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Talk:Ricochet (Headmasters)

2009-08-14T08:30:48Z

86.27.116.40: /* 2003 Japanese release */

Where does the part about him being friends with Fusion (?) and Bluestreak originate? (That's the kinda of thing I thing could really use citation, even if it is in the bio)

So fusion is from Stepper's bio. (I assume his friendship with Blue is from the same place) So are we treating Stepper and Ricochet as the same character then just with seperate names (as opposed to the Pretenders like Wave)? Is the Takkara bio/personality pretty much exactly the same as Ricochets? If they conflict I think I have to vote them seperate characters.

:Ricochet's bio includes lines lifted verbatim from Stepper's bio, the ones most key to hsi personality. It's 2 names for the same character. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 02:59, 29 July 2006 (UTC)

Hey, guys, I'm not American, so can someone explain the New Jersey thing?
: New Jersey is one of the 50 states, and each car has a license plate that's registered in one of those states. Ricochet's says "New Jersey" on it. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 13:51, 4 August 2006 (UTC)
:: No, I get that, but why is it 'strangely right somehow'?
:::New Jersey is a disgusting, rude hellhole filled with despicable people. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 14:00, 4 August 2006 (UTC)
::::Ah, well, now that explains it. Even more so now that I've read the edit. It's strange, for a character I knew nothing about besides "sells poorly, used to fetch high prices, good shot, Targetmaster" I find myself really liking him. But. I have a thing for 'underappreciated' characters.

==Additional Pic==

Seems kind of unnecessary to me...

[[Image:Steppertfc.jpg|thumb]]

--[[User:Monzo|Monzo]] 04:32, 7 December 2006 (UTC)

==Explanation for Targetmasterness==
Uh, I can't write very well, so uh could one of you guys who can make this go in the article all clever and non-plagiarized?

"Stepper Profile:
Cybertron/Stepper
Function...Rapid-Fire Attack
Motto..."It isn't concentration that improves your aim, it's guts."

Profile
Though short-tempered, Stepper is known to have twice the sense of justice of anyone else. His marksmanship is said to be in the top class among the Cybertrons, and he would have contests of skill with his pals Streak and Fusion while they were on Seibertron. Classified as a Targetmaster, Stepper is paired with his partner Nebulon, but their background couldn't be more different from the others in their group. Let's look into this starting from the fact that, unlike his fellow Targetmasters, Nebulon combines at Stepper's back. An engineer on the planet Master, Nebulon volunteered to help Stepper compensate for damage done to Stepper's metabolic functions in a certain incident. Being made symbiotic with Nebulon allowed Stepper to maintain life support. The jet-black portions of his body coloration can function as a "black body," and the energy they gather during normal times can be fired from Nebulon's flame cannon during combat. Those energies' temperatures can exceed 5000�C, but with his car mode reaching top speeds of over 700 km/h, to avoid backdraft problems, he saves its use for later, switching instead to his two normal beam cannons."

http://bwtf.com/tfg1/toys/reviews/2004/stepper/booklet.shtml

==Header==
I agree with Jackpot. The way characters can bounce to different conintuities? G1 characters from the G1 DW comics showed up in the DW Armada comics. Characters jump the track with enough frequency (or have their models serve as cameos) to where we probably SHOULD clarify when it comes to DW or any other multi-franchise publisher that comes along. --[[User:M Sipher|M Sipher]] 18:03, 14 March 2008 (UTC)
: I disagree. I think referring to a character as from the Generation 1 continuity family up top makes it a default assumption that their appearances in "Dreamwave / IDW comics continuity" is in the Generation 1 comics from that publisher. That's safe for, like, 99% of all stories. The only criss-crossings I can even think of are from Armada's Worlds Collide and IDW's Maximal Elders. Everyone else tends to stay in the same continuity families, no matter how many alternate timelines they jump through.
: Model cameos could be referenced in Trivia, but do we really want a full heading just to say "Someone who looked like Wheelie (but obviously wasn't) messed up Hot Shot in Armada"? --[[User:Xaaron|Xaaron]] 18:21, 14 March 2008 (UTC)
:: I agree with Xaaron. We should only distinguish between different Dreamwave continuities when there are more than one per page. If being on G1 Ricochet's page confuses you which Dreamwave continuity we're likely to be referencing perhaps we should stick "G1 Autobot" in front of every individual reference to him on his own page as well, since there's buttloads more of him. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 18:33, 14 March 2008 (UTC)
:::I mainly balk at "Dreamwave comics continuity" because there ''is no such thing.'' An uninformed reader could easily walk away thinking that DW only did one universe, when in fact they did three. That's ''bad information.'' And it's such a very easy thing to clarify, I don't see why we shouldn't.
:::For the record, I put [[User:Jackpot/Sandbox/Sections|so much stock in headers]] because they're by far the most visually standout thing on the page. The continuity-note at the top technically covers the bases (if written correctly), but only assuming that the reader reads articles from top to bottom, start to finish, every word. The reality is that most people skim, and the one thing that we know a skimmer will notice is the stuff that's big and bold. So I really really really think that the headers should be able to stand on their own. And to me, that means erring on the side of specificity.
:::- [[User:Jackpot|Jackpot]] 19:58, 14 March 2008 (UTC)
::::It sounds like you want headers to convey information that is not relevant to the page it's on. Individual character entries can't possibly clarify all the misconceptions people COULD have from reading the info only relevant to that entry. There are several "Dreamwave comic continuity"s, sure, but what does it matter to Ricochet's entry that there is a Dreamwave Armada continuity? If people want to learn about Dreamwave and all it encompasses, they can go to the Dreamwave entry. --[[User:Xaaron|Xaaron]] 21:26, 14 March 2008 (UTC)
:::::I think you overestimate the can of worms you believe I'm opening. All I'm saying is that we shouldn't use headers that don't actually mean anything and that easily lend themselves to misinformation. "Dreamwave continuity" is not a thing. "Dreamwave G1 continuity" is a thing. - [[User:Jackpot|Jackpot]] 21:49, 14 March 2008 (UTC)
::::::That would really make for an overrepetitive set of headers. Optimus Prime appears in the '''"Generation 1''' cartoon continuity", the "Marvel Comics continuity, '''Generation 1''' and Generation 2", the "Dreamwave '''Generation 1''' continuity", and the "IDW '''Generation 1''' continuity". At what point do we just get the point that this is a '''Generation 1''' character? That's what the "'''Generation 1''' continuity family" top heading is for -- readers don't need to "read articles from top to bottom, start to finish, every word", just the subheading right under the biggest, boldest part of the article. After that, they can just interpret "Dreamwave comics continuity" as meaning "The '''Generation 1''' portion of Dreamwave comics continuity". I don't think it's too much to expect people are capable of making that connection on their own, without repeating "'''Generation 1'''" constantly throughout the article. --[[User:Xaaron|Xaaron]] 01:20, 15 March 2008 (UTC)
:::::::There ''aren't'' that many examples where this is necessary. Most publishers/studios only cover one franchise, so differentiation is needless. IDW and DW are the only ones I can think of where my notion definitely applies... and, hell, I'm even iffy about separating G2. I guess because ''Classics'' disregards it, so it's handy to have those events called out.... but if not for that, I'd be all for just saying "Marvel comics." - [[User:Jackpot|Jackpot]] 04:00, 15 March 2008 (UTC)
I'll agree with Jackpot so long as he goes back and edits every G1 article :D --[[User:FFN|FFN]] 02:39, 15 March 2008 (UTC)
:That implies there's any consistency NOW. I certainly don't see any well-defined pattern, so as I write new stuff, I go with what makes the most sense to me. - [[User:Jackpot|Jackpot]] 04:00, 15 March 2008 (UTC)

== 2003 Japanese release ==

Was the 2003 re-release in Japan called "Ricochet with Nightstick?" Or was it called Stepper with Nebulan... or what? Are we supposed to represent these two releases with one entry int he toy history? (Don't we normally only split them if the JP release is a variant...?)

(I seldom get involved with toy sections, so I'm a bit lost.) -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 04:23, 14 August 2009 (EDT)
:Yeah, there should probably be a separate entry for the J-reissue as "Stepper w/ Nebulon" under a "Transformers Collection" header. - McFeely, not signed in because he's about to leave for Auto Assembly, baybee!

Nebulon (Headmasters)

2009-08-14T08:26:26Z

86.27.116.40: /* Notes */

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

[[Image:NightstickReissue BoxArt.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"'''I''' am Nightstick!"]]
'''Nightstick''' is [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]]'s Targetmaster partner. Originally an engineer from the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], Nightstick volunteered to undergo a unique form of [[binary-bonding]] with Ricochet in order to save the Autobot's life when he was fatally wounded. Unlike other Targetmaster partners, who are simply held in the hands of their larger partners, Nightstick plugs directly into a port on Ricochet's back, interfacing directly with his body and serving as a life-support system.

Nightstick transforms into a flame cannon, and utilizes the energy gathered by Ricochet's [[wikipedia:Black body|black body]] technology to fire blasts of up to 5000°C. This can cause backdraft problems at high speeds, but in another example of the unorthodox nature of their Targetmaster partnership, Ricochet also has an arsenal of other weapons he can rely upon. <ref>Ricochet's [[Transformers Collection]] reissue [[bio]]. Nightstick had gone all but unmentioned in Ricochet's original 1987 bio; this reissue bio finally explained who he was and why he combined with Ricochet in such an odd way.</ref>

Nightstick's name causes him no end of trouble, as he is completely identical to the [[Decepticon]] [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]'s partner, also named [[Nightstick (Cyclonus)|Nightstick]]. Even worse, Ricochet hangs around with his fellow Targetmaster, [[Artfire]], whose Targetmaster partner is—brace yourself—''also'' named [[Nightstick (Artfire)|Nightstick]]!

:''Japanese name:'' '''Nebulon'''

==Fiction==
===''The Headmasters'' comic===
On [[Earth]], the [[Decepticon]] Targetmasters [[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]], [[Misfire]] and [[Triggerhappy]] set a blazing inferno. [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] were having trouble controlling the fire when Ricochet and Artfire, accompanied by their partners Nightstick and, uh, Nightstick, showed up to help. The blaze was quickly quenched, and the Autobots then sent the Decepticons into a retreat. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
*'''Stepper''' (Targetmaster, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-109'''

: Nightstick (called "Nebulon") was included with Ricochet (called "Stepper"). Nebulon isn't even a ''repaint'' of the Decepticon Nightstick; they're the same toy. He transforms into a single-barrelled, non-firing hand-cannon that can peg into Stepper's car-mode spoiler or attach to a separate bracket mounted over his robot-mode shoulder. This was the only release of the toy in Japan at the time; Cyclonus was never sold as a Targetmaster.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Cybertron/Stepper/stepper.htm More information on Nightstick/Nebulon at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

*'''Ricochet w/ Nightstick''' (Targetmaster, 2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''TFC-15'''

: For the 2003 reissue of Ricochet/Stepper both stateside and in Japan, Nightstick/Nebulon was [[Retool|retooled]] with a slender peg extension to allow Ricochet to actually hold him in his hand as well as changing the plastic clasp that held his legs in (this part was easily broken) to the more sturdy pin and solid plastic holder.

==Notes==
[[Image:Ricochetreissuebox.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Somewhere, Cyclonus is crying into his pillow.]]
*So about the name. Cyclonus and Scourge weren't Targetmasters in Japan, but [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] still sold their weapons, partnered with the Autobots Ricochet and Artfire. Takara carried their names over as well: one was called "Nightstick," the other was called "Nebulon" (which is how Scourge's on-package bio referred to [[Fracas|his partner]]). However, through error or design, the names were ''switched:'' the Nightstick-lookalike partnered with Ricochet was called "Nebulon", while Artfire's partner became "Nightstick". To the Japanese audience, of course, this wasn't a problem at the time, but years later, it would get worse...
*When Hasbro released a [[Commemorative Series]] Stepper as "Ricochet" in 2003, his partner, Nebulon, was given the "corrected" name of Nightstick. So now, we've got a Decepticon Nightstick, partnered with Cyclonus, an Autobot Nightstick, partnered with Ricochet, and ''another'' Autobot Nightstick, partnered with Artfire, since ''that'' little guy has never been given a different English-market name!
*The bio of Nightstick at the head of this article is based mostly on info from Ricochet's Japanese ''Transformers Collection'' bio. When he was reissued in America, however, Ricochet's bio did not include ''any'' information about Nightstick, making him a total cipher as far as English-language continuity goes. Is he an organic Nebulon from [[Nebulos]], like all the other English-continuity Targetmasters? We may never know.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Engineers]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category:Targetmasters]]