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M.T.O.

2015-02-16T13:57:25Z

Animegodd: /* IDW Generation 1 continuity */

:''M.T.O.'s or Made to Order Soldiers are a type of [[Transformer]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]]''

'''Made to Order Soldiers''' are soldiers who were [[Reproduction|constructed cold]] by [[Autobot High Command]] from a stockpile of [[spark]]s in response to several of [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s military campaigns. They are named after the military campaign that precipitated their creation.

Known M.T.O.'s include:
{{collist|2|
*[[Ammo]]
*[[Dipstick]] of [[Operation: Doom Patrol]]
*[[Getaway]] of the [[Corcapsia Incursion]]
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] of [[Simanzi Massacre|Simanzian Dawn]]
*[[Scattergun]] of the [[Vorsk Offensive]]
}}

{{bigquote|'''Three steps''', [[Nautica]]: "from '''thaw to war''' in under an hour."|Skids, [[Twenty Plus One]]}}

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
Before they were sent into battle M.T.O.'s had to go through a ten-step educational program that ensured that they had sufficient knowledge. As the war progressed, this was eventually cut down to eight steps, and then to just three: everything to do with Cybertron's culture was stripped out and the test merely checked if they could fit. A sarcastic [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] puts this down to callousness, the M.T.O.'s being seen as cannon fodder by High Command and not worth teaching to read.

An M.T.O. is a hundred times more likely to have a mystical vision than any other Transformer; Ratchet attributes this to their senses being forced into action too early, neurologically running before they can walk.

Ammo (ten-steps) was constructed in response to an attack on K'th Kinsere, whilst Riptide (eight-steps) was constructed as a [[Hydrobot]] in response to an event called the [[Forced Flood]].

With members of the ''[[Lost Light]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew disappearing rapidly, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] attempted to link the victims by method of construction. Despite it being unnecessary, Getaway revealed to everyone else present that he was a M.T.O., constructed in response to the [[Corcapsia Incursion]]. This prompted the other M.T.O.'s on the [[Rodpod]] (Ammo, Dipstick and Riptide) to reveal the events that led to their own creation. The number of M.T.O.'s on the ship made Nautica muse that a lot of Autobots owed their lives to Megatron. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}}

==Notes==
*While getting his snark on, Skids says M.T.O.s have a three-minute life expectancy. This is ''probably'' an exaggeration.

[[Category:Autobot subgroups]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 subgroups]]

Brainstorm (G1)

2015-02-16T13:29:21Z

Animegodd: /* IDW Generation 1 continuity */

{{factions|autobot|decepticon}}
{{disambig2|the Headmaster character|the Marvel comic issue|Brainstorm!}}
:''Brainstorm is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and one of the most <s>famous</s> notorious inventors from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Brainstormg1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|If a job's worth doing, it's worth OVERDOING!]]

'''Brainstorm''' is a never-ending font of ideas. Whether he's in the middle of a battle or consciously working on another of his projects, new ideas are the background noise of his mind, sometimes to such an extent that his brain will overheat. In his zeal to see these ideas realized, Brainstorm sometimes forgets about things like "basic safety" and "proper experimental procedure". He will happily hand out new and untested inventions to less-than-responsible comrades for field-testing. His inventions range from useful biotechnology, to [[Metafictional bomb|outlandish anti-personnel weaponry]], to [[Briefcase|devices that harness the bizarre and unthinkable]].

Brainstorm is at least partly responsible for developing the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] process. It's sometimes hard to tell how much of it was his doing and how much was his Headmaster partner [[Arcana]]'s, the two work together so seamlessly.

{{note|Brainstorm was quite different in Japan's [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''The Headmasters'' animated series]]. See below for details.}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Brainstormtrialbyfire.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|He's green, dammit! Green!]]
After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and his troops aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] went missing, Brainstorm was one of several under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Their faction was mired in a seemingly endless war with a band of [[Decepticon]]s led by [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], in a struggle so pointless and self-perpetuating that Fortress Maximus decided to leave [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and its war and settle on the peaceful planet [[Nebulos]]. Brainstorm followed Fortress Maximus' lead, building the ''[[Steelhaven]]'' and departing their war-torn home.

It would not be so easy. The [[Nebulan]]s were xenophobic towards the strange robots which invaded their world, and after several missteps in communication, Fortress Maximus, Brainstorm, and a handful of others surrendered their heads as hopeful proof of their benevolence and compliance. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}

[[File:Brainstormworldsapart.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Brainstorm would rather fight and die than live with the knowledge that he ran.]]
When the Decepticons arrived on Nebulos, Fortress Maximus and Brainstorm's heads convinced [[Galen]] to attempt the creation of hybrid warriors through a bio-mechanical engineering process. An experimental surgeon named [[Arcana]] constructed the necessary equipment based on the Autobots' theories and underwent the process himself along with several other Nebulans, [[binary bonding]] with Brainstorm. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

''During an adventure that happened at some unspecified point that was logically impossible given the circumstances, Brainstorm and the other Autobot Headmasters fought the Decepticon [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] while the Autobot [[Targetmaster]]s were held captive by the Decepticons. Mindwipe hypnotized Brainstorm, causing him to crash into [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], and in general, the Autobots put up a terrible fight. But Brainstorm refused to give up and abandon their captured comrades. The four attacked the Decepticons' [[Fortress of Despair]] and were overwhelmed, but because the Autobots learned to work together with their new Nebulan partners, they were able to rescue the Targetmasters.'' {{storylink|Worlds Apart!}}

The new Headmasters managed to drive off the Decepticons, but also inadvertently created a new "arms race", as the Decepticons later created Headmasters of their own, and both sides also implemented Targetmaster warriors as well. Fearing things could only get worse for Nebulos, Fortress Maximus and Galen took the excuse of an intercepted distress signal from Earth to abandon Nebulos and prevent the war from causing any further harm to the planet. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

On the way to Earth, Brainstorm re-engineered Fortress Maximus to be larger and stronger than ever before. Then, he and Arcana managed to triangulate the Autobot signal to [[Mount St. Hilary]]. This led into their first battle with Scorponok's forces on Earth and to the death of Galen. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

As the ''Steelhaven'' orbited the Earth, Brainstorm was kept busy building [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Goldbug]] a new body, repairing the injured Fortress Maximus and assisting in the creation of the Autobot [[Pretender]]s. {{storylink|Pretender to the Throne!}} Unfortunately, those projects used up most of the group's available resources and prevented the proper recreation of Optimus Prime. The project proceeded despite Brainstorm's accurate warnings of failure. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

[[File:Tastybrainstorm.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Can Unicron detect how much cinnamon is packed into every bite of Brainstorm?]]
''Brainstorm was displaced to [[Limbo]] along with a handful of other Autobots when [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] traveled to the past with a group of Autobots of his own.'' {{storylink|Time Wars}} Later, he was one of the victims of a rogue Autobot [[Guardian (Marvel)|Mark V Guardian droid]], which resulted in him being thrown from the Ark and landing at the feet of Optimus Prime. Brainstorm's flaming body helped contribute to the Autobot leader regaining his desire to fight. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

Brainstorm was killed when [[Unicron]] ravaged Cybertron in [[1991]]. Even Brainstorm's vast intellect failed him when confronted with the devil himself, so he simply screamed and shot desperately until Unicron scooped him up. He was quite tasty. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}
{{-}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Love and Steel!}} {{storylink|The Final Conflict}} {{storylink|Stylor's Story}}}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
[[File:Brainstorm project lazarus loose ends.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"I've been asleep ''how long''?! Why did I even invent the alarm clock if no one's going to ''freaking set it''?!]]
Twenty-one years after the death of Arcana and destruction of Brainstorm's original body, Nebulos had signed an [[Interplanetary Trade Treaty]] with Cybertron, which included [[Project Lazarus]]—a project to build new bodies for the original heads of the now-deceased Headmasters. Grimlock reviewed transmissions in which Senior Scientist [[Borx]] explained that the initial attempts had led to extreme pain and complete rejection of the new bodies, including footage of a disastrous attempt at integrating Brainstorm's head with a new body, until data from Zarak's old files improved the process. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}}

However, this "unauthorised" decryption awakened the original head of Scorponok. Aided by knowledge gleamed from his binary bond with the deceased Zarak, he was able to enslave the Nebulans, complete Project Lazarus, and have them build a "mint replica of [his] original body". {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} With the aid of Grimlock's [[Nucleon]]-soaked [[CNA]], who he had captured while seeking a new body for himself and the other Nucleon victims, he completed another project—to create a "[[Gene Key]]" which could mute the consciences of Autobots, turning them into "Decepticons". {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Two}} The rebuilt Brainstorm—whose faceplate had apparently been forcibly removed, leaving a discolored lower face—was one of the three subjects he demonstrated this on, along with [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], and as soon as they were freed, they proceeded to attack Grimlock for wearing an Autobot symbol. After Brainstorm had been chucked around a bit by Grimlock, Scorponok stopped them, as Grimlock was now working for him under blackmail anyway. They proceeded to travel to Cybertron to begin converting the populace into Decepticons. As soon as they landed at [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]'s [[Civil Defense Hub]], the twisted Autobots shot the shocked [[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]] in the face. Leaving him for dead, they then marched in and began killing [[Cybertronian Civil Defense|Civil Defense Force]] members until the coast was clear for Scorponok. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Two}}

Later, he stormed through Iacon, turning Autobots with the Gene Key, blindsiding [[Overdrive]] amongst others. As the [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibot]] roared away, eager to cause chaos, Brainstorm turned on Grimlock, who had been wandering the city searching for the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], telling him that Scorponok had ordered him back to the Civil Defense Hub and escorting him there. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Three}}. While searching for the other Dinobots, Grimlock activated an alarm at the Nursery, where [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] was being held, which drew the Dinobots there as well as Brainstorm, Darkwing and Dreadwind. Grimlock then shot open the containment capsule holding [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]. With his temperature spiking to dangerous levels, owing to his Nucleon exposure, Inferno begged them to get clear to no avail—as Grimlock intended, the resulting blast incapacitated Brainstorm and the two Decepticons. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Four}}

Ultimately, [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] corrupted Scorponok's "master" Gene Key, intended to convert holdouts across the whole planet, and all the affected were converted back into "Autobots", including Brainstorm. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Five}} Though they wouldn't have been held accountable for their actions while altered by the Gene Key, the three former Headmasters turned themselves in to be tried as war criminals, unable to live with the thought of what they were capable of. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}}

Brainstorm later took part in the assault on Jhiaxus's [[Hub (G2)|Hub Network]] but was then captured and held at the [[Corral]], and later executed along with [[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]], [[Sky High (Pretender)|Sky High]] and [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] when Rodimus couldn't call off the Wreckers. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 4}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}}}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Michael Bell]] (English), [[Hiroshi Naka]] (Japanese)}}
[[File:Brainstormspike.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Okay, we'll become Headmasters, but you gotta take the old man."]]Brainstorm was first seen on Cybertron, touting his new theory that an integration of human and Autobot would dramatically enhance their fighting abilities. Most of the other Autobots, though, thought he was a crackpot. Things turned around when he and a group of Autobots met a band of freedom fighters while stranded on the planet Nebulos. With several comrades kidnapped and the safety of the <s>MacGuffin</s> [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber|key]] to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] in jeopardy, the Autobots arranged to bond with the Nebulan soldiers. Their heads were reconstructed to accommodate Nebulan passengers and then "transform" around their partners as personal battle armor. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

[[File:Brainstormrebirthvehicle.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Uh, Arcana, he has a cockpit.]]
With the help of their partners, the Autobot Headmasters freed their comrades and drove off the Decepticons. Unfortunately, their foes then joined forces with the freedom fighters' enemies, a group of evil machinesmiths called the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]]. They also created a new form of binary bonding called Targetmasters. The revitalized Decepticons returned and engaged the Autobots in battle anew. [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] detected the key on Brainstorm and managed to disarm him. Several Hive agents then swarmed Brainstorm and removed the key from him, but he was able to run a full spectrum exo-scan on [[Nightstick (Cyclonus)|Nightstick]], one of the Targetmaster partners, before they got away. With that information, Brainstorm was able to recreate the Targetmaster process for the Autobots. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}

Returning to Cybertron in pursuit of the key and the new Decepticon city-base, Scorponok, Brainstorm and the others joined forces with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], and their partners were instrumental in reversing the chamber's power to usher in a new [[Golden Age]] for Cybertron. In the aftermath, Brainstorm and the Headmasters returned to Nebulos to clear out the Hive's machines and restore the planet to peace and prosperity. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
[[File:FlashForward3-Headmasters.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Following [[Hi-Q]]'s kidnapping, Brainstorm turned out with Highbrow, [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and Chromedome to brief [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]'s team. {{storylink|A Flash Forward, Part 3}}
{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|In Japan, "Brainstorm" is the name for the combined small head-robot and [[transtector]] body. When separated from the large, lifeless robot body, the head unit is called '''Cana'''.}}

=====''The Great Transformer War'' manga=====
Before the Headmasters joined the greater Transformer war, Brainstorm, as part of the [[Headmasters of Justice]], hunted down the [[Headmasters of Evil]] on a barren planet. Their ensuing battle was interrupted when [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] arrived to retrieve the Headmasters of Evil, as Galvatron had need of them. As they left, Fortress met up with the four Autobot Headmasters and they all boarded Battleship Maximus to pursue the Decepticons to Cybertron. {{Storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
{{voiceactor|[[Ryōichi Tanaka]] (Japanese)|[[John Culkin]] (English, Omni Productions dub)}}
[[File:Headmasters tf stuck.jpg|thumb|230px]]
Four million years ago, Brainstorm was one of a number of [[Cyberdroid|small Cybertronians]] who left [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in search of a new home. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} they ended up crashlanding on [[Master (planet)|Master]], an inhospitable world with harsh weather conditions and a hostile environment, forcing them to rapidly advance in technology to survive. Brainstorm was among those to become a Headmaster, mastering the art of [[transformation|transforming]] so he could take control of a [[Transtector]]. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Unfortunately once they'd succeeded, a number of the Headmasters broke away from [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]]'s leadership under the command of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

{{note|The events of "The Great Transformer War" manga occur at this point.}}

[[File:HM3 Brainstorm.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"What do you mean 'shouldn't you have a mouthplate?'?"]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Brainstorm and his fellow Autobot Headmasters travelled to the planet to help their comrades defend their homeworld. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} On arrival, they set about fighting the Decepticons. Brainstorm and Chromedome were able to overcome [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], despite the Decepticon's powers of hypnotism. Following the battle's conclusion, they traveled to [[Athenia]] on board Battleship Maximus to join the Autobot forces there. Though they volunteered to accompany [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] to [[Earth]] to help search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]], he insisted on sidelining them. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} After [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]]'s death, the Headmasters joined Hot Rod anyway and helped him search. When the came under attack from [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]], they were able to hold the Decepticon off long enough for Hot Rod to dig up the Matrix. They accompanied him back to Cybertron, where Hot Rod once more became Rodimus Prime, but they failed to stabilize [[Vector Sigma]], and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] was forced to do it himself by sacrificing his life. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

When the Decepticons created the [[Madmachine]], the four Headmasters were ready to storm over to [[Chaar]] and destroy it, but Rodimus intended instead to send the [[Autobot Mini-Cassette|Cassettes]]. When the Cassettes refused the mission, Brainstorm blocked their way, wanting to know what their problem was. Daniel pointed out they were still upset about Blaster's death, however Fortress resurrected Blaster as Twincast. While Twincast went to Earth, the Headmasters were sent to Cybertron and helped [[Throttlebot]]s to destroy the Madmachine. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} While on patrol in Battleship Maximus, the Headmasters encountered two [[Beastformer]]s, leading them to travel to planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]] to thwart a Decepticon invasion. {{Storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} After failing to destroy a [[Metamorphose|strange meteor]], they aided the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s in a fight against Decepticons. Partway though, they were called back to Athenia so they could accompany Daniel on a mission to destroy the meteor, and Brainstorm and his fellows kept [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]'s men busy while Daniel completed said mission. {{Storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}}

[[File:HM8 Highbrow and Brainstorm sitting around.jpg|thumb|280px]]
The Headmasters were sent to [[Praum]] to investigate reports of a Decepticon attack. On arrival, they found the base had been devastated and the occupants apparently destroyed, moving Brainstorm to make the sign of the cross. It turned out to be a trap set by Scorponok, but the five Headmasters remembered their struggles back on Master and swapped Transtectors in order to escape. Brainstorm made great use of [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]]'s Transtector during the ensuing battle against the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} While investigating a mysterious blackmailer, the Headmasters checked out the [[Statue of Liberty]]. They arrived in [[London]] with [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], only to find the Decepticons had leveled the place. They similarly arrived back in [[New York City|New York]] too late, though Brainstorm spotted [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]. They later aided the [[Trainbot]]s in catching up with and defeating [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], whom they'd encountered before on Master. {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}}

The Headmasters continued to train, Brainstorm by lifting weights. When Decepticons were reported to be heading for Earth, he opted to remain on Athenia, and later traveled to Cybertron with Fortress when the Decepticons mounted an all-out attack on the planet. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} When the Decepticon Headmasters split mid-battle, Brainstorm figured they were up to something, and they eventually discovered the Decepticons were heading for Vector Sigma and gave pursuit. Unfortunately they failed to stop the Decepticons destroying Cybertron. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[File:HM12 Brainstorm vehicle mode.jpg|left|thumb|230px]]
During the launch of the [[Sol 1]] satellite, the Headmasters defended [[Sol System Center|the launch pad]]. Brainstorm took to the air to try and chase off Cyclonus and Scourge. They succeeded in launching the satellite, but when the Decepticons made another play for it, Sixshot kept the Autobot Headmasters busy. Brainstorm was ready to charge over to Chaar to get Sol 1 back, but Fortress had a better idea where it was. The Headmasters found the satellite near [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]], but were forced to destroy it to keep it out of Decepticon hands. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}}

The Headmasters went to Earth to assist when a Peruvian volcano erupted. While fighting [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] and the Decepticon Headmasters, Brainstorm used his whirlwind attack to draw hot ash from an ash cloud and blast the Decepticons with it. He also assisted during the evacuation of the village of [[Pan]] by rescuing [[Pipiro]]'s donkey, [[Koro]]. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} When they attacked a [[buridanka]] plant on Earth, Brainstorm boldly threw himself into one of the plant's mouths. The rest of the fight didn't go much better, and the Headmasters found themselves in danger of termination until Fortress broke out the [[Master Sword]] and cut the thing to shreds. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

When reports came in of the Decepticons being up to something on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], Brainstorm and the other Headmasters traveled there in [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]. After tangling with Predaking they rescued Daniel and found out that the Decepticons were planning to blow the entire planet up. Interrogating the Decepticons led them to a crater which naturally turned out to be a trap. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Both Brainstorm and Highbrow were injured enough that they had to undergo extensive repairs. They finally returned to the fight to save Mars in time to witness MegaZarak's arrival, and Brainstorm's jet mode was swatted out of the air by the titan. As Mars exploded, the four Headmasters joined Fortress aboard Maximus, and they were able to escape the planet thanks to the explosions recharging Maximus' power. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[File:HM17 Brainstorm works on transtector.jpg|thumb|240px]]
Brainstorm offered the opinion that a UFO Daniel saw might be aliens. He and the other Headmasters patrolled space near Chaar and came under attack from MegaZarak, but escaped thanks to another appearance by the mystery UFO. It wasn't until the Autobots gatecrashed Scorponok's coronation ceremony that the UFO was revealed to be the returned Galvatron, and they had to retreat. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} After an SOS was received from [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]], the Headmasters prepared to take a shipment of energy to that world. The Decepticons set out to stop them, but Brainstorm and Highbrow kept them busy while Chromedome and Hardhead sneaked ahead with the energy. The Autobots arrived on Sandra in time to fight off the incoming Decepticons. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

As part of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]'s plan to negotiate with the Decepticon, the four Headmasters accompanied him to [[Shangri-La Island]] on Earth as an escort. When the Galvatron who met with Spike turned out to be an impostor, Brainstorm and the others rescued [[Carly]] and Daniel before attacking the Decepticons. During the escape, Sixshot destroyed the [[space bridge]] network, and the Autobots set out in pursuit in Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} When the Decepticons invaded [[Hive (planet)|Hive]], the Autobots attempted to go help, but were stopped by the Hive ships which opened fire on Maximus. Even Chromedome, Hardhead and Brainstorm going out to try to reason with them failed, and the trio returned to the ship. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}}

[[File:HM20 Brainstorm closeup.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
As Maximus neared the [[Twin Star]] system, Brainstorm got the other riled up by claiming battle was about brain over brawn. He volunteered to accompany Daniel, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] to the planet of Toruin while the others fought the Decepticons on Spherity. The four of them weren't on the barren planet for long before they stumbled on an underground city—the inhabitants of Spherity were using the planet as a refuge. Brainstorm returned to the battle on Spherity, using a head swap technique with the other Headmasters so he could reach Fortress and deliver the news that Spherity was an empty world. He later apologized to the other Headmasters for his earlier comments about warfare. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}}

An SOS led the Headmasters to the planet [[Daros]] where they fought the Decepticons again and overthrew the corrupt government. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} Brainstorm noticed that Battleship Maximus' weapons systems were malfunctioning and had Chromedome and Hardhead go to fix them. When Highbrow was captured by the Decepticons on the planet of [[Paradise]], the three other Headmasters were forced to go rescue him. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}}

[[File:HM26 Brainstorm shocked.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Brainstorm was keen to take the fight to the Decepticons before their foe could return to Chaar. The Headmasters took part in a battle on the [[Pirate Planet]], though there turned out to be no energy there. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}} As the Decepticons returned to Chaar, the Autobot Headmasters returned to Athenia. They traveled to Earth to try to stem a Decepticon attack, but were too late to prevent [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s death at the hands of Sixshot. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}}

The Decepticons began striking at points across the Earth, but the Headmasters followed Galvatron to [[Alaska]], where they were able to use information passed on by Punch to defeat Galvatron, trapping him beneath the ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} New information pointed to the Decepticons trying to destroy Earth altogether. As Chromedome had become consumed with guilt over endangering Spike, Brainstorm was put in temporary charge of the Headmasters and sent to the [[Kamchatka Peninsula]] with Hardhead and Highbrow. They didn't fare well against the Decepticons there until Chromedome successfully completed Highbrow's research and arrived with the knowledge of MegaZarak's weak spot. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[File:HM29 Brainstorm transform dash!.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
With Earth largely abandoned by the Decepticons, the Autobot Headmasters set about finding the bombs they'd planted. Brainstorm and Highbrow retrieved a bomb from a mine and returned it to Battleship Maximus. During the disposal of the bombs in space, an accident created the [[Targetmaster]]s from a group of refugees from Master and some Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Brainstorm and Highbrow carried [[Pointblank (G1)|Pointblank]] back to the ship, though the newcomer dismissed their combat skills. Warned by the refugees, the Headmasters returned to their home world and fought the Decepticons. {{Storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

After the Decepticons ransomed Wheelie for information on the Master Sword, Brainstorm and the other Autobots were unsuccessful in keeping said information out of the Decepticons' hands, even after Wheelie was rescued. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Headmasters worked on finding Scorponok by searching for unique energy wavelengths and even found the cavern where he was constructing the [[Zarak Shield]], but were too late to prevent its completion. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} Brainstorm went along with Chromedome's plan to rally the residents of Master against the Decepticons, but it went horribly wrong when Scorponok popped up in the middle of the city and defeated Fortress Maximus in combat. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

The Headmasters traced Daniel to planet [[Daira]] after he became separated from the ship, and were surprised to find he'd been looked after by Sixshot. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} When Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a duel and the other Headmasters failed to talk their friend out of it, Brainstorm offered to be Chromedome's second and got a punch in the mouth for his troubles. They were reluctant to let him go alone, but when it turned out the whole thing was a diversion while the other Decepticons headed for Earth, they had no choice but to let him go it alone. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

The Autobots hurried back to Earth, where the Decepticons were busy erecting [[Death Tower]]s. When they learned that Spike and Carly's plane had crashed in the [[Andes Mountains|Andes]], the four Headmasters went there with Daniel and Wheelie to rescue them. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} On their way to [[Egypt]] to deal with another Death Tower, the four Headmasters had to contend with Mindwipe, Skullcruncher and Weirdwolf, though the trio didn't present much of a threat in the end. After failing to stop the Death Tower from rising, the Autobots' entire army went to the [[Arctic|North Pole]] where they faced the Decepticons in a final battle to save Earth. As Fortress Maximus was caught in the energies preparing to tear the planet apart, Brainstorm and the other three Headmasters attempted a Head Formation to give him more power. It was only when the other Autobots joined in that they succeeded, and the Decepticons' satellite was destroyed. With the Decepticons having fled into space, the Autobots left Earth to pursue them. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

=====''The Headmasters'' manga=====
On [[Athenia]], Brainstorm attended the unveiling of the [[Optimus Prime memorial]] statue. He and the other Headmasters of Justice also waylaid a Decepticon bombing attack on the planet. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Venturing to [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], Brainstorm and the Headmasters of Justice investigated an SOS from their allies. On aerial recon, Brainstorm and Highbrow found [[Alligatron]] and Predaking attacking innocent Beasts. The Headmasters heroically bought time for the Beasts to flee, but were captured by the Decepticons. Luckily, Hardhead and Chromedome found reinforcements in [[Kane]] and the Autobot Beastformers. They provided a needed distraction for Highbrow and Brainstorm to break free from their captors. Through quick thinking and teamwork, the Headmasters, [[Trainbot]]s, and Beastformers successfully drove the Decepticon forces off of Beest and back to Chaar. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}}

Brainstorm and the Headmasters next traveled to an Alaskan energy refinery, where the Headmasters of Evil managed to temporarily get the drop on them, separating the Masters from their [[Transtector]]s. Through quick thinking and teamwork, the Autobot Headmasters reunited with their Transtectors and defeated the enemy. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

The Trainbots joined Brainstorm and the Headmasters on an undersea mission where they found [[Rippersnapper (G1)|Rippersnapper]], [[Skullcruncher]] and the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]s stealing(?) energy from subaquatic vents. They also found a giant robot squid lying in wait. Through quick thinking and teamwork, the Headmasters and Trainbots dismantled the squid and stopped the Decepticons' scheme. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 3|The Headmasters #3}}

In a battle with [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], Brainstorm and the Headmasters of Justice failed to prevent the Six Clan ninja from stealing food rations. And kidnapping [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]. By accident. Way to go, guys. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 4|The Headmasters #4}}

During the Christmas season, Brainstorm and his friends entertained the patients at a children's hospital until the Decepticons arrived. Through quick thinking and teamwork...aw, you get the picture. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 6|The Headmasters #6}}

On Earth, Brainstorm and the crew of the Battleship Maximus helped put out a fire so that [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]] and [[Artfire (Headmasters)|Artfire]] could concentrate on battling the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
{{-}}

=====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga=====
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}} {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Super-God Combination!}}}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' Adventure Game Books===
{{Note|As the following stories are [[multipath adventure]]s, details will vary depending on the path taken. See individual pages for information on alternate paths.}}
====Swamp of the Scorpion====
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Swamp of the Scorpion}}}}
{{-}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
As the Decepticons built an energy interceptor at Nebulos's north pole, the Autobots learned their device risked wiping out the entire planet. After destroying the first energy interceptor, the Autobots were nonplussed to learn the Decepticons built a second, more heavily guarded interceptor in its place. Thinking creatively, Brainstorm worked with the Autobot Targetmasters to turn the Decepticon fortress Scorponok's strength against it. During a sabotage raid, the Targetmasters used thermal lasers to melt the ice underneath Scorponok and the interceptor installation, causing them to fall helplessly into the slush. {{storylink|Decepticons at the Pole}}

When the Autobots located a vast reservoir of oil on the planet, Brainstorm spearheaded the effort to create a major pipeline to pump the oil back to Autobot base. {{storylink|Autobots Strike Oil}}

Brainstorm later assisted Optimus Prime in charting a planet-wide search for Decepticon activity on Nebulos. {{storylink|Decepticons Underground}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
{{Spoiler|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|March 4}}
[[File:RemembranceDay-Brainstorm.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"We fire the ''whole'' laser beam. That's 65% more laser per laser!"]]

Before the war, The 'bot who would one day be known as "Brainstorm" went on anti-apartheid marches. While his "equal rights for knockoffs!" talk made him ''sound'' like he was a forged Transformer, he was actually [[Reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|constructed cold]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}}{{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}}

After the downfall of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] opened the [[Institute|"New" Institute]] as part of his reformative program. Among the young scientists recruited for the institution was the 'bot soon nicknamed "Brainstorm" by his peers. Two of his co-workers received similar nicknames as "[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]]" and "[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]]". {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}} Overly eager and far more likely to ask "Can it be done?" rather than "''Should'' it be done?", Brainstorm fit in well with the vaguely (and sometimes, not so vaguely) amoral experiments and research performed by Zeta's staff.

On one occasion, Brainstorm and Chromedome survived a raid on the New Institute by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] and [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] to rescue [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} Although Chromedome left the New Institute after that near-death experience, he and Brainstorm remained close friends. In fact, Chromedome once remarked that he was Brainstorm's only friend, and Brainstorm didn't correct him. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement}} For all his flaws, Brainstorm stood by the quick-to-love Chromedome as the war went on and he lost three [[Conjunx Endura]], even though he felt disappointed in Chromedome for using his mnemosurgery skills to wipe his own painful memories after each loss rather than remember his fallen partners. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

When the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] broke out, Brainstorm joined the Autobots under the newly minted [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]. [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] didn't think much of Brainstorm's chances of survival in the early days of the war. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13#"Old Ways"|Old Ways}} He briefly appeared among the Autobot troops fighting [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] and the Decepticons on Cybertron in the distant past. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} However, at some point during the war he was recruited by the Decepticons as a spy. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

[[File:AHM15 Brainstorm.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"They say great science is built on the shoulders of giants. Not here. At Kimia, we do all our science from scratch. No hand holding."]]
He was later stationed at the [[Kimia Facility]], working on lots of experimental technology and weaponry for the Autobot cause, where his designs were often considered the insane standard that all other weapon designers in Kimia held themselves to. More than any other Autobot, he had beaten a path to [[Room 113]] where his creations were time and time again rejected by the [[Ethics Committee]] as violations of the [[Non-Conventional Weapons Act]]. Undaunted by the rejections, Brainstorm continued to dream up more outlandish and dangerous weapons in his time at Kimia. His most daring inventions were referred to as the "[[Unmentionable]]s". {{storylink|Bullets}}

On [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'s orders, he (alongside [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]) used [[Pretender]] technology to rebuild [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] into a sane, rejuvenated 'bot. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#"Everything in Its Right Place"|Everything in Its Right Place}}

At [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'s request, Brainstorm agreed to go over the gun that misfired the [[cerebro-sensitive bullet]] into Ironfist's skull, looking for what went wrong with the firing mechanism. Brainstorm let the review fall into his backlog for several months, probably because Ironfist neglected to mention the accident had left a bullet in his skull, slowly killing him. Brainstorm finally reported back just as Ironfist was leaving for the [[Wrecker]]s, revealing his findings that showed the gun had been rigged to go off at a certain angle. The saboteur, [[Skyfall (G1)|Skyfall]], wasn't apprehended until nine months later, so Brainstorm apparently did nothing to follow up on his findings after alerting Ironfist. {{storylink|Bullets}}

[[File:Brainstorm Chromedome infodump.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|We reject your literary device and substitute our own!]]
Brainstorm and the other scientists were caught by surprise when [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and the [[Sweep]]s invaded Kimia. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}} He survived and managed to escape before the facility's destruction, leaving in an escape pod together with Chromedome and a number of other Autobots. They were soon rescued by [[Arcee (G1)|"a psychopath in pink armor"]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} From her, they learned that they had to save the universe by stopping [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] from letting the [[Dead Universe]] into it. Brainstorm had a hard time grasping all this, and together with Chromedome wondered if any species other than Cybertronians ever had to deal with this kind of problem. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

As part of his interest in the Dead Universe, Brainstorm examined [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], and during the procedure was struck by an energy discharge from [[Nova Prime]]'s corpse, which he'd been keeping in his lab. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Brainstorm was one of the Autobots who chose to accompany [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] on his quest to find the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. After some convincing, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] allowed Brainstorm to board the ''[[Lost Light]]'' without checking his [[briefcase]]. But as soon as the ship lifted off, an explosion had sent it into [[quantum jump]] and had to land on a far, desolate planet. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} Brainstorm and Perceptor investigated what had caused the accident. Although they didn't find the exact cause, they did find something interesting. After Rodimus had insulted his intelligence, Brainstorm informed him that they found a [[Duobot]] had stood right next to the [[quantum generator]] when it failed, and was "totally mashed into the generator itself". He then made a joke about their deceased comrade, leaving Rodimus a bit taken aback at Brainstorm's callousness. In turn, this left Brainstorm panicking over the idea [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] might have heard the joke, but Rodimus just ordered him into the air to join the search for survivors. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On‎|Hangers On}}

[[File:MTMTE7 inverted Brainstorm.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"Science isn't about WHY! It's about WHY NOT! Why is so much of my science dangerous? Why not invent a special safety door that won't hit [[Chromedome (G1)|you]] on the butt on the way out, because you are FIRED!"]]
When a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] was loose aboard the ''Lost Light'', Brainstorm found himself trapped in an elevator with the creature, which had been hunting [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. Brainstorm cried out that he was too ''smart'' to die and held up his briefcase in an attempt to ward the Sparkeater off. Fortunately for him, the Sparkeater decided to continue chasing Rung, leaving Brainstorm flustered, but unharmed. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

Soon after receiving a [[Rodimus Star]] (along with his ex-colleagues Highbrow and Chromedome) for helping to save the ''Lost Light'' after it was hit by a piece of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] debris, an experiment of Brainstorm's went wrong and froze everyone on the ship, except for the forcefield-enclosed [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]]. Despite the near-disaster this caused when the ship was invaded during this time by a group of [[Metrotitan (body-type)|Metrotitan]]-hunting Decepticons led by [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] (not to mention the near-death of an away team who had crashed on a planet protected by a [[phobia shield]] and were unable to raise help from the disabled crew {{storylink|The Waiting Game}}), he still received a huge plaque engraved with a stylised Rodimus figure "for exceptional endurance in the face of adversity" along with the rest of the frozen crew, which P.O.ed Trailguy - who had driven the Decepticons off singlehandedly and only received a "normal" Rodimus Star for his effort - no end. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

Later, new arrival [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] went loopy and shot down [[Dogfight]] near Brainstorm, who... protected his briefcase. Of course, he later claimed he had tried to stop Maximus. {{storylink|Interiors}} Following this incident, Rodimus tasked Brainstorm with developing an evasive bullet that would avoid hitting innocent bystanders. Chromedome had Brainstorm to look into the handgun that [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] had been constantly (and unknowingly) carrying with him, but when Brainstorm tried to examine it, the gun exploded in his face. He determined that it only held two cartridges and thus dubbed it a "binary gun", much to Chromedome's annoyance. Brainstorm also offered the opinion that the gun was possibly from the Institute. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement}}

When a bunch of [[Nanocon]]s mysteriously reactivated inside Ultra Magnus, Brainstorm used his [[Size changing|mass-displacement gun]] to shrink Rodimus and some of the crew members to eliminate them. After the situation was handled, Brainstorm attended Tailgate's Autobot Initiation Ceremony where [[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] placed bets on how long it was going to take for Rodimus to say his famous line, [['Til all are one]]. Brainstorm bet on eight seconds to the gambling bot's surprise. Despite being three seconds ahead, he still won the bet. Upon reaching [[Theophany]], an encounter with the [[Galactic Council]] led to Rodimus and others being teleported to the planet's surface, Brainstorm among them. When they arrived, they found the [[Circle of Light]] missing and [[Crystal City]] in ruins. As they explored the ruins underground, they came across a [[Metrotitan (body-type)|Metrotitan]]. The group discovered the Metrotitan had found Cybertron's "come home" signal but was too low on energy to free himself and return, causing it to scream and try to kill itself by willing its spark to leave its body, which caused the revival of the Nanocons and various deactivated crew members of the Lost Light. With the Galactic Council's troops coming downwards to get them and the ''Lost Light'' under attack, Rodimus decided to set the Metrotitan free to help them out of their situation. Brainstorm used his mass displacement cannon to shrink the Metrotitan and gave the large robot more energy. Now able to move, the Metrotitan was able to teleport the Autobots back to their ship, quantum-jump the ''Lost Light'' to safety and teleport itself to Cybertron. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

After previously wondering why the <s>forcef-</s> magnawheels guy would feel the need for a handheld gun {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}, Brainstorm would ultimately build guns into Trailbreaker's legs, presumably relating to the latter's envy at Fortress Maximus's leg-guns. Soon afterward, he gave a new gun to [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] to field test, which the mad helicopter dubbed the "[[Shoomer]]" after the noise it made. As soon as [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] got his hands on it, he proceeded to accidentally shoot himself in the face. {{storylink|Before & After}} Surprisingly, he survived. As did the luckless [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] when shot by Brainstorm's [[existential gun]], despite a near-fatal dose of ennui. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}

[[File:MTMTE22 tailgate altmode.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|Just a jet sitting at the bar, don't mind me.]]
Throughout the early months of the voyage of the ''Lost Light'', Brainstorm and several others were interviewed by Rewind for his documentary. Also caught on film was Brainstorm participating in Tailgate's "alt-mode party," which was just a ruse to figure out what Rung transforms into. {{storylink|Little Victories}} He later collaborated with the psychiatrist to update the Autobots' [[holomatter]] avatars to be more energy-efficient and psychologically intuitive. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}}

When Rewind suffered a near-death experience in battle, Brainstorm and Drift brought Chromedome in on Project: Total Insanity, Brainstorm's helpful nickname for the fact that [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] was secretly on board the ''Lost Light''. He provided Chromedome with the security codes necessary to access the [[slow cell]] attached to the underside of the ship (nicknamed Project: End In Tears). {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} Perhaps because of the prophetic project name, Overlord soon escaped from the slow cell during one of Chromedome's visits to pilfer his memories. Brainstorm was in the middle of chiding Swerve for fooling around with his [[metafictional bomb]] when the alarms sounded, indicating a scene change. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}}

[[File:Brainstorm brings briefcase to funeral.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Science is about doing things others would never be able to ''think'' of! Like bringing your briefcase full of nudie mags to a funeral!]]
After Overlord's rampage cost the lives of Rewind and many other crew members, Brainstorm was sincerely worried about Chromedome. When the funeral was over, Brainstorm confronted him in his habitation suite about the [[shadowplay]] Chromedome performed on himself after the deaths of his last three [[Conjunx Endura]]e. Brainstorm begged him not to extract his memories of Rewind too, because that would mean Rewind was truly gone. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

At some point, Brainstorm fitted [[Swerve's|Swerve's bar]] with an elaborate defense system and built [[My First Blaster]]™ for the bartender himself, as he was a notoriously poor shot. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}}

When the ''Lost Light'' travelled through a portal and rediscovered the lost [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], Rodimus selected Brainstorm to be part of the landing party. On the surface they discovered a reignited "hot spot" of [[spark]]s, including a [[Point One Percenter]] which Brainstorm immediately set about harvesting before they were attacked by [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]]'s Decepticons. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Though they fled into a field of deactivated [[Metrotitan (body-type)|titans]], Brainstorm and the ''Lost Light''ers were captured and imprisoned by the insane [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]] where they found themselves sharing a cell with the mysterious [[Minimus Ambus]], later revealed to be none other than Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} After Ambus departed to get answers from Tyrest, they were joined in the cell by Skids, Swerve and [[Getaway]] {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} who used the spring-loaded clasps from Brainstorm's briefcase to help them escape. Confronting Tyrest, Brainstorm was shot by the traitorous medic [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] which separated him from his briefcase. To compound matters, Tyrest activated a "weapon of mass suggestion" based on Getaway's [[thought bullet]] that incapacitated the rest of the ''Lost Light'' crew, leaving them unable to prevent him from activating a [[universal killswitch]] that would kill every Transformer that was [[Reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|constructed cold]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} That included Brainstorm, who fell victim to its effects but recovered after Rodimus and Perceptor used half the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] to reverse the killswitch. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} Upon returning to the ''Lost Light'' he visited Swerve's to try and find out if anyone had opened his briefcase while he was incapacitated {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} before secreting himself away in his workshop with the Point One Percenter he had recovered from the Seething Moon. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}}

[[File:MTMTE23 Brainstorm this and this.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"So, anyway, we're between banks right now, just make those checks out to cash."]]
Brainstorm was on hand to greet Orion Pax and his crew after the ''Lost Light'' snatched their ship from certain doom. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Intending to venture into the Dead Universe, Pax consulted Brainstorm, who was able to use a [[cyberwraith]] to manufacture personal force fields to protect Pax and his party from the hostile nature of that reality. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} When the ''Lost Light'' was later pulled off course, Brainstorm found the source of the problem—Metroplex's thumb pushing against the roof of shuttle bay 3. He talked Ultra Magnus into investigating where it was pointing them to. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} That took them to a water world, where they soon discovered they were surrounded by [[Ammonite]]s. Brainstorm joined Magnus and the others in commandeering the [[Rodpod]] to take the fight to the enemy, and they stumbled on the dormant Metroplex. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}}

Acting on a hunch, Brainstorm took a sample of the water and found it was full of [[admium]]. They left the Rodpod in a drydock, but swiftly got lost in the city-bot's interior and ended back at the dry dock, where they were ambushed by an Ammonite who destroyed the Rodpod. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} They survived the explosion when Metroplex's interior rearranged itself on them, and a short time later encountered [[Nautica]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]]. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} As the Ammonites subsequently flooded in, Brainstorm was among those who opted to retreat to Metroplex's brain, where they met [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]]. Brainstorm helped hook Metroplex up to the ''Lost Light'' remotely, allowing the titan to quantum jump both himself and the ship to Cybertron. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} When Metroplex appeared to be losing the fight with the [[Necrotitan]], Ultra Magnus suggested Brainstorm open the briefcase. It turned to be unnecessary as an eleventh hour save by Megatron resulted in a victory, and Brainstorm high-fived Nautica as he cracked a situationally relevant joke. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}}

Brainstorm later relaxed in Swerve's bar, though he was exceedingly cranky, which he put down to sparkache. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} As billions of Ammonites descended on Cybertron as the finale to [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s plan, Brainstorm was recruited by [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] as part of a team to attack the scientist's lab. After they were teleported there by [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], Brainstorm suddenly found he didn't feel well and had to watch as the other tackled [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. Just as they were losing the fight, the team who had ventured into the Dead Universe popped out of a portal in Brainstorm's chest and lent a hand. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} With several members of said team unable to survive outside the Dead Universe, Brainstorm invited them back to his lab for treatment and [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] suggested he might need to treat himself, as the portal was likely due to his exposure to the Dead Universe. With some encouragement from Rodimus, Brainstorm succeeded in making up a treatment for the injured parties. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:WorldShutYourMouth1-BrainstormNautica.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67"|Yeah, I'm a black belt. Pretty much in everything. Karate, Larate, Jujistu, kickpunching, beltmaking, Tae Kwon Do... bedroom..."]]

Brainstorm opted to rejoin the quest for the Knights after Shockwave's defeat, and spent a large amount of time with Nautica, even loading her wrench with extra features. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} While the quantum mechanic returned from investigating the disappearance of several fuel rods, Brainstorm saw fit to punctuate her belated return by leaning gently on the fourth wall. The topic of conversation soon shifted to Rung's therapy session with the new <s>co-</s>captain, Megatron. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

When Rodimus found what appeared to be his own corpse in a mysterious coffin, Brainstorm was called in, along with Chromedome, First Aid, Nautica, Nightbeat, and Skids, to help find out what was going on. Brainstorm's biggest contribution involved using his preemptively preemptive [[Early Early Warning System]] to determine that they were all in trouble, though not quite at the "Run for your life!" threshold yet. Then the ''Lost Light'', destabilized by proximity to an accidental quantum duplicate created during its [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|failed first launch]], started winking out of existence and they were. Though Brainstorm managed to evacuate, {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} he disappeared along with the rest of the original crew as the second ''Lost Light'' forced them into a sort of cosmic abeyance. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}}

The remaining crew eventually discovered the remains of this ''Lost Light'', which had been savagely attacked by the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. Its Brainstorm's briefcase was found in a lift by Nautica and Nightbeat, {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} and Brainstorm's body was later found in his workshop during a search for his mass-displacement gun. As Nautica mourned, she revealed Brainstorm's face. In a surprise to everyone, Brainstorm had a mouth...and a Decepticon emblem painted on the interior of his detached faceplate. As Nautica attempted to deny it and Megatron stated Brainstorm was unlike the usual double agents the Decepticons recruited, Riptide assumed that this alternate evil Brainstorm drew the D.J.D. to the ship by deactivating Overlord's slow cell, making him detectable. It took Ravage to point out that if this Brainstorm was a traitor, so was the one on their ''Lost'' ''Light''. After Megatron and the quantum duplicated Rewind deactivated the second ship's engines and returned the vanished Autobots to normal, Brainstorm somehow caught wind of his outing as a mole and calmly walked into the crowded Swerve's. Joining Atomizer, he placed his briefcase on the table, only to be reminded of Swerve's "No Briefcases" rule. Brainstorm calmly stated that he could do anything he liked as he opened the briefcase, activating an electro-sensitive poison he had spiked the bar's Engex supply with, causing almost everyone on board to collapse. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}} {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}

After disabling teetotaler Ultra Magnus with a disaggregator gun, Brainstorm enacted his master plan, using his briefcase network and a link to the ship's [[Quantum generator]] to travel back through time and space and prevent Megatron from ever forming the Decepticons...{{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}}} with Megatron believing that Brainstorm was going back to kill Optimus so the Decepticons wouldn't lose the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. The ''Lost Light'' took action under this false assumption. The new timeline began slowly erasing the old one{{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}, and in it the [[Functionist Council]] had never been overthrown. The result was a blood-soaked nightmarish present-day version of Cybertron dominated by the totalitarian Council. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}

As the briefcase was most accurate when aiming for socio-temporal hotspots, his first stop was prewar [[Messatine]], home to Megatron in his dissident miner days. The surge caused by his arrival resulted in the evacuation of the planet's Nucleon mine, during which Megatron's mentor, [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]], was somehow lost, and which prevented Megatron from being [[shadowplay|reprogrammed]] by [[Trepan]]. {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}} With that a bust, he tried to intervene [[Megatron Origin issue 1|before Megatron took his first life]]. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} Following that, he prevented [[Rung]] from going to [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's New Oil House]] but was unaware that a time-travelling Rung, part of the team after him, had ''always been'' the Rung that accidentally got Megatron arrested.

Finally, he went back to Megatron's creation with intent to kill.{{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===
Brainstorm was kidnapped by the Decepticons and held captive on the Jail planet by [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]. He was rescued by [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and his other comrades, and in turn helped rescue those who were still imprisoned. Once they had reunited, Brainstorm and the others met with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] for the last battle against [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|Transformers: The Headmasters}}

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
{{voiceactor|[[Peter von Gomm]]}}

====Autobot story====
{{note|Brainstorm was available as a playable character in the Autobot campaign during the second playthrough.}}

====Decepticon story====
Brainstorm, believing he was the match of the Decepticon leader, challenged [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s march on [[Zel Samine]] as his forces made their way through an array of wind turbines. They handed his aft to him, leaving Brainstorm shocked and confused; how could his frontal attack against superior forces have failed?

He retreated to formulate a new plan.

Later, at ELTA, Chromedome and Brainstorm joined forces to battle the Decepticons again, to no avail. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
The Autobot Headmasters led by Brainstorm hunted for [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s ghost by tracking the electro-magnetic spikes which signaled his manifestations. They were able to prevent him passing over into the physical world, and scattered the Decepticons who had aided him. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (Legends)|Ghost in the Machine}} When the Decepticons aimed to get hold of the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]], Brainstorm and his fellow Headmasters made off with it but soon crashed on Earth. They were aided by the [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]], who patched them up and helped them fight off [[Apeface]] and [[Skullcruncher]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Earth Defense Command}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Brainstorm toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|No no no no no...]]
*'''Brainstorm''' ([[1987]])
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-104'''
**''Accessories'': "Arcana" Headmaster pilot, left & right "High-Energy [[Photon pulse cannon|Photon Pulse Cannons]]"

:Brainstorm transforms into a turquoise Cybertronic fighter craft. Both of Brainstorm's twin pistols attach to the front of his alt-mode's nosecone to extend it and augment it with two canard wings. As with all larger Headmaster toys, Brainstorm features both a cockpit suitable for his partner, Arcana, to sit in and an abbreviated [[Tech Spec]]s bar graph inside his chest hidden under a hinged panel. When a compatible Headmaster head is plugged into the socket on Brainstorm's body, the bars will show three of that character's Tech Specs.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Brainstorm/brainstorm.htm More information on Brainstorm at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
[[File:Generations 30 voyager Brainstorm.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Briefcase sadly not included.]]
*'''Brainstorm''' (Voyager, [[2014]])
**''Series / Number'': '''02 / #009'''
**''Accessories'': Head/pilot robot, left & right blasters

:Part of the eighth wave of 2012-onwards ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Voyager Class toys, ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' Brainstorm transforms into a turquoise Cybertronian aircraft based off of [[Nick Roche]]'s design for ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]''. He is notable for being the first modern Headmaster-style figure ''available in general retail'' after the Generation 1 versions. He also holds the distinction of being the first Headmaster-style figure with an articulated neck. He comes with two pistols which can attach via [[5mm post]] to his hands and the nosecone of the jet. [[Arcana#Generations|His head]] transforms into an unnamed robot that is most certainly Arcana, and can be inserted inside the cockpit to be used as a pilot. Putting the pilot robot into the neck socket will reveal Tech Specs like the G1 toy. The Tech Specs are based off the original figure, not the Tech Specs on the box.

:Exercise caution while using the Headmaster gimmick, as the main robot's neck socket is painted, making the pilot robot rather difficult to remove. Too much force could separate the pilot robot's own head from his body.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenBrainstorm/brainstorm.htm More information on Generations Brainstorm on TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Legends''===
[[File:LegendsBrainstorm.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Some say this deco is overdoing it.]]
*'''Brainstorm''' (Voyager, [[January 24|1-24]]-[[2015]])
**''ID number'': '''LG09'''
**''Accessories'': "Cana" Headmaster pilot, left & right weapons

:''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' Brainstorm is a redeco of ''Generations'' Brainstorm with some minor changes in plastic, such as an orange canopy. He more noticably features additional paint detail, including red and white highlights on his smaller wings, some white added to the red details on his chest, and a silver midriff. Brainstorm's bio is written from a ''The Headmasters'' perspective and as such names the Headmaster its Japanese name, Cana. He comes with issue 9 of the ''[[Transformers Legends (comic)|Legends: Business Trip Edition]]'' comic.

{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:G1BrainstormOriginalHead.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Please find us clearer footage.]]
[[File:Brainstormpretenderscommercial.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|His blue period.]]
*In early planning stages, the Large Headmasters were to have differently styled heads that would be replaced by their more familiar heads during the Headmaster process. A [[commercial]] for [[Ring of Hate!|Headmasters #1]] featuring animation of Brainstorm and others is the only time these designs were used.
*The Headmasters appeared in a second commercial with much more sophisticated animation. In this entry, we see the Autobot Headmasters lined up in vehicle modes as their Nebulan partners run up into their cockpits and then launch into an attack. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=dDSemtc0JaU]
*Additional footage of the Headmasters featured in the animated introduction to the first commercial for the [[Pretender]]s. As Brainstorm battles [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], the narration claims that after a series of defeats, the Autobots are required to up the ante by developing Pretender technology.
*In all three of these commercials, Brainstorm is colored in his [[Marvel Comics]] colors rather than his color scheme seen in "[[The Rebirth]]", with his dark green and orange being replaced with cyan and yellow.
*Brainstorm is a Christian! In the [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''Headmasters'' cartoon]] episode "[[The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery]]", when the Headmasters encounter a massacre on the planet [[Praum]], he crosses himself.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cana''' (カーナ ''Kāna''), '''Brainstorm''' (ブレインストーム ''Bureinsutōmu'')
*''French:'' '''Cerveau''' (Canada, "Brain")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Agytröszt''' ("Genius", literally "Brain-Trust")
*''Italian:'' '''Goblin'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Burn''' (Taiwan, 伯恩 ''Bó Ēn''), '''Xiao Zhuge''' (China, 小诸葛, "Little [[Wikipedia:Zhuge Liang|Zhuge Liang]]")
*''Russian:'' '''Fantazjor''' (Фантазёр, "Dreamer")

==External links==
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Brainstorm Brainstorm's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Engineers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Ladybird Books Autobots]]
[[Category:Legends franchise]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Autobots]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]

Room 113

2015-02-16T13:10:12Z

Animegodd: /* IDW Generation 1 continuity */

{{disambig3|113}}
:''Room 113 is a location from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
'''Room 113''' is a room in the [[Autobot]] [[Kimia Facility]]. While a number of committees grace its sterile white walls, one of the most notable is the [[Ethics Committee]], who pass judgement on newly developed weapons.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
After the massacre at [[Babu Yar]], in which [[Gideon's Glue]] was used against [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]]'s [[Autobot]]s, the similarities between the substance and one developed on Kimia, an inquiry was called. Room 113 was used for the [[Magnus Inquiry]], and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s committee questioned the base's complement of weapons engineers. Though the results of the inquiry were inconclusive, from that day on the room regularly played host to the Ethics Committee.

[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] presented his [[cerebro-sensitive bullet]]s to the Ethics Committee soon after developing them. Unfortunately the committee ruled them banned under Protocol III of the [[Non-Conventional Weapons Act]]. As Ironfist was leaving, he and [[Skyfall (G1)|Skyfall]] encountered [[Brainstorm]], who was going to present his [[Malevolent Counterintuitive Pathogen]] to the committee. {{storylink|Bullets}}

When Kimia was attacked by [[Sweep]]s, [[Cloudburst]] and [[Grotusque]] ran past Room 113 as they rushed to find an armory. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations}}

==Notes==
*Room 113 is one of a number of references in "Bullets" to [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue 113]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|UK Marvel comic]], which originally got writer [[James Roberts]] hooked on the series.

[[Category:IDW Generation 1 locations]]

Strafe (G1)

2015-02-16T12:45:40Z

Animegodd: /* IDW Generation 1 continuity */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|minicon}}
{{disambig3|Strafe}}
{{featured}}
:''Strafe is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:G1Strafe MTMTE.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|What happens when you cross-breed Starscream and Shockwave. Logical and psychopathic.]]
'''Strafe''' is a really nice guy, one of the kindest, gentlest mechanoids you could ever hope to meet, and he's a crack shot with his heat-ray rifle, too. It's said that Strafe can burn a hole in a screw head (size not specified) from two miles away. Too bad he can't tighten up the loose screws in his own cranial module, though. He's got a case of nerves that could very well cause [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] to fear for his job security, and when startled he tends to SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT FIRE FIRE BANG BANG BANG KILL KILL KILL IT DEAD DEAD DEAD without stopping to aim or analyze the threat, and doesn't quit until he's shot down or runs out of heat-ray charges. Sometimes, though, all is quiet... too quiet... and he doesn't like that, either. SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT FIRE FIRE BANG BANG KILL KILL KILL...

He can combine with the other [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] to form [[Computron (G1)|Computron]], and seems to make a rather calm limb. Sometimes he's a [[Targetmaster]], in which case his partner is [[Rocketbot]].

{{bigquote|I mean, we got us some fast action! Hard action! Action hard and fast! Action to get the old pumps pumpin'! Action to — HUH? — YAHOOOO!|Strafe, always excitable|"[[Money Is Everything (episode)|Money Is Everything]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
[[File:Technobots attack.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|This is seriously my only American appearance as just myself and not an arm.]]
Strafe was among the Autobots who departed [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] to escape the cycle of war without end. When the refugees sought peace on the planet [[Nebulos]], Strafe put in an uncredited appearance as [[Computron (G1)|Computron]]'s arm, helping to defend the resort city of [[Splendora]] against [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]. {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

Their travels taking them to Earth, Strafe and his fellow Technobots bravely attempted to defend of [[Buenos Aires]] against the [[Underbase]]-powered [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]], but were felled virtually instantly by the villain's cosmic power. {{storylink|Dark Star}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:Autobots attack space pirates.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|This is seriously the only appearance of my full robot mode. I'm at the back. Third from the left.]]
In [[2008]], Strafe was one of several Autobots stationed at [[Autobase]] on Cybertron under the command of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Responding to a mysterious call for help, they discovered that astonishingly, the call came from the Decepticons. Even more astonishing, it was genuine. Strafe and the Autobots joined forces with their Decepticon counterparts in driving a marauding crew of [[Quintesson]]s off the planet. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}

[[File:Rodimus shoots strafe white fire.jpg|thumb|left|125px|This is seriously the only time anyone says my name.]]
After the [[Time Wars]] rebooted future history, Strafe was next seen stationed at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] in [[2009]]. When the [[Future Autobot evacuation ship|Autobot evacuation ship]] from Cybertron crashed down instead of landing safely, Strafe flew out to help alongside [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] and [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]]. {{storylink|Shadow of Evil}} What they found was Autobot commander [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]], aglow with evil and possessed by the living malice of [[Unicron]] that had infected the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] a year earlier. Strafe was apparently killed in the resulting conflict before Rodimus regained control of his actions. {{storylink|White Fire}}

[[File:Rodimus technobots wreckers peace.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Yep, that's me, way in the back.]]
In another alternate future, the last Decepticon was destroyed by [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and the [[Wrecker]]s in [[2510]]. However, as Rodimus Prime announced the end of the war and prepared to hand over leadership to Springer, the Autobots soon came to blows over a misunderstanding caused by Strafe's ally [[Triton]] and the war broke out again almost as soon as it had ended. Strafe and the Technobots formed a new faction under Ultra Magnus, battling against the Wreckers. {{storylink|Peace}}
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Steve Bulen]] (English), [[Kōji Totani]] (Japanese), [[Kenichi Sakaguchi]] (Japanese, "The Rebirth")|[[Ulrich Bernsdorff]] (German, ''Grimlocks New Brain''), [[Reinhard Brock]] (German, ''Money is Everything''), [[Hans-Rainer Müller]] (German, ''The Rebirth, Part 1'')}}
[[File:GrimlocksNewBrain strafe robotmode.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Strafe was created, like the other Technobots, by the temporarily super-intelligent [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] from components found within [[Unicron]]'s head. The exuberant newborn Autobot was immediately presented with the task of using his flight and firepower to disable Unicron's internal defenses, which he accomplished with a lot of SHOOT SHOOT BLAM BLAM BLOW IT UP!!! The Technobots were subsequently dispatched to aid the Autobots fighting on Unicron's surface against the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s, and defeated their combined form of Abominus by merging into Computron. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}
[[File:MoneyIsEverything strafe vehiclemode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Less than a week later, Strafe the other Technobots were assigned to an [[Earth Defense Command]] science unit in order to learn how to interact with [[human]]s. When reports came in from EDC headquarters of an unknown spacecraft entering the planet's atmosphere, Strafe joined [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] and [[Marissa Faireborn]] in investigating, and in his eagerness for some action, Strafe wound up opening fire on the craft. Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!!

Strafe was too busy watching the ship crash and congratulating himself to notice that the ship had actually been pursued by [[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Grr]] of the Terrorcons, who took both him and Scattershot down, but the pair were saved from the two-headed terror by the timely arrival of the rest of their Technobot comrades. The crashed ship's owner, unscrupulous trader [[Dirk Manus]], agreed to lead the heroes to a hidden [[Quintesson]] base he had discovered on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], and Strafe, Scattershot and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] set off with him the next day. Strafe had little patience for Lightspeed's rambling on the beauty of space, but soon found himself something much worse to complain about when the team was ambushed by Abominus and sent plummeting to the moon's surface. [[File:MoneyEverything Technobots Sharktisneak.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]] [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]], [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] and Faireborn soon arrived to help, rescuing the group from the Sharkticons; they headed for the Quintesson base. In route, Strafe "saved" Marissa from some aggressive vines by wantonly opening fire on them. Blam! Blam! Blam!!

Manus took Marissa hostage and handed them over to the Quintessons, the Technobots' injuries having left them unable to combine. However, the whole thing was a complex double-cross by Manus, eager for revenge on the Quintessons following a deal gone wrong; he used the molecular disassembler/reassembler known as the [[Recreator]] to heal Strafe and the Technobots' injuries, and they defeated Abominus and the Quintessons. {{storylink|Money Is Everything (episode)|Money Is Everything}}

Strafe and his team later got a chance for a rematch with the Terrorcons when they attempted to stop them stealing a heat-resistant alloy from Doctor [[Mark Morgan]]'s laboratory, but this battle ended in failure for the Technobots, and Strafe was tasked with summoning [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to provide medical care for [[Jessica Morgan|Morgan's daughter]], who was injured in the battle. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}

Months later, Strafe was at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], talking with his fellow Technobots and the [[Throttlebot]]s about what a glorious day it was, and about how every day had been a glorious one ever since they ended the threat of the Decepticons once and for all, and the days would continue to be glorious as long as... okay, you know what's coming. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}
{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of the Generation 1 cartoon occur in Japanese continuity as described above, with the distinction that they take place in 2010, rather than 2006. Japanese continuity inserts multiple additional stories into the timeline.}}
=====''The Great Transformer War''=====
Strafe and his Technobot comrades were under construction at [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] when the Autobots sought the aid of Doctor [[Dalton (G1)|Dalton]] in improving their abilities. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 1|The Great Transformer War #1}} Dalton heavily upgraded the Technobots' weaponry, allowing the combined Computron to easily outmatch the Decepticon combiner, Abominus. As the Decepticon motto goes, however: When in doubt, cheat. [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] outfitted the Terrorcons with "[[Cohesive Control Liquid]]", a substance that enabled them to assume control over Computron. Dalton arranged for [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] to use a special [[exosuit]] to approach Computron safely and administer an antidote. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 2|The Great Transformer War #2}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
[[File:DemonMeteorite strafe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In [[2011]], when the Decepticons launched a major attack on Cybertron, Strafe and the Technobots joined the Dinobots on the front lines of defense. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Not long after, when [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] left to search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] on Earth, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] gathered Strafe and the Technobots to prevent the Decepticons from hampering his quest. Strafe and his teammates backed Hot Rod up after he located the Matrix, combining into Computron to hold off the Decepticons who had pursued him so that he could return to Cybertron. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

Later, after the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aeriabots]] fell victim to [[Metamorphose]], the Decepticons' metal-twisting meteorite weapon, the Strafe and the Technobots were sent out to recover their damaged comrades for repairs, only to be intercepted by [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and the Terrorcons. The fighting escalated with new arrivals on both sides, with the Decepticons trying to keep their foes occupied until the meteorite reached [[Athenia]], but soon [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Battleship Maximus]] arrived to carry the Headmasters into space to confront the meteorite, so the Technobots formed Computron and covered their retreat. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}}

[[File:ExplosiononMars technobots.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Aw yeah, standin' at the FRONT!]]
When [[buridanka|a giant carnivorous plant]] was unleashed upon [[San Francisco]] by the Decepticon, Ultra Magnus sent the Technobots to deal with the incident. Strafe joined his comrades in battling the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], first as individuals and later combined as Computron and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}} Not long after, the Trainbots ran into trouble on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], and Strafe and his team were on the way to help when [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] intervened, keeping the Technobots occupied and unable to aid their comrades on the red planet. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Strafe and the Technobots were part of a strike team that flew to the [[Moon (moon)|moon]] to disrupt Scorponok's gathering of Decepticons. They immediately formed Computron upon entering the battle. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Strafe's regiment later helped load the Trainbots with energon supplies for the destitute planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]]. They were attacked by the greedy Decepticons and fought back both as the mighty Computron and as individuals, using the Trainbots' large vehicle modes as a shield. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

Strafe and his fellow Technobots accompanied Fortress on his quest to prevent the Decepticons from stealing energy elsewhere in the galaxy. During this extended mission, Strafe and his teammates formed Computron to battle [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] on the planet [[Paradise]]. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Upon their return to Earth, the team were deployed to counter a Decepticon attack in [[Miami]], where they battled Abominus as Computron, {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Decepticons attacks around the Earth only continued to escalate, and Strafe and the Technobots were dispatched as Computron to one of the many battle sites. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

When the Decepticons seemingly abandoned Earth, Strafe and the Technobots assisted Spike in rebuilding the planet after the enemy's departure. They started out by combining into Computron to help Defensor and Raiden destroy the Decepticons' Earth deserted base, wiping out all trace of the villains' presence on the planet. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}}

As part of Computron, Strafe participated in the Autobots final battle with Scorponok's Decepticons at the North Pole. He lent his energies to the Headmasters' [[Head Formation]] to revitalize Fortress Maximus at the critical moment. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

=====''Gentei! Gentei!''=====
When Grimlock created the Technobots, he didn't build them from scratch: In actuality, he reconstructed a number of dead bodies he found within Unicron's head, former victims of the planet-eater. In the midst of a battle with the Decepticons, Strafe took the full brunt of an attack from the villains, triggering the inexplicable transformation of his body back into its original form, a body whose design Unicron had evidently mimicked when he created [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]. This baffling reconfiguration merely invigorated Strafe, who gained hugely increased flight speed and a new [[Targetmaster]] partner, [[Rocketbot]]. {{storylink|#genteitoy|Strafe's ''Gentei! Gentei!'' toy bio}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}

Strafe was one of the Autobots stationed at the space bridge outpost near [[Delta Prysmos]]. He fared poorly when confronted by the Decepticon mercenary [[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]]. {{storylink|Hoist the Flag}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:Stormbringer1 Jetfire Strafe.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|"Oooh... Strafe feels much damage coming on."]]
Strafe and the other Technobots crewed the Autobot vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'', under the command of [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]. When strange energy emissions were detected from beneath the long-dead Cybertron, Strafe—possessed of a noticeable stutter—was nervous about landing on the planet to investigate, but accompanied Jetfire, Scattershot and Lightspeed on the reconnaissance mission nonetheless. Just as they were about to return to their ship, they were captured by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s group of Decepticons. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} Strafe and the other captives were cannibalized for raw materials for Bludgeon to use in his attempt to recreate the [[Pretender]] process {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} but they all survived the experience and helped uncover the key to defeating the revenant [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}}

[[File:BeforeandAfter-RainingAutobots.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|I am a very important character!]]
Sometime later, in the aftermath of [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]]'s attack on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], the Technobots and the crew of the ''[[Ark-27]]'' arrived to take the [[Pretender Monster|combiners]] into custody. {{Storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}} They brought them to the [[Garrus-9]] facility, where they tried to reform the Decepticons and rid them of their "group consciousness". Before the Technobots could make much progress, the Monstructor components were stolen during a Decepticon attack. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}

As the threat of the [[Expansion]] came to light, Strafe and the Technobots used Bludgeon's [[Pretender]] technology to make shells to protect Autobots from the hazards of the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}} Using the ''[[Nightbird (ship)|Nightbird]]'', they then saved the crew of the ''[[Mirror-Manifold]]'' and gave them the shells. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

Following the end of the war, Strafe joined the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' on their journey to find the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. He participated in a battle with a group of rogue Decepticons on the planet [[Temptoria]]. {{storylink|Before & After}}
{{-}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|slaughterhouse}}}}

==Commercial appearances==
[[File:Technobots.jpg|thumb]]
*Strafe spotted the Terrorcons as they approached [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], swooping low over the monsters before returning to his teammates to prepare for their rivals' attack. While his comrades engaged the Terrorcons, Strafe lay in waiting with a snare trap, which [[Sinnertwin (G1)|Sinnertwin]] stepped into; Strafe then rocketed off, dragging the bound Terrorcon behind him. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1|Technobots and Terrorcons commercial}}
*Faced with the might of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], Strafe and his fellow Technobots dodged the huge Decepticons' claws and merged into Computron to fight back, but they were quickly bowled over when Scorponok hurled a mountain at them. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1|Computron and Scorponok commercial}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[File:TFPS2 strafes vs octane.jpg|thumb]]
Strafe was one of the Autobots who joined the battle on the planet [[Zel Samine]] over the powerful [[Zel Quartz]]. Combined with his fellow Technobots as Computron, he confronted the Decepticons on two occasions, first attempting to prevent them from obtaining a drillbit from the [[Karzite mine]], and then later striving to bar their entrance to the [[ELTA|Enormous Laser Transmission Array]]. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}

{{Note|Strafe is a non-playable character who appears only among the legion of Autobot duplicates in the Decepticon campaign, and as part of Computron when he appears in the story.}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
[[File:TFLegends strafe evolution.jpg|left|thumb|upright=2.2]]
Strafe and his Technobot teammates were ambushed by the Terrorcons, who feared the power of [[Computron (G1)|Computron]]. Strafe attempted to pin down the assailants while Afterburner attempted to call for reinforcements. {{storylink|Circuit Breaker (Legends)|Circuit Breaker}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Strafe toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Only a Technobot could get this much firepower from a pair of Cheetos.]]
*'''Strafe''' (Technobot, 1987)
**''Team ID number:'' '''TK3'''
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-87'''
**''Accessories:'' "Heat Ray Rifle", 2 "Light-Pulse Blasters"

:Strafe transforms into a Cybertronic "rocket plane" (according to his instructions) with twin front-mounted "light-pulse blasters". These cannons can also be used as hand-held weapons in robot mode, making him the only Technobot that can use his vehicle-mode weapons in that manner. As a [[Scramble City (toyline)|Scramble City]]-style combiner, he can form the limb to any similar-construction super robot, though his nominal placement is as the left arm of [[Computron (G1)|Computron]].

:Later individual releases of all five Technobots were [[retool]]ed to remove their [[rubsign]] indents. There is also a packaging variant for all four small Technobots, which included a random bonus Autobot [[Decoy|"Decoy" mini-figurine]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Strafe/strafe.htm More information on Strafe at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers-toys/gallery/g1-1987/strafe/2958/1/ Image gallery of Strafe at Seibertron.com]''
::*''[http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/autobot/1987/instr_strafe.jpg Instructions for Strafe at Botchthecrab.com]''

{{-}}
[[File:G1toy computron giftset.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Computron''' (Multi-pack, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-91'''
**''Accessories:'' "Heat Ray Rifle", 2 "Light-Pulse Blasters"

:All five Technobots were also made available in a complete gift set in multiple markets. The gift set versions are identical to their individual releases.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Computron/computron.htm More information on Computron at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers-toys/gallery/g1-1987/computron/2963/1/ Image gallery of Computron at Seibertron.com]''
::*''[http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/autobot/1987/instr_technobots.jpg Instruction booklet for Computron at Botchthecrab.com]''
{{-}}

===Generation 2===
[[File:G2Strafe-toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Now with white cheddar flavored Cheetos!]]
*'''Strafe''' (Cyberjet, 1995)
**''Accessories'': 2 missiles

:For ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'', Strafe was given an altmode much more closely conforming to traditional aircraft designs. As a [[redeco]] of the [[Decepticon]] [[Cyberjet]] [[Space Case (G2)|Space Case]], he is a forward swept wing fighter resembling the [[Wikipedia:X-29|X-29]] and [[Wikipedia:Su-47|Su-47 Berkut]] experimental aircraft. His right arm has a launcher that fires pressure-launch missiles. These missiles store on the undersides of his wings in vehicle mode.

:This toy was released with no deco changes (but with an extra decal sheet) in Japan as the former-Decepticon-turned-Autobot [[Strafe (G2)|Strafe]]. This mold was also used for the 2004 ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' version of Space Case and ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' [[X-Gunner]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1995/Autobot/Strafe/strafe.htm More information on Cyberjet Strafe at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers-toys/gallery/g2/strafe/323/1/ Image gallery of Cyberjet Strafe at Seibertron.com]''
{{-}}

===Gentei! Gentei!===
{{anchor|genteitoy}}
[[File:Gentei-strafe-g1-toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|[[Wikipedia:The Man with the Golden Gun|The Robot with the Golden Gun]]]]
*'''Strafe''' (Deluxe, 2009)

:A redeco of the [[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|2008 ''Universe'' series]] [[Cyclonus (G1)/toys#Universe (2008)|Cyclonus toy]], replacing the purple with white, the three shades of gray with red, orange, white, and black, and clear red with colorless clear plastic. Strafe transforms into a Cybertronic starfighter. He comes with a partner figure named [[Rocketbot]] who transforms into a blaster that can be mounted on the vehicle mode's back or plugged into Strafe's wrist sockets to emulate the ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' style of [[Targetmaster]] connection.

:Strafe is an [[exclusive]] for members of the [[Transformers Basecamp]] web site in Japan, which is itself exclusive to those who own a ''Transformers''-themed Visa credit card. The ordering period for Strafe ran from [[March 2|March 2nd]] through [[April 30|April 30th]] in [[2009]]. Though his cardback and bubble placard are new, he comes with Cyclonus's [[instructions]] and comic/catalog.

:This mold was also used to make "[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (toyline)|Shattered Glass]]" [[Cyclonus (SG)|Cyclonus]] and [[BotCon 2014]] [[Ferak]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Cybertron/Strafe/strafe.htm More information on Gentei Strafe at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers-toys/gallery/henkei/strafe/2231/1/ Image gallery of Gentei Strafe at Seibertron.com]''
::*''[http://snakas.web.fc2.com/classic/gentei_strafe.html More images of Gentei Strafe at Autobase Aichi]''

{{note|"Gentei!" is Japanese for "Exclusive!", and a pun on the normal "[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Henkei!]]" line name.}}
{{-}}

===Transformers (2010)===
[[File:TF2010toy-Strafe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Now in Peppermint!]]
*'''Strafe''' (Voyager Class, 2011)

:A [[redeco]] of the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Voyager Class [[Mindwipe (ROTF)#Toys|Mindwipe]], Strafe transforms into a stealth fighter jet similar to an [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes#F-117A Nighthawk|F-117 Nighthawk]]. He has two flip-out swords/daggers under his arms that he can deploy to use as weapons. As part of his transformation, bending his wings back in robot mode activates a Mech Alive gear-driven feature where the tips of the wings retract and four small blades reveal themselves along the edge of the wing. Strafe's paint app budget went into the very large Autobot [[insignia]] he wears across his wings, which is quite possibly the largest insignia ever on a [[Transformers brand|''Transformers'']] [[toy]]. Strafe is sold as part of "[[Reveal the Shield]]", a [[subline imprint]] featuring [[rubsign]]s on all its releases. Y'know, just in case his wings didn't make his faction clear enough.

:Strafe's vehicle mode, like the other toys using the same mold, can be perched upon by [[Skystalker (ROTF)#Revenge of the Fallen|Skystalker]], [[Sunspot]], [[Laserbeak (G1)#Generations|Laserbeak]] and the exclusive [[Smokescreen (G2)#TokyoToyShow|Smokescreen]]. Except they're all Decepticons, so it would be terribly inappropriate fraternization.

:This sculpt was also redecoed as the Tokyo Toy Show [[exclusive]] ''Generation 2'' [[Dreadwing (G2)#TokyoToyShow|Dreadwing]].

::*''[http://tfu.info/2011/Autobot/Strafe/strafe.htm More information on Strafe at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
*In some printings of ''Stormbringer'', Strafe's stutter occasionally pops up in Scattershot's lines. (Maybe it's contagious?)
* When the bio of the 2011 Strafe toy went up on the official website, it used the adjective "[[Over-Run (PCC)#Notes|spastic]]" to describe him. This was later changed to "twitchy." Hmmmm.
* The Mini-Con Strafe representing [[Swoop (G1)|G1 Swoop]] in the [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (franchise)|Age of Extinction]] [[Strafe (AOE)#TRUEvolution|Strafe Evolutions 2-Pack]] mistakenly<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0uG8JszvCs&t=23m5s] Botcon 2014 Interview - Hasbro's Mark Weber - Transformers Manager of Global Brand Development</ref> has ''this'' Strafe's package art instead of Swoop's G1 art and lists him as a "stealth fighter" (what our wiki described the 2010 ''Transformers'' Strafe toy as). This was because they no longer had the original G1 Swoop's box art, and having bought an original to scan marketing had already printed it with Strafe's. Whoops!

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Strafe''' (ストレイフ ''Sutoreifu'')
*''French:'' '''Mitraille''' (Canada)
*''Italian:'' '''Rocketbot'''
*''Russian:'' '''Shtraf''' (Штраф, "Fine")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Strafe Strafe's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Cyberjets]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Autobots]]
[[Category:Gunners]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Autobots]]
[[Category:Targetmasters]]
[[Category:Technobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Transformers (2010) Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]

To sell toys

2014-06-04T02:56:10Z

Animegodd: /* Strange developments */

[[File:MarvelUS-19.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Hasbro wasn't quite sure whether to advertise this expensive toy until the fans forced their hand.]]
To understand ''Transformers'' fiction, it is important to understand that it exists '''to sell toys.''' [[Hasbro]] and [[TakaraTomy]] are toy companies, and they are primarily interested in continuing to sell [[toy]]s to children and adults. The cartoons, comic books, etc., mostly exist to make this happen. To be sure, they normally [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)#Reception|make a profit in their own right]], but this is regarded as mere gravy.

The "to sell toys" effect often distorts the fiction in interesting ways. Primarily, since you can't ([[Army-building|usually]]) sell someone the same toy twice<ref>Although the toy lines from the [[live-action film series]] have given us multiple ''different'' toys of the ''same characters''.</ref>, Hasbro and Takara constantly introduce new toys, and often require the creators of the fiction to introduce the new characters into ongoing storylines. Older characters (whose toys are no longer being sold) are shoved aside to make room.

Another effect of "to sell toys" is when the toys have gimmicks which must be explained in the fiction. Sometimes ([[Mini-Con]]s) this is relatively easy, while other times it requires a lot of imagination on the part of the writers (the in-comic explanations for the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster]]s are kinda wonky).

The UK [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|movie-based ''Transformers'' comic]] took this to more blatant heights. For its first year, it had a specific four-page feature every week called ''Top Gear'', which exists solely to promote the newest Transformers merchandise. ''Any'' merchandise. This led to readers being told how great [[Optimash Prime]] was. For ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|Transformers: War for Cybertron]]'', [[Ironhide (Movie)|''Ironhide himself'']] opened letters pages by telling readers how ''awesome'' the game was and how [[you]] should buy it.

==Casting==
===Huge casts===
[[File:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|[[Pokeformers|Gotta catch 'em all!]]]]
Hasbro makes a lot of toys at once, and they generally want all of them to appear in their fiction. This can force writers to bring in vast numbers of characters all at once, sometimes with awkward results. Examples include:

*The first issue of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Generation 1 comics]], "[[The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers]]", in which ''twenty-eight'' different robots appeared and introduced themselves, even though only a handful are important to the plot.
*"[[The Special Teams Have Arrived]]", a free mini-comic given away with issue [[Rock and Roll-Out!|#54]] of the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel UK]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|comic]], notoriously introduces the reader to ''twenty-four'' new Transformers in just three pages. Granted, four of those are the [[Combiner|combined forms]] of the other twenty, but that's still a lot of new names to remember.
*The 1987 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]]'' Limited Series, which introduced over ''sixty'' characters in the course of four issues, including all the first waves of [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster]]s, all their [[Nebulan]] partners, the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], and [[Monsterbot]]s.
*The cartoon episode "[[The Rebirth]]" likewise abruptly introduced a deluge of the 1987 toyline characters, mostly the same ones seen in ''Headmasters''.
*In the first four episodes of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'', eighteen characters are introduced in quick succession.
*From #9 onwards, [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Titan's movie-based ''Transformers'']] has heavily bumped up the cast with new toys. In one example, #17 brought in nine new toys in eleven pages; only one of the five Decepticons got any real focus or dialogue.

===Random casting===
The Hasbro-induced need to show all the toys can also cause stories to suddenly focus on a new character, sometimes dropping ongoing plot threads about older ones. Examples include:

*Season 2 of the cartoon introduced many new characters/buyable toys with no explanation; despite never having been seen before, the story treats them as though they have [[Beachcomber (G1)|been there]] [[Perceptor (G1)|the whole]] [[Tracks (G1)|time]].
[[File:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|After seven issues, it's finally time for these six dudes to do something!]]
[[File:Optimusprimeg1preearthmarvel2.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Apparently, the Triggerbots didn't make much of an impression on Prime.]]
*The comic issue "[[Pretender to the Throne!]]" suddenly introduces a dozen Autobots and Decepticons that we've never met before, and follows their adventures. The story adds nothing to the long-range plot that couldn't have been accomplished by using existing characters; these teams were added to the mix to promote their new toys.
*Many issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] had cover blurbs in the form "Introducing the _______!", where the blank was whatever the latest line of toys was. The following issues specifically introduce new toys on the cover: [[Repeat Performance!|#8]], [[The Next Best Thing to Being There!|#10]], [[Brainstorm!|#11]], [[Command Performances!|#19]], [[Aerialbots over America!|#21]], [[Crater Critters|#29]], [[The Cure!|#30]], [[Pretender to the Throne!|#40]], [[People Power!|#42]], [[Ca$h and Car-nage!|#46]], [[Club Con!|#47]], and [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#60]]. Throw in a few covers where new characters were pictured but not named, and that's 1/5th of the series.
*In [[Spacehikers!|issue #36]] of the Marvel comics, when [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] decides that he needs help in dealing with [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]'s inept leadership, he doesn't turn to any of the ''dozens'' of Autobots aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], which include two combiner teams and Omega Supreme. No, he has to call in his "old buddy"/new toy, [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]].
*In the prelude to the [[Underbase Saga]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] were the lead characters in a story set before the Transformers came to [[Earth]]. But rather than palling around with the likes of Jazz or Prowl, they are instead shown alongside the newest "gimmick" characters, the [[Triggercon]]s and the [[Triggerbot]]s.
*[[Mainframe Entertainment]] planned to use [[Wolfang (Maximal)|Wolfang]] in ''Beast Wars'', but [[Tigatron]] appeared instead because he had an upcoming toy, and to save money as his CGI model was only a slight tweak of [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]'s. <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_frm/thread/9c79c4226fc6dd28/30c3cdf158ea6e52?lnk=st&q=bob+forward+beast+wars+tigatron+wolfang&rnum=1#30c3cdf158ea6e52 Ben Yee relays some info from Bob Forward in regards to Wolfang being replaced by Tigatron in the Beast Wars cartoon]</ref>
*Rather than revealing stuff about the [[Vok]] and [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], a long-running subplot, "[[Other Victories]]" spends much of its time telling us how great [[Tigerhawk]] is and how we should buy his toy.
*The [[First (and Second) in Flight|sixth issue]] of ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival|The Arrival]]'' stops following the regular cast so it can flag the awesome cool out-now-in-shops [[Safeguard (Animated)|Safeguard]] toy.
*Prominent generals in [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Titan's movieverse]] Decepticon army change frequently and without any acknowledgment as new toys jostle for (and gain) space.
*[[Dark Cybertron]] and its lead-ins were packed with ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' toys, so suddenly ''Beast Wars'' characters [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] are in G1. Things got worse in later issues when [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] and [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] needed a comic; Tankor berates Starscream for a few panels {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|Dark Cybertron 6}}, while Crosscut and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] briefly halt the plot to tell you who Crosscut ''is''. Then he vanishes. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===Limited casting===
On the opposite side of things, Hasbro doesn't want to pay to depict characters that aren't selling toys. This can force a story, particularly an animated cartoon, to have a smaller cast than it otherwise might.

[[File:Metamorphdeceps2.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|The full might of the Decepticon army.]]
*The early episodes of ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' featured only the toys available on the shelves. This resulted in two ridiculously small teams going to [[Earth]] for the all-important mission of gathering Mini-Cons, rather inexplicable in story terms.
*[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Both the Dreamwave]] and [[Transformers: Armada (Panini)|Panini comics]] suffered exactly the same problem, but it gets worse: [[First Encounter|The first ''Armada'' episode]] reused models of older Transformers as [[generic]] background guys to bump numbers up. The comics ''didn't''. So Megatron apparently conquers all of planet Cybertron with an army of three guys, whereas the city/planet defending Autobots are just five blokes.
*Dreamwave would also [[Dreamwave Armada issue 10|feature a scene on Cybertron]], where the ''only'' Autobot who seemed to exist was [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]].
*For the movie prequels, IDW got around this by deciding that [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] was going to be a [[Class Alpha drone unit|series of drones]] instead of one guy, allowing for really big battle scenes despite a then-limited number of toys. {{storylink|Transformers: Movie Prequel}} (It would later turn out there was ''also'' Dreadwing who was one guy.) Titan Magazines would borrow this, and turn other Decepticons into drone series too.
{{-}}

==Plot==
===Forced explication===
{{main|Introdump}}

Rather than simply showing up in the background, new toy/characters often overtly introduce themselves, often with a ridiculous description of their special abilities. The Marvel comic is rife with examples, but it shows up across numerous fictions.

[[File:Introdump decepticons marvelus01.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Reflector is actually here, he's just buried underneath a pile of speech bubbles.]]
*Again, [[The Transformers (issue)|''Transformers'' #1]] has two huge splash pages in which 28 characters do nothing but stand around and tell each other who they are and what they can do.
*The two-part Generation 1 cartoon episode "[[Dinobot Island, Part 1|Dinobot Island]]" features many new 1985 characters getting their own short little introductory scene, often with a characteristic bit of self-description ([[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]]: "I'd rather stay in my stunning auto mode!" [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]: "I'm ''always'' ready for action!" [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]: "Wow, like, I hope we don't destroy this place before we can study it!")
*"[[The Rebirth]]" has ''three different sequences'' in which large new groups of characters form a lineup and introduce themselves to viewers one after another. Strangely enough, much of this screen- and dialogue-time is given over to Nebulan partners; the "main" Transformer characters get no such introductions, even though they are the items kids would have to purchase to acquire the Nebulan accessories. For instance, [[Spasma]], [[Monzo]], and [[Peacemaker]] (all speaking characters) are introduced by name as part of various lineups, but their in-store hosts [[Apeface]], [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]], and [[Pointblank]] are never named (and Weirdwolf never even speaks).
*"[[Beast Wars (Part 1)]]" has the Maximals walk on one-by-one admiring their beast modes, loudly explaining their names and showing character traits. This also gives the impression they deliberately changed their names to fit these new beast modes for no apparent reason.
*Crosscut and Swerve fill in Crosscut's backstory and job during a fight. That's all Crosscut does in the issue. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===Gimmicks===
When the toys can do something special, fiction writers must often go out of their way to show the gimmick in action.

*The Headmaster gimmick got [[The Transformers: Headmasters|an entire Limited Series comic book]] devoted to it.
*The comic issue "[[Pretender to the Throne!]]" features [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] proudly creating the [[Pretender]]s, gloating that they will hide the Decepticons' identities from the Autobots "until it is too late". Not only does the plan not actually work, it's also a plot point with absolutely zero lead-in or build-up—at no point has Scorponok ever expressed concern about his troops being detected by the Autobots, and we've never even met the Pretender characters before. It was brought about solely because the new toys had to be jammed into the story. (The, uh, story of returning Optimus Prime's character to the comic book because he had [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#PMOP|a new toy]].)
*[[Rotor Force]] made their debut in "[[New Dawn]]", and both here and in subsequent ''Generation 2'' issues would primarily fight enemies not with guns like everyone else, but by firing their giant rotors at them. Page 3 of ''New Dawn'' actually shows them having to ''stop and reattach their rotors'' before they can carry on fighting.
[[File:Mistaken Identity Galvatronscourge.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|[[Johnny Yong Bosch|It's Morphin Time! MASTODON!]]]]
*''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] had six alternate modes and the cartoon really wanted you to see them, which is why [[Battle Protocol!|his first appearance]] is as ''a giant hand for no reason''. It gets sillier when he turns into Galvatron and gains four more modes. In "[[Mistaken Identity]]", he turns into his "Iron Mammoth" form when facing off against [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|a hostile Fortress Maximus]] even though he doesn't ''do'' anything in his form except stand there ''as he was already doing''.
*[[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]] and [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] are the only Autobot jets in the ''Animated'' line. (Not counting the toyless [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]].) To fully big this up, their origin story has it that there have ''never been'' any flying Autobots before, despite them having been in (and won) a long and bitter war with enemies who ''often fly''.

The [[Unicron Trilogy]], noted for its gimmicks in all three toylines, was particularly notorious in this regard:

*The quest for power-enhancing [[Mini-Con]]s practically defined the plot of the ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon, with both factions out to recruit or capture all the Mini-Cons.
*[[Powerlinx]]ing is shown again and again and again in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', despite having comparatively little relevance to most episode plotlines. In fact, due to the fact much of Energon's action was firefights, Powerlinxing seemed to be a disadvantage, since it resulted in a single larger Autobot shooting instead of two smaller ones.
*[[Cyber Key]] powerups are likewise shown repeatedly in ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]].'' In this case, while most characters had basic weapons, the Cyber Keys were necessary to unlock hidden weaponry or special techniques. So, for example, Optimus might be able to shoot at the Decepticons with a smaller firearm, but to fire his larger cannons he would need to summon his Cyber Key. Some characters, however, needed their Cyber Keys to activate what one would expect to be their main weapons (e.g. Starscream activating his Null Ray Cannon).
*All three series were also marked by lengthy transformation sequences which highlighted the gimmicks in very toy-accurate animation (and also made production cheaper, thanks to [[Stock footage|recycled footage]]).

===Strange developments===
Shoehorning loads of new characters with new powers can compel the writers to do things with the plot that, in all probability, they otherwise wouldn't.

*Marvel UK had to promote the [[Special Teams]] toys ''before'' they knew how they'd be appearing in the US reprints. To get around this, [[Simon Furman]] wrote a story arc titled "[[Second Generation!]]", where [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]], Optimus and Shockwave <s>watched an advert</s> saw a Matrix-induced vision of the Special Teams in action. These events were previewed in "The Special Teams Have Arrived", nine issues earlier, with no indication that they were part of a vision, making their place in continuity uncertain.
*In the US Marvel comics, the simultaneous introduction of the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] and [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] and the introduction of the Pretenders both saw a lot of rigamarole involved in explaining why both the Autobots and the Decepticons had new members with identical numbers/gimmicks at the same time.
*Season 3 of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] almost completely ignored the characters of the previous two seasons that were no longer on toy shelves. The 1985 Autobot cars, for example, are not seen at all. [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] and the 1985 Mini-Vehicles, by contrast, show up now and again, as their toys were still shipping. Even Starscream, who was ''dead'', managed to get a couple of Season 3 episodes all to himself; again, his toy sold through 1986.
*[[Transformers Comic-Magazine issue 2]] wrote an entire story devoted to Optimus sternly explaining which Autobots and Decepticons were on sale in [[Germany]] in 1989. The reason he had to? [[Quickmix (G1)|Quickmix]] had ''shot an Autobot''!
*The first thirteen issues of the ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' comic were focused around the Mini-Cons, with plots often revolving around their desire to be seen as equals and not be enslaved. Then without ''any'' prior set-up, the last five issues turn into a dimension-spanning battle against [[Unicron]]—who had just had a new and expensive toy.
[[File:Samprowl.jpg|100px|thumb|<s>Upgrades are bad.</s> Upgrades are GOOD. We have always been at war with <s>Eurasia</s> Eastasia.]]
*"[[A Fistful of Energon]]" has [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] learn not to use upgrades, and gives up using powerful samurai armour. But whoops, Hasbro thought "hey, we could make a toy out of that armour"! And so in [[Five Servos of Doom|a later episode]], Prowl ''regains'' it and the show hurriedly claims that the upgrade is fine ''now'' because Prowl realizes now that it's the Autobot, not the upgrade.
*The [[France|French]] decided to be good sports and start using propeller-driven nuclear bombers again, just so [[Octane (G1)|Tankor]] could be used. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11}}
*[[Ransack (ROTF)|Ransack]] has been on Earth for a while, in hiding from other Decepticons while he waits for orders from [[the Fallen]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.7|Turnabout}} Ransack is a member of a race that can scan any object and take its form as a disguise. Ransack moves around in the cunning disguise of ''a 100-year-old plane''. (At least, unlike the previous example, the oldness of the alt-mode was pointed out.)
*In Titan's ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comic, [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] go from being [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] responsibility to bugging [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] to being [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe's]] responsibility in the space of three issues, all to allow each issue to focus on a specific toy-bearing movie star. Similarly, only one or two Decepticons per issue are sent on a mission, when presumably the Fallen might want to send loads of guys to silence the twins.
{{-}}

===Awkward continuity===
[[File:Earthforce.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|This happened... er.... look just buy the toys, ok?!]]

Sometimes the requirement to feature new toys can be so strong that continuity takes a major backseat and stories are produced that feature combinations of characters that make the story very difficult to slot into the main continuity. The Marvel UK comic was especially prone to this as it could not always foresee where, when and how characters would be introduced:

*The ''[[Transformers Annual 1986]]'' contains many stories featuring toys from the 1985 release long before they were formally introduced in the regular comic, often interacting with other characters who would be out of action by then. As a result few of the stories easily fit the continuity of the weekly comic.
*The demands of Hasbro UK for the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster]]s to be featured heavily even before the US ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]]'' mini-series was available meant that both the ''[[Transformers Annual 1988]]'' and the regular strip "[[Worlds Apart!]]" contain a slightly different set of events that are at odds with the mini-series.
*The requirement to give prominence to the rereleased toys in the [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] range resulted in one the biggest continuity trainwrecks of all, [[Earthforce]]. Over two decades later fans are still uncertain where it fits in continuity, and even [[Simon Furman]] admits to being unsure.<ref>"Looking back, as I try my hardest not to do, it's very hard to tie the Earthforce stories into a specific time frame (in terms of the US continuity), because (if I'm brutally honest) I didn't try too hard to make it work in the first place. By that point, I was just trying to tell a bunch of fun UK stories that didn't necessarily impact on the larger (US) storyline. How was I to know 15 or so years later people would be trying to reconcile it all?" [http://transfans.co.uk/interviews_furman.php TransFans.net - Interviews: Simon Furman - Part 1 'The Past'].</ref>
*Germany's ''[[Transformers Comic-Magazin]]'' started in 1989 and reprinted older Marvel US and UK strips. Since, of course, these would rarely show the current toys, Comic-Magazin ran text stories from #2 that showcased ''completely different'' Transformers that were on Earth at the same time, and just happened not to be seen in the strips.
*Trapped between the need to pimp toys and the problem of not knowing what the plot of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' would be, Titan just threw up their hands and unambiguously set their lead strip in [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Alternate universe|an alternate universe]].
*Based on evidence from various sources, it's been speculated that the episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" was originally meant to star [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], who at the time had been exiled from the Decepticons and was on somewhat friendly terms with the Autobots. Instead, his role was taken over by new toy [[Octane (G1)|Octane]]. Likewise, the episode "[[The God Gambit]]" starred [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Starscream and Thrust, with Astrotrain (a new toy at the time) taking on a leadership role more akin to Megatron rather than the bus he's reduced to in almost every other episode.
{{-}}

===Power levels===
In order to make new characters seem more ''totally awesome'', they're often depicted as ultra-powerful in their initial appearances. Once they become old news, they frequently seem to lose their super-charged abilities.

*The Generation 1 cartoon introduced [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] as the ultimate threat. Once newer combiner teams came along, however, he was less of a threat, easily defeated at various times by [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] and even [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]].
[[File:Buzzsawyikes4.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Buzzsaw reminds Omega Supreme he's not a new toy any more.]]
*The Marvel comics feature [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] as nigh-invulnerable and ultimately powerful in [[Command Performances!|his debut issue]], slaughtering 2/3rds of the Decepticon forces sent to attack him. Just [[Dark Star|two years later]], he's getting his butt handed to him by the likes of [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], one of his original victims.
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] was, amazingly, something of a threat in early episodes; he holds his own against [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] in his debut. He only became significantly weaker than the other Predacons during the second season.
*In her first appearance on the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon, [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] effortlessly blasts [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] to pieces. She never displays such a level of power again.
*Similarly, [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] was presented as a huge threat when he first appeared, but just a few episodes later, he seems just slightly tougher than the average Predacon (save for a few notable occasions).
*[[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] was actually a credible threat for his first couple of episodes.
*The [[Commando (RID)|Commandos]] were far more powerful and competent than the Predacons, who were made even ''less'' powerful and competent as episodes went on. Remarkably, this was actually used in the plot, with Megatron focusing on the new toys while the Predacons became underdogs trying to get their old status back and one-up the new guys.
[[File:ArmTVTidalWave.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Before he shrank in the wash.]]
*''Any'' new toy character in the Unicron Trilogy cartoons is almost guaranteed to win the day's battle.
*[[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] was a staggering behemoth as big as the sky in his introduction, and his ability to combine with Megatron LITERALLY gave the battle advantage to the Decepticons until his equally powerful counterpart [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]] was introduced. By the time of the ''Energon'' cartoon, Tidal Wave is just this tall guy (but not as tall as he used to be) and is treated as just another Decepticon, even after he gets a body upgrade in the form of "Mirage".
*When the newly redecoed Jetfire and [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus]] combine in Dreamwave's Armada comic, they are so powerful ''they can hurt Unicron himself''.
*[[Animatron|Jungle Planet]] ruler [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]] was incredibly powerful when he was first introduced, but later on, he's getting slaps on the wrist by [[Lori]] and [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]], and schooled by [[Bud Hansen|Bud]], ultimately becoming more of a sympathetic comedic bumbler than a credible threat.
*The Decepticons in ''Animated'' started off as being so horrifically powerful that the entire Autobot team had to take on a ''single'' one. By Season 3, this no longer happens. Uniquely, this was ''deliberate'' by the writers: they wanted to show the Decepticons as supreme threats, and have the Autobots gradually being better at dealing with them.
{{-}}

===New bodies===
There's rarely a compelling reason for a Transformer to get a brand-new body in fiction; it's simply to promote a new toy. It has become a default way to keep a popular character on shelves, rather than having to kill them off and introduce a new character to keep moving toys. Sometimes fiction writers are able to work these alterations in elegantly... sometimes not.

[[File:Bumblebeeskindeep.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ratchet pulls a Kitty Pryde on Bumblebee.]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] was rebuilt into Goldbug following his near-destruction... and was later re-rebuilt back into Bumblebee to sell the [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Pretender|new Classic Pretender toy]]. The reason given in [[Skin Deep|the comic storyline]] was that [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] reverted him without his consent because Ratchet liked his old form better, something Bumblebee is strangely fine with.
*Season 2 of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' introduced the new [[Transmetal]] toys in short order, requiring some strange sci-fi waffling to explain why members of both teams suddenly got special new bodies. The writers had originally planned to introduce these changes gradually, across the length of Season 2, but Hasbro ordered them to be brought in immediately. (The slow-and-gradual notion would eventually appear during Season 3.)
*The [[Unicron Trilogy]] cartoons feature [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] getting recolored and renamed "Galvatron" ''three times''; at the start of each subsequent series, he's given a different body but called Megatron ''again'', because the name "Megatron" just sells more toys. (This also means Hasbro gets to keep the [[trademark]] "Galvatron".) The Japanese versions handled this differently (with Megatron known as Megatron throughout Armada even after his upgrade, and being known as Galvatron throughout all of Energon) due to different trademark laws. Galaxy Force (the Japanese version of Cybertron) played it straight with Master Megatron being upgraded into Master Galvatron.
*Several times during the Unicron Trilogy, characters get new paint jobs as part of some magical power-up enhancement. These new color schemes exist solely to promote redecorated toys like "[[Ironhide (Energon)|Energon Ironhide]]" or "[[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys|Powerlinx Hot Shot]]". Even the comics got in on the action, introducing the redecorated versions of Jetfire and Optimus during the Unicron arc.
*The three future members of the [[Cybertron Defense Team]] get shot up by Megatron, then transmogrify through the power of [[Burning justice|BLAZING HEART OF JUSTICE]] into new forms. These new forms, of course, were just hitting shelves at a toy store near you.
*In the course of the [[Transformers (film)|live-action movie]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] gets irritated at a slight against his alternate mode, and scans a new form. Voila, suddenly he's got ''two'' toys on the shelf!
*When [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''Transformers'' comic originally came out, there were no Generation 1-themed toys to flog, and many characters were given altered designs for the series. Then along came ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'', featuring new toys of Generation 1 characters, and suddenly multiple characters get new, toy-accurate bodies in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', for no apparent in-story reason. Later, [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] even gets a namechange to ''Silver''streak to fit his toy.
*Sometimes, IDW's comics don't even bother with a reason: you just get the latest issue and a character suddenly resembles the latest toy. This can sometimes be explained as artist interpretation, but at other times...
*[[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] was originally grey, but when he was reunited with the ''Animated'' Decepticons, he changed his colours to purple while referring to it as his proper look. Why he changed colouration to go undercover was not explained, but it may have something to do with a purple-coloured Shockwave toy being out when that episode aired.
*In ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] start out as an old ice cream truck combiner but after a disastrous mission [[NEST]] decides to upgrade them to new individual [[General Motors]] vehicles. New toys ''and'' product placement!
*[[Starscream (Armada)#Generations|''Armada'' Starscream]] is getting a new toy in 2014. There isn't an ''Armada'' comic but there is a ''Generation 1'' comic with a Starscream, which is going to be packed-in with the toy series including Armada Starscream. And lo and behold, for ''Dark Cybertron'' Starscream gets a new body!

===Character pimping===

Characters with toys may get more attention than those without:

* "[[Matrix Quest]]" has four separate teams on a mission. You could use any three Transformers in one of these teams, right? Nope, Furman has toys to promote: out go nine new Autobots and three rereleased ones.

* [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge's]] presence in all three of his first three ''Beast Wars'' episodes: one for his origin, another for him joining the Maximals after all, and then an abrupt appearance at the very end of "[[Cutting Edge]]" where he turns up and single-handedly drives off a Predacon force.

* When ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)#Japanese release|Animated]]'' was released in Japan, episodes focusing on the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicon]]s were never broadcast on television (instead being reduced to bonus content on the DVDs), as the Constructicons did not have toys. The episode order was also rearranged (and thus the internal narrative of the series, as well) so that episodes introducing new toys could air earlier than those that didn't.

* IDW's ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]'' came back in 2013 in order to promote six of the upcoming ''Generations'' toys. Even [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], a little-used character who would never have been given a ''Spotlight'' otherwise! (Initially published through Diamond and Comixology as per IDW's usual practice, these comics were subsequently packed-in with the toys they were based on, aiming to use the higher sales of the toys to boost comic sales in a "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" scenario.) Likewise, Waspinator, having a new toy out in late 2013, began making appearances and took on increased importance in the IDW universe. An upcoming [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] toy brought forth a Tankor appearance in Dark Cybertron.

===Abrupt conclusions===
[[File:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|It's the end of the road for Transformers Generation 2! That can't bode well for the toyline.]]
Just as ''Transformers'' fiction lives at Hasbro's pleasure, so too does it die. Falling sales, a change of plans, and standard [[rebranding]] can all cause a storyline to come to a sudden end when Hasbro decides to pull the plug.

*The American Generation 1 cartoon got a somewhat rushed conclusion in the form of "[[The Rebirth]]", rather than a full fourth season.
*The Generation 1 comics were nearly canceled at [[On the Edge of Extinction!|issue #75]], but granted a reprieve. The stay of execution was only temporary, however; with the Generation 1 toyline ending, the comic was terminated a mere five issues later, resulting in a rather hasty concluding plotline.
*Hasbro was only willing to support the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Generation 2'' comic]] for twelve issues, unless it proved an unqualified (perhaps phenomenal) success. Aware of this from the start, writer Simon Furman was able to plot a story arc that reached its finale as the series ended (and poked fun at it with a character whose name is a pun on "[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Gee, axe us]]".)
*The writers of the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon reportedly never had any idea if they'd be back for another season. When the axe fell with Season 3, they had only three episodes left to wrap up the whole series.
*Hasbro nearly killed off the just-begun comic series ''The Wreckers'' in 2001, wishing instead for [[3H Productions|3H]] to focus on a ''[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Universe]]'' comic advertising its current toyline.
*Even though ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' wasn't abruptly canceled, Kids WB ended the series on the cliffhanger of the episode "[[Revelation (episode)|Revelation]]", leaving millions of kids tuning in next time only to get a re-run of ''Xiaolin Showdown''. The reason? The Cybertron Defense Team toys hadn't hit stores yet.
*With ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' coming out in June, Titan had to end their alternate universe storyline in May so they could tie in early—an issue earlier than planned. The main strip handled this, with the notable exception of [[Jazz (Movie)#Titan Magazines Transformers movie comics|the Jazz plot arc]] going completely unresolved, but it played havoc with working out the IDW reprints!
{{-}}

==Death==
===Killing off old product===
[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Guess who's no longer in the Mini Vehicles case assortment?]]
[[File:Newyorkunderbase.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Publisher's clearing house.]]
[[File:BW Scorponok Terrorsaur deaths.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Scorponok, Terrorsaur, we're condemning you to a fiery death 'cause Waspinator has a bigger fan club.]]
The most obvious To Sell Toys effect comes from the temporary nature of retail sales. Even in the 1980s, toys rarely stayed on the shelves past two years; today that timespan is much smaller. Once a toy is no longer selling, Hasbro has no interest in supporting fiction about that character—especially when there's newer toys to promote. Therefore, writers are often compelled to remove characters from the story by killing them off. Sometimes this happens through carefully developed story arcs, but it's easier to do it with huge, apocalyptic battles with massive numbers of casualties.

This has become less common in recent years, as Hasbro has come to realize that their target audiences can actually get attached to certain [[character]]s, and might not enjoy seeing them die random, brutal, meaningless [[death]]s.

*In ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', numerous main characters are killed or changed in the movie's first 30 minutes, including [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. They are replaced by a slew of new characters; in fact, the poster for the movie shows ''only'' new characters.
*Numerous characters are killed in the Marvel UK comics saga "[[Time Wars]]". The Grim Reaper seemed to spare either popular characters (Megatron and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]) or newer characters ([[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]], [[Catilla (G1)|Catilla]] and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], for example.)
*The [[Underbase Saga]] features a super-powerful [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] killing literally ''dozens'' of characters; some place the count over fifty. The survivors were mostly from the [[Pretender]], [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], and [[Targetmaster]] ranks, those being the then-current toy lines. However, the explanation ([[Underbase]] power didn't affect those TFs with organic components) meant that even the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]], new toys at the time and introduced three issues before, met their end.
*The climactic [[On the Edge of Extinction!|battle with Unicron]] 25 issues later killed off many of the Underbase survivors, whose shelf run had ended.
*With its enormously expensive CGI animation, ''Beast Wars'' was particularly vulnerable to toy-based interference. The expense of creating and animating a CGI body model meant that the character roster had to remain fairly constant; the introduction of all-new characters usually required the removal of an equal number of pre-existing characters. And so, [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] and [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] die just in time for the arrival of [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] and [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]]. (Frustrated with the situation, the writers carefully planned out<ref>http://www.builtstlouis.net/tf/manic/m-botcon.html</ref> the demise of [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], anticipating that someone would have to be removed to make way for [[Rampage (BW)|newer characters]].) [[Tigerhawk]] was introduced and then killed off within three episodes, due to corporate uncertainty about whether the toy would actually be produced.
*''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' would end up killing a large number of Autobots in one issue, after their toys had been around for a while; as they'd not made an appearance in the comics until this mini, this is both an example of Huge Cast ''and'' Product Clearing. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 5}} It would then go on to bump off some Decepticons, while its sequel ''Alliance'' slaughtered ''hordes'' of Decepticons with old toys. Mowry is the new Furman... {{storylink|Transformers: Alliance}}

===Hi-and-die===
[[File:Chuffer cof.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Likely dialog: "SHEEEAAGH!!"]]
Kids don't want to buy a toy of a character who's dead. So if the plot calls for someone to die, smart money bets on the character who has a toy as the survivor. The guy without a toy, who you've never heard of before? Toast. This is the ''Transformers'' version of ''[[Star Trek]]'''s infamous [[wikipedia:redshirt syndrome|redshirt syndrome]].

*This approach was particularly common in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#UK comics|UK comics]]. Characters created specifically so they could be killed off include Wrecker leader [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]], Autobot/zombie food [[Chuffer]], Tailgate's Autobot trainee buddies/mutant fodder [[Subsea]] and [[Flattop (Autobot)|Flattop]], and the sixth member of the "Magnificent Six", [[Stampede]].
*The US comics also used this approach on occasion, as with [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s poignantly adorable buddy [[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]].
*The ''Energon'' cartoon introduced [[Padlock (Energon)|Padlock]], whose purpose was to die at [[Shockblast]]'s hands, providing motivation for toy-character [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]].
*''Animated'' chucked in [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] so Ratchet could have a tragic past where he failed to save someone. (And ''then'' she got a toy!)
*The [[Transformers Animated (Titan)|''Animated'' comic]] wants to do a story arc about an Autobot who's really a spy and then have him killed. Quick, [[Afterburn|make someone up]]!
*''[[Transformers: Exodus|Exodus]]'' invents hordes of characters solely to populate the story with casualties while preserving the classic characters: [[Chromatron]], [[Gauntlet]], [[Halogen (WFC)|Halogen]], [[Drixco]], [[Revo]], [[Catalycon]], and dozens of other unnamed Autobots, Decepticons and [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]].
*[[James Roberts]] thrives on hi-and-dies. The first 21 issues of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' are literally crammed with them: [[Polaris]], [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]], [[Shock]], [[Ore]], [[Animus]], [[Dent]], [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]], [[Boom]], [[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]], [[Crest]], [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], [[Sherma]], [[Momus]], "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]", "[[Streaker]]", [[Heavies|Hammer and Anvil]], [[Trepan]], [[Frak|Frak and his buddy]], [[Rossum]], [[Tripodeca]], [[Pivot]], [[Scattergun]], [[Blockus]], [[Datum]], [[Ramp]], [[Suture]], [[Ambulon (G1)|Ambulon]] and [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] — all minor, non-toy characters, and all either killed or revealed to be dead. Similarly, ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' introduced us to [[Squadron X]], comprising just about every Decepticon hi-and-die character from the Marvel continuity, who were then all slaughtered by Impactor.
{{-}}

===Resurrection===
Killing off a character isn't always toy-motivated; sometimes it's a dramatic plot development. But it can also be a problem if Hasbro decides to make a new toy of that character.

[[File:Inferno dies agenda2.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Only a flesh wound!]]
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] has been resurrected [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|so many times]] that it's practically a defining character trait. His original revival in the cartoon didn't correspond to any actual toy release, but the Marvel comic brought him back specifically to advertise his [[Powermaster]] form. A second death-and-revival introduced his [[Action Master]] body. And a ''third'' death-and-revival in ''Generation 2'' brought him into his [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#G2Hero|Hero]] toy form.
*The Japanese killed off Optimus (or "Convoy" as they called him) in [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''The Headmasters'']]. A few years later, they not only brought him back with a new toy, {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars}} the ''entire franchise'' for that year was called ''[[Transformers: Return of Convoy (franchise)|Return of Convoy]]''.
*Numerous "dead" characters were brought back into the Marvel comic series when their Classics and/or Action Master versions were released. Many were "deactivated" rather than outright dead; however, very few ''non'' Action Master characters showed up alongside them.
*The series writers for ''Beast Wars'' considered [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] dead and gone at the end of Season 1. Hasbro, however, had a [[Transmetal]] Optimus Primal toy to promote, and so he was returned to life in Season 2. Hasbro wanted him brought back in the first minutes of the season premiere, but the writers managed to convince them that it would be better to do so at the ''end'' of the two-episode story.
*At the end of Season 2 of ''Beast Wars'', [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] was pretty clearly shown being killed—being ''disintegrated''—but in the next season appeared to have just been bruised and cracked, because Hasbro was not ready to have a Mega-scaled toy removed from the series.
*Pretty much ''nobody'' could successfully die in the [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon]]. [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]], [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]], [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Dagger]], and [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]] all die and/or are resurrected from the dead during the course of the show.
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] still had toys out in 2008. The [[bio]] for AllSpark-Enhanced Autobot Jazz states he was brought back from near-death by the AllSpark and is "more powerful than ever". Voila, Jazz comes back from the dead thanks to the AllSpark in Titan's tie-in comic! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 16|Dark Spark}} Optimus even uses the ''term'' "Autobot Jazz" in a later issue... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 21|Hard Target}}
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] was shot in the head and abandoned on [[Gorlam Prime]] back in "[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]". Six years later, Hasbro were releasing a new Nightbeat toy and back he comes into ''Dark Cybertron'', a chatty undead from the [[Dead Universe]].
{{-}}

===Untouchables===
[[File:Armorhide drawhisfire.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Really, they could just stand there making rude noises at Starscream.]]
Obviously, if a character ''does'' have a current toy (or soon will), they're not going to die, even if the plot or common sense indicates they should. This sometimes because Hasbro itself declares a character unkillable, and so comics and TV writers must follow suit.

*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had betrayed [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] to the Maximals, ruining his greatest shot at victory. As he declared, "There will be no more betrayals!", she would pay the price: being knocked into stasis lock so the Maximals could fix her and she could stay on their team. {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}
*Megatron himself was in a prime position to be terminated, as were the Maximals later on, in "[[The Weak Component]]". Since this was only episode 6 and everyone had toys out, the cast politely agreed not to take this opportunity to end a brutal war for the planet.
*Titan's Movie strip was moved to an alternate universe, where you'd [[Rhythms of Darkness!|expect nobody to be safe from death]]. However, most of the cast had toys out, so whether it was a desperate guerrilla fight against Decepticon occupation, the rise of [[Unicron]], a [[Decepticon Civil War]], or the final battle, very few characters bought it. The big exception was [[Divebomb (Movie)|Divebomb]], dying in his first battle.
*In Last Stand of the Wreckers (mentioned earlier), James Roberts observed that Impactor was the only character who was guaranteed not be killed. However, Hasbro shot down the idea of Perceptor or Springer dying, and so most of the fatalities were less well-known characters like Pyro, Ironfist, and eternally unlucky Wreckers Twin Twist and Topspin.
*Starscream, the end.

==Notable exceptions==
There are, however, a few notable exception to the To Sell Toys effect:

===Toys not released in the relevant market===
[[File:Swoopg1marvelukfirst.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|YOU CAN'T HAVE ME.]]
Occasionally the ''Transformers'' fiction released in a particular country features characters whose toys were not released in that country. The Marvel UK comic featured two variations of this phenomenon:

*Characters inherited from the US strips. Some, such as [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] and the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], were given fairly prominent roles in the US stories reprinted in the UK comic and so it was hard to ignore them completely in the UK originated material despite their toys not being around to need advertising. However the decision to develop the Predacons (even before their US appearances were reprinted), to have entire storylines focusing on Swoop, and also to keep Shockwave in continuity even after he'd been (supposedly) killed off in the US comic goes beyond this.
*Characters not featured in the US strips. Bizarrely the UK comic also made use of some characters such as [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]], [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], [[Chop Shop]] and [[Venom (G1)|Venom]], despite their toys not being available on UK toy shelves. None of these characters were inherited from the US material.

Writer [[Simon Furman]] has since stated that when writing the stories he was generally unaware of which toys were unavailable in the UK: "We largely took our cue from what characters were being introduced into the US storyline. If there was a release schedule for the toys in the UK, we rarely saw it... But in the case of Swoop and the Predacons, I don't think I was consciously aware (at the time) that we were dealing with toys not generally available in the UK. They were just extant characters, and therefore fair game." <ref>[http://transfans.co.uk/interviews_furman.php TransFans.net - Interviews: Simon Furman - Part 1 'The Past'].</ref>

This would happen again with Titan, as foreign exclusives palled around with UK-available toys such as [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]] and [[Slap Dash]].
{{-}}

===Post-Marvel, pre-2013 G1 comics===
[[File:Infiltration 1b.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Hey, Runamuck, it's our first appearance on a comic book cover in twenty years!" "Heh heh, now if only we could appear on toy store shelves..."]]
Both [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] and [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] comics, the two recent holders of the license to publish ''Transformers'' comic books, sometimes produce comics using whichever toy line is current (e.g., Dreamwave's ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' comic or IDW's [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]] tie-ins), and sometimes publish comics using whatever characters they please (e.g., ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation]]''). The characters in their "discretionary" comics are often not currently available in toy form ([[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], a current character in IDW's G1 continuity, only had [[Hardhead (G1)#Universe (2008)|another toy]] on shelves at around 2009, a good twenty-two years since [[Hardhead (G1)#Generation 1|his last toy]]), sometimes are drawn with bodies that have ''never'' been toys (most of the ''War Within'' characters), and sometimes are toys that were never available outside of specific countries ([[Lio Convoy (BWII)|Lio Convoy]] in IDW's ''Beast Wars'').

[[Chris Ryall]], IDW Editor-in-Chief and writer of the miniseries adapting the 2007 movie to comics, had stated on IDW's forums that Hasbro does not dictate what comics IDW must make ("Nope, no dictates at all from Hasbro. We put the plan together, send to them for approval.").<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=69377</ref> By the time of ''All Hail Megatron'', however, the ''Universe'' line came out and Hasbro asked IDW to start using some of those designs. <ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=102461#102461 Guido reveals the Hasbro request]</ref> Though this practice did not influence the subsequent [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], it did raise its head again in 2013, as Hasbro and IDW began working together to create new toys based on character designs from the comics, to promote upcoming toys with New Bodies and to include the [[Dark Cybertron]] event (including various preludes) with the toys.

===New toys, same basic design===
In more recent times (mostly in the case of the [[live-action film series]]), Hasbro has used a combination of minor [[redeco]]s, [[retool]]s and sculpts based on the same basic designs to create new toys, instead of giving recurring characters a major design overhaul for the next installment. The fiction then rarely, if ever, acknowledges any of those minor design changes. According to screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]], some people at Hasbro even argued against changing the designs of some returning characters in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]'', so that parents would '''not''' have to buy the same toy twice for their children just because of a minor change or modification to the characters' designs. <ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2186879&postcount=171 Roberto Orci posting at TFW2005.com]</ref> (Hasbro still released new, or modified, toys of those characters, prompting [[completist]]s to buy them as well, and the film gave some of the characters slight tweaks in their [[alternate mode]]s, based on changes in the real-life vehicle designs, which the toys had to incorporate.)

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Toys]]

To sell toys

2014-06-04T02:53:59Z

Animegodd: /* Gimmicks */

[[File:MarvelUS-19.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Hasbro wasn't quite sure whether to advertise this expensive toy until the fans forced their hand.]]
To understand ''Transformers'' fiction, it is important to understand that it exists '''to sell toys.''' [[Hasbro]] and [[TakaraTomy]] are toy companies, and they are primarily interested in continuing to sell [[toy]]s to children and adults. The cartoons, comic books, etc., mostly exist to make this happen. To be sure, they normally [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)#Reception|make a profit in their own right]], but this is regarded as mere gravy.

The "to sell toys" effect often distorts the fiction in interesting ways. Primarily, since you can't ([[Army-building|usually]]) sell someone the same toy twice<ref>Although the toy lines from the [[live-action film series]] have given us multiple ''different'' toys of the ''same characters''.</ref>, Hasbro and Takara constantly introduce new toys, and often require the creators of the fiction to introduce the new characters into ongoing storylines. Older characters (whose toys are no longer being sold) are shoved aside to make room.

Another effect of "to sell toys" is when the toys have gimmicks which must be explained in the fiction. Sometimes ([[Mini-Con]]s) this is relatively easy, while other times it requires a lot of imagination on the part of the writers (the in-comic explanations for the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster]]s are kinda wonky).

The UK [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|movie-based ''Transformers'' comic]] took this to more blatant heights. For its first year, it had a specific four-page feature every week called ''Top Gear'', which exists solely to promote the newest Transformers merchandise. ''Any'' merchandise. This led to readers being told how great [[Optimash Prime]] was. For ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|Transformers: War for Cybertron]]'', [[Ironhide (Movie)|''Ironhide himself'']] opened letters pages by telling readers how ''awesome'' the game was and how [[you]] should buy it.

==Casting==
===Huge casts===
[[File:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|[[Pokeformers|Gotta catch 'em all!]]]]
Hasbro makes a lot of toys at once, and they generally want all of them to appear in their fiction. This can force writers to bring in vast numbers of characters all at once, sometimes with awkward results. Examples include:

*The first issue of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Generation 1 comics]], "[[The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers]]", in which ''twenty-eight'' different robots appeared and introduced themselves, even though only a handful are important to the plot.
*"[[The Special Teams Have Arrived]]", a free mini-comic given away with issue [[Rock and Roll-Out!|#54]] of the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel UK]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|comic]], notoriously introduces the reader to ''twenty-four'' new Transformers in just three pages. Granted, four of those are the [[Combiner|combined forms]] of the other twenty, but that's still a lot of new names to remember.
*The 1987 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]]'' Limited Series, which introduced over ''sixty'' characters in the course of four issues, including all the first waves of [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster]]s, all their [[Nebulan]] partners, the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], and [[Monsterbot]]s.
*The cartoon episode "[[The Rebirth]]" likewise abruptly introduced a deluge of the 1987 toyline characters, mostly the same ones seen in ''Headmasters''.
*In the first four episodes of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'', eighteen characters are introduced in quick succession.
*From #9 onwards, [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Titan's movie-based ''Transformers'']] has heavily bumped up the cast with new toys. In one example, #17 brought in nine new toys in eleven pages; only one of the five Decepticons got any real focus or dialogue.

===Random casting===
The Hasbro-induced need to show all the toys can also cause stories to suddenly focus on a new character, sometimes dropping ongoing plot threads about older ones. Examples include:

*Season 2 of the cartoon introduced many new characters/buyable toys with no explanation; despite never having been seen before, the story treats them as though they have [[Beachcomber (G1)|been there]] [[Perceptor (G1)|the whole]] [[Tracks (G1)|time]].
[[File:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|After seven issues, it's finally time for these six dudes to do something!]]
[[File:Optimusprimeg1preearthmarvel2.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Apparently, the Triggerbots didn't make much of an impression on Prime.]]
*The comic issue "[[Pretender to the Throne!]]" suddenly introduces a dozen Autobots and Decepticons that we've never met before, and follows their adventures. The story adds nothing to the long-range plot that couldn't have been accomplished by using existing characters; these teams were added to the mix to promote their new toys.
*Many issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] had cover blurbs in the form "Introducing the _______!", where the blank was whatever the latest line of toys was. The following issues specifically introduce new toys on the cover: [[Repeat Performance!|#8]], [[The Next Best Thing to Being There!|#10]], [[Brainstorm!|#11]], [[Command Performances!|#19]], [[Aerialbots over America!|#21]], [[Crater Critters|#29]], [[The Cure!|#30]], [[Pretender to the Throne!|#40]], [[People Power!|#42]], [[Ca$h and Car-nage!|#46]], [[Club Con!|#47]], and [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#60]]. Throw in a few covers where new characters were pictured but not named, and that's 1/5th of the series.
*In [[Spacehikers!|issue #36]] of the Marvel comics, when [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] decides that he needs help in dealing with [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]'s inept leadership, he doesn't turn to any of the ''dozens'' of Autobots aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], which include two combiner teams and Omega Supreme. No, he has to call in his "old buddy"/new toy, [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]].
*In the prelude to the [[Underbase Saga]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] were the lead characters in a story set before the Transformers came to [[Earth]]. But rather than palling around with the likes of Jazz or Prowl, they are instead shown alongside the newest "gimmick" characters, the [[Triggercon]]s and the [[Triggerbot]]s.
*[[Mainframe Entertainment]] planned to use [[Wolfang (Maximal)|Wolfang]] in ''Beast Wars'', but [[Tigatron]] appeared instead because he had an upcoming toy, and to save money as his CGI model was only a slight tweak of [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]'s. <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_frm/thread/9c79c4226fc6dd28/30c3cdf158ea6e52?lnk=st&q=bob+forward+beast+wars+tigatron+wolfang&rnum=1#30c3cdf158ea6e52 Ben Yee relays some info from Bob Forward in regards to Wolfang being replaced by Tigatron in the Beast Wars cartoon]</ref>
*Rather than revealing stuff about the [[Vok]] and [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], a long-running subplot, "[[Other Victories]]" spends much of its time telling us how great [[Tigerhawk]] is and how we should buy his toy.
*The [[First (and Second) in Flight|sixth issue]] of ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival|The Arrival]]'' stops following the regular cast so it can flag the awesome cool out-now-in-shops [[Safeguard (Animated)|Safeguard]] toy.
*Prominent generals in [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Titan's movieverse]] Decepticon army change frequently and without any acknowledgment as new toys jostle for (and gain) space.
*[[Dark Cybertron]] and its lead-ins were packed with ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' toys, so suddenly ''Beast Wars'' characters [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] are in G1. Things got worse in later issues when [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] and [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] needed a comic; Tankor berates Starscream for a few panels {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|Dark Cybertron 6}}, while Crosscut and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] briefly halt the plot to tell you who Crosscut ''is''. Then he vanishes. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===Limited casting===
On the opposite side of things, Hasbro doesn't want to pay to depict characters that aren't selling toys. This can force a story, particularly an animated cartoon, to have a smaller cast than it otherwise might.

[[File:Metamorphdeceps2.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|The full might of the Decepticon army.]]
*The early episodes of ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' featured only the toys available on the shelves. This resulted in two ridiculously small teams going to [[Earth]] for the all-important mission of gathering Mini-Cons, rather inexplicable in story terms.
*[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Both the Dreamwave]] and [[Transformers: Armada (Panini)|Panini comics]] suffered exactly the same problem, but it gets worse: [[First Encounter|The first ''Armada'' episode]] reused models of older Transformers as [[generic]] background guys to bump numbers up. The comics ''didn't''. So Megatron apparently conquers all of planet Cybertron with an army of three guys, whereas the city/planet defending Autobots are just five blokes.
*Dreamwave would also [[Dreamwave Armada issue 10|feature a scene on Cybertron]], where the ''only'' Autobot who seemed to exist was [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]].
*For the movie prequels, IDW got around this by deciding that [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] was going to be a [[Class Alpha drone unit|series of drones]] instead of one guy, allowing for really big battle scenes despite a then-limited number of toys. {{storylink|Transformers: Movie Prequel}} (It would later turn out there was ''also'' Dreadwing who was one guy.) Titan Magazines would borrow this, and turn other Decepticons into drone series too.
{{-}}

==Plot==
===Forced explication===
{{main|Introdump}}

Rather than simply showing up in the background, new toy/characters often overtly introduce themselves, often with a ridiculous description of their special abilities. The Marvel comic is rife with examples, but it shows up across numerous fictions.

[[File:Introdump decepticons marvelus01.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Reflector is actually here, he's just buried underneath a pile of speech bubbles.]]
*Again, [[The Transformers (issue)|''Transformers'' #1]] has two huge splash pages in which 28 characters do nothing but stand around and tell each other who they are and what they can do.
*The two-part Generation 1 cartoon episode "[[Dinobot Island, Part 1|Dinobot Island]]" features many new 1985 characters getting their own short little introductory scene, often with a characteristic bit of self-description ([[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]]: "I'd rather stay in my stunning auto mode!" [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]: "I'm ''always'' ready for action!" [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]: "Wow, like, I hope we don't destroy this place before we can study it!")
*"[[The Rebirth]]" has ''three different sequences'' in which large new groups of characters form a lineup and introduce themselves to viewers one after another. Strangely enough, much of this screen- and dialogue-time is given over to Nebulan partners; the "main" Transformer characters get no such introductions, even though they are the items kids would have to purchase to acquire the Nebulan accessories. For instance, [[Spasma]], [[Monzo]], and [[Peacemaker]] (all speaking characters) are introduced by name as part of various lineups, but their in-store hosts [[Apeface]], [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]], and [[Pointblank]] are never named (and Weirdwolf never even speaks).
*"[[Beast Wars (Part 1)]]" has the Maximals walk on one-by-one admiring their beast modes, loudly explaining their names and showing character traits. This also gives the impression they deliberately changed their names to fit these new beast modes for no apparent reason.
*Crosscut and Swerve fill in Crosscut's backstory and job during a fight. That's all Crosscut does in the issue. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===Gimmicks===
When the toys can do something special, fiction writers must often go out of their way to show the gimmick in action.

*The Headmaster gimmick got [[The Transformers: Headmasters|an entire Limited Series comic book]] devoted to it.
*The comic issue "[[Pretender to the Throne!]]" features [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] proudly creating the [[Pretender]]s, gloating that they will hide the Decepticons' identities from the Autobots "until it is too late". Not only does the plan not actually work, it's also a plot point with absolutely zero lead-in or build-up—at no point has Scorponok ever expressed concern about his troops being detected by the Autobots, and we've never even met the Pretender characters before. It was brought about solely because the new toys had to be jammed into the story. (The, uh, story of returning Optimus Prime's character to the comic book because he had [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#PMOP|a new toy]].)
*[[Rotor Force]] made their debut in "[[New Dawn]]", and both here and in subsequent ''Generation 2'' issues would primarily fight enemies not with guns like everyone else, but by firing their giant rotors at them. Page 3 of ''New Dawn'' actually shows them having to ''stop and reattach their rotors'' before they can carry on fighting.
[[File:Mistaken Identity Galvatronscourge.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|[[Johnny Yong Bosch|It's Morphin Time! MASTODON!]]]]
*''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] had six alternate modes and the cartoon really wanted you to see them, which is why [[Battle Protocol!|his first appearance]] is as ''a giant hand for no reason''. It gets sillier when he turns into Galvatron and gains four more modes. In "[[Mistaken Identity]]", he turns into his "Iron Mammoth" form when facing off against [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|a hostile Fortress Maximus]] even though he doesn't ''do'' anything in his form except stand there ''as he was already doing''.
*[[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]] and [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] are the only Autobot jets in the ''Animated'' line. (Not counting the toyless [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]].) To fully big this up, their origin story has it that there have ''never been'' any flying Autobots before, despite them having been in (and won) a long and bitter war with enemies who ''often fly''.

The [[Unicron Trilogy]], noted for its gimmicks in all three toylines, was particularly notorious in this regard:

*The quest for power-enhancing [[Mini-Con]]s practically defined the plot of the ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon, with both factions out to recruit or capture all the Mini-Cons.
*[[Powerlinx]]ing is shown again and again and again in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', despite having comparatively little relevance to most episode plotlines. In fact, due to the fact much of Energon's action was firefights, Powerlinxing seemed to be a disadvantage, since it resulted in a single larger Autobot shooting instead of two smaller ones.
*[[Cyber Key]] powerups are likewise shown repeatedly in ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]].'' In this case, while most characters had basic weapons, the Cyber Keys were necessary to unlock hidden weaponry or special techniques. So, for example, Optimus might be able to shoot at the Decepticons with a smaller firearm, but to fire his larger cannons he would need to summon his Cyber Key. Some characters, however, needed their Cyber Keys to activate what one would expect to be their main weapons (e.g. Starscream activating his Null Ray Cannon).
*All three series were also marked by lengthy transformation sequences which highlighted the gimmicks in very toy-accurate animation (and also made production cheaper, thanks to [[Stock footage|recycled footage]]).

===Strange developments===
Shoehorning loads of new characters with new powers can compel the writers to do things with the plot that, in all probability, they otherwise wouldn't.

*Marvel UK had to promote the [[Special Teams]] toys ''before'' they knew how they'd be appearing in the US reprints. To get around this, [[Simon Furman]] wrote a story arc titled "[[Second Generation!]]", where [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]], Optimus and Shockwave <s>watched an advert</s> saw a Matrix-induced vision of the Special Teams in action. These events were previewed in "The Special Teams Have Arrived", nine issues earlier, with no indication that they were part of a vision, making their place in continuity uncertain.
*In the US Marvel comics, the simultaneous introduction of the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] and [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] and the introduction of the Pretenders both saw a lot of rigamarole involved in explaining why both the Autobots and the Decepticons had new members with identical numbers/gimmicks at the same time.
*Season 3 of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] almost completely ignored the characters of the previous two seasons that were no longer on toy shelves. The 1985 Autobot cars, for example, are not seen at all. [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] and the 1985 Mini-Vehicles, by contrast, show up now and again, as their toys were still shipping. Even Starscream, who was ''dead'', managed to get a couple of Season 3 episodes all to himself; again, his toy sold through 1986.
*[[Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 2]] wrote an entire story devoted to Optimus sternly explaining which Autobots and Decepticons were on sale in [[Germany]] in 1989. The reason he had to? [[Quickmix (G1)|Quickmix]] had ''shot an Autobot''!
*The first thirteen issues of the ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' comic were focused around the Mini-Cons, with plots often revolving around their desire to be seen as equals and not be enslaved. Then without ''any'' prior set-up, the last five issues turn into a dimension-spanning battle against [[Unicron]]—who had just had a new and expensive toy.
[[File:Samprowl.jpg|100px|thumb|<s>Upgrades are bad.</s> Upgrades are GOOD. We have always been at war with <s>Eurasia</s> Eastasia.]]
*"[[A Fistful of Energon]]" has [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] learn not to use upgrades, and gives up using powerful samurai armour. But whoops, Hasbro thought "hey, we could make a toy out of that armour"! And so in [[Five Servos of Doom|a later episode]], Prowl ''regains'' it and the show hurriedly claims that the upgrade is fine ''now'' because Prowl realizes now that it's the Autobot, not the upgrade.
*The [[France|French]] decided to be good sports and start using propeller-driven nuclear bombers again, just so [[Octane (G1)|Tankor]] could be used. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11}}
*[[Ransack (ROTF)|Ransack]] has been on Earth for a while, in hiding from other Decepticons while he waits for orders from [[the Fallen]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.7|Turnabout}} Ransack is a member of a race that can scan any object and take its form as a disguise. Ransack moves around in the cunning disguise of ''a 100-year-old plane''. (At least, unlike the previous example, the oldness of the alt-mode was pointed out.)
*In Titan's ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comic, [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] go from being [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] responsibility to bugging [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] to being [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe's]] responsibility in the space of three issues, all to allow each issue to focus on a specific toy-bearing movie star. Similarly, only one or two Decepticons per issue are sent on a mission, when presumably the Fallen might want to send loads of guys to silence the twins.
{{-}}

===Awkward continuity===
[[File:Earthforce.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|This happened... er.... look just buy the toys, ok?!]]

Sometimes the requirement to feature new toys can be so strong that continuity takes a major backseat and stories are produced that feature combinations of characters that make the story very difficult to slot into the main continuity. The Marvel UK comic was especially prone to this as it could not always foresee where, when and how characters would be introduced:

*The ''[[Transformers Annual 1986]]'' contains many stories featuring toys from the 1985 release long before they were formally introduced in the regular comic, often interacting with other characters who would be out of action by then. As a result few of the stories easily fit the continuity of the weekly comic.
*The demands of Hasbro UK for the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster]]s to be featured heavily even before the US ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]]'' mini-series was available meant that both the ''[[Transformers Annual 1988]]'' and the regular strip "[[Worlds Apart!]]" contain a slightly different set of events that are at odds with the mini-series.
*The requirement to give prominence to the rereleased toys in the [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] range resulted in one the biggest continuity trainwrecks of all, [[Earthforce]]. Over two decades later fans are still uncertain where it fits in continuity, and even [[Simon Furman]] admits to being unsure.<ref>"Looking back, as I try my hardest not to do, it's very hard to tie the Earthforce stories into a specific time frame (in terms of the US continuity), because (if I'm brutally honest) I didn't try too hard to make it work in the first place. By that point, I was just trying to tell a bunch of fun UK stories that didn't necessarily impact on the larger (US) storyline. How was I to know 15 or so years later people would be trying to reconcile it all?" [http://transfans.co.uk/interviews_furman.php TransFans.net - Interviews: Simon Furman - Part 1 'The Past'].</ref>
*Germany's ''[[Transformers Comic-Magazin]]'' started in 1989 and reprinted older Marvel US and UK strips. Since, of course, these would rarely show the current toys, Comic-Magazin ran text stories from #2 that showcased ''completely different'' Transformers that were on Earth at the same time, and just happened not to be seen in the strips.
*Trapped between the need to pimp toys and the problem of not knowing what the plot of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' would be, Titan just threw up their hands and unambiguously set their lead strip in [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Alternate universe|an alternate universe]].
*Based on evidence from various sources, it's been speculated that the episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" was originally meant to star [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], who at the time had been exiled from the Decepticons and was on somewhat friendly terms with the Autobots. Instead, his role was taken over by new toy [[Octane (G1)|Octane]]. Likewise, the episode "[[The God Gambit]]" starred [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Starscream and Thrust, with Astrotrain (a new toy at the time) taking on a leadership role more akin to Megatron rather than the bus he's reduced to in almost every other episode.
{{-}}

===Power levels===
In order to make new characters seem more ''totally awesome'', they're often depicted as ultra-powerful in their initial appearances. Once they become old news, they frequently seem to lose their super-charged abilities.

*The Generation 1 cartoon introduced [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] as the ultimate threat. Once newer combiner teams came along, however, he was less of a threat, easily defeated at various times by [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] and even [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]].
[[File:Buzzsawyikes4.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Buzzsaw reminds Omega Supreme he's not a new toy any more.]]
*The Marvel comics feature [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] as nigh-invulnerable and ultimately powerful in [[Command Performances!|his debut issue]], slaughtering 2/3rds of the Decepticon forces sent to attack him. Just [[Dark Star|two years later]], he's getting his butt handed to him by the likes of [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], one of his original victims.
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] was, amazingly, something of a threat in early episodes; he holds his own against [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] in his debut. He only became significantly weaker than the other Predacons during the second season.
*In her first appearance on the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon, [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] effortlessly blasts [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] to pieces. She never displays such a level of power again.
*Similarly, [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] was presented as a huge threat when he first appeared, but just a few episodes later, he seems just slightly tougher than the average Predacon (save for a few notable occasions).
*[[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] was actually a credible threat for his first couple of episodes.
*The [[Commando (RID)|Commandos]] were far more powerful and competent than the Predacons, who were made even ''less'' powerful and competent as episodes went on. Remarkably, this was actually used in the plot, with Megatron focusing on the new toys while the Predacons became underdogs trying to get their old status back and one-up the new guys.
[[File:ArmTVTidalWave.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Before he shrank in the wash.]]
*''Any'' new toy character in the Unicron Trilogy cartoons is almost guaranteed to win the day's battle.
*[[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] was a staggering behemoth as big as the sky in his introduction, and his ability to combine with Megatron LITERALLY gave the battle advantage to the Decepticons until his equally powerful counterpart [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]] was introduced. By the time of the ''Energon'' cartoon, Tidal Wave is just this tall guy (but not as tall as he used to be) and is treated as just another Decepticon, even after he gets a body upgrade in the form of "Mirage".
*When the newly redecoed Jetfire and [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus]] combine in Dreamwave's Armada comic, they are so powerful ''they can hurt Unicron himself''.
*[[Animatron|Jungle Planet]] ruler [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]] was incredibly powerful when he was first introduced, but later on, he's getting slaps on the wrist by [[Lori]] and [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]], and schooled by [[Bud Hansen|Bud]], ultimately becoming more of a sympathetic comedic bumbler than a credible threat.
*The Decepticons in ''Animated'' started off as being so horrifically powerful that the entire Autobot team had to take on a ''single'' one. By Season 3, this no longer happens. Uniquely, this was ''deliberate'' by the writers: they wanted to show the Decepticons as supreme threats, and have the Autobots gradually being better at dealing with them.
{{-}}

===New bodies===
There's rarely a compelling reason for a Transformer to get a brand-new body in fiction; it's simply to promote a new toy. It has become a default way to keep a popular character on shelves, rather than having to kill them off and introduce a new character to keep moving toys. Sometimes fiction writers are able to work these alterations in elegantly... sometimes not.

[[File:Bumblebeeskindeep.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ratchet pulls a Kitty Pryde on Bumblebee.]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] was rebuilt into Goldbug following his near-destruction... and was later re-rebuilt back into Bumblebee to sell the [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Pretender|new Classic Pretender toy]]. The reason given in [[Skin Deep|the comic storyline]] was that [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] reverted him without his consent because Ratchet liked his old form better, something Bumblebee is strangely fine with.
*Season 2 of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' introduced the new [[Transmetal]] toys in short order, requiring some strange sci-fi waffling to explain why members of both teams suddenly got special new bodies. The writers had originally planned to introduce these changes gradually, across the length of Season 2, but Hasbro ordered them to be brought in immediately. (The slow-and-gradual notion would eventually appear during Season 3.)
*The [[Unicron Trilogy]] cartoons feature [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] getting recolored and renamed "Galvatron" ''three times''; at the start of each subsequent series, he's given a different body but called Megatron ''again'', because the name "Megatron" just sells more toys. (This also means Hasbro gets to keep the [[trademark]] "Galvatron".) The Japanese versions handled this differently (with Megatron known as Megatron throughout Armada even after his upgrade, and being known as Galvatron throughout all of Energon) due to different trademark laws. Galaxy Force (the Japanese version of Cybertron) played it straight with Master Megatron being upgraded into Master Galvatron.
*Several times during the Unicron Trilogy, characters get new paint jobs as part of some magical power-up enhancement. These new color schemes exist solely to promote redecorated toys like "[[Ironhide (Energon)|Energon Ironhide]]" or "[[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys|Powerlinx Hot Shot]]". Even the comics got in on the action, introducing the redecorated versions of Jetfire and Optimus during the Unicron arc.
*The three future members of the [[Cybertron Defense Team]] get shot up by Megatron, then transmogrify through the power of [[Burning justice|BLAZING HEART OF JUSTICE]] into new forms. These new forms, of course, were just hitting shelves at a toy store near you.
*In the course of the [[Transformers (film)|live-action movie]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] gets irritated at a slight against his alternate mode, and scans a new form. Voila, suddenly he's got ''two'' toys on the shelf!
*When [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''Transformers'' comic originally came out, there were no Generation 1-themed toys to flog, and many characters were given altered designs for the series. Then along came ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'', featuring new toys of Generation 1 characters, and suddenly multiple characters get new, toy-accurate bodies in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', for no apparent in-story reason. Later, [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] even gets a namechange to ''Silver''streak to fit his toy.
*Sometimes, IDW's comics don't even bother with a reason: you just get the latest issue and a character suddenly resembles the latest toy. This can sometimes be explained as artist interpretation, but at other times...
*[[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] was originally grey, but when he was reunited with the ''Animated'' Decepticons, he changed his colours to purple while referring to it as his proper look. Why he changed colouration to go undercover was not explained, but it may have something to do with a purple-coloured Shockwave toy being out when that episode aired.
*In ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] start out as an old ice cream truck combiner but after a disastrous mission [[NEST]] decides to upgrade them to new individual [[General Motors]] vehicles. New toys ''and'' product placement!
*[[Starscream (Armada)#Generations|''Armada'' Starscream]] is getting a new toy in 2014. There isn't an ''Armada'' comic but there is a ''Generation 1'' comic with a Starscream, which is going to be packed-in with the toy series including Armada Starscream. And lo and behold, for ''Dark Cybertron'' Starscream gets a new body!

===Character pimping===

Characters with toys may get more attention than those without:

* "[[Matrix Quest]]" has four separate teams on a mission. You could use any three Transformers in one of these teams, right? Nope, Furman has toys to promote: out go nine new Autobots and three rereleased ones.

* [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge's]] presence in all three of his first three ''Beast Wars'' episodes: one for his origin, another for him joining the Maximals after all, and then an abrupt appearance at the very end of "[[Cutting Edge]]" where he turns up and single-handedly drives off a Predacon force.

* When ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)#Japanese release|Animated]]'' was released in Japan, episodes focusing on the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicon]]s were never broadcast on television (instead being reduced to bonus content on the DVDs), as the Constructicons did not have toys. The episode order was also rearranged (and thus the internal narrative of the series, as well) so that episodes introducing new toys could air earlier than those that didn't.

* IDW's ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]'' came back in 2013 in order to promote six of the upcoming ''Generations'' toys. Even [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], a little-used character who would never have been given a ''Spotlight'' otherwise! (Initially published through Diamond and Comixology as per IDW's usual practice, these comics were subsequently packed-in with the toys they were based on, aiming to use the higher sales of the toys to boost comic sales in a "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" scenario.) Likewise, Waspinator, having a new toy out in late 2013, began making appearances and took on increased importance in the IDW universe. An upcoming [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] toy brought forth a Tankor appearance in Dark Cybertron.

===Abrupt conclusions===
[[File:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|It's the end of the road for Transformers Generation 2! That can't bode well for the toyline.]]
Just as ''Transformers'' fiction lives at Hasbro's pleasure, so too does it die. Falling sales, a change of plans, and standard [[rebranding]] can all cause a storyline to come to a sudden end when Hasbro decides to pull the plug.

*The American Generation 1 cartoon got a somewhat rushed conclusion in the form of "[[The Rebirth]]", rather than a full fourth season.
*The Generation 1 comics were nearly canceled at [[On the Edge of Extinction!|issue #75]], but granted a reprieve. The stay of execution was only temporary, however; with the Generation 1 toyline ending, the comic was terminated a mere five issues later, resulting in a rather hasty concluding plotline.
*Hasbro was only willing to support the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Generation 2'' comic]] for twelve issues, unless it proved an unqualified (perhaps phenomenal) success. Aware of this from the start, writer Simon Furman was able to plot a story arc that reached its finale as the series ended (and poked fun at it with a character whose name is a pun on "[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Gee, axe us]]".)
*The writers of the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon reportedly never had any idea if they'd be back for another season. When the axe fell with Season 3, they had only three episodes left to wrap up the whole series.
*Hasbro nearly killed off the just-begun comic series ''The Wreckers'' in 2001, wishing instead for [[3H Productions|3H]] to focus on a ''[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Universe]]'' comic advertising its current toyline.
*Even though ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' wasn't abruptly canceled, Kids WB ended the series on the cliffhanger of the episode "[[Revelation (episode)|Revelation]]", leaving millions of kids tuning in next time only to get a re-run of ''Xiaolin Showdown''. The reason? The Cybertron Defense Team toys hadn't hit stores yet.
*With ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' coming out in June, Titan had to end their alternate universe storyline in May so they could tie in early—an issue earlier than planned. The main strip handled this, with the notable exception of [[Jazz (Movie)#Titan Magazines Transformers movie comics|the Jazz plot arc]] going completely unresolved, but it played havoc with working out the IDW reprints!
{{-}}

==Death==
===Killing off old product===
[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Guess who's no longer in the Mini Vehicles case assortment?]]
[[File:Newyorkunderbase.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Publisher's clearing house.]]
[[File:BW Scorponok Terrorsaur deaths.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Scorponok, Terrorsaur, we're condemning you to a fiery death 'cause Waspinator has a bigger fan club.]]
The most obvious To Sell Toys effect comes from the temporary nature of retail sales. Even in the 1980s, toys rarely stayed on the shelves past two years; today that timespan is much smaller. Once a toy is no longer selling, Hasbro has no interest in supporting fiction about that character—especially when there's newer toys to promote. Therefore, writers are often compelled to remove characters from the story by killing them off. Sometimes this happens through carefully developed story arcs, but it's easier to do it with huge, apocalyptic battles with massive numbers of casualties.

This has become less common in recent years, as Hasbro has come to realize that their target audiences can actually get attached to certain [[character]]s, and might not enjoy seeing them die random, brutal, meaningless [[death]]s.

*In ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', numerous main characters are killed or changed in the movie's first 30 minutes, including [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. They are replaced by a slew of new characters; in fact, the poster for the movie shows ''only'' new characters.
*Numerous characters are killed in the Marvel UK comics saga "[[Time Wars]]". The Grim Reaper seemed to spare either popular characters (Megatron and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]) or newer characters ([[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]], [[Catilla (G1)|Catilla]] and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], for example.)
*The [[Underbase Saga]] features a super-powerful [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] killing literally ''dozens'' of characters; some place the count over fifty. The survivors were mostly from the [[Pretender]], [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], and [[Targetmaster]] ranks, those being the then-current toy lines. However, the explanation ([[Underbase]] power didn't affect those TFs with organic components) meant that even the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]], new toys at the time and introduced three issues before, met their end.
*The climactic [[On the Edge of Extinction!|battle with Unicron]] 25 issues later killed off many of the Underbase survivors, whose shelf run had ended.
*With its enormously expensive CGI animation, ''Beast Wars'' was particularly vulnerable to toy-based interference. The expense of creating and animating a CGI body model meant that the character roster had to remain fairly constant; the introduction of all-new characters usually required the removal of an equal number of pre-existing characters. And so, [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] and [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] die just in time for the arrival of [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] and [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]]. (Frustrated with the situation, the writers carefully planned out<ref>http://www.builtstlouis.net/tf/manic/m-botcon.html</ref> the demise of [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], anticipating that someone would have to be removed to make way for [[Rampage (BW)|newer characters]].) [[Tigerhawk]] was introduced and then killed off within three episodes, due to corporate uncertainty about whether the toy would actually be produced.
*''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' would end up killing a large number of Autobots in one issue, after their toys had been around for a while; as they'd not made an appearance in the comics until this mini, this is both an example of Huge Cast ''and'' Product Clearing. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 5}} It would then go on to bump off some Decepticons, while its sequel ''Alliance'' slaughtered ''hordes'' of Decepticons with old toys. Mowry is the new Furman... {{storylink|Transformers: Alliance}}

===Hi-and-die===
[[File:Chuffer cof.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Likely dialog: "SHEEEAAGH!!"]]
Kids don't want to buy a toy of a character who's dead. So if the plot calls for someone to die, smart money bets on the character who has a toy as the survivor. The guy without a toy, who you've never heard of before? Toast. This is the ''Transformers'' version of ''[[Star Trek]]'''s infamous [[wikipedia:redshirt syndrome|redshirt syndrome]].

*This approach was particularly common in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#UK comics|UK comics]]. Characters created specifically so they could be killed off include Wrecker leader [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]], Autobot/zombie food [[Chuffer]], Tailgate's Autobot trainee buddies/mutant fodder [[Subsea]] and [[Flattop (Autobot)|Flattop]], and the sixth member of the "Magnificent Six", [[Stampede]].
*The US comics also used this approach on occasion, as with [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s poignantly adorable buddy [[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]].
*The ''Energon'' cartoon introduced [[Padlock (Energon)|Padlock]], whose purpose was to die at [[Shockblast]]'s hands, providing motivation for toy-character [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]].
*''Animated'' chucked in [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] so Ratchet could have a tragic past where he failed to save someone. (And ''then'' she got a toy!)
*The [[Transformers Animated (Titan)|''Animated'' comic]] wants to do a story arc about an Autobot who's really a spy and then have him killed. Quick, [[Afterburn|make someone up]]!
*''[[Transformers: Exodus|Exodus]]'' invents hordes of characters solely to populate the story with casualties while preserving the classic characters: [[Chromatron]], [[Gauntlet]], [[Halogen (WFC)|Halogen]], [[Drixco]], [[Revo]], [[Catalycon]], and dozens of other unnamed Autobots, Decepticons and [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]].
*[[James Roberts]] thrives on hi-and-dies. The first 21 issues of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' are literally crammed with them: [[Polaris]], [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]], [[Shock]], [[Ore]], [[Animus]], [[Dent]], [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]], [[Boom]], [[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]], [[Crest]], [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], [[Sherma]], [[Momus]], "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]", "[[Streaker]]", [[Heavies|Hammer and Anvil]], [[Trepan]], [[Frak|Frak and his buddy]], [[Rossum]], [[Tripodeca]], [[Pivot]], [[Scattergun]], [[Blockus]], [[Datum]], [[Ramp]], [[Suture]], [[Ambulon (G1)|Ambulon]] and [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] — all minor, non-toy characters, and all either killed or revealed to be dead. Similarly, ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' introduced us to [[Squadron X]], comprising just about every Decepticon hi-and-die character from the Marvel continuity, who were then all slaughtered by Impactor.
{{-}}

===Resurrection===
Killing off a character isn't always toy-motivated; sometimes it's a dramatic plot development. But it can also be a problem if Hasbro decides to make a new toy of that character.

[[File:Inferno dies agenda2.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Only a flesh wound!]]
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] has been resurrected [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|so many times]] that it's practically a defining character trait. His original revival in the cartoon didn't correspond to any actual toy release, but the Marvel comic brought him back specifically to advertise his [[Powermaster]] form. A second death-and-revival introduced his [[Action Master]] body. And a ''third'' death-and-revival in ''Generation 2'' brought him into his [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#G2Hero|Hero]] toy form.
*The Japanese killed off Optimus (or "Convoy" as they called him) in [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''The Headmasters'']]. A few years later, they not only brought him back with a new toy, {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars}} the ''entire franchise'' for that year was called ''[[Transformers: Return of Convoy (franchise)|Return of Convoy]]''.
*Numerous "dead" characters were brought back into the Marvel comic series when their Classics and/or Action Master versions were released. Many were "deactivated" rather than outright dead; however, very few ''non'' Action Master characters showed up alongside them.
*The series writers for ''Beast Wars'' considered [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] dead and gone at the end of Season 1. Hasbro, however, had a [[Transmetal]] Optimus Primal toy to promote, and so he was returned to life in Season 2. Hasbro wanted him brought back in the first minutes of the season premiere, but the writers managed to convince them that it would be better to do so at the ''end'' of the two-episode story.
*At the end of Season 2 of ''Beast Wars'', [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] was pretty clearly shown being killed—being ''disintegrated''—but in the next season appeared to have just been bruised and cracked, because Hasbro was not ready to have a Mega-scaled toy removed from the series.
*Pretty much ''nobody'' could successfully die in the [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon]]. [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]], [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]], [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Dagger]], and [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]] all die and/or are resurrected from the dead during the course of the show.
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] still had toys out in 2008. The [[bio]] for AllSpark-Enhanced Autobot Jazz states he was brought back from near-death by the AllSpark and is "more powerful than ever". Voila, Jazz comes back from the dead thanks to the AllSpark in Titan's tie-in comic! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 16|Dark Spark}} Optimus even uses the ''term'' "Autobot Jazz" in a later issue... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 21|Hard Target}}
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] was shot in the head and abandoned on [[Gorlam Prime]] back in "[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]". Six years later, Hasbro were releasing a new Nightbeat toy and back he comes into ''Dark Cybertron'', a chatty undead from the [[Dead Universe]].
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===Untouchables===
[[File:Armorhide drawhisfire.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Really, they could just stand there making rude noises at Starscream.]]
Obviously, if a character ''does'' have a current toy (or soon will), they're not going to die, even if the plot or common sense indicates they should. This sometimes because Hasbro itself declares a character unkillable, and so comics and TV writers must follow suit.

*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had betrayed [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] to the Maximals, ruining his greatest shot at victory. As he declared, "There will be no more betrayals!", she would pay the price: being knocked into stasis lock so the Maximals could fix her and she could stay on their team. {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}
*Megatron himself was in a prime position to be terminated, as were the Maximals later on, in "[[The Weak Component]]". Since this was only episode 6 and everyone had toys out, the cast politely agreed not to take this opportunity to end a brutal war for the planet.
*Titan's Movie strip was moved to an alternate universe, where you'd [[Rhythms of Darkness!|expect nobody to be safe from death]]. However, most of the cast had toys out, so whether it was a desperate guerrilla fight against Decepticon occupation, the rise of [[Unicron]], a [[Decepticon Civil War]], or the final battle, very few characters bought it. The big exception was [[Divebomb (Movie)|Divebomb]], dying in his first battle.
*In Last Stand of the Wreckers (mentioned earlier), James Roberts observed that Impactor was the only character who was guaranteed not be killed. However, Hasbro shot down the idea of Perceptor or Springer dying, and so most of the fatalities were less well-known characters like Pyro, Ironfist, and eternally unlucky Wreckers Twin Twist and Topspin.
*Starscream, the end.

==Notable exceptions==
There are, however, a few notable exception to the To Sell Toys effect:

===Toys not released in the relevant market===
[[File:Swoopg1marvelukfirst.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|YOU CAN'T HAVE ME.]]
Occasionally the ''Transformers'' fiction released in a particular country features characters whose toys were not released in that country. The Marvel UK comic featured two variations of this phenomenon:

*Characters inherited from the US strips. Some, such as [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] and the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], were given fairly prominent roles in the US stories reprinted in the UK comic and so it was hard to ignore them completely in the UK originated material despite their toys not being around to need advertising. However the decision to develop the Predacons (even before their US appearances were reprinted), to have entire storylines focusing on Swoop, and also to keep Shockwave in continuity even after he'd been (supposedly) killed off in the US comic goes beyond this.
*Characters not featured in the US strips. Bizarrely the UK comic also made use of some characters such as [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]], [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], [[Chop Shop]] and [[Venom (G1)|Venom]], despite their toys not being available on UK toy shelves. None of these characters were inherited from the US material.

Writer [[Simon Furman]] has since stated that when writing the stories he was generally unaware of which toys were unavailable in the UK: "We largely took our cue from what characters were being introduced into the US storyline. If there was a release schedule for the toys in the UK, we rarely saw it... But in the case of Swoop and the Predacons, I don't think I was consciously aware (at the time) that we were dealing with toys not generally available in the UK. They were just extant characters, and therefore fair game." <ref>[http://transfans.co.uk/interviews_furman.php TransFans.net - Interviews: Simon Furman - Part 1 'The Past'].</ref>

This would happen again with Titan, as foreign exclusives palled around with UK-available toys such as [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]] and [[Slap Dash]].
{{-}}

===Post-Marvel, pre-2013 G1 comics===
[[File:Infiltration 1b.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Hey, Runamuck, it's our first appearance on a comic book cover in twenty years!" "Heh heh, now if only we could appear on toy store shelves..."]]
Both [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] and [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] comics, the two recent holders of the license to publish ''Transformers'' comic books, sometimes produce comics using whichever toy line is current (e.g., Dreamwave's ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' comic or IDW's [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]] tie-ins), and sometimes publish comics using whatever characters they please (e.g., ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation]]''). The characters in their "discretionary" comics are often not currently available in toy form ([[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], a current character in IDW's G1 continuity, only had [[Hardhead (G1)#Universe (2008)|another toy]] on shelves at around 2009, a good twenty-two years since [[Hardhead (G1)#Generation 1|his last toy]]), sometimes are drawn with bodies that have ''never'' been toys (most of the ''War Within'' characters), and sometimes are toys that were never available outside of specific countries ([[Lio Convoy (BWII)|Lio Convoy]] in IDW's ''Beast Wars'').

[[Chris Ryall]], IDW Editor-in-Chief and writer of the miniseries adapting the 2007 movie to comics, had stated on IDW's forums that Hasbro does not dictate what comics IDW must make ("Nope, no dictates at all from Hasbro. We put the plan together, send to them for approval.").<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=69377</ref> By the time of ''All Hail Megatron'', however, the ''Universe'' line came out and Hasbro asked IDW to start using some of those designs. <ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=102461#102461 Guido reveals the Hasbro request]</ref> Though this practice did not influence the subsequent [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], it did raise its head again in 2013, as Hasbro and IDW began working together to create new toys based on character designs from the comics, to promote upcoming toys with New Bodies and to include the [[Dark Cybertron]] event (including various preludes) with the toys.

===New toys, same basic design===
In more recent times (mostly in the case of the [[live-action film series]]), Hasbro has used a combination of minor [[redeco]]s, [[retool]]s and sculpts based on the same basic designs to create new toys, instead of giving recurring characters a major design overhaul for the next installment. The fiction then rarely, if ever, acknowledges any of those minor design changes. According to screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]], some people at Hasbro even argued against changing the designs of some returning characters in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]'', so that parents would '''not''' have to buy the same toy twice for their children just because of a minor change or modification to the characters' designs. <ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2186879&postcount=171 Roberto Orci posting at TFW2005.com]</ref> (Hasbro still released new, or modified, toys of those characters, prompting [[completist]]s to buy them as well, and the film gave some of the characters slight tweaks in their [[alternate mode]]s, based on changes in the real-life vehicle designs, which the toys had to incorporate.)

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Toys]]

Invasion: Epilogue

2014-06-04T02:27:17Z

Animegodd: /* Synopsis */

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: TransTech|TransTech]]''
|prev=Invasion Prologue
|next=Timeless
|seriesissue2=''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (fiction)|Shattered Glass]]''
|prev2=Invasion (issue)
|next2=Solar Requiem
|seriesissue3=''[[Transformers: Classics#Fiction|Transformers: Classics]]''
|prev3=Invasion (issue)
|next3=Solar Requiem
|image=
|caption=
|title="Invasion: Epilogue"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|date=[[September 5]], [[2012]] (online) 
Early December (print)
|writers=[[Jesse Wittenrich]] & [[Pete Sinclair]]
|pencils=[[Robby Musso]]
|inks=[[Jake Isenberg]]
|colors=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters=Jesse Wittenrich
|managing editor= Pete Sinclair
|continuity=TransTech
}}
'''The TransTechs recruit some help to deal with the dangers posed in the wake of multiversal disruption.'''

==Synopsis==

[[Rhinox (TransTech)|Rhinox]] reports to [[Prowl (TransTech)|Prowl]] on the damage to the [[multiverse]] following the [[Invasion (issue)|destruction]] of [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]], the reverberations of which have caused many other dimensions to merge into one another, or be destroyed entirely. Further, the [[Earth]] of 207.0 Epsilon was not the only thing to pass through the portal created by the [[Terminus Blade]]: two other ships have also crossed over, but the disruptive effect of the unravelling of space and time on their journey means that they could potentially emerge anywhere, in any era. Readings indicate that they are set to materialize in a time-locked era of history that is home to a powerful artifact known as the [[Origin Matrix]], so the Optimus Primes of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|two]] [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|universes]] are sent to recruit a tracker to help hunt down the missing ships and warn them of the danger it poses. Their target, expert hunter [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]], is found playing cards with [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], [[Slipstream (WFC)|Slipstream]], [[Jackpot (Animated)|Jackpot]] and [[Circuit (Movie)|Circuit]], and agrees to the mission.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Autobot]]s/[[Maximal]]s
|c1=
*[[Prowl (TransTech)|Prowl]] (1)
*[[Rhinox (TransTech)|Rhinox]] (2)
*[[Sizzle (G1)|Sizzle]] (4)
*[[Side Burn (G1)|Side Burn]] (5)
*[[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] (6)
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (9)
*[[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] (10)
*[[Jackpot (Animated)|Jackpot]] (11)
*[[Circuit (Movie)|Circuit]] (12)
*[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] (15)

|c2=
*[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (8)
*[[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] (13)
*[[Slipstream (WFC)|Slipstream]] (14)
|c3=
*[[Hi-Q]] (3)
}}

==Notes==
*Initially made available through the Official Transformers Collectors' Club website in September 2012, this story was later reprinted in [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 48|issue #48]] of the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|club magazine]].
*Though printed in the same issue as "[[A Flash Forward, Part 6]]", it instead picks up from the [[Invasion Prologue|prologue]] to that year's [[BotCon]] comic, "[[Invasion (issue)|Invasion]]", and following up on the multiversal fallout of that story.
*The characters Depth Charge is playing cards with are four of the six toys available through the club's 2013 subscription service. The Origin Matrix, meanwhile, is obviously the Matrix accessory included with the fifth subscription toy, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#Timelines|Ultra Mammoth]].
*The images seen on Rhinox's screen in the first panel are different between the online and print versions of the comic. The online version sported pictures of the [[Battlecharger]]s, [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and the "Second Generation" clones from earlier in ''[[A Flash Forward (story arc)|A Flash Forward]]'' while the print version uses images from "[[A Flash Forward, Part 6]]", which would have been spoilers at the time the online version was released. The print version is the official version.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=91529&view=findpost&p=2225850 Pete Sinclair on the AllSpark]</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersclub.com/_images/transtech_1.jpg Page 1 at Transformersclub.com]
*[http://www.transformersclub.com/_images/transtech_2.jpg Page 2 at Transformersclub.com]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Timelines issues]]
[[Category:TransTech issues]]

Talk:Thrilling 30

2014-05-26T10:01:01Z

Animegodd: Created page with "I've been looking around the web and, assuming that I have found final images, most of the packaging for the AoE figures don't show the thrilling 30 logo. How can we be sure t..."

I've been looking around the web and, assuming that I have found final images, most of the packaging for the AoE figures don't show the thrilling 30 logo. How can we be sure that they are included in the numbering?

Jazz (Kre-O)

2012-12-12T01:44:10Z

Animegodd: /* Kre-O */

{{faction|autobot|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Jazz}}
:''Jazz is an [[Autobot]] from the brick-based world of [[Kre-O]].''
[[Image:Jazzkreo-wallpaper.jpg|thumb|300px|Next thing you know, he should be hanging out with [[John DiMaggio|Officer URL]] from ''Futurama''.]]

'''Jazz''' is a particularly enthusiastic Autobot warrior, and hates that [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]] has to be a killjoy all the time, what with their leader insisting on "restraint" all the time, when he just wants to get out there and fight [[Decepticon]]s. In his downtime, Jazz enjoys chilling with his crew at the [[Kreon]] bloxing clubs and watching demolition derbies. He also likes listening to his favorite tune, "Nothin' But A Bot Thing".

==Fiction==
Jazz was in the audience of a tag battle pitting [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Kre-O)|Bumblebee]] against [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]] and [[Starscream (Kre-O)|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Last Bot Standing}} He was in the audience of a dance competition too. {{storylink|Bot Stars}}

==Toys==
===Kre-O===
[[Image:KreO toy Jazz.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Mama says "[[Spock]] you Out".]]
* '''Jazz''' with Jazz and "Race Driver" Kreons (2011, 122 pieces)
: The Kre-O Jazz set is based primarily on ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] in deco, with a head sculpt heavily based on [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|2010 ''Transformers'']] "[[Reveal the Shield]]" Special Ops Jazz's head, but with [[Live-action film series|Movie]] [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]]'s silver coloration. He transforms into a generic sports car that doesn't really look like either of Jazz's alternate modes, with opening doors and a flip-up roof. Sadly, neither of these features is actually useful for inserting a driver (the gap left by opening the roof is too small, and the sides are blocked by unfortunately-placed horizontal bars), but at least the thought was there.

: The included Jazz Kreon is based directly on his ''Generation 1'' self, with his characteristic coloration and deco, and "door wings." He also comes with a generic light gray gun used by some of the other Kreons that can resemble Jazz's [[photon rifle]] if you squint hard enough. The "Race Driver" Kreon wears a red and light gray racing suit and helmet, and also has a light gray baseball cap so he doesn't have to wear his helmet all the time. How thoughtful!

: This set shows signs of having been slightly redesigned late in production. Included among the pieces is a red seat which is not used in either mode; there is an obvious place where it "belongs" in the middle of the car's cabin, but it cannot actually fit there due to other parts interfering. (Interestingly enough, a certain other company's equivalent piece ''will'' fit, thanks to its slightly different design.) Similarly, there is a black sticker with "vent" detailing which the builder is never instructed to apply anywhere, though according to stock photography, it is intended for Jazz's abdomen/pelvis section. Later releases of the set didn't include the seat, but still retained the unused sticker.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Autobot/Kre-OJazz/jazz.htm More information on Kre-O Jazz at TFU.info]''

[[Category: Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category: Kreons]]

Jazz (Kre-O)

2012-12-12T01:43:50Z

Animegodd: /* Kre-O */

{{faction|autobot|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Jazz}}
:''Jazz is an [[Autobot]] from the brick-based world of [[Kre-O]].''
[[Image:Jazzkreo-wallpaper.jpg|thumb|300px|Next thing you know, he should be hanging out with [[John DiMaggio|Officer URL]] from ''Futurama''.]]

'''Jazz''' is a particularly enthusiastic Autobot warrior, and hates that [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]] has to be a killjoy all the time, what with their leader insisting on "restraint" all the time, when he just wants to get out there and fight [[Decepticon]]s. In his downtime, Jazz enjoys chilling with his crew at the [[Kreon]] bloxing clubs and watching demolition derbies. He also likes listening to his favorite tune, "Nothin' But A Bot Thing".

==Fiction==
Jazz was in the audience of a tag battle pitting [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Kre-O)|Bumblebee]] against [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]] and [[Starscream (Kre-O)|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Last Bot Standing}} He was in the audience of a dance competition too. {{storylink|Bot Stars}}

==Toys==
===Kre-O===
[[Image:KreO toy Jazz.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Mama says "[[Spock]] you Out".]]
* '''Jazz''' with Jazz and "Race Driver" Kreons (2011, 122 pieces)
: The Kre-O Jazz set is based primarily on ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] in deco, with a head sculpt heavily based on [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|2010 ''Transformers'']] "[[Reveal the Shield]]" Special Ops Jazz's head, but with [[Live-action film series|Movie]] [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]]'s silver coloration. He transforms into a generic sports car that doesn't really look like either of Jazz's alternate mode, with opening doors and a flip-up roof. Sadly, neither of these features is actually useful for inserting a driver (the gap left by opening the roof is too small, and the sides are blocked by unfortunately-placed horizontal bars), but at least the thought was there.

: The included Jazz Kreon is based directly on his ''Generation 1'' self, with his characteristic coloration and deco, and "door wings." He also comes with a generic light gray gun used by some of the other Kreons that can resemble Jazz's [[photon rifle]] if you squint hard enough. The "Race Driver" Kreon wears a red and light gray racing suit and helmet, and also has a light gray baseball cap so he doesn't have to wear his helmet all the time. How thoughtful!

: This set shows signs of having been slightly redesigned late in production. Included among the pieces is a red seat which is not used in either mode; there is an obvious place where it "belongs" in the middle of the car's cabin, but it cannot actually fit there due to other parts interfering. (Interestingly enough, a certain other company's equivalent piece ''will'' fit, thanks to its slightly different design.) Similarly, there is a black sticker with "vent" detailing which the builder is never instructed to apply anywhere, though according to stock photography, it is intended for Jazz's abdomen/pelvis section. Later releases of the set didn't include the seat, but still retained the unused sticker.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Autobot/Kre-OJazz/jazz.htm More information on Kre-O Jazz at TFU.info]''

[[Category: Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category: Kreons]]