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Kicker Jones

2007-10-19T00:18:16Z

68.60.16.85: /* ''Cybertron'' */

:''Kicker is a [[human]] character in the [[Energon (franchise)|Energon]] portion of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Kicker-card.jpg|right|thumb|300px|I wanna be Bob Dylan, Kicker Jones wishes he was somebody a little more funky.]]

'''Chad "Kicker" Jones''' is the son of [[Dr. Brian Jones]] and [[Miranda Jones|Miranda Jones]]. He's brash and headstrong, always ready to leap before he looks. During the war over [[energon]], Kicker accompanied the [[Autobot]]s on many of their missions, even fighting [[Decepticon]]s and [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] himself by utilizing a high-tech battlesuit developed by his father. He is a top-notch cyclist, though his real strength is in his mysterious ability to detect and harness the power of energon.

:''Hungarian name'': '''Vadóc''' (meaning "Rogue" or "The Wild One")

==Fiction==
===Animated continuity===
====''Energon''====
Voice actor:'' [[Brad Swaile]] (US), [[Daisuke Kishio]] (Japan), [[Masumi Asano]] (Young Kicker, Japan)

[[Image:Autobot_jerks.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Meanies.]]

Soon after the end of the ''Unicron Battles'', [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to lead the new Autobot-Decepticon alliance. With it came contact and diplomatic ties to Earth's governments, after [[Rad]] secretly invited the Jones family to Cybertron.

The Autobots transported them aboard their flagship, the [[Axalon (Armada)|Axalon]], and among the occupants were their friends [[Rad White]], [[Carlos Lopez]] and [[Alexis]], as well as Dr. Brian Jones, humanity's foremost expert on the newly discovered ore, energon. He brought along his young son, Chad (nicknamed Kicker), who was very afraid of this strange, metal world and its towering giant robot inhabitants. While his father was busy, Kicker ran away, hiding in a long-ruined part of Cybertron. This led Optimus Prime to search for him, warning that the areas was strictly off-limits.

[[Image:Energon_Kicker_DrJones_Mars.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A father and son walk on the surface of a hostile planet... sounds fun.]]

While trying to escape the Autobot leader, Kicker accidentally fell down a long shaft only to be saved by a mysterious glowing sphere - [[Primus]], the living heart of Cybertron. Fascinated by the boy, Primus imbued him with a special gift - the ability to detect energon, which manifested itself as an eerie, yellow glowing of his hair. {{Storylink|Cybertron City}} Dr. Jones exploited his son's new talent, dragging the young Kicker from planet to planet, wherever they expected to find energon. Over time, due to his experiences on Cybertron, this mysterious power, as well as his father's often casual indifference to his son's well-being and wishes, led Kicker to greatly resent his father and the Transformers. Nevertheless, he still cared about his family, especially his younger sister, [[Sally Jones|Sally]], and would fight to protect them. Somehow, he found the time to form a relationship with [[Misha]], a young scientist stationed on a research outpost in Plain City.

[[Image:Kicker_hit_wall.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Feel my angst, stupid wall!]]

Some ten years later on the day [[Ocean City]] discovered energon, Kicker was still bitter at his ordeal and his status as a tool for his father's scientific research, which concerned his mother. After the Cybertron City on [[Mars ]] is destroyed by [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] Kicker is the first to realize Cybertron City was their next target. Riding outside the city with [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] in tow and concerned for the safety of his family inside, Kicker lured the strange beast Transformers away until he was surrounded but is saved at the last moment by Optimus Prime's Autobot reinforcements. Angry that his father had asked Optimus Prime to look after the boy, Kicker took off again away from the city and soon ended up in trouble despite assistance from the young Autobot [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]]. Once again, Optimus Prime came to his rescue by throwing him a special suit developed by Dr. Jones specifically to protect Kicker in dangerous situations. After the dust settled, Optimus Prime explained that Dr. Jones knew Kicker would refuse to allow the Autobots to protect him, so the suit was made so Kicker could fight alongside the Autobots.

[[Image:Energon_KickerGrindor_Ep5.jpg|right|thumb|200px|He's competing against [[Daniel Witwicky|Daniel]] in the hoverboard championship.]]

Kicker is regarded as a new legend by the Transformers on Cybertron, having located over a dozen energon points himself, resulting in the various Cybertron Cities throughout the solar system.

In battle, he was usually partnered with Ironhide. Early on, neither of the pair got along with each other with Kicker being all angsty and Ironhide being a doofus, but eventually both became good friends.

====''Cybertron''====
[[Image:CybertronKicker.jpg|thumb|left|KICKER KICKER GET A HAIRCUT KICKER]]

He has a mullet. Weird. And for some reason he seems to have forgotten his friendship with Ironhide and chose to have a giant picture of Hot Shot hanging behind him

{{-}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
====''Energon''====
[[Image:Kicker_Comic_Unsuited.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Even Scorponok knows a stupid name when he hears it.]]

At 16 years of age, Kicker was spending his time in the Australian outback, using his energon-detection powers at [[Alterenergy|Alterenergy's]] Exploratory Excavation/Drilling Operation. (Unlike the cartoon, his powers were never explained.) He longed for more excitement, but he complied with the wishes of his father, who also worked for Alterenergy.{{Storylink|What Lies Beneath}}

The monotony was broken, however, when [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] led a [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] raid on the facility. This was possibly the first Decepticon attack on Earth in a decade, and it's unclear whether Kicker even knew about the existence of Transformers. He fled on a motorcycle, but [[Battle Ravage (Energon)|Battle Ravage]] took chase. Nearby, Alexis had been leading a protest against Alterenergy's strip-mining practices, and she saw Kicker wipe out. When Battle Ravage caught up, she shot the Terrorcon in the eye with a flare gun, then joined Kicker on his bike. But that only prolonged the hunt; Battle Ravage still managed to capture them and bring them back to Scorponok.

Just by looking at him, Scorponok could tell that Kicker had a "unique physiology. The proximity of energon fires sensory nodes in his medulla oblongata, resonating throughout his entire nervous system." (It's unclear how many Transformers could see this. Tidal Wave said outright that he "doesn't look like anything to me." But it's vaguely implied that Battle Ravage had retrieved him alive because of his abilities.) When the Autobots inevitably appeared, Scorponok kept Kicker specially captive, but Alexis was able to escape with the help of Rad and Carlos, who were part of an Alternenergy rescue team. (Notably, Rad was wearing a suit that looked very much like the one that would become Kicker's signature look.) Rad also destroyed one of the Terrorcons' energon siphons, which apparently damaged their operation enough that Scorponok felt the need to retreat.

[[Image:KickerRadAlexis_Comic.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Have a stupid name, get a white tech-suit. It's [[Spike_Witwicky#Animated_continuity|tradition.]]]]

But he didn't retreat far; they simply attacked Alterenergy's nearby Mobile Command Center. Scorponok was betting that Kicker would be emotionally attached to someone there and would help the Terrorcons if they stopped the assault. He was right. Dr. Jones himself was there, and in fact was nearly killed. So Kicker led them to another energon source, but the Autobots were still in pursuit. As the battle renewed, Hot Shot rescued Kicker, who had already laid the seeds for the Terrorcons' defeat. The energon source he had found for them "wasn't, y'know, exactly... pure." This caused the siphons to explode, and [[Alpha Quintesson]] teleported all the Terrorcons back to Unicron.

During the rescue, Hot Shot had given Kicker a suit that, as mentioned earlier, looked like Rad's. [[Strongarm (Energon)|Strongarm]] said it was something Dr. Jones and the Autobots had "cooked up together." Kicker would never be seen dressed in anything else from that point on.

He seemed quite happy helping the Autobots afterwards, probably due to the newfound adventure. They took him around the world in search of energon, from the Yukon{{storylink|Omni-Potent}} to the Black Sea.{{storylink|Multiplicity}} In the latter locale, he had [[Signal Flare]] create an energon bubble around him so he could go underwater and plant a drill module while his [[Omnicon]] companions stayed onshore. But just as he was setting up the drill on the sea bottom, a Terrorcon squad attacked. Signal Flare's energon stream was interrupted, and the bubble collapsed. Despite his super-special suit, Kicker simply choked and then floated motionless.

[[Image:Kicker_Comic_Suited.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Kicker Jonah.]]

[[Sharkticon]] engulfed him and may have purposefully revived him, as the mission had been to capture him alive. At any rate, Sharkticon surfaced and flipped on his back, then his belly exploded. Kicker levitated from within, surrounded by a ball of energy, powered by the "energon well" below. He saw the Terrorcons standing over the defeated Omnicons onshore, so he sent streams of energon into his allies, reviving them. They quickly chased the Terrorcons off, and Kicker reveled in how his energon-manipulation powers were growing. "The more I work my energon mojo, the stronger I seem to get. It's like... there's no limits, none."

Except bankruptcy. [[Dreamwave|Dreamwave's]] collapse meant Kicker's story ended there.
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Energon===
*'''Kicker''' (Microman, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SL-14'''

: The first Kicker toy is based upon [[Takara]]'s 2003 ''[[Microman]]'' body. As such, it is super-posable, and its parts are fully interchangeable with other ''Microman'' figures. He is armed with a small, non-transforming silver version of the [[Energon Saber]], plus his torso armor and belt are removable.

: The toy is ''incredibly'' breakable. Some people have bought them only to find them broken ''in-package''.

*'''STD Grand Convoy and Kicker''' (Multi-pack, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SS-03'''

[[Image:Slgrandconvoykicker_toy.jpg|right|thumb|KICKER KICKER OUR PLANETS KICKER]]

: This limited-edition set (celebrating the 30th anniversary of ''Microman'' and the 20th anniversary of ''Transformers'' in Japan) contains an exclusive variant of Kicker, with an exclusive variant of the Deluxe-level [[Optimus Prime (Armada)#Energon 3|Optimus Prime]] toy. This version of Kicker uses clear-black plastic rather than opaque (which makes it ''even more'' susceptible to breaking with even moderate pressure than the normal Microman Kicker, so '''''be careful'''''), uses vacuum-metalized chrome on the body armor, plus along with a gold-chromed version of the Energon Saber accessory, also has an exclusive chromed [[Megatron Sword]].

*'''Kicker Energon Edition''' (Microman, 2004)

: This special clear-red version of Kicker is a [[Lucky Draw]] prize, limited to 100 pieces. He also comes with a red-chromed Energon Saber accessory (and goes very well with the Japanese mail-away "Fire" version of STD Grand Convoy). Contest entries were found in the ''Super Link'' soundtrack CD and the first three volumes of the ''Super Link'' DVD, and the prize winners were announced in August 2004.

*'''Energon Kicker with High Wire''' (Deluxe, 2005)
[[Image:Energon_Kicker_toy.jpg|left|thumb|130px|I hear they're over the sophomore jinx.]]

: [[Hasbro]]'s release of Kicker is an all-new sculpt, based around the 3'3/4 inch 2003 ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' "Valor Vs Venom" body design. He comes packed with a Joe-scaled (though slightly oversized) version of [[High Wire]], also an all-new sculpt. Kicker has a [[Spark crystal]] located on his backpack, which can be used as a mounting point for [[energon chip]]s.

{{-}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Cybertron/AnnivKicker/kicker.htm Kicker at TFU.info]

*[http://snakas.web.infoseek.co.jp/energon/dvdkicker.htm Kicker Energon Edition gallery at Autobase Aichi]

{{stub}}
[[Category: Humans|Kicker]]
[[Category: Energon characters|Kicker]]<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>

Optimus Prime (Armada)

2007-09-20T00:35:04Z

68.60.16.85:

{{disambig3|Optimus Prime}}

:''Optimus Prime is the [[Autobot]] leader in the [[Unicron Trilogy]] continuity family.''

[[Image:ArmadaOptimusPrime_dvd.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Prime, Prime, and [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Prime]]...FEAR MY HAIRDRYER OF DOOM!!!]]

'''Optimus Prime''' fights for truth, justice, and the Autobot way. He has led the search for the [[Mini-Con]]s, faced the resurrection of a [[Unicron|dark god]], and now aims to stop [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] from obtaining the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s. He's also died a couple times, and tends to find a second-in-commandy-type to combine with to form a super robot.

He learns martial arts from [[Scavenger (Armada)|whoever]] turns into a [[Landmine (Energon)|bulldozer]], thinks [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] has leadership potential and tends to recruit teenage children.

:''Japanese ''Micron Legend'' name'': '''Convoy'''<br>
:''Japanese ''Superlink'' name'': '''Grand Convoy'''<br>
:''Japanese ''Galaxy Force'' name'': '''Galaxy Convoy'''

==Fiction==
===Animated continuity===
====''Armada''====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Gary Chalk]] (US), [[Toru Okawa]] (Japan)

[[Image:Pre-arm-scavenger.JPG|left|thumb|"Maybe we shouldn't have fired lasers at the mirrors."]]

Millions of years ago, a young Optimus Prime fought with a great Decepticon warrior known as [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]]. So often were their clashes, and so familiar were they to each other, the pair eventually became friends, and Scavenger signed up with the Autobots. Seeing great potential in the young Autobot leader, Scavenger taught Optimus Prime how to fight in hand-to-hand combat. Later, veteran Autobot [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] trained Optimus in [[metallikato]] shortly before leaving [[Cybertron]] with [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]]. Optimus later notes that their training made him the warrior and soldier he is today. {{Storylink|Trust (Armada episode)|Trust}}

Many years later, it is a more mature Optimus Prime that leads a small Autobot unit to [[Earth]] after the activation of the [[Mini-Con]] homing beacon. This beacon signaled to all the Transformers on Cybertron that the much-coveted Mini-Cons had survived their million years-long disappearance. After warping to Earth, Optimus saves [[Rad White|three]] [[Carlos Lopez|human]] [[Alexis|children]] from the [[Decepticon]] leader, [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], who arrived on the alien world first.

[[Image:ArmadaPrime_firstappearance.jpg|right|thumb|He's part Optimus Prime, part [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], part [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] all Optimus Prime.]]

Clashing with his arch enemy, Optimus Prime bought the children and their Mini-Con [[Highwire (Armada)|Highwire]] time to escape while around them, other Transformers warped into the battlefield. Later, after the Decepticons had reformatted themselves into suitable new vehicle modes, Optimus Prime saves them again, joined by his two subordinates [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] and [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]]. {{Storylink|First Encounter}}

Befriending these children, he introduces his crew of Autobots to them. The children aid Prime as he leads his crew around the world, searching for the long-lost Mini-Con Transformers, before the Decepticon forces can take them and use them for their own evil deeds.

[[Image:Comrade_PrimeMaximumBlast.jpg|left|thumb|You feel lucky, punk?]]

Soon afterwards, both the Autobots and Decepticons detect a Mini-Con signal located in the [[Grand Canyon]]. With the help of the kids, Optimus Prime manages to pinpoint the location of the Mini-Con panel before he is confronted by [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], powerlinked to [[Leader-1]]. Outgunned, Optimus Prime is saved when Starscream arrogantly underestimates the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team|Street Action Team's]] combined form of [[Perceptor (Armada)|Perceptor]]. This distraction gives Optimus the opportunity to activate the Mini-Con panel, revealing that its occupant is [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]], Optimus Prime's old Mini-Con partner and friend. Together they Powerlink, activating Optimus's powerful Maximum Blast which sends the Decepticons into retreat. {{Storylink|Comrade}}

Through the treachery of [[Sideways]] and [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]], the Decepticons manage to secure all three of the [[Star Saber (Armada)|legendary]] [[Skyboom Shield|Mini-Con]] [[Requiem Blaster|weapons]] that form the [[Hydra Cannon]], the most powerful weapon in the universe. Mounting their new doomsday device aboard a starship, Megatron decides to wipe out the Autobot base on Earth, regardless of the massive collateral damage to the planet itself. Optimus Prime and Jetfire launch a pre-emptive strike against the warship in the hopes of disabling the weapon and rescuing the Mini-Cons. However, they are outnumbered forcing a desperate Optimus, to throw himself into the path of the cannon and use the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to save Earth, but at the cost of his life. {{Storylink|Crisis}}

Under the leadership of Hot Shot, the other Autobots give chase to the Decepticons aboard the [[Axalon (Armada)|Axalon]]. During a confrontation with their enemies, the Mini-Cons reach out to each other and resurrect Optimus from within the Matrix. There is little time to rejoice, as the Autobots pursue the Decepticons on their way back to Cybertron. {{Storylink|Miracle}}

[[Image:FinalbattlePrime_cartoon.jpg|left|thumb|250px|My [[Primus|God]], it's full of stars...]]

After Unicron's apparent defeat, both Optimus Prime and Galvatron succumb to their base natures and have one last battle within the Chaos Bringer. Fighting each other to a standstill, both are surprised when Unicron suddenly comes back to life, feeding off their hate for each other. Galvatron is drawn towards Unicron's maw, with Prime holding onto his tank treads, telling him to hold on. His nemesis then makes the decision to sacrifice his life, giving Prime a final victory, so that Unicron may be destroyed and their race will survive.

In the aftermath, Optimus Prime reflects that he doesn't deserve the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and leaves both the Autobots and Cybertron for places unknown. {{Storylink|Mortal Combat}}

{{-}}

====''Energon''====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Gary Chalk]] (US), [[Katsuyuki Konishi]] (Japan)

[[Image:EnergonOptimusForms.jpg|thumb|250px|right|And I'll form the head!]]

A few years after the defeat of Unicron, Optimus Prime returns from exile to a newly-unified Cybertron where Autobots and Decepticons live side-by-side in peace. Reassuming leadership of the Autobots, Optimus Prime establishes a dialogue with the Earth governments with the help of his human friends. Earth sends a delegation to Cybertron, consisting of the three kids and [[Dr. Brian Jones]], the foremost expert in the newly discovered ore [[energon]] that both worlds covet.

Jones had brought along his young son, [[Kicker|Chad]] (also known as 'Kicker'), who was frightened by the tall, menacing robots. When the boy ran away to a ruined and abandoned part of Cybertron, Optimus Prime gave chase, warning Kicker that the area was strictly off limits. The boy accidently fell and found his way into a massive darkened chamber where an energy being known as [[Primus]] saves him. Optimus Prime finds his way into the chamber just as Primus evolves the human child. Sometime after this, Primus (now known as the creator-god of the Transformers), gives Optimus the [[Spark of Combination]], allowing him to grant combining powers to other Autobots.

Almost a decade later, it is brought to the attention of Optimus Prime that the energon mining facilities in Sol's asteroid belt, as well as their base on [[Mars]] had been attacked by a mysterious force of beast-like Transformers. Primus warns him that the enemy is after the energon, causing Optimus to assemble a unit so he can personally assess the situation. Finding no life on Mars, his unit then moves to Earth, where he saves Kicker and Ocean City from an attack by the same creatures. {{Storylink|Cybertron City}}

====''Cybertron''====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Gary Chalk]] (US), [[Taitem Kusunoki]] (Japan)

[[Image:CybertronPrime_finalbattlepose.jpg|left|thumb| "Weapons Primed..."]]

Primus' plan to trap Unicron inside an energon sun has failed, and this star has collapsed into a [[Unicron Singularity|massive black hole]]. Optimus Prime faces the greatest test in his existence when his home planet is threatened with destruction, but realises there is no choice but to evacuate the population to Earth. As they make plans to leave, a mysterious time-travelling Transformer named [[Vector Prime]] appears, advising Optimus to search for the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, the only means of restoring Primus' spark, and the only way they can save Cybertron and the rest of the universe from oblivion. {{Storylink|Fallen (Cybertron episode)|Fallen}}

Arriving on Earth, Optimus Prime is forced to break his own strict orders to hide from the human population when he rescues the injured Landmine and three human children from [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]]. Befriending the children, named [[Coby]], [[Bud]] and [[Lori]], he relies on them to educate the Autobots about their new home and how to blend into the environment as Robots in Disguise. {{Storylink|Inferno (Cybertron episode)|Inferno}} {{Storylink|Hidden}}

Soon afterwards, the children's hometown of Boulder, Colorado is threatened with devastation by a landslide. Understanding how the humans would feel at the loss of their home, the Autobots leap into action, rescuing people trapped and leading them to safety, all the while in disguise. Optimus Prime (somehow) prevents the landslide by pumping water out of an underground lake beneath the mountain, causing it to collapse in on itself and eliminate the threat. {{Storylink|Collapse}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
====''Armada''====
[[Image:OptimusPrimeUT-Armada.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Freedom is the right of all sentient beings... unless they turn into guns.]]

Optimus Prime is notified by [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] that the Decepticons are attacking Mini-Con villages. Later on, when the war comes to Earth, he saves the kids from [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], who is trying to get the Mini-Cons that they have befriended. After retrieving a Mini-Con escape pod in Alaska, he is suddenly pulled into an alternate reality Cybertron, one in which Unicron has already decimated the planet and is preparing to return and consume it. He is ultimately rescued by [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] and [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]], and uses his knowledge of the fate that awaits Cybertron to rally both Decepticons and Autobots together and defeat the Chaos Bringer.

====''Energon''====
[[Image:Optimusprime ut armada px.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Optimus Prime (Powerlinx) during the years between the Unicron Battles and Energon. He thinks if he's not red and blue, nobody will recognize him.]]

Ten years after the defeat of Unicron, Over-Run showed Prime how to commune with Cybertron itself. Doing so reformatted the Autobot leader into a body capable of [[Powerlinx|Powerlinking]] with a team of 'drone' vehicles, and granting the ability to combine with each other to other Autobots.

Upon returning to Earth, he decided that the Autobots will no longer hide from the inhabitants, but work with them openly. This decision led, among other things, to the Autobots' induction into the UN.

When last seen ''(before the bankruptcy of [[Dreamwave Productions]])'', he was attempting to escape from within the remains of [[Unicron]], after Megatron's trapped spark used him to regain his freedom.

{{-}}

===Panini comics continuity===

===Transformers Legends Anthology===

===''Transformers'' Playstation 2 game===
'''Voice actor:''' [[Gary Chalk]]

==Toys==
===Armada===
*'''Optimus Prime''' (Super Base, 2002/2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MC-01'''
[[Image:Superbase_ArmadaPrime.jpg|right|thumb|Stand up and be counted, container!]]

: The first [[Unicron Trilogy]] Optimus Prime toy transforms into a longnose truck cab of made-up model. His clear-plastic smokestacks can detach and form a double-barrelled pistol for robot mode. Prime can also form the upper half of a super robot mode, which can connect to his trailer or to ''Armada'' [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] in his combined robot mode to form "'''Jet Prime'''" or "'''Jet Convoy'''" If you own the Japanese Version. The super robot's right hand has an LED in it to light up either of Optimus' hand-held blasters, or the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] sword. He came with his Mini-Con partner [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]]. His robot-mode chest can flip down to reveal a non-removable [[Matrix]].

: The toy's primary gimmick is its auto-transforming trailer. When activated, transforming Optimus to robot mode causes the trailer to automatically flip open and form a Mini-Con base, with tower, spring-loaded missile launchers and storage bays, and other Mini-Con [[Powerlinx]]-activated gimmicks. Transforming Optimus to super robot half causes the trailer to fold in and stand up, forming legs for the super robot. Some of the base mode's armaments are still available in this configuration.

: Both the super robot mode and the trailer's base mode can have ''Armada'' [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]]'s cannon mode attached for added firepower, becoming '''Optimus Prime Megaweapon''' or '''Magna Convoy'''.

: The [[Takara]] version of Optimus is slightly different from the [[Hasbro]] version, using bright yellow plastics and paint in place of the Hasbro's gold.

: The initial [[Hasbro]] release of this toy had tabs in its shoulder joints that did not allow the shoulders to rotate above the horizontal default position (So as not to break the wires that ran through the toy's right arm in super mode). Coupled with the limited elbow joints, Optimus Prime could only point his weapons in the direction towards the ground. The tab was not in the [[Takara]] version, and subsequent version of the Hasbro release.

: Late in the Japanese run, Optimus toys in Jusco stores came with blind-packed "Space Galaxy" versions of the individual [[Destruction Mini-Con Team]] members, one toy per box.

*'''Optimus Prime''' (Supercon, 2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''MC-06'''
[[Image:Supercon_ArmadaPrime.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Ironically, the smallest Deluxe of the line.]]

: A smaller version of the Super Base toy, this version of ''Armada'' Optimus Prime retains the vehicle mode and coloration, but has no trailer or super robot connectivity (though he can still pull the trailer). He retains the flip-down chest in robot mode, but has no molded Matrix. Instead, the toy is designed for maximum posability. Attaching a Mini-Con to the [[Powerlinx]] plus on Optimus' back activates a double-fisted "punching" gimmick. He came with the Mini-Con [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]]. It's worth noting that this Optimus Prime is the shortest of the ''Armada'' Supercons in robot mode. His smokestacks can come off like the Super Base version, but lack the "gun" mode or any other method of connectivity to Optimus.

: The initial release of the figure featured silver lights on his roof; later on, the lights were changed to yellow, and later still, an Autobot emblem was added to the roof of the vehicle. The latter two changes only affected the American release.

: This mold was also used to make ''Armada'' [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]], ''[[Universe]]'' [[Ultra Magnus (BIAB)|Ultra Magnus]], and the first ''Cybertron'' Deluxe-class Optimus Prime.

: Shipping in a great many waves throughout most of the later run of the line, Supercon Optimus became a notorious [[pegwarmer]].

: The acronym "STD" in the Japanese release ("STD Convoy") stands for "standard," as in this is the standard toy release of Convoy, without a Super Mode.

*'''Optimus Prime''' (Happy Meal, 2003)

*'''Powerlinx Optimus Prime''' (Super Base, 2003)
[[Image:Powelinx_Armadaprime.jpg|right|thumb|Dracula Prime?]]

: This is an extensive [[redeco]] of the Super Base ''Armada'' Optimus Prime toy, with the new colours bearing little similarity to the original colour scheme. Though, the colours of the cab truck are vaguely similar to the [[Diaclone]] toy that would become [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. He came with Sparkplug again, though this time his Mini-Con partner got new molding. All of the gimmicks from the first version remain intact in this one, though --as noted-- the super robot mode arms are not as restricted.

*'''Crystal Convoy''' (Supercon, 2003)

: A Japanese ''Tele-V Magazine'' [[exclusive]], this release of the Supercon-Class Convoy toy has all of parts cast in translucent plastics, hence the 'crystal' title. Available via mail-order, only 5000 pieces were distributed in October of 2003.

: This version of Optimus is supposed to represent his "[[spark]]" from when his body was destroyed in the [[Armada (cartoon)|''Armada'' cartoon episode]] [[Crisis]].

*'''Battle for the Matrix''' (Multi-pack, 2003)

: A K-Mart exclusive set released on "[[Black Friday]]" (the day after Thanksgiving, the most hellishly busy shopping day of the year), this set consists of Super Base Optimus Prime, Jetfire, their respective partner Mini-Cons Sparkplug and [[Comettor]], the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]], and oddly enough, [[Longarm (Armada)|Longarm]]. Optimus Prime's red plastics and paint were replaced with gold, the only changes made to anyone in the set. It is this set from which the name of Optimus Prime's combined mode with Jetfire, '''Jet Prime''', comes.

*'''Magna Convoy DX Set''' (Multi-pack, 2003)
[[Image:Magna_Convoy.jpg|left|thumb|100px|I think he needs another gun.]]

: This set is a Toys "R" Us Japan exclusive, consisting of a slightly redecoed, and more [[Show Accuracy|show accurate]] Powerlinx Optimus Prime (dubbed "Convoy Final Battle Coloration"), a "crystal" version of Overload ("Ultra Magnus Special Clear Version") made out of transluscent plastics, and an exclusive [[X-Dimension]] redeco of the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]]. This set is entirely "new" content not available in the normal mass-retail ''Micron Legend'' line, and is also the last release of "X-Dimension" Mini-Cons.

: Rather than coming with individual bio cards for Optimus and Overload, this set came with a single card for the "Magna Convoy" combination of the two. (And no card for the Street Action Team, oddly enough.)

*'''Optimus Prime''' (Built to Rule, 2004)
[[Image:BTR_ArmadaPrime.jpg|right|thumb|155px|"My Matrix for a quick death." (How could this happen to me?)]]

:''Armada'' Built to Rule Optimus Prime transforms into a fair approximation of his vehicle mode, but the robot mode is quite inaccurate, due to the very broad, flat Trans-Skeleton with thin, stick-like limbs attached to it. The set came with a very simplistic "Mini-Con" Sparkplug partner kit that did have a more dedicated "Powerlinx" connector than the standard construction pegs, though these are a bit too thin to be used as attachment points for regular Mini-Cons (they stay, sort of, but it's a very loose connection). The 101-piece set also features pressure-launch missile-firing "smokestack" cannons.

===Energon===
*'''Optimus Prime''' (Super, 2003, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SC-01'''

[[Image:Energon_Prime_toy.jpg|left|thumb|He tows around a parking garage.]]

: ''Energon'' Optimus' first toy transforms into a Cybertronic short-nosed truck cab. A swtich on his back (Note: The [[Takara]] version did not have the electronic sounds) alternates between different electronic sound effects, corresponding to his four drone-vehicles. A button on his side also activates electronic sounds and a light in his chest. He also has a spring-loaded missile launcher hand-cannon.

: Optimus' trailer is designed to carry his four drone-vehicles (The "Grand Force" in Japan): '''Fire-1''' (fire truck), '''Copter-2''' (helicopter), '''Digger-3''' (drill tank with gear-wheel-activated spinning drill), and '''Submarine-4''' (submarine). Each of these drones can attach to one of Optimus' limbs to form a variety of super modes (which the Japanee line dubbed "Grand Cross"). The base robot can also combine with ''Energon'' [[Wing Saber]] to form '''"Optimus Prime Fight Mode"''' and '''"Optimus Prime Flight Mode"''', and [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] to form '''"Optimus Supreme"''' (or '''"Powerlinx Omega Supreme"''', according to the toy packaging). The Omega Supreme combination can also employ the drone-units.

: The earliest releases of this toy had a different head sculpt with a mouth where the faceplate is, similar to ''[[Beast Wars]]'' [[Optimus Primal|Optimal Optimus]]. It was soon replaced by the more familiar headsculpt with a faceplate. The [[Takara]] version of the toy uses the mouthless molding, but also has a chromed front grill, and slightly differnet [[paint application]]s here and there.

: A redeco of the super mold was planned to be released with Smallest Transformers [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] as a Target exclusive, but was cancelled.

*'''SL Grand Convoy''' (Deluxe, 2004)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SC-13'''

[[Image:STD_Grand_Convoy.jpg|right|thumb|165px|My name is Optimus Prime, and I like energon goodies.]]

: This release of Grand Convoy/Optimus Prime was a small Deluxe-class toy that did not have a trailer, any electronics, nor was it able to form Super Mode. However, it ''could'' [[Powerlinx]] with compatible Deluxe-class and Mega-class Autobots. Like the ''Armada'' Deluxe-Class version of Prime, this one too was on the small side for its sizeclass.

: His clear blue energon weapon is sculpted to somewhat resemble the Optimus Prime Energon Blaster roleplay toy.

*'''SL Grand Convoy w/ Kicker''' (multi-pack, 2003)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SS-03'''
[[Image:Slgrandconvoykicker_toy.jpg|left|thumb|KICKER KICKER OUR PLANETS KICKER]]

: Grand Convoy was also packed in a set with an exclusive variant of [[Kicker]]. This version of the toy has a chromed grill (the standard retail version uses painted plastic) and is suppoesedly uses slightly shinier plastics.

*'''Optimus Prime versus Megatron''' (multi-pack, 2004)

: A Toys "R" Us exclusive in the US, though sold at pretty much any retailer that wanted to carry it elsewhere, this was merely the US release of the Deluxe-class ''Energon'' Optimus Prime from the Japanese SS-03 set, and the smaller Japanese [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] toy. There are no appreciable differences between this set and the original Japanese versions.

*'''Optimus Prime and Overload''' (Multi-pack, 2005)

: A CostCo-exclusive redeco of the ''Armada'' Optimus Prime toy in black, yellow, and brick red, it also came with a redeco of ''Armada'' [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]]. It is from this set that the name of Prime's combined form with Overload, '''Optimus Prime Megaweapon''', comes.

*'''Optimus Prime''' (Happy Meal, 2004)
[[Image:McEnergon-prime.jpg|right|thumb|155px|Jesus and Santa rolled into one.]]

:The Happy Meal version of ''Energon'' Optimus Prime is ''much'' simplified, yet features a very similar transformation sequence. Due to his limited articulation his shoulder insignias are only visible with his arms splayed out horizontally, or in vehicle mode.

:His torso his hollow, to store his electronic Energon cube. He also comes with a "Mini-con" jet that can mount on the top of his cab in truck form. The "Mini-con" is actually a remote control, which activates his energon cube's sound effects.

*'''Optimus Prime''' (Happy Meal, 2004)

*'''Optimus Prime''' (Built to Rule, 2005)

[[Image:BTR_EnergonPrime.jpg|left|thumb|175px|Blocktimus Prime]]

: The ''Energon'' version of ''Built To Rule'' Optimus Prime was designed with a much more solid skeleton with larger, blockier limbs. He can be rebuilt from a Cybertronic truck cab with a trailer-mounted pressure-launch dual-missile cannon (with electronic lights and sounds) 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" and "Ollie's" chain stores at drastically dropped prices.

{{-}}

===Cybertron===
* '''Optimus Prime''' (Leader, 2004, 2005)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''GC-01'''
[[Image:Cybertron_Prime_toy.jpg|right|thumb|200px|"Well... a fire truck is bigger."]]

:''Cybertron'' Optimus Prime transforms into a heavily-armed fire truck of made up origin. The wings and guns can be rearranged so the fire truck has a flight mode. Like ''Robots in Disguise'' [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]], the forward section of the fire truck detaches to transform into his standard robot mode, while the rear 'trailer' portion becomes a battle station (if you squint).

:The trailer can combine with the standard robot mode to form a massive, winged backpack for the toy's Super Mode. A lever on the back of Optimus Prime's head raises the traditional Prime faceplate, covering his Optimus Primal-style mouth.

:When a [[Cyber Planet Key]] is inserted into the large, rectangular electronic rail gun, the panels covering it open up and a different sound effect is played when the firing button is pressed. An LED also lights up. When a Cyber Key is inserted into the cannon that the rifle can attach to, two spring-loaded missile launchers pop out.

:The Japanese release (''Galaxy Convoy'') featured a few additional paint applications, and the backpack's wings are attached by a metal hinge, and therefore cannot be removed.

:In Super Mode, Optimus Prime can combine with [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Leobreaker]] to form '''"Savage Claw Mode"''', or [[Wing Saber]] to form '''"Sonic Wing Mode"'''.

* '''Optimus Prime''' (Burger King)

* '''Optimus Prime''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2005)
[[Image:LOC_CybertronPrime.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Optimus Minor?]]

:This very simplified version of ''Cybertron'' Optimus Prime has no weapons or trailer, just the front portion of the truck. It transforms into the standard robot mode, with a very similar transformation scheme to the full-sized toy, but cannot form Super Mode.

{{-}}

* '''Sonic Convoy''' (multi-pack, 2005)
: ''Japanese ID number:'' '''EX-02'''

:Sonic Convoy was a Toys ''R'' Us Japan [[exclusive]] redeco of Galaxy Convoy (Optimus Prime) and Sonic Bomber (Wing Saber). Most of Galaxy Convoy's truck cab parts were cast in translucent blue and red plastic, with the trailer being cast in much deeper reds, more metallic silver and chromed red opaque plastics.

:The only appreciable difference between EX-02 Sonic Bomber and the regular release was that all of his previous vaccum-metalized chrome parts and red painted parts were now vaccum-metalized or chrome-painted red.

:This set also came with [[Cobybot]], a slight redeco of [[Scrapmetal]] using the humanoid robot head that is usually discarded when Scrapmetal toys are assembled.

* '''Optimus Prime''' (Deluxe, 2006)
[[Image:Tsoptimusprimecd.jpg|right|thumb|150px|You've already bought me five times!]]
:A recolor of the Supercon ''Armada'' Optimus Prime recolored to resemble his the Leader class Galaxy Force Optimus Prime figure. Like the original coloring of this toy, the forearms of early releases of this toy were switched, making the elbow completely useless. However, this was corrected and later releases have his arms bend properly. At the tail end of the ''Cybertron'' line, the four planet symbols were added to the truck-mode's cab.

* '''Optimus Prime''' (Deluxe, 2006)
:A recolor of the Deluxe ''Beast Wars 10th Anniversary'' [[Optimus Primal]] toy, this version of Optimus Prime turns into a brown gorilla. It includes a hoverboard which reveals a missile launcher and an assualt blade when a [[Cyber Key]] is inserted. He includes a [[Jungle Planet]] style Cyber Key with the code '''d7s9'''.

* '''Galaxy Force Optimus Prime''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2006)

:A redeco of ''Legends of Cybertron'' Optimus Prime to resemble his the Leader class Galaxy Force Optimus Prime figure, replacing essentially replacing blue with black

* '''Galaxy Force Optimus Prime''' (Leader, 2006)
[[Image:Cyb_GalaxyForceOptimusPrime.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Sowing confusion on message boards everywhere.]]

:Released at the tail-end of ''Cybertron'', Galaxy Force Optimus Prime is a repaint of the Leader-class toy. The main differences are black replaces the blue plastic and blue paint, tinted translucent parts replace the translucent blue parts, and the toy's rifles, rail gun covers, missile launchers and leg guns being cast in red plastic. The unique Matrix-shaped Cyber Planet Key is finally painted gold.

:The shoulders are adorned with the four planet symbols of the Cyber Planet Keys, supposedly to represent Optimus Prime as the leader of all remaining Transformers.

:The 'Galaxy Force' addition to Optimus Prime's name is in reference to the journey the character takes at the end of the ''Cybertron'' cartoon series, as well as a reference to the Japanese version of the cartoon.

{{-}}

===Attacktix===
*'''Super Optimus Prime''' (Galactic Showdown, 2006)
: ''Attacktix ID number'': '''SVT05'''
:Faction: Autobot
:Class: Leader
:Special: Recover - 8/26 (31%) success ratio
:Point Cost: 40
:Base Speed: 4
:Attack Type: Shooter (Heavy Energy Blast)
:What can one say about a beast of a figure like [[Attacktix]] Super Optimus Prime? With the biggest missile, and probably the best defense in Attacktix Super Optimus Prime is a devastating figure. This version of the figure is the Gold-based available only in the Star Wars vs. Transformers pack.

:The SVT05 version of Super Optimus Prime has a gold base and a different power to the Booster version. He's able to recover -- standing up if you have another figure in play. In tournament play only one gold-based Attacktix figure may be used per team.

:The mould has four points of articulation; head, shoulders and waist.

{{-}}

*'''Super Optimus Prime''' (Booster, 2006)
: ''Attacktix ID number'': '''TF13'''
:Faction: Autobot
:Class: Leader
:Special: Transform - 8/26 (31%) success ratio
:Point Cost: 40
:Base Speed: 4
:Attack Type: Shooter (Heavy Energy Blast)
The booster version of Super Optimus Prime is nearly identical to the normal version except that it has a black base and a different power. Its power allows you to summon Super Optimus Prime's vehicle form from you backups -- ''transforming'' the figure.

{{-}}

*'''Super Optimus Prime (Vehicle)''' (Booster, 2006)
: ''Attacktix ID number'': '''TF14'''
:Faction: Autobot
:Class: Leader
:Special: Transform - 20/26 (77%) success ratio
:Point Cost: 30
:Base Speed: 8
:Attack Type: Shooter (Small Missile)
:Based on Cybertron Optimus Prime fire truck mode, this figure is basically a support figure for your Super Optimus Prime robot mode figures. The figure's very reliable ''Transform'' power allows a player to get the expensive 40 point Super Optimus Prime figure into play for only 30 points.

:The vehicle mode figure sits on a raised platform that can rotate 360 degrees, and his ladder has limited articulation. His high speed makes him one of the fastest shooters in the game.

==Trivia==
[[Image:MonsterConvoy.jpg|100px|right|thumb|Arise, Bigfootimus Prime.]]

* According to the [[Transformers (Melbourne House)|''Armada'' Playstation 2 game]] instruction booklet, Optimus Prime's ''Armada'' body has the following statistics:
:Mass: 18,960 lbs
:Robot height: 22' 11"
:Robot top speed: 31 mph
:Vehicle height: 8' 3"
:Vehicle top speed: 125 mph
:Vehicle power: 700 hp @ 2500 rpm

* One of the earliest ''Armada'' Optimus Prime concepts depicts him as being an ENORMOUSLY HUGE MONSTER TRUCK. Makes one wonder about the origins of the "Monster Convoy" inscription on Super Base Optimus Prime's tires.

* For at least part of the Energon animated series, the CGI model for Optimus Prime's handgun resembled an oversized six-shooter rather than the actual toy's chamber-less handgun for unknown reasons.

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/2002/Autobot/OptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm Optimus Prime at TFU.info]
* [http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d75/binalternator/unreleased/optimus_prime_mini_optimus_prime/ Energon Optimus Prime redeco with Smallest Transformers Optimus Prime gallery]

{{stub}}

[[Category: Armada characters]]
[[Category: Attacktix]]
[[Category: Autobot leaders]]
[[Category: Autobots]]
[[Category: Built to Rule]]
[[Category: Combiners]]
[[Category: Costco exclusives]]
[[Category: Cybertron characters]]
[[Category: Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category: Energon characters]]
[[Category: Fast food exclusives]]
[[Category: K-Mart exclusives]]
[[Category: Legends of Cybertron]]
[[Category: Matrix bearers]]
[[Category: Toys "R" Us exclusives]]
[[Category: Unreleased toys]]<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>

Scale

2007-09-02T19:30:35Z

68.60.16.85: /* Toy scale vs. cartoon scale */

[[Image:OptimusSnakeEyes.jpg|right|thumb|300px|And the truck's ''how'' big...?]]
'''Scale''' in the ''Transformers'' multiverse is, to put not too fine a point on it, screwed.

Virtually no generation, era, franchise, fiction, toyline or other incarnation of ''Transformers'' has presented scale in a consistent, logical or easily-believable fashion (Save perhaps, [[Alternators]], but we all know where [[Kiss Players|having a scale consistent with a young girl leads]]). Most fans would agree that one needs to either ignore it or accept it, lest they be tempted to actually explain away these problems and in the process undoubtedly fanwank themselves into oblivion.

However, this does not mean that the chronic scale problems of ''Transformers'' do not merit description.

== Scale within toylines ==
As is generally well known, the early [[Generation 1 (toyline)|Generation 1 toyline]], especially the entire pre-[[Transformers: The Movie|Movie]] lines, were created from repackaged and [[redeco]]ed toys from several different Japanese transforming toylines. The crucial point being that they came from ''different'' toylines. All characters (well, virtually all; see below) ''should'' be in correct scale to each other as they all are supposed to represent real-world altmodes that can pass for correctly-scaled vehicles etc. However, since the ''[[Diaclone]]'' toys were not designed to be part of the same line as ''[[Microman]]'' toys, scale issue arise. While ''Diaclone'' figures such as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] are more-or-less in correct scale to each other, many of the [[Mini Vehicle]]s from the ''New Microman'' line are clearly far too small by comparison. Even aside from the deformed [[penny-racer]] style proportions, even a comparatively small car such as a [[Bumblebee (G1)|Volkswagen]] is disproportionately tiny when compared to a [[Jazz (G1)|Porsche]] that should be in the same scale. The disparity becomes all the more obvious with other [[minibot]]s such as [[Warpath]] and [[Seaspray]] whose [[altmode]]s would suggest that they should be many times their actual size.

[[Image:DiacloneScale.jpg|left|thumb|400px|That little guy --who comes from the same toyline as all those vehicles-- is supposed to be a normal-sized human. Yyyeah.]]

Another glaring scale problem comes in the form of the [[Seeker]]s, who turn into F-15 Eagles which, in real life, are 63.8 ft (19.44 m) long. Clearly not in scale with the Autobot cars then...

Neither, for that matter, are the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], despite also coming from the ''[[Diaclone]]'' line. Even ''more'' out-of-scale are the other ''Diaclone''-born combiner team the [[Trainbot]]s who, as the name implies, have train engine altmodes, considerably larger than cars and most construction equipment, yet their toys are among the smallest of the original ''Diaclone'' releases.

Even toys specifically designed to interact with each other often suffer from this problem. The [[Combaticon]]s, for instance, are wildly out of scale to each other--[[Blast Off]]'s space shuttle mode should be the largest by far, and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] should be significantly smaller than the others. Among the aforementioned Constructicons, [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]], like most dumptrucks in ''Transformers'', is actually one of those gigantic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Liebherr_t282_1.jpg "earth-mover" mining trucks], which would make him significantly bigger than his teammates.

Other scale problems come from characters who transform into the same (or very similar) altforms but whose toys are very different sizes. For example [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] transforms into and F-15 Eagle, but his toy is half the size of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s. In reality they should be an identical size (in fact, [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], transforming into a Concorde passenger jet should in fact be one of the largest G1 Transformers with an Earth altmode). The same can be said for [[Breakdown]], who, having a Lamborghini Countach altmode, should be in scale with [[Sunstreaker]]. This also goes for the other [[Stunticon]]s and all the Special Teams/[[Scramble City]]-type combiners with Earth-based altmodes, whose toys are all out of scale to earlier waves. By the same token, Warpath should be roughly the same size as [[Blitzwing]].

Speaking of Blitzwing, [[Triple Changer|Triple-Changers]] create a whole new set of problems. [[Octane]] transforms from a roughly 60-foot tanker truck into a 200-foot plus jumbo jet. [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] transforms from an Earth jet into an entire ''aircraft carrier'', presumably sized to carry quite a few Earth jets. More recent series, such as [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave's]] ''[[More Than Meets The Eye]]'', suggest that this is possible due to a variety of sliding panels, essentially making the transformations akin to incredibly elaborate origami. You heard right; origami Transformers. Yup.

Also, from an in-universe logic perspective, the characters with role-play altmodes such as [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] or [[Laserbeak (Armada)|Armada Laserbeak]] are scaled to be human(well, kid)-scale. Although [[size changing]] is obviously not possible for real toys (or at least, that's what [[Takara]] ''wants'' us to think...), this human-scaling makes in some cases for inordinately large robot modes, e.g. [[Blaster]].

Most post-[[The Transformers: The Movie (1986)|Movie]] G1 characters (and, for that matter, most post-G1 ''lines'') are difficult to accurately scale, as they generally transform into "futuristic" or "Cybertonian" vehicles for which there are no real-world specifications, or indeed don't transform into vehicles at all. Therefore the scale of characters such as [[Hot Rod]] or [[Leobreaker]] are fairly arbitrary and can at best be estimated by their relative size to more scale-friendly characters within the same fictions, although most animation is highly inconsistent in this regard (see below). Nevertheless, if one presumes that most vehicle altmodes are intended to house human passengers, comparisons of toys such as [[Chromedome]] and [[Lightspeed (Technobot)|Lightspeed]] suggest a scale disparity similar to other combiners.

There has only been one notable exception to all of this scale weirdness; the ''[[Alternators]]'' toyline, where every item is a 1:24-scale representation of a real car model, and thus remain in near-perfect scale with each other.

One last interesting case, related to the aforementioned Triple Changer difficulty, is when the toy is not in scale ''with itself''. For example, 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime has wheels which are proportionally too small for a Freightliner truck, while similarly his rear section onto which a trailer would be hitched is much too thick. These out-of-proportion vehicle parts were necessary to give to his robot mode better robot proportions.

== Scale within fictions ==
[[Image:TeenyCliff.jpg|left|thumb|Cliffjumper is one ****ing tiny car. Or Hound is a ****ing huge Jeep.]]

Scale issues abound within fictions, especially the [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|G1 cartoon]]. A lot can be attributed to animation errors, or even "lazy animation". For example, in the episode "Make Tracks", [[Hoist]], who is depicted as one of the larger Autobots in robot mode, is shown riding inside [[Huffer]], a Minibot whose truck mode is usually depicted as being smaller than Optimus Prime's. So either Huffer is extremely large in that scene, or Hoist is the size of a human.

[[Size changing]] is rarely depicted on screen outside of characters such as [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], but is rather implied (or, one could argue in many cases, inferred) in the following method: a character such as [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] transforms in-frame from robot to shuttle with no visible expansion of size relative to his surroundings. Cut. In the following shot his fellow Decepticons are shown running into frame, suddenly tiny in stature so that they can board the shuttle. Although Astrotrain has not been shown to actually grow (in the way Megatron is usually seen to perceptibly shrink in-shot), one infers that it is more likely that Astrotrain has expanded rather than all his confederates have individually shrunk. The same goes for [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and other "transport" characters.

Some scale problems appear to be arbitrary, for example Optimus Prime (and, indeed, most Transformers in general) is routinely shown as being throughly gargantuan, equal to several stories in hight and capable of cradling humans in the palm of one hand. In reality, Prime would probably be about 25-30 feet tall, at best. Conversely, [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] is sometimes shown as being only a few feet taller than an average human, where in reality he would be around 10-15 feet tall. And those pesky [[Seeker]]s remain a walking scale problem; in reality they would be amongst the largest Transformers of all and would ''tower'' over their Autobot adversaries, whereas the animation generally depicts character such as [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] as being approximately the same height.

In most cases, the [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|G1 cartoon]] adopts approximations of the toy scale (with all its inherent problems) when depicting the characters in robot modes; Prime, Megatron and Soundwave are generally animated at the same height, Seekers and Autobot cars slightly shorter (although not ''as'' much shorter and unevenly so as the actual toys are), and [[Minibot]]s are given a smaller stature again. However, these depictions were ''far'' from consistent.

Some fans interpret these discrepancies to also be the result of [[size changing]], but this is debatable. If virtually all characters used mass-shifting (or whatever) to gain or drop just a few feet for no apparent reason (other than to make the animation more plausible), the technology would seem pointlessly mundane. Furthermore there is no strong evidence in the series to indicate that size changing truly is so widespread as opposed to the animation having a particular style to it that favors emphasizing the hugeness of the Cybertronians.

It is worth noting that the [[Transformers (2007)|live-action movie]] has taken great pains to avoid size-changing and out-of-scale issues among characters with Earth-based alternate modes. This is sometimes reflected in the choice of vehicle ([[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] is a long-nosed truck cab in order to offer more mass to make a taller robot mode out of) or the design of their robot modes. [[Image:DreamwaveCover6.jpg|right|thumb|200px|...since when is a sedan 9 stories tall?]] For example, [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]'s robot mode is nearly as wide as it is tall, with shorter, digitigrade-style legs, so the massive jet-former won't end up twice as tall as Optimus. In the case of [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], his huge alternate mode simply results in a huge, hulking, towering robot mode.

All that said, size-changing technology clearly exists in ''some'' form in the movie continuity, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] somehow shrinks the [[All Spark]] down to a manageable size and mass. Thus far, there's no evidence this trick can be applied to anything except the All Spark.

=== Combiner scale ===
[[Combiner]] characters are often depicted as far larger than the sum of their parts. Characters such as [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] are frequently shown being as tall as large buildings, sometimes even the size of small skyscrapers. When one thinks that their individual limbs are composed of mere cars and construction vehicles, this becomes patently absurd. Logically, this can only be accounted for by serious [[size changing|size-change-o-rama]] and yet, again, no clear depiction of this process actually taking place is ever shown in the case of combiners.

[[Superion (G1)|Superion]], however, actually ''would'' be fairly massive, if one considers the much larger real-world size of his component parts.
{{-}}

== Show scale vs. toy scale ==

Some characters have great discrepancies between their cartoon scale and their toy scale. "Giant" characters such as [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] are, even aside from any [[size changing]] for transport purposes, clearly not in the same scale in toy form as they are depicted on screen. [[Mini-Cassettes|Cassette characters]] such as [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'s toys are roughly the same height as most [[Minibot]]s, while in the show they are usually portrayed as human-sized (which is odd, considering that Soundwave is capable of expanding to massive size).

[[Hot Rod|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] are usually shown to be of a fairly similar height (although Magnus is much bulkier), whereas there is a considerable difference between the size of their toys. By the same token, Rodimus is always depicted as being an equal stature to his opposing leader [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], whereas the toy Galvatron is instead the same size as Magnus. Optimus Prime is also usually shown as only a head or so shorter than Magnus (if that), which gets very strange when you realise that a recolour of Prime's toy forms but a small part of Magnus' robot mode.

[[Image:ShrinkingHeavy.jpg|left|thumb|250px|I lost thirty tons, thanks to the Jump-Cut! Thank you, Jump-Cut!]]

[[Metroplex (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Metroplex]] and the other citizens of [[Gigantion]] are depicted as gargantuan in animation, whereas the toys are merely among the normal boxed size-classes. (Although, the Japanese [[Galaxy Force]] release, dubbed "Megalo Convoy", included an exclusive [[redeco]] of the [[Legends of Cybertron]] [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] to indicate the "correct" scale.) Within the animation, though, this causes problems with their Mini-Con partners, who are depicted as human-sized in robot mode by themselves, but when directly interacting with their larger partners, retain their size in relation to the toy... meaning some temporarily-gigantic Mini-Cons!

{{-}}

== Pretender scale ==

The G1 concept of [[Pretender|Pretenders]] had some interesting scale issues. In the [[Generation 1 (Marvel Comics)|original comic]] the pretenders appeared fairly literally as their toy counterparts; normal-sized robots inside humanoid shells. The logical result of this was that the [[Autobot]] Pretenders were depicted as giant-sized humans. Which ain't much of a disguise. By comparison, the [[Decepticon]]s merely look like garden-variety giant Saban monsters. In one issue of the comic Cloudburst transformed into jet mode, and his shell, as well as Landmine, who was inside his shell, boarded him. It was difficult to tell if Cloudburst was supposed to have grown in size, or if his shell and Landmine had shrunk to fit inside.

In the U.S. toy commercials Classic Pretenders Grimlock, Bumblebee and Jazz were depicted as small enough to fit in Powermaster Optimus Prime's hand, so it is assumed they were human sized.

Although the [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|original American cartoon]] did not feature any [[Pretender|Pretenders]], the Japanese-only continuity did, in their series ''[[Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]''. Here the Pretenders were not shells so much as ill-defined wholistic transformations which involved [[size changing]], allowing the large Autobots to achieve human size and convincingly pass themselves off as such. The Decepticons, by comparison chose to retain their gigantic proportions when in Pretender-mode.

Although never depicted in any of their actual fiction, [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave's]] ''[[More Than Meets The Eye]]'' profile book included a description of their continuity's take on the Pretender concept. Something of a fusion of the above two, it described a physical shell that utilizes [[size changing|shrinking]] technology to achieve the ''[[Masterforce (cartoon)|Masterforce]]''-like capacity to pass the wearer off as a real human (or other bipedal lifeform of choice). Intriguingly, the profile also obliquely implies that such Pretender technology would/could later lead to the development of the synthetic faux-organic beast-mode tech of the [[Beast Era]].

== Mini-Con scale ==
The [[Mini-Con]]s of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] are small robots who stand approximately the same height as a human. However, they almost all transform into vehicles (of either Earth or Cybertronian design) which are clearly modeled to include cockpits etc. for carrying passengers, and yet they are obviously too small to accommodate humans (the only exceptions being [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]], [[Sureshock]] and [[High Wire]], who become small one-man vehicles... well, ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' Grindor doesn't). Who then these smaller-than-human passengers could possibly be is something of a mystery, setting aside the posibility that the mini-cons simply scan "normal" vehicle modes and resize them to fit their smaller bodies.

In the [[Cybertron (cartoon)|''Cybertron'' cartoon]], the [[Recon Mini-Con Team]] retain their slightly-larger-than-human robot modes, but their alternate modes are large enough to contain a human passenger.

== Micromaster scale ==
By the same token as Mini-Cons, [[Micromaster]]s are depicted as being roughly human-sized, and yet virtually all turn into real (albeit generic) earth vehicles that are patently incapable of fitting human passangers inside them. The illogic of this was never really addressed in contemporaneous G1 fictions, however the [[Dreamwave]] miniseries ''[[Micromasters]]'' hinted at some kind of explanation, but it was pretty much bollocks. The Marvel comic series featured some of them size-changing to vehicles that definitely ''were'' to human scale (as humans got in them), but this wasn't applied consistently (it also brings up the question of how much energy the downsizing really saves if they have to change their mass every time they transform).

Like their larger G1 brothers, the Micromaster line was plagued with scale problems even within the line itself, as all Micromasters conformed to a virutally identical robot-mode height yet transformed into all manner of vehicles which would be drastically different sizes to each other if they were supposed to be in relative scale. Furthermore, some Micromaster bases transformed into vehicle altmodes much larger than their operators, creating a further scale headache. However, there is no indication in any fiction that the Micromasters were, unlike the rest of G1, even ''supposed'' to have any accurate scale, even compared to each other. What, therefore, was the point of their "realistic" altmodes (other than to sell cute mini-toys) is anyone's guess.

== Citybots ==
[[Image:EarlyGalvatronTVMagazine1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Okay, if you were ever ''this'' big in the cartoon, THEN we might be able to call you a city.]]

The characters [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], [[Trypticon]], [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] each have altmodes which are described as a "city" (with Fort Max being supposedly the biggest of the 4). However, the scale at which they could plausibly house enough humans, ''let alone'' Transformers to be in any way reasonably defined as a "city" would suggest a robot-mode scale that would make [[Hojoni|Godzilla]] look like a gecko. No fiction to date, not even the very large depictions in the Japanese ''[[Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' cartoon, even ''begins'' to approximate the size that a true "citybot" would logically become. In reality, the grossly-undersized depiction of [[Unicron]] (see below) would probably be closer to the scale of an actual transformed city. Which is ironic, as in Season 3 of the [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|G1 cartoon]] Unicron requires citybot eyes to replace his own shattered ones. That's right, citybot eyes fit a ''planet''bot. Explain that one...

Rare examples which even suggest such a realistic city scale include occasional Japanese promotional art (e.g. see right).

Furthermore, there is virtually no way to reconcile the "city" altmodes of the actual toys with any believable use of the term. Using windows as even a vague scale, they would hardly qualify as a city ''block''. The cartoon episode ''[[Thief in the Night]]'' makes some headway in explaining this via an establishing shot that shows Metroplex to be only a small smaller sub-section of the "actual" Autobot City, although this was not repeated. It seems that in Transformer terms, "city" is better read as "large building".

Although little fiction to date has significantly featured the Headmaster leaders fulfilling their "city" roles, they have in the Japanese-exclusive cartoons been employed in their tertiary modes as massive starships capable of transporting and housing many normal-sized transformers. Conversely, the Marvel [[Generation 1 (comic)|G1 comic]] depicted Fort Max and Scorpy as merely "large-standard" size characters, of an equal height to Powermaster Optimus Prime and, in some UK issues, even the same as Rodimus Prime (to be fair, Powermaster Prime was often drawn "undersized" in the comics). Parts of ''[[Time Wars]]'' were notable in this department for featuring characters as diverse as [[Goldbug]], Fortress Maximus and [[Blaster]] as all being the ''exact'' same height.

== Planets ==
[[Image:Cybertronplanet.jpg|left|thumb|Those are some mondo gigantically big buildings...and a mondo gigantically big gash.]]

Scale when it comes to planets is almost so fraught it's actively painful. The logic problems of describing citybots as "cities" is a thousand times worse if [[Unicron]] is supposed to have a planet-sized altmode, and that Cybertron is in turn supposed to be in scale with him. Although different fictions have compared both [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]/[[Primus]] and Unicron to drastically different Sol-system planets, the fact remains that they are supposed to be ''planets'', and yet across most fictions they are shown in such insane scale-relation to characters that it would suggest they are barely the size of a very, very small moon (or a space station).

To start with, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] itself was depicted throughout G1 as having buildings visible from space. Although this was clearly intended to make it immediately obvious that the planet was entirely technological in nature, it actually makes no sense whatsoever, as such structures would have to be the size of small continents to actually be visible from such a distance. If the buildings were in fact supposed to be Transformers-scale skyscrapers (or even 2000 A.D. style mega-bocks), Cybertron would therefore be barely a fraction the size of Earth's [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]. By comparison, the rather [http://www.starwars.com/databank/location/coruscant/index.html Coruscant]-like orbit-views of Cybertron in the ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' cartoon may be less distinctive or recognizably "Cybertronian", but are ''far'' more believable.

[[Image:UnicronEatsGalvyMmmm.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Either Galvy is humungo, or Lithone is ''tiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnyyyyy!!!'']]

Unicron, however, is a much more extreme problem. If one presumes that no obvious [[size changing]] occurs during his transformation (and really, why would he want to become ''smaller''?), he would be so massive that any shot that features even a ''part'' of his body, let alone the whole thing, would be of such a scale that no normal Transformer, however massive, would even be visible in the same frame. His depiction in the ''[[The Transformers: The Movie (1986)|The Transformers: The Movie]]'' in which he directly interacts with normal-sized Cybertronian characters is blatantly absurd (regardless of how totally phat it looks). Shots such as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] fleeing his grasping hand, a starship penetrating his eye or ''especially'' picking up Galvatron between his thumb and forefinger before swallowing him (or, similarly in the comic, impaling [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] on his fingernail before crunching him between his teeth) bend any concept of plausible scale beyond breaking point. If Unicron is the size of a planet, his hands would be the size of continents. This would make Galvatron the size of Great Britain.

There is no possible explanation for any of this. Just go with it.

The depiction of Unicron's scale in ''[[Armada]]'' was (very debatably) a slight improvement, at least in as much as the concept of physical interaction (or much bodily movement for that matter) with such tiny beings was not even attempted, preferring instead to communicate with normal Transformers by possessing [[Sideways|another body]] in their own scale. Nevertheless, shots featuring [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] and [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] standing on his neck region are still ''farcically'' out of scale.

== ''Beast Era'' scale ==
[[Image:RattrapLOVEScheetor.jpg|thumb|250px|right|I'm tellin' ya, ''all'' da rats in Brooklyn are dis big!]]
In the ''[[Beast Era]]'' scale is not such a large issue, although it certainly does crop up in less obvious (depending on your point of view) ways.

=== Real world scale ===
Although the Beast Warriors all seem to exist quite happily in their own relative scale, their scale in relation to the real-world animals they have adopted as [[altmode]]s is more problematic. While the "giant insect" characters such as [[Waspinator]] and [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] are obviously not in real world scale, when considered carefully virtually none of the characters actually are. The only characters who have been clearly depicted interacting with real members of their adopted species are [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] and [[Tigatron]], who (to take the former example) is seen attempting to interact with other cheetahs in ''[[Beast Wars, Part 1]]'', who react in fright. Cheetor was shown here to be in the same scale as real cheetahs, which effectively makes him the measuring stick for all other characters. [[Rattrap]] is therefore obviously a monstrously huge rat, about the size of a large dog, [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] is a rather small rhinoceros, and [[Optimus Primal]] is probably a roughly normal-sized gorilla. However, [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] is therefore a positively dwarfish specimen of a ''Tyrannosaurus rex,'' possibly closer to a [[Wikipedia: Nanotyrannus|Nanotyrannus]].

The ''[[Beast Wars]]'' writers once noted that first-season Rattrap was five feet (1.5 metres) tall, and that the other characters can be scaled around that. This would make Rattrap one of the few Transformers who are ''shorter'' than the average adult human in robot mode.

In their few interactions with (adult) protohumans, the Cybertronian characters seem between twice and three times the average height of protohumans. Considering human ancestors really were smaller than modern humans, this scale issue is not as extreme as it may appear, but the point deserves addressing.

=== Scale relative to G1 ===
[[Image:Beastwarriors scale.jpg|thumb|left|Beast Megatron's size vs. Optimus Prime in America... and Japan. I guess the Blastizone adds on a few tons to [[Beast Era]] characters]]

[[Size changing]] appears to be a thing of the past by the Beast Era, as the majority of the Cybertronian race seems to have considerably downgraded in size, apparently due to the [[Maximal Upgrade]] Program (although this is of course a backwards rationalization, since the show's basic premise requires the characters to transform into (vaguely) normal-sized animals, compared to the G1 characters transforming into large vehicles etc.). When entering the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], the Beast Warriors are very small compared to the dormant G1 characters, especially [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. They are roughly the size humans should be (but usually weren't) depicted in relation to these characters.

On the other hand ''[[Robot Masters]]'' depicted G1 and BW characters like [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Optimus Primal]] as being exactly the same size. Yup. It's possible that passage through the [[Blasty Zone]] may somehow [[Wikipedia:Boom tube#Later Additions to the Concept|account for this discrepancy]],
{{-}}

=== Toy scale vs. cartoon scale ===
[[Image:Beastwarsmaxgroup.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Pick the Ultra-class figure. (Am I the only one who noticed Airazor groping Optimus's leg?)]]

The first season's cast of ''[[Beast Wars |Beast Wars]]'' characters were not designed in the same relative scale to each other as depicted in the toyline, although from Season 2 onwards the scales (and general appearance) of the cartoon became much more consistent with the toys.

For example, of the Season 1 Maximal crew, [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], Cheetor, [[Tigatron (BW)|Tigatron]] and Rhinox are all from the same deluxe [[size class]], while [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] and Rattrap are considerably smaller basics. Optimus Primal, an ultra, stands at virtually twice the size of the deluxes. In the show, Dinobot is the tallest, followed by Rhinox and a slightly shorter Optimus Primal, shorter again is Tigatron, while shorter still is Cheetor (despite being an identical mold) and Airazor, while Rattrap is marginally the shortest, but by no means to such a degree as his toy would suggest.

The ''[[Beast Machines (toyline)|Beast Machines]]''' toyline was far worse in terms of scale discrepancies with its cartoon, with the tallest character [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] becoming the shortest ([[micro-continuity|show-featured]]) Maximal toy, and similarly the diminutive [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] was enlarged to a massive ultra-class. And, sadly, the most show-accurate toy in the line (well, ''sorta'' in the line...) "Air Attack [[Optimus Primal]]" was rendered as an enormous supreme figure, completely incompatible with the other toys.

==External links==
*[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/6db411e03e75a342?dmode=source Estimated "real-life" heights for several Transformers, derived from the size of their alt-modes, archived from alt.toys.transformers on groups.google.com]

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