destroy Seaspray's ship. Wheeljack chased Dreadwing to Earth where they battled near a gas station, which was destroyed in the conflict as [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]]'s team arrived. Filling the other Autobots in, Wheeljack found himself chafing over the need for secrecy. When Dreadwing called him to arrange a meeting, Wheeljack took Bulkhead to try and trap the Decepticon. The encounter instead left Wheeljack buried.

[[Image:LooseCannons Wheeljack undergoes repairs.jpg|thumb|right|250px|After Arkham City, Wheeljack Ryder gets fixed by a Doctor.]]
Once Optimus dug him out, he accompanied the Autobot leader to the port where Bulkhead had been taken by Dreadwing and attempted to remove the bomb the Decepticon had placed on his comrade. Eventually he was forced to concede only Dreadwing could remove the bomb, and he and Optimus played a gambit that forced Dreadwing's hand. Convinced to stay on Earth by the other Autobots, Wheeljack adopted a new alternate mode and drove off to explore the planet. {{storylink|Loose Cannons}} He also used the time to become quite familar with the location of key Decepticon Energon mines. {{storylink|Hurt}}

As the Autobots split up to retrieve the four new Iacon relics, Optimus told Ratchet that he'd need Wheeljack's help for the mission ahead. Remembering his past experiences with the Wrecker, Ratchet was naturally reluctant to go through with the idea, but Optimus reminded the medic that he would need a capable warrior like Wheeljack to watch his back. {{storylink|Triangulation}}

[[Image:Prime-TriageRatchet&Wheeljack.jpg|thumb|left|250px|After this, you wanna go build a [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]?]]
Ratchet rendezvoused with Wheeljack by the ''Jackhammer'', and they headed out in the ship to find the relic. Wheeljack quickly got on Ratchet's nerve by calling him "doc" and "sunshine" but soon encountered [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]]. The Wrecker engaged Soundwave in a dog fight using some fancy aerial flight moves, but against the advice of Ratchet, Wheeljack let Soundwave go and attacked [[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]]. After a lengthy dog fight, Wheeljack shot the [[Mini-Con]] down, but the ''Jackhammer'' was also disabled. On the ground Wheeljack found Laserbeak and suggested planting a grenade inside of the Mini-Con to kill Soundwave, but Ratchet had a better idea: A virus which would download the entire Iacon data base into their systems.

While Ratchet set about implanting the virus into Laserbeak, Wheeljack went after Soundwave, soon locating and attacking the Decepticon. Though he almost got the upper hand, Soundwave hit him with the [[Resonance Blaster]], and Wheeljack barely had time to warn Ratchet before falling unconscious. Despite the damage, Wheeljack refused to return to base for treatment and instead set about fixing his ship. But before Ratchet left, Wheeljack finally acknowledged the doctor by name. {{storylink|Triage}}

[[Image:Hurt-WheeljackHardshell.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Wheeljack learns the ''Hard'' way that giving Hardshell some 5-Hour Energy wasn't a very good idea.]]
Wheeljack was called in to the base when Bulkhead turned up critically injured. While he had full confidence in Ratchet's abilities, he decided to go find the responsible parties. Joined by Miko, he attacked an energon mine to draw out [[Hardshell]]. This succeeded, and Wheeljack left Miko in the ship while he faced the Insecticons. Unfortunately Hardshell was too much for him to handle, but as he was about to be killed, Miko interceded in the fight, blasting Hardshell with the ''Jackhammer''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> missiles. After losing the rest of the Insecticon swarm by throwing a box of grenades at them, the pair returned to base, though Wheeljack didn't want to see his friend lying comatose and left. {{storylink|Hurt}} Ratchet held a grudge over Wheeljack's revenge stunt, and when Arcee suggested calling the Wrecker in to cover for Bulkhead, Ratchet objected. {{storylink|New Recruit}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===Transformers: Fall of Cybertron===
[[Image:WheeljackFOC-artcloseup.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Never bump foreheads with this guy.]]
{{Note|Wheeljack does not appear in the campaign of ''Fall of Cybertron''. However, he does make an appearance in one of the Escalation maps and he is in multiplayer if the Havoc DLC pack is downloaded.}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Prime===
{{anchor|Deluxe}}
[[Image:PrimeRIDtoy-WheeljackDeluxe.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Let's see how many different Deluxe Wheeljacks we can find on pegs in 2012.]]
*'''Wheeljack''' (Deluxe, 2012)
**''Series/number:'' '''1 / 003'''
**''Japanese release date'': '''[[October 27|10-27]]-2012'''
**''Japanese ID number'': '''AM-23'''
**''Accessories:'' 2 swords, Arms Micron "Ooje" (TakaraTomy only)

: Part of the first wave of "Robots in Disguise" Deluxe Class, Wheeljack transforms into a modified [http://www.new-stratos.com/en/#/downloads 2011 Lancia New Stratos Concept]. He comes with two swords which can stow underneath the vehicle or attach under the front bumper to create an attack mode. In robot mode, Wheeljack can either hold the swords, stow them on his shoulders, or they can be inserted into slots near his wings. Surprisingly, there are no Autobot insignias on Wheeljack whatsoever.

: In wave six of the ''Prime'' toyline, Wheeljack was put into new packaging, which came with a DVD featuring the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)| Prime]]'' episode "[[Loose Cannons]]".

: The TakaraTomy version of Wheeljack, part of the seventh wave of the Japanese ''Prime'' toyline, has some significant differences from the Hasbro release. He has extra [[5mm post]]-hole mounts epoxied to his hood/legs as part of the [[Arms Micron]] gimmick. Many of his [[paint operation]]s have been dropped in favor of customer-applied foil [[sticker]]s off of a separate sheet. Unlike other Arms Micron releases, Wheeljack retains his original twin sword accessories, as well as his Arms Micron partner [[Ooje]], who converts into... a rather bulky weapon that vaguely sort-of resembles his normal sword. If you squint.

: This mold was [[retool]]ed into [[Dead End (Prime)|Dead End]] and [[Wildrider (Prime)#Toys|Wildrider]].

{{-}}{{anchor|Cyberverse}}
[[Image:TF-Cyberverse-Vehicle-Wheeljack-Spaceship.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]
*'''''Star Hammer'' with Wheeljack''' (Cyberverse Vehicle, 2012)
**''Series/number'': '''2 / 001'''
**''Japanese release date'': '''[[May 28|5-28]]-2012'''
**''Japanese ID number'': '''EZ-10'''
**''Accessories:'' 2 swords

: Part of the first wave of large ''[[Cyberverse]]'' vehicles, this smaller, simplified version of Wheeljack comes with two translucent blue swords, which he can hold using 3mm ports in his hands. These swords are also capable of storing on his vehicle mode's roof, although the downward-curving orientation shown in the stock photo at right is not actually possible due to a [[design change|change]] to how the pegs are arranged.

: This version of Wheeljack was only available with the ''[[Jackhammer (Prime)#Toys|Star Hammer]]'', in which he can be seated in the opening cockpit. In the ''Star Hammer's'' battle platform mode, Wheeljack can man one of three battle stations using flip-down handlebars (which also allow other Cyberverse figures to man them).

: In Japan, the set was released under the name "'''Spaceship Star Hammer'''", but there are no notable physical differences from the Hasbro release.

::*''[http://higekumatoytoy.blog60.fc2.com/blog-entry-1543.html Wheeljack & Star Hammer at Alfes's Toy Blog]''
{{-}}

{{anchor|CyberverseMarlboor}}
*'''Hyperspeed Wheeljack''' (Cyberverse Legion, 2012)
**''Series/number:'' '''2 / 010'''
**''Accessories:'' "Gravimetric blaster"

: Part of the third wave of ''Cyberverse'' Legion-class toys, this version of Wheeljack is a single-carded release of the figure [[redeco]]ed as an [[homage]] to the "[[Marlboor_Wheeljack|Marlboor]]" ''[[Diaclone]]'' [[pre-Transformer]]s [[retool]] of the ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1]]'' [[Wheeljack (G1)/toys#Generation 1|Wheeljack]] sculpt. He comes with a recolored version of the twin-barreled blaster previously available with Cyberverse ''Prime'' [[Bumblebee (Prime)#Cyberverse|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (Prime)#Cyberverse|Arcee]].

{{-}}{{anchor|DarkEnergon}}
*'''Wheeljack''' (Dark Energon Deluxe, 2012)
**''Accessories'': 2 swords

: A [[BigBadToyStore]] [[exclusive]], this [[Dark Energon|Dark-Energon]]-infused [[redeco]] of ''Prime'' Wheeljack is cast in translucent-blue and black plastics with copper and red accents, in a blatant [[homage]] to [[Slicer]].

{{comingsoontoy}}

==Notes==
*At [[BotCon 2011]], it was stated Wheeljack is meant to be a mechanic as with other incarnations, but it has yet to be mentioned in-series.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=79724 Botcon 2011 Transformers Prime Panel!] on the AllSpark</ref>
* Wheeljack's "one grenade, one shot" strategy is hinted at by the fact that he does carry a single grenade on his hip.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Prime Autobots]]
[[Category:Wreckers]]
[[Category:Fall of Cybertron Autobots]]