Springer (ROTF)

2011-08-29T06:39:48Z

60.53.92.22: /* Revenge of the Fallen */

{{factions|autobotfilm|NEST}}
{{disambig3|Springer}}
:''Springer is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen franchise]] in the [[Live-action film series|live-action film]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Titan12_Springerdebut.jpg|thumb|300px|Up, up, and awaaaaaayyyy!]]

'''Springer''' is not one of the more skillful bots, and in a fight he only has his formidable brute force to rely on. That might be a disadvantage but, while he's only ever risen to the middle of the Autobots ranks, he's still got ''smarts''. <ref>Springer's Legends Class [[Tech Spec]]s.</ref> Using his smarts, he's able to come up with ways of using his strength and firepower that the enemy won't see coming. This has given him one hell of a reputation, one that makes him sound more monstrous and stubborn that he really is. Don't believe everything you hear though: he's not an ogre, he's just a soldier. A ''soldier's'' soldier, having a combat record to be proud of!

{{quote|First rule of engagement: ''know'' your enemy. Second rule of engagement... do the ''unexpected''!|Springer, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.12|Rules of Engagement}}}}

==Fiction==
===Titan Magazines===

Springer was summoned to Earth to finish training the cadets [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]], [[Dune Runner (ROTF)|Dune Runner]], and [[Rollbar (ROTF)|Rollbar]]; he taught them his two ground rules, to know your enemy and to do the unexpected (as the enemy would know ''you''!). While Rollbar and Dune Runner would be too intimidated to say anything, Jolt spoke up and requested they be given ''real'' combat duties, and Springer duly got them on some. When [[Tankor (ROTF)|Tankor]] tried to raid a [[NEST]] facility at the Alamo, Springer headed for the area and brought the cadets with him.

[[Image:Titan2-20_springerYOW.jpg|right|thumb|250px|]]

Knowing Tankor wouldn't expect a direct assault when he had hostages, Springer duly ''made'' such an assault, giving the cadets cover to free hostages. However, he learnt too late that Tankor was partnered with [[Dirge (ROTF)|Dirge]] and was badly crippled. He would've been shot down if Jolt hadn't disobeyed orders and attacked Tankor. Afterwards, Springer tried to chew out the cadet for disobeying orders... but Jolt just replied that he'd been doing the unexpected. Springer had expected him to follow orders, so he hadn't! The chopper could only sigh at this. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.12|Rules of Engagement}}

During a Decepticon jailbreak in [[South Africa]], Springer was sent to assist the local Autobots... but once they were saved, his team had to let the Decepticons leave to prevent civilian deaths. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.13|Inside Out!}}

Springer would back up [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] deniable stealth unit, quietly picking up its members and the remains of defeated Decepticons so humans would remain unaware. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.18|Shadow War}} Thanks to intell gained from that op, the Autobots were able to locate [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon's]] command hub in [[Russia]] and Springer joined the Autobot/NEST strike team there. However, their mission was betrayed: the Decepticons ambushed the team and Springer was shot out of the sky. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.20|Divided Loyalties}}

He wasn't seen again and nobody mentions him, so his chances of survival look pretty slim...

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Revenge of the Fallen===
[[Image:ROTF-toy SpringerLegend.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Ditched to make room for a [[Grindor (ROTF)|redeco]].]]
*'''Autobot Springer''' (Legends Class, 2009)

:Part of the first wave of ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Legends Class]] figures, Springer is an olive drab and dark gray [[Wikipedia:V-22 Osprey|V-22 Osprey helicopter]]. He has "5PR1N63R" printed on the tops of his wings.It is leetspeak for Springer. His twin engines do not pivot upward like a real Osprey, but the propellers themselves can be flipped up to approximate VTOL capability. In a surprising bit of attention to detail, the port and starboard rotors have opposite "handedness", just like a real aircraft.

:The [[stock photography]] [[:Image:ROTF-toy SpringerLegendStock.jpg|for this toy]] is considerably brighter in color, with a bright base green colors and rich forest green, instead of the final version's far more muted palette.

:This mold was also used to make [[Blades (ROTF)|Blades]] from the [[Kmart]]-[[exclusive]] "[[War for the Skies]]" battlepack, as well as the [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|2010 series's]] [[Duststorm (TF 2010)|Duststorm]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/Springer/springer.htm More information on Springer at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
[[Image:Robotheroesspringerstarscream.jpg|right|thumb|300px|I'm in the first wave! I must be important!]]
===Robot Heroes===
*'''Autobot Springer / Starscream''' (2009)

: Springer is part of the first wave of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' "[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]" figures, packaged with a new-mold version of [[Starscream (Movie)#Robot Heroes|Starscream]]. He has articulation at both shoulders.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[Image:ROTF Springer concept.jpg|thumb|250px|right|I've got better things to do tonight than appear in the actual movie!]]
* According to [[Hasbro]]'s Saturday panel at [[BotCon 2009]], Springer was to be an on-screen character in ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but was later dropped. [[Ben Procter]] designed his robot mode,<ref name="procter">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=2772 Ben Procter's concept designs for ROTF]</ref> which also strongly influenced [[Alex Milne]]'s design for [[Incinerator (Movie)|Incinerator]] (another Osprey Transformer) in [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[Alliance (comic)|Alliance]]'' comic, as well as toyline Autobot [[Blazemaster]].
* The decision to drop Springer from the movie must have come somewhat late in the development process—both his toys were released in the first [[wave]] of the respective assortments!
* Springer is the ''third'' Osprey Transformer in the movieverse, the other two being [[Incinerator (Movie)|Incinerator]] and [[Ruination (ROTF)|Ruination]]. (Only three Osprey helicopters were part of the [[United States Air Force]] inventory at the time of the first film's release, two of them appearing in the film itself. As of May 2009, there's four of 'em...but the [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] have, like, 150 of 'em.)
* Given that the real Osprey is 60 feet long, Springer (like most aircraft Transformers) would be rather large if [[scale]] was attended to. Yet his only toys are in the smallest size classes. He's actually in pretty good scale with the Legends version of [[Devastator (ROTF)#Legends_Class_toys|Devastator]].
* Until April 2010, he was the only new mold [[Legends Class]] Transformer to not appear in any fiction.

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:NEST]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Autobots]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]

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Springer (ROTF)