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Cyclonus (Armada)

2007-08-08T19:07:01Z

67.175.3.42: /* Armada */

{{disambig2|the Unicron Trilogy Decepticon Cyclonus/Snow Cat|the Generation 1 Decepticon Cyclonus|Cyclonus (G1)}}
{{disambig2|the Unicron Trilogy Decepticon Cyclonus/Snow Cat|the G.I. Joe vehicle|Snow Cat (G.I. Joe)}}

:''Cyclonus is a Decepticon from the [[Unicron Trilogy]] series. He took the name '''Snow Cat''' after recieving a new body.''

[[Image:Cyclonus-AR-DVD.jpg|300px|right|thumb|"Morale? We've never had morale around here!"]]

Cautious. Reliable. Uneager. These are not words to describe '''Cyclonus'''. He is one wild and craaaaaaazy guy. Seriously, he's the guy in the group that even the other Cons think is a little unbalanced. His usual battle tactic is to rush straight in with every piece of artillery he has blazing, all while laughing maniacally. Other times, he yodels while rushing straight in with every piece of artillery he has blazing.

He loves combat, and isn't particularly picky about which side he's on, so long as he gets to shoot things. He's not especially bright, but [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] knows the value of a soldier largely without fear.

:''Japanese name:'' '''Sandstorm''' (''Armada''), '''Snowstorm''' (''Energon'', Snow Cat body)

==Fiction==
===Animated continuity===
====''Armada''====
'''Voice actor:''' [[Don Brown]] (US) [[Isshin Chiba]] (Japan)

Cyclonus is a wild soldier under [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]'s command. He is closely partnered with his comrade [[Demolishor]], with whom he sometimes shares a love/hate relationship. He is known for having a maniacal personality and will often fire at targets frantically, risking damage to his own teammates. He has a quirky and sarcastic personality, often leading to harsh punishment by his commander. Cyclonus served Megatron throughout the [[Unicron Battles]], and was a key player in the united Armada against the [[Unicron|chaos-bringer]]. His alternate form is a helicopter, and he often took pleasure in tormenting the three kids under [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime's]] protection. He joined the Autobot unit after the demise of Megatron, though with reservations.

====''Energon''====
'''Voice actor:''' [[Don Brown]] (US) [[Isshin Chiba]] (Japan)

Cyclonus returned as the guardian of [[Cybertron City]] based on the moon. Although he served his role dutifully, he was yearning for the days of combat. Not long after the attacks on Mars and Asteroid City, the moon would also be attacked, a battle through which Cyclonus would hold up a small resistance before he was presumed destroyed. As [[Demolishor]] prepared for more [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] assaults on Earth, Cyclonus surfaced, having tucked tail and ran, abandoning Cybertron City on the moon to be looted of its [[Energon]]. Cyclonus assisted Demolishor and the Autobots until [[Tidal Wave]] showed up wielding [[Megatron's Sword]], a blade forged by [[Alpha Quintesson]] from the Spark of Megatron. Believing that it was proof of Megatron, Cyclonus abandoned the Autobots and Demolishor, joining Alpha Quintesson's forces.

Cyclonus would once again serve Megatron when the commander was revived within Unicron for some time, before sustaining damages from an [[Autobot]] assault while retreating. Having failed to topple the [[Energon tower]]s, Cyclonus returned injured to his commander, begging for repairs. In a rage, Megatron bound Cyclonus to the wall using [[Unicron]]'s internal tentacles as punishment. Cyclonus was then fused with Unicron's essence in a painful manner and upgraded into '''Snow Cat''', who then took up yodeling, and skiing. During the [[Powerlinx Battles]] Snow Cat and Demolisher had to deal with a gigantic [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon]], who was mutated by the [[Super Energon]].

===Cybetron===
''Universe Toy Bio''

Following the [[Powerlinx Battles]] Snow Cat went totally starkers (it wasn't a long trip), and without Megatron to guide him, wandered the streets of [[Kaon]], a raving loon during the planet's evacuation.

: ''('''Note''': Snow Cat's ''[[Universe]]'' bio sets him off-camera during the events of ''[[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' rather within the pre-existing ''Universe'' storyline. This is likely due to the ''Universe'' storyline giving way to and folding into the Fanclub Cybertron comic which is set largely on this abandoned Cybertron.)

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
====''Armada''====
====''Energon''====
Ten years after the destruction of Unicron, Cyclonus was spotted in [[Cyber City]], oddly not blowing anything up. {{storylink|This Evil Reborn}}

Later, Snow Cat, under the command of [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]], captured the [[Omnicon]]s in a small town in the Yukon and rigged them to a machine that would extract their [[energon]] to feed Unicron, then reprogram them as [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]]. However, the Omnicons learned the value of teamwork thanks to the shared-hallucination-indiced disembodied advice-giving head of [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]], broke free, and totally kicked his ass. {{storylink|Omni-Potent}}

Much later, Snow Cat was one of several Decepticons who attempted to "sneak" into [[Ocean City]] and steal the data for the Autobots' [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme prototype]]. He rushed into the dark hangar, smacked into a scaffolding like a big dumb doof, and was chased out by security. Megatron didn't buy Snow Cat's recounting of his daring and skill for one second. {{storylink|Dreamwave Summer Special}}

:''('''Note''': Due to the bankruptcy of [[Dreamwave Productions]], it has not been confirmed if Cyclonus and Snow Cat are one and the same in this reality. If Snow Cat was indeed a reformatted Cyclonus, then it is likely that he was taken during the horsemen's attack on Cybertron during [[What Lies Beneath, Part 2|issue 21]].'')

==Toys==
===Armada===
[[Image:Armada_Cyclonus_toy.jpg|right|thumb|Hot Shot stole his [[jaAm]].]]
*'''Cyclonus with Mini-Con Crumplezone''' (Deluxe, 2002/2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MD-04'''

:Cyclonus transforms into a Cybetronian helicopter coloured in light blue, light grey with dark blue and gold accents. His Mini-Con Crumplezone can be attached to the front of his helicopter cockpit for added firepower. Attaching Mini-Cons to either of his wing-mounted weapons pods launches a missile. In robot mode, attaching a Mini-Con to the ports on either side of his legs will make a spring-loaded cannon pop up from his shins.

: The Japanese release of Cyclonus has some slight color differences, including a "separated" painted sigil, and a much brighter white plastic.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' [[Buzzsaw (Cybertron)|Buzzsaw]].

*'''Sandstorm w/ Cannon and Destruction Micron''' (Multi-pack, 2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MS-04'''

: This Japanese release is largely identical to the single-packed version, except that it comes with the [[Destruction Mini-Con Team]], whose gear-gimmicks were designed to function with Cyclonus.

*'''Cyclonus''' (Happy Meal toy, 2003)

: Part of the McDonald's ''Armada'' promotion, Cyclonus transforms into an assault helicopter. Rolling his vehicle form forward spins his rotor prop, which launches into the air after picking up enough speed, a gimmick like that of the ''[[Generation 2]]'' [[Rotor Force]] toys. He could combine with the Happy Meal versions of [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] and [[Demolishor]] toys to form a "super vehicle".

*'''Megatron with Leader-1 and Cyclonus with Crumplezone''' (Built to Rule, 2003)

: Part of the largest ''Transformers'' series ''[[Built to Rule]]'' set, Cyclonus can be assembled into an assault helicopter, a robot, or whatever your imagination can do with the blocks provided. Cyclonus is the only ''Built to Rule'' "figure" that does not have some kind of missile launcher. He came with a block-version of his Mini-Con parter Crumplezone, as well as the larger Megatron with [[Leader-1]] model.

[[Image:Powerlinx_Cyclonus_toy.jpg|left|thumb|Still Crazy In Spite Of All These Gears.]]
*'''Powerlinx Cyclonus with Mini-Con Crumplezone''' (Deluxe, 2003)

: This redeco of Cyclonus is designed as something of a questionable homage to [[Springer]], using mostly bright green plastic, as well as dark grey and chocolate-brown. He retains all of his original gimmicks and still has his Mini-Con partner.

: This toy was not released as part of the normal ''Micron Legend'' series in Japan; presumably, it was straight-imported as a [[USA Edition]].

: In November of 2003, US Toys "R" Us stores had special bonus pack Max-Con (Deluxe) toys, which came with a single bonus Mini-Con attached to the card over their sticker, for ''less'' than the price as a normal Max-Con during Toys "R" Us' post-Thanksgiving-day sale. Like Powerlinx [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]], Powerlinx Cyclonus could come with one of the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]] members: [[Dune Runner]], [[Iceberg]] or [[Ransack (Armada)|Ransack]].

===Energon===
*'''Cyclonus with Mini-Con Crumplezone''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SD-03'''

: This is an 'urban-camouflage' redeco of Cyclonus, presented in mostly dark grey with black and purple. The majority of the paint applications are black and white in a camouflage pattern.

: Released at the start of the Japanese ''Super Link'' line, this toy did not appear in the American ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' line until late 2004 as a KB Toys [[exclusive]].

[[Image:Energon_Snowcat_toy.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Does not come with Frostbite :(]]
*'''Snow Cat''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SD-10'''

:Snow Cat transforms into a Snow Cat SAM half-track. He is cast in primarily white and light blue plastics, with clear and burgundy for accents. In vehicle mode, the sideskirts can be lowered to form skis for the vehicle to travel on, while in robot mode the skis fold down from his legs. He features twin spring-loaded missile launchers available to him in both modes. Unusual for Transformers of this era, he has a visible cockpit interior with a partially frosted windshield and working windshield wiper.

===Universe===
*'''Snow Cat''' (Deluxe, 2005)

: The ''Energon'' Snow Cat mold was redecoed and released as an [[exclusive]] to Kay-Bee stores in 2005 along with a redeco of ''Energon'' [[Downshift (Energon)|Downshift]]. However, at the time Kay-Bee was undergoing financial troubles, closing numerous stores across the United States, and it appears that the two toys did not make it to a great many of the stores that remained open. Many did make their way to Toy Liquidator outlets, a sub-company within Kay-Bee. In 2006, it seems the toys finally made it to a wider distribution through the remaining Kay-Bee stories.

==Trivia==
* According to the [[Transformers (Melbourne House)|''Armada'' Playstation 2 game]] instruction booklet, Cyclonus's ''Armada'' body has the following statistics:
:Height: 19' 7" (17' 1" vehicle mode)
:Weight: 16,550 lbs
:Power: 1800 shaft horsepower
:Vehicle top speed: 190 mph

* The Snow Cat toy was designed to resemble a ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' [[Snow Cat (G.I. Joe)|vehicle of the same name]]. This toy ''also'' featured a frosted windshield with movable wiper. Why a good-guy vehicle got turned into a bad-guy robot is unknown.

* The colors chosen for Universe Snow Cat emulate the colors of vehicles present in G.I. Joe's [http://www.yojoe.com/action/subteams/nightforce.shtml Night Force] sub-line.

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Decepticon/Cyclonus/cyclonus.htm Cyclonus at TFU.info]

{{stub}}
[[Category: Armada characters]]
[[Category: Built to Rule]]
[[Category: Cybertron characters]]
[[Category: Decepticons]]
[[Category: Energon characters]]
[[Category: Fast food exclusives]]
[[Category: KB Toys exclusives]]
[[Category: Unicron-related characters]]
[[Category: Universe characters]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Starscream (Armada)

2007-08-08T18:56:21Z

67.175.3.42: /* ''Armada'' */

{{Template:Disambig3|Starscream}}

:''Starscream is a [[Decepticon]] in the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Starscreamut.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Starscream's back, and he's a [[Linkin Park]] song.]]

'''Starscream''' is disillusioned by his leader [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]. It took a while for Starscream to come to grips with Megatron's faults, but there's no turning back. Megatron doesn't respect him, doesn't appreciate him, and would casually toss Starscream's life away if it got him something he wanted. If following Megatron is the school of hard knocks, then Starscream is the valedictorian -- but not without a few scars. Starscream may have once been compassionate, he may once have known what true friendship is, but all that has been replaced, scab for scab, with the lessons of Megatron's abuse.

Unwittingly, Megatron may have created a monster even he cannot ultimately control.

Starscream's nominal [[Mini-Con]] partner is [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]], thought he has been seen to work with [[Zapmaster]].

''Japanese name:'' '''Nightscream''' (''Energon'')

==Fiction==
===Animated continuity===
====''Armada''====
[[Image:AStarscream_cartoon.jpg|right|thumb|250px|He's grouchy because Hot Shot stole his [[jaAm]].]]
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Michael Dobson]] (English), [[Jin Yamanoi]] (Japan)

Accompanying Megatron's forces to [[Earth]], Starscream was deliberately made to be the last of the Decepticons to acquire a personal partner Mini-Con. Infuriated by this mistreatment, Starscream's resent for and hatred of Megatron made him a chink in the armor of the Decepticons that could be easily exploited by the manipulative [[Sideways]]. {{Storylink|Rebellion}}

Initially, Sideways coerced Starscream into a duel with Megatron, which he promptly lost. A short time later, [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]], acting under the instructions Sideways, further exploited Starscream by making him the patsy in his latest plan. Starscream was given the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] and allowed to run riot to draw the [[Autobot]]s out of their base, but was then abandoned on the battlefield so that the other Decepticons could invade the base and steal the [[Requiem Blaster]]. {{Storylink|Sacrifice}}

Surviving to return to the Decepticon base, Starscream went on a rampage with the sword and disowned the Decepticons, siding up with the wary Autobots, not out of any desire to do good, but simply out of sheer hatred for Megatron. After a clash with [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] and a trip to [[Mars]] with [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]], Starscream befriended the Autobots' [[human]] allies, particularly [[Alexis]], and then gave the Autobots access to the Decepticon base, resulting in a raid that freed all the captive Mini-Cons. Starscream's defection was not a smooth process, however; he constantly clashed with his new teammates over morals and battle strategies, but nonetheless proved a capable, and on at least some level, willing Autobot. {{Storylink|Regeneration}} {{Storylink|Rescue}} {{Storylink|Mars}}

Soon thereafter, Sideways and Thrust approached Starscream, planting seeds of doubt in his mind. This eventually caused him to steal the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom shield]] from the Autobots and return to the Decepticon fold, giving the Decepticons possession of all three Mini-Con weapons. {{Storylink|Crack}}

[[Image:ArmStarscream-Dies01.jpg|left|thumb|200px|The rest is... silence. Until he was brought back as a lobotimized, characterless zombie.]]

Subsequently, Starscream was among the Transformers injured battling [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]], and who then received "[[Powerlinx]]" power boosts from their Mini-Cons. Starscream gained a new, blue coloration that he commented made him look like his contemporary, [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]], with disgust just ''dripping'' from his tone. Returning to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Starscream pursued Thrust into the depths of the planet when the turncoat tactician revealed his treachery by stealing the Requiem Blaster and Skyboom shield. Starscream took a fatal shot from the Requiem Blaster as he battled Thrust in the subterranean tunnels, but the Mini-Con [[High Wire]] used his powers to restructure the timeline, saving Starscream (and throwing the human kids back in time, and.. well it's confusing).

Thrust escaped and delivered the weapons to Sideways and his master, [[Unicron]], presently disguised as Cybertron's moon. Following Thrust through a warp gate and briefly reuniting with Alexis, Starscream entered the belly of the beast along with Hot Shot and [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]], but the unlikely trio were stymied by Unicron's [[Bug Drone|internal defenses]] and failed to stop Sideways from using the weapons to begin Unicron's reactivation.

Megatron - now Galvatron - was unwilling to acknowledge Unicron's threat, dismissing it as an Autobot trick, but Starscream knew the threat was real, and that only united under a true leader like [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] - whose strength of character and nobility had touched Starscream during his time with the Autobots - could the Transformers hope to stop him. To show Galvatron the error of his ways, he challenged him to a duel in which he allowed Galvatron to run him through with the Star Saber. Galavatron realised what happened and demanded to know what possessed Starscream to do such a thing.

Starscream told him that he tried to gain Galvatron's respect, but nothing was ever good enough, no matter how many battles he fought, his leader always found fault. Optimus Prime treated his men with respect, and was thus a leader of integrity, unlike Galvatron. But that didn't matter anymore, and after tearing the Starsaber out with his bare hands, Starscream turned his full firepower onto Unicron. The Chaos Bringer promptly obliterated him, to the shock of both Galvatron and Optimus Prime. When the dust settled, Galvatron stood reflecting upon Starscream's last words, and as a gesture, handed his enemy the Star Saber.

Unfortunately, Sideways ran off with it two seconds later. But it's the thought that counts. {{Storylink|Cramp}}

{{-}}

====''Energon''====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Michael Dobson]] (English), [[Nobuo Tobita]] (Japanese)

Ten years after Starscream's death, when Megatron seized control of Unicron's body by ousting its former occupant, the alien being [[Alpha Quintesson]], the evicted extra-terrestrial needed an assassin to eliminate Megatron so that he could return to his original task of recreating the worlds destroyed by Unicron. Using what little [[energon]] he had left, Alpha Q recreated another victim of Unicron - Starscream. However, Alpha Q ran out of energon before the process could be completed, leaving Starscream incomplete - his memory blank, and his body unstable, constantly shifting from a physical to an ethereal form, able to teleport by "ghosting" from location to location. {{Storylink|Megatron Raid}}

Alpha Q unleashed Starscream upon [[Ocean City]], where he battled Optimus Prime and then tracked Megatron back to Unicron's body. Even his awesome new abilities proved no match for the Decepticon leader, who used Unicron's power to brainwash Starscream, turning him into his right-hand man and most loyal subordinate. Rather ironically, Megatron now treated Starscream with far more respect than previously, even entrusting him with some of the most difficult missions.

Later, when Megatron became Galvatron again through immersion in a subterranean reservoir of [[super energon]] on Cybertron, Starscream was allowed to do the same as a reward for his loyalty; the influx of power stabilised his physical form, while allowing him to retain his teleporting powers. When Galvatron was subsequently possessed by Unicron, [[Primus]] used the super energon to create a sun, and Galvatron plunged himself into it in order to contain Unicron's spark within it. Starscream seemingly sacrificed himself as well, diving into the sun alongside his leader. {{Storylink|The Sun (Energon episode)|The Sun}}

====''Cybertron''====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Dobson]] (English) [[Takaya Kuroda]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Thunder-OhHi.jpg|right|thumb|350px|so, you come here often?]]
A decade after the [[Powerlinx Battles]] (as they were called), when [[Primus]]'s plan to contain Unicron's spark at the core of the energon sun failed, the sun collapsed, becoming a deadly [[Unicron Singularity|black hole]] that threatened Cybertron. Freed from his imprisonment in the sun by Megatron, Starscream's mind was his own again, and his body was refurbished into yet another new form.

Megatron began his campaign to acquire the legendary [[Cyber Planet Key]]s by stealing the map that showed their locations from the ancient Transformer, [[Vector Prime]] while Starscream created a diversion that kept the other Autobots busy. During the fight, Starscream sent [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] tumbling into the black hole, but Vector Prime saved him at the last moment, opening a dimensional gate that teleported him to Earth. {{Storylink|Fallen (Cybertron episode)|Fallen}}

The Autobots and Decepticons followed, and when it was deduced that the Cyber Planet Keys' focusing device, the [[Omega Lock]], was hidden somewhere on the planet, Megatron charged Starscream with locating it while he focused on acquiring the Cyber Planet Key of [[Velocitron]], the Speed Planet.

Little did Megatron suspect, however, that Starscream had evolved a new ambition - now, he sought to oust Megatron and become the leader of the Decepticons, then the universe. Unlike [[Starscream (G1)|those with similar goals]], however, Starscream was smart enough to keep his intentions to himself, quietly working to achieve his goals through subtle means. While on a brief mission to attack [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] on Velocitron, Starscream was able to secretly switch Megatron's map with a copy that would play an important role later, and in an attempt to acquire more troops loyal to him, recruited the disillusioned Autobot [[Mudflap]] into his service on Earth. He later crossed paths once again with the mysterious [[Sideways]], who saw in him the best chance to achieve his own goals.

With the Autobots having successfully acquired the Omega Lock and the Cyber Planet Keys from Velocitron and the [[Jungle Planet]], Starscream realised it was time to step up his agenda. His duplicate planet map led Megatron and the other Decepticons to a dead sector of space and sealed them within a metal sphere, freeing Starscream to search for the third Cyber Planet Key, from Earth itself. Encountering the Autobot monster-hunter, [[Crosswise (Cybertron)|Crosswise]] - one of the ancient Transformers whose ancestors had come to Earth with the Cyber Planet Key eons ago, who had recently been reactivated - Starscream discovered a vast underground holding cell in which Crosswise had imprisoned the ancient Decepticons of his time. {{Storylink|Trap}} {{Storylink|Invasion}}

Liberating them, Starscream took command of their forces and began a planetwide search for the Cyber Planet Key, fighting back the Autobot and human military resistance. The Autobots had Crosswise's ally [[Evac]] recover the key from its hiding place in preparation for a retreat to Velocitron, but Starscream fought his way through the entire Autobot army and confronted Optimus Prime himself, successfully purloining the lock and all three keys by endangering the Autobots' human allies and drawing Prime out of the fight. {{Storylink|Retreat}}

Retreating to a small volcanic island in the South Pacific, Starscream attempted to harness the power of the Cyber Planet Keys. Megatron, meanwhile, had been freed by [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]], and immediately sought retribution, only to wind up clashing with the Autobots first. The extra time this afforded, along with the distraction of having Starscream's new troops (including [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]] and [[Lugnutz]]) defending him from both sides, allowed Starscream to tap the power of the keys and harness a fragment of the spark of Primus, growing to a gigantic height and besting Megatron in combat. With an extra power boost courtesy of his combination with [[Wing Saber]], Optimus Prime was able to defeat Starscream, but Sideways teleported his body away to the ancient starship [[Atlantis]] to recuperate. {{Storylink|Starscream (Cybertron episode)|Starscream}}

When the Cyber Planet Keys were used by the Autobots to awaken Primus and tranform Cybertron into his body, Starscream successfully attempted to drain more of his power and grew to planetary size. He was defeated in one-on-one combat with Primus himself, battered into submission by Cybertron's moons, and drained of his excess power. The discovery of the fourth Cyber Planet Key on [[Gigantion]], the Giant Planet, set Starscream racing to acquire the key first, but Landmine reached it ahead of him and was able to use its power to pay him back for past indignities by growing to his size and pummelling him.

With all four Cyber Planet Keys finally acquired, Starscream challenged Megatron - now Galvatron once more - to a final battle for possession of them. So incredible were the energies released during the clash that space and time itself was rended by the final explosion, and Starscream was hurtled into another dimension along with the interfering Sideways and [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]]. He would appear for one final time before a defeated Galvatron, his spirit reaching out across the dimensions to encourage him to fight on - leading Galvatron to his final demise at the hands of Optimus Prime on Cybertron's [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]. {{Storylink|Unfinished}}

As the Autobots made preparations to begin their new galaxy-spanning [[space bridge]] initiative, [[Wing Saber]] - having departed from the rest of the Autobots to continue with his "loner" lifestyle - radioed Optimus to report that he had found a lead on Starscream's trail and was pursuing it. Landmine and a reformed Mudflap departed to aid him, and would eventually encounter Starscream within the walls of firespace, where Galvatron last saw him. {{Storylink|Beginning}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
====''Armada''====
Starscream lacked the more complex nature of his animated counterpart, filling the position of "snarky second-in-command" as Starscreams tend to do. He also gave Megatron the finger. (Behind his back, of course. He's not THAT stupid!)

====''Energon''====
In the wake of the unification of Autobots and Decepticons following Unicron's defeat, Starscream tried to ingratiate himself with [[Tidal Wave]] and the rest of the remaining Decepticons. His wheedling didn't last long, though, as [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] showed up and promptly blasted him into a trash compactor. Later, during the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] attack on Earth, Starscream reappeared in his new form as an energon ghost and incapactitated [[Demolishor]].

''('''Note''': Due to Dreamwave's subsequent bankruptcy, this ended up being his only appearance in his Energon form.)''

====Fun Publications ''Cybertron'' comic====
Starscream killed Mini-Con [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] as the little guy was uploading himself into Cybertron's planetary mainframe.

''('''Note''': This is an allusion to a Dreamwave Comics continuity event, but apparently it also took place in the animated continuity, too? Well, okay. Don't think too hard on this one.)''

===Panini comics continuity===
Starscream answered letters!

===''Transformers'' Playstation 2 game===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Matt Hetherington]]

[[Image:Starscream-GameBurn.jpg|left|thumb|Sephiroth! Sephiroth! 'Cause all bad guys walk in flames and not get burned]]

Starscream was stationed in Antarctica, overseeing [[Decepticlone]] operations in recovering the [[Mini-Con storage panel]]s found in the area, using a human research center they overran as his base of operations. When the Autobots ventured too close, Starscream attacked (blowing up the hangar he was holed up in first), but was shot out of the sky and left for dead.

Having survived his initial defeat, Starscream followed the Autobots to Alaska. There he collided his starship into a mountain in an attempt to crush them, but the Autobots escaped unscathed. This also gave them the chance to infiltrate the downed ship and free the captive Mini-Con [[Aftershock]] from the control room. Starscream used his null laser cannons at full power in an attempt to finish off his foes, but only succeeded in cutting the rock face below the ship, which collapsed and sent the precariously-blanaced ship plunging into the valley below. The impact of the crash buried the bow deep into the earth, forcing the Autobots to climb their way up and out to the surface.

[[Image:Starscream-Cmere.jpg|right|thumb|Does Wayne Brady have to choke a bitch?]]

When the Autobots pulled free from the buried ship and got back to ground-level, Starscream attacked again. But this battle too ultimately ended in defeat, leading Optimus Prime to interrogate him as to the whereabouts of Megatron. When Starscream refused and attempted to fire his functional null ray at point-blank range, Optimus knocked him unconscious with a well-aimed punch. He then ordered Red Alert to hack the treacherous Decepticon's warp transponder, which led them to Megatron's [[Pacific Island]] base.

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Armada===
*'''Starscream with Swindle''' (Mega-Con, 2002/2003)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''MD-02'''
[[Image:Armada_SS_toy.jpg|right|thumb|180px|Buy Emo Starscream today, kids!]]

: Starscream transforms into a Cybertronic jet fighter. In both modes, pressing down on his cockpit canopy activates electronic sound effects; in jet mode, it also deploys his [[Mini-Con]] partner [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]] if he is stored under the cockpit. Plugging a Mini-Con onto his rearmost [[Powerlinx]] plug releases two spring-activated over-shoulder spring-loaded missile launchers, as well as more electronic sound effects. His left wing detaches and unfolds to form a large sword for use in robot mode.

: The [[Takara]] verion of this toy is largely identical to the [[Hasbro]] version, but uses a brighter light gray plastic, gold paint instead of yellow, more detailed paint applications on the wings, and has a "separated" Decepticon sigil deco. The canopy section on the Japanese version is parallel to the rest of the jet mode, while the American points more downward. This is due to a retooling of the area that meets his chest, and was done [[for safety reasons]], making the nosecone "collapse" easier if pressed point-first into, say, your little brother.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Universe]]'' [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]], ''Armada'' [[Skywarp (Armada)|Skywarp]] and ''[[Armada]]'' [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]].

*'''Starscream''' (Happy Meal premium, 2003)

: Part of the McDonald's ''Armada'' promotion, this version of Starscream transforms into a Cybertronic jet the somewhat resembles his larger toy. It features a pull-back motor gimmick that propels his jet-mode forward, then leaps up to instantly convert to robot mode, like the [[Generation 1]] [[Jumpstarter]]s. In jet mode, he can combine with the other three Happy Meal Decepticons to form a goofy-looking super vehicle.

*'''Starscream Supermode with Spark Grid''' (Mega-Con, 2003)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''MD-09'''
[[Image:Armada_Thundercracker_toy.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Boy, is his face red!]]

: The Takara version of the ''Armada'' Thundercracker toy represents a powered-up version of Starscream instead of a new character. This toy is almost identical to the Hasbro Thundercracker, but uses a darker more vivid blue plastic and a darker more vivid red. Also the canopy section on the Japanese version is parallel to the rest of jet mode, while the American points more downward. This is due to a retooling of the area that meets his chest and was done for safety reasons.

: He comes with a powered-up version of his Mini-Con, Grid.

{{-}}

*'''Starscream with Swindle''' (Built to Rule, 2003)
[[Image:BTR_Armada_Starscream.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Starscream's attempts to take over [[Block Town|Blockotown]] were less than sucessful.]]

: ''[[Built to Rule]]'' Starscream is a building-brick set that can be assembled into a Cybertronic fighter jet or a robot, or to whatever else you feel like. He came with a building-brick version of Swindle. The set features two missile launchers that use a unique "twist-block" pressure-launch mechanism.

: This set was later released in different colors as Thundercracker and [[Zapmaster]].

{{-}}

===Energon===
*'''Starscream''' (Deluxe, 2004)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''SD-01'''
[[Image:Energon_Starscream_toy.jpg|left|thumb|130px|Spooky.]]
[[Image:Superlink_Nightscream_Toy.jpg|right|thumb|130px|Now with G1 sweetening.]]

: ''Energon'' Starscream transforms into a jet fighter loosely based upon the F/A-22 Raptor, cast mostly in dark clear-green plastics to emphasize his "energon ghost" status. The toy also features numerous spots of sculpted battle damage and asymmetrical plastic-color layouts to further enhance the effect. He comes with two very large accessories, a sword and a non-firing blaster, which can combine to form a ''really'' larger sword and/or non-firing blaster. In jet mode he has two wing-mounted spring-loaded missile launchers, which can flip up over his robot-mode shoulders for "Hyper Mode".

: The Japanese version of this mold, called "Nightscream", uses gray instead of blue, a lighter shade of red paint, darker blue plastic and paint.

: He is '''not''' a [[retool]] of ''[[Generation 2]]'' [[Smokescreen (G2)|Smokescreen]], dammit.

{{-}}
*'''Prowl with Longarm & Starscream with Zapmaster''' (Multi-pack, 2004)

: Part of a Sam's Club [[exclusive]] set, the original Starscream toy was [[redeco]]ed in primarily dark gray with burgundy and black accents. His Mini-Con partner was [[Zapmaster]] this time around rather than Swindle. The set also included ''Energon'' [[Prowl (Energon)|Prowl]] as an ''Armada'' [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] redeco with [[Longarm (Armada)|Longarm]].

*'''Energon Starscream''' (Deluxe, 2004)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''SD-19'''

[[Image:Energon_Energon_Starscream_Toy.jpg|left|thumb|130px|Twice the G1 for half the price.]]
[[Image:Superlink_Nightscream_Reverse_Toy.jpg|right|thumb|130px|With two scoops of G1 in every toy.]]

: ''Energon'' Starscream was redecoed into a more [[Generation 1]]-inspired color scheme, primarily light gray with blue and red accents. The Takara "Nightscream Rebirth" release of the toy has some significant differences, the most notable being the use of clear-blue plastics in the place of some of the solid-gray in the Hasbro version. Gray plastic was used in place of black, and many paint details were different. It also came with a yellow version of ''Energon'' [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon's]] [[Energon weapon #Energy Drill (Insecticon)|energon drill weapon]].

{{-}}
*'''Starscream''' (Built to Rule, 2004)
[[Image:BTR_EnergonStarscream.jpg|right|thumb|Starscream's attempt to infiltrate the [[wikipedia:Lego Space|Space Police]] was only marginally more successful.]]

: The ''Energon'' version of ''Built To Rule'' Starscream was designed with a much more solid skeleton with larger, blockier limbs. He can be rebuilt from a Cybertronic jet fighter with pressure-launch missiles, to a robot, to basically whatever you feel like doing with the parts.

: Unfortunately, due to the slow performance of the ''Built to Rule'' line overall, the ''Energon'' versions only had a limited, test market release initially in and around Cincinnati, Ohio. The sets later filtered out into many "Tuesday Morning" chain stores at drastically dropped prices.

{{-}}

===Cybertron===
*'''Starscream''' (Voyager, 2005)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''GD-03'''

: ''Galaxy Force'' Starscream transforms into a Cybertronic starfighter. In both modes, plugging a [[Cyber Planet Key]] into his back end flips out a spring-loaded blade from each arm. His spring-loaded missile launcher can be used as either a hand-held weapon, or mounted under his jet-mode nosecone. He comes with a Cybertron-Decepticon-style Cyber Planet Key.

: This mold in these colors was never released in the Habsbro ''[[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' line, most likely to not interfere with sales of the much larger Supreme Starscream toy (see below).

*'''Starscream''' (Supreme, 2005)
[[Image:CybScreamSupreme.jpg|left|thumb|Honeycomb big? Yeah Yeah Yeah! It's not small? No No No!]]
: Supreme Starscream is a colossally-upscaled version of the Voyager-class Starscream toy, with quite a few changes. The most notable is the change in his Cyber Planet Key gimmick: each arm has a separate Key jack in it rather than the Voyager's single joint-jack. While the right arm still deploys a blade, the left arm now reveals a "null laser cannon" spring-loaded missile launcher. The original back-mounted Key jack still exists in a fashion, though it does not activate any gimmicks and merely serves as a Key storage space (a rarity among ''Cybertron'' toys). A second storage-only jack is found on the underside of the same assembly. The two small guns on the sides of his cockpit can swivel up to firing position in robot mode, and he also has several electronic light and sound gimmicks, including one activated by moving his sword-arm.

: He comes with a Decepticon "Crown of Leadership" that fits over his noggin, and also is the only ''Cybertron'' toy to come with ''two'' Cyber Planet Keys, a Cybertron-Decepticon Key, and a gold-bordered Earth-style Key. Both Keys have the [[Cyber Key Codes|Key Code]] "'''s5a3'''" [[tampograph]]ed on their backs. (The placement of these accessories in the box varies in later releases.)

: In Japan, this toy was released as a Toys "R" Us exclusive, basically in US packaging.

*'''Starscream vs. Vector Prime''' (Multi-pack, 2005)

: The only Hasbro release of the Voyager Starscream mold, this primarily-burgundy redeco came in a two-pack with an unaltered [[Vector Prime]], and was exclusive to Toys "R" Us stores. It was also sold for slightly less than the cost of two Voyagers.

*'''Starscream''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2005)
[[Image:CybScream-LOC.jpg|thumb|Starsqueak.]]
: A colossally ''downscaled'' and simplified version of the ''Cybertron'' Starscream figure was released as part fo the first wave of the ''[[Legends of Cybertron]]'' series. He transforms into the same Cybertronic starfighter altmode, and has flip-out weapons (one sword, one non-firing blaster).

: In Japan, the toy was sold as part of the ''very'' short-lived "EZ Collection". It was given more extensive [[paint application]]s than the Hasbro version.

: This mold was used to make ''Legends of Cybertron'' [[Ramjet (LOC)|Ramjet]], [[Skywarp (Armada)|Skywarp]] and [[Sunstorm (LOC)|Sunstorm]].

*'''EZ Collection Clear Set''' (Multi-pack, 2005)

: A three-pack of ''Legends of Cybertron'' [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] and Starscream using clear plastics in some parts was released in Japan. It was a mail-away exclusive to ''TV Magazine''.

===Attacktix===
[[Image:AttacktixScream.jpg|left|thumb|100px|He keeps flying in circles for some reason.]]
*'''Starscream''' (Booster, 2006)
:''Attacktix ID number:'' '''TF08'''

: ''[[Attacktix]]'' Starscream is a missile-launching piece based on his ''Cybertron'' robot mode, a 30-point "Commander" with a common 6 "tix" of movement, and a maximum of 8 "tix". His Special Power, "Rally", enables a player to return any one of their already-defeated [[Decepticon]] pieces to play.

: As with all Booster-pack pieces, Starscream came with both black and chrome-silver bases. A "Super-Rare" piece, there is a one in twelve chance of getting Starscream in any blind-packed Booster set.

*'''Starscream''' (Booster, 2007)

:This Starscream is a missile launching piece based on his ''Energon'' Energon form's vehicle mode.
{{-}}

===Merchandise===
* A soft-plastic PVC figurine of Starscream's animation model was released in "Act-9" of Takara's [[Super Collection Figure]] series. It came in both full-color and pewter-finish version, one each per case of twelve.

* A larger non-transforming PVC figure of Starscream was released in the Mega Super Colleciton figure series. Like other toys in the line, he came with a few extra pieces, like a separate wing-sword, and a mini-PVC of his [[Mini-Con]] partner [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]].

==Trivia==
* According the the [[Transformers (Melbourne House)|''Armada'' video game's]] instruction booklet, Starscream (in his ''Armada''-era body) has the following statistics:
::Height: 19' 7" (15' 1" vehicle mode length)
::Weight: 22,050 lbs
::Thrust: 28,000 lbs
::Vehicle Top Speed: Mach 2.7

* [[Aaron Archer]] has expressed disappointment in how the ''Energon'' Starscream toy turned out, largely its design cues not quite coming across as intended.

* The ''Cybertron'' Starscream design is based on the [[Generation 1]] [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] body from the [[Dreamwave]] comic series "[[The War Within]]", designed by [[Don Figueroa]].

* The Supreme Starscream's crown is modeled directly after the crown Generation 1 Starscream wore in [[The Transformers: The Movie (1986)|the 1986 Movie]], though this Starscream actually wore it for more than thirty seconds before dying.

* Armada Starscream's body parts made frequent cameos in the CGI models of the generic Decepticon and Autobot soldiers during the Energon cartoon series, despite Starscream not actually ever appearing in his Armada body during the series.

[[Image:Speaker.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Starscream's emptiness can only be filled by love or electronics.]]
* Cybertron Voyager Starscream was designed with a [[soundbox]] in mind (even including the requisite speaker and battery brackets when you crack one open), but the final Hasbro and Takara versions have no electronics.

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Decepticon/Starscream/starscream.htm Starscream at TFU.info]

[[Category: Armada characters]]
[[Category: Attacktix]]
[[Category: Built to Rule]]
[[Category: Energon characters]]
[[Category: Cybertron characters]]
[[Category: Decepticons]]
[[Category: Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category: Fast food exclusives]]
[[Category: Legends of Cybertron]]
[[Category: Letters page answerers]]
[[Category: Mail order exclusives]]
[[Category: Sam's Club exclusives]]
[[Category: Seekers]]
[[Category: Turncoats]]
[[Category: Toys "R" Us exclusives]]
[[Category: Zombies]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Hot Shot (Armada)

2007-08-08T02:53:31Z

67.175.3.42: /* Energon */

{{Template:Disambig2|the prominent UT character|the RID Spychanger|Hot Shot (RID)}}

:''Hot Shot is an [[Autobot]] character in the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Hotshotut.gif|thumb|300px|I'm Optimus' choice for successor. Scary, huh?]]

'''Hot Shot''' is the quintessential young hero. He's been around long enough to earn a name for himself and a place in [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]]'s entourage, but he's still too young to know when he's in over his head. In other words, he's blunt, overconfident, and naive, yet brave and honorable. With time and experience, Prime believes, he could make an excellent leader, and has appointed him to his command structure accordingly. Hot Shot's got the goods, but he just needs to pay attention for more than five seconds. Until that day, Hot Shot's likely response to most anything is, "Yeah yeah, like, whatever."

Hot Shot's [[Mini-Con]] partner is [[Jolt (Armada)|'''Jolt''']], though he has been known to moonlight with [[Mirage (Armada)|'''Mirage''']].

:''Japanese ''Micron Legend'' name'': '''Hot Rod'''<br>
:''Japanese ''Galaxy Force'' name'': '''Exillion/Exigeyser'''

==Fiction==
===Dreamwave comics continuity===
====''Armada''====
One million years ago, Hot Shot was a member of the Autobots, the guardians of [[Cyber City]]. Soon news of a warlike faction called [[Decepticon]]s, led by the power-hungry [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], reached Cyber City via a dying [[Mini-Con]] Hot Shot found. The Mini-Con handed him a video disc and with his dying breath, demanded Hot Shot take it to Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime played the disc, a distress signal from [[Leader-1]], head of [[Mini-Con Sector|Mini-Con village D10]], who begged the Autobots for help.

[[Image:Hotshotraizeyes.jpg|left|thumb|Hot Shot watches in horror as [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] buys the last can of [[jaAm]].]]

The Decepticons themselves soon arrived in Cyber City, armed with Mini-Cons they had captured and reconfigured to bestow incredible power when [[Powerlinx]]ed. Outclassed and near total defeat, Optimus Prime called his troops into retreat, and after the majority of Mini-Cons escaped [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to parts unknown, the Autobots lost much of the planet to the Mini-Con-powered Decepticons.

In the present day, both the Autobots and Decepticons received a signal of the Mini-Cons' activation on the planet [[Earth]]. Hot Shot and his colleagues [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]], [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]], and [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] were led by Optimus Prime to the planet, where they met the Decepticons in battle. But this time, with the help of the estranged Mini-Cons, the Autobots regained the edge they lost against the Decepticons one million years prior. An uneasy alliance was formed, and Hot Shot was partnered with the Mini-Con [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_1:_First_Contact|First Contact}}

After this initial battle on Earth, Megatron is quick to capture the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] and forge them into the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber sword]]. Optimus Prime led Hot Shot and Red Alert against the Decepticons again, despite being at a strategic disadvantage while the Mini-Cons were missing, a point Hot Shot belabored. Thankfully, the Autobot-allied Mini-Cons arrived just in time to Powerlinx with Hot Shot and the other Autobots, fend off Megatron, and rescue the Air Defense Mini-Cons from the Decepticon leader's clutches.

[[Image:Hotshotguido.jpg|thumb|200px|"Well, let's go!"]]

Soon, a Mini-Con beacon tower erected in [[Tranquility, Kansas]], drawing all Earth-bound Mini-Cons to it. Hot Shot and the rest of the Autobots again met the Decepticons in battle at the location when the tower's effect was discovered. However, they were too busy fighting to notice the beacon tower blasting off towards the Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Hot Shot and Red Alert secreted Optimus Prime into the Decepticon base for the use of their space bridge, so that the Autobot leader could ask for reinforcements from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_2:_Fortress|Fortress}}

After the Mini-Cons were evacuated from the moon, five did not return home safely and sent a distress signal from northern Alaska. When the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]] failed to retrieve them, Hot Shot and the other Autobots arrived in full force, though they were kept in check by Cyclonus, who was suffering from a Mini-Con overdose. Though they were successful, Optimus Prime disappeared before their eyes, and when Hot Shot returned to Autobase, he found [[Optimus Prime (Worlds Collide)|an Optimus Prime]], dying, sent from another timeline to warn of [[Unicron]]'s coming. Learning of the "real" Optimus Prime's disappearance, Megatron and his Decepticons stormed Autobase, nearly killing Smokescreen and heavily injuring Hot Shot, Red Alert, and Scavenger.

Optimus Prime was returned to them and insisted on teaming up with the Decepticons to battle the arriving Unicron. Hot Shot excused himself from this alliance, as Smokescreen's critical condition due to the Decepticons' recent attack still weighed heavily in his mind. So when Megatron stole away during the battle with Unicron to strike a deal with the Dark God, Hot Shot, Scavenger, and Red Alert ambushed him, leaving him to die as Unicron was seemingly destroyed by the [[Mini-Con Matrix]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_3:_Worlds_Collide|Worlds Collide}}

====''Energon''====
[[Image:Hotshotironhidedw.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Sorry, Hot Shot, you've been replaced.]]

Ten years later, at the beginning of the Energon Era, Hot Shot accompanied Optimus Prime, who was skeptic and restless about the new peacetime, to his visit with the High Council in Cyber City. Prime's demands for vigilance were denied, so Hot Shot later followed him to a special [[uplink platform]] that [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] had directed them to. This trip was a first outing for the rookie Autobot [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]], who fawned over Hot Shot. Hot Shot met this with difficulty. Learning of the continued existence of [[Unicron]], Prime once again returned to the High Council, and again accompanied by Hot Shot. But this time, Cyber City was attacked by [[Cheetor (Armada)|Cheetor]], [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]], [[Airazor (Armada)|Airazor]], and [[Terrorsaur (Armada)|Terrorsaur]], who were presumed dead during the [[Unicron Battles]], but in fact were transformed into Unicron's [[Beasts of the Apocalypse]]. The Horsemen were deterred when Hot Shot and the other Autobots were granted the [[Spark of Combination]].

Hot Shot followed Prime to Earth after a distress signal was received. [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] and his [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] were after a young boy who could detect [[Energon]] named [[Kicker]]. The Terrorcons outclassed them, however, and left only when their Energon-mining gear was destroyed, but not without taking Kicker. After the Autobots reunited with [[Rad]] and [[Alexis]], Hot Shot and the [[Omnicon]] [[Strongarm (Energon|Strongarm]] were able to pursue the Terrorcons and deliver a special suit to Kicker that his father, [[Doctor Jones|Dr. Jones]], had made for him. With Kicker's help, the Terrorcons were defeated and returned to Unicron.
{{-}}

----

===Animated continuity===
====''Armada''====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Brent Miller]] (US), [[Kōsuke Okano]] (Japan)<br>

[[Image:Hotshotarmada.jpg|left|200px|thumb|He grins because he sees [[jaAm]].]]

Special attacks: Axle Cannon

An indeterminate number of years ago on Cybertron, Hot Shot and the Autobot [[Wheeljack_(Armada)|Wheeljack]] were amidst a fiery battlefield blaze. Wheeljack was incapacitated, so Hot Shot left him, promising to get help. However, his Autobot comrades would not let him return to help his friend. Instead, Wheeljack was rescued by [[Megatron_(Armada)|Megatron]] and swore vengeance against Hot Shot and the Autobots.

When [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] received the [[Mini-Con]] distress signal, Hot Shot was one of two soldiers he brought with him to Earth to investigate. He soon scanned the form of an Earth sports car and partnered with the Mini-Con [[Jolt (Armada) (Armada)|Jolt]]. {{storylink|Base}}

When all three Mini-Cons that combine to form the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] sword were collected, Optimus assigned them to Hot Shot. The Autobot was young, inexperienced, and hotheaded, so the great advantage the Star Saber granted him went straight to his ego. With the sword, he was nearly unbeatable on the battlefield until a Decepticon named [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] taught him the hard way that power without skill was useless against an experienced opponent. Hot Shot's naivety was his downfall. The double-agent [[Sideways]] tricked Hot Shot out of the sword, and Hot Shot was beaten nearly to death by his frustrated opponents. {{storylink|Overmatch}}

[[Image:Hotshotstarsaber.jpg|250px|thumb|He loves his Star Saber sword. It's so bad ('cause it looks like [[jaAm]]).]]

Wheeljack returned to Hot Shot's life, seeking revenge. The new Autobot recruit [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] was caught up in Wheeljack's vendetta, so Hot Shot protected Side Swipe as best he could, hoping not to repeat his past mistakes. Wheeljack was deterred, but promised he'd be around later to revisit his ill will. {{storylink|Past, Part 1}}

When Optimus Prime sacrificed himself to save Earth, Hot Shot was put in command. Hot Shot declined to take the Matrix of Leadership, which marked the beginning of a very unassertive and indecisive administration. It was also short, as Optimus Prime returned to life after not too long. {{storylink|Remorse}}

The Decepticons managed to take over Cybertron. [[Unicron]], the Chaos Bringer, was looming over their planet, but [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]] (previously Megatron) would not listen to Optimus Prime's pleas to unite their two factions against him. Hot Shot decided to take matters into his own hands and fought his way through the Decepticon base and countless Decepticon warriors to reach Galvatron and reason with him. If it were not for Wheeljack's intervention, he might not have survived. Under the Autobot/Decepticon alliance, Wheeljack's hatred of Hot Shot seemed to soften, and the two learned to trust each other again. {{storylink|Dash}}

After the destruction of Unicron and the defeat of Galvatron, Optimus Prime felt he had failed as Autobot Leader, and with the end of conflict between the two factions, he exiled himself to parts unknown. Hot Shot and [[Jetfire_(Armada)|Jetfire]] were left in charge of the Transformers. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}

====Energon====
:''Voice Actor(s):'' [[Brent Miller]] (US), [[Kōsuke Toriumi]] (Japan)<br>

[[Image:Hotshotenergoncartoon.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Hot Shot always forgets he's not supposed to shoot [[jaAm]] at the humans.]]

Hot Shot would find himself stationed on Earth as the commander of [[Ocean City]] while Optimus Prime was away training new soldiers on Cybertron. Though he had matured since the threat of Unicron, Hot Shot was still a young soldier with a large mass of responsibility placed on his shoulders.

Hot Shot often clashed with Kicker and Ironhide, the latter seeing Hot Shot as his idol, and was often paired with [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]] as his Powerlink partner. It wasn't until the arrival of Hot Shot's former commander and idol, [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]], that he would question his own allegiances. Not moved by Rodimus' plea to help him to resurrect [[Unicron]], Hot Shot threatened to open fire, only to be struck down by Rodimus. After Rodimus saved Hot Shot's life, he regretted his quick judgment. The relationship between Hot Shot and Rodimus was eventually restored and they become Powerlink partners.

Hot Shot continued to serve under Optimus Prime, surviving many battles on Cybertron and other worlds. Along with several other Autobots, Hot Shot was injured when the reborn Unicron destroyed a fledgling planet in the reformed Q-system. Hot Shot was reformatted into a slick silver body along with his Autobot comrades. He eventually merged his [[spark]] with that of [[Optimus Supreme]] and his partners in the final battle with [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]].

====Cybertron====
:''Voice Actor(s):'' [[Kirby Morrow]] (US), [[Daisuke Hirakawa]] (Japan)<br>
:''Special attacks:'' Accel Wing, Double X Shot, Battle Dagger

[[Image:Hotshotcybertron.jpg|thumb|250px|He knows kung-fu.]]

When [[Unicron]]'s destruction resulted in a black hole that threatened the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron, Optimus Prime ordered the planet to retreat into hiding on Earth. Hot Shot took the form of a blue Earth sports car.

This form came in handy when Optimus reassigned Hot Shot and [[Red_Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] to search for [[Velocitron]]'s [[Cyber Planet Key]]. He quickly developed a competitive bond with [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]], the leader of Velocitron. Against Red Alert's warnings, Hot Shot joined the Great Race. Hot Shot pushed himself beyond his means, almost to the point of destruction, but no matter how he tried, he could never defeat Override. The constant racing took a noticeable toll on his body. Was he really doing this to win the Key or just to prove to himself he was still the fastest in the galaxy?

Hot Shot was in big trouble when Optimus arrived on Velocitron and found out what he was up to. But Optimus Prime changed his mind when he realized that winning the race was the only way to win the Key. With the Autobots' full support and [[Coby]]'s help, Hot Shot won the Great Race and the Cyber Planet Key.

Later, Hot Shot, Red Alert and [[Scattorshot]] faced [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] alone when the Decepticon leader returned to Earth thristing for revenge against the treacherous Starscream. Humiliating the Decepticon in combat, Megatron, enraged, used his new Omega Lock-powered Death Machine Gun on the three Autobots, crippling them beyond repair. {{Storylink|Revelations}}

[[Image:CDHotShot_fists.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Now we know why his shoulders hurt]]

Fortunately, the powers of Primus acting through the [[Omega Lock]] bathed the trio in the creator's holy light, repairing and reformatting the young Autobot into '''Cybertron Defense Hot Shot.''' Along with his newly reformatted friends, the [[Cybertron Defense Team]] arrived on the battlefield and easily defeated the Decepticons Scourge and Megatron. {{Storylink|Critical}}

As Optimus Prime and the other Autobots dealt with Starscream and Megatron's forces, the Cybertron Defense Team was sent on an advance mission to Planet Cybertron. Hot Shot and his fellow team members had to blast their way through a debris field littering the Space Bridge path to Cybertron, during the course of which Hot Shot's vision was obscured by a thick oily substance excreted out of an asteroid as it exploded.

When the unit finally arrived on Cybertron, they were shocked to discover the planet overrun with the parasitic [[Scrapmetal drone]]s, and quickly had to fight their way through legions of the robotic pests. {{Storylink|United}}

{{-}}

{{spoiler}}

Much later on [[Gigantion]] the Cybertron Defense Team was caught in [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]]'s smokescreen, but they managed to figure out the mysterious agent's mind games and defeat him.

After Override resigned from leadership of Velocitron in order to travel to a new world, Hot Shot won the race to determine who would be her successor, despite his bulky new body.

==Toys==
===Armada===
[[Image:Hotshotarmadatoy.jpg|left|thumb|250px|My LifE iS pAiN.]]
*'''Hot Shot''' (Super-Con, 2002/2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MC-03'''

: ''Armada'' Hot Shot transforms into a modified yellow Audi TT. He is packaged with [[Mini-Con]] [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]], who, when attached to the [[powerlinx]] port on Hot Shot's rear, deploys his rear axle over the back of his head and (in the same motion) fires a missile from his hubcap. Jolt's gun can either attach to Hot Shot's robot mode chest or unveil "driving claws" from Hot Shot's front bumper by attaching to Hot Shot's car mode hood as his engine. Hot Shot's visor can also flip over his face.

: "Hot Rod," [[Takara]]'s ''Micron Legend'' version of Hot Shot, was released in altered colors, with a more saturated yellow and some dark gray paint in places instead of navy blue. Additionally, more of the belt straps on his chest were painted silver, his pelvis was painted a darker red, and clearer paint on his Autobot symbol. A [[retool]] (or vice versa) of [[Hasbro]]'s Hot Shot, his right arm houses a light-up LED (for accommodating the translucent Star Saber sword) that glows when his side-view mirror is pressed, a feature that was dropped from the American version due to price-point concerns.

* '''Hot Rod w/ Jolt and Air Defense Microns''' (2002)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MS-01'''

: Takara's Hot Rod was also released in a box set with the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team]].

* '''Hot Shot''' (Happy Meal, 2002)

[[Image:Hotshotpowerlinx.jpg|right|thumb|250px|i eAt yOuR bAbIEs!!]]

*'''Powerlinx Hot Shot''' (Super-Con, 2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MC-13'''

: A red, yellow, and black [[redeco]] and [[retool]] of the first Hot Shot, Powerlinx Hot Shot has a new head that has a more "serious" look, though his visor, sculpted directly into the new head, is no longer articulated. Intended to be an [[homage]] to ''[[Generation 1]]'' [[Hot Rod]], he has a yellow spoiler and flames on his hood. Due to a factory error, his forehead is painted gray instead of left red. The Japanese version, "Hot Rod Super Mode," fixed this forehead mistake, painted the shoulder symbol more clearly, and retained the LED light-up arm the first Japanese version featured.

: Rumors circulated that a Hot Shot with fixed forehead paint and a cleaner symbol would surface later in the run, but this did not seem to happen, and no specimens with these fixes have ever materialized.

: In November of 2003, US Toys "R" Us stores had special bonus pack Max-Con (Deluxe) toys, which came with a single bonus Mini-Con attached to the card over their sticker, for ''less'' than the price as a normal Max-Con during Toys "R" Us' post-Thanksgiving-day sale. Like Powerlinx [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]], Powerlinx Hot Shot could come with one of the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]] members: [[Dune Runner]], [[Iceberg]] or [[Ransack (Armada)|Ransack]].

===Built-to-Rule===
*'''Hot Shot''' (Built to Rule, 2003)

===Energon===
[[Image:Hotshotenergontoy.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Hot Shot, part deux]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SC-02'''

: In ''Energon'', Hot Shot was updated as a modified yellow Aston-Martin Vanquish. He could carry a transparent red spring-loaded missile-launching weapon in either mode, and featured a small Autobot [[spark crystal]] on his chest on which [[Energon chip]]s could be mounted. Like nearly all other Autobots in the ''Energon'' line, he could [[powerlinx]] with like-designed toys to form the top or bottom of a super robot.

: Takara released Hot Shot in similar colors, changing the slate blue plastic to a dark, nearly-black blue, dropping the black paint on his car roof, and adding metallic blue paint to his chest. His head is also a nearly-identical-but-different sculpt, most noticeably around the mouth, chin, and eyes. The reason for this is unknown.

* '''Hot Shot & Inferno''' (Multi-pack, 2003)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''SS-01'''

: In Japan, Takara released Hot Shot both individually and in a box set with [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]].

[[Image:Hotshotenergonenergontoy.jpg|200px|right|thumb|He has a heart that burns for justice.]]

*'''Energon Hot Shot''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SC-23'''

: ''Energon'' Energon Hot Shot gave the car mode a silver-painted finish and the robot parts a dark blue, yellow, and red color scheme reminiscent of ''Armada'' Hot Shot's colors. Energon Hot Shot used the Hasbro version of Hot Shot's head (see above).

: When he was released in Japan as "Hot Shot Fire," his car mode was changed to an unpainted silver, and additionally the yellow plastic was changed to a sherbet orange, the dark blue plastic to black, and the transparent orange plastic to a transparent crimson red. He also came packaged with the [[Energon_weapon#Energy_Cutter_.28Signal_Flare.29|Energy Cutter]], a transparent watermelon-red redeco of [[Signal Flare]]'s [[energon weapon]], plus a matching [[energon chip]]. Hot Shot Fire used the Takara version of Hot Shot's head.
{{-}}
===Cybertron===
[[Image:Hotshotcybertrontoy.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Hot Shot's Blue Period.]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Deluxe Class, 2005)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' ''GC-02'''

: An homage to ''Generation 1'' Hot Rod in design but not in color scheme, ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot transforms into a modified blue [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_ME_Four-Twelve Chrysler ME Four-Twelve concept car]. He comes with a [[Speed Planet]] [[Cyber Key]] that deploys transparent yellow wings from his spoiler when the key is inserted into the rear of the car. The toy also comes with a spring-loaded missile-launching gun that can be carried in robot mode or pegged into the roof of the car mode.

: The Japanese release, "Exillion," is completely identical other than a slight molding difference; two screws on either side of the spoiler are visible in the American release and all subsequent uses of the mold, but the original Japanese use of the mold had these screws buried. Though the Japanese release was treated as a separate character from Hot Shot, the toy was designed to be the character from ''Armada'' and ''Energon'', as evident by his head design and [[control art]] labeling him as such.

: This mold was used to make Red Exillion (see below) and [[Excellion]].

*'''Hot Shot''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2005/2006)

: A smaller, simplified version of ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot was released as part of the first wave of ''[[Legends of Cybertron]]'' toys.
: This mold was used to make a second Legends of Cybertron Hot Shot (see below) and ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]].

[[Image:Hotshotcybertrondefensetoy.jpg|right|thumb|250px|He's full of tiny missiles.]]
*'''Cybertron Defense Hot Shot''' (Deluxe Class, 2005)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''GC-19'''

: Cybertron Defense Hot Shot transforms into a modified [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1117_Armored_Security_Vehicle M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicle], in the same blue, navy, and red colorscheme as the previous ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot. A [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] Cyber Key is included and when the key is inserted into the back of the turret, the two gun barrels open up into dual (non-firing) missile launchers. Compartments on his shoulders and his thighs can also open up to reveal additional missile launchers. Cybertron Defense Hot Shot also comes with a dagger that stows between his legs in vehicle mode, and when in robot mode, the dagger can be hand-held, peg into the front of his fist, or be put away in a sheath on his leg.

: "Exigeyser," Cybertron Defense Hot Shot's Japanese counterpart, is completely identical, but also came with a cardboard standup depicting three [[Scrapmetal drone]]s. The American version of Cybertron Defense Hot Shot was at some point intended to have a slightly altered deco, which is shown on the back of the packaging, but this altered deco for some reason never superseded the Japanese deco for American release.

[[Image:Redexillion.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Someone had to sell porn to afford this.]]
*'''Red Exillion''' (DVD exclusive, 2005)
:Red Exillion is a redeco of the ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot toy in red, dark red, and orange, with transparent blue. Limited to 500, it came with the first ''Galaxy Force'' DVD and an empty box set to prepare against the next few ''Galaxy Force'' DVD releases. This redeco took advantage of the toy's homage to ''Generation 1'' Hot Rod, completing the homage with appropriate colors, though the toy is still treated as Hot Shot in Hot Rod colors and not as a Hot Rod toy.

:Before the toy saw official release, several advance test shots entered the market, though in a [http://tfkenkon.com/collection/act368/ slightly altered color treatment] than the final. Originally, the dark red was a brighter red.

:This toy was the indirect inspiration for ''Cybertron'' [[Excellion]]. (The direct inspiration, of course, being the original Hot Rod.)
{{-}}

*'''Hot Shot''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2006)
[[Image:LOCExcellion.jpg|right|thumb|WhErE JAam!1?/]]

: A redeco of [[Legends of Cybertron]] Hot Shot uses Excellion's approximate coloration and paint scheme; however, the toy is not actually labelled "Excellion", merely "Hot Shot". The reason for this is unclear.

: This mold was later repainted into ''Classics Legends'' [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]].

===Attacktix===
[[Image:Attacktix_CybHotShot.jpg|right|thumb|yAy, jaAm shOoToR!!1]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Booster, 2006)
: ''Attacktix ID number'': '''TF09'''

: Part of the first assortment of ''[[Attacktix]]'' Booster Packs, Hot Shot is a "Super Rare" 40-point Warrior-class piece with a spring-loaded "shield-missile" attack. His Special Power "Rally" allows you to return one of your previously-defeated [[Autobot]] pieces back into play. The figure commonly has a black base, but like all Boosters, a rarer chrome-silver-base version was randomly packed into boxes as well.

: This mold was also used to make ''Attacktix'' Excellion, who was ''also'' a wave-1 Booster piece.

===Merchandise===
*'''Hot Rod''' (Super Collection Figure, 2002)
[[Image:Hotshotscf.jpg|left|thumb|[[JaAm]] in stereo.]]

: A PVC figure of Hot Shot was available in Act 9 of [[Takara]]'s [[Super Collection Figure]] series in both full color and solid-pewter finish. All SCF figures were [[blindpacked]] and came with a little stand.

{{-}}
*'''Hot Rod''' (Mega Super Collection Figure, 2002)
[[Image:MegaSCFHotRod.jpg|right|thumb|wh3rE jAm cOpToR?]]

: Mega SCF Hot Rod is a larger, articulated non-transforming PVC action figure of Hot Shot, based upon his cartoon model. He came with his engine gun and a small, non-transformable PVC figurine of his [[Mini-Con]] partner, [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]].

{{-}}
*'''Hot Shot''' (Bubble Twist, 2003)
[[Image:Hotshotbubbletwist.jpg|left|thumb|Taste the [[JaAm]] rainbow.]]

:In 2003, Toys "R" Us carried a line of candy toys called [[Bubble Twist]], which dispensed gum from its capsule-shaped container when twisted. Also contained in the capsule was an unpainted rubber figurine of a ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' or ''Transformers [[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' character, including Hot Shot. Blindpacked, each figure came in several different possible colors.

{{-}}
*'''Hot Rod''' (Big Transformers)

*Die-cast car Hot Shot

*Hot Shot puzzle

*Hot Shot backpack

==Trivia==
[[Image:Hotshotprotocolor.jpg|left|thumb|100px|WhY mY SHoUldErS HuRt?]]

*''Armada'' Hot Shot's toy had to be completely re-engineered close to release. Due to a structural flaw (and gravity), Hot Shot's arms were not able to attach securely to his shoulders. Furthermore, designer [[Aaron Archer]] felt the early design's wide, football player-like physique was inappropriate to the character archetype. Changes were made last-minute to the design to rework the transformation of the arms, necessitating the dropping of some articulation and the addition of [[kibble]] elsewhere to compensate.

[[Image:ArcherSays.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Lay off the [[JaAm]], pal.]]

*''Armada'' Hot Shot's infamous "[[JaAm]]" grin was actually a misinterpretation of Aaron Archer's original concept art which depicted Hot Shot clenching his teeth together in an open-lipped, determined expression. The head of the original tooling had a maniacal, perhaps unhinged-looking smile in response to this concept art, so the grin was scaled back on the final toy. The grin was removed completely and replaced with a neutral, stern expression when the head was resculpted for Powerlinx Hot Shot.

*The rear axle (the "Axelzooka") on the original Hot Shot figure has sculpted shock absorbers in an interesting display of attention to detail. However, they are sculpted 90 degrees in the wrong direction, which would make them useless in reality.

* According to the [[Transformers (Melbourne House)|''Armada'' Playstation 2 game]] instruction booklet, Hot Shot's ''Armada'' body has the following statistics:
:Mass: 3,109 lbs
:Robot height: 16' 5"
:Robot top speed: 50 mph
:Vehicle height: 5' 11"
:Vehicle top speed: 186 mph
:Vehicle power: 400 hp @ 8000 rpm

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Autobot/HotShot/hotshot.htm Hot Shot at TFU.info]
*[http://www.redshirt.co.uk/tales/arm/index.htm Armada - the REAL Story, by Yartek]

[[Category: Attacktix]]
[[Category: Armada characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Autobots]]
[[Category: Autobot leaders]]
[[Category: Built to Rule]]
[[Category: Cybertron characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Energon characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Fast food exclusives]]
[[Category: Legends of Cybertron]]
[[Category: Letters page answerers]]
[[Category: Velocitron]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Hot Shot (Armada)

2007-08-08T01:12:33Z

67.175.3.42: /* ''Armada'' */

{{Template:Disambig2|the prominent UT character|the RID Spychanger|Hot Shot (RID)}}

:''Hot Shot is an [[Autobot]] character in the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Hotshotut.gif|thumb|300px|I'm Optimus' choice for successor. Scary, huh?]]

'''Hot Shot''' is the quintessential young hero. He's been around long enough to earn a name for himself and a place in [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]]'s entourage, but he's still too young to know when he's in over his head. In other words, he's blunt, overconfident, and naive, yet brave and honorable. With time and experience, Prime believes, he could make an excellent leader, and has appointed him to his command structure accordingly. Hot Shot's got the goods, but he just needs to pay attention for more than five seconds. Until that day, Hot Shot's likely response to most anything is, "Yeah yeah, like, whatever."

Hot Shot's [[Mini-Con]] partner is [[Jolt (Armada)|'''Jolt''']], though he has been known to moonlight with [[Mirage (Armada)|'''Mirage''']].

:''Japanese ''Micron Legend'' name'': '''Hot Rod'''<br>
:''Japanese ''Galaxy Force'' name'': '''Exillion/Exigeyser'''

==Fiction==
===Dreamwave comics continuity===
====''Armada''====
One million years ago, Hot Shot was a member of the Autobots, the guardians of [[Cyber City]]. Soon news of a warlike faction called [[Decepticon]]s, led by the power-hungry [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], reached Cyber City via a dying [[Mini-Con]] Hot Shot found. The Mini-Con handed him a video disc and with his dying breath, demanded Hot Shot take it to Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime played the disc, a distress signal from [[Leader-1]], head of [[Mini-Con Sector|Mini-Con village D10]], who begged the Autobots for help.

[[Image:Hotshotraizeyes.jpg|left|thumb|Hot Shot watches in horror as [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] buys the last can of [[jaAm]].]]

The Decepticons themselves soon arrived in Cyber City, armed with Mini-Cons they had captured and reconfigured to bestow incredible power when [[Powerlinx]]ed. Outclassed and near total defeat, Optimus Prime called his troops into retreat, and after the majority of Mini-Cons escaped [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to parts unknown, the Autobots lost much of the planet to the Mini-Con-powered Decepticons.

In the present day, both the Autobots and Decepticons received a signal of the Mini-Cons' activation on the planet [[Earth]]. Hot Shot and his colleagues [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]], [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]], and [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] were led by Optimus Prime to the planet, where they met the Decepticons in battle. But this time, with the help of the estranged Mini-Cons, the Autobots regained the edge they lost against the Decepticons one million years prior. An uneasy alliance was formed, and Hot Shot was partnered with the Mini-Con [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_1:_First_Contact|First Contact}}

After this initial battle on Earth, Megatron is quick to capture the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] and forge them into the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber sword]]. Optimus Prime led Hot Shot and Red Alert against the Decepticons again, despite being at a strategic disadvantage while the Mini-Cons were missing, a point Hot Shot belabored. Thankfully, the Autobot-allied Mini-Cons arrived just in time to Powerlinx with Hot Shot and the other Autobots, fend off Megatron, and rescue the Air Defense Mini-Cons from the Decepticon leader's clutches.

[[Image:Hotshotguido.jpg|thumb|200px|"Well, let's go!"]]

Soon, a Mini-Con beacon tower erected in [[Tranquility, Kansas]], drawing all Earth-bound Mini-Cons to it. Hot Shot and the rest of the Autobots again met the Decepticons in battle at the location when the tower's effect was discovered. However, they were too busy fighting to notice the beacon tower blasting off towards the Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Hot Shot and Red Alert secreted Optimus Prime into the Decepticon base for the use of their space bridge, so that the Autobot leader could ask for reinforcements from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_2:_Fortress|Fortress}}

After the Mini-Cons were evacuated from the moon, five did not return home safely and sent a distress signal from northern Alaska. When the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]] failed to retrieve them, Hot Shot and the other Autobots arrived in full force, though they were kept in check by Cyclonus, who was suffering from a Mini-Con overdose. Though they were successful, Optimus Prime disappeared before their eyes, and when Hot Shot returned to Autobase, he found [[Optimus Prime (Worlds Collide)|an Optimus Prime]], dying, sent from another timeline to warn of [[Unicron]]'s coming. Learning of the "real" Optimus Prime's disappearance, Megatron and his Decepticons stormed Autobase, nearly killing Smokescreen and heavily injuring Hot Shot, Red Alert, and Scavenger.

Optimus Prime was returned to them and insisted on teaming up with the Decepticons to battle the arriving Unicron. Hot Shot excused himself from this alliance, as Smokescreen's critical condition due to the Decepticons' recent attack still weighed heavily in his mind. So when Megatron stole away during the battle with Unicron to strike a deal with the Dark God, Hot Shot, Scavenger, and Red Alert ambushed him, leaving him to die as Unicron was seemingly destroyed by the [[Mini-Con Matrix]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_3:_Worlds_Collide|Worlds Collide}}

====''Energon''====
[[Image:Hotshotironhidedw.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Sorry, Hot Shot, you've been replaced.]]

Ten years later, at the beginning of the Energon Era, Hot Shot accompanied Optimus Prime, who was skeptic and restless about the new peacetime, to his visit with the High Council in Cyber City. Prime's demands for vigilance were denied, so Hot Shot later followed him to a special [[uplink platform]] that [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] had directed them to. This trip was a first outing for the rookie Autobot [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]], who fawned over Hot Shot. Hot Shot met this with difficulty. Learning of the continued existence of [[Unicron]], Prime once again returned to the High Council, and again accompanied by Hot Shot. But this time, Cyber City was attacked by [[Cheetor (Armada)|Cheetor]], [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]], [[Airazor (Armada)|Airazor]], and [[Terrorsaur (Armada)|Terrorsaur]], who were presumed dead during the [[Unicron Battles]], but in fact were transformed into Unicron's [[Beasts of the Apocalypse]]. The Horsemen were deterred when Hot Shot and the other Autobots were granted the [[Spark of Combination]].

Hot Shot followed Prime to Earth after a distress signal was received. [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] and his [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] were after a young boy who could detect [[Energon]] named [[Kicker]]. The Terrorcons outclassed them, however, and left only when their Energon-mining gear was destroyed, but not without taking Kicker. After the Autobots reunited with [[Rad]] and [[Alexis]], Hot Shot and the [[Omnicon]] [[Strongarm (Energon|Strongarm]] were able to pursue the Terrorcons and deliver a special suit to Kicker that his father, [[Doctor Jones|Dr. Jones]], had made for him. With Kicker's help, the Terrorcons were defeated and returned to Unicron.
{{-}}

----

===Animated continuity===
====''Armada''====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Brent Miller]] (US), [[Kōsuke Okano]] (Japan)<br>

[[Image:Hotshotarmada.jpg|left|200px|thumb|He grins because he sees [[jaAm]].]]

Special attacks: Axle Cannon

An indeterminate number of years ago on Cybertron, Hot Shot and the Autobot [[Wheeljack_(Armada)|Wheeljack]] were amidst a fiery battlefield blaze. Wheeljack was incapacitated, so Hot Shot left him, promising to get help. However, his Autobot comrades would not let him return to help his friend. Instead, Wheeljack was rescued by [[Megatron_(Armada)|Megatron]] and swore vengeance against Hot Shot and the Autobots.

When [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] received the [[Mini-Con]] distress signal, Hot Shot was one of two soldiers he brought with him to Earth to investigate. He soon scanned the form of an Earth sports car and partnered with the Mini-Con [[Jolt (Armada) (Armada)|Jolt]]. {{storylink|Base}}

When all three Mini-Cons that combine to form the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] sword were collected, Optimus assigned them to Hot Shot. The Autobot was young, inexperienced, and hotheaded, so the great advantage the Star Saber granted him went straight to his ego. With the sword, he was nearly unbeatable on the battlefield until a Decepticon named [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] taught him the hard way that power without skill was useless against an experienced opponent. Hot Shot's naivety was his downfall. The double-agent [[Sideways]] tricked Hot Shot out of the sword, and Hot Shot was beaten nearly to death by his frustrated opponents. {{storylink|Overmatch}}

[[Image:Hotshotstarsaber.jpg|250px|thumb|He loves his Star Saber sword. It's so bad ('cause it looks like [[jaAm]]).]]

Wheeljack returned to Hot Shot's life, seeking revenge. The new Autobot recruit [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] was caught up in Wheeljack's vendetta, so Hot Shot protected Side Swipe as best he could, hoping not to repeat his past mistakes. Wheeljack was deterred, but promised he'd be around later to revisit his ill will. {{storylink|Past, Part 1}}

When Optimus Prime sacrificed himself to save Earth, Hot Shot was put in command. Hot Shot declined to take the Matrix of Leadership, which marked the beginning of a very unassertive and indecisive administration. It was also short, as Optimus Prime returned to life after not too long. {{storylink|Remorse}}

The Decepticons managed to take over Cybertron. [[Unicron]], the Chaos Bringer, was looming over their planet, but [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]] (previously Megatron) would not listen to Optimus Prime's pleas to unite their two factions against him. Hot Shot decided to take matters into his own hands and fought his way through the Decepticon base and countless Decepticon warriors to reach Galvatron and reason with him. If it were not for Wheeljack's intervention, he might not have survived. Under the Autobot/Decepticon alliance, Wheeljack's hatred of Hot Shot seemed to soften, and the two learned to trust each other again. {{storylink|Dash}}

After the destruction of Unicron and the defeat of Galvatron, Optimus Prime felt he had failed as Autobot Leader, and with the end of conflict between the two factions, he exiled himself to parts unknown. Hot Shot and [[Jetfire_(Armada)|Jetfire]] were left in charge of the Transformers. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}

====Energon====
:''Voice Actor(s):'' [[Brent Miller]] (US), [[Kōsuke Toriumi]] (Japan)<br>

[[Image:Hotshotenergoncartoon.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Hot Shot always forgets he's not supposed to shoot at the humans.]]

Hot Shot would find himself stationed on Earth as the commander of [[Ocean City]] while Optimus Prime was away training new soldiers on Cybertron. Though he had matured since the threat of Unicron, Hot Shot was still a young soldier with a large mass of responsibility placed on his shoulders.

Hot Shot often clashed with Kicker and Ironhide, the latter seeing Hot Shot as his idol, and was often paired with [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]] as his Powerlink partner. It wasn't until the arrival of Hot Shot's former commander and idol, [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]], that he would question his own allegiances. Not moved by Rodimus' plea to help him to resurrect [[Unicron]], Hot Shot threatened to open fire, only to be struck down by Rodimus. After Rodimus saved Hot Shot's life, he regretted his quick judgment. The relationship between Hot Shot and Rodimus was eventually restored and they become Powerlink partners.

Hot Shot continued to serve under Optimus Prime, surviving many battles on Cybertron and other worlds. Along with several other Autobots, Hot Shot was injured when the reborn Unicron destroyed a fledgling planet in the reformed Q-system. Hot Shot was reformatted into a slick silver body along with his Autobot comrades. He eventually merged his [[spark]] with that of [[Optimus Supreme]] and his partners in the final battle with [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]].

====Cybertron====
:''Voice Actor(s):'' [[Kirby Morrow]] (US), [[Daisuke Hirakawa]] (Japan)<br>
:''Special attacks:'' Accel Wing, Double X Shot, Battle Dagger

[[Image:Hotshotcybertron.jpg|thumb|250px|He knows kung-fu.]]

When [[Unicron]]'s destruction resulted in a black hole that threatened the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron, Optimus Prime ordered the planet to retreat into hiding on Earth. Hot Shot took the form of a blue Earth sports car.

This form came in handy when Optimus reassigned Hot Shot and [[Red_Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] to search for [[Velocitron]]'s [[Cyber Planet Key]]. He quickly developed a competitive bond with [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]], the leader of Velocitron. Against Red Alert's warnings, Hot Shot joined the Great Race. Hot Shot pushed himself beyond his means, almost to the point of destruction, but no matter how he tried, he could never defeat Override. The constant racing took a noticeable toll on his body. Was he really doing this to win the Key or just to prove to himself he was still the fastest in the galaxy?

Hot Shot was in big trouble when Optimus arrived on Velocitron and found out what he was up to. But Optimus Prime changed his mind when he realized that winning the race was the only way to win the Key. With the Autobots' full support and [[Coby]]'s help, Hot Shot won the Great Race and the Cyber Planet Key.

Later, Hot Shot, Red Alert and [[Scattorshot]] faced [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] alone when the Decepticon leader returned to Earth thristing for revenge against the treacherous Starscream. Humiliating the Decepticon in combat, Megatron, enraged, used his new Omega Lock-powered Death Machine Gun on the three Autobots, crippling them beyond repair. {{Storylink|Revelations}}

[[Image:CDHotShot_fists.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Now we know why his shoulders hurt]]

Fortunately, the powers of Primus acting through the [[Omega Lock]] bathed the trio in the creator's holy light, repairing and reformatting the young Autobot into '''Cybertron Defense Hot Shot.''' Along with his newly reformatted friends, the [[Cybertron Defense Team]] arrived on the battlefield and easily defeated the Decepticons Scourge and Megatron. {{Storylink|Critical}}

As Optimus Prime and the other Autobots dealt with Starscream and Megatron's forces, the Cybertron Defense Team was sent on an advance mission to Planet Cybertron. Hot Shot and his fellow team members had to blast their way through a debris field littering the Space Bridge path to Cybertron, during the course of which Hot Shot's vision was obscured by a thick oily substance excreted out of an asteroid as it exploded.

When the unit finally arrived on Cybertron, they were shocked to discover the planet overrun with the parasitic [[Scrapmetal drone]]s, and quickly had to fight their way through legions of the robotic pests. {{Storylink|United}}

{{-}}

{{spoiler}}

Much later on [[Gigantion]] the Cybertron Defense Team was caught in [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]]'s smokescreen, but they managed to figure out the mysterious agent's mind games and defeat him.

After Override resigned from leadership of Velocitron in order to travel to a new world, Hot Shot won the race to determine who would be her successor, despite his bulky new body.

==Toys==
===Armada===
[[Image:Hotshotarmadatoy.jpg|left|thumb|250px|My LifE iS pAiN.]]
*'''Hot Shot''' (Super-Con, 2002/2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MC-03'''

: ''Armada'' Hot Shot transforms into a modified yellow Audi TT. He is packaged with [[Mini-Con]] [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]], who, when attached to the [[powerlinx]] port on Hot Shot's rear, deploys his rear axle over the back of his head and (in the same motion) fires a missile from his hubcap. Jolt's gun can either attach to Hot Shot's robot mode chest or unveil "driving claws" from Hot Shot's front bumper by attaching to Hot Shot's car mode hood as his engine. Hot Shot's visor can also flip over his face.

: "Hot Rod," [[Takara]]'s ''Micron Legend'' version of Hot Shot, was released in altered colors, with a more saturated yellow and some dark gray paint in places instead of navy blue. Additionally, more of the belt straps on his chest were painted silver, his pelvis was painted a darker red, and clearer paint on his Autobot symbol. A [[retool]] (or vice versa) of [[Hasbro]]'s Hot Shot, his right arm houses a light-up LED (for accommodating the translucent Star Saber sword) that glows when his side-view mirror is pressed, a feature that was dropped from the American version due to price-point concerns.

* '''Hot Rod w/ Jolt and Air Defense Microns''' (2002)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MS-01'''

: Takara's Hot Rod was also released in a box set with the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team]].

* '''Hot Shot''' (Happy Meal, 2002)

[[Image:Hotshotpowerlinx.jpg|right|thumb|250px|i eAt yOuR bAbIEs!!]]

*'''Powerlinx Hot Shot''' (Super-Con, 2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MC-13'''

: A red, yellow, and black [[redeco]] and [[retool]] of the first Hot Shot, Powerlinx Hot Shot has a new head that has a more "serious" look, though his visor, sculpted directly into the new head, is no longer articulated. Intended to be an [[homage]] to ''[[Generation 1]]'' [[Hot Rod]], he has a yellow spoiler and flames on his hood. Due to a factory error, his forehead is painted gray instead of left red. The Japanese version, "Hot Rod Super Mode," fixed this forehead mistake, painted the shoulder symbol more clearly, and retained the LED light-up arm the first Japanese version featured.

: Rumors circulated that a Hot Shot with fixed forehead paint and a cleaner symbol would surface later in the run, but this did not seem to happen, and no specimens with these fixes have ever materialized.

: In November of 2003, US Toys "R" Us stores had special bonus pack Max-Con (Deluxe) toys, which came with a single bonus Mini-Con attached to the card over their sticker, for ''less'' than the price as a normal Max-Con during Toys "R" Us' post-Thanksgiving-day sale. Like Powerlinx [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]], Powerlinx Hot Shot could come with one of the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]] members: [[Dune Runner]], [[Iceberg]] or [[Ransack (Armada)|Ransack]].

===Built-to-Rule===
*'''Hot Shot''' (Built to Rule, 2003)

===Energon===
[[Image:Hotshotenergontoy.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Hot Shot, part deux]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SC-02'''

: In ''Energon'', Hot Shot was updated as a modified yellow Aston-Martin Vanquish. He could carry a transparent red spring-loaded missile-launching weapon in either mode, and featured a small Autobot [[spark crystal]] on his chest on which [[Energon chip]]s could be mounted. Like nearly all other Autobots in the ''Energon'' line, he could [[powerlinx]] with like-designed toys to form the top or bottom of a super robot.

: Takara released Hot Shot in similar colors, changing the slate blue plastic to a dark, nearly-black blue, dropping the black paint on his car roof, and adding metallic blue paint to his chest. His head is also a nearly-identical-but-different sculpt, most noticeably around the mouth, chin, and eyes. The reason for this is unknown.

* '''Hot Shot & Inferno''' (Multi-pack, 2003)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''SS-01'''

: In Japan, Takara released Hot Shot both individually and in a box set with [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]].

[[Image:Hotshotenergonenergontoy.jpg|200px|right|thumb|He has a heart that burns for justice.]]

*'''Energon Hot Shot''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SC-23'''

: ''Energon'' Energon Hot Shot gave the car mode a silver-painted finish and the robot parts a dark blue, yellow, and red color scheme reminiscent of ''Armada'' Hot Shot's colors. Energon Hot Shot used the Hasbro version of Hot Shot's head (see above).

: When he was released in Japan as "Hot Shot Fire," his car mode was changed to an unpainted silver, and additionally the yellow plastic was changed to a sherbet orange, the dark blue plastic to black, and the transparent orange plastic to a transparent crimson red. He also came packaged with the [[Energon_weapon#Energy_Cutter_.28Signal_Flare.29|Energy Cutter]], a transparent watermelon-red redeco of [[Signal Flare]]'s [[energon weapon]], plus a matching [[energon chip]]. Hot Shot Fire used the Takara version of Hot Shot's head.
{{-}}
===Cybertron===
[[Image:Hotshotcybertrontoy.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Hot Shot's Blue Period.]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Deluxe Class, 2005)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' ''GC-02'''

: An homage to ''Generation 1'' Hot Rod in design but not in color scheme, ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot transforms into a modified blue [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_ME_Four-Twelve Chrysler ME Four-Twelve concept car]. He comes with a [[Speed Planet]] [[Cyber Key]] that deploys transparent yellow wings from his spoiler when the key is inserted into the rear of the car. The toy also comes with a spring-loaded missile-launching gun that can be carried in robot mode or pegged into the roof of the car mode.

: The Japanese release, "Exillion," is completely identical other than a slight molding difference; two screws on either side of the spoiler are visible in the American release and all subsequent uses of the mold, but the original Japanese use of the mold had these screws buried. Though the Japanese release was treated as a separate character from Hot Shot, the toy was designed to be the character from ''Armada'' and ''Energon'', as evident by his head design and [[control art]] labeling him as such.

: This mold was used to make Red Exillion (see below) and [[Excellion]].

*'''Hot Shot''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2005/2006)

: A smaller, simplified version of ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot was released as part of the first wave of ''[[Legends of Cybertron]]'' toys.
: This mold was used to make a second Legends of Cybertron Hot Shot (see below) and ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]].

[[Image:Hotshotcybertrondefensetoy.jpg|right|thumb|250px|He's full of tiny missiles.]]
*'''Cybertron Defense Hot Shot''' (Deluxe Class, 2005)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''GC-19'''

: Cybertron Defense Hot Shot transforms into a modified [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1117_Armored_Security_Vehicle M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicle], in the same blue, navy, and red colorscheme as the previous ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot. A [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] Cyber Key is included and when the key is inserted into the back of the turret, the two gun barrels open up into dual (non-firing) missile launchers. Compartments on his shoulders and his thighs can also open up to reveal additional missile launchers. Cybertron Defense Hot Shot also comes with a dagger that stows between his legs in vehicle mode, and when in robot mode, the dagger can be hand-held, peg into the front of his fist, or be put away in a sheath on his leg.

: "Exigeyser," Cybertron Defense Hot Shot's Japanese counterpart, is completely identical, but also came with a cardboard standup depicting three [[Scrapmetal drone]]s. The American version of Cybertron Defense Hot Shot was at some point intended to have a slightly altered deco, which is shown on the back of the packaging, but this altered deco for some reason never superseded the Japanese deco for American release.

[[Image:Redexillion.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Someone had to sell porn to afford this.]]
*'''Red Exillion''' (DVD exclusive, 2005)
:Red Exillion is a redeco of the ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot toy in red, dark red, and orange, with transparent blue. Limited to 500, it came with the first ''Galaxy Force'' DVD and an empty box set to prepare against the next few ''Galaxy Force'' DVD releases. This redeco took advantage of the toy's homage to ''Generation 1'' Hot Rod, completing the homage with appropriate colors, though the toy is still treated as Hot Shot in Hot Rod colors and not as a Hot Rod toy.

:Before the toy saw official release, several advance test shots entered the market, though in a [http://tfkenkon.com/collection/act368/ slightly altered color treatment] than the final. Originally, the dark red was a brighter red.

:This toy was the indirect inspiration for ''Cybertron'' [[Excellion]]. (The direct inspiration, of course, being the original Hot Rod.)
{{-}}

*'''Hot Shot''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2006)
[[Image:LOCExcellion.jpg|right|thumb|WhErE JAam!1?/]]

: A redeco of [[Legends of Cybertron]] Hot Shot uses Excellion's approximate coloration and paint scheme; however, the toy is not actually labelled "Excellion", merely "Hot Shot". The reason for this is unclear.

: This mold was later repainted into ''Classics Legends'' [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]].

===Attacktix===
[[Image:Attacktix_CybHotShot.jpg|right|thumb|yAy, jaAm shOoToR!!1]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Booster, 2006)
: ''Attacktix ID number'': '''TF09'''

: Part of the first assortment of ''[[Attacktix]]'' Booster Packs, Hot Shot is a "Super Rare" 40-point Warrior-class piece with a spring-loaded "shield-missile" attack. His Special Power "Rally" allows you to return one of your previously-defeated [[Autobot]] pieces back into play. The figure commonly has a black base, but like all Boosters, a rarer chrome-silver-base version was randomly packed into boxes as well.

: This mold was also used to make ''Attacktix'' Excellion, who was ''also'' a wave-1 Booster piece.

===Merchandise===
*'''Hot Rod''' (Super Collection Figure, 2002)
[[Image:Hotshotscf.jpg|left|thumb|[[JaAm]] in stereo.]]

: A PVC figure of Hot Shot was available in Act 9 of [[Takara]]'s [[Super Collection Figure]] series in both full color and solid-pewter finish. All SCF figures were [[blindpacked]] and came with a little stand.

{{-}}
*'''Hot Rod''' (Mega Super Collection Figure, 2002)
[[Image:MegaSCFHotRod.jpg|right|thumb|wh3rE jAm cOpToR?]]

: Mega SCF Hot Rod is a larger, articulated non-transforming PVC action figure of Hot Shot, based upon his cartoon model. He came with his engine gun and a small, non-transformable PVC figurine of his [[Mini-Con]] partner, [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]].

{{-}}
*'''Hot Shot''' (Bubble Twist, 2003)
[[Image:Hotshotbubbletwist.jpg|left|thumb|Taste the [[JaAm]] rainbow.]]

:In 2003, Toys "R" Us carried a line of candy toys called [[Bubble Twist]], which dispensed gum from its capsule-shaped container when twisted. Also contained in the capsule was an unpainted rubber figurine of a ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' or ''Transformers [[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' character, including Hot Shot. Blindpacked, each figure came in several different possible colors.

{{-}}
*'''Hot Rod''' (Big Transformers)

*Die-cast car Hot Shot

*Hot Shot puzzle

*Hot Shot backpack

==Trivia==
[[Image:Hotshotprotocolor.jpg|left|thumb|100px|WhY mY SHoUldErS HuRt?]]

*''Armada'' Hot Shot's toy had to be completely re-engineered close to release. Due to a structural flaw (and gravity), Hot Shot's arms were not able to attach securely to his shoulders. Furthermore, designer [[Aaron Archer]] felt the early design's wide, football player-like physique was inappropriate to the character archetype. Changes were made last-minute to the design to rework the transformation of the arms, necessitating the dropping of some articulation and the addition of [[kibble]] elsewhere to compensate.

[[Image:ArcherSays.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Lay off the [[JaAm]], pal.]]

*''Armada'' Hot Shot's infamous "[[JaAm]]" grin was actually a misinterpretation of Aaron Archer's original concept art which depicted Hot Shot clenching his teeth together in an open-lipped, determined expression. The head of the original tooling had a maniacal, perhaps unhinged-looking smile in response to this concept art, so the grin was scaled back on the final toy. The grin was removed completely and replaced with a neutral, stern expression when the head was resculpted for Powerlinx Hot Shot.

*The rear axle (the "Axelzooka") on the original Hot Shot figure has sculpted shock absorbers in an interesting display of attention to detail. However, they are sculpted 90 degrees in the wrong direction, which would make them useless in reality.

* According to the [[Transformers (Melbourne House)|''Armada'' Playstation 2 game]] instruction booklet, Hot Shot's ''Armada'' body has the following statistics:
:Mass: 3,109 lbs
:Robot height: 16' 5"
:Robot top speed: 50 mph
:Vehicle height: 5' 11"
:Vehicle top speed: 186 mph
:Vehicle power: 400 hp @ 8000 rpm

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Autobot/HotShot/hotshot.htm Hot Shot at TFU.info]
*[http://www.redshirt.co.uk/tales/arm/index.htm Armada - the REAL Story, by Yartek]

[[Category: Attacktix]]
[[Category: Armada characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Autobots]]
[[Category: Autobot leaders]]
[[Category: Built to Rule]]
[[Category: Cybertron characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Energon characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Fast food exclusives]]
[[Category: Legends of Cybertron]]
[[Category: Letters page answerers]]
[[Category: Velocitron]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Hot Shot (Armada)

2007-08-08T01:12:13Z

67.175.3.42: /* ''Armada'' */

{{Template:Disambig2|the prominent UT character|the RID Spychanger|Hot Shot (RID)}}

:''Hot Shot is an [[Autobot]] character in the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Hotshotut.gif|thumb|300px|I'm Optimus' choice for successor. Scary, huh?]]

'''Hot Shot''' is the quintessential young hero. He's been around long enough to earn a name for himself and a place in [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]]'s entourage, but he's still too young to know when he's in over his head. In other words, he's blunt, overconfident, and naive, yet brave and honorable. With time and experience, Prime believes, he could make an excellent leader, and has appointed him to his command structure accordingly. Hot Shot's got the goods, but he just needs to pay attention for more than five seconds. Until that day, Hot Shot's likely response to most anything is, "Yeah yeah, like, whatever."

Hot Shot's [[Mini-Con]] partner is [[Jolt (Armada)|'''Jolt''']], though he has been known to moonlight with [[Mirage (Armada)|'''Mirage''']].

:''Japanese ''Micron Legend'' name'': '''Hot Rod'''<br>
:''Japanese ''Galaxy Force'' name'': '''Exillion/Exigeyser'''

==Fiction==
===Dreamwave comics continuity===
====''Armada''====
One million years ago, Hot Shot was a member of the Autobots, the guardians of [[Cyber City]]. Soon news of a warlike faction called [[Decepticon]]s, led by the power-hungry [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], reached Cyber City via a dying [[Mini-Con]] Hot Shot found. The Mini-Con handed him a video disc and with his dying breath, demanded Hot Shot take it to Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime played the disc, a distress signal from [[Leader-1]], head of [[Mini-Con Sector|Mini-Con village D10]], who begged the Autobots for help.

[[Image:Hotshotraizeyes.jpg|left|thumb|Hot Shot watches in horror as [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] buys the last can of [[jaAm]].]]

The Decepticons themselves soon arrived in Cyber City, armed with Mini-Cons they had captured and reconfigured to bestow incredible power when [[Powerlinx]]ed. Outclassed and near total defeat, Optimus Prime called his troops into retreat, and after the majority of Mini-Cons escaped [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to parts unknown, the Autobots lost much of the planet to the Mini-Con-powered Decepticons.

In the present day, both the Autobots and Decepticons received a signal of the Mini-Cons' activation on the planet [[Earth]]. Hot Shot and his colleagues [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]], [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]], and [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] were led by Optimus Prime to the planet, where they met the Decepticons in battle. But this time, with the help of the estranged Mini-Cons, the Autobots regained the edge they lost against the Decepticons one million years prior. An uneasy alliance was formed, and Hot Shot was partnered with the Mini-Con [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_1:_First_Contact|First Contact}}

After this initial battle on Earth, Megatron is quick to capture the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] and forge them into the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber sword]]. Optimus Prime led Hot Shot and Red Alert against the Decepticons again, despite being at a strategic disadvantage while the Mini-Cons were missing, a point Hot Shot belabored. Thankfully, the Autobot-allied Mini-Cons arrived just in time to Powerlinx with Hot Shot and the other Autobots, fend off Megatron, and rescue the Air Defense Mini-Cons from the Decepticon leader's clutches.

[[Image:Hotshotguido.jpg|thumb|200px|"Well, let's go!"]]

Soon, a Mini-Con beacon tower erected in [[Tranquility, Kansas]], drawing all Earth-bound Mini-Cons to it. Hot Shot and the rest of the Autobots again met the Decepticons in battle at the location when the tower's effect was discovered. However, they were too busy fighting to notice the beacon tower blasting off towards the Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Hot Shot and Red Alert secreted Optimus Prime into the Decepticon base for the use of their space bridge, so that the Autobot leader could ask for reinforcements from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_2:_Fortress|Fortress}}

After the Mini-Cons were evacuated from the moon, five did not return home safely and sent a distress signal from northern Alaska. When the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]] failed to retrieve them, Hot Shot and the other Autobots arrived in full force, though they were kept in check by Cyclonus, who was suffering from a Mini-Con overdose. Though they were successful, Optimus Prime disappeared before their eyes, and when Hot Shot returned to Autobase, he found [[Optimus Prime (Worlds Collide)|an Optimus Prime]], dying, sent from another timeline to warn of [[Unicron]]'s coming. Learning of the "real" Optimus Prime's disappearance, Megatron and his Decepticons stormed Autobase, nearly killing Smokescreen and heavily injuring Hot Shot, Red Alert, and Scavenger.

Optimus Prime was returned to them and insisted on teaming up with the Decepticons to battle the arriving Unicron. Hot Shot excused himself from this alliance, as Smokescreen's critical condition due to the Decepticons' recent attack still weighed heavily in his mind. So when Megatron stole away during the battle with Unicron to strike a deal with the Dark God, Hot Shot, Scavenger, and Red Alert ambushed him, leaving him to die as Unicron was seemingly destroyed by the [[Mini-Con Matrix]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_3:_Worlds_Collide|Worlds Collide}}

====''Energon''====
[[Image:Hotshotironhidedw.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Sorry, Hot Shot, you've been replaced.]]

Ten years later, at the beginning of the Energon Era, Hot Shot accompanied Optimus Prime, who was skeptic and restless about the new peacetime, to his visit with the High Council in Cyber City. Prime's demands for vigilance were denied, so Hot Shot later followed him to a special [[uplink platform]] that [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] had directed them to. This trip was a first outing for the rookie Autobot [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]], who fawned over Hot Shot. Hot Shot met this with difficulty. Learning of the continued existence of [[Unicron]], Prime once again returned to the High Council, and again accompanied by Hot Shot. But this time, Cyber City was attacked by [[Cheetor (Armada)|Cheetor]], [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]], [[Airazor (Armada)|Airazor]], and [[Terrorsaur (Armada)|Terrorsaur]], who were presumed dead during the [[Unicron Battles]], but in fact were transformed into Unicron's [[Beasts of the Apocalypse]]. The Horsemen were deterred when Hot Shot and the other Autobots were granted the [[Spark of Combination]].

Hot Shot followed Prime to Earth after a distress signal was received. [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] and his [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] were after a young boy who could detect [[Energon]] named [[Kicker]]. The Terrorcons outclassed them, however, and left only when their Energon-mining gear was destroyed, but not without taking Kicker. After the Autobots reunited with [[Rad]] and [[Alexis]], Hot Shot and the [[Omnicon]] [[Strongarm (Energon|Strongarm]] were able to pursue the Terrorcons and deliver a special suit to Kicker that his father, [[Doctor Jones|Dr. Jones]], had made for him. With Kicker's help, the Terrorcons were defeated and returned to Unicron.
{{-}}

----

===Animated continuity===
====''Armada''====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Brent Miller]] (US), [[Kōsuke Okano]] (Japan)<br>

[[Image:Hotshotarmada.jpg|left|200px|thumb|He grins because he sees [[jaAm]].]]

Special attacks: Axle Cannon

An indeterminate number of years ago on Cybertron, Hot Shot and the Autobot [[Wheeljack_(Armada)|Wheeljack]] were amidst a fiery battlefield blaze. Wheeljack was incapacitated, so Hot Shot left him, promising to get help. However, his Autobot comrades would not let him return to help his friend. Instead, Wheeljack was rescued by [[Megatron_(Armada)|Megatron]] and swore vengeance against Hot Shot and the Autobots.

When [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] received the [[Mini-Con]] distress signal, Hot Shot was one of two soldiers he brought with him to Earth to investigate. He soon scanned the form of an Earth sports car and partnered with the Mini-Con [[Jolt (Armada) (Armada)|Jolt]]. {{storylink|Base}}

When all three Mini-Cons that combine to form the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] sword were collected, Optimus assigned them to Hot Shot. The Autobot was young, inexperienced, and hotheaded, so the great advantage the Star Saber granted him went straight to his ego. With the sword, he was nearly unbeatable on the battlefield until a Decepticon named [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] taught him the hard way that power without skill was useless against an experienced opponent. Hot Shot's naivety was his downfall. The double-agent [[Sideways]] tricked Hot Shot out of the sword, and Hot Shot was beaten nearly to death by his frustrated opponents. {{storylink|Overmatch}}

[[Image:Hotshotstarsaber.jpg|250px|thumb|He loves his Star Saber sword. It's so bad ('cause it looks like [[jaAm]].]]

Wheeljack returned to Hot Shot's life, seeking revenge. The new Autobot recruit [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] was caught up in Wheeljack's vendetta, so Hot Shot protected Side Swipe as best he could, hoping not to repeat his past mistakes. Wheeljack was deterred, but promised he'd be around later to revisit his ill will. {{storylink|Past, Part 1}}

When Optimus Prime sacrificed himself to save Earth, Hot Shot was put in command. Hot Shot declined to take the Matrix of Leadership, which marked the beginning of a very unassertive and indecisive administration. It was also short, as Optimus Prime returned to life after not too long. {{storylink|Remorse}}

The Decepticons managed to take over Cybertron. [[Unicron]], the Chaos Bringer, was looming over their planet, but [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]] (previously Megatron) would not listen to Optimus Prime's pleas to unite their two factions against him. Hot Shot decided to take matters into his own hands and fought his way through the Decepticon base and countless Decepticon warriors to reach Galvatron and reason with him. If it were not for Wheeljack's intervention, he might not have survived. Under the Autobot/Decepticon alliance, Wheeljack's hatred of Hot Shot seemed to soften, and the two learned to trust each other again. {{storylink|Dash}}

After the destruction of Unicron and the defeat of Galvatron, Optimus Prime felt he had failed as Autobot Leader, and with the end of conflict between the two factions, he exiled himself to parts unknown. Hot Shot and [[Jetfire_(Armada)|Jetfire]] were left in charge of the Transformers. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}

====Energon====
:''Voice Actor(s):'' [[Brent Miller]] (US), [[Kōsuke Toriumi]] (Japan)<br>

[[Image:Hotshotenergoncartoon.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Hot Shot always forgets he's not supposed to shoot at the humans.]]

Hot Shot would find himself stationed on Earth as the commander of [[Ocean City]] while Optimus Prime was away training new soldiers on Cybertron. Though he had matured since the threat of Unicron, Hot Shot was still a young soldier with a large mass of responsibility placed on his shoulders.

Hot Shot often clashed with Kicker and Ironhide, the latter seeing Hot Shot as his idol, and was often paired with [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]] as his Powerlink partner. It wasn't until the arrival of Hot Shot's former commander and idol, [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]], that he would question his own allegiances. Not moved by Rodimus' plea to help him to resurrect [[Unicron]], Hot Shot threatened to open fire, only to be struck down by Rodimus. After Rodimus saved Hot Shot's life, he regretted his quick judgment. The relationship between Hot Shot and Rodimus was eventually restored and they become Powerlink partners.

Hot Shot continued to serve under Optimus Prime, surviving many battles on Cybertron and other worlds. Along with several other Autobots, Hot Shot was injured when the reborn Unicron destroyed a fledgling planet in the reformed Q-system. Hot Shot was reformatted into a slick silver body along with his Autobot comrades. He eventually merged his [[spark]] with that of [[Optimus Supreme]] and his partners in the final battle with [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]].

====Cybertron====
:''Voice Actor(s):'' [[Kirby Morrow]] (US), [[Daisuke Hirakawa]] (Japan)<br>
:''Special attacks:'' Accel Wing, Double X Shot, Battle Dagger

[[Image:Hotshotcybertron.jpg|thumb|250px|He knows kung-fu.]]

When [[Unicron]]'s destruction resulted in a black hole that threatened the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron, Optimus Prime ordered the planet to retreat into hiding on Earth. Hot Shot took the form of a blue Earth sports car.

This form came in handy when Optimus reassigned Hot Shot and [[Red_Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] to search for [[Velocitron]]'s [[Cyber Planet Key]]. He quickly developed a competitive bond with [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]], the leader of Velocitron. Against Red Alert's warnings, Hot Shot joined the Great Race. Hot Shot pushed himself beyond his means, almost to the point of destruction, but no matter how he tried, he could never defeat Override. The constant racing took a noticeable toll on his body. Was he really doing this to win the Key or just to prove to himself he was still the fastest in the galaxy?

Hot Shot was in big trouble when Optimus arrived on Velocitron and found out what he was up to. But Optimus Prime changed his mind when he realized that winning the race was the only way to win the Key. With the Autobots' full support and [[Coby]]'s help, Hot Shot won the Great Race and the Cyber Planet Key.

Later, Hot Shot, Red Alert and [[Scattorshot]] faced [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] alone when the Decepticon leader returned to Earth thristing for revenge against the treacherous Starscream. Humiliating the Decepticon in combat, Megatron, enraged, used his new Omega Lock-powered Death Machine Gun on the three Autobots, crippling them beyond repair. {{Storylink|Revelations}}

[[Image:CDHotShot_fists.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Now we know why his shoulders hurt]]

Fortunately, the powers of Primus acting through the [[Omega Lock]] bathed the trio in the creator's holy light, repairing and reformatting the young Autobot into '''Cybertron Defense Hot Shot.''' Along with his newly reformatted friends, the [[Cybertron Defense Team]] arrived on the battlefield and easily defeated the Decepticons Scourge and Megatron. {{Storylink|Critical}}

As Optimus Prime and the other Autobots dealt with Starscream and Megatron's forces, the Cybertron Defense Team was sent on an advance mission to Planet Cybertron. Hot Shot and his fellow team members had to blast their way through a debris field littering the Space Bridge path to Cybertron, during the course of which Hot Shot's vision was obscured by a thick oily substance excreted out of an asteroid as it exploded.

When the unit finally arrived on Cybertron, they were shocked to discover the planet overrun with the parasitic [[Scrapmetal drone]]s, and quickly had to fight their way through legions of the robotic pests. {{Storylink|United}}

{{-}}

{{spoiler}}

Much later on [[Gigantion]] the Cybertron Defense Team was caught in [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]]'s smokescreen, but they managed to figure out the mysterious agent's mind games and defeat him.

After Override resigned from leadership of Velocitron in order to travel to a new world, Hot Shot won the race to determine who would be her successor, despite his bulky new body.

==Toys==
===Armada===
[[Image:Hotshotarmadatoy.jpg|left|thumb|250px|My LifE iS pAiN.]]
*'''Hot Shot''' (Super-Con, 2002/2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MC-03'''

: ''Armada'' Hot Shot transforms into a modified yellow Audi TT. He is packaged with [[Mini-Con]] [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]], who, when attached to the [[powerlinx]] port on Hot Shot's rear, deploys his rear axle over the back of his head and (in the same motion) fires a missile from his hubcap. Jolt's gun can either attach to Hot Shot's robot mode chest or unveil "driving claws" from Hot Shot's front bumper by attaching to Hot Shot's car mode hood as his engine. Hot Shot's visor can also flip over his face.

: "Hot Rod," [[Takara]]'s ''Micron Legend'' version of Hot Shot, was released in altered colors, with a more saturated yellow and some dark gray paint in places instead of navy blue. Additionally, more of the belt straps on his chest were painted silver, his pelvis was painted a darker red, and clearer paint on his Autobot symbol. A [[retool]] (or vice versa) of [[Hasbro]]'s Hot Shot, his right arm houses a light-up LED (for accommodating the translucent Star Saber sword) that glows when his side-view mirror is pressed, a feature that was dropped from the American version due to price-point concerns.

* '''Hot Rod w/ Jolt and Air Defense Microns''' (2002)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MS-01'''

: Takara's Hot Rod was also released in a box set with the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team]].

* '''Hot Shot''' (Happy Meal, 2002)

[[Image:Hotshotpowerlinx.jpg|right|thumb|250px|i eAt yOuR bAbIEs!!]]

*'''Powerlinx Hot Shot''' (Super-Con, 2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MC-13'''

: A red, yellow, and black [[redeco]] and [[retool]] of the first Hot Shot, Powerlinx Hot Shot has a new head that has a more "serious" look, though his visor, sculpted directly into the new head, is no longer articulated. Intended to be an [[homage]] to ''[[Generation 1]]'' [[Hot Rod]], he has a yellow spoiler and flames on his hood. Due to a factory error, his forehead is painted gray instead of left red. The Japanese version, "Hot Rod Super Mode," fixed this forehead mistake, painted the shoulder symbol more clearly, and retained the LED light-up arm the first Japanese version featured.

: Rumors circulated that a Hot Shot with fixed forehead paint and a cleaner symbol would surface later in the run, but this did not seem to happen, and no specimens with these fixes have ever materialized.

: In November of 2003, US Toys "R" Us stores had special bonus pack Max-Con (Deluxe) toys, which came with a single bonus Mini-Con attached to the card over their sticker, for ''less'' than the price as a normal Max-Con during Toys "R" Us' post-Thanksgiving-day sale. Like Powerlinx [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]], Powerlinx Hot Shot could come with one of the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]] members: [[Dune Runner]], [[Iceberg]] or [[Ransack (Armada)|Ransack]].

===Built-to-Rule===
*'''Hot Shot''' (Built to Rule, 2003)

===Energon===
[[Image:Hotshotenergontoy.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Hot Shot, part deux]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SC-02'''

: In ''Energon'', Hot Shot was updated as a modified yellow Aston-Martin Vanquish. He could carry a transparent red spring-loaded missile-launching weapon in either mode, and featured a small Autobot [[spark crystal]] on his chest on which [[Energon chip]]s could be mounted. Like nearly all other Autobots in the ''Energon'' line, he could [[powerlinx]] with like-designed toys to form the top or bottom of a super robot.

: Takara released Hot Shot in similar colors, changing the slate blue plastic to a dark, nearly-black blue, dropping the black paint on his car roof, and adding metallic blue paint to his chest. His head is also a nearly-identical-but-different sculpt, most noticeably around the mouth, chin, and eyes. The reason for this is unknown.

* '''Hot Shot & Inferno''' (Multi-pack, 2003)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''SS-01'''

: In Japan, Takara released Hot Shot both individually and in a box set with [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]].

[[Image:Hotshotenergonenergontoy.jpg|200px|right|thumb|He has a heart that burns for justice.]]

*'''Energon Hot Shot''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SC-23'''

: ''Energon'' Energon Hot Shot gave the car mode a silver-painted finish and the robot parts a dark blue, yellow, and red color scheme reminiscent of ''Armada'' Hot Shot's colors. Energon Hot Shot used the Hasbro version of Hot Shot's head (see above).

: When he was released in Japan as "Hot Shot Fire," his car mode was changed to an unpainted silver, and additionally the yellow plastic was changed to a sherbet orange, the dark blue plastic to black, and the transparent orange plastic to a transparent crimson red. He also came packaged with the [[Energon_weapon#Energy_Cutter_.28Signal_Flare.29|Energy Cutter]], a transparent watermelon-red redeco of [[Signal Flare]]'s [[energon weapon]], plus a matching [[energon chip]]. Hot Shot Fire used the Takara version of Hot Shot's head.
{{-}}
===Cybertron===
[[Image:Hotshotcybertrontoy.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Hot Shot's Blue Period.]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Deluxe Class, 2005)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' ''GC-02'''

: An homage to ''Generation 1'' Hot Rod in design but not in color scheme, ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot transforms into a modified blue [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_ME_Four-Twelve Chrysler ME Four-Twelve concept car]. He comes with a [[Speed Planet]] [[Cyber Key]] that deploys transparent yellow wings from his spoiler when the key is inserted into the rear of the car. The toy also comes with a spring-loaded missile-launching gun that can be carried in robot mode or pegged into the roof of the car mode.

: The Japanese release, "Exillion," is completely identical other than a slight molding difference; two screws on either side of the spoiler are visible in the American release and all subsequent uses of the mold, but the original Japanese use of the mold had these screws buried. Though the Japanese release was treated as a separate character from Hot Shot, the toy was designed to be the character from ''Armada'' and ''Energon'', as evident by his head design and [[control art]] labeling him as such.

: This mold was used to make Red Exillion (see below) and [[Excellion]].

*'''Hot Shot''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2005/2006)

: A smaller, simplified version of ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot was released as part of the first wave of ''[[Legends of Cybertron]]'' toys.
: This mold was used to make a second Legends of Cybertron Hot Shot (see below) and ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]].

[[Image:Hotshotcybertrondefensetoy.jpg|right|thumb|250px|He's full of tiny missiles.]]
*'''Cybertron Defense Hot Shot''' (Deluxe Class, 2005)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''GC-19'''

: Cybertron Defense Hot Shot transforms into a modified [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1117_Armored_Security_Vehicle M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicle], in the same blue, navy, and red colorscheme as the previous ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot. A [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] Cyber Key is included and when the key is inserted into the back of the turret, the two gun barrels open up into dual (non-firing) missile launchers. Compartments on his shoulders and his thighs can also open up to reveal additional missile launchers. Cybertron Defense Hot Shot also comes with a dagger that stows between his legs in vehicle mode, and when in robot mode, the dagger can be hand-held, peg into the front of his fist, or be put away in a sheath on his leg.

: "Exigeyser," Cybertron Defense Hot Shot's Japanese counterpart, is completely identical, but also came with a cardboard standup depicting three [[Scrapmetal drone]]s. The American version of Cybertron Defense Hot Shot was at some point intended to have a slightly altered deco, which is shown on the back of the packaging, but this altered deco for some reason never superseded the Japanese deco for American release.

[[Image:Redexillion.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Someone had to sell porn to afford this.]]
*'''Red Exillion''' (DVD exclusive, 2005)
:Red Exillion is a redeco of the ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot toy in red, dark red, and orange, with transparent blue. Limited to 500, it came with the first ''Galaxy Force'' DVD and an empty box set to prepare against the next few ''Galaxy Force'' DVD releases. This redeco took advantage of the toy's homage to ''Generation 1'' Hot Rod, completing the homage with appropriate colors, though the toy is still treated as Hot Shot in Hot Rod colors and not as a Hot Rod toy.

:Before the toy saw official release, several advance test shots entered the market, though in a [http://tfkenkon.com/collection/act368/ slightly altered color treatment] than the final. Originally, the dark red was a brighter red.

:This toy was the indirect inspiration for ''Cybertron'' [[Excellion]]. (The direct inspiration, of course, being the original Hot Rod.)
{{-}}

*'''Hot Shot''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2006)
[[Image:LOCExcellion.jpg|right|thumb|WhErE JAam!1?/]]

: A redeco of [[Legends of Cybertron]] Hot Shot uses Excellion's approximate coloration and paint scheme; however, the toy is not actually labelled "Excellion", merely "Hot Shot". The reason for this is unclear.

: This mold was later repainted into ''Classics Legends'' [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]].

===Attacktix===
[[Image:Attacktix_CybHotShot.jpg|right|thumb|yAy, jaAm shOoToR!!1]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Booster, 2006)
: ''Attacktix ID number'': '''TF09'''

: Part of the first assortment of ''[[Attacktix]]'' Booster Packs, Hot Shot is a "Super Rare" 40-point Warrior-class piece with a spring-loaded "shield-missile" attack. His Special Power "Rally" allows you to return one of your previously-defeated [[Autobot]] pieces back into play. The figure commonly has a black base, but like all Boosters, a rarer chrome-silver-base version was randomly packed into boxes as well.

: This mold was also used to make ''Attacktix'' Excellion, who was ''also'' a wave-1 Booster piece.

===Merchandise===
*'''Hot Rod''' (Super Collection Figure, 2002)
[[Image:Hotshotscf.jpg|left|thumb|[[JaAm]] in stereo.]]

: A PVC figure of Hot Shot was available in Act 9 of [[Takara]]'s [[Super Collection Figure]] series in both full color and solid-pewter finish. All SCF figures were [[blindpacked]] and came with a little stand.

{{-}}
*'''Hot Rod''' (Mega Super Collection Figure, 2002)
[[Image:MegaSCFHotRod.jpg|right|thumb|wh3rE jAm cOpToR?]]

: Mega SCF Hot Rod is a larger, articulated non-transforming PVC action figure of Hot Shot, based upon his cartoon model. He came with his engine gun and a small, non-transformable PVC figurine of his [[Mini-Con]] partner, [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]].

{{-}}
*'''Hot Shot''' (Bubble Twist, 2003)
[[Image:Hotshotbubbletwist.jpg|left|thumb|Taste the [[JaAm]] rainbow.]]

:In 2003, Toys "R" Us carried a line of candy toys called [[Bubble Twist]], which dispensed gum from its capsule-shaped container when twisted. Also contained in the capsule was an unpainted rubber figurine of a ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' or ''Transformers [[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' character, including Hot Shot. Blindpacked, each figure came in several different possible colors.

{{-}}
*'''Hot Rod''' (Big Transformers)

*Die-cast car Hot Shot

*Hot Shot puzzle

*Hot Shot backpack

==Trivia==
[[Image:Hotshotprotocolor.jpg|left|thumb|100px|WhY mY SHoUldErS HuRt?]]

*''Armada'' Hot Shot's toy had to be completely re-engineered close to release. Due to a structural flaw (and gravity), Hot Shot's arms were not able to attach securely to his shoulders. Furthermore, designer [[Aaron Archer]] felt the early design's wide, football player-like physique was inappropriate to the character archetype. Changes were made last-minute to the design to rework the transformation of the arms, necessitating the dropping of some articulation and the addition of [[kibble]] elsewhere to compensate.

[[Image:ArcherSays.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Lay off the [[JaAm]], pal.]]

*''Armada'' Hot Shot's infamous "[[JaAm]]" grin was actually a misinterpretation of Aaron Archer's original concept art which depicted Hot Shot clenching his teeth together in an open-lipped, determined expression. The head of the original tooling had a maniacal, perhaps unhinged-looking smile in response to this concept art, so the grin was scaled back on the final toy. The grin was removed completely and replaced with a neutral, stern expression when the head was resculpted for Powerlinx Hot Shot.

*The rear axle (the "Axelzooka") on the original Hot Shot figure has sculpted shock absorbers in an interesting display of attention to detail. However, they are sculpted 90 degrees in the wrong direction, which would make them useless in reality.

* According to the [[Transformers (Melbourne House)|''Armada'' Playstation 2 game]] instruction booklet, Hot Shot's ''Armada'' body has the following statistics:
:Mass: 3,109 lbs
:Robot height: 16' 5"
:Robot top speed: 50 mph
:Vehicle height: 5' 11"
:Vehicle top speed: 186 mph
:Vehicle power: 400 hp @ 8000 rpm

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Autobot/HotShot/hotshot.htm Hot Shot at TFU.info]
*[http://www.redshirt.co.uk/tales/arm/index.htm Armada - the REAL Story, by Yartek]

[[Category: Attacktix]]
[[Category: Armada characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Autobots]]
[[Category: Autobot leaders]]
[[Category: Built to Rule]]
[[Category: Cybertron characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Energon characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Fast food exclusives]]
[[Category: Legends of Cybertron]]
[[Category: Letters page answerers]]
[[Category: Velocitron]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Hot Shot (Armada)

2007-08-08T01:11:37Z

67.175.3.42: /* ''Armada'' */

{{Template:Disambig2|the prominent UT character|the RID Spychanger|Hot Shot (RID)}}

:''Hot Shot is an [[Autobot]] character in the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Hotshotut.gif|thumb|300px|I'm Optimus' choice for successor. Scary, huh?]]

'''Hot Shot''' is the quintessential young hero. He's been around long enough to earn a name for himself and a place in [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]]'s entourage, but he's still too young to know when he's in over his head. In other words, he's blunt, overconfident, and naive, yet brave and honorable. With time and experience, Prime believes, he could make an excellent leader, and has appointed him to his command structure accordingly. Hot Shot's got the goods, but he just needs to pay attention for more than five seconds. Until that day, Hot Shot's likely response to most anything is, "Yeah yeah, like, whatever."

Hot Shot's [[Mini-Con]] partner is [[Jolt (Armada)|'''Jolt''']], though he has been known to moonlight with [[Mirage (Armada)|'''Mirage''']].

:''Japanese ''Micron Legend'' name'': '''Hot Rod'''<br>
:''Japanese ''Galaxy Force'' name'': '''Exillion/Exigeyser'''

==Fiction==
===Dreamwave comics continuity===
====''Armada''====
One million years ago, Hot Shot was a member of the Autobots, the guardians of [[Cyber City]]. Soon news of a warlike faction called [[Decepticon]]s, led by the power-hungry [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], reached Cyber City via a dying [[Mini-Con]] Hot Shot found. The Mini-Con handed him a video disc and with his dying breath, demanded Hot Shot take it to Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime played the disc, a distress signal from [[Leader-1]], head of [[Mini-Con Sector|Mini-Con village D10]], who begged the Autobots for help.

[[Image:Hotshotraizeyes.jpg|left|thumb|Hot Shot watches in horror as [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] buys the last can of [[jaAm]].]]

The Decepticons themselves soon arrived in Cyber City, armed with Mini-Cons they had captured and reconfigured to bestow incredible power when [[Powerlinx]]ed. Outclassed and near total defeat, Optimus Prime called his troops into retreat, and after the majority of Mini-Cons escaped [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to parts unknown, the Autobots lost much of the planet to the Mini-Con-powered Decepticons.

In the present day, both the Autobots and Decepticons received a signal of the Mini-Cons' activation on the planet [[Earth]]. Hot Shot and his colleagues [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]], [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]], and [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] were led by Optimus Prime to the planet, where they met the Decepticons in battle. But this time, with the help of the estranged Mini-Cons, the Autobots regained the edge they lost against the Decepticons one million years prior. An uneasy alliance was formed, and Hot Shot was partnered with the Mini-Con [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_1:_First_Contact|First Contact}}

After this initial battle on Earth, Megatron is quick to capture the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] and forge them into the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber sword]]. Optimus Prime led Hot Shot and Red Alert against the Decepticons again, despite being at a strategic disadvantage while the Mini-Cons were missing, a point Hot Shot belabored. Thankfully, the Autobot-allied Mini-Cons arrived just in time to Powerlinx with Hot Shot and the other Autobots, fend off Megatron, and rescue the Air Defense Mini-Cons from the Decepticon leader's clutches.

[[Image:Hotshotguido.jpg|thumb|200px|"Well, let's go!"]]

Soon, a Mini-Con beacon tower erected in [[Tranquility, Kansas]], drawing all Earth-bound Mini-Cons to it. Hot Shot and the rest of the Autobots again met the Decepticons in battle at the location when the tower's effect was discovered. However, they were too busy fighting to notice the beacon tower blasting off towards the Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Hot Shot and Red Alert secreted Optimus Prime into the Decepticon base for the use of their space bridge, so that the Autobot leader could ask for reinforcements from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_2:_Fortress|Fortress}}

After the Mini-Cons were evacuated from the moon, five did not return home safely and sent a distress signal from northern Alaska. When the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]] failed to retrieve them, Hot Shot and the other Autobots arrived in full force, though they were kept in check by Cyclonus, who was suffering from a Mini-Con overdose. Though they were successful, Optimus Prime disappeared before their eyes, and when Hot Shot returned to Autobase, he found [[Optimus Prime (Worlds Collide)|an Optimus Prime]], dying, sent from another timeline to warn of [[Unicron]]'s coming. Learning of the "real" Optimus Prime's disappearance, Megatron and his Decepticons stormed Autobase, nearly killing Smokescreen and heavily injuring Hot Shot, Red Alert, and Scavenger.

Optimus Prime was returned to them and insisted on teaming up with the Decepticons to battle the arriving Unicron. Hot Shot excused himself from this alliance, as Smokescreen's critical condition due to the Decepticons' recent attack still weighed heavily in his mind. So when Megatron stole away during the battle with Unicron to strike a deal with the Dark God, Hot Shot, Scavenger, and Red Alert ambushed him, leaving him to die as Unicron was seemingly destroyed by the [[Mini-Con Matrix]]. {{storylink|Armada_%28Dreamwave_comic%29#Volume_3:_Worlds_Collide|Worlds Collide}}

====''Energon''====
[[Image:Hotshotironhidedw.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Sorry, Hot Shot, you've been replaced.]]

Ten years later, at the beginning of the Energon Era, Hot Shot accompanied Optimus Prime, who was skeptic and restless about the new peacetime, to his visit with the High Council in Cyber City. Prime's demands for vigilance were denied, so Hot Shot later followed him to a special [[uplink platform]] that [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] had directed them to. This trip was a first outing for the rookie Autobot [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]], who fawned over Hot Shot. Hot Shot met this with difficulty. Learning of the continued existence of [[Unicron]], Prime once again returned to the High Council, and again accompanied by Hot Shot. But this time, Cyber City was attacked by [[Cheetor (Armada)|Cheetor]], [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]], [[Airazor (Armada)|Airazor]], and [[Terrorsaur (Armada)|Terrorsaur]], who were presumed dead during the [[Unicron Battles]], but in fact were transformed into Unicron's [[Beasts of the Apocalypse]]. The Horsemen were deterred when Hot Shot and the other Autobots were granted the [[Spark of Combination]].

Hot Shot followed Prime to Earth after a distress signal was received. [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] and his [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] were after a young boy who could detect [[Energon]] named [[Kicker]]. The Terrorcons outclassed them, however, and left only when their Energon-mining gear was destroyed, but not without taking Kicker. After the Autobots reunited with [[Rad]] and [[Alexis]], Hot Shot and the [[Omnicon]] [[Strongarm (Energon|Strongarm]] were able to pursue the Terrorcons and deliver a special suit to Kicker that his father, [[Doctor Jones|Dr. Jones]], had made for him. With Kicker's help, the Terrorcons were defeated and returned to Unicron.
{{-}}

----

===Animated continuity===
====''Armada''====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Brent Miller]] (US), [[Kōsuke Okano]] (Japan)<br>

[[Image:Hotshotarmada.jpg|left|200px|thumb|He grins because he sees [[jaAm]].]]

Special attacks: Axle Cannon

An indeterminate number of years ago on Cybertron, Hot Shot and the Autobot [[Wheeljack_(Armada)|Wheeljack]] were amidst a fiery battlefield blaze. Wheeljack was incapacitated, so Hot Shot left him, promising to get help. However, his Autobot comrades would not let him return to help his friend. Instead, Wheeljack was rescued by [[Megatron_(Armada)|Megatron]] and swore vengeance against Hot Shot and the Autobots.

When [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] received the [[Mini-Con]] distress signal, Hot Shot was one of two soldiers he brought with him to Earth to investigate. He soon scanned the form of an Earth sports car and partnered with the Mini-Con [[Jolt (Armada) (Armada)|Jolt]]. {{storylink|Base}}

When all three Mini-Cons that combine to form the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] sword were collected, Optimus assigned them to Hot Shot. The Autobot was young, inexperienced, and hotheaded, so the great advantage the Star Saber granted him went straight to his ego. With the sword, he was nearly unbeatable on the battlefield until a Decepticon named [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] taught him the hard way that power without skill was useless against an experienced opponent. Hot Shot's naivety was his downfall. The double-agent [[Sideways]] tricked Hot Shot out of the sword, and Hot Shot was beaten nearly to death by his frustrated opponents. {{storylink|Overmatch}}

[[Image:Hotshotstarsaber.jpg|250px|thumb|He loves his Star Saber sword. It's so bad.]]

Wheeljack returned to Hot Shot's life, seeking revenge. The new Autobot recruit [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] was caught up in Wheeljack's vendetta, so Hot Shot protected Side Swipe as best he could, hoping not to repeat his past mistakes. Wheeljack was deterred, but promised he'd be around later to revisit his ill will. {{storylink|Past, Part 1}}

When Optimus Prime sacrificed himself to save Earth, Hot Shot was put in command. Hot Shot declined to take the Matrix of Leadership, which marked the beginning of a very unassertive and indecisive administration. It was also short, as Optimus Prime returned to life after not too long. {{storylink|Remorse}}

The Decepticons managed to take over Cybertron. [[Unicron]], the Chaos Bringer, was looming over their planet, but [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]] (previously Megatron) would not listen to Optimus Prime's pleas to unite their two factions against him. Hot Shot decided to take matters into his own hands and fought his way through the Decepticon base and countless Decepticon warriors to reach Galvatron and reason with him. If it were not for Wheeljack's intervention, he might not have survived. Under the Autobot/Decepticon alliance, Wheeljack's hatred of Hot Shot seemed to soften, and the two learned to trust each other again. {{storylink|Dash}}

After the destruction of Unicron and the defeat of Galvatron, Optimus Prime felt he had failed as Autobot Leader, and with the end of conflict between the two factions, he exiled himself to parts unknown. Hot Shot and [[Jetfire_(Armada)|Jetfire]] were left in charge of the Transformers. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}

====Energon====
:''Voice Actor(s):'' [[Brent Miller]] (US), [[Kōsuke Toriumi]] (Japan)<br>

[[Image:Hotshotenergoncartoon.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Hot Shot always forgets he's not supposed to shoot at the humans.]]

Hot Shot would find himself stationed on Earth as the commander of [[Ocean City]] while Optimus Prime was away training new soldiers on Cybertron. Though he had matured since the threat of Unicron, Hot Shot was still a young soldier with a large mass of responsibility placed on his shoulders.

Hot Shot often clashed with Kicker and Ironhide, the latter seeing Hot Shot as his idol, and was often paired with [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]] as his Powerlink partner. It wasn't until the arrival of Hot Shot's former commander and idol, [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]], that he would question his own allegiances. Not moved by Rodimus' plea to help him to resurrect [[Unicron]], Hot Shot threatened to open fire, only to be struck down by Rodimus. After Rodimus saved Hot Shot's life, he regretted his quick judgment. The relationship between Hot Shot and Rodimus was eventually restored and they become Powerlink partners.

Hot Shot continued to serve under Optimus Prime, surviving many battles on Cybertron and other worlds. Along with several other Autobots, Hot Shot was injured when the reborn Unicron destroyed a fledgling planet in the reformed Q-system. Hot Shot was reformatted into a slick silver body along with his Autobot comrades. He eventually merged his [[spark]] with that of [[Optimus Supreme]] and his partners in the final battle with [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]].

====Cybertron====
:''Voice Actor(s):'' [[Kirby Morrow]] (US), [[Daisuke Hirakawa]] (Japan)<br>
:''Special attacks:'' Accel Wing, Double X Shot, Battle Dagger

[[Image:Hotshotcybertron.jpg|thumb|250px|He knows kung-fu.]]

When [[Unicron]]'s destruction resulted in a black hole that threatened the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron, Optimus Prime ordered the planet to retreat into hiding on Earth. Hot Shot took the form of a blue Earth sports car.

This form came in handy when Optimus reassigned Hot Shot and [[Red_Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] to search for [[Velocitron]]'s [[Cyber Planet Key]]. He quickly developed a competitive bond with [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]], the leader of Velocitron. Against Red Alert's warnings, Hot Shot joined the Great Race. Hot Shot pushed himself beyond his means, almost to the point of destruction, but no matter how he tried, he could never defeat Override. The constant racing took a noticeable toll on his body. Was he really doing this to win the Key or just to prove to himself he was still the fastest in the galaxy?

Hot Shot was in big trouble when Optimus arrived on Velocitron and found out what he was up to. But Optimus Prime changed his mind when he realized that winning the race was the only way to win the Key. With the Autobots' full support and [[Coby]]'s help, Hot Shot won the Great Race and the Cyber Planet Key.

Later, Hot Shot, Red Alert and [[Scattorshot]] faced [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] alone when the Decepticon leader returned to Earth thristing for revenge against the treacherous Starscream. Humiliating the Decepticon in combat, Megatron, enraged, used his new Omega Lock-powered Death Machine Gun on the three Autobots, crippling them beyond repair. {{Storylink|Revelations}}

[[Image:CDHotShot_fists.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Now we know why his shoulders hurt]]

Fortunately, the powers of Primus acting through the [[Omega Lock]] bathed the trio in the creator's holy light, repairing and reformatting the young Autobot into '''Cybertron Defense Hot Shot.''' Along with his newly reformatted friends, the [[Cybertron Defense Team]] arrived on the battlefield and easily defeated the Decepticons Scourge and Megatron. {{Storylink|Critical}}

As Optimus Prime and the other Autobots dealt with Starscream and Megatron's forces, the Cybertron Defense Team was sent on an advance mission to Planet Cybertron. Hot Shot and his fellow team members had to blast their way through a debris field littering the Space Bridge path to Cybertron, during the course of which Hot Shot's vision was obscured by a thick oily substance excreted out of an asteroid as it exploded.

When the unit finally arrived on Cybertron, they were shocked to discover the planet overrun with the parasitic [[Scrapmetal drone]]s, and quickly had to fight their way through legions of the robotic pests. {{Storylink|United}}

{{-}}

{{spoiler}}

Much later on [[Gigantion]] the Cybertron Defense Team was caught in [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]]'s smokescreen, but they managed to figure out the mysterious agent's mind games and defeat him.

After Override resigned from leadership of Velocitron in order to travel to a new world, Hot Shot won the race to determine who would be her successor, despite his bulky new body.

==Toys==
===Armada===
[[Image:Hotshotarmadatoy.jpg|left|thumb|250px|My LifE iS pAiN.]]
*'''Hot Shot''' (Super-Con, 2002/2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MC-03'''

: ''Armada'' Hot Shot transforms into a modified yellow Audi TT. He is packaged with [[Mini-Con]] [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]], who, when attached to the [[powerlinx]] port on Hot Shot's rear, deploys his rear axle over the back of his head and (in the same motion) fires a missile from his hubcap. Jolt's gun can either attach to Hot Shot's robot mode chest or unveil "driving claws" from Hot Shot's front bumper by attaching to Hot Shot's car mode hood as his engine. Hot Shot's visor can also flip over his face.

: "Hot Rod," [[Takara]]'s ''Micron Legend'' version of Hot Shot, was released in altered colors, with a more saturated yellow and some dark gray paint in places instead of navy blue. Additionally, more of the belt straps on his chest were painted silver, his pelvis was painted a darker red, and clearer paint on his Autobot symbol. A [[retool]] (or vice versa) of [[Hasbro]]'s Hot Shot, his right arm houses a light-up LED (for accommodating the translucent Star Saber sword) that glows when his side-view mirror is pressed, a feature that was dropped from the American version due to price-point concerns.

* '''Hot Rod w/ Jolt and Air Defense Microns''' (2002)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MS-01'''

: Takara's Hot Rod was also released in a box set with the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team]].

* '''Hot Shot''' (Happy Meal, 2002)

[[Image:Hotshotpowerlinx.jpg|right|thumb|250px|i eAt yOuR bAbIEs!!]]

*'''Powerlinx Hot Shot''' (Super-Con, 2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MC-13'''

: A red, yellow, and black [[redeco]] and [[retool]] of the first Hot Shot, Powerlinx Hot Shot has a new head that has a more "serious" look, though his visor, sculpted directly into the new head, is no longer articulated. Intended to be an [[homage]] to ''[[Generation 1]]'' [[Hot Rod]], he has a yellow spoiler and flames on his hood. Due to a factory error, his forehead is painted gray instead of left red. The Japanese version, "Hot Rod Super Mode," fixed this forehead mistake, painted the shoulder symbol more clearly, and retained the LED light-up arm the first Japanese version featured.

: Rumors circulated that a Hot Shot with fixed forehead paint and a cleaner symbol would surface later in the run, but this did not seem to happen, and no specimens with these fixes have ever materialized.

: In November of 2003, US Toys "R" Us stores had special bonus pack Max-Con (Deluxe) toys, which came with a single bonus Mini-Con attached to the card over their sticker, for ''less'' than the price as a normal Max-Con during Toys "R" Us' post-Thanksgiving-day sale. Like Powerlinx [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]], Powerlinx Hot Shot could come with one of the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]] members: [[Dune Runner]], [[Iceberg]] or [[Ransack (Armada)|Ransack]].

===Built-to-Rule===
*'''Hot Shot''' (Built to Rule, 2003)

===Energon===
[[Image:Hotshotenergontoy.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Hot Shot, part deux]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SC-02'''

: In ''Energon'', Hot Shot was updated as a modified yellow Aston-Martin Vanquish. He could carry a transparent red spring-loaded missile-launching weapon in either mode, and featured a small Autobot [[spark crystal]] on his chest on which [[Energon chip]]s could be mounted. Like nearly all other Autobots in the ''Energon'' line, he could [[powerlinx]] with like-designed toys to form the top or bottom of a super robot.

: Takara released Hot Shot in similar colors, changing the slate blue plastic to a dark, nearly-black blue, dropping the black paint on his car roof, and adding metallic blue paint to his chest. His head is also a nearly-identical-but-different sculpt, most noticeably around the mouth, chin, and eyes. The reason for this is unknown.

* '''Hot Shot & Inferno''' (Multi-pack, 2003)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''SS-01'''

: In Japan, Takara released Hot Shot both individually and in a box set with [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]].

[[Image:Hotshotenergonenergontoy.jpg|200px|right|thumb|He has a heart that burns for justice.]]

*'''Energon Hot Shot''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SC-23'''

: ''Energon'' Energon Hot Shot gave the car mode a silver-painted finish and the robot parts a dark blue, yellow, and red color scheme reminiscent of ''Armada'' Hot Shot's colors. Energon Hot Shot used the Hasbro version of Hot Shot's head (see above).

: When he was released in Japan as "Hot Shot Fire," his car mode was changed to an unpainted silver, and additionally the yellow plastic was changed to a sherbet orange, the dark blue plastic to black, and the transparent orange plastic to a transparent crimson red. He also came packaged with the [[Energon_weapon#Energy_Cutter_.28Signal_Flare.29|Energy Cutter]], a transparent watermelon-red redeco of [[Signal Flare]]'s [[energon weapon]], plus a matching [[energon chip]]. Hot Shot Fire used the Takara version of Hot Shot's head.
{{-}}
===Cybertron===
[[Image:Hotshotcybertrontoy.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Hot Shot's Blue Period.]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Deluxe Class, 2005)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' ''GC-02'''

: An homage to ''Generation 1'' Hot Rod in design but not in color scheme, ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot transforms into a modified blue [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_ME_Four-Twelve Chrysler ME Four-Twelve concept car]. He comes with a [[Speed Planet]] [[Cyber Key]] that deploys transparent yellow wings from his spoiler when the key is inserted into the rear of the car. The toy also comes with a spring-loaded missile-launching gun that can be carried in robot mode or pegged into the roof of the car mode.

: The Japanese release, "Exillion," is completely identical other than a slight molding difference; two screws on either side of the spoiler are visible in the American release and all subsequent uses of the mold, but the original Japanese use of the mold had these screws buried. Though the Japanese release was treated as a separate character from Hot Shot, the toy was designed to be the character from ''Armada'' and ''Energon'', as evident by his head design and [[control art]] labeling him as such.

: This mold was used to make Red Exillion (see below) and [[Excellion]].

*'''Hot Shot''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2005/2006)

: A smaller, simplified version of ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot was released as part of the first wave of ''[[Legends of Cybertron]]'' toys.
: This mold was used to make a second Legends of Cybertron Hot Shot (see below) and ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]].

[[Image:Hotshotcybertrondefensetoy.jpg|right|thumb|250px|He's full of tiny missiles.]]
*'''Cybertron Defense Hot Shot''' (Deluxe Class, 2005)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''GC-19'''

: Cybertron Defense Hot Shot transforms into a modified [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1117_Armored_Security_Vehicle M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicle], in the same blue, navy, and red colorscheme as the previous ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot. A [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] Cyber Key is included and when the key is inserted into the back of the turret, the two gun barrels open up into dual (non-firing) missile launchers. Compartments on his shoulders and his thighs can also open up to reveal additional missile launchers. Cybertron Defense Hot Shot also comes with a dagger that stows between his legs in vehicle mode, and when in robot mode, the dagger can be hand-held, peg into the front of his fist, or be put away in a sheath on his leg.

: "Exigeyser," Cybertron Defense Hot Shot's Japanese counterpart, is completely identical, but also came with a cardboard standup depicting three [[Scrapmetal drone]]s. The American version of Cybertron Defense Hot Shot was at some point intended to have a slightly altered deco, which is shown on the back of the packaging, but this altered deco for some reason never superseded the Japanese deco for American release.

[[Image:Redexillion.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Someone had to sell porn to afford this.]]
*'''Red Exillion''' (DVD exclusive, 2005)
:Red Exillion is a redeco of the ''Cybertron'' Hot Shot toy in red, dark red, and orange, with transparent blue. Limited to 500, it came with the first ''Galaxy Force'' DVD and an empty box set to prepare against the next few ''Galaxy Force'' DVD releases. This redeco took advantage of the toy's homage to ''Generation 1'' Hot Rod, completing the homage with appropriate colors, though the toy is still treated as Hot Shot in Hot Rod colors and not as a Hot Rod toy.

:Before the toy saw official release, several advance test shots entered the market, though in a [http://tfkenkon.com/collection/act368/ slightly altered color treatment] than the final. Originally, the dark red was a brighter red.

:This toy was the indirect inspiration for ''Cybertron'' [[Excellion]]. (The direct inspiration, of course, being the original Hot Rod.)
{{-}}

*'''Hot Shot''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2006)
[[Image:LOCExcellion.jpg|right|thumb|WhErE JAam!1?/]]

: A redeco of [[Legends of Cybertron]] Hot Shot uses Excellion's approximate coloration and paint scheme; however, the toy is not actually labelled "Excellion", merely "Hot Shot". The reason for this is unclear.

: This mold was later repainted into ''Classics Legends'' [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]].

===Attacktix===
[[Image:Attacktix_CybHotShot.jpg|right|thumb|yAy, jaAm shOoToR!!1]]

*'''Hot Shot''' (Booster, 2006)
: ''Attacktix ID number'': '''TF09'''

: Part of the first assortment of ''[[Attacktix]]'' Booster Packs, Hot Shot is a "Super Rare" 40-point Warrior-class piece with a spring-loaded "shield-missile" attack. His Special Power "Rally" allows you to return one of your previously-defeated [[Autobot]] pieces back into play. The figure commonly has a black base, but like all Boosters, a rarer chrome-silver-base version was randomly packed into boxes as well.

: This mold was also used to make ''Attacktix'' Excellion, who was ''also'' a wave-1 Booster piece.

===Merchandise===
*'''Hot Rod''' (Super Collection Figure, 2002)
[[Image:Hotshotscf.jpg|left|thumb|[[JaAm]] in stereo.]]

: A PVC figure of Hot Shot was available in Act 9 of [[Takara]]'s [[Super Collection Figure]] series in both full color and solid-pewter finish. All SCF figures were [[blindpacked]] and came with a little stand.

{{-}}
*'''Hot Rod''' (Mega Super Collection Figure, 2002)
[[Image:MegaSCFHotRod.jpg|right|thumb|wh3rE jAm cOpToR?]]

: Mega SCF Hot Rod is a larger, articulated non-transforming PVC action figure of Hot Shot, based upon his cartoon model. He came with his engine gun and a small, non-transformable PVC figurine of his [[Mini-Con]] partner, [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]].

{{-}}
*'''Hot Shot''' (Bubble Twist, 2003)
[[Image:Hotshotbubbletwist.jpg|left|thumb|Taste the [[JaAm]] rainbow.]]

:In 2003, Toys "R" Us carried a line of candy toys called [[Bubble Twist]], which dispensed gum from its capsule-shaped container when twisted. Also contained in the capsule was an unpainted rubber figurine of a ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' or ''Transformers [[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' character, including Hot Shot. Blindpacked, each figure came in several different possible colors.

{{-}}
*'''Hot Rod''' (Big Transformers)

*Die-cast car Hot Shot

*Hot Shot puzzle

*Hot Shot backpack

==Trivia==
[[Image:Hotshotprotocolor.jpg|left|thumb|100px|WhY mY SHoUldErS HuRt?]]

*''Armada'' Hot Shot's toy had to be completely re-engineered close to release. Due to a structural flaw (and gravity), Hot Shot's arms were not able to attach securely to his shoulders. Furthermore, designer [[Aaron Archer]] felt the early design's wide, football player-like physique was inappropriate to the character archetype. Changes were made last-minute to the design to rework the transformation of the arms, necessitating the dropping of some articulation and the addition of [[kibble]] elsewhere to compensate.

[[Image:ArcherSays.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Lay off the [[JaAm]], pal.]]

*''Armada'' Hot Shot's infamous "[[JaAm]]" grin was actually a misinterpretation of Aaron Archer's original concept art which depicted Hot Shot clenching his teeth together in an open-lipped, determined expression. The head of the original tooling had a maniacal, perhaps unhinged-looking smile in response to this concept art, so the grin was scaled back on the final toy. The grin was removed completely and replaced with a neutral, stern expression when the head was resculpted for Powerlinx Hot Shot.

*The rear axle (the "Axelzooka") on the original Hot Shot figure has sculpted shock absorbers in an interesting display of attention to detail. However, they are sculpted 90 degrees in the wrong direction, which would make them useless in reality.

* According to the [[Transformers (Melbourne House)|''Armada'' Playstation 2 game]] instruction booklet, Hot Shot's ''Armada'' body has the following statistics:
:Mass: 3,109 lbs
:Robot height: 16' 5"
:Robot top speed: 50 mph
:Vehicle height: 5' 11"
:Vehicle top speed: 186 mph
:Vehicle power: 400 hp @ 8000 rpm

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Autobot/HotShot/hotshot.htm Hot Shot at TFU.info]
*[http://www.redshirt.co.uk/tales/arm/index.htm Armada - the REAL Story, by Yartek]

[[Category: Attacktix]]
[[Category: Armada characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Autobots]]
[[Category: Autobot leaders]]
[[Category: Built to Rule]]
[[Category: Cybertron characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Energon characters|Hot Shot]]
[[Category: Fast food exclusives]]
[[Category: Legends of Cybertron]]
[[Category: Letters page answerers]]
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